Taking Time

People get busy. I think this is more of a mindset than a reality. The mood of being busy creeps it's way into your life until you brush off the important things. Sadly, one of the first to go is people. We say things like, "I don't have time" for this or that. We run by the beautiful things in life. We stay inside all day cranking things out. Work keeps us tied up until the sun goes down.

I was firmly stuck in the trap of being busy until I started noticing the morning sunrises and clear skies lately. The outdoors was calling to me. I had been cooped up for too long, so I made a plan to fish after work. I planned to get off one hour early and hit the lake before the sun set for the day. All was good except I was stuck in the busy trap. I left work late and I was in a hurry to get to the water. I felt like I was wasting the remaining minutes of light, then something wonderful happened. A kid named Austin showed up to the lake.

I met Austin this fall. One day he just showed up at the lake fishing for bass. He didn't know how to fly fish and asked me about it, so I took the time and showed him how. I stopped fishing and gave him my fly rod and a crash course in casting. Austin eventually caught a bluegill and I knew he was hooked. I could have been doing my own thing and being "busy," but I took the time to invest in a kid.

Austin showed up this time, in the winter, still die hard about fishing and with his own fly fishing setup. I couldn't have been more proud for Austin. He taught himself the basics and had been catching fish on his own through the fall and into the winter. He was thrilled to show me his new fly rod and flies. So, we fished together like old friends throwing out line and shooting the breeze. I showed him how to rig up his leader and I gave him a handful of my best flies.

Austin broke me out of my "too busy for the world" routine. It was such a good feeling to have that kind of impact on a person. I would have missed such a great moment if I was too busy for a curious kid. Oh, and we didn't catch a single fish.

Backstabber Fly - My 2011 Favorite

The 2011 fishing season has brought many new things for me and my favorite of all has been the backstabber fly developed by Jay Zimmerman. Jay shows you how to tie the backstaber in a step by step video.

I mainly use the backstabber in a black and olive pattern. I found out about the backstabber because I started fly fishing for carp this season and that fly just works. I have landed carp all summer and I have landed some very nice bass and even some greedy bluegill and a catfish.

I did some fishing after work and pulled out the 4.2lb bass (pictured above) while I was fly fishing for carp. I got a mirror carp about 15 minutes after the bass. I just love this fly.

Tie your own or if you live in the St. Louis, MO area stop by the Feather Craft fly shop.

Mad River Canoe On My Truck

I recently got a used Dodge Ram 1500 in hopes of having a boat some day. The truck has a camper shell and I was worried about how I was going to get my mad river 14ft canoe loaded onto the top of the truck. To add to the difficulties, I am kinda short.

I picked up the Yakima Universal Canoe foam blocks and straps at a local sporting goods store. Here is a link for the product: http://www.yakima.com/shop/water/top/universal-canoe-carrier

I think I paid around $40 or $50 for the set. I wanted to try this out because I have the full roof rack on our other car and that sucker was expensive. I was blown away at how easy the thing was to tie down and the foam blocks and straps worked like a champ.

I was able to load the canoe onto the truck by myself, tie it down and drive off within 20 minutes.

How I load my Mad River 14ft Canoe onto my truck with a camper shell:

1. Put foam blocks on the canoe.

2. Pick up the canoe and carry it to the back of the truck.

3. Put the front end of the canoe on the camper shell and the back end of the canoe on the ground.

4. Lift from the back of the canoe and slide the canoe onto the camper shell. (If you have a metal canoe, you will want to use some padding between the canoe and the truck at this point)

5. Tie down the front and back of the canoe. You can find places to hook the straps under the truck. (Keep the metal parts of the straps off the finish of the truck)

6. Put a strap around the middle of the canoe and through the truck cab.

7. Drive off and find some place to fish.

Taking the canoe off is about the same. Untie the straps and slide it off the back of the truck. Always be careful when lifting a canoe by yourself. I am a smaller guy and I feel confident loading my 14ft mad river canoe by myself. It weighs about 75lbs.

I had a good day of bass fishing at St. Ellen Mine in O'Fallon, IL.

Check out the specs, costs and reviews of the Mad River Canoe.

Don't Give Up

The Fall is here in the midwest and I can feel winter closing in. I get bummed as the days get shorter and the temperature starts to drop. Don't get me wrong, it is gorgeous outside in Illinois with the wonderfully cool weather and the amazing colors that the trees are showing. It just seems that I get super busy in the fall / winter and I hate being cold. Winter for me means at least one to two months off from fishing. Every year I keep telling myself that I will get out and fish in the winter, but it doesn't happen. Maybe I will make good on that promise this year.

I have only been out fishing a couple times this fall so far. I went on a long spell of not catching any carp. I am still learning their patterns and I guess when the weather changes they take it easy for a bit? I broke the spell last week and got a decent mirror carp and my local carp waters holds some nice bass and crappie. Who would have guessed it.

Don't give up on fishing in colder weather and don't give up just because you aren't catching anything. Get outside and enjoy the outdoors. It is good for the soul.

First Gar and Grass Carp On The Fly

I set a couple goals for myself in the 2011 fishing season. I told myself I would catch carp while fly fishing and I would try to catch a gar on the fly. I am proud to say that I have accomplished both feats. I landed my first gar while fly fishing and I got my first grass carp on this last outing to the River Des Peres in St. Louis, MO.

My buddy Brian and I ventured into the storm runoff / sewer drain ridden River Des Peres. Brian is the king of finding fishing spots in the urban setting. He is constantly on the look out for the next spot to find some fish to cast at. Once again, I would have walked right by this river. I would have never dreamed it could hold fish. We had a great day catching a lot of fish. We both landed our first gar while fly fishing that day. Good times.

Brian wrote up a great blog post about our trip and he posted a video of a slight mishap while fighting a fish. Check out his blogpost here.

Fly fishing tips:

1. Clean your gear after fly fishing in dirty, slimy and scary water.

2. Gar will hit anything bait fish looking. Our gar were mostly caught on wooly buggers.

3. Sharp hooks when fly fishing for Gar.

4. Sight cast to gar and strip the fly across the gar's path. They will react to the fly and hit it.

5. It helps to have a fishing buddy to net fish.

Wading For Carp In A Flooded Field

Recently, I got the opportunity to spend an afternoon fishing some waters with a new fly fishing buddy. Brian and I are learning how to catch carp on the fly this season. I met Brian at a local fly shop in St. Louis called Feather-Craft. Check out Brian's blog here.

Brian found a spot he calls the secret carp flats in the St. Louis area. We met up and he drove us out to a flooded field fed by the Missouri River backwaters. I lost a pair of wet shoes to the mud and then I switched to hip waders but I didn't have any socks so I got a mega blister on my foot. We did get one carp each for the day and Brian landed his first Common Carp.

I don't wade much, so I learned a few things on this outing. Here is a short list:

1. Wade slowly and when you get to a spot, be still. The carp will come back and get within a couple feet of you if you are still.

2. Pay attention to how the carp are reacting to your fly. I started the day with an orange carp carrot fly, but the carp were spooked by this fly. It is killer on my home waters, but not on that field with the light brown surroundings. I switched it up to a green wooly bugger and I had a hit within a couple casts.

3. Wear freaking socks with waders. I am still limping around from that stupid mega blister.

4. Get closer to the carp than you think you should. It is super important to see the carp and you can generally get within a few feet of most carp if you use some caution. I do have great respect for the guys who are casting long distances and getting takes. I like to ninja my way to the carp.

5. Finally, inspect flooded areas for carp. I would not have imagined carp were in this field. It didn't look like enough water to hold a puddle let alone 4lb carp. Check it out before you write it off.

I had a great day of fly fishing with a new friend on new waters. What is not to love about that?

Truth to the tales

A huge grass carp has been stalking the shores of my local pond every time I have gone fishing. I think it is a game where he mocks me now. I sneak up on him, he fakes being interested and then waits until all is quiet and then bolts away with waves following him. Of course, I am in the zone and being super ninja stealthy, so I jump and look like an idiot.

However, I had a sweet victory yesterday. I fooled him for once. I landed a carp carrot right in front of his face and he couldn't resist. I set the hook and the fish was on for a split second. He shot away with intense speed and my line went slack. Needless to say, I was super confused. I pulled in the line and all I had on was my carp carrot and a single scale from the grass carp. A token to me and yet again the fish mocked me. Dang it.

One In The Net and One That Got Away

A fisherman is known for tall tales of gigantic whales of fish in the pond and skewing the numbers a bit on the day's catch. I have to admit, I have been accused of such tales but things get blurry so it is hard to say. On to the fish tale. I have seen a grass carp the size of my leg cruising the shallows at my local pond. The first time I saw the thing I fell down because it was so unexpected. I thought it was a log until it moved. Of course I had the right fly on and launched a 100ft perfect cast right into it's mouth and hooked it. I held on for an epic 6 hour battle on 2lb test....wait a minute, that is the fisherman's tale. Here is the truth, I bounced a cast off of his head and then sent one into the shrubs on the shore. I tried to sneak-army-crawl/not look stupid into the shrub, but the fish saw me and swam off. This dismal failure to perform happend about a week ago.

Today, I had 2 hours to sneak in and I landed one 3.4lb mirror carp and I snapped off (instantly) on an unknown. The water boiled up into huge waves as that fish took off and my line wouldn't hold. I want to say it was the huge grass carp. Who's to know? I didn't even see a fin so it could have been anything. Heck, it was hot out, so I might have even been daydreaming! It was great to get out because I hadn't fished in about a week. I have been in Dallas, TX to a conference called Echo for media creatives in the church. I am glad to be home and hitting the local spots. Any luck at your local waters?

Finding The Rhythm

Every body of water has a rhythm. A schedule of sorts. This schedule is not broadcasted to the public like the evening news. The rhythm is much more subtle than that, almost felt. The observant fisherman picks up the beat and pulse of the watershed and it's creatures. Patience and consistent pursuit is the only way to figure it out. How has the rhythm changed with water levels? What effect does temperature and season have? Time of day.

I remember fishing a city pond where the bass were actively feeding. The bass crashed the banks, hard, going after tiny baitfish. A fisherman walks right up to a spot a bass just swirled seconds ago and launched a 7" top water about 80ft away. He had no clue what had just happened literally at his feet. He also didn't know that the bass would be a bit more shy with him hugging the bank. I watched this occur and I recalled a not so distant time when I did that. I just walked up to a spot and started chucking. Oblivious to my surroundings and the rhythm. I am not even that great of a fisherman, but I have learned to observe. This simple shift has allowed me to enjoy the outdoors in a much deeper way. Plus, I catch fish and it has to be a really bad day for me to be skunked.

I have had the opportunity to study a couple small ponds in my city. Obviously the smaller water is going to be learned much quicker. I feel like I can tell you, right now, where the fish will be at this point in the season. Sometimes it feels like I was invited to a party and they are just waiting there for me to show up. I think about how the fish have moved off a certain side of the lake to the other as my work day goes on. I know without a doubt I am going to encounter a few fish at a bend in that pond around dusk. You learn the rhythm and then fall in step. I can't imagine how many times I didn't catch fish because I just didn't pay attention. Maybe I scared them off by crashing onto the shoreline throwing the wrong thing into the water or maybe I spent hours of my life going for fish that were not even there because they were spending their time at a different part of the water.

The rhythm will pull you into step. If you will listen.

Weird Looks and Packing Light

I have never been the classic / traditional fly fisherman. I don't really wade, I don't fish in streams and I don't fish for trout. I live in an urban setting so you have to take what you can get. If I wear a fly fishing vest to the city pond people will fall over laughing and staring. The cops would arrest me for getting into most ponds and the bottoms are silty fisherman quicksand anyways. Therefore, I don't carry the traditional fly fishing gear or clothing. I pack light and efficient. Only the essentials for me. Here is what always goes with me:

My Pack - I scored this for $10 and it fits everything I need. I prefer the trays over a standard fly box. Not sure why but I do. My fly reel goes in one pocket and random supplies(pliers, line nipper, nail knot tool, etc.) in the other. I also have my leader / tippet material and scale in the pack. The pack has 3 trays for my flies and I bring an assortment for warmwater fish. Our friends just got me a cell phone dry box that is clipped on my pack. Love it.

Fly Rod - I carry a Martin 5/6 wt, slow action, rod that I picked up at Dick's Sporting Goods as a starter package. It has floating line on it and I have been using this rod for 2 seasons now and I have caught all my fish on it.

Sunglasses - I wear prescription glasses already so this sucks but I have fit overs and clip ons and what not. I look like a grandpa. Polarized lenses.

Net - This is new for me because I usually don't catch larger fish. The carp fly fishing is changing that for me. I wear my pack over my shoulder and this gets tucked behind me. The handle slides in to make it half the length and it slides out when I need it.

Water Bottle - It gets super hot in the summer and this is a must.

Hat, Long Sleeves and Pants - I get a sunburn thinking about the sun and I hate sunscreen. Therefore, I either burn or wear full sun protection. I always show up to work with bright red hands. People laugh at me a bit.

When it is all said and done, I have one pack I sling over my shoulder, a fly rod ready to go and a net on my back and a water bottle clipped to my belt loop.

What do you pack? What are your essentials when you go fishing?

Carp In The Rain

I just had to fish today. It was one of those got to go moments - a long couple days at work, no time to rest and lack of sleep and high stress. I had one hour to spend gaining some balance and calm back into life. One problem, it was raining a bit. That would stop most fisherman, but not me. My friend told me I go fishing like most people go to the grocery store. Other folks have to make a weekend or day out of fishing. I feel you should go when you can and as often as you can.

My gear always stays in the car, so I headed to my new carp lake right after work. People gave me funny looks through windshield wipers as they drove by in the safety of their cars. I didn't care because I was hunting carp. A few commons were rooting around in real close to the shore and I dropped a carp carrot right in the pack. The big one shot after it and I set the hook and held on! It took me a long time to land this thing and it only weighed in at 3.77lbs. This carp was my first common and the largest carp I have caught on the fly. My arm was worn down after the fight, but I pressed on and landed another mirror carp. Then it was time to head home for dinner. What a great day.

Landing A Carp and Sinking Myself

Have you ever heard the term, "sure footed?" Try that one on for size when you are sinking into the silty bottoms of a lake that has never felt the soles of a fisherman. As an urban angler, you are only in the water if something went terribly wrong. No one wades or swims in these murky and somewhat smelly waters. Well, I guess that social que doesn't apply to me. I busted out my hip waders and slugged to the out of place and hard to reach spots at the local pond. There is a no swimming sign posted, but I didn't see a no walking in the water sign. I quickly learned that balance is key in the foot sucking mud. I also learned one final lesson, make sure you can move your feet when you take a step! I got both of my feet stuck deep in the sludge and I fought to free them. As I pulled, I went a bit too far backwards and I fell like a tree in the forest. I plunged backwards and remembered my baptism in the murky urban pond scum water. Everything on me got submerged. I was immediately thankful for two things. One, my friends got me a cell phone dry box (they really know me) and two, no one else was around to see me being an idiot. I shot up out of the depths and raced to the shoreline. I threw my gear on the ground and hauled myself onto dry land. This gave me time to compose myself and remember that I was actually out to catch some carp on the fly rod and not to take a quick dip.

I hunted the banks and shallows for feeding carp. I crept,

as quietly as one can with soggy socks, up to a few carp and a couple actually took the fly! Despite my crazy water aerobics, I landed 2 mirror carp for the day on a fly called the Carp Carrot.

The Carp Carrot was developed by a guy named Jim Pankiewicz, otherwise known as Mr. P. Check out his blog and how to tie the Carp Carrot at:

http://themrpblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/mr-ps-carp-carrot.html

Mr. P has a great blog with a ton of good information on flyfishing for carp. I really appreciate all the people out there sharing their knowledge on fly fishing. I wouldn't be half the fisherman I am today without the incredible people who care to tell their stories and share what works for them. Thanks to everyone who shares and I hope to be a resource someday as soon as I stop falling into the lake!

P.S. Does anyone have any tips on wading in stillwater with silty/muddy bottoms?

Thanks for reading.

When You Know You Love It

I have been fortunate enough to fish just about everyday for the last 2 weeks. I might have missed a couple in there, but I did fish 2 times in one day every once in a while too! Being out has taken it's toll on me. I have been staying up late into the night tying flies and spending time with my wife and getting up with the sun to sneak in a couple hours of fishing before work. Chores at home have slacked off and I am a tad zoned out at work from the sleep deprivation and thoughts of the water and another fish to catch. Does that stop me. Nope. I keep at it, hoping to bring in another fish.

Currently, I am hunting carp with the fly rod and the carp are winning. I still have only managed to land one, but I have had a few take my flies and snap off. I have had more botched casts then I care to remember and I have had some perfect casts to stubborn and uninterested fish. The challenge of fly fishing for carp is amazingly addicting. My casting has undergone a major overhaul just to keep up. I feel like you have to be in the right spot with the right fly and make the best cast or it just isn't going to happen. I am pushed to find the right spot by learning about carp and I am forced to hone my casting skills to present the fly.

I know I love this sport because in the middle of being run down exhausted, I still set my alarm to get up with with the sun. I still fall out of bed to try it all again even though I didn't catch a single thing the day before. I do all this because I connect with fishing at some deep level that I am not sure how to explain. I don't know where it came from and I am not sure why, but I have to fish. I am not even that good at fishing, but I still go. I will keep going until I can't manage to haul myself to a water's edge. That's how I know I love to fish.

My First Carp

I have been casting to bubbles, tails, mud clouds and anything that looks fishy in the water for quite some time with no rewards and maybe a couple bites (and the bites could have been my imagination!). Finally, I got my first carp on the fly rod with a black and olive size 6 backstabber. I even found a new fishing spot. There is a country club in town, and by country club it is a bingo hall with a playground. The place has a pretty decent lake and they allow folks to fish from dawn to dusk. Of course, I stopped by there this morning on my way to work to give it a go. Carp were everywhere and this place is minutes from my house literally on my way to work. I spent an hour casting to every likely candidate with no luck. However, I snuck up on a couple carp in real shallow water rooting things off the bottom. I cast and droppped the backstabber right into the middle of them and one shot after it. I set the hook and held on! The carp was only 2.34lbs, but it fought hard. Now, when you fish before work you are not thinking, "hey, I may have to get dirty or wet." I had to land this thing and I couldn't just haul it up on shore and I was in my work clothes. Stupid. So I clamored down into the muddy water and landed my first carp. The fish was feisty enough to splash muddy water all over me and my shirt to get even. I got some weird looks when I got to work.

Thanks to all of you who blog about carp fly fishing. I have learned tons from people sharing their insight. Here are a couple that have helped me out:

http://coloradoflyfishingreports.blogspot.com/

http://flycarpin.blogspot.com/

I can't wait to land another one!

My First Trout

I got to spend 4 glorious days fishing the southern branch of the Root River in southeastern Minnesota a couple weeks ago. You've heard the phrase, "a fish out of water" well I was a fisherman out of his element. I have never fished for trout and I have never fly fished small rivers and clear water. Thankfully the trout didn't mind. I landed my first trout of my life on my second cast with an elk hair caddis fly pattern I tied up for the trip. It was a beautiful brown trout. I spent the next days wet wading going for trout as often as I could get to the water. My wife and I tent camped and our camp was 20ft from the river. I also got the pleasure of teaching my wife how to fly fish and she was able to land 2 trout of her own! I also got 3 leeches on my feet since I wasn't wearing boots. Gross, but that didn't stop me. It made me take a look at them and tie up some patterns to match their size and shape. We also got to witness a sulfur hatch one evening. I was blown away at how many bugs come off the water.

We had a wonderful trip and I highly recommend Forsetville State Park in Minnesota. I wasn't sure how I would feel going back to my urban trash filled home waters after fishing pristine clear water in a peacful wilderness setting. When I cast a line into the murky brown stillwater I fell right back into my rhythm. I guess I am home.

First Fish For My Friends

I had the great privilege to experience the first fish for two of my friends on the same day.  I got to teach my friend Israel how to fish because he never had anyone to fish with and I got to see my friend Kai land his first largemouth bass.  I also got to catch 2 porker bass on the fly rod.  It was a great day.  


On a side note, my wife and I are heading to Minnesota for vacation for the first week of June.  We will be heading to a graduation for my sister-n-law and then camping in southern Minnesota.  I am going to do my first trout fishing trip.  I never thought this day would come.  I expected to be this weirdo fly fisherman from the midwest who never even tossed a fly at a trout.  I was ok with that, but my luck has changed.  I will be chasing some brown trout in the local streams and creeks.  I may come back with my first trout ever, or I will continue my streak at being a non typical fly fisherman.  Who knows, but either way it is going to be great times spent in the outdoors with my wife.  

To fish and to teach

I fly fish city ponds in my not so outdoors urban surroundings. I get a lot of stares and questions like, "they have fish in there?". I battle traffic and people jogging to get to my weekday getaways. I do this to sneak in a couple hours of fishing after work to feed my addiction. City fishing has it's ups and downs as well as random surprises.

I have fished this new pond for about 2 weeks now. I am becoming a regular to the setting. Without fail, I have encountered a kid doing her best to catch fish each time I visit the pond. I have to say that she always catches more fish than me. She takes her butterfly net and quietly waits with it in the shallows until a bluegill gets within reach. Simple yet effective. One day she wasn't catching anything so I called her over and gave her a length of fishing line to tie on her net handle and I tied on a pheasant tail nymph for her. She was thrilled to say the least. She asked so many questions about what the nymph was and why fish eat the things they do. As I would catch a bass she would run over and inspect every detail of the fish. I taught her how to release the fish And she wanted to release every fish after that. The greatest thing was that she said thank you to every fish before she let it go.

That little girl reminded me of why I fish. For most it is a hobby, but for some it is part of them. That kid connected with fishing and the outdoors just like I did as a kid. I didn't catch many fish that day, but I thanked God for fishing and that kid.

My First Catfish & The Backstabber Fly AGAIN!

I had an unexpected surprise while getting some fly fishing in after work yesterday.  I landed my first Catfish on the fly rod! I got him on the backstabber carp fly developed by Jay Zimmerman.  I have been doing great at a local city pond catching bass on the backstabber.  My hope was to get a carp with the thing, but I haven't seen any to cast to.  However, on this short outing, I landed the catfish, 3 bass and a bluegill all on a black and olive size 6 backstabber.  I love this fly. 

Click Here to  learn how to tie the fly.    

Landing the catfish took some work.  I am guessing it was about 3lbs ish.  It fought hard too.  That was the hardest fish I have ever tried to land.  It would take these long runs and bull dog me.  I had a 9lb leader and 4lb tippet on.  I am not real familiar with how hard this stuff can be pushed, so I was worried to say the least.   

I also made a pvc rod holder to protect my fly rod in the car.  Easy to make and cheap.  Check out this blog for instructions on how to make your own.  

I still have hopes of getting a carp on the fly and I am still trying to go after gar on the fly rod.  I know I am not your typical fly fisherman, but I live in the St. Louis Metro East area.  I have to fish for what is around.  

Backstabber Fly And A New Fishing Spot

The rain some days to cold the next is balancing out and settling nicely into sunny days. I took advantage of the off days to tie up a few new flies. I found this great article about carp fly fishing and dreamed of landing a carp asap. (Check Out The Article). This dream keeps nagging at my thoughts all through the day at work. To top this off, I found a great little city pond that has several carp in it and I have been pulling quality bass out of the water. As an added side bonus, it is right next to my wife's job. That means everyday could be a quick fishing day right before I pick her up after work. Oh life's little sweet treasures! Anyways, Jay Zimmerman developed a great fly out in Colorado for Carp called the backstabber. Check out a video how to tie it. | Buy the backstabber here.

I tied up a couple backstabbers as best I could with the random materials I had laying around in a size 6 black pattern. Mine definitely don't look as good as Jay's, but they worked! I set out to catch the carp in the pond, but didn't see any when I was there. However, I got 5 bass to take the backstabber. This is the first submerged fly that I feel comfortable fishing. It feels strange to fish a fly below water as a newbie. I am just unsure how to do it, but this made sense. I highly recommend this fly. It was easy to tie or you can buy some from a great fly shop in Colorado. I hope to post some pictures of a carp that I catch on the backstabber. Until then, enjoy the bass photos.

Fly Tying

My attempt at a bead head pheasant tail nymph

I found it surprisingly easy to start off tying my own flies. Tying flies is fascinating to me and it is rewarding to catch a fish on a lure that you tied yourself. I am working on my tying skills and learning new patterns all the time. Right when I feel pretty good about my skills, I see a video of a guy tying up an amazing looking fly in less than 1 minute. His fly should be in a museum and mine are a sparse resemblance to the bug I tried to imitate. None the less, I catch fish on flies that I tie and I find great enjoyment in gathering materials and making lures that fool fish. What else are you going to do when you can't be on the water?

If you have never tied a fly, give it a go.

Mad River Canoe Fishing Setup

I was contacted a while ago by a cool guy named Mario from Texas. He wanted to know more about my fish finder install on my mad river canoe. Mario also owns a mad river canoe with a sweet setup for fishing. He was kind enough to share some pictures with me and I have to show you guys his canoe outfitted for fishing.

Mario's Mad River Canoe.  Check out his anchor trolley, anchor cleats, fish finder and scotty rod mounts.

Mario outfitted his canoe with a cargo bag in the front for storage and sweet paddle holders on the outside of the canoe.  

Mario powers his fish finder with a 14 volt drill battery.  He keeps the battery in the dry box and hooks it up to the fish finder power supply cables.  Genius!  Most guys have a drill battery at home that can be double duty.  Keep it charged to power the fish finder and the drill when you get home. 

Up close of the connections Mario uses for the drill battery.

Mario has inspired me to outfit my canoe a bit more for fishing.  I went out and bought some stuff at the local hardware store for a diy anchor trolley and I am for sure going to try out the drill battery option for powering a fish finder.  

Have you customized your canoe for fishing?  Send me some photos and tell me about it.

PARTS LIST

1.  14.4volt Drill Battery.

2.  Dry Box.

3.  Female quick disconnects.

4.  Anchor Cleats.

5.  Anchor Trolley.

6.  Scotty Side Deck Rod Holder.

  

Check out the specs, costs and reviews of the Mad River Canoe.