Well, 2012 was a great fishing adventure and Bill and I almost got to live the dream of a lifetime catching cow stripers. So, this photo reminds me of the calm Chesapeake with planers running smoothly and I'm not sure what I was thinking. Maybe about a 60 pounder? Maybe about the 2013 season plan. I am guiding the boat with the i-Pilot in my hand as it takes constant attention to keep the boat on course. Contrary to reported ease of use of the i-Pilot to run true to the settings. Maybe I need a new trolling motor with updated features.
Eel tube problems noted during the 2012 season.
I'm thinking to take the eel tubes off the rail, put a cap in the top end, and run a narrow slit from the bottom and half way through the cap. With a large bead ahead of the hook, no pressure would be on the eel and it would just hang inside the tube. The slits on the existing tubes are too wide and let small eels slip half way out. Others, the line pressure tears the hook out of the eel snout. So, there must be a better way.
The eel tube is schedule 40 PVC 1 1/4 inch and about 12 inches long. It is held to the rail with a stainless steel cable tie. It sets just below the rod holder . The rod is placed in the holder, the eel/hook is slid into the tube and the line reeled to hold the eel in the tube. Four observations: 1) The slot is extra wide to allow easy insertion of the hook. 2) Smaller eels can slide out the slot. 3) The hook pulls directly on the eel and can tear through the eels flesh. 4) Sometimes difficult to get the eel started in the tube.
At the end of a drift, the eels must be protected and kept from coiling on the line/hook/themselves. The eel tube does this and also keeps the eel moist. Elapsed time is critical, as is ease of use so more time can be spent fishing.
Plan for 2013 eel Tubes
The new tubes will correct problems encountered in the past with the 2012 and earlier versions of the eel tube. The new tube will pull on the hook eye rather than pull on the eel. The eel will just hang inside the tube. The narrow slot will prevent the smaller eels from slipping out. The tubes will not be mounted on the rail; rather, just stowed in a handy location until used. The rod line will pass through the rod holder and the eel tube will hang free. It will work as long as the eel is completely inside the tube. If even a tiny length of the tail is exposed, the eel will pull itself out of the tube - big mess!
OK, got one test eel tube constructed and shown here with the hook assembly on a leader and ready to guide into the tube. Keep in mind that an eel hooked through the lips would be hanging.
Hook assembly started in the eel tube.
Now for the actual hook assembly ready to put eel tube on.
And so, the eel tube hangs as planned and will be functional. I'll keep a few with 1" PVC, but most will be 1 1/4 " PVC. Note the Sufix 50# orange fluorescent braid.
OK, tried the 1 inch PVC and it worked, but the #10/0 Oner circle hook is too large for this size tube. For smaller hooks, it will be OK. But, for the big hook, the 1 1/4 inch PVC must be used. Still have to figure out how to prevent the hook barb from hanging up on the end of the tube.
What's for with eel handling while fishing? Eels revisited.
Likely described long ago in the archive of this blog, it might be worth while to refresh the process in the mind of viewers. First, eels are expensive yet tough. In December, the only fish in the water that eats eels is the striped bass. Usually 30+ pounds to take a rod down hand stay on. Smaller stripers do try, but usually result in a break off (the fish drops the eel). So, ya don't need more than about 18 on board for a day's fishing. It's critical to keep the eels alive.
I keep them alive on shore with the 3 bucket system. I didn't invent this, IMHO, it's widely used. The top bucket with 1/4 inch holes across the bottom is filled with ice. The ice bucket nestles inside a second bucket with identical drilled bucket bottom and the eels reside in this bucket. The bottom bucket catches the melting ice and eel slime. I used rope through the side of the buckets in 3 or 4 locations to maintain separation of the bucket bottoms if necessary. The eels must never be in direct contact with the ice or with the run off water. I haven't tried using a wet cloth on top of the eels, but it may help keep the dripping ice water dispursed over all the eels. Change the ice as needed and dump the run off and near 3 dozen eels can be kept for weeks. On the water, I sometimes put the eel bucket overboard to wash out the eel slime and freshen the eels. Remember, eels need to breathe. They can breathe air if the eels are kept moist. If they are in water, the water must have vigorous aeration. A final caution, elevated ambient temperatures are lethal as is freezing. December brings both high and low temperatures. I find it best to take the three bucket system into the motel and place it in the tub. Leave the bottom bucket off if ya can wash the run off down the drain before it odorizes the room. Remove dead eels!
Shown here is the assembled 3 bucket eel keeper.
Showing the rope through holes in the wall of the ice bucket.
Shows the interior walls of the ice bucket with ropes to keep the ice off the eels below. The holes are too large to use for eels.
Bucket level for eels with holes small enough so small eels can't squeeze through.
Chris' Bait and Tackle and Ocean's East #2 both have eels during the season. Some bait shops have a dozen already counted in plastic bags. It is absolutely critical to get the eels out of the bag and into something where they can breath! The temperature of about 50 or less degrees is critical. I would prefer to have the shop catch the eels from the tank and put them in my 3 bucket system.
On the boat, keep in mind that you can handle COLD eels easily with a relatively dry towel or better yet, a paper towel. If the eels knot on the line, put it on ice for a while. Some slam the knoted eel on the water and the shock knocks the eel out for a moment and sometimes the eel is freed. If the eel has knotted on the hook/line for some time, it's best to cut the leader off and put the eel on ice for disposition later. Better to have an eel drifting than on board. Besides, my cold/old fingers don't do well at correcting tangles.
Eels with a tiny amount of movement in it's tail are still striper bait! With long sessions under ice dripping ice water, eels can look as they are dead. Maybe put the suspects in a bucket of bay water for a few minutes to be sure. Take used eels off the hook and put them back in the eel bucket. Many will survive for another day's fishing.
Since Bill and I try to stay at Kiptopeke for the entire month, it's usual for other fishermen to give us eels that they cannot use before departing. Ha, ha, be at the dock as fishermen are pulling out of the water and headed home. Yet, chance meetings at the motel also afford opportunities for gift eels. Maybe a second 3 bucket eel keeper should be at hand?
Some fishermen buy bulk eels and try to use their bait tanks. This is a tough maintenance task. Ya gotta keep the temperature correct, maintain aeration, change the water, remove dead eels, and maintain the filter system. Most bait tanks are 12 volt and require a substantial charger/power supply or battery. When ya buy 2 dozen from local sources, the bait shop does all the work and has the tanks to keep the eels frisky. I'd rather pay another quarter each and let the bait shop do all the work.
When we leave for several days and return to our respective homes, the Three Bucket system can travel with us and can be maintained at home. Just add ice as needed and empty the catch bucket.
The 3 bucket system WORKS! You'll have to trust me. 4 years of experience worked good for me!
How do ya clean a Shimano Lever Drag?
First, a reminder about rod and reel care when used in salt water. You must rinse the rod, terminal tackle and reels with water to remove the surface salt. Don't over do it or plunge the reels in water. The rinse on my boat usually happens when washing the boat down after a day on the water. I let the reels dry, put them in my rod cart, and then spray them individually with Real Magic or WD 40 and let them air dry, followed by a wipe down if necessary. Some of my reels had not been opened over the 4 seasons of use at Kiptopeke. The outside does not have corrosion and the bearings, etc. inside were clean. Your mileage for a star drag may be different. Yet, both types of reels must have some periodic maintenance.
So, I removed all the reels form the rods and I'm in the process of beginning a real cleaning/lube of the reels. this is not just a matter of twisting the retaining ring on the rod. All my reels are held on the rod with reel clamps. For interest, I bought the carbon glass Penn reel clamps from an E-Bay store for $9 each including postage. Each has an eyelet for use of a tether if needed. Maybe not critical for COW stripers, but I think great insurance. This year was hard on the tackle because the boat rinse was not convenient and happened infrequently.
I removed all this seasons terminal tackle. I'm thinking to powder coat some of the egg sinkers, either chartreuse or white to help attract the stripers to the eels. Lanny Parrot mentioned that the smaller and light green colored eels produced larger and more fish. I'm thinking to polish the hooks and spinners to remove some corrosion and do the powder coat thing. That powder coat is really tough stuff and simple to apply and cure.
In my opinion the braid fishing line is best for the reels. The mono tends to loosen on the spool and is very difficult to run out enough to reload. The braid doesn't do this, but has other problems. Tangles in mono seem easy to handle. Tangles in braid seem to require cutting the line or lines out. The mono being larger diameter pulls the baits up and the braid being so small a diameter lets them run deeper at the same speed. Ha, ha, I'm trying to get the baits higher in the water column and easier for the stripers to see an easy meal. With braid, it's critical to keep the spool filled. I use mono backing and usually 150 yards of braid.
Cleaned the reels, but didn't mess with the drag disks in the spools. Read some notes that claimed that high tech grease would harden in low tempeatures and mess up the reel operation. Yet, I used both Reel Butter and Quantum Hot Sauce as grease and AbuGarcia Silicote on the reels. So, I put the reels in the freezer to see if there was a difference. Nope, no difference in effort to reel. BUT, I noticed that the drag is very temperature sensitive. In fact, at 4 degrees F, the drag was missing! I thought I could set it and forget it, but now know I must check the drag when there's a significant change in ambient temperature. Something learned about my lever drags that can be critical.
Getting the lines out quickly for a drift is necessary for efficient use of the fishing time.
I'm thinking that I can splice different color braid to help determine the amount of line deployed beyond a cork or planer. The uni-uni is a tough knot for braid and the 50 pound line I use will never be stressed with 5-8 pound drag. Yes, it takes a bit longer to boat the striper with lighter drags, but the hook isn't pulled for a break off as with heavier drag settings. The stress on the fish is another issue. The stripers we boat are really exhausted. If we decide to release, it takes quite a while to be sure the striper is breathing and ready to be on it's own. Well, this is the subject of another post.
What's a fellow to learn from a network?
Jimmie Beaty (Teacher) has all the secrets to boating cow stripers. Well, others do also. Hope I can learn, if there's time.
Seems like all I do is ruminate . . .
Over the summer, I'll need to change tires, check bearings/seals, find out if water entering the bilge is from a leaky cockpit drain hose. Always a worry because a bilge pump must be checked so frequently. Lucky for me, the service last year determined that the bilge pump was inoperative.
Also need to figure out a way to install cameras so I can see where/what about the boat when backing. The camera used for the hitch works really well, when it works. Think I need a spot light on both sides of the boat and well as a camera on both sides. Means at least 2 or 3 displays in the cab. Seems that much of the boat loading and launching occurs during darkness. Lots of competition and the backing must be more precise than I can do without visual help.
Only 321 days 'til he season begins.
Yet, there's a plan to do the Susquehanna Flats in a couple months with Tom Hughes to learn jigging? Well, might delay it until the new season. If the season gets off to a slow start, Bill and I will do the bridge pilings and the islands. Yep, the plan has begun.
Where do we camp for the 2013 season?
Now if we can find lodging? Thinking of the Sunset Beach Resort again, but maybe a suite if the price can be right. The continental breakfast saves $10 for each day, the cleaning station (boat wash too), and parking the boat right at the room is great. This past year, it was $1200 for the month. If we can get the suite (actually has two rooms) for the same price, it's a go! Get to meet lots of fishermen, exchange lies, etc.
The closing of the Kiptopeke Inn caused havoc for many. Near Sting-Rays is the Peacock, newly renovated with ample parking and boat wash. Don't know about fish cleaning. So, the following is a really short listing.
It is possible to rent a camper space in the park next to the Sunset Beach Resort. Rates for full hookup might be in the $300-600 monthly.
Too bad the VA state park facilities are either closed or very expensive and avoided by most.
The Sea Shore Motel across from Sting-Rays was a great fishermen lodging in the past. But, the facility regs and high cost/month were intended to discourage fishermen in December. Think they only cater to oystermen, maybe. Passing by frequently in December will see the parking lot empty. Did the owners shoot themselves in the foot with the huge list of "don'ts"? Rates are likely in the $160 per night. Nice facility, but not affordable for the usual fisherman.
So far, it's the Sunset Beach Resort or the Peacock Inn to consider for lodging.
Here's places we have dined and find satisfactory!
Ya can google these eateries, but please disregard the ratings. Try 'em and make your own opinion.
The Sunset Beach Resort operates a beach restaurant that serves snacks and booze. Limited menu, expensive, but sometimes convenient. Of course, the continental breakfast at the Sunset Beach Resort is very convenient, sometimes well stocked, and not always free of them 4 footed mousy critters. Never put boiled eggs in the microwave for more than 20 seconds. Longer will produce a big bang and mess. Don't ask me how I know.
BTW, Sting-Rays (
757 331 2053) will cook yer prepared stripers and serve for about $10 a plate. Not sure all that's provided, but at least one party of 20 or so did this. Bill provided a 35 pounder for the event. We didn't attend because we had a previous dinner plan. But in the end, our dinner plan fizzled and we missed what was likely a great event.
We noticed that many restaurants have raised prices considerably. Had to give up Kelly's Butter Nut Pub for that reason. Sometimes terrible service. Even Sting Rays seems outrageously over priced. Think Yuk-Yuk & Joes in Eastland was OK with reasonable Pabst beer prices and some great eats. Weekly specials include 5 pounds of hot wings @ $20 (www.yukyukandjoes.com). But, the service is unpredictable.
McDonalds (quick breakfast on the way to the Cape Charles marina) is usually crowded with locals and fishermen, Food Lion (groceries), and Top China (carry out) are in a shopping mall near 22487 Lankford Hwy. If yer into VABC, there's an outlet next to Top China.
Then there's Don Valero's Mexican19035 Lankford Hwy has great food and atmosphere.
A bit distant from the Sunset Beach Motel is The Great Machipongu Clam Shack (6468 Lankford Hwy, Nassawadox, VA) Maybe make the trip when ya get blown off the fishing grounds.
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More later as the plan and accomplishments materialize.
