Tactical Retreat or The Fish Kicked Tail

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karstopo
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Tactical Retreat or The Fish Kicked Tail

Post by karstopo »

Launched at 1pm yesterday. Clear skies, a little cold with the breeze off the water. Water felt cold, not much bait around at first, paddled a little way to some mud and shell and started seeing baitfish. Water was about 2’ of visiblilty clearish green, mid levels, roughly at the turn of the tide.

First thing that gets my attention was a big black drum in 18” of water. I couldn’t make it eat anything or appear to notice any of the flies I tossed at it. In my defense, there was enough of a SE breeze to ripple up the water and make the visiblilty a little sketchy. Seeing the fish’s back and shoulders, no problem, but getting a read on the mouth was a bigger and harder deal. After hitting my head against that wall again and again, I was pretty battered and bruised, in spirit anyway, and things sort of devolved from there.

A couple of bruiser sized redfish cruise by at maybe 30-35 feet. I mean one was definitely well over slot and the other one at the top of the slot. I can see them pretty well as this area the waves were minimal. I cannot even remember what I had on at that point, but they weren’t interested. Another major setback, and it wasn’t one or two shots at them, they’d appear then swim off and reappear, each circle around I’d fire this or that at them, freaking bulletproof or blind fish. With each round, my casts got progressively worse. I was like a boxer taking too many head and body blows, it was adding up against me, the legs were getting wobbly, literally.

I can make excuses. I didn’t have my wind fly rod in the kayak. I didn’t have a baitcasting setup, I would’ve used it if did. I switched flies a bunch for me, maybe 7-8 types. I finally get one of big reds to hit a white/chartreuse gartside soft hackle streamer, but then blow the hook set. I paddle out of there and move around and try to collect myself. I cast the same fly over a reef with bait showing in 18” of water. Bingo, finally, fish on, fish to hand 22” red with a Texas shaped spot mid body.

That fish was the equivalent of making a defensive stand to prevent your army from being completely annihilated. The battle was already over, I lost, fish won. I was essentially done for the day, made a few halfhearted casts going in. I’m already plotting my revenge.
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Ron Mc
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Re: Tactical Retreat or The Fish Kicked Tail

Post by Ron Mc »

I was hoping somebody got out in that beautiful weather yesterday.
Thanks for the report.

Don't feel bad, last over-slot red I hooked, I enjoyed the ride too much, and when I thought about my drift sock, it was too late -
- when he came by my boat I knew it, too. He wrapped my drift sock and broke 22-lb braid.
Lou saw me jump in after the tangle, and thought hornets were after me.

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Re: Tactical Retreat or The Fish Kicked Tail

Post by flydoc »

Good report as always. Post front fishing is unpredictable but your plan was right with the afternoon launch. Your persistence paid off WTG..
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karstopo
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Re: Tactical Retreat or The Fish Kicked Tail

Post by karstopo »

My new fly line came in today. I had an 8 weight Monic Henley Phantom Clear Tip on the 7/8 weight Short Stix. The line was just okay. Not very slick, which is good for hook sets, but not as good perhaps for casting. The clear nature made it hard to see, which is also good and bad, good for perhaps not inadvertently spooking fish and bad for seeing exactly where the cast went.

The Monic broke at somewhere above the welded loop when I tried to free a fly from the shell. I really wasn’t putting that much pressure on the line so was surprised.

Anyway, the Short Stix is my wind rod and I need it sometimes just if I’m not firing on all cylinders with the slow glass rods. I should have had it on Wednesday trip, but the line I ordered failed to be delivered in spite of tracking saying it was delivered. It wasn’t stolen since my cameras caught no evidence of that, the delivery driver never came.

I mostly fished my BAG 6 weight Quickshot on Wednesday. I can get in a rut with that rod when trying to fight any wind.

So the new Line made it today, its a 7 weight line from Sunshine fishing. $26. I like it. Not a heavy short head type, but the line handles nicely and is appropriately slick. Tried out the new line on the lake for a moment. Yellow bass sucked in the gartside soft hackle.
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