You want salad with that yak

"You want salad with that yak"

If it wasn't for friends this trip would have been miserable. Spent a week flipping through old pictures from past trips that we did each year on this same stretch of river. The anticipation was killing me as I tried to sleep the night before while my mind continued to count the number of nice bass caught on each trip.

It took two hours to reach my destination on the Colorado river just outside of Austin. Thirteen miles were to be paddled and fished over the next two days. Upon reaching the river I was greeted with a sight unlike anything ever seen there, water was being released at a rate of 4,000cfm and had pushed all of the Hyacinth that had been growing and floating somewhere upstream our way.

With the water getting muddier and choked with this floating vegetation we decided to proceed and make the best of it. This annual trip started a few years ago with some friends getting together and camping out for the weekend. With an open invite it grew to a total of 24 people, many that have already fished together and new ones that were intrigued.

Quickly when trying to paddle through the floating water plants you come to realize that you might as well relax and just go with the flow. Trying to paddle through it was like trying to paddle through sand.

Most of the day was spent floating and trying to fish any pocket of open water that we could find. Good thing there was College football to listen to and cold beer to quench the thirst as only three fish were caught before we reached the island where we would call home for the night.

We spent the night back in the woods in hammocks while the rest of the group set up tents out in the open area.

Dinner was sausage from the meat market and baked potatoes.

Waking up and eating the leftover sausage for breakfast, we broke down camp and hit the river for the remaining five miles. The water was still off colored but the floating hyacinth was not as bad as the day before.

While the fishing was the hardest ever on this river, it was still a good time as it always is when you are in good company.

See you on the water...................................

East Bay Birthday

There it was, my Birthday Redfish working the shallow shell and mud bank heading straight toward me, with small shrimp eagerly jumping out of the way trying not to become fish food. The fish that has been eluding me all year was going to happen. Putting the paddle down and picking up the custom Mini Mag, I gathered the line floating in the water and proceeded to make my cast which came to an abrupt halt as the fly had gotten hung up on oyster shell. Putting the fly rod down I grabbed a spinning rod and flicked a short cast with a spook to the redfish that was now on top of me. One twitch and the water exploded and the fight was on. Landing the fish started a great day with friends on the water and a day where many more would be caught.

Fished hard with the fly rod until the wind picked up with no takers, the good thing is I still have a few weeks to try it again.
The trip was to East Bay in Matagorda where eight friends met up for two days of excellent fishing. While I spent both days targeting redfish the rest of the crew targeted trout which are abundant here during the winter months.

Damon with a nice stringer of trout

Friends are what it's all about.......

Obsessive Fishing Disorder

At least that's what they are calling it these days.....

It began as an opportunity that day on a stream in Colorado. A first for me,catching a slam my first time fly fishing. What followed has been an obsession,the fly rod is always with me as I travel because you never know what lurks in the water you just crossed............

To say I will go to great depths to catch fish is an understatement, sometimes I almost get in over my head. But we live and learn as we go.........

Being fortunate enough to live in an area with so many rivers within short driving distance feeds the hunger, if you don't run into me fishing from the kayak........

you will probably see me stalking my prey as I slide through the water dropping a fly at any fishy looking spot I see.......

An extra benefit to my obsession has been my dabbling with photography and writing. What started as trip reports on a few fishing forums has turned into (with the urging of friends) a blog that has been very enjoyable to do and read by many.

Where will it all lead......I really don't know but i'm having a whole lot of fun finding out.

Another Snook Trip

The title  is a little misleading since this was my first time to go fish for Snook. The trip resulted from an invite to head down with a group of fifteen other fisherman to South Padre Island on their annual trip. For such a large and diverse group the trip couldn't have gone any better....well, except for the weather.
The adventure began with me hitching a ride with a group from Austin, all whom I had never met and ended with me making fifteen new friends as well as fisherman who I would be glad to fish with any day.
There were a few bumps along the journey to get there.

We ran out of gas upon reaching Corpus but were rescued by a couple of fisherman who were fishing the river where we pulled over at. We were then pulled over an hour later for a lame excuse just to check us out.
Upon reaching the house at 2am, greetings and introductions were made with the rest of the group and a plan was put into motion for the next morning. Getting up after three hours of sleep, we were greeted with a steady rain and howling winds. When it started to clear up we made our way to Holly Beach and were welcomed with some calm water. It would soon change again. 

Upon reaching the island we started to catch some trout and a few Redfish before the wind came back making the paddle back to the beach tiring.

Back at the house we waited for the weather to let up.

The rain let up again but the wind was pushing thirty easily. A few had fished the Jetty in the morning so we took a ride and tried our hand at some of the Tarpon that had been rolling earlier. 
How often do you run into a clown fishing the Jetties, not very often....but I did.

I had the pleasure of getting to fish the Jetty with Austin Orr an extremely talented fly fisherman as well as an accomplished instructor. He went out of his way to answer any question that I had as well as help me with my casting in the wind, thanks again Austin.

The next morning was the same. We woke up to rain and wind and waited it out. Around 11am we drove to a flat and waded while the door was open. The wade resulted in multiple reds and trout, with Austin catching a nice one on the fly.

That evening some went back to the flat and the rest of us chose to put the kayaks over the bulkhead and fish the lighted docks trying for Snook.

The fishing started slow with a few trout caught, then Jeremy hooked a large ray on the fly rod.

 After getting it into the net we paddled over to a restaurant and grabbed a bite before heading back out. It was pretty funny watching all of the people looking at us as we docked and entered to eat.

Finally, I caught my first Trout on the fly rod, along with Skip Jack and a few Croaker. Still no Snook for me though.

The trip was great and i'm already looking forward to the next one. Thanks to Jeremy for the invite as well as putting it all together.

Enjoy the slideshow.

On the River

Fishing is fun and mind cleansing when done alone, but even more fun when your brother from another mother tag's along. Plus his snoring will keep Bigfoot away. Loaded up the Cuda and my gear for an early morning departure.

After a two hour drive, I met up with Ron at the river and we unloaded and then packed up the kayaks for the overnighter. As soon as the shuttle was done the first leg of our 12 mile journey had begun.

With the wind pushing us downriver along with a slow current, we were able to take in some of the beautiful scenery this river offers once you get away from the noise of the city.

The fishing started off slower than normal with no takers on the fly. With the wind and overhanging limbs playing havoc, I changed to a baitcaster and started throwing a Pop-R underneath the limbs and around matted grass with great success.

Fishing hard all day, we caught about 30 bass and made it to our campsite on an island around 7:30 pm. After scouring the bank for trees to hang the hammock's, it was decided to go into the woods to get away from the alligator slides that we found in the sand. After hanging my ENO hammock in less that three minutes using their Slap Straps we gathered some wood and built a fire.

As soon as the coals were ready it was time to put the steaks on.

Ron waiting patiently for the steaks to be done.

With the full moon in effect, it left me wondering how the bite would be in the morning. Waking up and eating a quick bite we loaded up and cleaned the area before packing the kayaks.

This was the lightest i've packed so far for an overnighter. The morning bite started off well, with both of us picking up a few fish in the first section. Then the wind picked up and the water changed from clear to brown causing the fish to shut down.
It was a great time and even better hanging out with a great friend.

See you on the water.............................................