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Walk off the War logo
A quartet of U.S. combat veterans are paddling the entire 2,320 miles of the Mississippi River, from Lake Itasca, Minn., to the Gulf of Mexico, through the Walk off the War program of Warrior Expeditions.
The four launched on July 20, expecting to be on the river through Nov. 22.
The program was established to help veterans decompress from their military service through long-distance travel in the outdoors.
It follows in the footsteps of Earl Shaffer, who in 1948 told a friend he was going to "walk off the war" to work out the sights, sounds and losses of World War II. Four months later he became the first person to hike the entire length of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.
Founder Sean Gobin began the program after returning from active duty and hiking all 2,185 miles of the Appalachian Trail. He recognized the therapeutic effects of long treks and created the program.
Veterans who participate experience their journeys with the camaraderie of other veterans who understand the challenges of adjusting from military service to civilian life.
Learn more at the Walk off the War website.
New Maryland record for winter flounder
Kevin Twilley, of Salisbury, Md., caught a Maryland state record five-pound, two-ounce winter flounder on June 23.
He set the mark while bottom fishing in 140 feet of water, 26 miles east of Ocean City aboard the charter boat Fish Bound with Captain Kane Bounds.
The record had been a four-pound, seven-ounce fish caught by Jeremy Kuhn in 2006.
Flounder are marine flatfish that hide on muddy and sandy bottoms where they can ambush prey. Adult flounder have both eyes on one side so they can better see their prey.
Marylanders most often catch summer flounder, which have both eyes on the left side. Winter flounder are more prevalent in the Northeast and feature eyes on the right side.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources maintains records for sport fish in three divisions--Atlantic, Chesapeake and freshwater--and awards plaques to anglers who achieve new record catches.
Try this when the fish aren't biting
The Take Me Fishing program of the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation has posted seven tips to try when the fish aren't biting on the TMF website.
The first tip: "Chum. Both freshwater and saltwater anglers can try to chum when the fish aren't biting. To make chum, you can use dead minnows or baitfish, add a can or two of cat food, and blend the ingredients together. Put the mixture inside of a mesh chum bag and allow it to disperse around your fishing area. Cast your line out again once the chum starts to disperse and starts attracting small fish. The small fish will attract larger gamefish."
All seven tips are available on the website.
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