A Confusing Picture, Time to go Fishing

The New Year has started off with a bang, but I am having trouble finding my moorings. Markets are running hot but so far missed my spots this week. Many correlations are breaking, new rotation is happening as things unfold. Low volume moves are making waves and it's hard to figure it all out. Those that can make moves during the day are killing it but I have been pressed busy at work.

I am confused and I don't have many answers. Honest.

This happens from time to time (more than you might think) and when it does, I like to go fishing. It clears my head and focuses my attention and I am better able to make heads and tails of things. It's January now. Not good.

What follows is a fishing pictorial. It's mostly for me, but I hope you see some things that appeal to you.

This bass is really small, almost as small as the spinner bait he went after:

Kayak fishing excitement.

A full on Wachusett Reservoir 4 pound smallmouth:

Quabbin anyone? Kid Dynamite has a written invitation anytime.

Smallmouths:

Exotic? How about peacock bass in Miami canals?:

Or Barracuda in Antigua?:

I feel more calm.

Have a good night.

Flanking Maneuver

Very nice weekend here, Spring had arrived.

Bass Pro Shops Haul
Stopped in at Bass Pro Shops Saturday and it was like being in a toy store for fishermen! So much stuff, I was getting a bit dizzy.

Luckily they had a complete Yamamoto lure section, so I stocked up on the best lure ever invented, the Senko! Here is the haul:

Got a nice Shimano reel for $29.95 as well! Maybe next weekend I will head out to catch some fish.

Flanking Maneuver
Had some nice flank steak in Antigua so I thought I would give it a go on The Big Steel Keg.

I bought a package of flank steak and I tried out a new marinade, Allegro, which looked good at the store:


I cut the steak into strips and then hammered the crap out of them with a mallet. This thins them out nice. Yes, I was beating the meat:


The Mom in Law does not like marinaded steaks, so I grabbed a few small tenderloins as well. Asparagus tops rounded out the pre-cook line up:


Everything was pretty good. Here are the flank steak strips almost done:

I forgot to grab a picture of the dinner plate.

I like the marinade but it was just a touch too salty. Never know until you try.

Market Operations
Homework night as I try to find some ideas for stock positions. Will update later if I like anything.

Added:
I like OCLR, ZLCS, SOFO, and LF here.

Have a good night.

Back on Dry, Solid Land

Feels good to be home! Long day!

Back on Dry, Solid Land
Today started with a 3:45am wake up and on the road by 4:20.

Today's trip was to the Quabbin Reservoir, the largest body of water in Massachusetts by over 10X the next nearest sized lake. The Reservoir is just too enormous for small boats so Kayaks (Watchtower, I will take a pic of my rigged kayak next river trip!), canoes, and small boats under 10 feet are not allowed. Luckily the Reservoir is operated by the state and they rent 14 foot aluminum boats with a 20hp motor and a huge tank of gas for $45 for the whole day! What a deal!

As it is deep summer time and and the lake trout, salmon, and rainbows are all so deep as to be almost not catch able the reservoir was almost empty. I like that a lot! Plenty of room.

We saw Turkeys, Bald Eagles, Deer, and Martens on the islands. Great wildlife. Loons everywhere as well. But it is about the fishing.

Fishing was a little tough today due to heavy winds. On a lake this size the wind really gets channeled hard and not even 50 pounds between two anchors can keep a boat in place! Luckily I have developed drift fishing techniques for deep water smallmouth bass over the years which worked well today regardless of the wind.

I am feeling a bit wobbly and still feel like I am moving with the waves so I will make this short. I was able to locate some great fish (with help of the new Eagle 350c color fish sonar) and the wife and I had one of our better days even with the wind issues. We caught 25 fish between us and the wife, as usual, got the biggest which means I HAVE to go see the Twilight film "Eclipse" this weekend! Dang smallmouths!

Here is a good one I got early on, about 3 pounds:


The wife's first fish:

Not bad!

I got this guy and he was really long but did not feel too heavy. He fought heavy though!:

Great coloration.

My best of the day, a football shaped fatty over 4 pounds and he was a mean jumper! He got aerial 4 times. It was probably a female as the females are bigger, but whatever:

Nice fish!

We had lunch out of the wind in a quiet cove, but of course I saw some movement and it was a largemouth bass chasing shiners near shore so I had to catch him:

Besides the obvious difference (mouth size!) large and small mouth bass are very differently colored, as you can see.

Fish of the day? The wife's easy 5 pound plus bruiser brought up from 18 feet deep on a great rocky dropoff I found. Caught on a black 5 inch wacky rigged senko:

Monster smallie!

Do not be alarmed at the blood from the fish, the wife hooked him in the lower jaw near the tongue and that area will bleed a bit for a minute but with no damage long term to the fish (they have done studies).

A great day but I am tired out. Working anchors, tying hooks and rigs, fighting the wind, and driving the boat. It's like real work only fun!

Added:
An autumn overview of the Quabbin which shows the size and the beauty of the place:

Wow.

Have a good night.