[theshop411]

I have recently started updating rods and reels. What is considered mid range to most, is my high end. Any reel from around $150 to about $300 is called mid range when you walk into a tackle shop. It’s about the same range for rods. In the last year, for reels, I have purchase a Tatula 150 SV TW, a Diawa Costal, and a Curado 150 DC . I put the Curado on a 7’3″ Zodias MH(medium/heavy), I put the Coastal on a Fitzgerald 7’3″ Micro Jig rod, Medium with a fast action, and the Tatula ended up on a Uglystick MH action 6’6″. I haven’t gotten around to buying a better rod for the Tatula, but it is not staying on the uglystick. I have used all of them and the difference when you buy a better rod, is unbelievable. I have more time with the Zodias, and I love the Curado/Zodias combination. I can fish twitching a jerk bait or jig all day without any wrist or forearm fatigue. The Fitzgerald Medium with the Coastal is really nice as well and I really wouldn’t be able to choose one combo over the other at this point. Maybe with some more hours of use, I will have a better opinion, but they both fish so well for anything I want to use them for. Now, the Tatula on the uglystick, or anything on the uglystick and you will definitely start to notice your forearm fatiguing after a few hours of twitching. I never realized this until I used nicer rods. The Tatula SV TW is a great reel, but when paired with a lesser rod, you are losing a lot of what that reel has to offer. Anyway, all this to say, I agree with the previous posts saying to pay more attention to the rod. Actually, in the end, you need to have a rod and reel that compliment each other. I have been to Chags and Pugulia’s and they have both set me on the right path. The prices are comparable at those stores with any online deals and they really know what the fishermen in this area need if you tell them the type of fishing you will do.

• This reply was modified 5 days, 15 hours ago by  theshop411. Reason: Added info

[theshop411]

That certainly clears it up. Thanks. I doubt I’ll ever use one of those camp sites, but it just got me wondering, when I saw them on Google Earth, how would the regs apply.

[theshop411]

Inquiring minds want to know. One of my next buys so I’m also interested.

[theshop411]

I thought the same thing as Devin when I read your original question.Definetly Delacriox. Back when my daughter was younger, I would start our fall fishing every year by going down Terre aux Boeufs all the way south and fish our way back hitting the bays and bayous just off the Terre aux Boeufs. We looked for birds mostly and we always caught hundreds of trout being able to come home with 10 to 20 keepers (keep in mind that was the 12″ days), and a couple of reds as kickers. You could probably do the same thing launching out of Hopedale, but when you said Hopedale lagoon, that did seem very specific. I know if you go to Hopedale, you could easily find some birds in the Bakers canal area and slaughter the white trout. Use a double rig if you want numbers. .

[theshop411]

I still haven’t taken my unit out of the box, but from my research, it looks like it will take the GPX files. I’m still a noob. I have a lot to learn.

[theshop411]

Sounds like a great time with the wife. Bet y’all are eating well tonight

[theshop411]

‘Looks great! Fishing, hunting, and gardening are great because it allows you to eat your reward.’

Amen to that!

[theshop411]

Okay, with the way the forecast has come together, this may be the perfect weather for this time of year. Winds are a little strong, but I’ll take an East wind for the rocks and the inner islands. Packing the boat and getting the tackle ready. Feels like Christmas.

[theshop411]

The forecast has changed. If it stays pretty much as it is, I’m going to head down the spoils canal and start the morning over an oyster reef I found last year in Machias that isn’t marked. If that doesn’t work, I’m going to skeet on over to the long rocks “area” and look for birds or bait. Depending on the wind and weather, and if we don’t have limits by then, go around the short rocks and head back north looking for fishy areas

going in via Lake Eloi and Halfmoon. Lots of deep passes so if we don’t have anything by then, going to plan white trout. Speckrigs tipped with shrimp in moving water by points and passes. If that is where we are, that means we are shooting from the hip and just looking for whatever we can get in a last ditch effort.

• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by  theshop411.

[theshop411]

It’s almost impossible to answer this question. My earliest memories in life were holding a fishing pole. Many of my relatives made a living, or supplemented their income, by fishing(or some version of utilizing the wildlife resources). Heck, I put my daughter through private schools by supplementing my income by catching and selling crabs. I distinctly remember returning on a particularly treacherous crabbing trip, with lightning crossing between two different summer time thunderstorms in Lake Pontchartrain, having the spray of the lake and the smell of the salt air hit me in the face and thinking, this would be a good day to die. Now, I don’t have some ridiculous delusional death fixation, I just felt so alive. I chalked it up to there must be some recessive gene I inherited from some distant relatives that must have had to sail the oceans because of the same call of that misty salt spray in you face, even back when most ships were destined for the bottom of the sea.

I just like being on the water and everything associated with it. I still remember the sweet smell of 2 cycle exhaust from that 50 merc my dad had on that Cajun special when we went shrimping out of Fourchon or when he would take us fishing the rocks out of Belle Pass.(You were rolling the dice with your life in that boat in that pass but heck, we just remember it as family fun). We never went on anything like a Disney vacation back then. We spent every weekend out at our camp, spending a Louisiana Saturday night listening to Uncle Arsen play guitar on the porch, smelling the salty night air of the Gulf. Then going to bed with all the windows open listening to the song of the oil rigs putting you to sleep. I had no chance, it was in me from my first memories and it has never left. Not even a little. Even when I went to college I studied Wildlife and Fisheries (I graduated in something else though. Another story)

I was born into fishing and grew up fishing. When reading other people’s reasons, I understand what they are saying, and I can relate to it, but I do feel differently. I am just as happy catching a box of croakers on dead shrimp as I am catching speckled trout. I just like being on the water. I enjoy pulling a trawl and pulling crab traps just the same as catching reds. I love going after frogs and being in Belle River raising set nets for crawfish. I am just as passionate about hunting, but if I had to choose a spot, it would be somewhere near the water where I know I could bring something home for dinner.

[theshop411]

15 ft flat and running without a gps. You can definitely do what you said and like Devin said, look for the birds at the points, but I wouldn’t head too far south especially in any open water. When I first started fishing Hopedale years ago, I was in a 14ft flat and I almost exclusively fished the first two ponds off of the spoils canal. The second pond is where the canal makes that first little U. I never failed to come home without a limit of reds. You can definitely spend the entire day just hitting all the small drains and trenasses. You will also catch a few flounder, specs, and drum. Shoot, now you got me thinking I might hit this area when I go Tuesday.

• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by  theshop411.

[theshop411]

I tried by the great wall last year. Lost 4 brand new nets because the water depth and harsh current but it has been known to produce pretty well. I would put a little extra weight in my net and use 20ft to 25ft ropes. I had 16ft. ropes and it was just not enough for some pockets. I crabbed on both sides and caught a few dozen. Also, it looks like the Violet canal is holding good crab numbers right now. Run your nets fast. Very fast and bring extra bait. Way more than you think would be enough.

[theshop411]

In doing my research, it looks like you have to go through hummingbird PC after converting from KML to GPX. It seems easy enough, but of course the YouTube videos make it looks simple. I haven’t done it yet. I’m just starting to do the install, but I know it’s going to be nice to have once I figure it all out. As far as navigation went in the past, I would plot my routes and manually enter every waypoint one at a time. I’ve been doing this since the early 2000s, so this is going to be a major upgrade for me.

[theshop411]

Thanks. I hope to check out all the features this thing has. Never having anything like this, I know this is going to really make things nice.

[theshop411]

You can copy and paste the coordinates in that format to your browser and then type “convert to DMS”. I just did it and AI shows you how to calculate the conversion and gives you the conversion. Copy and paste that into Google Maps and voila. You have your spot. I have an older GPS and you have to tell it you are using DMS for Google map coordinates.