Team Building

My friend and work counterpart in Salt Lake City had planned on fishing with me "someday" and finally that day arrived. Sergio stayed over an extra day after a three day meeting in Houston and we weere to meet in Matagorda for a day of paddling in the marsh.

Tracy and I spent the night at PPRV #7 and I found that a few trout had made it up the river.

The recent rains were slacking off and and what I had hoped for was coming to pass. The trout are making their way back up the river as trhe salinity increased.


Friday morning found me rigging the yaks and rods at the launch site as I waited for Sergio's arrival.


The tide was up which would make for easy paddling but may have the fish scattered.


The wind along the coast was calm and the time was right for a good paddle but there was fog inland and we got off a little later than wee planned.


Sergio took to the kayak in no time and we made our way down the channels towards the lake. We saw lots of birds and some mullet but the reds seemed to be hiding from us.


I located a feeding trout at the mouth of the channel as we came to the lake and I thought we were finally going to get into the fish.


We covered several miles of paddling all around the lake to all the famous spots where I had found fish before but by 11AM we were still without a fish on the stringer.

Here is Sergio calling home to SLC to give his wife the news - "Great paddling but no fish!"

The wind started to come up after we had exhausted our search and we headed back. I finally hooked up on a slot red in the channel and fought him to the boat. I was having trouble getting the frisky red in the net and on my third try he got my line tangled in the net and pulled hard enough to break off. Sergio and I watched the fish swim off with my 20lb leader hanging out of his mouth. ARRGGGHHHH!

Now it was my turn to call home and I told Tracy we were heading back to the launch and that I had just lost the only keeper fish of the day.


Believe it or not, as we began our paddle back my red floated to the surface! I quickly scooped him into my kayak and there was my leader and rig still stuck in his throat. We took him to the cleaning table at the Harbor and later to Spoonbills where Edie & Tommy fried him up for a great supper.

I was disappointed that I was unable to get Sergio on a fish but wee both enjoyed the day and the meal. We may have to do it again Sergio!