As an aside but on a similar note, I’ ve noted bucks with small antlers taste better. I shoot my monster wall-hanger bucks before they grow massive racks for this very reason. This makes my wife( Loretta?) happy, as she inexplicably prefers to fill the walls with photos of our kids and grandkids. At least I think they are our kids and grandkids. You’ d have to ask that lady who lives with me. •
to fatten up for winter, and it’ s a good time to hook a lunker. I’ m talking lunker fish of course … there’ s never a good time to hook a bear, lunker or not.
One of the nice things this time of year is that weather is as close to moderate as it gets in the Midwest. Yes, a fisherman might need a coat in the morning, but
as often as not can peel it off and get a nice tan without resembling a boiled lobster by late afternoon. Mosquito numbers are relatively low, with only the occasional horsefly to worry about. Female horseflies have a bite that will immediately get your attention. The insect uses scissor-like mouthparts to cut into the skin and lap
up blood. Recommendations to avoid horseflies include avoiding wet areas, as they reproduce near water. This is problematic, as fish and therefore fishermen also have a tendency to be near water.
Your best bet when going fishing this time of year is to plan on fighting horseflies and tough it out. At the very worst, you’ ll get a lingering infection or suffer a fatal anaphylactic reaction. It still almost always beats a bear’ s bite, probably, so count your blessings and keep on fishing if you’ re still able to hold a fishing rod. Chances are good you’ ll hook a lunker, if not several, with massive fillets that barely fit in a fry pan. I personally have caught hundreds of lunkers in the fall, although my fish happen to be young lunkers a bit on the puny side.
Still, fish are fish, regardless if they’ re bigger fish to fry. People say smaller fish taste better anyway. Not all people say this-- mostly just those who always catch smaller fish.
As an aside but on a similar note, I’ ve noted bucks with small antlers taste better. I shoot my monster wall-hanger bucks before they grow massive racks for this very reason. This makes my wife( Loretta?) happy, as she inexplicably prefers to fill the walls with photos of our kids and grandkids. At least I think they are our kids and grandkids. You’ d have to ask that lady who lives with me. •
Bill Antonides is semi-retired but has a“ honey-do” list he’ ll never get done. Bill can be contacted by e-mail at billantonides @ abe. midco. net
Page 10, Dakota Country, September 2025 www. dakotacountrymagazine. com