My OTHER fishing vehicle

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

I like fishing - that should come as no surprise I can go every day, somewhere, to wet a line. My wife calls me a fishaholic having a midlife crisis of fishing.

But its not the only thing I like. I also enjoy cycling, as in bicycles. I have a road bike I ride to work (21 miles) and an old off road bike I restored.

 

So today, I got the great idea to take the OFX bike fishing! I tossed my gear and an ultralight rod in my backpack, and the bike in my truck. The pond I visited yesterday has a nature trail winding around it's 30 acres and it is open to bicycling. It emerges in several places along the shore of the pond... those are the places I was intent on visiting.

 

This time of year the fish are still found fairly shallow, up until late morning. So it is an easy trip to ride around the entire lake and dip my lures in the pockets and openings found. I can hit 7 different sites in the trip. At several of the locations, I can also include some live bait slip floating, too.

 

As usual, I didn't catch a thing with my load of "fishing jewelry" (lures). Beetle Spins, spoons, surface lures, jigs and soft plastics - none of these caught anything. But I was after the learning, on this trip. As it got hotter and the sun rose high, I sat back on my truck's hood and slugged down a cold drink. Plotting my next trip around the pond, I vowed there will be fish.

 

[Johnny]

Bicycles are the bomb, I need to get back into ride'n in  a bad way, mine hasnt been moved in quite a while, mite explain my ever grow'n waist line.

 

How many of you guys can remember ride'n your bike to the local fish'n holes with a rod & reel across the handle ba

  ***500 good dude points to David for "recycling" child hood memories & ride'n his bike fish'n. ***

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

LOL - thanks Johnny!

 

I re-started cycling in earnest because I needed exercise. My right ankle is arthritic from years of soccer and running in my youth. I just cant jog. Add that I still go to work everyday and bicycle commuting seemed the perfect choice. So that is what I do, 3 times a week. It can be brutal in the SC sun, but it is good for me.

That experience led to recreational cycling on the OFX. Like many, I rode my bike everywhere when I was a kid, too - including fishing!

What I need now is a good way to mount two U/L rods, one on either side, to the upper frame tube so I don't have to carry them. 

[Johnny]

 My last bike I found at a pawn shop,a very clean canondale F600 for $250, I'm think'n not a bad price but tried to talk him down anyway but the store owner said "no, do you realize what this bike is worth?" I told him not exactly but have an idea.

  Later that week stopped at a cycle shop & they had one on clearence for $999.00, I about fell over, kinda wunder if the pawnshop owner realized what he had.

  I need to get back on it regular for my healths sake, bikes are fun but ya have to build up to ride'n just like anything else, its easy to forget I'm 45 instead of 12.

 

 You mentioned cary'n the rod on the bike, I would love to have a good fast action 2 piece rod for ease of transportation, all the ultra lights I found have been flimsy.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Cannondale makes a good product, one of the few in the bicycle market that was wholly USA made until recently. Even now, their higher end bikes are still made in PA, although I believe the frames are all sourced from Asia.

I ride a no-name frame, a Gavin, one that had been upgraded to all Shimano 105 component kit by the previous owner. It's a nice bike and like you, I got a good deal. I'm not a hardcore roadie, so it suffices.

 

As for U/L rods, I think it comes with the territory that they be a tad "flimsy." I'm not a big money spender on fishing gear, anyway. My Quantum and Shakespeare take down's work well enough as two piece rods - even if they are 4-piece models. What I'm after is a mount for the center tube that will hold them tight to the bikes frame, well within the confines of the frame itself. I'll probably have to make one myself.

[Johnny]

I was think'n about make'n one while at work today, pvc pipe was the first thing  in my mind but something lighter would be better, HHHMMM??

 

 Could always break down & buy a rod case with a back strap but I love the idea of make'n my own equipment & even more if it can be made from something thats gonna be thrown away, I wish america would get over its disposable mentality.

 

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Well said- I like to make my own purpose designed stuff.

I already have a back pack; that's where my tackle is when I'm on the bike. SO I need a hands free rod holder.