Spring is a coming

Just picked up a Frabill Worm Can, and 3 bags of Berkley Power Bait Ripple Shads. I put a Pfleuger Arbor reel on the new Fenwick Elite Tech Smallmouth Rod, loaded with 10lb Nanofil. I can't wait to get on Storm Lake after ice out and pitch jigs for walleye. Probably in about 2 months. :-) I know I'm way ahead of myself but I am afflicted with massive cabin fever!!!!
I am in the process of re-viewing some excellent videos by Doug Vahrenberg (sp?) and Jason Halfen about reading and interpreting Humminbird side imaging as well as preferred settings in differerent situations. I am also lucky that there is a man here in town that is an expert on the side imaging, that I can get some help from. (Rollie Peschon) I really need to get with the learning curve on that 998si this summer.
The ice is starting to look really bad after all the rain we received last night. Ice out is still quite a ways away but it will be here sooner than we think . I will probably get the Ranger out of storage, at the end of March, unless the ice goes out sooner than I anticipate.

This and That

Not much going on, watched the live feed of the Bassmaster Classic weigh in over the weekend. New champion Chris Lane, big congratulations.He and his brother Bobby both made the final cut. Man they drag that thing out, I imagine it is exciting live. Dianne doesn't miss the Classic at all, she attended over 20 years for Berkley/Pure Fishing. She didn't even go to the weigh ins after a few years, she stayed at the show and worked.
Haven't been ice fishing at all. Foot isn't completely healed and I really don't want to try and walk out there and the ice isn't safe enough to drive. I see 36 trucks went through the ice over on Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin over the weekend. They all parked in the same place and it was too much for the ice, no one was injured. Dumb Asses!!!!
I had a nice conversation with Bob Jensen over the weekend, hadn't talked to him in a long time. I value his insight into what is going on in the fishing industry. His FISHING THE MIDWEST TV show is the best catch it, if it is on your TV channels!!

Humminbird 360 Imaging

Humminbird just announced this new technology that allows you to look  360 degrees around your boat. Amazing stuff!! I think it will be great for the bass tournament guys but for $2000.00 I will have to pass. Great idea though.
I may get out on the ice this weekend if this storm pretty much misses us. Snowing right now, we may get up to 5 inches today and tonight, and of course with high wind!!!

Electronics Mounts

Well, I'm considering a switch from Ram mounts to either Stabil or Cisco mounts, they are both the same price. Cisco looks to be a little more adjustable than Stabil but a little harder to remove the units from the boat than Stabil mounts. Both American made. I just can't get the Ram 1.5 inch locked down tight enough with these larger units ie:Humminbird 998csi. I used the shorter arm last summer and that was better but the unit still moved. Up front on the deck the Humminbird 788ci, seemed more solid but still moved some. I haven't convinced myself that spending a couple of hundred bucks for two new mounting systems is the way to go. Of course with what I have invested in electronics, that isn't much money to protect them.
I think the first order of business this spring is getting the in-hull puck transducer glassed in the hull. Then I will be able to get sonar readings on plane on the 998. I have never done this particular install before so I will go slow and get some help. I hope I can just sand the hull smooth by the live well and bilge pumps and not have to take the oil tank out and stand on my head to get the ducer glassed in the set back area of the Ranger 619!!
I need to get this done so I can fully learn the capabilities of the 998, DI,SI,Snap Shot etc. I only got to use it about 5 times last year do to that knee thing but will be out full bore this summer. (Hopefully)

Puter back up

Well, I had a little scare Wednesday. My laptop showed up with the Blue Screen of Death. I clicked on an email link I shouldn't have. I knew it was bad the instant I clicked on it. I don't know why I did that I normally don't open suspicious links and it was suspicious. Oh, well brain fart. I took it into town to the COMPUTER GUY (Steve Currell) and he had me up and running Thursday. Very good service and pleasant man. Give him a look if you need some computer work, small business or home. He is even a certified Apple guy.
Haven't been on the ice, still trying to heal up the problem on my heel. It is coming but I don't want to push it. Rick D is on LOW as I write this, hoping for some pictures today. He is fishing out of ARNESON'S ROCKY POINT RESORT. I have never been to that one but it looks good on their website.
 I am anxious to try the Blade Baits I bought from Dean's Tackle Box, they really look good. Later

Blades

I have been looking to try blade baits for some time now. I have a few Cicadas but today I ordered 4 different colors and 2 different weights,of the Tweener Series from deanstacklebox.com. Might try them on the ice if I get back out there this year, which I doubt. Should be interesting, I have had some success with the Cicada baits.
I see the population of icers has dropped dramatically since the warm up. I know they are still getting gills on West Okoboji as well as perch. Gills in the bays, perch on north end 18-20 ft of water as well as between Eagle Point and Gull Point. (Spencer Beach area)

Progress

Just saw Dr. Blankers. Cicatrix is healing nicely. Dressing now just some antibiotic cream and a band-aid, no longer need crutches unless I am going on a long hike. :-) 
I think I am probably done with ice fishing for the year, we will see. I don't plan on walking out anymore and I don't think the ice is going to get good enough to drive on.
I am now looking at a step system to get in and out of the boat when I launch and take out by myself. I have looked at EZEE Step, Bow-Step, EZ-Troll step and some others. I am also still considering putting a Boat Buddy to catch the bow eye when loading the boat at the boat ramp. I need to go online to some message boards and see what experience other folks have had with these items on Ranger 619s. If anybody reads this and has some experience to share please do.

Lowrance LCX25C

Well, the guy from Cedar Rapids decided not to buy the 25. It is still available for $475.00 but I just may keep it as a back-up. I can put it up front with no re-rigging other than buying a transducer adapter cable for the US2 transducer on the Terrova. Hmmmm, that would give me a big screen color sonar on the bow. Nah, I'd rather sell it.