New for 2007, The North Face company has come out with a new mummy-style sleeping bag rated for temperatures down to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. The "Cat's Meow" bag is designed for camping in spring, summer, and fall. It is packed with a little more than 11/2 pounds of "Polarguard Delta" insulation and has a breathable silken lining. It also comes with a chest-level heat trap baffle, forehead comfort tube, outer pillow pocket, and a head-level watch pocket. The men's bags come in two color choices, aviator blue/asphalt gray and nickel gray/Tibetan orange, while the women's model is shadow blue/bluebird. The bag is 84-inches long, but measures just eight-by-17 inches in its stuffsack. There's a women's Cat's Meow cut specifically for the female frame, too. Suggested retail price is $159. For information: visit www.thenorthface.com , call 866-715-3223, or write The North Face Inc., Customer Service, 2013 Farallon Dr., San Leandro, Calif. 94577.
Lure of the week Jigging Shad Rap
• Company: Rapala
• Lure type: Jig
• Sizes and colors: Available in 12 colors, in 1/8-, 3/16-, 5/16-, 1/2- and 3/4-ounce models
• Target species: Bass, walleye, salmon, trout and pike
• Technique: Tie your line directly to the top line tie, then lower the lure until you reach the bottom, as indicated by slack line. Reel back 18-to-20 inches, then slowly raise the rod tip another 12-to-18 inches. Drop the lure back down in a rapid motion. That allows it to swim in a slow circle-down action.
• Sugg. retail price: $3.79 to $4.19, depending on size
• Notable: Raising the lure in a sharp "snapping" motion will cause it to circle faster. A quick "vibrating" motion can also be used at fixed depths for added attraction.
Tip of the week
If you are out hunting or fishing with a partner and suspect that he has developed hypothermia -- as evidenced by uncontrolled shivering, slurred speech, frequent stumbling, loss of manual dexterity, memory lapses, exhaustion, or drowsiness -- you need to act quickly. Get him out of the wind and cold, remove any wet clothing he has on, and warm his body by getting him into a blanket or sleeping bag next to a fire or other heat source. Help his own body produce heat by feeding him high-energy foods. Powdered sweetened gelatin mixed with warm water is a good high-energy drink, too. If all that doesn't seem to be helping, get medical attention.
Recipe of the week Cocktail style yellow perch
Ingredients
• 1 pound of perch fillets, cut into bite sized pieces
• water
• salt
• 1/4 of a lemon, sliced
• seafood cocktail sauce
Directions
Boil your water with the salt and lemon added in a three-quart pan. Reduce the heat to about medium and add the perch pieces. Cook for several minutes, until the fish is opaque and begins to curl up. Remove the fish and drop it into ice water. When the fish has cooled completely, drain and serve with cocktail sauce as you would shrimp.
