Fishing Under the Rainbow

We targeted a 4:00 p.m. launch. Well, all those that travel I-95 South know how terrible the traffic can get. Let's just say, I was an hour late and a little ticked off.

Because of my tardiness, my buddy hit the water. Now, with storms lurking, I didn't want to venture off too far, so I decided to hit the slop first. No takers.

As soon as the skies cleared, I raced for the creek. I decided I would target some pockets off the main channel where I noticed lots of action from both bass and snakeheads. I started off with some topwater baits. No takers.

I moved up the channel, making a change from a Allure Trick Bait to a Bass Pro Shop Knock Out Worm, where I hooked up on my first of three on this worm.

  

As I continued up the creek tossing past bait fish, I missed a huge bass. This girl came flying out, it plays in slow motion vividly in my head. Crazy! A few more casts and BAM! Not the one I missed earlier but she is a beauty.

Unfortunately, the last fish I caught, well, I forgot to turn the GoPro camera on. But, I did manage to catch a couple of shots, this one being the best due to angle and limited light. 

As the sun began setting, I headed back to the slop to start tossing the frog and wait for my buddy to come out of the creek. Well, I hooked three more bass, two of them came unhooked just as I was about to lip them.

I have to say, froggin' has to be the best fishing. The excitement from seeing a fish come up to inhale a frog and just explode on it, is like no other. You can bet an investment in more memory and power, and a net is just around the corner.

Ride the Tide

With all the rain in the area, the incoming tide would bring lots of water giving me access to areas that I normally wouldn't have access to. I started off as usual in the thick stuff targeting open pockets with a spinner where I would land my first of four 17 inch largemouth bass.

I moved towards the creek when I noticed bait fish swimming for their life and a huge bass launch into the air. I normally don't fish this area as many of the locals fish from shore. On this day, not many people were out. I thought I would give it a whirl. I didn't land her but I did catch my second bass on a stick bait. Not a big girl but a good fight as always.

Off I went after several casts and misses including a snakehead. Man, those things are vicious! I headed to an area that is typically difficult to get to unless the water is high enough. Several times I could see fish hunting in pairs, they looked like torpedoes shooting through water. In one instance as you will see in my video, I saw the pair chasing bait fish, so I casted a Booyah Paddle Crasher ahead of the bass. As I brought the frog towards them, one takes off with it. In this hookup, I got to excited, that I forgot to give it a good hookset. This bass does provide some great acrobats.

As I moved further down the spadderdocks, I come across a spot that looked similar to the previous one, so I tossed several casts and I believe it was on the 6th cast that two bass torpedo towards the frog. Bam! One of them inhales the frog and the fight is on. Another 17 inch bass. Now, this is fun!By the way, this section of the video I show all the casts to show a coworker that it isn't as simply casting and catching. There are times when you have to cast at differents spots of you target.

Further down, I come to another spot that looks like it may hold a bass or two. Unfortunately, no takers. Just as turn to begin paddling, I see some movement in the spadderdocks. I thought, toss a wacky worm to the edge, if it's a bass it will it. My first cast, nothing. Second cast was bit closer, just hanging off the spadderdock. As soon as gave my rod tip a shake, it was on. A quick strike and another 17 incher.

The biggest fish came on a stick bait. I position my kayak in the slop, tossed my stick bait ahead of a spot where I noticed some bait fish get spooked. I let the stick bait drift directly into that spot, a couple of taps and it was on. This fish pulled me out of the slop and into the outgoing tide. It was wild but fun ride this 17.5 inch bass gave me. In this video what you don't see is I was standing up, but because the outgoing tide had a good flow, I got turned around and was heading backwards. I immediately took a seat to avoid an unnecessary swim.

The trip turned out to be a great one. To be able to pull fish on a frog, spinnerbait, and a stick bait is a good feeling. Not to mention, I was challenged on Facebook by an old highschool buddy. The pressure was on and I'm glad I produced.

Fishing with Bees

I fished on Friday evening as the forecast called for storms and showers on Sunday. Well, Sunday came, alarm went off at 4:45 a.m., checked the weather, it was go time!

Because I didn't plan on going fishing, I had to pack and load. Which meant a late start. With a late start, came a slow start.

I managed to land one in the slop as I couldn't a them to bite on a stick bait. So, I tossed a Strike King Spinnerbait into a couple of open pockets where I noticed bait fish swimming for their life. BAM! On the second cast, I caught my first fish of the day. With limited holes wide enough to get my spinner in, it was time to move on.

I began tossing my spinner all along the edges until I got to my next spot. Bees were just all over the place. Some just got way too close to the ear. Hahahaaa...I managed to miss a couple with huge blowups but they were off the mark. Then, I felt the hardest hit since living out here in Northern, VA. Similar to the huge bass back home in Texas. However, this one was no bass. It as a huge snakehead. It pulled me and the kayak into the thick stuff until my line finally gave out. Yup, line snapped. Bummer!

I switched back over to the carolina rig with a stick bait at the end. I managed to catch one, but that was about it. I decided to go back further into the creek where I noticed ripples, a small current feeding into the main channel. I positioned my kayak in the thick matted grass and began pulling them out left and right. I managed to catch 5 before I called it a day with storms approaching. I lost two decent fish in that pocket, one was big girl.

This was the biggest of them all.

It was a great outing and I'm glad that I was able to make it out twice this weekend. There is nothing like spending good quality time out in the water. Until next time, tight lines!

Fishing the Slop

Started the weekend on a good note. On Friday afternoon, my buddy and I hit the slop to chase some bass and get me my first snakehead. I had all four of my rods rigged and ready to roll. I started the evening tossing a carolina rig with a stick bait tied at the end. I began tossing into holes but no takers. I finally turned into some current coming. I cast my line past the riffles and slowing began jigging in it in. BAM! I got my first bass of the day. A few casts later, I landed my second bass. This went 15 inches, not huge in length, but it was a bruiser. Thick!

Once I got my fix for bass, I turned to chasing some snakeheads. At this point, I would either get a bass or a snakehead. It was time to toss the Booyah Pad Crusher Frog. After a few casts, I got my first hit and miss. I couldn't tell what it was initially but after landing a couple of snakeheads later, it looked more like a bass strike. I missing a few snakeheads but ended up landing two. The other was caught on a Cavitron Buzzbait.




The outing could not have ended any better. I landed a bass that just inhaled the Booyah frog. It's been sometime since I've had some great topwater action. Even the misses were exciting!

Creek Fishing|Hitting the Holes

In order to beat the crazy heat and afternoon storms, Matt and I got off to an early start. By the time I launched, Matt had already landed 4 fish.

We began targeting pockets in the slop. I had a slow start, but managed to pickup a couple.

Off to the creek we went. The creek which is lined up with different plants, butterflies and dragonflies, and wasps. Yup, WASP. This place is like a wild garden but with such great fishing. The action picked up immediately as Matt was slaying them. After a few pickups and some harassment by the wasps, I took point.

These two were caught back to back in the same hole. There was actually a third one which you can see in the video.

 This one had some growth of some kind under his bottom lip.

We tossed a mixture of lures, from stick baits to spinners.

As it got later in the morning, the heat began to pickup. We decided to call it a day. The trip back was not as successful as it was on the way in. But, going through the beautiful wild garden, seeing an eagle in action was cool enough as I just sat back and enjoyed the paddle back.

The creek outing.

Double Header

A quick post to recap my latest outing which occurred back on June 24, 2012. With work and the latest storm that knocked out power for 3 days, It is time to catch up on some miscellaneous items.

My outing on Sunday morning started off at Beaver Dam Reservoir. I had a couple of hours to fish before heading over to Powells Creek to fish with an old buddy of mine.  I started off throwing a buzz bait along the grassy edge with only one hit and miss. I switched over to a wacky rig Dinger and a Yum Money Minnow on a weighted hook. I caught a few small greenies with the Dinger and a catfish with a pearl Yum Money Minnow. A great fight but not what I was targeting. This catfish hit my lure as soon as it fell into the water off the vegetation.

Off to Powells Creek I went after grabbing a bite to eat. We had a small window before low tide. We began tossing some plastics in pockets within the heavy vegetation. The bass boats and recreational boats made it quite difficult to stay in position. So, we moved onto the back of the creek where we began throwing buzz baits and Dingers. The top water action was in full swing with a couple of huge blowups and a couple of snakehead runs which was pretty cool. All in all it was great day to be out in the water and get some pointers from a buddy of mine from Texas who knows Powells Creek fairly well.

Here is some footage of the outing.



Baits:
Yum Money Minnow (Pearl)
Yum Dinger
Buzz Bait Walmart Special

Better Than a Skunk

Hit my favorite spot in Loudon County last weekend. With summer heat picking up, I decided to launch by 5:30 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Both days started off with some top water action using Megastrike buzzbait, Jitterbug, and Rapala popper. The Jitterbug was the winner of the three with a fish hitting the bait on the last pause, just a couple of feet from my kayak. It was somewhat funny and caught me off guard as you can see in the video where I actually reel him in all the way to the tip.




As it got later in the morning, I switched it up a bit tossing Zoom Super Fluke, Strike King Shim-e Sticks, Strike King Baby Craw, and Gulp 3” Pearl White Minnow Grub. The winners here being the Shim-e wacky rigged, Strike King Baby Craw and the 3” grub on a 1/16 jig head. All fish came off the edge of the grass.


All in all it was a great outing; I even had a chance to try out my new toy, a GoPro HD Hero2. I rigged it up so that it sits on my back left shoulder with a YakAttack PanFish using Rob Choi’s v1 method of securing the Mighty Mount to my crate. It definitely was a great investment.   

Some lessons learned from this outing: I need to transfer my transducer from my old yak to the Ride. A game warden I ran into Sunday provided me some valuable information to a cove I fished for the first time in this reservoir. Additionally, I need to invest in a YakAttack PanFish Portrait for my Kodak PlaySport.  

The Last Cast, First Bass for My Princess

A late post but a memorable one. On Sunday, my day started off at Beaver Dam Reservoir, with nothing but dinks to show.  With my wife and oldest daughter heading to the movies in the evening, I convinced my little 7 year old to go fishing with me. It had been over a year since our last outing together. 

So, off we went to a local community pond out at South Riding in Loudoun County. The last time I was there, the fishing dock was in the initial stages. Wow! What a fantastic job they did. And by the looks, they may be adding a second one. Anyhow, back to my story. We had about an hour and half before we had to be back. Her first few casts I rigged up a 3" Senko worm with a bobber. She received a few hits but not hooking up. So, I decided to tie on a 2" Gulp minnow grub without the bobber as she loves the casting and reeling in method. 




On my end, I had a few hits but that was about it. With time flying by, I told my daughter one last cast and for her to aim towards the grassy edge. The next thing I know, I'm hearing her say "dad, it's heavy and pulling hard.", of course I had to help her reel it in because she simply could not reel this girl in herself. This was her fish using a lure, her first bass, and on her last cast. Wow!

And as you can see, that was about as close as she was going to get to the fish. We'll see if I can convince her to lip a bass for great hero shot to add to our memorable moments together.

Feelfree - Camel Trolley at Appomattox River Company

 My review on the Feelfree - Camel Trolley at Appomattox River Company. 



I recently purchased the Camel Trolley from Appomattox River Company. I have had little time to play around with the trolley until this weekend. Setting the Camel Trolley up out of the box is very simple, the concept is great but as soon I set it down to take on my kayak,  one of the wheels became loose.  A little wiggle and the wheel would simply fall off. Additionally, when I was able to get the wheel to stay in place long enough for me to sit my Ride 135, the cam would come loose. So, I tried sitting my Ascend A10 on the trolley as it is much lighter than the Ride 135. As soon as I began to pull the kayak, off came the wheel. Argh!

I contacted ARC, fantastic folks by the way, I'll be sending back the Camel Trolley in exchange for Sea to Summit Sit-on-Top Cart. I may have received a bad trolley or the parts are just that cheap, either way, I had high hopes for this product and now I sit here wondering if maybe I made the wrong decision and should have just gone with the C-Tug from the get go. We shall see...

Camping, Fishing, and Farming

I had a great weekend of camping, some competitive fishing, and some farming.

On Friday, I made my way down to Farmville, VA to fish the 5th Annual YakAttack Central Virginia for Heroes on the water Tournament.

The trip took about 3 hours but it was worth it. When I arrived, the scene was unbelievable with rigged kayaks everywhere.

The event was filled with laughs, stories, and great food. Thanks to Luther Cifers of YakAttack and family who cooked the meals for the event. The ribs and chowder on Friday and the pig on Saturday was on point--mighty delicious!

On Saturday morning, the alarm went off at 4:15 a.m. However, no alarm was really needed thanks to the local rooster. So, off to Sandy River Reservoir I went.

It only took me a few minutes before I was onto my first fish. The problem is in kayak fishing tournaments, you have to measure your fish, mouth closed and tail in natural position. Well, just as I was about to take my second attempt of snapping a photo for photographic evidence, she jumps off my measuring device. She measured at 16 inches, not enough to win but it sure was disappointing. My second fish came on a go to swim jig unfortunately, it was a 16.5 inch catfish on the other end.

There was no way my junk fish would place once I took a look at Dan Hart's monster carp. He caught this carp on a 4wt fly rod. Wow!

Fish & Wildlife Unlimited Taxidermy donated these beautiful trophies. 

My new friend, Bill. (aka Mr. Zara Spook with Tiny Torpedo)

I want to thank Luther Cifers, Jim and Tina Shank, and all the sponsors for doing a fantastic job of making this event possible. I had a great time and by the looks of the veterans returning to shore, they had a heck of a time.  I will definitely be attending again next year. This time I'll ensure I take my stronger allergy medication ahead of time.

Farming and Fishing on Sunday

My allergies kept me from staying another night and opportunity to fish Briery Creek. So, I took the girls to Bluemont Farms to pick strawberries and do a little fishing.

My daughter picking strawberries with a smile.

Some farm pond fishing. These were caught on a Strike King Shim E Stick Texas-rigged.
The weekend was full of great laughs, meeting new friends, fishing, and still had time to spend quality time with my family.

Maiden Voyage

I finally was able to make it out on the water yesterday. Although, it wasn't my most productive outing in terms of fishing, I definitely enjoyed being out on the water and finding ways to adjust for future outings.

My thoughts:

The 2012 Ride 135 is a remarkable and impressive kayak. I could not believe how much space I have, the stability, and the tracking of this yak. Additionally, the replaceable skid plate on the keel is simply fantastic!

Lessons learned:

• Get rid of the tackle bag and invest in a CratePak Max or modify my existing crate. 
• Add STS to the bow where I secure the paddle under the bungee and where the tip and butt of the pole rests when laying on the deck.
• Add anchor trolley 
• Add nylon pad eyes to secure rods
• Invest in a kayak cart. I have my eyes on the Feel Free Camel Kayak Cart - 2012

Here is some footage of me avoiding the skunk. I did miss a few on a wacky rigged senko but the swim jig and Fat Albert grub came to the rescue. Whew!


Here is a shot of me standing on the Ride. Thanks Roney (A fellow KBF member and Beaver Dam fishing partner).

Minor modifications to the Ride 135

I received my package from Hook1 which included Silent Traction System Kit, NITEStripe, and a couple of Hook1 decals yesterday. Time to get add a little modifications to this beauty of a yak.

Before:


After:

The STS reduces noise that is caused by banging paddles, poles, and other gear. I placed them in areas where I will stand and where the paddle will have the most contact with the yak.

The NITEStripe is for safety while out on my night adventures and the decals to show my support for Hook1.

Anchor trolley up next.

The Ride

My Wilderness Systems Ride 135 2012 came in yesterday. I want to thank Tom at Appomattox River Company for making this purchase a smooth experience.

Here is the unboxing or unwrapping...

Shock the Body and the Wallet

      I've been extremely busy the last few months with work, class, and honey do lists. Don't get me started on my allergies, that is a different story. Anyway, my time is precious and I pray the weather gods are on my side when I have a block of time set aside for some fishing. Well, the weather gods have not been on my side this weekend. I had a few hours blocked off yesterday afternoon, hoping to get some fishing in. The forecasters had called for rain all day on Saturday and Sunday. Well, as it turned out, the rain and wind came on Saturday afternoon. And it came fast with cooler temperatures.

     Talk about shocking the body with warm temperatures followed by this cold, rainy yuck stuff. So, I spent that time researching paddles. I was looking for a light paddle that did cost more than $200.00. I made the mistake of purchasing an inexpensive Carlisle Day Tripper paddle when I decided to jump into the sport. Let me tell you, that paddle is one heavy paddle when you are trying to paddle with one hand and fight a fish or retrieve a hung lure.

    So, I narrowed my choices to two paddles. One that I tested and liked because of how light it was. It being the Werner Camano. However, a couple of local kayak anglers I spoke to on a recent outing had the Aqua-Bound Sting Ray Carbon paddle, they told me how great the paddle was for the cost and as I held one, I really couldn't tell the difference between the two.

    My findings on the paddles:
Werner Camano - $220.00 at 27.25 ounces
Aqua-Bound Sting Ray Carbon - $189.00 at 28.5 ounces

   My decision was made. I placed my order via Appomattox River Company for a Aqua-Bound Sting Ray Carbon paddle and a Wilderness Systems Ride 135 2012 in Orange. Hook'em! \m/

   Some modifications I intend to make on this Ride are add a few stickers, camera mount, anchor trolley, and fish finder on the side track. More to come once I receive my toys.

Outing Number 2 at Beaver Dam Reservoir

I had a visitor coming today, so I got off to a late start. I launched roughly around 12:30p.m. The winds were up a bit around 11-14mph. I headed out to my favorite point but I could not keep my position. My little 10 footer was being blow around. I decided to hit a few coves but all I managed was a couple of small crappie off a 1/8 gold Kastmaster spoon.

Off to my final cove before I called a day. The wind was beginning to pick up. I felt I had one more shot. I decided to put the spinner down and pick up old faithful, swim jig and Fat Albert grub. I positioned myself to target a drop off at the entrance to the cove. On my first cast, BAM! I picked up this nice little bucketmouth.

Although the wind was a bit strong for my taste, I did manage to get out and enjoy the outdoors. At the end of the day, that's what it is all about.

 

Beating the Bank

I thought about heading out to Beaver Dam Reservoir in Ashburn, VA in 16-20 mile winds but decided against it. I did not want to be fighting the wind in my little 10 footer. So, off to a nearby pond I went. It is a well covered pond surrounded by many trees. Unfortunately, this pond does have "No boating" signs posted. My only option was to hit the banks.

I caught a couple on a swim jig with a a Zoom Fat Albert Grub. Both were caught by making a perfect cast to a spot near rocks that had some shadows from pine trees just off the bank. The biggest of the two hit the jig just as I began to make my retrieve. The other hit once, a slight tap. I slowed down the retrieve, paused, then the fight was on.

Here is my swim jig setup and Largemouth bass.

Kayak Apparel for 2012 Arrives

I needed a pair of shoes to replace my Crocs that I could use casually or while I'm out on the kayak. So, after doing some research, I found the Salomon Techamphibian 3 Water Shoes. The Tech 3s are light and have a mesh to keep debris out. That is something about Crocs I did not like. I was constantly having to remove by Crocs to empty out the debris that would find it's way in while wading with kayak in tow.

I also purchased a Columbia Terminal Tackle long sleeve shirt that provides sun protection, quick dry, and moisture management. And for the neck and ears I bought a High UV protection Buff.

Up next is the 2012 Wilderness System Ride 135. I will probably be ordering it from Appomattox River Company sometime in the next couple of weeks.