New Personal Best Delta Striper (x2)

I was tired this morning (Nov 25)...all this damn fishing over the school holidays...slept in til 7 am, and almost decided to stay home.  After some coffee and breakfast, around 8:20 I loaded the yak into the car and off I went.  Got on the water around 8:55, realized I forgot my fishing license in the car, and got back to fishing by 9:10.  I trolled a half mile or so, and started to fix something on my yak when I heard a splash about 60 yards away.  I grab the pencil popper (yeah, XSquid, I'm not giving it away no more...) and give it a heave-ho!  About six side-swiping zig-zags and I get a drive-by, another two zigs and splah-sploosh!!  Solid hook-up.  The fish heads straight down in 23 feet of water and stays there a bit.  I finally coax the fish up and land her with the fish grips (properly fastened to my wrist this time).  Its a beauty and a personal best: about 30 inches, 8-10 pounds (pic 1).  It's hard to read the marks on the fish-lipper-gripper-scale-thingy.

I also got lucky and picked up this 4.5 pound LMB on the troll (pic 2).  I was cruising along when it got real shallow, real fast, with real think weeds.  I started reeling in, and when the lure hit the weeds, the weeds snapped back!

Later that morning, I was working a large flat near a good drop off and I hear another big fish splash at something.  I start chucking the popper again.  I circled the area for about 5 minutes plugging away.  Finally a huge swirl and SPLURSH!!  No weight on the line, but the lure is gone!  I waited a few seconds, and start reeling in, and the rod slowly builds up a  bendo and she takes off!  I'm just holding on watching the line peel away.  She tows me about for a while, and then finally I see her.  Get her near the boat and lip her...33 inch, 11.5 pound striper (via the X-tools digital scale) (pic 3)!  And another new personal best!  What a day!

On the way home, I was trolling along and went through another cut.  The water got deeper as I was headed into the main channel, so I was reeling in to change to a deep diver when DOINK! FISH ON!  Another solid striper at 26 inches (pic 4).  I also got a small LMB on the troll and a small 17 inch striper on the pencil popper.

It was a perfect day out there, light winds, good tides, and overcast all day. 

Have a Happy Thanksgiving.  See ya on the water sometime!

HobieBlue

Wow!  Great stripers Bryan.  Yesterday was a good day on the water but the fishing sure didn't compare with what you got today.  Thanks again for the tips and the company on the water yesterday.  Next time I'll have to fish in your "pond".

DUUUUUUUUDE!!!!!!!!!
Those are some AWESOME fish!!!!!
I think I need to sleep in and think about not going fishing more often. 

You have to love the top water action. Even if you don't hook up it is exciting. Nicely done on the hooking and landing. I need a few days off to head your way. Unfortunately work gets in the way

Very cool, HB!  Congrats on besting your personal best twice on the same trip!

Congrats HB, sweet fish!!!

that is what i call a damn good day of fishing. slept in and got your limit. nice work

Way to go on your personal best striper Bryan. Thanks for sharing some pictures.
How much do you charge for a guide? JK

Jedmo

Hell yeah!  I told you not to waste your time with the popper, must have been a fluke!  Great job, but you are killing me........

Nice Fish!!!! Congrats on a sweet day!!!!

Badog

ConGrats HobieBlue!!!!!

 Nice Hawg   

Sweet day fishing man, you killed it!

Fantastic! All your efforts out there have definitely paid off. Love the proud grin!

that is what i call a damn good day of fishing. slept in and got your limit. nice work

You said it! 

fantastic fish!
got permagrin?

Very nice!