CARF Outdoors

Monday, January 22, 2018

KEEP CALM & TIE FLIES

If you do not have any winter activities, and the cabin fever is starting to settle in just remember to Keep Calm & Tie Flies. A message I received from Partridge of Redditch hooks that I just wanted to pass on to all of you.

Minimum Cowbell: A fly.

If you don't tie flies, then I suggest you start learning. It's a great way to stay fishy, flex your creative muscles, and refill your fly boxes for Spring Summer and Fall fishing.

If that still doesn't do anything for you, order a pizza. Pair that pizza with an adult beverage of some sort, a sports game on T.V. or a classic trilogy like Indiana Jones or The Naked Gun, and you'll be happy...until the next time you order another pizza.

Keep Calm & Tie Flies

MY GEAR

Camera - http://amzn.to/2hnMwkD

Lens - http://amzn.to/2hhdHJS

Rising Stellar Scissors - http://amzn.to/2yCE7wM

Vedavoo Bench Basin - http://amzn.to/2zGBU78

Rite Bobbin Half Hitch - http://amzn.to/2hzxKab

Peak Vise - http://amzn.to/2zXEBCd

MATERIALS USED FOR FLY

(Note: The links will not give you the color I used for this fly.)

Hooks - http://amzn.to/2Drt0co

Tail Filler - http://amzn.to/2rvwol6

Tail Flash - http://amzn.to/2rvwFo8

Body (Wrapped) - http://amzn.to/2DszFU1

Body (Bottom) - http://amzn.to/2Dw7wiP

Eyes - http://amzn.to/2rqv032

Head - http://amzn.to/2DrUmPA

**The above links are Amazon Associate links**

Monday, January 15, 2018

MONSTERS THROUGH THE ICE

Lightfield BBQ and I were back on the ice and exploring new hard water. I don't know what I would do without the phone app Navionics. It's seriously the best $10 I've spent in a long long time. Without it, I would have no idea the depth I am fishing in my raft, kayak, or when I am out ice fishing.

Is your Navionics working??

On this day, we were on the hunt for anything. Having only caught 1 fish in our previous outing "WALLY WALLY - WHERE YA AT" we decided that we would set out with the goal of just catching fish. Any fish. So we targeted some shallower water.

How Swiss Cheese is made.

After popping a popping some holes and contributing to making this lake look like Swiss cheese, we set up shop, and got our flashers in the holes and were immediately marking fish. Time to get our jigs down there and see who wants to play.

Hubbin'

Red illumination coming from the heater is a very welcomed sight when the temperature is in the single digits. Lights on the flashers are even more welcome, and get the adrenaline going so that you can temporarily forget about the cold.

The game of lights.

We both were making so many fish. I literally had my face in the hole as I was watching the fish take turns swipe at my jig. I spotted a few sizable fish with my eyeballs, but the small ones were the only willing participants. I changed jigs a few times to bigger sizes, but still nada.

Monsters Exist.

Lightfield and I had some fun none the less, hooking up with a plethora of small perch and 2 sunnies. Nothing worthy to keep, but still a lot better than just sitting there wonder if I was ever going to see my rod bend.

The long arm technique to make catches look bigger.

The release back into the ice hole.

This ice fishing sport is quickly growing on me, and I'm looking forward to getting out on the ice a lot more, and hopefully experiencing what it's like to hook into much bigger fish. My first fish of the 2018 year was this 10 pound perch (pictured below). I couldn't believe the gut on this one. It looked as if it had eaten a bowling ball.

10 pound perch.

Some advice for all fisher-people, regardless of time of year, fly fishing, gear fishing, and ice fishing. Don't forget to close up your tackle boxes before bumping your ass into them. That is of course, if you're not in training to be the best at the game pick up sticks.

Gear all over the place is my favorite.

Instagram - @JUSTINCARF

MY GEAR

Camera - http://amzn.to/2hnMwkD

Lens - http://amzn.to/2hhdHJS

Lens #2 - http://amzn.to/2CLhwQZ

Boots - http://amzn.to/2CIGHUc

Yaktrax - http://amzn.to/2DbWDPG

Flasher - http://amzn.to/2CJ9iZx

LIGHTFIELD'S GEAR

Auger - http://amzn.to/2CGVjDl

Hub - http://amzn.to/2CXAeYY

Flasher - http://amzn.to/2Fik4HE

Heater - http://amzn.to/2CKHtjg

Rod Holder - http://amzn.to/2DcNoPr

Bucket - http://amzn.to/2CLcnYP

**The above links are Amazon Associate links**

Tuesday, January 9, 2018

WALLY WALLY...WHERE YA AT

This was my first fishing outing of the new year, and we were on the hard water in search of anything...but mostly walleyes and crappie.

Lightfield clearing some snow for the hub.

We pulled up to the lake we were going to fish, and there were quite a few vehicles and ice shelters already out. It was a good sign to my homie, but to me, it just added to the fear of being on the ice.

Poppin' holes.

A gas powered auger is a luxury...need to get one for myself.

After drilling some holes, setting up the hub, we were inside sitting pretty. I have never had such luxuries in the few times I have been out ice fishing. A gas auger, 4 person hub, propane heater, and camping chairs...I felt like I was in the Presidential Suite. I could get used to this...

The Presidential Suite.

We each had 2 rods rigged up. One setup to dead stick a minnow, and the other we were jigging with. The fishing was really slow. We were fishing in about 26 feet of water near some drop offs, with hopes there were be fish hanging around the edges. We also chose our spot, because, there were a bunch of other ice shelters around. :)

Working it.

I could get used to this.

Waiting for some action on the flasher.

Late in the afternoon, just as I was about to go out to the truck for something, I had glanced down at my flasher, there were some extra lights. Finally some action! I slowly jigged my lure and then my rod bent. I set the hook and began to quickly reel, but the fish came undone after 2 seconds. Bummer! It felt like a good one, too.

Shortly after my failed attempt to bring a fish in, my buddy Lightfield marked a few more fish and he was then hooked up. This fish put a solid bend in his rod.

Lightfield hooked up on his custom FSA Custom Rods ice rod.

Lightfield found Wally. It was the only fish that we caught, and it was a good one. Would have been nice to hook up with a few more, but I was just happy to be out fishing. Looking forward to getting back out on the hard water. Just need to get some ice fishing gear of my own.