Went to Bolivar today

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bigred90gt
Posts: 96
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2014 10:47 am

Went to Bolivar today

Post by bigred90gt »

Unfortunately, as has been my experience with artificial in saltwater, nothing to bring home or even brag about. I managed 1 tiny trout and one even smaller flounder, both on a cocahoe minnow. I had one hard hit using a gulp jerk shad, but no hook up. A couple of random nibbles but nothing willing to actually eat. I launched at Stingaree, hoping to get some live shrimp from the marina. Apparently, between 0600-0630 they sold out. I bought some fresh dead shrimp, but after 2 small hard heads, I dumped them in the water.

I launched and paddled across the ICW into Yates Cove, then Yates Bayou, into the little “pond” where the Bayou dumps into. That’s where I had the bites and caught the fish. The bait fish were very active, water was blowing up all over the place, but I just couldn’t get anything to take the bait. I’ve always fished artificial in fresh water and done well, but I’ve never had luck in salt with them. I think nearly 30 years I’ve caught maybe 10 fish on artificial in saltwater. I’ve caught more fish than I could ever count on shrimp (live and dead), just never had the touch with the plastics.

Aside from being nice to get out of the house and actually catching a couple of fish, it was a brutal day. The wind was howling straight out of the south for most of the day, so fishing one area was impossible without dropping an anchor. After fighting the wind all day, the paddle back to Stingarees was straight into it. According to the weather channel app, it was 15-18 sustained, gusts to 23. It was blowing so hard on my way back to the marina that when I stopped paddling to take a drink of water, before I could get the cap off the bottle I was going backward from the wind.

I was debating last night on going to Bolivar or Conroe. I chose Bolivar, but I’m kind of wishing I would have gone to Conroe. Next chance I get to take the Yak out, that’s where I’m headed I think.

No real point to the thread other than to complain I reckon, lol.
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shoffer
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Re: Went to Bolivar today

Post by shoffer »

I feel you, bro. But I think you just went out at a bad time. Strong winds make for bad fishing. You cannot present the baits often enough, or in the manner that pleases them, to really make a go of it. Not only that, but jighead size makes way more difference than you think. I am the opposite of you. I have caught a ton of saltwater fish on artificial, but when I fish for bass, I have a hell of time throwing worms; I am a crankbait or topwater guy mostly, but recently put a Carolina Rig and Drop Shot rig into my arsenal. I have still not mastered the art of throwing worms and lizards into trees and the like.

In the 11 years I have been kayak fishing, I have thrown live bait from my kayak twice, and that was because I had one of my kids or my wife with me. I think it is huge pain in the ass to have to buy live shrimp and carry it in a baitwell or bucket, or cast net up some stuff and store it. That's just me. All I can really tell you is go out with a guide and bend their ear on this topic. In fact, I recently learned that Trailchaser is now a guide. https://www.slotreds.com/ He would be a good source from which to learn.

One thing that might help jump-start you is take a night fishing trip and hit the lights. You know the fish are there, so you can practice presentations, and casting at night is a great lesson on casting by feel - how far your bait goes, which direction it is going, how to thumb spool at just the right time to land the bait softly. It has definitely upped my baitcaster game. You will definitely get bit - esp. in the summer during a solunar feeding period, and it will invigorate your love for kayak fishing the salt with artificial.

Also, I recommend the Youtube Channels for the guys we have around here who fish our areas with lures. Thresher Fishing (in my view the best one out there, although he's a Corpus/Port Mansfield guy who fishes jetty, surf, kayak and boat), MDLR Fishing, RXAngler, Trailchaser, Kagan Fishing are the ones I usually watch. You can learn a bunch from those also.

Stay with it, BigRed.
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TX All Water Fishing
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Re: Went to Bolivar today

Post by TX All Water Fishing »

bigred90gt wrote:Unfortunately, as has been my experience with artificial in saltwater, nothing to bring home or even brag about. I managed 1 tiny trout and one even smaller flounder, both on a cocahoe minnow. I had one hard hit using a gulp jerk shad, but no hook up. A couple of random nibbles but nothing willing to actually eat. I launched at Stingaree, hoping to get some live shrimp from the marina. Apparently, between 0600-0630 they sold out. I bought some fresh dead shrimp, but after 2 small hard heads, I dumped them in the water.

I launched and paddled across the ICW into Yates Cove, then Yates Bayou, into the little “pond” where the Bayou dumps into. That’s where I had the bites and caught the fish. The bait fish were very active, water was blowing up all over the place, but I just couldn’t get anything to take the bait. I’ve always fished artificial in fresh water and done well, but I’ve never had luck in salt with them. I think nearly 30 years I’ve caught maybe 10 fish on artificial in saltwater. I’ve caught more fish than I could ever count on shrimp (live and dead), just never had the touch with the plastics.

Aside from being nice to get out of the house and actually catching a couple of fish, it was a brutal day. The wind was howling straight out of the south for most of the day, so fishing one area was impossible without dropping an anchor. After fighting the wind all day, the paddle back to Stingarees was straight into it. According to the weather channel app, it was 15-18 sustained, gusts to 23. It was blowing so hard on my way back to the marina that when I stopped paddling to take a drink of water, before I could get the cap off the bottle I was going backward from the wind.

I was debating last night on going to Bolivar or Conroe. I chose Bolivar, but I’m kind of wishing I would have gone to Conroe. Next chance I get to take the Yak out, that’s where I’m headed I think.

No real point to the thread other than to complain I reckon, lol.
I agree 100%, it was a tough weekend for fishing. I was in the Freeport area Saturday, a friend was in Galveston West Bay the same day, and I know several people that were out Sunday and everyone had a tough day. Now I'm sure there was some fish being caught last weekend... but with all that freshwater, run off, and strong winds stirring everything up it was a tough bite. I had several short bites and ended up a small spec and 16 inch flounder. Next time you pick up dead shrimp try cutting it in small pieces and fish with it on a small hook and try to catch a croaker or pin fish. Speckled Trout will hammer both and so will reds...I have also caught some nice flounder on pin fish too. Don't give up, just wait for a good weather day and go out, you'll those fish you're looking for.
Good Luck & Tight Lines
bigred90gt
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Re: Went to Bolivar today

Post by bigred90gt »

TX All Water Fishing wrote:
bigred90gt wrote: Next time you pick up dead shrimp try cutting it in small pieces and fish with it on a small hook and try to catch a croaker or pin fish.
That's how I fish with dead shrimp, and how I caught the hardheads. Sometimes I use a popping cork, sometimes on bottom. With live shrimp I just use a popping cork. I don't use big hooks for anything really. The small hooks work fine for me catching everything from croaker to reds. It has worked for me for just about 30 years in this bay.

It looked like a good place to catch some fish, and the solunar chart showed very active for a chunk of the time I was out there, and they were indeed active. They were blowing up all over the place, just not at my lures.

At least I didnt get completely skunked this time. Last time I had my kayak out I was in a bayou and never even a bump.
bigred90gt
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Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2014 10:47 am

Re: Went to Bolivar today

Post by bigred90gt »

What the day really did for me was convince me I need a pedal drive kayak of some kind, or a small boat with a little outboard. I am looking at a Native Propel 10 right now, but honestly, for basically the same price I can get a 10' long 2 seat boat and a 6hp outboard.

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/pelica ... atid=12333

A good 6hp outboard (Honda, Evenrude, Suzuki, etc) are a little under $2k. There are some cheap Asian brands on Amazon for $400. If I got a year out of a $400 outboard, I'd say I got my money's worth.
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impulse
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Re: Went to Bolivar today

Post by impulse »

Don't lose heart. I'm staying in Sea Isle, and most of the guys I normally turn to for fishing advice are staying home because of the wind for the past 2 weeks. It's not that the wind is so bad, but that it's been blowing consistently for so many days with no letup. Every morning, I look at the flags across the canal and then take a ride to the beach to check out the surf. And for 2 weeks, I've decided every day to do something other than hop into the kayak. Except for exercise.

On the plus side, there's been a lot more fish in the green lights after the normal low oxygen level/ minnow die-offs of late May, early June. It wasn't as bad this year as last year, but there were still some real stinky canals a few weeks ago.
Wag
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Re: Went to Bolivar today

Post by Wag »

Dont overlook the marsh across from Stingaree...especially early.
bigred90gt
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Re: Went to Bolivar today

Post by bigred90gt »

Wag wrote:Dont overlook the marsh across from Stingaree...especially early.
I was considering chunking some lures in there when I was on my way back in, but I was plumb wore out from the paddle back and just didn’t have it in me.
outbreaker
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Re: Went to Bolivar today

Post by outbreaker »

I use a cast net to get pinfish rather than use shrimp.

On the bottom, under a cork or freelining. They seem to work very well.
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