New Type Of Fish-finder

[Photoz]

Well, I've become a closet lurker . . . . readin' most of your posts, makin' notes on all your good spots . . . . for when I can get back out. I banged up my heel 2 months ago . . . badly bruising it . . . . and discovering I have 2 bone spurs. It got so painful I had to come off the job last week . . . first time in 20 years (first in my life too) at Canada Post I've had to go on Compensation . . . . it's nice to sit a home with your feet up . . . . for about a half a day . . . . then ya need FRESH AIR . . . . preferably near water!!

 

So . . . . what do ya do when you've read all your mail, answered it, read everything on 6 fishing boards, TWICE . . . . got your home and van all shiny clean? Ya sit down and with Spiel & Roy's help, finger out how to use the new board!

 

These photos were taken the spring of 2005, on a local creek, when this big friendly (lonely) swan swooped down, and walked out to where we were ice fishing, looking for a hand-out, also everybody who walked out got the once-over too. He stood guard, and wasn't shy about approaching people . . . .. hissing his displeasure if you had nothing! He wasn't overly friendly at first, but after a few hours became like a big friendly puppy dog, even allowing his head & neck to be scratched. We suspected he might have lost his mate and was just lonely . . . and was just looking for company.

 

First photo . .. he's on guard duty . . . . . CLICK!

 

 

Then he spots an unsuspecting potential benefactor (victim?) coming out on the creek, and walks right up to him . . . . fully expecting to be fed . . . . when no food is forthcoming, he hisses . . . . causing the poor guy to drop his gear and back off!! Almost tripped over himself trying to put some space between him and 'Big Bird!' CLICK!

 

 

Now THIS is where I see a golden opportunity to have some fun. Though this photo essay looks pretty easy (only 8 shots, all useable?? HAH!) it where the beauty of digital cameras is fully realized you just delete about 125, and use the BEST 8! For this shot, he saw me drop something in the hole, comes over to check . . . I bounce a little ice ship off his head . . . about 10 times, shoot a couple pics, try again. FINALLY . . . BOINK!! And I get the perfect angle & expression . . . CLICK!!

 

 

Then I tossed a little chunk of my sandwich in the hole . . . he grabs it . . . . then a little chunk of ice . . . it gets his attention . . . he looks . . . . CLICK!

 

 

Next, I toss a bit of salmon roe NEAR the hole . . . he likes it . . . . a roe bag goes in the hole . . . . he goes after it!! CLICK!!

 

 

Now he's getting a bit annoyed . . . . I musta chucked a half dozen more ice chips at him, he hisses at me . . .. I didn't have much more to get his attention . . .. and wasn't sure if he might get mad & tackle me . . .. one last fishing shot of him glaring across my rod at me . . . CLICK!!

 

 

I tried another roe bag . . . . he goes after it . . . . making for another decent shot . . . . CLICK!

 

 

And just as my battery warning light starts to flicker . . . . he decided he had an itch . . . . and went after it . . . CLICK!!

 

 

I didn't catch any trout that day, but it's gotta be one of the most interesting I've spent fishing in a long time. About 4 hours & about 125 or more pics shot. Then as an afterthought, I put captions on 'em, to make 'em a bit more fun . . . . hope I didn't bore anybody too much?

 

P. S

 

Isn't the 'Swanee River' down in G C D's area? If It indeed exists? Only us ol' folks would remember the song?

Edited December 10, 2006 by Photoz

[danc]

I was wondering where you were Steve. Nice to see you back. Fantastic series of photos! Thanks for sharing those. Hope your heel heals real soon. Get it? Heel heals??

[tjsa]

Heya Steve, welcome back, I remember those pics well.

Take care now, and let the healing process complete itself.

Besides, you're the only "Postie" we have that we can pick on, lol.

[Fisherman]

Ha, makes for a priceless photo story, next time watch the spices in the roebags, poor bird got a bad case of "ring on fire".

[The Urban Fisherman]

Photoz!!!!! I was wondering where you've been!!! welcome to the new board!

 

great post!

 

uf

[setomonkey]

Photoz, welcome back, hope you're liking the new board...

 

Mike

[Spiel]

....Glad to see you got the picture posting thing straightened out Photoz, glad to help.

I too remember those photos, still good to see them again, bit of an odd bird though!

 

Welcome to the new board.

[fishindevil]

very funny thanks for the laugh...lol...lol can i borrow him for my january ice fishin trip

[Photoz]

. . . . . . And just where are ya gonna find ice to fish on in January . . . . I suspect Moosebunk will be the only guy in Ontario ice-fishin' in January . . . . good luck!

[Greencoachdog]

I remember those pics too, and they're just as cute now as they were then! Thanks for posting them again, are you gonna heel cut on by the Doc? It would prolly be much better and heal a lot quicker.

 

I'm looking forward to some of your hardwater reports whenever the ice becomes safe.

 

Glen

[GbayGiant]

Cool report, great pics.

[Daplumma]

From what I understand the heel spur surgery is not always a sure thing.The recovery time is fairly long(6 weeks).Good to see ya back on board!

Joe

[Mike the Pike]

Nice pics and story PhotoZ my kids happened to look over and they really enjoyed the thread.Well while you were taking note of our fishing spots I was checking out your wonderful design of a rod holder and I'm thinkin what a great idea.I think those steel thick wire rod holders I own are now history; I am off to the work shop for the log rod holder special.what a design.LOL

[Photoz]

T'anks Mike . . . . . it's amazing how well some of the simplest things can work so well. I have an uncle who buys a truckload of culled logs every year for firewood . . . . sometimes there's a softwood log or 2 which are good for kindling. A few years ago when I was there, he had a cedar log about 18" across . . . . and all of a sudden the ol' light went on . . . . UREKA!! I think I'm having a brainstorm!! I got him to cut 2 slabs about 1.75" thick, then a couple limbs about 3" thick by 18" long. We just drolled holes in the bottoms of the 2 sticks, and through the slabs, got some dowling and tapped 'em into place, and then screwed a 6" piece of plastic pipe on top to hold the ice rod . . . . . VIOLA!! A one-of-a-kind tip-proof rod holder!! Unfortunately the cedar was very light, and a big aggresive perch could almost tip it. And when it dried out, the base cracked. The year after I went to yellow birch . . . a lot heavier . . . and didn't crack as much. I was told if I rubbed in lotsa linseed oil, it would stop it from cracking, then stain it & add varnish . . . . a work of art, eh? I'd love to see what you come up with . . . . I gotta do up some fancy ones, and maybe a spare set . . . . to auction off on this site at the next M & G?

 

The heel treatment is kinda iffy . . . . originally, back in October I slipped & missed a stair . . . . for a split second when you feel nothing under your foot, the leg stiffens . . .. I instantly dropped about 8" landing smack on my heel, 230 pounds of me & 30 of mail. This severely bruised the whole heel, and somehow affected 2 dormant bone spurs . . . . one which is now putting pressure on the Achilles tendon. I'm doing acupuncture, heat therapy & massage, plus almost NO walking. It's helping . . .. somewhat, if it hasn't done the job .. . next stop . . . . an orthapedic specialist for evaluation . . . . because of all the muscles, tendons & nerves here, the use surgery is a last resort, as it CAN make it worse!

 

T'is nice to be back . . . . but I never REALLY left .. .. . just didn't have much of value to add, and there was a period things got rather raucaus around here . . . . . so I sorta 'stepped out the door' and just watched the board evolve. Seems pretty quiet & civil once again . . . . . although I don't agree with how TOTALLY intolerant some of the rules seem, at least they appear to be applied evenly? Moderating is a tough and often thankless job . ... . no matter what you do, at SOME time, SOMEBODY will be unhappy with rulings . .... if I don't like 'em, nobody has me chained here, and I'll be carefull the door don't clip my butt on the way out, eh!! From what I see, this is a big improvement over a few months ago. All I gotta do is figure out how everything works . ... I've already had some assistance in this area. Anyhoooooooo . . . . thanks for your responses . . . once I get fishin' again, I'll be posting more regularly!

[bpsbassman]

It's great to see you back Steve. Always enjoy your posts.