Erik's fishing rants

Might of overdone it today.... Went out to fleetfarm to grab some mountian dew (they are the only place that has livewire and the real sugar dew). But while there I grabbed me a loading ramp so I can get my mini bike into the bed. Then I remembered I really need to grab a ice house for next months trip up north. Walked around and all they had left was single person flip ups... thats not going to fit 4 guys. So I drove down the street to gander outdoors, I dont like going there much because its 90% RV store, but they have a decent fishing section. Well right there by the front door they had 6x6 insulated hub houses! sweet, ok $200... lets go look at the other options. The other options were all flip up style and between $600-$1000, wife will kill me if I come home with a $1000 ice house. So, I grabbed the cheap $200 one. Normally I wouldnt bat an eye at spending $200 on something for fishing, but ice fishing is a little different in the fact that not one of my friends that live near me wants to go ice fishing. So a 6x6 ice house for me and my son is huge when we can just use a couple of buckets.


Going to swing back over to fleetfarm tomorrow, my son wants to get some more farm toys and I need to grab some more welding wire and some more box tube so I can make my bed rack only take up half the bed. That way I can pull my mini bike in on one side, put fishing stuff in the basket, and then my sled under the basket... then in summer I can put my kayak under the basket, fishing stuff in the basket, and have space on the side to slide in my "loaner" kayak.

Here are pictures of said rack and basket. You can see it gives me great flexibility for loading and unloading my fishing gear. I just need to make sure that I can fit my kayak on one side and the mini bike on the other side.

 

Tuesday night walmart time!!

I got me a mr buddy heater for next months trip and for when I take the kids out sledding. I also got 4 mini spinner baits (2 white, 2 black/blue) for my ultralight box. Then I didnt need them, but I grabbed another pack of powerbait swim shad, but in a new color I dont have. I love the powerbait swim shad because they are cheap, prerigged, and they work really well.

I also got the kids some "fugglers" they are these horrid little stuffed creatures with realistic human teeth.

 

New reel cover showed up today, I have been searching for the perfect covers for my reels and I think I got a winner for my baitcasters. Now I just need to find some for my spinning reels.

$9 HERCHR Baitcast Reel Cover Baitcasting Reel Protector Fishing Reel Cover Fishing Wheel Speed Cover Spinning Reel Cover Baitcaster Reel Cover Fly Reel Cover Casting Reel Cover Fishing Reelcover(Black)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0872RPQSW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Tuesday night bait time! got some tip up rigs for next months trip. I also snagged some purple mini spinner baits along with some blue/chartreuse ones. I think Im going to need to build a pond spinner box soon. I have 8 of them, but they are just sitting in their packages right now. I have big spinner baits in a 3600, but I dont use them much.

 

Hey where did ya get the basket from?

 

$315 AVENN Skinny Rooftop Cargo Carrier Basket, Heavy Duty Weather Resistant Top Mount Roof Rack, Luggage & Camping Gear Storage for Car, Truck or SUV Transport

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08GK5L55Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

About to get one of those for pretty much the exact thing you’re using it for. U like? Seems to be the only skinny basket available at the moment. Got any more pics?

 

I dont have anymore pictures right now, but I do like it. You can fit small plano sportsman trunks in it perfectly. So in the summer I put the rack on and load my fishing gear in it and kayak under it. Right now I dont have it in the truck since I am moving my mini bike around and it only fits without the basket.

 

Sounds like a winner. Thanks for the info

 

https://www.planomolding.com/sportsman-s-trunk-small-black

These fit in there, You can fit 4 (I think) in there. THen just bungee them down.

 

Nice. Do you use the rack at full length?

 

Yes, It fits perfect in my long bed, might be a bit long for a short bed though.

 

Looks like the middle part comes out to make it shorter or no?

 

Yep sure does. Cuts about 2 feet out from the middle.

 

That’s a big help. Thanks bud I’ll be sure to take a pic and show ya after the install.

 

Updated my pond boxes a little bit. I added some more pocket frogs, and put all my spinners into a box with grubs for trailers, Im going to see how they work with and without the trailers and adjust the box to match. I think if these pocket frogs work well for me this coming year I will end up setting up a separate box of just small frogs.

My pond bag can fit 3 slim 3600 boxes and 1 normal sized 3700. So I want to make sure I keep my stuff in just that many boxes. Luckily if I am using these little pond boxes, the 3700 is not really needed as its full of larger soft plastics. So I may just make a lunch box out of a 3700 to keep in the bag.

 

That’s a nice little setup.

 

Didnt get to do my normal tuesday night bait run this past week due to dead battery in the truck. But I did get a mystery tackle ice box. Last one of the season till they switch over to bass boxes.
Lots of neat things in there, another spool of line that I didnt really need, but its nice to have in my bag along with some more jig heads and a few little bags of soft baits and some jigging lures.

Also got a valentines box from some of our family friends that live up in Maine. They got me some googan baits, krackin craws and some rattle negs. Never had googans before, they smell actually pretty decent for fish bait. Just need to wait a few more months till I can try them out.

 

Ha! I finally got propane! Ive been searching for weeks to get propane, I hit 3 stores today and finally got some.

 

I was supposed to go ice fishing today, but my son was sick (has a cold) so he couldnt go to school... then the nurse called and said my daughter couldnt be there either since my son was sick. They said I can either get a doc note saying its not covid, get a covid test, or they could quarantine for 14 days.

So my son got his covid test, just waiting on the results.

Maybe next weekend I can finally go ice fishing.