1-22-2010 east matagorda

[plugger]

Finally got my old, good friend KEY LIME KAYAKER , FRED, to go wade fish with me - he's a staunch kayak only guy in his golden years. We launched at Charlie's bait camp on Caney Creek about 8 AM, still foggy, but a little better visibility than earlier and stopped at Live Oak Cove. Bait was at every stop we made, and fish seemed to be present by the kind of bait activity and swirls but a bite was impossible to get. Wind was SE , ESE, calm in the morning , maxing out to 15 MPH at times in the afternoon, sunny early, then partly cloudy, boat read 62 degrees, north shore had decent clarity in the morning, brown in the afternoon, south shore was green to one foot visibility in most places. We got a few bumps at LIVE OAK COVE, I got 4 short strikes working a plastic fast in desperation after throwing every other bait slow and fast. Slowed the AP Special down on a 1/8 OZ jig head and nothing.

[plugger]

Continued-end

Went to the south shoreline, fished 2 places , saw a number of boaters and waders and didn't see any hookups that we could observe. We fished a cove , Fred fished one point point and got a solid strike , but no hook up on a catch 2,000. I slogged into the back of the cove which had an outfall from another cove with bait popping and water moving out , but nothing. I went up the side of the cove to the point on my side pictured below with the water moving across the point and fishy looking indeed, but not a hit. Finally left and fished the end of the day at the Bird refuge just south of Live Oak Cove without result. Made it back at dark. Charlie of Charlie's bait camp came out of his house and asked if he could turn on the lights so we could clean our fish. Ha- told him the sad results and he told me a canal home resident had come by to buy ice as they were catching trout on their canal home -AAHHH !. I asked if we could come over to their place ! LOL. I still had a great time , but I think Fred just got reinforced about fishing kayaks only. Fred is an excellant fisherman. We were either not in the right places or they just weren't in the feeding mode. Or, maybe he's a Jonah and I won't take him anymore !! LOL Thanks for fishing with me Fred. Sorry it was a bad day.

[imhammer]

Way to get out there and give it a shot!

[michelle]

some days it just happens! better luck next time.
michelle

[shallowist]

Henry,

Great report as always. Winter fishing can be very confusing and sometimes just requires a ton of patience. Often the fish are looking for a very particular meal moving a one range and depth. Some of my favorite winter haunts won't produce for anyone who can't put the lure within a very small strike zone, but produce monsters for those who get it right. One other thought on a tough bite day is to tie on a top water and go through every retrieve you can think of from whackin the crap out of it to working it so slow that you think you will fall asleep.

Don't feel bad, you are learning the navigation down there and some great spots. You will get the timing right and knock down a wall hanger before long. It took me years to break 8 pounds, and I was stuck there at 8.5 for the longest time. It took me fully 13 years between my first over 8 to break the 9 pound mark. It does happen, just takes a lot of effort and patience, and luck never hurts.

[reeltime]

As always plugger a great report........some days slim-pick'in rears his ugly head.......

[plugger]

Henry,

Great report as always. Winter fishing can be very confusing and sometimes just requires a ton of patience. Often the fish are looking for a very particular meal moving a one range and depth. Some of my favorite winter haunts won't produce for anyone who can't put the lure within a very small strike zone, but produce monsters for those who get it right. One other thought on a tough bite day is to tie on a top water and go through every retrieve you can think of from whackin the crap out of it to working it so slow that you think you will fall asleep.

Don't feel bad, you are learning the navigation down there and some great spots. You will get the timing right and knock down a wall hanger before long. It took me years to break 8 pounds, and I was stuck there at 8.5 for the longest time. It took me fully 13 years between my first over 8 to break the 9 pound mark. It does happen, just takes a lot of effort and patience, and luck never hurts.

Good advice and thanks for the encouragement. I did throw a bunch of different lures and colors and speeds. But, I think I could have taken it a step farther and worked on all of the above in more detail. REELTIME, I thought SLIM PICKEN'S was dead.