Prospects Not Looking All That Great

After the "Snowpocolypse" round two I decided to take a tour of Pungo to see how the launch spots were looking. I know Charlie went out to see how things were looking after the first hard freeze. Things did not look good then and I am afraid they did not look any better today. So, I took my favorite riding buddy...

My Favorite Riding Buddy

...and here are the results of the tour.

First up is the Lotus Garden. As you can see the launch site is hard frozen in. This is not looking too promising.

Lotus Garden Launch

Lotus Garden Launch Closer Look

Lotus Garden Pond

 Then I headed out to Muddy Creek Road. Beggars Bridge was not looking all that much better.

Beggars Bridge Mud Ramp

Next is Nanny Creek. This was the only spot that had open water when Charlie checked. The situation was even worse today.

Nanny Creek Ramp

The Right Side of the Pipe

These poor ducks were doing the best they could to get to open, clear water. They were walking on top of the ice to get where they could swim.

Ducks in Clear Water on the Left Side of the Pipe

Ducks Walking on Ice

The last place I checked was the end of Old Pungo Ferry Bridge Road. What I found was not any better, just a little prettier.  The beach launch site is not looking all that promising. There was ice on the beach and even thicker ice in the water. This is not very kayak friendly to say the least.

The Beach at the end of Old Pungo Ferry Bridge Road

 If you could get out past the ice you might be able to troll for any Stripers that might be still hanging around.

Open Water Near Pungo Ferry Bridge

The Main Channel is Open

However, even if you could get off of the beach and out into the open channel - and had an idea to go to the Oxbow - there is no way you would be catching anything. The Oxbow was completely frozen. 

The Oxbow Across the North Landing River

Looking up the North Landing River at More Ice

 All in all it was a good time spent with Paul. But what this outing told me was that it is going to take quite a few days of warmer temperatures to break up all of the ice that has frozen Pungo waterways. Here is hoping we get that some time soon. If not we will all be heading Charlie's advice and playing in our tackle boxes for a while.

But at least we had a beautiful sunset to end the day on the ride home.

A Beautiful Pungo Sunset

New Addition to the Tackle Box

I now have a new addition to add to my winter/cold water hunt for fish. And here is the "before" shot:

 And now the "after" shot:

I did not paint this myself. The only thing that I did was add the hooks that I picked up during a trip to Bass Pro Shops (BPS) in Hampton, VA. I will withhold the person's name that painted this due to the fact that I am not sure if he is willing to have that much advertisement about his lure painting/making skills. Suffice it to say that I am extremely pleased and proud to own one! Hopefully I can have as much luck as he has had with his.

Also during the trip to BPS Paul had a fit for this lure:

I took the hooks off for obvious reasons. He is just not quite ready to have a lure with hooks. That will be coming soon. So, Paul is the proud owner (as you can see) of a Mann's Red Hook Baby 1-Minus in Red Craw! So much so that he is currently sleeping with it! Oh the wonder that is being a child! I am hoping we can put it to good use catching some fish here in the near future.

Lure Selection Lately

I thought I would take some time to show what lures I have been throwing lately. Not that I have been having all that much success with any one in particular, but more to record it for myself so I can look back next fall/winter. So, here goes...

First up suspending jerk baits.

Rapala X-Rap in Silver and Glass Ghost on the left. BPS XPS Suspending Minnow in Bone XXX Shad, and a Matzuo Phantom Minnow in Blue/Silver on the right.

Then the jig/craw trailer.

Hart Tackle Justice Jig w/Chunk Trailer in Blue/Black and a Pumpkin Seed Jig.

Texas-rigged worms.

7.5" worms in Pumpkin Seed, Junebug, and Tequila Shad.

Spinner baits are always tied on.

Mostly Willow-Leaf in Black, Chartreuse, and Chartreuse/White

.

3 Strike King Mini King and one Booyah all 1/8th oz.

I have even been known to throw some shallow running crankbaits.

The two on the left are Strike King KVD in Sexy Shad and the two on the right are

BPS XPS Lazer Eye in Pearl Red Eye and Texas Shad.

And finally the humble Beetle Spin.

A Hurricane Curly Tail Grub on a red 1/8th oz saltwater jig head.

Like I said at the beginning this is what I am throwing. Some folks do better with different presentations than others. Some folks, like , can throw anything and catch fish. Hopefully, with a little more time on the water, I will become more comfortable and proficient with them all. I suppose only time will tell.

See you on the water!

Woo Hoo!!!

It's like Christmas all over again at my house!

Meh...

It wasn't all that I thought it would be. 

New Year....Same Result

I started my new year off with a trip to West Neck Creek.

 After quite a long day with close-to-perfect conditions, if not cold, I boated a fish and a half with two other bumps. That's. It.

I threw a wide variety of lures. Two different suspending jerk baits, a jig/craw, a Beetle Spin (of course), three different crank baits, a 1/8th ounce Rat-L-Trap, and a bubble gum soft plastic jerk bait. One bump came on one of the crank baits and the only other bump came on the Beetle Spin. The one fish I boated came on one of the suspending jerk baits. More on that fish in a bit.

The half-of-a-fish NAILED the same suspending jerk bait. So what was it and why do I call it a half-of-a-fish? It came off right at the boat as I was reaching for it. I never got to touch it. It was a Shad! A Shad hit a suspending jerk bait! I know Charlie caught one recently also. The best I can guess was that it was a Gizzard Shad.

That guess was based on the shape and color that was thrashing around at the surface. I wish I could have gotten it into the boat, but that means there might be a chance I could catch another one some time in the future. Partly because of the cool factor and partly because it made some crazy fast runs. It came straight at the boat faster than I could crank the reel! It had some good pulls, too. I definitely want to catch another one of those. Maybe I could get some tips from Rob Choi on how to catch them.

The one I got in the boat was a Largemouth Bass. Strongest fish I have ever caught, too! I thought it was a stick when I hooked it. Just pure drag on the line. I was pumping and cranking. It never acted like a fish until I got it next to the boat. That's when it finally realized it was hooked and started making some good runs. I got it in the boat and snapped this photo:

Some time after noon my buddy Rob and his daughter Emma showed up. Emma had a good hit, but whatever it was cut the line pretty quickly. My guess is that she hooked into a Chain Pickerel and her line was no match for all of those teeth. Other than that there was quite a bit of boat traffic out. Some considerate while others were not. There was only one other kayak angler out at the end of the day. I don't know how he did, but I hope he did well and had better luck than I did. 

While the day was frustrating in that the bite was few and far between it was a good way to spend the first day of 2014. I just wish Danielle and Paul could have been with me, but it was too cold for both of them. Maybe soon they will make a trip out there with me.