Kayak Fishing Redfish Bay, Texas

Kayaking in Redfish Bay

Date: March 21, 2008 Saturday
Portage: Aransa Pass – Channel Bridge
General Area : Terminal Flats – Redfish Bay
Moon : 23% waning
Weather : Cool – Highs in the mid 70′s, partly cloudy. Winds out of the East at 10 – 16 mph.
Surface Water Temp : about 68 degrees
Team : Mark, Alex 

Alex and Maryanne were down for Spring Break, since Monday – I rolled in Thursday Evening. The surf was flat, and Alex was getting bored. When I inquired what he wanted to do, he indicated that he wanted to paddle and fish. He and mom had been looking for kayak rentals during the week – but no joy. I Googled around and found Dean Thomas of Slowride Guide Service who had a slot open on Saturday for us.

   Even Alex popped right out bed at 5:00 am! We were ready to go. A stop by Wal Mart for some supplies and a visit to the Whataburger drive thru for a B.O.B., and we headed into Aransas Pass to Dean’s shop. Dean indicated we should be there by 7:00am, but after arrival we jumped into our neoprene waders and organized our gear, yet only 6:30a, still. We sat on the swing bench and petted the cats for a little while as Dean drove up at 6:57am with the boats on the trailer and the gear in the back. We stepped inside to take care of business and get some additional gear for the trip. We headed out, East on hwy 361 for just a mile, and pulled off just over the bridge as we headed out of town. 

 
We put in, paddled across the channel and fished mostly along the chain of islands that parallel the channel. Some deeper holes in a couple of the cuts between the islands provided plenty of small trout, 6″ – 14″, and that action kept us busy. In the middle of the flats, we attempted to produce some Redfish. It looked promising early, but later in the morning the sign of any bait had pretty much diminished. I landed one small red in the Northern section of the Terminal Flats area, but otherwise did not produce anything.

I had never kayak-fished saltwater before, but I would encourage anyone to give it a try, and furthermore if you want to learn how to do it – hire Dean Thomas for a trip. The gear was brand-new and the paddles high-dollar carbon fiber. The excellently selected light tackle makes any catch fun, and the line and terminal tackle are all expertly applied.

The experience was so relaxing and quiet. You notice every action in the water and you would be surprised how much area you can maticulously cover while paddling, with ease. Alex and I have done gut-busting paddles on the Colorado River (Texas), but I think that the higher density of the salt water makes the boat more bouyant, and each paddle stroke more effective. As such, I was perfectly relaxed and comfortable after the 5-hours on the water. It’s meditation for crying out loud!

If you are a photo-phile, bring a zoom lens with you on the boat. Each fisherman is left to his own accord as to where (in near proximity) he ventures or fishes, so if your partner lands one he may be 30 – 50 yards away when the moment is in need of being captured. Alex and I just took disposable water-proof cameras with us, and the photos were not that good due to the distances from our subject. Next time, we will be better prepared for some good catch pics.

Plenty of action in the boats

We caught quite a few fish. Alex caught a few, and I landed over 15 trout and a red. Dean had the stinky fingers, though. Every time I turned around he was hauling the little ones in. It was fun!

I recommend Slowride Guide Service for a kayak fishing trip. If you have a youngster or teen interested in the activity, I think Dean Thomas is the Guide to hire. He is a Scoutmaster (BSA), and quite frankly is an upstanding citizen in the kayak/fishing community.