1st trip since returning from vacation. I knew there was a good chance of rain, but it’s been so long since I’ve been on the water so I went for it.
I arrived at the launch just before 7 and there were already three yaks out there. The mosquitos were THICK. After I was eaten alive last trip, I was prepared with a couple of different sprays. It seemed to work, but they were still a nuisance. I bought one of those mosquito poison sucker things just in case and am considering a Thermacell MR300 too.
Is there any way to predict mosquito activity? Are certain times or conditions more prone to having them buzzing around?
Anyway, it was a beautiful sunrise.
Not, however, as beautiful as my condo on the Gulf of Thailand last week!
I got to the marsh and it wasn’t long before I had my first fish. A small Red. This is the first non-slot Red that I have caught. I didn’t deserve it as I had not properly adjusted my drag since the last trip.
Unfortunately, that would be my only fish today. 20 minutes after catching it, a switch flipped and the wind machine turned on. It went from zero to 15+ in less than a minute. Another 15 minutes and the rain followed. I hung in there for about a half hour more, but the rain was coming in sideways and it just got stupid. The lightening & thunder followed and I headed back in.
I don’t regret going and will likely be back at it next weekend.
Dave
Christmas Bay 11-Dec-2022
Christmas Bay 11-Dec-2022
Last edited by deptrai on Sun Dec 11, 2022 2:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Christmas Bay 11-Dec-2022
Forgot my boots today so wet feet.
Re: Christmas Bay 11-Dec-2022
Stay safe out there. I have been caught at messing around in Churchill Bayou when the wind and rain kicks up and it took me over an hour to get back to the launch battling the wind. About halfway back the lightning kicked up to the point that I debated turning around and letting the wind push me back into the bayou for safety. One of three times in my 15 years of kayak fishing that I actually worried about getting home alive.
Re: Christmas Bay 11-Dec-2022
I was fortunate that the wind was at my back on the return trip.
I have feared for my life a couple of times...both when my Mirage drive broke in some nasty stuff off of the Oregon coast. After each of those events, I purchased extra gear to help me in the event the failures reoccur.
I now carry an extra drive chain, stainless nylock nuts, wrench, throwable rope and have a "good" paddle unlike the crap paddle that comes with a Hobie kayak. None of that would prevent getting struck by lightening.
Dave
I have feared for my life a couple of times...both when my Mirage drive broke in some nasty stuff off of the Oregon coast. After each of those events, I purchased extra gear to help me in the event the failures reoccur.
I now carry an extra drive chain, stainless nylock nuts, wrench, throwable rope and have a "good" paddle unlike the crap paddle that comes with a Hobie kayak. None of that would prevent getting struck by lightening.
Dave
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Re: Christmas Bay 11-Dec-2022
I hope that was good planning rather than luck.