I've been trying to find a way to create maps for a Lowrance unit that I bought that has no Map ability, like the Lowrance Reveal 5X that I purchase last year.  This past week I had planned on going to Albion on vacation, but hurt my back and ended up staying home.  With copious amounts of time on my hands I started looking into backing up my FF data, and transferring it between units, and did some serious geeking out to automate backing up my waypoints, compile the data into a database and re-generate new files to import back into the fish finder. 

Having solved how to backup and consolidate GPS data I started looking at how to generate new data using Google Maps and be able to import that data into the fish finder.  I did a lot of research on what types of files are compatible with what websites or fish finder units and have found that it's really quite easy to create a bunch of GPS points on Google and then load them into your fish finder.

Since I also have this GPS only unit, I was looking for ways to import maps to it without any luck.  But then came up with the idea that if I had a good list of known GPS coordinates, and a contour line of land that it would be pretty good compared to a GPS without any sort of map.  It's only a prof of concept, but I think that it is at least better than a blank page.  You have waypoints you can still use the GPS to route and at least some way to orientate to land.  I can go into detail on the process later, but just wanted some feedback if people think it's useful and want to try it, I can send you a copy of the file to import.

Here is what it ends up looking like, see the red line I drew on Google Maps, and then added it and gps coordinates to my FF:

Just stumbled across a video of people on Hobie AI/TI's and a variety of other sailing vessels, kayaks, and even a guy on a SUP that took on a yearly race that takes place in Florida every year where they cover over 300 miles over several days pushing themselves to their limits camping and racing down the coast of Florida.  It's like seeing a bunch of NWM and Mr. X's all in one place doing a challenge together. 

Quick video of 2023:



Official Website: https://www.watertribe.com/events/evergladeschallenge/

The Everglades Challenge is an unsupported, expedition style adventure race for kayaks, canoes, and small boats. The distance is roughly 300 nautical miles depending on your course selection. There is a time limit of 8 days or less. Your safety and well being are completely up to you.

Unsupported means that there are no safety boats or support crews to help you during the race. You are not allowed to have a support crew follow you or meet you during the race. It is OK to have family or friends meet you at the official checkpoints, but they cannot provide anything other than emotional support. See the official WaterTribe rules for more details.

Expedition style means that you must carry the same type of equipment and supplies that you would carry on a major expedition lasting 4 weeks or more. Camping equipment, food, water, safety, communication, etc. is required. See the Rules and Warning link at the top of this page for the official required equipment list for more details.

Although this is a race, many participants are more interesting in cruising and adventure. Whether you are a cruiser or racer is up to you. Just getting to the starting line is a major accomplishment and only about 40% of starters are able to finish. You should be an expert kayaker and/or sailor before you consider this challenge.

This is the video I watched, it's quite long but I actually really enjoyed it.  Lot of good stories and lessons of triumph over adversity of weather and equipment failures and cover an incredible distance camping and kayaking the coast of Florida.

I've heard about them for years as a way to stack two rods on one DR and seen some members be able to successfully use them this way. Last year I started using the DR a lot more and the only complaint I have is having to reset the DR every time it pops the line off and when using a lake troller, that means pulling it all the way back up and re-deploying it.  A mistake in tension or deployment and have to start all over again.  The other day it dawned on me that I should try using the shuttle hawk to send my line down and decided to give it a shot.  Here is a quick video:




So I took the dr clip  off of my weight, and just used the shuttle hawk with my trusty scotty clip.  It comes with a different designed clip that you have to set tension with a screwdriver, but I didn't have one on me so just swapped it out.  You may notice in the video that Gary uses a rubber band to keep it from coming off of the DR line.  It doesn't come with it for some reason, so be sure to add it so you don't loose your SH.

While it sort of looks obvious how this works if you watched the video, I'll still sum up how I used it and what I liked and disliked about using it.

For me, it's sometimes hard to count the turns of the DR as the line pays out and I hear the clicker go and line pulls out of the reel.  But with this setup you deploy the DR to the desired depth, and then you use the SH to send your line down.

To get the SH to dive, you have to have tension on the clip to your line and lift up, which will give the nose a downward direction to force it to dive down to the stopper or the end of your DR line.  So at first it feels odd but you lift up and it starts to dive down, and using a clicker it pays out line pretty easily as it goes on it's way down.  Best part about this is once it's going you can slip it into your rod holder and just keep trolling and it will dive itself down until it reaches the end and then you can give a few quick winds to tension it.

Resetting is a breeze since the SH returns to the surface but you do not have to touch the DR crank at all, you can re-clip and let it pay out and send itself back down.  This makes it so I crank that DR arm so many fewer times each day, and at the end of the day, have no pain. 

Hopefully someone else gives it a try and finds it helpful!

Thinking of doing a boat in trip at Tomales bay 6/23 - 6/25 before the end of crab season. Not really sure if they will be catch-able by then, but it's my fantasy catch and cook crab camping weekend so I'm going to try.  Should be rock crab if no dungies want to play. Halibut hunting as well during the day would be fun too. Not sure of the weather at all, I've only been there once.  So this would come down to being weather dependent possible FnC.  If not that weekend, for sure still going to do this once if not twice this year.

Steal this before someone else does!

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/boa/d/santa-rosa-malibu-kayak/7608024707.html

The dawn of Spring is almost upon us! Although we have all been beaten and weathered by storms, some braving the conditions for a quick fix, but finally months of waiting out the cold are almost at an end.  Regardless of the changes to many of our fisheries regulations and seasons we are almost to the best part of the year and it only gets better each day from here on out.  So much to look forward too 

I'm hooked on watching this guy slay fish on his tiny trout rod    I even tried fishing this way at lake camanche and caught a easy stocker trout basically using a mini swimbait like a rip bait    I'm so curious now I want to try and find out more about it.  I've seen BFS setups, and this seems similar, but I'm having a hard time finding information on this guy's technique.   

https://youtu.be/l2VG112xgrE?t=391


if that didn't work then




He's using some 5' glass trout rod called a Trout Ranger that much I gathered.  He uses a pretty simple jig like a bransen bait, or  uses these metal vibe jigs, or even just regular jerk/swim baits.  Curious if there is some specific technique or if this is something that he just made up