Got R' Done

[Johnsfolly]

Well the title will likely take away any suspense. It has been a pretty bad few weeks. I haven't fished more than 25 mins since Nov 15th. Weather has been kicking my butt on the trips needed to achieve one or more of my 2020 goals. After another weather event stopped me from running out to try for pike, decided to change focus and try to get Livie on catching her first Esox species, a chain pickerel. We had tried in the past to get Livie a pickerel. She came close and had one on when we last fished the Pocomoke river. I've caught at least one the last three times that we fished that location, but a pulled hook didn't seal the deal for her. So Saturday we headed that afternoon to a local lake that has a few. She had on one of my favorite pickerel baits, a gold #1 Blue Fox vibrax spinner.

Pickerel are not often shy about that baits will catch their attention. I've had success with jerk baits, jigs, gold spinners, white spinners, trout magnets, etc. In the winter, I go to the gold in-line spinner above all those other baits. Before we left, we had some discussion about the temperature. I felt that a medium weight coat would be fine. What I didn't count on was the wind. The temp had to have dropped by 8 to 10 deg from the temp at the house. Knowing that Livie was likely to get cold quickly, I had her target spots where I have caught pickerel. If there was one there before then it's likely another is there now. I was fishing a T-rigged ribbontail worm just in case maybe a larger pickerel or a bass was along the bank.

First spot is wide open for casting with no brush or low overhanging branches. She made some good looking casts and ran that bait along the weed edges as well as the open water, but no takers. She mentioned that having a heavier jacket would make her a bit happier. We moved to the next spot, which has a downed tree along the bank, but you're standing between some willows and have to be sure to not get hung above or besides you when you cast. The water in front was still fairly wide open. Again she did make some nice casts, but also have to get the lure off some branches and out of the weeds. Again nothing. She was getting fairly cold at this point and I knew that we really only had one last chance before she got too cold to fish.

We moved to the last spot which is some channelized open water with heavy vegetation along the channel edges and the bank. Also a fair amount of underwater brush and overhanging branches all around her. She had to make sidearm casts and in some spots pitch the spinner into the open water. On one cast she set the hook on some vegetation that the bait bumped on the retrieve. At this point my only job was to point out likely spots, encourage her that she could make a longer cast or two, and be the net man if she gets bit. The cold was getting to her and the sun was dropping fast. She had made a couple of short casts into an opening in the vegetation on her left side, but no bites.  I suggested trying to see if she cast further past that opening and run the bait along the vegetation. She made the cast and as she got to that opening she felt a slight pull on the line, then a stronger one as she set the hook. The fish pulled a bit and jumped once that I could tell that had on a pickerel. I did my job admirably and landed the fish.

We got the trophy shots of her first pickerel, tried to remove the hook, but needed help. Livie kept the fish in the net and in the water while I took the long walk back to the car for forceps or pliers to get the hook out . Fortunately I found a pair and we got the fish unhooked and released only a little worse for wear. It was only 10.75 inches, but she was ecstatic. So @FishnDave this was Livie's 50th species.. for 2020 . Actually her 93 life list species. Having an obsessive father helps with those numbers as long as she can tolerate the old man. Even though he forgot the pliers, he's one heck of a fishing guide.

 

 

[BilletHead]

            Yea Livie girl! Like for you, daddy too

[FishnDave]

Nice work, @Johnsfolly! Sounds like Livie is having a great year, as are you!  👍👍

[Johnsfolly]

45 minutes ago, FishnDave said:

Nice work, @Johnsfolly! Sounds like Livie is having a great year, as are you!  👍👍

In 2021 I'll be working with her to get some other lifers on her list, like snakeheads, tautog, dogfish, skates, etc. Also some south Florida fishes as well.

Also I need to find a local spot for redfin pickerel for both of us.

[FishnDave]

Snakeheads would be fun!  Speaking of S. FL, have you gotten Peacocks, Oscars, Tilapia, Jaguars, Mayan Cichlids, etc?  I didnt get a Jag yet.... and tarpon of any size would be cool.

[Johnsfolly]

3 minutes ago, FishnDave said:

Snakeheads would be fun!  Speaking of S. FL, have you gotten Peacocks, Oscars, Tilapia, Jaguars, Mayan Cichlids, etc?  I didnt get a Jag yet.... and tarpon of any size would be cool.

I have one snakehead caught so far. As for FL - only Oscars and red tilapia from your list and I have caught a FL gar and a walking catfish but no photos. That was close to 25 yrs ago. Wish that I was into micros back then since I knew where there were flag fish and bluefin killifish, but that was before a giant flood destroyed the clear water areas of the pond at the filed site where I had worked. A lot more exotics are out there. We are planning on taking Livie to snorkel in the Keys and I will insist upon a few side fishing trips. At least that is the plan. Who know what will actually happen.