Texas 'Solo' Kayaking Report
By Eric 'Oz' Ozolins
It has indeed been a tough year in the Gulf of Mexico. With virtually no multiple-day window since late last year, fishing along the Texas coast has been very frustrating. Other than kayaking in the bays and canals, fishing has just not had presented itself with an opportune time to take advantage. Last week I saw this window coming not sure if it would hold true. Forecast was looking very promising and until the day before there was little change...
I rolled down Saturday evening having to also scout out an upcoming project. I get down the beach and past big shell in the late afternoon. Driving was not too bad, in fact I never put it in 4WD, but it was extremely slow and bumpy. I was loaded to the max with an emphasis to take advantage of the weather window for kayaking, and if the shark gods would allow, put out some baits.
I finally get camp set up and the Hobie loaded and ready in case the morning forecast held up then I would head offshore chasing birds and getting into shear madness. Below is a custom popper that Kevin recently made to have me try out on the kings or other offshore predators....
I run one bait before dark and instantly gets weeded out... not sense in ruining or losing terminal so that is all I run. I get to sleep early and wake up early. Surf is rocking a bit, wind is blowing, it is cloudy and rain and thunder abound. Man this ain't good.
I tried casting a couple baits but instantly got weeded out. After a while Scott shows up (convinced it would be pristine epicness down here)... well it wasn't, it sucked. I spend the day making various leaders and different setups for kayak and beach fishing. The rest of the day was pretty much scrapped and just sat there, though happy to be on the beach again. During dinner Scott and I shoot the shit talking about aliens and UFOs and other strange phenomena... and no we weren't smoking the weed, neither varieties. I then head to sleep early yet once again with hopes of calmness in the morning.
Come sunrise I was up and happy to see it had flattened out a bit. Tide was high and weed was a plague, but didn't matter... I was heading offshore.
I head offshore while Scott stayed on the beach. Birds were everywhere. Goal was to head a mile + out and hit the birds/bait in 30'+ water. I get out there and troll my lucky sebille ugly ass orange lure and gets hammered. The fish are hungry, this is a good sign! After a few minutes I get a solid King in the yak...
I get a quick pic and then release her to make more fizz-banging toothy line biters. I continued to troll that lure around for another 15-20 minutes but the wind was picking up. I then decided to drift ribbonfish through the bonita/baitballs... instantly fish on... Another solid King, this one going about 30-35lbs... quick pic and again released.
A few minutes later another King...
Then another...
I had a rod pre-rigged for when the bonita would boil on the surface... I finally got my chance and was at the right place the right time. They would come and blast the surface for 10 seconds max, then disappear. I hit it right and hooked and landed one... Shark Gods verdict... no release for you.
By now it was 10am and the wind was howling out of the NE... swells offshore were picking up a bit and wind chop was an issue. To be cautious, I decide to head in so I can get the Hobie Pro Angler through the breakers... unlike the smaller hobbie kin, the Pro Angler is a battleship and does not take waves well.
I get back to beach as Scott heads south deciding to Trout fish since sharks were not an option. I knock out a few more leaders... attempt to keep a casted bait out (with massive failure), and watch as more and more weed make it inshore.
By sundown the full moon is already on the rise. It absolutely kills me to be down this time of year, with a full moon, with the inability to have big shark baits out. There is a plethora of man-eating monsters chomping spanish, skipjack, jacks, bonita, and whatever else gets in their way. Only thing not in their path is a shark bait. Oh well.
More massive depression...
Oh well, at least Tuesday was supposed to be the money day during this weather window. I was packed full of excitement ready to hit the yak in the morning. I get a good nights rest (while Scott headed off the beach).
Come sunrise, it was going to be on.. I can feel it! I get out in the yak as the sun came up. Surf was better than the previous day, although the wind was blowing but out of the SE this time. I get out past the 3rd bar and birds are going bonkers. There is bonita going crazy and I cast right into a pod of mayhem. I get hooked up... damn this has got to be a brute beast of a bonita... what the hell. After getting worked for 15 min on light tackle I get the fish up to the yak and it is a large Jack that hit a tiny 1-1/2' lure.
After regrouping, the birds are scattered. I see more and more appearing far offshore. I head out deeper then start trolling my ugly as orange lure. After a few minutes I hook up and get the first king of the day to the yak. I get a quick pic and release.
I troll around again and cast for a bonita and am shortly rewarded...
I troll my magic lure again... after a few minutes I get cut off... NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! mother #^@*&%!!!! I have lots of fond memories with this lure... it's caught a mess of kings and jacks... and even most impressive during last summer - the elusive Oz .
Anyhow, I switch to ribbon fish seeing how it was the hot ticket the morning before. Sure enough... irresistible.
While resetting and putting out another bait, I see in a distance my orange lure bobbing up and down. SCORE! I paddle over to it as quick as possible so a king wouldn't find it and launch after it. I get it back... victory is mine! muhahaha.
Anyhow, I get another King...
Then another... this time a solid fish 30+lbs...
I bang out and release a couple more. The Mackerel were going nuts over the ribbons... I set up for another drift when this little guy landed on me...
He just wanted to chill so thought I'd let him rest a bit.
While hopping around the kayak a bit, it thoroughly enjoyed my leg...
As much as I enjoyed his company, I think the lil bastard was bad luck... while he was camped out I lost two consecutive Kings at the kayak... I fully blame him!!
Anyhow, after his disco nap, he takes off and I get back to it... sure enough I get another king to the yak...
The business end... Chomp Chomp!
And yet another big-headed king...
I also bang out another shark bait for a later time... (freshness and bait preservation is everything )
The wind is really cranking now and I am getting battered as the seas are building. I duke it out for a little longer and nail some other fish. By 2pm I am back on the beach. With the winds blowing close to 20mph from the SE now, I decide to load up and head to the jetties... maybe, just maybe I can get a shark bait out long enough for something to take an interest in it.
I make it down there as Catchsharks, Ryan, and Leon pack up and head off after their exciting trip. Weed is still there but I take a chance and get some baits out real quick. Having some great leaders and terminal tackle via Catchsharks.com , I am ready to rock for the summer.
I rig up the fresh Jack and one of the Bonita...
Finally, shark baits out after 6 months!!
About an hour later the head section of Jack gets picked up. I set the hook... decent fish. Not a monster but while going through mega sharkfishing withdraw, I am stoked. Fish actually put up a respectable fight on the 50W. Finally get the shark to the beach... as I figured a Bull. Measured exactly 7'.
While bleeding minorly from the hookset, I didn't want to keep her out of the water too long... grabbed a couple super quick photos and quick measure and walked her out. She swam off just fine.
About 30 min later as I am frying up some hot wings (my new ultimate beach food), the short 50W with bonita goes slack. I get up on the rack and finally feel a fish... swimming towards the rocks, then drops it after a couple minutes. Not a big fish but likely a 5-6' Bull. Anyhow, get back to making dinner, meanwhile the wind is blowing 25+ from the S-SE. I planned to kayak fish the jetties in the morning but didn't happen. I got fizz-banged on the last rod.. dammit.. oh well, usually its all my damn lines I get cutoff on while near the jetties. Late during the night I get an emergency text saying I need to pull a vehicle out in the high banks before the tide took another vehicular victim. Oh well, good excuse to get out of this hurricane force B.S. and crawl in my own bed for the first time in 4 nights. Nailing 11 Kings from the yak in a day and a half of fishing was worth it and I had my fill of the beach for now until conditions vastly improve.
Two interesting notes as I was heading off the beach... one, there is NO shortage of sargassum weed coming in. The 20's and 30's had 3-4' high mounds at the waters edge piling up. As I was leaving, the beach was 100% unfishable. Other interesting note is around the 25 I saw a Badger . I had to slow down so not to run it over. Got the spotlight out and got a good look at it as it walked/skipped up the dunes. I seen them before but usually in the 40's and with a quick glimpse. This time I got a good look... maybe 20-25lbs. Anyhow, pretty cool.
Also, truck ran surprisingly good. As some may know, I had electrical issues that was fixed by replacing the starter and also getting a new battery. Also, got rid of the rear bald-ass tires and that alone made a huge improvement in the handling of the beach. I may just get another beach year out of her after all!
Anyway, wind is forecast to blow like hell for at least another week or two. There are loads of fish on the beach right now and only issue is being able to get to them. Maybe, just maybe the wind will push this hellacious weed up north and give us a break... if it does, expect some rockstar-caliber reports... both shark and kayak.
Til the wind stops blowing...
-Oz
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