Keaton Beach April 19 & 20

[Reel Cowboy]

I picked up my boat from Wavels Friday afternoon and headed to Keaton for weekend to relax and get some salt air.
Reel Cowgirl met me at the camper around 6 or so and we promptly changed a tire on her Tahoe. Fishing was out for the day so we hung around the camper and chilled out from a rough week.
Saturday we got up and saw the wind blowing and rainey looking so we went over to Wilderness Way to look for her a yak. We hung around there for a little while and got some lit, tips and advice and headed to Boaters Wolrld and West Marine just because we were in the genral area.
Got back to the camper around 2 ish and put RC in the water for a little afternoon fishing. We started in an area where there is usually only 2 1/2' to 3' of water that had closer to 5 due to the wind. Moved in a little closer and started catching short trout and short rock bass. Back on the trailer around 5:30. After a little grub from the Gas--Grill called it a night.
Sunday started out so promising. We were one of the first boats to the ramp, got in the water with no problem and headed down the canal. I'd rinsed the floor of while waiting on RCG to park the truck so I figured I'd turn the bilge on to drain it out. It pumped and pumped something ain't right I think to myself. I got over to the side of the canal and looked over the back and sho nuff plug it hanging there we be taking on water. We turned around, load back up and spent the next 20 minutes draining water and waiting on the ramp to clear out. Back in the water (with the plug in this time) and headed down the canal again its 9:30. Slick water awaited us so past Spring Warrior we head. We fished some general areas that normally hold fish. We were throwing top water and suspending baits. RCG brings in a decent short rock bass. A few short trout later we drop the trolling motor and head to another area. On the way we spooked some upper slot reds. We stopped and fished that area hard to get a couple of shorts. Then the highlight of the day. RCG saw some rays coming by the boat and they had a GOOD cobia with them. I worked my Bite a bait out passed them to try and make it look semi normal. It aparently worked sorta. He cruised on over and bumped the dang thing twice, looked up at me and eased back over to the rays. I stopped breathing for a few minutes and went back to casting. Nice trout hit the BAB twice but couldn't hook up. Same dang rays swam by on the other side of the boat. I cast to them again and this time I was reeling like crazy, the noise and flash turned the cobe on and he had to have it. He bites between the hooks and swims off in a hurry. Nothing but scales on the trebles, close but no cigar. Still cool as an Eskimo. We finally caught two keeper trout both right at 17". Fished some more bars and after the wind kicked up we headed back in.
We cleaned up the camper, grabbed a bite to eat and headed home. All in all it was a good weekend to relax and got a couple for the grease. We had the camera but nothing to really take pictures of.

[Barhopr]

close call on the cobia gets the blood pumping! sounds like a nice w/end with the better half. Don't worry about the plug thing, happens to us all.

[tin can]

Sounds like a relaxing weekend.

[caseycook]

Time well spent with the wife, RC! Glad to hear the skeg is good to go now...

[Jumptrout51]

Glad you guys had fun.

[ddb]

Thanks for the report!

[noleflyfisher]

Nothing better than cobia on rays RC. Thanks for the report.

[Chalk]

Nice RC

[flounderpounder]

Sounds like a relaxing weekend, cool cobia sighting that gets my blood running everytime, its fun to see um and a whole lot funner to get um in the boat.

[Good Times]

Cobia....that's fun...

sounds like a great time with RCG