VOL. 36 • ISS. 07

MARCH 17- 31, 2017

31

Tip of the Week

Offshore fishing is challenging enough with overly-aggressive fish determined to keep anglers at a disadvantange. The new PENN Fathom Lever Drag reels take the advantage away from the fish and gives the edge to the angler. These full metal body reels offer many of the benefits of a fully machined version for a fraction of the investment.

The Fathom LD is offered in four sizes( five sizes in the two-speed model) to suit most bottom fishing techniques, including jigging, live bait or trolling. It doesn’ t matter if it’ s collecting bonito for bait, chasing yellowfin tuna or searching for sailfish. The Fathom features an adjustable lever drag that goes from free spooling to a 40-pound maximum drag thanks to the hesitationfree Dura Drag System.

The two-speed models feature the Quick Shift system for quick and easy changes with gear ratios ranging from 6.1-to-1( retrieving 31 inches per crank) on the high setting to 2.5-to-1( retrieving 21 inches) in the low setting. This versatility allows the angler to muscle strong-willed tuna when needed or pick up slack when the speedy sailfish heads towards the boat. Anglers using kites will appreciate the high-speed retrieve when picking up slack line after a strike.

Each lightweight reel includes a diecast aluminum frame and sideplates plus a forged / machined aluminum spool with weights ranging from 15.1 ounces for the size 15LD to 27.3 ounces for the size 60LD2. Strong, stainless steel main and pinion gears are corrosion resistant as are the five shielded stainless-steel bearings. The stainless-steel gear train is machined and drilled for optimum toughness as well as weight reduction.

The braid-ready spool has line capacity rings to let the angler know how much line remains on the spool during the heat of battle. Lugs keep the reel securely fastened to the angler or boat with switchable lugs available on the size 60LD2.

Spool capacities of the Fathom LD and LD2 range from 355 yards of 12-pound test monofilament or 550 yards of 20-pound test braid on the size 15, to 480 yards of 40-pound test monofilament or 995 yards of 65-pound test braid on the size 60.

It has a wide blade, like couch grass( which animals adore and is healthy for them); but, it isn’ t couch grass. So, as far as we’ re concerned, it is useless grass. And, these past weeks with the rains as they were, the grass

they planted did nothing to hold up the hillsides which cascaded into the canals in numerous spots, turning the water into muddy brown mess, chasing away even the

Buffleheads who usually hang around there this time of year.

More sports parks with lawn and cement, more houses, more malls …. No more blackbirds on milk thistle or field mustard plants. And, so, the wildlife is practically gone from this place now. Only a year or so ago, we delighted in photographing a den of baby foxes down at a local canal( before the city yanked out the wild plants there too). I wonder how they are faring, if the foxes are still alive.

Even though sweet fennel is not native to this country, it is a welcome guest. The anise swallowtail butterflies use to abound in my backyard every year appearing along with other beneficial insects on my own sweet fennel plants.

Tiny little birds use to flit in the plants when they went to seed. However, I haven’ t seen even one anise swallowtail in at least five years and the little birds I only saw once in the past few years.

But, I still have my fennel plant; and, it’ s a good thing too! The fennel bulb for the recipe came from a grocery store, as the stores carry what is known as“ Bulb Fennel”— plants that grow larger bulbs or roots, tasty for consumption.

Serves 2 amply

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups pounded and chopped Long Neck clam necks( or clams of your choice)

• 2 hot Italian sausages, meat removed from casings( Johnsonville is a good brand)

• 1 can chopped tomatoes( Hunts Organic had a bright flavor)

• 5 medium-large mushrooms, cut in half and sliced

• 1 fresh fennel bulb, tough outer part discarded and inner tender parts diced small( also chop some tiny green stems and fronds)

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• ¹⁄ ³ Cup white wine or vermouth

• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

• 1 tbsp fresh parsley

• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves( stems removed)

I got the last bedraggled bulb in the bin( so bad, I got it for 50 cents!); so, I went outside in the yard to gather a little of the green stems and frond material to add to the recipe. Yum! I noticed yesterday, the store got a new shipment of fresh Fennel( naturally …).

I want to thank whoever brought Fennel to the Americas and thank the

• Hot pepper flakes and seeds to taste

• ¼-½ tsp dried oregano, crushed between your fingers before adding

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Extra virgin olive oil

• ½ carton Italian linguine( used Barilla)

• Butter( optional)

DIRECTIONS 1. Heat a 10-12” skillet to medium-high and add in little pieces of the Italian sausage meat that you removed from the casings( slit down the outside and pull the skin off to discard the outside) and cook until browned nicely, busting up with a spatula while cooking to make pieces smaller and smaller— the goal being to make them closer in size to the clam pieces. 2. Remove cooked sausage from the skillet and add in a little olive oil, then, the diced fennel bulb, including the little green stems; but not the fronds yet. You won’ t be using more than maybe a 1 teaspoon of the fronds anyway.( If you accidentally over browned the sausages and have dark bits of crud in the pan, wipe the pan out and start over with just the olive oil for the vegetables to cook in.) 3. I like having some of the grease from the sausages in it; so, try not to overcook the sausages. It will be more flavorful if you can make it with a little leftover grease. After adding in the fennel, add in mushrooms and onions. 4. Cook the veggies on medium until they are softened, adding in the garlic during the last minute of cooking. While doing all this, heat a large pot of water on the stove for your linguine, which you will be cooking while you are cooking this. 5. Next, add in the can of chopped tomatoes along with the juice in the can. Add in the white wine or vermouth, salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano. Heat to bubbly and cook that way for a few minutes in order to cook off some of the wine / vermouth. 6. Then, add in clams, parsley, reserved sausage meat and juices, and the hot pepper flakes / seeds. Reheat and cook the clams. When all is hot and cooked( in 2-3 minutes), spoon over cooked and drained linguine. 7. You can toss the linguine with a 1 table spoon of butter and some parsley if you want. It’ s good either way. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan or 3-Italian cheese mixture. I served this with green chard cooked with garlic, olive oil, and a little chicken broth.( I freeze chicken broth into cubes and used 3-4 cubes for the chard.)

Italians for the cuisine that inspired this recipe. Eric makes his own Italian sausages; although I had to buy them this time.

If you have any question, comments, recipes or cooking tips to share, write me at: Cookin’ Yer Catch; c / o The Fish Sniffer; PO Box 776; Colfax; 95713 or email cookcatch @ comcast. net. Go for it!