NYC Journal

My “Evil” matte-black conventional reel was delivered, and it is a beauty.

The lever drag is new to me even though I have fished with Penn Internationals offshore, and the styling of this reel is for offshore. Basically I have used lever drags, but I never owned one.

The narrow spool designed for deep water jigging in the Pacific also serves me well for easy line laying for surf fishing. Then this drag is stout enough and strong enough to fight tuna.

I was concerned with how this would balance with the new Fenwick rod which at only 7 feet in length marginally could be used as a beach rod. I have the 10 foot surf rod, but I don’t know if I want to buy a Van Staal reel because this would not get used on a kayak.

The Fenwick rod has a heavy fast action that is well suited to casting heavy lures, plugs and jigs up to 3 ounces. The new Accurate narrow spool just feels right on this rod. If I loaded the rod with 50 or 65 pound braid it could be used for fishing school sized Tuna in the 50-80 pound range.

My intent is to load it with 30 pound braid for inshore fishing. Still a good rod and within its designed usage. With thinner line I gain casting distance, and pretty much the 7 foot length is not too bad of a handicap.

Now my thinking is getting an accurate BV-300N-SPJ, pretty much a smaller version to have a lighter setup with a moderate action specialized for lighter weight lure 1/2 ounce to 2 ounces. I basically want/need a rod with a wimpy tip that also could be used for bait fishing. I would want a longer rod in the 7 1/2 to 8 foot range.

The SPJ suffix is a reel with the longer handle, ergonomic knob, and no clicker. Pretty much the longer handle and knob once used or tried out pretty much spoils you, so I jumped ahead and started with this version.

Now I’m thinking of going with a rod in the realm of light moderate action that would use 20-40 pound test lines. Again I would load it with 30 pound test, but one rod would be heavy and have fast action, and the other would be light and have moderate action.

On the lighter rod the wimpy tip would kinda collapse and in effect when fighting a fish it would become about the length of a shorter rod. These long-fall jigging rods are designed to keep slack out of the line when you pitch the jig by violently raising the rod tip and then lowering it.

Somehow I overpaid my NY State taxes. I got a pretty big check in the mail today.

Cal
 
Did some more obsessive thinking and discovered that the reel I just bought will serve well my needs with a lighter rod that bends more easily. 30 pound braid line is the same thickness as 8 pound mono, so if I spool the reel with 450 yards of 30 pound braid I have overkill for line capacity and a mighty 45 inches per revolution of crank.

Measured how long a rod I could fit in the Audi A4 with a seat folded, and I can fit a one piece 9 foot rod. WOW. Phoenix sells a one piece 10 foot carbon fiber blank that I can shorten that has the action I need. Pretty much a custom rod is needed to suit my narrow shoulders. This also extends the lever of rod length for further casts. The blank is kinda costly at $229.00

This would make a killer shore rig for the beach or the Hudson River.

The reel I just purchase has a free once a year for two years factory service. How cool is that.

My Fenwick heavy rod would be a great Black fishing rod, and with a line change to 50 pound test braid a good offshore rod.

Cal
 
Thinking of taking “Maggie’s” son-in-law out on a party boat to go Black fishing in City Island, the Bronx. The Fenwick rod has the right action for that type of bottom fishing, and the fast retrieve of my new Accurate reel (45 inches per 1 revolution of crank) is ideal for this type of fishing. Pretty much the perfect/ideal setup.

I think I settled into a Phenix 710L rod made for long-fall jigging. Pretty much light action so the rod is kinda flexible even under lighter loads. I expect the rod to kinda bend in half and not at just the tip as on fast action rods like my Fenwick.

Changed the rear tire on my steel IBIS to the widest tire I own that fits. Barely clears the frame, but I love the change for both traction and stance. The tire has a larger diameter because of it’s 2.35 width, so the geometry of the bike changes. I have an oversized tire on the front wheel, so an oversized rear kinda matches and balances better to restore the original handling.

The only thing is this tire now is extinct and no longer available.

Oh-well. Long may it live.

The steel IBIS is a very hot bike. I love it.

Been thinking of how I have been buying stuff to keep. The new Santa Cruz guitar I bought last year was a great purchase because now I am priced out. The prices went up a lot. As far as guitars go I’m lucky to have assembled a collection already. The same with the guitar amps. All these prices are now crazy, and all the good stuff is now unaffordable And out of reach.

Cal
 
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I ended up buying a Fenwick “World Class” 7’8” casting rod after doing research and much thought. I ended up finding one on a close out and saved $50.00-$100.00. This is a top shelf Fenwick that is one-piece and has some added length that I wanted. Pretty much no compromise, even though it was less money than the Phenix rod I was closing in on.

The Accurate reel I just purchased serves well both Fenwick rods: one is heavier; and the other lighter action and slightly longer. I can do a lot of fishing with these two rods, and the Daiwa Millionaire Tournament reel is not a bad reel for the heavier rod for bottom fishing.

Anyways I thought all this out to make a decision where there is no room for any remorse. This new rod with the new Accurate reel will get used a lot and the most. The heavier Fenwick rod is for deeper water when I need it, and the Daiwa reel still is a good reel although not the quality or durability of my new Accurate. For the $80.00 I bought if for, boxed, unused, it was a steal of a reel and a real bargain find.

The Daiwa is about a quarter pound lighter than the Accurate, but has less line capacity and has a slower retrieve.

The new longer Fenwick rod paired with the Accurate reel is an awesome pair.

I might respool the Daiwa with 40 pound braid. Right now it is spooled with 65 pound test braid.

Happy-happy.

Cal
 
I like how you stuck with all Fenwick...I think that'll prove a wise decision. Familiarity. Good tools, well taken care, are worth the initial cost for the longevity, ease of use, and just simple pleasure of using them. Fishing rods are serious business. I have two poles and two reels I've used since I was about 14. I'm 53 now and still a skinny bitch like you bro! Haha Both are Jimmy Houston Shimano Fighting rods with Shimano Magnumlite baitcaster reels...one of them is made in Singapore one made in Japan. Singapore makes some smooth functioning reels believe me. Super smooth. I fish for black bass and crappie here in Oklahoma and I'm catch and release. I'll take a few bluegill to eat every now and then usually when camping. Cool to hear about your new gear.
 
C,

Bait casting IMHO is a cut above spinning gear. Overall better drags and more control.

Seems like the trend is for UBER light weight rods and reels, which in my case the Accurate BV-300-SPJ only has 24 pounds of drag and for 30 pound test braid that makes no sense unless I was doing deep water offshore slow pitch or long fall jigging like they do in the Pacific In mucho deep water.

My heavy Fenwick rod would be great for cod fishing, but 40 pound braid would be best. I likely will do a line change on the Daiwa Millionaire Tournament. If we get one of those warm spells I can see driving out to Montauk and getting on The Viking Starship to go cod fishing. Last time I did this the 110 foot boat cork screwed through 25 foot swells.

Many got sea sick. I saw this one guy go inside to the galley. He announced that he was going to eat an egg sandwich to settle his stomach, but when he came outside he caught the scent of a trap filled with green crabs where many were dead. Pretty much his cheeks in his face bellowed and then his face exploded.

I laughed really hard, but after you get sea sick you feel like dying. His head kinda exploded like a pimple. Very dramatic.

Basically this trend for lightweight setups is great for the Pacific (deep) but would be not so good for the Atlantic (shallower). At Grumman they had a map in the machine shop that was somewhat mural sized that showed the sea floor. The Pacific Ocean is overall about 5 times as deep as the Atlantic. The difference is rather dramatic.

In further research last night I found out that rod length is an asset when fighting a fish from a kayak, but a liability when landing a fish.

I’d be curious if you have tried or used braid? Also if so, what pound test? Braid is a bit revolutionary because of it’s strength.

They say that the first 40 years of your life depict the second 40. Basically if you are able to stay fit and slim for the first 40 years you should be able to maintain those conditions in the second 40 year period.

I think the Hobie Outback is mucho cool for catch and release. I could even go offshore… “Don’t tell Maggie.”

I also have a 5 weight fly rod someone gave me. They won it in a raffle, but pretty much it is perhaps a good rod for freshwater bass. Too light really for salt water but I imagine it would be fun to use this fly rod with school blue fish around 5 pounds.

Ever have smoked blue fish? BTW after smoking you can freeze them.

Cal
 
I always loved going out to sea and getting up into the north Pacific with a unit of embarked Air Force or Army folks on board.
In the winter of 2000, we set out from San Diego, sailed up the coast a bit then headed west. We hit what is kind of normal weather for that latitude of open ocean in the winter; 48 foot swells with 6 foot sea waves blowing up the swells. Every few waves (I forgot the period) the aircraft carrier would play like it was trying to become a submarine.
We had a bunch of USAF members on board for some reason and while we were doing business as usual, waxing floors, painting, whatever, they were struggling to survive. I remember walking down a passageway with my unauthorized full cup of coffee in my left hand, feeling like sometime I might need to walk on the bulkhead, when these guys were staggering down going the opposite way, asking where the nearest head was. They looked so green under those fluorescent lights. It was so bad that during meals, we'd all be trading trays with folks next to us once in a while. I got the best sleep of my life on that deployment.

Phil
 
Phil, that reminds me of my time on the Connie in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. The only time I nearly got seasick was off the coast of San Diego during the winter months when the ocean would be long, parallel swells, about a 1/4 mile wavelength, lined up to the horizon. Heading into them, the bow would begin to pitch up and down. One morning, after a greasy breakfast, I had to stand in some line to some office on the 03 level near the bow. Soon the pitching up and down began to feel like a constant, rapid, up/down elevator ride. Fun memories!
 
I learned that having a rod that is long enough to clear the bow is important. Pretty much pointing the rod out to the side should be avoided to prevent getting capsized. The best is to have the rod pointing towards the bow and having the fish tow the kayak.

Keeping the rod under a 45 degree angle is important to prevent overloading the rod and breaking it. The problem with long rods is when landing a fish. A longer net might be required or some gymnastics to maneuver the fish closer to the boat by crossing the rod across the boat.

The Hobie Outback is 12’9” long and has a beam (width) of only 34 inches. It is stable enough to stand. The total weight capacity is 425 pounds, the hull with Turbo fins is 110 pounds so really the cargo capacity is only 315 pounds. With some conservative estimates I weigh 155 lbs, and then add 10 pounds for a rod, reel, and a small amount of tackle. That’s 165 pounds bare minimum with just enough to fish.

That leaves 150 pounds of cargo capacity in reserve.

It seems like many fishermen load down their boats. I would add in a net, some lunch, and water. Pretty sure I don’t want a GPS or a fish finder to read the bottom. I figure with the ability to fish straight up and down I should be able to figure out depth and terrain with my rod. Also I figure limiting ballast (extra weight) makes for a faster more efficient boat, and might even effect stability since this added weight would most likely be above the water line.

I figure the kayak lightly loaded with me and minimum amount of gear will likely be the most stable, and this stability I want to be able to stand and cast. I think loading down the boat takes away stability, and me with minimum gear is just slightly more than half the cargo capacity.

Pretty much if I leave my gear at home me and a light passenger could still be under the 315 pounds maximum load for cargo. There is a rear platform that could accommodate a passenger. No luxury comfort or seating, but it could be done. This would be just for a joy ride and perhaps a picnic lunch.

The idea with the Hobie is to be a light car-topper.

Cal
 
Joe, I was a weather guesser for my first 5 years and during that deployment, I was a workcenter supervisor, but still had to pull my share of weather observations. We had to put on a foul weather coat, rain pants, then get in a harness to go up to the O-10 for observations. We would have to clip the harness into one of a few welded rings to ensure we weren’t blown overboard. I remember getting repeatedly hit with sea water and knowing that the O-10 is 180 feet above the nominal waterline, when the boat wasn’t trying to earn us all our dolphins. The swell period was 12 seconds and the wind on the bow was 50kts. We had to keep moving, of course, but we couldn’t go too fast because of the aircraft on the flight deck. 5 chains on each hardpoint for tie down and we still lost an aircraft. On the PLAT cam, we saw sparks when chains would give way and explode because of the surf washing over the flight deck and pushing aircraft. There was so much damage done we had to stay in port in freezing Pusan for an extra 4 days while the flight deck was recoated with nonskid.
I went into Pusan one evening to get dinner and booze but the high temperature was -9 and after that I traded all my in-port liberty and duty days with other folks so I wound up with a total of 9 days off when we hit Hobart, Tasmania at the end of the deployment. Good times.

Phil
 
Joe reminded me of the elevator ride in the Twin Towers. Did you know the elevators accelerated to 55 mph, but you don’t feel the acceleration or de-accelerations.

Pretty much the experience is from Star Trek the elevator doors close and when they open moments later you are somewhere else. The experience pretty much is like getting beamed up.

Had a job interview for the Department of the Treasury as a Research Intelligence Specialist and I would have worked in the World Trade Center. I got the job, then was offered the same job in Miami before I started in New York, then I got offered an opportunity at Los Alamos to work on one of Ronald Ray-Gun’s Star Wars projects.

Out of the three positions the job at Los Alamos seemed like the most crazy so of course that interested me the most. I wondered what a guy like me would of done working for the government. Lots of possibilities, lots of opportunities, and pretty much a very different life that the one I lived.

I think because I already had a Secret Security Clearance from Grumman it top listed me.

When I was 15-16 I took the PSAT’s. I scored in the top 5 percentile in the math, science, mechanical reasoning and got offered a full scholarship to attend The U.S. Coast Guard Academy. This was also another opportunity to work for the government. Know that I did not do so well in the vocabulary, reading and writing. Kinda below average… Kinda half genius… Smart, but dumb. LOL. Kinda like “Maggie.”

Calvin the unlikely G-man
 
Monday the new Fenwick lighter rod is expected to be delivered. Even though it measures at 7’8” and is longer it has a shorter handle. Know for kayak fishing shorter handles are favored.

The Accurate BV-500N-SPJ reel has an awesome balance on my 7 foot heavy Fenwick, and the balance point is right at the front of the reel seat. Perfect.

I’m curious how the longer rod will balance. I suspect it might be tip heavy. Let’s see how this plays out. Remember I still have the Daiwa Millionaire that is a quarter pound lighter.

Been looking into PFD‘s, basically life jackets for kayaks. Also been looking into roof racks. The Audi has no rain gutters so this limits things.

Also looked into whether a Hobie is practical for trolling lures, and it is, especially for striped bass that prefer a slower speed of 2 1/2-3 MPH. Pretty much this is about a walking speed.

Remember that the Hudson River has a muddy bottom, but the shipping lane has a sandy bottom, and the minimum depth of the shipping channel is 30-32 feet, plus about a 4 foot average tide.

All in a dream… Kinda funny how dreams come true in retirement…

Cal
 
Here in Philly, it’s hot and very humid with none of the benefits of being on a tropical island. We’ve had some torrential downpours over the last few days and the forecast has the temperature increasing along with storms for the next ten days. It’s the official beginning of my summer depression when the hot weather keeps me indoors and I make plans to escape this city for a colder part of the world. I also contemplate things like selling all my bikes and just giving up, hence the depression.
Phil
 
Phil,

Hang in there.

I know what you mean about finding some respite from the heat and humidity. I figure I will do my biking mucho early in the morning. I get up at 5:30-6:00 anyways, so I can take advantage of the coolest part of the day. Nice thing for me is that I have Blue Mountain nearby.

Also you need to hold onto pastimes that have history and a future to create a legacy that is durable. Don’t give up.

At Croton Point not far away I can swim in the Hudson River. There is even a lifeguard on duty.

In my case I am built for the tropics: I’m of Cantonese descent, and Canton has the equivalent climate of Havana Cuba.

You should know that heat does not really bother me unless I have to wear dressy clothes. Also I am not ashamed to go topless because I have a muscular build.

Even though I sweat mucho, I never get dehydrated, or at least I am not prone to heat exhaustion. This is the benefit of being a skinny bitch.

Somehow we have to adapt, global warming is making things worse.

I will be stripping off shingles and installing a new roof on my garage. Only about 6 squares of shingles, but I am only one man, and this is like dog work. This will get done in July.

Know that pulling Knotweed is like prison work. I will have to cart about 5-6 cubic yards of gravel to build out the pad between the two sheds. More prison work…

The moral of the story here is to somehow continue to move forward…

I actually am looking forward to getting these tasks done. For me the distressing part of the year is winter because of the cold. Because of Cold Aglutinin Disease I have to limit my exposure to the cold, and the fatigue from mild anemia kills my energy level. For me winter is hell.

There is this joke where an optimist and a pessimist argue until the pessimist get frustrated and picks up a hammer and with rage expresses, “If I take this hammer and smash your hand repeatedly, what would be good about that?”

The optimist replied, “It will be good when you stop.”

Pretty much all we can do is ride it out…

Cal
 
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I just finished building and testing this, my “ultimate” heavy duty commuter and possible touring bike.
This is a 1971 Raleigh Twenty (Folder) with an extensive number of changes made. The only original parts are the frame, fork, bottom bracket, and mudguards. It was originally delivered with a Sturmey-Archer AW 3 speed hub which I changed out for a new rotary-shift/ drum brake version when I built up my wheelset. This last week I built up a new rear wheel with a Sturmey 5 speed hub with drum brake. Front hub is a drum brake/dynamo combo which powers head and tail lights. It has a RedShift suspension stem which really makes a difference since small wheels are inherently stiffer and have less volume for cushioning. I swapped the Raleigh swaged crankset for a Williams with a 50.4BCD chainring. This way I can change my gearing if I want using a Stronglight or TA chainring.
Saddle is a Brooks Cambium C19 which is rapidly becoming one of my favorite saddles.
I will be swapping the chrome mudguards for a set of wider Blumels in the coming week. I may be adding the original chain guard back, we’ll see.
I must say the Raleigh Twenty is one of the most fun bikes to ride and I’m hoping to do some commuting with it. If it rains in the afternoon and I don’t feel like getting soaked, I can always bring the bike aboard the subway; full size non folding bikes have restricted hours aboard the rail transport here. Of course, if I ride, that is a guarantee of rain…
Phil
 
Phil, that Raleigh Twenty restomod is fantastic. I'm a huge fan of small wheel bikes too, and of folders. You've built my dream commuter bike there. If you add more to turn it into a tourer that would be even more orgasmic, dare I say.
 
It seems that Peekskill Bay is shallow and more promising deep water is on the west side of the Hudson.

Fishing from the shore is practical at this point since a kayak presently is a luxury for lack of savings/funds.

I discovered that I could cross the Bear Mountain Bridge and head south a bit and park for free at Jones Point which is across the river from Peekskill. The water is mighty deep so pretty much casting from the shore is basically the shipping channel. My only expense is the toll for crossing the Bear Mountain Bridge.

The water at Jones Point is 60-70 feet deep. In my surfcasting experience the deep water with the stronger currents are where the big fish lurk.

While Bear Mountain State Park is 5205 acres, Harriman State Park, which butts against Bear Mountain State Park, is a whopping 47,527 acres and is the second largest state park in New York. Adirondack State Park is not only the largest State Park in New York, but it is also the largest park in the lower 48 states. It measures 9,375 square miles.

So Peekskill, a city of 25K residents, is just on the other side of the Hudson, and is very close to mucho wilderness without being close to the Canadian border.

Then I have Blue Mountain Preserve, about 1500 acres two blocks away from the Baby-Victorian. I don’t have to drive very far to find wilderness.

Today I walked into my back-backyard and discovered a male deer that had small nubs for antlers. I stood about 25-30 feet from him and we stared at each other for quite a while.

”I was just minding my own business,” at Lowes after doing some food shopping at Trader Joe’s when this guy came up to me and engaged with me. He seemed to know me, but I did not recognize him. Anyways because I kinda stand out he knew me and spoke of a MRI, so I figured he knew me from work.

One thing led to another and pretty much now Brian will be my fishing buddy. Brian knew of Jones Point and fishes there. He and his wife Victoria moved out of NYC in 2020 just before we did, and they live in Mohegan Lake.

Brian is a welder by trade, so now I have someone to teach me both MIG and TIG. Looks like a great side hustle for a creative like me. Don’t forget I have a 100 amp service in my garage… Wow how did this happen? I am very good with my hands, I have an art background, and pretty much have a talent for building prototypes from scratch.

Anyways it didn’t take long to make a great friendship. Brian and Victoria spend a lot of time in Peekskill, and it became clear that they wished they lived there, but of course no houses are available. I can see why Peekskill will be a bit of a paradise for the many who love the outdoors. I am a very-very lucky man to live in such a paradise.

I have to look into maybe getting an Empire State Pass so I can park at Bear Mountain as much as I want. I need to get “Maggie” out walking and hiking.

Cal
 
Thanks for the praise! I have this idea of Amtrak touring, after reading about folks grabbing their folding bikes in the UK then taking a couple weeks in France, riding a train when prudent, and riding the bike when desired. Not a hardcore tour, but definitely one where a person would have the ability to still see quiet a bit.
I want to put a set of panniers on the fork, but that skinny Raleigh fork isn’t meant for a heavy load. I’m thinking of finding a touring recumbent fork, or forking (pun intended) out a large sum on a mini-velo touring fork which is ready to go.
I figure this R20 is far more utilitarian than most of my bikes, and can be taken on public transport with no restrictions or high volume ridership hours.
Here’s a few more photos of the bike’s details. Before you ask, yes that is a shifter at the top of the seat tube. All IG hubs are very sensitive to cable length and folding the bike up will affect the cable and housing; worst case scenario, I get a kink and then possibly no shifting. So I placed it right under the seatpost QR and it works fantastically. Sturmey actually makes a 31.8mm clamp for their shifters in case people want to mount them on their seatposts.
Anyway, here’s some old folding bike ooh laa laa.

Feel free to contract me to build yall an ultimate R20! If the heat and humidity keep me in this summer, I’m going to need some things to tinker on. 😀

Phil
 
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