It’s easy to get turned around while floating on creeks and sloughs in flooded timber because the channel can be difficult to see.
If that happens, look for cypress trees — particularly a line of them. They tend to grow along the banks of streams rather than scattered in the woods.
Also pay attention to the current’s direction. If you’ve been going downstream and suddenly notice you’re headed against the current, you know you’ve made a wrong turn and need to backtrack.
Keeping your bearings in the marsh can be especially difficult because there are few distinguishable features, and the water flows changes with the tide.
“You can get turned around from hunting the fish in the shallows, or just losing yourself around the many twists and turns.” KC Kayaks’ Andrew Chidlow said.
Chidlow advised taking a minute before launching and scan the horizon for a visible landmark.
“If you look around, you can generally find one,” he said. “For example, when fishing from Fourchon we find such things as telephone lines and water towers that you can see from great distances.”
