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.