I got to fish Fairfield Saturday morning and did very well. I caught a lot of fish and this time none of them was less than 22". I don't know why I didn't catch any rats this time but I'm glad to get the large fish any time. I also got to see Parker's swimming pig, and a few of the River Otters. I saw a couple of very rare Grey Haired Mud Cats swimming around at the boat ramp moving rocks stirring up mud. They were having so much fun I just had to join them and splash around a little. Those Mud Cats along with help and equipment from TPWD worked for six hours and cleared a channel for boats to launch safely. Thanks Guys!! I was again stumped by my camera not wanting to work until late in the morning, anyone know of a good water resistant camera that's not too expensive? I like the one I have but it does not like the morning dampness at all. I got pics of a few of the twenty or so Reds I caught today, Enjoy!!





This was the last fish of the day and he was a big one!!!

The fishin is still great at Fairfield I'm happy to report!!

Thanks for the report Vaughn looks like my mid-week trip might just be to FF.

sounds like thats where we need to go

Gotta go during the week becasue I will be busy all weekend.

There's them ugly feets again!!!! Can we get a moderator to crop those pics!!!!!

Hey Bob, Ya think I should hang ol blue out next time? Might take your mind off the toe

thanks for the ramp work. i had lightened the load in my boat friday evening and sailed right through it this morning. we had to work hard for the 5 fish we caught though. one undersize fish and the rest were good ones. they were just scattered.

Great lookin' reds! Thanks for the pic and report.

Also, a bunch of "thank you's" to the guys that helped with the ramp work. Was the work completed and did both ramps get work?

Excellent Vaughn, if I had not been at the VA hospital Peanut and I would have been with you. Peanut like your toes and treats also.

Parker five fish is not a bad trip probably normal-nearly a two person limit with the bonus of Tilapia. I've had many trips worse and some blanks. Fairfield can be most unpredictable at times, when you have it figured out it can and will throw you, or it does me.

Most people drive to the coast for a lot less and smaller fish.

Jackie, I've heard those stories, long drive, a grand or more spent and two or three fish. That's why I'm so glad we have Fairfield. I have never gone all the way to the coast to fish for Reds, and hope I never have to, salt just don't do it for me. Did you know those Otters can bark? The little ones got way too close to my boat for mamma, and she started barkin like crazy at them. Peanut would have loved the swimming hog..

Nice fish Vaughn Bob, I will work on that request

"Nice fish Vaughn laugh Bob, I will work on that request grin"

The feet or ole blue?

Those results look spotty! Either put those fish on a measure stick on the floor or turn those feet sideways! Gander's Bait shop has 40" plastic scales.

Olympis sold a weather proof model 750 for about $250 & does movies. offered a water proof model 1000 good for deeper that FF deepest point for $379. Waterproof does not have a view screen. Found them at Fry's

been using the 750 for about a year now with a good size XD chip, I'm very happy with it. Carries in a cell phone pouch. so waterproof it sits out in the rain.

So can a bass boat be launched with out tearing it up?????

Looks like a great day!! Lots of good pulls.

Most of my coastal wade fishing buddies recommended the Pentax Optio W30. It's waterproof to ten feet and takes great shots. Mine's been riding shotgun on my boat for 4 years and is still going strong. I got it with credit card points so I'm not sure what it retails for.

Wet camera, cheapest solution is not pretrip storing your current camera in a colder place than the early morning lake surface air temperature, also make that a dry place if you can.

If it is small enough keeping it in your pocket or hauling it to the lake in the truck, however only when the AC isn't on.

If it charges the batteries inside the camera, just leaving the camera on the charger will have the camera body warmer than the air around it. Have you got a DC charger you can plug it into on the way to the lake?

We used to keep Chuck's non-water proof camera in a zip lock bag until we need it, then put it back in the zip lock bag afterward. We have lost some great shots because Chuck to make sure it got to the lake, for a time put his camera in his pre-trip refrigerated lunch bag. When that chilled camera saw the moist lake air it's lens fogged, just like our AC cooled eye glasses do on a moist summer day.

The key is to find a way for the camera body to be warmer than the air above the lake surface when you first bring it out for a picture. If it is cooler, then moisture can enter and condense on the inner or outer parts.

If yours uses AA or AAA's, or rechargeable batteries they heat up when a shot is taken. Shooting a waste shot before the camera sees the moist lake air then wrapping that warmed camera body in something that prevents that heat loss should keep it dry. Like a insulated lunch bag, or a towel, or towel or plastic bag with an insulating towel inside it.

I now have a belt cell phone holster that holds mine nicely. That holster gets mine to the lake and into the boat. It works well under a coat as well. Except at the extreme summer hot outfall cove conditions that camera comes out of the holster way warmer than lake air when I take that holster off my belt to set it on the boat console for easy grabbing. The holster also nearly envelops the camera and somewhat insulates it.

Bottom line before you buy an replacement camera figure out a way to try making sure the camera starts out warmer than lake surface air, it will not easily draw in any moist air if it is warmer.

Get an otter box or a pelican box for your camera and then it doesn't matter whether you buy a water proof/resistant camera...they cost ten bucks. Simplest solution.

"We used to keep Chuck's non-water proof camera in a zip lock bag until we need it, then put it back in the zip lock bag afterward." This only works if the camera is warmer than the air just above the lake surface.

May be a dry bag works for cold water lakes and coastal conditions but not power station lakes. In all but the summer months power station lakes make the air temperature just above the lake be warmer and water vapor saturated. Well more than the the surrounding air. The cooler air above that zone causes that fog most power plant lakes have in all but the summer months. A common site is low level fog waves and even small fog whirl winds as the wind picks up.

Right now FF even at the cold intake the water is 20 F hotter than the air temp during the overnight lows. (Vaughn fishes that period) Day time the temperature is barely reaching even that area's lake surface temperature, but later in the day there is usually a wind to sweep the evaporating moisture away. Those fogs waves can be seen all day when the winds are down. The early morning period when Vaughn has camera problems that wind is very low to non-existent, so it is very humid where he fishes.

Nope, even with a water proof camera the lens has to be warmer then the air dew point just above the lake surface. When the air is foggy the problem is worse. I have some fogged lens pictures to prove it from my water proof camera. It happened because I left that water proof camera out all night on the helm, where it cooled to nearly the overnight low temperature; and when the morning humid air warmed the camera mass was still cooler and the lens stayed fogged. Getting his camera to work is only his first problem, the fogged lens will be his second issue after he solves his first. A warmed camera solves both.

quick looked over the Pentax Optio W30 saw them listed for $199, good to 10ft depth;
1. does the battery have to be removed to charge it, if so that is better than Olympis model 750?
2. non-projecting zoom lens is better than Olympis model 750. I always worry about grit getting into the telescoping sleeve seals. Seen a scratch line on one of two lens barrels already. Has comparable zoom to Olympis w/o the telescoping lens barrel
3. Can a memory chip be added?
4. Is the USB data link a plug in or IFR?
5. With a non-projecting lens, may be a sealed in battery and may be an IFR link makes a camera stay that much tighter with the passage of time.

Looks like Circuit City sells them.

A barking otter captured in a camera movie would be priceless.

I have never had an issue with my normal cannon digital camera and my otterbox padded and waterproof carrying case. I have taken many pictures at Fairfield in the fog and snow in February that have come out perfect with no foggy residue. Key is to keep your camera in a dry place that is close to the air's temperature.

Last time out I had mine in a pelican box that I keep on board for my keys and such. The problem is just as Don says, I fish the late night/early morning interface and at that time you often can't see where you are going because of the thick fog. The second I open the box the air is damp in there and the camera will error out when trying to power up. My last camera was a cheap HP and not as touchy as this one, but this Samsung take great pics and video so I hate to have to replace it. I guess I shouldn't feel bad about it, I have been using this one on the water for almost two years now and have taken hundreds of pics with it.

1/ Yes. You can remove the battery or there is a DC power port. It didn't come with a power cord. You do have to remember to keep it charged though. Can't just stop at the CircleK for some AAA's.

2/I agree. No moving parts is good in an outdoors environment.

3/Takes standard SD memory cards. You can even view your pics on your Lowrance if you want.

4/Data link is plug-in.

5/It has two doors. One on the end for the battery and card. One on the bottom for DC power and uplink cable. Both latch and seal tight with a foam insert in the lid.

It does take nice pics.

195 mph



Forgot, this is a redfish thread.lol Though this one came from Rockport.