Tough morning but still paid off
Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2023 9:20 am
Last Thursday I left after work to drive up to Houston. I was taking my youngest daughter to visit her older sister in Louisiana for the summer, so Friday we were up early and bound for New Orleans. We arrived at big sister's house after lunch and made the transfer while I played with my grandson for a bit. All too soon it was time to get back in the van for the long drive back to Corpus. Left NOLA at 2:00pm and arrived back home at 11:30pm worn out. I had prepped my fishing gear before leaving town, assuming I would want to fish Saturday morning and the alarm woke me at 4:30 so I crawled out and headed for familiar muddy waters. At daylight I paddled around a drain that usually pays off, but found no fish. I had hoped to go 2 miles in, catch my fish and head home for an early nap... but on I went looking for fish. I searched several lakes and drains and finally ended up 6 miles from the truck and frustrated. I had seen two redfish but they disappeared before I could close the deal. I headed back grumbling under my breath and hungry, but still watching the shorelines. I finally spotted a fish along a grass shoreline ahead and put the bait out in front of him. He smashed it and the first red came aboard.
As I finished paddling another section of shoreline that is usually productive (without seeing a fish), I worked around a corner and planned to take a shortcut back to the truck to end the trip. To my surprise, a bull red was cruising calmly just ahead in five inches of water. The long section of back sticking above the surface cheered me up and I made a cast just ahead of the fish. A slow crawl of the lure resulted in a foamy smash, but in my haste I yanked the hook out of his mouth …well crap! I looked back toward the shoreline to see if there were any more fish, and after a few seconds I spotted another even larger red coming my way. I waited until it was close enough for an easy cast and placed the lure out front in the strike zone. This time I let the fish eat before setting the hook and the drag started coming off in long peels. Nine times the fish ran across the channel and I brought it back. Finally I pulled the fish up into the kayak, and it was a good one. Thirty five inches of redfish is unusual in the shallows, and especially to find one cruising in five inches of water.
I got a few photos and backed up into slightly deeper water to revive the tired fish. After release I resumed the slog back to the truck, sipping the last of my water. As I got near the last spot to dependably find fish, I spotted two more reds cruising a shoreline ahead. I pulled into position for the first and gently tossed the craw jig ahead of the fish. The eat was fast and violent, and the second keeper went on ice.
I looked for the other fish but it had spooked while I was playing the hooked one. Oh well, I headed home with two on ice and a solid tank released. When I got home and all the gear was clean, my son came out and asked it I'd like to go look for ribbonfish. He hardly ever asks to fish, so I shrugged and said "sure, let's do it". We put the Stealth away and put the two Reloads on the trailer, prepped the gear and headed back out. The ribbons weren't where we hoped to find them but it was fun to spend time on the water and have some good conversation with my boy. I was a tired puppy that night.
As I finished paddling another section of shoreline that is usually productive (without seeing a fish), I worked around a corner and planned to take a shortcut back to the truck to end the trip. To my surprise, a bull red was cruising calmly just ahead in five inches of water. The long section of back sticking above the surface cheered me up and I made a cast just ahead of the fish. A slow crawl of the lure resulted in a foamy smash, but in my haste I yanked the hook out of his mouth …well crap! I looked back toward the shoreline to see if there were any more fish, and after a few seconds I spotted another even larger red coming my way. I waited until it was close enough for an easy cast and placed the lure out front in the strike zone. This time I let the fish eat before setting the hook and the drag started coming off in long peels. Nine times the fish ran across the channel and I brought it back. Finally I pulled the fish up into the kayak, and it was a good one. Thirty five inches of redfish is unusual in the shallows, and especially to find one cruising in five inches of water.
I got a few photos and backed up into slightly deeper water to revive the tired fish. After release I resumed the slog back to the truck, sipping the last of my water. As I got near the last spot to dependably find fish, I spotted two more reds cruising a shoreline ahead. I pulled into position for the first and gently tossed the craw jig ahead of the fish. The eat was fast and violent, and the second keeper went on ice.
I looked for the other fish but it had spooked while I was playing the hooked one. Oh well, I headed home with two on ice and a solid tank released. When I got home and all the gear was clean, my son came out and asked it I'd like to go look for ribbonfish. He hardly ever asks to fish, so I shrugged and said "sure, let's do it". We put the Stealth away and put the two Reloads on the trailer, prepped the gear and headed back out. The ribbons weren't where we hoped to find them but it was fun to spend time on the water and have some good conversation with my boy. I was a tired puppy that night.