I got spooled!

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Tombo
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I got spooled!

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Launched at first light for the marsh, water was up so I could use my Mirage drive. Slow at first, sight cast to an undersized Redfish, caught another blind casting with a spinner lure. Second Redfish smaller than the first. Caught a couple undersized trout around any of the drains. Cast along the weeds where I saw some movement and landed a 26.5" Redfish, finally got the skunk off. Coming back a narrow canal I saw some swirl from a good sized fish and let loose a 4" Gulp swimming mullet. Felt good like an upper slot as it came back to me. This Redfish saw my kayak and took off ahead of me. The more pressure I put on it, the faster it went. Before I could get the Mirage drive going I got spooled.
Caught another lower slot on the way back next to some marsh drain points.
Tide was coming in until I got off the water around noon.
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Tombo
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Re: I got spooled!

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I forgot about a strange catch, a lady fish. Not very big but when it got hooked it jumped, not strange for a lady fish but in landed on the shore! Since it threw the hook I had to get in the weeds to find it.
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Ron Mc
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Re: I got spooled!

Post by Ron Mc »

great report and fun photo.

The other reason to set your drag with a spring scale - when I began doing it, discovered wasn't using near as much drag adjustment as was safe with my tackle.
May not have anything to do with your fish, but just throwing it out.
Long ago learned getting spooled by bull reds in the surf is all part of the fun - also had them straighten out 60-lb swivels that were properly set and pinched with pliers.
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Re: I got spooled!

Post by Tombo »

The more pressure I put on this fish, the faster it went.
Kayak Kid
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Re: I got spooled!

Post by Kayak Kid »

A good way to loose a spool full of line, Tombo.

Maybe the storm pushed water into the bay and with it some bull reds.
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Dandydon
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Re: I got spooled!

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After hearing Shoffer's recent thoughts on post-hurricane fishing, I'm ready to GO GET SOME. The big winds and currents flush out our bays and encourage shrimp & other critters to leave marsh habitat to escape into our bays. Soon the BIRDS will be working, men!

You're on the cutting edge, Tombo. Great post-hurricane report.

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Ron Mc
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Re: I got spooled!

Post by Ron Mc »

DD, we fished a couple of storm tides in the 90s, and once found jacks and baby tarpon way back in the St. Jo lakes.
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Re: I got spooled!

Post by Dandydon »

That's what they call an ANOMALY, Ron!
It's one thing I love about fishing; the whacko weather or "climate change" can render formerly barren water your new honey-hole.

About 25 years ago during another long Texas dry spell, I remember Trinity Bay getting so salty that we'd take our powerboat up the Trinity River about 20 miles, beyond those floodgates up around Wallisville.

It was surreal to catch limits of Speckled Trout that far up the river. I tasted and measured the salinity at about 15 parts/thousand, plenty briny for specks.

Now we suffer the opposite situation. Trinity Bay north of Double Bayou is too fresh for reliable Trout fishing. Has been for years.

What a whacky world we fishermen inhabit.


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Re: I got spooled!

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tombo: I fished Hog Island, LHL #1 cut and Harbor Island channel Friday. Dink reds, trout and scads of Ladyfish! My best hookups were at marsh drains on the falling tide. I was using live shrimp under a rattling cork. What part of the bay system are you fishing these days to find the bigger reds? I caught a 19" red last week at Little Cut. Other than that, it's all dinks. TexasJim
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Re: I got spooled!

Post by Tombo »

I fish off Copano Bay at various places according to the wind
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Re: I got spooled!

Post by OldTownYakBoi »

Tombo wrote:The more pressure I put on this fish, the faster it went.
Sounds like a great trip, good looking Red! Like Ron said, getting spoiled is part of the fun haha. Thanks for the report


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Re: I got spooled!

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Dandydon wrote:After hearing Shoffer's recent thoughts on post-hurricane fishing, I'm ready to GO GET SOME. The big winds and currents flush out our bays and encourage shrimp & other critters to leave marsh habitat to escape into our bays. Soon the BIRDS will be working, men!

You're on the cutting edge, Tombo. Great post-hurricane report.

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We know DD loves them birds! Image I’m ready to get out, been landlocked in Colorado for a week without any fishing gear Image


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Re: I got spooled!

Post by Dandydon »

YakBoi, I used to have a girlfriend living in Boulder, Colorado up Sugarloaf Mountain at 7,000 ft. elevation. While she did her daily office job, I'd drive her 4-wheel Jeep all over the state & up into Wyoming seeking the best fly-fishing. Found hundreds of mountain-stream honey-holes for Rainbow, Brown & rare Golden Trout. What a blast!

All that fly-fishing taught me how to read moving water and find fresh-water Trout. Funny how those skills translate to the saltwater fishing we do...

I respect the fly anglers on TKF who defy our coastal winds to catch gamefish on delicate flies. Although I still have 4 flyrods, they're all too light for big Redfish, and I lack the patience to flycast in saltwater. I'm convinced that however you can catch gamefish is good fishing.

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Dandydon
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Re: I got spooled!

Post by Dandydon »

P. S.
Are THE BIRDS working?!!!
Hello. Image

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OldTownYakBoi
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Re: I got spooled!

Post by OldTownYakBoi »

Dandydon wrote:P. S.
Are THE BIRDS working?!!!
Hello. Image

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Man it is a straight washing machine out in the surf, and the wind has been absolutely relentless. The south shoreline bayside looks decent, sandy green water. But like I said the wind is crazy, steady 20mph with 25mph gusts. I’m waiting for Thursday when winds are projected to calm down.


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OldTownYakBoi
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Re: I got spooled!

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Dandydon wrote:YakBoi, I used to have a girlfriend living in Boulder, Colorado up Sugarloaf Mountain at 7,000 ft. elevation. While she did her daily office job, I'd drive her 4-wheel Jeep all over the state & up into Wyoming seeking the best fly-fishing. Found hundreds of mountain-stream honey-holes for Rainbow, Brown & rare Golden Trout. What a blast!

All that fly-fishing taught me how to read moving water and find fresh-water Trout. Funny how those skills translate to the saltwater fishing we do...

I respect the fly anglers on TKF who defy our coastal winds to catch gamefish on delicate flies. Although I still have 4 flyrods, they're all too light for big Redfish, and I lack the patience to flycast in saltwater. I'm convinced that however you can catch gamefish is good fishing.

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I need to find me a sugar mama in Colorado like you Image. It was my first summer trip there and I was kicking myself the entire time bc I didn’t think to bring anything. Endless crystal clear streams and plenty of trout. I’ll definitely make a trip back to give it a shot at some point. I’ve been kicking around the idea of a fly rod for sight casting but haven’t made the jump. It’s a little intimidating bc I literally know nothing about it. However, that’s never stopped me before haha


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Johnny5455
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Re: I got spooled!

Post by Johnny5455 »

Man that will get your heart thumping I bet. I've never been spooled but I have been broke off after a 15 min fight. Thanks for sharing!

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