Swampbuckster
Fish whisperer, scholar, and gentleman
The Master Baiter
Posts: 1,218
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Post by Swampbuckster on Oct 12, 2014 20:28:45 GMT -5
Tis the season to be jolly. Landed a Steelhead Friday, shot some wood ducks this morning, and have been firing up the wood stove the last few nights. Bells Best Brown can be found at nearly any location and I've been buying it up like its a seasonal brew (oh wait it is!) The boy will be 8 months old the 18th and he is awesome. Crawling, pulling himself upright, and even free standing, even if its only a second or two till he falls but none the less, it's awesome. Need to kill a deer. Have only been out in a tree one time. Got another stand to try and hang maybe Tuesday morning if I get rained out at work. Speaking about work, moved up to an Operations Manager position along with servicing homes still. Comes with better pay, less hours and more flexibility during our busy season. What has everyone else been up to??
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Post by ScoutB on Oct 13, 2014 23:22:48 GMT -5
Sounds like you've been having some fun! Good for you, this is a great time of year. I'll have to find some of the Bells seasonal and give it a try. It sounds like the boy will be ready for a Snoopy pole next summer. I've managed a salmon charter on Lake Michigan, a big ole' salmon on the Grand, a walleye trip to Lake Leelanau, a week in Germany for a trade show, and heading to Florida for a vacation in a few days. Fall is always frantic and this one is no exception. I'll be on the river looking for steel when I get back.
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drspeckler
Fish whisperer, scholar, and gentleman
lure recovery specialist
Posts: 684
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Post by drspeckler on Oct 14, 2014 18:36:52 GMT -5
getting my last scrap runs done for the year.cutting/splitting and selling wood to fund my fishing adventures.ive been doing a little fishing but not near as much as last year.been having problems with my right hip lately and the doc diagnosed me with rheumatoid arthritis in the hip, elbow joints and one knee.gonna have to lighten up on my icefishing gear this year.
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Swampbuckster
Fish whisperer, scholar, and gentleman
The Master Baiter
Posts: 1,218
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Post by Swampbuckster on Oct 16, 2014 18:41:10 GMT -5
Sounds as if everyone is staying pretty busy. How did the walleye trip go scout? What the hell has Splash been up to? Rumor has it he drowned in a vat of latex at the factory while his co workers watched helplessly. It always was his dying wish to be surrounding by dildos and a bunch of guys during his last breaths. Speckler, thats unfortunate with the arthritis. I'm afraid one day I too will have issues with that. I have continuous aches in my hip and leftankle. I just walk it off and say to myself I have to stretch more but even then some days it persists. I am ready for some serious plugging this fall/winter on the Zoo. Of course hooking a few steelhead on the centerpin too!! I just ordered $100.00 worth of plugs coming my way from Washington! Mag Lips and Brads Wigglers to add to my Hot N Tot collection. Have 4 rod and reel combos with line counters ready and 2 combos without counters for side planers. The boat is ready to go and going to try to get back out the weekend after next. Looking forward to the cold front coming in! Going to try and kill a deer Saturday a.m. and if not, Sunday! I need meat. I am out and fiending.!
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Post by ScoutB on Oct 20, 2014 8:44:19 GMT -5
The rumor I heard was that Splash died in some kind of freak dildo testing accident. Apparently size really does matter. The walleye trip was a bust. I posted about it but the short version is that I caught the most (two) in four days of fishing. And my boat broke. Other than that it was great. I found some Mag Lips in the new Cabelas in Grand Rapids. Gold is supposed to be the hot color in the Muskegon River so I bought one to try in the Grand. By the time the fish get in there good my boat should be fixed and ready to go. It's been a very busy stretch for me started with the walleye trip, then a week in Germany, now in Florida for a bit. I just hope the boat ramps are still usable by the time I get back to the river.
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Swampbuckster
Fish whisperer, scholar, and gentleman
The Master Baiter
Posts: 1,218
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Post by Swampbuckster on Oct 25, 2014 20:19:47 GMT -5
Any one kill a deer yet? I so far have not even had the opportunity of seeing a deer yet within bow range in 4 hunts. I need venison BAD. Just browned up the first package of beef burger ever!!! That stuff has a lot of fat in it! You know you actually have to DRAIN the fat after you brown the meat?lol. Severe deer meat drought round these parts.
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woodeye
Fish whisperer, scholar, and gentleman
Backbone 2012 Greenthumb
Catch and Release Straight into the Grease!!
Posts: 250
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Post by woodeye on Nov 3, 2014 21:15:40 GMT -5
Sounds like you guys have been having a good time. I am headed up to hunt this weekend and hope to fine some venison! School year is full tilt with conferences coming this week. Always a long night when that happens. The boys are getting bigger and bigger by the minute. Older boy is turning into a great fisherman and little guy is getting the itch. He tries to grab the pole every time he sees it in the garage. Glad to hear your boy is doing well Swamp!! It goes by way too fast. I should see Skully this weekend too.
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drspeckler
Fish whisperer, scholar, and gentleman
lure recovery specialist
Posts: 684
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Post by drspeckler on Nov 18, 2014 14:52:05 GMT -5
seems like winter has fallen upon us quick here in Allegan county. over a foot of snow/howling winds and not even thanksgiving yet.hope it doesn't slow ice production around here again this year.selling lots of fire wood but who wants to split and stack it when its buried in all this snow..i haven't been to the river in over 3 weeks either.im thinking the older I get the grumpier i become also.haha
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Post by ScoutB on Nov 18, 2014 19:35:47 GMT -5
We've got almost a foot here too. I was hoping to get in the river next week but I'm not sure that's gonna happen now. Hard to launch with a foot of snow on the ramp.
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Post by SPLASH on Dec 6, 2014 9:31:40 GMT -5
I'm alive !!!!!!!!!!!!!! No accident at the dildo factory. I just haven't been on the computer much in months. I finished up last ice season being addicted to the Saginaw River. I did ok for a rookie. Fished near the Z bridge the first few times marking fish on the bottom of the dredged channel only catching a couple, but did better every trip after that further up stream past the end of the dredged channel in shallower water. Most trips I brought back 2 or 3, all eater size, no monsters, all fish males, but 2. I took my Mother and Aunt twice. First time was by the Z bridge and at dusk I hear them yelling from their shanty sounding like they hooked Ole Nessie and my Mom finally yelling my name in that way only a Mother can...... I get over there and unzip the door to see Mom had tightened the drag and the fish was in the water in the hole, but only a foot or so of line from rod to water and my Aunt grabbing that line. I quickly reached down the hole and grabbed Mom's 22" female. The second time I took them was in March on the last day the river was open to fishing. Warm day with water all over the ice. I caught 2 or 3, but slipped while packing up and messed up my back (already was told eventually I'll need an operation years ago) and I messed it up good. While laying/sitting there for a few answering every imaginable question from my Mom, I had no idea my 61 year old Aunt drug my fish trap pro full of gear and auger to the top of the hill/parking lot. No idea how she did it, but it was a life saver. It was pretty embarrassing needing help to get up the hill from Mommy....... It took over a month for the lower left back and hip to loosen up. Still not enough for me to throw in the towel and go under the knife though. Fished on a pretty slow day with OJ. Highlight of the day was walking right behind him while hole hopping. He moved off a hole to go to the next and within seconds I was on it with a fish hooked. Funny stuff. Didn't do anything outdoors for a bit after ice season. Once May got here, it was time for the Tigers game I bought tickets for to take my other Aunt for her Birthday. I planned it for us to see Princess Fielder's return to Comerica, but he ended his season days before with the neck injury. We watched 7 or 8 innings of an @$$ whooping for the Tigers. I think the final score was 12-1 or 2. First week of June, my supervisor informed me I had 2 vacation days left I needed to use or cash in so I took the next Thursday and Friday off. That Thursday I arrived in Detroit around 10am and hit Greek Town Casino for the first time. I'm not a big casino guy, so was extremely happy when after drinks, I left with $18 more than I walked in with. Ate lunch and went to the 1:00 game to get the Max Scherzer Cy Young bobble head they were giving away. They were only giving away 20,000. I got mine and went to the beer stand where a man was bitching he had to carry the bobblehead around all day. I had a $20 in my hand and said "20 bucks will solve that problem". He sold it to me and looked at me like I was an idiot. Minutes later Max Scherzer bobblehead was in a picture on my facebook posing with a Labatt Blue asking who wanted to buy him. Bidding was stuck on $55 by the time the Blue Jays won the game. I sold it to a coworker for $40 and a tray of homemade enchiladas. Her husband collects EVERYTHING Tigers and they already bought my Negro League hat from the giveaway the first game I went to. Couple weeks later I woke up and decided I was addicted to Tigers games and needed to attend the game that night. Called a woman I know and asked when she could be ready. We were on the road soon after. It was the 84 World Series anniversary jersey giveaway and I knew lines would form early, but it was insane! We were watching lines form for the limited number of jerseys from Hockey Town Café. Gates were to open at 5 and this started at noon. I gave up on the jerseys, but at 4:45 a liquid courage fueled short short wearing Sarah grabbed my hand and said follow me. No joke, this woman walked us past I'm guessing 25,000 people at just that one gate (men instead of bitching were googling her legs and heels) right to about the first 30 people in. We got our jerseys!!!!! This ended up being the Rajai Davis Grand slam walk off win..... See a trend here??? Yup, I got addicted to Tigers games. Not just that, but hanging out in the D for the day before the game. I was taken to another game late July and then finished with the last home game of the season against the Twins. It was a party bus trip with a bar a buddy owns. Mobile Boogie Bus is THE company to go with if you are a party type crowd. We met at the bar in Fenton that Sunday morning, passed out the shirts that were made, and loaded the kegs in the 2 buses. These buses come with a DJ, dance floor lights, lasers, stripper poles etc. GOOD TIME, fellas....... I did wade the Flint river a couple of times during the summer catching quite a few smallmouth. I went up to Curtisville to a frined of mines' house (Some of you have met my buddy Brad I used to fish with all of the time when he lived near me). He and the wife were staying at Soaring Eagle for their anniversary. I drove out to the mouth of the Au Sable with pier rods and spoons for the few remaining salmon in Lake Huron and it was a rough weather night. A local and I were the last 2 remaining a little before 11pm when the waves were crashing into the north wall, rolling over, and spraying us on the south wall. We left at the same time then. The next evening Brad was back and we went back to the south wall. Around 30 or so guys down to 10 once it got dark. One guy caught a king around 10 or 12 pounds, saw some walleye caught, then nothing. A couple hours later Brad caught a 14 pound king and he finished up the catching for the night with a 27" eye. Nobody else caught a single fish, it was pathetic and from what I heard, it never got better. Sadly, it's over in Lake Huron for kings. I talked to a retired DNR biologist that ironically I recognized from Tawas when I surf fished salmon 8-10 years ago. He used to collect info from mine and others fish and always had great info. Anyway, he and many others told the plan for Lake Huron in much more detail than you can find on the site. First off- kings are done, no more planting in Lake Huron at all and no future plans of doing so. In the Au Sable they have planted Atlantic salmon and next fall should be the first return to stream year. DNR will have nets near the mouth and strictly enforce distance limits from these nets. They also will be on the river and at the launch pretty much 24/7 for as long as the run happens or doesn't happen to collect all info from fishermen. The next fall is the other return year they are studying. If there is a good number of Atlantics that return and the fish are healthy and the size they should be by that age, there will be plans made to continue the plantings. I hope it's a success, that part of the state needs something other than winter and spring steelhead. I waded the Flint a few more times in October catching smallmouth and losing the only eye I hooked while reaching out for it. Now I'm ready for ice season. All I have left to buy is new blades for the auger. I went out and pulled the shanties out of the pole barn where they have always been with no problems and the Pro has mouse damage. Tons of moss in the tub and poop. I cleaned it all out and today I plan on repairing it. Iron on patches. I will also be stitching the patches in.
Great to see you guys on here.
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Post by ScoutB on Dec 6, 2014 22:06:19 GMT -5
Hey Splash! Nice to see you're still alive. Great post - you should stop by more often so you don't have to catch us up a year at a time. . It was a great year to be a Tiger fan if you don't count the post season. I got to one game myself, the one where Austin Jackson and Drew Smyly got traded right off the field for David Price. I've never seen that happen before. It's about time to plan our annual pilgrimage to Oxbow Lake, don't you think? And did you see your "Michigan Temps" thread is still alive and well on IS? Too funny.
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Swampbuckster
Fish whisperer, scholar, and gentleman
The Master Baiter
Posts: 1,218
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Post by Swampbuckster on Dec 7, 2014 22:17:31 GMT -5
Holy crap. I think you just won Longest Post on TBO Award. Congratulations. Hopefully we will hear more from you here on out. It's been quiet around these parts and I think Scout, Speckler and I have been keeping a pulse going on this site. My best collection of steelhead reports and pics is here on this forum. I don't even pull up Photobucket when wanting to show friends steelhead pics. I pull this site up instead. So keep in touch a bit more often and let's get things going again! I miss the ol' Team Backbone!
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Post by ScoutB on Dec 8, 2014 21:17:02 GMT -5
Holy crap. I think you just won Longest Post on TBO Award. Congratulations. Hopefully we will hear more from you here on out. It's been quiet around these parts and I think Scout, Speckler and I have been keeping a pulse going on this site. My best collection of steelhead reports and pics is here on this forum. I don't even pull up Photobucket when wanting to show friends steelhead pics. I pull this site up instead. So keep in touch a bit more often and let's get things going again! I miss the ol' Team Backbone! I think Splash has a future as a novelist. Pays better than dildo manufacturing too.
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Post by SPLASH on Dec 13, 2014 11:37:43 GMT -5
I'll be around more often. I lost all pics on my phone when it got wet and had to get a new one. I had a decent garden season, but the cool weather did lower production. Managed to smash my thumb last Sunday. Man, that hurt more than fracturing my wrist or tearing my acl. I was carrying 6 bricks and squatting to unload them when the top 2 fell and crushed my thumb between them and the bottom brick. I did the whole heat up a pin and melt through the nail to release all the blood pushing the nail up. Instant relief.
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Post by ScoutB on Dec 14, 2014 20:04:24 GMT -5
Sorry to hear about your thumb. I usually do that with a hammer, not a brick. The fun part is when the nail comes off.
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