Caney 7/12 Night Kayak Fishing

[jad2t]

Got there about 6:30 and fished until midnight. I started out throwing a Redfin and Pencil Popper into the boils hoping to get a big Rockfish. Not even a sniff so I headed elsewhere with lighter tackle and started throwing a Rattlin Rogue which is the big Brown Trout killer at night. Oddly enough, I hooked into my biggest Rockfish to date.

About 34" long and not skinny. I don't have a scale but I'd say it was easily 15 pounds and probably pushing 20. I was fishing with 10# mono, a 10# flouro leader so I had to be extremely careful not to let that fish break me off. It towed me all over the place. There was a nice couple who watched the whole thing from their johnboat and clapped for me when I finally landed it. They took the picture of me holding it so if you're reading this, thanks again for the awesome pic and staying out of the way when I was frantically yelling because I was scared your trolling motor was going to cut the line, I couldn't control that fish! :D

I let this one go because I'm told the smaller ones taste better. All the ones I've eaten have been around 30 inches. I like them but my wife doesn't. I kept two smaller ones in the 19-20 inch range and we ate one last night. I have to agree with that opinion, the smaller ones really do taste better.

Right at the end of the night I landed this nice barely shy of 19" Brown to cap off what was an awesome fishing outing. No fishing outing is bad, but some are certainly better than others and this was one of them.

Before I left I thought, "I'll leave my GoPro home, I won't catch anything good until dark anyway". HA!

[SAMBOLIE]

Great outing Jimmy. Congrats.

[XxthejuicexX]

Very nice trip!

[Reel Tune]

With the size of the head on that striper, it looks like it will possibly grow to be a very large fish. Congratulations

[jad2t]

With the size of the head on that striper, it looks like it will possibly grow to be a very large fish. Congratulations

Thanks! Hey maybe one of us will catch it at the steamplant this Fall! I took extra care to make sure it swam away healthy and it appeared to. I hear they have a rough time recovering in warmer months after a long fight but I think that really only pertains to warmer waters. I could be wrong. TK, can you weigh in on this?

[StriperFan]

That is a great fish, especially on the light tackle. Sometimes its nice to get a "Big" surprise. There is no problem releasing stripers in the Caney in the warm months, the water is where they live, and it is cool. Still should take care not to fight them to the edge of their life, and if you do, spend a minute holding them face first into the current.

[jad2t]

That is a great fish, especially on the light tackle. Sometimes its nice to get a "Big" surprise. There is no problem releasing stripers in the Caney in the warm months, the water is where they live, and it is cool. Still should take care not to fight them to the edge of their life, and if you do, spend a minute holding them face first into the current.

Thanks man, it's definitely a fish I won't forget. I hope I didn't fight it too long but then again with 10# line and an extra knot for the 10# flouro leader, I couldn't exactly horse that fish in. I had to be so careful not to break off and even backed off the drag a few more clicks to be safe. When released, it swam straight down and looked strong and healthy doing so. I did revive it for a few minutes before doing that.

[StriperFan]

I would say that is all you can really do in that situation. And I bet that fish will be fine.

[Travis C.]

Nice Jimmy.

Was there a lot of water generating?

[tbona]

Nice Jimmy.

Was there a lot of water generating?


they had 1 gen going until 9 pm and then nothing. Jimmy was schooling them with that jerkbait!

[agelesssone]

Jimmy, it was very smart of you to tell SAMBOLIE you were going to Dale Hollow, that way he couldn't put the SAMBOLIE jinx on you.

And see what happens? You had a fine trip, while I heard NO ONE caught a fish on Dale Hollow that whole day!

[FloatNFish]

Good looking fish, Jimmy! Sounds like a fun trip!

[Reel Tune]

Thanks! Hey maybe one of us will catch it at the steamplant this Fall! I took extra care to make sure it swam away healthy and it appeared to. I hear they have a rough time recovering in warmer months after a long fight but I think that really only pertains to warmer waters. I could be wrong. TK, can you weigh in on this?

Yeah I think it mainly pertains to warmer waters, and low oxygen. The Caney Fork is an optimal habitat for Stripers.

[jad2t]

they had 1 gen going until 9 pm and then nothing. Jimmy was schooling them with that jerkbait!

It's just something you have to learn. Johnathan can tell you about a time we went after bass in early Spring, still cold water. He caught like 5 and missed a couple more on a jerkbait and I got skunked trying to learn how to use a jerkbait. First night Caney trip I made with him and Michael. They got some really nice trout and a ton of short Walleye, I just got a few short Walleye and a few small trout. Now I feel like I have gotten the hang of it.

Like I said, next time we go we'll get there early in daylight so you can see how the jerkbait is moving and I'll teach you what I've learned through trial and error.

[jad2t]

Jimmy, it was very smart of you to tell SAMBOLIE you were going to Dale Hollow, that way he couldn't put the SAMBOLIE jinx on you.

And see what happens? You had a fine trip, while I heard NO ONE caught a fish on Dale Hollow that whole day!

Sometimes I like to really throw him off the trail and tell him I'm fishing Mill Creek in the nice part of Antioch. Ha.. the "nice part" of Antioch, it keeps him searching for hours every time.

[Heiny57]

Nice fish and trip.

[jad2t]

Thanks everyone, it sure was a trip to remember.

FYI - For a long time I didn't believe people telling me the smaller Rockfish taste better. I really thought that was just influenced by catch and release preferences about keeping larger fish. I've eaten a handful of 30+ inchers and I like them but my wife doesn't. I decided to let that big one go and keep two 18-20 inchers and cooked them both different ways. They really are better tasting fish. Better texture and better flavor. Do yourself a favor before you judge them as nasty tasting fish, try a 2-3 pounder and you'll change your mind!

[agelesssone]

I'd love to try eating a 2-3 pounder.

I just can't seem to catch any that small!!

[XxthejuicexX]

I'd love to try eating a 2-3 pounder.

I just can't seem to catch any that small!!


That sir, is why you get paid to fish!


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[SAMBOLIE]

I'd love to try eating a 2-3 pounder.

I just can't seem to catch any that small!!

Jimmy wasn't referring to Carp and Drum.