Scouting
 

Captain Pete and I had a day off and decided to do a little scouting. Our goal was to find a few slot reds and see what some of the back ponds looked like. We started off finding a few slots. Pete was watching me hook up using my method.

http://www.ctfisherman.com/ubbthread...5-p8071505.jpg

After about 4 straight, all shorts except this beauty, Pete converts to using my method. It is not long before he is paying me back for the early morning stone crushing I gave him.

http://www.ctfisherman.com/ubbthread...6-p8071509.jpg

We released the bigger ones and I only kept a few my neighbor asked for. After that we went exploring some back ponds. We found very clean water but only a few garfish and sheepshead. The pond although deep had a lot of weeds and other growth. We trolled around looking but even the sheepshead could see us coming from a distance and spooked easily. We also found some new cuts to get into some of these ponds.

http://www.ctfisherman.com/ubbthread...7-p8071510.jpg

As we bounced around we kept hitting different areas. Pete was now finding the fish on the end of his line and I was taking all the trash fish out of the way. He did get one worthy of a picture before throwing it back.

http://www.ctfisherman.com/ubbthread...8-p8071511.jpg

As we were scouting we found something we were not expecting. I was running about a mile out from the land when I hit a shallow spot. Not knowing where I was and what I was running on I raised the jackplate and gunned it hoping to cross the shallow. NOT!!! As I stepped out of the boat the water was just barely over my ankles. We both got out and tried to push it into deeper water but the wind kept moving the boat further on to the sandbar. We were stuck well. I got hold of Shawn of Fish on guide services and he got about as close as he could. I had to walk line out to him. At this point the water was right at the top of my knees. Pete and I got in back and lifted the rear and pushed as Shawn pulled with his boat. The boat moved ever so slowly until it started to just about float. As we got the rope back and Shawn headed back to where he had come in we followed him out of the area hitting the sandbar occasionally. About the closest land is behind me in the picture. My Bad! it is directly under me.

http://www.ctfisherman.com/ubbthread...9-p8071515.jpg

It was a true scouting morning. We learned where to go and where not to go. I have that area marked on both my navigation systems on the bay boat and also in my mind. As high as the river is the gulf inshore area is very low. Looks like the continuous West wind has moved all the water out of the East side

Life is Good!
Fishing is not a matter of life or death. It's more important than that.

CAPT HOOP -- OUR FREEDOM

I've done some exploring in my shallow draft skiff down there and think I hit every sandbar in the area. Between that and navigating the river, I haven't been back much haha Glad you were able to get unstuck!

I live here and it is my business so I have to work around these problems as they come to me. Most times if I hit shallows like this I can lift the jack plate, lower the tabs, gun the motor, and run over or through it. Works well in mud but this time it was a sandbar that is huge. I do not know the actual sixe but I know there was no way I was getting off there easy. My boat is very light and rather shallow draft.