Prelude to sunset for bass and....? I've been snorkel diving lately to scout the underwater conditions and fish population along a short stretch of a local beach. From what I can tell...

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

I've been snorkel diving lately to scout the underwater conditions and fish population along a short stretch of a local beach. From what I can tell, there are plenty of fish and some excellent habitat characteristics so I spent about 2 1/2 hours this evening trolling from a kayak to check it out from the surface.

Managed to catch one 16" smallmouth bass and an 8 pound freshwater drum...known locally as a sheephead. We've said it before, but it is worth repeating....pound for pound a smallie is one tough customer! This guy was peeling out drag and pulling me around like a dock attendant mooring a yacht at the marina. I think that instead of using HP (horse power) to indicate the power of an engine or motor, it should have been BP (bass power)!

When that bass finally got near the surface, I believe that I saw an underwater "voice bubble" pop at the surface like a fortune cookie. The message read "I ain't no quitter, and I'm no where near done yet!"

The sheephead pulled like the dickens too. In fact I hooked up in 10' of water, and got pulled about 400 feet out into 60' of water during the struggle. I thought I was into a PB (personal best) smallmouth, so I can hardly describe the disappointment when he surfaced and I saw that it was not a bass. Oh well...several drag burning runs during a 10 minute fight... so no complaints from me!

It was a beautifully calm evening, which felt good after a particularly windy day. A lady was walking her dog along the beach, folks were stationed in lawn chairs in hopes of seeing a vivid sunset, A father was teaching his son to skip stones and a group of children, with adult supervision, were huddled around a beach bonfire on shore giggling and sharing stories from their day. There were also several people cooling off for a swim, even though our air temps were not that high today.

Some of my kayaking buddies are going to meet me in the morning to pursue northern pike and muskie so I'd better sign off and get some "shut eye"! Have a fantastic weekend ahead everybody!

Out paddling this evening, hoping for walleye, but happy with any hungry fish that happens to find my lure offerings.

I changed lures by the pair, as I was running 2 rods tonight. Went thru 10 lures all together, giving each set a good half hour of swim time in the lake.

The smallmouth bass enjoyed chasing this Rapala "fat rap"...until it stung him in the lip!

An unexpected surprise on this sheephead! They are fairly common around here, but I probably only catch a couple each season. This brute gave me a good workout on the extra long "noodle rod" I was using. Sure glad I brought a net along!

Andy B Loc: East Springfield PA

fishyaker wrote:

I've been snorkel diving lately to scout the underwater conditions and fish population along a short stretch of a local beach. From what I can tell, there are plenty of fish and some excellent habitat characteristics so I spent about 2 1/2 hours this evening trolling from a kayak to check it out from the surface.

Managed to catch one 16" smallmouth bass and an 8 pound freshwater drum...known locally as a sheephead. We've said it before, but it is worth repeating....pound for pound a smallie is one tough customer! This guy was peeling out drag and pulling me around like a dock attendant mooring a yacht at the marina. I think that instead of using HP (horse power) to indicate the power of an engine or motor, it should have been BP (bass power)!

When that bass finally got near the surface, I believe that I saw an underwater "voice bubble" pop at the surface like a fortune cookie. The message read "I ain't no quitter, and I'm no where near done yet!"

The sheephead pulled like the dickens too. In fact I hooked up in 10' of water, and got pulled about 400 feet out into 60' of water during the struggle. I thought I was into a PB (personal best) smallmouth, so I can hardly describe the disappointment when he surfaced and I saw that it was not a bass. Oh well...several drag burning runs during a 10 minute fight... so no complaints from me!

It was a beautifully calm evening, which felt good after a particularly windy day. A lady was walking her dog along the beach, folks were stationed in lawn chairs in hopes of seeing a vivid sunset, A father was teaching his son to skip stones and a group of children, with adult supervision, were huddled around a beach bonfire on shore giggling and sharing stories from their day. There were also several people cooling off for a swim, even though our air temps were not that high today.

Some of my kayaking buddies are going to meet me in the morning to pursue northern pike and muskie so I'd better sign off and get some "shut eye"! Have a fantastic weekend ahead everybody!

I've been snorkel diving lately to scout the under... (show quote)

Great story thank you for sharing, sounds like you really had your hands full . Fishing out of a yac is really something special. Good looking smaller too. Stay safe🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🇺🇲🇺🇲

NJ219bands Loc: New Jersey

Nice 👍

OJdidit Loc: Oak Creek Wisconsin

Nice post, nice smallie, too! Yes, those Sheephead can get your blood pumping!

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

Andy B wrote:

Great story thank you for sharing, sounds like you really had your hands full . Fishing out of a yac is really something special. Good looking smaller too. Stay safe🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🇺🇲🇺🇲

Thank you Andy! Yes...as a fellow kayaker I know what you mean about sitting close to the water and being up snug with the fish!

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

NJ219bands wrote:

Nice 👍

Thank you NJ219! I thought of the carp you catch when that sheephead popped his head up...they are a lot like small carp...and boy do they pull! I know you catch quite a few of them. I saw one large carp up at the surface...finning around, but I've never caught one using the crank baits I had deployed.

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

OJdidit wrote:

Nice post, nice smallie, too! Yes, those Sheephead can get your blood pumping!

Thank you OJ! The smallmouth bass never disappoint me once hooked. This guy stayed down deep the whole time...no jumps or aerial work...just head thumping and trying to get back to the bottom!

Yes, the sheephead are quite a battle. I've never had one give up easily!

Fredfish Loc: Prospect CT.

fishyaker wrote:

I've been snorkel diving lately to scout the underwater conditions and fish population along a short stretch of a local beach. From what I can tell, there are plenty of fish and some excellent habitat characteristics so I spent about 2 1/2 hours this evening trolling from a kayak to check it out from the surface.

Managed to catch one 16" smallmouth bass and an 8 pound freshwater drum...known locally as a sheephead. We've said it before, but it is worth repeating....pound for pound a smallie is one tough customer! This guy was peeling out drag and pulling me around like a dock attendant mooring a yacht at the marina. I think that instead of using HP (horse power) to indicate the power of an engine or motor, it should have been BP (bass power)!

When that bass finally got near the surface, I believe that I saw an underwater "voice bubble" pop at the surface like a fortune cookie. The message read "I ain't no quitter, and I'm no where near done yet!"

The sheephead pulled like the dickens too. In fact I hooked up in 10' of water, and got pulled about 400 feet out into 60' of water during the struggle. I thought I was into a PB (personal best) smallmouth, so I can hardly describe the disappointment when he surfaced and I saw that it was not a bass. Oh well...several drag burning runs during a 10 minute fight... so no complaints from me!

It was a beautifully calm evening, which felt good after a particularly windy day. A lady was walking her dog along the beach, folks were stationed in lawn chairs in hopes of seeing a vivid sunset, A father was teaching his son to skip stones and a group of children, with adult supervision, were huddled around a beach bonfire on shore giggling and sharing stories from their day. There were also several people cooling off for a swim, even though our air temps were not that high today.

Some of my kayaking buddies are going to meet me in the morning to pursue northern pike and muskie so I'd better sign off and get some "shut eye"! Have a fantastic weekend ahead everybody!

I've been snorkel diving lately to scout the under... (show quote)

Great story and pictures Yaker! That's one of my favorite times to fish, although I don't get a chance that often. Smallmouth should be given the Ultimate Ironman award for freshwater fish. Sometimes they go up, sometimes down, and sometimes both, but they never come to the boat easily. Thanks for sharing buddy.

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

Fredfish wrote:

Great story and pictures Yaker! That's one of my favorite times to fish, although I don't get a chance that often. Smallmouth should be given the Ultimate Ironman award for freshwater fish. Sometimes they go up, sometimes down, and sometimes both, but they never come to the boat easily. Thanks for sharing buddy.

Thank you Fredfish! Yes...I agree on some sort of award for the mighty smallmouth bass! I enjoy evening fishing too...it is a nice way to end the day!

Just back from a different lake this morning with a couple of my kayak paddling buddies and the action was very slow. Tons of mayfly husks on the water, and on our graphs we could see schools and congregations of fish gloaming the bottom for nymphs. Our crank baits got some attention...but not much. No pike or muskie showed up either, which is what we started out after before shifting gears to the other residents of the lake.

Water temp at the surface was 75 degrees, and the weeds have gone crazy. Almost impossible to troll from the kayak...especially with 2 lines out!

A cute little "one pounder" on the bass side of things.

Not sure what this yellow perch was thinking when it comes to "portion size"! Someday this guy may become a "jumbo perch" if he keeps up with this kind of appetite!

HenryG Loc: Falmouth Cape Cod Massachusetts

fishyaker wrote:

I've been snorkel diving lately to scout the underwater conditions and fish population along a short stretch of a local beach. From what I can tell, there are plenty of fish and some excellent habitat characteristics so I spent about 2 1/2 hours this evening trolling from a kayak to check it out from the surface.

Managed to catch one 16" smallmouth bass and an 8 pound freshwater drum...known locally as a sheephead. We've said it before, but it is worth repeating....pound for pound a smallie is one tough customer! This guy was peeling out drag and pulling me around like a dock attendant mooring a yacht at the marina. I think that instead of using HP (horse power) to indicate the power of an engine or motor, it should have been BP (bass power)!

When that bass finally got near the surface, I believe that I saw an underwater "voice bubble" pop at the surface like a fortune cookie. The message read "I ain't no quitter, and I'm no where near done yet!"

The sheephead pulled like the dickens too. In fact I hooked up in 10' of water, and got pulled about 400 feet out into 60' of water during the struggle. I thought I was into a PB (personal best) smallmouth, so I can hardly describe the disappointment when he surfaced and I saw that it was not a bass. Oh well...several drag burning runs during a 10 minute fight... so no complaints from me!

It was a beautifully calm evening, which felt good after a particularly windy day. A lady was walking her dog along the beach, folks were stationed in lawn chairs in hopes of seeing a vivid sunset, A father was teaching his son to skip stones and a group of children, with adult supervision, were huddled around a beach bonfire on shore giggling and sharing stories from their day. There were also several people cooling off for a swim, even though our air temps were not that high today.

Some of my kayaking buddies are going to meet me in the morning to pursue northern pike and muskie so I'd better sign off and get some "shut eye"! Have a fantastic weekend ahead everybody!

I've been snorkel diving lately to scout the under... (show quote)

Nice post Yaker thanks for sharing🎣🇺🇸😎👍

Papa Jack Loc: Indianapolis

Thanks for sharing the adventure

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

HenryG wrote:

Nice post Yaker thanks for sharing🎣🇺🇸😎👍

Thank you HenryG! Glad you enjoyed it! Fishing in the evening has it's rewards...when everything is taming down from the day and getting quiet. I was so close to shore while trolling that a few people struck up conversations as I would pass by their home or cabin.

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

Papa Jack wrote:

Thanks for sharing the adventure

You are very welcome Papa Jack! We are headed out tomorrow for a week of camping...and it is forecasted to rain quite a bit. I am in a quandry about taking the kayak...but I think I will because the weatherman could be wrong...and anyways, I don't mind fishing in the rain as long as it's not a torrential downpour!