Kayak Koz

As stated above, fishing after a major weather event usually isn't all that productive. I've fished after numerous hurricanes and tropical storms and things can get interesting a few days after if water levels are still high. Suddenly tall grass on the banks is now grass partially submerged in the water. It's new cover for bass and usually a target rich environment for fish feeding on insects.

In the past my son and I have fished the lower and middle lakes at Paris Mountain State Park (Greenville, SC) with no success. But today we decided to fish North Lake deep in the park. I was intrigued because SCDNR states that of the three lakes, this is the one they actively stock with bass and because it's nearly a 3 mile hike on level 7 (out of 10) trails I don't imagine many people are fishing there. Things started poorly when we got to the park. I normally keep my hiking shoes in my car but for some reason I had taken them out and left them at home so I was left to navigate the rocky and hilly terrain with walking sneakers. And while I had removed two plano boxes from my backpack I neglected to cut down on the amount of soft plastics and the added weight along with a sweat soaked canvas backpack hit me hard on the way back. The way in to the lake wasn't bad as there was more downhill than uphill. And while it wasn't too hot today there was enough humidity to make it a bit uncomfortable. Thankfully a breeze picked up by the time we got to the lake. I'm in my late 50's and prior to COVID I was in OK shape but I've been lazy and not eating great for 3 months now and it caught up with me today. By the time we got to the lake I was a little worn out. There also wasn't a whole lot of room to fish. For most of the lake you had to find a little clearing and wedge yourself between trees to try and cast. There were a ton of laydowns that I hit but didn't draw any strikes. The water was crystal clear and throughout the entire day I saw only two small bluegill. There is a d**n along one end and with the open area it was easy to cast, but again not a single bite. I fished about 2 hours with no luck. My 14 year old - who used to love fishing - made some casts for about 20 minutes and spend the rest of the time on his phone. The hike back was a beast for me. Mostly uphill and my legs were screaming halfway through. I almost tripped a few times because my feet felt so heavy. This is all on me because I need to be in better shape. But I stayed hydrated and didn't get winded. My legs just felt like they were going to explode by the time we got back to the car. I have to say that although it was beautiful out at the lake, considering they supposedly stock it I was really disappointed not to even see any fish except those couple of bluegill. I didn't even see any fish activity anywhere on the water. I was really hoping to find a low pressure spot with decent fishing, especially one where I had to get some exercise to get to it. Anyway, it was a disappointing day fishing. But when I got home I did get some good news - my son was selected to play in the Diamond Prospects fall baseball league. In SC this is a pretty big deal because it's a scouting organization connected to pro and college teams. In the past 14 years all but one SC player drafted by an MLB team has played there. My son is only a freshman, and if he keeps getting selected to play there it's pretty much a lock that he'll have some opportunities with top college programs. I'm really proud of him!

My son starts his freshman year of high school in a few weeks and for the time being all his classes are online. In the meantime, I'm contemplating different ways to haze him so he gets the full first week freshman experience. ?

I get that, but the OP's question was "What do you think you have that makes you a good angler?"

I'm going to blow this all up with one question: Are you a really good angler or are you just familiar with the waters you fish? Aye, there's the rub! I think most of us that are experienced are pretty good on the waters we fish regularly. But drop us off two states away and most will need considerable time to figure it out and consistently catch fish there. Don't believe me? How many times have we seen pros get skunked on MLF while another guy catches 35 pounds worth in a round? Over the years when we fish the same waters over and over again we consciously and subconsciously pick up a ton of information that we employ each time we go out. But that information does not always translate into the same level of results on foreign waters. Experience tells us where the fish should be, but different bodies of water have their own cycles as to when the fish are more likely to be in those locations. Anyway, I'm a really good fisherman on the bodies of water I fish consistently. But put me on water that I haven't been on before and it's going to take me a while to achieve that same consistency.

I think Glenn is pregnant and just waiting for the ultrasound ??

For most of my hotel career I was a GM with Marriott but one year my company picked up a small portfolio of Holiday Inn Convention centers and because I was involved as a transition GM with some of those properties one of the "perks" I got was going to the annual Holiday Inn GM's conference. I had been to a ton of Marriott GM conferences and they were all high energy, rah rah events that were a ton of fun so I expected some of the same at the HI conference. I was wrong. On the first night of the event Don Rickles was the host and at one point he went into his comedy routine. There happened to be a black GM sitting in the front row and well, you can imagine the rest. Rickles was Rickles. This was WAY before the PC craze today but even then it was just cringe worthy. I agree Rickles was a funny guy, but there's a time and place for everything. That was neither the time nor the place. George Carlin was another good one back in the day. He'd rip on everyone.

It is my personal opinion that most comedy today is garbage and just plain not funny. Politically correct, too political, raunchy for the sake of being raunchy - I just don't find that funny. But one guy I find really funny is Jeff Dunham. Puppet humor isn't for everyone, but I think this guy is hilarious.

Scheduling college football during the pandemic is nothing but a money grab. I'm sure they will find a way to play basketball as well. But any other college sport is out of luck. We've already seen a number of universities permanently disband their baseball programs. My fear is that colleges will use the pandemic as a spring board for wholesale permanent cancellation of most college athletic programs. This is going to be devastating to countless athletes. I played hockey in college and also made the baseball team as a walk on. I was nowhere near good enough to sniff the possibility of a pro career, but I played for the love of the game and to represent my school. I will always cherish those memories. Sadly, many student athletes may never get that opportunity.

Nope. But I will say as a bank angler the bow technique works for me most of the time when I get snagged.

OK, I think this is going to be the last one for a while - unless I build the side table to match the coffee table. This week it's a new dog bed for Boomer. Again, a relatively simple build with the plywood box frame and some corner posts put together with glue and pocket holes. I have neither the tools nor the talent to make an ornate project, but I do like to add visual interest when I can. In this case I used 1/4" x 2" poplar strips glued to the frame. But before gluing them I ran one edge along a 1/4" straight router bit at a depth of 1/8". This gave it that vertical shiplap look. Originally I had planned to only do the outside of the bed, but I had some wood left over and added it to the inside along the back before I ran out. I'll need to pick up some more this week to finish the two inside, side panels. In planning this I found out that dog pillows can be really expensive. So instead I took a standard bed pillow and wrapped it in Boomer's favorite blanket. It works well and it will make it easy to clean. Anyway, it was a fun and easy project.

Did I mention that I hate that kid? /sarcasm

Lew's American Hero is a great first baitcaster combo. It won't break the bank and it's reliable. I bought one years ago as my first baitcaster and it's still in my arsenal. I was surprised at how sensitive the rod was.

That would be OK if I owned a truck instead of a Genesis Coupe. ?

With panfish I'm not sure they are attacking the larger baits as a food source. I think they are being territorial little fin nippers that just happen to get hooked in that act.

I slept in until about 8:30 that morning so I didn't feel it although some neighbors reported feeling it. I'm surprised it didn't spook my dog.

I finished another project this past weekend. Last week my friend and neighbor, Bill passed away at 81 years old. He would always stop by my garage to check out what project I was working on and what tools and techniques I was using. He mentioned a few times that if COVID ever cleared up he wanted to work on a project with me. He and his wife also hired my son to do chores around their house. I was thankful for his friendship and his interest in whatever I was building. So in his honor I built a small oak keepsake box for his wife to place his wedding ring, a few photos, and any other small objects that she has in mind. I kind of rushed the build because she is heading out of town to live with her daughter for a while and I wanted to get it to her ASAP. The build actually came out good, but my finishing technique still needs work, especially the polyurethane. Luckily, I have a bunch of scrap wood to practice with. My next project will be a dog bed for my dog Boomer. Tonight I was looking online for a pillow to put within the frame and that left me with a question, "Who the heck pays $200 for a dog pillow?"

You win!

Bait fish jumping near the surface? One word: buzzbait I suggest using one in the sexy shad color scheme.

I would put a blue Pit Boss or blue Vibe Speed Craw on a black/blue chatterbait and lift/rip and drop along with trying a straight retrieve.

When I have it fully loaded it has 5 plano boxes (and I could probably squeeze in a 6th), a spinnerbait box, fishing tool, scale, fish grippers, a ton of soft plastics, extra gaiters and gloves, a snack, water, and probably some stuff I'm forgetting right now. In fact, the problem for me is that with all of that stuff it gets too heavy so I usually don't carry a full load. One mod I am going to make is attach some velcro holders on the back so I can attach a lightweight, folding tripod stool.

I use the Plano A-Series 3600 Tackle Backpack. It holds five 3600 boxes plus ample storage for tools, soft plastics, a bottle of water and anything else I need. It's comfortable walking and biking when you cinch it up properly. I've had mine for almost three years now and it is durable, especially compared to nylon bags that easily catch hooks and tear. https://www.amazon.com/Plano-Tackle-Backpack-Storage-Stows/dp/B07NCFVN55?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1

Of the two, in stained water I'm more likely to pull out a bladed jig first and in clearer water I'm more likely to try a spinnerbait. More often than not, with a spinnerbait I'm fishing the middle and upper water columns using a straight retrieve, pop and retrieve, or pause and retrieve. With a bladed jig I hit the upper, middle, and bottom utilizing the straight retrieve, lift and drop, pop and retrieve, or scoot it along the bottom.

I'm not sure if going by the calendar is relevant because for whatever reason I might not dish for a while. So I'd say 3 or 4 outings in a row. But if you want to go by calendar then it would be about 22 years. I took an extended break from fishing. It was nothing in particular. Life just got in the way.

I am so, so sorry you are going through this. Without going into my own details, I know that emptiness can be overwhelming at times. Some days it seems even harder with this crazy world we live in today. The only real advice I can give you is to take one day at a time.