Hello, friends and neighbors all around Liberty County. I have a few reports and a little recipe you might like for meal time.
A couple of fellows I know from Jacksonville come to Harris Neck a few times every year to fish. I met these guys years ago when I lived in Neptune Beach. Pat Pierce and Charlie Stevens went fishing recently and caught some nice whiting and 13 trout.
Stevens said all the whiting were caught on live shrimp, as were the trout.
My old friend, Neal Patterson, fishing with Will Darsey, had a nice haul as well last weekend. Patterson said they landed five spottail bass but had to release two because they were over the size limit.
They also netted 11 trout. Plenty of fish for a nice meal of cheese grits and fish. Oh well, to each their own.
If you do get the chance to wet a hook this time of year, my advice to you is to try and catch an early morning, low incoming tide. With the sun up shining on the oyster rakes and marsh line, it will warm up as the tide comes in. Artificial or live bait will work. There are so many different types of jigs and plugs; I suggest you try out a few and decide which one fits you. My all-time favorite, if you can find one, is the old Salty Dog.
Now let’s get to the dressing…
Here is what you will need:
1 medium chopped red onion
2 stalks of celery chopped
½ cup of butter
2 slices of crispy toast
1 egg, well beaten
1 pound of crab meat
½ cup of green onion chopped
1/3rd cup of fresh chopped jalapeno
½ cup of whole milk or cream (up to you)
½ cup of cracker crumbs
½ chopped red bell pepper
Now preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sauté onion and bell pepper and celery in the sauté pan about 10 minutes.
In a mixing bowl add crumbled toast with the milk and egg. Mix well and add in the crab meat. Add this mixture to the sauté pan and mix well over low heat.
Then, place in a casserole dish and top with bread crumbs, green onions, a little more butter and some Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes and then serve up your crispy coastal crab meat dressing. I hope you try it and enjoy it.
Well, that wraps it up for this week, friends, and remember what Ol’ Tight Line always said: “Get out there and go fishing, and if you do, remember to always keep a tight line.”
That’s it from the coast.

Living the tight-line life,
Tight Line Jr.