jdmidwest

I sit in a Z 71 drinking beer and watching a rental property breach the sandbags we built up in Cape Girardeau. That property is a field now and the owner died last summer. But I think we have had several bigger floods since. Once they had to open up a levee down near New Madrid. Twice I have been stranded in St. Louis because I 55 was shutdown due to flood waters. Keep dicking with the rivers and they will pay you back two fold. Nothing beats the power of water.

I have bought my grandson 3 pairs of sunglasses this year, I make him wear them at all times while fishing. He keeps taking them home and leaving them there. Never around when we go fishing. You need to up the reaction time with your reflexes, toss your arm up to deflect the lure. That will result in an easier to remove hook from the arm. Unless it hits a ligament or tendon like a Rapala stick bait did me many years ago. Had to push it thru tough and then cut off to release.

The theory is, heated compost is supposed to kill it's disease. Many other ways to transfer the fungus and virus anyway, they will find a way to the plants. I did toss dead tomatoes in burn barrel yesterday while cleaning up a bed.

I was in Academy Sports the other day, washing my hands in the restroom. A feller went in a stall then came right back out. He asked me if I was just in there. First thing thru my mind was the last one had left a masterpiece behind. I laughed and said no. He said that there was a wallet in the floor, he picked it up and turned it in. Still good people in this world.

You should not have flies and maggots if you only put plant material in there. Never put meat or bone in it, no grease or fat. I saw a confused tree frog last weekend on way back from Pickwick. I stopped for groceries to eat that night and the car parked next to me had one sitting on the fender. It was a Candy Apple Red car and the frog was white. Adaptive camo was having a hard time matching its surroundings.

I have caught 2 biguns that have weighed 130 lbs this summer. But I hooked myself in the fins. Never dived in with my mouth to catch a flyer.

I have one of the compost bins that I picked up at Sams a few years back. I dump old plants and cuttings in it. Scrap from kitchen. Grass clippings. Mulched leaves from the blower. And toss in some worms left over from fishing. Stir it a few times a year and it makes some great black compost every couple of years. I refilled a raised bed this spring with compost out of it and the tomatoes are doing well from it this year. Soil stays nice and loose too.

Asian Carps have made it to TN. Seeing them all over this year. Record flows have gotten them migrating all up the system. Biguns jumping at the boat while running the Duck River Sat. The jet must have different harmonics than a prop job. Only time they jumped was at takeoff and shutdown. Running on plane did not seem to stir them up any.

Looks well fed or about to drop young.

I always try to upgrade the tires on my trailers to radial if possible. The ones that come on trailers stock tend to be low end and wear fast if you pull them long distances. Cheap tires are great if you live 10 minutes from fishing waters. But pulling one 5 hours on the interstate will heat them up pretty good.

Looks like one big rain coming thru tomorrow and nice until next weekend. Probably till up a patch for the turnips and radishes at the end of the week. Plenty of cucumbers, little tomatoes, peppers, and first zucchini. Rain came too late. Pumpkins, spaghetti squash, okra, and flowers were a failure. Fall sweet peas failed also, have to replant again. Bees will have great forage this fall, should build up nice for the winter. Hives I started in spring are healthy and heavy. The 2 I started in July are building up well. Drought in June killed the honey crop this year.

Nice. Looks like your day was better than mine. TN Rivers were dead yesterday with the showers moving thru all day. Best fish was 15"

Last one I saw, near one of those tower sites I spoke of. Not a very good pic. Blind spot and did not want to end up like this one did myself.

Praying Mantis love them. I posted a pic a long time ago feeding one to my pet mantis. Like others, I pluck them and stomp them for the most part. Plant some dill and it keeps them away. They have not been a problem this year.

Having fun with that Urban Legend. Rumor has it that the MDC dropped them in from helicopters. Have fun rolling logs looking for the snakes. I personally try to avoid those areas. Have not had much luck taking photos of live Rattlers.

Otters have done a number on snakes near rivers, so don't look there.

Look for counties with low turkey numbers. That is where the MDC trapped all the turkeys out to restock the rattlers! There was a rattler restoration project around St Louis somewhere a few years back. There was some stories on the project. In Cape Girardeau County, the areas around KFVS and KBSI Towers seem to be teeming with Timber Rattlers. Not sure why, but most seem to thing it may have something to do with the radio waves. And they like the cooling pipes running up the towers, they are warming to them. But you would have to get permission to be in the area.

One was laying on the dash where I was stationed. I had moved to the front of the boat to catch and release the small bass like I have done hundreds of times. From now on, it will be on my belt loop.

All a part of being prepared for anything. Those dang hooks on the Flicker Shad are wicked. But they catch alot of fish. I have fished Shad Raps for years, but the Flicker Shad takes it up a notch. New rule, fish grabbers each time on the Flicker Shad. That crooked barb is tough to push thru.

Got me again this weekend. Fishing below the dam at Pickwick. 12 inch spotted bass, reached for the lure to pull the hook out and flopped it into the finger. This time around, I had my Dr. buddies. They are not afraid to attack me with a knife. They took the fish off, then the lure off of the line. The fish had stuck the hook all the way out the other side but not past the barb. Tried pushing it on thru, but the goofy bend and tough skin made it tuff. Out came the scalpel, one Dr. made a small cut to relieve the barb. I pushed the hook on thru. My new side cutters in the bag was applied by my other Dr. Left hand went up to deflect the pointed shrapnel that was about to happen. Cut the barb off and I pulled hook out. Then pulled the pointed part out of my left hand like a splinter, it shot into it when he cut it with the pliers. Bandaid on and back to fishing the same lure. Caught a few more on it .later on.

Wow. Dumbing down of America at its finest.

Tossed back a 2lb 11 oz at Pickwick this weekend, buddy beat me about a hour later by 2 ozs. Slow weekend, dead summer heat. Usually we get over a 3 lb r each trip, 4 lbs is a target, and 6 is my trophy plan. But they eat like pigs on threadfin shads.

Wally had it on clearance for $2. I had one with the kill clip, paracord, and a brass clip. I decided to upgrade to a nice red coily cord one for that price, but thanks for the offer. I got on to my buddy today for not wearing his in the Nitro. Told him to Google Hydraulic steering failures. Skated death twice with the cancer, trying to avoid Murphy now at every chance I can find.

Murphy doing his job. I sit back in my neighborhood and watch him work with a nice cold beer. Too many people are crowding this world.

Bought a new kill switch the other day because of you. No excuses for not fishing, try to find ones to go. Life is too short.