December 2007

Merry Christmas

God Bless America and our Troops!

Tide Predictions & Solunar Feed Times Inside!

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December 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Texas Saltwater Fishing

December 2007

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December 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

December 2007 Volume 17 No.8

Editor and Publisher Everett Johnson Everett@tsfmag.com Executive vp Pam Johnson

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Pam@tsfmag.com

10 Great Expectations

Mike McBride

16 The Network and the Fudge Factor

Kevin Cochran

22 Cleaning the Shimano Calcutta Reel

Martin Strarup

24 “Out here, nothing changes…

Billy Sandifer

32 As good as it gets

Chuck Uzzle

Business Manager Shirley Elliott Shirley@tsfmag.com inside sales - Advertising cordinator Tracey Johnson Tracey@tsfmag.com

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25 Coastal Birding 34 Let’s Ask The Pro 38 Fly Fishing

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94

Casey Smartt

Brandon Jenewein

46 Offshore

Bobby Byrd/John Cochrane

52 Conservation

CCA Texas

54 Science and the Sea

UT-Marine Science Institute

56 TPWD Field Notes

Bob Spain

60 Kayak Fishing

Scott Null

64 According To Scott

Scott Sommerlatte

68 Youth Fishing

Aaron Cisneros

76 Dickie Colburn’s Sabine Scene

Dickie Colburn

78 Mickey on Galveston

Mickey Eastman

80 Capt. Bill’s Fish Talk

Bill Pustejovsky

82 Mid-Coast Bays with the Grays

Gary Gray

84 Catching up with Cliff

Cliff Webb

86 Capt. Tricia’s Port Mansfield Report

Capt. Tricia

88 South Padre Fishing Scene

Ernest Cisneros

6

Editorial

8

Letters to the Editor

Regional Sales Representative Scott Null Scott@tsfmag.com

Jay Watkins

42 Tournament Trails

56

Billy Sandifer

National Sales Representative Bart Manganiello Bartalm@optonline.net Design, Layout & Web Maintenace GRAPHICS BY DESIGN Jasmine and Jackson Gordon Phone: 361-785-4282 Jasmine@graphicsbydesign.biz Jackson@graphicsbydesign.biz Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine is published monthly. Subscriptions available for $17.00 per year. Offer valid until December 31, 2007.

E-MAG (electronic version) is available for $12.00 per year. Offer valid until December 31, 2007. Order on-line: www.tsfmag.com Subscription – product sales Michelle White Store@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 15th of the prior month’s issue. The U.S. Postal Service does not guarantee magazines will be forwarded.

how to contact tsfmag:

28 Tech Tips

Kevin Shaw/Daniel Freer

30 Tackle and Rigging

Everett Johnson

74 New Tackle & Gear

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

90 Fishing Reports and Forecasts 92 Photo Gallery–Catch of the Month

Printed in the USA.

94 Gulf Coast Kitchen

99 Index of Advertisers

Ben Beaty has been at it again creating another special Christmas fishing scene. Take a close look, who do you think Ben had in mind as he created this year’s Fishing Santa?

Happy Holidays and God Bless!

Illustration by Ben Beaty © 2007 Wildlife Unlimited, 11818 Mill Trail Lane, Houston, TX 77070 281-894-8282

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Web: www.TSFMAG.COM

December 2007

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.

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

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December 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

A couple of weeks ago news of a fishing guide who had run afoul of the law set our local waterfront on fire. Bait camp pillow talk would have us believe that this guide of some twenty years experience brought a box to the cleaning table that contained several undersized trout and an oversized red. You would think a guide of so many seasons would know better.

Naturally, lots of folks find it necessary to cuss and discuss matters of this nature to great length. Overhearing one such debate I was pleasantly surprised that even some of the hardliners who would rather take a whipping than show up with less than a limit were condemning this guy. The general consensus of the group was to take away his license. Two of them thought a greater presence from the wardens would fix the problem.

Now I have always believed that compliance with any statute is incumbent upon voluntary action way more than enforcement, which goes hand in hand with the old-school definition of character; doing the right thing even when nobody is watching.

Putting my personal theories to the test, I conducted a bit of related research and here’s what I learned. Texas is currently home to nearly one million saltwater license holders. While the great arc of our coastline covers a distance of 367 miles, if you measure in greater detail you will find that the actual distance where Texas mainland soil touches tidewater measures a distance of 624 miles. The Texas Almanac says our perimeter shoreline, including beaches, stretches for nearly 2400 miles. And now for the really big number, the estuarine waters of Texas between the Sabine and Brownsville encompass about 4,177 square miles.

So how many wardens do we have working the coast? According to Rex Mayes, our captain here in Region IV, if you called all the game wardens (including captains and majors) stationed and assigned to coastal duty on any given day, they could amass a force of about 55 on the northern half of the coast and slightly fewer on the southern half, maybe 100 in total. Put them all in boats and launch them all at once with instructions to spread out and enforce the law and they’d be spread nearly as thin as old-time Texas Rangers where only one ranger could be spared to quell a single riot. So more wardens are probably not the answer.

Let’s look at this situation from a different angle. Saltwater fishing guides I’m told now number within a whisker of 1000 here in Texas and the number is growing to meet the popular demand. A sizeable community of schools have sprung up, organized solely for the purpose of teaching and assisting applicants attain a Coast Guard license such that they may become saltwater fishing guides. So as the ranks of licensed guides swells to meet the eager clients on the docks every morning, maybe we should begin to function like the citizen soldiers of old who joined the Rangers to help enforce the law where there were no lawmen.

Think about it… rather than teaching clients to dump fish that are too long or too short into the Igloo, we as guides should be teaching greater respect for the resource and the regulations that govern our sport. The lessons should include demonstrating how to handle the ones that don’t measure so they’ll survive and thrive rather than lessons on sneaking them to the cleaning table.

I read an account on an internet message board recently and I replied with kudos to the guide writer who was posting. His words were right on the money and went like this… “I encourage catch and release. When my wading clients are keeping fish, I’m right there to keep track of what they’re putting on the stringers. When we’re drifting and catching fish I measure everything on the Check-It Stick. When we get a half-limit of trout I move them where we can target redfish.” I think this guide sets a good example.

Texas Saltwater Fishing

December 2007

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December 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Hello, This is Kody Cator and I have been receiving the TSF Mag for the last couple of months over here in Iraq and I wanted to email you all and say a big THANKS! I love reading your magazine and look forward to every bit of it. During this whole deployment my dad has been sending me his copy after reading it and I always kept on him to keep sending them to me!

I think my folks met one of you all at the McAllen Expo back a few months ago and my mom mentioned something to me about something in the mail for me. I was really surprised to see it was my favorite magazine.

Thanks a lot!

I’ll be getting out of the Army and back HOME to Texas very soon. It’s been a fun (long) 6 years and I’m ready for some fishing. I’ll be subscribing and buying some shirts from the website as soon as I get back to the states.

We can’t receive anymore mail over here due to us leaving so soon so thank you all for everything and for making this place feel a little more like home!

Thanks for the support and hope to hear back from you.

Thank you so much, Kody Cator Dear Kody, Thank you for six long years of service to this great country of ours and the freedom of the Iraqi people. Glad to hear you found the magazine enjoyable and we’ll be on the lookout for the next crew of Texans that we can send to real soon. I hope your first fishing trip was all you dreamed it could be.

Please stay in touch and send us your new address; just because you are back in Texas doesn’t mean we cannot continue to show our appreciation and keep it coming to you.

Everett Johnson - Editor Dear Editor, I have been buying and reading your magazine for years, in fact, the clerks in the Buc-ee’s store near my house are ready for me right after the middle of each month. I even have the on-line subscription to get me through when I am out of state. I want to thank you for the consistent “real world” advice and tips your contributors give each month. Most magazines just give the perfect world scenario stories if you were to go on one trip a year with the perfect weather on the perfect day. By having the guides write the articles I feel like I get more of what is really happening out there both good and bad. Because I have to work in a non-fishing career I only get to fish the weekends and rare vacation days so I am at the mercy of Mother Nature.

That is my curse until I retire but your articles explain the monthly conditions better than any other magazine.

I would like to include a photo of my son Wesley after he caught his first fish off the dock two weeks ago in Galveston. Because he is 2 years old getting him to reel in the fish and hold the rod was difficult but after the 5th try he did it and when I grabbed it the look in his eye told me he was hooked.

He asks me every morning when I wake him up if we can go fishing today and in the afternoon you had better not try to take his fishing rod out of his hands or he will throw a fit. Last night he took this month’s issue of your magazine and pointed out every boat, fish and fishing pole on every page. I think we have a future angler here.

Todd Garrett, Pearland Texas

Dear Todd, Thanks for being a dedicated reader and kudos on getting Wesley off to an early start on his fishing career. As a parent and grandparent I can tell you that the time and effort we put into teaching our kids to fish will be repaid to us many times over. Keep Wesley fishing and we hope his next one comes real soon.

Everett Johnson - Editor

AIRBOAT AND SEAGRASS COMMENT I was surprised, but pleased, to read Jay’s favorable comments last month about how environmentally friendly airboats are because they don’t damage seagrass and disturb gamefish less than underwater propeller noise. For 32 years I have owned and operated an airboat in the Port O’Connor area to duck hunt and drift fish.

Generally everyone can agree on how environmentally friendly and non-destructive airboats are to our very important seagrasses but not many people realize they disturb gamefish less than underwater propeller driven boats. The reason is obvious if you don’t get carried away with the noise factor, which is most people’s objection to airboats.

The noise is over water and not under water. When you are running an airboat in shallow water the fish move when you get close to them and settle back down once the noise is gone. This is not the case with an underwater propeller. The noise scares them sooner and lasts much longer. Over the years I have actually sightcasted and caught several redfish with the airboat engine idling, with or without mufflers.

The biggest advantage is that you can drift until the airboat stops when the water gets too shallow. Then you can immediately start the engine and move without damaging seagrass. This is not the case with underwater propeller driven boats.

Most of the serious seagrass damage I see is caused by fishermen not stopping their drift in deep enough water and then getting impatient and trying get on plane in water that is too shallow. This is how the critical damage to seagrass beds occurs which is complete destruction of the root system. The result is a long dug out trough which takes years to fill and generate replacement roots so the grass can grow back. Unfortunately propeller scarring and the more serious troughs in our Texas coastal seagrass beds are issues fishermen will have to ultimately address.

The problem would not be as serious if more people used airboats.

Ronnie Luster, Houston, TX Dear Mr. Luster, Thanks for your comments. I too have used airboats in the POC area for hunting and fishing. Like Jay says, they are very seagrass friendly and the fish take way less exception than our fellow fishermen. You raise another good point about mufflers, they really do help. Hopefully, bringing the positives of airboating to the fore as you and Jay have done will contribute to reshaping the general fishing public’s views. Another benefit might be found in encouraging all airboat operators to exercise discretion and courtesy when navigating water being used by others. We’re all in this thing together… airboaters, outboarders, kayakers, waders, all of us; and we should learn to hang together lest we end up hanging separately.

(Apologies to Ben Franklin for chopping up his famous quote.)

Everett Johnson - Editor

Send your letters to: TSFMag, P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 8

Texas Saltwater Fishing

December 2007

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December 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

fine drizzle made the morning run cooler than comfortable but prospects of bigger tooth marks on already distressed plugs kept the blood running hot and the soul warm. That inner fire couldn’t penetrate the whole body though, and after bailing over the gunwale to wade-sneak toward a secret little trough wind-nipped extremities remind you to move with purpose. That purpose was of course to try and fool the biggest fish in the area… right here, right now. For those of us hell-bent on big wintertime trout, it was one of those special moments where nothing else matters. It’s great expectation to say the least, and for the consumed trout guy, the long-awaited cold water once again pulses fire through salt dependent veins.

On that particular day, a low pre-frontal sky told us it was time to be there. There wasn’t another soul to be seen nor outboard heard, save for a lone commercial drum-liner quietly collecting the morning’s harvest. The only other movement was a large feral hog rooting up the bank, broken legions of disturbed mullet finning just beneath the surface, and a young osprey hovering and waiting for the precise moment to plunge its talons into breakfast.

Well, there was one other movement; my longtime fishing partner always had his precise moments too. No matter when or where, and

while the hog squealed away across the low berm.

He always wore those over-the-shoulder tackle pouches, and I imagine as much to insure other precious cargo… not the least of which was a dry and reliable supply of Charmin. That’s another subject though, and functional gear suggestions will come later.

Anyway, with duty properly attended, we began to repeat a ritual shared many times over in all sorts of “postman” weather that included rain, sleet, snow, and dark of night. We started the hopeful walk into the approaching norther, eager to take advantage of the moment when mature fish

without fail, just as soon as his feet hit saltwater he always became urgently compelled. Comically, there he was again, barely maintaining a rapid two-stepper splash up the slippery bank, desperately fighting down tight neoprene waders

might become most vulnerable. Over time we had pretty well figured out when to get in and when to get out for the best possible shot. This was one of those times where it worked.

As the sky lightened and the south wind increased, mullet began swirling aggressively over the deepest part of a trough that ran parallel to the bank. Topwaters were boiled but not bought, however the old original pearl-chartreuse Corky on a teasingly high retrieve

It’s all about the toothmarks!

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

December 2007

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Low skies and high hopes.

began to pull some chunky three and four pounders. Awesome — but you couldn’t help but feel that the next presentation might fool a true heavyweight into making a barbed error.

The wind eased into dead calm during the hour preceding frontal passage. Oddly, the bait went down, but the predators moved up, right to where the little trough began its sharp taper towards the bank. An occasional shower of mullet could be seen greyhounding shoreward from the edge of it, and to fuel our anticipation, a few big humps of water pushed right behind them. However, nothing we threw during that period could call a solid taker.

The first wisp of colder air hit and highly suggested it was time to get out, especially with the ominous horsetail of a cloud formation descending upon us. Just because you know when to get out doesn’t always mean you do, so out came the topwaters and we began hurling them into the increasing winds, up beyond the shelf and pulling them back to the ledge. As the conditions deteriorated, so did some of the paint on our Super Spooks.

We tangled with several bigger fish that began rising with the barometer; landing three heavy sevens and one legitimate thirty-inch trout a little over nine, all on topwaters where the waist-deep swale faded to knee-cap depth. The best fish in the area had finally come out to play.

It didn’t last long, but even during the increasing tempest, we were able to turn around and follow other good fish as they made their exit back into the gut, then off of the next drop to the safety of a deeper abyss. By then it took tails on 1/4-oz heads, but the fish, although lesser, continued to feed until my buddy got his Charmin wet and we had to call it. I was ready to call it too, partly in thanks to leaky neoprenes and waterproof jackets that weren’t.

The ride home was adventurous but not something I’d recommend. Trust me, before we got in I was ready for some of that paper too, but the great expectations were well worth it and with

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December’s arrival those high opportunities are again upon us. So, what are some of the things that we either learned, or were reminded of, hidden between the lines of the above little story?

When ya gotta go — ya gotta go, but when ya gotta go fishing… and it’s big fish you want, don’t let a little weather stop you. Some of the best fish are caught during inclement times and it’s great to be there when others aren’t. Good gear and good boat operators can accomplish much. Ask any tournament angler, but always keep safety the highest priority.

Again and always, if your topwater keeps getting buzzed but not busted, drop it down! The only thing a blow-up is good for is to show us a fish is (was) there. During precious windows of opportunity such as these, when it’s clear you are in good fish but they refuse to commit up top, we need to be as frantic to get those lures down

December 2007

as my buddy was with those old ballerina style neoprenes. Being a master of deception starts with understanding the mood of the audience. As lure operators, that’s a big part of our job.

If you think you are walking among fish… stop walking! Wait, work, and reap the rewards. After we eased up to that little trough, we never moved farther than a long cast, not until Neptune’s angry trident moved us away. A mistake many make is walking through fish looking for others.

Knowing how to equate big fish with little structure is also big. Yes, it can be about the overall “spot” but most areas have little sweet spots within them, which can and do change with conditions. Throw at the right ones at the wrong time and you catch dinks. In this case, notice that they moved from out deep to the gut, then to the shoreward edge, and finally reversed course as the wind did. Be diligent in reading the water.

Texas Saltwater Fishing

11

Simms WindStopper jackets and undergarments will stop everything except you being there.

Those greyhounding mullet aren’t out there for exercise, and those big wakes aren’t always reds. By the way, Google Earth rocks as a source for finding new and under-fished structure.

When the bait goes down we should never assume it’s over. We see many times when bait becomes very still as big fish move in. Who knows — maybe it is an attempt to lessen their profile and not tattle their position. The lesson to be gained here is that quiet bait up top doesn’t always mean it’s quiet below.

Topwaters in cold heavy chop? Oh hell yes, but don’t forget to take it off when it makes sense.

While we’re at it, the exact selection of lures isn’t everything, but the application of them is. Find the right depth and speed, put it on the preferred structure at the right time, and you can probably catch them on a habanera pepper. There are several

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

Lightweight Simms breathables are the hot setup for enjoying cold wintertime wades.

other lessons suggested here, but it’s up to you to find them.

Quickly about gear; the old days are over, so if you are really serious about this, just “man up” and slip into a pair of SIMMS waders and jacket. Buy them once and be done with it, and then enjoy the incredible comfort and reliability. Also recommended is combining their high-tech layering system. Alaskan guides are touting WaderWick liners under thin fleece in forty degree water. Shedding this gear is easy too; a far cry from peeling smelly old neoprene.

We don’t have to be uncomfortable anymore, and products like their WindStopper jackets stop everything except you getting out there.

Expect something great this year and go for it. It’s all about big tooth marks. Go for the moment and I’ll see you there.

December 2007

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

December 2007

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

15

Story and photo by Kevin Cochran

ike many others, I share detailed fishing information within a group of friends. My network includes a small number of men, all of whom enjoy fishing the same way I do. A fishing network is only as good as its members; durable chains are built on relationships between people with similar skills, interests and levels of experience.

It’s wise to really get to know the people with whom networking relationships are built. With how many others do they already share information?

How willing are they to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth? What is their level of fishing skill? What are their preferences and weaknesses as anglers?

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

Also importantly, how much of a fudge factor figures into their reports?

Everyone knows that fishermen sometimes (or always) exaggerate the size and number of the fish they catch. That’s why I don’t even pay attention to weights that are stated or posted by people who don’t use some type of scale to weigh their fish. I’d guess that more than ninety per cent of people overestimate the weights of the trout and redfish they catch. I might even inflate the heft of some of the ones I release without weighing on my Boga Grip.

But when I post a figure on my website, it’s verified by the scale; no fudge factor comes into play. I deal with some others in my information network who hang all of their bigger fish from a Boga. When I take a report from them, I know

December 2007

that the weights and numbers of fish caught are accurate. With others, I have to adjust the data to account for their propensity to exaggerate.

If a guy tells me one day that he caught twenty five trout up to six and a half pounds then repeats the report a few days later and says he caught thirty or more up to seven pounds, I know he tends to exaggerate. When I take reports from such a fisherman, I always shave a little off the numbers in my mind before logging things into memory.

Eventually, if I can verify that someone is too far from the truth in their reporting habits, I might drop them from my network entirely.

I know people who have what I might dub “ballooning memory”. The

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while casting and even fighting fish.

At one point, I heard him clearly state, “Man, this one’s only about twenty two inches; I don’t need it.”

Then he proceeded to fling the fat trout over his shoulder like Emeril spreading salt on his kitchen floor.

I thought that was odd, but the severity of his mistake wasn’t fully evident until the next day at the weigh in. While we were waiting in line, I noticed that he had only four fish in his bag, though we were allowed to bring in five. “Nice sack,” I said. “Too bad you didn’t get your fifth.” The man shrugged but never admitted that he’d so casually flipped his fifth weigher away, apparently unaware that I‘d witnessed the event.

“Yeah, I got one about eight pounds though,” he said instead. I studied his fish and skeptically cocked my head to the side.

“Don’t look like an eight to me. How long is it?”

I asked.

“Oh, she’s a solid twenty eight incher. She’ll weigh eight pounds easy,” he mused.

I didn’t argue with him, but I watched with interest later as his fish hit the scale. She weighed in at 6.93 pounds. A few minutes later, I sent my partner over to ask him about the fish.

“She wasn’t as big as I thought,” I heard him admit. “Only went seven and a half pounds.”

The whole thing makes me snicker to this day. First, the man had been so anxious to give his fishing report to his friends that he jeopardized his finish in the event by calling them while he was in the This trout measures a hair under thirty inches.

She’s not super fat, but isn’t a snake either. She did stretch the springs on the Boga past the eight pound mark, but not to the nine.

more time that passes after the date of a catch, the bigger and more numerous the fish inevitably become. If three of us catch a hundred trout today, eighty of those over twenty inches, two dozen over twenty five inches, the largest at twenty seven inches and weighing in the low six pound range, one of the guys will someday probably claim that he caught fifty over six pounds himself! Predictably, he’s never documented his results in a fishing log.

I’ve known other people who couldn’t accept and report the truth about a catch even after it was displayed on a digital scale. While fishing a Troutmasters tournament nearly a decade ago, I watched one such person walk into a relatively hot bite during a calm and quiet afternoon.

From a respectful distance across a sandy flat, I observed him as he caught five nice fish on his Super Spook. I know he caught them on a Spook because I heard him narrating the action into his cell phone.

Funny thing was, this guy was so dedicated to his network that he dialed up one of his buddies in the middle of the melee! He cradled the phone under his cheek and chattered away

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heat of competition. I’m convinced he didn’t string the twenty two incher because doing so would have required him to stop yakking on the phone.

Furthermore, when confronted with the fact of the overestimation of his big fish, he couldn’t admit the scale of his mistake, even after we‘d seen the numbers in liquid crystal display.

Some people are overly optimistic and enthusiastic about the results of their outings; they allow a positive attitude to inflate their description of both the number and size of what they catch.

When judging a report, it pays to know where the contributor falls on the scale of optimism. Some will go to a spot and catch a few fish and say it was “on fire over there”, while another will have an notably more negative perception of the same events.

Especially when a “monster” is said to have been hooked and lost, it helps to maintain a decent level of skepticism, especially when talking to someone known to be easily excited by such things.

It’s hard enough to guess a fish’s weight at arm‘s length, let alone when she’s out there at the end of a cast. The inherent difficulty of making a realistic estimation of a big trout’s weight drives those of us who care to use a Boga Grip or other scale. I believe that CCA should issue some kind of scale to all who enter the S.T.A.R. tournament to prevent the fudge factor from causing nonqualifying fish to be killed and brought to their scales. Hundreds, if not thousands, of six to eight pound trout have been needlessly harvested by people who wrongly thought they had a qualifying fish. For the record, a large majority of twenty eight inch trout I’ve weighed and seen weighed did not break the eight pound mark.

I admit I killed one that didn’t a decade ago, thinking I had a S.T.A.R. quality fish. In my

This trout has a nice full belly and is an even thirty inches.

Weight: 8 and 1/4 pounds. Those of you who think that all “big trout” lose their dots, take note of the pattern on the back of this beauty.

December 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

17

Here’s old friend Jay Wright with a healthy 31 incher.

This picture might convince many that she weighed ten pounds, but the Boga doesn’t lie. She was “just” a nine!

Weighing and measuring length before release helps take the fudge factor out of the fishing report. This is a rare trout, but the Boga and the rod told Mike she wasn’t the mounting kind for him.

amateur days, I carried no scale when wading, and I overestimated her in the middle of a moonless June night while working a bleary-eyed vigil behind San Luis Pass. Through my crusty, half-open eyelids, in the dim orb of a head lamp, she looked like she’d break the eight pound barrier.

Sadly, she didn’t even top seven when they slid her onto the slick steel cover of the scale at the bait camp the next day.

I hadn’t caught enough big trout back then to really have a good eye for how much they weigh.

Even now, after catching hundreds more, I still am off sometimes with my estimates. Those who have never carried a scale are bound to be less accurate in their assessments than people like me who have verified the size of good numbers of big fish.

It’s one reason I refuse to look at fishing reports on the internet anymore. Some of what is posted there is grossly exaggerated, often not intentionally, I believe, but just because people don’t know how much their fish really weigh. A report board on a fishing site is not a legitimate network, to say the least. Those who seek straight information in such places might as well open up all those emails saying they’ve won a foreign lottery and type in their account numbers so the winnings can be deposited.

I’ve learned many times over that information floating around in the general fishing community is usually dated, contorted or downright wrong.

I recall another tournament in which I observed exactly where the day one leader was fishing all day. After we saw his weight posted, I had three other anglers approach me unsolicited and say they knew where he’d been that day.

One placed him in the west end of East Matagorda Bay, where I’d verified his presence.

Another swore he’d seen him in the other end

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of that bay, and the third reported that he knew he was in the east end of West Matagorda Bay. All thought they spoke the truth, I’m convinced, when they whispered to let me in on their “secret”. From that and other events, I learned not to pay attention to the murmurs bobbing around in the crowd at times like that. Fishing misinformation spreads faster than a wildfire out west when it’s fueled by a Santa Anna wind.

Possessing fishing misinformation is potentially harmful to someone who is trying to consistently catch fish. Running around in the wakes of random reports is frivolous at best, downright foolish most of the time. For that reason, I only share information with certain kinds of people. It‘s wise to exclude some personality types from the network.

It’s probably not smart to blab to those who aren’t versatile enough to catch fish when conditions don’t favor their favorite lure and/or technique. If they have tunnel vision on topwaters, or never get out of the boat and take off the worm, it’s hard to depend on their perception of the abundance of fish in an area.

The astute will likely remain vague with those who don’t fish regularly enough to provide information throughout the year. Weekenders who wanted to call me on Friday afternoons and get the scoop were weeded out of my network long ago. They simply didn’t spend enough time on the water to give back information to balance what they received. Savvy participants in an information sharing scheme seek partners who fish as often as they do.

It’s important to recognize and avoid those who wish to listen and stay in

December 2007

the shadows at their end of a one way street. Good network members are willing to share enough of what they know to build a legitimate two way street. On the other hand, no one can abide the guy who’s so talkative that information runs straight from his lips down the cyber-highway to everyone with an “i Phone” or laptop.

Last but not least, be wary when sharing hardwon information with those who can’t keep the fudge factor to a minimum. It’s okay when a report gives off a whiff of a brownie or two, but watch out when it starts to smell like a whole steaming tray!

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the flat-blade screwdriver, scrape the old drag grease off of the washer, roughing it slightly. When you have cleaned off both sides set it aside and clean the drag seat with a Q-tip.

When it is back in place, take a Q-tip and clean any dirty looking grease or oil from the gear case and then drop a single drop of reel oil on the outer edge of the large brass gear.

This will seep down onto the plate below and lubricate the moving parts that are not easy to get to.

I like to put a small dab of light gear lube on the gears but you don’t want to put too much as it will cause resistance and make your reel seem sluggish.

Continued from last month…

Next you’ll need to remove the key washer to get to the drag washer. To do so, slide a thin flat-blade screwdriver under the key washer and gently lift up. When it pops up, remove it with your fingers thus exposing the drag washer below.

Next replace the two springs and add a drop of light reel oil to the top of each one.

Next you’ll want to grease the drag washer and you’ll want to completely saturate the washer with the drag grease then replace it back in its seat and set the key washer down on top of it.

Now you’re ready to reassemble the side plate and you’ll begin by replacing the roller clutch inner tube. It fits over the drive shaft with the notched end fitting down inside of the key washer.

Lift the drag washer up with the screwdriver and place it on your towel. Using 22

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Next, press the roller bearing into the side plate from the outside, with the blue end going in first. Then, since in this article we removed the spool bearing, replace it and the retainer as well. When it is seated, add one drop of oil to the bearing… only one drop. Replace the side plate, replace the two small screws and all that is left is to replace the items you removed from it during disassembly and the side plate is done.

Before you replace the spool tension knob, check the rubber O-ring and make sure it is intact and that it is in good condition. If it needs replacing, do so as it is there to help keep water out of the bearing.

On the left side plate, the bearing that the spool sits on needs to be checked in the same manner that you checked the one in the right side plate. If it needs to be replaced or removed, you do so the same way by removing the retainer spring and tapping the bearing out.

If the bearing spins OK on a screwdriver, add one drop of oil to this bearing and only one drop. Then, using a Q-tip, clean around the spool housing and make sure the area is free of dirt and grime.

plate should set down flush with the reel body and if it won’t, try turning the reel handle just a tad. All that is left for you to do is tighten the thumbscrews and you’re good to go.

Next, add a drop of oil to the worm gear that makes your level wind work and check to be sure that there are no abrasions on the line guide. If the level wind works smoothly and doesn’t need work, place one drop of oil on it.

Before placing the spool back into the left side plate and reassembling the reel, make sure that the brake weights are in place and that they are set as you want them to be. In the picture below, there are two brake weights pulled out or set and four that are not.

Replace the spool and attach the right side plate, being sure that the thumb bar is in the upright position before you do. The side www.TSFMAG.com

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Sharkathon presents $1500 donation to National Park Service. L-R: Joe Escoto - PINS Park Superintendent, Dede Mladuckey – Head Ranger, Curtis Mai, Patrick Jordan, Russell Weir.

very now and then you hear one of these profound pearls of wisdom that stays with you all your life. I’ve been reminded of this one countless times over the past 18 years. While working as a deckhand on a bay shrimper I lamented the low catches we’d been making to the captain and he explained it all with that simple view of reality.

In the surf zone of PINS, today marks the end of two full months of some of the toughest and most unproductive fishing I have ever experienced.

Fish species that should have been available in early September have yet failed to show due to continuing summer-like weather and an unending series of low pressures in the Gulf of Mexico that kept water levels painfully high. At 09:39 this morning everything changed with the arrival of a long-overdue cold front. Something has changed so everything will change, and the catches will immediately improve.

For three weeks we were under coastal flood watches and tides rose near or all the way to the dunes at some point in every 24-hour period. The

trick is to monitor the tide chart in this publication and plan trips during periods when the maximum levels will occur during the night. Surf anglers should target lowest tidal times for angling and traveling on the beach. Beware of east-northeast or northeast winds as they stack water on the beach above forecast levels.

Years ago I went to a symposium on longlining in the Gulf. The speaker referred to longlines as, “the gift that keeps on killing.” On 12 October I encountered and freed a 3-foot sea turtle entangled in a large ball of longline monofilament. The mono had immobilized the turtle and it had washed up on the beach and was being buried alive in the sand by the incoming tide. How ludicrous that regulatory authorities want to target lowering bag limits on recreational anglers while allowing these gigantic killing machines to operate unimpeded. I must have missed something somewhere.

PINS has enacted a “Special Use Permit” on tournaments and other events held within the park and anyone planning events needs to check with

sa Beach erosion remain ar ne S PIN on m real proble annel. ch d iel nsf Ma rt Po the

A pair is always better. Paul Knowles of Corpus Christi with a nice pair of reds from the PINS surf.

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PINS personnel. Headquarters telephone is 361949-8173. It’s my understanding this will not impact the Big Shell Beach Cleanup as this event is strictly for the benefit of the park rather than use of the resource. The upcoming Big Shell Beach Cleanup is scheduled for Saturday, March 8, 2008. PINS has a new superintendent and a new head ranger and changes in policy often occur when new leadership takes over.

Sharkathon organizers donated $1,500 to the National Parks Service from the proceeds of their recent tournament to help fund a “Park Watch” program. The money will be used to offer rewards for people who provide tips that lead to the arrest of people breaking game laws within the confines of PINS. They are also considering a cap on the number of participants to minimize the impact on the National Seashore. My hat is off to these dedicated, conservation-minded anglers.

I have re-powered my 25’ Panga with a new 175 HP 4 Stroke Suzuki from Bill Holmes Jr. at Gulf Coast Marine. Most reliable product available with the best complete service department in the area is an awfully hard combination to beat. It’s been a pleasure doing business with Gulf Coast Marine and is the beginning of a relationship I expect to continue for some time. I will be running near coastal and bay charters in addition to my surf trips from now on.

I want to share a story of the encounter with the peregrine falcon featured in our Coastal Birding section this month. I once asked a longtime customer and excellent outdoor photographer why he never attempted to take sunrise and sunset pictures. His reply was rather profound. He said it was impossible to do them justice on film and that he had come to believe they were intended for those who took the time and were lucky enough to be there to see them. It’s that way with peregrine falcons as well, but I’ll try.

There were two falcons working as a team.

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Heav y sargassum continues to plague beach trave l and fishing.

When we drove up they had spooked three terns and a cattle egret off the beach and were harassing them over the nearshore surf. One falcon was diving around the cattle egret while making no attempt to touch it; as if hazing and confusing it for the second peregrine.

The second peregrine swooped in at high speed and hit the egret twice in flight.

Then just before the egret fell into the sea it snatched it and flew to the foot of a dune.

The picture tells the rest of the that story, but not the story of the hazing peregrine.

We watched for a full fifteen minutes as the peregrine finished off the egret and began eating. Meanwhile the hazing falcon hovered directly above, as though providing protection for its companion.

No sign of animosity or jealousy was displayed, nor was there any attempt to join the feast; it just hovered there. I’m sure it would have taken some action if the prey had managed an escape at the last minute but it stayed long after any potential of that remained. Intrigued, I told my customers I wanted to see if it would remain in that position if we moved out of the area and then I moved 75 yards away.

The hovering peregrine made no change whatsoever and was still there when we left the area.

As we drove away I told my companions that my bet was that as soon as that peregrine had finished eating the pair would reverse roles and the other one would make a kill and feed. Looking back I remember seeing peregrines hunting in pairs numerous times and sometimes in groups of three. I also realized I had seen that hovering scenario on several

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occasions but had never really noted it for what it was.

Upon returning to town I called my longtime birding mentor and told him of these behaviors and asked if there was reference in print to peregrines hunting in pairs and/or this protective behavior as I didn’t remember ever reading anything about such. He replied that there was no reference anywhere to such behaviors.

Considering the extensive studies and research that has been done on these birds for decades that amazes me. But not as much as being blessed to observe these wonders of creation, these makos of the sky. What a hoot — Be Careful, Be Courteous, Be Kind!

CAPT. BILLY SANDIFER

The “bodyguard” peregrine on duty; hovering above its feeding companion peregrine on the ground.

Body Length: 16 to 20 inches Wingspan: 36 to 44 inches.

Crown and nape are black; black wedge extends below eye, forming a distinctive helmet.

Highly migratory; abundance in our area peaks during March, April, September and October.

While some breed in West Texas, many breed on the Artic tundra and spend the winter in South America. That’s a 12,000 mile migration twice annually.

Billy operates Padre Island Safaris.

His specialties are fishing for sharks to specks in the Padre Island surf and bayfishing for trout and redfish from a poled skiff.

Contact Billy Sandifer Telephone 361-937-8446 Website www.billysandifer.com

December 2007

Awe inspiring raptors that perform spectacular vertical dives in pursuit of prey. Fastest creature on Earth reaching speeds of over 200 mph during dives. Feed almost exclusively on birds. Has been seen killing and eating in flight as far as 300 miles offshore.

Conservation Status: Endangered until recently, the peregrine’s status remains threatened due to the use of pesticides in Central and South America.

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Kevin Shaw and Daniel Freer here with a list of tips for keeping your fishing boat looking showroom fresh.

sores include rust stains, rub marks, scum lines,

chemical is dangerous! Wear rubber gloves,

and oxidation. Keeping your boat in top shape

avoid contact with skin, and avoid fumes. ON &

can be a lot easier than you think and any of the

OFF can also remove surface rust from stainless

products mentioned here can be purchased from

steel. Moisten an old rag with ON & OFF and

Lots of Texas fishermen know us as the Stiffy

your local marine supply store.

wipe the area to be cleaned. Be sure to wash off

Brand Push Pole guys, but we have a lot more

all acid after use.

going on than manufacturing poles. At Fibertex & Supply we also operate a fulltime fiberglass

Rub Marks: These can be caused by shoes,

boat repair shop. We have worked the past 16

bow rollers, or anything that might rub your boat

years to build a reputation for supplying quality

and leave a mark. Using a cleaner with bleach

goods and workmanship. We stand behind the

can remove rubs, also acetone works very well. If

repairs we do and the products we manufacture.

acetone or bleach cleaning agents fail, use 2000

The purpose of these articles will be to inform

girt buffing compound and some elbow grease.

readers about boat maintenance and repair, much of which they can perform themselves.

Scum Lines: Scum lines can appear after

We will also share some product information and

just one day on the water and are not easy to

answer commonly asked questions.

clean. Once again we recommend ON & OFF to remove these unsightly surface blemishes. Wipe the ON & OFF on a section of the discolored

As colder weather moves in many sportsmen put away their boats until spring rolls around.

Here’s a look at the main gelcoat care products we discussed this month. These can be purchased at most marine supply stores.

Taking a little time to perform some basic

or an acetone soaked rag. You should do 2-3 ft sections at a time so that acid is not left on the boat any longer than necessary. The scum line

maintenance during the off-season will ensure

Rust Stains: No amount of soap and

that your boat is looking its best when the bows,

elbow grease is going to remove rust stains.

shotguns and rifles go back in the closet.

We recommend using a hull cleaner product

Whether your boat looks brand new or

area and follow it immediately with soapy water

should disappear before your eyes.

Gelcoat Oxidation: This is one of the

called ON & OFF which is an acid based liquid,

toughest eyesores to make disappear. It occurs

several years old, now is the time to maintain that

alternative cleaners do exist and are less toxic,

with exposure to sun, age and neglect and is

beautiful gelcoat finish. Some easily curable eye

however this is what we find works best. This

identified as a chalky buildup over the once slick

Here’s what any boat can look like after of few years of service.

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Applying the On & Off cleaner, note gloves and mask.

December 2007

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surface. Before you start buffing, use the ON & OFF or bleach to clean the oxidized surfaces. A commercial grade buffer with 1000 and 2000 grit compound will make quickest work of the job. Using an inexpensive chip brush, spread the 1000 grit compound on an area about 2 feet square. Move the buffer along slowly and steadily working the compound into the gelcoat. You

If you boat’s bright work includes stainless steel, rust stains are unfortunately unavoidable. A quick wipe with On & Off followed by washing and waxing is all it takes to make it look new, though.

should make a couple passes over the oxidized area until the chalky appearance is gone. Before you use the 2000 grit compound, wipe down the area previously buffed with a moist rag to remove any remaining compound. You should also switch to a clean buffing pad free of 1000 grit compound. Follow the same steps with 2000 grit compound for a polished showroom shine.

REMEMBER: Harsh chemicals such as acetone, bleach, and ON & OFF strip protective coatings. Be sure to follow up with a marine wax or polish after using them. DO NOT use any of these chemicals on painted surfaces, gelcoat only.

Prevention: Preventative maintenance is the best way save your boat from rust stains, scum lines, and oxidation. A protective barrier of wax goes a long way when its time to clean your boat. Gelcoat without

Yuck! But hey, who hasn’t had this problem at least once? Hit it with the On & Off, give it a good rinse and then apply some marine wax… end of problem.

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Just like the day it left the showroom!

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Capt. Dan Colley from down at Arroyo City was the first to introduce me

The once beautiful gelcoat finish on this hull could use a little TLC!

a protective wax coating is a porous surface that is prone to staining and discoloration. A high-grade marine wax or polish fills the pores and provides a durable finish that will repel water, stains and help guard against oxidation and marring. We recommend using a carnauba/teflon based wax to provide the best protection and keep your boat looking showroom fresh.

We will do our best to provide effective, high-quality solutions for the most common boat related problems. We would appreciate any input or questions about boats so that our articles can efficiently help the most people.

Here is a preliminary listing of topics we hope to present in future issues: n Minor gel coat repair n Getting rid of carpet n Rotten decks, stringers, and transoms n Buying a used boat n Casting and poling platforms n Performance and protection products

GFY (Go Fishin’ Ya’ll)

Fibertex & Supply

6901 Pyrenees, Corpus Christi, TX 78414

Office: (361) 991-5956

Email: fibertexandsupply@yahoo.com

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to single hooks on surface plugs. I was lamenting the floating grass problem I’d been having and Ol’ Dan started giving me one of those “cat that ate the canary” grins. He reached in his tackle box and produced a Spook with single hooks dangling from it. That was quite a few years ago.

Now I have to admit I was pretty skeptical. A Top Dog comes from the factory with two treble hooks on it… that’s six hooks the way I count them and more has to be better… and you want me to believe two is just as good? Did you by chance flunk third-grade arithmetic?

Well, before we pass judgement, let’s ask some top fishermen what they have found: John Regnier – “I’d say if my hook-up ratio suffers at all, the ratio of fish that I end up landing more than makes up for it.” John began using singles because he was tired of fighting floating grass in Port O’Connor’s back lakes. John cites added benefits of greater safety to himself and fishing companions; also likes the “fish-friendly” aspects. Plugs with multiple trebles have a way of getting hung in a fish’s gill plates and eyes. John likes to practice catch and release.

Capt. Mike McBride - “Hell yes they work, that’s all we use.” Mike admits he wasn’t sold at first but now cites several benefits. “You’ll catch just as many fish with less danger of getting a hook in your finger handling them; not to mention the grass problem we deal with on a daily basis here in the Lower Laguna.”

Capt. Billy Sandifer - “Our biggest problem with topwaters in the surf is the sargassum and single hooks really help. We target jack crevalle anytime we can find them and those guys are famous for straightening treble hooks. Replacing trebles with stout single hooks is the way to go.”

Back to my personal experience - apart from the floating grass thing, my chief reason for going to single hooks of late has been participation in redfish tournaments. A heavy red that straightened your hook is only a lame excuse at weigh-in. Any fish that ends up severely stressed during a long fight can die in your live-well, and that will get you a half-pound penalty.

We have learned to tighten the drag and get them in the boat as quickly as possible.

December 2007

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efore we take off on our monthly tour of my part of the world I have to get something off my chest, something

Striped bass make a nice showing in the month of November along the Sabine River.

Stud redfish like this 14lb beauty Sean Teare caught get ultra aggressive as the water temperatures fall and the bait gets thick.

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that hit me hard recently after reading the Letters to the Editor in our last issue. A soldier from Houston who is in Iraq had written to Everett and told how much he and his fellow soldiers enjoyed the magazine because it made them feel like they were home. Several of these soldiers were from the Houston area so I am sure they knew of all the different fishing venues along the coast and I would wager that they would love to be back here enjoying some of the fishing that we write about each month.

At the time I read the letter I was in the midst of being mad about something very trivial, something nowhere near as difficult or dangerous as what these guys deal with every day.

I must admit that after careful reflection I was embarrassed at my actions, here I was mad about some insignificant nothing while these fine people are thousands of miles from home taking care of bad things no one else wants to deal with on my behalf. For everything you do on behalf of those of us back here in the states I want to publicly thank you and wish each and every one you a safe journey home.

December is the month of Christmas and giving, and

December 2007

rather than write the same old year end article I want put a personal spin on the idea and invite some of these soldiers to come and fish some time so I can give a gift the way it was meant to be given. For those of you who are wondering why this stuff is at the beginning of the article rather than the last paragraph, it just felt like the thing to do at this time. And besides that these soldiers deserve a little “first in line treatment” every now and then rather than being thanked at the end of an article. Now let’s get on with the fishing, wherever you are.

As many of you may already know I really hate predictable stuff, especially when it comes to outdoor articles. This is the biggest reason I try to give a little different version when I get the chance.

I must admit that our very own Mike “McTrout” McBride is my hero since he continually comes up with new and creative stuff concerning speckled trout and redfish. I always wonder when the well will run dry and he has nothing left to write about.

Other publications on the other hand continue to regurgitate the same tired old articles every year at the same time; it is too predictable to say the least so I try to shy away from these stories if at all possible and the Sabine area is the perfect place to accomplish this task. Very few places on the coast can claim the variety and/or quality of some the fish we routinely catch. The multitude of species that can be targeted during different times of the year makes this place very special and December quite possibly could be one of the best months to find that out.

This year has been anything but typical. In a typical year we would have had nearly a month of bird fishing under our belts. This year we are at least a month behind thanks to the high tides and wind of October and early November keeping all the shrimp in the marshes. We finally got the first big fronts of the year and the schooling action has begun to say the least. At this time we are enjoying several different patterns that produce fish and all I can say is the variety is most enjoyable. Everyone knows about chasing flocks of gulls around and how much fun that can be as long as we all play nice and don’t crowd or use bad manners. The trout and redfish under the birds in the main lake will provide some excellent action through Christmas as long as we don’t get too much rain or ultra cold. Despite what you may think or read the wide open schooling action is not the only game in town.

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For many local anglers the schooling activity means fewer folks will be chasing flounder and that’s okay with them. I have a hard time turning my back on diving screeching gulls on the open water only to stare at the bank or a small drain looking for flounder, I am just not wired like that but some folks are. The big push of flat fish is in full swing and I have to say we caught some of the prettiest fish I have seen in a long time.

During one period of high wind where the lake was off limits we retreated to the protection of the river and were rewarded with some outstanding flounder while fishing small finger mullet. One such afternoon was punctuated with a limit of flounder ranging from 2 to 4 pounds, talk about gorgeous fish. The tried and true flounder folks will be very discreet and rarely noticed by the speed demons in search of the next flock gulls, truth be told though, that’s how they like it. Some of the best flounder of the year will taken this month by fishermen probing the deeper cuts and points along the river and Intracoastal channels as the flounder exit the marsh. Look for this pattern to hold up strong until the end of the month.

Like Baskin Robbins and their famous 31Flavors, there is yet another flavor to enjoy on Sabine and that’s striped bass. Along the banks of the Sabine River during outgoing tides one can tangle with a true giant fish if you happen to be so lucky, stripers in excess of 30 pounds are caught here each winter and keep many anglers coming back for more. Typical striper fishing tactics work well and quality electronics are a must if you hope to pinpoint these fish.

Much of the time these fish will suspend and for that reason many folks fail to figure out how to catch them. When stripers are busting bait on the surface anyone can be a hero but it takes a little bit of technique to catch them when they suspend.

Perhaps the favorite lure for catching suspended stripers is the Hoginar; a rather small lure that is fished both as a crankbait and also vertically jigged. The vibration of the Hoginar along with the size is probably the key to its success as a striper magnet. A by-product of using the Hoginar is all the redfish you will catch while throwing this versatile little bait, it produces year round but shines the brightest in winter.

I have a fond appreciation for the months of November and December as the seasons collide and everything seems to get really good all at once.

The first

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geese show themselves ahead of colder air and that is one thing that really gets me pumped. I have enjoyed some great days along the south shoreline of Sabine catching trout and listening to thousands of geese as they gather up and feed along the bank. The fishing and hunting both seem to be in high gear as the days get shorter and the action only gets hotter. Before you know it we will be in full-fledged winter mode probing the shallow flats for a big trout or in a duck blind trying coax in a flock of wary birds.

Neither choice is bad if you ask me, I could be happy either way as long I get to share it with good people.

I have often wondered what it would be like to live in another part of the world and experience some different things. I entertain places like Colorado, Mexico, or Argentina in my mind. While all of these places are wonderful destinations I always wind up coming back home because we have so many different things available. Colorado doesn’t have redfish, Mexico lacks snow geese, and Argentina has drawbacks as well. I guess in the grand scheme of things I really am thankful for where I live and all the opportunities that surround this area. No other month can make this point as clear. Merry Christmas and good fishing!

Still foggy winter mornings are almost as special as the fish you catch.

The mix of both birds and fish make almost any sportsman wonder if it really can get any better.

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With Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas just around the corner it is time

I typically start wearing my waders in late October and stay in them until water temperatures reach the 70-degree range usually sometime in April. I wear as little as possible, wanting to stay as mobile as possible.

Mobility is not only comfortable but it is safe as well. If I need to move I want to be able to move.

God forbid that I will ever need to swim, but if I do I do not my gear impeding my ability.

With this in mind I come to what I feel is the key to comfort and

to start thinking about winter fishing patterns.

November has been great, lots of days with limits of trout or reds and some days with both.

Sure there were tough days but not many.

Our water temperatures have finally dropped into the upper 50’s to mid 60’s and our tides are gradually reaching wintertime lows. Winter as most of you know is my most favorite time of year to fish along with spring, summer and mobility in winter fishing fall. I love to fish so it is all good to me. Anyway, attire. Dress in layers and winter is one of my favorites and a time when obtain fabrics that wick a lot of you spend too much time THINKING moisture away from your about going fishing but not following through body. I will tell you now with the thought process. Sure it takes more that I am a big SIMMS gear due to the harsh conditions but with a fan. Simms makes in my good investment you can be set for some of the opinion the best wading year’s best fishing. and undergarments in What makes December thru February so the business. Patagonia attractive is the lack of fishing pressure on the makes some fine gear bays. In the year 2007 there is positively NO as well. Both of these reason for us to be cold wet and uncomfortable companies have been in while out in the elements. The neat thing about the business of today’s outerwear is the lightness of the materials and the durability they possess. I remember the first GORE-TEX wading jacket I ever got.

I thought it was the best piece of hunting and fishing apparel that I had ever owned.

In those days most of our clothing was water repellent but not waterproof and not at all breathable. Today, it is different, we have many choices and in styles that actually allow an old sun-wrinkled fisherman to walk out of the house looking pretty darn good. Hey there is nothing wrong with feeling good and looking the part as well.

The garments and brand names mentioned in this month’s article reflect what I use and items which This is my layering method though the winter months. From seem to hold up very well to the 150 to top to bottom we need to keep as 175 days of saltwater abuse I put on an much body heat in as possible but item. I can only testify to what I know has still allow for moisture wicking worked best for me. and breathing.

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keeping outdoors men and women warm and dry for many years.

When preparing for a cold day on the water I dress in layers, wearing more than I probably need for the ride across the bay and maybe the first wade of the morning. By mid-morning I am able to start shedding one layer at a time, staying comfortable throughout the day. By afternoon I am usually down to a light turtle neck with a light outer wind stopper style surf

Nice mid-morning trout caught after cold front in clear shallow water on bright pink bait; personal best for angler.

jacket or a simple slicker-style top.

Water proof is a major need in my wading business. Outer wear that allows me to dunk my elbow or forearm here and there and remain dry is a must. I used to hate having to grab a trout and dunk my arm. When I lifted the fish or went to cast after releasing the fish the cold water would run up my arm and eventually down the inside of my wading jacket.

Under my waders I like light polartech-type tops and bottoms. Bottoms with foot loops to prevent the pants legs from riding up the leg are the best. If your pants legs ride up they will restrict blood circulation and prevent your body www.TSFMAG.com

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These are my mainstay lures for the next few months. Note the colors and styles.

All of these lures work well on both trout and redfish.

from warming itself. If your feet and legs are going numb in the cold something is too tight.

Simms calf high wading socks for moderate cold and neoprene for bitter cold have worked well for me.

Years ago we did not have clothing made of materials that effectively accomplished this task but lucky for us we do today. When purchasing your waders for wintertime use it is important that you take into account the bulk of heavy socks and neoprene stockings.

I usually buy wading boots at least one size larger for my winter work. It is always best to try everything in the store, and this includes the full outfit of appropriate socks, neoprene booties and wading boots, before purchasing. Walk around in them, bending and squatting to see how everything works. Nothing, I mean nothing makes a day more miserable than boots that are too tight and waders that restrict you in some way. Improperly fitted waders also wear badly in areas that rub or bind leading to early and unnecessary wear and tear on the product.

From about Thanksgiving on I will be wearing a light polar tech or under armor type clothing under my waders. Years ago we suffered through the bitter cold wearing way too much under our waders, causing the

Are trout that smart, you bet they are, and if you believe otherwise you might not be as smart as they are.

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body to sweat which created moisture which chilled us to the bone. It also made it impossible for me to bring my waders into the house after a few days of fishing during a winter warming trend. Funk in your waders is a turn off to the wife I promise, especially when left in the laundry room overnight.

Pricing for the items mentioned and shown in the photos are by no means cheap. Many would think them extremely high but before you get turned off by the price tags let me say that the quality of what you buy is directly reflected in the pricing. The old saying you get what you pay for is never truer than when purchasing quality, reliable outdoor wear. Personally I cannot afford to be uncomfortable and for years I would not spend the extra dollars for that comfort. Times change and so do attitudes.

Trust me, you deserve to be comfortable.

You know I am not going to write an article and NOT talk about fishing. Gearing up for winter fishing patterns is not nearly as tough as the actual weather conditions. Over my lifetime of fishing I have narrowed my gear and my fishing areas down to fewer areas and fewer lures.

For lures, I carry two styles day in day out.

The first one I want to mention here is the Bass Assassin soft plastic 5-inch shad baits in mostly dark colors. On rare occasions I will throw a bright-colored pattern but my fishing data base shows that dark colors produce the largest fish for me. My second choice is the suspending type lures; Mirrolure Catch 5 and Catch 2000 Jr, the original Paul Brown Corky and the Tsunami Cork lures series of suspending baits.

I have favorites in each of these baits and have caught tons of big trout on all of them. I prefer to throw these baits in shallow and clean water which usually requires combinations of clear and bright colors. In clearer water I do not want the trout to see the whole bait, just the glint or the shine as it is nervously twitched a December 2007

few inches beneath the surface. If she is allowed to study the bait too long she discovers that it is not what she needs it to be. Are trout that smart, you bet they are, and if you believe otherwise you might not be as smart as they are.

Prime areas include back bay coves with soft and dark bottoms. Add to this a few scattered grass beds and some scattered shell with an occasional mullet flipping here and there and you might consider spending the day. Winter is a time when you need to carry a small anchor in your wading pouch if you have a tendency to push forward after only a few bites. The BEST big trout fishermen I know, the Webbs, Gills, Taggarts, Watkins and Teals stay put when they locate big fish. I mention these local guys because I have fished with them and know for a fact that this is what makes them who they are. If you’re thinking that it was cocky for me to include myself in this list, for the record, I was speaking of my son Jay Ray. I think after the tournament season he and C.R. Webb had this year he deserves to be in my Fab Five.

Gear up in layers when it comes to your winter wading attire and gear down when it comes to your lure choices. The fewer choices you have the longer you will stay with your timeproven favorites. The more comfortable and mobile you are, the more staying power you have on the cold tough days on the water.

I would like to take this opportunity the say Merry Christmas to every one of you from the entire Watkins Family and we pray that God provides for your every need during this holiday season and in the New Year to come.

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Santa Fe, TX angler John Carpenter snapped this shot of a red caught on a type 6 sinking line during a powerful incoming tide.

Years ago, there was one (and only one) line loaded on my saltwater fly fishing outfits — a weight forward floating line.

I was slowly learning how to fish the flats and floating lines were a lucky carryover from bass fishing. They handled small flies and poppers in skinny water and whipped up on sneaky redfish.

After developing a good success record using floating lines in saltwater, I thought they were the ONLY way to go.

But as time went on, I began to recognize a few floating line shortcomings. The surf was a nightmare on floating lines. It tossed them around and dragged them away, making for brief and awkward fly deliveries. In the bays when I fished alongside anglers using conventional tackle, I felt a bit lost too. They were casting plugs into deep water, working the edges of channels and reefs, and probing current-ridden rips and cuts.

Poppers aside, the floating lines I was casting seemed utterly useless for these places.

To combat the problems I encountered, I resorted to lengthening my leaders and pinching on as many tiny lead weights as my casting stroke could handle. Overall the weighted rigs worked, sort of, and I was able to halfway keep up with the plug-chunkers. Then along came the striped bass, and catching them added a whole new element to the game.

A transplant from the East Coast, the striped bass is stocked into a handful of deep and large reservoirs in Texas. Stripers are aggressive and powerful fish that will get your heart pounding.

The trick, though, with reservoir stripers is that you often have to reach deep… really deep… to catch them. I quickly realized the prospect of pinching on enough lead weights to sink a floating fly line 30 feet or more was laughable, so I broke down and bought my first sinking lines.

At first, the sinking lines were an absolute pain in the butt. They tangled around everything and felt awkward to cast and retrieve. But 38

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eventually I started catching fish with them — fish I would not have caught with floating lines. This boosted my confidence and I kept grinding ahead. Slowly, the mystery of sinking lines unraveled. The neat thing about that bumpy learning curve was that it changed my approach to saltwater fishing. When I incorporated sinking lines into the saltwater equation, the possibilities of where and how I could fish broadened. Tidal currents began to seem less wicked, winds were not as bothersome, and I viewed deep channels as sources of big fish rather than obstacles.

These days I feel lost without sinking lines and I often use them more frequently than floating lines. They have become an essential part of my tackle and my strategy.

There are many types of sinking fly lines on the market and the choices can get confusing. I am not qualified to get into a detailed discussion on the intricacies of fly line design, but I can tell you specifically which sinking lines I use and why I use them.

The first type of sinking line I use is the intermediate sinker. Intermediate sinking lines are sort of “jack-of-all-lines.” They’ll go anywhere and do almost anything. Intermediate lines sink at a rate of 1 to 2 inches per second. Flies

From L to R — Tip sections of SA Mastery Floating Saltwater Line, SA Intermediate Bonefish Line, and Cortland 444 SL type 6 steady sinking line.

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trailing behind these lines will travel just below the surface if the line is cast and retrieved quickly, or they can be made to travel much deeper if the line is allowed to descend before the retrieve begins.

Scientific Anglers Bonefish Line is by far my favorite intermediate line.

The SA Bonefish Line is clear, which I really like, although gauging the distance of a cast with clear Scientific Anglers Clear line requires a bit Intermediate Bonefish Line. of practice. The SA Bonefish Line has a long flat taper and a slippery finish that allows the line to pass easily through rod guides.

These qualities make it a good candidate for long smooth casts. I use this line in the surf. It’s also my “fish the edge” line — a great choice for secondary channels and reefs where the water ranges from 3 to 6 feet deep.

In the surf, the SA Bonefish Line is ideal. It will slide below waves and froth, and because it is thinner in diameter than floating line it has less wind and wave resistance. These features pay off when the surf gets rough and windy.

When fished on secondary channels, shallow reefs, and other targets up to 6 feet deep, the SA Intermediate Bonefish line excels. It slips beneath floating grass and debris and is great for plugging flies slowly around structure or working channel throats when the tide is falling.

Honestly, if I was forced to choose only one line for all things it would be the SA Bonefish Line. It is my favorite fly line.

The second type of sinking line I use frequently is a type 6 steady sink line. This www.TSFMAG.com

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Finding, hooking, and fighting fish in deep water is a unique challenge.

THE LARGE COLLECTION OF BOOKS authored by Lefty Kreh is a true gift

A stripping basket is required to handle sinking lines easily.

stuff doesn’t mess around. It has a sink rate of 6 to 7 inches per second — quick as a lead eye Clouser. Fishing a line that sinks this quickly requires two things — an imagination, and a stripping basket. You WILL need them both. Your imagination will help you visualize what your line is doing below the surface and your stripping basket will help you keep it from tangling around absolutely everything when you strip it in.

My favorite type 6 sinking line is the Cortland 444 SL type 6 steady sink. It is a simple no-nonsense line, solid black with a slick finish and slender taper and just enough backbone to shoot smoothly. I use the Cortland 444 SL type 6 steady sink when fishing for reservoir stripers because it has the capacity to go very deep. In the salt, it is a great choice for delivering flies to spooky places like deep channels, rips around pilings and markers, jetties, and passes with powerful currents.

This is the line I use for deep water dredging and drifting. I almost always rig it with a very short (3 to 5 ft.) fluorocarbon leader. Gaining a good feel for this line takes time, but when a mysterious creature takes off with it in 20 feet of water it’s a great feeling.

If you are considering learning to use a sinking line, my suggestion is to start with an intermediate line like the SA Bonefish Line and work toward the denser fast sinking lines. Using these lines will broaden your opportunities and make you a more versatile angler. Remember — you WILL need to make or purchase a stripping basket to handle these lines.

Casting them without one is an exercise in frustration. The best basket I have ever used I made myself for about 8 bucks (see June 2007 edition of TSF). Feel free to e-mail me if you need instructions for the stripping basket or if you have any sinking line questions I can help you answer.

In the mean time, keep your eyes and your mind open and have a great time on the water. www.TSFMAG.com

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to saltwater fly fishing. If you are interested in saltwater casting, fly patterns, strategies for catching inshore and offshore species, or tips to improve your tackle and techniques, you’ll find at least one title by Lefty Kreh covering the subject in detail. Lefty’s books are thorough, simple and no-nonsense which is why they have often been recommended reading in the Book of the Month column.

Fly Fishing the Inshore Waters, one of Lefty’s recent works, is a book that explores fly fishing techniques and tactics used to target inshore species like redfish, seatrout, snook, and striped bass. Lefty wrote the book to address the growing interest in catching these fish on fly tackle.

True to form, Lefty doesn’t mince words in Fly Fishing the Inshore Waters.

He covers the strategies and methods he feels are essential to inshore fly fishing and doesn’t add any filler, fluff, or complications. Some of the topics covered in Fly Fishing the Inshore Waters include tackle, tides, effective inshore fly patterns, and angling techniques for inshore species. Lefty’s chapter on fly lines is particularly informative and it dispels many of the myths and misconceptions associated with the often confusing world of fly lines and casting.

Like many of Lefty’s books, unusual tackle tips sprinkled throughout the chapters keep the reading lively and fresh. Absent from Fly Fishing the Inshore Waters are strategies for catching bonefish, permit, and tarpon. Lefty previously devoted an entire book (Fly Fishing for Bonefish, Permit, and Tarpon) to these “big three” gamefish.

Another neat thing about Fly Fishing the Inshore Waters is its small size- you can almost fit it in your shirt pocket. The paper and print quality are excellent and the gloss pages make the photographs brilliantly clear and the text easy to read. If you have an opportunity to pick up a copy of Fly Fishing the Inshore Waters, or any of Lefty Kreh’s books on fly fishing, do so. You’ll enjoy his practical approach to angling and you’re guaranteed to learn something new.

Fly Fishing the Inshore Waters

By Lefty Kreh 128 pp. The Lyons Press $17.95 ISBN: 1-58574-605-3

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A prominent feature of many fly patterns is the eye. It is believed that predators spot and focus on eyes as targets for their attacks. Therefore, anglers have been outfitting their lures and flies with eyes for a very long time. The primary choice for making eyes on baitfish patterns used to be to just paint them on. Many tyers decorated their streamers with enamel by precisely positioning a drop of paint on the heads of the streamers with a dowel or a matchstick. It was a bit messy, and sometimes the paint would wick into the body materials and mess them up. Overall, though, it worked.

Then along came the stick-on eyes made from circular pieces of adhesive-backed Mylar punched from a large sheet. These eyes were far less messy than paints. Next, the 3-D stick-on eyes appeared.

Their dimensional glassy appearance looked even better than the flat Mylar eyes.

The problem with all stick-on eyes is that they don’t stay stuck on.

The eyes must be glued in place. Unfortunately, the glue often fails and the eyes disappear, or the eyes bang against a hard object and crack loose. A coating of epoxy solves this problem, but who wants to coat all their flies with epoxy just to get the eyes to stay put? There is an alternative, though — Tulip eyes.

Tulip Dimensional Fabric Paints are water-based, nontoxic, paints that were originally designed to decorate clothing. They are packaged in convenient plastic applicator bottles and are available in a mindboggling assortment of colors and sheens. These paints are highly viscous, so they can be squirted into oddball shapes and designs.

Tulip Fabric Paints can be used to make MOE Fly heads, shrimp backs, crab bodies, and an assortment of other fly body parts, but perhaps their most practical use is to make fly eyes.

Making the eyes is simple. Just squirt a few small dollops of paint onto a plastic lid, add a drop of black paint on top of the dollops to form the pupils, and then lightly tap the bottom of the lid to make the viscous paint flatten slightly. Let the eyes dry for 24-48 hours and then peel them off with a bodkin needle or a safety pin and glue them to your flies with superglue or DAP Kwik Seal. The eyes will have dimension and they will be tough and flexible. This means they have a good 3-D look and they can be formed around curves. Their flexibility also prevents them from cracking and falling off if they strike a hard object like a boat or a rock.

Tulip eyes can be made in any size and color combinations and you can make a ton of them in just a few minutes. Just leave them on the plastic lids once they are dry and pick them off with a safety pin when you need them. The eyes shown here are silver metallic with black pupils. Some of my other favorite colors are glow-in-the-dark chartreuse with black pupils, silver glitter with black pupils, and white with black pupils.

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Tulip fabric paints.

1. Apply a small dollop of paint to a plastic card or lid. 2. Apply a dot of black paint to form pupil.

Eyes are initially cone-shaped.

3. Lightly thump the bottom of the plastic lid or tap the bottom on a flat surface. The force will flatten eyes. 4. Allow eyes to dry for 24 hours and remove with needle or bodkin. Eyes will be smooth, shiney, and ready to glue to fly.

4

Eyes flattened and drying.

December 2007

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As the end of 2007 draws near, this is a good time to reflect on some of the comments heard, overheard and read throughout the year.

Agreement with all the comments is irrelevant.

The comments were made by someone who felt a certain way and that is the way that person stated their opinion. Several comments confirmed what was known for a while and I would like to communicate some of my views on tournament fishing in general. Some of these comments are common sense, but issues keep coming up and they bear discussion again.

First and foremost; not all fishermen and boaters look upon tournaments as favorably as we do. Now most tournament anglers are aware that there is an anti-tournament crowd around, but this fact does not seem to have the positive effect it should on their behavior.

Examples of tournament fishermen doing this or that have filled internet chat rooms. Today’s world of high speed internet, digital photos and cell phone cameras sets up situations in which many angler’s actions are quickly captured and broadcast for all to see. There are many examples where once the stone is cast; it takes superhuman effort to set the record straight; if it can ever be set straight at all. Every tournament angler needs to ensure his behavior both on and off the water is exemplary. Proper behavior extends into the communities we fish in and our

actions can quickly result in not being welcome back to a host community. Always take the high road in conflicts and don’t let the quest for the prize overcome common sense and good judgment. When it comes down to it, it is just fishing.

Be a steward of the environment. Any act that can be interpreted as harmful to the environment or wildlife will be interpreted that way. Last month Jay Watkins discussed burning flats and scouting for fish. I am not against burning, it has its place in tournament fishing and I have done it. The flip side is that anyone who practices burning in any form or fashion must be prepared for any negative consequences. It is best to assume that anyone at anytime can take your photo and put your actions in a bad light. If your prop wash is churning up mud or sand, the bottom is being damaged. Take the extra time to troll or idle out until you are in deep water to get on plane. At all times, practice safe boating and boat operation when on the water. The bottom line should be to give other anglers more room than you would expect if you were in their shoes. The quickest and most effective way to drag down the sport of competitive fishing is to show the general public that the poor actions of a few are the actions of all.

Tournament anglers are not necessarily the best fishermen in Texas. Just because

we participate in tournaments does not mean that we are better than everybody else. It only means that we have the ways, means and desire to participate. Having said this, I also want to say there are some tournament anglers and teams that are truly unmatched in their ability to find quality fish. I am constantly amazed at the level of knowledge of the pursued species that some anglers have. The high level of understanding of the species results in knowing where and when to fish no matter what the conditions. This knowledge comes through years of experience and homework. I also know that there are plenty of non-tournament anglers that are highly skilled and choose not to participate in tournaments for whatever reason. Any thoughts one has that they are better or more skilled than nontournament anglers will lead to bad behaviors or a “holier than thou” attitude. We need to understand our place and role in the fishing industry and not overestimate our self worth.

Tournament anglers are in a great position to make a positive impact on fishing. For every person that does not like tournaments and tournament anglers, there are an equal number that do. In addition, there is a group that feels indifferent to tournament activities. We are in a great position to help the progress of our sport.

Helping others with questions about fishing, helping out on the water and presenting yourself

Everyone involved in the sport needs to show potential sponsors the benefit of sponsorship, such as wrapped boats, onsite demonstrations, etc.

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There is no way better to grow the sport than to take a kid fishing.

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Not only practice catch and release, but teach it to the future fishermen.

in upstanding fashion will put forth the positive image that I truly believe non-participators should know about. Everyone should strive to do something to help fuel the progress of the tournament sport and sport fishing in general.

In particular, kids are always interested in tips and seem to have endless questions about fishing. What better way to promote the sport and do a good deed than to help a kid get started or excited about fishing?

There are some anglers that push the edge of the envelope of what is legal and ethical to gain a perceived advantage over other anglers.

Don’t be one of them. If you are trying to decide

Teach kids to enjoy fishing.

whether something is within the rules and the thought is, “well it does not specifically say you can’t do it,” the activity most likely falls into a gray area and you should beware; you are probably about to cross the line. One’s personal reputation is not worth sacrificing, especially if rumors of cheating and bending the rules go hand-in-hand with any success you might achieve at weigh-in.

The sport of professional saltwater tournaments will not grow unless everyone associated with it helps out. We do not have the fan base that the freshwater bigmouth fish anglers have access to. Every tournament angler should be trying to obtain a sponsor. Not only does obtaining a sponsor help the angler, it provides another outlet for businesses to market their products. Do not kid yourself; the growth of the sport is tied to sponsorship and companies seeing the sport as a way to increase sales.

One other word about sponsorship; do not promote a company if that company is not sponsoring you in some way. Many people desire to have the “look” and will sew sponsor logos on their fishing shirts. But in the long run, it is better to have no logos than to provide free exposure to somebody who does not sponsor you. Fishing

sponsorship is business and businesses do not typically give anything away. An angler’s fishing jersey is his billboard and the space shouldn’t be free. It will end up hurting the overall sponsorship market and your image. Why would a business pay to sponsor you if you will wear their logo for no charge?

I, like every other person, have my own opinions and I don’t expect everybody will agree with them. I do know that for all the hard work and money that tournament fishing takes (other tournament anglers can really relate to this), bottom line and primary reason for my involvement is that I love the competition. I want saltwater tournaments to rise to the level of professional bass fishing such that I can quit being an engineer and fish full time. Is that day right around the corner? Hardly; but it will get here a lot sooner if we all work towards that common goal and just treat others as we want to be treated.

Tournament fishing is not the most important thing in the world. Put it in perspective, family comes first.

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Texas has always been associated with all things big — and boating is definitely one of them.

Now, it’s getting bigger and better. With more registered anglers than any state other than Florida, Texas fishing and boating is big business. Bayside resort communities are being built along the coast at a rapid rate. Areas like Matagorda, Port O’Connor and Seadrift that used to be sleepy little coastal fishing towns are the stage for many new real estate developments catering to boating and fishing.

One of these new developments, the Bay Club at Falcon Point Ranch, near Seadrift, really got our attention. This lodge is as first class as it gets. Situated on San Antonio Bay this multi-million dollar facility has it all, incredible bay fishing, hunting, skeet shooting, wildlife tours and just about anything else you can think of. Spacious rooms, designer swimming pool, lighted fishing pier and fine dining. Its rustic, elegantly appointed main lodge has a huge fire place, stylish lounging area and cozy bar. This is a luxury resort to meet the most demanding sportsman’s needs. Adjacent home sites are being developed that will make this one of many premiere resort communities on the coast.

With a very long coastline, numerous big bays, shallow flats, offshore rocks and rigs, we have a lot to be thankful for as fishermen here in the Lone Star state. Boating has always been a big part of what we do. Whether fishing, cruising, skiing, sailing or going fast, Texans love their boats. Many of us grew up going to local boat shows to see the latest and greatest stuff, but they didn’t compare to the larger Florida shows. That may soon change… The notion that you have to go to Florida to get a deal or better selection when buying a boat is becoming a thing of the past. This year the 46

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The Great Room lounge area at Falcon Point Lodge in sleepy Seadrift, Texas…

“First-class as it gets!”

Airboats have grown increasingly popular on the Texas coast, especially with waterfowl enthusiasts.

They do things differently in other parts of the world; this would hardly be called safe boating here in Texas. Note fuel stored on the bow.

first real Florida-style in the water boat show debuted in April at the Corpus Christi Downtown Marina. Many major national and international boat manufacturers, dealers and exhibitors were on hand to see how the show would be December 2007

received. The Texas International Boat Show was a huge success with over 40,000 attendees and many satisfied participants. You can bet these exhibitors will be back in full force next year with bigger displays and a larger selection www.TSFMAG.com

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New Shallow Sport bay fishing boats, fully rigged and ready for delivery at Tops and Towers in Seabrook, Texas.

A beautiful 47-foot Riviera Sport Yacht at Bridge Harbor Marina in Freeport, Texas.

Here’s a view of the “Akela” — 74’ Halter sportfisherman.

With “Florida-style” on-the-water boat shows coming to Texas we’ll be seeing rigs of many sizes and styles being displayed.

of boats. Next year’s show will be in late April.

Now, the same organizer, Peter Bryant, has planned another large show called the Southwest International Boat Show, to be held October 2-5, 2008, at the Kemah Boardwalk Marina on Clear Lake. It will be similar to the Corpus Christi show and being so close to the Houston area, the attendance could be mind-boggling. That gives Texans two truly big boat shows, one in the spring and one in the fall. This is sure to get the attention of major boat manufacturers and related marine exhibitors from around the world. Gulf coast boat owners will get to see what’s current and up and coming in the boating world, without having to travel out of state. Please call us for any further details on the 2008 International Boat Shows here on the Texas Gulf coast.

During the fall to winter hunting season, boat owners and sellers find it an ideal time to make the move to a new/used larger boat, prior to the much anticipated fishing season.

We experience a lot of interested boat owners moving up from the boat they have had 3 years 48

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or longer to a new boat that fits their needs.

Many owners running large center consoles, that have enjoyed fantastic bluewater fishing off our coast, make the commitment to step up to twin diesels and the comfort of overnight trips in the Western Gulf of Mexico. If you’re considering selling your boat and sizing up, we have a large variety of entry level outboard and twin diesel sportfishing boats on the market.

Please give us a call or stop by and visit.

Byrd & Cochrane is an authorized broker for Fox Yacht Sales, the Texas dealer for Cabo and Riviera Yachts. Fox has an extensive inventory of brokerage boats and we will be glad to help you find a boat or sell yours. For more information call our office at 281-2910656 or come by our Tops-N-Towers office on Nasa Road One in Seabrook.

Related Websites www.byrd-cochrane.com www.foxyachtsales.com www.falconpointlodge.com December 2007

Born in Galveston, graduate of Texas A&M, Capt. John grew up fishing and diving the Gulf of Mexico. A professional captain for over 25 years, he runs a 46’ sportfishing boat out of Freeport, Texas. Capt.

John is also partners with Bobby in Byrd & Cochrane, specializing in yacht brokerage and sportfishing consulting. For more information go to www.byrd-cochrane.com or contact John at captjohn@ foxyachtsales.com.

A native Texan, Bobby Byrd began fishing at the young age of eight, when he was a deck hand on his Dad’s boat. He fished with his father in the Gulf of Mexico, Bahamas and Mexico for many years of his life. In 1995, Bobby combined his love of the water and boating into a business when he opened Tops-N-Towers, a custom aluminum fabrication business in Seabrook, Texas. For more information you can contact Bobby at www.topsntowers.com.

Contact Byrd & Cochrane 281-291-0656 Tops-N-Towers 281-474-4000 Website www.byrd-cochrane.com www.topsntowers.com www.foxyachtsales.com www.stingercustomlures.com www.TSFMAG.com

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As 2007 comes to a close, CCA Texas would like to thank all the members, sponsors, supporters and especially all the volunteers that have worked so hard to make 2007 a great year. 2007 has been a year of record fundraising, an all-time high membership in excess of 54,000, continued chapter growth, hard fought battles on the legislative front and continued funding of essential projects and research.

CCA Texas membership and fundraising banquets enjoyed another great year due to a tremendous effort of local volunteers, supporters and donors. Your support and donations are the fuel that keeps CCA Texas on the move. Along with a great year in fundraising, CCA Texas’s membership experienced continued growth to reach a new high at over 54,000. This growth was the result of increased renewals, new members and STAR tournament entries. Chapter growth continued in 2007 with a new chapter being formed in East Bernard, the San Bernard chapter, and the restart of the Woodlands chapter.

CCA Texas continues to fight the good fight to conserve our coastal resources for future generations on a legislative level and for resource related projects. You dollars spent at events and donated directly to CCA are crucial in the success of CCA Texas. Legislative battles continue to be fought in Texas on fresh water inflows, LNG projects, inland fisheries issues, offshore fisheries issues, habitat enhancement and law enforcement.

Projects in 2007 include the continued support of TPWD game wardens with enforcement equipment, habitat restoration projects, research and education grants, and fisheries management.

Without you, the member, sponsor, donor, volunteer and supporter, this great success would not be possible. From the volunteer leadership and staff of CCA Texas have a great holiday season and wonderful fishing.

Did You Know

in 2007 CCA Texas on a state and national level…

•

Completed the final funding of the $700,000 CCA Texas Laboratory for Marine Larviculture at University Texas Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas, Texas. Officials and guests from CCA Texas and UTMSI attended the grand opening ceremony on August 17, 2007.

Completed the final funding for a $200,000 commitment to the Texas Parks Wildlife Department shrimp license buy-back program. This commitment accounted for over 40 licenses and helped move the bay shrimping industry closer to the optimum size desired by TPWD. Funded over $52,779 in enforcement equipment for TPWD game wardens.

Established a graduate level scholarship at Texas A&M Corpus Christi with a $40,000 endowment. This scholarship is in addition to existing graduate scholarships at Texas A&M College Station, Texas A&M Galveston and University Texas Marine Science Institute, Port Aransas.

Established an outdoor journalist scholarship at University of Texas Austin with a $40,000 endowment in memory of Bob Brister, a long time

supporter and voice of CCA Texas in the early years of the organization.

Funded $37,000 for a red snapper mortality study in the recreational sector.

Funded $35,000 to the Bahia Grande project in the Lower Laguna Madre for the excavation of internal connecting channels within the revitalized estuary project. This is in addition to an original grant of $60,000 in 2005.

Funded $32,000 for a study on the effects of the possible closing of the Port Mansfield channel. This study, to be completed by Dr. Greg Stunz, will look at the entire ecosystem and how a total closure might affect it.

Funded $32,000 for calorimeter equipment to study the diet of hatchery fingerlings and how to better optimize the fingerlings diets for fast growth and survivorship.

Funded $20,000 for phase one of at triple tail study to develop the best methods for sexing these fish and eventually how to hatchery spawn the fish.

Funded $20,000 towards the Sportsman’s Road marsh revitalization project in partnership with the Galveston Bay Foundation and other organizations.

Funded $17,400 for navigation equipment aboard TPWD research vessels.

Funded $16,000 for an otolith saw for TPWD coastal fisheries research. This saw will open the “story” behind the life of fish being studied.

Funded $13,875 for pumps and other equipment needed by TPWD hatcheries in their efforts to spawn and release flounder.

Granted $11,260 towards the Texas A&M intern program for marine biology.

Funded an additional $7,500 to TPWD law enforcement for range finders giving better enforcement advantages to the wardens.

Funded an additional $7,500 to TPWD law enforcement for generators to help aid in law enforcement in remote areas.

Funded $6,000 to the annual crab trap cleanup project.

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ST. MICHAELS, MD - Surrounded by conservationists and anglers on the shores of historic Chesapeake Bay, President Bush today signed an Executive Order establishing gamefish status for red drum and striped bass in federal waters. The Order is a landmark victory for recreational anglers who have fought for decades to restore and conserve two of the most coveted sport fish in America. …Continued on page 55 December 2007

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Photo courtesy of Texas Redfish Series.

SAN ANTONIO – Simrod Outdoors has launched its new TV show, The Texas Saltwater Series targeting anglers looking to learn new fishing techniques from the pros. The show, which debuted October 4, 2007 airs at 6:00 a.m. Thursdays on Fox Sports Network through March 2008.

“We cover fishing along the Texas coast, and the show also follows the Texas Saltwater Tournament trails,” said Scot Simmons, co-founder of Simrod Outdoors. “We’ll be fishing with different anglers on every show including trout pros, redfish pros and local guides who can educate anglers on different techniques for fishing in each area.”

Simrod Outdoors recently hired legendary TV host and producer David West to produce the TV show, said company co-founder Jim Elrod.

“We are looking forward to putting David’s 18 years of outdoor broadcasting experience into our new TV show to make it the most informative and entertaining outdoor program targeting all anglers,” Elrod said.

Hosted by Simmons and Elrod, the show will feature 13 episodes, and each episode will air twice on Fox Sports Network. FSN Southwest reaches more than 9-million cable and satellite TV homes, covering 36 television markets in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and parts of New Mexico.

“Our television show will take an original look at fishing techniques and tournament coverage,” Simmons said. “In addition to filming teams during the tournaments, Jim and I will fish with teams in a relaxed atmosphere in the days following the tournaments.”

In the 2007 season, the series will visit Galveston, Matagorda, Port O’Connor, Rockport, Port Aransas, Corpus Christi and legendary Baffin Bay. Viewers will learn about new techniques and products from the show’s hosts Scot Simmons and Jim Elrod as well as saltwater veterans Don Schultz, Art Wright, Benny Landrum, Kevin Shaw, Jeff Austin, Duane Clark and Scott Hedrick just to name a few. The content will be educational for all anglers.

For more information, visit www.texassaltwaterseries.com

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President Orders Game Fish Status for Red Drum, Striped Bass

Photo by Eric Draper, White House photographer.

…Continued from page 52

President George W. Bush signs an Executive Order to protect the striped bass and red drum fish populations Saturday, Oct. 20, 2007, at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, Md. President Bush is joined during the signing by, from left, Michael Nussman, president of American Sportfishing Association; Brad Burns, president of Stripers Forever; David Pfeifer, president of Shimano America Corp.; Walter Fondren, chairman of Coastal Conservation Association; U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez; U.S. Rep. Wayne Gilchrest of Maryland and U.S. Secretary of Interior Dirk Kempthorne.

White House photo by Eric Draper

“With this action, the President has secured a legacy for the recreational anglers and conservationists who have worked so hard on behalf of our marine resources,” said Walter W. Fondren III, chairman of Coastal Conservation Association. “When CCA began to work on recovering red drum 30 years ago in Texas, we never imagined an event like this would ever be possible. We owe a debt of gratitude to the President for recognizing the high value placed on these resources by the citizens of this country.”

U.S. Presidents have issued executive orders since 1789, usually to help direct the operation of executive officers. The Executive Order signed today by President Bush instructs the Secretary of Commerce to put regulations in place establishing gamefish status for red drum and striped bass in federal waters, and encourages the states to take similar actions in state waters.

“From the darkest days of overfishing in the late 1970s and early ‘80s, hundreds of thousands of people have worked tirelessly to conserve these resources,” said David Cummins, president of CCA. “The President today has delivered the only reward that mattered to any of them – a better future for the resources they cherish.”

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Field Notes

I could see a swirl on the water’s surface, but couldn’t see what had caused it.

With the sun in my eyes, I paddled to my right to see more clearly. I was careful not to paddle too close, but let my kayak float and tried to be still until I could see what had disturbed the water.

I watched the water for any sign of movement.

Was it only the wind? Then a fin broke the water and I could see a spot near the base of the tail.

“It’s a red.”

This same scene occurs countless times along the Texas coast each year as anxious anglers search for redfish in the shallow water near shore. For me, this type of fishing has a new appeal because it is more like hunting where you are actually looking for your game.

In deep water you can’t see what is below, but shallow water gives you a chance to actually see the fish before they’re hooked. This type of fishing has become popular with kayak anglers because they don’t have to compete

with motorized crafts and can actually slip up on unsuspecting redfish that are feeding in the rich seagrass beds along the coast.

To provide more recreational opportunities to shallow water areas along the coast that are often inaccessible to motorized crafts, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department started the Texas Paddling Trail program in 1999 for kayak anglers. Each trail has put-in/take-out access sites, signs that correspond to GPS latitude and longitude coordinates, and maps that allow kayakers to launch their boats and paddle through mangroves, seagrass beds, oyster reefs or other areas that are too shallow for motorized boats. Can you imagine the thrill of catching one of the 40-inch redfish or drum and being pulled around for 10 or 15 minutes? It could happen!

Altogether there are 7 coastal trails and each one has something special to offer. There are three in the Houston/Galveston area. The first is Armand Bayou Paddling Trail which

provides a mix of coastal stream and estuarine habitats. Starting in Mud Lake near Nasa Road One, the trail winds its way through Pasadena, passes Armand Bayou Nature Center and ends near Red Bluff Road. For those that want to see wildlife, there is some great birding and you may even see an alligator or two. The most popular put-in for this trail is Bay Area Park located on Bay Area Blvd.

Moving south along the coast, the next trail is found on Galveston Island State Park. If you decide to paddle this trail, be sure to check in at the park headquarters located on the south or Gulf side of Hwy 3005. The paddling trails are found on the opposite side of Hwy 3005 on the North or Bay side. Paddlers can choose from three different trails ranging from 2.6 to 4.8 miles in length. Each trail passes through shallow grass beds that provide great fishing and bird watching. Paddlers that take the Oak Bayou Trail can paddle through the newly created marsh restoration terrace field

Looking out at the coastal marsh from the Port O’Connor Paddling Trail.

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Two young anglers out to catch a “big one” on the Lighthouse Lakes Paddling Trail.

that was established seven or eight years ago.

The terraces were planted with vegetation and the marsh looks natural from water level, but from an aerial view, a maze of small vegetated terraces is clearly visible.

Traveling further south on Hwy 3005 (which becomes Brazoria county road 257) you will come to Christmas Bay Paddling Trail.

Christmas Bay is a small, relatively undisturbed bay that contains the largest stand of seagrass in the Galveston Bay system. This 19.1 mile trail circumnavigates the bay, follows Titlum Tatlum Bayou and ends near San Luis County Park which is located on the right side (north) of county road 257 just after you cross San Luis Pass. Tent camping is allowed along the sandy shore near the pass and there are RV hookups in the park.

Moving south in the mid-coast area is the Port O’Connor Paddling Trail. This trail begins near the Intracoastal Canal and meanders

Altogether there are 7 coastal trails and each one has something special to offer.

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south along the fringes of Espiritu Santo Bay and ends at Matagorda Island. The trail is made up of three shorter trails that total more than 25 miles. If you plan to follow the length of the trail out to the island, plan to spend the night out there as the round trip back would be approximately 40 miles. Camping is permitted on the island, but you will need either a Public Use Permit or an annual hunting license. During World War II, the area was a bombing range and has a lighthouse that is visible for miles.

This area is known for great fishing, particularly in the September through November period when giant “bull” redfish are caught frequently.

If you hook one of the big ones, you might get a free tow for awhile.

The Port Aransas area has our next paddling trail. The Lighthouse Lakes Paddling Trail, as the name implies, also has a lighthouse. The area supports large stands of seagrasses and is located within a 32,000 acre Scientific Area that was designated for protection by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Fishing is great in the area and paddlers can choose from several put-in access sites that are located on the left (north) side of Hwy 361 as your travel from Aransas Pass to Port Aransas. Camping is allowed at the Lighthouse Lake Trail Park locate on Hwy 361 and near trail sign #1.

The next paddling trail is located on Mustang Island State Park. To get to the trail, December 2007

follow Hwy 361 (south) from Port Aransas toward Corpus Christi. The trail follows the shoreline of Mustang Island and Corpus Christi Bay. Paddlers can choose from three trails: Shamrock Trail- 5.2 miles; Ashlum Trail- 6.8 or the North Trail- 8.5 miles. There are two popular put-ins. The first is Wilson’s Cut that is located approximately 8.4 miles from the Port Aransas ferry. The put-in is on private property so stay in the immediate vicinity of the put-in and remove all trash. The second put-in is Fish Pass that is located further down 361, approximately 13.1 miles from the ferry. Both put-ins are on sandy, dirt roads and rainfall events often cause large depressions in the road so vehicles with higher clearances are recommended.

The last coastal trail is South Bay near Brownsville Texas. This 8-mile trail follows the shoreline of South Bay, a pristine, shallow, subtropical bay consisting of approximately 3,500 surface acres. Due to the unique ecological features including extensive seagrass beds, black mangroves and Easter Oysters, the area was designated a Coastal Preserve by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in 1984. To get to the trail, paddlers leaving Isla Blanca Park will need to make an open water paddle across the Intracoastal Canal. This paddle can be challenging when it’s windy.

To learn more about all Texas Parks and Wildlife Paddling Trails, including four inland paddling trails on the Colorado, San Marcos and San Antonio Rivers see www.tpwd.state. tx.us/paddlingtrails. Maps of the trails are available from your local livery or sporting goods store or Shoreline Publishing in Houston.

What Equipment is needed? Unlike fishing from a motorboat, kayak fishing is inexpensive and it’s a great way to get some exercise. Recommended equipment includes: kayak, doubleblade paddle, PFD (life jacket), sun screen, insect repellent, signaling whistle, waterproof bag, light, water, rain jacket, light tackle and bait. Wear you life jacket — it’s better to be safe than sorry. Before you go out be sure to check the tides because some trails are too shallow to paddle at low tides and last but very important, check the weather report.

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w g back ro (Standin d n a p p e Ko L-R) Carl ing d n ta (S r. e Fil Spenc ajor w L-R) M middle ro Sgt , d ra B , Roberson ey. il D on B a Metcalf, en K ) -R wL (Front ro r m an . e H ff Je nd Larson a Larson Ken Photo by

“There are those who speak about you who say, “he lost an arm, he lost a leg, she lost her sight. I object. You gave your arm. You gave your leg. You gave your sight.

As gifts to your nation. That we might live in freedom. Thank you.

And to your families. Families of the fallen and families of the wounded.

You sacrificed in ways that those of us who have not walked in your shoes can only imagine.”

Gen. Peter M. Pace

Sgt Metcalf was seriously injured in a Hum Vee accident while serving in Iraq. He is originally from Minnesota and grew up fishing. During his recovery at Brooke Army Medical Center he became acquainted with Major Roberson who founded a military bass fishing club. The kinship of fishermen is strong. And now Major Roberson had secured the sergeant’s release from the hospital and was driving him to Port

had recently visited with soldiers at Brooke Army Medical Center who are recovering from injuries sustained in Iraq and Afghanistan. His idea was to take some of these guys out kayak fishing. As he spoke, his enthusiasm grew and it became obvious that he had latched on to this project and would see it through. Brad went on to share that his ultimate goal was to set up a program to match volunteers with wounded soldiers to take them on regularly scheduled kayak fishing trips. I asked what I could do to help and he replied, “Just spread the word, Brother.” Well that’s the very least I could do!

Recently Brad saw the beginning of his dream coming true. A small group of avid kayak fishermen gathered on the banks of Redfish Bay anxiously awaiting the arrival of Sergeant Metcalf and Major Cody Roberson.

Aransas as the first soldier to participate in the Heroes on the Water program.

The soldiers arrived without incident and met up with the kayakers. After a brief introduction it was time to hit the water. The weather wasn’t the best with high winds and the threat of rain clouds. No matter, Sgt Metcalf was not to be denied his day of fishing. The group set off onto the Brown and Root Flats.

Before long the sergeant had gotten the hang of paddling and was leading the pack. It was obvious he was enjoying being away from the confines of the hospital. We all know the feeling of getting out on the water after being stuck in the office all week. Just imagine the exhilaration of hitting the water after months of living in a hospital and dealing with the rigors of painful rehab. That is what this program is all about.

The fishing pretty much matched the weather. Fish were caught, but it wasn’t up to the standards of the area. It really didn’t matter, though. This trip wasn’t about filling a stringer. The guys proved to themselves and the military brass that the program will work and it has great value. Sgt Metcalf enjoyed himself and commented that his initial concern about whether he could handle paddling with his injury had been replaced with confidence in his new-found abilities. Pretty cool to think that something as simple as kayaking could help in the physical and mental recovery of a hero. Oh, and did I mention that the Minnesota Sergeant

Photo by Jeff Herman

Sobering words indeed. So many of us go through our daily lives without really thinking about what others are dealing with. We go to work, we spend time with our families and yes, we go fishing. All the while there are young men and women who are doing battle on our behalf on foreign soil. They do so willingly and with great honor and bravery. Also while we tend to our daily trials and tribulations there are thousands of these same young people dealing with the life-changing consequences of injuries sustained on the battlefield. I don’t care where

your thoughts on the war fall, you have got to respect and support the individual soldiers. I certainly do, but I’m afraid I have been guilty of not thinking about them nearly often enough. I plan to change that.

So what does all of this have to do with kayak fishing? Let me explain. A couple of months ago Brad Newman with Malibu Kayaks approached me with an idea. Brad

The first launching of Heroes on the Water.

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(Bottom le ft) A few fish cooperate d with th e effort.

(Top righ t) Sgt Metc alf hooked u p.

(Bottom ri ght) Sgt M etcalf ’s record ca tch .

Photos by Jeff Her m an

is now the proud holder of a Texas angling record? After a serious tug-of-war the sergeant reeled in a huge hardhead. The group agreed they’d not seen one larger. So Brad and Capt.

Fil Spencer put the tape to it and submitted it as a water-body record. No kidding, look it up.

The storm clouds gathered and the group decided to call it quits. As they paddled downwind back to the launch Jeff Herman, one of the kayak anglers, caught up with Sgt Metcalf and apologized for the rather slow fishing. His response? “Shoot, you can’t beat being out here on the water. It’s a heck of a lot better than looking at four walls.” And that my friends, is why we need to support this effort.

Brad and his good friend Ken Larson have formed the non-profit Kayak Anglers Society of America to facilitate their Heroes on the Water program. Through their organization they plan to take the program nationwide.

You can help by donating your time and/or money to this very worthwhile endeavor. This is a 501(c)(3) organization and all donations are tax deductible. Please go to www. kayakanglerssa.org for more information or

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to contact Brad and Ken. Prior to banging out this article I talked to Brad to see how things are progressing.

As usual Brad talked ninety miles an hour with the enthusiasm of a man on a mission. They have now received initial approval to start up kayak fishing programs at four other military hospitals across the country. With many volunteers already lining up, wounded warriors recovering at Walter Reed, Darnall, Evans, and Womack will soon have the same opportunities to enjoy a great day on the water. As if that weren’t enough, they are also working on a project to ship fishing gear and one hundred kayaks to Camp Victory in Iraq with plans to hold a kayak fishing tournament at one of Saddam’s former palaces. And I have no doubt that they’ll pull it off. Well done guys.

As an aside, I’d like to also direct your attention to the organization that inspired Brad in the beginning, the Warrior and Family Support Center at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio (formerly known as the Soldier and Family Assistance Center). The WFSC began a little over three years ago when Judith Markelz saw a need for a place that recovering soldiers and their families could go to get away from the hospital environment. She started with a television, a few chairs and a desk within a small 1200 square foot room at the Powless Guesthouse located on the Ft Sam Houston base. She is now “Mom” to hundreds of wounded soldiers and has far outgrown the little room. In addition to caring for the soldiers’ needs, the support center also provides an outlet for groups such as Brad’s to connect with recovering soldiers and take them on outings.

A project is currently underway to build the

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Returning Heroes Home, a 12,000 square foot building on land set aside by the military. Mrs. Markelz stated, “Our dream is to have a new building to house a new support center where we can do a better job of providing care to the wounded and burned military personnel and their families.” Doctors at Brooke Army Medical Center support the program as an important part of the recovery process. This building will be designed to provide a “living room” environment with a large social gathering area, dining room, and game room. In addition there are plans for private counseling rooms, a computer learning center, and a business center with internet access. Ground was broken on the project this past September with completion expected in the Fall of ’08. These folks could really use your help and for a fifty dollar donation you can purchase a paver brick with your family name to be installed at the site. To get more information or to donate go to www.returningheroeshome.org.

Thanks for listening and may God bless our soldiers.

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As a kid I was obsessed with the outdoors. Whether it was fishing with my dad or going deer hunting with my uncle, I could never get enough. As a result, for as long as I can remember I subscribed to and read a ridiculous number of outdoor publications. I even remember being very upset one year when my parents forgot to renew my Field & Stream subscription for Christmas. Another thing I remember about Field & Stream was a story I once read — The Witching Hour.

The story, for whatever reason, has stood out in my mind for all these years. And, for those of you who have never heard of this special time of day — it is the time of day right as the sun is coming up or going down, when magic always seems to happen in the outdoors. You know, the time when the top-water bite seems to always be best or when the redfish always seem to be tailing.

Anyway, just this morning as I watched a single redfish waving its tail silhouetted against the rising a sun I found myself remembering that story and wondering how I might share the moment with readers of Texas Saltwater Fishing. So, since they say a picture is worth a thousand words — here is several thousand.

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When our friend Marcus Arredondo comes down the fishing gets good.

On a recent cool morning, I eagerly awaited for the sun to rise. I was about to attend my first fishing trip in a while. With football practice and games I haven’t had a chance to get on the water.

I quite often get an invite from some of my dad’s clients to join in on the fun, but lately my schedule didn’t permit. On this cool winter morning there were no games to be played or practices to attend. This trip had been planned for a while now. Joining my dad and me on the trip were two of my uncles and two good friends. One of my uncles came all the way down from Missouri to spend time with us.

This was a special trip for the grown ups because as kids, teenagers, and then adults they would get together and share their passion for fishing. On our way to the boat ramp, it was a pleasure to hear some of the funny and exciting stories they had to share. I found out how much my dad and uncles really enjoyed fishing together. They 68

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shared stories when they were youngsters, like the times they would ride their bikes to catch bait early in the morning and spend their entire weekend fishing for bass, gar, and catfish.

There were numerous stories, some funny and some educational. It seemed everyone was reminiscing and having a great time.

As we got to the ramp the scenery was ever so familiar, there is something special about the winter air and being on the water. Boat traffic was light and the fog was dissipating as the sun was rising above the horizon. We all dressed up into our wading gear and continued to hear funny stories as chuckles were let out at the boat ramp. We were in two separate boats. As we headed out of the mouth of the Arroyo each boat headed their own way but not far away from each other. I looked forward to getting my waders wet, and I made sure I was the first to jump out at our first stop. As I waded, I could see the flocks of ducks on the move.

The sunrise was more beautiful than ever. Boy, it felt nice to be out again and in the presence of great company. There was absolutely no December 2007

pressure to put fish in the box, just enjoy what has been given to us to care for. The early morning trout bite was good, but most fish were on the small side; however, there was no other place on Earth that I would care to be.

As I continued to wade by myself, I also caught myself reminiscing about the old times.

I remember when my dad owned a small blue scooter with an oversized tower. My first fishing trips were in that small blue scooter. Many memorable moments were had on that scooter that resembled a piece of floating plywood with a deer blind on top of it. Friends would teasingly ask if we ever got a nose bleed from climbing on top of the tower. The scooter was only thirteen feet long, and the tower stood over seven feet high. My dad and I would climb the tower and have competitions to see who could catch the most redfish by means of sight casting. There were many times when we would present a lure to a distant redfish and entice him. As he charged the lure with determination and locomotive speed, at the last second we would yank the lure out of the water just as he www.TSFMAG.com

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Fishing with family and friends can leave lasting memories.

was about to consume it. I remember both of us bursting with laughter every time just thinking what was going through the fish’s mind. With that little scooter we could go just about anywhere, and if we happened to get it stuck, we would jump out and push it to slightly deeper water and get her up in no time.

As these fond memories kept reeling through my mind, it seemed that for a while I forgot why I was really there. The bite tapered off as a boat came blasting near us. So off we were to the next spot which produced a few keeper trout that would satisfy my mother’s urge for some fresh fish. Before we left home, my mothers request or you could say strong demand was to bring her some much desired fresh fish.

After our second wade, both boats gathered up and the trash talking began. The things that were said made me laugh so hard that my stomach began to hurt. As we were tied together there, stories from the past began to ring out.

One interesting story was how my dad hooked my uncle in the 70

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Here is good friend Ram Rodriguez hooking up on another winter red.

eye while casting a popping cork. The hook embedded in my uncle’s eye lid. At first it looked like it had penetrated his eye. Attempts to free the hook from his eye lid were unsuccessful, so speedily we placed the aluminum boat in back of the pick up truck along with the Sears 9.9 Gamefisher Outboard. The two nervous and scared anglers raced to the nearest clinic. It so happened that my uncle had just gotten paid.

After the hook was removed by the doctor and the bill was presented, the amount was just about what my uncle had in his possession.

There went a week’s worth of hard earned money that my uncle was hoping to spend somewhere else. The best part of the story, my dad added, was when they both walked out of the clinic. They both looked at each other and thought the same thing. “Why waste the morning; let’s go out again,” and they did.

After many moments of continuous laughter, we decided to try one more spot. The last spot didn’t produce much so we soon called it a day.

Since I hadn’t been out much, I wanted to get on a fire setting day, but we didn’t. At best the fishing was fair. But, the laughs and interesting stories more than made up for the sluggish bite. Never would I have imagined that a family fishing trip with a slow bite would be as December 2007

much fun. It’s not very often that trips like these come together because of everyone’s busy schedule or miles that separate us. I learned and heard some stories that my father had not shared with me before. I tried to visualize what my dad and uncle’s young fishing experiences were like. They mentioned that old times were the good old times. Is that what I will be saying in the future? I do hope that I will have good stories to tell. Have I shared the story when our good friend Capt. Mike McBride forgot to put the plugs in the airboat? Oops, let’s not go there! We all promised him we’d never tell.

I learned a lot on this outing. This trip will stay in my memory for a very long time.

I learned that fishing is what you make it out to be. Despite our slow day on the water, this recent family outing was a blast. You can bet that during our Christmas break I will be wading and chasing fish in the cool waters of the Laguna Madre. And in the beginning of January my dad and I will make our annual trek to the Houston Boat Show. Hope to see you there, and a Merry Christmas and Blessed Holidays to all.

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Here’s what works – Owner, Gamakatsu, VMC, Mustad, Eagle Claw and others all offer the type of extra-strong hooks that work for this purpose. Some manufacturers call them live bait hooks, others call them tuna hooks and those sold as octopus hooks work well too. What you’re looking for is a single hook forged from heavy wire stock, heavier than what we commonly see used to make trebles. Another key attribute is the diameter of the eye, select hooks with eyes large enough to accommodate heavy split rings. Some manufacturers offer single hooks with forged rings attached and these really rock. Note in the photo above; it is necessary to mount the single hooks on a dual-split ring setup so they’ll swing freely. The front hook should face forward and the rear hook should face backward.

Give it a try… you might be in for a surprise!

There is perhaps nothing more annoying than fishing with a badly twisted line. Twisted line will wrap your rod tip, coil into nasty tangles between guides on spinning rods, and provides fuel to turn a simple over-run into the mother of all backlashes. Any way you look at it, it sucks.

Lots of anglers guard against twist by tying a barrel swivel between their standing line and leader, and while this system works it necessitates a relatively short leader. The solution I have demonstrated here came from Capt. David Rowsey and Capt. Bruce Shuler. It consists of a barrel swivel attached to the lure with a split ring. It totally eliminates line twist often created by rat-tailed soft plastics and spoons.

One of the greatest benefits comes in the length of leader you can use. When I’m fishing monofilament line with mono leader I use a blood knot. With braided line and mono leader I tie the uni-knot to uni-knot that most braid makers recommend. In either case I start with a six-foot leader.

Long leaders give an extra margin of safety when a good fish pulls deep into shell or other structure, plus you can re-tie dozens of times before the leader is used up.

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New Tackle & Gear Saltwater Gulp!® Alive!™

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Exude Fan Tail Shrimp

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Fishing the Exude 2 1/2” Fan Tail Shrimp The Exude 2 1/2” Fan Tail Shrimp from Mister Twister presents a small profile while sporting lots of leg action. Its fan tail also “flips” during presentation to imitate the natural swimming action of a live shrimp. In addition the tail includes a rattle chamber (rattle not included) that not only produces fish-attracting sound, but it adds weight to the tail resulting in enhanced motion. Rig it on a Mister Twister

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NEW POWER-POLE™ PRODUCTS JL Marine Systems Announces New Stealth Pump, New Color for Power-Pole™ XL retails for approximately $749 and comes with an 18-month limited warranty.

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JL Marine Systems, Inc. announces the new Stealth Pump for its revolutionary PowerPole™ hydraulic boat positioning systems.

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December 2007

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Second Trigger - added grip support for palming and quick retrieves Exposed Blank-Thru Design - increased sensitivity Arborless - new ribbed design eliminates need for arbors Texas Saltwater Fishing

75

SABINE

Dickie Colburn

Dickie Colburn is a full time guide out of Orange, Texas. Dickie has 35 years experience guiding on Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes.

Contact Colburn’s Sabine Connection Telephone 409-883-0723 Website www.sabineconnection.com

Just before noon on October 22, a light

flats over scattered patches of shell in 3 to 6 feet of water. These are not

southeast breeze gave way to a

reefs and in most cases do not even consist of oyster shell. The more

We have been catching our largest trout since late September drifting

howling north wind and the bite on

productive areas consist of scattered clamshell surrounded by mud.

Sabine Lake has not slowed down

Because of the extremely soft bottom, they are more easily fished from a

since. The thirty-degree temperature

boat than by wading.

drop that night was welcomed and

As the temperature continues to drop, we will slow our approach

even more importantly, it flushed the

down with suspending lures like the Corky, Catch Five, Catch 2000, and

shrimp population out of the marshes

Crazy Croaker. Should the colder weather be slow in coming, stick with

and into the lake.

She Dogs and Skitterwalks as well as Assassin eels rigged on a one

Two days later, the gulls made

eighth ounce head. Our best colors in the tails have been pumpkin, glow-

their appearance and bay rage was

chartreuse, and Texas roach.

in full swing. Overnight, we went

That bite will only improve once the water temperature dips into the

from seeing three or four other boats a day to feeling like we were standing

50’s and so will the size of the fish. Look for the bragging size trout to

in front of Chute #4 at the Fat Stock Show. There were a lot of gulls, but I

frequent the flats off the Intracoastal and along the Louisiana shoreline

think the boats still easily outnumbered the birds.

during the warmer hours of the day. Some of the more popular shell pads

As the birds became more skittish and the hunting seasons opened,

between Madam Johnson and Garrisons were covered with mud following

the pressure eased up and we have enjoyed some very easy fishing

Rita. While it is true that we had an off-year following Rita when we lost

for darn near anything you want to catch. There are so many different

our grass, it is back now and we have been catching redfish and trout in

programs working right now that you kind of feel like a mosquito in a nudist

those areas once again.

colony; you know what you want, but you cannot make up your mind where to start!

November and December are bonus months for anglers fishing the Sabine Lake area due to the fact that we seldom lose any days to weather.

The better than average flounder bite has

The Game Reserve is closed and we avoid the marshes out of

slowed down, but is not over at this point. As the water continues to cool it is difficult to anchor up and catch numbers, but we will still be catching quality flounder well into December.

Wade Salazar was pleased with this nice trout.

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Brad Seslatte freed this nice She Dog trout. www.TSFMAG.com

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You can still catch fish in a 30 mile per hour wind.

respect for the duck hunters, but the rivers afford an excellent Plan B when the lake is blown out.

Wind or no wind, the river program is very often Plan A for me in December and it is not just a numbers game. Last year I had several clients catch the biggest trout of their life and we caught redfish until we got tired of seeing them. The secret to catching a mixed bag of big fish is to concentrate your efforts on the deeper breaks.

All but one of our largest trout last year came out of 15 to 18 feet of water and that has been the most productive depth for years. You can probably catch more trout and reds fishing mullet or shad on a Carolina rig, but I prefer to jig a Hoginar or Sea Shad off the bottom. With the artificials, we are a little more mobile and we cover a lot of water in a day’s time.

We fish the river program with Power Pro exclusively as the deeper bite can be difficult to detect, especially when the water is moving. The nostretch factor of the braid makes a tremendous difference. I prefer 30-pound test on my level winds and 20-pound test on spinning reels.

The real bonus to this program is the unexpected striper that shows up when you least expect him. More often than not, they travel in gangs and the action is sometimes brief, but unforgettable. Our average striper runs 8 to 12 pounds, but we have caught them up to thirty pounds!

I hope that this has been a wonderful and blessed year for all of you.

Our prayers and heartfelt thanks go out to the young men and women serving overseas that cannot be home to share the holiday season with their families.

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Fishing is really good! I would have to say that the bay holding the most fish right now is also the one that was the freshest all year – good old Trinity!

It is amazing the number of fish that Trinity is holding right now. There are tons of birds working from the east, all the way across to the west shoreline and they are thick back in the pocket areas, the river and the bayou mouths, all the way down both sides. It is pretty awesome. It would appear recruitment is very strong as

— shoreline to shoreline and all down the middle.

we have a lot of juvenile fish right now; this is a big year for smaller fish

East Bay is pretty much the same as Trinity right now. There have

from 14 – 18 inches. There are just tons of them and that’s a good thing.

been a lot of reds in the back of East Bay for several weeks as of this

There have been a lot of boats out there chasing smaller fish under birds

writing. They are hiding out by Frozen Point and Oyster Bayou. We have

and it can get crowded at times but that is OK with me. I normally target

found some decent trout at the Refuge over by Marsh Point along the

more mature fish along the shore lines at this time of year anyway.

south shoreline. In the middle you will find a lot of sand trout and specks

Shoreline action is turning on and we’re seeing some good action

all through the reefs including Hannah’s and Deep Reef. They are holding

starting to roll up on the shorelines. The reds are real good in the

good schools of trout on top of them still, even with the water cooling

shallows right now. We have a lot of redfish all in the back by the river

down. Shallow is definitely the ticket for the bigger trout. They are taking

mouth, Jack’s Pocket and White’s Pocket. They have been holding in

MirrOlures and just about any topwater you like to throw.

knee deep water and we are catching them on anything we throw, from

West Bay is the stepchild right now in the Galveston system and solid

spoons and jigs to top waters. It is just whatever you like to throw, you

action can be pretty tough to find these past couple of weeks. This is not

are going to catch them. After this last good front things really lit up

to say they aren’t catching fish over there, but reports I have received

around here. It looks like the colder the water gets the fish will continue

would indicate that they do not have it going like Trinity and East Bay.

moving toward the mud flats and muddier oyster beds. That will be a

The flounder run has just started to get good and if there is a bright spot

plus. It is still early but December is looking real promising for some good

over in West Bay, I’d say this is it. There have been some pretty nice

quality fish to be caught in East Bay and Trinity Bay. Everything is good

flatfish caught in the four and five pound class and it hasn’t even started to get cold enough to bring those big old sows up on the flats and into the passes. It is just a waiting game, it will happen. The colder the water the better it gets for some of us, especially for the waders who aren’t afraid to get out there and work the mud.

For my monthly rating of the local fishing, on a scale of one-to-ten with ten being best, right now I’d give East Bay a twelve and Trinity Bay would have to get a fourteen. I know that sounds pretty incredible, but I’ve been around here a long time and I want you to know we really have it going on! Whatever you like to throw seems to be working. That is what is so great about this time of year; it brings everyone and everything out of the woodwork. The fish just get a lot easier to catch and you don’t have to fool with them trying to figure out what they want and how they want it.

Good fishing to everybody and Merry Christmas!

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AS A RULE, DECEMBER CAN EITHER MAKE YOU a hero or give you a zero depending on our general water and weather conditions. Mild December weather can prove very productive but, if Old Man Winter comes calling too early and in too harsh a tone, you can find the catching to be slow even on the best of days. At any rate, and whatever weather pattern you might find prevailing when you get the chance to be out there, success in December almost always hinges on finding concentrations of finger mullet along the shorelines. The best of these shorelines as far as good trout action is concerned will be the muddier ones.

By December, most of the shrimp will be long gone to the Gulf of Mexico but I have seen in some milder years past when there will still be a few stragglers left in East Bay, especially around the far east end.

You won’t often find the gulls wheeling and diving in December though, sometimes the only signal we receive will be flocks of birds sitting on the water and occasionally rising and moving a few feet as they forage on the few white shrimp the fish push up to them. So put it in your memory bank – gulls resting where you do not ordinarily see them can be a good indication of wintertime fish activity.

Jeff Larson with a 29” trout that was caught and released while throwing 10w40 Assassins wading East Matagorda Bay. 80

Texas Saltwater Fishing

John Glasscock with a 28” East Matagorda beauty and Capt.

Bill with a 29 1/2” that came on the same wade. Both of these great fish were caught on Bass Assassins; unfortunately both fish were very deeply hooked and neither could be released.

If the weather is cold and miserable, Capt. Bill will probably be at deer camp. If not, I will be wading the muddy south shoreline trying to locate mullet. Drifting will not be out of the question if I find mullet jumping out in the middle of the bay over scattered shell and maybe a few slicks popping up. That’s the typical scenario for December drift fishermen to seek here in East Matagorda Bay. The Colorado River is a godsend to us here at Matagorda. During winter, if the river is not on a rise, and you are having a windy day in the open bay, the good old Colorado can be a good producer of both trout and redfish. The Diversion Channel can save a day also. These are both choice locations to throw your line if there is a good north wind blowing Capt. Bill’s baits will change a little for the month of December. Since there will be virtually no shrimp left in our bays the main diet of our fish will become a variety of small finfish along with other small organisms such as eels. Mirrolures in the 51 and 52 series, Corkies, and of course Saltwater Assassins in the pink, orange, black, root beer, or chartreuse will be good picks Remember, prolonged periods of cold weather will naturally bring us corresponding drops in the water temperature. Unless you find fish moving up shallow to bask in warm afternoon sun you’re probably going to find it necessary to slow down your retrieves. Try to locate and fish around bait schools. Stick to mud and muddy areas with shell and expect to fish hard, the bite can often be tough to figure out but worth the trouble it takes to unravel the puzzle.

I hope these little tips provide some help and improve your December fishing. I’m heading up to Montana on a little hunting trip so we’ll compare notes when I return and I do hope that everyone has had a good deer, quail, and duck season so far. Have a Merry Christmas and God Bless.

December 2007

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Pre-frontal system fishing is one of the key elements I will have on my mind now through the next couple of months. I try to mention this every year about this time because it is such an important factor to consider when planning your next trip.

Every angler knows that tide, water temperature, and moon phase can affect our fishing success but there is another factor that often gets overlooked, and this is atmospheric pressure. Although Curtis Blackshear is taking advantage of some good fishing between cold fronts.

atmospheric pressure can’t be predicted with charts like tides and moon phases, it still has a major influence on fish behavior.

Think about it. How many times have you enjoyed a red-hot bite before an approaching storm or frontal system? And how many days did it take for the fish to turn back on after the passage of that storm or front?

During pre-frontal weather conditions the barometer is usually fluctuating rapidly. Falling pressure means that clouds and precipitation are likely. Rising pressure signals that clear sunny weather is to be expected. During the approach and passage of a storm, the barometer will rise slightly and then steadily drop, only to rise again once the storm passes.

I watch the weather reports daily but this time of year I can just about predict what will happen next by paying attention to the wind pattern. I know the closer a cold front gets the stronger the winds will blow from the south and southeast and the barometer will begin to fall. This becomes noticeable for those of you with achy joints and healed broken bones but for others it usually goes unnoticed. We have evolved into staying mostly indoors and using air conditioners so we do not notice the difference in pressure as much as other animals.

Animals along with fish are still feeling what our ancestors felt during the falling barometer or pre-front conditions. They sense this change and adjust, usually changing their feeding habits as well. During this change of pressure I find that fish will feed aggressively just before the front. I try to plan customer’s trips around these conditions as much as possible.

One reason for their behavior change may be because redfish and speckled trout have large swim bladders which enable them to sense the changes in the atmosphere. I believe the fish can feel the “weight” pushing on their organs and the approach of high pressure slows them down. I am not saying that the fish don’t feed at these times but you might find it harder to locate a steady feeding pattern. After a day or two of steady pressure the fish usually return to their normal behavior.

What to expect when the front nears? As changing weather approaches, the skies will become dark with low, dense clouds and the winds will start to increase in strength. During these high wind periods you may have to find refuge in back lakes or other protected areas. The water will start to become off-color due to the wind but this can be worked to your advantage.

Cast and Blast trips are a good way to spend time outdoors in December.

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

When you find these color changes you can expect they could also be a great ambush sites for feeding redfish and trout. I consider this to be

December 2007

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structure much the same as guts or reefs. Also with the wind creating surface commotion you will find it easier to get within striking distance of your prey.

Locating baitfish is still an important element when fishing pre-front periods but you may have to look more closely as baitfish tend to be more subsurface oriented in the cooler water of winter. The baits you will find me using during these conditions in December may be completely different than the baits I will be using in January or February due to colder water and air temperatures and seasonally lower tides that you will find in the latter months.

My number one lure for December’s pre-frontal conditions is the Mirrolure She Dog and the colors I choose to use are based on light and water conditions of the day. On rough pre-frontal days with heavy cloud cover, strong wind and off-colored water I will stick with a color that is easy for me to locate and monitor while working the lure in choppy water.

I like the GCRBO (Halloween) and CHPR (Chartreuse/Pearl/Chartreuse) and #11 (red head, white back and belly). Again I choose these colors because I can easily see them at the end of a long cast and observe my retrieve and the fish’s reaction to it easier in the generally poor visibility conditions. Remember, Old Momma speck likes an easier target too!

If I am consistently getting blow-ups but no hook up I switch quickly to the 5-inch Saltwater Assassin on 1/16 oz Assassin jighead. I normally use Texas Roach, Pumpkinseed/Chartreuse and Morning Glory. Another lure I like to keep handy is the old tried and true Cordell Brokenback. The colors I have had the most success with are the gold or the red head/ white body. You can work this lure with many different retrieves but the way I work it is by reeling the lure just fast enough to make a V-wake but not so fast that the lure goes very far below the surface. This lure wobbles nicely when retrieved in this slower manner making it look just like a crippled baitfish swimming near the surface.

The key to catching during these conditions is to focus on points and coves. The coves in back lakes concentrate baitfish and are often the best producers this time of year.

There are risks in waiting to fish until the front nears, though. The weather can turn treacherous in just a matter of minutes. Pay attention to the low dark clouds looming to the north of you. Rain sometimes precedes the fronts but not always. It is important to know when to leave.

If you get caught up in the “catching” you might find yourself in some dangerous and gusty north winds.

Shellie and I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and remember… fish hard, fish smart!

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I wish I could report otherwise but trout fishing has been pretty spotty around here; I’ve only had a few good days. This might be attributable to the amount of freshwater that entered our bays this year and the high tides that remained for such a long time during late summer and well into the fall season. The fish have been scattered. The better fishing has been in the upper Laguna Madre where the water has been fairly clear. The best days came right after the first cold front. It blew in with a strong north wind that lasted for three and a half days and dropped the water temperature fifteen degrees. This sent the fish to the deeper channels and the Intra-Coastal Waterway. This is what we’ve waited for, the first big front and the good fishing that follows.

It happened to be the second Good friend Roy day after the front; Dr. Wayne Laster Sanders on a and I went out and the wind was Flatstalker. still blowing about twenty mph, it was overcast and felt pretty cold.

The current on the ICW was moving fast. There were birds feeding on the channel and the baitfish were on the move. We fished along the edge of the drop-off throwing Saltwater Assassin’s five-inch shad in plum with the chartreuse tail on heavy leadheads. The action was good and we caught several trout. Then about ten or eleven o’clock the sun came out and the wind died a little. The fish moved up in the current on the edge of the channel in about two and a half feet of water and that was our signal to switch to the small Super Spook.

We started working the edge and caught trout and several redfish. The first good trout was six pounds and twenty-seven inches long. The next fish I caught was twenty-nine and a great one to photograph but my camera had been sitting for so long that I didn’t realize the battery was dead. To be honest I wasn’t expecting such a big trout so she was released with no photo being made.

The next day, I had Joe Hoogendoorn, Joe Rodgers Jr. and Joe Rodgers Sr. I call them the three Joes. We did the same thing along the ICW and it was just excellent. We caught good trout that were twenty-three to twenty-five inches along with some reds that were twenty-seven inches long and weighed up to eight pounds. Everything was caught on the same 84

Texas Saltwater Fishing

plum and chartreuse Saltwater Assassin shad lure. One of the keys to working this lure in the strong current of the Joe Hoogendoorn poses with a channel is to use the really nice redfish, Joe Rodgers Jr. trolling motor and stay and Sr. got in on the fun too! close to the edge. Try to move the same speed as the current; make short casts with the quarterounce leadhead and throw parallel to the edge rather than across the channel. It also helps to locate small bends and channels that intersect the ICW, places where the current slows down some. Slow down, maybe put the Power Pole down and work these areas well. The fish will gather up in these little eddies waiting to ambush bait moving down the edge. The three Joes were very good at this and had a great day.

I have been covering a lot of water recently from Corpus Christi Bay all the way down south to the Port Mansfield Jetties. The water clarity has been good from Corpus Christi Bay down to Bird Island allowing us to work sand pockets in five to six foot depths. The water color starts to get bad in the Middle Ground and around Baffin Bay it has been poor. I believe the fish are in there I’m just not able to target the structure that I want to because I can’t see it. The water gets better at the south end of Yarbrough Pass and into the Land Cut and we have been finding better fishing there.

At Port Mansfield the water conditions were beautiful. The channel was alive with fish. We could see baitfish, stingray and drum moving down the edge. Over in the flats there were tailing redfish everywhere. That covers the Laguna Madre.

Now for something new. Longtime friend Roy Sanders has come up with a new tool for sight-fishing that he calls the Flatstalker. It’s along the lines of a kayak except, it is flat and stable enough that you can stand on it and pole around and even stand up on the console. The big advantage to me was the low profile. It puts you right in the shallow flats quietly with no splashing or crunching over shell, it also helps to get across soft muddy bottoms without killing yourself. I was amazed how well it poled and the fish don’t even know your coming.. With one stroke of the push pole you can easily glide twenty to thirty feet. Drifting with the wind is easy too.

When you see a fish you can just dip the paddle, swing it sideways and slow down to make a cast. It lets you reach areas that you normally can’t.

Some of the back bay sloughs have mud that is hip deep and virtually impossible to wade. The Flatstalker lets you get over the mud and near the shore where there are good grass beds loaded with fish.

The Flatstalker is now available with trolling motors and floundering lights and they are versatile enough for duck hunting, too. It’s amazing where it will go and how many new fishing opportunities it can present for you.

There will be more cold fronts coming. I’m hoping these will eventually clear up Baffin Bay. I’m looking forward to good winter fishing.

December 2007

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The phrase “teeming with life” can only begin to describe what we are currently enjoying here in the Lower Laguna Madre. Ducks are infiltrating the marshes in ever-increasing numbers and those high-honking geese are mere omens of what is to come. Everywhere you look you see wildlife in motion, and that includes the fantastic view from an elevated center console. Anticipation is high as we move towards what may be some of the best fishing this unique area has to offer. For a true outdoorsman, December has it all.

Since the last issue of TSFM, we have enjoyed some excellent fishing on the flats.

Right on cue our redfish started becoming more predictable, and most recently some colossal trout have started to show themselves. No, there isn’t always a strong bite.

We struggled on many days, but overall we accomplished what we wanted, which always is putting good people on great adventures.

A typical good session could be summed up by the recent adventures of Here’s a shot of Brenda with a nice Richard and Brenda Cole red that couldn’t resist the Brown Lure from Sweeny, Texas. They sea devil in Cajun pepper.

Richard Cole’s new fish tattoos really make a statement!

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came to celebrate Richard’s fiftieth, and in a colorful display of angling enthusiasm, his calves proudly sported his new and only tattoos; a trout on one and a redfish on the other. Back to their trip, Richard and Brenda were down for three full days of dedicated catch and release.

They were out purely to have fun. Of note, Richard and Brenda Cole from Sweeny, we are finding more Texas enjoying a good late fall trip. fishermen such as these who voluntarily remove the pressure of production, seeming to not only catch more fish, but appearing to have more fun doing it.

An overabundance of bait often makes an artificial bite challenging.

The preferred forage lately has been shrimp. This is hard to compete with, but we have found the Brown Lure sea devil in Cajun pepper to be irresistible when little else will work. Aggressive retrieves held high in the water column have been fooling prowling trout while slowing it down brings strikes from grass grubbing reds. Color changes, pelicans, ospreys and gulls tell us where.

To offer a December fishing prediction; if the weather we have been getting will continue we will again have opportunities at career best fish for our clients. We used to tell our trophy trout enthusiasts that January would be the kick-off but lately we have been doing so well in December that we advise them to come earlier. So far our weather prognosticators indicate a mild winter. If this turns out to be true we’ll be trophy hunting in shirtsleeves and it’s hard to dream up anything better.

Big trout strategies will include working distinctive drops near deeper waters, especially right after a good norther. Soft plastics on 1/4-ounce heads, Corkies, and other slow-sinker plugs worked off the drops are standard approaches when it’s cold. There are many such areas to work from Port going north to the Land Cut. In finding your own areas to probe, Google Earth rocks as far as locating high potential depth contours.

Many big fish are caught south of town in the muddy potholes.

Remember that big trout will often pull up shallower than we might first think. Down here, they can often be seen sunning during winter afternoons. A weedless rigged plastic presented slowly can be a good tool for pulling some of these unsuspecting fish out of their warming lairs.

Besides the fabled, thick-bodied speckled trout of winter, some of the December 2007

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best redfish action occurs during these colder months. I have to wonder who put out the memo that all of the bigger redfish leave the bay to spawn in the fall. Some of our most memorable big redfish days occurred last year when we thought we were fishing for trout. Large concentrations of big reds can readily invade the warming back lakes and flats. When we found them they were usually caught on whatever baits we threw. Some of the best trout of the year were also found with them, so not only can there be elbow wrenching action, the potential for a behemoth trout always exists in large groups of reds.

Making fishing predictions can really take you out on a limb, all we can ask is to be able to get out there and apply what we have learned, and then hope for the best. For this December, one thing we hope the best for is our water quality. Last month I mentioned a nuisance algal bloom. It is still here, and the water continues back and forth from clear to horrible. Who knows what the immediate future will bring, but whatever it is, we will still catch our fish. However, it is probable that better flow from the Gulf through the Port Mansfield Channel might help matters, both now and in the decades to come. We all hope that someday the silting in of this important artery will draw the attention of those who care about sustaining our fishing future.

Keep us in mind down here. Your kids would also like to share what we have enjoyed, and the Laguna Madre has the power to bind a spell on anyone who appreciates good times, especially in crystal clear water.

Patrick Hannan with proof that not all the big reds head to the gulf, some of the best redfish action occurs during these colder months

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December 2007

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As fall fades into winter, the rains have finally subsided and the temperatures have cooled a bit. The months of October and November gave us lots of shallow water redfish. With the arrival of November’s first cold front our trout action picked up considerably.

What the summer lacked, these two months made up. With water levels so high in late fall, we were fishing back lakes and other areas that will now be inaccessible. During the fall months we were very successful with topwaters in knee to thigh deep water. Many times the response to our Junior Spooks was only a tail slap. To entice an aggressive strike we experimented with our retrieves. At times we would

Late Fall - This father and son team did very well for their first time wading.

have to stop completely and then twitch slightly to get them to crash it. be holding more ducks than fish. The dropping of the water levels can be

Figuring it out was fun.

December will bring low water levels similar to what we see during

a good thing though as low tides mean less water where fish can hide.

the middle of summer. Many areas that were fishable only a week or two

The key to achieving success during the winter is finding where they go

back are now mud and grass pastures; those that do contain water will

during a cold front and where they will stage after it passes.

The fish of the Lower Laguna Madre have begun to pattern to the cooler weather. Redfish and trout have put on weight, gorging in preparation for the arrival of the colder weather. Brown pelicans have been faithful scouts, swooping down on schools of baitfish. Sea gulls wait patiently for shrimp to make the mistake of rising to the surface.

These can be just the signs you’re looking for when trying to locate fish.

Paying close attention to bird activity during the months of December thru February can bring dividends. Remember, birds are the better fishermen, and their existence depends on their next meal. In the winter I will use the birds to help me locate the baitfish which is where you can bet the gamefish will be. In winter we often find that the bait is down on the bottom during the cooler part of the day. As the day warms up, the bait will rise closer to the surface, and this is where the pelicans have a field day. A gathering of feeding pelicans can also show you the depth where trout and reds may be found.

In December we will be concentrating in and around spoil banks that have a good current flow. A few years ago my son conducted a science

A common winter occurrence — this redfish wanted a topwater snack before he even finished the main course meal.

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project; the purpose was to record and display a thermocline of the bay waters. I helped him take temperature readings at different depths in and around our bay system. We took one temperature reading near the edge of a spoil bank and found that the water temperature near the spoil was

December 2007

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Author sporting his new and durable Simms waders which are a must during winter wading.

eight degrees warmer than the adjacent flat. This information is valuable to a fisherman.

FTU’ s Green rod would make a great Christmas present.

front our vast turtle grass flats will hold good numbers of redfish.

I remember last year when the nastiest weather gave us outstanding

When fishing spoil banks the conditions will dictate what we will be

fishing. We concentrated on the edges of oilfield cuts where one wrong step

throwing. If a warming trend has settled in, we will more than likely be

would sink you to your waist in soft mud. I know this from experience because

throwing topwaters in waist to calf-deep water. This time of year I will tend

I had to pull several of my clients from these mud traps. It wasn’t funny then,

to throw bigger topwaters like a She-Dog or Skitterwalk. If the weather is on

but it is now. One client in particular, no need to mention names; we thought

the chilly side I will move to deeper water and throw tails, Corkys and Corky

he was going to faint as he sunk over his waist. All the while his friends were

Devils. A color that has always done well in the winter is purple. You can

reeling in the fish and offered no help. It was left up to me to pull this grown,

bet that my box will hold a good supply of Brown’s Sea Devils in purple and

frightened man out of four feet of mud. Fishing guts in the winter time can be

white. Working Corkys or Sea Devils with a slow retrieve over a mud and shell

rewarding, but be very cautious. I suggest you always fish with a buddy when

bottom is what the fish may want, and the Lower Laguna is littered with spoil

exploring new areas.

islands with just the right bottom to attract fish during our winter months.

Fishing potholes in December can also bring some line stretching.

I always enjoy when people share stories of how they could not sleep the night before a fishing trip; it reminds me of Christmas Eve when I was a boy.

Pothole riddled areas that are near deep water are certainly spots you

December is the month of giving and our good old Laguna is a generous

might want to consider. Reds and trout will station themselves in these

giver. Last December she certainly produced many big fish and many

sand holes and wait patiently for their next meal. A few days after a cold

personal best days for those who dared brave the elements. Remember to check the weather, look for birds doing their thing, and be quick to spot mud

We took one temperature reading near the edge of a spoil bank and found that the water temperature near the spoil was eight degrees warmer than the adjacent flat. www.TSFMAG.com

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December 2007

boils and bait. Let the weather and temperature dictate bait and presentation.

If you are looking for a special gift to give this Christmas, I highly recommend one of the lightest and most durable rods out on the market today. The green rod from Fishing Tackle Unlimited in the APXL1 action and 6’6” length would make a great gift for that special person on your shopping list. I have put these rods to the test and they have performed flawlessly.

The best of Holidays to all of you and your families and may you experience the best present at the end of your line this December.

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In late November and early December, we may still be catching fish under the birds but the sow trout will begin showing up over the reefs. December is one of the better months for the “Big Girls”. Fish shallow flats that are holding mullet using twitch baits. Several of the top ten trout in the record book were taken on a fly rod in the month of December. This is a great time of year to fly fish, as water clarity is often at its best. The top flies will be Deceivers in olive, chartreuse, white or any shallow running mullet imitation with lots of flash. The best areas will be south of Turner’s Bay along the west bank and north of Pelican Point along the east bank. The West Cove area will also be holding good numbers of large trout. The timing of your trip will be of great importance if you want to succeed in hooking your trophy. Try to be on the water on the calm or south wind days, leading up to a front. If you try right after a strong cold front, you might find that you don’t have enough water to even leave the dock.

“We’ve been expecting the old pattern of fishing scattered shell and mud to kick in, but it really hasn’t yet. We are still catching most of our fish on mid-bay reefs.

Some days, it’s just outstanding. Like yesterday, when we caught fish all morning on topwaters, mostly solid keeper trout. They weren’t huge, but we were catching them like we want to. Best lure during that session was actually a chartreuse Skitter Walk. We caught some on pearl too. That’s been pretty predictable; when the winds are light, the topwater bite will be better. Under stronger winds, we are switching to soft plastics mostly. We are doing well on the red magic Norton Sand Eel as usual, and also on the glow Norton shrimp. It looks kind of funky, but it really works. We’ve still got a little sporadic bird activity, and it’s late for that. I can’t wait for all the shrimp to migrate out and the birds to quit working. That will mean that the water is colder and lower, and it’ll open up that pattern we want in winter. We’ll be drifting mud flats with scattered shell four to five feet deep.”

James’ report echoed that of Jim West. “We are really catching ‘em up lately. East Bay is best, Trinity isn’t far behind. Birds are still working in select areas of Trinity and all over East Bay, but the quality of fish underneath them has dropped off.

We have been keying on mullet on the shorelines instead of chasing the flocks.

The East shore of Trinity and the south shore of East Bay have both been holding schools of shallow specks and reds, and a few flounder are mixed in too. Yesterday, I stopped on one reef that is shallow enough for wading on one end and about four feet deep on the other. We jumped out with Mirrolures and Slurp Assassins and had full limits in no time flat. Then I called one of the other guides in my group over and he put his guys on limits too. That’s basically the way it’s been. It reminds me of the year of the big freeze in the eighties. We were wading without jackets all the way up to the big front that killed the fish. As long as it doesn’t get too cold, the fishing should only get better when the water cools even more.”

Though there is still some sporadic bird activity right now in the Matagorda area, Tommy says all of that will likely end sometime in December. “When we get a few more strong fronts, the tide should drop out and we should see the classic winter patterns kick off. We’ll be targeting East Bay mid-bay reefs and areas adjacent to those reefs both by wading and drifting, throwing mostly soft plastics. Fishing is best out there when winds are relatively light; it doesn’t take much of a blow to make a mess of the open water in East Bay. When it’s windier, it’s better to wade the shorelines. Both sides historically produce big fish in December. We’ll target the south shoreline mud and grass with Corkies and topwaters when winds are onshore or during or immediately after the fronts arrive. Once the winds blow out of the north for a half day or so, it’s wise to move to the north shoreline. Wading mud and shell over there can be great in December, particularly around any of the cuts that move water from the bay in and out of the intracoastal.”

Jim says that the fishing and hunting have been exceptional in the mild weather we’ve had lately. “Duck hunting has been steady. Limits are the norm, and the variety of birds is good. We are still killing quite a few blue wing teal, and that’s a little unusual for this time of year. Lots of gadwall and wigeon and green wings too.

As long as we keep getting some fronts, it should stay good.” Fishing is even better, he reports. “It’s wide open in most of the bays right now. Fish are up shallow for the most part. We aren’t having great success on topwaters, mostly Catch 2000s and soft plastics. I’ve been focusing on drains, marshy areas and shallow flats. On the calm days, I’m staying in the boat, but wading works better on the windy days, since you don’t get all the hull slap. There have been some pretty decent fish too. I’ve had several trout over six pounds, and a good number of fours and fives. The average size is just awesome, though. The numbers of two to four pounders is about as good as it gets. Trinity and East Bay are just hot right now.”

Fishing continues to be fantastic in the local waters. The trout bite has picked up considerably on the shorelines and under the birds. Solid fish in the 20 inch range have been located on shorelines with a mud/shell mix in two-four feet of water. The best lures for these fish have been Fatboys in pearl/black and chartreuse. Super Spooks in bone and chrome/black have also accounted for some good fish. Trout under the birds have mostly been on the small side with most fish running 15-17 inches. The best lure for fishing the birds has been a pumpkinseed/chartreuse Bull Minnow on a quarter ounce head. Redfish are still all over the place. Lots and lots of reds in the 20-24 inch class are still in pods chasing shrimp and mullet down area shorelines. Gulp in new penny and pearl along with quarter ounce weedless gold spoons have been working best on those. Look for the seawall area from the Baptist Encampment to the Harbor to produce some good fish during next month. The Tres Palacios River ought to hold some quality fish also as temperatures decrease.

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We have had a few cold fronts come through our area in recent weeks and even though they were not major cold fronts they did cool the water temperatures considerably. The water temperatures went from the upper eighties to the mid and lower seventies and this calls for us to bring out our breathable waders. I believe that the cooler temperatures and the northerly winds are responsible for much of the water in the upper end of the Laguna clearing up. There is a lot of gin clear water in the upper end of the Laguna Madre, but the fish have been more concentrated in water that is slightly off colored. On my charters, we have been catching a fair number of speckled trout ranging from 15 to 20 inches and redfish from 20 to 25 inches. The best lures have been the three inch pearl and new penny Berkley Gulps and the five inch good penny Bass Assassin Blurps rigged on sixteenth ounce jigheads. For the next few weeks, as more fronts blow thru the Laguna, I expect the water to clear up closer to Baffin and I’ll be following, fishing along grass lines and potholes.

Lynn will be looking to target big trout in December, by focusing his efforts on shallow grassy flats next to deep waters. “I like flats with a lot of mud and soft grass. They can be pretty shallow as long as they are next to deep water. The key is to find areas close to where the fish go to hide after the cold fronts. We’ll start a little later than normal, usually working Corkies and Catch Vs early in the day. If it warms up and we see bait jumping quite a bit, we’ll try the topwaters then. On bright days, I stick with my chrome topwaters; on darker days, I like the black/chartreuse She Dog. If things get more negative, I will switch over to soft plastics. When using those in cold weather, it’s important to work them really slow, right along the bottom, without a lot of hopping and action. Sluggish fish are reluctant to chase at all. In fact, slow presentations are best for me on all the lures in December. A bonus catch when using soft plastics this month will be flounder. We are catching some flounder regularly right now and should continue to into next month.”

The dove and duck hunting are as hot as the fishing in Rockport lately, reports Blake. “We limited out on doves on every trip in the first half of the season. The duck hunting is steady too, even though we haven’t had much cold weather.

Fishing has been easy as well. We are targeting mostly grass and sand shorelines where there is some off-colored water. Both trout and redfish are in there. Best bite has been on soft plastics, notably the Norton Sand Eels and Berkley Gulps.”

Things should change some in December, but he predicts continued hot action.

“This is some of the best dove hunting I’ve ever seen. Duck hunting should remain outstanding throughout the season. Fishing patterns will change some. We’ll be targeting more soft mud and mixed mud and grass, and if it gets really cold, some of the deep holes will stack up with fish. If it’s warmer than normal, we usually have some of the best topwater fishing of the whole year in December. I’ll be doing it all, sometimes all on the same day, casting and blasting away!”

Timing is all important in planning a trip to the Padre Island National Seashore surf in December. The weather can be severe at times, and passing cold fronts will make conditions unfishable. Trips should be aimed at the second day behind the arrival of a moderate norther and possibly a full three days behind passage of stronger ones. Northeast winds will bring tide levels prohibitively high, while north and northwest winds will blow the water away from the beach and make for good driving. Pompano and whiting will be in good supply and are susceptible to fresh, peeled, dead shrimp and Fishbites fished on the bottom. Both slot and bull redfish will be available on live finger mullet and fresh cut bait. Some large jack crevalle and scattered sharks and Spanish mackerel may be available, mostly early in the month. Winter trout fishing with 51M and 52M Mirrloures and soft plastics will began in earnest in December. Best action for the trout will be in calm, clear waters behind fronts with plenty of west in the wind. www.TSFMAG.com

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December 2007

Joe says he’s looking for the edge of the intracoastal to kick off first if the cold weather comes in December as it usually does. “We should get a good run of fishing along the edge of the channel after the first couple of strong fronts.

December can be one of the coldest months here, and the fish will react by moving deep and concentrating along the dropoffs. I’ll be targeting them with soft plastics mostly, rigging them on heavier than normal jigheads, at least a quarter ounce, up to a half ounce at times. Colors will vary; I’ll throw everything from strawberry to pumpkinseed on dark days and limetreuse on bright days. Mostly, it will be a trout thing and some will be pretty big. That’s what most of us around here get excited about starting in December; cold weather will stack up the fish and make the big trout easier to find.” On warmer days, he likes Shamrock and East Flats. “For some reason, those flats are good in early winter. When you get a warm wind prior to a front, it can be really good in there for sightcasting big trout and reds.”

It’s been a little tough for this time of year, reports Bruce. “I’m just tired of fishing eighty degree water in the middle of November. The fish are tougher to pattern with high tides and hot water in the fall. When colder weather does arrive, our fishing will likely improve, especially for trophy trout. We will be concentrating our efforts near backwater sloughs that have drains leading to deep water. There are areas like that on the west shore both north and south of town, but the key will be to find those that have significant water exchange, muddy bottoms in the drains themselves and deep water (over four feet) on the outside. If you can find areas like that, the trout will be hanging around in different parts of the area, depending on the timing. After the fronts, they’ll move out to the deeper water and will follow the drains up into the marshes as the water returns and warms. We’ll be throwing lots of slow sinking lures like Catch 2000s and Corkies and working them at a snail’s pace. In order to make the big trout bite when it’s cold, a slow presentation is best.”

What a great time of year to fish! The weather has been about perfect and except on weekends there’s almost no traffic. We’ve had a couple of fronts, but nothing that would keep us at the dock. Our recent outings have been a roller coaster of ups and downs. On some days, we get our reds quickly and on others it can be tough, but we’re managing to limit, despite sluggish morning tide movement and loads of floating grass, using gold weedless spoons or Maulers trailing Gulp shrimp. The same can be said for trout, with days of nice catches of 15 to 23 inch keepers on the same rigs we’re throwing for redfish, usually in depths about 10 to 18 inches.

There have been some nice trout holding on shallower grass beds, but you have to get to them early. This time of year the water clarity has improved and there’s plenty of bait. Freddy says, “Once that harvest moon was gone, things started picking up real fast. It never fails to slow down the daytime bite when you have clear nights and bright moonlight.” We’re expecting outstanding winter flats fishing.

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Cole Rather proudly shows off his first keeper redfish at 20.5” and 3.25# for the Speedy Stop Kids Fishing Tournament.

Trey Yockey hooked this 42# black drum Phyllis Foster shows us your are never while out in Carancawa Bay. too old to go out and land fish!

Staci Griffith landed this nice bull red while fishing Big Pocket out of POC.

Dalton Foster lands his first large trout while fishing Estes Flats.

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Carlie Daffern is ready to go out fishing with her Mimi, Patti Polensky. She is a Texas Lady Angler in the making!

Janice Yardley came all the way from Idaho to catch and release her first ever sheepshead.

Damon McHenry snagged this 27 1/2” trout on a Bass Assassin during his first wade out in Espiritu Santo Bay. December 2007

Matt Hillman caught and released this 42# black drum while fishing at the Indianola Fishing Pier.

Chris Billeau shows off one of many trout caught while out wading in East Matagorda Bay.

Eric Oz caught and released this 40” red while fishing Big Shell. www.TSFMAG.com

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John Ingram lands his largest red to date at 43” out in Big Shell.

Alesia Cornado and Grandma Robin Hanson show off their catch while fishing for the first time in Port Lavaca.

Colleen Hilton lands her first big red while fishing the POC jetties.

Paul Martinez caught this 31” red while kayaking in Copano Bay.

Chris Sessions lands this nice snapper while fishing off shore.

Harrison Cook Jr snagged this bull red while out fishing with his grandfather at Matagorda.

Ray Moore caught and released this black drum after a 20 minute fight.

Brian Sessions boated this snapper while out fishing off shore with his father.

Left: Noe Morales of Bishop tricked this 10# 31.5” trout with his Norton bull minnow and Waterloo Rod while fishing in Baffin Bay.

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December 2007

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361-729-7820

Ron Hoover RV & Marine Center.....................................1 800-545-8818

Sea Vee Boats............................................................. 31 281-220-2400

Shallow Sport Boats.....................................................26 956-233-9489

Shoalwater Boats.......................................................100 361-983-4134

Skeeter Boats...............................................................19 800-753-3837

Sport Marine................................................................65 281-238-0060

Suzuki........................................................................... 3 800-247-4704

Texas Marine............................................................... 77 409-898-7632

Trans Fiberglass Boat.................................................. 72 361-972-6629

Wilderness Systems - Confluence................................ 61 864-859-7518

361-798-1530

H&H Fishing Rods........................................................15 713-875-7827

Laguna Rods............................................................... 41 979-921-9910

Luresafety....................................................................55

888-628-4546

Mister Twister Exude Fan Tail Shrimp........................... 49 800-344-6331

Mud Hole.....................................................................85 866-790-RODS (7637)

Okuma........................................................................ 26 800-466-5862

Penn.......................................................... Solunar Chart 215-229-9415

Rods by Pepper............................................................79 409-737-1136 361-575-4751

Birdsall Marine Design................................................. 65 800-829-1772

Cove Harbor Marina and Drystack................................27 361-790-5438

Espandre..................................................................... 35 281-543-1230

Just Keep Five

325-234-4420

Waterloo Rods............................................................. 81 361-573-0300

Woodee Rods USA...................................................... 57 281-723-4154

Fishing retail locations Academy..................................................................... 63 888-922-2336

Blue Water Ships Stores...............................................27 281-334-7583

Boater’s World............................................................. 21 800-826-2628

David’s Tackle Box.......................................................85 281-342-9669

Fishing Tackle Unlimited....................................Cover, 45 281-481-6838

Gander Mountain......................................................... 51 800-282-5993

Paddlecast.................................................................. 69 713-674-0461

Roy’s Bait & Tackle........................................................ 9 361-992-2960

Tackle Box...................................................................85 361-575-8700

Victoria All Sports...................................................... 43 361-575-0655

Real Estate Bay Harbour................................................................ 20 979-863-7724

Gail McCarty, Realtor Coldwell Banker......................... 45 361-739-7356

South Padre Island Golf Club........................................71 888-943-3622

Tournaments Speedy Stop Bash Tournament Series..........................53 361-587-5100

Miscellaneous 98.7 Texas Mix.............................................................85 361-573-7223

Aventura Jewelry..........................................................45 713-932-0002

Coastal Creations Taxidermy........................................79 888-737-5452

Coastal Kayak Angler...................................................72

713-203-2829

Maui Jim................................................................ 37, 73

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

Boat Accessories

www.TSFMAG.com

Foreverlast...................................................................35

Wade Easy...................................................................14

Tru-Tungsten................................................................47 724-349-2260

Twin City Optical.......................................................... 79 281-342-1610

Eichorn Gonzales & Miller........................................... 59 361-573-0647

Fisherman’s Network....................................................77 512-363-9032

Graphics By Design..................................................... 83 361-785-4282

Gulf Coast Kayak Adventures.......................................65 979-922-1580

Lonestar Outdoor News............................................. 65 866-361-2276

Mission Wall Systems................................................ 41 888-572-0097

Saltwater Fishing Clinics.............................................. 79 361-563-1160

Speedy Stop.............................................. Solunar Chart 361-582-5100

The Galveston Fishing Pier...........................................78 409-744-2273

Wade Aid Enterprises...................................................65 888-923-3243

December 2007

Texas Saltwater Fishing

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100

Texas Saltwater Fishing

December 2007

www.TSFMAG.com

Just Keep Five