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ABOUT THE COVER Keith Letsos fished the Lower Laguna Madre recently and landed this beautiful snook with Capt. Ernest Cisneros. Keith’s snook measured 331/2 inches and weighed 12-pounds on the Boga Grip. Congrats to Keith for landing one of Texas’ greatest inshore trophy species. CPR!
JULY 2018 VOL 28 NO 3
CONTENTS FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS
10 It’s Just Fishing Steve Hillman 14 Strategies for Apparently Featureless Shorelines Kevin Cochran 20 Bodie Goes to England: Part XII Martin Strarup 24 Size Matters... Chuck Uzzle 28 Small Boats Offshore Joe Richard
34 40 44 48 52 56 60 64 66 68 87
Let’s Ask The Pro Shallow Water Fishing TPWD Field Notes Fly Fishing Kayak Fishing Chronicles TSFMag Conservation News Fishy Facts Inshore | Nearshore | Jetties | Passes Extreme Kayak Fishing & Sharks... Plastic & Water Don’t Mix Science & the Sea
28 34
Jay Watkins Scott Null Evan Pettis Scott Sommerlatte Dave Roberts CCA Texas Stephanie Boyd Curtiss Cash Eric Ozolins Everett Johnson UT Marine Science Institute
WHAT OUR GUIDES
HAVE TO SAY
72 74 76 78 80 82 84
Dickie Colburn’s Sabine Scene The Buzz on Galveston Bay The View from Matagorda Mid-Coast Bays with the Grays Hooked up with Rowsey Wayne’s Port Mansfield Report South Padre Fishing Scene
78
Dickie Colburn Caleb Harp Bink Grimes Shellie Gray David Rowsey Wayne Davis Ernest Cisneros
REGULARS 8 Editorial 70 New Tackle & Gear 86 Fishing Reports and Forecasts 90 Catch of the Month 92 Gulf Coast Kitchen
92
4 | July 2018
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
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CIRCULATION SUBSCRIPTION – PRODUCT SALES Vicky Morgenroth 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.
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EDITORIAL
TPWD SEEKS
GALVESTON ANGLER INPUT In my April column I discussed the ecology of Galveston Bay and the current state of the spotted seatrout fishery there. I mentioned that a growing number of fishing guides and recreational anglers have been registering concern with TPWD over what they perceive to be a decline in that fishery. Simply catching trout, they say, has not been a problem; there’s lots of small ones. It’s the scarcity of three- to four-pounders, so historically abundant in Galveston Bay, that has them alarmed. Spotted seatrout have a known affinity for staging on deep, cooler structure during summer. They are also known to vacate any region of an estuary when fresh water inflows reduce the salinity of otherwise good habitat. Putting the two together, it should be no surprise that the deep reefs and spoil banks in lower Galveston Bay became incredible hotspots during the summers of 2015, 2016 and 2017, when floods drove salinity to near zero in upper parts of the bay. Stack-ups of this type are normal but the stack-ups that occurred in the years mentioned exceeded everything Galveston anglers had ever seen. And with that came three phenomenal summers of catching. TPWD-Coastal Fisheries Division conducts a variety of sampling efforts to quantify the abundance of spotted seatrout in all life stages, from fingerlings to mature adults. The data obtained steers regulatory changes to insure sustainability of the fishery. Basically – TPWD cannot control natural events – but as a fishery is seen to rise or decline they can enact
regulatory measures accordingly. Sustainability is the key word. TPWD is also ever-vigilant to angler satisfaction and expectations. If you have participated in a dockside Creel Survey, you have been asked questions pertaining to not only your day’s catch, but also your county of residence, the number of hours you fished during the outing, type of bait used…and finally your degree of satisfaction with the experience. So, what it all boils down to, is that TPWD manages the fishery through science-based sampling exercises, and also with a view toward enhancing angler satisfaction. They want us to go fishing, and they want us to catch fish! To better understand the angler satisfaction and expectations side of things, TPWD recently conducted random mailings of survey forms to licensed saltwater anglers whose address indicated residence within the region of Galveston Bay. Recipients are encouraged to respond honestly and fairly. While some may opine that the average angler is no source upon which to base regulatory measures, it is very encouraging to me that TPWD is at least interested to learn what anglers want and expect from their fishery. July is a great month for fishing the Texas coast. I heartily encourage that all coastal anglers register for the CCA Texas STAR Tournament, including the kids. Simply being a CCA member does not automatically make you eligible to win. A new Ford F-150, boat, motor, trailer package in the Tagged Redfish Division or a college scholarship for the kiddos would be a terrible thing to let slip away.
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Tom Pederson was able to trick this beautiful speck on our first drift of the morning.
STORY BY STEVE HILLMAN
T
hrough my years of fishing I’ve learned that over time there seems to be performance-based ranking of sorts when fishermen evaluate other fishermen and themselves: How many did you guys catch today? Did ya’ll get ‘em? Man, that guy is always on ‘em! If that guy tells his buddies where I’m catching my fish, then we’re gonna have big time problems! These are just a few comments and questions fishermen hear almost daily. I know guys that rank fishing and fishing success above many more important things in life. We are all very passionate about fishing, but we occasionally tend to place it higher on the list than it deserves. Hell, I’ve even had friendships strained over fishing. I look back through the years and realize that I should never have allowed things like that to happen. We tend to mellow a bit and realign our priorities as we get older. That’s not to suggest that I don’t take my profession seriously. I most certainly do but there are more things involving God and my family that remind me at the end of the day that it’s just fishing. Every once in a while we still need to be reminded of that. The wind was cranking at 20 mph out of the southwest. There were three corporate tournaments that morning and everyone was seeking protection along leeward shorelines, whether they knew fish were there or not. I was not pleased that my clients wanted to fish in this mess, but Jon told me that it was their one shot since I had no other openings for months. I understood but I still didn’t like it. I’m not in the business to steal money from people. Despite the tough conditions, we tried to make the best of it. “There’s been a few good trout over here but the tide really isn’t right just yet. Let’s just grind in this area until these fish get going a little,” I said. They obliged but it was really nothing more than casting practice with zero bites. I grew more and more frustrated with each cast knowing full well that these trout were not ready to cooperate and wouldn’t be willing to for a long while. Having 20-plus other boats stacked like cordwood against the same shoreline added to my frustration. I’m used to getting a call or two from a handful of other guides to compare notes and see how we’re doing. Most do not ask where we are fishing but rather what we’re catching. It kind of lets us know if the bite is on or if we’re in the wrong area. There are certain people who seldom call me while I’m fishing because they know that I’m working. One is my wife and another is my good friend Jake White. Therefore, if either of them calls I usually answer because I know it’s important. I was getting frustrated with the bite in less than desirable conditions. I told Jon and Richard to reel in their lines; it was time to make a move. Jon asked where we were headed and I told him I didn’t know but I was damn tired of looking at the same stretch of shoreline, drift after drift. TSFMAG.com | 9
I knew the fish were there but I can only wait on them to cooperate for so long. As I turned the key my phone rang. It was my buddy Jake. I answered and he asked, “Is Brooke okay?” I asked what he meant and he told me there had been a mass shooting at Santa Fe High School where my daughter attends. My entire body went numb and my heart sank as I immediately hung up and called my wife. Those 20 or 30 seconds of uncertainty will stick with me for the rest of my life. My wife answered and instantly said, “Brooke is safe.” “Thank you, Jesus” I said. “How about Paige,” I asked. Paige is my niece who is like a daughter to me. She told me that Paige was safe but had been next to the art room in which the shooter entered. She witnessed things no child should ever see, much less any adult. Despite the horrible conditions and the tough bite, the world stood still and the fish became irrelevant. I stood in the back of my boat staring across a wide-open bay in shock of what had just happened. Over the next several hours news of two or three injured teenagers changed to several fatalities. I looked to the sky and visualized angels among the feather-like clouds as tears welled behind my sunglasses. My phone continued to ring and text messages came in one after another as friends and family members checked on my daughter and updated me on the situation. In the meantime, Jon stuck a really nice trout on a waking bait and slicks finally began to emerge. It appeared that we were about to get a little flurry of action. We only managed to catch a few more fish but at this point our minds were obviously elsewhere. We finally pulled the plug on our trip and headed to the ramp. I learned of even more fatalities on my drive home along with numerous other injuries. Normally when I get home I tell my family how my day of fishing went and there’s usually a funny story or two to tell. There would be no fishing stories to tell on this day. When I walked through the door my wife, daughter and her boyfriend, along with my mother-in-law, were together in the living room. We all hugged and cried together, thankful to still have our little family safe and together but deeply saddened by what so many others were having to endure. I honestly don’t know how I can cry any more tears than I’ve cried yet the sadness that permeates my soul couldn’t be anywhere close to those of the victims’ families. The hurt is almost unbearable. I know it will pass at some point for me but not for those who were directly affected. The Santa Fe community is strong and caring. Everyone has pulled together to form one big family 10 | July 2018
(top left top) Jon Fotorny with a nice trout on a day when fishing wasn’t important.
(top right) Harvey Powers on a stormy but fun father / son trip. (middle) Rest in eternal peace Students Jared Black, Kimberly Vaughan, Chris Stone, Sabika Sheikh, Angelique Ramirez, Aaron Kyle McLeod, Christian Riley Garcia, Shana Fisher and substitute teachers Glenda “Ann” Perkins and Cynthia Tisdale. (bottom) Mike Sheehan with a very nice trout on a calm and peaceful morning.
TSFMAG.com | 11
during these trying times. We are all doing everything we can to comfort the families of the deceased and injured. Others outside of our small town have poured in support as well. It will be a long time before things around here feel normal. In the meantime, we will all try to resume our daily routines and, most likely forever, will painfully remember what happened during those two first period art classes at Santa Fe High School on May 18, 2018. Rest in eternal peace – Students: Jared Black, Kimberly Vaughan, Chris Stone, Sabika Sheikh, Angelique Ramirez, Aaron Kyle McLeod, Christian Riley Garcia, Shana Fisher and Substitute Teachers: Glenda “Ann” Perkins and Cynthia Tisdale.
Brett Emerson had a blast catching solid trout on twitchbaits!
CONTACT
STEVE HILLMAN
12 | July 2018
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
TSFMAG.com | 13
STORY BY KEVIN COCHRAN
Adrian Valdez recently caught this 31-inch specimen by making a persistent effort, throwing a soft plastic repeatedly into a small area with an impressive track record. Though this did not occur along a shoreline, the incident verifies the value of the knowledge of bottom features which regularly produce bites.
L
ocating and catching trout and redfish along shorelines lacking obvious features like cuts, drains, lakes and coves can prove challenging. In some situations, making observations while moving at moderate speed in a boat will provide all the information necessary to start a potentially productive effort. In other scenarios, intimate knowledge of subtle aspects of the topography of the bottom extending out from the shoreline proves much more useful and necessary. Under the light of the sun, anglers often find fish along stretches of apparently homogenous shoreline after seeing evidence indicating their presence. Most commonly, rafted or jumping mullet, menhaden, glass minnows, needlefish or other forage species reveal hungry hunters close on their tails. Sometimes, the predators show themselves by gathering in large groups at the surface, pushing wakes. Of course, when trout and reds herd shrimp to and through the surface, where waiting gulls squawk and dive, catching fish on shorelines lacking obvious features proves easy. Slicks perfuming the air with the scent of fresh watermelon also lead observant anglers to schools of feeding predators. In other cases, in the absence of these indicators, anglers traveling aboard boats specially equipped to allow them to see into the water locate trout and reds by riding along and looking for them, particularly in places holding water clear enough to facilitate such a plan. Boaters “burning” fish and returning to try and catch them don’t really need to know much about the features lying on the bottom of the area in which they make their efforts. They catch plenty of fish in situations and places which allow effective use of their observation method. But when conditions conspire to render burning obsolete, studious anglers who use their knowledge of the area will have a better chance at consistent productivity. Cloudy skies, murky water, lack of wind and other factors occasionally (or in some places regularly) render observation strategies worthless, or nearly so. For instance, extremely cold water temperatures tend to slow fish down and send them close to the bottom in relatively deep water, creating problems for those wishing to use visual signs to locate schools of fish. Of course, locating even scant numbers of prey species along a shoreline in winter can lead observant anglers to the mother lode, but relying on such a method on a daily or hourly basis in cold weather might cause anglers to run around chasing their tails in a quest to find something that does not exist. In any situation where meager signs provide evidence of the presence of feeding fish, anglers with the most extensive knowledge of the sweet spots along a stretch of shoreline stand a much better chance of executing productive strategies. Some anglers have difficulty identifying sweet spots along shorelines which appear homogenous when scanned superficially from a boat passing along at a speed sufficient to maintain the craft on plane. Locating productive places from the boat proves easier when the searching captain slows down to idle speed. Ideally, one performs this kind of low-speed search after doing some research in the home office. Cross-referencing data on bay maps with images found in Google Earth often provides a good starting point for anglers hoping to solve the riddle related to the location of productive spots. When working on this puzzle, one should start by considering the generalized truths or “big picture” elements first. This means looking at the basic geography of the shoreline in question, primarily its orientation on the map. A shoreline protected from strong northwest winds will take a beating from sustained onshore winds. Conversely, a shoreline providing refuge from persistent onshore winds won’t hold up well under Jack Frost’s frigid assault. These general truths provide a basic idea of when to consider fishing a specific shoreline, but they don’t really provide evidence of which parts will likely hold fish when conditions favor trying them. Looking at the big picture means considering more than the basic orientation of the shoreline; it also involves awareness of where the depth changes occur at a distance from the shoreline, and where the shoreline sits in relation to deep basins used by the fish in extreme weather conditions. Generally, stretches of shoreline lying close to deep basins or TSFMAG.com | 15
channels provide higher probability of producing well in extreme conditions than stretches lying farther from the same features. This truth rings particularly loud in winter, so stretches of water lying close to a deep harbor or basin along shorelines offering protection from nippy northwest winds offer prime potential when water temperatures dip down low. Fish tend to roam around more in warm weather, while they hunker down and remain less mobile in cold weather. Especially when fish move around regularly, they can appear and feed anywhere along a shoreline. That’s why observation methods work well to locate fish in the warm seasons. But when fish show stubborn allegiance to specific small areas along a shoreline, knowledge of the location of these places becomes critical. Often, locating small-scale sweet spots means identifying the subtle features related to cover and structure elements present in the shallows along a shoreline, using Google Earth in conjunction with observations made at a snail’s pace. Stated another way, working within the small picture means identifying anomalies of various kinds, ones which can’t easily be seen at distance or when the observer moves past them at high speeds. Depth changes measuring in mere inches can create productive sweet spots. Anglers generally must use their feet to locate depth changes of such low measurable magnitudes. Wading through an area with a keen purpose helps one achieve this goal. While this technically involves observations made with the tactile sense, I place it in the knowledge category, because it must be done slowly and methodically, not while zipping around at the helm of a modern bay boat. While wading stretches of shoreline in hopes of locating places with subtle guts, moguls and ridges, savvy anglers also note the locations of places where bottom consistency 16 | July 2018
changes. Often, sweet spots occur along seams where hard sand gives way to soft mud and/or where scattered shells create a crunchy bottom, adjacent to either bare sand, mud or grass. This concept relates to an underlying truth of high significance in this quest; areas with multiple cover elements lying on the bottom generally produce more consistently than areas with a homogenous bottom. In places with relatively clear water, anglers effectively using Google Earth can identify stretches of shorelines with various cover elements on the bottom. In bays with plenty of live grass beds, this means looking for stretches with some grass and some bright spots, which might be either hard sand or soft mud, or both. In bays holding abundant oyster reefs, the search might be for stretches with patchreefs lying in close proximity to either sandy areas or grassy patches. Along a shoreline like the one bordering the famous King Ranch, Christina Geer (top), Clint Shack (middle), and Captain Kev (bottom) caught these trout in proven sweet spots in low-light conditions, either just before or right at daybreak, when the use of observation strategies proves difficult at best. These two Google Earth images, one from 2009 (top), the other from 2014 (bottom), reveal both similar and variable features along a stretch of shoreline in the Upper Laguna Madre.
TSFMAG.com | 17
the search involves looking for stretches which hold up to five major elements—mats of rotting grass piled against the bank, sand, mud, rocks and live grass beds. Of these elements, grass mats, sand and live grass stand out better than the others. The smartest plan for identifying spots holding various cover elements starts with looking at the most recent images and moving back in time through use of the Historical Imagery tool. Using the View menu on Google Earth, one can access all the images captured for an area within the data base, by selecting the Historical Imagery tool. By looking at past images, one can determine whether a sweet looking set of potholes in a recent image generally occurs at or near the coordinates over time. Areas with an obvious mix of sand and grass year after year often contain one or more of the other elements mentioned above and provide greater potential for productivity than areas without such variability in bottom cover. After identifying a few stretches which visibly show variability in cover elements, studious anglers can test the bottom with their feet to check for the presence of other elements which don’t show up so clearly in the software. While doing so, anglers should keep their eyes and minds open and look for everything which might potentially create some advantage for predators over the species they seek to eat. Even a tiny drain or cut in a grass line, or a depression allowing water to gather atop a grass mat can offer predators an easier chance to ambush their prey than areas without these types of features. Over time, anglers who precisely record the locations of places where they find the right elements and where they catch fish will recognize consistently productive sweet spots. One cannot find these kinds of places while wearing goggles and pressing the throttle of a high-powered outboard fully forward. Observant anglers find trout and reds along apparently homogenous shorelines by using their eyes and noses when the predators feed actively, and conditions favor ease of observation. In other situations, anglers with the most intimate knowledge of the subtle features present along a stretch of shoreline stand a better chance of locating and catching fish by focusing on proven sweet spots. Captains with the best track records understand when conditions favor the execution of a search and when they dictate the need to head straight for known productive places.
FIND A RETAILER AT GUYHARVEYSPORTSWEAR.COM
18 | July 2018
CONTACT
KEVIN COCHRAN
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 361-688-3714 Email kevxlr8@mygrande.net Web www.FishBaffinBay.com www.captainkevblogs.com
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TSFMAG.com | 19
Part XII STORY BY MARTIN STRARUP
E
ntering the breakfast dining room, Bodie noticed Tommy at a table and joined him. Tommy was peering at an egg on a small stand and holding an instrument in his right hand. “Whatcha got there, Tommy Boy?” Bodie greeted. “I ordered toast and coffee and the guy brought
me this.” “Is it raw?” Bodie asked. “Not sure. All I know is it’s an egg on a stand and I have no clue what to do with this thing either,” handing the instrument to Bodie. Bodie called to a waiter and explained that neither he nor Tommy knew what to do with the egg or the tool. “Oh, forgive me, sir. It’s a soft-boiled egg.” the waiter advised, taking the tool from Bodie. “You simply place the cutter over the egg like so, pull the handle to snip off the top, and enjoy the egg inside.” Tommy and Bodie were impressed how easily and neatly the waiter had opened the egg, but Tommy was still not sure how to eat it. “Well that’s a pretty handy gadget but the egg don’t look like it’s cooked all the way,” Tommy grimaced. “It’s soft-boiled, sir. If you’ll add some salt and pepper you should find it delicious,” the waiter added. Tommy continued staring at the egg while Bodie ordered coffee, scrambled eggs and sausage with a side of toast. “So, you going to eat that thing or just stare at it all morning?” Bodie asked. Tommy shot Bodie a sour look and dipped his fork to get a taste. “Hey this is pretty good, Bodie. But it’s a strange way to eat an egg,” Tommy admitted. Red joined the boys and ordered coffee and toast. “Not much of a breakfast for a guy your size,” Tommy managed between bites. “After all the rich food last night,” Red growled, “I’m not ready for a big breakfast. And what is that you’re playing with…an egg erector set?” “It’s a soft poached egg; but I wouldn’t expect you to know anything about that,” Tommy sassed. 20 | July 2018
Bodie chuckled at the banter and urged Red to order something more substantial as they had a busy morning ahead. “Well maybe I’ll just try me some of that black pudding Tommy’s always raving about. That should tide me over ‘til lunch.” The waiter overheard Red mention black pudding and, stepping to the table, informed him that the restaurant in fact offered it for breakfast. “Hmmm,” Red grumbled. “Somebody told us you didn’t serve it here, but I’ll give it a shot.” “Hey there, Mr. Waiter,” Tommy called. “Bring me some of that black pudding too, please.” Bodie observed that other diners had begun taking notice of them – their Texas accents, clothes, and manners were attracting attention and he whispered to Tommy to keep it down. Tommy blushed. “Sorry Bodie, I got excited thinking about that pudding.” The waiter came back with Bodie and Red’s orders and black pudding for Red and Tommy. “What in the name of all things Holy is this?” Red asked the waiter, pointing at the black pudding with his fork. “It’s your black pudding, sir,” the waiter replied as he turned to leave. “Now I’m no world traveler or anything close, but that sure doesn’t look like any pudding I’ve ever seen,” Bodie announced to his companions. Tommy lifted his plate and took a sniff. “Ooo-whee,” he exclaimed. “This stuff stinks!” “Red, you might want to try just dipping your fork and see if tastes any better than it looks,” Bodie suggested. “By the smell of it I wouldn’t taste it if you held a gun to my head!” Red snorted. Summoning the waiter, Red asked what the black pudding was made of. “It’s a blend of onions, pork fat, oatmeal, seasonings, and pig blood. And ours is the most delicious in London,” the waiter declared matterof-factly. Red fixed his gaze on the pudding again and exclaimed, “Oh, Good Lord!”
Curiosity got the best of Bodie and he suggested, “Tommy Boy, you taste it. You’ve been crowing about the stuff since we left Texas.” Tommy stared at the black pudding and cut a tiny piece with his fork. Slowly lifting the odiferous morsel while holding his nose with two fingers he put the black pudding in his mouth and started chewing. That’s when things went haywire. Tommy made a horrible face and spit the black pudding from his mouth and it splattered in Red’s face. Red screamed in horror as the foulsmelling concoction landed on his beard and shirt, some in his mouth. Red began gagging convulsively and grabbed his napkin. Tommy tried to kill the taste with a big swig of coffee, that a waiter had just refilled, but only succeeded in burning his mouth, causing him to scream in pain. Red bolted from his chair and went straight for Tommy. Tommy jumped up and it became a cat and mouse chase, trying his best to keep a table where guests were seated between himself and Red. Round and round; Red gagging and spitting, Tommy screaming his tongue was burning. Bodie couldn’t help, as much as he wanted to, unable to catch his breath from laughing so hard since Tommy spewed the black pudding in Red’s face. Red was gagging and drooling all down his shirt and cursing like a sailor. Tommy running for his life and screaming while holding his tongue. Guests nearby began to panic. A manager and two waiters were able to separate Tommy and Red, leading them to the lobby. Another waiter joined the fray to help contain Red, who had almost broken the grasp of the two holding him. Bodie finally was able to force himself to get up from the table and collar both Red and Tommy. With as stern a voice as he could muster under the circumstances, he told the two to knock it off and go to their rooms and clean up. “Take different elevators. AND DON’T make me have to come up there!” Bodie apologized to the irate manager, waiters, and frightened guests as he paid the tabs and left a more than generous tip. Thinking over what had just happened he sunk into an oversize lobby chair and began uncontrollable laughter again until tears streamed down his face. Tommy made it back to the lobby first and pushed a chair over to sit next to Bodie. “Getting a might close aren’t you buddy?” Bodie asked. “I don’t want Red getting me when he comes down,” Tommy squeaked. “So, tell me, Tommy, did it really taste that bad?” Bodie asked. “It was horrible. It tasted worse than a boiled hardhead catfish. I know, ‘cause I tired that once.”
Bodie burst out laughing again as the elevator door opened and Red entered the lobby. “I don’t know why you’re sitting next to Bodie, you little freak of nature. He ain’t going to be able to save you!” Red shouted. “Okay, you two, that’s enough. I told you to knock it off and I meant it,” Bodie snapped. “Let’s just pass this off as a bad morning caused by bad decisions and let’s go to a gun shop.” Tommy and even Red sort of perked up and their moods improved at Bodie’s mentioned of a gun shop. They got into the car and asked the driver to take them to Holland and Holland when Red said, “I had to shower to get that smell off me and I used an entire bottle of mouthwash trying to get rid of the that horrible taste.” Tommy looked meekly at Red and said, “Me too, Red. Wasn’t that black pudding horrible?” “I don’t think I ever tasted the pudding. It was your spit and breath and the thought of it coming from your mouth that made me sick,”
TSFMAG.com | 21
22 | July 2018
Tommy closed the rifle and held it up, aiming at a stuffed animal on the wall. “Yup, this is what I want. Can I see a picture of the one in Dallas?” “Certainly sir, if you’ll follow me, please.” “Tommy Boy, you might want to find out the price of that rifle before you go any farther with this,” Bodie whispered in Tommy’s ear. “Well, if it’s less than $10,000 I’m going to buy it,” Tommy whispered back. “Here it is sir,” the salesman said pointing to a large computer monitor. “Our Royal Express Rifle chambered in .375 Holland and Holland. Priced attractively at only eighty-thousand dollars.” Tommy started choking, and Red, too. Bodie was so flabbergasted that he nearly forgot to slap either on the back to restore their breathing. “$80,000…in American money?” Tommy, Red and Bodie gasped in unison. To be continued...
MARTIN STRARUP
CONTACT
Red replied. Bodie stared out the window and tried not to laugh aloud until the driver announced they had arrived at their destination. “Place looks like somebody’s house,” Tommy allowed. Getting Tommy and Red together, Bodie warned, “I want the both of you to be on your best behavior in here. Hell, for all we know these folks might know Doug and we wouldn’t want y’alls rude behavior embarrassing him.” A man dressed smartly in suit and tie answered the door. “I’m looking for an elephant rife in .375 H&H!” Tommy blurted. “Would the gentlemen be interested in a custom fitting and build, or prefer to view our stock of used rifles?” “I want one that I can take home with me,” Tommy blurted again. “Unfortunately, sir, we have no used firearms at this location. However, our Dallas, Texas shop keeps such an inventory and I will be happy to show you the online photos.” Tommy, Bodie and Red looked at each other and exclaimed in unison, “Dallas?” “But, sir, we came all the way over here from Texas to look at rifles,” Tommy replied dejectedly. “Now we can’t look at any?” “Oh, no sir, we have new display rifles available for you to view, but nothing used or ready for delivery today. Would you have a preference?” “I said I want an elephant rifle in .375 H&H,” Tommy repeated. “Very well, sir. I can show two models of express rifles that we currently build to order. This is our Royal Double Rifle and we have a pre-owned one in the caliber you desire in Dallas,” the salesman said as he broke the rifle open and handed it to Tommy.
Martin Strarup is a lifelong saltwater enthusiast and outdoorsman. Martin is also a collector and dealer of vintage fishing tackle and lures, especially those made in Texas. Email
Trouthunter@swbell.net
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STORY BY CHUCK UZZLE
D
uring the spring and summer months when the weather gets nice and everybody gets the fishing fever, I get lots of families that like to fish without a whole lot of effort. Times like these mean drifting live bait and just having a good time. I personally would rather use artificial lures but if it makes life easier and folks get to enjoy more about the sport of fishing, then I am all for it. While pre-fishing for some clients who would be bringing their children, I decided to see what kind of program I could get going on live bait. As I retrieved my castnet I could feel that familiar shake of fish trapped in the monofilament webbing, several large mullet that would be suitable for the taxidermist, along with some of those smaller fourinch models were doing all the shaking as I emptied the contents into a bait bucket. Several more throws and some selective culling sent me on my way in search of hungry speckled trout patrolling the vast open waters of Sabine Lake. After a leisurely run out into what basically is the middle of the lake, I began seeing several feeding slicks and enough active baitfish to convince me that this would be a good place to start. The surface of the water had a gentle ripple that was compliments of an easy southeast breeze that just an hour earlier had been howling as an afternoon thunderstorm crossed the lake and left the area feeling as it were recharged with life. Peering into my livewell in search of that perfect bait, I had not realized how large most of the mullet were that I had caught. Picking out my first offering all I could think was “big bait for big fish.” Soon after rigging the mullet under a standard popping cork rig I began to wonder what I was doing fishing with such large bait when I was startled by a vicious strike; a trout of about 18-inches was soon brought to the boat with my five-inch mullet in its mouth. As I compared the size of the bait to the size of this aggressive trout I could not help but be amazed, this reassurance was all I needed to make me feel much more confident about using these larger baits.
I quickly rigged another mullet and set him on a drift behind the boat, recalling something I’d read about a huge 12-pound trout that was caught in Matagorda or the Laguna Madre that had a 14” mullet in its belly. Talk about big bait and big fish – now that’s the real deal. I fished in several different spots and made plenty of drifts that resulted in some excellent trout. The two largest fish were gorgeous, pushing twenty-eight inches, and both are still out there swimming as they were released to fight another day. Each and every strike seemed violent and exciting as one quality fish after another would attack those big baits with a vengeance. On several occasions the strike was preceded by the mullet swimming wildly on top of the water trying its best to avoid a trout or redfish that was sizing it up dinner. Besides the fact that 75% of the fish I caught were really quality fish, using the larger baits definitely cut down on the number of gafftop and hardheads that I had to deal with. This is a major plus in my book, especially where clients and kids are concerned. Not many things put a damper on a trip like getting finned by one of those slimy rascals. I did on occasion use a small shad just to see what kind of difference it made on the quality of fish caught and the catfish ate up the shad if a trout did not beat them to it. Now more than likely many folks tuned this article out from the start because it mentioned fishing with live bait and that’s okay; to each his own. That’s one of the things that make the sport of fishing so great. As I mentioned earlier I prefer to fish with lures but I still get a kick out of watching a cork go under, as I’m sure many TSFMag readers do as well. It’s impossible to discount the fact that at certain times live bait will out produce their plastic counterparts – and that’s just telling it like it is. As an angler, you can multiply your success rates by allowing yourself to use live bait when the occasion calls for Live bait enabled it. Think of it like a golf bag, there Lawson Burtsfield are thirteen clubs in the bag and to land “Jaws.” His each one is used for a different task. smile says it all! By becoming proficient with both TSFMAG.com | 25
artificial and live bait techniques anglers become more wellrounded and are able to adjust to most any situation. Having all the Great things happen when the options covered translates into more fish being caught and that’s cork goes under. what we are all striving for. The next time you head out in the lake to do some drifting with live bait you should experiment with different sizes and see what happens. These larger baits may not get as many strikes as some smaller offerings but the fish that do strike will usually be a much better fish. Already this year some great redfish and speckled trout have been taken on live bait and some big jacks have run off with some unattended rods. That big bait might just be the ticket for your fish of a lifetime. If live bait is not your style, don’t hold it against your fellow fisherman who uses bait. We have enough people out there trying to spoil the outdoors for us and goodness knows we don’t need to fight each other.
CONTACT
CHUCK UZZLE
26 | July 2018
Chuck fishes Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes from his home in Orange, TX. His specialties are light tackle and fly fishing for trout, reds, and flounder. Phone 409-697-6111 Email wakesndrakes@yahoo.com Website wakesndrakes.com
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STORY BY JOE RICHARD
Find a shrimpboat tied to a Gulf platform, and there is bound to be fish action.
A
great many bay boats will be running offshore this month, as June’s wind subsides. In recent summers these low-sided craft are often seen tied up to offshore platforms, bobbing up and down while each crew hauls in snapper and various other fish. Many of these small vessels stay within sight of land, though not all. I’ve seen what I call “trout boats” 20 miles offshore, sometimes with only one angler. Small craft for sure. “Small craft” being relative here; back in the day, we fished the Gulf in cringe-worthy bass boats with stick steering, and later with 15-foot bow-riders. (Mine was called Old Yellow; it had a faithful Johnson 70 outboard, and returned with many snapper and ling, even goliath grouper when they were legal). When a friend’s dad finally bought a V-20 Wellcraft, it was the biggest boat we’d ever fished on, except for partyboats. With that Wellcraft, and later a huge 22-foot AquaSport, we were often 30 miles offshore, sometimes putting in 15-hour days from Port Arthur—visiting areas like Oil City off Cameron, Louisiana where something like 90 oil rigs could be fished. And you might see two other boats on a Saturday. Today’s modern boats, even in the bays, are bigger and faster, with far more reliable horsepower, fuel systems and electronics than we ever dreamed of. Okay, maybe the fuel isn’t so good. To remedy that, I’ve kicked the ethanol habit and only seek out gas stations offering non-ethanol fuel. “Just say no to ethanol.” Sounds like a good bumper sticker...Anyway, when perfect offshore weather beckons, it’s entirely possible to fish deeper, cleaner water offshore. That’s a good thing, especially on days when the bays offer sluggish tides. The following is an itinerary of sorts, for what I would call an ideal day offshore in a smaller boat. 1. Prep the boat, because you never know what the day will bring. Is everything working? Are life jackets and rain ponchos stowed aboard? Re-check the weather forecast before leaving the coast, and hopefully someone’s phone service, while offshore, will show current coastal radar and any storms forming up. You don’t want to be caught by a super-cell sneaking up from inland. Surviving fighter pilots of World War II were coached never to force a bad situation, if they wanted their careers to continue. The equivalent here would be fishermen heading offshore with a terrible weather forecast, like a major storm front predicted that afternoon. There’s just no future in it. 2. With a good weather forecast, start early and load up on quality fuel, ice, Gator-Aid, and water, while passing on beverages that might impair judgment, timing and common sense. Bring food with potassium, an electrolyte that combats the day’s heat. Eat a banana on the way to the boat ramp. They’re not really bad luck, but inside you they’re harmless enough and will fight muscle cramps and regulate blood pressure. I personally know of three boat captains who have collapsed and gone to the hospital during hot summer weather offshore, because their potassium levels were too low and they didn’t drink enough water.
3. There’s nothing quite like making the dawn patrol, breaking the jetties with a calm Gulf ahead, coffee and a thick breakfast taco close at hand. And not too much Crown, the night before, right? First assignment is finding shrimpboats offshore. Why first? These commercial boats drag their nets at night, and then anchor at first light to sort through their piles of bycatch. Instead of deckhands squatting on the stern and picking through piles of writhing sea life, like they did for generations, their toils are more efficient these days. They now carry a brine tank, and can dump the entire catch into these tanks, killing everything. The shrimp sink and everything else floats, easily skimmed off and heaved overboard. These big boats now carry stacks of 50-pound bags of rock salt for their brine tanks. The empty plastic bags are thrown overboard, along with bleach bottles (for bleaching shrimp)
and both items float away to Texas beaches. But I digress. 4. Shrimpboats spotted ahead on the horizon. Pick the boat with its running lights left on, because that often means they anchored in the dark or at first light, before sorting their catch. Anchored and not moving, they toss out hundreds of pounds of chum. And that means predator fish will gather for the freebies. 5. Ease your boat within 20 feet of the shrimpboat’s stern, slip your engine(s) into neutral, and drift away from the shrimp boat, lowering unweighted frozen cigar minnows deep and maybe dropping down a jig or two. Scan the depths, especially for ling. If nothing happens within 5-10 minutes, or a horde of 25-pound jacks suddenly appears all around, reel in quickly and hit the next shrimpboat before somebody else does. Repeat eight times, if necessary. You should have limits of kingfish before then. Keep in mind that offshore shrimpers will do anything for a six-pack of beer, regardless of brand, and they’ll gladly pass you a bucket or two of fresh bycatch for your own chumming, later in the day. They might even toss you a 30-pound bag of jumbo shrimp tails, if the owner isn’t around. For this reason, keep several empty 5-gallon buckets on your boat because they’re always useful. 6. Around lunchtime when the sun beats down like Perdition, you can head to a favorite Gulf platform, hopefully on the shady side, and slap that handy 8-foot aluminum rig hook onto a rig (top) Running the rigs and shrimpboats is a sure way to find ling during summer. This one was released. (middle) Score several buckets of this cull from a shrimpboat, and watch what happens if you toss a few pounds overboard near a Gulf platform. Predator fish will come to you.
30 | July 2018
(bottom left) Bay boats compete with bigger vessels offshore, during summer. (bottom right)A quick stop at the jetties produced this tarpon, soon released in good shape.
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careful avoiding those flailing treble hooks. An offshore fish can flop and twist in the blink of an eye, so it might be a good idea to file the barbs off those big hooks. The nearest Doc-in-the-Box is 30 miles from Port O’Connor. Closer, for Port Aransas. Galveston has its own medical center. 9. Safely back at the jetties, if the water is clear with a current, I have a hard time passing up those rocks and clean water. Tarpon may be around; if you stop and make a drift, keep those tired eyes open. I’ve done so and been amazed how these fish roll on the surface near other boats, yet are seldom noticed. Make a drift and let out a couple of baits down about 20 feet, and watch what happens. Lurking jetty predators include big jacks, tarpon, blacktip sharks and kingfish. They will wear you out, if you’re not already hurting from a long day. By then, most of us usually are. That’s why my fishing buddies used to call me the King of Pain.
JOE RICHARD
ONE IS GOOD. TWO IS WAY BETTER. Everybody knows having a Power-Pole anchor on your boat gives you the kind of boat control you need to catch more fish. But did you know that dual Power-Pole anchors lock your boat into position, allowing you and your fellow anglers to have the best angle to cast to the fish - regardless of wind and current? For complete details go to power-pole.com.
32 | July 2018
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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pipe. Fishing in the shade can be a precious thing in summer; it’s definitely cooler. You can even snorkel the rig like we did countless times, cooling off. Once everyone has chilled out, there’s another option to fishing these rigs. 7. If you’re serious about catching bigger snapper without being tied off, circle the platform with the boat at 30 yards, watching the depth finder closely for big fish suspended below. You want those big inverted checkmarks on the screen. Pick the most promising side of the platform and make several drifts, dropping down 2-ounce egg sinkers or 2-ounce leadhead jigs tipped with whole cigar minnows, from 30 to 50 feet down. If the current is moderate, stay at least 30 yards from the platform as you drift by, avoiding bait-stealing triggerfish. If the current is really slow, stay further from the platform, up to 60 yards. This technique will also produce kingfish and stray ling. Lighter tackle can be used when away from structure. Rare back on a 15-pound snapper with a trout rod, and watch what happens. Be ready to loosen the reel’s drag. 8. Once you’ve reached your limit of big snapper, and maybe released a dozen or two more, the crew will be ready for something else. After checking out a nearby weed line for mahi or tripletail, again using trout tackle, run back inshore while the getting is good, and try trolling the new pyramid reefs in state waters, discussed in the May issue. (Off Port O’Connor that would be the Keeping it Wild reef). Shake out a couple of seven-inch, lipped diving plugs like the Rapala or various other brands of that size, along with the legendary Texas-made metal Russelure. Troll at five knots around the reef site, marking bottom and suspended fish, while waiting for a strike. Who knows, a 60-pound kingfish could attack one of your plugs. If you hook up and land a keeper fish, be especially
TSFMAG.com | 33
Air-clear water provides perfect view of bottom structure.
J AY WAT K I N S
ASK THE PRO
C’MON MAN
& EXCITING MID-SUMMER PATTERNS Seems quite a few enjoyed my “C’mon Man” articles in the past and have been asking for more. So I’ll preface this month’s piece with a few notable incidents. First let me say that while all of these are true, names have been omitted to protect both the guilty and the innocent. Everything I mention here is meant to entertain and educate – so please don’t be offended. One of the all-time best was the group that showed up with zero of the things my e-mails told them they’d need. They did bring an ample supply of beer, though. They looked puzzled when I asked if they could read. “My e-mails,” I said, “Did you read them?” They replied that a guy at the bar the night before said they did not need all that stuff to catch fish at Rockport…C’mon man! Had a guy show up on a cold December morning with a brand of waders I didn’t recognize – probably because they were made before I was born. He said they were old but thought they’d still work. First step out of the boat, the dry-rotted left leg pulled off, and the right one let go on the second step…C’mon man! Years ago a guy showed up to wade in flip-flops. I told him that wouldn’t work except maybe on hard sand. Problem was, there wouldn’t be any. Around midday we saw some reds working shallow over scattered clump 34 | July 2018
shell. I instructed him NOT to follow us. He came anyway and darn near lost a big toe…C’mon man! Then there was the guy so hungover that he threw up all the way to the fishing grounds and slept half the morning. When the morning coffee finally kicked in he waded in flip-flops to a small island for privacy. Good plan, except that the leeward side of the island is a knee-deep bog. Business done and flip-flops left in the mud, he did the breast stroke across shallow water with heavy shell bottom all the way back to the boat – with his feet sticking up out of the water. It was hilarious but…C’mon man! A guy and his wife brought their dog on the boat and fed it deer sausage all morning; then were furious after a long wade to find a steaming gift waiting in one of her Crocs. Good boy, but…C’mon man! The guy that tied a knot between every fish on his stringer to keep them from sliding back and forth. Hell to get them off…C’mon man! Anglers that show up with less than half a spool of line on their reel…C’mon man! The guy that asks what lure you suggest and then holds up a purple Diving Border Jumper and wants to know if it’ll work. Then acts put out with you when he doesn’t catch anything…C’mon man!
Your Catch Counts!
Report your Red
Snapper Landings
Get involved. Help manage the red snapper fishery for future generations.
At the end of each day’s trip, parties that land red snapper are strongly encouraged to report their landings via a mobile app or online. It’s fast, simple and easy!
load n w o D pp the a ! today
Download the free app at
www.iSnapper.org or report online at iSnapperonline.org Each submittal is important to the management of the red snapper fishery off Texas shores and beyond.
Anglers fishing from party boats are exempt as the captain reports for you.
FOR INFO ABOUT THE REPORTING PROGRAM Harte Research Institute iSnapper@sportfishresearch.org www.sportfishresearch.org
FOR INFO ON THE RED SNAPPER FISHERY TPWD Coastal Fisheries cfish@tpwd.texas.gov TSFMAG.com | 35 www.tpwd.texas.gov
Had a guy burn between me and my waders one day. I was already in the boat and made the comment to the guys that he was going to run the school of reds right to us, which he did. I wanted a photo of the boat running too close for one of my articles – to demonstrate that boat traffic can actually help sometimes. As I was making the photo the guy driving the boat started flipping me off…C’mon man! The guy that wanted to tie rattling corks to his ankles to attract trout while wade fishing. Same guy wanted to weld a pitch fork to his lower unit to stop grass clogging his low-water intake. You’re killing me, but…C’mon man! The company that added a seat to a piece of PVC so you could sit while wade fishing. Hell, just stay in the boat, and…C’mon man! The ladies will appreciate this; husbands that buy their ladies the
36 | July 2018
cheapest fishing gear they can find…C’mon man! Sunscreen smeared like mayonnaise in a guy’s ears and nostrils. I say guy because I’ve never once seen a woman do this. Drives me absolutely crazy. Buy some clear gel sunscreen or wear a Buff, already…C’mon man! Oh, and asking if you can borrow some sunscreen. Like your gonna put it back in the tube at the end of the day…C’mon man! Finally, last one, I promise. Somehow forgetting that the freedoms we enjoy are not free…C’mon man! On to fishing: Fishing continues to be very good most days with water continuing to remain clear despite 80-plus water temperatures. I have enjoyed more days of sight-casting this year than ever before. Early in my career I knew little about the speckled trout’s affinity for shallow water – spent most of my time along shoreline dropoffs and mid-bay reefs. Yeah, I caught them wading shallow back bays during winter but never put two and two together until many years later. Now, in Texas, when someone talks sightcasting, they’re usually talking redfish. Over the past several months I have enjoyed some terrific sight-cast days and I’m not talking redfish here...I’m talking trout! While we typically find a short window during the spawning period and the cooler months, these fish have stayed shallow since early this spring. Windward spoils and shorelines mostly, so consistently that I have actually been able to predict the areas and times of day when our chances will be the Good trout that gave best. Just last week I had a group of men us excellent sightand women that enjoyed an afternoon of casting opportunity. seeing, casting to, and catching numerous 22- to 24-inch trout over shallow, white sand in air-clear water. Released to fight again, soon! It seemed that every fish we hooked would have several other large trout following her. If you were quick enough with the follow-up cast, another solid fish could be hooked immediately. We observed several 28- to 30-class fish that trailed behind one already hooked. When my boys and I would fish this way, as soon as a fish was hooked, the other two would quickly reel in and cast alongside or slightly behind the one hooked. It’s not as easy as one might think but the boys were very good at this at an early age and still are. Ryan and I tried to get him a STAR trout this way for years. I recall one year when I had several really heavy 30-class fish located. On the day we went, Ryan immediately hooked up in the potholes that had been holding the biggest trout. The fish made a strong run and broke
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C O N TA C T
the surface in the dim early-morning light. It acted like a redfish but I said it sounded like a trout. Sure enough, a redfish of nearly 8-pounds cruised headlong toward us. When it turned sideways, a much larger and darker shadow eased up behind and alongside. That trout was much larger and wider than the red. I did not cast knowing it did us no good for me to catch it. Many more days were spent in the area without a sign of that fish and that is what makes it so special when we do catch one of this size. Right now, today in fact, we caught fish in that same area, sightcasting in the shallow, clear water. I key on windward shores and areas where bait seems to be holding throughout the day, as well as day to day. Long casts and slow-grinding wades are an absolute must. My best results come on clear-bodied lures. You may use whatever you have confidence in, and maybe give my suggestions a try if yours are not performing to your liking. Midday to earlyafternoons are my favorite times. The sun is high enough to see the fish and make accurate casts to them. Accuracy is paramount. Too close and they spook but will settle if you can keep them in sight and make a longer, accurate cast. I saw one today that was too close but she did not spook. I watched as she eased across the shallow sandbar behind me and then into the deeper gut. A quick underhand cast to the opposite side of the gut and out in front of her heading was greeted with a crisp thump. Quick reel down and sharp hookset was rewarded with the tell-tale headshake and white water on the surface. This has to be the best feeling in the world. Nice 24-plus fish that was quickly released. I have also noticed that singles can be much harder to catch versus a pair of fish. Add a couple more and the success ratio might climb as high as 90% if you can make the cast. Fish that are moving from side to side around guts, potholes or grass beds are hunting and they’ll eat. Stationary fish are very hard to catch but I have found a tactic to work well at times. Cast at a slight angle to a stationary target. Draw the lure away quickly when it comes within the strike zone. Many times the trout will react positively, turning and showing interest, but not enough to strike. Now it’s all on you. Flip the lure right back at her, slight angle again, and drop it just out in front. Many times you’ll see nothing but a puff of sand and a thump on the line. It is super rewarding to make it happen rather than simply allowing to happen. This tactic also works very well on finicky redfish. I am so excited to see what we have been finding the past several months in our area. Our fishery looks to be everything we thought it might be following Hurricane Harvey. May your fishing always be catching. -Guide Jay Watkins
38 | July 2018
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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“Slowride” doing what he does best.
C A P T. S COT T N U L L
S H A L L O W W AT E R F I S H I N G
WHAT DO GUIDES DO
ON THEIR DAYS OFF? Well, mostly, we work on our boats, fix something on the trailer, or do some much-neglected tackle maintenance. Or maybe we go back out on the water to scout areas we haven’t been to lately. Then there’s the never-ending honey-do list that gets put on the back burner when the fishing is right. But every once in a while when your guide buddy has a day off that meshes with yours, you blow off everything and just go fun fishing. No pressure, no timelines and it really doesn’t matter what you catch…as long as it’s bigger than his. I recently got a call from my buddy Capt. Dean “Slowride” Thomas who guides kayak as well as boat trips down in Aransas Pass, “We need to go fishing.” Yes, yes we do. It had been far too long. There was a time when I was an active sales rep covering the retail tackle shops up and down the coast that we fished together at least a couple days a month. He is on the short list of people I most enjoy a day on the water with. Dean was on a bunch of tailing redfish schools up on the grass flats, a short paddle from the launch. The midweek prediction was for light wind and low tides that would bunch those fish up. Done deal. A couple mornings later I pulled up in front of the Kayak Shack. This old building took a beating during
40 | July 2018
Harvey and barely survived. The storm shifted her on the foundation and twisted the framework. Windows popped out of place, doors stuck and floors buckled. It was a mess and there was a good possibility the only remedy was a wrecking ball. The house was built around the turn of the century and moved to its current location a few years later, after a major flood hit the town. Dean bought the place as a hub for his kayak guiding and kayak rental business in 2002. In the early days of the Texas kayak fishing scene it was the gathering place for many of the original members of the Texas Kayak Fishermen group. Many of my best friendships started on this porch. I went down there shortly after the storm to lend a hand and it was a sad sight. Dean couldn’t stand to see her fall and decided to rebuild. After months of hard work, some help from friends in the kayak community and more money than Dean wants to talk about; she’s almost back. There is still more work to do, but with Dean’s passion and drive I have no doubt he will have her ready for another hundred year run. After a quick tour of the rebuilding progress we loaded up a couple kayaks and headed for the water. For once, the weather guessers got it right. The skies were clear and
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42 | July 2018
with Dean putting the fly on the money time after time…nothing, no response whatsoever. Eventually the red snuggled up into a wad of weeds and quit moving. Apparently it was nap time. If the fish won’t cooperate, it’s time to get creative. With video running, Dean crept through the mud in a crouch and dang near grabbed the red by the tail before it woke up and left a rooster tail of water, mud and grass. With that Dean says, “I need tacos.” Fully satisfied with a fantastic morning of catching we paddled back to the truck, reminiscing past adventures. Trips to Florida, paddling through storms, great catches, and epic fails. I don’t know how many days we’ve fished together over the past fifteen or so years, but it’ll never be enough. Harvey certainly staggered the area, but the good folks of the middle coast have survived the barrage of body blows Aransas Pass Strong! Against incredible odds, and come out stronger than the Slowride Kayak ever. What they need now are Shack has been restored customers. Many people I and open for business. talk to still think the area is a wasteland and are avoiding it. While things definitely aren’t Author getting back to normal, it isn’t far off. in on the sightI took a meandering path cast action. back home and found most businesses open for business. While there are still obvious signs of the storm, most of the damage has been cleaned up. If you are thinking about a vacation to the coast this summer, give some thought to the Rockport, Aransas Pass and Port Aransas area. In addition to guiding, Dean also rents kayaks by the day and also has a rental cottage available. You can contact Capt. Scott Null is a devout shallow water fisherman offering him through his website: www. guided adventues via kayak, poled skiff, and wading. slowrideguide.com. Oops…even a pro blows a photo-op occasionally!
C O N TA C T
the wind was barely noticeable. The tide was a good bit lower than expected leaving the grass flats nearly exposed. Reds love to get shallow, but this was a bit too extreme, even for them. Not to worry, Dean spends 300+ days a year prowling these flats and he had a plan. We skirted the edge of the flats pausing for a few casts here and there at the mouth natural drains. Nothing much going on, so we pressed on towards a larger ditch that dissects the expansive flat before falling off into deeper water. The opening was holding some bait, but still no reds. We turned the kayaks into the ditch and headed in. Within a few yards we found what we were looking for. A huge push from a large school of reds headed straight towards us with mullet fleeing ahead of them. It was stupid easy as there was no place for them to go. The narrow ditch was just a couple feet deep with only an inch or three covering the flats on either side. It was the old “fish in a barrel” come to life. Over the next three hours we worked our way slowly up that ditch running into school after school of hungry redfish. There were literally hundreds of reds packed into this small space. Fish were caught, blowups were missed, a couple were broken off and the laughs were constant. It doesn’t get much better. Several hundred yards up the ditch we found a slight depression off to one side that held a large single red waddling through matted grass with his back exposed. The kayaks were rubbing bottom as we scooted to close the distance. Dean grabbed his fly rod and I took up a position to get some video. We chased that fish all over the place
Telephone Email Website
281-450-2206 captscottnull@gmail.com www.captainscottnull.com
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Figure 1. Catch rates of red drum and spotted seatrout in TPWD fall gill nets.
By Evan Pettis | Biologist,| Aransas Bay Marine Lab
FIELD NOTES
ASSESSING THE IMPACTS OF HURRICANE HARVEY ON THE FISHERIES OF THE ARANSAS BAY SYSTEM On August 25, 2017, Hurricane Harvey made landfall as a category four storm in the small fishing community of Rockport. Winds as high as 150 mph and a storm surge in excess of seven feet battered the town before the storm moved inland and unleashed record-breaking quantities of rain along the Texas coast. The economically important commercial and recreational fisheries were certainly not spared from the devastation left in the wake of this historic storm. A preliminary assessment conducted by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimated that damages to the state’s fishing operations and fishingrelated businesses exceeds $58 million. As a biologist working in “Hurricane Harvey groundzero,” a common question I’ve fielded from concerned constituents is “What are the ecological impacts of the storm on the fisheries of the Coastal Bend?” 44 | July 2018
It’s well-documented that major storms like Harvey can have lasting effects on estuarine communities. The greatest threat to shallow-water species is the rapid disruption of normal salinity regimes via highly saline storm surges followed by excessive freshwater inflows. Paired with increased organic loading, these hydrological changes can result in low-oxygen conditions that trigger fish kills. Fortunately, for the Aransas Bay system, these changes were highly localized and relatively short-lasting. Hurricanes also impact the habitats that marine species rely upon. In the Coastal Bend, many oyster reefs were broken up by intense wave action and, in some spots, buried under thick layers of silt and debris. Seagrass beds, mangroves, and salt marshes also suffered considerable losses due to high winds and powerful waves. It will be quite some time before we fully understand how the effects of this habitat degradation propagate up the
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food chain. Fortunately, data from TPWD monitoring programs indicate that the immediate impacts on popular bait species (i.e. blue crabs, shrimp, and Atlantic croaker) were minimal. Currently, recreationally and commercially important finfish appear to have actually benefited from the storm. Relief for these species comes by means of reduced harvest pressure. Local anglers were preoccupied with recovery and repairs and faced numerous obstacles to wetting a line in the wake of the storm. Public access to the bays was limited as boat ramps and fishing piers were damaged, and losses to private and for-hire vessels was extensive. Significant damage to bait stands and commercial shrimp boats also made bait difficult to procure. Lastly, visiting anglers struggled to find hotel accommodations in the months following Harvey. To monitor fishing pressure and total landings, TPWD routinely conducts angler surveys and trailer counts at boat ramps. In September 2017, we documented an 85% decline in boating activity in the Aransas Bay system compared to 2016. We intercepted an average of only two fishing trip interviews per survey, down from 16 the previous year. In fact, more than half of September’s angler surveys had no fishing trip interviews. Fishing activity bounced back over the next few months, but still remains below average. So what impact did reduced angler pressure have on our local fish populations? To answer that question, we looked at data collected during TPWD’s biannual gill net sampling program. For our two most popular game fish, spotted seatrout and red drum, the results were extremely promising (Figure 1). In the months following the storm, red drum were caught in the nets at a rate of 0.81 fish/hr, up from 0.67 fish/hr in 2016 and close to the 10-year average. Spotted seatrout were caught at a rate of 0.41 fish/hr, a huge improvement over 2016 (0.22 fish/hr) and the 10-year average (0.29 fish/hr). This data implies that these species are actually more abundant in Aransas Bay following Hurricane Harvey. Moreover, data collected at angler surveys indicates that the higher abundances track well with higher catch-rates for sports fishermen (Figure 2). Anglers were landing red drum at higher rates in September 2017 compared to the previous year, and at much higher rates than the 10year average in October and November. Spotted seatrout were being caught at roughly twice the rate as the previous year and the 10-year average from September through November. Though still too early to say conclusively, it appears as though these trends have continued into the spring. To better understand the long-term effects of Hurricane Harvey, TPWD will continue to closely monitor our fisheries in the coming months and years. Though we usually perceive hurricanes as purely destructive, it’s important to note that they are a recurring natural force acting along the Gulf of Mexico. Our ecological communities, 46 | July 2018
Figure 2. Angler catch rates of red drum and spotted seatrout.
including our highly-prized finfish, have evolved and adapted in response to these large storm systems and, as our data shows, can actually benefit from the occasional disturbance. Recovery efforts in Rockport and the surrounding areas are making daily progress, and the local fishing community is gradually returning to normalcy. Boat ramps, marinas, bait stands, and fishing guides are rapidly getting back to business, partly due to funding set aside for Federal Fisheries Disaster relief. So if you find yourself with that burning desire to bend a rod, grab your fishing license and head down to the Coastal Bend. Aransas Bay is open for business and the bite is on!
Check the TPWD Outdoor Annual, your local TPWD Law Enforcement office, or tpwd.texas.gov for more info.
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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
WHEN IT ALL COMES TOGETHER Have you ever had one of those days when you left the dock with zero expectations and returned saying to yourself, “Holy crap…what just happened?” As a guide I can think of maybe 10 or 12 of those days over a 22 year career. For me, the real enjoyment of those days has been trying to figure out exactly what happened so that I could be there when it happened again. In some instances I have been able to replicate the results, maybe not to the extreme it happened before, but to great success regardless. The day I am about to tell you about, not so much. I have tried, but just haven’t been able to figure out what made this day so special. Now before I get into the story, I want to preface it with the simple fact that I really HATE, and I cannot stress that word loudly enough, to fish by myself. For one, I do not like not having someone to share the experience with, especially if something really special happens. Secondly, if something happens that is unbelievable…there is nobody to verify the ensuing stories to be told. So here I go, with nothing but some less than decent photos taken that day to back me up. A couple of years ago I was asked to run a trip out of 48 | July 2018
the Mansfield Club (obviously Port Mansfield). Having not fished there in years, I decided to go down at least a day early to scout around. Upon launching my panga, I decided to head south of the Arroyo to the waters I knew much better near South Padre. As I idled out of the harbor, I made quick note of how calm it was and decided to run the Gulf beach down to the Port Isabel jetties, hoping to run into a school of something, and then fish my way back up on the inside. Shortly after the Padre Island Seashore turned into the massive hotel and condo seashore, I noticed the water frothing in the distance, just offshore of my position. A hard turn to port had me pulling up to a Texas flyfisherman’s dream. There was bait everywhere and the fish were loosing their minds. It did not take me long to hook into a nice jack and the race was on. Shortly after landing it I was hooked into another one. While fighting the second, I noticed a few tarpon feeding nearby. I landed the fish and kicked the iPilot into high gear and started trying to keep my fly away from the jacks and get it front of one of the tarpon. I was not successful at all in that every time the big
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50 | July 2018
keep trying and keep failing. Hopefully one day I will figure out all the ingredients and hopefully, the next time, one of you will be along for the ride so that I can share.
C O N TA C T
white deceiver hit the water a jack was on it like a fly on stink. After breaking off the third jack of the day I decided to switch to another type of fly. It worked; the jacks did not immediately go after it and several casts later, a tarpon engulfed the fly. With great difficulty, I boated the little 40-50 pounder. A 70 and 30 pounder eventually came boatside as well on that magical day after jumping and loosing a couple others. An hour into this, another boat noticed the action and the bent rod and came plowing into the feeding frenzy, sending the tarpon to the bottom. I was bummed to say the least but, hey, I had three and it did not bother the rest of fish. And, while I was debating whether it was worth having a confrontation, some hitchhiking cobia showed up. As I drifted through the blitz of tarpon and jacks, some cobia had come alongside to enjoy the shade provided by my panga. Seconds later the tarpon fly was securely lodged in a thirty-eight-inch cobia’s mouth. Wow! What a day! And, it got better. The blitz that I stumbled onto lasted more than three hours, allowing me to land another tarpon and another cobia as well as a Boone and Crockett Spanish mackerel, a kingfish and several little tunny (false albacore). Eventually, all good things must come an end and the fish quit feeding. It was time to get back to work. I needed to get into the jetties and start finding some redfish. As I made my way down the ICW I found numerous groups of birds working over schools of trout and reds and even found a shallow flat with some reds that we could wade. Life was good and I was headed back after a spectacular, off-thechart, day. That night I even added a few more trout and a fat snook to the bag. The absolute most spectacular day of fishing that I had ever experienced. Nine species in a single day…actually I seem to remember a ladyfish and a few sand trout but…. To this day, I cannot figure out what made that one day so special. I
Scott Sommerlatte is a full time fly fishing and light tackle guide, freelance writer and photographer. Telephone Email Website
979-415-4379 vssommerlatte@hotmail.com www.mangrovefly.com
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DAV E R O B E R T S
K AYA K F I S H I N G C H R O N I C L E S
GET SKINNY! As anglers, we tend frequently to research certain variables that are approaching us before spending our day on the water. We look at the weather forecast and take into consideration the wind, cloud cover, moon phases and much more. During summer, weather patterns on the Texas coast will remain constant for many days in a row: light wind in the morning, picking up around 10 AM, with variable cloud cover throughout the day. Even though weather can be quite predictable this time of year there is another piece of the puzzle that is usually very variable – tide levels. Now I know that water level fluctuates with the tide and that can be predicted by simply referencing a tide chart. If we fish an area regularly we know what an area will look like on the day we plan to be there. However, to get the full picture we must combine the weather forecast with the tide prediction. As an example; if you combine a wind direction that causes a certain area to lose water with an already low tide prediction, you can bet the water level will be VERY LOW! Like most anglers, I tend to look at the weather forecast daily to find a window to get on the water. I eagerly await the typical south wind to swing around 52 | July 2018
to the north to produce the conditions I eagerly look forward to in the marshes. Most people look forward to this time to go offshore or wade fish the surf but I take advantage of this time to get skinny. With the shifting wind, water levels will begin to drop and it brings an opportunity that is too hard to pass up. In my opinion, skinny water fishing is one of the most rewarding and fun things an angler can do. Since the water level has dropped, spotting redfish can be beyond effortless. They can be seen crawling in the shallows with their backs out of the water, their tails in the air, or pushing wakes across flats. What I hope for the most is being able to spot them before even setting up and making a cast. Sight-casting, to me, is the ultimate thrill in kayak fishing. When planning to target redfish in truly skinny water, I change up the presentation and lure choice from what I typically throw. I will usually still have my 1/4-ounce Johnson weedless gold spoon tied on but it does not get used as much as I normally throw it. I have found that it tends to get caught up in the grass too much in shallow water, becoming a big grass ball. My other rods will be rigged with a much lighter setup. I like to have at least one rod rigged with a size 5/0
TSFMAG.com | 53
C O N TA C T
Owner TwistLock worm hook, with either a Zoom Fluke or a Keitech FAT Impact Swimbait. This combination has proven to be a trusted producer for sight-casting to shallow water redfish. My last rod will typically be rigged with a BUGGS jig. If the BUGGS jig is not part of your arsenal you need to learn about it. When the fish are really finicky, a BUGGS is the way to go. My fishing partner Chad has also made me a believer in throwing a Stanley Ribbit Frog. It puts out a lot of vibration, it’s weedless, and the redfish will hammer it! Catching redfish in the shallows may be a somewhat easy task but there is one problem when it comes to really skinny water - paddling through it. Kayaks are made to go shallow but there comes a point where it takes more than a little effort to get across a flat. Sometimes there is just enough water to float and you are pushing yourself with your paddle, and other times you have to scoot your kayak into slightly deeper water. It can become a lot of work and can be downright exhausting, but once you are there I think you will find it worth the effort. One of my other favorite things about skinny water is the photography aspect. One of my favorite things to do is ease into a flat and never pick up a rod, only my camera. I find it exceptionally gratifying to creep stealthily into position and observe redfish and other wildlife behaving naturally in their environment. Capturing the moment with the camera and being able to share what I have experienced with others brings even greater joy. I have already had a few days this year that I was able to spend back in the marsh chasing skinny water reds. I have caught a few and have been able to capture a few very good photos along the way. I’ll be patiently awaiting my window again this summer, any day now, for the water level to drop and to be able to sight-cast and make photos.
54 | July 2018
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
Shallow water redfishing can be a muddy business.
TSFMAG.com | 55
Moses Lake grass planting. Photo by Galveston Bay Foundation.
Story by John Blaha
T S F M A G C O N S E R VAT I O N N E W S
CCA TEXAS & BUILDING CONSERVATION TRUST CONTINUE HABITAT RESTORATION & CREATION Freeport/Vancouver Nearshore Reefing CCA Texas, Building Conservation Trust (BCT), and Atlantis Marine Habitats LLC recently teamed up to deploy 50 pyramids into the Freeport/Vancouver nearshore reefing site. CCA Texas and BCT contracted Lil Mo Marine Services to deploy the pyramids, while Atlantis Marine Habitat LLC provided the materials at no cost. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is the permit and lease holder for all nearshore reefing sites along the Texas coast. Any deployment of materials into these sites must be approved by TPWD and they also provide the deployment zone coordinates for projects such as these. The Freeport/Vancouver nearshore reefing site is located within Texas state waters and lies approximately 10 miles SSW of the Freeport jetties. The Freeport/ Vancouver site was created when during deployment to the Freeport Liberty Ship Reef site in 1976, the Vancouver Liberty Ship sank during a storm and settled to the bottom of the Gulf at its present position. Since that time Photo by Lisa Laskowski.
56 | July 2018
many other materials have been deployed to this site for the benefit of the marine eco-system, recreational fishermen, and divers. The Vancouver nearshore site was one of the first habitat projects and the first nearshore reefing site that CCA Texas’s Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow (HTFT) program was involved in. CCA Texas originally committed $50,000 to the site in February of 2010 and, in August of 2010 deployed 125 concrete catch basins, risers and culverts donated by Old Castle Precast. In addition, 23 drilling test blocks ranging from 3 to 13 tons were also deployed. In early 2017, TPWD contracted Atlantis Marine Habitats LLC to deploy 800 pyramids into the site. This project was made possible by funds secured from Deep Water Horizon settlements. CCA Texas and BCT strongly believe in the continued expansion and support of marine habitat creation and restoration projects they have supported in past efforts, and the nearshore reefing sites along the Texas coast offer many opportunities to do so.
TSFMAG.com | 57
“One of Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow’s early goals was to see nearshore reefing sites created out of each major port along the Texas coast,” commented HTFT Committee Chairman Jay Gardner. Gardner continued, “These nearshore sites provide quality marine habitat and fishing opportunities for Texas’s recreational fishermen and divers, and we feel it is important to continue supporting these efforts with continued deployments up and down the Texas coast.” To date, CCA Texas and BCT have been involved in and/or committed funds to eight nearshore reefing sites along the Texas cost. The total financial commitment to nearshore reefing in Texas has now grown to $1.565 million. CCA Texas and BCT will continue to support TPWD and other organizations in the efforts to provide nearshore marine habitat and angling opportunities for recreational fishermen. Other nearshore projects in the near future include Sabine’s HI20, Galveston’s Big Man and Kate’s reefs, and the deployment of several railcar loads of concrete railroad ties and rubble into the Rio Grande Valley Reef. All of these efforts are anticipated to occur during summer and fall of 2018. Moses Lake The shoreline protection and marsh restoration effort in Moses Lake (Galveston Bay), led by the Galveston Bay Foundation (GBF), continues to move along. CCA Texas contributed $150,000 to the effort that will provide shoreline erosion protection for 1.3 miles of shoreline and restore up to 10 acres of intertidal marsh complex within Moses Lake. In early May, GBF hosted a grass planting at the site during the Marsh Mania effort. These volunteer efforts provide great grant matching
58 | July 2018
Photo by Lisa Laskowski.
opportunities and provides the public an opportunity to be involved in habitat restoration efforts. CCA Texas, BCT and GBF continue to build on a great partnership and look forward to working together in the future on many habitat restoration efforts. Banquet Season on a Roll CCA Texas volunteers and staff just completed a very strong spring banquet season, completing 36 events through the end of May. Banquet attendance and support of the local communities remains extremely strong and CCA Texas is grateful for the efforts of the volunteers and supporters. Texas’s coastal marine resources are in a better position because of your efforts and we salute you!
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STEPHANIE BOYD
F I S H Y FA C T S
JACK CREVALLE There are dozens of jack species, and the crevalle is a typical representation of the family Carangidae. They have compressed silvery bodies, a series of bony scutes (enlarged scales) that extend in a line to the base of the tail, and deeply forked sickle-shaped tails. The chest is scaleless except for a small patch in front of the pelvic fins, a unique feature among Western Atlantic Ocean jacks. There is a rounded black spot at the lower base of the pectoral fin and a dark spot on the gill cover, both of which are also found on no other jacks in the area. They’re a rather cantankerous-looking fish, with a blunted face, steeply convex forehead, and large eyes. In addition to the silvery sheen, crevalle have greenish-bluish-blackish backs and yellow or golden undersides. The average size in Texas waters is two to five pounds, but larger sizes up to twenty-five pounds are common. The Texas record is 52.25 inches, 50.25 pounds (1976). The common name, crevalle, stems from the Latin caballa, the feminine form of caballus, meaning horse. The genus, Caranx, is derived from the French carangue, meaning Caribbean fish. The species, hippos, is Greek for horse. So… Caribbean horse fish. The Caribbean Sea does fall about midway in its range, so I suppose that’s appropriate. The crevalle jack occurs in the Western Atlantic from Nova Scotia to Uruguay, including the Gulf 60 | July 2018
of Mexico and occasionally the West Indies. In the Eastern Atlantic, it is found from Portugal to Angola, including the Western Mediterranean. They are a pelagic warm water fish and are found in oceanic, estuarine, and riverine environments, depending on life stage. Though they are primarily found along the continental shelf, they occur in waters as deep as 327 feet. Fish found in those depths are often larger individuals. They usually occupy areas with strong currents and hard substrate. Offshore reefs, both manmade and natural, are key habitats for jacks, but they’ll also cruise the shallow inshore areas. Adult jacks typically prefer water temperatures between 64 and 92.5 °F and larvae are found in areas between 69 and 84.9°F. Temperatures below 48°F have proven lethal in at least one hypothermia-driven mass mortality in Massachusetts. All stages seem to prefer salinities above 30 ppt, though adults have been known to travel up coastal rivers. Jacks hunt like a pack of wolves. They move in large schools, strike quickly, and leave little left of their prey. In open water, they will herd bait fish into a tight ball, then rush in from all sides. In shallow water, they’ll chase smaller fish onto beaches or against sea walls. They are voracious opportunistic diurnal predators, eating anything smaller than themselves – fish, shrimp, crustaceans, whatever’s locally available, even garbage
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dumped off boats. Crevalle also have the ability to detect elevated dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), a chemical by-product made by marine algae and released by foraging zooplankton. Juvenile jacks depend on this to find areas with high concentrations of plankton. Young jacks are, in turn, prey for many other carnivores, such as marlin and sea birds. For protection, they use a behavior called piloting in which they shadow a larger fish or – if none are available – buoys, boats, or swimmers. Large aggregations of jack crevalle, containing upward of 1000 individuals, form prior to spawning. Pairs break off from the school to court, with one individual turning a much darker color during this exchange. Sometimes the pair spawn before returning to the main school; sometimes they only court and return to spawn en masse. The spawning season lasts from early March to early September and occurs offshore in the southeastern Atlantic coast where the eggs ride the Gulf Stream currents. Evidence from laboratory studies indicates that jack crevalle coordinate their spawning aggregations over coral reefs based on the release of DMSP, proving this byproduct to be doubly useful. Like many offshore species, crevalle larvae utilize estuaries as nursery grounds. Juveniles less than five inches in length are abundant in estuaries with muddy bottoms, near sandy beaches, and over seagrass beds. They form fast-moving schools, feeding on small fish and crustaceans. Under six inches, juvenile jacks have five dark stripes along the sides, but trade them in for the adult coloration soon after. Females mature around five or six years of age and are typically larger than males, which mature at four or five years. Lifespan is under twenty years. In U.S. waters, landings in the commercial fishery peaked in 1990 at 1,748 tons. In 2013, 106 tons were landed. The decline was due to a regulation change in the fishery implemented in 1995, which banned trammel nets, gill nets, and purse seines. Since 1995, the landings have remained stable. The recreational fishery generally lands slightly more than the commercial. Though jack crevalle are exploited through much of their range, and some localized population declines may be occurring, there are no major threats to the global population. Therefore, the IUCN Red List categorizes them as Least Concern. The best angling for crevalle in Texas waters is from May to August. With their long fins, sickle-shaped tail, and broad, flat bodies, these fish are built for speed and strength, making them good sport for rod and reel. Jacks have powerful jaws and sharp teeth. Never stick your thumb in a jack’s mouth unless you want to pull back a mangled nub. The Photo by NOAA.
teeth, rasping together in combination with air bladder resonance, are also responsible for the croaking noise it makes when caught. Jack crevalle are not highly valued as food, though they are edible. Small fish taste better than large ones, and bleeding sometimes improves the taste, which has been likened to beef. There have been some reports of ciguatera poisoning associated with this species. Ciguatera poisoning occurs when you eat a fish that has digested a certain toxin produced by the dinoflagellate, Gambierdiscus toxicus. It can cause nausea, vomiting, and neurologic symptoms such as tingling fingers or toes or a reversal of cold and hot sensations. Symptoms can be treated and usually go away in days or weeks but can last for years. Since they’re not great table fare, jack crevalle are often released after landing. However, since large jacks will often fight until critical exhaustion, release mortality is high. But they’re a hardy species, nonetheless, and can revive even after a long battle if the angler takes care in the release. Game fish are too valuable to be caught only once. ~Lee Wulff
Where I learned about jack crevalle, and you can too! TPWD tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/crjack/ Texas Marine Species txmarspecies.tamug.edu/fishdetails.cfm?scinameID=Caranx%20hippos World Register of Marine Species www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=126803 FishBase www.fishbase.org/summary/71 Encyclopedia of Life eol.org/pages/2794986/overview IGFA www.igfa.org/species/147-jack-crevalle.aspx?CommonName=147-jack-crevalle. aspx IUCN Red List www.iucnredlist.org/details/190458/0 Animal Diversity Web animaldiversity.org/accounts/Caranx_hippos/classification/ Florida Museum of Natural History www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/fish/discover/species-profiles/caranxhippos/ South Carolina Department of Natural Resources www.dnr.sc.gov/cwcs/pdf/Crevallejack.pdf University of the West Indies sta.uwi.edu/fst/lifesciences/documents/Caranx_hippos.pdf Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crevalle_jack#Biology_and_ecology Naturespeak www.blogsmonroe.com/nature/2014/03/crevalle-jack-and-thespanish-mackeral/
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Cobia catches have been consistent since early-April.
CURTISS CASH
I N S H O R E | N E A R S H O R E | J E T T I E S | PA S S E S
HIT IT AND QUIT IT When the temperatures get hot the fish go deep. Not all, but many seek cooler water and/or swift currents. I can empathize with my finned friends for sure. The July sun often has me seeking a straw hat, some breeze, and a cold beverage. This month and the next are great times to hit it and quit it. Get out early to bang on some fish and bug out before the mid-day heat wave. On average, the extreme heat index maxes out between 11am and 3pm. This is a great time for a cool down and a siesta. It is not only I that prefers a break; I think the fish get the same vibe. A matinee fishing trip is a good alternative to baking in the midday sun. Your fishing crew will thank you and the fish may be more cooperative. Keep in mind the effects of the sun on your body and stay defensive. Always keep hydrated, wear lightweight clothing and apply a broad spectrum sunscreen often. 64 | July 2018
Wide brimmed hats are good choice, along with a neck gaiter and quality polarized sunglasses. Deep Bay Structure Finding and fishing structure in the open water is what it’s all about. On the mid-coast I seek the ship channel spoil banks, live oyster reefs, clam shell gas well pads and current seams/tide lines. On the spoil banks near the ICW or any major channel, I look for the deeper edges with steep drop-offs near the channel. When a barge or ship pass by, cast shallower where the fish anxiously anticipate food to be pulled to deep water. Deep bay reefs harbor cooler water with increased water flow around the structure. On calm days you can drift the reefs or troll motor slowly in the area and Nearshore kingfish have work each section. Many of been thick the surface well platforms and limits are have been removed but the plentiful. shell pads remain. The shell
on the bottom is good structure and continues to draw bait and predators. Live croaker is king in these areas, free-lined or fished with just enough weight to get the bait heading deep without getting hung in the shell. An aggressively fished rattle float can bring the fish up to the surface on a calm day.
Nearshore Structure Fishing July typically kicks off the bay boaters nearshore fishing season. Barring any unwanted tropical disturbances, the wind typically calms down this month. These welcomed conditions will allow many inshore boaters opportunities to stretch their legs and fish away from the beach. In the state waters (inside 9.0 nautical miles) it is common to target and find kingfish, Spanish mackerel, little tunny, cobia, red snapper and a variety of shark. Most major ports along the Texas coast have nearby structure such as oil and gas platforms, shipwrecks, artificial reefs, or a ship anchorage.
Combat veterans enjoying Warrior's Weekend 2018.
Jack crevalle have been eagerly attacking topwater lures.
Often overlooked are the large ships anchored offshore from the ports. These lie in wait sometimes many days to be shuttled inshore to port. They offer significant structure in the forms of the wave/current breaks as well as long shadows cast out from these huge vessels. This July take advantage of the cooler periods of the day when possible. Fishing early and late this time of the season makes for a more pleasant outing. Seeing the sun rise or set over the water is well worth the extra effort.
C O N TA C T
Bay Shark Fishing For targeting inshore shark of 25-75 pounds, I fish depths of 8-feet deep or more in the open bay. Good areas are near channel edges, sand humps and large bait schools. Sometimes we anchor and chum an area to bring them in, but more often drifting with several baits strewn behind is more effective. I like to fish live mullet 9-12 inches in length behind a balloon inflated to the size of grapefruit. The float will keep the bait off the bottom and the distress signals of the mullet resisting the float will bring sharks in from a distance. The balloon also keeps the live bait from swimming back and tangling other lines. The floating bait is normally positioned farther back from the others - approximately 75 yards from the boat. Fresh ladyfish cut into chunks about the same size as live finger mullet are hard to beat. Smaller pieces of bait work also, but the gafftopsail catfish often consume them before a shark shows up. I like to drift the ladyfish pieces two-thirds the distance from the boat as the live mullet. This bait is fished without a float or any weight. Occasionally the bait will bounce across the bottom of the bay which helps spread the scent and puts out vibrations in the area. Live or fresh dead menhaden 6- to 9-inches long are very effective, especially for blacktip shark. These baits I weight lightly and place half the distance toward the ladyfish from the boat. The amount of weight varies according to water depth and the speed of the drift. A 2- to 6-ounce bank sinker affixed via a #32 rubber band works well. The rubber band is run through the eye of the sinker and doubled back with the weight passing back to form a tightened loop on the sinker. The rubber band is now placed on the leader in front of the steel trace with the same method. Using a rubber band allows the weight to be removed quickly once near the boat or to break free if the shark jumps. Swinging lead weights at boatside can easily chip gelcoat or even take out a row of teeth. Leaders consist of 72-inches of 100- to 150-lb mono with a 200lbplus sized black barrel swivel attached to each end. A 24 inch trace of 108-lb single strand steel leader for mullet or menhaden and 178-lb for the ladyfish is attached with a haywire twist to the swivel and same on the hook at business end. The circle hook selection for the menhaden is normally smaller due to the bait size, I like a MUSTAD 39941D 9/0 and a 39965D 14/0 or 16/0 for the other baits.
Capt. Curtiss Cash offers charters in the Port O’Connor area; specializing in fishing the bays, passes, jetties, surf and nearshore waters. Species targeted include speckled trout, redfish, flounder, tripletail, black drum, bull reds, sharks, snapper, kingfish, ling and tarpon, when seasonally available. Phone
361-564-7032
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Scott Nelson scalloped hammer – note the tag we attached just under the dorsal.
E X T R E M E K AYA K F I S H I N G & S H A R K S F R O M T H E S A N D
ERIC OZOLINS
SHARKING EUPHORIA It has been a long time since surf fishing has been stellar along the full length of the Texas coast. With Hurricane Harvey’s gloomy shroud hanging heavy last fall and the unusually cold winter that followed, anglers felt lost and without hope. Then came March, the famed kick-off month never really got out of the chute as fishing remained disappointingly quiet. April brought welcome change with little or no rain and reasonable wind, and the fish began to arrive. Red drum and jack crevalle fancied the change. And bait, though somewhat scattered, showed in good variety and sharks made their appearance. Abundant blacktips at first, followed by a storm of bulls. Little did we know this would only be the start of something incredible. Traditionally, making it through May without an onslaught of sargassum is seen as a good omen. Some years the weed is so thick we can hardly fish, other years the menace is almost completely absent. Mother Nature has been very kind this year. As time passed, good water clarity brought in more baitfish and the predators followed. After a good run on bull sharks in April, I was hesitant to predict what might lie ahead. Alexis and I, along with shark buddy Scott, planned a trip during the first week of May. This timeframe always seems the tipping point for other large shark species to move in and we were eager to explore. 66 | July 2018
Alexis and I hit the PINS beach loaded down with prime bait and heavy tackle. Arriving at sunrise, we crept slowly down the beach keeping a sharp watch for activity. Down near the Big Shell area, we began seeing jack crevalle riding the waves, prowling through schools of mullet and menhaden. Where there are jackfish in numbers, the big sharks are not far behind. We continued on until we found good sandbar and gut structure. With strong signs of feeding activity, I hurried to get baits rigged and deployed. I had a taker before getting the full spread out but missed the hook-up. An hour later another rod was hit and we hooked this one. A moderate fight ensued and I got the fish to the beach. As suspected, it was a bull shark...a large bull shark. The mature female was taped and calculated to weigh nearly 300-pounds, possibly holding pups. Scott rolled into camp just then and assisted with the release. Action thus far had not disappointed. Most anglers have their own way of fishing and with shark fishing I’m as meticulous as they come. I don’t like to fish in crowds but, with that being said, Scott and I often camp together to be able to lend assistance to one another should the need arise. We’ve been doing this more than fifteen years. Typically, Scott will set up several hundred yards from my camp, running just a couple of baits. This method compliments our style of not
Author wrestles a large bull shark back into the water during the release.
Eric Contreras with a monster nighttime tiger.
Scott Nelson’s nine-foot tiger.
I knew the hammers had to be around and had baited a couple of short rods with whiting – a favorite of scalloped hammers. After a couple missed fished, I looked down to Scott’s camp just as he was getting hooked up and walked down to lend assistance. I grabbed the leader and, sure enough, he had a healthy scalloped hammerhead that we successfully tagged and released. The wind picked up and the rest of the day was idled away with no takers. Scott packed up and headed home, Alexis and I decided to leave our baits out a little longer but no other sharks were hooked. And thus ended our adventure. Several friends were encountered during the drive back up the beach and they also reported some very impressive landings, including tigers. One of our friends reported having landed a nine-foot lemon shark I had tagged and released a couple of weeks prior, remarkably only two miles from where I released it. This is some pretty interesting data that the research institute will utilize in their efforts to better understand shark movements on the PINS beach. Within a week of this trip, countless tigers, hammers, and big bulls were landed off the beaches along the Texas coast. And, up until the writing of this article, we continue to land large sharks on my surf fishing charters. This truly is perhaps the best land-based shark fishing activity Texas anglers have experienced in many years. My, oh my; what does the rest of the summer hold for us?
C O N TA C T
oversaturating the water with shark bait. Action continued throughout the day. Large blacktips were plentiful and Alexis and I both landed several respectable bulls. Our baits were fresh stingray, weighing around thirty-pounds each. These were prepared by stripping the wings and utilizing them along with the midsection. The bite went bonkers just before dark with many baits struck but only one bull landed. Then came nightfall. Nighttime is big shark time and there is no greater rush than waking to a large shark reel screaming in the darkness. This night though, Alexis and I passed a two hour lull relaxing in the truck and eating dinner. Then, one by one, the rods started going off. We landed three big bull sharks in a short amount of time. Another calm set in and we had one bait still out; I decided to get some sleep. Just as I drifted off the 2-way radio blared. “Big fish on,” Scott’s voice echoed through the speaker. I jumped up, grabbed my lights and camera, and strutted over to his camp. He had already been fighting the shark for about twenty minutes and had it turned and headed in. I waded out with the tail rope as Scott managed to wrestle it to the first bar. Securing the rope I realized Scott’s shark was a tiger – one of the first of the year. With the hook removed, we set about to obtain and record measurements. With things going smoothly we snapped a few quick photos and made the release. While not a giant, it was still very respectable at nearly 9-feet. Celebrations and high-fives all around, I headed back to my camp. Crawling back into bed I heard my last remaining rod go off. I hopped up on the truck and brought in another solid bull. The sharks were certainly around, and hungry. Rising with the sun, I ran out new baits, this time deploying large ray sections. Instantly we got a hook up, another quality bull. I mentioned to Alexis that I felt as though I had become a bull shark magnet. Toward noon I set some smaller baits very shallow and all got blasted – but no hookups.
For the past decade Eric ‘Oz’ Ozolins has been promoting shark catch and release and assisting various shark research programs. Eric offers guided shark fishing on Padre Island National Seashore. Also renowned for extreme kayak big game fishing, Eric is the owner of Catch Sharks Tackle Company. Email Websites
oz@oceanepics.com oceanepics.com | catchsharks.com TSFMAG.com | 67
P L A S T I C & WAT E R D O N ' T M I X
EVERETT JOHNSON
REDUCE – REUSE –
RECYCLE
Pretty catchy headline, but I cannot claim credit. Actually, I was heading to Port Mansfield for a two-day fishing trip and stopped at a Stripes convenience store in Raymondville for fuel and boat snacks. The clerk bagged my goodies and, to my surprise, the sack was emblazoned with a great conservation message on both sides. Kudos to Stripes!
Notice that I kept the sack and heeded the messages. I filled it with other plastic bags – an assortment of plastic bread wrappers, bags from the dry cleaner, and other shopping bags. It was deposited in the plastic recycle bin at my local HEB Grocery. Kudos to HEB for making these recycle bins available! Reusing plastic containers is another excellent strategy for eliminating plastic waste in our bays and waterways. For years we have been rinsing plastic soda bottles, filling with tap water, and freezing for a variety of uses on outdoor adventures – fishing, hunting, etc. They work perfectly in the ice chest for cooling our catch and also in the lunch box. Any size will work but I prefer the 12 and 16 ounce sizes as they fit conveniently between other items you are trying to keep cool. And – in a pinch – you can drink the water when the ice melts. I have mentioned in other installments my disdain for ice sacks I find floating in the harbors and bays. Making my way through the Port 68 | July 2018
Mansfield harbor after a day of fishing, I cruised closed to the rip-rap lining the bank for a look at how well Mansfield anglers are doing in the trash management department. Note the accompanying photo: an ice sack filled with empty Corona-Light cans wedged in the rocks.
Seems a boat crew using the harbor was partially diligent in bagging their empties but didn’t do so well in getting them to the trash can. As Jay Watkins says in his column this month… C’mon Man! TSFMag encourages reader to share their own plastic management and reduction ideas on this page. We’ll reward participants with Yeti drinkware and $25 gift certificates from Fishing Tackle Unlimited. In closing I want to thank Costa Del Mar for becoming a sponsor of TSFMag’s - Plastic and Water Don’t Mix. Costa set a great example for the fishing community several years ago with the launch of their Kick Plastic campaign. Costa is a very conservation oriented company and makes some of the finest fishing eyewear available. Please consider a pair of Costa glasses when making your next purchasing decision.
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NEW
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Shimano Introduces New Stella Fj Series Constantly evolving its products, Shimano showcases the ‘next’ in technological advancements in the new Stella FJ reels. The flagship in Shimano’s spinning reel line-up, the five new models - in sizes for everything from trout and panfish, to bass and walleye, to tarpon, stripers and sailfish, include the Stella (STL) 1000FJ, STL-2500HGFJ, STL-C3000XGFJ, STL4000XGFJ and STL-C5000XGFJ. Setting it apart from past series, anglers will quickly notice new Shimano technology, including MicroModule II gear system,
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enhanced HAGANE concept
Excel Bay Pro 230
and SilentDrive.
Bay Pro 230’s 102” beam and deep 28” sides allows you to fish bigger and rougher waters. Bay Pro 230 is wide, deep, tough and fast. The Excelleration™ Pad Hull virtually eliminates drag for increased speed and handling with motors up to 250HP. Heavy .150 gauge aluminum takes a beating from rough seas. 52-gallon fuel tank provides great range. Innovative 45-gallon insulated fish box keeps your catch fresh. Lockable rod boxes keep gear safely stowed. Features include flip-up jump seats, deluxe center console w/rod holders, leaning post, two livewells, twin auto bilge pumps, integrated trolling motor bracket and 45-degree angle transom splash-well. Bay Pro 230 represents the next level of form, function and fishability. For more info and to find your nearest dealer check out www.Excel-Marine.com
70 | July 2018
constructed gear and body, X-Protect “Smoother, more efficient, and improved durability it’s all about everevolving technology and our quest for the best.” Check out the new Stella FJ Series at your local tackle dealer or visit: www.FishShimano.com
P R O D U C T S
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lining for insulation of hot or cold liquids. Spill-Resistant slide action lid with rubber gasket. Keeps drinks hot or cold up to six hours. Meets FDA requirements - BPA free – Handwash recommended. www.FrioIceChests.com
Seventy-Year Tribute to Founder – Harold LeMaster Harold LeMaster will always be remembered for his innovative approach to lure manufacturing. His unique designs with mirrors inside his lures helped create a flashing, lifelike appearance under water. Today, each patented MirrOlure® is made with the same care and craftsmanship Harold demanded. Set of 4 Trout Master Lures in Special Colors & Packaging In tribute to Harold, we have reproduced a Limited Edition Set of Four of his most successful lures and color patterns in commemorative boxes. Don’t miss this opportunity to own a piece of Trout Master fishing history...that began in 1948. Limited Edition Group Only 2,500 sets - Four Special Colors - Commemorative Boxes - MSRP $49.99 L&S Bait Company, Inc. www.Mirrrolure.com
Anglers Resource POINT Blank™ Selection Fishing Tackle Unlimited, Houston’s largest independent tackle dealer and premier source for rod building components, is now offering premium quality high-modulus rod blanks from Anglers Resource. The POINT Blank™ selection will include 20 models from 6’6" Light Power, to 7’6" XX Heavy Power. Unique design combines fast- to extra-fast top sections with wider-diameter, hugely powerful butt sections. Built with the best Toray and Mitsubishi carbon fibers available, POINT Blank’s scrimless design includes an ultra-thin, lightweight carbon net for superior reinforcement with almost no added weight and 100% carbon fiber construction. Inshore and bass anglers have rated POINT Blank as the best high-modulus, premium quality blank available. Visit www.PointBlankRods.com to review the selection and then give one a shake at Fishing Tackle Unlimited.
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DICKIE COLBURN
DICKIE COLBURN’S Sabine Scene
S ab i n e
Dickie Colburn is a full time guide out of Orange, Texas. Dickie has 37 years experience guiding on Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes.
Telephone 409-883-0723 Website www.sabineconnection.com
All it took was less rain, five consecutive days of light north wind and a late-season cold front the last week of April to turn the fishing on Sabine Lake into catching! It seemingly turned on overnight in spite of water clarity best described as “thick.” Actually, it was the trout bite that lit off and continues to improve as we were already pretty much having our way with both the flounder and the redfish. The rock walkers fishing both Flounder will eat the north and south revetment a crappie jig. walls were the first to report the improving trout bite. Many of those anglers were fishing the walls simply because they had grown tired of steadily canceling trips due to a howling wind that changed directions every other day. The trout weren’t big, but they were hungry and limits became the norm rather than the exception. The Swimming Image, no surprise there, and slow-sinking crankbaits like the Softdine XL and Catch 2000 were the baits of choice. There were also mornings
when they would readily assault smaller topwaters like a She Dog or Skitter Walk. We unanimously declared it to officially be “Game On” when the trout started smacking tails rigged under a cork and a four-inch Usual Suspect as well. Due to the last of the glut of fresh water still flushing through the lake, outgoing tides have been the most productive. Once enough salt water starts pumping in to upgrade salinity levels, however, that will all change. Incoming tides not only usher in saltier and clearer water, but acres of bait fish as well. That should already be occurring by the time this magazine reaches your mail box. I hope that you get as excited as I do when I see the latest edition of this magazine poking out of my mail box. Immediately reading it from cover to cover takes precedence over everything but church and spoiling the grandkids. The tips and techniques alone are worth the cost of the magazine, but I most enjoy the credible
“We contracted the construction of the TSFMag office building with Farrell Jackson. Jackson also built my son’s bay house here in Seadrift. We were completely satisfied with both projects…a professional and trustworthy contractor.” ~ Everett Johnson Editor/Publisher, Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine
361-576-3825 Office | 361-576-3828 Fax 36 Hunters Circle, Victoria, TX 77905
Barndominiums • Metal Buildings • Boat and Mini Storage • Metal Frame Homes • Commercial Buildings 72 | July 2018
www.RafterJConstruction.com A previous owner of Circle J Enterprises, Inc.
Just about the right size!
reports and columns from areas I will probably never have an opportunity to fish. Once you’ve read this magazine long enough, you feel as though you personally know every writer! I can’t count the times over the years that a client has said, “You know Jay or Bink or Capt. Gary said such and such,” and I know dang well they have never even met them. The fact that they still feel confident enough in their writing to quote them, however, says it all. Because I fish Sabine only, I have no way of knowing which techniques or lures that I fish may work in your neck of the woods as well, but here are a couple of new ones that have made a big difference in my catching this year. Prior to a trip last month, I had never been able to catch flounder when they were jumping out of the water and crashing into pods of small shad. That all changed, however, when a client proved that they cannot resist an Assassin Tiny Shad tied on only 8 to 12 inches of leader under a Mansfield Mauler. Cast the rig behind those small pods of shad and simply let it ride the tide with little or no popping. The shape of the tiny crappie grub and shortening the leader do the trick. Depending on water clarity, Texas Avocado and Silver Shiner have been the only two colors I have had to fish thus far. The second game changer is more about the lure than the technique. If you haven’t already done so, steal yet another page from the bass fishermen and tie on a topwater lure that goes by the name of Whopper Plopper. The trout absolutely crush it when they run it down and I have caught fish with it when they would hit nothing else. It is evidently the subtle noise it makes as you steadily reel it across the surface. The speed of retrieve can make a difference, but I haven’t had the first strike allowing it to pause and twitching it. It sounds a great deal like a buzz bait, but fishes like a cross between a Hunchback and a Devil’s Horse. You also can throw it out of sight with ease. I hope one of your kids wins a big check in this year’s S.T.A.R. tournament, but it won’t happen if you don’t sign them up and take them fishing! TSFMAG.com | 73
CAPT. CALEB HARP
THE BUZZ on Galveston Bay
Galve s t o n
Capt. Caleb Harp has fished the Galveston Bay System since childhood and, now a charter captain and fishing guide, he uses his knowledge to enable clients to enjoy the excellent fishing the area offers. His specialty is the yeararound pursuit for trophy trout and redfish with artificial lures
Telephone 281-753-3378 Website harpsguideservice.com
74 | July 2018
As July approaches, we should start to see more of our normal summer patterns with calmer winds. For some time now we have been experiencing an abnormal amount of west and southwest wind. I’m not sure what is going on with these continual west and southwest winds we’re having, but they’re welcome to go away any time now. The westerly winds blow water out of the bay and reduce the flow of incoming tides. Galveston Bay System’s hydrology works best from the southeast so those “sweet southeast” winds we normally get are great for our tide movement and help bring more water on incoming tides. Whenever we get a few days of southwest, the bite generally turns off and the tide just doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do. Being that July is in the doldrums and can often be dead calm, we will quit our complaining and get into a longer window of opportunity on areas we can spread out on. As all Texans know, July is hot, really hot. But don’t let that scare you away from enjoying a day on the water. Often times people don’t want to grind all day in the heat but June, July and August can be some of the best times to fish in the Galveston Bay complex – if you can take the heat. Simply put, when it’s calm, we can go every day and we can fish essentially
anywhere we want. March through May weather is hard to beat temperature-wise but being around the spring transition and all the crazy wind that occurs, it’s often better to just have a crawfish boil. This month will be game time and we will truly be able to see what we’ve got to work with. The bay is trying to come back to life. Our salinity levels are becoming pretty stable in most corners of the bay system. Trinity Bay is getting saltier by the day and the upper stretches of the Houston Ship Channel are holding signs of life. We are still in a recovery process from all the events that have happened in the last three years of flooding, but at least we are making headway in the right direction. The fish aren’t super spread out right now so you can’t just aimlessly drift and keep getting bites the whole way. You have to pinpoint the pods of fish that you find and stand on them. Anchoring is the best method for not losing the fish. With all the new technology in Power Poles, GPS and iPilot trolling motors with the anchor mode, anglers nowadays have more advantages in being able to position themselves right on the school without moving. It seems lately that if you just keep trying to re-drift or
troll around a spot, you will lose the fish and not be able to find them again. The amount of fish we used to have just aren’t here anymore, so you’ve got to play smart.
Catch and release has become increasingly common on our daily fishing trips.
We as anglers need to come together and help conserve our resource. And, as I’ve mentioned in other articles, we don’t have to sit and wait for regulations to change to get the ball rolling. Truth be told, it’s too late for TPWD and the legislature to help us with the current situation anyway. Changes should have been implemented a long time ago when three consecutive years of incredible spring floods were wreaking havoc in our bay system. We have to change the perception of why we fish. Fishing doesn’t need to be about killing every fish that bites our lure or bait. Learning the patterns, tricking fish, having a good time and enjoying the day for what it’s worth is what it’s all about. Try to keep only what you need for dinner and let the rest go. That’s the beauty of fishing, you can throw them back and still have a good time. If you’re truly so hungry you have to kill every fish you catch, you might want to get into another hobby. West Bay has been good for wade fishermen on the far west end and around the San Luis Pass throwing MirrOlure She-Dogs and Provokers. East Bay has been hit and miss but when the tide is right, the reefs have been producing good catches of trout. Redfish have been good in open-water schools in the middle of the bays over pods of mullet, menhaden and ribbonfish. The Houston Ship Channel spoil banks have been the most consistent and will continue to be until the greater influx tide-runner trout make it up toward Trinity. Trinity Bay is showing improvement and some trout have been caught on the gas wells in the middle. Trinity will only get better and better as we get further along into summer. Be safe out there and enjoy your fishing. Follow us on Instagram @ harpsguideservice
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TSFMAG.com | 75
BINK GRIMES
THE VIEW FROM Matagorda
M ata go r d a
Bink Grimes is a full-time fishing and hunting guide, freelance writer and photographer, and owner of Sunrise Lodge on Matagorda Bay.
Telephone 979-241-1705 Email binkgrimes@sbcglobal.net Website matagordasunriselodge.com
76 | July 2018
There is really no reason to talk about the heat. It’s hot and it’s always going to be hot in July. West winds push dry, blistering air off the Mexican desert and give us arid days while sucking water out of the bays and draining tides from the shorelines. June tides were the lowest I have ever experienced in twenty Junes on the job. Deal with it and use it to your advantage. Those low tides congregate fish in guts. All those redfish that have been hanging out tight to the shorelines are now schooling in the middle of East Bay. If you see a slick, you better fish it. Often we catch more reds than trout while drifting 4-5 feet of water. Pick and choose your times to fish. Know when water is coming or going. While wading, I like to be somewhere around the pass or jetty. Tides are going to be strongest around the pass. I like to work the grassbeds within sight of Port O’Connor. Fish there love a Super Spook Jr. or She Pup and plastics like Bass Assassins, Down South Lures and MirrOlure Soft Dines. Since July is synonymous with westerly wind, water clarity can become an issue. Trout and redfish continue to eat in off-colored water - you just might have to throw live shrimp at them.
If we can find streaky water, meaning generally off-colored water with hints of green streaks, we feel like we can find fish to catch. Like every July, we prayerfully await light north winds and a flat, green surf. It makes you forget instantly about all that searing southwest you had in your face the day before. One of the most attractive aspects of Matagorda is the miles of beach available to anyone with a 4x4; and, it’s some of the best fishing of the year. We have had some incredible days while drifting and wading the beach. We enjoyed the gulf surf water the earliest I can remember with good catches in late April; and, we also were blessed with a few days in May. We caught redfish in the first gut, trout at the jetty and a
scattering of small snook. It’s important to try and fish the surf the first day it greens and flattens. It’s been my observation that by third day of a green surf the trout get tougher to catch. Predators like sharks, mackerel, huge redfish and tarpon find the clear shallows and try to find an easy meal and the trout seem to exit. When wading, we throw small Super Spooks and She Pups on the incoming tide and expect a crash. Later in the morning, we ease to deeper water and toss Chicken on a Chain Bass Assassin Sea Shad and white ice Down South Lures. We have had a problem with sharks in West Bay this year. That’s not to scare you, just to make you aware. Sharks are a trustworthy barometer of how many fish are on a sand and grass flat; and, there have been a lot of trout on the shorelines the past two months. Most seasoned waders know using the traditional 15-25 feet of nylon cord with a float attached is asking for trouble in West Bay. We use them fall, winter and spring or until the first signs of sharks appear, then break out the five-gallon buckets. Sure, cord-like stringers are much lighter, easier and maneuverable; nevertheless, if you wade West Bay from now until October and plan on catching fish and putting them on a stringer, plan to increase your odds of shaking hands with a shark. Speckled trout are there because gobs of mullet, shad and small minnows infesting the shorelines. Sharks are there because speckled trout are there. That’s how the food chain works. Follow our catches on Facebook, Instagram and weekly on the Texas Insider Fishing Report on Fox Sports Southwest.
TSFMAG.com | 77
CAPT. SHELLIE GRAY
MID-COAST BAYS With the Grays
Port O'Connor Seadrift
Captain Shellie Gray was born in Port Lavaca and has been guiding in the Seadrift/Port O’Connor area full time for the past 16 years. Shellie specializes in wading for trout and redfish year round with artificial lures.
Telephone 361-785-6708 Email bayrats@tisd.net Website www.bayrat.com Facebook @captsgaryandshelliegray
78 | July 2018
Right about now I’m really missing those cool mornings of just a few weeks ago. You know it’s summer when you break out in a sweat just putting rods and other gear on the boat at 0430. Back in the day, before worrying about excessive sun exposure, I wore shorts and short sleeves to keep cool on the water. Nowadays I cover up from head to toe, which almost seems counterintuitive, but it’s something we have to do to be safe. Middle-coast winds of late have been a little more brisk than normal most days, but that should calm down soon and will also help alleviate the number of boats huddled along protected shorelines. This time of year I take pleasure in getting a very early start along a sandy shoreline of West Matagorda, San Antonio and Espiritu Santo bays. All three bays have many miles of very good bottom structure that consists of grassbeds, guts, and sloughs that lead into back lakes. Getting an early start is imperative, not only because midday heat can be unbearable, but also because the shallow
water in these areas is usually quite clear, making it tough to stalk hungry fish that spook so easily out of casting range. The dim light during sunrise makes sneaking up on wary prey much easier. Another reason for the early start is that trout and redfish are often more willing to feed in cooler water. Nothing is more exciting then watching a hungry fish explode on a small topwater launched from my nimble
Mark Odom with a typical summertime trout…long and lean.
Mandy Batson, Wendy Tisdale and Amy Cowley had a blast catching a mixed bag of fish. Love my all-girl trips!
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but tough HP Lite Waterloo rod. I choose to throw the smaller plugs such as the Super Spook Jr. in natural colors - Redfish, Bone and even Clear. While I will readily admit that I catch more fish on plastics, I must also confess that I’m addicted to surface explosions. A couple of hours after sunrise I begin slowly making my way toward deeper water. Water temperatures rise early in the shallows and, as a rule, fish retreat offshore to cooler and deeper guts. This is when I switch from a topwater to a soft plastic to probe the deeper water where the fish will be hanging closer to the bottom and sometimes reluctant to rise to a surface lure. When I’m fishing a little deeper or on drop-offs, I prefer a longer bait like the Bass Assassin 5-inch Saltwater Shad. Our back lakes are still giving some good redfish action but our typical summertime grasses have grown thick and tall, making it difficult to work any artificial bait effectively. Targeting areas that have larger sand pockets have been my go-to spots in some of the back lakes while drifting. The weedless “Texas rig” is highly preferred when attempting to run soft plastics through grassy water. The reefs in San Antonio Bay have been holding decent numbers of keeper-sized trout. Birds working or resting near a reef and feeding dolphins are good indicators that a reef may be holding fish. Notice that I said “near” a reef? If you find birds working over deeper water, nowhere near a reef, you can almost guarantee they are covering schools of skipjacks, gafftop, and undersized trout. But, if you find those same birds working near a shallow reef you will usually find them hovering and diving into schools of keeper trout. Of course, most days, finding a good bite is not as easy as spotting birds or bent rods. Good old-fashioned chunk and grind is what it frequently takes to locate a quality bite. Matagorda Bay has been a hot spot as of late. When I’m fishing the waters around Port O’Connor, especially near passes to the gulf, I key on tide movement more closely than when I’m in a back lake. Fish that inhabit the waters near the passes are more tide dependent when it comes to their feeding habits. Moving water, whether coming or going, will almost always trigger feeding activity. And with moving water comes plenty of toothy brutes. So, if you’re wading, it is best to keep your stringer long and barely attached to your body – just in case one of those toothy critters decides to make lunch of your catch. Like all the summers past, there will be many people on the water enjoying what God has given us. Please remember to be as courteous as possible. Always give other anglers a wide berth, respect our resources, and reduce your speed when you return to the dock. Idling near a dock where boats are tied is good manners and definitely safer than motoring up until the last second on full or partial plane. Little things can make the biggest difference.
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TSFMAG.com | 79
DAVID ROWSEY
HOOKED UP WITH Rowsey
Upper Laguna/ Ba f f i n
David Rowsey has over 25 years in Baffin and Upper Laguna Madre; trophy trout with artificial lures is his specialty. David has a great passion for conservation and encourages catch and release of trophy fish.
Telephone 361-960-0340 Website www.DavidRowsey.com Email david.rowsey@yahoo.com @captdavidrowsey
Summer is in full swing down here on Baffin and the Upper Laguna…in other words, it’s damn hot in the afternoons. Our days are starting early to try and beat the heat. The early starts are not only good to stay cool, but a great advantage in scoring quality trout bites before the sun comes up and the heat index rises. This time of year, I run a lot of half-day charters. The shorter trips are run in the Upper Laguna and Corpus Christi Bay. They are another way that we beat the heat and try to be back in the comfort of a pool by early afternoon. The cost is considerably less than a full-day charter and puts more emphasis on catching numbers of all species rather than focusing on the largest of trout in Baffin Bay. Speaking for myself and many clients who choose this option; it’s a win-win in fun, comfort, and monies spent. Regardless of which option you charter me for, the days do start early this time of year. In general, the trout bite is pretty solid until around 9:00 AM and will start tapering off after that (at least for us lure fishermen). I am a lure guide 24/7/365. There is no such thing as “running out of bait” and heading back to the dock because of it. When the trout bite slows,
we switch gears to sight-casting reds and whatever else we can find on the flats. You hire me to fish with lures, and you will get your money's worth. Guaranteed! Something I look forward to during these summer days is for the sun to get high enough up, around 9:30 AM, for serious sight-fishing opportunities. As much as I am blessed to fish so many days of the year, and as many trophy fish as I have caught in my life, I still get overwhelmed with excitement when I spot a fish in the distance, stalk her, and make that perfect cast. Being able to watch her suck in your lure or chase it down is the biggest thrill in fishing for me, regardless of the size or species. I have said it many times over, but it truly is the perfect combination of hunting and fishing. Doing so much sight-fishing in clear, shallow water, the observations you get to make are fascinating, especially when you see them for the first time. I am blessed to have too many to write about in this limited space but want to share one that took place two years ago in June. My clients and I had made a great first wade that lasted almost three hours. We had caught all species,
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including a good number of flounder. Besides the flounder we caught, we kicked up many more. I told the guys that I would go get the boat and bring it closer. Headed back, I was still walking through flounder and decided to slow down and try and spot them before I spooked them. In no time I saw one and made many casts trying to get her to eat, to no avail. I soon spotted another, but just a rods length away. Same result. I finally ran my rod across her back and she, naturally, spooked off. The fascinating part was that when she did, a second flounder shot out from under her. The larger was laying on top of the other! I thought I my eyes were tricking me, but since then I have observed this behavior a half dozen more times. Researching the subject has not provided any reliable info, as that time frame is not conducive to breeding. If any of you readers have an idea of what is going on here, please enlighten me. Thirty years at it and still learning! Site-fishing, as much of a rush as it is, can be frustrating at times. I think a few of my best tips for you would be to remain very conscious of how much noise you are making as you walk. If you can hear water sloshing around your shins – you can bet they hear it and sense it, too. Probably the most important thing for me is downsizing my lures. The 4-inch Turbo Shad by Bass Assassin in a natural color is my go-to lure. The small MirrOdines are also a great choice on stealth wades. Saying that, I’m always experimenting with new things on the market, including this little crab lure by Savage Gear shown in the photo. Just a little thinking outside of the box, can pay big dividends. Remember the buffalo! – Capt. David Rowsey
TSFMAG.com | 81
WAYNE DAVIS
WAYNE’S Mansfield Report
Port Mansfield
Captain Wayne Davis has been fishing the Lower Laguna-Port Mansfield for over 20 years. He specializes in wade fishing with lures.
Telephone 210-287-3877 Email captwayne@kwigglers.com
82 | July 2018
Sitting to write this report we are looking summer square in the face with temperatures already approaching the century mark. Memorial Day weekend kicks off the summer season and I cannot recall a busier weekend in Port Mansfield. Parking lots overflowing with trucks and trailers with dozens parked along the streets close to the ramps on both sides of Port. Traffic on the water was not any better. A lot of anglers who come to Port wade, but I noticed something different with most waders I encountered; that being most had bait buckets. Let’s take a local hot spot – Community Bar – just north of Port about three miles. This relatively short sandbar runs east and west, is very narrow and only about 1000 yards in length. On Memorial Day Sunday, I counted eight boats with upwards of twenty-five waders spattered along its length. It just seemed a little crowded in my opinion. The rest of the bay was actually not much different, lots of boats and lots of fishermen that resulted in an overwhelming amount of fish being brought to the filet tables. Weather patterns are stabilizing, winds are trending to their typical early-summer patterns, which is calm to
Sydney Pearson’s firstever wade-fishing trip… and with lures! Personal best trout – 25.5-inches – KWigglers Ball Tail Shad.
The owner of Diamond J, James Rosalis, was a partner in Circle J Enterprises at the time our office and son’s home were built by Circle J. Workmanship and attention to detail were both excellent! – Everett Johnson, Editor/Publisher, Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine
Young Chuck Taylor doing his best to hoist a fat Lower Laguna red for the camera – KWigglers Willow Tail Shad.
light in the mornings and breezy in the afternoons. Water levels remain a little low, but I have seen the levels come up a few inches in the several days prior to this writing. Bait has shown up with a vengeance, seagrass is growing, and water clarity is awesome. We have just the right amount of clear, green, and murky water in and around the bay to fit your angling preference. If you get out early enough, its ok to fish the real clear water, prior to 9:00 AM or so. The bait has been in this clear water early but as the sun comes up you will find the bait balls drifting into the greener water and onto the murkier water later in the day. Our trout fishing is now considered good to great and some of the best trout swim with (under) the mullet. All you need do is toss your lure in the bait balls, let it sink below the mullet, twitch it slowly, and wait for the strike. Be careful not to confuse mullet bumping your line with an actual strike. A foul hooked mullet puts up a pretty good fight – so I’ve heard… Our topwater bite is picking up and when the fish are feeding they will flat out slam a topwater. I’m still sticking with One Knockers and find myself fishing a bone or natural color most of the time. A quick tip on where to throw topwaters regarding water depth; I found myself catching large trout recently while fishing a topwater in over eight foot of water. Most of the time we throw tops in relatively shallow water, say four feet or less; well, don’t be afraid to work one out deep. This day I landed some very large trout while standing on a ledge and throwing my topwater as far as I could into deep water. Large sweeping swags with the One Knocker had those fish responding well. Along with a strong trout bite our redfish are starting to show themselves, but not in the large numbers we have seen in years past. But they are currently being caught with more regularity and when you find them you usually can catch more than just a couple. Just stay put and work the area well. I have been trying to get out early in the morning, before the sun comes up as to get to a spot that has the best potential for catching fish through late-morning. It’s smart to grab a spot like this so you can fish more and boat ride less. Granted, there might be times to scout, but who gets tired of catching mid- to- upper-slot trout with some even being trophies? Most folks appreciate the “catching” part of fishing. Best baits have been KWigglers Willow Tails and 4 -inch paddletails while shallow in Padre Punch, Mansfield Margarita, and Turtle Grass colors. Once out deeper or fishing off a point or ledge, we switch to the Ball Tail Shad in Bone Diamond – Flo Mingo and Olive Red Metal Flake. With this series of baits we can cover all fishing applications in most depths of water. Until next time, stay safe and please consider catch and release, we all need to do our part to protect our bays from overfishing. TSFMAG.com | 83
CAPT. ERNEST CISNEROS
SOUTH PADRE Fishing Scene Arr o y o C ol o ra d o t o Po rt I sa bel
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
84 | July 2018
Launching my boat early on a recent morning, I met three fellows from TPWD-Coastal Fisheries on their way to run survey nets. I curiously asked how their surveys were going and they replied there were lots of fish in our bay. Pressing the question a bit farther, I asked what they’d found earlier, during April. To my surprise they reported numbers had been very good throughout the spring survey period. I don’t know where their nets had been set, but I know I was far away from them according to the low numbers of fish we were catching in the spring months. About the second week of May, we saw a dramatic increase in our catches, which I attributed to two crucial factors. The daily winds calmed considerably, and the scarcity of bait, which I noted last month, suddenly became very plentiful. Looking back from last year to the present, bait migrations seem to be running a month late by comparison. The good news is that fishing has improved quite a bit, and many days the wind has been consistently below 20 mph. Full moon (if you’re willing to grind it out) and new moon phases have been most productive. No surprise really, as these periods also bring optimal tidal exchanges that greatly increase
activity throughout the food chain. July’s tides will diminish to some of the lowest levels of the year, making backwater areas and some grass flats nearly inaccessible. Deeper shoreline drop-offs, and even the ICW will be spots worth trying. The ICW
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Brad Bowen hooked this beautiful 30.5-inch trout at midday.
holds more trout, redfish and flounder than many anglers might realize. The edges of this channel can provide excellent early-morning topwater action, and if that doesn’t work, soft plastics bumped along the ledges should do the trick. Flounder catches seem to be on a slow but steady rise. My best tips for tilting the odds in your favor are running scented lures near bottom along drop-offs, and carrying a landing net when targeting them. So many times we see flounder shaking loose when anglers attempt landing them by hand. Something else to remember is that catching one often means there are more available nearby. Snook fishing is the best it’s been the last seven years. They seem to be thriving here in the Lower Laguna and showing up sporadically further up the coast as well. Many of my clients have scored their first snook and/or improved their personal best so far this summer. The common snook is a beautiful species that morphs from male to female as they mature, which means all are female when they attain trophy size. For this reason we target snook as a 100% catch and release species on my charters. Trout catches have been consistent but may taper off as the water continues to warm. You may find them early around shallow spoil banks or lying in potholes on shallow grass flats. Later, as the sun warms these shallow waters, keying on deeper, greener water proves more productive. Color streaks, where murky water meets green water, are always worth a shot. Slicks, too. I almost never pass an area with numerous slicks and lots of bait present. Most of the bigger female trout have lost weight through spawning, but that’s not to say heavyweight specks are no longer available. If you are into catch and release to conserve these great fish, I recommend the quickest release possible. Carry a waterproof camera while wading and keep them revived while snapping a few photos. If you want to get on some good trout action this month, study the solunar feeding periods and target depths of three to five feet with sandy/shell/grass bottom. Bait is always a primary key and cooler times of day are often best. There are undoubtedly many more factors, but the ones mentioned should get you started in the right direction. Never thought redfish would be so hard to target. There have been days when catching was easy but, for the most part, they are very scattered and holding super skinny. The eastside sand flats are usually reliable in summer but not so this year. Last year we saw redfish numbers increase in the fall as temperatures dropped and rainfall reduced the salinity. This gives us something to hope for in the next couple of months. I will be attending ICAST in Orlando, Florida, this month for a peek at the latest fishing equipment, accessories, and clothing. I’m looking forward to meeting with my major sponsors – Power Pole, Simms, AFTCO, 13-Fishing, Seaguar, AFW, and Costa. Stay cool and best fishing to all. TSFMAG.com | 85
FISHING REPORTS
Lake Calcasieu Louisiana Jeff and Mary Poe - Big Lake Guide Service - 337.598.3268 Fishing seems to be quickly moving into predictable summer patterns. In July, we expect to fish the southern end of the estuary near the Calcasieu Ship Channel most of the time. The depths of the channel give the trout a place to escape the rising mid-day water temperatures. We really enjoy this time of year, because it often offers fast action along the edges of the channel. The beach, jetties, and nearshore oil platforms will also offer similar opportunities, especially when winds are light. Most of the time we're fishing with current moving, so picking the correct jighead for the situation is imperative. Usually, the lighter the current, the lighter the jighead needed, and vice versa. We usually start with quarter-ounce heads and move up or down from there. Always let the fish help make those types of decisions, meaning more bites means you've found the right size. We also like rat-tail plastics in strong currents, because they fall to the bottom faster than paddle tails. Paddle tails produce better in light or slack currents. Trinity Bay - East Bay - Galveston Bay | James Plaag Silver King Adventures - silverkingadventures.com - 409.935.7242 James mentions a variety of productive options for anglers in the Galveston area in mid-summer. “The fishing's been good lately down around San Luis Pass, in the surf adjacent to the pass on calmer days, and on the flats behind the pass when it's a little windier. Down that way, drifting in mid-bay areas over a mud bottom covered with scattered shell produces well too. A key to catching on that pattern is locating rafted mullet and popping slicks. Slick-hopping works well in Lower Galveston, East and Trinity Bays this time of year too. If winds are light, it's much easier to make this plan work. Light winds also allow us to find the mud stirs created by schooling reds, since the water clears up enough to help us see 'em. The middle parts of East Bay are good for this drill. We also do well around some of the wells and shell pads in Lower Galveston Bay in hot weather, anchoring up and throwing lures around the structures. Playing the turn of the tide is a big key to catching on this pattern. Most of the time, the best bite happens on a changing tide.” Jimmy West - Bolivar Guide Service - 409.996.3054 Fishing had been hit or miss in the weeks prior to this report, Jim says. “We've had some tough outings when the tide gets really low and the wind blows. When winds are lighter and the water moves better, we've been doing really well. On the tougher days, it's critical to take advantage of the early bite. And most days, wading works much better than fishing out of the boat. When we're fishing out of the boat, we're locating the big schools of reds on some days, mostly over-sized fish. We've had a good topwater bite at times, especially on days when the tide's coming in strong in the morning. For the most part, my plan moving forward will be to target the trout early in the morning, for about three hours or so, then we'll go after the reds the rest of the time. We're still struggling to recover from Harvey, all the massive rains and runoff. Once winds get lighter and salinity levels get high in the summer, we'll see the consistency of the catching pick up. The bite at the jetties and in the surf tells me we have plenty of fish out there.” West Galveston - Bastrop - Christmas - Chocolate Bays Randall Groves - Groves Guide Service 979.849.7019 - 979.864.9323 Southwest winds had hampered Randall's fishing somewhat on days 86 | July 2018
ORECASTS F from Big Lake to Boca Chica
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leading up to this report, but he was coping pretty well with them. “I've resorted to fishing live shrimp under Comal corks quite a bit lately, and catching some pretty good boxes of fish, even when the west in the wind has things mucked up pretty good. On the better days, we're catching decent numbers of trout on topwaters early in the mornings, coming close to limits most of the time. Red magic Norton Lures have been working well in the surf, when winds allow us to head out there. We're rigging them on Norton screw-lock heads. The glow Norton Sand Ell with chartreuse glitter has also been working well. It's bright and shows up well in the murky water. I've been seeing quite a few ribbon fish lately, and it seems this long, slender, white worm does a good job of imitating them. We should be back to catching regular limits when the hot days get calmer after the Fourth of July. Then, we'll have more days available in the surf and an easier time catching on lures in the bay.” Matagorda | Charlie Paradoski Bay Guide Service - 713.725.2401 Charlie hopes the winds die down some during July, so the surf will clear up and provide its typical excitement and productivity. “We've had quite a bit of wind lately, but things usually calm down plenty during July and August. When that happens, we like to head out into the surf and throw topwaters to catch trout. Some of the biggest surf trout in the state come out of the waters around Matagorda every year. When the surf isn't right, we like to wade in West Bay for best results, throwing topwaters early in the morning in the shallows, moving out deeper and switching to soft plastics as the heat settles in. If winds allow, we also do quite a bit of drifting around reefs in the west end of East Bay and on the artificial ones in West Bay, throwing soft plastics on fairly heavy jigheads, to keep 'em low in the water column. Problem with fishing out of the boat in the heat is water clarity, especially in East Bay. Wading is better as long as winds are blowing at a steady, medium clip, because the clarity is better on leeward shorelines.” Palacios | Capt. Aaron Wollam www.palaciosguideservice.com - 979.240.8204 Fishing has been phenomenal in our local bays lately. Scores of trout from 18-20" have been biting around deep reefs and shell pads out in West Matagorda Bay on live shrimp rigged under popping corks. We've had some strong incoming tides in the mornings, and the fish are feeding well. Lots of bait around the rigs and deep reefs have helped too. Redfish have been all over the place, in back lakes, along shorelines and in bayous and drains. Small topwaters like ShePups and Spook Juniors have worked best. Flounder numbers continue to impress, with lots gigged up to 18" on area shorelines. Light north and east winds have helped keep our water clean. Tripletail have showed up in impressive numbers. We've stuck a few fish on live shrimp rigged about five feet under popping corks, working structure and wrecks out in West Matagorda. July usually brings on the dog days of summer, accentuating the plan of going early and getting off the water early. The surf, rigs and deep reefs are usually good during this hot stretch. Port O’Connor | Lynn Smith Back Bay Guide Service - 361.983.4434 In July, Lynn hopes to find his way out around the jetties and the pass, staying in the surf as much as possible. “Winds have been howling some lately, but that usually ends some time in July. Coastal fishing
Science and the
Sea
TM
Some Hermit Crabs Buy Instead of Rent They say that home is where the heart is, and that is literally true with hermit crabs — they carry the shell that houses them wherever they go. Since hermit crabs steal their shells from other creatures, usually sea snails, their shells do not grow with them. So a hermit crab only leaves its shell when it has outgrown the home and moves into a larger one, sometimes even killing the shell’s current resident to acquire its new dwelling.
A hermit crab living in a walking coral. Credit: Momoko Igawa. But a newly discovered species of hermit crab does things a little differently. Instead of moving house after outgrowing one shell after another, the crab known to science as Diogenes heteropsammicola picks a home that grows with it—and involves a bit of quid pro quo. Researchers from Kyoto University in Japan discovered the new crab species living in “walking coral,” a type of solitary coral usually inhabited by marine worms called sipunculans. Normally, the worms receive protection from the coral and benefit the coral by moving it around, preventing it from becoming buried under sediment. It’s an ideal symbiotic relationship—enough so that these new hermit crabs found it a good deal too. Two types of walking corals will sometimes host a red and white D. heteropsammicola instead of a worm. Like sipunculans, these hermit crabs offer the living coral transportation, and they sweep away sediment that might otherwise threaten to bury the coral. The coral offers the crabs protection from predators, just as it does for sipunculans, while also growing with the hermit crabs. For this hermit crab species then, home is where the coral is.
www.ScienceAndTheSea.org © The University of Texas Marine Science Institute
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doesn't get much better than topwaters in the surf. That kind of bite makes for fun summer mornings. If winds don't allow us to make that happen, we'll target our fish on sandy, grassy flats lying close to deep water, and look for big concentrations of mullet with slicks popping. We throw topwaters early when fishing these areas, trying to make every cast at some kind of nervous bait activity. This pattern produces best when tides run medium to high, particularly when they're flowing in strong in the morning hours. Another good place to fish this time of year in the morning with an incoming tide is along the spoil banks up near Indianola. Trout like to hang out close to deep water when it's so hot, coming up around the edges of the humps and islands late at night and early in the morning to feed while the water's moving.” Rockport | Blake Muirhead Gator Trout Guide Service - 361.790.5203 or 361.441.3894 Blake expects to be fishing the surf some in July, since it's always a good summer option. “We like to get into the surf as much as possible when it's blazing hot. Out there, the trout bite is usually good early in the mornings close to the beach, especially when the tide is coming in. Later in the day, outgoing tides can work well too, on the outer bars and guts. When not fishing along the beachfront, I like to fish some of the reefs in San Antonio, Copano and Aransas Bays this time of year. With deep water close to shallow structures, they make a lot of sense in hot weather. We normally wade along the edges of the reefs, where the shell breaks up a bit, casting along the reef, or out into deeper water. Topwaters work well along the beach or on the reefs early in the mornings, but soft plastics like Norton Sand Eels work better when the sun climbs higher in the sky. On some days, the Berkley Gulp! Split-tail shads work much better than the other plastics. And, we'll use live croakers if the fish become tough to catch on the artificials.” Upper Laguna Madre - Baffin Bay - Land Cut Robert Zapata – rz1528@grandecom.net - 361.563.1160 The water in the Upper Laguna Madre, including Baffin Bay, is in great shape. The fishing has been very good for the last three months, and I think it will continue through the month of July. With the warmer water temperatures, the fish will be in water depths of less than two feet early in the mornings, then move into deeper water as the day progresses. Look for areas with grass lines, sandy potholes and shallow rocks in about two feet of water early. Natural-colored MirrOlure SheDogs will work nicely if there is not too much grass floating on the surface. The Bass Assassin Elite Shiners in colors like meat hook and mama’s 14K rigged on sixteenth-ounce jigheads will also work in shallow water. Salt & pepper/chartreuse, plum/chartreuse and sand trout colored Bass Assassin Die Dappers rigged on sixteenth-ounce Assassin Spring Lock jigheads are great lures for fishing in two feet of water or more. I’m finding good numbers of redfish in less than fifteen inches of water while fishing with shrimp-flavored Fish-Bites. Corpus Christi | Joe Mendez – www.sightcast1.com - 361.877.1230 In the excessive heat typical of July, Joe recommends fishing around deep grass edges and other structures for trout, and drifting the shallower flats early for redfish. “We catch plenty of reds early in the mornings this time of year on shallow flats in areas near the Causeway and further south. With the ridiculously clear water we've got these days, this often means sight-casting for them, using soft plastic paddletails rigged on sixteenth-ounce heads and employing a steady retrieve. Later in the day, when the reds move out into deeper water in places like Emmord's and Beacroft's Holes, we look for them in the boat, then toss soft plastics on heavier jigheads into the schools. When fishing for trout, we have better luck throwing around rocks and grass edges fronting deep water in places along the ICW spoil banks, Rocky Slough, 88 | July 2018
Cathead, the Badlands and East Kleberg. If winds reach a moderate to strong level, heavier jigheads work best, since they allow us to maintain contact with the bottom and/or the edges of the rocks.” P.I.N.S. Fishing Forecast | Eric Ozolins The surf has been on fire! Speckled trout fishing has been good on topwaters, MirrOlures, and soft plastics. This is the time of the year when bait-balls begin appearing regularly offshore and some days they’re making it all the way to the beach, sparking late-afternoon feeding frenzies of jack crevalle, Spanish mackerel, skipjacks, and tarpon. Tossing a spoon or topwater into the melee is a sure recipe for chaos. Redfish are still around, but numbers are declining. Despite skipjacks being a non-edible species, they are extremely fun to catch on light tackle and flies. Shrimp and Fish-bites are producing lots of whiting. Pompano and black drum are still possible. The opening of the gulf shrimp season in mid-July typically pulls most of the blacktip sharks offshore for easy meals of net cull. Meanwhile, the hot summer nights will produce some monster tigers, bulls, and hammerheads – time to go big or go home. Smaller shark baits (whiting) will produce scalloped hammerheads and large rays. Mature southern and roughtail stingrays are abundant and feeding in the shallows – some upwards of 200 pounds, so waders beware! Port Mansfield | Ruben Garza Snookdudecharters.com – 832.385.1431 Getaway Adventures Lodge – 956.944.4000 July typically gives us calm mornings with wind building toward afternoon. Areas such as West Bay, The Saucer, Green Island and the Black Pipe are often in play until at least mid-day…ditto the west shoreline north of port. Anglers who prefer drifting over wading should do well between the Weather Station and Dub’s Island. Other areas worth consideration are the Pipeline and flats south of East Cut. I like to start with topwaters early – bone and baby trout patterns. I normally recommend switching to plastics or spoons around midmorning, but on some days in July surface lures work all day. We have tons of small trout, but lots of solid ones, too. Quite often, we find larger trout mixed with scattered pods of reds – fairly common on the ICW spoil humps up north. Keep an eye on the birds. Flocks of gulls have been covering trout pushing shrimp and other small bait to the surface – lots of smalls but enough keepers to make it worthwhile. Birds working near shorelines almost always means a school of reds. Keep an eye peeled for them! Lower Laguna Madre - South Padre - Port Isabel Janie and Fred Petty | www.fishingwithpettys.com – 956.943.2747 Under the summer sun, whether offshore or in the bay, we have to be prepared to survive the heat. We like to add a few very important articles to our list of supplies for a trip out on the Lower Laguna Madre. Some suggestions for surviving the sun: drink plenty of fluids and cover your head, use buffs to cover everything from your neck to your nose for the reflected glare under your hat. We carry Pedialyte packages to add to our drinking water for replacing electrolytes and come in a little earlier than usual. Freddy says, “If you stop sweating and feel dizzy, or begin to have blurry vision, you might be heading toward heat exhaustion or sun stroke. Be careful, and be prepared.” We’ve been hard pressed getting limits of reds unless tides are right, then it’s all about traffic. We’re still catching plenty of trout when we move out deeper with an occasional over-sized first thing in the morning. FP3 with Berkley Gulp! pearl-white shrimp with a chartreuse tail has been working best later in the day for trout. Help stop open bay dredge disposal!
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Adrian Salinas Trinity Bay - 28” 9.5lb redfish
Seth Clements Port Mansfield - 51” king mackerel
Daniel and Evan Father and son making memories
Andrew Dybala & grandfather San Antonio Bay - 22.5” first redfish!
Mike Eldridge Upper Laguna Madre - 30” trout 90 | July 2018
Wayne St. John Chocolate Bay - flounder
Luke McDonald 27” first flounder! CPR
Scott McDonald Sabine Lake - 27.5” red
Jason Camacho & Abel Sosa Palacios - drum
Paulette Landry Galveston - 27” & 25” reds
Anthony Mendoza redfish
Armando Garza Rio Hondo - 27“ redfish
Erica Haller King Ranch Shoreline - 27.5” trout
Cannon Post Galveston Bay - 25” trout
Eddie & Miguel Lozano Packery Channel - 39” & 38” reds
Rey Borrego King Ranch Shoreline - personal best!
Alan Rompel Landcut - 39” redfish
Glenn Morrow Bastrop Bay - 32” redfish
Scott Wiland High Island - 34” redfish
Naomi Porras San Antonio Bay -27” redfish CPR
Richard Bookout Galveston surf - 36” red CPR
Crystal Hughes Galveston - 28” redfish
Julian Quintero Galveston Bay - 23” flounder
Megan Vrana Crystal Beach - 5.5' first hammerhead! CPR
Please do not write on the back of photos.
Email photos with a description of your Catch of the Month to: Photos@tsfmag.com
Mario Guitierrez & Hector Lopez Arroyo City - 27” redfish
Beaux Skowron Galveston - 18” first flounder!
Mail photos to: TSFMag P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 TSFMAG.com | 91
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
Cajun Shrimp with Creamy Lemon Butter Sauce INGREDIENTS
PREPARATION
1-1/2 pounds medium-size fresh or frozen shrimp, peeled and deveined
Sprinkle shrimp with Creole seasoning.
2 teaspoons Creole seasoning 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup butter 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or parsley 1 (16-oz) carton heavy whipping cream 1-1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese salt and pepper to taste
92 | July 2018
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; cook 2 minutes per side or until pink. Remove from skillet and keep warm. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat; add lemon rind, juice, and thyme. Cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in cream; bring to a simmer and cook 5 to 6 minutes or until reduced by one fourth. Add Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste, stirring until cheese is melted. Prepare pasta of your choice per package instructions. Ladle sauce over pasta and top with shrimp.
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