Page 8 - Martin Downs Bulletin - March '23

Page 8, Martin Downs
Treasure Coast Outdoors

Snook Fishing Offers Exciting I like casting Rapala lures. important thing is that you need to fish where there is some
kind of structure. You are unlikely to find snook in open
Depending upon where I am
And Often Easy Fishing fishing, Rapala has shallow water.
running lures, deeper diving One favorite spot, just because it is close to home, is the
By Jim Weix lures, and surface popping walkway under the Palm City bridge. I’ll go there in the
The warmer temperatures are making snook more active. lures. Artificial shrimp or late afternoon, and throw a dead mullet, with a small sinker,
The nice thing about snook fishing is that they can be easily paddle tail lures also work upstream and let the current take it back to me.
fished with a spinning rod and are found in so many places. very well. Of course, it is hard The biggest challenge that I have found to snook fishing is
They can be caught any time of day or night, although prime to beat live bait, like shrimp, catching one in the legal slot size of 28 inches to 32 inches. I
time is the two-hour period at dawn and dusk, as well as pilchards, or sardines. once caught 17 snook along a mangrove island south of the
during an incoming or outgoing tide. As I mentioned, snook Palm City bridge. Not a single fish was legal size.
can be found in many places. Editor’s note: Jim Weix is an avid hunter, angler,
tip of They are “ambush” fish, so look for them waiting for prey conservationist, as well as an outdoor writer. Jim is included
in the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s Hall of Fame for
around docks, seawalls, pilings, overhanging trees or
helping restore thousands of acres of wetlands. Jim is a broker
mangroves, and anchored boats.
If you are fishing where there is a current or tide, fish associate with The Keyes Company. He can be reached at
up the current as the snook will be facing that way. The (772) 341-2941 or by email: jimweix@jimweix.com.
tHe taiL Kids corner

Elizabethan Collars Are A
Must! (Sometimes) Nurturing Creativity In thrower, dancer, or figure skater. Does your child have
an innate musical ability? Recognize and reinforce your
Dyslexics child’s strength area.
If you need ideas consider reading, The Dyslexia
By Jim Forgan, Ph.D., Empowerment Plan: A Blueprint for Renewing Your
School Psychologist Child’s Confidence and Love of Learning. Author Ben
All children need to Foss describes his own struggles with dyslexia and
believe they excel at some provides you with a new perspective that remediation of
area in their life because what is broken in your child is not the ultimate goal. He
this helps develop our self- explains, “There are specific attitudes and habits that will
esteem and healthy self- have a huge impact on whether your child will be able to
esteem advances success apply her strengths at school and beyond.”
An Elizabethan collar, also called an E-collar, lamp in life. Self-esteem is Since children develop at different rates you can provide
shade, satellite dish … are plastic hoods or cones placed developed by combining your child with opportunities to sample various activities,
around the head to prevent an animal from licking at a our internal beliefs with athletics, arts, and hobbies to gauge their interest and
surgery site, wound or bandage. It is attached to the pet’s our external feedback. talents. Some activities will be tried and shelved while
usual collar with strings or tabs passed through holes Thus, our self-esteem is a combination of how we view others might continue to develop and be refined throughout
punched in the sides of the plastic or just tied around the ourselves and how we believe others view us. adolescence. It’s often our natural strengths that carry us
neck. Every patient doesn’t need an E-collar for every We want your child with dyslexia to develop healthy through in life and shape our career choices. Your child
situation. But there are certain times when it is without self-esteem and feel good about him or herself. So, in is smart in many ways so help other family members and
a doubt essential to your pet’s recovery. One of these what area does your child excel? Although it might teachers understand your child’s natural assets. Someone
situations is eye and eyelid surgeries and wounds, when be academic related, it might not. Perhaps your child has to recognize your child’s gifts and we hope it’s you.
a very fine suture is used and the tissue is thin. A pet can believes she is talented at mathematics. Other kids might Call to discuss your child as we test children ages 5.5
completely destroy a surgery in seconds and require a believe they are science experts with a deep knowledge through college for dyslexia, learning disabilities, ADHD,
second surgery. Another time an E-collar is necessary is of space or fossils. Your child’s natural talent might be depression, anxiety, and other processing disorders. Visit
when a pet is a known chewer/licker, witnessed in the athletics and being a fast runner, best basketball free JimForgan.com or call (561) 625-4125.
veterinary hospital or at home. If your pet is sent home
with an E-collar, use it 24/7 until instructed otherwise. Dyslexia, ADD/ADHD,
Leaving the E-collar on at all times is the best way to
get your pet used to it and ensure proper healing. If you
take it off, then put it back on when you leave, your pet Gifted Testing
may take it as a punishment and may try to destroy it and
it will take much longer for him to get used to it. Patients
can eat, drink, pee, poop, and sleep with a cone on and, NOW OFFERING: Dr. Jim Forgan & Associates
absolutely, will get used to it. • Jupiter & Stuart Offices
There are some alternatives to an E-collar such as Licensed School Psychologist
wearing a T-shirt or a “onesie” to protect wounds or • Testing for Processing www.JimForgan.com
surgery sites. But the decision to use an alternative should Problems, Anxiety,
be made by your veterinarian not by you. You trusted Defiance (561) 625-4125
them to treat or do surgery on your pet, so trust them to • Weekend and After
know what is best during the healing process. Here is School Appointments
a quick note on inflatable “donut” collars. I like to call
them, “Let’s do the surgery again collars”! They are
appropriate for a very limited number of situations and “Helping Parents Help Children”
patients (those with short noses) and will not prevent a pet
from reaching most areas of their bodies. Never replace
an E-collar with a donut collar without consulting your
veterinarian. Some pets’ unique body type, size or shape
may require some ingenuity. If a standard E-collar will
not fit, we have made our own with plastic radiographs,
buckets or flower pots, but these cases are rare.
The E-collar may need to be cleaned. This can be done
without removing it. Just use a rag or paper towel with
warm water and wipe up any food or saliva. If it becomes
damaged, small cracks can be repaired with duct tape, etc.
or just call your veterinarian for a new one.
With a little care and patience, you will get your
pet through the short period of healing time when the
E-collar is required.
Established in 1981, Palm City Animal Medical Center
is dedicated to providing the best possible care for your
pets. With focuses on compassionate care in surgery,
physical therapy and rehabilitation, preventative medicine,
extensive diagnostics, and emergency service, Palm City
Animal Medical Center combines exceptional medical
care with a caring philosophy for pets and their owners.
For more information, call (772) 283-0920, visit www.
palmcityanimalmedicalcenter.com or find us on Facebook
at www.facebook.com/PalmCityAnimalClinic.