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For those who regularly read my Outdoor Life column, you know that I probably fish more with my spouse than anyone else. Why? Because, quite honestly, I enjoy fishing with her more than anyone else.

She’s fun to be around. She’s a good conversationalist. And has some hilarious sayings like, “You can always count on a catfish,” or, “Come on — don’t play with it — bite it,” when a fish is acting finicky.

She’s also a dang good angler who baits her own hook. Born and raised in Berwick, the daughter of a marsh man and shrimper, Christine is comfortable being on the water. Moreover, prefers to be in a boat fishing rather than shopping, unless it’s to pick up something for one of the grandkids.

Don’t get me wrong. She can be girly too. She wears her pearls and heels from time to time but is someone who prefers not to stay up too late on Friday night, so we can catch the early bite when it’s cooler Saturday morning.

This past week was one of those times when she said, “Take me fishing!” I told her how I had been seeing several boats in the river fishing beneath the bridges and heard the catfish were biting.

Most of the boats were anchored from the railroad bridge to the Mr. Charlie Rig Museum; a spot that typically produces good catches of both channel and blue catfish when they’re running.

Instead of launching at Jesse Fontenot Memorial Boat Ramp in Berwick and fishing the river for catfish, I told her we’d go try the bream in Flat Lake first and launch at Joe C. Russo Memorial Boat Landing across from Lake End Park in Morgan City. I had a plan A and B in mind depending on what was biting.

We probed around Flat Lake and Bear Bayou a bit trying to get a chinquapin or bluegill bite. Unfortunately, the water was murky and what few bream we did catch were so little, they weren’t worth cleaning.

At every stop I also kept getting snagged. Not once. Not twice. No. I got snagged over 10 times. I spent more time re-rigging my line that it became quite frustrating.

Meanwhile, Christine found this little spot and the catfish bite was on. Her pole bent in the shape of a horseshoe, where she mustered all of her wrist and forearm strength to fight the big channel cat.

I told her, “Loosen your drag and let it have some line.”

Christine, holding her pole with both hands, said, “I can’t let go to adjust it.”

I reached over her hands and loosened the drag on her reel and the fish zipped a few yards of line out.

That’s when she raised her voice in excitement and said, “Get the net! I don’t want to lose this fish.”

I dug around in the compartment on my front deck, while Christine continued to fight the fish and at the same time saying, “hurry up,” to me. Of course, the net was under everything. Life vests. Paddle. Crab nets. You name it.

Suddenly, I emerged from the compartment with the net and stood next to Christine watching the show.
When the big cat finally showed signs of tiring, I put the net in the water, while Christine worked to steer it towards me, so I could grab it.

In one smooth swoop, I dipped the catfish up. It didn’t weigh double digits, but when you’re fishing bream with light tackle and you catch something large it might as well be a whale.

Christine went on to catch nine more channel cats while I continued to get snagged. The one catfish I did catch was a little scrawny thing not hardly worth peeling the skin off.

Some days are like that, which is another reason I like fishing with Christine. She doesn’t get into any of the teasing banter my male friends normally do.

Speaking of catfishing, the bite has been on in the Atchafalaya River the past several weeks. Channel catfish spawn once a year during the late spring on into the early summer when the water temperature reaches 70 degrees. Channel catfish prefer to spawn in darker, secluded areas like submerged logs, stumps, roots, and similar structure. Something that our Atchafalaya Basin has plenty of.

Several of the catfish I cleaned were full of eggs indicating the spawn is imminent. Channel catfish prefer skinny, slower moving water. In the basin, look for them in narrow bayous and canals with drains pouring into them.

Christine and I typically catch them ancillary to fishing bream using a number 10 Aberdeen hook, split shot, and Thill Premium Balsa float. However, when we target catfish, we usually use a coastal gulf drop rig with number 1/0 O’Shaughnessy hook.

Though worms will catch anything that swims, for channel catfish there’s nothing like river shrimp when the bite is on, but you don’t have to take my word for it.

Just ask Christine.

John Flores is the Morgan City Review’s outdoor writer. He can be contacted at gowiththeflo@cox.net.

HHS also launched a new website, www.hhs.gov/newbaby, for families to get critical information on health, feeding, sleeping, child development and programmatic information. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the non-profit organization Baby2Baby announced a new pilot program to distribute a one-time only Newborn Supply Kit made up of essential goods and critical maternal health items to new mothers and their infants.
The agencies will first distribute 3,000 of the Newborn Supply Kits across Arkansas, Louisiana and New Mexico — three states experiencing deep levels of family poverty — via hospitals and community-based partner organizations. Any mother giving birth during pilot implementation at one of the partner sites will be eligible to receive a kit.
The announcement coincided with a visit by Vice President Kamala Harris and HHS Assistant Secretary for Children and Families January Contreras to the nonprofit’s Los Angeles headquarters and warehouse. Harris and Contreras toured the warehouse and met with mothers to discuss maternal health and support for families.
“Every mother or mother-to-be should have access to the support they need for their family to be healthy,” said Harris. “Through this partnership, our Administration continues to prioritize the maternal health of women across America.”
“The disparities in maternal and neonatal health care in this country are staggering — and unacceptable. The pilot program with Baby2Baby provides much needed supplies to mothers and their newborns,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “The Biden-Harris Administration will continue to use every lever available to address the disparities in our health care system and provide whole-person care to pregnant people and their families. This is another strong example of government working in partnership with leaders in the community to solve problems for the American people.”
The Newborn Supply Kits consist of more than 20 items including diapers and wipes, clothing, hygiene items, blankets and thermometers for newborns, and postpartum pads, lotion, cold packs, breastfeeding supplies, and carriers for new moms.
This pilot is part of the ongoing work to support President Biden’s Executive Order 14058, Transforming Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in Government. Executive Order 14058 establishes the President’s Management Council’s cross-government effort and interagency team to tackle the designated life experience of “Having a child and early childhood.”
Following the pilot program implementation, the goal is to expand this effort to significantly increase the number of families receiving these Newborn Supply Kits.
“We need bold solutions that recognize and respond to the unacceptable disparities in maternal health outcomes in this country,” said HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson. “Through this new funding, health centers will be able to tailor their response to the needs of their patients and communities and take action to save lives.”
Women in America are dying at a higher rate from pregnancy-related causes than in any other developed nation, and Black women and American Indian/Alaska Native women are dying at more than three and two times the rate, respectively, from pregnancy-related causes as White women. And maternal mental health conditions are the most common complications of pregnancy and childbirth, affecting 1 in 5 women in the United States.
Expecting and new parents who feel overwhelmed or are experiencing depression and anxiety, as well as their loved ones, should reach out to the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262) for support and resources.

DEAR ABBY: I’m a 45-year-old woman who has been dating “Ben” (53) for two years. We have known each other for more than 20 years. He treats me like a queen. Prior to our dating, he had a girlfriend he used to confide in me about. I was very jealous of her. She knew we were friends, so she made a point of posting lots of pictures of their PDAs on his social media, since we did not follow each other.
Fast-forward two years: Abby, I cannot stop obsessing over her! I think about her constantly and compare myself to her. I stalk her social media page. Ben has never given me a reason not to trust him, so why am I still bothered by her?
She has moved on and is in another relationship. How can I finally quit obsessing about her and move forward? I don’t feel this way about his other exes, but for some reason, this one gets under my skin. I don’t want him to find out what I have been doing.
I really need help. Any advice?
INSECURE IN PENNSYLVANIA

DEAR INSECURE: In light of the fact that your boyfriend’s ex is happily in another relationship, this obsession is really a waste of your time and energy. Although you may still feel threatened, the woman is no longer your competition.
Whether your issue is insecurity or lack of self-esteem, it’s time to wake up and recognize that BEN CHOSE YOU OVER HER.
If you can’t accept that and relax, you may need to discuss it with a licensed psychotherapist for help to stop cyberstalking her. She may be a part of your boyfriend’s past, but please do not continue making her part of your present.
DEAR ABBY: We have three grandchildren, and we feel strongly about the importance of a college education.
When the first one graduated from high school, we gave him $500 for graduation, plus an additional $1,500 to be used for college-related expenses. He had already indicated that he was enrolling in college.
When the second one graduated, we gave him a $500 graduation gift. Because he had committed to joining the Navy, we assured him that he would also receive $1,500 if and when he enrolled in college. Since then, we have been accused of not respecting his career choice, showing favoritism and other accusations too numerous to list here.
Are we ogres for wanting and encouraging our grandchildren to attend college? We’d like your opinion.
WELL-MEANING IN THE WEST

DEAR WELL-MEANING: Your mistake has been not taking into consideration that your grandchildren are individuals.
Your second grandson is likely to find his career path as part of his military service. One could argue that you are favoring the grandchild who is following the career path you are biased toward, and from that perspective, it does appear you are playing favorites. You may want to rethink what you are doing.
Your Navy-bound grandson may have a need for that money at some point.
***
To receive a collection of Abby’s most memorable — and most frequently requested — poems and essays, send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 to: Dear Abby — Keepers Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447.

The Morgan City Council on Tuesday approved plans for a variety of events, some familiar, some new.

They include:

—The 88th Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival, set as always on Labor Day weekend, Aug. 31-Sept. 4.

The Blessing of the Fleet will be noon that Sunday, followed by the Street Parade at 3 p.m. from Onstead and Second to Everett and Sixth.

The fireworks will be at 9 p.m. Sunday.

—The city of Morgan City’s 4th of July Lake Jam will be 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, July 1, at Lake End Parkway.
Southern Roots, Cliff & the Sidepiece Band and South 70 will perform.

A boat parade is slated for 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 4, at Lake End Park. Fireworks are planned for 9 p.m. July 4 at Lake End Parkway.

—The third annual Juneteenth Community Bike Ride will be at 8 a.m. June 17. The ride will be from First and Barrow to the Jimmie Johnson Memorial Basketball Court.