Drifting Yak and I headed out yesterday to a familiar West Bay marsh area to check the area during a tide forecast that was higher than normal, and higher than we have seen there. What we were hoping for was a high in the afternoon to allow us to explore the marsh, followed by a fast drop, during which we could fish the drains. Recent weather reports discussed the local tidal impact from the tropical storm/hurricane off Florida and indicated quite an increase in tide levels.
We found very high water levels at the marsh, allowing us to go essentially wherever we wanted in the marsh. I had also hoped that the high water would open areas for the fish and that they would be in a feeding frenzy – but then I woke up and we went fishing. The reality was that the bite was slow. There were plenty of fish, but not aggressively feeding. I did catch a rat red on initial entry to the marsh on a savage shrimp, so I thought that a good sign for an active day. We threw a variety of lures and plastics but few generated much excitement.
Conditions – Weather – hot, light wind, Water – high tide level, high salinity, 88 degrees in channel, 93+ in the marsh. Water clarity was not bad, about a foot visibility.
I did have one lure that did get some attention, a super spook jr, clear with a chartreuse top and bottom. It was ignored initially but then started to get some attention with some strikes that missed. Then I had a decent strike and a hook-up. The strike was not too big, so I was not sure what it was. The pull was good, and running, must be a red. After a bit more pulling it rolled at the surface and I could see it was a nice red. A bit more pulling and reeling and he is close to the kayak, barely fits in the net, but then I have a 24.5” red in the boat. It is bigger than I expected since the fish action in the marsh seemed to be from smaller fish.
Further along that same pool area I had another roll at the lure. A few more passes did not get a repeat. I tried the other two plastics that I had on, but no takers. I went back to the SS Jr before leaving and got another roll at it, then the fish followed it all the way across the channel, turning off about 6’ from the kayak.
A bit down the channel had another hit that threw the SS Jr into the air and flipped it over. But no repeat appearance. I did land a small spec on this lure a bit further on.
The hoped for large drop in the tide never showed up as scheduled so we left without fishing the drains, encouraged along by some approaching thunder storms. Perhaps the tidal impact from the Florida storm also affects the timing as well as the level of the normal tidal flows?
On the way in to the launch, during the early stages of night I threw a curly tail grub along a lighted bulkhead just to get in a few last casts. A bit to my surprise, one of the casts is taken and a bit of a fight ensues since this thing is strong and pulling. I would get it close to the kayak and thought it was ready to net but off it would go – no keeping it close with one hand on the rod for this guy. Finally I did and it would barely fit into the net and took an effort to lift. At first I thought it may be a sheepshead since I could see some stripes when it rolled, but once in the kayak I saw it was a black drum – about 24” or more. A nice little battle to end the day.
This battle was a win for me in another manner – Earlier in the day I had gotten a knot on the braid on this rod that I could not get loose, so I cut the braid and the leader and re-tied the FG knot connecting the two. This was my first time to tie the FG knot while on the water. This black drum gave that knot its first real good test and it passed - -
High Times
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YakRunabout
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High Times
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kickingback
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Re: High Times
Great report! Glad you got to bring some into the yak. Nice pics.
I bet the water flow was about 2-3 hours behind the tide forecast at the jettys. You may not notice the tide change unless you are sitting in a gut or drain and throw your line in the water to see if there is current or moving water. The fish are in the marsh but will probably wait for the tide to start going out which makes the bait get moved around and they start feeding actively knowing the water is falling. If the winds were blowing it could have effected the current on the surface but it may be moving below. The fish know when the tide is flowing and move to strategic locations to ambush the bait. That's the reason I say there should be fish in the marsh as the tides were not going out in full as yet. They get up in the marsh at full tide to feed on the grass, mud and shell critters in the shallows. The tide movement will always be gradual and not quick but steady and the fish know the area well to set ambush points.
I bet the water flow was about 2-3 hours behind the tide forecast at the jettys. You may not notice the tide change unless you are sitting in a gut or drain and throw your line in the water to see if there is current or moving water. The fish are in the marsh but will probably wait for the tide to start going out which makes the bait get moved around and they start feeding actively knowing the water is falling. If the winds were blowing it could have effected the current on the surface but it may be moving below. The fish know when the tide is flowing and move to strategic locations to ambush the bait. That's the reason I say there should be fish in the marsh as the tides were not going out in full as yet. They get up in the marsh at full tide to feed on the grass, mud and shell critters in the shallows. The tide movement will always be gradual and not quick but steady and the fish know the area well to set ambush points.