#guy whose knowledge of ohio is excessively based on the war of 1812: wow what happened here

[clove-pinks]

I think a lot about a diary entry from Captain Daniel Cushing at Fort Meigs in May, 1813. The Maumee River was an astonishing source of bounty—you could even fish in it using a red rag for bait.

Fine weather this morning, my men in high spirits, fish plenty, no want of provisions, all that is wanting to have things complete is a little whisky. I took sail in a small canoe this morning and caught 62 white bass that would weigh about one pound each; returned before dinner; caught them with a hook and line baited with a red rag.

There is a lot of talk of fishing in Captain Cushing's diary, and in other Fort Meigs narratives. The men started fishing for food very early in the year (and who can blame them).

Fast forward 210 years and the same place is vastly transformed. I know that I will never see the Maumee like Captain Cushing did, but at least in 2022 the ban on eating fish from the Maumee River was lifted.

I think the article "Learning to Love the Great Black Swamp" is excellent, but overly pessimistic. Since it was written in 2017, the restored Howard Marsh Metropark was created, and there have been other successful restoration projects.