My recent work schedule switched me from days to nights, and I havnt had alot of time to get out on the water. The past couple weeks I have been reading reports of limits being caught at the HRBT, so when Tim and Joe decided to hit the water me and BB grabbed the kayaks and headed over to the Ft Monroe side of the tunnel 16 Nov. We got out on the water and it was dead calm, no wind and the water looked like glass. We started fishing the light line on the bridge and didnt manage a single bite. Even though the weather was cooperating it seemed the fish just werent around. In between the bridges there was huge amounts of bait. It was everywhere in the water so thick I was pushing them out of the way while paddling. The problem was nothing was chasing them, they were just floating along in giant schools. None of the other kayakers or boats seemed to be doing any good either and once the temperature dropped the fog rolled in we decided to call it a night. The only fish caught was a ugly slimy toad by Tim.
Another week of 1500-0100 in the books and I was disappointed to learn that I would have to work Friday and Saturday to support a ship. Tim and Joe decided to hit the HRBT again this time on the Norfolk side, and I had hoped to get out on the water after work for some late night schoolie chasing. As things would turn out I got off earlier than expected on Friday, so I was in a rush to get out on the water. I quickly went home and grabbed my kayak and crate. I got out on the water at 21:00 and called Joe to see what the action was like. I was listening to the boat chatter on vhf#72 about not alot of fishing being caught when I paddled up to Joe. Ironically enough as soon as I got up to him his rod was bent over and he hooked his biggest fish of the night.
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| Joe's 21 inch schoolie striper. |
I paddled my kayak around to the light line and started casting a ReelFast Tackle curly tail on a 3/8 oz jig head. I wasnt getting any action on the pilings I was fishing and then Tim paddled up to me, as soon as he got into my head lamp light his rod bent over and he pulled up his biggest striper of the night. It appeared the fish wanted to mock me. Both Tim and Joe were using deep diving hard baits, which I had none of. Most of my arsenal consisted of jig heads, buck tails, soft plastics, and top water. The only thing I had was a suspending jerk bait still tied on one of my bait casters from freshwater fishing. I decided to try it out and tied it on. A few casts later and I managed to hook up on a fish. A quick fight later and I had a nice slot striper in the kayak. I learned my lesson with the flounder earlier this year and with my modified hawg trough measuring him was no issue.
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| 18 1/2 inch slot striper. |
Having 2 fish each Joe and Tim decided to call it a night and paddled on. I was still looking for a bigger fish so I stayed and continued to fish up and down the light line. The wind started to pick up and it began to rain a little so I was thinking about leaving. But then the bite started to pick up like someone turned a switch on. I managed 5 fish in 5 casts in the 14 inch range.
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| Small schoolie striper on River2Sea Fetch Minnow. |
The bite was hit or miss again and then it cranked up and I was catching more fish. They were all in the 10-15 inch range although a fellow kayaker a few pilings down did manage a nice 27 inch fish, that he let go. One fish wanted the bait so bad I had to use the bolt cutters to save him, and had to replace 2 hooks on the back of my lure.
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| 15 inch schoolie, engulfed River2Sea Fetch Minnow. He swam away after cutting the hooks. |
I was getting several short bites and tried out Gulp jerk shad and buck tails and managed some more small guys. I had forgotten my fish grips in the car in my haste to get out on the water. Between the flipping around, and treble hooks my thumb and hand sure wish I hadnt forgotten it.
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| Glad I had my pliers for this guy! All 3 hooks on the front treble. |
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Once the rain turned sideways and the waves started to come over the
side of the kayak I decided to call it a night. It was a long wet paddle
back to the ramp, and everything got a good freshwater washdown while
loading (including me.) Definitely gonna have to add a few
more deep diving hard baits to my tacklebox for nights like this where
the fish are suspending in the 10-12 foot range. Several other fellow kayakers of TKAA were out
and managed some nice fish as well. You can check out Mako's report here:
Mako Slayer and Chuck Wrenn's here:
http://froggin4bass.blogspot.com
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