12-16-09 Short Day at Work
Posted: December 17th, 2009, 9:58 am
I had a bad case of the kayak fever at work yesterday so I decided to use a little vacation time, despite the bitter cold wind.
The wind was blowing offshore, so I just paddled along the shoreline for a minute, then dropped the drift sock and let the wind carry me. My first three fish were under-slot trout, but as I approached the edge of the oyster bars, something nailed my Cajun Thunder like it was a topwater. I let it sit for a second, then WHAM, it took the Gulp! I knew it was a big ole redfish immediately, but as I got it closer to the boat, I realized it was a big ole bluefish instead. Bummer. I released him and within a minute or two hooked up with a 19 3/4 inch trout. Nice, on the stringer he goes. The next cast hooked me up with a fat 24 inch trout. Alright!
A few minutes later I landed a nice little 17 incher. 
By then I had drifted a good ways offshore, and the wind was really beginning to howl. I decided it was time to head back since I already had more than enough for dinner. I began the paddle back against the wind and the outgoing tide. I haven't been kayaking much since my hand injury over the summer, so I'm not quite as conditioned as I was last spring, and this was some serious wind. I was back at the ramp by 4:00, completely worn out, freezing cold, wet, and wearing a huge grin on my face. Sure beats the Hell out of work.
The wind was blowing offshore, so I just paddled along the shoreline for a minute, then dropped the drift sock and let the wind carry me. My first three fish were under-slot trout, but as I approached the edge of the oyster bars, something nailed my Cajun Thunder like it was a topwater. I let it sit for a second, then WHAM, it took the Gulp! I knew it was a big ole redfish immediately, but as I got it closer to the boat, I realized it was a big ole bluefish instead. Bummer. I released him and within a minute or two hooked up with a 19 3/4 inch trout. Nice, on the stringer he goes. The next cast hooked me up with a fat 24 inch trout. Alright!
A few minutes later I landed a nice little 17 incher. By then I had drifted a good ways offshore, and the wind was really beginning to howl. I decided it was time to head back since I already had more than enough for dinner. I began the paddle back against the wind and the outgoing tide. I haven't been kayaking much since my hand injury over the summer, so I'm not quite as conditioned as I was last spring, and this was some serious wind. I was back at the ramp by 4:00, completely worn out, freezing cold, wet, and wearing a huge grin on my face. Sure beats the Hell out of work.
Glad ya made it back against that wind and tide... although spending Christmas in a Cuban Jail would make for an interesting post... 
