Well checked the weather marine report looked good 5-10 on the wind, got the times for tides (http://www.saltwatertides.com/ ) , and decided to fish the last of the incoming and fish a through the slack and outgoing. First off decided to get the gear ready and minimize what I was taking. Decided to just do lures for this trip mostly plastics paddle tails and swim baits. Took out the old trusty electric chicken 4" paddle tail “that’s my go-to bait ". Rigged my rods and reels with 30lb "yellow" power pro and 50lb mono shock leader. Married up the mono and braid with a uni-knot, seems to work well and I have yet to have a break off. What to hook the plastic too.... Hmmm went with 1/4oz red jig head and loaded up the truck for the trip.
These days are getting colder so under amour cold gear as the 1st layer with a fleece top and bottom for the second layer, then breathable waders and a dry top. O' ya socks 2 pair 1 seal skins as first layer and Carhart hunting socks for 2nd layer. Seems to keep me pretty warm for an 8 hr stint on the water. Although this night I was not planning on fishing any later than 2300.
Yak on truck CHECK, Rods & reels CHECK, Tackle CHECK, PFD Check, Visi-Pole CHECK, Head lamp CHECK, VHF Radio CHECK. Off to Fentress to drop the yak in at CBBT.
Got to the launch water looked great surf looked 1-2ft great for beach launch, paddled out about 1/4 mile to the pylons and started casting my go to bait, hooked up on schoolies left and right seemed as the tide was a little late and was coming in pretty good. I sat inside the cover of darkness casting to the light catching schoolie after schoolie. After only fishing probably 10-15 minutes I get a nice hit and set the hook hard. Drags rollin out and I am in for my first sleigh ride of the night. Only went 20-30 yards until I got the feesh up to the yack. LEADER, LIP, LEG had my first big fish on the night in the boat. Measured her to be 34.5 tip to V in the tail. Well I had only been out a bit and wanted to fish some more, I was thinking what to do now? Quick paddle to shore and got a photo Op with one of the guys on the beach (thanks), walked into the surf and revived and released the fish to grow and be caught another day. Paddled back out about another ¼ mile tide died down to slack and caught one or two here and there. When it gets to this point where it’s slack I find the birds and watch for the stripers hitting the top water and go at it that route, may not be the best but works for me. Tide shifts about 2000 and I roll to the bay side and hook into schoolie after schoolie. Well it’s late toes are cold and I call it a night. Met a nice young yakker out on the water PJ was his name, hooked him up with a bag of the go-to bait and seems to work he caught quite a few. Until next time yall TIGHT LINES !
