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Fishing And Barbeque! What A Way To Live!Bob Alexander (2,045)    Bob Alexander   http://www.bluemarlinbob.com How To Catch Fall Crappie!Posted Sunday, October 11, 2009 (41 days 6 hours ago.) Viewed 95 times. Tips on how to catch fall crappie can be boiled down to one thing; finding them, determining just what is on their menu for today and then present it in a way that is pleasing to their palates. In short, you have to 'sell' the menu! After that, the rest is fairly easy. Fall crappie are a little harder to find, because they're generally in deeper water than in the spring and you have to use a bit of finesse to get them in the boat. As freshwater fish go, the crappie is hands down the best eating fish around. Catching them can be a touch and go proposition since they are only a little less finicky when it comes to eating, than my cat Spike. The bait that worked yesterday may be a loser today. They are also notorious for being very fickle about depth. Yesterday's success may have little to do with your luck today. If the fish aren't biting, it's time to experiment! In the fall I find fish by drifting across a large body of water. With several lines in the water set at different depths, if I snag a crappie at the same depth twice, it's very probable that that is where they're going to be holding. I have tried this method of fishing many times and it has always had a high success rate for me, though it doesn't work all the time. Crappie judge their favorite foods by its color. If you are using only minnows, you'll just have to trust your luck to the silvery colors of their bodies. If you are using jigs, then you have the opportunity to experiment. All artificial baits should simulate the action of a minnow, although the crappie will eat crawfish, worms and just about anything else if it's handy. By far, the minnow seems to be its favorite snack. If the water is clear, use a silver and black color jig. These are natural shades of a minnow and they just might be on their menu today. That said, maybe a yellow, chartreuse or even pink one could work equally well. The point is that you have to keep experiment until you find one that works. Try your luck with vibrant colors like chartreuse, white, yellow, hot cranberry and fiery blue marabou jigs when the water is dingy or muddy. These are easier for the fish to see than natural tones. If you are going to use a spinner bait, tie on the smallest one you can find. Crappie are lazy and small baits seem to be more enticing than large ones. It really doesn't make sense, but then I'm not a fish! Like a good waiter, how you present whichever bait you are using is the key to catching crappie. I have found that generally the slower you retrieve your crappie tidbit, the better your chances are of catching them. Fishing in the fall down here in the south is a great confidence builder, whether you catch fish or not. You'll leave the lake with the knowledge that you are indeed an outdoorsman for having survived the rigors fishing in the fall. Bob Alexander is well experienced in outdoor cooking, fishing and leisure living. Bob is also the author and owner of this article. Visit his sites at: http://www.homeandgardenbob.com http://www.redfishbob.com 
Permalink Comments (2) A True Big Catfish Story!Posted Friday, September 25, 2009 (57 days 14 hours ago.) Viewed 771 times. It is fun being part of a big catfish story that has a fantastic ending, even for the fish! In addition to having a restful time on a warm black night at the edge of the river bank, I had only received a few bug bites and I hadn't fallen into the water once! It was a good night! I didn't catch a lot of fish that evening; just a few small catfish. My cousin and a buddy of his were the ones that capped off the evening with a whopper. The following is my account of their story: About 10:30 last Friday evening, I decided to call it a night of fishing, pack up my gear and head to the house. My two younger fishing buddies decided to stay and go out in their little12 foot skiff with a 10 horsepower motor. We hadn't used the boat because it was designed for two people, not three. By the time I got home and washed the sweat and bug repellant off my body, it was just approaching midnight. I had just gotten to sleep when the phone rang, shocking me out of a dream of big fish and palm trees. Expecting the worst from a middle of the night phone call I was surprised to hear my cousin excitingly telling me that they had a fish on the line. They had been fighting it for over an hour. He told me that after I left they had gotten into the small boat and moved about 75 yards away to deeper water. From there they could see the lights of their camp. Without that campfire the river would have been as black as inside of one of the caves that dappled the stone cliffs on the opposite bank. Bill and my cousin Dave continued fishing after I left. They were anchored near a deep hole in the Tennessee River about three miles east of Decatur, Alabama. The depth finder noted that it was about 42 feet from the surface to the bottom of the river at the point where they tossed their baited hooks into the water. Fishing at night on any body of water is a spooky proposition, especially when your fishing line is tight with something deep under the surface of the water thrashing about trying to throw the hook. Dave called me again at two in the morning, still excited but exhausted from a three hour battle with a huge blue catfish. Every time the fish came close to the skiff it would turn and make a mad dash toward Mobile. They were only using 25 pound test monofilament and had to be careful not to put more stress on the line than was necessary. Earlier that afternoon, they had stopped at the mouth of a creek that was flowing into the river and had caught several shad. As cut bait, a hunk of shad on a hook is hard to beat as bait for a hungry catfish. Their fish had scooped up the bait from the bottom of the river and for three hours maintained a constant pull on their line. At times it seemed like they had hooked onto a submarine. Finally when both the fish and the fishermen were worn out, they pulled the cat fish up to the boat and immediately decided that the thrashing fish would tear their craft to pieces of they were able to get it on board. They did the next best thing and tied the monster to the outside of the boat. A fish this size has to be weighed and photographed or else it's just another tall tale about the one that got away. They lashed the fish to the outside of the boat with the anchor rope. They called a friend who would bring a set of bathroom scales and a camera and meet them at a marina about three miles away. After weighing Dave, the two other guys lifted the catfish and put him in his arms. The difference in the two weights was 67 pounds. The length was 5 feet, 7 inches. That was some catfish. Ever the sportsmen, the trio returned the fish to the river. After a pat on the head, the fish, which they had now taken to calling Charlie, twisted out of their grasp and returned to the river.
Bob Alexander is well experienced in outdoor cooking, fishing and leisure living. Bob is also the author and owner of this article. Visit his sites at:
http://www.bluemarlinbob.com http://www.redfishbob.com
Permalink Comments (3) How To Know If You Have Relationship Trouble!Posted Monday, August 31, 2009 (82 days 15 hours ago.) Viewed 1,269 times. If you are in a relationship, you have relationship trouble! It may not have reared its ugly head lately, but it's there! One moment you have no clue that there is a problem and the next you're blind sided by your spouse or significant other wanting their space. Relationship trouble can slip up on a person, male or female. You may not have realized it yet, so I'll show you some things to watch out for. I'm speaking from the male point of view, but they could just as easily be applied to the opposite sex. Two people simply cannot co-exist without some kind of friction that bubbles to the surface when you least expect it. If you've reached that point, here are a few things watch out for: You know you're in trouble when she no longer laughs at your jokes, no matter how funny they are to you. There was probably a time when a burst of laughter showed how much she appreciated your wisdom and insight, but now all you get is a roll of her eyes. You may also get a tired look of acceptance indicating that she's stuck with hearing the same old lame jokes. Of course this could be an indication of a deeper problem that can only be fixed by seriously considering possible cures. Marriage counseling is always a good thing, even if only one of the participants wants to go. Many marriages have been saved when one reluctant partner is brow beaten into joining the discussion, only to find that they're the ones who get most out of the counseling session. If you think she plays it loudly just to annoy you, you're probably right, but countering this maneuver with a country song blasting over the radio, "You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone" will not win you any points in the relationship battle. Get some help! In most cases music is a balm to the heart, but there are exceptions. A radical departure from the status quo means there is a larger underlying situation that hasn't been resolved. Strive to communicate again with music that you both like.
Bob Alexander is well experienced in outdoor cooking, fishing and leisure living. Bob is also the author and owner of this article. Visit his sites at:
http://www.redfishbob.com http://wwwbluemarlinbob.com
Permalink Comments (1) Take Out The Trash! One Of 4 Ways To Save Your Marriage.Posted Friday, August 21, 2009 (92 days 16 hours ago.) Viewed 887 times. If you're down to searching for ways to save your marriage on the internet, there must be some serious disharmony in the home. Sometimes getting away from the daily routine can turn dismal looking situations into turning points for reconciliation. Certainly there is nothing amusing about marital discord, but often a good laugh softens the tension that often permeates throughout the home when it seems that the relationship is about to hit the rocks. Communication in the midst of arguments and dissension is a must, but it sometimes gets lost in the fervor of the situation. Both partners are pulling their hair out in the frustration of not being able to get their point across. Writing from a male approach to marriage difficulties and assuming you want the marriage to heal, here are a few simple suggestions that warrant review: Take out the trash! If you haven't done so on a regular basis without griping and moaning, this is one small way to show your willingness to do whatever it takes to save your marriage. Don't talk about it; just do the job without bragging about how great you are for having disposed of the garbage. Just be the strong silent type and let her wonder why she hasn't seen this side of you before. Start wearing a tie to dinner every day for a week or so. Do something out of the ordinary that will surprise her. It will certainly get her curiosity stirred. This could be the thing to get communications started. Go with the flow and make the most out of whatever conversation might result. She will certainly mention the tie and could possibly ridicule your obvious attempt to change the direction of your daily routine, but just smile and say that she's worth dressing up for. Even though she will see right through this maneuver, it will probably be a positive step. Take her fishing but turn the cell phones off! It may take a little coaxing, maybe even a little groveling, but it's the perfect chance to spend a little time alone together. There won't be interference from anyone or anything and this time with each other may lead to another breakthrough in the communications area. Give her flowers! Don't go to the produce section of the local grocery store and buy a bouquet of forget-me-nots. That's too easy! On the way home from work, stop by that field or vacant lot that you pass every day and pick some of the wild flowers growing by the side of the road. Every road leading home has a few daisies or wild lilies waving at you as you pass by each morning headed to work. Pick a few of these and give them to her. Trust me on this; she'll appreciate them more than a dozen roses. My strategy is to reverse the affects turmoil has had on the relationship. It's not a fast cure, but it will work if you give it enough time and park your pride and ego at the door when you come home. Bob Alexander is well experienced in outdoor cooking, fishing and leisure living. Bob is also the author and owner of this article. Visit his sites at: http://www.homeandgardenbob.com http://www.redfishbob.com
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