Johnsfolly

The decline of the Atitlán grebe began in 1958 and again in 1960 after smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) were introduced into Lake Atitlán. These invasive species reduced the crabs and fish which the grebes depended on for food and the fish even killed the grebe chicks. The population of the Atitlán grebe declined from 200 individuals in 1960 to 80 in 1965. Thanks to the conservation efforts of Anne LaBastille, in 1966 a refuge was established where this species was able to rebound. The population recovered to 210 in 1973. Unfortunately after the 1976 Guatemala earthquake, the lake bed fractured. An underwater drain led to a fall of the water level and to a further severe decrease of the number of grebes. In 1983 only 32 individuals were left, of which the largest part were hybrids with the pied-billed grebe. The last two birds were seen in 1989, and after they disappeared the Atitlán grebe was declared officially extinct. Bass "may" have contributed to the extinction of this bird, but there was a series of events that contributed as well. Should have bass been introduced into this environment, no they should not have, however it seemed that this bird was on a knife's edge. If that quake occurred in 1958 the population could have been wiped out then.

We have been doing a fair amount of eating out lately. Tonight's meal I got to pick from the tank (Atlantic ocean). Yes waiter I would like this one! So the filets were lightly dusted with seasoned flour. Into a hot pan of olive oil and lightly browned n both sides. Once cooked the fish was set aside. Deglazed the pan with a two tablespoons of capers and the juice of two lemons and one lime. served with Jasmine rice and white sweet corn from the local farmer's market. The Maryland version living off the land or sea.

Glad to see that you got some Pat! Seen a lot of Marty only meals. Would loved to have been in BilletHeadville for the squirrel or today's venison feast. We havent been having the woodland critters. Got some fish meals coming.

Any time lobster is on the menu gets a DANG! Nice job. Needs some Old Bay on that corn😁.

QB We used to buy shark as well many years ago. Don't think that there are too many commercial harvest anymore. We'll let you know how it tastes.

After a successful ocean fishing trip in Ocean City, I looked a bit further down south of us in Virginia to see where we could go next. With Livie completing her 2018 species goal, I wanted to have the opportunity at some new fish for myself to meet my goals. Also I wanted a nice family get away as well. The Assateague and Chincoteague islands looked promising. So I booked a charter out of Chincoteague for 7:30 am Friday morning. Instead of driving down at O'dark thirty, my Betterhalf got us accommodations for Thursday night. Unlike the BilletHeads we were not going to be roughing it at all on tis trip . When you have spent over a month in a half this year in hotels like I have, you can reap the benefits of the rewards like booking a stay without paying a dime on the room! Outside of the hotel in the morning we were met with another beautiful day. After the complimentary breakfast, we headed to the dock to meet Capt. Pete and the Fish Tales. He only books a single group of folks at one time and up to six anglers. With three of us there was plenty of room on the boat. The water was calm and there was fish busting the surface where ever we looked. The mate and Captain kept saying that was baitfish, but in the Folly eyes, those could be a new target! We headed out of Tom's cove and just out into the Atlantic. This was a comfortable trip with us fishing out of our chairs with rods dropping baits over the sides. As with the Ocean city fishing trip, I was the first to hook up with an Atlantic croaker. We sore mouthed quite a few with Livie and my Betterhalf catching several each and even doubling up at times. Livie just loves noisy fish and would squeal with delight at every croak these fish made when she caught one. On the way out to fish we mentioned that we might take some fish home, but we really wanted to catch a few different fish and just have some fun. While we were bottom fishing the mate set out a cut bait under a float. It wasn't more than a minute or two that the float went under and he was calling to have someone reel in the fish. Livie junped up and began her fight with a bigger fish. After about a 10 to 12 minute fight she had the fish to the boat and the mate hauled it on board. It was nice male Atlantic sharpnose shark! I will state that we Follys are omnivores and are not likely to pass on fresh fish particularly if they are a sustainable species. So this guy did end up on ice. The mate got the line baited again and this time I was on the rod to land my first sharpnose shark! He was the lucky one and was soon released. We continued bottom fishing this deeper water and both Livie and I caught Virginia Trout - @JestersHK would be proud! These are really sea trout or weakfish. related to the croakers and other drum species. We moved into shallower water in Tom's Cove between Assateague and Chincoteague islands to try for kingfish (another drum species also known as whiting). We saw several small pods of dolphins and a few loggerhead turtles taking a breath. There were lots of shore birds, pelicans, skimmers, etc. that would have made for a nice birding trip if we weren't set on fishing! We dropped our lines and I was again the first to get bit and land my first southern kingfish! Then my Betterhalf. As with the croakers both Sue and Livie had doubles at times. Several kingfish went into the box for a future fish fry. We caught a bunch of other fish that the mate called white perch. Since we have caught whiter perch I didn't take any photos. However, these were a very silvery fish with yellow fins and tail. They didn't look like white perch that we have caught in the rivers near home. I kept thinking that maybe is the saltwater they were different color phase. At home I looked at a lot of white perch photos and none had that same coloration as these fish. I looked up saltwater fish of Virginia and found a reference to silver perch. All of the photos for that species matched what the fish that we caught. All too son the trip ended and we headed past the island and back to the harbor. At the end of the day, Livie and I both caught four new life list fish and my Betterhalf only three since she opted out of trying for a shark of her own. As we headed back to Maryland, we talked about trying to come down again in Sept. Looking forward to that trip! This post has been promoted to an article

I had requested a few vacation days from work. We were originally going to head up to Vermont to visit a friend, then fish Vermont, New Hampshire, and a charter out of Portland Maine. Those plans fell through. I had to suffer through another cancelled charter for the year. Through the coaxing of my Betterhalf last Weds, I tired again to book a local party boat trip out of Ocean City Maryland. I saw that they had evening trips and found out that they had spots for that night. I quickly booked the trip and with Bonine in hand the Follys headed to Ocean City. No bad weather forecasted, actually we could not have had better weather. We were full of anticipation as we headed out to fish some wrecks for sea bass and flounder. The water was calm for the whole trip. We fished 8 oz weights and tandem rigs. We used clams and silverside minnows as bait. I hooked the first keeper of the evening, a nice summer flounder or fluke. (picture taken at the dock). Livie caught the next fish, a small sea bass - another new life list fish for her. ONE to GO! My Betterhalf caught a scup or porgy, but we did not get a photo before the mate released the fish . Then Livie caught one as well - this was another new life list fish and her 40th different species of 2018!! She was able to meet her goal for the year. She immediately stated that she wanted to go for 42 species. As the sun set, we headed closer to shore to try for Atlantic croakers. Still amazed at how nice of a night it had been. I was the first to catch a croaker (added to my life list!). Livie and my Betterhalf had trouble getting the feel of the bite to set the hook on these fish. Lost of lost baits with no hook-ups. Livie did catch a few croakers - now here 41st different fish and again another life list fish. She would squeal with delight as they croaked while she held them. It was a great night and I was proud that she was able to achieve her goal. She still wants to catch two new species of sculpin, which will be a challenge, but we have time to get that done.

One more night at the Choptank river and another storm ran us off before we were able to find a toadfish for Livie. She did catch a spot, white perch, and a couple of different catfish. Another channel catfish that got a bit hard to hold ! Then she hooked a new life list species - a white catfish! No spots, only 22 anal fins rays (I can hear @Ham rolling his eyes on that comment), not a deeply forked tail, and best of all not biting the crap out of her thumb ! Even with the rain pushing us off the pier only TWO fish to go!!!! Will have to wait for a chance in the ocean!

It's a bit thinner than I am. Thanks anyway glad that you guys are at least thinking about us Folly's. Catching one of those guys would require my snorkel and Barbie fishing pole . Need to be able to target the right fish or else would have to fight off the hundred other fish to get a bait to one. I did have Livie trying for one of these guys, an Atlantic Needlefish that I caught yesterday morning on a white/chartreuse (looks like crap) trout magnet body on a straight hook. It was my 19th new life list species for the year! (I'll get around to posting others later today - BH has seen a few of them) All she caught was a baby striper.

Great looking smallie! Saying that you have figured out the big girls over 20" is not a surprise statement. You have put your time in year after year to be able to get on those type of fish that most of us dream about. Congrats!

Dang that looks better with more squirrels. Tell the Mrs. that she got a great meal. She did eat some? I couldn't tell since I didn't see her respond to you post !

Kimchi can be mild to fairly hot. Also it can be an acquired taste will tend to be somewhat aromatic (or stink up the house )!

Beautiful country and photos of the tigers! Great job guys! Do you have any of those hoppers that you showed me before you left?

Would be a blast with a 12 wt fly rod.

Don't have the gear...YET😌! Got to finish this move before I commit to the stuff needed to land sharks in the surf. For now take 'em from the boat.

Thanks for posting your tutorial. Can't wait to see some fish photos.

You also know that we Follys have been chasing our own natives but in a very different way. Fishing baits in the brine😁.

As always Marty we love coming along on these western trips! Great reporting and photos! I have to catch some of these guys. Don't know if we will try to catch them all like you two. Once we catch the first one or two species that thought may change😁.

I bet those non-native brookies would be good served like pickled herring😁.

After you got one Gila to hand the task is completed! Time to reset the goals😁. Livie caught her 40th different species last night and reset to catch a couple more! Which she did succeed in catching another but that is a post in the making once I download photos.

Again Congrats to you both on persisting and getting into some beautiful fish! Hope you gave the Gila biologist a good report. Did you see other fish in those creeks? Can't wait for the next install. You guys covered some territory on this trip so far. Always cool to see what's out there.

Congrats to you both for completing you're Colorado Cutt Slam! Prety jealous but don't currently have a vehicle to reapeat the sand dune adventure. Randy sounds lkke a great guy. Love to meet him sometime. Still look at these stream photos and think that there has to be some microfishing being missed while chasing those trout😝.

Dan Most likely the kill is due to DO issues. The issues in Florida IisI beleive are mostly due to heavy fertilizer run off from the water coming from the farm lands below Lake Okeechobee. Most of the water that would flush out the everglades has been diverted from going into the Everglades and may be creating the issues in Fort Meyers and Port St Lucie.Those nutrients feed the algae creating those green and red tides. That algae blocks the light going to the sea grass causing the grass to die off leading to low DO values. Then the tides themselves die off contunuing to drive down the oxygen. If the dead zone is karge enough the fish have nowhere to go.

Great sunrise indeed! So many people miss moments like that. Thanks!

Gotta have variety. The spice of life. Seems like you had a good day!