May 2016

DAVE ROBERTS – PAGE 58

JOE RICHARD – PAGE 30

May 2016

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about the Cover Carrie Scruggs is our cover angler. Carrie’s red was caught in Redfish Bay near Aransas Pass on a bone Spook Jr. Capt. Dean Thomas of Slowride Guide Service says, “The redfish were tearing it up in ultraskinny water…kayak fishing makes people happy!”

Dean Thomas Photo

May 2016 VOL 26 NO 1

Contents

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

10 Are You Satisfied?

16 Extra Elements Affecting a Critical Decision 22 Douglass Sellers is Going Fishing, part 3 26 Clean Slate 30 Natural Bait Options—Inshore 36 Chip Shots

42 Let’s Ask The Pro 46 Shallow Water Fishing 50 TPWD Field Notes 54 Fly Fishing 58 Kayak Fishing Chronicles 62 TSFMag Conservation News 66 Fishy Facts 72 Inshore | Nearshore | Jetties | Passes 76 Extreme Kayak Fishing & Sharks...

108 Science & the Sea 110 Boat Maintenance Tips

Steve Hillman Kevin Cochran Martin Strarup Chuck Uzzle Joe Richard Joe Doggett

26

WHAT OUR GUIDES

HAVE TO SAy

82 84 86 88 90 92 94

Dickie Colburn’s Sabine Scene The Buzz on Galveston Bay The View from Matagorda Mid-Coast Bays with the Grays Hooked up with Rowsey Capt. Tricia’s Port Mansfield Report South Padre Fishing Scene

Dickie Colburn Caleb Harp Bink Grimes Shellie Gray David Rowsey Capt. Tricia Ernest Cisneros

46

REGULARS

86

08 Editorial 80 New Tackle & Gear 96 Fishing Reports and Forecasts 104 Catch of the Month 106 Gulf Coast Kitchen

104 6 | May 2016

Jay Watkins Scott Null Christopher Mace Scott Sommerlatte Dave Roberts CCA Texas Stephanie Boyd Curtiss Cash Eric Ozolins UT Marine Science Institute Chris Mapp

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Email store@tsfmag.com for all address changes or please call 361-785-3420 from 8am - 4:30pm. The U.S. Postal Service does not guarantee magazines will be forwarded. how to contact tsfmag: Phone: 361-785-3420 fax: 361-785-2844 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, Texas 77983 Physical Address: 58 Fisherman’s Lane, Seadrift, TX 77983 Web: www.TSFMAG.com photo gallery: photos@tsfmag.com Printed in the USA. Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine (ISSN 1935-9586) is published monthly by Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, Inc., 58 Fisherman’s Lane, Seadrift, Texas 77983 l P. O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 © Copyright 1990 All rights reserved. Positively nothing in this publication may be reprinted or reproduced. *Views expressed by Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine contributors do not necessarily express the views of Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine.

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EDITORIAL

Lots Happening

The old saying of needing to wait but a few minutes if Texas weather does not suit you seems equally applicable to major weather patterns on opposite ends of our coast. A few weeks ago the Sabine region was drowning in record floods while middle and lower coast areas are already becoming summertime dry. Our fisheries have rebounded incredibly since drought-ending rain came last year, and maybe my imagination is working overtime, but I sure hate to think we could be headed into another prolonged dry spell.

Dickie Colburn and Chuck Uzzle have interesting pieces on the Sabine floods in this issue. Believe it not they’re already catching fish. Dickie mentions that more than a few people he’s never met, readers of this magazine, called and emailed to offer flood evacuation assistance. I think that says a lot about Texas anglers having hearts of gold…and a profound willingness to assist their fellow man. You do not find this everywhere you go. Kudos!

Also in this issue, John Blaha writes of CCA Texas’ Executive and State Boards approving $1.5 million to enable CCA’s Building Conservation Trust program in seeking matching funds from various sources to be applied to marine habitat creation and restoration projects here in Texas. This is a huge milestone and something Texas anglers should be rightfully proud of. All Texas anglers will benefit.

Most importantly, the marine resources of Texas will benefit. That’s what stewardship is all about.

I have been gleaning bits and pieces of the ongoing red snapper

8 | May 2016

in

May

saga. It continues to baffle me that recreational anglers will receive another micro-season in federal waters. Reports that came yesterday hint toward maybe only eight or nine days, beginning June 1, yet the commercial interests can fish almost whenever they choose to harvest their allocation. Something wrong here. Rec anglers foot the bill for fisheries management with license purchases and pump huge sums into coastal economies. The problem, or so I’m told, lies in the fact that commercial landings have been documented for decades while little is truly known about the recreational take, and the feds are hedging. The iSnapper app is a great tool. If you fish for snapper, I encourage that you document your trips and landings. Maybe someday the pendulum will swing our way.

May 8 is Mother’s Day and I cannot imagine a better way to honor the mothers in your life than taking them fishing. Make it her day, pack a big lunch and make a whole day of it. Better yet, treat her to a nice Sunday brunch and an afternoon of fishing.

Take the kiddos! If you have none of your own, borrow some. Sign them up for the CCA STAR Tournament while you’re at it. Memorial Day weekend and the kickoff of the STAR Tournament will be here before you know it. They will not only qualify to win great scholarship prizes for landing great fish, there’s also the chance to qualify for an Early Bird registration scholarship.

Let’s go fishing!

STORY BY STEVE HILLMAN

H

aving been born in Galveston and growing up on the water I was very fortunate to have regular access to Galveston Bay. My dad and my Pawpaw would take me fishing quite frequently.

Sometimes we would use live shrimp and sometimes lures. Back then our go-to baits were Kelly Wiggler shrimp tails, MirrOlures (51s and 52s) and Jumping Minnows. The choice of baits held little significance to me at that age if catching was the end result. The time I was blessed to spend with them and the knowledge I was able to gain kick-started my life-long addiction.

I was very young, but I trusted and respected my teachers.

Never overlooking a just-popped slick or a flipping mullet and surveying everything around him, dad’s awareness level always astounded me (and still does). Pawpaw, a great fisherman in his own right, normally would just hang out near the stern and catch an occasional trout or red on his favorite MirrOlure. He stayed so busy working, I think he was just tickled to be on the water with his son and grandson. Besides, he’d “been there and done that.” His words still echo in my mind, “There he is!” as he set the hook while simultaneously looking over at us with a beaming smile filled with satisfaction.

As a young teenager I saved enough money from working at our family seafood plant

Keeping your head on a swivel and you won’t miss much. I knew this slick was behind me before turning my head.

Definitely one of my favorite smells!

(aka the fish house) to buy a used boat. It was a 14 foot Sears Gamefisher with a 9.9 HP Johnson Seahorse. Dad wouldn’t let me venture very far, but back then there was no need to travel great distances. Trout only had to be 12 inches and Dickinson Bayou was good for plenty of those.

Pawpaw bought a 21’ Renken a few years later. He loved to fish, but couldn’t find much time because his marine supply store required long hours. “Boy,” he said, “somebody sure needs to use that boat. Just keep her clean and take care of her.” He didn’t have to tell me twice.

We used that boat so much that we finally put bottom paint on her so we could just leave her in the water. Dad and I fished almost every morning before going to work at the fish house. Having a bigger boat afforded more opportunities to venture into a whole new world. The Renken had no depth finder or GPS. Between the compass, a PVC pipe and the rafts of mullet that outlined the reefs I got by just fine. Magazines and tide chart cards (found on most bait camp check-out counters) were my sources for solunar and tide data.

I remember summer nights when the wind would get calm and I couldn’t wait to get off work and drive my old 1979 F-150 down to the beachfront to fish all night. Fishing the rock groins in the dark while walking a blue-chrome Jumping Minnow along the edges of the rafts of mullet provided an adrenaline rush like no other. An occasional monster

trout swimming just beneath the rafts always seemed to ignore our offerings. One night an older gentleman caught a 12 pound trout on a live whiting while fishing from the 61st Street Pier. They lowered a double ring crab net down and lifted her up to the deck. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It looked like a ling with specks!

The memories go on and on in my mind. Those experiences transformed my blood into saltwater that still flows through my veins 30 years later.

I’ve come to realize that others yearn for knowledge and want to become successful fishermen but were not necessarily blessed with the opportunities I was afforded. We often assume that most already know the basics, at least. Back in mid-March I was fortunate

12 | May 2016

enough to be part of a seminar at the Houston Fishing Show. I was joined by Tricia Whitley, Bink Grimes, Ernest Cisneros, Everett Johnson and Caleb Harp. One gentleman asked about walk-in areas to fish around the Galveston Bay Complex. I offered a few suggestions then asked which species he wished to target. He said that he didn’t really care. Drum, sheepshead, sand trout or whatever would bite would be fine for him. He went on to say that he was new to the sport, loved fishing and just wanted to catch something….anything. The desire was there otherwise he wouldn’t have occupied that chair. He needed a starting point. Everyone has to start somewhere.

The first step is to pick a focus area. Most local sporting goods stores sell detailed fishing maps containing valuable information such as reefs, wading Don Satterwhite’s son, Dax areas, walk-in and turned 8 years old the day of drifting locations, this trip and already knew the GPS coordinates and importance of releasing fish best months to catch like this 6.5 pounder thanks to his dad’s good example. desired species. This very magazine is a very comprehensive source which includes honest reports, strategies and everything in between. Fishing forums can provide current fishing reports too.

There are books, websites and DVD’s available as well. Choosing the right equipment to get started is a must. You can get into a medium light action rod and reel for under 400 bucks. A Concept A reel rigged on a Waterloo Salinity or Phantom is a fantastic value that is lightweight and sensitive. Seaguar Smackdown Tournament braid is a great line to use when choosing braided line.

I prefer 8 lb. diameter – 30 lb. strength.

Also, many guides offer on-the-water teaching trips which should help jump start your angling education.

Once you’ve become comfortable with the area you’re fishing Hunter Cole is blessed you’ll realize that “spots” do to have family and not hold much value until friends to help fulfill you understand timing her fishing ambitions. and signs to look for while you’re there. Don’t hesitate to ask questions from others who have more experience. However, ask questions like “What signs should I be looking for” instead of “Where exactly should I go?” Otherwise, you’re doing yourself an injustice. Partnering with someone who is more advanced is helpful as well. Ernest Cisneros said it best – “If you want to become a better fisherman then fish with better fishermen.” Some are content in their current state while

others strive to attain the highest level possible.

In May the water temperatures will range from the mid 70’s to low 80’s and trout will no longer require the thermal I was delighted protection of mud. Hard shell, sand and grass will help when this one came narrow your search. Learning how to identify slicks is a to hand, but I still very effective strategy. Understanding how current and yearn for something wind affect slicks and the significance of small ones versus bigger and better.

Maybe tomorrow. large ones is necessary to produce favorable results.

Determine which part of the water column is holding fish and which lure to throw. Trout begin to school and become more aggressive as water temperatures rise and forage species grow.

Slicks, birds and concentrations of bait become primary targets.

Slow-sinking plugs such as MirrOlure’s Paul Brown Originals give way to MirrOlure Provokers, Lil Johns, Bass Assassins and topwaters.

May provides great opportunities for anglers new to the artificial game because catching trout can be relatively easy.

Now it’s time to fine-tune your skills by using your senses and instincts. By the time you’ve reached this stage your awareness level should be well above average. Whether wading or drifting, keeping your head on a swivel will enable you to make every cast count. You will know the right time to visit areas based upon major and minor feeding periods, bait movements and tides. When tides are weak you’ll fish areas near channels, passes and the intracoastal.

Heightened confidence and depth of knowledge will enable you to almost see what’s beneath the surface and make you feel like you are “in the zone” every time you start a wade or a drift.

Lure selection will become second nature. As you mature as an angler, numbers will become less important and the challenge for bigger and better fish will consume you. Releasing those Hal Clark caught impressive specimens will bring you immense satisfaction. and released his You’ll begin to notice and appreciate little things like personal best unique characteristics of some of the fish you catch as trout on a recent “teaching trip.” opposed to just plopping them down on the Check-It Stick to see if it’s a keeper. Your nose will detect a trout slick before others can even see one. You’ll cause finicky trout to make mistakes when others can’t buy a bite.

The culmination of everything you’ve learned will come together and you’ll think you’ve reached the pinnacle of your fishing career.

Then, on your very next trip you’ll realize that there’s still more to learn and some of the puzzle pieces don’t seem to snap into place like you thought they would. That’s when you realize that you’re still not satisfied.

Contact

Steve Hillman

14 | May 2016

Steve Hillman is a full-time fishing guide on his home waters of Galveston Bay. Steve fishes the entire Galveston Bay Complex, wading and drifting for trout, redfish, and flounder using artificial lures.

Phone 409-256-7937 Email captsteve@hillmanguideservice.com Web www.hillmanguideservice.com

STORY BY KEVIN COCHRAN

I

n previous documents, I’ve listed and explained the relevance of five factors which affect the critical decision related to how long one should stay in a spot before moving on. I now realize I’ve neglected to mention an additional component which influences this judgment— the type and size of spot chosen. In some situations, incorporating this important sixth factor proves easy, but in others, complications arise.

Ideally, a lure-chunker (particularly one who chooses to wade) considers all of the following when making a decision about staying put or moving to a new location: the type and size of spot chosen, the long-term track history of the spot, its recent track history, observations which indicate the presence of fish, the frequency of bites and the type and size of fish caught. In a perfect world, ample data makes the decision easy. Of course, we don’t live in a perfect world.

For many, the dilemmas generated by our wicked world start with insufficient long-term and recent data about the spot’s production.

Fishing frequently and recording relevant details prove the only way to rectify such problems. Certainly, the more times one fishes a spot with a particular set of environmental variables in play, meaning wind speed and direction, air and water temperatures, water quality, tide level and movement, etc., the better the odds of staying in the spot for an appropriate amount of time.

Easily catching fish which meet or exceed the expectations of the moment renders the need for making a decision obsolete. Everyone knows not to leave fish to find fish if the fish are in fact the “right” fish, meaning they are both the right species and size. Most of the time, though, the catching proves less than ideal, and the fish caught aren’t the right fish, at least not immediately, especially when anglers target trophies. Consequently, captains who target unusual specimens must constantly reevaluate their choice of spots and regularly make 16 | May 2016

decisions about staying in place or moving. Those who most often make good judgments when they aren’t catching the right fish perform better over the long haul.

Doing so usually necessitates consideration of the type of spot chosen. Spots show variability not only in their physical size and other attributes, but also in their tendency to produce the desired fish at a particular rate. The size, layout and expected level and rate of productivity of the spots affect the decision related to the amount of time appropriate for testing them. Obviously, small spots with specific structures known to regularly hold fish take less time to test than larger areas like flats or shorelines, which might have spacious areas with similar depths and features.

In a substantive way, consideration of the type of spot targeted closely relates to the consideration of the other five factors. Anglers with more experience fishing their spots will find the judgments easier to make, since they have more data on which to base the decisions.

The perception of what to expect when a spot holds the right fish becomes clearer the more times the angler tests the spot with a specific set of environmental variables in play.

A high level of experience and ample data tend to generate expectations which align properly with the potential of each spot. Of course, these expectations depend not only upon the specific physical layout of the spot, they shift with the seasons and at different times of the day, also with the turning of the tides and subtle changes in weather. Anglers must consequently add up a fairly long list of things when deciding how long to give a spot after making a decision to try it.

If conditions conspire to render the catching extremely difficult, fishing in and around small-scale, fish-holding features, or micro-spots, makes sense. Generally, standing and pounding something extremely likely to hold a few fish in tight spaces, rather than wandering around searching for scattered fish proves more productive in tough bite-

situations. One might probe such a micro-feature for quite a while during a bad lull in the bite, particularly when clearly seeing fish. But without clearly seeing fish and/or getting bites, one would not linger long when conditions indicate a higher activity level in the fish, which would elevate expectations about the ease of catching.

Take, for example, a spot which holds two small rocks lying close together on the edge of a shallow sand bar next to deeper water, with fairly long rock-free stretches of the dropoff on both sides of the two structural elements. The nature of the spot dictates something specific about its general potential in a relatively easy bite-situation.

Normally, fish congregate around the two rocks. An angler who knows this will set up the wade to quickly probe the waters around the boulders, adjusting lure choice and presentation to match the time. If the bites don’t come quickly once several casts have placed the lures close to the fish-holding structures, a change to presentation and/or lure choice might certainly be justified, particularly if signs like nervous bait, swirls, wakes and mud stirs indicate the presence of fish.

Within a relatively short time, though, bites will happen, or the astute angler will move on. This rings especially true if previous trips to the place almost always resulted in quick and easy catching around the rocks. If the good catching at the spot usually occurred with a flurry of bites once the right lure began landing around the fish-attracting features, the angler should reasonably expect to mimic those results. Ironically, quick and easy catching might also render the spot obsolete.

A spot with a small fish-holding feature can produce well, then become temporarily useless, because it does not hold enough fish to justify longer efforts. If an angler makes all the fish (or a large enough

18 | May 2016

This trout is not really the “right” fish for a trophy hunter; it’s about twenty-five inches long. But, it’s close enough to the right fish to justify a longer effort in the area in which it is caught.

percentage of them) found in a small area take a bite, the area will need to “rest” for a while, to allow its potential productivity to rise again.

In a situation like the hypothetical one I described here, a quick check of the surrounding area, particularly the same depth of water along the edge of the drop-off holding the two rocks, would make sense, especially if one has caught fish along the edge before, in similar conditions, after catching some easily on the rocks.

If moving a short distance away from the rocks does not produce more bites fairly quickly, making a longer move to another similar spot with rocks in the same depth of water would make more sense than wandering aimlessly off from the spot. In bays without rocks, anomalies in reef systems, small drains leading out of marshes, dead-end guts, sweet spots along shorelines and other small-scale features can produce in similar fashion, necessitating quick checks in good conditions, while offering potential for scratching out a few bites in really tough ones.

Conversely, larger spots with lots of similar depths and bottom features will require longer amounts of time to properly check, becoming difficult to assess in mediocre conditions and entirely useless if conditions make getting bites tough enough. A flat stretching for several acres, holding water of similar depth, over large expanses of similar cover elements on the bottom likely creates a fishing situation which will force an angler to move around for a while in search of bites.

One who chooses to fish such a place should likely do so in medium to good catching conditions, particularly

adjusting lure and presentation fairly often, in search of the easiest, most productive catching system for the moment. They will likely spend less time working such areas in mediocre and poor bite-conditions.

When the bite-situation deteriorates, these same anglers often narrow the scope of the spots they target, moving less through the water, even standing still and casting at the same small feature repeatedly, changing lures less often, or not at all. In extremely tough conditions, they’ll spend far more time targeting a microspot than they would in good conditions. Of course, most fishing situations fall somewhere between the two extremes, as do the choices and strategies of the anglers who readily acknowledge this fact. Appropriate adjustments to the type and size of spots targeted and to the amount of time allotted to test them aid in the eternal quest for consistency.

Kevin Cochran Contact

if historical results verify the catching of the right fish despite a low number and frequency of bites over relatively long stretches of time.

The amount of time devoted to such an effort should likely decrease as bite conditions worsen. In a situation with mediocre bite conditions, it might pay to give such an area a try, limiting the effort to a relatively short time, as compared with the average amount needed to get a bite from the right fish. Obviously, if catching the right fish requires a slow, steady, sustained effort even in good catching scenarios, one should not really expect to make it work in a really poor one.

For the angler, appropriate expectations provide the key to consistency. The levels of expectations with regard to the ease of getting bites and catching the right fish constantly evolve in conjunction with the factors affecting these things. Bite stimulators like dawn and dusk, rising and setting moons, turning tides and changes in weather take effect, then slip away. Astute anglers keep tabs on such things and adjust their expectations to fit the moment, either consciously, or more intuitively.

Inevitably, the most productive anglers show versatility and creativity in their adjustments to location, lure choice and presentation. This versatility arises from a keen perception of the need to evolve and respond to constant, sometimes subtle changes in both environmental conditions and the subsequent reactions to those changes in the fish, specifically in their feeding mood.

For some, the nature of appropriate reactions by the angler might seem counterintuitive. In an easy bite-situation, productive anglers generally choose to cover larger spots holding multiple productive micro-spots, moving through those areas in a slow and steady fashion,

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

www.power-pole.com

20 | May 2016

B

STORY BY MARTIN STRARUP

odie was stirring a pot of chili for his and Monroe’s lunch when the headgate and other stuff they’d ordered from the implement company arrived.

The water well serviceman showed up right behind. Bodie looked at his watch, shook his head in disbelief, turned the stove off, and went out to

meet them.

After the headgate and other equipment was unloaded and Monroe had shown the water well man to the pump they were having trouble with, Bodie called him to come inside and eat.

They talked ranch business while hungrily downing Bodie’s homemade venison chili with tortillas and spicy salsa Bodie brought back from South Texas. Food that really makes you appreciate cold beer.

“This stuff would clean hard water stains off an old windshield,” Monroe exclaimed, sweat beading his face.

“It is a might hot, I’ll give you that,” Bodie agreed, dabbing his brow with a paper towel.

Bodie informed Monroe that he would be available on his cell phone all the next day and that he would swing by after he got in from fishing.

Finishing his chili, Monroe asked, “Say, Bodie, is Mr. Sellers’s pretty young daughter going fishing, too?”

“No, just her dad. And you should be ashamed of yourself…you a married man.” Bodie jabbed back.

Monroe leaned back in his chair and grinned.

Satisfied that everything was in order, Bodie headed to the house and picked up his fishing gear and then drove to his boat slip.

Locking his gear in the tall cabinet, he gave the boat a quick onceover, just to be sure. Preparing to lock the gate he remembered he’d have four onboard in the morning and added a life jacket to

the bow compartment.

Bodie was early to the dock the next morning and was loading gear aboard the big SVT Tran Cat when Tommy walked in and greeted him good morning.

“Good morning to you, too, Tommy. Are you ready to catch some fish?”

“Shoot, Bodie. We ain’t gonna catch anything with that old rich guy coming along. We’ll be babysitting all day and it’s not going to be any fun. The only thing that could be worse is if Ol’ Red was coming,” Tommy whined.

“Don’t worry about Doug Sellers, Tommy. I’ll have him under my wing. Your job is to be nice and get him anything he needs, if by chance I’m not handy.”

Tommy was fussing around stowing his tackle and dry bag when Red showed up.

“What in the name of all things good and evil is HE doing here?”

Red demanded.

Tommy was equally indignant. “What are YOU doing here, Red? You’re not even supposed to be invited on this trip!”

Bodie interrupted, telling them of the trip’s importance.

“Look here you two. I want to repay this man for the kindness he has shown me. I need you both to help me with that and I expect you’ll behave like perfect gentlemen. Got it?”

Bodie’s neck muscles were bulging.

“Why…why…why sure, Bodie,” Tommy groveled. “Red and I both want to help. Right, Red?” “Can’t imagine there’ll be any problems,” Red assured meekly.

“Good! Then let’s us put on a fun day of fishing for Mr. Sellers,” Bodie said with sternness still in his voice.

Tommy was helping Red with his rods and gear as Doug Sellers walked in.

TSFMAG.com | 23

24 | May 2016

plug over the years.”

Bodie noticed Tommy’s eyes wide and mouth agape.

Red eased back on the throttle and nosed into a small cove at the tip of Goodbye. He double-tapped the Power-Pole and switched off the powerful running-flood lights.

“I figure we’ll anchor over here and ease around on the downwind side. So we don’t spook any fish,” he called out.

The others nodded agreement and with the aid of LED deck lighting began donning waders and tying lures.

“Bodie,” Doug inquired, “I forgot drinking water. By chance, have you any on the boat?”

“You’ll find plenty in the forward cooler, Doug. Along with beer, and I think some orange juice, if you care for any.”

Tommy was the first of the crew ready and was quickly down the ladder.

“EEE-OWW! This water’s COLD!” he screamed.

Red and Doug almost jumped overboard at Tommy’s exclamation while Bodie glared irritably at his hapless friend in the water.

“Tommy, do you want to scare every fish in the bay?” he asked, agitated.

“I forgot to patch the hole in my waders and that cold water rushed in and liked to take my breath away. I’ll probably end up with the new moany or something,” Tommy whined.

“What the hell is new moany?” Red snarled, but let it drop when Bodie nudged him.

Doug chimed in, “Maybe from my scouting days, I always prepare for things like this. I brought extra waders, Tommy. If you’ve some dry pants I can fix you right up.”

Tommy sprang back up the ladder, allowing that he had dry pants in his bag. Shivering and shaking as he struggled with his waders, he paused and looked suddenly sickly, mumbling.

“Well what the Hell are you waiting for you ignorant little…?”

Bodie’s steely stare set Red to backpedaling.

“Uh…right, I mean sure thing little buddy. Here’s my towel to dry off when you get out of those wet pajamas.”

“I ain’t wearing skivvies, and I don’t want to get clear nekkid in front of you all,” Tommy finally blubbered.

“We don’t want that either, Tommy. Wait till we’re off the boat and you’ll have privacy,” Bodie ordered.

Doug handed Tommy his spare waders as he turned to follow Bodie down the ladder. “Hurry up, my boy. This spot sounds like it might be pretty fishy.”

“Don’t y’all go getting too far ahead, OK? It’s still pretty dark out here,” Tommy blurted shakily. “OK guys?”

All three could only shake their heads as they shuffled away.

Martin Strarup

Contact

“Morning gentlemen,” Doug offered to the group.

The trio returned the greeting in unison. Red and Tommy nearly stumbling over each other to help Doug with his gear.

“I had to go to Victoria to pick up some things so I stopped by Popeyes and got a big box of chicken for our lunch. I do hope you all will approve of spicy…it’s my favorite,” Doug announced.

The trio quickly agreed that Popeyes’ spicy recipe was awesome, as Bodie began sizing up his rods and reels.

None of the outfits were new but it was obvious that either he hadn’t used them much or they’d been especially well cared for.

Bodie couldn’t make out the builder’s name on the three rods but the wrappings were identical, each different length and possibly also different actions. Customs, no doubt, with the old Chronarch Super-Frees.

I don’t believe he’ll be needing what I brought for him, Bodie noted silently.

After Doug’s food and beer in cute little green bottles was placed in the ice chest, Tommy lowered the boat into the water. Red fired it up and idled away from the slip. Bodie gave Doug a quick tour.

Important stuff—like where life jackets, fire extinguisher and emergency gear were stored. Red steered into the ICW and asked Bodie which way they were headed.

Motioning north, Bodie said, “Up the ditch, Red. The wind is right for that slough behind Goodbye. If they’re not in there we won’t have but a short ride over to Grassy.”

“Which of these switches turns on those fancy LED running lights?” Red asked.

“Top left, should be lit up in red,” Bodie replied.

Red steered through the cut that led away from the ICW, and with no boats ahead he hit the light switch. The whole world lit up— illuminating everything you could possibly need to see to navigate safely at speed.

“Want the wheel?” Red asked Bodie.

“Nah, you run ‘er Red. See what you think.”

“Well okay but, I sure hope I don’t like her too much. My wife will kill me if I tell her I’m buying one of these.”

“Red, you want the GPS?” Bodie asked.

“If I can’t find Goodbye Island in the dark I’ll just take up golf,” Red grumbled over his shoulder.

The boat jumped effortlessly on plane as Red pushed the throttle to three-quarter and adjusted trim.

Bodie had absolutely no worries about Red’s ability. The crusty old salt was running boats before he was even in diapers.

As the boat skimmed along Doug, Bodie and Tommy sat behind the elevated console and talked about where they were headed and what they were going to be doing.

“Where we are going to be fishing is behind an island, and with this light north wind it should be nearly dead calm,” Bodie explained.

“The slough there is about four feet deep with this tide, so don’t go over your waders,” Tommy warned. “The water’s still kind of chilly.”

“Sounds like it might be a great place to start with a topwater,” Doug replied.

Bodie and Tommy looked at each other in surprise. Then Bodie answered, “Well yes sir, I think the conditions could be perfect for topwaters.”

“Right! I think maybe I’ll tie on my favorite chartreuse Spook Jr.,” Doug announced. “I’ve caught some really nice trout on that little

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

The Hobie MirageDrive速 opens up a new world of angling possibilities.

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STORY BY CHUCK UZZLE

E

ach month as the days peel off the calendar and my deadline for TSFMag rolls around I find myself in the mode of “forecaster” or “teller of the future” as I try to give our readers a jump on upcoming fishing patterns.

Well this month is a little different for me, and I need to share some of the recent past in an effort to help with the future, if that makes any sense. Our area of the state just recently suffered record-breaking flooding that I personally hope never happens again in my lifetime. The aftermath of all the water will undoubtedly make changes to the Sabine area that will no doubt take some time to figure out and truly understand.

What led up to the catastrophic flooding was actually the culmination of several events all converging at once, a perfect storm if you will. Toledo Bend reservoir has a profound effect on the overall state of Sabine lake even though it lies 80 miles to the north. The 187,000 surface-acre body of water is the last big stop in a huge watershed that encompasses real estate all the way up around Dallas. Heavy rains anywhere in the watershed eventually end up in Toledo Bend and eventually all of it drains into Sabine Lake. The chain of water running downhill keeps things in a constant state of change for the most part and that’s what drives Sabine anglers crazy.

During the second week of March a frontal system stalled over the Toledo Bend area and dumped in excess of 20-inches of rain on the direct area. As if that wasn’t bad enough the rain continued northward and dumped more water above the lake which obviously ran down the basin as well. At the time of the big rain event Toledo Bend was near full pool so the decision to open the flood gates was made and the water poured down river to the tune of double the flow of Niagara Falls. The Sabine River Authority dumped water as fast as it could to preserve the integrity of the dam which in turn started the flooding on the Sabine River. Many points along the river reached all-time record highs like the small city of Deweyville that went completely under water for several days. The river crested 3 feet above the previous all-

Believe it or not, some areas along the south shoreline are already producing trout and a few reds.

The sound of the flow rushing downriver was amazing.

TSFMAG.com | 27

time record. Almost incomprehensible.

As the major flush began to work its way down to Sabine Lake the water rose and the current began carving out places along the river channel and also filling others in. The rush of water displaced huge cypress trees that had been in the swamps for years and deposited them much farther down the river and even into the lake. My good friend and city of Orange police captain, Keith Longlois, was working the area during the time that Interstate 10 was shut down. On routine patrols Keith would give me updates on the progress of the flooding because my family and I were sweating out the possibility of our house flooding. Keith is an avid fisherman and hunter so his interest in the whole process goes without saying. “The sound the water made as it rolled under the IH 10 bridge was something I won’t forget. We watched those big cypress trees north of the interstate just tremble in the current, it was amazing,” said Longlois.

The flood not only The Sabine River around Orange stayed displaced fish but roughly 3 feet above flood stage for four days many other residents of the bottomlands! and finally with the help of a healthy north wind it began to recede. In the days since, the river has returned to a more normal state and it has become evident that some areas have really felt the wrath of the flood waters. There are some spots that have turned into beautiful sand bars as the river pushed gorgeous white sand up into eddies where it settled out. Still other places like the islands along the ICW on the north end of Sabine suffered some unwanted erosion and appear to have shrunken right before our eyes. Sydney Island began rapidly eroding away after Hurricane Ike cut a small gut into it and now it is less than half the size it was ten years ago. The huge flow from the flooding did this popular spot no favors and that’s a shame any The massive flow way you spin it. has reshaped As far as a silver lining goes it’s hard to find plenty of areas one at the moment but I’m sure some exist. The along the Sabine. big push of freshwater will most certainly jump start the growth of grass in all the marshes that border Sabine and Calcasieu which in turn should help water clarity develop earlier than normal this year. The early growth of grasses will offer more places for juvenile fish to both feed and hide from predators. I would also have to believe that the early growth of grasses will pay dividends later in the year for the duck hunters but that remains to be seen.

At this moment the speckled trout and redfish are concentrated in small areas along the south shoreline and are moving farther out into the lake with each good tide exchange during the recent full moon period. Many anglers will be hoping the brown shrimp will make another appearance this spring and kick off another fantastic run of fish 28 | May 2016

under the birds like we have enjoyed the past couple of years. Earlysummer schooling fish are a great bonus and at times can produce some of the best quality school trout of the year. That whole program may benefit from the “freshening” of the marshes, but again this all remains to be seen.

Like always in this area, the only things that are certain is that things never stay the same for very long. The historic floods have changed the landscape forever and it’s up to us to see just how different the lay of the land has become. The thought of exploring and re-discovering areas is both exciting and daunting at the same time. It’s certainly a challenge and/or an opportunity I’m looking forward to.

The velocity of the flood current was clearly evident around sign posts.

Contact

Chuck Uzzle 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 wakesanddrakes@yahoo.com Website wakesndrakes.com

TSFMAG.com | 29

STORY BY JOE RICHARD

The biggest castnets allowed in Texas are apparently 14 feet in diameter. There is no size limit in Florida.

Serious cast netters own several. A small net is more accurate, easily thrown, and can hit small spots in the marsh without tangling in vegetation.

I

t’s fishing time and tournament season. Many of us realize that artificials, some days, just won’t work. Now, I’d rather stick a big trout with a MirrOlure more than anyone, but some days just require a little something extra like live bait. Maybe that should be Plan A during a tournament when the hours are short, the chips are down and stakes high. There’s a decent variety of bait available along our coast, if you know where to look and how to catch it.

Cast Nets—I’m not sure what percentage of anglers use cast nets, but it seems around 10 percent. I’ve seen guides who never learned to throw a cast net, and they weren’t exactly lure purists, either. When our local marina had no live shrimp or live croakers one blustery June morning, the bay muddy, one guide, before leaving the dock, actually informed his clients they wouldn’t be catching any fish.

Merely throwing a cast net off your porch (even over a running cat) doesn’t qualify you for catching bait, but it’s a good start. You have to be able to read the water and look for bait signs, and have favorite spots. Accuracy counts: Even a small cast net works well, when you can land it on top of passing mullet. Years ago when guiding, I threw the net every day,

instead of buying bait. My clients were certainly patient, even walking the beach behind me with a bucket, and we always seemed to come up with bait and then decent gamefish. Many guides today spend a small fortune on live bait each month, and they’d have a hard time believing I almost never bought shrimp or croakers on my own dime.

With a cast net I had live mullet, shad, croakers, sand trout and pinfish, and using them we hammered bull reds, jacks and sharks. Also quite a few tarpon that kept us hooked up until way after dark. At one point after a few summers we’d tallied 75 big tarpon brought to boatside.

Try getting that kind of live bait from a marina. Live croakers and shrimp won’t cut it for big fish.

Marsh minnows—Back in high school I used to catch good-sized marsh minnows on tiny “hair hooks” under a little bobber. The most effective method is to tear the shell off a big blue crab and toss in a foot or less of water, even at a deserted boat ramp, and wait for marsh minnows to feed on it. When you can see the crab jerking around, toss a small-mesh cast net right over the crab. Marsh minnows are

32 | May 2016

incredibly tough; you can keep several alive in a coffee can all day.

Great for flounder, trout and reds.

Years ago I had several minnows in a can and we ran several miles offshore to a rig. A 20-pound ling circled the boat many times, but it wouldn’t touch a lure. Then I tied a #2 hook to a spin rod, pinned a marsh minnow on the hook, and tossed it out there. That ling went crazy, trying to catch that tail-hooked minnow. The minnow was agile and lasted a half minute before the ling inhaled him. Marsh minnow traps work, some better than others, but they need to be left in quiet canals and require soak time before the minnows accumulate. I fished with a guide in Florida who kept minnow traps baited behind his house, soaking them for days, and they were full of minnows. That’s all he used under pop corks, and his customers caught lots of redfish and trout, often while I was watching.

Shad—Big shad school off the beach, mostly around High Island, and under them lurk bull redfish, blacktip sharks, jacks and tarpon.

Shad require a bigger mesh cast net. In our upper coastal bays are schooling small “peanut” shad that trout, reds and flounder depend on. Trouble is, these baits are often too small. But try threading four or five on a hook and see what happens. I used to chum with peanuts and one day caught a mess of redfish at the jetties, their bellies full of chum. But after reading how important these baitfish are (regrettably they are heavily targeted for commercial use), I’m careful nowadays to shake small shad back in the water. They’re said to grow 5-6 inches their first year, and are vital forage for many fish species. They’re filter feeders and clean the water, too.

Live shrimp—Anglers with cast nets around the jetties, and bulkheads on the bays, can catch their own live shrimp. Shrimp are on the bottom, The ubiquitous marsh so you might have to let that net sink minnow, the toughest live down 15 feet or so. White shrimp can bait around. Not flashy like be baited with canned Ken-L Ration mullet, but sturdy. Great for dogfood, and each spot checked flounder, trout and redfish. with a net every 5-10 minutes. Last summer a friend let his cast net sink all the way down at the jetties in about 15 feet, and came up with solid jumbo white shrimp. They forgot about fishing and kept throwing until their Igloo was full. Along the rock groins on Galveston’s seawall, I’ve thrown for shad there in summer and come up with 5-10 nice shrimp per throw, on bottom only eight feet down.

Mullet—I started catching mullet in the 9th grade in Port Arthur with a cast net, when we realized a 20-foot minnow seine in saltwater was a joke. Port Arthur doesn’t really have beaches, and it’s tough to find mullet on a day-to-day basis there, even last summer. At one point these tournament-sized redfish were busting me up every afternoon, if I could just find a small scrap of mullet. They ripped a rod holder off my jonboat and I lost the first rod in many years, but I was fighting double-headers of 26-28 inch reds. But then I’d run out of mullet. Even blue crabs and frozen bait wouldn’t draw a bite, it Menhaden shad caught was weird; those reds had only one item off a Galveston rock on their menu. Without local beaches, groin, right in front of my best mullet spots were concrete boat Gaido’s restaurant.

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ramps, where they hang around to eat algae. Back in Port Arthur you could see lots of them doing that in rocks along the ICW, but jumbled rock is very hard on thrown nets. This summer I may stop there and try a Florida trick, and fish for them with a tiny hook and bobber.

I’ve seen guys wrap almost-dry strands of algae around small hooks, and catch stringers of big mullet. Just one big mullet cut into chunks would have caught another six or seven redfish. Mullet are where you find them, sometimes at the jetties with their heads out of the water at platforms a few miles offshore, or even a bay wellhead.

Blue crab—Easy to find, and last summer Anybody on the boat have a crabs were so thick in the mid-coast in August, castnet? Migrating mullet during we couldn’t use natural bait at all! Toss out 40 the September run. Thousands pass live mullet, and you got 40 crabs. There have around the ends of each jetty on a daily been times over the years when we’ve battled basis, swimming right on the surface. tournament-size reds on half a blue crab.

The perfect black drum bait, except redfish sometimes wanted them more. Last summer I was prowling a spot with a cast net, looking for signs of mullet without luck, and there were a few dudes fishing from shore with frozen shrimp, not having much luck. One was hoping to catch a big black drum. I told him blue crabs were the ticket, and he pulled a crab from his cooler and then produced a blade. I showed these guys how to pull the crab’s shell off and toss it out there for chum, then cut the crab down the middle, and that gave him two baits.

Showed him where to place the hook, in the rubbery joint of the crab’s swimmer fin. Before For some reason, gamefish I could leave, that guy lost a big drum (set the (especially redfish) love the prickly pinfish. They can hook too soon) and then latched on to another be caught by small hook, one, which they landed after much excitement. castnet or pinfish trap.

I yelled back at him, “looks like you need another dozen crabs!” and you could almost see this light bulb go off over their heads. There was a If you’re camping someplace like Matagorda Island without bait, you scramble to check their crab lines. can pick up oysters and use them. An oyster knife is handy, of course.

Pinfish—Before moving to Port O’Connor, we visited there one One winter we had no bait but plenty of oysters, so we cut small October and caught a bunch of good-sized pinfish with the cast net pieces and used them around the pilings, catching a dozen barely around some bulkheads. Somebody hauled us out to Pass Cavallo, legal sheepshead. The result? Fresh oysters and sheepshead fillets where it was muddy and rough. We set out a couple of mediumfried in cornmeal, served piping hot in cold weather. Good enough to sized rods baited with pinfish and holy crap, every fish that hit was make your eyes roll back in your head. either a 40-pound blacktip shark, bull red or jack. Several blacktips jumped repeatedly in the distance, and we were convinced we’d stuck a tarpon, but it was no dice. Every pinfish was gobbled down and we were worn out. So, never pass up a good-sized pinfish. If you’re drift fishing, set him out under a cork and something big will likely grab him.

Joe Richard has fished the Gulf since 1967, starting out of Port ArFiddler Crabs—Diehard sheepshead anglers prefer fiddler crabs thur, but his adventures have taken him up and down the entire coast. that scurry on the shorelines in warm weather. One trick for catching He was the editor of Tide magazine for eight years, and later Florida them, without having to chase them with a dip net, is to bury a coffee Sportsman’s book and assistant can on the shore, flush with the ground. Leave a piece of bait in the magazine editor. He began guiding can. The crabs can smell it and, not being too bright, will try to climb out of Port O’Connor in 1994. His specialty is big kingfish, and his down into the can, where they fall and can’t climb out. latest book is The Kingfish Bible, Other Bait Options—We’ve camped on the beach before, and New Revelations. Available at ghost crabs can be caught and used for surf bait. In daylight they’re Seafavorites.com quick as squirrels, but at night they get confused by lights and can be caught. I’ve only tried them once, but caught a bull redfish.

Contact

Joe Richard

34 | May 2016

Redfish in marshy back lakes and murky estuaries often demand quick shots amid close quarters.

Over-lining the rod helps load a short cast.

STORY BY JOE DOGGETT

L

ouisiana marsh guide Jim Dietz planted the push pole and nodded down the grassy bank. “Big red, incoming at about 1 o’clock.”

I stood with a 9-weight fly rod on the bow of the flats skiff. The four-inch streamer fly was pinched in my left fingers and about 15 feet of fly line belly trailed alongside.

I pointed with the rod tip to confirm the mark, aiming about 60 or 70 feet across the murky water.

“No, no! Not way out there—in close, about 25 feet. Now! Hurry!”

Frantic redirection found the vague image of bronze grumping along near bottom in three feet of water, now almost under our shadow. The rod flipping a quick backhand delivery and the short belly lobbed across the water. The yellow-and-tan bead-eyed streamer plopped down and jerked forward.

The 20-pound bull red saw the motion and surged forward. The thick head and shoulder broke the surface and the white mouth gaped scant inches behind the streamer. Then, in a nanosecond, the red spooked, “bouncing off” the point-blank boat.

“Too late,” Dietz clucked. “If you’d gotten right on him, we’d have hooked him.”

My fumble and bumble was the common mistake in the close-quarters drill of sight-casting to

redfish. Fishing partner Ed Cappel had muffed a similar easy shot 30 minutes earlier. Our reactions were identical and the correction is simple: Be ready Even from the superior for the chip shot. vantage of the poling Cappel and I both know better, platform, spotting but “knowing” and “doing” aren’t redfish in murky water can be difficult. always the same thing. The temptation to look long can be overwhelming when scanning for fish.

We readjusted our sights and wound up hooking seven or eight reds between six and 12 pounds. Most were pegged inside 35 or 40 feet.

Cover the close water first and you have ample time to readjust if a fish is spotted out on the perimeter. Conversely, failure to execute the quick draw can cost an otherwise catchable fish. Remember, with fly or plug, if the fish is incoming and the boat is moving, closing the gap, you have only a few seconds in which to make something positive happen.

Dally beyond that count and you risk the galling sight of a big red boiling away at point-blank range, fleeing “with all the lights on.”

This isn’t stalking bonefish on an alcohol-clear tropical flat.

True, many of the flats and shorelines of the lower Laguna Madre complex are clear; indeed, the long white flat rimming the bay side of south Padre Island rivals the best sight-casting water in the Bahamas or Belize.

But, in the sum, our coastal bays and backwaters can be a bit froggy.

The closer you get to the Mississippi Delta, the truer this is. And, on that note, many Lone Star anglers are no strangers to the fish-rich estuaries of Louisiana.

Suspended sediments often are aided and abetted by drab bottom mud or aquatic vegetation. Add a puff or two of south or southwest wind (opposed to the prevailing east-southeast) to stir mutinous chops, and sub-surface visibility almost certainly will

38 | May 2016

suffer—at least along exposed shorelines.

And, oddly, in sandy-green water bold redfish sometimes are not the easiest fish to spot. You would think they would be, but the big red just sort of—appears.

Right there! Worth note, the gray/black back of a big sow trout can be even harder to spot as the fish ghosts across a grassy flat.

Don’t be a chump. To repeat, this ain’t Andros. You normally don’t need 70 or 80 feet of fly line stripped from the reel and surely tangling under foot in the coastal breeze. If you throw half that distance on a sighted fish (opposed to random blind casting), consider yourself fortunate.

Pulling 50 feet or so from the reel should cover the high percentage of shots.

On the subject of fly line, holding 12 or 15 feet of the fat belly off the rod tip allows the rod to load with one or two backcasts for a short, accurate presentation.

The accepted drill when standing and watching is to let the belly sag from the tip and drag alongside the skiff as you pinch the fly in the off-rod hand.

Put another way, the angler standing on the bow with a mere four or five feet of fly line dangling from the rod tip must fan the air with numerous frantic false casts to feed sufficient line weight to propel the payload. By now, the fish probably has bolted amid a puff of sand.

Of course, the quick-draw tactic of trailing the belly assumes that stringing grass (most common during windblown afternoon hours) isn’t an issue. A wad of moss clinging to the floating line doesn’t do much for the aforementioned crisp presentation. Neither does stepping on the line— all the more reason to keep the stripped coils to a minimum.

Because the close cast is so common when poling for redfish, several line manufacturers offer specialized “redfish tapers.” I believe Scientific Angler was the first. This design compresses the thick belly section into a shorter length, perhaps 20 or 25 feet (sandwiched between the forward taper and the rear taper of the head section) permitting more line weight to help load the rod inside 30 feet.

Ed Cappel’s This compressed configuration lobbing beautiful redfish was onto the surface doesn’t do much for a finesse hooked with a quick presentation, but it certainly supercharges the response and a short close-range quick-draw. cast in sandy water.

On a windy day, going up one line size adds authority to the short game; in other words, slap a 9-weight redfish taper on an 8-weight rod. The same overlining applies if conditions favor using larger, bulkier flies.

Worth note, in marginal visibility “big” often trumps “small” in attracting redfish.

This line business is worth considering. Most bonefish tapers are designed for long, subtle presentations with smaller flies; many of these lines require 35 or 40 feet off the tip to begin to properly load a fast-action rod.

A shorter leader also helps. A The large weighted 10-foot bonefish leader doesn’t streamers often transfer energy from a close effective on aggressive loop as smoothly as, say, a 7 or reds “turn over” best on 8 footer. This especially is true a short, heavy leader. with a bushy flu-flu streamer.

Redfish typically aren’t leader shy, anyway, especially in murky water.

The same quick-draw concept applies when plug or spin casting. Forget about the graceful overhand delivery and be prepared to zip a low-arc shot to cover the close chance. A flat sidearm cast or underhand pitch that you can “feather” down with a soft plop is the percentage choice.

A compact, heavy payload that loads smartly and sails with authority helps punch across a contrary wind. A lead-head jig/tail combo or a suitable spoon is an excellent choice—with the latter probably getting the flashy nod in sandy water. The killer baits come and go, but nobody ever said the venerable gold spoon wasn’t on the A-List for Gulf Coast reds in shallow water.

Plug casting styles vary, and what works for you is what counts, but I prefer a longer rod (say, a seven footer) with sufficient flex in the tip to load for a short-range cast. And, when style points are at stake, I vastly prefer clean casting tackle over clattering spinning gear.

But hard logic must concede that the proper spinning outfit is an excellent choice for close, fast, trouble-free pitching and side-arming.

This especially is true for the inexperienced angler apt to ham-hand a freewheeling casting reel.

Fly casting or plug pitching, the response time when sight-casting to redfish essentially is the same. And focusing—literally—on the close water often is a big key to success.

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Springtime

Post-Front Tactics I typically begin my seasonal articles with something like “This is my favorite season…” but the truth is they are all my favorite. I think most people that really love fishing feel similarly, excited to explore the new seasonal patterns as they evolve. Unraveling these puzzles can be very challenging and also very rewarding through your progression as an angler. My job would not be nearly as enjoyable without them.

Spring offers a vast variety of weather patterns. For example: one day this past week we had normal spring high tides with upper-70s air temps. The next day the tides were completely gone with the passage of a lateseason front, and the temperature dropped into the upper 40s. It soon warmed to the low-60s but the huge swing in conditions killed the bite we had been enjoying.

High atmospheric pressure set in, normal for post-front, and it got tougher than tough.

Where did they go or are did they simply become too uncomfortable to feed?

42 | May 2016

Fish can certainly move, more than we might ever believe at times, but I think it’s more the sudden weather change that puts them in a mixed-up mood. Unsure of what might happen next they put on the blinders and try to ride out the uncertainty until conditions stabilize.

I shot a DVD not too many months back on post-front high-pressure fishing tactics. Perhaps my most boring ever but the content is dead-on accurate and the fish helped me prove the point. If anglers are savvy enough, they will see the value of the little things we discuss in the presentation. In this article I will try to give some explanations to improve your angling odds when things go-a-changing.

We know that many of the bay’s fish-holding structures do not move during our average weather changes. These would be reefs, points, drop-offs and drains. Sandbars on low tides become exposed and bottom grasses come and go by the season. Forage, though, is another matter altogether.

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44 | May 2016

distance from the main body of the reef. The shell I’m describing is typically found in clumps and has a slightly higher profile. If you pick one up you will see that it is actually a group of oysters clumped together.

Some anglers shy from mud-shell in the belief that it is too hard to wade and easy to hang a lure on, especially soft plastics. But I disagree. Try working slowly and carefully, be very conscious of your footing, feeling with your feet to avoid stumbling or bogging down. Switch to a lighter jighead to avoid hanging up and try to develop a quicker wrist action when twitching the lure. Mickey Eastman has the most fluid one I have ever seen.

I have clients that do not fish this type of structure well so I normally just try to stay away from putting them in an area where they’re not proficient.

No point in trying to turn a defensive lineman into a return specialist!

It is very important to at least see a few mullet working the area of scattered shell before committing to working it. This is not such a big deal in the drains because here the fish can be patiently waiting to ambush the food when it comes by.

Over the scattered shell I really have to see bait activity of some kind before I can really get out with confidence and commit to working the area. During seasonal changes like the ones I have described it is so important to be able to settle in and believe you can make it happen. I had a couple of days this week that I thought I had forgotten how to do it myself, so don’t be too hard on yourself if at first you don’t succeed. Practice does not always make perfect but it certainly increases your odds.

The photos in this month’s article are not from the conditions described in this article. Instead they are of Jay Ray and myself with three fish over 10-½ pounds the last week of February. Jay Ray had one over 11 pounds and one right at 10-¾. Mine was over 10 ½ as well. I wanted to recognize his two personal best fish and tell him how lucky I feel to have been there with him. You see, we may never pass that way again, in that moment and time it was one of life’s greatest moments. Like the 10-pound bass I caught with Ryan that hot July day on Lake Nacogdoches. Hopefully we will all have more moments but, if we don’t, I am good with these. Those two boys of mine; what a blessing they have been to me.

May your fishing always be catching. -Guide Jay Watkins

C ontact

Baitfish schools move during sudden weather changes and sometimes become very difficult to locate during the post-front period. Most all the really good anglers I know pay specific attention to locations where substantial and predictable forage sources are in evidence. This is the absolute first thing I search for following a major weather change in any seasonal pattern.

Spring includes pre-spawn and spawning season for speckled trout.

Spawning activity is all about stability in water temperature, salinity and substantial food sources. When we have drops in water levels and water temperatures, the spawning sequence is interrupted and what was the norm is no longer the case, it seems to me.

If I have located an area where bait has been present and bottom structure adequate to provide cover for bait and trout alike, I stick close to this area even when the fish seem not to be eating. I search out small nuances in the surrounding area that might provide additional hideouts. Prespawn trout can be hard to catch at times, maybe it is the pregnant female thing—easy to understand if you’ve ever had a pregnant wife. Pickles and ice cream one minute and the next it’s mustard and sardines. I certainly don’t believe fish are that much like humans, I am merely trying to interject a little humor. Even with pre-spawn fish that can be tricky to please, we can tweak our methods and many times get them to eat.

It’s a common belief (and truth) that you’ll find both trout and reds at the mouths of lake drains when tides have continued to remain low.

What many do not know is that trout, really good ones sometimes, actually move higher in the drains than redfish will. I find that when seasonal patterns are interrupted, trout will often congregate in narrow bends or simply more narrow stretches of the drains.

Two things are accomplished here, I believe. One- the bait is more concentrated due to the natural confines of the waterway. Secondcurrent velocity increases around turns and bends, and also anytime flow becomes funneled into a narrower section. This increase in velocity scours the drain deeper in that location. Deeper and darker is often the key to getting trout to bite under conditions that are not normal for the season.

I am running into this exact scenario as I get this piece ready for publication. Trout are up in the bends and narrows of the drains while the reds are on the outside points, mostly on the NE side during prevailing SE wind. Before the front arrived the trout were scattered on grass beds along the outside shoreline, but in relative proximity to the mouths of the drains.

In the case of trout or reds that have been staged close to shallow reefs, the problem with quick drops in tides and water temperature is that these habitats are no longer suitable. With this said, I try to find and work reefs that are surrounded by slightly deeper, scattered shell.

I refer to it as mud-shell because the bottom is typically softer a short

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

Fishing from a kayak is one of the most enjoyable ways to fish and explore coastal marshes.

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

PFD—No Ifs, Ands, or Buts I sat down with full intentions of writing a happy fishing piece. Then as often happens with writers, I got distracted and decided to check in on some buddies via social media. They were fishing and I wasn’t. While surfing through photos of fish held by grinning anglers, I ran across something that completely changed my mood.

Somewhere out there right now is a young twentyyear-old who fell off his kayak. An extensive search is underway and has been going on more than 24 hours.

I hope he’s okay but as the hours drag on, people who do this kind of stuff as part of their job will tell you it becomes more of a recovery mission than a rescue.

Details are still sketchy but it is clear he and a friend went fishing in some questionable weather. A strong front was blowing in and they had to paddle back to their launch against the wind. The young man flipped and then became separated from his buddy. The friend made it back. So far they have found his kayak and PFD, which he apparently was not wearing.

It seems as though I’m hearing of these incidents more and more. A quick Google search of “missing kayaker” news stories results in several pages of entries. Reading through them, there is a fairly common theme. Most will make mention of inexperience and/or bad weather.

But every single one I read noted that the deceased had not been wearing a PFD. Interestingly, most mentioned locating the kayak and PFD prior to recovering the body.

So the PFD is there, it just isn’t being worn. Now I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t always wear one while 46 | May 2016

kayaking. If I’m in my usual six to twelve inches of water and the weather is good, I feel pretty good about my welfare. I know I’ll catch flak for that from a few folks, but it is what it is. However, if I’m in unfamiliar water, sketchy weather or around a lot of boat traffic, the PFD is on and cinched tight.

I often launch my skiff out of Louis’ Bait Camp at Bayou Vista. This has become a very popular kayak launch over the last few years and what I see as I idle down the bayou towards the bay makes me cringe. Overloaded kayaks, no lights before dawn, and very few anglers wearing their PFD. Hell, most of the time I don’t even see one within quick reach. I’m assuming they’re stored inside the hatch, but I’m sure that there are more than a few that don’t even have one onboard. This is a busy waterway with all manner of boats and jet skis running through it. Yes, it bothers me.

Beyond stressing the PFD point, heading out with a small craft advisory in effect doesn’t make you cool.

You are in a little-bitty plastic boat. And, with all of the weather information we have available these days, there is little reason to get caught out in bad weather.

I know it’s your only day off and you really want to go fishing in your favorite spot, but it just isn’t worth it. If you must fish, have a Plan B or even C. Find someplace protected and preferably enclosed to some degree, a marsh lake or something similar. A protected shoreline is okay, but if something should happen you’re looking at being blown into the open bay. It doesn’t take long for that scenario to turn ugly.

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concentrate on learning what you can and can’t do in your kayak. Lean it over to the tipping point. Turn around in your seat as if grabbing something from the tankwell. Practice falling out and getting back in. Work on re-entry skills in water where you cannot touch bottom—wearing your PFD, of course.

The time to learn all these things is not while you are fishing, and certainly not during inclement weather.

Kayak fishing has been popular for a good many years now and one of the biggest changes I’ve observed is all the “rigging” on paddle boats. Hate to sound like the crotchety old guy but when we started out there was very little excess on our kayaks. We went clean and simple. While that may not seem like a safety issue, some of this rigging bothers me.

Number one on that list would be the anchor trolley set up. I’ve never used one but I can certainly see where they could come in handy at times.

Just be aware of getting tangled in the ropes in the event of a flip.

Sorry for the downer of a column this month but after reading about that young man and trying to imagine the fear he experienced as he was blown away from his friend and into the open bay, I really had no choice but to write my thoughts. I started kayaking about fifteen years ago and through stupidity or bad luck I found myself in a couple rough spots. Luckily I only ended up with only a bruised ego and some hard-earned experience.

I will close with one very important point: If your reason for not wearing a PFD is discomfort, you are wearing the wrong PFD. There are several manufacturers who offer PFDs designed specifically for paddling. They are much less bulky than ski vests and other general purpose devices with larger openings around the arms to allow for greater comfort and freedom of motion without binding and chaffing.

Please be safe out there and never let the macho in your head overrule the gut feeling that’s trying to keep you alive.

The PFD designed specifically for kayaking is the paddling angler’s most important piece of equipment.

(Photo credit Jeff Herman)

With the growth in kayak fishing, there are always newbies coming into the sport. As noted previously, inexperience is often mentioned in the writings of these tragedies. If you are new and unsure of your abilities, try to find a more experienced friend to go with. The Texas Kayak Fisherman internet forum is full of guys all up and down the coast, willing to let a rookie tag along. There are also a number of kayak guides you can hire to shorten the learning curve.

Capt. Dean Thomas of Slowride Guide Service in Aransas Pass holds several kayak fishing schools each year. The classes are fun and informative.

If you are determined to figure it out on your own, spend some time in protected shallow areas until you become familiar with your new boat. Consider not carrying fishing tackle the first trip or two and 48 | May 2016

C ontact

Capt. Dean “Slowride” Thomas preparing to launch a kayak from his mothership.

Capt. Scott Null is a devout shallow water fisherman offering guided adventues via kayak, poled skiff, and wading.

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By Christopher Mace Ph.D. | Coastal Fisheries Division

FIELD NOTES

How to Start a Career in Fisheries

with Texas Parks and Wildlife Frequently, I meet people who express an interest in working for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), especially when they find out I work for the Coastal Fisheries Division. Considering the Coastal Fisheries Division manages the diverse marine fishery resources of Texas’ four million acres of saltwater (which include the bays, estuaries, and the nearshore Gulf of Mexico), it should be no surprise that hundreds of people apply for vacant positions with Coastal Fisheries every year. TPWD is a great agency to work for, as we receive competitive pay and benefits package. But more importantly, much of our staff spend a significant amount of time outdoors on the water sampling and speaking with anglers like you.

After all, “Life’s Better Outside®”!

It seems like it was just yesterday when I was an

50 | May 2016

enthusiastic student thinking about how great a job in fisheries would be. But I was looking for more than a job, I desired a career. So I put on my best shirt and tie and went down to a local fisheries management office to inquire about a Fisheries Technician position my ichthyology professor mentioned in class. Fast forward more than twenty years. I now work for TPWD and find myself on the other side of the table, looking to hire someone to work with my fisheries management team.

As I review the applications we receive, I see a lot of missteps and repeated mistakes. Although I am not a Human Resources expert, in the last few years I have hired six permanent employees, two seasonal technicians, and a handful of summer interns. So I’m getting to know the process pretty well. You might find it interesting to know that we received 292 applications

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for a recent Fish and Wildlife Technician position. Due to logistics and time restraints, only the top 5-10% are typically offered an interview. With so many applicants for one position, statistically speaking, over 99% of applicants will not get the job. So what can you do to improve your odds at landing your dream job? Here are a few tips to help you apply for a Fish and Wildlife Technician or Natural Resource Specialist (biologist) position with the Coastal Fisheries Division of TPWD. The Online Application TPWD uses an online application process which operates through NEOGov. Begin here by creating your application: http://tpwd.texas. gov/business/jobs/. Once you’ve saved your application, it is easy to apply for future vacancies. Checkout what’s available at: http:// agency.governmentjobs.com/tpwd/default.cfm. Please read these vacancy announcements completely, and pay attention to the job description and working conditions. Most of our positions work long hours in potentially adverse weather conditions and require some weekend work.

The TPWD hiring process is formal and structured. Candidates are evaluated and compared to others in the applicant pool. The online application is the first and most important item we utilize to select candidates to interview. Applicants are rated by their work experience, education, and sometimes licenses or certifications. They

52 | May 2016

earn our consideration by demonstrating they have: a) the minimum qualifications; b) the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) listed in the vacancy announcement; and c) the preferred qualifications (if listed). Veteran’s preference is granted to qualified candidates who provide their DD-214 discharge paperwork.

So how do you make that final cut? First and foremost, make sure your application is well prepared, spell checked, and completely filled out. If you have a relevant degree, attach an electronic copy of your transcripts to your application. Be advised; obtaining an official copy of your transcripts from a university takes time and most of these positions are only open for a brief period (10-15 days).

Order your transcripts now so they are handy. It is not necessary to have the university send the hiring manager a sealed official copy.

Consider also attaching a well-formatted resume to the online application, although this is generally not a requirement. Finally, you can also include a cover letter to introduce yourself and include any information not usually found in an application or resume.

The vast majority of applicants eliminated in the first round are those with no fisheries work or boating experience. One excellent way to gain experience is to contact your local fisheries office and volunteer. It’s a win-win activity; our staff gets to share knowledge of field techniques with you, and we benefit from your valuable assistance with our field efforts. The TPWD web page has a “Volunteer Opportunities” section you should visit to

see if there are opportunities in your area. You may contact the hiring manager directly if you have a specific question about volunteer opportunities, the position, or the application process.

However, calling for basic information previously listed in the job announcement is akin to pestering and, hiring managers are very busy people. Consider an email if the question is not time-sensitive.

Research the position you are applying for and study relevant topics. You should customize your application’s “Objective” and “Work Experience” sections, listing the most relevant experience you have. Many list their work history in chronological order, with most recent first. Don’t make the hiring manager hunt around for your qualifications, but avoid going into unnecessary detail about previous work experience that is unrelated to the job you are applying for. Review the preferred qualifications and KSAs listed in the job announcement and focus on them in your application.

Fish and Wildlife Technician positions are field-work positions and as such, at least in Coastal Fisheries, duties are usually conducted on marine vessels. Boat operation and maintenance experience are important to convey, as well as any fisheries work experience you may have. Natural Resource Specialist positions require a college degree in Fisheries, Marine Biology or a closely-related field, and may have a preferred qualification of statistical analysis experience.

Final Steps Provide CURRENT contact information for your former supervisors and professional references. Speak with your references prior to naming them to let them know what the position entails.

When you receive the call for an interview, try to make yourself available in person if at all possible. Take some time to learn about TPWD, the Coastal Fisheries Division, and the specific area in which you would be working. For example, if you are applying for a job working in Aransas Bay, you should take the time to learn a little bit about Aransas Bay if you aren’t already familiar with it (e.g. geography, fisheries, ecology etc.). This may seem obvious to some, but many candidates overlook this step. Finally, dig out that clean blouse or shirt and tie, and prove to us you are the best person for the job!

About the Author: Dr. Christopher Mace is the Ecosystem Leader for the Aransas Bay ecosystem team in Rockport, Texas, where he has worked for the last seven years.

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

TSFMAG.com | 53

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

F LY F I S H ING

Adapting One of the biggest keys to success in fly fishing is the ability to adapt when things aren’t going exactly the way you want them to.

When I speak of adapting I am talking about any of a number of things that can make the difference between catching a fish one day and none the next. Whether talking about changing a fly or fly line or even changing the species that you were planning to pursue on a given day. The key is flexibility and the ability to think outside of the box.

Perhaps the greatest challenge anglers face is transitioning from sight-casting to blind-casting. I know that I have touched on this subject many times over the years but, I feel that I cannot overemphasize the importance. In short, if you’re moving down a shoreline that obviously has fish on it but you cannot see them because of poor water clarity or cloud cover, the obvious thing to do is switch to blind-casting.

So now let’s say that you are blind-casting with little or infrequent success, it might be time to make further changes, like going to a bulkier fly that has more presence and moves more water, or perhaps a fly that makes a lot of racket. From there you might consider going to a clear tip line whether it be floating or intermediate. All of these things can play a factor.

From there, let us talk a about the choice of a fly rod.

And when I speak of this I do not mean brand. Let us say that we are fishing for redfish in foggy conditions with 54 | May 2016

limited visibility somewhere along the Gulf coast and most of the opportunities are coming within 30 feet of the bow. Naturally, at this short range the fish are spooky.

There are several things one might do to assist with the delivery of the fly. The first, at least as I see it, is to go to a weighted fly, to get down to the fish quickly before they spook. The next would be to go to a slower-action rod to provide a more delicate delivery of a lighter fly.

Maybe the only adaptation required is to select a fly of a different color. For example; in a poor clarity situation when the fish seem to be ignoring the offering, it might be because they do not see it. In this scenario, a darker fly, especially in more turbid waters, might do the trick.

The point is that there are many situations in which a fly fisherman can adapt and make changes that will facilitate the catching of fish but, what if Mother Nature has other plans and/or the species being pursued just flat refuses to cooperate? This is where the angler has to decide if they want to fish or if they want to catch. A perfect example of this can be found by looking at the lead image of this piece.

As you can see in the background of the photograph, it was an ice cream day to be on the Gulf looking for tarpon. But, what you cannot see is the fact that the tide was very weak. Tarpon that had been very plentiful the previous day just seemed to up and disappear. I know you have heard the old saying about turning lemons into lemonade. And that is exactly what we had to do that

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day, except that we turned a tarpon trip into an epic day of catching tripletail on the fly.

Now take a look at Mrs. McDowell’s nice snook. Not the tarpon that she booked me to go after but…what do you do when the wind blows 20+ knots and the water turns to Nestlé’s Quick overnight? You look instead for protected water with good current, put on a fly that moves some water, and you start banging every inch of shoreline until you feel the line come tight. Or, in the case of this particular day, we decided to explore some water I had always wanted to fish but never

had the time. The results were obviously photo-worthy.

So, I have given a couple of more glamorous successes we have achieved by adapting to conditions but, there are days when the outcome may seem a bit more lackluster. A good example might be when you look at the forecast the night before and storms are expected to be moving into the area mid-morning. Well, instead of sleeping in, you might consider getting out of bed a little earlier and hitting the dock for trout and mangrove snapper.

Or maybe getting in some early-morning tailing redfish action before the weather hits. Another possibility could be hitting the flats early and then planning on grinding out a marsh drain with heavier flies on a sinking line in the rain, providing it is safe (weatherwise) to do so. Either way, you are fishing and you all know the old saying- the worst day of fishing is better than the best day at work. The point is, if you have a positive attitude and are willing to adapt, success can be achieved.

Not surprisingly, I just walked outside and the wind is blowing 20+ again, and I just got off of the phone with my customer for today. He asked what our options might be. I informed him I would bring along some sugar to go with our muddy water and lemons.

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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K AYA K F I S H ING C H R O NI C L E S

Cover Some Water!

For anyone who has ever fished out of a kayak, you know that it has many advantages. Nothing is perfect though, and this is one sport that includes more than a few downsides. Kayaking is a physical activity that is driven by a paddle and the amount of energy that one is willing to exert. Since it is a slow-moving sport, there is only so much water a kayaker can cover in a day. This is why kayaking is unique and it presents a challenge to an angler every time they hit the water.

Some anglers have the luxury of fishing out of a motor boat and this gives them a certain edge over others. By doing so, boaters can launch at any public ramp on the Texas coast and cover the whole bay or lake within a day.

They can start their day by fishing a main-lake reef and if that does not produce, they then have the option of heading to the opposite end of the lake. Covering this much water in an allotted time makes fishing (almost) effortless by comparison with kayak fishing. At one spot 58 | May 2016

or another you are bound to find some fish.

Now one of the advantages that kayakers have is that our options for launch points are nearly limitless. The disadvantages though are that we are restricted to how much water we can actually fish. Once we launch, we are stuck fishing a certain shoreline or a particular area of marsh. The challenge is then presented to catch fish within a 2-3 mile radius of your launch point. A kayaker’s odds of catching fish will definitely increase with how much water they are able to cover.

When I say “covering” water, what I’m describing is a combination of two things; the distance one is willing to paddle in a given day and how much of any area your line is actually in the water during that period. Multitasking in a kayak can prove to be a difficult thing but with a few suggestions, one can get in a rhythm and fish an entire area thoroughly.

The one factor that comes into play with this is wind

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direction. When I have a set course of where and what I want to fish, whether a shoreline, flat or reef, I try to keep the wind out of my face. If it is blowing directly at you, it makes it difficult to cast, paddle and stay in one area. So if you are able to keep it at your back, do so. A kayaker can even use it to their advantage when drifting a flat or open water. My favorite thing to do is clip my drift sock onto my anchor trolley, adjust to the direction I want to fish and slowly work through an area.

If the wind happens to be favorable that day, working a large area is a little easier. If I am fishing a shoreline, I like to bounce down the edge casting to my surroundings. I will plant my foot on the shore and cast from 12-3 (12 o’clock being the bow of my kayak and 3 o’clock being my direct right side). After making several cast and covering that 90 degrees, I will bounce down the shore about a casting distance from where I previously was and repeat. This way there is very little water that gets missed and if a fish is in the area, they are sure to see your lure. Whether they eat it or not is out of my hands!

The same concept will apply when I fish open water. I will arrive to an area, stake out and adjust my trolley to position me correctly.

I will then begin to fan cast from my 9 to 3 before I decide to move a casting distance forward. Once I locate a fish, I will remember which direction I hooked them at and continue to fish that area hard. If it stops producing, I will head that direction and start the process over again in hopes to find the moving school.

When I plan on fishing in this manner, lure choice is a big part of covering a vast amount of water. I like to rig my FTU “Green Rods” with lures that enable quick retrieves while still making good presentations. The faster I can drag a lure through my allotted area, the faster I can proceed forward and in turn, fish a larger portion of that water. So the few rods I bring with me will have a topwater, gold spoon and a Rat-L-Trap or other crankbait tied on.

I usually start the first hour or so throwing a Skitter Walk or She Dog in search of a blow up. A topwater is a really great lure to locate a school of trout and even a few single-cruising redfish. My favorite thing to do if they are short striking it is to pick up my other rod and throw a Rat-L-Trap where my last bite occurred.

Usually the fish are feeding and will not fail to take a lure below the surface.

Once the sun comes up, I will pick up my rod with the spoon or Rat-L-Trap tied on.

These lures reflect a good amount of sunlight which makes them visible to fish from a great distance. Also, with the faster retrieve I am able to cover a full 180 degrees within a matter of a few minutes. This combination makes for a perfect scenario of covering every inch of water and putting your lure in the strike zone.

When looking at a bay or lake on a map, there is realistically no way that a kayaker will ever be able to fish every inch of it. This in itself presents a challenge to us and I believe that being able to accept and overcome this what makes us great anglers. We have to wisely choose where we are going to fish and “make” that spot produce. Making one or two casts every 100 yards of shoreline is not going to cut it. One needs to make several long casts and fish an area well before moving on.

So grab your paddle and rods and be sure to cover as much water as you are able to!

Dave Roberts is an avid kayak-fishing enthusiast fishing primarily the inshore Upper Coast region with occasional adventures to surf and nearshore Gulf of Mexico.

Email: TexasKayakChronicles@yahoo.com Website: www.TexasKayakChronicles.com

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Volunteers placing oyster shell near Goose Island to create new substrate for oysters and habitat for fish and other species.

Story by John Blaha | Photos by Lisa Laskowski

T S F Ma g C o n ser v a t i o n News

CCA Texas Pledges $1.5 Million to Habitat Restoration and Creation CCA Texas Executive and State Board approved a $1.5 million grant to CCA National’s habitat program—Building Conservation Trust (BCT) at its annual Texas state board meeting in February.

This contribution provides the necessary initial funds to BCT as it moves forward in a three-year capital fundraising campaign. These funds will be dedicated to BCT’s conservation mission for Texas-related projects over the next three years and provide important matching dollars as BCT seeks government grants for habitat restoration and creation projects.

“With the incredible generosity of CCA Texas, this is a very exciting time for our habitat program as we are poised to exponentially expand our capabilities,” said Sean Stone, executive director of BCT. “Over the history of our program, every dollar from BCT has produced at least $3 in marine habitat creation and enhancement. As the campaign progresses we will be in an even better position to do some amazing things for marine resources.”

The Building Conservation Trust was founded in 2010 as the national marine habitat program of Coastal Conservation Association (CCA). BCT is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization exclusively dedicated to providing funding for local, state and national fisheries, habitat conservation and restoration projects. BCT has created a model for the successful collaboration of business, non-profit organizations and government agencies to revitalize critical habitat and establish a vibrant foundation for the marine ecosystem. BCT has partnered with CCA Texas on several projects to date that include Cedar 62 | May 2016

Bayou/Vinson Slough Restoration, nearshore reefing, and oyster reef and marsh restoration projects.

“CCA Texas is extremely excited to be the anchor in the BCT capital campaign,” commented Robby Byers, CCA Texas Executive Director. “As BCT uses CCA Texas’s gift as leverage in securing more funds, this will allow CCA Texas to expand its efforts to put in place new coastal habitat projects along the entire Texas coast.”

CCA Texas volunteers and staff work tirelessly to raise the necessary dollars for habitat restoration and creation,

Recent aerial photo of Cedar Bayou.

and this capital campaign helps to multiply and give back to those efforts. To date, CCA Texas has contributed in excess of $4.2 million dollars to habitat work to the Texas coast since the inception of the CCA Texas habitat program, Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow. CCA

Texas volunteers and leadership look forward to continuing this effort that will help ensure that Texas has a healthy and bountiful coastal resource for current and future generations.

Oyster Restoration at the Grass Roots Level The oyster recycling program “Sink Your Shucks” held an oyster bagging effort on April 2, 2016 at Goose Island State Park. The day began at 8:30 AM with 120 students from Corpus Christi ISD and other volunteers on hand to bag and place recycled oyster shells into the water. Over 1,000 5-gallon sized bags were filled by volunteers and then moved one by one and placed in the water in St. Charles Bay adjacent to Goose Island State Park fishing pier.

The Sink Your Shucks program was the first of its kind in Texas, gathering oyster shell from local restaurants and returning them to local waters, providing both substrate to form new reefs and habitat for fish, crabs and other organisms. This program was founded by the Harte Research Institute in 2009 by Dr. Jennifer Pollack, Assistant Professor in the Department of Life Sciences at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMUCC) and Dr. Paul Montagna, HRI’s Endowed Chair for Ecosystems and Modeling at Harte Research Institute. For more information about the Sink Your Shucks Program, be sure to visit http://oysterrecycling.org/ and or email Dr. Pollack at jennifer.pollack@tamucc.edu.

Sink Your Shucks will hold another event on Saturday, May 7 2016, at Goose Island State Park and encourages the community and students to come out and be a part of the this educational and restoration effort.

Student volunteers filled 1000 bags with oyster shell obtained from local seafood restaurants.

REMEMBER

You have to be entered to win!

By CCA Texas STAR Tournament Staff For those anglers who forget or procrastinate, thinking “It’ll never happen to me or my kids,” here’s a story from Elgin resident, Nick Elliott that should convince you to get your 2016 CCA Texas STAR “fishing insurance” before wetting a line.

On the morning of June 13, 2015, Nick Elliott decided to run out and fish Port O’Connor’s jetty walls. The final red Elliott caught to meet his limit that day was a healthy 23-incher that immediately went into the ice chest.

Nick and his buddy fished a little longer, then decided they better count to make sure they weren’t over their limit. As soon as Nick picked up the last fish, he saw it—CCA Texas 2015 STAR Tag #TA694!

Nick’s elation to have landed a STAR tagged redfish changed instantly to deep dismay, realizing he had not registered for the tournament!

The bait shop where Nick usually launches offered instant STAR registration, but since they didn’t have live shrimp that morning, Nick went to another shop down the road that had live shrimp. That was probably the biggest mistake of the weekend and everyone at the cleaning table let Nick know it. Even the game warden felt bad for him. Nick plans to mount his tagged redfish as a reminder to sign up every year before going fishing.

Sadly, Nick did not qualify to win a loaded Ford F-150 Texas Edition XLT Super Cab pulling a brand new 23’ Haynie Big Foot rigged with Mercury 150L Pro XS OptiMax motor on a Coastline trailer at 2015 CCA Texas STAR Award Ceremony. Our sincere condolences, Nick. Better luck in 2016!

64 | May 2016

STEPHANIE BOYD

F I S H Y FA C T S

Do Fish Feel Pain?

Part II

Disclaimers: The study of whether or not fish feel pain is a divisive issue that certainly can’t be thoroughly addressed in a single article. Furthermore, the neurobiology in this matter is complex, and I’m not qualified to tell if any of it is correct, though I accept that explanations of neurobiology presented in peer-reviewed studies are accurate. ...continued from the April issue.

The Fish Feel No Pain camp also harbors studies, but additionally, likes to point out errors and inconsistencies in the studies and assertions of the Fish Feel Pain camp.

Anthropomorphism is, it seems, the leading error. It’s an intuitive and emotionally powerful argument. A hook in your mouth would hurt; why wouldn’t a fish feel the same?

There is a simple argument to refute this, though. When you pull on a hook embedded in the lip of a fish, the fish pulls in the opposite direction. If I were to put a hook through your nose and pull, would you pull away from me? But wait - didn’t I say we should not infer anything about the psychology of fishes based on what we observe because we are humans, not fishes? Indeed. But let’s, for the sake of argument, anthropomorphize… If we say the hooked fish feels pain the same way the hooked angler does, then we must conclude from the fish’s behavior that fish seek to increase the pain of being hooked by pulling against the hook. Therefore, fish are masochistic creatures because they induce this extra pain repeatedly and on purpose.

Okay, so maybe fish do not experience human pain, but what about fishy pain? Here is where the neurobiology comes in. Suffice to say, fish lack the neuroanatomical structures necessary for translating nociceptive signals into pain. (If you want all the details, check out the article on Scientia Salon in the list of resources. Here’s a preview: “Fish lack the distinct topographical coding of spatiotemporal 66 | May 2016

integration of different somatosensory modalities; they lack the higher-order integration of somatosensory information with other sensory systems; and they lack a laminated and columnar organization of somatosensory information.”)

In humans (and other mammals), the neocortex and mesocortex are responsible for interpreting pain. There is no convincing, empirical evidence that the fish brain has analogous structures that perform the same function.

The classic way of determining how different parts of the vertebrate brain function (both in fish and mammals) is to physically remove them, one by one. From such studies, we know that there is no unique part of the fish brain.

Birds and reptiles do have neuroanatomical features that would theoretically, maybe, allow them to feel pain.

Cells seemingly functioning like mammalian cortical cells were found in some different places in bird brains, and still another place in reptiles. That was in 2012. Fishes?

Nothing yet. Some have argued that bony fishes have forebrain structures which are homologous to those involved in human pain, but homology means only that a structure was present in a common ancestor (of fishes and mammals). No functional equivalent has been established.

If fish do not feel pain, what causes the behaviors that resemble what we would interpret as pain (squirming, writhing, gasping, etc.)? The answer is nociception. Studies with decerebrate rats have shown that pain-like behaviors, including avoidance learning and conditioned emotional response, are possible without the part of the brain that interprets pain. Rose et al. (2014) provides more detail on these experiments and results.

Rose et al., the MVP of Fish Feel No Pain camp, is an evaluation and critique of recent research and literature pertaining to fish pain. Foremost is Rose et al.’s assessment of Sneddon et al. The first part under fire is Sneddon’s criteria: (1) to show that the animal has the same apparatus to

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detect a noxious stimulus that humans have.

– This only requires the presence of nociceptors, which are neither necessary nor sufficient for experiencing pain.

(2) to demonstrate that a noxious event has adverse behavioral and physiological effects.

– Physiological and behavioral responses to noxious stimuli are fully possible and (even in humans) regularly executed without consciousness, which is an essential requirement for pain.

(3) the animal should learn to avoid this noxious stimulus.

– Avoidance learning can involve only unconscious associative conditioning, and thus doesn’t require pain.

(4) the behavioral impairments during a noxious event should not be simple reflexes.

– Many studies describe pain as a response that is “more than a simple reflex,” but no explanation is provided to distinguish between a simple reflex and a complex reflex. Typically, a simple reflex would be something like a knee jerk or a limb withdrawal, and a complex reflex would include vomiting or righting reflexes, which require coordinated action of numerous muscles. According to this criterion, almost any sustained, whole-animal behavior that seems to result from a noxious stimulus would be considered evidence of pain. This practice constitutes the logical fallacy of false dilemma: a situation in which only limited alternatives are considered, when there is, in fact, at least one additional option. This can arise intentionally to force a choice or outcome. Also, using such vague and open-ended language allows investigators to decide what they want behaviors to mean, after the fact.

Then there are inconsistencies in the results. First, sustained pain should have triggered an endocrine stress response, causing increased swimming. However, no change in swimming occurred. Second, not eating is considered a reliable response to stressful or noxious stimuli, but the trout were eating within ninety minutes when the effects of the acid persist three hours. Third, the rocking behavior was likely induced by the anesthesia since no rocking behavior was observed when Newby and Stevens repeated the experiment sans anesthesia in 2008. Fourth, the authors concluded that the mouth rubbing behavior was due to pain, but they also interpreted the ninety minutes to resume feeding as avoiding mouth stimulation (due to pain). If they were avoiding mouth stimulation, why did they rub their mouths on the gravel?

The interpretations are contradictory and constitute an example of hypothesizing after the results are known (HARKing).

In another paper on rainbow trout, Sneddon dosed fish with morphine after injecting them with acid, observed reduced mouth rubbing, and concluded this to be proof that mouth rubbing indicated pain. However, the dose of morphine required for this result was ten times the lethal dose for any bird or mammal of similar size, and still did not alter the swimming behavior of the trout. This alone illustrates that the response of trout to morphine is quite different from mammals (Sneddon later stated that the published dose was an error, but the corrected amount still exceeded the lethal dose in mammals by a significant margin).

Moving on from Rose… Sylvia Earl’s assertions about fish definitely feeling pain are problematic because they reverse the scientific burden of proof, and therefore the hypothesis, from “fish do not feel pain” to “fish feel pain.” While the first employs the key principle of scientific reasoning (falsification), the second could not be disproven even if every fish on Earth could, in fact, not feel pain. Imagine trying to disprove the hypothesis “fish do not feel pain.” You would only need to 68 | May 2016

find one fish, anywhere, that feels pain. Now imagine trying to disprove the hypothesis “fish feel pain.” Finding one fish that doesn’t feel pain fails to disprove it. Even if we could, somehow, test every fish species on the planet, some 30,000, it would not disprove the hypothesis. What if there are fish on other planets that feel pain? What if past fish, now extinct, felt pain? What if fish evolve that feel pain? What if there is a single mutated fish, an anomaly within its species, that feels pain? There’s simply no way to disprove the hypothesis, “fish feel pain.” The reasonable course of action is to choose a hypothesis that can be disproven.

Now, I’d like to focus on the feeding habits of fishes, and to begin, I offer “the bane of reasoned scientific consensus,” a story (from an angler): “I was once fishing in the vicinity of a number of other anglers and caught an undersized fish. Unhooking it prior to release, I saw a piece of fishing line running from its mouth. Closer inspection revealed an eye of a hook protruding out of its gullet, deep in its mouth behind the gill rakers. Deciding to attempt a ‘good Samaritan’ act, I took my long nose pliers and carefully worked the hook out of the fish’s esophagus.

As the bend of the hook emerged I was amazed to see that there was a minnow, still hooked through the lips. The minnow, while dead, was bright eyed, the fins not frayed, the scales and mucous coating intact… despite the gastric acid of the gut. My conclusion was that the minnow had been dead for less than 30 minutes, more likely, less than 15.”

Put that story in a human context. Suppose, while eating dinner, you swallow your fork, and it impales your esophagus and becomes stuck, with just the tip visible at the back of your mouth. What do you do? Start in on the second course!

Fish often eat things that would be very painful for you or me to consume: urchins, crabs (uncooked, mind you), coral, barnacles, stingrays (stinger included), catfish, etc. Although some predatory fish have evolved particular features for eating tough prey (such as bonyplated mouths for eating coral) and often show preference for softer, squishier foods, they still frequently eat things that cause injury. One great hammerhead, Sphyrna mokarran, was found with 96 stingray barbs embedded in the mouth, throat, and tongue. These feeding habits are difficult to reconcile with anthropomorphic claims that fish feel pain.

A study by Wedemeyer and Wydoski in 2008 focused specifically on angling effects in wild salmonids, including brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis; brown trout, Salmo trutta; cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarkii; and Arctic grayling, Thymallus arcticus. The fish were hooked and played for 1-5 minutes. Stress-sensitive indicators, including blood glucose, chloride, osmolality, and hemoglobin were measured immediately after capture. All measurements were well within normal physiological tolerance limits. Then, fish of the same species that were hooked and played for 5 minutes were released into net pens and held for up to 72 hours. The confined fish exhibited blood chemistry alterations that appeared to be related to stress, indicating that confinement causes more physiological stress than either hooking or playing. Similar results were found in snapper, Pagrus auratus, and mao mao, Scorpis violaceus. While handling and exposure to air does trigger a fish’s physiological stress reaction, successful catch-and-release, (which obviously excludes accidental mortality) seems to cause little physiological stress, and zero past the immediate minutes following release. There’s no need to unduly anthropomorphize animals in order to treat them humanely.

Because we so easily reflect on our own behavior, we think of animals as having the same qualities, but this line of thought can camouflage biologically and evolutionarily more probable explanations of animal

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behavior. Furthermore, much of human behavior is unconsciously enacted, and our survival depends on that fact (or it used to, when immediate reactions meant the difference between life and death).

The mind increases operating efficiency by relegating much of the high-level, sophisticated thinking to the unconscious, which does a surprisingly excellent job of sizing up the world, warning you of danger, setting goals, and initiating action – hence the ‘law of parsimony’: why propose the existence of a more complex process (consciousness and pain) when a less complex one (adaptive unconscious and nociception) accounts for the data, especially when there is no plausible mechanism for the more complex process?

Overall, having read about 100 pages of literature on the subject (which is a fraction of what’s available), the Fish Feel No Pain camp does seem to be more robust in its evidence and logic, and at least equal in its anthropomorphic comparisons. While I am personally convinced that fish do not feel pain as we conceptualize it, there appears to be much we still don’t know (somatic vs. visceral pain in fish, for one). I think our conclusions should reflect our uncertainty, and we should err on the side limiting harm where it might occur.

Practice safe catch and release!

animalstudiesrepository.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1044&context=acwp_vsm “Can Sylvia Earle Save the Oceans” www.outsideonline.com/2030946/marine-biologist-sylvia-earle-profile “Can fish really feel pain?”

Rose, J. D., Arlinghaus, R., Cooke, S. J., Diggles, B. K., Sawynok, W., Stevens, E. D. and Wynne, C. D. L. (2014) www.fecpl.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Rose-et-al-2014_Fish-andFisheries.pdf “Physiological and Behavioural Responses to Noxious Stimuli in the Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua)” Jared R. Eckroth, Øyvind Aas-Hansen, Lynne U. Sneddon, Helena Bichão, Kjell B. Døving journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0100150 CFOOD | Science of Fisheries Sustainability cfooduw.org/do-fish-feel-pain-sylvia-earle-talks-fishing-ethics/ Scientia Salon scientiasalon.wordpress.com/2015/02/05/why-fish-likely-dont-feel-pain/ LiveScience www.livescience.com/37921-do-fish-feel-pain-fish-pain.html

Where I learned about fish pain, and you can too!

“Nociception in Fish: Stimulus–Response Properties of Receptors on the head of Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss” Ashley, Paul J., Sneddon, Lynne U., McCrohan, Catherine R.

70 | May 2016

Science Daily www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130808123719.htm …..and many other studies.

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Jack crevalle will be wreaking havoc on schools of menhaden in the bays and Gulf beachfront in May.

CURTISS CASH

IN S H O R E | N E A R S H O R E | J E TTI E S | P A S S E S

ENSO Effect and Barking Monkeys Discussions of the current El Niño and a possible La Niña weather event have been all the rage the last twelve months. Rightly so, considering that the El Niño Sothern Oscillation (ENSO) greatly alters the weather patterns experienced worldwide and along the Gulf coast.

There are typically three phases involved in the ENSO phenomenon. They begin with El Niño’s gradual warming of waters in the Equatorial Pacific, which eventually slows into a second phase known as a neutral state, followed by the opposite forces of La Niña.

The significant rains last spring could be attributed to the winding-up effect of the Pacific currents at the beginning of the ENSO. The freshwater influx into the bays were a welcomed boon on the mid-coast as salinity returned to more favorable estuarine levels and our bays came alive.

The mild winter and comfortable spring temperatures we have experienced are the effects of the ENSO winding-down. The El Niño should become noticeably weaker, perhaps dormant by early summer. It’s this neutral state before a La Niña event that I’m most excited about. If all goes well we might experience a calmer summer season for fishing.

During our most recent neutral state of the ENSO phases the weather and catching was phenomenal.

Starting around Memorial Day last year we experienced 72 | May 2016

James White landed this nice early-season tripletail. Look for them arriving inshore around jetties and Gulf passes this month.

Warrior’s Weekend 10th Anniversary will be celebrated May 19-22.

Come show your support, Warrior’s fishing day will be Saturday May 21.

a good push of clean, warm water from the Gulf of Mexico and favorable weather patterns that continued through summer.

Calm conditions got our fishing off to a good start by bringing with it a number of migratory species.

The clean water held kingfish, Spanish mackerel, and little tunny in less than 40-feet of water until fall.

The cobia also pushed in closer to the beach which allowed for more opportunity. They often worked the color changes, along jetty rocks, and tagged along with large turtles and manta rays near the beach.

Throughout summer we had calmer days to get outside the bay more often. Running the surf chasing trout and/or fishing the jetties or nearshore structure was the norm. We even caught schoolie dorado several times less than a mile from the beach and hooked sailfish within sight of the dunes.

Consistently calmer conditions make for more opportunity no matter how you fish, the methods you might be able to employ, and the species you might encounter.

Let the croaker soaking commence!

Contrary to popular belief, live croakers are much more than a silver bullet for catching speckled trout.

They are equally coveted by cobia, kingfish and tarpon that will devour them with enthusiasm. Both flounder and redfish have a hard time keeping their TSFMAG.com | 73

C ontact

My most productive methods to fish live croaker is to free-line King mackerel should be arriving the bait with little or no additional later this month, nearshore and at the weight. Casting perpendicular to jetties. Look for strong incoming tides a drop off, parallel on a shoreline and calm conditions for best results. gut, or tossing onto sand pockets all work great. Methods and locations may change but one thing is certain, these barking monkeys like to seek refuge.

They will find structure to hide within—grass beds, clump oyster and also abandoned crab traps.

Getting your bait into the strike zone and keeping it from fouling on structure can present certain challenges. I often use a Chatter Weight rattle tube to assist with longer casts while adding fish attracting noises. Rigged inline, approximately 20 inches ahead of the hook, with 20- to 30-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader works well. My favorite is the MiniChatter Weight from Texas Rattlin’ Rig. This 1/10 ounce rattlesnakesounding fish attractor weighs about the same as a #5 split shot.

Other than the obvious rattle, the Chatter Weight sinks up to mouths shut and you may even catch black drum on them. The month 10-times slower than traditional lead, given the natural buoyancy of of May is when catching with this bait really picks up. Croakers are the plastic and air inside. This slow-sink ability encourages the bait to extremely effective, user-friendly and, what’s not to like about that wriggle and pull harder while headed toward bottom. The internal hard thump when a fish crushes them? beads resonate with each tug from the bait. The addition of weight To be most successful when using this bait it takes more than of the device to the terminal rigging, in general, and the fact that it simply lobbing it out and leaving it to rest. I see this all the time, “catches” a following breeze, enables greater casting distance. three fisherman onboard using identical rigs yet only one of them I normally attach a size #6 SPRO-Brand Power Swivel via a #2 Spro hooks up consistently. With all things considered equally, luck split ring to the Chatter Weight. The smooth rotation of the swivel plays but a small factor in consistent catching. Favorable results allows for increased action from the live bait with less chance of are realized most often when effort and skill are added to the mix. tangles around the fishing line. Positioning the swivel on the rattle It is no doubt the combination of longer casts, well-placed baits, tube toward the hook keeps line twist to a minimum. attentiveness, proper twitching motion and a good hook-setting Chatter Weights come in larger sizes and several colors, some with technique that puts fish in the box. prismatic tape for added attraction. I like to use the silver or gold Many bait docks on the mid-coast have been carrying them over color in clear water and chartreuse or red in stained water. Of limited the winter. I’ve used them on a couple of times on charters but we consequence, the only real drawback I’ve encountered while fishing caught trout 4:1 on live shrimp or soft plastics in the same area.

Chatter Weights is that fish occasionally try to eat the rattle. When That significantly proves they are not the evil end-all for the trout fishing near the jetties or in the surf I like to use the natural-tan population, or does it? Depending on the seasonal conditions, colors (non-reflective) to reduce attacks from ladyfish, bluefish and certain fish rely heavily upon one food source or another for reasons Spanish mackerel. unknown to me.

The croakers I have netted and purchased from bait docks lately are Capt. Curtiss Cash offers charters in the Port O’Connor area; of decent size. A warmer winter season may attribute to the abovespecializing in fishing the bays, passes, jetties, surf and average size for this time of the year. Last year in May and again in the nearshore waters. Species targeted include speckled trout, redfish, flounder, tripletail, black drum, bull reds, sharks, fall months we caught the greatest numbers of quality-size croakers snapper, kingfish, ling and tarpon, when seasonally available. on hook and line I can remember. I believe that trawling for them has decreased over the last couple of summers, possibly allowing them to Phone

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Cutting the leader drop in preparation for releasing Dwade’s mako. Note the numerous mating scars.

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 L IN S

Déjà Vu The sea is a truly magical place and the pursuit of its unknowns is the very essence of fishing. Recreational anglers seek to unravel the sea’s mysteries with rod and reel and whether we ever realize or understand, we are driven by dreams of landing great fish. While it is not practical to expect a “divine” trophy every trip, the possibility that such might occur looms every time we go.

I have been blessed with a collection of “lifetime” fish yet my personal “aquarium” is far from maximum capacity.

I am beyond obsessed and every remarkable catch drives me harder in my pursuit of the next.

As a fishing guide and with many fishing friends, I achieve as much satisfaction watching others fulfill their own dreams. The adrenaline rush and sense of accomplishment after releasing a monster, theirs or mine, is always the same.

The story I am about to relate borders on surreal. I doubt even Hollywood could script something this outrageous. Yet, it happened—and on a beautiful Easter weekend to boot!

To set the stage—this year’s 76 | May 2016

spring transition in the South Texas surf was unusual in many ways. Blacktips showed up in force in mid-February.

The first week of March produced the first surf-caught Texas mako in more than a decade; I wrote about it last month. A week later large bull sharks were destroying baits instantly upon deployment. A succession of moderate cold fronts kept beach water temperatures in the upper-60s and during this time blue-water pushed in to just beyond the beach. Big sharks were showing in

uncommon abundance, shadowing and feeding on schools of jack crevalle.

Making camp and readying tackle we could not help but notice the lack of shark activity. Spanish mackerel and jackfish were everywhere along the beach, but where were the sharks?

Fishing a couple hundred yards to our north was good friend and fishing buddy, Dwade Hickey.

Dwade and I began our sharking careers together although his hardcore time on the beach is now greatly limited with family responsibilities. Another fishing buddy and partner in crime, Scott Nelson, was set up a similar distance to the south.

Shark activity began to pick up as afternoon came around. We had a few runs here and there without hooking up when Dwade finally broke the ice with a blacktip. “The bite” this story is about came at 3:00 pm.

Dwade’s oldest son, Dustin, was kayaking a shark bait when one of his big outfits went off. Dwade had no clue what he had hooked, but the fish was big and powerful, that much was evident. I hurried to see what the fuss was about and found him engaged in the initial run of a slow but steadily moving fish. Our first thought was a big tiger. I left Dwade to the fight and ran down the beach to get Scott to assist us, gathering camera and satellite tagging gear on the way. Tagging another mako was our goal but putting a satellite tag on a big tiger was highly acceptable in our opinion.

Despite having not put a large shark on the beach in a quite a while, you would never know by the textbook job Dwade was doing. He turned the fish just as we arrived and was gaining ground.

With the fish approaching the second bar we could occasionally see the dorsal and then the tail, the dark silhouette seemed to confirm a tiger.

Scott and I waded out as Dwade coaxed it toward the first bar. Even though far from our first big shark at the leader we are always very cautious—adrenalin in both man and fish can cause unexpected things to happen. I got the tail rope on it without incident and…Holy Cow… what we thought was a large tiger turned out to be a giant mako!

The game suddenly changed. Makos can be acrobatically dangerous in shallow water, even after a good fight, and this one was massive. I managed to get the tail roped and Scott and I put everything we had into dragging it backward toward the beach. The powerful tail thrusts had us hanging on for dear life. Finally beached, we were in total awe.

Dwade was in awe as well. Not only his first mako, but only the fifth ever to hit the sand on a Texas beach. And easily the largest. The old brute female, with fresh mating scars, taped out at TSFMAG.com | 77

C ontact

10’—6” despite a nubbed tail. A near-state record fish, though we were all in agreement she would be released.

We worked quickly, cutting the single leader drop and leaving the hook. After measurements The tag is on. The mating ritual of makos is vicious as and photos we got busy installing the satellite tag. scars on her back attest.

Time out of water is critical to a successful release and Dwade and I soon had her swimming strongly out to sea, sporting new jewelry.

An incredible round of cheers and highfives roared through camp as we reveled in the incredible achievement. This is what big-game fishing is all about. Little did we know that there was a lot more to come.

Roughly two and a half hours after we released Dwade’s mako, lightning would strike in my camp when I hooked another large shark. The initial Dwade steadies the mako’s dorsal as the satellite tag is applied. run went as expected, straight offshore, slow and steady. This one I just knew was a tiger. Scott came over cheerfully pumped up. Dwade soon joined us.

I fought the fish nearly 30 minutes while it swam through my spread tangling other lines. Bringing it to the first bar Dwade and Scott went out to apply the rope. In the rack lights, even from atop the platform I noticed something strange.

Dwade was shouting mako. Not just any mako, it was HIS mako. Incredibly, the same fish had returned and taken another bait! Scott and I freaked instantly, fearing she might not survive a second fight.

I jumped off the truck and rushed to cut the leader drop. So wanting the fish to live I never even posed for a photo. The shark was visibly more stressed than after the first landing and every second was precious. Dragging a 600- to 700 pound mako out through crashing waves in near complete darkness is the creepiest feeling in the world, but we had to do it.

Fortunately, she had enough strength remaining and swam off, for the second time, with satellite tag blinking as it pinged location messages. Overjoyed that she survived the second release, we were still quite concerned with having left two hooks with leader drops in her. We feared we would find her washed up dead the next morning.

The satellite tag can only send a signal when the dorsal breaks the surface. And starting that evening and nearly every day since, she has been sending signals. What seemed a potentially catastrophic situation turned into a miracle on Easter. She is alive For the past decade Eric ‘Oz’ Ozolins has been promoting shark and providing scientists at Harte Research Institute with very catch and release and assisting various shark research programs. Eric offers guided shark fishing on Padre Island National Seashore. Also valuable data. Anybody interested can track this epic mako on the renowned for extreme kayak big game fishing, Eric runs Kayak Wars; OCEARCH shark tracker (ocearch.org). one of the largest kayak fishing tournaments in the world.

Her name is Lazarus. How fitting.

Email oz@oceanepics.com

78 | May 2016

Websites

extremecoast.com | oceanepics.com | kayakwars.com

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Dickie Colburn

DICKIE COLBURN’S Sabine Scene

Facebook pictures didn’t do it justice.

With more water rushing out of Toledo Bend at one point than Niagara Falls, there was little time for anyone living anywhere near the river to prepare.

Sabine Deweyville was inundated before many families could even begin to pack up and the water quickly spread across the surrounding marshes, parts of Orange, and even I-10!

Dickie Colburn is a full The fire ants, snakes, feral hogs and time guide out of Orange, Texas. Dickie has 37 years gators looking to share high ground experience guiding on were expected, but it was the velocity Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes. of the flood water headed south to Sabine Telephone Lake that we had never 409-883-0723 before experienced.

Website www.sabineconnection.com When the water finally stopped rising our home was still dry. While we have been blessed to be able to help friends not as fortunate recover, it wasn’t until we moved our own items back in and I plugged in the computer that I fully appreciated just how blessed we were.

Prior to the mandatory evacuation notice, my cell phone and computer were already lighting up with emails and calls from not only friends in the area, but clients that have fished with me as well. These were not just “How’s it looking over there?” calls, but offers of everything from a place to stay to helping sandbag and move appliances and furniture.

Upon turning the computer back on, I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of folks that had offered to help in any way they could.

As I began reading them I discovered that a number of these offers came from readers of this magazine that I have never even met!

While I would find it difficult to ever ask anyone for help, I do not find it difficult to thank each of you from the bottom of my heart. Reading each of those emails was something I will never forget!

As soon as we could find the launches again we were back on Sabine Lake armed with a few tricks learned following the never-ending flooding of last spring. The water clarity was much better than expected and that is a confidence booster if nothing else.

They may not be your first choice, but the redfish and flounder are still 82 | May 2016

hanging around the drains and bayous on the east side of the lake. We are already catching more flounder than I would have expected and slot redfish are hammering away at schools of juvenile shad riding the tide changes.

Not surprisingly, due to the high water, a lot of the redfish are scattered all over the flooded marsh ponds. Being as quiet as possible and making long casts when stalking these fish will serve you well. If you want to try something a little different as well as exhilarating, rig a Ribbit frog weedless on a 5/0 hook and slowly swim it back on the surface. The blow-ups are addicting!

If we can dodge significant rain events for a week or two, this massive glut of fresh water could get purged pretty quickly. The only question then would be how quickly the larger trout adapt as this has always been one of our Flooding has not prime months for catching a hampered the bragging-size fish. flounder bite!

The first place they will show up will be the flats near deeper water both on the north and south ends of the lake. It is typically dealer’s choice as far as lures are concerned. Assassins rigged on 1/16 ounce heads, She Dogs and MirrOdine XL’s can all be lethal, as can a Sea Shad or Usual Suspect fished under a cork.

While waiting for the trout bite in the main lake to bounce back last year, we found a more consistent bite fishing the ship channel south of the Causeway.

It was a carnival-like atmosphere most days in Lighthouse Cove, but much too late we also discovered that decent numbers of 15- to The water did not leave anywhere near 20 inch fish were hanging out on as fast as it arrived. small isolated shell piles on the south end of the lake.

The key to duping these fish for us was dead-sticking a Lil’ John or 4-inch Sea Shad on the shell and moving it very little. Every bite was light, but the trout was usually there when you set the hook. Chicken on a chain and purple demon were easily the best colors for us.

Sign yourself and the kids up for the CCA S.T.A.R. tournament today and fish with them every chance you get.

Thanks again!

©JASON ARNOLD

IF WE SAVE THE SEAGRASS,

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Capt. Caleb Harp

The Buzz on Galveston Bay

Galveston

Capt. Caleb Harp has fished the Galveston Bay System since childhood and, now a charter captain and fishing guide, he uses his knowledge to enable clients to enjoy the excellent fishing the area offers. His specialty is the yeararound pursuit for trophy trout and redfish with artificial lures

Telephone 281-753-3378 Website harpsguideservice.com

84 | May 2016

Timing has been everything lately. Traditionally, though, April is always like this. You can go where there are fish and you’ll have to sit and wait for them to go off. When the fish do go off, it can be very memorable, but it’s often frustrating grinding on them until it happens.

Fish seem very temperamental this time of year. They need Wayne Whitney something to flip the feeding fighting a good trout. switch and good luck predicting what it’ll be. I’ve had days when we started at sunrise during a minor with full outgoing tide, continued on through the major at midday with the tide incoming, to no avail.

But as soon as the sun starts going down—hold on! That’s April to a tee. Sometimes it’s best to just go for the long haul, fish hard all day and hope for the best.

May brings more consistency to the bite, in general. They’ll start to get into more of an early summer routine now that the spring

transition is mostly behind us. Everything seems to be happening a little ahead of schedule this year so I think that our May fishing has potential to be really great!

Fishing deeper water will become a thing to do in the coming month. A lot of the fish are already trying to pull away from the flats but each little cold snap brings them right back. As soon as we are without fronts for a couple weeks and the water temperature settles into the 70- to 75⁰ range, the fish will become way more active and move to deeper, cooler water. Don’t forget about wading the sand flats during this time, though. You can experience some phenomenal bites throwing big topwaters right at sunrise.

Warmer water temperature has a reputation for firing the better fish into feeding frenzies. Keying on slicks along the transition zone, where flats taper to deeper water, is known to produce outstanding results during May.

East Galveston Bay East Bay looks promising. Fresh water isn’t totally gone, but it’s nothing that we’re not used to dealing with the last two years. Wading has been the ticket lately but with the push of fish headed out deep, drift fishing is becoming more successful, too. Like I talked about above, timing is everything so try not to get too frustrated if they don’t lightoff as soon as you pull up to your spot, it’s often a waiting game.

While wade fishing during the coming month, focus on sand bottom with scattered shell. Topwater lures Drifting fishing can be have been best but whenever the bait hasn’t very good during May. been as active, soft plastic lures such as a MirrOlure Provoker rigged on a 1/16 ounce jighead have been the way to go. If you can catch the water really clean, the old school MirrOlure 51 MRs are hard to beat this time of year as well.

May in East Bay is known for the reef fishing. Reefs can offer some easy drift-fishing but can become totally overrun by flat billers at times. Remember to be courteous while fishing the reefs and try to keep a respectful distance from other fisherman. Use your trolling motor once in the area of the reefs and try to refrain from cranking up your big motor and blowing through the areas where everyone else is going to drift.

West Galveston Bay West Bay has been growing inconsistent but still giving up good catches from time to time. The fish are stacking up on sandier shorelines over grass and shell. We’re still seeing a lot of shad and the fish are feeding on them reliably. Wade fishing has been best over sand and shell bottoms with topwaters. Once the topwater bite begins to fade, plum-chartreuse MirrOlure Provokers on 1/16 ounce heads have been dynamite. Redfish have been plentiful in the marsh on Bagley spoons and paddletails. Flounder have been spotty but they are showing more consistently on shallow sand flats around bayou drains the last week or so.

Trinity Bay Trinity is still a mess. My home water seems like a thing of the past but one day she’ll be back.

The Trinity River is down to 14,000 cubic feet per second versus the 55,600 cubic feet per second flow it averaged for months. With the right tides we could see a push of trout coming back into the lower parts of the bay, maybe late-May or early-June. But the April showers aren’t over yet and we could get slammed again. Keep your fingers crossed!

Stay safe out there.

-Capt. Caleb Harp

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Bink Grimes

The View from Matagorda

The dog-walker pranced away from the stonework – left, right, left, kalooosh! Foam splattered as the hostile five-pound speck headed for the safe confines of the enchanted rocks. I would never be the same again.

Texas’ jetty systems are part of the lifeblood Matagorda of our estuaries. Like a vein delivering blood to the heart, a jetty is a thoroughfare pumping new swells of fresh brine to the upper reaches of bays and backwaters. Its Bink Grimes is a full-time fishing granite acts like a surgeon’s stint, buffering and hunting guide, freelance erosion from ardent tides while keeping writer and photographer, and channels open and flowing assiduously. owner of Sunrise Lodge on Matagorda Bay. It is a haven for shad, shrimp, anchovies, pogies, mullet, crabs and ballyhoo filtering in and out, and the jetty coughs up a new Telephone 979-241-1705 crop of gamefish with every summer tide.

Email My first fight with a big, bronze, bull binkgrimes@sbcglobal.net redfish pushing 44 inches came at the Website bottleneck of the Big Jetty in Port O’Connor. matagordasunriselodge.com I tangled with that Toro on very light tackle while drifting a live shad in 35 feet of water; however, by the time I landed it, the beast had taken me to1 95 feet. 9:24:57 AM Trokar_TexasSaltwaterFishing_L197_Redfish_May.pdf 3/31/2016

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On a normal May day, big reds, jacks, sharks and even tarpon hang out around the rocks; and, the largest speckled trout of the summer are routinely caught there as well.

Natural baits are the tastiest offering, but plugs and soft plastics hold their own as well.

The past two Mays have been great at the Matagorda and Port O jetty. We catch them on Bass Assassins, Down South Lures, Super Spooks, She Pups, MirrOlures and live shrimp.

Flats adjacent to jetties are solid as well. We love to wade sand and grass near Port O on the incoming tide. Those trout we catch around the rocks follow the bait to the flats on ardent incoming tide. Find a slick and you are in the game.

The sand and grass sloughs and potholes in West Matagorda Bay cry for a topwater in May. I have made a living for 20 years now on the incoming tide or first two hours of the outgoing and never get enough

of a stressed drag. We will also work deep reefs in West Bay out of the boat and many times catch fish every cast.

East Bay always gives you a chance to catch a big trout, wading or drifting. The reefs in the middle of the bay are great to wade when the weather allows. Those deeper reefs of mud and shell hold just as many solid trout out of the boat.

Tides are running green and ardent currents are ushering in new recruits of fish from the Gulf of Mexico.

The Matagorda Bay system is in great shape from the past eighteen months of rain. The freshwater has revived our bays and given a jolt of life to shrimp, shad, mullet and crabs.

When the bottom of the food chain thrives, the top species like specks and reds prosper as well.

Shorts and flip-flop weather is here. Loosen your drag! Follow our catches on Instagram @ matagordasunriselodge.

TSFMAG.com | 87

Capt. Shellie Gray

MID-COAST BAYS With the Grays

Port O'Connor Seadrift

Captain Shellie Gray was born in Port Lavaca and has been guiding in the Seadrift/Port O’Connor area full time for the past 14 years. Shellie specializes in wading for trout and redfish year round with artificial lures.

Telephone 361-785-6708 Email bayrats@tisd.net Website www.bayrat.com

88 | May 2016

Adapting to spring’s windy conditions has been a daily challenge and you can look for that to continue through May. While Gary and I have become accustomed to the wind giving us a run for our money on the water, we are now finding that the wind on the prairie can also be a force to consider. We have finally moved into our new home on 65 acres off Lane Road here in Seadrift.

Even though we’ve owned this property more than ten years, having not lived here, we never really noticed how wicked the winds can be in this rural area near the water.

Anything left on either porch is usually tossed around the yard, including light furniture.

We laugh about it, realizing that our home life is going to require planning according to the wind forecast, the same as our fishing trips.

May’s winds will blow predominately from the south and southeast. Barring

any late-season cool fronts. So, with that said, we will mostly seek leeward shorelines when wade fishing.

Luckily the water has warmed enough that a lot of fish have left the muddy-bottomed back lakes for sandy shorelines that frame our local bays. I look forward to ditching my waders and working the firmer sand.

Since our winter was such a mild one we did not see I love you, Mom! Here’s to many more fishing trips and good times spent together.

Wade Eslick, proud to show he catches bigger fish than his dad, Dr. Mark Eslick.

as much grass die-off as we typically do. Grass beds in many areas are thick and thriving so I have been rigging my plastics in weedless Texasfashion to allow getting through the grass without hanging up on it or clogging. The weather has been warm but not hot, which stages fish primarily in about 2- to 3 feet depths. The 1/16 ounce “bullet” or worm weight is perfect on the Texas rig. The lighter weight allows the plastic to have more of a natural swimming look as it moves in the water. I also like for my lure to flutter longer in the upper portion of the water column rather than sinking quickly to the bottom.

Small topwaters have been very effective the past couple of weeks.

Super Spook Jr. in either clear or redfish color have always been good producers for me. I like to start my mornings with one or two clients throwing one of these little jewels while having another throwing soft plastic. It’s always interesting to see which lure will get the most attention on any given day. Some days we will get a ton of blowups and only a few hookups. If that is the case then I usually have the client throwing soft plastics follow alongside one of the fishermen getting blowups. Almost always, if the fish do not take the topwater, they will nail the soft plastic placed nearby. The blowups alone are so exciting that it has not been uncommon for me to have an angler leave a topwater on all day whether he or she is hooking fish or not. On days when we are catching lots fish on the surface the only reason we usually take them off is when floating grass becomes a problem.

Large schools of menhaden are already beginning to show on many shorelines. If you ever find yourself wading a shoreline and you notice a school coming toward you—stay put. Try not to spook the school but instead allow them to swim near you, making casts into and around the school. It is no surprise that reds and trout follow these schools so if you are lucky enough to come across this scenario hold tight and get ready for some fun.

As I’m sure everybody is aware, May is the month of Mother’s Day. Please remember to remind the mother or mothers in your life how much they mean to you. One thing is for sure, you should never take spending time with them for granted. I had a real eye opener last year when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Watching her go through what she has over the last few months has made me realize that we should treasure our mothers all year long, not just one Sunday in May. My mother is my rock, my safe haven. I cannot imagine my world without her. So mom, if you are reading this, please know that words are never enough to express how thankful I am for all that you have done for me. The sacrifices you have made and the unconditional love you have given me over the years will never be forgotten. I love you very much and look forward to many, many more years and fishing trips to come.

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david rowsey

HOOKED UP WITH Rowsey

Upper Laguna/ Baffin

David Rowsey has 20 years experience in the Laguna/ Baffin region; trophy trout with artificial lures is his specialty.

David has a great passion for conservation and encourages catch and release of trophy fish.

Telephone 361-960-0340 Website www.DavidRowsey.com Email david.rowsey@yahoo.com

90 | May 2016

Hard to believe I am writing for the May issue of TSFMag when I just canceled today’s charter for a late norther that blew in overnight. As we’ve all heard it said many times, “If you don’t like the weather in Texas, just wait ten minutes and it will change.” No worries on this end, it just makes life on the water a little more interesting.

By the time this article hits the newsstand we will be out of our Simms waders and back to wading wet. Hard to believe it has gotten here so fast, but such is the life on the Laguna Madre. Early-April started bringing us a bit of new water from the gulf. Overnight, we started catching skipjacks alongside our trout bite, and giant schools of cownose rays have invaded the bay. The rays are not much for sport but standing on the bow of the boat and watching

these stealthy creatures glide by in crystal clear water by the hundreds is mesmerizing to even the saltiest of anglers. They are just one of the first clues of what is to come via the gulf.

The baitfish and gamefish that ride spring’s tides back into the bay is what makes May one the best fishing months of the year here in the Upper Laguna and Baffin Bay. Along with great numbers for catching entertainment, we will be catching some super-fat trout that are still egg-laden. In fact, if you are a participant in the CCA STAR tournament, Memorial Patrick Martino of Day weekend is a great time to catch the tournament Biloxi, Mississippi winner south of the JFK Causeway. As the days tick was rewarded away into June many of the big girls will likely have with a great eight-and-a-half lost considerable weight due to heavier spawning. pounder after a Between the gulf trout that have now invaded long road trip to the bay and schools of roaming redfish, it’s hard not fish Baffin. CPR! to walk around with a smile on your face over all of the awesome prospects that the Mother Lagoon and Baffin have to offer. With so many areas looking primed for big trout, it is sometimes hard for me to decide where to begin a day on the water. This is a good problem to have, and one that I and most other guides usually do not have opportunity to deal with.

With early-spawning underway, my first thought is of areas that hold a lot of grass. Unlike bass, trout do not prepare spawning beds nor do they hang around to protect their eggs or nurture their fry. Instead- they slip into areas where grass is prevalent, the water shallow and warm, and release their roe for the male trout to fertilize. Accomplishing this they move on. Catching the grunting, undersized male trout is actually a good indicator that larger females are around.

The south shoreline of Baffin, amongst the rocks and shoreline of Rocky Slough, the flats of Yarbrough, and the spoil islands of the Laguna (Nighthawk) are ideal spawning areas that will hold all of the necessary structure and water depths to attract the big females as they stage to spawn. Mix these areas with a stable bait supply and we should all be on our way to some good fishing and big catching.

I was fishing the Rockport Bash one year in May, my partner and I had the lead on Day-1 with a three-fish bag that weighed 18.5 pounds.

We were excited for the second day to hopefully get a big check. Long story short, the fish would not bite for us on Day-2 and we zeroed! I could literally sight-cast those big girls but they would eat nothing.

Frustrated, I spoke with good friend, Capt. Jay Watkins, after the tourney, relating what we’d been through. Jay remarked (in a way that only Jay could say it), “Now, Rowsey; what is the most fickle, moody, and temperamental thing on the face of the planet?”

I replied, “I give up, Jay. What is it?”

“Well I’ll tell ya,” he said, “It’s a woman at 8.5 months pregnant…and that’s what you’re trying to catch!”

I knew instantly that he was right and the point of the story is this, we have to approach these big trout with caution, very subtle in our approach, and selective in our lure choices. A big intrusive plug is not always the best lure for catching these big girls in shallow water. A floating Corky by MirrOlure, a small swim shad by Bass Assassin on a 1/16 jighead, and a weedless-rigged 5” Assassin will be at the top of my list for coaxing these temperamental females into biting.

Remember the buffalo! -Capt. David Rowsey TSFMAG.com | 91

Capt. Tricia

TRICIA’S Mansfield Report

Port Mansfield

Capt. Tricia’s Skinny Water Adventures operates out of Port Mansfield, specializing in wadefishing with artificial lures.

Telephone 956-642-7298 Email Capt.Tricia@gmail.com

92 | May 2016

Every season is unique and spring brings its own magic to the Laguna Madre. Friendly temperatures above and below the water’s surface, gangs of baitfish exploding above active trout and reds, blooming yuccas, with clients and me all achieving milestone fish. What a great time to be on the water!

Since my last report our water clarity is still excellent except during the stronger blows. With that said, much of the Laguna can almost be too clear during low wind periods, so concentrate on rafting mullet and heavy grass until the wind creates color changes and a little chop on the surface.

Also worth mentioning is the seasonal nuisance of filamentous algae (see also: soggy, neon-green Easter basket grass.) It is in full bloom! This icky-stringy stuff is in many prime areas and often dominates the entire water column. Breezy, intensely sunny days are the worst when it begins to float. It is often so bad that even topwaters with single hooks and weedlessrigged soft plastics are useless. The good news is that it is on the west side of the bay system and the east is clear of it. The bad news is it takes the west side out of the picture more days than not. Dealing with it is distressing and I cannot wait until it is gone.

Fortunately, several trips of late have bordered on epic in the skinny, some of us blessed with lifetime fish, both trout and reds. I recently achieved a career highpoint in water less than a foot deep. It came the day after the last full moon and waiting for the moonset was almost torture for us. We endured four hours of slaps, swirls, and “almosts” when right on cue Mother Nature rang the dinner bell. The next forty-five minutes was anything and everything a trophy trout hunter wants to experience and we were truly in the land of giants.

Four- to seven pound trout were slamming and slurping topwaters for all of us. I spied two huge wakes out of the corner of my eye and I made the cast. Both fish rushed the bone-silver One-Knocker and what I believe was the smaller of the two took my plug. I was blessed with my all-time personal best—all eleven pounds and thirty-two inches of her. I still cannot help but wonder how big the other one was.

Although we enjoyed many great days recently, I can honestly say opportunities like this are becoming fewer each year. Sadly, I do not see this pattern changing given the continuously increasing throng enjoying saltwater fishing on the Lower Laguna. I

will continue to encourage catch and release with all my clients and everybody that will listen. I cannot describe how truly beautiful it felt releasing her so another may have the same opportunity.

No doubt, the magic of spring is here on the Lower Laguna, and a classic trout bite has emerged in most of the traditional areas.

Topwaters have been steady producers of two to seven-pound fish on the flats. Lately, nearly every trip has yielded more than one trout over five pounds and better.

Yes, spring is here and summer will be here before long. This means we will all have to be tolerant, and start sharing the water more patiently. Education is the key and leading by example is the best teacher. I enjoy listening to Peter Frampton, but that does not mean that fish or everyone within earshot on the water does. Even though we seem to be enjoying a great fishery we still need to practice conservation, stewardship and good citizenship.

Who doesn’t love a fresh fish dinner? But please, take only enough for a good meal or two and be extra careful when handling and releasing the rest. A memory and a photo will last forever and, just maybe, dead fish lying on the deck of a boat or hanging on a bragging board will become a thing of the past.

TSFMAG.com | 93

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

94 | May 2016

Sadly, the 2015-16 trophy trout season is dwindling down to the final weeks. Usually by the second or third week of May the mature females will have begun spawning and this means the additional weight of their bulging roe will no longer help tip the scale.

We should still see a few heavyweight specimens exceeding eight pounds into mid-June, but the odds grow longer by the day.

All winter I encouraged and praised my clients scoring personal-best specimens but never did I imagine it would be my turn. As a guide, I strive every day to put clients first, placing them carefully where I believe they will have greatest opportunity, then backing away to allow them to achieve their goals.

Well, sadly in a way, it didn’t work out even though my client and I were a mere fifteen yards apart.

For two days I could do no wrong even though I badly wanted my client to experience what was happening to me. The first day together I landed my best-ever trout on a bone-diamond K-Wiggler Ball Tail that pulled my Boga Grip to exactly eleven pounds.

My previous best, a heavy ten-and-a-half, had reigned sixteen years during which time I must have waded thousands of miles and made at least a million casts. I

released her as soon as we could snap a few photos.

The second day was also very remarkable. Working a series of potholes with him only a few rod lengths to my side, I landed a nice eight pounder. Quickly releasing her, I made another cast into the same Author with personal best of 11-lbs. Sixteen long years in coming.

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vicinity. A couple of twitches later I hooked another beauty that weighed right at nine pounds on the Boga. It was then I came to realize that I had caught three trout totaling a little over twenty-eight pounds in two days with the same client. In the midst of being blessed with three great fish I still wished they’d come into his hands.

At present we are seeing birds beginning to work above schools of trout in late-afternoon. Shrimp are caught between hungry trout and frenzied gulls. If the trout don’t eat them up from below the noisy hovering flocks pick them off with sniper precision. While most “bird” trout tend to be small, we often find better fish when birds work in the shallows—one to three feet deep. Bird fishing is lots of fun but it can be frustrating at times. When the fish are running small in deeper water, try working deeper in the water column, below the small fish. Feeding slicks are also becoming prevalent toward evening, especially when you can catch a moving tide. Targeting multiple slicks in a small area is another great way to find lots of bites Redfish action has improved steadily as spring progresses. Higher tide levels opened up the back bays making shorelines very productive.

Nowadays, with the higher volume of boat traffic, back bays may not contain large schools of reds like they did a decade ago but there are still lots of scattered pods and singles. The sand-grass transitions have been productive in early morning hours with reds absolutely crushing smaller topwaters. One way to locate hotspots is to look for large mullet schools stirring the water to slightly murky. K-Wigglers and gold spoons have also been good lures.

I have mentioned quite a few times recently the improvement in flounder catching the last couple of years. It’s no longer a big surprise as we wade the flats and hook several doormat size flatties on plastics.

Throughout the mild winter and early-spring we continued catching them periodically, without targeting them. I look for the flounder landings to continue to increase as the water gets even warmer and fish returning from their winter spawning runs to the gulf stage in passes and sloughs between back lakes and bays.

I want to again thank my sponsors for supporting me in the catch and release incentive program I started in mid-February. As of this writing I am very proud to announce that we have caught and released 289 redfish, flounder and trout, including personal best trout for some anglers. A hearty “Thank You” to Fishing Tackle Unlimited, Shallow Sport Boats, Simms, Costa, K-Wiggler. Most of all, thank you to my clients that have participated in giving back to the resource that we are so blessed to enjoy.

I invite you this summer to come experience a ride on my new 24’ Shallow Sport Classic. You will be completely impressed with its total performance, storage space and the looks of this awesome machine.

Until then, may your efforts bring you the best fishing ever.

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TSFMAG.com | 95

1/12/16 10:10 AM

FISHING REPORTS

Lake Calcasieu Louisiana Jeff and Mary Poe - Big Lake Guide Service - 337.598.3268 May is when everything really turns on in Calcasieu. Water temperatures should be in the upper seventies and low eighties, and the big trout action will be excellent. They will actively feed on the surface throughout the entire day. However, the absolute best times are at daybreak and sunset, although mid-day topwater bites are common.

Oyster reefs in five to six feet of water will be consistently productive.

Some of the largest trout that come out of Calcasieu will fall to topwaters over these reefs. Topwater plugs vary in size, shape, color, and pitch. All of these variables make a difference, but the main variable is confidence. That goes for every lure-- without confidence, it won’t work, especially a topwater. Our favorites include SheDogs, MirrOmullet XL, Super Spooks, Spook Juniors, and SkitterWalks. They come in every color of the rainbow, but if I were forced to choose just one, it would be chrome and chartreuse. See you all fishing soon!

Trinity Bay - East Bay - Galveston Bay | James Plaag Silver King Adventures - silverkingadventures.com - 409.935.7242 Despite lots of freshwater in parts of the bay system, James says the fishing in the Galveston area has been good lately. “We are catching limits fairly easily most of the time. We are wading as much as we can, especially when the tides are high and winds are not too strong. Best bite when we’re wading has been on topwaters and twitch baits, early

96 | May 2016

ORECASTS F from Big Lake to Boca Chica

AND

in the morning. We are fishing out in the middle around reefs and other structures when the tide falls out. Birds are already working in places out there, and this action should pick up even more in May. I see May as a transitional month. Lots of things can work, but usually one pattern won’t hold up day after day. We’ll continue to make morning wades when good tide movement puts plenty of water on the shorelines, and we’ll fish out of the boat keying on slicks, birds and bait when the tide falls out. We are set up for a typical spring run of fast and furious catching, as long as we don’t get another flood and the winds give us a break from time to time.”

Jimmy West - Bolivar Guide Service - 409.996.3054 Jim was waist-deep wading a shoreline in East Bay when he gave this report. “We have been catching lots of trout wading lately, particularly when the tides are normal or above normal. Prior to this last front, I and lots of other people were catching easy limits of trout wading shorelines and fishing areas out in the middle of the bay. Strong north winds push the tide way out and muddy up the water, and the fishing gets tougher for a couple of days after. May sets up for an excellent run. The fish are kinda squeezed into small areas with all the freshwater right now, but they should be able to spread out some over the next month if we don’t get another big flood. Birds are already working areas around the mid-bay reefs, and May is one of the best months for that kind of action. And, of course, the wading should

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continue steady, particularly along the south shoreline, if the winds mess up the water in the middle.”

West Galveston - Bastrop - Christmas - Chocolate Bays Randall Groves - Groves Guide Service 979.849.7019 - 979.864.9323 Randall reports that “fishing has been very good. We’ve been concentrating our efforts on shallow structures with deep water nearby. I discovered this pattern by watching barges with thousands of birds working behind them. The birds are picking shad churned up by the big boats, in their prop wash. I got to thinking this might be a reason for lots of fish to be around structures close to where this is happening. And I turned out to be right! We’ve been catching plenty of fish on this pattern lately. In May, things will likely change.

We’ll focus on incoming tides which are bringing in ribbonfish and other pelagic goodies. We will throw chicken on a chain Norton Sand Eels and Sand Shads, rigged on the three-eighths ounce Norton jigheads. We will also throw topwaters like SkitterWalks in bone and woodpecker. Normally, when the ribbonfish show up in abundance, the bite kicks off good on topwaters like those, worked fast and erratically, right among the schools of the slender, silver fish.”

Matagorda | Tommy Countz Bay Guide Service - 979.863.7553 cell 281.450.4037 Tommy says May is a great time for wading West Matagorda, starting off early in the morning working the shallow grass beds right along the bank, using small topwaters. “Later, we’ll move out to some of the sand bars further from the shoreline, targeting trout on the grass beds with soft plastics in dark colors like morning glory and black magic, rigging them on light jigheads. When fishing out of the boat, we’ll probably spend time on the new reef in West Bay, making sure

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to match our jighead size to the wind conditions, so we can fish close to the structures without hanging up, or we’ll be in East Bay, bouncing soft plastics on the mud and shell in the west end. Also, we’ll be looking to hit the surf if winds get calm. Out there, we’ll start off wading the first gut with topwaters early and switch to dark soft plastics later, if the bite dies down. I expect the surf to kick off early this year, with the warm weather. This should help crank up tripletail season too.”

Palacios | Capt. Aaron Wollam www.palaciosguideservice.com - 979.240.8204 Awesome is the best word to describe fishing in the Palacios area right now. Trout fishing remains strong, drifting over shell in three to five feet of water. Tidal movement has been the key when we are drifting; the falling tide seems to be best. Egret Wedgetails in chicken on chain and Cajun pepper rigged about two feet under corks have been best baits as of late. Redfish are starting to show in their springtime haunts in good numbers with lots of good medium-sized slot fish coming to the box. Bone Spook Juniors and quarter-ounce weedless gold spoons have accounted for best bites. A bonus for us lately has been the number of flounder in the bay; we have been sticking limits of fish ranging from sixteen to nineteen inches, with a few over twenty coming aboard. If everything continues to improve, May will be great. I look for the glass minnow run to be in full effect on south shoreline of West Matagorda and my favorite fish, tripletails, to start showing up in and around structures in the local bays.

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98 | May 2016

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Port O’Connor | Lynn Smith Back Bay Guide Service - 361.983.4434 Lynn says he’s been having good luck fishing around shell reefs lately, and expects to continue fishing the same kinds of areas in May. “The reefs have been good lately. We are catching our fish on moving tides right on top of the structures, and when the tide is less strong, the bite is better over the mud adjacent to the reefs. May is a great time to fish reefs around here. We’ll try to time our stops to coincide with the right tidal movements and we’ll concentrate on areas which are holding lots of bait. We’ll also spend some time targeting grassy, shallow areas along sandy shorelines, throwing topwaters as much as possible, particularly when we see large rafts of mullet in areas like that. Of course, we’ll be looking to hit the surf if conditions allow. Often, when the surf gets right in the second half of spring, we catch some of the biggest trout of the year out there. We’ll start off throwing topwaters in the shallowest parts, close to the sand, and work our way out deeper as the sun comes up, switching to subsurface lures if we need to.”

Rockport | Blake Muirhead Gator Trout Guide Service - 361.790.5203 or 361.441.3894 Blake was already experiencing good fishing in the surf in the days prior to the time of this report. “We have been in the surf the last couple days, and it’s been really good. I expect it to stay really hot out along the beachfront every time winds get light enough to allow us to get there. Fishing is also good around shell reefs right now. With strong north winds blowing the other day, I and two other guys caught a bunch of trout, redfish and even black drum around a reef near one of the passes. The pattern of fishing flats and other areas close to the major passes is another great option in May. Places like East Flats, Super Flats, Cedar Flats and areas around Mud Island all produce good catches this time of year. Generally, the bite is good on topwaters

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most of the time. I will use those as much as I can, especially when I am able to fish out in the surf, but I won’t hesitate to pull out the old standby Norton Sand Eels in dark colors with chartreuse tails if the action on floating plugs slows down.”

Upper Laguna Madre - Baffin Bay - Land Cut Robert Zapata – rz1528@grandecom.net - 361.563.1160 The month of May is a great month for fishing, and the catching is not bad either! The trout will still be spawning, and this will make them very aggressive when they are in their feeding mode. This is a great time to start the day with my natural colored MirrOlure SheDog, if there is not too much floating grass on the surface of the water.

Otherwise, I will fish with a sand trout or salt & pepper silver phantom/ chartreuse tail Bass Assassin Die Dapper if the water is semi-clear. If the water is murky, I’ll use morning glory/chartreuse or chartreuse dog rigged on a sixteenth-ounce Assassin Spring Lock jighead. I will target areas with two feet of water, along grass lines or areas with potholes.

Fishing with live croakers will be very popular, and I will free line them on about twenty inches of fluorocarbon line with a #3 Mustad Croaker hook. I will approach the target areas as quietly as possible by using my trolling motor or drifting into it from at least a hundred yards away.

Corpus Christi | Joe Mendez – www.sightcast1.com - 361.937.5961 Parts of the Laguna Madre/Baffin Bay system are holding clear water, and the fishing for trout and redfish has been excellent so far this spring, Joe says. “The topwater bite has been on fire of late, particularly for the trout. Most of the fish have been holding in water about two to maybe three feet deep, where there are scattered grassbeds in a sandy or slightly muddy bottom. They are biting topwaters pretty much all day long on some days, as long as the plugs are moving fast and with a lot of erratic action. The reds haven’t been as reliable on the topwaters. As usual, they are liking the soft

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plastics better some of the time. As long as the cooler weather holds, we should see plenty of fish in the shallows like this. If it warms up really fast in May, we’ll probably have better luck on rocks and other structures adjacent to the shallows in deeper water. We’ll look for rafted mullet to locate the fish if this happens, and of course we’ll also be looking for the schools of reds to push wakes and show themselves in those same areas.”

P.I.N.S. Fishing Forecast | Eric Ozolins Jackfish stormed the beaches during April, nailing every bait or lure in front of them. They are thick and feeding so violently, we have actually seen some accidentally beach themselves chasing bait. Fly fishermen are having a ball with these hungry, hard-fighting bullies. Red drum are available in good numbers, feeding mostly on mullet. Gold spoons or live/dead bait will work. Trout are beginning to show in the surf; spoons and suspending lures are working, topwaters should come into play during May. Spanish mackerel are around when water is clear and are suckers for small spoons rigged on light wire. Whiting and pompano can be found on fresh-peeled shrimp. Shark fishermen can expect plenty of blacktips and big bull sharks should arrive soon. Don’t be surprised if you hook into a scalloped hammerhead on baits such as whiting.

Sargassum continues to be generally light. Driving will not be optimal due to normal springtime tides. Fog can be problematic too. Exercise caution and have fun with all the species available!

Port Mansfield | Ruben Garza Snookdudecharters.com – 832.385.1431 Getaway Adventures Lodge – 956.944.4000 Planning fishing trips will be easier as frontal systems, if any arrive, will have little impact. Spring fishing patterns are well developed at present and by month’s end we will see summer patterns emerging.

Early morning topwater action should be good. On light wind days I

102 | May 2016

like to fish the various spoil dumps along the ICW and also the west shoreline. Recommended depth on the spoils is mid-thigh to waistdeep. On the spoils, make a few casts with soft plastics to the deeper water; the bite might be light but the fish are often pretty solid. Along the west shoreline, I like to start with the small SkitterWalk (SW-08) in bone, orange and speckled trout—shallow at first light and then working deeper. K-Wiggler Ball Tail Shad on a light jighead is always a good choice over grass and along bottom contours. Mid-morning, I like to head to the eastside sand flats for redfish with weedless gold spoons.

K-Wiggler paddletails are also good choices. For a little diversity and outstanding sport, kingfish and tarpon should begin frequenting the East Cut jetty very soon.

Lower Laguna Madre - South Padre - Port Isabel Janie and Fred Petty – www.fishingwithpettys.com – 956.943.2747 We have had some decent tides, but at the time of this writing, we’re still waiting for the big surge of water we expect every spring. Trout fishing has been excellent this year, but redfish have been harder to come by.

A couple of years ago, if you had told us we would be having a difficult time finding reds, we would have laughed! But, the big schools we’re used to finding on the LLM whenever the wind is flat aren’t around, and the boat traffic continues to increase. We’re catching limits of trout, some nice sized; including one trip with a thirty inch plus red and trout, using Cajun Thunder corks with Berkley Gulp! Live shrimp. Freddy says, “If you want to optimize the performance of your cork rigs, whether using round, popping, or cigar corks, try a ‘Petty Popper’! This extender adds power and the right type of noise to make any cork work better, producing more strikes, and you will find that your tackle will last much longer than before.” Check it out on Fishingwithpettys.com Facebook page and website.” Stop open bay dredge disposal!

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Townes Petrick first speckled trout!

Madisyn Meredith Redfish Bay - 30” first fish!

Cole Elsenbrock 40” bull red

Henry Rodriques Fish & Fun II - amberjack 104 | May 2016

Mark De La Cruz Matagorda Bay - 27” flounder

Julia De La Cruz Matagorda Bay - 26” drum

George Brady - North Jetty 29” 15.8 lb first black drum!

Dexter Polk Fish & Fun II - red snapper

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Richard Roussett PINS - king mackerel

1. Only current magazine subscribers, their dependents, and members of household are eligible to win.

2. One winner each month selected by TSFMag for photo quality and content.

3. Single-fish photos only, please. We do not publish multiple-fish images or stringer shots. Photos are judged for display of sporting ethics and conservation.

4. Send entries to photos@tsfmag.com **Photo entries must be submitted electronically— prints cannot be accepted. All images submitted to Catch of the Month become property of Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine.

APRIL WINNER Colton Taubert Fish & Fun II - dorado

Kyle Taubert Fish & Fun II - kingfish

Lisa Zipprian King Ranch Shoreline - 32” redfish

Linda Voigt flounder

Jim York

ICW - 21” trout TSFMAG.com | 105

Pam Johnson

Gulf Coast

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

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

Julio’s Tortilla Chip Crusted Fish Fillets

with Sweet Corn Medley

FISH 3 Pounds fresh speckled trout, redfish or flounder fillets 3 Eggs 1 Cup all-purpose flour 4 Tbs Julio’s Seasoning - divided 6 Ounces Julio’s Seasoned Tortilla Chips (For the flame throwers out there—9-oz Julio’s Freakin’ Hot Chips) 6 Tbs olive oil -Place chips in gallon size zip-lock bag and crush coarsely with rolling pin.

-Dust fillets evenly (both sides) with 2 Tbs Julio’s Seasoning.

-In separate bowls: combine eggs and 1 Tbs Julio’s Seasoning, beat well—whisk together 1 Tbs Julio’s Seasoning and flour.

-Heat olive oil in medium-size sauté pan over medium-high heat.

-Dip fillets in seasoned flour, shaking off excess—dip in beaten egg allowing excess to drip—coat evenly with tortilla chip crumbs.

-Sauté fillets about 1.5-2.0 minutes per side, or until cooked through.

Note: For breakfast: Any remaining chip crumbs can be stirred into eggs, covered and refrigerated. In the morning, add two more eggs, stir and sauté. Serve with warm tortillas and Julio’s Salsa, or Pepper Sauces (Chipotle or Habanero).

106 | May 2016

This is another unique way fishermen can enjoy catch of the day.

The recipe was contributed by Merland Albert and I encourage that you visit JuliosCornChips.com to learn more about their full product line. Julio’s products are available at HEB and Wal-Mart Super Centers. I prepared Merland’s recipe recently and my dinner guests absolutely raved about everything. The fillets were crunchy and delicious and the corn medley was to-die-for! –Pam Johnson

CORN MEDLEY 4 Ears sweet corn sliced from cob – or two 16-oz cans whole kernel corn, drained 1/2 Medium white onion, diced 1/2 Green bell pepper, diced 1/2 Red bell pepper, diced 2 Medium white potatoes, peeled and diced 1 Fresh serrano pepper, finely chopped 2 Tbs Julio’s Seasoning 1 Tbs Julio’s Chipotle or Habanero Pepper Sauce 2 Tbs olive oil -Heat oil in large sauté pan, add potatoes, onion, green and red bell pepper, serrano, and seasoning.

-Stir often until potatoes are almost cooked through.

-Stir in corn and Pepper Sauce.

-Continue cooking until corn blackens slightly and serve hot.

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Catch of the day.

More food, festivals & fun.

1-800-242-0071 Photo by Dawn Huff

www.rockport-fulton.org visitrockportfulton TSFMAG.com | 107

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MUSTAD-FISHING.COM

Tiny marine creatures known as zooplankton feed on phytoplankton, which use photosynthesis to create their food. Since phytoplankton tend to hang out at the ocean’s surface to absorb the sun’s energy, zooplankton head there for their meals each night. But when morning arrives, zooplankton become targets for predators, so they move to deeper waters during the day.

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Zooplankton, crustacean larva seen under a microscope.

Credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, photographer: Matt Wilson/Jay Clark.

This daily dive and nightly rise to the surface, called daily vertical migration, occurs in both marine and freshwater environments across the globe. But what happens in the Arctic when the frigid winter brings several months of darkness? Even without a cue from the sun, zooplankton make their moves — by following the light of the moon.

Instead of migrating every 24 hours — a solar day — zooplankton in the Arctic winter migrate vertically once every 24.8 hours, corresponding to a lunar day. When the moon rises above the horizon, the zooplankton that have been feeding near the surface during the sunless day descend to deeper waters to avoid predators. In fact, every 29.5 days in the winter — on the night of a full moon — they go as deep as 50 meters.

Researchers first noticed zooplankton’s nightly swimming treks in one particular Arctic fjord, but they have since discovered that it occurs throughout the Arctic.

This daily vertical migration serves a larger ecological purpose as well; it moves carbon — the main element in all living things — from the surface to deeper waters where other animals can use it. But for zooplankton, this daily — or nightly — migration is all about survival.

www.ScienceAndTheSea.org © The University of Texas Marine Science Institute 108 | May 2016

Shanna Stasny

personal best trout! CPR 26” 6.5 lb – Port O’Connor

Hanna Wiatrek flounder Baffin Bay

Don Satterwhite

personal best trout! CPR 30.5” 8.5 lb – Baffin Bay

texas saltwater fishing holes matagorda to corpus M ATA G O R D A B AY Speckled Trout / Redfish

USCG Licensed Captain Stan Sloan

832.693.4292 fintasticcoastalcharters.com

• 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 TSFMAG.com | 109

CHRIS MAPP

B O AT M A INT E N A N C E TIP S

Products That Make Boat Cleaning & Maintenance Easy Chris Mapp, owner of Coastal Bend Marine.

Evinrude, Suzuki, Yamaha, Mercury, Honda, BlueWave, SilverWave, Shallow Stalker Boats, Coastline Trailers, Minnkota & Motor Guide Trolling Motors.

Great Service, Parts & Sales “What can we do for you?”

Fishermen enjoy a long day on the water and return happy and satisfied to the dock. Fish are cleaned, rods and reels are rinsed along with waders and various wading gear and set aside to dry before stowing away. Now comes the not-so-fun task of cleaning the boat, flushing the engine and prepping the rig for storage until your next trip.

Attention to detail is a must to keep everything in good working order but there is a family of products that can make this part of your day a good deal easier, provide peace of mind that your boat is protected from the elements while in storage, and give you the confidence and confirmation of a job well done.

The products I am referring to are American-made, right here in Texas, and they work!

You are no doubt familiar with High-performance lubes CorrosionX corrosion-inhibiting for reels, guns, boat trailer lubricants, yet very possibly unaware wheel bearings, bicycles… of the vast array of products Corrosion everything we use outdoors!

Technologies Corporation also offer

for general boat care, boat cleaning, and maintenance. Without going into great detail, they also offer marine-grade greases, quick detail products, reel and gun lubes, boat waxes, a number of protectants for metal, glass, plastic and fiberglass, and also rust and stain removers.

Visit their website: www.CorrosionX.com and check out all their innovative products. You can also come by our shop located at 1808 W. Adams in Port O’Connor and see the wide selection of products we have on display and carry in inventory.

CorrosionX Red and Green formulas have earned a longstanding reputation as the best anti-corrosion protection on the market—popular with saltwater boat owners and mechanics in many industries.

It is nice to have friends in this business and I have found CorrosionX products to be a trusted friend and hope you will too. We use these products daily in our shop and believe in them.

Thank you, and here’s wishing you a fantastic spring fishing season.

Chris Mapp Coastal Bend Marine | Port O’Connor, TX | 361-983-4841 www.coastalbendmarine.com Corrosion Technologies Corporation also offers a complete line of cleaning and detailing products that perform to the standards you would expect from the makers of CorrosionX!

110 | May 2016

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

805 B. South Bridge Victoria, TX 77901

Fax: 361.573.0304

texas saltwater fishing holes Galveston

Capt. Billy Penick III

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

corpus to port isabel

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

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TSFMAG.com | 111

The catch that day was only half the story.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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