Trout Action
If you keep up with these posts you know that I don’t normally make trout-specific trips. Trout usually qualify as a secondary species on my target list. If I had said that I was heading to Grand Isle the week of Ride The Bull 9 (the world’s largest kayak fishing rodeo, which takes place on the island) to target trout, I would have been lying. In fact, I was hoping for my own “ride the bull” experience. Without taking part in the rodeo, I was hoping to stumble upon some straggler bulls that would be hanging out away from Caminada Pass. I knew it was kind of a long shot, but I had to try.
Jetties and submerged reefs paint a picture of the landscape. In fact, the spot is not a super-secret honey-hole, but a very public launch. Lots of open water. I started the day throwing a small Skitterwalk, and pretty much kept it available all day. When the water got a little rougher in the later morning, I upsized to the larger Skitterwalk. There was a little bit of Z-man Shrimp thrown in there too, but I mainly stayed with topwater.
In the earlier morning, before the sun was high, there were obvious topwater smashes on bait. As the morning progressed, I hovered around a submerged reef. It was maybe two feet from the water’s surface. My Cruise’s Flex-Drive would get hung up on it every so often but never had any major issues. It kicked up anytime I ran it too shallow over the reef.
Anyway, the trout action was great. I attempted to sight-cast to sheepshead which were also feeding around the reef, plenty of them doing head-stands in the water – their tails subtly breaching the surface.
Ironically, I only spotted three reds while out. One of them looked really nice, probably in the upper 30’s in length. That one I spotted and then lost it as I was about to cast. One of the other two looked to be a decent slot, but spooked, and the last hit the skitterwalk, but was average.
I’ll be hopeful to make another trip down to the island in the coming weeks. Fingers are crossed that it works out.
Gear Rundown
Kayaks
Lures
My Rod/Reel Combos
- St. Croix Avid Inshore 6’6″ Medium Fast (Spinning) / Shimano Stradic 2500
- St. Croix TideMaster 6’6″ Medium-Heavy Fast (Casting) / 13 Fishing Concept C
- St. Croix Avid Inshore 7′ Medium-Light Fast (Spinning) / Shimano Nasci 2500
Fishing Line
- FINS Windtamer 20 lb.
- FINS 40G 25 lb.
- Gamma Fluorocarbon Leader 16 lb.
