Today I took my first maiden voyage on the Connecticut River up in Enfield in my Wave Walk W500 yak.
Skies were bright and sunny, water temps were 77 to 79 degrees, and of course, the wind was not to bad, in the beginning.
Paddle up river and started scouping things out.
I Heard a bunch of noise crashing threw the woods up by the cement wall, and low and behold, 8 coyotes were in there, one stopped to look me over.
It was creepy, but as I reached for the camera, the yote, perked it’s head up and ran back up under cover!!
Armed with only 2 poles, one rigged with a dinger, the other drop shot. (D/S)
Bait fish were everywhere, and I knew what I was throwing, Drop Shot, with a 2.5″ plastic minnow, which was matching the bait perfectly.
I paddle and found some really nice weeds with breaks in them, but open to deeper water.
I started to work the inside weed line, dropping the D/S down in the holes, which was kind of risking it with 8lb Floro P-line, time would tell.
I spot something orange out of the corner of my eye……….. Koi…………….tooooooooooooooo funny!
I started getting small smallies in the holes, the another, and another, all small nothing over 1 lb, so I put them back as fast as I could.
Untangle the drop shot……………………………….and cast back in.
Which is a real pain when there are smallies everywhere getting out the tangle mess each time.
Cast to the outside edge of the weed line, working it back slowly.
All of a sudden, I could see fish, but they were parting like the red sea, bait fish are zooming under my yak swimming away from something.
I’m figuring its a wolf pack of smallies moving in, and things are going to get real busy.
All while I’m working the D/S back to me, I start watching it in the 4′ of water I’m anchored up in.
As I’m watching the minnow about 4 feet from the yak, all I see is mouth, then ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ out to deeper water, turn baby turn……………………………
Now she charging straight at me…………………..reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel man reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel…………………………….
Up She comes and it’s a BEAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ turn her back and under the yak she goes, out she pops on the other side and I’m c****ing my pants, up she jumps, I got the net in my hand , she charges the yak, crashes into the hull and Boink, In My NET!!!!
I can’t make this chit up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Then I remember to breath, hands are shaking so bad, I pear over the side and there she sits in my Net.
As I lift her up, the hook had fallen out.
This has surpassed my D/S PB Large Mouth Bass, which was 3.8lbs from West Hill.
This Puppy is 21 3/4″ long and 5.11 lbs. Man if she was only fat, I could only imagine what she would have weighed.
I spent the rest of the day, anchored up right in this sweet spot.
Total tally for the day, 22 Small Mouth Bass, all on the Drop Shot.
Almost feels silly to post what the rest of the Smallies looked like.
The paddle back was not as easy as my ride out, remember in the beginning of my post, I said the wind wasn’t to bad till…………………………
I started back, all heck broke loose, winds kicked up, I bet well over 20 miles per hour, swells, and even with the current, I was going backwards at times.
Oh Man, and what is ahead of me, but swells up to 2′!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Crossing the rapids, was exciting and a little scary at times, but I had my PFD on so I wasn’t to worried.
The Wave Walk W500 handle it like a Champ, I was high and dry, but very very tired.
Grateful for such a wonderful day, and a New PB Smallie on the Drop Shot.
LIFE IS GOOD!
Tight lines and Paddle Safe All.
Rox
Great story Rox!
The Connecticut river is a mighty river!
Last time I was in Enfield CT, years ago, I met a different kind of coyote – one that belongs behind bars
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Yoav
Nice job on that smallie Rox. The trip sounded like a real adventure. Coyotes are something we eliminate on sight here provided someone is packing. Yoav your coyote sounds more like the type that trolls in bars and back alleys. They have coyotes in Nevada too, both kinds, but in a few counties they are legal.
Rox is my favorite web author!
Mike
Jeff, first I should apologize to this species of North American wolf whose members earn their living naturally, and therefore honestly.
That guy from Enfield CT I referred to belongs behind bars like in a jail house, and not a public place that sells alcoholic beverages
But let’s not stir such old and unpleasant memories, and let’s celebrate with Rox her amazing achievement and captivating story!
Yoav
Nice fish, Rox. Smallmouth are awesome. I bet you slept good last nite.
Nice bronzeback! Nice photo of the Koi too. I wonder what the limit is on koi?
Rox, that would be a good catch for Large Mouth, let alone a Small Mouth. They are few and far between in that size range.