The Cost of Progress

A favorite fishing spot of mine was on a small stream not far from my house. There was a natural pool of deeper water backed-up below a bridge/culvert. It was a fun little place where you could cast some worms out and within minutes be catching everything from bass, bluegills, bullheads, carp, crappie, creek chubs, to green sunfish. It was also home to turtles, herons, and a host of other wild critters. 

 

 

 

 

 

Last year, a road construction project involved significant “landscaping” of the existing streambed. I was fishing there and one of the construction guys told me they were going to totally alter the creek. What was once a deep pool became a rocky riffle. And the fish that used to reside there disappeared. The cost of progress. I created a little before and after picture just to show the vast difference.

 

 

 

 

 

During construction, I had found a secondary spot that was great for catching bluegill and sunfish.

Seems like a lot of fish had moved upstream to that spot, which also became decimated due to more “re-engineering” in the course of the construction project. The thing is during summertime, the main creek is less than a foot deep in most places. There are very few deep pools around and even fewer that hold a target-able population of fish. So, while there are still plenty of fish in the stream, it was a shame to lose two great spots where you could easily catch a dozen or more sunfish within a half hour.

I love a good road trip, so when I'm planning fishing excursions I'm frequently tempted to go to places that are one, two, three hours away. The Mississippi river, the Rock river, Kankakee river, etc. You forget how convenient it is to have a nice stream close to home you can just grab a rod and head over to. That's a main reason that I do most of my catfish trips to the river that's 30 minutes away. You learn a lot by fishing the same streams at different water levels...seeing how fish related to the current and hang out in different places depending on the flow. There a lot of lessons to be learned over time fishing local rivers and streams.  

Funny how some spots seem the same year after year while other spots can undergo radical change within a relatively short time-span. That's one thing with streams, they are always changing. It's just this time the changes were sudden and man made. Guess the moral of this story is to enjoy those honey holes while you can and always be on the lookout for new spots. You never know what’s the future may hold. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Random Reflections

Thought it was time to write something, since I had decided that I'd try to keep things going here. Shaping up to be a pretty busy year, busy meaning I might not get on the water as much as I did last year. Hopefully, I'll be able to work things out where I still get some good nights (and/or days and mornings) on the water.

I'm just a guy that likes the outdoors, basically. Along with that good food, good music, taking pictures, telling stories. You won't find me selling Misadventures in Catfishing apparel, monetizing a youtube channel, or doing much self promotion. I appreciate the effort that goes into all that, I know some of the friends of the program (if I start naming names, I'll leave someone out) have worked hard to gain a following and provide great content. Awesome to see interest in the sport growing, so by all means check those people out!

Last year wasn't the best year I've had on the water and I didn't really get into many large fish. Still, was good to wet a line with some friends. On a few trips, it was just me, the night, and my iPod (which I think fell into the river at one point, but I'm not 100% sure on that). Had a few close calls with the skunk, where one or two good pull downs saved the night!

What's Luck Got to Do With It???

Do you believe in lucky poles, magic baits, or lucky hats? If so, this one might hit a little close to home!  Ask a good fisherman and they will often tell you that you make your own luck. In other words, luck is the result of preparation, planning, location, and timing. 

First let's deal with a few common superstitions:

Magic baits

 

Read about catfishing and you'll frequently see people that favor one bait over others. If there was ONE magic bait, would there be a thousand different prepared baits on the market for channel catfisherman? I don't think so! Not to mention how everyone has their own favored natural baits. Cats are attracted to specific baits based on scent/taste, vibration, etc; and cats can become conditioned to accept baits often fished in an area. However, most of the best catfishermen I know believe bait placement is a more important factor than bait selection.    

 Lucky pole

Okay, there might be a bit truth to this one; if you're more comfortable and have a better feel with a certain rod, it might work better for you. On a regular basis, I do see certain rods being hit a lot. Maybe it's because I like the rod so they're the first baits out. Whatever the reason, I can't totally rule this one out. 

The big ones come when there's no camera in the boat!

With the advent of cell phone cameras, there's really no excuse any more on this one. However, for years I've been a believer in always having a camera in the boat and still live by that rule. So this one has been a non-issue for me for years. Sometimes the camera strap accidentally gets in the picture or the flash goes off at the wrong time.

 

Lucky hats

Come on, let's get serious now. How does the fish know what hat you've got on? I have a confession to make on this one...I have two catfishing hats and I ALWAYS have one of them one. When I recently misplaced my favorite fishing hat, my old Procats hat, you would think I lost my wallet with all my credits cards. Actually, wallets and credit cards can be replaced. Fortunately, the missing hat turned up and all is right with my world again!

Hit came when I wasn't watching!

This one perplexes me. It does seem to happen a lot where a rod goes down and I'm tying a knot, checking my phone, snapping a few pictures, taking a whizz, whatever. But how do the fish know?!? Maybe I'm just tinkering around with stuff a lot some nights. Again, I can't rule this one out because sometimes I've joked around saying I'll start rigging another pole to get some action going and it's happened. Crazy.

Okay, enough about superstitions.

I do feel that as fishermen become more experienced, they naturally become less superstitious (hopefully). I do think it's somehow an integral part catfishing lore to talk about superstitions and good luck/bad luck. I also think the best catfisherman don't spend a lot of time worrying about luck and superstition. Other factors are much more relevant.  

Confidence 

Confidence is highly underrated. He who hesitates may miss the hook-up... a habit of successful fishermen is to remain focused when things get exciting. Become overexcited when the big fish finally hits your less likely to land the big fish. Human error inevitably raises its ugly head! When you keep your cool, stay focused, and confidently wait for the right time and set that hook assuredly and confidently - without hesitation - you increase your chances of landing that fish.   

Discipline 

Most of the best fishermen I've talked to about fishing for catfish, especially big catfish, reiterate the same message - you have to be prepared to NOT catch fish, in order to catch fish. This means knowing you will go out and spend some time when the fish either aren't home, or aren't cooperative. You may need to wait very patiently several minutes or more for the right time to set that hook, after the initial signal you received. Most importantly, discipline is sticking with your plan and not switching to worms or cheese bait because the flathead bite is slow fishing with bluegills. Or breaking out the oars to get to the next spot when you had engine trouble but still want to fish. You have to stick with the plan, because you don't know when that big cat is going for a take-down. If you switch to cheese bait because the flathead bite was slow, you'll never find out.

Discipline is having your gear organized and knowing where all the important stuff is in the boat at night. And having the right gear and tools in your catfish bag every time out. For those of us with a short attention span, waiting for that next hit definitely requires concentration and focus. Staying focused when the bite is slow can be a real challenge some nights and the ability to maintain concentration is often the difference between getting that next catfish in the boat and getting skunked. 

Experience

Experience really is the best teacher. The best way to learn it to be out on the water. Successful fisherman may talk about luck, but it's more likely they are successful because they've taken the time to search out prime fishing spots and learned how to present their offerings in the right place at the right time to catch fish. Most importantly, time on the water leads to success. Night after night every summer the better catfishermen are out there searching for the next big cat. One thing that's guaranteed - you won't catch fish sitting at home.

    Blazing a new trail

Another habit of successful fisherman is exploring new spots each time out, instead of only visiting their favorite "honey holes" over and over. The fishermen who aren't out there exploring new territory won't learning nearly as much about the body of water they're fishing as the guys who consistently search out and fish new spots (another confession, I don't do nearly enough of this myself). We've all been told over and over not to just keep going to the same spot you've caught fish before. As Denny Halgren says, "A spot has to prove itself to you over time." So while it is good to have a catalogue of "top shelf" spots in your mind, don't be afraid to explore and learn about new places. Even if you've found the best catfish habitat ever, just remember there was that first time you anchored there not knowing what would happen...   

So the next time you're feeling superstitious because you can't find your lucky hat, just forget about it. Luck is being in the right place, at the right time, with the right bait. That's all it is. 

A fond farewell to all the cats in the pond

This week marked the end of my fishing privileges at the pond where my mom lived for over 20 years. In that time, we had a LOT of fun rowing the boat around, watching turtles, catching bass, catching sunfish, and catching channel cats. 

I don't really have a lot of deep thoughts to share about all this, but it did seem appropriate to do a blog post this week and share some pictures and a little video. While I'll miss fishing at the pond, more than anything I'm just grateful for all the time spent during family trips down there. Nothing beats a nice home in a quiet setting away from all the noises of the city with a pond full of catfish.

I hear the new property owner has already been scoping things out in his kayak, which I think is pretty awesome. Sounds like the right people moved in!

 

 

 

 

a little video featuring one of the sloppiest hooksets you will ever see...

Spring Training

I was out collecting some worms the other morning...that got me to thinking about the annual ritual of getting ready for that first time out. It's not terribly involved, but there's a handful of basic things that comprise my process of getting ready for the upcoming season.

Inventory
Simply put, this is making sure there's enough hooks, sinkers, line, etc. This spring I'm re-spooling a few reels with 80 pound Power Pro and some more heavy mono, which I already have on hand. I haven't gone through my terminal tackle yet, but I'll be doing that very soon. I should be in pretty good shape, maybe some more 2-3 oz sinkers for this season.Maybe a little oil or grease for some reels and I usually get the tackle boxes and bags organized along the way too.

Maintenance
I tend to do the minimum in this area. With a small boat and trailer and mostly local trips, I haven't had to repack bearings in a while. I'll put some more varnish on the wood decking in the boat this spring, might try to clean up the wiring a bit more. And I'm always looking to maximize space a little better. Other than that, I'll check my trailer lights and tire pressure, squirt a little grease in the hubs, and I'm about ready to go with the boat and trailer. I store my outboard in the garage during the winter, so it doesn't take too much to have it ready to go. I'll drop the motor in the water for a tank test before heading out the first time, just to make sure it's running good.   

Worms
When the nightcrawlers come out the first few times, I'll try to collect a couple dozen to keep in the refrigerator. It takes bait to catch live baits, plus you can also use nightcrawlers for channel cats or just fishing with the kids. I try to keep them on hand throughout the season so I don't have to run out to the bait store at the last minute when I'm about to head for the river.











Warming up
As the days start getting longer in the springtime, the temperatures are also (hopefully) climbing. Once you get into mid-May, the water temps are generally pretty steady above the 60 degree mark. Typically, they say flathead can be caught when the water is above 50 degrees. That may be true, but one thing I've noticed is when the water reaches 60 degrees a more reliable active bait occurs. I like a more active bite, so I start to get really enthusiastic when the water temps get into the 60s and above.

The wind-up
Basically, all these activities lead up to getting out on the water for that first trip. Once everything is checked out, it doesn't take much to get out on the water. Batteries and lights need to get charged and tested, gear needs to get packed and loaded, and you're off to the launch.  Or the bank.
(I did a previous blog post about catching baits, but I'll I try to have at least a dozen baits for a few hours of fishing. If I'm fishing 5-6 hours, I probably take along 16-18. When I'm going out with another angler, around two dozen). 

The pitch
Everything finally culminates in that most optimistic moment of the season - anchoring on the first spot and tossing out the first bait!
(the waiting begins...)