....needs a pinch of salt (part 2)

I decided to sleep in on Tuesday.  The 6 hour drive, fishing, and making camp on Monday had me moving a little slow, but I wasn't lacking motivation.  I knew my fishing time was limited, only 2 days, so I prepared an extra cup of coffee Monday morning when I left home at 12am.  I left it in my truck all day and night.  It was cold but drinkable on Tuesday morning...that saved me at least 10 mins.  Grabbed a bagel, lunchable, water, some granola bars (nothing sexy...just calories) and I was driving out of the GI state park in 5 mins...almost, I got stopped by some friendly kayakers who I wanted to know where I caught my specks.  After a brief conversation, always willing to share my experiences with other friendly yakers, I was on the road and headed to a new spot, someplace I had no experience.

Started nice and sunny.  That changed.

I could see the clouds moving in fast and knew sight fishing would be limited today.  But within 10 mins I spotted a red crashing bait, it took 2 casts and fish in the net.  CPR'd and moving...

Clouds made it too dark to sight fish

Covered about a mile before I stopped at a fishylookn spot, it was too dark to sight cast, so I searched with a spinnerbait with TTF killer flats minnow.  Blind cast a point and hooked up.  I could tell it was a speck by the head shake.  Surprised by the result, I repeated, and agian...nice speck.  Time for an audible...can't sight fish and the specks are aggressive.

I must have got lost in the fish'n because all of a sudden I was surrounded my birds...not sure if I drifted into them or they converged on me.  But for the next 2 hours I caught about 2 limits of keeper specks...all 12-15".  Not many undersized, and it was cast after cast.  They only wanted the SB with flats minnow in purple/chart.  I tried jigging on the bottom and swimming in various colors.

The specks had these falling out of their mouths

Just a few of the birds and you can see the specks busting the top (top right in pic) 

At 9:30 they moved on and so did I.  Went look'n for reds in the dark.  It started really slow, I found a few but spooked them b/c I was sitting on them.  Like typical reds, they panic and torpedo my kayak...

It took an hour or so, but the clouds dispersed some and the sun made sight fishing an option.  I located a great flat that was almost void of water.  It had a canal running through it and I could see reds cruising it, searching for something to eat.  No worries I got what ya need...

What I'm look'n for as a sight fisherman

Didn't take long to get one in hand.  A few others followed.  It was turning out to be a great day.

30" baby bull

Found this baby bull crashing bait along a grass line.  I got really excited and accidentally put the spoon in the grass.  Knowing I only had 1 chance, I tried to slowly pull it free...BUT...it came out like a bullet...heading right at the big red...it landed and the red turned.  I expected to see the torpedo maneuver.  However, it torpedoed the spoon...I wasn't prepared and had to reel in my slack before I could set.  Again, despite my best effort, sometimes they just want to be caught.

High and Dry - He was mud wrestling some shrimp...not even sure he was in the water. 

As I was landing this guy.  My wife text me, reminding me to check in every once in a while.  I sometimes forget to do that...So I get the phone out and send the "I'm living them dream, thx for being awesome" reply.  I hear a sound behind be...think'n it's a red I turn to take it's pic b/c that seems cool, right?!  SURPRISE...he didn't stop there.  He kept getting closer and closer.  Not sure if he wanted a ride or the red.

Glad it wasn't a gator

Another baby bull

The day really changed when the sun came out.  I could clearly see the reds and they were feeding.

He was just hang'n out on the bottom, not moving...dorsal fin was high and dry.

I ran across the above red sitting in about 6"s of water (pic below).  I was cruising along looking for reds when I nearly torpedo'd him.  I had to rapidly and quietly deploy my poor man's power pole.

Poor man's power pole.  Just dig in and hold on.  Warning - blisters usually accompany multiple uses.

Stumbled upon another big red crashing bait.  I took my time and put the spoon way ahead of it and waited until it got about 2 ft from it.  I lifted it up and started swimming it...BAM...I guess I didn't see this little guy and he got there first.  The big red swam around my kayak a few times as I was releasing his little brother.  Not sure if he was waiting on him or mocking me.  Good times!!

  That was was it, last fish for the day.  It was another great trip in a special place.  On the way home I drove through Rayville, LA and was greeted by this:

Every utility pole in town had a flag - that's cool

Being a veteran, I certainly noticed.  Well done Rayville.

.......needs a pinch of salt!!

Fishing in general has been pretty good.  Bass are getting fat, trout are getting fat, everything seems to be getting fat (catch my drift)...but even when things are good, sometimes, something is still missing.  Kind of like that meal your wife/husband cooks.  It taste's great just like it is...but no matter how great it is...needs a pinch of salt!!

I don't know why my food needs a pinch of salt...but I know why I need salt.  It's an addiction to drag pulling, hard fighting, never give up redfish.  So when the arctic blast rescheduled my plans I didn't hesitate to pack up my gear and head to Grand Isle, LA. to fish ahead of the front.  I had 2 days to fish and the fish were very cooperative.   Best explained by a fish that wanted to be caught...despite my best efforts...

Had time to snap a photo before I tried to catch this fish w/ a hook-less spoon 

I found a shallow flat with feeding reds.  Pushed up on the flat slowly and saw a red cruising.  Pitched the gold spoon close and he attacks it.  He's on for a second but comes off.  I pitch back to him...again he hits and off again.  I repeat this 2 more times, each time he's on for a brief moment.  I'm getting frustrated, I can't figure out what's happening, then it comes to me...check the hook.  Sure enough he broke it off.  Unbelievably, the red is still circling my kayak...I reach down and grab the rod with the flats minnow...toss it to him and he crushes it.  That's what redfish do...they break your stuff and dare you to come back.  At this point I'm think'n, dude you could have saved yourself a couple piercing's by just swimming in the net.  I'm just CPRing anyway.

The gold spoon with hook snapped off.  TTF flats minnow worked.

So that's how the reds were behaving.  Some photos, b/c what's a blog w/o pictures.

Ran across this guy around lunch time.  Saw another on Tuesday that nearly climbed in my kayak

Not sure if he got banged up during the fight or before...swam away

There's a spoon in there

Reds spitting up shrimp - looks similar to a gold spoon to me

Released a nice leopard red

Spent 4 hours chasing reds and then used the last 2 hours locating specks.  Got to my hole and found this huge garfish resting on the ledge I like to park my kayak on...guess it's a good spot to catch some rays or specks.  I let him keep it b/c I didn't want him to freak out and spook everything around.  When I checked on him later he had moved on and I moved in and caught about 20...only kept 12 b/c I forgot how many I had in the bag.

See him? Looks like a log underwater...dude you're in my spot.

Day 1, was near perfect sight fishing conditions...no wind, high sun, no clouds, and clear water.  I had a good day sight fishing 30-40 reds using spoons and TTF killer flats minnows.  Specks were caught bouncing flats minnow (purple/chart or opening night) along the bottom.

Day 2, in the works...Different conditions, wind and clouds, easy limit of specks under birds and more reds.  Part 2 here: part 2

Some unintended results.  A few reds made a last minute dive for freedom as I was snapping a pic...below was the result of such an evasive action.

      

Hobie Video featuring the White River

The White River doesn't need an introduction, enjoy!!

Hobie video featuring my favorite smallmouth bass fishery in AR.  Action starts at 12:40.  The first trip I took my brother on, I forgot (or did I) to mention the train tracks marking the end of the trip.  He was about a mile ahead of me. When I got to the take out, he wasn't around...he fished right past the access.  He figured it out and came back but it was funny watching him walk his kayak back up a shallow shoal. My bad, or not!!!

(That's what happens when you're constantly trying to fish ahead of the guy who brought you) 

River Pirates and Butterballs - Little Red River

Anytime I need to be in Central AR, I'm sure to schedule a day to visit the LRR.  Wouldn't you know it, my nephew was born earlier in the week so I was in the area....a plan was hatched, or something like that.  As such, I made the drive to Heber Springs on Sunday morning. And, sunrise came an hour earlier thanks to Daylight Savings!!  It was a chilly start to the morning, 36 degrees, and I didn't have waders (left my old one's at home-they leak).  No wet wading today, and forgot my hand warmers.  Both, I immediately regretted and have been corrected as of Monday morning.

I started at the Swinging Bridge access and pointed the cuda upriver.  The first 3 hours (2 miles) were a bore.  No fish, no takes, lots of teeth chattering and...did I already say NO FISH!!!  Not even a bow.  I tried everything...buggers, small streamers, swinging wets, san juan's...all fruitless.  I arrived at good look'n shoal and tied on a nymph.  Placed it next to a downed tree in calm water, expecting it to take a few seconds to get down...I scanned the tree for a shadow.  When I looked back I saw my indicator flying about 2 feet through the water.  I set and had ~18inch brown on for about 2 seconds.  I lost him as he came to the surface to tease me for my rookie mistake.  Losing that fish really hurt.  All I could think about was how bad the day sucked.

Thought about calling it but decided to drag the cuda (w/o getting wet) over the shoal and break for lunch.  When I got over the shoal, I looked back and saw a birds nest of leader, nymph, indicator all wrapped around the tip of my TFO...SWEET!!!  Thought about going home again...but decided, to re-set and re-tie.  The next event shows how the morning was for me...I can't make this up.  While eating my Egg Mc'Muffin, a guy in a boat drags down the shoal.  The owner says, "watch out he'll get all up in your S@!T"...confused, I look'd back to see his dog trying to steal my lunch.  I still think it was an ambush.  I got a good laugh from it and we had a good conversation.  So no hard feelings, you river pirates!!  From that point on the fishing got crazy good.

Fly of choice

The clouds got thick and the wind started to blow.  I've heard it said many times...less than ideal conditions = great trout fish'n conditions.  It was true on Sunday, the Browns showed up in force and they made me forget about how bad the morning was.

Look at that coloring!!  Sorry for the orientation - operator error.  

Stopped count'n after 15 butterballs (and 1 bow) all in about 2 hours of fish'n after lunch.

The bite went away when the sun came back out.  As bad as the morning was the afternoon was equally splendid.  I didn't want to leave but I had a 3 hour drive ahead of me.  So I made my way back to my truck being sure to avoid them river pirates.  It was a great start to November, got to meet my newest nephew and catch some fish.

Ended up replacing my old waders with a set of Orvis Silver Sonic Convertible waders. I think they'll be great for kayaking/paddling b/c of the convertible top.  Review at a later date.