FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

“SAVE OUR WATERS”

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt

Brought to you by

The Best Wading System on the  Planet.

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A random fish picture from the last Arkansas fishing trip.  Getting close.

As usual it is Sunday morning and I am watching fishing, thinking about fishing, and about to go make sure I am ready to go in the morning.  Besides hoping to catch a few it will be interesting to see how the new locator on the skiff works.  Without the book the other day hard to know what was up.  So I looked the book up online, (Cheap ass companies have started not giving you a hard copy, great for folks computer savvy but hard on folks who are not online.) headed out to the boat and think I got it down.  Since I get good natured crap from folks as I have not taken the IPhone plunge there is a good point.  If I did I could have looked it up while out on the water and done it that way.  But my phone works and here is a little story on why I do not currently have a fancy phone.  (Besides my phone is military grade and no matter my best/worst efforts it keeps on working.)

The Boss got the new IPhone number whatever so I figured why not just use her old one.  So I go to ATT and see about switching it over.  Fine – except my bill would go up $45 a month!  What the hell is that all about?  Apparently it has to do with gigs.  I learned something, part of the monthly usage you are being charged for is the updates that they do to your phonoe.  Nice.  So screw that, it will continue to be the flip phone for me.

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I wanted to share this comment from Keith with you.

Great morning to you sir,
Love reading your post and it looks like a friend and I may get out there next week. Haven’t fished Coleto in years and we are pretty excited to give her another try. Not sure where we will start as it use to be head toward the dam around the bend and up…lol Not sure if that is considered up the lake or not, but typically that’s the way we go. I’m gonna give the swim jig a try…love fishing the jig, just never a swimmer. Anyway, just wanted to let you know I appreciate the post and who knows, maybe we will see you out there. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I am sure the lake has changed over the years. Til next time…tight lines and don’t ever stop posting.
Keith

First, email on the way with a little more info on the fishing part of your comment.  One thing for sure, without the grass Coleto fishing is not what it was.  But the point is this is one of the ways I am reminded of why I started this in the “second place.”  First, I started it more as a diary but quickly realized, second, that I liked sharing real information and do it with anyone I can.  One thing that I have tried to do is stay true to: telling it like it is.  The good days and bad, the big or little ones, the screw ups, and the strike outs, all of it.  There are lots of “good day” postings online, but no help from the same fishermen for others to catch a few, and not a peep from the same folks when it does not go all that well.  That is not fishing, just bragging.  So thanks for the reminder of why I do this.  The realization is I do this is for reason number 2.  Thanks for the reminder.

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And one thing I wanted to clear up is uplake vs. downlake, which I have received several questions  on in the past.  Look at it this way.  When a lake is dammed from a river it is still the river, and there ends up being an up and down lake.  If it were still the river when you put the boat in you either head up river or down.  Simple, down lake is the dam and up lake is the river.  Hope that clears it up.

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The next two comments came after my last post.

Noooooo, you can’t retire from the blog! Jk, I totally respect your decision.😡 But just know it means a lot to those who dream of your world. I look forward to your reports (and your thoughts on the world) every day and tell other fishing buddies about you. I am a husband and father who works three jobs to make ends meet and now hopes to fish a couple times a year. I truly enjoy your blog and it fires me until I can get another trip in. Thank you Doug for your time, effort, and guidance. And just know we are reading if that’s the concern. Thank you sir, and in whatever you decide and though we’ve never met, I hope to one day.  Lee.

Doug, after reading your last post, I truly hope that you will continue to “entertain “ me with your daily ventures. I really enjoy reading about the experiences that you so describe. Whether it be on the lake or the salt, in town or out of country. Your stories bring pictures that help me see the love of fishing you have and I hope that when I get to retire that I am able to do as you are now. I enjoy and envision the fish you catch, the break-offs, the boats and unfortunate mishaps. I myself have a small place in Port O Conner and even though I don’t get to get down there as much I would like to, I can’t wait to read what is biting or breaking off. I hope you continue your blog and travels.
Thanks
Ed

I hesitated to post these because it seems rather self serving.  But I am posting them for me.  At times I forget how lucky I really am.  It took the perfect storm, and wife, to have been lucky enough to retire early and fish my life away.  Hard to believe that I can forget and take it for granted.  These kind comments actually put me in my place if that makes sense.  So like I have said at times, put on your big boy pants or go home.

The last 3 days I have hung out and thought about this quite a bit.  Sometimes things need to be put back in perspective.  Instead of work, I am trying to look at this as  a duty I am more than happy to do.  When a guy is as lucky as I am, and loves fishing like I do, maybe it boils down to what I feel is a responsibility to our sport.  To share the love so to speak.  And at times to comment on the other side of things.  So with that renewed outlook on we go.

(A couple of  things I learned from re-reading my rant the other day  is there is no rule that I have to do the writing after I get home.  It is ok to grab a beer, put your feet up, and call it a day.  One thing I learned in the days when I was a paramedic,. there is nothing that won’t wait until tomorrow unless you are having a heart attack.  And I am trying to learn I do not have to fish certain ways just for the blog, better to go fish and take it like it comes.  Is actually probably a better story.)

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 Coming Soon!  The Knockin’ Tail catches fish.  

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Soft Plastic?

One thing that has become a little clearer to me over the last 6 months, super soft plastics are overrated.  2 things have led me to that conclusion.  First, all the pitching I have been doing with beaver style baits.  I have primarily been using the Strike King and the Berkley Pit Boss.  The Pit Boss is a lot firmer and does not tear as easily.  The Strike King on the other hand does not last near as many fish, not even close.  And there seems to be no difference in the bites I get.  (But boy do they hold onto the Pit Boss longer just like the package says.)  

The companies would like you to think their super soft baits catch more fish.  Lets look at that.  First, what is the most important factor in catching fish?  Fishing where they are, and no amount of softer plastic can fix that.  Of course in some cases plastic might be to “hard” and restrict action, but that would be the rare exception.  There is a fine line and I understand that, but using both baits for the last 6 months if there is some benefit to the really soft bait the only one who is benefiting is the company.  Maybe if you are a pro fishing for big bucks it might make a one fish difference on some specific day.  I don’t know about you, but baits tearing up continually while I am tearing the fish up is a hassle and expensive.

And the second thing about softness I learned from working on the new Knockin’ Tail swim bait from Controlled Descent.  When working on the design Michael actually used  several densities of plastics and was able to find that fine line between to hard, or not enough action, or to soft, which like one popular plastic folks use that they are always biting the tail off.  But one thing about the Knockin’ Tail, no matter the plastic he used it catches fish.  When you can catch 20 fish on one plastic it does not get any better than that.

The punch line, super soft plastics are great, if the company gives them to you by the boat load.  I know that it is the little things at times that make the difference, but not sure super soft plastic is one of them for the average fisherman.  Just my take on that.

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And along with deciding to keep plugin along I have decided to work with a new company.  But the role will be limited to some specific things, I want it to be seamlessly worked into the blog instead of being a full time something.  So as soon as that is worked out I will let you know.  But I am looking forward to something a little different for me in the fishing lure department.  More on that soon.

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That is it for today.  Tomorrow it will be up early and off to the lake.  Looks like it will be cloudy, warm all day, and the wind won’t be to bad, the perfect storm for catching bass.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines