Monday, May 5, 2008

Cold Front Fishing

How I wish I could give you some magical prescription of what to do when a cold front moves in for the weekend. I don't have one. I have the weekend to fish, as a rule, during the Spring and have to battle the conditions just like everyone else. There are weekends when getting out seems more like work. No one was catching fish on Sunday.

Saturday came in with heavy rain storms. A heavy rain can really deter going out on the boat. I try to never be on the lake when there is lightning in the area but will go in rain storms. We didn't have lightning but a soaking rain. I had other plans for Saturday with a Grandsons' First Holy Communion so wasn't planning to be out.

Let's see what's wrong with this picture of going out with a lightning storm.
1. You're the highest object on the lake.
2. You're in an aluminum boat ( Aluminum conducts electricity).
3. You are fishing with a graphite rod ( graphite conducts electricity).
Need I say more, I don't go on the water when lightning is in the area and neither should you.

Sunday started out very cloudy as the cold front moved in. It came with low pressure system and a North wind. I dislike these condition very much. the day turned very nice with white puffy clouds but the North wind continued to blow. Here is my Blue Fin at the dock after a tough morning of fishing. Three hours on the lake without a bite was tough. The answer I had was load the boat up and head for home.
One of the important knots you should know is a cleat hitch. This will securely keep your boat at the dock. It is simply done and will not slip. I fish alone often and keep a line running from stern to bow for control when loading the boat on the trailer. I use this line to attach the boat to the dock while I get my truck. I use the double line for the attachment. The cleat hitch takes a wrap around the cleat and then start a figure eight pattern around the cleat. You need to flip the figure eight on you last wrap and this locks the line under itself. I hope this picture makes it clear.
I taught my oldest Grandson, at age ten, how to tie it and the knot can keep your boat in place.

8 comments:

Stacey Olson said...

LOL ok, I guess I will be the first to say it.. Poor you! (grin) I quote you "after a tough morning of fishing" You are so funny.
Glad you got the chance to go out,
Great info on why no one should be out on the water in the lightening.. thanks fishing guy..

Shionge said...

Oh Wow! Pretty amazing and definitely a job for an experience guy like you on a storming day huh?

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Stacey / Shionge: I love to fish but dislike fighting the wind as I try to do my thing. I also like a little co-operation from the fish.

Last week some guys went out in a rental canoe, when it wasn't as bad as yesterday, they flipped it over. That had to be really cold on the body, wet and in the wind.

Anonymous said...

I see you are a sailor who knows his knots!

Ramosforest.Environment said...

Good prescriptions on fishing.
I like this blog very much and I'd like to be fishing in that lake.
Your song always good.

Texas Travelers said...

Fishing is tough, but someone has to do it.

Great post and photos.

Troy

Coy Hill said...

I certainly agree with you about the thunderstorms! As for cold front fishing, usually they do give the fish lockjaw although some of the best striper fishing I have ever had occured during a blow-off, go figure:)

Jo Castillo said...

I'm no fisherman as you know, but do golf and go to baseball games. The weather center here says now that lightening can strike up to 9 miles from the storm center. Yikes! Take care.