My alarm sounded which followed by a look at my weather app, today's high a sweltering 48° with a low in low 30's. Yep going to be one of those why am I getting out of my toasty bed kinda days. Well I roll out of bed throw on my thermal base layers, wool socks, jeans, hoodie and my heavy coat, out the door I go. As I'm loading up for the days journey I'm scrapping frost of not only my car windows but my kayak, all the while thinking why did I get out of bed? I arrive at the launch point, fashionably late due to a rather low rear tire, Tom had been patiently waiting for my arrival. We quickly ready the kayaks and where in the water. We had only traveled a short distance from the launch and made a handful of casts before I drew first blood. I had pitched to this sunken log, picked up the slack line before I realized my line was moving the opposite direction it had started. I quickly set the hook and landed a respectable spotted bass to which was released to see another day. As the fish swam off I was on a slight high of excitement in knowing this was not going to be a skunk day. Always good to the stink out early I like to say. We continued a ways a bit up stream before fish #2. I had made a blind cast towards some rip rap, slowly dragging my bait back, then suddenly my bait got increasingly heavier until the tall tale rod bend of fish on. A very nice and healthy 3# Indiana smallmouth. After the obligatory photo shoot the fish was released. We had traveled further upstream before I scored not only fish #3, but by far my biggest smallmouth out of my kayak or at all this year. Tom had stopped by a bridge for a bio break, so I was blind casting/diking around a small chatterbait I had tied on at the start for giggles with no real intention of actually catching anything on it. Boy, was I wrong. Upon my second cast about 3/4 through the retrieve, to what seemed like slow motion, the leviathan arouse from his deep water hiding place and engulfed my bait. With the water be as cold as it was the fight was short, but spectacular. As I netted this beautiful creature I was awestruck by its size. After removing the hook I snagged a quick weight which sealed the deal on my assumptions. Coming in at 4# she was indeed my largest smallmouth of the season. I snapped a few quick pics to immortalize the event in time I released her. Tom and I paddled a little further upstream until we hit a impassable riffle, which I picked up one more fish, but in no comparison in size to the previous. we started to float back towards our cars, casting along the way until the wind that was pushing up back up stream became to much to handle. As I loaded up the car for probably the last time of the season I reflected on this past season. I have not only made a lifetime of new memories, but some new lifelong friends. I signed on as prostaff for WCO. I was able to competed in several tournaments both local and afar, scored a first place in one. I have tons of new water that I would have never dreamed about fishing or tried. I crossed off a few new species off my bucket list and tried a myriad of new fishing techniques and tricks to try to score that fish that's bigger than everyone else's. So when people tell me I'm crazy for fishing in weather like this I just laugh to myself, because I'm not crazy I'm just creating memories. Until next time. Tight Lines. -Kyle P.
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