# 12/3/16 - Rain, Debris, Specs



## HotSauce (Jul 11, 2013)

It had been awhile since my last opportunity to take the kayak down to Galveston and wet a line. Moving out of our apartment into a new place coupled with a Thanksgiving wedding will do that, so I set in stone that I would fish Saturday morning come hell or high water. I got the latter.

The water levels had risen so high that I conveniently launched my kayak from the parking lot at about 6:45 AM and began a 25 yard paddle to the usual launch location. The rest of the trip to the marsh drain was more of a controlled drift alongside the tremendous amount of trash and debris swept off of nearby banks and shorelines by the elevated water levels. It was raining, hard, the whole time.

I arrived at the marsh drain I had planned on fishing and began throwing the brightest tandem rig I could tie - two psycho chicken, pearl white/chartreuse. Brief pauses in the storm created short-lived, yet beautiful, windows of fishing opportunity. Initial plans to target flounder and reds in the saltier bottom foot of the water column at the drain of a large marsh came with no success. As I steadily increased my retrieval speed - the hits began to come. Surprisingly by trout feeding only a foot or two from the fresh water surface.

I landed a few healthy trout and after a few nearby thunder strikes that quickly brought Lee Trevino to mind - I hightailed out of there about 10 AM. Overall, it was a fun, worthwhile trip that gave me a few takeaways:


Fish feed when it rains
Speckled trout do not always prefer salinity over freshwater 
I need new waders


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## Puddle_Jumper (Jun 30, 2014)

Great story and pic.. Love it !!


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## gotmuddy (Dec 19, 2013)

you know its going to be a memorable day when it starts with "launching from the parking lot"


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Good report!
The best trout bite I ever had was in intermittent rain like you described.
Coca ho minnows tied tandem, pearl white.


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## HotSauce (Jul 11, 2013)

shadslinger said:


> Good report!
> The best trout bite I ever had was in intermittent rain like you described.
> Coca ho minnows tied tandem, pearl white.


Cocahoes are my goto for tandem setups! Didn't have any in my bag that were bright enough. I wanted something very bright as it was almost dark at times due to dense cloud coverage.

No complaints on the psycho chicken's though - they produced well considering the conditions.

I found the cocahoe jig heads were a little undersized for the psycho chickens as well. Need to order the chicken boy jig heads - looks like they have a little more size between shank and hook tip.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Hotsauce I envy you guys who can fish a yak.
I have too many physical issues to handle them at my age.
I really do envy the great access to good spots and even big fish
and closeness of the fight makes for the real deal.
I enjoy posts liked yours very much.

And those chicken lures are going to be like a rattle trap in freshwater being they catch everything.


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## HotSauce (Jul 11, 2013)

shadslinger said:


> Hotsauce I envy you guys who can fish a yak.
> I have too many physical issues to handle them at my age.
> I really do envy the great access to good spots and even big fish
> and closeness of the fight makes for the real deal.
> ...


Thanks for the positive feedback. I enjoy writing them.

I do still wade often when I don't have time to haul the yak. That's about as close as you can get! There are many spots in the Galveston area that offer very fishy wade spots only a 50 yard shuffle from the parking lot.

I would be happy to share with you. Just send me a private message if you are interested.

And yes, chicken boys continuously impress. I always brag to fishing buddies that I caught a catfish in the Houston bayou on a bubba clucker. First time to ever catch a freshwater cat on plastic.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

HotSauce, I do have waders and will travel!
Lets trade out a trip, I'll take you trophy blue cat fishing and you take me wade fishing for specks.
Check out yesterday's drift trip with Bigofst on the freshwater board.


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## HotSauce (Jul 11, 2013)

shadslinger said:


> HotSauce, I do have waders and will travel!
> Lets trade out a trip, I'll take you trophy blue cat fishing and you take me wade fishing for specks.
> Check out yesterday's drift trip with Bigofst on the freshwater board.


Appreciate the offer! Looks like y'all had a great time.

Maybe I'll be able to sneak away one day for a trip up there. In the meantime, PM me anytime if you need easily accessible wade spots.


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## Hoang77465 (Nov 29, 2016)

Nice kayak and good report.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Thanks and I will do. 
Can't have too many aces when it comes to wading for specks and such.


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## JimD (May 25, 2004)

You must have been wearing last years Academy waders. 
Good news you are not in them today.

I had two pair start leaking over the summer.

Seam leak or hole? Saw an article about using liquid electrical tape to cover the hole. Might work so you have a spare. I have learned to take my neoprenes and breathables in the boat. 

The other thing I have found is to have a set of rain paints or other that are water proof so you can still fish longer with a small leak and just your feet will freeze. There is nothing like a slow leak to freeze you.


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## HotSauce (Jul 11, 2013)

JimD said:


> You must have been wearing last years Academy waders.
> Good news you are not in them today.
> 
> I had two pair start leaking over the summer.
> ...


I have no idea. I was just sitting in a kayak, not even submerged in water, yet I still had a good accumulation of water right in the butt area. Standing up and having a gallon of 60 degree water run down the back of my legs sure was fun.

Leads me to believe the leak is somewhere in the waist area. Any tips on locating the hole would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.


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## John_B_1 (Jan 28, 2011)

If there neoprene turn them inside out and spray with alcohol the spot should turn dark.


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