Turn Of Seasons

[Smallie]

It's sad to say that I have had my boat put away for about 5 weeks now! It comes to the middle of September and the tournament season is over for me, I lose the drive to go and spend my time on the water. Which is unfortunate but I turn my thoughts into countless days in the bow stand chasing that elusive trophy buck.

The drive that I have for fishing goes directly into getting a big boy in bow range it's a passion which words cannot even explain the same goes for fishing.

It's a great time to clear your head sitting in the stand for hours with nothing but your thoughts, very peaceful.

To me bow hunting is just like my tournament fishing you don't have to kill something or even see a deer to have a successful hunt. That's also how I look at tournament fishing you don't have to win or even cash a check to have a successful day on the water. I truly beleive some of my worst tournament finishes have been some of my best!

It's all about what you learn from the experience. I never dwell on how the day was if you see me at a weigh-in wether I did poor or good I'm smiling. These are the cards that are dealt to you for this day and you are able to choose what you want to do with them. You get a bad and hand fold them and do it again.

Anyways sad to see the bass fishing season come to a closure for me, but I got roosters, and bucks to come my mind off fishing for a while.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I am in a very similar boat as you.. I fished close to 25 tounaments this year. And for me fishing, even on most of my days off is not relaxing, its work. I have a little ADD in me for sure... I use Archery to relax and I really look forward to the fall. I also love to shoot paper, I shoot archery leage and love that and even find that more relaxing then fishing. With that all being said and done.. if I was only able to keep one expensive hobby.. it would deffinalty be chasing bass.

Thanks goodness I dont have to choose, I fish bass while season is over till bow season starts up.. then spend most of my weekends in a tree... life is great!

[Wayne Ek]

I was in having coffee with Smallie this morning and he's starting to go nuts already. I have no idea what it will be like when we have hard water. Someone take this guy south for a couple of days this winter. Well the Ranger is now put away, no more guide trips this year. We did have a great fall bite going. Rooster hunting is starting to get better now that the majority of the corn is in, and if we could just get a few days of a fall flight before the water-fowl season comes to a close. But then on the bright side... early ice is just around the corner. That last line was just for you Cory...

[delmuts]

i wondered if you guys that fish the tour or guide. got burned out. i go fishing when i have the chance;( which is more now that i'm retired) but do split it up with golf in the summer, and some bow hunting in the fall. i still find , hunting and fishing a great stress reliever! my little ranger is almost put away. one has to find his sanctuary where ever one can.the panfishing from shore has been keeping happy lately. del

[Granny]

I was kind of wondering the same thing about getting burnt out. This was my first year of really hitting the water every chance I could. I fished about 60 times since the bass opener. I found myself unable to just go out and enjoy the fishing at a relaxing pace. It was always cast, cast, cast, move, cast, cast, and if no luck head home. My wife asked me a couple times to just take the boat or canoe out and no rods. I couldn't do it. Maybe its just the addiction? And I thought being addicted to chew was expensive!

Granny

[Deitz Dittrich]

I'm not sure if burn out is the right word... I am deffinatly lucky enough with my profession(teacher) to have 3 months off... I am on the water at least 5 days a week if not more during the summer months. Then add on the weekends and I would not even venture a guess to how many total days I was out this year... It never seems like enough... But the ole bow hunting does get me excited too.. and believe it or not I am looking forward to ice fishing as well.. just ordered my new portable... and got 2 new shimano ice fishing reels in the mail yesturday.

[delmuts]

man ! now i know i'm getting old!! i did the just riding around twice this summer.( well, ok! for a little while.) then it was back to fishing. but i have to admit i did enjoy having my son drive while i just looked around and enjoyed the view. del

[ChrisR71]

I can't see myself ever getting sick of fishing. I got out 68 times in the boat and about a dozen times from shore and I still want to fish bad. I don't hunt so it's tougher for me to take the long winter. I guess I should spend more time ice fishing. I might order a new boat in January.

It's going to be a long winter.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Chris- Best of luck in your search for a new boat.. I ended up as you know going out of state in seach of my boat.. I ended up buying mine in Kentucky. Keep up the search..

Also, I would think very hard of putting your boat for sale here on FishingMinnesota. Iwould be willing to bet we get about 4 times the hits and you would get a lot more people viewing your boat. Just an idea...

[Wayne Ek]

I've been retired since "99" and started guiding full time then. I can not recall ever waking up to start a day of guiding and thinking it would not be fun. The same holds true with tournament fishing, I just can not seem to get enough of it. I can not nor would I dare speak for Smallie, but I know he gets almost as much water time as I do and I've had all day guide trips on a Wen. and then made it back to fish our weekly Wen. night tournys, as has the Smallie. Hunting and ice-fishing just help me get past the hard water season. But! I will admit that taking a rooster off a solid point is sure fun...

Wayne

[Guest]

As much as I like bass fishing and fishing in tournements.......my first love is duck hunting, Man...It has been a good year. Can;t wait to head south a couple of times and then start to chase the snow geese!

[Navigator]

Hey guys, I just can't put the boat away yet...I'm still taking smallies on the river even though the water temp Sunday was 37 degrees. Here's a 19"

[delmuts]

i have another question for you pros . i was cleaning the rust off my rattleback and other jigs,( i do keep inhibitors and or silicon packs in the boxes, but still get rust)do you know if any one has tried dipping/coating, the bronze hooks with say a thin parafin wax or something else to protect them? del

[Deitz Dittrich]

Delmuts-I would hardly call myself a pro.. but You can put those silicone things that you get in a lot of packaging in your tackle box with your lures. But my biggest tip I can give you is this.. Don't put them away wet. I will usually lay a lure on the floor of my boat untill it is dry before I put it away in the box. Expecially with jigs and spinnerbaits that will hold a lot of water because of thier skirts. Before you cut them off your rod, spin them around your rod tip quickly to shake off any extra water....

ALSO if you use trailers with a lot of SALT in them its pretty much just going to happen.. your hooks will rust, its just a fact of life! Jig trailers without salt are a lot easier on your hooks!

[delmuts]

i do most of those things too. most of my trailers are either power baits or chompers brands. i was wondering if; a person tried coating the hooks( in the off season) by dipping the hook bend and a little of the shank into a pan with trapping wax melted in it to lightly coat the hook. then store it and use it that way? just curious! del

[ChrisR71]

Hey Delmuts!

Where do you get those inhibitors? I have been looking all over for them. Are they at all Gander Mountains?

Thanks!

[delmuts]

chris. i couldn't find them any where close to me here in iowa, so i finally found thier web site and odered direct. i'm not real impressed with the product. i prefer those little silicon (sp?) bags instead , plus they are cheaper. del