FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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After taking a few days off, basically just waiting for what looks like will be daytime temps in the 80’s and to spend the weekend out of town with the Boss, it is time to get back on the horse.  (I only spent $20 on 2 whooper ploppers this weekend.  Maybe a new low for a 2 tackle store stop.)  It looks like I am headed to a new lake tomorrow for a couple of days for a little bass fishing and some limb lining for big cats.  Hope to sack up some nice cats for the grease.

I got these pictures from Kennon Evett.  He was the photographer when Dan and I fished during his quest for a Share A Lunker for the AAA magazine.  A big thanks Kennon, be sure to check out his site if you are needing some professional photography, be it personal or commercial.  To bad he was working, must have been tough to watch us fish all day but he took it like a trooper.

**********************A new bait coming soon!

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A cool shot.

Got her.

Be sure you get it on nice and straight.

There has to be one on these trees.

Last bite of the 2 days.  Wish Dan had boated her.

Hopefully Dan and I will get to chance at that Share A Lunker a little more in the coming year.  And Kennon, the offer is open to fish anytime.

https://www.kennonphoto.com/index

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Today I will be checking the skiff to be sure it is good to go on a 125 trip, and putting  the bass tackle back in good order.  And I will do a drive by at the boat shop to see if they might have the LTS done.  But hey, it has only be a couple of weeks and I have sympathy for them, I am sure there were lots of folks around the weekend trying to get emergency help for the holiday.  The time to make sure all is ready is way before a holiday.

All of you who hang in there with the blog when there is the occasional down time have my thanks.  Those of you who do know that there is some serious fishing to come.  It won’t be that long before it is jacket weather on those cool mornings, where the reds are schooling, and the ducks are flying.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Brought to you by

**For a super deal on your Wade Right use promo code FCT15 and get 15% off on your online order!**

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The Boss.  My favorite traveling companion.

Be Safe This Weekend

I hope everyone has a great 3 day holiday weekend.  With that comes plenty of traffic on both the water and the roads.  It is a great time for a few random acts of kindness.  Be the bigger guy our there.  Let the other guy out if the line is long, get everything ready before you back the boat on the ramp, help someone who might be struggling, there is lots of small things we can all do to make the weekend better for everyone.  So be safe out there and have a great time.  And if you are doing a little fishing catch one for me too.

I on the other hand will be hanging out at the house.  There are a couple of projects that need tending to and now is as good as time as any.  Time to give the skiff and Mako a good going over, a serious head to toe check, including checking and airing tires, paperwork, safety equipment, basically everything from stem to stern.  I am itching to get back to it.

**********************A new bait coming soon!

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Just got this comment from Rusty our Fayette guru.

Welcome back Doug! Nothing like the mountains for a great vacation. I had a friend down from western Illinois this week for some bass fishing and dove hunting this weekend. First day on Fayette ( in my “new” LTS) started with swim jig and boated several til the sun came up, then it was tough fishing. Ran over to the out flow and picked up couple more on small plastic shad baits. Water was so hot! Today it was pretty much the same but we started at the out flow at daylight. Same results both days 6-7 nice fish for 1/2 day fishing. Miss the cool mountain air! Til this heat wave breaks I think it’s going to be tough fishing. But I still will be going! Big adjustment for me this week going from Champion Bass Boat to LTS but I’m getting there.
Tight lines
Rusty

Funny you should say that about going from a Champ to an LTS, been there done that. No doubt they are 2 different boats, I loved my Champ but for all around use the LTS is a great boat, and it sure does tow easier than the Champ. Even when it is slow nice to put a buddy on a few good fish and some doves.  Sounds like a great time.  And I am so over this hot summer, but change is a coming.  So all the rest of you put down your rods and pick up a shotgun, I will handle the water for the next few months.  Good to hear from you and looking forward to you putting me on a few later this fall.

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Open Wide!

I just can not help but comment on a sign I have seen a couple of times this last week.  It is for Agave Dental.  Perfect!  Really?  Nothing like your dentist being all hopped up on tequila while he drills a hole in your head.  Or it might be you get a couple of shots before he starts.  If somebody is going to be drinking in this relationship it will be me!

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And last this comment from Chago after we saw his place in Colorado the other day.

Doug,

Once you have peaked behind the curtain, it can never be unseen and in this case, it is not a bad thing. We hope our remote cabin will provide much more than vacations. As you have already witnessed, such an environment requires self-assurance but also humility to allow the helping hand of thy neighbor. May an education be delivered on many levels.

The cabin will always be work in progress, but a few minor updates will make it extremely comfortable. As for the view, it will only change as Mother Nature dictates.

Respectfully,
Chago

I appreciate your eloquent response.  It is so true, when you “see” the full beauty of the mountains it can not help but touch you.  We really were stunned at the majestry and can not thank you enough for giving us an opportunity to see it.  The last day we actually ended up driving by again from the back way and the picture above was taken at the trail head.  As soon as the fish start biting this fall, and as soon as your son’s schedule allows, it will be my pleasure to share the boat with you.

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Fall has me thinking about all the fishing to come.  Fishmass with the Austin Boys, trout hitting the rivers, big schools of reds, bass putting on their fall feed, all are right around the corner.  The 10 day weather report holds some hope as the coast will stay in the 80’s for the next 10 days, and we will even have a few days like that here in Victoria.  And a little rain is even in forecast.  As the days get shorter and the weather cools fishing will take the forefront.  I have a couple of small trips planned and at least one big one coming up.  So time to head to the tackle room and get organized, the fishing is about to begin.  Please have a safe and fun weekend.  Keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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It was a beautiful full moon that woke me up this morning.  The sky clear as a bell, crisp and cold, a real mountain morning.  So after a little breakfast and coffee on the deck it was time to make one last wade on the creek.  It only took a second to see, the water has really dropped.  But time in an awesome place makes up for that.

No fish?  Who cares when it looks like this.

While it had really fallen it gave me a clear look at where I was catching the fish.  As I worked my way down river I jumped a grouse, or he jumped me, and when he blasted off the bank right next to me it was something.  Talk about getting the ^%$# scared out of you.  I love it.

Working any chute or deeper spots where they were did not produce a bite, not even a pass.  The water was so clear.  Finally way down creek from the house I caught one last rainbow in a deep pool.  (2 foot maybe.)

This little guy was the last bite I would have this trip.

This trip has gone a long way to rejuvenating my fishing spirit.  Simple, no boat, no traffic, just walk out the front door and hop in.  Only the sound of the river, birds, and even a wad of coyotes this morning.  It so takes me back to wading the streams in southern Iowa growing up.  Those creeks now are just a shadow of their former selves.  I so appreciate what Colorado has done to preserve these beautiful streams and rivers.  The only downside – Looks like it is going to cost me.  Just what I need, more fishing stuff.  But as we are already planning another trip time to bite the bullet and join the modern world.   I can only guess how many I would have caught with the buggy whip.

One of the “problems” of visiting Colorado, to much great stuff to do.  I am happy with the fishing the last couple of days, next we are headed to an area known for lots of elk and deer in the summer.  As we 4wheel the mountains you can never tell what you will see next.  Man are we having a great time.

**********************A new bait coming soon!

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Chago – I thought you bought somewhere cool?

Yesterday we visited our buddy Chago’s place high in the mountains, basically at the end of the line, outside of Pagosa Springs.  He could not have bought in a better location, all I can say is wow and more wow!  I am sure the view was a 1/2 of the cost of the house.  And it is worth every stinking penny.  As the kids say – This is sick!  See below.

This is the views from his front yard!

All I could think of was a hot cup of coffee on the porch as the sun comes up!

Chago says that this is a mystical place and I could not have said it any better.  The drive itself from town is nothing short of spectacular.  I can not say it any more, what a freakin’ place!  Everywhere you look is flat stunning.  They have already seen a bear, and there are deer, elk, and even a lion or two.  And on the far bluff the state wants to know if anyone sees the Bighorn Sheep.  (Chago – better get the best spotting scope you can buy, set it up on the porch, and go to looking.  What a view!)

And on the way there are several vistas overlooking the big valley that just boggle the mind.

What a view.  One of several on the way to his place.

And you can never tell what might be right around the corner, along with this girl we saw a flock of turkeys on our drive.

Pretty girl.

As you work your way up the mountain the road becomes a forest service road, which is not plowed in the winter.  As his place is in what is called a 3 season area once the big snow falls the road is closed miles from his place.  Think that is a hassle?  No, just the opposite.  The house has everything for winter living, they just have to access it by snowmobile, horse, or hike.  Can you say snow cat?  They are surrounded by forest for 4 wheeling, hiking, snowmobiling, hunting, and anything else you would ever want to do in the mountains.  I can only image what it will be like this winter.  So quiet with only the sound of the wind as you gaze out on that view…..and if that does not recharge you what would?   Chago, even your glowing words did not do it justice, but how could it?  And my words could not do it justice either.  It has to be seen.  It truly is magical and your family will get a lifetime of enjoyment.

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And speaking of self sufficient.  There is a wooden bridge crossing the river to the small community where we are staying.  Once you turn off the county road the community is responsible for the roads. The day before we got here a heavy truck broke through some of it and now the boys are out there fixing it.  Neighbor helping neighbor, I love it.  And in the winter they do not get plowed and everyone down here pitches in to keep it open.  Just another example of the folks who live here.  A hardy bunch who are always willing to lend a helping hand.  Just another thing to love about this area.  So when we head out on our afternoon drive in a couple of minutes we will take the low water crossing, nothing like getting to use the 4wheel drive.

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It is hard when writing about the mountains to articulate without being cliché.  Words like amazing, awesome, stunning, just can not convey the feel being there.  So on our last afternoon we took a ride along the Continental Divide through the national forest.  Running along a ridge through dense forest with open meadows high in the mountains the ride is known for seeing animals.  But there was 2 problems this trip seeing wildlife.  First it was the couple of days during the full moon and you know they were out running all night.  Second, and probably the reason we saw only a mulie on that drive, bow season.  It did not sink in until we hit a stretch where there were 5 or 6 camps full of bow hunters.  So I am sure things were all stirred up.  But we will take that drive again, hopefully with a little snow before they close the road.

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As you can probably tell by now we had a great time.  How good?  Maybe back in October.  We want to stay in the Creede area next trip.  A cool old mining area, it has a big river with multiple access areas that we checked out on our first day.  So the fly rod is in my future, one of those hobbies like turkey hunting I have always avoided as I have enough hobbies to go around.  But nothing like a new adventure.

Since we wanted to stretch our time as much as possible we made the 17 hour drive home in one day.  We have done that kind of thing many times together, but maybe not quite that long again.  So we came to this decision, all the way on the way out, then a stay one night on the way home.  A little concession to age.

Now back to real life.  The LTS is at the marine service for the annual checkup so will be interested if that is done.  Just checked the weather for the next 10 days, same old, same old.  Today will be getting stuff back in order and hopefully on the water in the morning.  So keep stopping and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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Our humble cabin.

I did want to say one thing about this cabin we are staying in.  It is laid out perfect.  Well thought out, and if I ever built another house it would be exactly like this.  Functional, easy to maintain, it really has been a nice place to stay.  In fact it is hard to get the Boss to leave the property.  We took the long way back from town yesterday and only saw one mulie and a flock of turkeys.  I did see a fox this morning and as we are headed up a big mountain to see our friends place there is a good chance to see more criters.

**********************A new bait coming soon!

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Now to the fishing.  After losing the “good” bait it became immediately clear I needed smaller stuff.  So I picked up a couple, including the smallest Mepps spinner I could find.  The treble was not dressed with feathers, just the spinner, and it was a good choice.  The water had stabilized a lot lower than it was and it was a clear son of a gun.  (Which made it all the cooler watching them roll on it.)  I knew it was going to be precision fishing, flipping the little spinner under the banks and by rocks.

One of 3 browns and 4 rainbows.

Once I got the speed and presentation down I ended up catching 7, and missed a few.  It really did take a precise cast, the water is maybe 3′ in rare spots, the rest 2′ or less.  As the better fishing is down creek it was important to get the spinner spinning immediately then letting it quarter with the current.  Sound easy?  The strike zone was a couple of inches from the correct cover.  And to complicate matters it was throwing a 1/32 spinner on 4lb test where you just could not cast.  It was basically a pitching technique, under hand flips usually 6 foot or less.  A really short rod might help with making casts, it is tight.

The last rainbow was the biggest, no pictures, but he will be famous as he and a couple of his buddies are the guest of honor at tonight’s supper.  The Boss wants the fish fixed like I did years ago guiding on the White River, the classic shore lunch.  When it comes down to it I am actually pretty happy with the mornings wade.  Figuring it out always gives me some personal satisfaction.  And doing it here, in the mountains, not a soul on the creek, makes for a successful day.

This is the way to end the day.  It tasted even better than it looks!

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The pictures have been few and far between.  We are having a great time and just taking it easy.  Here is a few from Mesa Verde and a bull elk from the other day that I had not downloaded off the “real” camera.

A nice bull elk.

Mesa Verde.

The only regret on this trip is we just did not have enough time to really explore Mesa Verde.  It really is one of the cool places we have visited.  Like Machu Picchu, it speaks to an abandoned culture, how and why they just do not know.  All I know is it was amazing.

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This afternoon we headed out to see Chago’s place in the mountains and it is beyond cool.  Pictures from that ride tomorrow.  Then we stopped by SoCol, the place we stayed last winter for happy hour.  Then fresh trout, topped off with a nice sit on the deck as the sun goes down.  It is all good and that is all I have to say about that.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Brought to you by

**For a super deal on your Wade Right use promo code FCT15 and get 15% off on your online order!**

Last night, Saturday, we headed back to Pagosa Springs to get into our rental.  10 miles south of Pagosa on the highway, then another 5 on gravel to a small community on the Rio Blanco in a valley.  The house is new, and cool, and the river is out the back door.  Of all things it rained, it has been real dry here, and the river was running an ugly brown.  But I wasn’t to worried as it should fall by morning, which it did.  So at 8:30 I hopped in and started fishing.

The Rio Blanco.

The river is really a creek, with long stretches of really shallow water, with no visible trout.  But it does have some pools and cut banks that look great.  While I was fishing this morning it dropped a good 10″ and started  to clear fast.  I was tossing a small spoon when I got a bite, which I missed.  The next cast my first Colorado brown smacked it.

It has been a while since I caught a brown trout.

After a quick CPR, I am using barbless hooks, it swam off no worse for the wear.  In the next little stretch I lost a real small one at my feet.  And then a great bite from a nice brown who came out of a cut bank and smoked it.  Unfortunately it did not stay buttoned up.  From there I managed to lose the good bait in a tree, it is tight quarters, and the other 3 baits I tried did not produce a bite.  Not sure if it was the smaller bait, which is suspect it was, so off to town later to get what I need.

As I waded back to the house I spent some time looking and did not see any trout, especially in a couple of places I should have if there are that many around.  And the small waterfalls with a good pool at the base of them did not produce a bite, which really surprised me.  There are lots of big crawdads and really small minnows, which will help with color selection.   I have a feeling this would be a great stream for the fly guy with the 3 weight.

So no problem with the results of the morning’s wade.  Even the Boss said when I got back to remember it is in the doing in one of the great places on this earth.  It is so beautiful in this canyon where the house is.  Quiet, other than the sounds of the river, and surrounded on 2 sides by mountains, what could be better than that.  The more we come here the more I like it.  And as a side note there are so many lakes in the area there is tons of places to fish for a variety of fish.  And in some of the lakes, more research to do on that, there is some crazy limits as in no limits on some species.  Smallmouth, pike, and even walleye on some lakes.  Who knows the skiff might make the trip one of these days.

**********************A new bait coming soon!

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As we had a few hours to kill yesterday we made a quick pit stop at Mesa Verde, a national park, to see the pueblo that was occupied for a couple of hundred years around 1000 AD.  Then they vanished for whatever reason.  We really did not have enough time to see it properly, and a return day trip is in the works so we can hike the trails.

The real reason I bring it up is as we were headed up the big mesa to get to the ruins it started to rain.  Then it dropped from 75 to 55 degrees and it hailed.  Not hard enough to do any damage, but 98 degrees with 75% humidity like home it is not.  As I sit on the porch listening to river and typing this it is 75 degrees and perfect.  And the state really needs the rain.  Both areas we have stayed so far have had big fires, one 160,000 acres, it is so dry.  Just like home they need the rain.

Early up for another wade, I got a couple of smaller baits so it should be a little better.  We still have to make it up to Chago’s place that he bought this summer.  Should be a great drive and we will probably take a hike while we are there.  Then Tuesday it will be a different fishing spot, maybe a guide, or we might just rent a 4 wheeler and hit the trail.  It really is an outdoor lifestyle out here.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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I am waiting to start the trout fishing portion of our trip to Colorado tomorrow.  We have a house on the river and fishing is at our doorstep.  I am really looking forward to putting some rainbows in the pan the way we did shore lunch for the guide customers on the White.  I actually guided for them off and on for 20 years in Arkansas, and how knows, maybe I will add a nice brown to the list.  There are some pretty long comments so I thought I would share them before the fishing begins.

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One of the guys I met through the Austin Boys is Dan Oko, who is a professional writer and an at large for Texas Monthly.  He was doing an article on his quest for an 8lb bass for AAA when we fished together last spring.  I haven’t seen the article yet but here is a shot of the cover.  I managed to catch a good one, but unfortunately Dan did not score on his quest for a Share A Lunker last spring.  But who does not like trying?  He sent me this…..

The photographer took this from the bank while we were back in one of the creeks on Coleto.  Our next endeavor is a go at Fayette later this fall or winter.

**********************Get inhaled

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I thought my Academy experience was an isolated experience.  Academy screwed up my license but read this from Chris.  It could have been ugly.

Just read your license story from Academy and don’t think I ever told you about what happened last year…

For a few years, I won’t buy a duck stamp there, a couple years of buying one and it never showing up makes me go wait in line at the post office so they hand it to me right there.  It got a lot worse this past year.  I went in on August 16 and bought my new super combo.  I went over to the table and she printed out a license, looked at it, and said “oops, I messed that one up.”  She printed a second one and I was on my way.  Fast forward a couple months of both hunting and fishing and I call up TPWD for my sand hill crane permit (you can only get this by calling up the guys in Austin) and he looks me up and tells me I don’t have a license.  I pull my license out of my wallet and the second time she did the license she cancelled my 2018 license and reissued my 2017 license, which expired 14 days later.  TPWD confirmed they had record of Academy issuing a 2018 license, then cancelling it, then reprinting my old one.  So I had been hunting for a couple months with no license.  At least I can say when I went back to Academy and explained what happened, they called TPWD, confirmed it, and gave me a new license without charging me again.  Good thing I never got checked those few months!

Not sure what else to say about this subject but how incompetent can you get?  Like I said last post, if you want it done right just go to the TPWD office in Victoria.  Or at least absolutely confirm what they give you.

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And fishfearlarry sent this comment on the Power Pole.

Just a thought in regards to your comment on power poles and anchors in your last post. Many anglers have grown “secure” to trusting them as an anchor. My way of looking at this is you pull in shallow to get out of the boat to make a wade and it is a nice calm morning with a soft mud bottom, your boat will be secure because the pole will probe deep into the bottom. but, as it can so easily happen, what if a little thunderstorm comes near and the winds pick up and the wave action gets up? The boat will naturally rock up and down and could easily cause the power pole to loose the contact. Not only that, but if the waves are high enough and the pole is keeping your boat secure, the waves will be breaking over the back of the boat and could (and has) caused boats to fill with water and sink. An anchor surely is the most secure and is tied off the front of the boat for a reason…boats are made to take waves from the bow, not the stern. Another mistake that many people make is, not letting out enough anchor line. A short anchor can easily dislodge just like a power pole if the wave action picks up. My last thought for this post is in regards to the many of us that wade and hunt when the waters get cold enough to cause us to put our waders on. we get to the boat ramp and one of the pre launch activities is to put our waders and boots on so that when we get to our spot, all we have to do is grab our gear and hop out. How many of us are wearing life preservers with the kill switch attached when we are motoring across the bay in water that will normally be over our heads? Just something for all of us to think about.

A well thought out comment and a primer on anchoring the boat.  And your last point is really worth thinking about.  As I have gotten older the kill switch is basically a mandatory, the life jacket when I am fishing by myself on a lake.  But once I thought about your last point, all that on, no life jacket or kill switch, whipping across the bay at daylight on a winter day is a receipe for disaster.  Having had a boat on my head during a tornado years ago made me realize it can happen to me…. and you.  So you all can take this for what it is worth, but we don’t drive the car without a seat belt.  And good to hear from you.  Thanks.

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And Topwater Billy dropped this comment.

Several things.
First off, it’s kind of, for lack of a better word, odd, that I read this today and you made a statement about Coleto dropping. I just drove over Texana today and made the statement to my wife that I was shocked. If it has dropped at all since it filled up with the June rains, it has not done so much. Most definitely cannot notice just driving over it.
Second, as to the POC incident. To the best of my knowledge, whether they were using an anchor or Power Pole was never made public. Apparently the two young men pulled up to a wadefishing spot and got out of the boat to do so. When the boat started drifting away, one of them took off swimming after it. Call went out at about 7:15 in the morning for the rescue. As you said, very sad for that young man and his family.
It’s POC, there are multitudes of people on the water, even during the week. Let the dam boat go. Yes, there may be the one a**hole out there that will steal it or the gear out of it. But more than likely that will not be the case. It is NOT worth it and you will NOT beat mother nature.
As to the Power Pole. I’m sure there are many, many people that use it as the the soul means of “anchoring” there boat. I would be willing to bet that is the companies intent as well. And no, I am knocking the company in the least bit. But as they always say, better safe than sorry.
Next, sucks that you had to go through the license thing. However, I’m glad you brought the situation to light. Reminds me that I need to get mine. Had completely forgotten it was time to do that.
Seeing as one seem to be rambling, going to combine the last three things.
Sounds like Rick is on to something. Can you say…….s.a.l.t. air…….lol. And yes, I too read the bath tube water reports. BTW, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the blog.
Lastly, safe travels to Colorado and catch one of them over the rainbow fishes for me. At least I can say I caught one in spirit.

Thanks for the birthday wish.  As far as Academy, see above.  That is crazy.  And when I crossed Texana a couple of weeks ago it liked good to me, which did surprise me as fast as Coleto is dumping.  And your comments on letting the boat go says it all, just wave and keep fishing, it will work out one way or the other.  It just might be a long night.  And I will try to catch a rainbow for you.  Catch you later.

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This post might be a little disjointed, it is late at night and I wanted to get this stuff up before the fishing begins tomorrow.  I am excited about the fishing, the eating, and we just love the mountains.  We had a good time in Durango today, and really enjoyed visiting the town of Creede yesterday, a cool old mining town.  There is a great stream there that I doubt I will fish this week, it is a little to far away, but it is on the to be fished at some point list.  Plus with a river in my front yard tomorrow there will be plenty of fishing without going any where.  We have seen a few mule deer, some turkeys, antelope, and what looked like a big herd of elk way off.  The area we are staying is where we saw lots of big bucks last trip, so hope to see some more.   Time to get the camera out!  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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**For a super deal on your Wade Right use promo code FCT15 and get 15% off on your online order!**

Time to head back to my warm and fuzzy spot Friday morning.  It has been a couple of weeks since I fished the lake but after my last couple of trip results I will be happy catching a wad of shorts pitching, and if I am lucky, a good fish or two thrown in.  I also fixed up a couple of the MJ rigs, a spinner in the tail of my stick worm, to try.  And there is one specific thing I hope to accomplish, OR NOT, is whether my GPS is done.  (Humminbird will not fix any unit over 3 years old.)  It has been acting up the last 3 trips so this is last call.  I retraced, checked, and cleaned all connections from battery to unit and will know in about 2 minutes whether that was it, which I doubt.  But you never know.

Our temps continue to be nothing short of oppressive.  Obviously there are heat warnings out and some places will see a heat index of 110+.   As a side note, the Boss is seeing lots of working guys in the ER who are suffering some form of heat issues.  No surprise.  You must hydrate, end of story.  And the harder you work the more water you should pound.  And that includes fishermen.  So tomorrow will be on the water at daylight, with plenty of water in the cooler.  It will be interesting to see how the day goes.  I mean I can catch fish, right?

Now for the funny part.  I woke up about 4:00 am on Friday morning, thought it was because I was excited to be heading to the lake.  But No!  It was so I could puke my brains out.  It was ugly.  (Aren’t you glad I shared that?)  The Boss said it was viral and basically sleep and ibuphrophen was the size of it.  So here it is Sunday morning and I have not made it in the boat yet.  But tomorrow is a new day and it will be Coleto at daylight.

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Weather

97/75.  Partly cloudy with a 10% chance of rain.  Winds  S 10 – 20 mph.

Lake Level

Today  94.45 msl.  2 weeks ago  94.91 msl.  (Still on the slow but steady decline and it is getting low!)

Solunar Times

Best  6:52 am to 8:52 am.  (Only relevant period.)

********************Get inhaled

This is a bass.  I actually caught a few today.

After not hitting the water for a week just heading up lake as the sun was coming up was nice.  The water temp was 92 at the ramp and 90 up lake with a light wind.  And most of the lake has some color to it, seems like a lot more than a couple of weeks ago.  But the big thing  –  The last foot it has dropped has really made a difference.  The piers at the ramp are almost completely out of the water, and if it keeps up it won’t be long before you have to be real careful putting in as the ramp ends and there is a drop off.  It is not as low as it was 3 years ago, but it is headed that way.  I had 4 goals today, catch a fish, keep supper, see if the GPS was still insane, and then drop the boat off for it’s annual maintenance.  And I got all 4 done.

I was concerned that the wood I have been pitching to might be to shallow, and basically it is getting there fast.  The first 2 or 3 bites I missed, they are tricky, but after that is was just as it has been for weeks, except for one thing, they are all small.  Of the 11 caught pitching the watermelon red stick worm, only 2 measured, both like the one above.  To bad for the first guy, he is the guest of honor at supper tonight.  The wind laid some and it started getting hot so time to fill out supper.

The only reason I am showing you this is my mastery of both catfish and tilapia continues.  Crazy.

The point separating the ramp cove has both whites and largemouth on it.  Trolling in the 15′ range was the ticket today.  Watching the locator the fish were definitely not nearly as active.  Instead of spread out the whites were on the sand point and the bass were more towards the dam.  For some reason there were not nearly the numbers of shad as there was the last trip.  But they did bite and 2 more bass and 5 small whites came over the side.  So with the Boss’s supper order filled I called it a day around noon.

Today was just go catch a fish and eat it day.  Not sure how the lake will fish if it keeps dropping like this.  The big sand hump has come up on the island, so if you head to the lake be aware some areas are getting pretty shallow.  Today most of the fish were in one area up lake, a channel bank with cover near the deepest water in the area.  But duplicating it down lake in a place or 2 resulted in not a bite.

With Colorado trout fishing on the way this week dropping off the boat was the real important deal.  I figure if I drop it off and give him a return date it might get done sooner.  But hope springs eternal, I just know that maintenance is a mandatory and it sure pays in the long run.  Unfortunately the GPS continues turning off and on, and it froze up once.  So as far as that goes, looks like right in the trash.  I love boating.

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Sad Day

My condolences to the family and friends of the young man who drowned off Grass Island.  What a tough loss and a reminder that the ocean is not your friend, it has no soul, and it only takes a second.  There are so many things that can hurt you.  In fact, the Coast Guard official they interviewed in the paper said there had been maybe 3 or 4 drownings trying to retrieve a boat that got away, I can not imagine those families loss.  I have no direct information on how or what happened this time but it brings up something that happened to Aaron and I just last month.

The Power Pole is not an Anchor!

I always use both the Power Pole and an anchor when I wade.  I fish by myself so often that the thought of losing the boat has always scared me.  In Arkansas we didn’t jump out of perfectly good boats.  On our last trip to Baffin Aaron and I used only the Power Pole and the boat got away.  It could have been a long night on the island or much, much, worse.  This is not a Power Pole complaint, just a fact.  I am not sure the Power Pole was ever intended to be the sole anchor on an untended boat.  So take it for what you will, but it is one of those “better safe than sorry.”

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A fishing license fiasco! – Or watch the clerk at Academy closely.

The initial plan was to fish today (Thursday) but I had some banking issues to settle.  Bank America is leaving Victoria, and will not even have a cash machine.  So after 20+ years with, both personally and professionally, time to move.  We already alerted all the auto deposits and withdrawal folks and that was squared up.  To close and organize the new accounts should be no problem.  It basically involved 6 accounts in 2 banks, and it took plenty of time to square it all up today, but looks like it is all done.  What a hassle.  But what I thought might take a little while was a breeze, so it was off to Academy to renew my fishing license and get the great old man’s license. That is when things went Twilight Zone.

Not sure how to organize this but let’s start with the basics.  In Texas if you go year to year on your fishing and hunting license you always renew during the August 15th through the 30th for the next year, unless you buy a date to date, which I never do as I renew as I have every year for the last 10 during the 2 week period.

So I head to Academy so happy, I get the whole thing for $32, yahoo, a real break.  So I go to the register and pay the $32 and head to the license table.  She takes my stuff and says no, it will not let me sell you the fishing part.  Huh?  She says it will not let you have that until August 31.  And I ask why, is it because I  am switching to the old man license because when you buy during the period every year it normally lets you renew?  She obviously does not have a clue why no fishing license, but says you can purchase the hunting part now and then come back at the end of the month and pick up the fishing.  My comment – Now why would I buy the hunting part now and then come back and buy the  fishing part later?  Wouldn’t it make more sense to just come back and do it all at once?  She at least got that.  So basically I can not renew now.  OK.

So since I have already been to multiple places this morning I will just stop in TPWD and see what the deal is.  And here is what I found out when I handed my license to the lady at TPWD, this is date to date.  Huh?  When Academy renewed my license last year they made it date to date.  Even though the freakin’ thing was renewed during the correct period last year they made it date to date.  So by my not looking, or paying close attention to what they were doing, the person last year got it wrong.  And to top it off, TPWD said it ended up costing me like $7 more last year when they inexplicably made it date to date.  And to top off todays Academy’s continued good advice, the lady at TPWD said if I had bought the hunting today at Academy like the person suggested, and then come back and bought the fishing  it would have ended up costing me more than the $32!

So here is what I learned today.  Pay attention to what they are doing and review what you purchased.  So in some respects it is my fault, I was probably talking fishing with someone in line.  And second, make no assumption if you are not at the TPWD that the person selling you the license really knows any of the rules.  While it is no big deal to correct other than multiple trips, let the buyer beware.  My lesson, just get it at TPWD.

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I got this comment from Rick on the blog’s birthday, and a  potential cure for SAD.

There is only one cure for S.A.D. that I know of………SALT AIR !!!!!. 10 deep breaths right at sunrise and you will be good to go. Congrats on the success of your blog, I read everything you post. (yes, even the freshwater reports).

I am laughing right now.  Thanks for the congrats, and since I need to be out of the house on Saturday  (But unfortunately since I wrote this I was sick all weekend.)  morning it will be an early morning trip to the coast somewhere.  I know it is a weekend but sometimes a guy has to do what a guy has to do.  And thanks for reading the fresh reports, I know it is tough!

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Hopefully the next time you hear from me it will be holding a nice rainbow beside a beautiful mountain stream.  There are 4 places I hope to fish, one right in front of the cabin.  Since I am not tackled up for fly rodding, it will be 4lb. fluoro and super small baits.  Kind of a White River thing, only on a smaller scale.  To go along with some fishcatchingtravel, while reviewing September last year I realized that is when I caught all those redfish at Grand Isle.  So with that in mind I am headed there around the middle of September for a 3 or 4 days of fishing, a trip there will cure all your fishing ills.  And with the lake sucking and hunting season opening it will be back to the bay on a regular basis.  Hopefully the new Controlled Descent lure will be out and I can put it to the Louisiana test.  All I care about right now  –  Let Fall Begin!  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Brought to you by

**For a super deal on your Wade Right use promo code FCT15 and get 15% off on your online order!**

Here I sit on a Wednesday morning, watching fishing.  The plan was to get up and go, but I just did not make it.  But fishing is always on my mind and here is a few random thoughts.

8/11.  My first marlin, a fishing memory forever burned in my mind.

It is our 7th Birthday. Thanks!

The blog’s birthday is the reason I put up these particular pictures from 8/11.  My first marlin, a fishing moment that can’t, and will never, be topped as long as I live. Today fishcatchingtravel enters it’s 8th year. The first post was in August 2008 and this will be my 989th post.  It boogles my little pea brain.  The site has come from a simple desire to put this stuff down on print to a full fledged website that has had hundreds of thousands of visitors over the years.  That was never the plan, in fact it still floors me at times how far this site has come.

Over the years I have had my moments, this is to much work, costs to much, takes away some from the real reason I fish, but I have soldiered on.  But the rewards have so outweighed the work.  So many new friends, some great fishing with folks I would have never met, and even the occasional free stuff.  And I have learned so much, I hope you have too. But this blog comes down to one simple thing, you.  Without you readers this would be long gone.  Every time I get a nice comment, a fishing report, or maybe a suggestion on how to do this or that, it makes it all worth it.  I can not thank you enough.

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S.A.D.

Seasonal Affective Disorder – sort of.  Normally this disorder is a winter disorder caused by the inadequate exposure to light.  Well that is not my problem right now.  I am currently suffering from a variation of this syndrome.  In my case it is Summer Affective Disorder, in other words I am freakin’ sick of summer this year for some unknown reason.  I can barely get motivated to hitch up the boat and go fishing.  And the last couple of trip results hasn’t helped matters.

All I can think about is fall schooling redfish, the Corky thump from a winter trout, a bass smoking a jerk bait when it is 30 degrees out, and those crisp morning rides across the water as dawn breaks.  Unfortunately this syndrome is not official, there is no pill, no treatment, nothing to cure my current condition.  Looking at the weather here for the next 10 days shows a great variation in day time temps, wildly swinging between 96 and 97 degrees with a 10% chance of hope.  According to Jessie the weather dude, who’s forecasts I alternately love and hate, we will be looking at a heat index of over 100 without a break. Love that humidity.

But there is a temporary cure for my fishing funk, Colorado.  A little over a week away, today’s forecast for Pagosa Springs – 83/52 with 32% humidity.  Fishing for trout in a cold mountain stream in the heart of the National Forest, hiking over 11,000 feet to a stunning mountain lake, it is the cure for what ails me.  So I am taking a few days off from the water to regenerate, at least until tomorrow morning.

********************Get inhaled

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8/11.  Love those Louisiana trips!

How much does it cost to go fishing?  Or in other words do not tell the Boss!

The answer?  I don’t want to know, but now that I brought it up lets take a real simplified look.  I can’t believe I am doing this.  So we will take a year and average the costs over 150 trips. First the boat.  In my case $30k for 10 years of use, they don’t last forever.  $3k a year, so $20 a trip.  And then you have to get there, so gas for both truck and boat.  Even for a fairly close short trip $30 is a reasonable estimate.  (Probably $70 yesterday.)  Wear and tear on the truck, .25 a mile, a low estimate on a 50 miles roundtrip, again a short trip, $13.  Insurance at $300 a year is $2 a trip.  And just general maintance, not including a new trailer, tires, and graph, etc., around $600 a year if I am lucky, or $4.

• Boat  $20
• Gas  $30
• Insurance  $2.
• Maintenance  $4
• Vehicle costs $13

This may be simplified, but I do not want to know any more.  I am sure I have missed something but that is clearly a low trip estimate.  Take this year as an example.  New trailer – $2800.  Upholstery – $300.  New trolling motor – $900.  New graph shortly – $750.  Hard to average those out over their useful life, but it is plenty.  And we have not even taken into account my tackle shopping habits.  So when I occasionally whine about the cost, looking at it this way might give you an idea why.  This is an O-shit moment – I am spending an easy $75 average a day every time I go fishing, not counting tackle, rods and reels, ice, water, and a couple of moon pies.  Wish I had not done this!  Actually I am sure the Boss has a real understanding of the costs, or prefers to think gremlins are raiding the checking account.  At least I have this blog so I can whine some more.  There is only one way to reduce the average cost, fish more often!  Yea, that’s the ticket.  And one last comment – It is worth every freakin’ penny!

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My motor is bigger than yours.  What are we in the 5th grade?

OMG.  I just saw the first teaser ad for the new Yamaha outboard.  It is going to be 400hp!  Is there no end to the madness?  Are we going to see even more high dollar boats screaming along shooting big rooster tails as they blow by us?  I fully understand the need for speed, our car is a perfect example of that, but this is nuts.  Sorry, but I think the horsepower race has finally gotten onboard the train to Crazy Town.

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8/11.  And Belize is not the bad either!

Pro Teams

With the advent of the internet the tackle companies have come up with an ingenious program for folks wanting to be on their Pro Team, and to sell more stuff.  So out of curiosity I have responded to a couple and they all have similar programs.  One is for “real” pros, of course they get it all.  Then for the rest of the Pro Team you get a discount, but only if you buy a certain amount of product.  Which looking at them closely you can usually get the same products on sale for the same or less, but you don’t get the cool stickers.  It seems to have boiled down to a simple fact – Spend a bunch of money with us and you can be a Pro.

One rod company’s program was 40% off the regular price, you had to by at least 5, and had to swear on your loved one’s grave that you would exclusively use their rods.  Ok, not a bad deal, unless you want a rod for bonefishing, tarpon, or any other fish besides a 15″ green one.  Another required you to purchase 5 of their products initially, and then buy 4 more by years end, all at 30% off.  In fact, there is now a online company that charges you to register to be a Pro, and then connects you with companies who make the kind of Pro deals above.  Every body is getting in on the act.

I have to confess that I am a value shopper.  I keep abreast of all the sales, be it retail or online.  Folks if the spirit moves you do it, especially if you really do swear by their products.  I do the same with folks who’s products I believe in.  But you can buy the same stuff, or another companies similar products, anytime for the same price or less.  Guess this observation comes from the whining about the above cost of going fishing.

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And Topwater Billy chimed in on my strike out the other day.

Well, well well.
First off, you dam well had better knocked on the proverbial wood when you made the statement about the 50 hp. That’s like the kiss of death, saying something of that nature.
Second, you’re fishin’ the wrong water, man. That fresh stuff is for drinking and bathing in.
Lastly, as I’ve already said, if you put together another of the Chandeleur trips, let me know. Can’t promise I will be able to make it, but I would sure like the option.

Knocked on the side of my head right after I wrote that about the 50hp.  And the fresh vs. salt argument will go on among fisherman.  But like opinions and rear ends we all have them.  In my case it is 50 years of freshwater fishing and it is hard to get off that train so I keep on plugging.  And as far as a potential Louisiana trip, 4 folks have expressed interest, I will keep all informed.  Good to hear from you.

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Reading multiple fishing reports from various sites it seems the redfish are starting to school up.  There have been several really cool videos of huge masses of redfish, and lots of reports of great catches of reds right now.  Reminds me of 2 winters ago when Chris and I found a massive school of reds down near Twin Coves, right before the Austin boys showed for Fishmass.  The first morning the one boat went down there, we stopped on the pocket above them.  Then we heard yelling and here comes all 4 of them, running for all they were worth.  In front of them was a red wave, a huge massive tidal wave of hundreds of reds with the boys in hot pursuit.  When the reds dispersed the boys came over, all with a limit.  We ended up taking them back to get their boat, almost a mile away.  Fall really is just right around the corner, and with it some redfish madness.

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So back to real life.  I am off to Lowe’s to pick up new boards and carpet to redo the skiff’s bunks.  (Just a note.  On past repairs I have used outdoor carpet from Lowes, it held up well and was half the cost of the bunk carpet sold in stores.)  The job is actually not that bad, simply make the new ones, go fishing at the lake, and when done make the switch and off you go.  Trailers, can’t live with them and can’t live without them.  Then my GPS sonar researh will resume.

I have looked until I am blind.  I really am not a deep structure fisherman, I just want to know how deep it is, maybe see a fish or two, and how to get where in the hell I might want to be on a new body of water.  So if any of you have an opinion on brands let me know.  I am particularly interested if any of you have used the Raymarine Dragonfly or any other Raymarine product.  The top of the line is the Dragonfly 7Pro and the thing that I like about it is it comes with both freshwater and coastal mapping, which saves a ton of money over buying the cards to go along with other units.  And don’t even go there with the ability to update,  or interface with the Starship Enterpise, or the ability to upload on faceytime.  That is not happening with me.  I am all about ease of use.  So I really am interested in any input you all might have on gps/locators, if you have an opinion lets hear it.

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8/11.  Wow!  Not the stringer but who is that young man on the right?  Guess I have not gotten any prettier over the years!

There you have it for today.  It really has been an adventure and while I have made some mistakes, it is what it is for better or for worse.  So again a big thank you to all of you, you know who you are, that have supported this all these years.  I am humbled and appreciative.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Brought to you by

**For a super deal on your Wade Right use promo code FCT15 and get 15% off on your online order!**

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For some reason this weekend I have had lots of fishing stuff on the brain.  I have made a decision, I am headed to Calaveras early early on Monday.  Time to stretch it out a little.  And nothing beats a new place and figuring it out.  So I have been through tackle, rods and reels, and whatever else I have that might catch a few reds or stripers trolling, and a few things for vertical jigging.  How it will come out we shall see, but I love the anticipation of a new place.  Part of the fun is doing the research, there is so much good useable information available in this new world and there is no reason to go to a new place blind.  And if I don’t do some research I might not even find the lake!

Weather

95/76  Considerable clouds with a 20% chance of rain.  Wind  SSE 10 – 20 mph.

Solunar Tables

Good  6:56 am to 8:56 am.  Best  1:10 pm to 3:10 pm.  (Making me laugh today, I fished them both!)

Get inhaled!  

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At times it is tough to keep up this truthful blog thing.  I really can catch them, sometimes!

I have decided to sell the boat, all my stuff, end the blog, and take up knitting.  Well maybe next week!  Suffice to say this trip was a total fail.  A big fat nothing.  Not sure why it did not happen, not even a little bit, but after a strike out my last trip I am suffering a serious hitch in my git along.

To get out of my off and on again fishing funk (Really it is just this long hot summer.) I wanted to try someplace new.  So I did the research on Calaveras and hit the road.  As it was a trolling day I took the Carolina Skiff, the one thing that can be said for the day is once I started that little 50hp it trolled for 7 1/2 hours without stopping or missing a lick.  Every once in a while you get a “good” motor and that 50 is sure one of those.  (I probably should have never said that.)

When I got to the ramp there were 3 guides boats waiting on customers.  They all had downriggers and of course live bait as an option.  My research turned up an area on the lake where the reds tend to gather, so I headed to that area first to see what was up.  And there everyone was.  During the day I saw maybe 20 boats, and almost everyone was in the same cove.  So I started trolling and learning the lake.

I trolled a variety of deep diving baits, working from 10 – 30+ feet depending on the trailer.  Jigs, spoons, twisters, all in various combinations behind the crankbait produced exactly one fish all day.  I even worked the whole area with baits that trolled shallow, maybe I was missing them, but nope.  But of course my tilapia killing ways are still in full swing this year.  To finally catch a fish near the end of the day and having it turn into a tilapia could only make me laugh. Working that area and the dam, hoping to maybe add a striper if I could not catch a red, just did not happen for me.  I never saw anyone catch a fish trolling, even with their downriggers.

As a side note I was the first on Norfork in the “old” days to try downriggers for stripers in the late 70’s.  For about 3 years they smoked the stripers.  But you could see over the years that they got “wise” to it.  At first if you went over a bunch of them you would see them streaking up to smack the jig.  As time went on you would see them headed down as the weight went over them.  Though it still worked, the hey day was over.  To go along with that I just was not willing to go with the change, as live bait became the norm, and except for the occasional night trip or winter jigging trip I did little guiding for them.  Guess I was  to lazy to get up at 3:00 and go net bait.  But I digress.

So the guide boats all settled in the small area with everyone else, all fishing live bait.  I saw several fish caught, though not a lot.  That is how close everyone was to each other.  I did want to mention that as the day wore on there was multiple  (5 or 6) small redfish fresh dead floating.  Probably a combo of the live bait and the heat.  Everyone was close enough to each other that it was hardly what I would call an great outdoor experience.  I am sure the guides have a tough time on Calaveras on the weekend.  Since they all had graphics I am sure the potlicking is rampant.  So I finally gave it up and headed for the 2 hour drive home.  One thing I can say for a guy with ADD, at least if it was invented in my youth I would have had it, trolling and watching the sonar does keep me interested.  Amazing the bait in that lake.

When you get a wild hair and go somewhere new, and do something different, you can not be surprised when it doesn’t happen like you hope it would.  But by the same token, taking the challenge to expand both your fishing world, and style of fishing, only helps to improve your overall fishing skills.  Or maybe just keeps you from making some of the same mistakes.  While not catching squat sucks, if you stay in your warm and fuzzy spot you can never grow.  And this trip added to the list of lakes I have fished.  So while it was a wasted trip, as far as the catching goes, I will never stop trying new places.  With my completely ridiculous results the last couple trips I should change the name of the blog to fishfishingtravel and leave out the catching.  All I can say about today is “Dang it.”

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10/15.  This is a fish I caught some other day when I used to catch them.

I got this long comment from Mac, one of the loyal readers of this blog.

Rant on Doug–Your opinions are most welcome-We never know what you will tackle next. The best thing about all of your ramblings. They are very interesting and candid.  Keep em’ coming!!!!

I got a few myself–I hate those white halogen headlights on vehicles nowadays. They are blinding. Too many people purchase high priced pedigreed  animals when they could get ones from animal shelters and save some animal lives. So called “mutts” turn out to be real good pets. “Spent” dirty diapers tossed out of cars instead of a trash receptacle. We are becoming too lazy–Heavy fines for litterbugs!!!

As for fishing and hunting— We need more game wardens-Pay them more also! I have encountered so many hunters and anglers who break our laws. If things do not change soon, there may be catch and release and no bringing home our fish dinners. I, myself, would like to see this happen now!!!!!!!!! ( Oh Oh-I just ruffed up some feathers), but this just an opinion from me. Our waterways now are crowded more than ever with larger and faster boats . Fishing tournaments are everywhere and there is the race to get to the prime spots first. I think this type of fishing should be toned down. One can not even find a boat ramp to put in! Hurry up deer season

As for Hunting I have few rants. The one that I do have is–leave your beer in the deer camp. Too many hunters think the deer blind itself is a” beer joint” Safety is important.

As for waterfowl issues. Stop airboats from busting up huge rafts of ducks. It is illegal to do this but it still happens. With our geese, we now have some serious issues evolving. Less rice fields–Other grains are now taking over the once rice fields. Many birds do not even get to the Texas coast because of our recent warmer winters. They opt for our north states. Is Global Warming for real ?

I know my ways of thinking are probably not very well accepted by many, but we all live in America and we all have the right to voice our views. Keep doin’ what you do. Doug-Mac

And like everyone else you have a right to your opinion, and I appreciate the comments.

1. I also hate those headlights and folks who drive with the fog lights on when it is not foggy.
2. The mass breeding of some dogs has led to lots of genetic issues.  And nothing beats taking a happy dog home from the shelter.  A friend for life.
3. And when we moved to Texas we were appalled at the amount of stuff thrown out of cars, and especially the diapers in the parking lots.
4. We definitely need more wardens, and like most law enforcement, need a raise to help those  currently working and attract even better candidates.  They are professionals and should be viewed and paid that way.  I worked hand and hand with cops and firemen for the 10 years I was a medic.  We all “saved” each other, and the public, in lots of different ways and I will always be grateful for the experience.
5. I think much of the engine hp race started in I believe the 90’s when BASS did away with the 150hp rule at the behest of the boat manufactures.  And it has not stopped since.  And though I fished my share of tourneys, and would do a few again if I had a willing partner, multiple tournaments on a body of water ruin the weekend for the common guy who just wants to catch a fish.  I know, I have been on both ends.
6. I rarely even have one beer while fishing and hunting it would never enter my mind.  (And hey, I like a little happy hour when the day is done.)  But the only time alcohol and guns are used in the same sentence should be “How freakin’ stupid can you be”.  If you don’t care about your safety think about the rest of us.  Just had an interesting idea, it is illegal to drive drunk, hunting should be the same.  Hard to defend a drunk with a gun, I know that one too, been there done that too.
7. I have seen what was surely flock busting at POC on more than one occasion.  And it really gets me riled up when as soon as duck season starts you start seeing ducks cleaned, or not, dead in the Froggie’s lot.  Wasteful and done by slobs.  How things get messed up for the rest of us.
8. And like it or not we are in a period of climate change.  We can agree to disagree as to the cause, but no denying it is happening.

Wow, while my Rudy rant was off topic, your rant is right on topic.  As an “old guy” like me you have seen the big changes in the way things have gone.  The Boss just commented on a fishing show saying how cool it was to see a kid catch fish.  He was fishing on his daddy’s big offshore boat.  But what about the poor kid?  His options are limited with access getting tougher and tougher.  And the perception you have to have the fancy boat, and $300 rods and reels to catch something, is not helping anything.  And with so many single parents families some boys just never get the chance.

(One constant factor in my criminal defense practice, children born out of wedlock with no father figure.  And a little story to go along with that.  I represented a 12 y/o in juvenile court in CPS custody who never had a chance in life, but he was consumed with fishing.  When I found out I brought him piles of fishing magazines and asked if I could take him fishing and hopefully mentor him a little.  CPS said I would have to go through the same background rigmarole as if I was applying to be a foster parent.  I was good enough to protect his interests and rights, and hold CPS’s feet to the fire on his care, but not qualified to take him fishing without jumping through lots of hoops.  Sad.)

And hunting, forget it, if you are not connected your hunting options are extremely limited.  It all works together and the sports we all love are threatened from many sides for a variety of reasons.  It is incumbent on us to not only protect our rights, but to ensure the future of fishing and hunting for the kids coming up.  When it is all said and done it probably kept me out of jail (Most of the time!)  as a young man.  As usual I so enjoy hearing from you, and appreciate the comment.

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And Topwater Billy sent along this comment following my “strike out” on Fayette after his last comment on the Fayette beat down.

Holy crap.
So much for the curve ball.
You got put up against Tim Wakefield.
For those not in the know, he was a renowned knuckle baller.

It was definitely a knuckleball, with a couple of spitters thrown in.  But like a good fisherman I kept on swinging until I was out.  But in this old guy’s case it was Louis Tiante on the mound, with a jaw full of tobacco throwing a 60 mph something or other lollapalozza pitch, and I was flailing away like I needed glasses.  (Note: See yesterday.)

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As part of Major League Fishing they have been broadcasting a tournament from Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri.  I have been fortunate enough to have fished it multiple times.  It is a big lake and has some really good bass fishing and superior crappie fishing.  Today it was 6 of the best bass fishermen in the world fishing.  The guy who won had 36lbs, and the guy who finished last had 6.  A tough day happens to at least one or two of them on most days of these tournaments, somebody else smokes them.  So just about the time you think you have it going on it disaster can rear it’s ugly head, or you could knock them stupid.  A little luck never hurt anyone.  Sometimes you eat the fish, sometimes the fish eats you.  (Note: See yesterday.  Is there a theme here?  Not intentionally.)

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I got a nice offer from Rick, a long time reader.  To paraphrase –

If you get my way come slams some brews and crash at my place s0 the cops don’t get you.

While that is not exactly what he said, I did take some literary license, you get the drift.  A really swell invite.  Well guess what?  His area lake is on my winter list so will keep your fine offer open.  Though my fishing travels results somewhat suck lately I am nothing if not persistent.

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But I did get a comment that was about “real” fishcatchingtravel of the Chandeleurs Islands.

Thanks for the story. I couldn’t agree more. Last year was my first trip. Went on the VI. Ditto, Ditto ! I am going again next week for my 2nd trip. This group only goes in August. I would love to go in May. If you need another angler to go with you next spring, please consider me. I would love to go. I am 58 and retired, am a disabled veteran with some physical limitations, but can hold my own with most. I have been fishing my entire life and absolutely enjoy the fellowship that exists among anglers!!!
Sincerely,
Carl

First I am jealous and please, please, let us know how it goes.  Drop a comment when you get back and I will tell you how to share a few pictures if you have some.  And thanks for your service, and your persistence.  A real fisherman figures out a way no matter what.  Our trip is already full, with others wanting in.  After your comment I made sure the dates we are going and if I was included.  This time the boat is full with 12.  Having made quite a few trips with various groups it is always different and crammed on a boat you get some serious fellowship time.  So good luck on your trip and we will be interested to hear how it goes.  And if 8 of the rest of you want to try a trip like that let me know.  I am not travel agent but it is still one of the best bangs for you fishing bucks I have found.

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So after a bad trip to Fayette last week, and then another long day strike out yesterday, the question is how did it affect my poor fragile fishing psyche?  It was cloudy when I got up at daylight and I almost hitched up and hit the road.  Tomorrow will definitely be back on the water, might be time to return to my warm and fuzzy ways to actually catch some.  So I do not fit the definition of insane:  Doing the same thing and expecting the same result.  My expectation every time it go – A feakin’ boat load!  So keep stopping in, I just might catch one next time, and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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I could say that I am suitably humbled by my trip to Fayette the other day but that really would not be true.  More it was how much I touted the lake, it has always produced for me.  But I am somewhat puzzled.  It kind of reminded me of being on a school of good trout and you show up next trip and they are just plain gone.  Fayette has some serious marauding schools of bass, and like the other day when you find them it can be something.  But whatever happened they hit the road in mass.  The ramp will often tell you all you need to know about how the fishing is.  There were several folks fishing first thing and when I took out at 12:30 there was only 3 left.  So maybe it wasn’t me.  (At least I like to think so.)  No matter what it is still the best.

Get inhaled!  

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Thought I would add few pictures from the past. 12/12.

I am constantly amazed at the boat ads, which I read most days.  Do you want the sell the freakin’ boat or not?  And this one is sure to make folks break out the $$$.

Motor will need some work due to sitting and Trailer will need some work as well. There is one soft spot near the front compartment of the boat.

Perfect.  I am sure folks will rush to give this person $8k for a motor that does not work, a trailer that “might” get it home, and a floor that definitely needs replacing.  Other than that it is a great boat!

At least this one makes it clear what you get for $200.

Non running boat for sale. As is. You move. . OLD, no title.

My guess is if you show up and offer to take it away for nothing they might just say yes.

And there seems to be a little confusion here.

Yamaha 90TLR motor, 115 horsepower.

Ok……………

And one more, I could not resist.

trailer needs a redo,  boat it self has a bad transom and rot throughout. best offer takes it.

Here is my offer……$20 and you keep it!

And one final observation on how some folks describe an old boat for sale.  “Rare”  Old does not automatically equal rare.  And rare does not automatically mean worth something.  Maybe it is the last one on the planet of that terrible boat line.

I guess my fascination with these ads comes from having good boats, bad boats, and several in between.  My 16′ Holiday, the old cigar style bass boat, had the foam swell in the floor.  The 16.8′ Champ had the stringers delaminate from the hull, same with my 16′ Questar.  The bass boat explosion of the 70’s had lots of marginal “boat builders”, much of the quality was missing, and all have gone by the wayside.  So buyer beware.

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And speaking of boat sales, reading the ads I see lots of Champions.  I owned the 4th pad boat they ever made, and then the 16’8″ which was a beast.  The Boss did not like that one.  Why anyone would not like a boat that ran on the edge of disaster I do not know.  What is not to like!  But that was my younger days.  They were manufactured in Mtn. Home and John Storie was a buddy of mine from the bass club.  Sometime in the late 70’s, if my old memory serves me, he sold (Hope the number is right.) 10 black 20′ with nothing inside but the hull.  They ended up down south somewhere.  I am sure for “humanitarian” purposes.  Those things must have been scary fast.

4/13.  Now that was a real one.

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And I got this comment from Ron after my rant on Rudy.

After reading your comments on Rudy, I will no longer be reading your articles.

Sorry if it offended you but what makes America the best country on the planet is the right to express your mind.  But just as my Constitutional right to speak my mind, on my blog, is guaranteed under the 1st, you have the exact same right to ignore me.  Believe me, if I don’t like something I ain’t listening to it either.  Thanks for your comment but sad to see you go.

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Ron’s comment brings  up a subject I have written about before.  Whether it is on a blog, facebook, or any other social media, you have to realize not everybody will like what you have to say. When I first started the blog I got a lot of flack when I was actually truthful about the places I fished.  When you put yourself out there you should not be surprised, or offended, when folks don’t like it, or use it for some other purpose.  The last time I commented on this was the guide who posts constantly, has a wrapped boat, and then was lamenting he was getting potlicked.  And he was surprised why?  So if you put your self out there be ready to take it.  And to go along with this comment is a perfect example below, though a nice one.

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Pine Island Sound, trout fishing under a popping cork.  5/15.

I was really surprised to see that my blog post on Chris and Jamie’s trip to the Keys was up on Bud N’ Mary’s Marina facebook page.  I have never been to the Keys without stopping and just walking around their marina.  Talk about some serious fishing they are all about it.  They really do have some of the best guides in the world, and whether inshore or off, they will put you on the fish.  Not sure how my blog post got on their website but I am humbled it ended up there.  The other side of putting it out there.

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This week something is going to happen, just not sure where or what, but a plan is taking shape.  For the longest time I have been thinking about fishing Calaveras.  I have caught hundreds of nice stripers trolling, and Calaveras has them.  But the real reason is to troll up some redfish.  While I am not properly “tackled up” for that, I have enough stuff to take a swing at it.  There is just something about a big fish stopping a trolled plug.  And I have a friend who lives on a lake near Austin and I just might make a trip out of it, fish Calaveras, drive up and see him, and then fish the lake the next day.  Since both places would be first for me it has my fishcatchingtravel antenna on alert.  But no matter where I go, or what I fish for, I have an open week and intend to take full advantage of it.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines