TEAM JO-JO:
At our last Team Jo-Jo Fishing Curriculum Session, we scheduled a much-anticipated trip with Big Charlie, and today was finally the day. Joining me as first mate was none other than Big Rudy, rounding out the crew to make a formidable threesome for our journey. We set off bright and early, fueled by the thrill of the chase, and made our way down to our fishing paradise—our very own Disney World, Delacroix Island.
With the Bay Flat Sr. gliding through the water and the reliable Yamaha Dream Machine powering us forward, we were ready to cover some ground. Our mission: to seek out the elusive Silverwonders and the spirited Redwarriors, two of our favorite targets. We navigated around some of our trusted spots, eyes on the water and rods at the ready, hoping to catch the perfect conditions and land some real beauties.
The day unfolded with camaraderie and a touch of competition, as each cast and each tug on the line kept us engaged. We scanned the water for telltale signs, adjusted our tactics, and shared some laughs, reliving tales from past trips and adding new memories to the Team Jo-Jo archives. Every ripple felt like an invitation, and every cast held the promise of that next big catch.
It was a classic Team Jo-Jo Day—good friends, good fishing, and the kind of adventure that keeps us coming back for more.
SIGNS:
· We cancelled the Wednesday trip with Big Rick, first mate Big Rudy was not feeling good so he could not make it. Big Rick and I were still going to go, but when I got out of the show it was raining & blowing hard, so me said if me see any rabbits on way home we no go. Well, I saw (5) on Oak Harbor Blvd, called Big Rick explain the possible weather conditions, says me it don’t bother me, I am use to it, but we will be pounded to death with Bay Flat Sr, so we agreed to go another time.\when weather a little better.
· Up at 3:30 AM for our 4:30 AM meet up at Waffle House in Oak Harbor
· Saw a bunny rabbit on Oak Harbor Blvd on my way to Waffle House good sing this bed.
· Crew on time, loaded all gear into FORD transporter and we were on our way.
· No wildlife sightings along Hwy 11 or 90
· Not many boats n Hwy, gas stations, and/or boat launches
· Check point Alpha water level up 2-3”
· Check point Bravo water in Reggio canal falling hard, bait man had his butter-fly net down soaking up all the shrimp as they came through, what a set up that is.
· Reach the home of the Bay Flat Sr. she be looking high and dry.
· The crew made quick loading her up.
· Yamaha Dream Machine still warm for last trip out, she fires right up no foreplay needed.
· As we made our way to Bayou Gentilly, we dodged all the butterflies’ boats 8-10 working main bayou from Bayou Lery to Bayou Gentilly and beyond.
· Based on our success of last trip we went to Team Jo-Jo spot # 51K to start our day.
CONDITIONS:
· Perfect
· Wind, N.N.W. 18-20 mph.
· Water status / conditions: Little ripples, slight chop. Heavy chop crossing Little Lake
· Sky, sunny & clear
· Full moon
· Temp, cool, jumpsuit ALL day.
· Water level, down 2-3” Level 6’-0”
· Water Temp , 76.20 F
· Salinity, 6.3
· Specific Conductance 10500
· Pressure, 29.97 F
· Water clarity on a scale of 1-7,
· Mississippi gauge: 3-4’
· Caernarvon Outfall: 104 ft3/s
· Tide, falling hard all day.
· Peak tide, 11:39 L 0-0’
· Peak tide, 0:24 H 1.64’
· Major Feed Time: 02:44 – 15:03
· Minor feed time: 04:22 – 16:16
· Tidal Coefficient: 101
· Fish Activity
· High Activity
· Boats out and about, 3 boats in areas we are fishing.
· ONEOFTHEPACK’S REPERTOIRE OF TECHNIQUES / STRATEGIES
· Be safe.
· Have fun.
· This is my daily therapy for ALL my 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.
· Re-acclimate Big Charlei to Delacroix
· Confirm if spot #51K still holds birds & Silverwonders.
· Bring home some fish for Big Charlie and his clan.
· Find a spot # with the seven fundamentals / criteria of catching:
1 WIND AT YOUR BACK: (This criterion was a challenge for today as spot 51K was not working so we had to run around some to find some fish, not all spots where ideal for lure fishing. But using (2) Cajun anchors to position Bay Flat Sr. worked out well for us)
2 MOVING WATER: (Falling hard all day, water moving to fast in some areas, had to fish open water , cuts & bayous water moving to fast)
3 WATER CALRITY: (A 5 minus water was looking good in most areas, it was very fishable at la the spot numbers on the map we tried.)
4 HOLDING FISH: (Team Jo-Jo spot #51K (23)t, 58BL (17)t, # 17 (26 NMR’s )t & (2)r
5 PATIENCES: (In honey hole at 6:10 AM, 6:18 Am Big Charlie brings in first Silverwonder, it was a slow day with slow action, but once we made our way to Pointe Fienne it was On, on, on for a few.)
6 SKILL: (WE used (5) of Team Jo-Jo’s techniques / presentations to catch fish today, they all produced)
7 LUCKS: (Getting a comment about our last trip, someone just sent me “Pointe Fienne” must have been the fishing god, she be like that just lead us right to the NMR’s.)
· Oneofthepack’s repertoire of Techniques / presentations:
· Anchor up cast & retrieve slowly along the bottom, with a twitch every now and then, tight lining…………………………………Caught 2
· Drift with the wind cast & retrieve (DWWC&R)……………Caught 85% w/popping cork.
· Oak River Troll (ORT)……………….Caught (3) t.
· Reverse Oak River Troll (RORT) ………..DID NOT TRY
· Oak River Skim (ORS) ……………Caught (3) t.
· Cork ……..Popping cork caught 85% of fish.
· 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 : Caught 75%
§ 3/8 oz. jig head : Caught 20%
§ 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:
Team Jo-Jo’s spot 51K (23)t, 53, 49A, 58BL (17)T, 5, 6, 2a, 17 (26)T, stopped fishing around 2:30 pm stopped for the day, rough ride across little lake as we came in.
OUR REWARDS:
· Lived to fish another day.
· (66) Silverwonders
· (1) Redwarrior
· (1) Bull Redwarrior
· (2) Croakers
· (1) Sting Ray
· (1) Popped line
· (2) Tangled lines
· Lots of fresh, clean, low humidity in our lungs
· Lessons learned:
§ If we not fueling in AM we can leave at 4:30 AM in-lieu of 4 AM
§ Diving birds not always around
§ Pointe Fienne holding some real nice (NMR) Silverwonders
§ We used 5 of Team Jo-Jo’s repertoire of techniques / presentations to catch fish today.
o Anchor cast & retrieve, caught (3) t.
o Drift cast & retrieve caught 85% of fish.
o (ORT) Oak River troll caught (3)t.
o (ORS) Oak River skim, caught (3)t.
o Popping cork caught 85% of the fish.
o Good to see all produce fish, it is that time of year.
· Best fishing trip of my life, until the next one.
FISHERPERSON OF THE DAY:
Big Charlie did some damage, especially after Big Rudy took time and rigged his line/rig to match how Big Rudy was fishing. Big Charlie improving every time we go, getting better and better be he, but today’s journey did not result on honors today.
Oneofthepack dominated catfish category, dominated Sting Ray division, and had his share of the Silverwonders, & Redwarriors, but me to fell short for honors today.
Big Rudy croaker man, biggest Silverwonder, Biggest Redwarrior, dominated the NMR Silverwonders today, plus he got an extra point for stopping fishing and taken time to rig Big Charlie up to match his rig, now that is a true fisherperson, Big Rudy be fisherperson of the day for sure.
SUGGESTIONS:
Always have a plan “B” & “c” just in case plan “A” does not work out.
Always utilize your complete repertory of techniques / presentations, as you never know what will work any giving spot.
Just go out and do it, but most important you need to believe!!!!!!
PONDER OF THE DAY:
“Fishing experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards.”
Q&A:
If you didn't get caught, did you really do it?
TEAM JO-JO’S future stratagem:
Off water till Monday, all next week open Bay Flat Sr, 11-27-24 Big John, 11-27-24 Big Ronnie (Kansas), cannot wait to get back after the fishes down in Delacroix until then:
Good Fishing
Team Jo-Jo & Oneofthepack
釣り先生
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