Lots of these have shown up this week.
IMG_0298.jpg
Did I mention I'm vaccinated. And have free time midweeks? -+;
i'm fully vaccinated too! and am Free (or reasonable) most of the time.... <-;:
First Fishing with Fred was Five Years Ago :drum
Nice looking Tennessee tarpon!
March 30, 2021 #14
Gas $2.69
44 ~ 70 Sunny
Itieuglyflies (ITUF) posted up a TR saying that the James River Shad run was in full swing. Being fully vaccinated, I replied, noting that I first fished the run with him 4 years ago almost to the day and lamented the missed 2020 run.
Texts flew back and forth and soon was faced with getting up there the following day. I pushed some work out the door and loaded up the car after searching for the reel with the sink tip.
Since his boat leaves the dock at 6:15, I drove the up in the afternoon. No trains blocked the road this year and I met him shortly after he arrived as he was prepping the boat for the launch.
(https://www.brfff.com/btwc/ff2021/03/033021-1.jpg)
(https://www.brfff.com/btwc/ff2021/03/033021-2.jpg)
We were on the water by 6:15, the first to launch from this ramp. ITUF navigated in the dark, avoiding the early morning skullers already on the water.
(https://www.brfff.com/btwc/ff2021/03/033021-3.jpg)
(https://www.brfff.com/btwc/ff2021/03/033021-4.jpg)
After anchoring up, we waited for the first light of the day. ITUF caught one on his first cast and I followed a few casts later. Let the catching begin.
(https://www.brfff.com/btwc/ff2021/03/033021-5.jpg)
(https://www.brfff.com/btwc/ff2021/03/033021-6.jpg)
Other boats began lining the shore above and below us, at one point there were about 10. They were all fishing, but we were catching.
(https://www.brfff.com/btwc/ff2021/03/033021-7.jpg)
(https://www.brfff.com/btwc/ff2021/03/033021-8.jpg)
(https://www.brfff.com/btwc/ff2021/03/033021-9.jpg)
(https://www.brfff.com/btwc/ff2021/03/033021-10.jpg)
The catching was pretty much nonstop, but it did slow down to the point where we took a lunch break. Who knew Patagonia had a provisions branch? https://www.patagoniaprovisions.com/
(https://www.brfff.com/btwc/ff2021/03/033021-11.jpg)
The Lemon Caper Makerel packed in Olive Oil are damn tasty.
(https://www.brfff.com/btwc/ff2021/03/033021-12.jpg)
Then it was back to catching until we really didn't want to catch any more. Sore arms and cut fingers were the result of over 116 fish caught.
(https://www.brfff.com/btwc/ff2021/03/033021-13.jpg)
(https://www.brfff.com/btwc/ff2021/03/033021-14.jpg)
As the tide began to come it we headed back to the ramp where there was a short line of boats coming and going but it didn't take to long to get in and I was on the road home by 3:30
Nice! Hopefully this makes my to do list for next weeks days off.
Fred and I were scheduled for Wednesday the 12th, but a big slug of dirty water came down from the hills and fukkered that up. Then he beached it with the kids and Gkids and I got busy.
Were we too late???
It was pronounced a go on Saturday, and I drove down to the hotel after work on Sunday. 5:30 put in and ITUF was backing the bote in when I arrived on time. Well, the water was still up and slightly stained. And the weather had gone from 60's w/AM showers, to off and on rain, cloudy, windy and low 50's.
We got anchored up, caught a few fish, got rained on and a rainbow came out.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZEdfUwUl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/N8TjgMOl.jpg)
Then the weather got really shitty.
Urban fishing at it's best. Eagles, Ospreys, Cormorants, Ducks, Geese and more entertained us.
And I-95 traffic for the background music.
I had the wrong mode on for a lot of pics. I suk.
(https://i.imgur.com/JE5RXfVl.jpg)
It got windy, we got wet. No rain pants for either of us. We suk.
We did not have enough layers. We got cold. We suk.
(https://i.imgur.com/XV1cOhkl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/chs0ckll.jpg)
The catching was never bang bang, but it died off appreciably. So after we had an early lunch that we shared, then we motored down towards plan B.
A fellow Fred knew was Striper fishing in a kayak up near us before we left, and was getting skunked.
"The Stripers weren't in yet.", he said.
Well, on the way down, I commented about a river feature, and Fred said that was a money Striper spot. We turned up along side, cut the engine and he hooked up with a dandy on the first cast. 3-5 casts later we had 2 more to the bote.
We anchored up and did not have the right angle. Motored up a bit higher to the right and bang. I'm not sharing the technique, but Fred was wacking em and I caught one.
I'm gonna blame my soft old glass rod. :laugh:
(https://i.imgur.com/FFQAVkDl.jpg)
"The Stripers aren't in yet."
(https://i.imgur.com/ZSEByONl.jpg)
We quit at 3PM.
45ish shad, 12-15 Stripers, a handful of white perch.
The heater in the truck felt real good.
Picked up a Banh Mi and Pho in town and was home by 6:30. :Dance
Thanks Fred.
Nice! Stripers were a nice surprise too. Surprised they are already in that far. d:b
......and hybrids also
Fred is the Man! :cheers
He's got that river dialed in!
Im going to have to get in on those stripers.
Looks like a fine time guys.