Some of you may know that I usually always fish in the revetment pond on North Levee for reds. Well, after getting skunked there all winter up till now, I finally decided to try a new spot. Bessie Heights marsh, by the bridge. I did OK, nice to have some tugs on the old line for a change.
Any you guys ever try there? I did a BH search and I see most of y'all launch at the Port Neches park. This spot looks pretty fishy, and I caught these ones during minimal current times. I saw two guys in yaks out there on Thursday fishing to the north of me...
Last edited by TimmyT140 on Sun Apr 30, 2017 11:04 am, edited 3 times in total.
I would think the reds are all over BH. Some areas are deeper and some my hold more specks and flounder. It is long paddle to any of it from PN park. The last few times I fished BH was to launch at PN park and paddle south to first left entrance.
I launched off Hwy 87 once and caught a couple. I fished to the left too much and ended up in a dead end. Stay more right and you go all the way to the Entergy outfall camel. Some do well in there after leaning the spots. The infall canal from Hwy 87 toward the power plant can be good.
I don't buy live bait, I catch most of my fish soaking or trolling dead shrimp. I did hook two the other day on a front prop topwater Mirrorlure.
I launch at the little boat ramp just north of the Rainbow.
Dead quiet out there this morning, caught one 17 inch red. Stupid north wind. Solunar tables didn't pan out at all.
How bad is it getting across the ship channel from port neches park? Never had to deal with large ships and the ship channel and never been to bessie heights but would love to try it out there.
Other then port neches park and other good launch points?
Not bad at all. I usually follow the bank until it looks clear and shoot across at some point. One morning I paddled south along the bank as a ship was leaving. The ship was going just a little faster than me. Zero waves and by the time I crossed it was about 300 yards past and there was not much turbulence left in the river.
You can go north to the big channel into BH or go south to the first left (old river channel) and then left again into a little bayou. Either way about a mile paddle.
There is a launch of sorts on Port Neches Atlantic Road in Port Neches. If you look on a map, there is a canal directly across the river from the Entergy outfall canal. You launch off the road into this canal. Paddle the canal, cross the river, and into BH.
Hopefully, this year our spot off the river near Beaumont will be getting back to normal. I will try to get in there later after the muddy water clears.
Seen that one on a hook and line map I have but from looking at google maps it almost looked like it was private, guess I just need to drive by there one day to check it out, thanks for the replies
I just got a new to me hobie so im trying it as much as I can
I walked into the Nelda StarKs unit twice and both times there was no water, just mud. But it is close to the fishing when the water is up. It is 200 to 300 yards from parking to water/launching. You may need the $12 use permit to launch there. No hog sign on the island.
Piscator wrote:I walked into the Nelda StarKs unit twice and both times there was no water, just mud. But it is close to the fishing when the water is up. It is 200 to 300 yards from parking to water/launching. You may need the $12 use permit to launch there. No hog sign on the island.
I think you are right about the permit.
It says something about being able to park at the headquarters.
Very little current in the river. The wind would slow you way more than the current. In fact I have paddled across the river dozens of times and never noticed a current. The river current slows around Beaumont and is very slow around Port Neches. Below Beaumont the river is wider, deeper, and nearing sea level.
The current can rip through a cut from the marsh or swamp. This is tidal flow and can be either direction.
