April 2007 by Texas Salwater Fishing Magazine

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

april 2 0 0 7

V o l u m e 16 N o . 12

in this issue… 24 10 Getting on Top of Things

Mike McBride

14 Ten Essential Lures

Kevin Cochran

20 Matagorda coughs up plenty…

Bink Grimes

24 Tools of the Trade

Martin Strarup

28 Turtles, Birds and Equipment Tips

Billy Sandifer

32 Let’s Ask The Pro

Jay Watkins

36 Fly Fishing

40 Tournament Trails

Bubba Harkin of Houston shows off his personal best speckled trout. Bubba was fishing with Capt. Tricia of Skinny Water Adventures in Port Mansfield. The 28-3/4 inch trophy was caught on a Brown Lure Company “Sea Devil” soft plastic. Bubba released his trophy!

Casey Smartt

Brandon Jenewein

44 Offshore

Bobby Byrd/Capt. John Cochrane

48 Conservation

CCA-Texas

52 Science and the Sea

UT-Marine Science Institute

54 TPWD Field Notes

Josh Harper

60 Kayak Fishing

Scott Null

64 According To Scott

Scott Sommerlatte

66 Memory Makers

Reagan Orr

68 Youth Fishing

Aaron Cisneros

70 The Lore and Legend

Raymond “Kutch” Albrecht

95 Billy Sandifer’s Big Shell Cleanup

Everett Johnson

76 Chuck’s Sabine Scene

Chuck Uzzle

78 Mickey on Galveston

Mickey Eastman

80 Capt. Bill’s Fish Talk

Bill Pustejovsky

82 Mid-Coast Bays with the Grays

Gary Gray

84 Catching up with Cliff

Cliff Webb

86 Capt. Tricia’s Port Mansfield Report

Capt. Tricia

88 South Padre Fishing Scene

Ernest Cisneros

Subscriptions Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine is published monthly. Subscriptions available for $34.00 per year. E-MAG is available for $25.00 per year. Order online at: www.texassaltwaterfishingmagazine.com or tsfmag.com Or make checks payable to: Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine Attn: Subscriptions P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, Texas 77983 * Subscribers are responsible for submitting all address changes and renewals by the 15th of the prior month’s issue. The U.S. Postal Service does not guarantee magazines will be forwarded.

Advertising Please direct advertising inquires to: tracey@tsfmag.com NE W ! or call 361-785-3420 EMAIL 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 © 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.

94 6

Editorial

74 New Tackle & Gear 90 Fishing Reports and Forecasts 92 Photo Gallery–Catch of the Month 94 Gulf Coast Kitchen 99 Index of Advertisers

Visit us on the Web at www.texassaltwaterfishingmagazine.com Editor and Publisher Everett Johnson everett@tsfmag.com NEW ! L EM A I

Application to Mail at Periodicals Postage Rates is Pending at Victoria, TX 77901 .

Business Manager Pam Johnson

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

pam@tsfmag.com NEW !

Texas Saltwater Fishing

EM A I

April 2007

Advertising Tracey Johnson Ph: 361-785-3420

Fx: 361-785-2844

tracey@tsfmag.com NEW !

L EM A I Subscription – Circulation Shirley Elliott Ph: 361-785-3420 shirley@tsfmag.com

NE W ! L EM A I

is the leader in

Texas and growing larger every day, we are now available in over 1300 local retailers! Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got you covered! Retailers in these communities are now stocking our magazine. You can also sign up to subscribe by calling 361-785-3420 or on-line @ www.TSFMag.com . Reading on-line is also becoming a popular way to take our publication. Check out the FREE archived issues or purchase an E-Mag subscription. E-Mag features include easy to view pages, just like a hard copy, but with instant links to writers, advertisers and other subscriber services. Alamo Dickinson Algoa Dilley Alice Donna Alvin Eagle Lake Angleton East Bernard Aransas Pass Edinberg Austin Edna Bastrop El Campo Bay City Elgin Baytown Elmendorf Beasley Elsa Beaumont Falfurrias Beeville Fentress Bellville Flatonio Bishop Floresville Blessing Fredericksburg Bloomington Freeport Boerne Friendswood Brazoria Ft Worth Brenham Ft. Lauderdale Brookshire Fulton Brownsville Galveston Bryan Ganado Buda George West Bulverde Georgetown Burnet Geronimo Castroville Giddings Cedar Creek Goliad Cedar Park Gonzales Channelview Groves Chappell Hill Halletsville Clear Lake Hankamer Clute Harlingen College Station Hawkinsville Converse Helotes Corpus Christi Hempstead Cuero Hitchcock Dallas Hondo Damon Houston Del Valle Humble Devine Hungerford Ingleside Karnes City Katy Kemah Kenedy Kerrville

Kingsville Kyle La Grange La Porte La Vernia Lake Jackson LaMarque Laredo League City Leander Lewisville Lockhart Luling Lytle Manvel Marbel Falls Matagorda Mathis Maxwell McAllen Mercedes Midfield Mt. Belvieu Mustang Ridge Navasota Needville New Braunfels Nixon Odem Orange Palacios Palmview Pasadena Pearland Pearsall Pettus Pflugerville Pharr Plano Pleasanton Point Comfort Port Arthur Port Isabel Port Lavaca Port Mansfeild Port Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor Portland Poth

Raymondville Refugio Richmond Rio Grande City Robstown Rockport Rosenburg Round Rock San Antonio San Benito San Juan San Marcos Schertz Schulenberg Seabrook Seadrift Sealy Selma Sequin Shiner Sinton Spring Spring Branch Stafford Stockdale Sugarland SugarValley Texas City Three Rivers Tivoli Tomball Universal City Uvalde Van Vleck Victoria Vidor Von Ormy Wallisville Weslaco West Columbia Wharton Winnie Woodsboro Yoakum Yorktown

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

I’m guessing that all who read

this have heard the terms steward and stewardship at one point or another and most likely through the context of how it was used figured out that being a steward brought responsibility. I think my first recollection of the term came while listening to my father and his cronies from the mill. The guys my dad ran with loved hunting and fishing and they took me with them any time I was out of school. My part in the discussions was to sit in the back seat and listen while Dad drove to hunting or fishing spots. They discussed lots of things, some of which was Steelworker Union related, and I learned that my dad and Tony Kozenski were shop stewards on the night shift. Not everybody got to be a steward; stewards were selected for leadership and the respect they commanded. They represented the workers should they get into a scrape with the boss. My dad and Tony willing assumed that responsibility. Quite often you will hear people who work in country clubs referred to as stewards. These are usually the folks in charge of food and drink for the member’s parties and other functions. They have the responsibility of making sure guests are happy with the club’s services. You might also recall that there used to be stewards and stewardesses on airplanes, now-a-days they’re called flight attendants. Occasionally you might hear administrators of finances referred to as stewards but this usage is not all that common anymore. If you look in Webster’s New World Dictionary – Fourth Edition, the definition they list first is, “A person put in charge of a large estate.” Now we all have some interest in saltwater fishing or we wouldn’t be reading this, and we all have at least one other thing in common… we are all stewards. Some are probably ready to ask, “How so?” Well it’s real simple the way I see it, when you purchase a fishing license that’s you signing up, and when you hit the water that’s you reporting for work. Just like in Webster’s, you are in charge of a large estate. The northern boundary touches Louisiana and it borders Mexico to the south. The estate includes some of the most precious coastal treasures on planet Earth. Just as we strive to excel in our jobs, we should also strive to be good stewards of the coastal resources that are entrusted to us. A good way to start is by joining a conservation organization such as CCA-Texas. In doing so your voice blends with thousands to become a mighty chorus for the cause. You should volunteer to perform as much hands-on conservation as you can cram into your schedule. Crab trap cleanups, beach cleanups, seagrass plantings, dune seedings and fundraising for conservation projects are all very worthwhile and noble causes. You might also want to consider putting on some fishing demonstrations for school or church kids. Taking them fishing and giving nature lessons while they reel in a few piggies or hardheads is an awesome contribution to the person they might be influenced to become. You might want to consider taking an office in your local CCA chapter, or perhaps attending TPWD commissioner’s hearings and giving your take on what’s important for our bays and fisheries. If you cannot get time off work or afford the travel, writing your legislators and urging that they consider the future viability of our marine resources and eco-systems as they make other important decisions is also a very worthy pursuit. And finally there’s the things we do on the water. I once heard that the truest definition of character meant doing the right thing when nobody was watching. It is so easy to be pious in public, but do you have the moral fortitude to do the right things when you are alone? What I’m talking about is practicing good conservation out there on the water. The limit might be ten trout, but do you really need all ten? Will you go to bed hungry unless you kill everything that gets on your hook? Conservation means wise use, is filleting the wisest use of all ten of those trout, or could you make do on four or five? Being a better steward of coastal resources is no different than being in charge of a grand estate. When the owner is coming for a visit wouldn’t you work hard to make sure everything is in the best shape possible? Remember, buying a license and packing for a fishing trip brings responsibility and we should all try to be the best stewards we can possibly be, even when we’re fishing alone!

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

If you are like most

of the obsessed fish heads I know, your first surface

detonation was a life-altering experience. It usually takes but

floaters can be addictive lends little toward understanding the severity of this disease. There is a surplus of articles out there about which

one epic toilet flush to propel an already eager angler into a

topwater, what color, under which conditions, etc., ad nauseam;

wide-eyed enthusiast. Enthusiasts can be transformed into

but it is a subject worthy endless chapters. It’s fun just thinking

rabid, foam-mouthed junkies with just a few solid hook-ups

about it though, so let’s do some of that, but with the disclaimer

under the right

that the following is an opinion from only one source. Your

conditions. To

results and previous experiences may vary — but it’s April, and

say that learning

as we speak, thick-bellied, lure slamming trout are out looking

to fish with

to kill their food with flair and style. We can catch them with a little flair too if we make good decisions.

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

I fully admit to being one of those incurable topwater addicts. I actually became fairly skilled during my freshman year at San Marcos of all places; wearing black and sneaking into the Speech and Drama pond at night with a Jitterbug, determined to decimate its population of large channel cats. (Yes, we all have history.)

For years I was more than willing to trade numbers of subsurface fish for that one ‘fix’ the next depth charge would bring. Seriously, there used to be nothing in my wade box except topwaters from at least March through December. Yes, anticipation and overall size of fish went up, but often at the expense of everything else the day had to offer. Nothing wrong with that if we’re willing, but there are ways to be more consistent producers with surface baits if we make good decisions. Choosing you weapons: Most successful topwater anglers have their own pet plugs and remain pretty loyal to what has worked for them. The options are many and all will catch fish at one time or another, but in my personal opinion, there are but three classes of topwaters and they all have their place based on conditions and fish attitudes. I identify these as the obnoxious, the all-around intermediate, and the non-threatening subtle types. All are simply tools, and the main key is choosing the right one for the job immediately at hand. Actually, the bigger challenge is understanding the job, which means assessing the fish’s attitude at the moment…aggressive, neutral, or negative. Obnoxious plugs are the She Dog/He Dog types from MirroLure. They sound like an empty spray paint can and even irritate the fisherman on an otherwise pleasant day. They are best served in heavy cover, whether it be whitewater chop

due to the generalized purchase of the big bait-

opinions on this subject as there are crayons.

or nasty chocolate milk. There is an exception

big fish theory. However, as said before, let’s

Sure, there are times they will hit peach and not

however; and this occurs when it’s calm with

remember that an elephant will eat a peanut.

plum, but more often than not, color is not the

absolutely no feeding and all we can hope is to

There are many times, especially in very shallow

main ingredient. Being on fish comes first and

jack one up with shear agitation. It’s like teeing

or clear water, where a bunch of commotion is

then you worry about size and presentation.

off a mean sleeping porch dog and the reaction

the last thing we want. It takes a tourist to throw

A beat up old plug in front of the right stick is

can be quite violent. Even when this plug is

a rock where a pebble will do. There is a mighty

usually as good as any. However, in going back

sitting still it is talking and fishing, so another

fine line between calling a fish up and running it

to the three types of topwaters, there is certainly

technique that has brought several big fish to

off. Last week, when the sun finally broke, I was

some situational merit to the obnoxious, natural

hand is gently rocking it in the waves. We don’t

amazed to see tracks almost everywhere I had

and more subtle color schemes depending

always have to pretend to be mixing paint, nor is

made a retrieve. Like spokes on a wheel, every

on circumstances. Personally though, I’d

that always desirable.

line I had pulled the plug over was marked with

concentrate more on using skill than trying to

mud boils underneath. The presentation was

buy it.

In the all-around topwater category are the less threatening baits of average size and

too much and dozens of redfish were getting the

When: Again, there’s much difference of

racket. Top Dogs, Top Dog Jr’s, Skitterwalks,

heck out of the way. I quietly dropped down and

opinion here. Use them when the bait is up, when

Super Spooks, and a host of others make a good

the spanking began. If nothing else, a topwater

the sun is low, in calm water, when there is a

fit under ‘normal’ conditions. Day in and out,

is a good information gathering tool. Productive

feed, when there is none, during an eclipse, etc.

these baits are probably the most versatile. Not

baits of the subtle type for me are Top Pups

However, the reality of it all is that some great

much discussion here, just vary the retrieve until

when they want a finfish and a Super Spook Jr

fish have been caught up top in every condition

successful and repeat.

when they want something shrimpy sized.

imaginable. Personally, I have had tremendous

The subtle topwaters are often overlooked

Colors: There are as many colorful April 2007

topwater bites in everything from less than ten Texas Saltwater Fishing

inches of water to over twenty feet, with water

the rod. If it’s not, you are still

temps ranging from forty-eight degrees to

in the strike zone. Leaders

upper eighties, at noon, at night, in both howling

are cheap insurance against

tempests and the deadest of doldrums. Read

barbs, and it’s common to

your fish and try to address them with what

have the line run through

makes sense.

the hooks when the fish

Techniques: A common question is, “Hey man, what is the best way to work a topwater?”

One more knot can save an

As innocent as that might be, it’s like casually

extreme heartbreak. Upwind

asking a stockbroker the best way to invest

and working quarter to the

money. It all depends on the market, and that can

wind can be very productive

change by the hour. Ask Leonardo about the best

angles. Watch your bait

way to work a paintbrush and see if he doesn’t

movements. A key to getting

glare a hole through your non-abstract soul.

distance into the wind is

There is only one answer. The best way

to cast without making the

to work a topwater is doing what needs to be

lure tumble. Master that and

done to evoke a response. The most common

you know you are casting

technique is called walk the dog; not slap the

efficiently. Trout retrieves are

dog, jack the dog, or jerk the dog, but let’s not

often different than redfish

be so sure. Many years ago I witnessed a total

retrieves. For me, big trout

novice make us suck our experienced thumbs.

seem to like a lot of teasy

We were getting major swirls but about one

pauses, while redfish often

hook in ten. His pliers were much busier. Upon

like the steady take-away burn. Here’s the

inspection, he would stare at the floating plug for

biggest tip of all if we want to be well-rounded

a full ten seconds, violently jerk it about a dozen

anglers… Know when to call it!

feet, then wind down and repeat. “Hand,” I said. “What in the world are you doing over here?” “Well,” says he, with a squirt of tobacco

When NOT to use a topwater: Many times, no matter what we do, fish are simply not going to come up for us. Cases in point are John Kafka and Ron Shepherd of Fishing Tackle Unlimited

inserted for effect. “It’s called a Jumpin’ Minnow

pictured here. Despite textbook conditions, had I

ain’t it? I’m trying to make it jump!” He killed us.

stuck with a topwater I would have never known

Moral? Forget the sportswriter stuff and

these fish were hunkered down in the grass at

about trying to dictate terms to the fish. Work it

our feet. John was wise enough to pull the worm

like nobody is looking and don’t look back.

and proceeded to land many three to six pound

Sure, if we bang a topwater around long

fish including this handsome nine-pounder. Ron

enough something stupid will eventually hit it, but

stayed busy doing the same and also managed a

there is so much more to it all than simply casting

long fish. Me? No blow-ups over the same fish…

one as far downwind as possible and then

just foam-mouthed and stubborn.

mindlessly chugging it back like a one-cylindered

makes its u-turn on the lure.

With a topic that can never end, the appetite

engine. There are still some mysteries left in this

is never satisfied. Topwater fishing is not a

world, topwaters are one of them, and there will

meathaul technique, but it certainly can be when

always be a big difference between fishing and

timing meets skill. However, those who have truly

fishing well. Bottom line is to make that bait look

mastered the art of enticing fish to the surface

like something that needs the crap knocked out

under a variety of conditions are actually few.

of it and forget the rule book. Other miscellaneous tips: About the

One reason may be that folks tend to read too

hookset… don’t! When you see the blow, reel

Stop reading this and go get on top of things.

down to the weight. If it’s there, lean back on

See ya there and bring a handkerchief.

Texas Saltwater Fishing

many articles instead of trying to read the water.

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

I’m often asked to name

the lure I’d choose if I were limited to using only one, and that’s a relatively easy question to answer. Truth is, though, that I like to use many different devices to trick our native seatrout, depending on the fishing conditions and situations. Below, I’ve generated a list of ten lures that I consider essential; all have produced trophy trout for me and my clients. The list starts with a large floating plug and ends with a bottomhopping worm. I wouldn’t feel secure without these weapons in my arsenal and I believe trophy seekers who use them regularly will likely come to understand why. The first plug on my list is a bone Super Spook. I refer here to the Heddon model, which has a brighter white color than the original Excalibur one. This lure has probably accounted for more of my big trout than any other. These days, I rig it with a size five stainless split ring on the nose and two number one red trebles or 3/0 Mustad Ultra Point single hooks. (When using single hooks, I use two split rings to hang them.) Anglers who choose to utilize all three hook hangers prefer size two trebles. A mullet imitator, this noisy plug is best when trout are on an aggressive feed, especially if the available forage is limited in variety. Chunking a bone Spook deep into the dense mists of a February fog and working it in a rhythmic, steady, medium-paced walk is a fun way to exercise the heart, the ears and the eyes! When a motivated magnum sow decides to eat this offering, she often does so with an impressively acrobatic and deadly intent. Alternate effective colors in the Super Spook clan include anything with a white belly, baby bass in ultra clear water and black in stained depths or on a pitch dark night. My next must-have plug is a pink Skitterwalk. Shorter and fatter than a Super Spook, it can be worked faster and with more of a skimming

action. The high pitch of its pleasant ping works in harmony with quick, erratic presentations. I rig it with a size five stainless split ring on the nose and number one red trebles or 2/0 Mustad single hooks. This bright plug seems to outfish the Spook in the spring and summer, when the fish want a speedy presentation and smaller forage fish are present. Other appealing colors in the Skitterwalk family are the baby trout, the chartreuse/silver and the pearl, which begs for custom paint and markings. The third lure on the list is a sleek little “finger mullet with bad hair”, the “hothead” Super Spook Jr.. Bright white on the bottom and back with a clear, shiny side and a hot pink head, it’s a flashy little producer. I adorn it with a size three ring in its nose and number four trebles or 1/0 Mustad single hooks. In the warm months, when lots of tiny forage fish are present and when trout feed more often, this diminutive plug sometimes seems to outdo its larger cousins. It can be worked with plenty of speed, which can be the ticket to more bites in warm waters. Alternate colors for this necessary lure include bone and chartreuse. One more floating plug makes it onto my list of required tools. It’s a shad or pinfish lookalike, a Spit’n Image. I add number four red hooks and a size three ring to the nose when I take one of these out of the box. Pradco makes many natural color patterns in this lure; most are white with a dark back. This bantam bait works best when tossed deftly into gin clear, super shallow and calm waters in which aggressive fish are actively searching for a meal and can clearly see what they are attacking. In places where shad and/or pinfish are abundant and when the fish are shallow and tough to trick on the bigger

floaters, the lifelike Spit’n Image can be the best way to coax a big bite. I have also used it as a fish finder, starting with it to prove that the fish want their meal served on top before moving to bigger plugs. When the fish don’t want their meal on top, but the water is shallow, clear and calm, the fifth lure comes out of the box. It’s a Corky Fat Boy, pearl with a black back. Like the Spit’n Image, it is a dead ringer for a shad or perch, but it doesn’t float. I prefer the old style one without a rattle in the spookiest waters, so I can slip it into skinny

I wouldn’t feel secure without these weapons in my arsenal and I believe trophy seekers who use them regularly will likely come to understand why.

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

potholes and swim it silently out. I use it just the way it comes out of the plastic bag, without a nose ring and with the number four trebles. I like to “walk the dog” just under the surface with it, twitching the rodtip six or seven or more times to get it wobbling, then pausing to reel it slowly straight in. If it gets a little windier, the pearl/black rattling Fat Boy begins to make more sense. Other favorite colors of Fat Boys are pearl/ chartreuse, silver hologram, dayglo and pink. Mandatory plug number six is an original Corky (rattling version). When fishing waist-deep or deeper waters somewhat churned up by the wind, I prefer a “regular” Corky, most often in the enticingly cool green color its inventor Paul Brown dubs dayglo. The rattling version of this one is preferred because of the background noise generated by the breeze. I’ll use a similar technique with this finger mullet imitator as I did with the Fat Boy, walking the dog under water with it and alternately reeling it straight in. Often, I give my rod tip quite a sharp shaking and use more speed than some Corky lovers, especially when fishing moderate water temperatures, targeting fish that are pretty aggressive. No alterations need to be done to this plug; it works great straight out of the package. Other effective Corky colors include silver hologram, pearl/ chartreuse and pink. When fishing brown tide or other stained waters in situations where fish aren’t likely to blow up on topwater plugs, I favor number seven on the list, a Mirrolure Catch V. It is louder than a Corky and its sides have greater reflectivity,

making it easier for fish to find. My favorite color in this plug is gold/chartreuse, which seems to shine nicely through the brown slop. I put a size five split ring in the nose to go with its red hooks; sometimes I give it tiny black dots and a red feather trailer. This noisy slow-sinker I shake vigorously with the rodtip, but my reel handle turns slowly. I use the hard shaking to activate the raspy rattle and get the attention of the fish and the slow reeling to allow them time to home in on it. The biggest trout I’ve caught on this one have bitten in winter, but it will work as a Corky “substitute” any time the water is off color. When throwing a Catch V in clear water, I like the green/gold/white color pattern. Another sinking plug takes eighth place on the list. It floats when it hits the water, but dives and wobbles when retrieved. It’s a Bomber Long A, broken back version in blue/silver. I April 2007

find this lure to be most worthy in spring when fish want a sub-surface offering moved at high speeds. The faster you work a Long A, the deeper it runs. Perfect for throwing over rocks and other structures in three to four foot depths, it will dive down and contact the bottom, then lift off again when stopped. This swimmer will allow for fishing areas with lots of dead grass on the surface, as it runs under the rafts but stays off the bottom if retrieved at the right speed. I use it primarily in moderate water temperatures and windy conditions in which I experience a good topwater bite that suddenly shuts down. Unlike some who simply reel this diver in at variable speeds, I like to crank it down with the reel handle after it hits the water, then make intermittent short jerks with the rodtip to cause the lure to wobble erratically, reeling slowly between twitches, waiting for the often vicious strikes it solicits. I add a size three split ring to the nose of this “crippled minnow wannabe” and replace the factory hooks with number four red trebles. The non-jointed version of this plug is deadly too, notably the green and silver one, to which I add baby trout dots. The ninth lure on the list is the first of the soft plastics. It’s a Norton Shadtail in red and white. When the fish are too finicky to strike at larger fishimitating plugs, the old paddletail can often save

Texas Saltwater Fishing

the day. Soft plastics work in all seasons, but are most important to me in catching trophy trout in the heat of summer and dead of winter. Resembling a finger mullet, shad or other small fish, it should be made to swim with less vigorous twitching action than used with a rat-tailed worm, which makes it perfectly suited for running under floating grass and over bottom snags. I rig mine on either a sixteenth or eighth ounce jig head, depending on the water depth and season. Shallower and colder water generally calls for the lighter head. Other proven paddletail colors are pumpkinseed/chartreuse, white/pink and white/chartreuse. Pumpkinseed/chartreuse is the color of choice on the last lure on the list, an Exude RT Slug, with its slender, winged rat tail and scent-trailing, slimy body. Generally, I prefer a rat-tailed worm over a paddletail in relatively calm conditions, or when the fish are focused on shrimp or eels rather than small fish. Again, summer and winter are the two seasons in which the worm is best for producing big trout, 16

Texas Saltwater Fishing

especially in the heat of the afternoon or under a post-front bluebird sky with ballooned barometer. I like a light jighead on my Slug, either an eighth or sixteenth, unless I’m fishing waters over four feet deep or in strong currents. A sharp hopping and dropping action works best, since this bait is meant to imitate a fleeing shrimp or eel. Other colors I keep are bloody white, bubblegum, morning glory/chartreuse and pearl/silktreuse. All of these lures have tricked big trout for me. If I were forced to use one all the time, I’d pick the RT Slug; I believe a rat-tailed worm will probably catch fish more often than any other on the list. Of course, if I had to name the lure I most enjoy using, it would be the Super Spook. It’s all too easy to become addicted to the blow ups it entices and to get tunnel vision on floating plugs. What’s much more challenging and rewarding is to learn to properly read the conditions of the moment and to consistently offer the fish what they are willing to eat. In that endeavor, I find these ten lures hard to beat. April 2007

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

One of the most overused

pros will continue to work East Bay haunts in

in the 1980s, come Easter weekend when

clichés in the outdoor world is the word “transition.”

search of hefty speckled trout and abundant

the Dogwoods bloomed, if you did not have

Every month can be construed as a transition month

redfish; however, some will head west out of

something in a green worm color you were not

if you really want it to be. Transition is defined as, “a

the harbor and begin working south shoreline

catching good fish. I have found that to be true

passing from one state, stage, place or subject to

grass beds.

in Matagorda as well,” he recalled.

another.” With that being said, I am going to exercise

“I fish East Bay some, depending on the

Mosley liked to dip the tails of his soft

crowds,” said Capt. Mike Mosley. “During

plastics in orange or have some orange on his

Early spring is that in-between season where

spring, when the water temperatures get

plugs in spring.

winter is not sure it wants to give up and spring is

back up in the 60s, West Matagorda Bay

not quite strong enough to hold its own. Hence, April

starts to liven.”

my one-time use of the word for spring.

“Three of the bona fide double-digit trout I have caught hit a bait with orange on it.”

affords the angler narrow windows of opportunity. A

In his heyday, Mosley was one of the

couple of days may see temperatures climb into the

best at wading guts and grass beds on the

Matagorda Bay. Reds gang on the muddy

upper 70s, then a 20- knot gust from the north blows

south shoreline throwing topwater MirrOlures,

bottoms of the north shoreline and Brown

things out for the next three days. Throughout spring,

Ghosts and soft plastics. His favorite spring

Cedar Flats.”

the cycle continues.

colors were: pumpkinseed/chartreuse, tequila,

The Matagorda Bay Complex holds promise throughout spring for all types of angling. Most of the

Texas Saltwater Fishing

jalapeno, and avocado.

“Do not forget the redfish action in East

“Look for mud boils on the east end and you can catch tons of redfish on soft plastics or live

“When I was fishing the bass circuit back

April 2007

shrimp under a popping cork,” he said.

were taken from an interview I did with the late Captain Mike Mosley of Matagorda some five years ago. Since spring is about rebirth and resurrection from the doldrums of winter, what better way to remember Mosley than by using his words to help other anglers catch fish? Mosley was well-loved by those who knew him, evident by the $100,000-plus his friends raised for him in a benefit before he passed. Even though Jesus is the ultimate fisherman of all time, I’ll bet Mike is still trying to tell Him how to work a topwater. Thanks for the memories, Mike. We miss that patented grin at the dock.

If wading is not your thing, try drifting shell on Cleveland Reef, Long Reef, Raymond Shoals and Bird Island. If the wind and weather do decide to get

“There are some big trout in the river,” said Mosley. “You have to be patient to fish it.” The Diversion Channel is also a player during daylight hours; however, when night

nasty, refuge can be found in the Colorado

falls, many choose to set up light plants on

River, provided spring floods do not stain its

the shoreline to attract baitfish, thereby luring

emerald waters. Fishers work the river many

specks. Action can be nonstop with the right

different ways.

tide and water clarity.

Pluggers choose to cast to the shoreline

The percentages of coaxing a speck

and twitch their surface plugs and slow-

of a lifetime are none greater than in East

sinkers across the drop offs that go from 2 to

Matagorda Bay, with the exception of Baffin

6 to 20 feet. Others slow-troll tandem-rigged

Bay. In a perfect world, your days to fish would

Little Fishies and DOA Shrimp or jig DOA

coincide with a nice, spring day; however, this

TerrorEyzs, Bass Assassins, Sand Eels, Trout

is Earth. Stay alert to your local forecast and

Killers, Red Killers, Hogies and Gamblers.

fish when you get the chance.

Live-baiters pitch shrimp next to tree stumps

Mosley sure would.

and catch reds and sheepshead.

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

“Where is my BogaGrip?” I asked no one in particular, but I was looking at everyone in the boat. No one knew the answer, not even Sterling who is the keeper of all things important in our combined collection of rods, reels and every other bell and whistle that has to do with fishing. “If it’s not clipped onto your Wade Aid I have no idea where it is” Sterling replied. I told everyone to go on and that I’d be along when I found it. As the crew moved away from the boat in the predawn darkness I started looking in every place I could think of that might hold my precious fish landing tool. I was still looking through the first compartment when I heard the

familiar sound of someone’s topwater lure getting thrashed by something big. I quickened my search then but someone else had hooked up and from a little farther away I heard someone else whoop as they hooked up. About right then I decided that I didn’t need the tool that bad for this wade.

thirty minutes and was trying to coax a flounder or two to keep them company on my stringer but

My first cast yielded a huge blowup and

none were having any of it, so I made my way

hookup with line peeling off of my reel only to have

back to the boat to wait on the

the fish spit the lure but stuff like that just gets me

other guys and to renew

going. My next fish was just as explosive and fast

my search. I wanted my

and it was light enough to see the ladyfish as she

BogaGrip back.

sped away. This one didn’t spit the lure though and as she finally came to me. I reached for my

I found the

Boga which of course wasn’t there, so rather than

peppered beef jerky from Prasek’s first and then

using my handy dandy tool that allows me to not

a cold drink, so my search for the errant fish

have to touch a slimy, yucky ladyfish with two sets

grippers had to wait a tad longer. I mean, one

of treble hooks attached to it, I had to actually

doesn’t rush while enjoying Prasek’s smoked

grab the fish by hand. Okay I’m exaggerating a

meats, and in fact, I think that’s written into one of

little with my description of the ladyfish and my

the Hillje city ordinances somewhere.

disdain for grabbing them, but I really did miss my Boga.

Okay, some folks are probably wondering by now, why am I making such a big deal about wade

Our first stop that morning yielded a lot of

fishing without a BogaGrip. To be honest it really

action for everyone but not many keepers for

isn’t a big deal, other than the price… they’re not

me. A couple of redfish made the grade though,

cheap you know and the thought of losing one

and I scheduled them an appointment with the

makes me cringe. It’s just that you get used to

BBQ committee later that evening. We moved to

using them, and like any other tool when you don’t

our second spot; and while the action wasn’t as

have it, you miss it. Yes you can grab fish with your

fast and furious as at our first stop, the fish were

hand and you can land them with a net, but I like

bigger here. I had my personal limit of five trout in

landing them with the Boga… especially larger fish.

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

fashioned way that they should immediately sell their state of the art Shimano reels and pick up some old reels with no drag and no levelwind on them. Hey, progress is what it is. If it makes things better, I say “Why not?” When my friends and son got back to the boat we searched together, but my BogaGrip I think we all agree that when releasing, the less a fish is handled the better the fish will be. With the BogaGrip you do not have to touch the fish with your hand, and in the case of speckled trout, risk wiping the protective slime off the fish and possibly causing harm. It also allows you to keep your fingers and hands farther away from the hooks while keeping a lock on the fish so it can’t escape. I’ve never lost a fish after I’ve gotten the grips locked on its lip, but I’ve lost plenty and have gotten stuck with some sharp hooks after I’ve grabbed them with my hand. I’ve had some friends chuckle when they see me using the Boga; they say they prefer to do things the old-fashioned way and use their hands to land their fish while wading. I’m quick to point out that if they prefer to do things the old-

was not on board. So I had a thirty-minute boat ride to think of a really good excuse to give my wife when I told her that I needed to spend $120.00 for a new one. Oh that was something to look forward to… not! If you’re interested in the BogaGrip you can buy the 15# version that I use at Bass Pro, Fishing Tackle Unlimited, Gander Mountain, Sportsman’s Warehouse, and a number of other tackle outlets for $119.99. You can also learn more at www.bogagrip.com Oh and by the way, I found my Boga right where I had left it on the kitchen table after cleaning it the night before. Sterling needs to do a better job of keeping up with my stuff. Be Safe.

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April is a wonderful time

to be outdoors in the coastal zone of Texas and it has been a personal favorite for many years. Large numbers of neo-tropical bird species are returning from their wintering areas south of the US border and passing through our area en route to their nesting grounds across much of the continental US, Canada and all the way up into the Arctic tundra. Many of these birds follow the shoreline during their migrations and others fly directly across the open Gulf of Mexico from the Yucatan. The high velocity north winds and rains associated

with late season cold fronts will force these birds to head west and seek shelter along the nearest shorelines. There will be days when my yard will be filled with a diverse array of bird species exhibiting nearly every color in the rainbow and it is quite the sight to behold. April also marks the beginning of Kemp’s ridley turtle nesting season on PINS and I will be offering naturalist’s charters specifically designed to search for nesting ridley turtles from mid-April through mid-June in addition to my regular fishing and sightseeing trips. Over the years I have found the nests of three species of sea turtles on the beaches of PINS; ridley, green and loggerhead. For a number of years I have been considered an active part of the turtle recovery program. The Kemp’s ridley is the most endangered sea creature alive today and the only sea turtle that nests during daylight hours. Field technicians utilizing four-wheelers are traveling the beach looking for signs of nesting turtles and we aid in the search daily whether on a naturalist’s turtle oriented trip or not. When a nest is found by field technicians we furnish aid as may be deemed

most apt to be present

appropriate while affording

at the very time that beach

customers the opportunity to

driving is the most difficult.

view firsthand one of the rarest

Again I urge that drivers use caution and keep their

events in nature. Last season

speed to a minimum.

we discovered the first nest of the year on April 26 and before

There is a study of great interest to me in

the day ended a total of nine

progress at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi

nests had been found.

and I’ll share the basics of it with you. Dr. Greg Stunz and PhD graduate student, John Froeske, are

The total number of nests

studying the otoliths (ear stones) of speckled trout

last year was almost double

from winter surf and other trout to determine if any

any previous total with over

DNA differences can be detected. Samples from the

100 nests being discovered

Land Cut area will be studied once the influx of trout

along the Texas coast. It is

activity takes place in that area as well.

imperative that beach drivers

The goal is to learn more about the movements

remain attentive when driving

of trout within bay systems and inshore Gulf waters.

on all Texas beaches during the

This study could possibly shed some light and

nesting season as these turtles

furnish some scientific documentation concerning the

blend in very well with the sand

debated “tide runner” population of speckled trout in

of the beach and are very often

Texas waters. Obviously, the better we understand a

partially covered with sand from

resource the better equipped management personnel

digging their nest hole. They

are in making decisions concerning that resource.

prefer to nest on high wind/high tide days and as such they are 28

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

for decades we have had to walk back to dry sand to unhook these acrobats with any degree of safety. With Been thinking about a few things lately and

a BogaGrip and a good pair of long-nosed pliers we

I’ll share them with you in hopes that they might

can cautiously remove hooks in waist deep water and

improve the quality of the upcoming season. It

save lots of time and energy.

fascinates me to watch an outdoor show on TV and see guys grabbing all types of fish species

We catch lots of large jack crevalle in the surf

barehanded when various lip grippers (BogaGrip,

zone. As we release the majority of these fish after

Berkeley, etc.) are becoming the norm for regular

getting pictures I typically “tail” them by hand once

everyday fishers along the Texas coast. The

they are in shallow water to avoid unnecessary injury

grippers are not only a lot more “fish friendly” but

to them but the scutes located forward of the forked

they are indeed angler friendly as well. I remember

tail are quite sharp and even my tough old hands

over 30 years ago we would grab a Spanish

would have wounds inflicted by them regularly for

mackerel, look down at the minute scales covering

years. The purchase and use of an inexpensive pair

our palm and immediately know that we had done

of fish handling gloves will alleviate this problem. Just

that particular fish an injustice unless we were

stick such a glove in your pocket early in the day and

going to keep it. By merely holding it in our hand

it will be available when you need it.

we had removed the small scales and slime that protect it from infections. A quality gripper not only

Sargassum is already present in heavy amounts

eliminates this situation but also keeps fingers out

as of early March. You shark fishers remember that

of danger when unhooking sharp-toothed fishes like

spring sharks actually come quite close to shore and

mackerel, Atlantic bluefish, etc.

when conditions don’t allow for keeping out kayaked baits simply cast your baits for them. It has worked a

I know of no other fish that can impale a hook in an angler quicker than a skipjack (ladyfish) and

CAPT. BILLY SANDIFER

very long time and continues to work now. Be Careful, Be Courteous, Be Kind.

April 2007

Billy operates Padre Island Safaris. His specialties are fishing for sharks to specks in the Padre Island surf and bayfishing for trout and redfish from a poled skiff. Contact Billy Sandifer Telephone 361-937-8446 Website www.billysandifer.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Story & photos by Jay Watkins

Swag: an area of deeper and darker water surrounded by shallower areas, all with similar bottom structure. This is not old man Webster’s definition, it

waters. Minus the rocks, I know how to fish shorelines and flats. Heck, I feel comfortable on just about all the shallow stuff anywhere along the Texas Coast, but what I failed to do for the first few weeks of February was think. Here I was

is the Jay Watkins definition. I do not know how

in probably the best big trout fishery in the

many times I have located fish on a shoreline

world and I was not thinking. I was going to

one day only to return the next to find the

the same areas day after day, areas that had

shoreline void of both bait and predators. I guess

produced for me on numerous occasions in

the question most anglers want to know the

the past.

answer to is, “Where do they move to?” In order to learn the answer we must first look

I found myself wondering where the bait and all the fish had gone. How is that they are

at what changed and triggered the move. This list

here one day then gone the next? How is it that

is long so I will try to hit the ones that I feel have

they are here at daylight then vanish until just

greatest effect.

before sundown? If you had the opportunity to

Moon phases and tide level changes go hand in hand; one is the effect of the other. During full moon, fish feed under the light of the moon

wait them out you usually ended up with some nice memories. Now let me say that when I fish in the Upper

and in the seclusion that darkness brings to flats

Laguna and Baffin this time of year we are

and shorelines. Mature trout spend most of their

playing catch and release only. My hat is off to all

time hunting for food at night. During the daylight

of you that spent a day with me this winter down

hours, these same fish seek the swags that lie

south. We cleaned two fish all season and you

close to preferred feeding areas.

are awesome!

Atmospheric pressure plays a significant role

Anyway, I have always been a student of

in the location of both baitfish and game fish; the

fishing smart but I realized on my way home

higher the pressure, the greater the likelihood of

one evening that I was not fishing smart, I was

them holding in the swag.

bordering on fishing stupid. The next day was the

Boat traffic at certain times of the year can have a tremendous effect upon where the fish want

start of a new learning curve for me. I asked questions of those around that I feel

to be and where they will actually stage. When

are knowledgeable. I did not ask questions such

there is lots of traffic, my vote is for the swag.

as, “Where did you catch ‘em?” Neither did I ask

I guess the best illustration is a recap of what

“Whatcha catchin’ ‘em on?” Instead, I asked,

happened to me this past February in the Upper

“What structure are your fish on?” “What is your

Laguna Madre and Baffin.

watercolor?” “What depths are you finding your

The Upper Laguna Madre is a vast area of shallow flats with mainly scattered grass as its bottom structure. When you get to Baffin you

comfortable in this area as I do on my home

fish in and are you wading or drifting?” Little bits and pieces is all you need. Butch White, Aaron Loomis and Brett Cairn,

have the famous worm rocks plus the grass

mentioned that the bait had fallen way off the

so there are a few more choices. Even though

shoreline. Webb said his bite was as deep as

I have had the best teachers in the area, Cliff

he could wade and Rowsey cautioned me to not

Webb and David Rowsey, I still do not feel as

be afraid to stay in the boat. No one gave up the

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Husky redfish snagged from the swag.

area but all willingly spit out the pattern. All of this started me thinking about moving deeper. Once I got on the flat it did not take too long the see the line where the bait was staging. This line, by the way, was probably 1000 yards are more off the shoreline but not to the ICW. I noticed that in most of these areas the water was just deep enough to prevent me seeing the bottom but the potholes or submerged grass beds were still highly visible. Then words that I have written and spoken so many times jumped out at me. Go DEEP and DARK when the water is clear, the moon is full, tides are low and high pressure sets in. On flats, deep is relevant to the water around it, four feet is deep when everything around it is a foot or less. I had two anglers in for three days of fishing. Both came prepared to wade but I suggested drifting until we found the fish and then getting out if we could. For three days, I worked from Pita Island to the Meadows and many points in between. Searching out the bait line and finding it most of the time in the deepest sections of the flat. “The fish are in the swag,” I told the guys. “And the reason is simple. It is deep enough for them to feel more comfortable, the bait is here, and not much boat traffic out here with them.” It was a mixed bag of fish, on our first day we caught a dozen nice trout and 20 or more reds that were all donks. Day-2 was similar but we found the fish in a very different flat. Day-3 found the conditions tough, slick calm, air clear water

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Another swag redfish.

and light west winds. One of my people caught his lifetime best trout that day. And you guessed it, he got her in the swag! So let’s FIND the swag. It is simpler than you

can be in a relatively small pothole. Some swags can be waded. Whether wading or drifting, when looking for fish in the

and Mirrolures most of the time when faced with this situation. So your shoreline bite has faded and your

swag, I try to NEVER make the exact same

bait has disappeared. Look for the closest swag

think; find that area of deeper water in between

drift and I scatter my wade fishermen. Once the

in the flat and see what happens.

two areas of shallow water. This water is often

concentration of fish has been located, you want

shown on your GPS’s depth contours and is

to stay in the area but try to drift and/or wade the

highly visible during periods of bright sun. The

outside edges. On two of the days I described

water appears to be a darker green than the

above the winds were so strong it really did

waters surrounding it. The term “blue-green” is

not matter how close we got because the fish

used in conversations to sometimes describe a

evidently were not alerted to our intrusion and

swag. Your swag needs to contain some type of

continued to feed. On day three, it was calm,

bottom structure and some bait. Swags are not

all of our fish were caught at the very extent of

guts, guts are formed by wave action or erosion

each cast and usually on the initial fall of the lure.

and tend to be smaller, often narrow.

Always fish from the edge; never put too much

Fishing the swag (those too deep to wade) is best done by drifting and incorporating the use

And yet another… dropping the Power Pole and fanning your casts is a good plan.

pressure on the sweet spot. Where to start in lure choices varies with

of your Power Pole hydraulic anchor. Slow is the

conditions but you should always throw the lure

key, this allows multiple casts to each grass bed

you have the most confidence in if it meets with

or pothole. Bites stop the boat via the Power

the criteria of the day. Corky type lures do not

Pole and you fan your casts to probe the area

work as well when drifting but soft plastic and

carefully. It will surprise you how many good fish

topwaters will. I stick to 5-inch Bass Assassins

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Very few things in saltwater

fishing can compare with the excitement of a surface strike. The suspense and anticipation of a predator smashing a topwater pattern as it slowly chugs across smooth water is hard to beat. When it comes to surface patterns, fly anglers have many options available. There are flies that slide, skip, chug, dive, gurgle, and pop, and they come in all shapes and sizes. Success with these flies depends on selecting the right pattern and following through with a good hook set. Let’s look at three styles of topwater patterns and match each to situations where they are highly effective. Chuggers Chuggers are the loudmouths of the topwater world. These flies are designed to make noise and get noticed — they scream, “Check me out… I’m a big easy meal.” Chuggers are most effective when fished over water that is deep, rough, or cloudy. The first fly that comes to mind in this category is the Bob’s Banger, originated by East Coast angler Bob Popovics. The cylindrical Banger is perhaps one of the noisiest and most boisterous flies you can stick on the end of your line (it’s also one of the easiest patterns to tie). This is my favorite topwater pattern to throw in the surf. For its size, it casts well in the wind and it has the popping power and presence to overcome froth and crashing waves. The Banger is also a good choice when fishing over slightly choppy, deep, or cloudy water. To get the most out of a Banger,

retrieve it with a series of sharp hard-as-you-can strips followed by a pause. The strike usually comes on the pause. My favorite colors in this pattern are chartreuse/white or red/white and I usually tie them big. Bangers tied on a 3/0 long shank hook are good to go.

Bob’s Banger – the loudmouth of the popper world.

Spoons as Skipping Bugs Skipping bugs are frightened flies. While chuggers say, “I’m big and hurt,” skipping bugs say, “Let’s get the hell outta’ here.” Skipping bugs don’t make much noise, but rather sort of plink and hop. The classic skipping bug is a large split-color red/white balsa pattern with a prominent eye and an upwardly angled lip. It is pelagic fly usually fished in situations where predators have corralled and pushed baitfish to the surface. This commonly occurs near jetties, passes, and nearshore waters. But there is another skipping option — the spoonfly. In fact, my favorite skipping bug is a large flat spoonfly. Most spoons are designed to wiggle and wobble on a straight course. But, a big, flat spoonfly will ride toward the surface when you retrieve it. By using a hand-over-hand retrieve, you can get some marvelous results, making the spoon hop and sputter across the surface. If you stall your retrieve, the spoon will flutter down toward the bottom. That’s when the strike occurs. You can use this technique nearly anywhere, but it is the most effective over broad waist-deep flats. I usually choose either a chrome/white spoon or a chartreuse spoon, and I tie them big. A 2-inch spoon tied on a long shank 3/0 hook is just right. Poppers Poppers are similar to chuggers, but less aggressive. You can get all Spoonflies can work types of poppers in a variety the surface too! of sizes and use them nearly anywhere. But perhaps the most exciting way to fish a The surf is noisy and frothy popper is on the flats when so choose a fly that can sightcasting redfish. This be seen and heard. requires a meek fly. Sort of a

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Rhodes Smartt, age 10, releases a fish that fell for a small chrome popper.

“little guy just minding his own business” fly. There are two reasons small is better on the flats. First, big loud poppers tend to spook reds in shallow water. Second, the sub terminal mouth of a redfish makes it difficult for him to get his lips around prey on the surface, especially when he is in shallow water. He has to either come over the top or smack from the side. Big flies, with big hooks, are simply hard for him to fully grab. Enter the small popper and small hook. One of the best poppers I know of for shallow water reds is the tiny East Cut Popper. The East Cut Popper is scant… like “eraser head” small. Because of its tiny size it lands lightly and makes just a little bitty blurp when plugged- well below the spook threshold. Although the East Cut Popper looks like it would be more at home catching bluegills than redfish, don’t underestimate it. A redfish will hammer this fly. Two widely used color patterns are red/white and copper. A second good popper for sightcasting reds is the FH Popper tied by John Carpenter of Flatshunter Flys. The FH Popper is a small pencil popper with a glowing paint job. John uses a special inking technique and an epoxy coating to create deep, rich colors and plenty of shine on these flies. The FH Popper is easy to cast and subtle enough to present to nervous reds in shallow water. I’ve had good luck with his orange/ black/red color combo.

FH Popper – slim, subtle, and effective.

Hook Setting Technique No doubt surface strikes are exciting, but the very thing that makes up the thrill probably accounts for 90% of missed hooksets. It’s called ANTICIPATION. As you watch your fly plug its way across the surface you are ready for something to happen. You can sense it… a blasting strike is eminent. When the strike happens, you’re on it. You give it a classic Roland Martin, “Son!” but pull the fly right out of the fish’s mouth. Why? You’re too quick on the draw. Normally, when you feel a subsurface strike, the fish already has attacked and engulfed the lure. By the time you set the hook, he’s got a dang good grip on it and you get a solid hookup. But when a fish attacks prey at the surface, he’s got to grab it first (no small feat) and then he often has to swim away from meal-stealing buddies and bigger predators before he can engulf his meal. All this may only take a second or two, but that’s a long time for an anxious angler to resist setting the hook. RESIST… let the fish fully take the fly. If he misses it or spits it out, he may strike again or perhaps another fish nearby will seize the opportunity and strike. Either way you’re better off if you can manage to hold back. Topwaters are a thrilling side of saltwater fly fishing. Choose the right fly, make a good presentation, and follow through with a good hookset. It’s all part of the challenge of angling and it will keep you coming back for more.

When it comes to good saltwater fly fishing books, the works of Lefty Kreh are hard to beat. Lefty has authored an extensive collection of books on fly casting, fly tying, and saltwater fly fishing. One thing Lefty’s books share in common is that they stand the test of time. Lefty’s saltwater fly book Saltwater Fly Patterns is no exception. Through its extensive collection of color plates, recipes, material and tackle tips, and historical references, Saltwater Fly Patterns makes it easier for anglers to better select and/or tie flies for their saltwater pursuits. The array of flies showcased in Saltwater Fly Patterns is thorough, featuring flies to catch everything from bonefish to sharks. In fact, if you have ever tried to recall the name or features of a saltwater fly pattern you saw somewhere, chances are the pattern is described in this book. Like all of Kreh’s work, the text is no-nonsense and there is little wasted space. I highly recommend Saltwater Fly Patterns, by Lefty Kreh. Saltwater Fly Patterns 211 pp. The Lyons Press, $19.95

By Lefty Kreh ISBN: 1-55821-337-6 April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Depot or Walmart). Mike had mixed some ﬂash in

up a six dollar duster and

with the ﬁbers and the ﬁnished streamers looked

started experimenting with the ﬁbers. Judging

really good. When I dunked them into a “ﬂy

by their texture, they appear to be tiny ﬂattened

tester” aquarium they looked even better.

strands of polypropylene. The ﬁbers stay

“O.K., Mike… what’s the story on these?” I

somewhat rigid when wet and resist fouling on

asked. “Duster ﬁbers,” Mike said. “Jay “Fishy”

the hook shank, making them a perfect material

Fullum told me about using these duster ﬁbers

for elongated streamers. When a bit of ﬂash

for streamers a few years ago. At ﬁrst I was

material is added, the ﬁbers really shine and, as

not too interested, but later I stumbled across

Mike noted, they are nearly neutrally buoyant.

a duster at the hardware store, ran my ﬁngers

This makes it possible to create ﬂies that lurch

through the ﬁbers, and all sorts of bells and

and slither at a slow, stunned, pace. Permanent

whistles started going off. The ﬁbers work great

markers can be used to shade or color the

Fly Tying Festival in Houston, my friend Mike

and the ﬁnished ﬂies are nearly neutrally buoyant

ﬁbers and create endless styles of baitﬁsh and

Hurst handed me several ﬂashy baitﬁsh patterns

and have a lot of ﬂuid movement. In fact, if you

crustacean patterns. And, the dusters are large

he had been tinkering with. The bodies of the

tie the ﬂies full, they’ll even ﬂoat for a while and

— a single duster can provide materials for 100’s

ﬂies were crafted from ﬁbers snipped out of frilly

then slowly sink.”

of ﬂies. Cool stuff!

Recently at the Texas Fly Fisher’s

synthetic dusters (the kind you get at Home

I was interested in learning more, so I picked

Done! Hook: Mustad 34007, Tiemco 800S, or equivalent #8 through #2 Thread: Clear nylon mono Belly: Synthetic duster ﬁbers Synthetic duster from Home Depot.

Flash: Polar Flash, Krystal Flash, or equivalent Back: Synthetic duster ﬁbers

1. Attach thread behind eye of hook.. 2. Tie down a full clump of duster fibers. 3. Overlay a few strands of flash material. 4. Tie down a second clump of duster fibers. 5. Tie off thread and trim fibers to shape if needed, then glue on eyes with gel superglue. 6. Coat

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Gel Superglue) Head Coating: Sally Hansen’s Hard-as-Nails, DAP Quick Seal, or 2-Ton Epoxy

head with Sally Hansen’s Hard as Nails, DAP Kwik Seal, or epoxy. Done! 38

Eyes: Flat or 3-D stick on (glued on with

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

The 2007 tournament season has started or is just about to start for many saltwater anglers and teams. Hopefully, the season is planned and budgeted and some type of sponsorship is providing income (discounted product to cash) to the tournament cause. Everything from your boat/motor, fishing gear, vacation schedule, significant other schedule and all of the other balls you are juggling at the same time while getting your fix of tournaments is in order. So if everything is shipshape, there is not much left to do except fish… NOT! Let’s cram a quick 7 things (I have never been big on top 10 lists) you can do to continue to help your fishing career. Spruce up your appearance. The first thing people notice about a fishing team is their physical appearance. Like it or not, human nature leads us to immediately form an opinion of someone based on what

Think about what you are going to say on stage before you get there. Bass fishermen on stage.

they look like. Can you look at yourself with a critical eye? When you leave the house pulling your tournament boat (hopefully with sponsor’s

off sunglasses prior to going on stage. Taking

sales/marketing skills will improve. There is no

logos on it) is your truck and boat clean and

off sunglasses will allow people to see your

substitute for experience.

neat? What are you wearing? Do you roll into the

eyes and make a personal connection with you.

local convenience store with your shirt tucked

Yes, you may have to squint, but being on stage

in a professional manner or are you wearing the

is about being a person with which others can

products. Maybe you obtained a

“I’m with Stupid” t-shirt you won at Astroworld

connect and relate to.

sponsorship with a lure company and

10 years ago and bringing the aroma of 3 days with no bath because it is considered bad

you always use the Slinky Sluggo Swimmin’ Do not give up on sponsor searches.

Minnow, convinced it is the best thing since the

luck to bathe before a tournament? Whenever

Each month, make a commitment to

2-cycle internal combustion engine. Well I hate

you are out and about, you are a sponsor’s

continue approaching a few potential

to be the one to break the news, but the Slinky

representative. With the internet, digital cameras

sponsors with a proposal package. There is no

Sluggo Company makes lots of great products

and cell phone cameras, one minute of not

company or person that you meet or see that

besides their Swimmin’ Minnow. Sit down with

looking your best or being unprofessional can

you should not be thinking, “How can I show

a product catalog or spend some time on the

quickly cost a sponsorship.

this company that I am a good marketing tool

internet to understand all of a sponsor’s products

and will increase their sales?” The word “no”

and their uses. You don’t have to use all of them,

should be expected, but it should take one

but by having a good working knowledge of the

the weigh-in. Do you put your tournament jersey

strive to understand the reason behind the no

products, you can be a better salesman and help

on before getting to the dock or undress at the

and what can be changed in the next proposal

people when they ask for help with a specific

dock having spectators gawk at your perfected

to make it better. Just like fishing, each time

situation that you may not have encountered. Do

farmer’s tan? A personal pet peeve is not taking

you propose a sponsorship to a company, your

you really know how that outboard sitting on the

Another area many anglers are seen is near

Take time to learn all of your sponsor’s

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

back of the boat works? Now I will admit that I Gerald Swindle on stage after being DQed at the 2007 Bassmasters. DQ was for unsafe operation of a boat. He ran near 60 mph within 25 yards of another boat. I am sure the extra time saved was not worth the DQ.

like to understand how things work anyway, but last year, I spent a good deal of time learning about the Evinrude ETEC engine. I wanted to understand more than the sales brochures and learn the details of its success. In addition, when visiting with Jimmy and Johnny Majek during the development of the new Majek Illusion, we asked questions about the hull shape and features to

Watching Bass Fishermen can give you a fast track on a fishing career. Don’t reinvent the wheel.

understand all of the thought and engineering behind the design. It goes beyond knowing the boat is great for tournament fishing. Practice your speaking skills. The grand

Bass pro Skeet Reese during an interview.

moment has arrived. You have brought a pair of perfect 27-7/8” reds to the scale

I wanted to understand more than the sales brochures and learn the details of its success.

and the weighmaster has announced the pair has put your team in first place. The weighmaster asks you to tell everyone about your day. You stutter and say, “Uhhhh, it was good, we caught two big fish.” He probes further, “What pattern were you fishing?” Again, out comes another eloquent response, “Let’s see… we worked water where there were lots of redfish.” Now you don’t have to give away secret details and GPS coordinates, but talk about how you were fishing, what were you looking for, what baits, retrieve, etc. This is the chance to tell how your use of sponsor’s products helps in catching fish, tournament winning fish. Reading a list of sponsors or thanking them is not nearly as effective as telling everyone why your use of Smith Optics photochromatic sunglasses allowed you to see fish with the changing cloud cover. Think through possible questions and what your answers would be. Don’t try to be someone you’re not. If you are not good at jokes, don’t attempt it, it won’t work. Stick with being yourself and tell people how you catch fish. Enhance your quarterly newsletter. What, you don’t have one? How do you expect your sponsors to understand how you

are helping increase their sales? One way or

good. Maybe the next time there is a camera

another, part of sponsorship is letting companies

crew on your boat, you shouldn’t go Ike on your

know what you are doing and what you are going

anchor light and American flag. Not sure what

to do. A quarterly report should be a minimum

this last sentence means? Well then you need to

and monthly may not be out of the question.

start watching the freshwater guys.

Most likely your team is not the only one being sponsored; make your sponsor notice you and your efforts.

fun part of sponsorship, one should never forget Learn about sales. The bottom line of

the business side of the house. It is guaranteed

sponsorship is increasing sponsor’s

that your team will not win every tournament it

sales. There are numerous books,

enters. Make sure you are doing what you need

classes and seminars on sales techniques and

to have a successful sponsorship no matter

tactics. Again, just like fishing and speaking,

how you do in tournaments. Make your value

the more you know the better salesman you will

go beyond fishing such that when the big win or

become. Good salesmen are not born, they work

success on the trail comes along, it is icing on

at it and practice techniques to move product. It

the cake, a nice kicker for your sponsors. Always

always helps to actually use and believe in the

dedicate a portion of your time to improving your

products you discuss as people will see right

fishing career.

through insincerity if you do not truly back a company’s products. Watch bass fishing on Saturday mornings. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. Professional bass fishing has been very successful at attracting and keeping sponsors for their industry. The top anglers are not only great fishermen, but great ambassadors for sponsor’s products. Watch how they conduct themselves on television while fishing, on stage or during interviews. Practice emulating the good and stay away from things you note as not so

Texas Saltwater Fishing

So what is the point of my Magnificent-7 you ask? The point is that although the fishing is the

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

The space age has brought

queries to find out what is working and what’s

marlin with “satellite tags”. These tags are called

us new technology that has revolutionized

not. It’s really amazing when you think about it,

PAT tags, which stands for Pop-up Archival

the way we fish… forever. Computers and

especially if you grew up a few years ago, when

Tag. They are deployed with a special pole that

satellites have made the world of big game

all we had was a compass, a chart, a depth

plants the barbed tether of the tag in the back

fishing easier, safer, more informed and more

sounder and lots of ocean. There was a lot of

of a marlin. These tags are programmed to

productive. Satellite navigation, communication,

driving around the Gulf wondering exactly where

collect data and then release from the fish at a

imagery, digital radar, chart plotters, weather

you were and hoping you found the right spot.

specific time. Once the tag pops off, it floats to

data, oceanographic data and other information

But now, even if you’re too dumb to work the

the surface and starts relaying data back to a

displayed by onboard computerized ships

GPS, you still have a chance to catch fish. You

scientific lab via the Argos satellite system. Each

systems is light years ahead of the technology

can see most oil rigs from at least 10 miles away;

tag records migration patterns, diving behavior,

we had just 20 years ago. Marine engines and

all you have to do is drive over to one and start

depth/temperature data and the GPS position

outboard motors are now computerized, making

fishing. No circling around with your recorder for

when the tag pops off. Professor Jay Rooker

them more fuel efficient and reliable than ever.

the secret spot, it’s sticking up 100 ft out of the

with Texas A&M University at Galveston is

Boats are precisely designed and built with

water! It’s also not so secret anymore.

the principle investigator on this project, which is part of the Pelagic Fisheries Conservation

CAD computer systems. Propellers are laser checked and boat performance calculated by computers. Technology has expanded deep-

Another unique way technology is being used in the Gulf of Mexico is in the tagging of blue

Program (PFCP). With the assistance of the sportfishing vessel “Billy B”, the PFCP (www.

sea oil exploration and provided us with many

tamug.edu/pelagic) has

“islands of steel” creating small ecosystems that

PAT tagged over 30 blue

attract fish for us here in the Gulf of Mexico. We

marlin since 2003, and

even use computers for our fishing logs and use

this data is being used to assess the stock structure of blue marlin in the Gulf. So far the data indicates that most of these fish stay in the Gulf of Mexico or Florida Straits through the fall and early winter. Findings from this research are very important for fisheries managers who are in

No, your not looking at the space shuttle cockpit, just the helm of a big modern sportfisherman. 44

Texas Saltwater Fishing

PAT tag photo. April 2007

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Blue marlin at the boat before tag and release.

Blue marlin with PAT tag deployed.

made in Australia. Fox has an extensive inventory of brokerage boats as well and will be displaying pre-owned Cabo express models and a like new 2006 60ft. charge of the regulation and conservation of this

a chart and compass. We take our hat off

highly migratory species.

to them and admire them for their skill and determination. It was a lot harder back then, but

Who knows what new technology awaits us

the good ones still caught fish.

in the future. New, more productive ways to find fish? Inexpensive worldwide communication and high-speed Internet service on every

Show will be held at the brand new Corpus

boat? Alternative propulsion systems that

Christi Downtown Marina, April 26-29th. It’s

run on hydrogen or maybe nuclear power?

the first big Florida style “in the water” boat show

Weather forecasts that are actually correct?

to hit the Texas coast. Exhibitors from all over

(That’s asking a lot — we probably have a

the nation will be there. At the show you will see

better chance of getting engines that run on

lots of new boats, motors, accessories, trips,

seawater!) How about fisheries managers that

guides, tackle and electronics. Come see us at

fix the problems like commercial overfishing

the Tops-N-Towers booth and talk about fishing

and create regulations that make sense and are

or rigging your boat. This time of year many boat

actually enforced? (OK, we’ll stop now). The

owners decide to sell their boat and move up

next time you go cruising out of the jetties on

to a bigger boat while there is still time before

autopilot, talking on your cell phone while you

the fishing season starts. Byrd & Cochrane is

push a button on the GPS that is displayed on

an authorized broker for Fox Yacht Sales who

your deluxe Radar/Chart Plotter/Depth Sounder/

will also be in the show representing Cabo and

DVD Player/Satellite Radio combo unit, we want

Riviera Yachts. Come by the Fox Yacht Sales

you to think about the fishermen and captains

booth and see our new Cabo 32 and Cabo 40 as

who used to do it with nothing much more than

well as several new Riviera sportfishing boats,

April 13-14

Salesman Sample Sale at Fishing Tackle Unlimited – Houston

The first ever Texas International Boat

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 26-29

Texas International Boat Show – Corpus Christi Downtown Marina April 2007

Riviera enclosed bridge sportfisherman. We specialize in sportfishing boats and motor yachts. Come by and get a great deal on your next boat. For more information call our Houston sales office at 281-291-0656 or the Port Aransas office at 361-749-4870 or check out our website at www.foxyachtsales.com or www.byrd-cochrane.com.

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

It has been said many times that the strength of an organization is a reflection of its volunteer

base. CCA Texas is successful because of its local, state and national volunteer boards and a dedication from these men and women that is matched by few. The efforts of this great volunteer base have allowed CCA Texas to continue a rich history that includes many great projects, strong advocacy and the offer of continuing education for many young stewards of our coastal resources.

After a few minutes it became apparent, this is what I want to do; volunteer my time to this organization that aims to ensure conservation of marine resources.

How does one describe the drive and reason for being involved as a volunteer? Manny Villanueva, of the Austin chapter board, recently described to the Austin membership why he is involved and why it is important that we all get involved to help ensure Texas’ coastal resources for future generations. The footprints we leave today will be seen by future generations and will be our legacy. Take time to read Manny’s thoughts below and ask yourself: “How can I help”? It became clear to me that this is what I want my kids to know and love, as well as my grandchildren. It was then that I thought about what I could do to help, in some way, to ensure that this can happen. I’ve often noticed those cool redfish decals on vehicles… but never really took the time to understand what CCA was. I made it back to Austin and immediately researched the site, www.joincca.org. After a few minutes it became apparent, this is what I want to do; volunteer my time to this organization that aims to ensure conservation of marine resources.

By Manny Villanueva

I then attended my first general membership meeting, met fellow fisherman who also had the same passion and was able to listen to professional guides talk about fishing the Texas coast. It was then that I became hooked! Pun intended. Soon thereafter, I was asked to join the

A few years back, while enjoying

board of CCA Austin and so far, by joining our local chapter, I’ve been able to express myself when visiting with other members and fishermen,

a cold beverage on a pier in Rockport, it hit me! How lucky are we to

volunteer at some really cool events and meet some highly skilled guides,

have this great body of saltwater bordering Texas. I am enamored by

all the while spreading the word of conservation to the public.

the sunsets that set over our beautiful Texas bays; I enjoy the seagulls diving down to devour remains of a freshly cleaned trout. How our bays hold life!

The Austin chapter has strong leadership and passion for what we are doing. They have welcomed me into the board and immediately had advice for me on how to start volunteering my time. I am lucky to have joined. I encourage current members wishing to do more volunteering to get in contact with our local chapter. If nothing else, continue to spread the word of CCA and hopefully, as a group, we can do our part to ensure we continue to have the opportunity to enjoy fishing the Texas coast for years and years to come.

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Field Notes

In high school, I hated math

to monitor those reefs, we need good maps.

only class I ever came close to failing was word

said than done. An excellent oyster map of

acoustic images

processing. While the rest of the class was

Lavaca Bay was produced in 1913 by Moore and

that are similar in

blazing away at 60 words per minute, I was still

Danglade, but it wasn’t easy. For months, they

appearance to

struggling with quick red foxes jumping lazy

kept a large crew rowing around the bay, poling

black and white

dogs. However, I loved fishing and biology.

for oysters, sampling them with tongs and taking

aerial photographs.

So, it made sense that I should study fisheries

their location by triangulating using flags set on

White represents hard bottom, black represents

science and leave math and computer stuff to

the shoreline. Then there were more months

oozy mud, and many shades of grey represent

others. Now here I sit; a fisheries biologist for

with a cartographer hand-drawing the maps.

varying densities of bottom.

the State of Texas, crunching fish numbers on

When the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

my computer. Little did I know what a large role

(TPWD) set out to produce a new map, we

space-age technology would play in modern

wanted something quicker and less labor

documentaries are doubtless already familiar

fisheries management.

intensive. Fortunately there is a side-scan Sonar.

with side-scan. Treasure hunters are regularly

Unfortunately, having good maps is easier

and utterly despised computers. In fact, the

or lack of them, the side-scan produces

Fans of TV’s nautical archaeology

dragging them around the world in search of A side-scan sonar looks like a torpedo

Take oysters for example. The oyster

lost battleships and sunken Spanish galleons.

industry is big business in Texas and pumps

and is towed several feet off the bay bottom

However, in the last few years, side-scan

a tremendous amount of money into our

behind a boat. It projects sound waves over

technology has developed to the point that we

coastal economy. Additionally, oyster beds

approximately 100 yards of seafloor. If those

can discern much finer detail about the ocean

provide habitat for many popular sport fishes.

sound waves encounter a hard object (metal,

floor. In 2002, TPWD, in partnership with Texas

Consequently, recreational fishermen come to

wood, rock, oyster reef, etc.), they are reflected

A&M University-Galveston, used side-scan

fish on oyster reefs and bring in even more cash.

back to be recorded by the instrument. Sound

Sonar to remap the oyster reefs of Lavaca Bay.

In short, almost everyone on the coast has a

waves that hit soft bottom are absorbed into the

With side-scan, clumps of oysters as small as

vested interest in having healthy oyster reefs and

mud or sand. From the reflected sound waves

one square yard were discernible — and of course, we always keep our eyes open for Jean Lafitte’s treasure or sunken

An oyster boat dredges for oysters on the Texas coast.

German U-boats. Also on our research vessel was a device called a sub-bottom profiler, more affectionately known as GIS software combines a map of Lavaca Bay with a mosaic of side-scan sonar images. The white patches represent areas with hard substrate.

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Unfortunately, the side-scan and sub-bottom

versatile computer software

profiler images alone do not make a map. The

packages called Geographic

equipment was towed in parallel lines across

Information Systems (GIS).

the bay, much like a tractor plowing a field.

GIS allows users to combine vast amounts of

However, the computers that are processing the

geographic data and produce maps incorporating

data produce one long straight line image with

all of it. With our side-scan images, we are able

no turns. At this point, we turn to the GPS, that

to draw shapes to delineate reefs. These shapes

wonderful technological gift from our military.

can be placed in regular maps to show reef locations — useful to biologists, oystermen, and

In a simplified explanation, GPS, or Global

recreational fishermen. However, GIS is capable

Positioning System, consists of two parts. The

of far more interesting applications. For example,

first consists of 24 satellites orbiting the earth.

if we have a hypothetical fish that likes oyster reef

The second is the portable receivers carried

habitats, salinities of 15-20 ppt, and depths of 2-4

by people wanting to know their location. The

ft, we can input our map of oyster reefs, a table

satellites above the earth are essentially highly

of salinity measurements with coordinates, and a

accurate clocks. They continually broadcast

NOAA bathymetric chart. The GIS will then churn

microwave time signals to the portable receivers.

out a map showing ideal habitats for our fish.

Depending on the distance, these microwave signals vary in their travel time from satellite

Texas to protect out natural resources based

miniscule differences in time (which converts to

on the best available information. Throughout

distance) among the satellite signals and that

history, the “best” continues to improve with

tells them how far away they are from a given

technological advances and it is our duty to

satellite. Once at least three of these distances

keep up with those advances. Whether it is

“The Chirp” because of the sound it makes. The

are known, the GPS receiver can calculate

better sampling gear, improved computer

chirp, towed alongside the side-scan, is another

coordinates for its position on earth.

software, or cutting-edge satellite information,

The Side-Scan Sonar ready for deployment.

type of sonar, but designed to look beneath the seafloor. By firing sound waves straight down,

TPWD plans to use it to ensure the future of All of our sonar equipment was synchronized

Texas’s coastal habitats.

the chirp produces a cross-sectional image very

with a GPS receiver so that every point of data

similar to a recreational fishfinder, but penetrating

we collected has a corresponding latitude and

nearly 100 ft beneath the bay bottom. From

longitude. This allows the images to be correctly

For more information contact

this image we can detect ancient oyster reefs

positioned to produce a large mosaic of the

josh.harper@tpwd.state.tx.us

buried by years of sediment. We can find the old

seafloor. Though neat to look at, these images

Lavaca River channel from tens of thousands of

are of limited use. They

years ago when sea levels were lower and the

must be transformed

river had to flow much farther before reaching

into maps that are easy

saltwater. We can also see changes in sediment

to interpret. To do that

layering indicative of historical hurricane strikes.

we rely on amazingly

The humble oyster provides important benefits to both the environment and the economy of coastal Texas.

A kayaker fishes along an oyster reef.

At TPWD, we are charged by the citizens of

to the receiver. The receivers measure the

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Fishing Emergency Attention Fishermen, The town of Port Mansfield and the Lower Laguna Madre are facing a very serious problem that may affect you directly as a fisherman and conservationist. The Port Mansfield Channel is on the verge of sanding completely shut. This could have a very large impact on the quality of the sportfishing in the Lower Laguna Madre. No one knows for certain the full environmental impact losing this channel could bring, but everybody agrees it will not be good. Your help is needed to get the attention of our legislators. Please clip the accompanying letter, sign it and mail it to us here at the Chamber. We will present them to the legislators who can put a plan in motion to save this important channel. Please do not wait, clip the letter right now, fill in all the required information and mail it today. Mail to: Port Mansfield Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 75 Port Mansfield, Texas 78598 Detach here

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Dear concerned fishermen,

we need your help! MIke McBride - Everett Johnson

- Port Mansfield Chamber of Commerce

The Port Mansfield Channel,

seven in the world and the only one in North

the northern Laguna Madre decline without this

or as it is also known, the East Cut from the

America. It relies on good water circulation to

pass? Good questionâ&#x20AC;Ś unfortunately, the not-so-

Laguna Madre to the Gulf of Mexico, is silting in

maintain its balance and its sea grass. Without

good answer is that nobody knows for sure.

rapidly. Access for larger boats is almost gone

adequate flow, harmful algal blooms such as brown

and critical water exchange has been seriously

tide will likely become common. Algae can block

are simply not under consideration for funding

reduced. Although this channel was constructed

sunlight from penetrating to the sea grasses and

at this time. The determining factor for dredging

as part of a federal project with a depth of

the grass will die. Without sea grass the Lagunaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

appropriations is based solely on commercial

fourteen feet, it has been abandoned due to lack

water will become murky and largely unproductive.

tonnage. In Port Mansfield there is no commercial

of commercial tonnage and is now seven years

Many marine species benefit and rely on this

The main issue is that projects such as these

tonnage. Even though the recreational and

behind the dredging schedule. The remaining part

cut at various stages of their life and reproductive

environmental impacts could be huge, they get

of the channel that is more than a few feet deep

cycles; these include flounder, trout, redfish,

little consideration.

is very narrow and the mouth is heavily shoaled.

shrimp, crabs and even the threatened green sea

It may not be long before it closes completely.

turtle. The only other passes that connect the

to sway the legislature. We are asking concerned

No one knows the full environmental impact that

Laguna to the Gulf of Mexico lie fifty miles to the

fishermen and conservationists from all across

allowing this channel to close might bring, but it

south and approximately one hundred miles to

Texas to join us. Our goal is to convince the

canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be good. Your help is needed to restore the

the north. Texas Parks and Wildlife has already

legislature to appropriate funds to open the Port

dredging program.

acknowledged a downward trend in the spotted

Mansfield Channel and create legacy funding to

seatrout population and may be addressing this

maintain it. Your help is appreciated and together

trend with specialized regulations. How much will

we can make a difference.

The Laguna is classified as hyper-saline, meaning saltier than the ocean. It is one of only

April 2007

The voter base in Willacy County is not enough

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Going to school never

was tops on my list of things to do. I was always looking out the window checking the wind direction and imagining what was happening out on the bay. Of course if they had offered up a class on fishing they might have held my attention a bit longer. When I wasn’t tied to the school desk, the bays and salt marshes of Galveston taught me plenty about life and the ways of nature. I think many of today’s kids could use a good dose of that kind of outdoor experience. My good buddy Captain Dean Thomas offers a class that would’ve been a huge hit among my running buddies. He calls it The Texas The class Kayak Fishing School. The name is a bit misleading though. While it is geared toward the kayak fisherman, there is plenty of information for anyone who wants to learn the ins and outs of fishing the flats of the Texas coast. The idea for the school was born a few years ago when Dean and his good buddy Dr. Bill Harvey were having one of their in-depth discussions on the front porch of the Kayak Shack. Dean is a student of the water and often puzzles over why the fish are acting the way they do under different conditions. Dr. Bill is a fisheries biologist and tends to have a lot of answers for those questions. They decided to combine Bill’s knowledge of fish biology with Dean’s knowledge of catching fish and share it with others. The curriculum they developed is pretty amazing. I remember the first time I sat in on the school. I went in believing it would be geared more towards beginners and saltwater rookies. I ended up taking notes. The amount of quality information was simply too much to absorb. Dr. Bill’s theories on why fish eat, how they react to various stimuli, and how water chemistry affects them was just what I had been wanting 60

Texas Saltwater Fishing

“Now do it like this,”... Dean demonstrates technique to students.

prepares to launch.

Dean the teacher... putting it all together on the water.

to know for all these years. Perhaps I should’ve continued on with that school thing back when I was younger. The school was a success among the growing kayak fishing community, but a couple years ago Dr. Bill retired from his job with TPWD and found himself too busy to continue with the class. By this time Dean had sat through Dr. Bill’s talk enough times that he had a fisheries degree by proxy. Last year Dean asked me to join him and help out with teaching the class. I was honored and had a great time, but now I too have retired from my first career and become busier than ever in my second. Never fear, Dean is planning to soldier on without me this year. The school consists of two half days in the classroom and two half days on the water. It is a full weekend of learning combined with the fun of kayak fishing. Starting Friday around noon the class of 10 to 12 students arrives at the Kayak shack in Aransas Pass where they are greeted by Dean’s big grin and unmistakable Texas drawl. Total strangers and longtime friends are treated the same and within minutes everyone is April 2007

And they’re off! A dozen eager students and their instructors, eager to put the lessons to work.

laughing at (or was that with) him. The classroom upstairs is fully stocked with note pads, pens, and aerial maps of Redfish Bay. After a brief introduction around the room the professor launches into the program. Dean’s laid-back style and constant one-liners makes for a comfortable atmosphere where questions and comments are welcome. The first session covers general kayak fishing safety including basic equipment, what to stock in your first aid kit, and suggestions on keeping yourself out of harm’s way. Dean guides kayak fishermen on a daily basis and has dealt with just about everything out on the water from bee stings to heart problems so he’s full of good advice on what to have handy. One popular part of this section of the course deals with hook removal… and I’m not talking about unhooking a fish. It is taught with real-world experiences to back it up. Next up is an in-depth discussion on reading the water and locating fish. As with every other section in the program, the talk is supplemented with photographs projected onto the wall that further illustrate the important points. Tailing reds

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Here’s this student’s first-ever topwater trout during one of last year’s classes on the water.

Eureka! A successful student with his prize.

are always a hot topic in the school. Everyone wants to see them. Dean has probably seen more waving tails from a kayak than anyone on the Texas coast and he shares his thoughts on where to locate them, why they tail, and how to approach them. Sometimes this part goes a little long. Okay, it always goes longer than intended. But it is interesting to get the perspective of someone who sees hundreds, if not thousands, of reds every season. The remainder of the afternoon is devoted to kayak rigging. He can give you a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn’t. Again, he’s seen just about everything you can imagine strapped to, bolted on, and stuffed inside a kayak. Poking fun at the gear junkies is always entertaining. The session wraps up with a discussion on paddle selection and instruction on proper paddling techniques. Most everyone who is just getting into kayaking could use some help with their paddling skills. Forward strokes, reverse strokes, turning sweeps, and braking are all covered. It’s pretty tough to teach in a classroom setting, but you’ll get enough of the basics to start working on it the next morning. Saturday morning everyone meets up back 62

Texas Saltwater Fishing

The lessons include proper fish handling and safety; getting them off the hook isn’t always easy.

at the shack before daylight and caravans down to the water. After the kayaks are rigged the armada launches out onto the flats for a morning of semi-guided fishing. I was a bit doubtful about this strategy at first. It didn’t seem that we had equipped the students with enough information by this point for them to locate and catch fish, but it turns out to be a great teaching opportunity. Rookies are soaking it all in and those with some experience are trying to put their new-found knowledge into practice. After all, a few hours on the water are never a bad thing. After lunch the group meets back in the classroom where everyone is invited to share their experiences from the morning on the water. This always opens up a good discussion on what went right or wrong with the fishing. And this leads perfectly into the next section of the school. It is at this point that the puzzle starts to come together as Dean goes into in-depth explanations of tide cycles, the terrain of the flats, and weather patterns. All of which combine to affect when and where the fish will feed on any given day. Additional pieces of the puzzle come from an overview of general fish biology and behavior. April 2007

This helps everyone to understand what makes these critters tick and why they do some of the puzzling things they do. But most importantly, it gives you the knowledge to make them strike your lure. Dean is very generous with his hard-earned knowledge of how to judge when and where to present a lure to sighted redfish. It sounds pretty simple, but there are definite right and wrong ways to go about it. Resisting the temptation to drop your lure right on a red’s nose is hard to do the first time you see a big bronze fish cruising across the flats. And the ability to read a tailing red’s attitude is often the difference between hooking up and watching the roostertail as he flees the flat. Day two wraps up with a look at tackle selection. Dean’s tackle box is surprisingly sparse in variety of both lure types and colors. A few topwaters, some DOA shrimp, and some weedless-rigged soft plastics are about all you’ll find. He’ll also give you his opinion on rod and reel selection. Most beginners come into the class relying heavily on having every lure on the tackle isle as a crutch. By the end of the class it becomes clear that understanding the fish and their environment is far more important than having all those latest and greatest lures to choose from. Keeping your gear simple allows you to concentrate more on what really counts. Sunday morning you get to try your hand at putting it all together with another half day fishing under the watchful eye of the teacher. It was always rewarding for me to see the difference in confidence and attitude from the first afternoon on the porch to the last morning on the water. Guys who didn’t have a clue walk away with a base of knowledge to build upon through their own experiences and I know they’ll be successful. I’m going to miss that this year. A schedule of this year’s school dates can be found at www.texaskayakfishingschool.com or you can call the shop at 361-758-0463 for more information.

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

“Why would you spend that

titanium fishing pliers at around $300. Sure I

were tough to come by and because I had to

kind of money on an ice chest?” a buddy asked

could go out and buy some cheap pliers and

have one right then and there — ordering one

me recently. My reply was simple, “Because it is

replace them every couple of months at $20

through the mail just was not going to cut it.

the best.”

or $30, but doing that for a couple of years

Then there was a break — through…

As a guide, it very easy for me to justify

begins to add up. Instead, seven years ago I

My buddy had hinted that he had found

spending a little extra on any piece of

spent the extra pesos to purchase a top of the

another box of a size more suitable for his boat

equipment under the guise of — my customers

line product about that serves me as well today

so with a little prodding, I left Florida with a new

are paying a premium for a service, therefore

as when the tool came out of the box. (Did I

ice chest and have never been disappointed

they should have the best equipment that

mention that I have never even rinsed them

in my ridiculously over-priced purchase. In

money can buy at their disposal. Unfortunately,

off?) In fact, as a flats guide, I would consider

fact, I suspect that the money I have saved in

that is just something I say to offset the real

them (pliers) the single most important piece

purchasing ice 200 plus days a year for the

reason I spend a ridiculous amount of money on

of equipment apart from my boat. The point is,

last five years will have paid for the box several

the things I do.

quality is worth paying for, and the best usually

times over.

You see, not only am I a guide, but I am also an angler and, as anyone who knows me

Now all these years later and with a new

comes at a premium. That is one of the reasons that years ago,

boat in the works (sooner than later I hope), I

can testify, I take my fishing very seriously.

when I went fishing with a friend and saw that

started thinking about my trusty ice box and

Heck, some have even accused me of being

he was sporting a sexy new fiberglass ice box,

what I would do to replace it. I mean, let’s face it

obsessed but I pretend to not know what they

I knew it would not be long before I got my

— a person cannot get a new shiny boat without

are talking about. Anyway, when it comes to my

grubby little hands on one. And, if looks and

a shiny new ice chest. So, while shopping

equipment, I buy only the best.

price tag were not enough to grab and keep my

around I started thinking about all of the things I

This philosophy even extends way beyond

attention, the ability of the box to keep ice over

would change or make better about the old box

boats, rods and reels. In fact, some would say

a long period of time sold me. We had gone on

if I could (yes, it did have some shortcomings)

that one of the most outrageous purchases

a four day excursion into the Everglades and

and discovered that someone had already done

in regards to my gear would be my Van Staal

when we came out of the park, there were still

that for me in the form of relatively new product

cubes from the original

— the Yeti.

two bags. It was a no-

The Yeti is high-quality fiberglass chest

brainer but, there was

that not only keeps ice as well as my old chest,

a catch — these boxes

but is quite a bit more user friendly in that it

My reply was simple, “Because it is the best.”

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

has improved on an already stellar design. The new box has better hinges and the somewhat flawed latches of the old box have been improved dramatically. Another flaw of my old box was handles that grabbed my fly line. This was addressed by the makers of the Yeti by molding some nice ergonomic handles into the side of the box. Heck, they even threw in a food rack for preventing soggy sandwich syndrome. For those of you who are not familiar with this disorder — soggy sandwich syndrome is the crankiness displayed by a fishing guide who just choked down a water-logged sandwich for his lunch. Anyway, the short version is, I just had to have one despite the price. Now days, the old cooler is used to transport food and such back and forth from the fish camp while the new box spiffs up the looks of the old boat while awaiting the arrival of the new skiff. The funny thing about it is this — while fishing with a friend today I got all excited while telling him about the new boat that I was getting this summer. After listening intently for a little while he asked, “How much are you getting it for?” I told him and he replied, “Holy #$&*, how can you spend that much on a boat?” I smiled and said, “Because it is the best.”

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Memory Makers

Mr. Johnson, my name is Reagan Orr

and I would like to tell you about a very special fishing experience that occurred on November 22, 2006. About three or four years ago, my father Edward J. (Buddy) Orr and mother bought a house in Rockport on Water Street. They had previously owned a condo on Fulton Beach Rd. for around 14 years. Through the years, my parents had been looking for a house on Shell Ridge Rd or Water Street, but houses for sale there were hard to come by. Fortunately, my parents found a house that would ultimately sleep fifteen, including spouses and grandkids. The property came with water access and a pier was constructed to carry on the family fishing tradition. Buddy, has been fishing these waters since he was about fifteen years old. Growing up a block away from Woodlawn Lake in San Antonio, he and his 4 brothers fished the lake frequently. When the oldest was able to drive, fishing trips to Rockport and Port O’Connor were numerous. Growing up, my family had enjoyed many weekend trips to Rockport; I have been fishing there since the weight of the rod, and the pull of the fish (pin perch mostly) frightened me beyond all rational thought. Now, having three kids of my own, I have enjoyed the same experiences with them firsthand. Fortunately, my father taught me how to fish and I spent many summer nights on lighted piers waiting for the “Big One.” Well, the big one never came until the night of November 22, 2006. My brother-in-law, from New Mexico, Buddy and I had caught several trout that night but the action started slowing down about 11:00 pm or so, most likely due to the lack of live bait. You know how dad’s can be about buying a pint when we needed a quart. So with no live bait, I took a good-sized dead shrimp and tossed it at the edge of the lights. A few minutes went by and something was aggressively playing with my bait. I took the rod out of its holder and patiently waited. Suddenly, the fish took the shrimp and ran, seemingly for Allyn’s Bight. The fish pulled line out, not in spurts, but in eight to ten second intervals. About thirty-five minutes went by and every time the “Big One” came close to the lights, it retreated to the darker depths of Aransas Bay. My dad’s first thought was a big black drum, and he was right. Another forty-five minutes elapsed before landing the monster, and if it wasn’t for one of my nephews coming out to see if anything was going on, everyone would have missed it. However, within minutes after his return to wake all in the house, the audience arrived. An hour and twenty minutes or so and with the help of three men, the big drum was landed and swiftly sent back home. At that point, the size didn’t matter, the weight didn’t matter, all that mattered was the special moment my father and I shared bringing the in “Big One”. I will be eternally grateful for the legacy he has created for his children and especially his grandkids, and hope to continue that legacy for my grandkids. Thanks for taking time in allowing me to share this with you and if it’s a good enough story, perhaps it can be shared with others. Wish we had gotten better photos but we were all very excited and in a hurry to let the “Big One” go back home. The “Big One” was landed on 12lb test line using a Curado 200B reel and CastAway rod. It was approximately 50-inches in length! A funny side note and a sign of how times have changed: Three years ago, I purchased a pair of “high tech” stingray-proof wading boots. My dad, wade fishing next to me, was sporting his same old Converse hightops like he has always worn. “I’ve been fishing these waters for years”, he said, obviously comfortable with the situation and feeling no need to wear boots like mine. I guess Dad and the rays have an understanding.

April 2007

Reagan J. Orr

San Antonio, TX.

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Alaska 2006

Recently, I celebrated my

fifteenth birthday, and I can say that I am really blessed to have such wonderful parents that have helped me become what I am today. I am grateful for the opportunities that they have set before me, and I appreciate their “don’t give up” attitude towards me attaining a higher education. If it wasn’t for my parents, I would not be able to experience the wonderful surprises that have come my way in the world of fishing. Never in my wildest dreams would I ever think that I would be writing for a fishing magazine; much less travel to different parts of the world to experience the great outdoors. Because of my father’s love for the deep blue sea, we usually plan our family vacations around a fishable body of water. I can remember our fishing trip to Punta Allen like it was yesterday. I was eleven years old when we took a family vacation to Cancun. Part of the fun was to rent a jeep and head for the southern tip of a peninsula to a small fishing village called Punta Allen. My dad had booked a fishing expedition on this tiny village, and Punta Allen was the place where bone, snook, and tarpon fishing were understood to be great. The bones were not huge, but could be found in large numbers. Little did we know the drive alone would be an adventure in itself. What was supposedly a thirty mile road trip took us over three hours to finally reach our destination. A big problem was when we got a late start, and it got dark on us. If you know your geography down there, you will find A panga is all you need.

Who said chasing bones is easy? 68

Texas Saltwater Fishing

that before getting to Punta Allen you have to drive thru the Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve, and the road is none like I have ever seen. The road is very rutted, so driving slow is a must. Since we drove thru the jungle at night, we didn’t get to see the beautiful scenery that took our breath away when we made our trek back to Cancun the very next day. The coconut filled uninhabited beaches and the turquoise colored water made the scenery look like a photo out of a travel magazine. Our accommodations were not that great especially when we are use to sleeping in an air condition room and usually have some kind of bug spray handy to fight off mosquitoes, well not in this place. But, the fishing certainly made up for all of our other disappointments. We awoke early, met our guide and jumped in a panga heading south for at least forty five minutes. When we arrived at our first fishing destination, an area with a series of tiny islands lined with mangroves, the view was not disappointing at all. The guide stayed with me, and my dad took off on his own. For a good three hours we were on schools of bone fish that cooperated on my spinning gear. I even managed to land a barracuda, a first for me. Our efforts then turned to chasing snook and tarpon, which were hard to locate but fun to explore. As the day came to a close, it was hard to say good-bye. Just thinking about driving back down the bumpy road made me want to stay in paradise. On our way back, I just about passed out of heat exhaustion. Twice my dad had to assist and dip me in the ocean water to cool me off. By the time we got to the famous swaying Boca Paila Bridge, I started to feel better, especially after seeing all those tarpon swimming under the bridge. This was undoubtedly a trip to remember and make me want to April 2007

Baffin Bay 2004

come back again someday. I also had the privilege of fishing the picturesque waters of Alaska which I wrote about in a previous article. Fishing has taken me to the remote shorelines and sharp rocks of world famous Baffin Bay. This is where my biggest trout came from. That trout got me on the cover of what was Gulf Coast Connections then, now Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine. I want to share something about that cover that I have not shared before. When my dad found out I had made the cover, he hid the magazine before I was able to see it. He went to a frame shop, and had it framed. It so happened that all of my family and close relatives got together for dinner one night, and my dad presented me with my cover shot on a good looking frame. Now that was a special moment for me. Having my uncles, aunts, cousins, and my grandparents present was an event to never forget. I was way too excited and could hardy wait to tell my friends. That cover shot was the beginning of something new and good to come into my life. The love for the outdoors has taken me to the pristine shorelines of Port Mansfield all the way to down to the snook infested waters of South Bay. The sport has allowed me to meet new people and see things I wish most young people like myself could experience. The awesome sunrises and sunsets on the shallow flats, tailing reds in the backbays of our local waters, to the sharing of laughs on a long wade with friends makes it all worthwhile. If you have a dream, all you need is hope. I for one thank the Lord for opening the door to the great outdoors in my life. Think big, fish hard and good things will come your way.

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Raymond “Kutch” Albrecht

Raymond “Kutch” Albrecht was born June

they went bad. We didn’t really think about what

docks there in town and he could catch enough

28, 1925 in Victoria, Texas and has fished

would happen to the fishing back then because

to keep Mother busy. She was the best around

the Texas coast for almost 76 years. Kutch’s

all we had been taught was catching and eating

with her stuffed crabs, everybody loved them.

parents loved to fish and they began taking him

and selling. We all enjoyed rod and reel fishing

Mr. Cap Bauer that owned the big dredging

along on their trips to San Antonio Bay when

but even the best fishermen I knew had trotlines

company would come by once or week or so

he was only six years old. Kutch has remained

and gill nets in their garage.

and he’d buy a great big box to give to the men living on his dredges and crew boats. He’d give

an avid angler and hunter his whole life. The only time he didn’t hunt and fish was during his

My dad ran lines and nets and so did I.

service years in WW-II with the U.S. Navy, but

I remember one really cold winter day after

best crabs in the world, someday I’m going

he got back to it as soon as the war was over.

Mom and Dad moved off the farm and bought

to put you in the business and we’re gonna

a little place at Seadrift, I think it was 1955 or

get rich.” Mother would laugh at that and say

thereabouts because they had just finished that

something like, “Captain Bauer you’re already

new canal that went up to the plants, you know

rich and buying all the crabs I can make, how

the Victoria Barge Canal. I’d been married for

could we ever go into business?”

Kutch’s fishing career spans a period when technology and manufacture of tackle, boats and motors changed at an amazing rate. In the beginning, things ran at a different pace and folks approached the sport much differently than we do today.

Mother another order and say, “You make the

seven or eight years and moved to El Campo and working for CPL and I didn’t get to fish with

We talked a little bit about renting boats

my folks too much anymore so Miss Alice and

over there at Indianola from old Ed Bell and I

I were anxious to get down there. Daddy had

forgot to mention we used to rent them at Port

been out trying to get his nets in right before

O’Connor too. That cove back up there by the

another bad norther was supposed to hit and he

old lighthouse was one of the best fishing holes

had more tubs of fish than I’d ever seen. That

for miles around in the summertime. I’ll never

new cut was just full of them and he made a

forget going there to rent boats; you had to be

his tales.

haul. I think he had over 800 trout and I helped

early if it was a weekend. Sometimes people

I would like to encourage our readers to contact me with the names of anglers they feel are worthy of being featured here. E. Johnson

him gut and gill them. I do not recall a single

would be standing there waiting for one to come

one of them over 18-inches long; most of them

in so they could take it back out. Now there’s

were 12 to 15. There sure were a lot of small

something you don’t see anymore and another

fish in the bays back then.

way that fishermen just don’t understand how

Kutch was kind enough to sit down and tell us his story and we have already been through Part I, Part II and Part III. We’re going to wind it up this month with Part IV and we really hope you have enjoyed meeting Kutch and hearing

good they got it today. That Barge Canal brought a lot of changes I know we’ve already covered lots of stuff about how it was, but sometimes I wonder if today’s fishermen really understand how much the sport has evolved. You know when I was a kid we all sold fish, it was very acceptable then to bring in a big catch and invite a bunch of folks over and then sell what you couldn’t eat before 70

Texas Saltwater Fishing

to that end of San Antonio Bay. I can’t tell

You asked me about floundering and I got

exactly why but the oysters and crabs were

off the track and didn’t answer, but I never was

thicker than I’d ever seen within a couple of

too big on floundering, although I did go with

years. We could pull up to pretty near any reef

some of my friends from time to time. Red

out there and pick up a five gallon bucket of nice

Wigginton was a flounder man and a damned

oysters as fast as if they were on your sidewalk.

good one. I don’t know if you ever met Red

They were awful good eating. My dad ran a

but he was Harold Lee Wigginton’s daddy and

bunch of crab traps off the piers and along the

Harold was quite a flounder man too. Red lived

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

After we talked about the old tackle, you

to be in his nineties I think and just passed

all said I was washed up and CPL gave me

then Mother complaining about them new

retirement in 1975 after thirty years and I been

fangled reels, I wish I’d kept some of that old

fishing pretty hard ever since. Some of the best

stuff just so folks could look at it and see what

of all came there at Shoalwater Flats down on

we had to fish with. I know I been saying it a lot

the Lane when me and Miss Alice had that little

but the gear you can buy today sure does make

place there with Barbara and Jimmy and all

it easy. Just look at the GPS thing Barbara and

the good people down there. It would be hard

Jimmy have on their new boat, that thing will tell

to pick out which was best but we sure had it

where you are, where you’re going, how deep

nice there at Shoalwater. In your memory there

the water is, when the tide is going to move and

all always some big days or big catches that

when the moon is due to rise. We didn’t have

stand out but I’ll tell you honestly, I think today’s

nothing like that when I was young.

fishermen have it better all the way around than we ever did. The new laws from the Parks and

away not too long ago. One day he came over and said, “Kutch I’d like you to go floundering

I’d say I’ve had a pretty good run. The doctors

know Mom and Dad and their cane poles and

I’d like to say I’ve had a great life fishing all

Wildlife and things that groups like CCA do for

with me, the weather looks like it’s going to be

up and down this coast. I’ve enjoyed catfishing

the bays has made it better than ever. Things

good tonight and we can get a mess of them.”

on the rivers and trolling for winter trout; going

are warming up and we’ve got the boat ready

Well, old Red knew his business that’s for sure,

to the power plant there at Point Comfort made

and we’re anxious to go, I think the reds are

I think we had every box full and headed back

some great memories, and those old times

going to be thick in Shoalwater Bay and down

to El Campo before mid-night. If I remember

at Hoppers and Carroll Islands were special

in Welder’s Flats this spring. Maybe I’ll see you

right we had 75 or 80 and there was some five

too. For a man that served all over the Pacific

when I get down there.

and six pounders in there, we had a ton of fish

during the war and has suffered two major

that night.

heart attacks and survived open heart surgery

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Cajun Cajun Advantage™ Monofilament

Norton Lures Norton Quick Twist

The Red Line Just Got Better Utilizing a new co-polymer formula, Cajun Advantage™ is designed to endure the harshest environments and most demanding fishing conditions. Increased abrasion resistance, greater strength, excellent cast-ability and the patented disappearing red color make this the line to beat in 2006. Features Include: • Made in the U.S.A for increased quality and consistency • Resistance to UV exposure • Invisible in as little as three feet of water Red Advantage Filler Spool • 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 17, and 20 pound test • 300 yards Red Advantage ¼ Pound Spool • 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, and 50 pound test • ¼ pound of line (275-1600 yards depending on pound test) Red Advantage 2 Pound Spool • 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80, 100, 130, and 200 pound test • 2 pounds of line (650-12,000 yards depending on pound test)

There’s a new twist on the fishing scene… change lures in a flash. The Norton Quick Twist makes changing lures a breeze, turning rigging time into Fishing time! Norton Lures is unveiling their newest product... The Norton Quick Twist. It is sold with or without a swivel in 4 sizes: #07, #10, #14 and #20. The #20 is so small it is perfect to use with flies. The Quick Twist Clip is for anglers who already use a swivel between the line and the leader. If you prefer not to use a swivel between your leader and fishing line, or if you prefer to tie direct you will like the Norton Quick Twist with Swivel. Positive points about the Norton Quick Twist: You can change jigheads pre-rigged with different soft

www.cajunline.com

Brown Lures SOLO Split-tail lure The newest big trout lure from the Brown family, and the first of its kind for semi-suspending baits. The SOLO was designed by Brown Lures with the help of Corky creator Paul Brown. The design of the SOLO gives it a much slower sink rate than using a jighead, but still slightly faster and more “workable” than the Corky line. • Slower sink rate for BIGGER trout. • Low-profile hook prevents shell and grass hang-ups. • “Split-tail” has unique action when twitched. • Tough, durable plastic and internal structure holds up after many fish. The SOLO is available in 8 fish catching patterns. www.BrownLures.com 1-877-460-4619

plastics or colors in a heartbeat, without having to destroy the plastic lure. You can focus on fishing instead of worrying about tying knots all day, and you can have peace of mind because the Norton Quick Twist will not fail like snap swivels. Look for the new Norton Quick Twist products at your tackle dealer soon!

Fishbites E-Z Baits How E-Z can fishing get? Real E-Z with Fishbites E-Z Baits. Fishbites gives anglers the flexibility to experiment with different sizes, scents, and techniques in order to catch a whole host of saltwater species. Each strip is ½ inch wide and 13 inches long and can be found under the names E-Z Clam, E-Z Crab, E-Z Shrimp or E-Z Squid. As with all Fishbites baits, they can be used on a bare hook or as a trailer on a jig or skirt. How easy are the E-Z baits to use? Just cut ‘em, hook ‘em and cast ‘em. How E-Z is that? Get ready to Set the hook!® with Fishbites E-Z Clam, E-Z Crab, E-Z Shrimp or E-Z Squid. Fishbites — the scent that melts in the water, not on your hands!® www.fishbites.com 1-877-840-2248

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Bass Assassin Slurp Introducing SLURP, the newest weapon in our saltwater arsenal! Our new line of saltwater lures features a special scent release formula. Using new technology, we are able to add natural fish Shrimp Body Style attracting scents to our lures that release upon contact with water. These highly concentrated scents attract fish, even in the toughest fishing conditions. The longer they stay in the water, the stronger the scent becomes. In all of our field tests, our new SLURP lures outfished live bait every time! This is not biodegradable or water based plastic. It will not shrink or harden. No messy, oily bags. This is our regular saltwater plastic, so you know you are fishing with high quality lures. Slurp… The new wave of plastics is here! www.bassassassin.com

U.S. Reel Our SuperCaster 230 and 240 U.S. Reel Chasing the Braid Business St. Louis, MO - U. S. Reel president Fred Kemp is not coy about revealing a part of the company’s broad-yet-focused strategy aimed at grabbing a substantial share of the freshwater and inshore light tackle spinning markets. Emphasizes Kemp, “Our SuperCaster reels are a dream with mono, but we are actively pursuing those anglers who prefer braided lines as well as those contemplating using braid. The exclusive wide spool design of our reels dramatically reduces problems inherent with superlines on ordinary spinning reels. Our SuperCaster 230 and 240 series signiﬁcantly enhance braid ﬁshing performance. That’s particularly good news for thousands of anglers who have had a bad experience with braid on ordinary spinning reels. They’ll see a huge difference with SuperCaster.” U. S. Reel is launching the nationwide offensive with full page and double page spread “Great for Braid” color print advertising, as well as select regional television spots, beginning in March. An aggressive outdoor press campaign commenced in January. Concludes Kemp, “By ICAST we will have set the stage for the introduction of the second wave of SuperCaster.” www.usreel.com 314-962-9500

You never know

where or when it will happen, the lightning strike that is a big fish, the once in a lifetime hook set that could define your whole fishing career. I don’t know anybody who has ever wet a line that has not dreamed of catching giant fish, the kind that visit you in your dreams at night. Right now is the time of the year that those dreams could come true for some fortunate angler either from the coast or an east Texas lake; spring is the right time to catch big fish and the best is yet to come.

For many weeks now both Dickie Colburn and I have been talking about the big trout being caught both here at Sabine and across the river at Calcasieu, that program is really getting ready to kick into high gear. The winter weather fishermen have had both of these bay systems all to themselves for some time now and as the mercury rises that luxury will go away. More and more anglers will take advantage of the warmer temperatures and get out on the water. More anglers mean more opportunities to catch fish, warmer temperatures mean fish will be much more active for longer periods of time, couple those two together and you have the recipe for a tremendous spring. As the water temperatures climb up into the mid 60’s and above we will see the topwater bite crank up with a vengeance. Up until now the topwater bite was hit or miss, warm afternoons provided the best opportunity for a

surface assault from a big trout but it was never a certainty. Try as one might, it was difficult to hold your focus long enough to coax a strike from sluggish fish on topwater while your buddy was catching on sub-surface plugs. The tides will soon turn and the angler chunking topwater plugs will even the playing fields, maybe even actually have an advantage when you come to think of it because of their ability to cover more water. Don’t be surprised if you start seeing some of the biggest fish of the year show up. So far this spring the “Most Valuable Player” in my tackle box has been a plug called a Tide Minnow and it’s made by a company called Dulamar. I ran across this plug at one of Shallow Water Fishing Expo’s in Austin and it has really done a job for me this spring. I like everything about the plug, the finish is first rate, the hooks are high quality, and it just flat out catches fish. We have spent the majority of the past month in water from 2 to 4 feet and this little plug really shines under those kinds of conditions. For those unfamiliar with this plug it’s a shallow running jerk bait that can be worked with various retrieves and that makes it an easy lure for even beginners to use. I wrote about this style of lure in the February issue and I can’t help but mention them again, especially when these baits have been producing like they have for both customers and me. Looking ahead to the coming months we can always expect some less than desirable winds and unpredictable conditions. For many anglers this means sharing protected water with the masses since everyone will want get out of the wind. When this happens to you and the crowds get tough, get out and explore some different and less pressured venues. Anyone who has read this column knows I have a great love for fishing deeper water than most, and at this time of the year that program can pay big dividends. Spring time on Sabine is tailor made for the deep water pattern. We are famous for the “dredging” technique that has become a staple for local anglers. Long drifts over oyster reefs in water from 3 to 25 feet have produced a ton of fish for those anglers who take the time to figure out the proper combination of lure color, speed, and depth. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen waders come in from a long day with an empty stringer while just minutes from the dock the herd of boats along the causeway reef have just had a field day catching trout. No, the deep water dredging technique is not glamorous, but it sure does work if you give it a chance. Hopefully the next month will be fisherman friendly because the water conditions along the Texas coast are prime right now; it will be wide open crazy before you know it. I hope each one of you get the chance to take that big fish of a lifetime we all wish for. I also hope when you do catch that trophy that you respect the resource and take only the fish you can use and release the others to fight another day. Good luck, see ya on the water.

Capt. Dickie Colburn with a solid trout from some deep Sabine shell. 76

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

It’s time for the spring

report. Things are picking up since we have been getting the warming trends. We are not doing too badly. We are just playing it between fronts and not doing too bad. Trinity Trinity is still holding a lot of fresh water over here. The entire upper end is still really fresh and off-color, real stained and ugly. Up in the top end of the bay where HL&P spillway is they are still catching pretty good trout up there while wade fishing. I have not been fishing up in there because it gets too crowded but a lot of them are walking in from McCollum Park and wading that gut that comes out of there and they are able to catch limits on a daily basis. There have been some good solid trout caught up there in the 8 or 9 pound class. However, the majority are just running at about 2 or 3 pounds. Let’s talk about the other parts of Trinity; on the east shoreline the water is still pretty cold over there. There is a good amount of bait that has showed up but the fish have not pulled in behind it yet. The hottest things we have going on right now is the upstream fishing like Tabb’s, right here where it joins in with Trinity Bay and Fall Bay that is just north of Trinity. It has been yielding some good fish. You can catch them either wading or fishing out of the boat. They are biting on the Corkey’s, topwaters and soft plastics, your usual big three. That is pretty much working very well behind the northers and also working off of a northwest to north-east wind. That has been holding pretty well over there. The water is in good shape. On up the ship channel you get into Scott’s Bay and Burnett’s Bay.

Those two little bays right there have been real hot for drift fishermen. They have been catching full limits there almost every day on soft plastics. The color of the plastic has not been making a difference. Everything is working. There are just a lot of fish up there. The reason there are so many fish is because the bait had been holding up there and the water is real clear. The fresh water has not affected it also the temperature holds real warm. Even after a norther, the water temperature does not drop like it does in an open bay. Upper Galveston Bay The spring specks have started to show up all along the pier pilings, Seabrook Flats, Kemah Flats and Sylvan Beach. All of those areas are holding some really good fish and everyone who is fishing over there wading are throwing Mirrolures and Corkeys and a few topwaters, are doing quite well. They have been on some good solid fish up there, weighing in around 8 pounds. Not too bad! East Bay In you get a good tide in East Bay; it is holding some good water. When you get a norther to blow through and the water comes back and you catch that good calm day, the wildlife refuge is still holding a lot of good fish over there. You have to have the green water and the full tides too. When that water gets real low it seems like you have to wade out a million miles to get out to the fish. That is not a wise thing to do out there because when that tide comes back in you will not make it back to the bank. There have been a few small schools of fish along the south shoreline but it is hit or miss over there. It is just spotty at the very best. One day you can catch 20 or 30 fish and then the next day you will not even get a bite. Those fish are still moving a lot over there, pulling in and out. Most of them are staying deep over the shell. West Bay The bite has been right at early morning and late evening. Right at light and right at dark, just a couple of good coves are paying off. Dana’s Cove and Maggie’s Cove are the two coves I would key on if I was fishing that area all the time. The best conditions for that area is the incoming tide, late in the afternoon and late in the evening. That is when the bite has been the best, with that good push of water in the back of those coves. Same type of lures working over there too, your big 3, soft plastics, Corkeys and topwaters. The main thing now is just looking for good water and playing the winds. We head to whichever shoreline the wind is blowing off of. We try to find the good water with the baitfish, just look for the mullet and give it time. They are not going all day long, just in spurts. That pretty much sums Galveston Bay up. We have started catching some flounder. We are catching those in about 5 or 6 feet of water with tails. It’s not far away… it is fixing to crank! I would rate the fishing just OK right now, not great, just OK. However that is normal in this bay system for this time of year. The best is yet to come.

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Both East and West

Bay on a strong south

looking very good to me at this

As April comes in

Matagorda Bay systems are

time. April should be the pick of the litter and with small glass minnows already showing up in West Bay that tells me something is getting ready to happen. April fishing in West Bay perks up when those glass minnows come around, not to discount the nervous mullet that are excellent signals as well. If you get out there try heading toward the Cullen Houses all the way down to Airport Flats. Just dial your eyes into the bait fish and as a rule fishing is best on an incoming tide. Prepare yourself against the sharks and stingrays over in West Bay. As a general rule, I wear the ForEverLast Ray Guard Wading Boots to protect myself against stingrays. Sharks can also be a great nuisance and they seem to get smarter each year. I like using a good wading net to net my fish instead of trying to grab with my hand. God forbid the outcome of trying to grab your fish just as a hungry shark explodes out of the water to get there first. Ouch… In addition to your net you might want to think hard and heavy about some type of floating basket or cooler for you to put your fish in and then secure around your waist instead of using a stringer. Boy do I have some stories as

do plenty of other fishermen, just be safe instead of sorry. East Bay, as you know, is my first pick but I will tell you that if the wind kicks up and the water gets dirty I’ve been known to mosey on over to West Bay despite the critters. The water on the south shoreline of West Bay is usually clearer than East

or southeast wind. some of the big trout over in East Bay will still be on mud but as the month progresses the fish will be moving to shell. There could be some bird activity but nothing like the fall months. Drifting deep mid-bay scattered shell and wading the south shoreline and shallower mid-bay reefs is my expected plan of action. Watch for your baitfish. Baits to use won’t change much except for the addition of some new products that just came out. Bass Assassins in Roach, Bone Diamond, Pumpkinseed, Red Shad, Salt & Pepper, and the new Slurp 5” Sea Shad in Drunk Monkey, Electric Chicken, and Good Penny will be on my ticket for jerk baits. You might even try them under a cork because it does work. Topwater picks are Mirrolure She Dogs 83MRGCRCH, GCRRH, FT, NSCH, CRBK, and CRBN for both bays. For your rod and reel combinations I’m still using the Shimano Crucial 5’9” casting rod from last year. This rod has plenty of miles and wear but I’m determined to use it until it breaks. Shimano makes the rod in the 5’9”, CRC-59MH, 6’3”, CR-63M, and 6’6”, CRC-X66M, as well as, other flavors but for wade fishing throwing plastics and tops these are the ones I would use. As for your reels, the Curado 100D scratches my itch because the reel casts good and it holds up in the brutal elements we find in saltwater environments. Shimano did come out with a new reel, Citica, which has replaced the old green Curado. For a reel that is smooth, with 5 ball bearings, and casts far with a good drag for only $119 it’s a no brainer plus I was informed that this reel holds up in saltwater very well. Looking forward to some good April fishing and hopefully my sharing tips help you to be a better fisherman. Until next time God Bless and enjoy your family during the Easter Holiday.

Brian and James Smaistrla, Mike Carter, and Capt. Bill fished at the Matagorda Harbor 02.19.07. 80

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Dennis Lingo caught the Texas Trio while drifting with Capt. Bill over in East Matagorda on 2.28.07.

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Wow that was a rough

one… talking about this past winter of course. We, or more importantly the fish, survived yet another one. We got real lucky when that artic blast that was headed our way got pushed to the east by old mister Pacific Front! As it stands now we should be in for some fantastic fishing. As I write this article after returning home from the Houston Fishing Show our water temperatures are running 62 degrees in the bays and rising to 70 degrees on the flats. Oh… wait a minute… did I say flats? Well what flats we have left as our tides are running about two foot lower from where the normal tide resides this time of year. April fishing should be right on schedule if not a little ahead with this warmer weather we have been having. Depending on my customers and what their expectations are for their trips we will have many avenues through which to work. I am lucky, as many fishermen are on the middle coast, because we have many different types of structure to fish and an even greater difference between the

Texas Saltwater Fishing

middle coast and the rest of the gulf coast is that we have protection from the spring winds that normally hammers everyone from March through May. We can find protection in any one of our many back lakes and/or our leeward shorelines enabling us to fish many structures no matter what direction or velocity the wind is blowing. My normal springtime trips are customers looking for their trout of a lifetime and if that doesn’t go as planned they can still be entertained with catching numbers of larger than average size fish. That scenario works out perfectly when the trout are in their transitional period. This means many trout will be moving from the warm mud flats of the back lakes following the bait fish to the shallow gut infested shorelines of West Matagorda, Espiritu Santo, San Antonio and Mesquite Bays. This covers a lot of water but it is all still well within reach of the Rat Pack on any given day as we are lucky enough to be situated right in the middle of these areas. If there is one thing I tell my customers to remember, which can be used anywhere along the Texas coast, is remember the five S’s… SHORELINES, STRUCTURES, SLOW, SOUNDS and SLICKS. Make sure to fish SHORELINES targeting STRUCTURES such as grass patches, oyster reefs, drop offs, points, guts, color changes etc. Make sure to wade SLOW, keeping an eye out for SLICKS and listening for my favorite SOUNDS. Trout make a very distinctive “slurp” when they snatch their prey from the surface. Also listen for the SOUNDS of fleeing shrimp or possibly mullet skipping across the water as they try to elude a predator. Remember fishing is a lot like hunting and we have to use all our God given senses if we hope to be successful in stalking and catching our quarry. This is one of the best times of the year for topwater action in our area. My all time favorite topwater to throw is the MirroLure She Dog and the colors I prefer are the CHPR (chartreuse back and belly with pearl sides), CRBK (black back with chrome body), and the CRBL (blue back with chrome body). Any of these will provide good topwater action in any situation. A new suspending bait that has found it’s way into my wading box is the “MirrOdine” which resembles a sardine and/or shiner along with the new “MirrOminnow” which is a look alike to the glass or ghost minnow. Look for these bait fish to start showing up on our shorelines in April making these lures that imitate them a must have in your arsenal. As for soft plastics I will have the tried and proven Saltwater Assassins in the pumpkinseed/chartreuse, Opening Night, Space Guppy and the Salt and Pepper Silver Phantom all rigged on a 1/16 oz Assassin jig heads. Make a note… “I have caught more trout over 26 inches using the Saltwater Assassins than any other baits in my box.” If your target is redfish look for these bronze bruisers to be in the same locale as Mr. Speckled Fish. They can be found in sizeable numbers on shorelines due to their schooling behavior that usually starts in April and will be continual throughout the rest of the year. Stalking redfish in the back lakes will still be an option even as the shorelines heat up. I have found redfish in every nook and cranny of water no matter the depth and/or temperature. April 2007

Even flounder have a tough time resisting the Broken-Back from Cordell.

If I am targeting reds in ultra shallow water I will stick to the basics and use a Johnson gold or silver weedless spoon ranging from 1/8 ounce to ½ ounce depending on the vegetation in the area. These spoons are easy to work and can be cast upwind with ease if needed. A broken-back Cordell is also very well suited for ultra shallow action. I prefer to cast past my target then I reel slow enough that the lure doesn’t dive down into the grassy bottom. You should notice a “V” wake coming off the front of the lure if you are retrieving it back to you in this manner. You will be surprised how a finicky redfish that may have ignored your other offerings will find this lure simply irresistible! Fish hard, Fish smart!

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

The conditions have

other and caught nine big trout

been perfect. I’ve been all over

and a couple of bottom feeders,

Bafﬁn Bay and the water is

(redﬁsh.) Skeeter was on, he

clear everywhere. The water

caught ﬁve of the nine on that wade

temperatures have ﬁnally warmed

and they were all released. I think

up and hit seventy degrees last

it was his best day of catching big

week. The top water lure bite has

trout. There’s nothing like ﬁshing

really turned on.

with family and friends it was a

I’ve been going to new ﬁshing areas and they have been paying

great day on the water. My good ole ﬁshing buddy Greg

off. The trout are coming in; any

Woodard came down along with his

area that is quiet and uninterrupted

nephew, Everett.

is working.

Greg Woodard, with his trophy trout.

Greg has been down many times and he has mastered the ﬁnesse

We’ve had perfect weather.

of working different lures. He cast a pink Corky and caught a huge trout

There were only a couple of days

that weighed eight and one half pounds, she was released. Everett was

all month that we were not able

impressed with what his Uncle Greg could accomplish on an artiﬁcial lure.

to ﬁsh and that is exceptional for

I was impressed, too.

this time of year. My clients have all been trophy trout ﬁshermen, wanting to catch that one big trout. The majority have been catch and release.

My son has also had some remarkable days this month. He had a group of wade ﬁshermen and in the group; Mike Walters was doing

A lot of ﬁshermen aren’t even carrying stringers. There’s been days

something right. He caught the two largest trout. One was twenty-nine

that I haven’t had ice for the cooler or have to ﬁlet a ﬁsh. We just take

inches and then he caught another one that was thirty and one half

a picture and release her. I have deﬁnitely been in my element, there’s

inches. Mike had a memorable day to say the least.

nothing better than to catch trout and let them go. Skeeter Wollam and his son Aaron came down from Palacios.

One of the reasons we have such good ﬁshing today is because of the

Skeeter’s been ﬁshing with me for the past sixteen years. He also invited

conservation efforts made by Texas Parks and Wildlife back in the 1960’s.

my son to go with us. We had a heck of a father – son day.

When my dad, Carl Webb, came to Corpus Christi in 1963 as a game

We went south to a spot where I had been catching big trout all week. As soon as we got out of the boat I noticed the bait was really ﬂipping in

warden, one of the ﬁrst things he was asked to do was to stop illegal gill netting in Bafﬁn Bay and the Laguna Madre. There were seventy-three

one small area. We fanned out a little and surrounded the bait. Skeeter

active commercial netters. During

gets the ﬁrst big thump on a Corky. It was his ﬁrst big trout of the day.

that time we rarely caught a big

It was twenty-eight inches long. We all stayed within ﬁfty yards of each

trout on rod and reel. Just small schoolies, the size that could swim through the nets. In that ﬁrst year

Aaron Wollam caught some great fish on the big father-son outing. 84

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Skeeter Wollam brought his son and invited mine... we had an awesome father-son fishing day.

C.R. (Cliff Jr.) Webb with a fat C&R Baffin trophy. April 2007

Mike Walters fished with C.R. Webb recently and landed this awesome fish.

he removed two hundred and thirty thousand feet of gill net! Texas Parks and Wildlife made a difference back then, and we are seeing the payoff today in the numbers of fish. Baffin Bay is now experiencing more Cliff with a Baffin trophy.

pressure from more fishermen than ever. We

have to realize that it is not an endless supply, we have to appreciate what we have and do our part so there will continue to be fish for years to come. I expect April to bring more good fishing. The winter was cold but luckily it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t freeze and kill any fish. All the shorelines will continue to load up with fish and we should get a good number of trout in the land cut.

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Spring came early

up and streaked the water and it all came alive. With the Felo Guerra

in the Lower Laguna Madre. By the

group, the moon over major kicked in. It was the recovery day after a

last week of February we enjoyed

norther, a new moon, and the mid-day major gave us two precious hours

water temperatures above seventy

yielding two fish over nine pounds, an eight, and several going three to

and vivid wildflowers garnished the

six. As it often happens, everything stopped as suddenly as it started.

roadside. The fishing was good,

The lesson? We catch more fish working high-potential areas thoroughly

especially for the big trout South

and waiting out the feed than we do burning fuel and precious time. Many

Texas is famous for.

people still retain unrealistic expectations, but successful fishing with

The week before Dave Holder’s Houston Fishing Show, our boats

lures usually requires more than just skill and luck. April is showing promise. As of this writing, we have seen redfish

caught and released four monsters

invade the flats in great numbers. Although they are there one day

over nine pounds. Numbers in the

and gone the next, the shear numbers of wakes and mud boils are

four to six pound range were good

encouraging. As more of them move to the shallow sand, sight-casting

and a few pushed eight and we

will become a thrill. Unless they are cowboyed by other boats, they should

had redfish strapping up to thirty-

hold for several hours and then we will follow them to grassy potholes.

four inches. Although we had a

Many lures will work, but it’s hard to beat soft plastics and weedless

few good topwater sessions, most of our better fish came on tails, more

spoons. Even in high wind the flats can remain clear enough to spot

specifically Brown Lure’s Devil Eye on 1/8th oz. jigheads. It’s a good all-

cruising reds. Again, equipment is critical, especially your eyewear. Flats

around and durable lure. For reasons known only to the fish, darker colors

fishing is mostly luck if you can’t see. I use Maui Jim’s with rose lenses.

and slow loping retrieves worked best.

The contrast and color help me see fish that others can’t seem to identify.

Even on the larger trout the bite was often delicate. It took good equipment to detect the light pickups. If we are serious about chasing the best fish our bays have to offer, it only makes sense to use properly balanced and well-maintained equipment. If there are any questions about upgrading your gear, tell the experienced staff at Fishing Tackle Unlimited I sent you. They know what I use and have both the knowledge and products to help make your fishing experience all it can be. Check

Our trout are showing similar promise and we have hopes that it could be one of “those” years. We all know that nature runs in cycles and we are due for a big trout year. 2006 was a great year for larger trout and we have escaped yet another freeze, the water is in exceptional shape and the bait fish are thick. What we have seen so far is more than encouraging, and we are hearing similar reports from across the entire

out their Titanium All Pro rods and their recently upgraded no-nonsense wading gear. The more seriously we take our fishing, the more serious fish we will catch. Back to big trout; like any worthy prey, they take dedication to locate and determination to fool with lures. Timing is critical. There were situations where we knew we were standing in good fish, but would cast for hours without hooking a thing. It takes patience and confidence to wait our turn. Usually, something has to trigger these larger fish to bite, and experience tells us that it can be any number of things. With the Bruce Cranfill party it was basically dead until 2:00pm. The wind

picked Tricia with a solid 9, caught on a Brown Lure Company lure called the Devil Eye.

Norma Meyer with a 34” red, Bass Assassin. 86

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Ron’s big trout drew everybody’s attention. Trying to get these fish released in good condition is a priority.

Ron Shepherd with a beautiful 28-incher that weighed in the heavyseven range.

coast. Still harder here are those mid-sized fish, but we seem to have good numbers of fish on either side of the twenty to twenty-four inch class. Recruitment seems to be good, however, as the Laguna is full of undersized trout. Please handle both the under and over-sized fish with care if you value next year and the years to come. April of course traditionally brings inclement wind. Yes, it can be frustrating, but those who work with it and not against it will do well. Watch how wind moves water levels to a fishes feeding advantage and try to be there. Pay special attention to color changes and mud lines holding good concentrations of bait. Apart from sight-casting in the clear shallows, we had some of our best fishing last April in water with minimal visibility. Topwaters, especially She Dogs in heavy chop, accounted for some heavy catches and we fully expect to do it again. This year we will even be able to get a plug into more of these windblown grassy situations with almost the exclusive use of single hooks on our topwaters. Remember, when the wind blows hard in the Laguna, it moves water from somewhere and moves it to somewhere else. Take advantage of areas where fish are drained into nearby guts and then in back areas which become flooded. As previously written, it’s the “sloshing bathtub effect”, so when the wind subsides the movement reverses. Working a good plan can increase our odds tremendously. As mentioned, timing is critical, so let’s be patient and work to catch the fish we know are there. Good luck and here’s to you getting your personal best fish in spring 2007. I am looking forward to getting mine but thirty-three inches is going to be hard to beat. April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

The winds of April

will most certainly cause blowing whitecaps on the water and those on your head to fly off too. April means wind and changing fish patterns, discussed later in this article, but other changes include the way you dress for your fishing trips. The layers of clothes will be on the lighter side; the heavy jackets will have been put away, and the waders that brought us comforts of warmth through the colder months are now stashed away in the attic. The days will become longer, and also the opportunity to fish later into the evening will once again be upon us. Winter and early spring were very rewarding to us. We experienced some phenomenal number of catches wading in traditional winter mud holes. Gone are the days where a late start was a good thing. Now, we need to start thinking about getting an early start before the wind starts to unleash its fury. If I could use one word to describe April, my choice of word would be windy. April unveils very windy conditions through out the Texas Coast, and the Lower Laguna Madre will be no exception to these windy conditions. Down south we will undeniably see breezy conditions thru much of April and May. Low pressures areas above us will cause a vacuum of air. As a result of this vacuum we will begin to see the winds start to increase from a southerly direction. Using the wind to your advantage can bring triumph even in the windiest of days. During the next couple of breezy months, make it a point to learn to read your water. Do your homework and spend some time this spring scouting areas that tend to hold up even in the windiest of conditions. Knowing what water holds up in gusty conditions can help you save gas

and time. Know where your protected shorelines are located; find those areas that cause bait to be stacked up on the sheltered side of breaks. Search for areas that contain wind blown bait on shorelines. Now, just because you find fishable water, doesn’t mean you will find the fish ready and willing to take your offering. When you find decent looking water in the windiest of days, you have done part of your homework. Next, look for signs of bait availability and wade at different depths in the body of water you are fishing. Learn to recognize those mud puffs I mentioned in my previous article. Be willing to try topwaters and plastics or perhaps a spoon to entice a strike. As other authors have mentioned previously in the magazine, keeping a log is an important tool. A view of a well recorded log book can help you to recognize fish patterns. Windy conditions will cause water discoloration that can offer some productive catching. Gamefish will use a color change to their advantage. They conceal themselves in the dirty water and ambush bait as it swims near a color change. Our area is known for the vast sea grasses that inundate our flats; sea grasses help water keep its clarity. In the midst of all this grass, the water can remain semi-clear to clear in the windiest of days that spring sets before us, with the exception of scattered potholes that tend to get stirred up on windy days. Because of their sandy bottom, they have no filter to settle the water. It is in these off-colored pothole areas that your efforts are worth applying. The month of April will also bring warmer temperatures which in turn will cause fish to frequent the shallow flats and make those areas their mainstay. We will again begin to throw hardware such as Super Spook Jr’s and She-Dogs, which for the most part were tucked away during the winter months. Just recently, my clients and I got a taste of what is to occur on a regular basis in the next couple of months. We got an early start, and the wind was already blowing fifteen to twenty mph out of the south. With the wind blowing all night like it did we knew that many areas would be blown out and impossible to fish with artificials. From past experience, I decided to try an area that tends to hold decent clarity. The area was perfect for the given conditions. The area contained a sand strip that

Erika does not play games when she goes for her BogaGrip.

Have you ever seen anyone take a lunch break on the water? I have.

Capt. Ruben Garza, Sandra, Erika, and Bernie — wish photos could tell the whole story. 88

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Jack recently landed a nice trout on a purple and white Brown Lure Sea Devil.

extended about a hundred and fifty yards long and forty yards wide; it was surrounded by thick turtle grass and lots of shallow water. With the tide falling off the flats like it was and the bait stacking up in this slightly deeper sand hole, it was an excellent place to start off. Just as expected the fish were piled up. We soon forgot how windy it really was. Redfish and trout were holding in small grass beds and depressions found along this sandy narrow stretch. Dark plastics were the key to our success. But, as the morning progressed it got even windier in the excess of thirty miles per hour. Despite the water getting churned up by the hour, it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make

April 2007

a difference to these plastic hungry fish. At one point, I left the guys to go get the boat a little closer, and from afar I could still see rods being bent. Soon after wading from one end of the sandy stretch to the other, we decided to check out some other areas. As we traveled further south, we found very clear water but no large concentrations of fish or bait. So after spending about three hours searching for the right place, I made the call to return back to where we had found all those fish in the morning. On our second visit to the same sandy hole, the water had begun to regain its clarity. Almost immediately we began to experience the same bite that occurred in the morning. The redfish stayed put and were ready to continue to tug at our lines. The guys had a blast even in the windiest of conditions; however, if it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t for this spot, we would have experienced a zero bite day. It always helps to do your homework before the test, and this was a classic example of that kind of day. Start your homework early and take down notes before the testy winds of spring begin to blow. Who knows; your ace could come on your next cast. Get out there and strive to learn how to fish the winds of April and be careful with blowing caps not only those on your head, but those on the water too. On a final note, I would like to thank all the wonderful new people I met at the Houston Fishing Show in March. And of course, it is always fun seeing old friends in familiar places. A big thank you to Joe Meyer and Ron Shepherd with Fishing Tackle Unlimited for believing in me and making me part of their elite group of Pro Staff. I am honored and look forward in working closely with a great group of people at FTU.

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April is the month that the trout fishing starts in earnest here in Louisiana. Trout will be caught from right on the shoreline to depths of eight feet. There will be fish taken under birds, out of slicks and over oyster reefs. April is the month that the topwater action really heats up. The best producing topwaters will be Ghosts, Shedogs and Super Spooks, but any dog walking bait could be the one that catches the trophy trout of a lifetime. If the trout seem finicky on one plug, take it off and try another; the fish will often let you know their preference. Soft plastics will still be the lure of choice for most fishermen. Both tightlining the worms and suspended them under a cork will be effective at this time of year. H & H Cocohoe Minnows and Norton Sand Eels will be good in colors like chartreuse, avocado or glow. The best areas to try and get in on the trout action will be West Cove, the south bank of the lake, Long Point and Commissary Point. When winds are light, Big Lake produces some big trout in April.

After catching good numbers of four to seven pound trout through the first two weeks of February, the fishing got extremely tough. The culprit was a wind that would not quit blowing enough to turn the entire lake to a pudding color. Any time the water clears just a little, we continue to catch solid trout on Catch V’s, MirrOdines, Crazy Croakers, and Assassins rigged on eighth ounce heads. The most consistent bite has been over mud and scattered shell in four to five feet of water. The water temperature is already up in the mid-sixties, so you can look for the topwater bite to explode over the next two months. The trout will also be stacked up on the deep reefs in front of the Causeway by month’s end. The redfish never quit all winter long, and they will be all over the Louisiana shoreline and the shallow flats behind Stewt’s and Rabbit Island. Because the water warmed so quickly, the flounder bite will be a little ahead of schedule. The Sabine Reserve will re-open this year, so all of the bayous are fair game again after March 15th.

James reports decent fishing in the Glaveston area lately. “As we get into the month of April, several areas will start to produce, including the south shore of East Bay, San Luis Pass, the west shore of Trinity and possibly the coves in West Bay. There are some fish in the coves right now in fact, but it’s not consistent. You’ve got to fish real early and/or real late to get ‘em in there. From an hour before light to an hour after light is best, same thing right around dark. In fact, I fish late most of the time during March and April. The middle of the day is pretty much dead. I’ll be throwing Bass Assassins most of the time, some Catch 2000s and 51 Mirrolures too. I like to throw those at the fish when I think the bite is on. I use my topwaters basically when the bite is off. I try to make the fish mad and get them to strike when they aren’t really eating. Catch a few big fish in the middle of the day that way, but the bread and butter lures will be the same worms and slow sinkers for me. People should rig their Assassins on the H & H flutter hook too. It is great on shallow fish.” Jim’s satisfaction with recent fishing rings in his words, “It’s on from where I am to where you are and beyond. All this good weather and the excellent water conditions have the fish biting all over Texas lately.” As far as East Bay goes, he says wading has been the way to go. “We are catching most of our fish on Corkies, Catch 2000s and 51 Mirrolures, and all of those are easier to use when wading. 90

Texas Saltwater Fishing

The average number of fish we are catching daily is good. On a slow day, we might get 18 or 20 trout up to about 4 pounds, but on the good days, we are seeing 50 or more up to about 6 pounds. For those who don’t want to wade, the bayous are still a good bet. You can troll around in there and catch plenty of both trout and redfish.” Given a continued trend toward good weather and salty conditions, he expects April to be a bonanza as well. “Reports of excellent fishing are coming in from Upper Galveston and Trinity, as well as East and West Bays. It’s got the people really spread out and most everybody has got plenty of room to maneuver.”

“These little red marine worms are everywhere right now,” Randall says as he’s driving in from another productive afternoon of fishing. “We didn’t even launch today until lunch time, because these worms come up in the evenings and the fish go crazy.” Predictably, he’s been favoring a red/white or red magic Sand Eel. “I love the red/white, and it’s been working best on a light jighead, so you can work it up in the water column a little. We’re drifting mostly, still covering mud streaks over scattered shell in four to five feet of water. It’s like a winter pattern really, but it’s still productive even though the water has hit 70 degrees.” He expects the glass minnows to show up in the near future. “I’ll be looking for the glass minnows on grass beds on shallow shorelines here in the next couple of weeks. Still will be throwing the Sand Eel, but I’ll start mixing in some pink Corky Devils, some Catch 2000s and some 51 Mirrolures, especially in natural mullet patterns. Don’t forget the Norton Quick Snap when changing lures; it might save your teeth!”

Tommy expects to be wading mid-bay reefs in East Bay as much as possible in April. “When the winds are light, we’ll be wading the reefs, throwing topwaters early in the morning, and Corkies too. When we switch over to soft plastics, we’ll be throwing a new color of Sand Eel; it’s called Voodoo. It’s strawberry, metal flake with black injected in the center. We’ve been whacking the fish on it. Also, I’ll go back to my old favorite, the black magic Sand Eel.” Sounds scary! “Since the river is pretty much done in April, we will move to West Bay when we leave East Bay. Over there, we like to stay on shallow shoreline grass early with small topwaters like Spook Jrs. and Skitterwalk Jrs. then work our way out to deeper grass near the outside bars later. Usually, we get our reds shallow and more trout as we move out. If we get a run of glass minnows, we’ll start focusing on the afternoon bite. When the minnows are thick, it’s some of the best fishing ever. You can just watch the fish blowing holes in the sheets of bait and catch them however you want.”

Fishing has been sporadic in the Palacios area. Trout have moved out of their deep water winter holes and have been staging over mud and shell in four to five feet of water. Texas Trout Killers in plum/green, pumpkinseed/chartreuse and plumtreuse rigged on eighth ounce lead heads have been most productive over the deep shell. The average size of the fish lately have been solid seventeen to twenty inches. The redfish action has turned on much better than the trout. The reds have been migrating to the mud flats and have been aggressively feeding on various topwaters and Corky Fatboys. The best topwaters have been the bone Super Spook Jr. and black/chrome Shedogs. The best Corkies have been pearl/black and strawberry/white. April should be an outstanding month with all the bait moving back into the bays and the water temperatures rising. The back bays in the area with mud/sand/grass bottoms would be some good areas to target for some quality redfish and specks. April 2007

and #18 have been very effective in catching speckled trout up to 29 inches. Exude RT Slugs in colors pearl/silktreuse, bone diamond, mangrove red and mardi gras. Bass Assassin Slurps in colors pearl, good penny and drunk monkey rigged on Lynn plans on fishing shallow sandy grassy shorelines for big trout in April. eighth ounce jig heads have been and should continue to work with the current water “We will be focusing on knee-deep sandy potholes on the hard sand shorelines temps. Since we did not have any freezes in the Laguna Madre, including Baffin Bay, as much as possible this month. We’ll be throwing our topwaters most of the time, I am expecting to have an incredible April. The month of April is the month when the Super Spooks mostly. When we get off of those, we’ll switch over to soft plastics speckled trout’s average weight is the heaviest, so I believe that it is possible that the and occasionally Corkies. The big trout will stay up there with the reds most of the month. Big trout around Port O Connor are not, of course, up to the same standards current state record could be broken here this month. as elsewhere, but numbers of fish in the 3 to 4 pound class are not uncommon. Just Given the beautifully clear water everywhere, Joe has been fishing lots of like anywhere else, a wallhanger might pop up too. The reds, on the other hand, are nice sized around here. 25 to 28 inchers are abundant, and they like the same lures different places. “I’ve been doing real good up here by the bridge and in Baffin and Rocky Slough. The water’s nice all over, and there are fish to be caught pretty much as the quality trout.” He says that he’s been on good numbers of 20 to 21 inch trout lately, and lots of everywhere. We’ve been drifting water about two to four feet deep and focusing on smaller keepers, but that the fish usually get a little bigger in April. “Since the water sandy potholes mostly. I’m throwing my old standby, the Exude RT Slug on a quarter doesn’t get chilled as much at night, it makes for more consistent action this month.” ounce head. Don’t seem to need much else. I’ve been catching a mix of trout and reds, and some of the trout are over twenty seven inches too.” He expects to continue fishing the northern end of the system in April, as well as making trips far to the south. “I’ll be looking for the Land Cut to kick in this month like “The topwater bite for trout has been hot for a good while now,” Blake says. “We’ve been catching them on Super Spooks, the baby bass, the black/chartreuse it did last year. We always look forward to that. Also, Nine Mile Hole can be great in the spring. With this clear water, we should be able to do a little more sightcasting and the black/chrome mostly. I expect that kind of bite to persist throughout April. More and more, I’m finding fish on sand and grass, especially in Aransas, Mesquite than we have lately. We’ll have lots of reds up shallow and some magnum trout scattered in there. It shapes up to be an awesome spring!” and Carlos Bays. That’s a classic pattern around here in the spring, solid trout on sand and grass shorelines. Most of the bigger fish are pretty shallow. We caught 50 trout the other day, released several in the 24 to 26 inch class and kept a mess of smaller fish. Average size is impressive. On the same day, we had 15 reds and they were nice sized too. They are generally in the same places as the trout, maybe a little shallower.” He says he plans on pounding the shallow shorelines with his big topwaters as much as possible this month. “I always anticipate the bait migrations this time of year, so I’ll spend some time around the passes, looking for schools of forage fish. The predators are sure to be lurking nearby.”

Sargassum weed has already arrived in heavy amounts as of early March and may well continue floating up in varying amounts throughout April. Travel during low tide frames whenever possible to avoid hazardous trips. Turtles began to nest in April so be ever vigilant for them throughout the month. Large numbers of blacktipped sharks and Spanish mackerel have already arrived. Rigging up with wire leaders and shiny silver spoons works best on the toothy, fast mackerel. Cast large natural cut baits for sharks when weed and sea conditions do not allow for kayaking. Ferry the baits out beyond the third bar on the kayak on days when the winds allow. Whiting, pompano, redfish, sheepshead, black drum and some bluefish can be expected to show up in the warming waters of spring. Fresh peeled shrimp and fish bites work best for bottom species. Catching them is easiest on days when currents are not too strong. A few large speckled trout may be present, and they may be willing to blow up on topwaters when waves and winds are light.

The months of February and March turned out to be very good months for both trout and redfish. The cold fronts were spaced out with just the right number of days to allow the wind, temperature and barometer to stabilize so that we could get out and go after those big trout. The water temperatures came up and is still up so that suspended baits like the MirroLure Catch V in colors like CHBL, #11 April 2007

“We’ve had a great year on big trout,” Bruce says. “Most of the action has been on the west bank so far, but the crowds are starting to show up, and with all the boats running shallow on that side, the fish are starting to disappear. I expect to be looking on the east side more and more in the next month, focusing on potholes. We’ve been doing best on Corkies and Catch 2000s, and also the baby Bomber Long A when winds are light, but as the wind picks up in the spring, we will throw the big topwaters a larger percentage of the time, lures like Super Spooks, He Dogs and Top Dogs. The wind creates a little chop and makes those plugs more effective.” He says he isn’t seeing any egg weight on the big trout yet. “Spawn seems to be a little behind schedule. Other things are ahead of schedule. We went through the jetties the other day and saw bait balls for six miles up the beach. Bonita and Spanish mackeral were running them. That’s unusual to see this time of year. It may mean we will have an early start to the tarpon season.”

If you plan to fish the Lower Laguna Madre any time soon, be prepared to enter airboat hell! We’ve picked up some nice reds near the drum boats and a few good trout around three islands on the east side, but the water is a cloudy yellowish color and difficult to see into. We’ve had our best luck with the red Mansfield Mauler with a 12” leader trailing a Berkley Gulp 3” shrimp in New Penny or Nuclear Chicken. The west side was exploding with slot and throw back reds up until the last full moon, then things slowed and we’ve started concentrating on trout on the drop offs along the Game Refuge. When the Maulers aren’t doing the trick, we switch to a gold weedless half ounce spoon and work over the potholes using a slow retrieve and lots of jigging. Freddy says, “The water may still be too cold for the perch, but look for them to move back in soon. It’s possible the charges being set off for the seismograph testing have something to do with the lack of bait.” Texas Saltwater Fishing

Kevin Cooper boated this 120 Amberjack while fishing the coast of Florida.

Joe Dougherty landed this 40” red while fishing in La Porte. Danielle Valenta caught and released her first red while fishing in Palacios. (Left) John Mccormick with son Garrett and daughter Amy showing off his drum caught and released while fishing in Palacios.

(Right) Joshua Urban snagged this 28” red while fishing in Seadrift.

Buck Sanders landed this 40” drum while out fishing in Port Alto.

Daniel Hocker and Charlie Holland display their reds they caught while fishing the Texas City Dike. 92

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Diana Aucoin, Texas Lady Anglers member, tricked this trout, her personal best at 27 1/2” and 6.11 lbs. Way to go!

April 2007

Kross McCarty and Logan Cornwell proudly show off the reds they boated while fishing POC.

Jesse Brown of Wimberly landed his personal best trout at 26” and 5 lb while fishing in POC.

Dave Harrison tricked this trout while fishing East Matagorda Bay. Ronnie Ramsey, of Fort Worth, hookes this 40” bull red while out fishing in Port O’Connor.

(Left) Luke Dubicz of La Porte landed this drum while fishing the Houston Ship Channel.

Alexis Canales baited, casted, landed and released all by herself for the first time while surf fishing with Dad, OsoObsessed, at PINS.

Hannah Jenkins and father Will Jenkins show off Hannah’s first redfish.

(Top) Justin Tankersley Lane Butters and Will Dillard proudly display their matching reds as well as their shirts. Looking Good Guys!

(Right) Eric Guillermo caught his first red while out fishing the jetties in Rockport. He is hooked for life!

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Makes 4 to 6 servings 3 large waxy potatoes (such as Yukon Gold; about 1 ¼ lbs) 2 tablespoons unsalted butter ¾ lb medium shrimp (35-40 per lb), peeled and deveined, save shrimp shells 1 ½ cups water 1 cup fish stock or clam juice

l Peel the potatoes and cut them into ½ inch cubes. Place them in a bowl and cover them with water to prevent discoloring. Set aside.

l Uncover the soup and add the cream and shrimp. Return to a simmer and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

l Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large pot or Dutch over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells and stir until they turn pink, about 1 minute. Add the water and fish stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

l Stir the parsley into the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

l Using a fine mesh sieve, strain the liquid into a 1-quart measuring cup. Add milk. l Rinse out the pot and return it to medium heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, along with the bacon, onion and garlic. Sauté, stirring often, until the onion softens and the bacon begins to brown, about 7 minutes. l Drain the potatoes and add them to the pot.

Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the milk-fish stock mixture, raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. (The chowder can be made to this point up to 24 hours ahead of serving time. Keep covered in the refrigerator, then return to a simmer over medium heat before continuing).

Carrot Shrimp Chowder– Replace

the potatoes with 5 large carrots, peeled and sliced into 1 inch pieces (there’s no need to cover the sliced carrots with water).

Italian Shrimp Chowder–

Omit the cream and add ½ cup dry vermouth with the shrimp. Add 2 tablespoons minced oregano with the parsley.

Manhattan Shrimp Chowder– Replace the milk with

additional fish stock or clam juice. Omit the cream, and add one 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes, with their juice, with the potatoes.

New Orleans Shrimp Chowder– Add 1 green or red

bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped, with the bacon. Omit the cream. Add 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste, with the shrimp.

1 cup milk (not fat-free), or more as needed 6 strips bacon, finely chopped 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, minced ½ cup heavy cream ½ cup finely chopped parsley Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Rock Shrimp Chowder–

Substitute 1 pound peeled and cleaned rock shrimp for the regular shrimp.

Shrimp and Clam Chowder– Add

12 small clams (such as pismo), scrubbed, with the shrimp. Cook for an additional 3 minutes or until the clams open.

Spicy Shrimp Chowder–

Add 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste, with the bacon.

The 12th annual Big Shell Beach Cleanup held March 10, 2007 on Padre Island National Seashore was a whopper by all measures. This event was supported by 440 diehards — folks who hate trash on their beaches — the previous mark was 369. The day’s efforts netted 2200 bags of trash and other debris. Conservative estimates peg the weight at 55 tons, another record. PINS Maintenance Supervisor Brenda Hampton guessed closer to 100 tons given all the large items they could not weigh. When everything was in and done, the PINS beach from the 15.5 mile to the 28.5 mile south of the pavement had been restored to pristine condition, another record. According to Billy Sandifer, chief organizer and founder, this one was close to being a dud at T-minus two days. “I became totally overwhelmed with so many people telling me that it was impossible to get the trailers through that soft sand area prior to the event and to tell you the truth it really had me depressed and beaten down. Then I remembered something that I had forgotten; this entire event is impossible. Thirteen years ago when I approached the superintendent of PINS and requested permission to do the first one, he looked me dead in the eye, gave me permission, and said even though he wished me well he thought I was out of my mind and had no chance for success. PINS is too rough, the logistics would beat me.” Sandifer continued, “You know the mechanics of getting it done are really extremely simple. First, you must realize it is impossible. Second, don’t waste time whining about something that you already know is impossible. Third, suit up, show up, shut up, and go do it. If you have ever met Billy, you can hear his gravelly drawl as he summed everything up on Sunday morning following the cleanup. “It was tough yesterday, but obviously not impossible. It was soft sand but if you have attended the prior twelve events you already know we have been through conditions every bit as bad or worse in earlier years and we will continue to carry out future events in similar conditions. Unless of course we decide to sit around telling each other how impossible the whole thing is and that will mark the end of this event. The volunteers are the heart and life of the thing; they don’t understand impossible.” Many thanks to all the Big Shell Beach Cleanup sponsors, we’re out of space here and you know who you are, we’ll get a mention real soon in one of Billy’s monthly columns. Everett Johnson-Editor

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007

Boats, Kayaks, Outboards

For more information about these advertisers visit: http://www.texassaltwaterfishingmagazine.com/contact_advertisers_product.html Boats, Kayaks, Outboards

Fish Flo2......................................................................75

Tru-Tungsten................................................................77

210-599-1415

Gulf Coast Trolling Motors............................................ 78

US Reel..................................................................18, 19

800-416-9003

Jet Dock.....................................................................100

Wade Aid Enterprises...................................................83

281-391-2628

JL Marine - Power Pole................................................ 69

Waterloo Rods............................................................. 81

361-573-7809

Navionics.....................................................................31

979-245-3369

Safe Floor Company.................................................... 45

Academy......................................................................49

713-660-7000

Salt-A-Way...................................................................45

Blue Water Ships Stores.............................................. 57

409-927-1462

South Texas Trolling Motors......................................... 63

Boater’s World............................................................. 23

888-440-0099

Specialty Aluminum Works...........................................55

David’s Tackle Box.......................................................85

800-843-2201

Tops-N-Towers............................................................ 26

Fishing Tackle Unlimited.................................... Cover, 47

Anchor Marine............................................................. 89 Anderson Marine......................................................... 53 Adventure Yamaha & Marine........................................ 26 Bernie’s Boats................................................................8 Busha Boat Works....................................................... 57 Canoesports................................................................63 Coastal Backwater Marine............................................. 63 Coastal Bend Marine....................................................71 El Campo Boating Center............................................. 69 Fisher Beavertail Manufacturing................................... 52 800-413-0020

Gulf Coast Boats............................................................1

866-882-4775 281-481-6832 361-972-2122

888-442-4900

800-848-5896 281-435-5904 714-550-0987 361-939-8970 361-575-1477

281-474-4000

Fishing Products (rods, reels, tackle, etc.)

724-349-2260 314-962-9500

888-923-3243 361-573-0300

Fishing retail locations 888-922-2336

800-826-2628 281-342-9669

281-481-6838

800-282-5993

Gander Mountain......................................................... 61 361-749-3474

713-477-7119

Adventure Products..................................................... 71

Paddlecast...................................................................71

361-967-7800

All Star Rods............................................................... 31

Port A Outfitters...........................................................63

979-233-1852

American Rodsmiths......................................................7

Roy’s Bait & Tackle........................................................ 9

800-882-4461

Bass Assassin............................................................. 59

Tackle Box...................................................................85

888-797-9805

Big Fish Wish Company................................................75

281-334-3500

Bimini Bay-Tsunami.................................................Cover

Fisherman’s Paradise...................................................53

361-991-3102

Brown Lures.................................................................71

Full Stringer Realty.......................................................81

361-985-2851

Cajun Line................................................................... 27

The Sanctuary............................................................. 50

360-366-4003

Costa Del Mar................................................................5

Vista Realty................................................................. 79

941-358-6800

D.O.A. Lures................................................................ 65

361-729-7820

Fish Bites.....................................................................73

Aggie Saltwater Classic................................................83

800-545-8818

Fish Slick.....................................................................79

CCA Star Tournament....................................................8

956-233-9489

Foreverlast ..................................................................37

Shallow Sport Owners Tournament.............................. 22

361-983-4134

Gamma Technologies.................................................. 43

Texas Lady Anglers - Redfish Shootout........................ 41

800-753-3837

H&H Fishing Rods........................................................17

Texas Parks & Wildlife Tournament................................55

361-972-3322

Laguna Rods............................................................... 75

Troutmasters............................................................... 30

281-238-0060

Mustad........................................................................ 66

800-843-2201

Norton Lures............................................................... 41

98.7 Texas Mix.............................................................42

800-247-4704

Okuma........................................................................ 83

Aventura Jewelry..........................................................45

409-898-7632

Penn.......................................................... Solunar Chart

Coastal Kayak Angler...................................................85

512-353-3946

Quantum......................................................................87

Fishermen’s Network....................................................79

417-873-4555

Rapala.........................................................................72

FTU Traveling Angler.................................. Solunar Chart

361-972-6629

Rip Tide Lures............................................................. 45

National Children’s Leukemia Foundation................. 34

800-960-1995

Rods by Pepper........................................................... 79

Saltwater Fishing Clinics.............................................. 79

Sampo.........................................................................33

Sea Academy.............................................................. 83

281-235-2035

Sebile USA.................................................................. 47

Shrimpfest 2007.............................................................69

800-829-1772

Snowbee..................................................................... 33

Specialty Shutter Systems........................................... 55

800-657-9998

Spivey Enterprises....................................................... 81

Speedy Stop...............................................Solunar Chart

361-790-5483

St. Croix Fishing Rods................................................. 43

Texas Rod Benders......................................................85

800-499-7079

Sufix............................................................................ 13

The Galveston Fishing Pier...........................................79

Texas Tackle Factory.............................................. Cover

Window Works.............................................................53

Gulf Coast Marine..........................................................6 J & H Performance Boats........................................Cover Kroll’s Marine...............................................................85 LMC Marine Center....................................................... 2 Lone Star Yacht Sales..................................................39 Majek Boats...................................................................9 Mosca Boats................................................................41 Ocean Kayak............................................................... 77 Panga Marine...............................................................73 Rockport Marine...........................................................17 Ron Hoover RV & Marine Center.....................................1 Shallow Sport Boats...............................................22, 26 Shoalwater Boats.......................................................100 Skeeter........................................................................ 67 Southshore Boats........................................................ 57 Sport Marine................................................................65 Sundance.................................................................... 79 Suzuki........................................................................... 3 Texas Marine............................................................... 81 TG Canoes and Kayaks.................................................. 75 Tracker Marine.............................................................35 Trans Fiberglass Boat.................................................. 43 Tropical Marine............................................................ 51

Boat Accessories Angler Products........................................................... 45 Birdsall Marine Design................................................. 65 Boat Lift Distributors.....................................................85 Cove Harbor Marina and Drystack................................33 Del Mar Trailers...................................................... Cover El Jefe Cantina y Marina...............................................77 956-944-2876

Espandre..................................................................... 65 281-543-1230

800-698-6841 800-347-3759

713-466-7849

386-294-1049

281-850-3980

800-688-3481 877-460-4619 800-347-3759

386-677-3700 877-362-5873

877-840-2248

361-798-1530

800-437-2971 713-875-7827 281-931-1601

315-253-2793

800-466-5862 215-229-9415

800-588-9030 800-874-4451 888-252-7421 409-737-1136

315-896-2606

866-766-9055

626-453-8377 281-997-3364 715-762-3226

336-605-1950 361-575-4751

April 2007

713-674-0461 361-749-3474

361-992-2960

361-575-8700

Real Estate 386-566-4798 979-479-5455 888-552-0785

409-938-8000

Tournaments 713-416-9000

800-626-4222 956-233-9489

832-496-5600 800-792-1112

713-466-7849

Miscellaneous

361-573-7223

713-932-0002

512-363-9032

281-481-6838

800-448-3467 361-563-1160

361-758-6184 361-785-2251

866-579-6433 361-582-5100

409-744-2273

361-655-0628

Texas Saltwater Fishing

100

Texas Saltwater Fishing

April 2007