How to catch fish and build a fire........or not!!

[Katdaddy]

Today was the first time in about a month that I have been off work and we have had nice weather. Sunny with temps in the 60's. I decided to play with a few new toys so off to the woods I went. Forgot the camera and did not feel like going back to the house to get it. First I wanted to try my new fishing kit. I used one of the protein shot containers that I found at Wal Mart. I packed lots of what I thought would be good items in there. I have to admit that I had fits figuring out casting the thing. I finally mastered casting. I was trying out a beetle spin. FAIL!!!! I could not wind it in fast enough to get it off the bottom. I did not have any kind of bait with me so I don't know how it will work with bait and a bobber. I will definitely have to give that a go.
Next, let's go play with our fire kit. I picked up lots of small sticks and some dried grass. This is going to be easy......not. I laid down the dried grass and shaved some fatwood on top. I sparked and sparked but could not get it to light. I then took a small piece of jute and teased it out and laid it on top of the grass. Two sparks and it took! The jute went up, the grass went up and then everything went out. Well, let's try that again. More dry grass, more fatwood shavings and another piece of jute. This time when it started burning I laid the piece of fatwood on top. This has got to work! NOPE! I decided to get rid of the grass and try again. This time I found a piece of wood with a flat top. I laid a couple of sticks on top and shaved some fatwood in between them. I teased out some more jute and put it on top of the shavings. This time I fuzzed up the piece of fatwood. Jute took a spark right off and the shavings lit right up. I laid the fuzzed piece of fatwood across my two sticks above the burning shavings and it started burning nicely. I then laid my small stuff around and over the fatwood and actually got a nice little fire going this time.
This really got my attention. It was a pretty day, sun was shining and the weather was warm. I was not in real need of a fire and had plenty of time to play with it. The jute was great. The fatwood shavings were great. What I thought was going to work the first time was a complete bust! The grass burned, but my wood that I had picked up was wetter than I thought It would be. We have had a lot of rain lately and this stuff was really sizzling when I finally got it to burn.
So I need to work on the fishing kit and practice some more with the fire kit. I have to say that you cannot practice this stuff too much. All in all, it was great to have a day off and have some nice weather to get out and play.

 

[pitdog]

Great stuff buddy and as you said you cannot practice enough !!!

 

[Rupestris]

I had the same experience when using dry cat tails for the first time. It'll light quick but burn out just as fast. You need a lot more than I thought.

As for fishing, try some 1/16oz or 1/8oz jigs with 1" - 1.5" tubes. Perch (orange/chartreuse peppered), white, and silver/black are my go-to colors.

Circle hooks are great for bottom dwellers like cats and carp. They can be left in the water and, just like the guys on TV say, they set themselves.

 

[Matthew Lomas]

Ya the weather was definitely a nice change for us southerners who aren't used to anything under freezing... especially for more than a week at a time lol. I have found a good source of kindling even when it is raining is the Omnipresent Wax Myrtle. There are always little dead twigs to branches on those things that will catch up with the barest hint of flame. Those trees are ugly as sin but are indeed an outdoorsman in need of fire's best friend.