Any kayakers fishing Calaveras lately?

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Remus
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Any kayakers fishing Calaveras lately?

Post by Remus »

What happened to all of the Cali kayakers? Where have they gone to? I'm getting ready to hit the lake soon.
Let me know if you are planning to go anytime soon?

Remus
Jimbo_47
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Re: Any kayakers fishing Calaveras lately?

Post by Jimbo_47 »

I've been out to the lake a few times this year, but mostly just to check out the launch and fish from the bank killing a little time after I drop off my grand daughter at East Central.
It's been more than a year since I've had the kayak out because of my back issues, but I'm about to get back to kayaking when the weather cooperates with my timing.
Most of the kayakers I've seen are trolling for reds and not sitting on a catfish hole.
I did some work on my fish finder set up and it should work better with less clutter using my rail system and a Ram mount, with a shoot through the hull transducer.
I can almost see some fresh catfish filets popping in hot grease in my future.
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castin4fish
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Re: Any kayakers fishing Calaveras lately?

Post by castin4fish »

Jeez! I don't know what to say guys. Im retired now but am spending my time up in the hill country. I hit Nuecess twice this early spring. caught 17 one day and 5 another. Hit the last of the run. Looked for the Guadalupe/Rebecca creek run, but few reports with little fish caught. Will eventually hit Cali again probably when it warms up and the rattlesnakes come out up here in the hill country and chase me out of the woods. :lol: Post up any action. Looking forward to catching both you Remus and you also Jimbo on the lake..
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Re: Any kayakers fishing Calaveras lately?

Post by Jimbo_47 »

I made it out to the Nueces back in mid January during the week and there was only about a half dozen boats up river.
That was an unbelievable trip, and the first one in 50+ years fishing that river that me and my fishing partner limited out with 50 fish in less than an hour. It was unreal, and every cast produced a fish!
I didn't return once I heard the reports, and I had planned on going a week later, but I guess the word got out because from what I heard, it was wall to wall boats, and complete madness, with a lot of horror stories so I didn't return until the run started to slow down and the crowds thinned out. My second trip we had to work for the fish, and we ended up with 40 fish, ten shy of a limit.
I haven't had the kayak out yet, but I'm going to hit it pretty soon and I'll post a report when I do.
Probably fish near the launch in some of my old holes.
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Re: Any kayakers fishing Calaveras lately?

Post by c-los »

kinda scared to go knowing that theres gators now
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Re: Any kayakers fishing Calaveras lately?

Post by Jimbo_47 »

Gators won't bother you, and will avoid humans unless people start feeding them where they will then associate humans with food.
I talked to one of the workers out there and he said they had a report of a sighting all the way across the lake.
They will move away and try to avoid people so I wouldn't worry about them, and their numbers are pretty low, so your chances of even seeing one are pretty low.
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Re: Any kayakers fishing Calaveras lately?

Post by Yakdat »

Hope to get out on Saturday.
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Re: Any kayakers fishing Calaveras lately?

Post by robjm09 »

I might head out to either Cali or Braunig also on Saturday
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Remus
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Re: Any kayakers fishing Calaveras lately?

Post by Remus »

I fished the lake a couple of times in late April and May with no success. Just got from my annual vacation to PR where I went fishing and caught a 85lbs and a 50LBS Tarpon. Lost another 4 monsters. I fished with Guide Capt. Paco from Peacock Bass and Tarpon Tours in San Juan PR. You will not be disappointed.

REMUS
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Jimbo_47
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Re: Any kayakers fishing Calaveras lately?

Post by Jimbo_47 »

Nice catch Remus! (Harry)
If I caught something like that I probably would cut the line and be scared to get it next to the boat. Were you fishing from the kayak?
Report for Sat. 6/10/17
I made it out to Calaveras this morning and fished until about noon. First time I had the kayak out in two years so I hit my nearby blue hole and it didn't fail me. I was using Big Marv's and shrimp but no takers on the shrimp. Caught that big one, 10# according to my deliar and the other weighed from 4 to 5#. :clap:
I was pleased and pleasantly surprised to say the least. I saw John who launched same time as I did and he went toward 181 cove and he was still out when I left. :D
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Remus
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Re: Any kayakers fishing Calaveras lately?

Post by Remus »

Jimbo,
Nice catch, I need to visit your favorite blue catfish spot.
I caught the Tarpon in the photo off a 18ft center console with guide CPT Paco Mendez from Peacock Bass and Tarpon Tours. We had to chase the Tarpon all over the lagoon because he turned on the afterburners when he felt the hook. The reel was screaming for a good while before he began to tire out. One thing you must do is to "Bow to the Silver King" everything he jumps out of the water like a rocket. I imagine that using a kayak to fish Tarpon is a possibility and and a lot a fun. That would some sleigh ride!!!
I already have plans to return next year to Puerto Rico and fish for Tarpon and will add a day to fish for Peacock Bass in a nearby reservoir.

Hopefully I will be back soon to Calaveras.

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Re: Any kayakers fishing Calaveras lately?

Post by Jimbo_47 »

I'll bet that was a memorable and exciting catch for sure!
I watched Jeromy Wade on one of his river monster shows not long ago catching Tarpon from a rubber kayak maybe down in the same area you were at.
He battled with one way into the night before he could get it to the boat, and he was spent from the long fight.
Congrats on a heck of a fish! :clap:
I hadn't fished that hole since before my back surgery back in 2015. It was my first trip back with my kayak and it looks like my blue cats didn't forget about me. I actually had three blues and two were channels. Lost a couple because I set the hook and didn't tighten my drag so not a good hook set. Simple things like that when you are rusty. :roll:
I had to stock up my freezer, and they were more than welcome inside my boat! :wink:
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Re: Any kayakers fishing Calaveras lately?

Post by Yakdat »

Ended up with 17 Cats. Should have been a lot more. I think Rick would have limited out for sure.
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castin4fish
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Re: Any kayakers fishing Calaveras lately?

Post by castin4fish »

OMG Theres still Caliyakers alive out there. I hit 181 about a month ago. Hit solid 5# plus channels several times. Limited out once and 15 another. Kept 2 each trip for eats. Wasn't sure if anyone was still on TKF so I didn't bother to post. Im in Rockport right now. Catching some trout, but mostly slow going. Will be hitting Cali again soon. BTW Yakdat may I ask what you hit the cats on? They were really finicky when I went and only wanted tilapia heads. Bait was really hard to find. Hope to catch ya guys on the water soon.
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Remus
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Re: Any kayakers fishing Calaveras lately?

Post by Remus »

I'm as surprised as you Castin4fish!
Remus.
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Re: Any kayakers fishing Calaveras lately?

Post by Jimbo_47 »

Remus wrote:I'm as surprised as you Castin4fish!
Remus.
Me too!....Especially since last Saturday was my first trip in my kayak since mid 2015. :?
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Re: Any kayakers fishing Calaveras lately?

Post by Yakdat »

castin4fish wrote:OMG Theres still Caliyakers alive out there. I hit 181 about a month ago. Hit solid 5# plus channels several times. Limited out once and 15 another. Kept 2 each trip for eats. Wasn't sure if anyone was still on TKF so I didn't bother to post. Im in Rockport right now. Catching some trout, but mostly slow going. Will be hitting Cali again soon. BTW Yakdat may I ask what you hit the cats on? They were really finicky when I went and only wanted tilapia heads. Bait was really hard to find. Hope to catch ya guys on the water soon.
They were also very large and were biting everything that I had: Shad, Talapia, Shrimp and chicken livers. Slowed down about noon. Would have caught a lot more, but I kept getting dragged down into the structure on the bottom and hung up. May have been Rick's Saltwater Trash Fish.
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Remus
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Re: Any kayakers fishing Calaveras lately?

Post by Remus »

Someone had a lot of fun!
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Re: Any kayakers fishing Calaveras lately?

Post by Remus »

Happy 4th of July to you"ll!
I decided to go fishing this Sunday. There was plenty of live bay by the kayak launch filling my bait bucket with a couple of net cast. I decided to pedal across the lake to the 181 cove hoping to catch some catfish. The day started very slow with no bites until around 0900 when I caught a small Red and then around 0920 I hooked a big Red that took on a sleigh ride all over the lake. The Redfish was returned to the lake unharmed and ready to fight another day. The fish was 34 inches long and weighted 15 pounds. I was using live baby Tilapia for bait. My biggest Red since I've fishing Calaveras.
Check out the photos. BTW there were about 6-8 kayakers in the lake this am.

Remus
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