Friday, July 21, 2023

Checked Up On a Pond


My neighbor and fishing buddy Mike told me a local boy is catching fish in the neighborhood pond, so I decided to check up on things.

It hasn't come back anywhere near to its former glory, but the water has a very nice deep black "tea" tone, and the edges are finely grown over. I worked and worked a Senko, getting only sunfish taps, when a sizeable bass finally assaulted it. Setting the hook only resulted in the worm flying off the hook and somewhere into the thick. 

Earlier today, I discovered my O-ring tool is missing, and when I ordered a new one, I selected the bargain including a hundred of the rings. My stock is low and I've been using ones that don't quite fit. Thus, the worm flew off the hook. 

I snapped on a Hedden Tiny Torpedo. Soon, I caught a 10 1/2-inch largemouth. I kept plugging away, hoping for a surprise, but for whatever reason, some 25 minutes of fishing proved to me that the pond still refuses to fully come back.

7/21/23 RV Project Update

Round Valley Project.com 

Tuesday, July 18, 2023

Polyethylene Canoe Plastic Weld

Go back to work on Monday the 24th. The back isn't completely healed, but is enough to get around without thinking about it. Did 20 or 30 laps in the pool today. Looking for goggles to use tomorrow. 

Might get up to Cronk's house end of the week to do plastic welding on the squareback. He was out in the middle of the lake last week, when the leak broke open. Gave him a scare. Don't use Flex Seal or any other adhesive on polyethylene. I know a new acrylic by 3M--as of 2019--is supposed to hold on the stuff, but the description says "water resistant." I think I would need something better than "resistant." Besides, the stuff is 50 bucks an ounce, and I would like to have more to work with. 

So I read further and have concluded along with others that plastic welding is better on polyethylene than any adhesive. Now let's see if that judgment holds.