December 30, 2021 at 11:33 a.m.
Fish Like a GIRL
Fish Like a GIRL
One of the things I am looking to do this coming summer is to get into kayak fishing. I have been in a kayak a time or two, but I have yet to take it seriously. The more I see people out there doing it, the more friends I talk to who enjoy fishing that way, the more interesting I think it is. Fishing out of a big bass boat is one thing. Fishing in a kayak, I suppose, would be the opposite end of the spectrum. One of the reasons I was hesitant to try it until now is that I am not a strong swimmer by any stretch of the imagination (weird, yes, being born and raised among all of these lakes!). However, I am fairly confident that I can dump a kayak and get back in without too many issues.
I have to say, our columnist John Bates was a bit of the impetus behind this decision. He sent me a copy of his new book "Wild Lakes," and it spurred me in the direction of paddling. There is something very different about looking at a lake from a kayak or even a canoe, I think, than from a motorized boat. So this year I hope to try out several different kayaks and make a determination on which will be the best for me and then get out there are start having fun.
I would also like to get back into fly fishing a bit more. To me, there is nothing more peaceful than wading a trout stream in the middle of nowhere, just enjoying all that nature has to offer. I picked up the hobby several years back, but then my tournament schedule got so heavy that, even though I was on the water 20-25 hours per week, I was either fishing a tournament or pre-fishing for an upcoming tournament. There was very little "fun fishing" time, although all fishing is fun, do not get me wrong.
Now that I've cut back on my tournaments, I am only fishing two series, one of which I will be running. That will leave more time for other leisure activities. Fly fishing will definitely be one of those again this year. I am sure I will be a little rusty on the casting techniques, as I am not entirely sure I had them mastered to begin with, but why not give it a try again? My neighbors are sure to make some fun comments as I practice casting in the yard before heading out. For their enjoyment, I usually try to get out just after a rain and at least cast into some puddles for them.
The other area in which I have goals is in citizen science. I participate in Project FeederWatch and the Izaak Walton League's Winter Salt Watch as a volunteer citizen scientist, but I would like to expand my participation this year. There are so many great projects and programs across Wisconsin in which to participate, many of which I have talked about in this column.
One that has always interested me is the Wisconsin Frog and Toad survey. I have been a big frog lover since I was a kid, catching them in the swamps near my childhood home. I remember one year I put a mass of eggs into a five-gallon bucket and left the bucket under the eve of the garage so they would get fresh water when it rained (at least this was my seven-year-old thinking). Eventually the eggs hatched and I had hundreds of tadpoles on my hands. Having no idea how to care for tadpoles or how to feed them, I then decided it was best to put them back in the swamp where I found them. That experiment was short-lived.
I also remember many evenings as a kid with my bedroom window open listening to the frogs calling in the swamps, letting their songs send me off to sleep. I remember wondering what they were saying to each other and how they communicated like that. I wondered about their position in the food web and how they kept from getting attacked by the large raptor and other predators that were in the area. I had heard frog legs were quite tasty, so I imagined other animals thought so, too.
According to the Wisconsin Aquatic and Terrestrial Resources Inventory (WIATRI) website, there are 12 frog and toad species in Wisconsin. The Survey's purpose is to determine the status, distribution and long-term trends of those species.
There are two different surveys that fall under this project. One of which is a route survey and the other a phenology survey. The route survey is made up of approximately 100 permanent roadside routes throughout the state. Each calling survey is made up of 10 listening stations within hearing distance of a wetland. Most routes are 10-25 miles long with surveys taking 2-3 hours to complete. Surveyors spend at least 5 minutes recording what they hear at that stop, whether it is individual frog calls that can be counted, calls of some individuals that can be counted but there are some overlapping calls, or if there is a full chorus of calls at the location. Sampling is done three times per year: once in early spring (April 8-30), again in late spring (May 20-June 5) and for the third time in summer (July 1-15). All of the information from all volunteers is gathered into a central database. Other things such as water temperature, when feasible, air temperature, wind speed and sky condition are also recorded. To me, at least, it seems like a fun way to spend a few hours in an evening listening to the sounds of frogs and forgetting the world for a short time. While many of the determined routes in the Northwoods are already taken, there are still routes throughout the state that are open and looking for volunteers. Alternatively, a volunteer can propose a new route to the Survey as well.
The phenology study is open to anyone anywhere who has access to a wetland or waterbody where inhabited by frogs. Volunteers in this part of the survey simply pick a wetland or waterbody and spend five minutes at least twice weekly from April 1 to June 15 and one weekly from through August 1 and listen to frog calls. The volunteer fills out the data sheet provided by the Wisconsin Frog and Toad Survey and enters the information at the end of their observation.
Either of these surveys mean learning the calls of various frogs, of course, if the prospective volunteer does not know them. However, all of that information can also be found on the WIATRI website wiatri.net.
For me, resolutions are meant to be broken, but goals are things to be worked toward and achieved. My resolutions for this year include expanding my fishing fun and being a part of something bigger such as the Wisconsin Frog and Toad Survey. I hope others will join me by getting involved in citizen science.
Beckie Gaskill may be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].
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