Swan Lake report 25-Mar-2023

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deptrai
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Swan Lake report 25-Mar-2023

Post by deptrai »

Been a few weeks due to the high winds. Finally made it out for the first time to launch from the Swan Lake boat ramp. A nice ramp with three lanes for boats and a section off to the side where you can launch yaks without interfering with the boat guys.
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It was just lucky that I timed the tide right and was going with it both in the morning and on my way back in the afternoon. I made 4+ mph both ways without much peddling effort.
I peddled a long ways today…probably over 10 miles. I only caught three flounder and two were shorts. This 16 incher ate my favorite Zman DieZel minnow.
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Actually all three ate it. As usual, I cut its gills and prepped it for the icy kill bag. I unzipped the bag and was attempting to deposit the catch when it flipped out of my fish grippers and back into the water. I feel doubly sick. First for losing my fish and second for needlessly wasting it. This happened to me once before with a lingcod in Pacific City, OR. I’ve got to be more careful.
The trip wasn’t a total loss. I snagged onto some braid with this guy attached to the end.
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Definitely seen better days. I may just tie it on as a novelty and see what I get. It used to be one of those $9 Clickbait Shrimp.
On the peddle back in, I ran into Mark & Christian. The father & son YouTubers that post videos on fishing the area. Really nice guys.
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Hopefully the wind cooperates next weekend and I can redeem myself.
I’m planning to join the group out of Corpus Christi July 15th for some offshore action.

If you want my Swan Island report, I'm the guy in the bow of the drift boat...
https://youtu.be/GWzeYNT0U1w

Dave
Last edited by deptrai on Thu Mar 30, 2023 12:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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karstopo
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Re: Swan Lake report 25-Mar-2023

Post by karstopo »

You’ve evidently figured out our flounder here. I can’t seem to resist trying for flounder in shallow water and have some spots that I must make a least a few casts only because I caught a flounder there on a previous trip. Sometimes, I get repeats on spots. I had a flounder “fly” to freedom out of the bottom of a small ice chest once upon a time. Flounder are magicians for getting their freedom.

That’s a pretty good pedal/paddle from swan lake boat ramp, glad the current was favorable. I made it all the way to the back one time, I think the one time was enough to slake my curiosity.

There’s some big fish not too far offshore. I’ve done almost all my offshore fishing in the Gulf of Mexico from powerboats, but there’s some real reel screamers out there. Make sure not to ignore any sizeable floating debris. A floating barrel, 2”x8” plank, or weed line could hold a ling or tripletail, both excellent table fare. Sargassum lines are wonderful for holding predator fish and there’s supposed to be a bounty of that floating seaweed this year. Clean, fresh, free from blue green algae sargassum is edible too. I’ve eaten it, the little tips. Not too bad at all. Catch a Spanish mackerel or something like that and have a sashimi dinner on the spot, complete with the seaweed.
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OldTownYakBoi
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Re: Swan Lake report 25-Mar-2023

Post by OldTownYakBoi »

It sucks that you had your flounder get away. I once had a slot redfish bust out of a closed cooler with a pile of ice on it, not only did he escape, but he managed to knock my iPhone in the water too! Those survival instincts are something else!

Swan Lake was my first kayak trip in 2018, at that time I had a cumbersome paddle kayak, no inshore experience, and no artificial lure experience. I think I caught a dink trout and a dink flounder that day. I ran aground more oyster than you can shake a stick at and got sunburned to hell. BUT, that was the day I fell in love with kayak fishing, and it had NOTHING to do with the fish. I didn't use that yak much over the next 2 years, but I never forgot the feeling the marsh gave me.

I need to make it back out to Freeport at some point, it's just so convenient for me to fish West Bay I rarely consider those waters.

Great Report, thanks for posting!
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deptrai
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Re: Swan Lake report 25-Mar-2023

Post by deptrai »

karstopo wrote: Thu Mar 30, 2023 10:11 am You’ve evidently figured out our flounder here.
I wouldn't go that far. I have found one deep-ish hole that tends to hold them. Otherwise, everything has been super tight to the bank.

I did learn the Spanish word for flounder:
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Dave
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