Kayaks Offer Quiet Access to Prime Spots

Center-console boats have long dominated Texas' coastal fishing scene, but the "mosquito fleet" is being challenged now by the boating equivalent of a swarm of gnats: kayaks.

Last week, I stopped by Wilderness Furnishings in Sugar Land for a meeting of Paddling Anglers in Canoes and Kayaks.

Formed in March, P.A.C.K. has grown from fewer than 10 enlistees at its original meeting to more than 75 registered members. If fishing trends continue, growth should be as fast and furious into the foreseeable future.

The kayak craze in saltwater bays and estuaries started not so many years ago with the introduction of longer, sturdier boats made from nearly indestructible plastics. Technology can be a marvelous thing when someone who knows about boat design meets someone who knows about flats fishing.

Down the assembly lines have tumbled an entire armada of boats, each better than the last, designed to transport anglers safely and comfortably without the fish-spooking roar of an outboard or forced marches through soft mud. Concurrently, better paddles and accessories and storage concepts were introduced.

The handful of anglers who first paddled their curious craft into the bays and surf for fishing were met by the old guard with jeers and oddball stares. What the salts didn't realize at first was that kayakers were going quietly where no man had gone quietly before. And that, any fisherman knows, translates to more and bigger fish.

Houston police officer Landrum Gay is a driving force behind P.A.C.K. A lifelong coastal fisherman, he ran a center-console rig for years but grew weary of the maintenance and other associated annoyances.

"I was on patrol one day and saw Jack (Richardson, owner of Wilderness Furnishings) driving down the street with all those boats," said Gay. "I pulled him over and said, `We've got to talk.' "

Since then, Gay has tested most every kayak on the market. He owns two but no longer owns a center console.

As he is a leader in P.A.C.K., one of Gay's favorite "duties" is serving as host for club-sponsored fishing trips. In groups of five (down from a high of 10, which proved too many boats and anglers to manage at once), club members travel to prime fishing spots along the coast. East Matagorda Bay is one of his favorites, and neophytes should be prepared for a full and physically taxing day.

Although the average club fishing trip doesn't take paddlers more than a mile or two from the launch site, Gay said he has traveled as far as 13 miles to reach personal hotspots.

"You do have to be in some kind of (physical) shape," said John Earthman, P.A.C.K. member and dedicated fisherman.

But you don't have to be a flat-bellied teen-ager. "Kayaking is not age-restrictive by any means," Gay added.

(As backup power for unconditioned aspirants, most contemporary kayaks can be fitted with trolling motors.)

P.A.C.K. members meet monthly to swap fishing stories and plan upcoming fishing adventures.

"The idea for a saltwater anglers' club that focuses mainly on shallow-water or flats-type bay fishing on the Texas Gulf Coast is long overdue," reads a passage in the group's monthly newsletter. "The club will cater to fishermen sharing the addiction of pursuit of the `Big 3 ' - speckled trout, redfish and flounder. The club also welcomes the casual or occasional fisherman and those who simply may wish to learn the basics of light saltwater angling."

The twist, of course, is that they do their fishing from kayaks .

"The best part about the new boats is that you don't have to have any paddling experience," Gay said. "You just get in and go."

Another plus is that the newer models are extremely stable, even in significant chop.

"Not a problem," Gay said of open-water navigation. "In three-foot surf, after fishing, you can really have a lot of fun in a kayak."

The right kayak, anyway. According to Gay, the boats are as different as shoes%3B it's important the beginners "try on" several models before they buy one. Wilderness Furnishings maintains a fleet of rentals.

Traditional-style kayaks , in which paddlers sit inside, aren't suited to fishing. Entry and exit are difficult and require at least a handhold on firm ground. The newer sit-on-top models, however, are ideal for slipping over the side in prime wading areas and hopping back onboard for the paddle home.

The longer ocean kayaks also feature a stabilizing keel, which helps keep the boat on track while traveling or trying to maintain position near a school of fish. Those boats tend to be faster, because of their length/width ratio, which helps to minimize paddling effort.

"With the sit-on-tops, you're going to get wet," said Gay, noting that they have through-hull drainage built into the cockpit, "but they offer the best overall design for fishing."

The bottom line: Kayaks offer quiet access to uncrowded water. A wet backside doesn't sound like too steep a price. Come August, sun overhead and not a breath of wind, a soaking of any sort might sound pretty good.

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