Beat the crowds

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Salaqua
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Beat the crowds

Post by Salaqua »

A few days ago, there was a post here about YouTubers posting spots. In my area, crowds seem to pop up this time of year. School is out, winds are dying down, vacationers hitting the water, tournaments nearly every weekend and sometimes multiple ones at the same time, etc. all contribute to a bit or lot more crowds.

Here are a few pointers to beat the crowds:
1. Plan ahead. This means going beyond checking the weather, winds, etc. Find out if something is planned for the area you want to fish. This could be something simple as a fundraising tournament or "meet-up" and something huge like a town or city festival that includes a tournament. Long lines at the launch mean more time waiting and less time on the water.

2. Prepare the night before. Get everything ready to go. Rods fixed and loaded with the right lures, gear situated so that you are not looking for the catch bag or grips in the morning, etc. I can change a lure real fast, but my experience is that it takes longer in the morning when I trying to launch as well.

3. Set your alarm and then set it even earlier. I see boats and kayaks fishing spots that produce but they are often late and by late I mean they launch 7am and later. By getting to the launch earlier, you also get a parking spot. I know one place that gets so crowded it takes a good five minute walk to park the truck and get back to the launch. My goal is to be on the water and at my planned spot while it is still dark. As a kayak angler, this also gives me more time during what cool temps there may happen to be.

What are some of your ways that help you beat the crowds?
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karstopo
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Re: Beat the crowds

Post by karstopo »

To beat the crowds I:
1. Avoid the "hot spots". If I see some place get a lot of buzz on the forums, I studiously avoid it.
2. Fish in the afternoon, especially weekdays. It gets too hot for many in the summer to fish into the afternoon so I wait to launch until after lunch.
3. Have alternative launches. If I see 15 million kayak rigged vehicles at a launch and know there's limited places to fish there, I find another launch.
4. Launch at spots that don't have a ramp or don't require a ramp launch. It takes me 2-3 minutes to launch so there's no way I'm going to wait on a line of boats or kayaks to get their s**t together and launch.
5. Paddle away from everyone. I scan the launch and look for where everyone is set up and head in another direction. I keep on paddling until I find open water.
6. Know my area very well so I know where people fish and where they don't and fish where they don't. There's popular launches where folks only fish about 5-20% of the water so I fish the other 80-95%.
7. Mothership. Not always an option, but when available it's a great way to out range the kayak crowd.
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Karyuu
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Re: Beat the crowds

Post by Karyuu »

Fish adverse weather conditions; high winds, chance of rain, etc.

Fish super skinny water. Even yakers avoid them because they might get stuck depending on the tide.

Fish from private launch spots that you or aquaintance owns.

Fish super funded sites.

Fish at night.

Go BTB fishing, paddle as far from land as possible.
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kickingback
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Re: Beat the crowds

Post by kickingback »

I have seen "millions" of YouTube videos and I have fished MANY of those same spots on my own, at my time, when I know not many others will be there. I have NEVER had an issue of ANY crowds at spots I fish. With a little research and asking questions you can get to the best spot without anyone knowing you are going.
I launch at night and fish through the morning for the night and morning bites. Have found them to be the best.
Night fishing
Weekdays only
Fish spots hard to reach or far away as not many like to go far to find fish.
Fish by tidal movement
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Yaklash
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Re: Beat the crowds

Post by Yaklash »

Ahh, I remember the days of working for myself. I had nearly full control of my schedule and did a lot of fishing in perfect, mid-week, green to the beach conditions.

But going back to a firm, I only have weekends and vacation time. Speaking of which, Thursday and Friday this week, Shoalwater, Espiritu Santo, San Antonio Bay, Pringle and who knows where else. I doubt we'll see a lot of people, but we'll certainly not be fishing anywhere that hasn't been fished a thousand times before.
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Cityfisher
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Re: Beat the crowds

Post by Cityfisher »

karstopo wrote: 4. Launch at spots that don't have a ramp or don't require a ramp launch. It takes me 2-3 minutes to launch so there's no way I'm going to wait on a line of boats or kayaks to get their s**t together and launch.
5. Paddle away from everyone. I scan the launch and look for where everyone is set up and head in another direction. I keep on paddling until I find open water.
6. Know my area very well so I know where people fish and where they don't and fish where they don't. There's popular launches where folks only fish about 5-20% of the water so I fish the other 80-95%.
This!! Mainly #5 & #6. I almost always go the opposite direction of the crowd.
Kayak Kid
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Re: Beat the crowds

Post by Kayak Kid »

Retire, and only fish on weekdays.

I gave up working over fifteen years ago, and began fishing only on weekdays. The exception was my joining the PACK guys on weekends, but we worked hard at finding out of the way spots to camp and fish.
bigbuzzard
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Re: Beat the crowds

Post by bigbuzzard »

I'm with kayak kid. Being retired helps a lot with crowds. My fishing buddy had to unretire. So i fish by myself on a weekday then go when he can on the weekend. Fishing weekends stink cause you can't just fish anytime. Usually you have to take what you can get. Not always the best conditions. But fishing is fishing. Sometimes i just go kayaking with a rod I cast alot during that time.

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RedsOnRiot
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Re: Beat the crowds

Post by RedsOnRiot »

It was easy when I was in college especially (super) senior year when I only had class 3 days a week. But now I have a job and have become a weekend warrior. A few tips I use to stay away from the crowds:

-Fish at night. Although I don't do this as much anymore, finding a calm night to throw a topwater over a flat/reef/marsh drain is so much fun. Caught lots of good fish this way. Plus cooler weather

-Have a 4x4 truck. Get on Google maps/earth and try finding places where many people cannot go and give it a shot. I have some places I like to fish that few people even know exist mainly because they never thought it was possible to get there.

-Most people are lazy and will launch the kayak and paddle 1/2 mile and fish there. Get up extra early, be the first one at the ramp, and paddle(I pedal) far far away.
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TroutSupport.com
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Re: Beat the crowds

Post by TroutSupport.com »

easy, fish dirtier water. The fish are less spooky and most people don't like to fish it. I have an article on my site about fishing ugly spots too, you'd be surprised how many fish are there.
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Ultrastealth
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Re: Beat the crowds

Post by Ultrastealth »

If you really want to beat the crowds, and you can't fish on weekdays, be willing to paddle a long way to a place that is too skinny for boats.
imaoldmanyoungsalt
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Re: Beat the crowds

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

night time is the right time!!....especially on Mon-Fri
or I should say Sun-Thurs
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