Simple

Most of us have a big enough boat with as many comforts and advantages as we see the need for. Where did you come from though? I came from the least expensive and easiest to use boats I could find. My first Jon had 3 large holes in it when I brought it home, one big enough to drop a softball through. Fixed it with the help of most of a tube of Silicone and aluminum and used it for a couple of years, along with a 12lb thrust TM. Remember those? Along the way, it was inevitable that I wind up in a canoe. Some things I just can't get away from. As long as I'm still able to use it, I guess it will get used. Some of the time I just don't feel like all the process of uncovering and trailering, and then putting it all away when I'm done. Process takes about 30 minutes where I am now. Now add in the choke not wanting to behave, and tires that should really be changed, and it's easy to just say "Not Today".

My eyes popped open at regular work time this morning, and I just couldn't stay home. Put on some clothes and loaded the canoe in the back of the truck, and the rain started spitting. I just looked at the sky and said "Really?" Went inside and fired up the laptop to check the radar and found that what was going on now would be gone in about 30 minutes. COOL!! Grabbed a few items needed for the trip before the real shower arrived, made some coffee, and did what I'm the absolute worst at.........Waiting. Cue the Jeopardy music........ Kiss the wife and I'm finally gone, headed for a bite along the way.

Now I'm not going for the day, not even a long trip, so I didn't carry much. An 8lb anchor and 50' of rope, a 4" X 8" tackle box, hemostats, line clippers, 2 paddles, cooler and 2 rods. A coffee container holds the anchor and straps and doubles as a bailing tin for filling the cooler for ballast or fish, depending. I started to grab one paddle, thought of Murphy's Law and grabbed the other. I know me. Good thing I did as I did drop the primary in and had to use the other to retrieve it. Wind is always our enemy when we go and it's worse in a tin boat with no weight. I poured this little anchor and used it today. Had I not had it I wouldn't have been able to hold position and fish the spot that put 5 fish in the cooler. When it was all over, I could have left the little tackle box home and carried what I used in my shirt pocket.

Unlike two weeks ago, the darker colors never got looked at. I tried a dark blue back on a Blue Thunder BGBS, and found it slow too. Disappointing, that's one of my go to baits. But changed to an Opening Night and it was a whole different story. Now I didn't set the world on fire, but I was getting Bluegill taps and catching a few. First fish to the boat went in the cooler. A couple of guys worked near me without intruding and we both had a good morning, but they had a 20' grizzly boat and long rods and......well, you know the rig. I never saw them put a fish in the live well. And not all of mine were big either, one just big enough to fit on my hand sideways. Good catfish bait. Most of the day it was pitch, close the bail and let it glide, maybe an ultra slow turn or two on the reel before starting over. I did pick up the jig and cork and the first cast put a nice 12" in the live well, but did nothing else with it. The other guys had been dipping between the posts so I think most of the shallow fish were gone before I started. And they were tentative. Last trip I got thumps that were strong, but today it was like they just weren't aggressive but had to eat. One fish even gave me a textbook lift bite where the line fell to the water long before it should have hit bottom. Really had to pay attention. The highlight of the trip was when the sun came out and they went to shade, also textbook. Wind was up enough to blow around the cast but i finally got what I wanted and was rewarded with a nice thump and a 13" for the box. In no more than a dozen casts I put 4 in the box and released 5 or 6 shorts. Then they threw the switch and I had to go looking again. All totaled at the end I near 25 in my hand today, and all crappie.

Time got on some and the wind was bothersome, and I was just ready to go. I offered a small prayer of thanks and paddled back to the truck. The river in the morning is a quiet place with the exception of the passing cars. Very low traffic and that at low speed, glassy conditions, and the visits from those that call the river home. The Manatees came by a few times, the ever present Osprey built nests and gathered breakfast, and the seagulls were always close by. The box had 8 inside, 2 of which were right at the 13" mark and made the drag squeak a few times. The bottom of the canoe only had 4 plastics bodies in it when I cleaned up. I've used that many in a few minutes before. The trip finished leaving me less sore than I expected and relaxed. This working 6 day is getting old, but it sure beats the alternative. A little help from folks at the ramp made loading a breeze, a 48qt weighs a bit more than I'm comfortable with. I added a few pics from the day, a simple one it was. Hope you all get a chance to get out and find a few like I did today, and as always, Thanks for taking the time to read this and visiting with me today.......Skeet