Darth-Baiter

Lake Comanche. I kayaked into “the narrows” and was getting skunked. First visit ever. I didn’t understand the wind. I look behind me and saw the waves and whitecaps. I kayaked out and was tossed around like a piece of trash in the water. I would get those stomach thrills much like you feel when riding a roller coaster. If I wasn’t hanging on so tightly, I would have called my wife just in case i died. I never made it back to the launch. I beached it and hiked the two miles back to my truck. I had to pull my boat up a mountainside. it was 30 -45 mph winds. Driving home, the generator windmills where spinning so fast and all the message boards on the freeway stated, “dangerous gusts”. I’ve never been so scared on my kayak. I have not been back to that lake since.

I have the SLX DC and use it often. It’s my most reached for reel. Mostly because of familiarity. I can however, toggle to my other baitcasters seamlessly. irony alert! My most unsalvageable backlashes have happened on the DC reel. It’s an odd duck if I get cocky and turn the brake way down. BOOM!!

My brother bought that .410 savage dedicated turkey gun. He’s taken some good birds with a tiny turkey load.

For full size jigs I use the Yamamoto 3.25 flappin HOG exclusively. I trim about half inch off the tip. finesse jigs I’m more experimental.

Benelli black eagle according to him. I’ll see it Saturday. I instructed him to go buy ammo. He got 10 shellls at $11 each! Haha. I hope they are sold out when I drop by at lunch. I only have three shells left, but that probably enough. I have not purchased my hunting license yet for this yet. I’ll probably go as his guide only. My luck one scratch of my call Ann’s we get surrounded. Haha. (Maybe I should buy a tag to prevent ever seeing a bird:))

Friend has never lined up on a wild bird. I have land access thick with birds. He inherited the best turkey gun IMHO. Nice to change up activity. I can use a break from bass fishing. Anyone get a bird? I have to find my calls!!! Been a minute sounded I’ve scratched out a love call for a turkey.

If they had a trolling motor w spot lock…. My wife would be so mad at me.

Skunkage for sure. ‘’but it’s nice to know “what” you had on the line. It’s the mystery underwater fight that lets go that suck and play with my emotions. What was it? They are all potential PB’s at that point.

Took a rare break from fishing today. Made my wife breakfast and we played w our insane dog. good times. Now I’m gonna go shop for a new smartphone.

Fuel prices have dampened my Delta enthusiasm for sure. I reserving days on the delta with more favorable conditions. Tide and wind. Mostly wind. that place I found is friggen far. Haha. 2.5 hours drive easy. I know a closer spot with a hideous kayak launch. I’ll try next weekend. It should be full blown fishing if the wind cooperates. Delta in the wind sucks.

This is low-hanging fruit time and I’m stinking the place up. I typically do not cast baits to beds anyways, but I’m sucking at finding the strays. Beds are empty at my local golf course lake. yesterday I squeaked out two meager fish. Tough! I was watching the people happily playing golf and wondered if selling my kayak would offset the cost of some new clubs. ….haha.

Bummer. I try to keep my truck level when I’m loading.

The best way for me to get familiar with standing up in my kayak was to stand up and to use the long paddle like a SUP style to move myself around. It built up my balance and my core strength. It gave me something to do to get my mind off of balancing myself. Now I just pop up. I can almost turn completely to the side to pee overboard.

I can tuck 4 Plano boxes away in front of me on my Hobie Outback. Plus two under the seat. I don’t tho because I can turn sideways pretty easily. The Outback has a great layout.

One of my better purchases. It’s solid in the back of my long bed Tacoma. I use a lock so I can leave it attached all day when I’m fishing. It’s light, it is rattle-free and it supports my kayak perfectly. I love the unexpected bonus of making kayak loading easier and safer. I can pick up one end and walk between the T-bone and truck with the kayak held closely in front of me. No rotating my torso or hyper extension to put yak on tail gate For storage I hang it from wall hooks in my garage. It’s super light and compact.

Wind prediction changed my mind. I couldn’t stomach not being able to fish a long day after a big fuel investment:). Big wind and big tide were to come at same time. No bueno. The place I wanted to launch was better with two people putting kayaks in the water anyways. I hit lake Hennessy instead. Brutal. Lots of fish seen with eyes and fish finder, but they were not biting. ‘’only took a few modest bass.

High tide is noon so I should be able to fish the incoming and outgoing tide tomorrow. Launching kayak from an undisclosed location with a free ramp that is sucky and treacherous. Haha. Hope I don’t go for a swim. Weather has been warmer. man I’m a grown-ass man am I’m nervous and excited like a kid. main rigs. Wacky worm, drop shot, my new gold color crank bait, my new nichols red kicker blade spinnerbait, and some worm presentation like a shaky head or Texas rig. im going solo. Happy my friends can’t go. Not ready to show them this spot. Shhhhh. Hope the wind stays calmer. LETS DO THIS! please look for my gasoline go-fund-me account. Haha. Just kidding.

Think covered up can be cooler.

Bummer about the eye my friend. Thanks for comments.

My family was directly affected by cancer. I take it fairly seriously. there is no avoiding the sun when it comes to kayak fishing. I bake out there. I’m covered up. I wear a face hood, hat, long sleeve sun shirts, and I never wear shorts. When it’s hot I wear men’s swim tights. The kind the marathon swim guys wear. To preserve my modesty, I wear shorts over my tights. it’s not the best look. Haha. my friend go barefoot! One guy peels annually like a reptile. I just bought a swim shirt with a built in face mask and hoodie. I’ll look like ninja. Hope the fish don’t laugh themselves to not biting. what is your sun strategy? Shirtless?

Once a week is no problem. Even twice. Burning Friday to Sunday? I get eyeballs

You all that have fishing wives/husbands -“oh good for you!” This discussion really isn’t for you. this is for the married folks that still enjoy time spent with spouse. next week fishing should be awesome. I’m tapping out and planning a long weekend camping trip with my wife to recharge our nuptial commitments. Fun! I did get that quick grimace when I thought I could fish the long weekend. (If I’m being honest). I will sneak in some surf casting since we are camping on a remote beach. gah. Why is the best camping the same time as great fishing and spring turkey? What cruel timing. Hehe. I wonder how long flowers with last at the campsite?

I did well last spring with a Ganatrel Jr and the 6” mag draft freestyle. The bass strike is exhilarating.

I initially thought it would awesome. go out the back dock, and launch. need lunch? call Alexa to start the rice cooker, beach the kayak to go poop., etc. but I am not sure I want my life to orbit around fishing that much. I like various bodies of water for their nuances, and would hate to get logistically tied to one. I am too lazy, I wouldn't venture anymore. plus I think it would benefit friends more. they would hound me. haha. I do however WANT a friend with a lake house. I would rather live near the other things, like good places to eat. I'll drive a bit to fish.

I went to a undisclosed location and found warm waters. 61 deg actually. fish were bedded but not aggressive. but the ones hanging out deeper "thinking about love" were. we got lots. not many big fish, but it was a slugfest. fun story, and it is true. I hooked a bass and it immediately dives into my friends fishing line. he opens his bail and I fight the mess to me. first order of business was to take the jerkbait out and free the fish. I let it go and work on the tangle. my friends line was still in the water. as I am picking out the mess in my trebles, the lure almost JERKS into my hand!! I tell my friend, "I think a bass just hit the other jerk bait!". they think I am nuts, but we convene and I hand him his line and say, "start hand-lining". he pulls up another bass, which I was quick to take credit for. well, half credit. jerk bait bite was en Fuego.! I fully got a BFS fish.. cast, hookset to the fight. success. and I fully slimed my new Curado MGL150. good reel. a few backlashes from growing pains..but whatever. its our ritual. I like the drag on it. it seems to stay right were I leave it. (might be mental)\\ not sure you all need pics of 1lb bass.