Fri. 13th Bucks

Well I wanted to head to the honey hole but the chop and the wind didn't like that (pretty choppy & wind form the S.E that's weird).

But I was about same distance out.  Caught a couple fish, one stripper and one starry flounder. The flounder looked to have some lumps on his head so I put him back. A number of promising nibbles but never set the hook in any of them for one reason or another.

Fished about 4.5 hrs of out-going tide and was just about to call it quits (lacking bait) when the wind started to really pick up. Well that's OK since it's coming from the S.E. but about two minutes after it picks up it starts coming from the WEST.  Then it hits me. It's Friday the 13th.

I pull anchor and start paddling, nothing to worry about just a lot of chop. Tide still going out and strong wind from the west.

Well let's just say that when I finally made it to Bucks I was done fishing.      no Dino luv    I think I needed my FF, Damn it.

Hey at least you caught a stripper! 

Admire your positive solo attitude.   It cooled off this afternoon. Try next dino hunting outing. I am going out Sunday.

Better luck next time, Gowen.

You're probably right about a ff being useful. That style of fishing is flats fishing, and the fish are frequently using the channels that drain the flats as funnels to deliver the food to them. (Plus, as the tide gets lower, the deeper channels give better cover.) If you can find a spot where a couple of channels join together, all the better. The channels don't need to be much deeper than the flats.

Sounds like a small front went through.

In all seroiusness it can turn nasty out there on any given day, and then you've got a 3 mile paddle to get back.  In bad weather thats about an hour paddle, so being conservative is a smart idea!  Glad you made it back safely.  Also keep in mind that in 5-6 feet of water the area viewed by your ff is miniscule as the cone of the sonar doesn't have enough room to propogate.  Your probably looking at a 1 foot diameter circle under your yak, so your chance of marking fish suck.  It is effective for finding deeper water.  A ff can also be helpful for finding the channel back to Bucks on a LOW tide.  At Bucks a GPS unit is extremely helpful, as it all looks the same out there.  Good luck sunday, Mike is ready to go!

Good job Gowen... way to give it the old college try.  I wonder if you caught Mr. Matt's flounder that he cracked on the head a couple of times with his "girlie club" before it swam away... that would certainly explain the lumps.   

The FF is useful for finding channels.  You do graph some fish with it as well, but once the water gets down to 6 feet or less, like Sean said, your coverage is pretty small. 

However, if you are graphing fish repeatedly in shallow water, you're probably in a good spot... just think how many fish you may not be marking because of your small cone area.

Also look for rip lines as the tide is moving.  Sometime's you'll see them and that can be a productive area to fish.

I have no hesistation to fish in closer if the weather is iffy.  I've caught sturgon all over that area from inside the duckblinds and farther south toward China Camp.  The spot we've been hitting just seems to be a higher percentage spot.  When we were paddling out last time, in about 3 feet of water just outside the mouth of the creek there was a big swirl between Sean and I... probably a Dino feeding in the shallows. 

Monday's tides are not the best, but I'm willing to give it a try because I probably won't be able to go for a few more weeks, and I think there are still some fish in there regardless of the tide.  Just have to be there when their feeding cycle turns on.

Erik

The reference to the FF was a little gab to Blueyak  for some sick reason I seem to like  trying to rattle his cage, but your right about spotting small depressions that's where they seem to hang, I do really wish I had my GPS up and running though, I would hate to find a really good spot like the honey hole and never be able to find it again. well I guess my hart will continue to grow fonder looking for Sturgeon love.

any thread with "girlie clubs" and strippers is good with me! way to GOWEN, 

Thank you for the report, kind sir!

I didn't catch anything this sunday...not a bite on sturgeon rig. Then again had steel leaders and I was told by tackle store guy on 3rd that steel leaders were a no-no. This might not be true though as nobody else was really catching any sturgeon.

Then I switched to a lure (2.5oz green fish head with gold spoon and hair) and started casting just north of the outermost duck blind...prob' my 3rd cast and boom....line coming off my spool faster than I could think...almost had my rod jerked out of my hand hit was so violent...this doesn't happen in freshwater!!

He took off on a long run and then I sit my drag tighter...this is when it spun my kayak around and I started getting pulled by the mystery fish. After a 20' ride or so with me reeling in furiously he started coming back at me and dove under my kayak where he took off on another long run...then lost. Damn! Next time I'll be less focused on notifying guys on my vhf and more on landing the fishes...

I'm curious as to what it might've been...bass? shark? I feel like it had to be at least 20lbs or more...it could've been much more but I can't gauge saltwater hits yet.

Wow... sound like you got banged by a nice striper.  Really there are only two or three types of fish up in those parts right now... sturgeon, stripers, and flounders.  I'll be bringing my plugging rod with me tomorrow for that high tide period.  Stripers are dang fiesty and a big striper will really run you in circles.  At least you got a little action. 

Erik

Nothing like a little action from a stripper!

Sorry for letting a damaged starry flounder swim away...

If it had lumps from my "girlie club" it was mine!!!!
Man that club looked meaner on the rack in the store!!

Nothing like a little action from a stripper!

How did you know I went to Mitchell Brothers afterwards?

Truly though...a hit like that made up for not catching anything...way more of an adrenaline rush than anything I've had in a looong time.

Strongest Clearlake hit I had was on my boat lift...something hit my rod and bent it over so far it almost broke...I hate giving up fish like that. A violent hit indeed.

Next time I hit this spot I don't think I'll go out as far as before...getting back was a bitch as the wind picked up and current was outgoing...

I think I'll try the channel and duck blinds again. I hurt a lot after that paddle...but nothing a flexeril and nice brandy and bath can't solve.

Actually today I feel rather good other than a slightly stiff back and joints...not as bad as I thought.

My ass and back were quite comfortable in Marauder during all that paddling and sitting. It was my first kayak trip spending 7 or so hours in water.