Moz
06-10-2017, 03:38 PM
Visited Split Rock yesterday for the first time with my own kayak.
Around 5:30 AM halfway between there and Bridgewater I realized I forgot sunscreen. :( Going to get a new drybag for essentials so I can bail myself out when the memory fails as at that hour there was no place to stop in a pinch. When I arrived only one other car was there. :) I also found one of the rear saddles on the roofrack kayak-holder had somehow cracked when I arrived too. :mad:
The launch is no joke for a well-rigged fishing kayak, multiple rods, and a small cooler. Once I had the yak in the water and I went to install the pod with my fishfinder, battery, and tackle I slipped and slid on the mud into the water. Landed on my feet but had a skidmark on my shorts for the day and had to use my kayak seat in the car so I didn't deposit any on the car seat.
Water was calm and winds light when I got out around 6:30-ish. I had very limited knowledge of the lake having only fished there once before 5 years ago with a guide only for a few hours. When other guys got out after me they seemed to head straight for the back portion, not sure if this part is more fishy or just a way to be left largely alone by the googans who arrive later in the day and don't venture as far?
I picked up 2 pugnacious smallies, one before hitting the big island in the middle and the other along the left side of it. I had a ton of tugs and pulls but only managed to hook into those.
Wind picked up and it was a bit tough from there. Paddled/trolled around and marked a lot of sizable fish but nothing doing with that.
Found a big-boulder that made an island and called it mine by peeing on it.
Didn't make it all the way to the back but close. Very different kind of water constantly only 3 to 4 feet deep and a lot of lily pads and vegetation. Looked promising to get my first Split Rock largemouth but wasn't meant to be.
Wind was going against me the whole paddle back in so took awhile. Got back to the boatramp around 1 PM so a good, long day on the water. Arms were nice and tired.
Note to self, the "launch" area is to the right of the 2 paths down. I mistakenly went left which had an area that was easier to get stuff out of the water but a lot more difficult situation getting stuff back to the parking lot. Won't make that mistake again (although there were people fishing from shore in the other area where I had launched from which would have been another pain).
Really enjoyable lake to be out on, will try to visit again this summer if I can. Pic of the bigger of the 2 fish, nothing huge on the day but enough to pull me around a bit and show off some aerial acrobatics.
Around 5:30 AM halfway between there and Bridgewater I realized I forgot sunscreen. :( Going to get a new drybag for essentials so I can bail myself out when the memory fails as at that hour there was no place to stop in a pinch. When I arrived only one other car was there. :) I also found one of the rear saddles on the roofrack kayak-holder had somehow cracked when I arrived too. :mad:
The launch is no joke for a well-rigged fishing kayak, multiple rods, and a small cooler. Once I had the yak in the water and I went to install the pod with my fishfinder, battery, and tackle I slipped and slid on the mud into the water. Landed on my feet but had a skidmark on my shorts for the day and had to use my kayak seat in the car so I didn't deposit any on the car seat.
Water was calm and winds light when I got out around 6:30-ish. I had very limited knowledge of the lake having only fished there once before 5 years ago with a guide only for a few hours. When other guys got out after me they seemed to head straight for the back portion, not sure if this part is more fishy or just a way to be left largely alone by the googans who arrive later in the day and don't venture as far?
I picked up 2 pugnacious smallies, one before hitting the big island in the middle and the other along the left side of it. I had a ton of tugs and pulls but only managed to hook into those.
Wind picked up and it was a bit tough from there. Paddled/trolled around and marked a lot of sizable fish but nothing doing with that.
Found a big-boulder that made an island and called it mine by peeing on it.
Didn't make it all the way to the back but close. Very different kind of water constantly only 3 to 4 feet deep and a lot of lily pads and vegetation. Looked promising to get my first Split Rock largemouth but wasn't meant to be.
Wind was going against me the whole paddle back in so took awhile. Got back to the boatramp around 1 PM so a good, long day on the water. Arms were nice and tired.
Note to self, the "launch" area is to the right of the 2 paths down. I mistakenly went left which had an area that was easier to get stuff out of the water but a lot more difficult situation getting stuff back to the parking lot. Won't make that mistake again (although there were people fishing from shore in the other area where I had launched from which would have been another pain).
Really enjoyable lake to be out on, will try to visit again this summer if I can. Pic of the bigger of the 2 fish, nothing huge on the day but enough to pull me around a bit and show off some aerial acrobatics.