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#1 Oct-06-13 4:17PM

captmikestarrett
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Potomac River
Registered: May-06-08
Posts: 2164
Website

Squirrel Report

This weekend I fished the Northern Neck area and targeted red and specks. Three weeks ago I had squirrel swim right in front of the boat. It happened so quick I forgot to get the camera out and so many of my fishing buddies just thought it was a story. Well it happened again in the widest part of the river. Poor little guy was exhausted from the long swim and clinged onto my trolling motor all wide eyed and wet. Oh and we caught lots of reds and specks. Most under size but a few keepers each day.
http://www.indianheadcharters.com/13/616.JPG
http://www.indianheadcharters.com/13/617.JPG
http://www.indianheadcharters.com/13/618.JPG
http://www.indianheadcharters.com/13/619.JPG
http://www.indianheadcharters.com/13/620.JPG

Kinda hot this weekend but the fishing was decent.

Capt Mike


Light Tackle Fishing Guide on the Potomac

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#2 Oct-07-13 4:19AM

backtofuturetoyota
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Stafford
Registered: Jan-12-12
Posts: 826

Re: Squirrel Report

That is wild.  I've heard of deer, but never a squirrel.  Good job on the rescue!  Nice fish too.  After trying some reds (big ones) I'm not too sold on them.  The old timers tell me it's better in a stew (big ones) and the small ones are good buttered and pan fried!

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#3 Oct-07-13 5:37AM

captmikestarrett
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Potomac River
Registered: May-06-08
Posts: 2164
Website

Re: Squirrel Report

The slot one's 18 -26 are very good cooked many ways. I like them grilled with a rub of EVO and a liberal amount of Tony Chackers.

Or chunk them and make a beer / bisquick / sugar batter. Cook in very hot peanut oil. Major yummy there.

Or leave scales and skin on filet. Place some real butter and and some thin sliced lemons on meat side, cook on grill skin side down till meat is done and skin burnt. Red fish on the half shell.

So many ways to enjoy them.

Capt Mike


Light Tackle Fishing Guide on the Potomac

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#4 Oct-07-13 5:47AM

Curly
Patagonian Toothfish
Registered: Mar-15-10
Posts: 5414

Re: Squirrel Report

My favorite is redfish recipe is "on the half shell"! big_smile


Hell or High Water...........I'm Fishin!!   big_smile

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#5 Oct-07-13 5:54AM

GregF
Northern Snakehead
Registered: Mar-21-11
Posts: 712

Re: Squirrel Report

Cute squirrel.  My Bro-in-Law tells a story about being on a fishing trip in Canada with a local Indian guide.  They saw a Moose swimming in deep water and the Indian brought the boat up along side, jumped out of the boat onto the Moose's back and killed him.  Enough meet to feed the Indian's family for a long time. The Indian said he had to kill him in deep water or he would have gotten away (or killed the Indian!).

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#6 Oct-07-13 6:51AM

Ernie
Administrator
From: Ashburn VA
Registered: Feb-03-06
Posts: 15561

Re: Squirrel Report

Nice fishes......need to spend some time down there, or move.


Time to go fishin' again!

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#7 Oct-07-13 7:01AM

NOVAhunter
Northern Snakehead
From: Ashburn, va
Registered: Mar-03-09
Posts: 369

Re: Squirrel Report

backtofuturetoyota wrote:

The old timers tell me it's better in a stew (big ones) and the small ones are good buttered and pan fried!

Squirrels or reds?

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#8 Oct-07-13 7:38AM

backtofuturetoyota
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Stafford
Registered: Jan-12-12
Posts: 826

Re: Squirrel Report

lol!  Reds....no squirrel is ever "too big!"

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#9 Oct-07-13 12:12PM

Bryan
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Bealeton, VA
Registered: Mar-18-11
Posts: 1194

Re: Squirrel Report

That's funny, last week while smallie fishing I watched a squirrel jump from a high tree branch right into the middle of a small river and then swim across. I had never seen that before.

Great catch there, those are some nice pups! What did you catch em on?


tight lines

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#10 Oct-07-13 1:00PM

captmikestarrett
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Potomac River
Registered: May-06-08
Posts: 2164
Website

Re: Squirrel Report

This swimming behavior is being seen all up and down the east coast.. could there be cause? More people than ever are reporting squirrels swimming. I fished with a guy who mentioned a specialist who studies animals and how they often leave an area that is going to have an earthquake or some kinda natural disaster..

Naw just squirrels that are NUTS!!

Capt Mike


Light Tackle Fishing Guide on the Potomac

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#11 Oct-07-13 2:08PM

T.
Patagonian Toothfish
Registered: Sep-30-09
Posts: 930

Re: Squirrel Report

Swimming squirrels is new to me.

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#12 Oct-14-13 5:34AM

Bryan
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Bealeton, VA
Registered: Mar-18-11
Posts: 1194

Re: Squirrel Report

captmikestarrett wrote:

This swimming behavior is being seen all up and down the east coast.. could there be cause? More people than ever are reporting squirrels swimming. I fished with a guy who mentioned a specialist who studies animals and how they often leave an area that is going to have an earthquake or some kinda natural disaster..

Naw just squirrels that are NUTS!!

Capt Mike

Saw a report of a squirrel swimming an inlet in New Jersey today. Strange how it's happening so much this year.


tight lines

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#13 Oct-14-13 7:07AM

captmikestarrett
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Potomac River
Registered: May-06-08
Posts: 2164
Website

Re: Squirrel Report

This from another site. Kinda long but very informative.

I received the following from a DGIF biologist that I sometimes work with a couple opf weeks ago about squirrel migrations:

We are getting a fair number of calls concerning what some call squirrel migrations. I am sending a couple links that describe historical mass squirrel migrations generally thought to be in response to high squirrel populations and low food supply – either locally, or on a massive scale. In the days of Lewis and Clark thousands (maybe hundreds of thousands) of squirrels were known to occasionally move in mass, swimming rivers as large as the Ohio and Mississippi. These movements seem to be restricted to gray squirrels, with fox squirrels not known for large migrations. It is theorized that this might explain why the gray squirrels physical appearance throughout its range is very similar, while there are numerous color varieties and sub-species of fox squirrels (large migrations of gray squirrels spread and mixed their genes more evenly throughout their range reducing the chance of population isolation that leads to differences in appearance and other traits).

Large migrations have been reported as late as 1998. This year, we are receiving reports, particularly along the I-64 corridor, about large numbers of squirrels seen (and road killed) along that interstate. And we are getting a few questions from staff and constituents. Our oak mast surveys are under analysis at this time, but it appears from ancillary observations and reports from constituents that oak mast is highly variable this year. Some sections appear to have ample mast, but there are large areas where it appears a mast failure occurred. On our farm in Prince Edward County – we have what looks like a total oak mast failure – not even the reliable Chestnut Oaks have produced. This happens to coincide with the 17 year cicada hatch we had back in June (largely confined to south central Virginia this year). I cannot say for sure whether the cicadas caused this failure, but they do prefer oaks for egg laying, and that process kills the outer stems of the majority of the oaks branches – generally 8 to 15 inches of the tips – where a lot of acorns would occur – are killed by this cicada egg laying process. It does not harm the trees health over the long term. This may be only correlation – and not be the cause and effect it appears to be. Other things like late frost, unfavorable weather for pollination, etc. can affect acorn crops.

Surprisingly, cicadas are eaten by squirrels, chipmunks, birds, frogs, toads, skunks – just about everything takes advantage of this temporary feast, and ironically this boost of energy can help young squirrels thrive – perhaps adding further to a localized over-population? I find the whole thing a fascinating example of the complex intricacies of an ecosystem.

Capt Mike


Light Tackle Fishing Guide on the Potomac

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