GSP on 1/2/11

[txnative]

My plans for this sunday are probably going to be washed away by tomorrow's expected rain, so i will be headed back to the steam plant in my kayak. Anyone who wishes to is welcome to join me.


Chris

[Reel Tune]

How about this, the night time is the right time. Hhhhhmmmmm? Let me know.

Jeremy

[txnative]

Sunday night isn't a bad idea if my plans fall through. I'd planned on hitting a river to the southeast, but 2+ inches of rain may prevent it. I have a back-up in the area, so the gsp is my back-up plan to my back-up plan (just like when i am yak fishing, i'm prepared for anything). If i do hit the gsp, it'll probably be an all-day affair, but even that may change. What time in/out were you thinking ?

SAFETY NOTE:
I would absolutely NOT fish from a kayak at night anywhere alone. During the day, fine, but not at night. The risks of fishing during the day are amplified tenfold at night due to lower visibility and temperatures. A lack of other anglers means no one will be around to help should an accident occur.

[Reel Tune]

PM Sent, or you can give me a call.

Jeremy

[bd-]

I would have been out there myself this weekend, but I seem to have gotten hit with the world's nastiest chest cold this week. I'm staying in bed and resting instead. Hopefully I'm back on my feet in the next couple weeks so I can get out there and join the crowd. :)

bd

[jokerwld]

I will be out at GSP in the morning. My wife will be with me just look for the TR21 Triton and the female in the back dressed like its 30 below :)

[txnative]

Sorry for the delay in the report, i've had some family issues come up. Here goes:
I got to the plant around 1 pm, and right away knew fishing would be slow due to post-front conditions and the apparent boat show (lot of boat traffic) in the channel. I managed 1 white bass until about 4. I met adawes near the mouth and we talked until i noticed busting fish out in the flat downstream of the gsp channel. Mostly skippies, but a few larger splashes seemed intriguing. Activity soon died, but i decided to hang around until midtnkayakangler joined me. As i saw him approaching, i decided the next skippie would become bait. Only a couple boats where left, and they were making their way out. Sun was setting, winds slowed, and air temps dropped. Me and mtka had planned on staying late, so i prepped for big fish.

I hooked my next skippie, a 12 incher, under its dorsal fin and started slowly paddling back into the channel. Mtka arrived, caught a skippie, and rigged it under a balloon then followed me in. A few minutes later, nature gave me a call. I reeled in the skippie and moved the hook to its' nose so i could paddle faster. I was headed towards the gravel bank halfway up the channel to beach my yak and relieve myself. As i heard my yak scraping bottom, my reel's clicker went off in a slow, steady pace. I assumed i was snagged and when i went to try to pull it free, the "snag" pulled back...HARD. i realized the circle hook had done its job as i began to get towed backwards. I corrected my yak and used my feet and/or paddle to steer as the fish headed out of the gsp channel. I hadn't put my headlamp on, and the light from my stern-light did nothing to help me see anything in front of me. I reeled myself to the fish, and even when i was directly over it, i still got pulled around. Mtka met up with me and stayed near till i landed a 25 lb striper. Exciting, but a little scary in the dark. We snapped some pics, then back she went to get bigger.

We couldn't catch anymore skippies, so we went to artificials. I picked up a small striper in the boils. I also marked a bunch of big fish or big schools of fish on my depthfinder, but they wouldn't hit.

If anyone has any suggestions on A: catching skippies after dark, or B: keeping them alive in a way i can use from a yak, i'd appreciate the tips. I plan on going again asap, so, like usual, let me know if interested.

Jeremy,
If you don't mind, can you post the "far" pic and the release pic, thanks.

Chris

[Reel Tune]

Did you not get the pics I emailed to you? I can still post them, but it won't be for a day or two.


Jeremy

[txnative]

I got em. I just can't post pics. I use my phone pretty much exclusively and haven't set up a photobucket acct. If u know an easier way, let me know and i can do all my own bragging :)

[GO-OKFISHIN]

Nice striper TX. That had to be a blast in your yak.

[Reel Tune]

I'll post them for you, it sure is something to brag about, and I'm sure you'll have more this year it's just getting started. The good thing about it is that it shows the advantage of the kayak (a stealthly vessel capable of handling big fish), or it's just more fun from a kayak, maybe the fish can smell the fumes from the stink pots and since they left that allowed you to use the advantages of the kayak to land this nice fish. Actually I don't know if I should post the pic, if I do then everyone might start buying kayaks, and then we won't have the advantage anymore. jk:p

Jeremy

[Reel Tune]

Here ya go txnative.

This is the baby Striper txnative caught on Jan 2nd in some freezing ass weather.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_dMIFX6GRza4/TSQGAbK8sFI/AAAAAAAAGRI/83e515qlPYw/s640/P1040186.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_dMIFX6GRza4/TSQF9kfudiI/AAAAAAAAGRA/_QQI9LsS_9E/s640/P1040184.JPG

[jokerwld]

Got out on Sunday to GSP and wore the fish out. Ended up going through a pound of minnow. Caught a ton of white,bluegill, and crappie. Kicker of the day was a 4 lb largemouth and a 1.5 lb crappie.

[Fishaholic]

Awesome

[Cornbread]

great fish. That is extreme fishing for sure. make a leader with a swivel then use a snap swivel on your main line. Catch a couple skippies , hookem on your leaders and attach to your yak , when you need fresh bait just transfer the leader with the bait and get another skippy for the boat. They' dont always look the best tied to the boat but usually when you get em on the main line in the channel they get a lot more motivated.

[Jim]

Nice fish. Got to be a crazy ride in the cold, dark and on a kayak. Impressive job.