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My First Trip of the Fall Season
It's time to get those waders back out and get ready for some fall fishing. This is my favorite time of year because it's time to start going after those big, fat momma trout. The water is less crowded, the air is cooler and, to me, the fishing is better. This month I'm going to talk about my most memorable fall fishing trips with my dad.
One cool morning, my dad and I went out for a quick morning wade before I had to go dove hunting in the afternoon. We left before sunrise to get to an area that my dad had been catching some good trout in. Using a spotlight, my dad navigated through the floats that marked trot lines set for drum in the dark so that they would not get caught in the prop.
Once we made our way through, the sun had begun to rise and the sky lit up in a bright orange. We could see our path and headed straight for the spot my dad wanted to fish. The water was calm, the wind was still and the air was cool as it should be in the late fall.
With nothing but catch and release on our minds, we left the stringers on the boat. We jumped off the boat and into the water. The water was cool. My dad and I spread out to cover the area well. We fan casted to fish the area effectively. Mullet were jumping and there were trout slicks popping up ahead of us. We slowly waded on, making sure to cover as much water as possible.
After about 10 to 15 minutes, we finally started to get blow ups on our topwaters. Of course my dad was the first to land a fish. It took me a while, but I finally got a trout to stay hooked long enough for me to land it. Our morning started off a little slow, but as the sun rose, the fishing got better.
With the sun rising, we moved up shallower. We were fishing next to a spoil island so we started to shift in that direction along with the bait. My dad was up against the spoil and I was still quite a ways off from it so I was able to cast almost directly at him without hitting him.
I heard some bait busting up shallow so I casted to about the general area since I was casting into the sun. Trying to keep from staring at the glare on the water, I kept my eyes to the side and just listened for the blow ups. I had a few here and there, but nothing big enough to stay on the hook.
That was the case until I had a huge blow up on my chrome Spook. I couldn't see the trout that had taken my plug but my dad was behind it and saw everything. Immediately he told me to back off of my drag and to just let the fish fight. I had an adrenaline rush because this was the first time I had fought a trout over 24 inches. I was excited and I did exactly as my dad told me as to not lose what was to be my biggest trout yet.
I finally get her up to me and, my dad had already walked all the way to me. He hands me his Boga Grip and it takes me a few tries but I finally get her on. I hold her up and I start shaking. I know that this is my biggest trout and my dad knows as well. He gets the camera and we get a few pictures and a video of the release.
My morning had been made and my dad was proud. We headed home soon after I released the trout. There wasn't much more left to do but go home and dwell on my achievement.
Its times like these that I will always cherish. It was just me and my dad out fishing for fun, and practicing conservation by catching and releasing. These are the memories that make fall and winter my favorite time of year to fish. To be around family and friends and to share these moments with them is priceless.
I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving holiday and good luck in catching that big one.
One cool morning, my dad and I went out for a quick morning wade before I had to go dove hunting in the afternoon. We left before sunrise to get to an area that my dad had been catching some good trout in. Using a spotlight, my dad navigated through the floats that marked trot lines set for drum in the dark so that they would not get caught in the prop.
Once we made our way through, the sun had begun to rise and the sky lit up in a bright orange. We could see our path and headed straight for the spot my dad wanted to fish. The water was calm, the wind was still and the air was cool as it should be in the late fall.
With nothing but catch and release on our minds, we left the stringers on the boat. We jumped off the boat and into the water. The water was cool. My dad and I spread out to cover the area well. We fan casted to fish the area effectively. Mullet were jumping and there were trout slicks popping up ahead of us. We slowly waded on, making sure to cover as much water as possible.
After about 10 to 15 minutes, we finally started to get blow ups on our topwaters. Of course my dad was the first to land a fish. It took me a while, but I finally got a trout to stay hooked long enough for me to land it. Our morning started off a little slow, but as the sun rose, the fishing got better.
With the sun rising, we moved up shallower. We were fishing next to a spoil island so we started to shift in that direction along with the bait. My dad was up against the spoil and I was still quite a ways off from it so I was able to cast almost directly at him without hitting him.
I heard some bait busting up shallow so I casted to about the general area since I was casting into the sun. Trying to keep from staring at the glare on the water, I kept my eyes to the side and just listened for the blow ups. I had a few here and there, but nothing big enough to stay on the hook.
That was the case until I had a huge blow up on my chrome Spook. I couldn't see the trout that had taken my plug but my dad was behind it and saw everything. Immediately he told me to back off of my drag and to just let the fish fight. I had an adrenaline rush because this was the first time I had fought a trout over 24 inches. I was excited and I did exactly as my dad told me as to not lose what was to be my biggest trout yet.
I finally get her up to me and, my dad had already walked all the way to me. He hands me his Boga Grip and it takes me a few tries but I finally get her on. I hold her up and I start shaking. I know that this is my biggest trout and my dad knows as well. He gets the camera and we get a few pictures and a video of the release.
My morning had been made and my dad was proud. We headed home soon after I released the trout. There wasn't much more left to do but go home and dwell on my achievement.
Its times like these that I will always cherish. It was just me and my dad out fishing for fun, and practicing conservation by catching and releasing. These are the memories that make fall and winter my favorite time of year to fish. To be around family and friends and to share these moments with them is priceless.
I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving holiday and good luck in catching that big one.