Fish Catching Travel
Well my 4 different places in 4 trips did not start out as I planned. In fact it was probably the worst decision I have made as far as fishing goes in a long while.
The weatherman said that the wind was going to blow out of the NW at 25 – 36 mph but when I got up it was not blowing that hard. So off I went to Keller hoping to get in a few hours before it started. When I got to Keller the tide was out, and I do mean low, but the wind was not that bad. So I headed across the bay to fish the bank coming in to Keller on the right.
That is one of my favorite redfish banks on the Gulf. When I got there the water was almost completely off that bank, so I made one pass with a Redfish Magic without a bite. Then I made a short drift on the bank by the old platform, again without a bite. At this point the wind started, and I mean it was humping right along, right down the middle of the bay.
By time I got back to Olivia there were 3 foot plus rollers, and it was ugly. I usually don’t get to wet in my Mako, but this time it was not the case. The angle was perfect for getting soaked, and getting your teeth knocked loose. I made one drift from the ramp at Olivia across the small cove, and even that was worthless. So I called it a day. There are not to many days when it is totally unfishable, but today was one. So for the day it was an hour there, less than an hour of fishing without a bite, an hour back, and about $20 worth of gas. Oh well.
One thing about writing about fishing, is you have to write about both the good and the bad. I love it when I get to show you great pics, and even brag a little. But with that comes the responsibility of also sharing with you the failures. This trip was a total failure. But days like today come with the territory. And all they do is just increase my resolve to get it right next time.
Blogging
Probably the most asked question I get here is about the actual blog. How do I handle spam? How hard is it to have a blog? And what platform do I use, among other questions. So for those of you who ask here is the ugly truth.
I often do not have a clue what I am doing. I use HostGator which I found online. As part of their service that is where my domain name is registered. They offer a platform with multiple templates, and I use WordPress. It is the simplest one around, and there are lots of resources to help you get started. Additionally, HostGator offers many online forums to help when you get stuck. They provide me with detailed information on the actual statistics of who is coming, from where, how long they stay, among many others. That service is invaluable, letting you know how it is going.
As far as plug-ins, filters, anti-spam – I do not have a clue. I am not a webmaster, in fact I am a neophyte. It has been a matter of trial and error. I have made lots of mistakes, often stumbling around to keep things up and going. I wish I could answer all the technical questions I get, but sorry, I can’t.
The only real word of advice I would give folks who think they want to blog is this – You have to keep posting. While the technical end of things can be a hassle, that is not where the work is. The work is in keeping it fresh as possible, posting regularly, and not letting up. In my case that means posting no matter how tired or busy you are. Keeping in touch with other sites that share the same interests and people is critically important. You can not take a little time off from blogging, you must write. And if you get a legitimate question or inquiry, respond. Between questions, comments, and spam, I get around 40 a day, you just have to deal with it.
So if you are one of the folks who ask me questions, or are thinking about blogging, I suggest using a service like HostGator. They do not pay me to say this. But the resources they have are good enough to help simpletons like you and me. No need to pay some one to fix things, with a little effort your answer is always there. And if that is to daunting, hire someone to help you set it up, and then you can take it from there.
I wish I had some great story to tell today, but it just did not happen. So with the truck in the shop, it is time to do a little work on the boats. The only thing worse than 1 boat is 2 boats. The little things that are required to keep things up to snuff, and make sure you get home every trip, never end. There are 2 old sayings that all of us who own boats know, and they are so true. First – BOAT = Break Out Another Thousand. Second – A boat is a hole in the water in to which you throw money. They are both so true. They nickel and dime you to death, and if you are very lucky, nothing really expensive breaks. So out to the shop I go, it may not be fishing, but it is part of it. So keep stopping in, there is no way the next report will not be better than today’s. Tomorrow I will be on the Gulf somewhere. Thanks for reading my stuff.
Good Luck and Tight Lines
