Kayaking the Rapidan and Rappahannock River July 2017

Here is a video of a river trip I took some of my kids and my dad on. It was a great trip starting out on the Rapidan River and ended up on the Rappahannock River. Launched at Eleys Ford and ended at Mott's Run. I highly recommend this to other people.
https://youtu.be/BZzmMs3D9qg

Back from a long break with new changes.

So I took a long break from my blogging. What have I been up to. To start I retired from the Navy and decided to start another hobby of mine of making metal art. I call my forge the Angry Anvil Forge.

It's fun and I enjoy it. Going to change the name of the blog to Angry Anvil Forge plus Fishing. I get a lot of inspiration from my fishing and what pops in my head so you will start to see a lot more of that on here. New boat, just got a Wilderness Systems ATAK 140 and I love it. I hope you continue to follow along and enjoy my metal work and fishing. Enjoy.

Fishing the Mississippi Gulf Coast

                It’s been a while since my last post but I will bring you up to speed from my last trip in January.   

To start the new year off I was sent to school for a month In Gulfport Mississippi.  First stop along the way I made my way through Alabama to see family and friends around Guntersville Lake but due to weather I was unable to fish my home waters so that will have to wait till next time.

Around Montgomery Alabama I was able to meet up with my long time brother and best friend from school, Tony.  We were able to have a good breakfast which made for a good pit stop before finishing the last leg to Gulfport.

Now when you think about fishing in January you think of cold water fishing like my post Until My Toes Say Its Time To Go Home, but what I found on the weekends were nice 60 to 70 deg temps for most of the time I was there until the cold snap at the end of the month.  The days I did fish were spent in a T-shirt and waders. 

Finally in Mississippi all checked in to my room and school I had a few days to do some scouting with google maps and just some driving around.  During the week it was all school and at night I would get to chat with my family on Skype which it was always a blessing to see the kids. It made me wish they were there with me to enjoy the adventure.

 

  

  With the first few trips in this new area I was skeptical about finding some fish but I changed up some tactics a bit and started reading some of the local forums like MSKayakFishing and The Bull along with talking to people I met while out fishing.   Out of everyone I met I was always greeted with kindness and respect from fellow anglers.  Everyone I talked to or contacted in any way were freely giving advice and help which started getting me zeroed into the fish I was looking for.

A few people I ended up fishing with lead me to an area around the Wolf River off a corner of Bay St. Louis.  With everything I have learned from the locals there I put my skills into action.  The first few days, I slowly fish the deep holes hooking into some nice sized Speckled Trout slowly jigging some Paul Brown Devils.  

There I met up with Jimmy and BJ.  Some great guys to fish with and on the way back in we got a little fun tow that saved us a bit of a paddle after a good day out on the water.

 

But I still needed to get my Red.   I hooked up with a few good ones that shook my hook so I looked for some more assistance.  This day I met up with Nate and he took me to an area that he has always had some luck.  This was a windy day but we went out that evening when he said the bit should turn on.  This go around we were chunking top water lures and we were about to give up when Nate hooked into his largest Red at about 33 inches.  Water temp was in the 50s and depth was at the 2 ft. mark.  Then on we just kept chunking and chunking the lures till it was time to go.   

That was my last trip out and I met some great people the whole time in Gulfport.  I will say that this an amazing area to see for the angler to experience and I’m sure that during the warmer months of the year this area would be excellent to fish.  I will have to wait for another time to get my Gulf Coast Red but at least I got to see a good sized Gulf Coast Red hooked up in January. 

Until The next trip and thanks again for all the help from some great people in Mississippi.

Paracord Fishing Lanyards

  One thing this year with my kids was try to learn something new.  One thing was to learn the art of parcord or 550 cord lanyard making.  For anyone out there there is a plethora of online tutorials that we found for free on youtube or just plain Google searches that with step by step show you how to do anything.   This was something my kids and I found easy to pick up on and since we started my boys have started selling some of there work to help them raise money to fund there hobbies.  And yes I help them with it as well.  I have found it somewhat quite relaxing to do.   When we sit together as a family to learn a new pattern and i have there undivided attention, I know that is quality time well spent with the kids.  One lanyard that I was able to taylor to my fishing, I added a whistle, pill bottle for a fishing license and some clippers for cutting fishing line.  The neck lanyards we have started making I feel are customizable to each persons style of fishing.  Hope you like what we have been doing and I hope to see you on the water.  

A Scientific Way Of How I Make Catfish Bait.

  One of my favorite times of the year is upon us and a favorite fish to catch is catfish.  What I would like to share today with you is a way I sometimes prepare bait for catfish.  This is by no way the only way, and everywhere you go someone has there own special way and secrets to doing things.  This is one of my ways.

 Items you will need.

1. Chicken Livers
2. Chicken Gizzards
3. 2 cans of Sardines in oil
4. Garlic Powder
5. Vacuum pump and a vacuum chamber
   

  This is really easy.

1.  Mix all items together in the vacuum chamber
   
   
   
   
2. Hook up machine and remove all the air you can.
   
   
   
   

    As the air is pumped out all the flavors will begin to infuse within each other for the makings of a catfish delight.  I will let this sit in the chamber for about 24 hours, every now and then shaking it around to stir it up.  As you do this you will be able to see bubbles rise in the chamber showing you the good stuff is getting all in.

    After 24 hours I will freeze half for another time and the other half will be place in another container that will sit outside in a safe place for
One or two days to stink up prior to using.
 
The gizzrds will hold up un the hook longer than just the liver but the oils from the liver and the sardines is what will help carry the scent and bring the fish to the bait.
This method has given me good luck in the past and i hope that you will find this will help you out and give you an idea for your own brew for a catfish magnet, until then tight lines and happy fishing.

A Clean Up For Your Waterways

 
  Here is an opportunity that is easy to get started and will make a great difference in your community to help preserve the waterways we all love to enjoy.  This story takes place in Virginia Beach Virginia but other states and cities have their own programs as well.  This program is called The Adopt A Stream Program.

 For a longtime I have always wanted to start something that would be beneficial to the environment and improve the way we see the waters I like to fish.  After joining the Tidewater Kayak Anglers Association I found an opportunity to start a cleanup after seeing tons of trash in areas that looked like were getting ignored.

 Myself and others I'm sure have always been taught to leave an area better than you found it but that wasn't what I was happening.  I did a little searching on the internet I quickly found the answers I was looking for from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation Adopt A Stream Program.  With a quick phone call with Sheila Mary Barnett the Environmental Educator with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. She was able to send me the information I needed and answer any questions I had to help me on my way to get this program started with my club.  Inside the packet was all the guidelines and step by step things to look for when setting up your own cleanup.  This was easy and it was a simple application for an area that I faxed in and was quickly approved for.  Another great bonus I found with this program was that they also send you supplies like bags, gloves and orange vest to help you with your cleanup.  To get rid of the trash we collected I made arrangements with the Virginia Aquarium who also takes care of a section of the same waterway though the City of Virginia Beach Adopt a Stream Program. And they have already asked for our joint combined help in future cleanups.

  Things were now on a rolling pace I set a date and went to request volunteers from the club.  Our first date was completely rained out with hi winds and thunderstorms that wouldn't have made for a great time on the water so we moved to the 19th of October and has still wet but better conditions.

  First to arrive, my sons and I quickly set up with the supplies and sign up sheet for the cleanup to hand out as volunteers started to arrive.  Still with the rain I was wondering if anyone would show but soon we ended up with a total of 11 people to assist with the cleanup efforts.  One set of Volunteers Anthony and Shan from Inkblot tees donated a batch of T shirts to the club to give out for free to the people helping.  Set up for after the event the club even pitched in to buy pizzas for all the help.  We were on our way to make a difference for our waterway.

 
  Every one now out cleaning trash.

Everyone quickly was able to get to areas that needed great attention. We found trash everywhere.

 

  From the shore to on land we found trash everywhere.

  This is a great opportunity to get you kids involved in the environment and teach them good morals.

I had my boat all loaded down and back to the boat ramp we went.

As people showed back up we found we had collected 21 bags of trash a chair and other stuff that was now removed from our waterways.

This ended up being a very successful event and we even got to the local news.  http://www.wavy.com/news/local/va-beach/volunteers-help-remove-trash-from-water

  Now with all this cleanup done for now lessons learned would be to have more bags, we ran out.  This was a 2 hour event and everyone there put forth the effort and it was much needed.  We made a difference out there and as we hit the boat ramp with all the trash it felt good to be greeted with thanks from the onlookers from shore. 

  This is an easy program to get into and anyone can do it.  From a small family to a club like the TKAA anyone can make your waterway in your community better.  Ask yourself, what can you do in your area to make it better.  See ya on the water.