Redfish, Kayaks, and Mud Crawlin’

It’s always a great time when Jameson and Brooks, the JK Media House team, come to Louisiana. I enjoy getting a chance to fish with any of my fellow team members that I don’t see very often. That’s what makes these JK Media House meet-ups so fun. When I’d heard that they were planning another trip to “the bayou state”, and would be staying with Eddie & Lisa at PAC Kayak Rentals, I put in for the time off from work!

They’d already been in Pointe Aux Chenes for a couple of days by the time I got to meet up with them. On that Wednesday morning I met up with Jameson, Brooks, Gene “Flukemaster” Gensen, and Robert Field. It was long before my fellow LA team members, Chuck Bahan and Scott Meyers, showed up and we were on our way.

I hadn’t fished this area since the early summer time, so I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. It also helps to mention that this would be my first trip out in my new Cruise FD kayak. Having said that, I can already tell that I’m going to love the Flex Drive!

Pointe Aux Chenes sits in a unique area on our coastline. PAC Kayak Rentals sits on Oak Point, which sits at the confluence of Grand Bayou and Bayou Pointe Aux Chenes. To the north is a vast brackish marsh where it’s not uncommon to run across gators and catch bass mixed in with trout and redfish. To the south of Oak Point is miles of saltwater marsh, pipeline canals, and shallow bays. At this time of year, the northern areas of Pointe Aux Chenes (hereafter referred to as PAC) will be a great area for sight-casting to tailing redfish. We had great success in this area when JK Media House visited last year, so I wanted to start there for this trip as well. It ended up being a decision that would shape the rest of the trip!

To keep it brief, after heading north a good distance, and realizing that I was by myself, I began to test the shallow-water capabilities of the Flex-Drive. It started out great, but ended up a muddy mess. This was not the drive’s fault, but my own. I hadn’t realized just how shallow I was pushing it before it was too late, and I was beached in the middle of the marsh. I knew I’d have to get out and push. This isn’t a big deal for those river anglers up north, but in the south if you get out your boat, you’re going to be sinking several feet into mud! I had to do what I had to do, but not before making a cast to a redfish pushing bait a few feet away!

Mud Crawlin’ out of the Cruise FD

The evening would prove to be much better as Eric Atkins, Adam Hayes, Chris & Ethan Funk, and Leigh Habeggar joined us. We all fished off the back of Eddie and Lisa’s house boat, catching sand and speckled trout.

Upon waking the next morning, and after getting rigged and ready, we decided to head south… away from the submerged and matted hydrilla and mud flats that caused much frustration the day before. We all hung out together for the first part of the day, catching fish within sight of each other. Again, it’s a real treat to fish with these guys – some of them, like Scott Meyers from New Orleans, lives about an hour away from me, but we’ve never fished together.

Scott Meyers working a bank

Before I knew it, Scott had caught a few and Chris had landed a sheepshead on the fly. Those buggers are hard to fool! I tagged along with Brooks and watched as he sight-casted and caught a nice red. After he and Jameson filmed that catch and release, he began following me. It wasn’t long before I was able to put one on camera for him. It wasn’t a big fish, but it was something!

After a lunch break, I headed off to see if I could find fish on a grass I knew of nearby. Once getting there, there were definitely fish hanging out over the grass beds. My method for fishing these areas is to use the wind and/or current to my advantage. I’ll position myself so that the wind or current can push me as I stand and keep watch for a cruising redfish. The problem was that by this point, the wind was too strong and the sun was too low. After about an hour in the area, we decided to head in.

The sunset was beautiful as we headed in. I don’t always get to enjoy a sunset from the marsh. When I do, it’s always spectacular!

The next day would also yield some fish and would be my best day of the trip. It would also present a unique and cool scenario, proposed by Jameson, as we would team up and fish against other team members. I’ll hold off on that report, because I’m excited to see the finished product that they’ll be working on.

One of my favorite things about being a member of the JK team is getting the opportunity to hang out with some of the most awesome and influential people in our sport. I’m humbled that I get to have a part in what they do, as well as be a part of the JK family. Looking forward to next year (or whenever y’all want to come back)!