Fishing Rhino

I'm looking at Wednesday. Supposed to be near 60. 50s on the weekend. I've been tuning up my gear. Gotta change some lures and put some on three new poles I haven't fished yet.

The bane of the electronic addictions. When I was a kid, we were always outdoors. Might have been fishing with a cane pole, playing ball on a vacant lot or catching fireflies. Most of the time, the baseball was wrapped in friction tape to keep the cover from falling off. The same with bats that were cracked, but not broken into pieces. If there were just two or three of us, we'd play catch. There was another game we played, but I don't remember all the rules. One guy had a bat. He'd hit a ball, and the person that got it first would toss it back, trying to hit the bat that was placed crosswise on the ground. If you succeeded in hitting it, you got to bat. We played all kinds of made up games, including the game that would be anathema today, "cowboys and indians". Dodgeball, tag, free the box, there was always something going on after school before supper. In the winter, ice skating, snow ball fights, building snow forts and snowmen. We learned how to work co-operatively and to compete. But, back in the day, a first grader could walk to school. I did. Times have changed. Some of them, not for the better. There's even considerable loss of interest in school activities. The gym was always packed to the rafters for high school basketball games. When I took our kids, the cheerleaders and players outnumbered the spectators. Those not involved were working somewhere part time to pay for their car, or the expensive modifications to it. The student lot is bigger than that for the staff. In high school the kids parked with the teachers. Of course, only two kids in my class had cars.

They'd have hooked me too. I'd have probably outspent you on deals like that. Yeah, here's one example: Lucky Craft G-Splash MSRP $15.99, priced after all discounts: $5.59.

Shoulda tried electroshock, or dynamite. They always outfish the kitchen sink.

Color enhancing lenses. Photograpy. I cannot tell you how they work, but they surely work and the results can be dramatic. They are a light copper/amber tinted lens. They make every color of the spectrum brighter. If you look through it, you can see the vivid difference in the contrast and brightness of colors. This characteristic will make things including fish stand out from their surroundings. When buying sunglasses, look through them for those that have the best color enhancing ability. Be sure they are polarized, or glare from the water's surface will render them useless.

When they "lure" us in with sales, does that make us a,.........................fish? Stuff you didn't need? Must have been a reaction buy/strike.

Some can fish all day from a kayak without a back problem. But, it's not the case for everyone. Some swear by kayaks, others swear at them. My preference would be the jon boat. The kayak is easier to launch and transport to launching sites were you cannot get a vehicle close to the water. You can take more gear comfortably in a jon boat, and the seating is better for folks with back problems. Pros and cons to each.

A stroke of true genius. X2

I had hoped to get out today too. Alas, not to be. Wednesday is the next target. No ice here in southeastern Mass. Never fished pre spawn either, but I'm anxious to give it a try. Titletown? Foxboro?

The temperature change factor is interesting. It makes me curious about the damage it causes. I'd like to know more about that, since I've dealt with another species of cold blooded animal that seemingly responds negatively to a sudden increase in temperature change. The lobster. I've caught lobsters in 150 feet of water in the fall, south of Mass and RI. The surface temp was around 60 degrees. Don't know what the temp was from whence I hauled them, but they showed no signs of becoming sluggish when put in the lobster tank. One evening we returned home, getting to the dock at about one in the morning with over 1500 pounds of product. The surface water temp hit the low 70s as we neared the coast, and the lobsters wilted. My circulating pump put out 150 gallons per minute, so there was no shortage of oxygen or circulation. We got to the dock and called the dealer. Then went back to the boat and waited. At two o'clock, I called him again. He had fallen asleep after the first call. I told him he would be responsible for any lost stock since the delay was his fault. At this time the lobsters were extremely weak. Pick them up and the claws and tail drooped with hardly a sign of life. Three o'clock, still waiting. Another call. Meanwhile 3/4 of a ton of lobsters are in the tank with the pump running full tilt. He finally arrived about 4:30 a.m. We pulled the cover off the tank and to my astonishment, the lobsters were as lively as could be. They had acclimated to the change in temperature. When we pulled them from the tank, claws and tails were flapping and flipping, spraying water everywhere. The common knowlege was that it was vitally important to get them to the dealer, and into his refrigerated tanks as soon as possible, or you'd end up with a bunch of dead lobsters. I suspect that was due to poor water exchange, more than the temp. When a lobster is tossed into refrigerated water, they seize up instantly, and get rigid. Within minutes they begin to move around normally. They do adjust much quicker going from warm to cold, than vice versa.

Actually, on Lake Wylie you can do that. LOL. I never go out on the lake without a NC and SC state license. As twisted as that lake is, it can be really easy to cross a state line without realizing it. Sawdy Pond, just down the road from me is in RI and Mass. But, a license in either state is all you need. Reciprocity is a great thing.

The best state to fish in for bass is......................the state you happen to be in at the moment. It's impossible for you to fish in any state, other than the one you are in. I suppose you could cast across a state line to be in one state and fish in another.

Motorcycle or riding lawnmower battery might work for you. Should be readily available. If you have an Interstate Battery Store near you, they should have a variety of sizes and styles from whick to choose.

I tried them, but did not like them. But, I attached them according to the instructions that came with them which was, putting a piece of the tubing over the eye of the trailer. Then, I put the trailer on the other hook. The problem was, the tubing fit snugly on the other hook, preventing the trailer from dangling freely. It would get skewed one way or the other on the cast, and stay there, fouling the action of the spinnerbait. I have had no problem with short strikes, or missed strikes. I have had some bass spit the hook when they jumped but doubt a trailer hook would be of much help preventing that. I started using 3" Mister Twisters grubs as trailers, then went to the larger size. Even with the longer tail, I have had no problem with short strikes. I do bump the spinner bait along the bottom at times. It is possible that what I thought was a bump on a rock was a short strike, I doubt it. The reason I doubt it is that I have yet to feel a bump in midwater that does not result in a hookup. Where I fish has light pressure, so perhaps the fish are not as cautious and therefore more aggressive when they do strike.

I have a wacky O ring tool. Should work just as well with the hair elastics. Gonna get some and give it a try. I like the idea of them being clear too.

I'd never carry anything like that outside the boat. The only things that can happen to them are all bad. Murphy's law dictates it. Just the time you need them, you'll find they are not there. And, you'll have no way of knowing where they fell off. They'll be a nuisance, snagging vegetation, tree branches, or worse, maybe fouling your line when you've hooked a personal best. Bungee them inside the boat with the blade flat against the side, and you'll hardly know they are there. Get the shortest oars you can for your size boat. Collapsible oars sound like a great idea, provided they are sturdy enough.

I've used the Storm Wild Eye 4" Goby I fish 'em like a swim bait. Vary the retrieve. Sometimes a steady retrieve with an occasional twitch, other times I jig them. Sweep the rod, let it sink. Reel in the slack, and repeat. I've had good days with both retrieves, and there is not a goby to be found around here.

Great thought on the wallet. Little things can make big differences.

Regarding the center of gravity. Any weight added below the existing cog will lower it. Any weight added above will raise it. Perimeter weighting will tend to stabilize it. Think golf clubs. Perimeter weighted clubs resist the tendency to "twist" on off center hits. The boat will roll the same amount, but will not roll as quickly with perimeter weighting. The higher the deck, the more you will notice the pitching and rolling. Imagine being in a crows nest, high on a mast.

Dicks: Ten minutes BPS: An hour The local Dick's has rearranged, and restocked their fishing department. It had gotten pretty thin by September, last year. But most important of all: My favorite fishing hole: Less than five minutes away, and a great canoe pond in anything but a gale. Two other good fishing holes: About five minutes away. And three more within a 15 minute drive.

LOL. Seems you're like me. Good at making excuses. On a serious note, I'm great at enjoying myself while fishing. And that's the bottom line.

Thanks. If I don't get out on the pond, I'll be on the golf course. The ice is gone from around here. I went through Boston on I 93 and the ponds north of Boston had some open areas, but still mostly ice covered. Same on 128 between 93 and where 95 splits from 128 toward providence. The ponds in the area of BPS were still iced in. BPS was busy and well stocked in the bait department. Glad I wasn't looking for a rod and reel combo. That selection was pretty thin.

That's interesting. I don't have a problem seeing the ball, just a problem hitting the ball. I like the way the polarized block the glare from the grass, particularly on the green.

Are you sure it's your eyes? Maybe your arms are too short. Prescription progressive polarized UV blocking sunglasses for me. They work fine. Bronze color and Blue/gray. The blue/gray are better for golf, and for me, the bronze are better for fishing. The blue/gray make the day seem cooler and the bronze warmer. It's a visual thing. The warm color, cool color thing is true.

Had to meet a customer in the Boston area, so I decided to combine it with a stop at the BPS in Foxborough. I had watched the video of the Rage Tail baits, and knew I'd have to get some to use in 2009. I had a gift card and 70 bucks in reward cash. Got three space monkeys packets in different colors. Five of the 10" Anaconda worms (?) in different colors, three packets of the toads, two of the shad, three of the craws, and three of the lobsters. Two packets of Yamamoto flappin hogs to use with jigs, six Chatterfrogs two each of three different colors, and a bottle of KVD line conditioner. Good start to the season. Hope to wet a line, maybe this Saturday. Within the next two weeks for sure.