I had been jonesing to take the kayak out since I got it for Christmas. I kept watching the fishing reports the Northshorefishingreport.com, as well as asking where would be a great place to take it out for the first time. Well the first day when the mercury didn't get out of the 30's I saw the video you and Luke shot. After seeing that video that's when I made up my mind that I was fishing Cane the first weekend the high got above 60! I looked at the extended forecast Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and saw rain was forecast for Friday night continuing on through Saturday morning, but the high for the weekend would be in the mid 60's to 70 degrees. I made up my mind Thursday morning on my way to work that I was heading to Bayou Cane Sunday in hopes of catching some bass and I didn't care what my wife would say about it! I told her my plans for Sunday at dinner Friday night, and was surprised I had her blessing. I was excited! That excitement got me through work Friday. I got home early that day and got all my fishing gear ready. Reels needed to be oiled since they hadn't been used since the beginning of November and my kayak tackle box needed to be packed. Saturday came and I did some work in my yard that afternoon since we are about to put our house up for sale so we can move into a new one in May. I watched the Saints game, then went to dinner with my wife just to make sure everything would be fine with me going fishing all day the next day. I got to bed around 10 and couldn't sleep. I felt like a kid leaving for Disneyworld the next day; I haven't done any bass fishing in close to 15 years and I missed it. I finally fell asleep at some point because I woke up at 5:30, fifteen minutes before the alarm would go off.
I checked the weather on my phone only to see it was 34 degrees in Denham Springs. That was not what I was wanting to see! I decided I was still going despite the cold. After getting dressed, I loaded up the kayak, rods, tackle/dry box, an ice chest for the fish I was hoping to catch and was pulling out of my driveway at 6:15. Made a quick stop at the Circle K for some coffee and a bag of ice, the I was eastbound on I-12 heading to Cane. I was nervous on the drive out there the whole time. I had never fished out of kayak before and was just hoping I wouldn't flip it getting in. I finally got to the launch about 7:20. There were a few trucks with trailers there but I didn't care. I dropped the 10 ft. plastic boat on the ground by the bayou and loaded all my gear from the truck. After parking, I had my first success of the day: I got in the kayak and was still dry! Now after a minute or two I figured out how to successfully paddle straight. It wasn't long after that I got to a cut flowing into the bayou and made a couple casts with a watermelon baby brush hog. Success number 2: not a bite, but I can cast and not flip the kayak! After not bites after a few casts I decide to keep heading down towards the lake. When I was behind what I'm told was Justin Wilson's mansion. I was greeted by 3 river otters playing by the bank. I stopped and watched them for a few minutes then continued down. I tried several spots that I thought looked good, but didn't get any bites. I was still throwing the baby brush hog. It wasn't until I came to cut coming out of the mash with good clean water flowing out before I finally caught a fish. I made a few casts with the brush hog then decided to switch to what used to be my favorite late winter/early spring bait: a white and chartreuse, 1/4 oz. spinner bait. Three casts later I get a hit! Not only was it a hit, but the fish was still on! My first fish of the day and the first fish for the kayak. The bass wasn't very big so I let it go to grow bigger. I made a few more casts, but didn't get any bites. I tied the brush hog back on continued the paddle down to the lake. I tried a couple more drains coming into the bayou with no bites. I threw the watermelon brush hog past a stick of grass in the bayou and started to slowly work it back to me. When it got by the grass the line got tight! I thought I was just in some grass on the bottom, but then it happened. The line was moving! It was moving away from the bank to the middle of the bayou. I set the hook and pulled in a keeper bass! Keeper number one! I made a few more unsuccessful casts to the same spot then moved on down to the lake. I didn't fish anymore until I got down to Lake P. and was on my way back up. when I got to the spot where I caught my first keeper, I made another cast from the opposite direction. When the brush hog had just past the piece of grass my line started swimming away from the bank. Set the hook, and Bam! Keeper number in the boat. Since the slough I caught the first fish of the day wasn't far, I fished the brush hog all the way back there. Halfway between the 2 spots, I picked up keeper number 3. I finally got back to the slough the clean water flowing out the marsh was mixing with the dirty water of Bayou Cane. I positioned myself with the bow of my kayak pointed straight into the cut and made a cast. When the baby brush hog got to the mixing water, bam i get a hit! Set the hook, but he had already spit it out. This happens for the next 5 casts! I decide to tie on a small crank bait painted like a minnow with a blue back and a black spot just behind where the gills would be. I made a long cast in to the moving water and slowly reel it back in. When the crank bait got to where the water was mixing the fish was on! I set the hook and he made a b-line for the middle of the bayou! He turned my kayak 90 degrees and after a short fight I land it. A solid 2 pounder. He made keeper number 4. After unhooking I got back in position and for the next 6 casts I picked up 5 keepers and released one 8 inch bass. After that the fish shut it down and it was almost 1 o'clock. I decided rather than keep fishing for that last keeper I should call it a day and head back to the launch. On the way back I pass a few small boats fishing and they all had caught a few fish but nothing like what I caught. I finally get back to the launch around 1:45 and pull my boat up on land. A lady at the launch was talking with a couple other fishermen asking what the caught when she sees me pull my stringer out the cockpit of my kayak. Her eyes got as big as tea cup saucers when she sees my catch! The look on her face made my day! I load everything in to the back of my truck and head home to clean my catch. In all I had 3 female bass and 6 males. Oh and the 2 pounder, had a 3 inch blue gill in his stomach. It looks like everything my dad taught me growing up is paying off for me now. There are a few other areas I want to try, but I definitely be back to fish Bayou Cane. -Vacherieboy 1/15/14