JAM’s ADVENTURES

Road Trips Are Cool. For those that know me, I don't get off the Island Much, by choice.

After the Christmas Fiasco that  Kellie’s son Joe went through with the Airports and delays, we promised him he would never go through that again.  So we Picked up the rental car at 6 a.m on Tuesday and headed for OHIO.  I was real excited to see Mountains as I have not seen them in around 8 years, and I was real stoked to pick up Kellie’s son for his summer long Adventure.  I am looking forward to a lot of His Firsts (Speck, Drum, Flounder) and KAYAKING .  I think he will have a GREAT Summer, and I look forward to showing him things that folks have shown me.   

The Sign says it all

The drive was going to be 726 miles each way, so when we picked up the car I took the first leg, as I am familiar with the run to Richmond and need no directions.  After we got to around the Virginia, West Virginia border, Kellie took over so I could look at the Mountains. 

We had lots of fun around Charlottesville as I told her that the Walton’s concept came from that area.. And I went on telling here the names of the different Hilltops and Mountains.. For example Grandpa’s Gonad, and Maryellen’s Melon’s, and my favorite Granny’s Crack.  The Walton’s was one of my favorite shows as a kid, so I had lots of fun with that till we got tot he WVA border.   I know, I can bring anything right on down to the gutter with me, but that’s my style.

Real Pretty, but I built it up in my head to be more..

Once into the Mountains of West Virginia , I was kinda let down.  May be I built them up to be something that they were not, in my head, but I was not very Impressed.  It looked a lot like where I grew up in Upstate NY, and the hi-est we got was 2,704 feet.  I don’t know may be I was expecting the Swiss Miss girl, to hand me some Hot Coco and welcome me.  

Crossing the Ohio River

Next state was Ohio, and the furthest I had driven west before this trip was Pittsburgh, been all over the Country in a plane but never went this far west in a car before.  Let me tell ya, it was beautiful, so lush and plush everywhere.   A very beautiful place. 

 The plan was to go do a drive by on Joe, then head to the 105 acre farm that we were staying at with Kellie’s friends. 

Joe Kramer's Farm

No sooner then we got to the Farm, the beers were flowing and we settled into out new home for the next day or so.  Had a few and the guys- Joe, Les, and John, asked if we wanted to go 4 wheeling  to check out the farm.  These ain’t your normal Quads, they are tricked to the nines, expansion chambers, worked out Monsters.  One was called a Razor made by Polaris, it’s a two person rig that will go anywhere a Billy Goat can. 

Kellie and Les after a Razor Ride

And a whole lot faster then a Billy Goat on fire.  After getting covered in Mud and face hurting from smiling so much we called it a night. 

http://www.duneguide.com/ProductReview_Polaris_RZR800.htm

The Bolivar Dam

The next day was our lay day so Kellie showed me around where she lived, before moving to the Island.  We went to the Bolivar Dam first cause it was right there. http://www.lrh.usace.army.mil/projects/lakes/bos/It was an amazing thing to see, it’s there to hold back the Tuscarawas River when ever it floods.  When it last flooded in Jan. 2005, the water was up to the 85 foot mark  and almost flooded the entire town.  Schools were closed for 4 weeks because of it. 

Fishy Fishy place, it's wild that his body of water got 85 foot high in Jan 2005

The Zoar Hotel

Next was on to the Town of Zoar, a real old place that was kinda like Williamsburg, with all the old time shops and stuff.   That’s where we went to a cool little lake off of the Tuscarawas river, where we walked around and checked things out.  We had the entire park to ourselves it was beautiful.    http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=829

The Red Dog Saloon

Stopped by a few of Kellie’s friends houses and went to one of Kellie’s best friends Karen’s and Sony’s bar called the Red Dog Saloon.  Hung there for a bit, but had to cut it short to get back to the farm for dinner.

All the Quads in the Garage

Once we got back to the Farm the Guys invited us to go 4 wheeling on the Farm to go see the sunset.  Kellie went with Les in the Razor and Les let me use his 500 Polaris Scrambler, it is a complete beast and ya spend a lot of time just trying to keep the thing underneath ya, it’s that fast.  Some parts of the trail system that they have blazed on this 105 acre working farm, are incredible and they have names for them. 

http://www.polarisindustries.com/en-ca/ATV/2009/ENTRY/SCRAMBLER-500-4X4/Pages/features.aspx

 One of them is El Diablo, or the Devil.  It is near vertical climb up the side of a steep hill-face.  My first time up I got stuck mid way up, but I let the Scrambler roll back a bit put her in 4×4 and up I went front  tires off the ground most of the way.  After seeing an incredible sunset, it was time to put our grub on. 

Joe Foolin Around for the camera

Les and John

Sandy

Sandy and Joe (Joe owns the Farm been in his family since the beginning of time) and John and Les prepared us a bar-b-q that included Steak from one of thier cows, pork from the pigs and chicken from an unlucky chicken there. I love homemade animals better then the store bought ones, they taste sooooooooo much better.  It was getting kinda late, as we were picking up Joe (Kellie’s boy) at 4 a.m so we thanked everyone for the good time and memories, invited them all to come to the Island and we were off to bed. 

All ya got to do to make a man smile is say "BOOBIES"

Hit the road at 3:30 a.m Thursday and headed for Kellie’s son’s house to pick him up.  He was at the ready with all his things for the Summer, we loaded up the car and pointed it for Nawth Kackalacki..Back home by 5 p.m DOG@SS TIRED.. Went to sleep and ready to go back tot he Grind.. It was a cool Road Trip and I had a blast, we placed a weeks worth of stuff into a day and a half..

 It’s a place I want to go back to and spend some more time.. Saw lots of places I could blister fish from the Yak, and I want to try……

WOW I can not wait to YAK in this... Looks real real Fishy..

Joe on the Roll home to Carolina...

I believe we will be building a few days into Joe’s return trip at the end of the Summer.. But until then, let the FUN Begin…… JAM out

Nice Sunrise

It has been a real real good week of fishing, or should I call it catching.  Been 4 days this week that I fished and 4 days that I have caught Specks.  Nothing to write home about but nice Keeper specks all in the 14 to 16 inch range.  I let these guys go, because I like a bigger fish to kill, and the only way to get bigger ones is to let the smaller ones live.

Got out there before 5 day before yesterday and the Sun was just peeking up over the Dunes.  Paddled to where Kellie had caught her first Speck the day before, because that was as good a spot to start as any.  You never can catch yesterdays Fish but, they are usually close by as they don’t move to far once they find a home. 

Little Pan Sized Blue

On my first cast I hooked into this little blue eyed demon (BlueFish) took a photo of him and let him go. 

I have never caught Blues and Specks in the same hole, so I moved too another spot to try my luck.  After a while of nothing and work looming on the horizon I started to head back closer to my vehicle fishing all along the way. 

Specks are so pretty with shades of purle and blue..

Got to a productive  spot, lots of suttle hits and bumps, set anchor, and fished it for a while.  Not too long after arriving, got this nice little 15 incher.  Hung out there for a little bit with no more takers, so I decided to pack it in for the day.

Fish with a Ranger Program a far cry from what it used to be.

Went home got up with Kellie and we decided to take a walk on the Beach.  We parked at ramp 43 (only ramp open in Buxton thanks NPS) walked over the Dunes and saw a very small group of people fishing together.  As we got closer, I noticed it was 2 Park Rangers and 4 People Fishing together.  It kinda made me laugh, because it was the Fish With a Ranger Program..

As they were packing up to leave, they all threw their bait on the Ground, that would have gotten you and me a 150 dollar fine, but it's jsut another case of do as I say not as I do..

Several years ago, before the National Park Service started to SCREW us over, the Cape Hatteras Anglers Club used to run the Fish with a Ranger Program, of which I was a volunteer.  Two days a week a Team from the Anglers club used to take up to 60 People Fishing on the Beach for a 4 hour period.   Local Tackle shops USED to donate all the fishing Tackle, Rods, Reels, terminal Tackle, sand spikes, everything except Bait.  Over the 2 years I did the program we helped lots of First Timers catch fish, and it was a very popular program that accommodated 120 people a week.  When the Park Service started to show it’s alliance with the Environmental Extreme, I pulled out of the program and the Cape Hatteras Anglers Club did the same.    So seeing the Very Small Group (bout 4 people and 2 rangers) made me think about how many folks we took fishing over the years. 

What the National Park Service needs to realise is that any plan they come up with WILL FAIL  without The Communities support.   Ya see we Live in the National Park, it is the only place in America where a Park was built around an existing community and a lot of promises were made by them and now are being broken.. All I can say is that we have held back a lot of folks from doing a lot of bad things.  With the Final Plan Right around the corner, I hope Mike Murray takes this into consideration, if the final plan even resembles the Draft, that will prove to alot of People (what I have know all along) he was brought here to turn the Recreation Area into a Wild Life Refuge. 

Ya see a lot of folks bought the BS he was selling when he got into town, I was not one of them.  Now all of his supporters are changing their tune, when some of them were Kissing His Ass big time, I was telling them to watch out, look what he did to Cape Cod.. But they knew better, or so they thought..

When the Final Plan is released it will be time to release the Hounds so to speak.. I hope he understands whats coming his way…We as a Community will have nothing to loose at that point, and a Man (or Community) with nothing to loose, is a very dangerous situation..They have to live amongst us… I hope and pray they do the right thing.. Otherwise, we will get the national attention that this fiasco has deserved all along… It just won’t be pretty..Polish Up your Long Rifles Boyz you know they are allowed in National Parks now… Gonna get interesting….

JAM out.

Like the title says Don’t Hate the Player Hate the Game.  Yak was all ready on Kellie’s car because we knew we were gonna hit it the next day.  Made a pot of coffee and chilled for a bit, long enough to read Rob’s (The General) early morning fishing report.  After seeing what he did early, I had a feeling that today would be the day, (But if ya knew me I think everyday could be the day) the day that Kellie would catch her first Speck. 

Got to the launch ramp at about 8 am or so and the sun was breaking through the Clouds, they were thick clouds the kind you have to keep an eye on.  Checked the weather on the computer before we left and it looked clear of lightning, I don’t mind getting a little wet but Lightning Scares the hell out of me.  Had some close calls in the past on both power boats and surfing.  Me and Lighting just don’t get along, so I give it lots of respect. 

Hit one of the holes that Rob had caught his fish the day before in , to no avail.  Headed north a bit and tried a spot I had fished last year quite a bit with good results, we anchored up and jockeyed around a bit working all sides of this hole.  After about an hour of having our baits molested by smaller fish, loosing a few tails here and there.  we switched out baits and changed out one of Frank’s (FLATHEAD  on the Internet) hand tied buck tails to a jig-head and some FISHBITES  EXTREME white shrimp. 

Shortly after that I here Kellie call out “I got him” and I looked over and her rod was all bowed up.  I broke free of my anchor and headed the 30 feet away to watch her land her fish in the Kayak.   She had him in the boat in no time and the little fella was flopping all over the place. 

Slippery Little Bugger

 

Sweet Trout Blood and some Turtles

TA-DA

After trying that spot some more , with only a couple of bumps ,we left it for brighter pastures further North.   It’s a real pretty spot with a sandbar running all along it,  with a broken bottom a mix of Grass and Sand bout 9 foot deep.  I have caught some 3 pounders out of this hole and it did not fail me today either. 

Sorry bout your luck Berkley, I found me a new Trout Killa!!!!

This guy almost got me some points, 15 and change..

He wanted back into the water, so I put heim back to catch another day

Banging back a couple right off the get go.  But my day was all ready made when Kellie got her First Fish, out of the Kayak, a nice keeper Speck.. So re-read the title and insert it here.

Ya see at this point in my fishing career, it’s more fun getting folks on fish then catching them myself.  I get just as  excited as the Angler and I love Firsts.. But this was extra-special to me, for obvious reasons…   Well I am sure it’s not going to be her last either, she’s got many many more ahead of her…

Until next time 

Pretty Proud JAM OUT

Always Like how this looked on the Deadliest Catch Boats this ones for Phil

Got up around 5 this morning, checked the weather to see if there was any electricity in the Sky, and there was none on the radar.   Kellie and myself began loading the equipment for the days Adventure.  We stopped by The Red Drum Food Mart for some snacks and vitamin water and hit it before 7.

Paddled out into lots of Bait Fish and was very happy to see them there. 

SeaHawk or Osprey Looking for a Plover Egg Diner

Saw one of my best friends a bird of prey I love those guys.. They will take care of our Bird problem down here now that we are not on the beach to keep them away..

So Far So good lovin the new Product

Tried a new Product as I am tired of Berkley Gulp, got with the reps (Berkley)at the tackle show and pitched myself to them and they were less then receptive… So why would I continue to promote their product when there are other players on the block.. Fish Bites MIKE sent me and Rob a shipment to try, they are called Fish Bites Extreme.  They are similar to Gulp Alive and seem to work just as well so far. 

Speck number one for Rob on Fish Bite Extreme

Number 2

Rob got 2 slot Specks on them today

A Hound Fish or Gar or Marsh Marlin they will tail walk like a real BillFish cause they are.

and I mustered up a MARSH MARLIN and a Sea Robin.. With lots of hits and action, the fish liked the stuff, and so do I.  No Juice to dump all over the Boat or Car. 

My evil little friend the Sea Robin

It was a fun day on the water with my lady, and we plan to hit it again tomorrow early AM.  Can’t wait to catch that monster Speck, but it won’t be on GULP… It’s gonna be on Fish Bite EXTREME… Thanks Mike..

JAM out