Unless you ’ ve been hiding under a rock lately , you couldn ’ t have missed the current kayak craze in saltwater fishing .
What was a sleek and almost featureless topwater torpedo has morphed into something Seal Team 6 could use to eliminate terrorist trout . There are a multitude of reasons for this new found popularity , but contrary to the suspicions of most pirogue-loving Cajuns , this trend owes its success to the path navigated by the good “ ole fashioned ” canoe .
Kelly Watson , of the former Marsh Works Lure Company , is just as big a kayak proponent as anyone , but he ’ ll warn you not to underestimate the canoe . Kelly cut his teeth fishing out of canoes , it didn ’ t matter the type of fish or the fishing hole . Kelly is originally from Texas but moved to Baton Rouge as a child , then he headed back to Texas in the 90 ’ s for college . While in college , Kelly started his initial guide business for large and smallmouth bass on the Blanco River . Kelly then bounced back and forth between Texas and Louisiana a few more times dodging droughts and oil spills along the way . “ I ’ ve moved back and forth so many times they call me a Lexas ,” he joked .
Kelly and I arrived in the Lake Hermitage area just before the early morning sun was peeking over the horizon line . by Johnny Manion Marsh & Bayou Staff
We launched the canoe and started loading up in the barely light conditions . Kelly uses the 14 ’ Rogue River , a three-man which is now made by Old Town . “ This boat has around 1,000 river miles on it ; at least 1,000 on it ,” as he pointed out some of the character marks on its polyethylene hull , “ It ’ s got more room than a kayak . And it ’ s way more stable . Two men can easily stand up and fish comfortably .”
The “ boat ride ” didn ’ t take long ; we started fishing immediately . The common
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July 2016 www . marshandbayou . com
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