Thread: My DIY Projects and Great Adventures

The wind forecasts were for 20 mph today, now they say 8 mph. They do this all the time you know. They tell you one thing, and while you are asleep they make changes and then pretend that the forecast was this the whole time. They expect us to trust them and pretend as if they really can know what will happen. No apologies are ever offered either. You change plans on their say so and they act like it is our problem. So I fish today and hope they are biting a little better than they were yesterday.

I agrree with you to an extent, I worked in TV for nearly 30 years and the weather people were always my friends, they kept me informed as to what might be happening.
As a master control operator I needed all the info I could get so I could prepare.
They are not always right, hard to do when mother nature is the boss.

Alan

Checking the weather these days myself and doing just as poorly as they do. Which is just as good as they do too I guess.



So I switched around my rod lineup and put away one rod and got three out of garage. Two of these are not crappy rods but will work well enough. Long lining doesn’t require specific types of rods, just ones that bend when a fish is on. I had a matched set of four 16 footers, now there are just two- one broke previously. Had a matched set of 11 footers, now just three. So using two 16 footers and two 11 footers dangled out the sides, and two 10 footers erect out the back. Organized my jigs a little. Fiddled with some other little things and did some good boy chores yesterday. All ready to stroll out and see what calamity awaits me today. Will it be a typhoon ?

If not I should have some fish in the cooler at the end of the day. Eating crappie could become a favorite pastime. Last night I made the bride filet mignon using the seus vide method, brussel sprouts and tater. Man that was good. That seus vide style sure makes it easy to fix the perfect steak. I am so glad I decided to see what that was all about. I highly recommend it if you like a fat steak and enjoy rare, medium rare meats. So easy to do, too.

My crappie friend called and asked how I been doing. Said he knows a fellow that wants to fish with me. Said he was the one that taught him most of what he knows. Said that this feller can get me pointed in the right direction and turn me into a first rate crappie dude. I told him you guys have been busy doing all that, but some older guys can be suspicious of internet guys you see. Doubtful they could be friends at all. Anyways I think I already know what things he will be telling me to do. Ready……curly tail grubs on 1/16th ounce regular jig heads. A few quick words on colors too I am sure. Keep your speed at 1.3-1.6 and troll around at different depths until you find them devils.

I like the curly tail grubs but I like Slab Curlies and Stroll’Rs too, and whirling blades. Anyways I will let him set me straight so that I can one day be just as good as someone else might actually be. My crappie friend(s) are pretty darn good and usually win the local tournaments. Not so sure I would want to enter a tournament even if I was pretty good. When catching replaces fishing, well too much pressure. Right now I am enjoying the cruises and if a fish comes along, well OK. Everyone else seems to be all excited and desperate to see if they can manage a limit. I just want to catch a few really nice specimens to serve to her majesty for dinner.

I noticed also that word of mouth is a powerful motivator of fishermen. All Summer long I had that entire lake pretty much to myself until my friends started showing up. Now when I get to the lake there are already 10 trailers parked and I have to steer the ship left or right to avoid others. Yesterday, the little I was out fishing, had a boat steer for me. He looked to be aiming to cut me off, as that was exactly what he did. Came from behind and to my right at an angle. I adjusted, he adjusted, I adjusted again, he adjusted again. Finally he was directly in front of me, so I just reeled in and went elsewhere. Not sure but he might have been getting up the courage to ask me out on a date. Either that or he is an insurance salesman. Weird. Who knew people wanted others to see them having fun, too.

The dead alligator was still hanging out stinking the place up. Doesn’t look like anything is interested in eating him. Maybe they are waiting for him to turn all soft and gooey inside. Eventually he will disappear, but that doesn’t mean eaten. His skin will develop a hole and all that good gas will come shooting out in a glorious rush, and down down down he will go. He is kind of wedged up in some reeds and the wave action yesterday might shove him back in a little further. Still I wonder what happened to the old boy. No indians about. At least none that I have seen. Sacred burial grounds and such are probably elsewhere. Maybe he was snoozing when a really big alligator came up and it gave him a heart attack. Maybe he ate something that didn’t sit well with him. Afraid to do a necropsy as the smell would last for days on my hands.

I see places out on the lake that have an effervescence to them. Tiny bubbles…..in the wine kind of deal. Thinking it is muddy bottom and that the mud is decaying and producing gases that rise to the surface and form bubbles that go pop.

I also read a scientific study about crappie in the lakes that are local to me here. No….I didn’t understand the formulas and such, but basically they netted crappie, gauged their ages and stomach contents. They determined that half of what they ate, yes even big ones, was a larva/pupae of the lake flies. Discussed how some lakes have older fish than others. Discussed all sorts of other things about them, but when it was all over I surmised it was all based on the luck of the draw because they netted the fish. Someone else could net fish and draw completely different inclinations because they caught different fish silly. Our lakes do however have lots of lake flies. Locals call them Bling Mosquitos, although I suspect they can see just fine. No biting bugs is what they are. They live in mud and hatch and rise to the surface to fly off to mate. What a life huh. The study also determined that shrimp made up a significant portion of their diet, although I don’t see how unless all the fish visit the grassy shorelines regularly. Maybe the shrimp swim around out in the middle, too. I am going to stick thinking bugs sucked out of holes in the mud and baitfish wondering by as the main food sources. There are fish in the middle of the lake every time I am out there looking for them.

Ever make a jig shaped like a lake fly pupae ?

Would you add whirling blades to it ?

Does Slab Sauce have secret oils of fly in it ?


Hmmmmm…..life might be better if I just forget all this stuff and just do what the old timers tell me to do and be done.

Maybe that fella that cut you off actually wanted to talk to you about your vehicle warranty. Those folks are persistent

Been a while since I have tied or fished a fresh water shrimp or scud. I used them as a bottom flie on a dropper rig fly fishing. I see no reason one couldn’t use either as the bottom fly or both flies on a double rig. I wrap lead wire around the hooks to get the flies down. I’ve caught trout, bream and catfish on those types of flies. I say go for it.

Well today there were no traumatizing wind experiences. No lost gear. Just a good day fishing.

There were some fellers working on their engine when I got there. Yup…..on the ramp and looking at me like- WHAT ? So I had to use the other side, the bad side. Got her done and out I went.





Set up shop and started catching fish. Today John Deere was the Man and the little ones completely swallowed him. The red and orange was catching a few dinks, and I didn’t try other colors. Was culling my catch and pitching back mediums and smalls and such. Later when the bite slowed I kept a few smaller fish to round out the mess.



Word must have gotten out that I am generous as two fellers came up and asked for my fish. I need to stop doing that as one of them looked mad that I said no. Well no means no and he can catch his own fish instead of hanging around waiting for me to come back in.

I broke out the old vacuum pack machine and processed the fillets. I pat them dry and then slip a paper towel in with them before sealing so it can catch that evil liquid before it gets in the pump motor. I also learned long time ago to mark dates and names on bags because my memory just ain’t all that, especially anymore. Pull it out and wonder- what is that ?

Gonna pack said deep freezer and then gift away as I see fit. Also considering swapping out some things and getting my big cast iron cooker thingie out again. Cowboy cooker thingie. I like the heavy metal as when you drop in fish the heat tends to stay put. Learned if you overload the oil it actually takes longer and the meat doesn’t taste as good. Gonna read some in the cooking forum and see what’s what for dinner some night.

As I was landing the boat the warden rolled up and was watching me. I waved at him and he pulled around and parked and sat in his truck. Thought he might be interested in a license check, warrant clearance call in or maybe even a creel survey- but nope. I always try to stay legal with my fishing and hunting. Even if it means losing out on something. I like my wardens to check me and then go away empty handed. I know some poachers and see the things they do and get and it just doesn’t sit well with me. I will not rat them out but no need to be greedy people.

As I was trolling along I spied a small boat with two old men fishing. They were using multiple rods with minnows and drifting with the winds. Not a bad way to catch fish actually. Well they must have been watching me because I heard one say to the other- “Hey is that cowboy ?”. Later I heard -“Look he just caught another one.”. Yes I was having my way with the devils today. I had doubles several times and that always gets exciting.

Tossed back about 20 and kept what is in picture.

Saw my crappie friends again at the ramp and they showed me their gear and lures and such. I am using much nicer jigs. He walked up and looked at my rigged rods and rod holders and such and said that I was doing everything just right. I told him if I find the fish they get caught, but finding is a challenge. He just smiled. I go along and catch pretty good then they stop biting. Then I catch pretty good and then they stop biting. I figure I am passing over collections of fish.

He doesn’t like my two vertical rods hanging out the back. I told him what I was doing was swimming heavy 3/16th ounce jig heads with 3” curly tail grubs straight behind the boat and about a foot deep. He showed me his side setup, where he fishes a light jig with a trolling sinker just a foot in front right over the side of the boat and about a foot deep. Right there literally. He said when we pass over the fish they are everywhere and he caught 20 fish just on those two side rods today. 100 and something total. So 1 in 5 is right at the boat…..amazing. He then told me I should try that, too and I might. Truth is the fish are really only two or three feet deep in 7 feet of water.

Tomorrow looks to be another go get them day. I will examine the weather first thing and try to get out there earlier than I did today. Gonna try to bring home a nice cooler full if I can manage it. Speaking of coolers, when I surf fished I would drive by those ice houses where you get 20 pounds for $2. Well now I no longer pass by those and 20 pounds cost $4+, and I don’t want to make a special trip for ice. So I cleared out a shelf in the deep freezer and laid in two plastic/rubber tubs which I fill with tap water. They are not frozen solid the next morning, but I still have way too much ice anyways, which is an issue I like. Dropping the fish down into a saltwater slurry is the very most humane way to kill the fish and it helps keep them nice until cleaned. When done fishing I drain the water at the ramp and that allows the ice to settle on top of the fish and drive home. I don’t think there is a better way to handle fish. I fasten ropes with hooks to the cooler handles and have it behind the bench seat on the ship. Easy to get to and out of the way as I never go back there, and it can’t fly off in storms and such.

Well it has been 8 months since I started fishing for crappie and I am finally dialing in the finer adjustments to my technique. Love her boat. Saw one today that looked perfect all except it was fiberglass. Great boat but fiberglass is an issue and always will be with me. 30 years from now that boat will be in a junk yard somewhere and someone else will be catching fish out of aluminum boat. I will be dead but the boat shall live on. She says if I die she will learn how to launch and land it. Ha ha ha……sure you will honey. Sure you will.

I almost forgot….the alligator is still in that exact same spot. Now his head and front body parts are underwater. STINK…….nothing eating him so far that I can tell. Maybe if I get in the water and roll him over I can get a better look. What do you think ?

Originally Posted by Micanopy

Well today there were no traumatizing wind experiences. No lost gear. Just a good day fishing.

There were some fellers working on their engine when I got there. Yup…..on the ramp and looking at me like- WHAT ? So I had to use the other side, the bad side. Got her done and out I went.





Set up shop and started catching fish. Today John Deere was the Man and the little ones completely swallowed him. The red and orange was catching a few dinks, and I didn’t try other colors. Was culling my catch and pitching back mediums and smalls and such. Later when the bite slowed I kept a few smaller fish to round out the mess.



Word must have gotten out that I am generous as two fellers came up and asked for my fish. I need to stop doing that as one of them looked mad that I said no. Well no means no and he can catch his own fish instead of hanging around waiting for me to come back in.

I broke out the old vacuum pack machine and processed the fillets. I pat them dry and then slip a paper towel in with them before sealing so it can catch that evil liquid before it gets in the pump motor. I also learned long time ago to mark dates and names on bags because my memory just ain’t all that, especially anymore. Pull it out and wonder- what is that ?

Gonna pack said deep freezer and then gift away as I see fit. Also considering swapping out some things and getting my big cast iron cooker thingie out again. Cowboy cooker thingie. I like the heavy metal as when you drop in fish the heat tends to stay put. Learned if you overload the oil it actually takes longer and the meat doesn’t taste as good. Gonna read some in the cooking forum and see what’s what for dinner some night.

As I was landing the boat the warden rolled up and was watching me. I waved at him and he pulled around and parked and sat in his truck. Thought he might be interested in a license check, warrant clearance call in or maybe even a creel survey- but nope. I always try to stay legal with my fishing and hunting. Even if it means losing out on something. I like my wardens to check me and then go away empty handed. I know some poachers and see the things they do and get and it just doesn’t sit well with me. I will not rat them out but no need to be greedy people.

As I was trolling along I spied a small boat with two old men fishing. They were using multiple rods with minnows and drifting with the winds. Not a bad way to catch fish actually. Well they must have been watching me because I heard one say to the other- “Hey is that cowboy ?”. Later I heard -“Look he just caught another one.”. Yes I was having my way with the devils today. I had doubles several times and that always gets exciting.

Tossed back about 20 and kept what is in picture.

Saw my crappie friends again at the ramp and they showed me their gear and lures and such. I am using much nicer jigs. He walked up and looked at my rigged rods and rod holders and such and said that I was doing everything just right. I told him if I find the fish they get caught, but finding is a challenge. He just smiled. I go along and catch pretty good then they stop biting. Then I catch pretty good and then they stop biting. I figure I am passing over collections of fish.

He doesn’t like my two vertical rods hanging out the back. I told him what I was doing was swimming heavy 3/16th ounce jig heads with 3” curly tail grubs straight behind the boat and about a foot deep. He showed me his side setup, where he fishes a light jig with a trolling sinker just a foot in front right over the side of the boat and about a foot deep. Right there literally. He said when we pass over the fish they are everywhere and he caught 20 fish just on those two side rods today. 100 and something total. So 1 in 5 is right at the boat…..amazing. He then told me I should try that, too and I might. Truth is the fish are really only two or three feet deep in 7 feet of water.

Tomorrow looks to be another go get them day. I will examine the weather first thing and try to get out there earlier than I did today. Gonna try to bring home a nice cooler full if I can manage it. Speaking of coolers, when I surf fished I would drive by those ice houses where you get 20 pounds for $2. Well now I no longer pass by those and 20 pounds cost $4+, and I don’t want to make a special trip for ice. So I cleared out a shelf in the deep freezer and laid in two plastic/rubber tubs which I fill with tap water. They are not frozen solid the next morning, but I still have way too much ice anyways, which is an issue I like. Dropping the fish down into a saltwater slurry is the very most humane way to kill the fish and it helps keep them nice until cleaned. When done fishing I drain the water at the ramp and that allows the ice to settle on top of the fish and drive home. I don’t think there is a better way to handle fish. I fasten ropes with hooks to the cooler handles and have it behind the bench seat on the ship. Easy to get to and out of the way as I never go back there, and it can’t fly off in storms and such.

Well it has been 8 months since I started fishing for crappie and I am finally dialing in the finer adjustments to my technique. Love her boat. Saw one today that looked perfect all except it was fiberglass. Great boat but fiberglass is an issue and always will be with me. 30 years from now that boat will be in a junk yard somewhere and someone else will be catching fish out of aluminum boat. I will be dead but the boat shall live on. She says if I die she will learn how to launch and land it. Ha ha ha……sure you will honey. Sure you will.

I almost forgot….the alligator is still in that exact same spot. Now his head and front body parts are underwater. STINK…….nothing eating him so far that I can tell. Maybe if I get in the water and roll him over I can get a better look. What do you think ?

I think that getting close enough to touch that bloated critter would test ones ability to test ones ability to to retain his previous meal. That is a stink that likely would not wash off.

I believe I would just keep on those crappie and leave that gator alone.

Originally Posted by RJR

I believe I would just keep on those crappie and leave that gator alone.

+1