Fishing basics-trolling

When you talk to someone about fishing and say that you are going trolling they think 'that is an awfully lazing way to fish'. That is useless they have every done it and then think 'hey, this person is a thinking fisherman'. The people that have been trolling know there is a lot of variables you need to consider.

What type of fish am I after? The answer to this question will determine what you put in your tackle box before you leave on your trip. Since sometime your first choice isn't real active that day it is a good idea to have one or two backup types. So, you might want something for trout, bass, and catfish. For trout I have always found triple teaser work great although you might want a spinner. For bass they are more of a follow and nibble fish so something that you put a worm on, such as, pop gear but not the full set for deep trolling. For catfish you will want a full set of pop gear since you need to fish deep.

Once you have packed your equipment and get to the lake and launch your boat it is time to find where the fish are at right? not quite yet. The first thing you will need to know is what is the temperature of the water? You don't need the exact temperature so stick a finger in the water and if it feels warm than you will want to fish swallow but if the water feels cold you will need to fish deeper depending on how cold.

Once you have determined that then you are ready to go in search of  the fish but this part has several variable in itself that you will need to figure out mostly by trail and error. If you are at a lake you are familiar with you probably have a good starting spot but that doesn't guarantee anything will be there. So, you will just need to troll around the lake to find a good area.

You say you went around the entire lake and nothing is biting? If that is the case it could be the fish or you might not be using the right lure. This is why you brought a selection so that if the first didn't work you can change it and try again. So, after the first pass you stop the boat and change gear and troll around the lake again. You may need to do this two or three times until you find the right combination of area and lure. Once you do get everything right it is a matter of just trolling back and forth until you decide it is time to go.

Today I want to talk a little about fishing and some of the various methods, baits, and lures. The first method that I will talk about is casting.

Usually when some first learns to cast a fishing-pole they use a close-faced reel since they are easier to control. When you use a close-face reel it will have a button that when depressed will hold the fishing-line in place until the button is released. Once you bring the pole back and then start your forward motion with it you want to release the button right about the time the pole is next your ear. If you did it properly the line should sail a good distance out in to the water. If you release the button to early you will end up with a tangled mess with the line wrapping around the pole and possibly even inside the reel. If you wait too long to release the button the line will just plunk straight down. It will take practice to get the technique down which is why they make practice weights.

Once you have picked up the hang of casting you are ready to go put it to use in actual fishing. There are two different types of fishing when you cast and they are live bait and spin-casting where you use an artificial lure.

• Live bait fishing will normally involve a hook, a sinker, a swivel, and a bobber. The hooks that you will most likely use will be snelled (already tied to a line) and that would normal get attached to a swivel that will get tied to the end of your line. Swivels come in many forms but they are all the same in there purpose in keeping your line from tangling when you have a fish on the line and allowing you to change hooks without cutting the line. Next up the line is your sinker (or weight) that will be attached about 6" above the swivel. Then the bobber goes on the line and that will be placed somewhere above the sinker, usually about 18"minimum, depending on how deep you will be fishing. Once you have your line ready you can bait your hook. There are several live baits to choose from and it really depends on what you are fishing for as to the bait you choose. For this article we will stick with eggs and worms, which there are many varieties of both. Once you are done with the bait then cast your line and sit back. The bobber will let you know when a fish is biting, the bobber bob up and down, and when the bobber goes under the water you have a fish on the line. This is where the real fun comes in especial if the fish is a fighter. Reeling in he line when you have a fish on the line is sort of an art in itself since you don't want the line to go lax or the fish might jump off but you don't want to pull too hard or you could break the line. 
• Spin-casting uses artificial lures, of which there are several kinds, a swivel, and possibly a sinkers it depends on the type of lure. For this article we will just use a spinner, they are bulk and don't require any other weight, on the end of your line. As the name implies you cast you line one and reel it back in making the spinner rotate. The rotating and reflection of the lure will attract the fish but you will need to be very alert when the fish strikes. Since you are using an artificial lure the fish will only strike once and you need sharply jerk back on the pole to set the hook once you feel the fish hit. Once again though you don't want to pull too hard or you will just end up pulling the lure away from the fish and you don't want to be too soft or the fish can spit out the lure. 

I will go in to some of the other types of fishing on my next entry.

Cats and their catnip plants

The other day when I was out taking some pictures in the guard my little black cat scarlet followed me to see what I was going to do. When we arrived at the garden and I turn on my camera she run over to the catnip plant and sat under it as though she was on guard duty. I am not sure if she thought the noise from my camera might have been something approaching but she seemed to think that her catnip plant needed to be protected.

After I took a picture she must have thought the creature she was protecting the plant against was attacking it. She immediately sat up at attention and looked up at the plant too make sure there was nothing missing. She seemed to be daring whatever it was to show itself so that she could pounce and show the invader that nothing messes with her catnip plant while she is on duty.

Rhododendrons and Azaleas make great additions to your yard

If you have the room in your yard and you want something that will add lots of color in the spring and summer then you can't do much better than get some Rhododendrons and Azaleas.This picture was taken earlier this week and as you can see they have quite nice green foliage after the have stopped blooming. 

They are a native plants and do well around this area especially if you have clay in your soil. If you have a sandy loam like I do they will still do fine but you will have to give them a good feeding about once a month. There are plenty of good types of food made for Rhododendron and Azaleas. 

When they in bloom you will need to deadhead, pick of the dead flowers, so they will keep blooming. Depending on the species the flowers can range from white to purple and some that even have multiple colors. When you deadhead there is a stock that the flowers grow on that will need to be snapped off along with the bloom. The stock is covered in a resin so you should wear gloves to keep from getting your hands sticky. 

If you are ever inclined to do so you can make a cutting from a Rhododendron or Azalea but it isn't easy. On the branch that want to take your cutting from you will need to cut the bark just deep enough to take a one-inch strip off all the way around the branch. Then when you remove the bark you will see a milky sap that needs to be washed off the plant. Put rooting hormone on the exposed part of the branch. pack spagment moss around the expose area and water it. Then wrap the moss in plastic and seal the ends. In a few weeks you should see roots forming. When the roots look as though they about to burst out of the plastic then it is time to cut the branch off right below the roots.

The undercover stag

Our story begins in a clear deep in forest where the woodland creatures all gather to discuss what to do about their shrinking habitat.

“They have cut down almost all of the trees that provide our food and burned the hollow one that we live inside” said the squirrels.

“They build their houses on the land where we once grazed” interjected the deer.

“They destroy the brush that we use as dens for our family” whine the porcupine.

Standing in the behind the rest of the animals was a brave stag that strutted up front for all to see and said “I will go out into the field near where they destroy our lands and devise a plan of attack to regain our habitat”. So, off the mighty stag marched heading out to the field where he would do reconnaissance under the guise of a grazing deer.

Once he was in place he went into his act of eating the tall grass. The people saw the stag but were unaware that he was actually scoping out the area and looking for places to stage his army to carry out mission 'takeback'. He spent the next hour eating grass and moving around so he could see the area from all angles. When he decided that he had gathered enough information he casually walked back to the place the animals gather.

Once back among the rest of the wildlife he he called them to gather around as he set the plan of attack. He used one hoof to draw battle lines in the sand and then looking around finally spoke. “The humans are split into three groups. We have superior numbers but they are bigger then most of us. So, this is how we will attack. The skunks will line up on the outside of the two far groups and face away from them with their tails in the air. When I give the word they will start backing up and spray making a smoking screen. As the humans are backing away you porcupines will rush in and stab them with your quills. Once they are running the flying squirrels will pummel them with acorns. We deer and the bears will give chase until the humans are far enough away that it is safe.”

The animals all cheered the stag for his wonderful plan. They all crept into place awaiting the word to attack. The word was given and they commenced to set the plan into motion. First the skunks moved in and as planned the human started to retreat. Next, it was the porcupines turn and they back into the humans releasing their quills. As the humans were running the rest of the wildlife went into action and drove them out of their territory. When the stag finally said all was clear the animals rejoiced as they setup their habitat once more.

Zucchini, a versitile vegetable

Zucchini might not be for everyone but it is one o the easiest and versatile vegetables that you grow in your garden. zucchini can be used in sauces, such as, spaghetti sauce to add texture and flavor; it can be used as part of a Ratatouille, sort of a vegetarian lasagna; in stews; in breads and muffins; or sauteed with onions in butter.

As you can see in this picture one zucchini plant does take up a fair amount of space in the garden but that one plant can produce many zucchini. For a family of upto 4 people I would stick with just the one plant since they do produce lots. I have already picked five, have three about ready, and half a dozen blooms that will be zucchinis soon.

Zucchini are also a fast growing vegetable so you need to check your plant at least once a day or they can become too large and rot on the vine. With the exception of bread you want your zucchini should be picked when it is 7 or 8 inches long and about the diameter of your fist or slightly larger.

Zucchini, just like cucumbers, don't have to be peeled when used but should be rinsed off well. There is one exception to the peeling rule and that is if you plan to make bread or muffins.

A basic Ratatouille:
2 small eggplants (about 1 pound each), sliced one half inch thick in length-wise slices
2 medium zucchini, sliced  one quarter inch think
1/2 cup of olive oil
2 green pepper, seeded and diced
2 medium onions, peeled and sliced one quarter inch thick
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 pounds of ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Place the eggplant slices in a colander and sprinkle lightly with salt. Let stand 30 minutes.
Saute the zucchini in 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet, then add peppers and saute until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove from the skillet. Add 1 more tablespoon of oil if needed, then add onions and saute until transparent, 6 to 8 minutes, stirring to separate the slices. Remove from the skillet.
Rinse the eggplant slices under cold running water. Drain well and pat dry. Add garlic and all but 1 teaspoon of the remaining oil to the skillet. Saute until garlic is tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and boil until most of the liquid has evaporated, 4 to 6 minutes.
Arrange eggplant slices over the tomatoes, then layer with peppers, onions, and zucchini. Sprinkle with parsley and season to taste. cover and simmer over medium-low heat until almost all the liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Serve while still hot.

things I see out the window

Living where I do you see lots of wildlife when you look out the windows. Sometimes, you see animals that you want to go outside to get a closer look at, such as, deer. Then there are other times they are not exactly things that you want to check out, such as, porcupines.

There are times of the year when the deer become pretty common and it is not usual to see 4-8, they are almost always in pairs, at a time. Sometimes it will be a doe just laying around watching her fawn eat some grass or the low leaves on our apple tree. On the day when we do get one of the larger groups they will usually be found in our backyard garden grazing and scattered around.

For about two weeks though we had just one lone buck that would come around and rest in our garden. He would just lay there few minutes and then get up and leisurely graze, I suppose he felt safe, and then just lope off. This become a daily event and sometimes he would have a doe with him. Then he just stopped showing up and we would hear more coyotes howling. So, maybe it is just that time of the year that the deer go more into hiding.

Some easy to grown plants that can bring color and fragrance to the garden

For those of us that enjoy seeing a nice garden but don't hing you have the time and that is too much work here are some plants that are simple to grow and will add fragrance and color to your garden.

1. If you have cats like I do then this first one is a must have in your garden. Catnip is just about one of the easy plants to grow since it is tolerant to most conditions, it is very hardy, it seems to thrive on abuse, and when it flowers it will attract the honeybees the rest of the garden needs. My cats just love rolling on the plants, rubbing them, and chewing on the leaves. 
2. A must have for adding color to the garden is marigolds. They come in a variety of sizes and colors. Marigolds will live in most conditions, some varieties do better than others in our climate, and are pretty much just a set and let grow plant. One of the most fascinating things  I found out about marigold is that they act as a tranquilizer for bumblebees. One year we planted quite a few and when the bumblebees landed on them and we waited a few minutes they were so drowsy that we could actually pet them.
3. Pansies are another easy to grow plant that adds lots of color. They come in a wide variety of colors and they will comeback for years.

Last night's Mariner game

Last night's game started out looking as though it would go the way the season has for the Mariners but it ended up being one of the more exciting games this season.

The first inning started off bad when a Royals player hit a home run on the very first pitch. The bad news continue when the next player had a triple. Luckily the Mariners were able to get out of the inning with only giving up two runs. Then in the bottom of the first it was the Mariner's turn to show we really did know how to hit. Ichiro lead off with a hit and the hit parade was on. By the end of that inning the score was tied.

The Mariners didn't look back for the rest of the game getting as they went on to belt out 15 hits in the game. Many of the hits went for extra-bases including home runs by Ichiro and Olivo. There should have been a third home run by Ackly but it wasn't to be as it was caught as it sailed over the fence or so it appeared. It was later revealed on slow motion replay that the ball hit a fans glove and dropped into the glove of the Royals player. The errant play wasn't found out in time and thus Ackly just had a long out.

By the end of the game Ichiro had four hits and looked like the player we have all come to enjoy watching. Olivo had a double, triple, and home run but no single. Ackly went hit-less in the game having the bad luck of hitting to Francoeur. Alex Liddi had a double in his first game at Safeco giving us hope for next year. 

long absence

I apologizes for my long absence but starting today I will be posting on a regular basis. I will be changing the format of my blog from just general topics to outdoor activities. This means more fishing, sports, and gardening.