Insert noise from the radar guy in Spaceballs...

You know, the beeps, the bleeps and the creeps...

If you haven't heard, I am getting a bit weired about my Kayak (yes I know I capitalized it).

In hopes of continuing my success with the blogging, I have decided to document my latest upgrade. I also hope this is the most severe upgrade.

At the advice of my wife I went to the local dicks store and purchased a humminbird fishfinder. I'm not blaming her, just stating the facts. She told me to get one, and in the same breath asked if that was cheating.







So there she is. The new toy along with some of the tools and equipment required for installation and opperation. Some necessary additional purchases include the portable 6 or 12 amp battery along with online fuses. I wouldn't normally bother with safety features like a fuse, but I don't like the idea of sitting in a plastic bathtub with an ATV battery next to me. I also went to the hardware store for some epoxy and wire ties.

First came the dry set up. I found appropriate locations for all of the components and got in and out of the boat many times to be sure everything was in the perfect spot. Because the transducer (sonar) was goin inside the bow, I wanted to make sure I wouldn't kick it.






I also wanted to be sure the display unit wouldn't impeed my paddling or casting. It went in my line of site directly opposite the rod holder on the port side. This also included some consideration of how the cables woul be rub inside the boat.







The battery is nice and small. It doesn't wiegh too much either. I was surprised at how serious it was. I actualy had to poor the acid into the cells and verify the post charge specific gravity (no I did not do that, I just eyeballed it). I located the battery just behind me in the stern compartment and used some small angle brackets and foam to keep it from sliding around.













Now the entire unit is plug and play after securing the wires out of harms way. Before I finish, let me take a moment to tell you about the only problem I encountered. The instalation directions for inside hull mounting suggest a slow curing two part epoxy. The directions warned that inside hull mounting of the transducer was reccomended only for hulls that are solid fiberglass and less than an inch and a half thick. The kayak is about a quarter in thick, so I should be fine right? The issue arose because the plastic hull is so thin that it actualy has a good amount of flex to it. When transporting it and getting in and out the bottom of the boat can flex so much that it actualy becomes inverted. Because of this, I only got about 3 real trips in before the epoxy holding the transducer cracked and seperated from the hull makin it useless. I replaced that epoxy with a slow cure two part semi rigid boding agent from 3M. Yes, it is for automotive repair and I consulted with my local 3M rep before using it.

Everything should be 100% now. The finder has already helpe me identify bottom make up and structure as well as provide me with clues as to the suspended depth of the fish. I am very happy with it.





I would also like to add that the battery has powered the display for over 6 hours without showing signs of slowing.

Additionaly, during the test run I tossed my ultra lite around with 4lb test to catch a few pan fish and a big silly carp decided to eat my white micro tube. I got nervous while he dragged me back and forth across the lake and got a quick glimps of his over 2.5ft length before he snapped the line. I think I still shaking a bit from that.

Cooper River on Saturday

I don't know what to say. I suppose I was more than a little let down.

Maybe I amped myself up a bit too much before actually hitting the waters. I was out pretty early, even for myself. I decided on an iced coffee at WaWa because, even this early, it was still already getting pretty warm. I was nervous that it may have been a sign of weather rolling in. I set up as far out on the make-shift pier as I could without falling through. Two spinning set ups. One for soft plastics with a loose bullet weight, and one reserved for sitching out hard plastic cranks. I knew the water would be deep, and moving slighty with what little tide was there; however, I wasn't sure how dee (wink wink, more about that later).

Once out on the water, I decided to head up current a bit first, then let the water take me down the banks. After settling in for about 3 seconds and making my first cast, I was more than spooked by a fish breaching the water right next to my boat. I threw at him with both rods, but nothing. Then another fish on the other side, a bit further out, nothing again. It only took about 20 minutes of this game before I decided that reverse phsycology was the answer, and ignored the flopping jerks. I began to fish my intended destination, a large bridge with a funnel type wall structure on either side.

Nothing still, even in this seamingly prime location. I drifted around the bend and into a corner that appeared to be a pooling locatiojn for other drifting dead weight such as myself. Nothing even resembling a bite there either.

After another hour and a half of going with the flow, and passing fishlessly through my secondary objective, I fished aimlessly in a backwater tangent of the river. Another strike out. I was begining to become more than very frustrated. I had thrown out everything in my boat (after tying it to the line of course) and fished it all every way I know how; but nothing happend.

I cruised across to the other shore line and spotted what I can only describe as a "poo-pipe" (bonus points for whoever can tell where I got that phrase). One cast on the down current side of this bad boy got me the first of several smaller sized bass. I continued to fish this side by paddling past the structure, and then drifting back down through it while tossing out the black power worm and slowing hopping it back to the boat.

I only had enough time for a few of these short runs, and only caught about 4 more fish. Even though I wasnt impressed with any of them, it was enough to keep me from intentionaly heaving any of my gear in the water. On the down side, when I was pulling the kayak out of the water, I bent down and ooops...there go my pliers and snips....I tried to drag a lure across the bottom to find them, but it seems I only get snagged when I dont want to.

Thanks for the support everyone.

Coming up this week:
-How the accidental fisherman hooked his biggest fish ever and,
-Electronics, the ignorant do-it-yourselfers guide.

Probably saturday.

Looking at the weather for the weekend, it feels like Saturday will be where it's at. I am already mapping out some fresh kayaking destinations. I recently secured a re-print of my NJ fishing license. I had lost it many weeks earlier in PA of all places. Why did I have my NJ license in PA you ask? Don't worry, I lost my PA tag too.

Anyway, I can now fish without fear of the invisible fish and game department. I have only ever seen them once. I was in Rancocas State Park along Rancocas Creek. A mile of rough dirt road brought me to the banks of the creek which was 30 yards away...through deadly-thick mud. Lucky for me, the local warden's were there lecturing a guy who had been teaching his son to shoot a bow. Evidently you can't just toss those arrows anywhere. They directed me to another unfishable spot and never even asked to see my license, then hassled the father son duo some more.

Getting back on track. Last year I made a few trips to Cooper River, a tributary of the Delaware. I caught only a few fish every now and then, but saw some really good looking holes that I just couldn't reach. I figure that now that I am fully mobile I can get to these spots and find the big fat pigs that I know are there. ( I just know, ok).



So here is the spot. The docks leading out into the water are merely floating boxes made out of something that looks similar to the cardboard in egg cartons...and I don't trust it under my feet. In the upper left area, or north western quadrant as I call it, is a great deep pool that runs into a drain or tunnel. I can only get so close to it on foot and at wait to really get in there. Of course the larger bridge in the, eh hem, south eastern quadrant flows tithe west and opens to very steep drop offs on either side. I love the idea of a fat pig bass waiting off
Of the slopes for some unsuspecting bait fish to come lolly-gagging through, only to find that this baitfish is carrying a series of razor sharp treble hooks. All day sucker.

I'll be sure to take some nice pics of the lunkers I snag.

Oh, by the way, these are the same waters that Mike Iaconelli fishes. Or pretty close at least.





-- :el

Barton Run

So, in my backyard is a creek. This creek runs a bit through the woods, shallow at times, and into Barton Run lake. My second best fishery to date.

Sure, I have to shift my weight to get over sunken logs and go through a scary dark tunnel, but it's all worth it.







I have caught a few of my largest fish in this lake. Ok, the pictures aren't that great. But for a few seconds of prep time, a few hours of fishing and a few decent bass right out the back door, it can't be beat. I'm sure that many of my future posts will include fish caught on this lake.


-- :el

Sun lake

Test blog from quick visit to sun lake. Or as it turns out, sun lake pond. The lake was closed due to construction next door. I was forced to walk around the park pond. Signs warning me to "not fish before the contest" convinced me there are fish in the pond. I saw many beds of sand through the undergrowth populated by decent sized blue gill. Lots of turtles, and possibly a few tiny large mouths. I watched the baitfish play and the turtles bob just a bit before heading home. The trip did nothing more than provoke my interest in next weekends weather.


-- :el

The accidental fisherman

Wow look at me. One year in, and already I'm blogging, fishing uncontrolably, making my own lures and dreaming about hook sets.

I will be trying to get this moving pretty quickly. Seeing as I get out every weekend I should have plenty to blog about.

I'm not too sure about how all of this works, but if anyone can add to my posts, please do so. I would love to get some educated banter happening in here.

thanks.

:el