First Time Out In The Cuda

Well, I took the cuda out on it's first voyage  on March 2.  What a terrible day to be on the water.  It was pretty cold for me here in Northeast Florida, and the wind was pretty bad too.  It was about the same weather we experienced during the Boondoggle, but the wind was constant, and there was no place for me to hide.  I wasn't going to go out at first, but just thinking about getting the kayak wet for the first time was killing me.  I had to go out.  It would have been an easier decision if someone would have gone with me, but everyone I asked was either sick or busy.  So, I decided to head out at about 1pm.  I knew I would be paddling against the tide on the way out, but I figured that I could just ride it back in.  Seemed like a good idea.  When I finally got to where I was going to launch, I decided to check the wind.  Well, things weren't looking too good.  I realized that I would be battling the tide and the wind.  I tried my hardest to paddle into some creeks and weave my way around until I got back into the main creek.  I thought I could stay out of the wind this way.  Well, I was wrong.  At times, the gusts were 30 mph, and I wasn't moving at all.  I had to keep paddling to stay where I was, so I could gain a little ground once the wind lightened.  If I stopped paddling, it just pushed me back and I had to make up ground that I had already covered.  I tried to fish a little at some points that I came to that were a little out of the wind, but I didn't take my SOP, so I couldn't stay put most of the time.  Then I decided to just go for it.  I headed back into the main creek, and tried to make my way to some oyster beds.  It took me some time, but I finally made it back there.  The wind was not letting up at all.  I was able to test the kayak out a little.  I was able to stand int he strong wind with no issues.  I also was able to put my patch job to the test.  I took off the previously installed anchor trolley, as I didn't like the way it looked.  I'm going to install my own.  But, I needed to patch the screw holes that it left.  I picked up some plastic rods from Harbor Freight, and used a soldering iron, and I was able to melt the plastic and fill the holes.  I did that, and then put some marine putty on the back side.  They held up fine...no leaks.  I'm going to install the new trolley system this week, so the small patches will go unnoticed.  So, back to the fishing.  I didn't get to fish much because of the weather, but I did get to those oyster beds, stand up, and throw out a dead shrimp on a jighead.  I put that rod into the flush mount rod holder behind the seat, and reached to get my other rod to fish my slayer lure around some other oysters.  Before I could reach that rod, the one I just threw out had a nice bend. I picked it up, and reeled in a small 15" red.  Not big, but a fish, and the first one for the cuda. After about 5 minutes, I couldn't take the wind and cold anymore, so I decided to start paddling back.  The tide and wind took me in fast.  I didn't have to paddle much at all.  On the way in, I used Paul's Rip-N-Slash from Unfair Lures.  I got one good hit on it, but pretty sure I ripped it right of the mouth of a trout from excitement.  A little farther down, I hooked and landed a 13" trout.  So, the day wasn't a complete waste...I got 2 fish, almost 3.  I got to ride the cuda, slime it, and catch a fish the first time I used the new lure from Unfair Lures.  I can't wait til the weather gets better, and I can get out all day.