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 Bugs and Bass 2013 
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King of Spring

Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2007 4:09 pm
Posts: 1305
Location: Seacoast NH
Post Re: Bugs and Bass 2013
One and Done
In Roccus's words...........

"Slowest night of the week… but how can you beat a night on the water with a good friend… a late inning sox win a picture stolen and a gift of life….frosting on the cake was the capture of enough bait to do it again for another week…"

Thank you Joe for the bow of the Princess. Next wire line.

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Coalman's Online Blog http://coalmansblog.com


Thu Aug 08, 2013 1:20 pm
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King of Spring

Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2007 4:09 pm
Posts: 1305
Location: Seacoast NH
Post Re: Bugs and Bass 2013
08-14-13
I knew this day was going to happen. On Saturday August 3, I got an early start. Was down to the dock at 0530. Fired up the 75 Yamaha and when I walked down to the other end of the dock to get eels out of the car noticed an unusual sound from the engine. It was surging. Like a car starting in cold weather and then idling down as it warmed up. But this was different. It idled up, then down, up then down. Thinking if I got out on the river it would come out of it I shoved off. The boat came to plane then I had a serious loss of power.

Not wanting to chance it I limped back to the dock thinking the fuel system was sucking air. Starting at the engine and working back toward the fuel tank revealed no problems. Drained all three carburetor bowls and went home and got a new fuel filter thinking water in the gas. Nope nothing helped.

On Sunday night I called my boat tech and asked him if he could look at it. Monday I got the diagnostic. It need a new CDI ? Some computer part that costs over $700. But that wasn't all he found. I had and have an exhaust leak where the power head connects to the engine. It wasn't anything I could see due to the housing surrounding it. He said it has been leaking for a while. I remember Roccus asking about that noise the first time he went fishing with me in the Bay. I told him it always made that sound and the motor ran great. Just fluffed it off.

My tech said the boat would run with the exhaust leak but the only way to fix the surging was to order the part. He also told me that if the engine casing was rotted where the exhaust leak was it would be a season ending repair.

My motor is a 1998 75 hp Yamaha 2 stroke. It was the last year Yamaha made engines where you had to mix the gas and oil. I bought it on the coldest day in the middle of the winter and got a pretty sweet deal. That was 16 lobster and fishing seasons ago and I am afraid to think how many hours that engine has on it cruising Great Bay, the Piscataqua River and the Atlantic Ocean. She has seen them all and has NEVER left me stranded.

It was like the devil on my left shoulder and the angel on my right. Do I spend the money in repairs on a tired engine or get a new one? So with permission from my better half the search began to repower the USS Coalman. I knew a four stroke was what I wanted but the 75 Yamaha weighed in at 366 pounds. And so did the other manufactures 4 strokes in the 75 hp range. That is too heavy for my transom.

Then Roccus sent me a link on Yamaha's 70 hp 4 stroke. It was only 257 pounds. Well within my weight range. My tech is also a certified Yamaha mechanic. 1 + 1 = 2 and the decision was made.

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I'm looking forward to the next 16 years.

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Keeper of the Mountain
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Coalman's Online Blog http://coalmansblog.com


Thu Aug 15, 2013 1:21 pm
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King of Spring

Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2007 4:09 pm
Posts: 1305
Location: Seacoast NH
Post Re: Bugs and Bass 2013
Six Bugs and a Bass
08-17-13
Was OTW at 0530. 56 degrees with fog blowing in over the water from the marsh. The cool weather and water vapor said the seasons are changing. Later in the morning the numerous big flocks of geese confirmed via audio what the temperature made me feel.

The Bay was like glass. The plan was to fish for stripers then when the bite quit check traps. Traveling through Little Bay on an incoming tide I noticed a couple buoys fighting the tide to stay above the surface. So the plan was reversed. The line didn't take anytime with a boat under full power. Six bugs made the cooler, at least twice that many were returned for another shed. Caught another notched female. The coolest thing out of the trap was the biggest flounder my traps have ever caught. I had thoughts of keeping it to enjoy some fillet of sole but I didn't know the size limit. It got the release of life.

Where are all the fisherman? Not at Fox Point that is for sure. I started striper fishing as the sun started rising high and getting stronger. I could feel the sun burning and knew the bite would be slow. You know when you get things just right? Boat speed, edge of the drift and bait sending vibration signals while fighting the pull of the hook? Yup fish on! When it lay along the tape measure on my gunnel it covered the number 28. Again I thought about keeping it but I am getting soft and the striper still swims.

The boat ran well. Life is good.

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Your eye in the Northeast sky
Coalman's Online Blog http://coalmansblog.com


Mon Aug 19, 2013 8:10 am
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King of Spring

Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2007 4:09 pm
Posts: 1305
Location: Seacoast NH
Post Re: Bugs and Bass 2013
You can tell the summer season is changing by the increase in the striper bite.

08-22-13
Got out Thursday night. Boated a 24" and missed four. Had a hook turn into the eel on a big striper. I saw the boil on the first muffed hook set. It kept coming back hit after hit. Kept trying to cross his eyes and kept pulling the eel out of his mouth. I'm pretty sure I heard Murphy laughing.

08-23-13
Shared the boat with Joe Friday night. We put four in the boat. No keepers.

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08-24-13
Today would have been my Dad's 84th birthday. It still hurts deeply not being able to share stories with my #1 mentor. My brother Dennis said it right in his eulogy, "David inherited my father's love of the outdoors genes."

Was OTW at 0900. Due to the big full moon tides this week and a tip from Ray that our buoy lines were full of eel grass I chose to check traps at low tide. My pot hauler got a workout this morning. There had to be an extra thirty pounds of vegetative debris on each line. The speedy tides had also churned up the bottom and most of the traps in deep water were full of decomposing eel grass. When it was all said and done 13 traps, 5 keepers and 8 shorts. It has been two weeks and my shallow water honey holes have dried up. Moved that gear into deeper water.

Went fishing tonight with the spirit of my old man. I knew he would be able to keep Murphy at bay. Fishing was slow on the high side of the outgoing tide. Early on a 16" striper took an eel of about the same length.

Joe was out in his boat with a friend. Got a phone call and later took this picture of Dan and his first ever striper. A 30" keeper.

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Towards sunset in a skinny water rip I hooked a nice Great Bay striper. I could hear my dad talking to me through the drag on the reel. Murphy was silent.

This fish had spunk. Talk about fat!

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The tape said 33". This fish did not get the release of life. It will grace the dinner table in my dad's honor.

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08-25-13
Never leave fish to find fish. We know where they live. Could there be a repeat this evening? Stay tuned........

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Keeper of the Mountain
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Tenth Legion

Your eye in the Northeast sky
Coalman's Online Blog http://coalmansblog.com


Sun Aug 25, 2013 11:02 am
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King of Spring

Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2007 4:09 pm
Posts: 1305
Location: Seacoast NH
Post Re: Bugs and Bass 2013
09-02-13
Dodging Thunder Boomers

Saw a small window of opportunity between thunder storms today and took advantage to get the lobster traps checked. Out at 10 AM and in by noon. 13 traps equaled 14 keepas'. Almost three times better than last weeks check. Got a few good hard shell. Hopefully the fall crawl is beginning.

Ray continues to catch blue crabs. No blue crabs for me yet this year.

Oysters started September 1 and forgoing any more torrential rain the soft shell clam season opens this Saturday.

Traps are fishing, got a bucket, a hoe and a rake. I could live on shellfish.

_________________
Keeper of the Mountain
Province Division
Tenth Legion

Your eye in the Northeast sky
Coalman's Online Blog http://coalmansblog.com


Wed Sep 04, 2013 1:38 pm
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King of Spring

Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2007 4:09 pm
Posts: 1305
Location: Seacoast NH
Post Re: Bugs and Bass 2013
Farewell to Bugs and Bass 2013

It is with a heavy heart that I bid farewell to Bugs and Bass 2013. It was a great season. My last check of the line was 09-20-13. Two weeks earlier in anticipation of our road trip to WI to pick up our new yellow lab pup I had relocated the traps to shallow water since I knew it would be a while before the next check. My thirteen traps held 10 keeper lobsters. It took two trips and all the traps were dockside. Two more trips to the barn and all my traps are now in hibernation at the farm.

The USS Coalman is scheduled to go to dry dock the week of October 7th. Last Saturday 09-28-13 we made the trip to the clam flats. A peck of Great Bay soft shell clams was the outcome.

I took these two pictures just as I left the flats. It is an image I want to look back and see when old man winter freezes the landscape. I call them “Endless Skies”.

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Sunday, Bay and I took a day trip to Sampson’s Bay in order to get camp ready for the upcoming bird season. The highlight of the trip was a pot of fresh steamers cooked on the camp stove and enjoyed one by one sitting in front of the fireplace.

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Sadness may be the mood at this writing but starting at 1700 on Friday there is a week’s vacation of upland, waterfowl and turkey hunting scheduled with my best canine friend, Bay.

I love New England and the way we gravitate from season to season. There is always something for a well rounded sportsman to enjoy.

Thanks for coming along on Bugs and Bass 2013. I enjoyed the company!

_________________
Keeper of the Mountain
Province Division
Tenth Legion

Your eye in the Northeast sky
Coalman's Online Blog http://coalmansblog.com


Wed Oct 02, 2013 9:05 am
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King of Spring

Joined: Sun Dec 05, 2004 4:50 pm
Posts: 2647
Location: central Va
Post Re: Bugs and Bass 2013
Much enjoyed and appreciated as usual! thanks for taking us along.


Thu Oct 03, 2013 8:46 am
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