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First Few Trips

Early Spring.

The water is still a bit cold to really feel the excitement. Just like everyone else says. It's mostly the larger bodies of water that are staying frigid. My Dad and I went out to Kirby's Mill a couple weeks ago and had a really good time even though the current was stronger then ever and the fish weren't biting.

This weekend was a real joy for me. I didn't catch too many, but the ones I did get provided me with a real confidence boost. I even managed to squeeze in a bit of fly fishing from the kayak.

Obviously, its been months since I've gone out with a realistic intent of doing well. I have been talking about it all week with coworkers, friends, family and grocery clerks or whoever else will listen. The weather was idealic. While the temperatures maxed out around the low 70's, the sun kept me in the 80's and provide a bit of burn. The current was slow on Saturday and even slower on Sunday. The water temp still felt like it was in the low 50's or so but the clarity was better than it has been in a while, maybe too clear.

I have been going out with 4 rods over the past weeks. No, I don't always use all 4, but as Dad says, "the fan's expect it". I rig them from top to bottom, heavy to light. One always wears a weightless Texas rig, on always has a crank of some sort and the other two depend on the conditions. This weekend it was a jig and soft swim bait.

Up at the Barton Run dam, the bass haven't been hanging out there all day as usual. I heard some reports from passers by about catching a few up that way, but haven't cashed in on it myself. Casting into the swells with the senko, I let it drift out into the pools and didn't get anything. I did have a decent strike, tried to set the hook, but just ended up with a lure-less line. I assumed my knot must have been half-assed or the line was worn to the breaking point. I let myself drift away front the dam and down the bank. The swim bait landed right at the shore line in between leaf-less bushes time and again and swam back to me like a champ. I was particularly happy about that simply because it was on one of the bait casting set ups and proved that my casting accuracy is actually improving. It was a good thing I was using that heavier rob, because the strike I got was furious. I moved the rod tip left and right to chase the fish. He was fighting hard and aster I caught a brief glimpse I figured out this was a pretty monstrous pickerel. Once at my side, I was ready to lift the line out of the water and prepared my lippers even though these thin nosed punks typically jump off the hook as soon as you give them a chance. Good thing for me he was hooked in the corner of his mouth and the barb was doing its thing on some strong cartilage. I lifted that big guy out and was happy to see he was well over two feet long. I've never actually landed one this big before. It was a lot of fun. As I was moving him for a quick picture, I noticed something else about him. He was a theif. This big guy had stolen that Senko from me earlier. I could see the tiny tail end of it coming out of his throat. Good thing for him the Yammamoto people make degradeable plastics. I actualy heard that they're even a good source of protien. I've debated eating some.

My other note-worthy catch was a fat bass on Saturday. She wasn't too aweful long, but had a decent buddah belly sticking out that made her feel like real trophy. this was a senko into some flower pedals that had pooled up in a shallow corner.

Apart from a nice 'sunglasses' style tan on my temples, the rest of the weekend was simply a relaxing drift in the kayak. Sunday afternoon I decided to bring the flyrod across the street and try my hand at casting it from the boat. It worked out rather well if I do say so myself. It didn't take too long to becaomoe proficient at undoing the tangles in the line. And my casting wasn't too poor either. I lost only two flys. And broke just one. The big hitters on the fly rod were the crappie that just love playing with the little hooks. I did catch one small bass and was happy to add him to my list of firsts.

All in all a wonderfull Easter weekend. I got some fish, some fun and even some quality time with my family.

Next weekend might not be too much fishing. the garage is in severe need of cleaning and organization.

New years day.

Why go fishing on New Years Day? Because I can. Why go to Kirby's Mill? Because my launch at Barton Run is frozen.

31 degrees at 7:00am. The temperature is going up about one degree every 15 minutes while I get ready and drive. I hope the WaWa I pass will be open. And it is. One more new years wish speant well.

Now if only this haze could burn off in the next hour, I'd be all set. The weather does call for partly sunny with the high in the low 40's.




Kirby's is only a bit frozen. I figure I can skid the boat across this small bit of ice. Then, worse case scenerio, call someone to pull me back across it later. It should be worth it. Right?
Right. Bad idea. The water in this side of the mill is very low. Below the ice is mud. I don't feel like getting stuck in that.
I'm going to the other side. I've never fished there before and don't have the highest of hopes. But I can get to the water easily.

Ok. Screw that. Less than an hour there was enough. The creek was blocked by fallen limbs around the first bend. I couldn't get far enough away from the dam to start fishing and stop white-water kayaking.
Back in the car my coffee is still warm. I'm going to head back to Barton Run and see if there is any chance of getting in there.

I get back to Barton Run and take a few shots at shore fishing from the dam and down by the non-frozen side of the bridge. I didn't catch anything but convinced myself I got a bite or two.
I decide to go home.

After some chores and some family time, it's suggested that I go back out. I decide to attempt getting the kayak into Barton Run near the bridge. There were a few spots that I saw as possible portage earlier. They just include a certain amount of risk that is worth weighing.

I get into the water and fish wherever there isn't ice for an hour or two. As per usual, it's my last effort that gets the only fish of the day. A nice sized pickerel. There wasn't a lot of fight because he hit close to the boat. But he was a big boy.




He's longer than my forarm and just as thick. Luckily for me my arm is not as cold and slimey. I decided to take a picture of his awefull mouth. I don't have many pictures that actual depict the reason for using the lippers.


It's tough to see, but there are quite a few little sharp teeth in there.

He goes home and so do I. With any luck my new fishing gloves will show up soon and the water will be less frozen next weekend.

-- :el

Location:Kirby's Mill

As long as it isn't frozen

So, with any luck, I wont become a fan of ice fishing. That would just really fill up my calander.

A couple weeks ago, I modified a pair opf gloves I have for use with fishing...by modify I mean a grabbed the razor out of the truck and cut the thumb off.

Out I go.

I tried to keep the kyak in the sun to stay warm. Actualy, I just hoped that the sun happened to be where I was fishing so I could be warm. It didnt always work out that way. I stuck with the late fall baits that I have been having decent success with still. Large top water lure and some large slow moving soft plastics.

The entire day was a bit uneventfull, except for a few strikes at the top water. For some reason just getting a strike on that thing is cool, even if the stupid fish doesnt get one the trebles. This one did grab the senko though.

Please take note of the thumb-less glove. He bit soft, but effectively

I have also been out to the damn fishing from shore. I have only broken the tips off of both new ultra-lite rods. So, instead of getting new lite rods, I simply have two that measure about 4'10". They still work right? I like using the tiny tackle at the damn because of the tight surroundings. Its tough to get a good toss out of a 6' or 7' rod when there are tree limbs in a 3' circumfrence. Anywho...I caught this big guy with a crafty little tube set-up.

I'm certain to go out tomorrow, new years day, and try my hand at freezing my ass off. And maybe catch a fish or 6. With that, I'll leave you with some other top water catches from the fall. Enjoy.... (by the way, I had forgot my pliers and had to get that lure out of the pickerel with my fingers, just call me 4 fingered pell).

F#@& Marsh Creek...sort of.

I think that, by now, we all know that I am not the biggest fan of Marsh Creek State Park. Somehow, I catch handfulls of fish in NJ, but barely a single bass (if any fish at all) on Marsh Creek Lake...everytime.

The water is large and much deeper than I am used to. I find myself throwing spinners and topwater minnows...things that I don't do often in my small backwater Jersey puddles. Nothing hits. The Bass are being pickey. By my accounts, they should be mid depth between the deep and shallow water. They should be trying to feed and chasing the local live forage across the top of the breakwater. It seems as though I am wrong in many more ways than one; if not all ways.

We (Mary Beth, Pop's, and I) resort to just tossing ol'faithfull at the shore line. The Lime and white laminate senko goes in. Pop's gets a decent bite, and the rest of us get a decent bit frustrated. As it turns out, persistance pays off in the end.

As we near the dock. I see Mary Beth literally running across the shore line to get in as many casts as he can before we have to start packing it in. You would have thought that there was $5 on the line. I know it is a frivolous attempt on his part. I just keep tossing the senko at the tall grass along the shore. Earlier we were focusing on the drop from shallow to deep...about 20 plus yards from shore. Now, I was really feeling the left over green reeds on the shore line. The grass was few and far between, but if I was a Bass, thats where I would be.

Sure enough, thats where I found him. Hardley feet off of the shore line, he just took the bait and started swimming off. All I had to do was set the hook with half-assed effort.

One of two fish caught that day. Speaking of which, here is a picture of the fish that Mike caught:

Right, no picture; because he didnt catch a single thing. I'm laughing, not just on the inside, on the outside too. Very loudly and with a lot of vigor.

J.T. Pell caught the other fish. It was a perch, and while I didnt get a photo of it, I happen to have sonme stock footage of a respectable perch:

Adam 'the hippie man' had no luck either. But he was in the same boat as J.T., literaly not figuratively, so I suppose he can share some of those perch points.

Like i've said before, even a slow day of fishing is a good day of fishing. I've had better but been through worse. As frustrating as the bad bite was, the weather was clear, somewhat calm and mild. We couldn't have asked for a better November day.

Lastly, sorry for being so rude to MB earlier. But trust me, he was asking for it.

Fish where they are.

This is the idea. Fish where the fish are. I have fished a decent number of different locations. Enough to know that knowledge of your surroundings makes up at least 50% of the overall catching experience. If you don't know where the fish hide, feed and loaf, your lure choice and persistant attitude won't go very far to help land you any greenbacks. (bass)

I get out on the water at least once a weekend. Worst case senerio, I walk across the street and fish the dam for a while. Needless to say, the 3 or so waters and places I fish, are begining to look an awefull lot like the back of my hand.



I pass a person or two fishing the shore and see a couple other boaters now and then, but one in five has a rod with them. The point is, I feel like I own these places. And the bucket mouths get owned too.

I have been fishing with my dad and brother plenty of times. I can say that just one of those times was a sure fire fishing frenzy. I kept trying to tell them "seriously, come to my house, we'll go catch a lot of F-ing fish!". Period. Even from shore.



(last weekend)

Well, dad finaly showed. And so did the fish. He told me he got tired of taking pictures. We went to Kirby's Mill on Rancocas Creek. It has a nice slow current, plenty of shady trees and enough bass to burn out your camera finger.



Of course we also tore up the good ole Barton Run Lake. Dad really out caught me there. And we did stop for some nice cheesesteaks inbetween.



So, after dad told mike about what a time we had, there were no more excuses and the good Dr. was at my door faster than you can say "Frontline gave my dog gout!".



Man did we have a good time. We didn't catch as many as dad and I. But we would have brought a limit to the scales. Less one rod I lost. That was upsetting. But I confided in them both the agony that my life has become...doing this every weekend, and then being forced to wait an entire 5 days before getting to do it again. Poor me.



You had to be there. It looked bigger in real life.

End of story. If you want to be good at anything, you have to get obsessive. You can quote me on this, "obsession is the key to perfection".
In these few waters I know every stick, rock, swirl. I know where the water should be and what to so when it's high and when it's low. I can go out on these waters and catch at least one fish no questions asked.



Be that guy. Tell people, "If you want to catch a fish...we can make that happen". Find your local water and own it. Know it up and down, in and out. The structure, current and floor. Know where all types of fish are.

I have to laugh. I saw a guy on my lake fishing with his daughter. I had never seen him or his canoe before. I suggested that where he was fishing was a crappie spot. And, if you can believe it, this guy questions me right in front of his little girl. He said he saw a fish jump and it was definately a bass. I didn't argue. I just kept fishing the other shore line. I heard splahing and his daughter yelping. Then..."what kinda fish is that daddy?". "I'm not sure". he answers. I slowly turn and clue him in softly. "it's a black crappie".

Be that guy. Fish like that guy. Earn the title of that guy.



Know where the fish are so you can fish where they are.

:el

I had to do it.

Ok,

I have to write a blog about this one.

I was actualy out to buy moldings for my foyer floor, and told my wife I would be fishing here and there in between.
One stop was ye-olde lake dam. I fished all of my old faithfuls. The senko. The jerk (no offense Mary Beth). The creature.

I decided to try a small tube with a little bullet weight for good measure.

Second cast:



Bam! She didn't hit hard, but put up a great fight. I thought for sure I was going to break off at least a few times. I was shaking when I saw the water part as she crested once, then twice. I was surprised to be the recipient of good fortune as I landed her and got a lip under my thumb.


6lb test was enough for all 2lbs of this girl. I enjoyed it. No fight as I took a few photos as a parting gift.


I use my shoe as a unit of measure in many of my fish pictures. But she let me take this one and a few others before gentely swimming off, back into the lake where she belongs.







-- :el