Recovering

Last week was hectic.  Long days at work.  Travel (early morning flights, delays, and early morning returns).  I had to work on Saturday to catch up on all the work I missed during the week.

I decided to combine two of my favorite pastimes - kayaking and fishing.  On Sunday I put in on the South Slang.  The water is still high.  With very flooded conditions, it is hard to read the structure of the water.  I paddled around and wore my arm out casting, but to no avail.

I put the kayak on the car and headed down the road to Kingsland Bay.  The Slang is very weedy.  Kingsland Bay is more rocky.  I paddled about the cliff faces, casting about for bass and perch.

I had luck getting a few small bass and 1 small yellow perch.  Nothing worth keeping, but I release them anyway.  I then took a few photos around the bay.

Rocky shorelines . . .

. . . forested cliffs . . .

. . . textured stone . . .

. . . and tree roots grasping stone cliff faces.

I continued fishing, and caught a few more bass.  As I was heading back, I cast about a weedy area.  On one cast, something smashed my crankbait and tossed it a few feet in the air.  I cast back to that area, and then hooked a good-sized fish.  I was only fishing 6 pound test, so I had to be careful.  The fish was a good fighter.  After a few minutes I was able to get it close to the boat - a 28 inch northern pike.  I was able to get it to the kayak, but just as I was reaching down, it shook it's head and broke the line.  You win some, you lose some.  (Actually, I have a love-hate relationship with northern pike, I love to catch them, but their mouth full of teeth make it challenging trying to release them when you are in a kayak - I've been bitten a number of times!)

I hope to go camping next weekend.  Some paddling, some fishing, watching wildlife.  I need the quiet time.