Little side trips

Monday I started a school for my new job in my command's safety department. It was to last only three days, but the break from the grind was much appreciated. Since it was a "typical 'old school' Navy school" we mustered late and secured early every day. This was a good thing! Not only would it allow me the opportunity to do school work it afforded me some time to do some bank fishing.

I didn't take the kayak out because Danielle had the truck at work (I know...). That was okay because sometimes you just have to go back to where it all began. Standing on a bank and tossing a line in. Tuesday I went to NAS Oceana's lake for about an hour or so. I didn't catch anything, but the beautiful part was that I had the entire lake to myself! So I took the opportunity to try some new lures out and make sure I knew what to expect the next time I used them for real. Again, nothing caught but the time was well spent and greatly appreciated.

Wednesday I went to "The Pipe" on Mill Landing Rd. It is a little honey hole I found while fishing on Nanny Creek. A culvert pipe runs under the road from one side to the other. Depending on how the wind is blowing a current flows through the pipe. If you are on the Nanny Creek side, and there is current flowing into the creek, then the bite is usually on and big fish start chasing little fish. On the other side of the road it isn't as obviously visible if the bite is on. But I know there are some good fish over there.

If you choose to fish from the bank you can "dance the road", hopping from one side to the other. That is what I did for a couple of hours. I could see the commotion of feeding going on, but it wasn't consistent like it has been in the past. The total fish count for the day was three missed strikes, two Yellow Perch, two largemouth bass, and one huge extremely mad Chain Pickerel. I lost one spinner bait and one crank bait that the Chain Pickerel stole when it cut my line with his teeth. It was okay with me, though, due to the fact that the bill on the crank bait broke off some way, somehow in the fight. Nothing was a keeper. Well, the Pickerel was, but who keeps those? Just a good time tossin and crankin!

Finally some time on the water!

Friday, 18 October, was a glorious day! After way too long off of the water I was able to get out and get a line wet. I decided to head to Lake Rudee and launched at Owl Creek boat ramp. I checked the tide table, as well as Scout Look, to see when the optimal time was. High tide was just after 0800 and Scout Look's solunar table was saying that just after 1000 was the best time so I zeroed in on about 0900 to be casting the first shot.

After a relaxing morning with Paul I dropped him off at day care a little after 0900. That meant that I missed my target time. Still okay, but I needed to hurry. I went to Farm Fresh grocery store to pick up some shrimp to try that out on a popping cork. More about that in a bit. I headed back to the house to load up and get on the road. Luckily the ramp isn't too far from our house so I made it there in no time, got everything ready, and launched rather uneventfully.

For the first time I went behind the Virginia Beach Aquarium to try out the deeper water. There was a slight breeze blowing me into Owl Creek so I just rode that for a while fan casting. Nothing bit so I decided to try my new popping cork. That got immediate attention, but from smaller fish. So, I pulled out my ultra-light rod that I brought along for the purpose of attempting to catch bait. I guess the bait was too small because I never could get a hook set. Oh well….better luck next time I suppose.

I pulled anchor there & started paddling east down the lake headed towards the inlet. My goal was to go through Rudee Inlet, possibly out into the Atlantic a little bit, and then into Lake Wesley. Well, once I got through the inlet I quickly realized that there was no way I was going out into the big water. Swells were WAY too big. I made the right turn into Lake Wesley. What a waste of time! In Rudee I would at least see a fish jump every once in a while, but in Wesley there was nothing going on. There were a lot of boats, but no visible action. The wind was even lighter than on Rudee, too. After a few minutes I decided to head back to where I at least saw something going on. Back through the inlet and into Rudee.

Once there I headed straight for the grass island. When I got there I started throwing everything I had tied on. Swim baits, Mirr-O lures, popping cork…you name it. I saw some action on the popping cork, but I could not get a hook set. I drifted some, “beached” some along the island, but all the while I was casting. Nothing, nothing, nothing. I headed to the buoy and anchored up there. Then the fun began! I threw the popping cork and immediately got hit….HARD! I set the hook, but there was nothing there. So, re-bait the hook and start over. I threw out just a little farther and BOOM!!! This time it was a good fish! After a brief fight I got a look at this nice Speckled Trout.

Now, this is where I must insert a hard-earned lesson that I forget every time I go out fishing on my kayak. Have ALL of the gear you need READILY ACCESSIBLE!!! Once I had this fish on the end of my line, and next to the boat, I realized that I did not have the following gear set and ready:

1.    Net out and ready

2.    Fish Grip out and ready

3.    Pliers out and ready

4.    Ruler out and ready

Are you seeing a trend here?! After I got all of that stuff sorted out, with the fish still on the line thankfully, I landed this beautiful fish! It measured out at 16 ½ inches and sure was good on the table for dinner!

This is still the most beautiful fish I have ever caught!

After this one the bite was steady, sparse, but steady none the less. There was no more action on the popping cork. The only other action came on a new swim bait rig I set up a few weeks back with this being the first time I have been able to use it. It is just a simple piece of fluorocarbon line with a ¼ ounce jig-head tied to both ends. Then I tied a loop in between so that they are staggered. When you retrieve it through the water it looks like a miniature school of bait fish. Every time I was hit when I threw this rig the back swim bait was the one that was nailed. Stands to reason I suppose as the predator fish will go after the isolated/weaker fish. So the one at the back may look, to them, like that fish. Or maybe it had a dinner bell inside of it and I didn’t know it. Whichever was the case I don’t really care because I landed me two other smaller Speckled Trout. They fought way outside of their weight-class and that is all that matters.

All in all it was a good, much needed, day on the water. Here’s to hoping the time between trips isn’t as long as the last one!

Hopeful

Supposedly I have Friday off. Supposedly the weather is to hold out and be nice for a change. If that all comes to pass, and that's a big if, I'm headed out to (most likely) Lake Rudee for some light saltwater fishing! Now all I wish for is, again....if I get to go, some cooperative fish. 

Back-up plan? Bass Pro Shops I think. Either that or I'll end up cutting the grass. 

Here's to hoping Plan A works out!

It's been a while....

So here I sit at work....dreaming of fishing. I haven't been in a very long time! As a matter of fact the last time I wet a hook, other than little walking trips with Paul for about 30 minutes, was August 30th. Like I said, I've stopped a couple of times and used the "emergency rod" from the trunk. (I really need to get a better "emergency rod". That thing is a piece of junk!) But not a "real" fishing trip where I take the kayak out. Work and school have gotten in the way. Mostly school as this half of the semester will be over this weekend. THANK GOODNESS!!!

It was with great expectation that I announced this past weekend, standing in the kitchen, that "I'm going fishing next weekend!" To which Danielle just looked at me, shook her head, smiled a little smile and said, "Okay......IF we have time." Dreams crushed I tell ya! CRUSHED! But that didn't nearly crush me to the core of who I am as bad as this WEATHER!!! A tropical wave/depression/storm/hurricane thing (it, nor the weather folks, could decide what it was) made landfall on the Gulf Coast last weekend. I expected it to roll up the Atlantic coast and hit us my mid-week. And that it did. However, it looks like it wants to stay around until the beginning of NEXT WEEK!!! Doesn't it realize that I have FISHING TO DO?!?! The percentage chances are supposed to be rather low this weekend so I may TRY to squeeze a short trip in if the winds aren't too bad. I REALLY want to head out to Rudee and see if I can hit the Puppy Drum, Gray or Speckled Trout. I'd even take a confused Flounder if they are still around! You MIGHT even convince me that a Blue Fish would be okay, too! (Convincing me of that might take an "adult beverage" or three, though)

So, here's to hoping the "weather gods" fully understand how I'm feeling about all of this and cooperate with me!

My first "early morning" trip

I decided to go to Nanny Creek instead of Spitzli Creek or the Oxbow off of North Landing River. I made it out on the water around 0730. I noticed a spot driving in, where the road goes over a pipe connecting two bodies of water, where the fish were chasing bait fish pretty hard. That's where I headed for first. I was waiting on my friend, Rob, to show up so I started throwing. I started out with a swim bait, then a Rapala floating jerk bait. Nothing on those two so I switched to a shallow running crank bait. That was the ticket. I boated 7 bass before Rob even showed up! Some were small, the first one was a "keeper", and they kept getting bigger! That first one, once I hooked it, came at me like a freight train (almost) faster than I could crank the reel! The trick was for a little current to be flowing out of the pipe from the other side of the road. If water was coming out of the pipe the bite was on. If it stopped, or started flowing into the pipe, it was like a switch had been flipped.

So, once Rob showed up, for a while we stayed there killing it! Once the bite seemed to have turned off for good I decided to head out for newer waters. I tried the mouth of the creek some, the creek by the boats, all along the grass on the right side of the creek after the boats, the boat docks themselves, the channel. Nothing seemed to work at all! I went all the way up the creek to the big creek on the left. Not one single bite! So, I decided to head back down the creek to where the day started. That's where I found Rob. He had never moved and had been killing 'em all day! He had 3 on a stringer that were nice ones. He said he was heading out, but I convinced him to stay for a little while longer. We went back to our starting spot. They were still chasing bait fish so out came the crank bait. I tied on a spinner bait also just for a change of pace. I got a few more, with one of them being a "keeper" but he jumped out of my hand, while I was there. All total I caught/boated about 18 bass all day from that one spot and kept 2. Man they were good last night! :)

That was a MUCH better day than the last trip I had. I went out to Lake Rudee last weekend on Saturday. I thought I'd timed the tides right, but I screwed that one up for sure. After four hours, or so, I only had 4 bites. Just. Bites! Nothing in the boat whatsoever!

OR better than the day a few weeks ago when Danielle, Peyton, Paul, Rob, and I all headed out to Rudee. Rob was catching a lot of little flounder. I hooked into one flounder, but it came off about 6 inches under the boat! Peyton boated a small Speckled Trout. That was about it, though, all day.

Paul looked at me after about 3 hours and said he was ready to go so everyone but Rob headed out. Once we home I called Rob to see if he was off of the water. He said he was and had been all the way out to the inlet. He boated several larger fish. He caught a legal Speckled Trout, but threw it back. He also caught a few decent flounder also. So asked both Peyton and Danielle if they wanted to go. Peyton called it quits so Danielle and I headed back out to the jetty at 4th Street. We got a parking spot, made it over to the jetty lining the boat channel. I made 3 casts and got my lure snagged! Danielle said, "Just step on that rock to see if you can get it to pop loose." Since it was only 3 feet away I didn't think anything of it. The rock was mud covered, and had some oyster shells on it, but I thought if I was careful I MIGHT get the lure to pop loose. Well, I never got a chance. My foot slipped, I sat down onto my butt, but my right arm went between two rocks and sliced my wrist and palm wide open. After a trip to Virginia Beach General's ER I left with 24 stitches. By the way, the Physician's Assistant was HORRIBLE!!! I was not allowed to speak while she was in the room ONE BIT!!! How's that for a professionalism and bedside manner?!

Anyway, all is well now. back to fishing as many times as I can, and trying to keep my head above water at work and in school. Hopefully more fishing to come, though!

First boat trip

This past weekend Danielle's mother and step-father came for a quick visit. They never seem to want to stay too long. I think they think that they are imposing on us, but it is nice to have them around since they do not get to see Paul very much. They live in Alabama so our visits are always few and far between. Anyway, while we were still planning their visit I mentioned, as a joke, that my father-in-law should bring some rods so we can go fishing. Well, that set off a firestorm of activity! Here is how it all went down...

I worked a little harder than I wanted to on the Boat US Foundation Boating Safety Course for Virginia. That thing was a lot harder than I expected! Keeping that in mind I completed the course so that I could go to the MWR Outdoor Recreation Office and be able to rent a boat. I reserved the last sixteen foot jon boat they had left. So while the girls and Paul were headed to Colonial Williamsburg my father-in-law and I went to pick it up Friday early afternoon and took it out a little later after we ate lunch. We put in at the boat ramp on Mill Landing Road and went up Nanny Creek. It was blowing a little harder than we wanted to stay out in Back Bay so we headed up the creek. We found quite a bit of places that just looked “fishy”. There was a  tree that was sticking up out of the water that just looked particularly enticing. I tried a Texas-rigged craw, but came up with nothing. Then I tried a shallow running crankbait and that seemed to be the ticket. I hooked, and fought, a smaller White Perch, but if came off right at the boat. Then, a couple of casts later, I hooked into something that had a little more pull. I fought, and landed, a nice Largemouth Bass. It was a little over 2 pounds and was 16 ½ inches long.

First bass on Nanny Creek.

A nice fish I must say. Unfortunately that was the only fish of any size that was caught. My father-in-law never even got a bite and the only other fish that was hooked was a fingerling that was about twice the size of the crankbait I was throwing. Other than that we just drifted and/or motored around hoping for something. That creek looks amazing and it is a wonder that we didn’t hook into anything else.

So, with our heads hanging a little lower than we wanted, we headed in and planned a trip for the next day – Saturday – to Lake Rudee for some light salt water action. Unfortunately the winds picked up over night to a level that we were not comfortable with. So we called the trip and just stayed home spending time with the rest of the family. My in-laws left Sunday morning heading home so that was the end of the fishing, for this trip, with my father-in-law. Hopefully, in the nearer-rather-than-later future, there will be another fishing trip with him. It was a lot of fun!

Sunday morning, though, after they hit the road the decision was made that Danielle, Peyton, Paul and I would head back out to Nanny Creek to try our hand. I made quick work of getting all the rods and tackle bags ready while Danielle and Peyton got both themselves and Paul ready. They got some snacks ready while I changed my clothes and we were off to the boat ramp. I realized this trip was going to be different on the drive down the road to the ramp because it was obviously high tide as there was water over the road everywhere. It made the launch much easier, though, so we got everything and everyone in the boat and headed up the creek. Because of the higher water level the fishing was less than stellar to say the least. Couple that with copious amounts of “tree fishing” by the girls the trip turned into just a boat ride. That was fine with me because it allowed me a chance to learn even more of this new-to-me body of water. We made it as far as we could go and had to turn around at the bridge at Nanny’s Creek Road. On the way up the creek we saw a huge doe and a rather big fawn with her. We looked, they stopped and looked, and then they headed off into the woods never to be seen again. That was pretty much the highlight of the trip so we headed back to the ramp, loaded up the boat, and headed home.

I must say that after obtaining the Boat US Foundation Boating Safety card I hope to utilize it more in the future. I do love my kayak for a myriad of reasons, but the boat was a nice change of pace. It allowed all of us to go out on the water in one place and spend time together as a family. Not separated on the water “doing our own thing” in our individual kayaks. That is still a good time, but with Paul being as young as he is; our time on the water is limited to his tolerance of being confined. None the less it was a good time had by all.

Playin' catch up...

A lot has happened since my last post. My daughter, Peyton, arrive on July 2nd for a while. It has been a long time since I have seen her so this trip is much needed. She settled in okay after a horrible day of travel. Too many delays for the last leg of the trip meant that she finally arrived after Paul's bedtime. Oh well, such is life I suppose in today's air travel world.

 

Anyway, on the fourth I got a chance to go fishing with a friend of mine. Rob met me at the Lotus Garden and we spent a few hours trying our best to get anything to bite. I finally ended the day with only three White Perch that weren't even as big as my hand, but they hit my spinner bait pretty hard and that is all that matters. Rob did not catch a thing all day. Just a hot, tiring trip any way you cut it.

 

Then a couple of days later Peyton and I went out to Lake Rudee to try our hand at some light salt water action. I checked the tide table and the solunar information to see when we needed to be out there. We finally made it to the ramp about an hour later than I wanted to, but we made it none the less. After a quick pep talk and introduction to what we were looking for we paddled out to the grass island and anchored up. Peyton was on one oyster bar on one side and I was on the one on the other side. It was bright and a little warm, but there was a nice breeze blowing so it wasn't too bad.

 

We were there for only a little while before Peyton mentioned, rather nonchalantly, that she thought she had a fish on. She gave it a little tug and the rod bent over! She struck first! After a brief fight, and reeling it in too far, we were able to get her very first Red Drum (Puppy Drum) into the net. We just sat there admiring it in all of its shiny glory! I helped her get the hook out and measured it. Legal keeper size in Virginia is 18 inches. This one only measured 17 ½ inches. Missed it by that…much! We released this beautiful fish and kept on fishing. Then she started killing the Speckled Trout! She caught two of them before I even caught my first fish of the day!

 

Then we hit a drought for a bit. The first one to strike to end the drought was Peyton. She hit another Speck. Then I caught a 16 inch Flounder. My card said that it was illegal to keep. The legal length, according to my card, was 16 ½ inches. That card was dated January 2013. A friend of mine at work produced a card dated March 2013 that said 16 inches was legal to keep. Oh well. You live and learn. I released that fish and kept on fishing. Peyton caught a few more Specks and then the dinner bell stopped ringing. We waited around for a few more minutes and then called it a day.

 

It was my first time fishing with Peyton in over 15 years so all in all it was an outstanding day! I look forward to doing that a few more times before she leaves.