Good to be back everybody :)
I'll be posting a bunch of reports in this thread here, hopefully things will get interesting. I managed to put together access to kayak storage on Wrightsville Beach (plus a permanent parking spot), and access to a 24' bay boat for the summer, so this should definitely be a fun summer. I've been doing a lot of scouting new areas since we got locked down here, most don't look great but a few should be promising. We've got a big list of goals to try and complete this summer:
-Catch a bass at least 5 lbs
-Catch a sheepshead at least 5 lbs
-Catch a bluegill or redear at least 1 lb (if I can manage a 2lb fish then whoever's with me at the time gets a steak dinner, lol)
-Catch a grass carp
-Catch something on the SX from the surf/pier that's bigger than me (will need to be at least 116 lbs and/or 5'5")
-Break the 6 foot mark with the 12/0
-Catch a cobia
-Catch a spadefish on ultralight
-Catch a slot redfish on ultralight
-10+ species in a day
-30+ species over the summer
And finally... at least 1 NC citation fish throughout all this
Lofty set of goals, I'd be happy to get one done let alone however many are up there. Because of COVID, I get to work from home a lot more after this is all over, so I'll be able to spend a lot more time on the water. Nothing exciting to post as of yet, but Friday I might have a shot at crossing one of those off the list ;)
There's nothing wrong with that,,,,, ;) me and marlo have been going for different species citations in Virginia,,,,, :D it started out great but has gotten more difficult over time,,, :-\ but that's ok,,,,when you get one then it's more rewarding,,,,make it happen my friend,,,,,,,,, ;D
Benni, good to hear from you man! I agree, always liked getting things I had to bust my butt to get to.
How's the fishing in Virginia been? I'd imagine it's gotta be just about warming up there
Good luck ! Sounds like a good plan, and, if you work at it...you'll make it happen !
Biggieeee! Whasss uuup!
IMO, a man's gotta have a code(Insp. "Dirty" Harry Calahan) and a man's gotta have goals.
Lookin forward to hearin about what happens.
Nice set of goals, can't wait to see your results!
A worthy goal, sounds fun!
When I saw the title I thought it was about fishing with a Penn levelmatic, haha.
Man plans...God laughs. (Michael Chabon) Dominick
I literally just posted a thread called Fishing a Penn 910, then saw this post.... I almost shat myself. I had searched for 910 posts and didn't find what I was looking for. Glad to see it isn't about the same reel.
Good luck on your goals!!!!
Quote from: biggiesmalls on May 01, 2020, 12:59:31 PM
Benni, good to hear from you man! I agree, always liked getting things I had to bust my butt to get to.
How's the fishing in Virginia been? I'd imagine it's gotta be just about warming up there
Thanks my friend the water temp just hit 60 at the cove it's a green light and this mouth they owe us 2 more trout stockings,,,,,, ;) but with my luck the kosher 20 virus will shut us down,,,,,, >:( but that's ok,,,,how are you doing my friend hope everything is great and you and your family is doing good,,,,,,,,,, ;D
Everybody's doing good here, thanks for asking. Just waiting for Wrightsville Beach to officially open up to fishing again. Normally I don't mind "bending" the rules, but the $500 fine is steering me a bit away this time, lol.
Managed to get out 3 times since I last posted here, 6-8 hours each. First was at a new pond, goal was a grass carp. I chummed them up, got a few to come over but none would eat... also the turtles were so thick in there it was very tough to get any kind of bait out without them getting to it. Did get a better look at the grass carp though, they are not massive compared to what they can reach but they'll still be fun if I can catch them. That's the one fish (well, there's GTs but that's another story...) that I've tried to catch for years and still haven't been able to do it... pretty sure I started going for grass carp 8 years ago.
In between the carp I went for bass, got a few strikes on a frog and ended up losing it, packed up went to a very clear pond without fish and practiced with a spook for a bit.
Second trip got on the water about 4:00 am and fished until about 11, off a dock on the ICW. Goal was a redfish on topwater, but didn't manage any - I did see a few fish busting on top though, just no takers. Artificials were just not working and there was very little bait to be caught, so I switched over to some fishbites someone left at the dock and tried to see how many species I could get on the ultralight, always a fun little challenge. Only managed 5 this time - croaker, sand trout, pinfish, spot, and blue crab. Took 4 nice spot and 2 nice blue crabs to one of my friends, he lost his job because of the lockdown so figured some fresh seafood couldn't hurt :)
Third trip was back at the ponds, fished another new one for just a couple hours in between work calls and managed a few decent bass, nothing massive though - biggest was about 2 pounds. This pond has 3 pairs of canada geese on it, 1 pair has babies, 1 has a nest on the central island, and the other has nothing... you'd better get out of their way when they chase each other around lol.
I'm swamped with calls until Thursday, but I'm thinking Friday I'll go hit an old farm pond I used to fish about 20 minutes away. Me and my good friend "managed" it when we had no clue what we were doing in probably 7th grade, we paid for a few hundred channel cats and self-stocked at least a half dozen 4+ lb largemouths in there around 5 years ago - mind you this pond is 1/4 acre at most but over 8 feet deep in the entire thing. Now it supposedly has several 8-10 lb bass, several carp that would go well over 30 lbs, and some of those catfish are over 3 feet long, not to mention whatever random sunfish we put in there (I can remember at least 4 species, I'm sure more have made their way in).
The layout of that pond (smaller size, minimal structure, and super deep water) would make it an AWESOME pond for growing 2+ lb bluegill if it was properly managed. Gives me some ideas...
Tight lines
-Drew
Quote from: Swami805 on May 01, 2020, 02:45:23 PM
A worthy goal, sounds fun!
When I saw the title I thought it was about fishing with a Penn levelmatic, haha.
That's ridiculous, he's referring to the Daiwa 910. ;D Great minds think almost alike.
Hope everyone is staying safe with covid and riots all over the country. terrible times right now.
The company I've been with the past 4 years went under this past week. So I've been pulling 80+ hour weeks starting my own company and taking as many clients as I can from the previous company. Been super busy, but on the bright side - this is my "office" view for the next few weeks:
I will be getting out tonight for a much-needed break to pick up some (hopefully) amberjack scraps from the fish market, practice casting the heavers, and hopefully get into a couple blacktips. I've still got the SX Raptor and the 980 Mag Power, both on 12' sticks. Will be a fun test of old school vs new school tackle :)
Will have some new pictures in here tomorrow, or maybe late tonight. Will be a great feeling to get back on the sand.
Tight lines
Drew
There is a picture attached at the bottom. Not sure how to get it to post inline though
Nevermind - I'm officially losing my mind, haha.
what up buttercup! yah you threw me too- i didn't recall you having a 910!
910 is Drew's, and my former zip code, lol.
good luck!
Quote from: biggiesmalls on June 01, 2020, 03:08:27 PMI've been pulling 80+ hour weeks starting my own company
Hey Drew, if you don't mind me asking, what kind of business are you doing?
Now about those grass carp, chum with bread and let your bait float. Set hook right away, and please use a barbless hook! Be very gentle landing and handling them as well, best to slide them onto the grass, don't lift them, they are very delicate fish. I no longer fish for them as they are pretty wimpy fighters, not worth the trouble.
Oh, and I thought you were referring to the Levelmatic as well, lol.
Haha, no Penn 910... got the 980 though ;)
So yesterday started by throwing Gotchas into the schools of mullet in the surf. Of course with our luck, all we managed was this:
(http://snapchat-1027099042.jpg)
A lizardfish. Pretty decent for cut bait but that's about all. As soon as we got that, I said "what's next, a pompano on a gotcha?" Spoke a bit too soon:
(http://snapchat-1407510222.jpg)
Might be the smallest pompano I've ever caught ;). We got him back out - I'll meet up with him again in 2 years, on my plate hopefully.
As the sun set we started putting out cut lizardfish and flounder heads in hopes of a blacktip, but no luck off the beach. Decided to hit the run-down local pier for an hour or so before calling it a night. The beach was super calm, so the bugs were in full force. Not 5 minutes into getting a line in the water at the pier, reel starts clicking. So I have my buddy slowly tighten the drag and it's on. Took about 60 seconds in total, but it was a fun 60 seconds while it lasted!
(http://snapchat-651325654.jpg)
Ended up being a roughly 2 foot sharpnose shark. Not the monster we were going for, but it broke the streak!
I've fished with Cole for 2 years now and this is the first time we have ever caught anything we were actually trying to catch, or wanted to. Pretty easy to complain about a 2 foot fish when the goal is 6, but it's pretty tough to complain when you get a kid his first shark! This kid's spoiled - he's the new owner of my 12 ;)
Tight lines,
Drew
p.s. - how do I embed pictures? I'm young, but I'm HORRIBLE with technology haha
Quote from: nelz on June 01, 2020, 04:39:30 PM
Quote from: biggiesmalls on June 01, 2020, 03:08:27 PMI've been pulling 80+ hour weeks starting my own company
Hey Drew, if you don't mind me asking, what kind of business are you doing?
Now about those grass carp, chum with bread and let your bait float. Set hook right away, and please use a barbless hook! Be very gentle landing and handling them as well, best to slide them onto the grass, don't lift them, they are very delicate fish. I no longer fish for them as they are pretty wimpy fighters, not worth the trouble.
Oh, and I thought you were referring to the Levelmatic as well, lol.
Hi nelz, sorry missed this post! Thanks for the tips on grass carp - will try. They're not something I'll pursue much, but they've been in the back of my mind ever since I saw a big one. Want to cross it off the list.
I started a Math Tutoring Company. That was my first job at 14, I worked with a company from the time we opened 4 years ago until we just recently closed about 1.5 months ago. Just opened up shop officially a week ago - our website is www.mathbusterstutoring.com :)
Good for you Drew, best success on the entrepreneurial endeavor!
Great job man,,,,,, :D and keep the good times rolling,,,,,,,, ;D
Way to go guy... with everything. More like three foot though.
-steve
Thanks everyone, good to be back. I'll take 3!
Need to get the 12/0 out soon. I'm lucky enough to have access to some super nice baits here, so we can put out a 15+ lb carcass on it.
Drew
Quote from: biggiesmalls on June 23, 2020, 02:46:11 PM
Thanks everyone, good to be back. I'll take 3!
Need to get the 12/0 out soon. I'm lucky enough to have access to some super nice baits here, so we can put out a 15+ lb carcass on it.
Drew
Ya,,,,,,, can't wait to see you get the big one,,,,,,,, ;D