Late August Report
Thank you for reading this Late August Report. Oh, yes, the days are still hot, Hot, HOT. Still starting and leaving early.
Since the idea crossed my mind to use the boat this week, I checked the lights on the trailer of the Bang-O-Craft on Saturday, the trailer I rewired just a few months ago. The lights were out (again!) and blew the fuse. Another short. The trailer has mostly sat in the yard since it was last re-wired. How did this happen? Cheap imported wires?!
Sunday morning found me at the auto parts store, where I bought fours rolls of different colors of 16-gauge wire. Still imported but at least it’s thicker. When I got home I cut out the existing sections of the crap wire that was on the trailer (typical trailer wiring) and spliced in the new, thicker stuff. And now the trailer lights work. Amazing.
Monday. Well, that elation was short-lived. I left home early enough to enjoy the sublime beauty of the heavens- Jupiter, Venus, and a crescent moon all in a line, Orion already up in the just-getting-light sky. The trailer lights I was so proud of did not make it out of my neighborhood. Dang! Turned around and put the Bang-O-Craft back in the yard.
Then I took my spin reel apart, at least partially. I’d never taken this particular reel apart and they’ve made a few innovations since the Mitchell 300. Anyway, I got some gunk out of there, spread some lube around, and put the reel back together. It worked. Not as good as new, but it worked.
Thursday I went to the Indian River Lagoon with the kayak, because I’m at wit’s end with the trailer short. I pulled the spin rod out of the car. Can ya guess what happened? The spin reel wouldn’t even turn. At all. It’s OK, still got a fly rod.
The fish were not happening early. I found a few tarpon rolling and was blind-casting a synthetic minnow in their area. It took a long time to get a bite, and when I did, it was a black drum. I photographed it and released it. Never did get a tarpon bite. And that was a weird fly for a drum to take. It had to be well off the bottom.
A couple hours later I heard a crash against the bank. I paddled over and sat and waited. After several minutes the fish crashed again, quite close to me. It took three casts, but I finally showed it the slider and he engulfed it. A handsome fish, I photographed it and released it.
Got a couple dinker trout in slightly deeper water, and called it a morning. The kayak was on the roof at mid-day.
My van has over 160,000 miles on it. Never had a transmission fluid change. Saturday, I did the deed, changed the filter and evrytink. The Toyota dealer charges over $700 for the job. I can almost see why.
I started a little after 0900, and finished after 1700, taking about 25 minutes for lunch. Other than that I was mostly on my back, making love to that van. I hope it doesn’t blow up this week. Time will tell.
Not much fishing this week, and that’s all for my Late August Report. As always, thanks for reading!
Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Go walking! Stay active!
John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog
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