| Sea Rim Offshore Kayaking Report
Upper Coast,
TX
August 20th-21st, 2005
Report by TJ 'Jolly Roger' |
Sea Rim 08-20-05
Met Surfski at the Spotsmans in Sabine Pass. Picked up a few
last minute items and headed out. Got to the beach to find a little thunder
storm right over our heads. Waited it out, caught some bait and got ready
to go. The wave forecast was a little off. It had called for 1-2' but the
conditions were mostly 2.5 -3' with a true 4' in the mix. But that was not
going to stop us. So away we went. We could not have timed it better.
A shrimp boat was coming our way, but was a long ways off when
we started. So I did not give it much thought. But the closer we got to the
rig, the closer the boat got to us. It turned toward us, so we gave chase.
Got behind him about half way out to the rig. Not much surface action, except
for alot of dolphins. They were having fun throwing fish up in the air, teaching
the little ones how to hunt. We dropped baits in his slick. It did not take
long and I was hooked up, but broke off fast. As I was getting set back up,
heard Surfski's clicker start to hum. FISH ON, it did a little dance on the
water for us, then just burned drag trying to get free. After a good battle,
Surfski gets it up to the kayak for a pic.
Notice the angle of the shark. This is a mid-air shot right
before it jumps over Surfski's kayak. Got to love that!
Surfski with the first Blacktip of the day.
After the release we start to make our way back to the rig.
I was starting to see lots of triple tail around. The large waves made it
possible to see them out in front of my kayak. So I rigged some dead shrimp
on a weightless hook. Sure enough a few strokes later we could see some in
front of us. Stopped and made a few casts at them. I hooked up with my first
triple tail, not big, but we will ge to that later.
Jolly Roger with a Tripletail
We through topwater baits at the triple ail, but most were small
and did not want to hit. So onward to the rig we went. Man-yak caught up
with us right before we got to the rig. As we paddled up to it I noticed
lots of spade fish around and some surface action in the shade. Made my way
around the corner, and almost got a gold spoon in the head. The guys working
on the rig were fishing from a catwalk above the shade. I did not see them
until I turned the corner, we said our hellos. They informed me that the
spec bite was good about an hour before we got there. Sandtrout were still
hitting good. They both were reeling up a sandtrout as they said this, so
I believed them.
We drifted for a few minutes. I decided to tie off, saw a good
shaded area to get into. Tied off and waited. I was playing with the spade
fish with fresh dead when I got hit, hard and fast. Somehow The line went
slack just as I put my trout rod in the holder. The line went around the
handed, as the fish took back off. I wish this was on video. The trout rod
shot up out of the holder like a rocket. I turned just in time to catch it
like it had been planned. For the second time I put the trout rod back in
the holder, but made sure it was going to stay. Got the rod with the fish,
as luck would have it he had went away from the rig. Got tight and could
hear a good air show going on behind me, but I never got a good look. This
little fish fought hard, he pulled me a long ways from the rig. Also got
in two good tail slaps on my hand and arm. This is a full contact sport,
and at this point the shark was making all the contact.
Jolly Roger with a blacktip, and I must say he did a good job of whooping
my butt.
We get back to the rig and all of us get tied up. Man-yak getting
a few gafftops, but nothing worth staying for.
Man-yak hooked up...
Was not much going on at the rig so we decide to drift some.
Not long into the drift We start getting hit good. Me being the smart person
I am, I put a ribbon fish on my trout rod. Well, you should know how this
went. I saw the fish hit the bait. Watch my line hum in front of the kayak.
Then watched all the line go away. I stuck my thumb on the spool knot. This
did not stop him, but just made the kayak go faster. Finally one of the trebles
straighten out. The king was not that big, but man they are strong and fast.
As I try to stop laughing about the king fish, I hear Surfski's
clicker going off again. FISH ON, jumps some for us then just starts to pull
him right with the wind. Funny watching him fight a fish in that kayak-surfboard.
Most of the time it looks as if he is just sitting on the water. Its gets
even better when he is being pulled around by a big fish. I give chase as
we cover alot of water. Gets the fish wore out and up to the kayak, but maybe
a little to soon. It gets mad and gives Surfski a good tail slap in the shoulder.
At this point I am wondering who is hurting who the most, think the sharks
have the upper hand.
Surfski with a Blacktip
With all that fun over with we start back to drifting. I start
getting hit often. Lot of pick up and drops. Surfski also starts to get the
same hits. A few minutes later he is hooked up again. This time the fish
does not put up as good of a fight, but holds down good. Hard to get off
the bottom.
Surfski with a Bull Shark
We keep on drifting, with alot of missed runs. The wind was
hard out of the southwest. By now we had drifted about a mile west. I was
getting ready to reel in and catch the others. When I got hit, and hit hard.
The fish started in front of the kayak but went slack fast. He was headed
right toward me. I watched my line as it went under my kayak. I grabbed the
paddled and turned in the direction he was going. After getting pointed in
the right direction I hit him, and hit him hard. Almost lost my rod on this
one. I was expecting him to come up and jump, or turn when the hook set.
But instead he just pulled back harded then I did. With violent head shakes.
Then would take off, so fast that I could feel the side plates getting hot.
He did this about ten times. Some runs lasting a long time. To the point
my reel was getting bad hot. Well sure enough before I could get a look at
him, my drags were burnt, could no longer tighten them down, they just slipped.
So my thumb was stuck on the spool. Lucky for me he had played out, almost.
Finally got him up to the kayak, what a big fish. He took off again, thumbs
already burning, but had to stop him. This happened a few times, along with
the vionlent head shakes. Until he just gave up, what a fight.
Jolly Roger with a Bull Shark, a very mean one.
After the release and pics. We decided it was time to paddle
back in. I was pumped after the big bull shark and did not think about the
fact that I did not rest before heading toward the truck. It hit me about
half way that I was tired. So I slowed my paddle down to just enough to keep
me pointed in the general direction of the trucks. Thats when I saw the big
oversized black drum that was floating. I paddled up to him and he slowing
swam off, but wait, that was triple tail. I had just hit a 20lb triple tail
with my kayak thinking it was a dead black drum. It was almost white on its
side with a black out line on the fins, every bit of 35-38". I know this
because I turned around to see him come up again.
So I grab my rod stuck on some dead shrimp and started to fire
away. He wanted nothing to do with my bait. And I would get to close, down
he would go. But would come back up close. So this went on for a long time.
I got many good looks at him, and of my bait within inched of his mouth.
Finally one great cast, right in front of him. He sees it, starts to swim
toward the bait. I am getting all jumpy, not only is this the first day I
have caught one, but I am looking at what any person would consider a big
one going for my bait. Just then, like a bad dream, a smaller one, almost
the same size as the one I had caught earlier in the day. Swam from under
the big one, and ate my bait. I am still mad about that.
High Island 08-21-05
Got to the beach at High Island around seven. Met up with
All-yak'ed-up and fishrelish. We head out on what is a perfect day. Light
north wind to start off the morning. Get out a few hundred yards to find
thousands of pogies popping the top of the water. Looks good, so we dropped
baits. Action was slow at first, lot of gafftops and hardheads. I get a good
run, fast fish. So I turn my kayak so I can see the show. Hithim hard, and
was not let down. He came out of the water and made a big splash for us.
A good fight with a few good runs and I get him to the kayak
Jolly Roger with a Blacktip
After the pics we get back to fishing and BSing. Lot of bait
popping the water around us, and a few sharks free jumping. The winds dies,
and things start getting hot. Fishrelish gets a hit on his bait rod, it is
fighting good. He gets a gafftop to the kayak, just as a huge splash behind
him. Turns out to the a bull red that has tangled in the other line. So two
fish on. The bull red takes off and pops the line. We get the gafftop off
and make fun of him for having such a mess. A few minutes later ALL-Yak'ed-up
gets a run. But it is not acting right. Fights it to the kayak to find a
line wrapped around his leader, and a mad bull red on the other line. So
Both of them help catch this fish.
As it gets hotter and the water gets more and more like glass.
I can see lots of water, pelican diving all around us. Pogies popping the
watr so much they are getting me wet. And a few sharks free jumping every
now and then. Then it happens, I first thout it was just me. But it rolled
again, then again. Then one rolled only a few deet from us, a very big tarpon.
Things start to get a little crazy. Bait fling, tarpon rolling, pelican diving,
pogie popping. We had many large tarpon rolling right by us. Within feet,
it was like they came over to check us out. Hung around for about an hour
then left. I put baits right in front of many, with no luck. I have been
wanting to catch a tarpon from my kayak for a few years now. And I do think
that all of the ones we saw were to big for us to even stand a chance. I
saw a few over seven foot easy, but it would have been nice to jump one.
But no such luck.
The wind started to come out of the southwest. I dropped anchor
on in the last area I saw tarpon rolling. Not long after that I had a few
small sharks, and a few good runs that I missed. Not long before it was time
to go I hook into something with a little weight it drags me around good
and puts up a great fight.
Jolly Roger with a Bull Red
Not toolong after this we call it a day. Perfect conditions, but usually
have to end early on Sundays. Was a great weekend to be on the water. I think
the full moon did hurt the fishing some, but we still were able to catch
some good fish. Learned alot this weekend. Triple tail are not afraid of
the kayak until you make noise. If you see one take your time, do not get
in a hurry. If he goes down, he will come back up close. Met alot of new
friends this weekend, looking foward to doing again soon.
- TJ
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