School reopening delayed? Kids need something different to do? Can’t keep up with popcorn salmon seasons? Water too warm for trout?
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has a great idea for how you can help the environment while enjoying social distancing at its best.
Through social media, the department is producing a pond-to-table series that began with what some call “pond chickens” – invasive bullfrogs.
Yup, eat a frog, save a fish.
Bullfrogs are voracious bullies, predators that eat whatever they can cram into their gaping maws – worms, insects, crayfish, native fish, other frogs, snakes, turtles and even small mammals and birds.
They’re also non-natives to Oregon that wreak havoc on natives, especially fish, frogs and pond turtles.
The agency started the series a few weeks ago by literally stepping out the door of department headquarters in Salem and walking to a nearby slough of stagnant water.
There, they found 40 bullfrogs in a 20-yard stretch.
The critters are ridiculously easy and fun to catch. Many like to wear headlamps at night and gig them with trident spears. At this time of year, they’re concentrated in still water and ponds that haven’t dried up. Bullfrogs abound statewide.
In this case, however, a simple red rubber bass bug on a fly rod did the trick during the light of day and frogs quickly filled a five gallon bucket.
They’re easily dispatched with a sharp blow to the head and then cleanly butchered by snipping off the legs, then peeling the skin down to the feet.
A simple coating of egg and flour and it’s off to the frying pan.
Tim Akimoff, social media coordinator for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, shows off a lunch treat -- fried bullfrog legs from a slough adjacent to the department headquarters in Salem. (Jesse Kane, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife)
In what amounts to a rare and unique perk of his job, Curt Melcher, director of the department, was presented with a frog leg lunch that day.
“Other than dissections in biology class, that was my first frog leg experience,” he said. “They were good. Tasted like a cross between chicken wings and deep-fried panfish.”
The catch-to-eat video can be viewed on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.
Another video about invasive frogs and how-to cook them is available from the Institute for Applied Ecology in Corvallis.
The department plans a series of pond-to-table videos leading up to the Institute’s Invasive Species Cook-off in 2021 (remember reading here several years ago about my daughter’s popcorn house sparrow?).
Just this week it’s finished production on how to catch and eat several species of invasive crawdads.
They’re also fun to catch (be careful of the claws, though) and delicious to eat; rather like mini lobsters.
The video is capped with a true southern crawdad boil, including sausage, corn on the cob, potatoes, spices and, of course, the main course.
See it on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter.
Next up is carp.
Yes, carp. Fun to catch (fights hard) and actually good to eat.
Virtual fishing derby: While the current COVID-19 pandemic has forced cancellation of several fundraising fishing events, it’s been lemons-to-lemonade for the Association of Northwest Steelheaders.
Instead of going through 2020 without a fundraiser, Steelheaders are planning both a virtual online silent auction (much as other organizations have done) and a unique derby, “Crossing Boundaries.”
From Sept. 26 to Oct. 4, individuals or teams of up to five of all ages will take to the water for fish in five different categories: salmon, steelhead and kokanee, walleye/any freshwater bass, rockfish/lingcod/greenling, any panfish (crappie, sunfish, perch, bluegill), and any catfish. Rankings will be based on length of the fish.
There’s no limit to the number of categories that can be entered, but anglers can only fish two days during the period and while teams don’t have to remain together, they must fish for the same species and on the same days as the other members.
Each catch must be photographed with a tape measure and proof of date in the same frame.
On Sept. 28, bidding will also open for an online silent auction.
First prizes of $200 worth of fishing gear will be awarded to the winners of each of the five categories.
And a random drawing will be held among all teams for a $1,000 cash prize, regardless of their catches.
Cost is $50 per adult angler and $30 for youths 17 and under.
Registration has begun online.
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September 05, 2020 at 08:15PM
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Bill Monroe: Eat a frog, save a frog (or fish, pond turtle, etc.) - OregonLive
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