7/26/13 Buffers Park
Lk. Ontario 32# King
Photo by Capt. Chris

9/3/13 Mike D.
25# Manistee King

Kewaunee, WI
29.66# Team Terry's Toy

Team Blue Rhino
Algoma Assassins

3/29/14  Packing up today getting ready for the 1250 mile trip from Florida to my home in Manistee, MI.  Leaving tomorrow morning with my 1st layover in Chattanooga, TN.  Then onto Indianapolis, IN for the 2nd leg.  Plan is to arrive home on 4/1/14.

3/28/14  There's no doubt we're all eager to get the 2014 season underway, but there's serious issues with Lk. MI access.  Here's yesterday's news from Ludington: 
               "Raining all day today, in the high 30's. Sat a little warmer and Sunday maybe 55. Lud boat ramp will be a while. Entire basin froze solid. Ice pack out of Lud looks to be bout 3 miles out. They filled entire parking area with snow from main street this year, but will truck out to First St property if needed."  ...Capn Kirk, website member

3/27/14  Caught some good sized Bluegills yesterday with my newfound fishing buddy, Sam.  Flavor of the day was tiny freshwater shrimp.  Click freshwater shrimp
               These shrimp are maybe an inch long to the outside and live in the grass beds that surround FL's Lk. Lochloosa.  Gill's here are the giant economy size compared to what we normally see in MI.  One pounders are not uncommon! Click pounder Bluegill
              Been tying up loose ends getting ready to head home soon.  -2, or 2 below was Manistee, MI's temp when I checked it yesterday morning.  Web work to reopen store is in the final revisions will be done in time for the 4/1/14 opening.

3/26/14  Published a time lapse photo (2/18/14 thru 3/24/14) of my mailbox in Manistee, MI.  As you can see, the snow depth receded from 3' down to about a foot.  Bare ground will draw heat and help melt more.  Bad news is the snow that's left is a frozen hard-pack that's difficult to move with a pickup truck plow. Click snow melt pic
             Worked on the webstore yesterday to make sure it ready to go for the 4/1/14 grand re-opening.  Improving weather & being back in MI will be a joy!

3/25/14  Today's featured split photo of early season Brown Trout and Coho is what's on deck for Lk. MI anglers.  Current news from the southern end of Lk MI around Chicago, IL say the Coho are there for the taking.  Central Lk. MI ports will soon see shoreline trolling for Brown Trout front and center.  Click early season fish

3/24/14  Getting ready to return to Michigan this week and can't wait to be home.  Going S for the winter might be OK for some, but it will be a snowy day in hell ...before I'd  consider it, as a way of life ever again!
               To me? ...RV parks are a severe loss of personal privacy where people are packed like sardines in cans.  I lived in the city (W side of Detroit area) for 20 some years prior to moving to Manistee where my closest neighbor is a good 1/2 mile away. 
               Re-discovered what a supreme luxury my personal private space is.  This has been said before, "you don't know what you have ...until it's gone!

3/23/14  Mostly done with video shot last August in Manistee, Mi.  Subject matter is the last half of a double header.  Fishing buddy was my wife of 43 years, Merlene.  She had a heck of a time pulling a hog King pushing the mid 20s on a diver rod to the net.  Then, I blew the net job on the first try.  DLS internet connection where I'm at in FL is too slow (.10 meg.) to publish to YouTube now.  Soon as I get a better upload speed ...this video will be on the net.

3/22/14  Published an underwater test video last night that came out lousy.  My YouTube config settings were messed up and lost a lot of resolution.  Video work continues today from last August planned to ready for the web by 3/31/14.  

3/21/14  T.G.I.F.  10 days left before I'm home in MI ready for this season.  Being stranded for a extra month in Florida has not been my idea of fun.
               This weekend will be spent editing a new video with never seen before underwater footage from plus 100' down.  Should be able to publish this new YouTube movie to coincide with the reopening of the webstore 0n 4/1/14.
               My new 3D printer "Made in USA" has been delivered to Manistee, MI.  Most of these machines are China specials. Can't wait to get home and start working on several designs for Project 2015.  Dread the learning curve, but end product will be worth it!

3/21/14  T.G.I.F.  10 days left before I'm home in MI ready for this season.  Being stranded for a extra month in Florida has not been my idea of fun.
               This weekend will be spent editing a new video with never seen before underwater footage from plus 100' down.  Should be able to publish this new YouTube movie to coincide with the reopening of the webstore on 4/1/14.

3/20/14  Spring 2014 officially arrives today!  This winter, one for the records has finally bit the dust and good riddance.  Nasty conditions forced me to stay in the S longer than  planned.  Good news is I'll be in Manistee, MI by 4/1/14 and ready to accept orders.
              Before leaving Manistee last November made sure there was inventory already on the shelves to handle the spring rush for the upcoming season ...that's almost here!!

3/19/14  Manistee River is has opened up after being frozen over since last Christmas. Snow in Manistee, MI is slowly receding.  Schedule to reopen for tackle sales is 4/1/14.
              Thingiverse is an open source website with over 100k free 3D builds.  It's truly amazing to see what gifted inventors share with the world.  Click Thingiverse builds
              One thing that caught my eye was sabots made out ABS with 3D printers.  ABS is easily cleaned with Acetone.  This should peak the interest of smoke-pole users.
              Thingiverse at one time had a printable pistol until the government had them pull the file.  Anyone wanting a plastic gun are not concerned about their personal safety.  Barrel pressure from potent pistol powder makes plastic guns unsafe and something I'd never consider.  Click 50 cal sabots pic
                        Huge shocking announcement on track for tomorrow!

3/18/14  On 4/9/14 Microsoft is ending support for Windows XP that debuted in Oct. of 2001.  1 in 7 visitors to this website still uses the older XP OS like I do. 
              According to savvy tech guru, Leo Laport, XP had 70,000 bad lines of code when it was introduced.  Microsoft support has been plugging these vulnerabilities ever since with auto-updates. Click my Windows XP Service Pack 3 PC desktop
              Most older XP computers are 32 bit and can be upgraded Windows 7 (32 bit) that accepts Office 2003 that I already own (Windows 8 won't).
             Upgrading operating systems causes all kinds of grief that begins with a clean install that wipes all your files and installed programs.  Needless to say, all your files and program folders must be backed up.  Then, a time consuming re-install.
             Biggest mess is the 1.5 million ATMs that can only run XP.  Look for higher ATM fees, cuz it can be $200 a year to extend XP support for each of these money machines.

3/18/14  On 4/9/14 Microsoft is ending support for Windows XP that debuted in Oct. of 2001.  1 in 7 visitors to this website uses the older XP OS like I do. 
              According to savvy tech guru, Leo Laport, XP had 70,000 bad lines of code when it was introduced.  Microsoft support has been plugging these vulnerabilities ever since with auto-updates. Click my Windows XP Service Pack 3 PC desktop
              Most older XP computers are 32 bit and can be upgraded Windows 7 that accepts Office 2003 that I already have.  Upgrading operating systems causes all kinds of grief that begins with a clean install that wipes all your files and installed programs.  Needless to say, all your files and program folders must be backed up.
             Biggest mess is the 1.5 million ATMs that run XP.  Look for higher ATM fees, cuz it's $200 a year to extend XP support for each of these money machines.

3/17/14  Happy St. Patrick's Day!  Spring 2014 (3/20/14) is only 3 days away.

3/16/14  2 years ago on this date my first voyage of the season took place out of the Port of Manistee, MI.  Currently there's to 2-3' of snow on the ground in my yard.
              Got a firm start on the new article documenting the reasons behind "tackling" 3D printing technology.  This will be a work in progress as milestones are reached.
              First hurdle is configuring the Simplify 3D software to talk to the new printer that's scheduled for delivery by 3/24/14. Click 3D Printing, Applied to Fishing Tackle

3/15/14  Nothing, but good news today!  Days are getting longer.  Here in FL it's almost 8pm before it's dark.  Weather for Manistee breaks for the better next week.
               Began work on a new article about my journey in the world of 3D printers. Progress will be documented, as project 2015 moves ahead. Click new article start
               Round II with my 2nd printer to be delivered on, or about 3/24/14 to Manistee, MI.  Already bought the recommended software to run the machine.  Been playing with the new program for a few hours to get a leg up.  Click 1st planned build
               My first build? ...after recommended test builds will be for a new extended spool holder that holds generic filament spools.  This .stl file was a download from one of the many websites offering countless free 3D templates for builds.

3/14/14  Happy Friday!  Spring 2014 is only a week away "weather" it knows it, or not?
              Went to Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, FL yesterday to watch the Detroit Tigers vs. the Miami Marlins in the Grapefruit League (spring training).
              Temp in Detroit at game time was 13 degrees.  Lakeland was in the 60s.
              Had excellent seats, not far from home plate (less than 100').  Seeing pitchers throw 90 some mph fastballs in person is something that can never be duplicated on TV.
              Was lucky enough to snap a action photo of future Hall of Fame player, Miguel Cabrera's lightening quick swing.  Click Miguel Cabrera's swing
              Tigers lost 4 to 2, but it was hoot seeing America's pastime live in person!

3/13/14  In a little over 2 weeks I'll be back home in MI and the webstore will reopen.  Store was never meant to be closed this long, but the person (Bob) who was going to open on Super Bowl Sunday quit after right after he got his Christmas bonus pay with no notice he was leaving.  This was well after I already headed S for the winter.
               Even with a 30% increase in pay, guess former my 6 year employee, Bob decided he couldn't handle the responsibility and left for other less greener pastures.  Last I heard, he's a burger flipper at McDonalds for minimum wage with zero responsibly.
               Only thing I regret was wasting my time training Bob to process orders and do mailing labels.  This is all my fault for not getting a better read on the situation.
              Then, I got caught in a bind with record snowfall in Manistee with 4' on the level that has me in a holding pattern in FL.  Which bring me to the present.....
               Recently, placed a help wanted on Craigslist & have several good candidates apply for work that live close to my shop.  So, I will have help for the 2014 reopening!

3/12/14  Lost to first fight in the epic battle of conquering 3D parts build.  Decided to get a refund and go with another manufacturer.  Burned myself going cheap.  Which, I've done more often, than not.  You get what you pay for is the reel-fact.
              Next 3D machine will be the higher end of mid level with the best reviews on Amazon and more user friendly software (I hope).  Look for a 6 week wait.
              Crappies aka Specks in FL are hitting small jigs tipped with minnows just like up home in MI.  Locals here prefer them for the table.  Click Sam's 2 lb. Crappie

3/11/14  It was a 10-8 round in my 3D printer battles with me losing bigtime.  Machine was damaged during shipping.  Today, I'm shipping back it to the printer doctor.
               Installing the software was a good 3 hour trip to the darkside.  3 subprograms have to work in unison that can only happen in advanced admin configuration.  Definitely not plug and play, as this technology is a long-long-long ways from being perfected.
               I did not buy a high end printer due to the fact whatever you buy, it's going to be obsolete by next year.  Company I purchased from has only been in business about a year and their on the 3rd revised model.  Click 3D printer paperweight

3/10/14  Project 2015 begins later today when UPS delivers my 3D printer to where I'm at in FL.  Project 2015 is about developing new tackle to debut later this year, or in 2015.
               My 3D printer can make prototypes in any size and shape I want for water testing.  But first I have to know how to run the printer for successful builds/prints.
               OK, right about now you're asking yourself about today's featured pic of Acetone and hair spray.  Before you can do builds, the plastic material has to stick to a heated borosilicate bed platform.  Click Acetone & hair spray
               Acetone is to clean, hair spray is to make the surface tacky for the hot .175" extruded ABS filament that's 255 degree Celsius, or 491 degrees Fahrenheit.  Kapton tape is best, but shipping time constraints means waiting until I'm home in Manistee, MI.
               This is going to be an very exciting ground breaking year.  You'll be able to watch the progress in a step by step 3D build article/videos that's in the planning stages. 
                          It's gonna be FUN "tackling" this new technology!!

3/9/14  Last night was when we set out clocks forward one hour to adjust to Daylight Saving Time.  Like usual, I forgot.
            Got a kick out of the avatar message board member, Power Pogy set in.  Avatars help indentify members when they post message, or reply. Click Pogy's avartar

3/8/14  Today is about seizing the moment.  Being delayed in Florida waiting for Manistee, MI's record snowfall (16.75 feet thus far) to melt, decided to have my 3D printer delivered down here.  This will give me a good 2 weeks to learn how to run it.
             3D printers have the potential to become as commonplace a microwave ovens for the home.  Anything made out of plastic within size limits can be printed out.  Need disposable forks & spoons for a picnic?  20 years from now these could be made at home.
              Right now, 3D printing technology is a fairly complicated affair.  Know I'll fight and struggle with the programming needed to run it.  My ability to learn is dreadfully slow and always has been, but my retention is excellent.  More on 3D printing tech soon....
                         Tomorrow?  Spring forward our clocks is here.

3/7/14  My deepest sympathy goes to the Bishop Family in Manistee, MI for the loss of their son, Keith Bishop.  Keith crewed for me 1993 thru 1999 and did a heck of a job.  I'll always remember his joyful grin and uproarious laughter.  Keith was good at anything he chose to do.  Including a brief stint as a male stripper where he earned the nickname, "Fabio."  Yes, he was big fun to be around and hunt and fish with.  It hurts me to say, Keith was only 43 and men that age aren't supposed to leave this earth that young!
      Planned 3D printer chat session for today has been put on hold until tomorrow.

3/6/14  The weather gods have looked fondly on tomorrow's Flint Steelheaders annual show in Birch Run, MI with temps in the high 30s.  More good news? ...there's no snow predicted for the run of this 3 day fishing sport show. Click show dates & times
             This do is at the Expo Center located on the W side of I75.  Show runs thru this weekend is put on with ALL volunteer help.  Unlike all the other shows, any revenue made is invested directly back into the sport of fishing in one way, or another.
            There's is no fishing group, or club that does more good than the Flint River Valley Steelheaders.  Their accomplishments & charitable endeavors are too many to list.
           Tomorrow's topic? ...moving forward into the world of 3D printing!

3/5/14  Enbridge Energy Partners LP's dual 20" submerged Great Lakes oil pipelines carry the best part of 23 million gallons of crude everyday.  These lines cross underneath Lk. MI at the straits between MI's upper & lower peninsulas are raising alarm. 
             Another crossing point is the at the St. Claire River from Port Huron to Sarnia.  This pipeline was laid in 1953.  61 years later this aging pipeline is coming under increasing scrutiny from members of the US Congress.
             Enbridge is the same company that in 2010 dumped 840,000 of crude oil in MI's Kalamazoo River after a far lower initial estimate  Click AP's pipeline article 

3/4/14  Rate structure for 2014 MI fishing licenses:
Resident Annual - $26
Non-Resident Annual - $76
Senior Annual (for residents age 65 or older) - $11
24-Hour (resident or non-resident) - $10
72-Hour (resident or non-resident) - $30
2014 cover licenses all species of fish.  Last year's licenses expire on 4/1/14

3/3/14  Here it is, the first week of March and I'm trapped in FL.  Was supposed be on the road home a week, or two ago.  3-4' of snow of snow on the level changed that.
             Record setting bitter cold this morning at -22, or 22 degrees below zero in Manistee, MI is not the kind of weather anyone wants.
             I'm eager to get this season underway.  Need to get started the new 2015 tackle project and open the webstore for business.
              Soon as the snow melts to a manageable level I'm be in Manistee, MI ASAP!

3/2/14  Here's the good the Flint Steelheaders do with money from their show:

"This will be roughly our 35th. year and each year it gets a little tougher but it all seems to come together just before the doors open.  Over the years our show helps us to support events such as Salmon in the Classroom.  Our Chapter has about 5 of these programs going on currently. Net pen projects, supporting the tribal fund which you know will get center stage in the next few years as the final tribal negotiations are determined.  Scholarships for students studying fisheries biology, cormorant control and many other programs that without the show, none of these things would be possible for us."   

Best Wishes,
Greg Gumbrecht
President- Flint River Valley Steelheaders
Spring Show Co-Chair

3/1/14  This coming Friday it will be show time for the Flint Steelheaders when they hold their annual Boat and Fishing Show at the Expo Center in Birch Run, MI.  This show is always a bargain to attend when you compare what's charged at other shows.  Dates are March 7th, 8th and 9th and you can click here for more show info

2/28/14  T.G.I.F and farewell to this month.  February 2014 will be remembered for a long time in Manistee, MI when the all time record for snowfall was set. 191 inches comes out to pushing 16 feet of snow for this season with 3 weeks of winter still to go.
               It was a very nippy 24 degrees below zero last night at 11:30pm in Cadillac, MI ...as the winter proves how arctic-like global warming can be.
                       All time record lows for MI were broken last night!

2/27/14  March is fishing license time in MI. 2013 licenses expire at the end of this month. The MDNR discontinued the inland waters species that was always minus Trout and Salmon.  One license for 25 bucks covers all species now.
              Nonresident MI licenses made a big jump to over 70 dollars.  One day licenses the charter fleet relies on went from 7 to $10.  MI fishing license sales have been on a downward spiral and raising rates is certainly not going stop the downturn.
              The MDNR hopes to raise close to 20 mil with the recent price hikes.  Only a small slice is earmarked to go back into the hard parts, such as hatchery improvements.
       Personally, my fishing license has always been the best money I could spend!

2/26/14  Kinda sick with a new disease called, RV fever.  This malady is similar to cabin fever, but my self-diagnosis says additional symptoms of homesickness are in play.  RV fever is prone to happen when you're 1300 miles away from MI while stuck FL.
               If this don't take the cake? ...nothing does.  The United States Association of Reptile Keepers has filed a lawsuit to lift the government ban on Burmese Pythons saying they'll lose 1.2 billion over the next 10 years. Click breeders lawsuit story
               Anybody wanting a known lethal animal/reptile for pet is a few fries short of a Happy Meal!   My choice for pets is man's best friend ...dogs!  Click Buster & Buzzy

2/25/14  The EPA has proposed a new set of regulations no fireplace, or wood stove can meet.  2% now heat their homes with wood like I do.  100% of our early pioneers used wood as their source of heat. Click for reference article
                Electricity in Manistee where I live goes out frequently due to the miles of power lines that run thru the Manistee National Forest.  Making conventional heating systems totally useless while my wood stove keeps my house toasty warm.
                I'd like to know what rock US government looked under to find these idiots who set policy.  The EPA protects no one.  If they did? ...we wouldn't have Asian Carp and mussels issues in the Great Lakes.  Animal hugging EPA allowed Pythons, Anacondas and a variety of other reptiles to be imported into our country that now plague FL.

2/24/14  After careful consideration and weighing the options, I've decided to reopen for business on 4/1/14, or there abouts.  It's just plain foolishness to travel N to MI from FL in the current weather conditions.  Forecast for Manistee, MI this week is ...the lows are in single digits and this coming Thursday will be below zero.
              Long range weather for March is like a sharp stick in the eye with temps 10 to 15 degrees below established averages. Click snow at my place in Manistee
              Heard a lot of dumb ignorant stuff come of the EPA.  This agency has been hijacked by pathetic extremists on far left that will be the tomorrow's focus point!

2/23/14  Today's topic of piles of snow is probably the last thing you want to hear about, if you live in a Great Lakes State.  There's a good 6' wall of compacted snow around my house in Manistee, MI.  Steel roofs unload snow when it warms up ...usually!
               This year's 5-6 weeks of subfreezing temps kept the snow locked up on my roof tight.  Know doing an update about roofs and snow is pretty suckie, but I have to have a home waiting for me when I return from Florida next month.
               Unless a drastic warm spell happens and soon, I will be forced to delay by 2 weeks the opening of my webstore from 3/15/14 until 4/1/14.  I'm just not going to deal with 3' of the white stuff on the level and 4-6' frozen drifts.

2/22/14  Sharing a photo of my place in Manistee, MI taken by Wayne J.  Too much snow on my roof prompted me to search Craigslist to have the snow removed.
              Original plan was to be home around the first week in March.  This will have to be pushed back until the snow melts off.  Click my snowy place in Manistee

2/21/14  A few days ago was taking scenery pics on FL's Lk. Lochloosa.  Didn't know at the time the camera captured a mystery fish splash, or creature of some kind?  The stop motion of a water eruption was revealed upon downloading images.  Click for splash
              On 2/18/14 posted a wild Golden Shiner that was hooked incorrectly.  The Kahle wide bend hook is supposed to be inserted thru the low lip, then out the nostril.
             Still getting my FL Bass Shiner act together.  Learned the hard way fish must be horsed out of the pads on line stronger than 20 pound test mono.  If the fish get it's head down? ...Mr. Fish will wrap up in the thick pad stems. Click poorly hooked Shiner

2/20/14  Before I get rolling, a big "thank you" goes to Wayne J. for today's photo of my place in Manistee County, MI.  Snow, snow and more snow sums up what's happening up home in MI while I'm down S in FL.  Click my mailbox buried in snow
              Seeing is believing, and have no doubt Manistee will see 200 inches of total snowfall accumulation before this winter ...is all said and done.
              Last I heard, was an official 170" of snow has beset Manistee, and that was a good week ago.  Snow is only half the issue, cuz temps have been 10-20 degrees below normal averages.  Making this winter one of the most fiercest and worst on record!
          Good news is official spring 2014 begins on Mar. 20th ...only one month away!
                            Shiner topic has been delayed until tomorrow.

2/19/14  Had a superb day on FL's Lk. Lochloosa with temps pushing the 80° mark.  Just being on the water at this time of the year is a big thrill! Click 2/18/14 sunset
              Fishing was OK landing several soft mouthed Crappies/Specks.  These fish have paper thin skin where the hook generally goes in and like to fall off the hook boat side.  That's fine with me, cuz we're releasing all the fish anyways.
              Fished live Golden Shiners in hopes of picking a fight with Mr. Jumbo Bass. 
              Wild Shiners are extra lively and range from 5-8 inches long.  Got into a couple of large hard pulling fish, but didn't win the tug of war trying to pull them out of the lily pads and broke 20 lb. mono.  More on Shiners tomorrow... Click Wild Golden Shiner

2/18/14  Test fishing today!  Wish me luck.  Be sure to check back later, or tomorrow.
               Big warm up in the higher 30s for Manistee today that been long awaited.  Higher 30s don't sound like much until you endure days on end with temps in the single digits, or teens for the daily high temperature!

2/17/14  2 years ago plus a month and a day splashed my boat for the first trip of the season. March 2012 offered up early-mid March temps in the 70 and a few days in the 80s.  My place went from 2 feet of snow on the level ...to almost none inside of a week.
               You can tell my thoughts are turning to being home in Manistee, MI.  I look forward to leaving the over crowded State of Florida, as soon as the weather breaks.

2/16/14  Accentuating the positive, this week will have above freezing temps in Manistee, MI ...finally! Last time my home town seen temperatures above 32 degrees was 1/13/14.  Long range weather has been updated to now says March will come in like a lamb with temps in the 40s and 50s.

2/15/14  A month from now my webstore will reopen for the 2014 season providing Mother Nature cooperates.  Temp in Manistee, MI this winter has been consistently 8 to 10 degrees below the norm.  With Lk. MI almost totally frozen all the way across lake effect snow will cease, but there's always system snows to contend with.
             Seems like ABC news took a lesson from my 2/7/14 update when I wrote about the silver lining to this winter's massive ice coverage on the Great Lakes that will raise lake levels.  Downside is, ice limits sunlight penetration.  This restricts the water's ability absorb warmth.  In turn, slowing down the food chain. Click ABC's ice article

2/14/14   Happy Friday!   The Great Lakes is on pace to set an all time record for ice cover.  In the last week Lk. MI is approaching, or past 80% ice cover.  Just think, if it wasn't for global warming on our side the next ice age would have already been here!
               Sharing a link from Accuweather.com with weather predictions a month out.  According to what I read from Manistee, weather doesn't break towards spring until the last week of March.  Click Accuweather long range weather forecasts

2/13/14   I need to start off with a disclaimer that I'm no MI auto insurance authority and you need to research further what I'm about to say.
               Michigan has always had some of the highest auto insurance rates in the nation.  There was a formerly hidden fee of $189 for MI Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA) being charged for no-fault medical benefits to every licensed vehicle. 
               This has since been made public by Ingham Co. Judge Clinton Canady III.
               OK, I'm probably a lot like you when auto insurance comes do? ...and write a check.  Sticker shock of $763 for six months woke me up & forced me to go shopping.
               If you're over 50? ...AARP's Hartford Insurance saved me big from what I was paying the Kurt Sturos Agency in Brighton, MI for Farmers Insurance.  Incidentally, I've been a Sturos Farmers customer for over 20 years with no tickets, or accidents.
               I have the same equivalent policy from AARP for $894 for the entire year with the same $500 deductibles, including broad collision. 
                   Rough math says 1500 vs. 900 is a helluva lot gas for my boat!

2/12/14  Wonderful news for MI!  A week from today, next Wednesday the daytime high temp will rise to 30 degrees.  Then, on next Thursday warming up to the mid-higher 30s.  This is the 1st above freezing temps predicted for Manistee, MI in a long time.
               I'm eagerly waiting to return home in Manistee after living in RV parks for going on 4 months.  Issue preventing me? ...you guessed it, snow. 
               There's better than 2' on the level and a big drift piled up by snowplows a good 4-5' deep in my driveway.  This is hard to move frozen compacted ice-snow.
              Good thing is my home sits on the N side of the highway and the sun hits it all day.  Once I know we've lost 50% of existing snow, I'll be on the way back to MI ASAP!
   Tomorrow?  ...learn how I saved about 600 bucks on yearly auto insurance
                                 2 days alert to Valentine's Day.

2/10/14  Test fishing today!  Discovering, then proving new methodology turns my crank.  Results favorable, or not leads to learning.
               Facebook is a universe within universe that wows me.  Chat feature is a great tool to stay in touch without bothersome phone calls.  I do see some merit in Facebook for the fishing community.  However, the time it burns up is massive.  Not to mention the link bait ready to side track your original intent!
                Crossed the 70,000 threshold on You Tube video views in the last 14 months.  Not exactly viral by today's standards, but not too shabby for a beginner.

2/9/14  Worked on my Facebook page.  Joined Facebook in 2010, but never did much else.  Maintaining 2 websites, my You Tube Channel, & keeping the new message board current is a lot to bite off.  Forgot to mention the tasks of manufacturing tackle and promptly shipping orders when the webstore reopens next month.
              None of these responsibilities will delay new product design & development that's front and center for 2014. Click my Facebook page

2/8/13  Candice S. Miller (R), from MI's 10th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives introduced the "Defending Against Aquatic Invasive Species Act of 2014" that would shutdown the Chicago canal Asian Carp waterway connecting to Lk. MI.
            I applaud her efforts, but fear it's another fart in the wind that will be ignored by the powers to be in Chicago (Mayor Rahm Emanuel) and his strong ties to Obama's White House.  Rahm Emanuel was Obama's former chief of staff. Click IL 6/22/10 Asian Carp
            Illinois doesn't give a rat's ass about what happens to the rest of the Great Lakes States, as far as the Asian Carp go.  If IL cared? ...this environmental nightmare would have been closed a long time ago. Click Detroit Free Press article
            Until IL is made to pay a financially by means such as boycotting their goods, businesses, and travel thru their state this issue will never be resolved.  Once the State of Illinois is made the enemy of sportsman, you'll see how fast their canal is closed!
            On the other hand, I fear fertilized Asian Carp eggs/fry transmission by aquatic birds makes no matter, what's done? ...is just another fart in the wind!

2/7/14  Today's pic is a current snowfall chart of MI's northern peninsula.  Towns located near the Lk. MI shoreline are at, near, or exceeding seasonal snow with 7 weeks of winter still left.  Snow is 30" to 40" ahead of the average in some towns.
             Based on the premise 10" of snow equals 1" of rainfall, that's a lot of much needed water being added to Lk. Michigan. Click Lk. MI ice cover
             OK, let's look for the silver lining.  With a large portion of Lk. MI being ice covered, ...ice prevents evaporation that can turn into lake effect snow.  Meaning Lk. MI water level is on the rise.  It wasn't all that long ago (like last year at this time) we were setting Great Lakes low water records, or darn close to it! 

2/6/14  Fished the tea stained waters of Lk. Lochloosa in Cross Creek, Florida a couple of days ago. This was, "if it's bites and puts a bend in the rod" test mission.  Caught a huge slab 2 lb. Crappie by MI standards the pushed the 15 inch mark.  Other notable fish was a 4-5 pound Catfish and a very toothy Alligator Gar. Click Alligator Gar
             Just feeling the fluid rebound of water movement aboard the rental boat was wonderful.  Seen tons of waterfowl, a water turkey (Anhinga) and a Stork.  No alligators, or venomous snakes made their presence known.  Which was 100% perfectly OK with me!
  Water testing prototypes for new product development was part of the 2/4/14 event.

2/5/14  Began editing underwater last season's Salmon from the rigger cam.  Not sure if this project is viable for a You Tube video.  Fast moving fish are already semi blurry in low light conditions in full file size.  Factor in, You Tube's proprietary compression program to stream and an already iffy video might be below the standards I'm willing to display.
            Nobody is good at admitting mistakes.  Especially, if it's became ingrained in your Great Lakes trolling program.  Fell into a trap a long time ago, like 40 some years.  If I'm not catching fish? ...bumping up speed to cover more water was the norm.
            After seeing many rigger cam fish chasing and unable to whack the meat head, ...know now, ...pulling more speed is the dumbest thing that can be done!

2/4/14  Just going to delay today's subject matter until later on.  Plan is to fish Florida's Lake Lochloosa is search of anything that will put a bend in the rod.  Yesterday, it was well into the mid 80s at the fish camp I'm staying.  Heck, just going for a boat ride will be a joy.  There is a number of gators in this lake and will get photos of what wild life is available.  This area is loaded with sandhill cranes just like around Manistee in the spring.

2/3/14  Folklore news from Mr. Groundhog was not in our favor.  On the bright side, February is the month when winter's average temperatures begin to climb.
            Published 2 new You Tube videos over the weekend in HD 1280x 720i.  Learned You Tube's native screen resolution is 640 x 480 when you access videos thru their site.
            To view my videos in 720i I will need to build dedicated pages.  Video is all about seeing details and see a HD Video Encyclopedia of Tips & Trix being added to this site.
            Subject matter in both new videos were about Sony and GoPro action cams I used during 2013.  So, I'm a long ways from an expert, but can share the basics.
                    Click GoPro Hero 3 review       Click Sony AS-10 Action Cam
             Video is an immense learning tool when used correctly.  I spotted significant mindset flaws in my program that will discussed tomorrow...

2/2/14  New stuff on the way for tomorrow at my You Tube Channel.  Standby for more info.  Click for sneak peek

2/1/14  Let's hope Mr. Groundhog has good news for us predicting an early spring.  Going to devote the next few days to video editing. 
             Found a You Tube wide screen setting of 1280 by 720 pixels.  This large high def screen size needed for underwater rigger cam video for the fish to show up.  I expect slower load times due to buffering.  Won't know if this project is even feasible until it's published to You Tube.  Rigger cam Salmon are hard to see until they turn sideways.  Low light is the major hurdle, because low light means less clarity during frame exposure.
             One thing stuck out in my mind about the Kings that were captured during filming.  Salmon are kinda stiff and straight after you boat one.  Video showed Kings are much more flexible underwater and can arc their body in a smooth graceful curve at will.
                                Have a super-great Super Bowl weekend!

1/31/14  Still "reeling" from the recent discovery of fish hidden in underwater video at the normal rate of 30 frames per second.  Only when the video was slowed to 7.5 frames per second previously unseen Kings were viewable.
               For 2014 I have special underwater lens and filters that should sharpen up rigger cam images.  Working on a LED cannonball light source to illuminate the depths.
                    Happy to see the longest month of winter bite the dust!

1/30/14  Knowing what you did wrong can carry more merit than NOT knowing what you did right.  Baselines you know are wrong can be fixed!
               In reviewing hours of underwater footage, seen my boat speed was too hot on speed for tight 4' to 5' leads off the ball that must be used when capturing underwater video.  Any further back? ...the camera loses field of view.  My normal lead length is around 10'-12' back for regular fishing down a 100' & deeper (non video events).
               Closer the ball means more action.  Further back slows action.  This is a good rule of thumb.  Being too fast caused the fish at 140' down to miss the bait try after try.
               OK, now for my epiphany that happened when the video was edited in 1/4 the speed of normal.  What I thought, was dull, useless, & repetitive video ended up showing small attack pods of 2 & 3 Kings going after my bait. 
               Seeing these fish use a burst of their tail fin to turn and spin instantly, was like the second coming. Click King 140' down in their natural dark environment
               Always thought, Salmon in 38° water ...down deep (100' plus) were slow moving lethargic creatures.  One step above cryogenic stasis.
               Man, was I wrong!  Salmon are said to have a preferred water temperature of 54 degrees.  I mistakenly assumed Kings 16° below their prime activity level of 54° would be sluggish.  Heck no, Kings at depth can move so fast, only slo-mo editing would reveal fish in the frame for .3 tenths of second, or less in some cases.  Guesstimate would not be a stretch, to say, Kings can hit 20 mph.  And they do it in any direction they choose.
           This could explain why most of the fish I catch are never marked by sonar!

1/29/14  On this date one year ago it was 53 degrees for the high and 33 was the low for Manistee, MI.  Manistee's balmy temps for today come at 18 for the high and 14 degrees is the low.  18 degrees is a big deal improvement over the past few days.
              Shooting video is a job onto itself.  Complicate this with having to run a boat, battle fish, and do a respectable net job is impossible for the small crew aboard my boat.  That's why "always on" cameras are a must.  Spent most of 2013 dealing with the learning curve on where and how stationary cams need to be aimed/located.
              1080i HD movies are close to 4 gigs for 35 minutes of footage, making anything larger than a 32 gig Micro SD card a waste of money.  Bought the "way more" expensive 64 gig card only to have it fail and had to return it for my money back.
              In 2013 went to school in underwater filming and gained knowledge shooting in low light depths of a 100' and deeper.  One of the major issues when filming deep is condensation inside the action cam's water proof housing that fogs up the lens.
              In some underwater scenes? ....I could see the blow back on the other rigger's cannonball & viewed a second flasher a good 40' away when water clarity allowed.  Most surprising underwater lesson was King swimming down at least 5' to investigate what we were pulling.  Myth-busted the mistaken idea Salmon only swim upwards to hit a bait!
Tomorrow? what I learned editing slow motion underwater video that's a shocker!

1/28/14  Sony's action cam model HDR-AS10 is on sale at Amazon for 125 bucks. Sony's new 2014 white model has replaced this model and is driving the price down.  I paid close to 200 bucks for this same action cam last January.
              Rating Sony AS-10 vs. the $200 GoPro Hero 3 White Edition? ...Sony gets my vote for several reasons.  Sony's sound track excels, low light is better, and battery life kicks any GoPro's butt (2 hrs. vs. 50 minutes).  Sony's form factor is smaller with a more narrow profile ...providing less water resistance when used to film down below.  Both brands of action cams come with excellent waterproof housings good to 200' down.
              The $400 GoPro Hero 3 Black Edition does encode more data in 30 frames per second in the full 1080i HD setting.  GoPro when used as a point and shoot camera is lot better then than AS-10s, but the GoPro menu is very tricky to navigate thru.
              Based on the price tag of $125 Sony is a steal, if you want to capture live action aboard your boat.  Figure the entire Sony AS-10 package to do video right will set you back close to 200 when spare batteries, 32 gig micro SD card and the head band camera holder is purchased.   Click head cam filming action last August
              I learned the hard way to always leave my head cam turned on.  It's a reel-fact you never know when you're gonna get bit!  More on this subject tomorrow.

1/26/14  When will this winter become more normal in Michigan?  What date in Feb. 2014 will temperatures moderate?  When will the trend towards spring with temps in the 40s happen?  Answers can be found on Accuweather's website. Click reference source
               The good news according to Accuweather, around February 11th temps will moderate.  Bad news is March is predicted to be 10 degrees colder than normal thru 3/11/14.  Only time will tell if these long term projections come true.

1/25/14  You can review this week's important news that are transferred from this page to my 14 years of archived logs by clicking here
              There's a data mine for every port on MI with yearly catch rates posted on back 1/20/14.  Along with info on the new 2014 Salmon Ambassador program where the average "Joe" can participate by recording info (weight-length) of the Kings they catch.

1/24/14  T.G.I.F.  Daytime high temperatures continue to be 10 to 20 degrees below average for Manistee, MI.  Let's hope Mr. Groundhog has good news for us in 8 days.
               This is my 1st year spending the winter in the south.  Weather in Florida (where I'm at between Ocala-Gainesville, FL)  has been similar to early Oct. in Manistee.  30s at night & 50s for daytime highs has been the story for about the last 2 weeks. 
               Florida's exploding population growth will soon push it to the 3rd largest state in the US ...that's woefully short of water resources.
              Water shortages in FL have came about thru long term drought and lowering of the water table.  Unlike MI, many FL cities get their water from wells lowering the aquifer faster then mother nature can replace it.  

1/23/14  More frigid single digit temps and snow in Manistee, MI is making life tough on the deer herd.  Today's pic shows a deer that took shelter from the nasty conditions and bedded down inside my buddy's pole building. Click for indoors deer
               2014 prep work continues evidenced by pic 2 for today.  Attractor flies for  are the most time consuming component for Meat Rigs™.  Chartreuse Double Glo and Wild Canary rose in popularity last season.  Demand for this pattern was strongest on Lk. Ontario in Canada and New York. Click Wild Canary production

1/22/14  Picking up where I left off yesterday, here's my prediction for the soon to be here 2014 season.  Chinook/King Salmon catch rates will be an improvement over 2013.  Last year was the pits for Lk. MI falling below the 10 year average.  Granted the '13 crop was a lot larger, but fish were few & far between off my home port of Manistee, MI.
               Fishermen are usually eternal optimists seeing the glass half full, rather than half empty.  Hopefully, my crystal ball says Salmon fishing will increase to 2/3rds of what we had in 2012.  In  2014 9k of Kings will show up at the Little Manistee Harvest Weir (up from 6k in 2013) after the fleet whittles down the herd.  2012 produced 28,281 Kings for combined fleet of sport fishermen and charter boats (MDNR numbers) off Manistee.
              Fishing pressure will on the lighter side of normal off my port until the last part of August.  In turn, providing better chances for home boy port regulars (May thru July).

1/21/14  On 10/11/11 fished Lk. MI off my home port of Manistee, MI.  My wife and I caught a slew of Salmon.  Boating 15 fish (most released) during the bankers hours of 10am thru 4pm.  All, but one were immature fish destined to run in 2012.
              OK, the 2012 season turned out fairly well.  Confirmed with 12k (approx)  of Kings/Chinook Salmon returning to the Little Manistee Harvest Weir.
              Now for the reel facts: in October 2011 Manistee's charter fleet in 30 trips boated close to 350 Salmon (93 Coho & 246 Kings).  The following season, 2012 in 10 trips, Manistee's charter fleet caught 0 Coho and only 11 Kings.  Going from 10 (approx)
Salmon per outing down to 1 Salmon, a 90% decline, with only 6k at fish the weir in '13.
              This dire fall-off, in my long held humble opinion, gained thru 40 some years of experience ...foretold 2013 was going to be a lousy year for Kings.
              So, the befuddling part, ....what changed?  Fish stocking records were close to the identical for both years.  I can only offer conjecture, cuz like a lot of things with fishing, it can never be proved.  Different year classes of fish do not survive in carbon copy numbers from previous seasons.  Like I said, it's befuddling.
              2013 data records from Manistee's charter fleet for October are not available yet, but I know is was a lot better then the 1 Salmon a trip recorded in 2012.
              Tomorrow, my prediction for the '14 season. Click charter boat reports

1/20/14  Was able to sift thru the 2012 catch report data for my home port of Manistee, MI.  According to the MDNR numbers, the sport fleet caught 27,953 Kings.  The charter boats took 12,194 Kings.  Both numbers are season long.  Confirmed my long held belief late season Kings caught in Oct predict the Salmon take for the following season.  More revelations tomorrow backed up with reel-facts! Click MI creel census reports

1/19/14  The 2014 season is moving forward with interesting reports from the MDNR and Sea Grant.  Our MDNR displayed a seldom stroke of genius when they posted presentation You Tube videos online for all Great Lakes fishermen to see what the "smart people in the know" had to say at the recent Ludington, MI meeting about our fishery. 
              Michigan Sea Grant's Dan O'Keefe gets my kudos for enlisting regular sports fishermen to participate in their new Salmon Ambassadors program.  It's good to know we have dedicated people like Dan on the job.  Here's a link to his video explaining the Ambassadors program and how to join: Click Ambassadors program

1/18/14  Found a link where you can send you the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) comments about the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS) Report to stop Asian Carp entering Lk. MI via Chicago's canal. Click for more info
              Michigan Sea Grant has started a Salmon Ambassadors program to gather data on Chinook/King Salmon you catch this year.  Salmon Ambassadors are required to measure every King and note if it was a stocked Salmon  with a adipose fin clip, or a naturally reproduced King with the adipose fin intact.  More on this tomorrow.
              Message board members can access 4 important video presentations from the recent Ludington, MI Sea Grant meeting in the general forum. Click for videos
              To be covered tomorrow: http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/chartercreel/

1/17/14  Happy Friday!  Tech advancements during the last 20 years has been truly amazing.  I predict the next 20 will even be greater.  Putting the power of design in lay people hands with 3D printers is going to open new horizons for innovation.
               My 2014 video results left a lot to be desired, but did provide a roadmap what can be accomplished this year.  Learning from mistakes, or trial and error in my case leads to improvement.  Seen first hand of what can and cannot be done to capture reel-live action with no phony-baloney staged lackluster scenes.  Click underwater spring King

1/16/14  Good news, we're in the last 1/2 of this month.  January is the longest & most trying month of winter to get thru.  More good news, the days are getting longer too!
               Posted a photo, snapped yesterday of Orange Lk. in Florida, close to where I'm at.  Orange Lk. was swallowed by a sink hole in 2000 that lowered the lake level a good 6 feet.  Leaving boat docks high and dry as today's pic shows.  Orange Lk. holds the record for the heaviest alligator in Florida, a big, nasty, toothy beast coming in at 1,081 pounds.
               Going south this winter has been a huge culture shock for me that's tough to endure.  At home my closest neighbor is a 1/2 mile away.  Now, I live like gypsy on a 30' wide lot in a RV park longing to be back home in Manistee, MI. Click Orange Lk.

1/15/14  It's like a gold rush for companies making 3D printers.  Yesterday, cruised countless websites in my quest to gain knowledge in the 3D printing world. 
              Many 3d printer manufacturers are offering kits, because they can't build them fast enough to suit demand.  What makes these machines so attractive to the public? ...price is offset by the ability to make everyday useful items.
               In my case, having 5 home built prototypes all with slight differences to water test guarantees superior tackle performance.  Besides, sharing the fascinating prototyping and testing process with you ...is going to be priceless!

1/14/14  3D printers is today's topic.  Been researching which one to buy and still don't have a clue.  Desirable features I'm looking include: heated build bed, generic filament, variety of materials to make models, and printing directly from a SD card are necessary options.  3D printer to make prototype tackle is one of my goals for 2014.
               The main problem is this technology is moving so fast anything you purchase will be obsolete by next year.  Next glitch is the wait/lead time on decent sub $3k printers that range from 2 weeks to 2 months for delivery.  Not to mention the 2 month learning curve several spoke of doing product reviews on Amazon.
               Looking towards the future, 20 years down the road, most homes will have one.  3D food printers brings Sci-Fi's Star Trek food replicator to the realm of possibilities.  Food printers are already on the market to decorate cakes.
               Issues with patent infringement and breaking federal government gun laws have already popped up in the exciting new world 3D printing.

1/13/14  Posted a before and after photo demonstrating our industry leading UV technology.  It will never be known if fish can see UV.  Based on sales Smurf & Rage Red sit at the top with the G2 not very far behind in meat heads. Click UV effects
              Tomorrow, I'll share part of process in creating prototypes I have on deck for 2014.  Designing new tackle has it's challenges working with computer assisted design (CAD) files necessary to make final product tooling.  One thing is for certain, you have to be 1000% absolutely sure the design works flawlessly before dumping 20-30k in tooling.

1/12/14  Good day to take a break.

1/11/14  In as little as 9 weeks ...it's entirely possible, I could be on Lk. MI taking part in Manistee's early season shoreline Brown Trout fishing.  It's a reel-fact the Browns off my home port has been in very short supply for a number of years.  The way I look at it? Slow fishing, sure beats no fishing!  Think spring! Click 3/16/12 boat

1/10/14  T.G.I.F.  Good week to bid farewell to.  Recent arctic cold front with all 50 states reporting freezing temperatures doesn't happen all that often.  The weather people taught us a new name, "polar vortex" is now in all of our vocabularies.
               Welcome to all returning message board members that have migrated to the new one located at: http://www.michiganangler.com/phpbb
             Began the new board project last summer.  Started in earnest last November.  Knew this was a difficult job beyond my skill sets going in.  Hired a so-called phpBB specialist off Elance in early Nov.  Then, he abandoned the job and dumped it all in my lap.  He I am, lost in world of configuring server side programming/configuration without  the slightest clue.  After 2 months of running into stone walls (trial and error), finally accomplished what I thought was impossible ...whew!  Glad this job is done!!

1/9/14  Spent all of yesterday reviewing the video footage shot in 2013.  Now, the planning stage as I plan out the best way to present to you.
            For a moral booster, waited for deep winter to wrestle with the massive task of stitching/editing video together.  Hope to have new movies ready soon.
            Most important thing I learned was to wear a head cam that's always on and religiously change batteries every hour.  Lost a lot of good scenes due to dead batteries.

1/8/14  Had another update in mind for today.  Then, ran across of photo of "Todd the Rod" doing a nice net job back in 2012.  Click TTR's net job on a warm day
            Tee shirts on a warm day with calm Lk. MI kicking out decent fishing in June seemed to be more appropriate mind food for today.

1/7/14  Important stuff on tap for today.  The Obama Administration is using shameful delaying tactics when it comes to Asian Carp and other invasive species entering the Great Lakes thru IL's Chicago Canal tied to the Mississippi watershed. 
            This is a 2 way street with invasive species already in the Great Lakes such as the fish hook water flea & VHS migrating into the vast Mississippi watershed.  If you're interested in the latest smoke screen. Click to read GLMRIS Summary Report
            This GLMRIS report has outlined several plans with costs estimations up to plus 18 billion that may, or may not work.  One plan is projected to take 25 years.

1/6/14  Happy first week in 2014!  Setting up the new message board learned more about how spying robots troll the web ready to record every word you say i.e. type.  The Google bot is active 24/7/365.  Making Google, by far, ...the worst offender.  Search engines by Yahoo and Bing are almost as bad. Click for proof
              Search engine bots that search the web for content is OK.  That's how SEs stay current.  But, in most cases this turns into selling advertizing data bases for banner ads that are on 99% of websites.  In turn, providing these sites a revenue stream.

1/5/13  Been immersed in heavy duty web-work for the past 4 weeks. Hogs of 2013, or the page of: Fish of 2013 continues to be a labor of love in progress with 44 pictures and counting.  Seeing big fish and happy fishermen is a reel-joy! Click Fish of 2013
            Creating a new message board while importing all the data from the old board took countless hours.  End result is I'll have the best customer support forums in the fishing tackle business.  "Best" is not a word I bestow lightly!"  Click support forum
            Adding the new page of 2014 tackle at the webstore was another mighty task.
            Then, yesterday reviewing the fishing video shot in 2013 intensified my fishing affliction to the highest degree.  Granted it's full-blown winter outside, but in time this will pass ...when the floodgates of a shiny, brand-new fishing season bursts open.

1/4/14  Polar vortex sounds like something out of a sci-fi move, ...right?  Nope, this is not science fiction, as we brace for more Nanook weather tomorrow night.
            A Polar vortex is mega mass of counterclockwise-rotating pool of arctic, dense air plied up at the North Pole that can push as far S as the gulf coast.  This is event is rare. Only happening once, or twice every decade.
            Low temperature for Jacksonville, FL this coming Monday night is record setting 24 degrees.  If there is a silver lining to this winter's cold, nasty weather? ...the worse the winter, the better the spring fishing is on Lk. MI.  Now, that's a warming thought!

1/3/14  Have a new product that will debut this coming Monday that proved it's worth last August.  All tackle introduced at my webstore has been used aboard my boat.  This way, I know it works first hand.  Price point will be an excellent bargain too!
            Work continues on the new message board.  Excited with the progress that's been made so far.  Old board has been discontinued, but left behind one forum that will soon have instructions on how to migrate and keep your membership active. 

1/2/14  Words have different meanings to all of us. Take New Year's resolutions for example.  To me? ....resolution means a problem/issue have been taken care of after a lengthy process.  Assigning a certain holiday to fix issues is a foolish waste of time.
             Been days deep in computerville learning how to get the new message board configured after hiring a supposed code/CSS specialist off Elance who abandoned the job.
            Once a again proving, if I want something done right?  I'm gonna have to do it myself.  Server based code and formatting is way-way above my skill sets.
            More on the new board features tomorrow..... Click to preview upgrade

1/1/14  Happy New Year!