Jon and Pam Bautz, Mansfield residents, and their “ flathead couples night,” June 5, 2021.
Caught within minutes of each other on the Black Fork River. Jon’s flathead was the ‘Daddy’ at 35.5 inches ... making it in Fish Ohio. It weighed 18.11 lbs. Pam’s flathead was a hearty 29.5 inches and 11.10 lb Momma!
By day, Jon is a career electrician with Carter Electric in Galion. On his own time, he is a catfish enthusiast, but only in recent years. After a fishing trip with Pam in the bayous of her home state, Louisiana, Jon caught the catfish fever and has since been fishing for big ones, specifically flatheads and big blues.
Pam, coming from the Bayous, loves being on the water whether she catches a fish or not. She is guilty of talking Jon into day trip adventures that take them off the beaten path. When she is not doing either, she enjoys biking, skating and cooking. Pam runs the Mansfield Cemetery.
Jon and Pam Bautz, Mansfield residents, and their “ flathead couples night,” June 5, 2021.
Caught within minutes of each other on the Black Fork River. Jon’s flathead was the ‘Daddy’ at 35.5 inches ... making it in Fish Ohio. It weighed 18.11 lbs. Pam’s flathead was a hearty 29.5 inches and 11.10 lb Momma!
By day, Jon is a career electrician with Carter Electric in Galion. On his own time, he is a catfish enthusiast, but only in recent years. After a fishing trip with Pam in the bayous of her home state, Louisiana, Jon caught the catfish fever and has since been fishing for big ones, specifically flatheads and big blues.
Pam, coming from the Bayous, loves being on the water whether she catches a fish or not. She is guilty of talking Jon into day trip adventures that take them off the beaten path. When she is not doing either, she enjoys biking, skating and cooking. Pam runs the Mansfield Cemetery.
I was often the student staring out the window on a sunny day counting the clicks of the clock on the wall that would eventually ring and let me outside. Even in college, a beam of sunlight could put a kink in my attention receptacles almost immediately.
Truth be told, I am still that way. Especially in the last days of March, when the temps become more bearable and the daylight hours linger longer, I become anxious to be out doing something. I am not particular to one outdoor activity or sport, though at different points in life I have been an avid cyclist and fisherman. So, that “something,” on most days, can be anything, as long as it is outside.
In this fashion, my husband, Jon, and I are truly alike.
By the time the calendar is flipped to January, he is watching fishing videos, reading reports, studying maps and restringing his poles. By the end of February he is having his Saturday morning coffee in the garage while walking around the boat. This man loves to fish. Specifically, he loves catfishing.
Born and raised just down the road from Malabar Farm, Jon learned to love the outdoors at an early age.
His dad exposed him to small game hunting and taxidermy, fishing, as well as hunting and harvesting ginseng and sasafrass. Prone to a little TomFoolery now and again, he enjoys venturing off onto trails (and non-trails) and other spots that look “inviting to explore.”
Another thing we have in common, and something we both still love doing any time the opportunity arises.
Being outdoors is a huge part of our life. When we met we were outside. We got married outside. From day one, we have spent the majority of our time outside of work, in the out-of-doors, doing what we call playing.
When we are not fishing, we are typically boating, hiking and visiting interesting sites. We both enjoy critter sightings of all varieties and Jon has finally succumbed to the fact that I will always stash collected rocks and other nature finds in his truck.
Much of our outdoor time is spent in and around Richland and Ashland counties, but over the years we have become fond of other areas around the state simply by flipping a coin to decide which direction to go. These days I have a collection of maps: Maps for fishing, maps for hiking, historical maps and maps of Ohio folklore and oddities. My newest is a book of Ohio fishing maps with all sorts of useful details. A smashing gift from a co-worker. I can’t wait to use this season.
As one may guess, we are drawn toward places where it is fabulous to simply be outside. And since Ohio’s playground is vast and varied, we have learned to keep the truck geared up for last minute excursions from March to October. We have our muck boots for places like Shreve Wetlands or Blackfork Bottoms Hunting area.
We keep hand lines ready for a bit of bank fishing along the stretches of lonely guardrail at Clendening and Tappan Lake in Harrison County. We store hip waders for when the clear waters of Switzer’s Run shimmer just so that you pull off and wade right in for a couple hour walk. And we typically have a hiking pack within reach so we can stretch our legs easily and without plan at places like Jerome Fork Trail, Byers Woods or Lyon’s Falls.
Jon has even made room for a portable kitchen in case we wander too far. We have whipped up some mighty fine camp breakfasts on the tailgate watching the sun come up and waiting for a pole to bend. In fact, that is how we have spent the past three Easter mornings.
Again, for us, it is all about being out and about.
This year we have been invited to share some of our outdoor outings, findings and interests. I suspect some of our experiences we will share here are similar to many of yours out there. It’s our hope that we will bring back good memories or spark interest to create new ones.
Whichever way it may happen, we hope to see you in the Great Outdoors.
