Gotta find a cure for cabin fever
According to the dictionary cabin fever is anxiety or distress caused by lack of environmental stimulation. That sure describes the past three weeks as the sun made few appearances, and temperatures of 32 degrees or above were even harder to find.
Intermittent light snows made life even more miserable.
I’m not waiting for today’s news from Punxsutawney Phil or Phyllis, I’m going for a little elixir and heading for the Pittsburgh Boat Show.
That’s the only game in town right now, but the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show is set to open Feb. 8 at the State Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg. It will run through Feb. 16.
Harrisburg is a little bit of a drive, but it only takes about three hours in good weather. Share the drive with a couple of buddies and plan to spend the day (or two), as there is more to see there than at any show around here.
The annual Allegheny Sport, Travel and Outdoor show begins Feb. 12 at the ExpoMart in Monroeville. It closes on Feb. 16.
The shows give outdoorsmen a chance to at least dream about upcoming fishing and hunting seasons while viewing the latest equipment, shopping for needed gear and taking in a seminar or two to learn new or improve on old outdoor skills.
Ice fishing is in full swing and a great way for the hardy to get outdoors.
Al Packan at Captain Al’s bait and tackle shop on Dunlap Creek Lake reports light ice fishing activity the lake, which is covered with six inches of ice.
“The ice is a little slushy right now,” Packan said. “I really can’t say the fishing is good. There have been fishermen out every day, but they haven’t been doing real well on trout. Thursday I did see two 16-inch brownies one guy caught on minnows, and there have been a couple legal walleye taken through the ice. Some fishermen had been catching perch, but they were just average size.”
This week the Fish and Boat Commission will stock Dunlap, Virgin Run Dam and the Yough River tailraces and Laurel Hill Lake in Westmoreland County under the Late Winter Stocking Program.
The week of Feb. 17, Duke Lake in Greene County will be stocked and the following week (Feb. 24) Canonsburg and Dutch Fork lakes in Washington County and Donegal, Mammoth, Keystone, Northmoreland and Lower Twin Lakes in Westmoreland County will receive shipments of trout.
Speaking of fishing, I find I can spend hours on a cold, snowy day just leafing through various fishing and spring sports catalogs that have started to arrive.
I already cleaned out my tackle boxes, sorting through and reorganizing them while adding new lures purchased in recent months and putting others in mothballs that I have found unproductive.
That is a great way to spend an afternoon or two and get your mind on something constructive. Just fixing lures and sharpening all the hooks can make a dull evening (no pun intended) fly by, while bring back memories of past fishing trips.
One chore I have before me will take care of a couple dreary Sunday afternoons. I have a couple boxes of 30.06 brass that need to be reloaded, along with about 600 shotgun shells I burned up target shooting.
A short shopping trip can also break the grip of cabin fever. Most department stores and sport shops are stating to stock up on fishing gear and hunting supplies for spring gobbler season, so it is a great time to browse and see what’s new.
Take the dog for a walk if it warms up, but don’t let cabin fever get you down. Better days are not that far ahead.
Rod Schoener is the Herald-Standard outdoors writer.