Harmon Creek in Huntsville camping

[Cityfisher]

I am planning a vacation all next week and wanted some opinions on tent camping and the fishing at Harmon Creek Marina. (LMB and Catfish mainly) I have never been there but their website looks like it is an ok place. Just looking for a nice place to do some tent camping, relax by the campfire and of course some kayak fishing. I don't feel like doing an "out in the boonies" primitive type camping this time around and am wanting access to a general store for beer and ice, firewood as needed easily. Also, are the waters there kayak friendly and are there any real dangers I should watch for? Alligators, fast moving waters, etc...?

[Firefly49]

It's one of my favorite places and close enough I can do a day trip!! Plus... there's such a variety of places to paddle and explore....Harmon Creek, or back into Caney Creek or Turkey Creek... or out to the Trinity River. I haven't been camping there since once last year....(but many times in the previous 3-4 years). I miss Pops & Kathy that use to run it & retired. But luckily, I saw Pops there the last time I ran by and had a chance to visit. I've always found the fisherman in bass boats friendly and courteous and never a problem with the gators...hardly ever see them although if one is near the bank their splash might startle you, lol.

They're predicting more rain/T-storms between now and then...... I suggest you might want to double check with the campground or go to the Trinity River Authority website / Nat'l WS and check the water level for the Trinity @ Riverside. I think it's under a flood warning right now. http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrogra ... gage=rvrt2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



http://www.texaskayakfisherman.com/foru ... rmon+creek" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Cityfisher]

Thank you very much for the info. That's exactly what I was looking for. I have been watching the weather forecasts. Originally I had planned to be off this week but I asked the boss if I could reschedule due to the weather forecasts. The plan is to get some salt water therapy in early in the week and then head out to Harmon on Wednesday and camp until Sunday, or as long as conditions allow. But I'll have to play it by ear. If the water is to high and flooded I'll be going back to the coast and do some beach camping and bay fishing there.
Thanks again!!

[Boomy]

I've always found the fisherman in bass boats friendly and courteous and never a problem with the gators...hardly ever see them although if one is near the bank their splash might startle you, lol.

I tried it a month or so ago during the white bass spawn and found this to be the case. Every boat slowed down to make sure not to encumber my fishing, though it did seem that the same mercies were no offered for bank fisherman

[Boomy]

[Boomy]

First fish from my Reload and first freshwater fish in years....

[Cityfisher]

That looks really nice Boomy. I hope the water is that green when I go. That Viking of yours looks awesome!

[Firefly49]

lol..I recognize that spot!!! .....and yes.....that Viking of Boomy's looks awesome. I really planned to hit AKC's Demo days to get a chance to try one but I'm loaded and headed up to Caddo Lake in the AM for a few days so I'll have to miss the one nearby in Conroe this weekend. From the storms coming thru tonight and more predicted tomorrow, I may have to paddle up there --- but I'm not wimping out again on this weekend, too. I Liked what I saw with the Viking and the Feel Free at last fall's demo days but didn't get a chance to paddle either one (as if I really NEED another yak, lol) I mainly do the rivers/lakes and with my 14'-18' yaks I'm spoiled on speed and tracking.... so some of the SOT's I've borrowed for a few minutes seem to paddle like barges.

Glad the little bit of info helped, Cityfisher. Hope whatever you end up doing work's out for you.

[Boomy]

Not to hijack, but I'm very happy with it. A great many do paddle like barges, but have their uses. My Drifter falls into that category. One of the most stable boats out there, but paddles like a barge. In real rough water its my go to boat. The Reload really surprised me on speed and stability. Down in Port Aransas a couple weeks ago I hooked into a smac after crossings the third bar on the way in. Managed to unwind/unhook it while getting hit broadside. The camera that I thought had caught it malfunctioned and reformatted the video. Anyways ACK has a demo weekend Tomorrow and Sunday in Conroe, you should check them out... One paddle in the pond and I sold my Trident....

[Cityfisher]

Here's an update on the vacation trip. I took the information you guys gave and changed my destination from Harmon creek and went to Huntsville State Park on Lake Raven. I started thinking about all the muddy water that might be up there because of all the rains recently so I went there instead. What a great decision that was. I arrived on Sunday the 19th and tent camped until Thursday 4/23. The storms missed me Sunday and the Lake was like glass that evening. The weather stayed perfect the whole week. The water was pretty murky with all the run off and the bass fishing was a bit slow. It was really windy Monday so I bank fished right at the campsite. First thing I see when I got to the water was a 7ft alligator cruising to the other shoreline. Made me a little skittish about paddling out. But I ended up catching a 14 or 15# channel cat. Probably the largest one I have caught before. Caught her on a live crawfish I happened to find on the bank. Tuesday morning I woke up early and decided to brave it out and look for some bass. Ended up catching 2, both around 2.5 to 3#'s. First largemouth bass on the kayak and I was stoked! Talk about a thrill! Came in for lunch, bank fished and went back out in the evening as the sun was going down. This ended up being my routine the rest of the week. I caught 1 or 2 bass each morning and again in the evening and then sat on the bank fishing for bream and catfish with a bobber and worm during the day. Talk about relaxing! After that the gators didn't bother me anymore. When I saw one close to where I was paddling to they would just swim away in the opposite direction. Caught some of the largest bream I have ever seen. Some were a good 10 to 12" long! I kept a few and fried some up with some french fries for lunch one day. Delicious! Saw a territorial dispute between 2 young alligators. One didn't want the other in his area and chased him away. He caught up with the other which turned around when he saw him coming and ended up being a huge display of splashing and thrashing about until the other was gone. That was cool to see also. Also, me and the racoons were having a battle of wits in the middle of the night. I didn't think about locking my cooler shut and they were able to steal my steak I had in the cooler. I heard the noise and woke up and busted them red handed! The next night I put my tupperware bin with my kitchen gear in it (which was pretty heavy) on top of the cooler. Well I was awakened by a big crash and busted this guy again! He pushed that sucker off and was about to steal the few large bream that I did keep. hehe Overall, I great camping and fishing adventure! No radio, no news, just the great outdoors.

[Cityfisher]

A couple more pics

[Firefly49]

Glad you posted an update and photos! Sounds like it was a really good time all around .....'cept for the coons, lol. (And actually better than Harmon as to having a more private wooded site). Those coons are so sneaky; especially at campgrounds where they've become even more talented at getting into things, lol! Altho I've seen them venture close even while people are still up and sitting around the campfire - it would be fun to watch the the little bandits as they do their dirty deed the minute they hear the first snores of us humans. At campgrounds my cooler slides right under the bench seat of the picnic table so they can't open the lid to get their paw into it, otherwise there's a heavy strap around it, lol.

[larry long shadows]

Great post glad to see someone eat their catch

[Cityfisher]

I get a kick out of those racoons. They are smart. That happened to me at Galveston Island State park one night also, I would of sworn one of them drank one of my beers and left the empty in the cooler, along with all the dirt and sand he left to! hehe

I have always wanted to try some bream so I kept 3 good hand size ones for lunch one of those days. I released everything thing else I caught that week. I could have done better on the cooking but still, those bream are good!