Ultralight Baitcasting with a Mepps Inline Spinner

Decided to run down the road to the local pond (Bethany Lakes) and see what was biting. Brought the KastKing Zephyr BFS Reel and Ultralight Lures and left the fly rod at home. Plan was to fish Roostertails but switched to a Mepps Inline Spinner since the Trout seemed to be interested in them – specifically, a copper bladed Mepps Inline Spinner. Trout were following the spinner but not striking which was promising given they ignored gold, silver, and black.

For fun and games, fished only the copper bladed Mepps Inline Spinner to see how many fish I could catch. Worked the banks of two of the four ponds at Bethany Lakes… “Main Pond” and “Back Pond”. Caught a number of fish – Bass and Bluegill.

Check out the video, and do guess how many I caught…?

bfsfishing #kastkingzephyr #pondfishing

First Time Trout Fishing Marval Resort | Lower Illinois River, Oklahoma

Planned to fish the Lower Illinois River in Oklahoma by the Power Plant. When we arrived, we noted the river was high and the current was strong. They were generating power, so we went to our backup plan… fishing for trout at a place we never been to before… Marval RV Resort.

Since it is further downriver, we hoped the current would be slower and wadeable. It was still flowing fast and wading would be a hazard other than protected areas near the bank.

No worries… learned a few things about the area, caught a fish or two as well as one trout by our Fishing Buddy.

Check out the video as we fish a new place by trial and error!

Texas Trout Fishing | Three Trout, Three Bass, and Lost More

Fished Bethany Lakes Friday morning for a chance at the trout. Trout were there actively feeding. Bait seemed to be catching them fished under a float. The winner hands down was a homemade dough bait that one fisherman was using. Yours truly caught three trout fly fishing, caught three Bass as well but his mojo was off losing a lot more trout that stuck the fishing fly. Did notice the trout wanted movement. Did get strikes using a Black Midge, Rainbow Warrior, and a Griffith’s Gnat. As the morning progressed, noticed it was best to recast if no strike after counting to 10 when fishing dry flies. There were a number of Bass near the pier with three caught using a White Producer – fishing fly we bought at Scotty’s One Stop on a trip to the Blue River in Oklahoma. Fun stuff!

See our suggested fishing flies at our COAF Field Team Shop.

Suggested Kayak Fishing Gear

The Team is on a roll with answering questions about the gear we use. In this round, we listed the kayak fishing gear that we like to use. Included in the list are gloves, rod holders, kayak anchors, and lures. Do check it out – Kayak Fishing Suggestions.

Pan Fried Trout | Only One Seasoning #shorts

YouTube Shorts video of yours truly cooking the trout we caught this last trip. Decided to season with just Slap Ya Mama Seasoning. Cook ten minutes on high heat each side. When done, use a fork to scrape the meat of the bones. Tasty!

Used only one seasoning – Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning available at Walmart Online.

Slap Ya Mama’s hot mix of spicy seasonings is sure to set your mouth on fire, delivering an intense blast of delicious cajun.All Natural – This product is natural, MSG-free, and kosher.Versatile and Easy to Use – Can be used as a brush for grilling, smoking or frying. Add cajun flavor to jambalaya, gumbo, etouffee, shrimp, and crab. Even add some spice to your Bloody Mary or beer.Authentic Louisiana Flavor – The blend has that true cajun flavor that everyone loves, which Slap Ya Mama is famous for all over the world.From our family to yours: Slap Ya Mama has been crafting high-quality condiments and recipes from the Ville Platte, Louisiana line of Cajun for decades.

Slap Ya Mama

Murphy's Law of Fishing 101 #shorts

Checked out the local pond yesterday; noticed the trout were active, feeding on something hatching. Turned out Murphy’s Law of Fishing 101 was in effect… specifically, the one lure, bait, or fishing fly they are biting on is the one you do not have!

Trout Fishing | Bubble and PowerWorm Rig Worked This Round

Decided to fish Pottsboro Lake in Pottsboro Texas this past Saturday. After a little rain in the morning, made it to the pond just as a cold front rolled in. Cold and windy, did manage three trout. Planned to catch trout using ultralight lures and a BFS Rod/Reel, but trout wanted PowerWorms. Good thing I had the Bubble and Fly Rig handy, just swapped the fishing fly for a PowerWorm. Bite was steady, just kept missing the hookset. Did get a few Bluegill and a Bass on the PowerWorms. Plus got some underwater video of what was lurking in the pond! Do check out the video!

Spiderwire 10lbs EZ Braid

Kastking Zephyr BFS Reel Product Review | Pros, Cons, and Tips

Product review of the Kastking Zephyr BFS Reel where yours truly details why he likes the reel noting pros, cons, and tips… more like suggestions for those interested in trying BFS fishing but at a entry price point that is much easier on the wallet compared to other reels!

Also, here is the Spiderwire EZ Braid we used for the Kastking Zephyr BFS Reel. Used 10lbs test which has an equivalent 2lbs mono diameter. Also, only put about 120-130 feet on the spool – about 30 turns of the handle.

Much easier to undo backlashes and not too concerned about the amount of line as I am targeting stocker size trout. Can easily cast to the Arbor knot attaching the line to the spool.

EZ Braid Spderwire

See more gear on our COAF Field Team Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/shop/coaffieldteam

Zebco Slingshot Still Under $10

Been keeping an eye out on the Zebco Slingshot Spinning Rod and Reel Combo. It is still available for under $10 at Walmart as of today. We have a fondness for this combo because the older version has a handle that keeps the rod afloat even if it falls overboard.

And, in our case, we lost two rods while kayaking a few years back. Those rods cost much more than $10 and since funds can be low at times, we jumped on the Zebco Slingshot while grocery shopping at the local Walmart.

We bought two more this year even though the rod no longer floats… the new version has a “skeleton handle” so it is no longer as buoyant compared to the older model.

No worries, we still like the rods! And, as noted in the title of this post, it is still under $10!

“Cool colors. Hot spinning performance. All at a great price. These custom-matched Combos are great for all ages with long-casting Slingshot spinning reels and durable 2-piece Z-Glass rods.” – Walmart

See latest price at Walmart online.

Trout Fishing with PowerWorms #shorts

YouTube Shorts Video of underwater action shots of a Trout really liking a Berkley PowerWorm! Ended up catching three trout today but missed a lot more.

Fished using the Kastking Zephyr BFS reel and a bubble fly rig but used a PowerWorm instead of a fishing fly. Windy and cold, still had lots of fun!