April 2010

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EDITOR AND ND PUBLISHER Everett Johnson

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Everett@tsfmag.com GENERAL MANAGER Pam Johnson

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08 Laying Up & Playing Safe 12Â The Lesson of the Totuava 18 Â Finned Sharks & Tagged Speckled... 22 Unfair Advantage 24 Â Marine 30 Redfish Lead the Charge into Spring 34 Something I Never Expected! Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

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21 35 36 40 42 44 46 50 54 56 58

Mike McBride Kevin Cochran Billy Sandifer Scott Null Martin Strarup Chuck Uzzle Guest Writer

BUSINESS / ACCOUNTING MANAGER Shirley Elliott Shirley@tsfmag.com ADVERTISING MANAGER Pam Johnson Office: 361-785-3420 Cell: 361-550-9918 Ads@tsfmag.com NATIONAL SALES REPRESENTATIVE Bart Manganiello Bartalm@optonline.net

Coastal Birding Science and the Sea Let’s Ask The Pro Fly Fishing Offshore Conservation TPWD Field Notes Kayak Fishing According to Scott Youth Fishing Every Man’s Offshore

Billy Sandifer UT-Marine Science Institute Jay Watkins  Casey Smartt    Bobby Byrd/John Cochrane CCA Texas Steven Mitchell Scott Null Scott Sommerlatte Aaron Cisneros Mike Jennings

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64 Dickie Colburn’s Sabine Scene 66 Mickey on Galveston 68 Capt. Bill’s Fish Talk 72 Mid-Coast Bays with the Grays 74 Hooked up with Rowsey 76 Capt. Tricia’s Port Mansfield Report 78 South Padre Fishing Scene          Â

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James Zahradnik is our cover angler and winner of our Seatrout Catch and Release Photo Contest. James was fishing Matagorda and got into some awesome action landing and releasing this 29-incher that weighed 8-pounds on a Corky. James’ prizes included a new rod and reel and other goodies. Please practice C&R and keep those photos coming; our next contest is already underway!

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PRINTED IN THE USA. Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine (ISSN 1935-9586) is published monthly by Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, Inc., 58 Fisherman’s Lane, Seadrift, Texas 77983 l P. O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 Š Copyright 1990 All rights reserved. Positively nothing in this publication may be reprinted or reproduced. *Views expressed by Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine contributors do not necessarily express the views of Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine. Periodical class permit (USPS# 024353) paid at Victoria, TX 77901 and additional offices.

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POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, Inc., P. O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983.

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

0RUH RQ WKH )XWXUH RI 5HFUHDWLRQDO $QJOLQJ American humorist, political satirist and author, Mark Twain, is credited for having said, “If you don’t read the newspaper you are uninformed, if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed.” di and d I ffor one am h i Lately, recreational anglers are barraged by media, having difficulty deciding who and what to believe. The following is from a Policy Alert issued last week by the American Sportfishing Association: In the next 30 to 60 days, the Obama Administration is planning to issue a final report, and possibly other management guidance, intended to govern the management of the nation’s oceans, coastal areas and Great Lakes. The plan originated in June 2009, when President Obama created the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force. The Task Force, led by the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), was charged with developing a national policy for conserving and managing the United States ocean territory and the Great Lakes. The policy will govern ocean and Great Lakes resource management and coordinate efforts among the many federal, state and local agencies that oversee a significant portion of our nation’s waters. The White House is in the final stages of developing the final report, which must balance sustainable uses with ocean and Great Lakes conservation. It is important that the administration recognizes and promotes the economic and conservation contributions of outdoor recreation, including recreational fishing and boating. Without such recognition, decisions made under this national oceans and Great Lakes policy could be used to close saltwater and freshwater recreational fishing areas. Right off the bat, given this administration’s record of involvement in the banking, mortgage lending, automobile, and health care industries, my hackles go up. And while I believe wholly in careful research to formulate opinion, this is instantly frightening. Much is being said in newspapers, on outdoor television, and even talk radio. Some sources would have us believe the Obama administration will seek to sweep us off the water and do away with or severely restrict recreational angling. Depending the statistics you reference, recreational saltwater and freshwater anglers currently number in the 60-million range nationally and we have been great stewards of the resources. To put it succinctly; we have helped build the fisheries we seek to enjoy. Already we have seen the National Marine Fisheries Service enacting what seem arbitrary and perhaps even capricious emergency regulations and closures of ocean fisheries. Might these portend even bolder plans? Will future policy favor commercial fishing interests against rec anglers with even greater prejudice, even though we have contributed far more to the fisheries? I am concerned and fail to understand how 30 or 60 days might constitute a sufficient timeframe during which the administration could hope to undertake careful science-based management of our nation’s fisheries. Will we get a fish czar who never worked in fisheries management like the car czar who never worked in an automobile factory? We will have to wait for the Task Force report, but if you share my concern that somehow recreational angling might be in jeopardy, write your congressman and senators, today. Politely request their assistance to insure reational angling in America. the future of recreational

6 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Corpus Christi, Texas , April 22-25, 2010

Featuring the first ever Pro Fishing Tournament to be held in Downtown Corpus Christi When the West Division of the 2010 HT Redfish Cup Tour kicks off in Corpus Christi it will do so as part of the Texas International Boat Show. Anglers will enjoy a fabulous weekend of fun along with the exciting events that the Boat Show has to offer, including a Powerboat Derby and Wakeboard Tournament. The weigh in will take place Friday and Saturday, April 23-24, at the People’s Street T-Head, 3.00 pm daily. The top prize will be $20,000 for first place on the full field of 60 teams competing.

SEE YOU THERE!! For more details on the Boat Show, and the events listed above, please contact info@TxIntlBoatShow.com or telephone 561.842.8808 • www.TexasInternationalBoatShow.com

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It sure is easy to get spoiled in a fantasia setting such as what the Laguna Madre has to offer. With its vast expanses of luscious grass beds dotted with bright sand pockets, the opportunity for a magnum-sized fish is real on most every cast. Some days you even get to see them first, and sight-casting in this air clear water is one of the big reasons why many dedicated fishermen make the long trip. But alas, all things can and do change, and it seems that just as soon as we start taking things for granted things start

getting taken away from us. The normally pristine waters down here have recently gone to pooky in many areas. Don’t know what it is for sure, but TPWD did indeed confirm a brown tide cell count on the south end of the lagoon last month. Whatever it is we all hope it doesn’t last. It has certainly been a different game lately, and sometimes we just have to adjust to the course we are playing. It reminds me of a particularly good round of golf I had going on several years ago. It was mostly because I was

being conservative and not making wild mistakes, i.e., laying up in front of hazards for an easier par instead of going for a birdie. Going for it works when it works but; there is always that looming risk of shanking the ball out of bounds and paying a severe penalty. Those “no-goods” I teed up

Ken Braden and author admiring a beautiful speck that took a lowly tail in dirty water – C&R!

8 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

© 2010 Pure Fishing, Inc.

With SPIDERWIRE... Nothing Gets Away. Period

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Keith Dolch proved the fish care less about water clarity than we do – C&R!

with started railing on me because I was playing it safe; ribbing me about playing old man golf instead of taking hero swings. Yeah, I’ve got your old man golf right here, now hand over those side bets you longball hackers. They did. In trying to relate that to fishing as it exists for right now, with clarity giving visibility to just a few inches instead of the normal few feet, it may be time to play some of that old man golf in the

“The normally pristine waters down here have recently gone to pooky in many areas.” water. That’s what Keith Dolch, Kenneth Braden and I did last week. Instead of swinging wild all over the place, going for it long and trying to fish clean water, we ended up just laying up short where good fish should have been and fishing for them. Kenneth won that round with his personal best in some awful nasty looking stuff. We just have to remember that the fish are still there whether the water suits us or not. It was a two-day trip and on the first day we indeed went for it. We put a lot of miles on the boat searching for what we normally take for granted – that being clear water, of course. We did find Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

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www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 9

Keith with another great one – C&R!

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some and everything looked promising with a fair sprinkling of baitfish present. We fished hard and caught some good fish, but nothing like what we were looking for. Keith already had a thirty down here and was probing for a heavier one. Staying with that longball mindset of having to fish clean water, the next day we went long and far again trying to find more of it. We caught fish but burned up a lot of time running around. By mid-afternoon when it didn’t happen again, we said phooey on trying to fish magic water; we laid up and headed back to the junk. A thirty-minute trip took us to an area that basically looked like a brown paper sack in liquid form, but the bait was ridiculously thick and active, much more than we’d seen for two days. Big fish should have been there based on conditions, and with that much bait they had to be there. However, with visibility about four inches at best, and with so much life in the water, you had to wonder how in the world a gamefish could ever possibly single out your lure. Well they did, and they did it with some serious aggression. We need to remember that the fish we are after eat for a living and do so very well, and the water clarity bothers us much more than it does them. Even so, in low visibility water I like to throw higher profile baits with good rattles. Topwaters, when it’s time of course, but lately for me it’s a pearl and chartreuse Corky Fat Boy. I can give it a lot of side to side action without much forward movement, and I just feel confident that it is a practical presentation

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10 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

of how it looks. In being honest with myself, I was starting to freak about the possibility of having dirty water down here for an extended period. Again, it’s easy to get spoiled and assume that whatever fortune we are blessed with will always be there for us. Last year it would have been hard to imagine a paradise such as this ever having a cloud on it. Well, we still might have some nasty water this spring, but even if we do, this little afternoon session said, “You big dummy, don’t worry about it. Just lay up and play it safe. Fish the areas that should hold fish and catch them.” Playing it safe just means playing your holes better, and taking more of those high percentage shots in areas we know should help our score regardless of how it might look. The fish are still going to be there, and they will find that lure, trust them. Also let’s remember it is not how many you keep that matters, rather it is how

“We said phooey on

trying to fish magic water; we laid up and headed back to the junk.” had the confidence to get us back in that junk earlier. We all started hooking some excellent fish, and evidently it wasn’t hard for them to find that little tail of Kenneth’s either. He hooked his personal best for the second day in a row, and this one went right about eight pounds. It was another confidence boosting lesson that fish are much better at feeding than we often think they are, and that being where you are supposed to be will always mean everything regardless

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Texas Saltwater Fishing

many you catch, and there are plenty to be caught in those nasty looking areas. Let the masses stack up in the clear water. See you in the junk, and hey, there’s nothing wrong with old man golf when you win!

Mike Mcbride

Contact

for those less than ideal conditions. Keith was throwing the same thing, but then along comes Ken with about the last thing I would have tied on; just an ordinary, natural-colored tail, not much different than the water. I just wish I would have

Mike McBride is a full time fishing guide based in Port Mansfield, TX, specializing in wadefishing with artificial lures. Contact Skinny Water Adventures Telephone 956-746-6041 Email McTrout@Granderiver.net Website Skinnywateradventures.com/ Three_MudSkateers.wmv

www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 11

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I recently reconnected with a childhood friend to whom I hadn’t

to be true. Cannon’s text (and others I found) stated that the fish

spoken in over twenty years. When he learned that I’m a fishing

can grow to a length of five or six feet and weigh in excess of three

guide, he reminded me we spent plenty of time fishing together in

hundred pounds. Essentially, the fish looks like a Goliath version of

our youth, correctly asserting that he was the better angler then! I

a sand trout, with its stocky build and lack of spots. Gazing on the

told him I’m a writer, and he expressed interest in reading my books.

pictures in the book made me dream of planning a trip to the upper

After reading the books, he contacted me to share his thoughts about them and offered to send me a couple of texts which he

reaches of the legendary sea; visions of hog-sized heads stirring frothy eruptions of foam played in my mind‘s eye.

thought I’d like. One is a cherished possession to him; he warned

Researching the potential for such a trip soon cast a pall over

me not to loan it out or lose it, saying he’d want it back some day. A

the idea as I relearned a lesson that’s become all too familiar to

Sunset Book written by Ray Cannon, it’s simply titled The Sea of Cortez.

me. I found out that the totuava, though it once seemed endlessly

I remember that he had an interest in the slender sea lying east

abundant in the Sea of Cortez, has now virtually disappeared. Some

of the Baja Cape even when we were teenagers. After the book

of the details of this research hit quite close to home and raised a

arrived in the mail, I began perusing its contents and found it to be

red flag in my psyche.

a thorough

Cannon writes that he and others “met an old Chinese, named

and delightful,

Quan, who lived in a cave…[and] were told that he had accumulated

if dated,

an immense fortune by exporting dried totuava bladders to China,

reference. It

where they were ground into a costly powder used to enrich and

describes in

thicken soups….After removing the bladders, they discarded tons

delicious detail

of totuava on the beach and there it wasted until a high tide flushed

the travels and

the remains out for the sharks to feast on.”(68) Cannon decided to “study the habits and habitat of the species…[and was] directed to their habitat…found…to be a 20 to 22-fathom narrow, mud-bottomed trench.”(69) After fishing for a while there with heavy tackle and various baits without success, the party switched over to

fishing adventures of the author. He made many trips to the place in the 1950s and 60s, when the abundance and variety of marine life there was awe-inspiring. Given my respect and love for the spotted seatrout, I was most interested

The joy of releasing this fat trout is abundantly evident on the author’s face.

to learn what the book had to say about a related fish, called by the common name of white seabass.

smaller baits

The totuava or totoaba, (Cynoscion macdonaldi), as it’s known by

and hooks

the Mexicans who live along the shores of the placid and bountiful

and began

sea, is one of the Gulf of California’s several types of corvina. All are

landing foot

members of the croaker family, Sciaenidae, as is the spotted seatrout

long corvinas

(Cynoscion nebulosus).

of a different

I’d heard that the totuava can attain giant size when compared to most members of the croaker family and quickly verified that 14 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

species. “Suddenly

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

This photo documents the extreme size these fish can attain.

New Trilene TransOptic line. Now you see it.

Cannon, Ray. The Sea of Cortez. Sunset Books,1966. p. 73

something hi hi hit and d made d off ff with i h one off them.”(69) h ”(69) Switching S i hi back b k to the heavy tackle, Cannon dropped a live corvina down and waited a short time before catching what “proved to be a hefty totuava weighing close to 200 pounds.”(69) What he writes next is particularly poignant to me. “We seemingly could have caught tons more of these huge and excellent food fish. Instead we tested different techniques for catching them. Lures and dead baits were far less effective than live 8 to 12-inch croakers and corvinas….To allow the baits more freedom to swim around, we used

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That sounded eerily familiar to me, and I began to wonder what happened to the species subsequently, so I did a Google search for more facts about the fish. A site called Sport Fishing in San Felipe, Baja, maintained by the Mexican government, mentioned the species. It asserted that “commercial fishing in 1942 reported a catch of 2,261 tons of totuava from the Sea of Cortez. In 1975, the last year commercial fishing of totuava was allowed, 58 tons were caught.” I don‘t know for certain whether Cannon‘s discovery of the efficacy of using live fish to catch seabass significantly contributed to their

www.berkley-fishing.com

decline, but I suspect the use of such a method played some role in the excessive harvesting. Digging a little deeper, I found an even more disturbing comment on the same site. On “September 21, 2005. Tony Reyes…[informed] the public that he has spoken to the Department of Fish and Game

Now they don’t.

here in San Felipe regarding the legality of fishing for totoaba. He was told that no one has a permit to fish this species, except to study them. It has been reported that there were legal sports fishing permits issued allowing the fishing of this endangered species, but they are false. Do

© 2010 Pure Fishing, Inc.

not try to catch one because if you do catch a totoaba, you will either be prosecuted, fined and/or the boat could be impounded.” Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 15

not such a great idea, to say the least. I did

sustains the top predators can pass a tipping

over harvesting, potentially leading to the

point, beyond which it cannot return.

demise of the species.

The lesson of the totuava is the lesson

find one encouraging bit of information in

of the passenger pigeon, the bison, the

my research, which stated that in “February

jewfish and the whale. It’s easy to see

2007, baby totoaba restocking in the Sea of

parallels between the totuava and the

Cortez” was done. I suppose it’s possible

spotted seatrout too, not only through

that future stocks of this once-abundant fish

their connection on a family tree, but in

will be restored to a level which would allow

the way they are pursued by fishermen,

people to fish for them legally again.

who love to eat them and who have clearly

Of course, that might be a long shot,

identified the easiest way to harvest them.

given mankind’s record with regard to

I’m not suggesting that the two species are

eliminating or reducing species, sometimes

identical; I know that the smaller seatrout

intentionally, other times accidentally or

are more fecund and numerous than the

inadvertently, both in the sea and on land.

largest member of the croaker family.

The often shortsighted activities of human

Still, I find it necessary to tell the

beings are rapidly reducing the number of

story of the vanishing white seabass,

species on this planet.

in the hope that people will take from

I feel a twinge of sadness over the

Kevin Cochran is a full-time fishing guide at Corpus Christi (Padre Island), TX. Kevin is a speckled trout fanatic and has authored two books on the subject. Kevin’s home waters stretch from Corpus Christi Bay to the Land Cut.

it the same lessons as I do. First, that

disappearance of a fish I can only now

killing an edible food fish, then using

know vicariously through black and white

only parts of the fish and wasting most

pictures taken decades ago. A planet with

of it is deplorable and should be illegal.

less diversity is in the end a more precarious

Second, that discovering and consistently

place for the predators at the top of the

deploying the easiest method to catch a

food chain; the entire ecosystem that

fish on a widespread scale can result in

16 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Kevin Cochran

Contact

Sounds like going to Mexico with the hope of catching a totuava these days is

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Trout Tracker Guide Service Telephone 361-688-3714 Email KCochran@stx.rr.com Website www.FishBaffinBay.com

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

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Pangas such as this one seized by authorities are the primary craft employed by drug runners and some illegal fishermen.

6WRU\ E\ %LOO\ 6DQGLIHU

Long-time Long Lo ng-ti time me beach bea b each ch fishers, fis f ishe hers rs, Dennis Denn De nnis is and and

si situ tuat atio ion n and and their thei th eirr shock shoc sh ockk and and outrage outr ou trag age e at situation

time went time wen wentt on I beg b egan an to to se see e ot othe herr si sign gnss began other signs

Carolyn George of Helotes, TX were

learning such operations occurred in our

of their regular presence in our waters.

shocked to drive up on six dead bull sharks

own local waters. They knew such things

When you see a white, rectangular, 60 liter

on the PINS beach recently at the 56-mile

took place in far-away places but not right

plastic gas can on the beach they are from

with their fins removed. The sharks were

here in their treasured home waters and

Mexican pangas.

otherwise intact and two had 16/0 circle

that surprised me greatly.

hooks on short stainless steel leaders

I used to see pangas running at night

Monofilament gill nets have been illegal in Texas since 1980 but I regularly

in their mouths. The Georges reported

without lights at high speed on PINS as

see pieces of it on the beach and some

the incident to me, sent pictures, and

far back as the 1970s. The sound of their

longer pieces will hold dead sharks. I’ve

then posted a report on a local fishing

outboards would wake me running on top

seen hammerheads over ten feet and tiger

message board. I immediately contacted

of the first sand bar. They used the breakers

sharks over nine feet in this webbing. These

the enforcement division of the National

are not abandoned; they have been lost in

Marine Fisheries in Harlingen and

rough seas.

forwarded the pictures and report to several other fishing message board owners to help get the word out. Although these were the first “finned” sharks to drift up on the shoreline of PINS in several years, this is far from a new problem. In all honesty I don’t know how long this has been occurring but my personal

“This ‘finning’ of sharks is all about supplying world demand for shark fin soup.”

knowledge of it goes back at least twenty

In the early 90s I spoke with TPWD Game Warden Henry Balderamas who was at the time working out of Port Mansfield. He advised me that typically these boats came out of Mexico with a load of drugs, delivered their cargo, and then fished for sharks on the way back to Playa Bagdad and other locations in Mexico. Warden Balderamas also advised that if I would call him when I saw their nets he would

years. What really surprised me was the

to navigate in the dark. Scary stuff. Well, it

take quick action to dispatch enforcement

lack of knowledge of many on the message

didn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out

personnel. I did this upon occasion and

boards concerning the existence of this

these guys were drug smugglers. Then as

arrests and seizures resulted from the

18 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

enforcement efforts. This illegal and wasteful fishing practice

trade illegally in U.S. waters. While doing my research I came upon

is a very real threat to our fisheries and all

a very good video and an extremely

of us can play a role in assisting the game

informative article on this situation. To

wardens. We have cell phone service in the

learn more go to www.vlip.tv/file/2491252

Mansfield Channel area and all you have to

for the video and www.texasobserver.org/

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” do is make a call to make a difference. National Marine Fisheries Enforcement Division at Harlingen can be reached at

archives/item/15765-blood-treasure for the article. Interestingly, during my research, I also

956-423-3450. I would also urge a call to

found quotes from Mexican fishermen

TPWD Operation Game Thief Hot Line at

that the average size of the sharks they

800-792-4263.

are catching off Texas is decreasing. This

This “finning” of sharks is all about

is a hateful and wasteful business and we

supplying world demand for shark fin soup.

are in a position to help stop it. I am very

For centuries, certain Oriental cultures

fond of a line following one of my favorite

have believed that the fins of sharks

movies. It says, “The only thing necessary

contain a powerful aphrodisiac and they

for the triumph of evil is for good men to

therefore trade at premium prices. Odd, I

do nothing.” I have been in contact with an

wasn’t aware the Chinese had any problem

associated press reporter out of Fort Worth

re-producing.

concerning this illegal fishing activity and

From my research on the shark fin

he is coming to South Texas to work on a

subject I have learned that some of these

story. Maybe it’ll anger enough people to

Mexican fishermen are working and risking

get the enforcement agencies some much

their lives at sea for the paltry sum of $15.00

needed support.

per day while in the Orient a bowl of shark

While the speckled trout tagging

fin soup fetches a handsome price. Sadly,

program being conducted by Dr. Greg

the shark population of Mexico’s entire east

Stunz and his graduate students at Harte

coast has been decimated through over-

Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at

harvest. Even sadder, they now ply their

T.A.M.U.C.C. is proceeding according to plan collecting and tagging bay trout, we have only been able to tag one surf fish so far this winter. What was once an abundant fishery has been in steep decline for years and so far we simply haven’t been finding fish. Hopefully more

Finned sharks washing up on PINS are evidence of illegal fishing along our coast.

can be caught and tagged in the surf once the water begins to warm. Surf trout fishing is usually best when the water is around 58° and it’s

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 19

been running 54-56° for an extended period

GREEN DART TAG IF YOU SHOULD LAND ONE

If we don’t leave any there won’t be any.

of time. Corpus Christi weatherman, Dale

– PLEASE RELEASE THESE TROUT. Substantial

-Capt. Billy L. Sandifer

Nelson, says this is the coldest winter here

rewards are available for participating in data return. Tag

23 years ago

number, date and

and I believe him. The killer freezes of 1983 and 1989 were short term events. This year has

“What was once an abundant fishery has been in steep decline for years.”

general location of capture can be submitted to the telephone number on the green dart tag. This program is

been colder

intended to track

day in and

trout movements

day out and it’s hurting our fishing. It will be interesting to see if early March brings

within bay systems and the Gulf of Mexico. This may be our only opportunity to ever

our typical spring fishing pattern or if

conclusively prove or disprove the long-

temperatures will delay them a bit.

believed “Tide Runner” theory and I think

A total of 80 trout are to be tagged. Each

Capt. Billy Sandifer

Contact

since his arrival

Billy Sandifer operates Padre Island Safaris offering surf fishing for sharks to specks and nature tours of the Padre Island National Seashore. Billy also offers bay and near-shore fishing adventures in his 25 foot Panga for many big game and gamefish species.

that it is extremely important to know if this

will have an external green tag near the

phenomenon still exists in order for TPWD to

Telephone

dorsal fin and a $300 acoustic transmitter

better understand and manage this very

surgically inserted in their abdomen. PLEASE

important resource so near and dear to the

361-937-8446 Website www.billysandifer.com

DO NOT KILL THESE FISH OR REMOVE THE

hearts of many of us.

20 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

BILLY SANDIFER’S

&RDVWDO %LUGLQJ Forster’s Tern -Sterna ForsteriThe Forster’s Tern is present in Texas year-round and a common colonial nester. Breeding adult is snow white below and pale gray above with a black cap and nape. Orange bill with black at the tip and orange legs and feet. Long, deeply forked gray tail. In winter plumage (shown in photo) it has a white head with black ear-coverts and bill and legs are blackish. Longer legged than similar Common Tern and lacks the black carpal bar conspicuous on the Common Tern. Plungedives for fish and captures insects in flight.

Length: 14.5 inches Wingspan: 36 inches

Bird on the left is a winter plumage Forester’s Tern while the one on the right is a Common Tern. The two are often confused.

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 21

6WRU\ E\ VFRWW QXOO

Like everyone reading this magazine, I get a kick out of fishing. Hitting the water as the sun turns the horizon orange and feeling that rush of anticipation as you launch never gets old no matter what the targeted species. But for me, the anticipation and excitement of heading out to target ultra-shallow reds ratchets those feelings up a couple notches. Searching out tailing redfish, or better yet those that are crawling with their backs exposed holds a special appeal. I liken it to stalking deer with a bow. Everything from the conditions to the approach and ultimately the single accurate cast must be perfectly executed in order to connect. I dig the challenge. Over the years I’ve experimented and searched for the perfect lure for those situations and best I’ve found is the DOA shrimp. Take a peek into my shallow water tackle box and you’ll find a variety of lures including paddle tails rigged weedless and small topwaters rigged with single hooks.

22 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

But what you’ll likely take note of is the next meal, you can bet they are on alert for over-abundance of DOA shrimps, most will the slightest hint of danger. be clear with gold flakes. While any lure in The first piece to putting this puzzle the box will work at times, the quarter ounce together is the approach. It has to be as DOA is my can’t-miss favorite for those super quiet and unobtrusive as possible. While spooky reds in tough conditions. I’ve accomplished the task many times using What do I consider tough conditions? Any a poling skiff, I’ve had my best luck either time reds are in less than a foot of water and wading or using a kayak. Bottom conditions the wind is less than five mph ranks photo credit: Dean near the top. Clear water, high sun Thomas-Slow Ride and thick grass can all add to the Guide Service level of difficulty. These situations are where the DOA gets the nod. Even though reds are the ultimate predators in such skinny water, they are also exposed to dangers not present in the deeper areas of the bay. I’ve seen everything from coyotes to osprey try to take advantage of these vulnerable fish. No matter how happy and carefree those reds appear as they grub along for their

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

pay off after a few tries I’ll just drop the DOA shrimp right on top of their heads. It’s a gamble that will get a thump or blow the school apart like a busted covey of quail. My absolute favorite set-up is one to three reds busily grubbing bottom. It is as close to a sure thing as there is in sight-casting. If you can quietly drop that DOA a few inches in front of their nose, well, photo credit: Dean just hang on. In those moments I Thomas-Slow Ride can already smell the grilled redfish Guide Service cooking before I let loose the cast. All of these situations have one thing in common, the DOA shrimp. tend to dictate which one I employ. On hard Other than fly fishing, I haven’t found another sand, a slow crouching stalk will get the job lure that can accomplish the objective any done. A mud hole requires a kayak or poling better. It lands quietly with a more natural skiff, as there’s simply no way to consistently splash than a lure weighted with lead. The wade quietly enough to get within an easy cast. DOA then settles softly on the bottom in a And getting close enough for that easy cast is critical because you often won’t get a second hook-up position, quite handy when casting into grass or shell. In fact in really thick grass chance. I wish I had a dollar for every redfish the shrimp will often sit on or near the top of I’ve turned inside-out with a cast that was just the grass where a lure on a lead head jig will inches off target. The situation dictates the invariable foul. And then there’s the action, cast. Do it often enough and you’ll start to get or truthfully the lack of action. If you’ve ever a feel for what will work and what won’t. For slowly cruising fish on open bottoms I’ll usually watched shrimp swimming around in a bait tank you’ll see that they tend to just swim just cast a couple feet ahead of them and let along slow and steady. The DOA shrimp the DOA settle to the bottom. When the fish imitates this perfectly by just slowly lifting gets within a foot or so of the lure I’ll give it a little jump. Nine times out of ten that’ll seal the the rod tip. When spooked they scoot quickly towards the surface and then settle back deal. Occasionally those cruisers will change towards the bottom. A quick flip of the rod course or simply ignore the lure as they swim tip and then a dead drop will look perfectly on by. It’s now time for a more aggressive natural and often get the attention of a redfish. shot. Let the fish get clear of the lure and If you haven’t given this kind of fishing burn it back. The next cast will land as softly a shot, you’re missing out on some serious as possible within inches of the red and just fun and an awesome adrenalin dump. Get slightly off to the side. That’ll either spook the fish into the next county or draw an immediate yourself a cache of DOA’s and start stalking the shallowest shorelines and back lakes. You and violent reaction strike. won’t be disappointed. Schools of tailing fish can be stupidly easy or the most frustrating thing in all of fishing. Experience has taught me that there’s no way to know what result to expect. Again, my initial cast will be placed just ahead of the school and allowed to settle to the bottom with a twitch or two as the school gets on top of it. Most of the time there will be several fish competing for the fake morsel. Other times it’s as if there is just too much going on for them to even notice. If the subtle approach doesn’t Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

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Capt. Dean Thomas makes a living chasing shallow water reds…we call him, “Mr. DOA.”

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 23

6WRU\ E\ 0DUWLQ 6WUDUXS

0DULQH Author’s forward: I’ve had a surprising number of questions and requests from readers and friends regarding a story that was published here in TSFMag several years ago. Folks wanted to know: Where did the battles the old man was remembering take place, and, just who was the old man? Our editor has agreed to reprint the story. In my mind, the old man was my great uncle, William Pearson Laughter, USMC, 4th Marine Raiders. The 4th Marine Raiders became 2nd Battalion of the 4th Marines when the four Marine Raider battalions were combined to reform the 4th Marine Regiment which had been lost on Corregidor, and then finally became part of the 6th Marine Division. Pierce, as he was known to his family and friends, fought in battles all over the South Pacific during World War II and then made his last landing on the island of Okinawa on Easter Sunday 1945. A lot of what I wrote I learned from the diary he kept throughout his military and combat experience and also from my mother. I tried to include some of what I had learned about him in the story. Pierce died from wounds received in combat on June 21, 1945, the day the Japanese surrendered the island of Okinawa. So of course the old man in the story could not have been Pierce, but part of Pierce’s story is in there. I certainly would have loved knowing him and wade fishing with him. His old body wouldn’t stand slopping around in mud all morning. Slipping from the boat, he smiled as his feet found hard bottom. Making an adjustment to his lower back, he gathered his gear and was on his way. He waded slowly and cast only when something caught his attention. There were no unnecessary movements, no casting to nothingness, his arm would wear out much too soon. He glanced toward the sandy shoreline and gazed upon the old rusty hull beached there and in an instant he was taken somewhere else, to another place in time. The LST was moving forward through huge swells near the beach. There wasn’t much action and he was thankful there were no bullets ricocheting off the LST’s hull or mortar rounds exploding; sounds he had heard too many times in the last three years. They had expected heavy resistance and they weren’t getting it. It was way too quiet and that bothered him. Some were elated as the lack of fire bolstered their courage and took away fear but it bothered him. He thought it a bad omen; then again, maybe it was God’s hand, being Easter Sunday and all. He remembered his fascination with the beauty of the South Pacific islands. On one island, after a hard-fought battle, he found several quiet lagoons untouched by the war. The clear water revealed tropical fish and he was amazed at their colors. Oh how he had wished for a rod and reel but that wasn’t part of his Marine Raider gear. He fashioned a fishhook from a seashell and tied it to a bit of string but the colorful fish wouldn’t have it. Being a Marine, he adapted and figured a way to get a good mess of fish for the guys. Deviled ham from a C-Ration brought them together and a hand grenade in their midst made them catch of the day. A different kind of explosion brought him back; a fat yellow24 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

mouthed trout angrily shook her head trying to dislodge the lure in her jaw. He fought her until she tired and then slid a weathered hand under her belly to press her against his leg. He slipped the fish onto his stringer and retied the lure as he moved slowly along. He stumbled as his foot tangled in oysters. He was glad he didn’t fall. He didn’t need another pair of ruined waders or another visit to the doctor. As he picked his way across the reef the crunching of the shell drew him back into the past. The razor sharp coral cut through his boots and he used the BAR to break his fall as he scrambled to find cover from the snipers hidden high above. Seconds passed like hours as he struggled to reach safety at the base of the cliffs that rose sharply from the beach. He thanked God he was still alive. Looking back at the beach, the landing crafts continued to unload Marines as sniper and machine fire rattled against their steel hulls and taking the lives of fellow Marines. A fin sliced through a wave near the body of a Marine and he shuddered as it was pulled under. Averting his eyes, he checked for damage. The stock of the BAR had been deeply gouged but still fully operational. His boots were sliced to ribbons and blood was seeping from his cuts. Looking around he did what he had to do and was soon lacing a pair borrowed from a comrade who would no longer need them. Turning again toward the sea, his mind rescued him from the carnage with a temporary image of fishing with his father. Crossing the reef, he found the bottom softer but still an easy wade. The fish were up shallower than he expected reminding him again that trout use harder bottoms, even in winter. A cast into a foot of water was met with a swirl and the sound of his drag being tested by a nice redfish. Man how he wished the star drag had been around in his youth. How well he remembered the times he had blistered his

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Sunday. Many Easters long ago he was somewhere else, somewhere he thought he would probably remain. But he made it through, and in June when the Japanese surrendered the island, he thought he would finally be able to go home. But soon there was scuttlebutt that said we were going to invade the islands of Japan and the combat tour of all servicemen would be extended. Then a couple of bombs were used to accomplish what he and so many other brave young men were unable to do… they ended the war and allowed him to climb aboard a ship back to the states. Going home is what he had to do right now if he knew what was good for him. As he waded to the shore for the easy walk back to his boat he started to make one more cast but then thought better of it. She would be waiting and she had waited on him enough through the years. As he passed the old rusty hull on his way back to the boat he felt his mind being drawn back to another place in time but he forced himself to remain in the present. God willing, he would have more mornings to himself when he could remember things

he had seen and done and when he could remember and visit silently with those who hadn’t made it home. Be safe, and please remember to support our troops. Martin

Martin Strarup

Contact

thumb fighting strong reds. He slowed his rate of fire and adjusted his grip on the big rifle as the BAR’s barrel burned his thumb. The enemy was fighting from a cave and he was laying covering fire for the demo unit until someone brought up a .30 cal. to relieve him. The flamethrowers spit their fiery breath into the cave and he prayed the horror of war would end and there would be no more. He offered the same prayer as he landed the redfish and released it to fight again. Here it was, a new millennium, and we were at war again. Some of his friend’s grandsons were over there now fighting because their country needed them. Still, he hoped it would end soon and those boys could come home safe. He had lost so many friends during his service, friends who had at one time or another saved his life and he theirs, and he missed them. Freedom, he thought, comes at an enormous cost. He glanced at his watch; he was going to be late for church. He was always late when he went fishing on Sunday morning she would say, and she would be right. But after all, today was special. It was Easter

Martin Strarup is a lifelong saltwater enthusiast and outdoorsman. Martin is also a collector and dealer of vintage fishing tackle and lures, especially those made in Texas. Email Trouthunter@swbell.net

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Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Texas Saltwater Fishing

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www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 25

6WRU\ E\ 76)0DJ 6WDII

&UDE 7UDS 5HFDS

February 19-28, 2010 brought the annual coastwide closure of the crab fisheries as ordered by the state legislature and the ninth edition of TPWD’s Abandoned Crab Trap Removal Hector Mendietta and crew with a load of nearly 50 traps. Program. Stalwart conservationminded volunteers once again put their shoulders to the wheel to remove lost and abandoned traps, knowing that traps remaining in the water will continue ghost fishing, even though not being worked, and valuable shellfish and finfish resources would be lost. Though with slightly less turnout than in some previous years, the results were once again impressive. The final tally from TPWD shows the latest effort resulted in 1582 traps removed from Texas bay waters by 202 volunteers manning 68 vessels. Added to previous year’s tallies, the all-volunteer effort has thus far succeeded in removing the grand total of 27,562 crab traps. Noteworthy in this year’s cleanup was involvement of various local chapters of CCA Texas. Rising to TSFMag’s challenge of a $200

award to the winning chapter’s general fund, Mid-Coast Chapter rallied to bring 131 abandoned crab traps to Charlie’s Bait Camp on the ICW near Seadrift. Additional awards of $100 each were garnered by the boat crews of Mickey Mehrens and Ronnie Luster. Mehrens generously donated his winnings to the Austin chapter and Luster requested that his be handed over to CCA Texas to be used in their commercial fishing license buyback program. Mehrens and crew hauled in an impressive load of 88 traps, the greatest performance we have been able to document anywhere on the coast. TSFMag would also like to recognize The Victoria Advocate newspaper for the coverage they provided this year’s event. General response from volunteers would indicate that commercial crabbers are becoming more careful with their gear which is exactly what the Abandoned Crab Trap Cleanup Program was created to accomplish.

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26 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

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The Fourth Annual Texas International Boat Show will take place from April 22-25, 2010, at the Corpus Christi Downtown Marina, Corpus Christi, Texas. The Boat Show literally blasts off with the Texas Xtreme Watersports!! The Corpus Christi Pro Wakeboard Tournament – featuring World Champion Tom Fooshee - a four day WWA sanctioned event, with a prize purse of $15,000 up for grabs. The Texas Powerboat Derby – a two day APBA sanctioned event, April 24-25. Take stock car racing on water and you’ve pretty much got the idea. Crazy stuff with Texas bragging rights up for grabs in this first in the series of 2010 events. Also featured – The 2010 HT Redfish Cup Tour The first ever Pro Fishing Tournament to be held in Downtown Corpus Christi. When the West Division of the 2010 HT Redfish Cup Tour kicks off in Corpus Christi, Texas, it will do so as part of the 2010 Texas International Boat Show. The weigh in will take place on Friday and Saturday April 23-24 at the People’s Street T-Head, at 3:00 pm (local time) daily. The top

28 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

prize will be $20,000.00 for first place on the full field of 60 teams competing. Details and finalization of requirements for filming, producing and airing this kick off event are underway and the HT Series organizers anticipate airing this huge event on Fox Sports South and other media outlets. The Texas International Boat Show will be the largest and most exciting in-water Boat Show yet seen in this part of the USA. 400 boats, from 10’ to 100’, will be on display, both in the water and on-shore, many ready for attendees to demo! Bay boats, ski boats, sailboats, powerboats, luxury yachts and the latest water toys, including personal watercraft, plenty of boat and boarding gear and much, much more, making this a truly spectacular event. Add custom bikes, classic cars plus an auto show featuring the latest in today’s cars and trucks, live music from The Bahamas, fun fashion shows and entertainment for the whole family, and you have an unforgettable experience for both buyers and sellers enjoying four days of fun in the sun. For more information on the Boat Show and registration details for all of these events please visit: www.TexasInternationalBoatShow.com or call 561.842.8808

Texas Saltwater Fishing

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Just about any Texan who ever wet a line

up slightly and the first warm weekend

Calcasieu for redfish. The small groups

knows that spring is full of many things,

has them scrambling for boats, gear, and

of birds work low, flying through the

most of which fall into the categories of

a spot at the local launch. Little do most

maze of islands like little jet fighters,

uncertain and unpredictable. The all time

of them know that a few really dedicated

making as much noise with their wings

number one villain is the weatherman and

anglers spent some less than perfect days

as they do with their calls. The drakes are

his friend, the marine forecast, AKA “that

on the water doing some reconnaissance

painted up like a brand new decoy and

$%@ wind!”

in preparation for the warmer days that

easily identifiable, they drive my dog nuts

will inevitably come. The super low

because she keeps waiting for a shotgun

every season, the breathable waders that

tides of winter offer great opportunity

to go off and the opportunity to go fetch

were used during duck season become

to discover structure that under normal

one. To see birds in the air and fish in the

our best friend as the gears switch in

circumstances goes unnoticed and

water at the same time is what really gets

favor of chasing trophy trout. I’m not sure

therefore rarely fished.

me going, the best of both worlds right

For plenty of us who take advantage of

if everyone feels the same, but for the last

Several of my recent trips have been

there in front of you.

month or so I have found it wise to wear

solo adventures without a fishing rod and

On one such recent outing I made a

waders even when planning to remain

accompanied only by my second best girl,

loop through some of the marsh ponds

in the boat because we have received

our black lab Sally, and my binoculars. I

that I hunted this past season. On my way

almost as much rain as Noah and his crew

truly love these days because it helps me

in I passed a line of waders standing like

here lately.

switch gears from ducks to fish without

solitary figures on an expansive flat, I’m

The constant rains, dreary days, and

missing either one. March and April offer

sure we both were thinking “what’s that

snow of all things, have compounded

some of the best opportunities to see

idiot doing out here” as the day was less

the effect of cabin fever that always runs

ducks in their full plumage as they make

than bluebird weather. I swung my skiff

rampant this time of year. All but the most

their way back north. The blue-winged

wide of their position and made my way

hardcore routinely shun the thought

teal migrating back from Mexico are

into the marsh and more comfortable

of winter fishing in favor of warmer

major stars of the show, especially when

surroundings. The lake that was churned

environments until the mercury creeps

I’m scouting the marshes of Sabine and

up from wind and runoff gave way to

30 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

beautiful clear water and

we normally don’t see fish like that until

a slight ripple. I brought

late April and sometimes May. Calcasieu

the skiff off plane and

will crank up a little earlier than Sabine

gave the pond a chance

on normal years but it appears that both

to settle as I climbed

may be a little ahead of schedule. Those

up on the platform. To

wade fishermen I told you about will

my surprise a group of

certainly vouch for the fact the winter

redfish were milling

pattern for redfish has been about as

about as if they had no

constant as you could ever hope for, in

idea a visitor had made

fact the numbers of redfish in both bays

his way into their pond.

appear to be as high as anyone can recall.

I pushed up on the pod

The fish are really healthy and seem to

of fish and just watched

be almost “cookie cutter” identical, lots

for a few moments until

of fish on the low end of the slot with a

they made their way

nice mix of oversized. Many fishermen,

down the pond and

myself included, believe that these fish

eventually swam away.

are products of Hurricane Ike and the

The rest of the afternoon

big storm surge that covered this part of

was more of the same,

the world leaving a ton of new fish and

small groups of fish just

an improved estuary. These fish have the

relaxed and enjoying

potential to rejuvenate the entire lake and

small crabs and a few

all the surrounding waterways making

finger mullet.

the fishing as good as it ever was and

For an early spring day it was an eye opener,

possibly better. The upcoming spring and summer months could be memorable

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 31

ones for local and out-of-town fishermen alike. After seeing what the marshes look like and having had some excellent days wading this year I have a great feeling about what is in store for us.

Contact

Chuck Uzzle

Chuck fishes Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes from his home in Orange, TX. His specialties are light tackle and fly fishing for trout, reds, and flounder. Phone 409-697-6111 Email cuzzle@gt.rr.com Website www.chucksguideservice.net

ROY’S Bait and Tackle

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The new CORE reels are designed to be the ultimate, lightweight baitcasting reels. These reels both come with HEG, feature Shielded A-RB bearings and are designed to be as compact as possible for a comfortable, lightweight and maneuverable fishing experience.

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

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6WRU\ E\ $GULDQ 9DOGH]

I slipped into Nighthawk Bay during summer 2009 with my buddy, Lupe, for some daybreak trout and redfish action. It was still dark when I started throwing a small topwater and the bite was pretty easy. I caught my first red of the morning five to ten minutes into the wade. Soon we were both catching slot reds and trout ranging from seventeen to twenty-one inches in the trout-green shallows. The potholes were soon visible and we were targeting them, getting blowups on every other cast, or so it seemed. We could see and cast at the bronze “carp” roaming through the potholes until the wind increased with the rising of the sun. I had already noticed a decline in blowups and was thinking of tying on a Corky Fat Boy but decided to give the topwater five more minutes. On the next cast something happened that I never expected. To say the least, it was not a normal blowup. The fish hit the lure like a torpedo, exploding out of the water at least five feet. Lupe started yelling, “It’s just another poor man’s tarpon,” (lady fish) and I could almost believe it but it was pulling much harder and thrashing the water on every run. The fish was as fierce as a pit bull. Once I put the pressure on and regained some line I got a glimpse and could not believe my eyes. Teeth were flashing everywhere. The wild display and teeth and treble hooks was definitely something I am was not prepared for and I knew that grabbing the fish would be a dicey proposition. Finally, the fish calmed down and I got a grip on my prize and realized it was a barracuda. Yes, a barracuda! Getting it on the Boga; I waded toward Lupe to confirm what I was seeing and to get some pictures. We snapped some photos and released it to fight another day. I will never forget that blowup or the fight. Most people think I’m crazy when I talk of catching a ‘cuda so far inshore, but hey, I’ve got the pictures!

34 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 35

JAY WATKINS

After a solid week of think you’ll enjoy the ending. Sharper and stronger hooks provide trophy trout fishing Tackle design and quality have more hookups. And, we have Simms for that produced three come forward in quantum leaps. The goodness sake. This brand of wading fish over eight pounds rods we use today are like nothing we gear and undergarments provide and one that nudged the nine pound had thirty years ago. We have actions comfort in the nastiest conditions. GPS mark, along with numerous fives to for every fishing situation and they systems and sonar units allow us to sevens, I decided to dedicate this are sensitive beyond belief. I jokingly return to the scene of the action. months issue to a discussion of our tell clients, “I can feel the fish studying Internet chat rooms and fishing future as Texas anglers. blogs provide hourly fishing I am not a biologist or updates. Websites teach scientist, just a guy that has willing anglers to become What a hypocrite I was, spent his life chasing fish. better anglers, at a price of protected by a logo on a It has been my trademark course (yours truly hosts one), to write and talk about the and help drive the popularity hat that said I support where, when, why, and how of fishing. Magazines, conservation so it’s OK to of fishing but this month I this one in particular, and want to take you on a ride newspapers, describe patterns always take as many as Parks through thirty-plus years of and effective strategies for my guiding career. What led locating and catching more and Wildlife regs allowed. me to this was a question fish. Cell phones allow instant from a gentleman wanting networking. to know what changes I have So you see a lot has changed, observed and what, if anything, had the bait.” Line, both mono and braid, is and with it came increased interest. remained the same. This question stronger and smaller in diameter than The crowds came and all who profited came as he excitedly released his ever, allowing longer casts with better reveled in being part of it. We had lifetime trout so another angler might feel. Reels cast farther, crank smoother saved the fishery from ruin in the also thrill in catching her. Given space and faster, and the drags run out like 70s with the elimination of netting. I limitations, I will present a condensed silk. The combined rod and reel weight sometimes wonder whether the trout version. is now measured in ounces allowing might prefer the nets back and the Obviously, equipment has changed anglers to fish all day without fatigue. hooks gone. tremendously. Boats are faster, more comfortable, run shallower, handle big water better, and have greater Gorgeous 8-1/2 C&R by range. These alone have significantly Steve Henrickson; could not increased the efficiency of fishing. have happened to a more deserving angler. Years ago, many of the areas we fish today were simply too far or too shallow. Nowadays they are but a throttle punch away. On the subject of boats, what might seem good for us is not necessarily good for the habitat or the fishery. I’ll go on record and state that I am guilty of leaving my share of prop scars during my tenure as a guide. There are pros and cons as to what could or should be done to better protect habitat and fisheries, and controversy sometimes arises through personal agendas on both sides. Now before you get all festered up - keep reading. I

“

”

36 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

the 9 pound mark.

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

May your fishing always be catching – Jay Watkins

CONTAC T

For years I have broken my arm patting myself and my cohorts on the back for our good deeds. I fell in love with the dollars and more than that the notoriety that came to many of us in the early years. I called myself a sportsman and thought because I belonged to a proactive conservation association we were doing our part. What a hypocrite I was, protected by a logo on a hat that said I support conservation so it’s OK to always take as many as Parks and Wildlife regs allowed and I passed that mentality to thousands of fishermen. What a selfish, ego-driven bastard I had become, in love with myself and my knowledge of fishing, but never once considering the fish. I’ve always loved catching big trout and reds but until a few years ago I did not love or respect the fish. I loved conquering them. I awoke one morning a few years back and realized that my life is nearly threequarters lived. Add up the physical abuse of guiding and all the UV my body has absorbed and I might be dead already and just not know it. I thought aloud, “I’ll die on a long wade back to the boat some day and I’ll be remembered as the guide that left nothing.” Don’t think for a minute that I don’t

care what people think of me and that my past actions don’t haunt me. What needs to change is our definition of a successful day on the water. It is not whether we get a limit. We would be wise to look at the world of bass fishing. I have and I’m going to change. I’ll keep fish if I need one or two and release the rest. I’ll fish because I love the challenge. If it continues to provide a nice living for me and my family I will consider myself blessed. For the first time in my life, the fish matter. I’ll teach everybody everything I know, so long as they are passionate about the fishery and passionate about learning. I’m going to be releasing most of mine, and your share too, until you decide that joining me is the right thing for you. Oh and by the way, I have a new 24’ Haynie High Output being rigged by Chris’s Marine in Aransas Pass so I won’t have to run our shorelines when it is rough anymore to save this old back of mine. I’m going back to dancing with the one that brung me! Thanks for listening.

ASK TH E PRO

Beautiful trout that touched

Jay Watkins has been a full-time fishing guide at Rockport, TX, for more than 20 years. Jay specializes in wading year-round for trout and redfish with artificial lures. Jay covers the Texas coast from San Antonio Bay to Corpus Christi Bay. Phone 361-729-9596 Email Jay@jaywatkins.com Website www.jaywatkins.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 37

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Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 39

F LY F I S H I N G D E PA R T M E N T

C ASE Y SMART T

:KDWҋV LQ WKH %2; While putting the finishing touches on a fly recently, I glanced past the vise to several large ever-present plastic coffee cans at the rear of the tying table. Each was literally overflowing with shagged flies. Some of the flies ended up in the cans because they performed poorly. Others had landed there straight from the vise because they just looked bad. I stared at the literally hundreds of dismissed flies and thought, “One of these days I’m going to salvage all those stainless steel hooks.” I have been thinking that for years. The amazing part of all those trashed flies is that in spite of how many new flies I tie, or how much I experiment with different patterns, my box of go-to flies seldom changes. Maybe I am a creature of habit, or maybe I have grown confident in a handful of patterns for all my fishing. Either way, when I approach an angling challenge I always know what’s in the box.

Smartt’s Deadhead Minnow One of my favorite large baitfish patterns is a fly I call the “Deadhead Minnow.” This is a long cigar-shaped fly built from craft fur. The head of the fly is about the size of your thumb and it is covered with a soft glitterimpregnated skin that holds its shape underwater. Though the head is static, the tail fibers of the Deadhead Minnow undulate and flash with a lifelike motion. The great thing about this fly is that it is almost neutrally buoyant 40 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

so it can be teased through the water column in an enticing manner. During the retrieve, light tugs and twitches are easily telegraphed down the line to the fly and it responds with subtle movements. Even at a dead-drift this fly looks great... just like a big, fat, juicy, stunned minnow. It pairs up nicely with either an intermediate sinking or fast sinking line. I’ve caught a lot of good fish on Deadhead Minnows in both fresh and saltwater. My favorite colors are silver/grey or solid chartreuse.

Chin Slinky After being humiliated by black drum time and time again, I resolved years ago to figure out how to consistently catch these plentiful but oblivious bottom feeders. The main thing I learned was that presentation was extremely important (stick the fly in their face), but I also learned that while black drum would bite all sorts of slow-moving flies, some flies worked better than others. To date, the best fly I have ever used for black drum on the flats is a small black fly called a Chin Slinky. The term “Chin Slinky” is slang for a skinny Fu-Manchu beard, and when you see this fly you’ll understand why it shares the name. A Clouser/ Crazy Charlie knock-off made from black craft fur, black bead chain, and bright orange thread, the Chin Slinky possesses the right color, weight, and action to get the job done. This easyto-tie, easy-to-cast fly is a fantastic pattern for nailing black drum and it’s a respectable sheephead fly too. For these reasons, I always make sure I Texas Saltwater Fishing

have a Chin Slinky or two in my box when I head to the flats.

East Cut Redfish Popper There are about a million flies that will catch redfish on the flats. Often times, the real challenge in catching redfish is not tricking the fish but rather throwing flies that cleanly bypass the weeds, shell, and grass reds like to hang out in. Given that criteria, few flies provide fewer headaches and more smiles than the diminutive East Cut Redfish Poppers. These dinky little flies look like they were made for panfish, but in spite of their tiny size they absolutely whip reds. Available in red/white, chartreuse, and root beer colors, East Cut Redfish Poppers are tough, comically simple, and they float carelessly above all the fly

tangling obstacles that lurk below. This makes them very user-friendly flies and it’s why I always have a few of them in my box. Smartt’s Glass Minnows I can’t think of too many times I have been forced to use a fly that specifically imitates a glass minnow, but there have been many occasions when the predators I targeted were feeding on very small baitfish. Whether they were surf-run fish nailing anchovies, specks feeding under the lights, or stripers

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Assorted Clouser Minnows No modern fly box would

VIDE

O

many fish I have caught on this fly in both fresh and saltwater. It dives deep and has a deadly combination of flash and action. This pattern is a winner! With these patterns I feel prepared for a variety of angling situations in both fresh and saltwater. Of course that doesn’t mean I’ll quit tying new flies… I won’t. But, they’ll have to be pretty good to avoid the coffee can and secure a permanent seat in the fly box.

CONTAC T

truly be complete without a hefty supply of Clouser Minnows. There are three versions of the Clouser Minnow I keep in my box and I use each for specific situations. The first is a tan craft fur version with gold bead chain eyes and orange thread tied on a #4 hook. This is the Clouser Minnow pattern I choose as a generic grass shrimp/flats critter imitator. I have caught hundreds of redfish and a variety of other flats fish with it. On a typical day, with reasonable weather, this small tan weedless fly is what I throw. It kicks butt. If the water clouds up or if the fish start acting funky I’ll switch to a slender chartreuse/white bucktail Clouser Minnow with silver bead chain eyes tied on a #4 hook. For whatever reason, this fly works when others won’t. When I am fishing along channel edges, over deep reefs, or deep water in general, the absolute first pick is always a large solid chrome (silver) Krystal Flash Clouser Minnow with black/white lead eyes tied on a #2 hook. There is no telling how

Casey Smartt has been fly fishing and tying flies for 30 years. When he cannot make it to the coast he is happy chasing fish on Texas inland lakes and rivers. Phone 830-237-6886 Email caseysmartt@att.net Website www.caseysmartt.com

Check out Casey’s Fly Fishing Video Library at www.TSFMag.com

FLY FIS H I N G D E PAR TM E NT

cracking small shad, big fish sometimes eat little prey. My favorite micro-sized baitfish fly is a pattern I call the “Glass Minnow.” Made from glassy iridescent materials and studded with lifelike 3D eyes, the Glass Minnow has a shiny translucent appearance underwater. It can be cast and allowed to deadfall like wounded prey, or retrieved with short jerky strips. It is a great fly for the surf when the anchovies run and lots of fun when fish show up under the lights. I tie the Glass Minnow in pearl/grey and root beer colors on a #4 or #6 hook.

O FFSH O R E

BLUEWATER JOURNAL

7XQDV RQ 7RS BOBBY BYRD & C APT. JOHN COCHR ANE

Fishing shing for tuna

routine routine. Techniques include chummin chumming, drifting live and dead

off the Texas coast has always been popular among bluewater

baits, jigging with diamond or butterfly jigs and casting surface

fishermen, but never as popular as it has become in the last few

poppers. Daytime techniques include trolling lures, jigs, dead

years. Fishing at night around the deepwater spars in 3000-

bait, live bait and casting surface poppers.

plus feet of water for yellowfin and blackfin tuna is the normal

Of all the techniques used, the surface popper is definitely the most exciting. The night bite on a popper may be difficult to see unless you have lots of lights from your boat or the rig. However, during daylight hours it’s a lot of fun for everyone and the bite is awesome. Seeing a big tuna come up and pile on a popper is very exciting and it’s not uncommon to have several fish crashing on one lure. Every now and then you will even have a blue marlin or sailfish come up and whack it. When fishing poppers you can employ the cast-pop-retrieve method or, if the current is strong enough, you can ease the offering into the current and drift your popper back to gain greater distance in the presentation. You can even do selective popping while fishing for marlin. The tuna are deep during much of the daylight hours so we spend our time live baiting or trolling lures for billfish. When the tuna come to the surface and explode on bait,

42 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

then join us for Tuna Mania - Texas

popper back into the spread and drift

Tuna Championship, July 1-4 in Port

it into the tunas. On good days you can

Aransas. The top fishermen and boats

catch several 60 to 100 pound yellowfins

from up and down the coast will be

and still keep your big live baits in the

competing for big money and prizes.

water for marlin.

Test your skills and come fish with us in

Boat Show will be held at the Corpus

should pop just about every time while

Christi Downtown Marina, April 22-25.

throwing water and generally making

It’s a big Florida style “in the water” boat

a lot of commotion. Experiment with

show and exhibitors from all over the

different brands until you find one that

nation will be there. At the show you will

works best for you.

see lots of new boats, motors, accessories,

Our favorites are Strike Pro’s Tuna

trips, guides, tackle and electronics. Come

Hunter, Rapala’s Skitter Pop and Yozuri’s

see us at the Tops-N-Towers or the Fox

Hydro-Popper. All of these will catch fish,

Yacht Sales exhibit and talk about big

but you will have to make sure they are

game fishing or rigging your boat. This

rigged with heavy duty 4X to 6X VMC

time of year many boat owners decide to

treble hooks. Tuna Hunters come factory

sell their boat and move up to a bigger

rigged with these hooks while others

boat while there is still time before the

require that you change them out. Good

fishing season starts. At Fox we have

split ring pliers and heavy duty split rings

an extensive inventory of brokerage

are definitely needed for this application.

boats and we are the exclusive Texas

Also, these lures are built with heavy duty

Dealer for CABO Yachts. Come by and

wire that runs through the body of the

get a great deal on your next boat. For

lure, if you choose another brand, check

more information check our website

to make sure it is constructed the same.

www.foxyachtsales.com or you can

Tie the popper directly to your main

contact John Cochrane at captjohn@

fishing line or use a flourocarbon leader

foxyachtsales.com.

are blue/silver, green/silver and green/ yellow. Bring plenty of extra lures! The tuna really hit these lures hard…a small price to pay for 40 pounds of tuna fillets. Be careful when removing these lures it’s easy to get hooked if a fish is thrashing around. To find a good selection of surface poppers, check with your local tackle shop and you should be able to find everything you need. The next time you head to the deep rigs, try popping for tunas on top, we think you will agree it’s an exciting way to fish and very productive as well. When you feel you’re ready to compete against other anglers and enjoy the camaraderie

CONTAC T

to get the best results. Our favorite colors Capt. John Cochrane has been a professional captain for over 25 years and is now a yacht broker for Fox Yacht Sales. He concentrates his fishing efforts in the Gulf of Mexico, promoting big game fishing and billfish research. A native Texan, Bobby Byrd has fished the Gulf of Mexico since he was eight. In 1995, Bobby combined his love of fishing and boating into a business when he opened Tops-N-Towers in Seabrook, Texas. Contact Fox Yacht Sales / Seabrook 281-291-0656 Tops-N-Towers 281-474-4000 Capt. John Cochrane 409-739-4817 Websites www.byrd-cochrane.com www.topsntowers.com www.foxyachtsales.com

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O FFSH O R E

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LȽǸȰȐ $ɕȵǸȽȇ ɄɨȐ 3URMHFW CCA Texas’s State Board recently approved $20,000 in funding to the Galveston Bay Foundation’s (GBF) Snake Island Cove Habitat Restoration and Seagrass Protection Project. These dollars will go towards Phase II of the project, which will construct approximately 1,000 additional feet of geotextile tube breakwater to add to the existing 4,100 feet already in place. Snake Island Cove is a 900-acre shallow water, marsh-lined cove located in the Galveston Bay watershed just east of the community of Sea Isle and offshore from the Sunset Cove residential subdivision. It has been estimated from aerial photography that in 1956 over 200 acres of seagrasses were present in the waters of Snake Island Cove. Prior to the initial installation of the original 4,100 linear foot of breakwater, only small, scattered patches of seagrasses were present at the site and the once bountiful marsh land surrounding the area was estimated to be eroding at a rate of five feet per year. Phase I of the project was completed in 2007 and constructed the initial 4,100 feet of geotextile tube. This initial work created

44 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

65 acres of protected shallow water habitat that has allowed for the re-establishment of seagrass beds behind these protected waters and also established erosion protection for up to 200 acres of existing salt marsh. “CCA Texas and HTFT (Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow) are proud to be a part of this project,” commented CCA Texas President Bill Schwarzlose. “Habitat restoration and creation is a key to the sustainability of Texas’s coastal resources and it will take partnerships, such as this one with Galveston Bay Foundation, to make this priority of HTFT a reality.” CCA Texas’s contribution of $20,000 to this project brings the completion of securing funds for Phase II closer to an end, and GBF hopes to begin and complete this next Phase by the end of 2010. Once completed, this project will protect 200 acres of existing estuarine intertidal marsh complex and create approximately 75 acres of protected calm shallow water habitat conducive to the re-establishment of seagrass within the cove.

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Other conservation news….. TPWD Takes Delivery of New Floundering Boat for Research TPWD (Texas Parks Wildlife Department) staff from SCT (Sea Center Texas) recently took delivery of a brand new floundering boat for their research program to study and create a southern flounder enhancement program. This boat was purchased through a $14,000 contribution from CCA Texas approved in 2009 and a donation from Kresta’s Boats and Motors, located in Edna, Texas. Sea Center staff will use this boat to gather flounder in the traditional sense of floundering, but will do so with methods developed using “dip net” type nets. As SCT staff and staff from the Marine Development Center in Flour Bluff continue to work on the southern flounder enhancement program, this boat will be invaluable in obtaining brood stock for this important research work as they move forward. “We are excited to finally be getting this wonderful boat,” said TPWD’s Shane Bonnot of Sea Center Texas. “This boat takes us to the next level of this program and we can’t wait to put it in the water.” Southern flounder research in the state of Texas continues to develop and CCA Texas is proud to be part of this breakthrough effort.

April 2010 Banquet Schedule April 1st - Prairie Chapter Cat Spring Agriculture Social Hall, Cat Spring April 8th - Midland Chapter

Our Way Of Saying

T H E

Midland Country Club, Midland April 15th - Greater Sugarland Chapter Missouri City Civic Center, Missouri City April 15th - San Antonio Chapter Freeman Coliseum, San Antonio April 16th - Tri-County Chapter Show Barn, Pleasanton April 17th - Redfish Bay Chapter Port Aransas Civic Center, Port Aransas April 22nd - Brenham Chapter Fireman’s Training Center, Brenham April 22nd - Fort Bend Chapter Ft. Bend County Fairgrounds, Rosenberg April 22nd - Rio Grande Valley Chapter Pharr Convention Center, Pharr April 29th - Central Houston Verizon Wireless Theater, Houston April 29th - Fort Worth Chapte Joe T’s, Forth Worth April 29th - Dallas Chapter Frontier’s of Flight Museum, Dallas April 29th - Sam Houston Chapter Walker County Fairgrounds, Huntsville April 30th - East Texas Chapter Nacogdoches VFW, Nacogdoches

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www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 45

FI ELD

N OT ES

5 '52105' 61 1#569+&' 4''<'X FNEN By Steven Mitchell, Aquatic Biologist Upper Coast Kills and Spills Team | Dickinson Marine Laboratory

1983/84 Freeze Assessments

Prior to the 1950s, biologists along the Texas coast were few and far between and getting to a fish kill or even knowing that one had occurred was often difficult. Even though a few historic freezes were fairly well documented, the true extent of the early freezes will never be known since quantitative 1983/84 Freeze Assessments estimates were never made or data were inadequate. A standardized approach to estimate the number of animals killed during catastrophic events, such as freezes, was developed and used during the 198384 freeze and in all subsequent freeze events. Because of this standardization and TPWD staff that are distributed coastwide to respond to these events, we are able

46 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

to better assess the impacts and respond with appropriate management action, if necessary. On January 8, 2010 the National Weather Service issued a hard freeze warning for coastal counties creating conditions for a potential freeze kill in coastal waters. With this advance notice, TPWD Kills and Spills Team (KAST) biologists and other Coastal Fisheries staff began preparing for potential coast wide impacts to inland and coastal fisheries resources. TPWD staff began monitoring air and water temperatures and the projected time period for freezing temperatures to occur. During the period of January 8 through January 11 the air temperature in Port Arthur was recorded at a record low of 18 °F; the air temperature in Galveston was recorded at a low of 27 °F and Corpus Christi hit a record low of 24 °F. Beginning January 9th, TPWD started receiving reports of dead, dying or cold stunned fish. Reports of impacted species along the coast included mullet, various drum species (spotted seatrout, sand seatrout, black drum, red drum, and silver perch), gray snapper, sheepshead, spadefish, striped burrfish, blue crabs and sea turtles. Reports varied from stunned to dead fish in areas along the entire coast, with higher impacts along the mid to lower coasts. TPWD staff (KAST, Game Wardens and Coastal Fisheries Ecosystem teams) began responding to reports of fish kills and began reconnaissance of areas where freeze impacts have occurred historically.

1983/84 Freeze

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

and 24 spotted seatrout were observed in the Bridge City area. Galveston Bay The Galveston Bay system had several reports; most of which were within local bayous and canals. One snook, 32,364 striped mullet, and 105 spotted seatrout were observed. 1983/84 Freeze

A total of 50,971 fish of 18 species were estimated to be impacted during the 2010 freeze event. Table 1 shows the comparison of mortality between freezes from 1983 to 2010. We suspect the weeks of cool weather that preceded the 2010 freeze event (with December 2009 being one of the coolest on record) allowed fish to acclimate to lower temperatures and move to deeper water. The 1983 and 1989 events were preceded by warmer water temperatures and the fish did not have time to acclimate. Day time air temperatures were also higher during the freeze of 2010 compared to 1983. All these factors further minimized the impact on mortality. The following is an estimate of fish mortality based on field observations and data collected by TPWD staff from the bay systems along the Texas coast. As with previous freeze counts, these are conservative estimates of freeze killed fish. Sabine Lake Only one fish kill was reported for the Sabine Lake bay system. Two black drum

Matagorda Bay One snook and 1,000 mullet were observed in Caney Creek within the Matagorda Bay system. San Antonio Bay Impacts in the San Antonio Bay system were limited to Espirito Santo Bay and Pringle Lake where 198 spotted seatrout and 1,200 mullet were observed. Aransas Bay The Aransas Bay system lost 3,012 mullet, and 400 cabbagehead jellyfish were found stranded along Mesquite Bay shoreline. Corpus Christi-Upper Laguna Madre The combined Corpus Christi –Upper Laguna Madre Bay systems had the largest variety of species impacted including 34 Atlantic spadefish, 284 snook, 5 tarpon, 118 hardhead catfish, 9 pigfish, 11 red drum, 55 stone crabs, 9 striped burrfish, 10,983 mullet, 214 Irish pompano, 26 gray snapper, one gray triggerfish, one spotted seatrout, one black drum, and one pinfish . Lower Laguna Madre Lower Laguna Madre Bay system lost 750 gray snapper, 23 striped burrfish, 137 hardhead catfish, one lane snapper, and one mullet.

2010 Freeze killed snook from Caney Creek

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

In addition to finfish, the cold weather impacted sea turtles. Overall 438 cold stunned sea turtles, ranging from five to 200 pounds, were recovered from the bays and beaches of East Matagorda Bay to the lower Laguna Madre. Of those recovered,

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 47

the Coastal Fisheries long term monitoring program, we will be watching to see if our expectations are correct, especially with more tropical species such as snook and gray snapper. TPWD and other resource agencies will continue to work to determine the impacts of this freeze on the population of the threatened green sea turtle.

Fish killed in a residential canal in the Galveston Bay System in 2010 Freeze

436 of were green sea turtles and two were loggerhead sea turtles. Approximately 2/3 of the recovered sea turtles were dead which included many young green sea turtles. The fact that so many young green sea turtles were impacted during this event compared to top previous freezes suggests the green sea turtle population is on the rise. Even though the sea turtles were highly impacted, we appear to have been lucky and dodged a bullet with respect to fisheries. Because the total mortality was low for fish species, we don’t expect to see major impacts to fish populations. With

2010 Freeze killed fish along the banks of Caney Creek.

Check the TPWD Outdoor Annual, your local TPWD Law Enforcement office, or www.tpwd.state.tx.us for more information.

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48 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

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www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 49

K AYAK

FISH I N G

C APT. SCOT T NULL

Jfd\ Thoughts fe J@EBj The explosion of kayak fishing in Texas came about with the introduction of the sit-on-top (SOT) kayak. This style of craft is by far the favorite of coastal kayak anglers and with good reason. A SOT affords the ability to enter and exit the boat with ease. You also have the ability to move about rather freely in the unrestricted cockpit. There’s a list of positives for the SOT kayak, but that isn’t what this article is all about. This month I’m going to discuss the SINK. Now “sink” and “boating” do not fit well together, but in this case it’s OK. A sit-inside kayak is often referred to as a SINK, although purists would prefer the term “decked boat.” Prior to the introduction of the SOT, the SINK ruled, and in certain parts of the country they still do. The reason our

50 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

northern counterparts prefer their SINKs is the colder air and water temperatures they face year round. As most of you might already know, staying completely dry in a SOT is next to impossible. There are some models drier than others, but let’s face it, we’re sitting inches above the surface, dealing with wind, waves, and splashing fish. In the winter this situation requires waders and rain jackets to stay warm and dry. Not that this is a particularly bad thing, but the SINK offers options for staying dry while fishing in cold weather. The first image of a SINK that comes to mind for many would be some guy rolling over and flipping himself back upright with a tricky paddle stroke. While it is fun to learn, Eskimo rolls aren’t something we strive for in kayak fishing.

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Pflueger Arbor. Many say bigger is better, and for some it’s true! The large arbor spool design reduces line memory and twist which allows line to flow freely off the spool. This gives greater line control, especially when fishing with the new generation of fluorocarbon and braided lines. Combining the large Arbor design with a carbon drag system and hybrid aluminum construction, the Arbor delivers the ultimate in line control with a lightweight compact body. Pflueger Arbor – The Smart Choice.

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

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www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 51

K AYAK FISHING

An unplanned rollover while kayak fishing will result in a floating garage sale of equipment, dunked reels, and other unpleasant things. The only exception I can think of is a friend who goes by the nickname “Pogo.” Kurt is an accomplished kayaker who paddles beautiful handmade wooden boats and delights in shocking his fishing buddies by occasionally taking a spin to cool off on a hot day. I’m guessing he has to strip-clean his reels after every trip. All SINKs have several traits in common. As the name implies, you’ll be sitting down inside the boat’s cockpit. Inside

the cockpit you’ll find a built-in seat and adjustable foot rests. The higher priced models will have seats that are fully adjustable and extremely comfortable while a budget model may only have a plastic seat pan. Most will also have bulkheads to create dry storage areas in the stern and sometimes in the bow. These compartments can be accessed through deck hatches. An added bonus of these compartments is the flotation they provide should your cockpit become swamped. While the majority of SINKs share the above traits, they fall into basic categories; recreational, recreational/ touring, and full touring. Touring SINKs are long and narrow, usually between sixteen and eighteen feet. They are designed for speed more than stability and require greater paddling proficiency to maintain an upright orientation. A touring kayak is not well suited for fishing. It is simply too tippy to serve as a fishing platform. They are ideal for multi-day camping/fishing trips where you use the kayak to transport gear to base camp and then spend your fishing time wading. Actually, that might be an excellent topic for a future article. A rec/touring SINK is designed more for day use and light overnight camping. As the name suggests, it is a compromise between a full touring design and a recreational boat. These boats fall into the twelve to sixteen foot range. They are somewhat wider and more stable than full touring boats. The

Wilderness Systems Tsunami is a good example of the rec/touring kayak. I’ve fished from the fourteen foot Tsunami several times and feel perfectly secure doing so. The biggest advantage of this boat is the ease of paddling long distances. Most any boat in this category will outrun any of the fishing style SOTs. The downside is the somewhat restrictive cockpit but that can be overcome with planning. If you plan on crossing open water and paddling extended distances you might want to consider this style of kayak.

52 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

The best SINKs for fishing are found in the recreational category. These are usually between ten and fourteen feet with large open cockpits. This eases the fear some people have of becoming trapped in the boat should it overturn. In fact, the cockpit openings are so large that even a skilled kayaker would be hard-pressed to stay in the boat long enough to complete an Eskimo roll. If you should happen to overturn a rec SINK, something that is pretty hard to do, you’ll simply fall out of the cockpit. The reason I say you are unlikely to flip is due to the extra width and stability designed into them. While a touring kayak may only be twenty-one inches at its widest, a recreational model will be around twenty-eight inches. Twentyeight inches is not considered all that wide for a super-stable SOT, but a SINK

Texas Saltwater Fishing

affords a much lower center of gravity. The additional width also allows you to move around and get comfortable while seated which comes in handy during a long day of fishing. An additional advantage of the added room is gear storage. You can keep an amazing amount of fishing gear, drinks, and snacks within easy reach. Most anglers who paddle SINKs leave the cockpit open, but on cold and windy days you might want to add a spray skirt to your rig. Spray skirts come in a variety of materials from lightweight water-resistant nylon to fully waterproof insulating neoprene. The type of skirt you choose depends on what you intend to accomplish. Generally speaking, a rather loose-fitting lightweight skirt intended to keep splashing water from finding its way into your lap is all you’ll need. For extremely cold weather or rough conditions you might want to obtain a tighter fitting fully waterproof skirt. This style skirt not only keeps you dry, it will also trap body heat inside the

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

within easy reach is a large sponge for removing water that might splash into the cockpit. A handheld bilge pump is also a good idea should you find yourself needing to remove a large amount of water. They are cheap and easy to use. While I tend to use a SINK only for cold weather fishing, there is nothing wrong with paddling one year-round. I have several friends who simply prefer fishing from a SINK. They feel the advantage of staying dry and comfortable outweighs the open and exposed cockpit of the SOT. One final note. Anyone who knows me knows how I feel about tandem kayaks for fishing. Two adults sitting four feet apart with seven foot rods chunking lures festooned with treble hooks is just asking for trouble. The exception would be when taking a kid fishing. There are several great models of tandem sitinsides that fall into the recreational category. These are wide open boats, quite similar to canoes, but more stable and easier to paddle. Having your young

child within easy reach in the front seat allows you to work with them on their fishing skills. I can’t think of a better way to put a youngster on a pile of tailing reds than quietly paddling them into position for an easy cast. Note: This is a slightly edited version of one Scott’s earlier pieces. Given the continued growth of kayak fishing; it seems appropriate to present it again for the benefit of folks just recently introduced to the sport. - Editor

CONTAC T

cockpit. Add a dry top to the waterproof skirt and you’ll remain surprisingly comfortable in the worst conditions. Fly fishermen get an added bonus when skirting their cockpit. The smooth material stretched across the opening acts as the perfect stripping basket. Other than choosing a skirt, outfitting your SINK for fishing is quite similar to rigging a SOT. Add a couple of rod holders, mount a GPS or fishfinder if you choose, and maybe a cleat or two for securing an anchor line. As with my SOTs, I prefer to mount my accessories behind me while keeping the front deck clear. One thing to keep in mind is the accessibility of your gear. If you are accustomed to keeping everything in the open tankwell of your SOT, you’ll need to plan ahead. It is rather difficult to access the storage compartments from the cockpit while on the water. Be sure to put those things you need within easy reach unless you’ll be in an area that allows you to exit your kayak when necessary. An item you will want to keep

Capt. Scott Null is a devout shallow water fisherman offering guided adventues via kayak, poled skiff, and wading. Phone 281-450-2206 Website www.letsgofishing.net

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www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 53

C APT. SCOT T SOMMERL AT TE

ACCORDING TO SCOT T

For whatever reason, I have a ridiculous fondness for mangroves. Why you ask? I guess because a good majority of the most exciting moments in my fishing life have all happened within the sight and smell, yes I said smell, of a mangrove swamp. There are a variety of species that are called mangroves found around the world between the 30 degrees north latitude and 30 degrees south latitude; some 70 different species from two dozen different families. And, even though the encyclopedia tells me that and having been in locations reputed to have other species, I can honestly say that I am only familiar with three: red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle), black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) and the buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus). Of the three species that I know, all can be found in the Florida Everglades and in the Ten Thousand Islands area where I travel several times annually to pursue the fish I love so muchthe tarpon and snook. I can still remember the first big snook that I ever hooked. It was my first trip ever to the Everglades and I was fishing with my friend Gary Rinn. As we used the trolling motor to navigate down a leeward shore in Tarpon Bay, he explained to me how the snook liked to hang out underneath the downed mangroves along the shore, especially the buttonwoods, waiting to ambush their prey. Now I do not have the first clue

54 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

as to whether or not a snook can tell the difference between a red, black or buttonwood mangrove but, the first snook (out of a whole bunch over the years) that kicked my butt, came out from beneath a downed buttonwood. The fish nailed a wooden Snooker plug that I was chunking and proceeded to show me that she was the boss. To this day, I always fish a little harder around buttonwood trees. Then, of course, there was my first truly sizable tarpon that I landed on my fly rod. My buddy Wright Taylor said he thought the fish would go about 85 or 90 pounds while I would like to think that it was right at 100. More than likely it was 70. We never put a tape to it so we will never really know and, to tell the truth, I really do not care. All that matters to me is that it was laying up underneath overhanging limbs and prop roots of one of ten thousand red mangrove trees. When Taylor spotted the fish it was only about 50 feet from the boat and laid up in about two and half feet of water in amongst the prop roots. I would honestly like to say that I “expertly” dropped the fly in front of the fish but, it just did not happen that way. Actually it kind of did. You see, after about ten casts, several too far left and a couple too far right and some that just were not far enough, I did put the fly right in there perfect, just like on television. I let it sink to about six inches above the fish’s head and began my retrieve and with a powerful swoop of the tarpons tail, it began to track the

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

CONTAC T

ACCO R D I N G TO SCOT T

fly. Seconds later a black hole appeared beneath my fly and it disappeared. The fight was on and the rest is history. And, while I find great joy down in the Glades chasing tarpon and snook, nothing could be more pleasing to me than what I have seen happening in our Texas bays in recent years. You see, over the past twenty years, the population of black mangroves has boomed along the barrier islands of the Gulf Coast. As a child and during my years as a juvenile delinquent, I mean adolescent, I can honestly say I do not remember seeing that many mangroves in Texas. In fact, I was so curious about this recently, I went back and looked through all my old photo albums from the 80s to see if I could find any mangroves in any of the duck hunting or fishing photos that I cherish so. I found a few, but they were usually in photos that were taken down close to Port O’Connor near Pass Cavallo or further south in the Laguna Madre. The point being, there just were not that many mangroves back then. The reason for this is most certainly, the freezes of ’83 and ’89 really beat back the few that were thriving here in Texas. In

fact I remember the first time I realized that we even had mangroves in Texas. We were fishing a small cut along the shoreline of Matagorda Island when I looked over at the bank and saw two small, dark leaved shrubs that were barely knee-high. I did not know what they were so I got back home and dug into one of my coastal ecology books and found out what exactly I was looking at. Those shrubs are slowly becoming very tree-like and stand at least seven foot tall and have helped establish a very healthy population of mangroves in the area. From that day of discovery back in the late 80s, I have called, and forever will call that location the Mangrove Cut. Needless to say, the black mangroves of Texas narrowly survived the frigid winter that is now, thank The Lord, finally over. Just this past week I noticed numerous mangrove, most of which were on the mainland side of the bay, had succumbed to the cold. Hopefully, this will be our only cold winter for many more years to come. Now to clarify something I mentioned early. Whether it is smell of the rotting leaves deep in vast stands of red mangroves in the Glades or the blooming of the little white flowers on the black mangroves here at home which, incidentally makes the best honey that I have ever tasted, the smell of mangroves most certainly excites me because- where there are mangroves, great things happen. See you next month. . .

Capt. Scott Sommerlatte is a full time fly fishing and light tackle guide, freelance writer and photographer. Telephone 979-415-4379 Email vssommerlatte@hotmail.com Website www.scottsommerlatte.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 55

YOU T H

FISH I N G

A ARON CISNEROS

TEXAS SALTWATER THROUGH

Growing up, every kid has some kind of hero. For most kids it is a sports superstar like Michael Jordan or Peyton Manning or perhaps tennis star Serena Williams. Many others follow the likes of rock stars or famous movie actors. As for me, as long as I can remember, I have had an inner desire to one day become a fishing guide. As far back as barely old enough to hold a fishing pole and into my pre-teen and teen years, I have looked up to, respected, and have had a little bit of envy for those that have made a career out of fishing. I have grown up to experience the beautiful sunrises and sunsets, the coyotes howling at the crack of dawn and the surprises that each day brings. I often ask myself, “Is this where I belong?” The answer is always yes. However, before that yes comes, there is a lot of hard work ahead and certainly a commitment to a higher education after high school. At the age of six I was introduced to the waters of the Laguna Madre and I’ve been hooked ever since. I have come to realize by being around fishing guides since the age of ten that fishing for a living is not all glamour. It is a job where a paycheck is well earned whether you catch fish or not. Much goes on behind the scenes of running a charter business. Most people are not aware what it takes to get ready for a trip. I can tell you from a personal observation that it takes a lot of hard work and dedication. You have to be ready to spend lots of time away from the family as I have grown accustomed during my dad’s busy season. The wakeups are early and the process is repeated day after day. If you have ever owned a boat, you know exactly what it takes to get it ready, not to mention all the other gear needed for a successful fishing trip. Let’s not forget keeping an eye on the weather as responsible captains do. Preparing a game plan is also extremely important. A good guide will gather all the information and past experiences and try to make a wise decision as to what will work and what won’t. As in all jobs some days are harder than others. Some days a guide can look and feel like a million dollars, and other days he will look like a novice as far as finding fish. A guide’s attitude truly counts whether it’s a slow day or a great day on the water. I have come to meet some really nice guides and some mean, grouchy ones when my father and I traveled to various places. Some of the best guides have been great teachers and I have learned from them even when we didn’t speak the same language. Those that take the time to teach as they try to put you on fish are worth

56 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

more than their pay. In my opinion what you have learned in one day with them could have taken them years to learn on their own. Those that are genuine and love their jobs really stand out and their passion seems to cling on to you. Having celebrated my eighteenth birthday recently, I am committed to putting my dream to fish for a living on hold. First must come my education so that I can have something to fall back on. Yes indeed I do eagerly wait for the early hours of daylight, the full moon shining on the water, the smell of watermelon slicks as trout gorge another meal. The inviting waves of tailing redfish on the skinny flats that I have learned over the past twelve years, the sight of beautiful and colorful birds that no zoo can match is part of the job and something I look forward to. I look ahead to screaming drags and fish landed by excited customers as I have witnessed during many of my dad’s trips. I mentioned that a good guide must not only have a good attitude but good communication skills as well. He must be ready to deal with all kinds of personalities and be a good entertainer when things aren’t going so well. This is an area I know that I have to work on. So do I still want to fish for a living? Yes I do. This dream has consumed me for nearly all my life and now I am old enough to get my captain’s license. I can hardly wait. Entering college I know there will be many distractions and temptations, but I hope I can make this dream become a reality one day. I look forward

Chasing trout tails is always fun

to my first charter and eagerly await sharing the knowledge so many have given me. I know I will love my job; where else can you get paid to chase tails?

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Would you like to become our next \RXWK ZULWHU ? Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine invites all youth anglers to participate in an essay contest. The contest winner will qualify to become our next youth writer as Aaron Cisneros will soon graduate high school and move on to college. This contest is open to all young saltwater anglers who will be in their sophomore, junior and senior year for the 2010-2011 school year. Essays should contain at least 300 words to describe your involvement in fishing and should be accompanied by a digital photo or two. Email to Everett@TSFMag by April 30, 2010 for consideration. Teaching is part of being a good guide

Good Luck! We’ll be looking for your essays!

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 57

YOUTH FISHING

<287+)8/ EYES

EVERY MAN’S OFFSHORE

MIKE JENNINGS

As a child, child fishing fishin was not just a pastime, it consumed every waking hour. The wonder and anticipation of what the next cast might bring kept me going. Back then, I rarely paid attention to weather, water conditions, or seasonal pattern; I simply went fishing. Sitting here writing this brings back memories of my dad and me working white bass and putting up stringers of one hundred. I also remember a day at the old Buccaneer field pulling baits for kingfish without a bite. We loved catching but it wasn’t only about how many we caught; it was about the experience and the anticipation of what the outing might bring. As I grew older the passion always remained but the game soon changed. I had hit the point where I started to wonder what I was doing wrong on slow days and began paying attention to what worked and didn’t work in various conditions. I can remember as a teenager at dinner giving my parents the long version of what I had caught, how I had done it, and why it worked. My mother would smile and say, “If you remembered your school work as well as your fishing you would be an “A� student.� My father was very instrumental in furthering my education and my opportunity. We were not from a fishing family with generations of experience. We didn’t have the resources to pay someone to teach us the finer points. We simply pursued the sport with determination to learn and understand every aspect of the fisheries we loved. Fishing has brought me a long way and I now earn my living as a fulltime fishing and hunting guide on the upper Texas coast. My passion has never faded. I look upon a new day just as I did in my childhood and I consider it an honor to be able to bring those experiences and knowledge to each and every one of my customers. The excitement of a day 58 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Č˜É„É‘ ȨÉ•ȣȨȽČ?Ѳ offshore for someone who has never experienced it will make you put your game face on, so to speak, and I honestly enjoy watching other people catch fish. The surprise of a hard-running wahoo or the shock of that first hookup on a solid amberjack brings a smile every time. The novice fisherman catching snapper as fast as he can bait his hook presents the opportunity to teach what I have worked so hard to learn. A man once told me there are lots of good fishermen but a successful guide is a good teacher. I have strived to remember that and make it a part of my daily routine. I’m Michael Jennings of Cowboy Charters in Freeport Texas. I am a native of Brazoria County and graduated from Angleton High in 1985. My experience fishing the offshore waters of the upper Texas coast goes back to the late 70s with a family friend on a borrowed Grady White. Life has taken me many places but my love of the water has always brought me back to the coast. My favorite late winter-spring species is wahoo. These fast-moving gamefish congregate along and just inshore of the continental shelf, typically beginning in late January

over live bottom, in 150 to 300 feet of water. These pre-spawn aggregations are usually easy to target up until the fish begin to scatter during late April. During the spawn the fish seem to be more solitary and can be encountered in water sometime as shallow as 75 feet. The preferred bait varies among anglers but I prefer to keep it simple. I am not a big fan of the artificial-dead bait combos and concentrate more on speed and location while presenting assorted baits and colors until finding what the fish want. Braid Marauders and Islanders have a large following and while these baits work very well at times never discount your simple jet heads and heavy trolling baits. My typical approach is to pull baits faster and further back than most are accustomed. I have noticed over time that I seem to be most successful on the bait furthest back in my spread. I typically fish out of twin or triple engine outboard boats and with the exhaust in the prop wash the clean water is further back in the wake. I will make my first pass at about 7.5 knots and if I’m convinced the fish are there I will begin to increase my speed on subsequent passes up to

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Texas Saltwater Fishing

CONTAC T

remember all the lessons. I owe all the credit to my mother and father. They not only helped forge my passion for the sport they taught me the work ethic to succeed. They constantly urged me to pursue my dreams and taught me that the greatest joy of doing what you love is realized through sharing it with others. Regardless of your experience or skill, never let your passion die and take every opportunity to share the joy and excitement with everyone you can.

Captain Mike Jennings is a professional charter captain with more than 25 years offshore experience. Mike is the owner/ operator of Cowboy Charters in Freeport TX and is known locally for running further and fishing harder for his clients. Telephone 979-864-9439 Email texassportfishing@gmail.com Website www.cowboycharters.com

www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 59

E V E RY M AN ’S O FFSH O R E

memorable spring trips to the East Flower Garden Bank started out very slow. We spent nearly two hours trolling and drifting without a single knockdown and suddenly I realized the bait breaking the surface was very small. I dug in my bags and found two small jjet heads about five inches long; heads, skirts, and all. Our first fish came on the next pass and another hour produced five wahoo %% " & % averaging fifty pounds, ' " ( &% % not an impressive haul for ) ! # the Gardens, but another valuable lesson learned. As I begin another 10 and even 11 knots. Do not fear pulling a season my thoughts take me back to a time bait too fast, so long as it swims well. I also when it was simply about the fishing and a advise not getting stuck on so-called go-to young boy who had a dream of spending baits. By all means pull it; but not to the a life on the water. It reminds me that no extent of ignoring others if it’s not working. matter how much we think we know we I believe in trying new approaches can better our knowledge and improve while paying close attention to what is our success if we simply pay attention and going on around you. One of my most

TSF MAGA ZINE SPOTLIGHT

TSF MAGA ZINE SPOTLIGHT

Texas Marine first opened its doors in 1981 on the East Tex Freeway in Beaumont, Texas. Founder and owner, Mike Hebert, opened his boat brokerage business after working in other boat dealerships and soon expanded into new boat sales. The renovated gas station was soon outgrown and Texas Marine moved to a larger building. Sales boomed and a second location was added on I-45 in Conroe. Still growing, Texas Marine opened its third location on NASA Road 1 in the Clear Lake-Seabrook area. Today, all three stores, Beaumont, Clear Lake and Conroe, are full-service new-boat dealerships with on-site financing and insurance services. New boat lines include; Skeeter, Ranger, G-3, Nautic Star, Robalo, Chaparral and Bennington along with Yamaha outboards. Still very much a family business, the next generation of the Hebert family, Mike’s sons Ryan and Jason, have joined their father carrying on the family tradition of service to East Texas boaters. Ryan’s specialty is general administration and oversight of operations while Jason spearheads operation of the Conroe location, assisting longtime VP of Sales and General Manager of the Clear Lake and Conroe stores, Robert Stokes. As in all successful enterprises, Texas Marine invests great effort to provide quick, reliable and competitively-priced goods and service to the boating public. Ryan Hebert says, “Service is the kingpin of our operation. CSI (custom satisfaction index) is 60 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

relatively new in the marine industry but not at Texas Marine. Boating is both a passion and a financial commitment with our customers. As we strive to better the relations with our customers, their ability to enjoy that passion and financial commitment is increased. Our customer contact efforts to discover degree of satisfaction, whether following a new boat purchase, adding accessories to a rig they already own, or something as simple as warranty maintenance visits, provides valuable feedback that enables every member of the Texas Marine team to do a better job.” Success in pleasing customers is reflected in various awards a business can earn. Texas Marine has garnered the Better Business Bureau’s Torch Award, bestowed upon only one business within a region and business category annually to recognize exceptional character and moral commitment to customers and community. They have also won the Boating Industry Association’s Top 100 Dealer Award and received certification as a Five Star Dealer by the National Marine Manufacturers Association for efficiency, productivity, and excellence in customer service. Drop by any of Texas Marine’s three locations and let them help you select a new or used boat or service one you already own. Telephones: Beaumont-409.898.7632, Conroe-936.539.2628, Seabrook-281.326.9595. Website: www.texasmarine.com Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

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Our new G2 Pro wading belt kit comes complete with all the essentials for the wade fisherman. Anglers can now

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removable tackle box, rod holder, 15 ft. stringer, and drink holder make this the most universal kit of its kind. Get yours at your favorite tackle retailer or visit us at www.foreverlast.com for more information.

62 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

The InvisaSwivel line represents a revolutionary development in terminal tackle. InvisaSwivels can bend but will recoil without losing their free spinning qualities. Made of Flouro-Clear they are practically invisible in water. The superior resin compound provides near-neutral buoyancy and, unlike metal swivels, rigging with InvisaSwivels does not add weight allowing for more natural live bait presentations. Plus, given their nonmetallic composition, they will never corrode. InvisaSwivel is perfect for anglers not proficient in tying complicated joining knots. A standard clinch knot on either end of InvisaSwivel makes a perfect transition between main line and leader. Inshore and freshwater anglers will appreciate the clarity and light weight of the Inshore Series, with swivels ranging from 12lb to 55lb test. Offshore enthusiasts will appreciate the larger sizes available from 80lb to 200lb.

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

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www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 63

DICKIE COLBURN’S

6DELQH 6FHQH

After fishing in a light snow flurry

Depending on wind direction and velocity, the bite on the flats on the

the last week of February, but

north end of the lake should soon merit the most attention.

snow nonetheless, I am very

There may well be some modest gull activity for those looking

DICKIE COLBURN

reluctant to make any predictions

for an easier bite, but we will wade or drift the flats early and late

Dickie Colburn is a full time guide out of Orange, Texas. Dickie has 37 years experience guiding on Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes.

for April. Mother Nature has just

for quality trout. The topwater bite should be much improved and

refused to pack winter up and

I favor the She Dog or Top Dog, Jr. in pearl-chartreuse or bone

leave town in a timely fashion and

patterns. The larger Super Spook is also a good choice, especially on

every pattern has been pushed

those windier days.

back at least a month. Telephone 409-883-0723 Website www.sabineconnection.com

This is no time to abandon suspending lures like the Corky, Catch

Because March fishing was

V, and Catch 2000. Do not let the lack of water clarity work on your

more akin to what we were used

confidence level. Pink is a consistently good color for us in both clear

to in February, I can only assume

and dirty water. If you have a foot or more of visibility add dayglow and

that April patterns will be a little

electric chicken to your arsenal. In dirtier water red shad and black-

late to develop as well. The key

chartreuse are good additions.

player, regardless of surface temperatures, will be how much wind we have to deal with this spring. Last year was certainly no bargain.

The middle portion of our fishing day, wind permitting, will be spent drifting 3 to 5 feet of water with the same lures. Swim baits like

The Louisiana shoreline has seen fishing pressure like never before as it afforded the only protected water under warmer southeast winds

Crème’s Spoiler Shad and longer plastics like the 5-inch Assassin Shad rigged on a 1/8th ounce head are also winners in the deeper water.

much of the winter. The good news lies in the fact that the majority of the lake went untouched through the middle of last month.

When making these deeper drifts I rely on a drift sock to get in more casts per drift. I also keep my Stake Out Stick at hand for a quick

Everything about these reels is in keeping with their legendary name. With the possible exception of the price tag.

They may start at just $79.95 MSRP, but the new Sportfisher reels and matched combos are Fin-Nor to the core. Designed to

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stay smooth and strong fish after fish, from the oversized gears

64 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

to the powerful carbon fiber drags. finnorfishing.com.

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

SABIN E Cold weather hasn’t slowed the redfish bite on Sabine.

stop following a

shads, and 1/4 ounce spinner baits all

hook-up or even a

work well on both reds and flounder.

missed strike. Too

gh The fish hold right up in the roots on high

many times folks

et off tides and tend to bunch up 10 to 15 feet

drift right over

de the shoreline on an outgoing or low tide.

a school of fish

Plan B when the lake is blown out are the bayous on the east side

or a prime piece

of the lake or drifting the deep reefs north of the Causeway. Either of

of submerged

those choices are Plan A for a lot of local anglers on even the calmer

structure without

days. The Game Reserve is now open again granting you access

ever stopping to

to Willow and Three Bayous in addition to Black’s, Johnson’s and

check it out.

Madam Johnsons.

The Louisiana

I won’t waste your time with the oft repeated nuances of dragging

shoreline will

plastics over the deep shell on tide changes, but I will remind you to

still hold good

not overlook the possibility of a great topwater bite in the pocket on

concentrations of

the south end of the Causeway reefs. Once again, do not pass up this

trout along with

bite due to water clarity if bait is present.

flounder and redfish. We are absolutely covered up with redfish on

I do not fish areas like Keith Lake and Bessie Heights enough to

Sabine and this month will be no exception. While the drains and

give you a firsthand report, but both can get exceptionally hot this

mouths of the bayous will draw the largest crowds, every inch of

month. Likewise, I will probably not fish the ship channel south of the

shoreline holds at least a few flounder and redfish most days.

Causeway or the jetties until May, but that is strictly by choice. The

Even the smallest point of land and isolated stands of cane are

potential for a great day is always there and even an average day on

prime places to target. Gulp, 4-inch Assassin Sea Shads, MirrOlure soft

the jetties can leave you wondering why you even fool with the lake!

(K]HUJLK ;YVWO` ;YV\[ ;HJ[PJZ PZ H TPU\[L PUZ[Y\J[PVUHS +=+ ^OPJO VMMLYZ KL[HPSLK HK]PJL VU OV^ [V JH[JO IPN [YV\[ VU HY[PĂ„JPHS S\YLZ ;V WYL]PL^ HUK VY W\YJOHZL ]PZP[ ^^^ Ă„ZOIHMĂ„UIH` JVT VY JHSS

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 65

MICKEY

Mickey Eastman is a full-time fishing guide out of Baytown, TX. Mickey has 26 years guiding experience on the Galveston area bays and is the founder of Gulf Coast Troutmasters, the largest speckled trout tournament series of all time

Contact Mickey Eastman’s Guide Service Telephone 281-383-2032

Captain Mickey here and it’s that time again. Overall - I would say our Galveston region fishing has been suffering from the effects of lingering winter. We’ve had twenty-seven nights of freezing temperatures so far which is pretty much unheard of in this area. I have not checked to see whether this sets an official record but most winters we get only a handful of days with below freezing temperatures and occasionally a year with none. As I am doing this report it is a not-so-balmy 29° degrees here on Trinity Bay, and I’m tired of it already.

Trinity Bay: I can sum it up pretty quick; lots of good blue cat action at the north end of the lake. Oh, my mistake, I should have said bay but sometimes I get a little confused. The Trinity River has been running in here at about 45,000 to 47,000 cubic feet per second

www.berkley-fishing.com

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from Livingston Dam and they just finally reduced it to 30,000 this morning. We have a lot of freshwater everywhere, just nasty looking stuff, and that’s going to make things difficult for us for a while. Our long-range forecast includes several days of warm sunshine so maybe we’re about to break out of this cold pattern and get to do some spring fishing. I think one good warming trend, you know with about four or five days of 65 to 75° weather will definitely make a difference. The fish are sitting there right now like a loaded gun and all they need is some warmer conditions and they’ll just explode. The trout are holding in four to eight foot depths, just waiting to pull up shallow. This freshwater thing has been making it extremely tough in Trinity Bay Area. There is some good water remaining in the little back bays on the north end and you can catch a few fish drifting with soft plastic. I have been using the new MirrOlure soft plastic quite a bit lately and I’m liking it. They’ve also been working on one they are calling the Little John that has not been marketed yet but I received some early samples. It’s kind of reminds me of a grub-style lure, somewhat like the earliest Sluggo lures about 3¾ inches long. I’ve been catching fish on it and the best thing about this bait is that it gets to the bottom quick. Upper Galveston Bay: There is some catching going on out deep along the Seabrook Flats, along the pier pilings. Same thing over at

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66 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

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GALVESTO ON Sylvan Beach and Seabrook, both areas are producing a few trout and redfish here and there but nothing to write home about. For the most part this area has been uncommonly slow of late and I believe it will improve as soon as we can get a decent warm-up underway. East Bay: Talk about a loaded gun waiting to go off; you make a shoreline wade and you think there are no fish in East Bay, then you get out at another spot and pick up six or eight trout and a couple of reds. This bay is also running very inconsistent and again I’m blaming the weather pattern. Mark my words; the fish just have not committed to the shorelines and flats yet. Give us a week of normal spring weather and East Bay will explode. I mean it’s due, past due. In a normal year, the north shoreline, which is the Refuge area, would have already been producing big time. Right now the water is still pretty cold and we have a nagging silt problem in some areas left over from Ike. Down along the south shoreline the water is better and it makes you want to go down there but the north side is where we always get our better trout in late winter and early spring. I am very firm in my belief that all we need is week or two of decent sunshine on the water to get those flats warmed up and everything will take off, a few weeks late but it’s definitely going to take off. West Bay: This area has been running fair to decent when the wind isn’t howling. Shorelines with mud-shell bottom and some of the coves have been giving up some fish and of course the mid-bay reef

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

action has been fairly steady. Drift fisherman are still catching a ton of fish, lots of little ones, out in the open water between North and South Deer Island and down toward Greens Cut and Carancahua Reef. Soft plastics and MirrOlures have been pretty much the norm on that. Tri-Bay Area: Chocolate, Christmas and Bastrop Bays are giving up decent catches on any given good weather day but we’re just not seeing too many of late, the pattern has been one or maybe two days and then the next front comes ripping through. Being able to get on solid action when the weather allows tells you they have good numbers down that way, but here again, we need to see some spring-like weather to gain consistency. Wrapping it up I’m going to predict that April will bring us much improved fishing. Trinity may be out of play depending how this freshwater thing works out but East and Upper Galveston should be good. Right now there are not a lot of people on the water as they have beaten down by the elements and not willing to put in the time and effort until they see a turn-around in the weather. Better days are ahead so get your boats ready and all the tackle in order; give us a few weeks of decent weather and these bays are going to explode.

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 67

CAPT. BILL’S We have been through a long, wet and cold winter that came complete with raging cases of cabin fever for many saltwater anglers. Finally the door is Bill Pustejovsky is a full-time guide at Matagorda, TX. closing on all that misery and Bill fishes year-round for a new door is swinging wide trout and redfish in all the open for some springtime Matagorda Bays. Wading and action. I’m primed for the onset drifting for trophy trout and of good fishing weather and reds are his specialty. I’m fairly sure I will not be alone Telephone in this. Although a long time in 979-863-7353 coming, I believe spring fishing Email should pan out very well here in CaptBill@GoldTipGuideService.com the Matagorda area. Each spring Website www.goldtipguideservice.com we have strong incoming and outgoing tides from the Gulf of Mexico these tides help our bay ecosystems and the creatures inhabiting them to thrive. Everything from the tiniest of micro-organisms to the trout and redfish we all love benefit from this “spring cleaning� by Mother Nature. Since our rainfall and salinity in the bays is pretty much back to normal, we

)LVK 7DON

should experience a better than average crop of glass minnows and shrimp in both East and West Matagorda Bays. The drought is finally over and spring is here. Let the good times roll! East Matagorda Bay By April, trout should be moving off the mud and beginning to spend more time on harder bottoms. While wading, I will be steadily looking for baitfish with the understanding that many of these forage species will be quite small during this early part of the season. I cannot stress enough that fishing in and near bait schools is one of the keys to spring success as the gamefish are never far from their food sources. With all that said about bait, you might want to consider downsizing your baits to match what nature provides. Smaller topwaters such as Mirrolure She Pups, the small series of the Skitter Walks, Super Spook Juniors, and smaller plastics such as the Bass Assassin sea shads will be my go-to numbers. Bass Assassin just recently introduced a new style of leadhead that can be pulled through grass and across the top of shell without near as many hangups as traditional designs. I’m thinking these jigs are going to prove very useful when crawling soft plastics over structure. With MirrOlure now producing Paul Brown’s family of Corky lures, there should be no excuses for not keeping your tackle box

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!!!* 0 1 * 2 # 0 2 68 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

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M ATAG O R DA 12 year-old Trey Heath drifted in East Matagorda with Capt. Bill recently. His 26” trout was caught in strong wind, rough and dirty water.

well stocked. By the way, I have tried these new Corkys and they perform every bit as well as the ones Paul made for us. Look for the best action to be on hard bottoms and grass on the south shoreline, mainly in front of drains. Shell reefs will still be in play and can provide excellent fishing during April for both waders and drifters. A popping cork above your lure is often very effective whenever reef fish are suspended or holding near the surface. Keep at least one rod rigged with a cork to allow a quick option. Chances are we might see a few birds working but it won’t be widespread and steady like in fall months.

West Matagorda Bay Matagorda fishermen who like to head e west should expect glass minnows to be ear with the big attraction; this happens every year i i to the h some better than others. Try to time your visits south shoreline to coincide with incoming tide. Never pass a bunch of diving pelicans. If you don’t mind missing the traditional dinner hour, evening fishing from 5:00 PM until dark is quite often the best the day has to offer in April. Just be extra careful on your ride back in and by all means carry a Q-Beam or similar high-power spotlight and use it. April is also the beginning of what I call “shark season” in West Matagorda so you may want to rig up a floating box or other device if you plan to keep a few fish for dinner. Sharks will pick them off the stringer faster than you put them on. Baits will not change much from East Bay to West but I would suggest packing some weedless spoons as the guts along the south shoreline will often be full of nice slot reds and they have always been suckers for gold spoons. A few words on wade fishing safety: the stingrays are already thick on the shorelines and this is only the beginning of spring. ForEverlast offers a full line of stingray boots and gaiter-style leg and foot protectors. Trust me on this, I would rather have a stingray barb stuck in my boot rather than my foot. Until next time; Good fishing and God Bless. - Capt. Bill

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 69

Dear Mr. Everett, My name is Malcolm Lockhart and my dad is helping me write to you. I am sending you a picture of me and my dad with the first place redfish I caught in the Port Lavaca Kids Series. This was my second year to fish in the tournament. Last year I caught a black drum on shrimp and a popping cork and got third place. This year I decided I was ready to try artificial lures. Shoalwater Bay is one our favorite places and that is where we started our day. It was very slow and after a couple of hours we still had not caught a fish. We decided to move to the Lagoon. On our first drift I caught this redfish on a weedless Assassin with the Waterloo rod my dad got me. I don’t know who was more excited, me or my dad or my sister Addison. There were lots of people at the weigh-in and I was excited when they said I was the winner of my age division. I got a medal and a remote control boat. I have started wade fishing and can’t wait for summer to fish with my dad. My dad says he used to fish with you and I hope we can go fishing together some day. I hope you like our pictures. Malcolm Lockhart

70 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 71

MID-COAST BAYS :LWK WKH *UD\V Fishing in the Port O’Connor/ Seadrift area has improved steadily and hopefully April will be on par with previous years. I consider April a prime CAPT. GARY GRAY month to catch the speck of Captain Gary and Captain Shellie Gray fish year-round for trout a lifetime and I want to share and redfish in the Port O’Connor/ a few secrets. I say secrets Seadrift area. Gary started his Bay because I’ve never seen them Rat Guide Service 20 years ago. published. I have witnessed The Grays specialize in wade and these things to occur on an drift fishing with artificial lures. annual basis and have been Gary and Shellie also team up to rewarded with two trout over fish many tournaments. 10 pounds right here in my home waters using them. I Telephone have lost count of the number 361-785-6708 over 28� caught by customers Email I have guided applying Gary@BayRat.com these tips to our fishing Website strategies. All of this is based www.bayratguideservice.com on my experience in the Port O’Connor/Seadrift area but could apply to most any location up and down the Texas coast. During April my primary targets are main bay shorelines while

concentrating on irregularities; oyster reefs, sloughs and drains, grass patches and also coves protected from the sometimes brutal southeast wind. These areas will be covered up by mullet and will have good current flowing through the guts along the shoreline. We will not worry about the direction of the tide flow because most people cannot adjust their schedule to meet the right tide on a given day, although my personal favorite is incoming. Pay attention to the gender of the trout you are catching. Are they grunting? If so, you are catching males. I have noticed that on many occasions when we find mostly males in a given area it won’t be but a few days until the bigger females show up. I don’t know what kind of ritual is going on but I see it every year, no supporting theory and nothing scientific being offered, just what I have witnessed and logged the past twenty four years as a fishing guide. Pay attention to the prevailing bait species and try to target areas with concentrations of menhaden. I have caught many large trout following menhaden rafts up and down the sandy shorelines of Espiritu Santo, San Antonio, Ayers and Mesquite bays. I also key on mullet but I prefer menhaden. Your bigger trout will often hang right under or in the shadows of these schools. As mentioned above, you can’t always plan your trip around a specific tide event or moon phase, but when you do go, try to position yourself in the best place possible. By this I mean find an area that has a large amount of rafted bait and follow the schools.

3 3

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72 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

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P O R T O ’CO N N O R / SE AD R I F T Brett Cleveland holds proof that big trout are known to run with large redfish.

Cast all around them until you figure out if the specks are under, alongside or trailing the bait. Once you have this figured out, continue casting into the same areas. If there are many rafts cruising the shoreline you can just stand in one spot and make your casts around the schools as they travel past. On outgoing tide, try to position yourself in front of or around the mouth of a drain or slough. The fish will follow the bait from backwater areas to the main bay. Ever been catching reds one after another until you finally got tired and moved or left because they were tearing up all your MirrOlure Fat Boys? If so, you might have made a big mistake. I can remember more than a few April trips when we kept plugging away until the redfish thinned out and the larger specks took over. One

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April trip really stands out, probably because Shellie was with me. We had southeast pumping into a cove and the bait was piled in there; we could do no wrong. Many redfish were caught and released and I had grown tired of them. Shellie had landed several trout in the 26� class so I moved fifty yards closer to her. She evidently didn’t appreciate me moving in as she drifted toward the spot I had just vacated and soon had a 27� trout. I invaded her spot again. The lesson in this (more than crowding your wife when she’s on fish) is that big trout run with redfish. Photos from that trip can be seen on our brochure cover and our website: www.bayrat.com. I want to remind everyone about stingrays. The water is warming and we are seeing more rays everyday. ForEverlast makes the best stingray boot out there with a sole proven to handle shell reefs. If you prefer legging type guards they have these too. ForEverlast has several new fishing products and I really like the Pro Wading Belt with removable back support and Velcro/removable tackle box on the back. They also have a new stringer that makes stringing and unstringing very easy. Go to www.foreverlast.com and check out all the new products. They are a family-owned Texas company and their products are tested by real fishermen. Fish hard, fish smart! – Gary Gray

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 73

HOOKED UP WITH

5RZVH\

Given the right weather to

days where the water temperatures have dropped into the 40’s,

work with, February and March

that it made it uncomfortable for us and the fish. The back side

started out and have finished

of cold fronts is where all of the action has been. Now that we are

off very well. We have been

coming into April, I believe the fishing will stabilize. Wading deep in

DAVID ROWSEY

so blessed to finally reap

the “warmer” water is getting to be a little tiring, and I am looking

David Rowsey has 20 years experience in the Laguna/Baffin region; trophy trout with artificial lures is his specialty. David has a great passion for conservation and encourages catch and release of trophy fish.

rewards in the form of large

forward to shedding my G3 waders for a pair of Simms Flats Boots

trout. Although we have not

and skinnier waters.

broken the ten pound mark

Telephone 361-960-0340 Website www.DavidRowsey.com

Typically, the full moon that falls

yet this year, we have flirted

closest to the end of April and beginning

with double-digit trout on

of May will bring our spring bull tide in.

a few occasions. Between

When this happens we generally get

clients and myself, we have

an influx of clean water coming from

had numerous trout over nine

Port Mansfield via the Land Cut. Many

pounds, and a slew between

trout come along with the clean water,

six and eight pounds. Some

and a vital new bait supply. It can truly

days have certainly been easier

be the most remarkable fishing one

than others, but the bottom line is

could ever experience. Talking with

that they have been making themselves available for the guys willing

Mike McBride in Port Mansfield, they are

to grind them out on the tough days.

having a brown tide bloom down there

Traditionally we have had a great cold weather fishery, but I think it has just been too cold this year. There have been so many

that will almost certainly have an affect on us when the big water moves in. I am

Cliff Thomas and Capt. Rowsey enjoyed a great day catching and releasing many big trout this day.

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74 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

The author with an eight and a half that fell for a Bass Assassin – released.

UPPE R L AGUNA / BAFFI N trying to plan ahead to deal

and dictate where we fish. The crazy

with it if it comes, but who

thing about April is that one minute

knows with Mother Nature?

we will be catching them in knee deep water on the flats, and the next day theyy

A few years ago I had a good friend, Mike

may be so deep that you have to use your ur trolling

Buchwald, come down in

motor and Power-Pole to be the most affective. Bottom line is that

April and stay at my cabin

you need to pursue the surface bait activity to dictate where you will

for a weekend. We started

be the most effective, and have the highest chance of hooking up.

fishing and fi hi on a FFriday id afternoon, f d quit i about noon on that Sunday.

The trout will gorge themselves at every given opportunity, so they

We had been experiencing some ugly water conditions prior to his

may not always be willing to eat. Like us, they do not eat 24/7. So be

arrival, but that week we had a huge rush of water from down south

patient and find areas that have good ambush spots/structure and a

and it cleared our waters to a gorgeous emerald green. It was like

ample bait supply and you will get them.

God had flipped a switch. That weekend produced a catch and

Favorite lures for this time of year is, hands down, a MirrOlure

release session that I will never forget, and I know, for sure, that Mike

She Dog to find them. I prefer it in silver with a chartreuse back on

will not. The final tally was 2 trout over 9 pounds, 3 over 8 pounds,

most days. Once we find them on top, we stick with it until they lose

5 over 7 pounds, and 23 over 6 pounds. It was just one of those

interest or have their fill. After that it is back to subsurface plastic.

weekends that you can never forget, and to share it with a close

The Paul Brown Original by MirrOlure and the 5” Bass Assassin

friend made it even more special. I wish I could say that this April

will get equal play time from me, just depending on the situation,

would be the same, but we all know that experience was way outside

structure type, etc.

of the norm, but the truth of the matter is that if the moon, stars, and mojo line up correctly…it could happen again.

shut.” Author Unknown

As trout ride the tide in, they will be flowing along with the

Set ‘em loose,

baitfish. Menhaden and mullet will come through in great schools

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

“Even a fish wouldn’t get into trouble if he kept his mouth

Capt. David Rowsey

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 75

TRICIA’S 0DQVILHOG 5HSRUW Fishing during the late winter period, while excellent at

deeper and out of wading depth. However, when it was on it was on, unfortunately those stronger feeds didn’t last very long.

times, will have to go into the

Another thing we have been sorely missing has been a topwater

record books as disappointing.

bite. Who knows why, but even when the subsurface bite was strong

However, and to be fair,

the fish just didn’t seem to want to come all the way up. Tails in thigh

Capt. Tricia’s Skinny Water

anything short of spectacular

to waist deep water have been the rule, but the experienced Corky

Adventures operates out of

would be a letdown compared

guys continued to do well. Colors didn’t seem to have mattered as

Port Mansfield, specializing in

with what we had in 2009.

much as finding concentrations of fish and good presentations. Which

wadefishing with artificial lures. Telephone 956-642-7298 Email shell@granderiver.net Website www.SkinnyWaterAdventures.com

We just weren’t given

one of us can’t wait for more consistent opportunity?

enough good weather days

With sitting at the house riding out norther after norther, I’ve had

to hit it as hard as we wanted

a lot of time to dream about what all of this is really supposed to be

to, and when we did, the fish

about. I think about some awesome times past and look forward to the

seemed to be scattered and

enchantment

often not eating well. We

spring will

did catch quite a few trout

bring us. One

between twenty-eight and thirty inches, but it took a lot of probing

trip in particular

and the timing had to be right. Our normal redfish stack-up situations

comes to mind,

after northers weren’t anything like last year either. Very few times

just a couple of

did we see either trout or reds pull into the extreme shallows for any

us girls out for

length of time. With the water temperatures staying mostly in the

an entire day of

50s from January through early March, perhaps many of them stayed

sightcasting on

If you stalk quietly, you can sometimes find fish within kicking distance.

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76 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

POR T MANSFI E LD For many, casting to fish you can see is a fantasy.

the shallow sand.

up we both agreed it had been

Gina Saenz Rice, Assistant

a

spiritual experience. Sadly though,

Director of the CCA STAR

those days are becoming fewer here in

Tournament, and I eased out

our beloved Lagoon.

one morning before dawn

edicated The area Gina and I fished requires a dedicated

to anchor along a spoil bank.

walk to reach, if you want fish to be there when you arrive, that is. Now,

Suspecting but not knowing

as in many other areas, many boaters have unfortunately decided to

that good fish would be

crash these once taboo sanctuaries instead of approaching them with

prowling on the other side,

more reverence. Many times we see people blow through waders

we committed to a long walk

or tailing fish on missions unknown, and predictably, we see fish not

far back into the flats. As

using some of the prime spots as they did in the past. I wonder if some

the sun sneaked above the horizon, almost every direction revealed

of these new boaters have ever witnessed scenes such as Gina and I

redfish tails waving in the clear shallow water. With not another person

experienced. It seems that if they did, running through such pristine

or boat in sight, Gina went one way and I went another, each chasing

habitat would not be an option.

our own personal dreams in a fantasy-like setting.

The season to walk, stalk and sight-cast is upon us. For many, casting

For hours we stalked quietly and picked the fish we wanted to

to fish you can see is a fantasy. It’s O.K. to dream, as that’s what fishing

catch until our arms hurt. We had separated a good distance, but

is all about, but down here in the Laguna it can be a reality. Let’s all try

periodically would look up and give each other a thumbs-up signal

to respect one another’s space this season, but above all, let’s respect

with one hand while letting the drag strip out of the other. No words,

the fish we are after. A quiet pre-dawn walk is good for the soul, and

no talk, no distractions; just the beauty of the Laguna Madre at it’s

those tailing fish just might wave you in with unsuspecting approval.

finest and the challenge of the chase. Even when the wind picked up

Let’s hope this winter was only a cold-weather exception and the

and the tails went down, the crystal clear water let us throw at cruising

fantasyland fishing will continue.

fish sometimes within kicking distance. When she and I finally met

3RUW 0DQVĂ€HOG $QQXDO )LVKLQJ7RXUQDPHQW -XO\

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www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 77

SOUTH PADRE

)LVKLQJ 6FHQH Last month I stated that I A Brownsville-area native, Capt. Ernest Cisneros fishes the Lower Laguna Madre from Port Mansfield to Port Isabel. Ernest specializes in wading and poled skiff adventures for snook, trout, and redfish.

into sandy potholes. Topwaters have yet to produce consistently

hated to see the cold winter

but we have had a few days where it warmed up enough on the

weather leave us. What I

flats to fool redfish on top. Surely, as the water continues to warm

should have said was I hated

up in April, so shall the topwater bite.

to see the winter fishing

I mentioned last month that potholes are good producers in

pattern come to an end. I

the spring months and April is when it really gets going. Look

never thought I would say

for redfish and trout to be stationed in these sandy holes. Pay

this but I am anxious for the

attention to what’s chasing your bait. This is the time of year

spring wind to blow. Thanks

when piggy perch will chase your lure all the way to the boat and

to almost constant north

piggies make excellent forage for trout and reds. With the onset

wind over the past several

of spring the skipjacks will once again roam the sand; trout and

weeks, the brown tide that

redfish will also

was confined to the Land Cut area north of Port Mansfield has

begin using the

migrated down the Laguna Madre all the way to South Bay. The

sandy shallows on

fish are still here, but as of early March it has been tough catching

the east side as

them on lures in the tea-colored water. We have already seen the

feeding grounds.

tide levels building as they always do in the spring and hopefully

Stingrays will also

strong southerly wind and a good push of Gulf water into the

become more numerous in shallow water, so be careful wading.

Cell 956-266-6454 Website www.tightlinescharters.com

bays will improve the water clarity.

Gambler paddletailed plastics on Gamakatsu Weighted Spring Lock Hooks will give you an advantage when fishing in grass.

During April and continuing into May our trout will be in full

There is both good and bad in the brown tide. The good side

spawn and congregating over mixed sand-grass bottoms along

is that it reduces the catch for a time and overall this is good for

shorelines swept by strong currents. I personally favor late

the present fishery. The bad side is that reduced water clarity

afternoon and evening with incoming tide. By late afternoon the

blocks the sunlight from nourishing the seagrass beds and

flats have warmed and this is one of the keys. Remember that the

the seagrasses provide critical habitat for all marine life in the

water will cool overnight during early spring which means fish

Laguna Madre.

may feed better after everything warms later in the day.

Not all of our water has completely turned a dark tea color.

Biologists say the trout prefer to spawn in strong current. The

Some of the areas we have been fishing have had visibility of six

new and full moon periods of spawning season have always been

to twelve inches. We continue to throw suspending lures and

good for me and I believe it is because the tides run strongest at

Gambler paddletails rigged weedless with Gamakatsu Weighted

these times. Late evening wades around the full moon is a good

Spring Lock hooks. With the water remaining fairly cold, the best

choice when targeting big trout. Find a good concentration of

retrieve has been a slow one dragged along the grass beds and

bait on a flat where there is a good tidal flow. If it happens to

78 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

AR ROYO CO LO R AD O TO P O R T I SABE EL so they can continue to spawn and enrich our bays. I also expect that April pril will bring a good topwater redfish bite as they once again roam the flats on a consistent basis. Boat traffic will definitely increase as anglers from all over the state get the itch to be on the water. Please remember to exercise good on-thewater etiquette and also around the docks and launches. Nobody enjoys confrontations, so please be patient and kind. As I write this I am hoping and praying for the tide to rise and the south wind to blow this ugly, stained water out of our pristine Lower Laguna Madre. Don’t forget to sharpen those hooks and spool your reels with new line. Having your

These guys got on a good trout bite despite the stained water.

boats engine serviced before making the first trip of spring is also a good idea. Best of luck in the chase for a memory of a lifetime.

be near a gut or channel I think it will increase your chances in finding a trophy. Please remember to practice catch and release

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 79

ILVKLQJ 5HSRUWV DQG )RUHFDVWV IURP %LJ /DNH WR %RFD &KLFD BROUGHT TO YOU BY...

Lake Calcasieu - Louisiana Jeff and Mary Poe - Big Lake Guide Service • 337-598-3268

marsh is starting to fill up with fish and spring is a great time to catch both trout and reds in there.”

Thankfully, our water temperature has finally made it above fifty degrees! The big trout are showing up on the sand flats around the lake and we have been catching some really nice fish. The reds are still as thick as thieves and willing to eat anything you throw at them most of the time. April is shaping up to be a killer month. Temperatures are warming up and water conditions look good. Fish should be moving onto deeper reefs around the lake. I would head toward the south end of the lake because salinities will be higher there. Don’t count out reefs in West Cove and Joe’s Cove either. These two usually stay a little saltier than reefs farther north. Bust out your topwaters because this is when it starts getting steady with them. Good topwaters to try are Skitterwalks, Spooks, and MirrOlures. Colors depend on water clarity; I stick to natural colors when water clarity is good and go with something loud when it’s dirty. Redfish are still going to be around the weirs and along the east bank of the lake, eating spoons and soft plastics.

Trinity Bay - East Bay - Galveston Bay James Plaag - www.silverkingadventures.com - 409 935 7242 James tells of good fishing for all three of the main target species lately around his home on West Galveston Bay. “We’re catching plenty of reds, walking away from them with limits on some days, and the trout numbers are decent. The average size of the trout is outstanding, lots of four and five pounders, with an occasional fish over six showing up. On top of the trout and redfish, we are catching some real nice flounder. We’ve had three or four over five pounds in the last week. They are hanging around the same shallow areas with the solid trout. I’ve been wading most every day. Did try fishing out of the boat one day here a while back and caught more trout, but the percentage of keepers was poor and we didn’t catch the solid fours and fives. In April, that will likely be true too. Wading will work better than drifting for the most part, especially if catching bigger trout is the goal. We should see the action heat up further west, closer to San Luis Pass. The whole south shoreline has great potential this month.”

Jimmy West - Bolivar Guide Service - 409 996 3054 “Fishing has been okay, nothing extraordinary lately,” Jim says. “But we’re about to start whackin’ ‘em, I bet. Usually, when it warms up at the beginning of spring, the fish will show up in lots more places and that helps us catch them when conditions are marginal. Lately, the fronts have come so close together that most of the bay stays dirty. The fish are concentrated in the back of the bay right now, where it takes the longest to clear up after a blow, so lots of days are kind of tough. But as the water warms and the winds stay out of the southeast more, we’ll have some good water along the shoreline on the other side of the bay. Topwaters should start working better too; it’s been mostly a Corky and Catch 2000 thing for me this winter, but that will change with the warm up as well. We’ll be wading shorelines early in the morning and using the bayous as a backup if it’s windy later in the day. The 80 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

West Galveston - Bastrop - Christmas Chocolate Bays Randall Groves - Groves Guide Service - 979 849 7019 - 979 864 9323 Randall reports that fishing has turned the corner for the better lately in his area with the warming temperatures. “The fishing for reds has been better than for the trout,” he says. “We’ve been keying on grass beds lately and doing well with soft plastics. The best lures have been Norton Sand Eels in purple and Bull Minnows in purple/chartreuse. Everything looks to be pretty close to on cue as far as the bait and trout migrations. We’ve started seeing a few glass minnows already, and more should be on the way. The trout will start moving out of the surf and through the Pass in April, I bet. We’ll start fishing that area more and targeting them with topwaters and of course the lures that imitate the glass minnows too. The pattern of working the grass beds should stay productive, but we won’t hesitate to move out to deeper water, in depths of at least four feet if the shallower grass stops producing. By and large, it is shaping up to be a good spring, especially if the winds don’t blow too hard and we can fish most of the area most of the time.”

Matagorda Tommy Countz - Bay Guide Service - 979 863 7553 | cell 281 450 4037 Tommy says that April offers several productive options in the Matagorda area. “In East Bay, we will still see some big trout caught along the south shoreline. Most will be found around drains leading out of the coves on grass beds. Corkys and other twitch baits are the best bet for that pattern. If winds are light, the mid-bay reefs will be a good bet too. Out there, I like to throw Corkys and small topwaters like Spook Jrs, Skitterwalk Jrs and the She Pup early. If the sun gets high and the bite on them is slow, I’ll switch over to soft plastics like Norton Bull Minnows. Chicken on a chain and black magic are two favorite colors. In West Bay, which is where I head if it’s windy, the south shoreline drains will be good. I like small topwaters and Corkys early on the inside grass beds and then work my way out. One of my favorite things to do this month is target the sand bars at the mouth of the coves in West Bay. The fish will relate to them regularly. Also, we’ll look for pelicans and glass minnows or shad, whichever show up in abundance.”

Palacios - Capt. Aaron Wollam www.palaciosguideservice.com - 979 240 8204 We have finally starting catching some better fish here in the Palacios area lately. The cold winter continues and our fish are still holding in their wintering areas and we are catching them on cold weather patterns. We have been on a solid bite over around the drains on south shoreline of West Matagorda Bay. When the tides are high, the fish have been far back up in the bayous, and when the tides drop out, they move out in front of the drains. Dark colored Corky Devils and Brown Lures in purple/chartreuse and black/

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

chartreuse have been some of our best lures for catching the trout and reds in those areas. In the Palacios area, shorelines close to the Tres Palacios River have been coughing up smaller numbers of fish, just not of the same quality as those across the bay. April is one of my favorites months to fish, with lots of bait moving into the bays and the great spring tradition of chasing glass minnows. Look for flocks of feeding brown pelicans to locate the migrating schools of minnows and the trout and reds that follow them.

Port O’Connor Lynn Smith - Back Bay Guide Service - 361 983 4434 Lynn expects to see some good fishing in shallow water for trout and redfish in April. “We should see the fish start to prefer the sandy areas more than the mud this month. So I’ll be working shallow shorelines with lots of hard sand and grass, focusing on the sand pockets in the grass. I like to throw small topwaters like the Spook Jr. and the Spro, especially in silver with a black back. Seems to work good in the clear water when the glass minnows and other small forage are hatching. If the topwaters don’t work, I’ll try MirrOlure twitch baits and Corkys, also soft plastics like the Bass Assassins, both the rat tails and the Sea Shads. A couple of the keys this month are to stay shallow around the sand and grass and to target areas with plenty of bait fish. In a month like this, with the water warming up and the fish starting to feed more often, it’s necessary to find good concentrations of bait fish. That could mean finger mullet, shad and/or glass minnows. Coming off this cold winter, spring shapes up nicely.”

Rockport - Blake Muirhead Gator Trout Guide Service - 361 790 5203 - 361 441 3894 “I’ll be fishing hard sandy, grassy shorelines in bays like Aransas, Corpus and St. Charles in April,” Blake predicts. “In particular, I like to focus on the areas adjacent to the passes, watching for the incoming migration of glass minnows, shad or schools of finger mullet. Mostly, it’s a glass minnow thing. We should be seeing schools of those and the fish feeding on them will probably be making slicks regularly. So by staying around the passes and locating Pelicans and slicks, we should be able to be consistent on the trout. Topwaters usually work well this time of year, and of course, I’ll throw my Sand Eels if I can’t make them rise to the floating plugs. Lots of years, in these kinds of areas, there are good numbers of reds in there with the trout. Sometimes, you’ll catch them in exactly the same places; at other times, you’ll need to go a little shallower to catch the reds, but they will be close to the same areas as the trout, along shorelines with lots of hard sandy bottom and grass beds.”

Padre Island National Seashore Billy Sandifer - Padre Island Safaris - 361 937 8446 There is the potential for many species of gamefish in the surf zone during April, but it all depends totally upon wind, sargassum and tide levels. The list of species present includes sharks of various species, jack crevalle, redfish, speckled trout, Atlantic bluefish, sheepshead, black drum, pompano, and whiting. The little tunny sometimes come inshore close enough to be available to those casting from the beach. Whiting are often the best producers for sharks in spring, and small silver spoons and flies for the bonita. Silver spoons and Rattletraps out-produce topwaters early in the year for speckled trout. Almost any large artificial or cut bait will connect with the jack crevalle. Watch for diving brown pelicans to lead you to jacks. Peeled, fresh, dead shrimp and “Fishbites” are most productive for the bottom dwelling species. Turtle patrols start the first Saturday of the month and the speed limit will be reduced to 15-mph on April 15th. Colonial nesting water birds will be setting up nests on rookery islands so heed signs to stay clear of rookery islands.

Upper Laguna Madre - Baffin Bay - Land Cut Robert Zapata - rz1528@grandecom.net - 563 1160

is usually cool and the wind is moderate. Another reason for April being one of my favorite months is because the speckled trout’s average weight is the heaviest during this month, so this is a good time to try to catch a state record trout. My favorite way to catch fish is with topwater lures, and this is a great time to fish with those and suspending lures. My favorite topwaters are MirrOLure She Dogs in bone color and my favorite suspending lures are MirrOLure Catch 5s in color #CHBL. I’ll always have my standby lures like Bass Assassin five inch Sea Shads in plum/chartreuse and bone diamond, also Assassin Blurps and Berkley Gulps rigged on sixteenth ounce springlock jigheads. If it’s windy and we have a lot of floating grass, I’ll rig the soft plastic baits under an Assassin Kwik Cork with a fluorocarbon leader, but with a heavier jighead in order to create the necessary clicking noise.

Joe Mendez – www.sightcast1.com - 361 937 5961 Joe hopes to see the traditional spring places and patterns kick in nicely in April. “Normally, April is a great month to fish the Land Cut and Nine Mile Hole and Yarbrough. If the water’s clear down that way, you can catch some big trout and lots of reds in those places. In the Cut, it’s a game of staying on the trolling motor and casting topwaters and plastics close to the east drop off of the ditch. With the soft plastics, it pays to play with the size of the jighead, using lighter ones in light winds and heavier ones in stronger winds, so that it’s possible to maintain contact with the bottom along the drop. When fishing the shallower areas in the hole and on the flats in Yarbrough, it’s more of a game of covering water and focusing on the sandy pockets in the grass. The same lures will generally work, but using lighter jigheads with the soft plastics is more effective in the shallows. If the water in those areas is off color, which I fear it may be with the reports we’ve gotten about brown tide in the LLM, I’ll probably head north more often.”

Port Mansfield Terry Neal – www.terrynealcharters.com – (956) 944 2559 April will find us well into the spring fishing patterns and with this many things will be changing. It would go without saying that strong south and southeast wind will prevail throughout the month and this always influences fishing plans. The good side of that coin is that spring tides bring us new water from down south and better fishing conditions. The ICW dredging project that has lasted for several months is finally winding down in the Port Mansfield area and everyone will be glad to see it go. They did more work in the East Cut, so that should help the water flow. I look for the new near-shore artificial reefs in our region to begin producing some good snapper. These are located six to seven miles offshore and they have been marked pretty good from what I’ve heard. Remember that fishing is all about good times and memories; not always about how many fish you can catch. Keep what you can eat, release the rest.

Lower Laguna Madre - South Padre - Port Isabel Janie and Fred Petty www.fishingwithpettys.com – (956) 943 2747 We’re still in the alternating pattern of slow tides one week, then normal tides the next. On top of that, this year is the worst brown tide event we’ve seen since the nineties, maybe ever. The choking brown algae is covering the entire LLM from the land cut to the South Padre Island causeway at the time of this writing. Except for some outstanding twenty nine inch and under trout, fishing’s been slow, with one or two good days a week. We’re throwing the Berkley Gulp three inch shrimp on a quarter ounce. jig head tied on a thirty pound test leader under a Cajun Thunder round cork, targeting pot holes when you can find them. The hottest colors are glow, pearl white, and new penny. Freddy says, “What we need is about two solid weeks of heavy southeast winds to clear the bay. As the sun warms the shallow waters, perch will climb out of the channels to flood the flats and the schools of redfish will follow.” Boaters should use caution when running in brown tide…the depth is not as easy to judge and obstacles can be hard to see.

The month of April is one of my favorite months to fish. The air temperature Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 81

Catch of the Month!

All upcoming Photo Galleries are now online! Check out when your photo will appear in the magazine.

Cora McCartney Rockport - first redfish!

Jesse Mendoza Laguna Madre - 22” speckled trout

Tiffany Schendel 41” 28lb first redfish!

David Wright Matagorda - 22” redfish

David Motal Port O’Connor - 39” 32lb drum

Ty Wilkerson San Luis Pass - 18” trout

Trebor Poncik Christmas - 23.5” & 25.5” trout

Chad Smith

Emily Williamson Port O’Connor - 41” redfish

5RFNSRUW µ WURXW

Charles Fritz Matagorda Bay - 22.5# tripletail

82 April 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Ty Gerke Laguna Madre - 29” speckled trout

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Leslie Gerberman Palacios - 23” redfish

Travis Randall Rockport - 29” 8.4lb trout

Donna Wilson Laguna Madre - 23” flounder

Danny Flanagan 28” redfish

Ted Lucio Arroyo City - 23” black drum

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

BROUG H T TO YOU B Y. . .

Holt Giesen Laguna Madre - 27” trout

Jason Cook Laguna Madre - 27” first redfish!

Austin Conner & Grandpa Laguna Madre - 25” trout

Orlando Gracia Arroyo City - 34” black drum

Macala & Riley Elliott St. Joe’s Surf - trout

Leah Dunn 28” trout

Kevin Davis Galveston Bay - 28.75” trout

Lynn Field “Lynn’s Rig” CC Bay - 38” bull red Susan Colvin Copano Bay - 10# black drum

Daniel Contreras 30” redfish

Chris Flores Austwell - 26” redfish

C Downey Packery Channel - first flounder!

Please do not write on the back of photos.

Claudia Zapalac Sargent - snook

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Email photos with a description of your Catch of the Month to: Photos@tsfmag.com

Sidney Dromgoole Port Mansfield/SPI - tarpon

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Mail photos to: TSFMag P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 www.TSFMAG.com / April 2010 83

GULF COAST

.LWFKHQ

1HZ LQ 6HDGULIW 7; PAM JOHNSON Got ideas, hints or recipes you’d like to share? Email them to pam@tsfmag.com or send by fax: 361-785-2844

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Readers of TSFMag that frequent Port O’Connor-Seadrift should plan to visit the areas newest restaurant. Bubba’s – The Boiling Spot, is located in mid-town Seadrift on TX Highway 185 with a to-die-for menu of boiled, grilled and fried seafood. Everything at Bubba’s is prepared when ordered so sit back and enjoy the Cajun music and a cold one while the cooks prepare a delicious meal the way you want it. Check out the shrimp, oyster and crab burgers; they are truly delicious!

&5$% $1' $92&$'2 6283 We enjoy seafood bisques, soups and stews. This recipe combines parts of several we tried. It is delicious, rich and hearty, great as an appetizer or entrée. with cayenne, salt and pepper. 4 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter 1 cup chopped onion 3 tablespoons flour 2 8-ounce bottles clam juice 2 cups low-salt chicken broth 1/2 cup half and half 2 medium avocados, peeled, pitted, diced (reserve half for garnish)

4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 1 1/2 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeño (reserve 1/2 Tbs. for garnish) 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1/2 pound canned crabmeat, flaked, picked over for shell 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper salt and pepper to taste 1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese (for garnish)

In large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add flour and stir 1 minute. Add clam juice, broth, half and half; bring to boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat slightly and simmer until slightly thickened, whisking occasionally, about 5 minutes. Puree soup in batches in blender, adding 1 diced avocado, cilantro, 1-tablespoon jalapeno, and lime juice to last batch. Return soup to pot. Add crabmeat and simmer until heated through, about 3 minutes. Season soup with cayenne, salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with remaining diced avocado, jalapeno and mozzarella cheese. Serve with tortilla chips.

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MISCELLANEOUS Cove Harbor Marina and Drystack 361-790-5438

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Back Cover

Camille@fishingtackleunlimited.com

Speedy Stop Solunar 361-582-5100

www.finsfishing.com

www.academy.com

Roy’s Bait & Tackle 361-992-2960

www.EZdrainer.com

Fins

59

www.yo-zuri.com

FISHING RETAIL LOCATIONS Academy Sports + Outdoors Inside Back Cover

www.finnorfishing.com

281-481-6838

Yo-Zuri America, Inc

281-646-5000

Fin-Nor

11 www.yeticoolers.com

74

www.doalures.com

EZ Drainer

3 www.wileyx.com

Yeti Coolers 772-336-2280

www.gofishgalveston.com

10 www.WaterlooRods.com

Wiley X Eyewear 512-394-9384

www.brownlures.com

79

www.wadeaid.com

Waterloo Rods 800-776-7842

www.bombersaltwatergrade.com

www.EagLECLaw.Com

478-788-2404

15

Wade Aid Enterprises 361-573-0300

D.O.A.

www.topsntowers.com

BOATS, KAYAKS, OUTBOARDS Anchor Marine of Texas Cover, 1 210-599-1415 www.anchormarineoftexas.com Bernie’s Boats 20 361-573-7809 www.berniesboats.com Busha Boat Works 33 979-245-3369 www.bushaboatworks.com Coastal Backwater Marine 72 409-927-1462 www.coastalbackwatermarine.com Coastline Marine Cover, 1 713-614-2057 wwwcoastlinemarine.net Dargel Boat Works 28 800-749-2628 www.dargel.com El Pescador Boats 49 361-576-2056 www.ELPescadorBoats.com Flatstalker Boat 70 361-813-8040 www.flatstalker.com Gulf Coast Boats 31 713-477-7119 www.gulfcoastboats.net Gulf Coast Marine Cover, 1, 6 361-937-7800 www.gcmboats.com Huff Marine 38 361-991-0369 www.huffmarine1955.com Kroll’s Marine 68 281-342-4461 www.krollmarine.com LMC Marine Center 16 281-209-boat www.lmcboats.com Majek Boats 45 361-991-3102 www.majekboats.com Mt. Houston Marine 52 281-447-7689 www.mthoustonmarine.com Ron Hoover RV & Marine Centers Solunar 409-935-7101 www.RONHOOVER.com Sail & Ski Center 27 512-219-2705 www.sailandski.com Shallow Sport Boats Cover, 1 956-233-9489 www.shallowsportboats.com Shoalwater Boats 22 361-983-4134 www.shoalwaterboats.com Texas Marine 67 409-832-2027 www.texasmarine.com The Sportsman Cover, 1 956-399-5123 www.sportsmanboats.com Trans Fiberglass Boat 41 361-972-6629 www.transportboats.com

68

Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041

Trilene 888-923-3243

www.aquateko.com

Brown Lures

Ego Nets

Cover, 1

39

www.americanrodsmiths.com

Bomber Lures 479-782-8971

57

www.thirdstonesoft.com www.berkley-fishing.com

Aquateko - Invisa Swivel

61 73

888-361-2221

26

American Rodsmiths 904-273-7200

39

www.texastacklefactory.com

Third Stone Software

www.allstarrods.com

713-466-7849

49

www.strikeproamerica.com

Texas Tackle Factory 361-575-4751

All Star Rods

Eagle Claw

www.StickItAnchorPins.com

75

None

FISHING PRODUCTS (RODS, REELS, TACKLE, ETC.)

12

www.standnfish.com

Stick It Anchor Pins 941-815-6875

361-576-6433

Strike Pro America 409-938-7400

www.piersdecks.com

Specialty Shutters Systems

www.specialtyalworks.com

Stand-N-Fish 941-915-8159

979-332-0090

www.stiffypushpoles.com

Gulf Coast Trolling Motor 281-481-6838

70

D & P Coastal Marine Contruction

BOAT ACCESSORIES

www.St.CroixRod.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Headed into Salesman the water Sample Sale Soon? April 9 & 10 12800 Gulf Freeway Location Under the tents!

CATALYST PTS

AVAILABLE IN CT100HPTS,

Look for our ad inside this issue

CT100SPTS $

169.95

CATALYST PT INSHORE

AVAILABLE IN CI20PTSB, CI30PTSB, CI40PTSB

ENERGY PTS

$

139.95

AVAILABLE IN E100HPTS, E100SPTS

Saltwater

$

219.99

TOUR EDITION PT AVAILABLE IN TR100SPT, $

TE100HPT

259.99

Freshwater ENERGY PT

AVAILABLE IN

E100PT, E100SPT

$

189.99

ENERGY PTi

AVAILABLE IN E10PTiB, E20PTiB, E30PTiB, E40PTiB $

12800 Gulf Freeway @ Fuqua Houston, Texas 77034 281-481-6838

Now Available!! Shop with us online at

www.fishingtackleunlimited.com Lay-A-Way and Gift Certificates Available

179.99

8933 Katy Freeway Houston, Texas 77024 713-827-7762

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