Once, Mike snuck out without me and a had a great day in one of our choice spots. Not to be completely outdone, I too snuck out to the same spot for a solo kayak trip, and really hammered 'em for about an hour on the incoming tide. I'm not sure anyone will believe me because I lack completely for pictures (camera still drowned from AK at the time), but I landed one beast around 30", boated a half dozen others, and lost one really strong fish when the leader snapped where the 40# butt section was tied to the leadcore line . . . . Actually, there are at least two parties that could corroborate my fish tales: a houseboating party watched me boat the big fish (and, most embarrassingly for me, applauded); and a bait-drowner across on the far bank watched the whole strike (and snapoff) session, with what I have to imagine was some envy at some moments and schadenfreude at others.
Last week I finally got a new digital camera, so today's delta stripers can be documented. None hit the 30 inch mark or double-digit level, but there were so many strikes by nice 4-5 pound fish that I do not complain. On the contrary, I celebrate, raising my cup!
Of coffee, while waiting for the tide to turn. Got a couple of smaller ones on the outgoing, but it wasn't nearly as good as the incoming. All the fish took on the pause, but they grabbed so hard that even a nitwit like me only dropped three or four strikes. I blame the slippery running line on those occasions.
It looks like some weather is coming this week, and who knows if the fishing will get back into this lovely form, with such sweet wind-free warm afternoons, and feeding frenzies in the tidal current, and lovely dusks with fish coming up to slash at topwater plugs. If it does, great! If it doesn't, then I'm even gladder to have got out there today. And I'm already very glad.
