Christmas Bay/Churchill Bayou 4/8

[Music Man]

Launched from the boat ramp on the far-east end of Christmas Bay at sunrise. Weather was wonderful. Drifted along the shoreline and got a 15” flounder on about the third cast. He promised to grow and fight even harder next time, so he was released. Spent the next hour or so drifting and caught two undersized flounder and a dink trout that inhaled the paddle tail I was using. Moved to where Churchill opens into Cold Pass and caught another undersized flounder and a rat red that fought like he was in the big leagues.

Saw others catching some very healthy trout on live shrimp. Good sign for our area.

Caught most of the flounder and the red on a Gulp Lemon Pepper jerk shad. For some reason these work for me on flounder. One flounder was on a Chicken Boy Bubba Clucker. I missed quite a few - just don’t have the hang of the flounder bite yet.

Great day on the water having fun and learning. Like not forgetting to put sunscreen on my feet

[Ron Mc]

Thanks for the report.

btw, for those little trout that gullet themselves, I've had really good results chasing down their gullet with one of these:

[YakRunabout]

Congrats on getting out and thanks for the report -
I catch a lot of reds, flounder and specs on that same jerk shad!

just don’t have the hang of the flounder bite yet.

I think you are selling yourself short here ^ -
you caught 4 flounder! I agree that flounder are tricky and perhaps you missed some!
I hate it when they come along to the boat fairly well, then they open their mouth and throw the lure back at ya!
I had one in the net and in the boat, trying to pry its mouth open to get the grips on - when he finally opened the lure came flying out! He was not "hooked", was just holding on!
Have fun out there!!

[Dandydon]

Music Man makes beautiful marine music in Christmas Bay... I agree w/ YakRun about the thrill of hooking (& landing!) those pesky, tasty Flounder. You were kind to release the 15-incher.

Thanks for the punchy, entertaining report that didn't ramble on like Tolstoy's "War and Peace." We lawyers appreciate brevity & get paid by the hour, hello.

I love that area between Xmas Bay and Cold Pass. Our Hobie Navy one trip limited out over there on big slot Redfish revealed by terns hovering right above them. For half an hour it was a hook-up on every cast. Kickingback was smiling like a Cheshire cat over around John Wayne Cut.

I'm looking forward to yakking soon w/ Shoffer, Watson, Kickingback & YakRun. Please post more reports. You've been around for 9 years...

Sent from my SM-G973U1 using Tapatalk

[Music Man]

Thanks for the feedback/encouragement guys. Ron: I used that exact hook remover on the dink. Really worked easily - hope the trout survived.

[Ron Mc]

you did everything you could, bro.
Again, great report.