The Fish of a Lifetime 48 inches!

I had been skunked the last two days out on the Flats with Lisa. There had been two Nor'Easters both days right before my two scheduled trips and the fish were stacked up thicker than we have ever seen them ,exhibiting the famous striper lock jaw.

I was inconsolable! I had caught no spring stripers. I just wanted one respectable fish, nothing more. My sweet husband decided that the up coming weekend would be beautiful weather and our last chance to take Mosey out before he hauled her out for some hull work (under water lights). He suggested that we head up to the Flats, anchor and, depending where we anchored, I could either kayak fish or we would take the dinghy. GREAT idea and so we left Saturday PM hoping the big high tide on the flats Sunday morning would be productive.

We wound up anchoring just off of Locust Point in calmer water near the channel. It was too far to kayak and get to Sandy Point at 7:30 AM without kayaking in the dark amongst the seventy some boats all vying for a spot on the incoming. Not a good idea, so we launched the nine foot hard bottom dinghy and made it out quickly and safely where upon arriving the DNR came over to check out the two idiots fishing out of a little dinghy amonst the seventy or so fishing boats. I tell thm we came off of the big boat out there. After a quick show of license and safety equiptment, they left us to fish.

Ken was not comfortable with my fly rod in the dinghy, so I brought my seven foot med. St. Croix with 12 lbs. fireline and a 20 lbs. flurocarbon leader. I also had my new Shimano Stratic 4000 too!

We made it to Sandy Point and leisurely drifted trying to mark some fish. I put on my 3/4 oz. chartreuse and chrome rattle and after it raised a few 20 plus inchers in six to eight feet of water, I was very hopeful as to what this tide would yield. If these fish were biting in this water depth, they were hungry.

Stripers began to pop up and roll all over spawning and the water was covered with visible eggs and streams of sperm! We found a few weedy little dips that were holding some great fish and I started to make big, long casts toward the shore at a ninety degree angle to the incoming and, suddenly, had a huge hit. The fish pulled to the right and then -nothing. I was puzzled and I reeled in to find my leader flying in the wind a good foot shorter than before. When I went to tie my next rattle on, I felt the abrasion of teeth marks. I was breathless. Only a huge striper could have done that.

I had a 1/2 oz. chrome and blue and was hoping that it would still attract a bigger fish. It cast about as far and it felt good, not too light, in the water conditions. I still felt that the technique and retrieve I was using would still be effective on the lighter rattle.

It was just at high tide. Everyone else was anchored and mainly bait fishing. There were a few in small fishing boats with lures. I saw one neighbor catch a very nice fish on live ? herring, but there was not a lot of action. I cast out long, retrieved and then there was "FISH ON" , a few firm tug, tugs where the fish could be 18 inches or 50 inches, and then the moment of truth when the fish knows it is hooked and runs and shows you what you really have on your line by pulling it wayyyyyyy downnnnnn and then the drag goes out.......and I think holy crap this is a big fish and I am fighting it and it just keeps pulling harder and harder and I am breathless and in disbelief because I can't fathom the fact that I have this fish on and it is not like anything I have caught before. Oh my God, I am trying to keep my cool because it is pulling the dinghy around going under it to the left and to the right and all I can think of is keep that rod UP and pump. I hurt and I am blowing out and taking some quick breaths like I am sprinting in a race!

Three or four times I think it has tired only to have it make a run. After almost falling in once, finally it comes to the surface and I think for a split second"WHAT IS THAT THING? Is it a monster?"Well, I know it is a striper and the biggest one I have ever seen. I look again as it pulls closer and closer and every time it gets closer I just keep saying " Oh, my God, Oh my God, Oh my God because it keeps getting bigger and now I have to get it in the dinghy. Ken is taking pictures and keeps telling me to wait a minute"I am documenting this " I said to him "You have got to help me land this fish NOW. You don't understand, I can't hold out much longer!" I look at it and think that there is no way I can lift this fish with no grips, no way. Then, I say to myself "You GET that fish in this dinghy right now. DO IT" So I grabbed it by the mouth and hauled it up still saying "Oh my God, Oh my God" because it just won't stop getting bigger and I have my hands at my chest!

I remove the rattle,a few quick pictures and then put her back in swishing her back and forth. She kicks off and gone in a split second to spawn another year! I feel so good she is OK.

I sat down to catch my breath and noticed all of the boats around me were watching (typical) and some were cheering my catch!

After bringing in a nice 30 incher, my wonderful, patient husband, who gave me one of the most exciting moments in my life turned the dinghy toward Mosey and I though that this is just the beginning of many more adventures.

Somebody was telling me about these bone fish and how you can catch them in the Exumas.....especially on flies.....hmmmmmm.

A Thought About MLK Day

The one essential quality of Martin Luther King's effectiveness as a leader is almost always understated. As we reflect on this great individual and how he has shaped the world today, we need to remember the essential spirituality of this man. I have always held this in the fore front of my understanding of him as a leader and it seems,is seldom given enough attention; always taking a back seat to his being defined almost exclusively as a civil rights or political leader.

Martin Luther King, though being raised in a Southern Baptist church adhering to the literacy of the bible, wound up rejecting these rigid interpretations and attending Moorehouse, Crozer Theological Seminary (multi denominational) and finished with a doctorate from Boston University.
While at seminary, King made a trip to India and met with Mahatma Gandhi's followers and was profoundly influenced spiritually by this great Hindu leader primarily in the spiritual and moral practice of passive civil resistance. It is however important to understand from where this philosophy comes.
Asked about his religion Gandhi's reply:

What Is Hinduism?
If were asked to define the Hindu creed, I should simply say: Search after Truth through non-violent means. A man may not believe even in God and still call himself a Hindu. Hinduism is a relentless pursuit after Truth and if today it has become moribund, inactive, unresponsive to growth, it is because we are fatigued and as soon as the fatigue is over Hinduism will burst forth upon the world with a brilliance perhaps unknown before. Hinduism is the most tolerant of all religions. Its creed is all embracing.

Real Religion Transcends All These Religions
Religion should pervade every one of our actions. Here religion does not mean sectarianism. It means a belief in ordered moral government of the universe. It is not less real because it is unseen. This religion transcends Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, etc. It does not supersede them. It harmonises them and gives them reality.

These, I believe, were great lessons King learned while in India and truly allowed him to become, in his pursuit of truth, equality and civil rights ,a reflection of the moral government of the universe as Gandhi saw it. As Gandhi sees it, King was a true Hindu.

Pizza

With more time being spent inside during the cold of winter making homemade pizza a great winter treat. It's easy to keep all of the ingredients at hand to spontaneously make a few, let's say on a snowy night. If you make this at home it is also not as fattening as delivery pizza and the flavor is much better.

I have two pizza stones, a small plate size and a larger brick oven stone that can be put on the grill with charcoal in the summer. You really don't have to have a stone, but they are easy to find now and can be used for baking other things as well. The crust is crispiest with a stone!

You can also use a cast iron pan.

The Dough for two big individual pizzas, but it is enough for 3-4. If you are watching portion size, halve this recipe for two.

2 1/2 cups "Better for Bread" flour
9 oz. water

1 tsp. yeast

1/2 tsp. salt

3 tsp. of vital gluten if you can find it. Hodgson Mills makes it and it is very cheap. Amazon has it.

1.If you don't have a bread machine with a pizza dough setting, add 1/2 of the flour, mix well and let rise until bubbly about an hour.

2.Add the rest of the flour and knead until elastic, about ten minutes
3.Let rise again in a warm place until double, another hour.

While the dough is rising:

Grated Cheeses Olives, hot pepper, Ken's bacon and adouille sausage.

I love real salted anchovy and kalmatas.

Grate 1-2 cups of 1 part Assagio and 1 part high moisture or fresh mozzarella cheese. I prefer a lesser amount of cheese, but most Americans expect more cheese. Use your own judgment. Just remember 1 oz. of cheese is just over 100 calories. Assagio and fresh Mozzarella, if good quality, does not need to be piled on top toet a lot of taste. Prepare any toppings now and put into small bowls. All sausages, bacon ( put it on a paper towel and sqeeze out the grease) will need to be pre cooked

Pre heat the oven with the stone in the oven , if you are using one, to the highest heat setting on the top oven rack. If using a cookie sheet, pre heat to 425 and oil the sheet well with olive oil.

4. Divide the dough into two or leave it whole for a cookie sheet size pizza.(If using a cookie sheet,oil it well with virgin olive oil)

5. Roll out and for a thicker crust, let stand for ten minutes. I like an almost cracker thin crust and so I roll it out and put it on the stone right away.

6.Brush with 1 tbls. virgin olive oil.

7.Fold in half and place on the stone.Make sure the bottom of the dough has a light dusting of

flour on it.
8. Spread some pizza or tomato sauce on top. It should not be too much and place the toppings on as well.

9. Bake for about 8 min.s and top with the cheese and fresh basil if you have it. (or any other fresh herbs you are using) Return to the oven until the cheese is melted, but not browned.

Some ideas for pizza:

Olive oil infused with fresh garlic, sea salt and fresh rosemary.

Olive oil, fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, Fresh basil, grated Parmigiana.

Some great toppings:

Clams, artichokes, prosciutto, chopped hot sausage, minced slab bacon.

Boomer loves pizza So does his daddy!

A romantic winter dinner with candles, wine, and pizza!

2008 Looking Into 2009!

It is almost gone and has passed so quickly. It seems it was just summer on the Sassafras and we were boating, kayaking and fishing. Now it is time to buckle down and make a major push to finish the interior of Mosey. Why would that be? This is the year we throw the lines, cut our land based ties to the Sassafras and sail off into the sunset! We could leave as early as June and go north, then heading south for the Keys and the Exhumas. Ken is charting the course! Everything now is geared to realizing a goal my husband has had for many years- to find his soul mate and sail into the sunset on one of the finest trawlers ever built!

This year has brought two new grandchildren, Nate and Carter Junior.

Llewellyn Gaultierus Hunt will serve with the B-2-104TH RSTA 56Th SBCT in Iraq for a deployment not to exceed 320 days starting in January. He finished his last semester with a 3.8 GPA in international studies and is looking forward to applying for the Boyer Scholarship to study abroad.

Guenola Marie Douce Hunt made her debut at the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry Welcome Home Celebration and Debutante Ball, December 27TH, 2008. The ladies were honored with the presentation of the colors and flourishes by the Escort Platoon.

She has been offered a directive study program at Northeastern University which entails learning all of the procedures involved with her professor's research in molecular biology. She will be "knocking genes down" (inserting RNA into developing fish embryos) to determine if it is possible to find a gene / application for repression of tumor growth in humans in addition to documenting the process from start to finish and writing her own grant proposal and research project next spring semester. She will finish this semester with a 3.8-4.0 and is at the top of her bio. class! Here we come Tuft's!

Sadly, this year also saw the passing of Ken's sister, Brenda, in October after a battle with lung cancer.

Thanksgiving Menu

Hors d'oeuvres:

Shrimp Cocktail




Traditional Maryland Crab Cakes



Lox on Fresh Baked Russian Black Bread with Dill and Chevre



Rare Oysters with Vodka Creme Fraiche and Caviar on Silver Spoons




Seared Rare Peppercorn Tuna with Wasabi Cream and Teryaki and bamboo rice.




Classic "Norman Rockwell " Brown Turkey with Sage Sausage Stuffing and Sherry Gravy





A 14 lbs Turkey. I used about 4 gallons of water if I remember correctly.
Brining both turkeys was the best thing we did this Thanksgiving. Washing them well to remove excess salt, patting dry and then letting them sit in the 'fridge for a few hours to dry out was the trick. Also limiting the brining time to no more than 6 hours (I have found even 2-4 is OK for a chicken) cuts down on the excess salt absorbed in the skin. Brine is easy 1 cup Kosher salt to 1 gallon cold water. I don't use any sugar, but I have seen some recipes that use brown sugar and I think I might try some molassas the next time I brine a chicken. You must keep the turkey cold while brining. You can put the big pot in a cooler with ice in it if it won't fit in the "fridge.


Fraaaaaaaahhhhhhhed Turkey
A Note on Fried Turkeys:
The fried turkey last year won the best, most tender vote, but this year with the brining it was a draw!
I am NOT A FAN OF FRYING TURKEYS and on this blog, in a public forum , strongly advise against it! My husband will still do it every year possible.
Why do I feel this way?
If you do not monitor the temp. of the oil your turkey can catch on fire when you put it in the oil. You must have a thermometer. Oh, it is Thanksgiving Day and most of the world has forgotten to buy one!
The oil can boil over which it should not do and set your deck, garage, etc. on fire. The turkey must be completely thawed.
Five gallons of 350 degree oil in a raised pot with friends family, dogs and children around with men supervising (and drinking beer?) is a terrifying thought.
It is also very expensive and will easily double the cost of your turkey. Then there is all of the extra equipment, pot, propane, etc. that is used once a year if ever again. It is NOT cost effective.
It is wasteful. Nobody saves and reuses the oil.
Handling the turkey and hot oil can be complicated and needs cooperation and better yet pre planning and practice. You are doing it for the first time with cousin who? In a nutshell it is the most potentially dangerous cooking activity you could do around the house.
With brining you can get the same result and the stuffing. You can cut down on cooking time in the oven by not stuffing it.

http://www.ul.com/consumers/turkeys.html This says it all.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqemKVTf_38 and it goes on and on......


Corn and Cheese Tamales



Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes

Candied Yams a la Douce

Curried Ginger Chive Carrots

Green Bean Casserole

Biscuits with Ken's Mom's Huckleberry Jelly from Marietta

Cranberry Clementine Cardamon Chutney

I think someone will bring asparagus ? or another green?

Arugula, Blue cheese , Pear and Kumquat Salad with Balsamic Vinegar Reduction

Organic Bib Lettuce (from our garden) with Coleslaw and Assagio Dressing

Desserts:

Bourbon Pecan Pie
Pumpkin Cheese Cake
Tart au Citron

My Fall Fish Story or How the WWF Taught Me to Land a Striper

I was aghast! I was fishing with my BFF, Lisa on the Bohemia River for some fall stripers when, out of the blue, as we are trying to be as quiet, concentrated and as stealthy as possible, a bass boat roars by, throws a wake and generally upsets our strategy. "A**HOLES" yelled Lisa but, to no avail, as the loud sound of their engine drowns out her curses at a speed of about 60 knots.

"Lisa! Please " I was appalled. "They are NOT a**holes. They are bassholes. Let's get it right and use the proper terminology here!"

Let me just say for those of you unfamiliar with the sport of striped bass fishing on the Chesapeake Bay, that bass boats are, well, sort of like the NASCAR/Dukes of Hazzard of the Chesapeake Bay. They are the low boats in sparkly, usually red and black with two seats and seat belts for the two passengers. They go very fast so that the bass fishermen can hit as many bass holes as possible all over the river. You can usually spot them standing on the bow casting and or drinking Bud and smoking . These are not the tony little center console striper boats.

One rule when striper fishing and they are near: never yell, whoop, cry with glee, etc. when you get a big fish on. It will let on to where the fish are biting and they will be , well, up your basshole in a New York minute.

So, I noticed one bass boat fishing relentlessly where I live for half the day. I knew the fish were there and projected the best time to be there: just before the incoming high. I made a foray up Mill Creek in my little kayak and picked up some big perch then headed for my spot. I pulled up at a respectable distance from them, but this did not keep them from giving me the hairy eye ball and muttering under their breath. Here I was a girl in a kayak and I pulled up near their fishing spot and I was going to screw it up for sure.

You can imagine I felt the pressure was on. I felt intimidated at first and then I was determined. I would prove myself and show these bassholes up right then and there. The fish were sitting deep and I would jig with a small chartreuse bass assassin with a 3/8 head. For some unknown reason it is my "thing" and I will catch fish when no one else can but I was "on" and usually when people are staring, I screw up really badly. I was already fumbling with my anchor.

Then , I heard a voice in my head from far, far away . It was Lisa !(down south on the Virginia Eastern Shore in her fishing cottage) . It was just like Yoda in Star Wars."Show them how it's done, Christie. Show them how......" "Use the force, Christie, use the force"

It worked last time when we pulled up to some bassholes and we got the same treatment. "Go show them how it's done, Christie" Lisa said so, I went out on the bow and cast into the eddies and pow, a fish on the first cast! I loved the look on their faces.

So, I cast out once and felt the drift. OK, not quite. Again better. Now on the third cast I am feeling the love and then....TUG......TUG.....I have a fish on! Wow!!! Oh my god, the tip of my rod bennnnds doooown reallly low and I hear the yeeeeeeee of the drag going out! And the bassholes are watching very closely because they are right in front of me and the noise of the drag has really gotten their attention and it is a big one and my kayak is not behaving and I WILL NOT LOOSE THIS FISH especially in front of these guys. I pump and pump and finally it surfaces and my net is on the other side of the kayak and I can't reach it and I have this beautiful, heavy 23 inch striper dangling in the air and I can't let go of my rod! I can't get the fish.

"What are you gunna do nooooow!" Laughter, laughter.,laughter...is what I hear from the bassholes. I am pissed! "Same thing I did last time" I yelled back.

I brought the fish in front of me. Now, I did a little research on line and I think there is a WWF wrestling move that might describe my next move best. I have copied the exact description for accuracy:

Body scissors
A wrestler approaches a sitting opponent from in front, behind, or either sides. The attacking wrestler then sits next to the opponent and wraps their legs around the opponent, crossing their ankles and then tightening their grip by squeezing together their thighs or straightening their legs to choke the wrestler by compressing their torso. This hold is often used in conjunction with a hold applied to the head or the arms in order to restrain the opponent and makes them want to tap out.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_wrestling_holds#Body_scissors

Now I had a wildly flopping fish pinned in my kayak subdued with this wonderful wrestling move. Those late nights at the local Elkton dive bar drinking Coors Light and watching WWF paid off after all!

I was able to reach the net. I scooped the fish into it and just sat cross legged on top of it while it continued to thrash around with a beaming smile on my face. The bassholes burst out laughing; good laughter, not bad and they turned out to be nice guys eventhough a girl in a kayak after three minutes just caught a bigger fish than they did after sitting there five hours!

Lox

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I ate more lox and smoked salmon than I have in the years after my daughter was born. Now I thoroughly believe that what you eat when you are pregnant influences your child's tastes because from day one (and until this day) one of her favorite foods was lox. It was hard to just run out and buy very good lox living on the Eastern Shore, so I learned how to make them and found out it ridiculously easy and I am sorry that no one seems to know how. "Joy of Cooking " nor any of my other cook books had a recipe! I went on the net and found a few ways to do it including brining and smoking after the initial curing in salt and sugar. I have found that less is more especially with a beautiful piece of salmon and enjoy the flavor of sugar and salt cured salmon with herbs.

I recently made lox for a weekend on the boat with friends and my friends were asking why they couldn't do that! i said you could and it is ridiculously easy. So, Kitten and Ken K. Here it is!


My Recipe for lox:

1. I start with about 1 1/2 lbs. of salmon. The farmed kind is fine. One time I used a small piece of wild caught Copper River and it was not the best for lox. I may have pressed it too much too. I would stay with a fattier salmon. Save the very expensive salmon for sushi and grilling

Next, skin the salmon sing a very sharp knife. Hold down a corner of the skin and swipe down toward the cutting board while holding the skin taunt.

2. I take a shallot and coarsely chop it, but any onion is OK. I find you really must use an allium (onion family) of some sort. I used lemon verbena in my lox, but dill is also traditional. I prefer a lighter less powerful taste. You can try any combination of fresh herbs you want. I have yet to try a lemon grass, ginger, and coriander combination. I think it would be fantastic! That might be next. Just use the herbs whole they do not have to be chopped except for the course lemon grass if you use that. Set the shallot and herbs aside.

3. In a bowl combine 2 cups of sugar and 1 cup of salt. Add 1 1/2 tbs. lemon juice and 1 1/2 tbs.

of vodka, gin or any dry clear alcohol. Stir until well mixed and evenly moist.

4. Take a one gallon Ziploc bag and put half of the sugar and salt mixture into it flattening it out and then putting half of the shallot and herbs on top. Take the salmon and put the other half of the shallot herb mixture on top of it and slip the piece of salmon on top of the sugar salt mixture. Top with the remaining sugar salt mixture and squeeze all of the air out of the Ziploc bag and seal it. You may have to carefully wipe any bits of sugar and salt off of the seal first.

it.

The salmon is now packed and ready to cure.

5. Put the salmon on a plate and place another plate on top. Put a brick, stone, paver, etc. on top to press it down refrigerate for three days , turning the salmon over and rearranging the sugar salt mixture to maintain an even coat. Do not open the bag to do this as the moisture in the salmon will be squeezed out and the sugar/ salt mixture will turn to syrupy.

6. After three days take it out of the bag and rinse under cold running water. Pat it dry and wrap in wax paper in a fresh Ziplock. Use it within a week.

Here it is cured after three days. Slice the lox into very thin translucent slices at a 45 degree angle to the grain of the salmon.

I used a piece of sourdough bread sliced very thinly, brushed with olive oil and garlic and toasted in the oven until dry and crisp to make this beautiful appetizer. It is topped with baby salad greens, goat cheese, a few slices of the lox and fine sliced shallot then sprinkled with capers. A note: Try goat cheese instead of cream cheese with lox and you will never go back to cream cheese!