Catfish Angler Forum at USCA banner

RAMBLIN' #173...SPRING HAS SPRUNG...

162K views 999 replies 21 participants last post by  Mac-b 
#1 ·
IT'S FINALLY WARMING UP!!!...SCATS...
 
#3 ·
Some places Spring has sprung and others it has not >>> https://weather.com/storms/tornado/news/2018-04-26-severe-weather-returns-plains-midwest

Meanwhile, back on the dead end road along the shores of Lake Norman, things are a tad damp, but this condition will not last long. This past week, Charlotte NC, just South of me, got five inches of precip. in five days >>> http://www.wbtv.com/story/15548885/after-5-days-of-rain-more-still-coming . Lake Norman, in certain places is over it's banks.

Come this summer when we really need some rain, based on past history, it will be in short supply, IJS.

Glad to see that Bob returned to the Lodge while I was gone.

Neat looking boat Bill. Enjoy it, I'm sure you earned it.

The Squaw has an all day seminar today, so that just leaves me and the dogs at the home place today. Mid afternoon is booked for NASCAR at Dega. That leaves me this AM to work on a surface water drainage problem and I have it in my head how to fix it, ifin I don't forget the plan, IJS.

Later Gators
 
#4 ·
The spring is broke, just went out n looked there's frost on the roof. The lone tomato is snug in it's blanky hope this is the last time?

Does anybody still use a paper map?
Missing Oregon trucker emerges from wilderness after 4 days.
While back we decide to go to a amish minnonite green house never been there before and it was a cloudy nasty day. Wife had her I pad on and when we got to this one town Tizzy, think it was Catriona said turn here and do this and I didn't so while she was recalculating I went on and turned north and a few miles up the hwy. was a sign to the west for the green house went on by that and she said why didn't you turn there? I'm not driving all that gravel. So on up the road and around the curve there was another sign south to the house and sure enough you could see it from there and they were dam glad to see us. After we headed home she ask how I knew that? Looked at a map before we left. I know you have maps in this car, USE THEM and don't ever trust your life to that GPS!!! Now you know why? Yes.
Down in the swamp Catriona was lost ALL the time and I said shut that thing off I don't want to listen to it. My mind is already globally position and if I get old and loose my sense of direction I'm going to stay home.
One of the cajuns just sent me this, said the cats are bitting in the swamp, bet I know what they are having for dinner today. LOL
Fish Fish Forage fish Mackerel Trout
 
#5 ·
#9 ·
Most of the time, Mr. Mac.

Good morning, me loonies. 43-63* today. Looking better into the week.

We've got an invitation to a cookout for BIL#1's birthday next Saturday. Looking forward to it.

Mr. Bo and I were talking last night (yes, Cheap, talking) and decided that we are going to attempt to fix the messed up reels. If they aren't working now we don't have much to lose and they really aren't worth sending to a pro. Should be interesting.

Supper tonight will be leftover chicken and goodies from last night.

Got to get the bed changed and laundry going then work on the special order. Y'all have a goodun and be safe out there.
 
#13 · (Edited)
Bill, nice boat. Hope it serves you well....

Mac, what beach is your place located at????

Luke,was it not you that here a while back was installing yard lights??? Low voltage, and wired I believe rather than solar......if so please give me a few details, please.....type, place of purchase, pros/cons, etc...

This place had low voltage lights when we moved here....non LED, that you could change out...walk way and spot lights, etc.....the system must be at the end of it's life span, having numerous problems.......but to move on, looking to replace...not really wanting to go solar....Have seen several LED lights that you could not change the bulb..Don't really like that....if one goes out down the road, may not find the same style to replace....Cheap, or anyone else got any input ....???????
 
#31 ·
Luke,was it not you that here a while back was installing yard lights??? Low voltage, and wired I believe rather than solar......if so please give me a few details, please.....type, place of purchase, pros/cons, etc...

This place had low voltage lights when we moved here....non LED, that you could change out...walk way and spot lights, etc.....the system must be at the end of it's life span, having numerous problems.......but to move on, looking to replace...not really wanting to go solar....Have seen several LED lights that you could not change the bulb..Don't really like that....if one goes out down the road, may not find the same style to replace....Cheap, or anyone else got any input ....???????

Yep, that was me.

This is the base set I picked up: Light Set (6 lamps, 2 flood)

I then picked up an additional matching flood light. Gave me a total of 6 path lights, and 3 flood lights.

These are low voltage, LED.

I then picked up the following (also from home depot, just sayin), but not linking since they're common and easy to find.

- 150 watt low voltage transformer

- transformer stand (so I didn't have to screw it to the house

- 12ga landscape wire

- medium size silicone grease filled wire nuts (need 2 per lamp, plus any additional connections)

- heat shrink tubing, just bigger than the wire nuts

- heat shrink tubing, just big enough for 2 or 3 12ga wires to fit


Your list may need some additional stuff, but easy enough to figure out.


So those lights come with their own little cheapass connector that you're supposed to push together and sandwich the main line. I cut those stupid things off, stripped the wire back, and made my own connections. (Hence the wire nuts and heat shrink. If you don't have, or can't borrow, a heat gun, add one to the list.)

Anyway, I laid out where I wanted the lights, then laid out the cable and made sure there was enough slack. Then hooked up the transformer, but didn't plug it in yet. Then I went to each fixture, cut and stripped the main line, and twisted the wires together. (Note, at this time I did not use the silicone nuts, or anything. I left them bare so I could hook it all up, check connections, and then go back.

After all the lamps were done, I plugged in the transformer and checked to make sure all was in working order. (Of course it was, I did it.) Then I went back and put the smaller heat shrink over the connection and slid it back, then put on the silicone wire nut. I then slid the smaller piece up to the wire nut, heated it up, and shrunk it down nice and snug. Then I put the larger piece over the wire nut, placing the bottom of the wire nut about in the middle. Shrunk, snug, next.

Note: You'll want to cut the heat shrink into about 2" lengths. I think the pieces I got were 6", so I was able to get 3 pieces out of 1 tube. Tubes were 2 in a pack for the big, 3 in a pack for the smaller. (This was the nice, thicker stuff, not the thin stuff.)

After that, I used one of those little trenching spade/hoe things. The one that looks like a hoe, but is straight and not at a 90* angle. Whatever they're called. Buried the cable, all is well.


Architecture Photography Sky Infrastructure Tree
 
#14 ·
I looked at deep v's but it is easier for the wife to just step off the deck of the bass boat onto the dock and for me too so that's why I stick with bass boats that and I just like bass boats. Mine should be here june 15 it is shipping may 28th. wish it was sooner but at least i am getting all the crap done i need to around here and will have the rest of the year to go fishing every weekend if i want to.
 
#29 ·
I hear ya. I finally settled on my new one, but then these trips came up. So I'll get those out of the way this year, and start looking the end of next year probably. Trips will be worth it though. Just have to keep convincing myself of that when I'm bumming rides on the water this summer. lol

Always got the yak, but no way I'm taking that on the river, or any big water lakes.

This is close to what I'm looking at:



Seaark 2472 VFX Coastal. Could go with the Bay Extreme BX220, but not a fan of the rod lockers taking up space on the sides forward of the console, or the small gas tank. Going with a "coastal" build of the VFX lets room for a larger fuel cell, plus no rod lockers taking up floor space on each side.
 
#17 ·
Speaking of repairing reels, and Ms. Deb was, in my mis-spent youth that was the only way I could fish. My uncle always bought Langley bait casting reels and the level wind they used were very poor. The brass was way too soft and wore out quickly. He gave them to me and I would tear up a few to make one good one. Then my dad changed to spinning reels and my repair days were almost over. I still have some of those old Mitchells. They were indestructible.
 
#22 · (Edited)
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top