It's April...time to fish fools!

Does anyone else hear B.A Baracus saying, "I pity the fool who isn't fishing".  Maybe I'm hearing voices or maybe I've got fish brain.  Whatever, it was April 1st...time to fish.  There's no disputing I'm a "fish fool" so guess what I did?

Only real decision was if I should see a Psychologist before or after I go fishing.   Not really, I know I'm not right.  I left the fly rod last trip but never saw any bedding activity so the thought entered my crowded mind...make room voices!  It's pre-spawn and the bass I caught were mostly chasing.  Good situation if you like throwing streamers.  That idea was quickly isolated and quarantined.  As a kayak angler, I always check the weather forecast before getting on the water....for obvious reasons...if it's not obvious...you probably need to take up golf or scrabble or something equally lame.  No storms today but the wind was predicted to be SSE @ 15 mph.

Casting can be done in 15 mph winds if you're walking a stream/river or if you're in a boat with trolling motor or oars.  But I don't have a trolling motor and w/o my extra arms to work the paddles...loaned those to Yhsifnkool (means fishnfool in German) standing and casting a fly from a kayak in high winds is reserved for people who like to visit Emergency Rooms or like taking long leisurely swims beside their kayak.  Not this guy!

Picked another location on the opposite side of the lake to launch.  That side offered some protection from the wind but meant a longer paddle from the launch.   Covered around 5 miles today (round trip) and caught a mixed bag of fish.

Thumped a soft plastic bass bait

Highlight of the trip.  Guy in a 40K bass boat drives up on me and starts fishing 30 yards ahead of me.  I paddle ahead of him.  Eventually, we're fishing the same water.  I'm on the inside of the cypress trees and he's fishing the outside of the trees.  Fish gods reward me....the guy in the kayak hooks into a fish while the guy in the fancy boat, with the fancy electronics, throwing fancy baits from fancy rod/reels...ok, we probably have the same baits...catches nothing.  A few minutes later he cranks up and leaves.  Have a good day, hope your motor blows up, and you're late to work!  If you get fired and have to sell that fancy gear, even better!  Dude I'm in a kayak and somewhat restricted on the water I can fish.  Yes...I suffer from boat rage sometimes.  Just something a kayak angler has to deal with but I'm getting better.  Well, I tell myself I'm getting better.

2 stayed but 3 dropped in the water as I got closer - I wanted to grab a few and toss in the 40K bass boat

It was another great day on the water, some fish, lots of sun, and I avoided court fees.  Planning an adventure down to SELA...I have redfish fever in a bad way.

3rd times a charm...

The last trout trip was so bad, I rushed back to Central AR and went after white bass the next morning.  Nothing new to report...they were fun, but I really wanted to put the fly rod away and go look'n for spawning bass.  Armed with the latest high speed baitcasters that you could buy 10 yrs ago, I was ready to try my luck Monday morning.

First spot was slightly flooded with good visibility.  Still getting a bunch of water coming in from the rivers.  I didn't stay long and made a 20 minute drive to another oxbow lake in SEAR.

1st stop - water covering the boat ramp - keep driving

Again...flooded...about 5 feet up and very stained.  Saw 1 boat at the launch and figured that wasn't a good sign.  I snapped this picture and kept driving.

2nd stop - high and heavily stained - keep driving

My last option was another, very large, oxbow lake in SEAR.  The AGFC lowered the lake about 15 feet and left it down all summer to promote fish habitat.  It's back to normal pool now and looked fantastic.

3rd stop - normal pool with ~1' of viability

Delayed b/c of all my stops along the way, I arrived after 9:30, and had to wait for a older couple to unload, "1" boat on a ramp made for "2" boats...not complaining...just say'n!  I could have used the riprap shore line....but look at some of the wildlife in the upcoming pictures and see why I choose to use the boat ramp.  Started fishing right at the ramp, depending on your level of superstition, I was cursed or blessed, 1 cast = 1 fish.  I'll let you decide.  Fished from 10 am - 1 pm and didn't cover much water...20 minute paddle back to the ramp.   Some pics...!

1st fish

big fish

Everything CPR'd

Saw several, but only a few let me get close enough to take a picture.  Being in a kayak makes going under trees and boat docks a little exciting...sometimes I look...most times I apply the, I don't see you and you don't see me, philosophy!  Whatever works right?!

It was great to be out enjoying some outstanding SEAR weather and great fishing!  Gonna get back very soon and get an earlier start.

Cast from the Past - Lake Chicot, Lake Village, AR (April 2011)

Suffering again...that didn't last long.  It's cold and raining here today.  Both girls are home sick. I'm dreaming of bass season.

8lb off a bed, look at the tail!! (cooler for drinks-CPR'd)

Had to leave the kayak at home b/c of the 30 mph winds but I have an aluminum boat for those days.  It was slow and the weather was brutal.  I almost swamped the 17ft alumacraft launching and loading the boat.  But I fished anyway.  Not a bite until 9am...and then it was really good until 10am.  Just had to pitch beside cypress and let the soft plastic sit...the bass would move it.  Here are the pics from the day.  All weighed and CPR'd.  22lbs of fish in about an hour of fishing...not a bad day.

3lb  - purple/black on shakey head

The area I fished was in sight of the boat ramp.  I've taken the kayak there a few other times and had similar luck.  The biggest issue with kayaking this lake are the winds.  You need to check the forecast and launch accordingly...it's an oxbow lake with little to no protection from North or South winds.  The best thing to do is launch on the protected side and fish that area of the lake...you'll have miles of shoreline covered in Cypress and boat docks.

2lb

3lb

6lb

Look'n forward to spring.  The good news is that can be as early as next month here in SEAR.  I'm ready!!!

Kayaking the Natural State - additional sources of information.

Jeff Malott at, Yak Fish Arkansas, contacted me over the weekend and asked if I minded providing some kayak launch locations in SE Arkansas. Jeff is building a comprehensive list of kayak launches for Arkansas to be included in a new website, http://arkansaskayakfisherman.com.  Be sure to check out both for some great information about yak fishing in the Natural State.

Here's a map of some launches I have posted on my blog.  It'll get lost in traffic over time, so it's paged at the top.  It's a work in progress so check back for new locations.  If you're traveling this way and want additional info just pm me and I'll help anyway I can.

PM - looknfishy@gmail.com