Paddle-Fishing.com

Well call it luck, call it the law of large numbers, call it what you may, but I finally managed to get an inshore slam(66-68"). However, I found myself pulled into the trees quite a bit. I'm not exactly sure what you can do about it, but figured I would present the question. I didn't have any issues with the trout, but I quickly found out that a good size red/snook can pull you pretty much wherever they want. The rudder was limited use at best.

I didn't give it much thought in open water, but in the mangroves it's another story. Most of the time in open water I was wading then anyway.

So the $100K question is what to do..

a) go into the trees and grin and bear it
b) paddle one handled and hold the rod one handed - no reeling
c) drop anchor - seems like a bad idea all around
d) something else - sea sock...
e) dude - yet again you are overthinking it

Poll above, if you go with "d" please elaborate.

Based on my limited experience it was option a.

I thought I saw a thread somewhere on it with a poll, but couldn't find it.

For the record the trout and snook were caught on a white spook, reds on a gold spoon and a suspending miro-lure (I wasn't expecting that). Somewhere out there a ray has my mirolure in it's wing.

Rounded out the day as follows

a) go into the trees and grin and bear it
b) paddle one handled and hold the rod one handed

I practice a little of a & b, sometimes you just have to go in the trees, grin and bear it while smiling and saying good one Mr. Fish, but I keep my paddle handy where I can paddle one handed while applying pressure on the fish with rod in other hand.
Sometimes if you can't turn them you may also have to go into the trees to get the fish and/or your lure back.

b) paddle one handled and hold the rod one handed - no reeling
I hooked a large snook in a rather small canal and it pulled me into the mangroves three different times, after doing the one handed paddle battle and getting out into open water the fish changed directions and got lose. I thought about getting a small wooden canoe paddle for that.

I voted D. I have a canoe and more times than not have someone else with me. Let the other person steer the boat and you battle the fish.

Drop that anchor and hoss that fish out of the Groves.....NOTHING good can happen when your in the Mangrove Trees or Oyster bars for that matter....NOTHING......Especially in this heat get the fish in open water whip it fast and release it dripping.......can't do that in the Groves.....just my 65 yrs of two cents.....

Sorry guys - looks like I reset the poll in error.

A couple years ago we had some crazy days in the mangroves and we would just jump out of the kayak into the water to avoid getting rooted. We eventually got smarter and started bringing anchors which worked well, as long as you remembered to drop it when you're hooked up. Nowadays when I hook a big fish under the leaves I just use the pedals on my Hobie PA to get me outta there.

If they are already in the trees...or dock for that matter open the bail. The fish will likely settle down until your ready to do what ever needs doing.

DouGR81 wrote:A couple years ago we had some crazy days in the mangroves and we would just jump out of the kayak into the water to avoid getting rooted. We eventually got smarter and started bringing anchors which worked well, as long as you remembered to drop it when you're hooked up. Nowadays when I hook a big fish under the leaves I just use the pedals on my Hobie PA to get me outta there.

In shallow water I would hop out for sure, but I was in more than waist deep water. Seeing that my last 3-4 outings have had up close and personal events with the men in grey I'm thinking that staying in the boat is a good idea. That said, in knee deep water that seems like the best idea (assuming you are tied to the boat). The water was moving a bit and I could see the boat floating away.

It certainly makes for a different experience as most of the fights I was in started < 15' away so things happened fast and I was in the trees in nothing flat. Especially when I saw the intention of the fish was to go under the trees I would get aggressive on the spool and feather/hold it, next thing you know you're in the trees. By the second/third time I was paddling and holding a hoping and praying - especially the big red.

I'm having a hard time envisioning a big poon pulling ya. Course that's open water, but still you'll move out.

jbdba01 wrote: Course that's open water, but still you'll move out.

yep

I drop my anchor in that situation. It's one of the few times I use the claw anchor over the pole anchor.

But it has to be ready to drop.

How many of us go out and start fishing, hook a fish and then start wondering where the fish gripper is, have to start fumbling with a closed up anchor with the line wrapped around it and then have to dig around for pliers that aren't where they always were but are never there when you need them quick?

How many have their drift chute hooked up and ready to be tossed over BEFORE they hook up a tarpon?

I know I'm guilty of these things. Many times. Maybe even most times.

Odds are that you usually never catch a fish on your first cast. If you take that time to get everything set up, your actual first cast might be less stressful - if you manage to hook up on your first cast.

Rik wrote:But it has to be ready to drop.

How many of us go out and start fishing, hook a fish and then start wondering where the fish gripper is, have to start fumbling with a closed up anchor with the line wrapped around it and then have to dig around for pliers that aren't where they always were but are never there when you need them quick?

How many have their drift chute hooked up and ready to be tossed over BEFORE they hook up a tarpon?

I know I'm guilty of these things. Many times. Maybe even most times.

Odds are that you usually never catch a fish on your first cast. If you take that time to get everything set up, your actual first cast might be less stressful - if you manage to hook up on your first cast.

As Anal Retentive as I am(according to my wife) I will admit I always have everything in place at the put-in that's why I am so slow launching.........

Rik wrote:But it has to be ready to drop.

How many of us go out and start fishing, hook a fish and then start wondering where the fish gripper is, have to start fumbling with a closed up anchor with the line wrapped around it and then have to dig around for pliers that aren't where they always were but are never there when you need them quick?

How many have their drift chute hooked up and ready to be tossed over BEFORE they hook up a tarpon?

I know I'm guilty of these things. Many times. Maybe even most times.

Odds are that you usually never catch a fish on your first cast. If you take that time to get everything set up, your actual first cast might be less stressful - if you manage to hook up on your first cast.

As Anal Retentive as I am(according to my wife) I will admit I always have everything in place at the put-in that's why I am so slow launching.........

I lost, probably the biggest snook of my life due to being unprepared and no anchor, what do I need that for? This fish first ran away from the mangrove roots out into open water and I thought I had it made but the fish jumped. The fish then surfaced two more times but not to jump, to see how to get back to the mangroves. I swear this fish came up the third time and stuck his head out of the water looked toward the mangroves, rolled over that way and then just started kicking for them. I couldn't stop him and my buddy tried to grab my kayak as I raced by him. Into the roots and dink, done. I estimate the fish was 40+ inches long.

As I said earlier NOTHING good can happen with you in the Mangroves....