So what did you accomplish and learn this year?

[Porkchunker]

As I look back on 2006, I began to wonder what I accomplished and learned that might improve my fishing experience in 2007. Here is what I came up with. What about you?

Accomplished:
1. Moved boat to Solomons NRC and reduced storage costs 90%
2. Gelcoat repairs to minor scratches & gouges
3. Replaced OEM fuel & freshwater vents with flush SS Orca vents
4. Replaced trailer drum brakes with SS Cadmium Kodiak disk brakes
5. Build a cheap live well with a trash drum and raw water wash down pump
6. Replaced a jammed windlass with a new one
7. Repaired the wooden keel on my old woodie (the original Porkchunker)

Learned:
1. How to live-line spot (using the new live well)
2. Birds can work over bait with no/few fish below them
3. Structure is more important than working birds
4. Don’t have to get deep on the pilings (fish are mostly on top)
5. Don’t burn so much fuel (fish can be found close to home)
6. Red jig heads work great with any color of BKD/BA/Twister Tail
7. Heavy “Gonzo Fly” is my new “go to” fly
8. Shell bottoms produce fish (see lesson #3)
9. Trust the fish finder more often
10. Bulk BKDs from Capt. Siegal are better and cheaper than BAs
11. Tie off the anchor rode in strong winds/current (not doing so caused the original windlass to jam and break a gear)

 

[DaleH]

3. Structure is more important than working birds

Ditto ... my 'rule' for fishing is to-

(1) Find structure

(2) Determine the bait on/over the structure

(3) Determine your best presentation to mimic the bait given the tidal flow, whether using live/dead bait, artificials, plugs, or flies.

7. Heavy “Gonzo Fly” is my new “go to” fly

Do you have a picture of this fly?

10. Bulk BKDs from Capt. Siegal are better and cheaper than BAs

I assume 'BA' is Bass Assasin ... what is the BKD? Do they make a black-topped color and a motor oil color? Do you have a link?

 

[esfishdoc]

You can't catch fish at home.

You can't catch fish while working.

Drifting eels for stripers in the lower bay is da bomb.

It is better to have fished and not caught fish than to have never fished at all.........



Richard

 

[Porkchunker]

...10. Bulk BKDs from Capt. Siegal are better and cheaper than BAs

I assume 'BA' is Bass Assasin ... what is the BKD? Do they make a black-topped color and a motor oil color? Do you have a link?

Yes, BAs are Bass Assassains, and BKD is Bass Kandy Delight. I buy them in bulk (50-100 at a time). The colors I use are chartreuse glitter, hot pink, and albino in mostly 5" but some 10". They also make a great lightly weighted hook that is perfect for running the 10" BKDs near the surface at night under the lights near bridges and docks. Here is the link: http://www.basskandydelights.hypermart.net/