# Big Lagoon 5/11/15



## Pilotdad (Feb 24, 2015)

*Big Lagoon 5/12/15*

Launched around 9 this morning from Big Lagoon SP. Paddled over to the Barr bridge. Fished for a couple of hours under the bridge, moving all around. Landed only catfish but a nearby boat had caught a couple undersized trout. 

Took an early lunch at Oyster Bar (photo of the yak from my table). Then paddled to the grass flats off the Johnson Beach side. Ended up with 3 really nice trout. 18, 20, and 22 inches. Caught 2 flounder, one was undersized and the keeper was just under 14 inches. Caught a small spinner shark (was suprised) as I was drifting across the ICW channel. Weird thing was it was on a mud minnow and the shark was about 3ft. Didnt land it obviously and one good arial spin and he was off. Called it quits around 430. Had a fun day with it.


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## Jackson Yak (Apr 27, 2015)

Good looking yak...looks like you have plenty of room and appears pretty stable. Seems like us paddle folks are a dying breed.

And hey at least you got dinner. Congrats.


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## Pilotdad (Feb 24, 2015)

Thanks! Its the new Ascend fs12t from BPS. It has been a good kayak for me. It is very stable and I have no problem standing in it. Tons of deck space too. I have seen more pedal kayaks on the water than paddle it seems. Although today I did see 3 paddle yaks!


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## Jackson Yak (Apr 27, 2015)

Good deal...have been looking at those for my daughter to join me fishing. Just don't want to spend a pile of money cause a teenage girl being a teenage girl will drift to other interests along the way.

Also would make a nice second yak if anybody was interested in trying out the sport or wants to join me fishing.

Kinda getting off the subject of your OP but how does it handle on the water as far as paddling and tracking.


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## Pilotdad (Feb 24, 2015)

Being my first and only kayak, I really have nothing to compare it to. That being said I have been happy with the handling. It tracks great...no twisting and turning with each paddle stroke. Others have said it is relatively slow compared to narrower kayaks. It seems to get me where I am going in a decent amount of time. I am sure there are features more expensive kayaks offer that mine doesnt. But for what I use it for, it does the job. The seat is very comfortable. Never had any comfort issues. It is a tad on the heavy side. I drive a sedan and lifting it on top requires a bit of effort. It really is a stable platform. I have no issues crawling up front to get things while on open water. As I said earlier, standing is not an issue either. FYI I am 5'8 160lbs.


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## Night Wing (May 16, 2011)

Nice trout and the flounder was a nice bonus. :thumbsup:


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## Earl (Dec 22, 2007)

*BL sharks*

I fished that same area Saturday afternoon and had two pretty large sharks cruise past me (one took my live pinfish). I couldn't tell what they were but the biggest was pushing 5ft.
Fished again Sunday morning on the campground side just west of the tower and caught 2 nice specks - 24 & 18 inches. Got cut off again by a shark that day too.


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## Legalize it! (Jul 15, 2014)

Specks eat live bait or artificial?


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## Jackson Yak (Apr 27, 2015)

They will eat both. Some days they may prefer artificial over live and vice versa.


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## Mac1528 (Mar 24, 2012)

Legalize it! said:


> Specks eat live bait or artificial?


Yes



Jackson Yak said:


> They will eat both. Some days they may prefer artificial over live and vice versa.


& yes!


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## Pilotdad (Feb 24, 2015)

Legalize it! said:


> Specks eat live bait or artificial?


The specs I caught were on small live fish caught with the cast net. One was a pinfish and not sure of the proper name of the other, but looked similar to a pinfish. Both of the fish were only about 2 inches. The 3rd trout was caught on a live shrimp under a cork...just drifting down wind/current from my kayak. I was actually surprised at how big the trout were given the small size of the bait I had. I want to say my undersize flounder I caught bit the biggest bait. Go figure...


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## Chef of the sea (May 11, 2015)

Is there any advantages to launching from big lagoon vs Johnson beach? Coming down there next week and would like to do as much recon as possible. Looking at Google earth, all the spots look closer to Johnson beach launch, and wouldn't have to cross the channel. I'll see more when o get down there but any advice will be greatly appreciated! I throw a fly and just looking for any takers really. Catch and release everything, Im a chef so I get aarge array of sustainable options to choose my fish. i like letting the ones I catch go and live to tell stories about me


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## Pilotdad (Feb 24, 2015)

Chef of the sea said:


> Is there any advantages to launching from big lagoon vs Johnson beach? Coming down there next week and would like to do as much recon as possible. Looking at Google earth, all the spots look closer to Johnson beach launch, and wouldn't have to cross the channel. I'll see more when o get down there but any advice will be greatly appreciated! I throw a fly and just looking for any takers really. Catch and release everything, Im a chef so I get aarge array of sustainable options to choose my fish. i like letting the ones I catch go and live to tell stories about me


If you are going to fish the south side of the sound on the grass flats, might as well launch from Johnson Beach. Also, i THINK the pass is good for a week where as Big Lagoon State park I THINk is pay per day.

Only upside I can think offhand to launching from Big Lagoon is if you wanted to fish the bridge first. But either way, we are not talking about a long distance to travel either way. I will probably be launching from Johnson Beach most often.


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