All the help I can get.

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birdsnest

birdsnest

Keeper of San Juan Secrets
I only need to be hit in the head with a hammer 2 or 3 times before I get it. Was going to the upper San Juan for our yearly fishing trip but have reconsidered based on water levels, predicted river flows and the sm dinks. Padre Bay is a place our group has not fished so looks good. Wayne's report on that area didn't hurt. The ten years I worked on the lake made me think that Padre was a huge tourist trap so only went in there for my job. I heard about good fishing there but the fishing was so good where I was that I didn't explore it. Now, 20 years later I see Padre as a new place but don't know it other than my exposure as a marine mechanic. Kind of sad but also very exciting. I know some of the places,Kane Creek, Kane Wash, Gunsight and the East Wall but don't know the area well enough to know where to target.. I get it for rip rap etc but does this seem like a logical choice. The fuel we would use for the houseboat will go into the fishing boats so our range expands all the way to rock creek but I want to concentrate on Padre. Help. There has to be some places to put a houseboat and 3 fishing boats. Where?
 
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There is a cove hidden along the east wall of Padre Bay straight east from Padre Point. Perfect camping spot if nobody else is there that is protected from wind and boat wakes. The low water level has created lots of sandy beaches along the north side of Padre Bay, camping spots in general should be easy to find.

Areas to target for fish are Padre Point (either side) is good for walleye before the sun hits the water. Stripers stage along the east wall of Padre Bay to spawn in May and can be caught on surface lures early in the morning (before 7am). Face Canyon provides some good structure for small mouth and a few largemouth. Might find crappie near the back of Face Canyon. Smallmouth are everywhere there are piles of broken rock.
 
That is a great cove but if the W is from west to east the W hits the wall and blows right though that cove.

The second cove left of cookie jar has some nice sandy beaches.
 
JFRCalifornia said:
...the cove I'm pointing to might be the same one as Fursniper's, not sure, but I know it's a good one...
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Yes, that is the cove I was referring to. I have never been there to experience the wind blowing through it. Good to know. One advantage of those wind currents is that it blows lots of tumbleweeds into the back of that cove making it a magnet for largemouth.
 
Fursniper said:
There is a cove hidden along the east wall of Padre Bay straight east from Padre Point. Perfect camping spot if nobody else is there that is protected from wind and boat wakes. The low water level has created lots of sandy beaches along the north side of Padre Bay, camping spots in general should be easy to find.

Areas to target for fish are Padre Point (either side) is good for walleye before the sun hits the water. Stripers stage along the east wall of Padre Bay to spawn in May and can be caught on surface lures early in the morning (before 7am). Face Canyon provides some good structure for small mouth and a few largemouth. Might find crappie near the back of Face Canyon. Smallmouth are everywhere there are piles of broken rock.
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I know that cove but didn't know that a beach would still be available there. Quick story about that cove. I took my Mom on a houseboat trip about 20 years ago and pulled into the cove only to find a houseboat already there so we slowly swung around and a man hurried out of the houseboat in his birthday suit and started playing a bagpipe, parading up and down. Guess he didn't want any visitors. It worked. We laughed about that for years. I will check it out to see if anyone is in there after we unhook the boats. Thanks. I've always called it Angel cove cause if you look at the east wall in there it looks like angel wings. Neat spot.
 
birdsnest said:
I know that cove but didn't know that a beach would still be available there. Quick story about that cove. I took my Mom on a houseboat trip about 20 years ago and pulled into the cove only to find a houseboat already there so we slowly swung around and a man hurried out of the houseboat in his birthday suit and started playing a bagpipe, parading up and down. Guess he didn't want any visitors. It worked. We laughed about that for years. I will check it out to see if anyone is in there after we unhook the boats. Thanks. I've always called it Angel cove cause if you look at the east wall in there it looks like angel wings. Neat spot.
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Pretty funny story! Looks like from the historic GoogleEarth images that there are good beaches in there at any lake level up to 3610, and even a very small beach up to 3655...could be something at even higher levels, but there's no imagery showing the lake above that...
 
wayne gustaveson said:
Wow, you guys gave up the cove I call secret canyon - Great Camping spot!
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I think it is best to disclose where the most highly productive fishing and camping spots are located for several reasons.

1) Nobody will go there because they think everyone else will be there so it gets protected.

2) If others go there and catch and keep a bunch of fish, it decreases competition for food and cover so the fish there will get bigger.

Its a win-win either way.
 
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Fursniper said:
I think it is best to disclose where the most highly productive fishing and camping spots are located for several reasons.

1) Nobody will go there because they think everyone else will be there so it gets protected.

2) If others go there and catch and keep a bunch of fish, it decreases competition for food and cover so the fish there will get bigger.

Its a win-win either way.
Click to expand...

Yep - Your are a winner!
 
WaterMan said:
That is a great cove but if the W is from west to east the W hits the wall and blows right though that cove.

The second cove left of cookie jar has some nice sandy beaches.
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I have camped in that cove...the wind whips in that area. It's a nice secluded spot but you better tie up good.
 
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