well here am in Gurnee Illinois........

4 days here and 4 days in Minneapolis with my new baby sitting on top of my truck before my entry at PP. Even though I have a cable lock through the hull I'm still a bit nervous leaving it out all night. Geico wouldn't insure it and my homeowners only covers 1k.

tonight I did something that may be of value to some other folk and hence the reason for this post. In an effort to thwart bears from obtaining my groceries I purchased a "motion detector" alarm. With a fairly loud siren and flashing light I figured it would scare the daylights out of any self respecting bear. I couldn't of been more wrong as the bruin on Sawbill made short work of my oats and granola all while the alarm was blaring............but I digress.

This motion detector alarm is slightly larger than a cell phone and is designed to hang on a doorknob. Open the door and off it goes. It fires only if you move the unit. Tonight I armed the unit and slid it into the hull. Might be just enough to scare someone off. I picked mine up at radio shack for about 20 bucks. It could be a little peace of mind at that remote mom and pop motel in the middle of nowhere.............

well, you almost had a taker on that duluth trading post alarm - looks like the cable is small enough to fit thru the smallish tugeye for composites fitting

until I read the reviews !  4 out of 8 not so good

I probably run against the grain with traditional thought of having multiple uses of items. My experience is when that tack is taken the item seldom does anything especially well.............the lock is a perfect example.

Mat..........cable locks thin enough to go through the tug eye might not be to hard to find. BTW.........I ordered the tug eye but was rebuffed when informed he wasn't supplying the type I ordered at this time..........."check back later". Just as well, the Expedition has a through hull fitting designed to accept a stabilizer pole to cat up to another boat. Works for me.

I like the little radio shack alarm............I have had it for several years now. It also has a flashlight function (so much for doing just one thing well eh?). The light flashes on and off if the alarm is triggered. (while the bear was munching my oats I quipped to my buddy at the time........."Dinner with music and a light show" )

Hey I like those ST.............a little peace of mind.

Well I'm bringing an absolute pile of fishing tackle. I even have a extra plano box so I can pick out what I want to use for the day. An insane 7 rods are coming along. Why not? 1 portage and base camping with a move every 2 days with 11 days of nothing but fishing in a complex mid summer large body of water. Specialization is at a premium.

rod 1...........6' 6"light action spinner with 4/6 lb mono. slider heads/shakey jig heads and 4" straight worms will take the smallies when all else fails down to 15ft

rod 2.........7' med hard action spinner 6/8 mono for deepwater jigging and larger plastics.

rod 3........7' baitcaster with 12 lb XT mono. Night trolling with large rapalas and night casting 1 oz single blade spinnerbaits for smallies

rod 4......muskie rod 50lb braid..........big spoons, 30 manns, dipsy diver, 8oz in line weights

rod 5.......8' walleye trolling rod/line counter with 30 braid.........smaller dipsy divers and in line weights

rod 6........9' steelhead rod..........my go to rod for running deep diving cranks on light line. The length lets me get by running light line with hard pulling cranks like tail dancers and not get busted off when mister big walleye decides to eat. Very forgiving.

rod 7.........trying something new, jigging spoons (butterfly) on mid lake reefs

So yea.....a lot of stuff. But what the heck, I'm solo with nothing else to do but keep trying new stuff until I banish my August jinx. It's not like the fish stop eating in August but I have done poorly my last 2 trips in the Q in August. Maybe to much traveling and to much afternoon fishing.......I dunno.

I am going to make a serious attempt at panfishing (yes I like to catch small fish too as long as they are big  ). I'll plop out a jig with a maggot of gulp while in camp on a slip bobber. I'll probably cast the slip bobber set up occasionally while I work a shoreline as well especially if it is calm. I even have some tiny flutter spoons to try behind some in line weights. I am partial to eating big perch or large gills if I can get them. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to bang a big crappie or two as well. Anyway, I do intend to try for the panfish this time.

I have never tried the dipsy divers but with the line counter reel I think it could be effective if done right. When we used to fish the shield in August by powerboat I was always surprised just how deep the big fish were. Walleyes 6lbs seem to be at least 30 ft during the day and we caught one over 8 on some spikes in water over 40.

I usually fish at least an hour after dark but it is usually fruitless after it gets totally dark. I think I give up to soon. The plan is to start around 2 A.M. and fish until mid morning. Snooze during the heat of the day (and avoid the flies). The big 6 inch flat raps will get the nod along weed edges. The 1 oz single colorado spinnerbait will be used along rocky points.

what else? a few other wrinkles. Should be interesting. I am totally jacked up to the point it is spilling over on this keyboard. I think I REALLY need a vacation  . Who knows.........maybe I'll just sit in camp and read and drink coffee all day. That has some appeal after a summer of go-go. But I'll certainly have options and specialized tools which are in and of themselves enjoyable to employ. I'll try and take a few pics and give an honest appraisal of how I did. If I suck you'll know it..........if I do good I'll share what worked. If I do REALLY good you can PM me for details (contributions/donations are handled via my secretary at MT enterprises). Wish me luck 

 

Pondo, looks like I'll be off by one day...........drop the missus and the young'un off at the minneapolis airport Saturday morn. Should be somewhere on Moose later that afternoon (Lord willing and the creek don't rise). My entry date is not for 2 days later...........wondering if they will let a solo who is staying on Basswood in early. I guess I will find out.