Scenic City Sunday Report - 8/20/2006

[rsimms]

Had a fun day fishing with Rachel and Hunter Luna from Dickson, Tenn. today. They had an absolute blast on their first introduction to Chickamauga blue cats. Just ask Rachel about her first words when a big a big blue makes that first hard bulldog run (they were not CFF-appropriate words emoBigsmile). Hunter hauled home a Coleman cooler full of blues, and we released several to fight again another day. Didn't count exactly... I'm bad at that. But we caught 12 or 15. No trophies today, at least not by Chickamauga standards. Of course I'm sure that one or two of the fish we missed were 50-pounds-plus emoBigsmile. But they both caught their PB's (personal best) so they were real happy. The bait of choice today was, what else, chicken breast (undoctored). Of course that's all we fished with so I have no idea if anything else would have worked better or not. Thank goodness we got off the water before storms rolled in. Whew!

 

[Guest]

TONS-O-FUN You're amazing there Richard.

Maybe you should rename your service to "Make You Smile" fishing charters. emoSmile
All of your photos are full of smiles.

Cheez

 

[polo-dog]

Is there any special thing that you do to your baits rsimms? Do they stay on the hook well?

 

[rsimms]

polo-dog - 8/20/2006 11:25 PM
Is there any special thing that you do to your baits rsimms? Do they stay on the hook well?

Nothing special at all ... they're tough as nails. Those "nibblers' never take them away. You've got to miss a hard "rod-bent-over-run" to lose a bait. And the bait often stays on even when catching fish. I regularly catch two or more fish per bait. And actually, I was kind of doing some mental math yesterday (as painful as that was). Based on amount of chicken breast filets I used yesterday... basically an average day. If I had been using chicken liver (getting nibbled off hook, or just falling off, etc.) I truly believe I came out cheaper based on how much chicken liver I would have had to use... not to mention the mess. And if I factor in my time (which a businessmen has to do) that I would spend catching shad or bluegill for bait, chicken breast really is a bargain... especially if I keep my eye out for those 2-for-1 sales. I must say however, I might soon take a lead from Cheez and be trying out some thighs instead. I'm sure that dead chicken is dead chicken. emoLaugh

 

[drumking]

rsimms - 8/21/2006 7:45 AM

polo-dog - 8/20/2006 11:25 PM
Is there any special thing that you do to your baits rsimms? Do they stay on the hook well?

Nothing special at all ... they're tough as nails. Those "nibblers' never take them away. You've got to miss a hard "rod-bent-over-run" to lose a bait. And the bait often stays on even when catching fish. I regularly catch two or more fish per bait. And actually, I was kind of doing some mental math yesterday (as painful as that was). Based on amount of chicken breast filets I used yesterday... basically an average day. If I had been using chicken liver (getting nibbled off hook, or just falling off, etc.) I truly believe I came out cheaper based on how much chicken liver I would have had to use... not to mention the mess. And if I factor in my time (which a businessmen has to do) that I would spend catching shad or bluegill for bait, chicken breast really is a bargain... especially if I keep my eye out for those 2-for-1 sales. I must say however, I might soon take a lead from Cheez and be trying out some thighs instead. I'm sure that dead chicken is dead chicken. emoLaugh

Trust me, Richard! The thighs work and work well.emoGeezer

 

[fisherpal2k]

Great job Richard. Thanks for the report and they looked very happy!

 

[rsimms]

One addition to the use of chicken breast/thighs for bait... you can thaw and refreeze easily. As far as I can tell it makes no difference to the fish. Obviously can't do that with liver... and even shad start going "mushy" after a refreeze or two.

 

[ranman]

Hey Richard,I hope you're being carefull with that stuff,I have had salmonila poisoning a couple of times in my life from handeling chicken,once while working at KFC in high school, and once at a family picnic years later.And I can tell you that it is not something I ever want to go through again!Both times I had to be put in the hospital for dehidration!Be sure you are washing your hands after messin with raw chicken!

 

[rsimms]

ranman - 8/21/2006 11:36 AM
Hey Richard,I hope you're being carefull with that stuff,I have had salmonila poisoning a couple of times in my life from handeling chicken,once while working at KFC in high school, and once at a family picnic years later.And I can tell you that it is not something I ever want to go through again!Both times I had to be put in the hospital for dehidration!Be sure you are washing your hands after messin with raw chicken!

Very good advice.... something I really hadn't considered. I do make a point to keep it iced down good, but have been known to leave chunks laying on the cutting board in the sun too long. Thanks for a very wise reminder. I hate to hear you're a 2-time loser. Of course it also makes me wonder what I could catch from handling dead, rotten shad? emoScratch

 

[Fishing machine]

Good job Richard. As always, it looks as if everyone had a great time.
Just wondering, what is the largest fish one of your clients has ever caught? And when?

 

[rsimms]

Fishing machine - 8/21/2006 12:52 PM
Good job Richard. As always, it looks as if everyone had a great time.
Just wondering, what is the largest fish one of your clients has ever caught? And when?

The biggest a client has caught was 54 lbs, and two or three in 40 lb. class. In May and June... FYI, this is my first year guiding. Most are pictured here: http://www.sceniccityfishing.com/gallery.html

 

[Fishing machine]

Those are great pic. thanks
I didn't know that this was your first year guiding. How is it going and how do you like it? Seems you do a great job pleasing everyone.

 

[rsimms]

Fishing machine - 8/21/2006 1:21 PM
Those are great pic. thanks
I didn't know that this was your first year guiding. How is it going and how do you like it? Seems you do a great job pleasing everyone.

I absolutely love it... I'm pretty passionate about outdoors, and sharing the word about all the great stuff "out there." It's a real thrill to watch folks "light up" the first time they feel a big catfish try to take their fishing rod away. As I tell folks, "you can travel all over the world and spend thousands of dollars to NOT catch fish like we've got right here in our backyard."
If there's is a downside, it is that business has been too good. I have a real job as well, just guiding part-time. You work 5 days a week at the regular job and then guide every Saturday and Sunday for several weeks straight, and it definitely turns into "work!" Maybe someday I can switch from the real job to guiding fulltime, but that is still a ways off. I'm wondering if I can last that long? emoConfused

 

[Fishing machine]

hang in there, I think we all can tell you love what you do. I very much enjoy reading what you post. Good luck in the future.