Saint Marys Bayou Launch Site

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ben_beyer
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Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 8:41 pm
Location: Bryan, TX

Saint Marys Bayou Launch Site

Post by ben_beyer »

The wife and kids are headed out of town this weekend and so I'm going to try out Saint Marys Bayou in East Matagorda. I checked out the launch site using Google Maps street view and it looks like you just park along side the road and carry your stuff across a steel rope barrier.

I won't be getting there until 9AM or so. It looks like the tide will be coming up slightly. Am I'm going to be able to get through the cut or do I need to plan on poling my kayak due to shallow mud?
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https://tides4fishing.com/us/texas/matagorda-city-tcoon

Anything else I need to know about the area in terms of hazards or things to take into account?
SWFinatic
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Re: Saint Marys Bayou Launch Site

Post by SWFinatic »

Here's some recent discussion on launch sites in that area.
http://www.texaskayakfisherman.com/foru ... 1&t=251304

Water is pretty low right now and high pressure isn't forecasted to fall until late Saturday. You still should be able to get through the cut in a yak. Only way if knowing for sure is to lay eyes in it.
ben_beyer
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Re: Saint Marys Bayou Launch Site

Post by ben_beyer »

Thanks for the link!
Yak Dog
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Re: Saint Marys Bayou Launch Site

Post by Yak Dog »

The launch SUCKS during low tide ,
ben_beyer
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Re: Saint Marys Bayou Launch Site

Post by ben_beyer »

Bearing in mind that I'm still new to tide charts, it looks like it will be OK depth wise. If the line was below the 0 mark, that's when it would suck, right?
Yak Dog
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Re: Saint Marys Bayou Launch Site

Post by Yak Dog »

You would have to take a look at water levels , I was really just telling you it sucks at low tide . If it was below the 0 yes I’d find somewhere else to go. It looks like there is a slight rise at sun up so that should help.
SWFinatic
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Re: Saint Marys Bayou Launch Site

Post by SWFinatic »

Ben even if it's .2 or .3 above MLLW it would still be really low. The water has come up some since yesterday but that could be just part of the tide cycle. For water levels you can look at charts all day and still not know where the water level is unless you are really familiar with the water in that area compared to the NOAA water levels. Again it's best to lay eyes on it. I can tell you it will be a muddy launch unless water comes up a foot which I don't think will happen.

A plan B could be to launch at the Paddlers park launch.
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ben_beyer
Posts: 431
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 8:41 pm
Location: Bryan, TX

Re: Saint Marys Bayou Launch Site

Post by ben_beyer »

SWFinatic wrote:Ben even if it's .2 or .3 above MLLW it would still be really low. The water has come up some since yesterday but that could be just part of the tide cycle. For water levels you can look at charts all day and still not know where the water level is unless you are really familiar with the water in that area compared to the NOAA water levels. Again it's best to lay eyes on it. I can tell you it will be a muddy launch unless water comes up a foot which I don't think will happen.

A plan B could be to launch at the Paddlers park launch.
Thanks and I'm still learning what all I need to look at for fishing on the coast.

Laucnhing at the Paddlers Park was my Plan B in case I show up and there's 10 vehicles (I.E. too many people to make getting my kayak and gear on the water) parked across from the Saint Mary's launch site.

I guess that cut is a little deeper? I was looking on my Hook-N-Line map and it just shows the entire area as very shallow, which is to be expected.

https://hooknline.net/products/f108-mat ... p-with-gps
SWFinatic
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Re: Saint Marys Bayou Launch Site

Post by SWFinatic »

I think it is a little deeper than St. Mary's only because the cut at the PP you're not launching at the head of the cut. Keep in mind H&L maps are really general. I wouldn't use them for accurate depth references. They're better for helping to locate structure than depths.
ben_beyer
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Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 8:41 pm
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Re: Saint Marys Bayou Launch Site

Post by ben_beyer »

I agree. I have them to help me know what structure may be in an area primarily.
SWFinatic
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Re: Saint Marys Bayou Launch Site

Post by SWFinatic »

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.
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