With the Assistance of Ducks

[YakRunabout]

I launched in the darkness of the early morning to hit some channel lights followed by a time in the marsh with an incoming tide. I had a new rod to try out for the first time, one with a light lure rating (1/4 – 3/4 oz) to match the lures that I have been using lately. Winds were light at launch, a water temp of a bit over 70, air temp of 62 according to the sensor in my car, but it did not seem that cool. Perhaps due to the low winds. Water was still at this time, I could not detect much current, maybe a slight out flow?

I proceeded down the bayou toward the channels and lights. I began with my new rod of course. Thought that I should make a few casts before getting to the lights to get a feel for it. It is a bit stiffer than my existing rods and I could not “feel” the 1/4oz lure as well as on my other light rod, but it cast it well – as far as I could tell in the dark.

Ahead in the distance I see an underwater light that appears to have some fish action on the surface. As I get closer I see that the surface action is actually just a group of ducks working the bait. I approach slowly, assuming that they would move on giving me room to cast. But they stay over the light. Finally they move off but I am now closer than I want to be and alongside the lighted area, instead of approaching. So I make a little back-handed flip of the lure, not knowing where it might land with this new rod. Luckily it lands just on the other side of the lighted area, as if it were planned that way. Slowly I brought the lure across, then BAM – there it goes, line is racing off the reel – may be a red the way it runs. Well – one reason the line raced off the reel as it did is that I still had a very light drag set, had not reset it for fishing. So as the line is heading toward a dock, I am slowly adjusting the drag. Finally I get him turned from the dock and headed for open water and with a better drag set, but still he makes several runs. A nice fish. Finally into the boat with a 26” red. This is my PB redfish for inshore fishing with this light tackle. A fine morning.

I continued down the bayou on a cool morning with a light breeze and clear sky. All of Scorpio is visible to the south and the bright object high in the west must be Jupiter. Coffee, still warm. Yes, a fine morning.

The fish action the rest of the morning did not live up to that of this first cast. A few bumps and a few on the line for a few seconds. One in particular came off just as he hit the surface and he ended up jumping a couple feet into the air – no record since it was hook assisted.

I was in the marsh at sunrise along with a nice incoming flow. I hooked into another nice redfish in the changing current at a corner of a main channel, this one at 23.5”. He pulled just as much or more than the larger one.

Later in the day, now with a strong incoming flow I landed a flounder that may have gone 14”, but he did not get measured, just photographed and released.

I think I will keep the new rod. All fish caught using a light jig head with a curly tailed gulp.
A fine morning - - -

[JPR403]

Your writing skills are as impressive as you fishing skills.


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[TigerLandSportsman]

Sounds like a beautiful morning

[YakRunabout]

JPR403 thanks for the comment. I was inspired by the surprise of catching a really nice red on the first cast and the way that it transpired. I have not had an outing begin on such a high note!

[TxTrouter]

I launched in the darkness of the early morning to hit some channel lights followed by a time in the marsh with an incoming tide. I had a new rod to try out for the first time, one with a light lure rating (1/4 – 3/4 oz) to match the lures that I have been using lately. Winds were light at launch, a water temp of a bit over 70, air temp of 62 according to the sensor in my car, but it did not seem that cool. Perhaps due to the low winds. Water was still at this time, I could not detect much current, maybe a slight out flow?

I proceeded down the bayou toward the channels and lights. I began with my new rod of course. Thought that I should make a few casts before getting to the lights to get a feel for it. It is a bit stiffer than my existing rods and I could not “feel” the 1/4oz lure as well as on my other light rod, but it cast it well – as far as I could tell in the dark.

Ahead in the distance I see an underwater light that appears to have some fish action on the surface. As I get closer I see that the surface action is actually just a group of ducks working the bait. I approach slowly, assuming that they would move on giving me room to cast. But they stay over the light. Finally they move off but I am now closer than I want to be and alongside the lighted area, instead of approaching. So I make a little back-handed flip of the lure, not knowing where it might land with this new rod. Luckily it lands just on the other side of the lighted area, as if it were planned that way. Slowly I brought the lure across, then BAM – there it goes, line is racing off the reel – may be a red the way it runs. Well – one reason the line raced off the reel as it did is that I still had a very light drag set, had not reset it for fishing. So as the line is heading toward a dock, I am slowly adjusting the drag. Finally I get him turned from the dock and headed for open water and with a better drag set, but still he makes several runs. A nice fish. Finally into the boat with a 26” red. This is my PB redfish for inshore fishing with this light tackle. A fine morning.

I continued down the bayou on a cool morning with a light breeze and clear sky. All of Scorpio is visible to the south and the bright object high in the west must be Jupiter. Coffee, still warm. Yes, a fine morning.

The fish action the rest of the morning did not live up to that of this first cast. A few bumps and a few on the line for a few seconds. One in particular came off just as he hit the surface and he ended up jumping a couple feet into the air – no record since it was hook assisted.

I was in the marsh at sunrise along with a nice incoming flow. I hooked into another nice redfish in the changing current at a corner of a main channel, this one at 23.5”. He pulled just as much or more than the larger one.

Later in the day, now with a strong incoming flow I landed a flounder that may have gone 14”, but he did not get measured, just photographed and released.

I think I will keep the new rod. All fish caught using a light jig head with a curly tailed gulp.
A fine morning - - -

Excellent write up! We should all be so fortunate as that of your first cast!


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[JPR403]

JPR403 thanks for the comment. I was inspired by the surprise of catching a really nice red on the first cast and the way that it transpired. I have not had an outing begin on such a high note!

As I am new to all of this your great write up really inspires me to get out there.



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[YakRunabout]

JPR403 - Well good, glad to hear it.
This board is full of great information as well as inspiration.
Dive in and enjoy!

[Drifting Yak]

Have found that ducks in the lights can be good (as confirmed by your catch - congrats on the PB by the way!). First good thing - the ducks are eating the minnows so that means bait fish will be in that particular light. Second good thing - have noticed that larger fish (reds in particular) will actually stay near the ducks. Assume they are picking off the wounded bait that get messed up by the ducks. Interesting to watch an upper slot red hovering under a duck sucking up the remnants.
All good stuff!

[YakRunabout]

Good observations, Mike. In the future I will look for the presence of ducks and take that as a positive instead of as an annoyance. They are often slow to move away and so it can be a challenge not to tangle them in the braid.