Columnist wants to know what's the deal with fishing

First, let me share this fact: I have caught one fish in my life - pulling a carp out of the DuPage River during an Indian Guides campout when I was, maybe, 8 years old.

Because I was the only kid who caught a fish that entire weekend, you would think it would have sparked my interest in fishing. After all, it is one of mankind's most beloved recreational and living-off-the-land endeavors.

Nope. When my friends wanted to go fishing, they got this reply every time: "I'll fish when I'm old. I want to play baseball today."

Well, I'm old. And I'm still not fishing. And those guys I said no to all of those years are posting photos on Facebook these days with the huge fish they pull out of rivers and lakes across our land.

They are always smiling, so fishing must be fun, right?

It's quite apparent I have not paid enough attention to Daily Herald fishing/outdoors columnist Mike Jackson, otherwise I'd know more about the fish swimming about in the Fox River.

As such, I was astounded to read a sign along the river recently reminding fishermen to abide by the catch-and-release rules, while also showing drawings of what fish they were likely to catch in the Fox - largemouth and smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike and sauger. And I had to look this up - a sauger is a close relative of the walleye.

I had somehow convinced myself since my early catch that any river around here pretty much was full of carp and not much else.

Curious to hear it from a fisherman's mouth, I went along the river and asked the first guy I saw with a line cast in the water.

"Do you really catch northern pike in this part of the Fox?"

"Sure," the fellow said. "And some muskie, too."

Because my fishing I.Q. hovers around zero, I can't say for sure if these different types of fish make it that much more fun or challenging on the Fox.

If you were fishing for your dinner, it would have to be a significant factor, right? But then there's that catch-and-release thing.

For me? I'll fish when I'm even older. Maybe.

In the meantime, any fisherman or fisherwoman out there who wants to explain to me what I am missing, feel free to do so.

What's the best thing about fishing? Are there strategies and "best practices" involved? Or is it really just standing or sitting with a line and attached worm in the water? Let me know at dheun@sbcglobal.net and I'll share your thoughts.

You remember favorites:

So many restaurants have changed hands at various locations it is sometimes difficult to keep track, and then your mind wanders off a bit to ask which place was actually your favorite.

Is it the newest kid on the block, or the one at this same spot maybe 20 years or more ago?

For example, there is no doubt I like the Aurelio's Pizza restaurant on State Street in Geneva better than the various other restaurants that have set up shop there in the past. The others came and went so fast I can't remember their names.

The Ale House, a great place itself, was located at that spot at one time, before moving across State Street.

These types of thoughts also cross my mind when dining at Charleston on the River at 1 W. Illinois St. in St. Charles. We definitely like this spot now, but it comes into that nice setting along the Fox River after Erik & Me, Sage Bistro and Top Table all did business there.

We definitely liked Erik & Me, partly because we stopped at the Erik & Me in Oak Park for years as our pre-meal choice before Chicago Bulls games in late 1980s and early '90s. So when one opened in St. Charles, we were quite pleased.

But things change as time moves on, and we know how challenging the restaurant business can be. We like to see anyone willing to open a new business in this area succeed and we don't have to tell them the secret to doing so - great food and even greater service.

Are any of your past "favorites" gone now, ones that you wish were still here?

Mow the grass:

When Sports Authority left its Randall Road location, I fretted a bit over the fact that this business really took care of its property along Randall Road and, with no one in that location, what would happen to the landscaping and grass?

Well, Ashley Furniture is on its way into that spot, and that was great news.

But the grass is really long. So Ashley can get those mowers buzzing any time it would like.

Dollars for college:

Four St. Charles students who graduated last weekend are off to a good financial start for their collegiate careers.

The St. Charles Education Foundation made sure about that, awarding $1,000 scholarships to the students for their school and community work.

Recipients this year were Alyssa Brown and Isabel Jasso of St. Charles East and Taylor O'Brien and Breanne Warner of St. Charles North.

Of course, we're interested in where these students plan to continue their education.

Brown will attend St. Louis University, but as of last week Jasso was undecided about her college choice. O'Brien is going to Florida State University, while Warner heads to the central part of our state to attend the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana.

Needing good weather:

Those who organize our outdoor festivals and special events always have their fingers crossed for good weather. But here's one that definitely needs Mother Nature as a cordial guest.

The Batavia Community Dinner Table is set for 4 p.m. Aug. 6; an event in which organizers say friends and neighbors can come to eat food from Batavia restaurants, and the farmers market vendors on a "very looooong" table.

And it is long, stretching quite far down River Street.

dheun@sbcglobal.net