10-3-2009 ,Sat., Diversionary Canal Marsh

[plugger]

Weather was crummy, NE 10-14 in the morning, E 8-14 in the afternoon. Overcast and threat of rain. Lying weatherman said it would be NE 5-8 in the morning and ESE 10-14 in the afternoon with local storms. Actually, the afternoon had times where the wind laid down. Water was off color, 2 " visibility. Put in my kayak 7:30 AM thinking what with these high water levels of the fall bull tides and more protection from the wind, that the deep marsh might be the place to be. There was a " BIG 3 " fishing tournament at Harborwalk, so there might have been a few more boats out than normally. Wasn't really crowded, though. I worked the shallow areas and marsh line with a GULP chartreuse curly tail, 1/4 OZ jig head for flounder and reds. Threw a black super spook Jr., pink Top Dog Jr. in the little deeper areas and a Johnson 1/4 oz. gold , silver spoons, and a shallow running crank bait in the deeper cuts for flash and vibration in the zero visibility water. Fished my way from Flamingo Drive to the marsh side and into the winding canal that empties into the mouth of the Diversionary Canal and back . Strong outing tide until mid-afternoon and strong in-coming after that. Picked up a 15 " flounder with the GULP on a shallow outer bend of a wide channel and lost a couple in the mid-morning. Mid-afternoon, waay back in a shallow marsh complex with the tide coming in , I saw a flounder hurl itself out of the water feeding. It was a area with several guts feeding into it with bait and I knew flounder were there and worked it over thoroughly without a strike. I guess the water was too off color. I thought for sure I would hook up. Periodically, I could hear reds crashing bait during the day way back in the marsh grass. On the way back, late afternoon, same bend I got the flounder, with incoming tide picking up, light rain ,I was chunking a white belly, chartruese back Corky up current and twitching it on the outer bend in about 3-5 feet of water when I landed a 21 " spec. Missed another one soon after that. As I was loading up my gear around 7 PM, a Hitchcock cruiser with lights on raced to the bridge over the Diversionary Canal, got out, and was looking down . Soon a fire truck, then a rescue vehicle trailering a skiff arrived. After about 20 minutes they left. Don't know what that was all about. Hope no one was hurt.

[007]

Good report Doc. I'm surprised that I didn't see you in there...I was in there between 4-5:30.

[plugger]

Well, I have a yellow kayak for future reference. Rugged good looks, sinuous, rippling muscles and trailing a stringer of fish. OK, I only have a yellow kayak. Coming home on 45, about 7:45 PM, I saw a vehicle and aluminum boat with a flat tire on the side of the road- that wasn't you was it ?

[007]

Well, I have a yellow kayak for future reference. Rugged good looks, sinuous, rippling muscles and trailing a stringer of fish. OK, I only have a yellow kayak. Coming home on 45, about 7:45 PM, I saw a vehicle and aluminum boat with a flat tire on the side of the road- that wasn't you was it ?

It's not aluminum and it was before dark about a mile before the 2351 exit. Did it look like this?

.

[plugger]

Nah, it was aluminum. I'd feel bad if I wailed past you without helping.

[Ibtsoom]

I was in the same area at about 330 or so in the afternoon. Took my son out for a while between rain squals. He picked up a few small trout on the same GULP chartreuse curly tail. I was throwing new penny shrimp with no luck. Rain ran us out after about an hour. Not sure what the ruckus was on the bridge -- I'll ask a few of my cop friends here in Hitchcock and see if I can figure it out.

[007]

I was in the same area at about 330 or so in the afternoon. Took my son out for a while between rain squals. He picked up a few small trout on the same GULP chartreuse curly tail. I was throwing new penny shrimp with no luck. Rain ran us out after about an hour. Not sure what the ruckus was on the bridge -- I'll ask a few of my cop friends here in Hitchcock and see if I can figure it out.

If you were in that Southshore that's in your avatar, you and your son idled right past me sitting in the intersection.

[Nwilkins]

Well, I have a yellow kayak for future reference. Rugged good looks, sinuous, rippling muscles and trailing a stringer of fish. OK, I only have a yellow kayak. Coming home on 45, about 7:45 PM, I saw a vehicle and aluminum boat with a flat tire on the side of the road- that wasn't you was it ?

Green for your quote, made me laugh Doc

[Ibtsoom]

Your the one that showed up right as it was starting to rain right? Thought I recognized the boat. Rained on me all the way back to the house... ( I live on the diversionary -- one bridge up from the ramp) as soon as I pulled the boat out of the water it stopped raining. Should have stuck it out I guess.

[007]

Your the one that showed up right as it was starting to rain right? Thought I recognized the boat. Rained on me all the way back to the house... ( I live on the diversionary -- one bridge up from the ramp) as soon as I pulled the boat out of the water it stopped raining. Should have stuck it out I guess.

Yep! When the rain stopped....the fish quit biting.

[Ibtsoom]

Guess I made a good call -- think Plugger caught em all before we got there!!

[007]

Guess I made a good call -- think Plugger caught em all before we got there!!

BTW.......Nice ride!

[Ibtsoom]

BTW.......Nice ride!

You to!!!

[sublimesurf74]

Thanks for the report. It was a tough day for sure.

[plugger]

Pictures

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