FISH CATCHING TRAVEL
Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors
We are 10 degrees this morning, but it is beautiful outside. Looks like we might get the first real snow fall since we have been here. On the home front we are still getting things organized and looks like our DL resident license is next which we will get in Durango. One thing about South Fork nothing is real close so you take advantage of all you can while there. Will get some service on the 4Runner and pick up groceries.
That is no real problem but dealing with the government on address changes etc is a freakin’ nightmare. Our government makes it beyond hard to do the simplest things. So while I am not in favor of President “Not Elected” Muskrat’s (A certified freakazoid lunatic.) proposals to do away with many departments it is time to get them more responsive to the taxpayers. For the Boss to remain on hold twice, once for over an hour, then over 2hours attempting to get her SSI only to get cut off is nonsense. Guess they were all on coffee break laughing as they watched folks give up.
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We got a little snow for the first time since we got here. Looks like maybe 5″ today before it is all over. For some reason the turkeys decided that sitting in the trees outside our window is the place to be.
A tree full. About as clumsy as a bull in a china shop.
Fuzzy guy right center actually nosedived.
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The Usual Morning March
I have talked about the turkeys running wild around here but was interested in whether I have exaggerated the numbers. The answer to that would be a resounding no. I saw the big bunch headed up alongside the house to the backyard so as they appeared I started counting. And when it hit 80 freakin’ turkeys, I quit counting, and they were still coming. And they were all hens, the big boys are hanging out with each other right now.
About 25′ out the kitchen windows.
We were so lucky to get this house, but if we had known it was on the main game trail out of the forest we might have sold it all on the spot just to live here. And right before writing this there were 5 mule deer and one crazy horned buck in the front yard. It is like a living zoo.
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We are going through tons of pictures and a few hit the spot. Way before the blog I took hundreds of pictures and it was time to sort through them. But the fishing sure has been the reason for the season. These are random in no order as they came out of the pile and tweaked my interest or memories.
Amistad – Reminded me of the travels.
A big one on the Bang O Lure on Amistad.
For many years I trailered to lakes that were hot. Falcon, Amistad, Fork, and tons of other places in Canada, South Dakota, Arkansas and Missouri, and it was lots of fun figuring it out. Getting maps and studying them prior to going and if lucky maybe a fishing report to guide you. In the early days and I am talking in the 70’s when bass fishing took off it was a put on your big boy pants and drive there. If lucky there was a small resort with docks, but it did not matter, it was new and the fish were biting. And a short while later Florida was added to the travels, then the rest of the world. Always an adventure and when “it” happened it was all worth it.
Those were the days.
169lbs!
This would never happen today. It was a time of liberal limits and keep and eat, way before catch and release. Most of these weighed 3 – 4lbs with some bigger. The white bass that year were epic and a 25 fish limit often topped 80 lbs. Fishing has changed so much since then, but I have to admit I was there, and it was awesome. Fish were food plain and simple. Now some bass fishermen have the holier than thou attitude that because I put them back, I am better than you. That is nonsense, there needs to be selective harvest depending on the resource. Just because folks like to eat them and are doing it legally does not make you special, it makes you a pompous rear end whose opinion is not based in science but “the my boat is bigger than yours syndrome”.
Huh?
Never did tell me how this happened.
Going through pictures I forgot about this. Early 70’s coming around the corner north of Red Bank on lake Norfork and here he was. If you notice he saved the cooler. Not sure how this happened. But I towed him around the corner back to the ramp and not even a thanks. Maybe field sobriety tests might have been appropriate but again it was a different time. During this period I lived at the dock and helped out along with guiding and really fished a lot, as in almost daily. The boat revolution was on, baits were changing, reels and rods went from heavy and slow to fast and light. Coot time to be all up in it.
Interestingly enough over the decades I towed many folks back to the ramp. Fresh and salt it happened every few years. There was only one time in over 50 years I had to be towed and that was when I picked up my new Carolina Skiff in Florida. Made it about a quarter mile from the dock and it died. Ended up the mental giants who rigged it put the bulb on the fuel line backwards. If you think about it that record is amazing, shit just breaks.
And speaking of towing one of my most disappointing memories on a tow job was out of POC. It was fairly busy and as I headed in there was an old boat with 3 folks paddling with boards. People in the high dollar boats were blowing by them. Watched as one guy in a Majek turned his head away and pretended not to see them. Come on bro, that isn’t right. When I stopped, they had paddled all the way from the island and no one offered to help! So I hooked them up and to the ramp we went. Over the years I hate to say it but probably the most disrespectful boaters reside in Texas. Do better folks.
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With some fresh snow we will be heading out in a little bit to explore. Not a car by the house this morning as the neighborhood is really quiet as the holidays have ended. But glad the snow is falling and it should help the skiing on the mountain. So no plan, no duties so out the door we go. So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.
Good Luck and Tight Lines
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