A Tiki Island lights canal to revisit –

[YakRunabout]

I launched early to hit some canal lights for a couple of hours then to venture out to the oyster reef islands to the south of Tiki. Water temp was 66 and air temp 62 at launch, 74 on return. Winds were light out of the SW.
There was a bit of trout activity at some of the initial lights but they were not too interested in a mullet and jerk shad that have worked in the past, only bumping or moving away from the lure. I then threw a scatter rap shad and they seemed to like that action. I landed a 16” trout and hooked into a much larger one that sprinted around and eventually came off the hook at the boat after. At another light I did have a solid hit on the mullet from what must have been a sizable red based on how he pulled me around, but he also came off the hook.
I was in the canals on the east side since I planned to head to the reefs to the south. I had not been in these before so it was also a bit of an exploration. The last canal was the one on the mainland, right next to I45. I had not seen this canal before since my focus was on the island areas, but saw it on the map when planning this outing.
This is a short canal and only had 3 lights on, so not too impressive from that standpoint, but this is the one that I will return to. When I was moving to the NE heading out of the canal all of a sudden I had a bright light shining at me. At first I thought it was a car up where the boat trailers are stored, but there was only one. Then it went off. And there was some guy yelling at me to get out of the canal, that I cannot fish there at night (this was about 6:30 so still dark). This donkey kept going on about how he would call the cops, etc. I was already headed out so more or less ignored him. At the time I was not clear about this canal, if it was a part of Tiki or something different.
In reviewing the signs in the area later I saw that this is a part of Tiki. I also stopped on the way out and spoke to a State Trooper about this. He said the guy does not know what he is talking about, that there is access to water areas, and that if there were any restrictions it would need to be posted as such. If any of you know of any laws or regulations on this please chime in.
Anyway – this is a so-so canal for lights and bit out of the way, but I plan to return on other nights. If an individual has issues with me fishing the lights off their dock I will honor that request, but will not do so when some donkey tries to put a canal off limits!!
So – back to fishing. After sunrise I headed out to the oyster islands, an area I had not been to before. It is a challenge to fish in that much oyster! The tide was still going out slowly, so was good for me to go up current from east to west. There was little action for a time but I eventually did land a 19”+ trout on a fat boy.
All in all a great weather day to be out. I got to explore some new areas and try some new techniques. I also got to experience the tiki island attitude that I have heard about before!

[txspeck]

My Brother lives on Tiki island and there are no restrictions. People fish all night in the lights.

[YakRunabout]

Right - I figure that this canal does not get much fishing traffic and so this guy thinks he can keep folks away from "his" canal.

[kickingback]

Good for you on catching a few while out. The shell reefs around Tiki can hold some good trout in the mornings and afternoons I have found. Trout and reds in the lights are usually a good bet anytime and they usually hit some sort of 3"-4" paddle tail in tandem or single when drawn through the lights about 2'-4' below the surface. I like to tie on a popping cork with a good long leader sometimes int he lights to get the bigger sows near the bottom to bite. Can get a flounder sometimes this way.
Ignore the idiots that can't share for fear their fish will be gone. These people are usually Bi-Polar or have other issues that make them the way they are (I am bi-polar so I know what I am talking about here..hehe).
If someone tries to berate me while I am fishing I simply stare at them and don't say a word. If they keep going I pull out my phone and dial one of the stored numbers I have for the Game Wardens for that area and sit there calmly staring at the guy or gal and explain to the Game Warden the situation. I then ask them if they wish to speak to the Game Warden I have on the phone. If they decline I ask the Game Warden to come out. If they back down or talk to the Game Warden then they will get the facts and be put in their place right there. If not, when the GW arrives you can sit in your kayak and watch as the idiot gets a ticket for interfering with other people fishing. It's the law.
I love being the bigger person and sitting still and staring at idiots while they feel 2" tall. Simply priceless!

[Drifting Yak]

Smart to just keep moving on without a confrontation. You never know....

[Johnny5455]

Thanks for the report. I think you did good ignoring the guy.

[shoffer]

You should find out what the address was and we could send him a letter to remind him what the law is. And then invite his sorry ass to fish with us one night, just so he knows we are a good bunch of dudes.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[YakRunabout]

Good idea Stuart - Trouble is he was at the east end where the boat trailers are and so not at a house, per se. Though he was closest to the eastern most house so could assume he lives there, or just send it to the 8 homes on the north side.

I will have to try the invite on him when he shows up again!!

[Yaklash]

You should find out what the address was and we could send him a letter to remind him what the law is. And then invite his sorry ass to fish with us one night, just so he knows we are a good bunch of dudes.

I am not defending "his sorry ass" per se, but as a property owner, I am sure that he and many others like him, have long ago grown tired of people poaching on their lights (the kayak boom has made the number of people fishing their lights double at least). They do not own the canals, but they do own the lights and pay to run them. His choice within the law is to turn his lights off. That is it. And I wouldn't blame him or anyone else in those canals (tight confines) if they chose to not share the lights they own and the power they pay for.

I have heard stories about guns being mentioned, but never shown. I have heard about homeowners telling people to move on or they'll call the law. As was stated above, you never know when somebody is gonna blow a fuse, and it's better to be safe than sorry, so I would just find another place to fish.

[kickingback]

I heard most leave their lights on to minimize algae growth on them so I don't think most are worried about an electric bill. or at least I wouldn't.

[YakRunabout]

Yaklash - that is a good point about their ownership of the lights. I have only been fishing the lights over a period of 2 years or so and have never been asked move off of any lights. I have had the lights at one house turned off, which is their choice as you mention. If a dock with lights is occupied then, of course, I pass it by. This is the first time for me to be confronted, and this not about any lights but about the whole canal. It is ironic that his actions have made my return more likely The canal is short with only a few lights and out of the way, so my return was questionable. I will now go out of my way to go there in order to assert my right to this public space. If they have their lights off - no problem.

On the other side - DriftingYak and I were out fishing some lights recently. He was up near the docks of the house next to the lighted area. A couple of folks appeared on the deck above the water and struck up a discussion with him, asking about the kayak and how it is for fishing. A short time later their lights were turned on. So there are cooperative folks out there as well.

[kickingback]

Yaklash - that is a good point about their ownership of the lights. I have only been fishing the lights over a period of 2 years or so and have never been asked move off of any lights. I have had the lights at one house turned off, which is their choice as you mention. If a dock with lights is occupied then, of course, I pass it by. This is the first time for me to be confronted, and this not about any lights but about the whole canal. It is ironic that his actions have made my return more likely The canal is short with only a few lights and out of the way, so my return was questionable. I will now go out of my way to go there in order to assert my right to this public space. If they have their lights off - no problem.

On the other side - DriftingYak and I were out fishing some lights recently. He was up near the docks of the house next to the lighted area. A couple of folks appeared on the deck above the water and struck up a discussion with him, asking about the kayak and how it is for fishing. A short time later their lights were turned on. So there are cooperative folks out there as well.

I find more cooperative and friendly people in the canals more than i do any uptight folks. Was there at Tiki all night last night and being so cold no one was out but the lights were on at the usual homes and a couple had their Spot lights on as well.

[shoalwater18]

What I do when they threaten to call the cops is say "Lets call em right now" Usually they back down.

[Lat22]

I also got to experience the tiki island attitude that I have heard about before!

You're painting with a pretty broad brush there.

[Spoonbill]

Yes, you can fish there, there just isn't much upside to calling him on it.

I remember a couple of years ago a report came out that said in the USA 1 in 4 women, and 1 in 6 men, took medication to treat a psychological or behavioral disorder. There's a lot of people on edge, and being in a kayak puts us at a disadvantage.

(Ha, I also remember the joke came out right after the report, that the real concern should be that 3 out of 4 women are going untreated, but anyway.)

[Tombo]

The water is owned by the United States, period. Exceptions I have heard of usually are about security or public safety such as loading/unloading of hazardous materials and ferry landings.
We used to live on the water and keeping the lights on at night "trains" the bait and predators to show up. This subject comes up from time to time due to ignorance of property czars.
This federal law is due to interpretation by each state.
The only time we turned off the light at night while a kayaker fished was due to my dog barking , she would not shut up, therefore we could not sleep.
Now a noisy flounder boat making all kind of racket late at night, that's another story.

[Cuervo Jones]

I go fishing to get AWAY from people and relax. But hey, to each his own.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk