Pirate's Cove night excursion with gator encounter.

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TxAquatics
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Pirate's Cove night excursion with gator encounter.

Post by TxAquatics »

Thanks to Kicking Back, Watson, and Dandydon for their input, really appreciate it. I will definitely pay it forward.
Launched into lake Como around 8pm, winds were low, expected to pick up but not too bad. My fishing bud, Omar was my partner for the night. We paddled to the opening of the bay and tossed lures to let the sun completely disappear. Once it was dark enough we headed to the first set of lights. I hear the popping and black shadows zipping in and out of the lights. Ready set cast, one my third cast I hook up, first night speck right at 14in. The 4 to 5 second count down worked, thanks KB. I work the lights hard managing 3 undersized specks and 3 sandies. It seems once the sand trout started to bite, they were the only ones bitting. The lures of choice were DOA shrimp glow with gold flakes and 4 inch gulp swimming mullet. I had 2 hard hits on the gulp but no hook up, gotta work on my hook set.
We moved on to other lights and same results undersized speck and sandies. I get to see a large fish cruising a light but it would not bite. Now the creepy part was all of a sudden I see a glowing orange dot cruising the water in front of a seawall I'm fishing. Once it passed by into the moonlight I notice the snout and body....yikes gator. I quickly started looking all around me, even gator was swimming away from me. Overall a great experience, can't wait to do it again. Oh and there were hardly any homeowners fishing their lights so we had the place to ourselves. What could you expect on a Monday night.....
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kickingback
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Re: Pirate's Cove night excursion with gator encounter.

Post by kickingback »

Great report and nice pics! I love that area! Anytime my friend! We'll fish sometime I'm sure!
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Ron Mc
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Re: Pirate's Cove night excursion with gator encounter.

Post by Ron Mc »

gators in the dark has to be right up there with sharks attacking your stringer in the surf at night
bones72
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Re: Pirate's Cove night excursion with gator encounter.

Post by bones72 »

Good report, cant wait to do it myself.
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shoffer
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Re: Pirate's Cove night excursion with gator encounter.

Post by shoffer »

Thanks for the report. I, too, have seen that gator near the launch at Watermans. About 4-5 feet, just hanging out.
mwatson71
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Re: Pirate's Cove night excursion with gator encounter.

Post by mwatson71 »

Glad you got out for a night time trip. Be careful, it can become addicting. The only gators I have seen at night were down in SPI a couple of years ago. Two of them cruised by about 20 yards from the pier we were fishing on the bay side.
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Dandydon
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Re: Pirate's Cove night excursion with gator encounter.

Post by Dandydon »

Ditto on all the compliments for your nighttime report & following the good advice of grizzled veterans like ourselves. Keep up the good work, TA! We gotta be paying this all forward or watch it slowly die...
On that high note, I'm now waiting for Capt. Shoffer to pick me up & head for overnight fishing at Lake Conroe (gasp!).
Ain't that FRESH water? We'll be joining Watson & the King Of Conroe himself, Capt. Kickingback. Watch for a freshwater report if ye dare...


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TxAquatics
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Re: Pirate's Cove night excursion with gator encounter.

Post by TxAquatics »

Thanks for all the comments, I purchased my kayak in 2017 and loving it. I can see how fishing at night can be addicting. Fish on guys!
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impulse
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Re: Pirate's Cove night excursion with gator encounter.

Post by impulse »

My apologies in advance for this nanny style PSA about kayak lighting in Texas:

6. If sidelights and stern light are not practical, it must have and exhibit at least one bright light, lantern, or flashlight
from sunset to sunrise in all weather.


That differs from USCG regulations that only require having a light at hand, as opposed to Texas law that requires displaying it. Take from that what you will. Do your own diligence to figure out how to avoid getting fined.

Also check the requirement for a Visual Distress Signal if you're operating at night in water "under USCG authority". That means flares or an electronic equivalent. I think most of the bay isn't under USCG authority, but I don't claim to know for sure... I'd hate to find out the expensive way.

Source: https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwd ... 0_0014.pdf

So many of the guys fishing kayaks in the canal behind our house run completely dark that I could see a TPWD warden having a field day writing up fines.
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Chubs
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Re: Pirate's Cove night excursion with gator encounter.

Post by Chubs »

impulse wrote: So many of the guys fishing kayaks in the canal behind our house run completely dark that I could see a TPWD warden having a field day writing up fines.
This is what I use. $20 and clamp can be configured any which way. Hasn't rusted yet. Bring a few spare AAA's, clamp to your milk crate and gtg.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Shoreline-ma ... t/35259546
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kickingback
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Re: Pirate's Cove night excursion with gator encounter.

Post by kickingback »

Simple. If you see someone let them know to educate them. Help them if needed. Some people do not think things through all the way or just don't care. The majority of the fisherman I fish with are all well versed, ready and legal in all aspects. If someone forgets a light or a whistle or whatever we help.
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Chubs
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Re: Pirate's Cove night excursion with gator encounter.

Post by Chubs »

kickingback wrote:Simple. If you see someone let them know to educate them. Help them if needed. Some people do not think things through all the way or just don't care. The majority of the fisherman I fish with are all well versed, ready and legal in all aspects. If someone forgets a light or a whistle or whatever we help.
So actually this brings up a question re "help a brotha out" that forgot his 360 light.
Would a glow stick satisfy the 360 degree light requirement if you were to put one on the front and one on the back of your life jacket?

Technically it's light, and technically someone could see it from 360 degrees.

Opinions?
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