TexasKayakFisherman.com

Has anyone paddled the Lighthouse trails? PADDLING THAT IS. Does not look that bad on Google earth but that may well be way different when you start paddling. Any assistance would be welcome. Wondering about running that area solo.

Winter is a tough time to cover the distance because of normally low tides.

I have paddled/fished only part of it. I know the entries along the ship channel are mostly dry right now. I'm sure other areas are too I'm just referring to what I have seen recently. I think the entire route is about 20 miles.

There is (was?) a waterproof aerial photo map with LHL on one side and B & R Flats on the other. Slowride Guide Service in Aransas Pass had them. Get one, if you're going very far into the trails. Hurricane Harvey blew away lots of the trail markers, but they were somewhat restored a year or so back. Like Ron said, the winter tides make large areas un-paddle-able. Great fish habitat, though. TexasJim

Did anybody link to Josh's google map with waypoint coordinates?
http://www.texaskayakfisherman.com/foru ... e#p2310051

The biggest problem with the LHL trails, the markers have never been replaced since Harvey.

Thanks, guys for the information.

What is the best tide level to paddle the lighthouse trails?

Kalait wrote:What is the best tide level to paddle the lighthouse trails?

Right now according to the Port Aransas tide guage it's hovering around 0.5 ft above MLLW. At this level you'll be stuck at paddling the deeper spots, such as the first half of the lake across from the park/launch. Or you'll have to paddle around and enter from the Lydia Ann channel. I would say 1.0 ft above MLLW is where you'll want to be.

What do ya'll know about camping at the Lighthouse Lakes park?

I've been looking into Motels in Aransas Pass and the Matagorda areas to try and do more saltwater kayak fishing through the year rather than whenever the entire family can go down. Basically spend the night, fish in the morning, and then drive home so I could forego a shower or pack one of those portable ones and be judicious with the water.

Being along 361 is what worries me in terms of noise and having unwanted visitors in the middle of the night but I see other people camping out on the South side of the road.

Kalait usually by the end of February the tide levels are back up close to "normal".

Ben I hear ya about camping on 361. I've camped on the side of the road before and the vehicle road noise for me made it hard to get a wink. With covid last summer I was getting up at 2 am, making the 3.5 hour drive, fishing till early afternoon and driving back. If you're looking to stay for cheap you might consider staying in Refugio (about 60 bucks) and getting up and driving 30 minutes to Aransas. Hard to find a place in Aransas under 100 that's not infested with roaches. Or you could drive on over to Port A and sleep on the beach (you'd need a beach pass).

Fin & Feather Bait shop on 361 does have showers available for a few bucks.

In low winter tides, there's plenty of beach to camp on along the Sailboat Channel.
When I was a teenager, we used to take generator floodlights there and catch specs all nights.
As far as LHL/Aransas Channel side, I found several topics on corpusfishing, and there don't appear to be any legal restrictions.

SWFinatic wrote:Kalait usually by the end of February the tide levels are back up close to "normal".

Ben I hear ya about camping on 361. I've camped on the side of the road before and the vehicle road noise for me made it hard to get a wink. With covid last summer I was getting up at 2 am, making the 3.5 hour drive, fishing till early afternoon and driving back. If you're looking to stay for cheap you might consider staying in Refugio (about 60 bucks) and getting up and driving 30 minutes to Aransas. Hard to find a place in Aransas under 100 that's not infested with roaches. Or you could drive on over to Port A and sleep on the beach (you'd need a beach pass).

Fin & Feather Bait shop on 361 does have showers available for a few bucks.

I'll look at places in Refugio. I go through there several times a year for work as I have a sorghum R&D trial site between Gregory and Aransas Pass.

I'm also looking at doing the same with Galveston Island State Park. I won't camp in the summer months and in the winter, I'm probably just as well off leaving the house around 7 to get to East Matagorda (3 hours).

I got up at 2:30AM once to go out with someone I met that has a flats boat in Matagorda but I worry about falling asleep behind the wheel.

the thing about winter fishing, you don't have to get out in the black dark - the best fishing will probably be late in the day, so a place to crash after and drive the next day would be my approach.

Neumie wrote:

Kalait wrote:What is the best tide level to paddle the lighthouse trails?

Right now according to the Port Aransas tide gauge it's hovering around 0.5 ft above MLLW. At this level you'll be stuck at paddling the deeper spots, such as the first half of the lake across from the park/launch. Or you'll have to paddle around and enter from the Lydia Ann channel. I would say 1.0 ft above MLLW is where you'll want to be.

Thanks for the information. What is the best site or app to get for MLLW readings?

Kalait wrote:

Neumie wrote:

Kalait wrote:What is the best tide level to paddle the lighthouse trails?

Right now according to the Port Aransas tide gauge it's hovering around 0.5 ft above MLLW. At this level you'll be stuck at paddling the deeper spots, such as the first half of the lake across from the park/launch. Or you'll have to paddle around and enter from the Lydia Ann channel. I would say 1.0 ft above MLLW is where you'll want to be.

Thanks for the information. What is the best site or app to get for MLLW readings?

https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/map/

SWFinatic wrote:https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/map/

This is what I use.

Fantastic place to paddle. The two biggest problems I can think of are:
1) not enough water (you might have to pull your yak at places during very low tides)
2) getting lost (not an issue if you have a good sense of direction and can remember where you came from; a lot of cuts dead end so be prepared to back track; I used a GPS when I first started in the area; take plenty of water).
good luck and enjoy

It's been mentioned a lot but water is as low as I've ever seen it. With a huge number of cold fronts this season with strong NW and West winds the water is really low. For example the water to the west northwest of marker 59 is barely deep enough to cover the birds feet. That said if you can find an area where there's a good size ditch of deep water it'll be like catching fish from an aquarium.

fred wrote:Fantastic place to paddle. The two biggest problems I can think of are:
1) not enough water (you might have to pull your yak at places during very low tides)
2) getting lost (not an issue if you have a good sense of direction and can remember where you came from; a lot of cuts dead end so be prepared to back track; I used a GPS when I first started in the area; take plenty of water).
good luck and enjoy

It may vary for other people but I've had good cell service in that area. I started leaving my depth finder/GPS at home when fishing in that area because I can just use my phone to see where I'm at and use my rod, paddle, or stake out pole for the depth.

I suppose a handheld GPS and marine radio would be good to have for safety.

I don't plan on getting a GPS but I am going to invest in a marine radio for safety purposes.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001J5MQ20/?c ... _lig_dp_it

ben_beyer wrote:What do ya'll know about camping at the Lighthouse Lakes park?

...

The actual 'Park' (launch area, shelters, etc.) is an Aransas Pass park. I'm almost certain overnight camping is NOT permitted. Most over-nighters use the south side of 361 or both sides East of the last bridge.

fred wrote:

ben_beyer wrote:What do ya'll know about camping at the Lighthouse Lakes park?

...

The actual 'Park' (launch area, shelters, etc.) is an Aransas Pass park. I'm almost certain overnight camping is NOT permitted. Most over-nighters use the south side of 361 or both sides East of the last bridge.

This is correct, no camping is allowed in the park. Most of the land on the north side of 361 is private except around the Hog Island area. That's why you see everyone camping on the south side of 361 along the Sailboat Channel.

ben_beyer wrote:What do ya'll know about camping at the Lighthouse Lakes park?

I've been looking into Motels in Aransas Pass and the Matagorda areas to try and do more saltwater kayak fishing through the year rather than whenever the entire family can go down. Basically spend the night, fish in the morning, and then drive home so I could forego a shower or pack one of those portable ones and be judicious with the water.

Being along 361 is what worries me in terms of noise and having unwanted visitors in the middle of the night but I see other people camping out on the South side of the road.

If I'm camping/fishing on that side of the pass, I'll usually stay at Goose Island State park. A bit of a drive all the way back to LHL, but not overly bad. It's a nice campground and has showers.

.

About to complete a couple of trails in my depth finder/GPS. What do you use to fish the area? And what is the best way to store it, thinking that may be part of my problem. Wanting to start catching something other than rocks, trees or other trash.

Cheap campsite at Fin and Feather RV and Marina close to LHL. Contact Slowride's Guider Service for information. He and his son's helped map and put up markers in the lakes.

Kalait wrote:About to complete a couple of trails in my depth finder/GPS. What do you use to fish the area? And what is the best way to store it, thinking that may be part of my problem. Wanting to start catching something other than rocks, trees or other trash.

I'm not sure what it is exatl you are asking, but if your wanting lure recommendations.....

A small topwater such as a Spook Jr. or Rapala Skitterwalk in bone and pink. 1/4 oz weedless gold spoon. A shrimp, such as the DOA 3", for sight casting to reds. Paddle tail soft plastic lures with 1/16 oz jighead, color depends on clarity but plum/chartreuse, pumpkinseed/chartreuse, and chicken on a chain. Troutsupport Grass Walker in Bone Diamond and Chicken on a Chain.

Store hard baits in a plano tackle box and I keep soft plastics in their original packaging.

Fish go on a stringer until I reach a stopping point or lull in the action then I move them into a cheap soft sided cooler (from Walmart) with ice which I store in my front hatch.