Kiptopeke Concrete Ships to Elizabeth River Mad Dash.

We have been wanting to do this trip for a while now. Ever since we found out about the ships it has been in the back of my mind to get out there and catch some Tau Tog.

   This has been a fish that has always been out of my reach untill I got my kayak. Started doing some homework watching YouTube videos, reading articles and even messaged Rob Choi and Kayak Kevin to just make sure that the currents weren't going to be to much for my kids to handle. Again thanks for the help on the current info.

     On this trip my buddy Brice joined us and checked in throughout the morning.

 

 

The plan was to time our trip a few hours before and after slack tide. From the tide chart it looked like slack tide was around 0700 but we didn't get it till about 1030. We paddled out attempted to fish but it was just to fast so we ended up finding what my son now calls his honey hole, a room opened up to the outside which allowed us to paddle right inside and we waited out the ripping tide outside.

 While inside we fished and sure as anything we were having a blast catching the fish we were going for. Inside myself and Orion caught our first ever Togs.

 My first was a little 10 incher and Orion caught a 15 incher.

    I got another 14 incher and then we both caught more smaller ones along with Orions everyother Toad Fish. 

 Mario wasn't able to hook up on this part just got his bait took every time. After slack tide hit we ventured outside and found a good sized crack. We hooked back up with our quarter BlueCrab and dropped lines in the water. I there hooked up with a nice 17 1/2 in Tog landed and Orion hooked up with a bigger one that shook the hook at the boat.

 

 

 

 

 

 Mario still fighting the bait stealers kept his moral up with a good since of laughter and just enjoyed being out there. Bait gone by 1230 it was time head to our next location for some Specks.

   Back across the CBBT toward Top Rack Marina on the Elizabeth River off 17.  Hours there are between 0800 and 2200 for the gate opening and 5 dollars to park. Easy drag to the launch with some dodgeing of the fiddler crabs and oyster beds and we were in the water.

   Doing some drifts toward the bridge and along the bank and we ended up with 3 good sized Specks. 2 18 in and 1 19 in Speck.

   Kids had a blast for the day and with the last good light we headed back in. A fishing trip to remember and cant wait to get back to the ships again.