Corpusfishing.com

[Prof. Salt]

I had obligations that kept me off the water during the calm morning hours, but the afternoon schedule was open so I went looking for fish. The weather forecast was for 10-11mph winds from ENE and I knew which shorelines would be calm for that part of the tide. When I arrived shortly after the noon hour the wind was blowing about 15mph and it steadily increased over the afternoon. I don't usually let windy conditions prevent me from fishing (especially if it's my only chance to get on the water) so I paddled off hoping for opportunities. A mile from the truck I got my first shot at a few reds working quickly down a shoreline. It took a couple of casts in the wind to get the bait where it needed to be, but one of the fast moving reds saw it and responded. I boated the 22" fish and decided to put him on ice. Aware that it might be a tough day, I decided to keep any legal fish in hopes of taking home a limit of eaters. As I worked on into the marsh the wind slowly increased. By the time I got to the far side of the bay it was steady near 20mph. Still, some shorelines provided enough of a break to show hunting fish and I kept working along and finding them. This was one of those frustrating days that almost every possible bad thing happened ...several times. I broke fish off on the hookset (fishing 8lb braid doesn't leave any margin for error on your knots - lay the loops in a sloppy order and it will break itself when pressure is applied). When I tie on baits at home the knots are pretty and clean, but sometimes in the wind it's difficult to get the line to lay cleanly before cinching up a knot. I paid for that sloppiness twice on this trip. Three other fish managed to pull the hooks before I could get them into the net. Several schools were spotted after I was already very close, and the wind blew me into the fish before I could stop or present a bait to them. Add the frustration of the wind and you'd think I would have packed it in to wait for calmer conditions. This was the only chance for the weekend so I kept working. I did end up with a limit of nice reds, and then on the way out I found another school that was willing to part with one of its members long enough to get a photo. The last marsh area before portaging back into the river offered a gull hanging low over the water across a small berm. I worked to the spot where that berm opened up to my water and I put a foot down to wait for the fish to come into view. After a few seconds the fish had worked around to my side but they were still deep and unnoticed. Thankfully I was sitting at the ready, and when an oversized red jumped up onto the grass to slurp down a shrimp, the bait was immediately flicked that direction. It landed right in front of the red as it dropped back into the water and drew the expected response. The thump was hard and decisive, and the fish took a long drag-pulling run down the channel. Once the fish was turned, it ran back into the grass where we had started. Again I got the fish out and it ran back around the berm. I survived that issue and the fish ran down the other direction in the channel after crossing under the kayak. Still I held fast and kept pressure, thinking the fight was nearly over. As the fish calmed down the hook suddenly just popped free, and the fish swam away while I reeled in the bait. Crud.

Well, it's hard to complain. I had accepted challenging conditions and despite all the wind managed to find lots of fish. Three of them rode home in the fish-bag, so I had a good day. One more was released and lots were "nearly" caught, lol. I headed home realizing that 18 miles in the morning is a nice workout but the same distance in the afternoon wind is considerably more of a challenge, but I was glad to have the experience anyway. Fish were hunting shorelines for me even if I had been (much of the time) unable to succeed in doing my part. That's one of the things that makes this style of fishing addictive. It's not always easy but seeing that many fish feeding, and having the whole bay to myself was a pretty nice way to spend a few hours getting some exercise.

[CaptinAcademy]

Outstanding work Glenn!
I can't imagine fishing in any conditions, much less those with 8lb braid..
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Steve-O
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My biggest worry is that my wife (when I'm dead) will sell my fishing gear for what I said I paid for it. ~Koos Brandt

[Prof. Salt]

[Hook]

Awesome story and pictures. Where do you get your accurate weather forecast? Me and my son launched at Bluff landing expecting to paddle to Pita Island once. The local weather called for 15 mph winds. It was more like 30 mph when we arrived and needless to say 30 minutes of intense paddling barely got us out of the marina. We gave up and headed to the Packery.

[Prof. Salt]

[Hook]

Thank you Professor. I appreciate your response. Anything has to be more accurate than the local stations!