Before calling it a day Scott took that 'one' more cast (even called a fish would be in the area the cast before) and something inhaled his DOA Shrimp again...and the fight was on:
Hoping it was another cobia or a big drum.....he made sure not to lose this one...turns out it was just a hungry bonnet head who had been making its way over to the floating hot dog stand (pictured in the background):
So a good day, caught some fish but no reds or trout...so Plan A was back in action to fish Fort Fisher on Saturday for the tournament. We all met at some restaurant with an Owl as a mascot to discuss it Friday night after the Captains Meeting. Scott, Nathan and I hit Dunkin Donuts at 4:30 (well Nathan didn't but I had to add him into the story somewhere). And Joey and Bob who were with us Friday night were off to places you can only reach with a beach pass and 4 wheel drive. I know, I now have the Jeep, why didnt I think of that. Which as luck would have it (mine as it is always great conditions when I fish) the wind was up and blowing pretty steady but not the normal 6 foot white caps that I normally encounter down there:
And yep, the stretch of land in the distance is the 1/4 way point to real destination (or so it seems). And you know how much I love paddling in general. So off we go to find some fish. I manage to find a red on a chartreuse DOA Paddle Tail (same lure I used the day before, not sure why as I never use them, but they worked this past weekend):
Scott and I worked this particular stretch of grass most of the morning. I would catch a red, he would catch a flounder and on it would go. Nathan paddled off to find the elusive trout as they have been quite hard to catch this summer down there. Finally Scott managed a red, but I still could not catch a flounder...
So after catching a few fish, Nathan shows back up takes one cast into the drink and hooks up....at the same time...I hook up. He catches a trout, I get a red....
Thats what it looks like when you both are trying to measure fish for a tournament.
As the morning went on I managed to catch a couple of more reds, a couple of croaker and some pinfish. Curtis who was in the area lands some reds and flounder, got a pic of a nice flounder he caught:
So I decided to throw a pinfish on a hook and move out in the deeper water to see what might happen. With the rod behind me in the milkcrate with lose drag the reel starts screaming after just a minute.....turns out I catch a decent trout, which was a nice surprise. While measuring it I dunk my reel and somehow I know now the spring broke off and the drag isnt working. Anyway, I catch another pinfish while trying to improve my red, my trout or catch a flounder. Decide to throw him out...while drifting I get hung up on something and in the effort of trying to free myself, I crush the pinfish...so he is now dead. I decide to just throw him off the back and stick the rod in the rod holder on the milk crate in the tank well. Now remember my drag isnt working, but with the size fish I was catching what difference would that make....as I am casting up against the shore, I hear my milk crate leaving my kayak something has hit this dead pinfish laying on the bottom off the back of my kayak...I grab the rod first but by the rod holding the braid while something is tearing the line off the real...that was dumb, so I let go grab the milk crate and pull it down...but I cant get the rod out from the pressure of me pulling back on the milk crate and the force from whatever has my line. I get the rod out and the "fight" is on. Without any drag I just watched as my line peeled from spool, once down to 10 lb mono backing I knew this was a lost cause when 150 yards out in the direction of my line a huge shark thrashes the surfaces...now I know it is a loss cause. Anyway..he breaks me off and the excitement of the fishing day is over. Didnt catch anything else in that area after that...wonder why.
My trout turns out be good enough for 2nd Place, Nathans got him 1st Place and new kayak. Joey takes 1st in the redfish division and Bob takes 2nd...guess that board meeting was worth it after all. Great day fishing, a great event and good day fishing with some really good fishermen.
