Sea Isle, in the lights
Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 11:48 am
This report contains multiple parts and I am going to break it into segments so those not interested in certain portions can just skip to the sections(s) of interest.
By now, most of you reading this have read or watched impulse’s posts/Youtube videos of his lights in Sea Isle over the past few days. Well, it was too tempting for me. After reviewing the various county orders that would affect me (Harris, Galveston, potentially Brazoria depending on the route) and reading the excellent points made by fellow kayak fishermen, I loaded up the kayak and decided to hit the lights.
The Pre-Game
The solunar chart showed a feed between 2:47a and 4:47a. so my plan was to leave the house around midnight to get on the water around 2a. The solunar chart showed a feed between 2:47a and 4:47a. I loaded the kayak around 9:15p and thought I’d take a little nap before heading down. The kids still think it’s Spring Break and wouldn’t go to bed so my nap didn’t start until 11p and I slept until 1:15a. Too late? Did I miss the window? Would the drive be worth it? Only one way to find out. I jumped up, told the kid that was still awake to get his A$$ in bed, and ran out the door.
The Drive
I left around 1:30 and opted to take 610 near the Galleria to I-45 to 61st to Seawall and then to Sea Isle. I tell you this because from the time I left my house until I stopped at Buc-ee’s, I only saw four cars on the road. From 1:30 until about 2:15, along Loop 610 and I-45. 4 cars. It was almost post-Harvey apocalyptic. I fueled up at Buc-ee’s (where they had employees out sanitizing the gas pumps) and went inside for a headlamp because I couldn’t remember if I had mine. I was one of two non-employees in the store. Back on the road, I pass about three more cars (one of them a Jamaica Beach patrol car) before arriving at Sea Isle. It was pretty surreal.
The Good Part (FISHING)
As I am unloading the yak and my gear, an hour and a half later than I planned, I could hear the fish feeding on the surface of the water. I could smell the sweet smell of the water with that watermelon scent we all love. Ugh. It’s 3:30 already. PFD, 360 light, paddle, crate and rods. Good to go. I paddle out of the marina and make a couple of casts at the overhead lights by the dock. I see them feeding but not a bite. I head to the underwater lights in the canal heading to the bay. First cast hooks up with a little rat red. Another cast into the next underwater light hooks up with a 19.5” red. Oh boy, this is going to be fun. I start to paddle to my targeted location, three magical lights not far away. But there are fish boiling all around me. I keep casting as I paddle, almost wishing I had taken the Hobie instead of the T160. Almost every cast lands a fish. Undersized flounder, undersized red. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. I am surprised by this actually because I was throwing my Vudu shad which is larger than the bait in the water.
When I get to the holy trinity of underwater lights, I can see they are just swarmed with fish. Bait balls being chased by game fish. My first cast misses my target. Second cast lands a 21” red. Yeah baby. Put it on the stringer around 4:10a. The fish disperse so I move out to let them regroup. I hit a few more light with a few more undersized fish. By now I have landed maybe 15 fish in 45 minutes. I hit the light at the house next to impulse’s and land a 16” flounder. As I am trying to decide whether to string it, it flips out of the net and lives to see another day. I move over to the next canal. More slashing under an overhead light. A little flip cast and my line starts stripping and I realize I forgot to tighten my drag after the last fish. Then I see the flounder. No doubt this one is getting strung if I can land it. Into the net it goes, all 18” of it. A few more casts yield nothing. Back to the three lights. I don’t see the numbers there were before in the lights, but I can hear the feeding in the dark. I make a blind cast into the darkness. Fish on – a 17” speck. I laugh to myself. What a freaking morning. I have made my slam. It is about 5:30. The wind is starting to pick up, I have had a ton of fun, so I decide to head back to the launch. When I come up to the lights in the main canal, I decide to make a last cast. Line stripping. On the other end, a thick 23” red. I paddle in, load up, and head for home. All fish caught on a lime green Vudu shad.
On the water a little over two hours, landed probably 20-25 fish, four on the stringer, and a smile on my face. Was it worth it? When can I go again.
By now, most of you reading this have read or watched impulse’s posts/Youtube videos of his lights in Sea Isle over the past few days. Well, it was too tempting for me. After reviewing the various county orders that would affect me (Harris, Galveston, potentially Brazoria depending on the route) and reading the excellent points made by fellow kayak fishermen, I loaded up the kayak and decided to hit the lights.
The Pre-Game
The solunar chart showed a feed between 2:47a and 4:47a. so my plan was to leave the house around midnight to get on the water around 2a. The solunar chart showed a feed between 2:47a and 4:47a. I loaded the kayak around 9:15p and thought I’d take a little nap before heading down. The kids still think it’s Spring Break and wouldn’t go to bed so my nap didn’t start until 11p and I slept until 1:15a. Too late? Did I miss the window? Would the drive be worth it? Only one way to find out. I jumped up, told the kid that was still awake to get his A$$ in bed, and ran out the door.
The Drive
I left around 1:30 and opted to take 610 near the Galleria to I-45 to 61st to Seawall and then to Sea Isle. I tell you this because from the time I left my house until I stopped at Buc-ee’s, I only saw four cars on the road. From 1:30 until about 2:15, along Loop 610 and I-45. 4 cars. It was almost post-Harvey apocalyptic. I fueled up at Buc-ee’s (where they had employees out sanitizing the gas pumps) and went inside for a headlamp because I couldn’t remember if I had mine. I was one of two non-employees in the store. Back on the road, I pass about three more cars (one of them a Jamaica Beach patrol car) before arriving at Sea Isle. It was pretty surreal.
The Good Part (FISHING)
As I am unloading the yak and my gear, an hour and a half later than I planned, I could hear the fish feeding on the surface of the water. I could smell the sweet smell of the water with that watermelon scent we all love. Ugh. It’s 3:30 already. PFD, 360 light, paddle, crate and rods. Good to go. I paddle out of the marina and make a couple of casts at the overhead lights by the dock. I see them feeding but not a bite. I head to the underwater lights in the canal heading to the bay. First cast hooks up with a little rat red. Another cast into the next underwater light hooks up with a 19.5” red. Oh boy, this is going to be fun. I start to paddle to my targeted location, three magical lights not far away. But there are fish boiling all around me. I keep casting as I paddle, almost wishing I had taken the Hobie instead of the T160. Almost every cast lands a fish. Undersized flounder, undersized red. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. I am surprised by this actually because I was throwing my Vudu shad which is larger than the bait in the water.
When I get to the holy trinity of underwater lights, I can see they are just swarmed with fish. Bait balls being chased by game fish. My first cast misses my target. Second cast lands a 21” red. Yeah baby. Put it on the stringer around 4:10a. The fish disperse so I move out to let them regroup. I hit a few more light with a few more undersized fish. By now I have landed maybe 15 fish in 45 minutes. I hit the light at the house next to impulse’s and land a 16” flounder. As I am trying to decide whether to string it, it flips out of the net and lives to see another day. I move over to the next canal. More slashing under an overhead light. A little flip cast and my line starts stripping and I realize I forgot to tighten my drag after the last fish. Then I see the flounder. No doubt this one is getting strung if I can land it. Into the net it goes, all 18” of it. A few more casts yield nothing. Back to the three lights. I don’t see the numbers there were before in the lights, but I can hear the feeding in the dark. I make a blind cast into the darkness. Fish on – a 17” speck. I laugh to myself. What a freaking morning. I have made my slam. It is about 5:30. The wind is starting to pick up, I have had a ton of fun, so I decide to head back to the launch. When I come up to the lights in the main canal, I decide to make a last cast. Line stripping. On the other end, a thick 23” red. I paddle in, load up, and head for home. All fish caught on a lime green Vudu shad.
On the water a little over two hours, landed probably 20-25 fish, four on the stringer, and a smile on my face. Was it worth it? When can I go again.