Best day of redfishing since '87.

[coachlaw]

I am absolutely exhausted and happy, happy, happy. I've spent too long trying to catch fish in Texas and it really had me down that I'm not the fisherman I thought I was. Behold, I've still got it. Today I boated over 100 redfish. Of course I only kept 5. My arms are sore as heck. I went out of Empire to Bayou Cook today. I got in the trout as soon as I was in the bayou, kept the first one at 13 inches. Now before I get heck for that, this was my first cast in Bayou Cook in over a year and a half. You can't throw back a fish from your first cast. That would just be wrong. The slimers showed up soon, so I went looking for my favorite spot, and redfish. Alas, the spot was gone.

Y'all know what, I'm just too tired to write this. I'll get back to it after a nap.

[ubermensch1324]

Sounds awesome grats on the catches law!

[corndog]

Dont ever let all the WEA crew get to LA they may wipe that place out!!! JK nice report. My buddy just came back 54 reds in 80 minutes. I was told it was every cast just outside the mouth of the Miss. They were out of Venice. I need to go see lurefisher!!!

[nokatchin]

Nice job,Congrats

[Wild Bill]

WTG Coach! Know how u feel... the wind and the reds hammered us on Monday.

[Miles]

Yeah the wind hasn't slowed them down a bit. Been catching solid slots for about a week and a half. Every morning before work, and every evening after work. Afew trout mixed in.

[coachlaw]

Ok, after working around my parent's house all day, I'm not necessarily well rested, but here goes.

I awoke at 4:30 yesterday morning and got things loaded up. My uncle Carter drove in from Pass Christian, MS. to join me and as soon as he arrived at 5am, we headed South. In Belle Chasse, we stopped for Po-Boys and some dead scrimps at Captain Larry's, then got to the Delta Marina at Empire at 7am. I looked at the weather and things looked pretty bleak out toward Bayou Cook. I decided I should check the radar. I booted up the laptop and checked it, and things just looked terrible, but it looked like it might clear in a couple of hours. We launched the boat and camped out under the awning at a picnic table waiting for a clearing. Lucky we got a seat because pretty soon we were joined by a large crowd of people who were waiting it out like us. Met a lot of nice folks and we went over maps together, trading favorite spots. Carter took a nap in his car as the rain, which was surrounding us finally hit.

at 9am, I checked the radar again and things were moving so slowly, I told Carter it would be probably 2-3 hours before we could get out. Lightning was all around and neither of us are idiots. Carter decided he'd rather just drive home than wait that long to get out. For me there was no question. I knew I'd wait until sunset before I left. With a storm in the Gulf, I knew this might be my only shot at making it out there this Summer, and it had been over a year and a half since I had been out there. There was no way I would be denied. Around 11am, we all agreed that we hadn't heard any thunder in a while, so people began to head out. It was still coming down pretty good, without a top on the boat, as the others had, I knew I'd get soaked. So I fiddle farted around, making sure I had everything I needed. I packed everything in some plastic garbage bags I had thought to bring and jumped in the boat.

I fired up the TexaCajun and puttered through the no wake zone. Rain was soaking me pretty good, so I opened an umbrella. I knew I couldn't go fast with it up, but with no rain gear, I knew I'd be miserable all day if I got soaked. So I puttered across Bay Adams. I noticed pretty fast that things had changed a lot in a year and a half. Marsh that used to be there was gone everywhere I looked. I could only figure out where I was based on the pilings from long blown away camps. As soon as I entered Bayou Cook, a saw scrimps jumping all around me, so I cut the motor and threw out a tandem sparkle beetle under a cork. I caught a 13 inch trout right away. I'm not much for keeping tiny trout, but this was my first keeper fish from the Bayou in over a year and a half. And on my first cast. I reckoned throwing it back would anger the gods, so it went in the box. I caught a few more of similar size, then the big gafftops invaded. I knew there were lots of trout still around, but I didn't want to waste my time with them when I could be fishing for reds.

I fired her up again and head down the Bayou. Oyster boats working everywhere, some in places that only 2 years ago had been dry land. With the conditions as they were, I knew the perfect spot for redfish, so I headed right there. But when I arrived at where it had been for the last 30 years, I found that it was no more. I ran right over where it had been and found that it was 2 feet deep where there had been dry land. I figured I needed to find a spot just like it, and I did. Pulling up to a fine looking spot, I spied several reds tailing along the marsh. I cut the motor and drifted within casting range and spudded in with the Stake Out Stik. I took my time rigging everything up right and made a perfect first cast. Shad rig under a cork with dead shrimp against the marsh is just the perfect redfish rig. I'd say throughout my life I've caught over 90% of my fish on this setup.

Well, my cast was apparently a perfect one, and reds were all around. I popped the cork once and it was on. I caugh one or 2 fish every single cast for over 4 hours. The largest topped 40 inches with also a 36 and several 28-29s mixed in. It got to where I was tired of catching the big ones because I was wasting time fighting them when I could have been reeling in a more desirable keeper. The small ones were in there thick too. I caught dozens of doubles in the 8-14 inch range. Oddly what I was looking for though, keepers from 16-18 inches were far and few between. The action was so constant I didn't even notice that the rain had stopped. I didn't even have time to drink a beer or water, or have any of my po-boy. I threw my 5th keeper into the box at 1pm and made myself take a break. How could all these fish be in this one little spot? I chugged a water, opened a beer, and tore into my po-boy as Flipper showed up.

This young dolphin was a trip to watch. He was SMASHING the edge of the marsh just on the other side of a bank from me. I took a video of it, but since all the action was on the other side, you can't see much of his acrobatics until he comes around the corner. I was afraid he'd come into my little cove and mess me up, but he saw me and seemed to say, "Oh, excuse me, I didn't know anyone was here. I'll leave this spot to you." He calmly swam wide of the boat and commenced to crash the edge of the marsh on the other side of the bank behind me. I had thought about moving around that way, but knew he had made that move a fool's errand. Besides, things had not let up here, so why move? I continued to catch reds until I was out of bait. I had purchased 2 pounds of shrimp and had caught a red on every single cast. I reckoned I had caught well over 100 fish and I realized just how tired I was.

I took a boat ride over to the old camp, took some pics and videos, and for the first time since 1997, I touched one of the old pilings. Before I knew it, I was overcome with emotions. I was bawling and I couldn't stop. A part of me said this was ridiculous and I needed to quit crying like a baby, but another part of me told me that I needed this and to just let it all out. I sat there for over 30 minutes going over memories, and crying the whole time, like a little boy who's puppy just died. It was cathartic. As bad as it hurt, it felt good to let it all out. I went back to my first memories of the place when I was 3 years old, the few memories I had of my grandfather were all there. I forwarded through all the best times of my life I had there all the way to the fateful day that it all ended in a hurricane in 1997. This was the most precious place I had ever known, and it was gone except in my memories. The marsh was gone, even she shell pile it rested upon was under 2 feet of water now.

After gathering myself back together, I thought I should take a cast into the pilings and see what happened. I found a couple shrimp heads on the floor and did so. I was immediately rewarded with a double hardhead. I could hear the old camp giggling at me. The place did have a sense of humor. Looking into the distance I decided to do some exploring for a future trip. More places were gone, but some new ones looked good. I tossed some arties and caught about 2 dozen more reds. Several were keepers to my liking, but I had my limit, so I reckoned it was best to go try for some trout.

I headed into Bay Bastian and fished my favorite oyster reef for about 20 minutes without a single bite. This spot had been a constant producer throughout my entire life. I thought it odd that I couldn't buy a hit. With storms looming, I reckoned I'd head back up the bayou toward home just in case they hit. Just back into the bayou, I called Dad with a full report and told him how much I wished he was there. Just as I hung up with him I saw birds hitting about 200 yards away, so I headed into them. I caught about 20 trout and as many slimers, but nothing larger than 13 inches. Finally, hearing thunder approaching in the distance and with Flipper invading my fishing grounds, I regrettably decided it was time to leave. I said goodbye to the old camp, and the Bayou and headed in, stopping to play with the dolphins and let them jump in my wake.

Dad's boat faithfully took me back to the Delta Marina and I cleaned my fish there. I loaded up and headed home, hopeful that this would not be the end of my times on Bayou Cook this Summer.


A note on my dad. He couldn't come with me because he's been battling bronchitis. I had planned for us to go spend the weekend at a friend's camp in Grand Bayou, but he's not up to it. I may go alone, but one thing is for certain, fishing Bayou Cook isn't the same without Dad.

[coachlaw]

Pics

Some pics from the day

A 29 incher

Uncle Carter acting silly in front of the TexaCajun just before the rain

The killer rig in the perfect redfish spot

The Old Camp

[Curmudgeon]

Great, Sandy! It's wonderful to go home and have so much fun! I hope the rest of your trip is even better!

[Oleander Kayaker]

Thanks for sharing, with this great write up!

[2112]

You had your fun now come home.
LOL, how did that sledge hammer head get from your truck bed into the bottom of the boat next to that Red. Is that how you dispatch them?

[coachlaw]

LOL! That hammer head is the most useful tool I now own. I had to use it with a pair of pliers to open the gas tank up. Hadn't messed with the boat much in a year and a half and the darn thing was rusted shut.

[Curmudgeon]

You had your fun now come home.
LOL, how did that sledge hammer head get from your truck bed into the bottom of the boat next to that Red. Is that how you dispatch them?

Thanks for asking, Bert! I was afraid I was missing something!

[finfisher]

Way to go Sandy!
Great report

[small bites]

Nice, really nice. And great story. Thanks for sharing. You got a burr under my saddle to try fishing that way.

sb:>