Christmas Bay 4-Mar-2023

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deptrai
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Christmas Bay 4-Mar-2023

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I’ve been wanting to launch from Swan Lake and fish the Slop Bowl, but am unsure if my Outback can make it there this time of year due to low tides. I’m really trying to fish new waters, but ended up going back to Christmas Bay again. The bay is large enough to fish different areas each time. This time it was Acadia Reef. Having never been there before, I wasn’t sure what to expect. There is probably a closer launch, but I feel like there is a better chance of my catalytic converter still being intact at the end of the day if I launch from Amigo Lane vs. some other launch. I also know there is enough water to float my Outback when I launch there.
My destination in the distance.
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Acadia Reef almost looked to me like it is man-made. Is it? It certainly is popular as I counted at least 8 kayaks and 4 boats fishing it. Not much really stood out to me as likely spots where fish would be holding so I just made random casts as I made my way from reef to reef.
I finally came across a part in the northern most section that looks like a straight shot that had been dredged. I read 16’ depth in some sections. I found a spot where the current was really ripping around the point of a reef and made my cast. I felt a subtle tick and set the hook on my only keeper of the day… a 17.5” trout.
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After a couple of hours, I gave up and headed back to the east part of the bay. I ended up traveling 8.5 miles on the water today and only caught one other USO (Unidentified Swimming Object). At least there were no mosquitoes. What the heck is this?
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Large bait was everywhere in the bay today. More than I have ever seen.
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Dave
Last edited by deptrai on Tue Mar 07, 2023 3:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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shoffer
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Re: Christmas Bay 4-Mar-2023

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Golden Croaker.
imaoldmanyoungsalt
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Re: Christmas Bay 4-Mar-2023

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

shoffer wrote: Sun Mar 05, 2023 5:09 am Golden Croaker.
I was thinking whiting, AKA gulf kingfish, no?
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Re: Christmas Bay 4-Mar-2023

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imaoldmanyoungsalt wrote: Sun Mar 05, 2023 7:25 am I was thinking whiting, AKA gulf kingfish, no?
Oldmanyoungsalt is right. Looks to skinny to be a croaker.
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karstopo
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Re: Christmas Bay 4-Mar-2023

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Whiting, good eating.

The old intracoastal waterway runs by Rattlesnake point from Drum Bay into Christmas Bay and up through mud cut into Galveston Bay.

Once upon a time, there was a cut to the Gulf of Mexico at Acadia reef. https://deadconfederates.com/2015/02/05 ... makes-two/

That’s a great area to fish, my favorite fall location.
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deptrai
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Re: Christmas Bay 4-Mar-2023

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karstopo wrote: Mon Mar 06, 2023 7:14 pm
Once upon a time, there was a cut to the Gulf of Mexico at Acadia reef. https://deadconfederates.com/2015/02/05 ... makes-two/
Thanks. An interesting read. Acadia...not Arcadia!

So did the oysters grow on top of the ship's wreckage? I really don't understand the oyster thing. All the oyster I've seen in the water (or exposed at low tide) appear to be dead or already harvested.

Dave
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Re: Christmas Bay 4-Mar-2023

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deptrai wrote: Tue Mar 07, 2023 3:48 pm
karstopo wrote: Mon Mar 06, 2023 7:14 pm
Once upon a time, there was a cut to the Gulf of Mexico at Acadia reef. https://deadconfederates.com/2015/02/05 ... makes-two/
Thanks. An interesting read. Acadia...not Arcadia!

So did the oysters grow on top of the ship's wreckage? I really don't understand the oyster thing. All the oyster I've seen in the water (or exposed at low tide) appear to be dead or already harvested.

Dave
Only the exposed tops are dead. There’s great oysters In Christmas Bay, unfortunately, they are off limits to harvest.

I lived off Christmas Bay oysters and fish I caught there and other nearby waters when I live at Surfside. Several years ago, a fleet of commercial oyster boats moved in along with ATVs and went nuts. After that sad episode, the State of Texas closed the bay to all harvesting of shellfish. There’s also quahog clams in that bay. Evidently, once upon a time bay scallops also.

But, there are still live harvestable sized briny oysters. They cannot be legally harvested. It’s a shame there isn’t a carve out recreational oyster season or area protected from commercial oyster activity.
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deptrai
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Re: Christmas Bay 4-Mar-2023

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Forgot to mention that I saw two dolphin and two stingrays Saturday. I tapped each of the stingrays with the tip of my rod and they took off in a hurry.

A couple of months ago I was in Churchill Bayou when two other kayakers passed by. One said to the other "Look at those oysters. Do you want to get some? I brought my pick".
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Re: Christmas Bay 4-Mar-2023

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