Rick Dillard

How Old Is That Fish?

2009-06-30T13:55:00.006-05:00

Have you ever wondered about the age of a big fish that you caught in the past? I know I have.

Three? 4? 5? 10 years old? Most people never know for sure.

Some small fish are a lot older than they appear, while some big fish are not nearly as old as you thought they were.

One way you can tell the age of a fish is to magnify one of its scales. When I was in college, we had a special contraption made just for that purpose. Nowadays you can use a scanner to capture a photo of the scale and enlarge it. By examining the growth rings on a scale you can estimate the age of that fish. Here's how.

A fish lays down one mico-thin line of growth on its scale each day. During the winter, when growth is at a minimum, the lines are closer. In the summer, the lines are farther apart. By closely looking for those narrow bands of lines you can tell how old the fish is. While not foolproof, this method will usually get you within a year or so of the actual age.

Examining scales, however, only works in regions that have a distinct winter. In tropical areas where it is always warm this won't work.

Another way scientists determine age is by removing one of the otoliths (ear bones), dissecting it, magnifying it, and counting the narrow bands of lines. VERY TEDIOUS!!!!

For catfish, the method is very similar, examining the inside of its pectoral fin(spiny fin on its side).

The scales in the accompanying photos came from a bigmouth buffalo caught in Pickwick Lake a couple of years ago. The fish weighed 35 lbs. and was approximately 9years old.

In the first photo, there appears to be just a bunch of lines on the scale. However, closer examination (second photo) reveals those narrow bands of lines.

Next time you catch a big fish, give it a try!

Spring Fish Kill

2009-05-22T13:35:00.004-05:00

I received a telephone call yesterday reporting a fish kill on Beaver Lake in Smith county. Hundreds of bream and bass floating on the surface I was told.

A major fish kill in August or September? Very possible. A major fish kill in mid-May? "Highly unilikely", I thought to myself.

Of course there are a few fish that die from spawning stress every year around this time. But hundreds of fish. I couldn't imagine it.

After checking with John Skains, fisheries biologist with MDWFP, I found out that he has received numerous reports of fish kills across central Mississippi.

According to Skains, the unseasonably cool temperatures we had earlier in the week killed the plankton bloom causing an oxygen depletion which in turn killed the fish. One night the temperatures dipped to 48 degrees.

The more I live, the more I learn.

Torrential Rains

2009-05-17T20:50:00.002-05:00

This has got to be one of the wettest May's I have seen in a long time. The northern part of the state has been pounded with rain since the beginning of the month. Some places have received over 15 inches of rain. WOW!

All of this fresh water has been having a big impact on many of the watershed lakes on the Holly Springs National Forest. Most of the lakes are several feet higher than normal flooding the surrounding woods.

The good part is that these flooded areas are providing new spawning and feeding grounds for the fish, primarily the bream.

The bad part is that the fish are scattered making it hard to find and catch them. Traditional spawning beds are now 3 or 4 feet deeper than normal.

The Grass Isn't Always Greener on the Other Side

2009-04-16T09:29:00.009-05:00

Mother/Daughter team Jeanine (left, mother) and Nicole May of Brandon caught this nice stringer of slab crappie fishing from a wooden pier with minnows in Pelahatchie Bay of Ross Barnett Reservoir.

"We had been fishing hard all over the reservoir from a boat for the last 2 or 3 weeks with poor results," said Nicole. "Then on Easter morning, BAM, it happened. The crappie were tearing it up. We couldn't get our lines in the water fast enough. This is one of the best fishing days we have had in a long time. "

This just let's you know fishing isn't always better somewhere else, it may be in your own back yard.

Jeanine is the public affairs officer with the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) in Jackson, and Nicole is the Fire Program Planner with the U.S. Forest Service in Jackson.

Way to go!!!! Mom and daughter.

Stealth Fishing

2009-03-21T08:17:00.003-05:00

The title of this blog sounds more like hunting than fishing. And, in a way it is.

Catching big bass in the shallows requires stealth. Especially if you are fishing from the bank. Slipping around, being very observant, and keeping a low profile are all keys to catching fish. Lastly, a pair of polaroid glasses can make the difference in being successful and going home empty-handed.

Stealth fishing helped me catch this 7 lb. 2 oz. bass yesterday in an 11-acre lake in Hinds County. The big sow bass was caught in 3 feet of water using a black lizard rigged Texas-style.

My favorite method for hooking up with a big bass is walking the shoreline and looking for fish holding structure (points in shallow water that immediatley drop off into deeper water). Once these areas are I found, I usually back up from the shore and wait several minutes. Sometimes I sit on the ground or squat to reduce my profile. Big bass are a lot like trophy bucks --- they are very spooky and hard to get close to. Remember this, if you can see them, they can also see you, and subsequently WILL NOT BITE YOUR LURE!!

Ground vibrations are a dead give-away to big fish. Be very quiet. Surprise is the key. Your first cast in a particular spot is the most critical cast. If you mess up the first cast and the fish hears or sees you. Forget it. Move down the shore to another spot.

Growing up fishing in farm ponds and small lakes has taught one thing --- Early spring is one of the few times during the year that big bass are vulnerable to bank anglers. The rest of the year these fish are in deeper water away from the shore and usually have lockjaw.

Monster Bass from Davis Lake

2009-03-14T16:00:00.002-05:00

Last week an angler named Lee hauled in a huge bass from Davis Lake in north Mississippi. The monster weighed 13 lbs. 13 oz. and looked like a football. According to posters on the MDWFP freshwater fishing forum another fish was caught by a friend on that trip that weighed 10 lbs 8 oz.

According to my records Lee's fish is the largest bass ever caught from a national forest lake. I predict that Davis Lake will produce a bass over 15 lbs. in the next year.

The Big Bite

2009-02-11T19:31:00.004-06:00

A lot of people ask, "When is the best time to catch to catch a monster bass?"

My answer is always January and February when everyone else is hunting.

Long before any of the other bass even consider spawning, the big sow bass move into the shallows to drop their eggs. By the time all the anglers realize the main spawn is occurring, the big female bass are long gone.

I checked the surface water temperature today in a 15-acre lake and it was 61 degrees.

Lip Curl

2009-01-14T10:12:00.002-06:00

I've heard talk of it.

I've read about it.

I've seen it on hunting videos.

But, I had never witnessed it before until last week. - - Lip curling (Flehmen posture)

A small doe, pursued by a spike buck, ran past my stand, stopped, squatted, and peeeed on the ground. The spike then walked up the spot and smelled the ground. Then he proceeded to squint his eyes and curl his top lip back past his nose. He looked like he was in heaven.

Obviously, the little doe was not in estrus because the buck lost interest and went off in the opposite direction.

Tough Hunting

2009-01-11T18:56:00.003-06:00

This has been a tough season for me as far as seeing any bucks. I've been able to see a fair number of does, but it is as if the bucks vanished into thin air.

It's been frustrating, but I ain't giving up yet.

Nature's Beauty

2008-12-24T07:41:00.003-06:00

Some things in nature are just undescribably beautiful. Such as this piebald buck taken earlier this year by a hunter. Lots of rumors floating around about where it was killed (Arkansas, Texas etc., - not important).

I've seen photos of lots of piebald and albino deer, but none had the markings as unusual as this one. The buck looks like a paint horse or a jersey cow.

What is even more unusual is that the buck sports a trophy rack. Most piebalds suffer from deformed skeletal structure and seldom get large enough or old enough to grow large antlers.

If given the chance, I'd have a hard time choosing between this buck and a normal colored 160-class buck. What about you?

Abandoned Fawns

2008-12-23T19:05:00.002-06:00

It happens every year during the rut. White-tailed deer fawns wandereing aimlessly through the woods looking lost and abandoned.

Truth is, momma is probably off having a good time procreating the species.

The doe usually leaves her fawn(s) for a few days when she comes into estrus. She and the buck slip away into a secluded thicket (I wish I knew where) and take care of business.

During this time the fawns stay relatively close to where the doe leaves them.

The funny thing is that the fawns usually just stand and stare at hunters rather than running away. When they do run, it is not very far before they turn around and look again. They have not got that survival thing quite figured out yet.

The only difference this year is that it "abandoned fawns" appear to be showing up a few days earlier this year than in years past. I usually don't see this annual phenomenon until the week after Christmas in central Mississippi.

In the last 3 days, I have seen numerous fawns that spent the entire day withing 100 yds. of my stand. One button buck bedded down under my tree for over an hour before moving.

Watching these young deer is entertaining and prevents an otherwise boring hunt.

Hot Weather Buck

2008-12-19T21:11:00.002-06:00

Skeeters buzzing around. 70+ degree temperatures. High humidity. Every hunter knows that todays weather conditions are a death sentence for buck movement. Even during the rut.

Most of us stayed at home and turned on the air conditioner.

Apparently young Lane Skinner of Madison, MS doesn't suscribe to the same hunting magazines as the rest of us because he went to the woods anyway. And it paid off for him in big dividends.

The 15-year old hunter downed a 167 gross buck with his 7mm Remington Ultra Mag. The buck, a basic 8-point with 2 kickers , had 28-inch main beams and weighed 215 lbs.

No more excuses for any of us.

When you have the chance, go hunting. It may just pay off for you (and me).

Madison County Bruiser

2008-12-16T20:01:00.002-06:00

Just as I suspected, the white-tail rut turned on this afternoon. Big buck movement was good after the rain, especially for outdoor writer Mike Giles of Meridian.

Giles was hunting with professional guide Ronnie Foy of Canton. According to Foy, deer movement had been slow the past several days. "Even this morning the deer didn't move at all," says Foy. "But it sure turned on this afternoon. Deer were running all over the place."

The big buck was chasing a doe when Giles dropped the monster in his tracks at 175 yds. with a single shot from a .30-06.

This deer is special to Giles for 2 reasons - First, because it is the largest buck of his career. The 130-class buck had 8-points with exceptional mass and weighed over 220 lbs. Secondly, because he took the buck with his grandfather's rifle.

The Time is Here!!!

2008-12-16T14:24:00.003-06:00

The time that most deer hunters in central Mississippi has been waiting for is here.

Just like flipping on a light switch, the chase phase of the rut is here.

Happens around the same time every year. We should be used to it.

How do I know the rut kicked it today?

While traveling south on I-55 around 1:30 pm today, I saw 2 different big bucks chasing does across wide open fields. One of the bucks was a 140-class 10-point that weighed well over 200 lbs. These chases were between the Vaughan exit and the Canton exit on the interstate.

Guess where I am headed as I close this blog?

History Repeats Itself (This Time Better)

2008-12-10T09:12:00.002-06:00

After a lot of thought, I decided to go ahead write the full story on what lead to Wesley (my oldest son) harvesting his first buck.

Last year, during the youth deer hunt, Wesley missed a nice 6-point and a doe. He was using a youth model 20-gauge shotgun with rifled slugs. After making the switch to buckshot on the next day, he got a small anterless deer.

During the off-season, I had looked at the possibility of upgrading to a 7mm-08 youth model NEF Handi-Rifle. I figured this would extend his killing range and give him a little more power.

Well, youth season arrived, and I still had not purchased the gun, so we were back to last years setup. BIG MISTAKE!!!!

The first fiasco happened when Chandler (my youngest son) spotted a nice 7-point buck in the cutover. "Daddy, there comes a big buck," he whispered. I instantly turned to Wesley and instructed him the get ready. Just as the buck got within shooting range, he winded us and spooked. The buck stopped about 75 yards away and looked back. Wesley aimed and fired. The buck ran away unscathed. (75 yards is a big stretch for a youth model 20-gauge with buckshot)

Wesley was devasted. A good buck right in the palm of our hands and he got away. I felt about as low as a stump.

The 2nd fiasco occurred the following morning. While walking to our hunting area, we saw an 8-point buck following a couple of does. Again Wesley aimed and fired. Same result. No buck.

This time I felt lower than a stump. I had failed my son on 2 occasions. First, I should have purchased the handi-rifle like I had planned. Secondly, I should have let him practice shooting buckshot so that he could have determined the shotguns effective range.

Everyone should be able to guess what happened next.

I immediately went out and got a handi-rifle.

Now, let's fast forward to Thanksgiving weekend.

Wesley sees several deer, including an 8-point and a 6-point, but none offer him a shot. (This boy has seen more bucks in a few days of hunting than I had seen in several years of hunting)

On the last morning of the hunt, we decided to split up with Wesley going to his hot-spot and Chandler and I going a couple of hundred yards in the opposite direction.

Within one minute of separating, a "KA-BOOOOM" splits the silence. A second shot was followed by "Daddy, I got him!!!!"

Chandler and I ran back and found Wesley with a huge grin on his face and a 7-point buck kicking in the leaves.

What happened next, I will never forget for the rest of my life. Chandler ran up to his big brother and gave him big hug and said "Congratulations." We stood and celebrated for the next 5 minutes.

There is no price in the world that can be put on a family moment like that!!!

Archery Monster

2008-12-09T09:42:00.002-06:00

Michael Burkley's archery killed monster buck from Jefferson County has been officially scored for the Pope & Young, and Boone & Crockett record books. The 60-day drying period officially ended a few days ago, as Burkley's buck was harvested on October 4, 2008.

The wide-racked monster had 10 typical points (5 right, 5 left) with an additional 4 abnormal points on the left side. The final score of the buck was 164 3/8 typical, with a gross score of 190 5/8. Burkley's buck now ranks as the 4th largest typical taken in Mississippi in the Pope & Young record book.

The current top 5 typical bucks in the archery category are as follows: 1. Rob Stockett (Tallahatchie County) 167 2/8; 2. Carl Taylor (Issaquena County) 165 6/8; 3. Jimmy House (Issaquena County) 164 7/8; 4. Michael Burkley (Jefferson County) 164 3/8; 5. Odis Hill (Washington County) 160 1/8.

With a 25 1/8 inch inside spread, the buck also ties for 4th place of the all-time widest bucks in Magnolia Records.

It Finally Happened For Me

2008-12-07T07:09:00.003-06:00

Stephanie Allison of Eden, MS was a firm believer that big bucks purposely avoided her arrows, bullets, and stand locations. So much so, that her hunting motto became - "It Nevers Happens For Me."

Although she had harvested several does and small bucks, the big boys always stayed just out of her reach.

Her hard work finally paid off during the opening day hunt of the Hillside NWR muzzleloader hunt.

"Randy (husband) and I had been bowhunting on the refuge earlier and found some good sign," says Allison. "We knew there was a big buck in the area. He just never showed himself during daylight hours."

It took the oncoming rut to get the buck on his feet and moving.

"Several smaller bucks and does came by my stand that morning," says Allison. "Every one of them was on a mission. They came by me at a fast walk headed from "point a to point b". The big buck, however, took his own sweet time moving through, scent-marking low-hanging branches and making scrapes. His swaggering walk let you know that he was the dominant buck."

This time Allison's .50 caliber muzzleloader bullet found its mark sending the buck on a short death run. The 130-class buck had 9 points, a 19-inch inside spread, and a field-dressed weight of 180 pounds.

"It took us 4 hours to drag the buck through mud and thickets to get it out to the truck, but it was definitely worth it," Allison stated.

Also, with a wide grin on her face she said, "It Finally Happened For Me."

Conservation Milestone

2008-12-06T19:34:00.002-06:00

The Mississippi Wildlife Federation recently celebrated victory in the veto of the Yazoo Pump project by the Environmental Protection Agency.

This project, proposed by the US Army Corps of Engineers, had the potential to impact over 100,000 acres of wetlands. Waterfowl as well as many other species of wildlife are dependent on wetland areas for survival.

Veto of the Yazoo Pump project represents one of the largest conservation milestones in american history.

Smokepole Porker

2008-11-27T19:45:00.002-06:00

In my earlier hunting years, the one thing that terrified me was wild hogs!! The mention of the word "wild hog" struck fear in my heart and sent chills down my spine.

Watching movies like Old Yeller, where a herd of wild hogs cut up Travis while he was trying ear-mark the shoats, only added to my fear of them. To make matters worse, there were only a few places in the whole state where wild hogs were found during the 1970's, and my family hunting grounds was in one of them - the Tallahatche River bottom in southern Marshall County.

We occasionally jumped a herd of them while rabbit hunting. We often saw there sign - rooting, mud wallows, mud rubs on the sides of trees.

My family raised hogs for meat on the table. I fed them, shot them, butchered them, and ground them for sausage. But something about a domesticated animal going "wild" just didn't seem right. Especially an old boar with tushes that could cut you to ribbons.

Of course, as I grew older, my fear of them subsided (but not my respect).

It seems that they have become a severe problem across much of the state - destroying habitat for deer, turkey, and quail.

Anyway, I shot my first wild hog yesterday with my .45 caliber CVA Firebolt muzzleloader. The porker only ran about 40 yards before piling up.

Does anyone have any recipes for wild hog?

Cold Temperatures = More Deer Movement

2008-11-19T17:34:00.004-06:00

For the past couple of years we have been bombarded with unseasonably warm temperatures during deer season. The result --- very little daytime deer movement, leaving hunters scratching their heads.

Since the arctic blast cold front that swept through south last weekend I have seen a lot more deer than normal. This includes a massive 10-point buck feeding along I-55.

The weather forecast for opening day looks promising with temperature low's in the mid-20's. My prediction is better than average deer movement this weekend. This should equate to some nice bucks falling to hunter bullets.

Beaver Lake Opening

2008-11-13T08:54:00.002-06:00

Beaver Lake, a 35-acre impoundment on the Bienville National Forest near Polkville, is scheduled to be opened to fishing on Saturday, November 15, 2008. The lake is located directly behind the Caney Creek WMA headquarters.

Due to problems with the dam, the lake was closed to fishing, drained and renovated in 2005. Coppernose bluegill, florida-strain bass, and channel catfish were stocked in 2006.

The shallow, weedy lake looks like the perfect place for florida-strain bass to thrive and grow to gigantic proportions. However, past history of the lake has shown it to favor bream. The bass just don't seem to do as well here.

A quick electrofishing sample a few weeks ago revealed that the lake is full of fat and sassy bream. Many of them approaching 3/4 lb. However, as expected, bass numbers were low.

Don't come to the lake expecting to be able to launch a $30,000 bass boat with a 90 hp outboard. If you do, you are asking for trouble. The lake is better suited to fishing from a small john-boat with a battery-powered trolling motor.

Creel and size limits on the lake are as follows. Largemouth bass: 16-inch minimum length limit , 3 fish per person per day. Bream: 25 fish per person per day.

Have fun!!!!

Okhissa Anniversary

2008-11-07T14:03:00.003-06:00

Today marks one year since the official opening of Okhissa Lake.

As expected, the lake opened with a big bang and provided some dynamite fishing. Anglers filled their coolers with bass, bream, and catfish.

Public use was through the roof. Both parking lots stayed full with boat trailers well into the early summer.

One of the concerns, however, by many anglers and officials with the Forest Service was that the lake was possible getting overfished. Especially for largemouth bass.

A quick run with the electrofishing boat last Thursday easily removed any concerns about the lake being overfished. Below is a quick summary of how the fish population looked.

Bass: Plenty of fish found up to 17-inches long. In fact, there are too many fish below 10-inches. This is a strong indicator that the lake may become overcrowded with "skinny bass" in the near future. Anglers should not feel guilty for carrying home their legal limit of bass. It is encouraged and will only help the lake. All of the bass in the 15-17 inch range were fat and healthy. These fish will be the tackle busters in a couple of years. I have a strong suspicion that there are also good numbers of bass in the 18-20 inch range, but these fish were probably in deeper water.

Bream: There are still plenty of bluegill and redear left, but I did not find any of the 1+ pound fish that the lake has become famous for. The larger fish may have just been in deeper water.

Crappie: Approximately 250 adult crappie were stocked in the spring. Many anglers are still complaining about no crappie in the lake. I have one word for them - PATIENCE. It takes a little time for catchable numbers of fish to be produced from 250 stockers. The adult fish are still there as evidenced by one fish we found that weighed nearly 2 lbs. In couple of years crappie should become a regular part of the catch.

Threadfin shad: Although no one wants to catch these fish for supper, they are an important part of the overall fish population in Okhissa. These baitfish are the foundation for good numbers of healthy bass and crappie. They also produce the exciting surface feeding frenzy that bass anglers look for during the late summer and fall. No need to worry, there are still shad out the "ying-yang" in the lake.

Rocky Road to Good Fishing

2008-10-30T14:27:00.003-05:00

Most people have probably read or heard about placing gravel in a lake to improve fish habitat and fishing.

Believe me, it works!!!

Many fish species, especially bream, like to spawn on gravel. As the old saying goes "Build it, and they will come". This really applies with gravel spawning beds. Build them and the fish will flock to them during the spawning season.

Loose gravel allows the oxygen in the water to circulate around the fish eggs, keeping them alive and allowing greater survival of the eggs. Over time, many lakes develop muck and silt on their bottoms which hinder egg survival.

Any bream angler worth their salt knows looks for active bream beds to fill their coolers. Placing gravel beds in a lake when it is drained, allows you to pick and choose where you want your fish to spawn. For shoreline anglers, the ideal places are shallow areas near fishing piers and well mowed banks.

The best way to increase the life of a gravel spawning bed is to build a "crib" out of 2x12 boards and place the gravel inside the crib. This prevents the gravel from becoming spread out over the lake bottom and silting over.

As you are reading this, gravel spawning beds are being constructed in Marathon Lake on the Bienville National Forest to improve the fish habitat and fishing their.

Last 2 Scoring Sessions

2008-10-30T08:49:00.003-05:00

This will be everyones last chance for the year to get your deer officially scored and entered in Magnolia Records. I am still expecting some monster bucks to show up that no one knew about. How about making my prediction come true?

One scoring session will be held on Saturday November 1, 2008 from 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm in conjunction with a Quality Deer Management Association banquet in Southaven at the Multi-Purpose arena.

The other scoring session will be held on Tuesday November 11, 2008 from 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm in conjuction with the Annual Wildlife Show in Philadelphia at the Neshoba County Multi-purpose arena.

Appaloosa Buck

2008-10-27T20:06:00.002-05:00

Take a look at this young piebald buck. It is the first piebald deer that I have ever gotten a trail camera photo of. Even though piebald deer are not rare, they are uncommon and unusual. This buck looks like a speckled appaloosa pony. It will be interesting to see what he looks like in a couple of years.