Headwaters in the wind

[Eric-Maine]

Fished Sunday with a strong wind out of the south and yesterday with a near equally strong wind out of the North. What was interesting to me is how much stuff moves. Massive islands of cattails, hyacinth and bushes moving at a 3 mph clip. There was an armada of island assembled on the north end yesterday already moving back south.

Getting pretty frustrated on the fishing end. Just one fish each day. I punched a lot thinking the cold would push them under mats. Any tips on fishing hydrilla. What do you look for in a mat? Caught a nice one on a hybrid hunter yesterday and chased that rabbit.
Back home now for a few weeks. 14°

[Eric-Maine]

Here is some video of moving land

https://youtube.com/shorts/VHN8YQPEwXU?si=l1CfjiNh9eNgtYg4

[FlatsNBay]

Eric, it's been tough out there with the cold and wind. I was out last week at Headwaters in the kayak and was blown all over the place. I managed a nice 5 pounder flipping in a mat of pennywort and hyacinth. I had a hard time trying to control my kayak in the wind.

I don't think that you're doing anything wrong. Just covering water.

[Eric-Maine]

Nice catch Flats in the yak. I love pulling giants out of the mat making the braid sing. Did it pull you?
Most of my Florida experience has been on Okeechobee where hydrilla has been poisoned. I was looking forward to the cool down as most of my big fish have come on cold windy days. There wasn't a lot of punch able hyacinth/pennywort in the area I chose and as it turns out it was all on the move anyway. 2 oz tungsten blowing back at you. I have caught some on scattered hydrilla  on moving baits but have yet to find them in the hydrilla mats. Thick stuff with cheese. Thinner stuff. Long stretches small islands trying to pattern what makes a good mat. 100's of flips with nothing to show. Back in a couple of weeks get back at it.
Looking forward to finding hydrilla with biting fish.
As an aside, I bought the Robo worms that the kids used to win on the MLF team T. Fished all day with a very slow result punching and chatterbating. Caught 30 in the last 2 hours after switching to the kids drop shot around scattered clumps of hydrilla in 8'. This was the week before Christmas. Didn't work last week in the wind.

[FlatsNBay]

Did you look at the restoration type area SE of the flag? I bet those little islands with deep water nearby would be good. I would look at the mats of mixed vegetation in those areas. I didn't get any hits in straight hydrilla mats.