Anyone see the lake Mendocino carp this last week?

chum 'em up with bread, then toss a special "bread bugger" fly into the mix...at least that's how we did it at the civic center ponds.

Its pretty cool seeing what they do with the squawfish ( and carp). Friend has a vineyard and i help him with his harvest once in a while when he is shorthanded. Driving the tractor. After the harvest is done he thows a huge party for everyone who has worked the harvest. Its a loud happy fun party a great mix of cultures.
He has some farmworkers that live there year round in a little group of houses. when i told them i take kids to catch squawfish they asked me to give the fish to them.
These people are from Mexico and their culture is really fasinating. The squawfish (and carp) all go into a big pot with whatever and they make a soup out of it. I had to get my daughter from school before it was done, but it was different. These people try to get as much food from the land so they can send as much money home as possible.
They all say they are building nice houses in their village and as soon as they have enough money they are going home and living in style. they dont understand why they cant catch and eat fish and other stuff without restrictions, there are none where they grew up. They think we are all nuts for letting fish go.
Every vineyard has a group of farmworkers lliving there year round. Ukiah is in the wine country.

It's not just the wine country, Bro, it's America. My wife was born an raised on a little farm in Missouri near the Mississippi R. They are from Germany. Every year their farm land was flooded to some degree and 'ponds' where left that usually contained big carp, a fish they called Buffalo and catfish. Of course they went in with gusto and pitchforked those brutes outa there! Carp taste just fine, deep fried in corn meal. Just watch out for the bones, thats why they would always score the fillets or pieces to cut the little fine bones.

I hate to say it, but you watch, as this economy keeps going down and we see more and more cuts to management, the harvest will only grow. And it won't just be Latinos my friend.

carp with squawfish stuffing.  Now you are really teasing me! 

bullhead fritters...

rubberlip perch sushi...


all good.