Catching Oddities –

[YakRunabout]

Went out early in the AM to fish some lights and to see if the string of large Reds would continue. While preparing to launch we chatted with a fisherman that was leaving from the dock, chased away by the relentless assault of mosquitos. We had already sprayed down due to the mosquitos, expecting to get away from them once on the water, as normally happens. Well, on this morning there was no getting away. There was a light breeze as predicted, which seemed to minimize the swarm a bit, so I tended to stay close to a main channel with some breeze instead of venturing far into canals where the homes blocked the breeze. I have been carrying with me a mostly used can of mosquito spray for a long time, not having to use it much. On this morning I hoped it would not run out! Having sprayed down thoroughly they seemed to be repelled, but they still buzzed close. At times I thought there were just a few around my ears, but on turning on my headlight the full extent of the swarm would be displayed!! No mouth breathing today! Before sunrise I moved into a marsh area which had a steadier breeze and so some escape. The swarm seemed to lessen after daybreak also.

The fish action in the lights was enough to keep us searching and putting up with the mosquitos. We did not see the silhouettes of big fish in the lights as we had previously. The few fish caught were more specs than reds, but generally under limit size. I did hook into what felt to be a decent sized Red, but I was poorly positioned and drifting too close to the dock and into a bulkhead to stop it from getting into the dock structure and breaking off the braid (a first for me). Note to self – pay attention to kayak position and drift so that you are able to deal with the big pull of a nice Red.

The fishing in the marsh after sunrise was slow, but it was a beautiful morning to be exploring some new area and just drifting with the incoming tide, casting into current and points and banks as we float by. Relaxing and also a bit automatic – cast & retrieve, cast & retrieve. Then all of a sudden I realize that I have a fish on!! I bring in a fat 17+ trout! - - -
A bit later I feel a bite? – no a snag? – no it is loose and still with weight – a flounder? – no movement, just dead weight - - I land a nice oyster shell!! - - -
A short time later another snag turned dead-weight ended up being a nice sized blue crab, with a firm grip on my lure. He ended up cutting the tail off the jerk shad. Not my first crab, not an uncommon catch – the pic is from a previous outing where he did not let go soon enough! - - -
A bit further along fishing at a point with nice flow around it I get another snag that comes loose – another oyster or a branch perhaps. This time an old slimy bungee cord. - - -
While drifting back toward the launch area, fishing along a marsh bank, in an area with oysters, I get another of these - is it a snag or a fish - type of bumps. But this one has movement also, not just a dead weight. A 17” flounder into the boat! - - -
A bit further on another of the same type of bump – this time no movement – another oyster, pictured below.

Final Tally – 1 keeper trout, 1 keeper flounder, a rat red, a small flounder, 6 or so small trout, 2 oyster shells, one blue crab, one slimy bungee cord and an unknown number of inhaled mosquitos!
A grand day to be on the water!!

[Kirk B.]

Your passenger doesn't seem to appreciate the ride in the yellow boat!
The way you tell it, it seems a lot more interesting than just pulling in fish after fish.

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