I like holidays, its a very rare one if I'm not fishing. Been reading a lot more in the bass forum lately and especially took interest on the Monticello thread. Hadn't been there in over a year and hadn't even considered fishing there with ramp closure. Didn't know if that meant you couldn't fish the lake at all or you just couldn't launch a boat. When someone mentioned a lot of kayaks launching from the bridge, I decided I was going to give it a go. Hadn't launched from there in 6 years, it was hard then, it would be harder now.

Set alarm for 4 a.m., the plan is to be on the water by 7:00. I wake up at 8. Make it to the lake around 9:45. Had stopped a couple of times on the way and asked if it ok to fish the lake. Nobody knows for sure. Pull into the parking area near the bridge and walk to where I see someone fishing from shore. Ask him about fishing the lake from kayak and he tells me sure... he has fished it all year launching from bridge, never got a ticket, never had his vehicle towed. Points at his 13 year old son in the distance fishing from his kayak. Good enough for me, Monti is probably my favorite lake. Used to come down every Christmas and fish it with an old friend who knew a lot about it.

While were talking, his son paddles over and tells his dad he lost one of his rods... fell out of the kayak when he went to pull one out of crate and it pulled the one with Alabama rig out of its holder and fell into the water. I was impressed with how well his dad took the news. Said something about it being a $300 rig.

Decide to try and help look for young man's fishing pole but give up after 15 minutes.. as bad as I wanted to find it, I wanted to fish worse.

Now usually I would head straight to the far end of the lake where the pads are, but this is a new me. I've recently completed a guide trip with James Biggs and I'm going to try and apply what he was teaching. So I resisted going shallow, I resisted blind casting, and I just paddled around in deep water looking for fish on my graph. It sure helped that Gruber in the Bass Forum has been telling everyone ... GO DEEP! and catching hell from most folks.

Lots of water with nothing as I keep eyes on graph... finally find what I'm looking for: bait at 10 feet, fish suspended at about 16 ft in 24 feet of water. Pull out a 6xd and make first cast. Crank it down deep and then notice my phone is out of it waterproof bag. Set rod down, place phone in bag, pick up rod, Fish on. It was only about 2 lbs but it was a fish, it was my first cast, and I realized exactly what this fish wanted. He wanted that bait slowly rising on almost slack line. I get pushed back about 50 yards from breeze, paddle back into position, make second cast, crank it down about 5 or 6 cranks and then let the wind slowly push me backwards. Think I feel rod loading up and set the hook. Its a big one. Its pulling drag like butter... I know I have drag set where I want it, I know its big. Take my sweet time as there isn't really anything for me to get wrapped around, then I feel it coming up. Try to keep it from jumping but didn't realize how much line it had pulled out on me and when it comes up it is much further away than I had thought. Even from that distance I was in awe as I got a good look. To make a long story shorter, it made two more jumps later and I loosen drag to let it burn off some energy. Finally get it beside me and I swear the thing barely fit in my net, almost jumped out of it, and I had to stuff in the rest of way with my hand.

What a fish.





Make paddle back to where I'd met guy and his son, he has scale, weighs and I'm not surprised. 11 lbs 6 oz.. My new personal best.

Paddle back to same area with son of guy following and we catch 7 more in 15 minutes. It was awesome. Bite dies down and I head to far end of the lake where I can fish how I prefer, with swim baits in the pads. Lake is really low with the plant shut down permanently. Stumps everywhere. I had so many places I wanted to try, all my old spots. Railroad bridge being first on the list. Nothing there, no bait, no fish... only made a few casts and picked up and headed to the other opposite side of the lake and down to the pads.













Got into the fish again... just like old times. Tried one more time to find lost rod and found it. Dropped it off on the way home. Nice day.

Great post and even better fish! Congrats on the new PB!

Just Awesome!! You’ll always remember this Thanksgiving.

That Bass looks like an overstuffed pillow from Bass Pro Shops. Congratulations!

Congrats on the PB.
Heck of a fish,

Solid post and solid fish. Good job.

Congrats!
Awesome story and fish!


How much are one of them there kayaks?

Great Catch!

I'm not sure what a Native Manta Ray 14 sold for new, bought 2 of them with trailer from member here (FLA native) a couple of years ago that he was practically giving away. This was a 2014 model that has been discontinued but probably in the $1000-1200 range new. Paddled one in Florida when they first came out but already had a kayak that I liked but couldn't pass on the deal.




Check out some of these and then find a dealer that will let you try out what you like.

https://www.wildernesssystems.com/us/
https://nativewatercraft.com/fishing-kayak/
https://www.oceankayak.com/
https://www.oldtowncanoe.com/?utm_c...nAKAERo9RsaArtGEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
https://www.perceptionkayaks.com/us/

Thanks for the info!

That is awesome! Is it pretty accessible from the parking area? Have a bass buster type boat and was curious if it’s possible to get it in there? Thank you very much

I carried mine on my head 75 yards, then over the guard rail.. tied a rope to it and then eased it down embankment. That was the easy part, coming out was where it gets tough. If you have someone to help you it wouldn't be too bad. If you let go, or slip, it won't be funny. Check it out first before you try it. I'm getting old so it might be easy for you. The hardest part for me was getting kayak over guard rail coming out. You'll have to experience it as its hard to explain.

man
what a great story

great fish

sorry we get old

Thank you for the info! I will have someone with me so maybe it would be easier but we will see I guess. Thank you sir

OUTSTANDING!!!!!

It meant so much more to me to have caught my DD from a yak.
I am looking forward to the big fish this winter. Glad most everyone is concentrating on deer and letting the lakes breath a little right now.