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Valuable lessons

Scott K

By Scott K
in Catfish

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Scott K Grand Master

Scott K

Posted
Posted

I learned a couple good lessons last night fishing.

First lesson, I need to be my own weathermen, the ones on TV are worse then my own guesses. "A few spotted thunderstorms" yeah right!

Second lesson, yes the river can get to shallow for my boat.

I should have picked up on this one early in the day and just gave up, but where would my sense of adventure be then?

The plan of attack was simple, land at one landing, then I just need to float down to the next landing. On bend number two was our first walk in the river of the day, we then made it all the way to the next straight away, and we got to show a bunch of spectators on shore why not to take your 18 foot with a 115hp boat down the river when it is the middle of summer. Well we only needed to push my boat about a 100yds down stream, how hard could that be? Ok fast forward an hour and a half later we finally got out of the 6 inch water, and the nights hot spot was in sight! Amazingly there wasn't anyone there shocked .

So we fished, first a break off, then a big one in a snag, a mid twenty pounder, and this was all before 10pm! Well we fished in the "spotty thunderstorms" for a few hours, then chose to head the rest of the way back to the landing, it was 1am.

The drive back-

well a hundred yards from where we were fishing, I got wedged tight in a bunch of tree, and underground logs. Its funny how you can only see 10 yds in front of the boat with a 2 million candle power spot light on the river, the fog has settled in pretty heavy, and it was down pouring, still. We had driven the boat into a Bermuda triangle of logs, now I have been through this many times in the dark, and had a certain path, but with the minimal of feet I could see in front of the boat, I got off my main path. We couldn't get out and push this time, it was about 5 feet of water and in fast current. We were stuck on these logs for about an hour and a half, trying everything from lassoing logs to pull us in any direction, to rocking the boat, to giving up and waiting for day light, but that got old after 2 hours of down pouring rain! Anyhow, with people standing on the logs pushing off, my 115hp motor wide open in reverse, water shooting over the back of the boat, we got out, just to get caught sideways on a log 10 feet further. We managed to get off this one in short time to get stuck in the sand bar, but we were happy to get out and push, as that was so much easier then being stuck on logs in 5 feet of fast current. The rest of the ride was as to be expected, slow, down pouring rain, fog and a max of 10 yards visibility.

Lesson number 3-

As we got back to the landing at just before sunrise, and shortly after loading the boat up, I have discovered lessons 3 and 4. Lesson number 3 Even though the Iphone can and does hold all of your important information, you should back it up!

Lesson number 4- Iphones aren't water proof, and will not survive in the outside pocket of your Artic Armour cry

Oh well, I will be back out tonight!

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DTro Grand Master

DTro

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Wow, that does not sound like fun at all. Not even for a good night of fishing. frown

With the time you spend on the river, you should consider something more river friendly.

Glad to hear you make it back safe and sound.

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HossFisher Proficient

HossFisher

Posted
Posted

I was out last night too and I think I saw fish swimming in the air it was raining so hard! Stayed out till about 3, got absolutly soaked, and broke off on a very big fish around 10. 65lb powerpro 6inches above the hook, can't quite figure out how that happened.

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Shack Grand Master

Shack

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Posted

Sorry 4WE for the nightmare night on the river. May suck now, but something to talk about for years to come smile

Yep a sync a day (or every couple) with total back up is nice for situations like this. I pretty much just charge mine every night on the PC so this is done. Nice thing is this means upgrade grin. I am not sure how much info and use your Iphone has got, but I would not hesitate at the 3Gs 32gb one either wink

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HossFisher Proficient

HossFisher

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Posted

Originally Posted By: bassboy6109
65lb powerpro 6inches above the hook, can't quite figure out how that happened.

Actually that is fairly common. Especially with PP and especially with 65lb.

I just didnt quite understand how it broke where it did. I'm not sure if the fish rolled in the line or if he cut me on a rock because it made what felt like a quick downstream change in direction and then it just gave out without any real hard tension. It just wasn't you typical broken line.

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hanson Grand Master

hanson

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Lot of guys are going to say thats what you get with PowerPro. I say thats what you get with PowerPro lighter than 80lb. I have never had a problem with 80lb PP, I've had problems with 50 and I've heard of more problems with 65lb.

Shoot... Bass guys even use 80lb PP for slop fishing.

Time to respool.

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harvey lee Grand Master

harvey lee

Posted
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Sorry to hear about your troubles Scott. Thank God you and the boat made it through.

At least it rained a bunch so it may be somewhat easier and hopefully a bit safer to travel on the Minnesota.

All of my 65# PP went into the garbage can this spring. Way to many break offs.

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Scott K Grand Master

Scott K

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Yes the boat is fine, and after a couple days of setting my phone next to the a/c vent, it seems to be working again. So my adventure didn't end up being a financial one. Although I have some strong memories of what happen, I am sure the desire to get back out to these spots will make me go on the adventure again, but for now I will stick closer to the landings.

I have spent a lot of hours on the water, and landed some quality fish, and had a lot of fun doing it, I didn't hook into any upgrades, maybe next time.

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pureinsanity Grand Master

pureinsanity

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Did you guys even get rain down that way?? I must have picked up 4" over the weekend up here but I don't think those storms really touched the MN valley.

It down poured for a good thirty minutes when I was out there. Lots of water was running into the river near a run off I was fishing by. When the rain stopped I headed home. Soon as I got home it rained a bunch more. Buddies had to bail their boats out twice that night. We got quiet a bit, just not exactly sure how much total. but to fill up the back of the boats twice it had to be a lot...

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dsm95 Explorer

dsm95

Posted
Posted

Originally Posted By: bassboy6109
65lb powerpro 6inches above the hook, can't quite figure out how that happened.

Actually that is fairly common. Especially with PP and especially with 65lb.

Seen it in person blush

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pureinsanity Grand Master

pureinsanity

Posted
Posted

The run off was in the lower sections and it drained out pretty quick. The one plus is that if flushed the stale [PoorWordUsage] out (which it needed badly). There was plenty of debris in the river Sat night.

I noticed a lot of plastic bottles and such floating down river last night frown If I was in a boat I would have snatched a few. Did pick up a bunch of cans however left on shore frown

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