SKSOUTH
10-22-2006, 11:51 AM
Saturday dawned wet and late! Wha happened?
All week H2O, LKsouth, baitme, bigred and I planned to hit Christmas Bay saturday morning. We would go in two boats, initially check out separate areas and keep each other posted. Great plan, sounded like fun. Then, I was to meet Dipsay at Galveston to go flounder pokin.
We woke up late and had it not been for H2O would have been later but she called to let us know the battery on her boat was dead. She got it on the charger while we got it together. I lost Bigred's number and he was supposed to meet us at the ramp but since it was raining, I thought he might have said the heck with it cause he didn't call me. Turns out his phone had a glitch and my number wasn't in it! LKSouth woke up with a migraine and had to opt out for the day.
Headed for XMAS with rain pounding us. Radar said it was a small band that should pass so we grabbed our raingear with hopes of not needing it. Don't know why I bothered with the rain gear, I spent the day getting wet!
Bigred made his way to 13 Palms and called me from there. I apologized for oversleeping and he met us at the ramp. Launch was uneventful and we headed over to the north shore as the wind was from the north and I thought maybe it would be the spot! The rain stopped as we launched and the sun started to poke out.
My boat was running fine but it seemed a bit sluggish, I thought maybe it was just because we had three people and all our gear plus extra battery. H2O called while we fished and said she was ready and was headed for the ramp. Cool it was going to be okeeday!
We drifted the weed line for a bit and found no fish. Not even a piggy perch! So we decided to check out the reefs at the entry to drum bay. The boat would not reach peak rpm. ?why? Then it began to run more sluggish until we were barely moving at full throttle. ?WTF? So we found a spot and began to fish. Once lines were in the water, I checked out the motor. Found nothing wrong although it seemed a little warmer than usual. When we changed spots again, I did some run checks on the motor and began to suspect I had lost the water pump, the motor died and would not restart so we were adrift along the south shore amongst the reefs.
H2O called then to say her boat would not start and there was a tech on the way to check it out. Before long she called and said there had been water in her fuel line but all was good and she was headed out. I on the other hand was attempting to raise the motor so we could get clear of the reefs and dropped my motor prop bar in the water. I went in after it but the boat had drifted and it was gone. I tilted the motor and stuffed an oar under it to keep it up and we got into open water.
The motor restarted and we headed for the dock. My wife had gotten rid of her headache and was on the way with the kicker motor. We were going to fish dangit! About halfway back the motor quit again, so I tossed a dead shrimp out and waited for a tow.
Dipsay called to say he wasn't gonna make it to Galveston cause there was nasty weather and winds coming.
Baytow to the rescue! H2O towed us back to the dock but not before I finally caught a fish! She arrived as I was about to release my trophy stingray. What a picture, three big strong men towed in by a lady!:rolleyes:
Thanks H2O!!!! Baitme smelled adult beverages on H2O's boat and opted to fish with her.
At the dock, I mounted the kicker motor, and we headed for cold pass. Dipsay was right. The wind had picked up and the bay was whitecapped. With the kicker we were only able to make 4-5 knots but we got to the fishing hole. H2O and baitme were anchored a little ways away.
By evening the wind had settled as we made our way to the dock. Total take, 3 crabs. Released some junk fish, a rat and a chippy. Involuntarily released several nice flounder to hook spits.
The wind died off totally and the bay was getting glassy as we prepared to leave. Dispay might have been wrong. I spent a little time drooling over a nice flounder boat that was launching and then got out of there cause the vampires were draining me!
Bigred - was great to finally meet you and fish! sorry bout the troubles but you know all I can say is "Just another day in paradise!"
H2O came back to the dock with fish in her cooler but I'll let her tell ya about that!
All week H2O, LKsouth, baitme, bigred and I planned to hit Christmas Bay saturday morning. We would go in two boats, initially check out separate areas and keep each other posted. Great plan, sounded like fun. Then, I was to meet Dipsay at Galveston to go flounder pokin.
We woke up late and had it not been for H2O would have been later but she called to let us know the battery on her boat was dead. She got it on the charger while we got it together. I lost Bigred's number and he was supposed to meet us at the ramp but since it was raining, I thought he might have said the heck with it cause he didn't call me. Turns out his phone had a glitch and my number wasn't in it! LKSouth woke up with a migraine and had to opt out for the day.
Headed for XMAS with rain pounding us. Radar said it was a small band that should pass so we grabbed our raingear with hopes of not needing it. Don't know why I bothered with the rain gear, I spent the day getting wet!
Bigred made his way to 13 Palms and called me from there. I apologized for oversleeping and he met us at the ramp. Launch was uneventful and we headed over to the north shore as the wind was from the north and I thought maybe it would be the spot! The rain stopped as we launched and the sun started to poke out.
My boat was running fine but it seemed a bit sluggish, I thought maybe it was just because we had three people and all our gear plus extra battery. H2O called while we fished and said she was ready and was headed for the ramp. Cool it was going to be okeeday!
We drifted the weed line for a bit and found no fish. Not even a piggy perch! So we decided to check out the reefs at the entry to drum bay. The boat would not reach peak rpm. ?why? Then it began to run more sluggish until we were barely moving at full throttle. ?WTF? So we found a spot and began to fish. Once lines were in the water, I checked out the motor. Found nothing wrong although it seemed a little warmer than usual. When we changed spots again, I did some run checks on the motor and began to suspect I had lost the water pump, the motor died and would not restart so we were adrift along the south shore amongst the reefs.
H2O called then to say her boat would not start and there was a tech on the way to check it out. Before long she called and said there had been water in her fuel line but all was good and she was headed out. I on the other hand was attempting to raise the motor so we could get clear of the reefs and dropped my motor prop bar in the water. I went in after it but the boat had drifted and it was gone. I tilted the motor and stuffed an oar under it to keep it up and we got into open water.
The motor restarted and we headed for the dock. My wife had gotten rid of her headache and was on the way with the kicker motor. We were going to fish dangit! About halfway back the motor quit again, so I tossed a dead shrimp out and waited for a tow.
Dipsay called to say he wasn't gonna make it to Galveston cause there was nasty weather and winds coming.
Baytow to the rescue! H2O towed us back to the dock but not before I finally caught a fish! She arrived as I was about to release my trophy stingray. What a picture, three big strong men towed in by a lady!:rolleyes:
Thanks H2O!!!! Baitme smelled adult beverages on H2O's boat and opted to fish with her.
At the dock, I mounted the kicker motor, and we headed for cold pass. Dipsay was right. The wind had picked up and the bay was whitecapped. With the kicker we were only able to make 4-5 knots but we got to the fishing hole. H2O and baitme were anchored a little ways away.
By evening the wind had settled as we made our way to the dock. Total take, 3 crabs. Released some junk fish, a rat and a chippy. Involuntarily released several nice flounder to hook spits.
The wind died off totally and the bay was getting glassy as we prepared to leave. Dispay might have been wrong. I spent a little time drooling over a nice flounder boat that was launching and then got out of there cause the vampires were draining me!
Bigred - was great to finally meet you and fish! sorry bout the troubles but you know all I can say is "Just another day in paradise!"
H2O came back to the dock with fish in her cooler but I'll let her tell ya about that!
