# Trout Fishing With A Few Surprises- 12/17



## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

Got the kayak in the water and to the first spot around 2, and the bite was pretty slow at first. Bait was everywhere, good current, wind, clouds but the fish were still hard to find. Saw a mullet start jumping trying to escape but still didn't catch one there. Finally after about 50 casts with the BF1 across the same spot just out from where the mullet was I feel a hard thump. First fish of the day comes in and she is a nice thick 22" trout. No more bites so I moved to another point. This point/pocket was completely out of the current and you could tell by how much bait was in there. Started catching trout right away and then something BIG crushed the BF1. Drag started ripping right away, and then I got a good visual of what was on the end of the line- a giant spotted gar starts jumping all over the place! I was finally able to get control of it and get a few pictures. It was very calm once I had my hands on it, and was able to get my BF1 back with no problems. Ended up catching 3 more gar, all a little smaller than the first, and a couple nice limits of trout. 

About this time it started getting dark, so I headed over to a spot that has been good lately at night. Put the new line thru swimbait rig on and started slow rolling it around. The trout were loving it, and after an hour or so decided to head in. Stopped on a light on the way back, and it was loaded. First few casts didn't draw a strike, so I cast across the dock next to the corner piling. As the swimbait came swimming out, I felt a hard thump and drag start ripping! Fish went back and forth under the dock, and back out. Somehow I was able to get my hands on it and all I saw were stripes! Nice, big, unexpected hybrid! 
Kept throwing the swimbait across the light, and every cast was a 4-5lb trout. They were inhaling the swimbait, and the treble was setting perfectly in the roof of the mouth. Caught 4 of them and decided to leave it alone. Didn't miss a fish all night on the line thru rig, and after catching more than 10 fish, the swimbait is still good as new. This rig reminds me of throwing a spinnerbait/chatterbait for bass, a couple of my favorite techniques. Here's some pics:


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## captfredscharters (Feb 7, 2012)

What part of the bay were you fishing?


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## stc1993 (Nov 23, 2014)

Nice fish.


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## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

Nice!!! Your posts about the thruline rigging just made me remember about the DOA Airheads I've got laying around. Never liked them too much for the topwater/subsurface, might be better going deeper.


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## Desert Eagle (Apr 25, 2012)

Man, what a trip!!! Very nice fish and a variety of species. I'm going to have to give that "line thru" a try. Very informative post.


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## GROUPERKING (Sep 28, 2011)

Good trip and nice fish !


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Great action and variety! Can't ask for more


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

I mean all you have to say is PA-POW!! Crushin it Jeff.... very nicely done and well crafted rig on the swimbait I must add.... solid work, excellent report, tight lines and good fishin


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## barefoot (Nov 3, 2011)

I'm loving it!
I only know of one spot with mud banks as black as those in the background.
Nice fish Jeff.


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

I'm heading out to that spot now....I know EXACTLY where it was! hahaha quality fish brother!!!!


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

Hammer time!!! Good job.


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## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

captfredscharters said:


> What part of the bay were you fishing?


Escambia, near the river mouths.


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## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

kanaka said:


> Nice!!! Your posts about the thruline rigging just made me remember about the DOA Airheads I've got laying around. Never liked them too much for the topwater/subsurface, might be better going deeper.


Deeper might be the ticket. I've been slow rolling these just off the bottom and it's working well. I'm thinking during summer they could be swam along the surface as well though.


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## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

Desert Eagle said:


> Man, what a trip!!! Very nice fish and a variety of species. I'm going to have to give that "line thru" a try. Very informative post.


Thanks DE, it was a very fun day on the water. The swimbait might take a few tries to get it swimming right, but once it's dialed in it's amazing!


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## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

barefoot said:


> I'm loving it!
> I only know of one spot with mud banks as black as those in the background.
> Nice fish Jeff.


Thanks Bruce, loving this comment, lol! I'm not one that usually hides my backgrounds, but you know a mans got to keep his gar spots a secret! :shifty:


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## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

Jason said:


> I'm heading out to that spot now....I know EXACTLY where it was! hahaha quality fish brother!!!!


Thanks Jason. Go easy on my gar spot :thumbup:


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## lsucole (May 7, 2009)

Great report and pictures ! Thanks and congrats !


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## Brads (Jun 12, 2016)

Nice mixed bag! Way to slay em.


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## frugalphysio (Jun 1, 2016)

Ya put a hurting on em man! That's awesome!


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## shrapnel (Jan 22, 2016)

Jeff try coffee stirrers for the line through. Get em at Wally World a box of like 250 for a couple bucks. They are rigid enough to push right through and then cut off to desired length.


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## troygem (Jul 27, 2015)

On the "line thru" set up, how much weight are you using an how long is your leader material?


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## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

shrapnel said:


> Jeff try coffee stirrers for the line through. Get em at Wally World a box of like 250 for a couple bucks. They are rigid enough to push right through and then cut off to desired length.


Excellent idea, thanks for the suggestion! I'll pick some up and give it a try.


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## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

troygem said:


> On the "line thru" set up, how much weight are you using an how long is your leader material?


Weight depends on depth, but I've been using 1/4oz for 1-5' and 1/2oz for 5-10'. This seems to keep it just off the bottom on a slow roll retrieve. My leaders are always 8' long and I use 16-18lb flouro.


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## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

Jeffbro999 said:


> Excellent idea, thanks for the suggestion! I'll pick some up and give it a try.


If you're a coffee drinker, do some shopping at the fast food places. FREE.....unless they all went to the coke spoons.


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## NavarreWadefisher (Dec 21, 2016)

Nice haul man. Long time lurker. I've been eyeing those keitech baits for awhile now. Always thought they looked well made and would deliver results. Definitely going to try them out now. Ever have any luck with other colors besides the sight flash?


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## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

kanaka said:


> If you're a coffee drinker, do some shopping at the fast food places. FREE.....unless they all went to the coke spoons.


Not much of a coffee drinker, so I'll have to sneak a couple one of these days. 2 or 3 would do several baits. Thanks for the suggestions!


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## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

NavarreWadefisher said:


> Nice haul man. Long time lurker. I've been eyeing those keitech baits for awhile now. Always thought they looked well made and would deliver results. Definitely going to try them out now. Ever have any luck with other colors besides the sight flash?


The Keitech Swing Impact Fats have an amazing swimming action, one of the best I've seen. This comes at a cost though, as the baits are super soft. The line thru doesn't stay in, so I switched to the Rhythm Wave and it has no issues with that. A little glue would fix that problem though with the Keitech. 
I'm fishing swimbaits mainly at night, and have tried several colors, but always come back to the white and clear(Sight Flash, White Ice, Sexy Albino).


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## NavarreWadefisher (Dec 21, 2016)

Bummer about the keitech being so soft. Still gonna give them a try cause the tail looks like it swims so well. Rhythm Wave- That's Jackall right? Another bait I've been wanting to try. I'm a little impatient with swim baits for some reason. I see you're slow rolling it. Any stop and go, twitches etc. Or strictly swimming it?


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## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

Anyone reading this experience the result of superglue on certain soft plastics????


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## SurfRidr (Apr 24, 2012)

Jeffbro999 said:


> The Keitech Swing Impact Fats have an amazing swimming action, one of the best I've seen. This comes at a cost though, as the baits are super soft. The line thru doesn't stay in, so I switched to the Rhythm Wave and it has no issues with that. A little glue would fix that problem though with the Keitech.
> I'm fishing swimbaits mainly at night, and have tried several colors, but always come back to the white and clear(Sight Flash, White Ice, Sexy Albino).


I used to use Keitechs on my Flash Mob Jr. umbrella rig hauling spotted bass on a lake back in North Carolina. I will second that fishing glue made a world of difference in survivability of the soft Keitechs.

Nice haul, Jeff! Awesome report!


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## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

The superglue on 3X plastics from Strike King ate them.


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## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

NavarreWadefisher said:


> Bummer about the keitech being so soft. Still gonna give them a try cause the tail looks like it swims so well. Rhythm Wave- That's Jackall right? Another bait I've been wanting to try. I'm a little impatient with swim baits for some reason. I see you're slow rolling it. Any stop and go, twitches etc. Or strictly swimming it?


Yes, they are made by Jackall. Pretty much just swimming it, may pause occasionally to get it back on bottom and sometimes give it a rip upwards.


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## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

kanaka said:


> The superglue on 3X plastics from Strike King ate them.


As soon as I read your question, this is what came to mind. Have had that problem with all Elastech type plastic(Zman, Strike King). Those plastics were a major hassle.


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## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

Jeffbro999 said:


> As soon as I read your question, this is what came to mind. Have had that problem with all Elastech type plastic(Zman, Strike King). Those plastics were a major hassle.


Guessing it's whatever they use to keep those plastics stretchy that reacts with the superglue. Ever leave a normal plastic in the same compartment with them? Big blob left.
All the 3X I have left stays in their original bags and in the outside pocket of the tackle bag.


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## NavarreWadefisher (Dec 21, 2016)

Is it just me or do y'all find that the Elastech soft plastics are a pain? I know they're meant to be durable but I do not like the elasticity of them at all. A lot people use them and they catch fish....just not for me.


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

I touched a Z Man rubber band once.... and I out fished the guy next to me using it.... wasnt impressed but it caught fish so in that aspect you can say it works


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## SurfRidr (Apr 24, 2012)

My complaint about the Zman baits is that it's hard to screw them down on a corkscrew hook keeper. Discovered it trying to use their version of a trick worm on a shakey head jig. They are so elastic they just twist but don't allow the hook keeper to actually penetrate. They're kinda *too* elastic. But they are tough, that's sure.


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## timjb83 (Jan 23, 2013)

Great report, pics, and info Jeff! Glad you are putting a hurting on them! You liking the kayak thing or is wading more preferred? 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk


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## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

SurfRidr said:


> My complaint about the Zman baits is that it's hard to screw them down on a corkscrew hook keeper. Discovered it trying to use their version of a trick worm on a shakey head jig. They are so elastic they just twist but don't allow the hook keeper to actually penetrate. They're kinda *too* elastic. But they are tough, that's sure.


I also found this to be a problem while trying to use the same bait. They just aren't as versatile IMO. The main selling point is the durability, and yet fish will still take the tail off easily. Add the issues Kanaka brought up, super glue and mixing with other plastics, and it's just way to much trouble. No doubt they catch fish, but so do all the other paddle tails on the market without special requirements.


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## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

timjb83 said:


> Great report, pics, and info Jeff! Glad you are putting a hurting on them! You liking the kayak thing or is wading more preferred?
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk


Thanks Tim, hope your doing well bud! I've been using my cheap Pelican, and it gets me around but hurts my back to fish out of. Been catching a lot of fish out of it, but I'll hop out and wade if possible. It has been a nice change of pace though. I need to get my Malibu Stealth out there, but can't haul it as easily.


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