Crazy weather
I don’t know about you, but I can’t figure out this weather. I do know that the weather has affected many outdoor activities. Let me update you on what is happening in the out-of-doors then you can decide if you think the weather is playing a role in how nature’s creatures are behaving.
I have been fishing a lot in West Virginia for trout. My friend and I happened to be there on a day a stocking took place. The fish were released and no one was catching anything. I think the fellows threw everything but the kitchen sink at them and the results were terrible. I was lucky enough to catch three.
We then went to another stream that had also just been stocked. The results were about the same. There, I also caught three. The fish just were not hitting at all. The weather was cold and raining.
Last Thursday, I was back fishing again. They had stocked on Wednesday and I was told everyone got fish. They were biting on everything. On my first cast I got a real nice trout. In 30 minutes I had five, then the door closed and they just quit hitting. It stayed that way until 12:30 p.m., and then the fish starting hitting everything.
I stood in the same place using the same bait earlier that day and got nothing. But at 12:30 p.m., I got three in three casts. I released two and kept one, which gave me my limit of six. My friend, who was having a terrible day, also caught his limit in a very short time. I don’t understand it.
The walleye actions have been similar. One day they are hitting and the next day they just quit. My son got a 32½-inch, 10-pound, 8-ounce walleye along with four other legal walleyes one day and the next day I caught one with only one strike. I don’t understand it. Now, these fish were all caught in West Virginia, but I don’t think that has anything to do with it.
As for the turkey, it has been a quiet year for the birds. Birds are being taken but they are not very talkative. The rain and cold weather has had a lot to do with their activity. It remains to be seen what will be results of fledging due to the cold weather and rain.
The morel mushroom hunting has been pretty good. After the rains, there were ample morels to be picked. If you got a chance to get out, you probably found some.
Then there was the Kid’s and Lady’s Day of Fishing scheduled for May 6 that had to be rescheduled until May 13 because of high water and cold temperatures. Well, on May 13, the same thing occurred — high water and cold temperatures. The event has been rescheduled until May 20, beginning at 9 a.m. for registration. The event will take place on that day, and hopefully the weather will cooperate that day.
As for planting the garden, well, good luck. I finally got most of mine planted except for the corn. I just decided that last Saturday was the day to plant, and I planted everything else. I did have a strange thing happen this year. I had some bigger early tomato plants in, and they were doing fine. Then the cold snap hit; I covered the plants under five-gallon buckets, and when I removed the covers in the morning, they looked fine. However, that afternoon, the leaves looked as if they were frosted the night before. I left them alone and now they seem to be recovering slowly. That is one I am going to have to figure out.
All in all, it has been an unusual spring, to say the least. Some people may believe there is no climate change taking place, but I for one believe that there is.
While you’re busy doing your daily deeds, take a little time to give thanks for what you have … and don’t worry about what someone else has.
Have a great week.