Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Expecting More . . .


I sat in my garage last night going through my fishing gear in preparation for our annual Fall n Tide Kayak tournament.  Kayak fishing has become an extension of my life and I truly enjoy every aspect of the sport. Fishing from a Kayak allows me to compress a lifetime of fishing knowledge into a few hours and feel completely one with my surroundings and tune out my worries and hectic schedules.  It’s an amazing feeling.  However, my lifelong competitive spirit typically kicks into overdrive as we approach tournament time and my senses and preparation become much more fined tuned. 
I am fortunate to be surrounded by some very experienced Anglers who excel at every outing and have the awards and championships in honor of their hard work and dedication.  These individuals inspire me and unknown to them, push me to improve my skills and compete at a higher level.  As, I was doing my final inspection of my kayak, I finally realized that I am never really competing against other anglers. I am truly in competition against myself, my own high standards. It’s about self- improvement and about being better than I was the day before.  It could be slowing down and mentally logging that missed hook set or taking note in the small changes in tide and water clarity. Either way it’s about expecting more of me each and every time I am out.
In the end the equation is very simple and straight forward.  You have to keep doing better to reach a level that goes beyond the best performance of others who compete against you.  As I keep improving I am confident the rewards will come, but my happiness is just loving the sport and having fun performing.

Friday, October 18, 2013

Fall n Tide...Rescheduled Nov 16. 2013

Thanks to Tropical Storm Karen, the Fall n Tide Tournament has been rescheduled for November 16, 2013. The later date means Trout will be migrating into the shallow marshes and Redfish and Flounder will be on the move. This year we should have some epic tournament stringers. Anyone interested in participating in the tournament can register at the link below. The tournament is being hosted by Cypress Cove Marina in Venice, La.

Register: Fall N Tide Kayak Fishing Tournament

Monday, September 16, 2013

PAC Attack . . . Well Almost!



I fished the PAC Attack Tournament this past weekend. I had been looking forward to this event because Point Aux Chenes is one of my most favorite places to fish.  I launched at 5:15 AM to very high tide and the Reds crashing bait deep in the grass. There were a lot of trout and reds moving along the islands which was very encouraging.  I landed my first 24” Red before 6am and another 16” right behind him.  With a lot of movement in the area I made a decision to release the little guy and try upgrading to his larger brothers.  As he swam away I was hoping it wasn’t a bone-head decision.  The saying “A bird in hand is better than two in the bush” replayed through my mind over and over…
It didn’t take long for karma to reward me with nice 25.5” Red. He destroyed my Killer Flats Minnow and took me for a short ride.  After a few more runs he was finally in the net. It was still early but the day was looking outstanding. 

By mid-morning the tide shifted and I decided to test out some live bait. I threw out my Cajun Thunder popping cork armed with a large cocahoe minnow. He swam leisurely around not generating much interest.  Not satisfied with his performance, I moved him into the opening of a small cut in one of my favorite ponds. As he hit the water, a large swell came from the back of the cut and immediately crushed my offering.  He immediately made a run to go beneath my Kayak but I was able to get my rod tip around the bow and keep it an even fight. A few short minutes later the 22.5” Red joined up with my other catches.
The rest of the day was more of the same except everything I caught was in the 16-16.5” range. Each time I hooked a Red, I was hoping for an upgrade but it simply was not there.  I finished my limit with 2 smaller slot Reds and a total of 11 on the day. 
I felt going into weigh-in I had a good chance at top 10. Final weight was 16.0 pounds and good for 6th place.  I was exactly 0.1 lbs. from 5th place and taking home a check. Congrats to Rev on his victory and the other top 5 winners. I’m looking forward to next year.
Overall, it was a great day on the water and another successful BCKFC Tournament. Special thanks to Theo’s Marina for all their hospitality and the BCKFC Directors and Officers for your efforts.

Monday, September 2, 2013

PAC Perfect Day!


Maybe its glass smooth water, the reflection of a beautiful morning sunrise or a perfectly placed first cast but there is something that gives you a feeling the moment you get on the water that it’s  just going to be a good day.
Today was my perfect day at PAC. My first cast zipped flawlessly into the small cut as I braced myself for the action I hoped was lurking beneath. Within seconds the familiar jerk of a redfish had my drag singing and I knew it was the start of a good day. The LSU colored Killer Flats Minnow went repeatedly to war with several undersized Reds until finally matching up with a 24” brute that would contest both our skills and my earlier success. After repeated runs he rolled to the surface as my net slipped under him and the battle was complete. As the day grew hotter so did the action.  I maneuvered quietly into the opening of a familiar pond and found the water buzzing with activity and rippling wakes of tailing Reds. My Killer Flats Minnow went back to work landing a few nicer slot Reds edging me closer to an early morning limit. Filling my last slot wouldn’t take long but not before losing a monster that I battled for several minutes only to end with a broken line and losing my Purple and Chartreuse colored soldier.
The action remained non-stop as I enticed a few more undersized Reds with my Geaux to colors and completed my limit by 10:30 with a final 22” challenger.  Satisfied with my 5 wins, I switched over to conservationist mode tagging a few additional Reds and sending them back to fight another day. These were my first Reds tagged since signing up for the Louisiana TAG Program.  There was a huge sense of accomplishment tagging and releasing those few Reds knowing that in some small way, I was able to give something back and be thankful for the rewards I was able to take with me. I closed out my trip by hooking up with two more huge Reds late morning but once again a broken line and a strong will ended the battle before I could claim success.
It was an outstanding trip and makes up for all the other slow days we endure. I am already looking forward to my next fishing trip and enjoying everything (PAC) Point Aux Chenes has to offer.Special thanks to Torrey (Ltprod) from BCKFC for sharing in another VooDoo Kayak Fishing Adventure.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

LA 1 Slamboree Tournament


I had the opportunity to fish the LA 1 Slamboree put on by the great folks with the Lafayette Kayak Fishing Club.  My plan was set, I would launch early Saturday morning in an area I knew held big Reds and was a go to spot for loads of Trout. I would pick up a late morning Flounder completing the Cajun Slam and weigh in before Noon. It was a great plan in theory. What could possibly go wrong?
Apparently Mother Nature had a much different scenario worked out in her head that did not remotely match my plan.
Launching at daylight from the northern boundary in Golden Meadow the wind was blowing from the WSW at 20+ mph. Heavy thunderstorms were blowing up everywhere in the area keeping sky’s overcast, the water choppy  and fishing conditions absolutely horrible. I paddled out and was able to locate calm water protected from the relentless winds. Fishing with the BSOD I landed a nice 18.5” Leopard Red with 4 spots as my first fish. Perfect! I now had my entry for the new kayak category. My confidence continued to rise as I worked the calm water next to the bank and another huge Red hit the BSOD like a semi-truck and began peeling line. He made a run straight through the oyster bed into open water and just like that my line went slack and my heart dropped. I knew the line had been cut, I lost a monster Red and my prized BSOD was gone too.
I landed another smaller undersized Leopard Red before moving down into a deeper pond. It wasn’t very protected from the wind but it had a few small cuts with moving water pushing through. On my second cast I hooked up and landed a fat 22.5” Red. A brief break in the clouds had me temporality excited.  Perfect, my plan was coming together despite Mother Nature’s bad attitude. Now, it was time to put a few trout in the kayak.
Wrong! The wind started blowing freakishly strong with heavy thunderstorms moving in and the bite dropped off completely.  I fished hard trying to pick up a trout and flounder to complete my slam but couldn’t buy another fish.  I slowly began to realize my plan was not going to come together. All of my fish were caught before 9am.  I ended the day and tournament with two entries with my large Red and a (4) spot Leopard Red.
There were quite a few anglers at weigh-in that had nothing to show for their efforts. Mother Nature assaulted their plans as well.  I knew my single Red wouldn’t be enough in the Slam category even though he weighed in at nearly 6 pounds. However, I had a decent chance at winning the Leopard category with my 4 spot Red. Only seven anglers’ submitted entries for the Leopard category and 8 spots took home the new Jackson Cuda Kayak.
Despite the less than perfect weather condition I still enjoy each and every minute on the water. The LA 1 Slamboree is a first class tournament and I’ll be looking to redeem myself next year.