Weekend Texas getaway suggestions?

[ORION]

If you opened a church I'd follow you ! My brothers just recently bought kayaks and they went out there a few weeks ago. They caught a few undersize reds off rootbeer colored jigs. I think maybe the change in pressure hurt their fishing because of that storm down there. I follow you ,but we really don't focus on tide conditions. We kind of just try and get the time off work and head out there. what you said about the tide makes perfect sense. I'm excited right now ! If you had to use live what would you use ?

[George W Bush]

Crawford, Texas is a very nice vacation spot.

[CosmicCowboy]

If you opened a church I'd follow you ! My brothers just recently bought kayaks and they went out there a few weeks ago. They caught a few undersize reds off rootbeer colored jigs. I think maybe the change in pressure hurt their fishing because of that storm down there. I follow you ,but we really don't focus on tide conditions. We kind of just try and get the time off work and head out there. what you said about the tide makes perfect sense. I'm excited right now ! If you had to use live what would you use ?

If I was fishing the channel dropoffs with bait I would use cut shad or mullet on a "holder" rod for reds and use freelined live croaker for trout. Croaker are absolute killer on trout if you know how to fish them...you really need to work them...cast them out and jig them about 4 times fast every 10 or 15 seconds keeping your rod tip high...reel very slowly keeping your line tight...the trout will "tap" it lightly and you have to give them a little time to swallow the bait...a couple of slow breaths before setting the hook...if the miss the hookset leve the bait there and jig it again and give them a little longer the next time...they will sometimes come back for a second try...

I use a medium fast rod with a light spinning reel for croaker with 20# fireline and flourocarbon leader...no stretch on the line like mono and very sensetive...those trout taps can be very subtle...

[Jimcs50]

Marfa near big Bend

Great place to visit. You can go see where they filmed Giant and stay where James Dean stayed, and do the historical tour. Hooked up with some locals who had the best marajuana I have ever had.

I went gliding there, where they say is the best place to go gliding, because of the thermals.

[pache100]

Marfa near big Bend

Great place to visit. You can go see where they filmed Giant and stay where James Dean stayed, and do the historical tour. Hooked up with some locals who had the best marajuana I have ever had.

I went gliding there, where they say is the best place to go gliding, because of the thermals.

That's always the area with the coolest temperature in the state, too. And there are always the "Marfa Lights" to see at night. And, isn't the McDonald Observatory near there? That's someplace I've always wanted to go. I've never been to Marfa (except to drive straight thru), but Alpine is a very nice little town.

[Jimcs50]

That's always the area with the coolest temperature in the state, too. And there are always the "Marfa Lights" to see at night. And, isn't the McDonald Observatory near there? That's someplace I've always wanted to go. I've never been to Marfa (except to drive straight thru), but Alpine is a very nice little town.

Yes the temp is very nice, especially at night where sweatshirts or light jackets are required. The Marfa Lights Festival is late in the Summer, I think though.

[pache100]

The Marfa Lights Festival is late in the Summer, I think though.

Can't you actually see the lights just about any time of the year, though?

[CubanMustGo]

The main problem with Marfa is that it's 400+ miles from civilization as we know it. The new 80 MPH speed limits on I-10 west of Kerrville help there, tho.

Alpine's a surprisingly funky little town, too.

[Extra Stout]

What about the Highland Lakes?

Tyler's OK.
Galveston.
Canyon up near Amarillo.

[pache100]

The main problem with Marfa is that it's 400+ miles from civilization as we know it. The new 80 MPH speed limits on I-10 west of Kerrville help there, tho.

That's very true. That's probably the worst drive I have ever done. 8 hours of NOTHING on a BAD stretch of road. Well, one time I did it, it was raining cats and dogs about half of the trip; we sat in a diner in Ozona for about 2 hours watching it rain so hard we coud barely see our truck which was parked right outside the window, about 5 feet away from our table. I haven't had the bad fortune to have to do that drive since they re-instated the 80 mph speed limit, though.

[Jimcs50]

Can't you actually see the lights just about any time of the year, though?

Yes you can. There is an area a few miles out of Marfa where you go to view the lights, built specifically for watching them. I misread your first question and thought you were mentioning the Festival.

[CharlieMac]

http://www.fredericksburg-inn.com/index.htm

That's the joint we'll be staying at next weekend.

Marfa sounded interesting, but that drive sounds ish.

Thanks for all the suggestions though. The summer of Erik has just begun.....

[MannyIsGod]

If you're going to go wine tasting, make sure you hit up Sister Creek, Torre de Pietra, the Fredricksburg Winery, and Chilsom Trail. Those are all good.

[katyon6th]

Hope you two have fun, Erik!

[Hook Dem]

OK...I can't give you any information on renting kayaks because I own mine but I can fill you in on the lakes...I have seen several rental places down there and you can probably check on the web for pricing/reservations...first, if you are fishing and not touring from my experience you need to plan your trip around the tides...I use this site...

http://www.sal ertides.com/dynami...exassites.html

http://www.quintanna.com/mtnsports/s...lhsetrail.html

If possible you want to pick a one tide day with high tide before sunrise...that way the back lakes are flooded and then drain all day...two tide days will work but the water will be pretty skinny in places. the fish move back in on high tide to feed...you will probably catch more reds than trout but you can catch both...I caught a 28" trout back in there once...

The easiest place to access is at the new park on the left on the causeway to the Port Aransas ferry...It's before the gambling boat exit and is pretty well marked. If I was doing it I would be there early...probably 5:45 so I could be rigged and on the water by sunrise...

Be careful crossing the channel to the lakes...lot of power boats use it...you don't want to get run over...you can go back in the "main" cut and then work the shorelines and back into the side lakes...

There are hundreds of little mangrove islands with interconnected lakes back iin there...thats where I go...most of the tourist yakkers stay out on the "big" water trying to follow the actual "trails" but I have more luck fishing in the smaller lakes...they are anywhere from little channels to lakes hundreds of yards wide...they are mostly firm grass bottoms about knee deep on a high tide...I find small groups of reds back in there tailing or cruising for crabs/shrimp...a lot of time you will find them by looking for "noisy water" near the grass edges...

Be very aware of the tides...as the water falls out of these lakes you will see the current moving faster...you want to start working your way out before the water gets too shallow and then fish the exits to the deeper cuts...The water falls completely out of some of these lakes...if you hardcore all day and don't pay attention you may find yourself walking and dragging your boat back to deeper water...

I am going to submit this before I lose it...

Jack.......very good info. I'm originally from this area and after living in SA since 1974, I'm getting back into fishing again. Where did you purchase your Kayak? Any info? I'm very interested in this type of fishing.

[midgetonadonkey]

You should spend the weekend in Bishop.

[Guru of Nothing]

I'm surprised nobody else has mentioned this - check out the Dan Blocker museum in O'Donnell. A great time to be had, and if you are hungry, there is a Town and Country convenience store (conveniently) located right off of Highway 87. The fried burritos, 2 for $1 last I checked, are to die for. Be sure to ask for extra hot sauce packets.

And if you want a little night-life action, Lubbock is just a hop, skip and a jump away.


A Man's Man

[CharlieMac]

You should spend the weekend in Bishop.

I don't even know what Bishop is.
I'll check out a winery though.

[CosmicCowboy]

Jack.......very good info. I'm originally from this area and after living in SA since 1974, I'm getting back into fishing again. Where did you purchase your Kayak? Any info? I'm very interested in this type of fishing.

My kayaks are like this one...

http://www.wildernesssystems.com/pro...p?productid=34

I got into it in the late 90's when they were pretty rare...there were only a couple of brands to choose from...There are a lot more choices now...from very economical to expensive/elaborate and a lot of them are more fishing specific now...They all will do the same basic thing but vary in speed/stability/storage/gadgets etc...

It really is a blast...it's fun to "guess right" and get on fish...I love paddling back with a limit of reds and going by these guys in their $50,000 flats rigs that are getting skunked cuz they can't get back where the fish are...

[Lady Marmalade]

Horse Shoe Bay -- Marriott Resort

http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/AUSHB

[CosmicCowboy]

I don't fish the lighthouse lakes as much as I used to because of the crowds...I know lots of other other places to put in as well...I don't mind paddling/working and will go a long way at times...I have gone 10+ miles on some days...I can get to a lot of the classic power boat areas with the yak...Dagger, Traylor, Redfish Bay, Shamrock, Hog Island, Bird Island etc...the only downside is that if you guess wrong and don't get on fish you can't just pick up and move like you can do in a powerboat...

[Hook Dem]

My kayaks are like this one...

http://www.wildernesssystems.com/pro...p?productid=34

I got into it in the late 90's when they were pretty rare...there were only a couple of brands to choose from...There are a lot more choices now...from very economical to expensive/elaborate and a lot of them are more fishing specific now...They all will do the same basic thing but vary in speed/stability/storage/gadgets etc...

It really is a blast...it's fun to "guess right" and get on fish...I love paddling back with a limit of reds and going by these guys in their $50,000 flats rigs that are getting skunked cuz they can't get back where the fish are...

Thanks for the good info Jack. If I get into this like I think I will, I'll hit you up for some good places to put in. Good fishing to you!!!!

[thispego]

great stuff cosmic! ive been wanting a kayak for a while now and couldnt decide whether i should get a fishing style kayak or a regular, strictly paddling style kayak

im probably going to end up with one meant for fishing, since that is what i would mostly use it for anyways... these are great tips though for someone who has never been down there for this type of fishing