SUPing Without Daddy-O

La and the kiddoroosters made a successful SUP outing without me.  I am happy they did it successfully and had a great time.  But I am sad because I wasn't there, and they didn't need me (just kidding on this second point - now they can load up ;) )

Take a close look at the professional job in strapping down the boards!!! I taught La that ;)

Fishing Report 8/2/2014

In a word - 'skunked". We tried a tidal flat and I caught squat. And a fiddler crab. La had a great time though - she got in a bunch of quality paddling. You win some - you lose some. That's fishing

SUPing Around Lake Chautauqua

La and Marlon had fun buzzing around the Lake. La's cousin Steven got in on the fun too - first time on a SUP and he stayed dry!

Fishing Report 6/21/2014, Part 2

After a while, we jumped on our boards and paddled out to the barrier islands further into the Chesapeake. Of course I had tackle onboard and Noe and I caught a few crabs along the way. When we beached, I was hoping to catch a flounder, but there were very few fish around. I did see tons of Stripped Killifish, but none of the bigger predatory fish. Marlon and La paddled their boards really efficiently - the narrower boards definitely paddled faster than the aircraft carrier that had two people on deck. Fun paddle regardless!!!

Paddling Lake Audubon in Reston

The forecast for today originally called for 70% rain. WRONG. With the dismal outlook, we had planned on knocking out some errands - changing the van's transmission fluid, begin shopping for back-to-school, finishing off the outfitting on the kids' new SUP board (Tahoe Grom) and more cleaning. After a while, I was getting cranky because I haven't had any water time. We did not have enough time to go out to Beaverdam Reservoir, but we did have some time to check out Lake Audubon. I paddled here last when I was back from my last tour for a conference (old blog post from September 2011). Marlon and Noe really like the Grom - they were each keeping track of how long the other had been using it - looks like we'll have to save up some more and get a second one. The ULI FAQ is a little wide for them right now - but both these boards are ding proof so that's what they'll be using for the foreseeable future. La met a new friend paddling another inflatable - NRS I think. The length of Lake Audubon is better for paddling then Lake Newport - but the fishing honey holes are different (as they should be for a different body of water - it's just that I don't know where they are).

Same Point in Time - Different Perspective and Fist Pumping

We had all four boards nested together during our breaks. La and the GoPro were working the same space - cool perspectives. Besides the cruising around, the kids and I had to break out the fist pumping to ensure we made it back through the thick aquatic plants, the swooping ospreys and the oppressive heat. Our fist pumping was very good, very good indeed (we made it back didn't we??? ;)

Second Outing on the Hooked SUP

Yesterday after we got back from Goose Creek, I was scrambling around the garage to finish off the shelving rack (next post), cleaning out the Surf Taco from the earlier trip and organizing the other boards. All sweaty and ripe, I figure what better time to break in the Hooked SUP!!! I took the board out for a paddle on Lake Newport but the pictures Marlon took of me got erased in one of the GoPros today. Oh well - that's what these second day pictures are for. This board is MEGA stable - I can walk in circles around the deck. I can walk way back to the tail and not sink it in at a steep angle - that width back in the tail makes a huge difference in stability (but we all knew that already don't we ;) We took four boards with us today - La's Flatwater, the ULI FAQ, the new Tahoe Grom and the Hooked SUP - over to Pohick Bay. It was hot with hardly a breeze - but still 10 degrees cooler than yesterday. We had the big hats on today, neckerchiefs for evaporative cooling, lots of drinking water and we were still hot. The black deck pad didn't help my feet a whole lot. We practiced some towing drills - figure with the kids having to paddle themselves around now (unlike the Big Tuna kayaking days), what would we do if they got too tired or hurt. I had two tow lines rigged and we tried towing. Noe stopped paddling behind me and enjoyed the ride - which was ok, I needed the exercise and old habits die hard (lazy butts). I saw a bunch of fish on the way out - but when I made a follow up pass on the way in, there were three ospreys hanging out in the trees crying out - either pissed at each other, or pissed at us for hanging out in the dining room table. I noticed most of the fish I saw earlier (coincidentally when there were no osprey hanging around) weren't hanging around anymore. I did manage to hook into this bluegill - you can always count of bluegill to keep away the skunkfish - can't get skunked while on your first fishing trip on your new fishing SUP can you? - NO you can't!!! And I didn't!

Friday Fishing and Paddling at Beaverdam Reservoir

We dropped off the van for maintenance and headed on over to paddle (La) and catch some fish (me and the kids). La paddled the whole lake (seemed like it) and the kids and I saw a good number of various types of fish. I pulled in three sunnies using my Helios 5wt/Hatch 4+/Orvis Power Taper 5wt (real nice setup - makes me feel like I know what I'm doing and can put the fly wherever I want to - it was worth the money - especially since I got most of the components on sale). Marlon had a striper on the line and was hauling it in - until it got off the hook close to the boat (dang it!!!). I had a few legitimate shots at some grazing carp - with the water a bit cloudly, I couldn't get them interested in the worm fly I was pitching. La was lonely so she hijacked the kayak, took both kids out on her paddleboard then had them jump off the board to swim around in the middle of the lake (they loved it - not to mention she bribed them with the promise to pay for half the cost of another iguana - that's another story). That's about the time the wind picked up...

Loaded for Friday Water Time

Big Tuna Kayak to carry two kids, snacks, drinks and fishing gear - check. La's SUP so she can buzz around the reservoir while we are waiting for the van maintenance to get done - check. Good weather to go paddling in - check. Sweet truck to haul our butts and gear to the inland beach - check. Hopefully we'll catch something tomorrow in the dam reservoir... I'm not coming home skunked a third time from that lake... We'll paddle straight for the actual dam and start casting everything we have at those fish. This is make it or break it time - and I'm not leaving until we are victorious, or La says so, or the van's maintenance is done. Or if it gets too hot - but those fish better watch out!

Sunday Paddling in the Chesapeake

La paddling her board around the inner part of the lower Chesapeake Bay (to the West of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel). The offshore wind kept the waves at bay (no pun intended), but took La and Amy out pretty quick. I got to cast some with the Helios and the Hatch Finatic - what a great combo!!! I'll post separately on that another time. The kids walked all over - mostly with just their noses poking out of the water. More fun - too bad we had to go back to DC... oh and an 7 hour drive back - SUCKED - too many people with the same idea (weekend escape from DC). Dwell on the good stuff (ah surfing....)

Did I mention the Skunk I caught???

Saturday SUP fishing at Lake Newport. V3 - 0, Mudsucking Piscene Avengers - 17 surface slapping non-hook setting strikes and 3 stolen flies. Humiliating - frustrating - humbling. I did get to dial in the fishing basket a little bit more so I did have a silver lining. Marlon paddled the Element and was showing off by paddling on the tail with most of the board out of the water. We brought La's longboard out to test if Noe could use it for a SUP - wouldn't you guess she could... fast as La was on her flatwater SUP!!! Alas, the stigma and social pressure of not being on a real SUP caused a shortened water outing. Probably for the better as catching skunk stinks!!!

Amphibious Assault Craft or Nurturing Mother Ship

Catch up post from last weekend. Beaver Dam Reservoir. We went looking for the dense population of carp we saw as the air temps just started to rise - but they weren't there anymore. We did see a bunch of schools of tiny fish (we didn't have a net fine enough to catch them to see what they were - but with the timing, I suspect they are hatching carp) and a few sunnies poking out from the newly grown grass - which leads me to the subject of the post. This kayak kicks butt - we rode right over the dense grasses and got in to the spots where the carp were hanging out (albeit a few weeks too late). But the kayak also offered tons of storage space to satisfy thirsty paddlers and hungry tummies. So this thing is both an amphibious assault craft and a mother ship that can carry the kitchen sink.