sweet smallies i bet that was a blast
This evening I took a co-worker out for his first time smallmouth fishing in a kayak and we hit them hard. Put the kayak in the water at 6:00 pm, and were back at the landing at 8:30 pm with our limit. Three were over 18 inches and two of those were over 19. We actually caught 15 smallies and one large mouth. You know the old saying they were so hungry they were jumping in the boat, well it was true tonight. I am sure some of you will think I am full of bull but it honestly happened tonight. I hooked up with one of the bigger three. On its 3rd leap he came out of the water about three feet from the kayak, went about 4 feet in the air, shook the hook, and landed right in front of me in the kayak. The best part was that my partner was there to see it as well as a couple who were sitting on their deck watching us. I don't know what was up with the fish tonight but they were on a rampage. We had two others almost land in the kayak, one hit the side on its way back into the water. One might think they were hibred flying fish:D. I know smallies are know for jumping but tonight was crazy. In the pics I am the guy with the hat, my fishing partner Ray is the bald guy.
It is not about the equipment you have to use,
It is about how you use the equipment you have. :D
sweet smallies i bet that was a blast
Wish we had fish like that here. We sometimes catch a few Brownies but most are small. I took my son out in the canoe yesterday. We caught a bunch of Largemouth and spotted Bass. Also 2 catfish ,a Drum and several Green Sunfish. Our limits on Bass are 10 per person except for Brownies.
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Takeum Jigs
great catch, looks like someone had fun. nice to see someone else who is not against keeping bass from time to time. now a days there seem to be so many anglers who are dead set against keeping any bass. we had smallmouth for dinner last night and leftover smallies for breakfast today..:D
It is not about the equipment you have to use,
It is about how you use the equipment you have. :D
Good catch, I started the kayak fishing this year. Do you anchor, or go to or get out of the yak when you find a hole to fish if in a shallow river? What did you catch the smallies with? Yak fishin is fun, we got some overnighters planned in June.
Yea, it sure was fun. I have never seen fish so acrobatic as these were. They soaked us as we brought them closer to the boat!
I pan fried two of them in some cornbread mix and then used some fajita seasoning sprinkled on top after they were done. hmmmmmm....good.
Ray
Nice report and perdy smallies.
I like to eat smallies but whata ya do with a largemouth?? Ive ate em time and time again and cant find anything appealing about them, and dont know many people that do. Maybe Im missing out on a secret or have odd taste budds.
hey luke77, we usually stay right in the kayak,, these fish were in a lake..when we fish the river we will sometimes get out and fish a hole then get back in and float down to the next hole. these particular smallies came on shaky worms rigged weightless on 1/0 gamakatsu hooks. i also often use yamamoto senkos and hulagrubs. last week they would not touch the shakys but were slammin the grubs. tubes of course work real well.
It is not about the equipment you have to use,
It is about how you use the equipment you have. :D
I started kayak fishing in the late 80s when I was a full time guide for 3 years in Key Largo, Florida, I have been hooked since,. have caught everything from sharks, tarpon, reds, stingrays, etc, to perch, bass, catfish, carp, panfish, musky and pike etc. also my number one piece of duck hunting equipment,, gets me where i want to go and often places where others can not go.. i honestly believe the low profile helps from being spotted by fish when in shallow or clear water.
It is not about the equipment you have to use,
It is about how you use the equipment you have. :D
Treed, if you aren't enjoying the taste of largemouth, try soaking the slabs overnight in cold water in the fridge. I cook largemouth, smallmouth, crappie, bluegill, pike, walleye all the same way. If your fish seems to be muddy (like pike or bass, feeding in a muddy area) soak them in salt water. Your slabs should be nice and firm and bleach white after the soaking (Thanks to slabsrus for this tip!). Let me know how it turns out.
Ray