Seeing Red.......

As of late, I have not had a chance to get on the water as much as I would have liked to, so I apologize to those of you that follow my adventures.  I had longed for the chance at a bull red, but my spring schedule didn't afford that opportunity.  The fall run would be my last shot for the year until next spring.  I ended up getting two chances - the first trip was at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, and the second off of Sandbridge.  Both times I launched at first light and spent a good portion of the day with two rods deployed, but neither trip resulted in the big red I have longed for.  Although I blanked on both trips for that elusive big red, I did manage to catch my first trigger while bait fishing for spot and croaker.

I was using two combos for these outings.  The first was the new Release Reels SG combo I won from Boca Bearing with a live croaker on a standard fish finder rig, and the second was my Bull Bay Rods custom heavy/extra fast flipping rod for jigging a PowerTeam Lures Swinging Hammer.   I was joined a little later by Jay Brooks and was front and center for him catching a beastly red.  You can check out the full report on "Change Up" here: Jay Brooks Fishing.  A little later, Kayak Kevin showed up, and he caught a nice red as well that I sat and watched.  I still managed to bring home that trigger, and the nice 19.5" flounder Jay had caught for dinner later that night.

Later in the week, I decided to give it a shot off of Sandbridge.  When I launched, the breakers were rolling in at about 3' in the surf area making the launch a little sketchy.  It took a few minutes to break through, but I finally made it out albeit dreading the return trip to the beach.  Once I was clear of the surf zone, the ocean swells were easier to manage and made for a peaceful drift as the sun eclipsed the horizon.

I spent the first hour or so trying to find some bait to use for the big reds that had been reported in the area, but all I could find were small croaker in the 6" range.  I finally managed to find an 8" one and quickly baited him and dropped him in the zone.  While I didn't get that red I was searching for, I did manage to break in my new SG on a decent sized skate using the croaker I caught.

As the morning rolled on, the seas continued to build in advance of the upcoming storm.  I had hoped the seas would settle a bit as slack tide moved in but that never happened.  While I was fishing, I noticed the surfers had shown up and were paddling out.  I checked the radio one more time and realized I had made an error in judgment leaving shore.  The seas were forecast to build even more as the day wore on from the 5-7 foot rollers I was riding to a wave height of 8-12 feet.  When the surfers told me they were waiting for the larger sets, I began to worry to be quite honest.

I decided to head in, but I first stowed everything I could in the lockable storage beneath me and in the front hatch.  I secured my rods in the horizontal rod holders and bungeed them down.  The only items left out were my dry box and my Hobie soft-sided cooler.  As I waited for the right moment between sets, I felt uneasy and a little unsure of myself.  I finally saw a break in the sets over my right shoulder, so I stood on the pedals of the Mirage Drive and made my move into the washout zone.  I thought I had it timed right until I felt the Pro Angler lift and start to teeter.  I had failed to take into account the breakers coming from the left.  The left hand swell hit me as I was riding the crest of the the right hand wave.  In an instant I was launched out of the PA and directly into the surf zone about 20 yards from shore.  The next wave rolled the Pro Angler right on top of me.

This is not a situation I recommend for others to try.  I managed to grab the front handle of the PA and take a quick visual scan of my situation.  I was afloat and uninjured, and I could see my paddle, the YakAttack Dog Bone camera combo, the dry box and cooler floating in the surf.  I wasn't in trouble, but I was still stuck in the turbulent surf zone.  I maintained my composure and rode each breaking wave closer and closer to shore.  When I was about 10 feet out, a beach goer came to my aid and helped me drag my PA out of the surf.

I thanked him and righted the PA.  The few items that had been launched out of the PA were easily recovered, albeit a few items short from my dry box.....all my hooks, sinkers and jig heads.  Other than that, I didn't lose anything of value, and I managed to not get injured.

Lesson learned - the quest for a citation fish is not worth causing damage to yourself or risking your life.  Next time, I will make a better decision and choose safer waters.

A new personal best......

Enough said.....

A Slow Start....

The day started off with hitting the water at 7am as the sun crested the horizon here in Richmond, VA.  I had family commitments that required me to stay close to home today, so I opted for the local neighborhood pond again.  As I pedaled out across the pond looking for signs of life, I started seeing shad busting everywhere and a few top water strikes.  Armed and ready with my Bull Bay Rods and PowerTeam Lures, this had the makings of a stellar day.  Unfortunately, the bite was nowhere to be found for some odd reason.  I was in search mode and was swimming/twitching a JP Hammershad,  twitching a weightless Sick Stick as a topwater wake/slash bait and even wacky rigged one - no dice save for one hard swipe at the Hammershad but it didn't come tight.

I worked every lay down, overhang and brush pile I knew of in this pond and nary a bite was to be found.  I knew a storm front was fast approaching, plus the start of the full moon cycle was in effect, so I was going to have to work for this one today.  After five hours of no action, I took a quick pit stop to recharge with a bite to eat then back at it.  I decided to change tactics and slow down and revisit the spots I had already powered through previously.  The tactic worked.

I switched over to flipping and pitching a PowerTeam Lures 4.5" Food Chain Tube Texas rigged and started covering every nook and cranny I could find.  Basically, I staked out using my trusty YakAttack Parknpole, then proceeded to pick apart every inch of a brush pile or overhang.It was painfully slow for my tastes, but it worked.  I made repeated flips into the deeper pockets tucked closer to shore and there was where the fish were lying in wait.  After 15 minutes, I was rewarded with a smallish bass of 14", quickly followed by a fat 19.75" chunk that weighed in over 4lbs using my new EGO Grips.

When that side of the pond failed to produce any more bites, I moved over to the opposite side and repeated the same approach.  I landed three more in the next hour of fishing - a 15" bass was first up on this side followed by a couple of fat 17" feisty bass who were none too pleased to have a 5/0 Gammy EWG buried in their lips.....

 

All in all a decent day, albeit long.......Total seat time was right at 9 hours, but it was worth it to get on some fish.  I also was pleased to break in my new Bull Bay Rods custom flipping stick.  It was broken in properly as you can see!

Tight lines!

Riverbound

I just realized that I hadn't provided a summary of my last freshwater trip, so I apologize.  Life can get hectic with a child learning to walk and another child engrossed in a variety of summer activities and camps.  A couple Fridays ago, I found myself with a narrow window to fish, so I hit the James River.  I launched at Reedy Creek and made my way out to some slow flows with lay downs along the banks.   It also gave me a chance to try out the new AFTCO fishing shirts I received as part of my Hobie Fishing Team package.  Let's just say that I've found out that the AFTCO clothing is top notch and will become a staple in my fishing clothing from this point forward!!

I was using a variety of PowerTeam Lures offerings on the day rigged on my Bull Bay Rods arsenal.  I had a Food Chain Tube, a JP Hammershad and a Seibert Outdoors jig rigged with a Craw D'oeuvre trailer for my outing.  I launched into Reedy Creek and started working a couple lay downs right away.  Not even 10 minutes after I launched, I had landed a spunky river largemouth that nailed the JP Hammershad as it bounced across a forked lay down.

Made my way over to another lay down with some rocks around an island and landed a little smallmouth at the tail end of the island as the Food Chain Tube bounced along.  A few minutes later, another little smallmouth hit the FCT as it bounced around a large boulder.  Eventually, I made my way over to my target area and started drifting with the meandering James and came across a huge lay down with a significant amount of push water and a nice trough behind it.  I worked the FCT through the push water a couple times to see if anything was waiting.  I wasn't paying attention and started to look around and take in the beauty of the James.

When I looked back down, a gar of at least 40" in size had bit my FCT but not realized it was hooked.  I applied slight pressure to turn him, but he freaked out and turned into the lay down.  When he did, the line wrapped around the scales behind his head and snapped the leader clean.  I was rigged for smallies an only had medium gear with 8lb. leader.  If he had turned left, I had a chance, but alas it wasn't to be.

I kept working the lay down and the trough and was rewarded with my largest freshwater fish to date out of the kayak and a personal best for the species - a healthy 29 1/4" channel catfish, 3/4" shy of a Virginia Freshwater release citation.

 

A short while later, I added another personal best and species to the list of fish caught - a 22" gar.  In total, I only landed six fish on the day (1 LMB, 3 SMB, 1 channel cat and 1 gar), but it was still a great day on the river.  Here's a video compilation of the outing.

Enjoy!

Tight lines and stay safe!

Sunday Funday

Rain, wind, cloudy skies........"Absolutely we're going!" was my reply to my son when he asked if we could go fishing this past weekend.  Granted, the conditions were not favorable sandwiched between two storm fronts and rain on the way down, but we went anyway.  I opted for the Hampton side of the the bridge complex that way we could get off the water quickly in the event a storm popped up.  The bridge also provided a slight albeit minimal wind break from the easterly winds that were building.

I rigged his rod up with a simple dropper rig (single dropper loop and a 4oz. bottom sinker), a couple bags of fish bites and some spare leader and sinkers and headed out.  I took a couple of my rods in the event that a wayward cobia or surface blitz popped up on the day.  I positioned us behind a group of pilings and dropped his line.  First drop and a nice 10" Norfolk Spot came tight.  As I was handling the fish for a picture, it flailed about, flopped back in the water and snapped the leader.  Must have nicked the bridge piling as he was being reeled in.

No worries - a quick re-tie and another drop right back in the same spot resulted in an other nice spot hooked up.  A 9" spot made it's way in the foot well of the Pro Angler, but I skipped the measuring board pic and just snapped a quick handheld picture for size reference and released him back into the water for another day.

The winds picked up and made positioning a little challenging, but my son managed to keep landing fish.   Next up was the best fish of the day.  As my son bounced his bottom rig alongside a piling, the line came tight and the fight was on.   This one I could tell was a much better fish and fought hard pulling some drag.

In the end, a juvenile flounder made it's way into the foot well.  It was my son's largest flounder to date at 15 3/4".  Not a keeper, which he was visibly disgusted about, but he was happy none the less.

Next set of pilings and a new species was added to the list on the day - a baby sea bass also known as a bait stealer!  Nothing of any size, but it didn't matter to my son.  He just wanted to catch fish.

As the winds picked up, we drifted to the western span of the bridge complex and took shelter in the lee of the island.  While watching a pair of cow nose rays thrashing about, I saw some nervous water and fired off a cast for my son.  Before the bottom rig made its way to the floor, it was hammered hard this time by another species on the day - a croaker.

My son proceeded to catch croaker after croaker for the next few minutes totaling seven on the day.  Lots of fun and good fighters on light tackle for him.

The highlight of the day was when we were hanging out behind the island for a few minutes while I re-baited his hook with a fresh fish bites morsel.  A cast was made to the rocks parallel to the island and the line came tight instantly and started peeling off of his reel.  Right away, I knew what it was, but I wanted my son to feel the surge on the end of the line of a ray.  After a few surges and nearly losing his rod, my son asked me to take the fight on for him.  We fought the ray for five minutes and used the Hobie Mirage Drive to stay on top of the ray and save as much line as possible.

I was finally able to get the ray alongside and grab one of it's wings.  It was easily 30" across from wing tip to wing tip.  As I reached for the circle hook, it flailed angrily and snapped the line as it made it's way back to the bay floor.  My son even got splashed by the ray to christen the day as a success.

We ran into a fellow kayaking friend of mine, Jason, and chatted a bit.  As we both made our way to the other side of the island, the winds started blowing in earnest.  We decided to call it a day at that point in the interest of ending on high note.  Total count on the day: 2 spot, 2 sea bass, 1 flounder, 1 cow nose ray and 7 croaker.   Definitely a Sunday, Fun day!

Love and Inspiration......

Do you love to kayak fish?   What a silly question to ask a kayak angler, but is it really that silly?  What is love?  As it pertains to kayak fishing, it is the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration according to Webster's Dictionary.  In that regard, yes, I do love kayak fishing.  I have a strong devotion to the sport of kayak fishing and try to do my part in sharing the knowledge I have gained whenever possible.  I admire those that have laid the groundwork and foundation for the sport that I love so dearly today.  But you might ask, "Was it love at first sight?"

In short, no......well, not at first.  You see, I was looking for a way to re-live my days as a kid when I had nothing more than a fiberglass rod, a Zebco 202 and a Plano mini tackle box loaded with a few Beetle Spins, a couple Rooster Tails and the infamous Rapala Mini Fat Rap.  I caught more fish than I can remember on those three lures, and I longed to experience that joy again.  The love for kayak angling was nurtured and cultivated from this feeling of nostalgia, as I harkened back to those simple times in my youth.

It was during one of these bouts of day dreaming that I began to ponder a way to recapture that simplicity and sense of enjoyment and satisfaction.  Like many aspiring anglers, I ventured to the local Bass Pro Shops and salivated over the possibilities of adding one of their boats to my household.  Those dreams and desires were quickly quelled when the cost factor made it's way into the equation.  I also looked to the "Pond Prowler" and "Bass Raider" options thinking an electric only vessel would be more cost effective.  The cost was reasonable, but the ability to transport this type of watercraft would be a challenge.  While pondering this dilemma, I happened to watch the episode of Hank Parker Outdoors where he was fishing using a Hobie Outback, and the light bulb went on immediately.

After countless hours on the internet researching every possible forum post and online review, I finally located Appomattox River Company, a local Virginia company that specializes in kayaks, and decided to attend their free demo day to test out the various kayak models.  I gravitated at first to the Hobie tent, since they recently had released the now famous Pro Angler and even tried the Outback.  I was hesitant to pull the trigger at first due to limited funds.  So I left that day without a kayak, but the seed had been firmly planted in my mind.

I eventually pooled together enough disposable income to get my first kayak, but I was a novice when it came to fishing away from shore having been a bank fisherman up to that point.  Since that time, I have learned more in five years that I ever could have imagined and my skills as a kayak angler continue to improve.  I am fortunate in that I have the privilege of sharing the water with individuals that the kayak angling community would say are some of the most talented anglers out there.  It is these individuals that contribute to my love of the sport and are the source of inspiration to push myself to achieve more and catch quality fish.

Anyone can surf the web and pick up a trick or two, but there is something more personal and meaningful when you can look the person in the eye and hear it with your own ears or see it with your own eyes in real-time.  Each interaction over the years has revealed a new tactic or tidbit of information I could file away in my "angler's toolkit" for future reference.  While they are sources of inspiration to me and to this day have had the most profound impact on my fishing skills and knowledge, they are at the core my friends.  My angling friends in short are my inspiration.

I would be remiss if I failed to acknowledge the inspiration I find in the countless number of current and former service members domestic and abroad protecting the freedoms that you and I are afforded.  I try and volunteer as often as I can with both the Central Virginia and Tidewater HOW Chapters as time permits.  Where possible, I also include my son on these outings so that one day he may find the same feeling of satisfaction I do from the time spent with these magnificent individuals.  Maybe he too will one day find inspiration to give back like I try to emulate for him.

Do you love kayak angling?  What inspires you as an angler to better yourself or learn a new tactic?  How you as an angler characterize your love for the sport or how you find inspiration is unique to you and is a feeling that you should take tremendous pride in and hold on to as if it was a family heirloom.  I know I do.

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.

A Quick Trip - Stripers Love the Swinging Hammer!

 

The bridge was hopping last night as it looked like a parking lot out there at times.  Save for a couple folks that were a little inconsiderate when they ran too close to the bridge under power and threw a massive wake to kayakers and anchored boaters alike.  We were in the lighted area just away from the bridge and very visible, but I guess stripers affect the brain in many anglers differently.  What made this a little more concerning and dangerous was I was in the process of landing a striper and was next to a set of bridge pilings.  It could have been a little sketchy if I hadn't heard them coming and turned my PA 14's hull into the oncoming wake.

Had a decent night with only 4 hours on the water total - landed 14 stripers. Most were 14-15"ers, but the three biggest went 17 3/4", 18 3/4" and the last of the evening a nice 20 1/2" - all were released to come back a little bigger another day. The 17 3/4" looked almost like a Hybrid Bass as fat as it was for the smallish body.

All smaller stripers were caught using the PowerTeam Lures 4.5" Curly Tailed Grub on a 1/4oz. jighead. The three largest were caught using a PowerTeam Lures 4.8" Swinging Hammer (soft-bodied swim shad w/ paddle tail). Great night on the water with my buddy Patrick.

If you might be interested in trying out any PowerTeam Lures products, drop me a line or click on the PTL link

Tight lines and stay alert - not everyone has the same measure of awareness and safety as you!

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!

Perseverance

Perseverance - noun \ˌpər-sə-ˈvir-ən(t)s\. : the quality that allows someone to continue trying to do something even though it is difficult.

"The National Weather Service has issued a small craft advisory for Hampton Roads and surrounding waters until 5pm today.......".  By definition, the National Weather Service defines this as "sustained winds or frequent gusts ranging between 25 and 33 knots (except 20 to 25 knots, lower threshold area dependent, to 33 knots for harbors, bays, etc.) and/or seas or waves 5 to 7 feet and greater, area dependent" as part of their Coastal Warning Display Program for the Eastern sector of the United States.

It was my day off and my only remaining opportunity to get on the water for the next week or so, so it only makes sense that a small craft advisory would be in effect.  I was fishing inshore today, so the advisory was not as applicable compared to if I had targeted the bridge or open waters.  I launched pre-dawn into a steady wind and building rains out of the west, but I knew according to the forecast that it would get worse by the time I made my way to my target area for the day.

I was determined to make the best of it regardless.  Sight casting was not very realistic, so I had to rely on knowledge of tidal movements, ambush points near structure changes and any visual indicators - namely nervous water and active fish feeding.  My first stop was a nearby dock that had a good light footprint on the water.  I worked a few offerings and had a strong hit on the PTL Swinging Hammer, but it never came tight for a good hookset.

My next stop was on the backside of a wind blown point on a feeder creek just shy of peak high tide.  The strong winds made positioning a little difficult, but my trusty YakAttack ParkNPole solved that problem. I worked a topwater across the creek mouth and was rewarded with a few half-hearted swipes by what looked like a juvenile trout.  No worries, maybe topwater would be manageable even in strong winds with the proper positioning.

I made my way to an area with some flats and quickly found some cover and structure changes to target.  With the building winds, I decided to beach the Pro Angler and wade for a bit.  I tried the topwater again and was rewarded with an aggressive under slot red trying to inhale the plug.  Even though it didn't come tight, the adrenaline started flowing watching this smallish red swiping at it.  While that was fun, it still wasn't what I was longing for.  By this time, flood had maxed and it was the start of the ebb tide.  With a strong wind and an ebb tide, casting topwater was not doable any longer.  I decided I would work the various nooks and crannies that had feeder creeks with ebbing waters and wind blown grass points.  After a few hours of this, I needed to try something different.

I decided that the only way I was going to catch any fish on a day like this was to go find them.  I made my way out to a subtle drop off of in 3-4' of water and started scanning.  The water was crystal clear, but sighting fish was limited to a narrow window right below due to the wave chop.  I stood instead to get a better viewing angle which was a wise thing to do even in the strong winds.  If I hadn't done this,  I never would have seen the three different reds all hanging on the bottom I rolled over.  I decided to switch over to a weedless jig and slow roll it through the submerged grass - a wise decision.....

Working the fan cast technique, on my third cast the PTL JP Hammershad gets slammed hard.  I didn't even have to make a hookset.  I knew from the head shakes and runs that this was a Redfish and a nice one at that.   I fought the waves and winds and landed my first of the day - a 20.75" bruiser that put my light spinning gear to the test.

Not 15 minutes later, the line came tight again when this 21" red slammed the Hammershad again.

By this time, the winds and ebbing tide had pushed me to the end of my drift, I was a long ways from the launch.  I knew the ride back would be a painful one, but I was satisfied with my determination to get on fish, so it was worth it in my mind.  As the tide turned, one look at the clock and I knew my day was done.  I made the long and grueling trek back in gusting winds, stinging rain and crashing seas.  I left a line out on the chance I could troll up an aggressive fish, but I ended up only having a smallish one tear the tail off the Hammershad.

It took me an hour and half to make the five mile trek back in those nasty head winds, and I was truly thankful for the Mirage Drive on a day like today.  As I stood at the launch, I reminisced on the day having felt thoroughly tested and beaten down, but a smile came across my face at the small measure of success I was able to achieve in unfavorable conditions when many would opt to stay at home.  It was only when I got home and researched the actual weather events on the day that I fully realized how brutal the day was......

In summary.......

Wind gusting 30-34 mph and sustained winds of 19-25 mph.
Total trip length - 10 miles.
Fish count - two slot reds
Feeling a sense of accomplishment - priceless!

Perseverance.

One thing that can be said about my outings this year so far.  I may not have had the same measure of success as some of my peers in the region, but I certainly have given it my best effort when time permitted.  For this outing, I have to acknowledge several folks that have helped me stay focused and determined this year even though the last several outings that have ended in frustration.  I am very thankful for the knowledge, encouragement and positive thinking that Forrest, Richie, Bill and Rob have given to me - thanks guys,  You are the reason I continue my search for quality fish. 

Tight lines, stay safe and know your limits.

Wet but productive

The goal of the night was to get some time on the water after a long overdue hiatus.    Between Mother Nature, family obligations, travel baseball and work I have barely had time to sleep.  Well, I sacrificed sleep for a change recently and vowed to get out on the water regardless of weather conditions.  As luck would have it, it was raining, but I went anyway dang it!

So glad I did.  I met up with my fellow TKAA buddy Wayne, and we agreed to fish the Hampton side of the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel.  We launched shortly before 6pm into steady 15mph winds out of the NNW.  I located a whole mess of baitfish on my Lowrance Elite-4x DSI but couldn't locate any big fish.  We moved about all over and finally setup shop in a couple of drop offs and started working our Powerteam Lures Curly Tailed Grubs.

Neither of us had any luck, so I decided to try a different tactic of slow drifting the grub with a raising and lowering motion followed by a subtle twitch.  It was on the second set of movements and the final twitch that I had my first fish of the evening - a spunky 13.25" Grey Trout that was measured, photographed and released.  It hammered the Blue Hue PTL grub dipped in Hog Tonic.

This fish was significant, because it was also the first fish landed on my new custom Bull Bay Rod.  Kelly and Dustin Phillips are good people and have created arguably one of the best rods on the market.  Their SenZigrip technology is innovative and already in high demand, so get yours while you can!  I quickly setup for another drift but found no more takers.  I decided to hit the bridge and and work the light line.

I ended up fishing from piling to piling looking for any signs of activity.  After a few minutes of searching, I stumbled across something I had never seen before - a trout blitz on juvenile ribbonfish.  It was very cool to watch, but I was there to catch some fish.  I left that activity and honed in on some aggressive action a few pilings down and hooked up almost immediately with another fish.  As I was reeling it in, it spit the PTL grub only to have it inhaled by a zealous follower - a smallish 11" grey that lived to fight another day.

I saw many more fish, but few of quality size that invoked any action on my part.  That is until I saw a larger grey shadow hanging a bit lower than the others, so I made a short precision cast and dropped the grub practically right on its nose.  It slammed the grub and bent the rod over immediately.  While fighting this fish, I was getting slammed hard into the pilings from the NNW winds that had picked up to about 20 and started white capping.  I was positioned incorrectly on the windward side of the piling in order to target this fish as stealthy as possible, but it also placed me in a very unfavorable position for actually fighting and landing the fish.  It ended up costing as the beastly speckled trout came unbuttoned as I was reaching for it.  Easily 20"+ and would have been my largest trout this year.

I quickly forgot about it and moved on.  For the next 30 minutes, I couldn't find any fish - not even any baitfish.  I kept looking and found some activity a little further down.  When I saw the surface strikes, I knew it was a striper.  I fired off a cast with a pearl PTL grub this time and was rewarded immediately with a strong surge in the rod as the grub was inhaled.  I leveraged the Bull Bay Rod and the striper just had no chance.  I easily maneuvered him away from the structure and guided him right to the side of my Pro Angler.  A quick lip grip and a nice 21" striper was on the board.

After a quick picture and measurement, I released the striper to live and fight another day.  I saw some activity in the same spot, so I fired off another cast to the same spot and landed my fourth fish of the evening - a nice 19" striper.

After that, I checked the time and knew I had to head in if I was going to get any semblance of sleep before our family's gathering to pick apples the next morning.  I made it home, unloaded all my gear, drove to the in laws house and shared some time with family.  I had to head home later in the day to take care of our dogs, but I managed to make it through the rest of the day and promptly fell asleep on the couch.  It was a long and grueling 48 hours, but it was well worth it.

Get out and satisfy that urge!  Tight lines and be safe!

Four for Four ......

The last month has been a less than stellar time for me with regards to quality fish.  I have had the chance to fish four times and two of which were in the rain.  The first outing was my least productive of all the trips.  It was during the annual YakAttack tournament to benefit Heroes On the Water and Project Healing Waters.  I fished Bear Creek Lake for a change of pace and landed several fish, but none worth a photo.  I landed more 14-15" bass than are needed unless you are going for a five bass limit in a tournament.  My best of the day was only a 17.5" bass on my favorite rig - a Draggin' Head and 7" Finicky Tickler.

The next day was no better and the rain was worse.  I tried to fish with Vic of Appomattox River Company but the weather had other plans.  So after only an hour or two on the water, I packed it in and made my way home.  Although the fishing wasn't the greatest, it was still a blast meeting new friends and faces that had traveled from far away.

The next outing was actually a video on how I use the Pro Angler and other common FAQs I and others have responded to in the past.  While rolling the tape, I landed five fish including this feisty 20" Chain Pickerel that fell victim to my favorite yet again, the 7" Finicky Tickler!

My latest outing was a double header where I spot hopped between two lakes.  At the first lake, I only managed two bass, both on the 15" small side of the measuring tape.  At least the first one was on a crankbait, a technique I promised myself I would work at diligently this year.  The second came on my least favorite technique of all time - the wacky rig.  I know it produces and is a favorite technique of many anglers just not this one.

When that lake didn't produce as I had hoped, I loaded up and moved to another location.  I started with both the crankbait and the wacky rig and quickly had an aggressive strike on the Sic Stik again.  Only this fish put up no fight as I reeled it in.  And for good reason!  It was a freaking Pumpkinseed!!  An 8.5" fat Pumpkinseed slammed the Sic Stik!

I kept working the wacky and crank combo but landed every fish on the wacky rig.  And these hits were ultra aggressive and solid strikes.  The first of many 15" bass were landed over the next few hours on the Sic Stik, but none on the crank for some reason.

I worked a shady bank with some huge laydowns and pockets to cast to and was rewarded with three more fish - two more 15" bass and of all things a spunky channel cat!

As the sun crept further towards it's zenith, the temperatures started to climb and the surface temps of the water did the same reaching 87 degrees at one point.  I kept working the shaded areas and found a nice spot with an extended submerged point, so I fired a cast towards the shore and slowly worked the Sic Stik back towards me.  On an extended pause where I took a water break, the line twitched a little and started to move.  I went to set the hook, but I didn't feel any movement.  Thinking a fish had hit the lure and hung me up in some submerged brush or something, I applied a little leverage to see if it would come undone.  That's when the laydown turned into a hooked bass that was not too pleased!  A short 30 second fight later and the best one in a month was finally landed.  A fat 18.75" hoss of a bass!

It won't win me any awards for certain, but the feeling is still rewarding when you tough it out and stick to a technique.  When I look back on the month, maybe catching four measurable fish for Kayak Wars on four separate outings isn't bad after all......

Tight lines!