4/24/16


Rule #47:  If at some point in your life you decide that the Beatles weren't really that good, you need to go back and listen to all of their songs again.


5 days out of the hospital, 16 days sober


Today was the best day of fishing I've had this year--for a number of reasons . . . back to that in a minute.

First, the conditions, setting, etc.

Location:  "Fisher Ponds"  

Time:  3:45--5:00, approximately

Solunar:  Average; Major II:  3:43--5:43 PM; Moon--89% Waning Gibbous (Isn't that a monkey?)

Waning Gibbon

Weather:

• 80 degrees
• Precipitation:  Report--"Trace," but on site it varied from sprinkle to steady; thunder.
• Cloud Cover:  It was cloudy throughout time period.
• Barometric Pressure: falling, 29.76
• Wind:  11 MPH, SW, gusts up to 18 MPH

Spawn Stage:  I didn't take the time to check more of the pond than I fished, but I fished along the bank from the jetty, around the cove to the south, and just beyond the big stump that sticks out from the southern-most shore, and saw clear evidence of nests all along that stretch.  I watched a pretty big Channel Cat defending his nest in the cove, but he was the only fish I saw actually guarding any nest.

I fished for about an hour; I didn't have as much stamina as I'd have liked.  I didn't keep count--'cause even MY "OCD" has its limits!--but I think I averaged a hit about every other cast.

I brought two rigs, my "Big Yellow," set up in a Galati Bait Rig, and my bronze light-weight 6' 6" rod with a 4" dark green Yum Senko-like worm with red sparkles.  Bass Pro Shops calls it "Watermelon Red Flake."  I'm pretty sure I got this package at Wal-Mart, however.  I'm also fairly confident that any plastic worm rigged as I had this one would have produced good results--the fish were just that active.  (Interestingly, when I cleaned the fish later, I inspected their stomach contents and without exception, NONE of them had eaten anything recently.  Also, there were about an even number of males to females.)

In rigging the worm "Wacky-Style," I buried the tip just inside the worm, with maybe 1/8" sticking out the other side.  The hits were all pretty violent and each of the ten fish I caught managed to pull the hook completely through the body of the worm, thus widening the original hole and making it worthless.  Because I then had to find another place to thread the hook through, I eventually had to discard the worm.  I went through 4 of these, counting the one I lost in the end.

All told, I caught ten bass.  Remember, the owners of "Fisher Ponds" wisely require that I keep everything I catch.  I don't know how many people fish the ponds, though I have never seen another person fishing when I've been there.  Also, though I have seen some very large bass cruising the shallows (3-6 pounds, certainly), the vast majority I've caught lie between .5 to 1.5 pounds.  They appear pretty healthy, if a little stunted, and so I think keeping everything is wise policy.  I can't get very good filets out of some of the smaller fish, but I've started scaling and gutting those so I don't waste so much meat.

I set up my chair at the usual spot, between "Ground-Hog Hill" and the shore, south of the little stone jetty on the eastern shore of the middle pond.  My first cast was parallel to the shore of that small cove, just to the south of where I set up.  The fish followed the worm, finally biting when it was only about ten feet from me, so I got to watch the strike.  In a pattern that repeated itself several times that day, another bass followed the hooked one as I reeled it in, trying, apparently, to steal the worm from the hooked fish!  This, along with their empty stomachs, would seem to suggest that appetite was triggering the strike.

I could clearly hear thunder in the distance, but there was no lightning, so I fished through it.  After I think about an hour and a half, I hooked a 3-5 pound Channel Catfish.  He was just about too much for the 4-pound test I was using on that lightweight rod.  The shoreline where I hooked him is made up of pretty steep banks, dropping straight down at least a foot and a half everywhere, so I couldn't just drag him ashore.  I decided to try to wear him down before I reached for him.  After "wrestling" with him for about ten minutes, I took a stab at grabbing the line a couple of feet from him in order to lift him to shore--he took one look at me approaching and shook his head, snapping my line right at the hook!

I know that fishing with light to ultra-light equipment means I'm going to lose the occasional fish, but I hate losing one with the hook and lure in its mouth.  Catfish, more than other species, can maybe survive those conditions, but I doubt he'll make it.

A "Good Day"

Though I always enjoy fishing, even when I don't catch anything, I won't ever deny that catching a lot of fish is a lot of fun!  Beyond that, I get immense satisfaction out of being outside in weird weather--blowing snow, thunderstorms, etc.  But in addition to these factors, on Tuesday, I was fishing during the 16th day since I'd had a drink.  I haven't really "imbibed" since the days when the Doc and I always brought a large cooler of "structure" with us when we fished.  But, still, it was good getting a good night's sleep the night before.

As Arlo Guthrie might say: "I'm not proud . . . or drunk!"

As soon as I got home, I cleaned my catch--scaling and gutting them instead of filleting--and cleaned up everything before getting into a hot shower and then my pajamas.  I was exhausted.  Five days out from a twelve-day stint in the hospital (the first ten of which I couldn't eat) may have been pushing it. But after dinner and a good night's sleep, I felt fine--and that's what I'm shooting for these days: fine.

TALLY:

Outings:  7 trips
Fish:      17 caught

4/20/2016


Rule #55:  Find something you love to do that requires you to be outdoors.  You're only half a person if you spend all your time inside.


So, I did some "hard time" in the hospital for the last couple of weeks--hence the lack of fishing posts.  Be assured, though, that one of the first things I did when I got out was text the owner of "Fisher Ponds" for permission to fish on Monday.

I've lost a lot of weight, and I'm pretty weak, so I plan on doing a lot of fishing from my folding chair and just tossing a Wacky Worm around a little.  I won't fish for too long, but I am very anxious to see where the fish are.

In the weeks I was in the hospital, the temperature started climbing and a few days the temperature was well over 80 degrees.  The redbuds, the flowering apple, and the dogwoods bloomed.  The tulips ran their whole course, and almost all of the trees have budded.  When I got out, I felt like I'd entered a time warp.

I know it rained a few times, but since I escaped, I haven't been close enough to the river to see where it is in its banks.  It'll be a while, though, before I'm up to walking the banks of the White. Today, I walked to the point in my front yard and back--that was enough for a while--it about knocked me out.

Being in the hospital always sucks, but I'm blessed with the ability to close my mind away from the most unpleasant things that happen there almost as soon as they're over.  I find I can even ignore the "ugly" parts of being hospitalized that are constant: not being able to sleep for more than an hour or two at a time, hospital gowns, no food (or terrible food), lack of privacy.  As Bill Murray said, "So, I got that going for me . . . which is nice."

Of course, I would have been completely miserable without my wife and my mom who were with me whenever they could be.  Mom and I watched a lot of NBA, which even under those circumstances, I enjoyed a lot.  Peggy was still feeling the chemotherapy that remained in her system, and the various aches, pains, and random "ickiness" that didn't just cease as soon as she finished the last bag of chemicals!  If only!! However, like a trooper, she stayed by my side as much as she could before she had to leave for a conference.

The Doc stopped by at least twice that I remember, and so did the doctor who owns "Keep Out Ponds"!  He loaned me a book, The Battle of the Atlantic, which I tried to read when I wasn't too high.  My family doctor stopped by every day.  It was always good to see him--especially when he gave me "popsicle clearance"--for which I will be forever grateful!

The nurses and techs that took care of me were simply incredible.  I know they'll never read this--I mean, what are the odds?--but for prosperity:  Teena, Ron, Charles--great RNs.  The techs kind of came and went without my getting to know most of them, but Meghan was one that would be hard to forget.  She was so helpful and along with the nurses, made me as comfortable as I could be.  Teena figured out my pain med level quickly.  Ron actually got the NG tube into me after it had fallen out because the first team that inserted it didn't anchor it well enough.  He then made damned sure that it wasn't going to fall out again!  Charles took the time to stop by and just talk now and then.

During the trip home, I was already planning my first fishing trip!  Laying in a hospital is no way to spend two weeks of springtime!

4/7/2016

Rule #38:  Having a hero is a great responsibility.  Others will always try to recall the negative sides of your hero's character.  Your job is to recall those accurately, but to focus always on your hero's greatness.  Remember stories about him and tell them often.



I know that when I was a kid, or maybe some time in college, fishing with the Doc, that I have fished under worse weather conditions--but I can't remember when.

It was about 33 degrees, with winds gusting up to 30 mph when I first got out to the Fisher Ponds.   I had my Notre Dame hoodie, and the lined rain jacket Todd gave me.  I thought that bringing both was overkill, but, thank goodness I did, because I needed them both!  I even had toe warmers stuck to the inside of the left pocket of my rain jacket.  I needed those as well!

From 1-2:00, I thought I would stay warmest by baitfishing a nightcrawler on a "Galati Rig," where I could cast out and just huddle down into my jacket with my hands in my pockets.  I positioned my chair so that I could reach what seems like cover between the shore by "Groundhog Hill" and "Goose Shit Point."  It had been sprinkling while I ran errands in the morning, but about 15 minutes into soaking that 'crawler, the snow and sleet started coming in HARD.  At one point I turned to look at my truck which was about 15-20 yards away, and could only see its vague outline through the snow!  Again, I was so happy to have that rain jacket Todd gave me--the hood, layered over the hood from my ND sweatshirt--saved me today!  After getting no hits for about 40 minutes, I moved my chair so that I was pointed straight across the mouth of that little cove to the left of Groundhog Hill.  I thought that would give me access to the deep water I imagined the fish were in given how cold it was.  Twenty minutes later, I realized I was wrong, and frozen.

I left my bait rod and virtually ran to my truck where I fumbled frozen fingers to get the keys out of my pocket, actually get one into the ignition, and turn the engine on.  Blessed, blessed hot air started blowing out of the vents by the time I got my gloves off!  Fifteen minutes later, I was ready to try again.  While I was thawing, I entertained the thought that I would be better off casting a lure and walking around the pond--partly because it was beginning to appear that the fish had not read the "Solunar Tables" which indicated they should be active by now, and partly because I thought the walking and casting might keep my blood circulating better!

I put on a 5 inch, wacky-rigged Yum! "senko-type" plastic worm in Watermelon Pearl because I thought it looked like a Bass fingerling that might provoke an aggression strike, especially this time of year when it looked like some of the younger bass were starting to stake out their nesting sites.

I started at the cove I had left off right by Groundhog Hill, and right away started getting hit in the shallower parts of the cove.  I caught 2 out of that cove--and honestly, probably missed at least 2 more.  Unusual for this time of year, the retrieve that worked best was a relatively fast twitch, which is lucky, because the typical slow finesse retrieve that depends so much on watching my line for tell-tale twitches was NOT going to work in this kind of wind!  After I caught those two, things went cold in the cove--like they often do once you stir things up on a small body of water, so rather than fight it, I moved to the furthest east of the pits.  I saw at least ten huge Channel Cats in the shallowest (eastern) shore of this pit.  I caught my third bass here.  He hit the worm before I'd retrieved it 5 feet, really quickly.  This was the biggest of my day, probably 14 inches or so.  I added him to the stringer and then walked toward the furthest western pit.  There are 3 areas on Fisher Ponds where the water is shallow, at least 3 that I feel comfortable fishing.  (There are a few places closer to our friends' house, but I don't feel like I should "invade" their space by fishing too close to their home.)  So on the furthest eastern pit, I don't go beyond where the diving board once was, and on the northwestern corner, I fish "Goose Shit" point, but don't turn there where my great Uncle once had his kennels.

I had just untangled my line, and was getting a little frustrated, so I said to myself, "One last cast."  I tossed the worm toward the northern end of that cove, and got a nice strike about halfway through my retrieve.  So, when you catch a fish on the "last cast," you have to quit--if you don't, you can truly jinx your next trip.  Didn't you know that?  Oh, yeah.  It's very reliable--at least as much so as the freekin' Solunar Tables!!

Four bass, from 11"-14".   I'm going to fillet them tonight and put them in the freezer for the upcoming days when Peg is at her conferences, and I can cook fish in the house!!

TALLY:

Outings:  I've been fishing six times this season.
Fish:  So far, I've caught ten Largemouth Bass.

4/6/2016

Rule #57:  Always unlace your shoes/boots when fishing from a boat. 
Rule #57A:  . . . and, no, being barefoot while fishing from a boat is never a good idea.


So, to remind you of what the wizards in charge of the Solunar Tables and our weather forecasting had to say about Wednesday:

WEDNESDAY PROJECTIONS--Either White River or Bird Pond.

Solunar  107P--307P, "Major," "Better" Period

Weather  During Major Period

Air Temperature:  55 -- 57 degrees
Wind:  27 MPH from S -- 30 MPH from SSW
Air Pressure:  29.68--29.62, falling
Cloud Cover:  88% -- 100%

Other Observations:  

• There's a row of large forsythia at the top of the hill before turning left off of 700 that were in FULL bloom.
• There were no clear signs of nesting, nor did I see any fish . . . at all!
• I fished from 1:30--3:15, basically covering the Solunar "best" period, and kept my a line in the whole time--but aside from one 'gill bite, nothing.   I wonder if this means that local weather trumps solar and lunar positioning?  Sure felt like it.

Admittedly, I checked the "projections" only 10 hours before going fishing, so things could have changed (!!!!)  I got out to Bird's Pond, and the wind was blowing so much harder than 30 MPH, that it almost--literally--knocked me from my feet twice.  Trying to cast into the wind was almost impossible; at best I could get 15-20 feet out.  Now, with the wind behind me, I could cast the lightest lure nearly across the pond.

I screwed up and didn't bring my water thermometer today.  I did walk into the water, wearing my rubber boots and waders (which fit better than I could have expected!), and my boots got immediately cold, through boot, wader, and insulated sock.  That and the absence of visible nesting activity leads me to think that the water temperature hasn't gone much above 60 degrees, if that high.  Certainly, the Fisher Ponds--which are much more sheltered--are warmer, and the fish are more active.  

The Bird Pond is just SO exposed.  There aren't any trees south, east, or west of the pond.  The only cover is 1/4 mile away in the form of a border of woods along the White River north of the site.  There are low hills on the NW and ESE sides of the pond, but walking around the pond several times today, I can't attest for their ability to break anything LIKE a wind or even a slight breeze!

Because the wind was so steadily from the south, I tried to focus on the northern banks against which, baitfish, etc. should have been driven.  And the only bite I got was on a Kelley's Pier Boy, Purple Fire-Tail.  The bite was about 10 feet from the bank, and felt like a blue-gill.

The pond is flooded, so there's about 1-2 feet of standing water BEHIND the cattails.  The muddy condition of the water kept me from wading out more that a couple of feet, I just couldn't see where the drop-offs were.  I'll try this again sometime when I'm not there alone. The bottom in the shallow ends, by the cattails, appears to be largely clay/mud, which makes me wonder where the fish will spawn.

Tomorrow, I'll try the Fisher Ponds.

4/5/2016

Rule #301:  Every man has "enthusiasms," hobbies, or interests that he follows for a time before moving on to the next one.  Never apologize for these, just enjoy them as much as possible for as long as they last.  Chances are, each will come up again.

The last three days have been miserable, weather-wise.  The day before yesterday, in fact, we had gusts up to 40-45 mph, blowing snow and SLEET!!  That night, we lost power for several hours; then again in the middle of the night.

I thought about going fishing today, but the high was only 47 degrees and it was humid and overcast.
I don't know how long I would have made it!

Tomorrow might be a good day to check out the Bird Pond.  Solunar tables show it as a "Better" day, but it's just going to be to damned cold.  During the "Major Period," the temperature will not exceed 40 degrees--and I'M OLD!!   According to the Solunar tables, Friday is supposed to be one of the best days of the SEASON!, and yet, during the "Better ++" Minor Period, it's probably going to be snowing!

So, this time of year, I just have to make sure I have my ND hoodie, my gloves, and my hand warmers with me.  I have to remember that the weather conditions I'm suffering through, the fish just aren't.  This time of the year, so much is determined by the amount of sun the water receives, the direction of the wind, etc.

Yes.  I'll go.

I want to try out my waders--basically, to see where the inevitable leaks are!--and can just wear them on the inside of my big rubber boots.  Eventually, I want to turn a pair of high-top tennis shoes into wading "boots" by coating the permeable parts with that red rubber paint stuff I have.

So, my next outing will be 4/6/2016.

I just texted the owner of "Fisher Ponds," asking permission to fish Thursday.  Of course, she said yes.  She and her husband have been so welcoming to me--and later in the year, to Adam and Carly as well!

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here, then, are my plans for the rest of the week:

WEDNESDAY PROJECTIONS--Either White River or Bird Pond.

Solunar  107P--307P, "Major," "Better" Period

Weather  During Major Period

Air Temperature:  55 -- 57 degrees
Wind:  27 MPH from S -- 30 MPH from SSW
Air Pressure:  29.68--29.62, falling
Cloud Cover:  88% -- 100%

THURSDAY PROJECTIONS--Fisher Ponds

Solunar  203P -- 403P, "Major," "Best" -- New Moon!

Weather  During Major Period

Air Temperature:  43 -- 45 degrees
Wind:  15 MPH from NW -- 14 MPH from NW
Air Pressure:  29.69 --  29.79, rising
Cloud Cover:  99% -- 98%


FRIDAY PROJECTIONS--Either White River or Bird Pond.

Solunar  812A -- 912A, "Minor," "Better++"* -- 2% Waxing Crescent

Weather  

Air Temperature:   32 -- 35 degrees, or "AYFKM?"
Wind:  5 MPH from NW -- 7 MPH from NW
Air Pressure:  29.86 -- 29.86, steady
Cloud Cover:  55% -- 55%


* Because this minor period occurs within 30 min's to 1 hr. of a sunrise and the moon is also rising during this time which actually gives this day a heightened peak time rating of "Better ++" and should give you great . . .  fishing action . . . "

4/1/16

Rule # 122:  Though your wife--or husband--may sometimes be wrong, she/he is nearly ALWAYS right.

So, today, I have learned the power of "Blogger's" delete button--it's irreversible, irretrievable.  DO NOT SCREW WITH BLOGGER'S DELETE CAPABILITY!  SHOULD YOU UNINTENTIONALLY ASK YOUR CUTE, LITTLE, BENIGN SITE TO "SET SOMETHING ASIDE," MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T MEAN FOR-FRIGGIN'-EVER!!   You will never again see those little quips you worked so hard on, for an audience of zero. . . wait, why am I doing this?

Well, let's start by recreating what I know was on the page and might be helpful to me next year at this time:

• I went fishing on the Fisher Ponds for the second time this year.
• Though I saw some of those roving "teenager" gangs of 1--1.5 pound bass cruising through the water 3-4 feet off the bank and about 2 feet deep on the southern side of the furthest east "pit," there wasn't a substantial increase in bite from last week's expedition.
• There was very little sign of new nesting, although it looked as if some of the older sites have been worked over.
• The two I caught today were on "Galati Rigs," with a small hunk of nightcrawler.
• WATER TEMPERATURE:  60 degrees even.

Even though today's catch was encouraging, I think if I had planned for the day by looking at the Solunar Tables, the Weatherunderground.com page, I'd have done better.

As usual, however, at this time of year, I just fish as often as i can, whenever I can!