Smelting on Friday!

[mallard]

Well, yesterday I killed a mosquito. Depending on shade, some parts of the ground still have snow. The pond still has some ice.

However at the river, the icebreaker came and did its work, and some water is free to cast from shore! Since open water season doesn't begin until April 1st, we aren't allowed to go striper fishing.

but we can smelt! I've actually yet to do it, but I've heard how fun it can be. For those unfamiliar with smelt, they are about 6 inches long and travel in enormous schools. You use treble hooks to snag them when ripping through a school. (No catch and release, obviously. Food/stored bait.)

Signs of spring up here. Getting very close to 50 degree highs. Songbirds return. Ducks and geese. Snakes come back out (in reference to another post).

$24 for that fishing license, let's make it worth every penny!