Freeport December 1st.

Post Reply
User avatar
karstopo
TKF 5000 Club
TKF 5000 Club
Posts: 5612
Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2009 10:30 am
Location: 77566

Freeport December 1st.

Post by karstopo »

I couldn’t shake loose until noon. Originally wanted to hit the mouth of the Bernard area for a redfish hunt, but with the never ending road construction by the Clemens Unit and the waning daylight, I opted for something a little closer and maybe with less road construction issues.

The Freeport Area is as close as it gets. Marsh, creek, channels, drains, shell, mud, this is what is nearby. I wanted to fish the marsh lake and drain complex over by the mouth of the Bernard, but the marsh in Freeport seemed sort of lifeless, plus the water was up pretty high, so I changed plans as I paddled along and instead made my way to deeper water over shell. The incoming tide was really pushing water over the reef. This particular stretch of hard live reef I staked out on is generally good for fish, mainly trout, on an incoming tide. Water was a nice green, maybe or not quite 2’ of visiblilty.

The presentation involved casting a paddle tail upwind and up current, letting it fall to the shell, lift up the rod tip, repeat. I was using 1/16 ounce jig heads and Assassins in Hammertime. I caught a lot of 13-14” trout. I had three keeper sized fish on. The first one was probably 21-22”, but my net got caught up in something, fish lost. Hooked another around 20” that spit the hook at the kayak. Landed a 17”. Saw one more good one that followed my paddle tail to the kayak. I lost one jig head to the shell.

I caught 5 redfish to about 19” caught a couple of small flounder, and one small sand trout. Everything in no less than 3’ of water, 4-5’ seemed to be the best zone. I repositioned several times. It would be either almost a fish every cast for a stretch then deadsville for a period, sort of a yo-yo between those.

Home by 5:30. Weather was great. Wind pretty light, Southeast. Didn’t see another soul fishing. Saw plenty of boats motor by. Talked to my commercial crabber friend Ernie. We almost always run into each other on the water in Freeport. Don’t steal his crabs, that really ticks him off. He said it had been slow fishing except at night under the lights. Good to get out. Mosquitoes were horrific. Bring some DEET.
User avatar
saltykat
TKF 2000 club
TKF 2000 club
Posts: 2561
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2009 11:20 am
Location: On the road again

Re: Freeport December 1st.

Post by saltykat »

Good report David. Often have to change up you're game plan after seeing the conditions :cat:
txanalogkd
Posts: 34
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2021 5:24 am

Re: Freeport December 1st.

Post by txanalogkd »

Great report and thanks for posting. Yes, mosquitoes were bad at Christmas Bay on Tuesday. I thought is was odd due to cooler evenings. For me, I've learned that sun screen will help with keeping them away.
User avatar
Dandydon
TKF 1000 Club
TKF 1000 Club
Posts: 1543
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2009 6:26 pm
Location: The Heights, on my bayou

Re: Freeport December 1st.

Post by Dandydon »

Good report, Karstopo and congrats on catching so many species. I like the 4-5" white paddletail for its near universal attraction. The retrieve action is easily tweaked by varying your jighead weight & shape.

You and Saltykat have spent more time on the waters than AquaMan himself. Thanks for sharing.

Sent from my SM-G973U1 using Tapatalk
User avatar
karstopo
TKF 5000 Club
TKF 5000 Club
Posts: 5612
Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2009 10:30 am
Location: 77566

Re: Freeport December 1st.

Post by karstopo »

I carry only one of those clear 11” x 7” plano boxes for lures nowadays. I might have been better off on the 1st with a 1/8 or 1/4 ounce jighead, but I neglected to put any in the box. I’ve gotten where I like paddle tails without chartreuse tails, especially during the cooler parts of the year. Hammertime isn’t so dark, sort of brown back, silver white belly. I also like the moon series in Assassins, green moon, blue moon, panhandle moon. They all are pretty pale and none have chartreuse tails. A few winters ago I got away from using chartreuse tails on paddle tails. What’s so magic about chartreuse? I decided nothing really.

Academy here in town generally has more bare slots than actual stock, at least when I’m in there. I go to buy something I am out of and they typically don’t have it. I’d go get some more Assassins in the moon series, but they wouldn’t have any.

This last trip I fished sitting down. I never fish sitting down anymore, not more than for a few minutes for years now. I sat side saddle with my feet, ankles and part of my calves hanging in the water, it was the most comfortable way to handle the way the wind and current was positioning it all. I was all twisted up trying to fish while standing. I got so comfortable sitting down I could have fished until dark. I hated the setting sun, meaning time to go in. I don’t like to be in a kayak at night, done it enough to know it isn’t for me.
Post Reply