Another nice day

[hookup]

Day started with the drive. Deer everywhere. As I got close to the river I could see a bald eagle while driving by. Got to the river and saw pterodactyls fishing (great blue herons). I knew in my heart fishing would be good.

As soon as we launched Leon hooked up. Figured I'd better get the camera out of the bag for the next fishies

Started out catching fish almost instantly on a green pumpkin grub.



Had a feeling fish would be chasing minnows and I was right. It was the last one in the pack so switched to an old standby - chartreuse grub. Fish didn't care what color I threw.

Caught a few bigger ones in the 15 to 16" range, but most were in the 12-14" range.



Nature called so got out of the kayak to take care of things and in six inches of water, got back in, didn't see the rock, kayak turtled and in I went. Not a bad time to be soaked because it was actually refreshing. Bit chilly in the morning being soaked, but felt good.

Later in the day fishing slowed down so went deep with a HookUp Silicon & ducktail jig in brown/orange flake with a pumpkin tail and polished the rocks. Works out nicely.





At one point, my rod bent in half and the drag started screaming. For those that know me that's not a frequent experience because I lock down my drag hard and back reel when I catch a big one. Fish dove under a rock and broke me off. I figured I either had a carp hit the bait or the biggest smallie in the river?

They were calling for t-storms in the afternoon. We felt a couple drops and started paddling. With the ramp in sight down river, the sky opened up and it started pouring. We both pulled over, got our rain gear on, then finished the paddle to the ramp during a heavy downpour. I was hoping for no lightning and at least that worked out.

Great day to be out. Overcast most of the time. Bald eagles and Osprey everywhere. Even saw a deer cross the river.

 

[Bigjim]

I am jealous!!!!! What waterway if I may ask???

 

[Hawnjigs]

Having had enuf experience with both big carp & catfish to usually tell the difference from the feel of the fight, I would guess a speedy drag ripper on the bite would be a catfish? Carp are slower more lethargic fighters in larger sizes which is why I don't target them.

I've inadvertently back reeled a few 10# trout fights since my Daiwa Capricorn anti-reverse only works part time, but a big catfish might use the lack of drag pressure as a green light to dive into bottom snags. Haha it might anyway even on a tight drag.

Having green wild places with critters to escape to refreshes the soul, eh ?

Wouldn't hurt to try cut in half Gulp Sinking Minnows chartreuse pepper color which catfish here find irresistible and you might be surprised at the smallie bite too. The tail half looks like it would have more action but the head portion gets bit just as well. A big hook might be necessary to minimize sticking dinks.

 

[hookup]

Having green wild places with critters to escape to refreshes the soul, eh ?

Sure does. Mixed it up yesterday. Was white perch fishing in the salt yesterday with 4 pound test, UL, and my version of a home made bitsy bug timed with gulp and all of a sudden the rod bent in half and the drag started screaming. Bonus fish

 

[hookup]

I am jealous!!!!! What waterway if I may ask???

Mid-Atlantic Piedmont river

 

[Hawnjigs]

Those juvie stripers are called schoolies for a reason - do you ever target them? Do you eat them?

The one time I caught and ate a decent one I thought that in addition to being a hard fighter it was pretty tasty.

 

[hookup]

The striper might have been an eater? - but we weren't sure so we released it for another day

Went for a float yesterday. No pix today, sorry

Day started with the drive. Usually see wild life everywhere on the way but the drive was quiet and calm with no deer, birds, or even bugs on my windshield. Forecast was in the 90's so I figured we'd have a slow day.

Got to the river and it was beautiful but we were already sweating loading the kayaks up at the take out for the drive to the put in.

Floated about 6.5 miles of water. The first 4 miles are usually productive so we hung out a little longer at the top part of the float. I just managed to break double midgets of 10 to 13" smallies. My buddy got a few less but also caught some panfish. Dinks were rattling the bait every cast. Slowed down my retrieve and save they were either baby crappie or panfish? Was thinking of downsizing to a dink bait but didn't because I'm always on the hunt for pigs.

Fish stopped biting around high noon. Sun was up, blue bird skies and the area of the river's Botton looked like a Martian moonscape. After a bit we started paddling. Those last two miles of paddling kicked both of our butts. Sucked down all our liquids, but I learned on my last trip to bring more. Glad I learned that lesson for yesterday.

Bald eagles - both mature and immature were everywhere. One made a swim at a fish I release but came up empty. Heron's were rare on the river and mostly stuck to the trees. Saw more green herons that I've ever seen on that stretch. Also the king fishers were working it. At the end of the day the small birds were searching for a hatch that didn't exist.

Wife complained that we bought to much lunchmeat so made a nice mini-Dagwood for the float. Problem solved with the lunchmeat and mini because I have to watch my svelte physique

Loaded the boats and got to the take out and there was one of another buddy' employees backing up the trailer. He was a guide, but now runs river nature and bird watching floats. When down and checked out her raft and it's a beast! Seating for six passengers and one rower. A Cadillac for the river. We chatted a bit and then drove home.