re: OB paddlers: When is west cove marsh (Big Lake) open?

West Cove is great but pretty vast, so expect to do some paddling.

If you're targeting reds you can turn right at the second canal when leaving the launch and head into the marsh. It'll be a bit before the canal turns to marsh but it's a huge area once you're into it. A ton of flats where you can see tails sticking out the water. I've also seen people fish the canal for flounder sucessfully. Through that marsh you can actually cut through and get to Old Camp canal but I've never done so myself.

If you're looking for trout there's a bunch of reefs in the cove itself, though I don't know their exact location I've been able to pickup several trout trolling jigs and tandem rigs while paddling to/from Old Camp Canal.

Speaking of Old Camp, it's exactly 2 miles from the launch to the mouth, I've made the paddle a couple times, it's not too bad. I've anchored right at the mouth near the dock that's there and caught flounder on a 1/8oz jig head with chartreuse or pearl white Gulp bouncing slowly on the bottom. You can also access more marsh area back there though I've never ventured too far.