Opening Up a Can...7/25/15

Hello everyone. Been a pretty good year when I've gotten to the place to fish. The enormous amount of rain we've seen and long drive times have kept me closer to home. This is good because I discovered two new smallmouth creeks which are productive closer to home. Hitting about a 17"er an hour this year, which is pretty ridiculous. Lots of rain has made the choices slim, but there have still been some if one looks hard and goes before the next deluge. Been looking forward to piecing together a long wade. Fishing has very much been old school which is a delight after years of low water. This Saturday, I got up at 6:30am and drove an hour and forty five. At the bridge, my first wake crank cast brought a 17"er quickly to hand  :) :

It would be the only fish on the day on that bait, as the tube bite was really good.

I've been tossing a more compact tube on a light jig head, the idea being the slow drop requires patience to be allowed to sink, which has paid off in bites. I nabbed 5 more smallmouth very quickly with a 16.99"er and 17.25" fish before a 15 minutes was up. The smaller tube had a nice hook up rate. Was nailing lots of big googs too.

Fish were in the holes at the back of pools in ambush positions or near cover.

Soon hit this fat 18"er on a tube, smallies were pulling hard in the current. As you can see, the gnats and mosquitos were thick. I used a buff to keep them out of my ears, but they still got under the bill of my hat.

At the back of another pool I started hitting nice fish again, 16" 14"13", etc, not many dinks all day.

Then I a big fish hits the tube and goes nuts, in one of those, nothing big in there spots. But the stained higher water had the bass out and about. Another 17"er.

I was taking a leisurely pace and the number started to pile up. It looked like I could keep catching nice smallies as long as I could keep my body going.

They came in bunches 3-6 fish in 10 minute spurts. Conditions were perfect for me to work slow, unnoticed from close. Man they can fight. Picked a 16" on a Sammy a few 14-15"ers on tubes. Always tubes. Would have had so many fewer without the finesse game.


Tried tickling this rootwad with a spinnerbait. Thunk! Game on! Big fish and what a fight in that current. Finally got her to hand at 18.5".

Now that I had a spinnerbait fish, I had to try it some more. At the next fast rootwad, I got it spinning then let the bait roll into the bottom then as it was about to be pulled over a diagonal log another beast, in the fastest current this time. Pulled off 20' of drag downstream in no time. By the time I pulled the fish in some willows, the third 18" of the day.

Kept catching as I hit 40-30, then 50-40. It was 3:30, but I was at least 4 miles walk back to the car. Confess my body was done without the practice this year.

51 SMB (3-18-18.5", 3-17-17.25", 3-16-16.99", 4-5 15") 40 Googs and a handful of chubs who took the small tube

Cold, New Jobs, Flu, and a Puppy

Sorry for the hiatus. I have been busy. Busy with a new career, a new golden retriever puppy, and a long recovery from the flu that has still zapped me of my strength and energy 5-6 weeks later.

That being said, I did have two pretty awesome days on the water in March and April,

Check out the new puppy Charlie (girl)

I also added a couple new Wilderness Systems Kayaks: A Tarpon 100 angler package:

Last Hurrah of the Float and Fly 3/28/15

High water and new winter hole I found along the road. If not for old mono, I could have had 10 over 16" to hand. All fell to float and fly dragging jig on the bottom overlined.

13 SM (19.5", 2-18", 2-17", 3-16")

AT Paddles Exodus Fishticks Review

In the past, I admit, I haven't paid much attention to paddle quality. I bought a paddle in the 100$ range that was light. Was it the right length, was it light? AT Paddles was kind enough to let my try out the Exodus Fishstix model kayak paddle designed for fishermen and kayak fishing. I used this paddle for the last 6 months on rivers, creeks and lakes.


http://www.atpaddles.com/paddles/fishing/all/exodus_fishstix

First impression, the camo color scheme was way cool. Useful if you ditch your boat in the woods for a shuttle, or making you really hard to spot on the river when "stealth" fishing. Fish might have a harder time spotting this as you paddle through the water as well. Matches my camo colored Commander 120 kayak. Next thing I noticed was how well built and unbelievably light this paddle is. AT Paddles website claims less than two pounds (30oz). Light. What this meant as I tried the paddle out, fishing is less taxing on my shoulders and arms throughout the day. I could easily one handed paddle to maintain position. 

When used to propel the kayak forward the carbon fiber paddle would kick or flex, as water was pushed out of the way. In wider kayaks produced today the paddle can be extended another 5cm via a ferrule system that locks into place.

Everyone who tried the Exodus Fishtix really enjoyed the lightness and the bend in the shaft to keep the paddle rolling off your kayak. The Fishstix stays in place. No reaching for a runaway paddle when the wind hits it.

By far the best paddle I've ever used kayak fishing. If you can afford one get one, if you can't afford one, get it anyways. AT Exodus Fishtix  paddle retails for around 350$. An absolute joy to paddle with.

Another December 30+ Smallmouth Bass Day, Hog on Hair Jigs 12/27/14

Float down, fish, drag and paddle back. Use Commander 120's ability to stand and fish to spot the "spots within a spot". River rising from slow drizzles, I knew this would push fish closer to banks, warming trend would have the bass in relatively aggressive feeding areas in the slow water. IE, on the slow seams. Water visibility to 18". Almost no sun. Again. Air temps in the 40's. Water temps seemed warm too. Employ float and fly as search or slow my  fishing mechanism. Turned out the warmer temps had fish wanting some movement. Fly jig fish on the bottom with lots of long pauses was the ticket.

First fish fell to a float drift along slower water near boulders, 14" and FAT. I hung a cast bad in a fallen thorn tree and had to retrieve, so no idea whether more were there as my boat floated over the hole. I had a feeling the normal position was mostly abandoned, so I floated down to where a water willow cleft diverted stream flow. In the dead of that eddy, a 11" fish hit right away on the jig. Next cast, I threw over by the seam. Quickly hit and a large headed fish fought like crazy, bending the 8'6" noodle rod to and fro. 17.5", then a 17", then a 15", some 13-14"er's, a fish rubbed me out on my own anchor line. My line broke on a decent one. 45 minutes later, I had 7 and a couple lost bass. These kinds of double current diversions can be a real attraction to smallmouth bass in the Winter.

Float down to the next spot took 10 minutes. Just a small cut to one side with a small eddy and undercut bank. I tossed the tiny jig up near the roots courageously, landing an inch or so from tangling roots. Inhaled quickly and a crazy battle ensued. Another 17"er eventually to hand. I climbed out of the yak and walked bank, in order to keep the jig presentation parallel to the back eddy the fish were facing downstream on. Two more bass in the 14-15" range. You don't want your line being swept along changing your presentation. Keeping out of crisscrossing fast current, crossing winds etc, is really important. Try to fish with the direction of the current and wind. Keeping the jig under total control helps to sense more bites. Before you leave a spot, always try the against current option as well. Got tired of the cell phone selfie face here:

Floated down to a major pool. It had changed. A 12" on one side (where they used to be), then just downstream a log pile on inside bend with depth. 15", dink, dink, dink, 16", 16.5". Time to head back (nearing 4PM with 5:30 "the get dark hour"). Long paddle and drag against the current. I used side channels to drag and paddle back up with less effort. The Commander 120 does this really well. I can swing my legs over the side to get out easily and it paddles upstream efficiently. Why use those rod holders so many kayaks come with? Keep your reel out of the water at the bottom of the boat. By the time I got back to the original hole, my reel had started to bind up.

So, a couple casts in, I'm fighting this dynamo of a bass all over the place. Fish goes under the boat, makes for my anchor rope, Nope.  Gets in the current. Nope. Unbelievable fish. 20" The Bass Pro Shops Microlite Float and Fly rod is a ton of fun to fight cold water bass on. I like the 8' and 8'6" versions.

Another 9 bass come to hand on the small black jig after the bruiser from dink to 15". Finishing out with 31. My second 30+ bass day this December surrounded by a string of mid teen outings. Shaping up as one of the better Decembers.

31 SMB (20", 3-17"-17.5", 5-16"-16.75", 5-15")

Successful Float Down, Catch Winter Smallmouth Bass, Paddle Kayak Back 12/11/14

Why do I enjoy fishing for smallmouth bass in the Winter? First, it's great to get outside and enjoy the outdoors. The actual fishing rewards attention to detail. It's different from the rest of the year, fish are concentrated, and if you've done your homework, rewards a very slow presentation. Dealing with all the weather can throw at you and still catching, no catching even more bass is a fun challenge.

Set out for a traditional float down/paddle back solo fishing event, or FLODPAB, if you need an acronym. I've done this in the Winter a few times on this very stretch. Each time successful, but often the distance is very much a challenge solo, paddling dragging back up. The best two holes are about 2 miles down. Large 100-300 yard pools, filled with boulders. I would paddle back, testing my WS Commander's ability to paddle against current. 32F, partly cloudy.

I paddled up and hit the first two eddies. Not much going on. Current was fast. I got to the next couple spots really fast. One was this side slot. The current seam flows right over a bunch of large boulders, which fish use. I knew from floating over one such eddy, that bass could be on the seam as I thought I saw one spook off. I parked the Commander above this notch, and here the open top kayak made an easy exit emergency beach storming the water willow jut.

 I got out and tossed float and a gray/chart/ white jig about 40" below the float. Cast it out into the fast water and dragged it into the slower current where I knew the boulders lay. Had problems focusing from the anxiety they may not be biting today, when the float sunk and my rod bent double on reaction. Win. I try to get the bass higher in the water column to avoid spooking any others. They rarely jump in Winter. This nice fight produced an 18"er.

15"er then, a fiesty 17" fish came not long after that. Seemingly picked off the shadow of a boulder I could barely make out.

Took the yak out on that seem and added another 15.75" smallie and a dink. It died not long after, So headed down to a series of two large pools. The first produced a dink and some carp spook puff clouds so I set out to the last pool, another notch in the side of a long pool. Dink LMB, then a 14" on float and fly. Lost one free lining the 1/16th oz hair jig along the current seam in slightly faster water than I'd drift. Headed back to the first large pool. Snagged 3 Quillback carpsuckers (one in the mouth). free lining. I stuck to this dead spot thinking smallies would be in there. Soon enough, my tiny jig got inhaled by a nice fish. Love the fights on this noodle rod. This bass was just short of 17". It was after 4PM. I had to paddle 2+ miles back to my car.

I soon realized there wasn't the usual eddies to paddle back upstream in. The Commander handled them well, when they were there. It was bank to bank blasting, at times, I had to wade directly against that and it was tiring. I was so happy to get back the first notch, I managed another 15"er and a second 17"er in the same spot. Ended up being an 18", 2-17", and 3-15-15.75" fish from that same spot.

Made it back to the take out with a herculean drag, paddle effort. I'm wasted today. Ahh.


11 SMB (18", 2-17", 16.99", 3-15-15.75") 3 Quillback carpsuckers to 16" (one hooked in the mouth)

Floating for Float and Fly Smallmouth Bass 11/29/14

Got a late start, finally fishing by 1PM. Took a while to figure out how slow a presentation and how slow of water the fish were in. Broke through with this 15.75" smallmouth who dunked float after several squibb moves followed by pauses. Almost no movement to the flow there. 

Was fishing 300 yard by 50 yard pool by myself, the battle was with impatience with water up to 8'. Stood in my Commander 120 through much of the pool to target fish bolders. Fishing was made very difficult by a 20-30 MPH upstream wind. The wind made it difficult to read slow water and locate smallmouth bass.

Felt really great to have fighting bass running all over the place on my 8'6" BPS micro lite. I downsized to 6lbs test, so far it's held up well and definitely allows the light jig to be cast further. Another key was standing up to spot discolored bottom contours, found a couple of bass that way I wouldn't have caught otherwise. Of note, the float being sucked a couple feet under, really makes it hard to tell how big the fish will be until you get the float above the surface. Second, If I sit on the commander's perch on the Commander 120, I need to wear a neoprene glove or bring a net, as I am at least a foot higher off the water.

Second to last fish was a beastly fat 19", tore all over the pool. Only one bite after that.

Finished with 7 SMB (19", 16.75", 16.5", 3-15-15.75")

Standing Up in Your Kayak? Is This a Real Thing?

Wilderness Systems Commander 120 

Floating the Sweet Creek 7/26/14

Wait, you did what? Bob and I floated a stretch of stream I knew to be a canoe route. An unforgivable sin? Stupidity? When I arrived at the meeting place a couple minutes after 8 on Saturday. We were in the middle of a torrential downpour. When we got to the take out to place a vehicle, a feeder was dumping mud into the creek.

Two things, first, we could try to fish in between the feeders to find clearer water. Second, a rainy day would surely deter canoers, so this opened up more stretches to us. Right? Right?

WRONG. At the new put in, the canoers piled up. I forgot my tackle backpack, so had to make due with some spare hardbaits and a buzzbait from my trunk. Always carry spares in your trunk people, for just such an emergency. I was without forceps and terminal gear, but at leat I could fish.

We headed upstream for a short wade above the bridge. Upstream, dragging our kayaks behind, Bob lagged behind as I topwatered a few quick fish (15") on a Sammy 100. We dragged and waded upstream a long way through shallow stuff. Picked a fish here and there. Bob fluked a nice 16" and I knew something was up, topwater bite off? We just couldn't see the holes that well after the rain. A brown stain. I had a fish eat a still Sammy right in front of my and another pop a gunfish off a boulder. Flukes mostly.But then the clouds came out!

Now we turned around and got in our kayaks. I would show Bob the benefit of fishing a buzzbait in a kayak. Easy. Drift downstream, rip it loud and don't stop casting. The more casts, the more fish. I quickly had 5, including a 15". Couple more nice ones then a 16.5" right behind Bob's boat. My counter rotating buzz was louder than his single blade and was paying off.

Canoers, so many canoers. The buzzbait bite was insane for me until we ran into them. We tried to wait them out, but they kept coming. We helped a couple right their canoe and ate lunch. The promise of an insane buzzbait bite was ruined by people! I was wrong. The bad weather hadn't deterred the masses. At all.

We were passed by three fly fishermen in canoes. Later I caught up, while they fished an eddy on one side, I floated down midstream and launched a long cast to the complete opposite side, sheltered by some wood cover where I surmised the SMB might have been pushed to by canoe noise. True enough, working the bait parallel to the bank not far from shore,I was rewarded with a hefty 17". I imagined dirty looks from the fly guys, tough. We were on the water first, and I had kindly avoided where they were fishing.. In four more casts I caught 4 more smallies, after a couple they got up and left. I felt bad for them because all the ruckus caused by the canoers was going to make their creeping style fishing difficult.

We finally hit the best spot and a half hour after we saw the last person. Bob nails this really nice fish on a buzzbait, then a 16" on River2Sea wake bait.  Was a great day. Here's Bob's pig just under 19".

Some tubers had been taking their time behind us. A heavy drunk woman got close enough to ask how far from the bridge we were. She said their three year old was cold. It made us both feel bad, but also a little angry that you'd bring a three year old out tubing a 5 mile+ trip, on a rainy day, and that you'd guzzle beer the whole way. It was only a mile, but it looked like a storm. neither Bob  or I had the room to carry 4 drunk people and a child. It poured hail and holy hell after that. I mean, holy hell. I was getting mad at myself for not knowing what to do. Even more mad at the stupidity of people and my poor choice in taking Bob on this stretch this time of year.

Feel like we should have tried another stretch, Bob nailing that good one was excellent. Lesson learned on what could have been a better day if not for the constant interruptions and spooked fish behaving unnaturally. My new Commander 120 was a joy to fish out of once again. Next time out, I'm taking the seat out and standing. Promise.

BT 33 SMB (17", 2-16.5", 2-15")

BC 11 (18.75" 2-16")

Fly Versus Guy? 7-19-2014 Float

Went for a long kayak float with Gregg, who is a fly fisherman. His first time fishing out of a kayak, but he does own a drift boat. Not a complete novice to floating and fishing smallmouth. I put him in a small, easy to maneuver kayak. I like to do this with most newbs. Easy to get out of danger and back upstream to remove your hangups. Fishing started out slow, but the water looked good. Medium sized river for the state, spring fed, water temps 63F. Day would be sunny.

Soon I found a chunky 14.5" bass on a tube next to a undercut bank. Didn't notice this pattern until later. Bigger fish close to the bank right on roots. Smallmouth were playing it tight, so topwaters were a non factor. Couldn't get them to chase either. I picked fish here and there on the tube. Gregg's fly was having a problem getting down beneath all that wood and fast current. We were on Indiana's fastest river. Characterized by clear water, gravel and scour holes found around wood piles.

After catching a few dinks, My Commander 120 drifted a long a undercut bank and I noticed 2 nice 15-16" smallmouth bass emerge from under the bank. Of course! I was fishing out in no man's land and needed to go slow and low in the slack. Next I spotted a 16" under a log I had floated too close to. It was made up, in my mind, the bass were in shade and close to wood. I quick pitched a tube under some brush and was rewarded by a thump and head shake. Unfortunately the fish cam unbuttoned. Not before I could see it was in the 17" range. 

I told Gregg the river widened soon and his fly would have a better chance without the fast choke points. Look for shade at cast to it with kind of a deadstick presentation. For his part, he was putting the flies on the money. Just a different ballgame out there. If you can't get in the scour holes, you aren't getting bit.

At the bottom of this larger pool, the river split into two tails that would come back together at a log pile at the bottom. I fished 4 14-14.75" chunks, who were almost grotesque by Indiana river standards. Then a couple dinks. I was at 20+ SMB without Gregg bringing one to hand. I sent him down to the log pile first, as I thought there would still be some nice ones for him to pick out of the wood piles.

In our state, you have to be able to fish wood. Get down in it, yank bass out. It's often where they hide. Downed trees provide bank protection from erosion, cover, and cause current to scour deeper holes. Smallmouth bass are naturally attracted to them. As I sent Gregg right. I went left, on what I thought was the smaller, more choked side. We left our kayaks behind for each choke point. You don't want to float into the fish and spook them.

So, I'm climbing over limbs and downed trees like a gazelle. (I love to climb on stuff) Suddenly, I spot a nice little scour hole that looks oh, so suspicious! Flip my tube in there and watch the line travel in a direction it shouldn't. Set that hook. I've found a nice one, this time, the fish doesn't shake free. 17.25"

I meet up with Gregg and he hasn't gotten any. We throw a little tube on his fly rod and soon has his first fish.

I pick this nearly 18" smallmouth bass floating next to a huge woodpile. The fish on this river really use the current to fight. Another fat smallmouth. 

Not long after, the bite becomes a buzzbait bite. Almost. I have two mammoth bass jump completely out of the water at my lure without touching it. Frustrating. Both were 18-20"ish. I seem to be stuck in the 17"'s more than usual this year. Gregg connects on a nice one which he brings to hand in the 17"'s. He added a few more as the river opened up and current lessened.

We get to the take out and loaded up at dark. Pitch black. Gregg loses his camera bag and with it all the shots of my standing in my kayak and the fat, fat, fat 14"ers I was catching.

29 SMB (17.99", 17.25", 2-15") 10- 14-14.5" 2 Creek Chubs 10 hour float. Not fantastic. I got some at the end on a buzzbait, but the hooks seemed dull or something was otherwise off.

Float 6-27-14

I took the Commander 120 for another drag and float. Water on this wide, shallow stream was kicking pretty good. Lots of canoe and kayak traffic had conditioned the bass somewhat to accept more noise.

It was hot, so hot. Turns out my camera was low on batteries and perhaps malfunctioning. No pics. Worked tubes, Sammy 100, Wake bait. Bite was good, but I absolutely wore out in my new shirt and walking upstream before the float. Lost a 2' plus bowfin up close. Kind of scary standing waist deep.

Boat was again pretty wicked.


27 SMB (18", 17", 16", 2-15")