82 Days on the Albemarle.........a view from the Bluegill Chariot

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

I decided on a recent trip that I would look back and reflect on a few of the memories of the 2013 season to date....If you have followed me at all on BBG you know that I traditionally count down to Good Friday as this usually marks the end of Winter and our water temperatures begin their slow crawl toward the 60s as we wait impatiently for our beloved Coppernose gills to become active..........Within 75 miles of my residence I have 12 river systems and over 50 creeks that regularly produce quality bluegills which I label as 10" or greater....When It's time to tear April off my calendar I get the chills knowing that May has arrived again and my three best months of the year are finally here.......I have checked every pole twice, retied again and again, put the battery tester on a half dozen times and written list after list to prepare for this moment, as the next 82 days will be a blur on the Albemarle........I have settled down in recent years so that I can really enjoy these moments with friends, family and gills.......I read in a local study that the grass shrimp hatch is one of the best ever and many may think, "well I'll never get a bite with all that forage in the rivers", but I think just the opposite.....it's very important to match the hatch and to fish with live grass shrimp and baits that resemble them.......Of course Doug has nothing to worry about at the local bait store as I have still been responsible for the purchase of 86 tubes of crickets since the first of May....A few local ponds near my neighborhood are producing quality grass shrimp and I go every couple days to fill up my aerated buckets with new specimens.....It would be abnormal to not hear the hum of dueling aerators in my garage this time of year.......I have big plans this season as several new anglers will join me on the Bluegill Chariot including friends from BBG.com and my grandsons also join me for the first trips for us together from a boat.....Twelve anglers fish with me during this 82 day period and 11 of them catch at least one personal best...It's both exciting and rewarding to provide friends and family with this great opportunity that is fishing........Folks from as far away as Louisiana join me in coastal North Carolina to pursue the big gills of the Albemarle.........During this period we experience three full moons and all are very productive and predictable........We have been unseasonably mild through April and the forecast is for more of the same in May.....But I have so many bugs and jigs to try and so little time to get it done......testing is fun and you never want to tell a guy or a gal that their  bait doesn't catch fish!  But when great imaginations are coupled with my bluegill addiction, big things can happen and in the days ahead I will document 82 days on the Albemarle Estuary between the first of May and the 21st of July..........2013 has been special as I have already topped 1,200 Crappie and 4,100 Sunfish.........If you get one thing from this blog, just remember how important it is to enjoy fishing for what it is and indulge in the memories as they happen....it creates bonds that are not easily broken if ever! Thanks to all the guys and gals that have got out with me this season and allowed me to share my addiction to the beloved Bluegill......I'm too old to change so you can rest assured that I'll be somewhere chasing gills or preparing a feast of those mouth watering fillets........

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Well on this occasion the full moon was a "super" moon and you have to fish on a super moon......we settled for Great Creek and what a great time we had......Here's a few pictures to capture a wonderful day on the water....

We shoved off just after first light to a peaceful setting....

We reached our starting point and wasted little time getting on the fish...

Pop landed a nice one right away.....

Solid Coppernose on the River Critter filament 1/32 ounce ball jig....

Dan sets the hook and the battle is on.....

Pop brings one to the boat as Dan and I unhook fish.....

I display a solid gill and Dan sets the hook and battles another.....

Wow what a nice gill Dan.......

I put the camera down long enough to catch another nice one.....

What a great destination with quality gills and numbers.....

One of several triples on this day......just a crazy bite....

Pop wrestles with another nice one.......we went for hours on this morning with at least one of us having a fish on.....

And there he is.....

Just a bunch of bruiser Coppernose on a great day.....

Dan gets off track and Pop shows him what we're after.......

Dan had to have this shot of his bluegill eater......

We had a few little redear in the creel also.....

Dan and I snag another quality double.....

Fishing the dark tannic waters of the flooded cypress marsh.......

A nice setting to wet a line....

As we neared the end of another great trip......we had reached a total of 115 sunfish dominated by coppernose with four additional largemouth and a yellow perch.......

A copper surrenders alongside the boat showing off a mouthful of a Gronaw filament jig.....

Beautiful colors.......

Dan stretches out and relaxes on the ride back to the launch.....a wonderful time.......

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

We have a great time as you can imagine Tooty when three anglers that are passionate about what we do get together.......we've had a great run for several summers in a row.......

[DAVID L EITUTIS]

POP AND DAN ARE SURE LUCKY TO BE THERE AND CATCHING ALL THOSE FISH !!!!!! LOOKS LIKE THEY REALLY HAVE A GREAT TIME .........

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Thanks Tooty........It's a good way to pass the winter days as I count down to Spring.......working on a few other things too......I plan to document the same period in 2014 but update it as I go.......lots of members have enjoyed it and sent me personal messages hoping I would do it again........boat going to the shop soon for it's annual check up/tuning so I'll be a shore bird for a week or so........

[DAVID L EITUTIS]

GREAT BLOG THIS JOURNAL JEFFREY !!!!!!!!! LOVE THE PICS AND COMMENTS ..... KEEP IT UP BUDDY AND MANY THANKS FOR THE WHOLE THING ........

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

All of the success we have had in the month of June already and the full moon finally arrives on the 23rd......We decide to head over to the coastal marsh and things were looking up........We have experienced such good fortune during the Full Moon in recent years.....Let's see how it turned out on this day.....

We get there a little early and there's that Full Moon and it's reflection......

Dan snags a nice largemouth right out of the gate.....very active fish

We quickly get on the gills and man what hot action we experience on this morning.....

The dark bruisers show up and we have a blast....

Fish were shallow in the flooded cypress and reeds......

Casting shadows on a heavy overcast day......

Dan raised the bar on this one......

You go Dan......solid Gill....

Pop and Dan unhook one of several doubles on this day.....

Nice one Pop.......we love this stuff.......

I decided to help out a little bit.....LOL

This turned out to be a beautiful day and we topped 100 sunfish on just a wonderful trip.....it's only 8:30 and we're on the way out.......

Who wants to leave this place when it looks this good and you can catch trophy gills and numbers......

We make more memories and head out of the marsh........love to get out with Pop and Dan......we have a great time together.......

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

After taking the 21st off to rest up and get things back in order........pop rejoined us and we took off to the northern back waters of the Pasquotank on the morning of the 22nd.......Here's a few shots to show you how it went.....

There were still some lingering clouds and water temperatures had dropped almost ten degrees from yesterday's rains but it was a pleasant morning and we were just 15 minutes from our starting point.....

A beautiful summer sunrise as we settle into our first spot.....

I had first fish honors with a pretty seed on a River Critter......

But Dan had a nice copper on as I admired my seed......game on!

Dan wasted little time showing us he meant business on this day.....

Dan's always happy when I get him to take a few pictures while the fish are biting....LOL

There goes Dan with another Trophy Largemouth......

Things picking up under a heavy overcast.....just what the Doctor ordered for Summer fishing!

There's one of those filament jigs again.....what a year this bait is having.....

Dan snags a nice one....let's get a closeup.....

And here it is....nice fish Dan.....

Dan's Daily Double.....a Warmouth and a Copper.....

A closeup of a great fish and a wonderful tie from Gronaw's River Critter Collection.....a tangerine filament jig...

And then I located a dark knight....

And another......

And finally the last fish of the day.......wound up with 55 gills, 2 Bass and 2 Yellow Perch.......time to go have lunch.....

Oh yeah......don't get much better than this.....

Dueling fry daddys under a summer shade......good country tunes......sweet tea.......it's on down in Carolina!

[dick tabbert]

Your right Jeffrey your journal is a great way to go. I use to keep journals but just getting out once or twice a year I didn't see the need in it especially since I don't pick the days they happen when they happen. I do have lots of journals and just full of information it's a great habit to have.

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Thanks Ken and Dick......I keep a very detailed journal with all the critical elements.....things repeat themselves in nature and it's a very good tool to look back on.........I feel like my journal has provided me leads on several occasions that resulting in great fishing over the years.......I need a tie breaker when I have so many places to go..

[dick tabbert]

Great stuff Jeffrey thanks for sharing don't know how you remembered everything but thank goodness for great memories. Hope next year equals or betters its self for you.