Delacroix & silverwoner journey

TEAM JO-JO:

Team Jo-Jo Hits the Water – A Post-Curriculum Adventure

After wrapping up Fishing Curriculum Session 2 for 2025, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind—Team Jo-Jo was hitting the water. It was simply a given. The only question was where and who were on board.

Originally, Big Ron and Oneofthepack had a trip planned for today (Tuesday), with Big Rudy unable to make it. However, during Monday night’s card game, Big Rudy had a change of heart—he decided he could squeeze in one more trip after all. And just like that, the crew was set.

Bay Flat Sr. was ready and waiting, prepped for her 1,100-hour shakedown cruise, ensuring everything was running smoothly for the season ahead. With rods rigged, tackle organized, and high hopes for Silverwonders and Redwarriors, the team was set for another adventure on the water.

Would the conditions align? Would the fish cooperate? Only time would tell—but one thing was certain: Team Jo-Jo was back in action.

SIGNS:                            

·         Our Saturday meeting has us all psyched up, know a trip was in our immediate future.

·         Me not fish in Monday night card game, came home with .8 of a “C” note.

·         Good 3 hours sleep

·         Up at 4 AM for our 5 AM meet up at Waffle House in Oak Harbor

·         No wildlife sightings along Hwy 11 or 90

·         Met up with Indian Ron at Waffle House in Chalmette, quick load up of his gear.

·         Check point Alpha water level in canal at junction down 10-11”

·         Check point Bravo, Reggio canal not much water moving!

·         Delacroix Hwy looked deserted.

·         Reach the home of the Bay Flat Sr, she be rocking in her slings.

·         Crew made quick work of loading Bay Flat Sr

·         Yamaha Deam Machine , fired with half turn of key.

·         Off to spot # 51K to start our fun day of fishing.

CONDITIONS:

·          Perfect

·         Wind, E.N.E. 15-16, N.E. 16-20, E. 16-19 mph, steady she blew all day.

·         Water status / conditions: light to heavy chops

·         Sky,  overcast, no rain, no fog.

·         Temp, cold, jumpsuit & raincoat on all day.

·         Water level, down 10-11”

·         Water Temp ,  58.10  F

·         Salinity,  3.0

·         Specific Conductance  5480

·         Pressure,  30.13  F

·         Water clarity on a scale of 1-7, 2 minus Lake John, 6 plus Grand Lagoon

·         Mississippi gauge: 9.53’ way up it be.

·         Caernarvon Outfall:  746         ft3/s

·         Tide,  rising all day

·         Peak tide,  05;03  L  .26’

·         Peak tide,   18:50  H  .75’

·         Major Feed Time:  22;31 / none

·         Minor feed time:  09:07 / 23:01

·         Tidal Coefficient:   56

·         Not much bait in water

·         No birds diving

·         Fish Activity

·           High Activity   

·         Boats out and about, (1), one 

·      ONEOFTHEPACK’S REPERTOIRE OF TECHNIQUES / STRATEGIES      

·         Be safe.

·         Have fun.

·         This is me daily therapy for ALL me aliments.

·         Put some run time on the Bay Flat Sr and the Yamaha Dream Machine

·         Gather Intel for future trips, and to share with fisherperson, (on Facebook) to help assist them in their choice of areas to fish, lures to use and presentation of same to the elusive Silverwonders.

·         Catch what catch can.

·         Learn what learn can.

·         Confirm operation of Yamaha Dream Machine, she just got her 1,100-hour service she be purring like a kitten, sound great all day.

·         See if jerk baits work down in Delacroix.

·         Certify routes & paths are still open.

·         Confirm GPS / Depth finder works.

·         Bring home some fish for petite Yana.

·         Find a spot  # with the seven fundamentals / criteria of catching:

1 WIND AT YOUR BACK: (Wind was at our back, right side, left side, face, head, feet, it was all over us, but we used it to our advantage, it pushes us across the body of water we fishing as we popping cork our way across same.)

2 MOVING WATER: (Rising tide, did not impact us in anyway, did not see many current lines, assumed not much of a tide.)

3 WATER CALRITY: (Lake John a 2 minus, Grand Lagoon a 6 plus, take your pick dirty water with fish or clean water with no fish!!!)

4 HOLDING FISH:  (Team Jo-Jo spot # 51K (11t) and spot # R7 (15)t)

5 PATIENCES: (Fits cast Big Rudy brings in a (NMR) Silverwonder with all the dirty water around us, it was on, on, on after that.)

6 SKILL: (Popping corks, 3 to 4 feet deep)

7 LUCKS: (Was able to avoid having to go to Kenny’s seafood for dinner.)

·      Oneofthepack’s repertoire of Techniques / presentations:

·         Anchor up cast & retrieve slowly along the bottom, with a twitch every now and then, tight lining…………………………………Nothing.

·         Drift with the wind cast & retrieve (DWWC&R)……………DID NOT TRY

·         Oak River Troll (ORT)……………….Did not try.

·         Reverse Oak River Troll (RORT) ………..DID NOT TRY

·         Oak River Skim (ORS) ……………DID NOT TRY

·         Cork ……..Popping Cork, all fish caught this way.

·         Lake P Troll (LPT)…………….Did not try.

·         Drop shot: Did not try.

·         Dead bait……None

·         Live bait………………None

·      Oneofthepack ‘S repertOIRE of LURE DU JOUR:

·         3” H&H Purple Beetle, matched up with H&H ¼ oz. round white head with gold hook……………Did not try

·         3” Chartreuse Glow Beetle, matched up with H&H ¼ oz. round white head w/gold hook………….Did not try

·         Matrix Shad Lemon Drop, matched up with H&H ¼ oz. round white head w/gold hook……………Did not try.

·         Matrix Shad Lemon Drop, matched up with H&H 3/8 oz. round white head w/gold hook……………DID NOT TRY

·         Matrix Shad Lemon Drop, matched up with H&H 1/2 oz. round white head w/gold hook……………DID NOT TRY

·         Salt Strong Power Prawn (added 10-25-24) matched up with: Did not use:

§  ¼ oz. jig head :          

§  3/8 oz. jig head :  95% fish caught with this rig.  

§  Tandem Rig:           

·         Matrix Shad Lemon Drop, matched up with 3/4 oz. round lead head w/ 2 trailers, ……Did not try.

·         Tandem rig, ¼ oz. round H&H jig head with gold hook, matched up with Matrix Shad Lemon Drop …..Did not try.

AREAS / SPOTS / NUMBERS ON THE MAP FISHED:

Spot  # 51K (11)t, 51c, 51A, 51J (3) t, R12E (2)t, R12F, R12H, R7C, R7B (1)t, R7 (13), stopped fishing around 12:10, called it a day.

OUR REWARDS:

·         Lived to fish another day.

·         (30) Silverwonders, 14 Miniwonders

·         (1) Bull Ratworriers

·         (1) Gar

·         (1) Indian Ron, but Rudy caught , most fish & Big Ron too

·         (3) Tangled lines

·         (4) Power Pro birds nest

·         Lots of fresh clean cold dry air in our lungs

·         Another petite Gloria creation, peanut & jelly sandwich, boy did I need that , thanks lady made me day.

·         Carefree relaxing trip with no hiccups.

·         Being on the water with (2) if the best fisherperson me know, that be Big Rudy & Big Ron

·         Lessons learned:

§  Yamaha Dream Machine purre3d like a kitten

§  New GPS working, both GPS & depth finder, crew got it working for me.

§  Water level low, had to drag boat into slip.

§  Water clarity:

o   Lake John a 2 minus, but that be where the BIG girls where.

§  Holding fish

o   Grand Lagoon a 6 plus,. Looked great, lots of catching action,  but Silverwonders where small

§  Holding fish

§  Our old paths / routes still open safe to run, t had been awhile since me been back to Delacroix

§  Popping cork was technique / presentation needed today.

§  Tight lines are still not producing for us.

§  Slat Strong Power Prawn Jr. w/yellow tail did 95% of catching today.

§  That stink bait that Big Ron used did some damage today too.

·         Best fishing trip of my life, until the next one.

FISHERPERSON OF THE DAY:

Oneofthepack struggled all day, my high light was a gar fish me caught, managed 6 Silverwonders, and that was it, me was humbled today for sure.

Big Ron caught 25# Redwarrior, had his fare share of Silverwonders, brought the sandwiches, used that stink bait, fish hard, but he to fell short for honors today he did have a good second place run.

Big Rudy was just Big Rudy he caught first Silverwonder, last Silverwonder, most Silverwonders, he was on a roll catching everything even caught Big Ron, what fighter that was. Big Rudy captures the honors today as fisherperson of the day.

SUGGESTIONS:

Delacroix action looking up, Silverwonders are there in quantity & size, just need some clean water and better weather conditions. Get your saltwater gear together and be ready for the spring run, it should get better all the way to mid-June.

PONDER OF THE DAY:

"All you need to be a fisherman is patience and a Matrix Shad Lemon Drop." 

Q&A:

Who is the most manipulative fisherperson you’ve ever met?

TEAM JO-JO’S future stratagem:

Winter's Grip Tightens – Team Jo-Jo Adjusts Course

Cold weather is rolling in, and rough conditions are on the horizon. Mother Nature is about to deal out some serious challenges in the coming days, forcing Team Jo-Jo to rethink our strategy.

With unpredictable winds, dropping temperatures, and shifting tides, our usual Plan “A” may no longer be the best move. That means adjusting Plan “B” and “C” to match the conditions and maximize our chances of success. Adaptability is the name of the game—because when Mother Nature speaks, we listen.

Stay tuned—Team Jo-Jo isn’t backing down. We’re just recalibrating. Until then… tight lines and warm jackets!

Good Fishing

Team Jo-Jo & Oneofthepack

釣り先生

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