And here's our Official Ice Fishing Anthem to get you in that Ice Fishing Mood!
FISHY FACTS
Peacock Mantis Shrimp:
This shrimp is known for its ability to pack a punch.
It is the heavyweight champion of the oceanic world, which is particularly impressive when considering its delicate looking frame.
They actually punch their prey and other Peacock Mantis Shrimps with their front appendages. They also use them to break open the shells of other shellfish to eat.
They are actually not a shrimp at all, but a carnivorous crustacean. Their front appendages resemble that of a mantis, hence the name. They are commonly found to be any size from 1.2 inches to 7.1 inches.
However, they can also be found at around 12 inches at their biggest. The largest on record was 15 inches! For a crustacean that is that vicious, we think those sizes are pretty impressive! Small but mighty, right?
They can be found in shallow tropical or subtropical waters, mostly in the Indian Ocean or the Pacific. They feast on smaller crustaceans such as mollusks and crabs, sneaking up on them with that heavyweight punch we have already discussed. It is thought that their punch can reach up to 170 MPH, making them the fastest organism on the earth.
Fishy Facts
FISHY FACTS:
How to fillet a fish.
A rainbow trout is used in this video but the instructions will work for any fish you catch.
FISHY FACTS:
FISHY FACTS:
Mariana Snailfish
In the Mariana Trench—7,000 meters below the ocean’s surface—these fish makes a living in total darkness and at crushing pressures that can reach 1,000 times more than at sea level.
But the Mariana snailfish is not only abundant in this area; it’s the region’s top predator. How does an animal make a living in such an extreme place?
New research provides clues. In a study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, Chinese researchers examined the anatomy and genetics of the fish. The team picked up specimens from around 23,000 feet below sea level using remotely-operated landers, and analyzed the creatures’ genes, proteins, and anatomy.
They found a few peculiarities. For one, the fish have gaps in their skulls. First author Kun Wang, from the Northwestern Polytechnical University, says this “may help the internal and external pressures to be balanced.” In other words, if the fish had a complete and fused skull, it would be crushed by the pressure.
What’s more, their bones are not entirely made of, well, bone—but are largely cartilage. In fact, the team found that the fish have a mutation in the primary gene responsible for calcification, the buildup of calcium to harden the bones. This mutation renders the gene partially nonfunctional. Wang says this makes their bones more flexible and likely more able to withstand pressure.
Such high pressures can also break down proteins, which are important for normal physiological processes. The team found that the fish have high levels of a substance called trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), which is used to stabilize proteins. Most animals have one copy of these gene, while these fish have five.
Even moving chemicals into and out of cells can be difficult at these high pressures. The Mariana snailfish makes up for this by producing high numbers of proteins that transport necessary substances, Wang says.
Finally, the fish lack functional eyes and did not respond to the lights of the team’s lander,
It's beginning to look a lot like Ice Fishing
We have another ice fishing video. Let us know what you think.
It's beginning to look a lot like Ice Fishing
Pipe Talk Recap
Pipe Talk Recap
Since this was the last Pipe Talk of the year, we started out the evening with a “tobacco buffet” featuring a smorgasbord of tobacco samples from many of our 2019 Pipe Talks.
Then we spent some time talking about the FDA regulation updates and if and how they would affect us. We talked about the rare Cornell & Diehl small batch and discussed the Dunhill/Peterson tobacco change over and how the few people who have tried both found the new Peterson to be identical to the old Dunhill version.
The conversation then went to the Ditka Throwback Cigars from Camacho and how we acquired the last 119 boxes that will ever be made! Kudos to us.
We closed out the evening with not one but two great guitar players (Mark and Art) as they played songs and sang for us to finish out the Pipe Talks for the year. A good time was had by all.
We hope you have a great New Year and we will see you at our next Pipe Talk Tuesday, Jan 28, 2020.
FISHY FACTS
FISHY FACTS:
Archerfish-
The archerfish (spinner fish or archer fish) form a monotypic family, Toxotidae, of fish known for their habit of preying on land-based insects and other small animals by shooting them down with water droplets from their specialized mouths. The family is small, consisting of ten species in a single genus Toxotes. Most species live in fresh water rivers, streams and pools, but two or three are euryhaline, inhabiting both fresh and brackish water habitats such as estuaries and mangroves. They can be found from India and Sri Lanka, through Southeast Asia, to Northern Australia and Melanesia.
Archerfish or spinnerfish bodies are deep and laterally compressed, with the dorsal fin, and the profile a straight line from dorsal fin to mouth. The mouth is protractile, and the lower jaw juts out. Sizes are fairly small, typically up to about 12–18 cm (5–7 in), but T. chatareus can reach 40 cm (16 in).
Archerfish are popular for aquaria, but difficult to feed since they prefer live prey.
Archerfish are remarkably accurate in their shooting; an adult fish almost always hits the target on the first shot. Although it is presumed that all archerfish species do this, it has not been confirmed by all members of the species. They can bring down insects and other prey up to 3m (10 ft) above the water's surface. This is partially due to their good eyesight, but also to their ability to compensate for the refraction of light as it passes through the air-water interface when aiming at their prey. They typically spit at prey at a mean angle of about 74° from the horizontal but can still aim accurately when spitting at angles between 45° and 110°.
When an archerfish selects its prey, it rotates its eye so that the image of the prey falls on a particular portion of the eye in the ventral temporal periphery of the retina, and its lips just break the surface, squirting a jet of water at its victim. The archerfish does this by forming a small groove in the roof of its
Pipe Talk Recap
Pipe Talk Recap
The evening started with Max Stokkebye discussing tobaccos. He talked about the different types; including the differences between burleys and virginians as well as latakia and perique. He continued with how they are cured and processed as well as how they are blended. Afterward we had a tobacco blending contest! And the winner is...Rick Storts (he wins everything!)
We also had renowned pipe maker and restorer Tim West on hand. He discussed his process of creating and making his pipes and we were treated to a wide selection of his pipe collection for viewing and purchase.
We had the trifecta this evening because Tim Knoll the President of the North American Society of Pipe Collectors "NASPC" was here as well! He talked about the benefits of membership as well as the new location of next year’s Pipe Show in Columbus, OH
As always, old friends caught up, some new friends were made, knowledge was shared, and a good time was had by all.
