Playing catch up...

Seems like this is the story of my life the last few weeks. But I'm not complaining...I'm just fishing.

 Last weekend I was invited to a birthday party for my niece in LR.   As that's a can't miss invite I found a way to squeeze in a trip to the Little Red on Sunday.  Went to bed nice and early around 10 pm, and woke up for the last time about 4:45 am. 

Grabbed my stuff and started out the door.  About that time my brothers dogs went crazy.  I forget they put them in there at night to protect the pull-up bar that's really acting the part of a drying rack for laundry.  As I was hushing the dogs with my softest and most serious dude shut up voice.  I hit the garage door opener and waited for it to open.  Like you would expect, I hit the button again to close and made a run for it...trying to out run the door and sneak through the ever decreasing opening.

Remember that pull-up bar from earlier, well it's strategically placed to ruin your day.  The garage door was closing at mock 10.  I realize I've got almost no chance to make it...so I'm in a full out, trying to out run my buddies to the last beer sprint.  I'm carry a bag of clothes on my left shoulder, breakfast in my left hand, and a giant cup coffee in the other hand....

It was "THE" perfect form tackle.  I led with my right shoulder...head on the front side...left arm followed through and I crushed that pull-up bar...coffee went flying, and the bag of clothes went sailing through the air.  It was a fine moment in my athletic career.  Unfortunately, I was too slow and missed the opening to the outside world.  Do it all over and hope for different results.

After successfully navigating the garage from hell.  I enjoyed a great day on the river.  It was a little crowded but the browns were out in force.  I sight fished almost the entire day.  Couldn't convince any of the +20" browns to eat but I had fun trying.

As I was paddling out, the sun was almost gone, and a huge...22-25" brown breached the surface about a paddle length from my kayak.  It went about a foot in the air.  My jaw hitting the kayak kept me from going higher than the brown.  That sight left me thinking I need to move...but I'll settle for a return trip soon.

Never ending fishing

It's been a while since I checked in on the blog.  If you've been following on facebook (thanks for the "likes" and comments, always appreciated...keep'em coming!) you know I've been fishing non-stop. The weekdays have me chasing grass carp.  Trying to get in as much carp'n as I can before the water gets to cold for them to be active on the flats.  Last time I checked I had over 500 pictures of carp swimming, running, pulling, flopping out of my hands, tail slapping me, and posing with me!  The fishing has been great...not 500 fish great, but it's been pretty insane.

In the middle of the carp'n a buddy invited me to the Little Red River for the weekend.  We had a blast camping and fishing 3 days...it was nice to be in a boat and not my kayak.

We were hoping for some high water and trowing some streamers...tied a few special for the trip but the COE never cooperated.  It didn't matter, we caught some beautiful fish.  Sight fished a few nice browns and 1 huge 25" bow.  Fish like that make it nearly impossible to get a good presentation.  I ended up snagging a branch on a roll cast and spooking it!

My buddies 17" bow

Sow bugs practically crawling out of the water. Guess what pattern was very productive!

Got back home on Monday and went back to the usual carp chasing.  My buddy has more pictures and when he sends them I'll post to FB.  It's been fun, never ending fishing continues....

Back on the flats...

Last weeks winds have blown through the area leaving the flats a few degrees cooler.  The grass carp are feeding more in the 10 am - 2 pm range after the sun warms the flats a little.  I really like this behavior b/c it keeps me out of trouble on the home front.

Typically, I have every intention of leaving the water at a respectable time and taking care of my adult responsibilities.  However, after wrangling a few 40lb grassers (see Friday's post), my decision making process becomes compromised.  Fish brain takes over and the follow-up conversation over a dinner of fried bologna and a bowl of dry cheerios isn't repeatable! Children can be vicious.

Look at that red

Despite all my best efforts, normally I'm one fish away from sleeping in my kayak and having my mail forwarded to the lake.  So this new pattern allows me to take care of those "other" things before I get on the water and appear to be a respectable citizen of the community and contributing member of my household.  I've been told, "awesome pictures of me holding fish" aren't considered a "contribution to the family".  Never to be repeated...but I disagree, they're the icing on the cake!  

Never seen one with a tail this blue

Glass calm....long, accurate, and delicate presentations are a must...what happens when you fail, see below

Jail break...got to close.

Gonna be spending a lot of time on the water.  Follow my Facebook page and Instagram to stay up to date.  I'll be chasing trout this weekend.  Enjoying Fall so far!

Drew

Big fish on little flies

So this happened today:

Fun!

Took the kayak out yesterday for a few hours and slung a few bugs in the wind.  It was a really Fun day.  I like when the wind spins me around like I'm on a carnival ride.  Who doesn't like the "tilt-a-whirl"?

I also enjoy drifting helplessly in the wind.  I spotted a bunch of carp, but...they spotted me 1st, Fun!

The new fishing hat getting slimmed.  It's properly broken in now.

Not to mention the excitement of getting a good shot at a grasser and just when I make a cast the wind goes gale force and sends my bug oh so close to my right ear.  Good Fun!

It gets better.  I was doing my best to be a sail (standing) and almost blown into the lake.  Luckily, I fell back into my kayak seat.  Awesome Fun!

This post is meant to be humorous.  Any day on the water is a good day.  Plus, I managed to fool a few on top.  The trick was to smack them on the head with it and get their attention.  A couple that didn't come up to look, ate the dropper...yes I went trout on the carp.  Mixing it up keeps it exciting, and that's Fun!