Saturday, August 23, 2014

Kayak Fishing Through New Eyes

With the all the recent fishing tournaments it seems like most of my time on the water lately has been either scouting or preparing for the next tournament. So, I decided to unplug a little and join up with Tim Samaha an old friend who has never fished from a kayak before for a day on the water.
We arrived at our launch site just after daylight and unloaded the Hobie’s to a light breeze and nearly glass smooth water. After a quick crash course in kayaking 101 we were off searching for some tailing reds. Our first stop was in a place I knew held some good reds and was excited to see the big boys crashing the grass line. In every direction redfish tails were waving and I could see Tim’s excitement and anticipation building as he began working a few aggressive reds on a flat. All I could do was sit back and watch with a big smile on my face and remembering the same sensory overload and whirlwind of excitement when I started kayak fishing. It didn’t take long until his first hook up and the “WOOHOO” that is reflexive to hearing the drag peel off. A few minutes later, he lands his first Redfish out of a kayak and doesn’t realize that he is the one that has really been Hooked!  
Throughout the rest of the day we continued to pull in some nice reds and the addiction continues to creep in. Water clarity improved the further we traveled and I began looking for some top water action. I made my first cast and watched as a large wake came up behind and absolutely crush my skitterwalk. A short time later a nice 25-1/2 red finds its way into my bag.
It wasn't long before “This is Awesome” travels throughout the marsh and I watch Tim go on his first sleigh ride. Watching the whole event unfold and seeing the enjoyment on his face was priceless. Several minutes later he lands the fat 26-3/4” pig with a huge smile on his face.

We finished with a limit of Reds and even managed to pick a few trout that seemed to be lost. Overall, it was a fantastic day on the water. Kayak fishing has become a passion for me and I truly enjoyed introducing a friend to this great sport. The trip was a needed change of pace for me and I am fairly certain we will soon have new kayak angler on the water.


 

Friday, April 18, 2014

Paddle Palooza XI, and the Redfish Train


  
Pre-fishing Paddle Palooza XI didn't instill a ton of confidence or clearly help us pinpoint our game plan for Saturday morning. Fishing with two exceptional FiN Crazy team members Casey Brunning and Johnny Bergeron provided for some great entertainment and fishing experiences. It also helped me keep things in perspective and really enjoy my time on the water instead of over stressing about tournament prep. After 2 days we found some good fish just not the caliber we knew it would take to win a tournament. 
 
By mid Friday morning we all decided to split up to cover more ground. Knowing the wind would be a factor on Saturday morning I was torn as to where I should focus my efforts. I ultimately decided to hit two areas that I knew held some good fish but was unproductive earlier in the year due to lack of water.
 
After a long peddle I was excited to not only see water but very clear water. With the sun getting higher and the water clarity it didn't take long to start picking out the tailing reds. BIG Reds. Within 20 mins I had landed two over 26". It was still early so I continued to explore the different cuts and coves and rolled up on an area that had so many reds patrolling I stopped counting.  It was like a conveyer belt of redfish. All big, all aggressive and traveling in 2-3’s.  For the next hour as quickly as I could hook, catch, release and cast again I was pulling in some beasts. Satisfied that reds were not going to be a problem I packed up, relocated and began looking for some trout.  

Finding the trout proved a little more difficult. I managed to locate a few loner trout of decent size but nothing to stop me from searching for bigger and better. By 3pm I circled back to one of my more reliable holes and picked up a few more and located a couple of smaller schools. My confidence level was much higher than earlier in the day so, I locked in my game plan debriefed my pre-fishing posse and made the trip back in.

I was on the water and sitting at my spot by 4:30 am listening to the familiar sounds of feeding reds. As the morning glow reflected on the water I could once again see baitfish jumping and rippling wakes. I stood up and prepared to throw my deadly Seein Spots inline lure and had to take a double take at the number ripples perfectly spaced and patrolling the bank. My Redfish train was coming in and they were neatly spaced about 50' apart and moving fast. Within the first hour I had landed a 25-1/2", 26-1/4 (6.79lbs) and released 2 over 29". I adjusted to counter for the wind starting to pick up and hooked up with another beast that measured right at 27" on my board and weighed 8.22 lbs. I immediately knew this was a potential money fish and the measurement was just too close so, in my bag he went.
 

The trout were more elusive than the day before and had I to work through a 1/2 dozen dinks before picking up a small 13" keeper. The very next cast I had a hard hit and set the hook and felt the familiar head shake. If this was a trout he was going to be Big. My excitement was crushed in short order after seeing the black spotted tail role to the surface. I released the small rat red back into the shallow flat. The rest of the day was trying to upgrade my trout and possibly find my Unicorn Flounder. Neither happened, so I reluctantly decided to head back in

At weigh in, my 8lb beast of a red just wasn't meant to be as it came in just over 27" despite my unscientific shrinking methods and crossed fingers. Luckily, my backup (6.79 lb.) Red was not questionable and I ended with a total weight including my Trout of 7.47 lbs. Respectable, but I knew probably not good enough to bring home a check.

I was pleasantly surprised to find out my Red was good enough for 5th place in the Reds category. I finished in 16th place overall within the tournament of 240 Anglers. I know I say this all the time but I truly appreciate and respect the number of great anglers we have in BCKFC. My competitive spirit is pushed each and every time I'm out on the water. This club is hands down one of the best run and managed. Hats off to the Directors and all the club members who continually turn out these great tournaments.

 



Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Redfish Rumble VII - Sticking & Moving



I was on the road heading to the Delacroix area by 1:30 am. I arrived a full hour before launch time which allowed me to take some time to get my Hobie Outback loaded and go through a final gear check.  


5 am came quickly and I quietly slipped into the darkness heading to my spot which I knew held some good fish. I had already mentally prepared myself for the long paddle ahead as the area was thick with grass which quickly took away the advantage of a peddle kayak.  About a mile in, I realize my forward progress had stopped even though my paddling had not. It took me a few minutes in the darkness to realize my rudder at snagged an old crap trap line and had me pinched.  As I freed myself, I could already hear the Reds crashing all around me. I resisted the urge to start casting and instead kept to my original game plan to reach my area at daylight. As the early morning glow reflected on the water I arrived at my destination and was immediately rewarded with ripples on the water and the sounds of feeding Reds in every direction. 

It was game time. I immediately began throwing a weedless Ribbit frog and a huge swell came up behind it and I tensed up in preparation for the hook set. After following it for 10 feet he peeled off and lost interest. A few casts later a large red inhaled my lure and had my drag screaming. A short fight later I landed a nice 24.5" slot red. My tournament day was off to a good start. After several more minutes and a number of fish following but losing interest in my saltwater frog, I switched over to a Gulp Jerk bait rigged weedless.The water all around me was still in frenzy with Reds feeding and chasing baitfish.   

For the next 30 minutes I landed 3 more fat Reds ranging in size from 23-25" and released two smaller 16" candidates because I just knew that magical 26-7/8" was just waiting to find a home in my Hobie. Well, Murphy's Law reared it ugly face and I proceeded to break my leader on what had to easily be my biggest hook up of the day. I then had two more very large Reds spit the hook and leave me questioning my decision to release the smaller fish. I had four fish in the bag by 7:30 and was feeling very confident. 
 
Then like a light switch the bite was off. I actually believe my once deadly Gulp Jerk Shad began to spook everything in its path. Activity was still high and I saw quite a few tailing Reds but they wanted absolutely no part in what I had to offer. For the next few hours I moved around working the grass mat edges and the clean channels running through them. I missed a few more hook sets including what I am convinced was a small Bass. I was determined to bring in a full limit and was not going to accept anything less. By 11:30 the bite picked back up and I began seeing more and more tailing reds in the shallower ponds. A particular large tail and dorsal fin was aggressively working the edge of the broken marsh grass and I made a B-line to intercept him. My first throw was a little behind and didn't get his attention. My second cast was dead on and as I dragged my Jerk Shad across his nose he destroyed it and the fight was on. After a few minutes and beaching himself on a mud flat I managed to get him in the boat and complete my limit of Reds.
 
I felt a huge sense of accomplishment and thought I had an outside chance at a possible top 10-12 tournament finish with the weight in my bag even without picking up a Bass. Knowing it was getting late and I had a long paddle in front of me I headed back to the launch. 
 
I arrived at the weigh-in tired but optimistic and began recounting the days experiences with everyone else.  I truly enjoy sharing stories and listening about the day’s adventures with everyone. My final weigh-in was exactly 22.0 lbs. putting me in a respectable 8th place overall. Considering the number of phenomenal Anglers we have in BCKFC It was a good finish. Of course the hard core competitor in me kicks myself knowing I missed several opportunities that could have produced much better results.  Overall, I had a fantastic time on the water with good friends and at the end of the day I believe that is what it’s truly about. Congratulation to all the winners as it is well deserved. Thanks to all the BCKFC directors for putting on another awesome tournament.
 


Monday, February 10, 2014

Anker E5 Portable Battery Backup Review - No More Dead Cell Phones


Most kayak anglers I know and fish with rely heavily on their smart phones. I am no different.  The technology has greatly enhanced how we fish.  Unfortunately, using those cool GPS apps, monitoring radar, or finding that secret spot on Google Earth greatly reduces battery life.  Having a dead phone also represents a huge safety concern for me as well since I often fish alone.
With hopes of solving this dilemma, I purchased the Anker E5 portable battery backup.  I have been using it successful now for the last 3 months. All I can say is wow!  The Anker E5 is a monster and has completely eliminated low battery life on my IPhone.  Bring on GPS, Google Earth, radar, Facebook, Flappy Bird apps and finding “Put-Put”.  My iPhone now stays completely charged all day with zero concerns.  
The Anker E5 is a dual USB ultra-high capacity (15000mAh) rechargeable battery backup.  Which means it can charge any smart phone almost 7 times from zero to 100% or a tablet device 3-4 times.  I have personally fished all day and maintained a 100% charge on my phone and subsequently charged my IPad and my iPhone 4 additional times without the Anker E5 dropping below 50% capacity. There are a lot of things I personally like about the device.
1.   It’s compact and fits easily in my Hobie center hatch keeping it protected from the elements. Allows me to keep my phone plugged in and charging while fishing.
2.   The Anker E5 is also rechargeable. It’s supplied with a micro USB to USB2 cable that allows you to recharge from your computer, USB wall charger or vehicle charger.
3.   The battery capacity is unbelievable. I often go weeks without having to recharge it.
4.   The price is under $50 with free shipping from Amazon. Great deal for the sound of mind it provides. Amazon: Anker E5 15000mAh Battery Backup.
5.   Anker produces some of the finest battery backup devices on the market. All of their products have extremely high ratings on Amazon.
6.   The LED lights provide a battery capacity indicator (100, 75, 50, 25%). It even has a very bright LED flashlight built in.
7.   The dual USB charging outlets allows you to charge multiple devices if needed.  I am thinking of connecting my LED lights to it as well.
Overall, I would highly recommend this device to anyone who has struggled with fishing all day and keeping their cell phone charged.  I am very happy with the performance and it’s become an essential item when I’m on the water.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Minimalist Challenge VII …. In every way possible


Minimalist Challenge VII …. In every way possible

The Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club kicked off 2014 with their first tournament of the year appropriately tagged as Minimalist Challenge VII. MC 7 is the first of a 5 tournament series for BCKFC Angler of the Year sponsored by Pack & Paddle and Texas Tackle Factory The tournament format is unique as each Angler is provided with only a handful of lures to use and nothing else. To add to the challenge, the tournament is a shotgun start.
Unfortunately, the day proved to be minimal in every way possible. A combination of low temperatures and extremely low, dirty water produced zero fish for me to weigh in. With nearly 80 registered participants, roughly only a dozen Anglers actually caught fish.
As daylight slowly rose on the horizon I was shocked on how low the water levels truly were. In addition, a falling tide seemed to turn normally hidden oyster reefs and productive coves into vast mud flats. Needless to say I was excited to see signs of Redfish in a nearby cut. However, the grinding sound coming from beneath my Kayak spooked them. The others were simply not interested.
I fished hard the rest of the morning but simply could not find any significant water. It was a very tough fishing day but I truly enjoyed the tournament format. I push myself to learn and take away some knowledge from every tournament. MC 7 was definitely a learning experience.  I am looking forward to MC8 next year, but for now I can’t wait for some warmer temps and some actual water…
MC7 awarded over $1700 in total prizes. Congratulations, to this year’s winners. It was a very well earned victory!
1st Place – Denis Soigner
2nd Place – Charlie Daigle
3rd Place – Doug Menefee
4th Place – Chris Cox
5th Place – Randy Robichaux 

Big Fish – Clayton Shilling
Leopard Red – George Hogan Jr.