Days with bream are the best

Seeing a cork jerked under is about as fun as fun can get

My alma mater’s football program has had this motto for years: “Anyone, anytime, anywhere.” The obvious meaning is that they’re willing to play any team at any time on any field the other chooses.

Kind of sounds a lot like my fishing philosophy. I’ll fish for anything that will bite my hook on any water where and when that type of fish is biting.

Doesn’t matter to me what it is, if it is willing to dance, I’m ready to crank up the music. I have fished for all the normal species, including:

Bass — largemouth, spotted and smallmouth; striped, white and hybrid (striped/white); even yellow.

Crappie — black, white and the Mississippi-made Magnolia hybrid.

Catfish — flathead, channel, blue, gaff top and, not by choice, even those pesky salt-water hardheads.

Bream — bluegill, redear, green sunfish, yellow bellies, red bellies, longears, and all the crossovers.

Saltwater — speckled and white trout, red and black drum, sharks, flounder, cobia, snapper, amberjack, mahi mahi, billfish, tuna, bonito, jack crevalle, mullet, wahoo, and so many others.

Weird — gar, carp, including those flying types, and even bowfin.

My favorite fishing?

Without a doubt, it’s a relaxing day chasing bluegill and redear (chinquapin) with ultra-light tackle. I spend more days chasing other species, like largemouth and striped bass on Barnett Reservoir, because I like the challenge involved in finding them and then figuring out what the contrary %$#&s will hit. I’d spend more time chasing specks, reds and flounder in the marsh, if I had the time and, of course, the money, because I just love the marshes.

But I am happiest when I am in my boat on a small lake with a box of crickets, ultra-light spinning gear and a few hours to kill. I like to sniff the air to catch the sweet hint of watermelon on the wind, a sure sign that bedding bream are nearby.

Nothing in the outdoors is as satisfying as seeing my little styrofoam bobber get jerked under water — there one second, gone the next and a feisty fish is on the hook.

And, few things indoors are as satisfying as sitting down at the table with a big platter of fried bream fillets.

Mississippi has so many opportunities for fishing, and especially for bream fishermen. In addition to private lakes and farm ponds, we have the splendid – and public – system of state lakes and state parks managed by the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. Most offer excellent bank fishing opportunities, and are small enough for paddling a canoe or small johnboat. For a complete list, visit mdwfp.com.

You’ll get hooked, I promise.