OAP Sunday 1/11

Oh My GOD!!!!!  or GODESSS!!!!!

 WTG!!!!  ConGrats Melissa!!!!  Wow  ... OAP is OFF The Hook,,,,,  Wow...

got to love it WTG guys and gals

Well guys-

Melissa got her license and stamps at the ISE and was raring to put the hurt on some dinos. It also helped the cause having a late tide. That gave her a little more beauty sleep. She loves her sleep. (a little too much... I still have to work on getting her up early at the crack.) Anyways, I had a little trouble getting my sturg card but, it's all good... got bait and hit the lauch running.

I really need to look into getting her on a Hobie. She's a super low paddler. And all I hear is monku monku monku and she only paddled a 1/4 mile. She told me to just go ahead and set up but I wanted to put some fear into her to get her ass moving. I told her that when the tide turns, it's going to turn fast and it'll sweep her out off the Bay. That did it!!! She hunkers down and paddles with reckless abandon. Yeah... she's moving now... and we get to her honey hole in no time.

I give her a quick tutorial on the quick release anchor and she's set. She tosses out and I get ready to set up. I'm just about getting cozy on my yak and I hear her. First thing I do is look at my watch... Wow!!! It only took 15 minutes this time for you to hook up. I thought for sure it was a ray or a shark... No way can it be a sturgeon... I take my sweet ass time getting over to help her out and that thing took off... Whoa!!! Make sure your drag is tightened, don't reel when it's running, put the hurt on it... pump and reel, pump and reel when it stops... DON'T LET THE LINE RUB AGAINST THE YAK!!! 10 minutes later... she's getting the noose around the fish and it's a love story. Don't you love happy endings.

We paddle back to our anchors and I set up. She's all pround and sitting there all happy. All I can do is look at her and shake my head... this is unreal... this shouldn't happen... you have no idea what sturgeon fishing is all about... She just responds... "Don't shake your head at me..." 45 minutes later... tap tap... fish on... quick little fight and I'm thinking... this guy looks smallish. I don't put the hurt on this one... instead, I let it go to fatten up and proceed to fish some more. Melissa was a trooper... she said that we can fish however long I wanted to. A couple of hours later... "Honey, I'm getting bored..." Now, that's what sturgeon fishing is all about Babe. She's cranking up and I'm just about ready to do the same. I start to stow away my tackle and stuff on my deck and I feel that lovely tap. Swing for the fences and fish on... This one feels bigger too. It peels line and I let it go. With nobody around me... I just let it run. As it gets closer to me, it runs behind me so I pop the anchor. I boat it and I'm happy. Time to go home.

At the lauch, we run into a couple of NCKA newbies, Paul and his buddy, whose name I never got, but he had one FAT fish. Carl, nice to meet you, was there as well with tape measure waiting. Ariel came with Chris and Collum shortly after them. It was a party on the beach. After some pix and high 5s... we loaded up and headed for home.

It was nice seeing all you guys out there yesterday. And Chris... you really need to see about getting a ride that won't sink on you out there. Chris' yak was loaded with water. I know Chris is a big boy but, that yak was riding really low on the water. He popped the hatch and there's probably 3"s or more of water below.

Freddie

Way to go guys! Wow

other dude right here!  new member for life!

saw a pb pull in a big one on the way out and decided to anchor closer to shore.   dropped the ghost shrimp and waited until an hour after the tide turned.  saw a yellow kayak(melissa) go for a ride and was very jealous!   finally felt a tap-tap and set the hook.  line started peeling and i fumbled for the anchor release.  took a while to do that!  after going for a fifteen minute ride i see his head poking out.  woo hoo first one ever for me!  pull him aboard and measure him to 43 inches.  retry measuring a couple more times and get 44 inches.  call my buddy findthatfish for a confirmation measure and get 45 inches!  so he goes back. 

reset the line and anchor and retry.  ten minutes after dropping tap-tap and set the hook.  release the anchor smoothly this time and fight that fish!  40 minutes and half a mile later he comes up.  too big for this newbie to handle alone.  findthatfish and another kayak brethren help me pull him up for a measure.  he's legal!  thanks for the help guys!

get back to shore and he measures 62 inches.  then get an unofficial paddle measure from freddie and get something short of 65 inches.  still legal!

great to meet everyone out there yeaterday.  i don't remember everyone's name but i'll get it right next time.

andy.

Simply AMAZING!!  Now I congradulate you too Freddie!!   That is a sweet report and SWEETER pics to match it!  

...and you too OtherDude~nontoxic.  Two opps. in a day is very rare...WTCapitalize!
and Welcome to "theBEGINNINGofYOURend! (madness)

I need a BBF like you Freddie, Mooch just ain't cutting nomore!
and on more thing Melis----*SturgeonGoddess*? those waders give you an extra 30+lbs in those pics.   you must have been bundled up.
No Freddie, i'm not trying to hit on Melissa.....just bs'n a little.
  
 

Man that is super stuff you three!

I've really got to get my anchor release set-up, a snare built, my reel respooled, etc, etc.

BTW, Melissa, I'm guessing you didn't end up getting that new PFD based on the pictures you posted.  

Michael

Awesome job and good fishing with all.. thanks Jedmo for the snacks. 

AAAAWWWWWEEESSSOOOOMMMMEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!

Adam-

I'm telling you bro... you got my number.

Nontoxic-

Your fish was fat... just wondering if you had as good a time cleaning it as I did mine. Lots of meat there. That pic of you came out pretty good too. I can email it to you if you like. Let me know.

Dilbeck-

Yeah... we passed on the PFD because a certain somebody took me down an aisle at the ISE that we almost passed up on and we ran into Bob Steiner. I haven't seen him in a looooooooooong while and after about chatting it up with him, we bought some prints. My pocket book went a little ouchie but his stuff is really amazing. Melissa even likes his work.

That is EPIC stuff right there... we've never seen reports like this from the NCKA sturgeon tour.  UNREAL!

Congratulations to all of you... that's one for the books!

EK

it was nice to see everyone.  although i caught nothing, i had fun assisting my buddy with his catch.  btw, his name is Andy...that's right...that's his name...the newbie dude with a huge sturgie.  he went home with a big smile.  i am sure his family had a blast with fileting that monster yesterday.  we are definitely going back to OAP next wkend.

Unbelievable  ! That is totally awesome. I would not have believed this if I did not see the pictures with my own eyes. WTG Melissa, Freddie, and Andy  . I think my problem is I have been fishing for sturgeon from a PB rather than a kayak. I bet the OAP is going to be peppered with kayaks after this report.

Melissa - Don't wait until next year to share another report like this. I had to pull my wife from the couch to show her what is possible for her as well. Way to make is seem easy.

Thanks for sharing,
Ray

Very nice three good looking Sturgeon's . Melissa I bet its going to take you at lest 20 minuets next time . Way to go congrats to all.

Pat R

Un-freakin'-believable! 

Awesome fish, Melissa, Freddie & Nontox!