Flipper, Flipper

So far this spring has been very kind to me fishing wise. I hoped the weather was going to be nice at the start of summer so I was able to get out stay in the groove and continue catching some quality fish. Unfortunately Mother Nature, my work schedule, and all around bad luck had other plans. Several nice warm days I had a reverse work schedule and was only able to look on with envy at the catches and read the reports of fish being caught. When I finally got a day off, the wind decided to flare up and lower temperatures turned the bite off.

My first trip out at the HRBT proved to be successful and it wasnt long before I was  hooked into a monster fish. It doubled over my fishing rod and went on several hard runs pulling drag. As I got it closer to the boat I was amazed to see a flounder that had to be atleast 25 inches long and as wide as a door mat. I grabbed for my fish grips thinking I had him beat and as I pulled his head up he started head shaking. After a few shakes and another splash of his tail and then my line went slack and I looked on as he quickly disappeared under the water. All I was left with was a twisted mangled straightened out stainless swivel snap that was suppose to be rated at 50 pounds. Thinking this would be my 'bad luck' moment of the day I kept fishing hoping to find a good flounder to put on the stringer.
I continued jigging lookin for flounder and managed to bring in several bluefish and then the bite died so I decided to move further down the bridge. I had pulled my anchor up and left it in my lap since I had only planned to move 20 yards or so, put my rod in a rod holder behind my seat and started paddling. Suddenly my Shimano Curado/Abu Garcia Volitale combo decided to come out of the flush mounted rod holder. Seeing my combo fall into the water, I panicked  and lunged for the rod. This would be my biggest mistake. As I lunged for the rod my legs still on the kayak and the momentum of my body weight shifting was enough to pull my kayak over and flip it. I couldnt believe it happened and for a second I was in the water just looking at all of my fishing tackle sink to the bottom. Two of my rods I wasnt using had rod leashes on them but my tackleboxes were just sitting in my crate and quickly sank to the bottom. I was still trying to get my shimano back and as I tried to gather up my stuff my legs became tangled in the rod leashes and the anchor rope. I couldnt flip the kayak back over because the anchor/rod leashes were dragging and pulling the side of the kayak back down. About this time the lure from one of the rods got hooked into my leg and the line was wrapped around and pulling tighter. I decided to cut my losses, literally and using my knife on my PFD I cut the rod leashes, anchor rope, and line freeing my legs. A Jetskier came by and offered to assist in gathering what possessions of my were still floating and I righted the kayak and climbed on top. I managed to save just one fishing rod, a 30$ bass pro shops combo I was using to catch croaker. Total losses including 3 tackle trays full of various lures, Garmin hand held gps, "waterproof" Cobra VHF, Yak Attack Visicarbon Pro, Penn Battle combo, Shimano Curado/Abu Garcia Volitale combo, anchor, rod leashes, hawg trough, and various other untied items was over 900$. Luckily I was uninjured (save pulling the hooks out of my leg) and thankfully the warmer water I was in no fear of hypothermia. I paddled back to the ramp with alot less equipment and a very expensive learning experience.

First croaker of the year.

Blues are fun on light tackle, last known picture of my Curado/Volitale.

50 pound stainless swivel snap twisted.

I have since built a lid for my crate (out of the bottom of another milk crate), I will no longer use rod leashes, and I have resetup the kayak to be easier should I ever flip it again. Hopefully I keep finding the fish and I have yet another flounder that got away story.