Smallmouth Bass on the White River

Back on the White River again yesterday.  This time, we launched at Potters Bridge, and drifted downstream.  My pal Rich has been wanting to join us, and yesterday he was finally able to do it.  He has a couple of kayaks, including a new Hobie inflatable that he takes along on his sailboat, but today, he wanted to try out his blue Otter.

Our plan for the day was to spend more time fishing, and not try to travel too far--launching at Potters Bridge and taking out across from Forest Park.  Rich and I arrived at the Forest Park ramp a little before 10, and waited for Dawg to arrive.  When he didn't show, I called him.  He said "where are you guys?"  I said that we were waiting at the take-out ramp for him to arrive so we could leave his truck there.  He said he was at the ramp and couldn't find us.  (There's only about 6 parking spaces and a boat ramp)  Knowing the Dawg, I asked which ramp?  Turns out, he was at the ramp at 106th street in Carmel.  So Rich and I cooled our heels and waited another half hour for Dawg to find his way up to us.  We had to wait even longer because while Dawg was killing time at the wrong location, he tried fishing, and got his Hula Popper caught in the trees on the other side of the river.  So he stopped at the bait shop to buy a new one.

I had a great time catching smallbass bass.  Nothing too big, but I caught about 20.

 

Even though we traveled a shorter distance (about 5 miles,) I had plenty of time to fish.  Last week, Dawg had a lot of problems with twisted line on his fishing pole. He put new line on the pole since then, but somehow, the new line was just a twisted as the old.  (Might have something to do with the twisted individual who installed it.)  Because of the "equipment failures" Dawg was experiencing, we had to stop frequently for him to straighten things out.  Sometimes we would drop the anchor, and sometimes we would pull up on a sandbar.  

Click here to see what I did while Dawg sat and swore at his "equipment failures."

Thanks to cameraman Rich for shooting the video

It was another fun day on the river.  No giant fish, but several nice smallies.  We plan to do another longer cruise again next week.

White River Kayak

Yesterday, the Dawg and I took my Hobie tandem kayak for a trip down the White River.  We left Dawg's truck at a little park near 106th Street in Carmel, and then drove up to Noblesville to launch.

Our plan was to fish for smallmouth bass along the 12 mile trip. 

We began fishing right away. Both of us were using surface lures.  I had a Pop-R, and Dawg had a Hula Popper.

Within about 15 minutes, Dawg hooked a nice smallmouth--probably about 2 pounds.  Dawg's fishing equipment (and talent) is more suitable for sitting on the dock and waiting on catfish to bite.  Casting a lure over and over seems to put a nasty twist in his fishing line (and his demeanor.)
When he hooked the smallmouth, his line was so twisted, that it wouldn't reel in.  He laid his pole down, and tried to get the fish in by bringing the line in hand over hand. If you know smallmouth, you know that didn't work.  His line broke, and the fish and his Hula Popper were gone.

We tried to go over by a pile of brush to look for the lost Popper, but had no luck.  While trying to maneuver the kayak in the current, I knocked my fishing rod off the kayak and into the river.  I was able to get off the kayak, and wade back upstream until I found my pole.  This was the first of three times I lost and recovered my pole.  The last time, I was lucky that my lure had hooked itself to the back of my seat, so the pole couldn't go too far.  I have some rod tethers that I will bring along next time.  And I suggested to Dawg that he might want to see if he can find his old Zebco 33. 

We worked our way on down the river, but didn't catch another fish as large as the one that got away.

We occasionally stop on a sandbar to stretch our legs, and do the things guys do on a sandbar.

I've made this trip at least once a year for the past few years.  Each time, I think I see an eagle, but only for a fleeting glance.  Since it's always the middle of summer when I see it, that makes me think maybe there's a nesting pair somewhere. This time, we followed an immature eagle down the river for probably a mile.  When we got too close, it flew on to another tree.  My little waterproof camera doesn't zoom, but you can still make out the eagle in the tree in this photo.

Here's some eagle video

 Click here to see more river kayak video.  I have my little waterproof camera on an extension pole, so I can hold above Dawg's head, or out beside the kayak.

More Kayakin'

Fishing has been a little slow lately--even at the secret pond.
My pals Richman and the Dawg have been here a couple of times, and we fished from my boat dock.
At least the catfish are biting.

 

Richman brought his Hobie inflatable kayak up here this week.  Dawg and Rich toured the lake.

 And then Rich and I did some kayak fishing.

  I tried to get out this morning before the holiday crowd got out.  There's a nice area behind "cocktail cove," but on the 5th of July, I suspect that the alcohol level in the water is still a bit too high.  (At least that's the excuse I'm using for not catching much today.)