Fishing Forum

[cool][#0000ff]It is "monsoon" season in Utah. The daily forecast is "Fair and sunny with occasional heavy downpours". In short, you never know what Mama Nature is going to serve up. No matter what the "weather people" tell you, you are pretty much on your own. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]TubeBabe wanted to hit Jordanelle (Lake X). Specifically, she wanted to try one of our formerly favorite spots, off the PWC launch ramp in the Hailstone area. We have done very well there in the past, but completely omitted it from our fishing schedule for over a year. With the dropping water and rising water temps, we figured that the fish would be showing up in some of our previously productive spots. We were right.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We hit the PWC ramp at first light...before 6. No PWCs to challenge us at that hour so we took our time airing up the tubes and getting ready. But, a couple of old bozos showed up with a big pontoon boat and wanted us to move out so they could launch. Not exactly PWC (see picture). [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We hurried up our launch and then enjoyed the show, as two old dudes yelled back and forth at each other while trying to get launched. Neither of them could hear very well and there was a lot of shouting and a lot of "Huh?". It was even worse when they took the boat out in a cross breeze later. Hoo boy.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Water level is still up good so the ramp is short at the PWC launch area. Water temp was about 72 and visibility great. Overcast skies, with a promise of some sprinkles during the morning. There had been some "weather" the night before and it had stayed around. We only hoped to get in a few hours fishing before we had to dodge lightning bolts and fight hurricane winds.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We immediately started seeing lots of perch on sonar, at about 12 feet. The only problem was that they were all tiny tykes. We caught a bunch of 5 to 7 inch fish before ever hooking anything large enough for the basket. I moved out into deeper water, saw some larger marks on sonar, and began dropping larger lures. Still got some dinks, but also started bringing in the occasional "basket fish"...over 9 inches. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I was experimenting with several new lures and new color patterns. I didn't find any size or color of lure that the pesky perchettes would not attack. However, I did find that my "pale perch" color combo...in several different lures...was especially effective on larger perch and also smacked some small smallies. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The old reliable jigging spoons dropped down fast on my light baitcaster, and so did the "plungers"...poured on spearpoint jig molds and hammered slightly flat. But, I caught more and bigger fish...both perch and smallies...on one of my PBJ's (painted body jigs) in the pale perch color, with a bit of perch meat for sweetener. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]TubeBabe and I each caught well over a hundred perch and probably somewhere between 20 to 30 smallmouths...all vertical jigging in water from about 15 to 25 feet. Our best action was in 20 - 22 feet. Our biggest perch were in the 12 inch range and the largest smallmouth was about 14 inches. All a lot of fun on light gear. We were able to bring home a couple of dozen larger perch for the fillet board. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The clouds thickened and a breeze came up about 11:30. We waited for the old fudds to get their pontoon boat out of the water and we followed them to the ramp. In chatting with them they divulged that they knew the lake pretty well but had caught absolutely no trout and only a few small perch. They were surprised at the size and quantity of our catch. Natcherly.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As we gazed out over the lake, while eating our milk and cookies about noon, some huge rain drops began to fall. A dandy little rain cell moved over Hailstone as we headed for home. Yep. Good timing and a good time.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]One positive/negative note was that I let TubeBabe try out my lawnchair retrofit seat in her H3. We have both struggled to stay comfortable during long trips on the water in our new craft. I found the lawnchair to work well. So did she. It has now been "missus-appropriated". I brought out an old cushioned contour seat I snagged from a yard sale a couple of years ago and used to use on my Super Fat Cat. It also works well, but it just a bit small for my ample "anatomy". Time to look for another lawn chair I can cut down. I lost mine.[/#0000ff]
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i should have drug my but out of bed and gone up there/
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It was a good time! Fish were cooperative and fun. I'd do it again!
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Way to go Ma. It's nice to see that the fish are cooperating with you these days.[cool]
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Wow, the weather doesn't stop you!! Great report and pictures! As I was looking at the pictures I thought I saw a small tube on one of your perch plungers. Do you sometimes put a small tube on the plungers? (Constantly studying the master's techniques)

By the way, my wife said that your suggestion about the pantyhose (Heaven forbid) makes a lot of sense. Okay, what do I know?

Too bad about the lawn chair. You can always get another.
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[cool][#0000ff]Pretty sharp eye there, Lloyd. Yes, I do add a small tube onto those plungers for additional "profile", bulk and attraction. Not always, but when the little fish are pesky and a larger bait helps catch bigger fish, that extra size can help. It also adds some wiggle and/or color...same or contrasting. The spearpoint mold has a "collar" at the end, for tieing on fur or feathers, to make jigs. It is just big enough that it will hold a small tube fairly securely. I use either 1" or 1 1/2" tubes on those 1/4 oz. plungers. I plan to use some larger 2" when I fish them for walleyes...for some extra size and color.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you just can't swallow your male ego, you can find very thin long underwear in most sports outlets. It is usually made from nylon or poly and is not all that hot to wear in warm weather, under waders. And, the material is close fitting and smooth (like panty hose) so that rougher cotton or wool pants slide over them rather than rubbing your tender skin.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]When I fish wet, I wear some nylon athletic pants. No longer very athletic but the pants both cover the subject and keep my skin from chafing against rough surfaces.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]When I fish in my breathable waders, I wear one or more layers of soft sweat pants or similar. Again, soft and smooth against the skin. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I think I might be worried about a wife that wanted you to wear panty hose. Sounds a bit kinky to me. Of course, at your age, anything to spice things up might be allright.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Oh, and about the lawn chair. Got it handled. We were going down the street this morning and stopped at a yard sale. There was a large size PVC chair, with a high back, almost new, for only $5. I snagged it and will have it onboard when my H3 leaves the dock next trip.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]I finished the modifications on my newer (and bigger) lawn chair seat. Here are a couple of pictures. As you can see, it is a "big boy's seat". The one picture shows my previous seat...now "bequeathed to TubeBabe. Plan to give it a try at Starvation Wednesday and Utah lake on Saturday.[/#0000ff]
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i think i need a "big boy seat"[]
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[cool][#0000ff]If you can find a chair, I can help with the mods. Basically, I just hacksawed off the legs and used a power grinder to round off the rough edges and even up the bottom contours.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As TubeBabe discovered, simply having a contoured seat makes a world of difference in comfort. If that is not enough you can add a thin pad. Lots of options. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I am really anxious to enjoy the high back on that thing. Back support (or lack thereof) has been a big thing with me ever since I first got the Super Fat Cat. Todays tube manufacturers just do not provide high enough seat backs on their craft.[/#0000ff]
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[#005000]hell that is not a seat... that is a floating throne [][/#005000]
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[#005000]MacFly [cool][/#005000]
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[cool][#0000ff]The large pockets on the H3 conceal two rolls of Charmin'...but don't squeeze it.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Man, unless you are a large individual who has tried to fish comfortably from the H3, you just can't appreciate what we have been going through to try to get a full day of fishing in. TubeBabe, myself and now Petty have all made multiple trips in which no matter how well we had the seats inflated and adjusted we had to leave the water to get relief from aching backs and sore butts. Those seats are poorly designed and brutal. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I finally got a "proper" bottom seat, after trying to make do with the defective cushion I got with the H3. But, it is still a poor design. By comparison, the inflated seats of the Super Fat Cat have very well defined individual contoured air channels. The cushions on the H3 have wimpy channels and the whole cushion is oversized for the space alloted. It does not fully inflate before it fills the pocket. That means that the channels do not come into play and the bottom cushion is still like a big round ball...a hard ball. If you drop the pressure it lets you slide out the front.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Yep. The lawn chair seat adds about 3 or 4 pounds of PVC to the whole rig...but it also adds several hours to the amount of time I can fish without suffering terminal butt cramps.[/#0000ff]
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[font "Tempus Sans ITC"][#005000][size 3][] I have been reading your comments on the H3 seat and do understand the need for a different accomodation.. was commenting that your new "seat" looks like a throne.. large.. comfortable.. and hopefully this one is the solution for the problems you have been having with the h3's[/size][/#005000][/font]
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[font "Tempus Sans ITC"][#005000][size 3]MacFly [cool][/size][/#005000][/font]
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TD, you don't have to be a big person. I too have problems with my back on those things. I didn't with my old SFC and the styro seat, or maybe it's cause I am older and notice it now. That is why I prefer my Pontoon and the padded seat.
I have broke my back several times and I do wear a kidney belt now and it helps. I wear the belt when river fishing and thought it would help in the tube....it does. I can see the advantages to that seat.
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[cool][#0000ff]Hope you didn't think I was offended by your comment. I was just expanding on the "throne" comment...as in toilet seat. Come to think of it, with a few more modifications, I might be able to incorporate a porta potty arrangement into that seat. UN-CANNY.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Didja hear about the robbery at the police station? Thieves made off with all of the toilets. The police have nothing to go on.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Seriously, I really do like almost everything about the H3. But, those seats are a crime. Rather than sell off the H3s and going back to the Fat Cats, I choose to try to solve the problem and make them comfortable enough to fish from. If I gotta look funny, with my big high-backed lawn chair seats, so be it. I would rather feel good than look good. Too late for lookin' good at my age nohow.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Maybe I can add some bling to my fishing hat and make it look like a crown...befitting my exalted ride...on my "throne".[/#0000ff]
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... did not think you were offended.. just expressing your opinion based on your experience.. to be honest my one other comment which I dont think I made was to add some extra cushioning to the seat... beleive me.. with my wide posterior and anterior (granddaughter makes weird comments about babies sometimes when she is around me...lol)... I can definately see the benefit to a chair of that size.. that is also why in the past I commented on how Scadden has a hardback seat for the h3 under accessories.. maybe he realized the flaw.. or the need for a different option and had it made and placed under the accessories option...

hmmmmm bling on the cap.. befitting a king.. I kind of like that idea.. course that woudl make tn2 the prince.. [sly]

MacFly [cool]
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I figured that the H3 would be big enough to put a lawn chair in there. If I can get myself into the Red thing, I may just try that option.

Then when I fish with Macfly, he can see just how a "Prince" travels in style.[cool]
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Chits gittin deep
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Hence! Therfore the Chest waders. If it gets too deep, I go for the Scuba gear.[]
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I figured that the H3 would be big enough to put a lawn chair in there. If I can get myself into the Red thing, I may just try that option.

[#ff0000][size 4]Then when I fish with Macfly, he can see just how a "Prince" travels in style.[cool][/size][/#ff0000] [/reply]

[font "Tempus Sans ITC"][#005000][size 3]...now that is funny.... and a great way to start off a slow Tuesday... [sly][/size][/#005000][/font]
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[font "Tempus Sans ITC"][#005000][size 3]MacFly [cool][/size][/#005000][/font]
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