I would cast upstream, and bump bottom all the way back to me.
Lost many to snags…….
But when I would make contact, and pop that jig off of it, Thump!
Every time.
I moved around quite a bit, but the faster water produced the Bigger Smallies, the slower side perch and smaller smallies.
I ended the day with 8 perch, some were ready to pop they were so fat, and 12 Smallies.

Life Is Good!
Tight lines and MoPaddle safe all.
Rox

Sunday, November 27th and Monday November 28th.

I took the W500 with the 1.2hp outboard and headed to lake Congamond in Massachusetts. The motor comes in very handy for getting to my spots quickly.

Got to the waters edge at 10:30am and I was off the water at 2:30pm. Water was a little dirty, 45 to 46.8 degrees.

Tossed rattle trap, rapala fat rap, silver buddy, and 2″ paddle tail on a 1/16th oz jig. The only lure that worked was the paddle tail.

I did have a rough start, standing at the waters edge before launching, I lost my footing and took a shi##er, got both feet $#@#%$# wet to my ankles, son of a beach…..and I’m going to have a nice bruise on my arm by tomorrow….

Then my motor wouldn’t start…….I’m thinking -”The Gary Curse is upon me” (he is a friend of mine, and when ever he goes out fishing something always goes wrong) -

After pulling and pulling and thinking, what the heck….. I said to myself, gas, spark air……..sheet, I forgot

to turn on the gas switch…….DumbASS!! Curse nope, blond moment…….yes.

I spent the first half hour tossing the RT, Fat Rap, and silver buddy.

Then I caught 8 small bass right off the bat when I switched to the paddle tail grub.

I’d cast it out, let it sink to the bottom and pause, then give it a light pop.

All the bigger Bass came out of 16′ to 22′ of water.

I had to head home, my feet were cold……note to self: Keep socks and an extra pair of sneakers in my truck.

Monday the 28th:

Water temps were 46 to 48 degrees, and very windy.

I was in 9′ of water popping the jig with the paddle tail. Cast it out past a weed line break and popped it back into the slop, as I freed it from the weeds…………….BAM…. shake, shake Flash of green goes the the right zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, flash of green goes to the left zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, Crap my Net is stuck on my bungee………………… under the yak she goes, and I slowly pull up and out to pull her back, reach down and I shove my thumb in her mouth.
I’m a happy camper, 4lbs of plump Largemouth Bass.

I continue on with the paddle tail, 2 rats, and three reties after the pickerel chew up my line.

I head over to a drop from 9 to 22′ of water and start working the jig.

Bam…………..nothing, darn pickerel cut me off again.

So instead of retying, I put the rod down and grab the shakey head worm, Zman straight tail worm dark green, cast it into a spot with a little wood in 16′ and let it sit, shake, pause, shake shake

BAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM med/heavy rod doubles over, ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ then nothing.

WTF, I figured maybe a nick in my line and it snapped.

I reel in the slack, and there in front of my eyes…………….. A PIGTAIL………….knot failure…..and I know it was my fault, I didn’t like the knot when I tied on the shakey rig, but I thought it would be okay.

One of the things I tell people when tying knots: if it doesn’t look Pretty…. RETIE IT!!!!!!

Well Thank God for my first chunker, only rats minus the pig I lost was it.

Still grateful for getting out, it was a beautiful day.

Life Is Good.

Tight lines and MoPaddle safe all.

Rox

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I had to get out and take advantage of this great weather on Tuesday. Sunny, slight winds, water tea stained in color, 44.5 degrees to a balmy 49.8 degrees.
I hit the water at Rainbow at 10:30 am and was off the water by 3 pm. Water levels are low, almost to the bottom of the ramp.

I started off with a Rattle Trap, with nothing to show for it, put on a deep diving crank bait, Nada. So I went to my light gear, 1/16 oz jig with a small paddle tail.
Perch, crappies and dace were very active, but I wanted SMALLIES! So I was motoring in my W500 kayak looking for steep banks coming off the flats, and rock walls.

If I didn’t Love this Yak before, I love it even more with the gamefisher outboard motor on it.

Since time and light is short, I was able to zip to all my spots with ease. Then I would just use my paddle until I needed to make a long run. I’d set up the yak over the deepest spot of the drop offs, cast the Paddle tail up into shallow water, and pop and drop it down the drop offs. I’d pause in between pops for a ten count.
This proved to be deadly, but all shorts, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass, with a mix of perch and crappie…
Until I get a great hit, and a head shaking fool ripped off some line – I knew it wasn’t a bass, but this fish was fighting hard. I get her up top, and it’s a huge dace – Snap a pic, and sent her back.

As I moved down the channel, I found what I was looking for – a steep drop from 12′ down to 25′.
Working the lure down to the edge, I gave it a good pop, and opened the bail so the bait would float freely down to the bottom of the 25′… which takes forever with a 1/16th jog head.
As my line went slack and told me I was down on the bottom, I count to ten, gave it a sharp pop, and followed it back to the BAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM Fish on -
This bad girl didn’t want to come up, but she had no choice.
With the net ready, I scooped her up: Big Fat and Beautiful 18 1/2″ Small Mouth – Toooooooo bad I took a bad picture, I didn’t check the sun location before letting her go.
I paddle back to the last boat position. I cast the jig up shallow again, popping it along the bottom,
and as it started it’s fall to deeper water, the line started going sideways, set the hook, and the battle was on.
Another chunker ripping drag ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ She breaks the surface, and Holy crap, she’s bigger then the last one. She doesn’t want nothing to do with my net, and dives under ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ I bring her back up and snag her in the net.
SWEET!! Another Fatty, 19 1/4″ of pissed off Smallie!!

All in all a great day on the water in November. Here are pictures of the best for the day.

Tight lines and MoPaddle safe all.

Rox

Here is the test ride, it was awesome!!!!!
I had a late start today, didn’t hit the water until 2pm. Cloudy, windy and water temps were 53.
Today was my maiden voyage in the W500 with my 1.2hp Gamefisher outboard motor.

It Was AWESOME, I had so much fun, the W500 handled like always – Stable, stable and yes Soooooooooo Stable. The motor made no difference in the balance, it was like the kayak was meant to be used with a gas outboard.
I was doing doughnuts, driving over my wakes, I felt like a Kid with a new Toy…………
I even stopped to fish a little, maybe 1/2 hour was spent on fishing.
All smallies came out of the channel in 10′ to 16′ of water. Rattle Trap was really the only lure I tried, time was short. Only 2 Smallies were picture worthy, lost a beast, and landed 6 that were cookie cutters, 13″.

These 2 Big Girls hit the RT like a freight train. They both did circles under water putting a good bend in my Med/Hvy BPS rod before coming up and jumping like crazy even with the cold water temps.

LIFE IS GOOD!!!!!!!

Rox

Rox' motorized fishing kayak in her vehicle with the motor mounted

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