ECTT Tournament - 2nd Place!

Me and Lizard decided to team up and enter our first big tournament.  It was the Extreme Catfish Tournament Trail on July 10th, launching at 7:00 PM out of Hopewell ramp with a 7:00 AM weigh-in the following morning.  There were a total of 18 boats entered, and we came in a very respectable 2nd place in a field containing some guides and very experienced James River anglers!

We edged out a couple of the teams who placed just below us.  The 1st Place winner Jason (JCat) blew everybody else out of the water.  He was last to weigh in, and when he asked for two separate tubs to bring his fish to the scales with, and when he returned with those tubs containing fish so big their tails were hanging over the edge, we knew 1st place wasn't in the cards for us that night!  Jason was the first angler to break 100# on a two fish weigh-in on the ECCT trail. 

It was a struggle from the get-go to keep our fish vibrant in the livewell.  We didn't have it setup to auto-run, so we were icing and exchanging water throughout the night in an effort to keep our fish healthy and the water temps down.  Thankfully, our fish were able to swim off after weigh-in.  Next time we'll be better prepared.

Standings (Top 3):

Jason Kintner / Matthew Hedrick - 62.1#, 54.5#.....116.6 Total Weight

Jeff Parks / Joshua Pritchett - 37.3#, 26.3#..... 63.6 Total Weight

Jeff Fink Sr / Jeff Fink Jr - 43.9#, 19#.....62.9 Total Weight

Woof, Woof!!!

I fished aboard the Seaduction again with Mike and crew.  I wish I had a better report, but I gotta report the DOG trips with the good ones.  We literally caught over 100 Dog Sharks that day.  I did catch a citation blueline tilefish, but we only had two total for the boat.  This was one of the few times I'd gone offshore and not come back with a full fish box.

We fished from 60' to over 1000' (thank God for the electric reel!), different bottom types, wrecks, etc...  The pic below pretty much sums up our day.

Quad Dogs!

I still had a great time.  Being offshore is just as gratifying to me as being on the river catfishing.  So I'm grateful for the opportunity to be out there to enjoy the beauty of the ocean and get some fishing in too!

The Three Amigos Do It Again!

Met up with JayBee and Ralph at o'dark thirty AM Saturday.  We had enough golden horseshoes between the three of us to overcome ParaguayGuy setting up a banana bread stand 50 yards away from us.  The bite was fast and furious in the morning.  Jeff boated a monster that would have been both me and Ralph's new PB.

Jeff's 67.8# PIG!:

Look at the head on this thing!:

Ralph also boated a monster that went 58# - 45":

Luck of the draw, my 37.5#:

The bite unfortunately shut down mid-day, and didn't pick back up until just before dark.  We dropped Ralph off around noon, and Jeff and I boated a couple more 30's to end the night:

37#:

Jeff and I also fished Sunday for a few hours in the cold rain. We didn't catch anything and got at best one dink nibble at each spot. I'm sure there were some monsters feeding somewhere on the river, we just didn't find them. I ended up killing my phone and camera which were sitting in my "waterproof" pants.

Nonetheless, I had a great time with some damn good fishermen! Much thanks to Jeff for his hospitality! It was a great time all around, and catching nice fish was icing on the cake!

Final tally for the day:
Jeff - 67.8#, 34#, 29#, 15#
Ralph - 58#-45", 18#
Josh - 37.5#, 37#, 28#, 28#

Ice be Damned!

Got a call from the M.I.A. Ralph (B8itup) to join him and his buddy Greg on a trip to the river.  To hell with the cold and wind, we wanted to do some fishing!  Aside from busting ice on the river and generally freezing our tails off, we had a damn good day.  We notched 10 citation fish, including three in the 50's.  We also hooked up on a couple doubles.

Ralph's 56#:

Greg's P.B. 56#!:

Ralph's 49#:

Double Hookup: 52.5# for myself, 44.8# for Greg:

Another Double: 44.5# for Ralph, 34.7# for Greg:

The bite completely died at noon.  The morning bite was probably the best 3 hours fishing I've ever been a part of.  A companion boat notched 11 citations with the biggest 60#.  Saw no other boats all day.  Contrary to what you might think about a day as cold as this one, all the fish came off a shallow mud flat in less than 10' of water.  Just something to think about.

Final tally for the day:  491#
Ralph - 56#, 49#, 44.5#, 5#
Greg - 56#, 44.8#, 34.7#, 30.5#, 15#, 15#, 4#
Josh - 52#, 39.5#, 30.2#, 15#

A Day of Catching

I came down Thursday to HO with Jeff and his crew.  I met up with them bright and early Thursday at DB ramp.  We set out for bait and managed just a handful of cutters at NT Pit.  A nice local gentleman cast netted a bunch of medium sized shad, perfect for fishing whole, and offered a bunch to us.  So we were set for the day.

First three spots we could barely beg a bite.  A few hours in we were still fishless.  The next spot was a different story.  Not long after dropping anchor, Jeff had a pole go down, and before I could get up to assist, a pole near me slammed down so I took it.  They got Jeff's fish in the boat and it went 32#. Excellent start to the day.  Mine was being stubborn and pulling lots of drag and running all over the place, but we finally got the 60# brute into the boat.

60# - 44" and 31.4# double:

Not long after that, another pole goes down and Jerry boats a nice 29#.   Ron the bass guy, Mr. "Run and Gun", is now on deck. Things just started to settle down again when a pole slams down and Ron boats a new PB blue cat of 58#!  I should add that the bass fisherman in Ron was on us to keep switching spots early in the day, but after he caught this fish I don't think we had enough money on the boat that could have convinced him to change spots!:

58# - 44":

Well Jeff is back on deck and another fish hits, and just like before, we have another double going. This one not as sweet as the first, but still a load of fun.

21# and 18# double:

Jerry finished up his day with a 19#.  We dropped Jerry and Ron off at the ramp, and me and Jeff headed back out for a few more hours. Before the cold finally ran us off, I got a 13# and 33#, and Jeff had a 20# and 44#:

43.7#:

32.5#:

We got weather reports that Roanoke (and likely Lynchburg) were gonna be slammed with snow Friday.  So we unfortunately cut our trip short so we could get back to our homes before the weather hit.  A day like we just had makes the decision alot easier to make!  Big thanks to Jeff for inviting me to go fishing on his boat!

Final tally for the day:  347#
Josh - 60#, 33#, 21#, 13#
Jeff - 44#, 32#, 20#, 18#
Ron - 58#
Jerry - 29#, 19#

Listen up, Knuckleheads!

If you're an avid fisherman, you are likely a few pounds overweight, not in the best physical shape, and/or stubborn as hell.  You're ripe for a quick death if you fall into the water without a PFD and a plan for survival.  I've gotten lazy about wearing my PFD, but no more.  I'm not gonna preach about the dangers of falling into the water in the winter, just do a quick Google search and you'll get all the info you need on what it does to the body and how little time you actually have to save yourself.

Many of us think we could easily swim the 50 feet to shore if we ever fell in.  To test this theory, go to your local swimming pool and see if you can swim ONE lap.  You couch potato fisherman are in for a big surprise.  Now imagine that water was 50 degrees, the current was ripping, and you had your layered winter clothing and boots weighing you down.  Still think it's gonna be easy?

Do you think you can lift yourself out of the water because your boat has low gunnels or a swim ladder big enough to fit a poodle on?  Honestly ask yourself, can I really lift myself out after being submerged in freezing cold water that has affected my ability to think clearly and the ability of my muscles to function? 

I don't want to see any of you guys doing that eternal fishing thing with the man upstairs just yet. So do us all a favor and wear your PFD, if not all the time, at least during the winter season.  Please do a quick Google search and read up on survival tips should you fall overboard as well as tips on preparing for a winter fishing trip. Thanks!

* Here's a great tip I read...if you fall in and can't get back into your boat, straddle your lower unit, and if your boat is so equipped, use the tilt button to raise you and your motor out of the water.  Can also be done if attempting to rescue someone but you can't lift them out of the water.
 
* A vast majority of recovered bodies (most not wearing a PFD, btw), have unzippered flys.  Hmmmm....wonder what they were doing when they fell in?  Hanging it over the side puts us in a compromised position and it doesn't take much to send you overboard.  Unless you have a fishing partner with you on the boat or have a rail you are holding onto with one hand, bring a pee cup or simpy piss on the deck of your boat and drain it through the scuppers.  No fish is worth your life, and no piss is worth your life either.

Get in my boat you FAT PIG!

I took a week off work and came down to the James River for some big cat action! 

Friday (11/20):
My boat was still in the shop in Richmond when I came down, so a friend offered to take me out with him.  We left Deep Bottom at midnight, got bait, and got setup in a fishy spot in no time.  Such a gorgeous and calm night.  I was in a single long sleeve shirt all night.  We boated a single small fish for most of the night.  We moved around a bit, and at sunup finally found the right pattern for the fish and ended up with a pretty good day of fishing.  Jeff boated a couple of citations, and I closed out the day with a long fight against a stubborn 53# that didn't want to come up off the bottom.  We lost our electronics early in the night, including the depth finder, so we had to setup on spots by look and feel, and we did pretty good.  I kind of went with that the rest of the week too.

34.4#:

30#:

53.1# - 44.75":

Final tally for the day:
Jeff - 34.4#, 30#, 25#
Me - 53.1#-44.75", 25#, 22#, 20#, 15#, 10#

Saturday (11/21):
I picked my boat up at 9am, paid a $361 bill, and proceeded to the ramp.  Not 1/4 mile down the river, I noticed it wouldn't get above 4000rpm (WOT on my boat is 5K RPM).  Then the bad shaking and noises began.  I took a look under the cowling, and saw where the flywheel ate up a hose and left a fine black dust all over the interior of my motor.  There would be no fishing this day.

A small group of catters had a meetup at Hooters that night and we had a good time shooting the shit and eating good food for over 3 hours.  One of the guys offered to take me out on his boat the next day (Jaybeeyakker), and another guy offered to let me borrow his boat the rest of the week (Fish Pimp).  I reluctantly accepted Pete's offer.  I've never known a more helpful, unselfish, group of guys than those I've met since I started catfishing.

Here is our group at Hooters:

From left: Jeff (Jaybeeyakker), Jeff's friend, Pete (Fish Pimp), Mike (Cameron_Krazie), Kenneth (Paraguayguy), and myself. 
Lizard snapped the pic so unfortunately wasn't in it.

Sunday (11/22):
I headed out of Deep Bottom as captain of the Fish Pimp express.  Got used to the stick steer in no time.  It's a fun boat to pilot!  Bait was just average all week, and I usually fished with 5-6 cutters, so I was having to use baits a long time, but I don't think it affected the bite at all.  It was a tough day.  I caught one fish.

38# - 43":

Final tally for the day:  38#-43"

Monday (11/23):
I basically had the river to myself.  I fished a 1/4 mile section of river all day that had been producing.  I tried a new technique setting up at the head of a fertile stretch, fishing it for about an hour, and if the bite slows or is non-existant, pulling anchor and moving just beyond the reach of your last baits, then repeating down that stretch of river until you find an active pocket of fish.  Pulled in some nice fish through the day long drizzle and pulled out just after dark.



44.6# - 45":

33.2# - 39":

Waiting for a bite......

Pete's sweet custom-built Monster Rod Rack

Final tally for the day:  44.6#-45" and 17# double, 33.2#-39", 27#, 17#

Tuesday (11/24):
I set out downriver out of Jordan Point on another rainy day.  Today was the only day I got bait really fast.  I fished another 1/4 mile section of river and did the same anchor and move strategy.  First setup, nothing.  Second setup, 20#.  Third setup, bingo!  Three 40#+ fish within an hour....all on the same pole, cast to the same spot.

48.3# - 44":

41.7# - 43.5":

40.7# - 43":

The water around the Benjamin Harrison Bridge...smooth as glass....

Final tally for the day:  48.3#-44", 41.7#-43.5", 40.7#-43", 20#

Wednesday (11/25):
To this point, all the fish I'd caught had been in the channel in 30+ feet of water.  So that's the strategy I went with to start the day.  I got a 15# on my first setup, shallow side.  I got a 20# on my second setup, shallow side.  Nothing on my third and fourth set.

It was already 3pm, and I was nearing the end of my trip.  I needed to try something different, so I setup shallow close by and it was a good move.  I immediately got a 44#, following by a citation length 26#, followed by four more fish 23 and under.  I then had another pole go down and was fighting a 15# and just about had him at the boat, when the monster finally hit.  He hit with such force, the rod holder spun to the right. I thought to myself this is a nice fish, so I better put the rod I had in my hand back into the holder and deal with that fish later.  I had to untangle the mess of other poles before I could start fighting the big fish, and what a fight it was!  I was only in about 10' of water, and it was making alot of sideways runs and was pulling alot of drag.  I was thinking 50+ for sure just by the fight, but I got a brief glimpse of him just under the surface and I started to get excited!  I had some trouble netting him because it was so long, but after a couple of trys and having to manually stuff his tail into the net, I got him aboard.  New PB shatters the old mark, and I'm now a proud member of the 60lb club! The fish went 66.3# and was 51" long. Both records for me.  A few minutes after landing this fish, another pole went down and I boated a 50# fish to end the night! What a great last two hours!

66.3# - 51" - NEW PB!!!

Here I am struggling to pick the fish up as the timer shot went off:

What a gorgeous sky!

Can you tell which rod holder the fish hit and which way it ran?

50.3# - 44":

44.3# - 42":

26# - 38":

Here is one of the many barges that passed me on the river during the week:

Final tally for the day:  66.3#-51", 50.3#-44", 44.3#-42", 26#-38", 23, 21, 20, 15, 15, 15, 5

Accomodations: 
I found a great couple who was renting a trailer in their backyard.  It was located less than 10 minutes away from Deep Bottom off I-295.  Having the home-like accomodations really made a huge difference through the week.  There is something about staying in a hotel night after night that drains you, as if the fishing alone doesn't do that.  But being able to come home to a hot shower, home cooked meal, and to crash on the couch and watch tv like I was at home, enabled me to keep my batteries charged through the week and avoid the typical crash I've experienced in the past.  I also spent about half of what I normally would at a hotel!  I ate very well throughout the week.

Here was a Salisbury Steak and rice dinner I fixed Friday night:

Beats a greasy fast food dinner any time!