Man's best friend will soon have a new job

Man's best friend will soon have a new job

Often marked as man's best friend, the dog has a demanding roll in our current society. But in the future, when about the only skills a man will need is know is what button to push and when, things may change.

The Data Center of the Future..... The Data center runs 24/7 with only a man and a dog. The man's job is to feed the dog. The dogs job is to make sure the man does not touch the computer.

BSFDC meeting

The Beaufort Sportfishing & Diving Club's February meeting will be Feb. 14. The social begins at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the Beaufort Yacht & Sailing Club.Several well known local captains will make round robin presentations on the following: Grouper and Snapper; Black Sea Bass, Vermillion Snapper, Trigger Fish, Sheepshead and Flounder, followed by a discussion on the location of local nearby artificial reefs.The group will also show how to anchor on an artificial reef.The captains will present rods, reels, leaders and lures for the different types of bottom feeding fish.

Club Changes

The Sea Island Flyfishers recently voted Jerry Wadley as their new secretary. For future contact, please address all correspondence to finisterre@islc.net or call 843-521-1896. Also, the Feb. 13 meeting will be held at The Boat House at 247 Robert Smalls Parkway. Agenda items will include sampling of micro-brewed ales from Brewers Pub, a presentation by club members on Shallow Water Boats, a viewing of Hewes and Maverick flats boats and a copy of the 2008 flats boat buyers guide will be available to those in attendance.

Saltwater Fishing School

No Excuses will be necessary after attending the 2008 Mercury and S.C. Sportsman Magazine Fishing School. Anglers would be hard-pressed to find a better alternative than attending what has been labeled "The best of it's kind." Scheduled for Feb. 23, classes will be held at the Garrett Academy in Charleston. The format will feature multiple class rooms which begin at 9 a.m., ending at 4:30 p.m. Students may choose from inshore, offshore, general information or outside instruction. Sessions change hourly. Species covered during class time will be those most common to S.C. waters.

Topics will include everything from basic trailer set-up and maintenance to casting a net, reading charts and navigation to knots, rigging, baits and lures and techniques. Classes are geared for hands-on presentations aimed at improving the skills of fishermen from beginners to the old salts among us. Your instructors will include boat captains, tournament anglers, fishing tackle representatives and well-known anglers from home waters.

Register early as space is limited. The price is $65 for adults in advance and $75 after Feb. 17. Registration includes a full day of instruction, multiple samples, door prizes, lunch, a year's subscription or renewal to South Carolina Sportsman Magazine and a S.C. Sportsman T-shirt. For information on the event or to register, go to S.C. Sportsman.com or call 800-538-4355.

Area Trends

About the only thing missing from outdoor excursions recently has been sand gnats and mosquitoes. With the unseasonably warm weather, fishermen are taking every opportunity to do away with winter doldrums and are heading to inshore as well as offshore reaches to keep their edges well-honed.

From nearshore waters, fishing has shown marked improvement for trout, whiting and spottail bass. Flounder fishing has slowed a bit inshore, but offshore around the Ross and nearshore structures, the fishing has been great. Sheepshead continue hitting hard in deeper waters while inshore docks and pilings will require a bit more finesse. Blackfish are plentiful around the wrecks and with the warmer surface temperatures a few surprises may develop.

Best Structure: Approximately six miles south/southwest of the Beaufort Inlet sea buoy, Betsy Ross.Best inshore areas: Station Creek, Chechessee and Broad River. When fishing the Ross, do not anchor right on the wreck. Turn on your fish finder and drift off the main structure until you locate a drop, anchor and fish. There are a number of deep ledges in the area. Locate them and you have hit paydirt. In the creeks and rivers, fish close to points and large feeder creeks which are holding tide breaks. Sandbars, shell mounds and grass croppings serve as a dinner table for gamefish and with the warm weather we are presently experiencing, fishing has been outstanding along these trails. Baits: Minnows, Shrimp, cut baits of squid and fresh fish. Artificials include D.O.A. Shrimp in clear and pink and green screw tail grubs with silver fleck. Oddly enough, smoke and silver fleck will work better for trout and the four-inch gulp worm will add fish to your stringer.

There is a lot to be said for winter fishing, especially as it is experienced in the Lowcountry. Fish move, temperatures fluctuate and seasons change, some of your best days are still ahead.

Tackle Tip

David's Spotail BassDip. This is great and one used often when guests plan a weekend visit.

Items needed: 1 1/2 pounds of steamed bass filets, 1 tablespoon of seafood seasoning, 1 large package of cream cheese, 1/2 stick of butter, 1 tablespoon of real lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of fresh diced chives, two tea-spoons of Tabasco, 1 finely chopped medium onion, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of onion powder, 1 teaspoon of parsley flakes.

Preparation: Melt butter, add onions, add melted cream cheese, add chives, Tabasco sauce, lemon juice, onion powder, stir well until blended. Remove from heat and let sit, stirring until cooled.

Bass Fillets should be seasoned with your favorite seafood seasoning then steamed until flaky. Add fillets to your mixture by breaking them into very small flakes (still stirring). Continue until all fillets have been added. Pour into mold and place in fridge until well-chilled or mold sets. You can also serve this dip hot with hard crackers or as a dip for sliced French bread or bread sticks.

Till next week,

Good Fishin'

Lee