Had a rare opportunity to fish three days in a row this past weekend when the wife took the kids and went to visit her parents.  I loaded up my gear and the Hobie Pro Angler and made my way to three different locations.  The first day was a late start, so I opted to hit a local pond I hadn't fished in over two years.  Ended up with 5 bass on the day with the largest at 17".  Hot bait for the day was the wacky rigged Sick Stick and the 4.8" JP Hammershad on a texas rig.

 

The next day was a casual day at a larger impoundment with a friend and his wife who was just learning to kayak fish.  She was the hot stick on the day landing ten fish all in the 14-18" range.  I managed a few as well on the Sick Stick again and on the 7" Finicky Tickler but nothing worthy of a photo.

 

The final day found me fishing with a couple of good PowerTeam friends - the owners themselves .  Needless to say, I was stoked.  I landed my best fish of the weekend and lost a citation in the process.  The start of the day was not so great.  As Bob paddled up to me asking how's it going, I see my jig n craw swimming away from me.  I set the hook and immediately my flipping rod doubles over and drag starts peeling.  I fight the fish for about 30 seconds and bring it alongside to lip her and that is when I see what I have in front of me.  The mouth on this girl was the biggest I had seen in my entire fishing career.  I can see the jig is barely pinned in the corner of her mouth.  As I reach for her, she jumps and throws the jig right back in my face - heartbreak!!  And Bob just looked at me and said wow that was a monster.

 

Well the next hour saw me miss three more hooksets.  By now I'm getting more that a little frustrated, so I switch tactics and start working the 7" Finicky Tickler on a texas rig and start getting some nice fish.

 

A few more casts, and a couple more nice ones decide to join the party......

 

As the day is winding down to a close, I was working the same area where I lost the big girl earlier and decided to try a different approach - a dead sticked Finicky Tickler.  After about 30 seconds of no movement, I felt a solid thump and my line starts swimming opposite of my hull.  I asn't missing the hookset this time - I reel down and give a sharp snap of the rod away from the fish and the hook buries true!  The fight is on now and she is not happy to have the hook buried in her.  I fought her for what seemed like an eternity with several drag peeling runs and turns of the Pro Angler hull for an adrenaline pumping sleigh ride.  She has her mouth snapped close and refuses to open wide for me, so I just cradle her and lift her into the footwell.  After a few moments to get the hook out and a quick refresh in the water to keep her active and respirated - a quick weight registers 4lbs even on the scale.

 

A great way to end the three days on the water if you ask me.

 

Glad you had a good time, nice bass!!

sounds like a great weekend, but how did you survive in a long sleeve shirt and long pants?  it was so humid and hot here this weekend it was miserable!

I'm working up a camping trip early october so that i can enjoy a nice 3 or 4 day fish-a-thon myself!!

Wow sounds like a great weekend.

 

I have a birthday weekend coming up.  I hope to be able to head to what I hear is a great smallmouth river up in NC.  If we make it there that will be 3 days of fishing a river I can walk to from my front door.  If not then I plan to fish locally.  Crossing my fingers I can make it out more than once here locally.  I am trying to sell my family on it as letting me fish all weekend would be the perfect 40th birthday present I could get.

sounds like a great weekend, but how did you survive in a long sleeve shirt and long pants?  it was so humid and hot here this weekend it was miserable!

I'm working up a camping trip early october so that i can enjoy a nice 3 or 4 day fish-a-thon myself!!

 

The clothing is actually fishing specific technical clothing.  The pants are Columbia PFG and the shirt is a new performance wicking shirt just released by PowerTeam Lures.  I also wear AFTCO technical shirts with the same moisture wicking properties.

The clothing is actually fishing specific technical clothing.  The pants are Columbia PFG and the shirt is a new performance wicking shirt just released by PowerTeam Lures.  I also wear AFTCO technical shirts with the same moisture wicking properties.

 

i hear ya man, i have a couple pairs of those pants.  also have some moisture wicking shirts, but when it's just brutally muggy (downsouth style) it's just hot man....  those pants are great and dry incredibly fast, but even at that there is a noticeable difference between them and shorts.  either way, nice fishing man and very nice yak!