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The boats are in storage, there's no safe ice in the foreseeable future, and holidays and life events are queued up. I think I can safely summarize my season without risk of anything changing too much. Each season develops its own character, and this was certainly my most intense season for chasing striped bass. Given my move to Massachusetts, that makes sense; it makes even more sense given COVID and the inability to launch Numenon or to travel. Fortunately, stripers are a worthy quarry, and I've got a lot to learn. Double-fortunately, I've found some motivating success and waters worth exploration. I've plenty of desire to keep chasing them. If time and opportunity allow me to chase other fish, too in future seasons, that will be a bonus that I will gladly accept, even if I can't expect it. As for my trout fishing, I either have pour instincts for when/where to go, I suffered from some more 2020 bad luck, or I am simply horrible at it. Oh well, without easy access to Numenon, this still represents my best option when chasing stripers doesn't make sense. I suspect I will encounter some future success and skunks along the way, regardless. QA/QC on these graphs has been modest, so they might not be perfect or truly finalized. But I think they still convey the character of my 2020 Season. Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways
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The boats are put away and it's almost the holidays; it's time to summarize my 2019 Fishing Season. As noted in another post elsewhere (see 2019-goal-update.html ), I didn't achieve any of my stated goals, and I didn't catch any outlandish fish. But, I'd maintain that I fished hard when I could get out there; and I generally fished well (in that I didn't lose fish to mechanical failures, bad knots, etc.). All along the way, I encountered a variety of very nice fish and shared some good times with good friends. My overall effort was perhaps slightly diminished; there was no Up North trip for smallmouths, many of my "Flex" days were lost to work, and crashing my truck into a deer in May and relocating my life to Massachusetts this fall (both, seriously) cut into my available fishing time. Oh well, the truck is replaced, and my move may better position me to chase stripers and albies more frequently in the future. Let's see what 2020 brings! In the meantime, here are simply a few nice pictures in approximate chronologic order from 2019, a fine year in many ways! Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways This entry features a bit of a different format; there's no specific fishing fishing activity to record. It's been a while since I've accessed the water, so I've nothing new to report. I've been, however, pretty "Fishing-busy" in between holiday, family and travel events as I prepare for the next season. Mostly to keep this section of the blog going, here are some summaries (in no particular order) of what I've been up to as I think about my 2019 Fishing Season. Knots! I am somewhat surprised by this, but I really enjoy tying knots! I dislike tackle failures and I prefer to use the right tool for a given situation, so it's not too surprising that I am careful and circumspect in this aspect of my fishing. What is surprising (to me) is the breadth of my knot "library" compared to others at C's, and my willingness to experiment and improve while searching for the knot of choice. This seems to be evolving into a meditative practice for me; I enjoy banging out a dozen or more "practice" knots on any given night. While no knot is perfect for all situations, the right knot for any situation is reliable; and one has to be confident that it is tied properly, too. It's best to make my mistakes in the living room, now, rather than out on the water during the season. While the Palomar and Uni-Knot System can be variously adopted and modified for most applications, I've worked hard on all of the following knots over the last couple of seasons and months. FG Knot - This might be the knot that got me hooked on this endeavor. It's also the knot that taught me the Power of You-Tube. Simply look for it, watch and learn; whatever it is, it's probably out there. Regardless, I'd become dissatisfied with the performance of my back-to-back Uni-Knots when connecting braid to longer leaders. While easy to tie and pretty reliable for a period of use, the connection would either get caught on guides, bind up within the spool, or ultimately fail. The slim FG Knot addresses all of these concerns and is fun to tie, too. However, over the last couple of seasons I've had these fail a few times. Fortunately, I believe my problem may have been in connecting braid to lighter leaders; it appears that this knot works best on heavier leaders. Live, learn and adjust! Seguar Knot - I found this as an alternative to the FG Knot, as it is presented as an option for lighter leaders. It seems impossibly easy to tie (relative to other braid-to-fluoro connections), and if it proves to be reliable on the water, will become a mainstay for me. The one apparent drawback for this knot might be a practical limit on the length of the leader. Modified Albright - There seem to be a million ways to tie this, and I've used versions of this for years, especially for heavier connections and connecting to wire. Bimini Twist - I've heard that baseball Hall-of-Famer, Ted Williams (who might have been a better fisherman than ball player) would not fish with you unless you could tie a passable Bimini Twist. Doubled lines come into play quite a bit in saltwater fishing, but I've usually relied on the easier-to-tie Spider Hitch. However, I'd have liked to have qualified for a trip with Mr. Williams, at least in his judgmental eyes. So, after a bit of practice this off-season, I can tie these (just about) in the dark! We'll see if they make any difference in my fishing success this season. Whip Finish - This simply helps to smooth out the profile of any knot and might come in handy. Loop Knot - My sea bass research convinced me that I wanted to present a fly or teaser of some sort above the main course I presented with my jig or spoon. A simple loop knot 12 or 18 inches above the leader's terminus would allow this presentation. As I started to prepare some leaders for any future sea bass fishing opportunities, I noticed that my Quality Control was horrendous! The leaders I produced were different lengths, with various-sized loops in different positions, etc. That was remedied by creating a "pattern" with three nails banged into a board. These nails, appropriately spaced in a triangle, allowed prefect replication of my leaders! Modified Bowline Loop - Many lures benefit from being tied on with a loop knot. I've long used the Rapala Knot, and I really have no issues with it. But a simple bowline loop is quicker to tie, easier to tie with a small loop, and presents the "tag end" in a downward direction so it is less likely to get fouled on weeds. These three benefits have probably converted me! New Boat! With the purchase on my new (additional, saltwater) boat, I've had much to think about! She's a simple platform, and I'd like to keep her simple and uncluttered for ease of maintenance. But there are still many practical improvements to think about! She'll likely remain outside on a year-round basis, so I need to procure a good storage cover for her. She certainly needs to be tow-ready and sea-worthy, and so that means a spare tire and a portable marine radio are already on the list of items to be purchased. A pair of lightweight waders will make launching a breeze and stalking tidal flats comfortable. I can't expect an old man such as myself to sit on a bench all day, so a seat for the stern is in order; and I guess I should provide some bow seating for guests, too (even if it just turns out to be a throwable cushion or a bean bag.) My current, portable ice-fishing sonar/GPS will suffice for this first season, but I'd sure feel more comfortable with depth contours in new-to-me waters, so the purchase of an additional Lakemaster mapping chip for northeastern waters is probable. I've rehabilitated an old salt-water trolling motor but it will provide only a single forward speed (and no reverse.) How long will that suffice? And then, of course, there are the ever-present and ever evolving issues of storage, rod holders and maintenance of on-the-water fishing efficiency and comfort. That's a lot to think about and a lot of money to potentially spend! But, that's part of owning a boat, and it has helped the winter progress satisfactorily. Old Boat Numenon and her trailer required just a little bit of all-around Tender Loving Care, but I was also able to address her biggest deficiency from 2017. Her foot control pedal for the Minn Kota bow-mount electric motor had failed. While the motor itself is fine, and I was able to operate for the remainder of the season with existing hand-held remote control options, I was unable to locate a replacement pedal. The motor is simply too old; the pedal is no longer supported by the manufacturer, and was unavailable via dealers, big boxes or even Amazon. So, I resorted to eBay for the first time, and was able to score one of the (seemingly) last compatible foot pedals in existence. This will help my bass fishing, for sure. Tackle These activities never end! While attention to these mundanities might suffer during the active fishing season, I've been more diligent and motivated this off-season to address tackle issues. (Extra time and space certainly help! As an empty-nester with too big a house, I no longer have legitimate excuses for not engaging in these important activities.) Whether the nature of the task has been maintaining, cleaning, organizing, culling, organizing, improving, crafting or acquiring, I've been tackling these issues both bit by bit, and doggedly. I'll never be totally done or fully prepared; but I hope to be more than adequately so. I know from experience that these preparations are a key for efficient use of time on the water; but they also are the source of timely inspiration for innovative solution(s) to a specific fishing puzzle. These efforts are money in the bank (hay in the barn?) for future success. Research Of course, the most valuable preparations might be researching the fish themselves, the planned locations for the season and the effective local tactics that put fish in the boat! Last season's Albie Chase and the acquisition of the new boat have provided a specific, salty flavor to my dreams for the coming season. I've already written about my Buzzards Bay black sea bass daydreams at www.numenonfunfishing.com/numenon-home/dreaming-of-black-sea-bass , but I'd like to think that these dreams are informed by all the internet research I've done on the species and this location. That research extends to other species (stripers!), New England locations and tactics. I intend to add tube-n-worm and other techniques to my arsenal this season. Finally, I have to specifically give the Salty Cape web-site (saltycape.com) lots of credit; they've packed a ton of useful information into a very friendly and usable package for any aspiring Cape Cod angler. Body, Mind and Soul The last couple of months, with extensive travel, disrupted schedules, lots to celebrate and the holidays in general, have been modestly punishing to my physical well-being. I am in this for the long haul, and I really have no intent to have worked for the duration of my career only to be cut short by health, interest or ability issues. So, I've started to pay more attention to, and to be more serious about, certain controllable aspects of my overall health. I am not being fanatical about any of this, but I hope to make consistently "better" choices and to use this current lack of fishing time to enhance my efforts to improve my overall health and endurance. Of course, this extends to my mind and soul, too, so I am finding and making time to maintain presence and awareness. I intend to be ready to get the most out of what 2019 (and beyond) might have to offer. Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways Holidays are upon us, the boat is put away and my 2018 fishing effort could very well be complete. Just for fun (and possibly a small amount of insight), here are some pie charts summarizing how I spent my time this season. I'll not claim that I planned any of this, but the results are a true, integrated and organic result of my interests and opportunities at any given time. I had my moments; but there's more to be done, too. We'll see what 2019 might offer. Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways Welcome to the new and hopefully improved Numenon fishing blog! I think the new name simply emphasizes that, while I am serious about my fishing, it's all for fun! This new platform should offer some advantages and flexibility, but otherwise I expect the same sort of content that I've offered in my "Original Blogging" efforts (link above.) I'll do my best to provide an honest, contemporaneous account of each trip I take, whether I enjoy a "Best Ever" kind of day or painfully endure a good, old-fashioned skunking. The boat has been put away for six weeks or so, and the 2017 Holiday Season has been full and pleasant. My work schedule is ramping up, and January 2018 will feature a truly special trip. That is to say, the next entry might take a while to appear; but I think it will be worthy of this new platform. Time will tell. In the meantime, Happy New Year! Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways My various records indicate just about 50 days on the water for 2017. About 3/4 of this effort was aboard Numenon, the other quarter was spent on the dock in Maine pursuing stripers. And, while a day a week (on average for the year) isn't a ton of fishing time (in my personal estimation), I can vouch that 2017 had many full days of fishing effort. There wasn't a whole lot of casual effort in 2017; when I was fishing, I was generally fishing hard! Starting at "Noon" on the price-chart below, one can see my 2017 fishing season progress. I started with a concentrated effort for largemouth bass on Reeds Lake. I stuck with it, because the bite was so good! In May, I transitioned North and East for smallmouth bass. My good luck continued, and I can easily say that these portions of my season represented my best, sustained bass fishing ever; without a doubt! Interestingly enough, I say that, while recognizing that the fishing was never "easy." I usually had to work and adjust to get bit or to keep a bite going. With that work comes the true satisfaction of having earned these experiences, as well as the benefit of growing as an angler. June was a transition month in many ways, and panfishing and enjoying some Lake St. Clair white bass filled my post-spawn slump. This was short-lived, though, because it was time to go to Maine! Two separate trips to Maine dominated my fishing effort in July and August. The bite was strong during both visits, but the numbers do reflect a bit of a slow-down in August. That is not unexpected. It looks like I was sampling the same population of fish during the two trips. The relative frequency of stripers equal to or greater than 23 inches in length was about the same; perhaps a few of the bigger fish had sought cooler waters. It's at about this length (23 inches; probably about 5 pounds) that the stripers become (for me, in my Maine setting) game fish as opposed to simply fun fish. At this size, they will now test your tackle and knots; they will selectively hit heads as opposed to just any old chunk; they will slurp down a worm with confidence; and they'll chase down a live mackerel on the surface. But they can't all be above average, so I guess I'll continue to enjoy the little guys, too. I was fortunate to get in a few more days of quality smallmouthing in September (discovering and uncracking Bellaire Lake was a highlight of my Michigan travels for the year) before dedicating the remainder of the season to chasing pike and muskies. I wasn't super successful with those efforts (if based simply on catching), but I did encounter some very nice pike, I saw a lot of Lake St. Clair, and I think I learned some useful information about her moods and behavior. With luck, I'll put those experiences to good use in the future.
My last really good fish of the season was, appropriately, a nice largemouth bass from Reeds Lake. She provided a nice bookend to her near twin, the early March fattie that surprised me by eating my spy bait. Either might have been my Bass of the Year in other years; in 2017, they were just part of the blurred parade of quality fish to find the bottom of my net. What do I have to say about this? Thank you, 2017! I really love fishing; and I love it even more when good things happen. When those good things happen within beautiful settings, can one ask for anything else? I was fortunate, indeed, to partake in so many such transactions this year. But amazingly enough, I have reason to believe that 2018 could offer even more. We'll see! |
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