For my area the fall is a great time of the year for foraging for wild mushrooms. The fall rain makes the mushrooms pop quickly and the cooler weather keeps the insect damage down to a minimum. One of my favorites to harvest in the fall is Agaricus campestral. After a couple days of rain along with some cooler temperatures this mushroom is fairly plentiful. You can find it growing in yards, ball fields and many other grassy areas all you really have to do is ride around in your car and look. They are good size and the taste is excellent. There are a couple of look a likes but once you know how to positively identify this mushroom you wont have a problem telling them apart. This mushroom is the same genius as the white mushroom you buy in the store.Cap-Rounded or cushioned shape 1 1/2 to 3 inches across. Becoming flat with age. The color is mainly white and takes on a brownish tint as it becomes older. Gills-In the button stage the gills are pink. As the mushroom ages they turn brown then to a dark brown to almost black at maturity. The gills are free and not attached to the stalk. The spoor color is dark brown.Stalk- 1 to 2 inches stuffed. Pretty much even from top to bottom.The spoor print on this mushroom is important. It has to be dark brown. If it is white you could be dealing with an Amanita which could make you very sick. Such as the destroying angle which is also white. But has a white spoor print. The good thing about this mushroom is, it is usually found in wooded areas.

The closet look a like I have found is Lepiota naucinus.
  

This is not a deadly mushroom but is not recommended for eating. It has been known to make some people sick.When this mushroom is young its gills are white not pink. The spoor print is white. In the Agaricus family itself watch for the yellow stainer. It pretty much looks like the edible one except if you scrape it with a knife it will turn yellow at the scrape. This one will make you sick.Remember if you are in doubt don’t eat it. If you are new at mushroom hunting consult an expert.

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I hope you all had a good summer. I guess what they say is true-the older you get the faster time goes by. I like ice fishing but much prefer the open water and the warmer weather.Don’t get me wrong there are many good things about fall. This is a fishing and hunting paradise and in the fall you can do them both!

Lake Trout fishing remained good all summer here in the bay. The salmon stayed in but the fishing was spotty. As the cooler fall weather settles in we should start to see the salmon running up the rivers. I believe we are due for a pink salmon run in the Falls river this year. If this materializes I will keep you posted.

I like this fish canned. I will often add some liquid smoke to the jar just before processing. It gives it a great taste. I have eaten these fresh and was not all that impressed. However just recently I was told I was wrong. A friend of mine said they are great. Worth another try I guess. The bait of choice for this fish is a spinner bait. Pretty much the same thing you would use for Trout fishing.

What a year for pan fish in this area-one good tip after another. I am sorry to see it coming to an end.

The fall fishing in the bay can be awesome. It is possible to catch almost anything. Steelhead, brown trout, salmon and who knows maybe even a walleye or bass.

So if you get a chance break away from football on Sunday afternoon and do some fishing.

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