Reading the Water

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Role Models.  I am always looking for role models.  As I paddle on the river, I watch the birds.

Do they dive after every ripple in the surface or fleeting shadow running through the water?

No, they are patient.  They are efficient.

The top avians hunters watch the water.  They are patient.  They read the water,

Whether it be the Osprey, Great Blue Heron, or fidgety Kingfishers, the birds are the most amazing fish catchers.

What do I learn from them?  As someone who fishes from a kayak, I don't have the time or endurance to blindly cast to every pocket of water.

Instead, I look at each piece of water.  Is it deep enough? Is the bottom rocky?  Does it look like something would be waiting there?  I cast my line . . .

Yep!  I hook up with a nice smallmouth.

And again in a new spot!

I don't cast to every piece of water.  I watch the water.  I pick my casts carefully.  I try to follow the lessons of the birds . . .

Black Brook

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There are those little slices of water we pass by everyday as we drive to and from.  You drive over a small bridge and glimpse a sliver of water.  You wonder what is there.

By the river house there is a small stream - Black Brook.  I found a small pull-off near a bridge and parked there.  I pulled my little kayak off the roof and put in.  Black Brook is just 12 feet wide and quite shallow.

There is little development along the brook.  It felt very pristine and private.  I saw deer along the bank and osprey in the tall trees.

The water is quite brown and weedy.  As I paddled along I could see the weeds were right up to the surface.

As the river meandered, I could see the weeds would disappear.  I knew I found a deeper pocket of water.

A few casts consistently would result in a small bluegill or bass.

I paddled downstream and got pulled into the quiet and peaceful setting.  I could have continued on, but the sportsman in me wanted to find bigger water.

I turned around  and paddled upstream.  As I passed under the bridge by the pull-off I could see the brook had a different feel.  The water was covered in duck weed.  The water was still shallow, but I saw a bend ahead.  Maybe the water was deeper there and held a bigger fish . . .

Success!  I nice largemouth bass.

I still need to explore more of Black Brook.  I wonder if there are deeper pockets of water with bigger fish . . .

Winning and Losing

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I do love chasing after smallmouth bass.  The river is rocky and there are a number of nice pockets for these great fighting fish.  I paddle about to my favorite spots and cast about.  I fish light weight tackle and barbless hooks, so it can be challenging keeping them on the hook when they jump.

Sometimes I land them . . .

. . . and sometimes I don't!

Enjoy.

Something Different

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As the summer progresses, I find my adventures on the brown water seem to be more predictable.  The weeds are very tall and choke much of the bank.  I find myself paddling to those half dozen places where there is deep, weed-free water where the smallmouth prefer to stay.  I throw out small perch-colored F3 Rapalas and hook into a few fish.

I feel like I am in a rut.

One night I saw a fly-fisherman working the shore opposite the dock.  I went inside and grabbed my 4 weight.  It was rigged with a floating line and some bedraggled, chartreuse pattern.  In two casts I had hooked into a little bluegill.

The next day I decided to wet wade the river.  I was flycasting some poppers. I had a few strikes, but not solid hits.  Still, it was fun.

My daughter and family came for a visit.  I went fishing with my son-in-law a lot.  Instead of my early morning adventures, we went after dinner.  I worked the weeds and hit into some bluegills.

At early evening we would fish from the dock with the grand-kids, fishing with Gulp baits and bobbers.  I hadn't done any bobber fishing for over dozen years.  It was fun.

A nice break from my pattern - though I still like chasing smallies with little Rapalas . . .

Lunch

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I first heard the distinctive squeaky chirp.  Looking across the river to the old dead tree, I saw an osprey sitting near the top watching the water.  I ran inside and grabbed the camera.

I watched it for about 15 minutes.  It kept looking around, rocking its head side to side and around.

Then it shot downward into the river.  Next I know I had snapped a photo of the osprey flying out of the water,

It flew toward the near bank, slowly climbing, and then back over to the dead tree.

Someone got a nice perch for lunch!

Smallmouth Heaven

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This is my second year living on the river.  Last year was one of exploration.  I did not know where the fish would be, what the structure of the river was like, what types of fish were about, or what lures would seem to hold the most promise.

I don't know if I can read the river better, but I am a more consistent fisherman.  I have learned of some key spots, especially for smallmouth.

To say the smallmouth fishing has been good this year is an understatement.  All the rocky areas, deep dropoffs, and the main bridge piers have been very good.  A lot of fish in the 12" to 15" range, with a few 18" and larger.

I just seem to gravitate to little F3 Rapalas using 4 lb test line on lightweight tackle.  I go barbless on the hooks and have moved to PLine fluorocarbon monofilament  (sturdy and very small diameter).  As I fish from a kayak most of the time, the fishing is just challenging enough.

We had a mild winter this year and the canal was not dropped in level much.  I wonder of that has helped to limit wintertime habitat loss or has helped with holdover baitfish.  All I know is that the smallmouth action has been very good (the bluegill, sunfish and rockbass all seem bigger than last year also)!

Blustery

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Last weekend was cold and blustery.  Though us humans preferred to be inside, the wildlife had no choice.  Still, it was quite nice to be out (even though there were a few snowflakes about).

Even in the fierce winds (expected gusts over 50 mph), the swifts seemed to cut right through the winds.  Amazing/

I tree must have been knocked down overnight.

Last year's cattails have been splintered and sheared off.  Now there is room for the new growth.

The river was a little choppy, but not a problem.  Lucky we aren't on one of the big lakes!

I had a little yard-work to do.  Looks like the woodpeckers are also busy.

Homecoming

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Editorial - Forgot to post this a month ago!

The weather has warmed up and the old friends were about.  The painted turtles were about in the turtle marsh . . .

The osprey are nesting.  I am so glad to see them again this year.

The redwing blackbirds are thick as thieves!

The blue herons back . . .

. . . as are the common mergansers!

It is good to see the old friends again.