Seek, Catch, Release, Protect
I have decided to cancel my Canadian fishing trip to Ontario this summer. I have also decided to cancel ALL future fishing trips to Ontario.
There are plenty of amazing places to fish so I will choose one in the US and spend my money here as opposed to Canada. Several of my friends are doing the same thing.
I’m sure you can read between the lines and agree or disagree, that’s fine either way. But this decision is mine and I’ve made it.
Stay safe out there…
I just realized that today is the One Year Anniversary of this blog. Here’s to many more…Cheers!
I wrote the 4th Episode of Binge Thinking this morning and deleted it shortly after posting it. In fact, I’ve deleted the other Binge Thinking Episodes as well. They don’t really fit into the scope of my blog and nobody gives a crap about what I think anyway. My apologies for any confusion regarding a notification and then not being able to find it.
It’s because of the expense…pure and simple. I think the prices for boats are ridiculous. And I’d have to purchase a vehicle to tow it.
I’ve owned boats in the past and always enjoyed tinkering with them. Doing modifications and making them more efficient for my needs.
I look at my friends new boat and the new vehicle he bought to tow it and I just can’t justify that kind of expense at this point of my life. I don’t even want to go fishing with him in it. Multiple fish finders front and back and I can see him staring at the locator all day like people are glued to their cellphones. No thanks. I jokingly asked him how much that first bass was going to cost and received a death glare in response.
And since we tend to fish on the weekends, the lakes are way too crowded and it seems like there is a tournament of some sorts every weekend as well. I have no desire to do 60mph across a choppy lake or deal with the “cluster****” that we call boat ramps.
And with the unpredictable weather we have here…if I owned a boat, I’m sure it would sit unused more than I’d like.
I’ll stick to wading streams and rivers wherever I can find them. It’s less crowded, more quiet and slower paced.
Wish I had some trout pictures for you but I don’t. The pond was supposed to be restocked yesterday but I have my suspicions. I talked to two other guys who were fishing and they hadn’t caught a thing and hadn’t seen a thing either. When the resident experts aren’t catching anything, you know something is off.
The day started off at 27F with parts of the lake and shoreline covered in ice but it quickly warmed to 39F when the sun peeked over the hills. I went to test out the Daiwa Presso ST 62ML rod and the new 2021 Daiwa Presso LT 1000 reel. The rod casts very well and this reel is AMAZING. I didn’t think it was possible but it is smoother than the Daiwa Presso LTD 1025.
Also, since I received my 2 replacement sections for the Abu Garcia Troutin Marquis Nano rod, I decided to throw that rod and reel combo for an hour. The Abu Garcia REVO MGX Theta 1000S reel is really smooth. This combo is a good matchup and I like the direction Abu Garcia is heading.
And not to be left out…The Apia (Anglers Utopia) Grandage Lite 61. I received this rod yesterday and was really chomping at the bit to try it out. I wish I had tried the rod with the Daiwa Presso LT 1000 reel but stuck with the Vanford 1000 for the hour I fished with it.
I have ordered a few ceramic bearings for the Vanford 1000 hoping to make it the reel it could be. It seems odd that the Stradic FL 1000 is so much better yet the internals are practically identical. But there is a noticeable difference (slight grinding). Possibly switching from braid to nylon will make an impact…just not sure. Not quite ready to give up on this little reel. When the bearings arrive I may do a complete teardown and cleaning and reapply high grade lubricant.
So 3 hours fishing at a trout pond with zero fish caught. BUT…I gleaned a lot of important information from the rods I went to test out. Each was different in their own way, yet all were functional for my wants and type of fishing I like to do. Not surprising since all 3 were designed for completely different applications. The nod definitely goes to the Apia Grandage Lite 61…what a rod!
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…I’m being overly dramatic by quoting Dickens, but I understand the frustration occurring in his novel.
The two rods, The Daiwa Presso ST 62ML and the two replacement sections for my Abu Garcia pack rod, shipped together from Japan on the same day. Both arrived in Anchorage Alaska and both arrived at Memphis Tennessee on Friday evening. For some reason, one continued on to Tulsa where it was subsequently delivered yesterday. The Abu Garcia rod parts just disappeared in “tracking limbo.” Found out last night despite the “Scheduled Delivery January 24th by 1630” message that the rod parts were sent back to Anchorage Alaska. Nice job FedEx!!!!
This isn’t the first time FedEx has messed up a shipment going through Memphis and I may opt for shipping via DHL from this point forward. I bring this up not to complain (too much) but to highlight a very real pitfall to ordering JDM rods from Japan. Interestingly, I’ve never had an issue with reels ordered from Japan…just rods. As a sidenote…JDMTackleHeaven packages their rod shipments in PVC pipe with the ends well secured and clearly labelled as to destination. Outstanding packaging.
I am curious as to whether this will be chalked up to the usual COVID supply chain problems as opposed to the real cause…imcompetence. Time will tell. But in all honesty, I’m grateful they don’t ship through California, what with all of the mass theft and looting going on there. In fact, I do my research before ordering to absolutely avoid having anything shipped through California.
This is just a cautionary note and your mileage may vary…good luck.
This morning I received confirmation that the replacement rod sections for my Abu Garcia Troutin Marquis Nano are in the air and on route to my location.
It will be good to have that rod complete again. I’m looking forward to fishing with it. Lesson learned…DON’T lift your fish with the rod vertically. I knew better, but lost focus and paid the price. And that rule generally applies for all of my JDM rods.
The other habit that was hard to break was doing the “BassMaster Classic hookset”…now I rely on super sharp hooks and/or a sweeping hookset. Sometimes just engaging the reel is enough to do the job.
Fishing is always a learning process and I am a life long student. I wouldn’t want it any other way…
The above quote from Henry Rollins is exactly how I live my life.
The surgery has come and gone, healing is going well, but I’m having a hard time adjusting to the forced down time. I feel like I should be doing something or accomplishing a task. Maybe when I start physical therapy things will change. I am notorious for going really hard at PT and trying to recover in record time.
I did manage to tear down my Shimano Vanford 1000S and oil the gears and bearings in an effort to reduce the slight grinding noise I was experiencing. It definitely helped. And let me tell you…that was an epic task trying to do it with one hand! Zip was unimpressed by my efforts though…
I went ahead and placed a couple of orders to replenish our supply of jig heads and soft plastics. The Owner Cultiva JH-85’s and the Eurotackle Micro Finesse B-vibes that worked so well for us last year have become a staple in our tackle bags.
I have also started to round up permits and licenses for the 2022 season as well. It’s amazing how fast those expenditures add up. We are currently making trip plans and pouring over maps in an effort to seek out new waters and maybe revisit some of our favorite spots.
Keeping physically AND mentally active is important to me but patience is the order of the day…and for those who have been following my blog, you know I don’t possess much of that.
Til next time…take care out there.
I haven’t decided if it’s 2022 yet or if it’s still “2020 too.” Time will tell.
Our new dog Zip is growing like a weed and coming along nicely. He’s been a joy to have around and brings his own unique character into our lives.
We’ve been busy getting ready for winter and trying to complete our list of chores. It was great to hang out with family and friends over the holidays and to be able to just relax.
The Chickadees have made their presence known and we have filled the bird feeders at their request. Presently it is 43F and raining but temperatures will drop into the teens tonight. Not sure if everything will ice up but we will find out in the morning.
For a bit of bad news… I will undergo surgery on my left arm next week. I have a severe case of trigger finger and while doing that, the surgeon will fix my carpal tunnel issues and my cubital tunnel problem as well. I am not sure how long the recovery process will take but I wanted to get it corrected before the next fishing season started.
As a side note, I’ve been catching up on the latest Japanese Domestic Market fishing gear and trying to see if there is anything that piques my curiosity. Prices seem to be down a bit due to the exchange rate/economy.
Also, since it’s winter, this is the time of year I tend to play with my amateur radio gear and do a lot of shortwave radio listening via my SDR’s (software defined radios). Needless to say, I’m sure some of my blog posts will be a “mish-mash” of various things.
Stay safe out there and here’s to a better year hopefully. Cheers!
I am taking time off to spend it with my family and friends and will return to the blog after the first of the year. Hope everyone has a great holiday.
I’d like to offer my heart-felt “Thank You” to ALL who served…past and present. Coming from a long line of veterans and patriots…I can appreciate the sacrifices, sense of duty and honor that goes with taking the Oath. Cheers!
I have spent a lot of time in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota with friends and family. I have made over 25 trips to this area and will continue to do so for as long as I am able.
I am reaching out to as many people as I can to inform them of a proposed potential environmental disaster. There are two companies actively attempting to start mining for copper sulfide. PolyMet is a Swiss company owned by Glencore and Twin Metals which is a Chilean conglomerate owned by Autofagasta. These proposed mines can heavily pollute the watersheds surrounding the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.
Looking at the history of copper mining- all of them have caused heavy pollution and contamination of soils and groundwater, as well as watersheds and wildlife. Not to mention the sheer amount of damage in the mining process alone.
I am asking any and all readers, if they see fit to do so, to sign the petition to stop the mines and save the Boundary Waters. There is an organization that is actively resisting and fighting the proposals at a grassroots level as well as in the courts.
Please go to the Friends of the BWCA website and sign the petition. Their website is http://www.friends-bwca.org
I appreciate any all who step up and try to make a difference. My sincerest thanks, VeloxSeeker.
Velox Seeker 