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Fish Catching Travel
The holidays are over and things are slowly getting back to normal. Sorry I have not been fishing lately, but the weather has not been the best and I had a couple of other things to work on. What has been occupying my time lately is getting the planning done on a 2 week Florida fishing trip. The Boss has a conference in Orlando, so she will fly down and ride back with me after the conference is over.
I will drive down with the Shoedog and it will be 2 weeks of hardcore fishing. The first problem is where? When you have 2 weeks the decision is actually tougher to decide. Everywhere from Cedar Key, the Everglades, the Keys, Pine Island, are all the top choices, it just is hard to make up my mind where. One thing we are looking for is a lift and dock, which sure helps on a 2 week trip. Just pull the boat on when you are done for the day, rinse and flush, and done. Then in the morning off and gone in 5 minutes. And of course, whether we decide to stay in one place for the week or move once and fish a couple places during the 2 weeks.
And the dock is not a deal killer as far as where we stay, the real issue is the fishing, each area offers its own unique situation. The Keys will be experiencing the beginning of the tarpon run, and the bridges around Islamorada will be happening. But then no snook to speak of. The Everglades will have it all, but is a different kind of trip, and having not been there for years I am not sure what to expect. Pine Island of course is the safe call, and I have a working knowledge of the sound. It is where I first develop my saltwater habit, and it is one big place. Stretching from the tip of Sanibel Island to Boca Grande Pass, there are countless mangrove islands, bays and passes. But Cedar Key, which I have driven through, is a cool looking place with good redfishing. But of course the problem there is no exotics, at least what I would call tarpon and snook. I hate to put the kind of time and money in a trip like this and then not have a serious shot at a good snook, much less jump a tarpon.
So what a dilemma, but a great one to have. I have looked at hundreds of places and the Shoedog and I will thrash it over and make a decision in the next week at the latest. Whenever I head that way the jumping tarpon vision gets in my head and I can not get it out. I love to fish that part of the world and am already excited about getting back to Florida.
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The other thing that has been occupying my time has been the new vehicle thing. I have vacillated back and forth the last year about a new truck and yesterday I took the plunge. 25 years ago we were one of the first folks around to have a Toyota 4Runner. It had a removable top and came with a manual 5 speed. In fact at that time lots of them, it was the second year they were available, were more like panel trucks with no second row of seats. We drove it over 12 years and finally traded it on another one.
We drove that one over 10 years and then traded it in a couple of years ago, and of course have missed it every day since then. Don’t get me wrong, the Tundra has done the job, but it is not as multi-functional as the 4Runner. And the one thing I really missed is the 4 wheel drive. When you put in as many different places as I do, over a period of years something will come up, it always does. And of course with family up north we visit in winter we really miss it then. So after an exhaustive search and research my truck will be here Monday or Tuesday. Funny how a new truck can make you feel old, but 4Runners are famous for easily getting in the 200,000 plus mile range, and since I do not plan on trailering near as much 10 years from now, this will most likely be the last truck I buy. The shortest we ever kept one was over 10 years, and both of them are still on the road today. Heck that thing will probably out last me.
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So waiting for the truck will have a direct effect on when I fish the next couple of days. At least there is some football to keep me occupied until either Monday or Tuesday. And speaking of football how about those Cowboys? If you would have bet on them in Vegas this summer before the season started you would have a pocket full of cash right now. They are peaking at the perfect time so it could be something.
And boy did my beloved Razorbacks get their stuff together by the end of the year. And they just absolutely kicked some Longhorn butt, when they could get the Longhorns to move over as they were doing a fine job of kicking their own butt. The Longhorns have a long way to go, but the Hogs may be the best 7 – 6 team in college football. The Aggies also held up their end of the bowl matchups, but what in the world was that Graduate Assistant thinking? Nothing like potentially killing off any chance you ever had to have a football career. That is one thing I really like about Charlie Strong at Texas, it is his way or the highway, and he is not kidding. It may hurt for a little while but if Texas fans are smart enough, debatable, to give him the 5 years that it will take to turn it around they could just get something going in Austin.
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On the fishing front I should have a couple of reports for you soon as several folks are out catching them as I write this. And before I finished my buddy Chris let me know he shot 5 ducks yesterday, but when he fished the Lavaca they did no good. And neither did 2 other boats he talked to. Funny how as winter goes on the deeper holes and rivers get slower and slower. I always wondered if it has to do with fishing pressure or natural movements.
I need to replace line on my spinning reels. Catching a whole bunch of fish on spinning gear and plastics, combined with the occasional drag slippage, sooner or later you will start to get some line twist. This will give me a chance to try something I have been thinking about for a while. With my terrible vision a clear line, my favorite, can get hard to see on bright sunny days, so I am going to spool one rod with the old blue fluorescent line that I should be able to see. We will just have to see if it reduces the bites compared to the clear line.
I heard from Mac today and wanted to share his comment with you:
Doug-The new year is upon us and the weather has been ugly and is still forecast to be cold for another week. At least the sun came out today.
During this cold spell, go check out the movie ” A river runs through it”. I saw it 20 years ago, but did not grasp what it was all about. I know you have probably seen it before, but see it again in a quiet room by yourself.
Laying about this Saturday, I stumbled upon it and got locked into it. Fishing is Life itself and boy howdy did I get so much out of seeing this work again. Tears happened as I became wrapped up in this cinema. The last line in the movie hit home and I won’t reveal the line, because I want others to experience the movie.
P.S. If you can’t fish today, dream about it Mac
I actually have not seen it, but on your recommendation will. Thanks for the comment and you sure are right about the weather.
I also ran into my buddy Jeffish and Tom at Academy this morning. They picked up some Down South in the watermelon red with the Chartreuse tail and 1/8th ounce jig heads. They were headed to the Mission Lake area. So as soon as I hear from them I will get their report posted.
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Tomorrow I pick up the new 4Runner and then it will be back to some serious fishing. Our weather looks sketchy, but it is time for some drifting in some of our back lakes as we settle in to a more winter like pattern. I really appreciate your patience with me not fishing this week, but a little break is good for the soul, and of course I am starting to get wound back up. So off we go in to 2015. It is shaping up to be a big fishing year, so keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.
Good Luck and Tight Lines
