The fishing was good, not it's usual greatness, but good on the Sabine is still pretty fine. Didn't limit out every day but all my buddys went home with more fillets than they could enjoy in one sitting. Jane's hospitallity at RiverRidge second to none. And YES, you are able to put a boat in behind her place!



First day there we started off downstream from Jane's place and I found a spot that looked like it should hold some whites. We all broke out the rods and proceeded to cast in different directions when I heard Dave say, "***, I think I'm hung up on something". Shortly thereafter he says. "I think it's a fish!" We all could tell by the deep bend in that little medium action rod with 10lb test that this fish was big, so I offer to grab the net. Just then this HUGE spoonbill breaks the water with a roadrunner jig pinned to her paddle. At this point I alluded to the fact that my net wasn't going to be big enough. With encouragement and after several strong runs from the fish, Dave managed to swing her alongside the boat. My attempt to grab her by the paddle only sent her tearing off on another run for the bottom where she just sat. I talked Dave into just pumping the rod up and reeling back down until he worked her to the surface one last time. It took my fiend Raul and I both to get her into the boat with me grabbing her paddle and Raul grabbing her tail. When she was finally laying in the boat I realized I had a digital scale that went to 60lbs. When I first lifted her the scale just read OL, but eventually settled on 57.68 lbs! We snapped a picture of Dave struggling to hold her up and promptly released her, since here in Texas spoonbills are a protected species. This was the first fish of the first day that any of us caught, and boy what a doozie!







Below are just a few pictures from the trip though none of them top the one above. The water was as low as I have ever seen it but still accessable by boat if you go slow and take your time.

huge fish, good job!!

WOW

Thats awesome

Spoonbills are some cool fish.

They really are prehistoric....they don't have bones. Isn't that crazy!

awesome catch!! have a replica made!

Nice Catch. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for the comments guys! Ole Dave did a nice job with that little ole rod and reel.

GREAT SPOONBILL!!!

on the spoonbill

That is amazing! Defiantly I trip you will never ever forget.

Awesome fish!!

Awesome Paddlefish!

Very Cool

WOW