# Personal Best



## Xplorin08 (Jan 18, 2011)

Went down last Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday for a quick get away. Had a friend who fished B&R over the prior weekend and said there were lots of reds on the flats but water was really low and reds were finicky. Decided to head that direction and try my luck. Went out Tuesday afternoon and fished from about 2pm-6pm. Started out at an area that I thought I could get my skiff into and boy I was wrong. Tides were so low that I ended up anchoring in the gut and walking out about 1/4 mile into at least bootie deep water. Needless to say I didn't see anything - water was low and hot. Walked back to my skiff and asked myself, "What next?" Decided to work my way up the channel and see if I could find some decent water. As I get to the end of the channel I noticed a lot of commotion in front of me about a few hundreds yards. Continued to look and couldn't determine whether it was an exposed oyster bed with waves crashing on it or the alternative--big school of reds. As I got closer it was definitely not an oyster bed!! Big school of reds!! Long story short - I had the best afternoon ever!! Ended up landing 6 slot reds ranging from 22"-26" inches (kept one for dinner and released the rest) and losing two others in about 2 1/2 hrs of nonstop action!! Threw orange spoon flies and white/chartruese clousers. Will post pics once I get them down loaded from my blackberry. The reds were so aggressive that they were jumping over each other and out of the water chasing mullet...

Went back out to the general area the following morning to find reds still on the flats. Not as thick as the afternoon before but there were tails waving at me in all directions - mainly singles/doubles. Wind was blowing about 10-15 miles and tides was going out. Ended up with 3 slot reds (all released) and lost 2 others. Used pink/chartruese and white chartruese clousers as water was a little clearer than the afternoon before. Left with fish still tailing as I had to get back to SA for dinner.

Was a memorable trip and can't wait to get back there!!


----------



## Xplorin08 (Jan 18, 2011)

A couple of pics to capture the memory and one to celebrate the occasion...


----------



## flyfishingmike (Nov 26, 2010)

Nice fish. Were the clousers weighted? The reason I ask is that BR is very shallow in most places.


----------



## Xplorin08 (Jan 18, 2011)

No, they weren't weighted. And you're right - does get pretty shallow out there. Water level was wading boot to calf deep water for the most part.


----------



## deepblue1 (Sep 15, 2006)

Good report! and I like your BT btw.


----------



## Joe. T. (Jun 7, 2008)

congrats on your personal best......


----------



## Xplorin08 (Jan 18, 2011)

Thanks DeepBlue! I've had her since April of this year and couldn't be more happy. Runs great, drafts/poles awesome and can get into those back bays without any worries!! And those bays are where the reds have been!! Heading down again this weekend and hope to get my Dad on some good red action.


----------



## jerkyourcroaker (Aug 21, 2011)

Thanks for the report. We're heading down to Rockport for Labor Day weekend and I plan to work Estes Flats pretty hard - kayaking over from Palm Harbor. Congrats on the fish.


----------

