April 2014

Only $3.95 www.tsfmag.com April 2014

TIDE PREDICTIONS & SOLUNAR FEED TIMES INSIDE!

ABOUT THE COVER April’s warm-up, increased tide levels and the onset of spawning will entice mature speckled trout onto grassy-bottomed flats.

Finger-sized mullet will become the primary forage and a variety of floating mullet-imitators take the spotlight.

Photo by Will Drost.

CONTENTS FEATURES 10 Passing the Rod 16 The Request 22 Record Breaking Beach Cleanup...

28 Forgotten Water 32 Give Trout a Break 38 Let ‘Er Rip

APRIL 2014 VOL 23 NO 12

DEPARTMENTS Mike McBride Kevin Cochran Billy Sandifer Chuck Uzzle Joe Richard Joe Doggett

32

42 Let’s Ask The Pro Jay Watkins 46 Shallow Water Fishing Scott null 52 TPWD Field notes Coastal Fisheries Staff 56 Texas nearshore & Offshore Joe Richard 60 Fly Fishing Scott Sommerlatte 64 Youth Fishing Marcos Garza 68 Kayak Fishing Chronicles Cade Simpson 72 Extreme Kayak Fishing & Sharks...

Eric Ozolins 76 Fishy Facts Stephanie Boyd 80 TSFMag Conservation news CCA Texas 108 Science & the Sea UT Marine Science Institute 111 Tackle & Gear Prep Martin Strarup

WHAT OUR GUIDES HAVE TO SAY

86 Dickie Colburn’s Sabine Scene 88 Mickey on Galveston 90 The view from Matagorda 92 Mid-Coast Bays with the Grays 94 Hooked up with Rowsey 96 Capt. Tricia’s Port Mansfield Report 98 South Padre Fishing Scene

6 | April 2014

Dickie Colburn Mickey Eastman Bink Grimes Gary Gray David Rowsey Capt. Tricia Ernest Cisneros

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REGULARS 08 Editorial 84 new Tackle & Gear 100 Fishing Reports and Forecasts 104 Catch of the Month 106 Gulf Coast Kitchen

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EDITOR AnD PUBLISHER Everett Johnson Everett@tsfmag.com vICE PRESIDEnT PRODUCTIOn & ADvERTISInG DIRECTOR Pam Johnson Pam@tsfmag.com Office: 361-785-3420 Cell: 361-550-9918 nATIOnAL SALES REPRESEnTATIvE Bart Manganiello Bartalm@optonline.net REGIOnAL SALES REPRESEnTATIvE Patti Elkins Patti@tsfmag.com Office: 361-785-3420 Cell: 361-649-2265 PRODUCTIOn COORDInATOR Donna Boyd Donna@tsfmag.com CIRCULATIOn SUBSCRIPTIOn – PRODUCT SALES Linda Curry Cir@tsfmag.com ADDRESS CHAnGED? Email Store@tsfmag.com DESIGn & LAYOUT Stephanie Boyd Stephanie@tsfmag.com Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine is published monthly.

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HOW TO COnTACT TSFMAG: PHOnE: 361-785-3420 FAX: 361-785-2844 MAILInG ADDRESS: P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, Texas 77983 PHYSICAL ADDRESS: 58 Fisherman’s Lane, Seadrift, TX 77983 WEB: www.TSFMAG.com PHOTO GALLERY: photos@tsfmag.com PRINTEd IN THE USA. Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine (ISSn 1935-9586) is published monthly by Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, Inc., 58 Fisherman’s Lane, Seadrift, Texas 77983 l P. O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 © 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.

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EDITORIAL April 15 will mark a new chapter in the history of Cedar Bayou, the much-fabled and sometimes natural pass between Matagorda and St. Joseph Islands, on the middle-Texas coast.

Weather permitting and the whooping cranes headed toward their summer range of Wood Buffalo Park in Alberta, Canada; the fifth in a series of dredge projects to reconnect the Aransas-San Antonio bay system with the Gulf of Mexico will get underway.

Tales of Cedar Bayou are numerous and its lore captures historians as well as fishermen. The famed (infamous) Jean Lafitte is said to have used Cedar Bayou to escape the British navy, its treacherouslyshoaled channel too shallow for their large vessels.

A constant victim of longshore currents carrying sediments from as far as the Mississippi Delta; Cedar Bayou has struggled for more than a century to remain open. The earliest documented closing was in 1913—reopened by the 1915 hurricane.

Reduced Guadalupe River inflow and ship channel construction have played a role, reducing the hydrology necessary to maintain the pass naturally. Prior restoration attempts were made by TPWD and its predecessor agencies in 1939, 1959, 1987 and 1995. Several major hurricanes blasted it open too—but longshore drift has been a constant nemesis.

The present restoration plan is unique in its engineering, featuring

8 | April 2014

REBIRTH OF CEdAR BAYOU the reestablishment of neighboring vinson Slough in conjunction with the major pass itself. The engineers say the one-two punch of Cedar Bayou and vinson Slough in tandem will do the trick. And the permit secured by Aransas County contains a maintenance provision—just in case.

Restoring Cedar Bayou will be a boon to anglers who visit the Mesquite-Ayres region of the Aransas-San Antonio system. Fishing in a pass can be exceptional. Hopefully the new channel will also provide opportunity for anglers to safely beach their boats in the cut and walk to the surf.

Scientists pretty much agree to disagree regarding the value of Cedar Bayou as a migration corridor for species that spawn in the Gulf and rely on estuarine habitat during early life-stages. Time will reveal more, I’m certain.

CCA Texas, Aransas County Commissioners Court, the Bass family (owners of St. Joesph Island), and all the agencies, organizations and private donors who anted the required $9-million to fund this project deserve kudos—along with the many residents of Aransas County who beat the drum when nobody else would.

I plan to be there when “the sand flies”…more to come!

STORY BY MIKE MCBRIDE

10 | April 2014

“Survey says–

most folks read this magazine with one basic goal; to gain knowledge and tips for catching more and bigger fish.

Sure, ideas can help, and there continue to be many good ones here from some of the best fishermen on the coast. It’s still up to us though, to get things done.

This article has to be a little different, so all apologies aside, it’s more about me getting a few things done, and perhaps how a few others might also be able.

Done for me is being a full-time guide. It’s time to pass the rod to others wanting to live the dream—or should I say survive it.

Personal circumstances are calling me back to the dock too often these days. It’s been a great ride and quite the interesting game, but as Everett mentioned last month; I just buried my Dad. You tend to get a little reflective and I started wondering, “What’ll be written on my stone?”

What I don’t want to see is, “I told you I was fighting injured.”

Unfortunately, a major issue for me is that I’ve flat worn out my lower back and just can’t perform the way I need to. Sure, I need to do something about it, but in the meantime before I go, I’d like to pass along a few things to the future leaders of our sport—the legion of up-andcoming fishing guides.

It’s obvious the coast is under siege and, the Captain’s License classrooms are continuously full. I don’t have nearly the time on the water as some of my crustier brethren (for whom I have unconditional respect), but I have been blessed and I also get a lot of calls and questions. I have learned a lot, been taught a lot, have made many mistakes, but more importantly, I’ve listened.

So for you “wanna go theres” this is really not coming from me, but more from innumerable conversations with fishing clients. Curiously, most has little to do with the actual catching of fish.

The first thing to remember is that being a guide is simply the offering of a service, hopefully one you excel in and are qualified to deliver. What service are you offering? How will you distinguish yourself?

The reality is that there are a lot of excellent fishermen who make very poor guides, yet many average fishermen make very good ones. Try to remember that it’s not about you; it’s about your people.

You are their host to the great outdoors, not just doing them a favor by taking them out and taking their money.

Fishing is precious time, so it’s more about understanding and meeting their expectation levels, and putting together a best-effort day based on that, tempered with their skill level and ability. There are many variables and much will depend on who your people are in the first place. My experience is that you basically get who you ask for.

Capt. Tricia and I asked for good fishermen or at least TSFMAG.com | 11

those hungry to become. We were very fortunate to get them.

Rather than a shotgun approach, we used a rifle and only targeted those who wanted to wade-fish with lures. That’s a very small market, comparatively speaking, but we simply wanted to share how we fished and figured it best to only offer what we knew best.

We wanted people who didn’t wish it was easier, but wished they were better. Many made US better but your situation may be totally different. Much will be based on geography. And speaking of geographically, if a 5-fish limit walks up the coast you had better have something more to offer than a box. What will distinguish you from the ant pile?

If you are in a touristy area many of your folks may have never fished before or will ever fish again. You had better be better than I was! I can only do one thing well at a time and there’s lots to do for tourists!

Regardless, the reasons why folks hire a guide in the first place remains pretty much the same, to escape concrete and asphalt, and for a short and precious time live large on the water. I think we all just use fishing as the excuse, so chances are if you are having fun, so are they. That is your job, and to be honest, I get some of the biggest tips when the boxes are the smallest.

A little about your boat, gear and trim. no, you don’t have to have the latest and greatest, fanciest or fastest. More important is clean, reliable, and well-suited for the purpose. The idea is to get where you need to go comfortably and then get home safely. A v-bottom on the flats or a tunnel rig on big water is an appetite for both disaster and throat clearing excuses. Regardless, spare props and emergency tools are part of that getting home thing. On the water stuff just happens, so be well prepared. Same thing with rod and reels if you offer them.

12 | April 2014

Well-suited for the job and reliable.

Speaking of gear, this is to all you young bucks and buckettes who will naturally want to chase the so-called sponsorships: Every new guide wants to decorate their truck and hull with stickers and be a patch pirate (at least a dozen sewn on each starched Columbia).

They’re part of your legitimacy–right?

The reality is that for someone to actually “sponsor” you, the requirement is that you are able, can (and will) promote those products to people who can and will actually buy them–and buy them to a large extent.

Sponsorship is a mutually beneficial business relationship, not a gimmie. Why would someone help you with a boat if your people don’t buy boats? Or with waders and booties if your people don’t wade? Before you approach, be prepared to present your case very well, and if chosen, prepared to be loyal and represent with the highest integrity.

Perhaps the biggest thing to consider is the impact a guide can have on the entire fishing community. As a guide you are an ambassador of the sport, the example to follow, the seeds of the future. Your people will do what you train them to do—period.

But having said that, what the masses will do is judge not only you but the whole guiding community on your overall conduct.

What you do impacts me and every other guide out there. There is no entitlement here, quite the opposite in fact. A guide has the responsibility to shape the actions of others in a positive manner.

Gone are those days when a guide could get away with being a total condescending foul-mouthed “you’re in my spot” retaliatory prickly pear on the water; simply because he could box a bunch of fish.

Karma has to be real. Give everybody a wide berth, and if you retaliate because somebody denied you decent space you only perpetuate the angry cycle. This paragraph could be huge, so just remember to set the right example. A bunch of others may not give a flip—but you can.

Finally, and only because paper is short, be appreciative of honest critics and learn to endure the betrayal of false friends. This is more about leaving the world a better place, especially out there on the water. The best measurement of your trip is whether your guests want to go again. And make no mistake; your success will be based on

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with. Plus, hopefully, a lot more kid and charity work.

Among the many things I missed recently, I also missed Billy Sandifer’s beach cleanup deal again, so goals are to become more involved in things that really matter. I’ll still try to write, and if everything works out, perhaps even better—without all the stress and distractions of late.

It will still be all about relationships, sunrises, and the thrill of a thump. Always like a curious child in awe of the great creation we are blessed with.

Remember to wear your sunscreen and take care of your back. What’s going to be on your stone?

culturing and catering to a bunch of them who want to. It’s called a referral base and I’ve yet to see the guide who survived for very long without creating a long list of repeat customers.

As for me? All things must pass. Here’s thanks to all my wonderful people for all the fish and bananas. I’m still going to fish my A-Team if they need me; the ones who have really distinguished themselves over the years and who you look extremely forward to sharing a day

14 | April 2014

Contact

Mike McBride Mike McBride is a full time fishing guide based in Port Mansfield, TX, specializing in wadefishing with artificial lures.

Skinny Water Adventures Phone Email Web

956-746-6041 McTrout@Granderiver.net Skinnywateradventures.com/ Three_MudSkateers.wmv

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over the yearS,

I’ve heard numerous customers make the same request. Other fishing guides undoubtedly experience this too. After a fishing trip, or during discussion of when to reschedule a charter canceled due to inclement weather, the customer says, “Let’s do this. When you find some big fish, call us.

We’re flexible, and we can come quick if you give us a holler.”

I’m sure this request seems reasonable to those making it. In most cases, they do have flexible schedules and would try to come as soon as possible when summoned by their guide. From my perspective, though, such a plan has multiple flaws. I personally will never agree to such an arrangement, though I know other guides do call clients and urge them to come after they catch a bunch of fish or some really big ones.

Having thought long and hard about this, I’ve generated a list of reasons to justify my refusal to initiate the interest in a fishing trip by calling clients. Most importantly, I do not want to create an elevated, potentially false level of expectations about the outcome in the mind(s) of the customer(s).

By its very nature, fishing exclusively with artificial lures primarily for trophy fish necessitates an acceptance of the difficulty of the task. Catching giant trout on plugs isn’t possible every day; if it were, people would not refer to the fish as “trophies”. In essence, I want the 16 | April 2014

client to focus on the process, not the product. If we start the day with a sincere desire to work hard at our craft, to hone our skills, to adjust to the elements and give ourselves the best chance to succeed, we will come away satisfied most of the time.

On the other hand, if we leave the dock thinking we will catch a fish of a particular size, that doing so will happen easily, we will probably return to the truck with a bad taste in our mouths. Unrealistic expectations ruin more fishing trips than any other single factor. I will not play a part in building a bloated, arrogant sense of the probable outcome of a charter.

Many times, after I catch some big trout one day, the fishing returns to normal (or even below normal) the next. If I called clients and stirred up a feverish level of anticipation every time I found some magnum trout and caught them, I’d set those clients up for failure more often than not. If more than a few days pass after a memorable catch, many things can change—tide level, wind direction, water quality, to name just a few. Even if the summoned ones arrived within three or four days, conditions could render fishing in the spot difficult or even impossible.

In such a situation, the person who received the call imploring them to come down and get in on the hot action would likely walk away disappointed. Potentially, they’d believe I had duped them

STORY BY KEvIn COCHRAn

purposely. I will not stupidly paint myself into such a tight corner with a smart phone.

Other aspects of this request bother me too. For a moment, let’s assume I did decide to call people and encourage them to schedule a charter. Who would I call first? I’d be forced to rank my customers on a priority list. All of them are not, in some ways, created equal.

I maintain a fishing club, composed of members to whom I “sell” fishing information. My Lucky 7 Club members have all my GPS data, and they receive a weekly fishing report from me, which describes exactly where I’m fishing, what I’m catching and which lures I’m using to make the catches. I also include information about the water quality and perceived potential in various areas, as well as predictions about where the action might heat up next.

The people who pay me for a club membership support my lifestyle in a significantly appreciated way; without them, I’d struggle even more to make a living in the difficult profession I’ve chosen. If I bought into the idea of offering a tacit guarantee to someone by calling them when the fishing gets good, I’d call all of my Lucky 7 members before I’d shout out to anyone else.

Close behind my club members, I’d rank repeat customers who’ve fished with me for years. Guys who fish several days with me year after year deserve some kind of special attention, in my estimation. I

wouldn’t call them to set up potentially unreasonable expectations, but if I did change my mind and decide to start waving clients down to the coast while I’ve got the fish located, guys who’ve fished with me many times and who I know have their minds in the right place would receive a signal long before someone who has gotten on my books for the first time and had a charter canceled due to inclement weather or some other factor.

In addition to creating deceptive expectations, contacting a client to attempt to schedule a fishing trip can cause other dilemmas. Let’s say I liked the idea of phoning people when I caught some fish, and created a list of names to do so. I’d pick up the list, tap on some numbers, and the following scenario might easily develop.

First person on the list doesn’t answer, so I leave a message. next person I call does answer and says, “Cool, we want to come. I need to check with my buddy and my wife though, so I’ll get back with you this afternoon.” First guy calls back and says, “Sure, we can be there tomorrow.” now I have to tell him we need to wait until I hear back from guy number two, or call guy number two back and tell him guy number one has jumped ahead of him.

So we wait. And guy number two doesn’t call back that afternoon.

He calls back the next morning, saying his buddy has to go to his son’s baseball tournament, so they can’t make it. Then, when I call guy TSFMAG.com | 17

Captain Kev with a 10 pound trout caught during a hot run of fishing in cold weather in early February.

When I catch some fish, I do what I can to let people know, without calling them directly and offering them a counterfeit guarantee. I post pictures on my first website, FishBaffinBay.com, in the featured photo area, and/or on the Photos page. I also post pictures on the Pics and Vids page of CaptainKevBlogs.com. Lately, I’ve been posting pictures in the Fishing Reports section of 2CoolFishing.com.

With some of these pictures, I post exact sizes of the fish; with others, I just give the date and name of the angler who caught the fish.

Occasionally, I mention the lures used, but mostly I don’t. I rarely post any information about location with my pictures. I have no desire or obligation to provide clues to the general fishing community about where I’m fishing; doing so would be disrespectful to those who pay me for specific information.

number one back, something has come up. “We could have made it today,” he says, “but not the rest of the week. I’ve got to go to the deer lease and put corn in the feeders.”

So, I call guy number three, who shows interest, but says he has to get back with me...and on and on and on. I simply will not put myself in such a situation. When I have a cancellation, I always do the same thing—I send out email notifications to the customers in my existing data bank and give all of them equal opportunity to claim the date.

Whoever calls first and commits can have it.

Beau Blackard’s 9 pound trout measured just 28 inches in length. What an enormous head she has!

18 | April 2014

Chad Goyen caught the longest trout in the group on a day when everyone got a good one.

I do post fishing reports from time to time on FishBaffinBay.com and CaptainKevBlogs.com. They offer some information about water quality in various areas and give advice on what patterns have been working for me. I mention more about lures and techniques than about locations in these reports, out of respect for my club members, and in the interest of self-preservation.

A person who wants to think I’m “on some good fish” before they book a trip can use these resources to determine what I’ve been catching lately, and how I’ve been catching them. They can also call me and ask how the fishing has been. People might point out many flaws in my personality; honest ones can not say I’m likely to be disingenuous when describing the fishing. Known for being brutally honest, I tell it like I see it.

Those who take the time to inquire about a potential charter will get the best advice and recommendations I have to offer, given my availability, how the fishing has

Tommy Marik released this photogenic trout unharmed, as did all other anglers depicted with this article.

their priorities. We can’t “schedule” our favorite kind of weather, but we can hedge the bet by booking an outing to take advantage of the generally favorable opportunities strong moon phases create. If no dates meeting these criteria will work, schedule a day that will!

Sometimes, incredible catches occur on weaker moons too, when other variables align properly to make the “right” fish hungry and accessible to our efforts.

Honestly, I’d advise anyone to steer away from a guide who likes to call people to let them know “the bite is hot”. I know I could not do this and generate revenue regularly. I could do it only when I truly believe the bite is hot, or when I just need to make some money, or both. Some guides, I’m sure, don’t call people unless they really think the fishing is better than normal. Unfortunately, I suspect financial hardships and greed cause others to abuse the request and intentionally sell their clients bogus expectations.

KEvIn COCHRAn COnTACT

been and what predictions I can make about upcoming weeks and months. That’s all I can do for anyone.

Basically, I give everyone the same advice, to pick a weekday close to a strong moon, either full or new, in a month well-matched with

Kevin Cochran is a full-time fishing guide at Corpus Christi (Padre Island), TX. Kevin is a speckled trout fanatic and has created several books and dvds on the subject.

Kevin’s home waters stretch from Corpus Christi Bay to the Land Cut.

TROUT TRACKER GUIDE SERvICE Phone Email Web

361-688-3714 kevxlr8@mygrande.net www.FishBaffinBay.com www.captainkevblogs.com

TSFMAG.com | 21

Cleanup volunteers come in all ages.

Photo courtesy Cody Moravits.

22 | April 2014

STORY BY Billy Sandifer

Unless you have been

privy to all the meetings and the planning

the event is in capable hands and will continue into the future. What is really unbelievable to me is that Todd Neahr oversaw all the aspects of the event via telephone. Part of the time he was living in Connecticut and the remainder in Florida. That’s got to be one for the books!

That pre-dawn parking lot at Malaquite has always been dangerous and this year we were even more blessed by David Ainsworth as he provided a wonderful light tower. The state of the art light tower

that went into this year’s Big Shell Beach Cleanup it is impossible for you to realize what all was entailed. We’ve always pulled it off with a hope and a prayer but this year it went off like the rehearsed, sophisticated, well-oiled machine that it is.

From the onset backup plans were in place and immediately went into action when equipment problems arose.

The Rollagon pulling 3 high-sided trailers blew a hydraulic line early-on but David Ainsworth Trucking had three full-sized 4-wheel drive pickups in place to pull the trailers while a fourth truck drove “Ainsworth Trucking’s Road back to Corpus to get a replacement hydraulic hose.

Crew” – shot from the back of the Rollagon during the cleanup.

That’s not luck—that’s careful pre-planning, and what would have been a disaster was just shrugged off and the event moved on.

Just to check out my sense of humor I pulled a muscle in my back three days before the event so I stayed with the Rollagon crew and missed getting to visit with many friends and volunteers and I apologize for that. I promise to be a regular social butterfly next year to celebrate our 20th anniversary event. What a wonderful milestone that will be.

I started the Friends of Padre to insure that the Big Shell Beach Cleanup would one day become capable of carrying on without me and this year they did exactly that, and I was not involved with the planning. I’m glad; not sad, because now I know

TSFMAG.com | 23

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turned the parking lot into daylight without the harsh glare normally associated with artificial lighting. Ainsworth Trucking Company is in the process of becoming the distributor for these lights in our area.

This event turned out to be near perfect weather wise. A record number of 540 volunteers cleared a record-tying 13.5 miles and 40 tons of trash was removed.

It seems the volunteer group changes from year to year. Typically we have lots of walking volunteers but this year we had very few walkers while having a good supply of 4-wheel drive vehicles on hand. Driving wasn’t perfect but it far exceeded what we are used to.

My hat is off to the members of the board of Friends of Padre and especially to Todd neahr for organizing and carrying out this excellent event. You can be proud of it. A big thanks goes to Curtis Mai as well.

Without our sponsors this event would be a far different and crippled venture at best. David Ainsworth and Ainsworth Trucking Company have long ago achieved sainthood status with the cleanup organizers and continue in that role today. They furnished ice chests and bottled water, the light tower, the Rollagon and a fleet of trucks and trailers. Wow. Stephen and Donna Gregory donate money to the event and then drive all the way down from Oklahoma City to participate. That’s awesome stuff.

Ruth Parr Sparks Foundation and Mr. Leon Mcninch remain the financial life support of the Friends of Padre and we’d be lost without them.

Brian McKinsey’s crew did a bang up job of troubleshooting in the work area. Team Industrial Services, CCA Texas Corpus Christi Chapter, Daniel Dain and Domino’s Pizza, H. E. B., Gambler Graphics and Michael Laskowski Sr. and Jr. of Trac-Work Inc. Railroad Maintenance of San Antonio, are all very much appreciated.

The Corpus Christi Caller Times and our outdoor writer, David Sikes, Everett and Pam Johnson of Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine and the Padre Moon play a very big role in getting the word out to the public.

Coastal Bend Audubon Society and Mr. Ben Beatty are very much appreciated by the entire staff and a big thanks to all our friends and comrades from the national Park Service at PInS. That was so much fun I think we’ll do it again next year.

Black Drum Throughout the majority of the winter months slot-sized black drum can be caught in the deep, wade gut of the Big Shell and in the vicinity of

24 | April 2014

16’, 19’, 21’ & 23’

Cats

PoweRed by: wrecks along the beach. Cracked crab claws, sea lice and dead shrimp and Fishbites seem to be the favored baits—and pretty much in that order of preference. This is the one species that prefer old and half rotten bait over fresh-dead and I save second-hand bait for them in the spring. In late February, March and April there can be some really fun fishing in the Port Mansfield channel for oversized black drum.

Just take the trail going alongside the channel, put out a couple of rod holders at a productive appearing location, cast out, break out the lawn chairs and kick back and wait it out. When the rod bends steeply get up and get at him. This is wonderful sport on light tackle; especially if you have teenagers or novices in your party. These drum tend to just run back and forth in the channel and can be caught on light tackle and probably average 28 pounds, so for a novice angler or teenager this is the real deal. One word to the wise; we only catch them when the wind is at our backs, coming from the north. We don’t catch them on south wind.

Sheepshead Sheepshead more often congregate around jetty rocks and wrecks rather than on a bare sand beach. They are among the best bait stealers in the business. Long-shank hooks are recommended as sheepshead have extremely functional teeth and will sever mono line.

The best bet as bait is live fiddler crabs although they will also hit dead shrimp. Inquire at bait stands as usually someone around the jetties is selling them. Small black drum can be mistaken for sheepshead but if it has obvious teeth it’s a sheepshead. Be careful handling sheepshead as their dorsal and anal fins are as sharp as spikes and never put your fingers in their mouth.

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Southern Flounder very few flounder are caught in the surf and the few caught are usually in the vicinity of wrecks in late summer. near the jetties is your best bet. The very best bait for flounder is live mud minnows (killifish) with small finger mullet coming in second. now let me tell you the trick about flounder in the surf. While we rarely catch founder in the surf TSFMAG.com | 25

it’s common for me to encounter 3-5 in shallow water as I walk out to cast. We fish too deep for the flounder. They are laying up extremely shallow and one would be better off walking along the water’s edge with a small lure and sightcasting them.

This light tower, compliments of Ainsworth Trucking, literally brought the historically dangerous predawn parking lot at Malaquite Pavilion into the “light of day.”

American Coot -Fulica AmericanaNests in freshwater marshes of northern latitudes.

Winters in fresh and saltwater marsh and bays of southern US states. Seasonally present in Texas, October through March. Black head and neck with a small reddish forehead shield, has whitish bill with a dark band near tip. Body is generally a dark slate color. Distinctive white trailing edge on wing. Known for “running” on water surface to gain flight. Nickname: mud hen.

Length: 15.5 inches

Mangrove Snapper This species is unusual in that years ago we didn’t catch them in the surf. They have spread into the surf zone in the past 15 years. We catch them on various baits and even occasionally on topwater lures.

They congregate around wrecks and structures. Five pounds is a big one in the surf.

Well the Good Lord has seen us through another long winter, known as “the time of the starving moon” at my house and I can’t say I’m going to miss it one bit. I want to go slug it out with a jack crevalle.

What a hoot!

If we don’t leave any, there won’t be any! -Capt. Billy L Sandifer

Jimmy Jackson photos 26 | April 2014

Contact

Billy Sandifer Retired after 20+ years of guiding anglers in the Padre surf, Billy Sandifer (“Padre of Padre Island” to friends & admirers) is devoted to conserving the natural wonders of N. Padre Island & teaching all who will heed his lessons to enjoy the beauty of the Padre Island National Seashore responsibly.

Website www.billysandifer.com

STORY BY CHUCK UZZLE

iMaGine havinG the

ability to looK DoWn on a

body of water and applying color according to the amount of fishing effort each area receives. Establishing a key if you will, red for high traffic, green for moderate, yellow for sparse, and so on. What do you think your bay system would look like? I’ll bet it would surprise you how much water actually receives little to no pressure while other areas look like Friday afternoon on the 610 Loop in Houston. It’s truly amazing how much quality water gets overlooked and little used.

Take for instance our own little “mudhole” we call home, Sabine Lake. I have often said in seminars that 90% of the people that fish Sabine never get farther from the shoreline than 500 yards. And to make that point even more impressive they rarely if ever fish the west side of the lake, all the attention is centered around the Louisiana shoreline. now the fascination and magnetic pull of the east shore is understandable due to the fact that there is so much marsh and so many tributaries along that bank. The marsh and tributaries are home 28 | April 2014

to all sorts of bait including plenty of shrimp, shad, and crabs which keep the attention of predator fish occupied.

Conversely the west side of Sabine is void of the tributaries and is lined with jetty-class rock which was put there in an attempt to halt erosion along Pleasure Island. The shoreline appears to lifeless and devoid of fish attracting structure but nothing could be farther from the truth.

In fact it would be a pretty safe to say that the majority of the biggest trout in Sabine Lake over the past five years have probably been taken from the west bank, and by fishermen who were standing on the bank, no less. That’s right, bank fishermen catching trophy trout in water that most boat anglers just blow right by. Sort of makes you want to think a little outside of the box now doesn’t it?

Unused or forgotten water comes in a variety of sizes and places and each has a specific time or season when it shines. During March and April I love to fish what I call transition water. This area is the water that is just slightly too far away from the shore for the waders to cast

The MinnKota Talon shallow water anchor is a great boat control tool for drift fishing.

to and too far away from the shore for guys in the boat to reach the bank. There are some great areas in both Sabine and Calcasieu that we frequent during this time of the year that fit this description.

In order to fish these spots you have to almost need to de-program yourself from wanting to throw towards the bank and concentrate on fishing parallel to it instead. That in itself takes some discipline. I’ve always laughed at myself and others as well when I think about how we looked at water when we were kids. All we wanted to do when we didn’t have a boat was to be able to throw our lures as far out into the lake as possible because we believed all the fish were out away from the bank. Then once we grew up and bought a big shiny high dollar boat all we want to do now is turn right back around and throw at the same bank we used to stand on as kids—go figure.

The water in that three to five foot depth range is almost magical this time of year yet so many anglers completely shy away from it.

These areas of the lake or bay are the key to those fish transitioning from deep water to shallow and believe me they spend a bunch of

time in these depths during spring.

This area is a comfort zone that allows fish to stay in water with a more constant and bearable temperature. Areas like these in close proximity to shallow flats will give up some really big fish in spring due to fluctuating weather and temperatures. A shallow flat that receives sunlight and warms up several degrees can produce memorable days and then become barren with a cold front. The fish that were crawling all over that flat will back out to a little deeper water and hold there until the next opportunity to get back on that flat and feed again. This situation illustrates why it’s so important if you believe fish are in the area to probe more than just the obvious water, you could be just a cast away from that bite of lifetime. now because you have decided to fish this so called in-between zone, your lure selection will be varied somewhat but will still have one thing in common, it should suspend. I don’t care what lure you throw just make sure it suspends to some degree.

Corkys, Crazy Croakers, Kick-A-Mullet, or stickbaits like a Rogue, TSFMAG.com | 29

Rapala, or ThunderSticks all rank high on the list under these conditions. I like starting with suspending baits because it seems like a fish will eat these style lures when they won’t eat a surface plug. They will also eat these lures when they will eat a surface plug so you are basically covering all your bases, so to speak. When the bites on the suspending plugs begin to get more violent switch to that topwater and see what happens—it’s usually a good time.

Another key factor you need to think about when fishing inbetween water is how you make your way through the zone. Long slow drifts are the ticket but wind direction and strength must be considered, so here comes the trolling motor. noise, whether from inside the boat or from the trolling motor must be kept to the absolute possible minimum. Having an anchor ready to stop your drift and hold position when fish are located is a plus. The Power Pole or Minn Kota Talon are priceless in these situations.

Years ago I was on Calcasieu in early April drifting an area with a few small reefs scattered about and my clients and I were just putting a hurt on some really nice trout. We would drift over the reefs and then make a wide circle to come back and do it all over again, thinking we were kings of the lake. Eventually another local boat came in the area

An oversized red taken in forgotten water.

Excellent early-spring lure selection.

and dropped anchor near one of the reefs and began to catch fish as well. On our third pass by the anchored local I heard one of the men in the boat say, “It’s a shame that guy spent all his money on such a beautiful boat and now he can’t afford an anchor.” I got the message loud and clear while my clients got a great laugh. Lesson learned for sure.

This is both a fantastic and frustrating time of the year to be on the water. Weather patterns will change drastically by the hour and that four letter word “wind” will become a factor for sure. But in the event you can find some protected water or get a break from the weatherman this is probably one of the two best times of the year to really find a truly big fish, especially speckled trout.

If that’s what you are after then these next several weeks are just what the doctor ordered. Don’t be surprised at all if some huge fish show up this year from a few places that have been out of the limelight in the past few years. Conditions on some of the more famous big trout producing bays are as good as they have been in quite some time and you can bet that’s a fact not lost on those who pay attention. Hopefully this spring will be one to remember for all Texas fishermen.

A suspending plug on a rod and reel outfit such as Okuma’s Citrix series is a great early-spring combination.

30 | April 2014

COnTACT

CHUCK UZZLE Chuck fishes Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes from his home in Orange, TX. His specialties are light tackle and fly fishing for trout, reds, and flounder.

Phone Email Website

409-697-6111 cuzzle@gt.rr.com www.chucksguideservice.net

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e t a n i Dom t ver goes ou e n t e ll u M A good ltwater Bomber Sa e h T . le ty of s inking et is slow-s ll u M e d ra and G sh, Specks fi d e R r fo h. death predator fis re o h s in r e our oth Mullet at y w e n e th r Look fo retailer. area tackle

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STORY BY JOE RICHARD

i’ve been WatchinG the onGoinG Debate

over TP&W’s proposal to cut the trout limit to five from Sargent south to the Land Cut. They did so from the Cut south to the Rio Grande a couple of years ago; where it increased trout size slightly and helped promote more of a trophy trout experience. The “meat haulers” had to focus their efforts elsewhere, if they wanted a box full of trout. Or fish twice as many days.

Tremendous effort is expended each year chasing seatrout, the most popular fish in Texas bays. After all, they’re a handsome, versatile fish from the bays, surf, jetties and even offshore between Galveston and Sabine. They’re easy to fillet, and, when not freezer-burned, pretty good on the table. Trout also grow to trophy size, and anglers will wade all day in chilly water just for a shot at a (female) 8- to 10-pounder for the taxidermist. But first, however, trout need to live long enough, with a life span of about 10 years.

In my view, trout deserve a shorter bag limit. We all want a shot at that legendary 10-pound trout, and the 32 | April 2014

chances of that happening only increase if we don’t meat-haul so many trout. Why not give this gamefish a break, and focus more effort on tastier fish? The nine species listed below may not carry the prestige and bragging rights of a stringer of trout, but they’re certainly better on the table. You won’t find seatrout listed as some epicurean delight; they’re merely dipped in batter or cornmeal, and fried. Fresh enough, and with enough Tony’s mixed into the cornmeal, they’re not bad.

Many others are better, however, so maybe its time to give trout a rest and not camp on them all day, or under dock lights at night, endlessly culling short fish (some of which don’t survive), while scratching out a legal limit for the freezer. The guides used to call this “grinding out pencils” back in the 1980s. nobody knows how many potential trophy trout are weeded out at a young age.

For many anglers, it isn’t easy to break from the mold after so many years and memories that have shaped trout into today’s fashionable number one bay fish. But with so many boats on the water focusing on trout, it’s time to learn how to catch other species, and find out how good they are on the table. Or not; fish can also be released, even keeper-size trout, and a conservation ethic only helps a fish population.

Fishing guides are in a great position to teach the public about other fish species, along with conservation. After giving those much-requested trout a shot in the morning, how about showing your clients a few tailing redfish? Maybe a prowling school of keeper drum? A little spot where flounder hang out? Clients can also do more, by requesting more of a variety, or at least asking what species have been hot lately. Doing so will certainly spice up each day’s experience on the water, instead of simply anchoring and soaking live croakers as bait.

We can’t cover every tasty bay species here. However, below are nine bay and surf fish considered by many to be better on the table than seatrout. Most of them fight harder, too. Heck, they’ll even pull drag on your reel. Catch a mixed bag of these guys, and you can have serious seafood on the table.

Pompano. The classiest fish on the Texas coast, at least on the table. If you haven’t tried baked pompano, well, you know what Mr. T would say about pity. Pompano are so-poorly known in Texas, they don’t even have a bag limit. Yet they carry a hefty price tag if you ever find one in the market. These guys prefer green surf water, with Padre Island offering the most reliable venue. Since they feed only on crustaceans, they hug bottom. (Except at Gulf platforms out in state waters, where they’re seen on the surface). The pomp has a small mouth and prefers short, brushy-tail jigs that grab bottom and kick up little puffs like a fleeing shrimp or crab. Pomps hit gold spoons on occasion, but the serious angler throws jigs (or uses the long, 12-foot surf rods baited with shrimp). Tip the jig with a pinch of fresh shrimp for insurance. Ideal tackle for jigging is an eight-pound spin outfit, seven feet long, if you’re really looking for a perfect match-up fight. A member of the jack family, these guys have amazing strength for their size. Use 20-pound mono leader, because ladyfish, found in the same area, will shred lighter line

This feisty blacktip shark can easily be filleted and turned into a tasty fish fry.

TSFMAG.com | 33

with their sandpaper lips. Pomps arrive when the surf temps reach 70 degrees, and hang around through October.

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Bouncing a pompano jig slowly along bottom yielded this nice pompano, one of 20 landed during a single, incoming tide with green water. Photo by Shannon Tompkins.

Tripletail. Some Texas bays are graced with tripletail each summer, from June through September. They hang around structure, anything that provides shade, including crab trap buoys. Matagorda and Galveston Bays seem to get the lion’s share of these fish. They will eat almost any small, wiggling live bait, along with spoons and trout jigs.

They’re incredibly strong, with “triple” tail fins, and they have a bad habit of charging into nearby cover. This makes catching them around solid platforms a real challenge; some guys use big casting reels like the Ambassadeur 7000 reel filled with 40-pound line. Catching triples in open water is far easier; just “cross their eyes” with a good baitcaster reel and hang on, with the drag not too tight, because they’ll run and even jump on occasion. Hook a 30-pounder on trout tackle, and you may have to follow with the boat. They prefer deeper water; at least, I’ve never seen one in wading water. They are after all an ocean fish visiting our bays. Fried chunks of tripletail will make your eyes roll back in your head like a hound dog tugging on Christmas turkey.

Keeper-size tripletail on the bay during summer, caught from a simple jonboat.

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Spanish mackerel. Trout anglers are legion, but how many of them ever spent hours of rapid-fire action, slinging gold spoons at feeding Spanish mackerel? The ends of the jetties and a quarter mile out are generally best, from May through October. Sometimes, mackerel make a surge into the bays during late summer, but generally not far and only with a serious push of green water, which they pretty much demand. On perfect days in the surf with three or four feet of visibility,

mackerel are probably close by. If your trout lure is suddenly cut off with scarcely a tap, thanks to razor teeth, that’s the mackerel’s calling card. Attach a short, thin wire leader, a three-quarter ounce gold spoon, and get to work with a fast, erratic retrieve starting from the bottom. When mackerel are thick, aim for those that are three pounds and bigger; they carry a thicker fillet. A four-pounder (more easily filleted than any trout) broiled or baked for 10 minutes with oregano, basil and rosemary, is superb on the table. That’s why since the early 1970s, my family has eaten about 30 mackerel for every trout.

Colorful Spanish mackerel hit and fight hard, fillet with ease, and are superior to trout on the table.

Black drum. “Puppy” drum from three to eight pounds are quite tasty and offer a spirited fight. Better than redfish for their size, according to one guide. They’re a schooling fish sometimes numbering in the hundreds, and they’ll muddy the water with their bottomrooting. (See the March issue of TSF). Drum of all sizes love oyster reefs in the bays, and also the base of jetties, where rocks meet the sand in 20 to 30 feet of water. They feed on crustaceans, not fish. One could also pitch out half a blue crab on sturdier tackle, if you want to wrestle with adult drum of 40 or 50 pounds.

Croaker. “Bull” croakers of 12 inches or so, fresh from the frying pan, will put trout to shame. But where to catch them? The most consistent spots I’ve seen are in deeper bay water, in channels or around structure. Try anchoring in 20-30 feet of water and using shrimp on bottom, during summer and fall. If catfish show up, move the boat.

The huge annual croaker runs each October are a thing of the past for now, but with lessened shrimpboat trolling and their wasted bycatch, croaker may yet return to popularity. There are also numerous big croakers at platforms off the beach in state waters, each winter.

Flounder. Flatties were hit hard in recent years, but they’re making a comeback with curtailed harvest during their autumn migration into the Gulf. They’re widespread and considered a bonus on any wadefishing trip. To target them, bump a twister-tail jig slowly on bottom around pilings, docks and seawalls—that’s the ticket to a limit of flounder. Bake or fry, your choice.

Redfish. Okay, redfish are thick these days and caught from every jetty on the Texas coast. They also tail on the flats and will wallop a topwater plug. Take a break from trout fishing and try stalking redfish, with a loosened reel drag. Or work artificials and live baits around the jetties year ‘round. Bake, grill or fry. If you have people who have never caught a bull redfish up to 46 inches or so, store 3-4 bigger rods in the boat, a supply of mullet or crab, and stop by the jetties for an hour.

Blacktip shark. A summer visitor favoring muddy water. Cut a small fish in half, rig it under a cork with wire leader and toss it out there.

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Charlie Davis unhooks a bonus flounder from Galveston Bay.

And hang on, these guys are tackle-busters. Blacktips are boneless, fillet easily, and they’ve supplied us with a tasty fish fry for up to 20 people, who thought the long fillets were trout and smacked their lips over it. Conditions were rough that weekend, the water muddy, but sharks provided. And we didn’t have to buy a box of highly questionable frozen fillets from Asia.

Sheepshead. Much easier to catch in colder water. They spawn January-April and will reliably attack any shrimp fished deep. They’re strictly found around hard structure. Jetties are best, then docks and seawalls. Very tasty when fried.

If trout aren’t biting, drop a jig head sweetened with shrimp around the jetties. These guys are tastier than any trout.

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STORY BY JOE DOGGETT

Venerable Corpus guide, Capt. Doug Bird, with a Baffin trout that took a slush bait.

38 | April 2014

Penascal Point

on the southern tip of Baffin Bay was wild country back in the mid ‘70s. Support systems were hours away and nobody knew the coordinates of all the shallow “rock piles” — at least, nobody in our boat had a clue.

We just knew we had made a long run from Bird Island and that we were in fabled big trout water.

The windblown shoreline was sandy-green and choppy, stirred by southeasterly gusts pumping across the Laguna Madre. Ahead of our bouncing drift, a brownish blur suggested one of the fossilized worm mounds.

I thumbed the silver Ambassadeur 5500 and cocked the 7 1/2-foot Fenwick HMG rod, amazed again at the lightness and responsiveness of the new material. Trim graphite blanks made the old hollow fiberglass sticks feel heavy and slow.

A downwind cast dropped the surface plug just beyond the dark blur. The lure was a 5M MirrOlure, a three-hook model similar to the standard-issue sub-surface 52M but a floater fitted with silver propellers on the nose and tail.

It was a slush bait designed to be ripped with the whirring props in a stop-and-go retrieve straight across the surface. I had used similar baits for years on largemouth bass but the concept wasn’t my notion of a trout killer; however, several crusty old salts vowed the prop plugs were a goto choice on big specks “down south.”

Few Galveston Bay anglers, if any, regularly used surface lures back in the ‘70s. We chunked the 52Ms and Bingos, and Dixie Jets and Johnson Sprites, maybe even some of the new soft plastic “Tout tails.”

But the old timers with leathery faces and knuckly hands and silvery hair said, in effect, “Go south young man and let ‘er rip!”

The elongated blue and silver bauble with its silver blades floated amid the sandy chops and bumps. I reeled tight, lowered the rod tip, and gave a smart sideways yank.

The lure ripped forward as the props churned a white trough of leaping, sputtering spray. The sudden commotion made a bold and “fishy” statement in the heavy water. I reeled up the slack, aimed the low rod back down the line, and yanked again.

The heavy boil and thick flash of a big speckled trout erupted from the rock pile. Naturally, I panicked with a rookie mistake. I struck on hair trigger at the sight and not the weight. The plug sailed past my ear and landed in the water behind the boat.

I reeled frantically and made another cast. The fish came roaring back and the rod bent against serious weight. That trout weighed 7 1/2 pounds—my first big one on a topwater lure.

You don’t hear much about the so-called slush baits these days. But

they were a top-tray choice among veteran pluggers on the Laguna Madre complex during the ‘60s and ‘70s. Popular models in addition to the 5M MirrOlure (by L&S Bait Company) were the Heddon Baby Torpedo (smaller and more subdued, with a single tail prop), and the Heddon Wounded Spook (larger, with big twin props).

The Bill Norman Wounded Flash with twin props (long discontinued) was another excellent choice—a great combination of correct heft and image with good blades and solid trebles. Another standout with no-nonsense hardware was the single-bladed Dalton Special. The Smithwick Devil’s Horse with fore-and-aft props (a great bass plug on Toledo Bend and Rayburn) was effective but the trebles were a bit puny for serious saltwater duty.

Numerous other slush baits were available, mostly crossovers from the freshwater bass market from companies such as Shakespeare, Creek Chub, and Bomber. Oddly, you seldom saw gold or copper blades; seems as if they would be great under conditions of subdued lighting.

But, regardless of color, the assorted propellers effectively were silenced during mid-’80s by the rapid rise of the “dogwalker” plugs.

The side-to-side dogwalkers were spawned by another classic bass plug, the old wooden Heddon Zaragosa (followed by the hollow-plastic Zara Spook version). The soft action of the skating and sliding especially is effective in shallow water or on a calm or slightly riffled surface.

The Zara might have been the blueprint but I feel safe in saying that the first dogwalker to gain widespread popularity along the Texas coast was the Rebel Jumpin’ Minnow.

Other early pacesetters on Texas tides were the Excalibur/Heddon Super Spook and the MirrOlure Top Dog. Variations of each followed and, now, saltwater tackle shelves are filled with dogwalkers from many manufacturers. Frankly, if you’re talking topwater plugs, that’s about all you see.

The elongated dogwalkers share two attributes: They cast like bullets and they utilize hollow rattle chambers. Oh, yes, one other thing—they are absolute killers under proper conditions on big

TSFMAG.com | 39

speckled trout and redfish.

But so are the slush baits. They were effective prior to the zigzag hysteria and they can still earn high marks. This is assuming you tie one on and chunk it into a green tide. I suspect many younger anglers never have used a slush bait in saltwater. As with me those long decades ago, the critical confidence factor is lacking.

Here are a few advantages of the forgotten prop plugs: First, similar to the dogwalkers, they cast well. They have good ballistics.

OK, the props might grab a bit of air but the drag is minor. They certainly are superior to the flapping of a jointed “broken back” floating/diving plug or a lightly weighted soft plastic. The free spool caster of reasonable ability should be able to wham one into the wind with no problem.

And, on the subject of wind, the typical slush bait creates fishattracting surface commotion across the all-too-common choppy surface. One prop or two—seems to make little difference, assuming the plug is properly balanced and the blades turn freely.

Of course, you can soften the slush-bait sputter by slowing the tempo. The props twirl and churl amid a subtle wake. In this ability to go from aggressive to passive, the dogwalkers are somewhat limited—they simply are not designed to create this type of commotion.

This is not to say that a dogwalker cannot summon strikes in rough water, but the soft action does tend to get lost amid bouncing whitecaps and running foam lines.

The ripping action of the spraying props also can trump sandy visibility or deeper depth—something to keep in mind when plugging the windblown edge of a channel.

As another advantage, slush baits are easy to work. Even a rookie can talk trash with them. You sling it out and punctuate the short, straight yanks with brief pauses. None of the practiced dogwalker cadence between rod tip and retrieve speed is necessary.

And the slush bait is less tiring to fish because you are not constantly jiving your wrists and forearms to maintain the zigzag action. For example, the drifter making repeated blind casts can brace the butt of the rod against his hip while imparting a sideways yank (the low angle keeps the plug churning across the surface rather than lifting into the air).

You can cheat by rotating slightly in the direction of the yank. The wrist and forearm remain locked with little strain against the braced rod.

Each slush-bait yank is maybe one to two feet. At the conclusion, the rod tip flips in a flat arc back toward the plug, and the brief slack-line pause allows the momentum to re-rack for another soulful slush. The drill is easy to master; you just add water and repeat as necessary until the

surface blows up amid spotted glory.

On that note, the strikes on prop bait usually are solid. All those bursts of spray tend to really jack up nearby predators. As an example, look at the videos of peacock bass in the Amazon detonating on big rippers such as HighRollers. If you’ve been there, you know what I’m talking about.

I’m not claiming that a six- or eight-pound trout is in the blast class with a 15- or 20-pound peacock, but the ripper can push the same button. Revved-up fish really unload.

My long-ago Penascal Point trout illustrated this. The fish (or possibly another) came back and ate with a vengeance after I pulled the plug away. In my experience, fresh and salt, you get a lot of determined grabs on slush baits.

This probably translates into a greater percentage of solidly hooked fish. No way to prove this but it sounds good.

As a final tweak in favor of the slush bait, you can rig a small trailer such as a streamer fly or unweighted plastic to run behind the plug (especially effective on surface schooling fish). Tie a two-foot length of 20- to 30-pound monofilament or fluorocarbon to the eye of the rear treble; use the heavy stiffer line so it will lay out smoothly during the cast.

A light trailer line can repeatedly twist and tangle in the hook and prop.

A side-arm lob helps open the arc during the cast. It’s similar to heaving a rattling cork rig. Or, dare I say it in the company of plugging purists, a live shrimp under a popping cork.

The trailer rig works behind a slush bait because it does not impede the straight yank. Using this double dip with a dogwalker is difficult; the drag of the trailer bogs down the coordinated action.

The old salts of decades past knew the advantages and applications of slush baits. I’m not suggesting that you stow all of your dogwalkers; rather, add a few slush baits to your coastal arsenal and rip some spray as a counterpoint to the zig and the zag.

You can try an oldie such as the Heddon Baby Torpedo or something newer such as the L&S MirrO Prop. Or whatever else you can locate.

The biggest problem might be finding a good selection of slush baits on the saltwater shelves of the nearest tackle emporium. Well, I have a suggestion: Go look in the bass aisles.

Slush baits can be “ripped” to create fish-enticing surface commotion.

40 | April 2014

J AY WAT K I n S

ASK THE PRO

BACK TO ROCKPORT

PREPARING FOR SPRING March is said to be the month of big wind but after my time in Port Mansfield the past two months I am not sure the wind ever quits along the Texas Coast anymore; it certainly hasn’t in Port Mansfield. no doubt the wind is our friend but sometimes it gets just down right stupid. As I write this article we are sitting at the lodge listening to the windows rattle, hoping for an afternoon let-up that would allow us to fish a few hours today.

In Rockport along the San Jose and Matagorda shorelines I will start marking areas with good submerged grass growth. With the rains we had in late 2013 and now into 2014 we should have more grass as well as grass in some areas that have been virtually void the past several years during the severe drought. Scouting for areas holding the proper bottom structure for our spring season is crucial to success. I like to mark these areas on my GPS so that when the winds dirty the water I am still able to fish the sections of the shoreline where I know there is grass, even though I cannot see it.

I have confidence in the dirty water pattern so the really dirty stuff seldom deters me if bait is present. Last month I talked about the winter clear-water pattern so Mike Laskowski I thought this month it would be with a 6-1/4 on appropriate to talk about working topwater-CPR. dirty water and the water changes that so often are found later during spring along much of the middle coast.

The beauty of the Rockport area is the layout of the bay system. The position of the barrier islands plus the layout of the peninsula itself allows for lots of protected water during periods of extreme SE wind, or even the occasional nE wind due to late-season fronts. Which are sure to come our way, at least 42 | April 2014

during April.

I’ll be looking for the arrival of a consistent 68° water temperature and finger mullet out of the gulf. Menhaden come with slightly warmer water temperatures, a little later.

I fish out of Cove Harbor for most of March through June. I like this location because it affords me the luxury of being able to scout shorelines and flats as I run to the areas I plan to fish each day. Slicks don’t usually start showing us the way until late-April and May but I have seen them in March.

Slicks are confirmation of a trout location. Yes, other fish Lisa Laskowski with a 6-1/2 on create slicks but water depth and location helps me establish the Bass AssassinCPR. likelihood of trout, or possibly other species. It is important to observe everything that presents itself as you make your way to the areas you’re planning on fishing throughout the day. I am constantly tweaking my game plan in the spring because conditions are constantly changing. Expect to see good influxes of baitfish during periods of strong incoming tides. Strong SE winds coupled with strong springtime tidal surges create favorable transportation for baitfish entering the bay system out of the gulf. I follow these baitfish, believing their migrations are critical to locating gamefish, and quite often they’ll move miles overnight.

Key to finding the fish that depend on this food source is simple—bottom structure.

This is why it is so important to monitor and mark the areas along migration paths that hold seasonal and annual grass structure. Grass is typically my main focus during the months of March through May. The growth of bottom grass depends heavily on rainfall, tidal levels and water temperatures. So far 2014 looks to be a better than average year for seagrass growth, although the harsh winter we’ve

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experienced will likely delay development a bit.

As our days and nights become warmer we should see rapid growth in our seagrass structure. Game fish simply lay and wait around the structure for baitfish to be pulled over it by tide and wind. I always try to position myself and my anglers along the perimeter of the structure and the line which the baitfish seem to have chosen, but not in a way that blocks or diverts them. By blocking the path toward structure the bait schools will break up and scatter, not reaching it. Those familiar with my tactics know I am a big believer in lining my group up as far away as possible from our targeted area and then slowly picking away at the fish holding there. Too close and you blow the comfort zone of the gamefish and this could also very well change the baitfish movement. Either one of these will change the game.

I rely on three types of lures during this time of year and most all of them have clear-silver or clear-gold body colors. no doubt I am a huge fan of Bass Assassin’s 5-inch shad in Cajun Croaker and the new MirrOlure MirrOdine XL, along with the new Custom Corky patterns developed for me and our water by Lowell and Deedee Odom. I have great confidence in a gold-flash on overcast days and silver-flash on bright days.

Water in the Aransas Bay system is typically very clear during March and early-April so baits with clear bodies and lighter-colored backs are my preference. The colors on the backs of my most trusted lures will be light blue, purple, Cajun croaker, clear green, and of course bone. I also suggest 36-plus inches of clear mono for your leader. I use 20-lb test and have seldom had a failure when using braided lines of either 6 or 8-lb diameter.

If your personal favorite lure colors cease to produce, try the clear bait route that I have the most confidence in.

In closing I want to thank all of you that continue to read our articles in the magazine and I enjoy the e-mails I get each month from many of you.

Some of the younger generation probably think at age 56 I am too old to still be on the cutting edge. It might be true in some ways but honestly I don’t feel 56—most days.

I have learned a lot in 35 years of full-time guiding and there have been many rewards. nowadays, reward for me is teaching and continuing to learn each day with anglers interested in improving their fishing skills.

Watching them reach that higher level of angling skill has become my favorite part of the job. Seldom is there a week that goes by without me feeling like I have not added to my knowledge and the knowledge of others. My clients enjoy the act of fishing, catching just adds to our enjoyment. So when I cease to teach, fail to learn, and fail to enjoy, I guess I’ll finally be old and ready to put out to pasture.

The photos I have included this month are husband and wife anglers, Mike and Lisa Laskowski. What a blessing this young couple has been to me and my family. Mike loves the fact that Lisa loves to fish with him, it’s time spent together away from a busy schedule that they truly enjoy.

Lisa is as competitive as they get. The smile on her face with her personal best tells it all. The only one with a bigger smile was Mike. Thanks for the memories guys; you always leave me feeling like I am 10 feet tall.

May Your Fishing Always Be Catching. -Guide Jay Watkins Jay Watkins has been a full-time fishing guide at Rockport, TX, for more than 20 years. Jay specializes in wading yearround for trout and redfish with artificial lures. Jay covers the Texas coast from San Antonio Bay to Corpus Christi Bay. Telephone Email Website

361-729-9596 Jay@jaywatkins.com www.jaywatkins.com

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My bride with a wintertime brute – sight-casting with spinning tackle.

C A P T. S COT T N U L L

S H A L L O W W AT E R F I S H I N G

Feeding the Fish “Big red moving right to left at fifty feet about one o’clock.”

“I don’t see it.”

“He’s hugging bottom. Tough to see, but he’s there.

Now at twelve o’clock and forty feet.”

“I still don’t see him.”

“Cast to eleven o’clock—miss. Cast again, four feet left—good shot!”

“I still can’t see anything.”

“Strip, strip, strip. Stop, let it sink. Bump it once. He ate it!”

And as the beast flees the scene taking all of the fly line and a good bit of backing, I grin like a fool from my office atop the poling platform. I never tire of this game. Day after day, week after week I get to watch people catch fish. Many of my contemporaries here in Texas don’t get what I do. It is the accepted norm here in Texas for guides to fish alongside their customers. I may

That big grin – when a customer hooks up – is my reward.

46 | April 2014

go weeks without even making a cast during the busy season. And that’s perfectly fine by me.

The way I see it I’d rather my customers catch fish than watch me catch them. But in my own way I am still fishing. I fish by proxy. It is far more challenging to help someone else catch a fish than if I were making the cast. Standing high above the action I can see the fish.

Through my words I can place the cast in the right place.

With further guidance I can retrieve the fly at just the right pace for it to intersect with the cruising fish. And with just the right twitch at the right moment I get to see the fish eat, my absolute favorite part.

When it all works there is no greater satisfaction than having the angler look over their shoulder and smile.

One of the great benefits of my vantage point is getting to watch the interaction of fish and lure. Over the past ten years I have to say that I’ve learned far more about what makes a fish eat, or flee in terror, than I ever learned while standing there chunking to wakes, tails or the slight outline of a fish. I could always imagine what the fish and lure were doing and knew that certain retrieves seemed to work better than others, but it was only an educated guess most of the time.

Feeding a wary fish a fake in a few inches of water is challenging. First you simply need to see the fish. It sounds simple enough, but you’d be surprised how many people can’t do it. You need to train yourself to look into the water and not just stare at the surface. Also quit thinking you’re going to see the whole fish. Most of the reds I spot from the platform first appear as just something out of the ordinary. Depending on water

clarity and bottom type it could be just a slightly darker shadow or perhaps a lighter shape slowly moving. Most often the first thing I see is an odd whitish spot that turns out to be a pectoral fin.

Once you get the idea there’s a fish in view try to figure out which way it’s facing. Sounds easy enough, but I see far too many people hurry the cast before ascertaining this critical information.

There’s only one end that eats.

While doing this I also try to get a read on the fish’s demeanor. Is it actively hunting? Is it just sitting there resting? Or is it starting to move away having sensed your intrusion? Being able to sense the mood of the fish determines where and how I want to land the fly or lure. It also makes a big difference in the speed and type of the retrieve.

This is something I’ve wanted to write about for quite some time because it’s probably one of the biggest mistakes I see people make. One particular retrieve won’t work on every fish. It’s hard to put into words, but I’ll give it a shot.

Fish that are actively feeding are the easiest of course. You can get away with a lot of mistakes when they’re charging hard. The only issue is getting noticed among all the bait they’re feeding upon. I like to make the fly splat down within a foot or so to get their attention. Once you know they’ve seen it, make a quick retrieve. Actively feeding fish have gotten everything stirred up and something trying to get away from them is natural. They’re in attack mode and you likely can’t move it fast enough to keep them from eating.

Unfortunately the hard-charging feed isn’t the norm. Most often reds in shallow water are on the prowl and hunting. They may be trying to bump a shrimp loose from the salt grass or catch a crab Guiding a client to a memorable fish is more enjoyable than catching it myself.

48 | April 2014

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to cast a few feet beyond the fish and ease it into the area. Once you think it’s there give it a couple quick, small twitches. Resist moving it too far or you’ll take it out of the zone. With a lightweight fly I like to just drop it quietly right in front of their nose and let it settle. If that doesn’t get bit, a small quick strip usually will. Reds tailing in thick grass are tougher than those on a clear bottom. With their faces buried in the grass they can’t see anything more than a couple inches from their nose. It might take a few tries.

Often times the most frustrating fish of the day is the sulker, a big ol red that you stumble upon as he’s resting. This fish isn’t going to go far to eat. The cast needs to get the fly close, but too close and they’ll spook. The good news is you usually have time on your side.

Try casting beyond the fish and easing it into position. If that doesn’t work make the same cast and twitch it past his nose. After three or four failed attempts I just go for broke. Splat the fly just short and to the side of his head. He’s either gonna spook or eat.

This sight-casting game can be frustrating, but with time and experience it gets easier. Put in enough years and it almost becomes instinctive. Accept that there will be failures and revel in the successes.

C O n TA C T

slipping up out in the open. Reds cruising the edge of the flooded salt grass want something to flee from the grass, be it a shrimp or baitfish. The cast can be a bit tricky, but you want it as close to going into the grass as possible. A foot short of the grass might not get their attention. Too long and you could foul in the grass. Most shorelines aren’t perfectly straight and uniform. If possible I like to wait until they’re coming up on a small indention or a point. Drop it into the opening or just behind the point and bump it out just as the fish approaches.

Reds hunting an open flat can be tougher than they would appear. Many times they’re just wandering aimlessly, constantly changing direction. I like to lead these fish by several feet and fall just beyond them so that the lure crosses their path. The wanderers seem to always change directions just before the two meet. The more zig-zag in the fish, the less lead I’ll give. Try a steady retrieve until the fish shows interest and then give a little quicker twitch.

Think like a baitfish. Once seen by a predator he doesn’t just keep strolling along or surrender. If they’re on a steady path I like to move the fly or lure into their path and let it settle to the bottom. As he gets close give it a couple quick twitches and let him think he’s spooked something off the bottom.

Tailing reds are what we all love to see. nothing gets the blood pumping like a big single tail waving above the surface. As easy as it appears tailing fish are sometimes difficult to get to eat. Keep in mind that the reason they’re tailing is they are looking at something on the bottom. Their field of vision is relatively small and if you want to get bit you’ll need to get into that zone. With a lure it’s usually best

Capt. Scott null is a devout shallow water fisherman offering guided adventues via kayak, poled skiff, and wading.

Telephone Email Website

281-450-2206 scott@tsfmag.com www.captainscottnull.com

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From left to right: Mike Ray, nancy Ziegler, Mark Lingo, Faye Grubbs, virginia Pape, Annette Hegen, Ed Hegen, Dabney Hegen, Perry Trial, Paul Hammerschmidt, Robin Riechers.

By TPWD Coastal Fisheries Staff

FIELd NOTES

Ed HEGEN

TEXAS PARKS ANd WILdLIFE dEPARTMENT COASTAL FISHERIES dIVISION, REGION II dIRECTOR

RETIRING AFTER 43 YEARS OF SERVICE The Early days “WAnTED —Young, Skinny, Wiry Fellows, Willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred.”

That wasn’t exactly how Ed Hegen ended up in Rockport in 1969, but it was close!

Coastal Fisheries needed people to collect and process samples for a big project in Cedar Bayou. B. D. King planned to sample every tide for three years with plankton nets and collect additional samples with traps, trawls and assorted other nets. Rain or shine, hot or cold, 24 hours a day / 365 days a year. Oh yeah – you travelled to work by boat, lived on a mud flat in a cabin with no screens, no heat and no running water or electricity! no wonder Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) needed young guys who aspired to be marine biologists to support their local crew.

Ed Hegen was one of the first students to sign up for a brand new work-study program at the University of South Florida and heard about a great opportunity with TPWD in Rockport. Despite the scheduling nightmare of school and work between two rather geographically distant states, the allure of the quaint little town of Rockport was just what an aspiring “Jacques Cousteau” was looking for.

Lots of sun, lots of water, and lots of fish, shrimp and good food – and not one traffic light!

Hegen worked hard collecting samples in the field,

52 | April 2014

processing them at the Rockport Marine Lab, and enjoying all that Texas had to offer. That was a long time ago; in fact, the Cedar Bayou data was the first biological data TPWD entered on a relatively new device called a computer.

The opportunity to be a real marine biologist was apparently strong because Ed stayed in the work-study program. When offered a chance to work in Rockport with TPWD permanently he moved to Texas and started a career that’s lasted 43 years. Ed Hegen has seen a lot, done a lot and still enjoys the choices he made a long time ago.

-Terry Cody As a Biologist When I met Ed Hegen in Rockport in 1974, he embodied what my expectations of a biologist should be. As my boss he helped me through my initiation into the Coastal Fisheries Division. I worked with him as a technician and our job was to collect samples of fish, shrimp and crabs throughout Corpus Christi Bay using a variety of gear that we had never used before. As novices (better yet fairweather) watermen, Ed and I experienced the wonder and danger of the bay in all of its moods.

We sat in awe as flocks of white pelicans plied the waters and whooping cranes circled in the sky making their plaintive calls. One of our more daunting

experiences was when we hunkered down behind a two-foot high sand dune contemplating our fate by being stranded by a howling blue norther which wasn’t as near as formidable as the many occasions where we tried to explain the logic of our program with irate fishermen.

In general, these are the same duties that the Coastal Fisheries Division staff does today (weather and anglers notwithstanding). However, what is decidedly special is that the program and its goals were the genesis of a world-class fishery resource management program. Due, in part, to Ed’s leadership, it has withstood the test of time, survived skeptics and naysayers, and proved itself in the court of law resulting in a recreational fishery with no equal. Through it all, Ed Hegen was a leader who helped steer the refinement and evolution of the program. He was not only a biologist and scientist, but an administrator, leader and innovator. He has unquestionably left an indelible legacy with the division and the agency.

-Paul Hammerschmidt

Regional Directorship Ed’s contributions to the Coastal Fisheries Division and the agency were extraordinary in a number of ways. Some of these impacts were not readily apparent to everyone but were greatly appreciated by those who knew.

First of all, he was a superb administrator.

His budget management skills were truly exceptional and he could stretch a dollar better than anyone I’ve worked with. Even in difficult fiscal times, Ed found innovative ways to make improvements to buildings, vessels, vehicles, and equipment for the benefit of everyone. He spent considerable effort setting goals for staff, monitoring progress, and directing field programs to ensure high levels of execution year after year.

His reports, regardless of the topic, were well done and always timely no matter how many balls he might be juggling. We could depend on Ed to do whatever was needed no matter what.

Ed set very high standards and had high expectations for staff. He pushed everyone beyond their comfort zone. He constantly raised the bar for performance and expected everybody to improve their skills on an ongoing basis. Not surprisingly, he demanded the same of himself. While demanding as a supervisor, he was also a caring and compassionate leader who was able to strike a balance to get the best out of people. He was masterful when dealing with difficult or unusual personnel matters.

Ed was well grounded in field operations, natural resource management as well as science and policy. Consequently, he was quite influential when it came to fleshing out regulatory and policy matters. He gained the trust and cooperation of diverse constituencies before, during, and after regulatory changes took effect. Needless to say, this was essential for the success of several conservation initiatives, perhaps the best example being seagrass conservation.

Ed always kept the best interest of TPWD in mind

whenever he made decisions or took action. It was an absolute pleasure working with Ed as he is a man with great passion, dedication, and integrity.

What a remarkable legacy he created.

-Mike Ray Seagrass Conservation Program In 2000, Redfish Bay near Port Aransas, TX was designated a state scientific area and voluntary measures were taken to help decrease the occurrence of propeller scarring. By 2004 the lack of compliance sparked discussions on what the next steps should be. Recognizing an opportunity to provide guidance, Ed Hegen stepped in and offered solutions that would continue to allow boaters to motor through the area and not limit usage to one user group.

As a result, the no-uprooting regulation took effect in May 2006 in the Redfish Bay State Scientific Area (RBSSA). Ed played a vital leadership role with a group of Coastal Fisheries staff members that identified education and outreach needs and developed monitoring programs to evaluate the efficacy of the regulation. He spent time talking with different user groups increasing awareness about the regulation as well as the importance of seagrass habitat. Local elected officials were also informed about the new regulation. Training sessions were arranged with state game wardens to ensure they were prepared to issue citations for violations.

Through the course of five years, over 10 million outreach impressions were made, two mail-out surveys were sent out and two propeller scar studies were conducted. Ed was able to orchestrate all these activities with only one additional staff member.

After five years of monitoring the area, the documented success of the regulation led to recommendations for a statewide regulation which gained the attention of Representative Geanie Morrison. During the 83rd legislative session, coastwide seagrass protection legislation was passed making it illegal to uproot seagrass with a boat propeller in Texas. This regulation took effect on September 1, 2013. Ed’s forward thinking early on allowed for continued use of the natural resources by all user groups while also protecting the resources.

-Faye Grubbs Leadership Ed’s leadership within Coastal Fisheries was well recognized by his peers, subordinates, and supervisors. As one of the department’s senior managers, Ed was selected twice to serve as a mentor for senior staff who attended the TPWD’s nationally recognized Natural Leader Program. Ed valued this training so much that he ensured his 54 | April 2014

senior staff attended the training as well.

Ed has also been active within his local community of Rockport.

Over the years he has served on the Aransas County Independent School District School Board, Rockport Lions Club, Rockport United Methodist Church, Lions International District 2A3 (South Texas), Pisano Girl Scout Council Board and The Aquarium at Rockport Harbor, Inc. Because of his work within the department, and in his local community, Ed twice received the agency’s Employee Recognition Award for Leadership. This is a prestigious award and Ed is the only TPWD employee to ever receive the award twice.

-Mark Lingo These are just a few people that had the distinct privilege of working with Ed over the years as a technician until becoming a regional director. While he may not be attending meetings anymore or balancing budgets, the programs he helped develop form the core of the management decisions the division will continue to address.

After 43 dedicated years of working with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, we thank you and wish you all the best.

-TPWD Coastal Fisheries

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

TSFMAG.com | 55

Savage action offshore during an early-summer tournament out of Freeport.

JOE RICHARD

TEXAS NEARSHORE & OFFSHORE

Ling Month?

April has been “ling month” since we first headed offshore.

It was ingrained into our young heads when local outdoor writer Ed Holder returned to Port Arthur with 16 of these fish, big ones, from a single offshore trip. It made a lasting impression, and we’ve always searched for ling if we could get offshore in April. Perhaps because they’re new, migrating in from parts unknown, they’re hungry and greedy this month—not the wary fish of late summer that cruise around the boat, disdainful of all baits.

Catching 16 today would be a tough job, even though they’re protected with strict bag limits. I don’t recall what sort of winter we had back then when Ed made his catch, but you can bet it was a warm spring day. This cruel winter just passed won’t help the ling action, and might even delay the spring run of these fish, unless we get some hot weather real soon. We need that magic 70-degree water along the coast, to kick things off for a number of summer species.

We can assume that 70-degree water first swirls around offshore platforms, before ever reaching the 56 | April 2014

beach. That’s why visiting those near-shore platforms along the coast has obvious benefits; the guys out there tied up or trolling around have a good shot at getting bowed up on the first ling, Spanish mackerel and snapper, also the the last of the sheepshead spawning bite.

Meanwhile, beach-bound surf anglers only minutes away are slinging plugs and spoons, perhaps grinding away in chilly high 60-degree water.

I’m speaking of the upper coast. The south half of the Texas coast will be basking in warmer surf temps and greener tides too, if spring’s wind doesn’t lash everything into brown chops and suds. April’s wind is often a problem, sometimes capricious and cruel, more suitable for kite-flying, but not always. We once made a three-day April trip to the Cervezas Rigs about 85 miles off Galveston in a 31 Bertram named Alacran, in flat-calm conditions the entire trip. Three glassy days in April…

It was beyond belief, and I kept waiting for a punishing wind to deliver pain for our bold adventure, but it never did. We had a great trip with plenty of deepwater grouper

to 50 pounds, big amberjack and also blackfin tuna. After our long run home, safely back in Clear Lake, we docked at the Turtle Club like salty veterans and had quite a party.

That was a rare, overnighter spring trip, but these close-in trips to state water platforms are more practical and still productive, in smaller boats on lesser budgets. One spring day in the very last days of March, Beaumont friend Pete Churton and friends visited the state water platforms off Sabine Pass with his venerable 16-foot aluminum boat, Get Lucky. Tying off the boat and using the old ways, all three anglers climbed 12 feet straight up a steel ladder onto the big platform’s lower deck, and began firing big spoons. Or lowered them to the bottom,

where they could be doodle-socked up and down. They’d brought a young lady angler along who made a long cast, and was soon hooked into something big and fast. Her trout tackle spin reel fairly howled, but somehow the monster was always turned with a little line left on the spool, way out there. Time passed but eventually a fine kingfish appeared, passing by a few times. What to do? Undaunted, Pete climbed down the steel ladder and soon grappled with that king.

There was a flurry of water, and then he surprised them with a victory cry, climbing back up with the 28-pounder, though rather slowly.

I’m guessing that was one tired kingfish, since it was caught with something like 15-pound line and landed without a gaff. You can bet there are plenty more early kings out there in April—but you have to hit a weather window and make the most of it. Those easy limits of late sheepshead out there should finally yield to early kingfish and ling. A changing of the guard, so to speak, that ushers in summer’s fishing season.

Meanwhile, back at the jetties, we consider April the month when jetty redfish and trout replace winter’s reliable sheepshead. I’ve made some nice catches at the POC and Sabine jetties, when chunky redfish took over our catches. If you can score some sizeable live shrimp, and fish bottom in 20 feet of water around the rocks during a green, incoming tide, that’s the ticket. I have great memories of relatives visiting us in POC during Easter weekend, when dropping big live brown Here’s a redfish just live-baited and kickers to the bottom meant swift hookups on three-pound wrestled up from the trout and high-slot size redfish, often at the same time. It was jetty rocks. almost too easy.

58 | April 2014

S C O T T S O M M E R L AT T E

F LY F I S H I N G

Tibor As I sat there admiring the very first Billy Pate reel ever made, the machine marks still visible some 40 years later, I came to the realization that I was holding a true piece of fly fishing history- the reel that made it possible to tame the largest and wildest of fish. This time last year I had the privilege sharing a skiff with the man that designed and hand-machined the reel.

Seeing the free-jumping tarpon silhouetted above Ted Juracsik’s head only ten yards behind him in the early morning sun was, to say the least, a surreal moment. I can still remember the first time I held and admired a Billy Pate reel in my hands and reading the engraving on the side that said “By Ted Juracsik.” I did not know who he was but thought to myself- he must be special if his name is engraved on this reel. I never would have guessed that twenty years later that I would be sharing a skiff with him.

“You get a little excited, don’t you?” he asked as I announced the presence of every tarpon that rolled within eyesight. “Well, tarpon make me stupid,” was my reply. He smiled.

As the morning progressed, I poled the skiff around and I watched him meticulously cover the water over the top of and around every rolling fish. As he worked over one area, I saw a tarpon roll at our nine o’clock and called it out. He quickly changed the direction of his cast and 60 | April 2014

laid the fly out just beyond the roll and started counting the fly down before the retrieve. Moments later his line came tight and the water erupted as nearly a hundred pounds of silver took to the air. I watched in awe as he calmly played the fish with a smile on his face as he admired the smooth drag of his latest contribution to the world of fly fishing- the Tibor Signature Series reel.

After fighting the communist Russians in 1956 during the Hungarian Revolution, Tibor ‘Ted’ Juracsik barely escaped to Austria and then the United States. Arriving here with nothing but the clothes on his back and a trade.

Having left all of his family and friends behind, Juracsik found shelter in a refugee camp in New Jersey and then an orphanage in Brooklyn where he started his new life.

Already a master tool and die maker (machinist) at the age of 18, Juracsik found it difficult to find work in his trade because here in the states, we had not converted over to the metric system. Surprisingly though, it was his skill at soccer that got him a job in a watch factory packing boxes. Some guys had seen him playing under the Brooklyn Bridge and told him (through a translator) if he would play on their team they could get him a job in a watch factory.

“It was very tough looking at all those machines that I knew how to run, but couldn’t because of the crazy

measurement system,” he said of the experience. “I know everything metric but not that crazy system.”

With a strong work ethic though, Juracsik learned our “crazy” system and before much longer was working in his trade. Not too long after, he set out on his own.

As for his introduction to the world of fly fishing and the creation of the Billy Pate reel… Here is the story as told to me by Mr. J. Well it was in 1962 and I wanted to get married because I had nobody here and start a family to get stable. So I got married and I had two jobs.

When I got married I got a third job and figured out real quick, if I was

to get ahead, I would have to start my own business. So then I had an opportunity to make some tools for some people but I did not have any machines and we were living with my in-laws. So I asked my father-in-law if I could buy some machines and put them in the garage. He said it would be alright so, I quit my third job and would come home and work at night making things for other people. That’s how I got started. When things got better I quit my second job and my regular job. I started doing really well after three or four years.

By then my in-laws had moved to Florida, and I had a guy working for me who was doing really well making stuff. So we went to visit Florida. Me and my wife and daughter, Marianne and what I saw was incredible- the fishing. I had fished some in Long Island with my brother-in-laws, they were surf-casters for stripers so I did a lot of surf-casting back then. After visiting Florida I said to myself, I gotta figure it out and somehow move to Florida because that is where it is at.

So one winter, while I was visiting Florida, I met Tony Lay. He was fishing one of the bridges for snook and we became friends and I kept contact with him. Then in ’72 or so I came down to visit again and he went to work for Worldwide Sportsman and that is where I met Billy Pate.

And one time, Billy Pate came in and was complaining about his reel and how he had lost a big tarpon because his drag wouldn’t work right and it locked up. Then Tony told Billy that I would make him some reels that he would not have any trouble with and Billy says, “Really, you make fly reels?” and I said well let

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C O N TA C T

see what you got. He had Finor anti-reverse so I took it apart and I could see right away what was wrong with his reel. To me it is just a piece of machinery. I could just look at it and tell that it’s not right. So I said, I can make you a couple of reels.

So I went home and drew it up and started making them. Everything back then was hand-made because we didn’t have any CNC equipment.

So I made these two reels in my spare time and went back to Florida the next year to fish with Tony and I gave Billy the reels. He really liked

it right away. He asked me if I could make him some more so he could sell them in his store but I told him that I could not make him two or ten because it would be way too expensive but…I could make a hundred. And that is how the Billy Pate reel started.

Believe me when I tell you folks- this only a very small part of an incredible story. And, if I had the space to tell you more, I would.

In regards to the time I was able to spend with him- I will forever be grateful. The things that I learned not only about fishing and the Everglades but also about the world and the hardships that I have never known will remain with me until the day that the Good Lord decides to take me from this world. He is a man to be admired for his strong work ethic and patriotism. And, I have never met a man so proud to stamp every one of the products that he creates with the words- MADE IN THE U.S.A. Be good…and stuff like that.

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Introducing Shimano’s latest in comfortable and light weight footwear - the Shimano Evair Marine/Fishing shoes. The Evair features an ultra lightweight EVA material, meaning even after a full day of fishing or boating, your feet will not feel fatigued at all. Being an ‘open’ style shoe means they’re quick drying and allow your feet to breathe even in the hottest day time conditions. A non slip sole gives the wearer added confidence when navigating slippery decks.

62 | April 2014

Scott Sommerlatte is a full time fly fishing and light tackle guide, freelance writer and photographer.

Telephone Email Website

979-415-4379 vssommerlatte@hotmail.com www.scottsommerlatte.com

7613 SPID Corpus Christi, TX 78412 www.roysbait-tackle.com

361-992-2960

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MARCOS GARZA

YO U T H F I S H I N G

The Frozen Ones I woke up at about 5:30 in the morning and got suited up for the day. I was wearing at least three layers underneath my waders, plus a pullover, a softshell WindStopper, and a wading jacket. A real strong front had blown through a few days before and we were still enduring the chill of it. I made sure that I dressed warm.

I met Sonny, Dave and Michael (the new guy) at the dock for another tournament at six o’clock. We talked a while and tried to stay warm while Sonny put fuel in the boat. We all loaded up our gear, untied the boat, and idled our way to the pavilion dock for check in. We were the only ones out at that time and we got cleared to leave the harbor. We slowly made our way to the mouth of the harbor and we took off.

We were heading for a spot that my dad had been catching big reds in for a few days. We got off the boat and got into the frigid water. We were all hoping that we could catch the fish real soon because we were so cold. It was probably the coldest day that I had ever fished in my life.

After about 30 or maybe 45 minutes, I couldn’t handle it anymore. I had to go back to the boat, I thought I was feeling water run down my leg and I just couldn’t fight 64 | April 2014

the cold. None of us could feel our feet or our hands, it was that cold. I got back on the boat and sat on the cooler trying to warm up while the guys stayed out there and fished. Eventually, I nodded off.

The guys woke me up when they started coming back to the boat and I had no idea how much time had passed. They told me it was an hour but I could tell that it had only been about 20 minutes. The guys didn’t have any luck while I was asleep. We all had an awesome sandwich that brought a little warmth. After our sandwich, Michael and Dave got back off the boat in the same spot and fished. I went with Sonny scouting in the shallows to see if we couldn’t find any fish. We didn’t.

The shallows were empty, I didn’t even see bait back there. We turned around and headed back towards the guys. I realized when we got back that it wasn’t going to get warmer anytime soon and got back to fishing. I had to do whatever I could to help the team and win the tourney. We had won the last tournament and we were determined to win this one too.

We fished and after being out there for almost four hours, the only person to catch a fish was Michael. He

caught a decent red, now we were on the scoreboard. It wasn’t all that much but it was something. We left the area after that and headed for a new one. We had a pretty good idea of where we were headed. We had a plan.

We staggered ourselves at about 500 yards apart along the

66 | April 2014

shoreline. We tried to cover as much water as possible. Dave and I were ahead of the group, Sonny in the middle, and Michael in the back. Not much longer after Sonny dropped us off, I caught a fish. I caught about an eighteen-inch trout, the only trout we had seen all day. We had two fish now and we were definitely in the game.

We just needed to upgrade our fish and we would have a pretty good chance at winning again. After I caught the trout, I had another hit. I missed it, but another hit meant I was casting in the right direction. I casted over towards the shoreline again and had another hit. I was getting close. I had one more hit and then it was over. I didn’t get anymore after that. We moved again.

The sun was finally starting to come up and things looked for the better. The heat from the sun made it awesome and bearable. Michael and I caught one more red each and then we had to make the run back to port to make it in time for weigh-in.

We got second place, which isn’t bad, especially for my second tournament with Sonny and Dave. Hopefully there are many more wins for team MLF. Good luck to you all and most importantly, have fun out there.

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CADE SIMPSON

K AYA K F i S H i N g C H R O N i C L E S

“SPRiNg” iNTO A

NEw FiSHiNg KAYAK Spring time is here! Usually, come April, we have enough tide to put water back in the marshes and I can get back into my skinny water routine. I went through another winter season without a trophy trout, though a few readers have had good luck as you will see in this month’s photos. Speaking of readers, I have been getting a good many emails inquiring about kayak selection and

68 | April 2014

recommendations. For this month I am going to lay out some considerations of my own that pertain to buying your first or perhaps your next kayak.

Before we look at anything in particular let me lay out a foundational principle that applies to any part of your selection. That principle is; “Does it fit your purpose the best?” Lets first take a look at the kayak itself.

What is your primary purpose with a kayak?

Are you fishing? Racing? Planning, maybe, some whitewater adventure?

If you are reading this article my guess is you are fishing or considering it so let’s move forward with that train of thought. Kayaks are by and large broken down into two categories; sit-on-top and sit-inside. I am not going to get into SUPs, hybrids or canoes.

It is my observation that sit-on-tops are the hands-down favorite and majority sales leader in fish-ability and rig-ability, as far as fishing craft are concerned. Sit-inside paddle boats excel in other areas—especially whitewater and racing. Ok—so we’ve got the basic hull style narrowed down to a siton-top for a fishing boat.

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Next; what about hull length? In general, my advice on length is get the longest kayak you can haul and store. Assuming most of you are going to be favoring saltwater fishing, you will be best suited by a longer kayak. For small ponds, creeks and rivers, maybe a shorter kayak will suit your purpose.

Kayaks only look long when they are standing on end or laying across your garage floor. Think about it, when you sit in it, you only see the front half, so it really seems a lot smaller.

My primary kayak is a 16-footer and I am really glad I didn’t opt for a shorter one. Longer kayaks tend to be faster, more stable, have better tracking characteristics, more storage, etc.

Alright; so now we know we want a sit-on-top kayak and you have picked a length that best suits your purpose. Which brand should you get? To be honest, this comes down to personal preference—reminiscent of the old Chevy, Ford, Dodge, Toyota question.

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I would say focus on Hobie, Ocean, Wilderness, Native, and Jackson. Those are all quality brands and will have what you need in their line up. As a side note, some of the options within these brands have peddling systems, or trolling motor attachments. While these features might seem attractive do take into account, the limitations they bring can actually become highly limiting if shallow saltwater is your primary fishing pursuit.

Great for navigating deeper water, peddle and motor power systems will increase your boat’s draft, which will prevent you from accessing super-skinny fishing grounds, which is one the greatest aspects of the coastal fishing experience. Sure, you can detach these accessories on the fly, but my point is don’t expect to leisurely peddle or motor around in four inches of water, or even nine- to ten inches.

Let’s move on now to accessories. Fishing accessories will not be my focus here, but there are three main accessory items that everyone should pay attention to when planning to outfit a new

straight. I used to kayak without one and similarly to my upgrade in my paddle, upgrading to a rudder was worth every penny.

I hope I have given some useful insight to anyone who is looking to break into the kayak fishing world. If I didn’t answer a specific question you might have, please email me. Don’t forget to send me your kayak fishing pictures and stories.

Until next time.

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boat—paddle, seat, and rudder.

My opinion; the paddle is the most important of all accessories, don’t be a cheapskate. Your kayak will come with a seat (though not always a great one) and it will sometimes come with a rudder, but none come with a paddle. For selecting a paddle, I will say it like this, “If you are not prepared to spend $300+ on a paddle, then you aren’t ready to buy a fishing kayak.”

That is perhaps a slight exaggeration but it has truth behind it. Think about this, when kayaking, how many times do you stroke the water?

Hundreds, even thousands. Each paddle stroke is like doing a rep in the gym. A light paddle (generally more expensive) will make your trip more fun and less work. My first paddle was a decent $100 dollar model. A few months later I upgraded to a $400 paddle and it was worth every penny.

When buying a paddle don’t just buy a random length or fin style.

Ask an outfitter for help. Get a paddle that fits you and your kayak and your paddling style.

Moving on to seat selection, the goal here is comfort. For short trips you can get by with the stock seat on just about any kayak. However, if you are going to make long trips you should really consider a seat upgrade. I would find myself getting very uncomfortable on trips with my stock seat so I upgraded to one with superior back support and it has made all the difference. Test-sit different seats and find the one that you like the best.

Finally, lets look at rudders. Rudders provide comfort and efficiency in their own way in that you have much more control over the kayak and don’t have to use lopsided paddling strokes to keep the boat tracking

Telephone Email

936-776-7028 Cademan11@sbcglobal.net

Find me on Facebook to follow along in my outdoor adventures

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E X T R E M E K AYA K F I S H I N G & S H A R K S F R O M T H E S A N D

ERIC OZOLINS

Beating the Drum Evolution has shown that you do not need to be the fastest, prettiest, or most graceful of species in order to thrive on our planet. In accordance, the black drum (Pogonias cromis) qualifies as a poster child for this statement. Oversized, mature fish often resemble a prehistoric creature, one that appears almost misplaced in time. Anyone who has ever confronted and been slimed by a “Big Ugly” knows that these are certainly an odd and interesting species. Their brute size and strength, coupled with less than menacing appearance, makes them an angling target for people of all ages and angling skill. Fortunately, their annual reproductive patterns have remained unchanged throughout modern natural history and 72 | April 2014

are easily predictable. Despite regulations requiring the release of these oversized fish, the multitude of anglers seeking the thrill of tangling with our bay’s largest fish grows yearly.

Each spring, the large and mature black drum inhabit the inshore waters and bays to spawn.

It is a system of nature that happens on cue, like clockwork.

They seek the deep water coastal channels and wind up in an array of inshore locations. They are called “drum” because these fish are able to produce very loud low-frequency drumming sounds which resonate within their air bladder. When black drum are schooled during spawning you can often hear the drumming vibrations permeating the hull of the kayak or boat. It is an eerie

feeling to be in the kayak and hear ghostly war drums, as though an all out battle is about to ensue. However, in truth and on many occasions, a battle doesn’t tend to take place at all! Any lack of beauty is overridden by their robust size, and for many casual and novice anglers, this will be their very best shot at landing a 30-40lb fish in their lifetime.

While I thoroughly enjoy the mystique of fishing for these in the midnight hours, the daylight brings it’s advantages. I would like to discuss the aspect of pursuing drum in the middle of the day. Being a kayak enthusiast, I love to fish exclusively from the yak when it comes to targeting many species, including drum. Kayaks present a much more affordable option than filling up a boat with gas, all the while maintaining a stealth-like approach in general. In addition, all fish caught and landed from the yak go towards my points in the Kayak Wars World Fishing Tournament. Anywhere or any time you can reach prime drum locations you can set up shop in the shallows and then wade out, casting baits into deeper water, if you prefer. For this particular “Oz Drum Method”, your main equipment will include a kayak, stakeout pole to tie off to, appropriate tackle, and essential safety gear.

Once your checklist is complete, it is time to choose a location. One of the most productive areas to hunt these large slimy critters is in any deepwater channel, hole, or jetty inlet. In south Texas, the Intracoastal Waterway of the Laguna Madre is a personal favorite. When they’re in greatest abundance, March and April, you can fish any portion of the ICW and likely get hooked up. I prefer to space out away from others (which can actually be crowded during the peak of the run). Despite the vast boat traffic during the day, it really doesn’t seem to affect the bite that much. You want to get to the edge of the channel and anchor your kayak with a stakeout pole very shallow. This will allow you to be in casting range of the fish while being out of the way and avoiding boat traffic. As with any kayak fishing adventure, it is highly recommended that you fish with a partner or group for safety reasons.

Here we go – the bait discussion. It is no secret that the oversized black drum are highly addicted to crab and other crustaceans. Drum do not have large razor sharp teeth like many other predators, yet they do have a couple secret weapons. They use their highly sensitive

whisker-like barbels to find the crab or other shellfish that may be buried, suck it up and inhale it whole. They then crush it with their impressively strong pharyngeal teeth (specialized teeth at the base of the throat). The pharyngeal teeth even have the power to crush whole oysters, which do constitute as a sizeable portion of the drum’s diet.

One major problem though, when trying to obtain crab for bait (blue crab especially) is the general lack of availability in this season. During years of cold harsh winters, live blue crab can be virtually nowhere

to be found. If the water is too cold, they’ll likely still be buried deep in the layered sediment out of reach of commercial fishermen and therefore not for sale in seafood markets or bait camps. Then we must improvise!

While blue crab will undoubtedly be the favorite bait with most anglers, there are alternatives. Mantis shrimp (sea lice) are a great substitute and work well, however don’t last long if hardhead catfish and other pesky bait stealers are around. A personal super-secret bait I resort to in the event crab is not available is crawfish (even pre-cooked). Crawfish are a natural forage of the drum, and easily available to them in brackish/ fresh water. Remarkably, for whatever reason, drum seem fond of spicy, Cajun-cooked crawfish – go figure. You can hook them in the tail similar to the sea lice, and even double stack them for effectiveness. If you were able to obtain blue crab, TSFMAG.com | 73

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you can use these one of two ways. If you have plenty, you can use a single whole crab (crush the legs and claws for scent dispersal). You may also flip the crab upside down and cut in half. If the drum are around and bait stealers aren’t an issue, this may be the route you wish to take to ensure your bait supply lasts longer.

Typically, the leader setup for big drum is quite simple. Many people go overkill using 100lb mono or heavier with large 14/0 Mustad circle hooks. I prefer a lighter 60lb fluorocarbon trace to a three way swivel with another trace to a weight. In regard to hooks, I tend to favor the much smaller 3/0 Owner Mutu circle hook. After all, if they work for 100+ pound tuna, a black drum is no threat.

For the crab, I like to hook the crab at the edge of the carapace near the lateral spine. Another secret tactic is to add a strip of crab-flavored Fishbites to any bait you may be using. Be sure to get the bait out in deep enough water (10-15’ depth) but don’t perform a powerful hero cast causing your bait to fly off the hook. The ICW drops off fairly fast so a 10or 15 yard lob should get you in the money. Now, you can place your rod in the kayak rod holder or optional PVC tube stuck in the mud and wait.

Depending on the tide, the drum may be finicky.

If this is the case you may have to just duke it out until the bite turns on or relocate after a while.

When they do feed, they should be around in good numbers. They will often pick up the bait and slowly run. On semi-light tackle, it doesn’t get much better than this for a fight. As long as you have at least 150yds of 30-40lb line (braided recommended but not essential), you should never get spooled.

Oversized drum provide great battles and targeting them is a worthy venture for getting kids on a monster fish. Landing them is easy and a pair of fish grips is a handy tool. If you do land them from the kayak, you should be able to stand in the water where your stakeout pole is deployed and get a fantastic photo. Upon releasing, most swim off with ease. If one by chance turns belly-up, simply force it into the right-side-up position and walk with it until it freely swims off. Landing anything upwards of 40-50lbs in the bay is a ton of fun. Making a photo with an impressive fish is a great way to share your adventure with your family and others.

74 | April 2014

For the past decade Eric ‘Oz’ Ozolins has been promoting shark catch and release and assisting various shark research programs. Eric offers guided shark fishing on Padre Island National Seashore. Also renowned for extreme kayak big game fishing, Eric runs Kayak Wars; one of the largest kayak fishing tournaments in the world.

Email oz@oceanepics.com Websites extremecoast.com | oceanepics.com

| kayakwars.com

WWW.SALTLIFE.COM TSFMAG.com | 75

Luidia clathrata, the gray sea star.

Photo by Joel Wooster, www.jaxshells.org

STEPHANIE BOYD

F I S H Y FA C T S

Sea Stars While wandering a deserted beach at dawn, stagnant in my work, I saw a man in the distance bending and throwing as he walked the endless stretch toward me. As he came near, I could see that he was throwing starfish, abandoned on the sand by the tide, back into the sea. When he was close enough I asked him why he was working so hard at this strange task. He said that the sun would dry the starfish and they would die. I said to him that I thought he was foolish; there were thousands of starfish on miles and miles of beach.

One man alone could never make a difference. He smiled as he picked up the next starfish and hurled it into the sea, “It makes a difference to that one.” ~ adapted from The Star Thrower, by Loren Eiseley Some marine scientists have undertaken the ambitious task of replacing the popular starfish’s common name with sea star because, well, the starfish is not a fish. It’s an echinoderm (a spiny-skinned invertebrate), closely related to sea urchins and sand dollars. There are some 1,500-2,000 species of sea stars living in all the world’s oceans, from shallow, tropical waters to the deep, cold seafloor. The five-arm varieties are the most common, hence their name, but species exist with ten, twenty, and even forty arms.

Sea stars belong to the subphylum Asterozoa and the class Asteroidea. Yep, that means they’re asteroids! Brittle and basket stars also belong to Asterozoa, but they branch off into another class, Ophuroidea. Both classes have a central 76 | April 2014

disc and five or more radiating arms. However, compared to sea stars, brittle stars have a much smaller central disc and no anus, meaning the entrance is also the exit (which would no doubt lead to a complex, psychological relationship with food… if brittle stars had a brain). Part of the reason for this digestive system is possibly a simple lack of space.

Starfish utilize their entire body to house their viscera. Brittle and basket stars cram it all into that tiny central disc. The other main difference between asteroids and ophuroids is locomotion. Both have a water vascular system (meaning seawater takes on the duties of blood), and sea stars use hydraulically powered tube feet on the bottom side of their arms to move around. The tube feet in brittle stars are a little different in that they don’t end in suckers, and they aren’t used for getting around at all. Brittle and basket stars move by a sinuous flexing of their arms; this snaking movement gave them their class name, Ophuroidea, “serpent star.”

But enough about serpent stars – this is a story about sea stars! As we already know, sea stars have no brains, no blood, and no backbone. They do have hard plates under their skin and special cells on their skin to gather information about their surroundings. These cells then report to the nervous system, which is spread throughout the body. Sea stars have no eyes, not like we have, but they do have eyespots, groups of cells that can detect light, on the tips of their arms. These eyespots have only two settings: light (safe) & dark (mortal peril).

The mouth is located on the underside of the sea star’s central disc; the anus is located directly opposite on top. Interestingly, sea stars have two stomachs. The cardiac stomach is the one they thrust out of their mouth to begin predigestion, allowing them to consume a larger organism than what they could fit into their mouth. Once the cardiac stomach and half-digested meal are retracted back into the body, the food transfers to the pyloric stomach to fully digest. Of course, this method only works on prey that is willing to sit quietly with a sea star’s stomach draped over it. Although they’re fairly opportunistic carnivores, sea stars tend to feed mainly on such foodstuffs as microalgae, sponges, snails, sea anemones, other sea stars, coral, shellfish, and detritus. They find their food by smell.

Specialized skin cells can detect chemicals in the water, and the tube feet also aid in sensory detection. Once a sea star smells food, it can move towards its next meal. Normally, these critters move very slowly, a typical speed being just six inches a minute. When chasing prey (or perhaps being chased), it can crawl up to two and a half feet a minute. Some burrowing species have points instead of suckers on their tube feet and are capable of much more rapid motion, shooting across the ocean floor at speeds up to nine feet a minute. Prey clearly doesn’t stand a chance against this blinding speed.

Sea stars, in turn, are food for triton snails, crabs, fish, gulls, sea otters, and other sea stars. Their first line of defense is their echinoderm status: bony plates and SPINES. If sharp points don’t deter the predator, next up is chemical armory. Many species have saponins in their body walls, which taste bitterly unpleasant. Some sea stars, such as the crown of thorns star, are laced with powerful toxins, and the slime star can ooze out large quantities of mucus. Unfortunately, none of these defenses protect against the Vibrio bacteria, known to cause a wasting disease in several species, or Orchitophrya stellarum, a protozoan that infects the gonads of sea stars and damages tissue. They’re also quite ill-equipped for high temperatures, though at least one species can absorb seawater to keep cool when it is trapped in the sunlight by a receding tide. A new disease has also appeared on the western coast, affecting millions of sea stars, both wild and captive. First observed in June 2013, this disease causes the star’s legs to fall off (more quickly than they can regenerate) and its internal organs to fall into the water. It is tentatively being called “Starfish Wasting Syndrome.” The cause is, as yet, undetermined.

In most sea star species, individuals are gonochorous (either male or female). Individuals are not sexually dimorphic as their gonads are internal, but sex is apparent when they spawn. In the tropics, a plentiful supply of phytoplankton is continuously available for sea star larvae to feed on, so spawning can take place year round, each species having its own personalized timing. In temperate regions, spring and summer bring an increase in food supplies and are therefore the best time to spawn.

In some species, an individual may trigger a mass spawn by releasing a pheromone that entices other sea stars to aggregate and release their eggs or sperm synchronously. Other species prefer a more one-on-one approach: the male climbs on top and places his arms between the female’s. When she releases eggs into the water, he is induced to spawn – pseudocopulation. In a few species, fertilization is internal and female’s brood the eggs. Brooding may be accomplished in pockets on the sea star’s aboral (top) surface, inside the pyloric stomach, or even in the interior of the ovaries themselves. Those species that brood their eggs by “sitting” on them generally assume a humped posture with the central disc raised off the seafloor. In brooding species, eggs are comparatively large, are supplied with yolk, and usually develop directly into miniature sea stars, bypassing the larval stage. In the Tasmanian live-bearing sea TSFMAG.com | 77

star, the young sea stars obtain nutrients by eating other eggs and embryos in the brood pouch. Natural selection starts early in this species… Brooding is especially common in polar and deep-sea species, where environments are unfavorable for larval development, and in smaller species that produce fewer eggs.

A few species are simultaneous hermaphrodites, producing both egg and sperm, er, simultaneously. A few other species are sequential hermaphrodites, beginning life as one sex and changing into the other.

Starlet cushion stars start life as males and change into females as they grow older. Large females of the scaly sea star (Nepanthia belcheri) can split in half, each half growing into a whole seastar, and also turning back into a male. When these grow large enough, they can change back to females. In this way, asexual reproduction is accomplished.

Regeneration is one of the sea star’s claims to fame. Most species can regrow a severed limb, provided the central disc is in tact, but a few species, such as the multicolored sea star (Linckia multifora) and the Luzon sea star, can regrow the entire star from just one arm. Regrowth can take several months or years. A separated limb survives on stored nutrients until it regrows a disc and can feed again. Other than dividing for reproductive purposes, body parts may be detached by a predator, or actively shed to escape the predator.

When conditions are appropriate, the larvae of several species of sea stars may take the path of asexual reproduction rather than normal development. Though this costs time and energy and delays maturity, it allows a single larva to give rise to multiple adults. Most sea stars hatch at the blastula stage and are not much larger than pinheads. The blastula is a hollow sphere of cells surrounding an inner fluid-filled chamber. After developing a mouth, an anus, a gut, bands of cilia on the exterior, and some arm-like outgrowths, the larva is classified as a bipinnaria, a freeswimming, zooplanktonic form. When enough arms develop, it becomes a brachiolaria. Both bipinnaria and brachiolaria larvae are bilaterally symmetrical. The brachiolaria eventually settles on the seabed, attached by a short stalk, and metamorphosis begins: the left side becomes the underside, and the right side becomes the top. Radial symmetry is achieved. The stalk is cast off and a juvenile sea star makes its way in the wide ocean. Sea star lifespans vary considerably between species with the larger species usually living longer (up to 35 years!).

Sea stars are keystone species, species that have a disproportionately large effect on their environment relative to their abundance. The role is analogous to the role of a keystone in an arch. Though the keystone is under the least amount of pressure of any of the stones in an arch, the arch still collapses without it. Similarly, an ecosystem may experience a dramatic shift if a keystone species is removed, even though that species may have been a small part of the ecosystem by measures of biomass or productivity. Some sea star species are also considered bioindicators, species that can be used to monitor the health of an environment or ecosystem by monitoring the organisms for biochemical, physiological, or behavioral changes that may indicate a problem in their ecosystem.

Bioindicators can show the cumulative effects of some pollutants in an ecosystem where physical and chemical testing might not.

However, not all sea star species are so saintly. The Northern Pacific sea star is on the Invasive Species Specialist Group’s list of the world’s 100 worst invasive species, and the crown of thorns sea star is making its way to the podium. The crown of thorns is covered entirely on its upper body with long sharp spikes, lending to its biblical name. The spines are so sharp that they require absolutely no force whatsoever to pierce skin (or wetsuits, for that matter). I think you bleed just from

looking at them. Plus, they are poisonous, filled with a neurotoxin that causes pain, nausea, and swelling. Needless to say, they’re rather solitary creatures, with few enemies and fewer friends. They specialize in eating coral; each individual can ingest up to sixty-five square feet of coral beauty every year. Ordinarily, they promote coral diversity by stopping any one species of coral from completely dominating. However, massive population increases since the 1960s have had a devastating effect on Pacific coral reefs, leaving coral ghost towns that can take decades to recover. The cause of these population explosions isn’t fully known.

Could be the nutrient-filled runoffs; could be overfishing of the triton snail, one of the crown’s main predators. People used to just slice and dice the buggers, but that, of course, just increased the numbers.

Nowadays, people inject them with carefully selected poisons that break down in seawater. Luckily, the vast majority of sea stars have, so far, zero inclination to be so troublesome. In fact, some are downright nifty. The sunflower sea star, though starting life with just the basic fivelimb package, can grow up to twenty-four arms and can reach three feet in diameter. The leather sea star is one of the few smooth-skinned stars, owing to the fact that its spines don’t reach above the skin. It can feel leathery, though it’s usually slippery, and smelly (just a hint of garlic).

None of the aforementioned are locals, though.

The Texas crew consists mostly of the gray sea star (Luidia clathrata), the banded sea star (Luidia alternata), and the two-spined sea star (Astropecten duplicatus). The gray and banded sea stars are common along the beach and are occasionally caught in seines or while crabbing.

The gray star is completely cream or flesh colored. The banded star has dark brown bands on a cream-colored background. Both can reach about ten inches in diameter, have fairly slender arms, and lack suckers on their tube feet (meaning they have to swallow food whole and regurgitate the undigestible parts). The two-spined sea star lives a bit deeper than the gray or banded stars. It’s a smaller species, often caught in shrimp trawls, and is easily distinguished from the gray and banded stars by rows of large plates along the sides of its arms. The two-spined star also lacks suckers and must swallow its prey whole. I’ve heard the beach of choice for sea star spotting is San Jose (“St. Joe”), a privately owned, undeveloped isle, accessible only by boat (you can get a ferry across to it in Port Aransas). However, South Padre Island was the place to see them in January. Rough seas, high winds, and strong currents forced thousands of gray sea stars, close to shore for feeding, onto the beach.

There were many opportunities for star throwers. Mass mortalities such as this aren’t common (only three occurrences with this species in the Northern Gulf); usually you should let the living sea stars you find stay in their tide pools, leaving them for the next people to enjoy.

I found a tiny starfish In a tide pool by the sand.

I found a tiny starfish And I put him in my hand.

But as I held my starfish, His skin began to dry.

Without his special seaside home, My gift for you would die.

An itty-bitty starfish No bigger than my thumb, A wet and golden starfish Belonging to no one.

I found a tiny starfish In a tide pool by the sea.

I hope whoever finds him next Will leave him there, like me!

I thought that I would take him From the tide pool by the sea, And bring him home to give you A loving gift from me.

And the gift I’ve saved for you?

The best that I can give: I found a tiny starfish, And for you, I let him live.

~Dayle Ann Dodds 78 | April 2014

devastating-starfish Where I learned about sea stars, and you can, too!

Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine www.tpwmagazine.com/archive/2008/jul/ed_8/ National Geographic animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/starfish/ Animal Planet animal.discovery.com/marine-life/starfish-info.htm Beachcomber’s Guide to Gulf Coast Marine Life: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida

By Susan B. Rothschild Real Monstrosities www.realmonstrosities.com/2010/10/crown-of-thorns-starfish.html Starfish www.starfish.ch/reef/echinoderms.html “Thousands of Starfish Wash Up on South Padre Island”

By George Cox, Coastal Current www.valleymorningstar.com/news/local_news/article_edc46e0c-8aa9-11e388a6-0017a43b2370.html “Mysterious Diseas has been Devastating Starfish”

By Lisa Winter www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/mysterious-disease-has-been-

Google-Earth view of the Cedar Bayou/Vinson Slough project.

S t o r y b y C C A Te x a s S t a f f / P h o t o s b y L i s a L a s k o w s k i

T S F M a g C onser v at i on N e w s

Cedar Bayou Dredging Ready to Begin For the first time since they were bulldozed closed in 1979 due to the Ixtoc-I oil spill, Cedar Bayou and Vinson Slough will be dredged to their historical flows paths. The contract for construction was awarded by Aransas County in December 2013 and the contractor is poised and ready to begin work on April 15, 2014. With a construction window of six months, recreational fishermen will enjoy the magic of Cedar Bayou in the fall of 2014. This project will once again allow the much-needed water exchange between the Gulf of Mexico, Mesquite Bay, the surrounding wetlands and ultimately San Antonio, Aransas and other surrounding bays.

“This dream is finally becoming a reality,” said Aransas County Judge Burt Mills. “This project will create a tremendous economic and environmental opportunity for Aransas County and the entire State of Texas. Through the hard work of so many partners, we will now push this initiative forward.”

Since the early 1900s, Cedar Bayou and Vinson Slough remained open approximately 87% of the time until being closed in 1979. There were short-term closures during this period and records indicate two dredging events, one in 1939 and another in 1959, but Mother Nature did her job and kept her open. Since the 1979 closure there have been two attempts to dredge the bayou, once in 1987 and a second time in 1995. Both attempts were short on money and the effort to once again connect Cedar Bayou and Vinson Slough fell short. Vinson Slough is a critical part of the project and helps provide the adequate water flows necessary for the pass to keep itself open.

The effort to restore Cedar Bayou dates back to 1985 with the creation of Save Cedar Bayou, Inc. (SCBI). In 2003 80 | April 2014

the Aransas County Cedar Bayou Advisory Committee was formed to take a fresh look at the challenges of restoring this critical natural pass. The Committee’s report, issued in November 2003, reinvigorated the public and private interest to get the job done right. Between 2006 and 2008, Cedar Bayou, Inc. and the Texas General Land Office spent $400,000 collectively to study Cedar Bayou and develop a plan to open and maintain the pass.

After continuous efforts to obtain the US Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) permit for construction seemingly stalled and the continuous battle for funds, SCBI requested that Aransas County take over the project. In December of 2009 the permit application was transferred to the county and the effort to open the pass began to move forward. Aransas County pushed hard to resolve all issues with the USACE permit and on August 3, 2011 the USACE issued the permit to Aransas County to restore Cedar Bayou and Vinson Slough.

“You have a national treasure out here and it needs to be restored back to the way Mother Nature had it,” said Col. Christopher W. Sallese, US Army Corps of Engineers.

The next push…. raise the necessary funds to get the work done! CCA Texas stepped forward and partnered with Aransas County to raise the necessary funds and in February 2012, announced that the organization was committing $500,000 to jump start the process. Over the next 18 to 24 months, CCA Texas and Aransas County worked many different avenues to secure the necessary funds through government grants, private foundations and individual support. In November 2013, CCA Texas Executive Board approved an additional $800,000 in funding to bring CCA Texas’s total commitment

TSFMAG.com | 81

to $1,565,000 to this project. $1,300,000 was raised through the diligent efforts of volunteers throughout the state; CCA Texas secured $145,000 from private foundations and $100,000 through the CCA National Building Conservation Trust, and funded another $20,000 through the Babes on the Bay Tournament, held locally in Rockport.

Aransas County’s efforts have brought over $2,735,000 through savings from restructured bonds and CIAP monies secured while Texas GLO has contributed roughly $1,400,000 through the permitting and fundraising process. CCA Texas is a proud partner of this project and looks forward to the day when the water flows again.

“It is not often that there is an opportunity to reopen vital passes like these,” said Robby Byers, CCA Texas executive director. “It has been

Aerial view (February 2014)–Gulf of Mexico surf on left, Cedar Bayou in foreground and Vinson Slough channel remnant at top-right.

82 | April 2014

a monumental fundraising campaign, but through the partnership of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Aransas County, General Land Office, CCA and so many generous supporters, the project will begin.”

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is another important partner in the project as well. During the 2013 legislative session, TPWD and the legislature earmarked $3,000,000 for the completion of the project. Without their support throughout the process of securing the permit and lastly financially, the effort to open this pass would still be ongoing.

“The Fish Pass at Cedar Bayou has long been a special and storied place for Texas’ saltwater anglers and coastal enthusiasts. Re-opening the historic Fish Pass will undoubtedly provide additional high-quality recreational opportunities for Texas anglers to enjoy the bountiful outdoor resources for which this stretch of the coast is so well known,” said Carter Smith, TPWD executive director. “Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is proud to be a partner with Aransas County, Coastal Conservation Association, and all the others who have worked so long to make this a reality.”

“Opening a pass between the Gulf and bay is never easy, and raising the funds to complete it can be even more daunting,” said Mark Ray, CCA Texas Chairman. “As the scope of the project and the associated costs have grown, every partner has stepped up to the plate again and again to ensure that we reach our goal. It is a great day for the Texas coast and the recreational anglers who enjoy our shared coastal resources.”

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TSFMAG.com | 85

DICKIE ColBuRn

DICKIE ColBuRn’s Sabine Scene

Sabine

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

Telephone 409-883-0723 website www.sabineconnection.com

86 | April 2014

Longer stretches of warmer days have changed the landscape on Sabine. The flotilla of boats that wedged into one or two small areas through January and February is no longer a daily occurrence.

The only carryover from the patterns and techniques that worked so well in the colder water has been the use of smaller lures and this is not simply a case of angler see—angler do. As a rule, smaller lures usually generate Redfish have more strikes but fail to dupe been stacked upper-end fish. Thus far, however, on deep shell! the smaller baits are fooling not only more but some bragging size trout as well.

I do not advocate turning your back on proven winners like the Fat Boy, Maniac Mullet and Catch V any time soon but we are currently scoring more consistently with the smaller Soft-Dine, Catch 2000 and also the Crazy Croaker. In addition to scaling down the lure we are also catching most of our fish while targeting the upper portion of

the water column with a quicker retrieve.

In spite of water visibility at eighteen inches one day and five the next, the major flats bordering the ICW on the north end continue to hold decent numbers of four to seven pound trout. Afternoon incoming tide is prime time.

Ironically, when the fish aren’t selling out on the smaller mullet and shad imitations we are doing better with the longer five and six inch tails. The Die Dapper and Big Minnow XL on 1/8 heads can be deadly in that same “upper column” zone. Don’t be concerned with jigging it; swim it slow and steady.

Prior to the surface temperature spending more hours in the mid-forties than the high fifties, catching a limit of redfish required nothing more than bouncing a tail off isolated patches of shell in eight to twelve feet of water. That guaranteed bite has waned, however, as the

Big trout will definitely eat some small lures.

bait and the fish begin to scatter throughout the lake.

The more reliable redfish bite is currently taking place around the mouths of the drains on both incoming and outgoing tides. The trout are holding in those same areas as well, but that bite ceases the minute the redfish crash the party. When the fish aren’t there, look for them to suspend in four to five feet of water a cast or two off the shoreline. Be ready to plant your Talon or kick the anchor over the side as soon as you get a strike as these fish will hold in sizeable schools that you don’t want to drift through!

Ferreting out suspended schools of solid trout over the next two to three months is the key to consistent catching, even on the windiest of days. A drift sock or even two is essential to slowing your drift while making long fan casts.

For my money, there is no better tool for locating these fish than a four inch paddle tail or VuDu shrimp fished under an Assassin Kwik Cork or H&H’s TKO. The lure stays in the strike zone the entire time and the subtle popping noise proved its value long ago. I also feel confident hunting these fish with a three or four inch Usual Suspect Swim Bait as you can easily probe different depths and the paddle tail produces a ton of vibration.

The major surprise of late has been how quickly the flounder bite rebounded both here and in the Galveston area. I don’t know why they ever migrated south if they were going to race back to 49° water.

The numbers have not only been impressive, but the size as well. We have not targeted them a single day but are catching a few most trips in the 3 to 5 pound class. They will crush the new Soft-Dine as well as the 3-inch Usual Suspect.

I have had more clients buy into the undeniable advantage of braided line this year and part of that switch is due to not having to deal with the dreaded wind knot. The solution to that problem is fishing with a Laguna Rod with the cyclone wrap. The wrap funnels the line beneath the rod and loose line seldom if ever wraps the downward-pointing tip.

Not having to deal with the power of the rod spine all day is much easier on the wrist as well!

I know lots of Sabine Lake visitors make a point to stop by Daley’s Hunt N Fish both coming and going, but you might schedule in a little more time on your next visit as their new 10,000 square foot store can be a tad overwhelming. The new store includes a multi-media room for hosting seminars and they now have in-house rod, reel and troll motor repair as well.

There’s a youngster waiting on your invitation to go fishing!

TSFMAG.com | 87

mICKEY Eastman

mICKEY On Galveston

Galveston

Mickey Eastman is a full-time fishing guide out of Baytown, TX. Mickey has over 30 years guiding experience on the Galveston area bays and is the founder of Gulf Coast Troutmasters, the largest speckled trout tournament series of all time.

Telephone 281-383-2032

88 | April 2014

Just as we thought we were about to settle into a solid springtime pattern with warming flats, abundant baitfish, sunny days, and great shallow water fishing— Old Man Winter came riding back into town bringing yet another blast of cold and wet arctic air.

Water temperatures plummeted nearly twenty degrees in less than twenty-four hours and I don’t have to tell you how disappointed all the already cabin-fevered anglers are, facing the probability of a two- to three week setback.

The good news is that it will warm up again and we really have a lot of fish, and the same pattern will work again. For a really good ten day stretch we were catching big numbers of redfish and trout on the warming, shallow flats of the entire Galveston Bay complex.

Magic depths for the trout was

about two- and a half to threeand a half feet of water. Redfish herds were holding in five to six feet of water and on warmer afternoons the shallower pods of reds were venturing into less than two foot depths. I call that a solid springtime pattern on this bay system. The photos I included here were made on an afternoon when we could have literally filled the boat with Trinity Bay “toad” redfish.

It became a very routine pattern to stick with day in and day out. Boat fishing consisted of soft plastics like the Lil John from MirrOlure in Blue Moon on an 1/8 ounce jig with a Corky or Maniac Mullet here and there, depending where the fish were in the water column. Wade fishing consisted of mostly Corky Fatboys, Maniac Mullets, and topwaters that were

getting slammed on a daily basis. About every three days we would get into trout that included quite a few fish over the twenty five inch limit. When I see this I cannot help but think we are in for an epic spring season, maybe the best ever, and I believe it has a lot to do with the long and cold winter we just came through.

Most of these fish are coming on flats with dropoffs and ledges coated with oyster shell or clamshell on soft bottom. These bottoms are holding the warmest water temperatures with the most baitfish, and of course the predator species are reacting to the situation as they most always do.

Water temperature, water clarity, and abundance of baitfish are the key to holding both numbers and sizable fish this time of year. When I mention clarity I don’t mean air-clear water; what I’m describing is what we call “trout green” clarity. That’s the dark green water with about one- and a half to two feet of visibility. This gives baitfish just enough color density to feel safe in, and gives trout and redfish the perfect clarity to hunt and feed in. Most important of all it gives the angler great expectation of catching fish on lures on both overcast or sunny days.

These patterns have been pretty much the norm throughout the entire Galveston Bay complex. The biggest factor angler’s have had to deal with is the extremely foggy conditions on warming trends after cold fronts and safe navigation in the fog should never be taken lightly. Bay waters have been extremely cool this year, and when the warm-ups occur on the southerly flows, sea fog has been a menace. It makes wade fishing a little intense on flats exposed to boat traffic.

Most days I’ve been staying in the boat until the fog lifts and then begin wading for the remainder of the trip.

Redfishing has been phenomenal and so has the trout fishing with a few tipping the scale toward nine pounds.

With the prevailing excellent water conditions we’ve been seeing, once we reach a stable weather pattern I’m positive we are going to see excellent fishing throughout the rest of the spring months.

Looks like a very good year of fishing ahead of us; be safe and courteous out there and good luck!

TSFMAG.com | 89

BInK GRImEs

thE VIEW fRom Matagorda

Matagorda

Bink Grimes is a full-time fishing and hunting guide, freelance writer and photographer, and owner of Sunrise Lodge on Matagorda Bay.

Telephone 979-241-1705 Email binkgrimes@sbcglobal.net website www.binkgrimesoutdoors.com

90 | April 2014

Crystal Beach on Bolivar Peninsula was a rendezvous point for hundreds of teenagers in the late-80s.

Armed with pearl and red-tailed tandem-rigged Lil’ Fishies, my buddies and I shouldered next to a dozen other anglers wading the edge of Rollover Pass.

When it was good, two or three of us would have a fish on at the same time; when it was great a halfdozen would be bowed up simultaneously.

It was the blue-eyed blondes hanging from the roll bars of Jeeps that first brought us there—it was hungry speckled trout riding the tides that kept us coming back long after adolescence.

Water temperatures, tide levels, photosynthetic periods, moon phases, baitfish activity and many other undetermined variables determine when and where to cast in April.

When tides are bloated speckled trout are scattered along shallow flats in knee to waist-deep water, often as tight as they can maneuver against a shoreline. Why? That’s probably where a candy barsized mullet will be.

Great spots are back lakes or extended bayous

that run to secluded marsh ponds and undulating sand and grass flats.

That’s the south shoreline of West Matagorda Bay. Another solid locale is the edge of the Intracoastal Waterway. The ICW extends from Sabine to South Padre and runs laterally along some of the most prolific speckled trout estuaries in the Lone Star State.

I have caught some heart-pounders on the edge of East Matagorda Bay on an incoming tide. Those big trout stage in the deep water just waiting for a swollen tide and rafts of mullet to pour over adjacent

mud flats littered with shell. That happens in April.

To say I enjoy firing a topwater plug as far as my reel will allow is like saying my retriever enjoys running down a pintail drake. Though I have often been accused of trying to force-feed a She Pup or Super Spook Jr. to stubborn specks, real-world-fishing teaches me that trout sometimes don’t want my prancing plug.

The wisdom my graying head brings prompts me to stuff a pack or two of Bass Assassins in my front pocket in case the fish are eluding the surface. Let’s be honest, not everyone was made to throw a topwater. Lure-makers would have you believe walking-the-dog is like walking a dog, but the fact of the matter is it takes a lot of practice, patience and a hint of pragmatism. That goes for any angler, no matter their level of prowess.

Where we fish in April is determined daily by changing winds and water temps. If winds blow over 20 knots, we roll to the back lakes in West Bay and work redfish. If winds are lighter, we work the middle of East Bay for springtime speckled trout.

My best big trout day of 2013 was in April.

We released a 30, a pair of 28s, a 27, 26 and a 25—all while drifting.

Here’s hoping I have at least another day like that under my belt this month.

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CaPt. GaRY GRaY

mID-Coast BaYs With the Grays

Port O'Connor Seadrift

Seadrift native and full-time guide with 28 years experience in the Seadrift/ Port O’Connor area. Gary specializes in wading for trout and redfish year round with artificial lures.

Telephone 361-785-6708 Email Gary@BayRat.com website www.bayratguideservice.com

92 | April 2014

Fishing during March, when we could get out, was above par although the guys who would not wade were cheated out of some of the finest trout fishing I have seen in quite some time. They were cheated because the water has been exceptionally clear and shallow, and stealth is the key to getting on them.

Drifting has been unproductive in these conditions; the better fish scatter before you make your first cast.

That’s how big trout get bigger.

Granted we were still able to catch fish drifting but they were not of the quality we have been catching while wading. Best areas for drifting tend to be deeper with slightly off-color clarity. Funny isn’t it? In the colder months we spend time looking for murky water and then during warmer months we search for clearer water. For someone new to fishing it could get discouraging—reading February’s article in June and not able to put two and two together!

On a recent trip I had the pleasure of fishing Cody and Bryan Hammons, brothers who grew up in Victoria but have since moved off, following their careers. This brother duo

were the perfect example of what a guide wishes for in a clear-water wading scenario, or actually in any scenario. Neither of them rushed through the wade, especially important in shallow clear water, which I liken to stalking deer on foot on a quiet day. If you make unnecessary noise you will alert the fish and the first fish to leave the area will be the big bucks…I mean the big trout. So remember, if you can hear yourself swishing and splashing—Slow Down!

Another plus was their tackle was in the right

The Hammons brothers strike again.

Capt. Gary with a hefty San Antonio Bay speck - CPR!

shape. Too many times guys show up with half-spooled reels that grind and squeal and this makes me crazy. I usually end up working on them after the first wade, if not before. This of course leads everyone to fend for themselves while they are wading and me in my Shallow Sport cleaning and oiling an obnoxious reel. Okay enough preaching on that, but please check your reels before the trip. The Hammons brother brought good rods too; each with a Waterloo and an FTU Green Rod—perfect for wading with lures.

They were dressed for the job, too. The right attire makes a huge difference when wading in the unforgiving weather during December through April. They showed up at the dock, in Simms waders and boots, ready to fish.

Clients often ask, “Hey, does Simms give you guys those waders, you being guides and writers and all?” News flash - I bought mine from Joe Meyer at FTU, just like everybody else. I not only wear mine on fishing trips but on the duck hunts I run as well. Cutting brush, brushing blinds, in and out of blinds and airboats all day takes a toll.

They show the wear and tear but for three years not a single leak. Try that with other brands.

Sorry for the equipment rant but this is coming from someone that sees all kinds of guys and equipment during the year. You can tell who really is ready to fish from someone who only thinks he is.

The morning I took the Hammons brothers the fog was terrible. You guessed it; they showed up early at Charlie’s—always a plus! We stowed our gear in my Shallow Sport and ran slowly by GPS to our destination.

We were able to get two hours of interrupted fishing as the fog delayed the Saturday morning brigade, waiting for the fog to clear.

Cody hooked up first with a 20-incher, then me with a 23; we all ended up with a few on the first wade. The second wade was a little further down the same shoreline in another cove. I believe Cody started it off again with another healthy trout and a fleeing mullet was met by my ol’ faithful 4” Assassin Sea Shad in Slammin’ Chicken.

A couple of twitches and bam! I landed one of the largest trout I have caught in quite some time in the Port O’Connor area, longer than the 28 mark on my Waterloo Slam Mag, maybe a 30. We made a few quick photos with our cell phones (carried in waterproof pouches) on the spot and she was released unharmed. No dragging back to the boat like you see in a lot of pictures.

I can’t remember who said it right then, either Cody or Brian, “I thought trout that size were just a myth!” I only wish one of them had caught it but they went on to land sight-casted trout, reds and even drum that day – never more than knee-deep.

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DaVID RoWsEY

hooKED uP WIth Rowsey

April is an outstanding month to be in the Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay. Stabilizing weather trends and baitfish migrations are what makes this month so productive and a favorite of the lure chunking– U p p e r grinding crowd.

Laguna/ Brown shrimp and baitfish have been moving Baffin up and down the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) for a month now, and their numbers will only grow larger throughout this month as spring tides begin to arrive.

During most years the full moon of April will send David Rowsey has 20 years a fresh surge of Gulf water into the system. The full experience in the Laguna/Baffin moon rises on April 16, and experience has taught region; trophy trout with artificial lures is his specialty. David has a me the that the biggest push of water usually comes with the full moon closest to the end of April and great passion for conservation beginning of May. In 2014 the full moon sits right and encourages catch and release of trophy fish. in the middle of each month. I guess we will just have to wait and find out if my recordkeeping and Telephone observations hold true to form, but intuition tells me 361-960-0340 to expect some big tides and green water following website www.DavidRowsey.com “Fool’s Day”. Regardless, we will be seeing tides filled Email with new life in the form of predator and prey alike. david.rowsey@yahoo.com Some of the fastest action we will see all year, in

terms of quality fish, will be in April and continuing on into May. In years past the greatest migration of trout would be coming up from Port Mansfield (south), but over the last few years the Packery Channel pass has also given us some new fish from the north. Areas like the Land Cut, Rocky Slough and Penascal Point will be the first places for these stud trout to show up from the south, while areas like Boat Hole, Nighthawk, and Emmord’s Hole will be the first to be influenced from the northern pass.

Trout will be on a wide variety of structure in April, but the main structure I will be seeking will be hard sand and grass. Locate these areas near the ICW, spoil islands and adjacent flats, mixed with workingbait activity, and you will be well on your way to enjoying some of the best fishing on the Gulf coast.

The rock formations in Baffin have always possessed the allure of giant trout , and April is the time of the year when I make visiting them a top priority. If you have never seen a school of mullet swimming in circles around a prehistoric rock pile before, you are missing out. What you do not see

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94 | April 2014

Jarret Finkhaus getting the best out of his Quantum EXO and cold Weather Simms gear. One of three trout landed over 7lb this day, with another in the 9.5lb class.

from the surface is the big trout that are keeping them there. The trout are lying around the edges of the rocks just waiting—as the perfect bay predator—to slam the first thing that leaves the safety of the rock formations. I have had the good fortune to experience it many times and it is well worth the price of admission.

Warming trends during the days following cold fronts have served up a great topwater bite. This began in February and continues to the present. The consistency of our topwater fishing is much improved over the past two summer drought–warm winter years. As we all know, 2013-2014 winter and spring have been bone-chilling cold. There is no doubt in my mind that there is a direct relationship between the trout feeding aggressively on top due to the harsh weather that has pounded them this year. Their anticipation of approaching fronts and less than ideal opportunities to feed (due to them) have just made for some crushing action on top in prefrontal conditions. I’m optimistic that the action will continue into the summer months.

Due to the high wind and, sometimes, ugly water, the loudrattling MirrOlure He Dog and She Dog have been favorites of late.

On some really howling days these are about (almost) the only lures they will eat. My second choice for windy days is the 5” Sea Shad by Bass Assassin. Unlike the straight tail I utilize most of the time the Sea Shad has a paddle tail that puts off a great vibration.

My rod and reel of choice for fishing all of the lures mentioned is the Quantum EXO reel mounted on my 6’-6” Waterloo Ultra Mag. Both are of the highest quality and I highly recommend both. The Quantum EXO reel (shown in angler photo) has been put through the paces over the past 18 months and has proven to be a workhorse of a reel. Small, tough, light, and priced right.

Remember the buffalo! -Capt. David Rowsey

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CaPt. tRICIa

tRICIa’s Mansfield Report Has this winter been a lingering nightmare from Hell or what? The weatherman says they had sleet and snow flurries just north of Houston in the Conroe and Woodlands area yesterday. As much as I hate to say it, this crazy weather isn’t doing us any favors down here on the Lower Laguna and it’s anybody’s guess P o r t what other weird weather surprises might await us.

Mansfield However, even considering the harsh conditions, heartier anglers with the stamina to try have been managing some excellent fishing days. Larger trout have been included!

Capt. Tricia’s Skinny Water As often expected during late-February and earlyAdventures operates out of March, the late afternoon bite has the most prolific Port Mansfield, specializing in in Port Mansfield. We spent many mornings clearly wadefishing with artificial lures. seeing fish, some you might spend a lifetime trying to catch, either not respond at all or just half-heartedly short striking your best presentation. Who knows truly Telephone 956-642-7298 why, but as in many things in life, sometimes we just Email have to wait for it. What worked for us was staying put shell@granderiver.net when we knew good fish were present, then waiting website www.SkinnyWaterAdventures.com for the afternoon warming and the wind to move some water to trigger the feed.

As many experienced fishermen already know, here in the Lower Laguna, we NEED wind to move

the water, and evidently they wanted that warming as well. My opinion is that very few of our fish have ever seen water temperatures this cold for this long.

Patterns were strange, but figuring things out is what fishing is supposed to be all about anyway.

Redfish numbers have rebounded in the areas we’ve been fishing lately and we are happy to see them. They went from basically scarce to pleasingly predictable, and have saved many recent days. Some bigger trout encounters have been mixed in there as

Julian had a great day too!

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96 | April 2014

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well, and although none of our people have hit the ten pound mark yet, some of the weight versus length trend we are seeing make the possibility very real.

Just like the weather, fishing at times can be either highly predictable or nowhere close to what we might have expected. It will be interesting to see how this spring comes together in the aftermath of a real winter. Some of the old timers around Port say when they had a really cold winter season many years ago the spring fishing was always very good.

When we think we have everything just about figured out something else pops up to change the game. We have had some changes in recent weeks; the most significant being a new brown tide event in the Laguna, the most unfavorable we have seen in many years—in my opinion. Pair that with seasonally strong wind that March and April always bring us and finding what we think is “good water” anywhere within decent running distance may turn out to be a real challenge. We’ll just have to wait and see.

The old timers have an opinion on this brown tide situation, too. A sure bet they say, Marisol Delagarza will be the big influx of clean-emerald water landed her best-so-far speck (28.25 inches, rushing in from the Gulf, hastened by the 8.5 pounds) recently seasonally higher tide patterns and also the with Capt. Tricia. usually strong prevailing south and southeast

winds of April that will dilute the brown algae concentration and restore our water.

No doubt higher water levels will scatter our fish when they first arrive but I’ll take that any day, especially when the higher tides will also be delivering seasonal baitfish migrations. We’ll see the mullet in much greater number, and of course the ladyfish and jack crevalle, and those dreaded stingrays, too. But all things considered—if the brown tide disappears and the sun can penetrate the water column to assist our seagrass recovery—I will gladly accept the challenge of locating “scattered” fish for a few weeks.

If the dreaded brown stuff is still an issue in April, lure choices can make all the difference. It may be time to pull out loud She Dogs, Super Spooks, and X-Raps when it’s topwater time.

Darker silhouetted soft plastics can help, and so will inserting glass rattles. I don’t use them but loud rattling corks or that old time-tested Mansfield Mauler can help as well.

Structure types that I will be concentrating on in the coming weeks will be spoil banks, recently flooded backcountry areas and, as always, shoreline points and dropoff ledges.

The east side flats, both north and south, will be flooded high onto the sand and should usher in many sunny day sight-casting opportunities.

I am excited at the possibilities spring will bring, when it finally arrives.

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CaPt. ERnEst CIsnERos

south PaDRE Fishing Scene

A rr oyo C olorado t o Port I sabel

A Brownsville-area native, Capt. Ernest Cisneros fishes the Lower Laguna Madre from Port Mansfield to Port Isabel.

Ernest specializes in wading and poled skiff adventures for snook, trout, and redfish.

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

98 | April 2014

Well, spring is here but you would never know from the frequent cold snaps still arriving weekly and far below normal water temperatures still present in our bays. This winter has been one to remember! I enjoy cold weather but this year was colder and longer lasting than in past years, which most certainly has had an effect on a number of things.

For one, I have noticed most trout have yet to show egg development that we expect by early-March. My guess is that spawning will be delayed but that will only add to our ability to land heavyweight fish later in the season.

Another noticeable effect of prolonged cold weather has been the relative scarcity of bait in their usual early-spring haunts; instead this cold weather has kept them generally bunkered in deeper water. I will add though, that when we’ve received three consecutive warming days following a cold front the baitfish and gamefish alike become very active and that’s when our anticipation grows tremendously.

We have had some days with steady action but more often it has been well into afternoon before we get on a good bite. In all my years fishing this bay system I have never experienced this pattern lasting so long.

The hunt for big trout has been a dismal grind the past couple of months but with that being said, I anticipate a good spring season. Just recently I noticed fish edging toward their typical late-winter/early-spring

Jason had a good day on the water recently.

holding areas and they were not there two weeks ago. I expect this is ordinary for this time of the year; except that John has been totally blind the pattern we’ve been waiting for finally beginning to emerge. for over twenty years.

The best locations lately for numbers of trout have been deeper guts Many things raced through my mind in preparing for the trip; and potholes and also the dropoffs between spoil banks. The key has especially liability. What kind of bottom would he be able to wade? been a moving tide; in or out.

How would he know where to cast? Would he be able to keep his lure Original Corkys, Fat Boy floaters and sinkers, and the reliable plum out of the grass? and chartreuse Kelley Wigglers worked into potholes are a sure way to To my surprise, the first thing he said exiting the boat was, “Ernest, entice a strike. Most of our larger trout have come on warm-ups over don’t babysit me. Just tell me if I have grass on my lure, if I’m working shallow grass while the smaller fish seem to prefer the waist deep water. the bait right and if I’m going in the right direction.”

April’s fishing always seems best on the strong tides of new and Turns out John is an experienced wade-fishermen and had no full moon, and the approaching spawning should problem working the bait across the grass flats and encourage strong feeding. I like to target late walking in soft mud was no big deal. Throughout the afternoon and early evening on the full moon of April. trip my voice was important for John to know which The redfish situation continues to be more of direction we were heading, unfortunately the fishing a hit and miss for us. For a while it seemed all the was slow during the two days we spent together along redfish were hanging out on the east side of the ICW with his wonderful and patient wife Pam, who sat on but the frequent cold fronts drove them from the the boat the whole time. skinny flats. As the water warms and the tides rise, John did better than I ever expected and did I expect to find them entering the back lake areas. manage to land a fish. I will admit shutting my eyes on Spoons and natural colored Kelley Wigglers will be several occasions just to see what it was like and John in our Fish-n-Hunt wading boxes. Smaller topwaters gained my full respect. I was able to teach him a few such as Spook Jr and 3-inch Zara Pups are also good things but John taught me a big lesson about life. bets this time of the year.

There are many things we take for granted and we In closing, I would like to share a pretty neat often get sidetracked, forgetting to be grateful for our John Cranston will be experience I enjoyed recently. A new client, John blessings. And despite the slow bite, John promised back to continue his chase Cranston of Houston, booked me for two days of and looked forward to our next trip and I certainly look after that 30 inch trout. wade fishing, targeting big trout. Nothing out of the forward to my next lesson with him. Thanks John!

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ORECASTS FISHING REPORTS AND F from Big Lake to Boca Chica Lake Calcasieu Louisiana Jeff and Mary Poe - big Lake guide Service - 337.598.3268 Due to strong southerly winds, April can sometimes be a headache.

However, people who fish smart can find it to be very rewarding. Most of our trout population has been lying dormant, eating during very exclusive windows, or only eating in certain locations. By April, all this will change. Trout will be hungry from Prien Lake all the way to the Washout. Since the fish will range from the south end of Calcasieu all the way up to the northern reaches, finding a leeward bank with fish isn’t a big issue. The same things still apply this month as they did in every other. Fish will be found around structural elements holding bait.

The beginning of the month will play out a lot like March. Toward the end of the month, we will start to see trout showing up on reefs in five to six feet of water as opposed to shallower places. The topwater bite will continue to get better as the month goes on, but Paul Brown Lures will still produce more fish. Your better fish will still be on flats, but they will continue to creep southward for the onset of the spawn.

Trinity bay - East bay - galveston bay | James Plaag Silver King Adventures - silverkingadventures.com - 409.935.7242 James reports excellent catching over recent weeks in various parts of the Galveston Bay system, and he expects the spring bite to be above average as well. “Usually, coming off a colder than normal winter, we have good spring fishing. The redfish bite has been off the charts

anywhere you go lately, and we are catching numbers of trout and a few big ones too. Our best catching has been done by wading; we are throwing Catch 5s, FatBoys and Bass Assassins too. Most of our bigger trout are biting the slow-sinking twitch baits. We’ll continue to focus on wading during April. Normally, it’s too windy to fish out of the boat in deeper water with all the wind we get this month. I did have a good boat-fishing trip the other day in the upper end of the bay. We caught easy limits of solid trout on 51 MirrOlures that day, 704 color pattern and chartreuse/gold were working best. Since we haven’t had a lot of freshwater coming down the rivers, the upper portions of all the bays are producing well. This will continue as long as we don’t have a flood.”

Jimmy west - bolivar guide Service - 409.996.3054 Jim mentions a light flood of freshwater affecting the back of East Bay lately, and it’s changing the fishing a little. “We have had to adjust to some water coming into the back bay, but it’s not really much of a flood, so we will just change the locations where we’re fishing somewhat and it will be fine. We will probably continue getting some late fronts this year, and that will cause the fishing to fluctuate with the changing winds and water temperatures. Once the water warms up for good, the action will be found in more areas, and it will spread the anglers out some. All of that should be a good thing. We’ve been catching solid numbers of three to six pound trout wading with sinking twitch baits and soft plastics. Topwater bite should kick in as it gets warmer. Best trout we’ve

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caught lately weighed a little over eight pounds. I expect to catch some more big ones this spring. We’ll adjust our fishing times to more of a morning focus, and we’ll do most of our fishing by wading the shorelines and throwing fish-imitating plugs in the shallows.”

West Galveston - Bastrop - Christmas - Chocolate Bays Randall Groves - Groves Guide Service 979.849.7019 - 979.864.9323 Randall says the fishing has been steady in his area lately, despite the rapidly changing weather conditions. “One day, we scratch and claw for our fish, the next it’s easy and we think, ‘Where did all these fish come from?’” he chuckles. “As the weather warms up, we will see a better consistency to the catching. Topwater bite has been decent lately, especially on One Knocker Spooks in white/red head. We’ve been catching on chicken on a chain Norton Sand Eels too, and also the tequila rock Sand Shad Juniors. We rig those on heavy jigheads, which allows us to work them kind of deep. The have long, slender tails, and when you give the rodtip a sharp twitch, they have an enticing action.

They do a good job of both darting like a sand eel and swimming like a minnow. We’re currently awaiting the onset of our major migrations-shrimp, glass minnows, mullet, ribbon fish. When the bait schools show up, we will shadow them, throwing something in their midst that does a good job of imitating them.”

Matagorda | Tommy Countz Bay Guide Service - 979.863.7553 cell 281.450.4037 Tommy likes the fishing in Matagorda in April, as do many other people.

“For years, April has been considered one of the best months for fishing here. When winds are light, and the water is in good shape, we do a lot of drifting in the west end of East Bay over scattered shell. When fishing that pattern, we throw jigheads at least a quarter ounce, if not heavier,

so we can stay in contact with the bottom. Some people like to rig them under a cork, others like to throw Gulp! products or live shrimp, but the drill is the same, making long drifts, keying on bait and mud stirs, sometimes birds indicating hatches of glass minnows or sand eels. We also like wading the mid-bay reefs in East Bay this time of year, when winds allow. We throw topwaters and Paul Brown Lures mostly when doing that. In West Bay, we target reds in the deeper portions of the coves on the south shoreline when tides are low, and fish the outer grass beds for trout, especially later in the month.

I will also start searching for tripletails as the month draws to a close.”

Palacios | Capt. Aaron Wollam www.palaciosguideservice.com - 979.240.8204 Warming water temperatures have helped fishing tremendously in our local bays during recent weeks. We had our first good topwater bite of the year working waters about two feet deep over a shell and mud bottom around mullet schools. We were using pink Skitterwalks and bone Super Spook Juniors, and the reds and trout were smacking the heck out of them. We had some good trout up to twenty four inches and some slot reds up to twenty six inches. Glass minnows should start to show up in mid to late-April this year, due to the cold winter. This is one of nature’s great feeding frenzies, and it happens during one of my favorite times of the year. The minnows migrate into the bay, and the fish follow the schools, gorging the themselves on the bait. Flocks of brown pelicans and seagulls are sure signs which will pinpoint the location of the frenzy. Paddletails in opening night and salt/pepper chartreuse are two of my favorite colors to throw when working the glass minnow migration bite.

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Port O’Connor | Lynn Smith Back Bay Guide Service - 361.983.4434 Lynn plans on targeting trout and redfish on shallow flats in April. “Mostly, I like to fish sandy pockets in grass beds this month. Or, if the bottom is mostly sand, I’ll key on the grass beds surrounded by sandy bottom. However, we are getting lots of strong cold fronts this year. If we continue to get late-season cold fronts, which we probably will, I will focus on areas with more of a muddy bottom during the cool downs. That’s the way I look at it--fish shallower and over sand and grass when it’s warm in the spring, and fish a little deeper over mud and scattered shell when it’s cooler. Finding bait in these areas is another big key. Normally, we’ll find the bait on flats adjacent to deeper water. As we get further into the spring, the proximity to deep water becomes less important, as the fish spread out into the shallows and stay there. We’ll throw lots of Super Spook Juniors and slow-sinking twitch baits this month. The big trout we’re after prefer to eat other fish, and these plugs do a good job of imitating what they eat.”

Rockport | Blake Muirhead Gator Trout Guide Service - 361.790.5203 or 361.441.3894 Blake says the winter patterns are still producing best around Rockport lately, but he expects changes will be coming in the near future. “We are still catching trout and even redfish best in areas around reefs with a mix of mud and shell. As the weather warms up in April, we’ll start seeing the sandy, grassy shorelines produce better. Normally, we catch some of our biggest trout of the year during April, when the spring winds are blowing. Bays like Aransas and Corpus Christi, which have protected shorelines with lots of hard sand and grass produce some of those fish.

We will be throwing lots of topwaters, particularly Super Spooks in colors like blue/chrome and black/chrome, sticking with them as long as the blow ups are coming regularly. As always, we won’t hesitate to

102 | April 2014

switch over to Norton Sand Eels in colors like pumpkinseed/chartreuse and plum/chartreuse once the bite on topwaters slows down. I expect the catching to be excellent this month. We usually do really good around here during springs which follow cold winters.”

Upper Laguna Madre - Baffin Bay - Land Cut Robert Zapata – rz1528@grandecom.net - 361.563.1160 It’s time for Spring to arrive with warmer air and water temperatures.

This means the fishing should be great, since we did not have any major freezes or fish kills. Our fishery made it through the winter and should be in great shape. April is a great month for trophy trout because this the month when their average weight is the heaviest, and part of the reason is that they are loaded with eggs as they get ready for their spawning season. I’ll be looking for trout along shallow, grassy shorelines where they will be depositing their eggs. Nervous and jumping bait along the shorelines will give the trout away. I can’t get over the explosion on the surface of the water when a trout hits a topwater lure, so this is my favorite way to catch these fish. Start with a TopDog Junior or a SheDog in natural colors and vary the speed of retrieve until you start getting strikes. Sand Trout and salt and pepper/ chartreuse colored Bass Assassin Die Dappers rigged on sixteenth ounce jigheads will also see a lot of action this time of the year.

Corpus Christi | Joe Mendez – www.sightcast1.com - 361.937.5961 The cold winter has created a scenario which allows for excellent catching opportunities in the Upper Laguna Madre/Baffin Bay area, Joe says. He expects the run of great fishing to continue into the spring.

“We have been catching some big trout mixed in with reds in the ULM on a regular basis. The water is crystal clear unless the wind is blowing really hard, and this provides for sight-casting opportunities on a regular basis. Soft plastics are working best for me. We are keying on large flats with a broken bottom, including some grass and some sand, and

targeting fish in the sandy pockets. Usually, in April, both the reds and trout like to stay in the shallows much of the time, making them fairly easy to locate and target with our lures. Over the last few weeks, areas around the JFK in the northern reaches of the ULM have been producing plenty of fish. Once the bait migrations begin in earnest, the best action might move further south. If this happens, I’ll probably start making runs to the Land Cut and Rocky Slough.”

Padre Island National Seashore Billy Sandifer - Padre Island Safaris - 361.937.8446 April’s fishing prospects on PINS hinge on one question - How bad is the sargassum? More years than not the sargassum is thick enough to hinder or stop any chance at angling success throughout the month. During years when less grass comes ashore, April can be quite productive and fun. Many of the bay species haven’t returned to the bays yet and summer gladiators are present in fishable numbers.

Sheepshead, black drum, pompano, redfish and whiting are all available to the surf bottom fisherman using dead shrimp, Fishbites and cut bait.

Shoals of large jack crevalle will be patrolling the water’s edge when the water is clear and calm and great sight casting can be had for these fish with artificials on conventional tackle and large streamers on fly tackle.

Several species of sharks are present in good numbers and they come much closer to shore than later on in the year making casting to them an option. Spanish mackerel, bluefish and bonito are possible. Watch for nesting turtles and remember the speed limit is 15 mph.

Port Mansfield | Ruben Garza Snookdudecharters.com – 832.385.1431 Getaway Adventures Lodge – 956.944.4000 March gives us tough conditions some days but with the wind declining and the water warming, expect to find lots of fish on the shallower flats in April. Drifting or wading the sand will give you an

opportunity to sight-cast to reds, bigger trout and the occasional flattie. A favorite lure is the time-tested 1/4 ounce gold weedless spoon but don’t forget the silver version. Both can produce solid fish on the flats. Another area to hit is your traditional grass bottom riddled with potholes. With bright sun the potholes warm quickly and therefore naturally attract bait – so be sure and cast toward every pothole you can see. Even the smallest pothole will hold fish. If you start your morning working the potholes, look around and see the size of bait flipping and then decide what size topwater to use – to match the natural forage. Bone and bone silver-sided plugs mimic many species of small finfish very well. If you get no interest on surface plugs, switch over to a soft plastic in natural color. That should do the trick. Until next time; tight lines and calm seas.

Lower Laguna Madre - South Padre - Port Isabel Janie and Fred Petty – www.fishingwithpettys.com – 956.943.2747 Sunshine and wind are the greatest influences on fishing during the spring months. Wind-driven silt deposits and brown tide are combining to make visibility an issue in parts of the Lower Laguna Madre. We’ve been catching fish, including large trout and redfish, on Cajun Thunder Corks, trailing an eighth ounce jighead with a Berkley Gulp! Shrimp, but the majority of our limits of reds have been caught on cut ballyhoo fished on the bottom. At the time of this writing, we are expecting another norther and more chilly weather. Freddy says, “The best thing about fronts is that water temperatures drop and the hardheads leave the shallow water, so the only thing hitting the baits are reds; this will usually last a couple of days after a significant cool down.” We hope that the powers that be are looking to alternative ways to dispose of dredge material; however, the process is ongoing and we are afraid the water issues will translate into destroyed habitat, and consequently, noticeably fewer fish. Please help stop open bay dredge disposal!

Fantastic Fishing

Check out what Rockport-Fulton has to offer. www.rockport-fulton.org @ visitrockportfulton Photography by Phil Stranahan

TSFMAG.com | 103

Jose Hinojosa Galveston - 42” bull red

Cassie Willis POC - 28” reds

Greg Gallegos South Padre - 24” first red!

Rene Garcia, Jr. Bob Hall Pier - 27” & 23.5” reds 104 | April 2014

Richard Parker Trinity Bay - 27” redfish

Garrett Braun Galveston - 22” 4.3lb flounder

Lorena Hernandez Sabine Pass - red

Amber San Luis Pass - 23” first speck!

Michael Moggre Land Cut - 24” trout

Alex Texas City - black drum

William Cash Port Bolivar - first flounder!

Hannah Stanley East Bay - 26” first redfish!

Nicole Chacon South Padre - 25” redfish

Lindy Howell Moses Lake - 22” first red!

Shala Johnson Houston Ship Channel - 36” red

Pablo Sanchez Lower Laguna - 30.25” red

Gary Galveston - black drum

Sabrina Lawson Texas City Dike - 24” first speck!

Dallas Mckenzie Cedar Lake - 32” red

Sean Sullivan Mud Lake - 45lb first black drum! CPR

David Pellerin POC - first black drum!

Thomas Reyes Moses Lake 21” red CPR!

Brian Lopez Port Mansfield - 22” speck CPR!

Fred Gammon Port O’Connor - drum

Roy Polasek Matagorda - 28.25” trout

Please do not write on the back of photos.

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

Bethany Richner Chocolate Bay - 24.5” red

Sara Sepulveda LLM - first fish!

Mail photos to: TSFMag P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 TSFMAG.com | 105

Pam Johnson

Gulf Coast Kitchen

Louisiana Seafood Gumbo 1 pound (35-count) shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat 2 dozen shucked oysters, reserve liquid 1 pound claw crabmeat 1 cup chipped frozen okra 1 cup vegetable oil 1 cup flour 2 cups diced onions 1 cup diced celery 1 cup diced bell peppers 1/4 cup minced garlic 1/2 pound sliced Andouille sausage 3 quarts seafood stock (to make stock; fill pot with 3 quarts of water, add shrimp shells and boil until shrimp shells are pink. Strain stock and remove shrimp shells and discard) 2 cups sliced green onions 1/2 cup chopped parsley salt and cayenne pepper to taste Louisiana hot sauce to taste Cooked white rice Garnish with green onions

Got ideas, hints or recipes you’d like to share?

Email them to pam@tsfmag.com or send by fax: 361-785-2844

Jalapeno Marinated Fried Trout Soak up the spice, without the heat!

6 medium speckled trout fillets Marinate fillets one hour, 1 bottle Jalapeno Tabasco Sauce roll in corn meal and pan fry.

1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro 1 to 2 cups lime juice (enough to cover fish) 2 cups cornmeal Cooking oil

In 7-Qt cast iron Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour, stirring constantly until brown roux is achieved. Add onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic. Sauté 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are clear. Blend in Andouille and sauté an additional 3-5 minutes.

Stir in 1/2 cup claw crabmeat, 1/2 cup shrimp and okra. Slowly add hot shellfish stock, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly. Bring to a low boil, reduce to simmer and cook 30 minutes. If necessary, additional stock may be used to retain volume. Add green onions and parsley. Season to taste using salt, cayenne and hot sauce.

Fold in remaining shrimp, lump crabmeat, oysters and reserved oyster liquid. Return to a low boil and cook approximately five minutes. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve over cooked rice.

David Wilson

106 | April 2014

Cell 210-827-3890

reeltaxidermy@yahoo.com

TSFMAG.com | 107

Science and the Sea

TM

Shocking Differences Between Electric Animals Most people know that electricity and water don’t mix, but it’s not a problem for fish that produce their own electricity. The bestknown electric fish is probably the electric eel, but it is far from the only “shocking” creature underwater. In fact, the electric eel, a single species that dwells only in the rivers of South America, is outnumbered by more than 60 species of electric rays that live in the oceans.

Left- A Pacific electric ray. Credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Right: An electric eel, at the New England Aquarium.

Credit: Steven G. Johnson, 2006 Like the electric eel, electric rays use electricity both to catch prey and to defend itself against predators. Its shock maxes out at about 45 volts, hardly the eel’s impressive 600 volts. But these rays don’t stop with just a single surge. They deliver more than 400 rapid pulses in a row, lasting five milliseconds each. A single second for a prey wrapped in the fins of these rays can mean 300 rapid-fire shocks, with faster pulses in warmer water that allow some rays to deliver as much as a kilowatt of power in one attack. It’s enough to knock a human off his feet, though it won’t kill someone as the eel can do.

The rays and eel produce electricity in different ways. Rays produce electricity through modified muscle cells called electrocytes. Like a row of batteries, stimulated electrocytes move electrically charged atoms (ions) across the cell membrane, creating a combined electric discharge. The eel, meanwhile, sends positively-charged sodium through its electric organs, which reverses their charge and generates a current. This can only work in fresh water; otherwise the eel’s positively charged head would short out with its negatively charged tail, killing the eel as effectively as these shocking creatures kill their own prey.

The University of Texas

Marine Science Institute www.ScienceAndTheSea.org © The University of Texas Marine Science Institute

108 | April 2014

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CoRPus to PoRt IsaBEl

M ATA G O R D A B AY Speckled Trout / Redfish

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832.693.4292 fintasticcoastalcharters.com TSFMAG.com | 109

EVERYTHING IS READY…

Now It’s Up To Us

STORY BY MARTIN STRARUP

CONTACT

So you left a bunch of hardbaits in the hands of the rust gods. No biggie! Soaking in toilet bowl cleaner for a few minutes followed by thorough rinsing restores the finish. A new set of split-rings and hooks completes the job!

The reels have been torn down, greased and oiled, drag washers and bearings have been cleaned or replaced. I put new Sufix on two reels; the line on the others will make it a while longer. The rods are all in good shape and I cleaned the cork handles to make them look better, even though after handling a couple of trout they’ll be dirty and stained again.

We recycled all our lead-heads that had bad hooks and replaced them with new ones from Dusty at Hogie Lure Company in El Campo. Those screwlock jigs with the Gamakatsu hooks have been my favorite for years and are just “bad” sharp.

We’re in good shape on topwater and soft plastics and I spent a good part of a cold and windy morning replacing split rings and treble hooks on more than a few of the hardbaits.

The boat is in good shape but we have been discussing replacing the trailer. Saltwater takes a toll on everything; the torsion bars on the tandem axles need some TLC but they’ll last until next year. We replaced the bearings in all four wheels not long ago, so they’re in good shape and every wheel has new tires. After three blowouts last year I hope the floor jack stays in the toolbox this year.

We had to have the leaning post seat and backrest re-upholstered and figured we’d do the same for one of the coolers. My friend Tim Hogie’s jigs have at Busha’s Boatworks in Bay City went through been my favorite for the outboard not long ago and he also built a many years. new bracket for the jack-plate pump that was in pretty bad shape. The motor passed his detailed A new spool inspection and covered me on the 300-hour of Sufix braid service that was needed. is a good start on the season.

I found a leak in my waders last fall or maybe it found me. In any case my left leg was soaked but I couldn’t find the leak. Filling the leg with water did the trick and I fixed the tiny split in the seam.

Hopefully I’ll be able to stay dry all day now.

We’ve replaced the anchor line and also the ancient clevis that connects the chain. While we were messing with rope I made up some new dock lines to replace the old ones that had been too wet for too long. We checked all the PFDs and made sure the straps were okay and that there were no rips or tears in the PFDs themselves. The fire extinguisher, flares and whistle are in good shape as is the throw cushion. We picked up some new drain plugs, just for good measure.

Water had been getting into the bilge and the only place it could do that was under the hatch flanges. I pulled the hatch lids off of the stern and scraped the old sealant from the gel coating. I ran new beads of sealant and set the hatches back and screwed them down tight. That fixed the problem.

So I’m feeling pretty good about our tackle, boat, outboard and trailer…now all I need is the opportunity to actually go fishing. We spent more time in the woods during bow and rifle season this year than usual and had very little time on the water, so we’re due. All we need is pretty weather— maybe this weekend. Wish us luck.

Be Safe, Martin

110 | April 2014

MARTIN STRARUP Martin Strarup is a lifelong saltwater enthusiast and outdoorsman. Martin is also a collector and dealer of vintage fishing tackle and lures, especially those made in Texas.

Email

Trouthunter@swbell.net

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Tidal Corrections Location Calcasieu Pass, La. Sabine Bank Lighthouse Sabine Pass (jetty) Sabine Pass Mesquite Point Galveston Bay (S. jetty) Port Bolivar Texas City, Turning Basin Eagle Point Clear Lake Morgans Point Round Point, Trinity Bay Point Barrow, Trinity Bay Gilchrist, East Bay Jamaica Beach, Trinity Bay Christmas Point Galveston Pleasure Pier San Luis Pass Freeport Harbor

High -2:14 -1:46 -1:26 -1:00 -0:04 -0:39 +0:14 +0:33 +3:54 +6:05 +10:21 +10:39 +5:48 +3:16 +2:38 +2:39 +2:32 -0:09 -0:44

Low -1:24 -1:31 -1:31 -1:15 -0:25 -1:05 -0:06 +0:41 +4:15 +6:40 +5:19 +5:15 +4:43 +4:18 +3:31 +2:38 +2:33 +2:31 -0:09

For other locations, i.e. Port O’Connor, Port Aransas, Corpus Christi and Port Isabel please refer to the charts displayed below.

Please note that the tides listed in this table are for the Galveston Channel. The Tidal Corrections can be applied to the areas affected by the Galveston tide.

Minor Feeding Periods coincide with the moon on the horizon, and the last from 1.0 to 1.5 hrs after the moon rise or before moon set.

Major Feeding Periods are about 1.0 to 1.5 hrs either side of the moon directly overhead or underfoot.

Many variables encourage active feeding current flow (whether wind or tidal driven), changes in water temp & weather, moon phases, etc. Combine as many as possible for a better chance at an exceptional day. Find concentrations of bait set up during a good time frame, and enjoy the results.

Te x a s S a l t w a t e r F i s h i n g M a g a z i n e l

w w w. t e x a s s a l t w a t e r f i s h i n g m a g a z i n e . c o m