FLEA MARKET FISHING ...

Fishing at Flea Markets

 I have the ability to smell fishing gear at flea markets or yard sales the moment my foot steps from the car. The first visual signs usually come by my line of sight being above the crowd and scanning for fishing poles in the upright position. Once I spy them, get out of my way because I'm on a mission!

 Sunday mornings usually begin with a trek to Jake's Flea Market just outside of Boyertown, Pennsylvania on Rt. 100 North. Jake's has weekly vendors and also one time sellers that display whatever your little heart desires. I only mentioned Jake's because it is pretty close and convenient for me. There are, I'm sure, a few other ones that could hold great fishing treasures also.



 Each new season usually yields an abundance of used fishing equipment. Almost every type of rod, reel and lure can be found and purchased for a fraction of it's original price. Once you find what you want don't forget to negotiate for just a little better price.

 Buying at a Flea Market usually means no returns. With that in mind you should take your time and inspect things very carefully. Tackle boxes will be displayed with or without lures. Look at the hinges, snap locks, trays and especially the corners for any abuse. Rods can look nice at first glance but again be aware of worn line guides, reel locking mechanisms, cracks, scrapes and loose handles. Rods with cork handles need special attention to make sure the cork is not split or loose.

 Lures are pretty simple unless your looking at the vintage or antique ones. Rubber worms and other creatures should only be purchased if they are still in the original manufacturer's package or at least in a well maintained plastic box.



 Reels can be tricky. There are so many possible reasons that a used reel is not up to par. I rarely purchase a used reel but I'm not saying you can't find a good one either. If what you want has some damage but still usable it will give you the advantage to haggle a bit.

 Last week I picked up a nice box of assorted rubber crayfish and frogs (see picture) for just seven bucks. If I would have had more money it could have got crazy because this guy had a ton of similar stuff that made me weak in the knees.

 Next I found a vendor with a pile of fishing rods. I found one that I really had to have and it was tagged at eighteen dollars. After my inspection I made my offer of twelve bucks. He countered with fourteen and I agreed. So for twenty-one greenbacks I took home what would have originally cost over sixty hard earned dollars.

 

  A few notes about Jake's Flea Market or any other one that you should visit. Try to arrive early for the best selection. Usually by 7 AM everyone is set up and ready to sell. Many of the vendors will pull up stakes by Noon if the weather is hot. Walk the rows of tables in some controlled pattern so that you don't miss anything.


 Look at all the tables because sometimes a fishing item can be hiding where you least expect it. Most items are negotiable but at times just fondling an item will get the seller to come down in price without you saying a word.

 There are usually many yard sales in the area but it takes a lot of running around to find any fishing gear. If your looking to add to your existing tackle or need a few things just to start out a good flea market can be the best spot.

  So now is the time, get out there, have some fun, and hunt down some fishing gear at bargain   prices!

Thanks for reading ONE CAST ... ONE FISH !

SUNFISH, PERCH, OSPREY and FISH WARDENS !

FISHING FOLLIES ...

Once again it's time for a few laughs so take a minute and enjoy this
edition of "FISHING FOLLIES"

Here are some things that I have learned, the hard way, over time:

1. Bait Casting reels make better bird nests than birds do.

2. Grabbing a hellgrammite carelessly will cause great pain. (See picture)

3. Wading in moving water, on slippery rocks, can turn you into a floater.

4. Falling asleep while driving a boat is the quickest way to shore.

5. Submerged logs are boat magnets.

6. It is hard to hide from lighting in the middle of a lake. (See picture)

7. Bees will fly two miles off the coast just to irritate you.

8. The wind always blows in the opposite direction you want to go.

9. There is always someone in my secret spots. (see picture)

10. Power windows easily break unbreakable fishing rods.

And now we continue with ...

"The Saga of the Black Fury"

 Many years ago, my buddy Rick and I were preparing for a trip to Canada. This included research to determine what the "hot" lure for Walleye was at the time. Finally, after many interrogating phone calls to the Great White North, it was obvious that we should cancel the whole trip unless we had a lure called the "Black Fury". Strangely enough, we also found out that this particular lure was not available across the border.

 Manufactured by Mepps, the "Black Fury" (see picture) is a beautiful in-line spinner type of lure. Attached to the shinny brass body is a spinning blade painted in brilliant black and adorned with yellow or red dots. Red plastic beads separate the blade from the deadly treble hook at the business end. Our tackle boxes were stuffed with every lure under the sun except for this Mepps Black Fury spinner thing. With no time left to order from a catalog we began our quest with the soul intention of buying every last one in the Tri-State area!

 The primary and first stop was a local fishing tackle shop that, without fail, always had everything. Upon bursting through the door with frantic anticipation we stated our goal to the shop owner. Without a word his body language made it obvious that his stock did not include even one "Black Fury". Ok, so now it was on to plan "B" which was another tackle store on the other side of the county. Now this was before cell phones and stopping at a phone booth would just waste time. The two hour ride would surely be worth it in the end and besides we had to get these lures before the word got out!

 Now this next place was basically a weathered wooden shack set off to the side of the owners home. He primarily sold live bait but behind the shabby exterior we always found what we wanted. Parking in the stone driveway we eagerly jumped from the truck with uncontrolled excitment. Standing near the padlocked doors of the shop we knew that it might take a few minutes until we were noticed from within the main house. Finally the door opened and the proprietor slowly limped down the five steps to the driveway. I wanted to scream BLACK FURY, BLACK FURY, WE WANT BLACK FURYS ! It was, however, polite to offer a kind hello, hand shake and some other chit chat before getting down to business. After all of that and voicing our request he turned the key on the padlock and slid the barn type door open. It wasn't until then that he spoke the words that we hoped not to hear. "Well boys", he said, "I don't have any Black Furys but you can look around". Ah, show us the candy in hopes we find something else was this guys intention. We jumped back in my truck and made a three point turn in his gravel driveway with one turn of the wheel. Stones flew from the rear tires as we exited his property!

 Panic had set in and we knew that we only had one more shot. Off to the "BigK" we went. Our stride was fast and direct. The upright fishing poles in the far corner of the store were now locked in our sights. Would the two rows of fishing lures hold the Holy Grail? To save time I took the first row and Rick searched the other. This was the first time ever that the other lures did not distract me in my intense search. Then I heard his voice from the other side, "I found 'em!", he yelled. As I galloped around the end of the aisle I hoped no one was standing there for they would surely be knocked over. I continued my whirlwind pace to where Rick was now kneeling with pressed palms and bowed head. Sure enough, there hung the coveted MEPPS BLACK FURYS. Not one or two but six rows full of them in all the different sizes! It was a glorious site to behold and we quickly cleared the display leaving only empty metal hangers.

 Fast forward to Canada.... After hours of trolling with the Black Fury and getting no result we changed to a simple one-eighth ounce jig head and night crawler. This, not the Black Fury, resulted in a full stringer of tasty Canadian Walleyes! The "Saga of the Mepps Black Fury" will forever be remembered as a lesson in the magic lure myth.

Thanks for taking time to visit my blog.

You might like my YouTube fishing videos too. 

Here is the link ...

LEN F ... YouTube Channel

ICE FISHING ON MARSH CREEK LAKE

 This year Mother Nature has given Southeastern Pennsylvania a real treat. She gave us a prolonged cold snap that began in late December. Then early in January many of our local lakes froze over and provided safe ice for skaters, hikers and of course Ice Anglers.  We even witnessed the mighty Schuylkill River frozen over along with other small streams and creeks.

 A few years ago, due to the many previous winters of poor or even non-existent local safe ice, I sold most of my ice fishing gear. I realized that I needed a few things in order to take advantage of the coming ice age! Taking a quick inventory of my existing gear revealed that I needed a ice auger and a few other essentials. After a hasty trip to the local sporting goods store I was ready to get out there as soon as conditions permitted. On December 31st I was out checking the ice conditions at Marsh Creek.

 The cold weather continued and I was able to get on the ice at Marsh Creek State Park on January 3rd. It just so happened that on that day the really harsh cold took a break. The temperature rose to a balmy 28 degrees and the wind was calm. This made for a comfortable day on the frozen lake. The main lake still had open water but the coves had about five inches of good ice. The fish were also hungry this day and I brought home a bunch of nice Yellow Perch that provided my family with a nice tasty side snack at dinner time.

 The Arctic chill continued and I was out there again on January 7th. The entire lake had now frozen over and there were many people ice skating, walking their dogs and of course ice fishing. Most of the lake had five to eight inches of nice clear black ice. Somehow, on this day, the weather again took a pause and provided us with comfortable conditions for all the outdoor activities. Again the fish were in a positive mood and were biting most of the day.


 During the next few days the weather broke and the thermometer climbed well above freezing during the daylight hours. This made me wonder if the ice would still be safe enough for my next outing which was planned for January 10th.

 My anxiety was relieved as I again found that the area I wanted to fish was holding up just fine. It was obvious that the warmer temperatures had taken a toll but the ice was still winning the battle. Here was my third time out and again the wind was calm, the sun warmed my back and the fish were on a feeding binge. This time I brought home enough fish for a main course that the whole family enjoyed.

 The weather forecast was now telling us that the cold wave was over and we could expect warmer weather for the next few days. Past experience now told me that a few days of warmer temperatures can make the ice unsafe real quick.
A week would pass before I could get out again.


 One of my grandsons had indicated that he would like to try the ice fishing thing and plans were made to have him accompany me. The day prior to our planned outing it had snowed about 3 inches making the ice even more unsafe. I knew that the ice would present a challenge this time around and I would need to be very cautious of conditions.

So on January 17th we were out at Marsh Creek again. I wanted to fish the same area that had all the action last week and also I had a good idea of the ice conditions there. To my dismay the ice close to shore had deteriorated because of melting and now the first 10 feet out was very slushy and the ice was soft. After checking a few areas I was almost ready to call the trip off because the shoreline ice was so bad. After a little more soul searching and determination I finally found a spot that would allow use to cross over that first 10 feet and gain footing on solid ice. The fish were biting good and I took some time to teach him how to use the basic ice fishing tools. After a few hours the cold got to his hands and feet and it was time to go. A half dozen Yellow Perch provided for a tasty treat for his Mom, Dad and Sister. It was a memorable day for both of us.



 My last outing was on January 21st. This was a solo adventure. Weather reports indicated that the next few days would bring warm temperatures along with some rain. That combination would take away the existing ice and might just end the ice fishing season for this part of Pennsylvania.

 I arrived before dawn and hoped that the shore line ice would allow safe passage. It turned out to be in good shape and the fish were really hungry too. This was Sunday and I expected to see a crowed on the ice but only eight other anglers showed up. Maybe the word was out that the ice was getting thin or maybe it was all the hype about the Eagles game later in the day. The temperature was in the middle 40's by noon and the ice was melting fast. A thin film of water covered the ice and I decided to call it quits for the day.


 Anyway, it's time to let Mother Nature do her thing again. She will determine if I get to go ice fishing again this winter or will it be an early Spring ...


You can view all the action on my YouTube Channel with this link:

Ice fishing at Marsh Creek and other fishing adventures ...

A FISHES' NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS ...

For those of you that have followed this blog you know that I go in all different directions. Sometimes even beyond reality. Well, this week I bring back one that I did some years ago. So, leaning on the coming holidays ...

I give you a fishes "Night Before Christmas"

T'was the night before Christmas 
and all through the lake
not a fishy was stirring 
not even a Splake!

The Bass were down deep
and not moving to fast.
The cold water had slowed
them down at last.

Some Sunfish had gathered
near an old tree stump.
This is where they would stay
unless they got bumped.

Schools of Yellow Perch 
roamed far and wide
Among the sparse weeds
is where they would glide.

A Musky hovered a few feet
above an old road bed.
He could rise and fall
with a nod of his head.

The Crappies amassed
near the old sunken bridge.
Their quarry you see
was only the midge.

A few Walleye held
on a dropoffs edge
On sonar they would
appear as a wedge

Above this scene was a 
thick layer of ice.
It made their underwater
world real nice.

Out of nowhere came the sound
of footsteps and sled.
This caused all the fish
to turn their heads.

They knew a line 
would soon drop in.
But to their surprise
came a tree wrapped in tin.

Descending slowly it twisted
and turned with sparkling lights.
Never before had they
had such a delight.

As all the fish gathered 
around this sight
it was clear to them now
they would have a good night!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD BITE !

The "Sunday Funnies" go fishing!

Do you remember the Sunday Funnies?

 "Fishing Fever" is not confined to only humans. It also exists and flourishes in the world of comic illustrators. Their sketched characters have been testing the waters for many years. Humans, animals and even fish themselves have been exploited in various fishing situations.

 Anyway, during my childhood there was one day of the week that provided a special treat. Sunday morning meant the delivery of the bulky Philadelphia Bulletin newspaper. The anticipated timely arrival never failed thanks to our devoted paper boy. Before it even settled from his toss I was there to retrieve it and hustled back inside. My only goal was to get to the center of the mass for the section that held the Sunday Funnies! The instilled habit of going only for the comic section stayed with me as my youth faded and adulthood arrived.

 So, back in 1988, there I was relaxed in my recliner and enjoying a few silent giggles with the comics when I saw it. Here was a single frame "FAR SIDE" sketch that depicted the end of the world and two fisherman in a boat about to kiss it all good-by! Their reaction and words to the pending disaster which was obviously just moments away, have stuck with me ever since. It was that one single cartoon that gave me reason to start collecting any comic illustration that had a humorous fishing theme. I now have two albums filled with ones that seemed to really capture the humor of fishing mishaps, mysteries and secrets.

 Sooner or later every comic star goes fishing. On the lake shore, in a boat, cabin or out on the ice the illustrators prove time and time again that fishing can be addicting. The featured players include the nagging wife in THE LOCKHORNS, good old unassuming ZIGGY, the cavemen of B.C, the always sarcastic TRUDY and the underwater world of SHERMAN'S LAGOON just to name a few.

Here is one of my "Ice Fishing" favorites with the one of the "B.C." gang.

Then this on with good old "Ziggy" ... You just have to feel sorry for him!

Here is another from the "B.C." strip which reflects the 

way the fish are when I go fishing!

Let me add one more ... Here is the family from "Laff-A-Day" with words of wisdom ...

 I haven't been as diligent recently with searching and cutting out comics. I'm sure many good ones were overlooked or just missed. If you take a few moments with your Sunday Paper (if you still get one) there is no doubt that you will find a few. I hope this blog subject helps you remember some and gives you a good chuckle too.

As always.... Thanks for reading "One Cast ... One Fish !"

STRANGE CATCHES and FINDS !

 One of the perils of fishing is getting snagged and losing a nice lure but sometimes it brings  fortune instead of deprivation. Old boots and tires don't hold a candle to the strange things that have come up on the end of my fishing line!

 To put a little twist on a now familiar phrase let me say that ... "You never know WHAT will be on the end of your line!"

 Hiding below the surface of many lakes and rivers are stumps, logs and old tree branches. Since they are preferred hiding places for the fish they too are the prime targets for anglers to cast their lures. Most of the time the only thing to do when your lure impales itself to one of these is to pull until your line snaps. This results in the unintentional decorating of said submerged feature with your favorite lure. In just a few years some of the more attractive sub-aquatic fish haunts starting looking like a trimmed Christmas Tree. As time moves on Mother Nature eventually wears down what was originally solidly anchored. Every now and then a snagged branch will break off and reward me with another lure. So over the years lets just say I have been in the right place at the right time and the planets were aligned in my favor for this phenomenon.

Years ago, while fishing for Walleye at Marsh Creek Lake, I was drifting slowly over an old road bed and  pulled up one of those collapsible wire fish baskets used for holding your catch. Inside the wire basket, still kicking, were three sunfish and a crappie! Can you say.. "FREE FISH FRY"!

 One spring day on the Schuylkill River, near Black Rock Dam, I was lucky enough to catch a nice Musky. What made it even better is that in the mouth of this fish was another lure that had broken off from some not so fortunate angler.

 Just last year I was casting for Largemouth Bass up on Lake Nockamixon. Numerous "flips" into the thick weeds would end up with a "Wad 'O Weeds" on my hook rather than a fish. Well as luck would have it here comes a rather large ball of algae but I also noticed a length of fishing line within the tangled mass. Experience with this situation told me that a reward may be at the end of the other line. Sure enough a steady pulling of the line resulted in a nice six and half foot, medium action graphite fishing rod with reel. Showing no signs that it had been under water for long I cleaned it up and added it to my collection. This was one of four that I have brought up from their watery grave in my many years of fishing.

 In this same category I should mention a few items found while wadding shore lines. 

Yankee Dam, also know as Vincent Dam, on the Schuylkill near Linfield, was one of my favorite places for fishing. In the years prior to the dams removal you could walk out on the structure due to the water being diverted through a large break on the Chester County side. In it's better days the river flowed evenly over the dam and occasionally a non-attentive boater would be sweep over and capsized. This of course resulted in loss of whatever was in the boat. Well this one day my eye caught sight of what I recognized to be the handle of a tackle box buried in sand and mud where the water once churned.  After an hour of digging I was able to free the prize. This was a large tackle box packed full of lures, hooks, sinkers, knifes and other goodies. A fishing license destroyed by time was also in with the other stuff and was of no use in identifying the owner. 

Even more astounding ... Wading in three feet of water at Marsh Creek a bright sparkle caught my eye. With a little kicking around I was able to uncover and retrieve a antique silver teapot. Picture is for illustration only but it did resemble the one pictured. Having no use for this in my humble home I eventually sold it for $375.00. This was back in 1995. Can you beat that?

 Every time Lady Luck comes my way with these things I can't help but wonder.... Who, What, How, When. I got the "Where" part figured out!

What have you found?

Thanks for reading   "One Cast ... One Fish !"