Fishing Rhino

Then, let's add commercial fishermen and farmers to the list. After all, go without food, and you'll die. Go without an education and you'll last longer. Pay should be on merit, with several means of measuring a job's worth. Such as, how many people could do the job successfully. The responsibility a job entails. Nurses weren't mentioned yet, but I'll throw that in since I'm married to a nurse. Until she retired, she carried a one million dollar malpractice insurance policy. She never needed it, but the prospect was always looming as a possibility. How many teachers, or firemen, or policemen do we have in this country. How many professional NFL quarterbacks are there? There can be little argument that many professions/jobs are more valuable to society than any professional athlete. But a team owner has the capacity to pay these multi million dollar salaries. Society (taxpayers) does not have the means to match the pay of athletes or celebrities.

The same holds true for bleach and ammonia.

The ramp at the south end of the pond in a thickly settled area.

In the sake of full disclosure, I started the day with the biggest cluster of the day. I'm up every two to three hours during the night, so I never set the alarm. Wednesday night, for whatever reason, I only got up once, around midnight. Soooooo, instead of getting to the ramp at four o'clock, I got there at 5:30. To make matters worse, I told Derek the address for the ramp was 103 Lakeside Drive when it was Lakeside Avenue. My bungle cost us an hour and a half of prime fishing time. From now on, the alarm gets set when I'm supposed to meet someone.

Webster was a zoo with all the cages open yesterday afternoon at the state ramp. Went there yesterday morning with Derek, and we had a pretty good day. A half dozen smallies over two pounds, several largemouths, in the two pound bracket, plus a few pickerel, and a rainbow trout. Only three or four other fishermen using the state ramp at the south end of the pond. Memorial State Park showed no human activity when we fished in the northern pool. Only saw one water skier, and one jet ski all morning. Activity picked up a little, but not much for such a nice day. Then, we found out why when we got back to the ramp. The parking lot was jammed. There were rigs on both sides of the road at the ramp lined up, waiting to launch, none of them fishermen. It seems that Memorial Park and the ramps were closed. They were preparing for some sort of celebration. I had to back up two jet ski rigs for people who did not know how to back up a trailer as this was their first foray. It was almost an hour before I could back my rig down the ramp and leave. I suppose I should be thankful that I was able to get out of the parking lot.

In a word, yes.

I'm pondering something. It has been stated that they follow the recommendations of the vehicle manufacturer. So I've got to ask. Would you seek knowlege about your vehicle from tire manufacturers?

Sawdy.

I used to inflate to five pounds over the max. It worked fine,...........................for a few years, until I had to replace two tires with broken belts due to over inflation. Most trailer tires for boats are rated at 60 mph, max, and that would be at max recommended psi. Under inflation will build up heat, an enemy of the tire. Over inflation risks cord/belt failure. I over inflated my tires for seven years, and towed at up to 70 mph. Two years ago I was off on one of my expeditions. I noticed a vibration from the trailer at speeds over 55 mph. I chalked it up to a wheel out of balance. During one of my rest stops, I decided to inspect the tires and found one tire that had an odd bulge in the tread. Changed the tire, and the vibration stopped. All was well until I got home. Returning from a local jaunt, I noticed the same vibration as before had developed. It's a tandem axle trailer, and the other tire on that side had a similar bulge to the one I had replaced. Stopped at the tire shop and the owner told me that it too had a broken belt(s) due to hitting a pothole or something similar with an over inflated tire. Over inflation cost me the price of two new tires. I'll cheat on the sixty mph up to 65 mph, but will not fool around with putting an extra five psi. Going 65 mph when the speed limit is 70 mph is tolerable. Sixty mph not so much. But who knows, breaking another couple of tires could change my attitude.

Just be glad you don't have to deal with track and field competition. They have the hundred yard dash, and the hundred meter dash. Some events are measured in feet and inches such as the high jump, pole vaulting, and the long jump, and the mile run. Yet other races are run with the distances in meters.

Litter. I thought it was futile to expect some to dispose of their trash properly. Either take it home, or deposit it in a trash barrel, if available. Do not just toss it on the ground. One of my favorite fishing holes is also one of the most littered. Trash everywhere. Even old furniture and boat parts tossed into the woods. Futile, or not, I was going to make an attempt to clean up the ramp. I brought a plastic 55 gallon drum to the ramp, with a plastic liner. I also brought a box. I picked up all the trash at the ramp except for what had blown into the water, and left the drum against a bush to protect it from the wind. This was three weeks ago, and since then, the only trash I have seen was in the barrel. When the barrel got to about half full, I took out the liner and "installed" a new liner. Went fishing this morning and the drum was about half full. Coffee cups, McDonald containers, Dunkin Donuts, bags, and all the typical litter found at ramps had been placed in the drum. It goes to show, you never know. But, so far, so good. I'm going to replace the drum with one that has "Thank You" stenciled on it.

Here's one thing to file away in your memory bank for future reference. Most vehicles have separate circuits for trailer lights and vehicle lights. Don't assume that because all the vehicle lights work that a fuse is not the problem. Been there, done that.

I agree about the straps. However, if possible I'd also put the kayak on the roof upside down. It will eliminate the buzzing, humming or whatever noise might be created in any gaps where the straps are not in contact with the hull.

The day brought back many memories of fishing in "Island Cove" the coontail covered shallow at the north end of Indian Ranch Cove, the rocky shoal in the middle of the center pool. Too bad you weren't there to enjoy it. I have been using a new bait that might have given me the edge in the Al Lindner trophy competition. It's the Binsky Blade. I caught smallmouth, largemouth, pickerel, crappie, yellow perch, bluegill and sunfish on the outing. No trout or catfish however.

Against my better judgement, I'm off to South Watuppa this morning. I'm not expecting much, but we shall see. It's close by, and has two nice ramps with a good parking area. On another note. Went to Webster with DogBone last week, and was pleasantly surprised. Hadn't been there since they killed off most of the vegetation. Actually, I had been there a few times after they treated, or should I say mistreated the lake a few years ago. The town/state is up to more mischief on Webster. A poster at the state ramp noted that on June 13, the lake would be treated to reduce the "noxious" vegetation. Noxious to who or what? In any case, I suspect that this "treatment" will wipe out the recovery from their last "treatment".

I wouldn't suggest that. Some if not most trailers have a "rocker" mechanism between the front and rear axle that distributes the load equally between the two axles. When the front wheel encounters a bump, the rocker exerts a downward pressure on the rear axle. If it encounters a depression (pot hole), the rocker exerts a lifting force on the rear axle. Remove a wheel, and that axle will drop to the ground. If the axles do not have a rocker system, removing the wheels from one axle will cut the load capacity of the trailer in half, compromising safety.

Let me tell you about my experience with the manager at the BPS in Harrisburg. I was on my way from MA to Pickwick in 2015. I'd been checking my hubs and all was fine until I got to the PA state line on I-78. Stopped for fuel and the right rear wheel was covered with grease. This was about ten o'clock at night, and raining. I put more grease in that wheel and continued on my way, stopping every half hour or so to check the wheel. Got onto 81 south and stopped at the rest area just north of Harrisburg. The grease cap on the left rear was gone, and the wheel was steaming. It was now about one in the morning. Jacked up the wheel, spun it, and blessed silence. Pumped more grease into that wheel, and drove slowly to Harrisburg. The rain finally let up by daylight. So I headed south to Harrisburg, stopping for breakfast along the way. Got to the BPS without further incident, parked in the Tracker Marine area about an hour before the store opened. A half hour or more before the store opened, there was a tap at my window. Turned out it was the manager of the service department. Told him what had happened. He checked the trailer. No damage. I got a set of grease caps and the rubber plugs, and spares, as well as a tube of grease, just in case. I replaced the missing cap, as well as the one that was leaking on the other side of the trailer. The manager sent out an employee with a grease gun and a jack. We jacked up the wheels, made sure everything was properly lubed, and he sent me on my way. I was back on the road before the store opened. He gave me a discount on the parts, and wouldn't let me give him ten bucks for lunch. I'll always have fond memories of the fellow that went above and beyond.

Don't be so hasty to scrap it. It looks a lot like a Boston Whaler which is two thin skins of fiberglass over a foam core. Even the transom has no wood in it. My neighbor got one in much worse condition and we made a barter deal. I'd provide the labor, and he'd return the favor in kind down the road. His had several holes, dings and cracks in several areas of the hull. Here's a few before and after photos. As an aside, this boat is nearly sixty years old.

George's King of Hot Dogs in Fall River, MA. Coney Island style hot dogs. Haven't been there in decades. After cruising around in our teenage years, my best friend and I would stop in and order six hot dogs each. They were only fifteen cents per, back in the day. Charley would line up the dozen on his sweaty arm and apply the condiments which were diced onions, mustard, and a secret meat sauce. Charley would use, what looked like a tongue depressor for the meat sauce and onions, and what looked like a popsicle stick for the mustard. Nothing fancy about the joint. School desks were lined up against one wall facing the counter. No Coca Cola or Pepsi "tonics". Nesbitts orange soda was the mainstay. You could also get Nehi grape or root beer. Total 95 cents for each of us, 90 for the dogs and a nickel for the soda. Rumor has it that the board of health made him cease and desist from lining the dogs up on his arm some time in the past forty plus years.

Hot dogs? It's obvious that most of you don't live in an area with a large Portuguese population. Try these, and you'll use your former favorites for catfish bait. Heck, these dogs would probably out fish the good ol' American hot dog. Cook to your preference eat 'em as they are, or like me, you may add just a bit of mustard. It will be love at first bite. Click on this to find out what's in 'em. http://www.gasparssausage.com/gaslinfran1l.html

Went to Sawdy yesterday. The fish have finally awakened from their winter slumber. Largemouth, smallmouth, crappie and pickerel were all hungry. Fat Albert on a one eighth ounce jig head and the wacky rig were the most consistant producers.

X2 Weight distribution is important. Weight aft will usually give you a faster top end, but the compromise is that it does not get on plane as fast, and it can create the backwash problem. You can also try tilting the motor down before you throttle down. It may also give you more lift when you bump the throttle just before the backwash reaches the stern.

Bluebirds, contrary to what many think are a year round bird. Check the date on this photo. We had a flock of them in the back yard, but I scared them off before getting a picture.

The most painful fishing experience. It has to be when I was about fourteen years old. In the summer we'd fish off of Bar Rock at the causeway from Horseneck Beach to Gooseberry Island. It was a big rock that you could wade to, then fish off the opposite side which was fairly deep. We'd catch Tautog, Scup, and sometimes lose our baits to the chauggies which were small fish with buck teeth. They could strip the bait and hardly ever get caught. One afternoon, as we left, I jumped into the water on the shallow side. What I did not know, but will never forget, there was a mussel bed in that area. I had several gashes on the bottom of my foot. It ached for days.

Check with your doctor. Pain is a body symptom that something is wrong.