Garrisons To Onondaga - Frozen? Canoe Trip 2/15-2/16

[Mitch f]

I hope Whiskey Joe ended up safe and had a good day!

[Blazerman]

I was down at my place for a little while today trimming trees and the river by me was open. Had an eagle hanging out by the river when i first got there.I am sure it was fine upstream but cold.

Going home the river by the bridge at Pacific looked pretty frozen. I could not see any open water there.

[Whiskey Joe]

Made it!

Fishing: First cast with jerk bait, twitch, long pause, twitch, long pause, twitch - wait, tension, yank, FISH! Always HATE catching a fish on my first cast. It's like a terrible omen where I don't catch another the rest of the trip. As usual, my only fish. But the other fish caught by the group was a 17" hog!

COLD: Yesterday was rough! We started in the cold, about 15, and it got colder during the day which iced up the eyes of the rods. Still good to get out, but man!

Enjoy the pics. Icy pic is a slough, river was open. Fish pic the guy is saying "Good fish, but I'M COLD!"

[Mitch f]

Hang on, is that you in the second pic? I know you from the SMA. Anyway glad you made it out and were safe. Nice fish!!

[Old plug]

the only thing I can say about these winter floats is be real careful to stay out of the water. I spent 2 months 5oo miles north of the arctic circle on the flight deck of a aircraft carrier in the late 50s proving we could track soviet subs in there back yard and several months in the north atlantic in the winter time. I realize it was colder than you will find around here but we had a course in cold water danger. I think in the 30s you only have minutes. I believe it is a dangerous undertaking. That goes for lakes as well. I think the older you get it is even more the worse it gets. When I go out even with water around 50 I do not forget even at that temperature it can kill you. you can bundle up it a lot of clothes but then you might not be able to swim.

[Blazerman]

Nice pics and nice fish! I know it was supposed to be warmer Sunday but to me it seemed colder. Cudos for getting out there and going for it. Even trimming trees it felt great to be outside by the river.

[Old plug]

I am a little surprised nome of you river fishermen ever mention fishing the root wads. I know its hard but there is a lot of big fish lay under the the holes they form. its a hard cat to get a smaller jig down in there right

[Whiskey Joe]

Not me:

He's the guy who set up the trip and caught the biggest fish.

Safety?

I realize it's not "politically correct" to be unsafe these days, but isn't that part of the fun? Realize we had 3 canoes and a rule to keep in eye-sight of each other. Also, if we did fall in, we had a change of clothes with plan to strip quick and redress even quicker. Plus, we had cell phones. More of a social post, but I'm sick of all this "be safe" commentary, seems the world has turned into my Grandma. I don't want to die for quite a few more years (better not or my wife will kill me), but don't these unsafe things make life worth living?

Picnic Table:

Friday night we meet & buy dinner for the guy who's putting us up for the weekend so we don't have to camp. We're very appreciative. We go to the place, I'm backing the old Land Cruiser up to unload, thought it was clear, but DEMOLISH his picnic table (not just a push, more like a squish). How uncomfortable! I just meet the guy and now I gotta go apologize for the picnic table. Of course this was fodder for the weekend, "WATCH IT! Joe's going backwards in the canoe"; "Should we have breakfast outside, that's right, NO PICNIC TABLE". Luckily, I found cheap lumber just posted on craiglist and bought enough for 2 tables. Now just got to build them (not my forte).

Root wads:

Good point and I fish them a lot in the spring/summer/fall. I think they have too much current in the winter. I vertical jigged a lot of big, deep rocks to no avail. I only saw one smallmouth, but mostly turtles and suckers. Water was sooo clear.

Looking back, I really wish the weather would have been a little better, but I'd do it again tomorrow. By the way, did I mention one of the guys that went is 74 years old? Man, what a role model.

[Mitch f]

Safety?

I'm sick of all this "be safe" commentary, seems the world has turned into my Grandma. I don't want to die for quite a few more years (better not or my wife will kill me), but don't these unsafe things make life worth living?

.

Yes , we are turning into a society of wimps, but you were the one who was concerned about the ice in your original post (and rightly so)

[Whiskey Joe]

You're absolutely right Mitch! We agree on the "society of wimps" and as part of the society, I'm a wimp too! Cellphone; change of clothes accessible, I didn't have either on winter floats in the 90's.

The ice concern was more of for inconvenience than safety, though added risk of falling in due to ice in deep water was a definite concern. Regardless, the trip was planned, I WAS GOING, PERIOD!!!

Unless it was called off by the planner of course. Would have been a marital blessing NOT being out on Valentine's Day! I married a mean woman to keep me out of prison. And WOAH, preference to freeze with a bunch of guys on the river over the most romantic day of the year didn't go over too well!

I've been on the Bourbeuse around Tea Access with no water, dragging for miles and miles. The inconvenience made it not a good trip!

Oh how I love our screwed up society. Makes jokes a lot easier to come by. . . . I remember being 10 years old and my Grandma dropping me off at 8AM after a HUGE breakfast with a fishing pole and pockets full of lures saying, "Okay Joe, I'll meet you at the other bridge at 5:00". Big hug and good-bye. 9 hours without food or drink (okay, I drank a little creek water when I got thirsty). This was on the Big Creek near Troy, MO, gravel road old Iron Clad bridge to Hwy 61. I think it's about 4 miles. OH MY GOODNESS, HOW DID I SURVIVE? No "be careful", just Grandma saying, "Have Fun!" Would I do this for my 10 year old? NO WAY! Society of wimps, TOTALLY AGREE!