May 2014

Only $3.95 www.tsfmag.com May 2014

TIDE PREDICTIONS & SOLUNAR FEED TIMES INSIDE!

ABOUT THE COVER Ron Howard is our cover angler with a exceptional specimen of a red he landed knee-deep recently at Port O’Connor. “I saw the bait bust in front of a huge wake; he took the lure when it hit the water,” was how Ron related the tale. Thirty inches and almost twelve pounds…CPR! J.R. Gaut captured the image.

CONTENTS FEATURES 10 Own Worst Enemy…Sometimes 16 Reliable General Truths 22 Port Mansfield Cleanup & More Surf...

28 Bodie and the Smugglers 32 Relax…and Fish On! 36 When Boats were Small and Cheap 42 New Trout & Flounder Regs

MAY 2014 VOL 24 NO 1

DEPARTMENTS Mike McBride Kevin Cochran Billy Sandifer Martin Strarup Chuck uzzle Joe Richard Everett Johnson

22

46 Let’s Ask The Pro Jay Watkins 50 Shallow Water Fishing Scott Null 54 TPWD Field Notes Alec Robbins 56 Texas Nearshore & Offshore Joe Richard 62 Fly Fishing Scott Sommerlatte 66 Youth Fishing Marcos Garza 68 Kayak Fishing Chronicles Cade Simpson 72 Extreme Kayak Fishing & Sharks...

Eric Ozolins 78 TSFMag Conservation News CCA Texas 80 Fishy Facts Stephanie Boyd 108 Science & the Sea uT Marine Science Institute

60

WHAT OUR GUIDES HAVE TO SAY

86 Dickie Colburn’s Sabine Scene 88 The Buzz on Galveston Bay 90 The view from Matagorda 92 Mid-Coast Bays with the Grays 94 Hooked up with Rowsey 96 Capt. Tricia’s Port Mansfield Report 98 South Padre Fishing Scene

92

6 | May 2014

Dickie Colburn Steve Hillman Bink Grimes Shellie Gray David Rowsey Capt. Tricia Ernest Cisneros

REGULARS 08 Editorial 84 New Tackle & Gear 100 Fishing Reports and Forecasts 104 Catch of the Month 106 Gulf Coast Kitchen

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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.

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EDITORIAL TiMES ARE cHANGiNG I do not make a practice of discussing changes and developments here at TSFMag in this column but the announcements I have are sufficiently important that I feel this is the right place.

Capt. Mickey Eastman has been a personal friend of many years and has written our monthly Galveston column for nearly a decade. I first met Mick as the founder and organizer of Gulf Coast TroutMasters, the granddaddy of trout tournament series here in Texas. In addition to being one of the most colorful and entertaining fishing guides on the Texas coast for more than thirty years, Mickey’s angling skill and numerous wins in major fishing competition make him a headliner and icon wherever he goes. His success as host of the popular Houston-based 610AM Sports RadioOutdoors Show should surprise nobody, and he’s still on the water guiding clients when he’s not in front of the microphone.

Mickey is moving on to concentrate on his radio broadcasts and his beloved guiding, work that he’ll likely continue until the Good Lord or a rogue wave in Trinity Bay takes him from us.

Capt. Steve Hillman is taking the reins of our Galveston guide column and I trust you will join me in wishing Steve a hearty TSFMag welcome. Steve cut his eye teeth in Galveston saltwater, learning to fish at a tender age and participating in the family oyster and seafood business while earning a degree from university of

8 | May 2014

Houston in Natural Resource Management. If you grow up learning to wring a living from saltwater, it is very safe to say you are no stranger to hard work. Steve too has been making a mark in the Galveston charter business, not a 30 year veteran of the trade just yet, but his success so far has him well on his way. Having the who’s who of Texas fishing on the various bays has always been our goal and we believe Capt. Steve fits the bill very nicely.

Next up, I want to say a few words about the regulatory changes the TPW commission adopted last month. Effective this September, a new set of flounder regs will become law coastwide and a new set of seatrout regs for the middle-coast and upper Laguna/Baffin region has been implemented.

I have never had a lot to say editorially regarding southern flounder but I have been strongly encouraging more conservative seatrout regulations since the days of TPW’s Spotted Seatrout Work Group outreach back in 2002.

While not universally popular, more than two-thirds of anglers who participated in public comment to TPW during the most recent regulatory cycle agree. This change is most welcome in my view, if not a bit overdue.

10 | May 2014

STORY BY MIKE MCBRIDE

Nature being her fickle self will not

often give her self up easily; and any fish caught will either be a hard-won trophy or a stray pull of luck.

There is nothing new in this but neither is there anything new in who-catches-what when things get tough. It’s curious to me, though, why some fishermen just always seem to be luckier than others. I’m convinced that, at times, our success may have more to do with our own feeding habits than the fish’s. When we’re not catching, are we spitting out excuses or chewing on solutions?

Anybody can whack ‘em when it’s easy but the universe doesn’t (and shouldn’t) give us points for that.

Success, in most anything we do, usually comes from dedicated and enthusiastic problem solving. And while some of us choose to complain about obstacles, others embrace challenges and figure out ways to hurdle them. Fishing, especially with artificial lures, presents plenty of hurdles; so let’s look at a few of the more common causes of us tripping

Braided line can help in many situations.

instead of clearing them.

There are two basic reasons for not catching fish consistently. Either we can’t find them—or we can’t catch them when we do. Either way, there are usually several contributing factors but most have to do with typical human nature in motion.

It’s our tendency to want maximum result for minimum effort. As far as not finding them in the first place, my observations from the water, plus a burnt up phone and email, might be telling. A whole bunch of fishermen don’t actually look for fish per se, they look instead for information about where others may have already found them. It’s the “lap-top” lifestyle, the age of information coming of age.

No matter what you might be willing to believe, relying on information from others is usually a formula for failure. Reports are usually old, inaccurate, or just flat-out fabricated.

Many will run around all day long instead of fishing, focused on other’s rods bent towards an easy bite. Even if found though, you might not be on TSFMAG.com | 11

the exact productive line or even be able to catch them anyway. Trying to chase another man’s fish rarely works.

Don’t just read the news, learn to read the water, and then get out there and make the news.

Many will actually run right by slicks and other obvious signs to go to their “favorite spots”—places where they probably caught well before, even if it might have been two years prior and during a different season. It’s very common and it’s called spot-fishing.

Not very interactive and, well…I guess they just didn’t bite today.

O.K., we’ve found some fish; so now what? Of the many reasons why some folks still can’t catch them, poor equipment ranks right up there. Many still insist on fishing with what I call “dead” rods, where they can’t even feel the lure, much less a soft bite. Good tools are critical and if you can’t feel the lure you probably have no idea where it is in the water column, and many times the strike zone is very small. very often some folks can’t even reach the fish because their reel is in poor condition or there is not

It’s curious to me why some fishermen just always seem to be luckier than others.

12 | May 2014

Did you see that swirl, flash, or little shrimp?

enough line on the spool. “Well hey, it worked great last year!” As much as we spend going fishing, we might as well spend some before we go as well. Go to the store, stay out of that bargain bin and be advised; braided line is worth the investment in many situations.

Another huge factor that leads to not catching, especially during slow periods, is simply not being attentive. Did you see that swirl, flash, or little shrimp frantically hopping out of the water for its life? Did you immediately throw at any of them?

Yet another big one is walking right through the fish that are feeding in front of you. “Hey I got a hit!”…then they keep walking. “Got another one!”…and the stride continues. Here’s your sign!

It says STOP. Slow down, relax, and be aware of where you are at the moment. But don’t slow down too much. When a good bite does happen, it might not happen for very long. I see many miss it all because they were camping out on the boat.

Sitting on the freaking phone, eating for the fourth time or sucking down their eighth beer.

Speaking of attention deficits and other distractions; having too much “stuff ” can work against us as well. Many consistent non-catchers carry so many lures they can’t make a decision, and spend more time tying knots on that next magic bait rather than trying to work the one they already have tied on. Examine everything you carry and evaluate whether each piece is truly essential, necessary, or in any way helpful. When you get right down to it, we don’t really need all that much. A few basic lures— topwaters big and small, a handful of light and dark tails, and several jigs of various weight. We’ll save the Corky discussion for when you start paying more attention.

The exact opposite of having too many choices is not using enough of them. I’ve seen many a skunk happen because someone simply refused to take off their favorite lure, even when it was obvious that another presentation was working well. A perfect example is the guy who won’t throw anything but the same topwater he caught his biggest trout on. It might be comparable to the Golden Hammer syndrome, where one over-relies on a familiar tool and uses it obsessively. A related quote is, “I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.” And my all-time favorite, “If I am not going to catch them anyway, I want to not catch them on a topwater.”

Another human syndrome contributing to not catching fish, (many of which are really funny because you know they are true), has to

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on red and white. They always hit red and white…so that’s all I’m ever going to throw.” That’s a limited representation of reality, and in some ways, similar to another scenario called the Texas Sharpshooter fallacy.

That name comes from a joke about a Texan who fires a bunch of rounds into the side of a barn and paints a target centered on the biggest cluster of hits, then claims to be a sharpshooter. O.K., you go Sharpshooter! We can easily create our own “facts”, but we will never get better at anything by sticking to false or incomplete conclusions.

In fishing, our catching problems will never go away, they just change form, but we also often tend to form our own. Another saying is that there are basically three types of people (fishermen included).

“Those who watch things happen, those who talk about things that already happened, and those who make things happen.” When I’m not catching fish, I gotta wonder which one I’m being.

Well.., I really don’t know. I’ll chew on that problem but I might be biased. Where’s my hammer?

Don’t just read the news…get out there and make the news.

14 | May 2014

Contact

Mike McBride Mike McBride is a full time fishing guide based in Port Mansfield, TX, specializing in wadefishing with artificial lures.

Skinny Water Adventures Phone Email Web

956-746-6041 McTrout@Granderiver.net Skinnywateradventures.com/ Three_MudSkateers.wmv

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16 | May 2014

STORY BY KEVIN COCHRAN

In a recent feature article,

I identified and clarified a few absolutes which govern fishing for all species of fish, regardless of method(s). These indisputable concepts ring forever true. Other, general truths do not meet such a strict standard, but they prove reliable nonetheless, particularly as they relate to the sport of fishing for speckled trout with artificial lures. I base many of my daily decisions on the following useful generalizations.

Some of these ideas relate to when and where the fish tend to bite best, others relate to the types of presentations which best match particular climatic conditions, and one describes a behavior pattern common to the species. I base all of the following assertions on my long-term experiences and on my studies of the biology of the fish. Anglers who choose to fish exclusively with artificial lures search endlessly for ways to “hedge the bet�, or up the odds of getting fish to bite. An awareness of these truths aids in the quest for consistency in catching.

I normally leave the dock in pre-dawn darkness, because I know the changing light condition associated with daybreak typically produces an enhanced opportunity to catch trout. If and when I choose to fish later hours, I normally make a point to fish through the sunset and into the first hour(s) of darkness. Changing light

conditions create ripe opportunity for predatory fish; scientific studies have helped us understand why.

The eyes of all fish, like those of human beings, must adjust to changing light conditions. Fishes’ eyes tend to adjust slower than the eyes of mammals. More significantly, the eyes of most species of fish which trout prey upon adjust slower than do those of the trout.

Consequently, trout can see better than the fish they want to eat while the light emerges and/or dims. Instinctively, the predators take advantage of this by feeding regularly during the transitions from night to day and day to night.

Many experts assume dawn proves the better transitional time during the warmer half of the year, while dusk does so during colder weather months. I recognize the underlying premises related to such an assertion, but ample experience shows me trout bite well before, during and just after daybreak in winter too, even on some of the coldest days. The likelihood of trout feeding actively during a light change becomes accentuated if a rising or setting moon coincides with a rising or setting sun.

A moon hovering close to the horizon normally creates a better biting mood in the fish. I can not honestly say I have seen any credible, plausible scientific explanation for the previous statement, but my experiences (and that of many others) undeniably stamp it TSFMAG.com | 17

Clayton Runyan chose an appropriately dark, sinking FatBoy to coax several big bites in the pre-dawn darkness on a late-winter wading session.

Jumbo trout like this thirty inch specimen often take floating plugs like a white Skitterwalk readily in the dark hours before daylight in winter, particularly if the weather is warm for the season.

sky, another fact related to the behavior of trout comes into play for those of us seeking to catch them. Speckled trout tend to travel and concentrate in schools. Sometimes, fish of similar size gather in groups, while at other times, specimens of all sizes wind up in the same places. These truths affect the fishing in a profound way.

If a trout bites in a specific spot, a wise angler will throw back repeatedly into the spot and into the water close to the spot.

Fish found in packs or pods tend to compete with each other for whatever food sources come into their midst; such competition makes them more susceptible to the efforts of anglers with plastic plugs. Solitary fish, on average, show a more finicky attitude, making them exceedingly difficult to catch much of the time. Savvy anglers share a tendency to pay attention to where bites occur, and to make multiple casts into the place if possible when they do, knowing they’ve likely located a group of fish, rather than a single one.

When targeting the fish, those same anglers use general truths related to lure choice when deciding what to throw. After all, the “wrong” lure tossed in front of a group of a trout will often go untouched, providing no clues to the angler at the other end of the line. Getting bites plays a key role in locating fish; anglers who recognize basic facts about the best times to use various lures get more bites.

Lures worked slowly and close to the bottom work better in cold water, while surface-running plugs worked faster and better in hot water. Calm conditions favor the use of slow, steady presentations, while windier conditions facilitate the effectiveness of fast, erratic presentations which include speed bursts and pauses. Consequently, soft plastics and slow -sinking twitch baits work best during the cold

with a seal of truth. Additionally, a “bigger” moon (meaning either full or new) hanging close to the horizon tends to enhance the catching more than a quarter moon.

In fact, both full and new moons cause fish to feed more actively than weaker moons do, over the long haul. I have decades of data to back up such a belief. I think of the effect of a strong moon as being about a five day window, including the day of the new or full moon, and two days on either side of it.

Some experts don’t like to fish on the days immediately following a full moon, citing long-term evidence in their fishing logs of a downturn in the catching during such a time-frame. Most of those anglers fish in areas strongly influenced by tidal movement, and they probably accurately recognize the negative effects of full-moon tides on fishing in their home areas. I fish in an area generally unaffected by tidal movements, and have documented many better than average catches on days following full moons.

While I won’t dispute the fact that catching can slow for some people in some areas on days following full moons, I will take issue with the reason commonly given to explain the poor bite. Many anglers claim “the bright moon allows the trout to see and feed all night”, so they aren’t hungry during the day. Such a belief appears logical on the surface, but is actually counter to the truth, in my estimation.

Speckled trout feed actively at night, particularly the bigger specimens, who tend to prefer eating other fish rather than crustaceans or other forms of marine life.

A fish which feeds nocturnally because darkness provides it a better chance of catching its prey would be more active in pitch black darkness, not under the wan light of a bright moon. Friends of mine who fish almost exclusively during dark hours verify this truth; almost all of the fastest action occurs when they can’t see their own hands in front of their faces. Bright moonlight typically coincides with mediocre catching, possibly because the extra light makes it easier for prey species to locate the trout Talk about first-cast memory makers; lurking in the area, hoping to catch them.

Kenneth Havel caught this beautiful 10-pounder on his first-ever bite with a Corky!

Regardless of the amount of light in the 18 | May 2014

Cloudy skies often facilitate the bite in clear water once daylight arrives, particularly when natural looking soft plastics are deployed. Ruben Barron used such a lure to trick this attractive whopper.

Smart anglers catch speckled trout under bright azure skies and in the black of night, by adjusting their strategies to best match the moment. Recognizing the utility of several general truths helps them keep their rods consistently bent. Summing up these truths helps clarify and simplify their effects on our efforts.

When fishing for speckled trout with artificial lures, head out early and/or stay out late. Pick a good spot and commit to it while the moon hangs low in the sky. If the mercury stands short in the glass, toss lures which stay down deep, and work them low and slow. When temperatures rise, work high-riding lures quickly and erratically across the surface. When a trout bites a lure in a spot, toss back over there at least a few times. More often than not, a bite proves other fish swim nearby. If a hot bite dwindles, try changing presentation first, then the type of lure deployed; leave the obsession with colors to the artists.

Kevin Cochran Contact

seasons, while topwaters and fast-moving twitch baits like brokenbacks and other lipped crank baits work better when the weather is sizzling hot.

Obviously, these assertions do not always bear truth. Some of the best topwater sessions of all occur in winter, for instance, particularly during warm spells when winds blowing off the Gulf provide an enticing ripple on the water’s surface and barometric pressure reads fairly low. On the other hand, soft plastics sometimes prove the most effective lures during the summer, particularly when clear skies coincide with stronger than normal winds. Picking the best lure and presentation for the moment proves more difficult than simply fishing soft plastics low and slow in cold weather and working topwaters erratically in hot weather, but these generalizations provide a solid basis or starting point for making these decisions over time.

Consistently productive anglers know how best to choose a lure having the proper attributes to match the needs of the time and how to work the lure in a manner consistent with the way the season, weather and water conditions influence the behavior of the fish. They usually place more emphasis on the size, type and movement patterns of the lure than on its color, because they recognize another truth related to lure fishing.

The type of lure chosen and the presentation deployed almost always supersede color in importance. A lure’s hue plays the biggest role in water at either extremity of the clarity range, in ultra-clear water or excessively turbid water. Natural looking colors work best when the fish can easily see the lure, while lures bearing two strongly contrasting hues (one dark, one light) work best when fish struggle to see them.

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

TSFMAG.com | 21

STORY BY BILLY SANDIFER

22 | May 2014

over the years

I’ve mentored six individuals who wanted to organize cleanup events. Three cleanup events took place on the upper Texas coast, one in Port Mansfield and two out of state. I know that at least three of these managed to stage at least one event. To my knowledge only the Port Mansfield Cleanup has developed into an annual event.

On 15 March; Jeff Wolda, Cody Moravits and I were joined by Shawn and Lydia Curless in driving down the beach to assist Kathie and Miller Bassler of Bassler Energy Services in their Sixth Annual Port Mansfield Beach Cleanup. Field & Stream magazine filmed for their “Hero for a Day” program. The event this year drew 155 volunteers; fully twice the number of people that participated in their earlier cleanup efforts. Thirty-five boats were utilized carrying volunteers out to the jetties and cleaning the shoreline of the Mansfield Cut as well.

Five miles of beach was well groomed and some areas as far as 7.5 miles north were cleaned.

The logistics involved in this event are an absolute nightmare. The first year they held the event as part of the Big Shell Cleanup but it proved logistically prohibitive with the National Park Service helping on this end and trying to assist at Port Mansfield at the same time. So, the Bassler’s started scheduling their event for a different date. The third year they started providing free lodging to out-of-towners on Friday and Saturday nights, in hope of drawing more volunteers. In addition they provide a free breakfast, a sack lunch and bottled water on the beach— and then a free dinner Saturday night!

They assign boats to specific areas of the Mansfield East Cut and boats work in the cut from 8:00 to 10:00 AM. Then they go to the jetties and unload their trash from the boats and start cleaning the beach. As much trash as possible is hauled north by their beach crew vehicles and the feds haul out what’s left. unfortunately campers throw their trash containing food on the pile of sacks and the coyotes and raccoons make a mess of it.

“The gang’s all here…” (Cody Moravits photo)

TSFMAG.com | 23

SO PLEASE DON’T THROW FOOD ON THE PILE OF TRASH BAGS. When you think about it, that’s awfully low gene pool anyway.

I want Friends of Padre to become more of a player in this event but have to do some head scratching to figure out the best way to proceed.

High tides could force us to cancel and in this case every volunteer with or without a four-wheel drive vehicles will have to sign up somewhere in advance as we have to know we have the necessary vehicles to get all the volunteers down the beach and back. And likewise if it is extremely bad weather or high tides we’ll have to cancel; which we never do on the Big Shell Cleanup. It would take too long to get down there and back if we made it at all.

This is a great youth event and this year three Boy Scout troops, two high school student council groups and a large group from the university of Houston Honors participated. The Bassler’s would like to thank the Port Mansfield Chamber of Commerce and especially Christine Simmons for all their efforts in the planning of the event. And also a big thanks to many of the local sport fishing guides who gave up a day’s charter during Spring Break and donated their time, their boats and their gas. Those interested in participating in or donating to next year’s event can call Kathie Bassler at 979-204585 or e-mail kathieb@ basslerenergyservices.com Their Facebook page is Port Mansfield Cut & Beach Cleanup. This is a fun event; a genuine adventure and you are invited to participate next year.

I was listening to the weather channel recently and the forecaster was describing problems faced currently by farmers worldwide. He then said “fighting erratic weather patterns” was the biggest problem farmers faced all around the globe and I thought to myself; “Yeah and us fishermen too.”

Then I thought how profound those four words really were. You can go on and on debating global warming, a changing weather pattern; William “Buzz” Botts of Park Service-Padre Island National Seashore, Kathy Bassler, the author, and Miller Bassler discussing the cleanup progress.

(Sam Caldwell photo)

24 | May 2014

whatever you want to call it, but the bottom line actually boils down to four words; “fighting erratic weather patterns.” The fish don’t know how to react when the weather deviates from the expected norm and it’s impossible for us to pattern them. As such there have been some real changes during time frames of (historic) peak abundance and species being present in the surf and I’ll attempt to address these.

Species - Gafftop Sail Catfish: The past two years, good numbers of gafftop catfish have been common in our surf in late summer. This is a brand new happening. I’ve only seen one or two gafftop caught out of the surf here in my entire life until two years ago. They are easy to catch on most types of bait and will even hit artificials. Probably squid is the best bet. They hang in the deeper water of the surf guts.

Golden (Atlantic) Croaker: Years ago we had good runs of large golden croaker in the surf in the fall and then they disappeared. I’m told good catches of them occurred last fall. Golden croaker take shrimp readily and also cut bait fished on the bottom. Be wary of sharks if large numbers of croaker are present as they follow and feed on the croaker and Norfolk spot.

Atlantic Bluefish: These fish are episodic in the surf and can show up in fair numbers at any time of the year. In our surf they range from one half- to eight pounds and feed on anything. In the Northeast they call them “choppers” due to their razor sharp teeth and the name is appropriate. If you get a few quick bumps and your line is cut-off it’s typically bluefish and a wire leader is required if targeting them. They are a very bloody-meated fish and immediately cutting the tail and bleeding them before putting them on ice is suggested if keeping them for food.

Florida Pompano: A highly preferred food fish, the pompano is most available during the winter months. January and February used to be our peak months but now October through December is best. They like clear, reasonably calm water and bluebird days. A few may be present

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sight fishing the clear shallows of the Laguna Madre or “Whether probing the Everglades’ murkier waters, Z-Man gives me a true competitive edge. The lifelike action and realistic profiles of the scented ShrimpZ, PogyZ, Jerk ShadZ, and PaddlerZ routinely fool the most discriminating saltwater gamefish. Plus, each bait’s proprietary ElaZtech durability is unparalleled, withstanding the harshest marine environments the Gulf coast can dish out. Once you experience the Z-Man advantage, there’s no going back!

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Cleanup crews at work in the Port Mansfield East Cut. (Sam Caldwell photo)

as late as June. Peeled fresh-dead shrimp and “Fish Bites” fished on the bottom account for most pompano catches. As far as you can cast into wide, deep guts and into cuts through the bar produce best. With most species, you catch a few and the action slows, and you move on to a new location. Not so much with the pompano; a patient angler will find that after a brief absence they will show back up and you can land several more from the same spot. This can go on for some time. At times they will hit lures although normally they are out of lure casting range. A TT22 Model 51 MirrOlure has produced more pompano for me than any other lure.

Well it is turtle nesting season and crowds will be increasing on our beaches. Please drive carefully and watch out for the other guy.

It’s his beach too.

If we don’t leave any, there won’t be any. -Capt. Billy

Eared Grebe -Podiceps nigricollisBreeding plumage has blackish neck and golden ears. Dusky above and white below in winter. Nests in large fresh water colonies. Aquatic diving birds present in Texas November through March. Confused with ducks but sit higher in the water and have pointed beaks and longer, more slender necks. Frequently in our surf. Young ride on parent’s backs.

Length 11-13 inches

Their work is done…for now.

(Cody Moravits photo)

Jimmy Jackson photos 26 | May 2014

Contact

Billy Sandifer Retired after 20+ years of guiding anglers in the Padre surf, Billy Sandifer (“Padre of Padre Island” to friends & admirers) is devoted to conserving the natural wonders of N. Padre Island & teaching all who will heed his lessons to enjoy the beauty of the Padre Island National Seashore responsibly.

Website www.billysandifer.com

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28 | May 2014

STORY BY Martin Strarup

Bodie took advantage

of what promised to be a slow moving incoming tide and left the dock at one in the morning. “And another good thing about this new SVT, is that there’s plenty of room in it to sleep when I want to,” Bodie said to himself.

Running by instinct, GPS and the help of a large powerful spotlight, Bodie steered the big shallow running boat through a narrow channel that was full of twists and turns but that was protected from the wind and would cut off more than a few miles that would have taken him across open water. Not that the wind was an issue this morning, and in fact he was hoping that it might blow just a little as the bay was as slick as a stock pond in August. But since he was going to be fishing an incoming tide and would be casting against the wind he wasn’t going to complain about it.

The previous evening Bodie had been at Haddon’s Place and had invited Red and Tommy, hoping they might want to do a night trip with him, but Red had to be somewhere early in the morning and Tommy just doesn’t care much for the dark—much less being on the water in the dark.

“I still remember the cold water sharks Bodie, and them rustlers too,” Tommy wailed. “Ain’t nothing good can come from being out on the water at night unless you’re gigging flounder and then only within sight of houses and people and stuff,” he added.

Red snorted and made a comment about Tommy’s manhood and Tommy wanted to show Red that he wasn’t scared but was worried

that if he said anything he’d have to go with Bodie, so he let it go.

“You two need to stop that silly bickering,” Bodie sighed.

“Heck, if I stopped giving Tommy a hard time then what would I have to do for fun besides fishing?” Red asked.

“Yeah!” Tommy chimed in.

Both Bodie and Red just turned and stared at him as Tommy suddenly became more interested in finishing his cheeseburger.

“Where are you thinking about going tonight Bodie?” Red asked.

“I’m thinking about hitting the flats about a mile inside the pass, Red. I’m thinking that if I work the gut that runs along the shoreline and then curves out towards the middle of the flat I’ll pick up some nice fish on the incoming tide.” Bodie told him.

Red nodded, looked at his watch and told Bodie to be careful out there in the dark. Bodie said that he would then before he could say anything else Red said, “I think you should just hog tie Tommy, toss him into your boat and make him go with you.”

Tommy was just swallowing the last bite of cheeseburger on Red’s remark, and of course it went down the wrong pipe and he started gagging and coughing. Bodie had to slap him on the back to get him breathing again.

“See Bodie. You see how he is, just plain old mean is what he is, just plain old mean!” Tommy cried.

Bodie just looked at Red, rolled his eyes and headed for the door.

“You watch out for them cold water sharks and rustlers Bodie!”

Tommy yelled as Bodie went out the door.

TSFMAG.com | 29

30 | May 2014

doing the same thing. Then, almost as sudden as the strike, his line went slack and he reeled in his lure. Turning on his head lamp he looked at the lure and saw that two of the points on the treble hook had bent. “Yup, jackfish or a really big bull red,” he muttered.

Not being far from the boat and without another hand-painted She Dog, Bodie waded back to his boat to replace the bent hook. As he was sitting on the leaning post trying to get the split ring opened he heard the distant sound of high-speed props out across the barrier island in the Gulf. He looked for running lights but saw none and he couldn’t see a boat as dark as it was.

Bodie turned off his cap light and all the lights in the boat and sat listening. The boat stopped and then he heard the low rumble of diesel engines, but again, there were no running lights. In just a few minutes the high-speed props took off again. The boat had to have gone past the pass and was heading up the coast and as he listened the boat finally got out of range of his hearing.

But Bodie could hear the diesels churning their way south down the coast. “Strange those two boats would be in the same place in the gulf with neither having their running lights on,” he thought. “But then if a man didn’t want to be seen unloading or loading something, he wouldn’t have his lights on,” he said in a low tone, as if to avoid being heard.

Bodie used his cell phone to call the Coast Guard and found a Chief Petty Officer he knew working the night watch.

“Chief, did you get demoted or maybe you just couldn’t sleep?”

Bodie offered with a chuckle.

“I recognize that voice…some old cowboy who thinks he can fish.

How’re you doing Bodie?” the Chief asked.

“Well I’m out here near the pass trying to fool some fish and thought I’d let you guys know that a couple of boats were out in the gulf with no lights and they definitely spent a little time with each other out there,” he explained.

“Thanks Bodie, we’ll look into it but I think you’ve probably already figured out what they were doing,” the Chief replied. “I’ll do some checking and get back to you if I can sniff anything out.”

Bodie finally got a new hook on his She Dog and again made his way toward the gut. He made a cast and another hungry trout nailed it after just a few twitches of his rod. He strung his fifth trout and one red before he thought he should head in.

After washing his boat and gear Bodie decided to pay a visit at the Coast Guard station on his way home and visit with his friend CPO Timothy Long—those Coasties always have a fresh pot ready, hot and strong the way I like it, Bodie mused to himself.

Continued next issue…!

Martin Strarup

Contact

“Dang it Red you dang near made me choke to death!”Tommy protested.

“Yeah, if Bodie hadn’t been here you’d have been crab bait by now,” Red chuckled with a grin as he too headed for the door. Tommy just glared at him as he left.

Bodie swept the light across the flat looking for a small white PVC pole that would mark where he wanted to anchor up. He hadn’t yet been able to put this location into his new GPS and the pole was hard to see in the daylight, much less in the dark.

He spotted the pole and idled up to it, set the Power Pole and then punched some buttons on the GPS. He then took his anchor, stepped out of the boat and pulled the bow tight towards the light southeast wind and set the anchor in the hard sand.

“I like the Power Pole, it’s a handy gadget to have but I guess I’m just old school and like my bow pointed into the wind when I’m not in the boat,” Bodie said out loud.

Back in the boat Bodie pulled a rod and reel from a rocket launcher and with the light from the LED’s that were all over the boat he tied on a black and red MirrOlure She-Dog. “Loud and obnoxious is what I’m after tonight and this lure is sure enough both of those,” he thought.

Bodie had done some painting on this lure, adding diagonal yellow stripes to each side near the tail. What the fish thought it was he had no idea but he knew that they liked it.

Once out of the boat, Bodie uncoiled his stringer and let it fall into the water. He watched to see how fast the float moved with the tide and it moved rapidly into the darkness. Standing still, Bodie could feel the current moving his pant leg and he smiled to himself. He heard a school of bait fish escaping something with teeth and he thought it was nice of them to let him know where they were. Shuffling across the hard sand he moved into casting distance where he could cast south and up the gut and work the lure back with the current.

Bodie cast down the gut and a little to his left and he listened with his thumb on the spool to stop his line when the lure landed. He heard the splash, thumbed the line and just let the lure sit. After a ten count he walked the lure back to him with four twitches of his rod tip then he let the lure sit. He did this twice more and heard the explosion before he felt the fish then set the hooks by bringing the rod up to the twelve o’clock position. The fish took some drag running towards the shoreline then changed directions and started across the flat. The fish was stirring up the phosphorescence in the water and Bodie almost wished that he had one of those video cameras that he could wear on his head to record it. Then he thought that he wouldn’t be caught dead wearing one of those things, someone might see him and he’d never live it down. The trout tired and after turning on his head lamp Bodie grabbed it and lifted it up. “I’ll take about four more just like you” Bodie said to the trout as he slipped it onto his stringer.

After checking his knot Bodie turned his head lamp off and made another cast working it back the same way that he had before but didn’t get a hit so he cast further out onto the flat and moved a bit closer to the gut. This time he didn’t get a chance to work the bait and he didn’t hear the water explode but he did feel the fish when it hit.

Line sped off of his reel against his lightly set drag so he tightened it just a bit. “Jackfish” he said aloud.

Feeling with his thumb in the darkness he figured he had a little less than a half-spool remaining, and with this he tightened the drag.

The fight then became a matter of him holding pressure and the fish

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

hard to believe

we will soon be in the fifth month of 2014 and finally putting up the long-johns and winter coats. The ridiculous succession of cold fronts that bombarded us was like nothing we have ever seen, or at least seen in a really long time.

The extended cold weather has infected most anglers with a bad case of cabin fever that reached epidemic proportions months ago. The few days that would warm up would only entice anglers into believing that spring had finally sprung only to dash those hopes with another round of temperatures in the 40s. Hopefully all that is behind us now and we can all start griping about the wind or some other weather trend that complicates our fishing.

The months of April and May for the most part get a bad rap due mostly to the fact that they are so down right unpredictable. Easily the biggest factor that fishermen have to deal with at this time of the year is big winds that make large portions of the bays unfishable. On Sabine the predominant southeast wind forces a ton of anglers into a small part of the lake from Johnson’s Bayou south to Blue Buck point.

32 | May 2014

That’s a stretch of shoreline that is several miles long but feels like a small farm pond when every boat in the lake is in there hiding from the wind. Couple that with a few boats of waders that will stake a claim to a large stretch of shoreline and before long you are looking for any stretch of uninhabited water to call your own. It’s just a fact of life and something you either learn to deal with or take up golf.

Fortunately there are other options.

The extreme south end of Sabine Lake has always been an early spring destination for anglers who wanted to try their luck at drifting the huge reef near the Causeway Bridge. This area is the saltwater version of “The Chicken Coop” on Toledo Bend Lake where boats will pile in by the dozen when the white perch are running. The Causeway Reef comes with its own set of rules and nuances, so be prepared.

Most anglers will drift various depths with a myriad of soft plastics trying to “crack the code” and figure out the right combination of jig head weight, drift speed, and depth. Once you figure out those three factors the Causeway Reef can be a really cool place to fish. If you can’t

STORY BY CHuCK uzzLE

figure out those variables it becomes an expensive and frustrating place to try and catch a fish. I would hate to even try and imagine how many jigheads and soft plastics have fallen victim to the oyster shell along that huge reef, it has to be mindboggling. I know I have made my fair share of “donations� down there but I still go back because it can be such a great place when it all comes together.

If drifting the reef with a crowd is not your idea of a good time try the deep water of the ship channel, Neches River, or Sabine River.

These deep water locations provide some much needed cover from the high winds that seem to plague the coast during the spring months. A variety of tactics will work in the deep water and there is certainly a pattern that will fit every angler. The easiest method and perhaps the most popular is anchoring with live bait. Some of the best trout and flounder of the year will be caught here and it won’t be by accident. Some of the best anglers I know have spent countless days on the water searching and finding specific spots along the deep water breaks. Many folks will take the approach of finding a

drain nearby and set up on that area during a tide change and work on those fish as they travel through that area from shallow to deep and vice versa. Still other anglers will choose to dig around those same deep breaks with soft plastics and crankbaits. The folks using artificial lures will be able to cover more water than those who decide to anchor and throw bait but both methods are aided by the use of quality electronics. Being able to pinpoint structure and exact depths is what separates really successful fishermen from the average angler.

One other option to keep in mind is heading for the shallow water marshes that border Sabine Lake on nearly every side. The Bessie Heights marsh, Keith Lake, and the expansive marsh that lies in between Sabine and Calcasieu offer plenty of places to get out of the wind and find a willing fish. The shallow water style of fishing is not suited for those unwilling to do the work; it takes effort and is not for everyone. Many anglers who decide to venture off the beaten path and into the marsh will just stay in the deeper canals that lead tidal water to and from the lake. I have spent many a pleasurable TSFMAG.com | 33

34 | May 2014

trout with the largest one weighing in at just over eleven pounds. I can still see those fish blowing up on topwater plugs in those waves.

Until we head into the dog days of summer where the winds become much more predictable and significantly lighter, we will have to make do with whichever piece of water we can fish. It may be a bit uncomfortable or inconvenient now but in a month or two we will begging for a breeze and a cool drink.Â

Chuck Uzzle

Contact

trip throwing spinner baits along those cane infested shorelines and caught my fair share of fish. The ponds that sprawl out along the canals are often too shallow for bigger boats but occasionally you can find one deep enough that will allow access to a standard center console.

Be aware of tides though, getting stranded back there is no picnic.

Now the last option I can recommend is to just bow your neck and get out there in the wind and fight it. I can’t tell you how many times we have tied two or even three drift socks to the gunwale cleats to slow our drift to a manageable speed in some rough water. You would be shocked at how you all of a sudden forget how bad the weather is when you start catching fish. The whole key is to be able to feel your line in the high wind in order to detect a bite, and this is where slowing the drift becomes so crucial. One of the largest trout I ever caught was in late April on Calcasieu while drifting in some really choppy water that bordered on swells. My group and I had found some fish earlier in the day when the wind was much lighter and we decided to try them one last time before heading for the dock. After deploying a couple of drift socks we picked a line across the flat and started the drift. To cut a long story short after we made three drifts every person in the boat had caught and released a new personal best

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 cuzzle@gt.rr.com Website www.chucksguideservice.net

STORY BY JOE RICHARD

A big Boston Whaler passes through the safety cut in Galveston’s east jetty. There’s lots of room to fish those jetties, even from small boats, and the rocks offer protection from the wind.

36 | May 2014

A potential boat buyer

recently started an online discussion about whether a 22-foot center console is safe enough to fish the Galveston jetties. That certainly sounds roomy and comfortable for such a short trip. For those of us who have fished the coast more than 30 years, 22 feet of fiberglass sounds like luxury. The boating trend for years has been bigger and faster, along with more efficient and safer designs (though kayaks have gained in popularity). It’s a little shocking to consider that in 1970, the biggest fishing boat in our entire coastal county (Jefferson) was a 23-foot Formula. Virtually all offshore trips out of Sabine Pass in those days were made from smaller boats, unless you signed up on a lumbering partyboat. We fished from boats a lot smaller and way less expensive, by today’s standards. Consider: >The 14-foot class of stick-steering fiberglass bassboats, popular on big East Texas reservoirs in the late ‘60s were used on saltwater, too. Twice we trailered the family boat, a 1971 Glastron Beaujack, from Port Arthur to Key West. One trip, our tow vehicle was a Volkswagen van. Mostly we hammercocked the fish in Sabine Lake, Sabine jetties, and offshore out to 15 miles. That boat had no compass, let alone a GPS, but there were plenty of landmarks offshore. We had two six-gallon metal fuel tanks, so we enjoyed pretty good mileage, and never mind what gas cost back then. There were few other boats out there, but on some trips we had a sister bassboat along, picking our way through short whitecaps. On gravy days, we sprinted over a glassy Gulf, whooping like Sioux running buffalo over endless prairie. We had no VHF radio, but stayed within easy sight of each other.

What a time we had, slinging jigs and spoons around the platforms, and even diving overboard with snorkel and spearguns, shooting at passing fish. Sometimes, riding home and buzzing through the safety cut in the east TSFMAG.com | 37

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jetty, we’d hold up a 12-pound snapper for startled trout fishermen.

Even late summers were great out there with clear water; we didn’t have the blackwater dead zones commonly seen every August off Sabine today. >We still run johnboats today, mostly for duck hunting, though I can’t seem to quit fishing the Sabine and POC jetties with aluminum boats. Planning and attention to weather is required, of course. Pick a favorable boat ramp when the weather is “doable”, and take the safest route back if and when the weather changes. For instance, you wouldn’t launch a jonboat in Clear Lake to fish the Galveston jetties, you would launch near the jetty itself. Aluminum is fine around granite rocks, it simply bounces off and leaves a little scratch or dent. We found this out because we landed and walked the Sabine jetties almost 100 percent of our trips, leaving an empty, anchored boat. (The modern method for exploring jetties is using an electric motor, which saves cuts, scrapes, trips to the ER, and you also stay dry.) With aluminum boats we visited Galveston’s jetties, the mouths of the Brazos and San Bernard Rivers, the fish pass just south of Aransas, Port Mansfield and South Padre jetties, and had memorable trips. Two more trips to Key West, too. It doesn’t take much to trailer light aluminum behind a car or truck, and I think most memories are created by fishing different venues, rather than the same spot. Our hundreds of trips to the Sabine jetties have all blended together, unfortunately, except for a few notable injuries and stray incidents. Like the day a crewboat’s wake washed most of 75 loose trout off the jetty wall during a furious session with MirrOlures. We had to swim after them. At least they floated; the Spanish mackerel sank like stones.

There was the trip to Lake Guerrero in Northern Mexico, pulling a 14-foot Monarch in August, behind a Ford Pinto. On the drive back

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Walking the Sabine jetties in the old days, nothing out there but small boats. You could see and hook trout right at your feet. We were wet all the time, and earned more than a few scrapes and cuts.

“Samuelo” Caldwell, Texas coastal artist, winces when a ling gets feisty on his trout stringer. It was soon released, because our boat was too small.

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to Houston we spent the night in Port Mansfield, where we knew the summer wind wouldn’t kick in until noon next day. Our dawn patrol was ambitious: With a 9.8 Mercury we scooted out about nine miles offshore to a cluster of Gulf platforms, filling the Igloo with amberjack.

Blue water is close and deep around there, and there were no size or bag limits for AJs in those days. Snorkeling, I dove down and took underwater pictures of big barracuda and a lone tarpon. With a tailing breeze it was a long, salty ride back to the Redfish Motel, where a few patrons gathered around the fish cleaning table. Whispering and shaking their heads, for some reason.

One advantage to jonboats is they can be launched in the surf, far from any boat ramp. Empty beaches can provide quick access to summer tarpon just offshore around High Island, for instance. It all depends on the day’s weather and wind direction, and if a serious line of green water can be spotted offshore with binoculars. It should be noted that we always depended on Gulf platforms, in case of a sudden rain squall, and had no qualms about climbing these structures for safety. An inexpensive boat was considered expendable in a severe storm. A few times, we rode out brief thunderstorms on platforms, fishing while the empty boat bobbed like a cork, perfectly fine on a long rope tied up on the downwind side of the platform.

Last summer we fished a Memorial Weekend tournament at the Sabine jetties in my 15-foot jonboat. We must have looked like two far-out old guys, flinging gold spoons. A time or two a short wave

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knocked us around, and Pete in the bow went sprawling on his back across a metal boat seat, and had a hard time getting up. Somehow I ended up with both legs in the water. But we scooted along the rocks with the electric motor and boxed four redfish, four trout, a big Spanish mackerel, and released an 18-pound jack. Admittedly, two guys in a bigger center console nearby looked way more comfortable, and stuck some good fish using soft plastics, but their boat probably cost them $30K more than our skiff.

When we drifted too close to the jetties, a shove with the pushpole sent us back out to crank the electric motor or the outboard. Not bad for a 1982 Monarch jonboat that has caught so many fish. That same day I kept eyeing platforms straight offshore about eight miles, what we’ve long called the Sadler Rigs, where we’ve dragged ling up to 40 pounds into johnboats. But I had to remind myself we aren’t so young these days. Those short, 2-foot waves, almost head-on, might have increased and worked us over like Sonny Liston. Next day we were denied a repeat; the south wind cranked up and we couldn’t even reach Sabine’s (sadly) subsided jetties that, these days, offer little protection from wind and waves. The big Matagorda jetties are more protected, but then you have to cross the bay first.

Boats were cheaper, years ago. Not sure what our family bassboat cost back then, but it wasn’t much. My 15-foot Thunderbird ski boat that caught so many fish offshore, bought at a friend’s fish camp at Toledo Bend, was $2,100. It was the biggest boat we ever trailered to Key West; in the summer of ’77 three of us spent a solid month there, spearfishing during the day and then the night missions for hookwary mangrove snapper. Kudos to our Johnson 70 outboard that ran trouble-free for years. Our typical fuel load was 15 gallons and that boat would haul us at least 55 miles.

Just about the time I sold the worn-out Thunderbird, we started using Bill Ferguson’s big 21-foot Chaparral, a sturdy boat with a v-birth that offered shelter when we spent several nights offshore. We never did that except in Galveston tournaments, where we fished about 100 miles east, and shocked a few people by winning the big Galveston king tournaments in 1983 and ‘84. That boat led a charmed life and paid for itself a few times; Bill says he paid $8,600 for it. Not long after, I began acquiring bigger boats, and that always means more expenses.

But we won more tournaments, so it was okay for a while.

Back to the question of a 22-footer at the jetties. It all comes down to experience and judgment; and I would encourage boat owners to start fairly small and work their way up. That’s the old-fashioned way.

In today’s faster environment, a lot of people start off big, figuring a lengthy boat will cover minor miscues. Or bad luck with the weather.

It will, but not always. In experienced hands, a 22-footer can handle a great deal of adversity and accomplish a great deal.

The most hardcore fisherman I’ve met was probably Billy Wright, who once took a 23-foot SeaCraft across the Gulf. Billy has spent more days offshore than most of us have dreamed of, and he singlehandedly drove Capt. Howard Horton’s yellow SeaCraft from Cozumel to Galveston without stopping, a distance of 700 miles. He stopped to refuel in mid-Gulf, because two boats from Galveston Yacht Basin were crossing that week, bigger vessels like the Abra-ca-Dabra. For some reason u.S. Customs in Galveston had a difficult time, believing Billy’s last port of call…Whether he carried his passport on that trip isn’t known, but perhaps it wasn’t required back in the 1980s. And no, it wasn’t rough that trip. Billy said it was so glassy, he could see his face reflected on the water.

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New Flounder & Trout Regulations for Texas Anglers STORY BY EvERETT JOHNSON

the greatest challeNge

42 | May 2014

Coastwide Gill Nets Southern Flounder 0.16 0.14 Number/hour

for resource managers lies in the crafting of regulations beneficial to the resource while simultaneously pleasing user groups. As the old saying goes, “You can’t please all of the people all of the time.”

On March 27, 2014, the TPW Commission took a major step that many coastal fishermen believe will greatly improve the quality of fishing for southern flounder coast-wide and spotted seatrout in middle-coast bays and upper Laguna Madre/Baffin region.

Southern flounder have been steadily declining along the Gulf coast since the 1980s. Here in Texas a series of regulatory changes for recreational as well as commercial fishing from the 90s through 2008 accomplished little, a puzzling situation indeed. In that same era, bay shrimping regulations were tightened to reduce the impact of bycatch mortality on flounder stocks and shrimping effort succumbed greatly to economic factors that make it virtually unprofitable.

But as all this was happening the flatfish continued their downhill slide. The root cause came eventually to light when marine scientists seeking to discover whether various species of flatfish could be spawned and reared in captivity unraveled a secret of the natural world.

To simplify; southern flounder spawn in nearshore Gulf waters and spawning success is highly dependent upon water temperature. Too warm or cold reduces hatch rates and the ones that do hatch tend to develop into mostly male fish. A string of twenty-odd mild winters and above average seawater temperatures, it turns out, was endangering the sustainability of the stock beyond any ability of man.

But man can help. In 2009 the TPW commission enacted regulation to protect flounder during their spawning migration, primarily in November, based on the theory that we needed to lay off the spawners and let them to do their thing. Landings records show that fully 30% of the annual harvest is made during November. The special regs allowed rod and reel anglers only two fish per day and gig fishing was banned during the month.

After four years TPW Coastal Fisheries Division says flounder numbers have increased 180%, a healthy increase. But they also said we could accomplish even more. Thus, by unanimous commission vote, effective September 1, 2014, the November rules are being extended into the first two weeks of December because the “run” often lasts more than just one month. And the commission included a caveat for giggers in the extension.

Rod and reel fishermen have been able to participate in the November fishery via the two-fish daily limit since originally enacted and the same will apply during the December extension. In addition, gigging will also be allowed during the first two weeks of December – bag limit two fish per day. TPW’s anticipated improvement to the fishery can be seen in the accompanying slides.

0.12 0.1 0.08 0.06 0.04 0.02 0

Fall 12” minimum size

Spring

14” minimum size

November gigging ban

Flounder Proposal • Extension of the 2-fish bag limit into the first two weeks of December • Harvest allowed during these two weeks by any legal means

• Department modeling shows extension would: • Decrease landings by 5% • Increase spawning stock biomass by 10%

Public Comment Support Oppose • Southern Flounder

1,831

556

• Endorsed by: – Coastal Resource Advisory Committee – Saltwater Fisheries Enhancement Association – Coastal Conservation Association – Lonestar BowHunters Assoc., TX Bowfishing Association, TX Bowhunting and Bowfishing Coalition

44 | May 2014

Spring Gill Nets by Region 3 2.5 Number per hour

Seatrout – Speckled trout have been in the regulatory spotlight several times in recent years and many veteran middle-coast anglers who target them religiously are of the opinion that trout fishing (generally) over the past several years is about as poor as they can recall.

TPW considered reducing speckled trout bag limits back in 2010-11 regulatory cycle, given that their gill net surveys of two year and older fish had been sagging for more than a decade.

At that time though, Coastal Fisheries was also reporting record-breaking young of the year fingerling numbers in nearly every bay in the region. I remember very clearly in February 2011 when Coastal Fisheries science director, Mark Fisher, said, “We need to see this year-class recruited into the fishery before we can ask the commission to consider regulatory changes.”

But the tide never turned for specks. Even though unprecedented in number, that year-class of fingerlings was evidently not enough to put plentiful trout at the end of angler’s lines.

True to their promise though, the Coastal Fisheries Division never took their eye off the ball. The present initiative to revise middle-coast regs is said to have originated within the commission itself and Coastal Fisheries science supports it better.

The voice of fishermen has also been heard—kudos to TPW for asking and listening. During all previous endeavors to quantify public opinion for more conservative trout regulations—dating back to 2002—there has always been considerable public rejection of the idea. But times change. Who would have ever believed such a groundswell of support this go-round?

On March 27, the commission adopted new regulations that will take effect this September, limiting Texas anglers to five speckled trout daily from the southern end of the Land Cut, extending northward through all coastal waters to the FM 457 bridge near Sargent. The commission also set possession limit for specks equal to two days bag limit across the entire Texas coast. Establishing a common possession limit for all waters, including the Lower Laguna Madre where it has been equal to only one day’s bag limit, is another good move in my opinion.

Personally, I believe that revising the speckled trout limit on the middle-coast to mirror the successful management plan TPW placed in the Lower Laguna back in 2007 will prove highly beneficial for this fishery.

Texas has great fisheries and a rich history of leadership in fisheries management. I want to thank the TPW Commission and Coastal Fisheries Division for their work in this and also for their efforts to keep the public informed of the status of our fisheries and in making tough, proactive choices to ensure that future generations will enjoy fishing as we have been so fortunate.

CCA Texas also deserves great recognition for continued leadership in conservation and support of TPW. The current 64,000 general membership, and CCA’s State Board of Directors in a nearly unanimous vote, rallied to stand with TPW in support of these proposals for regulatory change. This makes me very proud to say I am a life member of the organization.

If we are to call ourselves sportsmen, we should always be willing to put the resource first. Join the effort in limiting how many we take and watch these two important and treasured fisheries thrive.

2 1.5 1 0.5 0

Upper Coast

Middle Coast

Lower Coast

Lower Laguna

Spotted Seatrout Proposal • Extend the 5-fish bag limit from the lower Laguna Madre through FM 457 near Sargent, TX • Possession limit would be equal to the bag limit (amended by the TPWC on March 26 making the possession limit twice the daily bag limit) • 5-year sunset provision

Public Comment Support Oppose • Spotted Seatrout

1,820

706

• Key Comments: – Make possession limit twice the daily bag – Make regulation statewide – Data does not warrant expansion of regulation – Regulation only serves to create a trophy fishery Slides by Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

Jay with a solid 8-pounder on a memorable day.

J AY WAT K I N S

ASK THE PRO

Nature’s Mysteries...

and other questions I get asked to explain tons of things related to fishing. When I feel I have a logical answer or explanation I am quick to give it. And when I feel that I don’t, I am quick to say that as well. Over the years I have become greatly appreciative of the aspects of fishing that continue to stump me. This is the greatest challenge in being a guide, and this is what drives me to continually strive to acquire fishing knowledge.

Knowledge, to me, achieves its greatest value when we willingly pass it along to others.

Lately we have experienced some pretty tough days with conditions that were just about perfect. My clients have gotten a kick, I think, out of watching me sweat a little more than normal. We had plenty of days this winter down in Port Mansfield that challenged what I thought I knew. No matter what you might think, I am still all about production—it’s still the best marketing tool in my book.

Trying to figure the fish’s next move has always been the challenge I enjoy most. Sometimes my clients ask whether it bothers me when boats appear to be following us and maybe trying to duplicate what we are doing, a few hundred yards away. Imitation, I tell them, is the highest form of flattery; but I also add that if the guys imitating us don’t know why the fish are holding at the spot we are fishing, they certainly won’t know why they left or where 46 | May 2014

they should look for them tomorrow.

Honestly, I don’t always know either. But as I have become a more “aware” angler and guide, I do not believe that saying “I don’t know” is an altogether bad thing.

Some things we just don’t know and sometimes we have no science to support what we think we know. I do know this though; the harder and smarter we try to fish the better we do.

So far this month at Rockport, the patterns of both trout and redfish seem to be ever-changing. On day we catch some on mud and scattered shell with wind-driven current, and the next day (with identical conditions) the area seems void of life. Wind has played a major role in our success and I very well might have been the one that coined the phrase, “Wind is your friend.”

Major and minor feeding periods have been showing somewhat of an increase in activity but not as noticeable as normal. At the dock, many local anglers are expressing similar results, so questions are being asked on a more frequent basis in casual passing. These continued questions have prompted me to research in my mind the mystery behind the prolonged unpredictable behavior of our trout and redfish.

To do this we have to first go back and understand what

TSFMAG.com | 47

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48 | May 2014

it is that attracts and holds fish in any given area. This is actually fairly simple—suitable water conditions, ample forage, and structure or cover.

If any of those three factors are missing, achieving consistent results becomes more difficult. Take two away and the odds of an unsuccessful day are even more likely. If you’re missing all three then it’s ridiculous to even be looking at the area—right?

But what if the area is missing all these things and the fish are continuing to be seen there?

Due to extremely cold winter water temperatures, our water clarity here in Rockport as well as the upper Laguna is remarkable, and this (in my opinion) is usually not a good thing. But as long as good bottom structure exists and there is a stable and predictable food source, we can and do catch some of these clear-water fish.

We talked about the methods for this in the February 2014 issue if you remember. So I am continuing to see these good fish along shorelines and around scattered mud-shell even when bait is not present and bottom structure (mostly grass along the shorelines), is not in place. And with two key elements missing; it leads me to wonder whether the fish have somehow developed a sense of where they should be, even when the conditions there might not be just right.

Now to the catching part—the only time I am catching these fish reliably is when the winds are in excess of 20-plus mph. The way I see it, the water is dirty and anything that moves nearby gets eaten. On days without wind, the fish are not eating but they remain, continually moving up and down the shorelines, and in and out around the scattered shell patches. I can see the fish moving in the clear water but I have to rely on instinct to concentrate on the shell. I don’t know what it is that happens in my gut but something says “fish are present so be patient and allow things to develop.”

That gut feeling thing is difficult for others to understand. In fact, it has taken my entire career for me to gain confidence in this sense of whatever it is, adaptive intuition maybe—whatever it is it works for me.

The biggest problem I have with these meandering shoreline fish is that attempting to catch them can be a track meet of sorts, and not always real productive. I try to avoid putting my clients in these situations, unless all other avenues have been exhausted. Many years ago I learned not to enter races I was likely to lose.

I also believe there are times when we can over-think fishing, to the extent that it is no longer enjoyable. We must accept that there will be questions we cannot answer and scenarios without solutions in the fishing game. And because we cannot always pick the best weather and solunar days, we just have to accept these things. Truth is though (all this not-knowing stuff ), this is what makes the capture so rewarding.

Some of the best lessons I have learned have been by pure accident.

My parents used to buy a large jigsaw puzzle and spread it out on a card table. We would study it for hours, sometimes days, trying to find certain missing pieces. Quiet often after leaving the table for a few hours one of us would return and immediately find one of those key pieces.

Fishing is like that puzzle. Sometimes you have to sit back and quit thinking and let it come to you naturally. When it does, you can typically grab a few of your already existing mental pieces and complete the puzzle.

I am a huge believer in being able to create and see the whole picture mentally. Once this photo is etched into your memory you’ll recognize it when it appears again. Recalling the experience accurately and then understanding how you came to experience that situation is the real challenge. I think if we eliminated all the mystery in fishing it would

And Jay Ray with an 8-pound twin.

C ontact

quickly become boring. The best anglers I know possess the ability to store the pieces of the puzzle as they are shown to them. As they slowly add the pieces the true picture starts to become clearer.

It’s the mysteries in life that make things interesting. I remember the first real mystery for me. It was a caterpillar my dad brought home; a bright green, yellow and black worm. A mason jar full of leaves and a couple of sticks made its home. I had no idea what the caterpillar was about to become, but my dad being a biologist and coach certainly did.

I watched one day as the worm ceased to eat and hung upside down, wrapping itself in some kind of web-like cover. A few days passed and each morning I would awake and run to see what had happened overnight. One morning I awoke to find the caterpillar gone and a bright green cocoon hanging in the jar. My dad explained that in time something beautiful would emerge.

I watched patiently and one morning in the jar was the most beautiful butterfly I had ever seen. It was a Monarch, and I distinctly remember Mom and I watching it slowly learn to open its wings; they literally unfolded and dried as we watched. Moments later we released the butterfly and I watched with amazement and a little sadness as it flew away.

My dad brought things like this home all the time and let me experience some of nature’s best mysteries. What a special dad he was to me and he had the insight to know that as I grew up these things would never leave my memory.

Thanks dad you were the best.

I hope you have been lucky enough to have experienced something similar in your life. I also hope that over the many years as a guide I have shown a few people the beauty of some of fishing’s mysteries. The beauty is twofold; one in the actual fishing experience and the other is what remains in our memory bank.

Your homework assignment for your next fishing trip is to solve a mystery and make some lasting memories on the water.

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 | 49

Who says you can’t hunt elephants with a BB gun?

C A P T. S COT T N U L L

S H A L L O W W AT E R F I S H I N G

Spicin’ it up with a 4-weight Every now and then I need a little excitement to spice up my fishing. I spent the past January and February guiding over in the marshes of Louisiana and was fortunate to have many of my regular customers make the trek to join me. It was an awesome experience and I lost count of the 20-something pound redfish that came over the gunnel. “Best-ever red on fly” became a common statement. On one of my rare days off I decided to head out and catch a few for myself.

Having rented a house on a canal lot, I had packed a little 4-weight thinking I might play with some schoolie trout under the lights. Well the trout hadn’t shown up and the tiny rod sat in the corner while the big rods got to have all the fun. As I headed out the door for my goof-off day I got an idea to see what I could do with an ultra-light outfit on these monster reds.

The wind was near dead-calm and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky as I headed to the ramp but, there was a big ice storm wreaking havoc on the Houston area and it was due to hit me later that afternoon. As I motored out of the harbor I went over my options and chose a spot that had been holding some bull reds on the smaller end, just some lil’ ol’ 15-20 pounders. I figured I could start with those and see if anything broke.

As I came off plane and the boat settled there were 50 | May 2014

two big wakes moving away from the commotion.

Based on Texas redfish you’d think they were blown opportunities, but not in the Louisiana marsh. I made the mistake one time of calling these fish dumb in front of a Cajun angler and he quickly corrected me saying…“We prefer to call them cooperative.”

I hopped up on the poling platform and got situated.

It’s a bit of a circus act to pole and be ready to cast a fly rod, but over the years I’ve come up with a system that works pretty well. I use a Sea Level Flyfishing stripping bucket on the platform with enough line off the reel for a decent cast. This bucket is set up with a cut-out that allows the rod to rest across the top in easy reach. The fly is pinned to the soft foam and the tall platform allows for enough line to hang outside the rod tip for a quick cast without too much false casting. For the push pole, there’s a Birdsall Marine holder that allows me to quickly release and secure the pole.

No sooner had I gotten settled in and the two big reds that had pushed off came cruising back— cooperative or dumb?

Either way, I like the way these fish act. Holding the 4-weight and looking at a couple double digit redfish had me briefly questioning myself. What the hell, it’ll just cost me a fly…or maybe a rod.

TSFMAG.com | 51

A couple quick false casts and the fly landed perfectly in the path of the closest fish. No hesitation. Fish on and a loudly protesting drag.

Time to get the Power Pole down and relocate to the bow. The little rod performed flawlessly, the drag stayed smooth and all the knots held. A few minutes later I was holding a chunky 15-pounder. Cool!

“Selfie” of me and the twenty-six.

A short time later three good reds were cruising down the shoreline. Another cast and the bar was reset to 18-pounds. Now I was feeling a little cocky and decided to make a move to a nearby area that had been holding bigger fish. It wasn’t long before a big shadow was moving across the bow at about forty feet. It was definitely over 20 and headed for a shallow hump. As his back broached the surface I let loose with the cast. The cast that was supposed to land a foot in front of him plopped almost on top of his head. They may be dumb, but they aren’t stupid. Gone. It happens.

As I stood there laughing at myself, the “gone” fish turned around and came right back. He was searching hard, almost as if he wanted to find whatever it was that had landed on his head, and kill. Being a nice guy, I obliged and tossed the fly right in his path. The eat was awesome, as vicious as you’ll see on a fly. This fish was hot and peeled off a good bit of line before settling in for a tug-owar. Once again, everything held together and the bar was reset at 22-pounds.

A quick check of the weather site showed the front was closing fast. The dark bluish-purple line forming on the northern horizon confirmed it. Go in or get another? Silly question. That’s what good rain gear is for.

Staying out was a great idea. As the front approached, an almost eerie calm settled over the 52 | May 2014

marsh. The air had that heavy-humid feeling and the light wind fell to zero. At that point the fish went nuts. There was a long mud bar maybe six inches underwater with about a five foot drop-off on one side and a two foot deep mud flat on the other. Several huge reds started crashing onto the bar from the deep side and then cruising across onto the mud flat where they preceded to terrorize finger mullet. Of all days to forget the video camera.

With the skiff positioned on the end of the mud bar I just stood and watched the show. And what a show it was. At one point there were seven reds over twenty pounds feeding within easy casting distance.

The prefrontal frenzy was in full effect. Speaking of the front, it was barreling south and my time was running out.

With a newfound confidence in my pip-squeak rod I picked out the biggest fish and unloaded a decent cast. It was probably a little farther out front than it should’ve been, but the fly no sooner touched down and the bull was all over it. When the fight was over my Boga sagged below the 26-pound mark. Awesome.

Moments later the front blasted through and the show was over.

The next couple days were spent iced-in and tying flies, still grinning ear to ear. Hunting elephants with a BB gun wasn’t so crazy after all.

C O N TA C T

The 4-weight getting’ ‘er done.

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TSFMAG.com | 53

By Alec Robbins

FIELD NOTES

Artificial Reefs in Texas Coral reefs are some of the most diverse ecosystems in the ocean. They occupy less than 0.1% of the ocean floor, but provide a habitat for 25% of all marine species. Being such productive habitats, they are great spots for activities such as fishing and diving.

As a Texan, it is not a normal occurrence to visit a coral reef in the Gulf of Mexico. Coral reefs in Texas are patchy, and most of them are more than one hundred miles from the nearest port. Coral reefs must have steady, warm water temperatures and shallow water depths with consistent high levels of water clarity for high light penetration. The variable water temperatures and murky waters of the Gulf Coast from strong sediment-carrying currents make it much harder for coral reefs to survive.

An alternative to visiting a coral reef in the Gulf is visiting one of the artificial reefs in Texas waters.

Influenced by petroleum platforms that oil rig workers and saltwater anglers have been using for years, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department-Coastal Fisheries 54 | May 2014

Division created the Artificial Reef Program in 1990 to promote, develop, maintain, monitor and enhance the artificial reef potential of Texas offshore waters.

Texas has 67 artificial reef sites in the Gulf of Mexico, ranging from 5 to over 100 miles from shore. These reefs make up over 3,400 acres of habitat for fauna. The Artificial Reef Program relies on three subprograms using many types of materials to create reefs: decommissioned oil rigs in the Rigs-to-Reefs Program; concrete, heavy gauge steel, and predesigned materials for the Nearshore Reefing Program; and marine vessels for the Ships-to-Reefs Program. All materials must be free of contaminants and meet all state and federal guidelines for environmental safety. Petroleum companies that donate rigs to the program benefit from such donations by saving in the cost of moving and dismantling rigs that are no longer in use.

Artificial reefs are beneficial to fishermen because they can provide a productive fishing area that is close to shore and easy to find. Fishermen save money that

would otherwise be spent on fuel to boat from site to site, or farther offshore to other waters.

Reefs are productive because they increase the foraging habitat for fish, increase the nesting habitat for adult fish, and increase the resting habitat/refuge areas from predators.

As a diver in Texas, your options are few: go to a freshwater pond or lake, an artificial reef, or plan a trip outside of the state or country. Artificial reefs are beneficial to divers because they provide a place where divers can go and see a multitude of fishes without having to go to another state or country. Texas divers can take multiple trips to artificial reefs instead of taking only one trip to an exotic location. This can be especially important to underwater photographers as it increases their likelihood of taking the perfect impression of that spectacular image they are after, instead of only

having a limited number of opportunities to get the job done.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Artificial Reef Program is committed to conserving and enhancing the marine environment for fishermen and divers along the entire coast. Below are useful links for interested fishermen and divers: TPWD’s artificial reef website: www.tpwd.state. tx.us/landwater/water/habitats/artificial_reef/ A map of oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico: texasfishingmaps.com/texas-oil-rig-map/ TPWD artificial reefs on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ TexasParksAndWildlifeArtificialReefProgram

Check the TPWD Outdoor Annual, your local TPWD Law Enforcement office, or www.tpwd.state.tx.us for more information.

Inexpensive “sailfish outfit” hooked up on something big, just off the Texas coast.

JOE RICHARD

TEXAS NEARSHORE & OFFSHORE

Stay Flexible Our modus operandi for many years along the upper and middle coast has always been to see what the day would bring. As one fellow POC guide pointed out, “From day to day, I have no idea what we’ll find at the end of the jetties, or just offshore. That water could be chocolate brown, green or blue. When a client asks me ahead of time, at least on the phone, what we’ll do out there tomorrow or next week, I just shake my head. How would I know?”

If you were out there the day before you can prepare, but there should be contingency plans. All we can do is slow down at the jetties’ end, and take a look around.

Chocolate water? Break out the bait, or look for green water on the horizon. Light green water in the rocks? Not too bad. Dark green water? Get ready for action. Rare blue water in close, with kingfish jumping inside the jetties?

This is gonna be great…

These different water conditions can change overnight for no reason, and without inclement weather.

Windy weather might bring in clear water, while calm may usher in chocolate water; there is no rhyme or reason to life at the jetties.

What’s a fellow to do? Stay flexible and be prepared.

Carry an assortment of casting outfits, but also a big rod or two, stored wherever possible. We’re been burned a few times out there without heavier gear, when big 56 | May 2014

Cheaper Ambassadeur-7 almost spooled. When this happens while still anchored, clamp down and break him off at the distant knot. Sturdy casting tackle like this will deal marauding jack crevalle considerable grief.

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TSFMAG.com | 57

ling surrounded the boat, or big snapper suddenly appeared, and barely beyond sight of land. Or ran into a school of big tarpon migrating along the coast, something impossible to predict. Without heavier gear on the boat, you’re only looking at short excitement and heartaches. Why? Snapper and ling are usually around structure, where 12-pound line is almost useless except for smaller fish. As for tarpon, I’ve never heard of anyone landing a big tarpon on the Texas coast with trout tackle. Hooking one on a Mirrolure is startling, exciting and brief. Stalking a school of bigger tarpon offshore with trout gear, running the boat over these shy fish while others nearby deploy real tackle, should be avoided—it only ruins the action for others. There is simply no chance of landing a good-sized tarpon on light line, except in capable hands on some shallow flat in southern latitudes (South Florida or another country). Texas tarpon offshore can sulk deep like a shark, reflectively chew on that light leader with their huge sandpaper lips, while cruising along until sunset arrives. And nobody stays offshore past dark with a hooked tarpon on spider web line; it isn’t worth it. Minimum gear for these fish should be a high-capacity reel with at least 40-pound line, mounted on a stiff rod.

Ladd Hockey spotted rolling, manageable-sized tarpon at the jetty, and picked up his durable Ambassadeur 6500 outfit. His trout rod lays discarded. At left is a sturdier Shimano TLD-20 offshore outfit with green line, for bigger fish.

58 | May 2014

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Carrying extra, heavier tackle creates more flexibility with all of these different species of fish.

My favorite semi-heavier tackle (though still too light for big tarpon) are several, seven-foot sailfish spin outfits like they use in South Florida. These bigger spin reels in Texas can be filled with lots of tough 25-pound Ande line, and they’ll do a sporty number on bull redfish, black drum, most ling, kingfish, bigger dolphin and blacktip sharks, also tripletail.

In a pinch around serious structure, I’ve resorted to adding about 60 feet of 40-pound line, tightening the drag, and really getting mean with the next fish. This same tackle would also be fine on four- or five-foot tarpon rolling at the jetties. Count the Ambassadeur 6500 and 7000 reels as favorites in this category, too.

Flexibility also means keeping an eye on the horizon. On the upper Texas coast, green water is precious and we were never content to sit in muddy water if a dark green line beckoned. (It should be noted we never carried live shrimp or croakers for muddy water fishing). Even in smaller boats we were determined to reach green water, which I’ve mentioned before. If our Sabine jetty was socked in with milk chocolate, we simply hunted for green water east, south or west, it didn’t matter, because green water meant fish, end of discussion. Green water meant trout and Spanish mackerel for our gold spoons, and visually spotting tripletail. Wind direction and wave chops were important factors; we couldn’t just bang our way out in head-on seas, not with our smaller boats.

Green water is far more common along the middle and lower third of the coast, but flexibility counts there as well. If clean water moves in close, there’s no telling what may show up within sight of the beach. Kingfish jumping inside the jetties, for instance, or a sailfish circling a platform or shrimpboat. With bigger tackle, keep a few seveninch trolling plugs handy, like the Russellure and Rapala. A few 2-ounce jigs, if Mr. Ling waddles close.

And a few Coon-Pop lures for tarpon, along with much-needed 150-pound mono leader.

There’s a lot of fish species off the Texas coast, and to catch them you have to stay flexible and carry the right gear. Trout tackle simply will not cover the spread.

SkA is History: For those who fished tournaments sponsored by the Southern Kingfish Association, after a 20-year run they finally folded up their traveling tent during the last week of March.

An ailing economy and lack of sponsors dragged them down, matched against the price of a modern, fast, competitive kingfish boat with a price tag of a quarter-million dollars or so.

60 | May 2014

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TSFMAG.com | 61

Knox and Jaxon Kronenberg with Jaxon’s first red on fly.

S C O T T S O M M E R L AT T E

F LY F I S H I N G

Learning to Fly Fish The higher tides had flooded so deep into the grass that the line between land and water had become blurry. I was stressed because the higher waters had been yielding very few shots in the previous days and I had a good customer bringing his youngest son down to try to catch his first redfish on fly. As we poled down the sand flat we noticed a crash deep in the flooded saltwort and as we closed the distance noticed three reds crawling though the maze of tangled succulent. The cast was perfect and the then 12 year-old Jaxon Kronenberg was hooked up to his first fly caught redfish. What makes this story even better is that a couple of weeks earlier I had guided his 15 year-old brother, Knox, to his first tarpon on fly.

As the years have progressed I have definitely begun to see a pattern of young and upcoming fly casters who were introduced to the sport at a young age and who have become nothing short of fantastic anglers. This got me to thinking— is youth truly the key to becoming a good fly fisherman? I will submit this; it does not hurt but no, youth is not a prerequisite to becoming a good fly fisherman. All that is truly required is dedication.

62 | May 2014

Just the other day I was in the driveway washing the skiff after a long day on the water and a neighbor walked up and started asking questions. I told him that we had had a tough day but had done well the day before. He then began to tell me about watching people catch bonefish with a fly rod on television and that he really wanted to learn how to do it. He then asked me if I could teach him. I had to think about it a second and then responded, “That is up to you.”

He of course asked me what I meant and I went on

Knox Kronenberg fighting his first tarpon on fly.

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64 | May 2014

show up on the boat that could throw a decent loop and could drop the fly next to a fish, only to have no clue what to do once the fly hits the water. I would also suggest, in the beginning, do not worry about trying to cast 60 or 70 feet. Learn to cast well at 30-40 feet and you will catch more fish.

Now that all of the easy stuff is done let us talk about the hardest part of learning to fly fish and that is taking the time to learn all that you can, practice, and then apply what you have learned. Remember, we live in the world of information. Instruction articles and videos can be found all over the internet and for most of us, on our smart phones. Truth be known, I guess it is why younger anglers become great anglers. They have less to forget and more time to practice what they have learned.

When I was in the Coast Guard years ago and getting qualified to become a boarding officer, our law enforcement instructors would tell us over and over that it requires thousands upon thousands of repetitions to commit an action to muscle memory. After years of fly fishing experience and seeing hundreds of fishermen cast to fish from the bow of my boat, I can tell you that this statement is as big a truth in life as any. The ones that practice are the ones that get good.

Best of tides and stuff like that…

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to explain, “I have a lot of people who step onto my boat wanting to catch a fish on a fly rod but, very few of them know how to fly fish.” I went on to add, “I can certainly show you the basics but in order to get good you will have to take it seriously and dedicate yourself to getting good.” I haven’t heard back from him yet.

So… with that said, I thought I would share with you my thoughts on what it takes to “learn the sport of fly fishing”.

The first step is to take your conventional tackle and lock it in a closet. Give the key to a trusted friend for at least a year. From there it is time to clear your mind of pretty near everything you think you know about fishing and start with a clean slate.

Moving on it is time to get you your first fly rod and a quality instructor. In regards to the rod, I would personally stay away from the more expensive rods as they tend to be (but not always), very fast action rods and lack the “feel” for the beginning caster. I think that is important for the beginning angler to be able to feel the rod load.

As for an instructor, these names pop immediately into my mind as being the best of the best at not only casting but as instructors- Dave Hayward, Carey Marcus, Joe Robinson and Andy Packmore. Hayward works at the fly shop in Rockport and Packmore is at FTU in Houston. I do not know if you can track down Marcus or Robinson however, they are some of the best teachers out there and I promise you it would be worth the effort if you could get them. Much to my detriment, I taught myself to fly cast but it was Hayward that helped me get the bugs out and refine my technique.

Once you find an instructor, ask them to not only teach you to cast a loop but also to strip the fly. I have had a great number of beginners

Scott Sommerlatte is a full time fly fishing and light tackle guide, freelance writer and photographer.

Telephone Email Website

979-415-4379 vssommerlatte@hotmail.com www.scottsommerlatte.com

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MARCOS GARZA

YO U T H F I S H I N G

Another Win If you have been following my fishing adventures, another tournament was on the agenda and we were ready. I met Sonny, Dave and Heath down the road from my house and we loaded up the boat. This time the weather was significantly warmer than the last month’s tournament, I only needed one jacket for this one. We launched Heath’s 20 ft Skooter and headed for check-in at the pavilion. We waited a while and soon, boats started to show up. None of them were with us though; they were all participating in the beach cleanup that morning. We moved from the pavilion to the Poco Loco Marina, which was a little ways from the pavilion. Once everybody had made it to the check-in we were off.

Our first spot was one that Heath had fished a few days before and in there, he was catching reds. We all spread out pretty good. My morning was not off to a great start.

Sonny and Dave kept asking, “You having TDs bro?” and 66 | May 2014

all I could do was nod while tending to my backlashes (“TDs” are just technical difficulties). If I wasn’t taking out a backlash, I was retying because my line kept breaking off.

Every once in a while was I able to actually throw a decent cast. I was so busy messing with my gear that, at the first spot, I hardly fished. Everybody else was casting away while I was messing with my TDs. We moved to the second area, an area that I had fished a few days before. My dad took out Marce and me for a few hours and we did pretty decent there. We had nine trout before noon. But this was a different day and the conditions different as well. I was just at the end of my TDs and I was finally able to fish.

I fished for 30 minutes with having only minor backlashes. Then Heath catches a hardhead on plastic, we took that as a sign that it would be best if we moved.

We jumped on the boat and left. We were headed south.

There is almost no part of the bay that I have not fished; when we stopped I knew where we were. I have had plenty of great days in this area, but all in the summer. This was different. This was winter, but this area is known to have reds year round so I wasn’t too worried.

After about 5 minutes, Dave had hooked onto a big red. He got it in and it was the perfect tournament red. He immediately got it into the livewell. Sonny and I fanned out to the left and Dave and Heath stayed

to the right. Sonny and I saw Heath hook up to another big red, and they were also catching some trout. I still hadn’t caught a fish all day and I didn’t think I would at all, until I set the hook.

I took my time; I thought it was going to be a good trout. It turned out to be a decent red. I had shaken off the skunk and now I was in it.

Soon after the first one, I did catch another, bigger red. We didn’t need a red though, Dave had taken care of that already. We needed a trout.

While Sonny and I were off to the left, Heath had hooked up on a big trout, close to about 27 inches, too big for the tournament though. He lost it at the boat and he kept fishing. He and Dave were using pink topwaters and sonny told me to tie on something pink. I held up the only pink lure in my box, a Kick-AMullet, and Sonny told me to tie it on. I did and I was really hoping to catch a big red on it. I didn’t but I was also not disappointed.

I chunked that thing out there and worked it slow because it’s supposed to be a slow-sinking bait. I worked it slow for a while. And then one cast I decided to work it on top, almost like a topwater, and then I had a blow up. I got the fish to me and it was a solid, three pound trout. It was just what we needed to have a good weight.

We fished for another hour trying to upgrade, but we got nothing. We caught a few that were close to the same size, but nothing bigger. We weighed in at 10.68 pounds, enough to take first. It was another win for Team MLF and there will be many more to come.

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CADE SIMPSON

k AyA k F i S H i N G C H R O N i C l E S

MAy HAPPy PlACE When May rolls around I start to feel normal as a fisherman again. Â The air and water temps are coming back up while the spring winds start to die down. Â The water levels are also rising, which means I can fish marsh 68 | May 2014

skinny-water again with regularity. My dreams begin to be filled with the images of the backs of redfish breaching the surface. I have said it before and will say it again, shallow water sight-fishing is my favorite.

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I also have intentions of launching the kayak in the surf to see what I can learn there. I have gear for bigger gamefish but what I really want is to give surf trout a try from the kayak. As I type this I realize I am stuck in the sense that I continually hope for catching trout yet still haven’t mastered them.

I need to re-watch my TroutSupport DVD. Also, advice is welcome from you readers. I always like to learn new tricks of the trade.

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Of late I have only made it out a few times. Rain, wind, and work have kept my fishing to a skeleton routine. That’s OK though, the rain and wind part is more of a regular seasonal pattern. It never fails the summer and fall are more accommodating to kayakers seeking favorable weather conditions. I did get out for some night fishing however(only time I could get a weather window). With a little persistence a few reds fell for my new Egrets soft plastic baits.

In other news I finally got my computer fixed. I have a couple of fishing videos to finish editing that I will load onto my Youtube page. Please feel free to follow my Youtube channel and leave comments, etc. Also, I broke my favorite rod, not from fighting a fish but rather a dumb and careless error. On the bright side I do love a good excuse for new gear.

That about wraps up current events in my world.

As always, keep your emails and photos coming.

Thanks for reading and good luck on the water.

70 | May 2014

Telephone Email

936-776-7028 Cademan11@sbcglobal.net

Find me on Facebook to follow along in my outdoor adventures

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TSFMAG.com | 71

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

E R I C O Z O LI N S

2014 Texas Shark Rodeo Competition is said to be the essence of human nature and those who achieve dominance will bask in glory.

When competition is brought into the mix of a unique genre such as fishing, anything is possible. Through the decades, countless fishing tournaments have been established worldwide to provide a competitive sporting factor. Of these events, some were overshadowed by greed while others contributed beneficially to the sport.

In some cases fishing tournaments are seen to create an uneven playing field, due to either local knowledge or some other advantage. The beauty of shark fishing though is the reality that virtually any predator of any size could unexpectedly succumb to the temptation of your bait – therefore resulting in an incredible catch for even Joe Average.

In 2002, an early-era internet-based fishing tournament was created that focused on land-based shark fishing in Texas. This unique online event was the Texas Shark Rodeo. There was no entry-fee and no associated BS in this honor-system based tournament. In essence, this was truly a friendly competition that would spoof bragging rights throughout the year. There would be required submission data with the intention to be utilized for research purposes. This creative collaboration of an event was due to two men – “Big Lou” McEachern 72 | May 2014

Bull shark being released for the rodeo.

Sharks of all sizes are tagged for the rodeo.

and David “Beach Bum� Williams. Williams at the time managed a popular low-profile online site and forum properly titled Coastal Shark Fishing. To this day, these two shark idealists are responsible for the widespread promotion of the catch and release movement of these apex predators along our gulf coast. In response to the power and overwhelming reach of the internet, the spread of conservation within the sharking community exploded and the rejuvenation of the overall popularity of land-based shark fishing in Texas took place.

Over the next few years the Texas Shark Rodeo continued on

as expected. With a semi-isolated community mainly networked amongst friends, there were a handful of dominant teams year after year while other individuals just participated for fun. When team captains had to make submissions, they would send data and photos via email to be updated manually. This time consuming process wore on the event’s organizers. Soon after, non-rodeo related work and family obligations had drawn both organizers further away from the tournament while leaving its participants still involved and thirsty for more. In an unfortunate and necessary action, the

TSFMAG.com | 73

“rodeo” was forced to an abrupt but understanding end in 2006. The positive impact of this tournament in many facets of the sport were greater than perhaps we recognize. It was the shark conservation movement of Coastal Shark Fishing’s Texas Shark Rodeo and even my own Extreme Coast that sparked the creation of the wildly popular

74 | May 2014

Sharkathon – a tournament that defined the model of today’s current shark fishing tournaments.

Sharkathon had just celebrated their 10th anniversary this past fall and with that have provided a vivid outreach of conservation through their existence. Their catch-photo-release mentality set a new benchmark in high-profile tournaments and ultimately destroyed Vintage shark rodeo photo! local well known kill tournaments.

Dustin and Dwade Hickey.

Sharkathon has been recognized as a steward of shark angling and continually seeks new ways to provide a positive influence in the fishing community. During preparations for last year’s event, the founder of Sharkathon himself Curtis Mai provided a bold notion. He pondered the idea of breathing life back into the old shark rodeo. During the awards ceremony of the 2013 Sharkathon, it was officially announced that the Texas Shark Rodeo would be reborn.

Mai states “Sharkathon, with Big Lou’s consent, is proud to bring back the Texas Shark Rodeo, in hopes that we can promote the sport of C-P-R shark fishing, help scientific studies along the way, and maybe bring back that

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76 | May 2014

fellow teammates can create a great bonding experience which will in return solidify great life-long friendships.

I myself have always had great experiences with the Texas Shark Rodeo and I am very happy to see it back in action! Whether winning or placing in the original event, I’ve always found the concept unique and the goals worthy. There are many new participants this go-around as well as some of the same old eager faces that once graced the rodeo. Over a decade ago the rodeo really helped sculpt me as a shark fisherman and to this very day the addiction resonates stronger than ever. I am in full confidence that Curtis Mai and Sharkathon will successfully take over the Texas Shark Rodeo - building upon the original foundation that Lou and Bum put so much work into. The overall goal is to continue the promotion of catch and release along with traditional shark awareness in the company of friends and teammates. Whether you are a participant or simply an online spectator, enjoy this crazy ride with us in 2014 that is known as the Texas Shark Rodeo.

For more information, please visit texassharkrodeo.com

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camaraderie and forging of life-long friendships to spend some quality time on the beach fishing.”

This announcement by Mai was strongly accepted by the fellow sharker audience . Before the end of the day, teams were already being organized in anticipation. Then during the 2014 Big Shell Clean Up, anglers had a chance to sign up for the rodeo for the first time in several years. Entry as always remained free and the only thing guaranteed in the end are the classic wooden plaques once awarded to placing teams and notable sharks. With the strong backing of Sharkathon, sponsors are jumping aboard and in all likelihood some additional prizes will be distributed at the conclusion of the event in December. The decision to bring back the rodeo was heavily induced by adding to the fun-factor for your average beach fisherman. “Back in its heyday, the Texas Shark Rodeo was a serious thing for those of us that participated in it. Spur of the moment trips were taken simply because another team had recently caught sharks,” noted Mai. Both the Sharkathon committee and Mai believe the reappearance of the rodeo will spawn memorable adventures and the bonding of new friendships once acquired by the original participants – all the while providing valuable shark research data for the marine institutes. The rodeo has always been competitive in a friendly manner without individuals expecting anything more than simple bragging rights. This is one of the rare tournaments in which so much hype and enthusiasm exists without the thought of luxurious prizes and awards. To be able to go out on your normal fishing adventures and know you can submit a shark for the benefit of science, gives a little more purpose to each outing. As mentioned, fishing with your

For the past decade Eric ‘Oz’ Ozolins has been promoting shark catch and release and assisting various shark research programs. Eric offers guided shark fishing on Padre Island National Seashore. Also renowned for extreme kayak big game fishing, Eric runs Kayak Wars; one of the largest kayak fishing tournaments in the world.

Email Websites

oz@oceanepics.com extremecoast.com | oceanepics.com | kayakwars.com

Tournament July 24th-27th Registration begins July 24th @ the Chamber of Commerce Pavilion.

Bay and offshore divisions for men, women, & juniors. Piggy perch division for the kids. Live Band Friday & Saturday Night 2014 SPONSORS: Angler’s Edge Vic’s Rentals Bassler Energy Services Bryant Industrial Services W.C.N.D. Breakaway Cruises Budweiser K.B.W. StateFarm Genco Energy Services V.T.C.I. Boggus Ford Y-Knot Rentals Vaughn Construction

For more info, call 956.944.2354 or visit www.portmansfieldchamber.org

We invite you to come participate in the 40th Annual Port Mansfield Fishing Tournament!

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S t o r y b y C C A Te x a s S t a f f / P h o t o s b y L i s a L a s k o w s k i

T S F M ag C onser v at i on N ews

CCA Texas Activities CCA Texas volunteers and staff have already had a busy first third of the year. By the time this May issue of Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine hits the stands, CCA Texas will have already held 20 Chapter banquets across the state. Early banquets are already setting the pace for another successful year by hitting budgets and attendance estimates and in some cases setting new records. Corpus Christi is one of the big highlights so far with an attendance approaching 2,100 people and a record fundraising evening for the chapter. The attendance at this banquet sets a new record for attendance at any CCA banquet across the nation. Things are bigger in Texas, including the love for our coastal resources! Over the months of May and June, CCA Texas will hold another 17 events, so be sure to watch for your local chapter’s event if it hasn’t happened yet.

May 17, 2014 is the date set for the 3rd Annual CCA Texas Concert for Conservation. This event has grown each year and this year will feature perhaps the best entertainment line up yet. The gates at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston will open up at 5:00 PM and Wade Bowen will kick the evening off. If you like some good southern rock, .38 Special will be on stage next and the headliner for the night will be “Bocephus” himself, Hank Williams, Jr.. The evening promises to be the best yet, so be sure and get your tickets now.

May Banquet Schedule 5/1 Thu – FT WORTH – Joe T’s 5/1 Thu – SAN ANTONIO – Freeman Coliseum 5/1 Thu – CENTRAL HOUSTON – Bayou City Event Center 5/2 Fri – MAINLAND – Nessler Center, Texas City 5/2 Fri – TEXAS A&M – Brazos Valley Civic Center, Bryan 5/8 Thu – AUSTIN – Palmer Events Center 5/9 Fri – MIDCOAST – Victoria Community Center, Victoria 5/15 Thu – GOLDEN TRIANGLE – Beaumont Civic Center 5/15 Thu – WEST HOUSTON – Houston Farm/Ranch Club 5/17 Sat – CCA CONCERT – Sam Houston Race Track 5/22 Thu – LAREDO – Civic Center CCA Texas Partners with San Antonio Bay Foundation CCA Texas recently partnered with the San Antonio Bay Foundation and provided $15,000 in funding for the treatment

78 | May 2014

of invasive weed infestations in the Guadalupe River delta.

Much of the areas bayous, which provide fresh water flows into the delta, are choked by these invasive species thus restricting water flows and the movement of both fresh and saltwater fish species in and out of nursery and freshwater habitats during periods of high salinity. Using water friendly herbicide, such as AquaNeat, has proven to be effective and this effort will help reinforce efforts that occurred in 2013 with appropriate follow up. CCA Texas looks forward to building a partnership with the San Antonio Bay Foundation and working together in the future for common conservation efforts.

CCA Texas to hold its 3rd Annual Concert for Conservation on May 17, Featuring Headliner Hank Williams Jr. This year’s Concert for Conservation will be held at the Sam Houston Race Park on Saturday May 17, 2014. Headliner Hank Williams Jr. will play his first Houston performance in 13 years.

Other performers slated for the event are .38 Special and Wade Bowen.

Advanced General Admission tickets can be purchased now for $35. Day of Show General Admission tickets will be available for $45. Advanced Reserved Seating tickets can be purchased now for $125.

All tickets include a CCA membership, but please note: Attendees will need to fill out a Member Information card at the concert in order to process their CCA Memberships.

Doors will open at 5:00 pm, with the first performance going on at 6:00 pm. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Concert attendees are welcome to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets, but lawn chairs will also be available for purchase at the event. Get your tickets now, as we are expecting a big crowd! Tickets are available online at www.shrp. com, www.ccatexas.org, at participating Houston-area Randalls locations, the Sam Houston Race Park box office, or by calling (800) 211-3381. For more information please contact Executive Director Robby Byers at (713) 626-4222 or robby@ccatexas.org.

Corpus Christi Chapter set a new banquet attendance record a few weeks ago – more than 2,100 members were in the house!

Holothuria grisea, the gray sea cucumber.

Photo by Robert Myers (www.jaxshells.org).

STEPHANIE BOYD

F i S H y FA C T S

SEA CUCUMbERS Resembling a cross between a squishy zucchini and a bloated eclair, it squirms across the sea floor, slurps in rotting debris, and occasionally spews out its organs.

Sea cucumbers are found in virtually all marine environments throughout the world, from warm tropical waters to cold deep sea trenches. There are over 1250 species of this sea star relative, and many of these animals are indeed shaped like soft-bodied cucumbers.

Like sea stars, cucumbers are echinoderms, though at first glance their gelatinous bodies may not seem to fit the “spiny skinned” or radial symmetry descriptions of this group. They do retain the skeleton of echinoderms, but in most species, the skeletal plates have been reduced to microscopic spicules. Now for the radial symmetry: imagine stacking a bunch of sea stars on top of one another, so that the stack is taller than it is wide.

Now imagine all of those sea stars were actually just one sea star with a really tall body. Now turn that sea star on its side, and wha la! That’s how the radial symmetry presents itself in a sea cucumber. One way to think of a sea cucumber is as a sea star lying on its side, stretched out, and missing much of its skeleton!

80 | May 2014

Sea cucumbers come in two basic varieties: raw and pickled; the former for salads, the latter for ice cream… kidding! Actually – (1) those with tube feet, which work on water pressure, and (2) those without tube feet. However, even in sea cucumbers that lack regular tube feet, those immediately around the mouth are always present. These are highly modified into retractile tentacles, much larger than the regular tube feet. Sea cucumbers have between ten and thirty such tentacles, depending on the species. Like all echinoderms, sea cucumbers have a water-vascular system that provides hydraulic pressure to the tentacles and tube feet, allowing them to move. The common, large, darkcolored sea cucumbers generally have tube feet on the lower surface of the body that they use to glide over sand or pebbles. The sea cucumbers without tube feet are jelly-like and have anchor-like small spicules or “spines” over the entire body, making them feel sticky.

They are often mistaken for marine worms.

A sea cucumber breathes by pumping sea water in and out of an internal organ called a respiratory tree, attached to the intestine near the anus (yes, they

breathe through their bums). Sea cucumbers have no brains; in fact, most have no distinct sensory organs, although there are various nerve endings scattered through the skin giving the animal a sense of touch and a sensitivity to the presence of light. One remarkable feature these animals have evolved is the ability to modulate the shape of their body when needed. By loosening or tightening the “catch” collagen that forms their body wall, a sea cucumber can essentially liquefy its body and squeeze through a small gap. To keep itself safe in these crevices and cracks, the sea cucumber will then hook up all its collagen fibers to make its body firm again. Perks of having almost no skeleton... ***Fun Fact: some sea cucumbers are commonly called sea apples.

That’s because they are round like apples instead of long and slender like cucumbers. These brightly colored sea cucumbers use their tube feet to slowly crawl about. When in danger, sea apples can pull their short tentacles back into their bodies for protection.*** Sea cucumbers can reproduce sexually or asexually, though sexual reproduction is more common. During spawning, sea cucumbers develop a cobra-like appearance, with their front end raised up from the bottom. Eggs and sperm are broadcast (released) into the water and fertilization occurs when they meet. There must be many individuals in an area for this method to be successful; consequently, many parts of the ocean host large herds of cucumbers. The strawberry sea cucumber (Squamocnus brevidentis) of New Zealand lives on rocky walls around the southern coast of the South Island where populations sometimes reach densities of 100 animals per square foot. For this reason, one such area in Fiordland is called the strawberry fields.

A few species brood the fertilized eggs inside a pouch on the adult’s body, where they develop and eventually hatch from the pouch as juvenile sea cucumbers. Juveniles take several years to grow to their adult size. In all other species, the egg develops into a freeswimming larva, typically after around three days of development.

The tiny planktonic larva drifts with the ocean currents and will eventually settle onto the sea floor and develop into an adult. These nocturnal animals have a life span of about 5 to 10 years and vary in size from less than an inch to over 6 feet.

With bodies that long, you might expect sea cucumbers to be the nightmare worms of the ocean, sucking up everything in their path! But you’d be wrong. Sea cucumbers feed on tiny particles like algae, minute aquatic animals, or waste materials. Some species use tube feet modified as branched oral tentacles to capture particles or plankton and transfer them to the mouth. The bottom-dwelling species, which are the vast majority, are basically our seafloor janitors.

As they creep along the ocean bottom, they open their mouths and take in the mud. The mud moves through the sea cucumber’s body.

As it does, tiny particles of dead organisms are separated out and used as food. The mud and the waste from digested food continue on through and exit the other end of the sea cucumber’s body. The particles become fodder for bacteria, and thus recycle back into the ocean ecosystem. Earthworms perform a similar function in terrestrial ecosystems. In areas where overfishing has reduced the population of sea cucumbers, the seafloor hardens, thus destroying the habitat for other bottom-dwelling creatures.

Sea turtles, crustaceans, many fish, and many people eat sea cucumbers, but sea cucumbers have an array of defenses up their tube sleeves. First off, some sea cucumbers’ bodies contain toxins that TSFMAG.com | 81

can deter attackers. If that’s not enough, cucumbers can contract their muscles and shoot out water from their body making them shorter, thicker, and harder. If that doesn’t work, they shoot out sticky threads (enlargements of the respiratory tree), which can be accompanied by the discharge of a toxic chemical known as holothurin, which has similar properties to soap; this chemical can kill animals in the vicinity. Finally, if the threat is still not deterred, sea cucumbers will, at such times, violently contract their bodies and spew out a large part of their internal organs, an act called evisceration. The internal organs contain a toxin that is deadly to fish and other marine animals. These organs grow back in about six weeks, and this has the added benefit of discarding waste buildup in their bodies.

These extreme measures don’t deter everybody, however. Just imagine, you take a breath (through your bum), maybe a deep yawn, and a little fish shoots right in, making itself comfortable in your respiratory organ, possibly snacking on your gonads. Or perhaps a pair squirm in and have sex in your body cavity. Not only does the pearlfish fail to trip any defenses when it enters the sea cucumber, it seems to be immune to its toxins, which may be attributable to the copious amount of mucous coating the fish’s body. Depending on what species it is, the pearlfish initiates one of two relationships once inside: a commensal one, in which it simply takes up space without either helping or hurting the sea cucumber, or a parasitic one, in which it chows down on its host’s gonads (which, admittedly, can easily regenerate, but the indignity is pretty scaring). And this little fish isn’t alone. Many polychaete worms and crabs have also specialized to use the cloacal respiratory trees for protection by living inside the sea cucumber. There’s even a shrimp that hangs out right on the edge of the anal opening. Sea cucumber bums are the IT spots, it seems. Even people want in on the action.

Some forms of sea cucumber have been used in traditional Asian folk remedies to help heal wounds and for conditions such as arthritis, sports injuries, tendinitis, and other inflammatory diseases..

In China in particular, the sea cucumber is used to treat joint pain, and, more importantly, as an aphrodisiac. The sea cucumber is considered a dining delicacy and a symbol of high esteem for a loved one. The demand is so heavy that worldwide twenty percent of sea cucumber fisheries have been fully depleted. To fill the void, people began fishing for sea cucumbers in the waters near the Galapagos Islands in 1988. In 2001, the Inter-institutional Management Authority agreed on regulations that allow resident fishermen to catch four million sea cucumbers each year in established fishing zones near islands. Last year, sea cucumber harvest in Florida more than tripled, and may be headed towards similar regulation as a result.

Texas has only a couple residential cucumbers: Allothyone mexicana (no common name) and Holothuria grisea (the gray sea cucumber). A. mexicana is found in and around the grass flats. It’s usually rather small, two to three centimeters, though it can grow up to eight inches. It is tan or brown and spends an awful lot of time buried in the mud with both ends of its body just above the sea floor.

It filters plankton out of the water with its sticky tentacles (so, not so much the “earthworm” type) and is generally mistaken for rocks or debris. The gray sea cucumber has a more striking color pattern than its name suggests, which is a distinguishing feature in the species.

They are usually red or yellowish red, marked with brown mottling, with yellow tentacles, and grow up to about ten inches. They have a 82 | May 2014

broad range including Florida, Puerto Rico, Jamaica… all the way to southern Brazil and West Africa. This species may be only a seasonal resident of coastal Texas, just dropping in for some South Padre sun.

“But somewhere, beyond Space and Time Is wetter water, slimier slime!” ~Rupert Brooke (And that would have to be truly, awfully slimy, considering the slimy denizens of our seas!)

Where I learned about sea cucumbers, and you can too!

“Sea cucumber: Allothyone mexicana” txmarspecies.tamug.edu/invertdetails.cfm?scinameID=Allothyone%20 mexicana “Sea Cucumber: Holothuroidea” animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/seacucumber/?rptregcta=reg_free_np&rptregcampaign=20131016_rw_ membership_r1p_us_se_w# “Holothuria grisea” www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Holoth_grisea.htm �Beachcomber’s Guide to Gulf Coast Marine Life�

by Susan B. Rothschild “Sea Cucumber” www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/ complementaryandalternativemedicine/ pharmacologicalandbiologicaltreatment/sea-cucumber “Sea Cucumbers” www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/invertebrates/echinoderm/ seacucumber/printout.shtml “Sea Cucumber” library.thinkquest.org/J001418/seacuc.html “Starfish & Related Organisms: Sea Cucumber” www.animalplanet.com/marine-life/sea-cucumber-info.htm “Warty Sea Cucumber” www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails. aspx?enc=VsGX+Lst7QZhQBJCERG/gw== “Absurd Creature of the Week” www.wired.com/wiredscience/2014/02/absurd-creature-of-the-weekpearlfish/ “Sea Cucumber” www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Library/Invertebrates/Sea-Cucumber.aspx “The Holothuroidea” www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/echinodermata/holothuroidea.html “Sea Cucumbers” www.chesapeakebay.net/fieldguide/critter/sea_cucumbers “Move to regulate Florida sea cucumber driven by Asian appetite” www.tampabay.com/news/environment/wildlife/move-to-regulate-floridasea-cucumber-driven-by-asian-appetite/2165865

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84 | May 2014

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DICKIE ColBuRn

DICKIE ColBuRn’s Sabine Scene

Sabine

Dickie Colburn is a full time guide out of Orange, Texas. Dickie has 37 years experience guiding on Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes.

Telephone 409-883-0723 Website www.sabineconnection.com

86 | May 2014

It has been another month of timing fronts and fishing enthusiasts could not be happier. in the fog, a howling wind or both, but the bite has They have been able to take advantage of that bite been worth the inconvenience. Strictly due to wind, we with a single spin spinnerbait with a Gulp Swimming still have stretches of shoreline as well as a couple of Mullet body, the 3-inch Usual Suspect Swimbait and flats that have seen little or no fishing pressure, but that four inch paddle tails like the Sea Shad and Flats will hopefully change by the time you read this.

Minnow. The key to eliminating wasted water when We have been in waders more than the boat lately, fishing this program is locating huge pods of juvenile but the better trout have been feeding in less than four shad holding tight to the grass. feet and it eliminates the hassle Another nice trout, of boat control in whitecaps. drift fishing.

That is not to say we haven’t had some very good days on the drift-bite, and it will be even better this month.

With surface temperatures now in the mid-high 60s, the bite has been every bit as good in the mornings as the afternoons. Incoming tides are still preferred and they have been bodacious. The elevated levels push the water up in the Roseau cane on Wading the flats has been a the east side of the lake and very productive pattern for us. both the flounder and redfish

A nice slot red, drifting on a windy day.

Fishing a tide change at the mouth of a bayou or small drain is also all but a sure bet and big trout frequent these select spots as well. We have already had some excellent days wade fishing adjacent points with Corky Fat Boys, Maniac Mullets and topwaters. Dayglow, pink and Texas chicken have been most productive.

Caution when wading the bayous and drains from Whiskey Bayou to Green’s: The bottom is very soft and irregular near the bank. Any hard spot is extremely slippery and you can go from two feet to four in a single step. Safest approach is to target a very small area and let the fish come to you!

I don’t know how much longer Sidney Island will remain as it continues to erode, but the catching on the massive flats (what is left of the island) should light up this month. The trout are no longer spending the majority of their time suspended in the Intracoastal and the best bite now progresses from the flats to open lake over the course of the day, rather than back to deeper water.

While the aforementioned mullet imitations and topwaters are excellent choices, I have great confidence in an Assassin Die Dapper on a 1/8 ounce head. Big trout like it and you can crawl the shell or swim it near the top. Depending on clarity, it is hard to beat chicken on a chain or glow chartreuse.

Rocks on the north and south revetment walls and also north of Willow are yielding the best mix of trout and redfish and that bite will steadily improve as the days get warmer. A few select spots are generally more reliable, but I do better working long stretches with the troll motor, watching for bait or slicks.

Not only do we catch good numbers of solid trout here, but we also catch some of the largest trout of the year, as will anglers walking these rocks. You can expect some of those fishermen to park their truck and fish where you are catching, but “It is what it is!”

The majority of rock walkers are using shrimp, but we do very well with a Swimming Image, Catch 2000, She Dog and also VuDu shrimp under a cork. As a rule, the key to scoring big on these fish is to make repeated casts when you catch a fish before continuing down the wall. It is also not unusual to catch our largest trout 20 to 25 yards off the wall.

The rocks at Willow are not accessible by land. The same lures are effective, but we usually catch more redfish and flounder, seldom catching trout as large as at the revetment walls.

Good news for anglers that just want their string pulled and a fried fish dinner; the gulls are starting to work over small shrimp. Most of the trout are 15 to 18 inches but the action is non-stop!

Have you taken a youngster fishing lately?

TSFMAG.com | 87

CaPt. stEVE hIllman

thE BuZZ on Galveston Bay

There’s always some uncertainty among those of us who fish the Galveston Bay Complex heading into the spring transitional period. This year was no different. The trout stayed in somewhat of a winter pattern for a long time. The frequency of late cold fronts has kept us on our toes, but catching has still remained above average especially for those who are willing to jump out of the fiberglass. Our trout Galveston this time of year are not necessarily in schools, but certain areas are holding good numbers of fish.

When we find an area where we’re getting a few of the right bites we usually grind it out until something Steve Hillman is a full-time triggers a feed. Timing is everything right now. More fishing guide on his home often than not our best action has been during a waters of Galveston Bay. Steve tide change. The late afternoon and evening hours fishes the entire Galveston Bay were the most reliable for a couple of months, but Complex, wading and drifting we’re starting to see more of an early pattern here for trout, redfish, and flounder lately. However, it seems like just when the pattern using artificial lures. becomes predictable another cold front slams us and Telephone crosses their eyes for a few days.

409-256-7937 When the wind is blowing less than 13 or 14 mph, Email drifting over scattered oyster or clam beds in 3 to 5 captsteve@hillmanguideservice.com feet of water has been productive for good numbers Website www.hillmanguideservice.com of trout along with scattered reds and flounder.

88 | May 2014

Wading has afforded more opportunities on the breezy days especially for big trout. Most of the larger trout recently (8 plus pounds) have been caught in less than 3 feet of water. It’s always been my experience that slightly off-colored water or streaky water lends a helping hand in tricking better quality trout. One thing I’ve noticed in the past few weeks whether we’re wading or drifting are quite a few undersized trout ranging from 10 to 14 inches mixed in with the larger ones. This is always good to see. Salt Water Assassins, Tidal Surge Maniac Mullets, Corky Fat Boys and Robert Garza with his 28.25” (7.3 lb.) trout that was released after photos.

MirrOdine XL’s have all been productive lately.

In addition to trout, redfish have been very reliable throughout our bay system. There’s not much in the way of open-water schools yet, but back lakes and coves from Trinity all the way down to Christmas Bay have been holding good numbers of slot reds. I had a group of guys a couple of weeks ago who wanted to catch a few reds. We fished two bayou drains and one back lake and caught over 20 slot reds on Salt Water Assassin Sea Shads while casting to mud boils. They were in less than 2 feet of water over very thick oyster shell and mud. It was a ton of fun, but I had to restock my leader line supply after that trip.

We’ve seen an abundant shad hatch in the last 3 or 4 weeks and TJ Horn with a chunky upper-slot red.

even a few brown shrimp here and there. The water temperatures have been in the low to mid-sixties between fronts and trout have been popping slicks at a higher frequency than they were a few weeks ago. As the shad continue to grow and the brown shrimp begin their migration look for more open-water slicks and birds working.

Whether you prefer wading or drifting May is a month of options.

The patterns will be similar whether you choose to fish East, Trinity, Upper Galveston or West Bay. Leeward shorelines near bayou drains and coves will be great choices on the windy days. We’ll still be chunking our fair share of soft plastics, but topwaters will definitely get more playing time. High-pitched baits like MirrOlure’s She Dog will work better when there’s some chop on the water. Skitter Walks all the way down to a Super Spook Jr. tend to be more effective on calmer days. When the wind gods are nice to us we’ll also be drifting over mid-bay reefs keying on slicks. Assassins rigged on 1/8 ounce jig heads will be our go-to baits 90 percent of the time when drifting.

Make sure to observe the wind and tide speed and direction when working slicks. I like to always try to cast cross-wind and cross-current regardless of what’s tied to the end of my line. Bringing your lure down in their face will always yield more bites than dragging it up from behind them. Limetreuse and chartreuse are staple colors around here when the water is green. Red Shad, Morning Glory and Texas Roach work well in murky conditions.

It certainly looks like we’re in for an above average summer from where I’m sitting. We’re very fortunate to be able to enjoy a healthy fishery. Let’s not forget to respect it. I wish everyone the best of luck out there while fishing with their buddies or families. Have fun!

TSFMAG.com | 89

BInK GRImEs

thE VIEW fRom Matagorda

Matagorda

Bink Grimes is a full-time fishing and hunting guide, freelance writer and photographer, and owner of Sunrise Lodge on Matagorda Bay.

Telephone 979-241-1705 Email binkgrimes@sbcglobal.net Website www.binkgrimesoutdoors.com

90 | May 2014

Before I hit the hay, I check the weather one more time. The NOAA coastal waters forecast calls for north winds at 5-10 knots. Every inch of the bay should be fishable for tomorrow’s charter, so I begin etching a plan for my first sunrise stop.

However, something changes during the six hours from my head hitting the pillow to the alarm clock ringing – wind, and lots of it.

Is East Bay off-colored? I wonder what West Bay looks like? Is it too rough at the jetty? I wonder if the water in Oyster Lake will hold? Will the birds work? Are the tides too high? I wonder if the redfish are in the grass? Will they eat Bass Assassins in off-colored water? Should I drift or wade?

Take for instance a May day a year ago. I had every intention to work East Matagorda’s deep shell with plum and pumpkinseed Bass Assassins.

When the weather allows, East Bay normally gives up at least one or two specks a day from 5-7 pounds during May. We don’t put a knife in those fish, but release them gently back to the bay.

Plans change by the minute in the guiding

business, especially when a thunderstorm blows up in the Gulf and gusts 30 knots before sunrise. Instead of heading east, I pointed the bow of my boat west to more protected waters.

We arrived on the south shoreline of West Matagorda Bay to find lots of finger mullet. Water was in decent shape but fading fast, so I eased the boat along the grass line and sunk my Power Pole in the mud. Redfish and trout greeted our offering right away, but only undersized fish, so we moved to reefs around Maverick Bayou.

The first piece of shell we found was about the size of a golf green, and black drum were all over it. The first fish came in at the 14-inch minimum, the next was a inch longer, then longer, then longer, until we were fullblown drum anglers.

Most saltwater enthusiasts have never tasted the sweet, white meat of a juvenile drum – trash fish – some call them. What many folks don’t realize is most restaurants offering redfish on the menu are actually selling black drum. Wild redfish are a protected

gamefish – only farm-raised redfish can be legally sold. And, if drum has ever crossed your palette, you would never utter the word “trash”.

Admittedly, black drum are not the sexiest species on the saltwater scene. Still, smiling faces and bending rods are what charter captains get paid to do.

As for those days in May when weather isn’t a factor, East Bay, West Bay, the surf and jetty are all players.

A two-day stretch of early May last year had guide boats shoulder to shoulder on the granite with 3-5 pound trout the norm.

Grass beds in West Bay should begin producing on Bass Assassins, MirrOlures and small Super Spooks.

Mid-bay reefs in East Bay should be on fire as well.

From now through the end of fall, possibilities are endless.

TSFMAG.com | 91

CaPt. shEllIE GRaY

mID-Coast BaYs With the Grays

Port O'Connor Seadrift

Born in Port Lavaca and full-time guide with 12 years experience in the Seadrift/Port O’Connor area. Shellie specializes in wading for trout and redfish year round with artificial lures.

Telephone 361-785-6708 Email Gary@BayRat.com Website www.bayratguideservice.com

92 | May 2014

Spring has been a rollercoaster. Water levels have thoughts turn immediately to the protected marsh surged, only to be blown out a day later by strong and country. As luck would have it the redfish happened cold north wind. Inconsistent weather and changing to be there too. wind have kept us on our toes. Game plans changed Even though I expected we’d likely be staying in almost daily in early-April and the only thing we could the boat, given the probability of tough mud wading count on was wind. in the lakes, I told Steve to bring their wading gear all Speaking of windy day game plans, I had the the same. My secondary plan was San Antonio Bay for pleasure of fishing with Steve Stephenson and his a little trout action after catching some redfish, if the lovely wife Amanda recently. Steve booked the trip wind would allow. for her birthday present and made it clear that while he enjoys wading with lures, this Steve and Amanda Stephenson getting big trip was to be all about her and the way she results in shallow water. likes to fish. He proceeded to say Amanda was a skilled anger and also a wader. She loves to use live shrimp and her favorite species is redfish. I had no problem with that because wading for shallow redfish is one of my favorites too.

So with the information Steve had given me I drew up a game plan. Wind was sure to be a factor and since Amanda wanted redfish, the back lakes was a no-brainer.

I know, I’ve said it a hundred times, but when it comes to fishing on windy days my

One of Amanda’s beautiful reds during her birthday trip.

We had a short meet and greet and Steve and Amanda loaded their gear in my boat. Though I hate to admit it, I can usually size up an angler’s skill level by the gear they bring. Steve and Amanda had all the right stuff—ForEverLast wading gear, Waterloo rods, nice reels, good line and a little extra tackle. I put a quart of shrimp in the livewell and we were off.

I rigged Amanda with a Bass Assassin Kwik Cork for her shrimp and we started our first drift. Amanda’s first cast produced a small “keeper” red which was quickly released. An appealing characteristic these two share is their respect for our fisheries. After a brief discussion on the strengths and weaknesses of our numbers they told me that they usually keep only a few for dinner and release the rest. They had no desire to fill their freezer with fish they probably wouldn’t eat for months. I like that!

Now before you go calling me a snob about keeping fish, think again. I have absolutely NO problem with anglers keeping their legal limit, as long as those fillets get eaten. I have plenty of clients who keep limits and eat every fillet, but those stories of ziplock bags full of freezer-burned “dust bunnies” from years ago really irk me.

Okay that’s a bit off topic, so back to fishing. After a few more LONG drifts we were averaging (I should say Amanda was) 1 to 2 reds per drift. Steve and I chunking artificials had a big fat goose egg on our scorecard. Noticing more mullet activity in the grass line up against the shore I decided it was time to start poling next to the bank. Needless to say Amanda was hooking up with every cast and I’m not talking about little fish. The reds she was catching averaged 25-inches and were shaped like footballs. Poor Steve and I struggled on with our plastics.

Finally, after some serious butt whipping, I decided a switch to scented plastic was in order—and that did the trick. Steve began hooking up regularly, and had it not been for their excellent casting skills we’d have never caught half as many reds. They zeroed in on nervous or jumping mullet and every time it paid off.

We finally returned to the dock late that afternoon with a few fish kept for dinner. I overheard Amanda asking her hubby if he thought they could put their boat in the water and fish a few more hours. There I was thinking she would be tired; how funny. Steve, you are a lucky man!

As for May, expect windy days with higher than normal water levels. Seek refuge in the back lakes or protected shorelines. Look for active bait and slicks. If you prefer artificials, throw in some scented plastics too. Live shrimp is never a bad choice.

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DaVID RoWsEY

hooKED uP WIth Rowsey

If you are a regular reader of my column in this magazine it should not come as a surprise that I am big on catch and release and conserving for the Upper future. On March 27 the TPWD commission voted to reduce the daily trout limit from ten to five for the Laguna/ largest part of the Texas coast. I applaud them for Baffin finally taking that step. It is my personal belief that this change to the limit was long overdue for Baffin and the Upper Laguna Madre. No doubt it will take a few years to start seeing major improvement but David Rowsey has 20 years experience in the Laguna/Baffin I believe it will come. In the long run, everyone— region; trophy trout with artificial including the trout, are going to benefit from this. lures is his specialty. David has a I started noticing during the first week of April great passion for conservation that the tide had bulled up high as I launched my and encourages catch and Haynie every morning at Bluff ’s Landing Marina. As release of trophy fish. we spurred the 250 ponies across the flats, flurries Telephone of bait activity were noted in every direction the 361-960-0340 eye could see. As we walked off into our first wade, Website anticipating a big trout bite, we get the first “tapwww.DavidRowsey.com tup” at the end of our line and we set the hook. Nice Email david.rowsey@yahoo.com tension at the end of the line explodes on the surface

94 | May 2014

and we realize that is the first skipjack of the year.

The adrenaline escapes the client’s body as he realizes that his much anticipated first bite was not the big trout he came for. I get his blood pumping again as I tell him of certain potholes ahead where we have landed numerous trout in the seven- to nine pound range.

It works. He is fully focused again as we close the gap on the sweet spot. Another quiet fifty yards and we will be there.

The whole time I am thinking about that skipjack he just caught and what it really means. As I am having thoughts of skipjacks, spring tides, and everything we are about to receive from Mother Ocean, I feel “tap-tup” on my own line and the set the Bass Assassin squarely in the jaw of a six pound trout.

As I look off to the side to tell my client to put on the brakes, he also bows up on a good fish. We have a double, and his looks bigger.

I land mine quickly and release it, and make my way over to snap photos of the client’s trout. She

Joey Savoie-28-plus personal best, released!

All four anglers in the group landed personal best specks this day.

was much larger than mine, and a personal best for him at 8.75 pounds. A few quick pictures followed by the release and the look of awe on his face from what he had just accomplished made my day. I love my job.

As this month’s magazine hits the newsstand, spring tides should be in full force for this area. New life will be found throughout the bay system, and faster action should become the norm as winter is finally behind us. As much as I love Simms cold-weather wading gear, I’m looking forward to utilizing some of their wet wading clothes, and getting skinny to sight-cast both trout and reds.

Key structures for finding fish will vary widely as May is a month when just about everything comes into play. Early morning wades are going to find us on rock structures that contain the most bait.

MirrOlure She Dogs will be the lure of choice here as the sun is coming up. As the day heats up, and if we need to, we will be hitting deep grass lines, potholes, and spoil islands in both the Laguna and Baffin. As always, there needs to be some bait present to be effective. No surprise, but my lure of choice on the grass lines and potholes is the 5” Bass Assassin on an 1/8 ounce Pro Elite jig head .

As a general rule I like my Bass Assassins in dark colors early, natural colors later in the morning if the water is on the clear side, and brighter colors as the sun is up and water is stained and/or sandy.

If you are into sight-casting, this is the month to get serious about it. The surging spring tide is going to have fish distributed all over places that most boats can’t run (and others don’t need to be). The white sand from Nighthawk all the way to Yarbrough down south will have ample opportunities for great sight-casting. It is the perfect combination of hunting and fishing all wrapped up into one.

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TSFMAG.com | 95

CaPt. tRICIa

tRICIa’s Mansfield Report While looking back on my May 2013 column here in Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, and to put things into perspective—all I can say is what a difference a year makes. And with saying that, conditions are still much like every other spring.

Not every month on the Port calendar reflects which season Mansfield we are in, and right now the south wind is gusting at 40 mph sustained with gusts to 50 and the temperature is Capt. Tricia’s Skinny Water hovering close to 100°F. Just Adventures operates out of two days ago we had north Port Mansfield, specializing in wind gusting close to the wadefishing with artificial lures. same, wearing jackets over our waders. Tomorrow we will see 30 mph from the north Telephone 956-642-7298 again. Welcome to springtime Email in South Texas! shell@granderiver.net And while that’s nothing Website www.SkinnyWaterAdventures.com really new, you may not want to hear this either, but fishing has been consistently inconsistent of late. Every day

96 | May 2014

it seems brings us some kind of hurdle to deal with, from struggling under alternating wind that changes in record time to lingering brown tide moving all around the Laguna.

The west side shoreline is severely impacted with the brown water from the mouth of the Land Cut to the island and finding a pattern has been tough to say the least. The only really good thing I can say about the brown stuff is that it creates a great big color change and a nice amount of catchable fish have been using it. This phenomenon can also be found on the east side both north and south, and in general we are just trudging through it, managing some pretty decent days when the gods allow.

Todd Moore with a 30Most of our better trout plus that weighed 9-plus. and redfish have been coming

Todd letting her go…awesome!

from shallow grass flats just outside the sand line, with the best clarity along the color change. We are sincerely praying the spring tides will clear a bunch of it out, and if not we will deal with it the best we can.

I have always said that productive lure selection will depend largely on the angler, but I can confidently say surface lures are typically pulling up our trophy class fish, and I will personally keep chunking them a lot for that very reason. Of course we will use tails much of the time, K-Wigglers ball tail shads and paddle tails, along with Bass Assassins are longtime go-to baits for me. We also received some new soft plastic from ZMan that I am excited to try, DieZel Minnowz, pogies, paddlers, and jerks; both scented and non-scented, and I will happily let everyone know how they perform.

The lively topwater action should continue and I’ll be throwing my favorite Skitter Walks, One-Knockers, Super Spook Jrs, and full-sized Spooks and X-RAPS. As we move into May, strong south and southeast winds and fewer north wind events should be the dominant pattern. Most day’s winds will be mild to moderate at the start and gusting pretty darn hard from mid-day on. I know I may sound redundant in this but starting shallow early and moving with color changes toward grass lines, and deeper potholes as the wind increases is a pattern, tried and true. So watch for these conditions as they change along with bait and bird activity.

By the time this reaches the newsstand we should be coming out of waders and enjoying sparkling high tide levels from the gulf. Each year it surprises me as it seems to happen overnight.

The baitfish and gamefish riding in the tide usually makes May one of the best months here in Port Mansfield. We can expect fat eggladen trout and roaming schools of brute redfish to keep everyone excited about being out there.

Another good thing are the new trout regulations for the middle coast. Only five from the South Padre to the Highway 457 bridge near Sargent. Y’all are going to see a difference.

Yes, spring is finally here and summer will be here before we know it. So, let us all start sharing the water more patiently. We should all try to remain calm and remember why we are out there in the first place. We’ve had a few banner years and I am sure we would all like a repeat of those. If it is about a fish dinner, try to take enough for a meal or two and be careful handling the egg-laden spawners for release. With all the smart-phones on the water there’s really no excuse for recording success any other way.

TSFMAG.com | 97

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

98 | May 2014

We normally see summer weather and fish patterns emerging long about May 15 down here on the Lower Laguna Madre. The way Mother Nature keeps surprising us it is anybody’s guess when it will happen this year. I feel that I also need to say that our catching is running below par compared to previous spring seasons. Water clarity has been a major concern over the past five months with the presence of brown tide both east and west of the ICW and it definitely influenced our daily fishing plans. The good news is, as of this report, our water has returned to its famous clear to trout-green clarity instead of brown tide coffee—thanks to the strong southerly wind pumping clear water into the Laguna from the Gulf.

Like I mentioned above our catching is not quite what we expect at this time of year. By early to mid-April our backwater areas should be full of redfish. Right now, redfish have been harder than trout to pattern consistently and getting them to commit when we find them has been even more of a challenge. The few reds we are catching have been in sandy potholes with moving tide, averaging 1½ to 2 feet of water. Incoming afternoon tide has been

Yvette Brysch, all decked out in her Simms gear, was very happy to land this trout.

the best scenario for locating and also getting them to bite. Slow to medium speed topwaters over the potholes have been generating the majority of our strikes, and when they won’t take a floater the K-Wiggler Ball Tail Shad will sometimes get bit. Thus far floating grass has not been much of problem in any of the areas we have been fishing, but it’s still early. It has definitely been different, hopefully with water temperatures continuing to rise and consistently higher tide levels on the way we will see more reds where we expect them to be.

Trout catches have been increasing ever since the warm-up began in late-March. Our best catches once again have come on a moving tide, mostly along spoils and drop-offs. Trout are becoming more predictable along ICW spoil points and I would certainly not pass up a shoreline lined with potholes this time of the year, especially when

Jim Franklin on a good topwater bite.

bait is present or you can see slicks popping. We are starting to see bigger trout showing in smallish number, but I really think the peak of this is yet to be seen. Topwaters are slowly becoming more effective and later in May should be even better. The Spook Jr and Skitter Walks in red-white, bone, pink, and anything with chartreuse are good baits to keep handy. This time of the year big trout are known to roam the sandy eastside flats early in the morning and again late in the evening.

I didn’t get a chance to personally thank all who came by to say hello during the Houston Fishing Show so I want to say a big thank you to all right now. It was pretty neat to see everyone again.

Big thanks as well to Castaway Rods and Fish-N-Hunt Products for sponsoring me and allowing me to assist customers in getting the right product in their hands.

If you’re in the market and looking for a good rod that will do everything from soft plastics, small to medium topwaters and Corkys, I would like to suggest that you take a look at the Castaway Skeleton Wader-Light in the 6’5”, or if you like a stiffer action, the Skeleton Wader Medium Light would be another excellent choice. For anybody who calls soft plastics their go-to baits to throw, more than Topwaters and Corkys, then I would suggest you take a look at their ultra-light, sensitive but strong Invicta Series.

In closing, I would like to say whatever species you plan to pursue, make it fun. Be patient and courteous to other fishermen. Tournament season gets underway this month and the water will become rather crowded on weekends and some of those folks may not know their way around our bays all that well. Remember to enjoy the chase, without it there would be no catching!

TSFMAG.com | 99

FISHING REPORTS

lake Calcasieu louisiana Jeff and Mary Poe - big lake Guide Service - 337.598.3268 In May, we expect to see the first consistent topwater action of the season. Water temperatures should be well into the seventies, and barring a major rain event, salinities will be high enough to catch trout throughout the entire estuary. When targeting big trout at this time, look for them on flats on incoming tides. You can catch them on outgoing tides as well, but they will be at their heaviest on the incoming due to spawning rituals. Most of these fish can be caught on topwaters, but they often will take Paul Brown Lures better. If you’re looking to fill your box, find the birds! Pay close attention to the direction the fish are traveling by watching the birds. 97% of the time they will move against the tide. If the tide is weak, patterning their direction is more difficult.

ALWAYS approach from upwind, no matter what! Redfish will be terrorizing schools of menhaden and shrimp in the middle of the lake.

They will be under birds as well as slicks. Approach the same as you would the trout and keep in mind they move against the tide.

Trinity bay - East bay - Galveston bay | James Plaag Silver king Adventures - silverkingadventures.com - 409.935.7242 James recalls a recent run of excellent big-trout catching, despite tough weather conditions which have limited his days on the water.

“In two days, we caught 22 good trout, up to just over 8 pounds. Had some other sevens and sixes mixed in. A variety of lures worked, with

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the best fish caught on a floating Paul Brown’s FatBoy in pink/silver.

Also had some really good days on numbers of trout in the last few weeks too. Averaged 60-70 fish per day for a while, with a decent percentage of keepers. That action was all on soft plastics. Right now, the fish are pretty shallow, knee to waist-deep. As we get into May, the wading should still be good, and the boat fishing will likely become more productive, as slicks start showing us where the fish are schooling out in the middle. Normally, we start to see a more stable, less windy weather pattern sometime this month, and that will help things out tremendously. Once we’re able to get on the water again on a regular basis, it will be good. We’ve got plenty of fish, just need the chance to get at ‘em.”

Jimmy West - bolivar Guide Service - 409.996.3054 Jim says the winds have made fishing tough some of the time in Galveston lately, but he’s been catching some quality fish on a pretty consistent basis. “We had a good run of fishing in the drains for a while there. Caught good numbers of both trout and reds, with a few of the trout weighing right around seven pounds or a little more. Trinity Bay has really been the hot area for a while now. The guys over there are catching some big trout when winds are right. We have had quite a few days with tough conditions. Usually, May will bring some better weather. We should start catching more trout on a regular basis once that happens. Wading should still be good, and as long as we don’t

get some big rains, the upper parts of the bay systems will remain ripe with potential. We’ll start looking around out in the middle some if the weather heats up quickly. The fish might start slicking and making mud stirs out there if it does. Overall, this month sets up well. We’ve got some big trout and we should have more days where we have a good shot at ‘em.”

West Galveston - bastrop - Christmas - Chocolate bays Randall Groves - Groves Guide Service 979.849.7019 - 979.864.9323 Randall mentions he’s been seeing sure signs of the changing season, and hope springs eternal. “Starting to see some jack crevalle and ribbon fish. Once they show up, the trout fishing usually picks up significantly.

We’ve caught a few big trout lately, six and seven pounders, but not good numbers. They are mixed in with the redfish, and catching the reds has been much easier. We’re having our best luck on topwaters like pink Skitterwalks. Everybody likes catching reds on top, because the blow ups are so showy. Also getting plenty on chicken on a chain Norton Bull Minnows. The bonus when throwing those is that we catch flounder pretty steadily. It’s a great deal when you catch all three of the Texas Trio: trout, reds and flounder. May provides excellent potential for that kind of catching. We’ll continue to work our way through this transition. Every changing season dictates adjustments in our strategies and techniques. When you live near a major pass, these changes and adjustments are dramatic and critical.”

Matagorda | Charlie Paradoski bay Guide Service - 713.725.2401 The month of May brings more stable weather and more consistent fishing patterns, as well as opening up new options for anglers in the Matagorda area. “We like to fish West Bay a lot during May,” Charlie

says. “Over there, we focus on sandy pockets in the grass beds and do a lot of wading, throwing topwaters and Bass Assassins, whatever it takes. We catch plenty of school trout and reds in that direction. But we also like to drift the deeper water in East Bay and do some wading on the mid-bay reefs when winds allow. Generally, we catch bigger trout when we are able to fish that way. We’ll throw topwaters and twitch baits predominantly, since we are usually working them in relatively calm conditions. Of course, late in the month of May, we’ll starting casting our eyes toward the surf, especially when we’re in West Bay. It’s easy to hop over the island and walk into some great action along the beach front when the winds die and the clear water moves on in.”

Palacios | Capt. Aaron Wollam www.palaciosguideservice.com - 979.240.8204 Warming water temperatures have heated up the fishing in our local waters. We have also had a bunch of bait start to hatch out, as scores of fry have been on area shorelines along with small shrimp starting to migrate from the local marshes. Believe it our not, our best bite as of late has been on topwaters. Tails and Gulp! products have played second fiddle to topwaters. Small plugs have been best due to the bait being small. Super Spook Juniors in white/redhead and ShePups in black/ gold/orange and pink/chrome have been top producers. We have been catching trout to twenty four inches over scattered shell and grass in about three feet of water. Our redfish bite has been much shallower, with most of our fish coming in less than a foot of water along area shorelines. Tripletail should be on the menu this month with our water temperatures creeping up. The glass minnow bite on the south shoreline

Fantastic Fishing

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TSFMAG.com | 101

of West Matagorda ought to be in full effect soon.

Thankfully, as of this time, no oil from the spill in Texas City has made it into our local bays.

Port O’Connor | lynn Smith back bay Guide Service - 361.983.4434 Lynn recalls a recent strong run of big trout fishing in the Port O’ Connor area, but says the frequent cold fronts kept the action from staying hot. “We had a good number of big trout come through the pass, and we were catching some 27-28 inchers for a while there. Then, we got a cold front and the tide went out. Fish followed it out, or so it seems.

Haven’t been able to locate them again. However, with the warming winds of May, things should turn back around. Normally, we like to fish strong incoming tides in the morning this month. Areas around the Pass which have hard sandy bottoms and lots of grass seem to be the most productive. We’ll throw topwaters like Spook Juniors along area shorelines, targeting sandy pockets in the grass beds. This is one of the best months for catching big trout on the floating plugs. I’ve been seeing an increase in the amount of bait in areas I’m fishing, so I expect an upturn in the trout catching to start up again soon. Right now, the redfish are saving the day, but the trout bite will come back.”

Rockport | blake Muirhead Gator Trout Guide Service - 361.790.5203 or 361.441.3894 Blake plans on fishing Copano, Aransas and adjacent bays during May. “I’ll be wading around main sandy points, in areas with a combination of sand and grass on the bottom. This time of year, the trout and redfish tend to prefer areas like this. We usually throw at the grass beds which stand out against the brighter sand bottom. Super Spooks in blue/ chrome and black/chrome work well, as do my old stand-by lures, Norton Sand Eels in pumpkinseed/chartreuse and purple/chartreuse.

I also like to fish shell reefs in about thigh to waist-deep water quite a

102 | May 2014

bit during this time of year. We’ve been seeing quite a few menhaden around lately, and this usually signals the start of a consistent trout bite.

Once the schools of menhaden get into the bays and find their way to the shell reefs, the fishing is usually really good around the shell for a while. The bait migrations were a little late starting this year, it seems. I guess it was a hangover from the cold winter, but things are perking up out there right now.”

Upper laguna Madre - baffin bay - land Cut Robert Zapata – rz1528@grandecom.net - 361.563.1160 One of my favorite months to fish for big trout has to be the month of May. The fish are still loaded with eggs and they will spend much of their time spawning in shallow grassy areas and shorelines that are less than three feet in depth. A very important factor in being successful when fishing in such shallow water is being as quiet as possible, whether drifting or wading. After locating my target areas, I will approach them with my trolling motor or by drifting into them from about one hundred yards away. If there is not too much floating grass on the water’s surface, I will start the morning with natural colored MirrOlure SheDogs. If it’s too grassy on the surface, my sixteenth ounce Spring Lock jighead will be rigged with a salt and pepper/chartreuse, plum/chartreuse or sand trout Bass Assassin Die Dapper. This is also a good time to fish with live shrimp under a popping cork or live croakers, if you can find them.

Around mid-day, I will head to ultra-shallow water and sight-cast reds and black drum with Fish Bites.

Corpus Christi | Joe Mendez – www.sightcast1.com - 361.937.5961 When asked to predict where some of the hot action in the Corpus Christi area will be during May, Joe is quick to talk about the Land Cut and areas close to it. “I’ll be heading down south quite a bit, fishing The Hole and Rocky Slough and The Land Cut. We’ll be targeting the edge of the ditch some, also drifting some of the flats and throwing at shallow

and mid-range depth potholes. Also casting around the rocks quite a bit in areas which have some. Topwaters usually work well this time of year, and throwing them around the rocks eliminates the risk of hanging up on them with soft plastics. The soft plastics do produce bites on a consistent basis though. I am most fond of K Wiggler’s products. We use the old-school shrimptails. They have been tricking the trout and reds for decades now. We also throw their plastics which have a rat tail with a little ball on its end. They work well too. Rigging them on the right size jighead is critical. The windier it gets, the heavier the head should be, so the lures stay down in the water column.”

Padre island National Seashore billy Sandifer - Padre island Safaris - 361.937.8446 Many of our warm-water species will be present in May and if there is not a prohibitive amount of Sargassum present in the surf, fishing can be quite good. Tides typically are user-friendly and the wind is typically lighter than in previous months. Redfish, whiting, Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, jack crevalle, sheepshead, pompano, Atlantic bluefish and several species of sharks should be available. Fish deep pockets and wide deep guts for bottom species with dead shrimp and “Fishbites” or cut bait. Fish under the birds and other obvious food chain activity with artificials.

Silver spoons and blue/chrome Rat-L-Traps excel in May. Some trout may be available but the best trout fishing will be in midsummer. Kayaked baits will be most productive for sharks. Use bait species that are present in the surf for best action with sharks. A stray tarpon, ling or king mackerel are possible. Beaches will be getting busy and turtle nesting season will be in full swing so drive carefully and be considerate of others.

Port Mansfield | Ruben Garza Snookdudecharters.com – 832.385.1431 Getaway Adventures lodge – 956.944.4000 This is the time of year Mother Nature is supposed to warm things up.

I guess she didn’t get the memo about sending us warmer weather.

The consistent changing of weather patterns seems to have the fish confused; their staging areas and feeding habits have been a challenge to unravel many days. Here lately, we have been picking up decent numbers of trout and reds in the mid-thigh to waist-deep water depths.

I guess the colder overnight water temperatures send them deeper than we normally see this time of year. As the day progresses, I move to the shallower water in the knee-deep areas, focusing on grass beds and scattered potholes. We are throwing spoons predominantly for reds, but lately it seems they have also developed an appetite for the small bone SkitterWalk. In the shallower water, we are beginning to find solid trout mixed with the reds, and this is a good sign. This pattern should hold for the next couple of months. Until next time--tight lines and calm seas. lower laguna Madre - South Padre - Port isabel Janie and Fred Petty – www.fishingwithpettys.com – 956.943.2747 When you start to see the sargasso weed floating in the bay, and the wind is blowing like crazy every day, you know the tides are as high as they’re going to get all year. We’re beginning to see more reds up on the shallow flats that have been unfishable during the winter months. This transition period is excellent news for artificial enthusiasts, because it means more bait and a noticeable change in the water quality. Although we’re still dealing with rolling silt on the east and west sides of the Intracoastal, we’ve been able to fish with the Berkley Gulp! shrimp in darker colors under Cajun Thunder round corks when conditions permit.

Freddy says, “If the plastic isn’t working, try anchoring and throwing out some cut ballyhoo. The fish are there, it’s just hard to see them when the water is cloudy.” We’re catching some trout, just not what we usually expect for this time of the year, but we’re limiting on reds most trips.

Please help stop open bay dredge disposal by becoming involved in the effort to save the Lower Laguna Madre.

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Reid Barkdull Corpus piggy

Michael Rodriguez San Antonio Bay - 25” red

Doug Ramsey Sabine Lake - reds

Ruben Torres Indianola - 41” amberjack 104 | May 2014

David Woods South Padre - 74” bull shark

Dylan Meyer Port Lavaca Bay - 29” redfish

Tony Galveston - bull red

Weston Clark Port Aransas - 32” red

Dan Guillette Laguna Madre - 26” 6lb personal best trout!

Sandra Hanzik Matagorda - 27” & 28” reds

Roman Almanza Houston Ship Channel - 45” jack

Tracy McKinney San Antonio Bay - 27” first red!

Peyton Mund & dad first flounder gigging trip!

Tony Beltran Port Mansfield - 25” trout

Orlando Chapa 9 Mile Hole - 32” red CPR

Ashlyn Fockelmann Pelican Island - 28” red

Robert Grantland, Jr. Arroyo City - 30” drum

Larry Kupstas Port Mansfield - red

Don Gonzales Port Aransas - 44.5” 35lb bull red

Patrice Reisen PINS - 30” Spanish mackerel

Bryan Heiman High Island - bull red Angelo Postel Galveston - black drum

Dylan Postel Galveston - 32” bull red

Luke Huddleston with grandfather starting the education process!

Please do not write on the back of photos.

Email photos with a description of your Catch of the Month to: Photos@tsfmag.com

Micah Powell Pleasure Island - 23” 5lb speck

Aaron Saenz Port Mansfield - 31” red

Mail photos to: TSFMag P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 TSFMAG.com | 105

Pam Johnson

Gulf Coast Kitchen

Got ideas, hints or recipes you’d like to share?

Email them to pam@tsfmag.com or send by fax: 361-785-2844

Bobby’s Oven Fish Contributed by Capt. Buddy Oakes – Hackberry Rod & Gun

Capt. Ken’s Stuffed Redfish Thank you Capt. Ken Marshall for sharing this wonderful recipe!

1 Redfish – filleted on the half-shell (leave rib sections attached) 1/2 Cup finely chopped onion 1 Egg, beaten 1/2 Cup finely chopped celery 1/4 Teaspoon pepper 1/4 Cup finely chopped green pepper 1/4 Teaspoon garlic salt 1/4 Cup butter, melted 1/4 Teaspoon garden seasoning 1/2 Pound lump crab meat 1/4 Cup butter, melted and divided 1/2 Pound shrimp 1/4 Crushed saltine crackers 2 Cups seasoned stuffing mix 1/2 Cup shredded mild cheddar cheese • Preheat oven to 350.

• Sauté onion, celery and green pepper in ¼ cup butter in a large skillet. Remove from heat.

• Add crabmeat, shrimp, stuffing mix, egg, seasonings and additional ¼ cup butter; mix well.

• Place ½ the stuffing mixture in “rib pocket” of each redfish fillet and cover with cheese.

• Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

106 | May 2014

2 Redfish fillets 1 Sleeve Ritz Crackers 1/2 Stick real butter 1 Tsp Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning 1/8 Tsp garlic power 2 Cloves garlic – minced 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill weed 1/2 lemon 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 10 Medium shrimp – peeled and deveined • Melt butter is large frying pan. Add Creole Seasoning, garlic powder, minced garlic, dill and juice of half a lemon.

• Crush Ritz Crackers until fine. Dip redfish fillets in butter sauce, then in Ritz Crackers and place in baking dish.

• Dip shrimp in butter sauce, then in Ritz crackers.

Place shrimp on top of fish fillets.

• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

• Bake at 350°F for 20 to 30 minutes (depending thickness of filets).

21-8886 | PO Box 1 (907) 3 549 | Seward, AK 99664

FishWithHill.com David Wilson

Cell 210-827-3890

reeltaxidermy@yahoo.com

TSFMAG.com | 107

Science and the Sea ON THE WATER

Saltwater Fishing Clinics WITH

Capt. Robert Zapata

If you are having difficulty catching fish on a consistent basis, the clinic is designed for you. Learn Capt.Robert Zapata’s secrets to finding and catching more fish from his 25 years of experience as a professional fishing guide.

TM

When Changing Sex Improves Survival If Finding Nemo had been more scientifically accurate, it may have caught Disney fans off guard: Nemo’s dad, Marlin, would have become more than a single dad when Nemo’s mother died. Among clownfish, the most dominant male will actually transform into a female if the matriarch of the community dies. Clownfish generally spend their entire lives in one small area, making it difficult to find a new mate, especially one of the opposite sex. Therefore, all clownfish are born as males and once two meet up and spend some time together, one male becomes a female so they can reproduce.

For Information Call 361-563-1160

YOUR AD COULD BE HERE! for rates call 361.785.3420 or email ads@tsfmag.com

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Corpus Christi, TX 78418 Phone: 361-657-0555 Fax: 361-939-8973

Console covers and full boat covers custom fit

Male clownfish can change into females. Credit: Jenny Huang. This image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

But it’s not just clownfish who will spontaneously change sex when necessary. Had Nemo been a blue-banded goby fish whose father died, it would be his mother who changed sexes. Blue-banded gobies travel in harems of nearly a half dozen females with one male, a strategy that increases the species reproductive success – but only if one of the females becomes a male if the original male dies.

In fact, such a wide range of fishes possess this characteristic that scientists have names for the different transitions that can occur.

Among “sequential hermaphrodites,” or species born as one sex who change into another, a male who becomes a female is “protandrous” while a female becoming a male is “protogynous.” The reasons for these sex changes range from maintaining important social hierarchies to enhancing species survival through reproduction. These transitions vary by species and can take weeks or months, during which the fish’s size, color, and markings may change along with its sex organs and behavior. Scientists don’t fully understand how the process occurs, but it appears to be a combination of environmental and chemical factors that trigger the change. So if Disney went by the book, Marlin might have turned into a Marlene.

The University of Texas

Marine Science Institute www.ScienceAndTheSea.org © The University of Texas Marine Science Institute

108 | May 2014

tEX as saltWatER fIshInG holEs

Designer & Manufacturer of Specialized High Performance Fishing Rods Office: 361.573.0300

805 B. South Bridge Victoria, TX 77901

Fax: 361.573.0304

GalVEston TROUT REDFISH FLOUNDER

Capt. Lynn Smith’s Back Bay Guide Service Port O’Connor Area

Wade & Drifting the Back Bays & Surf

Call 361.983.4434 (cell 361.935.6833) Email lynn@tisd.net (tswf.com/lynnsmith)

mataGoRDa • Bay Fishing, Offshore, Floundering, Waterfowl, Dove • Night Fishing off Lighted Pier • Right On The Water • Lodging with/without Meals www.matagordasunriselodge.com 979-241-1705

Capt. Billy Penick III

USCG & TP&W Licensed • Galveston Bay System • Full and Half Day Trips • Trout, Redfish, Flounder

281-415-6586 www.gypsyguideservice.com penickbilly@yahoo.com

Vitamin Sea Charters Galveston Bay Complex Redfish, Trout, Flounder, & Shark Captain Chad Handley USCG# 3475367 CaptChadHandley@gmail.com www.VitaminSeaCharters.com 832-309-1079

CoRPus to PoRt IsaBEl

M ATA G O R D A B AY Speckled Trout / Redfish

USCG Licensed Captain Stan Sloan

832.693.4292 fintasticcoastalcharters.com

For all Cleaning and Repair of your Rods and Reels

Professionally Trained

Tidal Surge baits are available.

Mail order available on reels, we pay postage to you.

See website for details.

www.thereelinn.com Susie Montgomery 281-703-7982 / 281-383-3205 TSFMAG.com | 109

CHRIS MAPP

B O AT M A I N T E N A N C E T I P S

Preventing Corrosion, Mold & Mildew Chris Mapp, owner Coastal Bend Marine.

Yamaha, Evinrude, Suzuki, Mercury, Honda, BlueWave, SilverWave, Haynie, El Pescador Service, Parts and Sales.

110 | May 2014

The current spring season has manifested the perils of a long, cold and wet winter—and with the extended storage time of several months, we are seeing more issues of corrosion from continuously wet and damp bilge areas and storage compartments. This prolonged moist environment and the lack of prior (and regular) anti-corrosion protection is costing owners a lot of downtime and money that could have been easily avoided.

The salty moist air trapped in bilges and other compartments is very destructive to wiring, filter canisters, relays, solenoids, battery terminals and even stainless steel hardware. Salt air can destroy anything and when a boat is stored with the hatches closed it accelerates this process tremendously.

The common stainless steel alloys used in marine hardware are not impervious to corrosion, it just takes longer.

Copper battery lugs will turn green as they develop corrosion and being in contact with stainless fasteners, the electro-chemical process known as dissimilar metals corrosion accelerates the damage—literally dissolving components. Aided by battery voltage, what develops is a highly-corrosive destructive mixture. This metal destroying process will start working its way into the attached battery cables and other wiring, especially if no heat shrink wrapping was used on the connections.

Corrosion X Red and Boeshield T9 are great anticorrosion lubricant products to use on regular basis as protection against the elements.

When washing the boat, make sure to rinse the

bilge area; always pull the drain plugs and open the hatches. Wipe down hatches that have remaining moisture. This moisture left unchecked will start molding and corroding every part of the boats interior.

Dry storage does not always mean dry. It is much like the difference between weather-resistant and waterproof. Boats stored over the water will see accelerated deterioration via various corrosive processes by about 30% percent.

We recommend products that are quick-easy wipe down and will add a layer of wax when used. We carry the Boat Bling line of boat care products; just a spray and wipe will remove water spots and close the porous openings on the fiberglass to keep the moisture from being held. The Boat Bling brand has great products for cleaning and protecting vinyl as well.

No one wants to come back to a boat that has mildew, mold and corrosion, especially when the last time we put the boat in storage we worked extra hard to keep it nice.

Have a great and safe summer!

Chris Mapp

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Sharkman Surf Fishing South Padre ISland

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956.566.7744

14 years

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BENTLEY’S INTERCOASTALS HOUSE RENTALS Port O’Connor, Texas: 3 Bedrooms, Sleeps 6, Fully Furnished. Great Location between the little Jetties & Clark’s Restaurant. Boat Slip upon availability. Guide service available with Capt Keith Gregory. Call Steve or Lydia at 361-983-4660 or 361-482-9095. Special winter rates available.

Dolphin Point 50 x 150 drive-through lot between Maple & Commerce, Port O’Connor. Wet Boat Slip included!

361-649-2265

Your Ad Could Be Here! for rates call 361.785.3420 or email ads@tsfmag.com

TSFMAG.com | 111

Mojo Shrimp… it’s not just for trout

H2O Xpress 3-in. Mojo Shrimp - 2 pk.

Great for drawing a variety of saltwater fish to your line, the H2O Xpress™ 3-in. Mojo Shrimp is made of soft plastic and Kevlar ® and feature natural colors with luminous eyes.

The BEST Choice‌ Any Place, Anytime!

To find a location near you, please visit us at www.speedystop.com

Tidal Corrections Location Calcasieu Pass, La. Sabine Bank Lighthouse Sabine Pass (jetty) Sabine Pass Mesquite Point Galveston Bay (S. jetty) Port Bolivar Texas City, Turning Basin Eagle Point Clear Lake Morgans Point Round Point, Trinity Bay Point Barrow, Trinity Bay Gilchrist, East Bay Jamaica Beach, Trinity Bay Christmas Point Galveston Pleasure Pier San Luis Pass Freeport Harbor

High -2:14 -1:46 -1:26 -1:00 -0:04 -0:39 +0:14 +0:33 +3:54 +6:05 +10:21 +10:39 +5:48 +3:16 +2:38 +2:39 +2:32 -0:09 -0:44

Low -1:24 -1:31 -1:31 -1:15 -0:25 -1:05 -0:06 +0:41 +4:15 +6:40 +5:19 +5:15 +4:43 +4:18 +3:31 +2:38 +2:33 +2:31 -0:09

For other locations, i.e. Port O’Connor, Port Aransas, Corpus Christi and Port Isabel please refer to the charts displayed below.

Please note that the tides listed in this table are for the Galveston Channel. The Tidal Corrections can be applied to the areas affected by the Galveston tide.

Minor Feeding Periods coincide with the moon on the horizon, and the last from 1.0 to 1.5 hrs after the moon rise or before moon set.

Major Feeding Periods are about 1.0 to 1.5 hrs either side of the moon directly overhead or underfoot.

Many variables encourage active feeding current flow (whether wind or tidal driven), changes in water temp & weather, moon phases, etc. Combine as many as possible for a better chance at an exceptional day. Find concentrations of bait set up during a good time frame, and enjoy the results.

Te x a s S a l t w a t e r F i s h i n g M a g a z i n e l

w w w. t e x a s s a l t w a t e r f i s h i n g m a g a z i n e . c o m