A Spoon Full

Alright, not a true fly caught fish but what do you expect with a filter feeder. So I was running up river through some shallow water and looked down and saw this big dark object that caught my attention. There was a lot of glare on the water so I couldn't completely make out what I was seeing. I got past the sun and realized I was looking at was a paddle fish. It was very calm and just hung out in the same area so I got my camera and circled around and got some decent underwater video of him. Then I was thinking how many opportunities am I going to get at a fish like this. Ya I would have to snag him but is it any different than lining a salmon. Luckily I decided to rig up my nine weight at the last minute before I left the house that morning. I grabbed the rod and waded out to the fish and after a few quick attempts I had him hooked in the bill. He put up a decent fight and after a few quick pics he was back in the water swimming. Not a true fly caught fish but it was a fun experience. 

       

Love Hate Relationship

Beaversbend is such a great place, good fishing, great scenery, close to DFW. Whats not to like. The Crowds...... I always want to go up there and fish but more times than not I find myself very annoyed with the crowds. I try to limit my time up there during the winter months when crowds are more manageable.

 I put my buddy on his first fly caught fish

 A nice brown from the evening hole

 My wife's first fly caught fish

 This fish broke me off moments earlier

This fish went every bit of 6-7 lbs 

Messing around with photoshop

Mokai Mods

Some of the mods I have done with the Mokai.

Found this $10 rod holder at Academy.

Holds 4 rods. 

Moved gear pegs to the starboard side

 to hold the paddle better

Installed a fish finder. 

Used 4" PVC to create a well

By using a rubber cap and filling the well with

water it creates a good picture on the 

fish finder and still makes it removable.

A portable fish finder works pretty

good for my situations.

The only thing I would change with the Moakai. Move the steering

arm under the cockpit more, along with moving the kill switch inside the cockpit.

Also replace the large wingnut with a low profile nut.   

Today started off slow and then all of the sudden the fish turned on. Caught lots of small stripers and sandies, a couple of buffalo, a spotted bass and a few smallmouths and a drum. 

SSS

Hit the river this morning. Caught lots of sandies and small stripers this morning with a few spotted bass mixed in. Nothing to big but lots of nice 10-14" sandies made for a fun morning with the 5 weight. Probably ended the morning with 50 or so fish.

Hawaii

The wife and I went to Oahu for the honeymoon. We had a great time hiking to waterfalls, kayaking, snorkeling, swimming with dolphins, site-seeing and relaxing on the beach and by the pool. I snuck off for a day of fishing. I had a great time with Capt. Coach Duff chasing bonefish. Oahu is not a nursery fishery, all the bones are going to run 7+ lbs with several being spotted over 10lbs. Its a quality over quantity fishery. I hooked a nice fish around 7-8lbs and lost him when he took me off the edge of the flat into the reefs.....