Y’all may not be old enough to remember it but I still do. Hank Williams had a bunch of hits back in the day as his twangy voice sang all sorts of sad love songs, such as ‘I’m so Lonesome I could cry”, “Lovesick Blues”, “Mansion on the Hill”. But he had one that was a jumpy little ditty about taking his girl friend out for a date where they’d be, in the title of the song, “Settin the woods on fire.”

I saw on the news last week about a wildfire in New Jersey where a young man was arrested for doing just that to the forests in his state. He was guilty of “setting the woods on fire”, and I don’t think it was the same sort of fire that old Hank was singing about.

For someone to deliberately set fire to the woods because he has a grudge against a property owner or just has a screw loose and likes to see things burn, that’s some seriously bad stuff. However, there are some who set fire to the woods for a good cause; they’re professional foresters who know how to set a controlled or prescribed fire for the purpose of improving the habitat by removing dead underbrush and duff from the forest floor to allow tender plants that are desirable to grow in place of the no-good stuff.

Retired wildlife official, David Moreland had an article on controlled fire in a recent edition of LA Sportsman magazine that piqued my interest, so I read the article to get more information on the subject of prescribed fire.

Moreland wrote that even Native Americans learned how to use fire for clearing underbrush, opening pasture lands, providing nutrition-rich forage for deer, elk and bison

Historians today refer to this as “cultural burning”. They knew that fire would clear the grass and brush for villages and camp areas. They also knew that burning to open clearings in the forests would regenerate new plant growth that would attract animals they depended on for food and skins.

Prescribed burning is a tool regularly used by foresters and wildlife managers today. Referred to as “dormant season fires”, these fires can occur in fall and winter, the time when much of the vegetation is in a dormant condition. Prescribed fires done in spring are known as “growing season fires”.

Burning during the growing season comes with more challenges as this time of year is when deer fawns and turkey poults are being born.

Can just any property owner decide on his own to use controlled fire on his property? They can but should fire spread to adjoining property, the landowner may be liable for expenses should he be responsible for damage to timber on a neighbor’s land.

This is why, Moreland writes, “most forest landowners have a consulting forester to help them with their timber management needs.” The state has a program where individuals can become “certified prescribed burners”. This certification is done through the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, a certification that must be renewed every five years.

Certified prescribed burners know when conditions are best for fire and when a particular stand of timber needs to be controlled burned. Watching for weather conditions, wind speed and direction, humidity and ground moisture all figure into deciding the best time for a fire.

Should you have land that you are considering for a controlled fire, be sure to contact experts before you proceed so that you won’t be “setting the woods on fire” like Hank or doing like that kid in New Jersey.

FISHING REPORT

CANEY LAKE –. Crappie are suspended in 12-14 foot water and jigs and shiners are taking some. The shad are spawning in the back of the coves and bass fishing has improved where the shad are located. Some schooling activity is beginning using shad imitation lures. Bream both chinquapins and bluegills are on the beds and hitting crickets and worms. No report on catfish. For information contact Caney Lake Landing at 259-6649, Hooks Marina at 249-2347, Terzia Tackle at 278-4498 or the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.

BUSSEY BRAKE – Heavy rains and muddy water has slowed the fishing. However, some bass are still being caught fishing topwaters early around shallow brush and flipping jigs and soft plastics later. Crappie have slowed down a bit and some have moved from the shallows to deeper water. The bream are bedding around the edges of the brush. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole at 323-8707.

OUACHITA RIVER – High water and rising. However, a good many catfish are being caught in the river and bass are hitting topwaters and soft plastics in the back waters. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.

LAKE D’ARBONNE – In spite of heavy rain and muddy water, bass fishing has been good early mornings on topwater lures along the banks with soft plastics, jigs and chatter baits working best later in the day away from the banks. Crappie have begun to move out to deeper water. Jigs and shiners are taking some nice fish. Bream are bedding shallow and hitting worms and crickets and catfish are good fishing off the banks. For latest information, call Anderson Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.

LAKE CLAIBORNE – Crappie fishing has been good on suspended fish on jigs and shiners. Bass are around the banks and hitting topwaters early while later hitting hit jigs, spinners and soft plastics. Bream are on the beds and worms and crickets are working on them. Stripers are beginning to school and hitting shad imitations. For latest information, call Kel’s Cove at 927-2264 or Terzia Tackle at 278-4498.

LAKE POVERTY POINT – Catfish and bream were biting good before the heavy rains. Crappie are fair with bass best along the banks on topwaters and soft plastics. For information, contact the marina at 318/878-0101.

LAKE YUCATAN – In spite of the heavy rains, water is slowly falling but still too high for fishing. For info call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.