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Those words are attributed to one of the finest sleuths in literary history. We as anglers need to be sleuths too. There are many clues out there. If we are vigilant and take appropriate actions, the clues can help up find fish. The most obvious clue is to look for working birds or breaking fish. I did not see those today, but did detect two other clues, each of which led to some fish.
I launched from Jonas Green and paddled across the river toward College Creek trolling two paddletail minnows. My plan was to work some shorelines in College Creek that I had not visited in a while.
Clue #1. Near the academy sea wall in 20 ft depth, I smelled the distinctive scent of freshly crunched bait. I immediately looked for a bait oil slick, but did not see one. I often see slicks (results from predators attacking schools of oily bait; as the bait fish are slashed and bitten, some of their natural oil rises to the surface making a slick) and smell the bait oil scent when I am riding around in my center console, but don't find it too often when kayak fishing. Nevertheless I turned in the direction from which the wind was blowing and paddled a few hundred yards that way. I soon hooked a small rockfish. Had I not made that detour after sniffing the bait scent, I might have missed that fish (my only trolled fish of the day).
I fished in College Creek and some other areas for nearly 4 hours. I decided to head back to the launch.
Clue #2. 30 seconds later I saw small baitfish in the shallows next to a Phragmites bed frantically jumping out of the way of a predator. Even though I had already stowed my rods, I could not resist the chance to catch something a bit bigger. On the third cast to that area, I had a strong pull on a light rod and beetlespin rig with white minnow. It turned out to be a fat 12" perch -- my largest this year.
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My totals for the day are 15 perch, 5 stripers, and one pickerel of about 18". I caught the pickerel, and a few of the other fish on a small Rattletrap. The lure was effective, but it badly damaged the mouth of several fish. After I removed the front treble hook, I did not get another bite on that lure the rest of the day. I don't know if that affected the balance of the lure in some way.
I launched from Jonas Green and paddled across the river toward College Creek trolling two paddletail minnows. My plan was to work some shorelines in College Creek that I had not visited in a while.
Clue #1. Near the academy sea wall in 20 ft depth, I smelled the distinctive scent of freshly crunched bait. I immediately looked for a bait oil slick, but did not see one. I often see slicks (results from predators attacking schools of oily bait; as the bait fish are slashed and bitten, some of their natural oil rises to the surface making a slick) and smell the bait oil scent when I am riding around in my center console, but don't find it too often when kayak fishing. Nevertheless I turned in the direction from which the wind was blowing and paddled a few hundred yards that way. I soon hooked a small rockfish. Had I not made that detour after sniffing the bait scent, I might have missed that fish (my only trolled fish of the day).
I fished in College Creek and some other areas for nearly 4 hours. I decided to head back to the launch.
Clue #2. 30 seconds later I saw small baitfish in the shallows next to a Phragmites bed frantically jumping out of the way of a predator. Even though I had already stowed my rods, I could not resist the chance to catch something a bit bigger. On the third cast to that area, I had a strong pull on a light rod and beetlespin rig with white minnow. It turned out to be a fat 12" perch -- my largest this year.
001.jpg 002.jpg
My totals for the day are 15 perch, 5 stripers, and one pickerel of about 18". I caught the pickerel, and a few of the other fish on a small Rattletrap. The lure was effective, but it badly damaged the mouth of several fish. After I removed the front treble hook, I did not get another bite on that lure the rest of the day. I don't know if that affected the balance of the lure in some way.
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