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about the Cover TSFMag reader, Colton Roeder, shared this photo of a great nine-pound trophy speck landed recently in Matagorda Bay. Colton says it took a Corky Fat Boy and was released immediately after the photo was snapped. Way to go, Colton. And conservation kudos on the release!
Contents
MARCH 2018 VOL 27 NO 11
FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS
10 Character Evolution and Evaluation 16 Inertia and the Web 22 Bodie Goes To England: Part VIII 26 When Cheating Pays Off 32 No Country for Gold Spoons
38 42 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 73 76
Steve Hillman Kevin Cochran Martin Strarup Chuck Uzzle Joe Richard
26
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... Science & the Sea Plastic & Water Don’t Mix
72
WHAT OUR GUIDES
HAVE TO SAy
80 82 84 86 88 90 92
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
6 | March 2018
Dickie Colburn Caleb Harp Bink Grimes Shellie Gray David Rowsey Wayne Davis Ernest Cisneros
REGULARS
86
8 Editorial 78 New Tackle & Gear 94 Fishing Reports and Forecasts 98 Catch of the Month 100 Gulf Coast Kitchen
100
Jay Watkins Scott Null Sabine Lake Marine Lab Scott Sommerlatte Dave Roberts CCA Texas Stephanie Boyd Curtiss Cash Eric Ozolins UT Marine Science Institute Everett Johnson
Editor and Publisher Everett Johnson Everett@tsfmag.com VICE PRESIDENT PRODUCTION & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Pam Johnson Pam@tsfmag.com Office: 361-785-3420 Cell: 361-550-9918 National sales representative Bart Manganiello Bartalm@optonline.net regional sales representative Patti Elkins Patti@tsfmag.com Office: 361-785-3420 Cell: 361-649-2265 PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Donna Boyd Donna@tsfmag.com Circulation Subscription – product sales Vicky Morgenroth Store@tsfmag.com
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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.
PART# 41001
EDITORIAL
March Already?
Seems that March is upon us very suddenly this year. When I was a kid a had an old hand-me-down pocket watch. I cannot remember where I got it, but it looked pretty cool with that Mack truck fob hanging from my pocket. Or so I thought. Trouble with the danged thing was it gained a couple hours every day, if I remembered to keep it wound. Cool can have a way of trumping function – to an eight-year-old, anyway. Could it be that March’s clock has been gaining time? March marks the beginning of busy season on the bays. School-age kids will be on Spring Break and champing at the bit for parents to take them to the coast. And there couldn’t be a better reason. This traditionally windy month will be full of weather surprises but when you get the fishing itch… Trophy trout anglers will be among the throng seeking fishing excitement, trying for that winter-fat fish to top their personal best stats before prolonged warm water brings new patterns to the program. Even though January and February get more hype as trophy months, my own experience gives the nod to the windy month. Fishing conditions will be toughest of the colder months, with gales from both north and south, but the general warming trend in water temperature is what does the trick. Fish metabolism increases in concert with water temps which means they’re going to eat more often and for longer periods. Astute anglers spend as much time locating bait, on average, as they do pitching hopeful casts. Thank goodness our sharp-
eyed avian friends will be there to help. Gulls and pelicans make their living preying on available bait species every bit as much as the gamefish we seek. I’ve had days when a lonely osprey hovering and swooping for a finger mullet along a windward shoreline was about the only sign of life I could use to solve the puzzle. Keep this in mind when it seems the fish gods have forsaken you. Back to the topic of weather surprises, March is no time for happy-golucky boating. Balmy mornings can give way to raging fronts sweeping to the coast in the blink of an eye. Especially with youngsters aboard, boaters are advised to keep a close eye on the marine weather forecast. Yes, today’s forecasts beat the norm of a decade ago, hands down, but never underestimate an approaching weather system. Too often, what has been predicted to arrive late-afternoon becomes reality at lunch time. CCA Texas banquet season hits full stride this month. Making plans to attend one with fishing friends and families always makes for a fun evening. These fundraiser events are the mainstream of the cash flow that allows CCA to continue the legacy of conservation projects to enhance habitat and fisheries. CCA also leads the way in coastal angling advocacy – in Austin and Washington D.C. – fighting every day to enable the passage of legislation that insures we and future generations will be able to enjoy this great pastime. Keep an eye on the weather and take a youngster fishing!
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STORY BY STEVE HILLMAN
I
t was a chilly December morning when we dropped Grandpa’s small v-bottom aluminum boat in at the Galveston Yacht Basin. Armed with a pound of dead shrimp we made the short run down the Galveston Channel to Todd’s Shipyard. Our target species was gulf trout or at least that’s what Grandpa called them. They could’ve been sand trout for I knew. At 6-years-old it wasn’t important to me. All I knew was that I was fishing and I was with my Grandpa and those two things made me happy. “We need to peel the shrimp first Stevie. That’s how they like ‘em.” I don’t think we ever used more than two or three shrimp because the first two trout became cut bait and the rest is history. We could catch 8 or 10 trout on cut sand (or gulf ) trout before having to rebait our double-hook leaders. Catching gulf trout two at a time with my Uncle Bobby and Grandpa Wiley was a thrilling experience for me. Not everyone on my mother’s side of the family was as enamored of the softer-fleshed variety of trout. Uncle Bill liked to free-line live shrimp at the jetties for specks and reds, but he dabbled in a few sand trout excursions as well. My dad’s side of the family was almost exclusively focused on tricking speckled trout using lures. Pawpaw, my Uncle BB and, of course, my dad, helped me discover a whole new aspect of fishing, especially during my early teens. There was nothing better to break the solitude of a calm early morning wade than by having a trout explode on my Jumping Minnow as I walked it along the edge of rafting mullet. So many images are burned into my brain. I remember dad and me pulling up to a mud flat near the ship channel one morning. It was slick-calm and you could smell trout in the pre-dawn air. I slung my Kelley Wigglers shrimp tail (glow with a hot pink-dipped tail on a fluorescent orange 3/8-ounce jig head) out as far as my Ambassador 5000C would allow. The instant my lure pierced the surface a 4-pound trout went airborne trying to free my gumball-rigged plastic from her mouth. That high-flying trout with her gills flared open against the purple and orange horizon would make for a perfect painting on my office wall. I have hundreds of memories such as this one and each one seems to flow into the next. These fine Christian men knew the importance of family and making sure the kids in their lives got to experience the important things, like fishing. They fought for our country, worked hard to provide for their families and always put others first. They were givers, not takers. The one common element regardless of target species or the style in which they chose to pursue them was the level of class and integrity these men effortlessly demonstrated. They used our time together as teaching and bonding time. Selfless and humble were traits by which they lived. Life seemed so simple back then but then
TSFMAG.com | 11
it could be just because I was young and that’s how I choose to remember it. Either way, it was special and those experiences provided a solid stepping stone for me.
Gloat on social media or B. Keep your mouth shut? Remain clueless or B. Learn about the health of your fishery? Intentionally kill large trout or B. Release them so others can have a shot at catching them when they become REAL trophies? If you answered “B” for any of the questions listed above, you’re well on your way to possessing solid character traits (my opinion) such as leadership, integrity, humbleness, responsibility, respectfulness and resourcefulness to name a few. There aren’t many secrets anymore and there are more pairs of eyes on the water and behind computer monitors than ever. I’ve reached a level of acceptance that’s just enough for me to maintain my sanity. The word tolerance also comes to mind. Quite frankly, the drama and boasting on social media is an embarrassment. Grown men shouldn’t act like children unless they want to be treated as such.
So Much has Changed Each individual is in search of something different to satisfy their angling desires. While targeting big trout is by far my own preference, most folks seem to want lots of bites over quality. I’m not sure it makes a difference as long as we do what makes us happy and do it in a responsible way while respecting others. I do, however, have my own opinion on a few characteristics a fisherman should possess regardless of species targeted or methods used. A recent trip found us drifting a deep ledge lined with jagged oyster shell after a late-winter cold front. It was a somewhat slow bite but the trout were very solid with most in the 3- to 4-pound range. The bite had been relatively slow bay-wide for several days but I had managed to luck into this pretty good patch of fish during that time period. As always, I kept quiet about my find but there’s one thing that will inevitably occur when other anglers are struggling…they will eventually find you and you’ll be toast. Unfortunately, one boat idling nearby (first boat I’d seen in three days) saw one of my customers catch a nice trout. He motored about 30-yards in front of us through that drift and then quickly lined up very close behind us for the next one. We then watched them box a trout very similar to the 6-pounder we had just released. Before long, two more boats (both guides) got in line behind the one already tailing us. Since I can’t handle the carousel style of fishing very well it was time to leave. My frustration level with the entire situation increased greatly when I perused a well-known social media site that evening and noticed that one of the “guides” who had drifted behind us that day bragging about the solid trout he had found. He Chunky 5-lber released to hopefully went on to say, “I thought there weren’t any fish left be caught again in the bay.” This was an intentional slap in the face when she’s 8-plus! to those of us who have openly expressed concerns about the health of our trout fishery and habitat issues here on Galveston Bay. What made matters worse is that they were intentionally killing similar-sized trout (maybe even some of the same ones) that we were releasing right in front of them. I’ve said it before but I guess I’ll say it once more - How in the hell are we supposed to grow legitimate trophy trout when we continuously kill 5 and 6-pounders on purpose? The problem will continue to worsen as warmer weather arrives in the coming months and more internet meat-hauling heroes begin to splash their boats for the first time all year. Good Character Traits Pop Quiz Follow others or B. Know the right place at the right time based on knowledge and experience? 12 | March 2018
Haley Matthews with one of several very nice trout on a latewinter morning when everything was covered with ice and the water temperature was 48⁰F!
Scott Medsger CPR’ed this 6-pounder right before the boat drifting behind us caught and killed one just like it. Disheartening to say the least!
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Furthermore, the networking and the lack late-winter CPR trout. of etiquette on the water sickens me. My solution has been to avoid speaking with some of the other guides and “unfollowing” certain people on social media sites. In addition, I only post general updates on my website and my social media page about every three or four months. It’s been nice to go back to the “old school” days where I don’t have to look over my shoulder while I’m fishing because no one has heard from me in a while. My customers and I enjoy not having to fish amongst the crowds and I will continue to do everything in my power to keep it that way. I wrote an article for this magazine back in August 2016 that I titled “The Quiet Man.” It’s based on my real-life encounters with certain unnamed fishermen who exhibited positive character traits we should all strive to emulate. You should give it a read. In the meantime, I’ll continue to try to do right by the ones who started me on what I consider the right path many years ago.
Contact
Steve Hillman
14 | March 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
STORY BY KEVIN COCHRAN
W
hile wading near the King Ranch Shoreline on a calm, quiet morning last December, my customer, Brett Taylor, and I noticed a whitetail buck walking around in the shallows close to land. “Wonder why a deer would go out in the water like that?” Brett mused. I shrugged, and we continued chunking and winding. Perhaps ten minutes later, an agonized cry shattered the silence of the halcyon day. Instantly, both I and my companion recognized the sound as the utterance of a wild animal. “What’s making that awful noise?” I asked, looking in the direction of the buck. “It seems almost like a mountain lion.” Somewhere between a deep, guttural groan and an angry growl, the vocalization lingered, starting and stopping, sending chills up and down my spine. “It has to be the buck,” Brett asserted. “The noise is coming from right where he is.” I agreed, and we both commented on the sadly mournful tone of the creature’s voice. Though primitive and lacking the precise eloquence of human speech, the throaty groans relayed an unmistakable message: “I don’t want to die today.” We continued fishing and tried to ignore the resounding roars emanating from shore, but our attention remained transfixed on the scene. “Hey, I see something else up there with the buck,” Brett remarked. “It looks like a coyote.” We watched the attacker swim back to shore; apparently, the buck had ventured into depths which would not allow its feet to touch bottom. After a few minutes, the beleaguered deer walked back onto the sandy bank, and we watched the predator rush toward him and pounce. The wails spewing from the snout of the deer reached a fever pitch, as the coyote’s strangling fangs pierced his throat. The potential prey succeeded again in freeing himself from his assailant’s grip and trudged back toward deeper water. Eventually, when the depth of the water forced the coyote to swim, the predator gave up and returned to land. Exhausted, the hapless buck stood still for a moment, his head and
ears drooping, eyes cast down. After a couple minutes, he began moving laterally through the water, away from his harasser. “He must be injured or wounded. Probably escaped a hunter who shot him, and now the coyote is trying to finish him off,” I surmised. “He’s moving pretty good, though,” Brett observed. “Looks like he’s getting a fair distance away from the coyote now.” When the buck circled back to land, perhaps seventy or eighty yards from the canine, we watched the assassin race over the sand and attack again. Splashing sounds provided a background to the pitiful cries of the buck, as he sought refuge in the water once again. Like before, the coyote eventually returned to shore, when the buck reached water too deep for it to stand. The fourth time the whitetail returned to land, we watched the coyote leap, knock the deer down, grab his throat and snuff his horrific protests. My customer and I felt a sense of relief when the grunts and groans ceased, replaced by a seemingly profound silence, imbued with new meaning in the wake of the poignant and dramatic cacophony. “Nature can be so cruel,” Brett said, shaking his head. “I feel bad for the deer.” “No doubt,” I concurred. “That was gut-wrenching.” As we continued fishing, my mind began ruminating over the events, and I realized something significant about what we’d witnessed. We had not gone out on the water hoping or expecting to see such a grave event. Both of us felt somewhat unnerved, watching the coyote tear into the fallen carcass of the whitetail, as crested caracaras and turkey vultures gathered along the boundary between land and water, waiting for their chance to share in the spoils. Mostly, as humans, we tend to think of ourselves as isolated and insulated from such graphic events, cocooned in our own civilized realm. We feel separate from nature, free from the weight of her stone fist. But this is a false and delusional perception. Human beings not only dwell in the natural world, we play many important roles in the interconnected web of life it sustains. While I twitched my rodtip in a 18 | March 2018
Captian Kev with an eight-pound trout caught on a pearl/pink FatBoy and released soon after the coyote won its battle with the buck.
Tommy and Arlis James sharing time on the water on a cold day last January. Tommy caught the big one!
Brett Taylor with a solid trout caught in calm conditions which prevailed during the showdown between the buck and his assassin.
rhythmic fashion, attempting to impart lifelike movements into the sinking Fat Boy on the end of my line, I began to perceive our activity in a new light. As I tried to trick a trout into striking my lure, I ironically worked to make the fish play a dual role in my desired scenario, appearing as both predator and prey. If I could turn the speck into the Fat Boy’s coyote, I could also become the trout’s coyote and transform the fish into my whitetail buck. The line lay between me and my lure, moving in response to my rhythms, potentially plunging me into a complex, yet natural scene. Basically, I wanted to start a fight, to send vibrations trembling up through the line and into my arms, so I could experience the trout’s will to survive in an immediate and tactile sense. If I could artfully seize upon the trout’s need, I could succeed in gaining an upper hand in a dramatic duel, and spin my own sector in the metaphorical web. Like a silent version of the buck’s death throes, or the bass thumps accompanying the lyrics of a song, the thrashing and tugging of the trout against my weight would provide tangible evidence of the serious nature of the plight playing out in the soul and mind of the creature on the other end of the line. While I contemplated these things, I hooked and caught a little male trout, which made several audible croaks as I extracted the hooks and returned him to the water to swim again. Though less powerful and resonant than the buck’s final screams, those croaking sounds carried the same undeniably clear message. One principle governs the grunting trout and the wailing buck. The truth relates to the scientific law of inertia. Stated in terms of physics, the concept reads like this: an object tends to preserve its present state. An object at rest tends to stay at rest; an object in motion tends to stay in motion. When translated into the realm relevant here, the concept of inertia might be stated like this: living organisms cling to life; they resist anything which might bring about their demise. This mantra governs not only the coyote, the buck and the trout; it also exerts authority over human life.
TSFMAG.com | 19
terribly into our necks. Our assassins normally have no legs, faces or voices, they usually do their dirty work without snapping and snarling, but they operate with the advantage of inevitability on their side. We know our coyote is coming, yet we soldier on, cloaked in a necessary and superficial state of denial. In the end, we share the same plight as the buck, the coyote and the trout. While we can, we smile, laugh and cry; we fight the good fight. We chunk and wind, raise an arm, shake a defiant fist against the sky. At our best, we rage proudly against the machine, our spirits buoyed by the hope of another new day, striving to delay the onset of that long, dark night.
Kevin Cochran Contact
My customer and I did not need to eat any of the trout we caught that day in order to sustain ourselves. In fact, we released all of the approximately fifty trout and redfish we caught. Though we did not need to kill and eat the fish in order to survive, we desired to prove we had the skills which would allow us to do so. Our outing did not include a direct search for a means of sustenance, but it did include an indirect search for one, a quest sourced from our own tendency to perpetuate our condition as living, breathing creatures. Some people eat most of the fish they catch, creating a clear connection between the activity and what we might call their survival inertia. Others fish more for sport than to accumulate bags of filets, but even those folks find motivation in the internal forces which spur them to make forays onto the water, in attempt to connect with their potential prey. I’ve typed it before and will type it again – we fish to keep our souls alive. Within our souls, the battle between good and evil takes place. In this case, fighting for survival is good, and giving up the fight is bad. The act of catching fish takes all of us back around to a central place in our souls, one where people hunt and kill in order to feed themselves and their kin. Our ancestors lived and died in such a place, though modern humans tend to think of ourselves as far removed from it. The plaintive wails of the dying buck caused my customer and me to feel discomfort that December day, specifically because the sounds slapped us in the face with a reminder of our own mortality. Like the buck, we will meet our coyote someday. The assailant will not likely appear suddenly, its lips pulled back to reveal sharp fangs, probably won’t growl and relentlessly chase, nor sink its teeth
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20 | March 2018
Kevin Cochran is a full-time fishing guide at Corpus Christi (Padre Island), TX. Kevin is a speckled trout fanatic and has created several books and dvds on the subject. Kevin’s home waters stretch from Corpus Christi Bay to the Land Cut.
Trout Tracker Guide Service Phone Email Web
361-688-3714 kevxlr8@mygrande.net www.FishBaffinBay.com www.captainkevblogs.com
Part VIII STORY BY MARTIN STRARUP
T
he limousine pulled up in front of the Savoy Hotel and Bodie watched as a group of people rushed to the car and started opening doors, talking fast and loud, in what Bodie was pretty sure was English but he couldn’t understand a word of. The men’s luggage was taken into the lobby where the hotel manager greeted the group with a big smile and glasses of champagne. “Mr. Sellers, what a pleasure to have you back with us.” Turning to the others, he then said, “Gentlemen, I am Philip Barnes, the general manager of the Savoy, and it is my great pleasure to welcome you to the hotel. If there is anything you need during your stay, please do not hesitate to call on me personally.” Doug led the group to the front desk to register and asked the concierge to have the men’s luggage taken to their respective suites. “I’m sure that all of you are as tired as I am, so why don’t we go to our rooms, shower and take a nap. Perhaps we can meet down here in about four hours or so?” Doug suggested. The boys agreed and made their way to the elevator and their suites. “I thought the Driskill Hotel in Austin was fancy, but this place is incredible,” Bodie said to his friends. “Yeah, but this whole area looks kinda old to me, and so does this hotel.” Tommy replied. “We’re in London you dummy, everything is old here,” Red snarled.
“And why do you have so many bags, Tommy?” “I brought a lot of stuff, that’s why,” Tommy grinned in reply. The boy’s suites were all next to each other and Doug handed each a key. “I think you will be comfortable but, if you need anything, just ring the front desk and you will be taken care of. Tommy, this is your suite; Red, this is yours, and Bodie’s is down here right next to mine.” Tommy began surveying his suite and the first thing he noticed was the fireplace. Still feeling the chill of the wind at the airport he decided to get a fire going. “I wonder where they keep the firewood? Guess I’ll have to call that Philip guy for some,” he thought aloud. Tommy called the front desk and asked for Philip who promptly got on the phone. “Yes Mr. Meyers, how may I help you?” “I want a fire, but I can’t find where you guys hide the firewood,” Tommy replied in a polite tone. Philip considered this for a few seconds and then said, “I will be right up and show you how the fireplace works, Mr. Meyers.” “I know how a fireplace works,” Tommy interjected. “I just need some wood.” Philip was on the elevator within seconds of hanging up the phone. As the elevator door closed he began to understand what Mr. Sellers meant when he advised, “Mr. Meyers may need some special attention.” Philip knocked on the door and Tommy let him in. “Hello again, Mr. Meyers. Please allow me to demonstrate how the TSFMAG.com | 23
24 | March 2018
and cast towards the hole. He had rigged with only a 1/4-ounce weight but thought it might be enough to get the bait to the bottom in the light current. After about twenty minutes without a bite, Tommy decided to try the other end of the landing and cast up-current to let the bait drift naturally. “And how is the fishing today gentlemen?” came a voice from behind Tommy and the driver. “The fishing is fine, but the catching is terrible,” Tommy replied. “Well the tide isn’t up yet, and the fishing will be a might slow until the water has moved in. Might I see your rod fishing license please, sir?” the constable asked. Tommy removed his Texas Super Combo hunting and fishing license from his billfold and handed it to him. “Sir, it says here that this is a license for hunting and fishing…in Texas,” the constable said with surprise. “Yes sir, and it’s a lifetime license. Ain’t too many people got a lifetime license, ya know!” Tommy drawled proudly. “I see that. But it’s no good here in the UK!” the constable replied sternly. “Did you not buy your rod fishing license when you arrived?” “Uh no, no sir. I didn’t know that I needed to do that,” Tommy squeaked dejectedly. The driver stepped quickly alongside the officer and whispered in his ear. Peering at the driver rather incredulously, he folded Tommy’s Texas Combo license neatly and handed it back to him. Clearing his throat for effect, he spoke directly to Tommy, “Sir, I’m going to let you go with only a verbal warning today, on one condition. You MUST purchase a UK rod fishing license if you plan to fish during your visit.” Tommy nearly choked on his chewing tobacco but managed to thank the constable, and went on to say he would purchase a license before fishing again. Walking back to the car, Tommy asked the driver, “What did you say to that Bubble to stop him giving me a ticket.” “I told him the truth. You were here in London on business, flew in on a private jet, and have a suite at the Savoy. Oh, and he is not a Bubble, sir. We call them Bobbies,” the driver smirked. Tommy didn’t understand how that alone helped him get off the hook for breaking the law, but he sure was happy he didn’t need to call Bodie to come get him out of a London jail. To be continued...
Martin Strarup
Contact
fireplace works.” “Well it’s not going to be easy…if you don’t have any wood,” Tommy assured him. Philip walked to the fireplace and pointed to a knob on the wall. “Quite simple, sir. You simply turn this knob, and when the gas begins to flow, an automatic igniter will light the fire.” “So, what about the wood?” Tommy asked. “These are ceramic logs that get very hot from the gas flame and heat radiates into the room,” Philip explained. “These fireplaces do not use wood like a conventional fireplace. “Well, I would have imagined that a fancy place like this would at least have a real fireplace,” Tommy remarked. “Yes sir,” Philip assured him, “You will find a large wood burning fireplace in the barroom downstairs, just off the lobby. Perhaps you might enjoy it if you prefer a wood fire.” “Well, in my opinion, these fake fireplaces just don’t put out as much heat as the real ones,” Tommy grumbled. “But, I guess it’ll do if this is all you got…” “Will there be anything else that I can help you with Mr. Meyers?” Philip asked. “Well, I’m not really tired enough for a nap so I thought maybe I would do some fishing. Do you happen to know of any good fishing holes in that Tames River over there?” “It’s pronounced ‘tems’, sir. And no, I apologize, I am not a fisherman and not aware of any good fishing holes in the river. However, I will be happy to arrange for a day trip with a reputable outfitter who can take you to a nice lake that I’m sure you would enjoy.” “Uh, maybe later, Phil. I appreciate it.” “Well, if there’s nothing else, I will leave you to it and please enjoy your stay,” Philip offered in leaving. Tommy pulled out his two-piece travel rod and one of the Shimano Chronarch reels from his big duffel bag and rigged it for fishing bait on the bottom. With the baggie of cocktail shrimp he’d bummed from Miss Pamela in hand, he donned a warm jacket and stocking cap, grabbed his fishing rod and headed for the lobby. “Excuse me,” Tommy greeted the desk clerk, “I’m a little turned around. How do I get to the river from here?” “Going to do some fishing, are you?” “I’m going to try but I have to get to the river to do it…do you know of any good fishing holes?” “I’ve caught some nice perch and chubs just off the first landing at the end of Carting Lane. I’ll have a car brought around and the driver will take you,” the clerk answered cheerfully. The driver, himself a fisherman, gave Tommy some tips on how to fish the Thames, and Tommy told him that he had brought some shrimp for bait. “I say, I’ve never heard of anyone using shrimp,” the driver remarked. “Yeah, well these are jumbo shrimp, from Texas…for catching jumbo fish!” Tommy informed the Londoner. The driver parked at the end of Carting Lane, opened the door for Tommy and helped him with his tackle bag. They walked a short way down to a landing on the river and the driver suggested he cast toward a deep hole off to one side. “I’ve had luck there,” he said. Tommy bit off a chunk of shrimp and threaded it onto the hook
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
Sunset is often the time of day when the water is the warmest and the fish are most aggressive during winter and early spring.
STORY BY CHUCK UZZLE
“I
f you’re not cheating you’re not trying,” is a popular line used by many to describe the overwhelming desire to win at all costs, which basically sums up the attitude of a large slice of the population. Cheating permeates just about every facet of our lives in one way or another. Millions of people right now are trying to figure out how to “legally” cheat on their income taxes to reduce the debt they owe the government. Athletes in all the major sports and beyond are looking for that competitive edge by bending rules or circumventing legislation in order to get ahead and perhaps receive a huge contract. Public outcry against cheaters who get caught is usually loud and seems to never die down. The recent Hall of Fame ballots in baseball are a prime example as the greats of the steroid era continue to slip farther away from induction as penance for past transgressions. All these examples of cheating are slanted heavily toward the negative but, what if you could cheat and it was actually a good thing? What would you say to that? In general, the act of cheating is greatly frowned upon but, on occasion, it’s actually quite productive and can sometimes lead to an entirely different approach in solving a fishing problem. One of the most fulfilling things I personally take from guiding other
TSFMAG.com | 27
fishermen is watching them learn a new technique and become successful with it. I also thoroughly enjoy when clients teach me a new technique or share their thoughts on a new or better way to catch fish. I have had customers demonstrate some truly innovative techniques that I would likely never have dreamed up on my own in a million years. Most of which came as the result of fishermen struggling to master a certain style of fishing and therefore created their own versions and variations to make it work for them. In a sense, this could be called cheating of a sort, as it allows them to get around various problems they encounter when attempting to master a conventional technique or method. So, I say, “If it helps you catch fish and it’s completely legal, then go ahead and call me a cheater, too.” Easily, the most difficult method of fishing that confounds the average angler is trying to gather a feel for using a suspending bait, like a Corky. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked, “How do you fish that darned thing?” I usually smile and try to explain it to the best of my ability because I can remember being in the same situation and being just as frustrated. It took me a while to figure out the technique and I still struggle from time to time, especially when the bite is very subtle. During such times when the fish are finicky, and the bite is almost too light to detect, I have seen too many anglers give Long drifts along protected up in frustration, watching their shorelines will pay off for anglers using rattling corks. companions cashing in, seemingly every other cast.
Instead of giving up, it may be time to try another technique that duplicates the troublesome presentation in more user-friendly fashion. My own solution to the Corky dilemma was switching to a diving twitch bait such as those offered by Smithwick, Storm, Rapala and Yo-Zuri. A near-perfect compromise, it took away the guesswork of the retrieve technique, and pausing these baits during the retrieve is evidently irresistible to the fish. I have saved many days on the water by making this simple switch, in fact there are plenty of times that I actually prefer throwing these plugs to slow-sinking and suspending variations. Another benefit of these twitch baits is that they float, a feature not lost on those who provide lures for clients. Shelling out ninedollar lures to multiple anglers while drifting shell reefs can get expensive in a hurry. Twitch baits will generally float to the surface if you hang bottom and break off, which makes retrieving them for further duty a very real possibility. I had the good fortune to watch the twitch bait do its magic one January day in ultra-clear water while fishing Calcasieu with good friend, Johnny Cormier. The scattered shell we were drifting was easily visible with the bright sun and the redfish and trout stuck out like neon signs in the night. Johnny and I were able to watch how these fish reacted to the different lures we offered, and it was highly educational and entertaining. After running the full gamut of lure selection, we settled on the twitch bait because it continued to provide the most consistent strikes after Matt Menard stuck this fat Sabine redfish during a calm afternoon.
28 | March 2018
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30 | March 2018
coming weeks as the coastal community focuses on a singular goal. As fishermen we all have things in common and catching fish is perhaps tops on that list. Just remember that there is no perfect way to go about catching fish and, if you need to come up with your own version to “cheat” the system, go ahead. It just might be the technique we have all been searching for. Results speak for themselves and as long you enjoy what you are doing and its legal, by all means get after it. In fact, I encourage that you continue to think outside the box, so long you promise to share with the rest of the class.
Chuck Uzzle
Contact
we bumped the shell and let the plug stop and begin to float back towards the surface. The reaction was violent. We also watched the plugs float back to surface after breaking them off against sharp shell – another eyeopener. Another, even less conventional alternative to the suspending plug dilemma I discovered during a chance meeting with a kayak angler. I had a group of waders one afternoon along the north end of Sabine Lake and we were doing pretty well when I noticed a brightly-colored kayak had drifted into our general vicinity. He was polite and stayed out of the line we were working until we reached our boat and began to regroup for another wade. As we milled about near the boat we noticed the kayaker was hooked up with what appeared to be a solid fish. After a nice fight he brought it to hand, took a measurement, and released a very nice trout. As he drifted by our boat we struck up a conversation and compared notes on fish we had caught, when I noticed our new friend had modified his approach to using a Corky by suspending it under nothing less than a cork. I asked about the setup and his reply was so simple that it made perfect sense. “If you fish that plug under a cork you can control the depth better and it’s a heckuva lot easier for me to detect a strike when while I’m paddling and drifting.” I couldn’t argue with his logic or results, it worked for him and that’s all that mattered. Now the twitch bait is not the only improvised solution fishermen use, especially this time of year when Texas anglers focus on big trout. Anglers will be bombarded with stories of success with suspending plugs and trophy trout from every direction in the
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
Slinging spoons at the jetties, a favorite pastime for catching trout. This is actually a copper spoon rarely used, borrowed only minutes before.
M
arch could be called official spoon month on the Texas coast; that’s when our first spoons of the year are used—from now through November. Over the years we’ve spent countless days slinging these fluttering, slowsinking, metal lures. Today we don’t see them on the coast like we did 30 years ago, which begs the question: are spoons becoming a lost art? Store aisles are crammed with all manner of colorful plugs and plastics these days, and spoons can be hard to find. They’re not as pretty (unless you worship gold) and resemble nothing that lives along the coast. Yet the flash of a spoon will “flip a switch” on passing predators, who sense a wounded baitfish and an easy meal. Back in the day I often burned through 12 cards of gold spoons in a year. The losses always began in March, often at the Port Mansfield jetties
where the water warms early. One day at the end of the rocks I was cleaned out, all 12 spoons gone, just gone. Huge, thuggish jacks had been unstoppable with the Ambassador 6000 reel. When a hundred yards of line was stretched out to the horizon, I’d thumb the spool and break 20-pound line way out there at the knot. It’s a handy trick because it was the only line I had. But my spoons were gone, and there was nothing to be done. No replacements in sight, either, only water and blowing sand in the dunes. It was time for Plan B. Back at the car, I dug out a castnet and soon found a nearby pond with marsh minnows. Using them around submerged rocks, safely away from prowling jacks, we soon put together a fine stringer of flounder. Similar spoon losses were experienced on the upper coast where we lived, mostly from rocky snags and mackerel, along with a few big tripletail diving into rusty structure off the beach. Further offshore, ling, snapper and bluefish were hard on spoons, too. Today, losing so many lures seems difficult to believe. How do you reconcile losing 144 spoons in a single year? It’s an indication of how hard we fished back then, and in hazardous water filled with structure and snapping teeth. The fish we caught made it all worth it. We seldom used bait and couldn’t afford a tackle box full of Bingos and MirrOlure plugs, because schools of sharptoothed mackerel were common in our area. We couldn’t use wire leader either, as trout avoid wire like the plague. And we were there for the trout, mostly—thousands of them. Not too big, mostly two and three-pounders. A seven-pounder was about tops each summer. If we’d thrown bigger plugs, we’d likely have put a 10-pound trout on the wall. But we were after action and numbers, and spoons provided both. I’m not the only fan of spoons. Today, whether in Texas or Florida, it’s a simple matter to toss first mate Miss Amy a gold spoon and watch her go to work. She’ll sling that piece of metal for eight hours, work it and catch all manner of fish. Better than me, truth be known. With 37 years of experience, she has an unwavering faith that a fish will grab on with the next cast, which counts for a lot, because confidence in a lure is half the battle. Or so they say. Spoon fishing made an early impression on her, beginning in 1980 when we were newlyweds. Using battered 3/8 ounce gold spoons on Labor Day, we boxed almost a hundred pounds of big Spanish in two or three hours. It was furious action and our small boat was an awful mess. No bag limits, in those days. The following summer we entered our first local tournament. First day out, I landed a 6-pound trout at the jetties with a gold spoon, probably big enough to win, so next morning we headed offshore. After an epic battle Amy landed an amazing 38-pound kingfish, without a leader; nothing but a gold spoon. Both of us were using Ambassador reels filled with tough 20-pound Ande line. With the very same spoons, I had a first-place trophy and her kingfish was tied for first place. To this day, it’s our biggest king caught on the lightest line. 34 | March 2018
Keeper bluefish caught with a spoon at a standpipe in state waters off the beach.
This dangerous bull shark couldn’t resist a one-ounce silver spoon.
Kingfish can’t resist a flashy baitfish, and spoons have likely caught more kings than any other artificial bait.
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Friends Pete Churton and Dale Fontenot in the Beaumont area have taken spoon fishing to a whole different level. After catching many trout together at Sabine in the late 1970s, Pete became a solid fan of spoons and began taking them offshore as far as 50 miles, stopping along the way at shallower Gulf platforms in 40 to 50 feet of water. Their strategy was simple: tie up to favorite rigs and sling metal in all directions. Or drop spoons to the bottom, and jig them back up. It requires patience and stripping lots of line to allow a spoon to flutter deep. Always impatient to get down there quickly in the strike zone, I mostly use fast-sinking leadhead jigs offshore. But Pete and Dale have persevered all these years with slow-flutter, one-ounce silver spoons, perhaps more than anyone who ever fished offshore of the Texas coast. Who knows? Pete’s best catch with a spoon was a 55-pound kingfish landed and released, caught way offshore, 50 miles off Sabine at the WC-352 rig that was sadly cut down and removed two or three years ago. They’ve caught all Drop a one-ounce spoon deep at Gulf Reds are caught on spoons manner of fish out there including ling bigger than 50 platforms, and any of a dozen or more species from shallow flats to offshore pounds, and big “sow” red snapper, among other species. may hit. Snapper are quite fond of spoons. around Gulf platforms. On the way back in, they might stop at the jetties if the water is green and throw the very same spoons for trout and redfish. (Pete buys his spoons in bulk on the Internet, from Double X Tackle in Colorado.) Today, Amy and I stick with Johnson Sprite gold spoons, either the single hook weedless variety for redfish on the flats, or the treble hook model. Pin a chartreuse twister tail worm on that single hook spoon, and you’ve got a tempting bait for redfish even in a foot of water. The treble hook model handles anything else. In fact, on a recent Florida trip, Miss Amy landed bluefish, grouper and even a 44-inch cobia on the same spoon. Our fishing records show that last March 28 and 29, in the same area, we drifted over grass bottom with an average depth of six feet of water. In two days we landed 90 trout up to 22 inches. Released a bunch of 20-inch trout, which you don’t see every day. They were caught almost entirely on gold spoons, with a few on Rapala X-Rap plugs. Oh, we had a time out there. When describing the trip to other anglers, and how we caught so many on spoons, they generally looked puzzled. Say what? Maybe they didn’t believe us. I’m starting to think there are a lot of coastal anglers who have never thrown a spoon, or gave up on the idea after a few casts. Even the local tackle-store owner seemed mystified. Joe Richard has fished the Gulf since 1967, starting out of Port ArSpoons don’t always work, of course. We’ve been badly out-fished thur, but his adventures have taken him up and down the entire coast. several times, by other boats using live bait or soft plastics when the He was the editor of Tide magazine water was murky. Spoons require fairly clean water, and we always for eight years, and later Florida hope for dark green water in the Texas surf, jetties or bays before Sportsman’s book and assistant magazine editor. He began guiding throwing a spoon. out of Port O’Connor in 1994. His Today we carry a variety of lures to cover the bases. And I can still specialty is big kingfish, and his throw the castnet manually if we need live bait. But rest assured, gold latest book is The Kingfish Bible, New Revelations. Available at spoons continue to hold a permanent spot in my tackle box.
Contact
Joe Richard
36 | March 2018
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J AY WAT K I N S
A S K T HE P R O
The Brain Game I have been asking for a colder winter the past several years and it seems I have my wish. Scary cold during a few of the fronts but it seems that our fishery did not suffer too terribly, save for a couple of Port O’Connor’s back lakes. What happened there was sad, thankfully it was not more widespread. Biologists say sustained water temperatures below 45⁰ can be the beginning of the end for many inshore species – especially trout. Drop the water temp to 38⁰ for any length of time and fish will die in staggering numbers. Daytime warming plays a huge role in the recovery of cold-stunned fish, cloud cover through the night helps prevent that warmth from radiating into the atmosphere. We can apply that same principle to our own fishing efforts. I actually caught fish when the water temperature was running 43.5⁰ over the past several weeks, not many, but some here and there. I have noted over the years that water temps of 47⁰ and above is typically when I see the bite beginning to rebound. The warmer the surface temperature the better. And don’t for one second think that fish will not move shallow to gain such warmth, and feed when they are there. I am never afraid to fish shallow as long as there is ample bait present, suitable bottom structure, and
John Blaha with nice winter trout – CPR!
38 | March 2018
quick access to deeper water. I definitely believe that fish will move up shallow to warm and maybe eat something, and then return to the depths to ride out the cold as the shallow water loses its heat. Small windows of opportunity should be expected during periods of cold such as the harsh frontal passages we have experienced this winter. Great anglers possess better than average skills in many aspects of the game. They have good lure presentation and cadence, and they are totally aware of all that is happening around them. They allow patterns to unfold and develop once in the proper zones. Most interpret weather patterns well and put themselves in the optimal place at the optimal time. They have tried and true hook-setting, fish fighting and fish landing skills that result in a higher percentage of larger fish being landed. It is the smallest of bad habits that cost you on the truly big fish. This is especially true when speaking in terms of trout 30-inches or better. I coached my boys from a very young age on developing good habits that allow them the chance to land the best fish once on the end of the line. This said, a phenomenal angler possesses a cerebral aspect of the sport that places them above even the great. The BRAIN GAME is huge in fishing and never more needed than during times when fish become adversely affected by cold weather. In this article you should take note of the color of the trout I am holding in the photo – it shows very little color. My sons, Jay Ray and Ryan, noticed immediately, as did Lowell Odom. “That fish has been in deep water, Dad”, was the text message I received from both boys almost simultaneously. Interestingly, I did not catch the fish is deep water. She came from what I have come to believe is a route fish use when traveling from deeper water to fastwarming shallow water in the winter months. Brain game anglers have an unbelievable mental picture of how fish move, many without any real scientific education. Incidentally, I believe on-the-job training to still be one of the best way to truly learn. Brain gamers are constantly developing strategies that involve locating routes of travel and the likely interception points along such routes that will bring them in close contact with fish during these periods. When fishing with exceptional anglers, who sometimes think aloud, I advise you listen more and talk less. I fish with many anglers that I consider phenomenal, and when doing so I am listening more than talking. Oh, I know that is hard to believe, but it is true. Thinking anglers are not surprised when patterns
TSFMAG.com | 39
40 | March 2018
Legendary guide Cliff Webb with nice CPR trout. Loved this day with Cliff, catching up.
C ontact
develop as they have already mentally predicted them, and are therefore prepared to finish the game in grand fashion. Just think about some of the best fishing stories you have ever heard, I’ll bet those tales involve one of the best anglers you know. They do for me, anyway. The thinking angler is seldom frustrated when proven and tested patterns fail. Fishing is an imperfect science, and that’s another undeniable truth. I will go out on a limb and say that many people view fishing as a no-brainer sport. Just chunk it out there and reel it in – that’s all there is to it. This is fine if you’re happy with merely enjoying a day on the water, and maybe catching a fish or two. I have not reached that point. If I ever do, it will be because my attitude has changed, not for lack of knowledge, skill, or tools to get the job done. J.D. Whitley, longtime guide in Port Yours truly with a heavy 30-plus – CPR! Mansfield, told me the other day that he sometimes does not make a single cast for long spells. Just watches and takes it all in. J.D. is 80-years-old and still a stud of a fisherman. He has earned the right to just sit back and enjoy the beauty of the day. I have a fondness for old salts. They did it without much of anything. They were lacking in the sophisticated types of gear we have today but had a ton of grit, which is way better than all the best gear. J.D. Whitely is a true saltwater legend on the Lower Laguna. A downright nasty stretch of weather began on Tuesday morning this past week. Monday was pre-frontal and, due to the intensity of the front approaching, the bite was really strong. Following the arrival of the front, daytime highs over several days ran in the mid-30s, dipping below freezing through the night. Tides were extremely low and water temperatures dropped to the low 40s. Short sessions were about all we could stand while wading in the frigid waters. Luckily, there were several afternoons with moonset minor feeding periods that allowed for good opportunities after daytime warming had occurred. On the third day after the front, the wind diminished but heavy cloud cover and rain persisted. Very little daytime warming left the fish holding in deeper water. Several days prior to the front I had located an area along the shoreline where deep water access was close at hand, the bottom structure was ideal, and a ton of bait was present. I believed that even with the extreme low water temps, the deeper water would protect the bait and the predators. Scouting for such
areas that could be productive after the front goes through is always a good idea. On day four, in heavy fog and almost no wind, we stepped off the boat into 44.5⁰ water, adjacent to deeper water, and started our slow assault on the shoreline. Parallel shoreline guts with submerged grassbeds lay in front of us, though most were hard to detect with the poor visibility. Prior scouting and marking of the areas on my part allowed a high confidence level among the group. I had great anglers with me, so no worries there. Bites from trout up to 5-pounds and some heavy redfish came pretty quickly. No words had to be spoken; all stopped in their tracks and strategically dissected the water in front of them. We landed close to twenty fish before the fog lifted and the wind went dead-calm – and the bite ceased. The bait moved back to the deeper water and, even though we caught a couple more trout, there is no doubt in my mind they too had left the area. The thinking fisherman sticks to the area where the bait has been present and fish were caught or, you go searching for alternate areas that match up structurally with the area where you caught fish earlier in the day. We did just that but only caught redfish in those areas. My guess is that we would have caught trout in these areas had they been our first stop of the day. This particular morning, though fog definitely threatened navigation, it also aided our angling effort in the near gin-clear shallow feeding zone. Savvy anglers save safe travel routes on their GPS when scouting, mark suitable bottom structures for the season, and always mark areas holding predictable and reliable bait concentrations. The brain game is the real game. May your fishing always be catching! -Guide Jay Watkins
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
TSFMAG.com | 41
Finished set - baby dolphin.
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 HIN G
Keeping busy
on bad weather days I have now witnessed snow on South Padre as well as Grand Isle in the same winter. I’m over it. Unfortunately, I foresee at least another four weeks of winter, no matter what that Yankee rodent up in Punxutawney, PA has to say about it. I’m guessing four weeks because that’s how much longer I’ll be guiding for bull reds in Louisiana this winter. I figure that as I drive off the island, headed back to Texas on February 28, the winds will be calm with definite signs of spring. So, what’s a fly guide to do when he’s stuck at fish camp and canceling trip after trip, due to bad weather? Well, dream of warmer days and restock the fly boxes! I’m pretty sure I’ve tied enough of my Redfish Crack flies to last me through next fall. Once the bay boxes were jammed full, thoughts turned to summertime beachfront fishing. With the new Dargel Kat now in the stable, I’m hoping to hit the nearshore waters around Port O’Connor as soon as those first migrants arrive on warming currents. Large flies for kingfish and other big critters that roam offshore are expensive. And, due to their sharp dental work, those high-dollar flies don’t last long. As I rummaged through the piles of miscellaneous materials I brought with me, I ran across a cache of 42 | March 2018
supreme hair. I really don’t even remember why I bought it, or so much of it, but it has been patiently waiting at the bottom of a box. Surely, I’m not the only one who does this, right? If you aren’t familiar with it, supreme hair is a fairly stiff synthetic fiber with a lot of kink to it. It reflects a lot of light and adds fullness without too much bulk. It is a bit too stiff in short lengths for my liking as it doesn’t move much, but at about four inches it livens up. For larger flies, the stiffness is desirable because it helps to keep the material from wrapping and fouling the hook. It is also cheap and very durable, making it perfect for bigwater flies. Looking through the colors, I decided to tie a ballyhoo and a baby dolphin. Both patterns were productive for me back in my trolling days. After a little trial and error, I came up with something that was simple to tie and looked really good in the water. Nice sink rate, good movement, and by keeping them somewhat sparse with water shedding materials; they even cast pretty well…as well as could be expected for a seven-inch fly. For the ballyhoo, I started with an extra-long shank Owner 7/0, (a 5/0 might be better, but that’s what I had
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on hand). The XL shank provides a little extra tooth protection as well as creating a nice beak for the ballyhoo. I chose three colors of supreme hair; white, grey and light blue. The material is about 12-inches long and I used about a matchstick sized bunch in each, a little less is better than too much. After cutting your pieces, lightly pull at the ends to make them uneven and more natural looking. This will give you an overall length of 13- to 14-inches. Lay the white piece along the hook and tie it in at about half
an inch from the middle, making that first part of the tail slightly longer. Once tied in, coat the first three inches or so with Goop or Softex to stiffen it up a little. This will help with fouling. The remaining pieces of supreme hair won’t need the Goop. Now fold back the remaining portion that extended forward and give it a few wraps to make it lie down. Tie in the grey piece in the same manner. On top of the grey, tie in a small amount of pearl Mylar or similar flash. Next, tie in the light blue about a half inch from the middle with shorter end
1
Starting with the white.
2
Adding the grey.
3
Done with the Supreme Hair.
4
Adding the Flash Blend belly to the sides.
5
44 | March 2018
Mask and eyes.
6
Finished set - ballyhoo.
TSFMAG.com | 45
46 | March 2018
around the edges of the mask and over the beak. The baby dolphin fly was done using the same techniques. The only thing I added was a little chartreuse craft fur as a last step before the mask. Back when I trolled for kings, I also had a lot of success with red/white and pink/white lures, so I plan on doing a few of those as well. If you’d like to try your hand at catching some beachfront beasts this summer, shoot me an email and we’ll get you on the calendar. As always, weather plays a big part in this game. Should Mother Nature wreck our plans we can always grab the poling skiff and divert to the flats to throw some of these Redfish Crack flies.
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extending back first before laying the longer end over the top. Varying the white and blue gives the fly a nice taper without having to trim it later. Each of the above steps are tied on top of the hook. For added durability, flip the fly over and hit the threads with a little Zap-AGap. To give the fly a little more belly, place a small amount (about half as much as the supreme hair bundles) of Steve Farrar’s Flash Blend in UV white or something similar. This material is about 8- to 9-inches long and the ends are already uneven. Find the mid-point of the bundle and tie it along the side of the hook shank, then wrap the remaining portion over the top of the hook and lay it along the other side of the shank to tie it in place. Along the very top of the fly, tie in a few strands of peacock Flashabou and build up a head of thread to seat the mask. Seal the thread with cement. For the head I used the clear Fish Mask and Living Eyes from Flymen Fishing Company. You could build a head with epoxy, but that stuff is a pain on a head this large. The Fish Mask is fast and easy. Put a little dab of Goop on the built-up thread and slide the mask into place. Hold it there a few seconds until the glue sets and then put the eyes in place. Start some black thread in front of the head and build a tapered cone to really lock the mask in place. Continue wrapping to the eye of the hook to make the beak. I also added a little section of red thread right at the eye, but it probably isn’t necessary, just wanted to. Seal the threads with cement. You could probably stop there on the head but, for extra strength, I applied a coat of Loon UV clear fly finish over the eyes,
Capt. Scott Null is a devout shallow water fisherman offering guided adventues via kayak, poled skiff, and wading. Telephone Email Website
281-450-2206 captscottnull@gmail.com www.captainscottnull.com
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geico.com | 1-800-865-4846 | Local Office Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states or all GEICO companies. Boat and PWC coverages are underwritten by GEICO Marine Insurance Company. Multi-Policy Discount available to auto insureds that have purchased a boat policy through the GEICO Marine Insurance Company. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, D.C. 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. Š 2018 GEICO
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By Sabine Lake Marine Lab | Port Arthur
F IE L D N O T E S
Spotted Seatrout of Sabine Lake
Table 1. Number of spotted seatrout caught in Sabine Lake’s spring and fall gill nets (1986-2015) by minor bays for fish under/over 25 inches.
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Along the Texas coast, spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus, are arguably the most highly sought after game fish, and the anglers of Sabine Lake are lucky to have fertile waters with the capacity to support a thriving population. Two important questions that anglers ask themselves before seeking their bag limit of this popular game fish are “Where are the fish likely to be?” and “What are they biting on?” Knowledge of habitat, tides, time of year, recent weather trends, and bait are also essential parts of that decision process. Though they are not collected for this purpose, data collected by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) coastal monitoring programs may also be useful to anglers targeting specks in the Sabine Lake estuary. One of these monitoring programs, the fisherydependent program, involves collecting post-trip information from anglers at boat ramps and marinas. Many of you are no doubt already familiar with this program having been interviewed by TPWD staff after a fishing trip. Since 1986, when this program began in the Sabine Lake system, 47,760 angler interviews have been
conducted. Today 30 boat access sites are surveyed year round (Figure 1). TPWD data shows that Sabine Lake and the Sabine Pass Channel are where anglers land the most spotted seatrout, with more than 25,000 specs recorded from those areas over the last three decades. Of the trout encountered during surveys from Sabine Lake and the surrounding marsh and Gulf, most hover around 16-17 inches, but it is interesting to note that many trout over 18 inches were found in Federal waters (>10 statute miles offshore) off Sabine Pass. However, if you happen to return to the ramp without so much as a bite don’t worry because it happens to even the best anglers. In fact, only 55% of fishing trips that were surveyed along coastal Texas over the last 40 years brought back any fish. A second TPWD coastal program that produces data of interest to anglers is the fishery-independent program. This program employees gill nets, in the spring and fall, to monitor populations of larger fish, including spotted seatrout. This data suggests that Sabine Lake supports a large population of spotted seatrout that is comprised of fish covering a wide size range (Table 1). The marsh surrounding Sabine Lake and its smaller nooks such as Keith, Salt, and Shell Lakes (Figure 1) are also areas where you can find an ample supply of specks, something to consider on those less than perfect-weather days or if you want to explore and get away from the open water of Sabine Lake. Time of year and location also plays a role in the availability of spotted seatrout. Fisherydependent data indicates that action picks up in midspring, peaks in the summer, and remains steady through November. The most aggressive bite seems to change from Sabine Lake proper to the Sabine Pass Channel as the seasons change from spring to summer. The data also suggests the most successful bait varies seasonally with worm jigs being the most reliable in the earlier months of the year (March-June) then transitioning to live fish and
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shrimp as the preferred choice around June through August. Of note is a late year burst of activity back in Sabine and Keith Lakes when the specs seem to take both live and artificial baits. Anglers fishing in the Sabine Lake system may be aware that the Sabine River, Sabine Lake, and Sabine Pass Channel follow the boundary between Texas/Louisiana. Anglers fishing in these areas should be familiar with the regulations of both states to prevent law enforcement problems. You can find annual guides with updated state-specific regulations at the web pages listed below. Check the weather, time of year, decide on a boat ramp launch location (Figure 1), pack your rod, select your bait and you should be ready! Oh, bring a friend fishing! Be safe! Consider leaving a note of your trip plans, for those cell phones often lose power at the wrong time! Enjoy and please use wisely the fishery resources of the Texas Gulf coast.
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Next month Joel Anderson will bring us up to date on how Texas snook are doing. For Additional Reading http://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/cs_bk_ k0700_0284.pdf http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/ publication/31743-2016-recreational-fishing/2016_fishing_ regulations_may_10_2016-2.pdf
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 SH I NG
Is freshwater
just for drinking?
It is safe to say that, because this publication’s masthead reads Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, I should be writing about fly-fishing in saltwater. Well, I am going to take a little detour this month. Just this past year I
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have discovered a newfound appreciation for freshwater fly-fishing. As I write this, Capt. Chris Phillips is probably turning over in his grave. His favorite saying was, “Freshwater is for drinking and saltwater is for fishing!” Sorry Chris! Anyway, over the last year I have spent a great deal of time in central Texas at the deer lease which, much to my pleasure, has some pretty fine bass fishing opportunities in the large tanks. In addition, the location of the lease has also put me within a pretty reasonable drive from numerous Hill Country rivers that offer even more opportunity and experience. In fact, the last time I stepped off into the Guadalupe River to fish was during the winter of ’01’02 right before the 2002 July floods. But I’m not writing this to tell you a fish story or two, although I might. I really began
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stripers, hybrid and white bass. All in, the fact is, Texas has so much more to offer the Texas fly angler than just the redfish and trout of the Gulf Coast. In fact, I would say it may have more opportunities than any other state. From kingfish and ling on the gulf rigs all the way to rainbow and brown trout of our tailwaters, we have some pretty cool stuff going on in Texas. Oh, and did I mention the giant alligator gar of some of our East Texas bayous? I guess we’ll save that for another time.
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this piece with the intention of explaining the benefits that Texas freshwater has to offer Texas saltwater fly fishermen. When I started fly fishing way back in the 80s, my first outfit was this yellow Eagle Claw rod and Pflueger reel that I purchased at, I believe, Oshman’s Sporting Goods in Lake Jackson’s Brazos Mall. With that rig and a few small popping bugs I would go down to the lake or any one of a number of small ponds and teach myself to cast. While doing so I caught numerous bluegills and bass. To me, this is one of the biggest benefits that a saltwater fly-fisherman can take from the freshwater experience – It is a great place to learn and hone skills. I have always said that the best way to develop skill is to practice, however, I also recognize the need for success because it fuels the desire to get better. There is no finer place to practice and expect some reasonable success than in a pond or lake that is stocked with bass and sunfish. Bass fishing is also another great way to perfect an angler’s strip-set. Because, most saltwater fishing and bass fishing is done with streamer flies, the strip-set is the appropriate hook-set. Another great advantage to learning on the pond is that a lot of strikes will be visual near the surface, which will make an angler want to rear back on the rod (trout set). Because of the potential for more “eats,” this provides the learning angler the chance to break this bad habit before it costs the fish of a lifetime. Another great advantage to heading out for a freshwater excursion is a change of scenery. I recently had the chance to spend a day on the Guadalupe with some friends for a short trip. Now in all reality, I am one of the worse trout fishermen that you will ever meet. Seriously, I can make the casts, mend the line, see the fish, etc. However, a strip set on an 18- to 20-inch fish with 5-pound tippet…let’s just say I am a little heavy-handed. Incidentally, I was the only one who did not catch a fish, although I did have the chance to lose a couple. Also, as I found out recently, without my reading glasses, I had to have someone tie my leaders and flies for me. Sad commentary when a fly guide gets old. Fortunately, my distance vision is still good enough to see cruising redfish and laid-up tarpon, and to soak in and appreciate the beauty of the scenery of the Hill Country. But the stunning scenery of the Guadalupe is not all that can be found in Texas. Some of our East and West Texas rivers offer a beauty all their own as well as their own unique fly-fishing experiences. Whether you are talking stripers on the Sabine River or smallmouths on the Devil’s River, opportunities abound for the fly-fisherman. Hey, while we’re at it, let’s not forget about all of the reservoirs and lakes that offer even more opportunities for both largemouth and smallmouth bass,
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
KAYAK F I SH I NG C HRON I C L ES
HANDS-FREE KAYAK FISHING Over the past ten years I have been in and out of several different fishing kayaks. I started off with a Perception, owned a Native, and now fish out of a Jackson. When I got into the sport, there were only a handful of brands to choose from and the choices were either a paddle kayak or a Hobie. At the time, Hobie was one of the very few brands that offered a kayak with a “peddle power” option. Within the past few years and the rising popularity of the sport, other kayak companies realized that there was a market for peddle kayaks and started to design them. Now we have a variety of brands from which to choose, each with their own special features. For nearly my whole kayak career, I have never really had a desire to get into a peddle kayak. One of the main reasons was because 80% of the fishing I do is in the shallows of the marsh. With the water being so shallow, the drive system tends to get stuck in the mud and grass and will not propel you forward. When my buddies who owned peddle kayaks would ask me where I was fishing, I would jokingly tell them I was in a “Hobie-Free Zone.” Despite picking on the Hobie brand in that way, I will be the first to say that Hobie makes great kayaks and, just like every boat, they fit certain anglers needs. I guess it was my purist tendency to look 56 | March 2018
at peddle boats from the negative side, and never really considered the benefits they can offer. For the past year or so, Jackson Kayak has been working to design their own version of a peddledriven kayak. After an ample amount of time spent in the research and development stages they have finally unveiled a finished product. The Coosa FD is Jackson’s design with a drive system that is built into the traditional Coosa body. Their idea behind the drive system, which stands out from other brands, is the “Flex Drive.” The concept is based upon the novel idea that when the drive is engaged, and if you were to hit something such as a stump, a reef or run aground, the drive would automatically “flex” or retract into the hull. Once you get clear of the obstruction, the drive will return to its normal position and you can continue to pedal forward. The new kayak piqued my interest and I figured it would be worthwhile to own and add to my fleet. There are several possibilities and new tactics that I could take advantage of with the FD that would be quite difficult to execute in my Cuda. I would not know for sure, but the only way to find out is to get in one and go. On my first outing, the initial thing I noticed when I got into the boat was the stability; I never felt unstable
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Though I found peddling a bit awkward at first, I mastered it soon enough, and had it down pat by the end of the that first day. I was skeptical originally but now that I have been in one, I definitely see the benefits. Between having my hands free and the back-peddling option to slow my drift in a current, I believe the Coosa FD will make for a great fishing boat. I look forward to refining my technique in the coming months and learning the boat’s full potential.
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and it was easy to maintain center balance. Once I started to peddle and move forward, I then looked at the speed of the boat, which seemed equal to normal paddling. Next on my list was the steering. On both sides near the gunnels, there was a small handle that when pulled or pushed, would turn the rudder in the direction you wanted to travel. My favorite thing about the steering system is that the connection to the rudder is accomplished by way of fiberglass rods rather than traditional wire cables. No more worries of cables rusting or breaking. The boat steered nicely, albeit after a bit of a learning curve in adjustment and settings. Overall performance is very good and proved very true when turning. After a little practice to develop a feel for the new outfit, it was time to explore the fishing benefits the FD provided. My favorite part of a peddle drive system is having your hands free while still being able to travel forward. This allowed my rod staying in my hands nearly the whole time while I am on the water; and the more my rod is in my hand, the more fishing I can do. Which, naturally, should lead to catching more fish. I am a big fan of covering water quickly to maximize my ability to receive reaction strikes from fish I cannot see. Also, since the kayak is driven by your legs, fatigue is not near the issue it is when paddling with your arms. Bottom line when traveling greater distances, it is possible to cover more water in a shorter amount of time. One of the other valuable features is discovered when fishing areas with current flow. When the tide starts to move, fishing bayous and channels can become difficult. Some of the factors include the speed of your drift, and the tendency of the current to turn the boat sideways, if you can stay off the bank at all. All of these impact your fishing efficiency very negatively. On my first voyage, I found that I was able to steer and keep the boat straight when drifting along with the incoming tide. And, since back-peddling is one of the system’s features, I could slow my rate of travel and make more casts to various features along the banks. Very handy indeed when exploring marsh drains.
Dave Roberts is an avid kayak-fishing enthusiast fishing primarily the inshore Upper Coast region with occasional adventures to surf and nearshore Gulf of Mexico. Email: TexasKayakChronicles@yahoo.com Website: www.TexasKayakChronicles.com
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Marsh grass planting in prior project – will be employed in Moses Lake project.
Story by John Blaha
TSF M a g C o n s e r v a t i o n N e w s
Moses Lake
Shoreline Protection Project Shoreline erosion is a continuous problem all along the Texas coast. This erosion often results in the loss of important marsh lands and estuaries, saltwater intrusion into freshwater ponds and lakes, and the degradation
of the overall health of affected eco-systems. CCA Texas has partnered with organizations such as Galveston Bay Foundation, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program and others to
A prior shoreline protection project – to be replicated along Moses Lake shorelines.
60 | March 2018
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help stop, correct and prevent further shoreline erosion in many areas. Some of these past projects include work along the J. D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area, Oyster Lake in West Galveston Bay, Bird Island Cove, Snake Island Cove, shoreline along the San Bernard Wildlife Refuge and Cow Trap Lakes. Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow (HTFT) and CCA’s National Habitat Program, Building Conservation Trust (BCT), included the Moses Lake Shoreline Protection Project in the 2017 Habitat Plan for the Texas Gulf Coast Initiative with a $150,000 contribution to the project. Galveston Bay Foundation is the lead partner in this project that includes a partnership with Texas General Land Office, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Accenture, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)/Shell, NFWF Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund and NRG Energy. The construction contract was granted in January 2018, and work began during the first week of February. This project will provide protection for 1.3 miles of shoreline and restore up to 10 acres of intertidal marsh complex within Moses Lake. This work will focus on the shoreline along the Texas Nature Conservancy’s Texas City Prairie Preserve. This area is subject to
Moses Lake shoreline erosion – soon to be protected and restored.
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62 | March 2018
prevailing wind-driven waves from the southeast that impact the shoreline through much of the spring, summer and fall, resulting in vegetation and soil loss, and ultimately habitat conversion. Construction will consist of hard structure breakwaters which will help reduce shoreline erosion and minimize wetland loss through the process of reducing wave energy. With the construction of the breakwater, roughly 10 acres will then be available for wetland restoration between the breakwater and existing shoreline. This method of restoration has proven successful throughout the Galveston Bay System and elsewhere on the coast. This newly protected and restored area will provide critical habitat for fish and shellfish, and it will also improve water quality in the area. Estuarine marshes are important and high-priority nursery habitat for fish and shellfish species including Gulf menhaden, sand sea-trout, Atlantic croaker, spotted sea-trout, and white shrimp. A healthy eco-system ultimately provides more opportunities to members of the general public such as recreational fishermen and ecotourism. CCA Texas and BCT look forward to seeing the completion of this project and a strong closure to the Texas Gulf Coast Initiative’s 2017 Habitat Plan. This project is one of six projects funded in 2017 with $530,000 that resulted in $4.28 million in habitat restoration and creation along the Texas coast. CCA Texas and BCT are currently finalizing the 2018 Habitat Plan and look forward to growing the existing partnership and building new ones. If you or your company would like to contribute to the restoration and creation of habitat along the Texas coast, please contact
Sean Stone, BCT Executive Director (713-626-4234, sstone@buildingconservation.org), or John Blaha, HTFT Director (713-626-4222, jdblaha@ccatexas.org), for more information and opportunities. CCA Texas Events Near You CCA Texas volunteers and staff have already kicked off 2018 with a full schedule in February. The Houston Real Estate chapter held its event on February 6 and, on February 22, three more events were held. These included Corpus Christi, the largest attended event in the nation; Trinity Valley, in Liberty; and San Bernard, in East Bernard. Early events look good and we are excited about 2018. Events coming up in March include: March 1st – Sabine Neches (Port Arthur) March 2nd – Brazos Valley (College Station) March 22nd – Helotes (Helotes) March 23rd – Texas State (San Marcos) March 24th – Port O’Connor (Port O’Connor) Come out and join the fun and be a part of the largest marine conservation effort in Texas. If you have any questions, please contact us at (713) 626-4222 or webmaster@ccatexas.org, and our office will direct you to the right Assistant Director to take care of any needs you might have.
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STEPHANIE BOYD
F I SH Y FA C TS
Ghosts of the Cattails The clapper rail is a medium-sized, chicken-like marsh bird that rarely flies. A member of the rail family, Rallidae, the clapper’s taxonomy is confusing and complex. Many populations of clapper rails are separated by natural or human-caused gaps in appropriate habitats, resulting in species splits and several recognized subspecies. In 2014, the species was split into three: the (original) clapper rail, endemic to the eastern and Gulf coasts of North and Central America, Rallus crepitans; Ridgway’s rail of the western coasts, Rallus obsoletus; and the mangrove rail of South America, Rallus longirostris. Clapper and king rails are also closely related and so similar in appearance and vocalizations that they have, at times, been considered a single species. However, a Ph.D. dissertation in 2012 found a solid genetic distinction between them, and the king rail species has also recently split into two (king rail and Aztec rail). Kings and clappers are known to hybridize where their ranges overlap, spawning the dreaded “cling rail,” a bird not safely identified in the field, even when you can see them (which is not very often). A characteristic species of salt marshes and mangrove swamps, clapper rails have a compact body, short tail, strong legs, a long, slightly down-curved bill, and rounded wings. The plumage varies a bit geographically, but in general, this 64 | March 2018
species has a gray to reddish back, pale chestnut to rich cinnamon breast, a noticeable white patch under the tail, vertical black/white barring on the flanks, brownish-gray cheeks, and an orangey bill. They reach up to 16 inches in length and weigh up to 14 ounces, males averaging larger than females. These birds prefer low portions of coastal wetlands dominated by Spartina grass, pickle weed, rushes, reeds, mangroves, and other vegetation. Strictly a bird of salt and adjacent brackish marshes and wetlands, the clapper rail is found along the Atlantic coast of the U.S., the Gulf of Mexico, some Caribbean islands, and south through eastern Central America. Clapper rails are opportunistic and omnivorous. Diet varies with locality and includes mollusks, crustaceans, fish, insects, worms, frogs, eggs, the occasional immobilized small bird, and plant matter. Small crabs are a favorite. Vegetation and seeds are more often a winter meal than summer. Most prey is swallowed whole, the indigestible parts later regurgitated as pellets, though they sometimes wash debris from clams before eating them. Clappers spend much of their time foraging in shallow water or mud, especially during falling or low tides. They stalk slowly and stealthily through dense vegetation, hunting by sight and possibly by smell, sometimes probing in
Captain Hallie Burnett
www.GetYourMojoOn.com TSFMAG.com | 65
shallow water or mud with their bill. They also have special salt glands that enable them to drink seawater. These secretive birds live most of their lives on the ground, concealed in dense vegetation. Though they occasionally climb into tall vegetation to investigate, they rarely fly. They often walk in an irregular path, neck outstretched, tail erect (or jerking up and down if agitated). Clappers respond to the alarm calls and behaviors of other species. They may run in response to a threat – body horizontal, holding tail and head straight out. They also swim well and will dive if threatened. A clattering cackle is often the first (and only) clue to the presence of this big rail. Its characteristic loud advertising and territorial vocalizations give the species its name. To humans, this call is about as exciting as listening to a kid repeatedly slapping two sticks together. To female rails, it must be akin to the vocals of Barry Manilow, because it’s the primary method males use to attract mates. Fun fact: a group of rails is called an “applause” or “audience.” Clapper rails are territorial during nesting season, but may form loose colonies (out of necessity) depending on habitat availability. In Texas, clappers breed from late February to September. Males approach females in courtship displays consisting of either downward-bill-pointing and head-swaying or standing erect with neck stretched and bill open. He may also give gifts of food. Nesting pairs enhance their bond by blending their clatter until they synchronize. Biologists refer to this as a duet. The pair splits incubation and rearing duties, suggesting that this species is monogamous, at least seasonally. Nest site selection is a compromise between high elevation (to prevent nest flooding) with sparse vegetation and low elevation with dense cover and tall grass (to hide). Eggs can survive being submerged in up to 18 inches of water, but it’s not preferable. Nest success depends largely on placement, flooding and predation being equally responsible for nest failures. Males do most of the nest building and may continue to add materials during incubation. Nests are bulky platforms of marsh vegetation (cordgrass, pickle weed, etc.) placed in clumps of grass or shrubs from just above ground level to about 4 feet off the ground. The form is a well-built cup of grasses and sedges about 6 inches in diameter (on the inside) and 2 inches deep, lined with finer/softer materials. Nests may have domes 6 to 8 inches tall for concealment and ramps for easy entry and egress. Males may increase the height of the platform during periods of high water. Females lay an average of 10 buff/white eggs with brown spots. Both sexes incubate (females during the day, males during the night) for about 20 days. Pairs may re-nest up to 5 times after the failure of a previous nest. After hatching, the semi-precocious chicks, covered in black down, are brooded in the nest briefly and then moved to special brooding platforms allowing the chicks greater access to swimming and foraging. When chicks are about a week old, the parents divide the brood and each look after half. Chicks less than 2 weeks old are carried on the parent’s back during periods of high water or when moving across open water. At 6 weeks old, they are independent of their parents, even though their flight feathers are less than half grown. Flight comes at 9 to 10 weeks. The oldest recorded wild clapper rail was a male who was at least 7 years, 6 months when he was shot in New Jersey in 1977. He had been banded in the same state in 1971. Clapper rails are widely distributed and historically abundant but secretive, so it’s hard to estimate their population trends. The North American Breeding Bird Survey suggests that numbers declined between 1966 and 2015, and clappers are rated a 13 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score. However, the North American Waterbird 66 | March 2018
Conservation Plan lists it as a species of Moderate Concern, and the IUCN Red List status is Least Concern. Clappers are most threatened by habitat degradation. Land development that alters vegetation and water levels can cause local population declines. Toxic materials also settle in coastal wetlands, which might compromise the birds. Populations of R. crepitans appear currently stable in the eastern U.S., though the subspecies R. c. insularum has more limited habitat and is listed as Endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Clapper rails (of the non-endangered variety) are listed as game birds in all coastal eastern states, except New York, from Rhode Island to Texas, but it is unclear whether hunting pressure causes population decline. Like many coastal species, clapper rails benefit from conservation campaigns, such as the Texas campaign, Fish, Swim, and Play from 50 Yards Away! (from nesting birds). By giving them a little space to raise their chicks, we increase their survival rate, and leave a smaller footprint in their population. “What wild creature is more accessible to our eyes and ears, as close to us and everyone in the world, as universal as a bird?” ~David Attenborough
*Special thanks to Rockport kayak fishing and eco tour guide Ryan Ford for the inspiration and knowledge he shared on our kayak trip.
Where I learned about clapper rails, and you can too! Ryan Ford www.rockportkayak.com The Cornell Lab of Ornithology: All About Birds www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Clapper_Rail/lifehistory The Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Birds of North America birdsna.org/Species-Account/bna/species/clarai11/introduction The Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Neotropical Birds neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/Species-Account/nb/species/clarai11/overview Audubon: Guide to North American Birds www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/clapper-rail U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service www.fws.gov/refuge/Tybee/wildlife_and_habitat/clapper_rail.html The Texas Breeding Bird Atlas txtbba.tamu.edu/species-accounts/clapper-rail/ Smithsonian Libraries repository.si.edu/handle/10088/17644 Earbirding earbirding.com/blog/archives/3889 Encyclopedia of Life eol.org/pages/1049276/overview Beauty of Birds www.beautyofbirds.com/clapperrail.html What Bird identify.whatbird.com/obj/463/overview/Clapper_Rail.aspx Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clapper_rail
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CURTISS CASH
I NSHORE | NEARSHORE | JETT I ES | P ASSES
TRASHING TEXAS COASTLINES More than likely, you do not have to go very far nowadays to get an eyeful of trash. It seems to be anywhere humans tread, with highways and waterways being equally shamed. There may be just as many types of polluters involved as there are varieties of trash. Plastics are the most common. Light and buoyant, plastics degrade slowly and persists for years while traveling with the currents. Accumulations can be seen in large rafts that wash upon shorelines far away and close to home. The disposal of any plastic is illegal in the waters of the United States. Within three miles of the coastline and all navigable waters contained therein, it is illegal to dispose of any garbage. Some items, depending on the composition, may be disposed of at sea, but the regulations and guidelines are very strict. 68 | March 2018
Litter in the waterways comes from many sources, some local and some from thousands of miles away. Likely polluters might include oceangoing freighters, fishing vessels, or even city streets washing into storm drains. Natural disasters also contribute to the problem. River flooding and hurricanes are known to spread refuse far and wide, eventually settling in coastal waterways.
Sad but true, it doesn't take much effort to fill a bag along so many shorelines.
NATURAL DISASTERS The devastating 100-year flood of October 1998 came from concentrated heavy rainfall in the Texas Hill Country. Upland flooding often funnels household contents and other refuse into swollen streams and rivers. The Guadalupe and San Antonio rivers flooded San Antonio Bay with building materials, household appliances, and all manner of plastic refuse.
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MY WATERWAY TRASH PEEVES Gulf shrimp boat trash- We are fortunate here in Texas that the gulf is rich with shrimp. Less fortunate though, that many of the commercial boats targeting them are careless. I am not saying all, but a majority simply toss their non-biodegradable garbage overboard. Flotsam trailing the fleets includes plastic bags, egg cartons, milk jugs, Styrofoam plates and 40-lb brine salt bags. The worst may be the 1-litre green bleach bottles. You can find these scattered all over gulf beaches and quite often they are covered with small triangular cuts. These cuts come from the beaks of turtles. Young sea turtles often mistake them for jellyfish, a mainstay of their diet. Their digestive system is not ideally designed to pass the sharp pieces from mouth to vent. Helium balloons- Take your pick of big ones, little ones, and bundled bouquets of Mylar. I despise them all. Releasing lighterthan-air blobs of trash that are guaranteed to come down eventually, possibly hundreds of miles away – how disrespectful of the environment? Fish and turtles become entangled and try to eat them, but cannot digest them. Birds get tangled in them. Not to mention the trashy things hanging from fences, powerlines and trees. I see balloons in the bay, and more often in the gulf. February, June and October are the worst months. Valentine’s Day, graduations and weddings, and football games in the fall are contributors. Please, just say no to balloon releases. Uncaring fisherman- I’m not saying that all boat or shoreside fisherman are trashy. Some of the shoreline trash we see rides the tide from other sources. But, all too often, if you venture to popular publicaccess fishing areas you find litter left by fishermen: aluminum cans, tackle packaging, plastic bags, fishing line, food wrappers, etc. One of the golden rules of outdoor recreation is pack out what you pack in. Better yet, leave the area better than you found it. A few minutes is all it takes to collect a bag of litter left by irresponsible people. HOW TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE Public education and awareness programs are always a welcomed form of prevention. All up and down the coast there are volunteer cleanups. Many of the events are localized and do not receive muchneeded media promotion. Check with the Chamber of Commerce in coastal areas for information. 70 | March 2018
Sea turtles will try to eat virtually any floating object that remotely resembles a jellyfish.
This gulf shrimper sets a good example by “stringing” his plastic refuse for proper dockside disposal.
The Friends of Padre Billy Sandifer Big Shell Beach Cleanup is held annually the last Saturday of February. This cleanup is a true grassroots event that Billy started with a group of friends in 1995. Since then, 7350 volunteers have removed over 2.5 million pounds of trash. This event is a shining example of Texans taking care of Texas. The Texas General Land Office has a very successful Adopt A Beach cleanup program. These events are held statewide, with more than thirty cleanup sites. Dates may vary so check with www. texasadoptabeach.org for current cleanup dates. I know personally how difficult it is organize and operate a cleanup event. For this reason I am very excited about a new program available. H-E-B Food Stores has recently partnered with the Keep Texas Beautiful organization. The Keep Texas Waterways Clean program provides support and supplies for waterway cleanups across Texas. This program is open to all communities located within thirty miles of an H-E-B or Central Market store location. Go to www.ktb.org for additional information. You do not have to join an organized event to make a difference. Take a little extra trash back with you next time you visit the coast. All it takes is a tiny bit of your time to set a good example. Like they say; “Monkey see monkey do!”
C ontact
Hurricane Ike in 2008 displaced mountains of general household contents and trash into the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent bay systems. Ike hammered Galveston and nearby communities with tidal surges that towered to twenty-two as far away as Sabine Pass. For many months commercial salvage operators and local volunteers cleaned shorelines and removed water hazards by the thousands of tons. Much of the debris made it into the gulf to ride the south-flowing currents. Some mixed into the offshore waters, headed to deeper graves. A large amount stranded upon the beaches of Padre Island National Seashore. Here in Port O’Connor, I know of three bay boats that rode the tide into Matagorda Bay and were beached. Resin yard chairs, plastic children’s toys, plastic dinner ware and suitcases floated in through Pass Cavallo. Large items like household garbage dumpsters, foundered boats, refrigerators and even a “monster” pickup truck with massive tires floated upside down just outside the surf line. For several years there was an object that I assume was a square-bodied utility vehicle resting on bottom at about fourteen feet, not far outside the breakers of Pass Cavallo. It was a hotspot for bull reds year ‘round.
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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Author preparing to release an early-spring bull shark in the Padre Island surf.
E X T R E M E K AYA K F I S H I N G & S H A R K S F R O M T H E S A N D
ER I C O Z O L I NS
Expanding the Imagination Relentless, bone-chilling, and frustrating accurately describe the wrath the 2017-2018 winter has wreaked on surf fishing. At its peak impact, surf temps along the upper coast dipped into the mid-40s. Along the south Texas coast, water temperatures remained in the 50s for well over a month. These extremes pushed most of our surf species offshore into deeper, warmer water. In the shallower bays, many fish could not escape the cold onslaught, and fish-kills ranging from a few mullet to piles of sow trout were seen in several locales. Fish that did manage to flee to deeper and warmer channels were able to take advantage of cold-stunned prey. On the back side of Padre Island, this has been my best trophy trout winter in perhaps a decade, releasing some behemoth specimens. Ironically, redfish and One of our scalloped hammers last spring, tagged and released, making its way back home.
72 | March 2018
black drum are species that thrive in these coldwater conditions. As expected, they schooled in great numbers, devouring everything in their paths. Despite so much death due to Mother Nature’s winter rage, various areas of Texas bays and inshore waters were teeming with life. Now, with winter over, we begin the exciting transition into spring and my transition back to the Padre surf. I have great expectations of a massive influx of fish storming back into the surf zone. If certain conditions will align, spring offers one of my favorite times on the beach. Virtually anything is possible, from early-arriving king mackerel and cobia to monster makos. With the lackluster fall showing the jack crevalle made, they may well show in full force as the surf waters warm in March. When everything falls into place we can be blessed with everything from pompano to large sharks during earlyspring. My charter schedule starts to get busy and there is plenty of chaotic action for everyone to enjoy. Some of my most exciting charter outings have occurred during spring, putting kids on multiple shark landings, jacks, and reds – all on the same trip. We are lucky too, that sargassum is not usually a problem in March, typically not until sometime in April. I am
Science and the
Sea
TM
“Shhh…” Whispers the Humpback Calf Humpback whales arrive into the world at a whopping 26.5 feet long, but they have no time to waste in growing even bigger. Their mothers care for them during their entire first year, but they still must survive a 5,000-mile migration across the open ocean before their first birthday. That means fattening up as much as possible while feeding in Antarctic or Arctic waters during the summer. As winter approaches, humpbacks head to tropical waters and breed.
Humpback whale breaching in Monterey Bay. Credit: NOAA. It’s a treacherous journey that scientists know little about. So a group of researchers from Denmark and Australia tagged eight humpback calves and two mothers to learn more. The tags recorded the whales’ movements and the sounds they made for up to 48 hours before the tags detached and floated to the surface.. The scientists learned the mother–calf pairs take frequent breaks to rest and nurse. And from the rubbing sounds that were recorded, the scientists deduced that the calves aren’t shy about nudging mom when they’re hungry. Even more fascinating were other sounds the calves made to communicate with their mother while swimming: quiet grunts and squeaks too soft to travel far beyond the swimming pair. The researchers suspected these “whispers” between humpback calves and their mothers keep the two safely together while avoiding the attention of predators such as killer whales. Any nearby male humpbacks looking to mate would be less likely to overhear the whispering calves, who need their mothers’ full attention during this time. The more scientists can learn about the mothers’ and calves’ behavior during this journey, the better they can understand how to help conserve the waters along the migration route and avoid making that long journey even tougher for newborn calves.
www.ScienceAndTheSea.org © The University of Texas Marine Science Institute
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74 | March 2018
Tru-Sand finish applied to a circle hook – right down to the individual grains.
Incognito Series leader ready to go fishing.
All areas of the Texas coast experience varying activity as regards shark and gamefish abundance. Much depends on currents, water clarity, and temperature. The combinations of these determine the presence of surf zone species, whether pompano, sheepshead, jacks, or little tunny. Putting things in perspective, when we may be catching hammerheads on Mustang and Padre, anglers on the upper coast may be getting into sandbar sharks. Wherever you fish, springtime provides some sort of surf action. Utilizing fresh baits such as mullet can land you anything from oversized red drum to jacks, and even a stray king mackerel. The pompano bite may remain solid throughout March and, if so, anglers are in for a treat. If you are a hardcore sharker, your absolute best bet is in obtaining a fresh jack in the morning for large or cut bait (award winning Jack Slammer leaders are rockstar approved). We are fortunate that spring provides us many surprises, and anything is possible. Whether pompano and red drum for table fare or tangling with giant sharks, now is the time to embark on your own memorable adventure!
C ontact
personally stoked with anticipation of great action, and in this I have a few strategic surprises of my own. Because of such a long, harsh winter, opportunities on the water were not readily available as one would have liked. With all this unallocated time, I began brainstorming. After recently acquiring the Catch Sharks terminal tackle and leader business, I immediately revamped and essentially re-invented the company. Transferring the original pioneering concepts to new products was a challenge, yet quite fun. I have been creating new products that I believe have potential to change the game for land-based shark and surf fishing. With only a small handful of original concept leaders at the start, I have expanded the line to include dozens of precisely-crafted specialty leaders. Everything from glow-in-the-dark themed hooks/rigs, to true “blackout” rigs, ideal for nighttime. I have added all-cable leaders for foolproof monster systems, and other items have been treated cosmetically for style and “cool.” After playing around for months with different designs, I began to focus on aspects of strategic advantage. My intent was to create unique products that I felt were essential and had never been done before. Just in time for the madness about to take place in the surf, I finalized a new line of strategic shark leaders I call the Incognito Series. I included the fundamentals of efficient shark leader design and integrated a new scientific aspect. The result was a near totally camouflage (under water) and electromagnetically undetectable shark leader. The manufacturing process employs ED coating (Electroreception Deception™), an environmentally-friendly polyester-based coating. This durable coating provides an attractive, corrosion resistant finish without the use of solvents or heavy metals and provides insulating properties up to 1000 volts per mil. Sharks use electroreception to detect minimally fluctuating pulses of magnetic energy to detect live or struggling prey. Our theory is to mask as much of the unnatural magnetic field of the metallic components as possible. I dubbed the look of the new coating Tru-Sand™. Tru-Sand™ very closely mimics the look of actual sand, down to the individual grains. With spring upon us, I will be putting a great deal of effort into testing these innovative leaders. With sharks being the major focus of my personal and charter time on the beach, the arrival of spring opens many avenues. If the water trends toward clear, the scalloped hammerhead migration will bring many specimens as shallow as the first gut. Thinking of clear water, the Incognito leaders were designed with these hammers in mind. Blacktip sharks (most larger females) with be pregnant with pups. They will be hunting the shallows for an easy meal and will be easy to target, even on baits cast from the beach. On the other end of the spectrum lies the Holy Grail of Texas sharks from the surf - the mako. In the modern era there have been only six publicly documented land-based mako catches in Texas. Of these, I have been present when five were landed, catching two myself. This majestic pelagic species is not only the fastest shark in the ocean but one of the fastest of all fish. The makos are Mother Nature’s perfectly engineered predator, closely resembling the great white. Unlike other parts of the US, Texas breeds monsters and our average Texas mako landed to date has measured between 8- and 9-feet. Surf landings have averaged closer to 10-feet. Their power, size, and menacing appearance add to their mystique.
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 | 75
Help reduce litter on Texas waterways: Submit Photos – Win Prizes! Since you are reading this, you are obviously a coastal angler and have seen too many examples of disgusting litter along the shorelines of canals, bayous, and bays. Litter reaches these places from a variety of sources and, unfortunately, fishermen sometimes contribute to the problem. Shoreline litter comes in as many forms as it has sources – plastic, glass, and aluminum drink containers; food packaging; tackle packaging; lawn furniture; automobile tires…the list is endless. Some of this refuse arrives innocently enough, swept down waterways that drain into the bays during floods, trash cans get overturned during windstorms, and so forth. Well-meaning citizens dispose of trash responsibly but Mother Nature intervenes and the well-intended action ends up being thwarted. Trash also arrives to Texas shores from faraway places, riding gulf currents until finally washing up in our bays and on our beaches. Again, while we might not be a direct contributor to the problem, we can be part of the solution, and we’ll get to that in just a bit. In general, litter can be broadly categorized as either biodegradable or non-biodegradable. Biodegradable trash takes care of itself in the fullness of time, even though it remains unsightly during the process. Plastic turns out to be one of the greatest environmental offenders and fits the non-biodegradable classification, given that it takes a very long time to decompose, if ever, and when it does it breaks down into smaller particles (still plastic) that can be even more hazardous and invasive to the marine environment. See Stephanie Boyd’s work that appeared in TSFMag – January and February 2018 – The Plasticene Era – Parts 1 & 2. TSFMag has been involved in and supported many bay and beach cleanups over the years. The most notable and publicized examples have been hands-on participation at the Friends of Padre – Billy Sandifer Big Shell Beach Cleanup, along with advertising support of that event and also the Port Mansfield East Cut and Beach Cleanup. Both are very worthy efforts that have removed thousands of tons of litter from Texas beaches and shorelines. We applaud all who have participated and supported events like these, wherever they are held in our state, and beyond. So, in keeping with our tradition of supporting and encouraging fishermen to become part of the trash solution, we are encouraging several actions that can be taken. But, before getting into those, let me tell you how to win some great prizes for your efforts. 76 | March 2018
Trashy bank fishing spot; we see this way too often.
Wouldn’t it be nice if the guilty could be made to clean it up?
ForEverlast Hunting and Fishing Products calls it “The Sack.” We call it great way to control trash on the boat.
Consider carrying your drinking water in a Yeti Rambler Jug and serving in it from a Yeti Tumbler. No plastic needed! Our local HEB store encourages recycling plastic bags.
Half a mile up Lane Road from Charlie’s Bait Camp. Note the drain plug. Looks like some fishermen stowed their trash (and the plug) in this bucket, and allowed it blow out of the boat.
• When you come upon a trashed-up shoreline or bank fishing spot – remove as much trash as you can. Bag it up and dispose of it in a proper manner. Shoot some before and after photos, and email to photos@tsfmag.com. • We will select a winner each month to receive complimentary subscriptions to this magazine, logo caps, t-shirts, and other cool gear contributed by our partnering sponsors. Everybody is welcome – one winner each month – winners will be eligible only once per year.
10th Annual Port Mansfield Channel & PINS Beach Cleanup
Plastic and water don’t mix. Become part of the solution! Reduce! Simply put, reduce the amount of plastic packaging you take on fishing trips. The less you carry the less you are likely to lose track of while fishing. Plastic drink containers are some of the most common offenders. Rather than bottled water or sodas, carry drinking water and pre-mixed drinks such as Kool-Aid and Gatorade in a Yeti Rambler Jug or similar container, and serve drinks in reusable cups and mugs. And please, empty beer cans have no place in the bay or on the beach! Eliminate! Plastic shopping bags – just say no! Break the plastic habit with reusable shopping bags instead – every chance. Ice sacks – Another problem on the water. Ever had one foul the cooling water intake on your outboard while idling in a harbor? I have. Ever seen one washed up on a shoreline? We probably all have. Dump your ice in an ice chest and dispose of the sack properly before leaving the dock. Styrofoam cups – Say no to these, too. They’re too likely to blow out of the boat! Bag it on the boat! We use a product from ForEverlast Hunting and Fishing Products called The Sack and it’s great for keeping refuse contained on the boat. Take a few seconds to round up any items that could blow out of the boat before trailering down the road. Check the roadway leading to any popular boat ramp and you will quickly see what I’m talking about. Pack out more than you bring in! Make a practice of carrying a roll of trash bags in your boat and vehicle. When you happen upon a littered shoreline, bank fishing spot, or even a roadway, jump out and bag it up. It only takes a few minutes. (Don’t forgot to make photos!) Recycle! Eliminating plastic completely from our lives is impossible – but we can sort and separate our discards and send them on their way to a recycling facility. I am by no means an environmental wacko but I have vowed to become a better steward of the planet. Please join me – especially on the water. Our coast and other waterways are too precious for the way fishermen, in general, have been treating them. It’s time to change our ways!
The Port Mansfield Channel & PINS Beach Cleanup will be held Sunday, March 11, 2018. The event will begin with a 7:00 a.m. kickoff breakfast at the Port Mansfield Chamber of Commerce Pavilion. Along with a full breakfast we will announce boat captain assignments, marching orders, and a safety presentation about the day’s activities. Sack lunches and water will be given to all participants on the beach and the day’s activities will wrap up with a celebration dinner, complete with Ms. Jan’s famous Green Chili at Pelicans Cove Bar & Grill at 6:00 p.m. To sign up, inquire about lodging, and any other details, please email Kathie Bassler at kathieb@basslerenergyservices.com As always, we need BOATS and CAPTAINS. Come join us for a fun and worthy project Miller Bassler
The Billy Sandifer Big Shell Beach Cleanup and Port Mansfield East Cut and Beach Cleanup have removed thousands of tons of litter from Padre Island beaches.
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NEW Fuji Emergency Rod Repair Kit New Fuji® repair kit is a must for every tackle gear bag. Features a proprietary 10-minute thread finish that can have you back in the game in MINUTES! Includes Flex Coat® Syringe A & B epoxy for precise mixing, 2 brushes, Fuji® Ultra Poly™ Black Thread and a complete guide to rod repairs. Look for it in better retailers everywhere.
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Pelagic’s NEW FX90 Tactical Fishing Short The PELAGIC FX-90 Tactical Fishing Short represents the zenith of toughness and technology. This versatile all-purpose 6-pocket short is constructed of extremely durable platinum 4-way stretch fabric that is cleverly intersected with all-new “gill” technology mesh side vents. The result is a one-of-a-kind Fishing Short that is as rugged as it is comfortable and as heavy-duty as it is breathable. Featuring our exclusive stain release and hydro-repel technology, the FX-90 is ultimately designed to give you ventilation and functionality during long, hot, and often punishing days on the water. This Fishing Short is your go-to for comfort in hot conditions and heavy seas. Retail: $79.00 Available in navy and charcoal. 78 | March 2018
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ZMan - Slim SwimZ™ The slender-bodied 3” Slim SwimZ is an ideal baitfish imitation for inshore saltwater fishing whenever gamefish are feeding on small glass minnows or fry. The combination of its incredibly soft yet durable 10X Tough ElaZtech® construction with Z-Man’s exclusive curved paddletail produces a unique wriggling, undulating swimming action that more closely matches the natural movement of small baitfish than competitive swimbaits. Pairing perfectly with the new Trout Eye™ Finesse and NedlockZ™ HD Jigheads, the Slim SwimZ are available in fourteen colors to match a variety of conditions. A package of six super-soft, 10X Tough swimbaits retails for $4.49. www.ZmanFishing.com
Pro-Line – NewWater Boatworks While NewWater Boatworks has utilized carbon fiber in many of their laminate schedules for years to enhance strength and save weight, it is now offered as an aesthetic detail as well on all models – Avocet, Curlew, Ibis, Stilt – and coming soon, the Willet! www.NewWaterBoatworks.com @newwaterboats | Facebook.com/newwaterboatworks
New for 2018 – 5-Gallon NetBag The 5-gallon NetBag provides an easy-stow bait storage bag for keeping bait alive on those long wades. Rubber coated netting is kind to your bait while allowing maximum water flow to keep it frisky. NetBag holding bait can also be placed in a five-gallon pail of water for transport. Easy-open lid uses military grade Velcro closure; carry handle and lanyard line included.
Grab yours today at a ForEverlast retailer
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ForEverlast.com MSRP: $24.99 Shipments will begin 3-1-2018 TSFMAG.com | 79
Dickie Colburn
DICKIE COLBURN’S Sabine Scene
Sabine
Dickie Colburn is a full time guide out of Orange, Texas. Dickie has 37 years experience guiding on Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes.
Telephone 409-883-0723 Website www.sabineconnection.com
80 | March 2018
We continue to deal with the closest thing to a legitimate winter that we have experienced in several years and consistent catching has required several changes in the normal game plan. Off-colored water with surface temperatures Cold weather hasn’t ranging from the low-50s to slowed the redfish the low-60s has given way to bite in the least. low tides that completely suck the water out of the marshes and surface temperatures that fail to climb out of the 40s on any given day. We have had very little rain, that alone is a game changer for us, and the most demanding result of that phenomenon is that we have been forced to fish incredibly clear water. We curse the lack of water clarity in Sabine Lake most of the year, but we now realize that it is far more forgiving than trying to sneak up on trout in gin-clear water.
My hat’s off to lower coast guides! As expected, following the passage of each front, we are finding most of our trout riding out the cold snaps in deeper, more comfortable water. Our initial approach was to downsize in lure selection and crawl the bait at a much slower pace across the bottom. Very much to our surprise, however, in spite of their move to deeper water, the fish are still frequently holding in the upper part of the water column, and will attack a Fat Boy or Catch 5 as quickly as a four-inch Sea Shad or Lil’ John. It took a lot of fishless casts to accidentally figure that out. It also took me far too long to snap to the fact that the bite-to-cast ratio increased dramatically with longer casts and smaller line diameter when the fish are in shallow
42⁰ water welcomes this red’s return after a quick photo.
water stalking their next meal. I have fished more eight- to ten-pound mono and fluorocarbon than I have fished in years and it has made an undeniable difference. It wasn’t until we started catching five or six fish rather than one or two after immediately planting the Talon following a strike that the light came on. It also became evident that even the hum of the trolling motor prop spooked them as well. At least for right now, we are stopping well short of potentially productive spots before even launching the first long cast. This different approach was in fact a gift obtained by observing a handful of waders that were staying put and catching far more fish most afternoons than we were. I mention afternoons only because we have done much better fishing an incoming tide after a full day of warming sunshine. I know most of this is “old hat” to readers that deal with the clear water issue year ‘round, but I can assure you that we don’t, and we won’t be faced with that problem much longer. One or two inevitable downpours and it will be back to business as usual on Sabine Lake. When that happens, it will mark a return to braid, topwaters and five-inch Assassins rigged on 1/16-ounce heads. While the coveted big trout of winter are still hard to come by, the size of our average trout has improved dramatically. A trout over seven pounds garners a lot of attention, but we are consistently catching enough threeto five-pound fish to warrant braving the bone chilling conditions. Easily, the most dependable bite is provided by the redfish. It has been good on the bad days and nothing short of unreal on the good days. To some extent, the thing that upgrades good to great is the boost provided by another school of fish migrating out of the shallow marshes following a night of howling north wind. How you choose to catch them is pretty much dealer’s choice. Vertically jigging a Hoginar or Usual Suspect off the bottom in a 12- to 15-foot washout can be productive to the point of becoming boring, but slow rolling a ‘Trap or paddle tail plastic over shell in three to five feet of water will keep you bowed up as well. We are already catching one or two really nice flounder most trips, but it looks as though it will be at least another month before that bite lights off and that will be dependent on any flooding and the duration of the cold weather. We finished last year on a high note as far as they were concerned, and we are anticipating another great run this spring. Take a youngster fishing! TSFMAG.com | 81
Capt. Caleb Harp
The Buzz on Galveston Bay
Galveston
Capt. Caleb Harp has fished the Galveston Bay System since childhood and, now a charter captain and fishing guide, he uses his knowledge to enable clients to enjoy the excellent fishing the area offers. His specialty is the yeararound pursuit for trophy trout and redfish with artificial lures
Telephone 281-753-3378 Website harpsguideservice.com
The Galveston Bay complex can produce quite the mixed bag of results during the month of March. March can be the month where dreams come true and also a month of frustration. It is truly a month where timing is everything and lure selection becomes ultracritical. Fish aren’t eating all day every day, like they do in other seasons, so you’ve got to play by their time. March has always been talked about as the month of the spring transition. The spring transition is worth about a five-hour conversation because it truly is that important of a topic. The fish have been acclimated to the harsh blows and chilly water temperatures of winter over the last few months. As the water temperatures begin to rise, they will start to venture out of their wintering grounds and head toward harder, sandier bottoms and become more active. This process takes a while to register and fully develop. Like I said, the fish aren’t going to eat all day, nor do they have to eat every day. Finding whenever they want to eat is something that you’re going to have to pattern carefully to be successful. Generally, this time of year, the fishing is best in the last few hours of daylight. I like to call this time of the day
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dark-thirty. During the spring, the fluctuation in water temperature dictates much as regards how the fish are going to become active and search for food. Being that it can still be chilly in the mornings, the sun heating up the flats results in a better feed during late afternoon, once the water temperature has had time to warm some. Also, I believe the gamefish we are seeking have better eyesight than the baitfish. Their eyes can adapt to low-light situations and it gives them an advantage in chasing their bait. This is just another reason why they like to eat right at dark. Now, don’t get me wrong, there are times during the spring transition when you can have great bites at sunrise and midday, depending on the moon and pre-frontal weather conditions. A big key to getting more bites whenever fish aren’t typically feeding regularly is to trick them into eating a small snack. I love to downsize my lures this time of year more than any other season. I feel that the smaller lures are an easier way to produce a reaction strike from a trout that is less than ravenous. Lures such as the MirrOdine, Soft-Dine, and smaller soft plastics like the MirrOlure Soft-Shad rigged on 1/16-ounce jigheads are perfect choices for downsizing.
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82 | March 2018
4-1/4” Lil John™ XL Twitch Bait – MRLJXL-17
This is what we’ll be looking for in March.
West Bay West Bay has been producing good stringers of trout and redfish for wade fishermen. A lot of the coves on the south shoreline have been doing well, ditto the mid bay reefs, such as Confederate. As the month stretches on and the water temperature continues to rise, the fish will turn to sandier bottoms with scattered shell. Windier days seem to always do better in the coves, allowing for the water to get a little mixed up, creating good color streaks. If West Bay stays calm for too long, it will become too clear. East Bay East Bay has been decent for trout in front of the drains on the south shoreline during outgoing tides. A lot of these trout have been small lately with occasional four-pounders mixed in. The redfish have been plentiful in the back of the bay towards Rollover and Oyster Bayou amongst oyster towheads. Once the water temperature heats up, the trout will start to migrate to the west of the bay towards sandier flats. Upper Galveston Bay The Upper Galveston Bay system has been good with the true winter we have had. This area is full of deep holes; channels and other areas the trout can slip off into to escape the cold. The fish will still linger around awhile but once the water temperature gets really warm, they will start to push further down the ship channel. Trinity Bay Trinity Bay has been spotty but that’s not too out of the norm whenever the water is below 50⁰ for a longer period of time. Most of the trout and redfish have been held up around Jack’s Pocket but will begin their migration down the east shoreline as the water temperature heats up.
TSFMAG.com | 83
Bink Grimes
The View from Matagorda
Matagorda
Bink Grimes is a full-time fishing and hunting guide, freelance writer and photographer, and owner of Sunrise Lodge on Matagorda Bay.
Telephone 979-241-1705 Email binkgrimes@sbcglobal.net Website matagordasunriselodge.com
Winter rarely puts a serious kink in Matagorda fishing. It’s amazing how our bay complex keeps producing solid catches, even when the book says, “Today you are not supposed to catch them.” It’s a testament to conservation, respect for the resource, and the power of freshwater we have enjoyed during the past four wet years. Though winter does not officially exit the calendar until March 20, green buds on branches and other flora indicate warm weather has arrived. That’s great news for spring-breakers trying to add a little color to their skin and even better for anglers as warm water from equinox tides pumps fresh recruits to barren back lakes and reefs that have been exposed all winter. Warm, swelling tides give every inch of our estuaries new life, thereby multiplying options for bending a rod. Make no mistake, we expect to catch some heavy trout in March, wading and
“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
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drifting. You would be surprised how many big trout we release in East Matagorda Bay while jigging soft plastics out of the boat. That also applies during the summer months when we are drifting with live shrimp. We love chasing speckled trout and redfish along the deep shell and mud of East Bay. January and February were stellar for drifting with Chicken on a Chain, plum and Magic Grass Bass Assassins and Down South Lures. March should be even better. We never discount West Matagorda Bay this time of year. Trout hang
on the edges of the guts and sloughs and we gingerly wade these areas with Bass Assassins, Down South Lures, Corkys and Soft-Dines. West Bay’s grass shorelines hold fishable water when spring blusters blow; and, depending how mild March becomes, the first signs of glass minnows could show right around Spring Break. March normally gets the redfish bite going – everywhere. Spots like Lake Austin, Oyster Lake, Crab Lake and Boggy are great March hideouts. Make long drifts with live shrimp under a popping cork, or anchor on reefs. The cool thing is still catching fish when the wind blows hard. There will surely still be a cold front or two in March, so revert back to winter patterns when the north wind blows the tides out. Move to the mouths of the lakes. The water and bait will be pouring out of the back lakes and the fish ride with the tide and bait. Camp out and wait for the redfish to come through. Redfish are not the only drum in abundance in March, juvenile black drum, the eating kind, frequent reefs in West Matagorda Bay. Twin Islands, Shell Island and Oyster Lake are all proven drum haunts in March. Live shrimp under a popping cork is the best bet. Over-sized black drum, those over 30-inches, are the spawners and are only catch-and-release, but that doesn’t mean they are any less fun to catch. Big black bruisers frequent the channels, rivers and jetties leading to the Gulf, and a cracked blue crab is the most popular offering. We will be at the Houston Fishing Show in the George R. Brown, Wednesday February 28 through Sunday March 4. Come by and see us in the Matagorda Sunrise Lodge booth. Follow our reports on Facebook and Instagram.
Fishing for Adventure With Texas Insider Fishing Report
Hosts Capt. Rick Murphy, Brie Gabrielle and Dave Ferrell team up with six of Texas’s top-rated guides for up-to-the-minute inshore and offshore regional reports. Each 60-minute show airs before the weekend to give you the inside scoop on: l Where the fish are biting l Weather and water conditions l Fish facts, habits and hideouts l Bait, tackle and techniques l Conservation updates
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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
86 | March 2018
The early portion of the spring season is here and there are many changes underway, not only the weather, but also for our shallow water fishing. Water temperatures will be warming up considerably after the winter chill and we should start noticing a lot more bait activity on the surface. Being able to visually see more activity on the surface of the water also means you will be able to hear more splashes and slurps as well. Being able to see and hear helps us as anglers zero in and get closer to feeding fish, more so now than when the weather was colder and bait was not as active on the surface, and neither were their predators. We will also start to encounter stronger southerly winds in March, which can help and hurt us at the same time. How will the high winds help us? Because we had many calm and cooler days in the past month our water became very clear making it difficult to get close to our speckled and spotted foes without them seeing us and spooking away. The gusty winds will help “dirty” our water just enough to allow us to get within casting distance. Off-colored water is good structure for baitfish to hide in. The choppier water will also act as a noise
Double hook-ups are always fun!
Atlanta Falcons cheerleader, Amy Leifer, with her first-ever redfish.
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
buffer while wading oyster bottomed areas where it is hard not to crunch shell as you wade along in search of a good bite. So, with the pluses come the minuses. Too strong wind makes it unsafe to fish the open bay reefs. There have been many times when I will be on a catching spree on the open water reefs only to be thwarted the next day due to gusty winds forcing me to seek areas that are more protected and safe, instead of where I wanted to be, which was back out on the reefs. That’s not to say the protected areas won’t be holding fish because they will be. It just means that the strength of the wind will hinder the predictability of where you might be able fish from one day to the next. If you are one of those anglers that are fascinated by topwaters but have never had much luck with them, this is the time to wipe the dust off those plugs and give them another go. Now that the water temps are warming, all fish become more aggressive at feeding time, making a surface plug an excellent choice. Speaking from my experiences, when it comes to choosing the size and sound of your topwater offering, remember this. Smaller topwaters, like the Super Spook Jr., get a better reaction from hungry fish when used in quieter, less turbulent water. The choppier the water gets, opt for a larger, more obnoxious plug such as a She Dog. The larger size and louder rattle will draw the attention of nearby fish in rougher water. Instead of tying your line to your plug with a knot such as the Palomar, try tying a loop knot instead. The “loose” connection of the loop knot allows the lure to swing freely and “walk” almost effortlessly – with less effort on your part. If you find yourself fishing from the confines of a boat and haven’t had much luck with artificials, try using soft plastics like Bass Assassin’s 4-inch Sea Shad under a popping cork. This rig works exceptionally well when drifting back lakes and also around the oyster reefs in San Antonio Bay. The popping cork allows you to suspend the bait in the strike zone longer, and can help keep you from hanging up on bottom grass and shell. Rattle/pop your cork sharply every 5- to 10-seconds. And don’t be afraid to get aggressive with the popping. Just like topwaters, the choppier the water the more aggressively you should be when it comes to popping your cork. The sound of the popping cork imitates the sound a hungry trout when it is feeding on the surface. Trout and redfish are greedy in their feeding. When fish in the area hear this, they will come looking to get in on the action. Gary and I are taking some time off our guiding schedule to attend the upcoming 43rd Annual Houston Fishing Show. We will be in Booth 532. If you are interested in booking a fishing trip or just want to talk fishing, feel free to stop by for a visit.
TSFMAG.com | 87
david rowsey
HOOKED UP WITH Rowsey
Upper Laguna/ Baffin
David Rowsey has over 25 years in Baffin and Upper Laguna Madre; trophy trout with artificial lures is his specialty. David has a great passion for conservation and encourages catch and release of trophy fish.
Telephone 361-960-0340 Website www.DavidRowsey.com Email david.rowsey@yahoo.com @captdavidrowsey
2018-TX-37-trout.pdf
Anyone who knows me also knows my stance on conservation and releasing all trout over twentyinches. I’m no tree-hugger or snowflake, and love to eat fresh fish as much as anyone who has ever made a cast in saltwater. Spending as much time on the water as I do, you tend to make some pretty keen observations about the health of the bay and the fishery that the casual observer would not recognize. As we have nearly pushed through February and caught thousands of trout thus far, I have noticed that the big, big trophies are not coming to hand as often as they have in the past. What is coming to hand are two- to four-pound trout and the majority of “best fish of the day” are in the six-plus range. Of course, we do slip up and catch some much larger than sixes but, my point is that the frequency is way down. I have a pretty talented bunch of grinder clients that board my boat every day. They are experienced, have great gear, and the passion to hunt for the best trout in the bay with me. Including my own, there are four lines in the water at all times, on average. On the low side, I’m estimating each man makes 500 casts per day or, as a group, we make 10,000 casts every five days. As little as five years ago that many
attempts would have produced at least two trout per day of seven-plus pounds. This has not been the case over the last couple of years. Spending time at any trophy trout tournament of late, the evidence is pretty clear. The average big trout coming to weigh-in are in the six-pound range, not the eights and nines of past years. So, what has changed? For me, it’s a complete no-brainer. If you are keeping trout between 20- and 25-inches, those fish have ZERO chance of growing to 27-inches or longer, and someday breaking over into the classification of trophy trout. It’s really that simple. Here’s an analogy for you. If any of y’all are deer hunters and know the basics of growing native trophy deer, ask yourself, “Would I kill a three-year-old ten point that scores 150, or let him mature until he is seven and scores a possible 190?” Again, no thought required…you let him mature. Maintaining a healthy trophy fishery requires the same dedication and mindset by all utilizing the resource, especially by those like myself who are guides. If you are going to make a living off the resource and promote trophy trout charters, why would you kill the recruitment class of 20- to 26-inch
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Allen Williams with a gorgeous trout caught shin-deep in 47⁰ water. The trout moved into the shallows to grab some warmth and we were waiting for them. Another great morning!
fish that would or could have become trophies? I challenge any fellow guides or recs to gut check themselves and seriously consider the bigger picture. Keep only the trout under 20-inches, if you have to take some home. March can throw us some of the craziest weather of the season. Whether it’s a blast from the north or pumping SE wind, you better buckle your hat down tight because it will get “western” this month on the water. The upside is that if you can withstand Mother Nature’s fury there will be some of the heaviest fish of the year caught. I am approaching thirty years of wading in Baffin and the Upper Laguna Madre. In all those years I have never seen the waters of both bays as clean and clear as they are now, especially at the same time. The Laguna looks like an aquarium and Baffin is very similar. At times, the water clarity has made for some tough conditions to catch great trout, especially on days with light wind. As the wind picks up you can expect a better bite. I am counting on March’s wind to add a little color to the water; i.e., adding sand from the bay floor to the insane clarity we have become accustomed to fishing, and cooking up that “trout green” water condition that is ideal for sneaking up on and fooling big female trout into taking a nonorganic baitfish into her mouth. Winds always play a big role when formulating a game plan for any given day on the water. Southerly flows will open up the south shoreline (Kenedy Ranch) to some great fishing, as its normally shallow flats have been hammered with cold water temps and north winds. You can bet there will be some monsters caught in its miles of pothole laden flats. Go get ‘em, and practice catch and release. Remember the buffalo! -Capt David Rowsey TSFMAG.com | 89
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
90 | March 2018
Howdy from Port Mansfield! First and foremost, I want to discuss the fishery regarding the frigid temperatures we have witnessed twice this year. Although we did see a few gamefish perish, we definitely dodged a huge bullet. The coldest water temperature I noticed was 38⁰ at the northern end of the bay. I wonder how close we were to a major fish kill? Too close for comfort, if you ask me. I believe our fishery is stronger for the experience. Our fish persevered and, hopefully, became “healthier” in general. If we think about it, Mother Nature has a way to both challenge and balance the environment. During this cold snap was the most challenging time to pattern fish, probably because they did not know what to do or when to do it. Were they supposed to go shallow at the first sign of sun to warm up…only to get hit hard again in a few days with another frigid norther? Or, would it be better to remain hunkered down in deeper water? See the challenge? Progressing toward the final weeks of winter, I am convinced our speckled trout and red drum fishery is about as healthy as it can be. The availability
of rich forage makes it rare to catch a pencil-thin trout or red. I describe them as fitting one of three categories: very healthy – fat – obese. Either is fine with me…I love piggies. The water levels here on the Lower Laguna remain relatively low and the prevailing clarity is generally excellent. Even on windier days the water holds up well. Of course, a strong norther can muddy it up but as soon as the wind backs down it starts to clear up within a few hours. I thank our seagrass for the quick recovery of water clarity after a norther. Moving on to recent fishing results: Warm days find us sticking to the flats with fish either staging in potholes or grassbeds, which means it is important to target both types of structure. Their preference seems to vary by area and by day so, once you discover a pattern you need to focus on it. Many times, the bait presence alone will provide the clues you need to refine your tactics. Even when you think you’re dialed in, I recommend probing all likely structure that lies within your casting range – big trout are tricky like that. We have been fortunate on days when the fish are
on a feeding frenzy. When this happens even the best angler can’t pull his lure away from those big trout and redfish. I bring this up because we experienced it recently and improved a fair day of fishing to a stellar day. It was getting late in the day and I was cruising the flats looking for signs of “fishing consistency” when I noticed the tide rushing out of the East Cut, the water was muddy and running hard. Just the day prior the water was blue-green, and the tide was slack or barely moving. I saw this and hoped I was making the right call. We arrived to a flat with a slight ridge in the bay floor created by a nearby drain from the mainland. The bottom consistency was spongy and sandy with scattered grassbeds. As we set up for a wade we immediately saw bait flickering and darting just below the surface. Those mullet were not “fun” jumping. Within minutes we knew we made the right call and had multiple hook-ups with trout going over seven pounds and pushing toward thirty inches. Redfish were mixed in, but trout ruled the nearly two full hours of catching. New clients standing on either side of me with a double hook-up revealed a little over 14 pounds of trout, combined. That would make anyone’s day. It made mine and all I did was video the event. Best baits for these fish have been Corkys and KWigglers Willow Tail Shads on either a 1/16 or 1/8-ounce, short shank jig heads. We have not really thrown many topwaters, but on occasion we try a cast or two, but it is tough to stick with a topwater when your partner is catching good fish on plastics. I will be at the Houston Fishing Show in the George R. Brown, Wednesday February 28 through Sunday March 4, working in the Fishing Tackle Unlimited booth each day. In addition, Captain Ernest Cisneros and I will present a seminar at 4:30 pm Saturday, during which we will announce the winners of our Empty Stringers Catch and Release Program contest. Hope to see you there!
TSFMAG.com | 91
Capt. Ernest cisneros
SOUTH PADRE Fishing Scene A rr oyo C olorado t o Port I sabel
A Brownsville-area native, Capt. Ernest Cisneros fishes the Lower Laguna Madre from Port Mansfield to Port Isabel. Ernest specializes in wading and poled skiff adventures for snook, trout, and redfish.
Cell 956-266-6454 Website www.tightlinescharters.com
Last month I mentioned that timing is a critical aspect in locating and staying on fish. The exceptionally cold weather over the past several weeks has made it even more critical. During warmer winters the past couple of years, fish did not leave the flats for more than a day or two to escape the cold. I learned something new this winter. Following each cold snap, I searched the flats endlessly, targeting the deeper guts that always produced under similar conditions, with little luck. It finally dawned on me that with the water so cold for so long, those patterns simply did not apply. One day, determined to find where they were holed up, I made a discovery. The water temperature was a cold 46â ° with bone-chilling 51â ° air temperature, and drizzling. I picked a spot adjacent to an exceptionally deep hole that measured twenty-seven feet. This 200-yard, hard sand flat was right along the edge of the ICW. The water was colder than anything I have ever caught fish in but it proved to be a gold mine. We had to let our Corkys sink near the bottom where it was about five feet deep. After a few twitches, a very slight tap was the only indication of a
Jeremy Rhodes fooled this nice winter trout with a KWigglers Willow Tail.
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Kristin Faulk with a great winter specimen that took a KWigglers Willow Tail.
bite. Mastering the technique gave us a fish or a strike on every cast. After releasing something close to fifty keeper trout, I recovered from the tunnel vision I had been suffering and began to think of similar places to try. Next stop was another gold mine. I mention this learning experience to demonstrate how we so often find ourselves stuck in the past and fail to think creatively. So, while this pattern will likely not work very often…timing is critical! Well, here comes spring, and presumably, we won’t see any extreme cold weather as the preceding three months, but thinking outside the box and finding fish in areas you don’t usually fish doesn’t stop with the winter weather. Keep in mind we won’t be dealing with lower water temperatures this month, but we will experience higher water levels, which will add a curve to your game plan. Higher water level increases the playing field. Shorelines that were nearly dry during winter will begin holding concentrations of bait and predators lurking in pursuit as the tides increase with the season. East side sand flats and back bays on the west side will come into play. Keying on ospreys, pelicans and gulls will be sure ways to find the bait. On the not-so-bright side, March is a very windy month. Continuous strong wind turns normally fishable water the color of chocolate milk. Thick bottom grass helps hold sediments in place but too often we have to fish where can, not where the better fish are holding. Adjust your game plan accordingly. Currently, redfish catches are average, but with the influx of water and windy conditions you can expect some tough days in March. If we get lucky and the new shrimp hatch shows up this month, you could see seagulls working over tailing redfish in the back bays on the west side, even in the windiest of conditions. Topwaters will come back into play. If the surface action gets slow I recommend a KWigglers Willow Tail or Ball Tail Shad. Weedless gold spoons can also be very effective. The winter of 2016-17 was generally slow for trophy trout; the bigger ones really did not begin to show until late-March. This year has given us more consistent catches and I have a strong feeling that March will be even better. The bigger fish will still be winter-fat and will become even heavier as they begin to develop roe. Knowing the tide schedules is another key to success as larger trout will lie in potholes, near points, and along ridges in the bay floor, waiting for bait to be swept within easy reach. I formulate fishing plans to position my charters along these primary structural features during periods when currents reach maximum strength. As with the reds, topwater action will increase with the water temps and the KWigglers will be my go-to plastics when that action fades. Remember that this is the beginning of spawning season. Please practice careful catch and release, especially with the larger specimens. I invite everybody to visit the Houston Fishing Show in the George. R. Brown Convention Center, Feb. 28 thru Mar. 4. I will be working the Fishing Tackle Unlimited booth March 1 thru 3. Capt. Wayne Davis and I will host a seminar at 4:30 on Saturday Mar 3 to announce the winners of our Empty Stringers Catch and Release Program. TSFMAG.com | 93
FISHING REPORTS
ORECASTS F from Big Lake to Boca Chica
AND
Lake Calcasieu Louisiana Jeff and Mary Poe - Big Lake Guide Service - 337.598.3268 The spring season officially begins in March. As temperatures rise, speckled trout will begin to make their migration from their winter homes to their summer homes. They will be appearing on reefs in five feet of water or more. This opens options throughout the estuary. Commissary Point, Long Point, Turner's Bay, Joe's Cove, and West Cove will become hot spots for catching numbers of trout, eliminating the need to fish deeper for numbers of trout. Big trout will still be found shallow, but will also start showing up on deeper reefs. Topwaters will become productive when water temperatures rise into the seventies. Redfish action will still be good at the weirs, but will also be productive in the middle of the lake under birds. Look for gulls diving over schools of giant bull redfish. Catching the schooling reds can be difficult, since they tend to move quickly. Best bet is to try to constantly move in the direction they are going, to intercept them.. Strong trolling motor batteries and keen eyes are important when targeting fish in these big schools.
West Galveston - Bastrop - Christmas - Chocolate Bays Randall Groves - Groves Guide Service 979.849.7019 - 979.864.9323 Since it's been harsh some of the time, the weather has affected the potential for success on recent outings more than normal in Randall's area. “When the weather's milder, and winds lighter, we're having good luck catching. It's tougher on the cold, windy days. As we get into March and the temperatures warm up some, the consistency of production should level out, as long as onshore winds don't blow too hard. Lately, we're catching best on trick or treat Norton Sand Eels rigged on quarter-ounce screw-lock jigheads when we're targeting our fish in four to eight-foot depths. When we're wading, the Paul Brown FatBoys in pink and emerald/silver are working best. We expect to be doing more wading as the spring gets started, since the fish tend to move shallow and stay in those depths most of the time. I'll be watching for the onset of the glass minnow migration into the bays. We normally find them first on grassy flats warmed up by the sun in the afternoons. Watching the activities of terns, gulls and brown pelicans helps.”
Trinity Bay - East Bay - Galveston Bay | James Plaag Silver King Adventures - silverkingadventures.com - 409.935.7242 James had a great morning on the day he gave this report. “Man, I really walked into 'em today. Water was really clear; I could see the fish eatin'. Really good numbers of three to six pounders. Just snappin' for several hours. Catchin' 'em first on pink and yellow TopDogs. When the topwater bite ended, we moved on to MirrOdines and kept catchin' the same fish that way. Most of the time, we're catching pretty easy limits of fifteen to seventeen inchers, but once a week or so, we walk into a school of the big ones. When we get into the schoolies the old red Bass Assassin with a white tail catches 'em about as fast as anything. The redfish have been so thick lately, it can almost be a nuisance. When they're really bitin', it's hard to catch the trout. We plan to stay shallow and wade in March. All of the local bays are holding fish, so we'll play the weather and move around where we need to, depending on which way the wind's blowin'. One thing we know, it will be blowin' some direction or another most of the time at the start of spring.”
Matagorda | Charlie Paradoski Bay Guide Service - 713.725.2401 As usual, Charlie mentions the ripe possibilities for catching trophy trout when giving his March fishing forecast. “This is a great month to target some of the biggest trout in the area. People have been catching some really big ones lately, and this should continue into the early parts of spring. As many people know, East Bay produces the biggest big trout around here. But we're catching some nice ones in West Bay too at times. The entire area can produce monster fish as long as the river stays salty. As of this report, people are catching plenty of trout in there. Wading is generally the best way to target the trout of a lifetime. Fishing around shallow grass beds in secluded corners of the bays is a good way to up the odds. March is a windy month generally, so some areas get messed up on a regular basis. Hunkering down along protected shorelines and working drains and guts and grass beds thoroughly is the key to success in high winds. If we get some calmer weather, the mid-bay reefs can bust wide open though, as the water clears.”
Jimmy West - Bolivar Guide Service - 409.996.3054 Heavy rains fell a week or so prior to Jim giving this report, and the freshwater changed things in the back of East Bay. “Water hyacinths are floating out of the bayous in the back of the bay right now. We had about six inches of rain, and it temporarily messed things up. People were catching good during the cold weather in those areas when it was salty, but now those fish have likely returned to East Bay itself. That's probably a good thing in the long run. In a typical March, we usually have productive fishing on the shorelines in various parts of East Bay. Wading can be really effective for numbers of trout and redfish, and some of the trout will likely be big. When wading, we catch good numbers of fish on soft plastics rigged on lighter jigheads, like eighth or even sixteenth-ounce. If we're specifically after the big trout, twitch baits like Paul Brown Lures, MirrOdines, Catch 5s and of course topwaters like SheDogs sometimes work better. This time of year is prime for making afternoon wades and fishing into the early hours of night.”
Palacios | Capt. Aaron Wollam www.palaciosguideservice.com - 979.240.8204 Our fish are still holed up in the rivers, bayous and turning basins here in the Palacios area. We have a shallow bay system and our fish have not made it back out to the flats and shorelines yet. Luckily, we have avoided a fish kill in our area. We are still throwing three-eighths ounce jigheads rigged with Down South Lures in white ice/dirty tequila for best results. The fish have been concentrated in the deepest holes and you can't fish too slow for 'em. Sometimes, you will feel just a tick and the fish will be on. Trout have been medium sized, most between sixteen and eighteen inches, and most reds have been in the middle of the slot. . I look for March to be a great month, with water temperatures rising and bait starting to show back up. Shorelines with shell and three to five-foot depths would be good places to start. The wells and shell pads out in West Matagorda are usually late-winter hotspots. Also, in most years when we have really cold weather, the birds work real good in South and East bay, so that will be a good option as well.
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Port O’Connor | Lynn Smith Back Bay Guide Service - 361.983.4434 “In March, we'll be mainly targeting the larger trout, wading shorelines adjacent to the back lakes. One of the best patterns this time of year is to fish in the afternoons on outgoing tides. We find the fish will move out of the of the lakes and set up along the shorelines when the current is pulling out of the lakes, especially in areas near the drains. Stretches with dark grass on the bottom and some mud and shell close by seem to hold the most fish. Sunny days are common in the month of March, and this pattern works well in the afternoons on bright days, when the water pouring out of the back lakes is nicely warmed. For the most part, we'll catch trout fishing this way, throwing slow-sinking lures like Paul Brown Lures and SoftDines, but we'll encounter our fair share of redfish too. The first part of spring is a great time to catch fish in the Port O'Connor area, and we're expecting lots of productive days in the month ahead.” Rockport | Blake Muirhead Gator Trout Guide Service - 361.790.5203 or 361.441.3894 With duck and dove seasons closed, Blake is back to fishing all the time again by March. “Things are improving around the Rockport area slowly but surely, in terms of lodging and amenities. We should be back to close to normal soon. Fishing has been outstanding lately. We're catching plenty of trout and redfish, and March is a great month to target both in the Coastal Bend. It gets pretty windy during March in most years, and our bays provide numerous protected shorelines. When fishing this month, I'll be targeting trout and redfish along sandy, grassy shorelines in various bays, keying on the presence of bait and slicks to figure out where to start. Focusing on areas close to drains connecting backwater areas to the main bays is another key to finding fish. Generally, with warmer temperatures, the bite on topwaters picks up this time of year. We'll throw floating plugs as long as we're getting blow ups. Slowsinking twitch baits produce well in the moderate temperatures of March too, as do soft plastics in dark colors with chartreuse tails.” Upper Laguna Madre - Baffin Bay - Land Cut Robert Zapata – rz1528@grandecom.net - 361.563.1160 With the arrival of the month of March, things tend to heat up. The air and water temperatures are up, the fish are up shallower and the catching consistency also moves up. Instead of areas with muddy bottoms, I’m looking for areas with a mixture of sand and gravel that are three feet or less in depth. I’ll be looking for signs of fish in the area like bait jumping or swirling on the surface and slicks along grass lines, or around potholes, drop offs and shallow rocks. Topwaters like MirrOlure SheDogs in natural colors work well. I switch to a slow-sinking lure like the Catch 5 if I get a lot of blow ups with few fish hooked. Bass Assassin Texas Assassins and Die Dappers in colors like plum/chartreuse, salt & pepper silver phantom, sand trout and chicken on a chain rigged on sixteenth-ounce SpringLock heads work well too. March is likely to be a windy month . When and if strong winds stir up the bottom too much and create murky water, I will fish with live shrimp or a smelly artificial shrimp under an Assassin Kwik Kork. Corpus Christi | Joe Mendez – www.sightcast1.com - 361.877.1230 “Our trout and redfish tend to stay really shallow most of the time in March,” Joe says. “This makes for excellent sight-casting opportunities on a daily basis. Of course, wind is a help in the sight-casting game. To a point. You need enough breeze to break up the glare on the surface, so you can see into the water. Too much wind will muddy things up, of course, so medium wind speeds provide the best opportunities. In March, we do have heavy winds some of the time, particularly from the middle of the day on through the afternoon. Because of this, latemorning is the best time-frame, on average, to search for trout and reds 96 | March 2018
in the shallows. Before this drill gets underway, it's often possible to catch them without seeing them, of course, on soft plastics rigged on light jigheads, also on slow-sinking twitch baits and/or topwaters. When the fish are up near the shorelines, on top of sand bars or in the shallowest parts of grassy flats in low-light conditions, they often feed vigorously, so the bites can be frequent and memorable.” P.I.N.S. Fishing Forecast | Eric Ozolins Winter is drawing to a close, and many species of game fish will soon be in the surf zone. Along with plentiful red and black drum, chances for a powerhouse jack crevalle increase as the waters warm. Pound for pound, jacks are some of the strongest fighters in the surf. Both live and cut mullet are excellent baits for all three species. The pompano bite should be solid if the water is relatively clear and hasn't warmed too much. Shrimp and Fish-bite combo rigs are usually a winner for these tasty fish. Sharks typically begin to appear in March, some sandbars during the early weeks and increasing numbers of blacktips and scalloped hammerheads later on. Primary forage for both species will be smaller finfish, mostly whiting. The arrival of larger sharks – tigers and makos – will depend on the abundance of jack crevalle and little tunny. Lingering cool surf temps can produce extremely thick fog. Beach drivers should exercise caution, especially around camps. Setting up any camp well away from driving lanes is strongly advised. Port Mansfield | Ruben Garza Snookdudecharters.com – 832.385.1431 Getaway Adventures Lodge – 956.944.4000 Spring will soon be here, and fronts will pass less frequently. Warmer days and more regular rain showers should become the norm. As the metabolism of the fish rises, they'll feed more vigorously and show a willingness to take topwaters more consistently. My favorite topwaters this time of year are the Spook Junior, One Knocker, and SkitterWalk in the M08 size. March is almost always windy – direction and speed dictate my fishing plans. If winds are light to moderate, I like to begin my day on the ICW spoils or along the west shoreline. When it's blowing harder, say more than 15 mph sustained, I usually head down toward the Saucer area. We wait all winter for a topwater bite, but don’t be stubborn with them – MirrOdines, Paul Brown Lures and soft plastics are still the go-tos when the blow-ups stop. KWigglers Ball Tail Shads will get lots of playing time too. I like eighth-ounce heads in waist-deep water and sixteenth-ounce ones along the shorelines. Try the new KWigglers Willow Tails, they've really made a believer out of me. Lower Laguna Madre - South Padre - Port Isabel Janie and Fred Petty | www.fishingwithpettys.com – 956.943.2747 We’ve been staying busy taking our Winter Texan friends fishing, without whose business, we would be hurting during January and February. These people know how to fish, and they already have the right clothing for that bitterly cold run up north at daylight. The redfish bite has been outstanding most trips, especially when the wind is helping move some water. The tidal flats of the Lower Laguna Madre are dependent on the wind to churn oxygen into the shallow hypersaline environment that supports marine life in many forms. Trout are starting to push back into the shallower water and hit Berkley Gulp! three-inch shrimp under FP3 corks on a sixteen-inch, thirty pound test monofilament leader. Freddy says, “The tides are getting higher, the water’s getting warmer and fish are becoming more active as we enter the windy spring season; this is an exciting time of the year to witness new growth and old patterns emerging! Check out the FP3 for reds, trout and flounder. You will be impressed with the results!” No more open bay dredge disposal!
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Lauren Deaver Sabine Pass - 35 lb jack CPR
Conrad & Paw Paw Adix Sabine - tripletail
David Jones Crystal Beach - 30” black tip
Haley Murphy Estes Flats - redfish 98 | March 2018
Thomas Alvarado Galveston - personal best flounder!
Carson Montgomery POC - 27.5” 6.5 lb trout CPR
James Norris Sargent - 22” trout
Tyler Cowart Sabine Pass - 31” personal best red! CPR
Tammy Atkinson Port O’Connor - 36” black drum
Brody Wiginton Copano Bay - 25.5” first large trout!
Vincent Kalisky with dad Port Aransas - 38” black drum
Jeramie Garza Brazos - 42” bull CPR
JR Villarreal Trinity Bay - 26” redfish
Megan Vrana Crystal Beach - 22” Spanish mackerel
Diane Perkins Matagorda East Bay - 25” trout
James Schroeder Matagorda surf - 27” trout CPR
Haley Gresham Freeport - first kingfish!
Trace Gresham Freeport - first red snapper!
Chris Gannon Matagorda - personal best!
Rand Shepard Carlos Bay - first redfish!
Chuck Brown 31" redfish CPR Charles Rudolph Port Aransas - redfish
Kellie Walker Matagorda Bay - 27” redfish
Please do not write on the back of photos.
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Nate Vrana Crystal Beach - 44” bull red
Mark Schlatter South Padre - 6’ shark CPR
Mail photos to: TSFMag P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 TSFMAG.com | 99
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
Photo by Victoria-Reyes.
Pan-Fried Shrimp Cakes A delicious and easy recipe for creating hors d'oeuvres that can easily double as an entrée with side dishes. If your tastes run toward the spicier side, add a few shakes of cayenne or Louisiana hot sauce when combining the mixture. We like them both ways – plain and spicy!
INGREDIENTS • 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and minced • 2 eggs • 1/2 cup onion, minced • 1 garlic clove, minced • 1 Tbsp mayonnaise • 1 Tbsp corn starch • 1 Tbsp chives, chopped • 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning • salt and pepper to taste • 3 Tbsp oil 100 | March 2018
PREPARATION Add all the ingredients, except for oil, into a mixing bowl and stir well to combine. Heat oil in frying pan on medium-high, place three tablespoons of mixture into the hot oil. Spread mixture with spoon to form patty. Brown each side one to two minutes. Place fried shrimp cakes on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Serve warm with your favorite seafood or dipping sauce as an appetizer, or pair with your favorite side dishes for an entrée. Yield: 18-20 shrimp cakes (two-inch size)
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