April 2024

TARGETING EARLY SPRING

BLACK DRUM

LING RETURN TO TEXAS NEARSHORE WATERS

WARMING BAY WATERS PRODUCE EXCITING TROUT ACTION

ABOUT THE COVER

Fifteen-year-old Averi Walker enjoyed a great experience fishing the Matagorda Ship Channel Jetties on an

incoming tide during the full moon with TSFMag’s Everett and Pam Johnson. Her first time to tangle with fish this size, she managed to land both bull reds and hard-fighting jack crevalle while using Spro Bucktail Jigs tipped with a Z-Man PaddlerZ plastic bait. Congrats on a fine job of angling, Averi. You handled them like a pro!

Professional results without the price.

Finally, an SiO 2 ceramic-infused polish that is EASY and FORGIVING to apply. Get the protection and shine you want and deserve. Any time. Every time.

Extra Long-Lasting

Ultimate UV Protection Extreme, Glossy Shine

Scan to check out the entire line of Star brite Ceramics

SPRINGTIME IN TEXAS!

April is always an exciting month along the Texas coast. For many it marks the first fishing trip of the year. Springtime tides are usually generous, which means everything from backwaters to gulf passes will be in play and holding fish. So there’s generally no need to crowd your fellow anglers.

A variety of bait species become plentiful this month, especially shrimp and glass minnows. A sure way to tell spring has arrived in earnest is finding swarms of seagulls and terns diving amid a feeding frenzy as hungry fish hustling bait concentrations push hapless victims to the surface, where the birds are quick to snatch their share. Depending which bay you’re fishing it might be gafftop catfish and it might be speckled trout. I was once very lucky to find a school of slot redfish under birds in East Matagorda. No matter the species creating the chaos, it’s sure to be a memory maker if you have youngsters aboard.

Shoreline wade fishing really comes into its own this month. Emerging bottom grasses become havens for bait fish, tiny shrimp and juvenile crabs; and you can bet trout and redfish will not be bashful

to join the party. Slicks become increasingly prevalent as the month progresses and there’s no surer sign for locating rod-bending action. Swelling tides will often have this action occurring right at the edge of spartina grass and inter-tidal oyster reefs. Catching a whiff of fresh watermelon should never be ignored.

April weather might not be all peaches and cream, though. Old Man Winter can be stubborn, and late season northers can pop out of nowhere if you get laxed in checking the weather forecast. One of the worst storms I ever got caught in happened the last week of April during a balmy stretch. I won’t say it was life-threatening but it was certainly scary. This is why I always stress checking the weather before every fishing trip and having a qualified technician perform a thorough outboard service is a must before hitting the water in springtime.

I have written a number of times here that new speckled trout regulations were in the works and would likely be enacted this spring. In a news release dated March 8, 2024 from TPWD, the following will become effective March 26, 2024. The daily bag limit will be reduced to 3 spotted seatrout; minimum length 15-inches and maximum length 20-inches. One fish longer than 30-inches may be retained per day as part of the daily bag. It was also announced that a trophy tag for trout longer than 30-inches would be implemented in the new license year, effective September 1, 2024.

Make April Memorable…Take A Kid Fishing!

REDEFINING POWER ON THE RUN

The four-in-one Power-Pole CHARGE quickly charges all of your boat’s batteries using your alternator, with no complicated wiring or captive rodents required. To learn more go to Power-Pole.com

Such a beautiful sight!

Adjusting the Fly on

STORY BY STEVE HILLMAN

As I type this article I’m currently in Flippin, Arkansas with three of my long-time clients and good friends from back home. They’ve been coming up here for years and have always invited me. I finally decided to take some time off and join them. Boy, am I glad I did! Our guides were Taylor Wooten with Flippin Fly Guides and Matt Milner with Rising River Guide Service. While our trip has been a blast I’ve learned that these guys experience some of the same challenges we do back home on the Texas coast.

Despite our bite being on and off the past three days we’ve still managed to trick dozens of rainbow and brown trout while fishing on the White and Norfork Rivers. We even caught a rare Tiger Trout this morning which was a major highlight of our day. A Tiger Trout is apparently a cross between a brown trout and a brook trout. Pretty cool to say the least!

The timing and flow of releases from the dams upstream from where we were fishing seem to be the main variables affecting trout feeding patterns on the rivers. Simply put, slow current is not conducive to a good bite and swift current is. Pockets in the river with little or no flow are referred to as “frog water” and are to be avoided. The first day we fished during the afternoon on the White River. The dam was releasing water at the rate of about 7,000 cfs (cubic feet per second). Our bite was decent but, based upon what they told us,

was not as good as it had been prior to our arrival. For me personally, I was in awe. I mean, here I am fly fishing in a crystal clear river surrounded by mountains with bald eagles flying overhead. What’s not to love about that? The seven or eight trout we caught were truly a bonus in my book. Furthermore, I was learning tons of new things, especially since I hadn’t held a fly rod in 26 years!

The next day we started in the White River but the flow was very weak (less than 2,000 cfs). As a result we only caught one trout before our guide decided to relocate to the Norfork where they were supposed to be releasing 8,000 cfs of water. Well, the flow was actually around 3,700 cfs, so it was not ideal, but it was obviously better than where we started the morning. Our guide worked his tail off pulling every trick he had out of his hat. I could see the frustration on his face as he was just like me when it comes to wanting to put clients on fish. As guides we want our clients to catch fish even more than they do. That is a fact.

It was almost noon by now and we still had landed only one trout. Knowing full well his frustration I started telling him about some of our slow days that we occasionally have back home and how so much of it is timing. We talked about how we were fishing two days on the back side of the full moon and how the fish were most certainly where he had been catching them, but they just weren’t hungry. This was evident by the number of trout we had following our flies. We even had several of them halfheartedly strike our floating indicators as if they were saying, “Here we are and you can’t catch us!” It was kind of funny because I found myself saying many of the things I’ve heard my clients say through the years, but I meant every word. “Man, we’re having a great time. They simply don’t eat every day. It’s just nice being on this beautiful river.” In a genuine positive tone I said, “Don’t sweat it. These fish are gonna give us something soon. They’re gonna eat.”

After fishing streamers for a while our guide downsized to midge flies with hopes of enticing these stubborn trout with a tiny morsel. Sound familiar? We found a good little shallow rip current in one area that produced a few rainbows and browns so the bait change proved to be a success. Whether it was downsizing baits, finding leeward banks during windy periods or coaching us on different techniques, our guides exhibited an uncanny ability to adjust on the fly.

We fished our third and final day on the Norfork River as the flow was predicted to be more suitable for success than the White. It’s amazing how our guides knew precisely when the current velocity would reach certain sections of the river we were targeting. It reminded me of how we play the tides to capitalize on bites here on the Upper Texas Coast. Our final day proved to be a success as our two boats landed around 20 rainbows and browns with a few solid ones in the mix. While our guides considered it slow by their standards I thought it was awesome and I’m very much looking forward to doing it again next year.

Here are some key takeaways from our trip –

• Water temperature in the river was hovering around 46 degrees, which is about 2 or 3 degrees colder than the trout prefer for feeding aggressively. Finding shallower areas with swift current, especially when the sun is high held a little warmer water which helped our bite.

• Good river flow is a must for a consistent bite.

• Making long casts in the crystal clear water and making sure the fly,

Kent LeMonte with a pretty rainbow!

Frank Mistretta with a colorful brown trout!

I never latched on to any big ones but I had a blast doing something different, and I learned a ton!

CARNAGE. FOR THE BATTLE THAT IS FOUGHT

The new Carnage ™ III series rods are constructed from carbon or an e-glass and carbon blend, for an extremely powerful rod that leaves fish begging. Yet it’s light enough to keep a fisherman going until the battle is won. Spec’d with high-end components like Fuji ® K-Guides, Sea-Guide ® and Fuji ® reel seats, plus a mix of hypalon/rubber shrink tube handles, the new Carnage III rod promises to be as ruthless as the name implies. PENN. LET THE BATTLE BEGIN ™ .

WITHOUT MERCY.

©2022

leader, and floating indicator land softly on the surface was very important. Landing all of that with a big plop onto the surface will most likely spook the trout, especially when they are in a negative feed mode.

• Reducing diameter of leader line for lower visibility and more natural appearance as well as using smaller flies can produce strikes when nothing else seems to be working.

• It’s entirely plausible that the moon phase as well as the position of the moon affects the feeding habits of those river trout in a similar way that it does our speckled trout in the bay.

• Finding leeward water behind points and on the back side of bluffs makes for much easier and longer casting which increased our ability to trick stubborn fish.

• Having the ability to understand everything as it develops in front of you, and then knowing how to react accordingly is something that comes from years of experience and having the selfconfidence to trust your gut instincts to make those adjustments.

• Going into every day on the water with an open mind and positive attitude is not only more enjoyable for everyone on the boat but typically yields the best results.

Heading into the month of April we will be faced with some of the same challenges as we were on our recent trip to Arkansas. With up and down water temperatures and tide levels, stiff winds and billions of newly hatched forage species such as shad, shrimp and glass minnows, we’ll have to stay on our toes. While this time of year can be tough for catching numbers of trout there will be days when we have the opportunity to trick specks in the 5 to 7-pound range and maybe even larger if we’re lucky.

Being patient, disciplined and having the ability to understand our surroundings will take a lot of the luck out of the equation. We must know when to downsize our lures, when to fish leeward shorelines, and sometimes even ones that lie windward. Keeping our head on a swivel and noticing a small slick or a fleeing shrimp can be the difference between an empty cast and a personal best trout. This is a month where the pattern can change in the blink of an eye and we must have the cognitive ability to change with it.

Phone 4 09-256-7937

Email captsteve@hillmanguideservice.com

w ww.hillmanguideservice.com

Steve Hillman is a full-time fishing guide on his home waters of Galveston Bay. Steve fishes the entire Galveston Bay Complex, wading and drifting for trout, redfish, and flounder using artificial lures.

Taylor netting one of my 12 inchers! Hahaha!

Rusty Plackemeier with a 20 incher!

Jim Bettis caught this solid trout with me recently on an Albino Ghost Saltwater Assassin Sea Shad on a morning when they didn’t want big baits.

The Wings PART 2

STORY BY KEVIN COCHRAN

of Change

This is the second in a three-part series analyzing how the many changes in technologies, equipment, clothing, gear, tackle and lures have affected Texas’ saltwater anglers over the course of the last three decades.

Since the early 1990s, many aspects of our lives have changed, some more significantly and permanently than others. Certainly, the list of changes runs long for those of us who participate in the sport of saltwater fishing. Taking a metaphorical look back some thirty years at a typical day for an angler with their own boat reveals the scope and magnitude of this evolution. At the end of last month’s piece, our angler had arrived at his first chosen spot.

Three decades ago, our hypothetical captain would have heaved an anchor over the gunwale and tied it off to a cleat; today’s modern captains more likely use a switch to deploy a hydraulic anchor to hold the boat in place. While wading, they can carry a remote fob which will allow them to raise and lower the pole and keep the boat close to them while they wade. When they finish wading and are ready to return to the boat, a 2024 captain can also use a fob to lower a trolling motor over the bow and direct it to drive the boat to them.

Both these behaviors, while convenient and efficient when they work, carry inherent risks, but careful captains certainly benefit from their use. Today’s anglers also take advantage of several useful innovations stirred by the ever-beating wings of change. Comparing the garments and other garb they wear to the same gear used by our early-90s captain reveals how. All those years ago, our angler would likely have donned a pair of neoprene waders before slipping into the water for the first wade. Those rubber suits did provide one distinct advantage over today’s waders; they provided warmth, even when they leaked.

All of us who used them regularly over time remember the other facts related to their use, facts which have not changed to this day. Soon after they’re purchased and used, neoprene waders do two things extremely well–they leak and they stink. These two facts have direct proportionality; the more they leak, the worse they stink. Significantly, once they develop leaks, neoprene proves difficult to repair. In contrast, today’s lightweight, breathable waders don’t provide any warmth if they start to leak, but they can usually be repaired and restored to water-tight condition fairly easily.

Many modern breathable waders incorporate inner shells made of a material called Gore-Tex, which makes locating and patching pinhole leaks easy and effective. When modern anglers properly layer their clothing underneath these pliable, comfortable waders, they can keep warm just as well as an angler wearing neoprene waders could, as long as the breathable waders don’t leak. Layering properly means starting with a form-fitting, wicking garment on the bottom and adding thicker layers (up to maybe four in extreme conditions) as needed.

Today’s anglers can purchase relatively lightweight jackets to wear over their waders and perform dual functions, dulling the effects of brisk winds and preventing water from contacting their skin. The variety and quality of these garments today far exceeds what coastal anglers of yesteryear had available to them. The same truth applies to the boots an angler today will likely wear as compared to the ones our 90s angler put on his feet.

Back then, neoprene rubber served as the main material used to make wading boots, with some kind of firmer rubber comprising

the soles. The boots zipped up, either on the side or the front, and the zippers did one thing supremely well–they trapped mud and fine sand, becoming jammed and frozen if not rinsed thoroughly and zipped up after each use. Neoprene boots also start to rip after they’ve been stretched over the feet multiple times. Modern lace-up wading boots also require thoughtful maintenance to some degree, but they’re more durable than rubber boots and they provide more support to the feet.

Today’s anglers have a better variety of boots from which to choose, some of which offer protection from the poisonous barbs of stingrays. And, they can wear other gear over the boots to gain extra protection from the nasty stingers, much of which did not exist back in the early-90s. Once our old-timer succeeded in wrapping himself inside his weathered rubber wading suit and zipping up his stubborn, flimsy boots, he would then have reached for the other accessories he’d carry while walking around in the water trying to catch a fish.

More than likely, he’d grab a wading belt made of nylon, with no padding to provide support for the lower back. Some of them did have a pouch to hold a small plastic box which would carry several lures. Velcro held the pouch closed, but with repeated uses, Velcro becomes unreliable. Many of us remember losing favorite lures when our wading boxes floated out of those open pouches and drifted off with the tide.

Our old-timer’s belt likely had a sheath for holding pliers, a metal holster for the spike of his stringer and some kind of device to which he might attach or tie the cord holding his bait-bucket and landing net, if he chose to wade with either or both. Most manufacturers used carbon steel to make fishing pliers in those days, and salty water eats steel like it’s peanut butter and jelly. Within a few trips to the coast, the pliers often developed enough corrosion in their joints to become stiff and difficult to use. Similarly, the stringers carried by anglers thirty years ago became rough and difficult to use when exposed to the coastal environment’s destructive elements a handful of times.

Today’s anglers have much better options for creating an individualized system for carrying all the necessary tools of the trade. Modern wading belts often have semi-rigid construction, including

Placing a brass clip on the line tethering the float to a Boga Grip facilitates taking length measurements of fish after they’re landed.

Smart anglers ride the wings of change and evolve in positive ways.

padding which provides lumbar support. All still have sheaths or pockets for carrying pliers. In the modern world, pliers are mostly made of materials which resist corrosion much better than regular old steel, including stainless steel, aluminum and titanium. Many perform multiple functions, including cutting braid and other types of lines and manipulating split-rings. Because they’re made of space-age materials, with the caustic qualities of ocean water in mind, modern pliers work better and last longer than the crusty, stiff tools of yesteryear.

Some of today’s wading belts still include pouches for holding a box of lures, but many modern anglers carry their lures other ways, some on belts wrapped around their shoulders, with the boxes riding on their backs. This keeps the lures out of the water during the wading sessions. Others prefer putting their lures in boxes riding atop rings of Styrofoam, which float nets alongside anglers while they wade. These Do-Nets are just one of the many innovations which have made wading anglers lives better and easier over recent years.

In the early-90s, our wading angler would likely have entered the water with a metal net with nylon mesh tethered to his belt. Most of the little nets found on the shelves of sporting goods stores back then made more sense for landing crappie and bluegill than upper-slot reds or trophy trout. Certainly, the market today offers bigger nets with more thoughtful aspects incorporated into their design; some of them float. Many have slippery mesh with small holes to reduce their tendency to entangle hooks, especially trebles. People who fish exclusively with lures, and who prefer throwing plugs dangling two or three treble hooks often found the old landing nets more adept at snaring their lures than landing fish.

Even if the nets didn’t actually cause a big fish to escape before a picture could be taken, we had no interest in the silly, exasperating

task of repeatedly extracting our lures from a twisted nest of strings. Though many modern nets have nearly eliminated the risks of hooks becoming tangled in their mesh, I and others adopted systems which don’t incorporate landing nets many years ago, after watching big fish flip out of nets and leave hooks tangled in the mesh. Of course, landing a flounder, an upper-slot red or a trophy trout with a bare hand is no easy task. Fortunately, for people like me, who like to fish with lures carrying treble hooks and who target big trout for release, a tool came along to aid us in the process of landing and handling these fish.

To replace a landing net, many modern wading anglers choose to carry special tools designed to grab and securely hold onto the lips of fish. The Boga Grip is the famous matriarch of this family of tools. Made with high-quality stainless steel, these lightweight, durable tools serve two important functions, especially for wading anglers who like to release many of the fish they catch. First, they allow anglers to land and handle the fish without subjecting them to the slime-scraping effects of nets or human skin, and second, they allow for weighing the fish accurately. Tethering the lip-grip to a float and equipping it with a brass clip in the way shown in the included image facilitates taking accurate length measurements of the fish too.

(to be continued)

When nasty weather suddenly approaches, various kinds of modern equipment help keep boating anglers safe.

A Boga Grip

when the fish is too big

Learning

A pod of redfish hustling baitfish as they cruise a shoreline.

to “Read”

STORY BY CHUCK UZZLE

Apair of 10-pound redfish slid down the grassy shoreline with their backs and tails exposed for all to see, shrimp and little baitfish showered across the surface hoping not to be the last one in line or the first on the menu. As I stood on the poling platform and watched these fish going about the business of finding something to eat it was easy to tell they were almost oblivious to anything but their next meal. My fishing partner for the day readied his 8-weight fly rod for a cast as the boat eased into position and he placed the fly a couple of feet in front of the pair and began an erratic retrieve. As the pair closed the gap you could see they were gaining speed and in a flash they both charged the fly like a couple of second graders fighting for the last ice cream bar at lunch. The commotion they caused was insane and more than my angler could take as he pulled the fly away in a hurried reaction instead of waiting for the fish to eat the fly. “That was incredible, they were so aggressive,” he exclaimed from the front deck, with a smile that signaled both delight and amazement. Aggressive doesn’t do those fish justice, when they really want to eat there is almost nothing you can do to stop them.

The “aggressive” mentality is probably the one most fishermen associate with redfish and they certainly deserve that distinction, but that’s not the only facet of their personality. As aggressive as these fish can be they can be equally skittish and spooky, and these attributes are what make this fish so appealing because you never know which redfish is going to show up.

I have seen fishermen make absolutely perfect casts to cruising redfish, only to have the fish break and swim off like lightning just struck beside them. The many different actions of redfish and their body movements will often tell you exactly what kind of mood they are in, and even what they are feeding on. Just like the two big fish mentioned here, cruising fish tend to be eating baitfish or shrimp while fish that remain stationary and “root” the bottom are likely to be eating crabs. The stationary fish will often stick their tails completely out of the water, waving like flags, tempting anglers to try their luck. The sight of redfish tails in the air is one of the ultimate thrills for shallow water anglers, the stalk and the presentation are just icing on the cake.

slot and beyond fish who are at the top of the food chain. These fish at times can be so sloppy and carefree it’s virtually impossible to not see them. The sight and sound of them herding bait down a shoreline is one of the greatest events one can witness from the bow of a boat or poling platform. The sheer intensity and single-mindedness of these fish at that particular moment let you know that they are only worried about one thing, and that’s the meal in front of them. On the other end of the spectrum are the days when these fish can turn invisible and seemingly disappear in the blink of an eye. I marvel each time I stumble upon an oversized fish that gives no clue that it was anywhere near, and then leaves the area with not even a trace of its presence left behind. One client so aptly described the feat as, “Making a firetruck disappear in an empty parking lot.”

From day to day it’s so interesting to see just exactly how redfish are going to act and react, they seem to either be turned on or turned completely off. In virtually any marsh pond or back lake the redfish is the “baddest boy on the block” and has no fear of any predators. Yes, the occasional cormorant or pelican may pick up a smaller redfish but for the most part they have no enemies, especially the upper-

Now redfish aren’t the only species that offer visible clues to their personality and mood, speckled trout will often give you some clues as well. Unlike down south where anglers often get opportunities to sight-cast trout, fishermen on the upper coast are seldom lucky enough to see fish in our bays. I’ve been able to sight-cast some big trout over on Calcasieu during the winter when the water gets ultra clear, but those opportunities are rare in our part of the world. The lack of contrast provided by the dark mud bottom really hampers any chance you might get to see these fish compared to other venues with lighter, sandier bottoms.

On the other hand, trout do not have to be seen in order to be read;

A welcome sign for anglers seeking speckled trout; a perfect slick has appeared along a shoreline – the rounded shape indicates it is fresh.

One of the most important aspects of reading fish is being able to first read all the signs. Bajío brand eyewear are tops in my sight-fishing arsenal.

Redfish tails wagging above the surface are an indication they are rooting shrimp or crabs from grass or bottom sediments.

easily the most obvious sign they offer is the “slick.” That shiny spot on the surface of the water caused from the oils of baitfish that trout feed on. A speckled trout is a voracious feeder and will often regurgitate bits and pieces of what they are feeding on, and that point is when the slick appears. Not only can fishermen see slicks, they can also smell them. The aroma is typically sweet, most fishermen compare them to watermelon, and quite similar to the pogeys that crabbers use to bait their traps. If you see or smell a slick you can often get upwind or upcurrent from the area and locate fish.

A word of wisdom on the subject of slicks, don’t be fooled by slicks that originate from crab traps. When you locate a slick be sure to check the area for crab trap floats, if none are present then it’s a good idea to investigate. Also, when fishing these slicks, it’s better to target the smaller ones as these are the freshest. The oil that produces the slick will spread rapidly downwind once it reaches the surface and look like a much larger target area, when in all reality the fish are in a smaller more specific spot.

This pattern is particularly good in warmer months, especially on relatively calm days, but it certainly works throughout the entire year. If there is any drawback to fishing slicks, it’s got be that gafftop

can also make slicks and will often fool even the most veteran angler. Regardless of the risk of catfish, it’s always worth checking a fresh slick because you might just find a really good concentration of hungry trout.

By reading the signs that redfish and speckled trout often give, you can understand what they may be feeding on and/or where they might be most concentrated. The visual keys are there for all anglers who take the time to look and judge what they have discovered. Take initiative to read your fish next time out on the water, and be sure whenever possible to bring a kid along and share the passion with our next generation of anglers.

CHUCK UZZLE

CONTACT

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

Phone 409-697-6111

Email wakesndrakes@yahoo.com

Website wakesndrakes.com

LING Finally Arrive

STORY BY JOE RICHARD

In Texas, cobia (called ling) arrive in April and they’re hungry. Encounters with these fish are memorable, too. Why? This is an oddball fish unlike any other. Perhaps its most unique habit (mostly early in the season) is its habit of circling the boat, curious as a child. Or a friendly porch dog, anyway. (I’ve even hand-fed a ribbonfish to a 40-pounder). And what other fish, brimming with energy and strength, will allow itself to be pulled alongside the boat in under a minute, even with light tackle, when the fight hasn’t even begun?

These odd habits contrast with normal fish behavior, and it has made fools of many anglers. Ready for a fight, ling have ruined landing nets and either bent or stolen gaffs. Landed “green,” cobia have trashed the cockpits of boats, and slapped people around with their broad tails. The last time we caught one from a small boat, that fish went crazy on deck and we all sought refuge wherever possible. I was snagged on the back of my shirt by a big trolling plug at the center console’s rod holder, and had to stand there until the fish was subdued. Most lip-hooked fish fight as far from the boat as they can manage until worn out, but not Mr. Ling.

Some of my earliest memories of this fish involve long, painful fights. And then, botched landings with poor results. As they say, mistakes were made. The ling I remember most was a long, prolonged fight on a glassy, terribly hot summer day off Port Arthur. We were not rookies, but made key errors that prolonged the fight. Our tackle wasn’t exactly top-notch, either. We were in my 15-foot boat, with precious little extra space, unless we left a 6-gallon gas tank at home, which wasn’t often. The motor ran faithfully enough, and we were young and tough enough to withstand 25 miles of short whitecaps. Glassy calm days were such a bonus.

On this day the lack of shade was wearing on us, and the heat stunning. When it became intolerable, we jumped overboard and snorkeled inside several offshore platforms. Finally, we stopped at a small red platform and four big ling cruised over and began to circle the boat. It was game time.

The biggest fish, likely a female, slurped up a belly strip we’d cut from a bluefish. The 8/0 hook, without a leader, was slyly hidden at one end of the bait. I set the hook and hung on, anticipating a typical fight. However, since our tackle was a little light (only 30-pound line), our 3-foot gaff was modest, and we weren’t carrying a pistol on the boat, our trial had barely begun.

Initially we fought a double-header because my partner had hooked a modest 40-pounder. We drifted in the slow current, safely away from structure, but one fish headed east and the other west. My reel was three-quarters empty, and my partner muttered that his line was almost gone. So, I cranked the engine and headed towards his fish, while my own reel gave up precious line until the spool was showing.

A precarious balance was struck. The stalemate held for about 10 minutes, with both reels almost bare. Something had to give, very likely a “pop” leaving one of us spooled. Then, abruptly and for no reason, the smaller ling simply spit the hook out and escaped. That line was reeled in and we quickly followed the bigger fish. What followed was what felt like two hours of frustration.

Lesson One: Never poke, startle or agitate a ling until you’re ready to snatch it into the boat. Early in the fight, when the ling passed close by, my partner took a few Roger Maris swings with a Louisville Slugger bat. His crazed swings were more a threat to me and the boat than the fish. It greatly alarmed the fish, which promptly cruised off 20 yards and stayed there. It became cautious and took a special interest in keeping just out of range of bat or gaff. Where’s a Luger when you need it?

For so very long that fish circled us warily. We passed the rod back and forth several times, straining, sweating, gaining line only to watch it melt away. Its dorsal fin cut the glassy Gulf. ‘Round and ‘round she went for what seemed like 40 times. Saving her strength while we wilted in the sun. Sweat poured off us like we were trapped in a sauna. Heat stroke threatened at any moment and both of us felt sick.

An experienced captain would have cranked the engine and charged after that fish, trying to confuse it and break it from its holding pattern. Then the ling changed tactics and stayed under

Moment of truth, time for a landing net or gaff.

Cobia at boatside goes crazy on the surface.

the boat where the water was cooler. By pulling just hard enough, we coaxed it into making several close passes, but it seemed to know exactly how far our gaff would reach. We were too stubborn to quit, up against the most stubborn fish of all.

Lesson Two: We were not prepared to battle big fish in the cruel sun for long. We wore miserably thin t-shirts and my buddy didn’t wear a hat. We had no Gatorade or even water, just the usual liter of Pepsi on block ice. (It was 1978). Our strength was waning and again the rod changed hands while the ling circled patiently in cool shadows down below. Finally, I coaxed it closer. My friend waited, waited like a bullfighter for just the right moment, then stuck that fish with the gaff. The water exploded in our faces and then he stood up suddenly with an empty gaff partially straightened. The ling dove deep, peeling line from the reel again, while I hung on and blinked water and sweat from my eyes.

Safely landing and releasing cobia requires patience and skill.

Would this ever end? Any semblance of fishing fun was now long gone. However, a few minutes later, we actually gaffed that fish again. This time the gaff held, or the fish was finally exhausted, laying on its side in the water. I dropped the rod and hung onto the gaff while my buddy pounded away with the bat, hoping to quiet the big fish before

dragging it into the boat. One of his crazed swings grazed the top of my hand, nearly breaking it. A string of curses hung in the air. Smack! Smack! “Oh, you want some more of this?” Smack! Splash! Thud!

Then, amazingly, the fish splashed us and was gone again. I grabbed the rod in the nick of time just before it could flash overboard.

The afternoon had turned into this grim ordeal and we both wished

ISLAND BLUE

ISLAND BLUE CHARTREUSE

DARK GREEN

DARK GREEN GRAY LIGHT J-BRAID

J-BRAID

mightily that we’d never seen this ling. But the pounding must have had some effect, because on the next pass I led it more easily and it plodded around one more time. This time the monster was gaffed in the throat. We both gave a mighty heave, and it thumped on deck.

Trouble was, neither of us felt like celebrating. I just wanted to clutch my battered hand up on the bow, and maybe retch a little. My buddy’s face was an angry red and he appeared ready to pass out. We finally cranked up my faithful 70-horse Johnson, and drove a mile back to the platform where we’d first hooked the fish. I quickly jumped overboard and lay in the water in a dead man’s float, breathing through the snorkel and watching countless fish below as the slime, blood, sweat and pain were washed away.

After a 30 mile boat ride on a slick, calm Gulf back to Sabine Pass, the stiff, dried-out ling that wouldn’t fit in the fish box weighed 68 pounds. Never before or since have we seen a fish fight that hard, pound for pound. Anglers around the world have reported similar experiences with tarpon, tuna and certainly blue marlin. Ours was a classic battle with a ling.

Since that painful day the years have ebbed away, along with many offshore seasons. And many more ling have passed beneath our gaff. We kept plenty of them, but also began to tag and release them later in the 1980s when that sort of activity was sometimes regarded as questionable.

Vivid memories of that day remain. It was an awesome fish worthy of respect. If we’d been better anglers back then, I like to think the fight wouldn’t have lasted so long. Since then we’ve caught 70-pounders and released them. Over on Florida’s Atlantic coast, I

hooked a big ling that after less than five minutes, passed close by the boat to see who or what was tugging on its lip. The guy with me had commercially caught and gaffed big wahoo down in the southern Bahamas, knew timing and how to use a gaff. Even though our gaff that day was small, with a green squeeze plastic handle, he nailed that fish near the base of the pectoral fin, apparently hitting its heart, and the monster went limp. Both of us strained and heaved it aboard. Back at the marina, our boat tied up to a finger pier, two deckhands tried to lift that fish up to the dock, but couldn’t handle it. The huge ling slipped and fell overboard with a big splash, disappearing into black water. Gone! After a minute I jumped in wearing shoes, groped around the bottom in pitch darkness, found and grabbed its tail and barely surfaced, thrashing with one hand. Where waited longer gaffs from a bigger boat. On the marina scales that ling weighed 80 pounds with the tips of its tail still touching the ground.

JOE RICHARD

CONTACT

Joe Richard has fished the Gulf since 1967, starting out of Port Arthur, but his adventures have taken him up and down the entire coast. He was the editor of Tide magazine for eight years, and later Florida Sportsman’s book and assistant magazine editor. He began guiding out of Port O’Connor in 1994. His specialty is big kingfish, and his latest book is The Kingfish Bible, New Revelations. Available at Seafavorites.com

COASTAL® SV TW150

ANTI BACKLASH CONTROL

SV Spool Magforce®-Z Cast Control

Aluminum Frame and Sideplate

100mm Swept Handle with WeightReducing Cutouts

COASTAL® TW 200

HIGH CAPACITY

A7075 Aircraft Grade

Aluminum Deep Spool Magforce®-Z Cast Control

100mm Swept Handle with Weight-Reducing Cutouts

You can get to places where boats cannot with a kayak. Here I was fishing the sand bars. I was able to beach the kayak and stretch my legs while fishing the middle of the bay.

Getting Into Kayak Fishing

STORY BY CORY BYRNES

Here in 2024, kayak fishing continues to be a fast-growing sport. More and more fishermen are getting into kayaks and fishing rivers, lakes, bays and even offshore alongside their motored counterparts. It is affordable, effective, and in some ways more peaceful than being on a boat. They are the Swiss Army knife of fishing vessels in today’s market and with manufacturers pushing the boundaries of what a plastic boat can be as a fishing platform, it is easy to end up in a kayak that doesn’t suit your style of fishing. Here is what you need to know if you are just getting into a kayak.

The hull you choose will affect your enjoyment of the kayak. It is also likely to be the most expensive part of kayak fishing, next to adding a trolling motor or fish finder. You can expect an introductory kayak to run between $1000-$2000 with some flagship models being as high as $5000. You can save a little money by watching Facebook marketplace and E-bay for used kayaks. A lot of the time you can find a good deal on a kayak that is already partially or fully rigged for fishing.

The most common hull design for fishing kayaks is the cathedral. The cathedral hull’s advantages are increased stability and improved tracking. It is a hybrid of the V-hull and flat bottom designs. The length of the kayak can affect hull speed and stability. Sit-on-top kayaks range in length from 10’-16’. Shorter hulls sacrifice stability but the trade-off is improved speed. A longer kayak will be a bit slower, but it will have better stability and tracking. Tracking is the kayak’s natural tendency to resist turning. Large bodies of water, like Galveston Bay, require a hull that tracks well for efficient long-distance travel.

If you don’t have a truck or trailer, then you should consider the inflatable kayaks on the market. They have come a long way and many of them are excellent fishing platforms. New technologies have made the outer shell very strong. They are stable and comfortable to be in. Lastly, they pack down into a small package, making transport and storage much easier than the rigid models. Your customization options are more limited with inflatable kayaks. With that said manufacturers have developed options to make inflatable kayaks efficient fishing crafts.

Both plastic and inflatable kayaks now come with two primary propulsion modes: paddle and pedal. Fisherman favor the pedaldriven kayaks which keep their hands free while moving from spot to spot. No matter what you are leaning towards, I highly recommend renting the kayak you are considering for a weekend before buying.

Gearing up: initial kayak setup

As I mentioned earlier kayaks are the Swiss Army knife of fishing platforms. There are many creative ways to make your boat fish better for you. Here are a couple of upgrades I would recommend to improve your kayaking experience.

The first thing I installed was an anchor trolley. An anchor trolly is a line with a loop made of plastic or metal stretched between two pulleys and runs from bow to stern. It is perfect for an anchor, drift sock, drag chain, or stake-out pole. It allows you to adjust the location of your anchor line along the side of the boat, giving you better control of the boat in changing winds. And if you set your kayak up with rod holders in the right location using gear tracks, you can set it in the middle and put out a spread of rods with plenty of space between each line. Anchor trolleys are easy to install. All you need is an anchor trolley kit which will set you back about $40, a drill, a Philips screwdriver, and waterproof silicon ($10).

1. Lay out the pieces of your trolley kit. Make sure you have all the pieces.

2. Take one of the pulleys and position it close to the bow.

3. Mark and drill the holes.

4. Then place waterproof silicon in the holes and fasten the pulley

to the hull using the screws provided.

5. Repeat for the stern.

6. If you do not have a zigzag cleat already installed, use the one with the kit and place it where you can reach it.

7. Thread the trolley line through the pulleys on either end.

8. Tie the ends to the to the loop provided. Make sure it is tight but not so tight the line doesn’t move freely between the pulleys.

The second thing I did to my kayak was install a fish finder. I use mine more for navigation than I do for locating fish and structure. A small Lowrance model Hook 2 will run about $100 new. Many of the fishing kayaks on the market right now have a location molded into the hull to place your transducer so you won’t have to worry about beating it up against oyster reefs and other obstructions in the bay. It also makes installation of the fish finder and wiring much easier. You will need a drill, a waterproof grommet ($10), waterproof silicon sealant, a transducer mount (kayak specific), a fish finder mount, and a battery such as the Game Winner 12v 7ah. The rechargeable battery will run you about $20. Here is how I installed it on my kayak.

1. Using a scupper transducer mount, install your transducer at the factory-molded transducer location.

2. Run the transducer wire to a location where you can drill

One of the main appeals of kayaks is their portability. They can be stacked in a truck bed or on a small trailer. Inflatable kayaks take up even less space if you don’t have a truck. They break down to about the size of a large suitcase.

Family fun. Kayaks are a great way to enjoy the water with your family. My son has been riding on mine since he was four. It is almost time to upgrade to a tandem kayak, so he has his own seat.

Kayaks are good with both conventional tackle and fly tackle. When fly fishing line control is important. Consider using a stripping basket even when on your kayak to avoid getting caught on your deck. Jackson Kayak also makes a kayak geared towards fly fishermen that eliminates issues with line control.

Fish finder installed on kayak.

Fighting fish is different from a kayak. Big drum like this can take you for a sleigh ride.

through the hull into the storage compartment. Use a drill bit large enough for the grommet you have.

3. Apply waterproof silicon to the grommet threads and install in the hull.

4. Run the transducer wire through the grommet.

5. Position the fish finder unit, then run the cables provided for it to make sure you have enough slack.

6. Follow the wiring instructions for your fish finder and wire to the battery.

7. Mount the fish finder. There are many ways to do this. I use a ram ball mount that utilizes the gear tracks that came stock with the kayak. A fix mount can be used as well, just make sure you use silicon on any hole you drill in the hull.

Lastly, I recommend you get some gear leashes. A 6 pack of them will run $11 but it could save you $100 or more in gear sinking to the bottom, never to be seen again. There are many different options. Most of which allow attachment to fixed rod tubes already on your kayak. If you go with a leash that does not have a way to tether to a fixed rod tube you can always add deck loops where you need them. These are simple to install. You will need a drill, Philips screwdriver, and waterproof silicon.

Gearing up: Safety

I fish in the bays all along the Texas coast and you can sometimes encounter quite a bit of boat traffic. Kayaks have a low profile on the

water and on choppier days they can be hard for other boaters to recognize. For that reason, I cannot stress enough how important it is to have the following safety gear.

A ‘yak flag. These come in various lengths. You will need a flag equipped with a light for low-light conditions or if you’re out after dark. They also come with different mountings. Over the years I have owned several types. I have had ones that use gear tracks, and ones that fit in rod tubes. The one I currently use came with a socket that must be installed in the hull of the boat.

You will need a life jacket. I recommend spending a little bit of money on it. You will be wearing it a lot on the kayak. Try them on. Make sure it is comfortable so that you will wear it. Some come with safety whistles and others do not. Make sure you have a safety whistle tethered to your life jacket. If you are planning to do any night fishing in your kayak, get a hydrophobic light and attach that to your life jacket in case you fall off. These lights are water-sensitive and will activate when they get wet, making it easier for someone to see you in the water.

I have been kayaking for 10 years. Do something long enough and you will eventually end up in a position you didn’t want to be in. Flipping a kayak can be a heart-thumping experience. Learn how to right your boat if you flip it, and how to re-enter it if you fall out. You should definitely practice this before making your first fishing trip. Here is how:

1. Position yourself in the middle alongside your boat.

2. Boost yourself over the gunnel and reach for the opposite side, grabbing ahold of the edge.

3. Slowly pull the edge toward your body. Sinking your hips downward helps. Then roll the kayak right-side up.

Conclusion

There are increasing numbers of manufacturers catering to the small boat industry and options are nearly limitless. Kayak manufacturers are also designing their kayaks to have factory-reinforced areas for micro power poles, electric motors, and much more. But this doesn’t mean there is no place for backyard engineering. I think that that is part of the appeal of a fishing kayak. They are affordable and customizable in a way that larger boats are not. These are just a few things I would do when getting into a new kayak, and remember that your options are endless.

This motor mount was custom-built out of a steel plate and unistrut to perfectly fit on the bow. Photo courtesy of John Adams.

Anchor trolley pulley installed on kayak.

Customization of your kayak can go as far as mounting a trolling motor just like this one. Photo courtesy of John Adams.

JAY WATKINS ASK THE PRO

THE VALUE OF CONTINUING EDUCATION

Through the winter season we were lucky to dodge a couple of truly cold spells. The third week of January was seriously cold in Rockport with air temperatures in the mid- to upper-20s for three consecutive nights. Port Mansfield didn’t get that cold but it got dicey for a few hours. It is hard not to worry about the outcome of these events as they are happening, but knowing that I cannot control the weather is of some comfort.

During that cold spell I had several conversations with some up-and-coming guides on that very subject and spoke at length with David Rowsey and Cliff Webb. The upshot of these discussions is that communications with fellow fishermen about the effects of extreme weather conditions will never replace actually getting out there and experiencing the effects firsthand, reacting to the conditions, and working your ass off. I believe I have learned more on days when I was physically miserable and was then able to apply the knowledge gained to similar conditions with similar results. That is Patterning 101 in a nutshell. The only part of fishing over which we have absolute control is the amount of work we are willing to put in to attain the next level of angling skill.

During the winter months, it has become a prevailing myth among anglers that is necessary to slow their lure presentations to a crawl in order to catch fish. In my opinion this is only true when the temperature drops

drastically over a short period of time. Once the water temperature levels off the fish will acclimate and become as active as they need to be to obtain a meal. To me, it is more about locating the portion of the water column that fish are using during cold periods versus slowing the presentation. I have observed this to be true many times during winter, and likewise during summer when water temperatures can be exceptionally high.

Coaching anglers on the water column thing is difficult if they are not familiar with the sink rates of the lures they are using. I typically choose lures that I can keep in the established strike zone for the time and conditions I am fishing. With this said, I outfit my wading box with slow sinking-suspending type plugs, a few soft plastics, and then some type of reaction-strike lure. For me, that lure is the Texas Customs Double D. I also carry a variety of sizes in all the types of lures mentioned. While my preference in lure color leans toward natural for the most part, I must say that hot pink and chartreuse are known to earn reaction strikes; so they also have a place in the box.

During winter months I monitor water temperatures continuously. Next, I watch the wind direction and velocity. Tides are not as critical to me in Rockport or Port Mansfield; wind-generated currents are more important in my daily game planning process. When in Port Mansfield I am living with my clients, so a common

Ford Clark scored his personal best speck on a MirrOlure Lil John XL in Watermelon Red Glitter – CPR!

question is, “Where we headed in the morning?” My answer is always the same, “We will have to get up and see what we have to work with and then go from there.”

Don’t get in a rut by fishing the same areas day in day out. This is especially true when the bite is really on and happening. If you commit to only one area day after day you are limiting your ability to learn and grow as a fisherman. Like many in this industry, I too can become a bit lazy and sometimes find myself going back to where I know we can catch them. But is this really all the client is interested in? I guess that might be another article for another time.

For much of my career the majority of my clients have wanted to learn more about the areas we fished and how to effectively find and catch fish. This forced me to search out more areas that held fish, and ultimately become a better guide. This is still true, maybe even more so with the increasing numbers of fishermen using the water today. Once favorable water temperatures are found over suitable bottom structure, I shift into bait-finding mode. Let me restate; food and cover are the two things fish need most. When these have been established I am now looking for the best way to align my anglers in order to catch them.

Wind plays a huge role for me. I want to fish windward when I can, and I want that wind direction to allow me to stage my group offshore of the structure and work at slight angles to the wind. This is perhaps the most difficult aspect of the day in many situations. Many anglers continually allow the wind to push them forward. This is counterproductive, and there are times when I must bite my tongue. You want to slowly crab your way down the shoreline. Sure, you can ease in and out from time to time, but you must always have a good idea of the zone or line the bait is occupying and how it lies in relation to the predominant structure.

Quite often a single bite will get me to stop the entire group for as long as 15 to 30 minutes. Understand this, big fish don’t always act like they own the place. Many times they sit off to the side of aggressive feeding, waiting for an easy target that might be flushed by the frenzy. I have no science besides what I have observed to back my theory, but I have purposely made strategic casts to areas

of similar depth and bottom structure that are not on a visibly active line, and caught some great fish.

The active line I so often speak of is more times than not, not so distinguishable. I try to get my anglers to pick up on the very small things that bait fish or birds of prey do that can put them on the proper line. Finding the line is huge but I believe that being able to slowly dissect how the line moves in the wind and current is even more important.

Have you ever seen a long tidal or wind-created slick that snakes its way across a flat? Lines of activity are much the same, not straight but somewhat controlled by wind direction and current. This year in Port Mansfield while fishing with Kyle and Shane, we followed wind slicks across a shallow clear-water flat. We discovered that trout and reds alike were using the color change. They both stated that in the Chandelier Islands where they fish often, these lines are a pattern they put into play whenever possible. The lines I follow are mostly invisible to those with less experience and are not only controlled by wind and current but also by subtle changes in bottom contour.

I have mapped and made mental notes of what I feel with my feet my entire career. My feet are literally my eyes under water. Many times I fish areas by feel versus what I can see. The combination of feel and sight, plus a little confidence, usually puts us on the proper line. The ability to stay positioned along the proper line is truly something that all anglers must continue to fine tune. When I am fishing a new area, discovering these lines takes time and can at times cost us a few fish during the process. I liken it to paying one’s dues. Reading the water is something I work on constantly. Quality polarized sunglasses are an absolute must. I use Smith Optics and have had very good luck with this brand of eyewear.

I did a video a few weeks ago on my Instagram account official_ jaywatkinssrfishing that spoke to the importance of positioning and casting at angles to structure. This same pattern is used when fishing along shorelines. Allowing the wind or current to bend our cast in relation to the structure is so important and something that I must continue to coach my anglers on. Many instinctively want to push forward toward the shoreline and cast directly downwind. I have touched on this pattern in numerous articles and videos and I continue to do so because of its importance.

As water temperatures have warmed I am seeing more aggression in the trout that are staging in shallower water. The reactions of bait fish to the presence of predators can be numerous. Erratic or frantic jumps that don’t catch much air, little flips or flashes we see as mullet move along edges of potholes and grass beds, can all be indications of predator presence. These can also be indications of the types of lures we should be using and presentations we need to be making. When I see this type of activity, I go to the Texas Customs Double D, Custom Corky Floater, or Soft Dine. Jay Ray is the better floater fisherman and uses them way more than I do. What all these lures have in common is the ability to create a reaction strike. Topwaters are the same animal and can also be extremely effective. The new Duke Dog by MirrOlure is another good one

Brad Piskor with a very nice one that ate a Plum Nasty Double D – CPR!

in these situations and I like it’s shad-like profile.

I will wrap this up with a comment on what I consider a truly positive development in the continuing saga of speckled trout management. By the time you read this the daily bag limit will have become three trout of 15- to 20-inches, and hopefully soon, one fish per year with a 30-inch-plus trophy tag. Hats off to Texas anglers who helped accomplish this, the Coastal Fisheries staff and commission, for the pro-active position taken to insure the future of our fishery.

May Your Fishing Always Be Catching! -Guide Jay Watkins

View The Video

Open Camera and hover over QR Code. When link appears at top of screen tap to open in YouTube.

CONTACT

Jay Watkins has been a full-time fishing guide at Rockport, TX, for more than 45 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 361-729-9596

Email Jay@jaywatkins.com

Website www.jaywatkins.com

David Roche with his recent personal best trout that came on a Crown Royal Double D – CPR!

DAVE ROBERTS

SHALLOW WATER FISHING

JUST GO FISHING

Here recently, I have been working seven days a week and am currently in what I like to call zombie mode. If you have ever worked a stretch of seven day weeks in a row, accompanied with long hours, then you might know the feeling. You become mentally and physically exhausted but still well aware of your surroundings. That being said I haven’t been on the water in a few weeks and it is starting to get to me. Every day that I am stuck behind that refinery gate with the sun shining, it seems a piece of my soul is on the verge of dying. My only thought is to stay safe, keep grinding away, and I’ll hopefully be back on the water soon.

One good thing that is coming from all this work is that I’ll be dropping my skiff off at Jorgensen Marine next week to have a new set of lithium trolling motor batteries installed. I have heard nothing but good things from all the anglers I have spoken with that have made the upgrade. Their universal response has been that they will never again go back to AGM batteries. This upgrade has been a long time coming and I am really looking forward to seeing how they work out.

Even though I have been busy I was able to escape work early one day and check out the Houston Fishing Show. As always it was great to see some old friends of the industry and to get to see some of the new products being showcased. One of them is the new J.I.G. rod that JH Custom Rods is building. They took a light action offshore speed jig rod and turned it into an inshore rod. I have checked it out very thoroughly. It is lighter than any graphite rod you can find anywhere and the strength cannot be matched. They had a 10 pound weight there in the booth and demonstrated by making a dead-stick lift with the new 7’0” light action rod. Needless to say I had to get one.

Another product I simply couldn’t resist was another Bates reel. If you haven’t heard of them, just wait because I think they are going to be the next big thing in the world of lightweight, precision baitcast reels. What sets them apart is the design and manufacturing method of the reel frame. They start with a solid block of aluminum and machine it down to become an exceptionally rigid one-piece baitcasting reel. I

purchased one last year at the show and it stills casts as flawlessly as the day I bought it. I have had no issues of any kind with it and that is why I had to get another one. On top of that, they also make their own fly reels. I was excited to get one in my hands and, hopefully before summer, I will have added one to my arsenal and will be conducting testing in the real world on redfish and other species. I’ll be sure to provide a performance update as soon as I can put it to use.

Of course I had to swing by the Sight Cast Fishing booth. These guys have made a business of tying saltwater flies and rightfully so. They tie some beautiful flies and I can attest that they catch fish. While I was there I stocked up on a good supply of tying material and more of their attractive stickers…as if I needed anymore!

Fishing has been on my mind 24/7 since the Fishing Show and I cannot wait to get off this turnaround cycle at the refinery and hit the water. The more I think about it the more I cannot help but think people should strive to get back to the basics of fishing. I think that we rely on technology and modern day conveniences instead of just going and enjoying what’s out there. I remember the days of fishing

Springtime Sabine

with my brother on the Levy Road at Sabine chasing trout. Literally, all we would have with us would be our fishing rods, a pocketful of Norton Sand Eels, and at most a topwater or two. We still managed to catch plenty of fish and learned a lot about the area. This past year I have caught myself not wanting to get on the water unless everything was pointing toward a day of perfect conditions. Looking at it now and with work depriving me of my passion, I’d do just about anything to simply go out and wet a line. The fact is, you don’t need all of this elaborate gear to just go fishing. Spring is right around the corner and this is a perfect time of the year to be outside and on the water. The birds should be working with plenty of trout stacked underneath while the redfish should be moving into the marsh backwaters. There are plenty of opportunities to catch fish right now, you just got to get up and go!

CONTACT

Dave Roberts is an avid kayak-fishing enthusiast fishing primarily the inshore Upper Coast region with occasional adventures to surf and nearshore Gulf of Mexico.

Email: TexasKayakChronicles@yahoo.com

Website: www.TexasKayakChronicles.com

By John Blaha | Assistant Director & Habitat Director

RESPECT THE RESOURCE & OUR FELLOW FISHERMEN

The Texas coast offers some of the most diverse, productive, and heavily-used waters along the entire Gulf coast. The Upper Coast features areas with sometimes deeper waters; bays with lots of oysters; bays that often receive a lot of freshwater inflows from the Sabine, Trinity, Brazos and Colorado rivers; industrial and urban development; and heavy use by the area’s recreational and commercial fishing communities.

As you move down the coast toward Port O’Connor, Rockport, and Corpus Christi, the bays begin to become shallower, although deeper waters still come into play. You find more seagrass habitat; you still have an abundance of oysters in some areas; fewer industrial neighbors, and still heavy use by the recreational and commercial fishing interests.

Further down the coast, through the Upper Laguna Madre, Baffin Bay, Nine-Mile Hole, and Lower Laguna Madre, you see miles and miles of shallow water flats; seagrass beds; few oyster reefs; very little freshwater inflow; practically no industrial neighbors, and only until you reach the far end of the Lower Laguna there is not much urban development. But you still see heavy use by recreational and commercial fishermen.

What is the common theme in all the above? Heavy use from the recreational and commercial fishing communities. We cannot ignore the continual increase in pressure on the fishery resources.

The Texas population is growing at a tremendous rate, gaining nearly 10 million residents in the last 23 years, putting us just beyond 30 million residents. This growth is having an observed impact on registered participation in the fishery. Over the last 10 years, saltwater fishing license sales have increased around 200,000 and all-water guide license sales have increased by over 60% (now at 1,700 saltwater guides). Can the resource and our fellow anglers handle this continuing population explosion along the Texas coast?

A key word in this growing trend is simply RESPECT

As recreational anglers and conservationists, we want to continue to enjoy what the Texas coast has to offer every day we can. Respect the resource, respect the efforts to conserve and protect the resource, and above all – respect one another .

2024 marks 47 years for the existence of Coastal Conservation Association Texas. We all know the story of how CCA Texas started and the desire of a handful of recreational fishermen to turn the tide and make the coastal resources of Texas bountiful and healthy once again. A big part of that effort was simply respect,

respect for the resources and the desire to see those resources flourish for their generation and generations to come. It was a long and hard road to first get licenses and limits established for redfish, in both recreational and commercial fisheries in 1979, and eventually game fish status for redfish and speckled trout in 1981.

Along with the establishment of game fish status for redfish and speckled trout came the ban of gill nets in Texas coastal waters. There was a great lack of respect between the commercial and recreational fishermen, but the respect earned by these early conservationists in the Texas state capitol halls and their efforts led to a turning of the tide turning in the form of legislative actions in these early and formative years of the organization. Although that respect may still be lost between some of the parties of those early years, one cannot lose respect for the efforts and accomplishments of a few determined individuals that has now grown to surpass 74,000 members. These efforts truly saved the Texas coastal resources enjoyed by so many today.

Going back to the common theme in the opening paragraph, people are not leaving the Texas coast, they are coming to it full speed ahead. The sale of new boats, tackle, and other fishing equipment continues to grow. The development on the immediate coast continues to grow at incredible paces in some areas. The number of people on the water grows every year, and yet we still have the same amount of fishable water and resources. If the resources are going to survive, it is going to require even greater respect for the resource and continued conservation actions.

Adhering to limits, maybe only taking what you need for a meal on a given day, and teaching new and young fishermen the benefits of conservation are all part of the respect to maintain the fishery. Operating our boats in prudent manners goes a long way as well. Because it is capable of navigating in super-shallow water doesn’t mean you should. So many of the newer boats can run shallower than we would have dreamed possible a few decades ago. Respect the habitat and fishing areas you are running in, and do unto others as you would have them do unto you. As our population continues to grow, our fishable waters will only continue to shrink, so keep that in mind as you start each fishing adventure. Take this a step further and get active with a local CCA chapter and become part of the effort to ensure our resources for the future. It all goes back to and is founded in RESPECT .

Two

Two

Respect begins before you even get on the water. It begins at the convenience store where you fuel your boat, at the launch ramp, and at the dock. Start the day off right. If the lines are long at the fuel pumps, move your rig as soon as you gas up. Throw your ice bags in a trash can, not draped over a bollard where they will blow away. When you arrive at the dock, stage in the proper area to get your

boat ready for launching, not after you’ve backed halfway down the ramp. As you back down the ramp, turn your headlights off so you don’t blind the guy launching in the next lane.

Park your rig in a designated area in the proper direction to avoid blocking others. If a parking lot is not striped, pay attention to the flow of traffic in the ramp area and do not block the drive-through lane or the launch ramp.

If the parking lot is full, consider using another one close by, if there is one. It is ridiculous what some users at public ramps do on busy weekends. Don’t be that guy.

When you launch early at a public ramp, do not block dock space for long periods of time. Motor a short distance away from the dock and anchor there to await the arrival of the rest of your party, or customers if you are a fishing guide. When your friends or customers show up, pull in and pick them up as quickly as possible. These are all respectful actions, and you should be able to look at yourself in the mirror at the end of the day and know you did the right thing without having to justify any action to yourself or others.

Technology and communications change continually and so does the amount of knowledge at our hands. Social media is a big part of this growth and at the same time seems to carry a splintering effect amongst our fellow anglers at times. Everyone has a different level of skill and knowledge. Everyone has a different style and tactics. If it works for them and they are excited to share, applaud them and constructively offer other ideas and ways, but don’t berate and tear them down. Some of the exchanges seen on social media recently in regard to our fellow recreational anglers is simply disappointing. Use social media to help educate your friends and family about conservation projects and coastal resource advocacy efforts. The more we educate one another on good stewardship and conservation measures, the better off our resources will be for us and our kids. Be responsible in these areas, and again, it’s all about Respect!

CCA Texas is excited and optimistic as we move into our 2024 fundraising season. Look for events in your local area, and if you are interested in becoming an active volunteer, please reach out to CCA Texas at (713) 626-4222. Our office staff will point you in the right direction. Thank you all for your continued support and remember; it’s all about RESPECT for coastal resources and fellow anglers.

Educating the present and next generation of anglers is important to the health of Texas coastal resources for generations to come. An instilled attitude of conservation and respect to new participants in the angling community and to those at a young age will carry forward to the future.

“We contracted the construction of the TSFMag office building with Farrell Jackson. Jackson also built my son’s bay house here in Seadrift. We were completely satisfied with both projects…a professional and trustworthy contractor.” ~ Everett Johnson | Editor/Publisher, TSF Mag

By Jason Jaworski | Port O’Connor Field Station

FISHERIES MANAGEMENT: CASTING NETS AND BALANCING BUDGETS

Have you ever wondered about a fisheries manager’s decision-making process? Or how they come to the conclusions they do? There is a delicate balance in creating a bountiful fishery while ensuring the sustainable harvest of key recreational species. It is similar to balancing a budget, the best outcomes result from tracking your spending and allocating enough funds for the future and for emergencies. Similarly, managing a fishery means optimizing opportunity and allowing harvest levels that still support resilient and sustainable populations. Granted, having exact counts of fish in a population is a tall order, but consistent monitoring helps paint a picture of a population and this picture assists in making sound management decisions. A substantial effort goes into collecting data through Texas Parks and Wildlife’s (TPWD) sampling programs. This enables fisheries managers to paint an accurate picture that informs size or bag limits, fishing gear restrictions, and fishing closures to try and ensure sustainable fish populations are here to stay.

One goal that resource management agencies and fishermen have in common is maintaining access to as many fish as possible. For fisheries managers, there are limited tools available to ensure that conservation goals

are met, while providing positive fishing opportunities to the angling public. Staff within the Coastal Fisheries Division of TPWD conduct monthly resource monitoring sampling in Texas bays using a variety of gears. This sampling helps to identify population trends in young of year, juvenile, and adult fish populations. Another tool, creel surveys, collects data that paints a picture of harvest and observed fishing pressure as well as angler satisfaction within the fishery. The trends produced from this data can help to identify a regulatory need and initiate the formal process of implementing new regulations and/or changing existing regulations. The Coastal Fisheries Division at TPWD boasts 40+ years of continuous sampling efforts to monitor these populations and inform trends and action. This long-term monitoring has been incredibly beneficial in achieving shared goals.

Sometimes, negative long term data trends are enough to constitute a call to action from fisheries managers. In other cases, unusually severe events, such as Winter Storm Uri, may alert resource managers to watch for negative trends in certain fish populations that can be susceptible to large scale mortality during cold weather events, like Spotted Seatrout. In the budget

Figure 1. Coastwide size distribution of spotted seatrout in Texas.

analogy, these trends could be compared to decreasing funds or emergency expenditures, respectively. Once the potential need for regulatory change is identified, the public is asked to provide ideas and input through scoping meetings. If a certain management action is identified and regulatory change is deemed necessary, an official proposal is drafted and presented to the public, before ultimately being decided on by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. This fisheries management process can be demonstrated through two recent management actions within two popular sport fisheries: Spotted Seatrout and Southern Flounder.  In the case of Spotted Seatrout, a combination of fish kill estimates and gillnet data after Winter Storm Uri prompted emergency actions in the Laguna Madre. This eventually expanded to temporary regulation changes from Matagorda Bay southward. For these areas, the coastwide 15-25 inch five-fish limit with one oversize seatrout gave way to a 17-23 inch three-fish limit with no oversized seatrout allowed. These emergency and temporary regulations were implemented to reduce harvest and conserve the number of spawning seatrout, recruiting more fish to the population in the long run. It might be thought that the best approach would be to reduce the maximum legal size, protecting larger spawning females. However, as fisheries managers, it’s important to consider just how many fish you’ll be protecting in a specific population. Figure 1 shows the size distribution of Spotted Seatrout caught in gillnets along the coast between 10-36 inches. More than half of the coastwide Spotted Seatrout population falls between 15-18 inches in length. With this information, decision makers can pursue regulation changes that would protect the half that most likely contained spawning females while still offering a positive fishing experience. For example, a 15–20 inch slot limit offers anglers a good opportunity to catch and harvest Spotted Seatrout, while also protecting valuable spawners.

resource sampling procedures allow us to examine population trends and help us determine the effectiveness of management strategies including new regulations. . Figure 2 shows the coastwide fall gillnet catch per unit effort (CPUE) of southern flounder from 1982-present. An increase in total catch can be observed during the fall of 2021. By allowing these flounder to safely make passage to the gulf, the hope is that the population will experience an increase in spawning stock biomass. This is an excellent example of how management strategies can be species specific. In the case of Spotted Seatrout, which lack a distinct migration pattern, the regulation targeted harvest pressure where the breeding population could be conserved. In the case of Southern Flounder, which possess unique migration behavior, management strategies target their vulnerability in a specific life history event. TPWD hopes in both cases, that being responsive and proactive in management strategies will yield positive, recovering trends for Spotted Seatrout and Southern Flounder.

Another case study demonstrating how management tools can help to conserve a species is the implementation of the harvest closure period for Southern Flounder. In the last decade, Southern Flounder populations along the Texas coast have experienced a steady decline. In the winter, Southern Flounder primarily display migratory behavior, exiting shallow bays and heading into the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf). Widely referred to as the “Flounder Run,” these fish congregate in narrow passages to the Gulf, rendering them more susceptible to fishing pressure and harvest. Due to the long-term population declines, regulations were changed, and in 2021, the harvest of southern flounder was prohibited from November 1st to December 15th. TPWD

Ultimately, the desires and goals of both fisherman and resource management agencies often align. While natural disasters and other uncontrollable events occur, effective use of management tools such as slots, limits, or closures can have profound effects on fish populations. Like a financial budget, budgeting for better seatrout, flounder, or other fisheries faces numerous scenarios and obstacles to consider and overcome. Whether it’s money or fish, resource managers are using the best available information to most effectively respond to negative trends and unexpected events. While the approach and strategy can differ, TPWD is committed to managing Texas’ fisheries so that future generations can continue to have strong and vibrant fisheries for years to come.

Figure 2. Coastwide Fall Gill Net Average CPUE for southern flounder.

ERIC OZOLINS

EXTREME KAYAK FISHING & SHARKS FROM THE SAND

THUNDER DRUM

The transition from winter to spring delivers obstacles to anglers on the Texas coast from the Coastal Bend south to the Mexican border. As the calendar steps out of the coldest season, southerly winds transport an amazing amount of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico into central portions of North America. The city of Corpus Christi ranks high among the windiest cities in the United States, and spring is its windiest season.

Along the beachfront, this fact affects anglers both positively and negatively. The turbulent, windy weather cycles push strong currents and nutrients near the shore. A variety of baitfish and predators ride the currents right into the reach of anglers on the beach. But, when the chaotic winds linger for weeks, fishing can become difficult or even impossible in the surf. When the surf waters run brown and foamy, I often seek an alternate avenue to fulfill my craving for tangling with really large fish.

Predictably, the coming of spring brings an invasion of breeding black drum into the waters of the Laguna Madre. These spawners are sometimes called big uglies or big nasties by the people who target them on rod and reel. These old, adult fish look quite different

than the puppies they produce; they’re almost like prehistoric dinosaurs.

Fully mature black drum can attain weights in excess of 70 pounds, and they provide anglers like me loads of fun when they’re hooked on medium-light tackle. The current state record black drum here in the Lone Star State measured 51 inches in length and weighed 81 pounds, but fish half that size are strong enough to provide a blast to anglers looking for a hearty fight. So this time of year, when the beachfront waters are blown out, but I still want to have some fun, I switch gears, load up the kayak and head into the bay on the edge of the Intracoastal Waterway.

My main target area spans from Demit Island, lying north of the JFK Causeway, south to about Bird Island Basin. Schools of breeding black drum roam out of the gulf and into these waters, using the Packery Channel and the ICW as their highways. At times, they’re concentrated in such high numbers it becomes possible to feel the reverberations of their drumming through the hull of a boat or kayak. Needless to say, this is music to my ears!

After packing its rod holders full of long rods and other

Yep, they’re ugly; but goodness they’re fun to catch on medium-light tackle.

DECKHAND SHORTS

From high to low tide, the Deckhand fishing shorts cater to the needs of professional guides and deckhands who live their lives on the water. These shorts prioritize durability, reliability, and functionality to meet the demands of a life spent at sea.

appropriate gear, I love to search for schools with the fish finder on my trusty Viking kayak. When I find some, I like to anchor in the shallows along the edge of the deep channels and send my baits into the depths. Drum are voracious bottom feeders, eating anything from small dead fish to shrimp and blue crabs. Generally, larger drum prefer larger bites of food.

Many anglers targeting drum show a preference for using sea lice, aka mantis shrimp, as bait. These odd looking crustaceans have hard shells and are capable of producing a fast, powerful snap with their bodies when threatened. Though they’re somewhat difficult to handle, they work great as bait for the big uglies in excess of 40 inches. When targeting these brutes, I always use my Catch Sharks Drum Master leaders.

population and make them scarce at the bait stands in early-spring.

These leaders provide proper balance to distance the bait away from the coated 8/0 or 9/0 hook, whether I’m using mantis shrimp or something even harder, like a blue crab. Whether hooked in the tail or head, a mantis shrimp will attract gafftops and stingrays, in addition to the drum. If I start getting too many bites from other species when targeting a big drum, I often switch over to the most hardy bait of all.

Hands down, the absolute best bait to use when targeting big black drum is fresh blue crab. The bigger drum actively feed on these common crustaceans, and no crab is too big for the mightiest big nasty. Depending on the severity of the ending winter, blue crabs can be hard to find. One or two severe cold snaps or consistently colder than normal temperatures throughout the winter can reduce the crab

In some situations, even when they’re available, the crabs fetch a high price, up to as much as four dollars each. I normally don’t like doling out so much money for any kind of bait, but if the goal is to catch a big drum, the payoff can be handsome. So I accept the need to put out the money in this case, when my desire to tangle with big fish sends me away from the frothing waters of the surf into the relatively calm stretches of the bay.

Blue crabs are durable, especially the largest ones, which I personally prefer when I’m targeting giant black drum. I like to cut the full adult crabs down to about half to three-quarters in size before putting them onto the hook. I cut off all their appendages, including the claws, to streamline them and facilitate better hook-sets. This plan creates a problem, exposing the internal meat and other goodies, which can fling out of the shell during a cast.

At times, I will leave the rod in the holder and kayak the bait into the middle of the channel and drop the bait in, to prevent tossing all the attractive parts of the crab out while casting. Another issue with cut-crabs occurs when the water is warmer than usual, and pesky pinfish and other small fish pick the meat out of the shells. When these things become bothersome issues, I use bigger portions or whole crabs, without cutting them at all.

This winter, all the main drum baits have been available. However, when both crabs and sea lice are hard to come by, I’ve found a new favorite replacement for them–live crawfish. I like to take two or three and thread them onto a single hook, through their tails. Because they’re not ultra durable and can fling off during casts, I often kayak the baits into the channel and drop them gently into the water. A pound of live crawfish can generate big success on drum-hunting trips. I’ve also used both squid and octopus successfully to target breeding drum.

A rather expensive yet highly effective drum bait.

Smaller drum ready for release.

Here’s a really big one during a recent trip; ready to be set free to do the spawning thing.

spring afternoon.

Our winter/spring big ugly fishing can be amazing; these slimy rascals stink, but they’re a heck of a lot of fun to catch. They can’t be kept to eat, but photos of the beasts record the outcome of the fun forever. Years ago, while trying to film a TV show about shark fishing in early-spring, conditions rendered the endeavor impossible, so we ended up targeting big drum instead. Not surprisingly, the show was well received, mostly because we had accepted the conditions we were given and made the most of the situation.

All of us who love fishing the surf are forced to adapt on a regular basis, especially during the turbulent time when winter blooms into spring. Ideally, we take advantage of the optimal windows of opportunity to target jacks and sharks while the water warms and the cold season ends. We also return inland when conditions ruin these pursuits and seek to quench our thirst for thrills in a search for the rumbling thunder of breeding black drum.

CONTACT

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 is the owner of Catch Sharks Tackle Company.

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

Oz with a massive drum on a foggy early-

NATHAN BEABOUT

MOSTLY SIGHT-FISHING

KEYS TO APRIL SIGHT FISHING

April usually means high tides, but also high winds! Finding suitable days can be a challenge to go out and fish via sight cast, and these typically pop-up last minute. Usually, with the passing of a springtime front, there are a few days that offer calm winds and sunny skies. What makes April such a fun month is that you can typically get into small, secluded areas because of the higher water levels. With water temps still in the 60s to low 70s, redfish feel comfortable pushing far back into the marsh in search of small crabs and tiny grass shrimp.

We typically throw a 1/4oz. jig head to cut the wind, and it also allows the offering to fall in front of the fish faster, but our bait selection is small. Down South’s Burner Shad work perfectly for this approach. For us, what tends to work best is finding small creeks we can maneuver down that have shallow pockets or small “side” lakes off the main creek.

Although it is sometimes hard to see to the bottom of the creeks with the elevated water level, we try to go slow to avoid spooking anything. Upon coming to

the entrance of a side lake, we stick the Power Pole and watch the entrance, but also stare into the pond through the mangroves to see if any fish are actively cruising or tailing in the pond. If we spot bait being flushed from the grass, or perhaps spot a fish, we will slide the boat into position to target them. It never fails, you spot one, slide into position and realize there are actually five or six fish working a pond together. Generally, with the nose of the boat sitting in the entrance, the fish will not blow out. After you catch the first one, sit and watch for 5-10 minutes, letting the others settle down again. On the right day you can catch almost all the fish out of each pond you find them in. This makes for an action-packed day, with very little down time, and allows you to avoid running from area to area searching for them.

Another factor that plays into what makes sight casting good in April is the springtime bull tide. Not only do a variety of bait fish species move in, but a lot of redfish ride this wave of high water into our bays from the Gulf passes and jetties. Especially, as we see the

shrimp migration moving into San Antonio Bay, redfish and trout are not far behind. On days when we get favorable wind, certain outside shorelines can play host to numerous small pods of redfish.

Some of these small groups can be tricky and I have a theory on why. If you notice their color, they tend to be pale or silverish, not red like we all know them to be. I believe these fish have migrated recently from deeper water to the shallow flats and they are not necessarily interested in feeding until they settle into their new home. In the

days and weeks to come, if you can stay on some of these groups, you will notice that they start to develop that characteristic reddish skin coloration. For the most part, then and only then do we have much success getting them to take a lure. We have also observed this tendency with scattered single fish. Throwing at the pale fish yields almost no success, and most of the time they don’t even flinch when your bait falls in front of them. On the other hand, the next fish coming down the shoreline has some color, you make your toss, and they seem to lunge at your bait.

Paying attention to these details and the timing of when these events occur has proven to make our trips more successful. I think we can all agree that the days of the “secret spot,” are long gone; success is in the details nowadays. The more you pay attention to the changes that are occurring, the more the bay system starts to tell you. Good luck out there and stay safe on the water!

Captain Nathan Beabout; USCG/TPWD Licensed Full time guide since 2007

Seadrift, Port O’Connor, & Port Mansfield, TX. Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin (N&M Sportsman’s Adventures) Cell (210)452-9680

Email www.nmsaguide@gmail.com

Website www.nmsportsmansadventures.com

CONTACT

Captain Nathan Beabout

USCG/TPWD Licensed Full time guide since 2007

Seadrift, Port O’Connor, & Port Mansfield, TX Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn

Phone 210.452.9680

Email www.nmsportsmansadventures.com

PRODUCT

MORE POWER IN THE PUSH

The Game-ChanGinG mhX Carbon Fiber Push Pole Engineered to be the lightest and best performing multi-piece push pole available, see why so many anglers hit the flats with the MHX Carbon Fiber Push Pole!

At under 5 lbs. and made from a combination of the highest quality unidirectional and offaxis carbon fibers, the MHX Carbon Fiber Push Pole gives you the greatest amount of power in the push while maintaining excellent hoop strength during load. Its lightweight, powerful, and durable construction is engineered to perform on the water while reducing fatigue.

Simple to build, and a fraction of the cost of carbon fiber push poles of this caliber, MHX offers three popular lengths: 19’, 21’, and 23’. All MHX Carbon Fiber Push Pole lengths also include the fork, tip, and a stainless-steel replacement point.

Hit the shallow water with confidence, knowing that you’ll silently reach targeted fish all day long with a strong and reliable push, every time!

Shop for the MHX Carbon Fiber Push Pole at MudHole.com

AFTCO Ankle Deck Boots

AFTCO’s all-new Ankle Deck Boot meets the rigorous demands of AFTCO’s pro team, guides, and customers alike. Designed to deliver a heightened level of comfort via an inner neoprene liner that is quick drying and fully flexible. Combined with a custom compression-molded antimicrobial insole, these waterproof fishing boots offer the perfect amount of cushioning, rebound, and support season after season. www.Aftco.com/collections/footwear

Suzuki Marine

Suzuki Marine USA has unveiled its new Stealth Line™ of outboards for 2024, designed to provide boaters and anglers with a bold yet “stealthy” look that sets any boat apart from the crowd. Their “sneaky” good looks has a way of giving any boat an extra dose of attitude — whether sitting at the dock or racing across the water.

Underneath each of their bold exteriors lurks all the performance, advanced technology, fuel efficiency and rock-solid reliability boaters have come to expect from Suzuki 4-stroke outboards. Available in models DF115B, DF150, DF200, and DF 250. All the Stealth Line models can be purchased through authorized Suzuki Marine dealers across the United States. Check with your local dealer for availability.

To learn more about Suzuki’s new Stealth Line of outboards for 2024, visit your authorized Suzuki Marine dealer or visit www.SuzukiMarine.com.

HIGHLIGHTS

Bart’s Bay Armor

Gravel Guard

Bart’s Bay Armor Gravel Guard prevents all manner of debris; mud, gravel, and bits of oyster shell, from entering your Protective Wading Boots. Made from the same state of the art cut and puncture resistant material as the Protective Wading Boots. Sold as a pair – one size fits all. Barts-Bay-Armor.com

Huk ICON Performance Knit Shirt and Hoodie Pullover

Huk’s ICON Performance Shirt and Hoodie Pullover deliver enhanced comfort and performance. Features include complete mesh back for improved breathability and raglan sleeves for enhanced mobility. Crafted from high-quality 100% polyester with ICE cooling technology, the ICON shirts provide UPF 50+ sun protection, and the Hoodie Pullover option provides additional sun coverage for head and neck. Anti-microbial properties keep the shirt fresh; quick-drying fabric ensures all-day comfort. The ICON line combines style, innovation, and functionality in short, long, and hoodie options.

huk iCon FeaTures:

• I.C.E. (Internal Cooling Element) technology embedded in the fibers

• Full mesh back panel for enhanced breathability

• Raglan sleeve for full range of motion

• Anti-microbial

• Quick Drying www HukGear.com

• Moisture Transport

• Hoodie pullover option available

• Available for men and women

Introducing Power-Pole MOVE

The cutting-edge brushless trolling motor built for elite anglers. This next-gen brushless trolling motor was meticulously designed to deliver unrivaled power, exceptional durability, and remarkable efficiency – all while operating with near-absolute silence in both saltwater and freshwater. Offering two deployment options tailored to the preferences of the angler. Ignite your excitement with a trolling motor that’s a true game-changer with boat maneuverability that defies expectations and sets a new standard. When you’re out on the water, trust the brand that’s always had your back – Power-Pole! Contact your local PowerPole dealer today to learn even more about Power-Pole MOVE. Power-Pole.com

BINK

THE VIEW FROM Matagorda

April is one of those months you love to love and love to…well. It’s all about the changing water levels, falling moons, and rising barometers. Some of the largest trout of my career have been caught in April. And, some of the toughest bites I can remember have been in April.

become popular in April for their propensity to cough up consistent bites for redfish and black drum. When tides are swollen you have a chance to bend a rod, even with winds in the 20-knot range.

If you are not a live bait angler, try a Gulp, Vudu, or 3-inch DOA Shrimp. On certain days, especially with cloudy water, these lures often catch fish better than live. We like throwing Mid-Coast corks, especially the 4-inch versions, on the edges of reefs and drop-offs.

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@yahoo.com

Website matagordasunriselodge.com

It’s that tired old cliché – transition. Winter to spring, maybe spring to summer? All I can say is just keep fishing in April. There are some awesome trout to be caught in April on the shorelines and, depending how warm it gets this month, we should start to see glass minnows moving along the shorelines of West Matagorda Bay.

Glass minnows are really just bay anchovies. Little white, silver flashes that swim in herds and like to be swarmed by hundreds of brown pelicans, trout and redfish. When the fish go off and gorge on the big balls of minnows it can get really silly.

The good thing is some of the best wading happens on the afternoon incoming tide. Get a good night’s rest, eat a little breakfast and hit the dock around noon. Take your time and wait for the tide to usher the minnows to the grassy south shoreline of West Bay.

We expect swollen tides in April, which gives us another plan in our back pocket if March’s wind lingers into April. The reefs along the north shoreline will hold good numbers of trout, redfish and black drum for anglers tossing popping corks with live shrimp in the shallows.

Back lakes like Oyster Lake, Crab Lake, Lake Austin and Boggy have

The Colorado River and Diversion Channel have seen a lot of freshwater since January, which has repositioned fish that have made these locales their home through almost two years of drought. The Colorado is a great spot to keep in your back pocket for windy days; however, when Matagorda is wet and the river is brown and muddy, our estuary thrives. We need freshwater to balance the brine from the bottom to the top of the food chain.

With the rain we received early this year, expect our shrimp, shad and mullet to thrive; and, a bay full of bait leads to a bay full of healthy fish.

Applause is definitely due TPWD’s Coastal Fisheries staff, the commission, and all anglers who have campaigned for more conservative speckled trout regulations. Hopefully, within a few years and no further shenanigans from Mother Nature, our trout population will again thrive to the levels we took for granted in the not-so-distant past. Attitudes and actions are changing the way we look at fishing and we will be rewarded with bigger, better bites in the coming days.

Please keep doing what is best for our estuaries. Treat other boaters and anglers with kindness and treat the bay as your own backyard fishing hole.

Sunrise Lodge and Properties is a full service hunting and fishing lodge, while offering vacation rentals and real estate sales and service. Check out www.matagordasunriselodge.com.

CAPT. GARY GRAY

Port O'Connor Seadrift

MID-COAST BAYS With the Grays

Captain Gary Gray is a full time guide, born and raised in Seadrift. He has been guiding the Seadrift/Port O’Connor region since 1986. Gary specializes in year ‘round wade fishing for speckled trout and redfish with artificial lures.

Telephone

361-785-6708

Email bayrats@tisd.net

Website

www.bayrat.com

Facebook @captsgaryandshelliegray

Well, just when our trout fishery was showing positive signs of rebounding from the freeze of 2021, Mother Nature went and pulled a fast one on us. Although the freeze we had this past January was a short one it did affect a large number of trout, redfish and black drum. The redfish and drum did not suffer nearly as much as the larger trout. I waded many areas after this recent freeze and saw numerous upper-slot trout carcasses on the shorelines, as well as kicking them up from the bottom in back lakes.

Pre-fishing the 2024 POC Freezeout Tournament in late January, my team and I caught zero trout during three days on the water. Granted we were fishing the POC waters in known big fish haunts that were holding tournament quality fish before the freeze. We did finally find some tournament grade fish further south of the POC area.

This confirmed what I and most everyone else that fishes this area seriously for big trout already knew; our trout fishery has not rebounded from the 2021 freeze and I whole-heartedly believe the 17- to 23-inch emergency slot regulation contributed to the problem. Let me explain.

When we first began fishing the 17- to 23-inch slot regulation it was fairly easy to get your three trout without culling through a lot of small fish. Fast forward a couple of months and we were culling a lot of fish.

While this was going on there were a great number of anglers wading back to the boat with fish on a stringer to verify length on a Check-It Stick. Checking length on your rod and checking on the Stick are two different things and lots of fish were being released at the boat. Most were in good shape and swam away but quite a few were noticeably weak. Still not a large problem until the dolphins got wise. It got so bad, whether releasing while wading or drifting in the

boat, the dolphins would hang around and eat everything we were releasing. And not just trout; I watched them take redfish, drum, and even flounder. It was like they didn’t have to hunt to eat; just shadow a group of waders or follow a boat!

I don’t blame the dolphins; we trained them. Fishermen could have done a much better job of releasing their fish. Shellie and I recognized the seriousness of this situation and began to employ a release technique that I will pass along for others to adopt. Hopefully, if enough people get onboard we can eliminate a lot of the problem.

When wade fishing and dolphins start showing up to get a handout, rather than simply releasing them immediately, place them instead in your floating dip net and release them when the dolphins are not so aggressive. This worked well for us and no doubt saved a lot of fish.

OK, off the soapbox. Let’s move on to what’s been happening on the water recently. Trout fishing is still a struggle in our area – compared to what it was prior to the recent January freeze. We are still catching trout but not like it should be, or even like it was in 2023. Redfishing has been off the hook and thankfully saving many days for us. Although a lot of reds died in this past freeze I really haven’t noticed a decline in the availability of slot-size fish.

I am very hopeful that the new 15- to 20-inch retention slot and three fish bag limit will be a positive step toward rebuilding our trout fishery.

Lure selections heading into spring will remain much the same as we have been using the past several months. The Texas Customs Double D has become a standby for me. I love the action and the ability to run it slowly or with quick twitches over shallow grass beds that are beginning to flourish along many shorelines. Favorite colors are the Crown Royal and Pistachio. Crown Royal has a gold insert and the Pistachio has silver, both are highly reflective and can draw strikes from the most wary trout and redfish. My other standby lures will of course be the tried and true 4” Saltwater Assassin in Purple Chicken and Magic Grass. I rig these on the 1/16-ounce Bass Assassin jigheads.

In closing I would like to make a plea to all anglers to please keep only keep what you think you might need for a fresh fish dinner. If we do not all come together and change our thinking on this our trout fishery could be headed for even worse trouble.

Fish hard, fish smart!

Sadly, I found many large trout that died during the January freeze in our back lakes. I included my size14 wading boot for comparison.

Doug landing a nice back lake redfish on a recent charter.

Upper Laguna/ Baffin

David Rowsey has 30 years in Baffin and Upper Laguna Madre; trophy trout with artificial lures is his specialty. David has a great passion for conservation and encourages catch and release of trophy fish.

Telephone 361-960-0340

Website

www.DavidRowsey.com

Email david.rowsey@yahoo.com

@captdavidrowsey

HOOKED UP WITH Rowsey

Greetings from Baffin Bay and the Upper Laguna Madre. The guys I’m fishing this morning are very selfsufficient, each in their own zone and catching fish. They started with me years ago and I’m sure they would readily admit they were very green back then. It’s really rewarding for me to see that they actually listened to all my ramblings over the years and are now way beyond the skill level of most fishermen I host on any given day. The cool part for those hovering around the average category is that anybody can cross that line into “next level” if they truly want it. Time in the water, paying attention to surroundings, casting specifically to structure holding a food supply, etc., are just a few of the things that separates average fishermen from the guys and gals in the top tier.

New trout regulations kicked in during the third week of March. In my opinion releasing all trout over 20” is definitely going to take this fishery to another level over the next few years. Since the big freeze, and the reduced bag limits that were implemented because of it, we have essentially had a three-year jumpstart toward some semblance of rebuilding toward a normal trout population. I’m a firm believer that over the next two years we will see a huge uptick in both quantity and quality.

In my younger days I was convinced that April was the month to be shallow for the best big trout bite of the year. I was partially right; it is indeed a premier month. But as I’ve gained more experience, I have also come to realize that they will always get shallow if not burned off the shorelines by constant boat traffic. But that’s another topic for another time.

Knowing all that we know now, and information being so readily at our fingertips, April is about as good as you can possibly ask for when keying on big trout. Just about every trout in the bay is looking for April’s warm shallow grass beds to do their spawning thing. A new bait supply is trickling in and tends to gather on windward shorelines, looking for the algae and other goodies trapped in that shallow grass that sustains them. So, put it all together and you have a dang good recipe for finding some of the most concentrated big trout opportunity of the year.

One suggestion I would make is to get an early start, get established in an area before the boat traffic begins, wade quietly and spend a good amount of time on your first wade. In years past it was a lot easier to just pull anchor and hit another piece of productive shoreline that hadn’t been molested by boat traffic. That luxury is almost a thing of the past, so we must fish smarter about where we start and have staying power. When the conditions are

right, even when it’s a slow bite…Grind it out!

If you have ever been into Roy’s Bait and Tackle here in Corpus Christi, you are fully aware of the incredible number of lures available for targeting trout. Their selection is mindboggling and can frazzle my judgment as to what I might try next. The truth is that just about everything hanging on the rack will catch a fish, given enough play time. Personally, despite the variety, I have adopted a very minimalist mindset.

For me, I need something that darts and can get to the bottom quickly, and nothing does this better than the straight-tail 5-inch Bass Assassin. The Double D is a very effective floater-diver that can be fished around thick grass. In the suspending category, I like the Pro Series Fat Boy and MirrOdine. Last, but not least, a couple of topwaters like the She Dog or a Top Pup by MirrOlure fills the bill nicely. These will be my go-to arsenal for targeting April trout up shallow. While there are what seems a million variations of all the lures mentioned, by nearly as many manufacturers, these are proven winners that get it done every day in the spring.

The confusing part for many anglers is what colors do you need? Here again I like to keep it simple. In our water you want a small selection of colors for clear water and something either bright or dark for stained water. My regulars would tell you that my go-to in just about any lure is white for the win.

Remember the buffalo! -Capt David Rowsey

Jason Winters made it down from Louisiana to catch many, many trout between 5- and 7.5-pounds over three days. New regs will get us back to having these kinds of days on a regular basis.

Port Mansfield

WAYNE’S Mansfield Report

Greetings from Port Mansfield! What a great winter fishing season we’ve had. The fishing success we’ve enjoyed, along with the new trout regulations enacted last month, have me very excited for the future. I cannot help but believe the three-fish bag limit and reserving trout between 20- and 30-inches from harvest will have an enormous impact toward reestablishing our once world-class fishery.

video via QR Code for more details.

Captain Wayne Davis has been fishing the Lower Laguna-Port Mansfield for over 20 years. He specializes in wade fishing with lures.

Telephone

210-287-3877

Email captwayne@kwigglers.com

Moving on to what has been happening on the water; we have made it through winter and now headed straight into spring. Personally, I would have preferred a few more weeks of winter, and I say this because trout are always heavier in the colder months. That said, though, we still have a good shot at a career-best specimen remaining as April is another strong month for big trout.

Over the course of my fishing career I have landed four trout that weighed more than ten pounds. One came this past January, two came in the month of March, and one in April. With that in mind, I can also say that most of my heavyweights (8-pounds-plus) came in lateFebruary and during March. Going strictly by the numbers, I would say March is the best month for a personal-best trout.

There are a number of factors that contribute to trout weight, and while any month has potential to produce a PB specimen, the most predominant factor seems to be colder weather.

I watched as they packed on weight this year with the arrival of each cold snap, and also watched them seeming to shed it just as quickly during each warming trend. Perhaps the bestcase scenario would be a cooler than normal early spring season with a cold snap just a week or so prior to the first spawning event.

Our tides should begin to rise soon from traditional wintertime lows, which will open more areas for us to probe, as well as providing more areas for bigger trout to stage for their first spawn. I’ll be sure to be working secondary flats off the beaten path looking for these highly-treasured fish.

Any water temperature greater than about 63° will have me tossing surface lures over potholes, hoping to convince a big trout to consider taking a closer look. When working over potholes, I like to pause a few seconds, followed by a couple of quick twitches. Immediately following those twitches is when larger fish seem mostly likely to go after it. Likewise, with suspending twitchbaits and soft plastics such as the Wig-A-Lo on a 1/16th oz jig worked into a pothole; it’s all about the pause and a couple of twitches. Keeping the bait in the strike zone those few extra seconds can be the key when targeting big trout in cooler water. Check the accompany

April will also bring us lots of windy days and I’ve come to embrace it rather than becoming discouraged. We will have to work through some muddy water, which is fine because if the fish are there they will still need to eat. A good topwater such as the Mansfield Knocker or the good ole’ KWigglers 4-inch paddle tail will still get the job done. Both have proven to be very capable arrows in your quiver that will help you have a successful day, despite less than desirable water conditions. Something worth noting about the 4-inch paddle tail; there is no doubt you can feel its vibration when making short bursts when using a sensitive rod such as the Fishing Tackle Unlimited G2 Green Rod. When I feel the vibration in my reel seat, I feel confident fish can also feel it in the water, despite muddy conditions. This lure has been around for decades and for decades it’s been able to provide results. Consider this the next time you encounter dirty water.

I am happy to report I’ve jumped back into a Yamaha and am now running the 250 SHO on my SCB Recon. A program under Yamaha I would like to let folks know about is Yamaha Rightwaters™. This is a conservation-oriented program in the sense of maintaining sustainability of our resource through education, partnership, advocacy and leadership. Yamaha Rightwaters™ champions environmental stewardship and supports marine habitat restoration, invasive species control and scientific research. All this is right in my wheelhouse, so it just made sense to jump in and work with them. Many thanks to all the companies out there who recognize the importance of our resources. Check out Yamaha Rightwaters™ when you get a chance.

Until next time, remember fresh is better than frozen.

WAYNE DAVIS

Doug Davis Jr and father (no relation to Capt. Wayne) with PB trout – CPR and tagged for Harte Institute.

Devin Rentz with a 29-plus - CPR and tagged for Harte Institute.

Arroyo Colorado to Port Isabel

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

SOUTH PADRE Fishing Scene

April is a love-hate month for me. I love that trout will begin spawning this month, and right before the first spawning event they will attain their heaviest weights of the year. If you are lucky to land a mature roe-laden female that just happens to have swallowed a large mullet, she could have potential to become your careerbest specimen. On the other hand, I hate that we could receive days on end of thirty-plus southerly wind that can turn our normally pristine waters the color of chocolate milk.

Back to the love side of April; if you have high hopes for that career best fish, like I said, this could be the month to achieve it. Many things in nature must align, though, including being in the right place at the right time.

The moon, the tides, and water temperature all play important roles in triggering that first spawning event. Nature programs them to begin spawning toward dusk, mostly during full and new moon cycles, when strong tidal currents help disperse their fertile eggs to favorable habitat for newly hatched larvae to thrive. Naturally then, evening incoming tides become optimal periods to fool a giant female spawner. Remember that these big trout may not feed every day, so plan on spending lots of time on the water, and don’t count your casts because you may surpass your arithmetic capabilities.

This past winter’s trophy trout season was the slowest I have experienced in quite a while. Plummeting temperatures during January’s cold snap definitely interrupted their patterns. We saw more big trout before that cold spell than we did afterward. I’m not saying the cold weather killed them, but it certainly caused them to relocate away from traditional wintertime staging areas. Tides levels will increase significantly this month and I’m hoping these trophy fish will respond by again staging in traditional springtime habitat. Good news for the future is the incredible numbers of smaller trout out there; and with the new regulations, look for the fishery to thrive and rebound quickly to its former world-class level.

Z-Man has a new bait called the Mulletron LT, which I recommend trying when fishing for trout in deeper water or areas with less grass. It’s basically a swimbait with a very lively tail that requires very little twitching to impart lifelike swimming action. If you haven’t seen it at your local tackle shop, go to ZManFishing.com.

Color changes often signal changes in bottom contour, and also occur along edges where bottom grasses become suddenly thicker or more scattered. Redfish will hang around the color change to camouflage their presence and intercept unsuspecting prey.

During springtime, shrimp, crabs, and other small forage are high on the redfish menu. I recommend Z-Man’s natural-looking baits such as the 3-inch MinnowZ in Redbone color, and also the scented Paddlerz in Beer Run. The Kicker CrabZ is another must-have, especially when most of the forage is smaller during spring.

Redfish tailing action is another possibility when small shrimp are plentiful and the wind really picks up in late afternoon. Quite often you will see redfish tails wagging above the surface amid swarms of swooping seagulls. If you want to catch more than one redfish out of a pod or school, try throwing on the outside of the activity and swiftly but quietly wrangle the fish away from the rest to avoid spooking them. Water clarity may not be great during April but redfish are good at locating lures that make noise or vibrate in the water.

In closing, I will say that April can be a month for outstanding angling accomplishments if you can land that personal best trout. By the same token, however, it can also be a month filled with frustration as winds can blow 30-plus or higher for many days in a row. With heavy winds, finding fishable water will be a task.

In the past, a technique that helped us turn a windy day into a successful one was fishing in late afternoon. When the bays got empty of boat traffic, the seagulls worked over tailing redfish, and trout were in the mix. The harder the wind blew, the more the birds worked over fish. This goes to show that you can sometimes use the wind to your advantage. Windy or not, I wish you the best fishing and luck finding that trout of a lifetime.

Redfish numbers remain steady and keep us busy even when the trout bite is off. Great structure to target has been potholes on grassy flats. Targeting water color changes has also been very productive.

Z-Man’s StreakZ Curly Tail fooled this solid specimen.

Joe McBride…Talk about last cast success!

FISHING REPORTS AND FORECASTS from Big Lake to Boca Chica

Trinity Bay - East Bay - Galveston Bay | James Plaag

Silver King Adventures - silverkingadventures.com - 409.935.7242

James likes the fishing in and around Galveston during the month of April. “This is normally when the patterns become more reliable, taking some of the guesswork out of the fishing. We had a wet winter, but we’ve been able to locate some schools of fish since the big rains. At the end of winter, the fishing can be better out of the boat than it is wading on lots of days, but the consistency of the wading picks up considerably once April arrives. I like to fish sandy flats with some scattered shell this time of year, in places where I see lots of bait jumping and slicks popping, ideally. The bite can be great early in the mornings if the tide is coming in nicely. We do well on an increasing variety of lures this time of year. Small topwaters like my reliable She Pup in pink work well, as do other hard baits like Catch 5s and both 51 and 52M MirrOlures. Of course, some people do really well on Lele and Paul Brown Lures, too. If the bite is slower, Bass Assassin Sea Shads work better than the other kinds of lures, at least for most people.”

Jimmy West | Bolivar Guide Service - 409.996.3054

Now that things have settled somewhat after the big rains at the end of winter, Jim expects the fishing to become more reliable in his corner of the coast. “We should have some decent fishing available in the areas close to the channel. The fishing can be great in places where shallow flats lie close to deep water, especially when incoming tides bring salty water in from the gulf. Historically, the catching on the south shoreline of East Bay closer to Bolivar is great in a scenario like this. We also have made some good catches this time of year working the mouths of drains when strong outgoing tides dump water out of the shallow corners of the bay into the main bay. Throughout the fall and winter, the bite is often best late in the days, into the early hours of night. But this time of year, things change, and the fishing is often great in the mornings. If we get calm weather, the fishing might perk up fast in places out in the middle, around Hannah’s Reef and other similar locations. We might also see a hot early run in the surf if conditions get right.”

West Galveston - Bastrop - Christmas - Chocolate Bays

Randall Groves | Groves Guide Service 979.849.7019 - 979.864.9323

Randall mentions a familiar trend in his fishing over the days and weeks leading to giving this report. “With the warming air and water temps and the rising tides, we’re finding more and more fish on shallow flats in the back-lakes and coves and along stretches of main-bay shorelines, tight to the bank. We’ve been wading on most days, catching good numbers of trout and reds on slow-sinking twitchbaits like Paul Brown Fat Boys in colors like Pearl Harbor and pink/silver. The best bite has been over a muddy bottom with some scattered shell around. One of the keys to catching with lures like these is having a rod of the right length with the right kind of flex. I prefer Lew’s and Laguna rods ranging from about 6’6” to 6’9” long, with what most would describe as light or medium-light action. It’s easier to execute subtle presentations without jerking the lures in and out of the water with rods like these. My personal favorite is a 6’9” Extreme model Laguna rod. We should see an improving topwater bite as the calendar moves into April, and we get more warm weather. Also, the glass minnow migration should crank up nicely this month.”

Matagorda Bays | Capt. Glenn Ging

Glenn’s Guide Service - 979.479.1460

www.glennsguideservice.com

The warmer water, bigger tides and hatches of shad, glass minnows and shrimp have the fish focused on feeding on smallish prey. So, downsizing lures and looking for schools of smaller baitfish congregated along windblown shorelines and points makes good sense. Our redfish action is picking up as the higher spring tides allow us to access shallow backlakes and areas in the shallow parts of shorelines where large numbers of shad are hatching out. Small spoons and soft plastics work well, as do live shrimp under corks, when reds are the target. Speckled trout are showing up in good numbers over oyster reefs in East Matagorda Bay. Drift fishing with Vudu Shrimp under Coastal Corks is paying off, as is wading shallower reefs with soft plastics like Bass Assassin Sea Shads. In West Matagorda Bay, anglers wading grass beds along the sand bars on the south shoreline have been catching good numbers of both trout and redfish. Small soft plastics and topwaters resembling a glass minnow have produced best over there. Drum action has been steady around shell reefs in both bays on both live and fresh dead shrimp, and a few bigger sheepshead are hanging around in the same areas.

Palacios | Capt. Aaron Wollam

www.palaciosguideservice.com - 979.240.8204

Fishing has been fair in our local waters over recent weeks. Cooler temperatures still have some quality fish lingering in local harbors and rivers. We have been targeting trout with live shrimp free-lined along ledges and around structures in these deeper areas. We have also seen increasing numbers of bigger fish showing up on the mudflats around the river and harbor, and we’re catching some on Paul Brown Fat Boys. The redfish bite has been solid in the bayous and creeks on Berkeley 3” shrimp rigged under 4-Horseman corks. Lately, lots of grass shrimp and small shad are starting to show up in the marshes. Over the next month or so, the hatches that occur every spring should start up in earnest, with our glass minnow run becoming the highlight of the show. Brown pelicans are a key to locating the places where the glass minnow clouds are forming. The pelicans scoop up as many as they can when they find them. Another highlight of spring will be the redfish schooling along shorelines from the mouth of Tres Palacios Bay all the way to Oyster Lake. Egrets and herons lurking in the shallows in flocks help alert anglers locate the prowling herds of reds.

Port O’Connor | Lynn Smith

Back Bay Guide Service - 361.935.6833

Lynn expects the fishing along area shorelines and in some of the backlakes to be good in the Port O’Connor area during April. “We usually get something of a bull tide this time of year. This often creates good fishing on the flats close to the jetties and the pass early in the mornings, also in the back-lakes and coves in both Espiritu Santo and San Antonio bays. We like to key on places with a mix of sand and grass on the bottom where we find good concentrations of nervous bait. Winter is over, so we’re normally not too fired up to fish for long stretches in spots where we see small numbers of baitfish. This time of year, the search is more about finding dense concentrations of bait, mostly mullet, but with an increasing variety in the species

as the weather warms. When trying to catch some of the biggest trout of the year, we’re normally pretty stubborn in sticking with lures that imitate fish, like Paul Brown Lures and other MirrOlures, also topwaters like Spook Juniors and others. Most every year, we have quite a few outstanding days on the floating plugs in April.”

Rockport | Blake Muirhead

Gator Trout Guide Service - 361.790.5203 or 361.441.3894

The fishing for both trout and redfish is usually world class during the month of April, Blake says. “Historically, the catching is good on the leeward shorelines, meaning the south shorelines, in most of the area bays in the Coastal Bend this time of year. The water stays really clear in lots of places, even when the wind is cranking off the gulf. We do best on naturallooking lures because of this. Often, the best bite for the bigger trout and the reds is really close to the emergent grass right on the shorelines. People who have no confidence fishing such shallow water sometimes struggle this time of year in places like these. Of course, it is often possible to catch smaller trout in the potholes lying in deeper water farther from the bank at times, and around some of the reefs. In fact, the fishing around mid-bay reefs can be fantastic during calm windows in spring. We do well on small, shiny chrome topwaters on some days this time of year, but we always stand ready to pull out our dark Sand Eels with bright tails if the fish aren’t blowing up our floating plugs at a fast pace.”

Upper Laguna Madre - Baffin Bay - Land Cut

Robert Zapata | rz1528@grandecom.net - 361.563.1160

Anglers always look forward to the arrival of spring, when so many things are changing. For example, there are fewer of those depressing cold, cloudy, windy days. Instead, we have more sunshine, higher air temperatures and less wind, which translates into fish moving into shallower water and staying for longer periods of time, making them easier to target by wading. As another added bonus, the speckled trout will be spawning actively, so some of them will be loaded with eggs when we catch them. TP&W says April is when the average weight of the female trout is the heaviest, so our odds increase for catching that trophy trout of a lifetime this month. The best bet is to target trout along shallow grassy shorelines, around rock formations, and in sandy potholes near shallow grass lines. Look for signs that trout are in the area by watching for jumping or flipping mullet, shad, working seagulls or popping slicks. This is a great time to fish with natural colored MirrOlure She Dogs. Also, try Bass Assassin Die Dappers in colors like chicken on a chain, trickster, salt & pepper silver phantom/chartreuse tail or plum/ chartreuse, rigged on sixteenth-ounce Assassin Spring-Lock jigheads.

Corpus Christi | Joe Mendez - www.sightcast1.com - 361.877.1230

April is a great month to target big speckled trout and redfish in the Corpus Christi area, Joe says. “We have really good fishing in a variety of places this month. The best locations vary on a daily basis, as the weather changes. If it’s really windy off the gulf, the areas around Shamrock Cove and East Flats in Corpus Bay produce good catches of both trout and reds. Those nooks and crannies over there benefit from the effects of strong winds blowing the water out in other places. Of course, the catching is often great in the Land Cut when it’s windy too. The flats adjacent to the entrance of the north end, places like Summer House, the Gutters and Rocky Slough produce excellent catches during the middle of spring every year. Topwaters and twitchbaits work well most days, and sight-casting with paddletails can be really good too, especially when winds aren’t too calm, but they aren’t howling at more than twenty knots either. If the weather’s calmer, the fishing for monster trout and reds is better on the King Ranch Shoreline and in the back of Baffin, especially in Alazan Bay.”

P.I.N.S. Fishing Forecast | Eric Ozolins

361.877.3583 - Oceanepics.com

Jackfish should be storming the surf in great numbers this month, chasing mullet and other small fish. On calm mornings, sight-casting them is possible, as they ambush bait in the shallows. Topwaters and large spoons work well for this drill. Jacks are also caught on mullet cast out for drum. The pompano are on the tail end of their migration and large numbers will move out as the water warms. Live shrimp or Fish-bites will attract late-season pomps, large whiting, black drum, and even a few sheepshead, as they begin their migration. If the water clarity is good, any of these mentioned species will be possible. If the water is dirty, things will be more of a crap shoot, and live and fresh dead baits will be required. Sharks also invade the shallows in spring. The scalloped hammerheads should be close to the beach, along with numerous blacktip sharks. As we get closer to May, the large bull sharks will start showing up on a regular basis. The hammers will be taking smaller baits such as whiting and any residual sandbar sharks or arriving bull sharks will take larger baits. After such a harsh winter, April can be really good, depending on the amount of sargassum seaweed that washes in from the east.

Port Mansfield | Ruben Garza

Snookdudecharters.com - 832.385.1431

Getaway Adventures Lodge - 956.944.4000

Things are slowly starting to warm up, which sends the fish into shallow water, where they mostly stay. In spring, the east side of the Lower Laguna is generally productive, places like the Saucer area and the spoil dumps from slightly north of Green Island to the southern end of the East Cut. Best fishing in those places usually happens in water ranging from calf to about knee-deep, depending on the tide level. It’s best to start the morning off throwing a Mansfield Knocker in Ruby Tuesday or the Zombie color. Another productive lure this time of year in the shallows is a floating custom Fat Boy or Original Paul Brown Lure in colors like boogie man, plum nasty, gringo or double bubble. KWigglers in colors like plum/chartreuse, Lagunaflauge, flomingo, truth, or Bart’s sand ninja also work well. North of town, the stretches between the second and fourth oilfield cuts are productive in spring. Up that way, we like to start the day in the shallowest areas, then work our way out to the potholes in belly-deep water to finish the day. North of Jones Cut to the area where the game warden shack used to be can also be very good.

Lower Laguna Madre - South Padre - Port Isabel

Aaron Cisneros | tightlinescharters.com - 956.639.1941

Temperature and wind speeds are on the rise lately. In the Lower Laguna Madre, fishing has been mostly productive for us on recent trips. We are finding a majority of our trout in water ranging from three to four feet deep. We’re mostly working flats where the bottom is covered by grass beds with scattered sandy potholes, in places lying adjacent to deep channels or drop-offs. Four-inch Z-Man StreakZ in redbone rigged on Eye-Strike eighth-ounce Trout-Eye jigheads have been earning more strikes than other lures. With water temperatures still on the cool side, our technique has involved working the lures pretty slow to keep them down in the water column, which will also help weed out some of the smaller fish. Redfish numbers are healthy, and we’re finding big redfish and trout to be sharing the same flats covered by water less than three feet deep. Many of these flats have bare sand bottoms, and the bite can be steady in those places at any time of the day. Early in the mornings, the trout bite has been fast on bone Spook Juniors. Later in the day, when winds pick up, the redfish bite becomes better than the trout bite in the shallows.

Clarissa Bravo Packery Channel- redfish

Stephanie Wills Galveston Bay- 21” trout

Ryan Chancey Surfside - 215 lbswordfish

Eric Castillo

Port Aransas- redfish

Jason Crocker South Packery Jetties- 36” redfish

Ryan Grantham San Antonio Bay- 33” redfish CPR

Melanie Grantham San Antonio Bay- 31” red CPR

Jack “Paw Paw” Christison Galveston - red snapper

First come – first published! Photos are judged on artistic merit and sporting ethic displayed. No stringer, cleaning table, or hanging board images allowed. Digital images only. Adjust camera to high or best quality. All images become property of TSFMag.

Email to: Photos@TSFMag.com

Include short description of your catch with name, date, bay system, etc.

Photo Gallery Guidelines

Justin & Noah Raleigh Los Suenos Costa Rica- mahi

Martha Christison East Bay- 29” redfish

Holly Chiarello Galveston- black drum

Lanae Smith

Crystal Beach- redfish

Cindy Raleigh Los Suenos Costa Rica- mahi

Hannah Raleigh Los Suenos Costa Rica- sailfish

Sarah Christison Galveston- red snapper

Rambo White Matagorda Beach- 43” personal best red!

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

Email them to pam@tsfmag.com or send by fax:

361 792-4530

Gulf Coast

Nested Redfish Nuggets

INGREDIENTS

2 redfish filets sliced into cubes

1 extra-large russet potato grated

Louisiana Fish Fry Products Seasoned Beer Batter – or you can make your own

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

12-ounce beer of choice

Peanut Oil

PREPARATION

Place redfish cubes in refrigerator while preparing the potatoes and batter.

Heat oil to 350 degrees.

Place grated potatoes in bowl of water and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Drain water, then add salt and pepper to potatoes. Divide potatoes into four equal amounts.

Dip your nesting tool in the oil and then place one pile of potato in nesting Tool; or use two strainers - one medium size and another small. Fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and place on paper towels.

Place fish in bowl of batter prepared to package instructions and coat well.

I place a large strainer over another bowl and pour the coated fish in the strainer. This allows excess batter to drain while coating the fish evenly.

Place fish in fryer one piece at a time to avoid sticking together. Fry until golden brown, remove and place on paper towels.

Place fish nuggets in basket and serve with your favorite sauce and sides.

Science Sea and the

Learning Without a Brain

You would think it’s necessary to have a brain to be able to learn new things. But at least one brainless marine creature has shown scientists otherwise. For the first time, a jellyfish recently revealed its ability to learn from experience. Scientists shared their results of an experiment in which a Caribbean box jellyfish learned to identify and avoid obstacles.

Caribbean box jellyfish are tiny—one of the smallest jellyfish in the world. At barely the size of a blueberry, these cnidarians live among the mangroves of Central America and eat plankton. But they have remarkably sophisticated vision, with 24 eyes that help them maneuver the murky waters around mangrove roots to hunt their tiny crustacean meals. Their nervous system is dispersed throughout their body but they have no brain to process information received from their eyes and other sense organs.

Because these jellies are good navigators, scientists focused on this skill to see if they could apply knowledge from past experience to a new challenge. The researchers decorated a round tank with gray and white stripes to mimic the look of mangrove roots. Then the scientists watched a Caribbean box jellyfish swim through the tank for 7.5 minutes. At first, the jellyfish repeatedly bumped into the gray stripes, mistaking them for distant roots. But eventually, the jellyfish began avoiding the gray stripes. In fact, by the time the experiment ended, it pivoted away from the gray stripes four times more often than it did at the start and it hit the wall half as often. This is known as associative learning, where animals link sensory experiences—in this case, visual and touch—to behaviors. These findings raise questions about what other brainless creatures can learn too.

Caribbean box jellyfish are quite small and are able to learn to maneuver around the mangrove roots they live among. Credit: Jan Bielecki CC BY-SA 4.0