All fishing, all the time

Gus

There are a lot of things that need doing around here. A garden to be prepared, seeds to be planted, bees to be fed, oyster cages to be set up, a turkey pen to be repaired. There are greens to be blanched and frozen, boats to be cleaned and put up for sale, a house [...]

First fish of the year!

Kevin's first striped bass of the year

Yesterday, Kevin and I went fishing. Although we’d gone a couple of times before, it wasn’t in earnest because we knew the fish weren’t there yet. Yesterday, we knew the striped bass were in Barnstable Harbor, and we were determined to catch us a couple. We went out to the head of the channel, about [...]

Can you freeze striped bass?

Striped bass with black bean sauce

It was probably round about when we caught our third keeper striper, earlier this season, that I reversed my long-standing policy of not freezing fish. Home freezing invariably damages food. As the food freezes, the water in it expands and breaks the cell walls. The slower the freezing, the worse the damage, and your average [...]

Mastering the cold fish

Stripers on ice

I’m guessing your patience with my fishing stories is wearing thin, so I’ll boil yesterday afternoon’s trip right down. I caught one striper, and Kevin and Bob both caught two (their limit), and then some (which they released). By a fluke, Bob also caught a fluke. The huge fish that I fought for a good [...]

My Glut Complex

Freezer-ready

What’s the best eating fish ever? If you were taking a poll, striped bass would most certainly be in the mix. It’s mild and moist, with a texture that walks the line between flaky and meaty. Before I started catching my own striper, I would eagerly anticipate the commercial season, when I could buy beautifully [...]

There’s fishing, and then there’s catching

Kevin and Bob

I’ve discovered the secret to fishing. I now know the key to maximizing your chances of finding and catching a fish. And not just any fish – the right fish. The one that’ll make a great photo, and then be dinner for several meals. I’ve discovered the Holy Grail of fishing. It’s Bob. Those of [...]

Stripah

The first keeper stiper of 2011

I had a lot to do today. I had deadlines. I had research. I had an interesting, engaging blog post on hydroponics to write. And it was all going according to plan, until Kevin called me at 12:30. “Where are you?” he asked. “I’m on the bus,” I said. No matter where I am, this [...]

First fish

Bob, me, and the first fish of 2011

The stripers are back! Last week, Kevin took the big boat out of winter storage and prepped the motor for the new season. When he was done, he took it down to Prince Cove to put in for a trial run. I didn’t even realize he’d left until the phone rang and I saw his [...]

There must be something in the water

Kevin and Bob, willing fish to be in the vicinity

No matter how you slice it, the main point of fishing is to catch fish. It’s all well and good to be out on a boat, with family and friends, on a beautiful day, engaging in a wholesome activity, communing with nature, and all that. But the god’s honest truth is that, without fish, fishing [...]

More striper! This time, Kevin’s.

Another day, another striper!  Kevin caught one just a hair bigger than mine, and he grilled it for dinner.  Our friend Amanda joined us, and we had it with roasted potatoes and asparagus.  To go with it all, I made a sorrel cream sauce out of wild sorrel I purloined from our friend Rick’s yard.  [...]

WordPress hosting from WPEngine