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I hit the water as the tide was coming in. I was targeting gar and snakeheads. I made some rope lures for the gar. When I was out last week, at low tide, they were everywhere. With the tide coming in, they were harder to spot, and the breeze was pushing me around. I had a couple follow the lure to the boat, but no takers. I spotted a couple snakeheads, but they moved into cover too quickly. I had 4 blow ups, and what I thought were hook ups, but ended up spitting out the lure. I did get to feel the weight and power though. I know I'm not alone is this, so I have to share my disappointment. I see the perfect spot...in this case, it is a low dock, under trees, dark water...I see bait fish leaping under it...has to be a something there...I line up my cast...wind carries the frog over the dock, locking it on the other side....effectively ruining the perfect spot, since I know have to paddle over, bank the kayak all around the sides while trying to get my lure loose, not fall in, and not drop my paddle or rod....while shaking the rod to get the frog loose, a nice snakehead squirts from under the dock, under the kayak and into the plants....perfect. I did have few more nice setups though...a set of stairs leading into the water...something is splashing at the base, enough to wet the walls...I take the frog off (after missing those hook ups, I bent the hooks out and up a little, and added a trailer hook with some tubing to keep it in line), and put on the weed demon (large tube with two single hooks). Beautiful cast right to the steps...instant boil...I set the hook, feel it shake, then pop loose...disappointed, but still a surge. I move to other side...another dock, with bleached logs sticking up, about 6 foot from the bank...one of those spots where you know something has to be there....long cast, landing right on bank, half in and out of the water...a few twitches and the water explodes...the lure is still there...I pause, give a twitch...even bigger explosion. The lure is knocked into the air and lands again...another twitch, and it disappears...I crank the reel, lean forward and set it....it feel solid...nice big bass. Biggest one I have hooked..it looks like a softball can fit in its mouth. the lure is about half in, and on the roof of the mouth...I lean over to lip it (yes i have a net, no I didn't grab it, I was thinking of the picture I was going to take, as my mom has been out passing me for months...) A hardy shake and I'm soaked, water dripping off my sunglasses, dripping off my nose, shirt is soaked...I sit there and take a couple of breaths, and see the brute slowly swimming out to deeper water...One of the best days, without actually landing a fish.
As to ruining a likely fishy spot....all too often I will see the "spot" then promptly cast into the tree or bush above or behind it and thoroughly wrap the lure onto the strongest limb...making sure I have to paddle into said "spot" and bang around as noisily as possible....or the wind will effectively push me beyond the spot, forcing to paddle in a circle to turn, or attempt an over the shoulder toss....good times. It makes the hook ups all the more enjoyable.
As to ruining a likely fishy spot....all too often I will see the "spot" then promptly cast into the tree or bush above or behind it and thoroughly wrap the lure onto the strongest limb...making sure I have to paddle into said "spot" and bang around as noisily as possible....or the wind will effectively push me beyond the spot, forcing to paddle in a circle to turn, or attempt an over the shoulder toss....good times. It makes the hook ups all the more enjoyable.
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