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Contents
about the Cover Bay City eighth-grader Mallory Grimes is our cover angler. Mallory is proudly showing off a beautiful wintertime slot red she caught fishing West Matagorda Bay with her father, Capt. Bink Grimes. Kudos to Bink and Shelly Grimes for getting Mallory hooked on the outdoors! -Bink Grimes photo
December 2015 VOL 25 NO 8
FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS
10 Pluggin’ Away! 16 We’re Livin’ on the Edge 20 I saw the most beautiful sunrise! 24 When did “speaking fishing” become... 28 Winter Jetties 34 Upper-Laguna “Padre” Rojo
37 Holiday Gift Guide 52 Let’s Ask The Pro Jay Watkins 54 Shallow Water Fishing Scott Null 56 TPWD Field Notes Roxie Miller 58 Fly Fishing Scott Sommerlatte 62 Kayak Fishing Chronicles Dave Roberts 64 TSFMag Conservation News CCA Texas 66 Fishy Facts Stephanie Boyd 68 Inshore | Nearshore | Jetties | Passes Curtiss Cash 72 Extreme Kayak Fishing & Sharks... Eric Ozolins 100 Science & the Sea UT Marine Science Institute Chris Mapp 102 Boat Maintenance Tips
Steve Hillman Kevin Cochran Martin Strarup Chuck Uzzle Joe Richard Cory Johnson
10
WHAT OUR GUIDES
HAVE TO SAy
78 80 82 84 86 88 90
Dickie Colburn’s Sabine Scene The Buzz on Galveston Bay The View from Matagorda Mid-Coast Bays with the Grays Hooked up with Rowsey Capt. Tricia’s Port Mansfield Report South Padre Fishing Scene
82 6 | December 2015
Dickie Colburn Caleb Harp Bink Grimes Gary Gray David Rowsey Capt. Tricia Ernest Cisneros
64
REGULARS 08 76 92 96 98
Editorial New Tackle & Gear Fishing Reports and Forecasts Catch of the Month Gulf Coast Kitchen
98
Editor and Publisher Everett Johnson Everett@tsfmag.com VICE PRESIDENT PRODUCTION & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Pam Johnson Pam@tsfmag.com Office: 361-785-3420 Cell: 361-550-9918 National sales representative Bart Manganiello Bartalm@optonline.net regional sales representative Patti Elkins Patti@tsfmag.com Office: 361-785-3420 Cell: 361-649-2265 PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Donna Boyd Donna@tsfmag.com Circulation Subscription – product sales Linda Curry Store@tsfmag.com Design & Layout Stephanie Boyd Artwork@tsfmag.com Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine is published monthly. Subscription Rates: One Year (Free Emag with Hard Copy) Subscription $25.00 E-MAG (electronic version) is available for $12.00 per year. Order on-line: www.tsfmag.com Make checks payable to: Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine Attn: Subscriptions P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, Texas 77983 * Subscribers are responsible for submitting all address changes and renewals by the 10th of the prior month’s issue. Email store@tsfmag.com for all address changes or please call 361-785-3420 from 8am - 4:30pm. The U.S. Postal Service does not guarantee magazines will be forwarded. how to contact tsfmag: Phone: 361-785-3420 fax: 361-785-2844 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, Texas 77983 Physical Address: 58 Fisherman’s Lane, Seadrift, TX 77983 Web: www.TSFMAG.com photo gallery: photos@tsfmag.com Printed in the USA. Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine (ISSN 1935-9586) is published monthly by Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, Inc., 58 Fisherman’s Lane, Seadrift, Texas 77983 l P. O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 © Copyright 1990 All rights reserved. Positively nothing in this publication may be reprinted or reproduced. *Views expressed by Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine contributors do not necessarily express the views of Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine. Periodical class permit (USPS# 024353) paid at Victoria, TX 77901 and additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, Inc., P. O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983.
EDITORIAL When December rolls around it is customary to exclaim how quickly the year has passed. It is also very common to say the years pass more quickly as we age. Somewhere between these it occurs that time flies when we are having fun. I prefer to disregard that turning sixty-three in a couple weeks would explain time speeding by and focus instead on how fun my life is. I graduated high school the year my granddad hung up his tool belt and retired from his job as an electrician. I didn’t just think he was old, I was certain of it. Looking back I realize my youthful folly and just like this morning, trailing five much younger chaps exiting the duck marsh in carefully placed footsteps, when a twenty-year-old called back, “Do you need help?” I replied- “Nah, I can do most everything I’ve always done, I just do it a little slower.” It is kind of cool though, being the guy with the most, “I remember when…” stories. Growing older is hopefully also growing wiser and when I look back on what has been a wonderful outdoor career I am increasingly reminded of the responsibility we have to get young people involved in the outdoors. Dickie Colburn has been writing the Sabine Scene for this magazine going on a decade and I am always heartened that he closes his columns with, “Take the kids fishing.” We have two great examples in this issue of the powerful impact getting young people hooked on the outdoors can have and how it can affect their lives for many years to come. First we have young
8 | December 2015
The Greatest
Christmas Gift Mallory Grimes on the cover. Mallory is an exemplary eighth-grade student; Bay City junior-high cheerleader who her father brags, “Has never made a B in her life.” Mallory as you can see is also an accomplished young outdoors-woman. We also have a great tale from Cory Johnson, an avid angler who lives in Corpus Christi. Cory shares a story of how much it meant to take his ailing father on a fishing trip to Baffin Bay – for both of them. These things do not occur by accident or luck, they are the product of adults introducing young people to the outdoors during their formative years. Through teaching them responsible ways to interact with nature and putting forth effort to keep them involved as they grow, and someday sharing the same with children of their own. So in addition to the newest electronic game and gadget every young person is hoping to find under the Christmas tree, you might consider gifts that could make an even greater impact on their young lives. Outdoor gear for fishing, hunting, hiking, camping. Give them a big hug Christmas morning and have them help plan a list of adventures and places to visit in Texas in the coming year. Tell them how much you look forward to spending time together. The possibilities are endless and some day they just might be that lucky sixty-something person in the boat and blind with the coolest stories. It worked for me! Merry Christmas!
Wayne’s patience was rewarded as he waited for the tide to start moving through a small break in a reef.
STORY BY STEVE HILLMAN
S
pending the better part of the last eight months drift-fishing with soft plastics was fun. Now the weather is changing and we must change with it by utilizing different strategies when targeting speckled trout. Adjustments will have to be made with locations, lure choices, retrieval methods and timing to experience continued success. For those who like using mullet-imitating plugs—your time has arrived!
“Find the bait, find the fish!” – Really? When water temperature declines, especially into the low-fifties and upper-forties, trout become more concentrated in areas with thermal protection and easily available food supply. Bait concentrations don’t necessarily need to be large rafts of mullet and these can sometimes be difficult to find anyway. A trout’s metabolism will slow during the colder periods to where heavy feeding will not be necessary to sustain the energy level needed. The consumption of one mullet in 24 hours may be all that is required in some cases. Also, keep in mind that just because bait is not visible on the surface doesn’t mean that it isn’t there. I’ve heard stories of fishermen running miles of shoreline trying to locate jumping mullet before they’ll start fishing. I can tell you from experience that there are days during winter when you better have a full tank of gas and leave your rods at home if that’s the first part of your plan. While “Find the bait, find the fish,” has some validity; just remember that it’s not always that obvious.
Find the “Hot Box” Galveston Bay’s vast 600 square mile complex will shrink by more than half when considering high percentage areas for winter trout. A similar scenario will occur in other bay systems along the Texas coast. Fewer areas will hold trout compared to warmer months. This is music to your ears if you know such areas, but you might as well be playing golf if you don’t. My daughter and I raised a pig (Banjo) to show at the county fair last year. I built an 8’ by 16’ pen in our back yard. The pen of course included running water and a feed trough. It also has a hot box on one end. A hot box is basically a dog house for pigs with a heat lamp in the ceiling. On Chris Piper’s trout was cold days Banjo would stay warm about 50 yards from his and comfortable in his hot box. His “hot box” on this mild food and water was close enough afternoon between fronts. that little energy was exerted for him to eat. On milder days he enjoyed roaming the pen, but never far from his hot box. He spent warm days loafing in an adjacent fenced area a fair distance from his pen and even further from his hot box. His increased activity required him to eat more. Winter trout aren’t much different than Banjo. They will seek refuge in deep guts, channels and bayous lined with heat-retaining mud when water temperatures are cold—low metabolism will not require heavy feeding. This is when slow retrieves and repetitive casts in the target area (gut or other deep zone) with a MirrOlure MirrOdine XL or Paul Brown Original can increase your chances at drawing strikes. Once their internal temperature becomes more acclimated and especially a day or two after a frontal passage trout will roam adjacent flats and reefs without straying too far from their safety blanket resulting in longer feeding periods. Sub-surface plugs such as MirrOlure 51 Series baits Jess Burditt’s Bass Assassin was are a perfect fit for such scenarios. placed perfectly along the edge During extended warm periods trout of an 8-foot mud and shell gut on this blustery day—Released!
12 | December 2015
can be found widely spread over flats. These are the days when topwaters and soft plastics can work well. Both styles of baits allow you to cover more water in less time therefore increasing the chance for more hook-ups. Salt Water Assassins, MirrOlure Provokers and She Dogs are fine choices. Every bay system has its “hot box.” Learning where they are is a must. Streaking! There are many anglers who choose not to fish when the wind is blowing 20 mph and the air temperature in the 40s. Add some drizzle and they’re on the couch for sure. This heavy trout fell for a MirrOlure Paul The conditions I just described happen to afford Brown Original on a more opportunities for winter trout success than 45⁰ day with 18-mph most calm, bluebird days. This is true especially with north wind. This fish regards to catching above average size specimens. helped me forget the fact that I couldn’t feel my fingers. We were the only boat on the bay. CPR!
Colder water lends itself to better clarity mainly because it greatly reduces the growth of plankton. Another variable influencing water clarity is wind. During the colder There was no bait on months the wind can be your friend because it creates the surface this postturbid streaks. This boosts our chances of getting front high-pressure day more and bigger bites for several reasons. Turbid but Jeramiah Sullivan water contains suspended clay particles which absorb managed to catch and release this beauty. heat, thus attracting baitfish and consequently predators. Edges of the streaks also serve as ambush points. The somewhat murky water also gives us an advantage when trying to trick trout with something made of plastic with dangling hooks. It has always been my opinion that trout can get too good a look in air-clear water to prompt a strike. Also, why would a mullet not swim 90 mph in the opposite direction when it can see its number one predator from a mile away? If it doesn’t seem natural to us then I’m guessing it wouldn’t to the fish either. Color changes or streaks over shell and mud and especially near bottom undulations create an optimum scenario for tricking big trout. MirrOlure’s MirrOdine XL and Paul Brown Orginals are smart choices when working the edges of the color change as are soft plastics rigged on 1/16 ounce jig heads. Don’t be afraid to cast into the middle of the cloudy water either as those wise old trout may make that one mistake. Aaron Wagner’s plan My largest trout to date (9.25 lbs.) was caught on an to cast along the Amber/Chartreuse tail Corky Devil by doing this. outer edge of a strong current worked out well. Released!
14 | December 2015
of warmer water. For instance, if the tide is scheduled to go out at 2 PM then plan on arriving just prior to stage in the area where the sunheated water from a back lake flows out into the bay. Just a couple of degrees difference in water temperature could change your day. Winter fishing is upon us and the opportunities are plentiful for those who choose to partake. The Farmer’s Almanac says we’re in for a cold and wet winter. Perfect! I know where I’ll be and it won’t be on the couch.
Steve Hillman
Contact
The Venturi Effect Though bottom habitat will vary, every bay system has them and they all create water movement. Bars, spoil reefs, points, worm rocks and finger reefs adjacent or perpendicular to channels all offer fantastic opportunities for catching winter trout. Wind-generated and tide influenced current in and around such structures present a Venturi effect which possesses all of the ingredients needed to complete the perfect formula for success. Increased current velocity caused by constricted flow through small openings (i.e. breaks in reefs, a large back lake flowing out through a narrow opening into the bay, narrow but deep gut centered between two shallow sets of rocks) are probably my favorite areas to catch cold-water trout. I love to cook around our house, but occasionally I enjoy going to a restaurant and being served. Trout will work for food when they have to, but they would much rather have it brought to them, being the opportunistic feeders that they are. Swift currents overpower forage species such as shad and finger mullet carrying them into the path of trout for an easy meal. Trout will maintain a headfirst position into the current usually staying near the outside of the flow where the velocity is weaker. Eddies are also created on the backside of rocks, reefs, etc. creating a reverse flow and swirling effect. Casting up-current allows your lure to take on a more natural appearance as it is delivered into the strike zone. This combined with plugging away at the edges of the current and into the eddies will cover every angle needed to yield positive results. There are a few bonus benefits to fishing these types of areas which further increase the likelihood of big bites. Moderate to fast current over soft bottom usually creates color streaks which we discussed earlier. Also, by timing your visit to one of these areas just right you’ll get the benefit
Steve Hillman is a full-time fishing guide on his home waters of Galveston Bay. Steve fishes the entire Galveston Bay Complex, wading and drifting for trout, redfish, and flounder using artificial lures. Phone 409-256-7937 Email captsteve@hillmanguideservice.com Web www.hillmanguideservice.com
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STORY BY KEVIN COCHRAN
U
ndeniably, advances in technology and fisheries management have made our angling lives easier and better over time. Compared with the golden days of yesteryear, we have many more amazingly effective tools available to us, and our bays are safer to access and use productively as a result. Mostly, we have benefited greatly from inventions and from the changes made to the laws related to the resources found in our coastal bays and waterways. Incredibly accurate GPS navigating systems pinpoint our location at all times, motors start and run more dependably than ever, hydraulic anchoring systems stop and hold the boat in place with the mere push of a button, images reveal the structures lying on the bay floors in digital form, rods and reels weigh less together than each did separately a decade ago—all these things enhance the quality and productivity of our experiences. Additionally, the continued, longstanding efforts of the hatchery programs and more conservative limits have allowed for better sustainability of our coastal resources. Texas Parks and Wildlife has made several significant changes to regulations related to speckled trout and flounder over the last few years, in an attempt to ensure future generations of citizens in the Lone Star State will have a healthy fishery.
Certainly, many positive changes have come our way in the decades since I started splashing salty stains on my nylon wading shirts and backing boat trailers down slippery ramps from the Louisiana shoreline to the Lower Laguna Madre. Predictably, more people than ever fish the coastal waters today, and they venture ever farther from the dock when they do. Some aspects of the increased participation prove positive, while others create potentially negative results. When I started learning to fish the bays, I used paper maps to study as much as I could about the waterways, and a compass and Q-beam served as my primary aids to navigation. Today, incredibly detailed digital images have largely replaced the maps, and some show the bottom of the bays with striking detail. Furthermore, we benefit from the use of GPS when navigating, making it possible to enter into the most hazardous areas safely, time and time again, in darkness, even fog. These things were not possible years ago. Consequently, fewer people made it to some places, particularly when certain kinds of weather made navigation difficult or impossible. Now, we have a whole generation of anglers who learned to drive their boats with a GPS screen lighting up the helm, and many of them zip along at much higher speeds than older captains thought necessary or even possible. While the accuracy of the GPS undoubtedly makes things safer in many ways, becoming too reliant on the system can create complacency and cause captains to develop bad habits. Some people keep their eyes inappropriately glued to the GPS screen, without regularly looking forward to verify the presence or absence of potential hazards lying in their intended paths. I’ve witnessed and heard stories of crashes which occurred specifically because of this terrifying trend. Regardless of how reliable and detailed our GPS systems get, they cannot in and of themselves render our travels over the bays safe. Vigilance on the part of captains will always be a necessary component in the quest for safety. Part of that vigilance involves checking available weather-monitoring systems before embarking on a trip onto the coastal waterways. In recent times, the General Land Office funded the implementation of a website which provided useful data to all who utilize the bays. The TCOON Buoy System has data Thirty-two inch gathering devices in place up and down the specimens like the one being released by Caleb McCumber here are exceedingly rare. More of them would exist if people released most of the big trout they caught.
18 | December 2015
A monster red like this one proves fun to catch, but isn’t much good as table fare.
coast. These instruments record wind speed and direction, barometric pressure level, tide level, water temperature and other things. In a shallow, hypersaline lagoon like the Laguna Madre, knowing the water temperature and specific tide level helps one plan safe and effective outings. Looking at a chart of wind speeds and directions over the last twenty four hours in a prospective area can help one plan trips more efficiently too. Unfortunately, though this system became popular and consistently utilized by many anglers, both amateur and pro, the General Land Office stopped funding it at the end of August, 2014. As of the time I submitted this piece, the original websites provided no data. I and others have contacted the GLO to stress how much we value and use the information provided on the sites, encouraging them to figure out a way to fund them and get them up and running again. While I worked on this article, a GLO official contacted me and stated, “The General Land Office and its state and federal partners are committed to the TCOON’s long-term success and last week provided bridge funding to the previous contractor while the transition to the new contractor is finalized. In the interim, you can access the data for 20 out of the 30 TCOON stations as well as the six NOAA tide stations at the following web site: http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/map/ index.shtml?type=PreliminaryData&region=Texas .” I checked the link and did manage to view the tide level and wind speed at the Baffin Buoy, the one I use most often. I’d still encourage everyone reading this to call or email the GLO and let them know we all want the system back online and fully functional, like before. Such technologies provide effective aids to help us deal with the weather and other environmental factors, though they do little to help us cope with ever-increasing crowds of anglers. In the Corpus Christi area, where I live and work, tournaments occur every weekend throughout the summer. Many of them allow teams of anglers to compete, targeting the three glamor species: speckled trout, redfish and flounder. Most allow the use of live and natural baits. Over time, some of the organizers of these events have recognized the potential harm to the fishery when numerous people embark with the intention of using live finfish to catch and enter the biggest trout
Reid Reynolds caught this pretty trout and released it. Fish in this class can grow to be true trophies in just a few years.
Kevin Cochran Contact
possible. Appropriately, those forward-thinking individuals now either require the fish to be brought in and weighed alive, then released, or they place a maximum size on the trout allowed for entry. These alterations reduce the number of stiff sow trout slid onto digital scales in these events, specimens which prove too important as spawners to suffer such rude treatment. In the years since I became a coastal fishing fanatic, the state has implemented several laws regulating how many trout one can legally keep and kill, reducing the limit from ten to five across most of the state, and allowing an angler to keep only one fish twenty five inches or longer each day. By doing so, the state openly acknowledges the critical importance of large female fish, and tournament organizers who take things a step further by not allowing their participants to kill and enter such fish do the future of the fishery a favor in the end. I would love to see the state take one additional step, and issue anglers a trophy trout tag with their fishing licenses, like they do with redfish. Doing so would allow folks to take a really extreme specimen from time to time, for mounting purposes, or for certification as a state or water-body record, but would save many valuable specimens. I’d also like to see the format of the trout portion of the STAR tournament altered. It seems ironic to me, given CCA’s prominence as the most highly-regarded conservationist organization in the state and beyond, that they would run a kill tournament on trout, and use weight as the way to identify the winner. Why not tag and release some smaller trout in each of the three identified coastal areas, and award prizes to the registered anglers who catch them? I can see how this would INCREASE participation in the tournament, and that would serve as icing on a cake where no large trout died in attempt to identify a winner. In fact, I’d contend the most alluring aspect of the STAR tournament, the part which draws the most entrants, is the redfish division. The average entrant apparently loves the idea of trying to catch a tagged fish. They probably think they have a greater chance of doing so as compared to catching a trophy fish and beating all the hot-shot tournament anglers with more experience and better equipment. So, why not eliminate the killing of large trout as part of the tournament’s legacy, and increase participation at the same time? I contend this would show evolution toward a more cohesive conservative mission, one with a higher level of integrity.
Other aspects of the regulations on coastal fishing could use a tweak in this direction as well. When the state instituted the “one over twenty-five” law, they also took the guide’s bag limit out of the group, when the guide runs a charter for pay. A group of four anglers and a guide could legally kill fifty fish before the regulations changed. Now, the same group can kill just twenty. Both the elimination of the guide’s bag as part of the group and the reduction in the legal limit from ten to five help ensure the sustainability and vitality of the resource. One unintended and perhaps unexpected consequence comes with the reduction in limits and elimination of the guide’s bag though. Guides who target limits now have an easier time getting them for their clients, particularly those using live finfish for bait during the warm half of the year. Many of those guides recognize the ease with which they can get on and off the water with full limits, and they run multiple charters in a day. I’d say this activity lies in direct conflict with the mission implied in the lowering of the limits and elimination of the guide’s bag. The state should make it illegal for guides to run multiple charters in a day, or at least limit the number of clients one can take out within a twenty-four hour period. I hear people up and down the coast complaining about guides taking two, three or even more groups out in a single day, returning to the dock with full limits each time they can. I can’t really blame any captain who’s doing something legal, though. Only the state can address this issue, through the creation of relevant regulations. The state might also consider devising a law requiring all captains to carry a ready anchor on board. Along with the increased popularity of hydraulic anchoring systems like Power Pole and Talon has come a tendency for some boaters to think they don’t need an anchor anymore. Some, I’m sure, don’t carry a conventional anchor because they simply don’t want to spend money on one. But hydraulic and electrical systems fail, and bolts break. For safety’s sake, no competent, responsible captain would ever leave the dock without a ready anchor on board, regardless of the perceived efficacy and reliability of a fancy mechanical device attached to the transom. Ironically, equipment, tools, principles and practices which prove necessary and effective for decades can be rendered actually or apparently obsolete under the thumb of constant, rapid change. Spurred by necessity, things evolve as new trends develop and become widespread. People learn to adapt to new technologies, innovations and regulations. While many aspects of coastal angling have changed over recent decades, the need for forward-thinking, flexibility and integrity on the part of anglers and the agencies charged with managing coastal resources remains the same.
Kevin Cochran is a full-time fishing guide at Corpus Christi (Padre Island), TX. Kevin is a speckled trout fanatic and has created several books and dvds on the subject. Kevin’s home waters stretch from Corpus Christi Bay to the Land Cut.
Trout Tracker Guide Service Phone Email Web
361-688-3714 kevxlr8@mygrande.net www.FishBaffinBay.com www.captainkevblogs.com
STORY BY MARTIN STRARUP
Y
ears ago when I was a young boy I remember my dad coming home from an overnight floundering and wade-fishing trip. Dad had a good sense of humor and when my mom, sister and I met him at the door he held up an empty stringer. He said it was windy all through the night so the water was muddy to the point that trying to flounder would have been a waste of time. He went on to say said that the tide went out and was slack and that wade-fishing was a bust that morning, with no current running. I asked him if he caught any fish at all and he replied, “No son, but I saw the most beautiful sunrise on West Matagorda Bay.” At 58 years old now I’ve seen a lot of sunrises on the water and hope to see many more. When you’re on the water the sunrise is a special thing, much like watching the sunrise from a deer blind down in the South Texas brush country. It’s almost magical for me to see the sun rising over the bay and if I’m not already in the water when that big orange ball begins peaking over the horizon then I know that I’m running late. It isn’t just the sunrise that is magic. Just being on the water with a good boat under me, or in the water wading a prime shoreline with good firm bottom under my feet can make me feel all emotional inside. One of my friends, it’s been a while and I cannot recall exactly which, when confronted by his father-in-law about skipping church and fishing on Sunday said, “I’m on the water with God admiring all that he has created that is within my sight and thanking him for it. I hope He’s okay with that.” What is it that calls us to the water anyway? Fishing of course—catching or not catching is totally irrelevant when you get right down to it. And there’s boating and beachcombing, exploring new areas. It’s all of these, but it goes even further.
22 | December 2015
high-tech handmade clubs that are made especially for them to maximize their swing and they put them into huge precision-crafted golf bags. They buy very expensive clothing that will not only dry quickly but that will also help to protect them from the sun’s UV rays. Their sunglasses are top of the line with mirrored-glass lenses that protect their eyes from; yes you know it, the sun’s UV rays. Their golf shoes are made of the finest materials and are made to measure to fit their feet and are made to last for at least a couple of seasons. Their golf carts are top of the line with all the bells and whistles that they can find to put on them. They take good care of their golf carts just as they do the family Mercedes SUV their wives drive to the grocery store and to the club. Golfers, serious golfers, spend a fortune on greens fees or on monthly country club dues. It’s much more expensive, I told her, to be serious about golf than it is fishing. She threw up her hands and walked inside mumbling something about my mind. I yelled to the closing door, “Hey, It’s a frame of mind, it’s what we do.” I have a very good friend whose wife used to not understand why he would get up early and drive to the beach to fish the surf; nasty sticky saltwater and such. She told me that one day he came in and he had caught no fish but that he had seen the most beautiful sunrise over the gulf. She told me at that point that she got it. Go see the sun rise on the bay and if you’re of the mind to, stick around watch the sun set on the water too. After all, it is part of what we do. Be safe. Golfers will never experience anything like this!
Martin Strarup
Contact
It’s a frame of mind, and a lifestyle—it’s who My Spook Jr just we are and what we do. disappeared in that You all know the excitement that you feel swirl…too bad my when the outboard fires up and the boat leaves cameraman was a the dock. During the ride your mind takes in split second late! everything and you wonder if the lures you rigged up are the right ones or you wonder if you bought enough live bait for the morning. Did you remember your wading boots, stringer, pliers and belt? Sure you did; but your mind is going over and over that mental check list even though you’ve already done it more than once. Then after a while the captain idles back, your heart beats a bit harder and you start looking for what he’s looking for; maybe he sees bait in the water. Pods of mullet, jumping shrimp, toothy fish cutting through the bait. Maybe you’ll see it or maybe you won’t. Maybe the captain will pull the stick back to neutral and prepare to set the anchor of drop the Power Pole and in a few minutes you’ll be in the water chasing your dream. Maybe he’ll throttle back up and keep on going. Or maybe you’re looking for birds and when you find them he will set up to drift down through them. My wife told me years ago that I spend more money on my fishing habits than she does on groceries and that maybe I should take up golf. I thought about that for about a half a millisecond and then I began a dissertation that would have impressed any longwinded politician putting on a filibuster. Fishermen—serious fishermen, I told her; we buy a few high-tech handmade rods that are crafted especially for us and mount a few reels on them that are fine, precision-built instruments. We buy clothing that will not only dry quickly but that will also help protect us from the sun’s UV rays. Our sunglasses are top of the line with mirrored-glass lenses that protect our eyes from; yes you know it, the sun’s UV rays. Our wading boots are made of the finest materials to last us at least a couple of seasons. They protect our feet against sharp oyster and other hazards that lurk in the waters. The lures we buy are known fish catchers and match our angling style. Our boats and outboard engines are perfectly matched and the props are tuned to get the optimum performance out of the rig. We take very good care of our boats and motors just as we do the family SUV that you drive to the grocery store and to work every day. “Aha,” says she. “So you really should take up golf!” Golfers—serious golfers, I told her; they need at least fourteen
Martin Strarup is a lifelong saltwater enthusiast and outdoorsman. Martin is also a collector and dealer of vintage fishing tackle and lures, especially those made in Texas. Email
Trouthunter@swbell.net
STORY BY CHUCK UZZLE
Even in Mexico’s remote coastal villages “fishing” is spoken universally.
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lose your eyes and imagine this, if you can: High-profile guide, decked out in the latest up-to-the-minute gear including stealth mode clothing that makes him invisible and able to intercept even the slightest brain waves of any and all fish within a 300 yard radius of his satellite verified location. In the guide’s hands are a pair of rod and reel combos that together nearly add up to a down payment on a twenty-year-ago starter home. Slung over his shoulder is a huge box of lures that would make most any self-respecting tackle dealer green with envy. In one smooth motion the guide gives his two anglers for the day, who are standing on the deck of the boat totally agape, a series of semi-intelligible verbal instructions and hand signals akin to a NORAD top-secret emergency launch code. As the final words fall upon the stunned angler’s ears, the guide exits the boat and begins firing casts that land just short of Cuba. The anglers look at one another and immediately bail out, trying their best to mimic their hired host. For the next eight hours the bewildered anglers stumble around in a mental fog while watching the guide have the time of his life. The final insult comes when the guide actually asks one of the anglers to snap a photo of him with his fish so he can post it anywhere and everywhere that will accept his cyber offering. At the end of the day a stringer of fish gets cleaned and filets go home with bewildered clients, who still aren’t exactly sure what just happened. OK—so that account is highly fictionalized and includes a good deal of sarcasm—but situations surprisingly similar evidently happen more often than you might imagine. Folks on my boat have shared stories that left me shaking my head in wonder. Now by no means am I pointing the finger at any guide or guides in particular because the truth of the matter is that both parties are equally guilty in these situations. The guide has a responsibility to communicate with the customer and the customer has an obligation to ask questions about just what they will be getting as well. Neither party should assume that the other one knows exactly what each person expects to happen on a guided fishing trip. My very best advice to all concerned is to show all your cards, voice your expectations, and under no circumstances leave any gray areas or anything to chance. If you, as the customer, want to catch a particular fish by way of a certain technique, perhaps learn an area of the bay, or have no preference whatsoever— you need to tell your guide exactly that. As a guide I personally do not want to take clients to fish a pattern or style that
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I have hired many guides while I was on vacation, both fishing and hunting. On a few trips I had a particular idea about how I wanted the trip to go and accordingly I consulted with the types of guides who could make that style of trip happen. On a few trips I was just happy to enjoy another type of fishing or hunting that was different from my everyday trips so I gave the guide the freedom to decide what he wanted to do. Coincidentally several of those trips turned out to be the best. People sometimes forget that guides have favorites and specialties too, and those trips can be off the chart if you are willing to give them the freedom to choose. For quite some time now, more than any other aspect, I have probably enjoyed teaching new anglers about this sport and trying to assist and encourage others to increase their skills while we fish together. I know that on several occasions I have caught myself using language or terminology that was unfamiliar to my clients and at that moment I had to put myself in
does not suit them. For example; I would never take a first-timer wading in December and expect them to grind for eight hours, looking for “one big bite.” Likewise; I would not take people out to sit on anchor throwing live bait when I know good and well they want to be wading or drifting with lures, or sight-fishing shallow water. Virtually every guide I know and trust does their absolute best to try and accommodate each person’s wishes on their individual trip. When I get a call or an email from a perspective client I make it a point to tell those folks exactly what type of fish I have been catching and how I’m going about catching them—just in This beautiful stretch of case it’s not their cup of tea. This way, water, though highlythey are informed and can make a clear appealing to sight-fishing choice whether to book the charter. enthusiasts, would hardly Without a doubt one of the best ways be the best place to bring first-timers for a day of I ever learned about the communication anchored live bait fishing. gap between guide and client was to become a client myself. Over the years their shoes in order to explain the information in a manner they could understand. I remember one particular trip I had a couple from North Texas who were very new to fishing but eager to learn. We started our morning drifting live shad under a popping cork and the fish were just covering us up, it was really good. After a couple of hours we had accumulated a nice box of fish and everyone was having a good time. The conditions Redfish such as this were perfect and it one, taken via methods appeared that we that match client skill would not have any levels and expectations, can make memorable problems catching days on the water. more fish so I 26 | December 2015
language that makes sense to the beginner because we all had to start somewhere. If you are new to the sport or just want to learn more about it don’t be afraid to ask other anglers, most of them will be more than happy to share some information with you. As a young guide just getting started many years ago, I was always inquisitive and very rarely got anything but great information when I quizzed older, established guides on all manner of topics. An honest approach and an open mind will get you all kind of help while the cocky “know it all” kind of folks will more than likely get shut out. Just remember that fishing is a sport to be enjoyed and there are few better ways to enjoy it than sharing it with others.
Chuck Uzzle
Contact
decided to take a nice easy boat ride so we could all cool down and then get back to catching fish. During our brief ride I happened to spot a big school of redfish just absolutely destroying a school of pogies and leaving holes in the water like a minefield that had been detonated. I brought my boat down off plane and showed the couple what was happening, they were amazed and instantly fired up about the opportunity. It was at this point that I decided to introduce them to topwaters. We stopped well short of the school of fish and got on the trolling motor to intercept them. I took the lady up to the front deck for a crash course in how to operate a topwater plug. I made a short cast so she could see what she was supposed to do with the bait and when I told her she needed to “walk the dog” her face said it all, she looked at me the way a confused calf looks at a brand new gate. Realizing she had no idea what “walking the dog” meant I gave her new directions and said, “…think jumping rope.” She picked up on that instantly. Reeling up her practice cast, she flung the plug out into the area where the redfish were and began the “jump rope” retrieve. It was blasted within seconds by an oversize red and all three of us howled with delight as the drag began to scream. After a very nice fight we brought the big fish aboard, made photos, and released it. The glow on her face was surpassed only by her husband’s. I will remember that day not only for the fish we caught but also for the lesson I learned as well. Accomplished anglers can often times unknowingly scare potential anglers away from the sport by not speaking in terms that novices can understand. Take the time to share your knowledge in
Chuck fishes Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes from his home in Orange, TX. His specialties are light tackle and fly fishing for trout, reds, and flounder.
Phone Email
409-697-6111 cuzzle@gt.rr.com
TSFMAG.com | 27
STORY BY JOE RICHARD
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ot every angler is cut out to fish our granite jetties along the Texas coast, subject to Gulf waves and strong currents. Those big granite rocks steal countless anchors and tackle, as well. Just anchoring near these multi-ton rocks is enough to give some people the willies, guides included. “Fishing the rocks” is one thing in summer, but what about in winter? Get caught out there in winter’s pea soup fogs, waves crashing over cruel rocks only feet away, and the fun really begins. Or a sudden norther arrives, making for a cold ride across whitecaps across Matagorda Bay. Lives have been lost out there in winter—jetty fishermen who didn’t make it back. Yet, the jetties remain my favorite venue for 45 years. The fish are always there, even in winter. When the bays are too fresh or their water temps too low to support fishing, the jetties provide. Why? Deeper water protects them, and the rocks support a wide variety of marine life. The jetties can actually warm up in a single day when a strong, incoming tide moves in from the Gulf, even in January. At one time I was a jetty guide, and made numerous trips out there in winter. Often with guests who couldn’t even cast, and so dropping baits at the jetty was pretty much a sure thing. Some days were better than others, according to wind and tide. But I cleaned many a big sheepshead and redfish after a chilly day out there. We caught so many sheepshead, I enforced a size limit of at least four pounds. That way I didn’t have to clean a pile of small fish with little meat. Staying hooked up at the jetties seemed much preferable to wading for winter trout with a stiffening lower back. I prefer constant action, so I’ll stick with the rocks. In winter this is no place for artificials, unless you enjoy dropping jigs deep, tipped with shrimp, which I have done many times. Back in the day at the Sabine jetties, we’d cast homemade 3/8 ounce jigs tipped with shrimp, ease them through the rocks, and soon fill a box with sheepshead. We were selling them, and didn’t care about the size, although none were less than two pounds and most were chunky three and four-pounders. Action was constant on many days, and the 68-quart Igloo was soon overflowing with fish and spiky fins without ice. No need for that; a bucket of Gulf water was chilly enough. One good thing about fishing out there in winter—the little bait stealers are
Tasty sheepshead prowl the rocks looking for tidbits. They feed strictly on crustaceans such as shrimp, crabs, barnacles and small oysters.
gone. Live or fresh shrimp can be used without These guys take a break after getting nibbled away. The only worthless fish out dragging their black drum there is the oyster toadfish, which bites when the down the Port Aransas jetty, on a blustery winter’s day. tide stops. That’s a sure sign the other fish are taking siesta. Where to find live shrimp? None were available at Sabine, so we’d buy frozen shrimp and keep a lookout for small shrimpboats working nearby. They’d give us a pound or two of small rock shrimp, which worked very well. And they really stayed on the hook. Okay, so how’d we fill the fishbox out there? Rigging: We never rigged more than one hook. While guiding in Port O’Connor I used number two J-hooks. Forty-pound Ande line for a leader, which is a tough line around rocks and barnacles. Our twoounce bank sinkers with rounded edges zipped those baits down to the bottom, and could often be jiggled free if they became snagged. Egg sinkers and pyramid weights were lame in the rocks and were quickly snagged and broken off. If the current was slow, a one-ounce weight would do the job. Tackle: The jetties guides I knew all preferred the Ambassador 5500 reels on seven- foot baitcasting rods. Packed with 20-pound line that could horse a stubborn fish from the rocks. Again, I preferred Ande line because it doesn’t fray like soft line will. Bait: Scoring a quart of live shrimp was always preferable, but a
pound of frozen shrimp isn’t bad if it isn’t freezer-burned. These fish are hungry in winter, they’re not picky like summer trout. On many winter days if our bait even smelled like shrimp; that was good enough. Best Weather: Ideally you want a warm, incoming Gulf tide rather than some frigid, outgoing tide from the bays. Green water and incoming tide This couple loads up were great. The worst was always a their sheepshead on the north wind with blue sky, with muddy Port Aransas jetty, for outgoing tide. But even then you might the walk back to the car. catch a few fish. If you could hit a calm day out there, or anchor in calm water at least, and the weather is sunny and pleasant, you can actually catch prowling sheepshead under a cork near the rocks. This can be fun, but I’ve always felt the bigger fish were on bottom, with a better variety down there. Our biggest sheep weighed 10 pounds, 10 ounces, and it was right on bottom in 20 feet of water, the tide moving in fast. If you can handle calm, warm foggy mornings, that kind of weather really turns the fish on. Best jetties were Sabine Pass, Galveston and Port O’Connor. They’re all big and mostly accessible by boat. Not swarming with pedestrian traffic and hungry winter tourists, like the Port Aransas or South Padre jetties. Winter Texans are famous for Winter sheepshead angler, Port pinching pennies: They know Aransas. This old-timer in Port Aransas jetty fishing is free and they uses a collapsible canepole and carries have an eye on those tasty a few dozen fiddler crabs for bait. 30 | December 2015
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of the Galveston jetty, then Freeport, then Port Aransas and South Padre Island. Just don’t expect as much action as the more isolated jetties accessible only by boat. Sabine Pass, where a mentor named Martin Verboon, back in about 1982, by himself put 440 pounds of sheepshead in his jonboat without pulling anchor. That was his story, anyway. He sold them, of course. Good thing we have a bag limit of five today.
Joe Richard
Joe Richard has fished the Gulf since 1967, starting out of Port Arthur, but his adventures have taken him up and down the entire coast. He was the editor of Tide magazine for eight years, and later Florida Sportsman’s book and assistant magazine editor. He began guiding out of Port O’Connor in 1994. His specialty is big kingfish, and his latest book is The Kingfish Bible, New Revelations. Available at Seafavorites.com
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sheepshead prowling the rocks. (And Anglers should be very familiar sheepshead are much better on the with their boat, and comfortable table than, say, any fish back in Iowa, on the water, before anchoring next to cruel jetty rocks. save for walleye). Small boats are okay at the jetties, but boating experience is a must. Watch the forecast closely. Ideally you want a light, warm south wind. Off Port O’Connor, you have to cross part of a wide Matagorda Bay. If a severe north wind cranks up and your boat is small, either stay on the island and make yourself at home on the porch of one of the cabins, or head southwest in fairly shallow water back to Saluria Bayou and then the winding marsh route back to town. (Unfortunately there are some very shallow sandbars to contend with today, but anything is better than sinking in mid-bay). It also makes good sense to carry a “stranded” bag on these winter trips. Don’t count on being rescued if fog settles in, your propeller wraps up a crab trap, or you have motor trouble. Keep that survival bag filled with a six-volt flashlight, Manhandler soup, matches, lighter fluid, a new tarp, Redfish are found on the bug spray and other necessities to get jetties all winter long, and you through a long night. Something they’re hungry for a treat. 80-proof is optional. For many years we fished the jetties with johnboats, but then we were marsh rats who duck hunted for many years with these same boats. Turns out they were ideal for bumping jetty rocks, especially if we jumped out and walked along them. If the wind picked up during the run in, you can bet we hugged the rocks and shorelines on the run back to the marina, even a shallow water route the long way back. Johnboats and whitecaps aren’t compatible. Weather: Keep in mind that it might be balmy at the marina, but out there in the Gulf your luck can run out fast. Get stranded without proper clothing, and deadly hypothermia can set in quickly. A jacket and knit watch cap will go a long ways out there, and keep you fishing in damp fog or if a breeze springs up. Bring a big coat; you can always shuck it off while fishing. Fish: What’s out there in winter? We never saw trout, maybe they were up in the bays. In my experience, it’s been almost one hundred percent sheepshead, mixed with some redfish. There are slot-sized black drum out there as well, though they stay over sand bottom close to the rocks. You have to be anchored over sand to find these, and I suppose using small chunks of blue crab would help that cause. I’ve explored boating options on the winter jetties. What about walking the rocks? My first trip without a boat out there, on a January day in the ninth grade, ended up with no fish. We’d read in the papers somebody landed about 60 redfish at the end of the Sabine jetties from a boat, so we had our mom drop us off at the end of the road at Sabine Pass, at the pilot station. We then hiked a ways through marsh country, made the jetties, and got a long ways out there. On a jetty never intended for walkers. On a cold and gray winter’s day. My two brothers were younger than me but we made it back, just another adventure back when kids could roam free and there were no cell phones. Our winter jetty trips became more fruitful in later years. Best bet for winter jetty fishing for boatless anglers is along parts
STORY BY CORY JOHNSON
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or the last fifteen of my thirty-one years on Mother Earth I have been consumed with chasing large trout in my home waters of the Upper Laguna Madre and Baffin. It has become an obsession to the point that I am sometimes labeled an elitist. I have been in the dog house (more than I care to admit) and have come close to losing employment. My love and respect for fishing and all that this lifestyle encompasses was instilled at a young age by my father, Robert Johnson. Within the past couple years my family has watched my father’s health deteriorate. I received an alarming phone call one morning during breakfast and was informed my father had suffered an aneurism. My world stopped and the feeling that came over me was unlike anything I had ever experienced. The last time I’d heard of someone having an aneurism they’d passed to the Pearly Gates. I was beyond horrified. Had I lost my father, my friend, my mentor? This is the part of the story when having a great spouse comes in very handy. My lovely bride saw the helplessness and fear in my eyes and quickly asked for the check and pulled out her phone to learn more about what was going on. Well, just like a good fishing story, the facts had been embellished as more people became involved in the telling. As it turned out the report of Dad suffering an aneurism had been premature to say the least. Long story short, he had begun developing neurological problems and what was originally thought to be an aneurism turned out to be seizures. To this day, after multiple trips to multiple doctors and multiple tests, there still is no answer to what is causing the problems. The best they can do is prescribe a daily regimen of pills that resemble a rainbow. His seizures are not predictable and there has been no pattern. Basically, they seem to just happen out of the blue and go away almost as quickly as they appear. Because of this it is almost impossible to plan any type of activity for fear of an episode. Last Friday my wife and I were on our way home from dinner and stopping off to visit our newborn niece. Dad would be there. After greeting everyone I noticed him looking a little down for such a happy occasion. My attempts at cheering him up were not working in the least. So, rare for me, I stopped playing. He met my seriousness with words I will never forget. “You know what makes me so upset about these damn seizures? It’s the fact that I can’t have fun.” And he went on to say, “I’ve always known that one day I would have to come to terms with the fact that I simply cannot do all the things I once did. But if you would have told me I would have to give up fishing with my boys I would have called you a liar. I never dreamed anything on this earth would stop me doing what I love. Disease, old age or crabs!” (My dad is kind of goofy like that.)
That hit me hard, real hard. Here I am at thirty-one. I am fortunate to have a beautiful wife who puts up with me, a career that supports my family and fishing habit, good friends, and an all-around great life because of what I learned from this man. Yet, he, to whom I owe so much, was standing in front of me saying he could no longer have fun. At that very second I made up my mind that it wasn’t true, not if I had anything to do with it! I offered to take him to our cabin on Sunday for a work trip that had been planned. It was meant to be quick, only a few small repairs, and we’d be back at the casa for a cold one shortly after noon. But my mind was in high gear and I wanted to make more of it. What I really wanted was to take Dad fishing. Sunday morning rolled around. Early out of bed, early to load supplies in the truck and boat, but late to meet the others of our group at the ramp. That didn’t matter because my Old Man was riding shotgun. At the ramp we transferred supplies from the truck to the boat along with rods and reels and some tackle. We pulled away from Bird Island Basin and pointed my Shoalwater Cat toward Baffin. Listening to one of our favorites, Robert Earl Keen’s Five Pound Bass. Seemed rather fitting, especially since Dad changed the lyrics to ten pound trout. We arrive to our home away from home and quickly got busy. Dad was being the goofy old man I love; telling jokes and stories and generally being a good supervisor. Once the repairs were made we bid adieu to our home on Styrofoam and went looking for some good water. Now, I’m not really comfortable fishing unless I’m wading. I’m not at all keen on drifting. I know it can produce fish and, at the end of the day, that is all I wanted, so that is what we did. I wanted Dad to feel a tight line. I wanted him to realize that he could still enjoy life and have fun. First drift produced very little action
36 | December 2015
and the second was about the same. Before long the stiff northeast wind had the water looking like chocolate milk. Regardless, I could see the intensity on my father’s face up on the bow, studying what little he could see in the murky water. I suggested we continue on out to the mouth of Baffin and into the Mother Lagoon. He looked at me as though I’d just drank his last Dr Pepper. He asked if we were heading back to the ramp and I replied sarcastically, “Well– are you done having fun yet?” We made a short run and came across a stretch of trout-green water on the backside of a spoil island. Grass beds, potholes and rocks were easily visible and plenty of bait was showing. I set up a drift between two sets of rocks and Dad eagerly went to bow and started studying the water, making random casts and comments about mullet jumping for their lives. Cast after cast, every turn of the reel handle, his focus was obvious. I suppose it’s like riding a bike. Finally, after what seemed forever, he cocked his head toward me, smiled, and set the hook. That was a pretty cool sight. I watched his line go slack briefly but he quickly reeled it tight, like an ol’ salt instinctively does. The yet to be determined species slowly came to the surface eventually revealing a copper tint. Drag was screaming and he was grinning ear to ear. Dad would gain two yards, the bruiser would take three. Dad would try to turn it toward the stern and it would run toward bow. It was actually very impressive seeing him maneuver through the maze of ladders, saw horses and all sorts of tools. Kind of added a greater sense of accomplishment to the whole act. Once the red had enough she generously laid on her side as if she was giving herself up for the greater good. Placing the Boga on her bottom lip Dad gently raised her to get a quick weight and wanted to set her down to avoid stressing her spine. Twelve pounds! The measuring stick confirmed what we already knew. Way oversize at 31-7/8 inches. Without missing a beat he insisted that she be released quickly. Photos were hurriedly snapped and he carefully placed her back in the water. A few back-and-forth swishes to fully revive and off she went. Dad rocked back from his knees to a sitting position on one of the back hatches and looked up at me. “Now how cool was that,” he exclaimed! It was his idea to end the day on a high note. I took his rod to place it in the rack as he settled against the leaning post, in the best mood I’d seen in a long time. He grabbed me in a big hug and said two very special words- “Thank You!” With all that we are blessed to enjoy it is easy to take some things for granted, but life can change in the blink of an eye. Embrace what the man upstairs has put in your life and live it every day for all that it is worth. Fishing should be shared with the ones you love and every day on the water should be cherished. Wetting a line with Dad was a great experience. God is good. Life is good.
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Off the Chart December? It has been an exciting year, watching the bay system I was raised on literally coming back to life. Not that it was dead by any means, but it was definitely struggling due to prolonged drought and insufficient circulation. An abundance of rain and the opening of Cedar Bayou deserve major credit for the rebound. I have not seen blue crab and shrimp as abundant in many years. Thirty-six years ago, when I started guiding, we could easily pick up a 5-gallon bucket of crabs on any shoreline wade. White shrimp would literally “mud-up” Copano and St. Charles bays when they left for the Gulf. Years ago I remember throwing a cast net in the mouth of Mission Bay and it literally did not sink. Pulling it in was a chore for even a younger me. I emptied the net back into the bay to prove a point to a client—the water was being muddied by shrimp, not current! It’s like the good old days are back as far as how the bays look and feel to me. The trout are not yet as plentiful but, if Mother Nature continues to bless us, we could very well see them. There is bottom grass along shorelines and spoils that have been barren for years. Back-lakes are teaming with life and seagrass too thick to fish in places. Walking back to the boat I frequently kick out shrimp and crabs by the hundreds. Cedar Bayou has created better productivity around major points and reefs from lower San Antonio to Long Reef in northern Aransas Bay. Spaulding has been the best I’ve seen in years. My confidence level is off the charts right now with all I am seeing in our fishery. Add to this the momentum the new Flats Worthy group here in Rockport has gained and the support recently pledged by Haynie Boats and Chris’s Marine, further promoting anglers of all user groups to share the resources in friendlier and more considerate fashion. Seems a shame we waited so long to learn to be kinder to one another and more tolerant of our fellow fishermen. 52 | December 2015
One last newsy tidbit—I am but a month away from kicking off my two month winter adventure to Port Mansfield. Jay Ray will join me this year for the full two months and we are very excited to see what 2016 will hold for us. Getting down to fishing: Higher tides from prolonged low atmospheric pressure systems have forced me to concentrate daily on smaller areas of shell structure, points, and windward back-lake shorelines. Tides have been high enough to fish most any back-lake area I want but the key has been to focus on elements that naturally concentrate fish in smaller areas. With water levels so high it is easy to get into the old track meet mentality, trying to cover all of it, but I am more a believer in finding smaller areas that hold all the ingredients predatory fish desire and working this smaller zone to perfection. First there are the small windward shoreline areas of scattered shell. In my area many of these are surrounded by relatively flat sand and grass. Individual clumps of scattered shell provide bottom contour that allow gamefish to blend into the background. I have had tremendous success standing a cast-length away and allowing fish to naturally enter and leave the feeding area. The small size of such areas increases your odds of getting your bait in front of the right fish. Compact structures concentrate bait and gamefish alike so both angler and predator are hunting less area. Less area to cover, to me, translates to higher yield. Second are shoreline points. A point is a point no matter how small and all of them extend submerged to some degree away from the bank. Most all points will have some decrease in water depth on either side. Decreased depth increases speed of water movement and shrinks the hunting zone. It’s easier for a big trout to hunt in a foot of water Todd Rosson with than five, simply because personal best trout - CPR. there is less area to cover.
bait is forced to the windward SE sides of the lakes. Larger trout and reds cruise the edges of the grass beds and potholes under the cover of reduced clarity, heavy overcast and surface chop. It’s a recipe for success like no other. Key to your success depends on your ability to define the line the gamefish are holding on, make long casts and, follow this line precisely throughout the windward wade. DO NOT ALLOW WIND OR THE DREAM OF A LIFETIME FISH to lure you too near the shoreline! Too close to the feeding zone and the best of the best will sense your presence and you’re busted. I had a day last week where my group’s skill level matched the conditions and we were able to work a parallel line on a windward backlake shore through the entirety of the solunar major. We released seven trout over 26-inches and one that was Jay with a solid 26-plus on Custom Corky Fat Boy - CPR. well, very good. Patience, confidence and skill—it’s a winning combination. I believe the winter of 2015/16 will provide proof of the importance of Mother Nature’s help as well as the strides we have taken in opening Cedar Bayou and limiting the numbers of flounder and speckled trout taken from the bays each year. Adding more and taking less; hard to see how that would not work. May your fishing always be catching! –Guide Jay Watkins
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Positioning is critical here. You want to cast up-current of the points and I think lure placement and retrieve work best when angled slightly across the submerged structure. Any given point may produce two or three fish, a stretch of shoreline with three such points might produce nine. Add a fish here and there in between the points and you’re having a pretty decent morning. Third is water movement—tide or wind-generated—I am not picky. Fall and winter NE wind can produce some dynamite action around reef passes and drains. Recently I have experienced mornings where NE wind had water moving across shallow reefs like a Hill Country river. Most every reef has low areas where water washes through even on the lowest of tides. During strong NE, trout and reds will stack on the downwind side, waiting for baitfish, crabs and shrimp to be swept through. On the upwind side of the reef pass we find a slight upwelling of current in the zone immediately ahead of the opening (water deflecting upward, away from the deeper base of the reef ) and this is where the biggest, strongest and baddest will sometimes stage in the current. Positioning where you can work both the up-current and downcurrent zone can yield exceptional results. I demonstrated this to a client recently; for three hours we never moved and caught beautiful trout and reds in water the color of lightweight drilling mud. Sessions like this are perfect for clients more interested in learning to become more complete anglers than simply getting a box of fish with a guide. The fourth is probably my favorite because it affords the best chance of catching a truly large trout. On the higher tides of late fall our back lakes along San Jose and especially Matagorda Islands come alive. Cooler nights help reduce water temperatures, shorter days trigger fall and winter feed patterns, and baitfish are congregating in preparation for spawning migrations. All of these factors draw larger trout to deeper back-lakes. Now, add 20 to 25 mph NE wind and the
Jay Watkins has been a full-time fishing guide at Rockport, TX, for more than 20 years. Jay specializes in wading yearround for trout and redfish with artificial lures. Jay covers the Texas coast from San Antonio Bay to Corpus Christi Bay. Telephone Email Website
361-729-9596 Jay@jaywatkins.com www.jaywatkins.com
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Perfect conditions, the kind we dream of but do not always find in December.
C A P T. S COT T N U L L
S H A L L O W W ATER F I S HIN G
Flexibility is the key in December Sight-casting to redfish in Texas this time of year tends to be a boom or bust proposition. A common call I get is the potential customer asking how the fishing will be if they book a trip in December. My typical answer is that it could be really good or it could just flat out stink. Why? Well, to start with, the weather swings are so crazy that it becomes difficult to pattern the fish. We could have a late-arriving winter or it could be bitter cold the entire month. The most likely scenario, year in and year out, is some weird combination. A blasting cold front followed up by several days of short sleeve weather—there’s simply no way to book something weeks in advance and have any certainty what you’ll get. Don’t get me wrong, fish can still be caught most days no matter the weather. And we all know a day on the water beats being at the shop or in the office. The problem lies in that it may not always be that perfect sight-casting scenario you have pictured in your head… me poling you across a shallow flat with blue skies and light wind while reds tail and cruise around in crystal clear water and eat your fly with reckless abandon. Generally speaking there is a pattern to earlywinter weather. Mother Nature doesn’t always stick to the script but most often the way it works is an approaching front brings some cloud cover and moist air in on a stiff southeast breeze. The tides and air 54 | December 2015
Cloud cover and reduced water clarity often dictate casting to anything “fishy.”
Some days it’s all about picking the right marsh drain.
The no-brainer! It’s on and you are blessed.
Under these conditions I urge folks to do some blind-casting to likely looking areas or suspicious swirls—if it looks fishy it’s worth a try. While doing this you’ll also need to remain on alert for that red that seems to suddenly appear ten feet off the bow. A quick underhand pitch with a jig can score. If you’re working with the fly rod…well, good luck. As the norther swings through we’ll likely see some rain on the frontal boundary and then a 180⁰ wind shift. Hopefully it’ll be a fast moving front that doesn’t stall out and give you three days of nasty, misty Seattle weather. Most folks will elect not to fish during passage of the front, but it is often one of my favorite times to be there. The elevated temperatures and water levels just prior to the front will have bait and reds scattered throughout the marsh. As the front blows through the north wind will push the water levels back to normal. If
the arrival coincides with a naturally falling tide and the wind will be 15 or more, you really need to be there. The falling tide will accelerate and everything will be funneling out of the marshes and back lakes. If you pick the right drain the results can be epic. This isn’t that calm, serene kind of stalking sight-casting. It is more like wild and crazy fish boiling the water and bait running for their lives kind of stuff. My buddy recently referred to it perfectly when he said, “The reds were going all Nat Geo.” Immediately behind the front is usually the toughest. The water probably got a little dirty from the big wind shift, the air and water temperatures dropped and the fish likely fed pretty heavy on the frontal passage. If the front was really strong the north winds will stay up for a day or two as well. About the only option during this time is dredging the deeper guts and bayous. The good news is they’ll be concentrated into smaller areas. The bad news is they’ll be tough to feed. On really strong fronts where the north wind keeps blowing for three or more days I’ve had some awesome trips. The fish are stacked, the water is low and they’ll eventually get hungry. But when things settle down it can lead to that perfect day you have been picturing. The cooler water will clear up and the tides will likely stay below normal. The sky will be brilliant blue and the winds will die to zero. As the sun warms the shallows the baitfish will slip out of the deeper guts followed closely by the redfish. These are the winter days I love. The boat launches are void of traffic and there won’t be another boat in sight. The fish are hungry and the conditions for spotting them are as good as they get. The key to December sight-casting is being flexible. Staying flexible has a couple different meanings. If you’re going no matter the conditions, work them to your advantage and run your game based on what you find. Don’t get stuck in a rut and beat your head against the wall trying to make the fish do what you’d prefer them to. The better kind of flexibility is being able to bail out of work to hit those perfect conditions. Take care of the honey-dos while the weather is crappy and cash in your hall pass at the perfect time, which rarely falls on a weekend. Those of us lucky enough to have that flexibility know what a perfect December Wednesday on the flats looks like. I can’t wait.
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temps will generally rise above normal. If the water temps have already been sufficiently chilled, the water clarity will likely remain acceptable. These pre-front conditions can also lead to a pretty aggressive feed. The issue though for the sight-caster is being able to see the fish. Cloud cover and elevated water levels often hide them until we are too close for a decent shot.
Capt. Scott Null is a devout shallow water fisherman offering guided adventues via kayak, poled skiff, and wading. Telephone Email Website
281-450-2206 scott@tsfmag.com www.captainscottnull.com
Figure 1. Catch per unit effort (CPUE) for Blue Crabs (Callinectes sapidus) in TPWD bag seines and bay trawls.
B y R ox i e M i l l e r, CC A I n t e r n | U p p e r L a g u n a M a d r e M a r i n e L a b
FIELD NOTES
Feeling Crabby:
Blue Crab Cannibalism, Predation, & Habitat Life in a seagrass bed is simple. With abundant sunlight and food sources, seagrass communities are one of the most productive marine habitats. It’s no wonder why so many species live in this lush environment during their early life stages. As a nursery habitat for several young fish and invertebrates, seagrass provides ideal habitat hidden from predators. Unless, of course, you are a juvenile blue crab. Blue crabs have extremely high mortality rates during the juvenile portion of their life cycle. Only one in every one million eggs survives to adulthood due to the multiple threats they face including habitat loss, climate change, and predation. Atlantic croaker, red drum, black drum, and several other fish species prey on blue crabs. Their scientific name, Callinectes sapidus, actually translates to “savory, blue swimmer.� They are particularly vulnerable during molting, a process of shedding their hard, protective exoskeleton. However, one of their main predators as a juvenile is other blue crabs. Blue crabs are cannibalistic and will eat smaller crabs of their own species. Typically, the larger sized crabs dominate and feed on smaller size classes. The size of each crab depends on their life history stage and food availability. Size, not age, seems to be the main factor influencing cannibalistic behavior. The two do not necessarily relate. A blue crab 56 | December 2015
in one population can grow at a faster rate than others, given the right resources. However, a more complex habitat, such as a seagrass bed, provides more protection from predators for smaller crabs than open sand areas, even with larger crabs present. In the Gulf of Mexico region, blue crabs have four growth stages. During these stages, the crab undergoes morphological changes before becoming an adult. As crustaceans, blue crabs grow by molting, a process that only occurs during ideal conditions. Male crabs will continue to molt throughout their lifetime, unlike females who molt about twenty times before adulthood. Generally, females cease to molt after mating except in strict environments. The female crab can release up to two million eggs in one spawning, which can take place throughout most of the year. She holds these eggs in a sponge-like pouch in her abdomen. Once hatched, the larvae, or zoeae, begin their first stage of life. They measure a mere quarter of a millimeter and drift passively in the water column. Typically, they spend a portion of this stage developing in offshore waters. After four to seven weeks, the small filter feeders are ready to molt for the first time. They can molt up to seven times during this stage until they reach a full millimeter in width.
The second growth stage begins after they are one millimeter wide. At this size, they are referred to as megalopae and start to display adult characteristics, like claws and a carapace. Now, the megalopae are able to freely move around in the water column and, typically, head back to the protected estuaries. Blue crabs are only considered to be juveniles once they reach the third growth phase. At this phase, the crab is over two millimeters wide and has all the morphological features of an adult. However, blue crabs are not considered to be an adult until they have reached sexual maturity, usually after twenty molts. In the Gulf of Mexico, the life expectancy of a blue crab is only three years. As a Coastal Conservation Association intern, I had the opportunity to work directly with the Coastal Fisheries Division at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TWPD). TPWD fisheries independent monitoring data has shown a decrease in blue crab populations along the Texas coast. Without any relief, this trend has continued at a steady rate since the 1980s (Figure 1). Over the past thirty years, these catch rates have fluctuated and dropped significantly. There are several possible causes behind decreasing crab populations, including overharvest, hyper-salinity, habitat availability, and predation. Crabs feed primarily on detritus and thrive in low salinity waters. Without a freshwater source, salinity levels can become too high for crabs to flourish. As a commercial and recreational resource, blue crabs provide multiple benefits to the fishing community. Fishermen and several species of game fish harvest and feed on blue crabs, including red drum and spotted sea trout. Over the past few decades, an increasing trend in sportfish populations
suggests predation rates on blue crabs could continue to rise. If the crab population continues to decline, the ecosystem could suffer as a result and predators, such as many sportfish, will have less prey available for them to feed on. Conservation efforts, such as seagrass protection, help to improve blue crab survivorship. Blue crabs are only one of the many marine species that can be found hiding in these beds to avoid predators. Although small, seagrass beds play a large part in positively contributing to marine ecosystems. That is why the Texas legislature passed a law prohibiting the uprooting of seagrasses in Texas. With its complex root structure, uprooted seagrass can take several years to heal properly, if at all. Seagrass preservation is one of the best ways to invest in future populations of fish and invertebrates. In order to see long term benefits, management effort has to start at the bottom.
Check the TPWD Outdoor Annual, your local TPWD Law Enforcement office, or www.tpwd.state.tx.us for more information.
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S C O T T S O M M E R L AT T E
F LY F I S H I N G
Tools of the
Tying Trade
Not too long ago I had a friend over for drinks. While talking fly-fishing, the subject of flies came up and he asked if I would show him how to tie a particular pattern of mine that he liked using. I of course agreed and we ended up in my “gear room” making up some bugs. Upon the near completion of the fly I pulled out what I call my “finishing” tool and he told me how cool he thought it was and made the suggestion that I do a piece on all the little special tools that I incorporate into my daily tying sessions. So, I sit here, in the dark (the power got knocked out by a tornado last night), hoping my computer battery has enough juice to give you the 411 on my fly tying set-up. The Basics It goes without saying that, outside of materials, there are three essential items (tools) required to tie a fly. First, unless you are Joe Brooks, you need to have a fly tying vise. I have several that include a Renzetti, two Regals and an Enrico Puglisi custom. Now since I mentioned the Puglisi vise a few articles back, I will not go into too many details other than I love the thing and do not want to use any of the others. Secondly, you need bobbins and thread in which I prefer those with a ceramic tube and tension adjustment. Last, but not least, you need to have a good pair of scissors, but more on that in a bit. These are all the things you NEED to have to tie a fly. But…before I move on to what I consider to be the special tools I want to talk scissors. There are all kinds of different types of scissors and although you only need to have one good, generic pair, I highly recommend having four different pair to help enhance your tying. First is a standard pair of scissors that can be found at any fly shop. These will normally have 2.5 to 3 inch blades and some common brands are Anvil and Dr. Slick. Orvis also has some decent scissors. Next on my list is a pair of scissors that are much longer for making flowing tapers in flies created with synthetic fibers such as EP Fibers or Craft Fur. The best scissors for this are barber grade that can be purchased online from a barber supply or you can order them at epflies.com. Another pair that I find to be necessary is what I like to call my “trash” scissors. I usually find these at a hobby store and I use them for 58 | December 2015
cutting foam or leather. The point being is, these scissors are cheap and what I consider disposable. Last but least, and not surprisingly, is what I consider to be the least important pair. This last pair is what some might call a finishing scissor or a fine-cut scissors. These usually have ¾ to 1 inch blades and are used to reach into to tight spaces to clip unsightly fur or feathers. Again, these are not necessary, but nice to have. Moving on, let us get into the tools that will help you take tying to the next level. Special Tools The first of these special tools that I want to tell you about are pliers. I cannot even begin to express how nice it is to have a diverse selection of pliers at your disposal while tying. The single most important pair of pliers to have is a pair of precision side-cutting dikes that can be used to cut anything from heavy mono for weed guards or anti-fouling loop all the way to the wire that binds
the EP Dubbing Brushes that I have grown so fond of utilizing. Next on my list is a pair of small needle-nose with transverse grooves in the jaws. These are not only great for grabbing hold of things and pulling it tight, but also usually have a side-cutter in the jaws. The grooves in the jaws are also great for imprinting monofilament in such a manner that your tying thread will lay into the grooves and prevent a single-post weed-guard from slipping out from beneath the wraps of thread that create the head of the fly. Another pair of pliers that I find helpful is high-leverage end-cutters. These can be used for all but the most precise cutting but where I find them the most useful is for cutting lead wire and bead-chain eyes. All in and all done, I have about 6-7 pairs of pliers laying around my tying table but the ones mentioned are certainly the ones I find most useful. If you are looking for the cheapest option, head over to the hobby store or to Sears. When I shop for pliers, I like to go either to the hobby store or a small hardware store and look for the Made in U.S.A. label. From pliers we have to move onto bodkins and picks. A half a dozen different companies make bodkins but they seem to be way too wimpy for most saltwater tying jobs. I personally prefer the bodkins that EP sells on his website but have also found good ones at the hobby store. In addition, I keep a set of dental picks that I also found at the hobby store at my side that prove handy doing precision work. The purpose of bodkins and picks is for pulling dubbing free when palmering and also for the application of epoxy and other glues. One other final piece
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of equipment that I feel fits into this group of tools well would be a hobby knife that comes with various types of exchangeable blades. These can be found at the hobby store as well. Another item that I find to be helpful, especially when tying with synthetics is a fine-toothed rattail comb. It goes without saying, they can be found just about anywhere, so I will move on to what I consider
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to be one of the most valuable tools in my fly tying arsenal. So last but not least, the “finishing” tool I spoke of in the beginning of this piece that inspired this rant. The tool I speak of is a cautery “pen” or “tip” used for surgical applications. This item can be found all over the net but most are disposable and have relatively short battery life because they become medical waste after one single use. I use a specific one marketed by Hareline Dubbin (hareline. com) that has a replaceable tip as well as an AA battery power source that allows for replacing. In short, this tool allows me to burn out any fine hairs, furs or synthetics that may either be unsightly or interfere with the finishing (epoxying) of the head. It surprisingly gives much more room for error when tying. So…with that being said, I hope I gave you some ideas to help enhance your tying experience or, if nothing else, given you a piece that you can throw down in front of someone special to give them some ideas for you a Christmas gift or two. Until next month….be good and stuff like that and… Merry Christmas. Scott Sommerlatte is a full time fly fishing and light tackle guide, freelance writer and photographer. Telephone Email Website
979-415-4379 vssommerlatte@hotmail.com www.scottsommerlatte.com
DAV E R O B E R T S
K AYA K F I S H I N G C H RO N I C L E S
The Ghost of Christmas Past Throughout the years I have spent countless hours on the water studying whenwhere-why I catch fish. As far as doing my homework, I would venture to say that a majority of my knowledge has come from trial and error and putting in time on the lake. The best way to acquire knowledge of a subject is through hands-on experience; there is not a better teacher than you learning from your own mistakes. Years ago, the allure of wintertime trout fishing always captured my attention but I had no idea where to begin in this expedition. I started reading articles, forums and any information I could find on the internet regarding wintertime tactics. After getting a basic plan together, my next move was to put some hours in on the water. After a few failed winters, I finally put all of my knowledge together of what not to do; it was a learning process but eventually I got it down. Since then I have had several 62 | December 2015
Josh. I would not normally answer but fishing was slow and I knew there had to be a good reason for him to call. Before answering, I made a lengthy cast and then attempted a onehanded retrieve of the Corky while holding a conversation. Needless to say, with only one hand it took me around 5 minutes to get in. After I hung up, I twitched my Corky one last time and watched it rise to the surface. Maybe a rod’s length away there came a bright silver flash. Before I could react, I knew this was the fish I had been searching for since my last trophy. I set the hook and my line instantly snapped. She just sat there, feet in front of me, trying to shake my lure and there I am with no control whatsoever over her. Out of spite, she came up again vigorously shaking that purple Corky right beside me before disappearing into the murky waters of Sabine Lake. I knew after losing that trout, more than likely she was going to be my biggest fish of the year. I only got to see her for a few short seconds but that was long enough to leave a lasting memory. When I am swapping fishing stories that fish always gets brought up in conversation. That fish and the long days of me shivering and begging for just one bite. The bad days are seemingly never forgotten and neither are the ones that got away. Now that December is here, I am getting prepared once again for winter. A great lesson and a good reminder of what is yet to come and better days ahead! Enjoy Life
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successful trips but those are not the times that stand out. There are a few moments of failures and follies that still linger in my mind and haunt me today. The first winter that I attempted to fish was brutal. For one, the pair of waders I owned were thin and cheap and had a hole around the left knee. After a few hours of shivering in the water I would always cut my trip short and head home with nothing but numb, wet feet and hands. I only made about three trips that year and every one of them seemed to be in the upper 30s, overcast and cold! At the end of that winter I became discouraged but knew that it took a determined angler for cold weather fishing. Leading up to the following December, I planned ahead and geared up for when the time got right. I had new waders, lures and a few other locations to try out. I swapped my familiar leadheads and soft plastics for a lure that was new to me, a Corky. The only thing I knew about this lure was that it worked for lots of fishermen and to work it slow for best results. I probably made 1000 casts that year followed by various slow retrieve methods with only one bite to show for the effort. On the bright side though, that one bite was one more than the previous year and that is progress! The next winter, three years ago and two days after Christmas, I decided to make another attempt at it. It was a Sunday and all the family that was in town already headed home, so I had no obligations for that day. I remember it being low- to mid-40s but the sun was shining and Sabine Lake was glass. I started working a She Dog across a flat and never found any action with it. After spending a half day on the water with no luck, I was ready to call it quits. Not long after my decision I noticed a group of mullet scatter frantically a good distance away. I made a quick but quiet paddle to the vicinity of where I had seen the mullet jump. I chunked a purple and chartreuse Corky in the general direction and, seconds later, a fish slammed my lure like I had never felt before! She came up shaking her head with a big purple Corky attached to her lip. After I got her in and settled down, she measured 27” and I quickly released her. I sat there until dark with the lake to myself catching trout every second or third cast. The smallest was 22” and I caught my personal best that day—a 29.5” specimen measured on my Bending Branches paddle and just shy of the 9.0 pounds on the Boga Grip. Finally! My time and effort on the water was paying off. At that instant I realized why anglers brave the elements during the winter months. Now, fast-forward to December last year. It was a week before Christmas when I decided I was going to make my first attempt of the year at finding a big trout. I loaded up my kayak, waders, jacket and my rods and headed to the lake. Accompanying my rod was a big purple Corky and we were ready for the hunt. I made my way across a flat covering a large area of water and it was slow. I made several unproductive casts and for a while I thought that I may have been a little early for the Corky bite. My phone rang and it was my buddy,
Dave Roberts is an avid kayak-fishing enthusiast fishing primarily the inshore Upper Coast region with occasional adventures to surf and nearshore Gulf of Mexico. Email: TexasKayakChronicles@yahoo.com Website: www.TexasKayakChronicles.com
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Arial photo of Cedar Bayou made October 10, 2015—note the sediment plume being carried to the gulf. A sure sign that natural scour within the channel is occurring.
Story by John Blaha | Photos by Lisa Laskowski
T S F M a g C o ns e r v a ti o n N e ws
Cedar Bayou – A Year Later Dynamic, when used as an adjective, describes a process or system characterized by frequent change, activity, or progress. When a person thinks of Cedar Bayou and Vinson Slough, one of the first things that comes to mind is dynamic. Cedar Bayou and Vinson Slough have been open and flowing to the Gulf for thirteen months as this article is being written and this pass to the Gulf has been changing and reshaping itself since the flow of water started on September 25, 2014. In the first 75 days the pass changed its course almost 400 feet toward to the south. Since that time the opening to the Gulf continues to move southward and changes can be seen with the occurrence of every major weather and tide event. Many questions have been raised by concerned anglers and the general public after every weather event or change in the bayou. The first reaction is generally “what is happening?” and then people realize once again that the system is forever 64 | December 2015
changing. The original designs for dredging Cedar Bayou and Vinson Slough called for Cedar Bayou to be dredged to a bottom width of 300 feet and 9 feet deep. Through the permitting process, this design was modified to 100 feet wide and 6 feet deep for both Cedar Bayou and Vinson Slough due to requirements put forward by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in the permitting process. This process also includes input from Federal and The connection between Cedar Bayou and Vinson Slough continues to develop with each passing weather system and tide event.
State agencies. Though this was not the design originally sought, it was approved and the effort to open Cedar Bayou and Vinson Slough finally became reality. A key component to the CCA Texas’s financial commitment to the project was to have a maintenance component to the project to ensure that the pass remained open and, when necessary, maintenance dredging could be performed, based on surveys and behavior of the pass in the time prior to maintenance needs. “Cedar Bayou is like having another kid,” commented Aransas County Judge Burt Mills. Mills continued, “Like a kid, you watch over them and you worry about them, but you know in the end it is all going to be OK. Sometimes you have to help them along and with
The bank of Vinson Slough heading toward intersection with Cedar Bayou. As the engineering model predicted, recent huge tides leaving the bay system have worked to change channel shape and depth significantly.
Cedar Bayou we are developing a maintenance plan and will do everything we can to keep it flowing.” Since dredging was completed in September 2014, recreational fishermen from across the state have visited the bayou to fish within it and also in the surf. There have been days when as many as 25 to 30 boats have been in the bayou at any given time. Fishing has been consistent throughout this time, but because it’s fishing (and not always catching), some days are good and some days are not as good. Then you have those days when you experience a trip like never before and you simply seem to throw your bait in a fish’s mouth every cast. Not only is Cedar Bayou providing a great benefit to the ecosystem, it is providing anglers from across the state with a very productive fishing destination. The biological impacts of opening of Cedar Bayou and Vinson Slough were felt immediately. Within just a few days, first-year marine biology students from Texas A&M Corpus Christi visited the site with Dr. Greg Stunz to see how sampling was done for research and to see the project. After pulling some sampling equipment, one of the students came forward to Dr. Stunz with a few small fish in their hand and ask Dr. Stunz what they were. Redfish! In the prior two years of sampling in the Cedar Bayou area, not a single larval or fry redfish had been found. The opening of Cedar Bayou coincided with the beginning of the redfish fall spawning run and already the pass was paying dividends for the surrounding fishery. Post-opening surveys show that since the opening, the densities of redfish larvae at Cedar Bayou are significant and in line with other inlets. Harte Research
Institute (HRI) sampling has also shown good presence of blue crab and Atlantic croaker, and also southern flounder. These post-opening surveys provided great data and reinforced the importance of coastal passes tying Texas’s bays to the Gulf of Mexico. The immediate area of Cedar Bayou is rich with seagrass, habitat that is critical to the survival of many marine species during early parts of their life cycle. These seagrass beds have shown a resurgence in growth since the opening was accomplished, aided in great part by abundant rainfall across the region this past spring and summer. “The opening of Cedar Bayou has provided a great benefit to the surrounding ecosystem,” commented Quentin Hall, Masters of Science Graduate at Texas A&M Corpus Christi. “The area is alive with larvae of many marine animals and the growth and expansion of seagrass beds in the area has been great to see. The immediate and surrounding areas should see the benefit of this pass opening for years to come.” As a side note, Quentin graduated recently from Texas A&M with his Masters of Science. Quentin’s thesis title was; Determination of Seasonal Abundance, Density, and Distribution of Nekton Species Proximal to Cedar Bayou Preand Post-Opening. His research focus was the effects of reopening a tidal inlet on nekton species. To read his thesis defense abstract and to view his public defense on line, please visit http://harteresearchinstitute.org/component/ content/article/11-frontpage-news/290-watchonline-hri-master-s-student-quentin-hall. CCA Texas graciously thanks Quentin, Dr. Greg Stunz and the rest of the staff at HRI for their support and willingness to provide educational outreach about the ecological effects of the opening of Cedar Bayou to CCA Texas volunteer chapters across the state. In closing, Cedar Bayou is a project that the majority of CCA Texas membership, CCA Texas leadership and the general public have heartily endorsed and supported. The project has had its ups and downs, but it has been a full year and it continues to flow strongly between Mesquite Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. As I close this article, I must say it has been a very trying week—rumors and inaccurate reports circulating on social media of sudden and drastic changes in the main channel causing the pass to close as a seasonal “bull” tide receded. I and others have visited the bayou twice in the last 5 days, and even within those 5 days we have seen changes. The area called “closed” was running 3 to 4 feet deep on the second visit and current was moving strongly to the Gulf. Some areas had as little as 12” to 18” flowing across sand flats and then some of the main guts had water over 8 foot deep and running like a swollen river. Remember, by the time you are reading this article it will likely have changed once again, for the worse in some cases and for the better in others. In the end, Mother Nature is in ultimate control and we are all here to try our best to help her along and make right what mankind may have disturbed in prior years. Thank you to CCA Texas members, the general public and agencies that all supported not only this effort, but all of the other worthy conservation projects of CCA Texas throughout the year. Merry Christmas — May your lines be tight throughout the holiday season! TSFMAG.com | 65
Streblospio benedicti Photo by Erin M. Hill | Research Specialist III Center for Coastal Studies | Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi
STEPHANIE BOYD
F I S H Y FA C T S
POLYCHAETE WORMS (Continued from the November issue...) The serpulid reefs of Baffin are not the only polychaete residents we have on the Texas Coast; there are far too many species to cover (hundreds, at least). Most are easily overlooked by someone casually exploring the seashore, even though their densities in mud and sand habitats often exceed those of their mollusk and crustacean counterparts. A characteristic species of the Upper Laguna Madre is Clymenella torquata, one of the bamboo worms. Bamboo worms are named for the resemblance of their segmentally striped body to a jointed bamboo stalk. These are tube-dwelling worms, usually orange or green. They reside head down in the tube, using their bottom to plug the top of the tube. This position enables them to eat their way down through the sediment. Any bacteria or nutrients in the sediment are extracted in the gut, and the waste is excreted through the top of the tube, where it is swept away by the currents. Bamboo worms also irrigate their tubes every 15 or 20 minutes, which allows 66 | December 2015
them to survive in oxygen-depleted waters. Unlike many other tube-dwelling polychaetes, C. torquata is so tightly packed into its tube that it is unable to turn around. Because its tail is exposed to predators every time it needs to relieve itself, it has cultivated an uncommon hastiness in this activity. However, it can regenerate lost segments, if the fish gets the better of it. Polychaetes are the numerically dominant macroscopic (visible to the naked eye) animals throughout most of the soft bottoms in the Gulf. Their dominance is challenged intermittently by brief blooms of amphipods, anemone, and some clam species. They are a major food resource of commercial shrimp and are also a large portion of the diets of such fishes as porgies, batfish, flounders, and tonguefish. One species common in the fine sand characterizing most of the nearshore sediments in the northwestern Gulf is Owenia fusiformis, the roofing worm. Though it can be found in coarse sediments, this greenish/yellowish worm prefers to build its tube in areas of fairly clean sand. It arranges flat, light-colored sand
sediment, are often snapped off by wave action; the worms just rebuild (sand and mud are easy pickings, after all, and they always have some mucous to spare). Where I learned about polychaetes, and you can too! Beachcomber’s Guide to Gulf Coast Marine Life: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida By Susan B. Rothschild The Laguna Madre of Texas and Tamaulipas By John Wesley Tunnell and Frank W. Judd “Oyster Reef as Habitat for Estuarine Macrofauna” By R. Zimmerman, T. Minello, T. Baumer, and M. Castiglione National Marine Fisheries Service | Southeast Fisheries Center | Galveston Laboratory Clymenella torquata Photo by Erin M. Hill
grains like overlapping roof tiles, with the free edges facing upwards. In mature worms, this tube is 6-8 inches long and 2-5 mm wide. Like the bamboo worm, this species can live in low oxygen concentrations for a short time. O. fusiformis lives with its tube partly extended from the sediment so that its feeding crown, a circle of short, fringed tentacles, can intercept suspended food particles. However, it will also bend over to pick up larger food particles from the sea floor near its tube. This species is often preyed on by flatfish, haddock, and cod, among others. The most abundant annelid species in the marsh and mud bottoms in West Galveston Bay, according to a study from Dec 1988-July 1989, is Streblospio benedicti. This is a small polychaete that grows less than 2 inches in length (often only about 0.25 inches) and typically lives 30 to 75 weeks. Individuals are generally reddish-brown and slightly translucent, with dark green-brown gill bands. Like the bamboo worm, S. benedicti ingests sediment and extracts the nutrients, but like O. fusiformis, it can extend its feeding tentacles up into the water column to capture floating food particles. This opportunistic behavior contributes to its success as a pioneering species. S. benedicti is consumed by a variety of predators, including grass shrimp, blue crabs, and juvenile fish, such as spot and flounder. Its high density, up to 555 individuals per square foot, makes it a very appealing food source, like a dollar menu (so much food, so little effort). A 1998 taxonomic revision, based on genetic and morphological data, now recognizes Gulf of Mexico populations of S. benedicti as belonging to a separate, closely related species, Streblospio gynobranchiata. That’s just a sampling of the hundreds (maybe thousands) of species of polychaete worms found in the Gulf. Most of us never notice them, despite their prevalence. I only knew of their existence from the tubes that wash up on the beach – little straws of sand covered in colorful shell bits. Luckily (for the worm), finding those tubes doesn’t mean the worm has died. The top halves of the tube, sticking up above the
“The Magnitude of Global Marine Species Diversity, Current Biology” dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2012.09.036
World Polychaeta Database www.marinespecies.org/polychaeta/ World Register of Marine Species www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=130544 Marine Species Identification Portal species-identification.org/species.php?species_group=zmns&id=253 Smithsonian Marine Station www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Streblospio_benedicti.htm Sea Slug Forum www.seaslugforum.net/find/polychaete Encyclopedia of Life eol.org/pages/84/overview Encyclopaedia Britannica www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/468364/polychaete Science Encyclopedia science.jrank.org/pages/6062/Segmented-Worms.html University of California Museum of Paleontology www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/annelida/annelida.html www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/annelida/polyintro.html Natural History Museum www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/species-of-the-day/evolution/platynereisdumerilii/ Natural History Museum of Los Angeles www.nhm.org/site/research-collections/polychaetous-annelids/faqs Life Desks - Marine Biodiversity of British Columbia bcbiodiversity.lifedesks.org/pages/18056 bcbiodiversity.lifedesks.org/pages/18062
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CURTISS CASH
I N S H ORE | N EAR S H ORE | J E T T I E S | P A S S E S
GEAR REVIEW – Part One As a kid, I first started reading and expanding my knowledge of fishing through my father’s old fishing magazines. To this day I still remember vivid ads and certain how-to articles that molded my thought process on how to be a more successful angler. Many times I would question my dad or his friends about the effectiveness of a certain rod, reel or lure. My dad’s normal response was, “When you read a story, you can tell if the author was getting paid to promote the product.” It was many years later before I realized what he meant and I knew that I never wanted to be that writer. Being that my whole life is centered on fishing, I see all the gadgets, gizmos and smoke-blowing that goes on in the tackle world. It takes a lot to get my attention and leave a good impression. I was fortunate to put some new 68 | December 2015
tackle into use this season. Most of which I purchased, but there were some demonstrator products thrown in the mix. Included this month are some of the products I will continue using and highly recommend. Bait One day, it all changed. Gator Bait was advertised on a fishing show, possibly The Lone Star Sportsman back in the early 80s. The ad had a scientist in a white lab coat telling the audience you could catch any fish that swims on this bait—or your money back! The advertisement concluded with a video clip of fishermen catching all types of fish on Gator Bait. Never mind what my dad said; I knew this guy was probably on the payroll but I had to get some of his magical bait.
It looked like a bandage and smelled like old gym socks, but that stuff was good! No matter where I fished or what I fished for, my rod was bent double with my reel screaming. After buying several jars I became very disappointed when it suddenly disappeared off the market. Fast forward about 20 years—I stumbled across a similar product by the same scientist, Dr. William Carr’s Fishbites! With a similar concept and without the gym sock aroma, it catches plenty of fish. Fishbites comes in multiple scents that mimic common salt water bait species, many color options and several shapes and sizes to suit different fishing applications. Fishbites even has a soft-plastic lure line. During the last few seasons, especially this year, I’ve relied upon the durability of Fishbites to put fish in the box when nothing else worked. Schools of slot-sized black drum often have swarms of small croaker, pinfish and silver trout surrounding them. When using dead shrimp, my anglers’ bait would be picked clean seconds after hitting the water. This is where Fishbites saved the day - many, many times.
Lures The DOA Swimming Mullet has been a go-to lure of mine for several years. At 5 inches long and weighing in at 1-¼ ounces this is a big-fish lure. Long accurate casts can be made with this streamlined lure, very important for blind-casting across or into our consistent coastal breeze. The weight-forward single hook design allows this lure to be cast and retrieved with the hook riding up. Additional jigging action is not needed, the life-like action is built right into it. I’ve had best success cranking at a moderate speed with the rod TSFMAG.com | 69
tip pointed at the lure. Don’t let the no-frills appearance fool you, this lure actually swims very similarly to a live mullet. Not commonly found here in Texas, I gladly picked up a half dozen at the Houston Fishing Show. I knew I should have got a couple of dozen more because the fish really like them. Early this season we hooked tarpon, kings, bull reds, jacks, snapper and spinner sharks. My anglers during the Warrior’s Weekend event hooked a sea monster while casting this lure, taking turns for over an hour. We finally leadered a green sea turtle approximately 44 inches long and a couple hundred pounds. The Swimming Mullet was firmly lodged in the corner of its mouth.
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Rods When it comes to rods, I’ve been known to use them until the guides start to fall off. No matter the price point or design, they are all subjected to extreme use and abuse in client’s hands. For throwing lures, I have had great success with the Daiwa LEXA 721MXB. This 7-foot—2-inch extra-fast action, medium-power rod performs equally well with both topwater and soft plastic lures. For live bait applications I use the Daiwa TDS771MRB. This 7-foot— 7-inch rod has similar action and power as the LEXA but with more length. On an overhead cast the extra length aids in not hooking oneself in the backside, others in the boat, or the boat’s gunwale. Both of these rods are marketed as bass fishing rods, but they work just as well in the salt. Impressive features that both rods share are: - 10 line guides, which keeps the line from ever touching the blank when deeply flexed - Un-sanded finish that combines maximum strength with lighter weight and increased sensitivity - Skeleton reel seat with a non-slip EVA foam split-grip design In the spinning rod category the 7-foot—3-inch bass rod from Temple Fork Outfitters quickly became one of my favorites. TFO, a Dallas, Texas company, relies on the technical knowledge and experience of master rod designer Gary Loomis. He incorporates decades of cutting edge technology and engineering into the TFO line of conventional rods. Gary held nothing back when designing the Tactical Series. This GTS S734-1 ($159.95) Tactical Series rod has become the one I always reach for personally. Paired with a 2500 or 3000 size reel, this rod really shines. Equally effective tossing a junior-sized topwater or a non-weighted live bait, this rod sees use on every
outing. The light weight (3.9 ounces) and fast-action tip are a pleasure to cast for hours and incorporates the backbone to turn a fish and then muscle it boatside. My go to medium-action bait rod is the 7-foot Berkley Inshore Series, model BSINS701M-MF ($59.99.) New for 2015 Berkley engineered these rods for the saltwater environment. Built with quality Fuji guides, 24-ton modulus carbon fiber blank, ergonomically shaped reel seat and rubberized split cork grip. The Inshore Series rod is multi-functional. The slower-action tip section loads up well to catapult non-weighted live baits or Styrofoam float rigs a long distance. The components complement each other very well and the blank is TOUGH. Several times I’ve seen this rod fully doubled over while being pulled under the boat or wedged between the outboard and transom. Fully expecting the graphite to explode, I thought each time, “Oh well, it has caught lots of fish.” As usual, my monthly writing gets too long to fit into the given space and this month is no exception. I didn’t get to reels, line, terminal tackle or clothing. Well this will have to be part one, to be continued in January. Stay warm my friends by dressing the part or at least carrying a dry change of clothing.
Capt. Curtiss Cash offers charters in the Port O’Connor area; specializing in fishing the bays, passes, jetties, surf and nearshore waters. Species targeted include speckled trout, redfish, flounder, tripletail, black drum, bull reds, sharks, snapper, kingfish, ling and tarpon, when seasonally available. Phone
361-564-7032
Offshore kayak trips should always include at least one partner.
E X T R E M E K AYA K F I S H I N G & S H A R K S F R O M T H E S A N D
ER I C O Z O L I N S
Winter Kayaking Strategies As a mostly phenomenal fishing year draws to a close many of us are still amped-up and wish to continue the exciting pace. Much of my own personal action was landbased this year though I did undertake some offshore and kayaking trips. This past summer was very productive for my kayaking buddies who ventured beyond the breakers. Impressive catches of red snapper, cobia, and king mackerel topped the list. The unique cold-water upwellings during the heated months brought some unusual action such as the large dusky sharks that wreaked havoc on kayakers pursuing kings and snapper. More unique surprises awaited once cold up-wellings vanished. Another buddy had a whale shark encounter just a couple miles off the beach while targeting mackerel under the birds. To have a near 30’ shark, curious one at that, inspect you sitting in a piece of plastic one-third the length of the creature itself must have been heart-pounding! 72 | December 2015
Kayak anglers were rewarded with exceptional cobia fishing as Indian summer developed. Cobia is one of my favorite fish to target from the yak and while not truly massive like sharks, you must exercise caution when landing and handling them. I’ve seen anglers pulled out of the kayak—gaffing what looked like a tired cobia. Kevin Eager with wintertime offshore bull red.
Swimming in shark infested water while holding onto a bloody, gaffed fish is never a good idea. For that matter, bringing any offshore species into the kayak can be dangerous. Small Spanish mackerel can sharply nip your leg. King mackerel can easily take off a finger. Dorsal spines are a threat, as on thrashing red snapper. While accidents of many kinds can and do happen, being in the company of other kayakers can greatly minimalize the overall risk factor. For safety reasons, partnering up should be standard on all adventures beyond-the-breakers. Safety cannot be stressed enough. An incredible example happened Never underestimate the presence of sharks offshore!
to a good friend who ventured out solo, late in the year, after snapper. The end of November and with the water turning cold, he had baits out behind the kayak and one got hit. An average-sized shark, probably a 5- to 6 footer. When the fish began to swim off my buddy felt the tension but the reel drag was not releasing line. The line had somehow become wrapped around the rod tip. Something had to give and the torque of the fish pulling on the rod ended up capsizing the kayak. My friend, swimming in uncomfortably cold water, was in panic mode. Unfortunately the rod was clipped into the kayak and the fish was dragging the kayak away from him. Luckily, the line eventually broke and with his last remaining strength he was able to recover his kayak. Had the line not snapped, there is a very good chance my friend would not be alive to tell the story. So – with safety covered – let’s discuss the possibilities that lie ahead this winter for the plastic navy. Depending on El Niño, we may or may not have a warm December. In the event we do, anglers can expect the possibility of solid sow snapper. Many oil platforms have unfortunately been removed, which sucks to a massive degree for the fish and anglers that utilize them, but there are many rocks, wrecks, and other “reef” structure peppered along our coast. Some are known to kayakers, most are not. With varying currents, more and more are being discovered (or covered up) each year. One thing I stress very strongly is that if you have a secret and productive location, keep it secret! Do not divulge this “gem of a spot” type
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Dinner!
Again, depending El Niño, we may experience a colder than average winter. When the water gets too cold to chase cobia and snapper offshore in the kayak, another avenue opens up: bay fishing. I am traditionally not a bay fishermen, other than seeking rays for bait or occasional flounder; I am stuck on the surf. However, there are times when even the hardest of the hardcore relent and for me it is on the coldest days of winter. We have a very healthy bay fishery here locally and the farther south you travel the shallower the bays become, on average. The Laguna Madre averages only 2- to 3 feet in depth and 74 | December 2015
during ultra-cold blasts things can get very interesting. Water temps plunge as arctic fronts arrive. If fish do not make it to deeper water quickly, they could get physically stunned or worse, die. Red drum and black drum do quite well in the cooler water while sea trout often have to seek deeper, warmer places. When it gets stupid cold I will take my kayak to the bay (properly dressed of course) and seek out deep holes, channels, or other deep structure with soft plastics. Times like this, I usually get my biggest trout of the year. I vividly remember several years ago battling the elements throwing lures and I hooked into something massive. I fought the fish for a while to have it surface in clear water—a lunker trout. With some amount of grace and luck, I managed to land that fish. It was a fat sow trout taping out at 31.5” and when removing the hook I noticed this fish had another smaller trout lodged in its throat! That is about as “Jurassic Park mode” our bays get right there! And rightfully, the only time I have the desire to hit the bays. Big trout are not my only interest on these super cold days. Giant schools of red drum will gather and run the edge of the flats picking off any stunned mullet or other baitfish they can find. You can often stay in a school for hours and battle them until your hands begin to go numb and literally freeze. The biggest flounder I have ever seen caught on rod A beautiful and reel was landed on a day like this while wintertime speck. targeting trout. And as with the redfish, the black drum will also school up tightly and will feed around the clock. This is an exciting time for fishing the bays but you must abide all state and federal game laws and restrictions. Within recent years, Texas Parks and Wildlife has enacted No-Fishing-Zones in certain areas if the temperatures drop too low. This is a bit frustrating in that it limits fishing opportunity but the law is the law. There are always other areas that will be fishable and quite possibly holding the inshore fish of your dreams. The same as offshore kayaking, I highly encourage having at least one partner making the trip with you. Not only can it possibly save your life, getting into a mess of fish with a couple of good friends can be a heck of a good time!
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information unless you want a crowd there on your next trip offshore. I’ve a buddy who discovered an uncharted wreck only a mile offshore, all on his own. I do not know the exact location and hope he never gives it up to me or anyone. As far as I’m concerned it is his and he should keep it private.
For the past decade Eric ‘Oz’ Ozolins has been promoting shark catch and release and assisting various shark research programs. Eric offers guided shark fishing on Padre Island National Seashore. Also renowned for extreme kayak big game fishing, Eric runs Kayak Wars; one of the largest kayak fishing tournaments in the world. Email Websites
oz@oceanepics.com extremecoast.com | oceanepics.com | kayakwars.com
DOUBLE DIGIT BLUES Only in Costa Rica. Only on a Maverick. Photo by Will Drost
DEPART FROM THE LUXURIOUS LOS SUEÑOS MARINA F I S H O N S A F E , S E A M O U N T- R E A D Y C U S T O M 4 2 ’ M AV E R I C K YA C H T S ( S PA N I S H F LY / S E A F LY ) PROFESSIONAL, TOURNAMENT WINNING CAPTAINS AND CREWS C AT C H A N D R E L E A S E C O N S E R VAT I O N
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Z-Man DieZel MinnowZ Spinnerbait Savvy inshore saltwater anglers know that the flash of spinnerbaits can be the ticket to garnering strikes from redfish in stained water. However, the majority of jig spinners simply aren’t built to withstand abuse from saltwater game fish. Saltwater anglers looking for beefed-up spinners will love the new DieZel™ Spin, which is equipped with a heavy-gauge, stainless spinner wire that is connected directly, a Mustad® UltraPoint® hook, 3D eyes, and a double-barb stainless trailer keeper. Each bait features an oversized Colorado blade for maximum vibration and the toughest inshore swimbait on the market—an ElaZtech 4-inch paddle-tail DieZel MinnowZ™. www.ZManFishing.com
Spiderwire® Stealth® Blue Camo Braid™ Blending in with Braid Saltwater anglers prefer to blend into their surroundings. Look at their boats, clothing and equipment; each is designed to outwit wary fish, so why expect anything else from braided line? Saltwater Blue Camo matches the blue, white and turquoise environmental colors for greater concealment. Stealth Blue Camo is a tough, sensitive line designed with saltwater anglers in mind. The camo pattern alternates between deep blue, turquoise and white to blend with the water; above water it is highly visible to the angler. Available in 10- to 100-pound test in 125, 200, 300, 1500 and 3,000-yard spools. MSRP starting at $14.99 | www.Spiderwire.com
Waterloo Rods—Neon Pink Salinity Series The new Waterloo Neon-Pink Salinity Series is available in mediumaction 7’ casting and spinning models. All models come with our custom Stealth Split Grip and 316 Stainless Steel Kegan guides. We can also build custom orders on the Neon Pink blank—Recoil guides, thread colors, etc., to your exact specifications. Waterloo guarantees the Neon Pink Salinity Series will not fade! www.WaterlooRods.com 76 | December 2015
products
Cyclone Fish and Game Wash Cyclone action swirls fish fillets, skinned dove and duck breasts; to remove feathers, scales, slime, and other debris in a few short minutes. Place fish fillets or bird breasts in bucket, connect water hose, and let ‘er go to work! Internet and phone orders welcome: www. cyclonefishandgamewash.com 361-237-5885 $29.95 plus shipping and handling Demonstration videos on website Made in Seadrift, TX by a family of anglers and hunters for Texas sportsmen. -Patent Pendingwww.cyclonefishandgamewash.com
Smoove Introduces Revolutionary New Boat Wash Product Smoove Ultimate Boat Wash is a concentrated product that was developed through hundreds of hours of hands-on research and field testing to ensure that it would stand up to the rigors of the marine environment. It is specially formulated for use on gelcoat, fiberglass and painted fiberglass, where a special pH-balanced blend of cleaners along with a synthetic wash emulsion results in a high-foaming wash that breaks loose the dirt particles while not stripping away the wax on the surface. The wax emulsion contained within the product helps to further protect the surface and adds extra protection to the existing wax. The MSRP for the Smoove Ultimate Boat Wash quart size is $19.95; the gallon retails for $59.95. For more information visit www.smoovewax.com or call 410-490-2628.
Yo-Zuri Crystal 3D Shrimp The newly updated Yo-Zuri Crystal 3D Shrimp is a realistic looking hard-bodied lure featuring an internationally patented 3D Prism Internal Finish. This lure produces a brilliant shine that reflects like facets of a diamond, flashing in all directions, attracting fish from far distances. It is designed to slow-sink at a rate that perfectly mimes a shrimp in stasis. This allows the angler to fish the lure as it sinks in a “twitch-retrievepause” fashion which produces incredible strikes. Additional finishes include Ultra Violet accents and glow-in-the-dark patterns, for any water condition. The pulsating and tough holographic Mylar tinsel tail completes the look of a real swimming shrimp. Two sizes and 7 color patterns are available to choose from. www.yo-zuri.com
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Dickie Colburn
DICKIE COLBURN’S Sabine Scene All it took to ignite the bite on Sabine was a storm surge that stripped the decking off piers on the south end of the lake immediately followed by a nine inch rain event and a 30 to 40 mile per hour wind. Not exactly what you expect in late October but right in line with the weather conditions we Sabine have dealt with all year long! The saving grace, in spite of Mother Nature’s ugly ways, was that the incredibly high tides the week Dickie Colburn is a full prior to the storm pushed saltwater time guide out of Orange, well up both the Sabine and Neches Texas. Dickie has 37 years rivers. The local flooding that experience guiding on followed this had far less effect on Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes. the salinity and it was “game on” as soon as the wind subsided. Telephone 409-883-0723 The shrimp had already started Website exiting the marshes, even on www.sabineconnection.com incoming tides, and that migration gets stronger with the passage of each cold front. The water clarity is excellent all over the lake and while I fully expect a blizzard of Biblical proportions to unexpectedly roar through tomorrow, the catching is currently about as good as it can get on Sabine! Wind and cold are to be expected across the next few months, but hopefully we will experience far fewer major rain events in 2016. The only anticipated element missing in a very user-friendly bite has been trout in the six to eight pound class, but even that should change as we spend more time wading than drifting. We are already spending more time out of the boat and are catching more trout in the five-pound class than we are drifting the flats or working the birds. Admittedly, it is hard to keep clients focused on fewer bites and larger trout while watching trout and reds blowing bait out of the water under the gulls in deeper water. A good way to start any morning!
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Make no mistake about it—it is nice to once again have multiple options. The trout we are currently catching under the gulls are much larger than they were even a month ago with limits of 2- to 3-pound fish pretty much the norm. You can get it done in a hurry with plastics like the Usual Suspect, Lil’ John or four-inch Sea Shad rigged on an
Jay caught this nice red fishing under the gulls.
Assassin Swim Hook, but the largest fish in the schools are more apt to eat a topwater like the She Dog or Super Spook. At least one person in my boat is always fishing a tail under a TKO popping cork even when the birds aren’t around. That rig, fished with a Laguna 7 foot medium action spinning rod and Shimano reel filled with 20 pound braid keeps even a first-time fisherman very much in the hunt. Backlashes are not a concern, the drag systems are more than adequate and the lure stays in or just above the strike zone at all times. It has been so nice not having to beat the shoreline while casting into the teeth of the wind eight hours a day, but that bite hasn’t slowed down. In fact, it remains a very productive Plan B with both flounder and redfish ambushing finger mullet and shrimp on every small point of grass. The redfish will just crush a topwater but you will generate far more bites with a three-inch Usual Suspect or a GULP Swimming Mullet. If we learned nothing else from having to deal with crippling salinity levels that eliminated ninety percent of the lake, it was the importance of speed of retrieve when fishing plastics. When the salinity was at its lowest we were forced to literally crawl a tail across the bottom and, more often than not, simply shake it in place. On the other end of the spectrum, we were a little slow to pick up the pace as the salinity improved and a better bite may have taken place even sooner than we initially thought. With that in mind, I have since fished my tails a little quicker thus keeping them in the upper part of the water column more than ever before and caught trout when a slower retrieve failed miserably. There simply is no “one size fits all” when it comes to fishing, but experimenting with confidence is more valuable than any lure in your arsenal. An invitation to fish with you is a Christmas present no youngster will ever forget. Merry Christmas and Happy New year!
Pathfinder 2300 HPS
Maverick Mirage 18 HPX-V
Pathfinder 2600 HPS
Maverick Mirage 17 HPX-S
Capt. Caleb Harp
The Buzz on Galveston Bay
The Great Flood of 2015 – Again! Two weeks ago we were catching lots of decent trout wading shorelines and drifting clam shell pads. The water quality was very good across the whole Galveston Bay system—good enough for sight-casting redfish on Galveston the grass flats—the schools were huge and hungry enough you could catch them ‘til your arms ached. Big trout were starting to show in Capt. Caleb Harp has fished the traditional fall places and we were Galveston Bay System since living the dream; couldn’t wait to see childhood and, now a charter how much better it would get as the captain and fishing guide, he season went on. Then it started to uses his knowledge to enable rain—Noah-class. clients to enjoy the excellent Just like last spring, the rivers are fishing the area offers. His running flood stage and the bays specialty is the year-around pursuit for trophy trout and are becoming inundated with fresh redfish with artificial lures water. Talk about déjà-vu! We thought we were set up for Telephone a perfect late-fall and winter season 281-753-3378 when Mother Nature struck again. Over Website harpsguideservice.com the past two weeks we have received an average of 20-inches of rain across the region, more in some places. Homes and businesses all over the Houston area were completely flooded. The current in almost every bayou and slough feeding Upper Galveston is rushing uncontrollably. The Trinity River went from almost no flow to 54,300 cfs at Livingston Dam, and rising. As negative as all this sounds, it will be okay in the long run. The fish didn’t die; they’re simply fleeing the flood. This isn’t our first flood and won’t be our last. You have to remember what we went through earlier this year. In May, Livingston was discharging 74,000 cfs and it continued seven weeks. Trinity Bay and the northwest corner of East Bay were completely wiped out. The San Jacinto River flooded out the entire north end of Upper Galveston and the Ship Channel down to the boat cut of the North Jetty, but this water got salty way sooner with the tide rolling up the ship channel. All the fields and canals around Anahuac drained through Oyster Bayou. The back end of East Bay got freshed-out but the fishing remained surprisingly good. We caught them all summer and followed them back to traditional areas that quickly regained salinity once the rain quit. If the rain quits and lays-off from this point forward we will be in far better shape than this spring—there is a huge difference in 54,300 cfs and 74,000 cfs. If the rain keeps up we’ll all be ganged up again in Lower Galveston. Each passing front will push out 80 | December 2015
more fresh water and when the south wind blows it will bring us clean salt water from the Gulf. It’s all in Mother Nature’s hands at this point. West Galveston Bay I expect West Bay will very good this winter. Traditionally, wet winters provide exceptional fishing in this region. The neighborhood canals, lakes and bayous that a lot of fish reside in get flushed and the fish end up in the bay. Shallow oyster reefs with deep-water access nearby and the south shoreline coves are go-to areas in winter. Work these areas thoroughly with Corky Clint Richard with an Fat Boys for best results. 8-pound East Bay trout. Drifting muddy streaks in the middle of the bay can be dynamite as well. West Bay is least affected by fresh water inundation so it may become pretty crowded. East Galveston Bay East Bay is receiving a lot of run-off from Oyster Bayou, Robinson’s Bayou and the ICW. Most of the backend is fresh but luckily, Rollover Pass pumps up the salinity pretty quickly. December can be amazing in the back of East Bay. The extremely muddy and oyster-filled flats are home to some of the Galveston Bay System’s biggest trout. With Rollover Pass pumping in salty water and Oyster Bayou dumping out fresh water, the trout have everything they need to become monstrous. Bait is the key here, wherever the pods of mullet are is where your lure should be. Drifting East Bay in winter can be productive for trout and reds with Corky Devils and MirrOlure provokers over Capt. Caleb mud/shell. with an 8-1/2 pound Galveston trophy last December.
Trinity Bay Trinity Bay is “game over” right now. With 54,300 cfs of fresh water coming out of Livingston it would be more productive to grab a cast-net and go catch some blue cats. The east shoreline gets too hammered by north wind to regain clarity before another blast of north wind arrives. The west shoreline will get obliterated with the stiff northeast winds that follow each front. If the Trinity River flow dies down fairly quickly we may be back to Trinity by late-January but we will just have to see! Good luck and stay safe out there! -Capt. Caleb Harp
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Bink Grimes
The View from Matagorda
Matagorda
Bink Grimes is a full-time fishing and hunting guide, freelance writer and photographer, and owner of Sunrise Lodge on Matagorda Bay.
Telephone 979-241-1705 Email binkgrimes@sbcglobal.net Website www.matagordasunriselodge.com
82 | December 2015
North winds, gray clouds and low tides used to be the normal picture of a Texas December. That was a long time ago. The Decembers I see now border, at times, on shorts and short sleeves between cold fronts. The fact of the matter is that December has taken on a fall pattern for most of the month for the past decade. Capt. Charlie Paradoski calls December the best month of the year to fish for its propensity to cough up heavy speckled trout in East Matagorda Bay on plastics. He loves making afternoon drifts with Bass Assassins over deep shell. Me too! Just like all winter months, it all hinges on the weather. If the weather allows me to fish, I fish. If it doesn’t, I duck
hunt. Many days I do both. The crazy thing is that most of the time there are few boats on the water fishing. You can work whatever shoreline you want and don’t have to worry about people running over you or the fish.
It doesn’t happen every year, but two out of the last three years the birds have worked in East Matagorda Bay through the middle of the month. Granted, the months in question were milder than normal. At the time of this writing, we are still waiting on the first real cold front of autumn. So, chances are there will still be some bird action this year. Even during a mild December, most of the white shrimp crop have left the bays by Christmas and speckled trout are chasing mullet. That’s when slow-sinking mullet-imitation plugs like Catch 5s, Catch
2000s, MirrOlure 51Ms, 52Ms and Corkys go to work. Reefs and mud flats adjacent to the Intracoastal, like Brown Cedar Flats, Chinquapin Reefs, Bird Island, Half-Moon Reef and the Log are all proven winter spots holding healthy specks. Drifting is also an option, especially with the height of the low-tide of winter solstice occurring just before Santa arrives. East Bay is often 2-3 feet below normal in December, depending how hard the north wind blows. Raymond Shoals, Boiler Bayou, Pipeline Reef and Cleveland Reef hold good fish during the winter; and, when tides are extremely low, shoreline redfish move off the flats to these deep reefs in the middle of the bay. When the wind really blows, never discount the Colorado River. Low tides in West Bay drain the delta at the mouth of the Diversion Channel and funnel all fish to the deep channel. However, at the time of this writing the river was muddy and flowing from late October rains. That’s not to say the river will not clear up by December. It all depends on how much more rain we get. All this rain we have received does nothing but help our ecosystem. Sure, it eliminates some fertile redfishing grounds, but the good far outweighs the inconvenience of fresh, muddy water flooding the bays. There are plenty of fish to be caught in Matagorda even if it continues to rain. We will reap the wet rewards for many years to come.
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Capt. Gary Gray
MID-COAST BAYS With the Grays
Port O'Connor Seadrift
Captain Gary Gray is a full time guide born and raised in Seadrift. He has been guiding in the Seadrift/ Port O’Connor area for 28 years. Gary specializes in wading for trout and redfish year round with artificial lures.
Telephone 361-785-6708 Email bayrats@tisd.net Website www.bayrat.com
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84 | December 2015
Here we go again folks—Mother Nature has just thrown us another of her wicked curve balls. My normal December fishing strategy is usually pretty consistent: -Point the bow of my Shallow Sport X3 towards San Antonio Bay and stop on a bait-laden reef. Catch trout on just about any lure you want to throw. Load back up in said Shallow Sport and head to another reef. Repeat as needed! Trouble with Mother Nature’s curves is that we have no idea of the full impact when we first see them coming. The fishing strategy Match the hatch! Look described above could still closely and you will see play out if the fresh water a copperhead 4” Bass runoff from recent flooding Assassin Sea Shad and a real shad in the middle and upper in a hungry parts of the Guadalupe Basin trout’s mouth. moves through the bay system quickly. For the better part of October and part of November I have been changing up my normal routine. I have been spending more time than normal in
West Matagorda. The reason was not the fresh water coming to San Antonio Bay but mostly because of the average size of trout I had been catching there. After many trips of scratching out so-so fish on the reefs in San Antonio I decided I would take my customers to West Matagorda for some shoreline reconnaissance. After our first wade I was convinced I wouldn’t leave this bay until Old Man Winter’s north wind drove me out. The quality and quantity of the trout we were catching was that good, and it really didn’t matter if you
were a topwater chunker or a soft plastics guy. We all caught fish. Now granted, this is only going to last so long but as of this writing I am still fishing West Matagorda when I have a wade fishing trip. As far as staying in the boat, you had better point your boat towards many of the backwater lakes off of either San Antonio Bay or Espiritu Santo Bay as they offer far better drifting opportunity. In December, no matter the location, whether it be San Antonio, Espiritu Santo or West Matagorda, we will be chunking the same baits based on whatever the weather scenario is. If we are still wading shorelines we will be chunking the 4” Bass Assassin Sea Shads in Copperhead and Slammin Chicken. I rig these on 1/16 ounce Assassin jigheads. If we are throwing topwaters you can bet we will be throwing the MirrOlure She Dog in CHPR (chartreuse back and belly, orange throat, pearl sides) or the GCRCH (chartreuse back, goldchrome belly, orange throat). I will let the fish dictate how fast or slow to work it or if I need to pause between twitches. If the weather allows us to get on the reefs in San Antonio Bay we will be using the same Bass Assassin 4” Sea Shads in Slammin Chicken and Copperhead.
David Denbow was proud to show off his nice catch.
If we have an extreme cold front that drops the water temps into the high-40s you will see me breaking out the Corkys and the MirrOlure MirrOdines. We will fish these in the deeper areas of the back lakes and especially in the sloughs that connect the lakes to the bays. Once the sun warms the backwater flats the bait and the gamefish should move out of the deeper areas and you should be able to target them with the same slowly-worked Corkys and MirrOdines there. If there is any one piece of equipment that is going to make a difference in you catching fish in the colder months it is likely going to be the rod you are fishing with. I choose Waterloo because they are the most sensitive rod I have ever used—period. No matter if you fish with braided line, fluorocarbon or monofilament, you need to have a good quality rod in your hands that transmits every little tick of a cold-water trout taking your bait in its mouth. Swing by Waterloo’s new Pro Shop in Victoria and talk to Jimmy or Carson, they can help you pick out a rod for whatever type of lure or bait you will be chunking. Might be a good idea to let Santa know which Waterloo is your favorite! Fish hard, fish smart!
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david rowsey
HOOKED UP WITH Rowsey I have a sign hanging in my man cave that says, “I love to watch the seasons change...from hunting to fishing.” I still have a few good hunts left to do with close friends, and a very special hunt where I serve as a guide for the Combat Marine Outdoors. Being Upper with those young warriors is a great and humbling Laguna/ experience for me. The personal stories they share so openly make you feel really small when you are Baffin banging your head against the fiberglass on days when the trout bite is slow. December to me means time with family, celebrating the birth of Jesus, cool fronts, and the start David Rowsey has 20 years experience in the Laguna/Baffin of real winter trout fishing. From this point on, fishing region; trophy trout with artificial for large trout will become more consistent than what lures is his specialty. David has a the fall months provided. great passion for conservation Water quality this December and forward into and encourages catch and spring, should be spectacular. Between heavy rains release of trophy fish. of last spring and early fall, we have been blessed with water clarity that has not been seen in years. Telephone The bay has received a much needed flushing and 361-960-0340 Website everything from predator (including fishermen) www.DavidRowsey.com to prey will benefit greatly. I’m looking forward to Email sharing it with you! david.rowsey@yahoo.com I am asked this question daily, “Captain, if you could
CRYSTAL 3D MINNOW JOINTED THE LEGENDARY LURE WITH A NEW TWIST!
Yo-Zuri.com Crystal 3D Minnow Jointed F1096 86 | December 2015
only pick one month to fish, which would it be?” In my view, that is a loaded question, and there is just no correct way to answer it. If I have learned anything about being on the water over the years it is to expect the unexpected. My best answer though would have to be, “December through May for giant trout.” The first “big time” day I ever had on a topwater occurred in December and the best two consecutive days I ever put together were also in the Christmas month, with stringers that would have went eightyplus pounds for the best ten trout. While many are wrapping up the rut in South Texas, some of us saltier types have already begun to catch good numbers of our own version of the Boone & Crockett—giant trout. The big advantage, and what makes this time of year special, is that what is left of the baitfish has a tendency to concentrate. With a much smaller food supply the predators will dial in on these areas in good numbers, strongly increasing your chances of catching multiple large trout. This trend will develop as the water temperatures remain in the low-60s and colder. As the water temperatures stabilizes in the 60- to 50⁰ range, both predator and prey are going to be looking for warm places to hide and feed. By now we all know
“With its new square lip and jointed body, this is my new go-to Wake Bait” CAPT. WILLIAM BURBACH Yo-Zuri Ambassador
that a muddy bottom under our wading boots is a good thing this time of year. Combine that with a shoreline or island and the recipe for catching is getting pretty close to done. The Laguna and Baffin offer miles of this type of structure, so finding a starting point is not terribly difficult. With all of the possibilities to plant your feet to wade, many can be quickly eliminated if there is no bait presence. My regular clients are well aware of how I approach a spot. I come in quiet and set the boat to drift to the prospective area and we are all scanning the surface for any sign of activity. During these colder months it does not take
Starting winter with a bang!
much visible activity for us to jump out of the boat, but no activity is an immediate red flag. Trust yourself and the signs available to you. Fishing with your eyes first can save you from long, empty wades and hundreds of blank casts. On the lighter side of things, Christmas day is just around the corner. I actually get quite a few calls from client’s wives asking what to get their husbands for Christmas. If you guys (and gals) can be tactful, find a way to leave this list in front of your loved ones so that Santa is extra good to you: • Waterloo Rods—Ultra Mag 6’-6” with Recoil Guides: WaterlooRods.com • Quantum Reels—Smoke “Speed Freak” or Tour MG: QuantamFishing.com • Maui Jim Glasses—Surf Rider or Stingray (copper lens): MauiJim.com • SIMMS Tech Gear—G4 waders and wading jacket, sleeveless vest and beanie cap (both in WindStopper), half finger fishing gloves, Guide fleece bib, Axis hoodie: SimmFishing.com • Lures—BassAssassin.com: 5” Shad Assassin/Shopmirrolure.com: Paul Brown Lures and He Dog topwaters. • Boat and Motor—ChrisMarineBoats.com—(the ultimate gift) Haynie Boats and Mercury Outboards Other than the boat and motor combination, you can find any of these top of the line products at Roy’s Bait and Tackle or Fishing Tackle Unlimited. Remember the Buffalo! –Capt. David Rowsey
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Capt. Tricia
TRICIA’S Mansfield Report Considering the challenges we’ve experienced recently our fall fishing season has been quite good. The red tide in the Lower Laguna was not nearly as widespread as we saw several years ago and is currently no longer a problem (as of this writing). Since that event, we have also experienced severe Port flooding very much similar to Mansfield what we saw in the summer of 2010. At the present time many backroads throughout the floodplain are still closed Capt. Tricia’s Skinny Water and I have no way of predicting Adventures operates out of what the outcome will be Port Mansfield, specializing in when all the runoff hits the wadefishing with artificial lures. bay. Hopefully, it will not cause another seagrass die-off like the last one. Only time will tell. Telephone 956-642-7298 Before and after the rains, my Email charter clients and I have had shell@granderiver.net some exceptional days on the Website www.SkinnyWaterAdventures.com Laguna. Fall is such an awesome time to be on the water. Geese Shawn Dinwiddie with are honking, colorful ducks his recent personal best. zoom into backwater ponds
88 | December 2015
and fish are hell-bent on getting winter-fat. As water temperatures dip, life on the flats heats up and every trip gets “cooler” if you know what I mean. We watched fish go from picking and pecking to thumping and slamming. The average sizes suddenly became much better as well. Almost out of nowhere we began finding three to six pound trout with some hitting thirty-inches and weighing almost eight pounds. Redfish have been abundant too, stretching lines and straightening hooks, trying to beat the trout to your lure. As good as all of this sounds, we unfortunately are beginning to see some areas becoming very fresh with very poor clarity. Because of this many anglers are congregating in the areas of better water quality. Fish too run from the freshwater and they too “stack up” when they
find an area more to their liking. Fishing is a popular sport and you really cannot blame folks for taking advantage of the “stack up” situation—but please, let’s all remember the responsibility we have to be courteous and practice good sportsmanship until we can all spread out again. December has traditionally been a really solid month on the Lower Laguna. The weather is usually mild with cool but not cold water, most of the casual crowd is gone, and fish will have moved into predictable winter patterns. Water levels have dropped and most depressions on the flats near deeper water hold opportunity, especially between northers. In December we need to tighten the focus and fish more thoroughly rather than marching across larger areas looking for scattered fish. The main forage will swing towards mullet, so mullet-mimicking lures definitely come into play. My December go-to list includes K-Wiggler Paddletails, Gambler Flapping Shads, larger topwaters, and of course, Corkys. It is very easy to get stuck with what you know and winter is a good time to learn new methods and scout new areas. Floating grass is much less of a problem and on average we enjoy decent clarity—barring a honking norther, of course. As the water temperatures continue to decline the mullet and other Adam Todd baitfish species are no longer scattered widely strikes again! across the Laguna but huddled instead along
drop-offs and deeper depressions on the flats. This is definitely a month for seeking the locations holding bait, even if the surface signs are very subtle. A flicker or two below the surface when the water temp plunges toward the 50s can be worth at least a hundred of summer’s playful jumpers. Teaching seasonal techniques is truly what I love and winter is an especially great time for me to do this. December is also about Christmas shopping so here’s a few things I couldn’t do without. First and foremost my rods and reels. I cannot say enough about my Waterloo Rods which I believe are the best in the business. Waterloo has recently opened a complete outfitting store in Victoria, Texas and you can also shop their online store. They offer 13-Fishing’s Concept Reels, clothing, and more. Another must-have are my Costa sunglasses; quality eyewear makes all the difference for me. Last but not least is a 15-pound Boga Grip. I regard my Boga Grip as an essential safety tool when landing a fish with treble hooks all over its head, and it also greatly reduces fish mortality compared with nets and other landing devices. In summation, it looks like December will be one to remember, but it won’t happen unless you make it happen. Please remember to be respectful of not only the fish but of others coming down to enjoy what we have been so blessed to receive.
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Introducing Shimano’s latest in comfortable and light weight footwear - the Shimano Evair Marine/Fishing shoes. The Evair are an ‘open’ style shoe, meaning they’re quick drying and allow your feet to breathe even in the hottest day time conditions. A non slip sole gives the wearer added confidence when navigating slippery decks.
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The new Stradic FK utilizes Shimano’s latest technology while drawing on ways of the past. Hagane cold forged drive gear combined with X-Ship provides a smooth, powerful and durable reel. The sleek G-Free body provides a better weight balance to reduce fatigue. Every part has been designed to improve the anglers experience on the water.
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Capt. Ernest cisneros
SOUTH PADRE Fishing Scene
A rr oyo C olorado t o Port I sabel
A Brownsville-area native, Capt. Ernest Cisneros fishes the Lower Laguna Madre from Port Mansfield to Port Isabel. Ernest specializes in wading and poled skiff adventures for snook, trout, and redfish.
Cell 956-266-6454 Website www.tightlinescharters.com
90 | December 2015
Here we are about to close 2015; a year that passed so quickly I cannot help but wonder where it went. Overall I’d say we have enjoyed better fishing than last year. I traditionally offer a prediction of the coming year’s fishing prospects in my December column but this time I’m going to take it month by month and hope for the best. I reported last month that I did not believe the red tide would be too severe but after submitting that article we experienced a series of weak northers and sustained north wind that caused it to linger and spread. It was terribly sad to see the large number of fish of so many species floating dead in the bay and stacked along the Gulf beaches. We can only hope and pray the effect was not too devastating to our fishery. Despite the red tide we continued to catch fish throughout that month-long ordeal. The key to our success was running farther to avoid the tainted areas and fishing harder for our bites. Many of our traditional fall fishing spots were taken completely out of play and when we found fish they did not seem as concentrated as in the weeks leading up to the event. Redfish have been playing hide and seek and I blame the abnormally high tides we have been
experiencing. The bronze bullies just have so much space to roam when it gets like this. Back-bay shorelines have been our best producers lately and we have also had some productive wades on eastside sand flats. Redfish are like Houdini, just when you think you have them figured out they disappear. Hopefully December’s cooler water temps will concentrate them along ICW spoils and deeper potholes on the flats. As for redfish baits, K-Wigglers Ball Tail Shad will definitely be in the lineup along with MirrOlure’s Paul Brown Fat Boys and Devils when the water cools down. One of the benefits in using the suspending/ slow-sink baits is that are equally effective on both big wintertime trout and reds, and the ICW spoil areas are prime habitat for both species. Our trout population continues to show healthy benefits of the five-fish limit. Trout have been less tricky to pattern and have been found more plentiful and in more areas than redfish. Our trout populations always seem to be more concentrated in winter and getting on a steady bite this time of the year is very possible. Fishing the drop-offs of guts, channels, and the ICW are hot spots as fish spend cold nights in deep water and then slide up on the adjunct
shallower to feed as the day warms. Muddy bottoms along remnants of grass lines with good current flow will hold good numbers of trout and also give you a good chance of catching solid specimens in the four to six pound category. This is the month when tides will drop below normal low levels during the new and full moon phases. The drop in tide will aid you because it shortens the playing field for these fish to roam; therefore
A day on the water with best friends and lots of trout and redfish; does it get any better? Capt. Wayne Davis and the author teamed up to guide this eight-man group.
concentrating them in ideal locales. Finding bait is critical this time of the year, and the colder it gets the more important it becomes. Bait will not be as active on the surface during our winter months, so looking for other signs becomes necessary. Pelicans and osprey see more bait than we do and that is why we need to pay careful attention to their activities. Swirls, mud boils and slicks are also valuable signs when seeking bait concentrations in your search for gamefish. Our trout will begin adding weight and will soon begin to exhibit those sagging wintertime bellies. Feeding activity may not be as frequent or last as long as during fall but post-front feeds can be pretty amazing. The bite will become generally softer as water temperatures drop and it will become necessary to work lures deeper and slower. December is the beginning of my favorite time to fish. How I love brisk mornings when all the pelicans are sitting idle in the water. There will be days when we can count all the boats we see on our fingers. Seeing the clouds of ducks filling the Lower Laguna sky is always a treat. The awesome trout-green water that prevails during much of winter is another great part of the experience. The warmth and comfort of my Simms gear makes enjoying long winter days on the water possible. Remember this: It’s the chase and anticipation of what the next cast might bring that count the most. Merry Christmas to all!
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FISHING REPORTS
Lake Calcasieu Louisiana Jeff and Mary Poe - Big Lake Guide Service - 337.598.3268 December should offer some great fishing. Trout action in December is some of the best of the year. Birds will continue picking for most of the month. They will usually slow down toward the end of the month whenever temperatures start to really fall. It is also a great month to catch a BIG trout. They will mostly be concentrated north of Commissary Point, as well as in Joe’s Cove and West Cove. Topwaters worked at a slower than normal pace work well. Slow-sinking baits like Paul Brown’s Lures and MirrOdines also work wonders. If you like redfish, this is the month to catch them on Calcasieu. They will be plentiful at the weirs, as well as on the banks adjacent to them. Most of the time they can be caught on soft plastics on quarter ounce jigheads. If water temperatures are low, dead shrimp will usually put plenty of fish in the boat. Flounder fishing will start to slow down in December. We will still have good days catching a few in the channel, but for the most part, the action for that species will be winding down. Trinity Bay - East Bay - Galveston Bay | James Plaag Silver King Adventures - silverkingadventures.com - 409.935.7242 “We’re right ahead of a freshwater stack up right now. We’ve had limits five days in a row. Fishing has been really good, but this freshwater coming in will change things up for sure. We will still be looking for fish out in the middle of East Bay, drifting shell and looking for birds,
92 | December 2015
ORECASTS F from Big Lake to Boca Chica
AND
if the water doesn’t get too fresh over there. Mostly, though, we’ll be targeting bigger trout while wading once the river water makes it all the way down. Shorelines in lower parts of the bays should be good. We’ll be throwing soft plastics like Bass Assassins in pink ghost, MirrOlures in colors like pink and pink/silver. In the Catch 5, we like the pink/chartreuse one. When using a FatBoy, we throw the pearl/black a lot. Most likely, the heavy flood will eliminate the upper parts of the bay and force all the fish and people into the lower ends. In the past, when this has happened, we’ve had some really good catching over here in West Bay and in Lower Galveston Bay. I expect a repeat of those past events in the coming months.” Jimmy West - Bolivar Guide Service - 409.996.3054 Jim says the fishing in December usually depends on the weather. “Right now, we’ve got fresh water pouring into the bay as fast as it can. The fish will likely stay in the brackish water, along the parts of East Bay closer to the Gulf. Fishing has been good lately, with the really high tides. I think our fish will be found close to the shorelines, in the saltiest parts of the bays. Normally, we catch a bunch of fish in the bayous when it gets cold, but that whole plan will be messed up with all the rainwater coming into the bays. One thing major floods do is concentrate fish in relatively small areas. Rather than fret about where we can’t fish, we’ll have to find the saltiest water and work it over until we find ‘em. Wading will be good in those saltier areas. I’ll be spending
a lot of time in the blinds too, hunting ducks. We are set up for a good duck season, so that will be a saving grace if the fishing gets tough in some places. But really, I expect both the fishing and hunting to be good, at least for people who locate the salty water that’s holding fish.” West Galveston - Bastrop - Christmas - Chocolate Bays Randall Groves - Groves Guide Service 979.849.7019 - 979.864.9323 Randall reports the fishing has turned for the better after recent heavy rains. “We had a pretty epic flood event, and the bays have a bunch of freshwater in ‘em right now. Both today and yesterday, we caught limits of trout and redfish on jalapeno Norton Sand Eel Juniors. We’re also catching on Black Magic, Trick or Treat and Halloween. The key is all these lures have black on them. We’re using three eighths ounce jigheads, because the fish seem to be hanging fairly close to the bottom. Yesterday, my guys were catching better than me. I was throwing a topwater and getting a few fish to come up into the fresh stuff to take, but the bite on soft plastics near the bottom was better. In December, when the weather cools down some more, I expect to be fishing areas out in the middle of the bays, where fairly deep water lies over a bottom with lots of shell mixed in with mud. That pattern is a winner every year when the weather first turns cold. Overall, things are looking up, despite the heavy rains.” Matagorda | Charlie Paradoski Bay Guide Service - 713.725.2401 Charlie says the patterns are delayed somewhat in the Matagorda area. “I guess December is going to be like a normal November. Right now, our water temperatures are very high for this time of year. We haven’t had a shrimp migration yet, so I expect December fishing to be outstanding. Normally, the bird activity will begin to wind down in
Find out for yourself…
the second half of December, but with this warm weather, who knows how long it might last. We normally catch our best fish in the west end of East Bay during the last month of the year, but I believe we caught most of the big trout last year in the east end during this time frame. They can be caught around the shell humps and over areas with scattered shell and mud out in the middle when winds are lighter, and along both shorelines when the wind is blowing a bit harder. We’ll catch best on soft plastics in general, but will also have good days on topwaters and MirrOlures too, depending on the weather. We are set up to slam ‘em good this month.” Palacios | Capt. Aaron Wollam www.palaciosguideservice.com - 979.240.8204 December is one of our favorite months to hunt trophy trout in the Palacios area. We have long stretches of shorelines with a good mud/ shell mix that holds lots of bait during the colder months. Paul Brown’s FatBoys in pearl/chartreuse and pearl/black are my two favorite colors to throw. They can be worked fast just under the surface in a dog-walking pattern or slow twitched to trigger big bites. Full-sized topwaters also seem to work better during December because mullet is usually the only food source around. Bone Super Spooks and black/gold/orange Skitterwalks are two of my favorites. When it gets super cold, we have one of the deepest harbors along the coast. Slow-rolling VuDu Shrimp on bottom can produce lots of eating sized trout out of the deep holes. I know you will probably read this a hundred times in this magazine, but the key to locating fish in the winter is locating bait. Find bait, and find fish. No bait, no fish. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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Port O’Connor | Lynn Smith Back Bay Guide Service - 361.983.4434 In December, Lynn expects to fish shallow, muddy flats covered with scattered shell, throwing slowsinking twitch baits like Paul Brown Lures. “The bigger trout have already started biting pretty good, and the action in December should be even better. We’ll sleep in on most days, and leave the dock late in the morning, to allow the sun some time to heat up the flats a bit. Then we’ll target our big trout by staying close to the edges where the flats drop off into deeper water at first, then moving farther into the shallows as the afternoon wears on. The key is to locate the bait fish and stay close to some while throwing the twitch baits and soft plastics. Slow, deliberate presentations usually work best, because the fish are somewhat sluggish in the cold water. On the days with the highest activity levels, it can become possible to have a really vigorous bite on topwaters this time of year, especially closer to dusk on the warmest days. But the percentages say to stick mostly with soft plastics and slow-sinking lures.”
Upper Laguna Madre - Baffin Bay - Land Cut Robert Zapata – rz1528@grandecom.net - 361.563.1160 There are not many fishermen out on the bays during December, so it’s very quiet on the water this time of the year. The water temperature is dropping, so the trout are moving into a little deeper water during the night, but they will come up into the shallower water during the daylight hours. They will also slow down some because of the water temperatures, but not quite as much as they will during January and February. If the water temperature drops into the 50s, it will be best to wade and slow down the retrieves made with natural-colored Texas Bass Assassins rigged on eighth ounce Spring Lock jigheads. If you will be drift fishing, try fishing with Bass Assassin Kwik Korks rigged with Slurp shrimp on an eighth ounce jighead. On warmer days, drifting while using with live shrimp under a popping cork will work for trout and redfish. The water level has been very high for a while, and this has given us more areas to look for fish. I will be looking for the fish in areas with potholes in about four feet of water. Corpus Christi | Joe Mendez – www.sightcast1.com - 361.937.5961 The tide had been freakishly high for several weeks in the Upper Laguna Madre prior to the time Joe gave this report. “We’ve got a really high tide, so we’ve been able to target our fish in some areas which are normally too shallow to fish. The water in the upper parts of the bay are crystal clear, so we’ve been able to see the fish on lots of occasions. The fishing for redfish has been steady, but we’re getting a few trout too. When the tide is really high like this, fishing is best on shallow crowns, tight to shorelines, and in remote backwater areas. Places like
CODE:
Rockport | Blake Muirhead Gator Trout Guide Service - 361.790.5203 or 361.441.3894 In December, Blake is hoping for cold weather. “I’ll still be hunting ducks for sure. After the shooting is over, I spend quite of time fishing the deeper holes in the back lakes, targeting mostly redfish, but we do catch quite a few trout in there too. For the redfish, I love to throw a small curly-tail Gulp! this time of year. I mostly stay around Aransas and Redfish Bays, with a few visits over to Corpus Bay to hit some of the deep potholes when the tide gets really low. I will fish areas along sandy, grassy shorelines late into the afternoons when targeting trout. I’ll stay in water about waist deep or so, focusing on areas with dark grass beds, which tend to hold heat well, especially on sunny days. If quite a bit of bait is showing on the surface, and I get some blow
ups fairly easily, I like to stay with topwater lures like Super Spooks. Of course, most of the time, I’m using my favorite soft plastic when working this pattern, either a pumpkinseed/chartreuse or purple/ chartreuse Norton Sand Eel.”
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94 | December 2015
Shamrock Cove, East Flats and parts of the Boat Hole can be really good while temperatures are warm and tides are way up. Most likely, we’ll get some strong fronts in December, pushing the tide out and the water temperatures down. When that happens, I’ll be targeting my fish around the edges of channels and drains which lie close to the areas where we have been catching our fish in the shallows lately. We’ll throw soft plastics and flutter them along the drop-offs and ledges.” P.I.N.S. Fishing Forecast | Eric Ozolins December’s bluebird days can be enjoyable on the beach. Driving should be generally good, although tire hazards are plentiful—fish skeletons remaining from red tide. During previous red tide years we have seen an impressive pompano fishery develop, due to lack of competition. Pompano will begin moving heavily into the surf around late-November/early-December and should remain for much of the winter. Brightly-colored Fishbites and fresh-peeled shrimp are traditionally the ticket. Expect red drum action on live and dead baits. Mullet is a top choice if you can find them. Depending the water temps, jack crevalle may still be present. When things begin to get really cold, the larger stock of whiting will move in and are easily caught on dead shrimp. Trout can be hit or miss in the winter surf. Years ago this was a predictably productive pursuit, but the past few have been spotty. It will be interesting to see what effect the red tide might have had on this species. Avoid beach travel during northers— tides can rise to the dunes! Port Mansfield | Ruben Garza Snookdudecharters.com – 832.385.1431 Getaway Adventures Lodge – 956.944.4000 Fishing’s been good—lots of redfish staged in the Northeast Pocket for several weeks before gradually making their way through the East Cut. We are still finding some in that area but we are working a
bit harder. Trout fishing has been steady with good numbers coming from deeper grass on the east side. The west shoreline north of Port has also been producing some solid trout and occasional reds. Early morning periods are providing topwater action in this area—the Super Spook Jr. in clown and bone-silver have been working well. K-Wiggler Ball Tail Shad in Mansfield Margarita and Bone Diamond on light heads have been our go-to when the surface action slows. During December when fronts become more numerous, lots of anglers tend to blow off fishing. This is a mistake! Yes, it will be cold but the bite can be awesome, especially the afternoon of the day following and second day behind the front. Corkys, MirrOdines and Catch 2000s on slower retrieves can work like dynamite in deeper holes on the flats and along channel edges. Lower Laguna Madre - South Padre - Port Isabel Janie and Fred Petty – www.fishingwithpettys.com – 956.943.2747 There has been an abundance of freshwater in the LLM, which is not great for trout fishing, but the reds aren’t bothered by it much! We’re continuing to limit on redfish, but the trout are hit or miss, usually resulting in three or four keepers a trip. We are still having a banner year on flounder, easily the best in a decade! Freddy says, “If you wanted to target flatties only, you could limit out daily. Don’t forget the bag limit changes from five a day to two during the month of November and they must be caught by pole and line only. Also, from December first through the fourteenth, you can keep only two, caught by any means, including gigging. The possession limit equals the daily limit, so stay on top of changes in Texas fishing regulations and help preserve our resources!” We’re catching all our fish on Cajun Thunder round corks trailing a Gulp! three inch shrimp in New Penny and Sugar Spice on a quarter ounce jighead, adjusting leader lengths
TSFMAG.com | 95
Gavin Garcia Corpus Christi - 27” red
Mac Palmer Lorie Kraus - Aransas Pass St. Charles Bay - 23” trout CPR 27” redfish
Pat Stafford East Matagorda - 28” 9.25 lb trout CPR
Kayla Wagner POC - 32” redfish 96 | December 2015
Ava Barter - Ingleside 40” black drum CPR
Corey McClure Trinity Bay - 27” personal best spec!
Calvin Haynes - Texas City first legal-size Texas red!
Anna Morales Alazan Bay - redfish
Bella Barter - Ingleside Katrina Schlageter Texas City Dike - 1st bull red! 42” black drum CPR
John Dornak Bill Berry - Sea Rim State Park Tres Palacios Bay - black drum CPR black drum
Paige Kee - Chocolate Bayou 23.25” - first redfish!
Jimmie Lopez III Humble Channel - 37” drum
Steve Neberman Matagorda - redfish
Donald Clark Tiki Island - 30” red
TSFMag
Catch of the Month &
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Lyanna Lynette SPI - 29” oversized, tagged red
Jennifer Merchant Port Aransas - 5’ 5” blacktip shark
Beginning with the November 2015 issue, Silverstar Fishing Jewelry will be sponsoring a brand new photo contest. Winners will receive a beautiful 1-inch diameter custom-designed sterling silver pendant that would look great worn on a neck-chain. Contest Rules Joshua & Cougar Moats Port O’Connor - redfish
Kenny Fleniken Sea Rim Park - 36” redfish
1. Only current magazine subscribers, their dependents, and members of household are eligible to win. 2. One winner each month selected by TSFMag for photo quality and content. 3. Single-fish photos only, please. We do not publish multiple-fish images or stringer shots. Photos are judged for display of sporting ethics and conservation. 4. Send entries to photos@tsfmag.com **Photo entries must be submitted electronically— prints cannot be accepted. All images submitted to Catch of the Month become property of Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine.
Carter Morby West Bay - redfish
Gilbert DeLeon Bonnie Rocha Baffin Bay - trout CPR Matagorda - 18” first flounder!
Gabe Rocha Matagorda - 27.5” 9 lb red
Robert Pierce Brownsville - 30.5” 20 lb - black drum
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Monica Murillo
West Bay - redfish TSFMAG.com | 97
Pam Johnson
Gulf Coast Got ideas, hints or recipes you’d like to share? Email them to pam@tsfmag.com or send by fax: 361-785-2844
Crab Meat au Gratin The TSFMag office crew sampled this recipe at lunch today and we all found it delightful. I cannot wait to prepare it for family and friends during Christmas gatherings! -Pam
INGREDIENTS
PREPARATION
1/2 stick butter 3 tsp flour 1/2 cup onions (chopped) 1/4 cup celery (chopped) 5 oz evaporated milk 1 egg yolk (beaten) 3/4 cup Swiss cheese (shredded, reserve 3 T for topping) 1 slice Velveeta 8 oz crab meat (white) 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1/4 cup green onions (chopped) 1 dash paprika
In heavy saucepan, melt butter over low heat, add flour and stir until combined. Add onion and celery to the roux and cook on low-medium heat until vegetables are tender. Stir in evaporated milk and egg yolk, stirring until fully blended. Add Swiss cheese, Velveeta, salt, black pepper and cayenne and stir continuously until the cheese has melted. Gently stir in crab meat and cook on low heat 5 minutes. Scoop mixture into a small oven-safe baking dish and top with reserved Swiss cheese, green onion and paprika. Place baking dish on cookie sheet and then under broiler 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and started to brown. Remove from oven and serve warm with crackers.
98 | December 2015
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Science and the
Sea
TM
Sawfish Making Babies — Without the Sex If a species on the brink of extinction could learn to clone itself, that nifty trick could improve its chances for survival. And that’s exactly what scientists have discovered some smalltooth sawfish are doing in Florida — reproducing without mating. This critically endangered species is one of five species of sawfish, creatures that look like a cross between a shark, a ray and a chainsaw blade. Sawfish have a long, flat snout with widely spaced teeth that protrude in a line on either side, an arrangement that is reminiscent of a saw.
Juvenile smalltooth sawfish in the Charlotte Harbor estuarine system, Florida. Credit: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission But these sawfish have been rapidly dwindling due to disappearing habitat and overfishing. Today’s smalltooth sawfish, which live in a couple rivers in southern Florida, represent between 1 and 5 percent of their total population in 1900. Over a period of nine years from 2004 to 2013, scientists captured and tagged 190 of these fish and took DNA samples from them. When the researchers analyzed the DNA, they found that seven of the sawfish had identical DNA. Sexual reproduction creates differences in DNA even between brothers and sisters, so the lack of differences in DNA suggested that some of these sawfish might be reproducing without sex.
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Further analysis indicated that female sawfish must have been reproducing asexually through parthenogenesis — giving birth to offspring from unfertilized eggs — and their young were surviving in the wild. Because the sawfish were juveniles, the scientists do not yet know whether those asexually produced offspring can reproduce. Parthenogenesis is common among spiders, insects and crustaceans, but it is much rarer among fish, birds and reptiles, and it’s especially rare among vertebrates in the wild. Now, the scientists will continue to monitor the smalltooth sawfish to see if this ability translates into a successful strategy for the species’ survival.
www.ScienceAndTheSea.org © The University of Texas Marine Science Institute
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CHRIS MAPP
B OAT MA I N T E N A N C E T I P S
Excessive Idle-Speed Operation and Cylinder Wall Glazing Chris Mapp, owner Coastal Bend Marine. Yamaha, Evinrude, Suzuki, Mercury, Honda, BlueWave, SilverWave, Haynie, El Pescador Service, Parts and Sales.
You are peering into a combustion cylinder bore—before (left) and after (right) de-glaze honing was performed.
102 | December 2015
In four-stroke outboard engines, cylinder wall glazing often occurs as the result of prolonged and excessive low-rpm operation. Gum, varnish and other products of (incomplete) combustion adhere or “glaze” to the cylinder walls forming a super-slick bore which in turn prevents proper seating and sealing of the piston rings, robs compression, and generally depletes engine performance. Quite often the engine history report tells the story when we investigate sluggish engine performance, particularly in four-stroke outboards. Shown below is an actual report of an outboard in service two years, with fewer than 250 hours logged. The unit of measure is minutes of actual operating time. 0 – 1000 rpms ---------- 6020 minutes 1000 - 2000 rpms ------ 1580 minutes 2000 - 3000 rpms ------ 105 minutes 3000 - 4000 rpms ------ 2045 minutes 4000 - 5000 rpms ------ 3502 minutes 5000 - 6000 rpms ------ 1100 minutes Above 6000 rpms ------ 25 minutes Total minutes ----------- 14377 minutes Total hours --------------- 239.62 Note the time of operation logged at less 2000 rpm equals 126.7 hours—or 53% of total engine running
time. In general we consider 2000 rpm and less to be idle speed. At these low speeds the boat does not rise on plane and the four-stroke engine’s oil pan remains mostly submerged and oil remains very cool, never reaching normal operating temperatures. This type of engine profile is considered severe duty and more maintenance is required to keep cylinder glazing from occurring. This profile would require new spark plugs every 100 hours, a full engine de-carbonization, and possibly hotter thermostats. Prolonged low-speed, low-temperature operation allows un-burned fuel to seep past the piston rings and into the crankcase, thinning and reducing the lubricity of the engine oil, and promoting the possibility of low-hour bearing failure. Rather than idle around so many hours while fishing, a much better plan would be to purchase an electric trolling motor. The attached photos depict a heavily glazed cylinder on the left and the same cylinder bore after the glaze was removed by honing. Owners often inaccurately assume a manufacturing defect when an engine with such short service time suffers from lack of compression—but nothing could be further from the truth—the problem lies in how it was operated. Average price of a cylinder de-glaze job runs about $2,500, parts and labor, and this could easily be prevented by changing the engine’s operating profile. Thanks for your business and Merry Christmas! Chris Mapp Coastal Bend Marine | Port O’Connor, TX 361-983-4841 | www.coastalbendmarine.com
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Tidal Corrections Location Calcasieu Pass, La. Sabine Bank Lighthouse Sabine Pass (jetty) Sabine Pass Mesquite Point Galveston Bay (S. jetty) Port Bolivar Texas City, Turning Basin Eagle Point Clear Lake Morgans Point Round Point, Trinity Bay Point Barrow, Trinity Bay Gilchrist, East Bay Jamaica Beach, Trinity Bay Christmas Point Galveston Pleasure Pier San Luis Pass Freeport Harbor
High -2:14 -1:46 -1:26 -1:00 -0:04 -0:39 +0:14 +0:33 +3:54 +6:05 +10:21 +10:39 +5:48 +3:16 +2:38 +2:39 +2:32 -0:09 -0:44
Low -1:24 -1:31 -1:31 -1:15 -0:25 -1:05 -0:06 +0:41 +4:15 +6:40 +5:19 +5:15 +4:43 +4:18 +3:31 +2:38 +2:33 +2:31 -0:09
For other locations, i.e. Port O’Connor, Port Aransas, Corpus Christi and Port Isabel please refer to the charts displayed below.
Please note that the tides listed in this table are for the Galveston Channel. The Tidal Corrections can be applied to the areas affected by the Galveston tide.
Minor Feeding Periods coincide with the moon on the horizon, and the last from 1.0 to 1.5 hrs after the moon rise or before moon set. Major Feeding Periods are about 1.0 to 1.5 hrs either side of the moon directly overhead or underfoot. Many variables encourage active feeding current flow (whether wind or tidal driven), changes in water temp & weather, moon phases, etc. Combine as many as possible for a better chance at an exceptional day. Find concentrations of bait set up during a good time frame, and enjoy the results.
Te x a s S a l t w a t e r F i s h i n g M a g a z i n e l
w w w. t e x a s s a l t w a t e r f i s h i n g m a g a z i n e . c o m