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Got an early release from work yesterday, so hit Willard on the way home, got on the water a little after 3:00 in my new toon... Looks like she floats, still need to do a few additions and fine tuning, but overall it's a keeper... Seen a lot of folks catching fish, which put extra pressure on me, seems I didn't find any for quite some distance... Pat's purple flig finally tempted a scrappy 19" cat to grab hold... fun fight and I thought it was a lot more fish than it ended up being... Then I hit an even longer dry spell, ended up turning around and heading back to the south marina before I tried to go around a guy that was anchored up and I snagged one line on the rocks so as I tried to cut off the power and work on the snag, another cat seen the opportune time to grab the other line and stretch me out in two directions at the same time.. This was a much fatter cat, but still measured about the same, lucked out and got the cat and the snag off, although I probably made the fisherman mad for catching the fish right by him... sorry... Kind of like the guy that pulled right in front of me on my drift path and casted in and nailed a monster wiper on his first cast... Anyway I was worried about the wind coming up so I headed back to the marina and fished as I went... Ended up pitching my jig one cast and set off a ton of dynamite, a nice wiper grabbed it and the fight was on, that sucker peeled line like nothing I've played with in a long time... I had 20 lb braid on so it's like 4 lb diameter and feels pretty light and responsive but strong as can be... Well I was afraid it was going to tear me up, it took off on multiple reel burning runs, now I probably fight fish weird, because I take off the brake and let the fish pull the line off the reel backwards as it runs...(I use the drag as my safety relief in case it runs faster than I can let it go.) which can be a little rough on hands as you try to slow the free runs and the handle hammers your fingers as you bring a run to a close... but it sure is a fun way to battle a fighting monster... and this fish was one of the most fun ever... I love wiper they are the best fight per pound that I've even seen... Pretty much a lightning bolt on nitrous I think describes them well, they are pure power at top speed, quick agile and strong... fun fish to catch for sure...
Anyway made it back to the marina as the battery was running out, and the waves were getting rough, so it was a good trip.. Did see several shore fishing guys with nice strings of wipers... I tried a mussel for about 20 minutes and gave up, but looks like I might have done better if I would have soaked them a while longer... Maybe I wasn't in the right spot though... Well happy to have the new ride underway and hope to wear it out through use... Sure is a fun way to fish... Later J
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Looks like a nice ride, I fished from a pontoon and a fly rod for years and have some great memories. I now fish from a boat but the toon experience was great! Good catch also.
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Sounds like a blast, thanks for sharing!
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Sounds like you had a good time and got to test drive the new equipment!
I am curious about how you protect your toon from those sharp spines when you catch a cat. I recall BLK's description of his "near death experience" when he tried a toon and the first cat that got near it punctured one side and he had to limp home.
Do you do anything different when you get a cat near those "balloons" you are riding on?
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Thank you the toon is fun, and does offer a type of fishing that can sure be fun at times... I'll keep working on it and hope I don't Frankenstein it too much... Later J
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You're welcome, glad the fish are starting to help make trips to Willard a little better.. Nice to not get skunked for a change... Later J
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That is a good question, I think since the early days they have developed a tougher liner that is supposed to help keep you safer... They have the liner in addition to the bladders, so now it takes two layers to puncture your balloon... But for me I rely on a longer handled landing net and try really hard to be careful whenever I have anything spikey around the toon.. It's probably a matter of when, not if I get it punchered.... I had one side on my original kick boat get a hole in it one day on Willard and it started the one side lean, it was a scary trip back to the dock, but I did make it before she sank... Glad it wasn't a fast leak...
I think the bigger cats probably aren't as much of an issue as those little ones and wipers that have those really sharp spines, but I don't want to take any chances either... Had a cat on the bank last week, that I guess I landed before it was done fighting, and man I'm glad that thing wasn't in my toon doing all the twisting and turning it did... Hope I don't have to tell you how well my flotation device worked someday... Anyway I guess caution is my answer... Later J
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Jeff it’s looking great, and sounds like it’s going to be fun and your going to have some fun adventures in it. I would like to try one they look like a blast. Great report.
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Thanks for the insight. I don't know if I will ever buy a toon, but sometimes I think about it.
As you indicated, I think it was a smallish cat the tried to sink BLK. They definately have sharper spines!
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Thanks, too bad I didn't have it at the flotilla and you could have tried it out. You're welcome to take it for a spin if you'd like. It's a pretty easy craft to use and I think you'd like it. Lot handier than a boat, but no company capacity to take the kids along. Soon it will be warm enough to go without waders too. I can almost get by with knee boots on this one. Anyway if you get up north and want to try it out let me know, I'll get ya on Cutler and let ya try catching a cat. Later J
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In the big lakes the toons and tubes are a little limited and can be scary and some of them are a lot more user friendly than others. But if you get one on a high mountain lake you'll be hooked forever. My first trip was in a terrible tube, but the fishing it put me into got me hooked on the method. It's probably not for everyone, but it can offer a finess of fishing that a boat can't match. Probably why I got pack goats to tell ya the truth. But that's another story. Later J
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[#0000FF] You need to install a "sushi board" apron. The rigid plastic helps when working on tackle or trying to subdue a spiny catch without getting punctured.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF] I have been making mine from the bottom of plastic laundry baskets for several years. Just fixed up Fatbiker with a large size for his new craft. Try it, you'll like it.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF] Here are some pics from a how-to post I put up on the float tubing board a while back. I no longer use the ruler in the pics but something helps for quick measure and pics.[/#0000FF]
![[Image: image.gif]](http://www.bigfishtackle.com/images/gforum/files/image.gif) [url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=82239"]BASKET AND RULER.jpg[/url] (189 KB)
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=82240"]REMOVE BOTTOM.jpg[/url] (404 KB)
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=82241"]SMOOTH EDGES.jpg[/url] (136 KB)
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=82242"]DRAIN HOLES.jpg[/url] (148 KB)
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=82243"]BOTTOM VIEW WITH CORD.jpg[/url] (113 KB)
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=82244"]TOP VIEW WITH CORD.jpg[/url] (107 KB)
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=82245"]FINISHED.jpg[/url] (284 KB)
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=82246"]IN USE.jpg[/url] (173 KB)
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Pat,
I really do like having something to work on things with, but what do you do with it the rest of the time... I tried my bump board in such roll, but found it was too big and cumbersome so I put it on the side and have been using it there... It's not as good as a lap board, but it's not in the way either... Maybe you can explain a little more where you keep it and how it sits while you're fishing... I'd really like one like that if I could rotate it out of the way when I wasn't needing it... I got a table in my ice tent last year and can't believe how much I like having that for setting things on while your fishing... great for lunch, drinks, tackle as your tying on new stuff and you get a bite on the other rod... keeping your bait where you can find it... Lots of stuff... So I can see the potential, I just haven't seen how I keep it useful without being in the way... Help me understand this part better... Thanks Jeff...
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[#0000FF]It sits in place over your lap...full time. No need to worry about storing it anywhere. It is always there to catch things you drop or hold tackle boxes while you sort through them or rerig. And being able to hoist a fish in your net, from the water, and lay it on the rigid apron really helps with spine control.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Ask Fatbiker whether or not they help or hinder.
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Pat,
What do you do with the cord? Does your tube have attachment points on it? Maybe that is the key that I'm not seeing...
One other non-related question, you know I miss place everything, well, I've lost your spice mix for smoked kitties again... Could I bother you for the ratios of different spices? I can remember the Cayenne, and black pepper, but I don't remember the rest... Got yesterday's kitties in the brine and will need to spice them up before putting them into the smoker later today...Already used that big ole batch of spice I made last year, that I thought would last forever... It's good stuff been using it on trout and even barbequing pork loins... Thanks for all the help... J
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[quote SkunkedAgain]Pat,
What do you do with the cord? Does your tube have attachment points on it? Maybe that is the key that I'm not seeing...
[#0000FF]Note the loops on either side of the apron. These fit over a screw hook or whatever else you set up on either side to which you can attach it. Done right, it holds securely and you never know it's there...until you need it. I have rigged them many different ways over the years...and every craft offers different options. I would be happy to help you get set up for maximum convenience and a minimum of hassle.
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One other non-related question, you know I miss place everything, well, I've lost your spice mix for smoked kitties again... Could I bother you for the ratios of different spices? [/quote]
SUPER SPICE:
3 parts ground black pepper
1 part cayenne pepper
1 part ground oregano
1 part cumin powder
1 part garlic powder
[#0000FF]The recipe is my own ratio preference. You can change it to suit your tastes...or add or subtract ingredients. If you are having trouble getting going in the morning just snort a couple of lines. It will get you up, down or sideways. Too much cayenne and you can cauterize wounds with it.[/#0000FF]
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Thanks Pat,
Will get a new batch of spice ready to roll, that's good stuff...
Ya know my toon was set up with a soft apron, so I'll bet I already have attach points on it... I'll check it out and my wife may have to protect her clothes baskets... Where do you find the big ones... Looks like ours are 1.5 bushel, is that the big size? Are there better quality ones that don't sun rot out in a season? If so where do you find them? I got some plastic oil bit containers that I have been using for my tackle and they are great for keeping gear dry while on the toons, but would be nice to have a spot to dig through them without spilling and losing all my tackle... ya know how the thing you need always finds it's way to the bottom of whatever container it's in...
Been wondering about putting a bimini toon topper on my ride, got an easy PVC idea for doing it, but I'm trying to decide if the inconvenience of having it in the way of casting will be worth it... Also worried about the wind affect on it... would be quite a sail if you're going into the wind, it would be rough on battery life... However, it would help the sunburn on days like yesterday... Later J
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[#0000FF]Again, check with Fatbiker. He just got one just about the right size for your toon...from Walmart. They have several types and sizes...including that one for 1.8 Bu. [url "https://www.walmart.com/search/?query=laundry%20baskets%20plastic&cat_id=0&typeahead=laundry%20baskets"]LINK TO WALMART PAGE [/url] I doubt you would spend more time under the sun with yours than I do with mine...and my current model is over 3 years old...and still uncracked and not affected by sun or ozone.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]It will be your call about putting up a sun cover. I made one for one of my tubes in the past and found that the sun protection aspect was outweighed by restrictions in movement...casting, etc. Here is a pic of one another guy on the Float Tube board rigged on his tube.
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[#0000FF]Pontoons are bigger, but would probably require bigger frame etc. Then again, you could always do something like the pic below. But you might wanna rethink the capris. Not sure how good you would look in those.[/#0000FF]
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Thanks Pat, I don't think there's anything angling you haven't figured out is there? Nice to have a source better than google....
Think your pictures just made me aware of one thing I hadn't considered with my bimini top idea... That's how I'll get to my rods if I have a framework and cover coming up from behind... Thanks, that saved me some PVC and some time, guess a hat will have to do the trick... Thanks again... Later Jeff
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