Reply With QuoteI knew there was a script! So who all is in favor of changing Up2Specks screen name to "The Director". I know I do!Originally Posted by up2specks
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Saltfest 1- Bloopers & more
In an effort at being discreet, I'll be discriminately disclosing some behind the scenes before, during and after the big event = remember that pull-up chair I referenced initially...you may want it for sure this time!!---
After referring to tide, solunar, fish activity, weather forecasting charting, restaurant pricing, availability, elf candidates, it was Tuesday, December 18th that was chosen for the Saltfest 1 shakedown event(incidentally also my Baltimore born, now heavenly Mom's birthday).
Different mindsets, prices, extras, availability, seasonally decorated, message callbacks etc. were considered and the restaurant nod went to Peck's Old Port Cove restaurant in Ozello. Which by the way is beautifully located within the ambiance factor of being an on the water restaurant.
Day of the event, with secrecy/surprise being surreptitiously guarded and employed the 1st meetup of elves were in the books @700 am. Slab & Skeetbum in my neck of the woods. I'll defray from technique for brevity, but let say according to script! Next on the docket, was a 30 minute jaunt to do the Anchorman/CrappieQueen checkoff=success...then on to next mystery meetup when I had to entice Vic & Eileen to accompany me into Circle K to meet up with an employee from their hometown of Scranton, PA. With a quick tin hut from Vic, Eileen reluctantly surrendered her backseat blanket comfort zone to see if it was a classmate. Well, the rest is in the books as Eileen still surprised that Slab is from Scranton...NOT!! Skeetbum Tim was @his side when the surprise was culminated.
At the rampsite??(one of a kind), the launches were flawlessly made and the day was about to progress, when my motor fuel line connector had "issues". You see the day before during my pre-scout, I smelled/noticed a dripping from fuel connector fitting(bad O-ring), fished anyway disconnecting line at each stop to avoid water contamination. Returning home I stopped by Tohatsu dealer to replace but was turned down because the last one was sold yesterday and more coming in two days= no help, but, I can sell you the whole fuel line assembly for $80 !! of to Ace hardware for a plumbing o-ring to match(probably not gasoline durable but definitely doable). Well after refitti on the connector, I thought I'd be ready for the next day, NOT. when doing the rampside snap in, I met resistance because the o ring thickness was a mm thicker. Being rubber, I wet it and used pliars to assist in the 50 lbs(+-) of pressure to get it to snap in while the elves waited = it finally snapped, no drip, I guess not except for my drippy, sweaty brow!! My boat, can't speak for Slab's, went thankfully mishap-free. I specifically advised Slab to closely follow my path. with an occasional lookback by Vic and I, I was comforted to see that he hears well. After about a 1.5 mile run, we then look back to see NOTHING/NOBODY/NADA(comprende?) Well, here we go back, a la down water skier mode, to see if they had engine trouble, skeg damage, conflict between guide/client?!! Didn't even hear them in the stone cold silence. So a half mile back around the bend, there they sit...fishing!! Skeetbum Guide Service representative Tim responds "I didn't know you meant for us to keep following you"! I said let's go boys there's fish to be caught. Off we go to further intel on tide flow/fish movement, starting point and as tide picks up how we will chase the fish. Well, as Tim and Ed soon found out within about 45 minutes or so, the curtain was about to raise and the show was about to begin. As Vic, Eileen and I made our electric motor help positioning now about 100 yards form the boys, I noticed that they had found a campsite! At the spot I instructed them from, not moving for at least an hour!! Well Tim/Slab can attest to this easily, as well as my two partners. Well, both boats(guides) seemed comfortable to separate and re meet @ ramp through cellphone communication.
Back @ the ramp, one elf, I'm obligated to confidentiality, so I defer from Spotlighting him/her, however, I think speculative hinting is permissible, married to the same netgirl for 46 years!! Sorry, I can't mentioned his hometown of Scranton, but he/her snapped my heavy duty brass winch strap hook(see pics) while "helping" to secure the boat th winch stand. Pics attached. Both boats now on land, cleaning station manned(impromptu), boat snap reconfigured(temporarily), filets now bagged, restaurant manager alerted and the rest to unfold.
To be cont'd
u2s
Founder Crappie.com Est.1996
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continuation
Okay I'm back, sorry for potty break, so returning back home boat in stable, I open the front door expecting per normal an energetic, somewhat disgruntled 6 yr. old boy named Raven(Black lab/German shorthair mix). I said Raven, no response, Raven, no response = panic ramp up. Looking in attached garage, no Raven...spare bedrooms(closed doors), no Raven...under the beds(he can't fit under there), no Raven...outside voice holler, no Raven...panic escalated next door neighbor call, no have/see Raven(I'll be right over for a neighborhood walk/search). In a now out my ears panic leak, I decide to check my master bedroom's walk-in closet(closed)...out jumps the rabbit=RAVEN!! After immediately calling my cordial neighbor Karen to kick off her shoes I explained that the mystery was solved etc.
Just before leaving that morning, doing the Nature chore duties with Raven(well schooled), I decided through guilt to appease Raven with a large frozen Femur bone(he loves em, but since they can't feed him, I'm confident that he loves me more). Well, as it turned out, it was the devilin disguise!! He took his prey(primal instincts) into the semi-dark closet to help insure his ownership and after his prominent nose-nudging/roll-over back massage that he's certifiably fond of = he locks himself in a now all-dark closet accompanied by the devil
Well, stay tuned, I got more from the follow-up trip yesterday(including pics) now 3 days logged.
u2s
Founder Crappie.com Est.1996
If I may so rudely interject, here are some of my pics from the trip I said I'd post.
Look at that thing, Skeet told me it was OK to touch, NOT! It's got spines all over. Rouch.
This one Tim said not to touch at all, looks primitive don't it. Lizard fish I'm told.
And you prolly seen this pic, Tim posted it. Great pic, super nice fish. Touched 20 inches. Great fishing with you Tim.
So here's how our part of the fishing trip went. Tim caught one 17 incher right off the bat. And then it slowed down (relatively speaking). We caught some of those strange fish. Tim caught another smaller (maybe 15 inches) Trout. But then we hit a spot where it was one after another. Crazy catching. But also smalls.
That slowed, so we drifted down a bit and found a hole. Tim killed them there. And I mean killed them. And they were all keeper size. WOW
I could not buy a bite. The only thing I can think of is, he had braid, and I had mono, and with the current, I could not get my line down where he was catching them. On top of the fact his casts were longer. I had crappie fishing gear! Doh. But even when the guber set up his other rod for me, and me using his gear, I could not catch one. Crazy. It was just Tims day I guess. He had the Midas touch.
So then it was getting close to leaving time, and we decided to drift. And then I clobbered a few. Yay me! Finally. And these beasts fight like crazy. It was so much fun. The one I caught that was roughly 20 inches long had it's head at the surface just shaking it wildly while I was reeling it in. I've never seen anything like it. Great trip.
The restaurant was a pretty cool place. Turns out, I had been there before. I had brought relatives there while touring the West Coast.
The food was awesome. Up2 brought Snapper, Popano and Crappie too. And we of course had fresh Speckled Trout.
So here's the end to my little picture story. This was a Win, Win, Win, Win scenario! We fished, we ate, and we shared. The left over Speckled Trout were dropped off at Shu's house on my way home. And yesterday he stopped by my house with a small bag of the fillets which I bought to my mom. See, win, win, win, win. Up2, the good stuff that happened in this little Christmas outing went a long way, and you prolly did not even know it.
Last edited by Slab; 12-20-2018 at 09:20 AM.
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Slab, why can't I open pictures ?
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Surprise, yep, there's more = I set my game plan in motion, venue in stone already, with one major alteration = who isn't "home alone"?? You guessed it Mr, Brown eyes, RAVEN !!To say he was surprised well, it seems to be my nature = elves?
Everything went well minus his 6 yr. old (middle-aged?) exuberant nature. The band strikes up the P I T A syndrome song, with an abundance of cymbal solos,lol
Deviating from the last two days of fishing, trout were the least of my targeting specie(see pic)
Well it didn't take long after thankfully knowing the target habitat like I do = 21.5" pinched tail mid-slot, perfect eater.
Catch of the day included more reds, trout(10 ish -didn't keep any, no trophy to pic, and no green hat species were documented).
u2s/directorDad, for real, you want me to measure it too?! You already wouldn't let me use a rod and reel!!
!
Uh, Dad, you may want to double check that uni to uni...
and finally...the piece de resistance = Seriously elves, you want to me to pick up the check too!!?
Tight lines, Happy times, Work outside "the box"!
u2s
Last edited by up2specks; 12-20-2018 at 09:08 AM. Reason: more pics/more pics
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Dono, something weird happening. Can you see them now?
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Nope.
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Boy those look nice Doug, I bet they gave you a good fight. Thanks for sharing and again thanks for Tuesday. We went out yesterday for 2.5 hrs and caught 13 nice specks.
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