Atlantic salmon fishing can hardly be described as predictable. The fish first must arrive. After several years of feeding on the ocean’s bounty, salmon return to their natal river, often to the same spot where they were hatched. This is an incredible feat of navigation, a miracle performed by the smell of the water, which
For some strange reason that one word of emphasis crooned in singer Roy Orbison’s 1964 hit song “Pretty Woman” has stayed with me over the years. If you’ve never heard the song, give it a visit on the Internet. It is only one word but it surely emphasizes the message of his song. Mercy may
Last week, I broke the mold, so to speak — instead of writing about hunting, shooting, fishing or outdoor adventures, I shared something that was happening in my personal life. Today, I am happy to pen what Paul Harvey would say is “the rest of the story.” This past weekend, my family and some friends
The grouse’s thunderous take-off caught me by surprise — even though I was actually hunting them, I was still not prepared when it exploded from behind a log only ten yards away. I missed — not unusual for me since I probably missed more than I ever succeeded in bringing down. Unfortunately, the grouse hunting
Lycoming County has always been a hotbed of sports, producing many great and proficient athletes. As a way to celebrate that sports heritage, the West Branch Valley Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame was organized with its first class of inductees in 1974. The West Branch Chapter has been one of the more
Barracuda, great, Sphyraena barracuda, occur in all tropical seas, except the East Pacific, and are known by the common names of cuda, sea pike, and giant sea pike. They are quite common from Florida to Brazil. There are also Guinean, Mexican, and Pacific barracuda. Great barracuda are one of the largest of the barracudas and
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away — I used to be really good. It’s true. So I can still stripe it better than most, but I haven’t made a five-foot putt in the past two months. It’s embarrassing. My lack of practice has to be the culprit, and I don’t get
Jean and I were among the several thousand country music fans that jammed the Bloomsburg Fair venue for the final night performance of the legendary county band ‘Alabama.’ On this crisp early autumn night the show provided a wonderful opportunity to clap, sing along, and enjoy one of country music’s most celebrated groups. During the
While my usual writings for this column are about shooting, hunting and general outdoor topics, I feel I should share with you something of a more personal nature that is unfolding even as I write this installment. While I tend to stay at arm’s length with my personal life in the articles that I write,
For those of us who are old enough, we certainly have fond memories of the “good old days” of pheasant hunting — especially in our part of the state. I remember well heading out into some nearby fields for a couple of hours of pheasant hunting; I didn’t have a dog, but I was often
Rain was falling down in sheets, the pitch was hard to make out, and each and every player was soaked to the bone before the match even started. As Williamsport put its 11-3 record on the line against Selinsgrove, which also entered at 11-3, it was anything but soccer weather. Sometimes though, it makes for
Last week I mentioned that youth sports are in the midst of a major crisis. I’ve actually been doing lots of research on this topic too. Scary thought I know. I waited until I turned 40 to do my homework. So, I recently found some figures to support my claim. According to the findings of
