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It is during this time of the year that I reflect upon days past and give thanks for all that has transpired.
I am thankful for: My health, family and the many friends that have come and gone, yet remain in memory; the ability I have been granted as a provider; the love shared during times together, and the too-often times of separation; this beautiful country and our blessed America, and the men and women of the Armed Forces who sustain our way of life by living daily in harm's way.
I am truly blessed to live among nature's bounty and share the lifestyle of the Lowcountry often envied by others.
There is a saying in Chinese that you must learn to appreciate the source of the spring from whence you drink. If you search daily for selfish needs focused on greed, you will never be happy. If your search is centered on family and friends, and the needs of others are placed before your own. If you focus on work, hobbies and meeting new people, by doing the very best you can on a daily basis, give thanks, for the true meaning of life and happiness is already at hand.
WEEKEND BETS
If you plan on doing a bit of fishing this holiday weekend, odds are in your favor. Inshore species continue to grab baits along the grass and mud flats, while offshore ventures remain stable for bottom dwellers.
Spottail bass are holding close to the flats and eagerly taking baits of shrimp, mullet, crab and artificials.
Trout are a bit more finicky lately, but sizes are large and good quantities can be located in the creeks that have oyster beds and shell rakes. Popping techniques are better, but drift fishing over the ledges of deeper banks will also produce.
Flounder remain elusive. Frequenting the mud flats along tapered banks, flounder will lie in wait for baitfish to drift into range. Lines tipped with fat mud minnows or imitations have found returns well worth the efforts.
Sheepshead have clustered around dock and pier pilings, and their strikes are extremely soft. To increase your odds using fiddlers, go with short shank hooks and a strong leader.
Other species among the bag are spots, small bluefish and a few whiting.
Offshore trips have been numbered due to prevailing winds and opposing tides. Among the group of takers have been abundant blackfish, some smaller grouper and a few snapper.
On the plus side, it appears that waters at the 30- to 50-foot mark over structured bottoms during offshore runs have been very productive. Large sheepshead, flounder and spottail bass have turned otherwise wasted trips into productive times for anglers. Although targeted species may not have been available, sore arms and broad smiles keep the mood on the plus side.
SALES TAX HOLIDAY
South Carolina has waived the state's sales and use tax on purchases of handguns, rifles and shotguns during the Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday. The 48-hour tax break on firearm purchases continues through midnight tonight. The tax exemption also applies to any local sales and use tax.
SIMPLE FISHING
While your time this week may have been concentrated on holiday gatherings, take heart -- somewhere there is a small body of water waiting for your line. The abundant lagoons and waterways in the area are well worth any spare efforts you may find in trips to the refrigerator's leftovers.
Try using your longest, most limber fishing rod -- with no reel -- and use it like a bamboo rod while fishing for bream or redbreast.
Tie a stout leader at the tip and simply drop your line over areas that look fishy. Old pilings, rocks, grass croppings in lagoons, holes and ledges of mud banks and overhangs along ponds and streams are all good choices.
You need no boat and nothing fancy, a 5-gallon bucket, frozen bait, fish stringer and optimism will often well reward idle moments.
It's a technique that always secures peace of mind and returns me to my fuzzy state of infirmity.
TACKLE TIP
The oils and perfumes associated with most hand cleaners send out an alarm to fish. The same holds true for dirty hands that have been subjected to gasoline, diesel fuel, motor oil and often overlooked applications of sunscreen. Handling baits or lures with dirty hands significantly reduces your chances for the dinner table. Wash your hands with a natural base soap and keep them clean.
TURKEYS GONE WILD
Although wild and domestic turkeys are genetically the same species, that's about where the similarity ends.
The domestic turkey lost its ability to fly through selective breeding that created heavier, broad-breasted birds. The shorter legs of the domestic turkey also mean it can't run as well as its wild cousin.
In contrast to the heavier domestic bird, the wild turkey is slim, tall and long-legged. Factor in its keen eyesight and native cunning, and the wild turkey makes a difficult target for human and animal hunters alike.
Reintroduction of the wild turkey in South Carolina is one of the Palmetto State's most noteworthy conservation success stories. Limited in the early 1900s to small pockets of birds in the Lowcountry's Francis Marion National Forest and along the Savannah River swamps, the wild turkey is now so widespread throughout South Carolina that a month-long spring hunting season is held in all of the state's 46 counties (there is no fall season). Wild turkey restoration was made possible through the efforts of the state S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the National Wild Turkey Federation, the forest products industry and South Carolina sportsmen and sportswomen.
WADDELL CENTER HIRES TRICE
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resource's Waddell Mariculture Center has selected Tallulah Trice as its community relations director.
Among other duties, Trice will be promoting the center as Beaufort County's focal point for all fisheries and natural resource research, education and protection activities.
The center is seeking volunteers to create the "Friends of Waddell" as a network to help with daily activities. If you would like to offer your services to help the Waddell Mariculture Center, send your e-mail address and name to Trice at Waddellfund@gmail.com or or mail her at HH Reef Foundation, PO Box 5542, Hilton Head Island, SC 29938.
Tax deductible donation inquiries for the Waddell Center can be directed to the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry at www.cf-lowcountry.org (PO Box 23019, HHI, SC 29925; 843-681-9100) or through the Hilton Head Reef Foundation at VicePresident@ReefFoundation.com.
BEAUFORT FISHING TOURNAMENT STANDINGS
Standings for the Beaufort Fishing Tournament, with species, boat, angler and weight in pounds:
LARGEST SPECIES RESULTS
Amber jack: C-Spoon, Todd Bradley, 66.78
Barracuda: Sea Wolf VI, Joshua Price, 25.26
Black drum: Roll-N, Karsten Dutton, 10.58
Blackfin tuna: Artemis, Ted MaMunes, 11.00
Black sea bass: Mikes Marine, Mike Spade, 4.72
Bluefish: TopGun5, Taylor Taylor, 11.62
Cobia: Happy Dog, Tennant Houston, 50.44
Croaker: My Time Out Jr, Frank Gibson, 0.68
Dolphin (dorado): Tortteaser, Lovick Hornsby, 50.32
Founder: Roeme, Scott Willard, 6.82
Grouper: Sea Hawk III, Frank Gibson, 19.18
Jack crevalle: Fish Call, Frank Gibson, 13.94
King mackerel: Marvs Outboard, Bernie Vinoski, 41.94
Ladyfish: 3 Capt's, Swanton Anderson, 2.62
Little tunny: TopGun5, Tom Thomas, 14.78
Pompano: Fish Call, Frank Gibson, 0.88
Red drum: No Name, Ashby West, 5.10
Red snapper: Mikes Marine, Mike Spade, 18.00
Sea trout:Mikes Marine, Mark Clifford, 4.3
Sheepshead: Miss Fripp, Frank Gibson, 8.82
Spadefish: TopGun5, Tom Thomas, 8.20
Spanish mackerel: Marvs Outboard, Sibet Copeland, 6.2
Spotted seatrout: Roeme, Scott Willard, 5.24
Spot: Wally Phinney, Nick Polowy, 1.32
Toad fish: Mikes Marine, Frank Gibson, 3.14
Triggerfish: No Worries, Larry Andrews, 9.11
Vermillion snapper: No Worries, Seth Andrews, 3.02
Wahoo: No Worries, Steve Roll, 53.16
Weakfish: A+B, Ben Vegar, 1.04
Whiting: Reel Control, Joe Marshall, 1.24
FEMALE ANGLER
Amber jack: Hold-N-On, Melanie McCaffree, 28.90
Barracuda: Miss Fripp, Phyllis Gibson, 14.30
Black Drum: Jean Rae, Jean Linker, 9.3
Black sea bass: Desperado, Monique Lambert, 2.46
Bluefish: Sea Wolf VI, Katie Gambla, 1.96
Cobia: Jean Rae, Carol Currin, 33.16
Croaker: Froggy Daddy, Carol Currin, 0.64
Dolphin (dorado): Artemis, Pam Roy, 9.18
Flounder: Artemis, Pam Roy, 4.10
Grouper: Artemis, Pam Roy, 13.36
King mackerel: Dr Hook, Marsha Vinoski, 27.56
Ladyfish: Miss Fripp, Phyllis Gibson, 1.50
Little tunny: Sea Wolf, Chris Odioso, 12.7
Red drum: Mikes Marine, Bobbie Spade, 4.14
Red snapper: Mikes Marine, Sarah Florez, 6.44
Sea trout: Froggy Daddy, Carol Curren, 2.68
Sheepshead: Jean Rae, Jean Linker, 4.72
Spanish mackerel: Marvs Outboard, Sibet Copeland, 6.2
Spots: Lil Looer, Holly Carslake, 0.18
Toad fish: Artemis, Pam Roy, 1.96
Triggerfish: Artemis, Crissy Hinson, 4.60
Vermillion snapper: Mikes Marine, Sarah Florez, 2.07
Weakfish: Froggy Daddy, Carol Currin, 0.74
Whiting: Froggy Daddy, Carol Currin, 1.14
10X10 YOUTH
Bluefish: White Whale, Peter Trask, 1.84
Croaker: White Whale, Peter Trask, 0.12
Jack crevalle: Sea Wolf VI, Matthew Moore, 2.18
Ladyfish: Miss Fripp, Kane Thorp, 2.0
Spotted sea trout: Just Because, Zach Wilson, 1.2
Spanish mackerel: Reet Hot, Mason Coner, 4.20
Whiting: Just Because, Zach Wilson, 0.88
YOUTH
Amber jack: My Time Out III, Kane Thorp, 16.30
Barracuda: Mikes Marine, Brice Spade, 17.04
Black drum: Prez, Andrew Carr, 2.46
Black sea bass: Mikes Marine, Brice Spade, 3.30
Bluefish: Sea Wolf VI, Taylor Poole, 2.46
Cobia: Sea Hawk III, Wes Chesnutt, 42.66
Croaker: White Whale, Peter Trask, 0.12
Flounder: Sea Buyyou, Tommy Buskiek, 4.56
Grouper: Mikes Marine, Brice Spade, 10.86
Jack crevalle: Sea Wolf VI, Matthew Moore, 2.18
King mackerel: TopGun VI, Zach Brown, 23.4
Ladyfish: Sea Wolf VI, Taylor Poole, 2.46
Red drum: Reel Chance, Billy Amick, 4.86
Red snapper: Mikes Marine, Brice Spade, 14.32
Sheepshead: Sea Wolfe, Shelbi Sasse, 2.88
Spadefish: Mikes Marine, Brice Spade, 6.16
Spanish mackerel: Sea Wolf, Hunter Pylant, 4.60
Spotted sea trout: Mikes Marine, Brice Spade, 3.34
Toad fish: Mikes Marine, Brice Spade, 1.01
Triggerfish: Mikes Marine, Brice Spade, 3.62
Vermillion snapper: No Worries, Seth Andrews, 3.02
Whiting: Reel Control, Megan Craig, 0.54
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