More of a story than a report

[Salaqua]

I saw an interesting conversation on the TKF Facebook page. I began writing a response and it turned something longer and more off topic so I decided to offer it here instead.

The basic idea that I am thinking about is “What does a day of kayak fishing look like?” to show an interested person what this sport may entail.

I always see the pictures of the fish, but I never see the pictures of the empty net or stringer. From Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, it looks like fish just magically appear. What is lost in translation is the knowledge of the game, the work of pre-fishing, the other four to eight hours when there were no fish, and also the times when there is little or no results. I am proud of my results when the hard work pays off, I take pictures as well and share them on social media. But it does not tell the whole story.

Let’s take a look at a recent kayak fishing excursion I had with a friend of mine. We came to the sport of kayak fishing a year ago with different fishing experiences. We are both 99% of the time weekend anglers.

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We noticed a fishing tournament was coming up and it supported a good program. We were going to fish anyway and so we decided to enter. Two others joined us and this would be their first time kayak fishing.

A week before the tournament we narrowed down our launch area via Google Earth and STX Maps and started to find spots that we thought would hold fish given the winds and predicted tides. The pre-fish planning is very important because a lot key information can be found. For example, Google Earth can tell you what the area looks like over time and an idea can be formed regarding how the tides will affect the area. STX Maps can give a some advice on nearby spots. "Kayak & Wade Fishing Access Points Along the Texas Coast" via Google Maps presents so many kayak launch areas.

A few days before, I began getting my gear lined up. This includes rods and reels, paddle, PFD, fish keeper or stringer, tackle box, ice chest, soft cooler, etc. It is important to get these ready so that the morning of the fishing I am not wasting time finding my stuff. I have now gotten my time down to about 15 minutes to load up. This includes putting the kayak on the truck and tying it down.

Our meet spot was a little over an hour away at a gas station. I recommend gas stations because they have bathrooms which many kayak specific launch spots do not have facilities. We got some breakfast and ice and headed to the launch.

Once we got to the launch, we were chatting about recent reports of the area. These reports said fish were being caught just up from our launch. In my prior research on "Kayak & Wade Fishing Access Points Along the Texas Coast", I noticed another kayak launch spot that would be closer. Just as we were unloading, we decided to change our plans. We packed our stuff and drove to the next spot.

This new spot was not as convenient for getting on the water but it would save us much paddling time. After making a few trips back and forth from the trucks to the water, we were on the water by about 7 a.m. We entered the area that was producing fish according the report about 30 minutes later. It was very shallow. Over the next few hours, the two new kayak anglers landed a flounder, stingray, and under slot red all on shrimp and popping cork. It was a good way to start and gain some confidence. The experienced angler saw some tailing reds and caught an underslot among them.

While they were on the flat, I moved onto to some marsh I found when I was working a shoreline and standing in my kayak. There was not an entrance to the marsh so I knew if I wanted to get into it, I would have to portage my kayak without the guarantee of easy exit as well.

Once in the marsh, I began to see a few reds. They would all spook by the time I reached for my rod. Afterward, I would read that I should avoid wearing white because it can be easily seen, note taken. The marsh was filled with enormous horse mullet, some would even shake my kayak as they scattered. It was hard to cast and retrieve without collecting grass even with rigging weedless. Again, as I was standing, I noticed some good current moving in a marsh just over some land and a red’s back near a point in the current. I portaged again and was greeted with that wonderful smell of marsh mud as I pulled my legs half calf deep out of the sludge. I entered that marsh very quietly and made my way to the current and drain. I cast into a side drain thinking a red would be wanting to hang there. I felt a small bump, which I had been feeling all morning due to the grass, but this tug did something different. It started to move and take my line in a different direction. A few minutes later, the redfish was in my soft cooler.

About 30 minutes, I called my friends and asked them to head my way. There was plenty of bait and I began to see more reds and black drum working in this current. A few boaters were also further outside the drain and wade fishing the area. We worked the area good for about an hour. By the hour end, the tide was pulling off the flat and the water was getting pretty shallow so we headed back toward the launch.

On the way in, I left the group when I saw an interesting cove that looked like a good area for a redfish to be. As I pulled closer to that cove and marsh inlet, I spotted a red that was camped in the opening waiting for bait to exit the marsh. I spooked it. I went into the marsh, but I did not see anything.

I kayaked to my friends who were wade fishing an area. They chose a drop off next to a shallow lake. We were all throwing shrimp under a popping cork. It was later in the day, so some of the shrimp were alive and others were dead. We ended having a good time catching a few keeper black drum and a lot of undersized drum, reds, and trout and plenty of laughs. After that, we headed back to the launch. All in all over seven hours, it was a fun trip with great conditions for kayak fishing.

[theletterandrew]

Sounds like you guys had a great time!

As a new saltwater angler, I'm learning to love all the planning and "pre-game" it takes to really do well out on the water.

What area were you guys fishing in?

[Salaqua]

Theletterandrew, yes it was a good time.

We are from the Victoria area and fish in numerous places like Port O'Connor, Indianola, Rockport, etc. This particular trip was in the Rockport area.

Where do you fish?

[theletterandrew]

Theletterandrew, yes it was a good time.

We are from the Victoria area and fish in numerous places like Port O'Connor, Indianola, Rockport, etc. This particular trip was in the Rockport area.

Where do you fish?

I'm out of Baytown, so I like to fish the Trinity Bay and East Bay. Areas like Fort Anahuac Park, Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, and this spillway closer to my house.

I've never been to the areas you mentioned, but I hope I'll get to see that side of the salt sometime soon!

[lahai1dj]

Neat topic, to answer the question, "what does a day of kayak fishing look like?"

I'm new to this too, but I can say I have three different "days" of kayak fishing.

1.) The milk run-- The routine trip when I know the area well, I know the fish are there and I know how to catch the fish. I bring only the equipment that I need to catch the fish and follow a system I worked out to maximize the effectiveness of my time on the water. That is, I hit this spot, troll to that spot then drift to this other spot. When you fish with a guide they will take you on a milk run. On these days, I catch more fish than I care to eat.

2.) Pushing the envelope-- If I have some familiarity with an area I might better want to understand the terrain and opportunities there. I'll fish some of the places I know that holds fish but I might also have plans to try one or two new places, use new baits, catch a new species, or use a new technique. Typically, I will catch dinner but not much else on this type of fishing day.

3.) Blind terrain exploration-- If there is a new place I want to check out, I will load the kayak up with a bunch of equipment, bait, lunch, and go for a long paddle to check out the new area. I'll try lots of different techniques, trolling, working cuts and points, live and artificial baits, etc... I'll often come back skunked from these expeditions but sometimes I'll hit the mother lode!

With every new bit of knowledge and experience I am constantly pushing my #3s to #2s and #2s to be #1s.

[hunter.muzny]

Awesome read! Do you ever fish the Palacios area?

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[Salaqua]

@lahai1dj, that is a nice system you have there. I will definitely be keeping that mentality on the fore front of my mind. I especially like this "With every new bit of knowledge and experience I am constantly pushing my #3s to #2s and #2s to be #1s."

[Salaqua]

@hunter_muzny, I have made it to Turtle Bay but all the way to Palacios. Do you wish the Palacios area? How do you like it?

[hunter.muzny]

@hunter_muzny, I have made it to Turtle Bay but all the way to Palacios. Do you wish the Palacios area? How do you like it?

Palacios area is moderate to great fishing. I enjoy it a lot due to the friendly nature of the locals, the night fishing generally produces and oyster lake is a nice area to blow some time and catch some nice fish. Going Friday if you feel froggy. The more the better

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[YakRunabout]

I agree with Lahai that the focus of a trip varies. Some trips hit fishing harder, while others are bigger on exploration, though fishing is a big aspect in all. Commonly trips are 5-7 hours in duration and travel 5 – 6 miles. My shortest time is about 4.5 hours and longest a bit short of 11 hours. Distance range is similar – 4 miles up to 11.6 miles. I have a gps unit and so can get precise measures on time and distance.

I enjoy exploring new areas and there are a lot of interesting areas that are a few miles from a launch area. If I identify an area to explore I then wait for conditions to be right, weather, winds and tides. For a long run I prefer to ride a tide in, then back out again. Fall/Winter/Spring is a good time for long runs and many hours, summer too hot.

I include a track from an exploration of North Deer Island. This was in March and so the island was loaded with nesting birds, largely pelicans and laughing gulls, and so there was more than just fishing to entertain. This track is 8.4 miles in 6 hours 40 minutes and so a bit longer than my average but a common time out.

Whatever trip you plan, get out there and enjoy!!