Finally

[Shield]

Monday Keith and I went to Bellevue Landing in Talbot Co. Got on the water around 630am and hit the creeks. During the day I caught five perch, the biggest was 10”. I also caught six stripers from 8” to 12”. When we returned to the landing we talked to a local who said the stripers really hit the shoreline when the sun starts to set. We went and grabbed lunch and decided to stay and try it again in the evening. We got back on the water around 445pm and worked the shoreline up to the point. I caught a 10” Speckled trout and three small stripers, the biggest was 17”. Even though no keepers were caught it was a nice long day, totaling 10hours on the water. When we were back loading up we were talking to the same local and he recommended using a crankbait, Rapala x-rap shad, then he gave us each one.
I work Tuesdays through Fridays and decided to take Tuesday night off to spend with my wife, since I fished Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Tuesday rolled around and my wife was busy catching up on work and I was itching to get back to Bellevue and try the crankbait. My wife is awesome; she said have fun and TRY to bring something home this time. We got on the water at 5pm and worked the shore line to the right as you exit the landing up towards the point, using my “new to me” crankbait. Low and behold I caught my first keeper striper from the kayak, 18” on the dot. I kept on the shore and caught another 17” then a 9” speck. Met up with Keith near the point and he had caught his first keeper, coming in at 21”, a 12” blue and a smaller striper just under. All of his were caught while trolling. It was getting dark fast and we decided to head back to the landing. As we were returning I caught another 12” rock. I threw the crankbait one more time to the shore and started cussing because I was snagged. Well I was not snagged and started getting pulled all over the place. I fought with this thing for what seemed like forever. I finally hoisted this striper out of the water, over 2’ was out of the water and there was some of him left in the water, my god was he thick. Do to my slow reaction and a couple holy sh**s out of my mouth, he did a little dance move and got the hook out. Off he went to be caught another day.
Even though the big one got away we were extremely happy to each have caught a keeper from the yak.

[Redfish12]

Congrats Don!!! That big one getting away is really going to eat at you, they always do!

Hopefully you can get back out there and find him again soon! Hey at least he let you keep the plug, most of the time they take that from me too!

[DOGFISH]

The X-Raps really are great striper baits. Try the Glass Shad Rap, in Glass Ghost. I think the model number is GSR7. This is a deep diver and is great for trolling. What I do, is to swap out the tail hook for one size larger and the belly hook for a red hook in the same size. I also use 3x or 4x hooks, because sometimes the stripers bend out the factory hooks. Recently, I posted photos of the cranks that I troll with http://www.snaggedline.com/showthrea...9571#post19571. I use these with alot of success.

Thanks for the report.

[Southerly]

i like big ones that get away. kind of. you learn you're doing someting right, and you learn something to improve on. all the excitement w/o the blood and gore! or fillets,...

put it all together - sounds like an excellent day out on the water!

[Shield]

Congrats Don!!! That big one getting away is really going to eat at you, they always do!

Hopefully you can get back out there and find him again soon! Hey at least he let you keep the plug, most of the time they take that from me too!

You’re right Michael, the whole way home I was talking about that one getting away.

[Shield]

The X-Raps really are great striper baits. Try the Glass Shad Rap, in Glass Ghost. I think the model number is GSR7. This is a deep diver and is great for trolling. What I do, is to swap out the tail hook for one size larger and the belly hook for a red hook in the same size. I also use 3x or 4x hooks, because sometimes the stripers bend out the factory hooks. Recently, I posted photos of the cranks that I troll with http://www.snaggedline.com/showthrea...9571#post19571. I use these with alot of success.

Thanks for the report.

I had picked up two more X-raps before we went just in case I lost or snagged this one and picked up a pack of Mustad hooks size 4 in red. The guy that gave me the X-rap said that he replaces the hooks when he gets them with ones that bend in a little. I glanced over your post before put will re read it now that I picked up a couple of these. Thanks for the info.

[Shield]

i like big ones that get away. kind of. you learn you're doing someting right, and you learn something to improve on. all the excitement w/o the blood and gore! or fillets,...

put it all together - sounds like an excellent day out on the water!

At least I got the fillets from the first one. I cooked up the fish for lunch today and the rock was great. I also cooked the blue fish, it was ok, not the worst thing I have ever eaten. I grew up in a house where asparagus came from a can and you boiled it until it could be slurped up with a straw. See the bluefish was not the worst thing ever eaten. I fried both and might try to broil the bluefish next time. I don’t know.

[Redfish12]

At least I got the fillets from the first one. I cooked up the fish for lunch today and the rock was great. I also cooked the blue fish, it was ok, not the worst thing I have ever eaten. I grew up in a house where asparagus came from a can and you boiled it until it could be slurped up with a straw. See the bluefish was not the worst thing ever eaten. I fried both and might try to broil the bluefish next time. I don’t know.

If you bleed the blue and get it on ice quickly then they can be alright. Just not as firm of meat is usually my problem. Take some mayo and lightly coat the top, put some chipotle or cajun seasoning, and then put it in the oven. Works great!

[Shady]

I've found that I like Bluefish fried with Panko breadcrumbs the best, but the last one I caught I tried blackened with Redfish Magic seasoning and that was good too. Coat the fish lightly in seasoning and then blacken in a very hot frying pan with a little bit of oil. Cook only about 2 minutes per side or until the fish has a slightly charred crust on the outside. Eat the fish on top of pieces of white or wheat bread.

[CB kayak 02]

Congrats on the 1st keeper Rocks!! Well deserved. Took me til this summer, my 3rd of owning a kayak, to catch a keeper.

[new2yaks11]

Congrats on your first keeper Striper as well as the bigger one. I've grilled the bluefish after marinating them in Italian dressing for at least half an hour. I always cut the "dark" strip off the fillets also. That Italian dressing really tastes good. IMO.

[CB kayak 02]

I like my blues pasted with ranch dressing, can soak them in it prior to cooking as well.

[Southerly]

i'm apparently a little bit of an exception when it comes to bluefish. i think they're 1st rate and reading these reports of bluefish catching is kind of starting to eat at me.

maybe i prepare them different? 1st they go on ice when caught. fillet'd, skinned, remove red meat at home. but i think the most key part is eating the blues that night, or next day. maybe it's just my personal taste - dunno.

in general, if you like crunchy fried fish - first dip in milk, then dredge in House of Autry Seafood Breader, then another quick dip in the milk, then roll in pankos, and into the pan.

i sometimes add a sprinkle of old bay and/or black pepper but the Autry's is entirely capable of taking care of flavoring/salt on its own. it's pretty well-known and my local Giant food stocks it in the flour section.

again, Congrats on a good day's fishing!

[jsquare]

More congrats on the successful day of fishing.

That House of Autrys is good stuff. I love the taste of small bluefish, the fresher the better, cooked simply, usually. The big bruisers are fun to catch and I think they're tasty when fresh. Any excess gets smoked.

[tufnik]

Baked or fried, bluefish is "just OK tasting" to me. Caught a lot last year, and one day I asked my wife to smoke it. She found a recipe on the internet, and soaked the bluefish in a brine overnight (water, soy sauce, sugar, kosher salt). Smoked it in the Egg with alder chips, and it came out delicious! Now, I really like blues, but it has to be smoked.

Of course, I bleed it right after I land it. Then put it on ice.