Like many people, life gets in the way of a lot of the cool things we like to do. The end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016 has been on exception. So when 4pm on the 5th of April came around, I departed a cold and blustery Norfolk, Virginia on a trip that will always have a special place in my memory.
After meeting with my partner Joe at his house in North Carolina, we quickly load up his truck and start our journey south. 14 hours and almost 900 miles later we found our home for the next 4 nights at the Delacroix Lodge.
Photo - Delacroix Lodge
The "cabins" are nicer than you would expect for being so deep in the Louisiana Bayou. They have twin bunks, cable TV, a full bathroom, and a decent little kitchenette. At $150 a night they are a bit pricey, but beat any other alternative on the island. This was our second year staying at the lodge and you can bet that when I make my next trip down, it will be where I will continue to stay. Another consideration about the area is the necessity for both a Basic and Saltwater license. At $5.00 and $17.50 respectively for a day licence, anything under 3 days this is your best option. If you are going 4 or more days, the $90 seasonal option will be your best bet. With that being said, we opted for 3 days from Thursday to Saturday, and enjoyed warm showers, cold beers, and amazing "Adult Grilled Cheese"sandwiches made by fellow competitors and friends Kris and Mark Lozier.
On Thursday, before the sun rose my internal alarm was sounding loudly. Some Community Coffee got the day going and we were off. Launching right down the road at Sweetwater Marina put us on the water quickly and safely. Joe and I launched with Mark and Kris for a trip to the "Graveyard".
Photo - Amy Angelopoulos
Not far into the trip, we started finding Redfish blowing out from under us. I paddle a bit further to find a spot I am comfortable with, chuck a watermelon Aqua Dream spoon and proceed to hook up with my first, and largest fish of the trip at 29".
First Redfish of the Trip
Photo - Mark Lozier
While this was the only fish to come out of the graveyard for us, we worked our way further up the bayou looking for spots to mark in the GPS. I found an area with some wood structure on a flat adjacent to deeper water. This held reds, with schools surrounding the structure. It didn't take to long to hook up to another red on the same watermelon spoon, so that went back into the box and I proceeded to catch more reds on copper spoons, inline spinnerbaits, Egret Baits vudu shrimp, and Power Team Lures swinging hammers rigged weightless. I was feeling good marking spots, catching fish, and working new areas with friends.
One of many day 1 fatties
Some well fed drum
As our day ended, I was not ready to stop. Back at the lodge, I loaded the kayak on wheels and proceeded to fish the north side of Delacroix Highway. Lots of gators, nutria, and gar made it more of a scenic paddle until I got to a spot that held lots of reds and Speckled Trout. My first cast with a copper spoon produced a solid thump and a massive run (in which I ended up loosing the fish to a broken Tactical Angler Clip).
a 50lb clip broke, but at least my knots held
I was struck with utter shock and disbelief at the fact that I finally managed to break a clip. I quickly regrouped and got on a few speckled trout that fought extremely hard for their size.
Some feisty little trout.
After an amazing dinner cooked by my teammate, it was off to sleep to prepare for day two. In the morning, we decided to do something a little different. We were off to either Shell Beach to fish Lake Borgne and see the old spanish fort, or over to Hopedale. Shell Beach was blown out, so going to a spot that I have seen thousands of times in what I consider the best Fly Fishing video of all times was an amazing experience for me.
Big ass gator
Joe and the Loziers ended up finding some decent numbers of specks, while I ended up with a skunk. It's ok though because you can guarantee that I will be back to Hopedale one day to find some Bulls on Top! Dinner that night was made by fellow Virginia anglers Amy and Andy and consisted of some amazing carnitas tacos and the best dirty rice I think ive ever eaten.
The view across the Bayou from Sweetwater Marina
As Saturday came around, things changed big time. Unlike other events, the Adventure Fishing World Championship is unique in the fact that it challenges you as a paddler, navigator, planner, and angler. Some more information about last year's event can be found in my post from 2015. Much like last year, every team received their map sheets and scorecard. At 7am, teams were allowed to open their maps and launch. Joe and I opted to relax, finalize our plans, and proceed with fishing the tournament. Unlike previous years, every team was given a token in which they had to keep on them the entire time. You could catch 4 fish before you go to any CP, with a photo of you in your yak being the proof you made the course. If you only have proof of hitting 2 points, you could only score two fish. Furthermore, you had to go to the manned double checkpoint in order to get the special token to score a double fish. We were the last team out of the gate and decided to proceed to our first (and only) double checkpoint. Checkpoint 1was our double, and our first target. The plan was to bang out a fish quick, and work the course in one big circle. Things change though and soon came the first obstacle.
About 3/4 or a mile away from CP 1, we ran over reds. Quietly but frantically, I told Joe "cast...CAST!!!" He got the strike, and quickly slammed our first, and largest of the day at 26.5"
Fish #1
Joe with a fat multi-spotted redfish!
We were feeling good. In just over an hour we had a good fish on board. Just a bit further up the shoreline we found these fish in, I casted a spoon into a cut and landed a 22.5" red.
Fish #2
In only in 1:30 we managed to make it near our CP, and had 49 points. We paddled looking for a few more fish, then went to the checkpoint at about 0900. Almost immediately upon receiving our double token, I saw a mid 20" red tailing. I make a beautiful cast with a spoon. On cue I feel "tap", and slam the hook home. Unfortunately, the hook didn't purchase and the spoon wizzed behind me. It wasn't the end of the world at the time, but as minutes - then hours passed without as much as a follow, the early missed fish was becoming a monumental mistake that we didn't feel we could overcome. We hit all the areas within a mile radius of the CP that we knew held fish, with no luck coming our way.
Around 1230, we had all but given up. We were both in horrible moods knowing that our tournament was all but over. Beaten and battered, we paddled towards CP1 when like a ray of sunshine focusing on a pot of gold I saw 3 reds tailing towards me. We quickly staked out and I casted the old trusty watermelon spoon to the fish. I felt "tap...THUMP". This time the hook got purchase in the grill of this gangsta ass redfish. The fight was less than a minute, but felt like it was over an hour. I get the fish in the boat, sweep my legs over it, and started shaking uncontrollably.
25.75" double points!
Finally!!!
Photo - Joe M.
I was so happy and relieved that my eyes started to well (and I expected tears of joy that never came). Joe's attitude improved and instead of silence, we were chatting it up on the way to our next checkpoint. Again, happiness quickly subsided as we realized that we had over 4 miles to go to reach our next checkpoint. The thought quickly turned to "can we reach 2 more points to even qualify". 4.34 miles later, we reach CP 5 at 1400. We were excited, but didn't spend any time fishing as we had to get moving to the next point.
Checkpoint 5 at 1411
On the way to CP 4, we were discussing our plan. It was along the lines of "as long as we can make it to CP 4 by 1500, the tournament is ours for the taking. We can finish from here."
Joe was not as optimistic.
Checkpoint 4 - 1.5 miles and 29 minutes later
Checkpoint 3 - 1.3 miles and 25 minutes later
After hitting 3 checkpoints in just under an hour and 2.8 miles, we perked up knowing we had a chance. From here it just meant catching 2 more fish and making it to the check in by 1700. I had found some productive areas pre fishing Thursday night, and we proceeded to those spots first. Not long into fishing, I got slammed by a nice speck at the side of the kayak. It was a fish that would have put us 5 places higher, but like last year, we had lost a fish at the end of the day in the back. It was a tough pill to swallow, and I still feel like slamming my head against a brick wall 4 days later. We felt like we had a chance to break the top 10 with 3 fish, so we decided that since we were going to finish, getting all 5 checkpoints would be extremely satisfying for ourselves.
Checkpoint 2 at 1605
Checkpoint 2 marked the end of our fishing, as the focus switched to making it back to the weigh-in prior to the 5pm deadline. Well we made it back in time, washed up and reflected on our day, one in which we made it to all 5 checkpoints and covered over 16 miles!
Fellow Werner Paddles and Astral Teammate Mark Lozier with a 29.5" Redfish on Tournament Day
Photo - Mark Lozier
Werner Paddles Pro Staff (L-R William Ragulsky, Mark Lozier, Kris Lally Lozier, Bart Swab, Jeff Herman)
Photo - Mark Lozier
At the awards ceremony we got the pleasure of watching Eric Jackson (Jackson Kayaks) doing a bootie beer.
EJ and his partner Steve Fisher ended up winning a pair of Jackson Kraken's (which they donated to the team with the largest fish, which was caught by a 14 year old). Very classy and very cool!
WE FINISHED!
Team Wicked Fishah took 13th place with 100.5 points. Not the showing we wanted, but we finished and did it as a team which is all that matters.
2016 Results
Photo - AMONSGSTiT
My fishing vacation in Louisiana was over, but I still got some good ole southern fishing in down in North Carolina. My search for redfish came up short on Monday, but I wasn't about to let that deter me from getting some pullage.
Fishing a lake off the NC ICW
After a few hour drive north, I stopped into Chasin' Tails in Atlantic Beach to get the skinny. Much like my last trip down to Atlantic Beach, good numbers of Grey Trout were being caught in some deeper water. I armed myself with a few Hogy Epoxy jigs, set up the fish finder, and went to work. On the way out to a deep spot I knew of, I found a little false channel with a deep depression. I kept this area in my back pocket.
Upon reaching my spot, I spent about an hour trying to figure out a pattern. Against rain squalls, opposing winds and currents, and nothing on the screen (let alone the end of my line) I was feeling dejected. As I was calling it quits, I went back to the depression I found in the false channel. I proceeded to find a mess of pinfish (to 6"), some Hogfish just under keeper size, some bait size croaker, and a few greys. As I was going over a area with some small bottom structure I jig and feel a tap. When I set the hook, I was thinking I got into a nice trout. As some stronger runs occurred, I started thinking redfish. As I got some color, my next thought was a Black Drum. Then I saw the tail, and knew exactly what I had found... SHEEPSHEAD!!!
I was looking at the fish each time I brought it up to the surface to see where it was hooked. I was unable to see, so I got it in the kayak as quick as possible. Much to my surprise, it was fair hooked.
Fair Caught Sheepshead on a Hogy Diamond Jig
This fish optimized my vacation. lots of work just to experience the unexpected. With perseverance though I was rewarded with memories that will stay with me the rest of my life.
Big shout out to my partner Joe (one of the toughest SOB's I know), the Lozier's, John Grace (without him, the AFWC IS NOT POSSIBLE), my teammates and friends at Werner Paddles, and the remaining sponsors of the AFWC (Jackson Kayak, Orion Coolers, Watershed Dry Bags, and all the other supporters). Im already excited and looking forward to AFWC #5!
I was inspired by Brian Vincent over at Appomattox River
Company (www.paddleva.com)
to compile a list of what I feel to be my "must have's" when Kayak
Fishing. Of course this list may vary for many of you, but I feel that I owe
much of the success I've had to what I list below.
1. Quality Kayak
This one should be a no-brainer, but
unfortunately it isn't always that clear. Don’t get caught up in all the hype
about the next best thing, because as of yet there isn't a fishing kayak that
can be classified as the "hands down best all-around" fishing kayak.
Kayaks have strengths and weaknesses just like fishing techniques. I used to
think that one day a company will come up with the "one", but as
kayak fishing evolves, I have come to the personal realization that it will
never happen.
What can you do to find the best
kayak for you? The answer to that question is threefold.
Talk to pro-staffers, ambassadors, or factory reps.
These people will tell you the pro's and con's about the kayaks they
paddle. When I am asked about a specific kayak, I will ask the individual
the type of water they paddle, when they paddle, how often they paddle,
the duration of their trips, and their fishing style. This will help me
build off of my experience and recommend what I believe to be the best
kayak for them, even if it’s not a brand that I represent. I and many of
my counterparts do not want to see you in the wrong kayak. If I put
you in one of my kayak's knowing it’s going to be wrong for you, you will
not be happy, and an unhappy customer is a vocal customer. If a rep is not
of this mindset, then move along, because they do not have YOUR
best interest in mind.
Ask people that own, and have paddled the kayak you are
looking for. A great place to do this is your local kayak fishing forum.
You will get opinions from a broad experience level, and from people who
have paid full price for their kayak. I generally trust the opinion of a
person who will tell you they have paddled a number of different brands
and models. Diversity is a great thing!
Visit your local paddle sports retailer. As they are
the front line oftentimes for purchases, returns, issues, and praise. These
are the people that want to see you in the right boat, so they can bank on
you being a return customer for all your paddle sport’s needs. They are
well versed by some of the most knowledgeable people in the industry, and
have the most overall knowledge. Paddle sports is a laid back community,
so if you feel pressured by sales staff, speak to a manager, or move on!
For me, I paddle the Hurricane
Kayaks Skimmer line because they are Fast, Lightweight, Durable, and
perform amazingly in a number of different conditions I fish in. There are
downsides though such as a lack of storage for surf launches, and the Skimmer's
not being a typical sight casting platform. Overall, they work really well for
me, and allow me certain options to mitigate their shortcomings. Their Pro's
far outweigh their Con's in the vast majority of conditions I fish in. Not to
mention, they are the lightest fishing kayaks on the Market!
Skimmer 128 rigged for fishing
2. Salt Rated Fishing Reels
Kayak fishermen are hard on gear.
Saltwater fishermen are in environments that will destroy equipment in a flash.
If you are looking to fish inshore or offshore from a kayak, plan on dropping
dough on quality reels (or replacing them often). I treat my gear rough, so rough
that people think that I’m made of money. There are only a handful of reels
that I will purchase now because I have put them through their paces, and know
they will work for me no matter what.
Baitcasters - I prefer and highly recommend the Abu
Garcia Revo line. I have a handful of STX's and SX's. These things have
20+ lbs. of drag, are lightweight, are saltwater rated, and feel like they
are solid in their construction. Other reels I have liked are the Shimano
E series Curado's and the Non-CI4 Calcutta's. The G series Curado's and
the CI4 Cronarch's are probably amazing reels if you are going to keep
them away from the salt and baby them, but that’s not my style.
Photo - Werner Paddles
Spinning - For the money, the Shimano Sedona is an
amazing reel and has a price point around $70. I have not had any issue
with the Sedona's I have owned. I also like the Stratic FJ's and drool
over the Saragossa, Sustain, and Stella, but have not owned one myself.
They do have a great reputation in the inshore community though. I also
own a Quantum Inshore Smoke, and a Diawa Ballistic. Both reels have been
in my quiver for a few years now, and have held up fairly well. For some
bigger rods, the Penn Spinfisher V has been bombproof, but the durability
comes with the cost of weight.
Conventional - This is where I have limited experience,
but have still caught trophy fish on all three reels I cover. First is the
Shamano Tyrnos. I enjoyed this reel, but didn’t use it as often as the
others. The Issue I had is while it sat around, the grease pooled in one
area of the reel, which required disassembly and re-greasing to make it
operational. The next is the Diawa Saltist. I can’t say much more than
"I love this reel". If I had the need I would own a fleet
of these things. Smooth, great drag, light weight, and damn sexy. Finally,
I have the Release Reels SG. My SG is a few years old and besides some
minor servicing in its infancy, it has been super reliable. Unfortunately,
not all SG's have the same reputation as mine. Wes and the Crew up in
Reedville will take care of you and make things right if the unthinkable
happens though. Keep that in mind when making your next purchase.
3. Amazing Paddles
In kayaking, the paddle is your
outboard. You wouldn’t put a Daewoo outboard on a 27' Contender. Don’t skimp on
your paddle. While you generally get similar performance form paddles in the
same price range, I cannot in good conscious recommend any paddle other than a
Werner Paddle. While kayaks are variable, the paddle really isn’t. I can’t
badmouth any other brands, nor would I. When it comes to Werner, you get a
paddle that is made in the USA, and doesn’t focus on gimmicks to sell. Werner
lets the paddle speak for itself. I will be buried with my Kaliste when it is
my day to meet my maker. Check them out at www.wernerpaddles.com.
With this purchase, no matter the
brand, the more you spend the more performance you will see and the happier you
will be. I have never thought to myself, I wish I would have bought the next
line down. Each upgrade will increase your paddling enjoyment exponentially.
4. Top Notch Leader Material
My leader is non-negotiable. Never
again will I buy the bargain fluorocarbon. Seguar Blue or Red label is the Jam.
I have also had good luck with the Berkley Tournament grade. The fluorocarbon
properties of decreased visibility by fish, abrasion resistance, quick sinking,
low memory, and knot strength are better in Seguar than other brands I’ve used.
Don’t skimp on this.
5. Comfortable and Functional PFD
A PFD, much like a kayak is
something that you must be willing to trust your life to. God forbid, something
happens on the water, a PFD may be your difference between life and death, no
matter how strong your abilities are. Most brands like Astral, Kokatat, and NRS
make products that will keep you alive.
Moving along, I need a PFD that I
can wear all day long in 100 degree heat, and not feel the urge to take it off.
The Astral Ronny, Ronny Fisher, and Veight have super breathable mesh inserts,
vents, and plenty of storage for your gear. Vests like the Seawolf and Green
Jacket have solid clamshell pockets and are tectonic in nature so they move
with you while you paddle. The Seawolf and Ronny Fisher are my go to choices.
Astral Ronny Fisher
6. The Right Rods for the Right
Situations
This one is simple. Don’t go after
bull drum with a panfish rod. When you are chasing fish, you want a rod that is
matched appropriately to your quarry; otherwise it is like taking a knife to a
gunfight, or a hand grenade to a game of paper rock scissors. The right fishing
rod ensures an appropriate fish which decreases the morbidity of released fish,
but still allows you to enjoy the fight and get the fish to hand.
There are so many great rod makers
out there, so to recommend one rod over another is ludacris. I like my Shamano
Terez's and Crucial's, but that’s not to say that I don’t, or am unwilling to
fish anything else.
7. Versatile Kayak Rigging Options
It pains me to list this at #7, but
fact is, 1-6 are necessity, and this is a nicety. For rigging, I look no
further than YakAttack. Luther, Dan, and the rest of the team are always on the
cutting edge of the sport. They are a US Based Company that makes lights for
fishing at night, tracks to mount fish finders, cameras and rod holders, and
even storage options. There are other companies that have come after YakAttack,
but while a few dollars difference may seem nice, the quality and customer
support is not there. Furthermore, YakAttack gives so much back to kayak
anglers in the form of tournament donations and financial support to HOW and
PHW. If you want it, www.yakattack.us has it!
8. Rugged Footwear
Kick off those flip flops. They have
no place on the water for a kayak fisherman. Hooks in the foot, broken tongues,
and minimal security make them a poor, uninformed choice. Water shoes are where
it is at. Brands like Columbia and Keen make great shoes, but only Astral makes
shoes designed around the paddling experience. You need a shoe that you can
walk on scorching hot sand, through mud fields, over oyster bars, in the
parking lot, and kick off pilings with. You also need something that will
drain, and dry quickly. My Brewers and Loyaks do just that.
There are few things worse than
taking a pack of plastics out, and getting all the tails bit off by croaker or
pinfish. This is not only costly, but it can prematurely end the day with a hot
bite on a certain color, or for the minimalist. When fishing inshore, shrimp
are often my favorite baits to use. The Egret Vudu Shrimp have a Kevlar weave tail which
makes it damn near bomb-proof to those fish that commonly pick and peck at the
tail of the bait. This lets you fish considerably longer with minimal loss. I
also like to use the Egret Vudu Mullet and Wedgetials for these reasons. While the
Wedgetails are not re-enforced, they are extremely durable and last longer than
most anything else I’ve used.
JP hammershad on an Aqua Dream Inline Spinnerbait
For my larger baits, I love fishing
with my Powerteam Lures4.8" Swinging Hammer and the JP Hammershads. These baits are neutrally buoyant
and can handle repeated catches of large, toothy speckled trout. Unlike a lot
of other similar baits I’ve thrown, these don’t easily pull out of screw lock
hooks which save me money!
Swinging Hammer with a Healthy VA Citation Speck
10. All Around Terminal Tackle
To close out this list, I chose
something that I feel to be extremely important and would have expected to come
out much higher on my list. Whether its hooks, jig heads, swivels or the like,
this is one area I refuse to skimp on. If I am chasing sheepshead or other
trophy fish, I will eat ramen and tuna for a week before I compromise on my
terminal tackle.
Owner and Eagle Claw Trokar's are the only hooks I’ll use
when I’m fishing bait. These hooks are strong, sharp, and reliable. I will fish
Trokar's or VMC's when I need a swimbait hook or EWG for more
of my inshore presentations for many of the same reasons above.
Swivels and connectors are another
major part of my game. When tying Sheepshead, Spadefish, or Tautog rigs, I like
the 50lb spro barrel swivels. These are small, yet
mighty reliable to the point I've never had them fail on me. I will also add
them to the split ring on my spoons to help avoid line twist. As far as
connectors are concerned, I refuse to leave home without my Tactical
Anglers Power Clips. I could write a whole post just on these bad
boys. Quick lure changes, added action, and ease of use are just three of the
many added benefits.
50 lb TA Power Clip
I have 2 main requirements for
jigheads. They must have a strong, solid black nickel hook, and the hook shank
must vary in length to correspond to the weight of the jighead. Egret, VMC, and
Owner all make super high quality products, but for me, Jigheads are like
shoes, and whenever I see something new on the market, I make it a point to
pick up a pack or two.
I hope this top 10 list will help
you when making your next kayak fishing purchase. For me, this is what works
well. Keep in mind that many of the products I have mentioned here are from
companies that I am sponsored by. I use their products, because for my style, I
feel that they are superior to many others on the market. In the end though, its all about helping you figure out what works best for you and will give you the most enjoyment from your time on the water!
