I’m gonna burn a vacation day Wednesday. Just gotta figure out where I want to go.

Might be able to get out Tuesday after work too. Or maybe Friday.

This is looking like it’s gonna be about the best stretch of spring weather you could hope for.

Fished Arthur this morning, needed to test out the new water pump I installed. It was a nice morning, I counted 5 other boats on the whole lake. Ended up landing 5 bass and a orange life jacket. So if you were out there and lost a life jacket, it's hanging on the 528 ramp sign next to the launch. 

I hit Arthur yesterday from 2PM-6PM, so not the longest day and not the most productive either.  Crappie bite was slow where I was.  I was hoping they would have just turned on, but should have moved to other areas.  I landed 5, only one being a decent size, 4 others were borderline, not total dinks.  Had enough hits besides then to keep things somewhat entertaining.  Couldn't beat the weather.  But this time of year, I am sort of expecting to get at least a meal out of it. 
 
I spent a half hour playing around with my new side imaging too.  Another 50 hours of messing around with it and maybe I will figure out how to use it in a way that will help catch fish...  I swear, I watch videos and think that I am completely following it.  I get it running on my boat and it is like someone hits me in the head with a baseball bat, I turn into a complete idiot fumbling through the settings or can't seem to distinguish anything.  I need to move to lake front property and retire...  This whole working all week and barely getting on the water makes it hard to figure things out.  I'd probably still figure out how to not catch fish.

Porktown
I spent a half hour playing around with my new side imaging too.  Another 50 hours of messing around with it and maybe I will figure out how to use it in a way that will help catch fish...  I swear, I watch videos and think that I am completely following it.  I get it running on my boat and it is like someone hits me in the head with a baseball bat, I turn into a complete idiot 

 


Porktown, I don't want you to feel like the Lone Ranger on the electronics. This'll be my third year with my 'Bird Helix 7 SI/DI, and I can screw it up so bad I have to get my son to straighten it out enough for me so I can at least see the bottom! I even carry the instruction booklet with me but I am hopelessly cyber stoopid.

Thanks EMitch, makes me feel a little better.  I picked up the Garmin Echomap UHD 73sv in late November, while Christmas shopping...    The price was just too good to pass up.  $399, everywhere else was like $600-$900.  I have a Humminbird (I forget the numbers), but the model right before the Helix came out.  It looks identical to the non-touch screen Helix 7 models.  It is still in great shape, but I wanted the SI.  Thinking to put it on my trolling motor for up front.  My Garmin has the DI as well and the ability to hook up a Live Scope to it.  Which looks like cheating and also a bit too much for me to justify. Which had me figure that I could do the $400, since I am not going to do the $1500 (although I did see it on sale for $900)...  I tried to resist being Christmas time and should be buying for others, but the next week or so, I couldn't sleep thinking about it!  Some musky dude I was talking with at a launch about two years ago told me that hands down, his side imaging was his most important electronic.  So, like a good free market angler, I bit...  He is probably sponsored by Garmin/Sportsmans Warehouse and made $50 on my order.  He clearly figured out my email address somehow and was very calculated in waiting 1.5 years to send me an email advertisement that I couldn't pass up.  Well played sir!  
 
I installed it in December and got to use once late in the year, but barely got to mess around with it.  I must have hit something to mess with the settings.  It started to only show half of the side imaging, even going to that left, right, both setting.  Then I would have it set to 60' or 70', but would automatically go to how deep it is, with maybe 10' of side imagining, while still showing that it was set at 60'.  Like that is good for anything???  It took me a good 15 minutes of hitting buttons and threats to throw the unit across the lake for it to decide to listen to me!  Funny how electronics seem to understand threats.  Heck, my trolling motor mother board (which they don't make any longer) only responded to me hitting it with a hammer...  
 
I have been eyeing up an iPilot trolling motor next.  Just can't justify it until my old one decides the hammer will no longer fix it.  But they look pretty awesome for staying on structure and finding that structure again for you.  Oh yeah, forgot about that Live Scope too...  Not only can I justify the price, but if I had all of that and still couldn't catch fish, I am not sure if I could handle it mentally...

 Set a few minnow traps in the yard today for later tonight's outing. Thank goodness I brought home a pound of Fatheads back from Pymy on Saturday. All the small Shiners I put in last Halloween are Alwife size, smh. All the Creek Chubs are very large also. Frutti Pebbles and Cheerios must have steroids or somethin'. Some of the colors on the Shiners and Chubs even look like Frutti Pebbles. 
 
crappy

I was finally able to scroll down and stop staring at that...  I was debating to reach out to you and Jason yesterday, but didn't want to anger any wives on Easter though.  I kind of felt a little dirty just going fishing.  

The wife bought me a bunch of Jelly Beans and solid Chocolate Bunnies today for half off. Life is good!!! Put new water hoses on the washer machine yesterday and that was about it. Should ov sent me a text. Just got done putting new line on some big cheap Okuma Stratus reels I use for Catfish. Couldn't locate my Pike reel I used last outing with you. After searching and thinking I may have left it next to the car, finally checked one more spot and bingo. Should start around 7:00 and fish until who knows when tonight? 
 
crappy

I’m in the same boat with my fillet knife. I have torn my kitchen apart. The thing seems to have vanished. Good thing that I can’t catch enough to worry about. Last few times used was butchering some beef shoulder blade roasts into flat iron steaks.

My mind is shot as if yinzes didn't know bye now. Was at camp and found prob. close to a 1,000 butcher knives I forgot about then went down the basement and opened some big cabinets lookin' for paint and probably another 1,000 butcher and pizza knives I totally forgot I had,  smh!!
 
 Told the old lady to clear off part of the kitchen Island so I can clean fish tonight and she ain't gonna happen. I'll make some ice now instead, easier cleaning the next day packed in ice anyway. She is busy counting and packaging Tim's tackle. Kid is going to be a millionaire in no time doing his auctions.
 
 crappy