This is the last part of one of the most revealing bass fishing articles we have ever seen. In case you missed the first two parts, you can read them in our Newsletter Archives section at www.backwoodsbound.com/zznewv00i00.html in the June and July 2004 issues.

 The Northeast, Bohemia and Elk Rivers

 The Northeast River offers one of the best flipping bites on the bay, as well as being a twenty minute ride from the Sassafras. The Bohemia offers average fishing for bass, but is a quick shot to both the Elk and the Sassafras, and is a good middle of the road launch point. For the angler that has a smaller boat, who can't stand the longer, more difficult ride to the Sassafras from the Havre De Grace ramp, this is a good place to start.

 The docks located in the Northeast and Elk are prime targets for the bass, as these rivers are devoid of most of the structure that the Sassafras offers. The bass hit plastics and black and blue Terminator jigs well here, on both the outgoing and incoming tides. Placement is critical here. The jigs must not only be put into the smallest of holes and openings, but must be presented multiple times, with a quiet entry, before a strike occurs. Practice your flipping and pitching techniques before attempting these waters.

 The docks by the jetty in the Northeast are the best for these techniques, and the Furnace Bay cove offers the best spinnerbait and buzzbait action early in the year, before the grass becomes matted all the way to the surface.

 Spring fishing on these rivers, and the Sassafras in particular, offers some unbelievable action at times. These rivers are suited to every style of fishing. If you're a flipper, it is there. Spinnerbaits and crankbaits will smoke them! There's grass, docks, wood, current, eddies, ledges, barges, and points. And all of them hold bass! We have experienced eighty fish days in the Sassafras in the spring, and thirty to forty fish days on some of the other rivers.

 Whether you are a tournament angler, or just a person who loves to catch bass, then these are the rivers for you!

 The Sassafras is a beautiful river with tremendous habitat, and a good population of bass. While it is a great place all year, in the spring, it can be a real "Hotspot".

 So hitch up the trailers, rig the rods, and get rid of the winter cabin fever blues with some super Chesapeake Bay largemouth bass fishing!

 A special thanks to Kurt vonBrandt for his contribution to this article, and his photos of numerous large bass. - Steve vonBrandt

Be sure to visit Steve and Kurt vonBrandt on their web site at http://www.skguideservice.com

 Due to the small size of doves, most hunters chose only to save only the breast meat. The breasts are meaty and make even servings. Portion size varies, but plan on three to four breasts per person.

 To clean a dove for just the breast meat;

 1) Hold the bird on its back in on hand. Grasp the outside wing with the other hand and give it a good twist; the wing will snap off. Repeat with the other.

  2) Lay the bird again on its back in one hand and poke your free thumb into the body cavity just below and up under the breastbone.

 3) All in the same motion, pry the bird apart by moving your two hands apart. A quick jerk will separate the breast from the rest of the bird.

 4) Pluck the feathers off the breast or peel off the skin.

 5) Wash them thoroughly before freezing.

  Common house flies, Musca domestica, are regarded as a greater threat to human health than most other insects and considered a vector for a number of filth-related diseases. Some of these include; food poisoning, dysentery, meningitis, bacteremia, pneumonia, upper respiratory diseases, and urinary tract infections. They can also help transmit pinworms, hookworms, and some tapeworms. The fly's entire body swarms with millions of bacteria.

 Growing up on a farm, I frequently saw flies swarm around piles of fresh cow manure. It was also common to find dead animals, birds, and rodents crawling with flies and maggots. The relation between filth and flies was clear. However, I knew flies had a place in the scheme of things. In fact, maggots were instrumental in producing some pretty awesome skeletons for "show and tell". When they were through feasting, the bones were picked clean.

 Flies never stood a chance in our house. As soon as one accidentally buzzed past my mom she grabbed the swatter and, showing no mercy, kept vigil until it was safely eradicated. I felt sorry for these misplaced creatures and remember catching slow ones around windows to release outside. I even washed one once in a dish of warm, soapy water, then presented the "clean" half-drowned little fly to my mom as my new pet! We were both banished outside to play. The poor little water-logged guy didn't stand a chance against the chickens and I eventually lost interest in trying to save the flies.

 Living in town now, sometimes it's easy to forget just how filthy flies really are. Town doesn't have the obvious excrement and carcasses available to remind us of the gross stuff these guys eat and crawl around on. However, they are finding enough pet waste and rotting garbage to keep us perpetually sick on a variety of bacteria and parasites. Keep the fly swatter handy!

 There are several ways flies contaminate our food and food handling areas.

  Flies feed by sucking liquid through a tube-like lower lip. They prefer liquids containing sweet or decaying material, but can easily change solid food materials into liquid. The housefly feeds by depositing a drop of regurgitated saliva on its intended food, which may be garbage, excrement, or other filth. This digestive fluid breaks down its food into a liquid. Although most of the liquid drop is sucked back again, a residue remains that may contain disease-causing organisms from previous meals.

 The fly also transmits diseases by carrying disease organisms onto food. It picks up disease organisms from garbage, sewage and other sources of filth on its sticky foot pads and hairy body. These organisms then stick to other surfaces the fly visits and continue to grow and multiply on their new surface.

 Lastly, the fly spreads disease organisms through its feces. It's one thing to share food, but this little guest is using the toilet on your share!

 Good sanitation is the basic step in all fly management. Whenever possible, food and materials on which the flies can lay their eggs must be removed, destroyed as a breeding medium, or isolated from the egg-laying adult. Garbage cans and dumpsters should have tight-fitting lids and be cleaned regularly. Dry garbage and trash should be placed in plastic garbage bags and sealed up. Wet garbage should first be wrapped in old newspaper and then put in plastic garbage bags. All garbage receptacles should be located as far from doors as possible. And last but not least, use the flyswatter. Until next time.....Maggie.

 * This article first appeared in the January 2003 issue of The Bullet. We are repeating it for the benefit of our new subscribers and because a fly is pestering me right now. SWAT!!!!

Answer To Bonus Question: The Union Pacific Railroad laid 1869 miles of track westward from Nebraska while the Central Pacific Railroad built eastward from California laying 689 miles of track.