Clint & Barnacle

Heaven Now Enjoys My Island Companion

Greetings from the island everyone. Hope all of you are doing well and enjoyed a nice Christmas and New Years with family and friends.

For the first time since living on the island for nearly nine years, I spent Christmas without my first mate, best friend and island companion, my beloved boxer, Barnacle. An evil tumor took Barnacle on December 19 as I held him in my arms on the island, the only place he had lived since being a six week old puppy.

Barnacle truly was like a kid to me – we were together 24/7 for 8 1/2 years, and he loved riding in the boat and golf cart, and chasing cows on the island. He brought me happiness and joy, and always put a smile on my face. I will miss him more than words can describe, and he will forever hold a most special place in my heart, and will never be forgotten.

Thank you to everyone, fellow islanders and beyond, for the kind words and actions of support during this most difficult time. And a special Thank You to my friend, Louis Boldt, for building a wonderful custom resting box for Barnacle, Don Moses for the beautiful grave marker, and to James & Arlene Barnette for the generous donation to the Calhoun County Humane Society in their Memorial section, in remembrance of Barnacle.

My broken heart will eventually heal, and I’ll get another puppy to keep me company and have someone to talk to and spoil, I know that Barnacle would want that as he now watches over me from above. I love you, buddy, and I’ll certainly see you again one day, on the Rainbow Bridge.

At Times The Days Are Gloomy And The Sun Won’t Shine,
Without You Here Brings To Me Sorrow And Strife,
But Then I Remember You Are Only A Whisper Away,
And The Clouds Disappear And My Heart Is Again Full Of Life. . . .

Next month I’ll begin starting my tomato seeds for Spring planting, my favorite time of year. That’s it from the island for now, everyone take care and have a great day.

Capt. Jeff Larson

How many Redheads can winter in Calhoun County? The answer has to be, all of them. It’s an awesome sight when several hundred of those pudgy balls of feathers come swinging into the pocket of your historic J hook pattern or the hole you left for the puddlers in front of your duck blind. Don’t you agree?

They make the rookie waterfowler look like a seasoned duck man. Especially, when you have been sitting in the blind for an hour or two without seeing a duck. Then here they come just like you promised your buddies. Redheads always save a slow duck hunt. You have to love them.

And how cool do you look, when you hit a feeding chuckle on a mallard call and a flock of redheads bank back into your set? I am not a fan of a mallard call caller or green head mallard decoys being used on the Island even though we have killed several green heads this year. It just is not the norm to shoot mallards in the saltwater marsh. We have received reports of a few more mallards being killed in the salt marsh over the last 25 years. They usually show up after a hard Artic Blast, lost. A soft double reed mallard call works better or a special designed Gadwall call will be much more effective in the marsh than an Arkansas Mallard High Ball’r. Remember, you will have a better chance to shoot black mallards than green heads in the salt marsh. So if you ever kill a Greenhead on the bay, it is a rare event, you should be stoked when you hang that bird on your strap. Oh, make sure to send that picture to your Facebook friends. It’s definitely worth bragging about. The best advice I can pass on to the newer marsh hunters is use a soft mallard call and a whistle type caller. These two styles of calls will serve you better in this Coastal Marsh than the mega phone mallard hi ball calls. Another nugget for you, for the late season, is no calling at all, this can be a better tactic than trying to call at every duck you see. Try it from time to time, I’m sure your buddies in the blind need a break from your party favor, lol.

Duck season will close at the end of the month but conservation goose season still presses on into February. If you haven’t downed enough feathers this season call the Lodge and Scott will make arrangements with Capt Jake for you to go on a first class goose hunt. Sandhill Cranes are here in full force and if you never hunted Sandhill Cranes we can get you on a spectacular crane hunt. These birds are huge and look like 747’s coming in for a landing. And YES, you can miss these monster birds at 30 yards, so lead ‘em.

The tides are still low and Tow Boat is still bailing people out, so pay attention to the areas you traverse, slow down if you are headed to uncharted areas. The good thing about dropping tides and colder weather is that it concentrates trout, reds and drum in the bay. Sheepshead are still hungry and they are in their winter pattern. Flounder are around but are taking a break in the bays for the most part. They are out of the passes spawning in the cooler waters.

I really enjoyed last month’s article written by Robert Sloan. It is a must read for visiting duck hunters. Robert brought up a long time public marsh debate about hunting duck blinds you did not build. No matter what your position on this old topic is, we have to work within the boundaries we have been given by the State. My suggestion is, keep what ever area you use or set up in, CLEAN! PICK UP your trash!

The next few months are setting up to be a banner fishing year . Wade Fishermen will be targeting Trophy Speckled Trout. Sow Trout will be bulking up, gaining their eggs and waiting on the bottom to ambush easy bait fish as they swim by their spawning area. If you are looking to catch a bag full of filets or a wall hanger you need to call the Lodge and get with Scott on availability of the Lodge and Guides. The Saltwater Lodge reservation line is: 361 – 785 – 3825.

KEEP YOUR ANCHOR ON THE BOTTOM, (your boat won’t float away)

Captain Jeff Larson, 281-217-0399

Ryder, Peyton, Jenny, John and Greg on a red head melt down.
-Capt. Jeff Larson

Golden Winter Time Reds – Capt. Jeff Larson

Wake me when I get home, Capt. Jeff.

Port O’Connor’s First Baptist Church 20th. Annual “SWEETHEART BANQUET” will be in the Port O’Connor Community Center on Thursday, February 12, 2015 at 6:30 PM. The theme this year is “FABULOUS FIFTIES”. Tickets are available now for $8.00 each.

The Banquet will be a seated dinner where you will be served a charcoal broiled steak with all the trimmings, drinks and a dessert.

There will be “door prizes” and recognition of all married over 50 years and a prize for the couple married the longest time and the shortest amount of time.

A Special Award will be made to the “PORT O’CONNOR CITIZEN OF THE YEAR” !!

Country Western and Blues Music will entertain you.

Tickets Are Available From The Following: Brenda Smith—983-2272, Evelyn Lewis—-983-4216; Mary Nell Mc Gee—-983-2837; Debbie Michalek—-648-7075; Pat Ekstrom—-983-2030; Doyle Adams—-983-4866.

Wow!!! Here we are beginning new year. 2014 was a good year for Port O’Connor and the Chamber of Commerce is looking forward to even a better 2015. Starting the year off, from what I’ve been told, the Duck Season has been fantastic and fishing has been normal for this time of year.

Officers for the new year have been elected: President- Mary Jo Walker; Vice President- Donnie Klesel; Secretary- Darla Parker; Treasurer- Carolyn Garrison.

The Port O’Connor Chamber of Commerce accomplished a lot in 2014. These accomplishments would not have been possible without the caring people grouping together for the smallest chores to the largest; it takes all to pull off an event. So with 2015 now here, the Chamber will again need everyone’s help and input of ideas. Also if you make a budget this time of year, please remember all the things the Chamber does for the community with no charge for all to enjoy.

Our biggest event needing donation is the “Annual Fireworks Display”. Without donations this event would not be possible. If possible, help us – no donation is too small or too large.

If you have an upcoming event for 2015, please get the information to the Chamber, so we can get the information on the website calendar and be able to keep up to date to give the information to the many inquiring phone calls we receive.

What we have so far in 2015: Sunrise Service on King Fisher Beach, April 5th; POC Crawfish Festival and Cook-Off Festival, May 2nd; Warriors Weekend, May 15th & 16th; Kids Fishing Tournament & Kite Contest, May 23; Annual Fireworks Display, July 4th.

Thanks to all who entered the Christmas House Lighting Contest. The winners were: Best Commercial – POC RV Park, Betty; Best Religious Theme – Gary & Carolyn Garrison; Most Unique – John & Melissa Doggett; Best Christmas Theme – Otto Harrdt; Most Spirit – Freddy & Nancy Harborth; Most Colorful – Bernie Klein; Most Decorated – Sarah Washburn; Best Overall – Ray & Sherry Roberds.

Renewed Membership–Tigrett Real Estate and Vasquez Construction & Remodeling.

If you want to contact the Port O’Connor Chamber, please call 361-983-2898 or email poccc@tisd.net. I am here to help answer your questions or put you in contact with someone who can. Our web site is: portoconnorchamber.com.

Our next meeting will be February 9th, 6:30 p.m, in the Meeting Room of POC Community Center.