We bird, we herp, we fish

There has been some discussion as to whether fishing photos are allowed on our nature blog. Let me resolve this controversy by saying that I have decided they are allowed and here they are.

Dad and I had a wonderful time at Sea Isle this very fine Mother's Day. The weather was perfect -- sunny and 70 degrees with a light wind. Dad set four surf rods out, baited with fresh clam. The first (supposed) striper of the day took not only the bait but the entire rig off of line #1. That was a good omen.

Next, Dad reeled in a 30", 8#11 oz striper and no sooner had beached that one, then he was pulling in another non-keeper.

Dad with his stripers

About an hour later, another rod bent and this one was mine. I started fighting what ultimately turned out to be not only my first striper ever, but the largest keeper of the day at 10#4oz and 30". I thought I was in good shape, but man, what a fight! Complicated by the fact that Dad was reeling in something on the line next to me. That turned out to be a skate . . . AND my line. At that point, I was convinced that my fish was off. The lines were tangled -- and a mess. About a minute later, Dad realized that the fish might still be on my line and hand pulled my fish to the beach!

Then, ten minutes later, the big surf rod bent again and I was off to the races fighting my second fish which fought harder than the first. My shoulders and arms eventually gave out and I had to let Dad get this one onto the beach for me also. It was a first for the Webster family: a black drum 25", 9.5#. An strikingly beautiful fish which takes its name from the drumming noise that it makes (and we heard). Since we heard that it's not as good eatin', we threw it back.

What a day --one that I will never forget!

We bird, we herp, we fish . . .

Only we sometimes eat the fish.