Thursday- Beat Pitt while French watches from California.
Friday- conduct day job business.
Saturday-leave California at 8AM. Connect in Chicago. Arrive back in DC at 8PM.
Sunday-Get picked up at 1:00AM. Drive to the OBX. Fill two coolers full of spot for spring flounder bait (and heads for drum fishing.
Monday- catch two citation red drum on the wind change and then get home to give the kids candy.
Forums:
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Comments
French, you forgot "Monday at 11:50 PM finish writing/editing film review for TKP".
BOOM. French was bringing the heat!
Doin' Work!!
via GIPHY
via GIPHY
Hell yea French! If you do not mind spilling the beans on your spot, what pier is that?
Pretty sure it is the Avalon Pier.
Yep, Avalon Pier. When I left around 40 citation drum had been caught.
That's one of those days that you look back when you're 80 on a rocking chair on the front porch, and say "hey remember when we got into that mess of Drum that one day and we slayed 'em?"
Fishing creates some of the best memories one can have.
Yes! It was a very cool day. I just wish I had not been so jet lagged on Sunday.
French, you is da main.
Epic!
Wish you could have been here IFishVTIam. You would have been a great addition to the crew I was fishing with. It was a ton of fun and lots of good natured ribbing. We packed three people, 10 fishing rods (including two heavers), three coolers, tackle, three changes of clothes, rain/drumming outerwear, and other odds and in's into a Prius and made it work.
As much as I would have enjoyed getting in on the drum action, where I would have fit in the Prius defies even my active imagination. I've been dealing with a bad back for a week or so and wouldn't have been a go anyway, but if you go again, let me know and maybe I can meet you down there. Would love to meet your crew.
Speedy recovery sir. I owe you and Hokieobsession a visit to play with some linesiders soon! I saw a report where a big rockfish was caught in the York yesterday.
Word is that there are still puppies and specs around, but not sure what this cool down will do to them. The rockfish are definitely here, though the big ones aren't ubiquitous. Most are smallish schoolies, but there are some bigger fish in the mix. Things are getting going, and you are welcome anytime. I'll keep you up to date as things continue to develop.
Awesome job French! Good to see your new rods and reels treating you right!
Sadly they were not new. I got the OM12H spinner repaired. My conventional is beyond repair. I am having a new one built from a Rodgeeks blank, but it won't be finished until spring time.
Ah, glad the spinner was repaired so you could make it work. How long have you been using those rods?
The spinner Oceanmaster 12M heavy has been with me since 2007. That rod has taken a beating. This is the listing for the rod. Very few spinners are equipped to throw an 8-10oz sinker and a bait.
Here is the rod on BPS, except they no longer are advertising the 12 foot extra heavy version. http://www.basspro.com/Offshore-Angler-Ocean-Master-Surf-Rod-Spinning/pr...
It is stiff and difficult to load, but with a good quality large surfcasting reel (I use a Daiwa Saltiga 4500 Surf, which is a more expensive option. A big Saltist would work just was well with half the money) it will do the job. It is a whole different manner of getting a hook set with a loose drag setting. Conventionals are easier (and have a warning clicker.)
My conventional Oceanmaster only lasted 4 years. I don't know if I did something wrong, but it cracked right below where the butt inserts into the tip. Bass Pro doesn't seem to offer the Oceanmaster Surf Rods anymore for conventionals. The cheapest rod I can find rated to do the job is a Penn Carnage II. I am getting a rod built from this blank: https://rodgeeks.com/collections/surf-rod-series/products/surf-rod-serie... and with the materials and the labor it may be a $5oo investment. A real high in heaver would be a CTS, a Century, or a Vega. Those go up into the $500-900 atmosphere.
For a conventional reel, I can't speak highly enough for the Penn Squall 15 as a beginner reel. It is about $150. It has a dial where you can set a braking system that will keep you from blowing up your reel. Most of the regulars use Daiwa Slosh 20's. I can't figure out the brakes on them.
Thanks as always for sharing your knowledge! I haven't gone pier fishing in awhile but know when I do again, I will have a great library of knowledge to pull from. My grandad has a few penn senators combos but uses them for trolling. I think they are alI 6'6" rods, Medium Heavy power. I would think if you change out the rod for heavy power surf rod like the Penn Carnage II that could work.
you wouldn't be able to cast with a 113. We use a live baiting system and 113's work as the fighting rod in the summer. For surfcasting, a 113 is too big and doesn't have a braking system to prevent a backlash.
This is an older video, but it gives a taste of what kind of gear and how chaotic drum fishing can be. I make a very brief appearance.
That did help me visualize more what goes on during the old drum run from pier and surf. Definitely chaotic, definitely it's own style of fishing.
Wow, those are some nice ones, French.
Excellent!
Sounds exhausting.
Yes. I can sleep when I am dead.
There was definitely a French sighting on Avalon Piers Facebook page
I think they may have missed me. If someone got a picture of me, especially one where I had the spots showing on that pre-dawn drum, I'd love to see it.
Sorry it's not of you with a fish, it's 2 guys holding 2 big drum and your in the background, I'd post it but I'm pretty ignorant to technology.
Ah! I saw that one. The guy on the left (Doug), that was his first ever drum. He thought it was a ray and tried to break it off when one of the regulars screamed "what the hell are you doing? That's a drum!" Heck of a first fish!
That's the one. thats a hell of a fish to be his first drum.
PHOTOBOMBING
[img]http://i.imgur.com/0NNlNJl.jpg[/img]
I used to do it fine, and for some reason using Imgur has gone goofy.
beautiful reds...those fish would eat everything I usually catch and still be hungry
buddy and I paddled a canoe up a remote creek this pm...steady action on small trout and reds. had to squeeze thru a couple of blowdowns from Matthew. should be a good winter for inshore fishing in NEFL.
Is anyone else catching? I have heard rumors of big bluefish in North Jersey, king mackerel off the southern NC piers (Bogue posted a live video of a guy getting a king today) and rockfish moving into the bay.
Minor report, but all I got. Went out this morning from public landing at Harcum on the Piankatank river. Wind and waves precluded fishing anywhere except the river for my Scout. We got into some fish early, got a couple of 20" rockfish in the box and I got a really nice speckled trout which my buddy also took home for the grill. While we caught several more small stripers, the weather was definitely against us...high bluebird skies and a lot of wind. What we got, came in on various things, a few on bucktails, one on Gulp, and a few on a deep diving Rattlin' Rogue, but while there were small pods of fish around, and birds were there looking for them as well, there just weren't enough fish ganged up to get a decent bite out of them. Lots of loons in the area, scarfing up the bait, but we couldn't get out to the bay where the bulk of the fish were to be had.
I am glad you got some action though! A nice keeper speckled trout that far north this time of year is nothing to sneeze at!
Water temps were in the upper 50s, so I expect that the striped ones will be around for a while, but don't know enough about the trout to speculate (get it?). Seriously, though, the rock seem to be around. Now, we just need the weather to cooperate.
Merry Christmas and good tidings to all the fishermen and members of TKP!
Very cool! Back atcha.
Wish I could figure out how to post photos on here (I've given up for now. ) I'd share a photo of my Christmas tree which is decorated with fly fishing ornaments and musky flies.
Edit: My buddy just texted me and told me to come to NC next week for schooled up redfish. Cannot wait and will post a full report!
A friend here in Mathews told me that last weekend, he got 47 specs fishing out of Oriental, NC. Said the air temp was 22 degrees, fish were up to 18" and they fished four hours.
Definitely post that report, and if you can figure an easy way for a non techie to post photos, come and school me. Also, if you'll email me your mailing address, I have a book I'd like to give you. Being a fly guy, you'll appreciate it and I'd like to pass it on to someone who'll appreciate it. Signed by the famous author, it'll be a good addition to your library.
This site will post images and gifs. It is best if you have the pic /gif stored on your PC. Go here:
https://postimage.org/
Click Choose Image / this should open you pic files or select the file you have them stored in.
Select pic in your PC and click open.
The site will up load the pic and send you to the url page. Copy this link on that page (far right hand column)
JUst above the comment box on TKP click the left icon (little state of VA.
Paste the url from post image into the drop down.
Click INSERT
Note: the image will not load until you hit POST on TKP.
Pretty simple
Thank you!!!!!
Actually, now Joe has an active preview so you can see if you put the picture in right.
In related news, we could always use more key players club members, people.
Gary Dubiel is a guide out of Oriental and he has been tearing the specks up. He had a 100 fish day this past week. We will hopefully get after a few of them as well, but the reds are target numero uno.
Just shot you an email in response to yours, thank you very much for the book!!
Musky, thanks. I'll try again. You need to know that you are dealing with illiteracy here. You say paste, I say huh? Truly, basic and numbing illiteracy. I promise to try, though I have tried and failed before. My biggest problem is that if at first I don't succeed, irritation and beer immediately ensue.
Again, though, thanks.
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!
Musky, thanks for the tips. My first pic to TKP.
A few weeks ago up on the Cascades stream.
Merry Christmas.
Edit: cmon Fish, you can do this. It was literally that easy.
Pretty work! I miss the thrill of a perfect drift (granted I was doing it with meal worms and salmon eggs, not flies!)
OK, thanks for the encouragement. I intend to wait a couple weeks to see if I can make that first pic a trophy striper. If I don't get one, and with the weather and health of my fishing partners lately, I may not, but I will at least go to the archives and see if I can get one to show.
Edit: As you can see below, I didn't wait.
So, to honor Musky, here's my first try. We'll see, that was a lotta stuff to type out.
Edit: Well, gloriousky! Easy, no, but doable? Apparently. If I can do it, I assure you, anyone can. Now, for that trophy striper...stay tuned.
Very nice! Can't wait to see the striper.
BOOM
Trying again to make sure I get the process right. If it comes through, I promise I won't try again until I get that aforementioned linesides. This walleye came from Claytor Lake, same hole as the musky above.
Good job! I had no idea Claytor had musky! I wonder if VGIF still keeps a brood stock at Burke Lake in NOVA?Was the walleye good! Looks like you have this pic thing down now.
I don't know how to catch them, but yes, there are musky in Burke Lake. I used to live about 2 miles from it and every now and then would see one cruising a weed line while bass fishing.
as a teen (circa '71), i hooked two of them fishing for bluegill from the bank. they simply straightened the hook after a few seconds
In my 25 years of fishing Claytor, I never intentionally caught a musky. We only got them while walleye fishing, usually bumping the bottom with a small minnow tipped jig in 20-40' of water. Only reason we were able to land them, other than good tackle and very experienced fishermen, was the fact that we were in open water and had a boat to chase them down a little. We also got several really big flathead cats in that hole. 20-30 lb fish on small jigs and 8 lb test line weren't easy to land, and we lost a bunch of those big fish over the years, but we also were able to land them often enough to enjoy them, even though we really wanted to get them in and get ourselves back to the real business at hand, which was walleye.
Claytor and the New, above and below Claytor, has a thriving population of muskies. We used to regularly catch them when bumping the bottom for walleye. The musky above was one of three we got that day. This is on 8 lb test with a quarter oz feathered jig tipped with a large shiner, our normal smallmouth gear. While my clients and I caught a bunch of muskies while fishing the river, the biggest one I ever saw came to the boat on the aforementioned gear, and was definitely somewhere between 35 and 40 lbs. We had three chances to land the fish, but my partner didn't have a good handle on how to use boga grips, and after a few tries, I just allowed he/she to bust me off. Didn't want to injure the fish and the fight had gone on too long at that point (close to 40 minutes). As we all know, muskies aren't built for long endurance fights, but my tackle was just too light to force the issue any more than I had at that point, and it was time. The fish swam away undaunted, albeit with a little lip jewelry to show its buddies.
[ mod edit: NSFW content removed ]
Dang, Musky, what'd you say? Sorry I missed it.
yep, I must have missed something.
Don't post pictures of half-naked women on TKP. End of story. Not the first time I've had to do it, so lessons must be taught.
Got it guitar!
Dang, the mod even has to check the uninteresting off topic threads? Thank you for your service, guitarman
So uninteresting that Musky was able to get 20 downvotes in a couple of hours on Sunday, and you, hokie07ME, even dropped by to disrespect a topic many of us are as passionate about as the Hokies? Definitely not as here and now as zombies and such, but some of us are eaten alive by fishing. Got a pic for us?
FWIW, the -20 was from me, in a single click, as reprimand for having to remove inappropriate content.
Yeah, Guitar, I figured that was the case. I was just trying to tweak 07 a little and the -20 was just a prop toward that end. Still and all, wish I'd have been able to see the half nekkid shot...which half was naked?
woah did you get a raise? I thought your DV power was -10
I got a power-up. More on that in an upcoming Meta thread.
I've already noticed one other update...I'm curious what else I haven't figured out yet
edit: I'm still not seeing the long sought after "sarcastica" font...I've been pining for that for years
You clearly haven't stumbled upon the magic phrase that deletes your account, so congratulations and happy commenting!
well, now I'm curious
slow morning and all my other new comment notifications were cleared. Sometimes the neurosis is strong enough to bring me to the fishing threads...
All is welcome here in the land of fisherpersons.
Thank you very much Musky for teaching me how to post photos. That was very easy. You all will now be inundated with fish porn.
Merry Christmas TKP fisherpeople!
You are certaily welcome.
hmmm, reel?
Figuring out what tackle I need for next year. So far the list is-
1) a Penn SSV 6500 (I have a live liner that I am going to move to a light surf rod, so I need a bucktail reel.)
2) New sunglasses (looking at Costa, Smith Optics, and Salt Life with Amber lenses.)
3) 65 pound fluorocarbon (Seaguar Green Label)
4) 130 pound Spro Barrel Swivels
5) Face Buff (I wish someone made VT ones.)
I am weighing selling my Shimano Tyrnos 30. It is a great real... super smooth drag and serious power. But, I think the reel is cursed. I have had it for six years and I have not had a single strike from anything but trashfish. I got my old TLD on my junk Tsunmai Five Star out last year and boom- cobia on the first trip. It is a shame for such a nice reel to gather dust, so when I start making rounds at the fish expos/flea markets I may unload it.
This may help.
Jobu still no can catch the cobia. Fuck you, Jobu. I do it myself.
There is no amount of rum to wash the shark/skunk off that rod and reel combo.
I am already fantasizing about June...
How about chicken blood?
Seriously, though, my wife's aunt has decorated her beach house in the OBX with family photos and rods/reels from the 50's where the drum are as big as Great-Granddaddy and they're camping all Thanksgiving week on the beach out of a 1940s Ford. King of the house though is the mounted Drum from 1945 that Great-Granddaddy caught.
Makes the puppy drum I saw being pulled off the Point just seem wimpy.
Yep. The resource took a beating, but now the drum fishing is as good as it has been at least since I started.
I have spent most of my time when I wasn't working this week watching cobia videos. The countdown is already going on. Ugh.
Crazy how close they got to the boat. That is something you dream about for sure.
Fished a little tidal creek yesterday south of St Aug...9 trout (5 legal fish), no reds (bummer). Lots of short strikes. Finally settled on my favorite shad imitation, fished ridiculously slow. One of those rare days when gulp didn't produce.
Trout a la meuniere for dinner last night. Yum!
Gulp didn't work? Rare day indeed. I've outfished Gulp with real minnows, even dead ones, when walleye fishing, but that's the only time for me so far. Thanks for the report.
Definitely not the norm. Foul hooked one in the side with a curly tail, and shook off a cigar on a shrimp. Once I started bouncing the plastic on the bottom, they hammered it. Wish I'd done that an hour sooner.
http://sfttackle.com/storm-wildeye-swim-shad-741.html?gclid=CjwKEAiA1vjC...
my only gripe with this bait is quality control; about every third one wants to swim on its side a bit. but the color pattern, eye color and action are deadly in our part of the world
My go to Gulp is on an appropriate jig head fished bumping the bottom with subtle twitches and short hops, as opposed to many jigging approaches that have violent jerks, etc. The 4" swimming mullet is superb for that and I have caught many trout on it like that. My favorite shallow water Gulp approach, though, is with a 5-6" Gulp Jerk Shad, usually chartreuse and white, fished weightless on a 4/0 offset worm hook (I like the heavy Owner, but the Gamakatsu has a longer shank, it is just a bit easy to bend). Casts a mile on light line, I use 6lb, or 8lb if there's cover. You can fish it high, fish it low by slowing the twitch retrieve, let it sink, etc. You can skin hook the point if you are fishing over grass or around much vegetation. I have had better luck with that rig on reds, but that's because there weren't many trout around. When there were trout, I got some nice ones on it.
As for the storm lure, it is a staple in my box as well. I like the croaker color for fishing where croaker abound. I have caught a ton of stripers on them, a bunch of walleye on them, and even a couple of 10 lb gray trout on them. I haven't noticed the quality control issue you mention, though. I'll keep my eye out. I just hate to fish them around bluefish, but that happens with Gulp, also, so I guess disabled lures comes with fishing plastic in saltwater.
when i get into blues and jacks, i either leave (most often) or get out a cool colored tail in my tackle box that caught me but hasn't caught fish : )
I fish gulps slow as well...hop them on the bottom.
i've had zero luck on the jerk shad (probably a lack of confidence and thus, commitment). i'll try a topwater first. but in NEFL, we are usually fishing in current rather than out on the flats
years ago (early 90's) in Galveston Bay, i did well at certain times of the year on the plastic jerk baits. gulp hadn't been invented yet.
Know what you mean about confidence. It's all about that. But if you're in the skinny and you have reds around, I can guarantee you that the Gulp Jerk Shad will flat out catch them all, especially when they'll take on top. Main thing is to stay weightless and don't over work the darned bait.
Like you, though, most of our fishing around here is in current and deeper water. I learned to love the plastic jerk baits when the Zoom Super Fluke and the Bass Assassins were hot on the New and James Rivers. Like you said, Gulp wasn't around yet, but we used to use "Spike-It" to enhance the bait as the years passed and the fish became accustomed to the bait. That's one thing great about the saltwater. The fish come and go on the tides, year to year, different fish. On the river, the fish are born and die pretty close to the same places, and they get used to baits, some more than others.
My favorite striped bass lures are storm shads in school bus or pogie color, and shad assassins on a basic round jig head.