cyclops2

Have to post this time I approached a USCG patrol boat on the St Lawrence. I see the boat motoring slowly up river. Then drift back maybe 100'. Restart go forward 50'. Stop again . Then lets out the anchor. RIGHT in the FREIGHTER CHANNEL. I motor over towards them to offer help if needed. I get about100' from them and a voice yells. STOP Do NOT COME CLOSER. Then a beffy guy come out cycles a live round into his AR style. I yell who I am & that I came to help them if needed. A voice tells me to remove my hat & face covering. I do. He asks If I am a American citizen. I realize I look just like a bad guy. I give him my rank & serial number in the USN. Couple of minutes pass & the AR guy disappears & waves for me to come along side. We all started to laugh a little as they produce a picture of me approaching them. I really did look like a baddie completely covered Up. To this day I am never stopped & searched in my small fishing boat. They were looking for a wreck to do practice dives on. Great bunch of USCG doing patrols.

I use a LONG billed hat with a LIGHT cloth triangular, full face & neck cover. Held on with 3 Velcro snaps. A LONG sleeved white fishing shirt. LONG light weight Kaki trousers. Full fingered gloves. I never need or use Sun lotions. All my coverings are rated SPF + 50. I have several sets to wash & change off to. The face covering just leaves my eyes visible.

4 pound braid, a BB split shot way ahead of the 1.5" to 2" perch pattern Rapala. Just above the bottom. Everything picks on that anytime. From a large Gobie to a big pike. I have had anything on it struggling. Than a pike grabs the fish. Life goes on.

Only 2 reasons I start losing fish............ Using 4# test cheap monofilament................VERY DULL hook points. If the rod has BOTH on it ? Bye bye fishy. No way can dull hooks be driven Below the barbs end on that rod. At 83 I know those 2 conditions very well................ I always inspect those 2 things EVERY 10 to 15 years. Needed or not. ?

I used my old Accord key FOB as a lure. Smally took the lure and drove off .

I too have started a pike REDUCTION fishing attitude. after 3 years of Keeping my limits in a 1 mile area. Bingo !! now the smallies & others are doing GREAT !! I carry 1 small salt water rig with a 9 " diving perch pattern . I Do use the Pike as chunk bait with people who never fished enough.

I had a waterfall spot. Then the dam collapsed. Nothing until I reach the main river.

I & my electric fish knife buddy only do the 9" to 12" Perch. Never any of the bigger breeders. That may have changed next year. Our imported Gobies are feeding all the bigger game fish. So the sizes are getting bigger & more of them.

I start with perch. Then Smallmouth Bass. That is it. Both taste similar . Much better than the dock & still water fish.

The rod is STIFF / FAST action. Like it a lot. Caution !!!!!!!!!b Tip slide in top section has a ODD rubber RING MOLDED around the end of the rubber tube. That is first inserted in to the hole. I read where some people had a problem getting it pushed into the hole. And a problem removing it from the hole. The rubber end ring IS IS way to tight. So I sanded the rubber ring down to be a little bigger the rest of the black rubber tubing. It is a perfect friction fit now. The holding reel seat ring is outstanding. Takes a medium or very large spinning reel seat solidly.

I have found out on my own trouble shooting. What is causing so many stabbing pains in bone joints, flesh , muscles, tendons . tooth nerves. It is all caused by the sudden DROP of air pressure in coming WEATHER FRONTS. The faster they are traveling. The more INTENSE my pains are. After the front ARRIVES ? My pain level drops RAPIDLY !!!!!!!! It remains at ZERO until the next fast moving weather front approaches. It has taken me about a year to figure this out. The ACTUAL ....PSI ...changes are NOT important. The FAST drop in pressure causes various nerves to be squeezed hard enough to cause me to YELP OUT in pain. I became suspicious of my Rheumatism & Arthritis coming & going with the weather fronts.

I finally took a chance at Dick's . Bought the highly rated Daiwa 9' FT spinning rod . If I get a good one ? It should be fine for light & heavy lures in the wind. Arrives Wednesday. Will post back with a review of it .

Well I have spent several hours going to different sites & reading up on the fast & extra fast 7' 6" and 8' rods with 24" cork butts. Now that I realize the rod SHOULD be available. Which is really a good spinning rod ? I would be just guessing. 20 years ago I converted a 9' fast action fly rod to spinning with all new guides. It was a easy to cast those 1.5" floating Rapalas & Rebels in wind. I broke it 2 X. Did without it. I still have a couple of stiff fly rods. I REALLY do not want to convert a rod now. Thank you.

Can I use ? Are there long butts for 2 hand casting ?

I am trolling a lot. Next spring might be my last spin casting. Unless I can put together a large lightweight spin reel and a rod that helps a person doing about 3/ 4 of the power I had with 4 to 10 pound test braids. I have a huge fresh water / small salt water Penn spin reel. With a high ratio and 10 # braid. Very easy on the fingers. I use about 2" to 6" Rapala & Rebel Float & divers with split shot to go deep. All my rods are 5 to 7 footers for light lines. What length & action & lure weight rods should I be looking at / for ? medium price range. Some definite Make & models would be fantastic. I am 83 and going down the slope fast. ? Thank you for any rods that would help. I like to fish almost every good enough day.

Actually either ? Would be welcomed. I am going to the NAPA store to buy some Brass shim stock to cut out & make my own. I will not pay $ 7 to $ 8 dollars for just a blade. Do you know of a lure pars place ? for the small ringed swivels or split rings ? Thank you.

I need a bunch of those with swivel & hook attached. Any shiny metal color.

My deeper water is always find the baitfish.

I am into supplying Perch for a 87 year old friend. So nice to see him smiling as I drop 4 or 5 good sized ones into his refrigerator bag. The electric knife will be buzzing. He has said no smaller than legal or more than 16 inches for the bass. But I killed a big S M with the lure way in the throat. Nice cooked up.

If you catch to eat for any reason ? Bless you. Do it. After that ? I do not call " Bed Catching " fishing. Just throw a Cherry Bomb in the bed & pull the hooks into the mouth of the biggest. There is a reason some states CLOSE bass fishing during the Bedding Time. Add in the Gobies after the eggs. Our area is loaded with Gobies. The state still does not feed game fish the Gobies. Why not Teach the fish to eat them.

If it go in ? Done. The predator rule for none skinny fish is 1/ 2 the eaters length. Any time.

Can I fish the Penna, river bank of Tinicum Park in the section that is now open to Penna. residents ? I am a N J 83 year old. The 2 states used to allow a resident to fish either side of the river.

I made a floater that never collected stuff on the hook. You need to do some trial & error. Part of fishing different conditions.

Back from surgery. I fish a great spot on the St. Lawrence River. Very clear water. Can see a beer can 60 feet down easily. Over the last 2 years I have caught & released loads of big smallies. But end of last year I started not getting bites. Changed lures galore. tiny bit better. Went to 6 " bait. Bingo But I do not like using live bait. Changed from 4 # mono to a old spool of green 4 pound braid. Bingo. So I figure the guys are realizing a boat with a line reflecting in good sunlight is the difference. What are my options to reduce the visibility and reflection of the line ? Almost forgot the very sharp rock ledges they dart to on the way up. The 4 pound braid was better tha the 4 pound mono on the ledges. Thanks for any help.

I fish a small rocky creek off of the Delaware River in Pa N J border. Ell nursery. Cloudy day . Ells can attack a small lure. I do not kill them. They serve a purpose in the stream ?