More Winter Kayak Stripers

[KayakFisherman]

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Got skunked last time, so I was a motivated fisherman. It was cold when we first got there (24 degree air temps), with a low tide and there wasn't much of a bite. I failed to set the hook on a solid hit and thought that would be it, but soon after I hooked up with a fat 24" bass on a small umbrella. Redemption. Later in the incoming tide, the temperatures rose and the bite picked up. It was probably a 50-50 split between guys who were using umbrella rigs and guys who were using jigs. I don't know who was catching more but interestingly, of the two rigs that I made up, one of them was weighted like a jig and the umbrella wasn't. Even though I seemed to get more hits on the weighted one, I didn't get the hookups that I did with the unweighted umbrella rig. I'll stop short of dispense advice, but that was my observation. I also noticed a lot of guys in kayaks who were ill-equipped for the conditions. One guy had a fishing vest, but not a life vest. Another guy was wearing sweatpants and sneakers. Nobody ever plans to go in...

 

[pequa1]

You are a better man than I. Although I have the dry top, snug waders and belt, etc., I just yak May to early October now, and stick to deer hunting on my nuisance permit or surfcasting in between. But these idiots sans PFDs are just that, idiots. I feel the same about hunters without blaze orange.

 

[BennyV]

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Got skunked last time, so I was a motivated fisherman. It was cold when we first got there (24 degree air temps), with a low tide and there wasn't much of a bite. I failed to set the hook on a solid hit and thought that would be it, but soon after I hooked up with a fat 24" bass on a small umbrella. Redemption. Later in the incoming tide, the temperatures rose and the bite picked up. It was probably a 50-50 split between guys who were using umbrella rigs and guys who were using jigs. I don't know who was catching more but interestingly, of the two rigs that I made up, one of them was weighted like a jig and the umbrella wasn't. Even though I seemed to get more hits on the weighted one, I didn't get the hookups that I did with the unweighted umbrella rig. I'll stop short of dispense advice, but that was my observation. I also noticed a lot of guys in kayaks who were ill-equipped for the conditions. One guy had a fishing vest, but not a life vest. Another guy was wearing sweatpants and sneakers. Nobody ever plans to go in...

Where are you fishing?

 

[PracticalPrep]

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Got skunked last time, so I was a motivated fisherman. It was cold when we first got there (24 degree air temps), with a low tide and there wasn't much of a bite. I failed to set the hook on a solid hit and thought that would be it, but soon after I hooked up with a fat 24" bass on a small umbrella. Redemption. Later in the incoming tide, the temperatures rose and the bite picked up. It was probably a 50-50 split between guys who were using umbrella rigs and guys who were using jigs. I don't know who was catching more but interestingly, of the two rigs that I made up, one of them was weighted like a jig and the umbrella wasn't. Even though I seemed to get more hits on the weighted one, I didn't get the hookups that I did with the unweighted umbrella rig. I'll stop short of dispense advice, but that was my observation. I also noticed a lot of guys in kayaks who were ill-equipped for the conditions. One guy had a fishing vest, but not a life vest. Another guy was wearing sweatpants and sneakers. Nobody ever plans to go in...

Nice ! When was this?

 

[george]

Nothing like schoolies on light tackle to kick off your season!

Thanks for posting.

 

[KayakFisherman]

Where are you fishing?

Sorry. CT. Housatonic River @ Shelby/Derby

 

[KayakFisherman]

Nice ! When was this?

Saturday 3/9

 

[BennyV]

Very nice thanks for sharing!

 

[live bait]

I smile to myself when I read this, how times have changed, I guess for the better. I'm an old Montauk surf caster, I will admit we were shipping fish back then, but I don't think I would have told my mother where I was getting fish. You are a better man than I Kayak Fisherman.
John

 

[pequa1]

Perhaps he knows he is rather safe to say it being early March, lol.

 

[live bait]

Perhaps he knows he is rather safe to say it being early March, lol.

I agree, also I think the culture of the fishing community has changed, for the better. Sorry don't mean to hijack a fine thread. Catch em up Mr Kayak
John

 

[Richee33]

It always amazes me the lack of knowledge of hypothermia people have .It has been written about and their have been many sad examples of what will happen if you go the water in winter or colder months without the proper attire.Every year we get stories of people out in non seaworthy craft of some sort with no pfd and no dry gear and no vhf for when they get in trouble and they become another statistic very crazy and sad

 

[pequa1]

SMH. and in dark clothes and a dark green or dark blue PFD if they do have one ! Reminds me of the absolutely stupid Navy BDU uniform in shades of blue and black. Go overboard and sayonara.

 

[Richee33]

SMH. and in dark clothes and a dark green or dark blue PFD if they do have one ! Reminds me of the absolutely stupid Navy BDU uniform in shades of blue and black. Go overboard and sayonara.

I never understood the need for people on the water to use a camo colored kayak or dark no reflective clothing.Who are they hiding from?We are not out in the woods trying to be stealthy around deer or turkey we are in a lot of times in open water sharing a place with very much larger and faster craft than ours.Sorry for going off topic my last post on this.

 

[pequa1]

I do not have any problem at all with off topic when it relates to safety. Deer do not distinguish orange and red, and possibly only blue and yellow. Smell, noise and movement, another story. While my avatar doesn't truly display the orange as I took some off to start field dressing, I have never hunted without a hat and at least a full zippered vest of blaze orange. Jacket is red or orange. I also wear orange gloves, and an orange scarf my wife knitted (or crocheted, like I know the difference). My partner the same. I understand turkey do see colors, hence the overwhelming amount of camo being sold. But while my canoe is green, its only been on small local lakes. Old yak and new? Yellow and orange. PFDs ? Orange and yellow. Safety flags flown as well. I see these idiots every summer out there barechested. (Unfortunately only males.) One big wake, a head hit from paddle or yak, ashes to be spread at later date. I can certainly tell that the OP, KayakFisherman would be seen, what with the fluorescent lime jacket, yellow PFD and yellow kayak ! Sure doesn't seem like his fish were scared off either. Sorry for my rant.

 

[Rick67]

Attaboy Eric couldn't budge to head up this year. Few more weeks will be heading to Jersey. Can't wait for your night time shark pics

 

[KayakFisherman]

I don't mind sharing where I catch fish. They're not my fish. People just think I'm giving the farm away. It's no secret that the only fish around right now are going to be up in the Housatonic. There are a couple of other rivers, but maybe three places in the tri-state area. If you're willing to put on your thermals, your drysuit, electric socks, electric gloves, balaclava and get out there in the winter to possibly catch nothing for 8 hours, then come join us.
The fish are almost always there. What I learned about those holdover bass is that you have to learn to get them to bite. I realized that most of my challenge when summer bass fishing is locating them. Getting them to bite once I found them is not usually very hard. It's the other way around on the Housatonic: you can find the fish and you can be right on top of literally hundreds of them. Your bait will be bouncing off of them. And you catch nothing.

I'm learning.

 

[KayakFisherman]

Just a quick note about kayak color. There's a common misconception that any blue kayak is a bad idea for safety reasons. I operated a kayak rental for13 years and certain shades of medium blue kayak are highly visible, much more so than reds. The emphasis should be on earth tones versus "unnatural" colors, which stand out to our eye as we scan the water. White is worse than black.

 

[pequa1]

The tandem my wife and I paddle is a bright light green Perception Tribe. Not quite as visible as my old yellow Hurricane Phoenix but quite visible. I also have spotted blue yaks before I spotted the guy's partner in a red one. Just hoping that my mango (orange) new Skimmer 128 is almost as visible as my old Phoenix. That said, I usually spot kayak hulls BEFORE I spot safety flags.
Have fun with the holdovers. Still deer hunting on my nuisance permit here. If I am going to be cold I want to have my feet on dry land, lol.

 

[Richee33]

Just a quick note about kayak color. There's a common misconception that any blue kayak is a bad idea for safety reasons. I operated a kayak rental for13 years and certain shades of medium blue kayak are highly visible, much more so than reds. The emphasis should be on earth tones versus "unnatural" colors, which stand out to our eye as we scan the water. White is worse than black.

I agree with you that Blue tends to be very visible.I have a blue Hobie outback and was worried about to being seen but I have to say that I pick out the blue of other Kayaks mostly Hobies before other colors and my son has the papaya color.I can pick up the blue sometimes over half mile away before I can see the yellow and forget about red almost non existent to my almost 60 year old eyes but that is just my experience others might have a much different opinion.