Skunk Times 3

Or was it 4?It's been over a week since I had my string of not so memorable fishing trips on my local waters in Southeast Virginia so you have to forgive me.As always it was nice to get out rather than being a loaf on the couch.It would have been better to catch fish which was the intended purpose of putting the boat in the water.It happens every year though and I have nobody to blame but myself.It's like a bad habit that I refuse to kick no matter how much everyone tells me it's all wrong.Going fishing for bass when the air temperature warms up,yet the water is still quite cold.I feel that sweet warmth of the sun and I get this bug that tells me the fish must be biting,surely with these two days above 60 degrees they are out and hungry.How wrong I was,again and again and again.The funny thing is,I'm not the only one who goes out early every year and gets skunked,repeatedly,days in a row.I learned that even the "pro" bass fishermen with all of the fancy gear and 3000 hp motors can't find fish all the time.On a side note,the "pro" guys in my new neck of the woods seem to be a little more tolerable.We still aren't exactly on the same page when it comes to enjoying the entire outdoors experience but I will try and let that go.I took the time to explore some of the feeder creeks to the river,got some excellent pictures and found a few wood duck holes for this November that I will revisit.I'm aware the waterfowl season just ended,I never stop looking.The big event of the Spring happens when I get home in a few weeks,MAN CAMP! For those of you that have tuned in over the last year let me fill you in.Man Camp is a once a year event that myself and a few friends have hosted for eight years now.Every Spring,the tents get aired out,fishing poles get re-spooled.friendships get renewed and a bunch of dudes go to the woods to get away.As you may get from the title Man Camp is just that,a camp for men.There is no bitching about anything.Your personal life,we don't care.your wife,kids,job,whatever,just leave it at home.We all gather in the woods at the same camp site every Spring to have a good time,throw around a few jokes,drink a few beers and not get any sleep.The attendees have ranged from two full sets of brothers,six total to my old landlord and good friends father all the way from Vermont.We have dealt with temperatures from 40 degrees and mist all weekend to 85 degrees with plenty of ticks and chiggers.I ended up on antibiotics for tick and chigger bites last year,can't wait to do it again!So there it is back at work for a few weeks then the official kick off to Spring happens.Thanks for reading and get outside!I wanted to put more pictures up but the internet siganl isn't the greatest in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay

Versatile,I Could Be

Iguess I walked into this one.A few days ago I informed my oldest brother Swamp Thing over at River Mud Blog, http://rivermud.blogspot.com/2011/03/award-where-i-talk-about-feelings-is-no.html ,he recieved a blog award from LB at Biscuits and Bullets, http://bulletsandbiscuits.blogspot.com/2011/03/why-yesi-am-trash-picker-upper.html ,for being versatile.He in turn passed the award around as and I intend to follow through with this.So the instructions are to write a few things about myself that the internet friends may not know.So let's give it a whirl!

1.I'm technologically stupid As if you couldn't tell from the links above,I'm a computer idiot.I wanted to start with this because I honestly believe if I could figure this contraption out a bit better, my blog would be much more on point.As it is,I'm self taught on the computer and thankfully my career has little to do with them.


2.I like being different Both of my brothers have normal awesome lives and I applaud them for being able to hold that down.I simply can't do it though.I have always enjoyed going against the grain in every facet of my life.I stand my ground to an extent but I know when to admit I'm wrong.That doesn't mean I will do what you say though!My brothers are and have always been my role models and I'm glad they are happy but what makes them happy doesn't always work for me.

3. The Outdoors is my Life I honestly live for the outdoors.My nickname at work is bird dog.Every time I hear a duck/goose I look to the sky to see where it's coming from and where it's going.At work it literally kills me to talk to people on land who had a good day on the water fishing or hunting.I want to be there,I need to be there.I can't stand being inside on a nice day.If money didn't exist and the trade and barter system were still an option I would spend every day in the woods and waters of this great nation hunting,trapping,fishing because I love it.

4.Would of,Could of,Should of School,oh school how I hate you.I wish,like my normal brothers,I would have stayed in college.My brothers don't even know this or they do and never speak of it.I'm to the age now where I realize I screwed up big time.I can hear my dad saying,yeah no crap boy,but it hit me a few years ago.Towing a barge down the coast in heavy weather we broke the tow wire.I almost lost my life many times along with other merchant seaman that day.We saved the barge from going aground.Good for us,except nobody cared.It didn't matter to anyone except the insurance company who didn't get the call.It was just a part of my job.That day reminds me that being in an office,being that "yes" man isn't such a bad idea sometimes.

5.I'm a Closet Travel Junky I want to travel so bad and I have no reason not to.I went to Panama,El Salvador and Guatemala for work a few years ago on a tugboat and have always wanted to go back.Go back?Let me be real,I want to travel the globe before I retire so I can enjoy what the rest of the world has to offer.I went and got my passport a few months ago and as long as my income doesn't come to an end I need to make the time to branch out with my outdoor activities.



So there it is,a few things you may not know about me.Just wanted to thank the few hardcore readers that visit my site.I went through a phase where I didn't want to post on here anymore.Then I realized that the reason I write is to get things off my mind.I never stop thinking so I find it's good to write it down.So I guess I will pass this award on to a few people.Nope I can't do that,everbody on my reading list already got the writing prompt.So thanks for reading and get outdoors everybody!

A Wicked Wind

Everything is going great,I'm off the boat,my father is recuperating from surgery well,I arrive at my house for the first time in two weeks and I get this sinking feeling that something is wrong.It was ten at night as I walked into the back yard and discovered this mess.

Oh but wait it gets better!Not only did the boat get flipped off the trailer in high winds but the axle decided to stay at ground level while the trailer frame followed the boat.

So what's the damage?broken leaf springs is all the damage this fiasco caused.Unfortunately the trailer,which I bought new in 2006,was due for a bit of maintenance.I figured if I was going into this I might as well do it all and do it right.So after driving around eighty miles between five different stores I ended up with leaf springs,a handful of stainless steel bolts and lock nuts,wood screws for the bunk boards,PB Blaster penetrating catalyst which is my new best friend.Now I'm not sure how many of you own a boat trailer but I'm assuming if you do then this is childsplay to you.Me on the other hand has never done any of this by myself,however I have done all of it with help before.Let me say saltwater does wonders to any and all metal.Even with breaker bars and butane torches,I ended up breaking out a grinder with a cutting wheel to disperse one bolt.Not sure why I didn't do that to all the rusty bolts but live and learn I suppose.So after a day and a half labor and running around,80 dollars and my trailer is like new.
All in one piece and my mind set at ease,it was time for the maintenance that was scheduled for this spring.Lights and wheel bearings were on the menu and even though late in the day,I knew I needed to do it so the trailer would be ready to go.The lights weren't to much of a problem with the trailer already upside down everything was in my face and easy to get to.The bearings,well the bearings,yeah the bearings.I figured the trailer,which I rarely use,would leave the bearings to be in good shape.How incorrect I was!Sitting with my face by the hub cap and popping it off was my first mistake.Brown water and goo went everywhere and continued to drip out of the bearing.Bad news folks these bearings are trash,good news I have everything in my shed to fix them.So with daylight leaving me I hunkered down and cleaned out and repacked the bearings.Funny thing about it,after I was all done,I sat that and looked at it.I thought,the last time I used this trailer was over a year ago,why am I keeping it.Is it because it was my first boat and trailer?Is it because it's paid for and nice to have a backup?Maybe by next year I will be able to let go of it,but I doubt it.On another note my brother came down from Maryland with his wife and my nephew.Both my brothers and I had a great afternoon fishing trip on my local river so stay tuned for that post.As always thanks for reading and get outdoors!

Early Spring

Typically for the Mid Atlantic region we should still be dealing with feet of snow and gale force winds.Thanks to my furry friend it seems Spring has come early,or maybe not.I'm a bit of a weather nerd,I won't hide that from anyone.As a child I seriously contemplated becoming a weatherman until I discovered how much math was involved.At work in North Carolina and I have been watching the weather closely.I have been waiting for Winter to rush back in,however it seems the East Coast may be getting an early out from our contract with mother nature.The weather in Southeast Virginia over the next few weeks shows typical early spring conditions.One day near 70 the next 45 with 30 mph winds followed by three days of rain.The area needs the rain but not all at once.Being addicted to the outdoors means having a general understanding of ever changing weather conditions at the very least.The best way to ruin a good day outdoors is to be caught in a fast approaching cold front with the wrong gear.So I may be home again next week and looking forward to any break in the rain to go try my hand at fishing again.I would like to think I will be home for the entire spring bass spawn but that requires luck.Stay tuned and in the meantime,get outside and make the best of the day.

Wonders

low water on the Blackwater River

My first attempt at black crappie and yellow perch fishing may be my last.I just simply can't stay still and just watch a bobber.The day was still a grand day on the water.I caught absolutely nothing.I did see plenty of ducks and geese.As for the usual,after the season ended the birds show up and mock me until i cry like a schoolboy that got picked last for dodgeball.I really did try,I wanted it to work.I wanted to catch a boatload of perch,eat them and be hooked on a different kind of fishing.It went the other direction.

Pair of geese,spooked up off the water

Please understand that anyone that does fish for perch,in February is pretty hardcore and I salute you for getting outdoors to enjoy nature,it's just not my idea of fun.It just falls under the same concept of fishing from a dock,I hate it.I like,scratch that,love my trolling motor.silently creeping around turns,fishing every downed tree and cypress knee.By the end of the day my tackle box is all out of sorts because I have thrown every type of lure,trying to entice that bass from under every log.I didn't discover the magic of a trolling motor until a few years ago.Being able to creep around turns and spook up wood ducks,geese,deer,turkey has given me some of the most breathtaking scenery i have ever witnessed outdoors.I very rarely even think about getting a picture because I'm amazed at what I'm seeing,it's the last thing on my mind.Until I see the deer perk up,the wood ducks screech,the geese honk.Right when I tell myself, "Don't ever forget this", that's when I think about taking a picture.By then,we all know,it's to late.Try as I might,I'm not the greatest with words.Inside my tiny skull,tucked away,is a growing file of wilderness wonders.

On a complete side note,i have to go back work and make money to pay bills,I don't understand the concept either.That being said the blog posts may slow down for a week or so until I settle into a groove on the boat and can make time.Everybody get outdoors and make some memories!

Retirement Fishing

Blackwater River, Virginia

Trying to make the most out of my time off is difficult this time of year.Like most outdoorsmen this time of year can be a challenge.Giving every second of free time to duck and goose hunting over the last few months can really wear a person down.I can only imagine if I had a family at home.So I'm still at home but I am shipping out for work early next week.The temperatures have steadily risen over the last week to a high of 76 forecast for today.As some of you know I have recently moved to my neck of the woods and have yet to find all of the free or close to free outdoor activities available.I do know of the beautiful Blackwater River only ten minutes from my house and a few days ago i ventured out to see if any fish were in need of a plastic grub.They most certainly were not.Talking with the old timers at the dock is one of my joys of the area.It seems to be that every morning they meet at the local diner for coffee then migrate down to the picnic tables at the park when the weather cooperates.They seem to enjoy "The guy with the weird grass boat".I think this is mostly because I have no idea what I'm doing on that river and they have plenty of time to tell me what I'm doing wrong.So taking some of there advice,with time to kill,I will venture out onto the river once again today.Here is the game plan.

picture borrowed from underage RVers blog

The river is lower than normal,however the southerly wind should be pushing more water up stream.This means the general flow of the river should be almost non existent.Perfect conditions for what I have planned.I call it retirement fishing.It involves such complex materials as a spinning rod,some split shot,a bobber and a minnow.I know,I know there is some technical jargon in there some of you may not understand.Seriously though,this is what the yellow perch and crappie are biting on.They seem to care less about lures this time of year and just want the real thing.Fair enough,I can waste away the afternoon with a good book,some bobber fishing and 76 degree temperatures.Stay tuned to see if this turns into just another boat ride.

Trout Fishing with Pops

My Dad fishing the creek

It's just everything that's right with the world.Take a little bit of of the outdoors,a little bit of outdoors and a challenge.Setting off from my parents house in southwest Va for some fishing I had no idea what was in store.We arrived at the creek with,guess this, nobody else.I understand it's February but these are trophy trout waters.Walking down to the creek we began to understand why we were alone in this endeavor,everything was frozen over.No problem little stick and stone can't help.I busted my dad a hole and scouted up the creek for some open water,it was non-existent.I returned back to see my dad gone!Alarmed I yelled his name,and a few other choice words.He was down the creek in a hole he created.We fished,talked,fished and then moved on.So I caught a rainbow trout in February.This is on my list of awesome things I have done,it's not why I'm writing this though.I'm writing this for my dad.

working his way througth,my Dad

My dad,even though he is in his early 60's,is well getting old.I love my dad,more now than I did when I was a kid.Watching him break ice with an oak limb from the woods this weekend made me appreciate the experience even that much more.he never complained,even though his waders were leaking in 30 degree water.He kept pushing me to move on to the next corner to see what was next.Watching him waist deep in 30 degree water busting ice is something I hope my other brothers get to witness.Talking with him about everything under the moon from finances to the actual moons effect on fishing was priceless.watching a bluegrass concert,drinking cheap American beer,lending my dad a lure.these are things that should be on my bucket list!I stink at putting this stuff in words,I'm much better at telling the stories,but I want my dad to know that I appreciate and look forward to these kind of unexpected times.Thanks pops!