Surprising things learned this 2012 season

THE 2012 COW STRIPER FISHING SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE

TEAM TEACHER (JIMMIE BAETY AND SON, ADAM) SHOW HOW TO LIVE THE DREAM.

Take a look at Youtube, "team teacher striper fishing" !

The photo shown here was taken in the 2011 season.

A "NETWORK" IS CRITICAL FOR FISHING ON THE LOWER BAY

Sometimes, cries for help to buddies in a network go unanswered, as happened to one fellow fishing a the bridge pilings.  Out going tide and his calls unanswered left him far out toward the ocean.  I hear it happening quite often with small boats and kayakes.  Team Teacher was mostly nearby when Bill and I were on the water.  We shared information about catches and places.  Yet, a network is a built thing, and frequently Bill and I remain outsiders.  Glasman, Tumbleweed, Yogi, Termite, and others on the water are aloof as far as Bill and I are concerned.  Going it alone means much of the time is looking for the fish.  Hopefully, the future holds a larger network that Bill and I are a part of.  This year, Bill and I were on the water for at least 20 days in December.  We had the skunk on only two days.  Didn't have but one 9 fish day, but the other days we caught decent fish every time on the water and filled our quota for guests too.

MEDICAL EVENT CANCELS COW FISHING

Of course, only God knows what fate holds of each of us.  In my case, I returned to Kiptopeke, Sunset Beach Resort, and had some vomiting and diarrhea with a black stool.  The situation continued all night and in the morning, I looked for medical help.  Went to Oyster to a day clinic and was informed that help was needed by an ER back across the bridge.  Bill and Matt hauled me to the Sentana Virginia Beach General Hospital and it was determined that I needed real medical help.  

The wind was howling on the 26th and 27th.  Too much for boats my size.  Friday, was different, the wind laid down and fishing was possible for a while.  Unfortunately, it was the second day in a month that Bill got the skunk on him.  Next morning was different, the wind laid down early and Bill and Matt boated two great fish, one thought to be a citation. Unfortunately, the next morning, it only went about 36 pounds.  OK, next morning, two got boated, but Chris' was closed at noon, so no citation weight.  Bill's experience said one fish was well over 40 pounds.  Guess Matt will have to wait until next year for his citation, if they are still offered by VA state.

I got out of the hospital on the 31st, and my wife hauled me to the motel just in time to meet Bill and Matt coming off the water.  The 2 foot seas quickly rose to 5 and most prudent small boats headed for the ramp.

We worked a way for Bill and Matt to haul my boat and drive my truck to Henderson, NC and Mel, my wife, hauled me to Gainesville.   Well, in reality we hauled each other as the drive on I-95 is always congested and the 4 hour drive takes from 6 to 8 hours.  Think I'm stabilized, but will look for the advice of my primary care doctor on Jan. 2.  Seems that the surgery and recovery went well and I'm game for a new plan for  2013.

THE WALLEYE PLANER BOARDS PROVED TO BE A GREAT FISHING ASSET

Maybe some of them flags would make them more visible?

DEALING WITH THE FOG

Several days on the water in dense fog proved that a GPS is useless at drifting speed.  Circling in unknown direcitons, drifting in the wrong direction (per GPS), and watching corks aft was one way to keep a direction.  But to where, the beach, the channel, a shoal?  Fortunately, my Mrs., Mel had a compass from her sailing days and sent it along with me to Kiptopeke.  Got it installed and was able to combine the wake of the aft corks, the GPS, and the liquid filled compass to keep a direction.  Wasn't able to make exact location by viewing a chart, but maybe by next year I'll have that mastered.  Yet it's frustrating for a captain to encounter crab trap buoys, anchor ropes of fishermen sitting in the fog, etc.  Too close to the shipping channel, and a small craft would be like drift wood, crunched and never to be seen again.

YES, OYSTERS AND CLAMS ARE GOOD SNACKS.

    Along with boating good sized striped bass this year, we also found a truck load of clams and oysters with a for sale note.  Bought a bushel of oysters and clams each and learned to shuck oysters.  While some went on the half shell with tobasco, lemon, etc., others went wrapped with precooked bacon into the microwave, think called angles on horseback?  Learned that water pump pliers nipping the edge of the shell allows easy entry of the oyster shucking knife! :)  Clams frozen for spring black drum might be a great activity.

Doesn't look like Joy's and Bill's efforts are very productive?

THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YA GOTTA TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT

There are times when Joy's imagination takes over and he comes up with some unusual attractions for the lip of an eel.

The first attempt at adding a flounder spinner ahead of the eel hook.

EVEN TRIED ADDING A 1/2 OUNCE EGG SINKER WITH THE SPINNER COMBO - ALL CAUGHT FISH!

The egg sinker was added on the main line above the bead/swivel.  Of course, the fluorocarbon leader of about 24 inches held the 8/0 or 10/0 Ohner Circle hook.  

A LITTLE WORK MUST BE MIXED WITH PLEASURE

Yep, Bill is a master at cleaning the monster striped bass.  The refrigerator that Mel let us use for the motel room has a large freezer, enough to hold the filets of about 4 stripers.  The Sunset Beach Resort has a "could be" very nice cleaning station.  Unfortunately, fishermen can be .  .  .

Bill is an incredible fishing partner and provides the help I desperately need for most everything related to launching the boat, baiting and deploying lines, cleaning fish, and being a good friend.

Met Dewayne Lamb in the continental breakfast room at the motel.  He and crew slayed the stripers near buoy 18 most every day by boating at least 20.  Only kept the smaller for the grease.  Think Dewayne is the owner of Captains Quarters on Smith Mountain Lake.  Always recognized his boat by what I call the grass hopper legs on the stern.  Big boat, well equipped and suitable for seas much heavier than my Sea Pro can handle.

Met Mike Smedley, Team Old School and manufacturer of Umbrella Rigs.  He awarded the three of us, Joy, Bill, and Hawley with this very warm skull cap.

WE ALL LOVE OUR TACKLE

My current preference for a reel for Kiptopeke stripers is the Charter Special by Shimano, TR 2000 Lever Drag.  Spooled with about 150 yards of 30 pound backing mono and near 300 yards of 40 & 50 pound yellow hi-viz braid.  Recently found Sufix hi viz fluorescent orange brad that appeals to me.  I depend on the knots to fail while using 40 pound fluorocarbon leader.  The gil plates on the large stripers can server leader in flash.  The only knot to attach the 8/0 or 10/0 Ohner circle hooks is the snell.  No fish lost this year from equipment failure.  Only one big fish break off.  The combination of 5# strike drag tension for the lever drag with line spooled "FULL" and the Ugly Stick Custom 15-30 pound and 6' 6 inch rod length makes an incredibly tough combination,

Likely more dialog as time allows the gray muscle to ruminate.

THANKS TO ALL SENDING THEIR GET WELL WISHES.  I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE SO MANY FRIENDS.

WHY ARE VARIOUS AREAS AROUND KIPTOPEKE STATE PARK GIVEN SUCH STRANGE NAMES?

Plantation, cabbage patch, buoy 18, the green can, the yellow can, cherry stone, the gut, the flat, etc.?

Thinking about the fishing event of the 2012 season.

Believe it or not, Joy sits to haul in a huge striper.  Let the reel/pole do the main work.  Bill works the camera and keeps track of navigation and clearing the deck for the eventual boating of the quarry.  

So, Xmas day and I'm planning to head back to Kiptopeke and the Sunset Beach Resort motel.  Might get on the water on Friday evening and Saturday AM, but it will be nasty.  Yet, the challenge of a 60 + pounder makes the risk OK.

Next to the last day fishable, Bill and I| landed this duo, 38 and 41 inches.  The next day, the wind howled and we were forced off the water and only caught one small striper, 28 inches, almost bait!

 Teacher and Adam (not in red) are showing how it's done at Kiptopeke 11 26 12.

Adam showing all that fish are in, 40 pounds .  .  . November 12.

 
Well friends and family, Bill Fowler and I made it to the Sunset Beach Resort on Dec. 1 as planned and Bill had his Mrs, Lidia along.  Stowed gear for what was left of the day and hit the water on Dec. 2.



Lidia started right with this 34 pound striper on 12/2/12.

Joy was left with the skunk and didn't get to hold a Fish On rod.

Bill had to keep ahead of Lidia and boated this 40 pounder.  Pretty impressive for the first catch.

The weather couldn't have been better with seas about 1 foot, light winds, and near clear sky.  Especially for

 Lidia's first.

Joy was still trying to catch up with this 36 pounder on 12 11 12.

Just another fish day for Bill.  The sea is calm and the fish are cooperative, and this 48 pounder loved Bill's eel on 12 8 12.

Hawley loves his first catch with a 40 pound 8 ounce citation on 12 14 12.

Bill continues his anti-skunk fishing with this 44 pounder on 12 16 12

Bill with another citation.

Joy finally makes his mark with a 55 ound 13 ounce COW on 12 17 12.

Bill continued his hey day and boated this 53 pound 6 ounce striper on 12 17 12.

A good year to say the least.  Now at Gainesville, VA for Xmas, but will be back at Kiptopeke for a few more days.  Teacher boated a 65 pound 8 ounce striper on 12 24 12!  Incredible as  he has more than 3 over 60 pounds this year.  Look on the Kerr Lake Pro board to see Adam with a 60+ pounder.  Take a look at youtube "team teacher striper fishing" Jimmie Beaty.  Should be at least 4 videos showing fishing on the lower Chesapeake Bay off Kiptopeke State Park.

Just more thinking about fishing.

My brother Raymond Hansen displays the reason he's reluctant to join me on the cold, windy, heavy seas of the Chesapeake.  Nice November rainbow brother.  Did  you say Strawberry Reservoir?  Think that's in Utah and home of the cut throat?

Not to be outdone, Teacher and Adam report that they have a 43 pound striper for a citation.

Now, that's a great catch for the first one of the 2012 season.  Adam holds Teacher's catch of 40 pounds 

caught on an eel.  Adam got a 30 pounder, but why show a junior!  Thanks for the report.

Ordered more jig making stuff form Do It and will make a few Red Mouth shad if and when the mold and other supplies arrive.

OK, more molds arrived and I cast a bunch of Ruby Lip jig heads in 3/4, 1, and 1 1/2 ounce weights

Haven't decided how to do the lips with powder coat yet.  Maybe brush the powder on the hot jig?  The following photo shows a pile of jigs cast in one session.

Here are some of the Ruby Lip jigs in white with red lips?  More like drunk applying lipstick.  Maybe lips only a striper could love, I hope.  Did a few in chartreuse too.

The following shows my casting accessories.  The critical thermometer as lead vaporizes at 900 degrees.  Yet, a good casting temp is near 850.  Be safe and always use a thermometer when casting.  The mold sits on top of the Lee bottom pour casting pot.  This can keep the temp high enough for the casting to fill out.  I use wheel weights as it's made to cast.  Somewhat hard at BHN 16 and has enough tin and antimony to work well.  Not cheap these days.  Also shown is the white metal flux.  I also use hardwood sawdust on top of the lead to keep the lead from oxidizing.  Still, there's a need to remove the oxide, but not while the melt is cool.  Doing so will remove the tin!

I usually cast my ingots in 1 pound and 1/2 pound sizes that fit the pot nicely.  I also use a cast iron pot to make ingots, but frequently, the 6 pound weights won't fit the casting pot and have to be remelted.

Need to have a shelf the same height as half the mold to hold the hooks in position before closing the mold.  Remember, the mold is over 500 degrees and can burn quickly.  If it takes too long to load the hooks, put the mold on top of the casting pot to heat.  

Wheel weights don't shrink as much as pure lead and it sometimes takes some effort to pull the jigs from the mold.  Yet, pure lead doesn't cast well.  Needs at least 5% tin.

I'll get to the painting in a few days and explain how the work progresses.  Mostly a new adventure for me.

ALWAYS A NEED FOR PLANER HOLDERS ON MY BOAT

The schedule 40 PVC is held on the rail with stainless cable ties available from Wal Mart.  These stand up to sun and the corrosive salt water.

Working with Yogi during a refresher charter, Bill and I liked his means of deploying planer boards.  So, my rendition is a 4 inch PVC with a slot wire tied to the rail in the proximity of an eel tube and the rod holder.  The planers are set out first, 2 on each side.  Then 3 or 4 corks off the stern.  Two at deck level and two long lines on the T top.  Important to keep the lines and corks separated.  Eels can make a mess in  a minute of inattention.


Now that the planers can be deployed with ease, there are times that fishing the pilings and islands is where the fish be.

                                               FLUIDIZERS FOR WORKING WITH POWDER PAINT

To that end, I made some fluidizers for powder paint and cast some jig heads.  Pretty easy to hang the jigs in a toaster oven set at 450 degrees.  Dip one color, then bake for a few minutes and then dip in a second color.  Final bake is for 20-30 minutes.

The fluidizer membrane is from the US post office, the fiber envelopes.  Very strong and glue to the PVC.

FIRST ATTEMPT AT POWDER COAT PAINTING JIG HEADS

These have yellow/green eyes.  The next several will have glow in the dark eyes?

Bill and I ordered BKDs, 6" and 10" in albino, chartreuse, alewife, and pink.  Don't know what to do about skirts yet.  I also ordered Bug and Bug Combos in iridencent pearl.  George Lenard is great to talk with and gave me tips on rod/reel accessories to fish the island and pilings. 

Had to book reservation at Sunset Beach Resort as the Kiptopeke Inn is no longer in business.  The motel next to Chris' was quoted at $80 a night plus tax without a discount for weekly or monthly stays.  Kiptopeke Inn said that the Peacock Motor Inn next to Sting Ray's would contact me about lodging, but it never happened.  While the SBR has TV, it lacks a microwave and refrigerator that we find necessary for longer stays.  OK to bring our own.  I usually pack a small Foreman like grill and coffee maker.  Bill brings the crock pot and the propane cook accessory for outside.  Likely have to bring our own table and chairs this trip.

Just renewed my FIP for 2013.  Wonder how Sandy will change fishing this year?

Kiptopeke (Chesapeake) COW Striped Bass 2012

Hey fishing friends,  it's time to plan another adventure at Kiptopeke State Park to fish for December "COW - striped bass".  Got my reservation at the Kiptopeke Inn, a one star motel, but it's inexpensive for a month long stay, beginning on December 1 this year.  However, got married on Aug. 25 of this year and moving about by commuting between two locations.  One in Gainesville, VA and the homestead in Scottsburg.  Unfortunately, spent 11 days in a hospital recovering from congestive heart failure and still in the recovery mode after about 35 days from release.  Now trying to get sea leg capability so I can manage the Chesapeake seas in December. 

Ramrod, a mentor for fishing COW striped bass on the Chesapeake is gravely ill and not expected to make it to Kiptopeke this year.  As a mentor/friend, Marion taught me and shared many days fishing on the Chesapeake and guided the boating of a 58 1/4 pound striped bass for Steve Smith.  Last year's dock accident left Marion with a concussion and he had to leave the fishing early.  Needless to say, BISC may lose a valued friend and sponsor.  If Marion passes, he will be missed by many and remembered for his dedication to promoting striped bass fishing and conservation on Kerr.

Bill Fowler and I learned a lot last year about fishing the Islands and the pilings of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.  Also, had great mentoring from a guide, Tom Hughs, regarding light tackle and proper jigging technique and tackle preparation.  Bill and I will be getting ready for the event, me shortly and Bill after deer, turkey, etc. season's end or he bags his usual limits.  I'll get my Seapro 21.5 to the Clarksville, VA  Water World for a tune up to assure trouble free boating. 

Last year, we were boarded by the US Coastguard to check equipment, etc.  I have ducks in order and expect another boarding this year.

Hopefully, Teacher and son Adam (Jimmie Beaty) will give us great fishing information.  The refresher training trip with Yogi surely helped Bill and my fishing knowledge.  Hope to hear from Mike Smedley, Team Old School, as he invited me to fish Kiptopeke for my first Chesapeake fishing for Striped Bass.  Other BISC members shared in our mutual adventure at the Kiptopeke fishing event. 

For those new to reading this blog, don't forget to toggle the archives for earlier posts to see tackle tips, and fishing successes.