Airborne Snakehead

Immediately after hookset, this snakehead flies out of the water right at me.  Glad I had the camera rolling for this one.

"Guiding"

Been helping good friends get on fish the last three trips. Took KayakKevin aka DrumJesus aka WhitewaterWhitley aka Kevin Whitley to one of my favorite tidal creeks. Lent him some tackle and he quickly put them to good use. Got his first snakehead, a bunch of bass, and a 30” VA citation bowfin.

Another good friend Michael Beck got him a nice snakehead that he had been after for two years. His first encounter left him with an inverted hollow body frog, water everywhere and a broken rod tip. His stoke was infection.

Lastly, an old buddy Brian Welteroth reminded me it had been 9 years since I took him out on the river so we picked up a few bream and brews and set up above the old catfish hole. Little blue cats gobbled up most of the baits but the last one ended up being a nice 39.5” flathead.

Unruly Snakehead

Tidal creek in Northern Virginia.  Lots of pads and vegetation.  Teckel frog or other fast paced surface lure that makes a good ruckus acts as a search bait.  If I get a reaction but no hook up, I'll run a smaller surface lure with buzzbait type feel to the same spot.  I like the Ragetail Rage Shad on a 5/0 Gamkatsu.  If I still don't get the bite, I'll switch to a hollowbody frog with a cupped face.  I leave it in the area where I got the first reaction and twitch.


Jeff Lockhart and I had a blast.  He caught 2 up to 30" off of fry and I lucked out with two without sight casting up to 29".

Do What You Love

It all comes down to enjoying the experience on the water. For some people it’s purely about fishing. I get it. But I’ve always enjoyed paddling. It allows me to connect a little more with the water and I’m fortunate to have a kayak company and paddle company support me with what I feel are the best products available. With that said, if I had to pick one over the other, I would drop the kayak company before my Werner paddles. Again, it’s about the enjoyment of the experience and connecting with the water. No matter what I’m sitting on, I just don’t think I would enjoy it as much if the direct connection from my hands to the water didn’t give me the feeling that my favorite paddles do. Anyway, hope you all have a great Friday and enjoy your time this weekend doing what you love. 

Quick After Work Session

A.W.S. - After Work Session - 

Because sometimes you just need that midweek fix.

And sometimes you hook a nice one in the mix.

Had three others around 15" that took the ned rig.  The bigger on ate a spinnerbait.

Them Big Reds...

Got 9 big red drum this spring on the Eastern Shore.  

One more piece of news but I'm saving that until it's confirmed.  Update coming when I hear back.

 

Feisty Blues

The feistiest bluefish I’ve ever caught. Right after hookset it cleared the water by at least a couple of feet. After splashing down it immediately tail walked twice then suddenly changed direction and came straight at me. As I’m scrambling to gather line this near three foot saltwater forked tail piranha shoots out of the water half an arms length next to me and bounces off my shoulder. Pucker factor at 11 and expletives pouring out my mouth, it nearly yanks the rod out of my hands after it lands. It immediately tail walks, goes on an impressive run then tail walks again. It slowly loses steam after that and a minute or two later I grabbed the leader. It tries to jump in the kayak at that point as I reach for my boga grip. I kicked it back in the water since I wasn’t ready yet and perhaps it wasn’t quite ready yet to be in the kayak with me. But it tuckered out after that and with boga firmly securing the choppers I pulled it up. Just shy of citation but easily a fight I won’t ever forget.

 A couple of weeks later, Robert Field came to town and wanted in on the action.  Jay Brooks, Meghan Lorraine, Willy Rags and I got together to put Mr. Field on some blues.  But first...

... festivities.

I showed up late the next morning, but quickly got on fish.  I actually lucked out with the biggest of the day which went right at 36".  Citation when I'm not even trying for one.

Photo credit: Robert Field

The episode on Robert's youtube channel should be out soon.

First Grass Carp on Fly

After getting frustrated with these last year, I finally got a grass carp to eat. Actually, I had three take the fly but only landed this one. One of the ones I lost was a 40+” that made the skinny water explode then broke me off in the pads.

I got plans for these guys in the future. 

Slacker's Photo Dump

It's been hard to find the time to keep up with this site.  For those of you who have been following along, my apologies.  

Winter went by with below average stripers for me.  

I found one day for yellow perch and crappie up to 14" 

Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries put me on the cover of their annual freshwater fishing and boating magazine.  

 

"I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany."

 

 Got good numbers of shad in the spring as well as a few catfish and small smallmouth.  

Had one good day for tautog with lots of fat females released including a 22"er.