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March 30, 2006 - Ah, those bygone boating days8A - The Suffolk Times • March 30, 2006 Ali, those bygone boat-iiiig days I curss rr is orris human nature to look back at the things that once brought us pleasure, no matter where we were, or when. A perfect example of those "look back" times was when I was in the service. No matter where it was, be it those harsh boot -camp days or holding on to a life raft after our ship was sunk, it was always the ability to "look back" that gave me comfort during those low days away from home. Many of those "look back" days had to do with the seasons — sum- mer, fall, winter, spring — each time frame would bring back the wouders of home. Springtime has always been a special time of remembrance, Focus like now, for it ON brings back a renewed world MATURE from what bad been held in winter's wi by Paul In the ea y Stoutenburgh days of March, when there was a thaw for two or three days, rd get itchy to get my boat ready for launch- ing Paint, caulking, scrapers, hydrau- lic jacks, rollers, planks and, most of A a gathering of friends to help; ev- erything came together on that special day of launching. Every fall I'd haul the old "Putt Putt" out to save her from winter's crushing ice and howling winds. The spot chosen to haul her out was in a sort of ravine that seemed to fit her shape and personality. I don't remember when or by whom she was first celled the Putt Putt, but everyone knew her as that. I suppose the name of Putt Putt came from the huge one - cylinder Grey marine en- gine that pushed her along with that familiar "putt-putt" sound. Her bull dated back to the era of sail for she was originally designed and built as a catboat, and I mean built, for she had two-inch white oak ribs and was planked in one -inch white cedar. She must have been a smart - looking boat in her day. When I bought her for $25, she had already been converted to power, her only reference to sail being her unmi takable catboat shape and her huge barn -door rudder. I tell you all this even though it was some 60 years ago, as those memories have given me much comfort through a Y. 51 photo by Paul Stoutenburgh L'tVk Times photo by To Gerdy the years What spurred my thinking back all those years was the fact that today is the first day of spring, which brings back many memories of boat - launching times. My memory bank glows with those carefree days when the Putt Putt was called on to take us on all sorts of outings, such as the many trips out to the black buoy (that is now green) for Van I.C."Ammmenade Best Paint....... i Best Ad,%ric ! OPEN SUNDAYS Benjamin Moore A' Paints 1604 Main Road, Jamesport 722 -3113 Hours: Mon - Fri 7 - 6; Sat 8 - 5; Sun IO - 3 W W W.rankemenade.com Above: There was a time In the early spring when you could go down to the channel and be relatively sure of getting a few weakfish. Those days have gone, yet each spring we try again in hopes of their return. Left: While In Florida our older son, Peter, caught this spotted sea - trout that replaces our weakfish In the south. It has that same silvery body and colors but has the addl- tlon of dark spots sprinkled along Its sties. porgies, kingfish (we never see them anymore), an occasional weakfish, and what we'd call a sand shark. I can still feel that gray sandpaper skin of those pesky bait stealers. Then there'd be those night session of spearing eels We'd bang a hissing gaslight over the bow to see the eels a one person stood at the bow with the eel spear poised for ac- tion while the other stood in the stem, steering with that long tiller that guid- ed us in and around our choice eeling spots. Then there was the great adventure of three days with my good friend Harry Waite. He and us on all took the Putt Putt on a of cv' ,i�F fishing trip around the East End islands (Re- member, our power was only a one - c)linder engine.) All went well until the motor quit, and since our sleeping quarters were a little tight, we decided to go ashore and sleep on the beach. Whether the engine needed a rest or what we never knew, but she started up the next morning and we contin- ued our trip homeward in an all-day downpour. But the memories that stand out above all the rest are of when Harry and I would drop an anchor in the mouth of the creek and fish for weakfish in the darkness. Those were magical times Night after night, we'd fish by ourselves in the channel, using squid for bait. We had a one - burner alcohol stove that brewed the best coffee a fisher- man could ask for. In those early days of the '40s we always seemed to get weakfish, and those night fishing trips made a lasting impression on me so it was natural that on this first day of spring my mind wandered back to those silvery fish that brought us so much pleasure. I believe weakfish come to our creeks to spawn, for the fish we caught often had roe in them. And was that roe good eating, especially when your mother knew just how to cook it. Another reason I believed weakfish used our creeks as spawning or nursery areas was that later, when we went snapper fishing, we'd often catch baby weakfisb five inches to six inches long We're told that weakfish can be found in season from Nova Scotia to Florida but are most abundant from New York to North Carolina They are a member of the drum family, which means they vocalize with drum- ming or croaking sounds I can vouch for that, for Pve often heard this odd grunting sound when they first landed in the boat. Weakfish can live to 17 years of age. Again, I believe it, for I once speared an 11 V2 -pound weakfish while eel- Big that I presumed must have been at least 10 to 15 years old. Previous to that I can remember seeing the tide runners that at one time were caught off the beach at the mouth of the creek.Those were the days of the party boats. Everything that would float was used to carry the city people out to Roses Grove for a day's fishing. The boats would come back with a hundred fish or more. It was the hey- day of party -boat fishing in our bays. From then on, there has been a grad- ual decline in the number of weakfish caught. It's so had that when a boat comes in now with a few weakfish, it's big fishing news. Wouldn't it be nice to have those special days back again? Down in Florida they catch a fish that looks almost identi- cal to our weakfish. It has that same silvery body th and colors but with the addition of dark spots sprinkled along its sides, which gives it the lo- cal name of spotted sea trout. Sorts Whether its up north 3. or down south, both spe- cies of fish feed on the same type of prey. The juveniles take small fish like spear- ing, shrimp, anchovies, etc., while the adults feed on menhaden, squid and a wide variety of other fish, including their own. Whether you catch a weakfish in our local waters or are lucky enough to catch a spotted sea trout down south, they're both sporting fish to catch and an excellent fish for your table. My memory baaki glawS Wt those carefree days When the Plitt Mitt toots The Suffolk Times •March 30, 2006 those ygone oatl*n 1954 photo by Paul Stoutenburgh Above: There was a time in the early spring when you could go down to the channel and be relatively sure of getting a few weakfish. Those days have gone, yet each spring we try again in hopes of their return. Left: While in Florida our older son, Peter, caught this spotted sea - trout that replaces our weakfish in the south. It has that same silvery body and colors but has the addi- tion of dark spot: sprinkled along Tom ays I GUESS IT IS ONLY human nature to look back at the things that once brought us pleasure, no matter wher we were, or when. A perfect example of those "look back" times was when I was in the service. No matter where it was, be it those harsh boot -camp days or holding on to a life raft after our ship was sunk, it was always the ability to "look back" that gave me comfort during those low days away from home. Many of those "look back" days had to do with the seasons — sum- mer, fall, winter, spring — each time frame would bring back the wonders of home. Springtime has always been a special time of remembrance, Focus like now, for it brings back a ON renewed world NATURE from what had been held in by Paul Winter's grip. Stoutenburgh In the early days of March, when there was a thaw for two or three days, I'd get itchy to get my boat ready for launch- ing. Paint, caulking, scrapers, hydrau- lic jacks, rollers, planks and, most of all, a gathering of friends to help; ev- erything came together on that special day of launching. Every fall I'd haul the old "Putt Putt" out to save her from winter's crushing ice and howling winds. The spot chosen to haul her out was in a sort of ravine that seemed to fit her shape and personality. I don't remember when or by whom she was first called the Putt Putt, but everyone knew her as that. I suppose the name of Putt Putt came from the huge one - cylinder Grey marine en- gine that pushed her along with that familiar "putt- putt" sound. Her hull dated back to the era of sail for she was originally designed and built as a catboat, and I mean built, for she had two -inch white oak ribs and was planked in one -inch white cedar. She must have been a smart- looking boat in her day. When I bought her for $25, she had already been converted tc power, her only reference to sail being her unmistakable catboat shape and her huge barn -door rudder. I tell you all this even though it was some 60 years ago, as those memories have given me much comfort through the years. What spurred my thinking back all those years was the fact that today is the first day of spring, which brings back many memories of boat - launching times.. My memory bank glows with those carefree days when the Putt Putt was called on to take us on all sorts of outings, such as the many trips out to the black buoy (that is now green) for porgies, kingfish we never see them anymore), an occasional weakfish, and what we'd call a sand shark. I can still feel that gray sandpaper skin of those pesky bait stealers. Then there'd be those night sessions of spearing eels. We'd hang a hissing gaslight over the bow to see the eels as one person stood at the bow with the- eel spear poised for ac- tion while the other stood in the stern, steering with that long tiller that guid- ed us in and around our choice eeling spots. Then there was the great adventure of three days with my good friend Harry Waite. He and I took the Putt Putt on a fishing trip around the East End islands. (Re- member, our power was only a one- cylinder engine.) All went well until the motor quit, and since our sleeping quarters were a little tight, we decided to go ashore and sleep on the beach. Whether the engine needed a rest or what we never knew, but she started up the next morning and we contin- ued our trip homeward in an all-day But the memories that stand out above all the rest are of when Harry and I would drop an anchor in the mouth of the creek and fish for weakfish in the darkness. Those were magical times. Night after night, we'd fish by ourselves in the channel, using squid for bait. We had a one - burner alcohol stove that brewed the best coffee a fisher- man could ask for. In those early days of the '40s we always seemed to get weakfish, and those night fishing trips made a lasting impression on me so it was natural that on this first day of spring my mind wandered back to those silvery fish that brought us so much pleasure. I believe weakfish come to our creeks to spawn, for the fish we caught often had roe in them. And was that roe good eating, especially when your mother knew just how to cook it. Another reason I believed weakfish used our creeks as spawning or nursery areas was that later, when we went snapper fishing, we'd often catch baby weakfish five inches to six inches long. We're told that weakfish can be found in season from Nova Scotia to Florida but are most abundant from New York to North Carolina. They are a member of the drum family, which means they vocalize with drum- ming or, croaking sounds. I can vouch for that, for I've often heard this odd grunting sound when they-first landed in the boat. My memory bank glows with those carefree days when the Putt Putt took us on all sorts of outings. weakfish can live to 17 year Again, I believe it, forrI once speared an 11 1/2 -pound weakfish while eel - ing that I presumed must have been at least 10 to 15 years old. Previous to that I can remember seeing the tide runners that at one time were caught off the beach at the mouth of the creek. Those were the days of the party boats. Everything that would float was used to carry the city people out to Roses Grove for a day's fishing. The boats would'come back with a hundred fish or more. It was the hey- day of party -boat fishing in our bays. From then on, there has been a grad- ual decline in the number of weakfish caught. It's so bad that when a boat comes in now with a few weakfish, it's big fishing news. Wouldn't it be nice to have those special days back again? D lorida they catch a fish that looks almost identi- cal to our weakfish. It has that same silvery body and colors but with the addition'of dark spots sprinkled along its sides, which gives it the lo- cal name of spotted sea trout. Whether it's up north or down south, both spe- cies of fish feed on the same type of prey. The juveniles take small fish like spear- ing, shrimp, anchovies, etc., while the adults feed on menhaden, squid and a wide variety of other fish, including. their own. Whether you catch a weakfish in o local waters or are lucky enough to -atch a spotted sea trout down south, `.hey're both sporting fish to; catch and in excellent fish for your table.