August 2017
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about the Cover Sandra Morales of Corpus Christi is our cover angler, displaying a beautiful Upper Laguna red landed from her Hobie kayak. Sandra was fishing with her husband, kayak fishing guide, Mike Morales. Check out their website at www.finfactorycharters.com.
August 2017 VOL 27 NO 4
Contents FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS
10 Shallow Thinking 16 Maximizing the Benefits of Google Earth 22 Bodie Goes to England 26 Just Go With It 30 When to Cut and Run 36 Girls Gone Fishing
42 Let’s Ask The Pro 46 Shallow Water Fishing 50 TPWD Field Notes 52 Fly Fishing 54 Kayak Fishing Chronicles 58 TSFMag Conservation News 62 Fishy Facts 66 Inshore | Nearshore | Jetties | Passes 70 Extreme Kayak Fishing & Sharks... 100 Boat Maintenance Tips 103 Science & the Sea
Steve Hillman Kevin Cochran Martin Strarup Chuck Uzzle Joe Richard Tom Hancher
36 WHAT OUR GUIDES
66
HAVE TO SAy
76 78 80 82 84 86 88
Dickie Colburn’s Sabine Scene The Buzz on Galveston Bay The View from Matagorda Mid-Coast Bays with the Grays Hooked up with Rowsey Wayne’s Port Mansfield Report South Padre Fishing Scene
Dickie Colburn Caleb Harp Bink Grimes Gary Gray David Rowsey Wayne Davis Ernest Cisneros
REGULARS
86
8 Editorial 74 New Tackle & Gear 90 Fishing Reports and Forecasts 94 Catch of the Month 98 Gulf Coast Kitchen
98 6 | August 2017
Jay Watkins Scott Null Nathan Kuhn Scott Sommerlatte Dave Roberts CCA Texas Stephanie Boyd Curtiss Cash Eric Ozolins Chris Mapp UT Marine Science Institute
Editor and Publisher Everett Johnson Everett@tsfmag.com VICE PRESIDENT PRODUCTION & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Pam Johnson Pam@tsfmag.com Office: 361-785-3420 Cell: 361-550-9918 National sales representative Bart Manganiello Bartalm@optonline.net regional sales representative Patti Elkins Patti@tsfmag.com Office: 361-785-3420 Cell: 361-649-2265 PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Donna Boyd Donna@tsfmag.com Circulation Subscription – product sales Linda Curry Store@tsfmag.com Design & Layout Stephanie Boyd Artwork@tsfmag.com Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine is published monthly. Subscription Rates: One Year (Free Emag with Hard Copy) Subscription $25.00 E-MAG (electronic version) is available for $12.00 per year. Order on-line: www.tsfmag.com Make checks payable to: Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine Attn: Subscriptions P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, Texas 77983 * Subscribers are responsible for submitting all address changes and renewals by the 10th of the prior month’s issue. Email store@tsfmag.com for all address changes or please call 361-785-3420 from 8am - 4:30pm. The U.S. Postal Service does not guarantee magazines will be forwarded. how to contact tsfmag: Phone: 361-785-3420 fax: 361-785-2844 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, Texas 77983 Physical Address: 58 Fisherman’s Lane, Seadrift, TX 77983 Web: www.TSFMAG.com photo gallery: photos@tsfmag.com Printed in the USA. Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine (ISSN 1935-9586) is published monthly by Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, Inc., 58 Fisherman’s Lane, Seadrift, Texas 77983 l P. O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 © Copyright 1990 All rights reserved. Positively nothing in this publication may be reprinted or reproduced. *Views expressed by Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine contributors do not necessarily express the views of Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine. Periodical class permit (USPS# 024353) paid at Victoria, TX 77901 and additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, Inc., P. O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983.
EDITORIAL
Fishing’s Great – Don’t Let the Heat Discourage You!
August, scorcher that it is, is likely the only month when speckled trout are in danger of being bumped from top billing. Unless, of course, you happen to be an avid surf angler. Though wickedly hot, the eighth month is also known for flat seas and a calm surf zone. Calm wind and blistering temperatures may have a way of slowing bay fishing but there is no better recipe for wading the first and second bar along gulf beaches. Baitfish infiltrate the surf zone and flashy specks can be seen slurping dusky anchovies, juvenile menhaden and plump mullet. Topwater action can be second to none. Also on the card is the nearshore smorgasbord of kingfish, tripletail on weedlines, and the mighty tarpon. Luckily, this year, we can also include a quick jaunt to a nearby platform for red snapper. The threeday-weekend snapper season handed down by the US Department of Commerce is being well participated and, finally, during August the small-boat fleet gets an even chance. The only fly in the ointment is the likelihood of tropical disturbances. This past week the TSFMag team made the trek to Orlando for the annual ICAST/IFTD trade show. The full name of the event is International Conference of Allied Sportfishing Trades/International Fly Tackle Dealers Trade Show. What an event it was! I am very pleased to report that the fishing industry is very healthy and thriving. The array of
8 | August 2017
new products appeared the strongest ever. This event is billed as the granddaddy of all fishing trade shows and, as such, serves as a unique bellwether of not only the innovation and investment in R&D by manufacturers large and small, but also a profound statement of their willingness and ability to bring so many new goods to market. American Sportfishing Association, organizer and promoter of the event, announced that ICAST/IFTD has outgrown the West Wing of the Orange County Convention Center and will move next year to occupy the larger North and East Wings of that complex – another solid indicator of the health of the recreational fishing industry. We are planning a Best of Show recap in the September issue. In wrapping this column, I again want to urge everyone to take a kid fishing before the school bells begin ringing. Jay Watkins has an inspiring article in this issue that speaks clearly to the importance of getting kids outdoors and involved in fishing. Away from cell phones and iPads, away from social media and video games. Unless parents take the initiative, a huge and wonderful outdoor world might be missed by an entire generation of young Texans. Sign the kiddos up for the CCA Texas STAR Tournament and take them fishing. The tournament runs through Monday of Labor Day Weekend and still plenty of time for a lucky young angler to snag a college scholarship.
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STORY BY STEVE HILLMAN
Gulls and terns working above a school of trout in very skinny water by Galveston Bay standards - 1.5 feet.
H
istorically, August is one of the hottest months of the year and supposedly most of the trout here on our part of the coast can be found in some of the deepest water available. After all, it sure makes sense because water temperatures are cooler down deep and dissolved oxygen levels are often higher beneath as well. I promise you that 99% of the articles, DVD’s and fishing shows out there will preach this. While mostly true, there are exceptions. The exceptions I will discuss are specific to the Upper Texas Coast as such occasions here would not be considered an anomaly in other regions such as the Lower Texas Coast. Areas such as the Lower Laguna Madre for example have trout populations that have adapted to higher salinities and water temperatures and therefore possess different behavioral patterns than trout in our region. It has been documented that different subpopulations exist along different parts of the Texas Coast. These subpopulations are often referred to as clines. A cline simply describes a population within a species which is adapted to specific environmental conditions or form of species that exhibit gradual phenotypic and/or genetic differences over a geographic area. In other words, trout (in this case) have adapted to salinities, water temperatures, habitat and food supplies for the area they inhabit. Subsequently, their behavior, growth rates, spawning patterns, etc. correspond to the elements in which they live.
As an aside, this could be one of the reasons there are more 30-plus inch trout caught in bays and estuaries south of Galveston Bay. We can save that discussion for another day I reckon. Back on July 31, 2011 a really nice family came in from Omaha, Nebraska for a little half day trip with their son. It was one of those mornings where you could tell by the thick hot pre-dawn air that it was going to be a scorcher by mid-morning. My well-thought-out master plan had us catching trout along deep spoil reefs as the sun pierced the horizon then hitting a few redfish areas. Catching a few trout then chasing open water schools of reds to stay cooled off is a strategy that has worked for me many times. Well, not on this day. I hit every hump, well pad and patch of shell I knew in 8 to 11 feet of water with only a couple of keeper trout and some STAR Tournament quality gafftop to show for it. Around 10 O’clock I decided to tour the mid-bay reefs while looking for signs of life. Without a breath of wind, it was impossible to see slicks and we couldn’t cover water drifting because the tide was dead. After running about 25 miles I had no other choice than to turn around and head back towards the ship channel while praying the entire time that our deepwater fish would be ready to cooperate when we got there. Instead of running across the middle of the bay I decided to hug the shoreline, hoping to run across a school of shallow water redfish Matt showing off one of many solid trout caught by making long casts literally against the bank on a hot summer day.
12 | August 2017
(top right) This 9.25-pounder landed by the author came from a shallow shoreline school. (bottom right) Rick Lorfing landed his jig perfectly amid mud boils in less than 2 feet of water.
on the way. I needed to get them on some kind of action before the end of their half-day trip and things weren’t looking all that good at this point. Call it divine intervention or just blind luck but there was a group of terns tight to the shoreline feasting on shrimp that were getting blasted in about a foot of water. I killed the big motor and proceeded to troll towards them until I ran out of water while still more than 30 yards out of casting distance. We had two choices at this point; we could sit there and watch the frenzy or I could get out and push the boat towards the school. The bottom was firm and I only lost my flip flop a couple of times, but before long the entire family was catching
Steve Hillman
Contact
really nice trout in inches of water in the middle of one of the hottest days of the year. Once that school played out we did the same thing down the shoreline but this time they were redfish. It was very rare to see those fish that shallow in those conditions. They obviously followed the shrimp and there was deeper water nearby in which they could return once the frenzy ended. On a more recent trip I experienced another unusual occurrence. We had been catching plenty of trout on mid-bay reefs and channel spoils but the boat traffic was such that my nerves simply could no longer handle the chaos. I took Adam and Charlie to a small shallow cove just so we could have room to fish without dealing with the traffic. There we caught nice trout in less than two feet of water over mud and shell on soft plastics and waking baits. One would expect favorable results in an area like that during the winter months but not necessarily in the heat of the summer. This time I think the trout were up shallow because of hordes of small shad. Just when you think you know Elyse and Jillian a little about trout patterns and behaviors they show Simmons had you that you don’t. a great time It has always been discussed that larger trout seem catching shallow water reds with to have a lone-type behavior and I truly believe this their dad, Jay. to be the case for several reasons. We have a large This one was just number of sharks in our bays especially during the over 27 inches warmer months. Trout frequenting skinny areas would and 8.5 pounds! seem to stay out of harm’s way while maintaining their apex predator status. In addition, commotion caused Charlie Melton primarily from heavy boat traffic out deep would seem tricked this 24-inch trout in less than a to push a fair number of specks toward the shorelines. foot of water in an My observations indicate that there is almost always area better known deep water nearby for the trout to seek refuge when for winter fishing, circumstances allow. In most cases, deeper cooler mud and shell. water is within 200 yards of where we find these fish. There doesn’t have to necessarily be a buffet waiting for them on an adjacent shallow flat either. A few mullet or a couple of pods of shad are more than enough for them to ascend to the shallows even if it’s for a short period of time. Over the years I have witnessed a change in the patterns of spotted seatrout here in Galveston Bay. I’m not sure if the changes are a result of warmer winters, fishing pressure or diminishing habitat. It could be a result of all of the above. I also believe that our trout are slowly adapting to environmental changes and it’s changing their behavior. There’s no doubt that things are different than they were even 10 years ago. We catch fish in areas that we shouldn’t and don’t catch them in areas that we should. Whether it’s an isolated group of trout on a stretch of barren shoreline or a school out in 10 feet of water, there seems to be a more random element in our daily experiences. We always preach seasonal patterns when it comes to targeting trout and reds. We should definitely stick to those core textbook strategies when hunting our targeted species. However, we should probably slow down a little on the way to those deepwater areas where we’re supposed to find trout and check out what may be happening on the shorelines. You know – the skinny stuff – where the trout aren’t supposed to be. 14 | August 2017
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. Phone 409-256-7937 Email captsteve@hillmanguideservice.com Web www.hillmanguideservice.com
A combination of grass, sand and rocks covers the bottom on the stretch of shoreline where the captain caught this 28-inch trout. Google Earth clearly reveals the general layout of the area.
STORY BY KEVIN COCHRAN
T
hrough connection to powerful cameras carried by satellites constantly orbiting our planet, Google Earth’s website compiles stunningly clear, digital images of all parts of the surface of the globe. Significantly for Texas saltwater anglers, these images reveal the bottom topography of any estuary holding reasonably clear water. Studious captains consequently use these pictures to refine their knowledge of the anatomy of the waterways in which they fish. Ideally, the study of Google Earth images enhances one’s angling efforts in at least three ways, enabling more detailed mental templates, facilitating identification of productive spots and illuminating accurate perception of the safest pathways to navigate. Most coastal anglers started learning the waters by using oldschool, paper maps. In one way, crude resources like these provide superior data—they include references to depths at specific locations all over the depicted area. Google Earth images do not, since they simply record what the cameras’ eyes can see. Users who wish to maximize the influence of using Google Earth must learn to approximate depths through analysis of the images, especially when trying to learn about areas they haven’t physically visited. Generally, water of different depths appears different This Google Earth image, from January colors, and the 2014, clearly shows the configuration specific hue depends of a major rock formation in Baffin on what constitutes Bay, including water of various depths and/or covers the lying over sand, grass and rocks. bottom. Relatively
clear water of various depths lying over a homogenous mud or sand bottom usually takes on some shade of green. Learning to make judgments about depth depending on the subtle differences in these verdant hues takes some time and effort. Of course, in areas where grass beds, oyster reefs or rocks cover the bottom in clear water, the color/depth puzzle becomes more complex. Some images in the database provide higher resolution than others, regardless of the location they depict. Additionally, images taken of Middle and Lower-Coast bays generally prove more useful, since the water in those areas holds the best average clarity. Silty bays like those on the Upper Coast hold water which the cameras’ eyes can’t penetrate as effectively, in some cases disrupting a user’s ability to
TSFMAG.com | 17
perceive water of various depths and Richard Garcia tossed a soft plastic masking bottom features. Nonetheless, all along a subtle drop-off between coastal anglers in the state can derive some shallower, grassy bottom and slightly benefit from studying the pictures in the deeper, mostly sandy bottom, to entice a bite from this fat female trout. Google Earth database. Part of the process related to learning to approximate the depths of water represented by pictures viewed on the screen involves finding the clearest available images for the area. This practice requires learning how to use the View menu in the toolbar provided by the site. Clicking on the View menu reveals several selections, one of which reads Historical Imagery. Selecting View>Historical Imagery activates the time-scale displayed at the top left of the screen. Sliding the toggle button along the time-line moves one through the accumulated catalog of images recorded for the area chronologically. Most of the older images stored in the database prove inferior to new ones in at least two ways. For one thing, they store potentially irrelevant data, meaning what they can allow one to identify and compile lists of potentially productive depict may have changed dramatically over the years, depending spots to investigate. on what human and/or natural elements subsequently affected the In order to do so, one uses the Add Placemark tool, which marks landscape or body of water. Also, the cameras used to capture newer a spot on the screen using latitude/longitude coordinates. When images provide superior resolution, so recently captured pictures compiling a list of placemarks, a wise idea involves saving them in a look better and tend to show more details of the bottom topography. folder in the Places list. To do so, right-click on My Places in the menu Consequently, when using Google Earth to learn more about an and select Add>Folder, then name the folder appropriately. This allows unfamiliar area, one should scroll through the newer images (dating for storing all the marks for an area in the same folder, for simple back maybe ten years or so, if necessary) to reveal which ones show viewing, and to facilitate transfer to the GPS. the bottom features most clearly. Eventually, uploading placemarks (waypoints) into a GPS unit Using a sharp, relatively recent image of the bay allows one to facilitates precise exploration of the sites. Google Earth can import and grasp a basic template of the layout of the estuary, including its use .gpx files, the type specific to Garmin devices, but it creates .kml depths in various parts. Locating deep holes, shallow structural files in its database. So, in order to transfer Google Earth waypoints elements and the transitional zones between those kinds of places from the site to GPS units, users must convert the .kml files to the types of files compatible This image shows a with their units. I’ve outlined these path, or track, drawn simple processes in my recently in Google Earth with completed product titled Achieving A the Add Path tool. Tech-Savvy Angler. Saving waypoints for investigation after studying them in Google Earth, then transferring them to the GPS provides a much more reliable outcome potential than simply venturing over to the location without any data on the GPS screen. Conditions at the time might easily inhibit one’s ability to see any shallow structures clearly, creating difficulty for captains attempting to find spots they previously identified in Google Earth images. In addition to saving waypoints in the GPS, printing out images and carrying them in the boat while exploring new areas might enhance exploration efforts, by allowing one to check the depths of various parts of the places shown in the pictures, either through the use of sonar equipment, or manually. This could finalize the processes involved in generating the clearest, most complete mental template for the areas in the mind of the angler using the techniques. 18 | August 2017
Users of Google Earth can also generate useful track lines and transfer them into their GPS units in a manner similar to the one used to create lists of waypoints. In order to generate new tracks in the program, one selects the Add Path tool. Clicking on the Add Path tool opens a window on the screen and converts the mouse arrow to a box. By left-clicking the mouse, one can then start a line at a precise point on the screen, and by holding the left side of the mouse clicked, one can draw a line across the screen continuously, creating a path, which can be converted into a track line. As with waypoints, one can convert these lines to formats which GPS units can read and send them to those units. Doing so allows one to venture into unfamiliar areas with a basic sense of the safest routes to use. Of course, one cannot create track lines as precisely using Google Earth as one can while generating them in the boat under excellent navigating conditions. So, captains using track lines generated in the program should proceed with caution, revising the lines as necessary, based on observations made while on the water. This process proves somewhat simple too, at least for anglers who completely grasp the interconnected capabilities of GPS units and Google Earth. This brings a basic point about using Google Earth back to the forefront—the software serves more for reference and study purposes than as an aid to safe navigation, when compared with the GPS unit itself. One can certainly use Google Earth to create both waypoints and tracks, to facilitate learning the basics of fishing and navigating in new areas. While doing so, one should always remain cognizant of the potential pitfalls associated with the activity, and proceed with extreme caution until able to verify the precision of data entered into the GPS through study of Google Earth images. Potentially, this means revising the data based on visual observations made on the scene. Google Earth plays a primarily research-based role in the quiver of weapons used by the tech-savvy angler. The images in this remarkable database can help studious captains learn about the bottom features of our bays better than any other tool. Over time, after gaining familiarity with how the images look, what they represent in terms of depth and bottom types, most anglers begin to discern spots holding high potential for productivity. By expanding the user’s comprehension of the anatomy of the waterways, Google Earth provides a valuable and necessary service in the search for a more extensive catalog of productive spots. In that way, maximizing the benefits of using Google Earth technology contributes mightily to the quest for consistency.
Contact
Kevin Cochran
20 | August 2017
Kevin Cochran is a full-time fishing guide at Corpus Christi (Padre Island), TX. Kevin is a speckled trout fanatic and has created several books and dvds on the subject. Kevin’s home waters stretch from Corpus Christi Bay to the Land Cut.
Trout Tracker Guide Service Phone Email Web
361-688-3714 kevxlr8@mygrande.net www.FishBaffinBay.com www.captainkevblogs.com
STORY BY MARTIN STRARUP
D
oug Sellers’ name appeared on Bodie’s caller ID. “Hello Bodie. I will be flying to England next month on business and I would like you to accompany me if you might have interest.” “I truly appreciate the invitation, Doug, but I don’t have a passport. And, well, I don’t know how I would take to flying over the ocean,” Bodie replied. “We have plenty of time to get your passport and, trust me, the flight is a piece of cake in my private jet. I would really like for you to go with me.” “Well, tell you what…let me talk to Mr. Connor and see what he thinks. How many days do you think we’ll be gone?” “I would say that allowing time for my business meetings and then showing you around London, about ten days.” “Hmm, that’s a long time to be away from the ranch. I’ll run it by the boss and I will let you know as soon as I can. OK?” Sellers understood quite fully Bodie’s job commitment and that he would be standing by. Wow, England! Bodie pondered flying to a foreign country and chuckled. Well, he thought, if I do get to go, I sure hope I don’t get the London Homesick Blues like Ol’ Gary P. Nunn. Bodie got with Monroe and discussed some issues that needed attention on the ranch and made sure that Monroe had the trucks lined up to haul the cattle that were going to a sale. “I’m glad you got Gary and his crew to haul the cattle Monroe,” Bodie said. “His crews are the best at what they do and every one of those boys is honest and hard working.” “I wouldn’t think of using anyone else, unless maybe Gary’s bunch was tied up on some other haul,” Monroe replied. After they finished going over all that needed to be done, Bodie drove to Mr. Connor’s home to discuss some business and see what he
thought about Douglas Sellers’ invitation. “To be honest, Bodie, I don’t see how you can turn down an invitation like that!” Mr. Connor said. “I really like the country myself, and if you get the time to visit some of the gunmaker’s shops, you’ll no doubt see some things you wish you could afford.” “Well then, if you can do without me for ten days or so, I think I’ll just take Doug up on his offer. But I don’t know if I’m ready for England.” Bodie joked. “I think it’s going to be more like whether England ready for Bodie!” Mr. Connor said with a grin. Bodie phoned Doug Sellers with the news. If the offer was still on the table, he was ready to go. “I’m so very pleased you can go.” Doug said excitedly. “You are going to have the best time and see so many things. You may not want to come home.” “Oh, I’ll be ready to come home, of that you can be sure and certain – unless they have speckled trout and redfish over there,” Bodie replied laughing. Douglass took Bodie through the process of obtaining a passport and advised that he should send the completed application to his Houston office where the staff would have it expedited in time for their trip. “Whatcha going to Victoria for?” Tommy asked. “I need to get a passport application so I can go to England with Douglass Sellers,” Bodie informed his friend. Tommy started snorting and almost choked, and then squeaked out, “England? What in the world are you going to do in England?” “Well, Tommy, Doug has some business there and he’s going to fly me in his private jet and show me London and the area around there.” “I already have a passport, Bodie. So, I might as well go with you to make sure you stay out of trouble.” TSFMAG.com | 23
“Why sure, Tommy. I don’t see why we can’t surprise him, I’m sure he’ll be happy to have you along.” “By the way Doug, what kind of jet do you have?” Tommy asked. “It’s a Gulfstream V.” “Oh man, even your jet has something to do with saltwater!” Tommy said with excitement. “I beg your pardon, Tommy. Oh, you mean Gulfstream, why yes I guess it does,” Doug said while laughing. Tommy went to his new safe and found his passport and it was still good for a few years, which was a relief to him. He started thinking about everything that he would need on a trip to England and began compiling a list. Let’s see. I’m going to take my two-piece rod and a small Shimano reel so I can fish in that Thames River that I always hear about… Tune in next month for Part-II of Bodie’s big adventure
Martin Strarup
Contact
“The only way you would be going with me is if you were invited by Doug, and I don’t see that happening buddy.” “So Bodie gets homesick if he’s not around his friends?” Douglas Sellers asked Tommy. “Oh yeah, he gets just plum grouchy and irritating when he’s away from his fishing buddies for too long.” Tommy replied. “I think you mean irritable, not irritating,” Doug corrected. “Yeah, right, that too. Just plain irritable and irritating when he’s not with a longtime buddy,” Tommy said. Doug was silent for a few moments. “Well Tommy, would you like to fly to England with us?” he asked. “Do you have food and stuff to drink on your jet, and is it going to cost me anything?” Tommy asked. “Why of course we have a chef on the plane, as well as most anything you could want to drink. And no, it won’t cost you a dime,” Doug said. “You betcha I’m your man, Mr. Sellers. I’ll keep Bodie out of trouble and entertained while you’re doing your business and stuff and that way we won’t have any trouble with the Bubbles.” “Bubbles?” Doug quizzed him. “Yeah, you know those English policemen.” “I think you mean Bobbies,” Doug corrected. “Them too, ‘cause we don’t want them whacking on Bodie with one of those big sticks they carry around.” Tommy explained. “Well we certainly don’t want that,” Doug chuckled. “Oh, say Doug, uh, maybe we don’t tell Bodie I’m going so it can be a surprise. OK?”
Martin Strarup is a lifelong saltwater enthusiast and outdoorsman. Martin is also a collector and dealer of vintage fishing tackle and lures, especially those made in Texas. Email
Trouthunter@swbell.net
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24 | August 2017
Eric and Seamus Gildea display the opportunities of fishing the Sabine marsh. Back-to-back redfish and largemouth bass!
STORY BY CHUCK UZZLE
A
s long as I have been writing and presenting seminars I have professed my love of all things fishing. Regardless the venue, method, or species, I truly enjoy the sport. Sharing a day on the water with anglers of varied skill levels always brings out the best in what the sport has to offer. Watching inexperienced anglers get that first real taste of success is about as big a reward as a guide could hope to receive. The thrill and wonder in their eyes and voices reminds me why I enjoy introducing them to this fantastic pastime. On the complete other end of the spectrum are the experienced anglers who offer a different type of reward, one that comes from many days on the water filled with success and failure alike. Those type of anglers who can truly appreciate how special certain things like big trout, leopardspotted redfish, or any number of other truly remarkable events can be. To see an angler of great experience and advanced age reverently hold the caliber of fish that many could only dream of landing is memorable and a joy to relive each time you share the boat together. Easily, the majority of fishermen just want to catch fish and the method in which they do it is not really all that important. There are however those who cannot imagine nor care to entertain the thought of fishing a style or technique different than what they normally use. To some degree I can appreciate this mentality but I personally don’t subscribe to that line of thinking. I have my own preferences on methods, gear, and tackle but I also have no problem trying a new style or reverting to an older technique to get a bite. Some of the absolutely best days I have ever had fishing revolved around standing on the bank of a stock tank watching your basic red and white bobber do its job. We can all tell stories about our childhood and how we got started fishing by chasing bream at the local pond, that’s not a new story but it’s certainly a good one. I can fast forward that story about 25-years and get an even bigger kick out of it. Dickie Colburn, Johnny Cormier and I had just completed our two-week Coast Guard captain’s license school and it had been far too long since either of us had been on the water. On the last day of the class we had an extended lunch period so we made a break for a small pond that was owned by our good friend Ronnie Robison. Ronnie always left a small cane pole and a little jar of Berkley Gulp baits that his grandkids used near the pond so anyone who had a youngster could always fish. The three of us nearly fought to see who got to catch the first fish. Three TSFMAG.com | 27
28 | August 2017
This beast of a redfish pulled the Boga Grip to 14-pounds!
days anchored along the breaks, catching terrific numbers of fish, smiling the entire time. On more than one occasion I have been able to convince the artificial-only folks to come over to the dark side and throw a live shad with me. Once that first really good trout comes to surface, followed by another and then an even bigger redfish, all that fierce loyalty to artificial lures goes out the window, at least for the rest of the outing. The name of the game is enjoying the sport, not punishing yourself for the sake of being hardheaded. Anglers that relent and actually give the live bait program a chance usually end up having a good time and are genuinely happy to salvage their day. Free time is valuable and there is no reason to pass up the opportunity for a good day when our preferred techniques are non-productive. We have had an eventful first half of 2017 and the second half looks to be even better. The fresh water that has plagued us has also blessed us with some other opportunities. My redfish trips have become more multi-species events as the largemouth bass have shown up in the marsh in a big way. We are catching our usual redfish and plenty of bass as well on the same topwater plugs and soft plastics under rattling corks. The pattern has been the same and that should continue to be a solid option. Now that the wind is finally letting up the open lake is kicking out some great catches of speckled trout under the birds and a few big fish for the waders. I am certainly looking forward to the coming months as everything from the gulf to the rivers will just completely go nuts. Lots of options means great things for the fishermen and that’s exactly what we all want.
Chuck Uzzle
Contact
grown men huddled over a bobber and cheering every bite as if we had just won the biggest tournament in the history of fishing. I will never forget that. Now with all that said, it’s understandable that some folks won’t change their tactics, or at least change them willingly. I always enjoy seeing folks who are dead set against fishing a particular way finally give in and try something different, and actually enjoy it. More often than not, the ultrahardcore guys who have sworn a solemn vow to either go artificial or fly only, will never give in and probably not budge an inch so we can basically write off that tiny portion of the population. As for the rest of the world, there is an array of opportunities out there for you to try. Using a different method doesn’t make you less of an angler, on the contrary, it Author showing off a makes you more versatile and ultimately “copper tank” Sabine catches you more fish. Let’s take a look marsh redfish. at those that are willing to just go with it and try something out of the ordinary. In general, there are two groups who will switch tactics when necessary. First are the “open-minded” fly fishermen. I say open-minded because these folks are usually converted conventional anglers who were seeking another way to challenge themselves and they chose fly fishing. Most of these are anxious to learn how to become better fly anglers but are not so stubborn that they won’t try something else. A typical example would be an angler on the front of my skiff trying to conquer the mystery of a double haul in a 15-plus mile per hour wind and becoming increasingly frustrated by the minute. At a point like this I politely offer a spinning rig so the day can be salvaged and the angler can do what they came to do – relax, catch fish, and generally enjoy their time on the water. After a few casts with the conventional tackle and perhaps a fish or two, the stress level diminishes and an enjoyable time is had by all. By being willing to change up the gear and tactics, the angler has now taken advantage of the situation rather than letting their pride and undesirable conditions get the better of them. Next the anglers who just cannot imagine themselves throwing anything but artificial lures. I applaud their efforts and their singleminded loyalty to lures. There are occasions though when the fish in the open lake just refuse to cooperate or weather intervenes. One of the best alternatives for us here on Sabine is to retreat to the deeper water of the Sabine River and set up shop. I have spent countless
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
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STORY BY JOE RICHARD
Keep casting for more fish, or cut and run from this approaching storm?
V
eteran fishermen have encountered this problem many times: when a storm appears on the horizon, when do you cut and run? Or hunker down and take shelter? There are countless variables to this situation for wade, pier and jetty fishermen, and all boaters. Wind, rain and lightning are a constant summer threat. Can you judge that storm, dodge it or reach shelter in time? It happens every summer. Last year, Miss Amy and I were at the POC big jetties when a moderate storm with lightning came looming from the Colorado River. We watched it, catching a couple of nice redfish, but were finally flushed out of the pocket, so to speak, and none too soon. Amy voted to head back to town, but I knew a protected cove only a half-mile down the shoreline and away from the storm. Better yet, there were houses. Crossing whitecaps, we sailed into smooth water and tied up to someone’s dock, nobody home. I eyed the house 20 yards away and distant lightning, ready to invite ourselves under their house if need be. Sorry, trespass rules don’t apply with me when lightning starts hitting close; I’d rather have a heart attack than be fried from the sky. Soon the storm veered at the last minute and headed off towards Port Lavaca. We fished that friendly cove for a few more minutes and then headed back to the jetty. And had it all to ourselves. Well, some days you make the right call. We know that area well. The trouble with fishing new areas is you don’t really know the lay of the land. Or have first-hand knowledge of shelter or short-cut escape routes. Four summers ago, we found this out the hard way after trailering our jonboat all the way to mighty Boca Grande Pass in Florida, where countless tarpon are caught. It was late-July and the place quiet, the tarpon and crowds had moved on. We made some drifts and saw a few rolling tarpon. That afternoon a decent storm came up from the southwest with some fairly close lightning, one bolt hitting an anchored sailboat a half-mile away. We were eight miles from the public boat ramp, but our big Ford van was parked only 60 yards away at the state park. So, we pulled the boat up on shore as best we could on the bay side, tossed the anchor through a big forked tree, TSFMAG.com | 31
and ran for the van. Behind us it sounded like artillery. We then drove morning) well, all we can do is duck and cover. around town and had lunch. Great memories over the years. One summer we were surrounded We returned to the boat an hour later. The storm was mostly by black sky and lightning offshore, and I kept the boat tied to gone except for drizzle, but we were shocked to see waves crashing the Gulf platform. It was a big one with overhead structure and over the boat’s stern. It was full of water, sand and crushed shell, presumably a lightning rod. A bolt struck the rig about 80 feet away, with whitecaps hammering over the motor. Three of us worked like jumped down the corner pipe and into the water. We were deafened demons to bail the boat out. Amy held a plywood deckboard in and dazzled and mostly thought we were dead. But we revived the water as a seawall, so that whitecaps stopped refilling the boat. and soon had second thoughts about hanging around there much I couldn’t dig down through sand to the drain plug, but we had a longer. The dark sky then brightened exactly in the right direction, bucket as always and bailed out the water. Swung the bow into the Pass Cavallo, and we bolted out of there and “ran for daylight,” as Earl waves, jumped in, cranked the engine and oldest son Ian and I took Campbell used to say. Behind us there were more lighting strikes but off in a light rain over the two-foot waves, running a half mile north to they receded as the miles went by. Back at the Pass it was hot and a protected cove with several homes. If we’d only known about that sunny. But no snapper, unfortunately. cove before…but we’d just discovered it while driving around those Almost everyone has ample boat horsepower these days, to scoot quiet streets with the car. Back there in calm water, we found an overgrown little boat ramp amongst the mangrove trees, called Amy with a soggy cell phone. She arrived and we soon pulled the boat out. Saving a long ride back to the county ramp. It was a lesson learned—get the lay of the land before bad weather hits. At least make a mental note of handy shelter, a potential refuge from wind and lightning, even if it’s an old fishing shack. Several summers ago in Port O’Connor there was a really bad afternoon forecast, a storm to arrive at midday. A two-boat charter headed offshore out of Clark’s Marina, and later came limping back after a terrible storm. One thankful angler climbed out and literally kissed that old creosote dock, thankful for solid structure under his soggy feet. Worse, his partner had to shake out his pants because the waves and lightning had literally scared the you-know-what out of him. It was an ugly thing to see, and there was nothing to be done…All eight anglers and two captains looked like drowned rats. Another captain had returned minutes before to witness the scene. He’d fished close to town, but Time to Go: Even this big boat with cabin This tiny tropical shower is nothing has decided to split the scene, with an to be alarmed about, and actually still had to seek refuge in one of the bayside shacks approaching storm only minutes away. heralds good fishing weather. nearby. His clients stayed dry, but lightning struck their plywood cabin and the explosion knocked everyone flat. He said they all got an electric jolt, but nothing serious. Overall it was a bad day for local fishermen. Every boat captain has a responsibility to get his passengers back to the dock in one piece, and hopefully in a frame of mind where they will return to the sport. It can be assumed that the older captains, who have seen plenty of storms, know how to dodge most of them. But each storm is different in size and intensity. Also, they don’t move in a constant direction and speed. They can stop, energize, change direction and then lunge right at you. All we can do is stay alert, keep a weather AP handy, or have a friend who will monitor the weather and call. Judge each storm and act accordingly. If an epic storm arrives as it does every few years (hopefully not on a Saturday 32 | August 2017
miles along the shore, with a low tide unfortunately, keeping just ahead of the storm, but the darn thing caught us anyway by hooking around inland and cutting us off. We got soaked in the bayou only three hundred yards from the ramp. Got off fairly easy, because lightning was distant and there was no wind. The rain quit after 10 minutes while we put the boat on the trailer. It was a harmless shower and we probably could have sat it out under a tarp, but it was late in the day and we already had some nice trout. It goes without saying that every storm is different. I must have done something right after all these years of surviving storms, or I wouldn’t be here. At this point I’m not thinking about getting a bigger boat, but maybe more horsepower to outrun these darn things.
Joe Richard
away from an approaching storm, if that storm isn’t blocking the way home. I seem to be an exception to the rule, with my own craft running maybe 30 knots on a good day if I only have a trim Miss Amy on board. If I have two big guys on a charter, well, the boat runs slower. I don’t use a steel prop for more speed, because I often fish around rocks. Recently we dallied a little too long fishing a shoreline, with a little storm further down the shore and away from our boat ramp. I floored the engine for six
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
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A bad storm with lightning had us shuffling down the length of the slippery jetty at Port Aransas, lightning hitting right behind us. No cover in the rocks and we had to wait for the ferry boat…
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ER ANCH H M O S BY T O T O Y & PH STOR
M
y 11-year-old granddaughter, Sage Thomas, decided it would be great fun if her Papa took her and three girlfriends (Ally Tribe, Karlee Mathis, and Kambrie Toppel) to Port O’Connor and taught them how to wade fish. Of course, this had to be preceded by a shopping trip to Bass Pro and Academy for their “outfits.” The foray to these venues found fishing shirts, pants, CCA T-shirts and hats, as well as stylish polarized sun glasses. Sage’s mom said they looked like a CCA advertisement. The shirts fell short until names were embroidered on each. Now we were stylin’ for the coast! As it had been for most of this spring, Memorial Weekend was windy and a real challenge to fish in. Undaunted, my girls were up early each day at 5:00 AM, (really, Papa?) eating a hearty breakfast of Cocoa Crispies with chocolate milk on top, and tacos. The first morning started with a quick lesson on how to use a spinning reel, buckling on RayGuard boots, how inflatable suspenderstyle PFDs worked. The “auto” part of the PFD lesson must not have stuck, as Ally promptly blew hers up. She must have stepped off in a gut that required her to dip low. This was in knee deep water. The first two days were fished primarily with croakers on circle hooks. A dent in the croaker population occurred primarily because Papa could not keep them alive in the bait well, not because of the fast trout bite. Trout were seldom seen, with the occasional “catfish” to entertain. The wading experience was new to all the girls, so the stingray shuffle and casting in waist deep water proved a challenge. The reels were often draining water despite my pleas to keep them above the surface. Apparently, the girls felt the reels worked better when lubed with salt water.
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After one of the sessions, the girls felt the need to go to Sunday Beach. There, the boats were three-deep on the J-Hook side, so a bit of a wade was required to get to the beach, then a walk through the dunes to the Gulf side where 4-foot waves pounded the surf, much to the girls’ delight. Little thought was given to the off-color water, tall waves, and slight undertow, all of which gave Papa heartburn as he herded them closer to shore. Fortunately, the beach foray was mid-afternoon and all beach goers were fully clothed and no unusual aromas wafted over us. Unfortunately, not many fish were caught the first two days, so I had the girls vote on whether to sleep in the next day or wade fish with lures. The vote was unanimous – fish! The plastics were fun for them to use as there was always something to do (cast) or not do (“Where did my lure go”?). The line of fisher girls wading and working the lures was truly a sight to behold, and their enthusiasm never waned. Yes, there were mechanical challenges (loops on the reel, restringing, and bottom hung lures), but always smiles and laughter as these young ladies shared their first wade fishing experience, vowing to return, and next time catch limits! ~ Tom B “Papa” Hancher, MD
38 | August 2017
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40 | August 2017
All in a line, all hooked up!
J AY WAT K I N S
A S K THE P R O
At what age…? Lots of people ask at what age did I begin to seriously teach my sons to fish. Seems this guiding-teachingcoaching is becoming a “thing” recently due to the number of folks interested in having their children or grandchildren receive professional instruction. I cannot answer precisely but I’d say at about the age of six. Ryan probably younger than Jay Ray, given that youngsters mimic older siblings. I took them when they were younger but it was just going fishing, nothing specific or detail related. There is a huge difference. My boys had few choices when it came to activities outside of youth sports, fishing and hunting. There were no x-boxes, cell phones or social media in our house, and not much available anywhere else at that time. My boys spent the day outside, chasing lizards and running barefoot around the edges of the lake we lived on. Only about 20 acres and shallow, but full of all sorts of critters that spark the interest of youngsters, plus some pretty nice black bass. When it came to fishing they didn’t have much choice, I suppose. They went with me when babysitters weren’t available and, of course, on my days off. They 42 | August 2017
fished in the lake when I was working. It was time well spent for my boys, enjoying what I loved and growing up loving it as well. As a dad I wanted them to catch fish worse than they might have in the beginning. I see this today on the boat and hear from dads who discuss taking their children. “I just want them to catch a bunch of big fish,” is a common theme. Big is good but not always the best, in the beginning. I realize that parents have to work longer and harder nowadays. It is natural then that we want what little time we have with them afield to be memorable. I try to explain to younger parents that simply dedicating time is often reward enough, and that the teaching and learning must be enjoyable if it is to sink in. Beating the younger ones up for too long in the heat or cold can sour them on the experience. Immediate success in catching is not the only ingredient that builds good fisherman. My boys were no different, short attention spans in the beginning, we did other things when I sensed distraction. We beachcombed, skipped flat-sided shells, and
swam. They got stung by jellyfish and cut their feet on shell and got sunburned. We birdwatched and cruised crab trap lines looking for tripletail. We played with the bait we caught in a cast net or obtained at a bait shop. Yes, my boys started with live bait but eventually graduated to throwing lures. Honestly, the bait thing was short-lived because they loved casting and competing for distance and accuracy. They do this even today when we have opportunity to fish together. It has been my experience that most boys and girls enjoy casting and reeling more than simply casting and sitting and waiting. Patience is learned right alongside fishing technique and nothing teaches better than time spent on the water. I am concerned that parents today are afraid to allow their children to fail. Afraid that psychological damage could occur if not rewarded,
even when they lose. Losing is part of life. I have lost plenty, but never considered myself a loser. Remember we are talking about fishing here, but it might apply to other things in life as well. My mom told me once that she asked my dad why he never let me win at a game of horse. “He’ll win when he can,“ was his reply. I had a young dad on the boat recently and watched with admiration as he allowed his two young boys to fail as we waded. Fail is probably not the right word, but when they got a backlash or line twisted on the rod tip he let them work it out on their own. Several times I wanted to help but he did not want me to, he wanted them to learn by their mistakes. Same thing when a fish was caught, they landed it or tried to land it. If the fish was lost, well, it was lost and we went on. By days end I could sense their tiring and encouraged them in this way. “Guys it’s the fourth quarter. Let’s push through and end the game on a strong note.” That final wade yielded nearly a dozen fish, several the boys caught were their best of the day. Hard work seldom goes unrewarded and finishing what we start is always the best approach. Quitting requires no effort and can become habit forming. There were no cell phones in the boy’s hands between wades. I could tell they had been raised with this mindset in all that they have learned in their young lives. I think they are 10 and 12. Just an educated guess, but I’m betting their parents were raised similarly. If we get picked up every time we fail we may never learn to get up. By getting up on our own we learn to walk and then run. What a terrific illustration. So, back to what age to begin providing your youngster with some serious fishing instruction. I’m thinking 9 to 10 years is a good age, so long Chad Chapman with as the lessons are kept short. A half-day on the sons Conner and Cole. water is perfect. Young anglers should be provided comfortable clothing and sunscreen. Plenty of Still a few big healthy drinks and snacks. Gatorade, fruit drinks, ones up shallow. water, and trail mix is perfect. They need a good pair of sunglasses, for protection and also for seeing color changes and underwater structure. A quality rod and reel is a must. If your budget is tight, spend the majority on the rod and less on the reel. We cannot catch what we do not feel! Comfortable boat shoes and wading boots, if they will be getting out of the boat. Slip-on water shoes won’t cut it. Long, lightweight wading pants to help prevent jellyfish stings. One good sting can ruin their day and possibly sour them on the whole wade fishing thing. ForEverlast Hunting and Fishing products makes great gear for kids at an affordable price. Owner Billy Gerke understands what young anglers need and has a sincere passion for spending quality time with his young boys in the outdoors. Really fine people, the Gerkes.
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a dad, wanting to leave my boys with knowledge of the sport I have loved so long. As a guide I want to leave anglers young and old with a passion for fishing. What could be better than passing along methods that allow one to become a better angler? For the record, I am no expert on raising children. I have made more mistakes than I care to remember. Learning to fish well gave Jay Ray a career in guiding and College Bass Fishing provided an avenue for Ryan to earn his Bachelor of Science degree at Stephen F. Austin. Ryan and partner Andrew Upshaw won the 2013 B.A.S.S. College National Championship. Fishing saved me and the boys during one of life’s most difficult times, a time when we found ourselves on our own. Fishing allowed me to have my boy’s attention throughout their young lives when lots of other things were bidding for it. Spending time teaching them to fish and fish well has paid huge dividends for them and me. I now look forward to teaching my three grandchildren all that I can about the sport. Fishing has blessed me more than anyone could ever imagine. May your fishing always be catching. -Guide Jay Watkins
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I did not wait for fishing trips to teach my boys to cast. We used old MirrOlures without hooks in the backyard, away from power lines and oak trees. I purposely did not fill their reels completely – half full cuts down on backlashing and, in turn, made it easier to get them out. My boys learned with bait casting gear but spinning is also good and probably a little easier. Without the ability to cast and cast well, all else is meaningless. Once the youngster is casting effectively we can move on to baiting hooks or threading lures onto jigheads. Imparting specific action to the lure comes next, then setting the hook, and landing the fish. Take it slow. Do not make a big deal of losing a fish. I always tell them, “You’re doing a whole lot of things right when you get a fish on the line.” Positive reinforcement is huge. Working on what is not being done properly is much easier when the student knows a positive reaction is coming from things done right. I have used the same teaching methods throughout my career and always strive to make the learning fun and not too complicated. No reason to burden young anglers with tons of gear, this comes later and only to those that feel the need for a bunch of stuff dangling from their waist and shoulders. I am a minimalist. A small wading belt with a single attachment for my pliers, stringer and Boga Grip. All are neatly attached to my right side at hip level. I teach this as well to young anglers, knowing that too much stuff often leads to a mess when things get exciting. To me; less is more. Teaching the older and, now it seems the younger, has suddenly become very important to me. It has always been important to me as
Jay Watkins has been a full-time fishing guide at Rockport, TX, for more than 20 years. Jay specializes in wading yearround for trout and redfish with artificial lures. Jay covers the Texas coast from San Antonio Bay to Corpus Christi Bay. Telephone Email Website
361-729-9596 Jay@jaywatkins.com www.jaywatkins.com
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C A P T. S COT T N U L L
S H A LL O W W ATE R FI S HING
Expanding Horizons –
Beachfront and Nearshore Fly Fishing I’ve always been enamored of fishing the beachfront and nearshore. When I was a kid we would head out there at least a few times every summer. There was something really cool about clearing those jetties and pointing the boat towards the sunrise, wondering what we might experience. Dad didn’t really have an “offshore” boat so we had to pick our days and watch the weather. I can remember getting super excited listening to the NOAA radio and hearing the seas would be one- to two-feet. That was our green light. Over the years I’ve owned many boats. Some were capable of doing ice cream conditions trips, others not so much. Throughout my 20s I ran a 17’ McKee Craft that spent a good many days further offshore than it probably should have gone, but man did we have fun. There’s no telling how many kings, ling, dolphin and snapper were hauled over the gunnels of that old boat.
There was a memorable strike on a trolled Russelure that I still wonder about. Whatever it was hit like nothing I’ve ever seen, and never even thought of slowing down. My poor ol’ Penn 4/0 didn’t stand a chance, but she gave it hell right down to the last wrap on the spool. I suppose that has always been my attraction to running around out there. You just never know what you’ll see or hook into on any given day. Over the last fifteen or so years I’ve been running small poling skiffs mostly, chasing redfish with fly rods. Poling skiffs aren’t exactly the best craft for running offshore so my time out there has been limited. My current skiff, the East Cape Fury, has seen a good many days cruising the beachfront, and on out a couple of miles. There are plenty dead-flat late-summer mornings that make the running smooth and easy. The hitch in that plan comes with afternoon wind. I’ve pushed it a bit. OK, maybe more than a bit, and made some sketchy runs returning through the jetties or Pass Cavallo. Since moving my guiding operation down to Port O’Connor this past year, I’ve been itching to get a boat more capable of handling the afternoon chop. “Offshore” along this part of the coast is a whole lot closer than out of Galveston, and the temptation to sneak out is constant. My bank account won’t allow for a dedicated offshore boat, so I’ve spent the last year hunting for something that can do dual duty running bay trips, yet My new baby about fit the budget. Also during that time, I began polling to be rolled over to my customers and found enough interest in fly fishing the rigging shop. the beachfront to justify a move in that direction.
46 | August 2017
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Dargel builds them strong. This shot was made toward the final stages of the hull lay-up.
48 | August 2017
C ontact
The first stage of hull construction is shooting gel-coat into the mold.
A couple months back I was hanging out with Capt Dean Thomas at Rock the Dock In-The-Water Boat Show at Aransas Pass. The wind was absolutely ripping as it often does in April, pushing 30-35 mph steadily. Dean runs a Dargel Skout and was helping out with test drives. We got to talking about what I was looking to do and decided to take a spin in the Dargel 23 Kat. I was sold. We ran Dean’s boat in every direction across some serious chop and never got a bit of splash. The ride was smooth as one could hope for under the conditions. We also ran her through some shallows proving that the draft was much better than I had expected. Back at the dock, Dean introduced me to Ian Schill with Dargel Boats. I’ve talked to a good many boat builders during this search and none made me as comfortable hammering out a deal as Ian. It just so happens he loves fishing the beachfront-nearshore zone and completely understood what I was looking to accomplish. My only real concern was fly rod storage. Poling skiffs all have under-gunnel rod storage with tubes under the front deck to protect the rather delicate tips. Ian and I put our heads together and came up with a solution by building the rod storage into the raised floor beneath the console. That is one on the great things about working with a custom boat builder. Generally speaking, they can build or modify the boat to fit your needs. It also doesn’t hurt when the guy helping you design your boat is a passionate fisherman. Ian mentioned several ideas for the boat that I hadn’t considered that will make this boat capable of handling my main mission of guiding fly fishermen along the beachfront, yet versatile enough to run bay trips or mothership kayaks into back lakes. The hardest part in this whole process is the waiting. I’ve been through it before and I’m a pretty patient guy by nature, but this is absolutely killing me. It takes everything I’ve got to resist calling them every other day. I feel like the kid in the backseat, “Are we there yet?” And, in a cruel twist of fate, it appears the boat will be ready late next week. I say cruel because as it stands I’ll be picking it up the day before I fly to Orlando for a week attending the ICAST. I figure the Gulf will be dead-flat all week with tarpon frolicking all along the third bar. Upon my return I’ll be doing some shakedown runs to learn the boat and get a feel for how she handles. By the time you read this I’ll be open for booking trips. It’ll be prime time for prowling the nearshore waters from now through September and on into October (depending on the weather patterns). We’ll be targeting tarpon, kings, ling, dolphin, snapper, Spanish mackerel, jacks, tripletail and anything that wants to show itself. I’ve got the fly gear to handle any of them if you don’t possess some of the heavier sticks. I’m also open to throwing conventional gear if fly fishing isn’t your thing. Tossing a fly or lure into a feeding frenzy of big pelagic fish is a thrill you need to experience. I’ll still have the poling skiff in the stable for sneaking around the shallows chasing redfish if offshore isn’t your idea of fun, or in case the weather doesn’t allow venturing out through the jetties. The addition of the Kat will allow me to offer more variety to my customers; everything from mothershipping kayaks to conventional wading trips, to prowling around beyond the jetties. Are we there yet? Capt. Scott Null is a devout shallow water fisherman offering guided adventues via kayak, poled skiff, and wading. Telephone Email Website
281-450-2206 captscottnull@gmail.com www.captainscottnull.com
By Nathan Kuhn | Ecosystem Resources Program | A u s t i n Te a m L e a d e r | C o a s t a l F i s h e r i e s D i v i s i o n
FIELD N O TE S
Shoal Grass – A Texas Underwater Treasure The next time you’re wading or paddling through your area stays clear enough. At first glance, shoal grass can favorite fishing spot along the Texas coast, take a closer sometimes be confused with widgeon grass or manatee look at what is growing in the shallow, calmer waters grass. However, the difference with manatee grass is along the edges of the bay. In addition to oysters and easily determined because manatee grass has round, other mollusks, you will probably Figure 1. Number of encounters of shoal grass in gill nets per year for find seagrass. Texas has been Galveston Bay, San Antonio Bay, and Upper and Lower Laguna Madre. blessed with several species of seagrasses spread throughout the coastal waters of our state. Though not true grasses, seagrasses are true flowering plants and usually appear similar to grasses on land with their long, slender leaves often growing in large underwater meadows like a grass. There are five species that you may encounter in our saltier coastal waters. They are star grass (Halophila engelmannii), manatee grass (Syringodium filiforme), turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum), shoal grass (Halodule wrightii), and widgeon grass (Ruppia maritima). The most common and abundant seagrass found along the Texas coast is shoal grass. It is found in every Texas bay from the south shorelines of West Galveston all the way down to the border with Mexico in the Lower Laguna Madre. In fact, Figure 2. Diagram of a quick look at the TPWD coastwide monitoring shoal grass modified from Stutzenbaker (1999). program confirms this distribution. Interestingly, the data also does a good job of reflecting the general patterns of abundance for this species across the bays. For example, the number of shoal grass encounters is greatest in the upper and lower Laguna Madre where it is most abundant. The data also show an increasing rate of encounters in San Antonio and Galveston Bays where this species has recovered in abundance over the last 20 years. Shoal grass has long, thin, flat, medium to dark green leaves that are usually 12 to 18 inches long, 1/16 of an inch wide, and paper thin. They grow from a shallowly buried stem, called a rhizome, like many true grasses do, usually with two or more leaves emerging in branches at intervals along the length of the rhizome. It is not unusual to find it growing in shallow waters that get exposed during low tides but can also be found growing to depths of six feet if the water in the 50 | August 2017
cylindrical leaves, while shoal grass has flat ones. Widgeon grass can be harder to distinguish, but a trained eye will note the pointed leaf tips on widgeon grass versus the flat or lightly toothed ones for shoal grass, and see that widgeon grass leaves are much more complex in their branching, while shoal grass usually has only a few long leaves in a simple branching pattern. Shoal grass is a favorite habitat for many species of fish and shellfish. These animals rely on seagrass, particularly in their early life stages, as a place of refuge from predators and as a source of food. They may feed directly on the seagrass, on the algae and other organisms that live directly on its leaves, or on the other critters that live in its meadows. For this reason, these meadows attract larger predators such as spotted seatrout and red drum. Avid duck hunters may also know that shoal grass is a favorite food for many waterfowl that visit the Texas coast each winter from the north. In particular, the Laguna Madre of Texas and Mexico is well known as the primary wintering ground for the redhead duck (Aythya americana). This is primarily due to the abundance of shoal grass found in these shallow waters Figure 3. Diagram of that the ducks feed on as they widgeon grass modified from overwinter. Winter aerial surveys Stutzenbaker (1999). conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as recently as 2011
and 2012 revealed that 250,000 to over 500,000 redheads spend their winter in the U.S. portion of the Laguna Madre. Overall, shoal grass and other seagrass populations in Texas appear to be stable, but as with all our natural resources, they do face some threats. Hurricanes and tropical storms can cause direct losses from the scour and erosion that occur during these events. Prolonged periods of unusually high freshwater inflow after these events can also reduce salinities for so long that seagrasses cannot survive. Human activities can also threaten seagrass populations. Factors such as reduced water clarity due to dredging, poor land management, and increased nutrient pollution can cause shoal grass to decline or even disappear from our coastal waters. Anything we can do to reduce the impacts we have on seagrass meadows will go a long way toward insuring seagrass survival. Many fishermen know that they can have a direct, negative impact on seagrasses and try to avoid digging them up with their boat propellers. Known as “prop-scars,” these gouges into the seagrass meadow can take up to a few years to heal. If too many of these prop scars proliferate in a heavily used area, the meadow can actually die the “death of a thousand cuts” where they are damaged to the point that the seagrass meadow dies out. To reduce this damage, the Texas Legislature passed a law in 2013 which makes it a Class C misdemeanor to uproot seagrass with a boat motor propeller. So, the next time you’re out on the bay for a day of fishing or other recreational activities, remember to lift, drift, pole, and troll through and over our precious Figure 4. The largest population seagrass meadows. Then take a few of overwintering redhead ducks in minutes to look along the edge of the bay North America is found in the Laguna Madre. They come to feed on the vast and see if you can find shoal grass, our meadows of shoal grass found here. most common seagrass species, growing Photo by the National Park Service along the edges of the bay providing habitat for some of our most favorite fish and shellfish. Next month Jan Culbertson will talk about some of the great marsh restoration work that TPWD is doing.
Check the TPWD Outdoor Annual, your local TPWD Law Enforcement office, or www.tpwd.texas.gov for more information. TSFMAG.com | 51
S C O T T S O M M E R L AT T E
F LY F I S H I N G
The Shanks Over the last 29 years or so, it is safe to say I have made quite a few thousand fly casts. And, while I do not consider myself a GREAT fly caster, I do consider myself a relatively good fly caster. However, I will admit, I can throw a crappy loop with the best of them. I refer to this phenomenon as the shanks. “The shanks are like a virus,” said Cheech Marin’s character in the movie Tin Cup. This in reference to Kevin Costner’s ridiculously hilarious glitch in his golf swing. Now, before I get to far into this, I am in no way comparing the fly cast to the golf swing. The fly cast is much easier, considering it mostly only requires the muscles from your shoulders to your fingers, whereas the golf swing requires almost, if not all, muscle groups. I have seen some of the best casters I know become afflicted with the shanks. Hey Jason Paul, remember that school of tarpon? (Names have been changed to protect the guilty.) You are lucky I’m not showing them that pic.
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Sorry folks, a little personal jab inserted for mine and a few others’ benefit. So, let’s go back to my bad casts, kind of anyway. I do in fact consider myself a much better instructor than a caster. The reason for this is that I have the ability to recognize the mistakes people make when they make a bad cast. I also have the ability to identify the exact moment I “strike” or “miss the strike” that results in a great, good, or bad cast. The reason for this is because I understand the fly cast from a physics angle. Again, though, let me reiterate- I am far from a great and/or perfect caster. I just get it. And yet again, and I am going to back track a bit, there are a lot of great fly-casting instructors out there. However, they mostly show a beginner how to do it and then expect them to duplicate their movements. I find this method of instruction lacking. An instructor needs to have the ability to not only show the many different
back-cast to completely unfurl and load the rod. Two - Starting the forward or backward stroke fast and finishing slow. Remember, the fly-cast should begin slowly and then accelerate, ending in an abrupt stop. Think of it as starting in low gear and shifting to high, only to have the transmission lock up. The fly does not straighten or lands near the end of the fly lineAgain, two possible causes. The caster either did not allow sufficient time for the backcast to straighten, or two, the angler dropped the rod tip too soon, not allowing the leader to straighten at the end of the cast. The leader hooks left for a right-hander or right for the southpawThis issue is created, again, by two things. The caster is not moving the rod tip in a straight line and may be a little heavy-handed on the feathering of the cast. The line flies though the air in a tangled messWell folks, this is the easiest of all the shanks to diagnose. Again, it is a potential two-part problem. Are you seeing a pattern? In regard to this one though, it boils down to either inexperience or, worse, BUCK FEVER. Right Jason?
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methods of casting but also describe exactly how the rod tip reacts in relation to the movement of the shoulder, arm, wrist, and hand. In regard to the cast, I am not going to try to teach you to cast with the limited space I have here. I will try to give those of you who have some experience a prescription for the shanks. But, before I do, here is a quick description of the perfect fly-cast by Scott Sommerlatte. The cast begins with a slow and methodical lifting of a straightened line that accelerates to a crisp snap of the wrist that results in an instantaneous and abrupt stop that creates a perfect back-cast. Once the fly-line has completely straightened behind the angler, the caster then moves the rod tip forward in a STRAIGHT line slowly while, again, accelerating to an abrupt stop in which the line begins to shoot through the angler’s line hand. As the line slides through the angler’s hand, he/she begins to slowly drift the rod forward toward the water while gently feathering and breaking the cast with their line hand. In a perfect world this results in a hook-up. Believe me folks, there is a little more to it but, there is not enough space. So, let’s get to the point of this piece. One of the biggest, and most prominent mistakes casters make is that that they do not have the timing down. And by timing, I do not mean the 10:00 to 2:00 stroke timed on a metronome that we all saw in a River Runs Through It. The timing is based on the ability to feel the line’s contact with the rod guides and the subtle bend (load) of the rod that results in the angler changing/beginning the next stroke of his cast. Here are some of the more common mistakes that I see: Tailing loopsTwo things that create a tailing loop. One – Not allowing the
Scott Sommerlatte is a full time fly fishing and light tackle guide, freelance writer and photographer. Telephone Email Website
979-415-4379 vssommerlatte@hotmail.com www.mangrovefly.com
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In redfish tournaments we hope for 28-inchers. This 25-incher, while not really a heavyweight, has a chance to score well in the Spot Pot category.
DAV E R O B E R T S
KAYAK F I S H I N G C H R O N I C L E S
IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED... When it comes to kayak fishing the Texas coast, one of my favorite aspects is the multitude of places an angler can launch their kayak. By having this ease of access, there are several areas that can be targeted from every possible angle. Often times this has left me staring at an area on Google maps and wondering how that specific end of the lake would be. I have heard reports of a few fish being caught in certain places but I never make time to see for myself. At times it is difficult to break away from my go-to spots to check out new ones but sometimes it is necessary. Here recently, the Elite Redfish Series was hosting the second tournament on my end of the coast. Knowing that it was going to be locally, it left me with plenty of time to find a solid “A” spot; it would also give me an opportunity to try a few different areas and see if I could come up with a “B” spot. I figured this would be a perfect time to go to a new area and see if I can find fish away from some of the more popular spots. Now this is the dilemma when it comes to fishing a new spot. When arriving to a certain area, it appears to be more than ideal to hold fish. It has good tidal flow, plenty of bait, patches of grass etc. It has everything except for fish. You spend a full day scouting a promising area and wind up emptyhanded. I believe this is when the worst decision an angler can make occurs. After one scarce trip to a new area, you automatically deem it worthless and never pay attention to it again. That is the epitome of the old 54 | August 2017
saying “You should’ve been here yesterday!” Just because fish were not there while you were does not mean that particular spot is always barren. Here recently I ran into a similar situation, fishing a spot that was new to me. My morning started early as I made a 3-mile paddle to my destination and I was eager to begin fishing. I eased into the area and started to assess my surroundings. The first thing I noticed was the tide coming in and I assumed that it would push some fish back into the pond. As I paddled, I kept running into small pods of shad and mullet and occasionally seeing a few crabs scurry away from my passing kayak. I continued following the shoreline and consistently encountered patches of grass. From the looks of it, I thought for sure I was about to wear the redfish out. I stuck with my usual plan, which is to move a steady pace down the shore and cover a good amount of water with my lure. I continued for the first few hours of the morning and had not spooked or seen anything, nor did I hear a fish crash the bank or scatter bait. It was dead. I then decided to start paddling and not stop until I found activity that made me want to cast. I paddled nearly the whole perimeter, which was a few miles, and I only pushed one fish. After getting back to the launch I was dumbfounded on the trip I had just made. Everything seemed nearly perfect for the area but at the time, it just was not holding any fish. I resumed my weekend and went back to an area that I had some confidence in. I caught a few
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fish and felt that on tournament day I could pull a few fish out of there to bring to the scales. The next week while sitting at work, I could not help but to think about why that one particular area was not holding fish. I went and scoured Google Maps once more and tried to figure out where I went wrong. Not fully convinced that it was a lifeless pond, I decided to give it another try the following weekend. Just like the last time, my morning started early and it was another nearly perfect day. The only difference this time was the tide was
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flowing out fairly quick, and we had a little stronger south wind. As soon as I entered the area, I threw out the ol’ trusty spoon and it did not take long and I was hooked up. Two casts later resulted in another healthy redfish and just like that, three casts produced two solid fish. I continued down the same bank that I fished previously and the results were the complete opposite. I continued making long casts down the bank and the hookups kept coming. I repeated this scenario dozens of times around the perimeter of that lake that had appeared barren on my first visit and was stunned by the results of that day. After a lull period in the catching, I realized that the tide had switched and started coming in. And just like that, the bite was over. This is just a prime example that fish tend to move in and out of an area daily and if you are not there at the right time, you will never find them. I think it is important to not automatically judge a spot after one trip. Certain conditions like tide, wind and time of year can determine when and if the fish will show up. If the area shows to be ideal to hold fish and your first trip there, you come up empty handed, listen to the old saying. Try, try again.
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Perfect 28! Redfish tourney dream fish.
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
The RGV Nearshore Reef will include lowrelief disks as part of separate studies conducted by the teams of Dr. Jay Rooker, Dr. Greg Stunz and Dr. Rick Kline.
Story by John Blaha
T S F M a g C o n s e r v a tio n N e ws
CCA Texas 2017 Summer Happenings CCA Texas volunteers and staff have had an enormously busy banquet season thus far and are preparing to push through the second half of the year. CCA Texas fundraisers across the state have been strong across the board and, to date, 40 local CCA Texas chapters have held their annual fundraising and membership banquets. Other chapter activity continues to pick up and provide opportunities for CCA members to be involved in many different ways. Many chapters have periodic General Membership Meetings with guest speakers and social hours, along with chapter fishing tournaments, kid-fish events, and other community related activities. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved, so watch for correspondence through Currents or eBlasts from your local chapter. For more information about CCA Texas and upcoming events, be sure to visit www.ccatexas.org. Advocacy Updates Advocacy is a cornerstone of CCA’s success and continues to be at the forefront of the day to day business for CCA. As was discussed in prior issues, this year’s Texas legislative session was extremely busy with lots of focus on the oyster fishery. 58 | August 2017
HB51 established five key points within the oyster industry: 1) An Oyster License Buyback Program has now been established and will go into effect in June 2018. This program will be funded by 20% of the revenue from license fees, grants, and donations 2) A Vessel Monitoring System will be implemented into the oyster fishery. 3) Cultch replacement by dealers. This new requirement will require that 30% of oyster shell, by volume, of the prior years’ purchases must be returned to the bays. 4) The full oyster boat crew must now be licensed. 5) Enhanced penalties will now be in effect for both oyster fishermen and dealers. These penalties are progressive, based on the number of citations issued by law enforcement, and include Class B and C misdemeanors, with further provision of suspension of licenses for the captain, crew, boat and dealers. In addition to HB51, TPWD Coastal Fisheries managers have made the following recommendations to the TPWD Commission for regulatory changes within the fishery. Public hearings are slated for late July and early
August. Be sure to watch for communications from CCA Texas as these schedules are announced and become a part of the process. Changes recommended to the TPWD Commission for the oyster industry: 1) Harvest limits of 25 sacks/day. Current harvest limits are 40 sacks/day. 2) Limit the number of days of fishing to 5 days per week, Tuesday through Saturday. Current regulations allow for fishing to occur Monday through Saturday, from sunrise until 3:30 PM 3) Reduction in undersize tolerance on oysters harvested from 15% to 5%. This includes live oysters less than 3” and also the amount of dead shell within a sack of oysters. 4) Closure of the following minor bays to oyster harvest: Christmas Bay (Brazoria County), Carancahua Bay (Jackson & Calhoun Counties), Keller Bay (Calhoun County), Powderhorn Lake (Calhoun County), Hynes Bay (Refugio County), St. Charles Bay (Aransas County) and South Bay (Cameron County). 5) Close all areas within 300 feet of shoreline to oyster harvest, thus protecting intertidal zone oyster beds Public hearings are your opportunity to speak up for the resource. Be an active participant and make a difference for the future. Making progress in the Gulf Council US Department of Commerce Secretary, Wilbur Ross, announced the 2017 Regional Fishery Management Council (RFMC) appointments and has shown that recreational fishing and boating are important to the Trump administration. The makeup of the Gulf Council took a turn for the recreational fishermen of Texas and other Gulf states with the announcement that Phil Dyskow of Florida, Dr. Bob Shipp of Alabama, Friends of RGV Reef president Gary Glick and volunteer Max Nichols were onsite recently to observe placement of pyramids within the RGV Nearshore Reef project.
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and Dr. Greg Stunz of Texas were appointed as members of the Gulf Council. The Gulf Council’s makeup has long been comprised of a strong commercial fishing component and these appointments will now provide a much stronger recreational voice. While much work lies ahead, the recreational fishermen will now have a stronger and equal voice. For more details, be sure to visit www.joincca.org/articles/ Habitat work continues along the Texas Gulf Coast CCA Texas’s Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow and the CCA National Habitat Program, Building Conservation Trust, continue to work with TPWD, other like agencies, organizations and institutions to restore and create habitat up and down the Texas coast. New partnerships are being built and these combined efforts are helping to ensure a healthy eco-system for many years to come. RGV Nearshore Reef - Habitat work continues to move forward in nearshore waters along the Texas Gulf Coast. The RGV reef saw more materials deployed the last week of June and anticipates additional reefing material placement during July and August. The late-June deployments included 50 pyramids that were placed in specific configurations for scientific studies. These pyramids were donated and deployed by Lil’ Mo Marine Services and Atlantis Marine Habitats LLC. Pending other approvals, 56,000 cinder blocks and 3,000 tons of concrete rubble are also expected to be deployed in the near future. Bird Island Cove Grass Planting – CCA Texas/BCT and TPWD hope to have completed the planting of approximately 32,000 smooth cord grass stems by the time this edition hits the newsstands. These plantings will be accomplished in Bird Island Cove, located in West Galveston Bay. This project creates and protects over 100 acres of coastal marsh along Galveston Island, providing critical habitat for many early-life marine animals.
Both morphs. Photo by Karen Wosilait.
STEPHANIE BOYD
F I S H Y FA C T S
REDDISH EGRET The reddish egret, Egretta rufescens, is a conspicuous shaggy-necked wader of coastal margins, more tied to salt water than any of our other herons or egrets. Standing two and a half feet tall, weighing just under two pounds, and with a wingspan of up to forty-nine inches, E. rufescens is a medium-size contender of family Ardeidae (the day herons). It is notable for its two color morphs, dark and white, which are evident from as early as the downy chick stage. The dark morph has a red-brown to dark cinnamon head and neck and slate-grey to bluegrey back, wings, tail, abdomen, and belly. White morph birds are entirely white. Among the dark morphs, there is considerable individual variation in shade, possibly seasonal. Some dark morphs have a few white feathers (usually matching flight feathers or random patches), but there are no reports of white morphs with dark feathers. In both morphs, the irises are straw yellow, set off by dark lores (the region between the eyes and nostrils). The bill is dusky-pink with a black tip. Legs and feet are blue-black to black. The shaggy neck is also distinctive in both plumages, especially during breeding season. Mated pairs may be of the same or different color morphs, and broods may include either or both morphs. Over most of its range, dark morphs are far more common. 62 | August 2017
Egrets and herons are currently classified in the order Pelecaniformes, along with bitterns, ibises, spoonbills, the hammerhead, the shoebill, and of course, pelicans. But until recently, all of these birds, except the pelicans, belonged to the order Ciconiiformes, along with storks and flamingos. They were originally categorized this way due to morphology, specifically because they possess in common a number of anatomical characteristics that only evolve slowly, which indicates kinship rather than convergent evolution. These features include a particular arrangement of certain bones in the facial skeleton, a distinct lack of a certain feather in the wings, the presence of a minute pouch at the beginning of the large intestine, the possession of 16-20 neck vertebrae, and only two stabilizing muscles in the voice box. (For the scientifically and linguistically inclined: palatine bones, diastataxy, intestinal ceca, cervical vertebrae, and sternotracheal muscles.) However, genetic studies have caused ornithologists to question these morphological classifications (hence the reassignment), restricting the order Ciconiiformes to only storks and placing flamingos in their own order, Phoenicopteriformes. In the day herons family (Ardeidae), there are over 60 recognized species. These are loose-plumaged wading
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birds with slim bodies; long necks; long, straight, sharp bills; medium to long legs; partial webbing between outer and middle toes (sometimes also between middle and inner toes); and a few other toe peculiarities. They are found worldwide, except in polar regions. Some are called bitterns or egrets instead of herons. Herons, egrets, and bitterns each have their own genus, but it’s the heron and egret genera, Ardea and Egretta, that seem least clear in their classifications. In general, egrets are white, smaller than herons, and sometimes have decorative plumes. (The word “egret” is derived from the French aigrette, meaning plume feathers.) Herons are generally larger with dark plumage. Good luck classifying a mediumsized bird that can be dark or white! The reddish egret is a bird of the New World tropical coast and ranges from the Atlantic Coast of North America down through the West Indies and northern South America, across the Gulf Coast, and up the Pacific Coast of Mexico to Southern California. Mostly a permanent resident of Texas, though some may move south in the winter, they prefer coastal tidal flats, salt marshes, shores, lagoons, and protected bays and estuaries. The few seen inland are usually juveniles. Though usually silent, the reddish has a grab bag of noises for courtship, aggression, and general chit chat. Its normal call is a low, guttural croak. Reddish egrets are crepuscular, meaning they are most active during dawn and dusk, and they often draw attention with their feeding behavior. Though most herons and egrets stalk their prey gracefully, the reddish hunts a little more theatrically. The birds first locate their prey by sight, and then the dance begins. They dash, lurch, zig-zag, and run in circles, staggering sideways, leaping in the air, spinning, frequently changing directions, intermittently hopping, collecting and herding their smörgåsbord… before finally spearing their prey. Sometimes they hunt more lazily. By standing still and curving their wings forward around their body to form a canopy, they create an appealing shady area in the water that attracts small fish, frogs, tadpoles, crustaceans, etc., which they quickly snatch up. This shadow-casting strategy is also thought to reduce glare, allowing the egret to more accurately sight and spear its prey. Though normally a social species, they feed primarily alone and will sometimes aggressively defend feeding territories. When prey is abundant, they do occur in large aggregations and multi-species flocks. Killifish dominate the diet, but they are opportunistic and will take crustaceans, frogs, and occasionally aquatic insects. Reddish egrets interact frequently away from their nesting grounds, particularly near the onset of the breeding season. Some can’t contain their anticipation and begin courting on the feeding grounds – tossing their heads, raising their crest plumes, snapping their bills, and jumping flashily. During breeding, the dark morph’s head and neck become reddish-brown to pale cinnamon. The bill becomes strikingly two-toned. The lores turn turquoise blue (changing to fleshcolored during incubation/chick-rearing and then darkening back to normal near the end of nesting). The lance-shaped plumes on the head, neck, and upper breast turn cinnamon. The back turns grey and reddish-brown. Filamentous black tail plumes accentuate the bird’s characteristic shaggy appearance. The look is completed when the sides and back of the legs, as well as the underside of the feet, become turquoise blue. The only sexual dimorphism is size, the male being slightly larger. The full courtship behavior is complex and variable. 64 | August 2017
Note the shaggy neck plumes. Photo by Karen Wosilait.
Each male claims a display site in the colony, which he occupies and defends. There are aerial and ground displays, some meant to impress, some meant to intimidate. When a female’s attention is snared, the male stretches his head and neck upward and backward, shaggy plumes fully raised, then tosses his head forward repeatedly. He may also walk in circles around a female, tossing his head and raising one or both wings. The female chooses her champion, and they build their nest together, the male continuing to add material even during incubation, a duty they share. Nesting habitat in Texas is mostly on arid coastal islands covered with oyster shell or thorny brush, even prickly pear (in Florida, they prefer red mangrove swamps). Nests are platforms of sticks and grass set right on the ground. They can be up to 10 inches thick with a diameter up to 26 inches. In Texas, nesting season begins in early spring and lasts through mid-summer, though timing seems to be variable and flexible across their range. Nesting colonies can include other species of egrets and herons, as well as cormorants and spoonbills. Females generally lay two to four eggs, but can have up to seven in a clutch. The eggs are pale greenish-blue and hatch in about 25-26 days. Both parents feed and protect the chicks, which leave the nest around four weeks and fledge around six weeks. Parents will continue to supplement their chicks’ diet for another few weeks. Little more than a third of the chicks that hatch will make it to fledging. Their predators include (but are not limited to) raccoons, coyotes, and great-tailed grackles, all of whom, in addition to taking chicks, will also steal eggs. Dark morph chicks are covered in gray down with a cinnamon gray head crest. White morph chicks have white down. Both have a raspy begging call. Juvenile dark morphs can be quite variable. I’ll leave the juvenile white morph coloration to your imagination. By a year and a half, juveniles resemble adults with hand-me-down plumage. At three years, they molt in full adult plumage. Perfect timing, because this is also the earliest they can breed, though most don’t until their fourth year. They live up to about twelve years. In the 19th century, reddish egrets were hunted voraciously for their feathers, which were used to decorate ladies’ hats and clothing. The entire United States population of reddish egrets was nearly extinguished. They completely disappeared from Florida in the early 1900s. Finally, in 1918, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act was passed, protecting reddish egrets and many other birds from plumage hunters. In 1937, the reddish was recorded again in Florida, and has steadily recolonized much of its range. In Texas, numbers decreased from the 1930s to the 1970s, but recovered. Overall, both major North
American populations increased in the past three decades. However, more recently, numbers have started to decline again. The IUCN Red List classifies reddish egrets as Near Threatened because, “despite its large range, it occupies a restricted habitat and is patchily distributed [and is therefore] assumed to have a moderately small and declining global population.” Like many coastal species, reddish egrets are dependent on their specialized habitats for foraging and breeding – the same habitats that are vulnerable to sea level rise caused by climate change. Intrusion by recreational activities, pesticide runoff, and land development also destroy habitat. However, the reddish egret, and many other species, benefit from conservation campaigns, such as the Texas campaign, Fish, Swim, and Play from 50 Yards Away! (from nesting birds). By just giving them a little space to raise their chicks, we increase their survival rate, and hopefully their entire population. “If I have to choose, I’d rather have birds than airplanes.” ~Charles Lindbergh
Audubon: Guide to North American Birds www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/reddish-egret American Bird Conservancy abcbirds.org/bird/reddish-egret/ Texas Parks & Wildlife Department tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/reddishegret/ Heron Conservation www.heronconservation.org/herons-of-the-world/reddish-egret/ BirdLife International datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/reddish-egret-egretta-rufescens Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA www.pnas.org/content/91/21/9861.full.pdf Nature Works www.nhptv.org/natureworks/reddishegret.htm
*Special thanks to Rockport kayak fishing and eco tour guide Ryan Ford for the inspiration and knowledge he shared on our kayak trip.
Differences Between www.differencebetween.net/science/nature/birds-nature/difference-betweenheron-and-egret/
Where I learned about reddish egrets, and you can too!
World Association of Zoos & Aquariums www.waza.org/en/zoo/visit-the-zoo/storks-herons-flamingos-cranes-andrelatives/egretta-rufescens
Ryan Ford www.rockportkayak.com (via Aransas Pathways, aransaspathways.com) Cornell Lab of Ornithology www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Reddish_Egret/id
Encyclopaedia Britannica www.britannica.com/animal/ciconiiform IUCN Red List www.iucnredlist.org/details/22696916/0
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Jacks are a crowd pleaser, evidenced by the big smiles of the Atkinson family.
CURTISS CASH
I N S H O R E | NEA R S H O R E | J E T T I E S | PA S S E S
AWESOME AUGUST The new weekend snapper season has been much of the talk on the dock lately. The US Department of Commerce intervened and reopened the 2017 private angler recreational season in federal water for 39 additional days. Each Friday through Sunday will be the season through the rest of summer, concluding on Monday of the Labor Day weekend. With a joint effort between federal and state fisheries, the extended season started mid-June. In the state waters, snapper fishing is closed Monday through Thursday. No snapper may be retained from state waters on these days until September 5. The additional 39-days for recreational snapper anglers was welcomed with enthusiasm. Many of the offshore anglers I visited with during the brief 3-day federal season we were originally granted were highly disgruntled. Many of them regarded the shortest season ever as adding insult to injury. Many boats fished the full 3-days, rough seas or not, just to satisfy their need for revenge. It has been no secret that the restrictive federal water recreational angler harvest has been a bad joke played on many. 66 | August 2017
Keeping It Wild I am very excited about the new Matagorda Island 562 Port O’Connor artificial reef. I have been out to the area several times and really like the layout. I expect great things to come of this reef. As of this writing, biologists with the Harte Institute have already found juvenile red snapper living amongst the pyramids. As the structure continues to gather growth I would think more and more fish will congregate. The orientation to nearby decommissioned oil and gas platforms is perfect, ideally enhancing one another over time. The reef is easy to drift across or troll the perimeter in search of fish. When the reef is holding visible bait schools, like blue runners or Atlantic bumper, there are definitely kingfish nearby. Recently we have caught kingfish, bonito, Spanish mackerel and shark while fishing the area. I haven’t bottom fished the new pyramid structures yet but plan on it during the calm days ahead.
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Steve Allen and daughter Kamryn caught this bull red on trout tackle. What a great way to start the day!
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August Nearshore Fishing Historically August has some of the calmest weather of the Middle-coast trout have increased in season. These days with light wind both quality and allow the average boater shots at quantity this season. nearshore action. Many times the calmer weather conditions help with clearer waters and offshore currents that push closer toward the beachfront. Often blue water will be found in Texas state waters. The inshore offshore currents that collide normally produce a distinct change of water color. In addition to great weather, this month hosts bonus fish species in our nearshore waters. The nutrientSpanish rich offshore currents bring a variety mackerel and of forage. Bait balls of ballyhoo, pompano snacks. cigar minnows, threadfin herring and dusky anchovies are pushed close to the beach. Oil and gas platforms, reefs, and current breaks offer structure that concentrates the forage and draws the predators. It is not unusual to catch kingfish, Spanish mackerel and little tunny inshore this time of the season. Ocean pelagic species make occasional appearances; sailfish, dorado and barracuda. Offshore current seams are my favorite structures to target while looking for bait balls. I normally troll with a deep diving lure, a spoon on the surface, and a 5- to 7-inch skirted lure farthest back in the wake. I work the blue water side slowly while watching the surface for bait, floating debris or feeding fish. When fishy-looking areas are located I make several passes through them to locate feeding fish. Surf Fishing In August, there should be plenty of days we can run to the surf. Waiting on our arrival are plenty of predators searching for prey. Variety is the norm here and being rigged and ready for them is the key to success. We’ll focus on a couple of species other than trout and redfish, let’s try Spanish mackerel and pompano. Many of the same lures can catch both but presentation and positioning make up the difference. Pompano prefer a lure to be hopped across the bars, spitting up puffs of sand as it is reeled. The Spanish like a fastmoving lure nearer the surface between the guts, reeling the lure
straight in works well. Speck-rigs and silver spoons are deadly near the beach sand bars. One of the problems fishing either is the difficulty involved while casting them on heavy bait-casting tackle. Trout-sized spinning tackle works well for increased distance. I like a 7-foot medium fast action rod paired with a 3000-series reel. Spooled-up with 1520lb test braid makes for longer casts and less line twist problems compared to 10-12lb test mono. The white-colored 1/8-ouncesized speck-rigs work great, but are very light. The weight allows them to cartwheel during the cast which makes them increasingly difficult to get much distance. I started buying both 1/8 and 1/4-ounce jigs and swapping over one from each. The heavier jig goes on the bottom and lightest on the top, distance problem solved! For the silver spoons, I like to throw a 1/2-ounce Johnson Sprite or 3/4-ounce Tsunami Pro Slim Wave lure. The Slim Wave lure casts like a bullet and the thin silhouette has the appearance of a fast swimming bait. Spanish mackerel prefer a fast-moving lure near the surface, rigging them on 30- to 40-pound mono will reduce your chances of being cutting off. Sometimes, if the fish are short striking at the lures, speed up the retrieve until you begin hooking up. Both fish have keen eyesight, this gives them less of a chance to look it over before closing the deal. All this writing about calm seas, bait balls, fast fish and clear water gets me anxious. I’m very much looking forward to the calm weather opportunities ahead in August.
Capt. Curtiss Cash offers charters in the Port O’Connor area; specializing in fishing the bays, passes, jetties, surf and nearshore waters. Species targeted include speckled trout, redfish, flounder, tripletail, black drum, bull reds, sharks, snapper, kingfish, ling and tarpon, when seasonally available. Phone
361-564-7032
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E X T R E M E K AYA K F I S H I N G & S H A R K S F R O M T H E S A N D
ERIC OZOLINS
Getting Hammered We often embark on fishing adventures, uncertain of what to expect. Hopes for a certain species or size run high but often prove unlikely. Marine conditions; clarity, currents, and water temperatures play key roles in what is possible. Texas shark fishing from the surf is regarded as some of the hardest land-based fishing in the world. Relentless wind and sargassum seaweed have a way of limiting success. Anglers on other coasts face fewer challenges and Florida’s surf is renowned for being one of the most angler-friendly. Surf fishermen on that side of the gulf would likely pack up and go home if two-footers came crashing. By comparison, most Texas shark anglers would take it in stride, delighted the waves were not bigger.
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Back in late-June, sandwiched into my busy surf charter schedule, girlfriend Alexis persuaded me to pack the truck for an overnight trip of our own. Hopes were high as the bigger tiger sharks had begun making their rounds. I had succeeded in landing a smaller specimen earlier in the month and attaching a SPOT satellite tag prior to the release. Through such tagging, Harte Research Institute and Center for Sportfish Science and Conservation work in conjunction with Ocearch’s real-time tracking. Individuals can go on the Ocearch shark tracker app and find the location of any shark through where it last “pinged” location data. Such data is very valuable as scientists become better able to understand daily movements and seasonal migrations. I have been fortunate so far to tag makos and large scalloped hammers for these organizations, and then a tiger earlier in the month. So – the trip Alexis and I were about to make had great significance – to tag another tiger. We ended up rolling down the beach around midday. For the past week I had been acquiring primo, fresh jack crevalle and stingrays for big shark bait. A combination of great water quality and fresh bait make chances at a big fish about as good as they can get. The water was relatively calm but with a fresh influx of sargassum seaweed plaguing the surf. Padre Island is a unique stretch of beach in that water conditions can vary considerably from one location to another. Due to its geological location and structure, the National Seashore portion of the island is the area where the gulf makes its way farthest west. Here, the curvature of the coastline is evident and both wind and current all determine places that may or may not be fishable. With all the weed washing in, we were forced to continue driving south on the hot summer sand. Finally, after a twohour journey we reached an area where the nuisance weed was much lighter. The water looked fantastic and birds were working schools of bait offshore. Time to
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play the game! We began setting camp and rigging shark rods. Typically, my tiger hunts are done at night, setting the baits just before dark. With the water looking so good, even though it was early, I decided to kayak out four main shark lines. Two would have mediumsize baits and two much larger, what I call premium big shark offerings. If the smaller baits got hit, great! If not, the lines would already be out and I could switch to larger tiger offerings right as darkness was falling. Placing the smaller baits in the spread might also give us some blacktip and bull shark entertainment until the big tigers came prowling – or so we hoped. Sure enough, about an hour into it, one of the medium baits gets hit and Alexis brought in a nice blacktip. We quickly got it measured and tagged and sent it on its way. With the wind forecasted to pick up late afternoon, I decided to hold off running that bait back out until right before dark so I could change everything during a single kayak run. Getting toward 6:00 pm, too early to make the bait rotation and itching for action, we decided to throw lures for sea trout, something I don’t do as often as I would like. Walking and casting down the beach, I finally landed a nice dinner fish and Alexis offered to walk it back to camp, about three hundred yards. I continued fishing down the beach. Weeding through skipjacks and small trout, I finally hit another good dinner fish and looked around for Alexis. Expecting to see her returning along the water’s edge, I was very surprised to spot her atop the truck platform, waving. At least from that distance it looked as though she was waving. I started walking back but it wasn’t long before I realized she was trying to send an SOS. Fast as I could, I sprinted the final distance and arrived to find my 80W reel screaming like a banshee. The amazing initial run had been going several minutes with Alexis videoing. With great desire of obtaining and tagging another tiger, I knew instantly this fish was not one. Vaporizing the line off the reel as it was, I was quite certain we were doing battle with a great hammerhead. The game changed. Almost a year to the day, I had landed a giant greater hammer and, that fish, like so many of that size, very disappointingly fought to its death. While I did everything right in attempting to release that previous giant, I knew I had to somehow give this one even 72 | August 2017
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more. I began praying that with Alexis’ help the outcome would be different with this one. But we had to land it first. Fifteen minutes into the fight the shark had dumped more than half the spool - roughly 1000 yards. It finally showed signs of tiring but still heading offshore, and crossed over the two other shark baits. Alexis jumped down and quickly brought them in to preclude any possibility of tangling and jeopardizing our chances for a clean landing and successful release. Another fifteen minutes passed and I finally got the shark turned and it was time to strategize. Harte wanted a great hammer wearing a satellite tag in their system but, I was also keenly aware that every second is precious dealing with a hammerhead of such size. To me, a clean release was more important than taking the time required to attach the satellite device. Continuing to work the fish to the beach as quickly as possible, I discussed all this with Alexis. IF we land it, we would keep it in the water and work as quickly as possible to remove the hook and get measurements. Fortunately, for me and the fish, she started swimming to the beach. Running up and down each parallel sandbar, which is a very good indication of remaining strength. Still exhibiting great power, I shifted the large reel into low gear immediately whenever she showed stubbornness to cross a bar. No sooner than she reached the second bar we were treated to the tall saber of her dorsal above the surface. What a magnificent sight. Minutes later she was resting in the first gut. I leaped down to grab the leader, leaving Alexis on top to roll up any slack in the line. The tide was still fairly high, which worked in our favor. Attaching the tail rope, I managed to pull her into shallower water and rolled her on her side. Bolt cutters made quick work of the large circle hook lodged perfectly in the corner of the jaw. The large female greater hammerhead taped out at 11-feet and 2-inches, even with the terminal lobe of her caudal fin completely missing. Tail intact – I believe she could have made 11’-10”, or more. Her girth was massive, in all likelihood full of pups, making the mission to release even more critical. Struggling, I got her righted and Alexis grabbed photos. Everything was going incredibly smoothly as I nudged her backwards, deeper into the first gut. Once in deeper water, I got her pointed into the current and began walking with her. In less than two minutes she regained her bearings and began swimming. She kicked hard, swimming on the surface at first, with that enormous dorsal raised high, as though to signal thanks for the quick and respectful release back into the sea. Of all my shark releases, this is the most incredible for many reasons. What an experience!
For the past decade Eric ‘Oz’ Ozolins has been promoting shark catch and release and assisting various shark research programs. Eric offers guided shark fishing on Padre Island National Seashore. Also renowned for extreme kayak big game fishing, Eric runs Kayak Wars; one of the largest kayak fishing tournaments in the world. Email Websites
oz@oceanepics.com extremecoast.com | oceanepics.com | kayakwars.com
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Dickie Colburn
DICKIE COLBURN’S Sabine Scene
Sabine
Dickie Colburn is a full time guide out of Orange, Texas. Dickie has 37 years experience guiding on Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes.
Telephone 409-883-0723 Website www.sabineconnection.com
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So much for too much fresh water totally snuffing out a trout bite. It has admittedly made it much tougher on Sabine Lake anglers, but in spite of daily downpours we are still running across schools of small specks pushing shrimp to the surface. We have had so much rain, in fact, that the runoff seldom muddies things up and the clarity goes to pot only after a big wind. Amazingly enough, we had six consecutive days of little or no rain that coincided with the Bassmaster Open hosted here on the river. It was a blessing for the visiting pros and local saltwater fishermen were able to capitalize on an improving bite as well. In talking with several guides from the mid-to-lower Texas coast that have thus far enjoyed some excellent trout fishing, it is obvious that they can’t fathom the amount of rain we have been forced to deal with. Case in point – after rescheduling the same party three times due to rain, we decided to give it a try once again come hell or high water. It did, in fact, come both! The weather forecast the night before was for 6- to 10-mph wind out of the south and a 30% chance of scattered showers. Not surprisingly, we found ourselves within the 30% probability zone at daylight so we
elected to sit around and eat lunch while waiting for it to blow through. Two hours later, they made a soggy dash to their SUV and idled across the flooded parking lot. Over the next four hours it rained 6.5 inches and I couldn’t even get back into my neighborhood. Just another day of light rain.
Redfish in the rain – released!
Only two days later, however, the water was pouring through East Pass into the open lake and gulls were already working over small trout again. Can trout eventually become a fresh water species? Several of the Bassmaster pros said they caught trout and bass on the same topwater lures in the same drains. To trust the success of any fishing trip in the best of conditions to locating gulls ratting out schools of trout is fool’s gold. That bite is still occasionally taking place from the north end all the way to the Causeway, but it is here today and gone tomorrow and most of the trout are small. The most dependable bite is still taking place from the Causeway to the end of the jetties for both trout and redfish. Depending on tide direction, at some point during the day you can legitimately expect a pretty darned good bite. This is no secret, and fishermen looking to take advantage of that infusion of saltier Gulf water and more bait fish, concentrate their efforts from just south of the LNG terminal to the end of the jetties. Swimbaits, tails and crankbaits are all good choices when the bite is on. The key to consistently catching is usually more about figuring out the right depth than lure color. Thus the reason baits that can easily be fished at different depths are a good choice.
Even if it continues to rain all summer, the north revetment wall and flats off the Neches will continue to occasionally afford the more persistent anglers a shot at a good day in the presence of solid keeper fish. I have found them there only twice in the past three weeks, but they were predictably crushing a Swimming Image and 4� Usual Suspect both days. The trout and the reds on the north end of the lake are just now starting to get after plastics fished under a cork. I have offered them nothing other than a Vudu shrimp or Lil’ John recently and caught plenty Big flounder still of fish when I can stay on them. Because I am not much on fishing south providing most consistent bite. of the Causeway, I spend a great deal of time chasing flounder and redfish on the east shoreline of the lake. The flounder have been both cooperative and large and the unexpected slot redfish only doubles the fun. The program is simple but effective, and almost windproof. I fish a seven-foot medium action Laguna spinning rod in combination with a 2500 Shimano Stradic spooled with 20-pound braid. I have recently fished only an eighth ounce horsehead jig with a 4-inch Sea Shad or Gulp curly tail for the body. It is a great technique not only for the kids, but anyone that relishes eating stuffed flounder!
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Capt. Caleb Harp
The Buzz on Galveston Bay
Galveston
Capt. Caleb Harp has fished the Galveston Bay System since childhood and, now a charter captain and fishing guide, he uses his knowledge to enable clients to enjoy the excellent fishing the area offers. His specialty is the yeararound pursuit for trophy trout and redfish with artificial lures
Telephone 281-753-3378 Website harpsguideservice.com
August can be miserably hot but the fishing can be some of the best you can absolutely get in the Galveston Bay System. August is also a generally calm month. The majority of our trout and redfish are holding on deep mid-bay structure and, with light wind, we can consistently access the areas they are using. Much the opposite of spring and early-summer, when wind is almost always a limiting factor, we can fish nearly every day wherever we want to. Going straight to the fish rather than fishing where the weather dictates is a major plus in August. Allowing yourself multiple days on the water is huge for seeing exactly when the fish want to bite. If you go out in August and get on a midday bite or an early morning bite, chances are that you can repeat those same conditions the next day and have almost equal success. Tide movement is everything in saltwater fishing during August’s excruciating heat. We are typically working in eight- to twelve-foot depths and gauging current strength is critical to success. They aren’t going to eat whenever the flow is too weak and they will be reluctant to feed when it’s too strong. Too much tide current might sound silly but it can kill the
bite in deeper water. Imagine that you are running on a treadmill at full speed and someone offers you a big buffet meal. You would probably turn them down saying, “Hold up and let me slow down a little bit. Maybe then I’ll eat.” Those fish don’t want to fight the current any more than you want to try to eat while pounding that treadmill. That’s the way I see it, anyway. This theory is reinforced time and again when we experience some of our best bites when the current begins to slacken or approaches a tide change. The Galveston Bay Complex is one of the deepest on average and has one of the busiest shipping channels running right through it. Using the ship channel on weak tide flows, too weak for them to feed in other areas off the channel, will also increase your chances of keeping up with the bite. When the tankers pass by, they create an artificial current and fish react to it the same as they do the tide. That’s another reason that fishing close to the channel can up your odds. Now, it’s no secret that the fish are often harder to catch when temperatures soar. But the other side of that coin is that when they do decide to eat, they do so very aggressively. Fact of the matter is that their
CUT TO THE CHASE With Texas Insider Fishing Report
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In addition to what’s biting (and where), reel in fishing tips, tackle, product updates and much more! Catch us weekly to get the most out of your fishing. TexasInsiderFishingReport.com TexasInsiderFishingReport 78 | August 2017
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metabolism is in high gear during summer and they have to eat to stay alive. Feeding more often and for longer periods creates more slicks, which makes finding them a lot easier. Keep your eyes open!
topwaters early and switching to tails later. Redfish have been good in the back lakes and in the grass on the north shoreline between Green’s Cut and Mechom’s.
West Galveston Bay West Bay has been pretty hot lately for drifters in the middle of the bay between North Deer Island and Green’s Cut by “the oyster poles.” Lots of croaker soaking going on but these fish will still eat artificials. Wade fishermen continue to do well near San Luis Pass throwing Summer’s heat brings lots of competition for food!
East Galveston Bay East Bay has been somewhat hit or miss with daily crowds hitting it so hard the last couple months, but there are still good catches coming off mid-bay reefs. Soft plastics, MirrOlure Lil’ Johns or Provokers on 1/4oz jigs are great choices. Redfish have been spotty in open water and also up in the marsh. Fishing should improve in Youngsters always enjoy East Bay with each new school of fish that comes in working summertime through the jetties. redfish schools. Trinity Bay Trinity Bay has been good when the wind has been light. Now that we’re approaching the doldrums of summer we should be able to get a good sampling of what we’ve actually got out there. August is always good around the gas wells in the middle of the bay. Each well has its own shell pad so use your sonar to find the best corners and humps. I typically use 1/4 or 3/8 oz jigheads, depending on the current, with MirrOlure Marsh Minnow paddletails or the Soft Shad. Redfish will predominately school in open water but never rule out shell-mud shoreline structure or bayou drains. Follow our catches daily on Instagram @ harpsguideservice.
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Bink Grimes
The View from Matagorda
Matagorda
Bink Grimes is a full-time fishing and hunting guide, freelance writer and photographer, and owner of Sunrise Lodge on Matagorda Bay.
Telephone 979-241-1705 Email binkgrimes@sbcglobal.net Website matagordasunriselodge.com
TPW Coastal Fisheries Division’s spring gill net surveys are saying what we already know - our bays are in great shape and full of speckled trout. It’s been a great 2017 and there’s no reason why the momentum should decline in August. West Matagorda Bay continues to impress with considerably larger than normal trout. Once known for mostly schoolie-size fish, West Bay has consistently coughed up fish longer than 20-inches all year. Shoal grass shorelines are providing great topwater action on the incoming tide. Super Spook Jrs, Skitter Walks and She Pups have been getting gobbled up at sunrise. Around Palacios, boaters anchoring on the barge and sunken shrimp boat have scored easy limits with live shrimp rigged about four feet under a cork. Reefs off Palacios Point and Hotel Point are holding good
trout as well. Half Moon Reef has held fish all summer long but it all depends on the wind. South winds have been a booger for most of the summer so it has limited access to this open-water reef. East Matagorda Bay has been good while drifting. It’s a much tougher bite with soft plastics but those
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tossing live shrimp under a Mid-Coast Popping Cork are catching plenty of fish. Waders have worked on the mud flats on the east end and found fish on Super Spooks and She Dogs. Reefs in the middle of the bay; Long Reef, Three Beacon, Half Moon and Barefoot have produced for waders on live bait and Bass Assassins, Down South Lures and Norton Bull Minnows. Waders around Pass Cavallo have caught early limits on Super Spook Jrs and Down South Lures while wading sand and grass. When the tides are at their weakest, I like to camp around the jetty and pass
because the strongest tidal flow, even though its weaker than normal, will occur there. For redfish, points and bayous dumping out around Oyster Lake, Crab Lake and Mad Island Reef have held good numbers of slot fish. Boggy Lake, just off the ICW near East Matagorda Bay, has been good, as has nearby Lake Austin and the muddy shorelines of Brown Cedar Flats. On the offshore scene, August normally allows for more calm days than any other month. Guide Michael Kubecka said kingfish are everywhere around structure or just trolling. Since the Gulf shrimp season opened back up many kings have been behind shrimp boats while they are culling their catch. Red snapper are everywhere from Freeport to Port O’Connor. Drop a squid down in 40 feet of water or more and you are probably going to get bit. Cobia have been scattered lately, said Kubecka, but best bites have come around wrecks and weed lines. Lots of dorado and chicken dolphin on the weed lines. Marlin have been on the deeper rips while trolling Islanders, ballyhoo and Black Bart’s. Yellowfin tuna are showing as well around floaters and while drifting and casting tuna poppers. Of course, we will be itching to get in the surf. Be careful when you open the lid on your tackle box. All your topwaters could jump right out of the box just dying to get crunched by an “ocean” seatrout. Follow our catches daily on Facebook, Instagram and weekly on the Texas Insider Fishing Report on Fox Sports Southwest.
2017-TX-aug-sd-sdxl-trout.pdf
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Capt. Gary Gray
MID-COAST BAYS With the Grays
Port O'Connor Seadrift
Captain Gary Gray is a full time guide born and raised in Seadrift. He has been guiding in the Seadrift/ Port O’Connor area for 28 years. Gary specializes in wading for trout and redfish year round with artificial lures.
Telephone 361-785-6708 Email bayrats@tisd.net Website www.bayrat.com
82 | August 2017
Well guys, the heat has finally arrived. And, just like movement during really hot days, which usually means fishermen, the fish are also feeling the change. I will be close to gulf passes. Gulf water is usually cooler and going over a few tips and tricks that have helped me more oxygenated than bay water. Bay trout become over the years in finding fish that are more apt to eat lethargic in their feeding when temperatures soar and during the hottest summer days. harder to catch if you’re not in the right areas. The best way to beat the heat is to leave the dock If I cannot fish near a gulf pass, I look for areas I can early and begin fishing a few minutes before the sun drift or wade near deeper water, such as drop-offs along begins to peek over the horizon. There are some safety Blackberry or Dewberry Island. Both have a pronounced issues associated with running in pre-dawn darkness, drop that gets my attention during summer. but most of these can be avoided through firsthand Open water reefs in San Antonio, Espiritu Santo and knowledge of the route you will travel and sufficient lighting to show the way. Yes, your GPS is a great tool, but please do not bury your head into the screen and never look up. GPS is not radar! It does not show you other boaters or waders that may have gotten an earlier start. Quite often I have a plan in mind for areas I will fish during these stifling days. Lots of things go through my head over that first early cup of coffee. What’s the wind doing? If it’s 20-mph south you can bet I Reece Smith battling won’t be heading to the north shore of West a 43-inch beast of a Matagorda, or any other open water areas. redfish on light tackle. I look for areas that have the most water
The Smith family happy to help Reece hoist his trophy for a photo before the release.
West Matagorda can be key players during heated days. They all have deep areas off the edges and points. I prefer reefs where I can toss Bass Assassins into five feet or deeper water. Other structures that deserve attention are gas wells and platforms located across our bay systems. These can pay off handsomely when the wind is light. Many anglers who frequent platforms will be anchored and throwing toward the structure. Please do not ruin their day by motoring in and fishing too close. Just remember the key elements are; water movement, deeper water, and oxygenated water. Let your lures get down deep, whether by rigging with heavier jigs or by simply slowing your retrieve. It doesn’t do any good to fish in deep water if you’re not fishing the deeper section of the water column. Let’s talk about lure selection and preferences. You will probably not see me in the middle of the bay fishing a reef drop-off with my trusty She Dog. Yes, it works at times, but it is not the norm. Not mine, anyway. You will have more success working near bottom with a 4” Bass Assassin Sea Shad (paddletail), or the 5” Saltwater Shad (rattail). I rig them on 1/16-ounce Assassin jig heads, (part number-05001). I use this size almost exclusively, and I'm accustomed to slowing my retrieve to let it sink. If you are uncomfortable with this, try a 1/4-ounce but I would not recommend anything heavier. Here is my take on the difference between using the Sea Shad (paddletail) versus the Saltwater Shad (rattail). The benefit of using the Sea Shad is that during the fall of the lure you will get a lot of tail action from the bait as it descends through the water column. It will also drop a little faster than the Saltwater Shad. One catch though, the Sea Shad does not dart and dive as readily as the Saltwater Shad. Meaning that when you twitch your rod it doesn’t react (hop) as readily. On the other hand, the Saltwater Shad will also flutter to the bottom, unless your jighead is too heavy. Which is part of the reason I like those 1/16-ounce heads. Once it reaches the bottom and you start your retrieve, each twitch will impart an up and down motion. Yes, you can work it too fast and get the same effects as the paddletails. Working this lure effectively in deep water requires a bit of finesse but I definitely believe it worth the effort to master. The heat of summer can be trying so, again, be sure to get an early start. Pack your patience and remember to stay hydrated. Fish hard, fish smart!
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david rowsey
HOOKED UP WITH Rowsey
Upper Laguna/ Baffin
David Rowsey has over 25 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
84 | August 2017
Here we go into the final full month of summer. South Texas is still a couple of months away from seeing any kind of break in the heat, but that just gives us something to look forward to as we grind through the dog days. It has been very warm this summer, more than normal, in my opinion. How the bait fishing folks can sit on the deck of a boat and cook all day is beyond me. There is much coolness found in waist-deep water while wade fishing. Yeah, it’s still warm, but at least you can take a dip down to get the whole body wet and let the southeast breeze give you an instant cool-off when you rise back up. The older I get the more precautions I take to stay cool at all costs, and hydrated. I devour water and sports drinks all day, and ride my client’s butts to do the same. A clean hand towel resting in the drink box does wonders for the face and neck between wades. Y’all be smart and take care of yourselves out there this August. There are two upsides to fishing during August. The first being that the trout are putting on eggs again to spawn; therefore, fat trout will be more common towards the end of the month versus the
long, skinny ones we have been catching the past sixty days. I like catching them all - big, short, fat, long and small, but prefer the long ones with big bellies. There will be many more opportunities to achieve this in weeks ahead. I used to encourage STAR tournament hopefuls to charter this month for a legit shot at a possible winner for the southern zone. Although I would still love any of you to book a trip now for a big summer trout, the current Lower Coast leader of the STAR trout is a huge 10 lb-14 oz specimen. The chances of anyone topping that fish are slim to none. With that said, there is zero reason to kill any large trout for the Lower Coast STAR at this point. Joining social media this year for the first time, it is mind-blowing how many folks I see killing great fish, thinking they have a chance to win something as trivial as a gift card, when in reality they are two to three pounds out of the running. I would encourage all to be more responsible outdoorsmen and stewards of the bay by knowing what the leading weight is, using a Boga Grip to weigh the fish when landed, snap a photo, and let it go if it has no chance to win you a boat.
Robert Ramsey releasing another redfish on a "work hard for the reward" kind of day.
Trout action is early for the most part. I’m typically departing Bluff’s Landing Marina around 5:00 a.m. this time of year to catch the best trout of the day in the first two hours of sunlight. I am, almost always, starting my days in Baffin for the initial flurry of action. Slicks remain to be the key indicator on where I will fish and, no surprise, these areas will also be where I find the most bait. After the sun gets high and the bite slows down, you have a few options: For trout, you can go out deep and grind it out or, what I prefer, go skinny to seek out the largest fish (but you do run the risk of far less action). The next option is to go chase redfish. I prefer to go for them skinny as well, because I love to sight-cast. To me, sight-casting is the perfect combination of hunting and fishing. I get so into it at times that I have to remind myself that I have clients with me. Easy to get lost in it when you are sliding quietly through the water looking for a shadow of a big trout or that faded orange glow of an unsuspecting redfish. The whole site-casting and slick pattern has been a mainstay for me all summer, and will continue on through September. I have become a minimalist over the years when comes to lure selection. Early in the morning, with good wave action, I will start with a MirrOlure He-Dog or Top-Dog. If it’s calm it will be something on the smaller side, like a Spook Jr. Depending on the water conditions and clarity, I will have a variety of 5” Bass Assassins (straight tail) rigged on 1/16-ounce screw-lock jigheads. I will be quick to go to the plastic if the bite on top is not aggressive enough for my tastes. Remember the buffalo! -Capt. David Rowsey
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Wayne Davis
WAYNE’S Mansfield Report
Port Mansfield
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
86 | August 2017
All is well in Port Mansfield and the fishing remains when you think you know all there is to know about very good as we head into August. If you like it hot, summertime catching, you better think again. We well, I’d say you’re in luck…I believe it’s gonna be enjoyed good days for the most part, and even some a scorcher. We have had a few good rain showers, great days. But what I noticed most was how things which helps the bay, and the Port Mansfield resident can change rapidly from one day to the next. deer herd. There is a large group of bucks in velvet Example: We caught more than 100 keeper trout hanging out in the shade behind my house, just one day, (an Empty Stringers C&R outing), and waiting for me to slip up and leave the gate open. Last week they got a bit anxious and knocked the back fence down and ate my jalapeños, Thai peppers, mandevilla and even some of my plumeria! I noticed water temps last week above 90⁰ in a back cove I was fishing and, in my opinion, that is just too hot. The only fish we encountered were mullet and a few skipjacks. Trout and redfish are definitely changing their patterns to Solid flatfish continue to surprise us often. J.B. compensate for the heat as well. Perez displays a nice I recently ran twelve consecutive one during a recent charters with different clients charter with the author. throughout. During a run like this,
Never pass up a cooler, rainy day during summer. Bobby Walker struck gold at the end of the rainbow as the rain ceased and skies cleared.
the next day went to that exact spot and worked hard for only ten. The wind and tide were slightly different but that second day’s catching alone confirms that staying on a steady bite in summertime heat is tougher than some might think. It certainly helps by being on the water every day or at least three to four days a week, but those fish can sure leave you scratching your head. We have seen our tides rise very high and, what is more important, we have seen them fluctuate up to eight inches overnight. In Port Mansfield that makes a HUGE difference. The best advice I can give in this scenario is simply pull back and fish a little deeper, if your geographical layout allows for it. As we head into August expect the fish to adjust for the hot days. This means you will have a short window of opportunity to fish ultra-shallow for about an hour at first light, maybe two if you are lucky. Your next move will need to be toward deeper and cooler water. I recently sight-casted a 28-plus trout in less than a foot of water at about 9:00am. Come 10:00am the flat was barren of fish, except a few mullet. There are exceptions to this observation, but in general this is what we find. Something worth mentioning; that 28-plus put up a fair fight, was handled gently, and quickly photographed and released. Still, it took great effort to revive her. I am confident she recovered as I remained in the area for another hour sight-fishing reds and never saw her again. Keep this in mind when releasing trout – they struggle to recover during hot weather and elevated water temperatures. Please do not give up. Hold them upright and gently swish forward and backward to move water through their gills. During dog day heat, never pass an opportunity to fish a cooler rainy day. While others cancel for prettier weather, some of my all-time best summertime trips have occurred on rainy days. Take a light rain jacket such as Simms or AFTCO; you’ll appreciate the comfort in the event of a sudden hard downpour. AND, keep an eye on the sky at all times for thunder and lightning. Do not be fool enough to think it cannot happen to you. Vacate ASAP from anything that appears even remotely dangerous. Topwater action continues to be very good when the floating grass situation doesn’t get too far out of hand for them to be fished effectively. Favorites at present are Heddon One Knockers and Super Spooks. In the soft plastic department, we are still using KWigglers products such as the new Bone Diamond and Padre Punch colors in the Willow Tail Shad. Later in the day, when we head out deeper, we usually switch to the Ball Tail Shad in Flo Mingo, Mansfield Margarita and Plum Chartreuse. If the water is cloudy or dirty, we are using the 4-inch paddletails in Olive Red Metal Flake-Chartreuse and Carolina Pumpkinseed-Chartreuse. The vibration from the tails is often very helpful in attracting strikes when other lures go unnoticed. Enjoy the summer and remember to stay hydrated. Practice safe boating and be courteous. TSFMAG.com | 87
Capt. Ernest cisneros
SOUTH PADRE Fishing Scene A rr oyo C olorado t o Port I sabel
A Brownsville-area native, Capt. Ernest Cisneros fishes the Lower Laguna Madre from Port Mansfield to Port Isabel. Ernest specializes in wading and poled skiff adventures for snook, trout, and redfish.
Cell 956-266-6454 Website www.tightlinescharters.com
Of all the months, August is the one when my catches decline the most. It’s a month plagued with very hot and frequently stormy weather. Hopefully we will not have a hurricane but tropical storms and other disturbances during August are almost a given. Weather of any magnitude anywhere close to our vicinity can cause tides to rise way above normal, scattering fish to new hiding places. Currently, tides are fluctuating within usual summer ranges, abnormal lows and highs during new and full moon, and then returning to normal as these lunar phases diminish. Water temperatures are rising above 90⁰ by midday, frequently causing the bite to fade until lateafternoon. Early-morning wades have been most productive with another flurry coming late-evening. Tidal movement, in or out, helps tremendously. Wading belly-deep has been the key in finding a good trout bite – adjacent to deeper water, sometimes just off the ICW. The easy part is that we are finding fish on harder sand bottoms. If we are wading soft bottom, the sand is but a few inches below the mud which makes
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it easier than mud wades Adam Weesner's firstin other seasons. ever snook taped 33-1/2 Mullet have been the inches. Way to go, Adam! greatest key in locating feeding gamefish. Their rooting of the bottom as they feed on algae produces tell-tale mud streaks that lead us straight to the predators that gather to feed on them. Redfish encounters continue to be up one day and down the next. Overall, we are still not catching the numbers of years past. Very scattered on the flats, especially on windy days. Calm days are easier as we can spot their waking from a distance. The majority of our reds have been holding in four- to six foot depths, well away from boat traffic. Edges of spoils that contain sand pockets have been holding fair numbers of redfish in the early part of the day. The east side flats on calm days have been a sure bet to find a few scattered fish and, on occasion, you may even run into a school. Large potholes near the sand/grass transition have scattered redfish early in the day that just seem to disappear later in the day. I can say that most of our redfish catches have come in the early part of the day and have been around schools of mullet. The Super Spook Jr. has been effective in the early morning hours but floating grass has been a big problem – even with single hooks. Quite often we have to resort to throwing weedless gold spoons to get a decent chance at the reds. Trout continue to be our mainstay. We are landing very good numbers from many spots we visit during the course of the day. We continue to do well along the flats adjacent to the ICW. Working the edges of any visible grass bed can be productive. Potholes around spoil islands are holding the bigger fish. With the tide expected to rise this month, the spoils will continue to be prime areas. Recently inundated shorelines are not to be passed up this time of the year, especially if bait is present. Pay particular attention to narrow cuts between spoils when the tidal current is strong; bigger specimens lie in that concentrated current waiting an easy meal to be delivered. Dancing a topwater down the ICW drop-off is always a good strategy when the tide is moving. Best chances for flounder continue to be found along ICW drop-offs and old oilfield channels on the flats. Our landings are definitely fewer at present than years past but they can still be found in the areas mentioned. Keep in mind that where you catch one will often provide several more if you fish that structure patiently. I would like to thank all my clients that have participated in Empty Stringers this year. The program is doing very well and we have been releasing lots of fish. I would also like to thank my sponsors that make it happen for me on the water: Fishing Tackle Unlimited, Shallow Sport Boats, Simms, AFTCO, Costa del Mar, MirrOlure, SPRO, Gamakatsu, KWigglers and Power Pole. It’s been a year now that I retired from education and began guiding on a full-time basis. I love what I’m doing and often have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming. I hope I can continue sharing, teaching, putting clients on fish, and releasing them for years to come. Practice conservation and courtesy toward your fellow anglers!
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FISHING REPORTS
Lake Calcasieu Louisiana Jeff and Mary Poe - Big Lake Guide Service - 337.598.3268 August is a great month for fishing in western Louisiana. It's hot, but so is the fishing. During the last full month of summer, focusing efforts on deeper water leads to the most consistent catching. Trout will seek to escape the high water temperatures by moving down into the depths. Consequently, the Calcasieu Ship Channel will be the focus of our fishing most of the time. Deeper reefs in the middle of the lake will also produce fish, but strong tides are necessary to trigger the bite out there. As tides slacken, we move closer to the ship channel, where currents flow faster. Nearshore platforms, the surf, and The Cameron Jetties will also be productive at this time of year. In all of these areas, shrimp-imitating soft plastics on oneeighth to three-eighths ounce jigheads produce bites at the best rate, especially for those who remember to use the lightest jigheads the tide will allow, since lighter jigheads allow for the most natural looking presentations . We hope to see all of you fishing very soon! Trinity Bay - East Bay - Galveston Bay | James Plaag Silver King Adventures - silverkingadventures.com - 409.935.7242 James mentions excellent fishing in offshore and nearshore waters
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90 | August 2017
ORECASTS F from Big Lake to Boca Chica
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on recent trips. “We caught quick limits of red snapper out deep and two tarpon on the way back in, one about 120 pounds, the other about 90. Hope to be chasing the Silver Kings more next month too. Lots of good wading lately in lower parts of the bay for trout lately. We've had a good bite on small topwaters like ShePups in bone and pink. Some of the trout are good sized too, running three-four pounds. We do pretty good on swim baits like the Bass Assassin Sea Shads too, of course. When we're fishing out of the boat, it's been kinda hard to find the fish. They aren't throwing slicks real good like they do some years, so it pays to have some reliable deep structures marked. We expect more of the same in August. Wading should be good on flats close to places with deep water and some tidal movement. Fishing out of the boat should be good for trout around deep structures. And, we've got plenty of tarpon in the Gulf. It all sets up really good for the end of summer.” Jimmy West - Bolivar Guide Service - 409.996.3054 Jim reports inconsistent action over recent trips, some of it very productive. “We've had a stretch of unstable weather. When the wind blows, it gets tougher, of course. Lately, the weather has settled, and fishing is more consistent. Several days, we whacked 'em pretty
good, easy limits of two to five-pound trout. When we're able to find the reds mudding in open water, we're catching plenty of the line-stretchers. We're catching fish on light colors like glow and chartreuse when the water's in good shape. When the bay's muddier, we're doing better on dark colors like plum and pumpkinseed. We're targeting our fish in five to six feet of water, using slicks to locate 'em, mostly. Birds are working on some days, making things easier. Topwater bite has been good most mornings, with lots of blow-ups. Except on rare days, the floating plugs aren't working well once the sun gets up off the horizon very far. I'm looking forward to the start of teal season now. It's right around the corner. I'm booking hunts as we speak, and still have some open slots.” West Galveston - Bastrop - Christmas - Chocolate Bays Randall Groves - Groves Guide Service 979.849.7019 - 979.864.9323 Randall reports hot fishing on shrimp-imitating lures during a recent upswing in the action in his area. “All the trout we pull out of the water seem to have shrimp whiskers sticking out of their mouths. It's a hoot. Natural-looking soft plastics like Norton Sand Eels in colors like chicken on a chain are working well. As usual, trout are taking topwaters better at first light and slightly thereafter. I've been having best luck on the white Skitterwalk with the red head, as is often the case. In August, I expect hot action along the beachfront. We're already catching plenty of fish out there, and the weather usually becomes consistently better for the surf at the end of summer. Topwaters and tails work great in the guts fronting the sandy strip. People need to beware of the currents in the waters of San Luis Pass. We've had three people drown recently in swift waters around the area. Waders should remember not to walk into water over knee-deep when currents run swift. No fish in the Gulf of Mexico is worth the risk!” Matagorda | Charlie Paradoski Bay Guide Service - 713.725.2401 “We haven't been able to get out into the surf too many times this summer so far, but that can change any day. August weather usually gives us several chances, so we always have our eyes on the beachfront this time of year. When we have the chance to fish it, using topwaters early tight to the beach is a good bet. Walking into the deeper guts tends to work better as the sun climbs higher. This month, we usually see the redfish ganging up on the shorelines in both bays. We target them with small topwaters and tails in knee-deep water around the coves and drains.. It can be a real blast to tangle with those fish this time of year. Most of the ones we catch in August fall somewhere in the slot. Drifting areas adjacent to mid-bay reefs in East Bay is another productive option this time of year. Lately, live shrimp under a popping cork have been producing bites best, but we do have success catching trout on artificial lures when the weather is nice. Like any month, August presents several productive options to anglers in the Matagorda area.” Palacios | Capt. Aaron Wollam www.palaciosguideservice.com - 979.240.8204 Our main focus lately has been around deep wells out in West Matagorda Bay, and on the sand and grass flats close to town. Trout have been around rigs in twelve to fourteen feet of water, sticking close to the shell pads. We've been doing great free-lining live shrimp with a small split-shot, and fishing VuDu shrimp in Cajun pepper. We are not catching many big fish, but we are catching a bunch of keepers. The redfish bite has picked up tremendously. We're starting to see a few schools chasing shrimp down shorelines and also congregating around bayou/ creek drains, ambushing bait as it is flushed out of the marsh. VuDu mambo mullet in pearl/ chartreuse and quarter-ounce gold weedless spoons have worked to trick the reds. Tripletail fishing remains spotty, with most of the fish staging close to Port O’Connor. August is a good month for the surf. We usually start getting a few fronts that knock down the waves on the beach and make catching easy. Keying in on shallow guts early, then moving out deeper seems to work best in our area.
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Port O’Connor | Lynn Smith Back Bay Guide Service - 361.983.4434 Lynn expects to focus his efforts on areas close to deep, cool water in August. “We're in the surf a lot lately, and we'll continue trying to head out there as much as we can. We hit the beachfront early in the morning when we have light winds. We will also target trout on some of the flats around the pass, where guts provide some depth close to the drop-offs. Moving water is critical to stirring up decent feeding activity when the water is so hot. We like to wade in areas along the shorelines close to the jetties and the pass which have grass beds mixed with sandy pockets. And, we want to see big rafts of mullet. There's lots of bait in the bays at the end of summer, so most of the best catching happens in areas with plenty of mullet or other prey species. We also like to fish some on the shell banks and spoils lying close to the Port Lavaca Ship Channel this month. The current flows well there, and the deep water provides a place for the fish to fall off the flats and escape the heat when they want to and need to.” Rockport | Blake Muirhead Gator Trout Guide Service - 361.790.5203 or 361.441.3894 “Fishing has been really good in the surf when the weather's reasonably calm. We'll keep heading out to the beachfront as much as we can during August. It's normally one of the best months of the year to fish out there. We've also been doing really well fishing midbay reefs lately. We've got tons of trout in the area bays right now. Catching plenty on most every trip. Fishing for reds has been steady
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too. We usually start to see them schooling up on flats adjacent to the passes this month, so I'll be on the lookout for that. As far as methods and lures go, it's pretty simple, really. We'll do what it takes to catch fish. On some days, that means using live croakers. On other days, chrome topwaters like Super Spooks with chrome work fine. And, as always, we will carry our Norton Sand Eels in dark colors with bright chartreuse tails and throw them at the fish too. Fishing has been really productive lately, and I expect the trend to continue right on through the end of the summer.” Upper Laguna Madre - Baffin Bay - Land Cut Robert Zapata – rz1528@grandecom.net - 361.563.1160 Fishing in the ULM this summer continues to be very good, and August should be no exception. Many of the fish will move into very shallow water early in the mornings and then gradually drop off into deeper water as the sun warms up the shallows. The winds should also be lighter early in the morning and then start to gain speed as the day progresses. I will start with a smaller lure like the Bass Assassin Elite Shiner in colors like mama’s 14K, meat hook and ripper rigged on one-sixteenth ounce Spring Lok jigheads. As the day progresses, I’ll switch to a bigger lure like the Bass Assassin Die Dapper in colors like salt & pepper/chartreuse tail, sand trout or chicken on a chain, and I’ll also be moving into deeper water, but not more than three to four feet deep. Sight-casting for redfish and black drum with chartreuse, shrimp-flavored Fish Bites will also be a good option. Of course, freelining live croakers and piggy perch along grass lines and drop-offs will also produce good numbers of trout and reds.
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92 | August 2017
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Corpus Christi | Joe Mendez – www.sightcast1.com - 361.937.5961 Fishing remains excellent in the ULM/Baffin system, Joe says. “We have pretty water over most of the area. When we get the bull tides after storms, it makes for tougher fishing. Most of the action is tight to area shorelines, or on the spines of spoils then. With normal tide levels, we're having success targeting trout and redfish over sandy bottom, in areas close to grass beds. Most of the fish are biting in water around thigh to waist-deep. In areas with the clearest water, we're sometimes able to locate the fish by sight. In other places, we key on thick rafts of flipping mullet to lead us to the right places. In any case, the best bite has been on soft plastics rigged on light jigheads, either eighth or sixteenth-ounce. Erratic presentations work well on some days, when the fish are somewhat negative. When the bite is better, it's possible to catch them on paddletails reeled steadily in front of their eyes. We expect the steady catching to continue in August. It's a great time of year to target reds in open areas of the Lagoon, among other things.”
The owner of Diamond J, James Rosalis, was a partner in Circle J Enterprises at the time our office and son’s home were built by Circle J. Workmanship and attention to detail were both excellent! – Everett Johnson, Editor/Publisher, Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine
P.I.N.S. Fishing Forecast | Eric Ozolins We were lucky to dodge Tropical Storm Cindy, though she did send sloppy rain, high tides, and a good deal of sargassum. The upside was copious baitballs of anchovies and shad that formed just off the beaches. Skipjacks came in thick as the baitballs came into the surf. Also fortunate was the amount of seatrout they attracted. Trout are still being caught when the surf calms. Everything from spoons, soft plastics, and live bait have been working well. While most of the jackfish have moved offshore chasing the deeper baitballs, tarpon have been seen right up on the beach. Tarpon will take spoons and large topwaters if you are unable to obtain live mullet. Spanish mackerel are also moving in close with the birds and bait. Be very careful wading, sharks often shadow the baitballs into shallow water. Shrimp may provide hit or miss action for whiting, pompano, and both red and black drum. While shark action has generally waned in the heat, nighttime angling could produce tigers and possibly bigger bulls. Stingrays are plentiful too. Port Mansfield | Ruben Garza Snookdudecharters.com – 832.385.1431 Getaway Adventures Lodge – 956.944.4000 Early-morning trout action has been steady on ICW spoils. Topwaters have been giving us bigger fish; casting into the depths and working back toward the drop-offs. Soft plastics on quarterounce jigs take over when surface action fades. The west shoreline up north has been good on lighter wind days. Best strategy on the east side is wading waist to chest-deep, targeting grass beds and potholes. Floating grass is often a problem everywhere. Single-hooked topwaters and weedless plastics help, as does working heavier jigs below the mess. Lately, the reds have been either up shallow on the west shoreline or along the shelf on the east side. On the west side, target them between knee and mid-thigh deep with small topwaters and weedless spoons. On the east side, expect them to be calf-deep, and scan constantly for sight-casting opportunities, using the same lures as on the west side. Another solid option for catching reds is drifting depths of five to six feet, throwing new penny Gulp! shrimp dangled under popping corks. Lower Laguna Madre - South Padre - Port Isabel Janie and Fred Petty | www.fishingwithpettys.com – 956.943.2747 If you’re a tournament fisherman, and wading is not paying off this summer, either because of boats burning the shorelines or too much competition for shallow spots, consider fishing the drop-offs and color changes mid-day with FP3 and Berkley Gulp! three-inch shrimp. The combination of scent from the Gulp! and vibrations from the FP3 works equally well in deeper, murky potholes or skinny, clear flats. Freddy says: “When boat traffic is overwhelming, we concentrate on the areas others might ignore because the water may not be clear enough to see the bottom. Give yourself the option to succeed in totally different environments using the same rig, but switching from lighter-colored Gulp! lures like pearl early to more colorful ones like nuclear chicken when the sun move high overhead.” We’ve been catching some twenty five to twenty eight inch trout, along with limits of smaller keepers, especially when the wind is down, but the windier days have been the best for reds, especially oversized ones. Stop open bay dredge disposal!
TSFMAG.com | 93
Cayleb Burgin Galveston Bay - first slot red!
Quynh Johnson Galveston pier - 41” bull red
Lee Eidson Galveston Bay - 22” & 23” flounder
Gilbert Gallegos black drum CPR
94 | August 2017
Amy Olson Seadrift - 25” trout
Blake Saenger POC - 25" personal best trout!
Susan Oehl Port O’Connor - 29” personal best redfish!
Kellan Craig The Landcut - 6 lb redfish
Steve Sullivan Copano Bay - 27.5” red drum
Tom Wilson Sargent cut - personal best trout!
Jason Pringle POC - 37” 18 lb first redfish!
Jim Smiley Oyster Lake - sheepshead
Juan Ramirez Hynes Bay - 29.5” red
Nicholas Cottingham Galveston - 42” first bull red!
Eric Gonsoulin flounder
Emma Rocha Matagorda - 32” personal best bull red!
Brandon Perez Freeport - bull redfish CPR
Branden Oberlender Gulf - 46” amberjack
Colby Renfro & Patrick McGary Baffin - 27.5” & 6.2 lb trouts
Debra Bilbrey Nueces Bay - 27.25” redfish CPR
Tristen Oberlender Nueces Bay - 27.25” red
Aden Viet Johnson Galveston fishing pier - stingray
Dustin Zapalac Matagorda - 30.75” 9.75 lb trout CPR
Please do not write on the back of photos.
Email photos with a description of your Catch of the Month to: Photos@tsfmag.com
Bill Casimr 27” redfish
Juan Rodriguez Lower Laguna Madre - 40” red
Mail photos to: TSFMag P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 TSFMAG.com | 95
Pe
R d r u a n o n b e n r s-u O t
Tom Sawyer & Baby
Gracie
Rex
96 | August 2017
Bingo, the bait thief
Lauren and Boston
Rudi catching a shark his way!
Bojangles at the helm wondering where his oars are
Cosmo Smisek chilling out at Sunday Beach
Kona Savage
Oskar
p
Bubba
Hawke
Papa
Pet Onboard August Winner Boudreaux Herbold Congratulations to the final winner of Starbrite’s Boat Care in a Bucket (MSRP $100)! We loved seeing so many pets enjoying their time on the boat! Winners will be printed in the magazine and posted to Facebook. Brought to you by Starbrite and TSFMag!
TSFMAG.com | 97
Pam Johnson
Gulf Coast
Got ideas, hints or recipes you’d like to share? Email them to pam@tsfmag.com or send by fax: 361-785-2844
Crab and Shrimp Empanadas My family and friends fell in love with these tasty seafood pastries the first time I made them and they are now a regular item around our meal table. The smaller size empanadas (see note below) are great as appetizers and the larger version works out very well as a lighter lunch or dinner entrée.
INGREDIENTS 1/2 stick butter 1/2 cup green onions - chopped 1⁄4 cup parsley - finely chopped 1 Tbsp flour 1 cup half and half 1⁄4 pound grated Swiss cheese 1-1/2 tsp sherry wine 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 pound shrimp cooked, peeled and deveined 1/2 pound cooked crab meat 1 box Puff Pastry Dough – 2 Sheets
98 | August 2017
PREPARATION Melt butter in heavy pot and sauté onions and parsley. Blend in flour, cream and Swiss cheese, continuing until cheese is melted. Add sherry wine, cayenne, salt and shrimp, gently fold in crab meat. This is placed in the middle of your pastry dough. Thaw pastry dough. Lightly flour surface and roll out dough to measure 12 to 14 inches each direction. Using a large cookie dough cutter (or large-mouth mason jar ring) cut dough into circles. Place a teaspoon of mixture in the middle of each circle. With pastry brush, dampen edges of pastry circles lightly with cold water. Fold and press edges closed with fork. Brush top with egg wash. Preheat oven to 350⁰ and bake 30 minutes. Note: If you might prefer a larger serving portion. Roll out dough until 12” each direction and cut into quarters to make eight larger empanadas.
texas saltwater fishing holes matagorda to corpus M ATA G O R D A B AY Speckled Trout / Redfish
USCG Licensed Captain Stan Sloan
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Designer & Manufacturer of Specialized High Performance Fishing Rods Office: 361.573.0300
805 B. South Bridge Victoria, TX 77901
Fax: 361.573.0304
• Bay Fishing, Offshore, Floundering, Waterfowl, Dove • Night Fishing off Lighted Pier • Right On The Water • Lodging with/without Meals www.matagordasunriselodge.com 979-241-1705 TSFMAG.com | 99
CHRIS MAPP
B O AT M A I N T ENAN C E T I P S
Manual Tilt Release Valve – Just In Case Chris Mapp, owner of Coastal Bend Marine. Evinrude, Suzuki, Yamaha, Mercury, Honda, BlueWave, SilverWave, Shallow Stalker Boats, Coastline Trailers, Minnkota & Motor Guide Trolling Motors. Great Service, Parts & Sales “What can we do for you?”
You wade back to the boat at your favorite fishing hole and notice there is fishing line tangled around your boat’s propeller. You tilt the engine up for inspection and to clear the line. Once the tangle is cleared, you hit the tilt button to lower the engine but nothing happens. You try the front control switch and also the auxiliary tilt switch located on the lower cowling pan. Still nothing. You quickly check the battery connections and fuses and find everything in order. You switch the ignition key on and off several times and try the switches again – nothing. There is an audible clicking sound of the hydraulic relays, but that’s all. You’re way across the bay and frustration begins to set in as you see the whole weekend going up in smoke. Relax. There is a way to get out of this situation without having to call for Tow Boat U.S. to come get you. (Add to your phone contacts – you may need it for other emergencies. Boat US 800-395-2628 or call Froggie’s Towing in Port O’Connor at 361-218-2936.) Outboard manufacturers include an alternative to the hydraulic tilt system for this exact scenario and it is called the manual tilt release valve. Mercury has the valve located on the right side of the engine bracket, (viewed as if you are driving the boat or standing behind the outboard motor). The manual release for Yamaha and Evinrude outboards is located on the left side, midway down the transom bracket. ON ALL BRANDS – This screw is to be turned counterclockwise to release an upraised engine into a trim position where it can then be operated. One full turn only, most of the time. If your boat is in the water this will be beneath the water line; you will feel the opening and the slot for a flat blade screwdriver, size #2 or #3. Depending upon your boat’s transom configuration, you might need a stubby screwdriver to access the relief valve with the engine in the lowered position. See the illustration below, courtesy of Power Pole. VERY IMPORTANT! – Do not 100 | August 2017
unscrew the relief valve completely as salt water will be introduced into the trim/tilt hydraulic system and you will probably lose the screw overboard. The relief valve screw is held by a retaining clip and 3/4- to 1-full turn is usually enough to start the engine slowly dropping into an operating attitude. Be sure to keep fingers away from the area between engine and bracket while lowering manually. You can stop the downward tilting of the engine by tightening the screw. WORD OF WARNING! – Do not allow the engine to drop too far. Raising it back up is not impossible but quite difficult. The idea is to get the engine somewhere within the normal trim range that will allow returning to the dock under your own power for hydraulic repairs. Lowering the engine too far might cause the bow to plow as the power is dialed on to bring the boat on plane. Failing to lower it enough will cause the bow to rise and the boat will porpoise wildly at planing speed. Becoming familiar with your boat’s manual tilt release system before finding yourself in dire straits on the water is a very good idea. Another good idea is to include a flat blade screwdriver of appropriate blade size and length to access the release valve in your onboard tool kit. You know…just in case. Have a great summer fishing and boating season, Chris Mapp Coastal Bend Marine | Port O’Connor, Texas 361-983-4841 | www.coastalbendmarine.com
texas saltwater fishing holes
OPEN PESCADO PARK TROUT REDFISH FLOUNDER
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RV PADS & BOAT STORAGE
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near Kaufer-Hubert Boat Ramp DAN WARD
Call 361.983.4434 (cell 361.935.6833) Email lynn@tisd.net (tswf.com/lynnsmith)
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ON THE WATER
Saltwater Fishing Clinics WITH
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If you are having difficulty catching fish on a consistent basis, the clinic is designed for you. Learn Capt.Robert Zapata’s secrets to finding and catching more fish from his 25 years of experience as a professional fishing guide.
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TSFMAG.com | 101
©JASON ARNOLD
IF WE SAVE THE SEAGRASS,
WE SAVE THE FISH. Seagrass is critical to good fishing. Marine organisms depend on it for survival—for food, shelter, and oxygen. But boat propellers are destroying Texas seagrass, which is seriously impacting saltwater fishing in the coastal shallows. When boaters do not lift their propeller in shallow water, the prop cuts and uproots the seagrass beds—leaving long barren trenches or “scars” that may take years to heal ... if ever.
Stop Prop Scarring – Lift, Drift, Pole, Troll
It is ILLEGAL in Texas to uproot seagrass with a propeller. Avoid damaging seagrass – lift your prop! When in shallow waters, lift your motor and drift, pole, or troll through it. After all, there’s nothing like a redfish on light tackle in shallow water. Let’s keep it that way!
For more information visit:
www.tpwd.texas.gov/seagrass
PROP SCARS
Science and the
Sea
TM
Keeping an Eye Out Living in near-total darkness requires some creative adaptations both to find food and avoid becoming food. For the red-colored strawberry squid, also called the cock-eyed squid, that creativity involves hundreds of tiny “strawberry seed” dots covering its body and a bizarrely mismatched pair of eyes. The “seeds” are actually tiny organs called photophores that emit light, or bioluminescence. The football-sized squid can use a camouflaging strategy of counter-illumination to avoid being seen from below. For predators looking upward, the dim light from the photophores matches what little sunlight filters down from above, so the squid blends in instead of appearing as an easily targeted silhouette.
The cock-eyed squid showing off its “strawberry seed” photophores. Credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. But counter-illumination is a common tactic in the deep sea. It’s the squid’s eyes that really stand out — at least one of them. Imagine looking for faintly glowing creatures in pitch blackness while also trying to see illuminated creatures against a dim background. The eye can’t process both simultaneously. So this squid evolved a separate eye for each job. One small dark eye always looks downward, seeking out flashes of bioluminescence produced by possible prey, such as small fish, shrimp or other squid. The other massive, bulging, yellowish eye always looks upward. It appears yellow because it absorbs blue light. Filtering out blue light makes other colors more noticeable. So prey that use counterillumination above stand out more to the squid’s bulging eye if their bioluminescent color doesn’t perfectly match the blue light from the sun. The eye’s extra large size also takes in more light. But, to focus, such a big lens needs to be further from the retina, so the eye bulges out in a tubular shape. For a hungry squid that wants to survive, it’s the best of both worlds: cloaking itself with its bioluminescence while keeping one eye out for flashes below and one eye out for camouflage above.
www.ScienceAndTheSea.org © The University of Texas Marine Science Institute
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