Morning on the Canoe Trail...

I headed over to Lake B.A. Steinhagen for a paddle on the Walnut Slough Canoe Trail this morning. Texas State Parks, with their $4 day pass are sure a bargain especially on a week day with more deer than people in the park.    

This laydown stopped me before I had gone very far. Seemed like the salvina mats were thicker than they had been in the summer and I could have struggled through this one around the right side of this tree but I had already fought through one patch just to launch and would have to negotiate it again on return so I gave up here. I loaded the boat and headed to another part of the park to give it a try as the big bream and goggle eye had vacated the places they held over the summer.  

The only fish I caught today was a very small bass. And the color of that lure is rose, not pink and just like the vestments a priest wears once each during Advent and Lent it gave me hope I might catch some more but the were very shy today. 

With few people in the park and the deer completely ignoring me I was left to the green and blue herons for company. I thought this big blue was standing on the mat of salvina but as I examined the photo at home he's on a log. I have heard stories of salvina so thick a dog could walk on it. I think this lake was drained several years ago to kill off overgrowth. As you may know salvina is an invasive species that kills wave action and reduces oxygen content there by it's bad for fish. I had to make sure I got all off and out of the boat so I'm not transporting it around.   

More deer. They have a good life in the park. I have a good life too, out in the woods with fall coming down. Cathy wanted fish for supper but she will have to eat something else today.