Tri-State Outdoor News

Bass are the most popular fish in America. More people claim to fish for bass than all other species combined. Even though we all know that we are fishing for anything that will bite, we like to call ourselves bass fisherman.

Just this week I was fishing with my kids and they decided they wanted to throw surface baits for bass. We tied on everything from Jitterbugs to Hula Poppers to some non-descript rubber frogs.

The kids, despite getting plenty of hits, could not seem to land a fish. So I decided to ease the anguish of missing the big ones by baiting up a hook with a tiny red worm and tossing it into the lily pads. Quickly the bobber was gone, but instead of a little bluegill, I found myself fighting a really nice bass. The fish turned out to be a 16- incher and the silly look on my face told my kids I had no idea why it hit the worm or how I landed it on that tiny little hook. More »

Ask a dozen fishermen to name the best-eating fish on the stringer and I’d bet six of them would point to the crappie. Six of 12, well, that’s almost half. And if half the fishermen surveyed think one type of fish tastes better than all others, well, that might be something to take a look at.

I never would have guessed just how popular crappie fishing has become. Back when I was a kid we would catch crappies off the rocks in a channel near my house each spring. The best bait was a tiny white fly tied on a cane pole. By stretching out with the cane pole and carefully jigging the fly just above the nose of the fish, you could entice even the most stubborn pre-spawn fish to bite.

More »

Now is the time to get ready for fishing season, and while I used to live by the slogan: Catch and Release, into the grease. I’ve now matured. I prefer baked fish. Not only is it healthier, it is easier in every aspect. You don’t have to deal with splattering hot grease, all the clean-up that goes with a frying fish and all the other little issues that accompany heating cooking oil to 425 degrees.

Give me baked fish any day. Let me bake fish any day. I’d much rather pop fillets in the oven than drop them into they hot oil. So here are a few recipes that cover the gamut. From the fun and friendly to the hot and spicy. I mean, in the first recipe one of the ingredients in Cheez-It cracker. You gotta love that. And the Cajun fish recipe at the bottom can be as hot and spicy as you want it. Give them a try. You might never fry your fish again. More »

This is chili season and there is nothing better than good venison chili. You can whip up a big pot and let it simmer all day. Not only does it fill you belly at mealtime, it also fills the whole house with great scents during the day.

If you really want to get your kids involved with every aspect of the hunt, have them help you cook. There’s no better way to spend time together than mixing and stirring ingredients into a big, old pot of chili.

So grab your ingredients and grandma’s old mixing spoon and get to work on one of these great venison chili recipes. And remember, these are just guidelines. Feel free to add or substitute ingredients if there is something you think you would like better. Cooking is all about experimentation, so get after it and have some fun. More »

Once all the work of the deer hunt is over you now get the satisfaction of all that great tasting meat. But if you find yourself looking at a pile of frozen venison and wondering what you can do with it all, remember that venison can go into any recipe that calls for beef.

Below are three really interesting recipes I’ve found and amended over the years. The first one is a really a big hit with kids, who always like French fries and the one at the bottom will make a venison lover out of the pickiest eater. In fact, you can use that recipe to trick people who “hate venison” into eating the stuff. They will never know it’s deer meat until you tell them.

Good eating. More »

I’ve got just four words for great cold-weather eating: Big Al’s Meat Pies. I first met Big Al when he came to meeting of the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers with a delivery of what turned out to be the best pot pies I’ve ever tasted. But to call Big Al’s meat pies, “pot pies” is really an understatement.

Big Al’s 9-inch diameter pies weigh a whopping 37 ounces and will satisfy two to four people, depending on the size of their appetites! The products are perfect to serve at home, at the club or anywhere hungry people gather. They are especially good with large groups so people can try the different flavors. These stick-to-your-ribs meals contain bite size pieces of juicy pheasant or lean bison, with peas, carrots, potatoes and just enough onion, all held together with a thick, flavorful gravy and covered, top and bottom with a light, flaky, just-like-grandma made crust. More »

The key to great venison jerky is always the marinate. Otherwise, all you have dried meat. And what fun is that. The easiest way to make jerky is with a food dehydrator. I suggest you get one if you don’t have one. Drying the jerky in the oven on low heat with the door propped open is a bit of a pain. So get the food dehydrator and read the directions. Don’t over-dry your jerky… it’s just no good if it gets too brittle.

Here is a handful of great recipes for getting the spices right. Remember, if you think you should change something, it’s your recipe, change it anyway you like it. Now Enjoy your jerky. More »