|
Monday, May 7, 2012 |
|
Offatt's Bayou - Cinco de Mayo
By aggie182 @ 12:25 PM :: 2300 Views
|
 |
Five PACK members made the trip to the Galveston Boat Club for the 1st Offatt's Bayou trip. Frank, Greg, Terri, Glen and I were greeted with winds from the south about 10-15, sunny skies, and a beautiful day to be on the water.
We launched from the GBC around 7:30am and headed west stopping along the way to fish. One of the 1st stops was near some rip-rap that dropped off in to deeper water. All we managed to find here were some little guys that were ripping the tails off of our paddle tails. After losing the tails on 3 separate GULP lures, I decided to switch over to live shrimp that Glenn F. brought me. I asked him to pick me up a sack of ice from the bait shop and he picked up a sack of ice and a pint of shrimp for me to have at my disposal. As we continued to work west, Glenn F. picked up a keeper flounder off the edge of the Blue Hole and Terri has a few followers, but no takers on her gold spoon and paddle tails. Greg was flinging flies like a pro and had a nice hit but couldn't stick the fish.
We continued to head west toward Moody Gardens and fished the drop offs in the area. It seemed like the spot to be was right off of the bow of the Colonel Paddle Wheel. I managed a slot red one on of my 1st few casts that went a little over 21" and Glenn F. picked up a slot red in the 23" range. After the 2 slots, we only managed a few rat reds. Terri and Frank came to see if they could pull a few reds out of the hole but the fish had moved on. Frank was throwing chartreuse colored soft plastics and suspended hard baits and Terri went with a soft plastic under a popping cork.
Meanwhile, Greg had moved west of the Colonel and was wading South Offatt's Flats with the fly rod. I paddled over to see how Greg was doing and managed to hook a barely legal 14 1/2" black drum over the flat. Shortly after, Greg mentioned Shrimp-n-Stuff for lunch so we made the paddle back in and were greeted by Frank, Glenn, and Terri who had already made the paddle back.
After a few drinks and goodbyes to Frank at the GBC, the four of us remaining went and feasted at Shrimp-n-Stuff on fried fish, stuffed shrimp, shrimp salad, po-boys, hush puppies, fries, gumbo, and so on. Good food and good people - life was great and we were tired after that.
We made it back to the GBC for a few more rounds of Dos Equis (it was Cinco de Mayo after all) and other drinks and enjoyed the beautiful day. Terri found her happy place in the pool and Greg found his happy place napping on a picnic table - until Barry S. called and woke him with the brutal force of an alarm clock. None of us were able to muster the energy to get back on the water after the morning paddle and huge lunch so we sat around for a while checking out Greg's flies, BSing, and enjoying the day. About 5pm we called it a day and headed out.
I enjoyed the trip and hopefully the others did as well. I hoped the fishing would be better but it wasn't to be. I hated going to the dark side and using live shrimp, but they proved to be key that day. Thanks to Greg, Glen, Terri, and Frank for making the trip and hopefully we can do it again soon.
Aaron F.
|
|
|
|
|