Wakulla Beach 1/17 & 18

[Charles]

17th
Launched the canoe at noon on a pretty low tide. Wind was predominately out of the northish, but variable; like it was trying to change, but couldn't make up it's mind.

Paddled around to Middle Creek. Well, paddled isn't exactly the right word. Stood and poled with my long paddle is more like it. Very shallow water, were there was water, and very clear, for there. Made it easy to see the holes and rocky areas. My favorite hole in that creek is not as deep as I thought it was, and sandier. But it extends quite a bit further up the creek and is rockier in that area than I thought it did or would be. Spooked one red there, then hooked and lost another. Worked my way on up a little further doing nothing. Otter tracks on an exposed mud bar. Went on to the next hole. Hooked and lost another, then put a 25 incher in the boat. The next one cut me off, taking my jerkbait home with it. The next came unstuck, then released two in the mid-twenties. Cast around this hole again, but everything seemed to have left or figured out to not mess with the white jerkbait. Did all this by 2 of the clock. By now the tide was rising like it had a purpose, and the wind had shifted around to the south-eastish. Worked my way up a little further and decided to try a couple of places in East Goose Creek.

A powerboat beat me into East Goose Creek before I got around there. Knowing he had no choice but to stay in the channel, I decided to try it anyway. There's a couple of spots kind of off the beaten path in there that I know, and I wanted to explore a side creek on the low, clear water. Not long after I entered East Goose Creek, the powerboat came back out and ran up Graves Creek, making me glad I didn't go that way like I had been debating. Went as far up as the little side creek that goes to the old Confederate Saltworks, but didn't find the reds. Found one little rat-red in my favorite hole in this creek, messed around a while longer, then decided it was getting colder and I might as well start in the general direction of the house.

18th
Windier today so I took the kayak. Launched at noon. More crowded than I thought it would be for as cold as it was yesterday and the rain forecast for this afternoon. But the one other car was parked well off to the side. Windy out of the SSE when I got down there. 'Bout blew my cap off, and whitecaps all over the bay. Hmm, I'll be going mostly across it to get there, but if I go well out and around on the way back I can play in it and stuff the bow, then surf it into the beach; Woo-HOOO. Taking whitecaps over the starboard gunnel on the way to Graves Creek made me glad I wore my waders. Got into the mouth of Graves Creek and put the boat as close as I could to the windward side of the creek. Being in the lee of the marsh grass helps keep the wind from pushing the boat around as bad. Started working my way up casting to every hole, rocky area and oyster bar I could find.

Now being in a 14 1/2' canoe in January, hip-boots are sufficient to stay dry, since you're not seated right in the bottom of the boat, and once you're in the boat you can roll them down. And there is the room and stability to stand up and move around a little. And I tend to keep my lifejacket stowed in the bow. A 12' SOT kayak, on the other hand, I have found, requires waders to keep your legs and butt dry. And while standing is possible, moving around without getting completely soaking wet can be a little bit of a challenge. And I wear the lifejacket partly because there's nowhere else to put it where it won't be in the way. So now you're wearing waders, with a lifejacket over them, no real practical way to stand, and...
"I gotta' pee."
"Wait."
"I've been waiting for over an hour."
"There's an oysterbar just up ahead. We'll stop there."
Now this is one of those bars that connects to the bank on one end and sticks out almost straight across the creek leaving about a 15 or so foot gap between the end of the bar and the opposite bank. And I knew it would be deeper there and probably rocky, or at least a shell bottom.

Stopped on the 'bar right up against the bank where the bar connects to the marsh. Stepped out and dropped the lifejacket in the boat.
"Whew, that's better."
Get buttoned up again and pick up a casting rod. First few casts on the up creek side of the bar resulted in nothing, so I moved on closer to the hole. Felt a tap, tap-tap. Hookset! Nothing. Cast to come through the exact same place again. Tap. Hookset! Fish on! Nope. Fish off. DANG!

Quickly figured out to start my retrieve as soon as the jerkbait hit the water. Work it on the surface until I saw a swirl behind it, then let it fall naturally. Caught 4 lost 3 out of a hole not much bigger than my livingroom doing this. With a short break to don my Brigg 44 Parka to cut the wind that was picking up, and because the light drizzle had become "can no longer be ignored if you want to stay dry" rain, and to measure a 26" red to make sure it wasn't over.

Shortly after 2 I decided I had my one red and released three more; it was windy and raining; and I wanted to go play in the waves. Which was something of a disappointment. The rain having knocked the waves down and the wind slacking off by the time I came out of the creek. Oh well, I still got to stuff the bow a couple of times on the way back.

Launch at noon, lose three fish, catch four, release three and home with the one fish cleaned and the boat washed by 3:30, I figure that's not bad.

Over the weekend, eight reds caught, seven hooked and lost, fishing only in the afternoon. Couldn't find any trout. I figured there would be at least a few, mostly big, after that last cold snap. Just about everything hit a white, 6", soft plastic jerkbait.

[RodBow]

Good run in the cold Charles - sounds fun!

[Flint River Pirate]

Nice job Charles, I am sure it was chilly out there.

[lordsfisher]

Great report!

[Geaux Fishin]

What a great report. I almost had to get out of my chair to get my foul weather gear on as I was reading the report.

[jsuber]

Great report Charles

[tin can]

Well done, Charles.

[whitebc]

[Eerman]

Good deal, sounds like having to pee saved the day

[Littoral]

Good deal, sounds like having to pee saved the day

Charles, I would think that writing for outdoor sites & other venues would make you some $.
Nice work, and fish.

[Redfish Jim]

Good deal, sounds like having to pee saved the day

I guess someone upstairs just wanted you to catch a redfish

Great report

[Charles]

Good deal, sounds like having to pee saved the day

I guess someone upstairs just wanted you to catch a redfish

Great report

I think it was my fondness for Coca-Cola. In fact, I have one in front of me right now.

[DixieReb]

Good report, Charles. And WTG paddling through the cold, rough water. Sounds like it paid off, though.