I realized the other day that I haven't landed a fish since December. Just when I was getting cocky, winter came and smacked me in the face. Winter is an interesting time for the sightfishing specialist. The fish are much less active - I saw no backing, no tailing, and few wakes out in the kayak this winter. At the same time, local fly fishermen say winter is the best time for sightfishing. What gives? What gives is that they have boats and I, up until recently, didn't. Winter brings clearer water to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, allowing fisherman in boats to spot redfish easier but making no difference for kayakers, who are so low to the water. That's all about to change as the weather is warming up. I think the water clarity of winter is gone for the year (if it ever existed) but I, for one, am excited to start seeing some active redfish again. Last year my first really good day of redfishing was in mid-May, so I may be jumping the gun a little. But I am sooo ready. I spent several hours on Sunday searching fruitlessly for active redfish from the kayak. It just hasn't happened yet, but with the temperatures creeping up, it could be any day now.
Just to give an update on my boat, I've taken it out three times since I got it. The first time was all about learning. I learned how to operate my outboard. I learned that some of my favorite places are really shallow. I learned that my boat can't handle 2 full grown men standing near the stern. I learned that the Mississippi Sound is not the best place for my boat unless it is flat as a pancake. I learned that the bilge pump works. Yeah, it was interesting outing, and we barely fished, but that's okay, because... I learned a lot. The second outing went much smoother - Mrs. Michissippi and I went for a cruise and I practiced poling but again didn't fish much. I took it out a third time by myself and just did some exploring. I'm hoping to finally take the boat on a serious fishing expedition as soon as the weather and my schedule line up.
Despite the lack of fish, I've spent some beautiful days on the water recently, and here are some pictures.
