In this week’s Video of the Week, we catch up with Pete Kaple of The Skiff Wanderer and Zach Landry on their most recent skiff camping trip to the south Texas coast. From tough weather conditions, camp supervisors that follow the rules to a “T”, parking lot cheeseburgers, and some fish mixed in makes for a video you definitely don’t want to miss.
We got a chance to sit down with Pete and ask a few questions about the trip as well:
Flylords: What made you want to do this trip? Was it a weather window or a good fishing report?
Pete: Zach was in town for the holidays and we wanted to do something different. We originally wanted to camp out of the skiff, but we realized the weather wouldn’t be ideal for us to safely do that. I’d briefly fished South Texas the year before, but had enough time to realize it was a place I needed to revisit. After the trip in 2021, I was just waiting for the stars to align, and slowly they started to. The week before we left, when we finally had a good look at the forecast, we made the final decision to pack up the skiff and head south.
Flylords: Did you guys scout or have previous knowledge of the water before heading down or was it a more “figure it out as we go” mentality?
Pete: I had fished there once, but once for a couple of hours. I’d also looked at some satellite images, which are a helpful tool but in the end, they don’t tell you everything. Zach and I both have a “figure it out as we go” mentality toward fishing. I think that mindset has been extremely helpful in getting us to explore new places. It’s definitely led to some really long poles with very few fish, but it’s also allowed us to find some hidden gems.
Flylords: With the warmer months coming up do you see more Skiff Wanderer camping and fishing adventures?
Pete: Definitely. Off the top of my head, I can think of at least five big adventures I’ve got planned for this year. Honestly, that’s why I put Wanderer in the name of the channel. Before I started the channel, I used to spend weeks on the road crisscrossing the country just camping and hiking. Adventure is part of who I am and it always will be. I’ve finally gotten to a point where I can do more of that with Skiff Wanderer, and I can’t wait to share those adventures with everyone.
FlyLords: Last but not least, what is something you wish you knew or are thankful that you learned for the future on this trip?
Pete: If you’re taking a skiff camping, call where you’re going to be staying and ask what the parking situation is for a boat. You might have to rent an RV spot for the night, even if you’re camping. Also, in the winter months, throw some hand warmers in the boat. It’s pretty tough to throw a fly rod when you can’t feel your fingers.
Huge thanks to Pete for answering these questions on such short notice. We can’t wait to see the upcoming content. In order to stay up to date on the Skiff Wanderer’s adventures drop them a follow here: @theskiffwanderer
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