The virus continues on. Restrictions eased up in locations. With celebration. With criticism. I don’t have the answers. My friends seem to. The problem is: None of them agree. This one isn’t that hard. The “experts” say it’s bad: Keep things tight to home for longer. The experts say the worst has past: You slowly reopen. I scratch my head reading people banter about how unfair the closures are, it’s killing America: Blah, blah blah. In my opinion, if you can’t survive a shutdown of this length, you were no good with money and you are not a very good businessman. OK, so not everyone is like me: They spend every dollar they get the day they get it. Well, you live that way, you have to suffer sometimes.
It’s conspiracy: Mail in voting is encouraged instead of the regular way. Over and over I see these complaints. What’s the difference? You think your vote is counted better if you are at the polls? Come on.
I’m beginning to think the precautions were wrong. Let it spread: The strong survive. Build immunity. Do what you can for precautions for the elderly. But otherwise let life go on.
April 28 and 29, all the talk was about reopening stuff. Georgia leading the way. That surprised me because four weeks ago it was supposed to be bad in Georgia. Beaches: Reopening Monday. It’s limited but people are allowed access again. Rumors, likely substance: Restaurants reopening in mid May. Turned into early May. Places are reopened with limitations.
Hopefully, a good trend.
For me: Trips out of nowhere. Schedule mostly dead, I’ve got enough going on where the bank balance won’t go down.
You get criticized for not wearing a mask. You don’t have the virus. No one around you has the virus. If you are intelligent enough don’t you know when to wear it and when it is fine not to wear it?
The Neil Blog: Probably won’t be read until I’m dead? Hits on those links are decent but with all the people that see the article exists, only a portion are clicking on it. I have some real followers, read every one as fast as it’s out. Then there’s people I’ve known my whole life that haven’t read anything I’ve written in 20 years. Oh well,
Truth be known: I could write and publish one of these every day. Might not have the zip they do when I spread them out every three weeks but I could do it.
The Professional Baseball Umpire: Should have sold 1000 more copies. Kayak Fishing? Should have sold 500 or more copies. People are both lazy and they “don’t read.” I scratch my head, the person that posts online: Books, books, books. And they have never bought one of mine. Again: Oh well. Maybe they’ll get them when I die.
Greatness: Clint Eastwood. It will be a shame when he is finally gone. He’s an old man. Great movie roles. His westerns, 90% of them were very good. The best of all his movies: Gran Torino. I wish they wrote more roles for him for another five movies like that one. I hope he is happy. He should be enjoying his success as my father did. Never met the man. I’ve met some good ones in my time.
Fishing: I’m in a lull. The virus killed out of state business. Locals: I’d say they are just mostly staying at home. I should have more business. When this lets up, business should be really good. I’m at about $4000 in lost business. But as I have told people, most of it is “delayed business”, it’s not lost.
Has anyone else noticed but me? Needlefish. Where did they go? I haven’t seen a needlefish in months. Not a bad thing but what happened?
Pompano: It hasn’t happened yet but I hope it gets like it was two years ago. I’d enjoy catching them on days off and making batch upon batch of fish spread.
Flounder: Signs it might be a good year but we haven’t had a monster day yet.
Trout: Absolutely easy. With the big three “closed” their numbers are improving. Redfish, the best they have been in seven years. Snook continue a long recovery (because they were managed wrong). Trout spawn year round. They didn’t need to be closed. But I said nothing. I’m fine with a closure and seeing what it does for the species.
Cobia are on my list of species for a closure. Heavily targeted, they are the fastest growing species in the Gulf of Mexico. What would a six month closure do for that species? It would be worth a try.
Size limits: Dire need of revision. Sheepshead. Flounder. Top of the list. No regulation at all for silver trout and whiting, maybe there should be. “Fifty fish.” Something like that. Of course, no one fishes for them so it isn’t that big a deal. I’d say sheepshead is top of the list. A lot of people try for them. Flounder: Not that many people know how to find them and catch them. Spanish mackerel: Regulations are fine. Pompano? I’d increase minimum size to 13 inches from 11. Let those barely legal ones go to leave them out there. Make people catch them larger to take home. I don’t keep the barely legal ones. Haven’t in years.
These suggestions: Sent in regularly. But what’s done about it? Absolutely nothing, because it is a busted system. Am I a worthless stakeholder? Or, does my input really amount to something??
Nothing really bothering me in general: I still have to scoff at certain things. Every day: People who blast their horn at other drivers. Why? Because they are making a turn and slowed down to do it? Don’t they ever make a turn? What’s the hurry anyway? It’s not just one guy, it’s a bunch of people that do it.
But again, whatever. I’m happy they are on the road going somewhere and not sitting with me. But the anger these people must have. It is interesting. How wound up do you have to be to blast your horn because the person in front of you has slowed down to make a legal turn?? I’m going to get a paintball gun. Every person that blasts their horn at someone turning, I’m going to paint their car.
Complaints on the net: Billionaires are making money under Trump. OK, so I can envision a lot of complaints. But if you are a billionaire and you are not making more money, you shouldn’t have ever been a billionaire to begin with. I quit.
I think in general, some complaints just don’t sit on solid ground, but that’s OK. I try to ignore it. It is impossible to ignore everything. And, sometimes I have to lash out. The last time, I took the people down. I didn’t want to be dominant, but I was. I’d say with one person, it changed them. So, I figure, it was good. Other people, their commitment to their stupidity is interesting. You can show them how wrong they are but they don’t give up. You have to admire that somewhat but you also have to shake your head.
You try to be positive. You fail because the bad things just stand out more. I am not a magician.
The fishing: I wish I could control. I’m pretty pleased with how things are and my hopes are that things get even better. I need a good pompano and flounder year. The people who want to keep a fish, these two species might get that done. Last year: Dismal for pompano. Compared to the two previous years: Dreadful. This year: What’s going to happen??
Redfish are the best I’ve seen in 7 years. Trout didn’t need to be closed but that closure, it means bigger trout.
The Captain Mel Classic, when it does happen: Custom buffs with the tournament logo. The Fly Division, one fly from Jeremy in Key West. Two from me: My pompano fly and a second “white fly.” Just perks. If I can get more, I will. Working the angles and will be into some fly exchanges. If I can get people to send 10 of one fly, they will go to the fly guys.
A rod order: So, I’m selling six rods. Great inshore rods. $70 each.
Pompano teasers: Who needs them? I can’t believe how many I have. And, with 200 more hooks in: 50 will go toward flys, 150 will be pink teasers. When I’m through these hooks I’m taking a break. Into the month of May: It is going to get hot. It is going to stay hot for 8 months. Great break from the air conditioner running, is almost over. A couple of days of trips: Now three weeks of dullness. The fishing is so good, the schedule shouldn’t stay empty.
- The Neil Blog… - July 26, 2023
- The Catfish - July 26, 2023
- update - July 22, 2023
