 |
||
 |
One More Cast...
Time spent FISHIN'
|
*** |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Listen to "On the Road"
Radio Show |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Home Away From Home
Make sure your remodeling plans are design for your life style and habits. Using durable materials, furnishing that can be used/switched for more than one need, User friendly appliances/accessories and layout, and make it easily maintainable. Sketch up and idea or master plan that will cater to your idea of a prefect RV for you. If you try and just go for it without a plan it will only frustrate you when you try to install all the things you wish you wanted. This will also give you an idea of how big/small a RV you need to look for. Think of the things you want. Some of my ideas are rod storage, equipment/storage work area, fridge, stove, microwave, kitchenware storage, washroom/shower area, sleeping area, clothing storage and relaxation area. These are the priority things; however some areas can serve as a double duty. Consider the type of utilities you will need. You may need to mount these outside or in a compartment. Something’s come to mind are, generator with gas, propane tanks, clean and dirty water storage, heater.
One thing you might want to focus on is lighting. Lighting will make you RV more inviting, comfortable and stylish not only for you but for any guests that my visit. Using light colored appliances, walls and furnishing will not only bright the area but will also might look more roomer and comfortable. When you install light try to use both 110v system that can run of the generator and use a 12v system that you can run of your battery. If one system doesn’t work you can use the other. You should also try to the outside light in as much as possible. It is easier to cover a window area with shades or blinds than it is wish you had one. Plus using the outside light will curtail your generator usage and vehicle battery.
Use your imagination and mind to make your perfect RV. Instead of going and buying stuff, see if you can make it instead, to cut your costs down. See you on the road and on the water Harold “Howie” Range
SAVING OUR FRESHWATER HABITATS
We are not realizing that we are harming our fishing resources buy doing some routine outside chores around our houses. Yet some of these routine chores, like washing cars, watering yards, cutting/fertilizing grass, and the list goes on. Even putting in sidewalks, patios and driveways can cause problems. These problems are more noticeable buy homeowners that live closer to our fishing waters (waterfront/stream front properties) than those that are more inland. Here are just a few ways we can conserve and protect our waterways.
Conserving energy/electric- Some electricity is generated buy damming waters ways and flowing water through turbines. The longer the turbines run the more water it takes from the water source. This water source may not be able to replenish itself fast enough which in turn will cause water levels to drop, which will cause fish to suffer as well. To help relieve some of the energy usage, use energy saving appliances and weather proof and insulate your residence. Keeping your temperatures at the following will also help in winter set the temperature at 68^ and during the summer set it at 75^. Washing cars, boats, house, and outdoor items- We all know the importance of not dumping chemicals and cleaners down outside storm drains. However using heavy duty cleaners and chemicals for outside cleaning is almost as bad. Think about it, you are washing your boat/car with chemical cleaners, suds the up, rinse it off; dump out the left over cleaner that’s in the bucket no problem. Wrong, where does all the liquid end up going, into the ground or down the driveway into the storm drain. Sooner or later this cleaning (contaminated) water wonders its way into the water ways and pollutes it. Even if you dump the cleaning water onto the ground it will eventually get into the water ways or even the drinking water supply in your area. Fortunately the ground will filter out some of the contaminates, before the water gets to the water source but now the ground is contaminated. So how do you wash your outside equipment? Try to use non-chemical or natural cleaners, such as natural oil biodegradable soaps, lemon/orange peel oils, vinegar and such alike cleaning products. You can probably go to a car/marine supply store and ask for environmentally safe cleaners.
Residential waste water- There is several million homes that use a septic system to get rid of their waste water. Some are close to a water source. You should always keep a lookout for problems with them and have them cleaned (pumped out) on a regular basis. If their happens to be problems we risk the chance of having bacteria and other harmful products of decomposing getting into our waterways, contaminating them. Things to do to try and avoid these problems are; don’t flush anything down the sink/toilet that can clog/obstruct the flow of wastewater, Don’t plant any type trees or root baring plants around pipeline; as these can infiltrate and crack the pipelines, don’t park any type of heavy equipment (including cars and boats) on a septic field which can cause it to collapse. If you should start to see any problems (sluggish draining, poor flushing, excessive wetness on the lawn, etc, etc you should have your system checked. I hope that this information will help keep our waters safe and plentiful for not only us but for anglers to come. Fishon Fishhard Harold “Howie” Range Can you hear me, Can you hear me now How about later? This isn’t another one of those cell phone commercials. In this article, I’ll be talking about hearing loss that could/is related to fishing and traveling. In a recent physical I was diagnosed with a slight hearing deficiency. In talking with a few audiologists (ear doctors) on how this happens, I learned it could have been from driving with the window open a little, driving my boat, and talking on the cell phone, among other things. Wind noise is a constant rush of air that goes by your ear which you do not notice. It is not like the noise from a gun going off or roar of the jet engine sounding. Most people think that hearing loss is from the gun blast or engine roaring. You really don’t notice this subtle minor noise that does damage to ones hearing. So how do you know when you are hurting your ears? Actually you find out post damage, meaning that if you start hearing a ringing sensation in your ear canal the damage is already done. This is a gradual thing that happens, so if you notice it once and you have to do the same thing again and again, you should do something to protect your ears (ear plugs, muffs, headphone, etc). To kind of put things in a little perspective. OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) sets the threshold for a safe workplace for noise exposure at 85 decibels, regular household noise is about 50decibels and average factory is 85decibels. Driving your tow vehicle with the window open or driving your boat at 60 miles per hour creates about 85-92 decibels, driving at 70 miles per hour creates about 95decibels. Maybe this is not enough to do damage during 1-2hour runs but if continually doing so it can build up and cause you problems. Just think 1-2 hours will get you to your local fishery but if you go for a long run, 4-6hours to get to the sweet spot or fishery you can do some damage. Usually you will start to get the ringing of the ears or a stuffy feeling after a day of fishing and after 16hours it should clear up, however this doesn’t mean you didn’t do any damage to your hearing. Most hearing damage is accumulative in nature, especially if you do this day in and day out, like fishing in a tournament trail. So how do you prevent wind damage? It’s relatively simple. Keep your ears covered or place earplugs in you ears. These options will lower the decibels enough so that wind damage will not be as severe to your hearing. Your hearing is very important to your fishing and outdoor life. You need to listen for the water splashing around of the bass busting the surface or the rustling of the brush of the buck walking though your spot. Or if you like me, the siren of the trooper, that is about to pull you over for speeding. No matter what you do don’t take you hearing for granted, protect it before you lose it. Fish-on Fishhard Howie Tournament Participant This article I will be talking about how and what I do to get ready to go to tournaments as a participant. I hope that this information will steer you in the right direction especially with all the different tournaments going on. I’ll be talking mostly about multi-day professional (FLW, BASS, and others like it). Going to these tournaments is almost the same as getting ready for a trip. You will need to do some homework, again here are some of the things I do. Participating: You have waited till the Pro/AM tournaments schedules have been announced. You check your schedule to see which ones you can participant in. You look at the instructions on how you submit your application/registration. After a little (feels long and grueling) wait you here from the tournament directors office and find out that you are accepted. Great, what do you now? You first need to make arrangements for the following: accommodation, fuels, food, etc, etc. Next you need to get your equipment ready (same as in my previous article “Going on Trip”).
Service stations: You may want to map out where service stations are along your route of travel. By now I hope you know how many miles per gallon you get while driving and towing your boat. This will help you on planning where and when to stop. Tolls: Make sure you have enough cash to pay the tolls. You can probably look up on the Internet to the states Department of Motor Vehicles website, it should be able to tell you which roads have tolls and the approximate cost (remember you are considered 2 vehicles when paying tolls when towing). Meals: What can I say about meals, the more you eat out (restaurants) the more cost you add to your trip. I always try to find a place that has a refrigerator and allows you to cook at the place your staying. I will always bring along a small pot and pan, portable grill, large cooler, utensils, plates and towels with me. Once I arrive to where I’m going I’ll try to do some shopping. I’ll buy food (cookable) and drinks for the days I’m down there, this has lessened the meal cost buy almost 50%. Even if you don’t have a fridge, to keep things cool, you can store it in your cooler and just add a bag of ice (a $2.00 expense) a day to keep food cool. Again splitting your meals with friends is a lot cheaper then on your own.
Practice time: Try to get in some practice time with some of the other anglers that are participating in the tournament. You’re asking yourself how do I do this? Right. You have a few options here. 1. Is you can take your own boat and use it yourself on the practice times, 2. You can go around and talk to some of the other anglers to see if the would like a partner or know some one that does, 3. Go down to the main launch site and ask the anglers that are putting in their boats if the would like a practice partner. Don’t get discouraged someone will usually take you along. When you do go out with a practice partner always offer the following: gas money for the day, help loading and unloading the boat from the trailer, offer a to buy them a meal or fluids for the day. Ask the boat owner if needs anything else that he needs help with. All these things will help you in the future. The start of the tournament: This actually starts during the “Official Practice Time” listed in the tournament rules and regulations. You need to know what these rules and regulations are, You can get these rules from the tournament official, and you will need to obey the rules, it would stink if you ended up with a penalty before you even start fishing. Meeting your partner: Make sure you meet your partner at a designated area and don’t be late. Try to be a little early. Loading your equipment: Make sure when you load your equipment it is where your partner allows you to, this will avoided having you and your partner tripping over the equipment.
Landing fish: When your partner hooks a fish, ask them if they want the fish netted and try to get out of his way while he is landing his fish. When you go to a different spot: try to be the first one ready to go (rods secured, life jacket on, sitting in your seat) before your partner is.
After a day of fishing: make sure you offer the partner money for at least gas for the day. Clean up the boat (remove your things and look for trash and clean it up) Remember to treat your partner with respect and they will do the same. Looking for your next day partner: Usually there is a designated area of where the partner listings are, most of the time your partner is their if not double check and see if you can get a phone number or lodging area where they are staying. You need to get ahold of him to find out where, when, how you are going to meet them, also you need to know what type of fishing you will be doing, (spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jigging, worming, etc, etc). After you figure these things out, you’re back to square one as far as fishing with a partner. Cleaning up after a tournament: This is different than “After a day of fishing”. This is where you must go over the boat thoroughly. Clean out all he compartments, check the motor for fluids, reorganize the equipment that was used and not replaced in the right spot, dry out any wet compartments. Nothing stinks as bad as the leftover piece of hoagie that you left in the boat and finding it a few days after a heat wave In the past I have had the pleasure of fishing several of the BASS Pro/Am events. I must say that most of the partners I have had (some well known and not well known) where very appreciative, helpful, personable towards their partners. I look forward to every tournament I go to cause it is always an educational fishing experience. Fishon Fishhard Howie
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Email
Me
So
you like to travel and going fishing at the same time. But you really don’t like
stay in hotels and motels all the time, What can you do? You can’t afford one of
those $300,000 RV’s that can carry your boat and tow vehicle. You can spend
$50-60,000 for a new large to medium size RV, which is also a little too much
for your budget. So what do you do, how about buying a used older model RV and
remodel it. Remodeling an RV can be a very rewarding process. Not only can you
get an RV at a low price you get the satisfaction of saying you built it. With
this in mind here are a few things that you can do to make things work for you.
Ok
so you wrote down your needs and ideas and sketched a plan what is next. Fun
time, start striping out the interior of the RV Trying not to disturb the
kitchen and bath area, these areas are pretty much preplumbbed with water lines
and shouldn’t be played with. After your done go and take several measurements
of the open space and start thinking what/where you want to put things. Use all
the available space if you just need a two door cabinet and have the space for
three go for three. If you just have just want a small sitting area of just 2
chairs but have room for a large size go bigger, just using the 2 chairs may end
up giving open unusable space. As you do take things apart make a mental note on
how it was put together, this might come in handy when you put your ideas
together.
Some
of the external things that you can do are make external storage space. However
you need to watch out that you don’t disrupt the structural integrity of the RV.
I have seen RV’s with a compartment that goes through the underneath of a bed
that you can open from either side of the RV (perfect for your rods).
Watering
your lawn/garden
Usage
of fertilizers and insecticides-
