Tuesday Trivia Tie-in #20 -- Got a Bite?

Welcome to Tuesday Trivia Tie-in, where I invite and encourage everyone to join, with a post about something they find interesting.

My posts are usually about one of the ties in my collection, but yours can be about anything!I only ask that you include some little known information that relates to your topic.

I'm a little late getting my post up this week. We just got back from the campground, it was nice to get away, we haven't done much of that this summer.

Last night, we all went down to the lake to play in the water. Bingo is a water bug, she has always liked water, and she jumps right in and splashes around, the only challenge we have is keeping her in the shallow water, she just starts playing and before you know it she is in over her head. Not that different from the way many people live their lives I suppose, when it comes right down to it.

But, around dusk, we were just thinking of getting out when she let out a squeal and stood straight up, grabbing her leg. I couldn't figure out what had happened, but then when Diann snuggled her, a fish swam right into her lap, and she squealed again.

Well, I just figured it was a typical little girl reaction to a squirmy slippery creature touching her, but it was only a few minutes later when they started biting me too. I have had little nibbles before, but these things were aggressive, they were only bluegill, but they must have thought they were sharks, because they were biting at my legs with a vengeance, and I could feel their teeth.

OK, That swimming adventure was over. Note to self, stay away from the edge of the dock at feeding time, the fish may think you are a big worm.

So, in honor of our fishy adventure, I want to show off one of my fishy ties.

This is one of the few ties I have that didn't come from a thrift store of flea market. Diann got it for me for Christmas the first year we were married, and she bought it retail, and brand new. It may have been on sale, I don't know, but if not then it is one of the few ties I own that came at full retail price! It is a bit more conservative than most of my ties. But it is still fun enough that I can wear it without feeling like a stuffy old curmudgeon.

This tie, pictured here with the bass tie bar that I made out of a hatpin and an old estate sale tie bar, was made by Tropical Isle. It features a variety of oceanic fish. I looked but couldn't see any Bluegill Sharks on it.

And now some information about Bluegills:

Bluegills may be distinguished from other sunfish by the dark spot at the base of the dorsal fin, vertical bars on their sides, and a relatively small mouth.

(Hah! They were big enough to be chewing on my big old fat leg!)

Bluegills appear to have been native to the eastern half of the United States, southeastern Canada and northeastern Mexico, exclusive of the coastal plain north of Virginia. Today, as a result of countless intentional as well as no doubt unintentional introductions, bluegill are found throughout the US and northern Mexico.

Bluegill have a rather bold character; many have no fear of humans, eating food dropped into the water,

(or attempting to eat humans swimming in the water, I might add.)

and a population in Canada's Lake Scugog will even allow themselves to be stroked by human observers.

(Yeah, well a population in a lake in Michigan, apparently are not as friendly, attempting to drive humans from their home, by force if necessary)

Bluegill and other sunfish are a vital part of many freshwater fisheries nationwide. Many pre-license age anglers begin their fishing careers by bank fishing for bluegills and other sunfish. Bluegills provide plenty of fight, pound for pound.

The largest bluegill on record was 4 pounds 12 ounces, landed in 1950 from Ketona Lake in Alabama.

On a personal note, I grew up fishing for trout and never caught or saw a bluegill until I moved to Michigan ten years ago. Diann on the other hand grew up eating bluegill and her family has a wonderful method of cooking them. A platter of bluegill is better than a plate of nachos when sitting down to a few games of Euchre.


OK, now it's your turn.
Be sure and join me each Tuesday for Tuesday Trivia Tie-in, where readers are invited to share trivia and show off their treasures. Read all about it here