Catch 22

For me its when I hear the nee deeps[frogs] cherping in the evenings. Early lawn mowers make me want to hurt some body.All year for that

Try getting a new motor on your boat to see if it s OK+ the costs Getting a colonoscopy===drinkin that horrible prep solution X 2 and worryin about the results And havin your taxes done. AND GETTIN THE WRONG STUFF IN A TACKLE ORDER. ALL WITHIN A WEEK ====THAT IS REAL STRESS IN THE RED ZONE . I`M BACK IN THE GREEN NOW==I SURVIVED IT .

IMO if you like the the boat hull and are comfortable with it,fishing wise ,family, wise safety wise and are not concerned with recouping the true financial value of the rig===then put a new motor on it and be happy.I just put a new 60 on a 1999 boat and am delighted with it. Probably saved 20K over a new rig.Fish don`t care if they are landed in a new boat or old one.If you want to impress the crowds and keep up with the Jones, by a new rig. C22

Nose hooked like that . One of my favorite ways to use them.The radical action is awesome.

I believe the octopus to be a staple for many fishes of the northwest waters and Alaska. I know that halibut really enjoy them. I snagged an octopus while fishing the Ocean City MD jetty one time.It had a head about 8" dia.I was a little uneasy about getting inked,so as easily as I could,I put a foot under it and eased it back home.

I can`t think of any resource that can`t be damaged by overfishing. I consider perch to be cyclic. To me they seem to have years of plenty coupled with other times of not so plentiful.

Pike is right down yummy when deep fried . I ate 3 pickerel this past winter. Very tastey,but a real bugger to fillet.I spoke to a professional fish cleaner that told me he never figured out the bone structure of pickerel with efficiency,nor have I. Strips about 4" x 3/4" is the best I can do. They are as good as any flounder I have eaten.

I have caught about 6 with spots in the last 2 weeks. I just don`t remember the spots from long ago where I fish.I know its not harmful to them. C22

Seems I have been catching more smallies with spots this year than times past. All have been upwards of 3 pounds and more. Is anyone else catching them with spots.

My laugh of the day,thanks

X3

I always thought a black hair jig meant hellgies to smallies.One of the most consistent producers over the years for me.A Ned rig might mean the same to them? Maybe those two look like mad toms? C22

Ok, I had a fire within to put out so I returned to tornado alley for some more punishment .A few hours on Thurs in ridiculous high wind made boat control worth a days wages. I did get some nice fish. Up early Friday,peaked out the window to see lots of white. Washed my face and checked again. The white was predicted snow flurries.Ehh what to do,had breakfast then decided to take mother natures challenge . The water temp dropped 5 deg overnite. Rising water, vis about 6". It took an hour to get the first fish.Wind,more snow==sun came out,air temp up to a comfy 38/39 deg,then ,more snow .My kinda wx,I love it like that.Tallied out at only 4 fish,missing my mental goal of 5,but I considered the trip a success.Then the real high wind put me on the road home. I guess there is something a little perverse about enjoying conditions like that,but the plus side is no one is bugging me to go along,or wanting to quit early because his wife wants to go shopping or blah,blah. Plus I had the whole place for me. Looks like boston mackerel fishing in the ocean Sun. Hope it doesn`t get to warm

Thanks for the replies. It certainly was not my intention to fish during a potential tornado. I swear 15 minutes before the storm hit the sun was shinning with a blue sky background. When the sky darken and the air temp dropped about 15 degrees,I knew it was time to get to the ramp. When I got out of the boat the wind speed was 5 to 10.==2 minutes later it was 40 to 50 mph.I began watching for falling trees and branches. Never in all my time outdoors have I seen a storm approach so fast.The wx might account for such few boats on Saturday. Its a catch 22 situation,no pun. The fishing gets surreal as does the threat to ones life. Close by in Lancaster Co,an estimated 7 million in damages happened. A half mile section of road was totally white from hail. Jeeeze,I can`t wait to go again,hold the tornados please.

I was fishing in the Harrisburg,Pa area yesterday,2-25, before the tornado -like conditions hit in mid afternoon. The river smallies got absolutely stupid for any thing resembling food. I will not give numbers or weights ,but it was as good as river fishing ever gets .Well worth the drive thru the "concrete jungle",,locals know the term,to get there.It was just like the old times,20 yrs ago .Hair jigs ,jerks,smokin drags

Yeah,all the stuff was personally tested by Joc Herter. It was annoying to have to add up the shipping weights for each item ,then wait 3 weeks to receive the order We are spoiled now ehh

Thanks Darren, I missed it

More changes coming ? maybe not http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/02/08/bass-pro-shop-55-billion-deal-for-cabela-inc-is-falling-apart.html

I was in the. GM store ,York,Pa last week. All nice folks.Good inventory. So what is the cause of the big store failures. Offshore cheap goods The internet Failure to stay family oriented[as mentioned] Overall economy The bait monkey not doing his job? All the above

I hope not.Its the only store close by so I can touch stuff. http://www.twincities.com/2017/02/10/report-gander-mountain-preparing-bankruptcy-filing/

I don`t know you that well. How about 50 cents

I don`t remember taking a pic,but once caught an offset lmb.A top view revealed it to have a perfect 1" offset midbody. It was about 14". I see lots of fish with bite marks from otters, cormorants or maybe turtles. Of the three, cormorants annoy me the most.

Fun Fun Fun

Grand daughter first fish

Long ago at the Conowingo Dam,Md, people would hire a taxi cab to bring them down there from New York city.They would carp fish all day,keep them in burlap sacks in the water.I saw them need two people to load a sack in the taxi. I guess they may still do it. I always heard that some people put live carp in a bath tub or other clean water source for a few weeks before eating them. I filleted one long ago ,it sat in the fridge a few days before I lost my nerve and tossed it. Here recently I have had several meals of pickerel strips deep fried. It is delicious,nice white meat and every bit as good as flounder. Real pia to fillet. Ya need one at least 23/24" to make it worth while. C22