It has just began.

[rolmops]

It has just began.

It started a week ago. Cabin fever was quietly eating away at me and even though I had promised myself not to fall into its doldrums it hit me like a ton of  ... well not quite bricks. Restless and nervous I hopped into the car and drove off to the Niagara Expo and on the way, crossing the bridge over to Grand Island wondering whether it is before or after the falls. Entering the expo, I made my way to the lecture that Marlowe gave about currents and how to deal with them and that is when it hit. It started with buying two 8 foot Talora rods, next 300 feet of weighted steel wire, then a clip on line counter, a 1000 feet of 19 strand torpedo wire, different 3/64 heat shrink tubing to mark distances now I am considering if maybe a line counter magda pro or a convector would be the better choice. Cabin fever expressed itself in a buying binge of stuff that I do not really need. Now buyers regret is rearing its ugly head. Please let spring start so I can go fishing and stop spending money on gear,using it instead for gas.

[J.D.]

I know exactly what you mean. By mid February, I'm sick of the cold and lack of sun. I lay on the floor with the dogs soaking up any sunlight that comes through the skylights.

I did not go to the Niagara show, won't go the the gun show this weekend, and know better than to go to the boat show at the state fairgrounds. I do make a lot of small purchases from from online tackle shops, many are sponsors of this site. I 've been fishing the big pond since 1988, and God knows, I don't need any more 'stuff", especially big ticket items. I put a new vinyl floor in the rig this past fall, will make a bunch of new trolling flies over the next month ( thanks Purple Taco ), tape up a few spoons, and move lures to my custom tackle boxes made in Bulgaria.  Hoping for an early spring, and a dredged channel at Braddocks Bay.

 

[Xxx]

I understand what your going through Rolmops, trust me when I say I know. Your mind is a powerful thing. It can be your worst Enemy as it can be your best friend and your most powerful Freind. It's the hardest thing to start, but get up, and even if you just drive around and look at the scenery, or I have friends that all go to my buddy's place that has a big area in his shop for a bs. Session. In the morning, and before you know it, it's lunch time by then you have little nick-nack things to do at home to do. See for me my whole family leaves at 7:45am and doesn't get home till 4:00pm, I also keep busy with electrical problems to solve. Like a guy brought a signal stat 900. To rewire it has 11 wires coming out. But with the new double filament bulbs we don't need all the wires, anyway now I'm working on that. But even just a ride to nowhere is good fuel for the brain. If need be give me a call as I have been at the bottom of the barrel after my back surgery and they told me I'll never work again. Pm me your #. Pap ps. I bought a middle of the road air brush, now I need paints, so I been research on paints so, we go from there. 

Edited January 28, 2017 by pap

[Gator]

I spent a bunch of time today with a chainsaw hinge-cutting ash trees. It's not the most exciting thing in the world, but it kept me from spending money and got me outside. Worked up quite a sweat. And found out that I shouldn't drive to the back of our property in the winter, snow or no...like me, the 4x4 got a really great workout and now I have some huge ruts to fill. 

 

Then I watered the crabapples, siberian peashrubs, dcos, and hybrid oak that I'm propagating under the lights and planted some hybid hazelnut. Fun watching stuff grow. Tonight I'm going to finish building an ice rod. 

 

And when I'm all done, I'll maybe spend a few minutes on a lecture for the 4th year medical students that I'm giving on Monday. Maybe.    Winter is slow, but life is good.

Edited January 28, 2017 by Gator
typo

[landingzone]

Gator,

Have you hinge cut the ash this time of year before?  If so, how did it work out?  Do they leaf out in the spring?  How long do they last during the year?

[justtracytrolling]

I've been lucky here in the southern tier. River has stayed open, fishable, and even managed a fish or two. I'm so busy now with work I don't have ambition enough to go last few days. Can't wait to put away my tools for six months and fish! First Saturday in may can't come soon enough!

Justin Okrepki
NYSDEC licensed guide #7324
http://www.otiscolakeguideservice.com/
(607)-349-1750

[rolmops]

Thanks for the understanding. It usually goes away when first the snow bells and then the crocuses bloom. At first opportunity I start up the old rototiller and till all the mulch into the ground in my garden. A good day will find me in my garden thinking about what to plant where. Then there is the climbing in the boat, crawling under the tarp, resisting the urge to start the engines because the hoses are disconnected and I'd ruin the new impeller, but turning on the radio ,the GPS and the fish finder is ok. It usually leaves my wife shaking her head and wondering out loud if I have taken leave of what's left of my common sense.But I just sit in my captains chair staring at lures and moving rods around , mostly thinking about being out there again and dreaming about  catching that first brown and trying to figure out a way to catch fish while combat fishing 40 feet away from shore. I never could do that. I even sharpened the keels on my otter boats so it will cut their rigger line not mine

Please forgive my whining. I'll go to the kitchen now and have some cheese.

[Gator]

 

This is the only time of the year that whining is allowed! Everything is harder to do and age rears its ugly head...

 

As for the ash, I haven't hinged them this time of year before, but unlike trimming apple trees I think that it'll be fine. Scotty B. may want to weigh in...I know he hinged some last year, but it was much warmer last year, too. I figure that the ash is going to die in the next few years anyway, so what's the worst that can happen? I'll post a pic on here at some point. It looks like good chaos.

[BSmaster]

I don't ice fish so and the beagle is retired (16).  I utilized my free time creating some woody browse for the deer and rabbits.  I had several projects in mind.  I wanted to reclaim part of a field that was being over taken for future food plot.  I figured it would be better to do it sooner than later.  There was some autumn olive but most was soft maple.  I decided to take a walk out yesterday and even though I cut them down before the January thaw the deer have been hitting the tops pretty hard.  I have more to do but we did a test sample about 8 years ago with just piling up poplar and it has revitalized that area so I made several more piles of those too.  It should be good from here on out if you want to improve your hunting scenario to cut trees down -preferably non dollar varieties.  The maple syrup guy I work with said this years January yield smashed previous records and he is not sure what that means overall.  I think the tops should be reddening up a lot more now and deer will really like you if you drop some.  It is harder for them to dig in crusty snow so a few trees/branches that are in your way anyway, this is the best time to cut them.  I will be hinge cutting later on.  I have a bedding area I want to make into a sanctuary.  I want my brother to help me because I tend to pull muscles when I try to do it myself.

 

I wrote a lot and I could write more than I did so you can see how I have tried to keep my mind from imploding.

[rdebadts]

I'm getting good at smoking stuff with my Christmas present (electric smoker) and my tackle had never been more organized! Also, all new line on all poles. Trying hard to stay busy so I won't buy anything!


The Fishin' Physician Assistant
Fishsodusbay.com

[rolmops]

I decided to freeze my fat old rear end a bit and reloaded my copper rod with 400 feet of 80# power pro,300 feet of 19 strand torpedo wire and 300 feet of weighted steel wire. I measured out a hundred foot distance in my backyard and marked the 19 strand with 3/64 heat shrink tubing every fifty feet and than as a surprise, I found out that the 300 feet of weighted steel wire is not 300 feet but 350 feet. Now the 400 power pro ,300 19strand and 300 weighted steel fit very nicely on my Penn 345 levelwind. All that I have left to do there is finding the proper knot to connect the weighted steel wire to the 19 strand.

[Gator]

Okay, so this afternoon I'm bored.

 

I smashed a knuckle splitting wood last week, had a piece kick up at me when I hit it...not solidly...and the scab broke off early this morning steelhead fishing. So, I'm leaking blood everywhere and it won't stop. I can't put a glove on. And I ended up lasting about two hours before my fingers were frozen. Stupid blood was still oozing out though.

 

So, after lunch I complained to the wife. Now I'm doing the yearly steam cleaning of the carpets. Word to the wise: never complain to the wife. This isn't the fun that I'd anticipated today.

[Xxx]

OH dear God I know better than to go that route, I'd rather stare at the walls. I do have a prodject coming up soon, and this time it's my idea. I want to remove the old grout in the kitchen and redo it and this time seal it. Since the kids got older going on 12 in February there is way more traffic going in and out, now it's discolor. I hated the original color, not what we picked out, but till we got to see it it was dry and finished. 

[TileMan Dan]

Might want to rethink that idea Mike. More than likely create more problems than solving.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[DJ 17]

I did some hinge cutting and trimming yesterday as well. Come on spring.

[Last One]

Pap, use epoxy grout. No sealing and it will hold the color.

[drlfc]

I spent almost 4 days stripping old wallpaper and hanging new stuff to replace paper I hung about 12 years ago. Boy was that fun (NOT). I just keep thinking how fast May is coming.

[Sk8man]

I just returned from St. Augustine and am now wishing for the ice on Honeoye. I'm also looking at this post in secret so my wife doesn't see it and get ideas from you guys....especially Keith

[Gator]

 

Too much going on at work this week to get bored...fingers crossed for ice this weekend.

[PeltHunter]

I read a couple of the posts last week about people catching Browns in the lake with the mild weather and then yesterday found myself on Craigslist frantically trying to find a cheap 17+ foot aluminum boat to maybe go try. Also walking around at the mall yesterday waiting for my phone to get fixed I realized I was making the sounds of a screaming drag out loud without thinking about doing it. It's about that time.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[rolmops]

21 hours ago, PeltHunter said:

I read a couple of the posts last week about people catching Browns in the lake with the mild weather and then yesterday found myself on Craigslist frantically trying to find a cheap 17+ foot aluminum boat to maybe go try. Also walking around at the mall yesterday waiting for my phone to get fixed I realized I was making the sounds of a screaming drag out loud without thinking about doing it. It's about that time.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

Did the mall security people come to take you away?

[PeltHunter]

Did the mall security people come to take you away?

Thankfully the mall was empty so I didn't get transferred to any type of institution by Paul Blart and co.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[Chas0218]

I'm ready for some spring eye fishing! It's been a while since I've had a fishing pole in my hand and I'm having a little withdrawal. I haven't been ice fishing yet this season not much ice and been in the process of packing the house to move.