Post by mwardncsu on Mar 28, 2015 16:43:25 GMT -5
Weather: -24 below Zero. Well, that's what it felt like. Temps in upper 20's to start, rose to high 30's, very low 40's/ Winds 10-20 from N/NW, blowing solid all day
Water: 51-53, visiblity of 0 to several feet
Techniques: Freeline planers with gizzards and one mongo alewive either on a board or a float
Why is it when we get a full weekend to fish the weather turns to crap. Well, overnight as expected the rolled through in a major way - along with the Wind - what's that old saying - March comes in like a Lion & out like a Lamb - well, someone forgot to read the calendar and see that March is almost over..
Tyler and I were going to go on a buddy of his' boat, but he got called into work overnight so Tyler came over around 7:30 and we took the Sea Hunt with the left-over gizzards from the day before. We headed to a nearby creek that we thought would be partially protected from the wind - it was in spots and absolutely not in others. A 24' Bay boat with t-top, curtains & radar makes for a nice sail when the wind is blowing like today and boat control can be a hassle - but we mostly managed.
We were fully prepared to accept the Skunk today..... I mean when you look at a weather chart like this one, it is definitely not one that makes you say "it's going to be ON! Rising pressure, dropping temperatures, gale winds..... yeah - that's a perfect day
But we had the chance and were determined to make the best of it.
We pulled the creek with focus on our bank side boards - though we had one (or two) boards on the deep side. At one point as I was fighting the wind and watching a few bank boards to keep them out of a blow down I hear Tyler diving to the other side of the boat - grabbing a rod and kicking the Skunk way the heck away in the process....
34.5" / 16 lb striper, photoed, measured and promptly released!
A bit on down the bank we had a bank-side board dive under - Tyler grabbed the rod and handed it over, feeling lucky that we had 2 bites.... This one was a bit smaller - around 14 lbs and 33"
We circled that area a few times and worked another branch of the creek that was holding a lot of bait. So much so that I had to throw the net a few times - though all I accomplished was to freeze my hands off.
Moved to another creek mid-morning and pulled one bank with no action - switched sides of the creek and the solo mongo alewife that we had on a board got absolutely crushed. I landed this one - smaller - around 9 lbs
We circled back to hit that point on the bank again without results - but a little further down a few swirls and then the 4th fish of the day. I grabbed the rod and handed this one over to Tyler to bring to the boat - almost a twin of the last at 9 lbs.
At this point we are just estatic that in such conditions we saw Stripes, and a few decent ones. Decided it was time to take a break and fill the tank and warm up..... off to Mangos for lunch.
]
We hit one of our Spring Afternoon creeks with no action at all, and then tried one more - think we had a nervous bait or two but not love from any fish - did have a Bass boat come flying into the creek and come off plane and start casting about 50' in front of us as we were pulling a bank. Guess their fishing was more important than ours..... We did find a lot of bait - and risked frostbite again to catch a bit to go into the big tank..... should have loaded up but they are moving faster again....
Not a block buster day, but we faced brutal conditions and landed a few nice fish - so all in all a good day..... at least I think it is as long as my hands and ears thaw out without falling off.....
Water: 51-53, visiblity of 0 to several feet
Techniques: Freeline planers with gizzards and one mongo alewive either on a board or a float
Why is it when we get a full weekend to fish the weather turns to crap. Well, overnight as expected the rolled through in a major way - along with the Wind - what's that old saying - March comes in like a Lion & out like a Lamb - well, someone forgot to read the calendar and see that March is almost over..
Tyler and I were going to go on a buddy of his' boat, but he got called into work overnight so Tyler came over around 7:30 and we took the Sea Hunt with the left-over gizzards from the day before. We headed to a nearby creek that we thought would be partially protected from the wind - it was in spots and absolutely not in others. A 24' Bay boat with t-top, curtains & radar makes for a nice sail when the wind is blowing like today and boat control can be a hassle - but we mostly managed.
We were fully prepared to accept the Skunk today..... I mean when you look at a weather chart like this one, it is definitely not one that makes you say "it's going to be ON! Rising pressure, dropping temperatures, gale winds..... yeah - that's a perfect day
But we had the chance and were determined to make the best of it.We pulled the creek with focus on our bank side boards - though we had one (or two) boards on the deep side. At one point as I was fighting the wind and watching a few bank boards to keep them out of a blow down I hear Tyler diving to the other side of the boat - grabbing a rod and kicking the Skunk way the heck away in the process....
34.5" / 16 lb striper, photoed, measured and promptly released!
A bit on down the bank we had a bank-side board dive under - Tyler grabbed the rod and handed it over, feeling lucky that we had 2 bites.... This one was a bit smaller - around 14 lbs and 33"
We circled that area a few times and worked another branch of the creek that was holding a lot of bait. So much so that I had to throw the net a few times - though all I accomplished was to freeze my hands off.
Moved to another creek mid-morning and pulled one bank with no action - switched sides of the creek and the solo mongo alewife that we had on a board got absolutely crushed. I landed this one - smaller - around 9 lbs
We circled back to hit that point on the bank again without results - but a little further down a few swirls and then the 4th fish of the day. I grabbed the rod and handed this one over to Tyler to bring to the boat - almost a twin of the last at 9 lbs.
At this point we are just estatic that in such conditions we saw Stripes, and a few decent ones. Decided it was time to take a break and fill the tank and warm up..... off to Mangos for lunch.
]
We hit one of our Spring Afternoon creeks with no action at all, and then tried one more - think we had a nervous bait or two but not love from any fish - did have a Bass boat come flying into the creek and come off plane and start casting about 50' in front of us as we were pulling a bank. Guess their fishing was more important than ours..... We did find a lot of bait - and risked frostbite again to catch a bit to go into the big tank..... should have loaded up but they are moving faster again....
Not a block buster day, but we faced brutal conditions and landed a few nice fish - so all in all a good day..... at least I think it is as long as my hands and ears thaw out without falling off.....
the baits are getting fast again
