Went kayak fishing this morning. It was a last minute decision so I loaded up and headed out. The tides were running right for where I wanted to go so I was in kind of a rush to get there. Loaded up with less than I normally try to take with me. I get to ramp and start to unload, then I see I managed to forget my paddle!!! So I loaded back up, ran home to get it and headed back to the ramp.
Got where I was headed, no fish. Went down around some docks, no fish. Started to head back to mud flat, hooked up with a crab. (It was big one though.) A little later saw my float bob, popped it and hooked up! A nice little trout this time. Went farther into to the flat and found them! A nice school of big reds. They did not even know I was there! They were all over me. I pushed myself up into a mud bank and they were swimming with in feet of me. Best rig I had was a 3 Gulp shrimp rigged under a float. I kept working it around them. One time there was three or four fish that tried to jump on it all at once and one wrapped up in the float but no hook up. Then a short while later, got hooked up with a big fish. The entire area exploded with fish! It was so cool! Fought mine for a bit, he ran himself up on a mud bank, turned and ran back out and then the hook pulled! I was so disappointed. That would have been my first Red in the kayak too, and it was a nice fish. I found them once more but they would not hit.
I am just guessing here but I am thinking that since the water was pretty muddy where I was at, that the Gulp shrimp did not smell enough for them to find it cause I would watch them swim right by it and it was like they did not know it was there. You guys got any tips for fishing with plastics like I was?
I also ended up getting completely covered in mud. Not sure how I got as muddy as I did but I looked like a kid that was playing on a mud bank. Overall I had a great time and cant wait till one day when I get to actually land a nice Red in the kayak. I am getting so close, maybe next time.
Nice! I believe I yet to get a red in the kayak also.
SEAFOX 185DC MERC 125
[MRS KAREN]
14’TARPON 100 paddlepower
[SALTY FLY]
Blue Crab quarters/halves and a 5/0 hook sound like they are in order
Bragging may not bring happiness,
but no man having caught a large fish,
goes home through the alley.
-Anonymous
The hooks I have are 2/0 kale hooks, at least I think they are 2/0 anyway. Is that hook size way to small for what I was doing? The fish I had on I bet was at least 8-10 pounds.
I have tried crab before in the same area but had no luck, but I also saw no fish that day too.
I have stopped trying to use live bait in the kayak just becasue it always seems like a have just to much stuff with me. I feel like I have more fun on the days that I take less with me.
If I have no crab or cut bait, should I try senting the plastics with something?
“I get to ramp and start to unload, then I see I managed to forget my paddle!!!”
I did that once but I was too embarrassed to tell anyone about it! Now I have a list that I print out and cross things off as it gets loaded in the car.
The morning sounds like it was fun. Most times being out there and seeing unusual things like schools of big bass close up, dolphins feeding, minks swimming by, etc are all it takes for me to count it a good trip. Really, seeing the sun rise is always rewarding…
Pro-Cure, is one of the main scents that are used, I wouldn’t say your hooks are to small using a 2/0 as I use a 1/0 regularly when bait fishing, I say use a 5/0+ for the crab because it enables you to hook them solidly …
Bragging may not bring happiness,
but no man having caught a large fish,
goes home through the alley.
-Anonymous
I will have to try some of the Pro Cure. That may have made a big difference for me. Guess I need to start catching a little crab and some finger mullet, throwing them in the freezer and then I would have them for the next time.
Yeah, I have found out if you freeze the blue crab when you crack them they fall apart easier, just a heads up, hope the rain goes away so I can catch some fish today
Bragging may not bring happiness,
but no man having caught a large fish,
goes home through the alley.
-Anonymous