Loading...
November 02, 2006 - More tales of Florida faunaThe Suffolk Times • November 2, 2006.11 A More tales of Florida fauna WE WERE tN FLORIDA for the long - awaited opening day of the stone crab season. It is looked forward to here as much as the opening day of our scal- lop season is back home. As with our bay scallops — with size the determin- ing factor in what can be harvested — so size determines whether the stone crab's claw is a keeper or not (2 314 inches is legal size). The reputa- tion of stone crabs, plus the taking of only the big crusher claw, makes these tasty crabs an expensive treat. FOCUS Once the claw is O N twisted off, the crab is thrown NATURE back in the water, where in time it by Paul will grow a new Stoutenburgh claw. Could this throwing back of the stone crab be considered a renewable resource? Stone crabs are caught in traps much like the ones we use to catch our blue - claw crabs Once the trap is baited with discarded fish parts and dropped over- board, it's not long before the stone crab crawls about the 16 x 16 -inch trap until it finds an entrance. Once inside the trap, the crab seldom finds its way out. When the trap is pulled up and the crabs dumped out, their fate is deter- mined by their claw size. We're but a short distance from the Gulf and only a stone's throw from the bay that is part of Florida's Inland Wa- terway. I often walk down to the bay edge, where there's a bench I can relax on and watch the water world go by. Just the other day when I was check- ing on a white ibis, my eyes caught a great blue heron that flew in and perched on a piling just off to the side of me. It looked a bit out of place standing up there, but I guess it knew what it was doing, for as I watched, a laughable story unfolded. There's a dock nearby where people fish. It was on this dock that my story took place. A young man had caught a small sheepshead and I could see he was having trouble get- ting the hook out of the mouth of the slippery fish. Not having too much This great blue heron has just be- come aware of a lively fish someone caught on a nearby dock. There's an interesting story to be told here. t yk Sulfolk Times photos by Paul and Barbara Stoutenburgh In Florida, opening day of the stone crab season is looked forward to as much as the opening of our scallop season. Here you see some of the largest claws, which sell for $29.99 a pound. Only the claw is taken; the live crab must be thrown back so it can grow another claw to be harvested again. luck, he decided to get a rag from his car to help hold the fish. In the meantime, he left his lively fish on the dock with the hook in its mouth. Leaving his catch on the dock was a big mistake, because Mr. Great Blue had not had his breakfast yet and that fish looked mighty good to him. (By now you should be getting the drift of my story.) Sure enough, as I watched, the great blue heron flew to the dock, picked up its breakfast and took off with the fish still attached to the fisherman's rod and reel. Out went the line as the han- dle of the reel spun around, then some- thing jammed and the line stopped unwinding. That didn't deter Mr. Great Blue. He kept on flying as the fishing pole flew off the dock and disappeared into the water below. You can imagine the bewilderment of our fisherman when he returned from his car with his now useless rag. He looked around, scratched his head he moved one or two boxes that were on the dock. No pole. No fish. I called over to him and told him what had happened. There was a short period of, I guess you'd call it frustration, that, when deciphered, let it be known that our fisherman could do without great blue herons There's a bright side to this tale. A short time later, our fisherman re- turned with a small grapple and, after many tries, retrieved his pole and line but no fish. Evidently the fish was able to free itself from the hook. Lesson No. l: Never leave your fish flopping around on a dock when there are hun- gry birds around. Two days before we were to head for Florida,Tom called to tell me he had 18 bluefish fillets and asked if I would t like to smoke them. The idea was great but I wondered if we'd have enough time, what with our getting ready to head south_ The truth be known, my job of getting ready is hardly worth mentioning; Barbara's the one who or- gamzes everything, from toothbrushes to transportation. "Sure. Bring them over,Tom. I'll marinate them tonight and smoke them in the morning." Everything worked out fine; the fish were smoked and everyone who tried them said they were the best ever. The reason I've mentioned my smoked bluefish is that I had the opportunity the other day to check some smoked mullet being of- fered by a group down here in Florida called The Pioneers. Their smoker was a real professional job that fit in the back of a pickup. After much interest- ing conversation as to what wood they used, how long they smoked their fish, what seasoning they used, etc., we bought one of their smoked mullets and had it for lunch. Stacked up against our cherry wood - smoked bluefish, I think we came out on top. I did have to admit the mul- let was tasty, but you can't beat fresh smoked fillets of bluefish, especially when warm right out of the smoker. Last week we mentioned the great white egret that begs for his dinner in the neighborhood. As I sit here writing, I can see him waiting at the doorway for his morning handout _ f Here a great egret has become so tame that instead of hunting for its food in the shallows it has taken to begging at the doorway. If the door is open it will walk ever so cautiously right into the house. Applications are now being accepted for HAMPTON BAYS APARTMENTS 57 Springville Road, Hampton Bays, NY 37 one - bedroom apartments for the elderly, 62 +, or the disabled, regardless of age. These apartments are subsidized under the Section 8 Housing Assistance Payment Program. Under the fcderal government (HUD) program, applicant selection will be based on federal regulations and income limitations. Rent is based on 30% of income. Occupancy is anticipated for future vacancies. Financing is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development. Please mail requests for a preliminary application to: Hampton Bays Apartments Box 146, Patterson, NY 12563 Tel. (845) 878 -4789 Fax. (845) 878 -4791 �m Tdd. (800) 662 -1220 WEST MILL FUELS��. FUEL OIL � KEROSENE PREMIUM DIESEL C.O.D. PRICING Automatic Scheduling 298 -5146 The Suffolk Times • November 2, 2006 re tales of Florida fauna WE WERE IN tLORMA for wu ,un,g- Naited opening day of the stone crab ;ason. It is looked forward to here as such as the opening day of our scal- )p season is back home. As with our ay scallops — with size the determin- ig factor in what can be harvested - so size determines whether the tone crab's claw is a keeper or not (2 J4 inches is legal size). The reputa- ion of stone crabs, plus the taking of )nly the big crusher claw, makes these tasty crabs an expensive treat. Focus Once the claw is twisted ofl; the ON crab is thrown NATURE back in the water where in time it by Paul will grow a new claw. Could this Stoutenburgh throwing back of the stone crab be considered a renewable resource? Stone crabs are caught in traps much like the ones we use to catch our blue - claw crabs. Once the trap is baited with discarded fish parts and dropped over- board, it's not long before the stone crab crawls about the 16 x 16 -inch trap until it finds an entrance. Once inside the trap, the crab seldom finds its way out. When the trap is pulled up and the crabs dumped out, their fate is deter- mined by their claw size. We're but a short distance from the Gulf and only a stone's throw from the bay that is part of Florida's Inland Wa- terway. I often walk down to the bay edge, where there's a bench I can relax on and watch the water world go by. Just the other day when I was check- ing on a white ibis, my eyes caught a great blue heron that flew in and perched on a piling just off to the side of me. It looked a bit out of place standing up there, but I guess it knew what it was doing, for as I watched, a ta„ohahle story unfolded. Suffolk Times photos by Paul and Barbara Stoutenburg Florida, opening day of the stone crab season is looked forward to as mucl the opening of our scallop season. Here you see some of the largest claws filch sell for $29.99 a pound. Only the claw is taken; the live crab must b rown back so it can grow another claw to be harvested again. There's a dock nearny wnerc people fish. It was on this dock that my story took place. A young man had caught a small sheepshead and I could see he was having trouble get- ting the hook out of the mouth of the sli er fish. Not havet a rag from his luck, e ectded tog g car to help hold the fish. In the meantime, he left his lively fish on the dock with the hook in its mouth. Leaving his catch on the clock was a big mistake, because Mr. Great Blue had not had his breakfast yet and that fish looked mighty good to him. (By now you should be getting the drif of my story.) Sure enough, as I watched, the great blue heron flew to the dock, picked up its breakfast and took off with the fish still attached to the fisherman's rod l,f 1y/ / I! W ;re a great egret has become so tame that instead of hunting for its food e shallows it has taken to begging at the doorway. If the door is open it v ilk ever so cautiously right into the house. [and reel. Out went the line as the han- dle of the reel spun around, then some thing jammed and the line stopped unwinding. That didn't deter Mr. Great Blue. He kept on flying as the fishing ,pole flew off the dock and disappearec into the water below. You can imagine the bewilderment of our fisherman when he returned from his car with his now useless rag. He looked around, scratched his head; he moved one or two boxes that were on the dock. No pole. No fish. I called over to him and told him what had happened. There was a short period of, I guess you'd call it frustration, that when deciphered, let it be known that our fisherman could do without great blue herons. There's a bright side to this tale. A short time later, our fisherman re- turned with a small grapple and, after many tries, retrieved his pole and line but no fish. Evidently the fish was able to free itself from the hook. Lesson No. 1: Never leave your fish flopping around on a dock when there are hun- gry birds around. Two days before we were to head for Florida, Tom called to tell me he had like -to smoke them. The idea was gre! but I wondered if we'd have enough time, what with our getting ready to head south. The truth be known, my job of getting ready is hardly worth mentioning; Barbara's the one who or. ganizes everything, from toothbrushes to transportation. "Sure. Bring them over, Tom. I'll marinate them tonight and smoke them in the morning." Everything worked out fine; the fish were smoked and everyone who tried them said they were the best ever. The reason I've mentioned my smoked bluefish is that I had the opportunity the other day to check some smoked mullet being of- fered by a group down here in Florida called The Pioneers. Their smoker was a real professional job that fit in the back of a pickup. After much interest- ing conversation as to what wood they used, how long they smoked their fish, what seasoning they used, etc., we bought one of their smoked mullets and had it for lunch. Stacked up against our cherry wood - smoked bluefish, I think we came out on top. I did have to admit the mul- let was tasty, but you can't beat fresh smoked fillets of bluefish, especially when warm right out of the smoker. Last week we mentioned the great white egret that begs for his dinner in the neighborhood. As I sit here writing, I can . see him waiting at the doorway is great blue heron has just me aware of a lively fish somei ught on a nearby dock. There's