Looking for advice/tips/tricks/etc

[droy80]

Trying to get more serious about my fishing as I'd like to at least catch fish each trip, would prefer keepers (who wouldn't right lol), so I've been looking at what boaters are doing, videos, etc. Seems to me that they're trying 2-5 different rigs at a spot, if they get nothing, they move to a different spot and repeat the process. Is this the way to go or are they just impatient? I don't have a FF and am really just learning/starting out on trying to read water to find fish.

If the 2-5 rigs then move method is the way to go, would it be beneficial to make out 'leaders' of different setups and connect via quick clip/tactical clip as I really only have one rod that is in good condition at this time?

[CGGunnersm8]

A trout and Red fish DVD from http://www.troutsupport.com made a huge difference for myself. I and most will agree they are worth it.

[txvike]

Great questions. Zooming around in a PB from place to place could have some merit but only if the places they're moving to are likely to hold fish. Hopefully the videos you've watched discussed the importance of that. I've seen clueless boaters fish for 10 min, move off and fish for a few minutes, then move again. And everywhere they're going has the same water depth, same muddy bottom without any structure, and no bait showing. Doing that in a kayak will wear you out and frustrate you. So moving place to place can be a good idea if you know what you're looking for and you usually do have to cover some water to find the elusive, toothy critters! But with a plan... educate yourself on what kind of areas the target species are most likely to be at different times of the year, importance of water movement, what are they eating during that period, and it's been said numerous times, because it's a truism, Match the Hatch with your bait selections.

If you're limited to carrying one rod for now, yes pre-tie some different bait types and if your research has convinced you that you're in a place that should be holding fish, try a few different baits and presentations with each of them. But work the area well, not just a couple of casts and give it up. Take the time according to your inner clock and instincts that you've fished the area well, you're confident they're just not there right now. Then drift or paddle on.

There's a bunch of admirable, much more knowledgable kayakers here and I hope they add some answers for you. Search the content here, look at maps like Hook and Line, try and get the mentioned videos, and then put the time in applying the knowledge whenever you get chance. Good luck and fair winds to you.

[droy80]

Yea, I plan on buying the troutsupport dvds in the future to enhance the fishing experience.

I've got a couple of spots that are near me that I think should hold fish. I'm just wanting to try to 'zero in' on these spots is all. While I enjoy being on the water away from the nuances of the world, it's still more enjoyable if you're catching fish right

Guess I'll start writing stuff down and reading it again before I head out as my memory is sometimes horrible until I do it on a regular basis.

Thanks for the assistance.

[Coachsmills]

I would say no to the 5 rig part but yes to trying out 2. I'll normally start out with a popping cork or a topwater (She Dog, Super Spook Jr., Skitterwalk) to use as my search bait. Both create a little noise and help nearby fish (if they are around) locate my lure. If I start getting blowups (but not hookups) on my topwater, then I'll normally switch over to a soft plastic. They don't miss those too often. If I'm getting decent hookups on my topwater, I'll normally stick with it, because topwater fishing is a blast. If I'm searching with a cork and start catching, I'll either stick with it, or switch over to a plastic. Throwing a popping cork is kind of boring, but it does produce.

I guess my suggestion would be throw something near the top and if you aren't having much luck, try something that will get down a little deeper in the water. Whether it be a topwater, soft plastic, cork, spinner bait, spoon, etc, if something is around and feeding, they'll normally hit your lure if it's at the right depth.

I carry 4 rods with me. Three of them always have the same thing. A popping cork, topwater, and soft plastic. The 4th might be a Bugg for sight casting if I know I'll be super shallow, a spinner bait if the water is dirty, a Manns 1-Minus if I want to quickly cover an area with a shallow diving crank bait, or whatever else I feel like trying that day. I normally only use two the entire time and never touch the others, but I like to be prepared.

[Flippin' Crazee]

Ignore what everyone else is doing and do your own thing. Pick an area that you want to fish and paddle around the area until you see something that would make you think fish are there, then do like Coach said with a topwater and soft plastic.

[droy80]

yea, I think I may be jumping the gun a bit lol. I just want fish in tha boat!! I am going to take the advice of having the different setups and try to work on my patience

The areas I'm fishing, I'm fairly sure they hold fish. Usually been going down to Kemah - fishing inside the channel to Clear Lake and on out into the bay a little, staying relatively near shoreline. And been trying to make it down to Pierce Marsh as I've heard nothing but good stories coming from there.

[txvike]

Marshes and bays, two different animals and both great for the yaks. If you're into the 'marsh madness', you need to check these articles...

http://tailtailsigns.com/tips-and-articles/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Read all of them and you'll be ahead of the game. There are several good people on this site who live pretty close to you. Post here a few days in advance of one your planned trips and fish with one of them. Most are very willing to help you slime the deck with fish through their knowledge.

[Rockclimber]

Listen to Coachmills and invest in the Trout Support videos- both are extremely tuned in to the upper coast.

[TexasJim]

Thanks, txvike! The tailtails site is a great source for novices like myself. I subscribed to his mailing list.

TexasJim