Arthur 4/25/16 with 14' boat

Sounds like my trip to Arthur last weekend.  Minus the 6" striper and add a 6 year old and 70 year old complaining in stereo...  Good to hear the young stripers getting their feed on though.  I'm about ready to pull in some of his bigger brothers and sisters!
 
I hear you on the smaller boats.  Once you get a larger stable boat, the movement of the smaller ones are just hard to get used to again.  I can't stand my smaller boat, although I am sure mine is much less stable (minus 2').  Going to see if my boy takes onto fishing before trying to sell.  It is nice to get onto some smaller water with.  Pop that 18 on your bigger boat, and you should be good for Arthur.  Hopefully too many perch and walleye on the big lake to even want to mess with Arthur though.  18 for trolling and emergency on the big boat is a good idea for Erie (and Pamlico).

Funny story there... on the way to pick up our dog Sunday morning I bet I passed 30 boats just between Zelie and North Cranberry heading to Arthur.  At least most of them were based on the kind of boats.  And that was 8am.  I thought to myself that it would be a serious zoo up there.  Also the 528 launch had one of those local tournaments going on and that's a real nightmare in its own right.  
 
Back in the day the problem with sailboaters (and maybe still, though there are far less of them) is that they acted like the lake was FOR sailing, and F everyone else.  Especially the grubby redneck fishermen and their loud engines always in the way.  And yeah, we hated them pretty thoroughly.  Arthur was (and still is for me) a working man's lake.  A place you take your kids to learn to catch bluegills and a place to fish up a meal or two when dad wasn't working in the mill.  There was no place in my young world for rich snobs in fancy boats that didn't even have fishing rods.  That was nonsense.  
 
The problem with kayakers and SUPers is different.  And pre-rant, I will admit that there are plenty of both that are decent folk, just like there are too many fishermen that act like they own the place.  That said, the MAJORITY of these paddling clowns act like YOU are screwing up THEIR lake.  I've had them paddle through my lines, paddle between me and shore that we were actively fishing, I even had one idiot almost hit my 20 foot pontoon boat as if she didn't see us.  There are too many times to count where two or three kayakers paddle by screaming at the top of their lungs to each other as if they weren't feet away.  But maybe worst of all, they park their **** vehicles RIGHT IN THE APPROACH TO THE LAUNCHES to load and unload.  And I mean RIGHT  ON  THE  ROAD.  When they could pull out of the way so easily.  And had them glare at me when I had to drive past them in the grass.  It's as if someone told them that not having a motor means that they can't possibly be wrong.  And they are teaching their ahole kids that each trip out.  So the next generation of entitled spawn will be even worse.  
 
Anyway... even with all that I still enjoy Arthur.  Though we do tend to avoid weekends when possible.  

Yinz would certainly be doing muuperes a ton of favor by keeping all that turmoil down there at Arthur.  Although, Pymatuning does have the potential, so far, we are only dealing with the doorknobs in boats, blasting by wide  open, past other anglers.
 
God bless the Corp Of Engineers for putting Shenango under five different bridges.  While there's a need to contend with old fat, hairy, shirtless dudes buzzing around with their big load motors pulling screaming kids on replicas of a rubber Loch-Ness Monster,  the bridges do quash urges, by sail boaters, wishing to try their luck.
 
Rob and Sam, I'm looking forward to some good times on the lakes this coming season, til then........  tight lines.

ShenangoEyes
All of these reasons and more are why the ONLY reasons to go to Arthur is when you have a couple of hours to kill, weather is bad North of us, or its ice fishing season. Its a shame, I only live 10 miles away from McDanels. The best I saw last year was a school of kayakers paddling in the middle of the lake in the dark, not a light between them.

Yeah, McDanels that's the name of the place I launched.
Waterways patrol people were busting kayakers Sunday.
Checking for launch permits, whistles, etc.
Most of the kayaks I saw didn't have any stickers on the side.
It is a beautiful lake and I am happy for the people who enjoy it.
They need to make the fingers no wake zones. They're too narrow and shallow for boats to run WOT.

  What a difference a day makes, didn't see a boat anywhere near the 528 launch, M/C, S/R or Shannon today 





 
crappy

Porktown
 After I arrived at my boat and a bunch of trash that wasn't mine, was stuffed all through my boat, the calm explanations were over.  
 

That's really messed up.  So many pigs out there.

At least the sail boarders generally stay in one area. These paddle boarders go anywhere. "sure, lets go paddleboard through the channel near the dam." 
 

Just to be clear, the trash was mostly stuffed in/on my trailer and all around my spot.  I would have been fuming if they stuffed it inside my cover & boat itself, I think there was a wrapper stuffed in my cover, but I didn't open up the cover to a trash can worth of trash inside my boat.  It was a fast food trash, with part of a burger smeared on my trailer, near my hitch.  Clearly a shot at me by someone in that marina.  I probably should have written that better.  Not sure if I would have went postal like Sam, but that definitely would have made me even more furious if in my boat, or if they smeared the burger on my cover.  Regardless, it was a clear "FU" to my crappy old motor boat, and had me furious.  It turned my response from "sorry, but the park assigned me a space in this marina" to a simple "F%$# off" when questioned about using the launch.  Not exactly sure what set off my Father in law the one day.  Pretty sure it was one of those, under the breath responses from some old pompous "sailor".  My Father in law walked up to him and kept asking "what did you say, I couldn't hear you, why don't you repeat it".  Ended with the "better than thou" fool walking away with his tail tucked between his legs.  My Father in law is also 6'-3" and an ex-collegiate football player and in great shape for his age.  Pretty sure it was the same day as the trash or could have been after.  After about 2-3 months into the season, we took the boat out ready for confrontation.

Need weather like today.  Chance of showers and gloomy.  Fishing always seems better, and a lot less of the circus.  Nice sunny days, the fishing usually is slow, and every kayaker and paddle boarder in WPA flocks to the lake.  This weekend should be good if you don't mind a few showers.  Next weekend looks to be one to avoid.

If you look closely at that fish you'll notice it has a lot in common with Hillary! A big mouth and no azz to back it!

There happens to be a good boat mechanic in Orangeville if ya can't find someone closer Sam.  

https://www.google.com/ur...p;ust=1462072941922020

Well, now I know not to hit Arthur or Pymie during the spring/summer period. The oldest son and I had actually thought about entering the walleye tournament at Pymie, but have reconsidered. (Ya know, if you're already goin' fishin', what's another $45)? Most of my fishin' is done on the Allegheny, and over the years, I've had to contend with Jet Skis and monster cruisers comin' up from Pittsburgh and Oakmont. There were times I swore I was gonna carry a 12ga. shotgun and put a punkin' ball right through the motors on the skis that were "wake jumpin" around and behind me. Some people!!!