Oxen Bayou

[sfef84]

Have talked to a few guys walkin out of sprtsman rd at dusk with reports of huge 29-30in trout at night in oxen bayou.

Decided to take the trek over there this weekend and ran into two yakers that said "been there all morning, no good this time of year, best bet is to walk out to the end reefs" I said thank you and kept walking. Didn't catch anything but did a lot of exploring and "feeling around"

As I was walking, i thought to myself "If the fishing there is so bad, why the hell would two yakers spend all morning there exclusively and then tell me its no good, walk a mile that way and fish??"

I come to the FWE oracle to ask, is Oxen bayou a good place to fish??

I can deduce that it is probably decent despite being so close to a high pressure fishing spot. Everyone At sprtsman rd either
a) goes straight out from the houses
b) walks along the houses or fishes the first channel gut (which seems to only be 2ft deep recently)
c)normally walks straight by oxen bayou on their way to the end reef.

Is it better at high or low tide??

[Gilbert]

that's a long walk. I have only fished it once and didn't even get a hit. Two guys were coming from that area when I went and they had empty stringers as well.

[Sneekypete]

Here's a picture of me holding an 10 lb 4oz trout and a 9lb 2 oz trout taken in 1998 a mile from there.Plus I had 7 more over 6lbs that same day.

[OR19]

Stef84 Oxen is just like the rest of the bay...can be good or you can get skunked...you just got to work the area until you get the pattern down...fish it like you would any big drain...put in the time and it will pay off...I like it when the tide is falling...if you are walking in that area make sure you know it well...I've been fogged in there this time of year where you could barely see 30 yds in the daylight and 10 yds in the dark...pack a light and a compass...some skinny water boats will come blasting out of there at dusk sometimes and they wont see you unless you got a light and if they are running a 4 stroke you wont hear them till they're almost on you...

Damn nice fish Sneeky...you got any coordinates!

[Curmudgeon]

Sneeky,
How'd you get there: in a boat or wading?

[spektakler]

Along the East shoreline of Oxen there are two small marsh drains about 100 yds apart. Either one are good to key on day or night for hungry fish. Ive pulled many a good spek, red or flounder off of them. The West side has a little deeper water for the boat traffic and there is one good drain on that side also.

[Sneekypete]

No coordinates I can't seem to find where that spot was for some reason....lol....just kidding. I go in by boat then wade.I also like a outgoing tide and love it when it has all the little potholes in there made by the puppy drum in the spring.

[cypress_wader]

fished oxen last thursday for about five hours on an incoming tide and only managed a few undersized fish. saw plenty of bait but couldn't put anything on the stringer.

[FlatoutFishin]

I used to fish it a lot and can tell you its good. I've caught trout to the 26" range out of there and there is a nice little reef right in the middle. In the old days(preboat), I'd wade in and wade outside the island then loop around to the point just West of there. Then go down the shoreline casting to the middle and the reef, cross over where the reef peters out, and then work the otherside(east) back out and end it at the gut on the east end of the island. which has a deep hole and holds flounder. Just like anything else...good at times, bad at times. I will say, that I've done my best there in Fall and Spring. And yes, you will be a tired mofo after doing it...probably the reason I have two fake hips now!

[fishingRED]

Ive walked it once all the way from sportsman, going thru the grass and water and mudd, NOT FUN, since I am a heavy guy. Took about no more than 15 minutes to get there. First time got bites but only one flounder came out of there. Second time we kayaked put there and managed some croaker with gulp under popping cork. Also managed to get attaked by angry birds, I paddled into some marsh and I guess birds had a nest near by so they attaked!!!! LOL, I quickly left.........

My experience... I need to put more time into it to learn the pattern. If u ever want to kayak out there PM me

[shallowist]

There is a tasty little reef out towards the front, it's best on a low outgoing tide. If it gets super low, then walk way out in front of the bayou and you will find another hump of shell that can be very good if you get a quiet day when the boaters aren't runnning over the fish. This one puts you way out in the bay, so don't expect to not have boats run by you.

Good luck!

[sfef84]

Thanks all for the good info. I think the skunk-action is due to me only being able to get out there (j-o-b) when it has been low tide and not much movement. Will keep on it! Thanks for the info oh great ORACLE

[FlatoutFishin]

There is a tasty little reef out towards the front, it's best on a low outgoing tide. If it gets super low, then walk way out in front of the bayou and you will find another hump of shell that can be very good if you get a quiet day when the boaters aren't runnning over the fish. This one puts you way out in the bay, so don't expect to not have boats run by you.

Good luck!

One of my favorite drifts or wades on low low in winter, pull in and hit the edge of that little reef. The fish will hang all around the edge. especially after you come off it on the North side. If you got streaky water there,its a bigger plus!

[sfef84]

Are you guys talking about the reef that runs along the west side of oxen? I havn't ventured far into the bayou at all... just the area after crossing the first gut from sportsman protected by a N wind by the second island where the oyster boats are, and across the entrance, no further back than the first drain on the east side.

[plugger]

here's a picture of me holding an 10 lb 4oz trout and a 9lb 2 oz trout taken in 1998 a mile from there.plus i had 7 more over 6lbs that same day.[ATTACH=CONFIG]11346[/ATTACH]

you tease !!