Quick trip this morning, and a couple of big reds

[Three se7ens]

I had a few hours to spare this morning, so I made a quick trip out to Tybee to catch the sunrise low tide. The wind had kicked up enough of a chop that I wasn't having much luck on topwater, aside from a single trout. Switched to a floating subsurface twitchbait, and it was promptly smashed by a flounder.  Wouldn't have expected that one, as the lure runs barely a foot deep at most...

Checked a few more spots without any luck, before seeing a school of big fish in shallow water on the side imaging sonar. I cast to it, and after a couple of twitches, fish on! After a bit of a sleigh ride, I had a 31" red in the kayak. That's a new personal best for me. I snapped a photo and then watched the fish swim off strong. A couple of casts later and I hooked and landed a 29" red from the same spot.  

Decided to call it a trip shortly after, as the water was only getting rougher and I had things to do. Turned out to be a great trip though; inshore slam and a new personal best redfish.

[Three se7ens]

Here's a screenshot of the school of reds on my fishfinder. Side imaging is a game changer in shallow water.

[Crow]

Nice catch !!  I hope to be chasing some of those drum in a couple more months .

[Benni3]

Fantastic job man,,,,,, it's not that easy in a kayak,,,,,,,

[Three se7ens]

Fantastic job man,,,,,, it's not that easy in a kayak,,,,,,,

Im some ways its easier.  It doesnt spook fish like a motor boat does, its easy to manage super shallow water, and using the pedal drive, I can still move while fighting a fish.  I think its a little easier to not lose a big fish on light tackle from a kayak than from a boat. Youre still going for a ride with a strong fish though, even if you have some say in which direction its headed.  You cant put really heavy pressure on a fish unless its off your bow or directly under you, but thats only an issue for really big stuff that gets interesting even on boats. 

I couldnt fish how I fish from most boats.  I only anchor when Im in shallow water, the wind is a problem, and I know where the fish are going to be.  I fish artificials pretty much exclusively from the kayak, so Im always on the move searching for and chasing the fish.  And much of it is only a couple of feet of water.  I dont know many boaters that would risk fishing in 2' of water on an outgoing tide with a 10' tide swing...

[Benni3]

Hole differen ball game,,,,, but you got your mojo going there,,,, great job,,,,,,,

[oc1]

That's wild.  Do I understand that you peddled right past the school of fish only about 15 to 20 feet away in shallow (2.5') water without spooking them?  Were they at least moving away?

Yeah, side scan sounds like the ticket.  What machine is that?

Oh... really nice fish too.
-steve

[Alto Mare]

You're doing good Adam, I'm glad you're getting out there.

Sal

[Donnyboat]

Good trip Adam, & thanks for the pics, cheers Don.

[Three se7ens]

That's wild.  Do I understand that you peddled right past the school of fish only about 15 to 20 feet away in shallow (2.5') water without spooking them?  Were they at least moving away?

Yeah, side scan sounds like the ticket.  What machine is that?

Oh... really nice fish too.
-steve

Its crazy how close you can get without spooking them in a kayak.  If I see a boil from spooking a fish, its usually within 5-6 feet of me in shallow water.  Deeper than 4' and you can run right over them without spooking them most times.  It looks like they were swimming more parallel to me at the time, but they typically move up and down the shore at a consistent depth.  When you catch one at a certain depth, you will continue to find them at that depth as they move along. 

Fishfinder is a Humminbird Helix 5 SI G2.  The side imaging performance completely blows away the Garmin Echomap I had prior. 

[jurelometer]

Nice fish Adam!

The striper fishermen in the Sacramento River delta use side scan the same way and swear by it.  Seems that  side scan works well for finding bigger fish fish holed up in a shallow spot.  Does it help you at all in open water situations?

-J

[Dominick]

Way to go Adam.  Dominick

[Newell Nut]

Nice work while the seas are churned up. Should be offshore by Friday.

Dwight

[Three se7ens]

Nice fish Adam!

The striper fishermen in the Sacramento River delta use side scan the same way and swear by it.  Seems that  side scan works well for finding bigger fish fish holed up in a shallow spot.  Does it help you at all in open water situations?

-J

I dont fish open water that much, but yes, it can be just as valuable in open water.  It will read all the way out to 300' either side.  At those ranges, the resolution on the screen is too low to really be able to see fish, but its good for finding structure and schools of bait.  Im no expert, but starting to get a good grasp of understanding what Im seeing on the screen. 

https://www.facebook.com/adam.fournier.7/media_set?set=a.2510734445658360&type=3  there are more screenshots from mine

https://www.facebook.com/chesapeake.kayak.trolling/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2035685670032016  not mine, but amazing screenshots really showing off what side imaging can do

[oc1]

I can't see Facebook stuff, but you should send your screen shot to Humminbird.  It's more convincing than their promotional photos.

-steve