Come to think of it, I'll have the Halibut

It's fishing season and although I don't expect to find any Atlantic Halibut roaming around the inlets of Long Island Sound (that I can potentially catch), I hope to place a nice fillet on my grill once or twice!

In this month's issue of Cooking Light, there is an excellent recipe for Grilled Halibut with Mango Salsa. My glands watered as I perused the article on my couch at home. I mean, take a look at the colorful salsa that accompanies this fish! Since Halibut is sweet on its own, the combination of fresh ingredients in this salsa will undoubtedly bring out the sweetness of the fish. I also found some other great Halibut recipes in Cooking Light.

Halibut is a wonderful fish for grilling. Since it is relatively dense (like Cod), it is less likely to fall apart or flake on the grill. I love a cold, crisp Pinot Grigio with this dish (like Ecco Domani). It is a great dish to serve friends or even moms...for Mother's Day!

Florida Bans Fish-pedies

For those of you who have been following this story, Florida is now one of many states opting to ban the use of fish to perform fish pedicures. If you recall, I reported on this in my "Foot Peche-ish" entry back in July.

I'm not sure how the governor of Florida (one of the largest fishing states in the country) can actually ban this procedure. But Texas and Washington have banned it. They are arguing that it is for sanitation purposes. In a way, feet "en-pedicure" are serving as a nutrition source for the fish. I must admit that I am not sure how many of my friends would actually let fish suck on their feet. But if they knew how beautiful their feet would look, maybe they would consider it.

The fish, known as Chin Chin, are native Chinese fish that resemble guppies. American salons were introduced to them only recently and now, it is all the rage...click here for a look..until a state government decided to regulate it as "unsanitary."

Why don't state governments regulate tanning beds that increase the risk of skin cancer, driving up our health care costs? Or why don't governments mandate the use of flip-flops in public showers (i.e., at the gym)? The cost (and related problems) of foot and toenail fungus are also unsanitary (and costly). Rather they choose to regulate the use of fish to perform these pedicure functions. Why not compromise and have rules by which each salon must comply? This way we can have our fish-icures and they can eat our feet, too!

Hike in Fishing and Hunting Fees?

Well, you may not have heard the news yet, but if you can believe it, we may pay DOUBLE TO FISH AND HUNT. Newfoundland is looking better and better.

WD-40: The Squeaky Wheel Gets the Grease...and more!

Before you read to the end, does anybody know what the main ingredient of WD-40 is?
(This article is a forwarded email from a source unknown, therefore I cannot stake claim to any of the information).


WD-40. Who knew?

I had a neighbor who had bought a new pickup.
I got up very early one Sunday morning and saw that someone had spray painted red all around the sides of this beige truck (for some unknown reason).
I went over, woke him up, and told him the bad news.
He was very upset and was trying to figure out what to do probably nothing until Monday morning, since nothing was open.
Another neighbor came out and told him to get his WD-40 and clean it off.
It removed the unwanted paint beautifully and did not harm his paint job that was on the truck.
I'm impressed! WD-40 who knew?
"Water Displacement #40" The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts.
WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company.
Its name comes from the project that was to find a "water displacement" compound.
They were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40.
The Convair Company bought it in bulk to protect their Atlas missile parts.
Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you.
When you read the "shower door" part, try it.
It's the first thing that has ever cleaned that spotty shower door.
If yours is plastic, it works just as well as glass. It's a miracle!
Then try it on your stove top ... Voila!
It's now shinier than it's ever been. You'll be amazed.
Here are some other uses:

1. Protects silver from tarnishing.
2. Removes road tar and grime from cars.
3. Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
4. Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making them slippery.
5. Keeps flies off cows.
6. Restores and cleans chalkboards.
7. Removes lipstick stains.
8. Loosens stubborn zippers.
9. Untangles jewelry chains.
10. Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
11. Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
12. Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
13. Removes tomato stains from clothing.
14. Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.
15. Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
16. Keeps scissors working smoothly.
17. Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes.
18. It removes black scuff marks from t he kitchen floor! Use WD-40 for those nasty tar and scuff marks on flooring. It doesn't seem to harm the finish and you won't have to scrub
nearly as hard to get them off. Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
19. Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40!
20. Gives a children's playground gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.
21. Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers.
22. Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.
23. Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.
24. Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
25. Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
26. Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
27. Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
28. Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
29. Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
30. Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.
31. Removes splattered grease on stove.
32. Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
33. Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
34. Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
35. Removes all traces of duct tape.
36. Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.
37. Florida 's favorite use is: "cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers."
38. The favorite use in the state of New York, WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
39. WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a little on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. Also, it's a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.
40. Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.
41. WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.
42. Also, if you've discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and rewash. Presto! The
lipstick is gone!
43. If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to start.

P. S. The basic ingredient is FISH OIL.

Ice, Ice Baby

It's that time of year. The hum of motor powered ice augers on lakes across the northern parts of the country (and world). I have never had the luxury of a motor powered ice auger, but did invest in a manual one. Talk about an arm workout!

Pike, pickerel, trout, salmon - the trick is that if you can stand the cold, the idea will never get old.

I used to use tip ups when ice fishing. That is when I ice fished alone and had multiple holes drilled in the ice. I couldn't keep track of all of them by myself. But when ice fishing with other people, it is kind of fun to have a few holes and a few people in a hut...and a sterno-fired grill with roasted veggies and hot soup. Or whatever.

The idea of ice fishing has changed. It is no longer for the "heartiest," but for those with the most heart - those who want to catch fish no matter the season. Or the reason. It's a great challenge to hook a catch from a hole in the ice - but once the fish is on, you've never felt such a pull! Try it!

I still fish!

A nice guy emailed me through my blog the other day asking if I still fish and if I am still maintaining a blog. Working full time has usurped most of my free time, some of which was used to go fishing! Sorry if my site has been boring.

The other day, I read a GREAT article about stripers in Connecticut in the Milford Mirror. Primarily, the Housatonic River has had some great action over the past few months. Check out this great article (click here). I promise to keep throwing out my line!

Happy New Year!

Overfishing our Waters

Recently, I have been reading about overfishing. Basically, the gist of the matter is that if we continue to overfish our waters as we have in the last 50 years, it is possible that we can deplete species of fish without even knowing it.

Look at bluefin tuna. Look at sea bass. The depletion of many of the fish that we enjoy is largely due to the 12,000 pound nets that large fishing vessels use to catch fish. Quantities of them.

The New York Times, for example, recently ran an article on overfishing. When we go to a store and buy fish, we are contributing to a demand of that fish. When you read this article, you will understand which fish we should and should not buy. There is another article in the September/October edition of the Utne Reader that explains how we have overfished our waters and what we should and should not buy as consumers.

The nets are the most disturbing. Portions of both of these articles, in addition to a bunch of other items of news currently in print, has defined a major problem: nets don't just catch fish, they destroy centuries-old corral reefs, ruin underwater environments, capture and kill sea turtles, and the list goes on.

As a consumer, you can ask about the fish. If it was farmed, it it very possible that it contains chemicals. If it was caught and imported, it was more than likely caught with a net that might have snagged some precious coral somewhere. Do you want to support this destruction? You have a choice to ask about the fish you are buying.

The safest and least destructive forms of fishing occur off the coast of Canada. This would include wild salmon, North Atlantic Cod, and other types of fish.

I never really knew about this problem until my awareness was tweaked. Hopefully, I have done the same for you.