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Putting in Yak, POC?

6K views 39 replies 13 participants last post by  chrismunn 
#1 ·
Gonna hit up Port Oconnor for the first time in a couple weeks. Just wondering if anybody has any advice on where to put in with the kayaks?
 
#3 ·
I'm not even sure exactly where we're going yet? Either Poc or Port Lavaca? Only fished bay twice ever in the yak so I'm not sure what baits to use either? Lord knows I've got more than enough baits so I should be ok in that department, but I'm gonna go ahead and order a few more just in case! ;)

I'll post a report when I get back.
 
#6 ·
The Fishing Center in POC is the place to launch a kayak. From there you're directly across from the cut and can access some very good fishing quite quickly. It is listed in the attachment Robert posted above as are numerous POC launches. I would think the POC paddling trail would be a pretty fun trip and depending on weather you might even be able to paddle in on an overnight to Matagorda. That would be a long but cool paddle. Depending on wind, you can also launch at and fish the North (Bay) side of the little jetties right out of POC. I have a friend who does very well just wading in from there. I've never fished Welders but it would probably be pretty cool in a kayak. Not sure how long of a paddle it would be though from Charlies. If launching at Port Lavaca, I would probably look at launching at 6 Mile Park and access the Placedo Creek area. Depending on wind, upper Lavaca bay can be very muddy. You could also run over to Olivia and launch into Keller. Or you could run down to Indianola and fish the Powderhorn. Lot of options.

Kayaking Destinations Upper Lavaca Bay

Apparently you can launch near the bridge at 1289 to access the upper end of Powderhorn. That area supposedly hold some good reds.
 
#9 ·
We did the kayak thing in POC and we won't ever take kayaks back there,too dangerous. We went on one of the TPWD kayak trails. We launched at the ramp paddeled into mary's cut. It's kind of narrow but the problem began when 200 or so boats came flying down the cut. We were close to the shoreline but we were almost run over several times. The captain would be talking and not looking where he was going. This happened several times and we spent most of the time waving our paddles in the air to get their attention. Then they cut hard to miss you and swamp you. After about noon you had to worry about boats going both directions. I can't believe TPWD thinks thats a good place for kayaks. It's not. My wife worked for TPWD for 25 years and she called the people who put these kayaks trails in and asked what the hell they were thinking. They admitted it's a fairly dangerous trail and suggested we launch from the old road that goes over powderhorn. Other towns I go to usually have several places you can launch your yak but POC screams of private property, Keep OUt. In my opinion if you don't have a motor boat thats not the place to go.
 
#11 ·
I grew up in POC, although I've never fished from a yak. Listen to what Tmart has said very good info. Just be careful crossing the intercoastal there can be some yahoos out running at times. Launching from the bridge on the cut off road (1289) and fishing powderhorn will more times than not land you some nice reds and sometimes trout and if you get bored you can always go shroomin on powderhorn if its been wet enough in the morning. Good luck and enjoy the not so secret fishing of POC.
 
#19 ·
Well. never having been to POC I don't really know where to start. I have no spots, so it's all going to be exploring for me. I don't really wanna waste too much time exploring, nor do I wanna paddle for miles and miles and miles. I'm not sure if I should get a chip and head straight for deep water or if I should just jam around looking for birds and slicks or what?

From what I've gathered by asking people, being told by people and reading around the forums, if the weather is cold, and has been cold for a few days prior, fish will be stacked in deep holes. I've been told that in cold water a trout would rather sit in a hole for a few days until it warms up rather than venture out through shallow water over a cold flat. And if the sun comes out and the water has had some time to warm up, the trout will then move up onto the shallow mud flats. Seems to make sense to me. I just don't know if I can go out semi blind and visually look for deep water while using my electronics to confirm depths and hope for fish or if I should get a chip and follow it to deep water? I don't know how easy it is to just go out and find holes? If it's anything like I recall from fishing E. Matty a couple of times, I'm going to be lost! :D All I can remember from those trips is zero visibility brown water and the graph consistently reading 3'. Must have paddled 7 miles in one direction and it was the same thing the whole way! 3' deep muddy brown water for miles!

Although, I will say that I think I kinda screwed the pooch on the first trip because I made it way back into a super shallow flat, maybe 6"-9", and while I was in there I would frequently see Flounders bolting off as I came flying thru. It didn't even occur to me that I should be fishing that shallow water? I figured that since I didn't see tailing reds or fish wakes that it must be too shallow to fish? I guess that logic would apply to this time of year, but that was during the summer a few years ago.
 
#20 ·
Chris, It will depend on the weather the few days prior to your trip but it's gotta get really cold to cause them to go really deep in my experience. If you launch at Charlies as PnC suggests and fish Shoalwater, it's a pretty easy paddle across the ICW and into Shoalwater. You should be able to find both trout and reds in there. It's shallow all over so just look for drains and guts. I've heard that in the winter you can just drift Shoalwater and catch trout with plastics under a popping cork. Others mentioned going to Welders from Charlies. I don't know how far that paddle is down the ICW but Welders would probably be a good place to be this time of year too. If you fish upper Lavaca out of Port Lavaca by launching at six mile, it's not real complicated either. The link I posted above has maps and shows you where to fish. If you launch from POC, shoot me a PM and I'll tell you some places a short paddle from the cut where you can usually find some fish. Of all the suggestions listed, if I'm fishing that area out of a yak, I think I'd choose the Shoalwater option. Better than the new Navionics chip for $200+, buy a Hook N Line map for $15. I have the fancy chip and I use those maps at the coast more than my chip. Also research your areas on Google Earth.

Hook-N-Line Map F135 Espiritu Santo Bay Fishing Map (With GPS) - austinkayak.com - Product Details
 
#21 ·
Thanks, Todd (Todd, right?) I appreciate the help man! I was lookin' around on google earth and I think I'll probably launch at Charlies and hit that cut right across the ICW. I just ordered that map so I'll look for some spots there or I may just chunk the drift sock overboard and fan cast the area on a drift? I suppose the weather on the days leading up to fishing day will kind of determine where and how we'll be fishing? What it that area called in there? The map is showing Long Island to the south and Shoalwater to the north? Or is that whole area between the ICW and Espiritu Santo the same thing???
 
#22 ·
Yes, I'm Todd. When you launch from Charlie's the cut is almost directly across. The cut into shoalwater bay is on the right side of that cut. You'll be fishing in minutes. Shoalwater is the body of water between the ICW and Espiritu Santo. It is bordered on the top by the spoil islands of the ICW and on the south by a strip island that separates it from Espiritu. Depending on wind, temp and water clarity, the Espiritu side of that island can also be a very productive wade. If you go all the way through the cut into Espiritu, that island on the left is Dewberry. Wading along Dewberry can be very productive. Here's a Shoalwater winter fishing report from last year. Shoalwater Bay ? Charlie?s Bait Camp 12/23/12. | Fish Catching Travel
 
#23 · (Edited)
Chris, what Todd said. I can't think of a better place to take a yak than shoalwater. a few minute paddle and you are fishing a clear water protected lake. shoal water is the protected lake that exists between the ICW and espiritu santo. No need for electronics. I would drift and fan cast for trout over the middle of the lake. They have a hard time resisting a popping cork and doa if trout are in the area. look for birds. I have seen birds in there working along shoreline. Usually thats reds that have bait pushed against the bank. I'd mark welder flats off the list. Its wayyyy down the intracoastal from Charlies. I've only limited on reds once there and it's not really on my radar anymore
 
#24 ·
don't bother with navionics

I have navionics but your best bet is this discussion and google earth.

Try that upper end of Powderhorn off 189 bridge. It is SUPER muddy there but if you can get out there then you won't have so much power boat competition and I have seen folks limit on reds just fishing off that bridge despite how sad that area can look.

Also you can drive out to Boggy Bayou and put in there. Again no power boat competition unless the air boats decide to go in there. They call it Boggy for a good reason.

You could also put in at the city beach near the lil jetties and fish the edge of the jetty.

Sadly, Port O can be like a James Bond Movie. In the dark I almost got run over by a guide going the wrong way on the ICW. His customers were all standing around blocking the running lights. It can get pretty crazy launching at Froggies with boats launching and barges coming down the ICW.

I was there a few week ago. All I can say is that we did not get skunked. I was thinking all the fish were in deeper water but what happened is that the sun came out and warmed shallow water and the reds came up to feed there. I had not considered that. That's how those guys at the bridge caught them.

Have fun, its always a bit warmer there but that wind will be BLOWIN one way or the other.

don
 
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