Matt_Jr
Platinum Member
Peace on earth, fuel prices to stay low, keep my job, both grandmothers to stay in good health, and a Yukon wood furnace.
Christmas list ?
- Thread starter Solo
- Start date
Iplayfarmer
Super Member
I'll be the shallow one. I've given up on peace on earth, and I've already got a great wife and kids. I'll just go with the material stuff for the sake of discussion. This is the stuff I want, but I know I won't get:
Heated shop
Good MIG welder
Oxy Acetylene torch
New Tilt bed trailer (or a nice dump trailer with ramps).
Backhoe attachment.
PTO Powered broom for sweeping sidewalks next summer.
I could really use a nice custom built saddle (slick seat, no padding, Cheyenne roll, Leather clad stirrups).
A barn
The chance to buy my neighboor's place that we've agreed on but can't make the deal because it's tied up in a divorce settlement.
Local buyers for my excess stuff that I keep trying to sell and can't.
Honestly, though, I'd be pretty happy with a pack of new socks.
Heated shop
Good MIG welder
Oxy Acetylene torch
New Tilt bed trailer (or a nice dump trailer with ramps).
Backhoe attachment.
PTO Powered broom for sweeping sidewalks next summer.
I could really use a nice custom built saddle (slick seat, no padding, Cheyenne roll, Leather clad stirrups).
A barn
The chance to buy my neighboor's place that we've agreed on but can't make the deal because it's tied up in a divorce settlement.
Local buyers for my excess stuff that I keep trying to sell and can't.
Honestly, though, I'd be pretty happy with a pack of new socks.
escavader
Veteran Member
You guys got quite a haul!! Ive never seen that kind of fish around these parts,must be pretty good eating.You got your work cut out for you to clean them all
Looks like you and your brothers had a crystal clear day for fishing.ALAN
p.s Ive caught snapping turtles while hornpout fishing.They like to grab your fish while your reeling them in
Bird
Epic Contributor
Alan, I guess a lot of people don't know much, if anything, about Sheepshead. When I first started fishing for them with my dad in the '70s, very few people fished for them. They were not considered as game fish and there was no restrictions at all on them. They have powerful jaws and teeth that look like a sheep's teeth and they nibble on barnacles so they're usually found around piers and pilings or on or around rocks. They're heavy bodied, very powerful, pull hard, and fun to catch. And I don't believe anyone could tell the difference in the taste of the fillets between a Sheepshead and a Red Drum (Redfish) that's so popular. So, as more people learned that, more people started fishing for them and they soon became game fish. The last time I fished for them was 8 years ago and the minimum legal length was 12"; now it's 14" and there's a daily bag limit of 5. And that's what nearly everyone is fishing for this time of year.
Now the bad part is that they have big heads, big bones, and tough skin, so they are one of the harder fish to fillet, and the fillets will only weigh 25% of the live weight, not nearly as much as most other fish. But in that picture, you can see a small part of the fish cleaning house in the upper left corner of the picture. So we filleted the fish and put the fillets on ice just as soon as we came in. I'll just include another picture of that little building.
And I, too, have caught snapping turtles and what we called "soft shelled turtles" in fresh water, but that was when they actually went for our bait and got the hook in their mouths. But what my brother accidentally hooked in the right flipper appeared to be the same kind of sea turtle as in this picture. I would just guess it to have weighed 6 to 8 pounds, and of course, we turned it loose just as quickly as we could get the hook loose.
Of course we always see lots of dolphins around Port Aransas, but this time, we had one come up about 2' from the boat, then it rolled over on its back just a couple of feet below the surface and right beside the boat before wandering on off.
Now the bad part is that they have big heads, big bones, and tough skin, so they are one of the harder fish to fillet, and the fillets will only weigh 25% of the live weight, not nearly as much as most other fish. But in that picture, you can see a small part of the fish cleaning house in the upper left corner of the picture. So we filleted the fish and put the fillets on ice just as soon as we came in. I'll just include another picture of that little building.
And I, too, have caught snapping turtles and what we called "soft shelled turtles" in fresh water, but that was when they actually went for our bait and got the hook in their mouths. But what my brother accidentally hooked in the right flipper appeared to be the same kind of sea turtle as in this picture. I would just guess it to have weighed 6 to 8 pounds, and of course, we turned it loose just as quickly as we could get the hook loose.
Of course we always see lots of dolphins around Port Aransas, but this time, we had one come up about 2' from the boat, then it rolled over on its back just a couple of feet below the surface and right beside the boat before wandering on off.
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escavader
Veteran Member
Thats kind of neat to have a place to clean the fish when you come in.Ibet the marine wardens frequent there too,to check the limits
Some good reading about sea turtles.Inever knew there were 7 different ones.
We have alot of fresh water turtles ,in BELGRADE MAINE,where i work.Each summer,there is a week long period where they all move from the marsh and lake across from us,and move through our mill yard .In one area of town ,you can witness hundreds per day crossing a road.They go along way to lay their eggs.
ALAN
Some good reading about sea turtles.Inever knew there were 7 different ones.
We have alot of fresh water turtles ,in BELGRADE MAINE,where i work.Each summer,there is a week long period where they all move from the marsh and lake across from us,and move through our mill yard .In one area of town ,you can witness hundreds per day crossing a road.They go along way to lay their eggs.
ALAN
Bird
Epic Contributor
Alan, the last I knew, half of all the game wardens in Texas are stationed along the coast. When fishing off a pier several years ago, I've had a game warden come by and ask to see my fishing license, and once when Dad and I were in a boat, one came by to see if we had the required floatation devices. Once on this trip, there were about a half dozen boats besides us anchored just off the north jetty and two of the game warden boats came very slowly cruising by us. I don't think you'd want to get caught wrong.
Are the turtles you see snapping turtles or some other variety? I've heard the snapping turtles are good to eat, but the soft shelled ones are the only ones I ever tried, and only a couple of times many many year ago.
Are the turtles you see snapping turtles or some other variety? I've heard the snapping turtles are good to eat, but the soft shelled ones are the only ones I ever tried, and only a couple of times many many year ago.
escavader
Veteran Member
Yes they are snappers.I recall one larger one,[probably with a 18 inch shell],come crawling up through the parking lot one day.It was very aggressive when you placed a stick near its mouth.One of the fellows from the mill simply walked up behind it picked it up,and placed it in a truck to relocate it to a safer location.He had more courage than iThey cant get you if ,you come in behind them.No way in the world id ever swim near that lake
ALAN
They cant get you if ,you come in behind them.No way in the world id ever swim near that lakeALAN