Kayak fly fishing report from Delacroix, LA 2-16-19
Wind: 0 at first, afternoon came up to 10 mph from SW
Tide: low about 10:30, range 2 ft.
Water Level: low, a foot of mud bank showing
Water Temperature: ~ 70 F
Water Clarity: pretty good, about 2-3 feet
Water salinity: very fresh – no salt detected
Weather/sky: fog early, but had cleared by the time I was on the water
Temperature: ~ 70-75 F
Moon: ¾ waxing
Solunar period: major ~ 10:30 a.m.
Time on the water: slid the Hobie Outback kayak in at 11 a.m., driving in at 6 p.m.
Water covered: ~ 6 miles
Other fishers: solo trip
Game Plan – stalk redfish
Gear: two #8 fly rods for the marsh
Lures: chartreuse Waldner spoon fly, large popper with a purple bunny leech variant tied two feet below.
I launched and met “blackfish” as he was coming in. He had had a pretty good morning, catching several redfish.
With the low water, I had to paddle instead of pedal the Hobie Outback about half the time. I found some redfish in the back end of an old canal. Had two good hook ups on the spoon fly early, but both shook free.
I went into a small shallow pond and saw several fish rooting around. I tried to ease over to one but it seemed to stay just out of casting range. I didn’t want to spook it with too many casts, so I gave it a break and cast downwind for a minute. A redfish came out of nowhere and struck twice at the popper and then bit the dropper fly. I netted it and found its belly was covered with leeches. It had been spending a good bit of time on its belly.
I cast the popper/dropper rig back where I had spotted the first fish. After a few casts a large fish came up and struck the popper but missed. It was pretty close when it hit and spooked.
I spotted 3-4 other fish on the surface over the day but had no luck getting a bite. I spooked scads of redfish that were bedded down on the bottom in shallow water. I looked at lots of mud clouds today.
I headed back toward the truck and picked up a small bass on the dropper fly. Had to paddle a good bit of the way in to get across a shallow area. A slow day for sure, but I got to see an otter feeding and an eagle chasing an osprey that was carrying a fish. The eagle forced to osprey to give up its catch, and the fish dropped into the water. Surprisingly, the eagle did not go after the fish, but just flew away. Mean bird!