James Proffitt from southwest Ohio, Mike Joyner from south central New York, Mike Schoonveld from Indiana, Jeff Fritchkorn from Mentor-on-the-Lake, Ohio, and Dave Figura from central New York joined us to share in the bounty of our fishery.

On Lake Erie, the media folks fished with Captain Rob Ebersole with his tagline team name of Scary Good Sportfishing, Captain Hans Mann with Buffalo Harbor Outfitters, Captain Dennis Young with For-Your-Eyes-Only Sportfishing, and my friend, Rob Oram, who is a champion walleye tournament angler.

On Chautauqua Lake, they fished with musky hunter Mark Richardson, a New York state-certified guide with Mark’s Mucky Adventures.

By the end of the week, the visiting media were brimming with joy, their arms and shoulders sore from the exhilarating fish catching and storytelling. It was a week of unforgettable experiences and good stuff to take home. They left with dozens of bags of walleye and steelhead, a testament to the bountiful fishing in our local waters. As their acting host, I ensured their catch would be safe for future use by vacuum-packing their fish daily. My simple Food Saver vacuum packer did the trick with little effort. We fileted the fish, deboned them, then portioned them out and packaged them into 10-by-14-inch bags. More than 40 bags. Simply pressing the button on the machine does all the hard work. Then, we labeled each bag before freezing. It was a surprise to learn that some of the guys had never realized the brilliance of vacuum packing to preserve the tasty life of the fish filets for months — even years. The bags weighed about two pounds each — tasty fish for the future.

When a group of people on the same trip pack and freeze their catch, using an unusual nickname is the “best way” to ensure they take their fish home. So that’s how it was for turkey hunter book author Mike Joyner, nicknamed “Mooky.” Photo courtesy of Forrest Fisher

Vacuum packing is a simple and affordable way to preserve the freshness of your catch. My noncommercial vacuum packer, which costs about $150, is a worthwhile investment. However, you can often find the same model on sale for less than $100, making it a cost-effective solution.

While commercial models from various manufacturers are more expensive, the simple consumer brand models from Sam’s Club, BJ’s, Walmart and other sources work just as well. The machine is truly priceless in preserving the quality of your fish filets for months — even years.

Happy outdoor media means a better local economy for the future. The media professionals were thrilled with the Lake Erie fishing last week, considering it the best they’ve ever experienced. Their positive feedback and shared experiences will undoubtedly attract more outdoor enthusiasts to our region, boosting our local economy. This is particularly significant as some of them are in their 50s and 60s, indicating the potential for a long-term impact on our community.

Gotta love the outdoors.

CALENDAR

Oct. 12-13: Western New York youth pheasant hunt weekend for junior hunters 12-15. Must be accompanied with a licensed mentor.

Oct. 12-14: New York state youth big game hunt Weekend for junior hunters 12-15. Must be accompanied with a licensed mentor.

Oct. 15: Erie County Fish Advisory Board meeting, 7 p.m., open to public, Bison City Rod & Gun, 511 Ohio St.

Oct. 19: Regular Western New York pheasant season opens.

Oct. 19-Nov. 1: New York State Southern Zone fall turkey season.