Fresh On the Boat

I couldn't remember the last time I took someone completely new to kayak fishing out on the water.  My way of helping yak-fish-cherry-poppers is usually just through this site, answering questions in emails, forums, social media, and the occasional seminar.  And the little gestures of gratitude, usually through a computer screen, is all I hope for in return.  I enjoy helping people.  But my time on the water is almost always reserved for myself.  I made an exception this time and at the end of the trip, I was really glad I did; not only because I helped out a friend, but I was reminded first hand of what it was like for me when I first started. 

Last year, I met Mike randomly while out having a couple of beers with friends, shooting some pool.  One topic lead to another and before we knew it, our 8-ball friends got tired of listening to us rant about fishing.  He ended up buying Kayak Kevin's old Trident 13, had a baby, found it hard to get out, enjoyed daddy life stuff, got a spork crammed into his eye by his baby, you know... stuff... 
Fast forward to me agreeing to take him out on the water and I could feel his excitement while getting the kayaks down from the roof racks.  We skipped the weekly pool tournament and decided to try our luck on the James river for the shad run.  From simple things like paddle blade shape preference and kayak space/storage management to some not-so-easy things like anchoring in current, my answers came effortlessly.  Do's and don'ts, how and where's, all got explained at the beginning along with "yes you will wish you had your waders on especially when the sun goes down" and "watch your rod tips around that tree".

Everything went without a hitch and he expressed his gratitude several times during the trip. However, my real reward was getting to watch the pure elation on his face after landing two new-to-him species. They weren't the biggest fish, but to him, it was a big deal; which in turn was a big deal to me.  Every time he hooked up, I shared his excitement.  Helping him get to the spot, building his confidence on the water, and watching him accomplish what he wanted far exceeded the joy of catching my own fish that day.  He let out an enthusiastic "I LOVE THIS $%^*!" which he knows is usually my line. 

The ready-to-spawn male hickory shad dripped fish porn on our decks (sorry no pics) then became cut bait.  The white perch was an added surprise to him and served as live bait.  We were hoping for big catfish or stripers but like I told him it would, it got pretty cold later in the evening.  Plus, the lack of action from the bigger fish had me craving a drink back at the ol' watering hole.  After a couple of medium sized cats, we packed it up and swung by the bar to share our fishy smell with the pool junkies.  We toasted to a kickass time, and like that feeling of the first chug after a long hot day of working in the yard, that beer was really freakin' good.  The cherry on top is that an hour later, it was my birthday. 

Mike, thanks for a great time on the water and reminding me that this sport I love so much is not always about catching the fish.  Cheers, buddy.

P.S. for those of who might be wondering...
No, I don't plan on becoming a guide.

5 Trophy Gar and Chunky Cat

It was what I was hoping for.  

They were everywhere.  

I took Jeff to a spot down on the James River below Hopewell and got into them quickly.  Minnows on the bottom as well as under bobbers didn't last long.  We lost count of the mid to upper 30" gar.  The hard part was letting them run after they picked up the bait.  If it was too earlier, we could feel them drop and the minnow would come back missing scales.  When we timed it right, we were treated to fast streaks and tail walking mayhem.  Anytime you have a 40 plus inch fish jump clear out of the water multiple times then thrash right next to your kayak with mouth wide open and full of please don't get in the kayak yet, adrenaline will flow.

Over the span of a few hours I tallied 5 citations up to a little over 44".  Jeff got the timing right as well and landed a citation also right at 40". 

After running out of minnows, I found a nice channel with a sharp drop off.  We dropped chunks of gizzard shad on 8/0 circle carolina rigs and I quickly had a strong take down.  The heavy catfish swung my kayak around in a hurry but somehow the circle hook came out.  Not too long after, this 41"er gave me a chance for redemption.

I wish I had brought my scale because it had been eating very, very well.

The trophy blue catfish was a most welcome cherry on top of a an already awesome day.  

Short Morning Session (with video)

I woke up juggling the calendar, with a foot in my face and an elbow in my crotch.  The Jake and the Neverland Pirates' theme song was still stuck in my head next to potential client email drafts, needy little what's for breakfast and can we have sprinkles.  My mind was crowded with unfinished powerwashing chores, MIA little pink stuffed elephant drama, overdue oil changes, super-evil-mega-corps silently upping my bill, wall doodles, and the infinite stream of laundry.  I Hattori Hanzo'd my way out, making sure not to wake the lil' ninja who snuck into bed upside down.  Then, sans coffee, I silently slid into the river in the cover of darkness.

As light slowly crept through the haze, the curtains were pulled back on the soul invigorating glow of the water.  Long exhales shrank my worries and I felt my head declutter.  With every paddle stroke, I reminded myself of all I had to be thankful for.  A short ways later, I caught a good rhythm on the 6wt flyrod and found a few little bronzbacks to go with my smile.

Back in time to rock breakfast duty and watch Saturday morning couch jumping in pajamas, Jake's theme song wasn't so annoying after my short morning session.

Impromptu Good JooJoo

Life insisted on kicking me while I was down the last month or so.  Work and family drama finally let up enough for me to take a quick impromptu trip to the James. 

After catching several of these on the fly...

... I stuck them on a carolina rig with 8/0 circles, dropped them in a deep hole and they found their way into the mouth of...

43" trophy flathead catfish

I still have a lot to take care of but hopefully I'll be able to get out again soon for a nice water therapy session.

Foul Weather Flatheads

My plans for the salt were thwarted by the incessant wind.

But it wasn't enough to keep me from getting my fix.  

After a few halfling smallmouths, I set up the Predator MX over a drop off and put out two live bluegills on 8/0 circle hooks; one under a float and one on a carolina rig.  It was nice not dragging a flowtroll since the Engel 19qt aerated livewell/cooler kept the dozen or so flathead confections lively and ready to go.  

As the light dimmed, the action turned on and after several kitties in the mid 20" range, I got what I was after.  My new small game spinning reel got a proper work out on a ~38" James River jelly belly.

Gotta love 10lb braid on a 2500 spinning reel.

It's nice having a productive sweetwater hole when my salt spots are blown out.  

But you know I can't wait to get back.

The togs are calling me.

Stress Free Kitty Trip

I took a breather from my quest for VA Saltwater Expert Angler and hit the James River for some laid back catfish action.  Right after a storm blew by, I soaked live bluegills that my kids caught earlier at a local pond.  Taking deep breathes, I enjoyed the flat calm evening while several catfish found my fishfinder rig and connected with the 8/0 circle hook.

Biggest Blue Catfish went 35"

Biggest Flathead Catfish went 36"

The remaining 2 saltwater citations weigh heavy on my mind, but it was nice to stay close to home and enjoy the simply pleasure of the pullage. 

I was almost as care free as this guy...   :)

 

Impromptu Bronzebacks

Timing is everything.  And as of late, my struggles to get that timing right have resulted in me being stood up on my last 4 dates with Big Red.  The Eastern Shore can be so unforgiving to some, but my persistence will be rewarded... eventually.

This weekend, between bleach, caulk, birthdays, leafy gutters, weed, and mommy-daddy time, I found a couple of hours to look for smallies on the near by James River.

I muttered profanities at the wind on several occasions, but the elation of connecting with quality smallmouth overshadowed that quickly.

In two and a half hours I managed 6 smallies.  

19.25", 19", 16", 15", 13", 12"

All on a white/chartreuse spinnerbait tossed around current breaks.

After Work Bottom Chunkin'

The shad fishing was slow, which is a little unusual for this time of year.  But I'm sure it'll pick right back up.  We managed a few white perch and decided to chunk up a few a little ways down river.  The catfishing was slow too, but I lucked out with one blue at 37.5". 

Not a monster by James River standards, but still good times.

As of late...

Since my last post...

CBBT

I took the risk while knowing

it's a heck of a long paddle out for a slim chance in the cold.

And the paddle back without a single tog bite

blows.

The HRBT light line held no love for me, neither.

And the kitties wouldn't come out to play.

Some RVA shad found their way to my fly

But then over in Forrest Short's fish bowl of gators n cows

 I laid an egg.  

Forrest didn't do very well either.

So you know it was a tough night.

Biggest shad went 2lb 2 oz.

And then I retired that kayak.

And got a new one.

Which is basically the same kayak as before, just different colors.

I promptly paid Luther Cifers a visit at YakAttack Headquarters

and within 22 hours of being picked up

the James river was getting some grime and slime on the new Trident 13.

It was a little windier than I'd prefer, but it was still a nice day to be out and about.

Muskrat

Seth Goodrich and a few friends confirmed a hunch earlier in the week that the bigger smallies should be active.  However, this time the jig n' pig wasn't get the job done.  With the water warming up, I decided to pick up the pace and put on a bright skirt n' willow blades.  It took a while, but I finally found the right current break.

The ambush came and it hit with a vengeance.  I was treated to two awesome aerial displays and a fight worthy of the smallmouth reputation.  

19.5" new personal best smallmouth bass

 Shortly there after, the sun dipped behind the trees and Seth scored on a lipless crank. 

18.5"

Smallmouth are a blast, but it is time to introduce the new kayak to my favorite pilings.  The CBBT awaits and as bay temps climb so does my need for tog.

A post on how I rigged the new kayak will be out soon.

River Pullage

It had been a day short of two weeks since I dipped my paddle or played a fish on the end of my line.  Unfortunately, a trip to the salt which I've yearned for even longer was not in the cards.  With the weather forecast being as useful as a magic 8-ball, I stuck close to home.  The river welcomed me with a plethora of opportunities spanning a full spectrum of presentations to match the appetite of several species.

I started off with what I left off with last time; the fly rod.  The sun was higher up this time so I switched to a black wooly bugger and sight casted to various sunfish, small largemouth and smallmouth bass.  I had a shot at a decent carp too, but I got a little too close and spooked it.  I had a couple instances where as soon as the fly hit the water a big bronze back exploded on it, but somehow didn't come tight. 

This was the second time on the water sporting my new Maui Jim shades with PolarizedPlus2 rose lenses and can honestly say, they are awesome.  The contrast is simply amazing and definitely helped me see a lot more.  I normally target smallies in pools, pockets, and eddies around structure, but after standing up with the Maui Jim's I found some just cruising the flats.  I was able to get the fly in the path for one and on the second strip it rushed over and came to a halt a few inches away.  Being able to watch it all, including what happened on the next strip, brought on a huge smile. 

It was only 13" but there's definitely something special about being able to visualizing it all.  

From stalking 
to the cast, 
the chase, 
the take... 

Hookset, headshakes... 

I LOVE IT!













After a while, the wind picked up just enough to make fly line management a chore.  I switched to a spinning rod and found a few more little smallies on Husky Jerks and black spinnerbaits.  

As the sun started to fade, I resisted the urge to put on a topwater popper and switched gears again.  I pinned a lively sunfish from earlier to an 8/0 circle hook - carolina rig.  It wasn't long before my kayak was spinning circles as I wrangled some flatheads.  

Biggest of the evening was 36"

From slingin' bugs and sight casting to chunkin' meat, I thoroughly enjoyed reconnecting with the awesome local fishery and finding some river pullage.  

Satisfied... for now. 

But I can only resist the salt for so long. 

Slingin' Bugs After Work

Have I mentioned lately how awesome my wife is? Yeah well, she is.  I pick up the kids on my way home... she calls. 

"Weather's so nice... you should go fishing."

Smile starts to curl.  Wheels start to turn. 

Awesome, right?  I freakin' love that woman.

So I get home and transfer the kids over to that awesome woman, then quickly venture down to the Choi-cave.  Still somewhat torn about where to go and what to target, I rummaged through the haystack of rods hoping one would jump out... begging to be used.  Under all my CBBT stuff, my TFO 6wt peeked through with a popper still on it from last time.  The hook was getting rusty and the white rubber legs were starting to change colors.  Bingo.  

Deep breathes... letting the soul soak up the goods.

I grabbed one more popper, stuck it in my pfd and rushed off to the James.  

It was a perfect evening.

Without changing the fly once, I had plenty of action for 2 hours.  

8"-10" smallies kept me on my toes and chuckling.  

Just as it was getting dark, I had one around 15"...

... but it got off on the first jump.

Oh well.  

Still an amazing evening not to be taken for granted.

Cats, Sunnies, a Long Paddle and some Flounder

As kind as he was about sharing one of his speckled trout spots with me, I had to help Matt Anderson when he decided to try for catfish up my way.  5 o'clock couldn't come soon enough and I bolted from my office chair to meet him at the launch.  He had been out earlier with Dan Smullen and had a 29" blue cat for an online tournament he was hoping to win.  When we got to the water, I realized the water was higher than I thought it would be.  It was not a problem as far as the paddle goes, but for the spot I like to fish, it was a few feet higher than I like.  We still got into some fish just as the sun was setting.  I managed 4 or 5 with the biggest blue cat going ~31" and the biggest flathead going ~27"...nothing huge but still a good time.  Matt went on to win the tourney with the fish he caught earlier. 


The next day I went looking for crawdads in the creek down the street.  I was hoping to use some for bait, but they were nowhere to be found.  But I did find something else.  I went back home, grabbed my flyrod and had a good time sight casting to these little guys.

 
Red Breasted Sunfish (note the elongated ear flap)

Gotta love those colors

Planning my next trip got me excited.  Everything was packed and ready for the 3am departure.  All antsy and excited, I felt like a little kid.  Tossing and turning, thoughts of what could happen... oh the possibilities.  

The Eastern Shore greeted me with an amazing sunrise and light winds.  Long story short, I looked for bull reds, chummed for cobia,  and dropped clam bits for spades and sheeps.  I saw none and caught none.  An extremely long paddle in some new areas yielded small grey trout, sand perch, croaker and black sea bass... disappointing to say the least but at least I tried and learned a little about the new location.  My last ditch effort just before sunset had me jigging for flounder near the launch area.  That saved the day... 21", 20", 16" and 14".  

Back to the River

I almost forgot what it was like to drive less than an hour to go fishing.  My attraction to the salt had been pretty intense lately.  But today, I decided to switch things up and stay close to home.  I also decided to switch things up even more by going after something a little unusual..... GAR!

I found out about a spot on the James river that's loaded with gar.  However, the nearest public launch area was over 8 miles away and I didn't have time to dedicate to that kind of distance.  Staying determined, I did a little research on google maps.  Then I worked a little charm on a nice old lady who let me drag my kayak through her property.  Next thing I knew I was only a 15 minute paddle from the spot. Ya gotta love being able to do that with a kayak.

As I got closer to the spot, I could see the gar breaching the surface.  They were all over the place and some were definitely pushing 4 feet long.  I've used artificials/lures on them before but found it extremely frustrating since the hook up ratio on those skinny nosed gar was very low.  I decided to bring minnows this time, but it was still difficult to hook one.  The gar would grab it, then run, but wouldn't actually eat it for quite some time.  I would keep yanking it out of their teeth.

Speaking of teeth, I know some people have used frayed nylon rope as a lure and had pretty decent success with it.  The teeth would get tangled in the fine strands of rope and the angler could fight and land it.  I tried, but the fish didn't want anything to do with it, or any artificials I threw at them.

Eventually, I finally got one to eat a minnow, and with light tackle, it was a very enjoyable fight.  I got a little nervous when I pulled it close to the yak.  The prehistoric looking beast started tail dancing with it's mouth open... all 3 zillion pointy teeth flailing around in close proximity.

I think they're actually very pretty, except for their face.  My wife says they got "butterface".  I didn't see that one coming.  Anyway, my free lined minnows couldn't find the inside of another gar's mouth for the rest of the day.  But they did find several catfish, including this 42" citation blue cat...

I was a little surprised that this leviathan went after a 4" minnow.  

Just before I called it a day this pretty little James River striper came up to bid me adieu.

It was a nice day to change things up.