To recap, I rediscovered an awesome lake nearby that has the WEIRDEST varieties of fish I've ever heard of in freshwater inland. Things like carp, gar (an alligator/fish hybrid type thing; kinda similar to a baracuda) and EELS. In fact, the record eel caught at this lake was four founds and forty inches long.
Carp, to those that do not know, are like a cross between a Goldfish and a catfish; literally. They are like super-sized goldfish with whiskers, and apparently they fight more than anything when hooked (don't worry, vegan friends of mine; carp are the strongest fish around - you can literally leave them out of water, in the sun, for a whole day and they won't die. They're the Super Man of the fish world).
In America they are considered a nongame fish (meaning you can catch as many as you want, anyway you want, no questions asked; their are no rules for harvesting them), at best, and a horrid nuisance at worst. Few people in America actually fish for them, but quite a few are caught due to their ubiqitous nature. However, in Europe they are prized game fish and fished for their trophy size and gourmet status. Due to their strength and versitility, they are also the food staple of many a people; they can survive and thrive in little more than a mud puddle, and for this reasons many locations the world over rely on them as a primary source of food. Vietnam, for instance, has them everywhere; from rivers to rice paddies to, yes, outhouses. Believe it or not in Vietnam they put huge carp at the bottom of outhouse pits to, shall we say, redistribute waste. These carp get to be monsters and when the locals are hungry (cover your mouths vegetarians and vegans alike) they spear them and eat them. Fifty pounds or more of shit eating carp on a spit....even I cannot feign interest in something that disgusting.
On a lighter note, I've made several changes in my day-to-day life.
1) No smoking. Many of you heard that I have quit smoking, so little surprise, but this time I know it's for good. Even the thought of it bothers me now.
2) No more pain killers. They will be missed, but they are slowing me down way too much. If my shoulder starts hurting too bad...well, that's just too bad. I'll either have to live with it or get it fixed (or stop dislocating it to show-off to people; that's what makes it hurt most of the time; generally if I leave it alone it doesn't bother me except when I do heavy lifting).
3) NO MORE FAST FOOD. I have adopted this law many times, and lately have been doing pretty good, but started to slip via Burger King (charbroiled hamburgers are GOOD! so are onion rings!). Yesterday afternoon I had a chicken burger that is about to be redigested, if you catch my drift. Half the time when I eat fast food I either get sick or wish I got sick. NO MORE. From now on, I cook or starve.
Carp, to those that do not know, are like a cross between a Goldfish and a catfish; literally. They are like super-sized goldfish with whiskers, and apparently they fight more than anything when hooked (don't worry, vegan friends of mine; carp are the strongest fish around - you can literally leave them out of water, in the sun, for a whole day and they won't die. They're the Super Man of the fish world).
In America they are considered a nongame fish (meaning you can catch as many as you want, anyway you want, no questions asked; their are no rules for harvesting them), at best, and a horrid nuisance at worst. Few people in America actually fish for them, but quite a few are caught due to their ubiqitous nature. However, in Europe they are prized game fish and fished for their trophy size and gourmet status. Due to their strength and versitility, they are also the food staple of many a people; they can survive and thrive in little more than a mud puddle, and for this reasons many locations the world over rely on them as a primary source of food. Vietnam, for instance, has them everywhere; from rivers to rice paddies to, yes, outhouses. Believe it or not in Vietnam they put huge carp at the bottom of outhouse pits to, shall we say, redistribute waste. These carp get to be monsters and when the locals are hungry (cover your mouths vegetarians and vegans alike) they spear them and eat them. Fifty pounds or more of shit eating carp on a spit....even I cannot feign interest in something that disgusting.
On a lighter note, I've made several changes in my day-to-day life.
1) No smoking. Many of you heard that I have quit smoking, so little surprise, but this time I know it's for good. Even the thought of it bothers me now.
2) No more pain killers. They will be missed, but they are slowing me down way too much. If my shoulder starts hurting too bad...well, that's just too bad. I'll either have to live with it or get it fixed (or stop dislocating it to show-off to people; that's what makes it hurt most of the time; generally if I leave it alone it doesn't bother me except when I do heavy lifting).
3) NO MORE FAST FOOD. I have adopted this law many times, and lately have been doing pretty good, but started to slip via Burger King (charbroiled hamburgers are GOOD! so are onion rings!). Yesterday afternoon I had a chicken burger that is about to be redigested, if you catch my drift. Half the time when I eat fast food I either get sick or wish I got sick. NO MORE. From now on, I cook or starve.
I'm going to get out to Medina Lake today, if I can, to take a look around. See if I can't find me some of those carp and eels and gar. hehehe.
Carps, Eels and Gars, oh my!
I did net some carp, though! Yippee! They were babies, but they'll make good bait anyways. I also, to my utter fucking surprise (seriously, this blew my mind) netted a baby STRIPPED BASS! In the SAN ANTONIO river, no less. I couldn't believe that one.