Decided to change it up a bit today and brought an Umbrella, some yumbrella’s with big Shad swim baits, 2 downriggers and some berry spoons. Started out with an early 9#3oz fish on an H-14 40’ behind the downrigger @ 25’. Decided to save the fish over my gloves and revived fish to swim away and glove got soaked so then it was freezing hands Time. Soon after, decided to finally get out the umbrella and almost immediately hooked into a big fish. Said immediately I’m not putting the fish in the net and tangling the umbrella in it. Didn’t know the size at that time. When we got him boat side we saw it was a very nice teenage fish. I decided to trust the 30# MoMoi diamond leader and hoist him in by grabbing the umbrella. Bad idea. Halfway out the water the leader snaps and he swims away with the lure in his mouth. DANG IT! Played around with fat 23-24” fish the rest of the day until the Gar took over around sunset. Fished 1:15-5:45. 5 stripes and 3 Gar with nonstop missed hook ups. Jacob had a nasty brown trout looking rubber Shad size swim bait that got drilled all day but with one hook being big and way up it’s back it kept getting short struck. Caught 1 on it. Stopped around sunset to jerk some spoons but realized all the long lines on the graph were sure to be Gar so we set out a couple downriggers again to catch our final 2 Gar and head in at dark. I’ll be glad when this cold is over. Takes my toes an hour to thaw out.
Overall got to try out some new lures and new rods/reels and had a good time. Jacob’s new Penn Conflict is one nasty nasty reel!!
Sorry for photo size. Shows up fine on my phone. Haven’t mastered the art of taking time to put the photos on the Mac, downsizing and then writing a post that way.
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Mike Martinez
"Team Hookers Dream
2014 Sea Hunt Bx22br Yamaha 200 “BIG$EXY”
1994 Ken Craft 175CC 1998 Yamaha 115 “Dream Machine”
I was out with Spoon and Fogman yesterday and I ran my heat on full blast in my truck the entire drive back to Simpsonville. We had a hard time dropping our spoons because of all the ice in our guides. We found a few fish willing to eat but it was surprising how fast the schools are still moving given how much the water temp has dropped.
The real joy of the trip was they were salting I-26 and 385 so my rig was covered in salt like a prime rib by the time I got home. It was too cold and late to wash it last night but I’ve got to get on it right away.
I was out with Spoon and Fogman yesterday and I ran my heat on full blast in my truck the entire drive back to Simpsonville. We had a hard time dropping our spoons because of all the ice in our guides. We found a few fish willing to eat but it was surprising how fast the schools are still moving given how much the water temp has dropped.
The real joy of the trip was they were salting I-26 and 385 so my rig was covered in salt like a prime rib by the time I got home. It was too cold and late to wash it last night but I’ve got to get on it right away.
Nice fish Mike! Chip, Dave and I enjoyed it! I figured we caught around 30 perch, 6 stripers with your nice 8 pounder, 2 largies, a yellow perch, and bream. Yep. The freezing rod guides made it a little tough.
Fogman, the freezing guides days are over for the time being. It was nice to get out and change the pace on a winter day. I know what I’ll be doing on the windy days I wanna fish now. I’ll bring options and keep the board pulling on the back burner. Once I get time to do a water change on the tank I’ll go see Ned and stock up once again so I can bring bait and the artificials. Wish I had bait Sunday. Downrods would’ve been fire!
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Mike Martinez
"Team Hookers Dream
2014 Sea Hunt Bx22br Yamaha 200 “BIG$EXY”
1994 Ken Craft 175CC 1998 Yamaha 115 “Dream Machine”
