sports

outdoors with Lou Rodia Why Are They Out There in This Weather?

On Sunday morning of . the past week millions of Americans were getting psyched up for the Super Bowl extravaganza. Most of the nation was fighting near frigid and sub-zero temperatures I got a phone call from a friend of mine He operates a marina at Chestnut Neck just east of the Mullica River Parkway overpass over Great Bay. Just west of the Parkway bridge is a spot which is nationally famous as a place to catch white perch in the fall, winter and spring. It is called Collins Cove. Collins Cove is hot for perch when the water chills down in the fall and it stays good until the ice forms on the cover. Then there is a gap until the ice on the cove is thick enough to sustain fishermen. USUALLY, PERCH are caught again until the ice breaks up or gets mushy from warm weather. Then it slacks off until boats can get you back into the cove again until the water warms and the perch move out. The Cove became famous after the Parkway was built because a dredge was used to dig fill for the Parkway from the bottom of the cove. The dredge hole deepened the water considerably and the perch which normally wintered in the Mullica found that spot They made a winter home i there. Anglers soon found it and a fishery has developed. For the most part, it takes nuts and idiots to go

out there on zero degree days in the wind to try to catch perch. I know. I have been there. Even I believe that I have a propensity to do nutty things. As a result. I am not bothered much when friends of mine tell me I am either or both (a nut or an idiot). EXCEPT FOR those of my friends who are telling me this while they are busy wrapping white perch filets which came from the cove for THEIR freezers. The Sunday phone call was about a matter in which we (my marina operator friend and myself ) have a mutual interest. We were discussing another ''harebrained scheme in which we were both involved. We were deciding whether or not we wanted to brave snow and wjnd and miserable weather to drive the 60 miles to our hunting club. He's president and I had organized the club's Super Bowl party. The discussion centered on whether or not we were to make the effort and show up. What clinched the decision to go was his announcement that with all of that wind, miserable cold and snow, there were a goodly number of perch fishermen already out on the ice. WE DECIDED that if the fishermen could fish, we could drive the 60 miles to our club for the Super Bowl party. At least, we'd have the fire going, plenty of food, fellowship and game excitement. We have since talked to a

couple of north Jersey friends who were down around Manesquan and Brielle over the same weekend. Oddly enough, they went down looking for fishing opportunity. There were others like them floating around. The winter flounder fishermen were to be seen lining the bulkheads and other access areas where winter flatties are caught. Now, not all fishermen are that zealous in their quest for angling excitement. Saturday was the last day of winter bow season. While we didn't make it because of the press of business, we knowsome of our hunter friends did. We also saw some bird hunters and rabbit hunters out in the field on some of the cold weather days of the past week or so. WE HAVE BEEN cold, wet, hungry, tired and generally miserable and have asked ourselves why we were sitting in the duck blind, or why we were on a deer stand, or why we were at the end of a rock jetty somewhere. We have also looked out of the office window on some absolutely gorgeous days and asked ourselves why we were sitting there inside with all of that beauty out of doors. We know why we were sitting in the office. And we know we can explain that action to our non-hunting and nonfishing friends. Having failed in our quest for independent wealth and an early retirement, and having failed to pick wealthy parents on our arrival in the world, the work priority is easy to explain. Since work provides the basic needs and enough to enjoy some of the things we happen to like in our free time, we find it a necessary trade-off. WE DO NOT need the results of the hunt or the fishing trip to put food on the table. That is not to say that we do not enjoy the results when the fish or the game hits the table in the

form of some exotic recipe or in just plain old table I fare. We literally do enjoy properly prepared fish and game. We find fishing and hunting, or in fact, just being involved in out of doors activity a great head-clearer. We like the associations, the challenge, the excitement. the sense of accomplishment and the knowledge that we have performed well in a worthwhile activity. Some years ago, we were travelling with a fellow reporter from a night business meeting toward home. I was anxious to get home because I had to get ready for an upcoming fishing trip the next day. My reporter friend could understand being interested in a recreational activity. But not fishing. Finally he asked me what I got out of setting up in the dark and going through all of that effort to get out to the end of Cold Spring Jetty. I LISTED SOME of the reasons, and finally concluded by pointing out that I got to see the sun come up over the ocean a lot on these early morning trips. To which he answered that he had seen the sun come up plenty of times, too, but he was usually on

his way from a late hours gin mill somewhere Now. he could appreciate, enjoy I and accept that kind of logic. He knew what he was getting out of his hours of bar time. Talk about punishing mind and body! I'd rather be shivering in a duck blind or be cold and wet at the end of a jetty somewhere than suffering a hangover any day. THOSE OF us who follow outdoor sports can understand why we are willing to punish our bodies and minds to pursue our sport. We know why we are there. I have walked miles up and down mountains on deer hunting trips. Farther, in fact, on days when the weather was more severe and the miles were more strenuous than the same kind of hikes over similar terrain during World War II. Back then, during basic training and a brief stint with wintertime infantry in the mountains on both sides of the Moselle River in Germany, I knew why I was there. As with work, military service, family responsibilities and civic duties there are times we all have to be somewhere under conditions we neither enjoy or like. But we have to be there.

SO IT IS with hunting and fishing. Those of us who get involved in the sport find a considerable pleasure in being there. The conditions may not always be what one wants. Sometimes it is the challenge. Sometimes it is doing something others can't or won't do. Sometimes it is ego. Others seek relaxation and a marked change from the work-a-day world. Some want to get away from phones and in some cases, even from people. But sometimes we just have to be there. Whatever the reasons, there are some of us who will be doing things when the rest of you choose not to. That's why they sell insulated boots, gloves and jackets. And I guess that's why bars do well and the movies prosper and TV commercials cost $1 million for 60 seconds during the Super Bowl. Even crime grinds down to almost stop when the kickoff signals the start of play. As long as two people inhabit the planet, there will be two opinions, two approaches and two ways of doing things. Hopefully, we will always have the freedom to choose.

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Breakwater Holds Lead

CAPE MAY — Breakwater Electric held on to first place as it swept three games gainst Bowman Builders by 15-7, 15-9 and 15-3. Excellent serving by Tom Beneler and good hits by Ernie Triano and Lou Dwyer wrapped up the first game for Breakwater. Game two saw the hits of Bill Bezaire and court coverage of Terry Brown lead Breakwater to victory. Game three was more of the same as good teamwork proved to be the key for Breakwater in victory. DEKELCO WON two of three games against Bowman Builders in other league action. Bowman won the first game 15-13 and Dekelco won the last two 15-6 and 15-6. Bowman Builders came from a 13-6 deficit to win the first game thanks to the serves of Will Mendo. Excellent bumps by George Burgess and Dennis Kelly Jed Dekelco to the win in game two. Dekelco took a big 7-0 lead in game three and never looked back as the play of Dave Matagiese led them to the win. National Associates stayed in playoff contention as they won their three games against J.T. Builders. The scores were 17-15, 15-9 and 15-12. Volleyball Tilt CAPE MAY - In area Volleyball action this week, the Cape May Men's Power League champs Lighting Dimensions are pitted against Faunce Enterprises at 9 this evening at the elementary School gym on Lafayette Street.

NATIONAL Associates won the first game in a close contest despite the hits of Harry Thomas and Gary Franco for J.T. Builders. Saves by Tom Schollenberger and serves by Norm La Bounty proved to be too much for Builders in the second game. The spikes of Rick Simpson and John Thomas kept J.T. Builders close in the last game. However, the court coverage by Buddy

Kean and the sets by Greg Arnold to spiker LaBounty led National Associates to the win. STANDINGS Breakwater Electric 25-8 U.S.C.G. Breakers 24-9 National Associates 26-10 Delias Stores 23-10 Eckel's Diesel 21-12 Dekelco 15-12 Bowman Builders 18-20 J.T. Builders 10-23 Bucks Electric 4-32 Cape May Mobile Estates 2-31

Cape Shore Keeps Team Tennis Lead

CURT HOUSE - Town Team Tennis league action at Jersey Cape Racquet Club opened last week with a swift victory for Avalon Real Estate in ladies doubles as the team of Pam Vezin and Addie Martin began the evening's events with an 8-1 victory. Bill Soens and Scott Piro, also of Avalon Real Estate, followed with another win of 9-7 in men's doubles over Dan Keen and Ed Evanchyk. Keen's Pharmacy team of Roy Smith and Pat Collier fought back with a solid win of 8-2 in mixed doubles play. Lionel Derosier brought victory back to Avalon Real Estate as he won the men's singles event 8-2. Barbara Kerr of Avalon won 9-8 in a tie-breaker over Cathie Smith of Keen's, to give Avalon a solid win of 36-26 in the evening's first match. IT WAS A disappointing night for Kona Sports as it

had to default Ladies Doubles to Cape Insurance at a loss of eight games. Kona's team of Bob Ansell and Tony Chrietzburg came right back, however, with a solid win of 8-2 in men's doubles play. Cape Insurance was ready for a big night as Ernie Yarborough and Marion Gorelick had a solid 8-2 win in Mixed Doubles play. Tracy Yarborough, also of Cape Insurance, won ladies singles 8-3 as Cape's Tony Fittipaldi finished on top in men's singles, also 8-3. With all the scores in, Cape Insurance went home the victor of the evening's second match with a score of 34-16 over the always tough team of Kona Sports. STANDINGS Win Loss Cape Shore Realty 6 0 Kona Sports 4 2 Avalon Real Estate 5 2 Apex Really 2 4 Cape Insurance 2 6 Keen's Pharmacy 1 6