Suppose open air, keep indoors; frigid Arctic blast places brakes on fishing | Sports activities

We hope there are warm hearts everywhere this Valentine’s Day because that’s the only thing that will keep warm.

Yes, there is this Mardi Gras thing (whatever it may turn out to be this year), and if there ever was a Mardi Gras weekend that should be postponed, this is it.

College baseball season kicks off later this week, and every coach can only wish their starting pitchers have a curveball that breaks as deep into the strike zone as the one Mother Nature throws at us today.

Ice and nature are not a good combination; Ice cream and carnival are only good as long as the ice cream is in a cup and accompanied by a fortifying liquid distilled by masters.

This is a week to watch out for the weather. We could have ice cream on our streets until Monday. There is a repetition of these conditions on Wednesday, and the mostly sunny day on Tuesday will give way to another frost on Thursday evening. After that, the sun returns on Friday and Saturday. So much for the long-term forecast.

Please, if any lesson can be learned from this massive and deadly build-up on I-35 West in Fort Worth, Texas, it is that speed and freezing conditions are a two-ingredient recipe for tragedy. This catastrophe alone should make us heed the hundreds of signs reading “Bridge Ice in Front of the Road” that are posted in our state.

Also, it will be too cold to fish, and the geese that move here to allow for a season for blue, snow, and horse geese conservation will likely hang around just because there aren’t many places in the north will give who they want to be.

The only good thing about these freezing temperatures is that the vegetation is knocked down, allowing rabbit hunters and their beagles to move close to February 28th in near-ideal conditions.

Squirrels are kept in their nests by rain and ice. The backyard squirrels must have known this was coming. They have been hoarding acorns for two weeks.

fishing

Just as the freshwater types declared that their quarry was about to move in to spawn, winter storms Shirley and Uri closed that door of opportunity.

It’s not just the freezing air temperatures and lack of sunlight, but the addition of days of north winds and rain that brings rising water to the rivers and the supply of bayous to the large pools. This lowers water temperatures and puts freshwater species back into early pre-spawning stages.

In brackish swamps, low water levels (north winds) and icy conditions force redfish and speckled trout to seek deep holes (warmer water) and remain relatively inactive until longer sunny days provide enough warmth to bring water temperatures back to mid-50s.

The exemption from these conditions is predicted on Saturday when the predicted high with sunny skies is 68.

Right now, this week’s best tip is to stay home.

Don’t forget boats

Freezing conditions are not good for marine batteries. The best thing to do is to unhook the connections, remove the expensive crank and tow motor batteries, and store them in a place where the ambient temperature is warmer than 35 degrees.

And make sure to remove as much water from bilges and living wells as possible. Freezing conditions can break inlet and outlet pipes much more easily than pipes in your home.

The same applies to outboards. If you’ve been out on the water recently, there is likely water in the water pump in our outboard, and freezing point could expand the water there and damage the impeller. You won’t notice this until your next fishing trip. Lower the outboard at the stern and drain the water through the inlet. You will be surprised how much water there is.

Her voice

If you no longer want to comment on the proposed 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 hunting seasons, you only have about a month to express your opinion.

The managers of the Wildlife and Fisheries’ Wildlife Section have scheduled a public meeting on February 24th to outline the changes and provide public comments.

Instead of a list of nationwide meetings, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the agency to set up a Zoom meeting at 6:30 p.m. that day.

In order to hear and see the presentation, the agency recommends entering this address on each device: https://wlf-la.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_WvQJ-SlcSMasXEWC_gGQKw.

The presentation will contain information on wild and migratory birds / water birds, as well as information on wildlife and federal protected areas, as well as changes to regulations from previous seasons.

Hunters exploiting the land of the Kisatchie National Forest should pay close attention to the numerous changes in the suggested seasons.

Biologist in the Wildlife Division Tommy Send is responsible for handling all public comments and he said the entire proposed season package can be viewed on the LDWF website: wlf.louisiana.gov/resources/category/commission-action-items.

Tuma said a public comment can be sent to him: Tommy Tuma, LDWF Wildlife Division, PO Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA, 70898-9000. His email address: [email protected].

March 4th is the deadline for submitting public comments.

Top of the cap

George Serrett has retired from his longstanding organization of the South Louisiana Highpower Club’s monthly games. I don’t know how many years this die-hard Baton Rouge shooter served SLHP members and the thousands of adults and youth who showed up for the club’s last Sunday of the Moth games.

Serrett introduced hundreds of us to the opportunity to qualify to purchase an M1 Garand under the Civilian Marksmanship Program and spent days and days at the U.S. Army depot in Anniston, Alabama, buying firearms like the Garand to restore the M1A1 Carbine and the 1903 Springfield rifles.

The club goes to the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s office range on the last Sunday of each month. Be there at 8:30 am and the area gets “hot” at 9:00 am Rick mol is the new contact. Email: [email protected].

New licenses

Wildlife and Fisheries no longer prints hunting and fishing licenses on what is called “durable paper” and prints licenses on regular letter-size sheets.

The step is to “remove obsolete hardware requirements associated with the traditional printed system”.

This is where the agency enters the 21st century: hunters and fishermen can have a digital copy of their licenses emailed to them and keep them on any smart device you own. The provider must have your email address to do this. However, this means that you have your phone with you whenever you head out to a fishing hole.

The bug-a-boo comes into this decision because deer and turkey labels need to be printed for use in the field.

Have a question? Email the agency’s licensing area: [email protected].

Catching up

• The annual Kiwanis of Pointe Coupee open bass tournament is held on March 21st on the False River. Call Kenneth St. Romain at (225) 718-1319 for details.
• Wildlife and Fisheries has 101 women fishing courses scheduled for April 10th, 24th and May 8th and 22nd at its Waddill Wildlife Education Center on North Flannery Road in Baton Rouge.

Each session is limited to 15 women aged 18 and over. Up to 15 women will be selected from both the April and May sessions to attend the weekend workshop June 11-13 (April sessions) and June 25-27 (May sessions) .

Wildlife and Fisheries Biologists and certified aquatic volunteers are employed as instructors in the fundamentals of fish identification, fish handling, equipment, skills, and cleaning, storage and cooking of fish.

COVID-19 guidelines are enforced and women must have a current Louisiana fishing license.

The application deadline is March 5th.

To apply, go to the LDWF website: wlf.louisiana.gov, click the Fishing tab, then scroll down on the left to click Women’s Fishing Workshops.