More Great News for MAKBF

We now have 3 companies on board for 3 of the 4 events. Each company will sponsor one event and provide a prize for the BIG BASS. We also hope the companies will be able to attend the events, show off and sell some of their products and hopefully be able to fish the event as most are avid kayak anglers as well.

Also, I have chosen the dates for the 2013 series, so mark your calenders!!!

April 20th, May 25th, June 22nd, and July 27th


Here are the companies below. I would like to thank all of them for their support and what is really shaping up to be an awesome series.

Premier Sponsor:

www.kayakbassfishing.com

Official Media Sponsor

Event Sponsor:

Event #1 - April 20th

www.docirvcustombaits.com

Event #2 - May 25th

www.powerteamlures.com

Event #3 - June 22nd

TBD

Event #4 - July 27th

www.bustembaits.com

Lonely Rods

Work, weather, and everything else......

MAKBF Update

Just heard back from Chad Hoover at Kayak Bass Fishing and they will be the premier sponsor for the
series!!!

They will be donating a free entry to the 2014 KBF Invitational for the winner of Angler of the Year. This is an entry to the premier bass fishing events for kayaks with over $10,000 in prizes.



The tournament is really shaping up, so get ready for for a fun and exciting series. We have contacted other event sponsors to sponsor the BIG BASS division, so we look back to hearing from them and updating your with more great news.

Video Treat - Double hookup on bull reds at night

Here is Brandon's video from the night I fished with him and we had a double hook up on topwater with bull reds. You can hear us yelling back and forth about seeing all the fish and the excitement.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I'm very thankful for a lot this year.

My awesome family and girlfriend of course.

My new house and my roommates.

For being able to fish a lot this year and for the great companies that have supported me and the tournament I help organize for our great charities.

For starting school again in January that will lead to a job that I will hopefully be able to keep the same schedule I have now of working only 3 days a week.

And last but not least.... thank you to everyone that follows along at my blog here!!

Crappie Fishing turned into Amazing Fishing!!

Like I mentioned in my last entry yesterday I planned to go crappie fishing today to catch some more points for KW, maybe even the 42 more crappie our team can catch for the month, but I knew that would be a little outrageous.

Welp I hit the water about 10:30am today and it was chilly with the water team already below 50 degrees. Headed the area where I left the crappie the afternoon before and caught 2 quickly while casting a 1/8 oz jig with a smoke clear curly tail grub on my Overboard Ultra lite rod.

 

 

But the bite slowed down as the fish were moving around so I started to troll for them, using my fish finder to mark suspended fish in about 9-12ft of water.

 

Then, a soft bite and tug.... fish on and it felt good, much tougher to bring up the water column than a standard crappie.... I start thinking is this the 15" crappie citation I have been chasing in this lake my whole life?..... a few short drag burning runs and I can see a FAT largemouth come to the surface.... Holy cow I was not expecting that... I was trying to catch crappie and I've never caught big bass this late in the year and in this cold of water.

 

21" 5.2lb Largemouth Bass (MD Citation #6)

 

 

 

Release the LMB and went back to trolling... BAM while going in the opposite direction on the same area of the lake.... Another chunky bass...

 

19.5" Largemouth bass

 

 

Sure enough I kept slow trolling around an got another, snapped a two quick pics and tossed here back, didn't even realize this one was a citation too until I uploaded it.

 

21.25" Largemouth Bass (MD citation #7)

 

Ended the day with 4 bass over 17.75" and 4 crappie over 12". I was not exactly what I was expecting, but I'm not complaining by any means.

On the other hand, I'm very concerned about my favorite fishery. While fishing the last two days I spotted a new critter in our ecosystem. We now have two Otters that are residing at our lake. I'm not surprised that they found the lake as the creek system that connect to the lake dam runs all the way to Fishing Creek in Chesapeake Beach and out to the bay. Their food source where they were living must have depleted and not they have found our lake which has an abundance of crappie, bluegill, golden shiners, and of course largemouth bass. I'm especially worried because it is the cold season and the fish become extremely sluggish which would allow the otters to ravage through what has become in my opinion the most consistent small water trophy bass ecosystem in our southern Maryland region.

Hopefully these otters won't deplete this trophy fishery and I will be able to catch great fish there for years to come.

 

 

End of the road

So the weather forecast just wasn't in my favor for the last fews stops that I had planned. The wind was a major issue this trip and it didn't want to let up for me to be able to fish Charleston, OBX, and Virginia Beach. To get to the point.... I ended up cutting the trip short. I decided to drive back to Maryland yesterday from Charleston.

Along the way I got a DAMN ticket in Virginia for having a headlight out... but at least the cop took it a little easy on me and didn't give me a speeding ticket. I wasn't going extremely fast, but I was ready to be home to say the least.

My final detour had me en route for a surprise visit to my girlfriend, Elaina, at St. Mary's College where we both went together. She had no idea and was really excited to see me!!

Today I headed closer to home and stopped at my parents house. Decided I wanted to fish our lake today and tomorrow to try for some big crappie in this cold weather.  Caught 8 over 12" today in about 1 hour of really trying. Gonna try to get my limit of 50 for the month for kayak wars tomorrow.

 

Day 9 - Jacksonville, FL with Overboard Fishing Rods Owner Sean Abbey

Another day of less than stellar weather but we trudged on.  I fished today with Sean Abbey, the owner of Overboard Fishing Rods, which I am very fortunate to be a pro staff member. He is also a lisenced guide and tournament angler on the redfish circuits. We launched on his flats boat in Clapton Creek in Jacksonville, FL because the wind forecast was not favorable to fish from the yaks.

 

Two of my Overboard rods that I used today. Did I tell you yet the rods float with the reel, great for you kayakers and boat fisherman out there.

 

 

Our fishing platform for the day.

 

 

The tide was an extreme flood so we predicted that the reds would be deep up in the grass so we casted up to the grass line for a retrieve over the oyster beds, which Sean knew exactly where everyone was. We were your a spinner arm with a jig head and white or glow colored artificial.

 

Sean switched over to a topwater for a few casts and was rewarded with a chunky trout about 23".

 

 

Sean used his home court advantage completely he snagged up the only red we caught all day about 22-23".

 

I was deemed the "Trout Magnet" today by Sean, I caught about 10-15 trout from 6" -16". We caught a bunch of keepers today but we threw everthing back.

Thanks for everything Sean and I look forward to fishing with ou again!!

Day 8 - Port St. John Flats Boat Charter

So I decided to switch it up for the day as the forecast was less than promising with building winds all day. Figured the kayak would be tough to catch fish out of, let alone just kayak around.

Thick fog all day long with a stiff North wind that grew to 20-25 mph by noon.

 

I did some searching on the www and came across Cocoa Beach Sportfishing Charters and they looked like they ran a very professional business and the rates for a inshore trip were better than any other local charters. So I got in touch with Capt. Beau Sheridan yesterday afternoon and we were able to set something up for this morning, which was awesome for such short notice!

We launched at 6:45am from the Port St. John ramp on the Indian River, we fished much further south than I had the last two days and the water was much cleaner. Although the weather was pretty miserable. We launched into a thick fog that covered the whole river and lasted much of the morning until it lifted for a brief period before returning.

There was a steady North wind when we launched that continuously grew as the day went on, it got quite cold and wet from the foggy mist.

With not so favorable fishing conditions we hit the water in search of some keeper trout and some redfish. We fished topwater and the typical gulp on a jig head while drifting over some flats and we hit some creeks, coves and canals. While in one of the coves and actually the one with the least amount of bait present I was able to hook up with a nice redfish on topwater. It wasn't as big as the last few I've caught this week, but it made some good runs and bent my Overboard Rod for a solid little fight. It measured in at about 22". Of course before I even thought about keeping it we got a picture and tossed it back. Silly me, I was hoping to get some fillets for my Grandpop for letting me stay at his place all week here in Melbourne, FL.

22" redfish caught on a storm topwater popper in a shallow mud flat

We did a number on the small speckled trout, I caught about 12-15 up to 14 inches, but they needed to be 15 inches to keep. Beau also caught a good amount along with a ladyfish, but I think I out did him lol... I told him he must be doing to much guiding and not actually fishing enough so he has lost his touch a little.

Packing up the boat at the end of the day

 

Overall, we had a great time, Capt. Beau was great and we really hit it off and I think we both enjoyed the trip even though the conditions were tough and the big fish just weren't cooperating. He runs a great business and for anyone that is going to be in the Cocoa Beach or Orlando area you should definitely give him a shout. He runs 3 boats, an inshore flats boat, a center console for nearshore and offshore, and a offshore boat, so he has you covered for whatever type of fishing your looking to do. Click on of the two links above and his website will have all the info you need on rates and types of trips.

We also saw a lot of manatees today, they are huge, docile creatures.

 

Day 7 - Indian River Lagoon Trip 2

Another day of cloudy water made for tough site fishing.  I think a lot of the trout move off the flats when the water quality is poor also so I was only able to manage two dink trout on gulp and a 25" redfish on topwater, which was pretty fun!!

Thanks to John (Watertime on KBF) for joining me today for some company. Unfortunately, fishing was quite slow and John wasn't able to get any hookups, but it was nice to have someone to paddle/pedal with. 

Thanks for the photo John it turned out great!!

25" Redfish caught on my trusty topwater bass lure

 

 

Getting Scruffy...

The canal connecting Mosquito Lagoon to the Indian River

Sweet Boat that passed through the canal. It had a 18ft boat on the bow.

Raining south in Cocoa Beach

Day 3 - Johnson Beach Pensacola, FL

 

My digs for 2 nights while in Pensacola thanks to Hobie Team member Chris Holmes and his wife Vicki!!

 

 

 

Only managed a lizardfish and pinfish today, but still no skunk!!

Day 6 - Indian River/Merritt Island

Finally a day with multiple fish and species. Finished the day with 6 specs up to 14 inches, 1 flounder at 14 inches, and 1 redfish at 27 inches!!  Caught the redfish on my go to PERCH lure... just saying... Are redfish really smarter than perch haha

Also, I saw about another dozen redfish, but I couldn't get them to bite or I spooked them.

 

 

 

Overboard Rods Baby!!