The next two days were spent fishing and filming in Grand Isle. Along with Brooks and Jameson from JK Media House I also had the pleasure of getting back on the water with Josh Tidwell, who runs a kayak outfitter near Gadsden called Big Wills Outfitters. Josh is a good dude, I’ve known him for a long time; well since that one year I lived in Alabama post-college. He’s the man to see if you want a Jackson Kayak in Northeast Alabama. After seeing bull reds caught the last two days, my hopes were high that we’d be able to net a few more, only this time on camera.
We were fishing out of the new Cuda HDs, which is the reason Brooks and Jameson were down in Louisiana, to get some good footage of the new boats. We started the day off throwing topwater at points and around rock piles getting blow ups from small trout. Hook ups were infrequent though and we moved on toward the marsh. I knew these guys came down to catch redfish, not load up on small trout, but it’s hard to pass up likely trout spots, you never where that 24″+ gator trout is laid up. After coming around a big point and through a big bay I got to a bayou that runs through some marsh and saw a familiar site of shrimp popping along the grass where a red was attacking bait. After a decent cast it was fish on!
It was a nice mid-slot red, Jameson was there to film a little of it, I was happy to get on the board and even more excited that they were feeding. I started making my way further up the bayou and then Jameson gets a call that Brooks has a fish on and it’s a big one – right off that big point I just passed. I worked the area before moving through, but just like James the day before, I passed the area a little too early and missed a shot at a big fish. Got to be in the right place at the right time.
(Jameson Redding – JK Media House)
It was awesome to hear that a bull red was caught and Jameson was able to paddle back and take some pics. While they were busy over there, I had stumbled into a pile of little trout in the bayou and was picking through the throwbacks. Mixed in were a few rat reds as well. It was a nice little flurry of activity, but eventually the action tapered off. Soon the rest of the gang caught back up to me and we fished the interior marsh off that bayou until it was getting late. We headed back as the sun was setting, stopping to fish those trout spots, ya know, just in case.
(Brooks Beatty – JK Media House)
After a late night, with some uncoordinated Onewheel action, we bid farewell the next day to Josh and the rest of the Alabama crew, but welcomed Bart Swab from St. Augustine, Florida. Bart operates a kayak charter business over there called Action Kayak Adventures, they do fishing trips and eco-tours. Bart was pretty stoked to be down in redfish country and was looking forward to catching a few on the fly. This would be the best weather day of the trip so I thought he’d have a great opportunity of doing just that. I was able to stick around for the morning and fish, but I’d be leaving early in the day to head back to Baton Rouge. This was my last opportunity at bull red glory.
We headed back to the same spot and the weather today let us fish a new pond that was getting hammered by wind the day before. As soon as we hit that pond I saw a big, bright, orange pumpkin float to the surface, but after reaching for a rod he submarined and I was left fan casting the area just hoping he’d see my bait. I came up empty there, but it didn’t take long for Bart to find a little school of reds and as he hooked up he hollered over to me to come catch another one and this time my cast was true and we were doubled up!
(Brooks Beatty – JK Media House)
It was very cool to get that double, which was the start to a pretty good week for Bart, as he’d move with the guys the next day from Grand Isle to Point-aux-Chenes where the weather and fish continued to cooperate from what I understand. I pushed on sight fishing the big pond and eventually did see another good bull red. This time I was able to make a good cast, then another good cast, and finally a third good cast, the fish just didn’t eat. I couldn’t believe that I finally had a great opportunity to catch a bull and the damn fish didn’t want to eat! Jameson on the other hand had hung around that area I saw that first bull red and saw the fish again, this time he was able to get it to eat and for the fifth time in four days someone I was fishing with had landed a bull red.
(Brooks Beatty – JK Media House)
Five bull reds, four different fishing partners – I was turning into quite the guide. It was getting to be that time when I was needing to head out, so I bid everyone adieu and before I hit the big open water, I made one last stop to a flat to see if anyone was home. Lucky for me a few fish were home and a junior bull was my consolation prize. Of course it came when the professional cameras weren’t around, but I was happy to at least catch one over-slot fish in Grand Isle.
The Cuda HD is another winner from Jackson Kayak. The hull is fantastic, it’s a very stable boat that tracks well and is fairly quick. It’s not Kraken fast, but that’s not what the Cuda HD is designed to do. This is an inshore boat and it’s going to be a great one. The redesigned front hatch is very nice and simple to use and there is no shortage of built-in rod storage options. It’s a tad on the heavy side for a 13′ boat at 85 lbs, so cartopping just means you’ll have to lift one end at a time.
The past four days were a blast! Fishing was very productive for the Alabama crew and it was just starting to heat up for the Jackson guys. I had a great time fishing with so many different people, but maybe had more fun just hanging out with everyone at night, just shooting the shit under the camp. It’s trips and tournaments like this that make kayak fishing so special.
Mountains to Marsh 