CBBT Trip 1

The weather forecast looked awesome with only 5 mph winds so I decided to head out to the CBBT to see what was biting. I was hoping the spadefish and sheepshead were showing up at the first island and maybe a lost cobia to chase after. I started the morning at OE2 to grab some chowder clams and a few more hooks and then headed over to chicks beach. Im glad I wasnt a minute late as most of the on road parking had already been takin and I seen fellow TKAA kayaker Ryan was already unloaded at the ramp. The water looked like glass and I was excited to atleast have a good day to paddle if no fish were caught.

After unloading I started out towards the island trolling a bayou chub for whatever may have been close to shore and managed a few small blues, which I decided to keep for bait. The bridge and island were surrounded by boaters, mostly people going after flounder but there were a few anchored up and chumming for I assume cobia. I started working between the pilings with chowder clam. The current was ripping and it was very difficult to stay up against the pilings, I ended up paddling through and drifting back by. Only managed a few small croaker. Since the current was strong I decided to paddle over and stay near the rocks on the island and just fish where I could. Unfortunately my bucktail/clam strip combo must have not been very appealing because right behind me a boater caught a nice flounder on the exact spot I had just drifted/fished. I paddled around to the north side of the island and drifted across towards the anchored ships dropping clam strips and a bucktail. I figured it was as good as time as any to see what else might be out so I threw out one of the small blues out and then waited. He wasnt in the water long before the bait clicker started screaming. I flipped the reel into strike and set the hook watching the rod double over. Unfortunately it wasnt any fish I was targeting and I had to settle for a skate that decided he wanted to eat bluefish for the day. I got him to the kayak and retrieved my hook and casted back out again. There wasnt much action going on even the boaters were just catchin lots of small croaker. I did manage a few 13 inchers but still no flat fish. Again the rod with a small blue casted out on it started to go off and I again found myself trying to retrieve my hook from another skate. As I was fighting the skate Ryan and Tim pointed out that my other rod was getting a bite. I assumed it was just another small croaker so I just left it in the rod holder and said "Oh it will be alright." After I got yet another skate off my hook I went back to my other rod and I was surprised that the fish was still on the line. And this one didnt feel like a croaker. As I got it closer to the kayak I got a glimpse of a white flat belly so I reached around for my net and landed a keeper flounder barely hooked on the lip. I dont know what kind of luck that was but I was glad to atleast have brought home dinner for all of my paddling and day spent on the water. Tim and Ryan eventually called it a day and left but I stayed out still hopin to catch a fish and enjoying the weather. Id have to say I probably caught about 100 croaker between 9-13 inches, atleast 50 roundhead whiting, and three ugly oyster toads. Once the sun started to set I decided to paddle back and since the current had settled down as the afternoon went on I paddled back inbetween the bridges. As I was paddling I kept seeing big schools of small 4-5 inch silver fish but I didnt see anything chasing or going through them. I tried to catch a few on a sabiki rig but didnt manage any and I tried casting into them with similar shaped lures but didnt get a bite. One thing I am going to have to get is a soft sided cooler, dragging a stringer with a flatfish, a few blues, and a few whiting on it from the 1st island is no fun!

Fat ugly oyster toad.

They have wicked eyes.

Clear nose skate.

Dinner atleast! 17 inch flounder.