Rusty Spoons

11/26/2017 A warm day at the end of fall just beckons for an attempt, on the 13' Hobie Outback kayak, at lake trout. Although this was just my second time lake trout fishing on Round Valley Reservoir, I ended up catching two beautiful specimens. The date of this fishing excursion was 11/25/2017 I started the day off by stopping at the local bait shop: Behre bait and tackle. Although they were not well stocked because it was the end of the open water season, Behre had medium and large shiner minnows, as well as the necessary assortment of lures that I needed: a bladebait and a Krocodile spoon. I purchased a dozen medium shiners, a Thinfisher bladebait, and a Krocodile spoon. In my previous trip to Round Valley, I had fished the North Dam and North Tower of the Reservoir with only a bite and a foul hooked rock bass to show for it - given that this was only a one hour excursion, I deemed it very successful, so this time we launched out of the Southern launch site, and I fished t...

The amount of fishing that goes on in this world is unprecedented due to the aggressive increase in human population. A report by the World Wildlife Fund in 2015 found that nearly half the marine life was lost in the last 40 years. Our impact on the world's wildlife population is both depressing and urgent. We must radically change the way we conduct the business of harvesting fish recreationally. In my opinion, if an individual is not relying on fishing to put food on their table, one should not be harvesting fish from the ocean recreationally. We cannot rationalize our decisions. We can't say that one fish won't make a difference because that is the same exact thinking that got into this situation. What I can only hope from my fellow anglers is to reconsider if they really need to eat the fish they caught, or if they could release it back into the waters in which it belongs. Think of your refrigerator and pantry at home, does it have enough food for you to eat, or do you...

The challenge of finding time to fish during the school year becomes harder with each passing month. The burdens of school work, test prep, and sports prevents us from casting a fly or a popper out into waters. Slowly, things become more important than fishing. We rationalize, and proclaim we’ll go during the break or over the summer. Yet our attempt does not meet our expectation. A youtube video now or then, seems to sufice; for the time being. But, more often than not, I find myself daydreaming in class of the glistening waters of the Keys, or the icy wind on a frozen lake. At what point do we take a break. At what point do I bury my math or english into my backpack, grasp my rod and reel, and head out into a blissful afternoon of fishing. Again, I rationalize. I tell myself," I'll get good grades and work hard, so I can fish more often when I’m out of school." But, as I evaluate my parents lives as adults. They to struggle to make time for their hobbies. Is now not the...

Fishing is hard- no matter the season, the weather, or the time of day- fishing is possibly the most frustrating pastime known to man. Despite having top tier gear and equipment, as well as a focused and calmed mind, fishing presents unique and difficult challenges that the common man can not endure. Fishing shapes a mind and reinforces humility through countless skunked outing, and patience through long hours spent on the water. Although fishing has not always been fruitful, it is without a doubt my favorite pastime past summers, winters, and autumns. This fall, however, was a unique exception. This fall, the spot I have fished in years past has been over-run by other fisherman. So much so, that the fishing has become a standstill, and discarded braid and trash abound. I know I shouldn't complain, for I have been provided a beautiful slice of wilderness. This past weekend, I reached the water and cast out my line at about 5:00a.m.; this was about the earliest I had ever fished...

Weather is cooling, tog are bitting, so charge the fish finder battery and start finding some crabs. Despite the negative connotations about Tautog - relatively ugly, not fun to catch, a fake gamefish - Tautog are without a doubt the angler's dream. Tautog are a bottom dwelling fish that eat mostly crustaceans like crabs and shrimp; they are hard fighting and a delight to catch; they are simply beautiful creatures with adorable faces that should be appreciated by everybody. Catching a tautog can be quite tricky though, for they always live on structure like boulders and wrecks. Because of this, a kayak angler must have a decent fish finder that is capable of locating this structure to then target these fish. Many people recommend a very stout rod to tug these fish out of cover, I am usually partial to a lighter tipped medium action rod matched with a 2500 Penn Battle with 20 lb. braided line. Furthermore, because these fish live on rocks, leader is a necessity. I fish 30 lb. Ande...