In The Flow

1. Making a living as an act of service and gratitude.

2. Meditate daily, @ 6:00am if possible.

3. Exercise, start by walking.

4. Eat mindfully...track weight. Goal 151.5lbs.

5. Daily log entry in evening.

Status:

1. Engaged. Need to be more consistent. Need to do 8 hr days.

2. We'll call it 6 in a row. A bit sketchy, but solid today.  Want to go 45 days consecutively (from Charles, talk to him about it).,

3. Not started yet, focused on doing it today.

4. Was 209 this morning. Oats and eggs for breakfast.

5. Missed two days. Maybe Blog in morning, just after meditation, or at end of day? Let's for meditate @ 6:00am, just after coffee, blog @ 9:00pm.

In The Flow (+Catfish fishing tips)

1. Making a living as an act of service and gratitude.

2. Meditate daily, @ 6:00am if possible.

3. Exercise, start by walking.

4. Eat mindfully...track weight. Goal 151.5lbs.
5. Daily log entry in evening.

Notes for 7/7/2013

1. Sunday...no work on making a living.

2. 3rd day in a row...keep it up. Need to get up/go to bed earlier...sleep 1-2am..up 9-10am

3. Nonstarter so far.

4. Didn't need second helping @ dinner. Still too much food late. getting sweet snacks.

5. This week, daily.  Check to see if can blog w/Nook.

The Day:

Fished with Alex @ Lake Ellen. He wants to go cat fishing. I'm checking it out and want to try the Haw, the Eno, some ponds and then maybe Carr Lake (???Island).

Great Site: http://www.learntocatchcatfish.com/

So far,,,,Rigs, Knotts, other good ideas:

                           Primary for catfish

 Keeps the bait off the bottom, particularly good when drifting.

You can certainly use the same setup for both applications by using an no roll sinker or egg sinker but making some minor changes will greatly reduce the number of “snags” or hang ups as well.

Instead of using an egg or no roll sinker consider switching and using:

Team Catfish Smooth Operator Sinker or DIY Snagless Drift Fishing Sinkers and a Team Catfish Sinker Slide

When drift fishing use a Team Catfish Sinker Bumper between the weight and the barrel swivel. This will help prevent weakening the knot are causing the line to weaken due to constant rubbing and banging onto the knot and line around the swivel.

The use of these style sinkers when drift fishing will help to greatly reduce the amount of “snags” or hang ups when you are drift fishing. It won’t completely eliminate the problem but it will help to reduce them it.

The easy snell is commonly used when attaching circle hooks to leader line. It can be used to tie any hook on the fishing line or leader line though. The snell is actually knot a knot but a “wrap” Despite it being so simple and easy to tie the snell is one of the strongest fishing knots.

Use the same setup for both applications by using an no roll sinker or egg sinker but making some minor changes will greatly reduce the number of “snags” or hang ups as well.

Instead of using an egg or no roll sinker consider switching and using:

Team Catfish Smooth Operator Sinker or DIY Snagless Drift Fishing Sinkers and a Team Catfish Sinker Slide

When drift fishing use a Team Catfish Sinker Bumper between the weight and the barrel swivel. This will help prevent weakening the knot are causing the line to weaken due to constant rubbing and banging onto the knot and line around the swivel.

The use of these style sinkers when drift fishing will help to greatly reduce the amount of “snags” or hang ups when you are drift fishing. It won’t completely eliminate the problem but it will help to reduce them it.

The palomar knot is used for attaching hooks or terminal tackle to line. It can be used to tie any terminal tackle the the line where you have an open end. The palomar knot is a “go to” knot for most anglers because it is so easy to tie but it is also one of the strongest fishing knots to use.

The Trilene knot is a great knot to use when attaching terminal tackle to fishing line, especially when you don’t have an open end of the fishing line available (like tying a swivel to end of the primary line with the hook already on the end of the leader). This is a great knot for  attaching leader lines to swivels after you have attached a hook to one end of the leader.

Additional Ideas:

  

Makes it easy to change weights (Cabelas?)

 

No-Roll sinker keeps line from twisting

(1-1.5oz)

 

Circle Hook, Hooks mouth, not into stomach

Peg Float (1-1.5")

Bait: 

YouTube: Hotdogs & Hot dog tool

Best Ever Catfish Fishing tip, Hot dog bait rig for Channel Blue Flathead Wels Ginch Cats

Coat Hanger Bait rig - Best Cut/Whole Bait Rig For freshwater or saltwater or squid trolled baits.

Back In The Flow

Been months since I posted....Let's catch up.  From my last post...

Things I am working on:

1. Making a living as an act of service and gratitude.
2. Meditate daily, @ 6:00am if possible.
3. Daily random act of kindness (RAOK)
4. Eat mindfully...track weight. Goal 151.5lbs.
5. Daily log entry in evening.

Status:

1. On Social Security...cast flow positive, chance to get 100% @ retirement, if start earning again.

2. Two days in a row...lets go for 3.

3. Nix this, just be present & calm.

4. Eating like stressed short timer. Want to get juicer, need to budget it. (117lbs)

5. Not since March!!!  Very stressed before figuring out SS.  Most stressed ever. Panic attacks +, now much better, no excuses.

Current Concentrations:

1. Making a living as an act of service and gratitude.

2. Meditate daily, @ 6:00am if possible.

3. Exercise, start by walking.

4. Eat mindfully...track weight. Goal 151.5lbs.

5. Daily log entry in evening.

Recent Adventure:

I took Alex's inflatable canoe down New Hope Creek.  We have been having record rainfall. Basically it rained for all of June, then we got a 5+" downfall on one afternoon. Bolin Creek was amazing.  After things calmed down, but still high, I put in on New Hope Creek @ Turkey Farm Road and planned to take out on Erwin Rd.  It was amazing, beautiful and challenging. Class 1-3 or 4. (don't know if this is the current system, I need to look it up)  There was beautiful whitewater every 50-100 yd, no obstacles that couldn't paddled around. I did get out @ the ford, just to be safe. There was a 2-3ft drop and the whole creek turned into a hydraulic.



New Hope Creek at normal level.



All rocks were under water during my "adventure"
This is a picture taken during a 2002 flood, similar level to my escapade in 2013.

Then I decided to go on to 15/501 (ignoring threatening skies). It was a nightmare.  I had to get out of the canoe every 50+ yd.  The water was smelly, filthy and had endless obstacles. The biggest mess was backed up behind a beaver dam (I saw one and surprised another just a couple of feet away in the water). The water was 4+ feet deep and covered with loose debris for 20 yards.  You couldn't stand or climb on it without sinking. When I had to portage around it (one of many) the real trouble began. It was nearly impossible to get up the slippery clay banks. When I did, I was assaulted with prickers and horse flies.  As the descent into hell continued I could hear the traffic on 15/501 for 2 hours before getting there!!!  This experience was a good candidate for the most difficult physical things I have ever done; And one of the most ill conceived, i.e., stupid. Not fun.

I think the creek was mostly class 1 & 2, with one class 3+ and the end of Duke Forest. The water after Duke Forest was flat; that likely contributed to all of the obstacles.

The first half made me want to train at the US National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, http://usnwc.org/. The second half made me question my sanity.

Here's the current whitewater rating system:

Class 1: Very small rough areas, requires no maneuvering. (Skill Level: None)

Class 2: Some rough water, maybe some rocks, small drops, might require maneuvering. (Skill Level: Basic Paddling Skill)

Class 3: Whitewater, medium waves, maybe a 3–5 ft drop, but not much considerable danger. May require significant maneuvering. (Skill Level: Experienced paddling skills)

Class 4: Whitewater, large waves, long rapids, rocks, maybe a considerable drop, sharp maneuvers may be needed. (Skill Level: Advanced Whitewater Experience)

Class 5: Whitewater, large waves, continuous rapids, large rocks and hazards, maybe a large drop, precise maneuvering. Often characterized by "must make" moves, i.e. failure to execute a specific maneuver at a specific point may result in serious injury or death. Class 5 is sometimes expanded to Class 5+ that describes the most extreme, runnable rapids (Skill Level: Expert)

Class 6: While there is some debate over the term "Class 6", in practice it refers to rapids that are not passable and any attempt to do so would result in serious injury, near drowning or death (e.g. Murchison Falls). If a rapid is run that was once thought to be impassible, it is typically reclassified as Class 5.

Looks like things haven't changed much. Only the crazy things some people have "navigated" and turned from a class 6 into a class 5+.  By these standards, I think the creek was mostly class 1 & 2, with one class 3+ and the end of Duke Forest.

I just looked up canoeing water hazards and got this picture...nice 20/20 hindsight and good motivation to train at the US National Whitewater Center.

This would have been a good reminder.

This is what I avoided by walking/portaging around the ford.