The Mudder of All Fishing Trips
- YakRunabout
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- Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2015 10:34 am
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The Mudder of All Fishing Trips
Drifting Yak and I were headed out early in the AM, planning to launch at dawn in west bay. We had been monitoring the winds in the previous days and so did a quick check before leaving. Upon seeing the winds at 17 with gusts to 20 we thought a fall-back option may be best. We ended up heading toward Anahuac to launch at the spot that Chris highlighted at the last PACK meeting. The winds were much lighter in that area.
The first step off was not too bad, squish a little then solid. I step out again – a bit more squish, but then semi-solid – OK. Another and another – it was a linear progression – the further I stepped the further I sunk! At the last step before the water I was in over my ankle without full weight on the step! So I backed out to the bank so we could review. We had avoided a mud-trekking launch in the past by finding another launch point. In this case Smith Point was not too far, but we have seen that ramp with no water at times of extra low tides like this so that may not have worked either. So, we chose to launch. We rigged the kayaks on the bank pushed them over the edge and mucked our way to the water. I turned mine parallel to the bank, got turned enough to sit in the yak, then slowly pulled by feet up through the mud while trying not to lose my boots. Finally, success. A bit of splashing our feet in the water washed off much of the mud. Luckily there was enough water in the channel to float the boats, so off we went.
All the active bait fish schools jumping around us was a good sign and there were larger fish hitting the surface. I soon had a fish on, but he was quickly off with a splash. Then soon Mike lands a nice 18” redfish, not a keeper but a start.
To be continued . . .
We arrived before dawn and since this was our first time at this spot we scouted the area with flashlights for the best launch spot. Moving along the bank we would shine the light on the water and see lots of small bait fish jumping – a good sign. We also saw a very low water level and a fairly wide (3’ or so) muddy zone before the water – not too inviting! We knew it was to be a low tide in the morning and the north winds likely pushed out more, but we were hoping for more water than this. We picked a grassy location with the least drop-off (1.5’) to the mud. Before fully committing to this and unloading the kayaks we thought we should test the mud. I already had on my waders and boots so over I went –
The first step off was not too bad, squish a little then solid. I step out again – a bit more squish, but then semi-solid – OK. Another and another – it was a linear progression – the further I stepped the further I sunk! At the last step before the water I was in over my ankle without full weight on the step! So I backed out to the bank so we could review. We had avoided a mud-trekking launch in the past by finding another launch point. In this case Smith Point was not too far, but we have seen that ramp with no water at times of extra low tides like this so that may not have worked either. So, we chose to launch. We rigged the kayaks on the bank pushed them over the edge and mucked our way to the water. I turned mine parallel to the bank, got turned enough to sit in the yak, then slowly pulled by feet up through the mud while trying not to lose my boots. Finally, success. A bit of splashing our feet in the water washed off much of the mud. Luckily there was enough water in the channel to float the boats, so off we went.
All the active bait fish schools jumping around us was a good sign and there were larger fish hitting the surface. I soon had a fish on, but he was quickly off with a splash. Then soon Mike lands a nice 18” redfish, not a keeper but a start.
To be continued . . .
- YakRunabout
- Posts: 784
- Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2015 10:34 am
- Location: Magnolia
Re: The Mudder of All Fishing Trips
I tried heading up a side channel, but that ended in a drained mud pond. Back to the main channel at a bend I see a bit of surface action, but I can get no takers on a variety of lures. I head further down to a large lake area but it is quite shallow and so tough to get through. I head back to the channel on the other side of this lake and finally again find some deeper water. Mike heads back the other way, to return to where he caught the red.
When I first entered this large lake there was a large flock of American White Pelicans on the water in the area of the exit channel. On my approach they took off – quite an impressive bird!
A bit further on I saw a few Roseate Spoonbill working the bank. Then a bit further on a whole flock of them, mixed with White Ibis. I have not seen so many Spoonbills at one time before. I got a picture - if only the auto-focus had seen them, it could have been good! It was about this time that Mike radioed that he had caught a gar! D’oh! – of course – that is what was hitting the surface earlier. So, I was busy trying to find a lure to catch these – gar! I should have recognized them as gar, having seen them before. I just wanted them to be something else!
Mike eventually decided to try to get across the shallow lake in his compass and so he pulled the mirage drive and paddled across. He made it quicker than I thought that he would, the compass having no problem with the shallows! We then explored a bit more along the main channel, finding some very deep holes (10’+) along the way, but no takers.
On the return trip and in the area that he had caught his redfish, Mike pointed out some fresh prints in the mud along the bank and that some of the grass had been smashed down. These prints were not there earlier, Mike recalls, since this is a bank where he had spent some time. But they were there upon his first return, when I was across the lake. Looks like a gator had passed along the bank after our initial passage!
Let’s say that you are snuggled into a bank concentrating on fishing a bend in the channel when you hear some rustling in the grass behind you! Could get the spine to tingling a bit, no?
When I first entered this large lake there was a large flock of American White Pelicans on the water in the area of the exit channel. On my approach they took off – quite an impressive bird!
A bit further on I saw a few Roseate Spoonbill working the bank. Then a bit further on a whole flock of them, mixed with White Ibis. I have not seen so many Spoonbills at one time before. I got a picture - if only the auto-focus had seen them, it could have been good! It was about this time that Mike radioed that he had caught a gar! D’oh! – of course – that is what was hitting the surface earlier. So, I was busy trying to find a lure to catch these – gar! I should have recognized them as gar, having seen them before. I just wanted them to be something else!
Mike eventually decided to try to get across the shallow lake in his compass and so he pulled the mirage drive and paddled across. He made it quicker than I thought that he would, the compass having no problem with the shallows! We then explored a bit more along the main channel, finding some very deep holes (10’+) along the way, but no takers.
On the return trip and in the area that he had caught his redfish, Mike pointed out some fresh prints in the mud along the bank and that some of the grass had been smashed down. These prints were not there earlier, Mike recalls, since this is a bank where he had spent some time. But they were there upon his first return, when I was across the lake. Looks like a gator had passed along the bank after our initial passage!
Let’s say that you are snuggled into a bank concentrating on fishing a bend in the channel when you hear some rustling in the grass behind you! Could get the spine to tingling a bit, no?
Last edited by YakRunabout on Fri Mar 09, 2018 4:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- YakRunabout
- Posts: 784
- Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2015 10:34 am
- Location: Magnolia
Re: The Mudder of All Fishing Trips
Returning to the launch we found that the tide had come in a bit, but not as much as we had hoped! So we got to do an exit through the muck as well!!
The mud gave us just a bit of extra cleanup back at the house!
All in all and enjoyable outing, especially since it was an new area for us and a complete exploration. Will likely return but will wait for much higher water! There was a lot of area that was high and dry.
Oh – yeah – air temp 50 to begin up into 60’s. Winds light with some gust to 10+. Water temp around 54. Water muddy. Water was a bit salty.
The mud gave us just a bit of extra cleanup back at the house!
All in all and enjoyable outing, especially since it was an new area for us and a complete exploration. Will likely return but will wait for much higher water! There was a lot of area that was high and dry.
Oh – yeah – air temp 50 to begin up into 60’s. Winds light with some gust to 10+. Water temp around 54. Water muddy. Water was a bit salty.
- Cuervo Jones
- TKF 2000 club
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- Location: Hurtling towards oblivion with a smile
The Mudder of All Fishing Trips
Cool that you saw gator tracks. Sounds like your day was a lot like mine. I checked some new spots out and found lots of redfish...by rolling up on top of them and spooking them. There was a deficit of slime on my hands by the end of it all.
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- Drifting Yak
- TKF 1000 Club
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Re: The Mudder of All Fishing Trips
It really was pretty cool. Out enjoying a new spot - mother nature at its fullest - and we weren't getting the sh_t blown out of us (which would have been the case in west bay).
- Drifting Yak
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Re: The Mudder of All Fishing Trips
Ken just after our early AM launch. Why the smile? I think he was happy just to have his shoes on his feet - the muck had a powerful suction!
- kickingback
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Re: The Mudder of All Fishing Trips
I hate those days. It takes forever to clean all your gear! Thanks for sharing!
- Dandydon
- TKF 1000 Club
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Re: The Mudder of All Fishing Trips
I quit kayak-fishing over there after the worst trip of my life, about 12 years ago. Our happy foursome was me, Shoffer, Saltykat & Chicken.
We launched in that Trinity mud at high tide, but 6 hours later all the water drained out & we were left real high & dry, at least 3 miles from our launch-point. Shoffer & Saltykat had (smart!) bailed out 2 hours earlier. So Chicken & I had to literally PULL our heavy kayaks through fields of dark mud for about 5 hours. We had to take innumerable rest breaks after each 100-yard pull. At its worst, we almost decided to sleep overnight on our kayaks & pray for enough tide to escape.
And did I mention I was carrying in my soft cooler at least 30 lbs of redfish caught by Shoffer & me? Finally back at the launch, I laid down on the grass & slept for an hour. Chicken disappeared. My arms hurt so bad I couldn't even brush my teeth. It's kinda funny now, but goes down as my worst kayak outing. I blame Chicken because good lawyers make no mistakes.
"May your mud be thin, watery & infrequent." Good luck.
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We launched in that Trinity mud at high tide, but 6 hours later all the water drained out & we were left real high & dry, at least 3 miles from our launch-point. Shoffer & Saltykat had (smart!) bailed out 2 hours earlier. So Chicken & I had to literally PULL our heavy kayaks through fields of dark mud for about 5 hours. We had to take innumerable rest breaks after each 100-yard pull. At its worst, we almost decided to sleep overnight on our kayaks & pray for enough tide to escape.
And did I mention I was carrying in my soft cooler at least 30 lbs of redfish caught by Shoffer & me? Finally back at the launch, I laid down on the grass & slept for an hour. Chicken disappeared. My arms hurt so bad I couldn't even brush my teeth. It's kinda funny now, but goes down as my worst kayak outing. I blame Chicken because good lawyers make no mistakes.
"May your mud be thin, watery & infrequent." Good luck.
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- YakRunabout
- Posts: 784
- Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2015 10:34 am
- Location: Magnolia
Re: The Mudder of All Fishing Trips
DD - Now that is a mud voyage that I would not want to take!!
Re: The Mudder of All Fishing Trips
My favorite fishing trips involve getting muddy. Where it like a badge of honor.