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Skunked in the Middle of SHAD BAIT-BALLS!

Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 11:16 am
by Dandydon
Last night the Hobie Navy launched about 10:30pm at Sea Isle. We felt optimistic because the light variable winds stayed under 10 mph and our young gun TKFer Yak Boi met us there.

Shoffer, Watson and I began our evening noticing those big bayfront surface lights were lit up on a Monday night. We could see fish splashes, so I pedaled hard to the lights and began fan-casting my beloved glow Vudu Shad.

After 10 casts with no strikes I noticed the big tiny-shad bait-balls circling through the baywater. In past night trips I had caught Trout & Redfish amidst those bait-balls, but not last night. They were too lazy and happy.

I pedaled on to the far western canals and saw a couple of kayakers fishing the lights. The guy standing & casting on his Old Town yak was Yak Boi! We met, and he introduced me to his newbie yak-buddy Cody who was sitting in the motorized Old Town owned by Yak Boi's father.

It was an historic meeting of the Hobie and Old Town Navies. The three of us fished that first canal, then I led them on to the far canal where I've caught most my Sea Isle fish. Guess what we saw in almost every light? Those big lazy shad bait-balls.

In my experience if those shad balls aren't blowing up, then those lights hold no gamefish. I saw just a handful of finger mullet in the lights, proving to me that they are better gamefish indicators.

After 3 hours of casting the canals we headed back out in the bay to meet up w/ Shoffer and Watson. Then made our way back to the launch about 3:30am.

Yak Boi (Kyle), Cody and I got skunked. I hold Kyle partially responsible because we have a lot in common and talked too much, ha ha. Cody enjoyed himself and learned a lot despite his lack of catches.

Of course somebody brought home gamefish; this night it was Watson. At the ramp he fileted 3 specks and a slot Redfish. Shoffer landed three 15" specks but in the post-freeze environment released them all. The best lures last night were small baits like Watson's small shad tandems. Wish I'd brought some.

I hate to get skunked, but got to meet two young yakkers who love kayak-fishing and will be joining us on future trips. Kyle lives on the island and is constantly monitoring the fishing there.

But beware of those damn lazy bait-balls. Image

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Re: Skunked in the Middle of SHAD BAIT-BALLS!

Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 11:44 am
by kickingback
:clap: Great report and sorry about the skunk Captain Dandy! It sounds like you still had fun even though the fish didn't like what you were throwing at them. It happens. I have seen those lazy balls way too many times and not hung into anything as well. I feel for you buddy! Next time and maybe my shoulder will be healed in a couple of months I'll try to join you on the skunking so you don't feel so bad. :D

Re: Skunked in the Middle of SHAD BAIT-BALLS!

Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 12:08 pm
by Dandydon
Thanks, Charlie!

We miss you and your high-tech Garmin Livescope fishfinder.

Get well soon and come join your Hobie Navy!

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Re: Skunked in the Middle of SHAD BAIT-BALLS!

Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 2:24 pm
by Ron Mc
good report and good adventure, anyway.
Waxing gibbous moon may not have helped - with good moonlight, they don't need the lights to feed.
One reason we always plan Arroyo trips around the new moon.

Re: Skunked in the Middle of SHAD BAIT-BALLS!

Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 2:52 pm
by Dandydon
I agree that moon phase is important, but when busy lawyers Shoffer and Watson get free fishing time, this "retired" lawyer goes fishing. My favorite nighttime trips have been under full or dark moons. Our TKF Nighttime TourneyImageImage a couple of years ago was under a full moon.

On the drive back to Houston Shoffer was squirming in his seat to relieve his aching kayak back. I'm old and nearly indestructible, but my back & butt hurt today... Image

I predict our next fishing trip will be in Shoffer's Stumpnocker powerboat. We'll file a TKF report anyway, hello. Image ImageImage

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Re: Skunked in the Middle of SHAD BAIT-BALLS!

Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 5:46 pm
by Ron Mc
it's always a great adventure

Re: Skunked in the Middle of SHAD BAIT-BALLS!

Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 6:39 pm
by OldTownYakBoi
It was definitely a slow night. I’m sure Don and myself could’ve scratched out a few if we got serious, but we were too busy goofing off and exchanging fish stories (which there was no shortage of). The gamefish are always around, but it’s not everyday you get to meet cool like minded people.

I will say there are some interesting details left out in this report, but you know how it is, dang lawyers with their confidentiality


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Re: Skunked in the Middle of SHAD BAIT-BALLS!

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 4:49 pm
by Dandydon
Yak Boi speaks the truth and we bonded quickly over angling, pedaling, astronomy, and real estate, of all things! He also was impressed when I shared some delicious brownies w/ Kid Cody Image.

Early in my legal career I was a real estate lawyer representing the huge outfits U. S. Homes and Gerald Hines Corp. I wrote all the first wave of lease agreements for The Galleria Shopping Center. In these times that project could end up being the last shopping mall in Houston Image.

Kyle is a young and hungry realtor in Galveston who shows and sells many premium beach and bayhouses. He's all over Facebook and Instagram looking like a civilized gentleman in sharp coat and tie. He's actually smart for a kayaker, hello.

Last June when I got married (for four long days!), my wife and I looked at 5 Galveston beachfront houses to buy, including that one off the highway w/ the tennis court & swimming pool. Nice.

But getting my marriage annulled ended all that. We were dealing w/ the top two realtors in Galveston. And I'm still salivating over a beach-house Image.

Next time I'll be calling Yak Boi.
Now let's go fishing. Image

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Re: Skunked in the Middle of SHAD BAIT-BALLS!

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2021 8:27 pm
by imaoldmanyoungsalt
DD, with all that like minded people talk, I hope you didn't talk Yak boi into joining the coonskin cap club! ....JK :D
Sorry for the skunk but it sounds like good times were had so I declare this a WIN!

Re: Skunked in the Middle of SHAD BAIT-BALLS!

Posted: Sat May 01, 2021 7:24 am
by Dandydon
Good one, Old Salt!

It's sad, but I'm the only member of the Coonskin Cap Club. Blame it on my love for the hero Davey Crockett. He was at the Alamo! Many guys our age bought Coonskin because of him.

But the Hobie Navy is open to any kayakers who fish with us. Any make kayak is OK so long as you've got balls & a sense of humor... Image

Yak Boi has both.
Image

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