A Speck of Luck for a change

Every year I volunteer and participate in the TKAA Kayak Fish for Charity Tournament to benefit Heroes On the Water and Project Healing Waters.  This year was to be the same, but work commitments threw a wrench in the works forcing me to miss the volunteer setup on Friday of the event.  I ended up arriving right before the Captain's Meeting was about to begin.   I was exhausted and hungry, so I checked in, gathered my captain's bag, finished the meeting and grabbed a bite to eat with fellow Hobie Fishing Team member and Hobie Sale Rep Michael Garett.

As the 5am wake up neared, I was stoked to get my kayak back on the water after a long hiatus.  I launched into a slight breeze and started seeing finger mullet bait busting all over - never a bad thing!!  After a couple hours of bite-less action, I ventured into a protected cove and switched tactics to a suspending presentation.  Almost immediately, I started getting some takers.  Finally after two hours, my first measurable fish was on the board - nothing special but nevertheless a fish!

A short while later, I managed to get a significant upgrade in a 17.5" speck!

Things were looking up and so was the bait activity in the cove! I kept at it for the next four hours with a trout literally every 5-10 minutes - several undersized with a total of 17 trout, 12 keepers but none upgraded the one above.  I lost three sure fire upgrades, including one over 24" that spit the treble as I was lifting her into the kayak and one over 20" in my lap but she had other plans and literally flipped out severing the 15lb fluorocarbon leader and escaping.  I later learned that fish would've secured me at least 2nd Place in the Trout Division.  No worries though, still a great day on the water, learning a pattern, applying it and catching fish for a successful outing.

In the end, I never was able to successfully measure an upgrade, but at least I stuck to my plan and literally fished until I had no time to spare and was forced to head in and load up to beat the check-in window of 4pm.

But the story doesn't end there!  My stress level was put to the test in a way I could have never imagined as a fisherman.  At some point, most if not all of us as fisherman have lost or left something of value at the launch, broken something on the water, etc..  Well for me, I somehow absentmindedly left my three Bull Bay Rods at the launch! How does that happen you ask?  Well, I was loading all of my gear into my car and loading my kayak onto my trailer.  While doing this, my Mirage Drive and rods were drying off after having been rinsed off just a few minutes earlier.  When I finished loading all of my gear into the car and secured my kayak to the trailer, I loaded my Mirage Drive into the car, closed the rear hatch and drove off.

I went back to the hotel, took a shower and went to the load my dirty clothes into the car when I realized I had left my rods back at the launch - over a half hour away.  With a sickening feeling, I drove back to the launch fully expecting to see my rods gone or even worse, run over and broken/destroyed by another vehicle/trailer.  When I arrived, my heart sank when I didn't see my rods.  As I was about to pull away, I noticed a piece of paper taped to the railing where my rods were drying off.

I was floored - the note read, "I have your three fishing rods, if you left them call me at (xxx) xxx-xxxx and describe them to me.  My heart raced with excitement like a kid on Christmas morning.  I dialed the digits and went through a few preliminary niceties and then proceeded to describe the unique features of the rods.  The man who found them was a fellow kayaker and a former Navy Senior Master Chief, basically a man with integrity and honor!  We met a few minutes later and went about talking about each of my Bull Bay Rods and how much I enjoyed them and designed the specifics on each rod.  He confessed honestly admitting that he partially hoped the owner would never call, so that he could have a nice rod or two for a change.  I could tell he really wanted one for his own, so I gathered his contact info and let him know not to worry.  I'll have one made for you as token of my appreciation for his actions.

It was nice to have a speck of luck work in my favor for a change both on and off the water!

Tight lines one and all!

Equipment Used:

Kayak: 2017 Hobie Revolution 13
Lures: Trout Eye Jig (short shank) with Z-Man MinnowZ and Mirrolure suspending jerk baits
Rods: Bull Bay Rods Stealth Tactical Inshore and Tactical PRO spinning rods, custom bait caster
Reels: Shimano Stradic 2500FJ, 3000FJ and Abu Garcia Revo Inshore (GEN3)
Line: PowerPro 30lb Hi-Vis Yellow, 20lb Sufix 832 HiVis Green, P-Line Flouroclear 15lb.
Other: Astral Ronny Fisher (PFD) and Loyal M's (footwear)
Accessories: Yak Attack VisCarbon Pro, GT175-12 on a Crate Rail and GTTL175-04 Top Loading GearTracs

Focus....

Focus is what helps an angler hone in on a specific target area, lure presentation or situational awareness of changing conditions during a tournament or day on the water.  Each of these represents a different type of focus required.  For the target area, do you look for a lay down or a submerged extended point alone?  Or, do you take into consideration the wind direction, the sun position and the angle of your cast?  Most of us would defer to the latter approach albeit unconsciously.

So why then do we sometimes set goals for ourselves without the same measure of precision?  Each year, we as anglers set a variety of goals for ourselves, but as each year wraps up, I find myself reminiscing on what was and could have been.  For 2013, I had set a number of goals, albeit many of them lofty and ambitious given the arrival of a newborn that was soon to be and the aggressive travel baseball schedule my son and I faced as a player and coach respectively.  By the time our daughter arrived in June, I realized that the year was half over and a number of my goals had not been fulfilled.

When I look back at a few of my goals, I am content in knowing I had made every effort to mentally check them off the list.  I spent a considerable amount of time ensuring our family and home were prepared for the arrival of our daughter.  I had spread the word about the lure and kayak companies I represent while also educating prospective new entrants into both markets on the products and their various methods of usage during expos, seminars and conversations through online and in person discussions.

I also spent a number of hours on the water with my son, while also nourishing his mind by helping him learn more about our fishery through a couple Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences (VIMS) classes on their sport fish tagging program and sharks of the Chesapeake Bay.  The proudest fishing related moments of the year were when my son caught his largest fish of the year during the annual Shad Shootout to benefit Multiple Sclerosis, a 19.5" American Shad and when he achieved the status of Virginia Junior Saltwater Angler by catching six different saltwater species in a calendar year.

 

While those achievements alone would be sufficient for some, I also realize now that trying to fulfill fishing related goals for both my son and myself was not the best idea.  I can count on one hand the number of times I went fishing by myself in an attempt to satisfy my goal of catching a freshwater and saltwater citation.  In April, I fell short of that goal in freshwater when my largemouth bass fell a 1/2" short at 21.5" and later losing a second chance at the side of the kayak during a charity tournament in September.

In November, after three trips in a row I thought I had my saltwater citation goal fulfilled when I hooked into a beastly speckled trout.   Alas, it wasn't to be.....she fell short by a minute 1/4" but still got my heart pumping in anticipation.

These events have helped me change my approach for 2014.  That is where the focus comes into play.  For 2014, I have changed my focus and have developed a more targeted approach in my goals.  I know these are adventurous and bold, but I am determined to challenge myself.

For 2014, I have the following focused angling goals.....

In January-February, I will focus on at least one citation speckled trout.....
In March-April, I will focus on at least one citation largemouth bass......
In May-June, I will focus on catching my first bull red......
In July-August, I will focus on a catching my first sheepshead......
In September-October, I will focus on a citation speckled trout of 30" or more.....
In November-December, I will focus on a catching my first citation striped bass.......

I also have specific goals for lure selection and usage as well......

In the saltwater, I will focus on improving my skills with MirrOlures......
In freshwater, I will focus on expanding my knowledge and skills with the PowerTeam Lures JP Hammershad, Swinging Hammer, Conviction Craw, and Diesel Craw......

What will you focus on in 2014?  Will you continue to have a shotgun approach and hope to hit your targets or will you use a mental "scope" and focus in on specific targets?

The choice is yours.....

Stay focused!

Thinking Outside the Box.....

The time of the year has come when the temperatures drop and, for some people, the decision of whether to fish or not is often determined by the winds and how cold the day will be on the water.  I have to admit that on those cold and blustery days, it can be a difficult decision to convince yourself to make the trip.  For me, I don't alter my schedule for fishing save for a little bit more research on winds and water temperature trends for my target area.

As the air temperatures continue to drop, it is important to understand how your particular fishing spots are affected and how much they are impacted by the change of the seasons.  For those fortunate enough to live in milder climates, the seasonal effects might not be as noticeable as they are in other areas.  The technique and approach I employ might be one that for some is uncomfortable or different from their comfort zone.  For me, it forces me to change my normal techniques in ones I normally don't use.  It forces me to think outside the box.

Think of it from the beginning blues and rock guitar player's perspective.  You are taught to stay in the box, aka Blues box, when first learning blues riffs, runs and solos.  If the aspiring guitar player stays in that perverbial box, they will not grow as a player and will be stuck in an area of mediocrity.  Parlay that into your fishing styles and techniques.  If you are a shallow water angler or fish only spinnerbaits, you are limiting your growth as an angler as the seasons change.

For myself, the first step is one of presentation, which includes adjusting lure size and color to hone in on a precise pattern.  Fish are predators and need to consume prey to maintain their metabolism through winter.  For winter bass, the first part of thinking outside the box is my presentation and what the fish can see.  I use the same gear I have used all year long, but I switch out my leaders to one that is a little smaller, and I increase the length of the leader.  I switch from my normal 12 & 15lb flourocarbon to 8lb, and I increase the length from 3-4' to 6 or 8'.  Remember, for many waters this time of year equates to clearer water conditions, so the less visible your line is, the better.  If your area is affected by run offs creating muddy conditions, this may not be as critical but the waters I fish are normally very clear this time of year.

The next step of thinking outside the box is that of presentation speed - think less is more.  A good angling and fellow kayaker friend of mine (Jeff Little) calls this the flinch game.  Who flinched first, you or the fish?  If you moved your bait before a fish strike, you flinched and likely missed your chance at a fish.  If the fish flinches, he bites the lure and you have a chance at landing a nice fish.  While this technique is typically reserved for dead sticking, the concept is one that applies in concept.  This time of year, a fish' metabolism has slowed considerably compared to that of a couple months ago.  The fish is less likely to chase their prey a significant distance and more likely to exert minimal effort this time of year.

For moving presentations, how fast you roll or present your lure in front of the fish is critical to your success rate.  While I don't personally own any slower ratio reels, you can take the approach of using a cranking style reel with a slower 5.0:1 ratio to help you in slowing your lure presentation speed.  I force myself to just slow down my retrieve even to the point that I use only rod movements to move the lure.  You can even deploy a brush clip, a stake out pole or other anchoring technique to hold your position and just allow your lure to ride the current and hover over a target area.

Another way to slow down your presentation is by using your kayak, canoe or boat and slow-trolling or drifting instead of holding position.  In this technique, cast your lure out and simply let the wind or current provide the speed instead of you reeling the lure in.  If the wind or current is to brisk or strong, the speed will be too fast, so pay close attention to this.  You can deploy a drag chute or a drag anchor to slow your drift in this case to slow your presentation down.  I utilized this approach on a recent outing in 54 degree saltwater and was rewarded with a nice chunky striper.

Additionally, you can also employ the use of what is called the float-n-fly technique to ensure that your lure is presented at the same depth every time.  This technique is normally used for small hair jigs in the 1/16-1/32oz range, but the technique can be applied to any lure size presented in a suspending manner.  The technique is simplistic in nature in that you use a slip bobber, bobber stops and a lure to present a tasty morsel at a specific depth.  This is where the use of electronics comes in real handy.  You move around until you find a school of baitfish and take note of their depth.  Set your bobber stops for that depth and lower your lure down just on the outside of the baitfish school taking note of which way the current or wind is pushing it.  If you allow yourself to think outside the box, I'm certain you can see other ways to deploy this tactic.

Some might argue that lure size is the most important factor.  While it can be on really tough slow days, it has not been the case for me.  I catch bass this time of year on everything from small minnow fry soft plastics in the 2-3" range, 1/2 oz skirted jig tipped with a 3-4" creature bait or even a 3/4oz spinnerbait.  A recent tournament I fished in was very indicative of this approach.  All of the quality bass caught on the day were caught on presentations that were either painfully slow or even dead-sticking, not ones based on lure size.

 

The key with any lure you choose this time of year is presentation speed and not so much lure size.  This approach works in both fresh and saltwater, so try not to limit your fishing opportunities.  Apply the same logic and approach think outside the box and you too can land some quality fish while others are missing their chance!

Tight lines, stay safe and remember to dress accordingly for cold water angling this time of year.

Missed It By That Much......

My quest for that elusive first saltwater citation almost came to fruition this past Monday.  Forecasts indicated yet another small craft advisory for the peninsula region and cooler air temps in the morning, only this time it was reserved for the Eastern Shore area and not so much for the inlets and bays in the Tidewater area.  Winds were supposed to lay down by midday and shift to out of the SE as the afternoon progressed.  So, having the day off, what better way to celebrate this past Veteran's Day as a veteran myself than to go fishing?

I was also equally anxious to get out and try my new custom spinning Spectrum Professional series inshore rods by Bull Bay Rods.  I ordered two of them - one in blue and one in red.  I paired the blue one with my Stradic 3000FJ and my Stradic CI4 to the red one.  I headed out to a nearby tidal flat known to many trout anglers in the region in search of a citation class speckled trout that has eluded me thus far this year.

I traditionally use only PTL plastics, but on this day, I promised myself that I would utilize the best trout catching lures on the market - the world famous MirrOlure (Series III and an XL) and of recent popularity, the Rapala Skitterwalk which was tied on already to my other custom Bull Bay casting rod.  I launched at 4:30am into a dead calm and a slack tide.  Flood had already maxed, so I knew I needed to pedal efficiently but with a purpose if I wanted to make the flats for the first couple hours of of the ebb tide.

I made my way to my target area, trolling the Skitterwalk along with a few subtle twitches every now and then on the off chance a hungry predator would blowup the surface walker.  Not even a swipe or halfhearted miss.  As I neared the creek mouth, I saw the ebb had already begun, so I knew my chances were right now.  I reached back and pulled the "blue arrow" from my rod quiver and fired off a rocket cast across the mouth of the creek.  Right away, I noticed how effortless it was to make a snap cast and have it travel a good 40 yards into a slight NNE breeze.

I was so pleased with my choice of rods that I didn't even feel the hit on the MirrOlure XL.  Once my haze of satisfaction wore off, I immediately felt the surge of a very large predator fish on the end of the line.  Drag started steadily leaving the bail but the fish gained no leverage on me.  The new Spectrum held it's own and just held the feisty creature at bay.  Even with strong surges to try and escape, the Spectrum loaded perfectly and turned the predator right back to me.  The fight was over almost as quickly as it had begun.  It felt like an eternity, but in actuality lasted a faint 45 seconds in total in real time.

A slight re-direct of the beastly speck at the side of my Pro Angler, a quick wrap of the leader around my hand and a smooth hoist into the footwell.  I looked down and thought to myself wow while simultaneously letting out a triumphant "YES!  Booyah Baby!  That's more like it!"  I was anxious to get this monster trout on the measuring board to see if my quest had been fulfilled.  I lined the trout up properly with the nose to the zero line and laid the tail naturally.  My eyes panned the length of the body in awe of the shear girth and size of this beastly speck.  My eyes neared the point of no return as I scanned the black hash marks for the singular hash longer than the other 1/4" increments and felt a glimmer of hope creep into my soul as I gazed at the magical mark of 24", and...........a whopping 1/4" short!   You have got to be kidding me!  I checked and rechecked just to be sure, but I felt it was short and no way was I going to cheat myself or the VMRC Saltwater Tournament program by pinching the tail and making the fish a citation.  I snapped a couple photos and let the speck swim away to grow that last 1/4" to become citation class.  While I was disheartened a little, this was my largest speckled trout to date so far.

I made a few more casts to the same area but didn't get any more hits, so I moved to the other side of the creek mouth and worked the opposite direction - no luck.  After 30 minutes of working that area with no signs of additional life, I moved around the point of the flat, beached the Pro Angler and waded out nearly 50 yards from shore into two feet of water.  I started making some more casts across the flat with the "blue arrow" as it felt more balanced that the "red arrow".  I alternated casting periods between the Skitterwalk and the XL.

After about a half hour of doing this, another fish strike occurred, only this time the bite felt different.  The fish didn't put up much of a fight at all.  After a real short fight, the guilty culprit emerged from the watery flats - a less than healthy looking redfish.  I lipped him and waded back over to the Pro Angler to get a picture.  If was only then that I noticed that he had a portion of his dorsal fin torn away with the wound still showing signs of blood, and there were noticeable linear scars and bruises on his body - most likely the result of getting caught up in a net if I had to venture a guess.

Nevertheless, a fish is a fish, and this portly slot red measured in at a nice length of 23".  My largest redfish of the year, and he too was released to go and grow even bigger.  Both of these fish were caught on the ebb tide and prior to 9am.  I kept working the flats for a total of nine hours on the day with no more fish to show for my efforts.  While the citation class speckled trout eluded me on this day, I could leave knowing I had accomplished a few of my goals for the day.

First, I was able to test out my two new Spectrum rods from Bull Bay Rods.  Second, I was able to dedicate my fishing styles on the day to utilizing Skitterwalks and MirrOlures - two methods I could use the practice in.  Third, I fished my target area from every possible angle managing only two fish, but they were both the largest saltwater fish caught this year for me.  Fourth, I was able to put my new rods to the test not only in casting but also in under load and during the fight.  A detailed review is forthcoming later this year after I have had several outings under my belt.

Am I disappointed - sort of, then again I know I will come back once the water warms in the spring and target the flats yet again.  I can always chase the big trout in some nearby waters as old man winter rears his ugly head, but I will turn my attention most likely to the striped bass and tautog that are now on the loose in our neck of the woods.

Hope you found this tale both entertaining.  I know next year where to go and what to use.  It is only a matter of time......

Tight lines!

Still Searching.....

Had a chance to hit the water for a brief outing recently searching for that elusive citation Speckled Trout.  I launched at the start of the flood tide in the pre-dawn hours into a slight breeze of 8-10 knots (believe me, that's practically dead calm for my outings these days).  I had three target areas for the day planned, and I needed to make haste if I wanted to be able to hit all three in the short window I had afforded to me this day.

After a short pedal, I made my way to the first area, a long shallow point that normally holds fish.  I made a cast to the starboard side of the Pro Angler and slowed my pace to a slow roll the Hammershad.  Within a minute, it was hammered but there was little fight.  I knew it wasn't a speck or red for certain.  It had to be only one other species that I know in this area this time of year - a juvenile striper........measured in at 15".

After a quick photo, I made another cast with the Hammershad to continue the slow troll until I made it to my second target area.  After I crossed another hole that rose to a significant flat, the Hammershad was literally hammered and drag started ripping - had to be a redfish.  The challenge in getting this fish in was the incoming tide had picked up in earnest and the winds had shifted and gained in strength.  Now I was battling a strong incoming coupled with a wind that was riding the current as well.  It pushed me directly into the bank and I risked getting hung up on something and losing the fish.  Fortunately, I wrangled the feisty 19" red to the side of the hull right as I reached the shoreline and just lifted him in.  Nice fight but not what I was looking for.....

At my second target area, I deployed the trusty 8' YakAttack ParkNPole and waded out onto the flat trying to position myself for any predators schooling and chasing bait.  Nary a bite to be found.  I threw topwaters, suspending plugs, moving plastics.  Varied my retrieves from the normal to the unorthodox just to try and discern the presentation that they were looking for.  Nothing.

I repeated this procedure at my third target area and finally found some baitfish, but I knew it was all for naught.  I had reached the end of my allotted time on the water.  I know if I could have hung around for just another hour or two the bite would have turned on.  I would have been in perfect position to ambush the monster trout I know were staging offshore and waiting for the outgoing to begin.

No worries - I will be back and pursuing that citation.  I will persist, and it will happen.

The lure of the day, as mentioned before, was a Powerteam Lures 3.6" JP Hammershad with a small drop of Hog Tonic.  It is a very versatile bait and can be rigged in a number of ways.  On a standard jighead, as a trailer on a swimming jig or spinnerbait, as a drop shot - the choices are only limited by your imagination.  the beauty of these baits is that they are flat on the bottom.  This is helpful in two ways - one, it helps with skipping under the canopy of overhanging trees, docks and cutting through the wind.  And second, it is awesome as a suspending jerkbait.  Rig it on a 3/0 EWG or swimbait hook with a keeper pin.  The neutral buoyancy of the lure helps it float or levitate in the water and exhibits a slow sink.

Try them out - you won't be disappointed!