Chasing Bullfrogs on the River

When the sun goes down, the dark world of a flowing river comes to life. Wildlife abounds along water courses and many critters wait until nightfall to begin their secretive explorations of the watery world for food. There is no better way to see and hear the animals that prowl, howl, hoot, swim, fly and croak than to go on a night time frog gigging trip. It is an adventure like none other. Jason Parsons, Pat Ybarra and his two sons, Lance and Gavin, joined me for a fun filled evening of frog gigging on the Meramec River recently. The boys were especially excited as I pulled into Ybarra’s place to pick everyone up. We stowed everyone’s gear and packed ourselves into my pickup truck for the drive to the river. The boys asked a thousand questions as we drove down the highway. They wanted to know everything from how many frogs we would get to who would trying gigging first. It promised to be an interesting evening. Everyone helped get the boat into the water and all of the lifejackets and other gear transferred from the truck to the boat. All five of us loaded up to take a little boat ride until darkness neared. The ride gave everyone a chance to become comfortable with the boat before we began our night’s work. We drifted slowly downriver taking in all of the sights and recalled the places where, several years previously, all the girls in the family had gigged their first frogs. J.P. and and I relived some laughs from that night so long ago. I had a particular slough in mind to begin searching for frogs. We motored slowly downstream about a half mile to the entrance to the backwater slough. We had to climb out of the boat and drag it through the narrow, shallow entrance to the shallow water area which was surrounded by fallen trees and willows. Soon after we entered the slough the first frog bellowed at the far end of the waterway. Thirty minutes of daylight remained. The Ybarra boys began building sand castles on a spit of sand they had discovered. Pat Ybarra and Jason Parsons decided to do a little daylight stalking on shore. They had each heard frogs in different locations and decided to test their skills. I watched. I heard Parsons mumbling, then he jabbed with his gig. More mumbling followed. It seemed the frog heard him coming and hightailed it through the weeds to higher ground. Parsons vowed to return for revenge. Soon bats began to fly. We made our last preparations before shoving off into the oncoming darkness. I poled the boat slowly down the shoreline while Ybarra shined a big light along the banks. Parsons manned the front of the boat as the first gigger. Only minutes into the trip, Ybarra spotted the first frog of the evening. I cocked the boat just slightly so that I could see the frog illuminated by the powerful light. The boys whispered and pointed at the frog as I maneuvered the long, narrow boat into position. Ten feet, five feet and moving. Parsons readied his gig as I closed the distance to two feet. A quick jab and Parsons had his first bullfrog of the evening. The Ybarra boys entertained themselves by checking out the frog while we continued the hunt. Within minutes we were on the second frog. Everyone had their job down pat. Ybarra held the light steadily on the frog while I maneuvered the boat. Parsons, poised for to strike with his gig, leaned far forward to make the kill. He struck the frog with a great deal of force. However, when he started to raise the frog up out of the mud and moss it managed to wriggle off the gig and get away. All of us in the boat razzed Parsons about letting a little frog outdo him. He reached the far end of the slough. Ybarra’s light picked up a couple of frogs in very shallow water ahead of us. He and Parsons stepped out of the boat and slowly crept towards the frogs. Ten minutes later they returned to the boat with the pair of bullfrogs in hand. Ybarra and Parsons switched places in the boat. Ybarra had become the gigger and Parsons the spot lighter. Frogs groaned up and down the slough. The evening promised to provide several more frogs. It didn’t take long for Ybarra to find and spear the next frog. We quickly located another frog about 20 yards down the bank. As we neared the location, we discovered that the frog was well hid back up under the foliage of a fallen tree. Ybarra, determined to get to the critter, slid over the gunwale into the dark water and black mud on the bottom. He quickly sank to his thighs in the slough mud, but insisted on pursuing the treetop frog. The situation looked doubtful. Ybarra would have to wade through limbs and mud and logs to get near the frog. Then he would have to reach up over a high log and gig downwards to stick the frog which had perched on another log. All bets were on the frog as Ybarra made his final step and tiptoed to get over the log in front of him. He took long seconds to steady himself. He eased the gig slowly downwards and made a swift jab. Everybody in the boat began quizzing him about the results. “Of course I got it,” came his reply. Ybarra managed to nail a couple more respectable frogs. As we neared the river end of the slough, where we had entered, Parson’s light caught a frog sitting on a mud flat. Lance, the youngest of the Ybarra boys asked if he could try to get that frog. Lance and his dad, Pat, slid over the side of the boat together. They quickly sank into the black, stinky, swamp mud. However, Lance was determined and continued his approach. When he reached the bank, he sank so deep into the mud he could not pull his feet out. When he finally pulled one foot free, it was without a boot. Lance slogged onward. When his stealthy, muddy approach had brought him to within 8 feet of the frog, the frog had had enough and hopped into the slough. Everyone heaved a big sigh for Lance and congratulated him for a grand effort. Midnight neared. Everyone, tired and muddy, agreed to head for home.

Take a Kid Fishing - A few Tips

Take a Kid Fishing - A few Tips Bill Cooper I’ve been fishing for a very long time, over 60 years in fact. Fishing is truly an interactive pursuit that appeals to most human beings, simply because it is fun. I’ve witnessed thousands of people fishing over the decades and have conducted research into why people fish. Reasons range from a basic desire to get meat to eat, to connecting with God. A great source of discussion in outdoor circles these days is the topic of taking children fishing. In my day, kids went fishing, because dad did. However, we quickly developed a sense of pride, because we were helping put meat on the family table. Fishing was also great fun and an escape from the hard labor on the family farm. Children today face an unimaginable amount of pressure and influence from a wired, plugged-in society. Fishing may be entirely foreign to them. However, the state of our society does not reduce the values of fishing. In fact, it increases the value of a resource based, nature connecting, esteem building outdoor activity. Following are a few tips that will help you take a child fishing. Pick a location with which the child is familiar, if possible. A small pond or stream that is known to hold lots of fish is best. Quick success at catching that first fish is paramount to maintaining their interest. Having an area to play, or explore is important, too, in case the fishing is slow. Build anticipation. Talk about fishing with your child. Tell a few fishing tales, or find someone who can. Grandpas are great for this. It builds excitement. Read children’s stories about fishing. Christine Hautmann has published a series of books on about children’s fishing adventures. Cover the rules surrounding fishing. Children are accustomed to rules. Understanding the concepts of fishing regulations, such as numbers and types of fish whcih may be kept will et boundaries fro them. Discuss safety issues as well, such as wearing life jacket and being careful with sharp hooks. Get organized. Make a list of what you need to take on the trip. Snacks are a top priority. Kids love to eat. But, don’t forget bug spray, lots of water to stay hydrated, antibacterial wipes, chairs, blankets and of course, fishing gear. Let your child help with the choice of bait you will use. Bait is good for beginning fishermen. They will not have to cast as much. A container of earthworms is a remarkable choice. Not only are they great for simple fishing, they provide an endless source of entertainment for children. Study up bout worms, too. There will be lots of questions. Should your child, be really squeamish, select another bait, such as dough balls. Select the right tackle. Keep it simple. An old cane pole is fun, but few use them anymore. Simple push button reels with a short rod are ideal fro children. They will learn to cast quickly and earn a sense of accomplishment as their skills progress. Bring bobbers, too. Bobbers are fascinating to fishermen, old and new. Watching a bobber disappear as a fish pulls it under sets imaginations on fire. Every angler wonders about what is on that line. Too, kids can play at a reasonable distance and still watch their bobber fro telltale signs of a bite. Too, chasing a rod down the bank as a big fish runs off with it creates fond memories and incredible fish stories. Involve the child in the job of fishing. Don’t do it all for them. They can hand you bait and eventually participate in getting that wriggly worm on the hook. Allow children to touch any fish that is caught and encourage them to release fish or place them in a bucket to take home. Make it fun. Fishing is really great fun, when the fish are biting. However, if the bite slows, so will interest in fishing. Be prepared to help your child have a good time regardless. Take a break. Explore. Catch frogs or crayfish. Look at wildflowers. Pick berries. Have a picnic. Sing songs or make up silly poems. You both will enjoy the activities as well as your time together. Remember to keep the trip short. A child’s attention span is short. If they loose interest quickly, don’t despair. They will gain more interest in fishing with each trip you make. A good wrap up to a trip makes it memorable as well. And don’t be hurt , if your child talks more about the ice cream cone you stopped for on the way home, rather than the fishing trip. Talk with your child about being responsible while fishing. Most places you go, you will find trash. Explain to your child why it is not a good idea to throw thrash on the ground. Encourage them to learn to love the natural beauty around them and explain that they are an important person to help keep the area clean, so that others can enjoy the area, too. Also explain that trash is dangerous to fish and wild animals and that we owe it to the to keep their place clean, too. I recently mad a short fishing trip with my 5-year-old grandson, Ronnie. Our first order of business was to clean up a bunch of trash someone had left. Nest, we threw rocks into the stream, right where we were going to fish. It was OK. We didn’t catch a fish. However, Ronnie brought his boogie board along. He floated downstream about 75 yards at least 50 times. On the walk back upstream he chased minnows and crayfish. After sitting in the stream and eating watermelon, we stopped at a pond on the way home for 15 minutes. Ronnie caught a 14-inch bass, which he would not hold, and two monster bluegills. He’s hooked.