Hello everyone
I just wanted to take some time and first Thank the nice people at Katadyn for such a quick reply to our request. With that I would like to say that the water systems YOU asked about are now here! We have now for use and review the Katadyn models Hiker, and Pocket and it looks like the Expedition will be here shortly.
Per your request asking us to find out about these products I contacted Katadyn and we have these models now so watch in the future for reviews and photos. If you are one that hikes and camps you can’t be without a Katadyn product in you pack! Even folks that have to prepare for harsh weather and disasters, you need to look into these products. You can visit their website at: http://www.katadyn.com/usen/katadyn-products/products/katadynshopconnect/katadyn-water-filters/
So I just wanted to give you a heads up to watch for these reviews, and again thank Katadyn for this opportunity..!
Godspeed…
Gunner
Showing posts with label Bass Fishing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bass Fishing. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Depth Finder / Fish Finder
Depth Finder / Fish Finder
by gunner
Now in today’s fishing world the Hummingbird's are just as common as the reel on the end of your fishing pole. And this comes with good reason, knowledge! It is a simple equation that works in almost anything in our everyday life, “The more you know about something, the easier it is to do”. The more you know about the water you are fishing, the better you can make decisions on where and how to fish.
I have recently heard a story about a guy that wanted to buy one of these electronic miracles. His wife had questioned him wanting to know “why” he needed this. His answer was, “Because I want one”. Now as it happened he got the unit, but I am sure not without some further “questioning” once they got back home… Anyone that is married, should know what I mean by that!
Had this man given a better answer or even better yet told her what he wanted one for even before they went to the store, I might not have even heard about this little incident. So what I would like to do in this article is maybe offer some idea’s that might help as how to answer that “Why” question when it comes your turn to buy one.
Because I want one or Bill Dance uses one, might be good enough reasons for the person wanting to buy one, it is not the answer the other half is looking for. Money / price is a big factor when the one that handles the monthly bills is also the one that will have to write the check for this new “toy” as I have heard them described before… So that proper thing to do is tell just what the unit WILL do for your fishing. Basically sell the idea to the other half.
A good example of this could be, “With this on the boat, I will be able to find where the fish are instead of riding around all day looking for where I think they should be” and in certain instance’s also add “That will help me get home sooner!”
Then explain a little as to what it does, staying away from how it works… there is a difference. Something like, Now I will be able to see what the bottom under the boat looks like, the drop off’s, underwater structure etc… With that I also can see where the fish are and how far down they are in the water. Which will take the guess work out of knowing what to use to try to catch them. (Also throw in the get home sooner here if it will help!) Most times it won’t take a lot of info to satisfy the check writer.
Getting ones that show the speed you are traveling on the water – Great for controlled trolling. There are ones that show the water temp – great for lure and bait selection. Now there are ones that also have a GPS built into them – great if you get lost a lot, and also marking that secret area.
What I am trying to say here is this, if you don’t have one in your boat, chances are you want one. A lot of woman in today’s household’s are the ones that handle the actual bill paying. So they will be concerned why you want to spend that money on something that will NOT guaranty fish. Why fight it, just share the info before hand… It might make it easier than you think!
I know in some households it is reversed, the husband does the check writing and the wife fishes! All I can say is, America is GREAT!!!!!
See you on the water
gunner
by gunner
Now in today’s fishing world the Hummingbird's are just as common as the reel on the end of your fishing pole. And this comes with good reason, knowledge! It is a simple equation that works in almost anything in our everyday life, “The more you know about something, the easier it is to do”. The more you know about the water you are fishing, the better you can make decisions on where and how to fish.
I have recently heard a story about a guy that wanted to buy one of these electronic miracles. His wife had questioned him wanting to know “why” he needed this. His answer was, “Because I want one”. Now as it happened he got the unit, but I am sure not without some further “questioning” once they got back home… Anyone that is married, should know what I mean by that!
Had this man given a better answer or even better yet told her what he wanted one for even before they went to the store, I might not have even heard about this little incident. So what I would like to do in this article is maybe offer some idea’s that might help as how to answer that “Why” question when it comes your turn to buy one.
Because I want one or Bill Dance uses one, might be good enough reasons for the person wanting to buy one, it is not the answer the other half is looking for. Money / price is a big factor when the one that handles the monthly bills is also the one that will have to write the check for this new “toy” as I have heard them described before… So that proper thing to do is tell just what the unit WILL do for your fishing. Basically sell the idea to the other half.
A good example of this could be, “With this on the boat, I will be able to find where the fish are instead of riding around all day looking for where I think they should be” and in certain instance’s also add “That will help me get home sooner!”
Then explain a little as to what it does, staying away from how it works… there is a difference. Something like, Now I will be able to see what the bottom under the boat looks like, the drop off’s, underwater structure etc… With that I also can see where the fish are and how far down they are in the water. Which will take the guess work out of knowing what to use to try to catch them. (Also throw in the get home sooner here if it will help!) Most times it won’t take a lot of info to satisfy the check writer.
Getting ones that show the speed you are traveling on the water – Great for controlled trolling. There are ones that show the water temp – great for lure and bait selection. Now there are ones that also have a GPS built into them – great if you get lost a lot, and also marking that secret area.
What I am trying to say here is this, if you don’t have one in your boat, chances are you want one. A lot of woman in today’s household’s are the ones that handle the actual bill paying. So they will be concerned why you want to spend that money on something that will NOT guaranty fish. Why fight it, just share the info before hand… It might make it easier than you think!
I know in some households it is reversed, the husband does the check writing and the wife fishes! All I can say is, America is GREAT!!!!!
See you on the water
gunner
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Crankbaits vs. the “Others”
Crankbaits vs. the “Others”
By Gunner
A few weeks ago an old friend of mine who I have not seen in over 30 years when I lived in Shadyside, Ohio stopped by. He quit fishing 2 years ago as he had been fishing tourneys since the early 1970’s. I wish I would have had the chance to be around him more over the past 30 years to get on the tourney trails he fished, but life has a strange way of dealing with things and it was not meant to be…
During our visit he was in my “Fishing Room” and we went through the tackle boxes, rods, reels, just about everything you can imagine. He does not fish for anything but bass so a lot of my cat gear and muskie gear just did not interests him but when we got to the bass gear it all changed!
While going through the literary thousands of baits we started talking fishing styles, and mine has always been crankbaits. His has been pitchin in cover for most of his tourney time on the water. He made a comment that struck me funny and got me to thinking. He said well almost anyone can catch fish on crankbaits… At the time he said it; it was just part of the talk but struck a chord. It was not till the next day that it really hit me. There is a skill to crankbaits and it takes practice to acquire!
True you can buy the bait, open the box, tie it on cast it and reel it in and some times you might catch one that way. There are many times that open box style will not work. You have to be able to “work” the bait just as you have to learn and work any other bait in your box, which is where I am going to go with this article.
After watching crankbait masters Rick Clunn & David Frits plus reading every article I could find on crankbaits I have over the years developed a good style that has helped me boat many bass both in tourneys and just for fun!
What I did have to do was force myself to learn and use the “other” baits. It got to the point that I could catch bass on crankbaits every time I went on the water. Now I am not saying I got 5+ pounders or high numbers of bass each time, but I can honestly say I at least got one every trip, it may not have been a big one, but at least one bass on every outing.
I know a lot of people would say ok, so what is the problem? If you think about even though I was able to get at least one fish, most time one fish will not win a tourney. So I had to learn the other baits… You have to picture in your mind I have 823 different crankbaits, so learning something else was not easy.
I started by reading and watching shows, talking to people and just going to the store and buying different types of baits. The hardest part for me was on the water, I had to take 4 or 5 different poles rigged with the different baits and “NO” crankbaits at all either in the boat or on a rig.
I had to do that to myself because I became accustomed to my confidence bait and technique. Knowing I had to do it was just a start. So the days on the water at times seemed long and dragging but I can say now, 10 tackle boxes later loaded with everything you can think of has made me a better all around fisherman.
There is an old saying that goes; Change always comes with resistance, now I know what that truly meant. I resisted as much and as long as one person could do! Although flipping is one of my styles I have learned now a few years back, about 15 to be exact, along with every other style, crankbaits along with the others have helped make many more fun filled days on the water, so if you are stuck in the one or even two styles, take my advice and force yourself to learn and use the “other” baits, it will pay off in the end and make you a better fisherman!
There will be days that one type of bait will not work all day or even at all. I hope it is not on a tournament day for you! You will wish you had taken the time to try and learn the “other” baits. Now that I am in my 40’s I have learned two key things, it is never too late to learn something new and never stop learning! I try to pick up on something each and every time I go fishing with someone. I truly believe that everyone can show you something new, and yes there have been times when I learned by watching someone else how “Not” to do this or that. I have to admit sometimes that is the most enjoyable type of lesson.
The meat of this article is simple, if you have a confidence bait that you fish more the 50 percent of the time, take the time to learn a new style, force yourself I f you have too, I will be a benefit to you and worth the time and effort you put into it.
Be safe and I really hope to see you out there, Godspeed to all…
Ron “Gunner”
By Gunner
A few weeks ago an old friend of mine who I have not seen in over 30 years when I lived in Shadyside, Ohio stopped by. He quit fishing 2 years ago as he had been fishing tourneys since the early 1970’s. I wish I would have had the chance to be around him more over the past 30 years to get on the tourney trails he fished, but life has a strange way of dealing with things and it was not meant to be…
During our visit he was in my “Fishing Room” and we went through the tackle boxes, rods, reels, just about everything you can imagine. He does not fish for anything but bass so a lot of my cat gear and muskie gear just did not interests him but when we got to the bass gear it all changed!
While going through the literary thousands of baits we started talking fishing styles, and mine has always been crankbaits. His has been pitchin in cover for most of his tourney time on the water. He made a comment that struck me funny and got me to thinking. He said well almost anyone can catch fish on crankbaits… At the time he said it; it was just part of the talk but struck a chord. It was not till the next day that it really hit me. There is a skill to crankbaits and it takes practice to acquire!
True you can buy the bait, open the box, tie it on cast it and reel it in and some times you might catch one that way. There are many times that open box style will not work. You have to be able to “work” the bait just as you have to learn and work any other bait in your box, which is where I am going to go with this article.
After watching crankbait masters Rick Clunn & David Frits plus reading every article I could find on crankbaits I have over the years developed a good style that has helped me boat many bass both in tourneys and just for fun!
What I did have to do was force myself to learn and use the “other” baits. It got to the point that I could catch bass on crankbaits every time I went on the water. Now I am not saying I got 5+ pounders or high numbers of bass each time, but I can honestly say I at least got one every trip, it may not have been a big one, but at least one bass on every outing.
I know a lot of people would say ok, so what is the problem? If you think about even though I was able to get at least one fish, most time one fish will not win a tourney. So I had to learn the other baits… You have to picture in your mind I have 823 different crankbaits, so learning something else was not easy.
I started by reading and watching shows, talking to people and just going to the store and buying different types of baits. The hardest part for me was on the water, I had to take 4 or 5 different poles rigged with the different baits and “NO” crankbaits at all either in the boat or on a rig.
I had to do that to myself because I became accustomed to my confidence bait and technique. Knowing I had to do it was just a start. So the days on the water at times seemed long and dragging but I can say now, 10 tackle boxes later loaded with everything you can think of has made me a better all around fisherman.
There is an old saying that goes; Change always comes with resistance, now I know what that truly meant. I resisted as much and as long as one person could do! Although flipping is one of my styles I have learned now a few years back, about 15 to be exact, along with every other style, crankbaits along with the others have helped make many more fun filled days on the water, so if you are stuck in the one or even two styles, take my advice and force yourself to learn and use the “other” baits, it will pay off in the end and make you a better fisherman!
There will be days that one type of bait will not work all day or even at all. I hope it is not on a tournament day for you! You will wish you had taken the time to try and learn the “other” baits. Now that I am in my 40’s I have learned two key things, it is never too late to learn something new and never stop learning! I try to pick up on something each and every time I go fishing with someone. I truly believe that everyone can show you something new, and yes there have been times when I learned by watching someone else how “Not” to do this or that. I have to admit sometimes that is the most enjoyable type of lesson.
The meat of this article is simple, if you have a confidence bait that you fish more the 50 percent of the time, take the time to learn a new style, force yourself I f you have too, I will be a benefit to you and worth the time and effort you put into it.
Be safe and I really hope to see you out there, Godspeed to all…
Ron “Gunner”
Camping
Camping
by gunner
Spring and then summer is not that far away to not think about it. I mean come on, who reading this has not looked out a window and pictured green trees, blue skies, and the smell of fresh pines? I know I have many times already.
Camper vs Tent:
We all our idea of a perfect camping trip. Some with a big 40 foot Winnebago with all the luxuries of home. Shower, bed, HEAT, etc… For some of us that is right. Then there are the others. I fall into that bunch. Give me a tent, sleeping bag, big ol’ fire and corn and potato’s then I am ready.
Let’s look at the difference between the two. RV, true you have heat, shower and all the comforts of home. But see that is just it, comforts of home. Why leave the house? I am not knocking this style in no way. But to me it is a great way to travel across country. Not go to your local lake and camp out every weekend.
The tent, that is camping. No shower, TV or heat coming from vents. Sleeping bag that is cold when you first get into it at night. The whole idea of camping is getting out and roughing it for however long. At least what I was taught camping was. To get away from it all and just relax. Now there will be some who will say they are relaxed in the big house on wheels, and I am sure they are. But are they camping, I mean really camping? Bacon and eggs in a cast iron skillet over an open fire with the smell & sounds of the wood popping as it burns…. Now that is camping.
Things that are good to have no matter how you camp:
Flashlights & extra batteries
First-Aid kit
Bottle of insect repellent
Cell Phone
(I put my cell phone and radio in bag and forget about them…unless I need to use them for an emergency)
Good Knife
Rope
Some cases a good weather radio
Flares to start a fire in an emergency
Water proof matches
Compass ( I have went to a handheld GPS)
Extra Clothes
Snap-lites
Whistle
Good two way radios
Advil or whatever you may take for pain
The list can go on and on. Use common sense when packing for a trip and make sure you have what YOU need to be safe and have fun. Being prepared for a trip can make the difference between having a great time or never wanting to do it again. The extra time it takes to check and check again, is really worth it.
Be safe, have fun and come back!
by gunner
Spring and then summer is not that far away to not think about it. I mean come on, who reading this has not looked out a window and pictured green trees, blue skies, and the smell of fresh pines? I know I have many times already.
Camper vs Tent:
We all our idea of a perfect camping trip. Some with a big 40 foot Winnebago with all the luxuries of home. Shower, bed, HEAT, etc… For some of us that is right. Then there are the others. I fall into that bunch. Give me a tent, sleeping bag, big ol’ fire and corn and potato’s then I am ready.
Let’s look at the difference between the two. RV, true you have heat, shower and all the comforts of home. But see that is just it, comforts of home. Why leave the house? I am not knocking this style in no way. But to me it is a great way to travel across country. Not go to your local lake and camp out every weekend.
The tent, that is camping. No shower, TV or heat coming from vents. Sleeping bag that is cold when you first get into it at night. The whole idea of camping is getting out and roughing it for however long. At least what I was taught camping was. To get away from it all and just relax. Now there will be some who will say they are relaxed in the big house on wheels, and I am sure they are. But are they camping, I mean really camping? Bacon and eggs in a cast iron skillet over an open fire with the smell & sounds of the wood popping as it burns…. Now that is camping.
Things that are good to have no matter how you camp:
Flashlights & extra batteries
First-Aid kit
Bottle of insect repellent
Cell Phone
(I put my cell phone and radio in bag and forget about them…unless I need to use them for an emergency)
Good Knife
Rope
Some cases a good weather radio
Flares to start a fire in an emergency
Water proof matches
Compass ( I have went to a handheld GPS)
Extra Clothes
Snap-lites
Whistle
Good two way radios
Advil or whatever you may take for pain
The list can go on and on. Use common sense when packing for a trip and make sure you have what YOU need to be safe and have fun. Being prepared for a trip can make the difference between having a great time or never wanting to do it again. The extra time it takes to check and check again, is really worth it.
Be safe, have fun and come back!
In the mind of the tourney angler, first day out…
In the mind of the tourney angler, first day out…
By gunner
Alarm sounds, waking me up from the full 65 minutes of “almost sleep” I had. Wiping sleep from my eyes, trying to focus on the clock. Pushing myself up to a sit-up position then wiping my eyes again…
After jumping up and getting dressed, running around looking for my shoes and finding them where I KNEW I did not leave them I grab something to eat, anything. At times it has been cereal others left-over pasta, just a few bites…
Go for the keys and a mental run-down of everything I need from the house. Keys, wallet, sunglasses, cell phone, small cooler of Pepsi, etc…
Once in the blazer (which is what I pulled my boat with) try to find some soft music for the ride to the garage to hook the boat & trailer. Again going over everything in my head as to what I packed, checked and loaded in the boat & blazer. I start to smile thinking of getting on the water, the sound and smell of the morning lake, the boats and motors…
Pulling up to the garage which was about 5 mins from my home at the time, I look around and don’t see my partner’s car. Well no matter he will be here, I hope as he is NOT a morning person.
I back up, hook the boat to the blazer, lock it down and then start my checklist, again! Never want to be caught without something you need on the water. A lesson I learned the hard way. Livewell’s - work, batteries - ready, lifejackets -check, Fire extinguisher -check, Safety flag and horn - check, full tank both boat & blazer- check, anchor- check, tow rope – check.
Now on to the tackleboxes, rod, reels, line, electronics etc…This is where I always had the hardest time, I wanted to take every bait I had, but knew I had to pick the chosen few. If I took them all I would have no room for my fishing partner!
So I go through the boxes I have everywhere. Making sure these are what I will need. This is when you may start to second guess yourself, because this is where your “homework” will start to pay off. Watching fishing shows, watching weather reports, calling for the lake conditions, talking to the guy at the local bait store by the lake. All of this starts to come together right here in your tackle selection. So after I sit and go through every box second guessing and remembering what I have heard and watched, I am pleased (somewhat) with my picks and then move on to the rods & reels.
Studying the lake maps prior and fishing the lake before I mark down certain “honey” areas that I will hit during the day. With that in mind I know what pound test and rod action I will be using. I have put the new line on the reels two days before today, so they have a chance to work out the stiffness. I rig each outfit up with a certain type of bait for my initial pattern search. Crankbait, spinner bait, jig, topwater etc…
Headlights, there is my late partner, I help him grab his gear out of his car and into the boat it goes. He makes a quick check of his gear and seems to be happy with his picks for the start of the day.
Loaded and ready, off we go…
Five minutes into the trip I remember that I did not “check” the trailer lights… So off to the side of the road I go and he steps out. Yes, brake lights, both turn signals and tail lights are working…
Loaded and ready, off we go…….. again….
Somewhere along the way to the lake we started talking about breakfast… so 24hr McDonalds, here we come… 4 sausage & eggs biscuits hash browns and cola’s later….
Loaded and ready, off we go…….. again….
As I am driving down the highway at 69 mph eating my biscuit at the same time, somehow I end up behind a 18 wheeler and I have a guy on my left that is riding the lane but will not pass… Looking at my watch and dropping part of the biscuit in the process, I try to see a way to get over. Time is running out and if I stay behind this truck, we will make it just in time to watch the rest of the boats blast off as we pull over the hump in the launch ramp area….
Turn signal on, I start to ease over… hoping that car will just back off or speed up. He does not move, just stays there. After two more attempts he backs off enough for me to move over and step on it. Just in time to make the BIG 2 mile hill that I should have gotten a running start on a mile or so back…
Clearing the hump at the launch ramp we see that somehow we made it in time. Not as much time as I would have liked, there will be no in-depth checklist now, just a quick once over…
After I am now temporally blinded by the new guy’s inability to shut his headlights off while he sits in front of me as I back the trailer in the water I find a parking spot and stumble through the floaters in my vision to the boat…
Seated, life jacket on, rods ready, water now in the livewells, I start the boat and get in line to be boarded and checked for any live bait and or bass in the livewells. He checks everything, checks the safety equipment the issues us a number to tape to the side of the motor. We then get the thumbs up signal and are clear to get in line.
I look at my watch and see that I have time to pour just a few sips of coffee, well in my case, sugar that is coffee flavored. (one of the very few times I drink coffee) I get a chance to glance at the sun just as it is hinting it’s way over the trees, and for a moment, I don’t hear the boat motors idling I hear the birds, I smell the pines instead of the gas & oil mixture… That is when it hits me every time, this is what it’s all about, and everything leading up to it doesn’t matter.
I glance over at my fishing partner and ask, “You ready for this?”
Hope to see you out there…
gunner
By gunner
Alarm sounds, waking me up from the full 65 minutes of “almost sleep” I had. Wiping sleep from my eyes, trying to focus on the clock. Pushing myself up to a sit-up position then wiping my eyes again…
After jumping up and getting dressed, running around looking for my shoes and finding them where I KNEW I did not leave them I grab something to eat, anything. At times it has been cereal others left-over pasta, just a few bites…
Go for the keys and a mental run-down of everything I need from the house. Keys, wallet, sunglasses, cell phone, small cooler of Pepsi, etc…
Once in the blazer (which is what I pulled my boat with) try to find some soft music for the ride to the garage to hook the boat & trailer. Again going over everything in my head as to what I packed, checked and loaded in the boat & blazer. I start to smile thinking of getting on the water, the sound and smell of the morning lake, the boats and motors…
Pulling up to the garage which was about 5 mins from my home at the time, I look around and don’t see my partner’s car. Well no matter he will be here, I hope as he is NOT a morning person.
I back up, hook the boat to the blazer, lock it down and then start my checklist, again! Never want to be caught without something you need on the water. A lesson I learned the hard way. Livewell’s - work, batteries - ready, lifejackets -check, Fire extinguisher -check, Safety flag and horn - check, full tank both boat & blazer- check, anchor- check, tow rope – check.
Now on to the tackleboxes, rod, reels, line, electronics etc…This is where I always had the hardest time, I wanted to take every bait I had, but knew I had to pick the chosen few. If I took them all I would have no room for my fishing partner!
So I go through the boxes I have everywhere. Making sure these are what I will need. This is when you may start to second guess yourself, because this is where your “homework” will start to pay off. Watching fishing shows, watching weather reports, calling for the lake conditions, talking to the guy at the local bait store by the lake. All of this starts to come together right here in your tackle selection. So after I sit and go through every box second guessing and remembering what I have heard and watched, I am pleased (somewhat) with my picks and then move on to the rods & reels.
Studying the lake maps prior and fishing the lake before I mark down certain “honey” areas that I will hit during the day. With that in mind I know what pound test and rod action I will be using. I have put the new line on the reels two days before today, so they have a chance to work out the stiffness. I rig each outfit up with a certain type of bait for my initial pattern search. Crankbait, spinner bait, jig, topwater etc…
Headlights, there is my late partner, I help him grab his gear out of his car and into the boat it goes. He makes a quick check of his gear and seems to be happy with his picks for the start of the day.
Loaded and ready, off we go…
Five minutes into the trip I remember that I did not “check” the trailer lights… So off to the side of the road I go and he steps out. Yes, brake lights, both turn signals and tail lights are working…
Loaded and ready, off we go…….. again….
Somewhere along the way to the lake we started talking about breakfast… so 24hr McDonalds, here we come… 4 sausage & eggs biscuits hash browns and cola’s later….
Loaded and ready, off we go…….. again….
As I am driving down the highway at 69 mph eating my biscuit at the same time, somehow I end up behind a 18 wheeler and I have a guy on my left that is riding the lane but will not pass… Looking at my watch and dropping part of the biscuit in the process, I try to see a way to get over. Time is running out and if I stay behind this truck, we will make it just in time to watch the rest of the boats blast off as we pull over the hump in the launch ramp area….
Turn signal on, I start to ease over… hoping that car will just back off or speed up. He does not move, just stays there. After two more attempts he backs off enough for me to move over and step on it. Just in time to make the BIG 2 mile hill that I should have gotten a running start on a mile or so back…
Clearing the hump at the launch ramp we see that somehow we made it in time. Not as much time as I would have liked, there will be no in-depth checklist now, just a quick once over…
After I am now temporally blinded by the new guy’s inability to shut his headlights off while he sits in front of me as I back the trailer in the water I find a parking spot and stumble through the floaters in my vision to the boat…
Seated, life jacket on, rods ready, water now in the livewells, I start the boat and get in line to be boarded and checked for any live bait and or bass in the livewells. He checks everything, checks the safety equipment the issues us a number to tape to the side of the motor. We then get the thumbs up signal and are clear to get in line.
I look at my watch and see that I have time to pour just a few sips of coffee, well in my case, sugar that is coffee flavored. (one of the very few times I drink coffee) I get a chance to glance at the sun just as it is hinting it’s way over the trees, and for a moment, I don’t hear the boat motors idling I hear the birds, I smell the pines instead of the gas & oil mixture… That is when it hits me every time, this is what it’s all about, and everything leading up to it doesn’t matter.
I glance over at my fishing partner and ask, “You ready for this?”
Hope to see you out there…
gunner
Open Fire cooking
Open Fire cooking
by gunner
Ok, you have the tent all set up, everything is placed right where you want it to be. The table is set over there, the cooler is right next to it. You have your chair set up looking at a breathtaking view (no TV tonight, you have natures big screen) and the coleman lanterns are ready and waiting for darkness…
You now have the fire pit dug and surrounded by baseball size rocks. The logs are set in a tee-pee fashion and the fire is burning just right. You place the grill over the flame and now it is time to start the cooking.
You can cook so many ways while out camping there is not enough space on this site to cover them all. So I will just touch on a few of my favorites. Two ways to cook corn over a fire and both are great tasting. Leave the corn in the husk and place in aluminum foil with some water and butter. Wrap tight and toss them in the bottom of the fire on the hot embers. This way is I would say the most popular among campsite cooks.
But there is another way. Remove the husk and cut the corn cob in two parts. Smear with butter and then place directly over the fire on the grill. You get a flame grilled flavor and ad seasoning to taste.
At this point I also slice onion and peppers and place them over the flame on the grill also. I like the crisp flame kissed taste to these. You can also wrap the onion whole in aluminum foil with a little water and lots of butter and place it in the embers also. Now I do the aluminum wrapped potatoes. (Hard to beat these)
And as far as the main dish, it can be anything of your liking such as fresh caught fish or hamburgers or my personal favorite thick steaks! When I pack for the trip I will place steaks in a big freezer bag marinating in either Italian dressing, or homemade seasoning with some sort of marinara . Nothing taste better than a true flame cooked steak.
When cooking the fish I do not add much to it. I will splash lemon juice on it and maybe a few spices but not much. I am a big fan of fresh parsley… Oh and I forgot to mention, when cooking in a skillet, it IS cast iron… Nothing like home fries and bacon and eggs in the morning before you go out on the fishing trip for the day!!!
See you out there, and remember.. put out all unattended fires!
gunner
by gunner
Ok, you have the tent all set up, everything is placed right where you want it to be. The table is set over there, the cooler is right next to it. You have your chair set up looking at a breathtaking view (no TV tonight, you have natures big screen) and the coleman lanterns are ready and waiting for darkness…
You now have the fire pit dug and surrounded by baseball size rocks. The logs are set in a tee-pee fashion and the fire is burning just right. You place the grill over the flame and now it is time to start the cooking.
You can cook so many ways while out camping there is not enough space on this site to cover them all. So I will just touch on a few of my favorites. Two ways to cook corn over a fire and both are great tasting. Leave the corn in the husk and place in aluminum foil with some water and butter. Wrap tight and toss them in the bottom of the fire on the hot embers. This way is I would say the most popular among campsite cooks.
But there is another way. Remove the husk and cut the corn cob in two parts. Smear with butter and then place directly over the fire on the grill. You get a flame grilled flavor and ad seasoning to taste.
At this point I also slice onion and peppers and place them over the flame on the grill also. I like the crisp flame kissed taste to these. You can also wrap the onion whole in aluminum foil with a little water and lots of butter and place it in the embers also. Now I do the aluminum wrapped potatoes. (Hard to beat these)
And as far as the main dish, it can be anything of your liking such as fresh caught fish or hamburgers or my personal favorite thick steaks! When I pack for the trip I will place steaks in a big freezer bag marinating in either Italian dressing, or homemade seasoning with some sort of marinara . Nothing taste better than a true flame cooked steak.
When cooking the fish I do not add much to it. I will splash lemon juice on it and maybe a few spices but not much. I am a big fan of fresh parsley… Oh and I forgot to mention, when cooking in a skillet, it IS cast iron… Nothing like home fries and bacon and eggs in the morning before you go out on the fishing trip for the day!!!
See you out there, and remember.. put out all unattended fires!
gunner
Catfish Rigging
Catfish Rigging
by gunner
Let’s talk about rigging for catfish. There are a few different ways and in different situations each has it purpose. There is the slip rig, the three way rig and the tie rig to name a few. These are the three I use most. From a boat the three way rig is best if there is any current at all. From the bank the slip rig and the tie rig work best. Let’s look at these one at a time…
Three way rig:
A number of ways to set this rig up. One of the most common is to have a lighter line for the weighted end. This way if you would happen to get a snag, you can put your line free without losing the entire rig. That is always a great idea. 10 pound test is in my opinion the best test for this. It is strong enough for casting and yet will break if you need it to without too much strain. Then all you lose is the sinker. The length of this line from swivel to sinker depends on where the fish are. Watch the fish finder/depth finder, if the fish are suspending a foot or two off the bottom, you have your length. You want to put the bait right in front of them. I still am a firm believer that no catfish will pass up a meal if it right in front of their mouth.
The hook end, a lot of arguments have gone on over the pound test and the length this needs to be. Some think that it should also be a lighter line for snag purpose’s also. I disagree with that. I think it should be the same pound test as the test on the reel. It does no good to have a heavier line on this part, the main line will break and you will lose the whole rig or worse yet, the fish. But going lighter is also just as bad for the hook line can break and you will have a three way swivel and sinker but no fish. So I go with the pound test I have on the reel, and the LEAST pound test I use for catfishing is 17. Most times it is 30. You can get away with a lighter line if catfishing from a boat. You will need the heavier line if fishing from the bank, at least if you are going after the BIG fish. As far as the length, I like it to be at least 18 inches from the swivel, sometimes longer if there is a lighter current.
One more thing I do on the hook end that I don’t see to many people doing is I slide a nice size piece of cork over the knot on the hook. Just to help keep the bait up. I also do the same on the Tie rig.
Tie Rig:
This is a simple way for bank fishing. Tie the sinker on the end of the line and come up about 18 inches from the singer and tie the hook and a short leader on there. Most times for this I will buy the snelled hooks already with the 8 to 10 inch of line and loop and just loop them through the line and hold them in place. Because you are using this from shore you will want the shorter hook line length. That way it will not get tangled up around the main line. And again, a little piece of cork by the hook tie works wonders.
Slip Rig:
This is the rig my grandfather showed me years ago. Slide the line through the sinker, tie on a swivel and then your leader and hook. Cast out and fish off the bottom. You need to make sure you use enough weight to keep the bait where you want in current. Flat sinkers seem to be better for this, they will not roll around and snag up as easy. To be completely honest, I never caught a “big” fish this way. It was always the smaller channel cats and bull cats with this rig. Now any catfish is worth the fight it puts up, but I still am a flathead cat man myself. Nothing like the fight of a 40 pounder on 17 pound test in the middle of the night!!! That will get you going anytime…
Good Luck, good fishing
gunner
by gunner
Let’s talk about rigging for catfish. There are a few different ways and in different situations each has it purpose. There is the slip rig, the three way rig and the tie rig to name a few. These are the three I use most. From a boat the three way rig is best if there is any current at all. From the bank the slip rig and the tie rig work best. Let’s look at these one at a time…
Three way rig:
A number of ways to set this rig up. One of the most common is to have a lighter line for the weighted end. This way if you would happen to get a snag, you can put your line free without losing the entire rig. That is always a great idea. 10 pound test is in my opinion the best test for this. It is strong enough for casting and yet will break if you need it to without too much strain. Then all you lose is the sinker. The length of this line from swivel to sinker depends on where the fish are. Watch the fish finder/depth finder, if the fish are suspending a foot or two off the bottom, you have your length. You want to put the bait right in front of them. I still am a firm believer that no catfish will pass up a meal if it right in front of their mouth.
The hook end, a lot of arguments have gone on over the pound test and the length this needs to be. Some think that it should also be a lighter line for snag purpose’s also. I disagree with that. I think it should be the same pound test as the test on the reel. It does no good to have a heavier line on this part, the main line will break and you will lose the whole rig or worse yet, the fish. But going lighter is also just as bad for the hook line can break and you will have a three way swivel and sinker but no fish. So I go with the pound test I have on the reel, and the LEAST pound test I use for catfishing is 17. Most times it is 30. You can get away with a lighter line if catfishing from a boat. You will need the heavier line if fishing from the bank, at least if you are going after the BIG fish. As far as the length, I like it to be at least 18 inches from the swivel, sometimes longer if there is a lighter current.
One more thing I do on the hook end that I don’t see to many people doing is I slide a nice size piece of cork over the knot on the hook. Just to help keep the bait up. I also do the same on the Tie rig.
Tie Rig:
This is a simple way for bank fishing. Tie the sinker on the end of the line and come up about 18 inches from the singer and tie the hook and a short leader on there. Most times for this I will buy the snelled hooks already with the 8 to 10 inch of line and loop and just loop them through the line and hold them in place. Because you are using this from shore you will want the shorter hook line length. That way it will not get tangled up around the main line. And again, a little piece of cork by the hook tie works wonders.
Slip Rig:
This is the rig my grandfather showed me years ago. Slide the line through the sinker, tie on a swivel and then your leader and hook. Cast out and fish off the bottom. You need to make sure you use enough weight to keep the bait where you want in current. Flat sinkers seem to be better for this, they will not roll around and snag up as easy. To be completely honest, I never caught a “big” fish this way. It was always the smaller channel cats and bull cats with this rig. Now any catfish is worth the fight it puts up, but I still am a flathead cat man myself. Nothing like the fight of a 40 pounder on 17 pound test in the middle of the night!!! That will get you going anytime…
Good Luck, good fishing
gunner
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