Lower Laguna Madre

[eightweight]

So I've been thinking about taking a kayak tour of the Lower Laguna Madre. I know the west side of Padre Island has some beautiful white sand flats, clear water, and reds. Thinking maybe even a couple of days roughing it, kayaking along the west side, the bay side of Padre, camping overnight.

Anyone done this before ? Any advice ?

[billy bobba]

I have not done that trip myself - but I know 2 guys who have each paddled the length of Padre and Mustang Islands. For both, it turned into an ordeal. The flats on the east side of LLM are quite skinny and tide sensitive - you can get into a lot of water where you have to move a long ways west to have enough water underneath the yak for decent paddling. Of course that can make it difficult to get back to the island for camping. If I were planning such an adventure I would try to secure a stay or two in one of the ICWW cabins near 3 Islands and Land Cut to overnight and cache some water and supplies.

[jeff89]

Go through yarborough pass on PINS and camp there on the bay side. Fish yarborough flats...I plan on doing this in the next couple months or so.

[eightweight]

Watch the tides, that's good advice Billy Bobba.

Jeff89, I'd thought about Yarborough pass but haven't made it down PINS that far. The flats look huge. What's the fishing like ???

[jeff89]

I assume you fly fish from your profile picture. Flyfishing dream back there. The flats are loaded with Reds from now til November at least. It's a trip that requires work and this keeps most people away from the area...and I like that. Aside from tons of redfish, I've heard of rare opportunities at sightcasting mucho grande sow trout. Although, the reds keep me plenty happy....the big trout give me that buck fever I'm looking for. Call the hotline below for current beach conditions. They should mention if Yarborough pass is "passable"....4wd is a must. Bring lots of aqua...it's hot, sleeping is miserable, blah blah blah...but the fishing is great and makes it worth it.

PINS Beach & Weather Conditions Hotline at (361) 949-8175

[eightweight]

I assume you fly fish from your profile picture. Flyfishing dream back there. The flats are loaded with Reds from now til November at least. It's a trip that requires work and this keeps most people away from the area...and I like that. Aside from tons of redfish, I've heard of rare opportunities at sightcasting mucho grande sow trout. Although, the reds keep me plenty happy....the big trout give me that buck fever I'm looking for. Call the hotline below for current beach conditions. They should mention if Yarborough pass is "passable"....4wd is a must. Bring lots of aqua...it's hot, sleeping is miserable, blah blah blah...but the fishing is great and makes it worth it.

PINS Beach & Weather Conditions Hotline at (361) 949-8175

That's what I'm looking for. Sounds perfect.
Learned long ago the harder and more miserable the conditions, the fewer the people, and better the fishing.