HACKED BY CYBER-ATTACK - ALPERENBTN

[GoinCoastal]

Yep, I am still alive! I haven't found a permanent job yet so I spend a lot time searching and applying, etc. I am still working 2 days a week usually Thursdays and Sundays at ACK (Austin Canoe & Kayak) on Burnet Rd. I work part time for Gulf Coast Connections Magazine too. I haven't fished a lot lately because I can't afford the trips. However, when friends have wanted to go, they pay the gas and we hit it using my truck and yaks. That's been good.

I took my old college pledge brother and dear friend, Tracy, on a coastal adventure 3 weeks ago. WHat a great trip!!!!

We left Leander Wednesday after lunch and drove straight to Corpus where we picked up a tentcot from Tyler with Corpusfishing.com. We then drove all the way down PINS to the MFJ (mansfield jetties 63 miles down the beach from the end of the pavement). We got there about 8:30 & setup camp and had dinner under a beautiful bright 1st quarter moon. We were the only folks there!!!! A VERY VERY KWEL night to be camping at MFJ.

Got up the next morning had breakfast and coffee just relaxing and letting the sun warm up before we paddled out thru the surf to fish the gulf. We headed out past the jetties towards the navigational bouy out in the gulf. Birds were working maybe a 1/4 mile away straight off the end of the south jetties. We headed for them. Enroute, we heard this hugh splash off the back of Tracy's t120. I turned and saw 12-15 big muddy brown colored objects maybe 4-5 deep behind us. As i watched one of the big brown spots heads over to me. A big old bull shark about 6 foot long cruised just beside me. TOTALLY AWSOME!!!!!!!!!! I was like a kid in a candy store for the first time. I was never felt scared or even in a sense of danger. JUST AMAZEMENT AND AWE!!!! WOW!

We continued paddling and they went on their separate way. We paddled upwind of the birds and set up a drift right towards them. I have nevevr been on a feeding frenzy in the yak before. AGAIN TOTAL AWE!!!! The surface of the water is just total chaos as birds feed from above and fish feed from below. There were sharks, kings, smack, and bluefish in this one feeding frenzy. I chunked a DOA BaitBuster. A pretty decent sized smack or small king chased it right up to the yak. I chunked into the melee a second time. As soon as the lure hits the water, the surface exploded. I set the hook and snap, the leader was cut right at the lure! I sit for a few minutes and just watched the frenzy as we ease up to it and the it stopped. Again I was just overwhelmed with amazement.

We continued drifting in gulf and while re-tying lures, I hear Tracy say "No F^*&*&%# WAY!". I turned just in time to see the side of face hit the surface of the gulf as he rooled over in the T120. Hilarious!!! I help him gather stuff and get back in the yak. I never once thought about the bull sharks until after Tracy gets in boat. He looks at me and says he is glad the sharks didn't appear again as I was telling him to relax and catch his breath. He said all he think about was me saying "stay calm, catch your breath, oooooooooooh! Look at the size of that one, Awesome!!!" Luckily no sharks showed up.

As we were paddling in at mid-morning, we saw Capt Billy drive up to the jetties. He had a party of flyfishers and he had them looking for flounder against the jetties. While we were visiting, one of his clients caught a new state record flounder for the fly. A nice 6# beauty. The old record was 5#.

As we visited and iced the flounder, I saw a big patch of reddish brown moving in towards the surf . It was probably 300-400 yds out. I asked Billy what if it was grass or fish. We got to looking thinking it was a school of dusky anchovies. Then a flock birds flew right over it and didn't stop. REDFISH!!!! Yes, a hugh school of reds running along the surface. One actually broke from school & swam just out of casting range swimming with his back out of the water like he was 3" of water. It was wild. I had never seen them do that before in deep water.

We broke camp around lunch time and fished our way off the beach around 4:30pm. Nothing found in surf heading out and nothing including bait north of about the 40 mile marker. We headed straight to Packery Channel and fished it until dark. Nada there.

We spent the night in AP and hit Terminal Flats at daylight on Friday morning. I have been taking Tracy kayak fishing at the coast for 3 years trying to get him his first redfish on artifiicals in a yak. Well we hit pay-dirt! The reds were scattered across the flats and were very willing to dine on redfish patterned topwaters, red/white swimming shads, and DOA shrimp. Tracy caught and landed 3 reds and had several blow-ups and hook-ups. His first 2 reds were on the redfish topwater and one on a DOA shrimp. He is now HOOKED FOR LIFE!!!!! He is looking to buy a yak now!

We took out at noon, loaded up, and hit the road. We were back in Leander by 4:30 Friday afternoon. It was a great trip, a real adventure I will long remember. I absolutely loved seeing my buddy catch those reds. It didn't matter if I didn't hook a single fish. Of course, I had my catches too including a nice 24"ish red on the redfish topwater. WAY COOL TRIP!!!!

SO there is my trip report.... And I am still alive and kicking!!!!

later folks,
joe
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GoinCoastal aka Cap'nSherbet

[Guest]

Ya it does seem to drain the ol pocket when ya live up here and have to go down there. I wanted to ask what ya did? I manage Pure Austin Fitnes and I know of other places and have some friends that might need some help. Good Pay for good work ya know. Let me know if I can help. We've all been there, I have been there more than I care for. Also I need to know of places to Yak up here. Is there a group or a store that has alot of yaks and supplies?
Take care
Keep On Fishing

Sambo

[GoinCoastal]

Sambo, send me a email or pm using the small icons under my post. There are tons of places around Austin to kayak. I can give you more info about my job search. Any networking would be appreciated.

joe
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GoinCoastal aka Cap'nSherbet

[Big John]

Hey Joe,

Have you considered doing a little part time guide work? Seems like you are good at getting on the reds in yaks, you know the area well, and really enjoy it. Might be a good way to earn a few extra dollars until the fulltime gig happens.
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Give a man a fish, feed him for a day.

Teach a man to fish, he'll be broke and hungry the rest of his life!

John Sullivan
Native Corpus Christian
Currently Displaced in San Antonio

[GoinCoastal]

Actually working on that one BigJohn.

Hope to have everything in order in a few weeks for GoinCoastal Kayak Angling Adventures.
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GoinCoastal aka Cap'nSherbet

[tyler]

Way to go Joe!

TT