Fishing today, dredging to be?

Posted by Greybeard on May 20th, 2010 in Fishing, Local | 1 comment

Fishing today,  that is,  fishing,  not catching.  We put in a good 4 hours again today without a bite!!  That’s two strikes.   And we talked with a few other fishermen who did no better.  Where are the Walleye?????  But,  it was a great day to be out on the Bay.

Speaking of being out on the Bay,   I had this thought while returning.   We’ve been told that they’re supposed to dredge the river this year,   mostly because it’s very shallow  and AuGres is supposed to be a State “Port of Refuge“.    While coming back in to the channel leading into the mouth of the river,  I noticed the depth finder reading 5 feet.  This was about half way between the bouy’s and the mouth,  still a good distance out into open water.   Now think about this;   you’re out fishing, or pleasure boating on a slightly breezy day,  a wind arises,  and the waves rapidly grow to 4 to 5 feet.  (this has happened to me,  and I can attest,  that the waves can come up very quickly,  faster than you can get back to habor)    Well, the way it is now  at the entrance to the  Harbor of Refuge,   what do you suppose will happen when you try to pilot your boat through the buoy’s.   Five and one half feet of water,  five foot waves!  AND a nasty ROCK BOTTOM.

Note location #3 on the DNRe’s Ports of Refuge web page.     It’s not something I want to think about a lot.   I hope they get that dredging started soon.

Rain and wind

Posted by Greybeard on May 13th, 2010 in Fishing, Local | 2 comments

A washout today,   the boatbarn is stalled with half the roof sheeting up.   It would be nearly impossible to work in this weather.

I spent part of yesterday afternoon tying up some three way rig’s to try out the next time we head our for Walleye.   A three way swivel,  with two three foot leaders coming off of it.  To leader one,  (top) will attach a walleye spoon.  To leader two,  (b0ttom) will attach a diving plug, (hot-n-tot or reef runner).  The idea is for the plug to pull the spoon down with it,  and offer twice the bait,  at a more controllable depth.  Who knows,  it might work!

Disturbing weather event

Posted by Greybeard on May 9th, 2010 in Local, News and weather | Comments Off

Last night we were across the river having a few beers and hot chili, when someone noticed my boat had broken loose in the wind.   We jumped in the car and rushed back across the bridge uptown,  to find that the bolts attaching the front cleats  to the dock, had stripped their threads and pulled out,  allowing  the boat to spin around in the river,   (forced by the current , plus the wind).  It,  (the 25 ft Sportcraft),  had spun around and was bumping sterns with the smaller fishing boat.   They are parked on opposite sides on the L-shaped dock.   I had envisioned lot’s of gouges and scratches,  but it looks  like the swim platform on the Sportcraft,  was all that was bumping.   I couldn’t find any damage.  Someone was definately looking out for the “Late Harvest” ,  and the “Alaskan”.

The cleats are now attached with much larger bolts,  and I will be upgrading the mooring ropes from 3/8th’s to 1/2 in.   I was pretty shook up after getting everything back in order,  but two fingers of 12 year old Tullamore Dew,  settled me down nicely.   I also intend to contact the manufacturer of the SportCraft,  and ask them where I can install a third cleat ,  midships on the SportCraft.

Cold, Windy day on the river

Posted by Greybeard on May 8th, 2010 in Local | Comments Off

Yesterday’s cold all day rain greatly hindered the progress on the boat barn.  And today’s even stronger winds are keeping Walleye fishermen off the water. (W’e're under a Galel Warning, with 45mph gusts).  The river it’s self is down about 18 inches.   The combination of the wind and the low pressure system,  just seems to be sucking the water out of Saginaw Bay.  There are currently about 8 inches of water where my SportCraft is docked,  and the river boat,  is sitting in the mud!  It would be a good day  to sit at the keyboard,  and write about how the liberals are screwing up our great country,   but,  I’m not releasing those thoughts right now.    The better half,  has a big pot of Chili in the slow cooker,  and we’re thinking that a few friends,  a few beers,  and some hot Chili will go a long way toward warming up this cold afternoon.    Slainte!

The Laser’ed Glock, getting closer (Range Report)

Posted by Greybeard on May 5th, 2010 in Local, News and weather | Comments Off

Thanks to the repairs made at LaserMax,  we’re getting a lot closer to having a useful Laser sighted Glock 36.

In this target there are three aiming points,  to the left,  sighted with the laser from a bench rest,  center,  quick shots using the laser,  right,  hand held slow fired using the sights.   All are fired from the 10 yard line, (30 feet).  With this as evidence,  it appears that the laser is now closer than my sights,  and  much easier to hold a group with.   I fired about 25 rounds, (not all at at this target)  12 rounds of  Remington UMC 230 grain Hardball,  and 13 rounds of  Remington Golden Saber, .45 +P, 185 grain jacketed hollow points, (my carry load).   The six holes to the left,  using the laser,  were Golden Saber’s.

I also learned a quick lesson about shooting a mini-Glock .45 from a sandbag rest,  using +P ammo.   With the gun and hand resting in a sand bag,  there isn’t much room to get your off hand thumb knuckle out of the way of the violently retracting slide.  Yep,  I got slide bit!   First time in about 25 years.  Many years ago I was taught the slide lesson,  by a nice little .22 Colt Woodsman,  and I have to say,  it bit me a lot deeper than the Glock did.

Tomorrow morning I’ll call Bob at LaserMax support and tell him the good news about his alignment work on my LMS-1181 Laser sight.   Unfortunately I’ll also still have to offer him complaints about the action of the on/off switch,  and more importantly about the Laser’s lack of visibility.   It’s totally invisible in bright sunlight,  and very hard to see in anything less than full shade on a sunny day.   It’s very useful indoors,  and in dim lighting,  but no so much in the bright.   So far,  they’ve been very helpful,  so hopefully they can come up with solutions for these final two problems.

UPDATE:  I talked with Bob  at LaserMax Tech support,  and we agreed that the system is now complete.   He said that the brightness of the laser is a function of the battery power,  and can’t be made any brighter under current regulations.   It turns out that the on/off switch problem,  is cured by cocking the gun.   I was playing with it in the house,  and not cocking it when I was testing the sight alignment.   The sight alignment itself,  is now excellent,  I’m confident that if I do my part,  a bullet will travel through the dot projected by the laser.  I’m quite happy with the Tech Support at LaserMax.  But,  I have to report,  that I am not as happy with the Vendor,  http://www.nightvisionsales.com/product_info.php/manufacturers_id/23/products_id/991   Night Vision Sales.   I got very little help from them.  One word answers to questions,  and even ignoring my emails after the sale.   I would recommend LaserMax,  but would not recommend Night Vision Sales.