Man-Naps & Big Trout!

Post Reply
User avatar
Dandydon
TKF 1000 Club
TKF 1000 Club
Posts: 1543
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2009 6:26 pm
Location: The Heights, on my bayou

Man-Naps & Big Trout!

Post by Dandydon »

Last night we assembled our Plastic Navy (Me, Shoffer, MWatson & KickingBack) for a midnight launch at Sea Isle. Our hopes were high for big specks & a fireball Perseid Meteor Shower.
The meteors were pitiful but I caught solid 20" & 24" specks, along with three at 16"-19". I was glad to see Shoffer's new trolling motor working smoothly on his Outback, & KickingBack had his PA 14 motorized yak purring along & lit up like a Christmas tree. Watson bravely kept up with his non-stop paddling strokes.
My 20" speck hit hard at a green light mere feet from an elevated bulkhead. It zipped under the boards & I prayed for patience trying to untangle the braid from the bulkhead. Finally it came free & the Speck was mine.
After sunrise we all fished the open bay & marsh shoreline. After no luck trolling, I joined KickingBack in a line-up of six wadefishermen & felt a thunderous strike about TEN feet from my yak. That big speck spooled off about 100 feet of line before I could turn her. Then she swam fast at my yak & under it. I held on & got enough leverage to employ my net. The waders got a bit of Dandydon fishing highlights! Wish Shoffer had been there w/ his Go-pro camera!
KickingBack was impressed enough to pedal over & reward me with some delicious pistachio nuts! I give credit to my 90-minute refreshing Man-Nap & the weedless trout-imitation Hackberry Hustler rig (see below) used for 4 of my 5 specks.
So the Man-Nap was good, but seeing only 3 tiny meteorites all night was bad. I'll trade meteorites for big specks anytime! Yessir. See you on the water.
IMG_7071.JPG
IMG_7076.JPG

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
User avatar
Chubs
Posts: 680
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2017 10:54 am

Re: Man-Naps & Big Trout!

Post by Chubs »

Nice Double D! Looks like the big fish were closer to the pass and you guys found them! Our Pack group @ Lake Como on Friday mostly just caught Sand Trout and barely legal specs.

I was just happy to finally get a chance to go night fishing and see what you guys have been raving about. My own big spec was just an added bonus.
User avatar
YakRunabout
Posts: 784
Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2015 10:34 am
Location: Magnolia

Re: Man-Naps & Big Trout!

Post by YakRunabout »

Nice fish, DD!! Thanks for the report and congrats to you and the group on a productive outing!
Looks like a fish fry is in your future!
User avatar
Dandydon
TKF 1000 Club
TKF 1000 Club
Posts: 1543
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2009 6:26 pm
Location: The Heights, on my bayou

Re: Man-Naps & Big Trout!

Post by Dandydon »

Tomorrow, my place, bar opens at 11am. Since I'm frying those specks, will have to cut up that 4-pounder into about 3 fish-steaks per side! Can you smell my garlic-infused peanut oil yet?
Gosh I love fresh speck fillets battered & fried perfectly. Yum.
Bring some party favors...
--Dandydon


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
mwatson71
Posts: 552
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2016 2:03 am
Location: 77005

Re: Man-Naps & Big Trout!

Post by mwatson71 »

I’m still trying to wash the smell of skunk off...

For me it was the same undersized rodeo of late though I definitely did not bring my A-game as I missed a few at the side of the yak that would have been stringer-worthy.

I did enjoy learning how to man nap in the T160. And seeing a few meteors was icing.

Always a good time fishing with Shoffer and DD.
User avatar
shoffer
TKF 1000 Club
TKF 1000 Club
Posts: 1468
Joined: Wed Apr 28, 2010 10:41 am
Location: Bellaire, Texas

Re: Man-Naps & Big Trout!

Post by shoffer »

DandyDon wrote an excellent report that sets the stage. It was a great night (a tad windy for my taste, but manageable with a protected south shoreline), but no meteor sightings for me. The trolling motor worked flawlessly, and I really like the set up. I did not see DD haul in that massive heifer, but I did see it get cleaned, and those fillets were beautiful, bountiful and buxom.

Really enjoyed fishing with MWatson71 and Mr. Kickingback himself. He has a sweet set up as well.

I landed three legal specks to 17, a 17 inch red on topwater (back to grow), and an assortment of dinks, rat reds and oddly enough, two lizard fish trolling a DownSouth. I have never caught one before, but to catch two in one night was odd.

And managed my first flounder in months, but sadly, it was too short.
User avatar
Dandydon
TKF 1000 Club
TKF 1000 Club
Posts: 1543
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2009 6:26 pm
Location: The Heights, on my bayou

Re: Man-Naps & Big Trout!

Post by Dandydon »

Can't wait to hear from our fourth crewman, Master Sergeant Charlie KickingBack. I agree w/ Shoffer: KickingBack & Mike Watson are good company, invited back anytime. We all do our share. And we kept Marine Channel 67 humming!
And kudos to my new buddy Charlie for his taste in excellent pistachio nuts. He helped cap my trip w/ big smiles.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
User avatar
kickingback
TKF 5000 Club
TKF 5000 Club
Posts: 5178
Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2016 3:24 pm
Location: Houston, Texas

Re: Man-Naps & Big Trout!

Post by kickingback »

:lol: :clap:
Great trip report! It was great to see DD hook up and land that big girl! He was so excited after napping for an hour! It sure woke him up!!! :lol:
It was nice fishing with the TKF "lawyers"! I myself am not a lawyer but I feel sometimes I am a "closet lawyer" by pointing out things people do that are wrong. :wink:
Nice to meet Watson finally. Shoffer's yak was set up nice! He has the TM now and is addicted! It makes a difference when staying out fishing all night! Well done sir!
And DD made the trip worthwhile with his wise and often unsolicited jokes! What a hoot!
I was catching all night. Mostly dink trout and reds but I managed a 19" and a 15 1/2" but I released all fish to be caught by the "TKF lawyers" another day. I did not see any meteors but then again I was looking for fish instead of falling rocks! :lol:
Thanks for a good trip fellas! Can't wait for the next trip!
Remember that Tiki pack trip is this coming weekend!
User avatar
karstopo
TKF 5000 Club
TKF 5000 Club
Posts: 5612
Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2009 10:30 am
Location: 77566

Re: Man-Naps & Big Trout!

Post by karstopo »

Y’all are having too much fun. Nice fish. That paddle tail looks to be inverted from the usual way, but I know a guy that fishes tails “upside down” frequently with frequent success. The fish get to decide what’s the right way and I’d say based on the results, the inverted way may soon become the usual way for many.

I’ve had a whole lot of fun with attorneys in the past. There’s really nothing better than when my representation has completely and thoroughly thrashed and tore to shreds the opposition. It seems attorneys are also skilled at ripping lips and putting a hurt on the fish. Thanks for the reports.
User avatar
Dandydon
TKF 1000 Club
TKF 1000 Club
Posts: 1543
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2009 6:26 pm
Location: The Heights, on my bayou

Re: Man-Naps & Big Trout!

Post by Dandydon »

Thanks for your kind words, gentlemen! Most people dislike lawyers except for maybe their OWN... Ha ha.
We Fishing Attorneys usually work hard & play hard, & for me, kayak-fishing is the ultimate release from our damn daily pressures. Oh wait a minute, I'm mostly "retired," so my biggest pressure is trying to pick the best location & lure on fishing trips like our Sea Isle nighttime adventure.
Keep reporting your outings & keep seeking the fish of your dreams. And let's also dream of FREE legal advice for everyone on our next fishing trip! (within reasonable limits!).
Stay hungry & laugh a lot. It's the stuff dreams are made of.
--Dandydon
IMG_7053.GIF
IMG_7053.GIF (697.82 KiB) Viewed 3375 times



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Post Reply