yakking the Cape Coral canals 03/23/09

Today was a day off for me, but it was pretty windy - typical for March. I ran errands and did a few chores this morning, then decided to forgo weeding the back yard and pressure washing the pool cage in favor of doing a little fresh water fishing.

I dropped the kayak off the back dock. The water is so low due to lack of rain that the step down from the dock was too big to negotiate safely. I had to lower myself into the water then step aboard the kayak.



I tied on a small red-headed white Yo-Zuri and a floating popping plug on the other rod. Dragging both lures behind the yak, I set off paddling north towards Alhambra Lake.



Within a hundred yards I thought the topwarer plug had snagged weeds, but when I started pulling to free the lure from the weeds, the weeds went airborne and a nice 2-3 pound bass spit the hook! I re-cast the popping plug but the next hit came within 100 yards and it was on the Yo-Zuri! I reeled in a typical one pound bass, but the wind blew me into weeds and brush on the bank so I had to spend time untangling my other line while holding the bass yakside and eventually it self-released.

I headed across Alhambra Lake and got hit again on the Yo-Zuri. Got this little fellow as a result and finally had a picture of a fish to show!



Threading my way through the canals towards Lake Kennedy, I hooked and lost two more fish on the topwater plug. I finally landed my third catch in the canal just before crossing under Nicholas Parkway into Lake Kennedy. This fish hit the Yo-Zuri too.



The wind was whipping along in the mid to high teens and paddling across Lake Kennedy into the wind took a bit of effort. Progress was quite slow and I doubt there was much action on either of the lures I was trolling as I paddled. But eventually, I did get across the Lake and into the lee of the windward shore. I paddled parallel to the shore - just within the wind shadow - and hooked what amounted to the biggest bass of the day. Once again though, he jumped at the side of the kayak and spit the hook. But this one was big enough that losing him left me cussing loudly and fit to be tied!

I let the wind push me back across Lake Kennedy, but it was blowing me so fast the Yo-Zuri was diving deep enough to keep getting constantly tangled in weeds in the shallow water. You can see Sun Splash water park in the distance on the shore of Lake Kennedy in this photo...



I usually get bass and mayan cichlids along the pier visible in this picture, but not today!



I spooked a blue heron on my canal as I paddled back home.



When I pulled up to my dock I saw how ratty the yard is looking what with all the weeds that need pulling and I almost felt guilty for going fishing instead of pulling weeds.



But not THAT guilty!

Life is good! :)