Question on Big Lake (West Cove Access)
 

I recently sold my powerboat, so now I've been downgraded to a little plastic boat (kayak).

I'm trying to figure out if it's possible to launch a kayak where I've drawn on the picture below.

I don't know if the road shown in red is a public road or is it private?

Is it gated?

Any help much appreciated.

Craig

you can launch directly into west cove from one of the weirs... i forget the name of the weir, i know its not blue crab, but maybe hog island

Thanks. Is that on the north shoreline of west cove? I've only ever launched from the very west end of west cove. The public ramp there off 27.

It's a public launch off of 27, don't remember the name, but it's directly across from the little nature trail thing. It's the southernmost weir on hwy 27 (to launch from anyways). About five miles south of the LDWF headquarters place.

the road you are referring to is a private road with a gate. Gotta have a key to get through right there.

Thanks, appreciate the help. I'm having to find new launch points with this kayak deal.

That launch North of the ferry landingbelongs to a commercial fisherman named Michael Fredrick.
I don't think you can get access, he is a really nice guy, but before Rita, he always had issues with fishermen going on plane and banging around his shrimp boats with their wakes.

Thanks. Can't say I blame him.

Craig

I am pretty sure Hog Island Gully is closed, but West Cove launch off Hwy 27 is open. The only problem launching there is between Oct 15 and March 15 there is no fishing in the surrounding marsh or even the canal going in or out the lake.
Best bet for kayak right now is to fish Prien Lake. Use the 210 launch and its only a couple hundred yards and your fishing. Plenty of old posts about Prien for you to look up.
Hope this helps....fellow kayaker

West Cove Results
 

Well, I ended up launching at the wildlife refuge ramp on highway 27 and paddled over to the Rabbit Island area...pretty good paddle, maybe 4 miles each way.

Ended the day with 10 trout and 1 red. Had two 24" trout and one 23" - they were fat as footballs. Had a nice once hooked on a topwater, but she spun twice, shook her head and spit the hook. Smart fish.

These were all caught on pink sand eels.

Thanks for all your help on launch sites.

nice trout

Looks like you got you some big boys!

nice job

It's good to be sneaky in a kayak. They don't make much noise. Good catch.

I was making plenty of noises paddling the 4 miles back.

Thanks.

Craig

Fish don't have nearly the awareness of a Kayak as they do of a boat. I have been in west cove in my yak and had a school of trout go right around and under me and never took any notice. Sitting that close to the water with specks ripping into shrimp all around you is an experience, the sounds they make are quite interesting.

Hoosier if you went all the way to rabbit island in a PA (from your pic it looks like a Pro Angler anyway) that is one heck of a peddle. I have an Outback and don't know if I would go that far.

Do you have those turbo fins on your drive system? I have been wanting to upgrade to them for longer travels.
Congrats on a good trip, looks like all good fish

Yes I have the turbo fins and the sailling rudder also. If you don't have one I highly recommend the sailing rudder, it makes the Outback turn on a dime. The turbo fins do travel further faster but take more effort to move so you wind up being just as tired with the turbo fins than with the stock fins. The turbo fins do work better when flutter kicking in shallows though so the extra length of them isn't an issue for going into skinny water.

Yes, Pro Angler -- good eye. I can't believe the front hatch held all those fish. There was almost no wind in West Cove Friday morning, so getting to Rabbit Island wasn't too bad -- maybe an hour peddle.

Getting back I had a little wind to my back, but loaded down with fish in the chop it was probably about the same.

The one thing I loved about the kayak is I stood up to drift fish almost the entire day (when I wasn't peddling).

Craig

Think I may get rid of big boats and go to a yak........no motor toblow and no tank to bust......plus, y'all all Kurdish me in them yaks!!! Stupid boats fault obviously!!!!