Took the Hobie Mirage over to Pitt St for a launch at 11:00 with plans to pedal up the ICW on the incoming fishing the docks. WRONG>>>> BAD PLAN Got to Pitt St and the wind was SCREAMING across the harbor. whitecaps on the harbor and ICW plus plenty of weekender boat traffic
Change of plans Put in, paddle to the edge of the bridge and hang a left up the creek.
A couple of notes about the Hobie Mirage before I go any further.
comfortable little yak at 13 ft and just under 50 pounds
Didn’t realize the footwell would be flooded the whole trip. Thought I was sinking, so stopped to check, Nope no water in the hull, it just rides low, so wet feet today
Mirage drive is nice but IS NOT FOR SKINNY WATER. I found WAY MORE structure with the mirage drive than with the depth finder. Note to self…do not plan to pedal at Bushy Park
Now back to the fishing
I headed up the creek til there was basically no creek left. The side ditches in Westcott hold more water than where I was. The water was still pretty riffled from the wind and I spooked a large school of BIG REDS before I ever saw them[:I] They were hanging out on an oyster bar in about 6 inches of water. 25 or 30 fish all over slot size. They blasted downstream directly under me.
So I set up near the bar, enjoyed a little snack the wife had prepped and waited. About 20 minutes later I see lots of movement on the bar and tails in the air. Tossed a dead shrimp well past the ruckus and slowly let it drift then then BAM. Nice red feels the hook and takes off toward the Harbor. Well about 20 seconds of fight, then turns, runs over the oyster bar and goodbye. Nice clean cut through the mono. The rest of the school evaporated during the fight and didn’t come back.
I spent a couple of hours after the water level came up just pedaling around, checkin out holes, humps and oyster bars for future reference. Fun day on the water:smiley: End of the day reds 1, Too Busy 0
It’ll have to be either after work one day or weekend after next. I have a Scout campout this weekend in Columbia.
BTW - 23SF is getting stoked about a yak trip to the near shore reef.
Isn’t there a reef a couple hundred yards off the beach at Folly??? We’d have to stay outside the magic limit to keep the pier guys from being PO’d at us.
Too Busy-
Let me know when you head over to Pitt Street next, would like to join you. After work is good with me…could be there by 5:15-5:20, Weds-Fridays
Nice your classic comes in at 50lb, my Revo is 58lb but can carry 350 to your 250, (im 225 so need the extra for gear/cooler/not sitting too low).
Yeah, the footwell does keep water, but if you’re going skinny only or want to paddle only, there is a plug for it that keeps it pretty dry and also fairs the bottom of the kayak for paddling more.
Where on Pitt did you launch from, can you do a google map of the location?
If you follow Pitt Street to the end it becomes a dead end. You can park at the end and drag your kayak down one of the hills to the water. I have fished it from land several times before.
Too Busy-
Let me know when you head over to Pitt Street next, would like to join you. After work is good with me…could be there by 5:15-5:20, Weds-Fridays
Nice your classic comes in at 50lb, my Revo is 58lb but can carry 350 to your 250, (im 225 so need the extra for gear/cooler/not sitting too low).
Yeah, the footwell does keep water, but if you’re going skinny only or want to paddle only, there is a plug for it that keeps it pretty dry and also fairs the bottom of the kayak for paddling more.
Where on Pitt did you launch from, can you do a google map of the location?
Go to Pt P
Turn rt on Center St, go to the end
Turn left on Pitt St, go to the end
I usually drop into the creek on the left side
There is a nice high tide flat on the right in the Harbor
That’s the place. I park a short distance inside the gate where the creek runs parallel and very close to the road. Getting the yak down the hill to the water can be a pain sometimes, but I love that area.
archaegeo-
If you follow it all the way to the end, you will see where everyone parks. You can’t miss it…because you won’t be able to go any further. You will see the creek on the left side.
Let me know when you are going back Too Busy…