Gulf Shores Trip

[hoglaw]

Just got back from a week in Gulf Shores. We did a snapper trip last Monday in Florida waters that was a bust. Did some inshore stuff with a guide on Friday and wound up fishing the Dixie Bar on the outgoing tide. If you haven't done that one before, it's a blast. Basically a huge sandbar that forms near the mouth of Mobile Bay, and on an outgoing tide lots of big fish pile up on it to pick up whatever is getting sucked out into the gulf. Bull reds are the main target. It was a slow day but we got 4 bull reds ~20lbs. Three of them came on the same drift about ten seconds apart which made for a fun fire drill.

During the fireworks display on the beach a guy who had been fishing all week for sharks got lit up by a big one that he broke off about 20 yards short of spooling his 400 yards of 30lb. It picked up his lady fish about 100 yards from the beach. That was pretty cool. It never even slowed down.

But the more interesting stuff to me is the kayak fishing available down there. I'd never been in a 'yak until this weekend. We just rented some cheapos from one of the outfits down there. But in the Fort Morgan area, there are miles and miles of cuts and canals that hold lots of flounder, redfish, and trout (and the occasional irritating sting ray or gator). Next year I'm going back with my own 'yak.

Speaking of which, anyone know where I can get my hands on a couple of used Coosa's? Or better yet, a Coosa and a Big Rig? They'll be in the fleet by next summer.

[Flysmallie]

It's a beautiful life down there. We spend a week down there every summer, just got back on the 28th. The past couple of years I've just stuck to what I could catch on flies and lures from the beach. Haven't been disappointed. We stay out close to Fort Morgan and I have the same thoughts about the bay that you do. I hope to be carrying a yak down there next year myself.

[Ham]

How can it be that Hoglaw hasn't had a yak to this point? Unfathomable to me. Shocking. Seriously.

[hoglaw]

I've always had canoes. I like to stand up and fish. Wasn't until recently that I learned you could do it in a 'yak.

Flysmallie, you've got to do it. I don't have the first clue about inshore fishing but we still got bit and had lots of fun. Got broke off by a really nice red within sight of fort morgan road in less than a foot of water.

[Flysmallie]

I've always had canoes. I like to stand up and fish. Wasn't until recently that I learned you could do it in a 'yak.

Flysmallie, you've got to do it. I don't have the first clue about inshore fishing but we still got bit and had lots of fun. Got broke off by a really nice red within sight of fort morgan road in less than a foot of water.

I'll have to give it a shot next year. I've thought about just wading around over in there, seen many doing that. But was always a little leery about what I would run into. But this year in the surf I had a 4 to 5 ft blacktip shark get within a few feet of me. It scared him just as bad as it scared me but he didn't have to change his shorts afterwards.

[hoglaw]

I had a close shark encounter in the surf last year right where the little lagoon dumps into the gulf. I don't know what species it was. He was big and moving really fast - swam right by my wife and I. That was the end of my surf fishing time. Sure, they're highly unlikely to do anything bad to you, but being within arms reach of one that could take my leg off is not my idea of fun. That little lagoon pass is a great spot to surf fish, but lots of big toothy ones there.

I wouldn't want to wade the backwaters. We could have done it on our three rivers trip as I don't think we ever got into more than two or three feet of water. But there are so many sting rays and gators back there that it would really give me the willies. You definitely wouldn't want to do it without heavy boots on and maybe even snake chaps. A sting ray to the foot or calf would be an automatic emergency room trip. I caught one good sized sting ray back there. Once I saw what it was, I brought him just high enough to cut the line with a knife below my popping cork. No way was he coming on the kayak. As best I can tell, the best kayak strategy for the redfish is to run and gun. I don't think they're hard to make bite. You just have to find them. Covering water is the only way I got mine hooked up on our second day. Once I saw his wake, I threw a dead shrimp in his general vicinity and he ate it immediately. Then he ran under my kayak and broke me off. It was cool for a second.

Ham, I'm for sure in the kayak market now. Only problem is I'll have to get one for my wife too. I really like the Coosas and want a big rig for myself, but I'm not ready to shell out over $3000 for them.

[Flysmallie]

The surf was covered with sting rays this year. But as long as you drag your feet and make some noise they will stay well out of your way. Have no desire to catch anymore than I have. Once was enough.

The shark I got so close to this year was headed right for me. I don't think he even knew I was around. But as soon as he saw me he turned completely around and was gone. I saw another that I actually tried to video that was just cruising down the beach just passed the swimmers. Every time I took a step that would put me closer to his path he would make an adjustment to stay out further. And I finally lost track of it when I had to turn around and explain to a couple of ladies why it's a bad idea to be running down the beach screaming shark like they are in a Jaws movie.

[Plastic_worm]

Reds aren't hard to make bite...they're feeding machines. Once you locate one all you really need to do is put the bait in front of it. And if you don't want to deal with hardheads, gafftops, and rays leave the shrimp at home. A 1/4 oz gold spoon, fluke, or spinner bait will catch all the reds you want w/o hooking those unwanted species. And if you're in a kayak being able to stand and sight fish the reds is very productive...you're more likely to spook reds blind casting than making an accurate cast to a feeding red. Catching big reds in a yak is crazy fun. I love it so much I make the 6 hr drive to Grand Isle, LA almost monthly.

[hoglaw]

That's great stuff worm. Just isn't know anything about it. All I did was blind cast to grass. But the one that broke me off, I saw his wake moving around. Next trip I'll have a cuda or a big rig of my own and can cover some more water. That was hard to do in a rented yak that was so uncomfortable that I had to ratchet strap a cooler behind me just to have a back rest. My back is too messed up for that. Can't help but think with a good set up I could see better and stay on the water longer. I wondered about spinnerbaits. Will trout hit them too?

[Ham]

They might, but I never caught a Speck on a SB. flounder eat them though.