The great thing about Mississippi crappie fishing is that excellent catch can be found on many lakes year round. Even better, many of these lakes clear out because seasonal anglers prefer to stay at home in front of the fireplace, telling fish stories about their great spring and summer seasons. Some of the best fishing can actually be had in the winter months, and there are several lakes to choose from as your preferred location.
Barnett Reservoir is a 33,000-acre lake, but in the winter, you’ll find most of the fishing is done in about 50 acres of water. Mississippi crappie fishing enthusiasts will crowd into the upper lake area referred to as Welfare Hole, fishing for the strong crappie population. Due to the bottleneck created at the nearby highway bridge, crappie are attracted to the area and held here, seeking shelter from the current. Though just about anyone could catch a fish here, Mississippi crappie fishing during the winter is most efficient with an electronic depth finder to locate large schools, as well as a lot of patience and your trusty Shimano reels or Daiwa Reels. I prefer to the Shimano Stella FD. Barnett’s spillway also offers great fishing opportunities after a large release of water at the dam. Pelahatchie Creek on the east side of the dam also provides great Mississippi crappie fishing, with anglers targeting the banks where crappie can find deep cover.
Eagle Lake is another excellent location to find crappie. It’s a landlocked oxbow off the Mississippi River close to Vicksburg, famous for producing 10- and 12-inch fish in two years’ time, which is faster than any other lake in the state, according to studies by biologists. Eagle Lake is optimal for pre-spawn winter Mississippi crappie fishing because large females move out of the river channel for shelter. During these times, you can troll for an hour or two and catch your limit. For the best success, troll the deeper waters away from the owner piers, where they regularly deplete the supply in the brush along the banks. According to some sources, the crappie here prefer to remain about 14-15 feet deep in 20-foot deep waters.
Bay Springs Pool, just 30 minutes south of the Tennessee border, is a 5,500-acre lake that gets extremely cold during the winter months. However, during this time, Mississippi crappie fishing yields a great catch, with fat fish resting deep in the lake and ready to bite live bait such as small minnows. The lake contains clear waters, and in 35-50-foot deep areas, you’ll probably find the best, largest winter slabs at depths of 35-40 feet. Using more poles to cover a variety of depths can turn out a limit for the day, even in the dead cold of winter. As a general rule, you’ll probably do better if you have an electronic depth finder with high resolution to assist you in locating large schools of crappie.
by Daniel Eggertsen
Catfish fishing records in the United States are recognized and recorded by the International Game Fish Association (IGFA), which keeps track of records for all manner of saltwater and freshwater fish. While breaking a record for the largest fish caught is always exciting, the variations in typical size between species makes some catfish fishing records seem much more impressive than others.
For example, channel cats are not the largest species of catfish available, though they may very well be the most plentiful since they are the least picky about habitat preference. They can be found throughout the entire country in just about any type of body of water at almost any temperature and time of year. For a fish that rarely reaches a weight greater than five or six pounds, it’s no wonder that the world record set in 1964 of 58 pounds has yet to be broken.
Where was this amazing specimen caught? The Santee-Cooper Reservoir in South Carolina was home to this monster of a channel cat, and while anglers visiting this popular fishing hole aren’t likely to rival that record any time soon, the reservoir does continue to produce large sized channel cats in excellent numbers.
Flathead catfish are a much larger breed, so catfish fishing records for these giants sound much more significant. Note that these fish are predators rather than absolute opportunists when it comes to feeding, and anglers have to use large, fresh bait to attract them.
Flatheads are easily 30 pounds on a regular basis and will put up a fight, so fishermen aiming for these trophies are especially bold. This makes the 91.25-pound record flathead caught in 1982 in Lake Lewisville, Texas an even more impressive catch. However, the record has since been broken by an unbelievable catch at Elk City Reservoir in Kansas.
Believe it or not, in 1998, a 123-pound flathead was pulled from the reservoir, blowing the old record out of the water (no pun intended).
The most recent catfish fishing record breaker, however, was a blue catfish. Probably the largest species in the United States and all of North America, these babies are regularly found at weights of over 90 pounds.
Everyone thought that the record set in 2004 at Lake Texoma, Texas with the 121-pound blue catfish catch would remain unbroken for at least several years. This was proved wrong, however, with the grand old Mississippi River near Alton, Illinois yielding a 124-pound blue cat in May of 2005.
To give you an idea of the true size of this beast, it was just short of five feet in length (58 inches) and 44 inches around (nearly four feet).
Daniel Eggertsen
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/can-you-top-these-catfish-fishing-records-111264.html
Sick of that same old ball dropping or watching that same boring Dick Clark special every year? Get out of town and hit the road for something completely new. There are several destinations across America that throw the most unique New Years Eve bashes around- and you’ve never heard of them.
I’m not talking about New York or Vegas, where you’ll spend half of your evening squeezing your body through all-too-crowded spaces. I speak of the cities and towns across America that know the real meaning of New Years: how to bring it in with culture and style.
I’ve compiled a ‘top five list’ of these places across the country so those of you within driving distance can get away from the same old crowd and welcome 2009 the right way. (And as always, price is a consideration considering how much a glass of champagne and a rental tux costs nowadays).
1. New Orleans, LA
Head down to the Big Easy to catch a beautiful fireworks display on the Mississippi River, and then embrace the city’s celebration culture as the biggest party of 2008 spills out into the Quarter. New Orleans does everything a bit different, so don’t expect that same ole’ ball to drop this time around. This year, a grand gold and black fleur de lis will climb a 25 foot high pole above Jax Brewery as fireworks light up the Mississippi. And don’t forget to fill up on some savory Creole cookin’ before midnight.
Where to Stay: With budget in mind, the Frenchmen Orleans is a New Orleans Hotel just minutes from the festivities of the quarter, and offers comfortable accommodations for a night or weekend in the Big Easy.
2. Austin, TX
The mix of history and celebration in Austin guarantees anyone can have a unique experience over New Year’s weekend. The city’s official New Year’s celebration will take place all across the city, although most people will be partying on the city’s famed 6th Street. Live music and exhibitions will take place at Auditorium Shores, Cesar Chavez, City Hall, on South Congress, and more. At midnight, a fireworks display will explode high over Lady Bird Lake.
Where to Stay: We recommend the cozy Brava House Bed & Breakfast a retreat of urban serenity located in downtown Austin. You’ll appreciate the peace and quiet after experiencing a night out partying in one of the most exubrent cities in America.
3. Charleston, SC
Charleston is the perfect romantic city for a couple to ring in 2009. It posses the perfect combination of elegance, history and style that can make for a relaxing and celebratory New Year’s Eve.
New Year’s Charleston is a city wide, admission-free program that has something wonderful for everyone: comedy, African dancing, many forms of music including classical, gospel and jazz, children’s activities and so much more. Food vendors will be on hand to tempt your appetite and add to the celebration.
Where to stay: The Church Street Inn is a romantic 19th century Charleston Hotel, that possesses both history and luxury for an affordable price. It is located right beside the city’s historic public market.
4. Santa Cruz, CA
Relax while welcoming 2009 in the chill California town of Santa Cruz. Get a front row view of the Pacific at the Concunut Grove New Year’s Extravaganza as you sip champagne and make your New Year’s resolutions. Be sure to finish the night off by heading down to Beach Street to do some bar hopping as you get acquainted with Santa Cruz.
Where to Stay: The Coconut Grove offers a variety of ways to make room for groups’ specific needs and requirements within the Grand Ballroom and Sun Room.
5. Jackson Hole, WY
Ski into your new year at the winter paradise of Jackson Hole. This snow bum’s utopia offers a plethora of activities that will make your New Year’s Eve unique and memorable. Whether your vice is skiing, snowboarding, or dog sledding, Jackson Hole can push your new year off to an exciting and adventurous start. After your adventure, relax with a champagne toast while laying back in a hot tub while the snowy wonderland sparkles in the distance.
Where to stay: The Grand Targhee Resort’s Targhee Lodge, which is located directly in the base area of this fantastic all-season mountain resort.
Darwin Redshield
http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/the-five-best-new-years-eve-celebrations-you-never-knew-about-701299.html
Most of Illinois State was inhabited by the Indians until the French landed here, and then many more followed. Of course they started exploring the land and began trading fur with the local Indians.
In 1673, after a local war, under a treaty all French held land, east of Mississippi River, was ceded to the British. The British controlled this area until 1778, and then after a battle local citizens took over Illinois until around 1787 when it joined the US.
In 1818 Kaskaskia was made capital of Illinois. In 1839 it was moved to Springfield and the capital buildings are now open to the public as a historic site.
Bishop Hill State Historic Site has a long history, and it depicts a picture of the first Swedes who had bought land and built some of the buildings. They were among the first permanent settlers.
This site is open daily from 9am to 5pm, except major holidays.
The most sensitive and ancient Indian city in North America was at Cahokia Mounds. They built the city in a preplanned way keeping their agricultural farms outside and residences inside their city’s periphery.
The French came to this place after the locals had vanished a while back due to climatic changes, spread of disease, economic and other reasons. In 1982 it was declared a World Heritage Site and is open from 8am to Dusk.
Abraham Lincoln’s early adulthood was spent in village New Salem. The site was reconstructed and named, Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Park. He also spent his time here doing various jobs.
The site is open from Early March to Late October – 9am to 5pm and for the remaining year – 8am to 4pm.
On July 4, 1837 the construction of the Old State Capitol State Historic Site began. Due to many reasons it could not competed on time. As the new administration had to move from one place to another and it took time.
The building is similar to ancient Greek architecture, which was a popular design during the early 1800s. The building was dismantled in 1966 and rebuilt with modern methods.
The atmosphere comes alive on every Fridays and Saturdays (except in May) when a program “Mr. Lincoln’s World” is enacted. This can be viewed on a guided tour from 10am to noon and 1pm to 4pm.
Fort de Chartres is an old building on the banks of Mississippi River, which depicts the life of people during the French regime. It was built in 1750 and abandoned in 1771, and of course had to be recreated partially.
It preserves the archaeology of remains of earlier wooden forts. The Site is open from 9am to 5pm daily except major holidays.
Lots of excitement is at Six Flags Great America, created recently in 1997 as an amusement park with rides for the whole family. Experience the ride of going up and then plunging back to earth.
It is a home for Warner Bros. Stunt Show and many roller coaster rides.
Many varieties of animals are there at Scovill Zoo and Park Complex. You can enjoy watching these on an Express train ride.
Events are organized throughout the year and it has a museum, oriental garden and playground.
Frederick Williams
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/illinois-usa-a-prime-holiday-spot-675058.html
New Orleans (pronounced /nuːˈɔliənz, nuːˈɔlənz/ locally and often pronounced /nuːɔrˈliːnz/ in most other US dialects French: La Nouvelle-Orléans is a major United States port city and the largest city in Louisiana. New Orleans is the center of the Greater New Orleans metropolitan area, the largest metro area in the state.
New Orleans is located in southeastern Louisiana, straddling the Mississippi River. It is coextensive with Orleans Parish, meaning that the boundaries of the city and the parish are the same. It is bounded by the parishes of St. Tammany (north), St. Bernard (east), Plaquemines (south), and Jefferson (south and west). Lake Pontchartrain, part of which is included in the city limits, lies to the north, and Lake Borgne lies to the east.
The city is named after Philippe II, Duc d’Orléans, Regent of France, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. It is well known for its multicultural and multilingual heritage, cuisine, architecture, music (particularly as the birthplace of jazz), and its annual Mardi Gras and other celebrations and festivals. The city is often referred to as the “most unique” city in America
La Nouvelle-Orléans (New Orleans) was founded May 7, 1718, by the French Mississippi Company, under the direction of Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville on land inhabited by the Chitimacha. It was named for Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, who was Regent of France at the time; his title came from the French city of Orléans. The French colony was ceded to the Spanish Empire in the Treaty of Paris (1763) and remained under Spanish control until 1801, when it reverted to French control. Most of the surviving architecture of the Vieux Carré (French Quarter) dates from this Spanish period. Napoleon sold the territory to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The city grew rapidly with influxes of Americans, French, and Creole French. Major commodity crops of sugar and cotton were cultivated with slave labor on large plantations outside the city.
The Haitian Revolution of 1804 established the second republic in the Western Hemisphere and the first led by blacks. Haitian refugees both white and free people of color (affranchis) arrived in New Orleans, often bringing slaves with them. While Governor Claiborne and other officials wanted to keep out more free black men, French Creoles wanted to increase the French-speaking population. As more refugees were allowed in Louisiana, Haitian émigrés who had gone to Cuba also arrived. Nearly 90 percent of the new immigrants settled in New Orleans. The 1809 migration brought 2,731 whites; 3,102 free persons of African descent; and 3,226 enslaved refugees to the city, doubling its French-speaking population.
During the War of 1812, the British sent a force to conquer the city. The Americans decisively defeated the British troops, led by Sir Edward Pakenham, in the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815.
As a principal port, New Orleans had the major role of any city during the antebellum era in the slave trade. Its port handled huge quantities of goods for export from the interior and import from other countries to be traded up the Mississippi River. The river was filled with steamboats, flatboats, and sailing ships. At the same time, it had the most prosperous community of free persons of color in the South, who were often educated and middle-class property owners.
The population of the city doubled in the 1830s, and by 1840 New Orleans had become the wealthiest and third-most populous city in the nation. It had the largest slave market. Two-thirds of the more than one million slaves brought to the Deep South arrived via the forced migration of the internal slave trade. The money generated by sales of slaves in the Upper South has been estimated at fifteen percent of the value of the staple crop economy. The slaves represented half a billion dollars in property, and an ancillary economy grew up around the trade in slaves – for transportation, housing and clothing, fees, etc., estimated at 13.5 percent of the price per person. All this amounted to tens of billions of dollars during the antebellum period, with New Orleans as a prime beneficiary.
The Union captured New Orleans early in the American Civil War, sparing the city the destruction suffered by many other cities of the American South.
Duration : 0:3:25
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3Zsvml57PE is a video describing how to learn more about the Mormon Church.
After being expelled from Missouri by the Extermination Order, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormon Church) found refuge in the city of Quincy, Illinois, in January of 1839. The kind people there helped the Mormons until they could find another location in which to establish themselves. Brigham Young and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles led the Church while Joseph remained in prison on false charges of treason. Finally, on April 16, a friendly guard, realizing that Joseph and the others were being confined illegally, allowed them to escape.
On April 25, Joseph and the other leaders selected a town named Commerce in Hancock County, Illinois, to be their new city. It was a beautiful, though swampy location overlooking a large bend in the Mississippi River. They bought the land and began settling there. The Twelve Apostles soon left again to preach the Gospel. Joseph Smith remained behind to help build up the new city. Joseph changed the name to Nauvoo, which comes from the Hebrew word meaning beautiful .
Joseph and the other leaders determined that they would not let themselves be driven and harassed by illegal mobs again. They petitioned for and obtained a charter for their own city, which gave them the legal right to defend themselves against attacks both from the law and from mobs. It also stated that no resident of Nauvoo could be arrested without a writ of habeas corpus before a city judge. This meant that no person living in Nauvoo could be dragged off by mobs or sheriffs without getting a fair chance to hear the charges against them.
Nauvoo prospered, and soon immigrants began arriving from England and Canada. In 1840, the Church was ten years old and had grown from a mere 6 members in April, 1830, to over 16,000 by the end of 1840. There were now enough Mormons in England that the Church began publishing its own newspaper in that country, The Millennial Star.
In the fall of that year, the Mormons began building the Nauvoo Temple.
Also in 1841, the Twelve Apostles continued their missions in Europe. Elder Orson Hyde, one of the Apostles, traveled throughout Europe and even visited Palestine, which was then part of the Ottoman Empire. In November of 1841, Joseph Smith dedicated part of the new Nauvoo Temple so it could be used for baptisms for the dead.
The early part of 1842 was relatively peaceful. In the spring, a newspaper man in Chicago named John Wentworth requested from Joseph Smith a brief summary of the history of the Church and what it believed. Joseph complied. The letter, known as the Wentworth letter, is an important document from Mormon history; it also contains the Articles of Faith. On March 17, 1842, Joseph Smith organized the Women’s Relief Society. Emma Smith, Joseph’s wife, became the first president. The Relief Society organized the women. They thereafter appointed teachers, taught one another the gospel, and organized relief and service programs. One of their early missions was to provide relief for the poor in Nauvoo and assist in building the Nauvoo Temple; hence the organization was called the Relief Society. Today the Relief Society is among the largest and oldest women’s organizations in the world.
The remainder of 1842 and most of 1843 were not so peaceful. While construction of the new town and especially the temple continued, Joseph and other leaders were often forced into hiding. From his hiding places, Joseph continued writing letters to the Church. In 1843, Joseph continued to alternate periods of hiding from his persecutors and publicly teaching the Gospel, often in groves of trees for groups too large to be accommodated in any local building.
After the martyrdom of Joseph Smith in 1844 was a trying time. In February 1846, the first company of Mormon pioneers left Nauvoo, walking across the frozen Mississippi into Iowa. On February 8, the temple was officially dedicated, though the public dedication was not until May 1. The Mormons left in waves and founded temporary settlements along the Platte River in Iowa: Garden Gove, Mount Pisgah, Kanesville (now Council Bluffs), and finally Winter Quarters, Nebraska. The road was slow and soggy. On September 10, the last Mormons were attacked by mobs in the Battle of Nauvoo. By September 16, 1846, the last Mormons were driven from the city. Their beautiful temple was burned by an arsonist. Nauvoo, a city that in 1844 had rivaled even Chicago for size and beauty, was all but destroyed. In 1850, a tornado hit Nauvoo and finished what the arsonists had begun.
From http://www.mormonwiki.com
Duration : 0:9:4
The Mississippi River, home to Huck Finn and his gang, is Mississippi River Boat travel. Mississippi River Boats travel down the Mississippi River starting in New Orleans, and river boat travel is both family travel and luxury travel. The American Queen Steamboat like the Delta Queen Steamboat is a Mississippi River Steamboat with Southern class and charm. This Travel Video PostCard takes us on the American Queen as she floats down the Mississippi River, traveling the Mississippi River in comfort and style. The Mississippi River with its bayous and tug boats and deep South villages and Cajun music and Cajun towns come to life on the American Queen Steamboat on the mighty Mississippi River. River travel on the Mississippi is great food and lots of family travel adventure. Ice cream socials and kite making are part of Mississippi River travel as are wonderful meals served in a classic riverboat dining room. Calliopes make their music, the paddle turns and the American Queen with its antique-looking fixings and décor floats down the Mississippi River in comfort and class.
The Mississippi cruise stops at a 19th century working plantation with a fun group of Cajun singers and dancers.
The Mississippi River cruise stops at Natchez, Mississippi too. This is Mark Twain country.
Duration : 0:1:0
EARTH Marathon official website :http://www.earth-marathon.com/
Duration : 0:9:2
PlusDownstream Towns Prepare for FloodsDownstream Towns Prepare for FloodsThe Associated PressTowns and cities lying downstream of this week’s massive flooding are getting ready for the water to hit them as it makes its way to the Mississippi River. (June 12)Cities and towns downstream of the severe flooding that has inundated parts of the Midwest are now getting ready for the high water to hit them.Resident here in Columbus Junction, Iowa, have been busy filling up sand bags and building a six-foot wall along the Iowa River to make sure they stay dry.SOT”Their levee’s about five stories higher than the projected high water, so they should be okay.”This is all run off from massive storms earlier in the week that washed away homes and left towns from Wisconsin to Iowa underwater.The National Weather Service is now predicting this will all lead to the worst flooding in 15 years for sections of the Mississippi River in Missouri and Illinois.Officials say some outlaying areas could be swamped but they note most regions built up levees and many low-lying property owners were bought out following the floods of 1993. ___ ___, The Associated Press.
Duration : 0:0:52
This is a boat trip. You are aboard. Come on with for a tour of the current channel with insight into the river history. It will show you how the river has changed and give each who watches a good idea of what could be done with the channel to stimulate the local economies along its banks.
Duration : 0:8:35