Good kayak for trinity bay.

[Nirvanamike06]

After being without a kayak for a couple years I just bought a house on trinity bay. I was planning on eventually building a pier and getting a boat but after I think a kayak is gonna be all I need. Im not much of a saltwatwr fisherman but the guys i know in tge area said to fish the birds or the reeefs and it looks like Elliot reef is right behind the house and fishers, beazly, umbrella, and dow are all within about 2 miles.

My last kayak was just a perception pescador and it was real nice for bass fishing a small river we used to live by. I took it in Galveston bay surf fishing one time paddling out baits and it had zero stability in the waves. It got to the point I spent more time in the water climbing back on it than I did paddling baits out. So i assume i need something wider for choppy water? There always is some waves out there.

Also i really like the pedal drive kayaks and rudder systems. It always seemed like when id get on a good spot id drift to fast and have to put my rod down and paddle back but if i had pedals i could just keep myself om the same spot. In any current it was hard to paddle straight in my old kayak and a rudder should fix that from what I've read.

Just curious what others in this area might be using. I figured a kayak would be the quickest easiest thing, just drop It in the water and go. It sure would be inconvenient to live right on the water and have to drive to a boat ramp and drive the boat right back go behind the house.

[Crusader]

Im not much of a saltwatwr fisherman ...

Well, then you feel in your new place at home -- there is no salt in Trinity bay. For about 2 years already. Next time I go there -- I'll take crappie and catfish gear with me.

My last kayak was just a perception pescador and it was real nice for bass fishing a small river we used to live by. I took it in Galveston bay surf fishing one time paddling out baits and it had zero stability in the waves.

There is no surf in Galveston bay. Kayak fishing usually means paddling around in relatively shallow water -- there is not much sense (usually) to paddle into open bay (*unless you see brids working/etc). I use Pescador 12' in both salt and fresh water and it is enough for me (used Malibu Stealth 14' before).

Also i really like the pedal drive kayaks and rudder systems. It always seemed like when id get on a good spot id drift to fast and have to put my rod down and paddle back but if i had pedals i could just keep myself om the same spot. In any current it was hard to paddle straight in my old kayak and a rudder should fix that from what I've read.

Just curious what others in this area might be using. I figured a kayak would be the quickest easiest thing, just drop It in the water and go. It sure would be inconvenient to live right on the water and have to drive to a boat ramp and drive the boat right back go behind the house.

The more complicated your rig is -- the less it is "just drop it in the water". Big rigs make sense when you fish deeper water and have to cover a lot of distance (probably casting at the same time). In most other circumstances simple and light is better.

[TroutSupport.com]

I agree with crusader on a lot of points here.

Most of the time (if Trinity was even barely salty, which its not right now) open water in trinity is going to be really rough.. you could fish the upper Trinity marsh north of Jacks pocket and near the banks and spoils of the east shoreline and maybe smith point. Trinity is BIG BIG BIG water... sometimes my butt hole puckers just thinking about taking the Boston Whaler out there much less any kayak.

Longer boats do better in big open water so your paddle will be more efficient.

totally agree with keeping it simple. anchor, limited small box of favorite lures (seriously, my wade box has a bout 5 lures in it), not more than 2 rods, seat, paddle, cooler bag, etc.

[Yaklash]

First of all, let me congratulate you on the home purchase. I want to be your friend - There are some great reefs in Trinity and that shoreline has a few that are good because of the varied depth of those reefs - there is a shallow and a deep end to some of them. I absolutely love shell reefs with varying depths because bait and predators both have little reason to ever leave the area around that reef (except prolonged periods of sweet water ).

Plus, that whole shoreline is thick with bird activity in the fall so you have options. As far as to peddle or not, this is a matter of opinion, but I side with Crusader. Simple and light are better for me. But trying to chase down birds in a kayak could be a lot faster & easier with both a paddle and peddles; something to consider. Also, some of the longer paddles you might choose to make (Spillway or Jack's launching from the park up the road of course) would also be more easily handled with a peddle kayak. And it's not like much of Trinity is shallow so that the peddles would be a hindrance. But IMO, peddles are only an advantage in maintaining position in situations where the current is strong and the bottom is not practical for a normal anchor (The Galv Causeway is a prime example of where I'd like a peddle kayak with a rudder)

I personally like long, slender kayaks. Faster, quieter and more efficient. But most people these days tend towards stability and don't mind the added weight, the lack of handling and slower speed that come with it.

And for what it's worth on the fresh water, if you are where I think you are, you've already seen a substantial increase in salinity and are at the front of the line for bird activity this fall. Certainly better off than Double Bayou for the time being. Good Luck

[Nirvanamike06]

I'm on cedar gully rd, so the spill way would be a little under 4 miles for me. I talked to a couple guys who fish it on kayaks and do very good but they'd like to go further south its just not feasible from where they have to put in on mcollum park as it would for me. I don't have a full pier just a piece of one about 250 ft out. The last owner apparently did very well on it I just haven't had any luck but honestly I don't know what I'm doing just throwing bait in the water and hoping for something besides another gafftop.

The advice I've got from a guy who has lived and fished the marsh and bay his whole life said he thought fishing the reefs and fishing low I should be able to catch some fish. He catches trout and redfish consistently out there. He said even thought it gets fresh they're still there just gotta know where to go and how to fish. He has a boat though so he has alot more maneuverability than just a kayak.

I said Galveston bay but I guess that's shows how little I know... it was off Bolivar on the beach in the gulf side we went shark fishing.... it was pretty rough and the kayaks didn't fare well in the waves. It stays pretty choppy behind the house so I wasn't sure if that would make a kayak a waste of time out there.

So longer is better than wider? Would 14 be better than a 12? I never stood up in my last kayak I just turned sideways and fished with my feet in the water most of the time staked out.

I would like to invest in a depth finder because I've got gps from different sources and they all show reefs to be in similar but different locations so I figured a depth finder would help me spot them easier. I figured a rudder would help with paddling in the wind. What trout support suggested to carry Is all I ever took in my last kayak so I can't see carrying anything more than that.

I haven't checked the salt but I suppose I should go down there and give it the taste test to see if it's still fresh or not.

What I've been looking at is the hobie pro angler 14 the pescador pilot and the native slayer. The higher end kayaks would be used to keep them in my price range. They seem like overkill for trinity bay?

[Yaklash]

The advice I've got from a guy who has lived and fished the marsh and bay his whole life said he thought fishing the reefs and fishing low I should be able to catch some fish.

The deep ends of most of those reefs are likely holding a few trout right now. We used to fish Trinity a lot and those things on that shoreline were our "low and slow" soft plastic grounds. We would lose a few baits, but consistently catch trout from 16" to 22" once the weather got cold or hot. Spring and fall, they tend to be (in normal salinity years) up shallower where you can wade.

I said Galveston bay but I guess that's shows how little I know... it was off Bolivar on the beach in the gulf side we went shark fishing.... it was pretty rough and the kayaks didn't fare well in the waves. It stays pretty choppy behind the house so I wasn't sure if that would make a kayak a waste of time out there.

My first kayak was an OK Scupper Pro, designed as a diving platform for near-shore reefs divers. It was stable as hell, and I still dumped that thing a few times coming in from beyond the breakers in the surf. That is really just a matter of not going out when the chop is more than a soft 3 feet and when coming in, practice and a rudder can make it almost easy.

So longer is better than wider? Would 14 be better than a 12? I never stood up in my last kayak I just turned sideways and fished with my feet in the water most of the time staked out.

Wider is more stable. Long, slender and a smooth hull profile is faster, quieter and more efficient.

[Nirvanamike06]

Man the water has looked perfect for a kayak the last 2 days.... I gave the water a taste test and it definitely has some salt in it. Not extremely salty but I could taste it. Still haven't found the right one yet....

The absolute furthest I would paddle is 4 miles one way..... I see guys paddling offshore so I don't know if I'd consider that a long enough trek to rule out a wider kayak like a ride or atak. I have been looking at the tarpon and thresher kayaks. Saw a guy with a Viking and read up on those and they seem like a nice kayak just gotta get more money or a better price.....

I think I for sure will need a rudder and a depth finder to stay straight in the wind and locate reefs.

[richg99]

The most common suggestion for buying a kayak ( or even a small boat) is to "try it before you buy it". Couldn't be truer in your case, given your limited prior experience.

If I owned a place on the water, and I wanted to try fishing out of a few different yaks, I'd try to narrow my potential yak purchase list to five or ten kayaks.

Then, I'd put an offer on these pages for any owners of those brands of yaks to come visit you some Saturday/Sunday morning on the water. The "deal" would be that they let you try their yak for a half hour or so. Then, they could stay and fish for the day.

Some guys would have backup/second kayaks that they would bring along, just so they could fish while you had your trial time. You would meet some nice, friendly fellow fishermen (never a bad thing) and get to "try before you buy". The freshwater/saltwater issues right now might hold a few guys back, but, most know that there are fish under the freshwater by now.

Just a thought.

Incidentally, you may find that a kayak isn't right for you, spending hours paddling/peddling and sitting. An aluminum tinny might work better. Never hurts to investigate all of your options.
richg99

[Yaklash]

The most common suggestion for buying a kayak ( or even a small boat) is to "try it before you buy it". Couldn't be truer in your case, given your limited prior experience.

If I owned a place on the water, and I wanted to try fishing out of a few different yaks, I'd try to narrow my potential yak purchase list to five or ten kayaks.

Then, I'd put an offer on these pages for any owners of those brands of yaks to come visit you some Saturday/Sunday morning on the water. The "deal" would be that they let you try their yak for a half hour or so. Then, they could stay and fish for the day.

Some guys would have backup/second kayaks that they would bring along, just so they could fish while you had your trial time. You would meet some nice, friendly fellow fishermen (never a bad thing) and get to "try before you buy". The freshwater/saltwater issues right now might hold a few guys back, but, most know that there are fish under the freshwater by now.

Just a thought.

Wow, excellent idea. Might make a few good friends and fishing buddies along thje way

[Nirvanamike06]

Man that's a really good idea. I'd definitely be in if anyone wanted to try it. Send me a message and we can set something up. My work schedule is all over the place though.

I thought about a small aluminum boat but then I'd be putting a motor on and having to deal with registration. When the tide goes out it will be pretty difficult to get down the bulkhead. My neighbor has a boat ramp but he's got a gate across it and id hate having to be a bother to him. He's told me to use it but that's while were drinking beer so i dont think that counts.

I like the simplicity and peacefulness of kayaking. I know the bay won't be the same but I'd take my last kayak up old river and it's solid woods on both sides, nobody around, paddling up on deer and catching a ton of dink largemouth was good times.

[Yaklash]

A little off of the subject, but I think there are going to be times you'll want to stay at the bay house and keep the kayak in the shed. You may have guests who would rather party than fish, or you won't want to take a kayak out or fish when the wind's howling. So, anyone with a pier on a bay should have a few things to provide activity when not out seeking reds, trout and flounder (and BTW, a 250 foot long pier is nothing to sneeze at).

If I were you, I'd get 3-4 good quality crab traps ASAP and start saving and freezing the heads of fish you clean as bait for the traps (otherwise a cast net to catch mullet for the trap or buy frozen mullet at a bait shop). Blue crab, IMO, is only less wonderful than Maine Lobster because eating them is so much work; a slow, tedious process. But the flavor is hard to beat. And a crab boil with crab you caught yourself, eaten with friends, family and a few cold ones is lot of fun.

I'd also have a finfish trap and a minnow trap. Pier fishing to me is more fun and more effective with live bait and piggy perch and mud minnows are excellent baits for trout/reds and flounder respectively.

Another point to make, especially as the flounder start to move towards the Gulf for the winter; you can walk along your pier, slowly dragging a Gulp! Swimming Mullet or a live mud minnow along the bottom. No casting required and once you learn the feel of their bite and get the hook-set down pat, you will catch flounder so easily you'll wonder why anyone ever goes out of their way to fish.

Oh, and a long handled landing net for the pier

[Nirvanamike06]

Well I've been fishing off the piece of pier and caught a ton of gafftop and hardhead. I swear I catch the same gar every time I go fishing.... I've caught a couple small sand trout. No reds or specs yet... I did see a couple redfish last weekend the water was super clear and I could see em chasing mullet. Couldn't seal the deal though.... I guess I need to quit dragging my feet and buy a kayak it was pretty rough watching all the birds work about 100-200 yards from me and have no way to get out to em. They worked most of the morning and split into a couple different groups before noon.

[Crusader]

could be ladyfish/sandtrout. I chased birds in Trinity during salty years -- it is fun for sure, bite on every cast, but typically it is dink trout or sandtrout hordes...

[Nirvanamike06]

Yea a friend was chasing them in a boat earlier in the week and he said it was all small specs, sand trout and big gafftop. Still be fun in a kayak.

He said when the fronts start moving in it'll push the bigger trout in the bay.