When will spring arrive?

  I’m looking out my window to see another snowstorm. Living in Ohio gives me the variety of the four seasons to fulfill my love of the weather. But this winter has worn out it’s welcome. If I hear the local weatherman predict more snow, I’m sending a snowball his direction. This winter has set new records in snowfall amounts and temperatures. Hopefully, this spring’s weather will present some new records as well. I’m not speaking in terms of inches of rain, sorry boat builders, but I’m referring to mushrooms.

  The Morel mushroom is on the "most wanted" list of many outdoor enthusiasts in the spring. The hunt for the Morel is as exciting as it is delicious and easy to prepare. Even a bad cook, like myself who burns water, can make a pleasing dish. Some folks, or "shroomers," have a knack to finding the tasty treasures. This usually leads to some friendly competition among shroomers.

 Morel Season

 Spring is a busy time of the year for most of us, but the Morel mushroom has a short growing season so don’t get too busy. My wife usually has a spring edition of the "honey-do-list" for me to complete. "Bad timing," I tell her, as the kids and I slip out the back door with our shroom bags.

 In east central Ohio, the Morel’s normal growing season is early April to mid May. Further south it will be one to two weeks earlier, to the north a little later. A damp habitat is needed for the Morel’s growth. Too much rain or dry weather is not what the mushroom needs. Just like me, the Morel requires a somewhat normal weather pattern. Temperature plays an important role in the growth of the mushroom as well. Morel mushrooms thrive when daytime temps are in the 60’s and 70’s and nighttime temps are not lower than the 40.

 Location, Location, Location

 The Morel mostly grows in damp areas but it’s not rare to find it in other places. I’ve found them growing along side my driveway. My sister has found them growing in a cattle pasture. One of the largest harvests here amongst our family of shroomers was gathered from the edge of a railroad bed. Of course my brother now thinks he is "king shroomer" after hitting that motherlode.

 Veteran shroomers have their favorite spots that they visit like a shrine (a shroomer shrine? Anyway…). Underneath dying Elm trees are a great place to search. Others, such as Ash and apple trees, offer good opportunities for a harvest also. The Morel will grow in various types of vegetation. Along streambeds with plenty of lush, green vegetation is my favorite mushroom hangout. There I usually find the right ingredients for a mushroom habitat. Areas with moist soil and dying Elm trees have treated me with the best yields. Other places I search frequently are pine forests. My family and I own a Christmas tree farm, which has provided some successful mushroom hunts.

 Watch Your Step. "See it?" my daughter, says. "Where?" I say. "Right there next to your foot." She says. OK, so I’m not the best shroomer in the family, this I will admit. Though mushroom hunting is not exactly rocket science, there are a few tricks to increase your chances for a successful hunt. Since they blend in so well with their surroundings, you must walk at a slow pace. I often wonder how many mushrooms I have walked past because I was pressed for time. My children and I never walk out of the yard without our hiking sticks when going shrooming. These sticks move the ground cover from side to side to reveal the shy shroom (and to scare the snakes away also). The sticks will also hold the briars up high enough to crawl under to retrieve the Morels playing hard to get.

 Last but not least make sure you have picked the correct mushroom, not a poisonous one, before cooking and eating it. If you know an experienced mushroom hunter, ask them to take you along. Even if they blindfold you on the trip to their secret spot, I’m sure they will be happy to share their shrooming skills with you. If you don’t have a mushroom mentor, you should scan through a mushroom identification book to make sure you have harvested the Morel mushroom. Other great sources of information on harvesting, preserving and cooking the Morel are your states Department of Natural Resources and your local library.

 Spring will be here before we know it. The snow will melt and the rains will come. A different type of weather will begin to entertain me and possibly another weather record will be set. So, if I have to spend a spring day indoors, hopefully it will be with a skillet filled with the tasty morsels of Morels and not with a paint pail and brush.

 Popular Morel Recipe

 A simple but delicious recipe. Cut the mushrooms into quarters and wash. Soak them with saltwater for at least one hour to kill any insects. Keep refrigerated. Pre-heat skillet and five tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Crack open a few eggs into a bowl. Dip processed mushrooms into the egg batter then roll them in flour and place in the skillet. Fry for about three minutes on each side. Serve. Great individually or on toast.
By Robert R. Loewendick

 About the author: Robert is 37 years old. He lives in Hopewell, Ohio with wife, Linda and children, Danielle and Robbie. He is an avid wildlife observer and enjoys hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, wildlife conservation and outdoor writing. You can reach him by e-mail at rrloewendick@yahoo.com

   Items to bring are about the same as going to the beach. You should bring liquids because the summers in south Texas are awfully hot. Alcoholic beverages are usually allowed. In addition the sun gives you a double whammy. You get direct sunlight plus reflection off the water. You probably want to wear a shirt or bring sun tan lotion. The boats usually have a canopy to shade part of the boat, but for the most part you will be out in the sun. On the rare occasion the boat is out when it rains, you should have rain gear. While not really necassary, you may want to bring a pair of needle nose pliers. The boat goes in early if there is a unanimous vote by all passengers. Clothes should be loose, light weight and comfortable. A tee-shirt, shorts and sandals are ideal.

 As with all outdoor activities there are always responsibilities involved in having a good time. Children are always welcome but must be mindful inasmuch as the boats are medium size with a number of passengers. If you lose a rod and reel overboard you are responsible and must reimburse the owner. In addition, your money is not refunded if you get sea sick. If you are prone to motion sickness, you may want to try Dramamine two hours before the trip.

 After the trip and as a bonus, near the dock may be a restaurant which will cook your fish with several side dishes for a nominal price. For health reasons, the restaurant will not clean your fish. Thus, have the deckhand fillet the fish before taking to the restaurant. Plan on one and one-half fish per person.

 If you choose to cook at home, lime is probably the best ingredient with which to accompany sand trout and whiting fillets. In addition to being abundant in south Texas, it is slightly sweeter and a little more tart than the usual lemon. Try these two recipes:

MEXICAN SAND TROUT

  ~ 8 sand trout fillets
  ~ 1/4 stick butter
  ~ Pico de Gallo

   Pico de Gallo
  ~ 2 tomatoes, chopped
  ~ 1 small onion, chopped
  ~ 1 fresh jalapeno, chopped
  ~ 4 tbsp chopped cilantro
  ~ 2 tsp fresh lime juice
  ~ 1 tsp salt
  ~ 1 tsp sugar
  ~ 1 tsp Mexican beer (Corona, Tecate, etc.)

 * Combine the tomato, onion and jalapeno in a mixing bowl. Add the salt, sugar, lime juice and beer. Mix until sugar is disolved. Fold in the cilantro. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

 * Place the fillets in aluminum foil with the butter. Seal foil. Bake for 18 minutes at 350 degrees.

 * Remove from foil. Top with the Pico de Gallo and serve with additional lime quarters. Enjoy! Serves 4

WHITING with HERBED LIME BUTTER

  ~ 8 whiting fillets
  ~ 1/2 stick butter
  ~ 1 tsp your favorite herb(s) (basil, tarragon, oregano, etc.)
  ~ 2 tbsp fresh lime juice

 * Melt the butter in the microwave oven (30 seconds on medium high). Add the herbs and mix together.

 * Place the fillets on aluminum foil and pour the butter over the fish. Seal and bake for 18 minutes at 350 degrees.

 * Remove fish from foil. Squeeze lime juice over the top. Serve with additional lime quarters. Enjoy! Serves 4

 Catching striper on topwater lures is my favorite. I like to catch stripers on jigs, slabs, and even live bait, but nothing compares to watching your favorite topwater lure get creamed by a hungry striper. I love that feeling when you are working a topwater lure and you know that at any moment a fish will blow up on it. If you have ever caught stripers on top you know what I am talking about and if not it is something you should try. Here is a very simple pattern for catching Texoma stripers on top.

 Equipment: I use a 6'6" 0r 7' medium action rod and you don't want anything that is to heavy because working a topwater bait can require a lot of rod action and a heavy rod will wear you out. A graphite rod is usually lighter than a fiberglass rod but they are not really that good for bait fishing. I like a rod that will work for all types of fishing so I don't have to carry a bunch of different rods. The Abu Garcia Workhorse rods are the most versatile rods I have found. They are light ,sensitive, and very strong. As for a reel you cant go wrong with a Abu Garcia 5500 or 6500 C-3, if you can't throw a bait caster you can use a spinning reel, loaded up with fresh 12-20 LB Trilene Big Game. Remember to change your line often, it will save you a lot of frustration from lost fish and expensive topwater baits. Fresh line will also improve the performance of your reels.

 Topwater Baits: When the Bite is really on I don't think it makes much difference what you throw. If it is windy I like to throw a 6" Pencil Popper because it is heavy , you can make long casts and it works well in a heavy chop. In light winds I prefer a Mirror Lure Top Dog or Top Dog Jr. Another really good bait is a Storm Rattling Chug Bug in the 3 1/2" and 4 1/2" size. I don't think color matters much but I usually use a shad pattern. The Chug Bugs are probably the easiest to work because all you have to do is pop them. The Pencil Poppers and Top Dogs are a little harder to work because you want to make the bait dart from side to side which is called walking the dog.

 Where to fish: The key to finding topwater striper in the spring time is to find where the Threadfin Shad are spawning along the shore. The shad are easy to find, just look for the Blue and White Herons wading along the bank. You need to start looking where the wind is blowing the shad up against a point ,rocky bank ,or sand flat. If you see some Herons wading ease up to them and throw right at the bank. If the herons spook easily there is probably not much in that area ,but if they stay and you see them catching shad you are right where you need to be. If the fish are really active you cant miss but sometimes you will have to figure out what lure and action works best. Sometimes they want you to stop and just let the lure set still. If a fish strikes your lure don't set the hook until you feel the fish because they will often swat at a lure several times before eating it and if you set the hook to early you will just pull the bait away from the fish. When a fish first hits my bait I like to stop and just twitch it a little and this will usually draw another strike.

 This topwater pattern usually works in April and May. For my up to date fishing reports or to book a trip for a personal lesson you can check my website out at www.txfishingguide.com or call me at 1-866-776-4843 Capt. Steve Barnes.

Orignal article by Lake Texoma Striper Guide - Capt. Steve Barnes

ANSWER TO BACKWOODS TRIVIA:   They come from the Sioux word minne which means water. Minnesota means "sky-tinted water".