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Dec 30th, 2023
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 Blue Moon's Summer Fish Camp Flip - 15th anniversary post
#12389221
08/17/17 03:24 AM
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 999
Blue Moon
OP
Pro Angler
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OP
Pro Angler
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 999 |
Compared to many, I only post once in a Blue Moon. The number of my posts certainly doesnt reflect the enjoyment TFF provides in my life; I read much more than I post. To celebrate being part of the tribe for 15 years, I wanted to share a story and say thanks to all, especially to J.P. for providing the platform. Enjoy ~ Blue Moon
My sweetheart spent the summers of her youth in a glacier lake region over a thousand miles north of the sweltering heat that dominates southern summers. A few years ago she visited her family and came home with a surprise; she informed me we owned a small glacier lake fish camp. At least thats how I remember her spinning the story before I started daydreaming about a rustic cabin and summer fishing on cool, secluded water...
After chasing trophy bass in Texas all fall, winter and spring, its a fun change of pace to visit the land of her youth. Trout, muskie, walleye, and pike thrive in the clear, cool water plus we always catch enough perch or crappie for the fryer. If I find myself feeling homesick for bass, I can tie on one of my custom painted cranks and catch bass all day long; just no hope of landing Texas size trophies in the northern latitudes.
Cherry picking the seasons and splitting the best times between our southern and northern fish camps provides a new perspective on what just may be the perfect endless summer. When Im fishing in relatively mild winter conditions in Texas, four feet of ice blankets our summer fish camp. The always optimistic locals tell me the ice fishing is great. Unlike the locals, I dont have any ice shanty frostbite stories to share.
We only visit after the thaw when the days are warm enough for northern girls to wear bikinis, but still cool enough to fish in jeans and best of all, the nights are usually campfire cold. Its a great place to visit during the summer and a welcomed break from the dog days of summer in Texas.
Our summer fish camp journey started a few years ago when my sweetheart found a very affordable, but seriously dilapidated trailer for sale. It was old and rough but she thought it had potential to be a good starter summer fish camp for me while giving her extended time in the summer near her people. It wasnt anything close to the rustic cabin of our dreams. The trailer was ancient and the only thing keeping it from being scrapped years ago was the coveted lake view ground lease it was falling apart on and the dock space that came with it.
She watches a lot of DIY TV shows and also watched me restore a vintage Airstream a few years ago so she assumed it would be simple to give the trailer a cottage makeover, use it for a few summers and flip it. She also hoped after I enjoyed a couple of summers fishing for new species out of the Texas heat Id be open to the idea of building a cabin we could enjoy in the summer.
In her world, Ive come to realize when she says, We could fix it up, the phrase translates to her perusing Pinterest for ideas while I slave away on projects instead of fishing. Her background in construction is limited to watching Chip and Jo remodel Baptist bungalows and similar 30 minute fake TV shows so she absolutely believes the process is simple, cheap, and most of all, fast. I grew up swinging a hammer in the summers as urban sprawl transformed the sleepy rural Texas town of my youth so I know better, but theres no questioning the all-knowing wisdom that comes from being addicted to HGTV and Pinterest...
Over the summer much of my promised fishing time was spent repairing the roof and sub-flooring, installing new flooring, windows, and doors. New appliances were added in the kitchen and the plumbing was updated. Nautical blue paint transformed the faded exterior into something most everyone admires and gallons of white paint renovated the dark interior paneling into the fresh cottage look she had in mind.
For some insight on what we started with, here are a few before pics of the bathroom. Astute observers might notice the duct tape that was used in the tub area in place of caulk when she acquired it. She somehow missed this potential issue in her thorough inspection before writing the check on her solo vacation. I understand from fish camp neighbors the previous owner was nearly arrested for excessive speeding as he raced to the nearest big city to cash the check...
While the wet area around the tub required gutting, I managed to transform the vanity area for only $100.00 in materials using a few borrowed tools from fish camp neighbors. Besides paint, this included cobbling together a cedar vanity & back-splash, replacing the sink, facet, making custom bucket lights and rope towel racks.
Before
$100 Vanity Make Over
DIY cedar vanity | rope towel racks | bucket lights
A Couple of DIY Shots
Updated Bedroom
Enjoy ~
Blue Moon
Last edited by Blue Moon; 08/18/17 06:22 AM.
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Re: Blue Moon's Summer Fish Camp Flip
[Re: Blue Moon]
#12389236
08/17/17 03:37 AM
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,471
Hook'Em 79
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,471 |
What a great story! Thanks for sharing.
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Re: Blue Moon's Summer Fish Camp Flip
[Re: Blue Moon]
#12389257
08/17/17 04:11 AM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,084
DavidWhatley
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,084 |
Love it. Tell me more about the bucket lights
"Every man must live with the man that he makes of himself, and the better job he does at molding his character and improving his mind, the better company he will have."
Pauline Whatley
A wise man once said.......Nothing
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Re: Blue Moon's Summer Fish Camp Flip
[Re: DavidWhatley]
#12389294
08/17/17 06:39 AM
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 999
Blue Moon
OP
Pro Angler
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OP
Pro Angler
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 999 |
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Re: Blue Moon's Summer Fish Camp Flip
[Re: Blue Moon]
#12389447
08/17/17 01:20 PM
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 5,659
PondFish
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 5,659 |
What does any of this have to do with beer??
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Re: Blue Moon's Summer Fish Camp Flip
[Re: Blue Moon]
#12389455
08/17/17 01:26 PM
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 23,930
Nocona Brian
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 23,930 |
Thanks for the good read!  
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Re: Blue Moon's Summer Fish Camp Flip
[Re: Blue Moon]
#12389497
08/17/17 01:52 PM
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 15,651
bogey♂
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 15,651 |
you know, nothing wrong with seven men who met on the internet going for a swim together
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Re: Blue Moon's Summer Fish Camp Flip
[Re: Blue Moon]
#12389904
08/17/17 07:24 PM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 11,446
Dfitz
"Nice Guy"
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"Nice Guy"
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 11,446 |
Well done.
Is the dock finished?
Don't worry about the mule, just load the cart ![[Linked Image]](https://bulk-share.slickpic.com/album/share/3myzymTUjTUxL5/14007358.0/400/p/fullsizeoutput_5ff.jpg)
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Re: Blue Moon's Summer Fish Camp Flip
[Re: Blue Moon]
#12390121
08/17/17 10:20 PM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,084
DavidWhatley
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,084 |
"Every man must live with the man that he makes of himself, and the better job he does at molding his character and improving his mind, the better company he will have."
Pauline Whatley
A wise man once said.......Nothing
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Re: Blue Moon's Summer Fish Camp Flip
[Re: Blue Moon]
#12390139
08/17/17 10:39 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,029
von rage
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,029 |
Nice job. Where exactly is this fish camp?
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Re: Blue Moon's Summer Fish Camp Flip
[Re: Blue Moon]
#12390442
08/18/17 02:30 AM
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 22,793
TexasBlonde
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 22,793 |
Didn't you used to do some photography too?
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Re: Blue Moon's Summer Fish Camp Flip
[Re: Blue Moon]
#12390511
08/18/17 03:19 AM
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Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 29,845
Duck_Hunter
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 29,845 |
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Re: Blue Moon's Summer Fish Camp Flip
[Re: Blue Moon]
#12390526
08/18/17 03:27 AM
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 25,337
ReelBusy
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 25,337 |
I don't see beer in any of these pictures. Are you sure you didn't hire this out?
Looks great!
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Re: Blue Moon's Summer Fish Camp Flip
[Re: Blue Moon]
#12390528
08/18/17 03:29 AM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 30,007
Moto-Moto
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 30,007 |
Why would you want to leave Texas during the summer?!?!?! It's the beast season!
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Re: Blue Moon's Summer Fish Camp Flip
[Re: Blue Moon]
#12390530
08/18/17 03:32 AM
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 19,769
Bee'z
honey boo boo
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honey boo boo
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 19,769 |
I like it. Nice work Sir 
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