As I arrived at the drain I intended to start with, I could see a group of fish on the other side working bait against the shore. Backs and tails indicated more oversized fish, but I wasn't about to complain. Another cast gave me a fish I hoped was legal. The measuring board showed it was just over 29" so it also went back. For the next hour I released two more bulls and broke off two more. Evidently there are a few clumps of oyster shell in that drain, and the fish knew where to find them. Since the mission was to collect dinner, I left the hot bite and searched other drains while the feeding period was still going strong. Two drains over I found what I had been looking for, and I put two upper slot fish in the cooler as I worked up the little canal. This drain passed through a lake as it continues up farther, and the lake was mostly mud with just a small area of water. I know from experience this can be a good thing, and sure enough I spotted several fish feeding in the shallows. As I pushed through the mud towards one target, another back broke the surface within 20 feet of the kayak, and I wasn't going to let that offer go unchallenged. I pitched ahead of the fish and as it approached, I dragged the bait slowly in front of its face. For some reason the fish ignored the lure, but a second red that had been hiding beside it slammed the bait ...so we danced. This one looked legal when I got it into the net, but I put it on the measuring board before adding it to the bag and it reminded me why measuring boards are so important. The fish was about a millimeter short of 28". I measured again - and sure enough, there was just a hair of white ruler showing below the 28" mark. This fish went into the bag to complete the limit and I turned the boat back towards the bay.
On the way out I found a couple of fish that were spooky - I had probably spooked them as I worked into the drain earlier. As I passed a branch where another drain intersected the one I was fishing, I spotted a small school ahead that were working their way towards the bay. Shrimp and baby shad were jumping clear of the surface trying to avoid the mayhem with limited success, and the commotion helped to cover up my approach. By paddling quietly I got within easy range and the bait landed ahead of them. One hungry red inhaled the bait and fish number eight came to the kayak, a healthy 24" red. This one was released and I stowed the rods away.
By the time I got back to the open bay the tide had fallen quite a bit. The long route would mean an extra six miles of paddling but it still beat swimming the kayak through the deep stinky mud to get back through the "short cut" so I paddled off across the bay and up the river to get back to the truck. Winds had picked up and didn't make things easy, but sometimes that's the price of admission for a magical fishing spot. By noon I was back at the launch having paddled 13 miles, and a shower and lunch couldn't come soon enough.
