New Kayaks, Fishing St Charles Bay 2017

We left our kayaks in Star Valley and missed them terribly while in Florida. It was the first year that we didn’t float the cypress trails in Pinellas Park or the Crystal Springs of Crystal River. Arriving in Texas, we decided that we simply needed to get on the water, and after a brief search found two inexpensive Pelican brand kayaks.

Of course the wind blew like crazy, and so we didn’t have a chance to test them until a week later. Then the winds abated, slightly, and so we launched them at Big Tree in St Charles Bay. Quickly we discovered that the yaks were fast and turned on a dime. Being shorter made them crab a little, but not too bad.

Shortly after launching the yaks the wind picked up so we paddled into a hidden cove for lunch. It’s a place where we have caught quite a few fish but they just weren’t there. Still we were treated to the sight of a whooping crane flying low overhead.

After lunch, we left the cove and discovered that the wind had picked up! The yaks stayed dry but we paddled back to the truck deciding we needed to find a quieter spot. Driving to a new kayak launch near the airport road, we launched the boats and fished a set of partially submerged piers.

Renita, of course had a redfish take her bait and she fought it in like the pro she is. I netted her fish and after measuring it released it as it was under the slot limit. Still it was the first fish in our new boats. I paddled to another spot but the fish just wouldn’t take my bait. Two other kayaks launched and we watched them catch two nice speckled trout.

We never did catch any more fish that day but at least we had found a new spot where others were catching keepers. It was another four days before the wind quieted and so we headed back to St Charles Bay.

There were other spots that have produced fish, for us, and so after a long paddle we anchored and cast out live shrimp. Time passed and the poles didn’t move. We watched a great blue heron fishing across the bay and of course the bird caught a nice trout.

The trout was nice and we didn’t think the great blue could swallow it. The bird then took the fish to shore and let it flop around till it stilled. Carrying it back to the water it dunked it several times before taking it back ashore. Other herons moved in and so the blue took the fish in it’s beak, positioned it just right, and swallowed the large trout!

It never moved while we were there, but we did as we couldn’t catch anything. The wind had picked up and so we had a long hard paddle fighting head winds and whitecaps. The waves splashed over the sides of our new yaks and we both got a little wet.

We did try to fish two more spots but it was just too much trouble and so we called it a day. Exhibiting grace, I stepped out of my kayak and wading through some slippery mud and fell in the water. Talk about adding insult to my fishing and paddling skills! 

Another yaker arrived and he told us that it has been a late afternoon and early evening bite. Still it had been a good day on the water and while the fish hadn’t cooperated the great blue heron provided us with some fun entertainment. Oh, and we are getting tired of cornbread. Clear skies