I know that when the leaves begin to turn, and the temperatures begin to fall, much of our thinking is centered around the upcoming hunting seasons, but fall is also an excellent time to target bass. More specifically, the fall season is great for targeting bass on the surface — both smallmouths and largemouths. I’m
READ MOREThese are the best of times and yet the worst of times. Unprecedented times. I continue to pray and send good vibes. But I am very concerned with what is going on. One of the good things about writing a weekly column is that I get to chime in. Yes. I usually share a story
READ MOREMaybe I should be a little more considerate and rephrase that story title and say our “not so attractive” winged creature. If you haven’t already guessed, I’m referring to the common and frequently sighted turkey vulture. The vulture’s featherless red or pinkish head and neck are anything but cute, and their eating habits only add
READ MOREBruce, me and Dan after a successful day on the lake. What on Earth do electronics have to do with catching crappies or any other fish for that matter? Well, actually, electronic devices and equipment can play a significant role in fishing success. Don’t misunderstand; you still must know what you are doing; you must
READ MORERecently, I started to watch a video wherein the presenter was relating his opinion that planting food plots for wildlife was not really a good idea. I am, however, a strong proponent of doing just that — taking the time, energy, and money to invest in establishing food plots that not only benefit deer and
READ MOREWith a lot of summer activities — including grass cutting — still in full swing, and plenty of warm days and nights still on the agenda, it’s doubtful that any thoughts of hunting have even begun to enter our minds-me included. To be honest, I’m still caught up in the challenge of catching more bass
READ MOREThe Fish Real Estate Leadership Challenge Course, the creation of which involved the same collaborative spirit that it will nurture in those who use it, was dedicated Aug. 11 on the wooded southcentral side of Pennsylvania College of Technology. The Challenge Course – a remarkable project funded by Brent and Daria Fish in memory of
READ MOREI guess it’s a sign that I’m getting older, but it seems like changes are coming more frequently than they did in the past. As an outdoorsman involved in the business of hunting and fishing for most of my life, in my early years, it seemed like rules and regulations seldom changed much, if at
READ MOREOne of the more memorable lines from a movie is when Forrest Gump stated that “My mama always said, life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get!” And, while he was referring to something completely different, the line could easily be used to describe what you might or might
READ MOREThe title of this week’s story is probably a pretty good description of what I call my lawn, but if you are a bass fisherman that likes to hit the area lakes during these summer months, you are obviously finding an abundance of weeds there as well. That’s pretty normal, and most serious bass fisherman,
READ MOREAs July catapults along at an amazing speed towards the fast-approaching month of August, there are perhaps at least two things that have been topics of conversation in area households; “I’m bored, there’s nothing to do” and “when are we going shopping for school clothes?” Regarding the latter, retailers have been more than ready, especially
READ MOREFor outdoorsmen who are about to spend an increasing amount of time in the out of doors in the upcoming months, it is only a matter of time until you come in contact with ticks. Whether you are fishing at your favorite mountain stream, preseason scouting for this coming fall, or working on food plots
READ MOREDeer season still might be months away, but hunters who will need antlerless deer licenses in 2021-22 soon will need to fill out and send in their applications. Resident hunters may apply for their first antlerless deer license beginning Monday, July 12. Nonresidents may submit their first application a week later, beginning Monday, July 19.
READ MORETruth be told, I must have been bitten by the “travel bug” at an early age. I have always been a wanderer, frequently daydreaming about my next quest or next travel and adventure destination. My years in the Air Force only compounded my lust for travel. Now, in the retirement years, I still seek to
READ MORENeedless to say, for those of us who are severely “hooked on fishing,” we have somehow managed to fish during all twelve months of the year, and even the dead of winter doesn’t deter us. Normally, the spring and summer months are great for catching a variety of species from trout to bass, walleyes, panfish,
READ MOREThe Spencers just got back from a quick family vacation. We spent the past few days along Pine Creek in isolation. Teach has several good friends in her industry. One of them invited us up to her cabin. We did the exact same last year during COVID. We had such an amazing time. It was
READ MOREThe Lycoming County Board of Commissioners Meetings could be described as 99% mundane matters and 1% wow moments. The ‘wows’ generally catch me by surprise, such as line item 1.6, “Proclamation: Jack McKee 100th Birthday,” listed on the Tuesday, June 22nd agenda. OK, I guess it is great that a guy hits the century mark,
READ MOREAnyone involved in hunting, especially big game, knows how important it is to use the right caliber of gun to take the prey you are after. You don’t use a 22-caliber rifle for hunting deer or bears, and you don’t need a 300 Winchester Mag. to bag a gray squirrel. This week’s piece, however, is
READ MOREPeople are living longer than ever and many of us want to remain active later in life. All those years of activity can wear on our bodies, especially our joints. While minor pain and aches are normal, long-lasting pain or pain that causes you to make lifestyle changes are something you should consider talking to
READ MOREI suppose a better way of saying “let’s get down to earth” might be to say, “it’s time to start thinking terrestrial.” What I mean is that even though a lot of our mayfly hatches are slowing down and coming to an end, now is the time to start turning to terrestrials or those bugs
READ MORECongratulations to all the teachers, kids, and administrators. This school year was definitely a challenge. I can’t begin to tell you how proud of you I am. Battling the unknowns and dealing with the COVID protocols wasn’t fun. But you found a way to persevere. Kudos and major props. Special thanks to all of you
READ MOREI remember as a young man when I first started fishing, my buddies and I would dig some worms and head to the nearest creek. Like a lot of other young fishermen, we didn’t give much thought to what we might catch just as long as we caught something. As time went on, I got
READ MOREScammers have perfected the art of lying and deception. They prey upon the most innocent and caring people. This often is the most senior members of our community that may be lonely and just enjoy having someone to talk with. They are beyond scoundrels in sheep’s clothing and will say whatever necessary. Please make it
READ MOREIt all began as my friend, Walker, and I laid out plans for a spring bear hunt in the Clearwater Wilderness Area in the Idaho panhandle. We wanted to arrive in the state a few days early so we could wind down from the 35 plus hour drive from home. And we wondered what else
READ MOREI cannot believe the 2021 Little League regular season is coming to an end. Time goes by fast when you are having some fun. OK. I might complain that baseball gets in the way. But it seems like Michelle, Jensen, and I are at the ball field every single night. My fishing has suffered greatly.
READ MOREWhen I head out with my fishing rod in hand, my intentions, of course, are to encounter as many scaly creatures as possible — that is, the scaly creatures that are swimming beneath the surface I’m fishing over. In addition to the scaly fish, however, I also frequently encounter a variety of other scaly creatures
READ MOREHow great was it to feel that bright summer sun and those 90 degree days last week? Isn’t it amazing how much more fun any outdoor event becomes in our neck of Penns Woods when you finally feel the warmth of summer? All those sporting events that parents and grandparents endure in those cold days
READ MORENorth Central Pennsylvania is home to several grand opportunities, and paddling gives you an entirely new perspective. This includes kayaking, canoeing, and even wakeboarding. With the weather changing, many folks are now out on the nearby lakes, rivers, and streams. Yes. Paddling is another great option to experience the outdoors. The Spencers have a canoe,
READ MOREThe 2021 trout season is off to a great start, minus the weather. But the fishing has been grand. My friends and I are having a blast. I have stayed mostly local, but several have ventured out. A lot of credit goes to the STATE and other local organizations. There is one, in particular, that
READ MOREFor some reason, these days, it seems like we are seeing more and more TV shows about surviving in the wilderness or living off the grid. Like a lot of other outdoor types, I, too, have dabbled a bit in surviving off the land on a few occasions. On one outing, I spent about ten
READ MOREThere was a missed call, but I didn’t recognize the number. I really didn’t think anything of it as they didn’t leave a voicemail. The same number appeared a few minutes later. I picked up this time, expecting a used car salesman. It was a nice lady from Lycoming Valley Intermediate. I totally panicked. What
READ MOREIn this series of articles, we are taking a look at interactions Jesus had with people during the forty days between His resurrection and His ascension. So far, we have discussed Mary Magdalene, the Disciples, and Cleopas and his friend as they walked with Jesus on the road to Emmaus. Previous articles in this series
READ MOREI’m not what you call a real dedicated bird watcher, but I do enjoy seeing the great variety of birds we have here in Pennsylvania including a wide variety of songbirds that visit our bird feeders, woodpeckers, birds of prey, waterfowl, and of course our game birds. I not only enjoy seeing our many bird
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