2/12 Colorado River north of Yuma - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Iceman · 02-15-2014, 10:17 AM

Brent and I spent a couple days on the river with Drew And Brooks from Jackson Kayak as well as Rich from Arizona. That 20 miles of dirt road to Picacho Park made it feel like you really were off the grid. We even saw a few wild burros this trip! A little wind on day one, but really nice weather over all, sunny and mid 80s. We pulled about a dozen large mouth out of Taylor Lake and a couple off the river on day one.I found my confidence in the River to Sea Crawfish. Drew got a 4.5 that was the big 'un. Day 2 we asked the camp care taker if he would mind shuttling us up river, he drove the truck back to our landing point so we got to float and fish a good stretch. Brent and I paddled a long cut into Adobe Lake, lots of stick ups but no fish in there. I picked up a smallie on a crank bait in a bend in the river with a nice back eddy. Really fun trip, glad I finally got to fish this area, hope to fish it again!

rhyak · 02-15-2014, 10:48 AM

Really sweet Pics Man,

Thanks for sharing your trip with us looks like a lot of FUN

kauaiboy04 · 02-15-2014, 11:14 AM

Very awesome stuff! Sweet pics too, Andy!

FISH11 · 02-15-2014, 11:52 AM

Looks like a whole lot of fun. Great pictures. Thanks for sharing.

DennisMorgan · 02-15-2014, 12:01 PM

Great pics gents! Thanks for sharing

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Amish Ed · 02-15-2014, 12:02 PM

I am so jealous. Looks like a blast.

alanw · 02-15-2014, 12:51 PM

Nice oasis in the desert, never even knew that lake existed. Nice pictures

walrus · 02-15-2014, 01:33 PM

From the pictures it appears the main campground and Taylor Lake campground recovered from the fire last may very nicely.

I also wondered if a fire like that would damage the fishing, I's say it didn't after looking at your pictures.

Nice trip! Good post.

janines.fishtales@cox.net · 02-15-2014, 02:22 PM

Our friend's Sue and Georgia are the Ranger's out there. I fished Taylor Lake last year. The wind was blowing about 40 MPHish that day and I had a bloody hangover from drinking with the help! I'm not so sure if the fishin was miserable or maybe it was me. But it is beautiful in a desolate way out there isn't it? Hope to go again soon. Glad you guys had fun!

Janine

rhyak · 02-15-2014, 02:25 PM

That last pic is Awesome, Magazine quality right there.

battleborn · 02-15-2014, 05:04 PM

great report, looks like a bass heaven. any top water action. Thanks for sharing

buddha · 02-15-2014, 05:09 PM

I heard that there is good smallmouth fishing there?

Hunter (The 80's Man) · 02-15-2014, 05:33 PM

Awesome trip!
Is this prime time for that area as far as weather goes?

Iceman · 02-16-2014, 07:31 AM

I would say now through the end of April would be prime time, weather and fishing. You find the small mouth in the river and the large mouth in the lakes and some along the bamboo in the river. Taylor Lake is 3-4 feet through out, not much water flow through so it was the warmest we found at 62. No top water only fish crashing were those damn carp belly flopping. Next I'd like to fish to area near Blythe.

taggermike · 02-16-2014, 10:33 AM

Thanks for the great report and photos. When you're used to our big bays and open ocean that tight water paddling feels strange, fun though. Did you find some bass in those narrow channels or in the open water lakes? Mike

Iceman · 02-16-2014, 11:54 AM

tight to structure in the lakes and river,the cuts held fish too as they were deeper 5-8 foot channels with current running through them.

roby · 02-16-2014, 06:52 PM

Great pics Andy...

I may try and take out the DSLR on my next trip.

YakMedic · 02-16-2014, 08:19 PM

Looks like another fun river trip. How many miles did you guys cover?

the dude · 02-17-2014, 07:56 PM

We went there about 6 years ago, beautiful place. Now's the time to go, it gets HOT!

Pocoloco · 02-18-2014, 08:19 AM

I don't know how we could of missed each other down there but I was down at picacho for the weekend. Fished taylor and part of the river. Summer like weather 2 91 degrees. Had decent luck at taylor but not so much on the river. neat little spot. Does anyone hunt ducks out there? Anyways nice pics, I have several of the same shots.

02-15-2014, 10:17 AM	#1
Iceman Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: 1-2 miles off the point Posts: 6,943	2/12 Colorado River north of Yuma Brent and I spent a couple days on the river with Drew And Brooks from Jackson Kayak as well as Rich from Arizona. That 20 miles of dirt road to Picacho Park made it feel like you really were off the grid. We even saw a few wild burros this trip! A little wind on day one, but really nice weather over all, sunny and mid 80s. We pulled about a dozen large mouth out of Taylor Lake and a couple off the river on day one.I found my confidence in the River to Sea Crawfish. Drew got a 4.5 that was the big 'un. Day 2 we asked the camp care taker if he would mind shuttling us up river, he drove the truck back to our landing point so we got to float and fish a good stretch. Brent and I paddled a long cut into Adobe Lake, lots of stick ups but no fish in there. I picked up a smallie on a crank bait in a bend in the river with a nice back eddy. Really fun trip, glad I finally got to fish this area, hope to fish it again! __________________ Last edited by Iceman; 02-15-2014 at 04:01 PM.

02-15-2014, 10:48 AM	#2
rhyak Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Central Coast Posts: 398	Really sweet Pics Man, Thanks for sharing your trip with us looks like a lot of FUN __________________ Team Central Coast Kayak Fishing

02-15-2014, 11:14 AM	#3
kauaiboy04 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Sandy Eggo Posts: 215	Very awesome stuff! Sweet pics too, Andy! __________________ http://socalkayak.blogspot.com

02-15-2014, 12:01 PM	#5
DennisMorgan Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 225	Great pics gents! Thanks for sharing Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________

02-15-2014, 12:02 PM	#6
Amish Ed Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Grants Pass, OR Posts: 1,903	I am so jealous. Looks like a blast. __________________ Amish Ed You can't catch it again if it's dead!

02-15-2014, 11:52 AM	#4
FISH11 Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Pine Valley when not fishing La Jolla Posts: 2,629	Looks like a whole lot of fun. Great pictures. Thanks for sharing.

02-15-2014, 12:51 PM	#7
alanw Made in U.S.A. Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Dana Point Posts: 1,625	Nice oasis in the desert, never even knew that lake existed. Nice pictures __________________ Hobie PA 14 ¸.·´¯`·.´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><(((º> Jackson Kraken ¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·.´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><(((º> Malibu X-Factor ¸.·´¯`·.´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><(((º> Malibu Stealth-12 ¸.·´¯`·.´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><(((º> Its not a spelling B its a fishing B ~yakjoe

02-15-2014, 01:33 PM	#8
walrus Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Baja fish camp Posts: 478	From the pictures it appears the main campground and Taylor Lake campground recovered from the fire last may very nicely. I also wondered if a fire like that would damage the fishing, I's say it didn't after looking at your pictures. Nice trip! Good post.

02-15-2014, 02:22 PM	#9
janines.fishtales@cox.net Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 555	The Ranger Our friend's Sue and Georgia are the Ranger's out there. I fished Taylor Lake last year. The wind was blowing about 40 MPHish that day and I had a bloody hangover from drinking with the help! I'm not so sure if the fishin was miserable or maybe it was me. But it is beautiful in a desolate way out there isn't it? Hope to go again soon. Glad you guys had fun! Janine __________________ Fishtales

02-15-2014, 02:25 PM	#10
rhyak Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Central Coast Posts: 398	That last pic is Awesome, Magazine quality right there. __________________ Team Central Coast Kayak Fishing

02-15-2014, 05:04 PM	#11
battleborn Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 221	great report, looks like a bass heaven. any top water action. Thanks for sharing

02-15-2014, 05:09 PM	#12
buddha Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: chula vista Posts: 907	I heard that there is good smallmouth fishing there?

02-15-2014, 05:33 PM	#13
Hunter (The 80's Man) Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Riverside Posts: 243	Awesome trip! Is this prime time for that area as far as weather goes? __________________ What's in YOUR hatch?

02-16-2014, 07:31 AM	#14
Iceman Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: 1-2 miles off the point Posts: 6,943	I would say now through the end of April would be prime time, weather and fishing. You find the small mouth in the river and the large mouth in the lakes and some along the bamboo in the river. Taylor Lake is 3-4 feet through out, not much water flow through so it was the warmest we found at 62. No top water only fish crashing were those damn carp belly flopping. Next I'd like to fish to area near Blythe. __________________

02-16-2014, 10:33 AM	#15
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	Thanks for the great report and photos. When you're used to our big bays and open ocean that tight water paddling feels strange, fun though. Did you find some bass in those narrow channels or in the open water lakes? Mike

02-16-2014, 11:54 AM	#16
Iceman Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: 1-2 miles off the point Posts: 6,943	tight to structure in the lakes and river,the cuts held fish too as they were deeper 5-8 foot channels with current running through them. __________________

02-16-2014, 06:52 PM	#17
roby CEO of Team Roby Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 905	Great pics Andy... I may try and take out the DSLR on my next trip.

02-16-2014, 08:19 PM	#18
YakMedic Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Wrightwood Posts: 623	Looks like another fun river trip. How many miles did you guys cover?

02-17-2014, 07:56 PM	#19
the dude Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Valley Center Posts: 271	We went there about 6 years ago, beautiful place. Now's the time to go, it gets HOT! __________________ The dude abides.

02-18-2014, 08:19 AM	#20
Pocoloco Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: el cajon Posts: 239	I don't know how we could of missed each other down there but I was down at picacho for the weekend. Fished taylor and part of the river. Summer like weather 2 91 degrees. Had decent luck at taylor but not so much on the river. neat little spot. Does anyone hunt ducks out there? Anyways nice pics, I have several of the same shots.