Sorry it has taken me a few days to get to this but here is a report from my latest 16 to 4 kayak trip. Bass-assassin and I got a late afternoon start Friday (7/10). The water @ 16 felt awesome and a quick dip after unloading the yaks was a must. It didn't take long to catch bass #1 probably 15 min. or so. Although small it was a start and the skunk didn't stick around long. Hoping to catch something a bit bigger, I tied on a 7" magnum fluke. After a quick troll I had a nice keeper that found the fluke so appetizing that it decided to swallow the hook. As to not let this 2.5 lber have to swim around with a hook in the gut I decided he would make a good candidate for the grease later that night. I decided to do a little wading with the magnum and in the third cast I caught this nice one that would be quickly cpr'd to fight again.




As is custom when I am with BA we can't ever seem to do things the easy way, so we set up camp in the dark just like the last trip. After a nice dinner of Johnsonville Brats and fried fish we became captives to the raccoons. They literally had us surrounded. At one point I walked down to the yaks because I heard some commotion. I grabbed my stakeout pole and stood on one side of BA's yak as a coon started to climb in it. He was 31" away from me with no cares that I was even standing there. I gave a quick jab with the pole and he scurried off. It was obvious to BA and I that we needed to drag the yaks up the bank and closer to camp. It was no time at all before another coon was up on the yaks again. BA had his tent torn last time by a coon and he did not want to have that encounter again so he was a little nervous about how the night would go. Well we made it through the night without any coons getting in the tents. I was able to fight the night heat with a $12 fan and $10.50 worth of D batteries from Wal-Mart. Being the good friend that I am, I told BA of my purchase two days before the trip and told him that he ought make the same purchase. He did not so I got to hear him beach about how he couldn't get any sleep in his sauna of a tent. (He will have one next time I bet!) We got a good start on Saturday catching many decent black bass and a few sandies. It took no time at all for the temp to reach into the 100+ range, but the good thing about being in a yak is that you are only a few inches from the relief of the heat with a quick dip. The beauty of the Brazos makes the trip worth it even if it is 100+.





BA caught several nice bass, but this time I was close enough to stop and take a pic.



I can not end this post without mentioning the great group of folks we met on the river. Leslie, Shelly, Mark, Cowboy Bob and the rest of the crew, thanks for the river hospitality you showed BA and I. Thanks for the delicious chicken salad, cheese and beef jerky. It was truly a pleasure meeting you guys. I hope to see you again next year on your annual trip. Thanks Again!!

cool pics and great write up! I look forward to seeing more.

Great pics and great fish! You are right about those raccoons. I made that trip back in May and we battled them all night. They take "varmint proof" camping gear as a personal challenge and try their best to break and enter.

Of course, my dad would have had his flashlight taped to the barrel of a .22 and the raccoon population would have declined slightly had he been along...

Great report with vivid descriptions. I'm itching to get back out there. I've got a fan..:)

Sounds like you guys had fun.

Thanks for the report and pics.

Nice report Mojo.
Those are some nice fish.

Let me know when you guys are headed back out.
I am done working weekends...

We had a fantastic time. It was really nice to have someone share our fishing tales with as we paddled.
BA got to see my first and best catch of the day.

Paddling down river with these guys made the trip the most fun. I know that sometimes my buddys happen to be playing in some great fishing holes. Next year we will have to get there first. Our group this year had 29 paddlers, 3 dogs and 2 new friends. Next Year should be even better! Thanks guys.

thanks for sharing your pics bass'nboots. It was nice meeting you and your crew. Hope we can meet up again next year.

Great pics and write up. Thanks for sharing.

good job all around