Getting Back in the Game

After a month without fishing, I couldn't take it anymore! Utah has been caught in the dreaded in-between stage of everything freezing up. Lately, we'll have a few really cold days, and then warm days. I couldn't wait anymore so I made a quick trip down to the Jordan river to catch a few fish.

 

In 1/1/2 hours, I landed 35 White Bass and one small Large Mouth. The white bass ranged 8-11 inches. It was sure nice feeling the bend in my ultra-light again, but the ice-fighting itch has grown ever-more strong! The ice really needs to get here already! Here are a few pictures from today's adventure...

Average sized catch today.

If you look close, you can see a Large Mouth Bass in my hand.



A little girth is always nice.

Guest Post: Hunting and Hearing Loss

Hi, my name is John O'Connor. I am a father, outdoorsman and passionate about living a healthy lifestyle. Over the past few years, I have become more and more interested in hearing loss. my father and grandfathers, who are and were all hunters, are affected by hearing loss. I feel that there is a general lack of understanding around this issue, and it is our job to spread awareness where we can. Check out my blog at bloggingwjohno.blogspot.com!

Hunting And Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is permanent and it affects millions of people everyday. My father is affected by hearing loss and most of the damage is due to hunting. He still hunts but now a days wears hearing-aids to help him hear better along with his protective earmuffs. Hobbies like hunting and shooting are some of the top reasons that people suffer from hearing loss. While many people who are simply shooting at a range take the right precautions to ensure their hearing is not in danger, those who are out in the wilderness hunting will often leave the hearing protection at home. There are many things that all hunters should keep in their packs including earplugs, earmuffs and some new technological advances that help hunters to protect their hearing without muffling any other sounds around them.

Ear Plugs
Earplugs are one of the most convenient, affordable and popular types of hearing protection. These are available as small, disposable plugs that are extremely inexpensive. The plastic plugs will fit into virtually any ear and are easy to insert. They are very inexpensive so it is pretty cheap to have more than one set available at all times. While loud noises are muffled with the earplugs, most people will still be able to hear through them, unlike earmuffs that muffle all sounds. With the ear plugs, most hunters will still be able to hear people around them talking as well as many sounds of nature; like the wild game they are hunting for.

Full Ear Covers
Ear covers, otherwise known as earmuffs muffle all sounds. When a hunter puts on a set of earmuffs they will not be exposed to as much of the sound of the rifle or shotgun although they will also not be able to hear the elements of the woods. Because of this many hunters may look to use electronic earmuffs in order to be able to not only blocks sounds out from shooting but also to be able to hear others around them.

New Advances In Technology
Today, hunters do not need to settle for putting earplugs in every time they shoot or leaving on earmuffs that cancel out all noise; there is now a compromise. The new advances include a small device that is placed behind the ear, kind of like a hearing aid. This development allows hunters to save their hearing while being able to listen for the noises they need when out in the wild. Hearing loss can happen when one is exposed to high decibels over 85 for continued or repeated use. With the average rifle having a decibel level of 120 to 150, it is no surprise that the repeated sound of a rifle can cause immediate and permanent hearing loss. This type of hearing loss is called noise induced hearing loss; it is 100% preventable when one of the many types of hearing protection is used every time a rifle is fired.

Tail-End of the Spawn

The past several posts have been on the Weber river. This one is no different, and it was much like the past. I'm going to be lazy on this post and just say that the spawn is starting to die down a bit, but there is still a few fish on beds. This trip I was able to fish with my friend Joe and witness him pull a few tanks from the river. It's always fun fishing with him because he almost always lands a big fish. Here are a few pictures from the trip, enjoy...

 



First fish of the day.

Tank number one.

Tank number two.

My biggest of the day.



It was tough to see at times...

Gear Review: Costa Sunglasses

* Disclaimer: Product courtesy of Frames Direct. This is an unbiased review of the experience I had with this product. Good or bad, I'll give you my honest opinion.

The Fantail with turtle shell rims and amber lenses.

Frames Direct recently contacted me and asked if they could send me a pair of Costa Sunglasses to test out on the water in exchange for writing a review on how they performed. As anyone would do given this opportunity, I jumped at the chance to try out these sunglasses. However, as I soon found out as I used this product; they are not just your typical pair of sunglasses. No, these were built with fishermen in mind!

Over the years, I have owned several pairs of polarized sunglasses from a wide range of brands, models and prices. One of the things that immediately impressed my with the Costa line is the wide selection of frames and polarized tints they have. You can literally build the pair of glasses that you want to fulfill the functions that you want the most. For me, I went with the dark amber lenses for their ability to help you see into the water while sight-fishing, and the Fantail frame to help create a seal around my eyes.

Most fishing glasses on the market come with plastic lenses, but Costa gives you the option of their patented lightWAVE glass lenses which I chose to go with. They are 100% polarized and 100% UV A/B/C protected. This is the first time I have had glass lenses, and I chose them because of the added clarity and scratch resistance. Because of the glass, they are heavier than the other pairs that I have, but not by much. Compared to other glass lenses on other brands, Costa’s are 20% lighter and 22% thinner.

I used these glasses over the past couple of weeks on both rivers and lakes (see previous posts.) I also used them in several different weather and lighting situations. They out-performed the other pairs I own hands down! I could see further into the water in lakes and the lenses brought out more color than the other brands I own. They took the glare off the water almost completely giving you superb views below the water, and making it easy to spot fish. It is literally a night-and-day difference. See the pictures I took below of the same part of the river. Can you spot the Kokanee Salmon in the top picture? How about the bottom?

A view of the river without the Costa sunglasses over my camera lens.

A view of the river with the Costa  sunglasses over my camera lens.

 

A feature that I absolutely loved about Costa sunglasses are the rubber edges they have along the bottom of the frames. Not only does it make them more comfortable, but when you sweat, it creates a kind of suction to your face so that the glasses will not fall off easily while netting or releasing a big fish. This also makes it so you don’t have to wear those sometimes dorky looking lanyards.

To top it off, Costa also gives you a lifetime warranty against defects or workmanship to ensure that you always have a great pair of sunglasses on the water. After using them on the water and putting them to the test, I can tell you that these American-Made sunglasses are the best I have ever used, and I would recommend them to anyone.