Blind River Goggle-eye fishing trips

I made a couple solo trips to Blind River and brought the wife a couple of times to fish for bream and goggle-eye or warmouth like some people call them. We found out about this location from a kayaking article I read. It described a scenic cypress swamp with little boat traffic.  Our first trip out there was a photo session and we just took in the scenery.  

We launched our canoe from Hwy 61 across from the St James Boat Club. There is a small gravel parking area with a shell launch.  After paddling north and west a few hundred yards we crossed under the railroad.  We had to lay down in the canoe to go under the bridge. This is the reason for little to no boat traffic. After enjoying an afternoon paddle and taking photos of owls, ducks and other birds, a few small gators we decided to come back the next day to fish.

Launching from the same location we hit a few spots here and there looking to catch some sac-a-lait. What we started catching was goggle-eye. When then each tied on a blue and white tube jig under cork about 12-18 inches.  We found them near cypress knees in 2-3 foot of water. We managed to catch a few bream and a small bass along with some goggle-eye.

Over the next few trips this time with crickets and worms we targeted bream and goggle-eye. What we found was the goggle-eye like to be near stumps and knees. We fished a few locations where water was coming out of the flooded woods, with not much current. We would catch them right next to a cypress tree or knee always in about 2 feet of water. I also noticed that the best spots where right next to a drop off into deeper water.  In these spots we would catch both bream in the flats and goggle-eye next to the stumps. We would often see bait fish fleeing the surface being chased by fish below.

Goggle-eye would hit our bait quick and suck down the bait in one aggressive gulp. The thicker bream like fish don’t fight as well as big bream do. They seem to attack the bait and just allow us to pull them in. I will have to make another trip in the boat with my 12’ jig pole and see if I can get in the stumps and knees easier without casting.

We had several successful trips out there catching fish in what seems like feeding frenzy. We fished one day right after a rain and ran out of crickets and worms. A cold front was moving in and the fish where baiting everything we throw at them even the bobbers. I even caught two fish with one hook. The second fish both goggle-eye was wrapped up in the line.  All thought not the largest fish is quite enjoyable to see those bobbers going down and pulling in fish after fish.