Big Cats Indeed

Virginia's James River delivered as billed - and then some! The big cat of the day was 61 pounds (my biggest ever). Biggest five totaled 244. Of course, if you've visited Chris Eberwien's website, www.catfishingva.com, and have seen his big cat photos, that should be no surprise. Chris has been fishing the James since the early 90s, when "a 35-pounder was and absolute monster," and he has guided full time on the river for the past decade. He took us straight to the action, and the first 40 was on the line within 20 minutes of putting out the baits.

Here Kitty, Kitty

The truck heads northeast this morning, and jumbo blue catfish are the main attraction. I'm Virginia bound to spend a day in the boat with Chris Eberwien (www.catfishingva.com) and Chris Jenkins, a fellow outdoor writer. "Catfishing for big blues is my passion," Eberwien is quoted as saying on his website, and a front page filled with photos of anglers struggling to hold up massive fish confirms the same. Eberwien guides full-time for big cats on half a dozen Virginia rivers, with the James being his primary river. Cat tales to follow.

Favorite Fish?

Friends commonly ask me about my favorite kind of fish, but so far I've not been able to answer that one. I enjoy different things about many different kinds of fish. Probably, the best I can do is to pick some of my favorite kinds of fish.

Brown trout rank mighty high on my list because of their wariness, their capacity to grow large in Southern Appalachian streams, their fondness for big bites and therefore big baits, and their generally cool appearance. And then there are smallmouths, which hit, run, jump and play like few other kinds of fish and favor the same clear, rocky places that I tend to like. Looking at cats, I'm partial to flatheads. They defy catfish stereotypes, being major predators not scavengers, and they lurk in the toughest timber tangles imaginable, coming out only when they want to. In the brine, I like redfish because they commonly cruese shallow flats, hunting as they go, and that creates some very cool fishing situations - and because they are beautiful and tremendously strong.

Of course, two of most fun kinds of fish I've even encountered are peacock bass and dolly varden, but I'm not sure I can even count those because I caught both on exotic adventures to faraway places that I'll probably never travel to again.

And then I think about the spectacular-colored native speckles that still inhabit the tiny high-country branches of the mountains near home, about big bluegills, crickets and corks... OK, I really don't know my favorite fish, which is pretty much what I always end up telling people.

I like fish, and I like fishing.

Signs of Spring

My daughter, Sarah, delivered the good news early this morning. "First daffodil bloom of the year!" she eagerly announced, and I followed her hurriedly outside to see it with my own eyes. We'd known one would open soon as several have had yellow buds for a couple days. Still, there's something really exciting about that first daffodil each year. Even though we realize more cold days will follow, cheery daffodils assure us that spring isn't too far around the corner. It was sunny and 70 today, and by mid-afternoon at least a half a dozen daffodils had opened. Joining them were a little patch of yellow crocus flowers, some winter honeysuckle blooms, a few hellebores and, of course, a few pansies (which have been blooming all winter). I wonder what will be next?!

Crappie Cooperative

While the walleyes failed to show up for the party, big crappie have served up plenty of fishing fun and photo opportunities, first on Arkansas' Lake Greeson and now on Oklahoma's Lake Eufaula. I'll fish 2 1/2 more days before hopping on a plane and heading in the direction of home. Pictured is Capt. Darryl Morris of Arkansas - www.familyfishingtrips.com.