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] WELL THE FOG YESTERDAY MORNING WAS LIKE PEA SOUP BUT THE LOWRANCE 3600 WORKED FLAWLESSLY AGAIN. Mike, Perry and Brad met me at Campo's yesterday morning and jumped aboard the "TEAM ESCAPE" Blazer Bay and we headed down the Mr.Go for our fishing area. We arrived without a hitch as there were many boats just sitting or moving slowly around trying to get their bearings but we just kept moving being careful not to be a statistic. This was the thickest fog I've been in in a long time and it really awakens your senses. We arrived at our spot and drift fishing was the order of the day and first cast, trout on, but then it was ever so slow as they would pick up a trout now and then as it seemed that they would hit in three's and four's., and titelining Opening Nights seemed to work best early, but later on they were wanting Specializers under a cork. We made 3 moves and the bite stayed slow and we started getting rained on so the guys called it a day early with 30 trout in the box and a fun morning even with the slow bite. ANOTHER GREAT DAY ON THE WATER.
CAPT. HOOK / TEAM ESCAPE
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[url "http://www.escapefishingcharters.com"]www.escapefishingcharters.com[/url]
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Hey Cappy. I hear you on the GPS. That is one of the fishermans best friends.
Out on the West Coast, the Furuno and the Lowrance go hand in hand.[cool]
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Wouldn't be caught fishing without it. My worry is the guy wandering around in the fog without it. I can see my customers white knuckling all the way to the fishing hole and I don't blame them, but as long as I know where I'm going I feel secure for them. They know me and they know I wouldn't put them in any dangerous situations. Tough situations can speaks volume's on how you handle them as a charter boat captain and being foolish can end your career.
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That is good Cappy. I have been on a couple of boats where they have tried to put the fishing reputation over the safety reputation.
That cost us a Coast Guard trip home. The boat sank with all the gear. Ouch[pirate]
I prefer a skipper that enjoys the business end of it enough to make sure that the customers are safe at all times.[cool]
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Can I get a Radar? I take it that's what you're refering to when you said "Furino." (I don't think I spelled it right) I'd take a radar over GPS any day of the week in the fog. Of course, one isn't really very good with out the other, and also the application of a sonar. You add those three pieces of equipment together and give them to a knowledgeable captain, and you can navigate through a whales butt hole in a snow storm.[cool]
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Tarpon, i totally agree with you on the accuracy of radar. The problem we have in the winter is that we fish the marshes and if you've ever been in them you would see why radar has it's limits. We traverse through bayous that are full of turns and have to concentrate on the shadows of the land we can see and trying to watch radar and drive is difficult. Radar will pick up other boats but in the marshes it also has many false returns and with all the info. being sent back it takes away from your concentration. When we fish the open bays in the summer radar would be the way to go but unfortunately unless you have a t-top radar is really in the way on a center console. I will leave radar to the off shore guides and stick with my G.P.S. it hasn't steered me wrong yet..........[
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The Furuno Radar can also come as a combination unit with GPS. They have some awesome features too such as tracking and object detection.
They are a must on the West Coast especially at night. We are in the middle of Lobter season out here and there are Bug traps all over the ocean.
You can learn to distinguish the Bug trap bouys from the larger comercial trap bouys in no time at all.
Teamed up with a good sonar, you can't go wrong in any type of weather conditions.[cool]
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You're right on. And yea, they do take up alot of room. Radar wasn't neccessarily designed for use in smaller boats; and there really isn't a need. It's like you said, you can do alot with a GPS. The safest way i've found is to save a "trail." That way you know right where you are the entire time. I take it that's what you do it. I have trails saved in my GPS and it works great everytime. However, I rarely have to use that feature to navigate the marshes. Even in the winter they stay pretty safe and clear.
I also have a secret weapon in the marsh, my aluminum bass boat. LOL Anytime I fish in the marsh or the inlet, I always leave my Center Console at the house and bring the ol' bass tracker. I've run a-ground, over stumps in the river, drug it over oyster beds, etc.... The girl still keeps on kicking. A small aluminum boat is way more effiecient in shallow marshes and inlets that a larger boat with a deep draft. I can float my boat in 6 inches of water, most larger boats require over twice that. Alot of the good fishing holes on this side of the hill require scootin' through the shallow stuff to get to the fish. I'm quite sure the senario is way different where you're at, just based on the background in your pictures. You've probably got a good run in open water as well as in the marsh; and probably can't use a smaller boat like the one I do.
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I have more trails than the first settlers heading West...LOL
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