I got my kayak out this evening for a short trip to a small pond 15 minutes from the house. Left the house at 4:10pm, on the water paddling at 4:30. Started right at the access by working the edge of the pads, throwing a pig 'n jig (who'd a thunk!). About the third cast, I'm pulling my bait up off the bottom and just lift it clear of the surface and a nice bass rolls on it and misses as I pull it up and away. First time I've been splashed by a bass on the strike! That's what happens when you're sitting at their level!
I continued along the pads but didn't have anymore action on the jig for the next 20 minutes. I paddled out to the deeper weed edge where milfoil in 6-8 f.o.w. started thinning out and picked up a crankbait rod (my kayak has 3 built-in rod holders) and put on a Strike King KVD 1.5 square bill in bluegill color. First cast pulling it between two milfoil clumps and my line goes tight and streaks to the left about 10 feet. I set the hook, rod bends over, then goes limp. Bye bye KVD 1.5. Clean bite through. Forgot this pond has pike.
I switch over to a Strike King shadalicious swimbait on a weighted Gammy and start pulling it through the dying vegetation. I kept getting taps but it must have been small fish because nothing really loaded up on this.
I was having a hard time staying out on the outside edge of the weedline. One thing I still can't get used to (well, there's more than one thing) with fishing from a kayak is that the slightest breeze moves you at Mach 3 across the water. It's really hard to keep positioned to fish the stuff you want to fish. Plus, you can't see targets too well since you're not looking down at it. Again, respect to the guys who do this, and do it well.
I switched back to the jig and moved along the shoreline again, trying to work with the wind. Pitched to a fallen log in the pads and as I was dragging my jig up and over the log, it felt like it got pulled down, but I swung and missed. I though maybe it was a branch, but I threw back in again, and the line went tight right away. Landed a nice little 2-lb chunk.
Next cast to the next log and I get another one!
Ran out of logs, so I kept pitching to the edge of the pads, as best as I could see them, and finally got my third and final bass of the night.
Off the water at 6:30pm. Nice 2 hour paddle. A few bass, and a nice sunset!
Good stuff, thanks for sharing.
