Headed out from the W.O. Thomas ramp, pre dawn, Sunday, for some bottom fishing, at some numbers, so graciously, (and under penalty of death, if disclosed) given to me by EF1.
Wasn’t to be our day. We lost the sonar capabilities on the Garmin, around 15, or so, miles out. Decided to head to 12 Fathom Hole. A spot where I had great success, on Black Sea Bass, and Vermillion, last year.
Using the bottom contour on the GPS as a depth guide was tough, at best. Ended up with a bunch of dink Black Bass, and an undersized ARS, or two.
Enjoyed the fishing, and fellowship, with Rebelstate, and his son!
That being said. Years ago, I never had any problem catching all of the BSB, and ARS, along with the other multitudes of bottom dwellers, allowed, using a compass, and a primitive sonar device.
In this day, and age, have we become so relied on our electronics that we’ve forgotten how to fish?
My grandad and my Great Uncle Pete could catch fish in a parking lot and they didn’t have any fancy electronics.
My uncle used to use an AM radio back in the 70s to come back home from offshore. They’d fish 200’ all day, use the compass to come into about 60 feet. Then they’d pull out the AM radio and point the antennas around. Where ever the signal was strongest, that was the way home. 80% of the time it worked every time.
Technology has made us weaker!
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When I was 16 years old I bought an old tri Hall with a 70… $300
Had 2-- 5 gallon gas tanks. I decided to go to the Sherman which is about 10 miles out of Little River. Follow the compass 181 heading right to the buoy. Boy I know what I’m doing. Got this no big deal. Trolled around a couple hours tearing up the fish. first tank run out of gas. No problem still another tank of gas. I bottom fish a little while. Look around buoy nowhere in sight. I take a zero heading to go back. Finally I see land. Water towers and all don’t look familiar. About a mile from shore the other tank runs out. oh crap… still some gas in both of them . Poor the gas out of one into the other and prop it up and get the boat going. I find the inlet at Ocean Isle. Oh I’m happy now. Get almost to the bridge at Ocean Isle and run out of gas completely. Paddled to shore. Grab a gas tank and thumb to the gas station and back.
By this time it’s about dark. Hauling a$$ back to North Myrtle. Get to Calabash crossroads the bottom end blows to pieces. Fortunately tide coming in and paddled to Calabash. Tied the boat up to the dock. Then had to thumb back to North Myrtle . Get home around midnight.
This was a Saturday and I worked at travelers gas station. I usually worked from noon till midnight. My parents never knew anything about this. I went back Monday to see about trying to get the boat and it was gone. To never be seen again.
Maybe I should have got a saleboat.
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