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$%287 7+( &29(5 November is the peak of the annual flounder migration and looked upon by coastal anglers as the best month for catching them. This monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cover features Scott Sommerlatte in self-portrait with a fly-caught flattie.

4 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

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Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

7KDQNVJLYLQJ I give thanks for a great life. I have an adorable wife who shares my passion for fishing, hunting and the outdoors. I have a great family. We are all very healthy. We enjoy fishing and hunting together. Watching grandchildren grow and learn to enjoy the outdoors has been phenomenally rewarding.

I give thanks for a great business. The first thirty years of my working career were spent in the steel forging and automotive industries. The work was challenging and educational. I was wellpaid and lessons from wonderful parents taught me thrift that enabled me to leave the world of heavy industry at a young age to pursue my present career in the outdoors and publishing. Guiding fishermen for ten years was a job I truly enjoyed. I never once dreaded the ringing of the alarm clock. Teaching clients to read signs on the water and pattern fish was the greatest job I ever had. Building a publishing business has not been without occasional hard times but looking back; I’d call it a breeze when measured against some of the challenges of my former career. I love my present job and expect I might never retire, just continue working until I fade away.

I am thankful I live in Texas. As the saying goes; I was not born here but I came as soon as I could. Native-born Texans brag of their origin and I remind them that Sam Houston and I both recognized a good place when we found it. Year round inshore fishing opportunity, with excellent fishing I might add, is something too many take for granted.

I remember vividly waiting for the opening of trout season in my native Pennsylvania. Anglers would line the banks of every popular stream, shoulder to shoulder, rod in hand, awaiting the magical minute when the season would open at 7:00 am to make the first cast. All of this to hopefully land a limit of six hatchery-raised fish that averaged about eight inches length – a far cry from easing over the gunwale on a Texas shoreline teeming with wild trout and redfish and hardly another boat or human in sight.

I am thankful for the all the conservation-minded anglers and the dedicated fisheries managers who made our fishing what it is today.

Many Texas anglers are not aware but our fisheries and our TPWD Coastal Fisheries division are models that other states imitate. Texas is the birthplace of the greatest marine conservation organization the world has ever known. GCCA and now CCA on a national level has contributed leadership and funding for an amazing list of conservation projects that have dramatically improved Texas fisheries and more recently those in sixteen other coastal states.

I am thankful that I am a citizen of the United States of America; a nation where every citizen can aspire to great things and achieve them, no matter their race, creed, national origin or the station to which they were born. I am thankful for all the brave men and women who serve in our military to guarantee our continued freedom and liberty. We are a blessed people and giving thanks for all that we are blessed to enjoy the fourth Thursday each November is a great American tradition. Here’s wishing you and yours a joyous Thanksgiving and great fishing.

6 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

If it’s explosive topwater action you’re ’re looking look king for, ffor fo or, r, look look no loo no more. more. Our more Our topwater top top pwat water ter Badonk-A-Donk’s Badonk Bad onk-Aonk -A-Don -ADonk’s Donk’ Don k s eye-catching, ey ye e-c catc cat atchin head-turning, jaw-dropping action is irresistible to fish! Designed and offered in three ed from the inside out with heavy duty saltwater grade hardware and components co 1 1 sizes ( 3 /2-, 4- and 4 /2-inch), fifteen colors and two pitches (vibration frequency). Our high pitch (Hp) version is perfect for windy days and stained water conditions, while the low pitch (Lp) version is just what you need on those calm days and clear water. Sometimes the fish just want something a little different so don’t be timid; mix things up. No matter which pitch (Hp or Lp) you choose the panicked prey vibration will produce explosive topwater action the likes you’ve never seen!

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

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www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 7

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W hy We Shouldn’t hould n’t Ever ve r Read ead Too oo Much uch Even to this day I can still feel that freezing drizzle from more than twenty-five years ago. Standing there in chest-deep water, a sloppy east winter wind would invade every little breach in those old buttonup yellow slicker suits, soak you to the bone and turn them just as brittle as the jacket was. Even with jaws aching behind chattering teeth and numb fingers pawing a stiff rod, life was quite large because “they” were there. “They” were those mythical monster trout that only the few salty elite were supposed to catch. Hypothermic or not, there we were bowing up on another great fish and we’d be there again every chance. Winter will soon be upon us once again, and although much has changed about how we’ve learned to catch big fish, the magic of the experience still lives when we get out there and go for it.

For me, enduring miserable sessions like that was just part of the early learning curve of trying to catch real trout on purpose; ones that scribes like Joe Dogget would tantalize us with through his seductive Sunday writings. Many would question why anybody would want to suffer that much just for a silly fish, but perhaps the excitement of discovery played a big role. Finding and actually catching a big trout like we’d all read about was like unearthing a secret average folk weren’t supposed to know. We had found one of those secrets during the coldest of northers, deep in mysterious holes such as Offatt’s Bayou and other deeper basins.

At the time, all we really knew during winter was to go deep and slow on the most brutal of days with either a 51-Series MirrOlure or a Kelly Wiggler on a 3/8 ounce jighead. We did know, however, that there was a gentleman’s pecking order in place, and much contrary to today’s culture, you just didn’t walk into areas where those who came before you had already laid claim. Finding your own spot was as obsessive as catching fish bigger than they were supposed to be

Topwaters over hard sand in winter and no yellow slicker; hmmm!

They” will be there; you just have to want it.

8 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

and it became an insatiable quest. What we mainly learned was that there were many other ways and places to catch big fish in the winter, but that it took hours and hours of exploring and many days of taking risks of not catching a damn thing at all.

But when you found it, it was your find, and this added greatly to the gratification that would be derived from catching. (It’s a little easier these days with the internet and other sources.)

We already knew that fish went deep when it got really cold, but we eventually learned that they went extremely shallow as well soon after the big blow was over – shallower even than we ever dreamed could be productive. We actually learned some of that by running in a foot of water one night with a spotlight right after a big freeze. We shockingly found both trout and reds stacked thick on a sandbar, tight to the bank. It went against everything we’d ever read (which Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

is why we shouldn’t ever read too much, even this little piece). That particular naked bank, warmed by the sun all day, would radiate heat back into the water and make a great place for fish to hunker down and be comfortable. We have found many similar areas since, and most are next to long expanses of “heat exchanger” types of banks with deep water nearby. Look for similar areas on those frigid blue-bird days and expect to find fish and not people. Google Earth rocks for exploration purposes.

We also figured out (in part from that same nocturnal experience), that “mud bottoms only” were a sportswriter’s myth and in no way the only dance floors to host big winter fish. Watch for bait on warming hard banks and let the other guys get their booties sucked from their feet in knee-deep mud. I’m pretty much done with that as there are so many other options.

Other prime shallow areas for the trophy room became typical marsh drains in the afternoons. As the sun would quickly warm shallow backwater areas, when the tide started out it would bring water several degrees warmer than the average bay temperature through the drain. Big fish would put their noses into it and stack up there as well, sometimes in water barely covering your booties. Some of these areas can be so shallow it takes a topwater or floating Corky to keep a retrieve off the bottom. Guess what, there will probably be nobody else there either except you and your best fishing partner. It is highly unlikely you will have to fight boat traffic to partake.

We also discovered that even in deeper water, trout become acclimated to cold quite easily, and as soon as they do, it’s game on as usual. The standard advice of “when you think you’re fishing slow-slow it down some more” is only applicable for the worst of temperature drops or for those who read too much. As soon as the air becomes warmer than the water, fish will often rise to that energy and chase baits as fast as you can pull them. Slow your retrieve down too much and you’ll be under them and go fishless.

We also made the wonderful discovery that topwaters can and will work even with ice in your rod guides. Again, especially in late winter, trout become highly acclimated to the cold and it can take a lot to push them down.

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 9

10 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

I’m sure ready for some cold, and I’m sure excited to get those waders on again and go exploring for even more of what we don’t know.

“They” will be there and you don’t have to be a member of the salty elite to catch them, you just have to want it.

Very popular back in the day; I’m sure they’d still perform like champs if we’d give them a little line time.

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

Contact

Let your bait activity tell you much, and if it’s on the surface, your presentation should be there as well.

We also learned, thankfully from the wonderful advancements of technology, that we don’t ever have to be uncomfortable in the water again. Yellow doesn’t work, neither does rubber nor cotton. What does work is breathable materials, both inside and out. Breathable waders worn over thin waderwicktm types of linings, overshot with a quality, lightweight breathable jacket, will keep us near living room comfort during the worst of it.

Although there are other comparable products, if you are serious, investing in Simms gear might even get you a ticket into some of those higher pecking order line-ups. Buy them once, especially given the warranty, and you’re done. We just don’t have to suffer any more.

Winter, in my opinion, is the most awesome time to fish the Texas coast. Its fury either drives fish down or flushes them out, but both situations are fairy easy to pattern if you enjoy treasure hunting. There are so many different ways to find your personal best fish, and even in this populous world, many of those places you can have to yourself if you are willing to put the right effort into it. After this brutal summer

Contact Skinny Water Adventures Telephone 956-746-6041

Email McTrout@Granderiver.net Website Skinnywateradventures.com/ Three_MudSkateers.wmv

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 11

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-KRSVMRK XLI 2EYLRXV November is normally a good month for speckled trout fishing with artificial lures in Texas, particularly along the Upper Coast. Strong north winds usher in cool weather and tide levels rise and fall like mercury in a thermometer, alternately draining, then filling the estuaries.

Shortening days and fall fronts trigger migrations among prey species, presenting a veritable smorgasbord to piscatorial predators during the Thanksgiving month, especially in bays bordered by spacious marshes. The shallow, muddy nurseries provide safe haven to shrimp and other forage species throughout the warm months, but autumn’s harsh winds eventually drive all marsh residents into the open bays, and a journey to the Gulf commences.

Shrimp making their way toward the open sea find themselves caught between two predatory species. Trout attack from below, and when the crustaceans snap their tails to flee, propelling themselves to or through the water’s surface, sharp-eyed gulls dip and close ready beaks to claim them. Anyone who’s fished long enough to remember what it was like to navigate without a GPS knows that seagulls hovering low over the water in a bunch can give away the location of schooling trout.

On some November mornings, squawking flocks seem to stretch from horizon to horizon. The wheeling, diving birds fight over the bounty which rises into their midst and becomes fuel to fatten them for the winter. The sight of such activity causes the hearts of many

This classic photo proves that trophy trout love shallow water at times in November. I caught and” released the twenty nine inch specimen shown here from water barely deeper than the top of my boots.

coastal anglers to flutter; some jockey to be first in line upwind of the action, so they can attempt to quickly fill an ice chest with eating-sized specks. Nothing in fishing creates a more palpable sense of anticipation than tightly-formed, picking birds.

Exploiting the situation to take easy limits is a goal for many this month. Anglers who share my belief that over harvesting by humans is contributing to a decline in the state’s trout fishery (and those who simply want to catch bigger specimens) should consider steering away from the dramatic scenario of shrimp sandwiched between serrated 12 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

silver lips and quick crimson bills.

Other patterns can and will produce bigger specks when the flocks are screeching. Stories have circulated over the years about big trout being caught regularly under birds, especially in East Matagorda Bay. Mostly, those tales are mythical, probably enhanced by the insidious, exaggerating effects of selective memory. I’ll step out on a sturdy limb and assert that no one consistently catches trout in excess of five pounds by focusing on working birds.

Anglers who plan and execute other tactics while the birds are working have a better shot at catching some monster trout this month. In Sabine Lake, if salty water reaches the rivers, wading among rafted mullet around north-end reefs and sand flats close to the ICW produces heavy trout in autumn. If freshwater is more of a factor, mud flats near drains along the Louisiana side in the south end of the lake will likely produce better. Wading there can be dicey, as some of the bottom is pudding-soft; experimenting with a prod and moving cautiously are recommended.

Further west, in Trinity Bay, hefty specks can be caught by wading or drifting scattered shell along the east shore from the North Ridge to Smith Point, particularly when tides rise beneath easterly winds. In similar conditions, East Galveston Bay shorelines, namely those along the Anahuac Wildlife Refuge and ones adjacent to drains on the south shoreline, will produce some memorable trout for waders. When water is gushing out of the cuts, the catching can be world class, with numbers of long, fat fish available.

East Matagorda is perhaps the best bay of all for November trophy trout fishing in Texas. Numerous fall patterns work well in the diminutive, muddy estuary southwest of Sargent. When tides are high, the coves on the south shoreline fill up with clear, cold water and magnum trout. Those trout will go extremely shallow at times, especially when the water first begins to warm up after a chilly spell.

While water temperatures remain in the low to mid-fifties, the biggest trout in this bay (which does produce double digit specimens) might be found mere steps from the bank.

As the weather warms more, the fish often retreat to the muddy guts and thick grass beds in the middle of the coves and to the dropoffs along the bars fronting the coves. When northwest winds drive the water out and temperatures plummet, trout retreat into the middle of the bay and/or the ICW. While tides are extremely low, fishing on the north side, around the maze of reefs and towheads in this bay’s eastern half, produces giant trout, especially for those keen enough to find sweet spots among the shell humps.

Further south, in San Antonio Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Bay, pulling jumbo trout from shoreline coves is also possible. In decades past, I loved fishing that area when pre-front autumn winds helped fill the lakes between South Pass and Panther Point. Sometimes, schools of whopper trout pull into a lake and stay there until the next front chases them out. Wading the muddy bottoms in those lakes can be a chore, but moving around over large areas isn’t really necessary; planting the feet and grinding is wiser in general. A kayak is the answer for some.

Coastal Bend bays undoubtedly produce fewer big trout today than they did in the past.

Even so, San Antonio Bay, and others nearby, like Mesquite, Carlos, St. Charles and Copano, with their abundance of marshy satellites, reefs and plenty of mud and scattered shell bottom, still offer some trophy trout potential during this month of plenty.

One Corpus Christi area bay closely resembles Upper Coast bays. While living in Ingleside, I fished this tiny estuary many times, and found November to be one of the best months to catch trophy trout there.

Fringed by marsh, like other bays further north, Nueces Bay has crunchy oyster reefs measuring in miles, not acres. It probably has more reefs ideal for wading than any other bay in Texas. Navigating Nueces Bay can be dangerous for the inexperienced, given its mind-blowing maze of shell ridges and piles of discarded oil-field junk; GPS maps don’t accurately pinpoint most of the hazards.

All the aforementioned bays offer motivated trophy trout enthusiasts a shot at wall-hangers during the fall months. The best lures for the places identified as top November haunts vary from day to day and depend on the specific pattern fished. In general, warm Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

P OW E R P R O H O L LOW-AC E BENEFITS Utilizes a 16 Spectra® fiber construction to create superior connection strength Enhanced Body Technology™ process creates incredible abrasion resistance and strength to diameter ratio 6 sizes = 40, 60, 80, 100, 130 & 200 lb.

3 colors = White/Hi-Vis Yellow/Marine Blue

Kevin Cochran

Contact

Looking at this old photo reminds me how good the fall fishing for big trout in Sabine Lake can be.

conditions, onshore winds and rising water temperatures and tides bring conventional topwaters into play, particularly full-sized ones if mullet are abundant in an area.

When the trout move super shallow after a cold snap and are found knee-deep or less, floating Corkys or other silent, subtle twitch-baits will better seduce the sunning sows. In extreme cases, natural-looking soft plastics rigged weightless on worm hooks and fluttered in their faces might be required to buy strikes.

In some post-front conditions, when the fish move into deeper basins, sinking Corkys, Catch 5s, 51 MirrOlures and of course, soft plastics rigged on eighth or sixteenth ounce jigheads work best. If strong winds muck up the water, dangling a soft plastic under a cork can help fish find the worm.

November’s whistling fronts help ring in the first holiday of our year-end festival; they also kickoff the trophy trout season, at least for those of us who refuse to use live bait. The second half of autumn is a time for healthy appetites; all kinds of creatures feast vigorously in the waning light before the onset of winter.

Hungry for steady action, some anglers will clamor to compete for their share of the bounty under the birds. Others will ignore the obvious sign to focus on a slower-paced sport, hoping to catch, photograph and release the trout of a lifetime.

To purchase Hollow-Ace please visit one of these authorized retailers:

Kevin Cochran is a full-time fishing guide at Corpus Christi (Padre Island), TX. Kevin is a speckled trout fanatic and has authored two books on the subject. Kevin’s home waters stretch from Corpus Christi Bay to the Land Cut.

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 13

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Beverly Runkels tied into a twenty-six pound jack crevalle.

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I t has It hass bee b been ee en to too o ho h hot ot fo ot for to for ttoo oo o long long aand nd dI eage rly l await await it the th cold ld front frontt tthat hatt iiss fforecast orecastt eagerly to come through tonight. When folks ask me what causes red tide and when we get it I always reply, “We get red tide when the cold fronts are late and the summer heats stays too long; tropical storms and hurricanes increase the chances.”

My observations over the years have always led me to believe fish expect the

ttran ransfor sfforma mati tion ion n fro ffrom rom om se seas ason on to to se seas ason on transformation season season tto o occur in in timely timelly manner and ti d when h one season overstays its normal time span it puts them off their feed and our catches bear witness. Of all the months – September is known on the PINS beach to hold the greatest potential for spectacular catches of a wide variety of fishes but it can also be a very mediocre month. The determining factor is the arrival of falllike weather during the first few weeks to kick off the wonderful fall fishing. Summer hung on forever this year and September was plagued with tides to the dunes most days as the result of tropical storm activity.

And although the finger mullet migration is in full swing, the water temperature is still too Chuck and Beverly Runkels of Austin celebrated their thirtieth high for the large number wedding anniversary on PINS with a pair of surf reds. of predators to show up.

14 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Th his is llea eave ea ave ves us few ffewer ewer err d day ays to to e njjoyy th tthe he g he loryy lory lo This leaves days enjoy glory off tthe he ffall allll fi fishi hing season fishing season.

The good part is that our best fall fishing is yet to come and you gotta like that. The downside is that we may have already lost the best days of our usually brief and highly-treasured PINS tarpon season for the fourth year in a row.

Presumably, the tarpon remain further north as a result of the extended summer heat, and when they finally make their move southward they hurry right past us on their way to the Tampico wintering grounds. The number of days that tarpon will linger on the PINS shoreline is highly dependent on the presence of various anchovy species. Anchovies are known for forming “bait balls” as they travel southward along our coastline. The dusky anchovy seems to be the most favored by the tarpon although both bay and long-nosed anchovies may be mixed with the dusky variety at times. The basic rule of thumb here is: The more anchovies the more tarpon we encounter and the Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

The size of Beverlyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s jack compared with her physical size explains the utility of the shoulder harness for landing strong fish.

Jeff Walker and Jack Rice â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one and a half jack crevalle - Jeff shared his with a six foot bull shark.

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 15

to learn this stuff and you’re asking me?” We both had a good belly laugh and he replied, “Yes, but I’ve been stuck indoors studying while you have had all those years of field experience and that is also valid information we need to comprehend.” Makes sense; doesn’t it. Now if someone could convince the upper echelon TPWD of that we might be getting somewhere in the case of spotted seatrout management.

Bottom line to all of this is that even with years of education and research data at his disposal, Homo sapiens is awful big on what he thinks he knows and not many folks realize how very much we don’t know. Science requires supporting data. Once that data is obtained and evaluated it can be used to aid those involved in fisheries management to better understand and develop management plans for the future and sustainability of our marine fisheries resources.

Awfully important stuff, I’d say. We have so much more information than in my youth but there is still a whole lot of unknowns out there and it’s always been the unknowns that attract my interest.

For fifty-two years I’ve asked anyone and everyone where the finger mullet are going when they migrate along the Gulf beaches in the fall and why they migrate at all as these are not sexually mature individuals. The only answer I have ever gotten is south. That covers quite a bit of ground. Adult mullet supposedly spawn in some unknown place far offshore somewhere. I keep getting the mental picture of billions of horse mullet chirping on top 150 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico somewhere with every predator between Galveston and Tampico hammering them. Boy, bet you could sure get your string stretched if you discovered that unknown location.

In my youth everyone knew that tarpon spawned in lagoons, bays and rivers in Mexico. Now the accepted information is that tarpon spawn at some unknown location far offshore in the open Gulf.

Probably not far from where all those mullet are spawning would be my guess. Now, please do not for one second think I am by any means whatsoever being critical of scientists. Quite the contrary; I applaud their work and find them excellent companions. I wish there were lots more of them doing research and more charitable groups willing to finance studies. All I’m saying is that there remains a whole bunch of unanswered questions out there and a whole lot of unknown places.

Think of how big of a role the mullet play in the food chain of our bays and inshore waters and what a treasured gamefish the tarpon is, and yet big pieces of their life cycle and reproductive habit are totally unknown to us. It’s a hoot; ain’t it?

BILLY SANDIFER’S

&RDVWDO %LUGLQJ Long-billed Curlew Numerinus americanus Large North American shorebird. Cinnamon brown above, buff below, long neck, small head, very long downward-curving bill. Often feeds in flocks probing mud and sand with its bill. Bill of female much larger than male. Commonly found on fields and dry prairie as well as mudflats. Some present in our area all year. Fairly common but declining. Breeds in grasslands of westcentral North America. World population 20,000 birds.

Length: 23 inches Wingspan: 35 inches Weight: 1.3 pounds

“If we don’t leave any there won’t be any.” -Capt. Billy L. Sandifer

Contact

Capt. Billy Sandifer Billy Sandifer operates Padre Island Safaris offering surf fishing for sharks to specks and nature tours of the Padre Island National Seashore. Billy also offers bay and near-shore fishing adventures in his 25 foot Panga for many big game and gamefish species.

Telephone 361-937-8446

Website www.billysandifer.com

Photos by Jimmy Jackson

16 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

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3DDUW ,, UW ,,, We left off last month with Bodie hoping to catch up with the Rewd Crew. Bodie is on the phone with Stan Wigginton, the local game warden…

I know what you’re saying Stan, you have my word. I’ll wear my deputy sheriff badge and we’ll do this strictly by the book. I must say though, these boys could sure use a lesson in old-school manners.”

“Tell you what Bodie,” Stan offered. “We’ll get these boys; we just have to be patient. The way they’ve been behaving we’ll get our chance soon enough.”

Bodie then said, “You know that boat they have is going to be a lot faster than the one you’re running.”

“Don’t worry; I’ve got a surprise for those boys Bodie. Meet me at Klerk’s dock at daylight,” Stan said in closing.

The next morning found Monroe at Toadie’s, Tommy at the state ramp and Bodie waiting at Klerk’s for Warden Wigginton. Bodie watched as Stan’s green pickup made the turn into the parking lot and gave an astonished whistle when he saw what he was towing.

“What do you think of her?” the warden asked, stepping out of his truck.

Grinning in disbelief, Bodie called back to his friend, “I can’t believe the state would spring for a rig like this!”

18 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

“They didn’t,” Stan replied, loosened the tie-down straps, “She’s a confiscated dope runner. Federal boys apprehended the crew on their return to Mexico, chased them till they ran out of gas just off Port Mansfield. Heck of a rig, huh?”

Bodie ran his hand down all thirty-six feet of the sleek gunwale and paused to admire the three huge outboards. “How fast will this thing go?” he asked.

“Not sure. One of our guys says he got ‘er up to 70 knots real easy.

Not that I want to take it that fast,” the warden replied.

They had just splashed the boat when Bodie’s cell phone rang.

“They’re here Bodie, they’re unloading right now, and I mean they’re really here, so you want me to go harass them for a minute?” Tommy stammered.

“Just leave them be Tommy, Stan Wigginton and I will take it from here and do me a favor and call Monroe and let him know so he can go to work.” Bodie said.

Stan returned from parking his truck; “I’d have thought you’d be warming the engines Bodie.”

“To tell you the truth I’m afraid to touch anything. I never saw so many switches and buttons,” Bodie said shaking his head in wonder.

With onlookers gathering Warden Wigginton cranked the engines and began backing toward the ICW. A red and white blur shot up the canal letting them know the Rewd Crew was underway.

Their wake left all the boats along the bulkhead rocking and slapping.

“That’s one!” said the warden as he nudged the throttles forward.

Bodie felt himself being pushed deep into the wrap-around captain’s chair as the boat rose effortlessly with its nine hundred horsepower.

Warden Wigginton flipped a switch and punched a button and a large Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

screen lit in an eerie glow. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our boys right there,â&#x20AC;? Stan said pointing to a blip on the screen.

For most of the morning Bodie and the warden kept their distance, watching and video-taping the Rewd Crew robbing crab traps and tossing a trail of empty beer cans. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got enough already to cost them plenty,â&#x20AC;? Stan remarked, â&#x20AC;&#x153;But I want them for more than littering and rocking boats. If we give them another hour we might be able to make a BWI case. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a galley below and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find lunch stuff in the fridge if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re hungry. Make me one too, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m starving.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;This boat has a galley?â&#x20AC;? Bodie called over his shoulder as he stepped below.

Bodie returned shortly with a sandwich in each hand as Stan returned the video camera to its case. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re sure putting the beer away,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We hardly need that radar Stan, we could just follow the cans,â&#x20AC;? Bodie smirked as he munched his sandwich.

The Rewd Crew pulled anchor and proceeded to buzz circles around the other boats at the cluster of wells, shooting the bird and catcalling as they tossed beer cans. â&#x20AC;&#x153;OK â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen enough Bodie, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s get these guys off of the water,â&#x20AC;? Stan said.

Warden Wigginton fired the outboards and from amid the myriad buttons and switches he flipped one that turned on the flashing blue and red lights. The two lawmen caught up with the red and white blur faster than Bodie dreamed possible and Stan hit the siren in three short bursts. One of the passengers turned and saw the big boat approaching and leaned to notify the driver who simply shrugged and jammed the throttle forward. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to rabbit on us,â&#x20AC;? Stan called out to his companion. Bodie grinned as Warden Stan pressed the throttles forward another inch to overtake the Rewd Crew.

Three more sirens blasts gave the driver even more courage if not the realization that the lawmen meant business. He gave his boat full throttle and headed closer to the shoreline. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re trying to get shallow where we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t run,â&#x20AC;? Bodie warned. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They can go as shallow as they like but they have to come back out sometime,â&#x20AC;? Stan chortled.

Sure enough, the Rewd Crew got up shallow like Bodie said and were flying along at about 50 knots. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do you think they know about that reef ahead? I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think that boat will clear it on this tide and if they hit it at the speed their going the Rewd Crew is going to be the Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Wrecked Crew,â&#x20AC;? Bodie offered with concern in his voice.

Warden Wigginton hit his siren repeatedly but no one Rewd Crew looked their way.

Hoping to show the driver of the Rewd Crew that he couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t outrun him, he sped ahead a hundred yards or so off their starboard. As they went by Bodie motioned for the operator to cut the throttle but this too was ignored. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to swing out around the reef then shut down and wait,â&#x20AC;? Stan advised. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see the reef Stan, maybe thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enough water for them to clear it, but if they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t this could get ugly really fast,â&#x20AC;? Bodie shouted above the roar of the engines.

Settling off plane, both lawmen watched as the red and white boat bore down on the oyster reef. Just when it appeared they might get lucky and skip across, the Rewd Crewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s big outboard shot upward and pieces of the lower unit exploded across the water. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is as shallow as I can go Bodie, would you like to wade over and welcome our guests aboard?â&#x20AC;? Stan asked rather dryly.

Bodie grabbed his Stetson and slipped into the water, wading toward the hapless runaways. They couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help but notice the shine of the badge at the edge of his life vest and the big silver revolver on his right hip. In drunken sheepishness they did exactly as the big man said. Bodie gave instructions to drop the Power Pole and set the anchor off the bow.

While Warden Wigginton watched from the helm of the state boat, Bodie marched the three back and one by one they were brought onboard, placed in handcuffs and read their rights. Hoisting himself aboard, Bodie helped Stan place PFDs on the men and took them below. With a cold stare and a hard voice Bodie told the men to sit down and to not even think about moving. Warden Wigginton was on the cell phone when Bodie rejoined him at the helm. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There should be a unit waiting at the dock to take these guys to the county jail and the JP should be there as well,â&#x20AC;? Stan said.

There was quite a crowd when Warden Wigginton and Bodie arrived back at the dock and of course Tommy Meyers was running back and forth flapping his arms and yelling. Stan docked the boat and Bodie led the prisoners up from the salon. Everyone booed and called them names as Bodie and Stan helped them onto the dock and handed them off to some deputies and another game warden. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bodieâ&#x20AC;ŚHey Bodie,â&#x20AC;? Tommy yelled from the fuel dock. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll got them boys. I knew Texas Saltwater Fishing

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20 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

toe, dropped his cell phone and broke it when he called Bodie to let him know the “criminals” were unloading their boat and had been “pushed” off of the dock at Klerk’s. Someone remarked that Tommy sure had a bad luck day and Tommy agreed.

“Hey Bodie,” Monroe said. “Take a look at that doll by Eloisa’s cash register, now don’t that look a little like Tommy to you?”

“Well it sure does Monroe, and look there’s a pin in the right big toe too,” Bodie said with a snicker.

“What doll,” Tommy blurted, eyeing it instantly, and of course going into his usual choking. Bodie slapped him on the back a few times and when he caught his breath he squeaked more, “Bodie we’ve got to tip Eloisa real good tonight and, by the way, I need to borrow fifty bucks to pay my tab…please?”

“Sure Tommy, after all, we want to keep Eloisa happy don’t we?”

Tommy ducked his head as he reached for the proffered bill. “I didn’t know they had voodoo queens in El Paso, Bodie.” he stammered.

Bodie just smiled.

Contact

you would and I told everyone…” Tommy didn’t get to finish. The excitement got the best of him and he flipped headfirst off the dock.

Tommy splashed about in a crazy dog-paddle yelling for help which was generally ignored. Finally Bodie told him to settle down and swim around to the ramp and walk out.

Stan had plenty of help getting the big boat on the trailer while Bodie helped Tommy up the slippery ramp. “Figured on having a little swim to celebrate, did you Tommy Boy?” Bodie asked offering his hand.

“Someone pushed me and I think it was that guy over there with the floppy hat,” Tommy whined.

“That’s Mr. Brewster, Tommy. Do you think he pushed you in?” Bodie asked.

“Nah, must have been someone else, but I was definitely pushed.”

Tommy said.

Stan arranged for a tow service to retrieve the Rewd Crew and impound it as he and Bodie went over the day’s events and filled out their incident reports.

Monroe showed up a few minutes after Stan had driven off and asked Bodie how everything went. But before Bodie could answer, Tommy chimed in. “Bodie and Warden Wigginton took them boys down Monroe, you should have seen it, they were like Texas Rangers or something!” he exclaimed.

“You were with them Tommy?” Monroe asked.

“Ah no, not exactly, but they told me what happened,” he squeaked.

Bodie whispered to Monroe, “Did you get it?”

“Oh yeah, I got it Bodie,” Monroe nodded in reply.

Later, when everyone was at Haddon’s Place, Tommy was telling everyone how that morning he had cut himself shaving, stubbed his big

Martin Strarup 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

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 21

6WRU\ E\ &KXFN 8]]OH

:HUH WKH JRRG ROG GD\V UHDOO\ WKDW JRRG" It h has often f b been said d that h iff you d don’t ’ llearn anything h ffrom the h past you will be destined to repeat your mistakes in the future. Looking back on the past and learning from folks who have “been down that road before” is interesting as well as enlightening. I really enjoy listening to people recount stories from the good old days, especially when it comes to fishing. It almost always seems that the stories and memories from the past are bigger than life and nearly mythic in every way. The fish were bigger, the water was better, and fishing in general was at the height of its potential. Sometimes those stories get stretched a little out of proportion but hey; that’s what fishermen do. A little embellishment never really hurt anyone did it? But what if you could get an accurate firsthand account of what it was really like sans the hype. That would be a great story wouldn’t it?

On a recent trip I had a client ask how long I have been guiding.

I answered with a smile about my own career and began to name off some of the other guides on the lake who have been around longer and helped me along the way.

22 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

h that h thought h h in mind d I remembered b d one man who h h With has perhaps seen as much of Sabine Lake and local marsh fishing as anyone, Capt. Noson Fontenot. I can remember several years ago sitting down with Noson and quizzing him about the old days. I set out to find some of my notes from that conversation and luckily was able to put my hands on them. At the time of our conversation Noson had been patrolling Sabine Lake in various crafts in search of fish for nearly fifty years, so you can see why he would be a good authority on the subject.

Back in the late 1940s when Noson started fishing the lake with the help of his fourteen foot plywood boat and ten horse outboard motor, boat traffic and fishing pressure was almost zero. “You may fish for a week and not see three boats” said Noson, “the lake was wide open.” During the 50s and 60s there were some days when the shrimp in the lake were so thick “they would almost stop your boat” according to Fontenot. Limits on fish were basically unheard of and most folks caught all they wanted. “I remember when a Louisiana fishing license cost seventy-five cents,” says Noson, “you could buy Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

them at any little store and then go out and load the boat with the fifty fish limit, any combination of trout and reds that added up to fifty was legal.”

As the 70s rolled around Sabine lake was still a fishing heaven that occasionally was upset by industrial or chemical pollution in the air that seemed to effect fishermen more than fish.

More people began to fish the lake and take advantage of the outstanding populations of fish that would migrate in from the Gulf. “Every year as the fish would stack up in the surf we would get a dozen or so fellas together and go down to the beach and spread those big seines (nets) out and catch trout by the thousands, we would literally fill up the beds of trucks with these fish,” Fontenot recalled. “In those days a haul like that was considered a major victory or a great day of fishing according to most of us, now that I look back we were foolish to be so greedy.”

The fishing on Sabine Lake would trend up for several years and then drop off like anything else for a while until the 80s came around. “The 80s was probably some of the best fishing we have ever Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

had on this lake,” Noson told me.

During the mid-80s, according to Fontenot, the reef on the south end of the lake virtually came alive with big fish. During June of 1987 Noson caught three speckled trout that weighed more than ten pounds while fishing the reef, so you can see why he would say those 80s years were great. The peak of the big fish coincided with what may have killed the lake had it not been stopped, commercial netters still roamed the lake and took tons of fish from our waters.

“The populations and the size of the fish in the lake really declined for a few years until the netters were banned from our waters, since they have been gone we have seen fishing as a whole improve each and every year,” he explained.

The words from that interview still ring true today and really make you think – were the good old days really that good? Just sit back and think about how much smarter we are today and how far we’ve advanced in fishing techniques, stocking practices as well as our present attitude toward conservation. I know on my home water our average speckled trout and redfish are much larger and more prolific than when I started fishing the lake almost thirty years ago. Never in our wildest dreams did we think we would

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 23

ever catch as many big trout as we have without going down south to Baffin or the Lower Laguna where it seemed they were everywhere. The present day population of redfish continues to boggle my mind on an almost daily basis. It’s amazing what has transpired in our fishery in the past decade and how it’s shaped the overall landscape.

The two big hurricanes we endured could very well be looked upon as Mother Nature

24 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

well for fishing in the days and years ahead.

I can honestly say I am glad to be part of the generation that will be able to say we left the fish in better shape than they were in the good old days.

Chuck Uzzle

Contact

working her rejuvenation magic. Since those two catastrophic events we have just been nearly overrun with redfish. Schools of fish from fifteen inches to fifteen pounds seem at times to be around every point and along every shoreline. In my book, fishing opportunity of this caliber would qualify as today’s good days, not yesterday’s good old days.

The future for the coastal angler appears to be bright as science and commonsense seem to be joined more like partners than enemies these days.

The continued strides and efforts made by various organizations, and most importantly the everyday fisherman, bode

Chuck fishes Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes from his home in Orange, TX. His specialties are light tackle and fly fishing for trout, reds, and flounder.

Phone 409-697-6111 Email cuzzle@gt.rr.com Website www.chucksguideservice.net

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

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The University of Texas

Marine Science Institute

www.ScienceAndTheSea.org The University of Texas Marine Science Institute Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 25

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I was fortunate to make a Montana trip recently during which I was able to visit the Simms folks and facilities at Bozeman. What I saw and what I learned was way more than I expected in either category. You would pretty much have to see it all to believe it but I’m going to do my best to tell you the Simms story.

Simms has always been about fishing. Founder John Simms of Jackson, Wyoming was a noted and respected fly fishing guide.

Inventive by nature, John sought commonsense solutions to problems faced by anglers. His first was an elastic cord affixed to fishing glasses and today we call them Croakies. Tired of being wet and cold, John soon turned his attention to wader products, and the rest is history as they say.

From meager beginnings in the early 1980s, the company grew and expanded its product lines. Simms was acquired by passionate angler and entrepreneur K.C. Walsh in 1993 and relocated to Bozeman, partly because he is a fishing nut and also because he loves Montana and always dreamed of living there. In that same year, in a pioneering effort with W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc., Simms began to manufacture waders from GORE-TEX® fabric and the face of fishing was changed forever. Simms is currently one of only three companies licensed to use GORE-TEX® fabric to make waders, and the only one in the U.S. Those who have been fishing for more than a few years will recall the disappointment and agony of fishing in rubber waders. John Simms helped pioneer the use of neoprene in the manufacture of waders. When stocking-foot neoprenes made the scene fishermen 26 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

rejoiced; they were that much better. But good as it was, neoprene was not without its downside. Usually tight and restrictive in all the wrong places, and with moisture trapped inside from physical exertion, waders still had a ways to go – not to mention that neoprene waders have an enormous propensity to acquire the scent of a locker room.

I have worn Simms breathable waders and jackets for seven years and have enjoyed excellent service from all my Simms gear. So as I entered the Simms factory I was like a kid in a candy store, eyes bugged out, busting with questions, eager to see and learn. Our first stop was the cutting tables where stacks of GORE-TEX® fabric are overlaid with patterns and then skillfully cut the old-fashioned way – by hand. GORE-TEX® fabric is by no means cheap and great effort is applied to carefully batching components between sizes and styles for greatest yield. Within the G3 Guide™ wader line alone, there are eighteen stock and four custom size options. The G4 Pro™ and G4Z lineup includes twenty more, the Headwaters™ Stockingfoot line has thirteen, and the Women’s Headwater Stockingfoot family includes nineteen. And then there’s kid’s waders. To make the equation more complex, not all styles and sizes are needed in the same quantity.

Just try wrapping your brain around that batching problem!

Next was sewing, but before we could observe the process, music began to play and everyone stepped into the aisle, stretching and bending to relieve fatigue. They do this one minute each hour. When the music stopped the work resumed and we were mesmerized as skilled hands guided fabric through the sewing machines. Sewing Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

includes joining pieces of fabric to make bibs and pants as well as joining these parts to make a wader.

Next was die-cutting of bootie components and an explanation of how Simms wader bootie pieces are designed to comply with human anatomy for user comfort. As with the bibs and pant sections, there are a surprising number of steps to joining pieces to make a bootie, and even more to join booties to the pant legs.

Taping and sealing the seams of waders was an amazing operation as well, at least the portions of the processes we were allowed to observe. Much of the machinery and process was designed by Simms engineers, unique and therefore closely guarded intellectual property. After thirty years in the highlycompetitive steel forging industry I had no problem with the policy. Actually, I thought it wise.

Now the last thing an angler wants is a pair of leaky waders the first time out, so each pair of Simms waders are leak tested. Here again the process is considered highly proprietary, and while it is explained up to a point, the most valuable secrets are guarded. Suffice to say, Simms have built a reputation founded on quality and performance and individual testing of each pair is part of the process, whether curious visitors are allowed to watch or not.

Amidst all the obvious hustle on the shop floor, I was greatly impressed with the attitude of the workers and the loyalty to the Simms mission they displayed. Back in my industrial career I learned to identify key behavioral characteristics of employees.

A happy and motivated workforce could tell you more Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

with their eyes and facial expression in a few seconds than hours of words. I was always amazed at the contrast between surly and unproductive workers and those who labored in better environments. What I saw at Simms was a highly-skilled and motivated force, proud to be part of a team and proud of what they made, perhaps the single greatest reason Simms remains a premier brand and leader in their market. It is no myth that too many American companies disappeared through failure to accomplish this and I offer hearty kudos to all at Simms for remaining at the top of their industry in the face of brisk competition, foreign and domestic.

Further evidence of the commitment of the Simms management to building and maintaining a safe and productive work environment can be found in the special status they have earned with OSHA, the government watchdog agency of workplace safety.

Simms is no longer audited in the way other businesses are; in fact, Simms is recognized as exemplary – a model for others to follow. Work stations are ergonomically designed for productivity with today’s safety as well as tomorrow’s employee well-being included.

The “Wall of Shame” or 30-Day Return Display caught my eye. Simms offers an ironclad over-the-counter 30-day exchange policy for defects in materials and workmanship.

Any product so returned is displayed for all to see and critique. Each employee that participates in the part of the manufacturing process that produced the defect is involved in engineering the fix.

Though critical in the analysis of the defect, the investigation is purposely not critical of the worker. K.C. Walsh says, “There is too much at stake to waste

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 27

time pointing fingers at people when it is obvious you need a better process.”

Product improvement is a big part of the Simms story and the “front seam” on the pants

leg that is part of many of their wader designs deserves discussion. Andy Wunsch, Director of Sales and Service explained it like this, “A wader that is not anatomically correct to the human form will have many folds and ridges of fabric that rub as we move. We see this predominantly in the crotch and upper thigh area. These highly-abraded areas wear quickly and begin leaking long before the service life of the rest of the wader can be fully utilized.”

Another great aspect of being a Simms customer is their product

service and repair department. For a nominal fee, Simms waders can be returned to the Bozeman factory for “rebuilding” as I like to call it; unless of course the repair technicians might advise that it’s time for your waders to be put out to pasture. Patching worn areas and tears, re-taping of seams, replacing booties, and even new suspenders and zippers are part of the offering. Take it from a Simms customer who has used this service; it’s almost like getting new waders for fifty bucks.

In order to complete the story of all that’s new at Simms I would need to ramble on for several pages and time and space simply do not allow for that. I was blown away with the craftsmanship, all the styles and designs, everything I saw in packaging and even in the warehouse, up to and including being asked to describe what I thought Texas anglers looked for in a pair of waders. There is much in the works at Simms; new wader designs, Simms line of technical fishing and lifestyle clothing, moisture-wicking garments for wearing inside your waders, jackets, hats, even shoes. I will address these in a future article; keep an eye open for it.

Now about the rest of my Montana trip – I did not go hunting but I did go fishing – I caught rainbows and brookies (they have no reds, specks or flounder) – I’m still not worth a flip with a fly rod – the folks at Simms are every bit as folksy and hospitable as Texans. Too bad Montana is so far away.

Back b y Just in Popular De m time fo r Chri and! stmas!

ts! n e v G E NLY! S! I B 2 s O o MIS y a 2 D OD t O 2G

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Boat Maintenance Tips from Chris Mapp Brought to you by Coastal Bend Marine – Port O’Connor, Texas

<ŶŽǁ ƐŽŵĞŽŶĞ ƚŚĂƚ ůŽǀĞƐ ƚŽ ĮƐŚ͍ <ŶŽǁ ƐŽŵĞŽŶĞ ƚŚĂƚ LJŽƵ ǁŝƐŚ ǁŽƵůĚ ĮƐŚ͍ sŝƐŝƚ

ǁǁǁ͘ƉŝŶŬŵĂƌůŝŶ͘ĐŽŵ ƚŽ ĮŶĚ ƚŚĞ ƉĞƌĨĞĐƚ ŐĞĂƌ ĨŽƌ LJŽƵƌ ƐƉĞĐŝĂů ƐŽŵĞŽŶĞ͊ :ƵƐƚ ŝŶ ƟŵĞ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ŚŽůŝĚĂLJƐ͊

͞ZĞĞů ^ƚƵī ĨŽƌ tŽŵĞŶ͟ 30 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Did you ever wonder what the most expensive part of boat ownership is? Is it the boat note? Is it the insurance? Is it storage?

Is it the gear? Is it the fuel? Is it lack of knowledge?

Lack of knowledge is the area of boat ownership that is the most overlooked and is the most expensive. The old phrase – Knowledge is Power – is a very accurate way to describe the most expensive part of boat ownership.

There are three enemies to every boat, motor, and trailer and each one when addressed on a regular basis can save a great deal of your hard-earned income and make fishing an absolute enjoyable, worry-free experience.

Number one on the list is UV. Number two is saltwater. Number three is carbon, (the byproduct of unburned fuel and/or oil from your engine).

Every time the trip is over, washing the boat, motor and trailer to remove salt is a must. Flushing the outboard every single time is critical. Using the right chemicals is key.

I can not name one thing on this planet that the combination of saltwater and UV cannot destroy given enough time.

Let’s talk about the cure. Fiberglass, aluminum, stainless, wiring, rubber and plastics all are very susceptible to severe degradation from UV. Keeping the boat in storage or under cover is the best way along with the use of a rigging tube where cables and wiring come out of the hull and into the engine is a must. If your plastic fuel tank is visible under the console, a cover for the opening will keep UV from destroying your fuel and sun fading the tank.

The use of products like Corrosion X, Red, Green and Rejex are one of the best methods and each one has its place.

Application interval - twice a year - Corrosion X Red should be sprayed under the engine cowling on all surfaces, avoiding the starter bendix, (this is where the starter teeth engage the flywheel). Spray the fuel water separator filter assembly, battery cable ends, power pole pump, jack plate pump.

Each trip – Spray the hydraulic steering cylinder stainless shaft on each side, this will keep the seals from getting hard and the shaft from pitting, Also spray the steering cable, jack plate slides/rollers after the boat is washed and before storing for next trip.

Application interval – CorrosionX Green – Annual application of CorrosionX Green is generally sufficient on the following areas, tilt and trim assembly, tiller arm, galvanized rims over the lug nuts and the trailer hubs. Corrosion X Green is not favorable to use on electrical wiring or fuel hose.

Application interval – Rejex – Four months – This is another amazing product by Corrosion Technologies that when applied as directed puts a virtual shell of protection on the applied surface, glass, plastic, fiberglass, aluminum, stainless steel, above or below the water. Rejex protects against salt, bugs, bird droppings, blood will wash off with ease. On larger diesel applications it is a great product to keep the exhaust stain off the transom.

Carbon protection – There are many good fuel treatments, and it is necessary to use one every time you put fuel in the tank. Ethanol is the number one enemy for an outboard. It is important to note a stabilizer and decarbon additive are required and should have the E-10 rating for ethanol. The product we prefer is the PRI-G for gasoline and the PRI-D for diesel.

Hope this helps and if you have any question feel free to call. We go over these and other tips daily with our new boat/engine owners and service customers.

Chris Mapp - Coastal Bend Marine, Port O’Connor, Texas coastalbendmarine.com – 361.983.4841 Texas Saltwater Fishing

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JAY WATKINS

The first frontal system of the season is pushing through the area. Air temperatures have dropped about ten degrees and at this point we will take anything we can get in h h water temps will begin dropping soon as well. I have hope that been recording water temps in the upper 80s for the past two months and this makes a tough lure bite tougher.

My good news is that I did find some very respectable trout in September and I want to discuss the very specific conditions that aided me in locating and catching these exceptional fish.

It has become increasingly difficult to consistently keep my trout anglers on what I consider worthy fish. I am very blessed to have such a fine group of experienced anglers willing to pursue higher-quality trout year round. Winter is still by far the best time to find and catch the larger fish but summer fish are absolutely worthy and a challenge to the best of trout anglers.

Over the past three or four seasons I have had the opportunity to fish southern waters more often due to the needs of my clients. Not my home waters by any means but I have always believed that trout water is trout water no matter what bay system you choose. Structure changes from one bay system to the next but structure is still simply anything that attracts baitfish and predators, we just have to learn to recognize it.

During late August and September the middle and lower coast received 20-plus inches of rain and the runoff dropped

the salinity to single digits. Many anglers lose confidence in their ability to catch trout when this happens. Add to this the appearance of the water and fishing is often placed on the back burner. Honestly, I see this scenario in a totally different way.

Almost eighteen years ago I had the opportunity to spend a day with Trinity Bay trout guru Mickey Eastman. On this particular day we were on Sabine Lake pre-fishing an upcoming TroutMasters tournament. Freshwater is no stranger in Sabine Lake as the area receives about sixty inches of rainfall annually and the lake often appears brackish.

“No one will be fishing the north end of the lake,” Mickey said as we left the dock. He was right, there was not a boat in sight while we worked slicks and birds. At one point Mickey tasted a handful of the brackish water. “Perfect,” he said, and then proceeded to put me on to a solid three pound trout. As we started to pull away from a shoreline that Mickey suggested we wade on Saturday, I dipped a handful of water and swashed it around in my mouth. Lowell Odem, my tournament partner sneered and asked sarcastically if this was some kind of guide ritual. I replied that I just wanted to see what perfect tasted like.

Since that day I have not been shy to fish water that appeared totally fresh as long as it has that perfect taste.

Freshwater is less dense than saltwater and can form a layer on top of saltwater. By observing our boat wake we can often see the emerald green water below as the muddy and fresh surface water is displaced. I have also seen times when only a small zone of salt water exists right along Danny Lee with a really great late the bottom. In both summer trout; water temp was 87° and clarity was very poor; CPR! situations we need to focus on keeping our lures in the salty zones. Soft plastics and suspending baits are excellent choices for these conditions but never pass the chance to try a surface plug. During the TroutMasters tournament I mentioned we caught some six-to-seven trout on MirrOlure Top Dogs.

Another side of freshwater inundation is what I call the stackup or concentration factor and it is really quite simple so long as you don’t try to overthink it. As runoff makes

32 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

ASK TH E PRO

Jay Ray Watkins with a solid dirtywater late summer trout; CPR!

´)DVWHU 6WURQJHU 6WXUGLHU &DUJR /LIWV¾ seven pounders. If you think the recent influx of freshwater is going to hurt your fishing you might consider carrying a copy of this article on your next fishing trip or at least read it again before you go.

I promise you the words written here are true and freshwater runoff can actually create some of the best catching scenarios of the year.

In closing, you know the Keep Five limit I have been promoting on my charters. I have a new one, FISH FIRST. Put the fish first and I think everything else will fall into place.

Just do what you think is best for the fish and letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s see what happens.

Maybe the next generation of fishermen will look back and thank us for our proactive conservation actions. My friend Bill Kinney is responsible for the new slogan, I am just borrowing it.

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May your fishing always be catching. â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Guide Jay Watkins

CONTAC T

its way into the bay, areas closest to the mouths of creeks and rivers along the mainland shore become inundated almost immediately and this displaces baitfish and gamefish to areas that are still salty. We see this often in San Antonio Bay when trout, reds and lots of bait concentrate along the Matagorda Island shoreline. If the freshwater inundation reaches the south shoreline the fish will enter the lakes and marshes on the island as these usually remain saltier.

My best-ever trout day in Aransas Bay occurred shortly after a prolonged and heavy rainfall event.

As soon as the weather cleared I took a group to see what we could find. The water was brackish and nearly three feet higher than normal.

Mid-bay reefs and islands that normally stood above the surface were submerged and the currents were uncommonly strong as the swollen bay drained to the Gulf.

In some places the current rushed and gurgled like a river. We stood up-current of a set of small islands and the current carried our lures into eddies off the points where the fish were in a frenzied feed. We caught seventy trout and lots of them exceeded five pounds; very uncommon in Aransas Bay at that time. I never tried to count the reds.

On recent trips down south where water clarity was poor with salinity in single digits, we caught trout from two pounds to four and a half pounds in great numbers and some days we caught legitimate

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Jay Watkins has been a full-time fishing guide at Rockport, TX, for more than 20 years. Jay specializes in wading year-round for trout and redfish with artificial lures. Jay covers the Texas coast from San Antonio Bay to Corpus Christi Bay. Phone 361-729-9596 Email Jay@jaywatkins.com Website www.jaywatkins.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

&DOO /,)7 IRU GHWDLOV 9LVLW XV DW ZZZ OHJDF\OLIWV FRP www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 33

C ASE Y SMART T

F LY F I S H I N G D E PA R T M E N T

Jig hooks have been around for a very long time. Some of the earliest lures were built on jig hooks and many-a-fisherman began his/her career either tossing jigs at bluegills or bouncing them up and down in front of crappie. I can remember whipping a lot of fish with a Zebco 202 and a “speck rig.” They were deadly, and still are. But in spite of their popularity among conventional fishermen, jig hooks have been slow to catch on in the fly fishing world.

I don’t know why, but few flies have traditionally been tied on jig hooks even though the design is really ideal for many different patterns. For example, look at the Clouser Minnow. The Clouser Minnow is one of the most popular and effective flies of all time. It is fundamentally a jig. But, the Clouser Minnow has not typically been tied on a jig hook. Why? That’s a head-scratcher.

But in recent years, a number of fresh and saltwater fly fishers who tie their own have taken a closer look at jig hooks. They are rediscovering the jig hook’s merits and cranking out some really good flies on them. Let’s take a closer look at the jig hook design and how/when jig hooks can be used in fly tying.

3 flies ties on Eagle Claw 413 jig hooks.

Top to Bottom- Chrome Clouser, Popovic’s Jiggy, and Swimming Shrimp

Eagle Claw 413 jig hooks

Jig Hook Design Jig hooks differ from conventional hooks in that the forward portion of the shank is bent at either a 60 or 90 angle toward the point of the hook, forming an elbow in the shank. This elbow moves the eye of the hook closer to the plane of the hook point and causes the hook to rotate to an inverted (hook point on top) position when it is retrieved. In essence, it makes the hook weedless. A second but less obvious benefit to this design is that the

VIDE

O

plane of the hook point is closely in line with the plane of the eye/ leader. This allows the hook point to penetrate smoothly without twisting or levering at an angle when a fisherman sets the hook. The net effect is that hooksets are very efficient.

Hooks with a 90 bend are often used to build what we recognize as classic vertical jigs. These lures usually have dense molded lead heads and are intended to be dropped straight over the side of the boat and bounced up and down over deep structure or trolled. Alternately, hooks with a 60 bend are designed to be cast out and retrieved in a more or less conventional manner, bouncing across the bottom.

The slightly upturned nose of the 60 is good at sliding over structure and maintaining forward motion. For most fly tying applications, the 60 jig hook is more versatile and practical than the 90 and a good fit for a variety of subsurface fly patterns.

Choosing the Right Hook When you start looking for jig hooks, the first thing you’ll discover is that most hooks are either too small and flimsy for saltwater work, or way too big and bulky for standard-caliber flies. The exception is the Eagle Claw 413, which is the hook I am currently using. The 413s are decent hooks.

They are reasonably priced, acceptable in quality/strength, and available in sizes down to #2. In fact the #2 is what I most commonly use. If you need to go smaller than #2, take a look at the Targus 9413 jig hook. The 9413 is a knock-off of the Eagle Claw 413, but it is available down to #4. Gamakatsu also makes jig hooks, including one called the “Jig 60.” As you might expect, the Jig 60’s are just plain scary, sticky, prickly pear

Check out Casey’s Fly Fishing Video Library at www.TSFMag.com

34 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Phone 830-237-6886 Email caseysmartt@att.net Website www.caseysmartt.com

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Tying Flies on Jig Hooks If you step back and look at which flies could honestly be improved with jig hooks, there are two patterns that immediately come to mind – the Clouser Minnow and the Bendback. These are staple flies that are tremendously effective in a variety of applications. One of the key features of both patterns is that they ride with the hook in the upright position. This makes them perfect candidates.

By most standards the Clouser Minnow is nearly a perfect fly. Anyone would be hardpressed to improve upon its simple design.

But, when you tie a Clouser Minnow on a jig hook, several improvements are made.

First, the nose of the fly is slightly upturned, making it less prone to plow into shell, rocks, and weeds. The second improvement is that Clouser Minnows tied on jig hooks will almost never, and I mean never, twist or turn upside down during the retrieve. The combination of

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Upturned eye of the 60 deg. jig hook.

CONTAC T

sharp. But unfortunately they are designed for bass fishermen slinging soft plastics and are available only in very large sizes. From the standpoint of price, availability, and selection, the Eagle Claw 413 is your best bet. A good source for them (and just about all your fly tying supplies) is www.saltwaterflies.com .

FLY FIS H I N G D E PAR TM E NT

This photo illustrates the plane of hookset force (red line) as related to the plane of the hook point (yellow line) on a jig h

an offset hook shank and weighted eyes makes the fly run upright and true every time.

Besides the Clouser Minnow, the Bendback is a fly that most saltwater fly fishermen have in their box. The Bendback is light, weedless, and easy to tie. But it has one minor flaw – the bend itself. When tying a Bendback, the very first step is to make a subtle bend in the shank. This bend, along with correct placement of material on the shank, causes the hook to rotate to the point-up position. But the problem is that when the shank is bent, the plane of the hook point is no longer in line with the plane of the eye of the hook. The hook points only slightly upward. So, when you set the hook using a Bendback, the hook point enters at a slight angle. If it’s not needle sharp, the hook sometimes scrapes across its target rather than sticking in it. The more bend you place in the hook, the greater the problem. But, if you tie a Bendback on a jig hook, this problem is eliminated because the plane of the hook point is in line with the plane of the eye/leader.

Additionally, the upturned nose of the fly allows it to ride over weeds better than if the fly was tied on a straight shank hook.

The Clouser Minnow and Bendback are just two examples of flies that can be tied on jig hooks. There are many others, including Popovic’s Jiggy’s, Whistlers, and swimming shrimp patterns. If you would like to get some jig hooks and see for yourself if they are worthwhile, my suggestion is to buy a pack of #2 Eagle Claw 413s and get after it. With a little practice tying and a good opportunity to try out your creations, I think you will be pleased.

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BOBBY BYRD & C APT. JOHN COCHR ANE

/DVW 3DVV E\ WKH 5LJ Since Everett asked us to start writing the Bluewater Journal back in 2006, we have tried to keep everyone up on the big game fishing scene in Texas. We have enjoyed keeping our readers informed about big game fishing techniques, fishing reports, tackle tips, tournament news, weather issues, boat maintenance and more. Unfortunately, our schedules have become so full it is difficult to continue a monthly article. So this will be our last one for now. We plan on doing a few articles in the future.

Our main focus has been to inform our readers of the outstanding big game fishing that exists off our coast. Many people don’t relate big game fishing to Texas because most of the best fishing grounds are located well offshore. The Gulf of Mexico, rich in sea life, provides us with many extraordinary fishing opportunities. The warm Gulf Loop Current supplies us with an important flow of nutrients and bait fish that attract large predatory gamefish. However, off the coast of Texas and Louisiana, we also have one of the most unique situations in the world. The petroleum industry and the accompanying offshore drilling have provided us with numerous offshore oil platforms –

36 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

unique “islands of steel” as they are often called. These structures create a diverse habitat that attracts many species of offshore gamefish. Even though we have to travel a little farther, our fishing is very good. Over the years we have discussed these and many other topics and we want to highlight some of the issues we feel are most important.

Weather has always been a big topic because of the distances involved in reaching the fishing grounds off our coast. Our summer season has favorable weather conditions most of the time (when there is nothing tropical around), but the cold fronts we get in the winter can be a big problem. Always keep an eye on the weather and never take chances. Large summer squalls, tropical lows and winter cold fronts can all be hazardous.

Boat maintenance is always a concern when you have to go well offshore. Keep your boat in top condition and safety gear up to date. Fuel management is also important, so know your fuel consumption and always leave a reserve amount in case of bad weather or unforeseen changes in your trip. Subscribe to Hilton’s Realtime Navigator or similar websites that give you data about the weather and fishing conditions. These services will save you time and fuel.

As far as fishing techniques and strategies, here are some things that we would like to emphasis: • You can’t catch ’em at the dock. You can read and talk about fishing all you want, but you need to spend time on the water. Experience will always be the best teacher.

• Everything eats ballyhoo. So it’s a good idea to have some on board.

• Bait – bait – bait! Take advantage of the bait situation by fishing where there is a lot of bait as well as keeping some on board.

• Keep your line tight; never give ‘em slack!

• When fishing an oil rig you should first establish which way the current is going. This will give you an idea of where to look for bait. More often than not the bait will be on the up-current side of the rig. Once the bait Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Lastly, great catches come to the fisherman willing to devote time to fishing. Anybody can get lucky but billfish and tuna usually demand a good effort. We see many anglers run to a deepwater rig, fish for an hour or so, decide there’s nothing there and then run back inshore. When you go big game fishing, fish hard – spend the time to catch one. Resist the urge to run back inshore and catch amberjacks. That last pass by the rig might just be the one that makes your day. This is our last pass by the rig for now; we hope you have enjoyed what we have shared.

O FFSH O R E

Bobby & Capt. John

CONTAC T

is found you know the area where large predators such as blue marlin or yellowfin tuna are most likely to show.

• Rig trolling lures with single hook sets. They hook-up better and are easier to remove from the fish. They are also a lot safer to handle.

• Be ready to use whatever tackle and techniques are necessary to catch fish. Lures, live bait, dead bait, pitch baits, kites, poppers, teasers, planers, small baits, big baits, different colored baits, weedlines, buoys, bait schools, rigs, rocks, rips…whatever it takes.

• Every day is different, so to be successful, keep a watchful eye on your baits and the surrounding water. Look for current, birds, color changes and floating objects. Pelagic fish are attracted to anything floating or stable in the water such as a rig, buoy, log or patch of seaweed. Be versatile, try different techniques and stay focused on catching that big one.

• Keep your boat neat and well organized. It will make fishing a lot easier, more enjoyable and much safer.

• One of the most important things a serious fisherman can do is keep a daily fishing log. Trying to remember what was happening last year or last month with all the variables involved is just about impossible. By writing down the weather conditions, water conditions, tackle type and technique, fishing action and outcome, you can analyze what was happening under certain conditions and hopefully use that information to help you catch more fish in the future.

Capt. John Cochrane has been a professional captain for over 25 years and is now a yacht broker for Fox Yacht Sales.

He concentrates his fishing efforts in the Gulf of Mexico, promoting big game fishing and billfish research.

A native Texan, Bobby Byrd has fished the Gulf of Mexico since he was eight. In 1995, Bobby combined his love of fishing and boating into a business when he opened Tops-N-Towers in Seabrook, Texas.

Contact Fox Yacht Sales / Seabrook 281-291-0656 Tops-N-Towers 281-474-4000 Capt. John Cochrane 409-739-4817 Websites www.byrd-cochrane.com www.topsntowers.com www.foxyachtsales.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

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FI ELD

N OT ES

By Landes Randall - Summer Intern (Technician) | Coastal Fisheries Division Rockport Marine Lab

During my internship with the Coastal Fisheries Division of Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD), I spent time monitoring propeller scars in seagrass beds. When a boat propeller hits the sea bottom it uproots the roots and leaves a bare patch in the seagrass bed (Figure 1). The next time you see a boater blasting around the shallows with mud, water, and grasses swirling from beneath the hull, realize they are destroying an important Texas resource.

Redfish Bay includes about 14,000 acres of seagrass beds, including all five species of seagrass found in Texas. Until I started working for TPWD, I associated seagrasses with manatees in Florida, and like most everyone, I called seagrass seaweed. During

my first day in Redfish Bay, I commented on the amount of seaweed. I was quickly corrected and told it was seagrass and it is protected by law. I learned they are protected because they provide a crucial service to the ecosystem. Seagrasses capture sunlight during photosynthesis to produce plant tissue and release oxygen into the water. These two functions create a highly productive habitat for marine life. Seagrasses provide shelter for juvenile and bait fish which attracts the larger adult fish, other marine organisms, and birds. This explains why fishermen like to fish the grass flats. While Fig 3: Using the snorkeling around the prop scars, I realized quadrat to measure the complex ecosystem that has developed the percent coverage of grass inside a scar. with the seagrass. I saw all types of fish Photo credit: Faye swimming in the grass, scallops in between Grubbs, TPWD

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grass blades, and crabs scuttling around the leaves (Figure 2). Stingrays also live in the grass, but luckily I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t swim across any.

The TPWD seagrass recovery study monitors the recovery rate of propeller scars in the seagrass beds of Redfish Bay. This study began March 2009 to specifically focus on propeller scar recovery rates as an offshoot Fig 1: Example of a of the Seagrass prop scar (brown line) surrounded by turtle Conservation grass (T. testudinum).

Initiative in 2000 Algae and soft clay can when Texas Parks fill in a prop scar and and Wildlife created delay the recovery rate by blocking the amount the Redfish Bay of sunlight reaching the State Scientific bottom. Photo credit: Area (RBSSA). In Faye Grubbs, TPWD 2005, a law was passed making uprooting of seagrass a class Fig 2: Lightening C misdemeanor, punishable up to a $500 fine. whelk burrowing in the turtle grass. At that time Coastal Fisheries staff in Rockport Photo credit: Faye began a study to assess the scar damage in Grubbs, TPWD the bay by counting the number of scars along thirty-five, 100-meter transects. This study continued until 2009 and determined an overall decrease in scarring as a result of the law. The observed recovery rates of 80% and 87% in 2007 and 2009, respectively, were quicker than expected and led to the origination of the scar recovery study in 2009.

Originally the scar recovery study examined the recovery rate of 12 scars, but the study has expanded to 30 prop scars.

The sample sites are monitored every month from April to October during the growing season and every other month from November to March.

The monitoring continues until the prop scar has recovered. A scar is characterized as recovered when the scarred area is Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

coverage and type of seagrass in the surrounding environment (Figure 4). At one site, a scar had 100% grass coverage and no discernable depth, but one species of seagrass, manatee grass, dominated the scar and a different species, turtle grass, surrounded the scar (Figure 5). This scar, though well on the way, had not fully Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

FIE LD N OTES

not visually distinct from the surrounding area. To study prop scars, we suited up in snorkel gear and entered the water, which felt refreshing in the hot July weather.

Using a 25-cm by 25-cm square quadrat, we measured the percent coverage and types of seagrass in the quadrat within the scar (Figure 3). We measured the depth of the scar as compared to the surrounding sediment, the width, and the percent

recovered as it was still visually distinct.

After a scar visually recovers, two biomass cores are taken, one inside the scar and one in the area adjacent to the scar. Below and above ground biomasses are separated and sieved in the field. The below ground biomass includes the roots and rhizomes, and the above ground biomass includes the leaves. Biomass cores taken within the scar are compared to biomass cores taken in the surrounding undisturbed area. Additional information on shoot Fig 4: A view density and leaf shape down the prop scar. Notice the and size are compared. depth at the The cores demonstrate center of the scar that the scar had not as compared to only recovered visually, the sides. Photo credit: Faye but had recovered below Grubbs, TPWD ground. Unfortunately, in July 2010 none of the scars had visually recovered, so we did not take biomass cores.

Sediment cores within the scar and the surrounding area are collected to measure sediment ammonium levels and grain size.

The ammonium levels help determine if the grasses live in a stressful environment.

Stressed seagrasses reduce oxygen production which creates an anaerobic environment. The reduced oxygen levels can lead to an accumulation of toxic sediments negatively affecting seagrass growth and inhibiting scar recovery.

The data from this study will help increase knowledge of scar recovery and provide resource managers with information to better conserve the seagrasses. The average fisherman can troll, putt, or use a push pole when in shallow waters to avoid uprooting the seagrass. This study has the potential for improving fishing in the bay.

I would like to thank Fig 5: Prop scar Karen Meador for this with manatee grass wonderful opportunity inside the scar to be an intern, Faye and turtle grass, surrounding the Grubbs and Perry Trial scar. Photo credit: for allowing me to help Faye Grubbs, TPWD out with the seagrass project, and the other members of the Rockport crew for making this summer a very memorable and rewarding experience.

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

Texas Saltwater Fishing

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&216(59$7,21 3$*( &RDVWDO &RQVHUYDWLRQ $VVRFLDWLRQ 7H[DV 3DUWQHUV ZLWK 'XFNV 8QOLPLWHG CCA Texas Executive Board recently approved a $50,000 grant request by Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow (HTFT) to help fund a Ducks Unlimited project doing restoration work at the J. D. Murphree Wildlife Management area in Jefferson County, Texas.

This award comes in the form of conservation dollars raised by local Texas chapters and funds secured by HTFT from a private foundation in Austin, Texas and the DuPont Community Fund.

This project will use over $1 million in partner and grant funds to restore and enhance 3,000 acres of freshwater and coastal wetlands and associated transitional upland habitats in the J. D .Murphree WMA and surrounding area. Different phases of this project include the construction of a 2,500 linear foot rock breakwater at the J. D. Murphree WMA, as well as the restoration and enhancement of wetlands in the same area of the Upper Texas Coast.

“The marshes of the Texas Gulf Coast have experienced tremendous alterations and losses,” Todd Merendino, DU manager of conservation programs, said. “The remaining wetland habitats supporting a rich diversity of wildlife and fish species, are vital to

L-R; Robby Byers-CCA Texas, Sean Stone-DU Director of Development for Texas, John Blaha-CCA Texas and Todd Merendino-DU Manager of Conservation Programs.

the sustainability of multiple wildlife populations and provide one of the most important wintering and migration areas in North America for waterfowl, shorebirds and other wetland-dependant migratory birds.”

CCA Texas’s contribution will be used primarily for the construction of the rock breakwater along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) at the J.D. Murphree WMA. Erosion along the GIWW has been the major cause of severe degradation and reduction of the marsh habitat in the area. In 1941 the GIWW was 125 feet in width, but due to the continuous erosion of the banks and marshes, the width of the GIWW today is almost 500 feet.

The main contributors to this erosion are wave energy from boat traffic, prevailing winds and barge landings. The construction of this rock breakwater will greatly reduce if not eliminate any future erosion of the marsh.

These marshes of the Upper Texas Coast, including the ones listed in the project, are a vital nursery grounds for many fishery species important to commercial and recreational fisheries. Some 40 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

of the species include brown and white shrimp, blue crab, gulf menhaden, Atlantic croaker, striped mullet, spotted seatrout, red drum, black drum, and southern flounder. Along with the marine species that will benefit from the project, various waterfowl, birds, furbearers, alligators and other estuarine-dependent species will benefit as well.

“CCA Texas is excited about this partnership and looks forward to many more like it,” said John Blaha, HTFT Director. “Habitat Restoration will be a key to ensuring the coastal habitats for future generations, and partnerships such as this one with Ducks Unlimited and other supporting organizations and entities will be vital in the success of this and future projects.”

Final Results 21st CCA State of Texas Angler’s Rodeo The 21st Annual CCA/Ford/Tilson Homes State of Texas Angler’s Rodeo came to a close on Labor Day with a total of six tagged redfish winners this year! A total of thirteen were caught and six took home some amazing prizes. The first five drove home the awesome Ford F-150 Texas Edition truck with a Haynie 23’ BigFoot boat, Mercury 150 Optimax and Coastline trailer package and the sixth took home a Haynie 23 BigFoot boat, Mercury 150 Optimax motor/Coastline trailer package. Sadly, there were seven unfortunate anglers who failed to sign up this year and lost out on prizes to the tune of about $35,000 - $70,000 each.

Other exciting highlights this year were in the Offshore Division. Darrell Ashley of Huffman managed to break last year’s 79lb-3oz ling record with an 80lb-15oz beast; the heaviest fish ever to be weighed in the history of the tournament. Way to go, Darrell!

This year’s tournament offered over 120 fabulous prizes and a total of 112 prizes were claimed. The 27 top prizes were presented to the winners during the CCA State of Texas BBQ and STAR Awards Ceremony on Oct.7 at the Houston Farm & Ranch Club. These are the lucky winners in each division Roy Oswalt’s StarKids Scholarship Flounder Division – This year’s winner is Davis Towns, age 6, of Houston; $50,000 college scholarship Houston Community Newspapers StarKids Scholarship Sheepshead Division – This year’s winner is Carym Kotlarz, age 10, of Baytown; $50,000 college scholarship.

FS Houston/FS Southwest StarKids Scholarship Gafftop Division – This year’s winner is Hunter Bellanger, age 6, of Orange; $50,000 college scholarship.

Academy Sports and Outdoors StarTeens Scholarship Trout Division – This year’s winners receiving a $20,000 college scholarship are: Upper Coast: Christian Riordan, age 12, of Pipe Creek Middle Coast: Logan Howard, age 16, of El Campo Lower Coast: William Ander III, age 13, of Boerne Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

StarTeens Inshore Scholarship Division – This year’s winners received a $20,000 college scholarship.

Flounder: Colby Trahan ,age 15 of Pearland Sheepshead: Taylor Shirley, age 12, of La Porte Gafftop: Marley Graham, age 16, of Port Neches Awarding scholarships is truly the highlight of the year for STAR and makes a serious statement toward getting kids on the water. We couldn’t be happier for these kids and their families. The kids are really what the tournament is all about. This brings our total awarded scholarships to $4,055,000!

Texas Ford Dealers Tagged Redfish Division – 2010 Ford F-150 Texas Edition, Haynie 23 BigFoot, Mercury 150L Optimax, Coastline trailer winners: Ricky Howard of El Campo - Ryan Pletcher of Victoria - Robert McLaren of Texas City - Anthony Mihalski of San Antonio Kenneth Neskora of Moulton.

Haynie 23 BigFoot boat, Mercury 150L Optimax motor and Coastline trailer winner: Gerardo Reyna of Donna.

Trout Division – The winners of the largest speckled trout from the Upper Coast, Middle Coast and Lower Coast received a Shoalwater 22’ Legend, Mercury 150 Optimax and McClain trailer: Upper Coast Mark McCafferty of Pearland Middle Coast Cody Mueck, of Lake Jackson Lower Coast Israel Lara of Falfurrias Offshore Division - In the Offshore Division, the following anglers were awarded with a NauticStar 2000 SPT, Mercury 150 Optimax outboard plus a McClain trailer: Kingfish - Kelly Holland of Bay City Dorado - Benjamin Scott of Port Aransas

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Ling - Darrell Ashley of Huffman Inshore Division - These Inshore Division winners took home a Blue Wave 180 V-Bay with a Mercury 90 ELPTO engine and McClain trailer: Flounder - Alan Kulcak of Richmond Sheepshead - Chon Marroquin of Baytown Gafftop - Harry Chessher of Orange NRG Energy “New Tide” Member Scholarship Drawing - The New Tide Scholarship Drawing was offered again in 2010. NewTide/ STAR participants who are between the ages 6-17 years old in 2010, are eligible for a bonus drawing to net one lucky youth a $20,000 college scholarship, even if the participant never wets a line or enters a single fish during the entire tournament. This year’s lucky winner is: Tyler Danford of Clute. Thanks again NRG Energy for making this scholarship offering possible.

Member Bonus Drawing – This unique drawing offers STAR entrants a chance to win a fabulous boat prize package even if the participant never wets a line. One lucky contestant’s name was drawn to win a Shoalwater 22’ Legend with a Mercury 150 Optimax outboard and McClain trailer. The winner is Philip Pauling of Port Arthur.

It has been another great year for CCA Texas and STAR, many thanks to our fine sponsors, weigh stations and tickets stations, and also the many volunteers for their hard work and dedication to enhancing our marine resources. Of course, without you there would be no STAR, and we are most grateful to you – especially those who added kids to their fishing experience.

Texas Saltwater Fishing

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K AYAK

FISH I N G

C APT. SCOT T NULL

Heroes on the Water visits Lighthouse Lakes Hard to believe but nearly two years have passed since I first wrote about Heroes on the Water (HOW). The subject came up recently while discussing fall fishing plans with a friend when I mentioned I was joining another group taking wounded soldiers kayak fishing. He said he really enjoyed the Heroes article and inquired how the program was doing. We had a great conversation about how cool it was to help these service members who have sacrificed so much on our behalf. As we parted he said he was looking forward to reading about the upcoming trip.

Somehow it was lodged in my brain that the HOW piece had appeared too recently to justify another but I checked anyway just to make sure. Man, where did all those months go? Not only has a sufficient amount of time passed to revisit the topic, there has been tremendous growth in the HOW program. When the original HOW story appeared here in early ’09 the group was just finding its footing and learning to walk, now it is up and running at an incredible pace.

For those not familiar, Heroes on the Water is an arm of the Kayak Anglers Society of America (KASA), a 501c3 non-profit that began in 2007. In the beginning HOW was working with the Brooke Army Medical Center to get recovering soldiers out of the hospital for a relaxing day on the water – a diversion from the rigors and stress of rehab. It quickly became apparent that getting these folks out on the water was great therapy. Guys who were missing limbs found freedom in the ease of controlling their own kayak. At one event a soldier was overheard to say, “Out here on the water I’m the same as everybody else.”

The program quickly expanded to include soldiers from Darnall Army Medical Center as well as the U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Transition Battalion. The first wave of service members participating in these events were recovering from

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obvious physical injuries and of course, that is what we were concentrating on. As the program continued it became apparent that kayak fishing was having very positive effects on the less obvious problems resulting from post traumatic stress and closed head injuries. We all know how stress-free we feel while kayak fishing so it really should not have come as any surprise.

This resulted in the program opening up to any and all service members recovering from physical or mental issues whether active or retired.

In June of ’09 the Texas-based organization went national with three new chapters. In a little over a year that number has grown to nearly thirty chapters across the nation run entirely through donations and volunteers. In a recent conversation with Jim Dolan, HOW national coordinator, he said, “I’m continually amazed how supportive and willing the kayak fishing community has been.” And it is not only the fishermen; several companies have gotten behind the organization, most recently Temple Fork Outfitters. They have created a line of rods stamped with the HOW logo and a portion of the sale is donated to HOW. So as you can see, things have been very busy for Jim and HOW. Growing something like this from scratch to a thriving national organization in such a short time is simply incredible.

But without putting butts in kayaks it would all be for naught, so that’s what we did last week.

It was a beautiful autumn morning in Aransas Pass following the first cool front of the season. We were preparing kayaks and gear at the launch when Jim pulled up with heroes Robert Richard, Chuck Armstead and Sam Moore. The guys were excited and ready to get underway. After a quick safety briefing the armada set off across the Shrimpboat Channel and entered Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Shell Holster Claw Cla aw Skinning Tool

K AYAK FISHING

the maze of mangrove-lined channels and marsh ponds that make up the Lighthouse Lakes. I can’t imagine a better place to escape from the world.

Robert and I paired up and started working some cuts. Dean Thomas took Chuck and began drifting the open lakes while Joe Poole grabbed Sam and disappeared. Dean and I had pre-fished the area a couple days prior finding plenty of good reds scattered throughout the area so optimism was running pretty high.

It soon became obvious that the reds simply weren’t in a cooperative mood. Robert had several blow-ups on his topwater, but the fish would not commit. Most were simply slapping at the lure a single time and swimming off. No matter how hard I wished for it, Robert couldn’t get tight to a fish. I managed to snag a couple decent reds and would have given anything for him to have caught them instead. But he’s an old Louisiana fisherman and put forth a

serious grind looking for the right fish. I’m not sure how many miles we covered in our pursuit, but suffice to say we never quit searching through a solid five hours during which time I got a chance to get to know a little bit about this young man and learn of the sacrifices he made on my behalf.

Robert signed up for the military while still in high school in Jennings, Louisiana during Operation Desert Storm. By the time he got through basic training the war was winding down and he remained stateside. Over the next few years he continued to train, attended officer school and began Ranger training. He was recalled from Ranger training prior to completion as his unit was shipping out to Iraq. As he put it, “We were pretty heavy into the front of the mess when Fallujah blew up.” He went on to say, “My platoon was the most decorated in the area.” It was not said boastfully, just with an honest sense of pride. Robert subsequently received a serious closed head

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If this sounds like something you’d like to experience, Jim is always looking for volunteers. He can be contacted via e-mail at jim@kayakanglerssa.org. If you don’t kayak or don’t feel comfortable taking someone out on the water he is also looking for event hosts, lodging and places to fish. Some of his best events have been held on private ranches in stocked ponds.

Barring any of the above you can still lend a hand by going to www.heroesonthewater. org and hitting the “donate” button.

Everyone involved in the organization from Jim on down are non-paid volunteers so every penny donated goes directly to putting on these events.

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injury from an IED after spending two years in Iraq and is still dealing with the effects five years later.

Our group eventually rafted up and hung out for a while exchanging fishing stories. Apparently we weren’t the only ones struggling as very few fish had been landed. It was just like hanging out with a group of regular fishing buddies. Every time I participate in one of these events I come away in awe of how these guys maintain such a positive attitude. There is no self-pity,

only moving forward.

Jim says it best, “Spend a day on the water with a group of soldiers, and you will understand the passion behind this program.

The injured soldiers are literally captains of their own kayaks; moving around on their own at their own pace, experiencing nature up close, and earning bragging rights for their catch for the day.

Kayak fishing is therapeutic for anyone, but particularly for military personnel recovering from injuries and trauma. Our mission is to give these heroes a chance to enjoy a challenging outdoor sport that allows them to decompress from the stresses related to combat and from the physical and mental rigors of rehabilitation and join the kayak fishing band of brothers.”

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

Phone 281-450-2206 Website www.letsgofishing.net

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

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It’s a long drive from Washington DC to the Lower Laguna Madre.

But when you’re working on your personal bucket list; is 1700 miles too far? Not according to retired DC police officer Mike Bernier. His quest was to catch a redfish while wade fishing the Lower Laguna Madre.

A three day drive delivered officer Bernier and his retired Arlington, VA police officer friend, Hank Allen, to Port Mansfield, Texas.

September 22, 2010 at 0630 hours; Bernier, Allen and another fisherman, in company of their guide, boarded a “no-sides” twentyfoot Shallow Sport to fish the Laguna Madre at Port Mansfield. The retired officers had never seen let alone ridden any craft quite like the one taking them fishing.

Fishing was slower than hoped in the first hours of the trip and the guide’s effort was being hampered by a malfunctioning remote control on the Power Pole anchor. Efficiency is everything when searching for a bite and backtrack wades to retrieve the boat are a distraction. Wading downwind with the boat following closely by alternately raising and lowering the anchor via remote control was out of the question, though. The thought of putting Mike on a redfish was never really in question; it was rather a matter of time

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

in the guide’s mind. The area they were fishing was known to be holding several large schools of reds.

About an hour into our second wade Mike hooked up and a large fish came thrashing to the surface, reminiscent of cover images we see on bass magazines. Recognizing instantly what was at stake, the guide began closing the distance to assist him. After a respectable battle the fish was landed and weighed, “Just over seven,” the guide declared peering at the Boga Grip. A quick comparison with the markings on Mike’s rod confirmed a twentynine inch trout.

Not knowing what he had, Mike looked at his guide with a puzzled expression that begged immediate response. Mike was told, firmly and with excitement, he had accomplished something many never do. A couple of quick pictures were next with the guide’s explanation on releasing the fish. After brief hesitation Mike released the fish and we all went back to fishing.

A short time later Mike fulfilled his bucket list quest as he landed several nice redfish. His long drive paid off with some nice redfish and a twenty-nine inch trout as icing on his cake.

Wayne Davis - Kelley Wigglers - captainwayne@kelleywigglers.com

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ACCORDING TO SCOT T

SCOT T SOMMERL AT TE

5DPEOLQJV RI D +DOI %DNHG *XLGH By the time this issue makes it into your hands, I will have been guiding fly and light-tackle anglers full time for over sixteen years. Wow, it is really hard to believe, especially considering that, when I was younger, I swore I would never be a dumb ol’ fishing guide. And, once I caved on that, I swore that I would only guide for ten years. I guess I ought to quit swearing….

Back when I was coerced into becoming a guide by friends and family, I went into it not so much as a business but as a ‘lifestyle’ choice. In short, I wanted to be free of all things corporate and most importantly, I wanted to get away from people and I wanted to stay as far away from the fast paced life of the city as I possibly could. In addition, I did not want to even have to wear shoes to the office, much less a suit and tie.

Sounds like a good plan, huh? Well, it seems like the only part of that plan that worked out was that I do not have to wear a suit and tie.

You see, I sometimes have to do business with corporations that hire me to entertain their customers or I have to purchase equipment from businesses, both large and small, to support my business, oops, I mean lifestyle. Wanting to be free of the rat race did not work out either. Just come to Port O’Connor or Rockport on a weekend and you will see the city descend upon it as people race from spot to spot, short-cutting across and through

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almost every flat and marsh pond in boats that will run 40-70 mph, never stopping for more than ten minutes to fish. As for the shoes or, the not wearing of the shoes to be more specific, well twenty-two years of making a living on boats (guiding plus the Coast Guard) has taken its toll on my back and a quality pair of running shoes really does help while standing on the on the polling platform eight hours a day.

Do not get me wrong, I love what I do and thank God every chance I get for the opportunities he has given me and for the all of the great people that I have had the chance to get to know.

However, I would be lying to you all to not tell you- guiding is a hard life. How hard could it really be one might ask. Well, I can assure you that there is a lot more damage to one’s body to be done while banging around in a skiff and while baking in the sun than for the person who sits in an office chair all day.

Case in point- Just this summer I was experiencing some serious issues with fatigue along with some kidney issues. In fact, I was feeling so poorly that I went to the doctor more this summer than I probably have in the last ten years combined.

Apparently, as I just learned, riding around in a bouncing boat all the time combined with the dehydration that goes along with pushing a boat around in the sun all day is not good for a person’s kidneys. Add to that a touch of high blood pressure and well, it just is not good.

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

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Well the doctor gave me some medication and told me that I need to get serious about eating healthy and needed to lay off the adult beverage. Yeah right. If he thinks that I am going to give up my hooch and then quit eating fried shrimp, oysters or crabs and then give up my chicken fried steak and pork chops well, it just

ACCO R D I N G TO SCOT T

is not going to happen. I know, enough with the tough guy talk.

I was actually feeling so bad that I listened to him and here I am now, with more energy than I have had in probably over five years.

Whooda thunk it?

So now, for the first time in my life, it occurs to me that I might just be getting old. I really do not have the first clue how it happened, considering the fact that I still have not figured out what I want to be when I grow up. Alas thoughâ&#x20AC;Ś it might just be happening. The signs are all there. Heck, in just the last couple of months I have had several young adults look me square in the eyes and say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re old.â&#x20AC;? Add to that the fact that I routinely think to myself or say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I sure do miss the good old days,â&#x20AC;? and I think there is a remote chance that it just might be happening. Oh, and did I mention that the fortieth birthday is just a couple of months away.

Not real happy about that either. I sure do miss being a kid.

So here I am, sixteen years into a career that should have never been, wondering what is next? While I am trying to figure it out, I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving holiday and stuff like that.

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

Telephone 979-415-4379 Email vssommerlatte@hotmail.com Website www.scottsommerlatte.com

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 47

YOU T H

FISH I N G

7(;$6 6$/7:$7(5

JAKE HADDOCK

1RYHPEHU )LVKLQJ It’s that time of year again. Cold fronts are trying to push their way through. Flounder begin to come out of the back ponds and creeks. Waterfowl of all sorts begin to fill the skies again. Boats race from flock to flock of seagulls. It’s fall, and with hunting seasons starting, boat pressure is reduced, which for me means better fishing.

Fall is the time of year that I have had some of my best fishing trips. Sometimes, though, on high pressure blue bird days, fishing can be tough. One thing about the fall is for sure: when the bite is on, it’s on big time. Another plus is the cooler temperatures, which makes it so much more enjoyable out on the water.

A few years ago my dad and I made a fall trip to Port

48 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

O’Connor. It was one of the last weekends of October and was fairly cold outside. I had an idea where some fish might be, so that’s where my dad took me. I put on my waders and got out of the boat. Walking down the shoreline with a fifteen mile-an-hour northeast wind to my back, I managed to see my first redfish of the day. I casted at him and he jumped all over it. After I strung him, I saw another group moving my way.

One more cast and I had one more fish on the stringer. These fish did not want to pass up a meal. A few more minutes of wading went by and I sighted my next target. I moved in, made my cast, and as soon as the lure got into his line of sight he crushed it. I only fished for an hour and had a limit of solid fish.

I learned a lot on that short trip and every year since I

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

have made a repeat trip. Year after year, the fish stack up on that same shoreline and it’s some of the easiest fishing I have experienced. Two years ago during my annual fall trip, I had my limit in thirty minutes of fishing with my fly rod. Although, this year I am concerned that I may not be able to make the annual trip due to my participation in the local county fair this year. This past spring I decided to do an F.F.A. project of raising and showing a pig. This year’s county show takes place in the middle of October which has killed a lot of my fishing time lately, because just like in fishing, to be successful, preparation is the key. If you lack in preparation for fishing, it will show out on the water. After the county show is over, maybe I’ll have the opportunity to get back to the middle coast fishing grounds.

As you may have read in my last article I have improvised by going to more local fishing grounds with the jet drive. Most recently my friend Cade and I decided to go to spend a few hours in the Galveston area waters and give the flounder hole another try. However, with the first few dry cold fronts that had come through, it set the weather forecast to be a blue bird day with

lovely high pressure. That is not my favored fishing conditions, but we had the itch to go so we went. The boat ride was awesome, just getting out on the water again was such a relief.

When we reached the flounder hole we started fishing but realized the tide wasn’t moving much which is critical in flounder fishing. So as you can guess, we didn’t catch much, but we did manage to catch a few undersize reds. We talked to several people that day that fished in the same general area and no one was catching fish.

I hope in the near future that we have more solid heavy weather front lines coming down, because before these monster fronts, the wind will come out of the south and the pressure will drop.

These are called pre-frontal conditions, which are much more favorable conditions for fish to feed. I’m sure that with time this will happen, but lately these high pressure, cold air masses have made for some bad fishing conditions- or at least that’s what I have seen the last few times I’ve been out. So get out before the cold fronts and go fishing!

³One thing

YOUTH FISHING

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about the fall is for sure: when the bite is on, it’s on big time.

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

´

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 49

MIKE JENNINGS

TEX AS NEARSHORE AND OFFSHORE

Off h Offshore is i not where the average angler makes their debut to the sport of fishing. More likely would be years along riverbanks or on a lake or bay. Jetty trips are an in-between of sorts, often igniting a passion for greater adventure that will lead to their first offshore experience. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Take Me Fishingâ&#x20AC;? is the slogan used by Texas Parks and Wildlife for their program or basic guideline on introducing new anglers to our sport. In this day and time the number of young and not-so-young novice anglers entering our sport seems to be dwindling. Television, shopping malls, computers and even virtual hunting and fishing games seem to be captivating our younger crowd more so than actual involvement in the sport itself.

There are many publications with excellent advice on introducing newcomers to the sport of fishing, but they seem to always omit the boating experience and how it can affect the overall enjoyment (or fear) during that first day offshore.

I am often asked by customers just what age is too

50 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Youngster having fun with nearshore redfish.

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

our way through the jetties. The water was rolling gently in long swells and as usual my mind was occupied with where we were headed, what was rigged and ready, and how many fish we might be able to catch. She was seated ahead with my father and I couldn’t see her face as the boat ran over the swells toward the expanse of the Gulf.

To me it was an all or nothing endeavor. I was willing to go as far as I needed to put her on a great day. To her it was a whole new world and I was entering it the way a bull would enter a china closet. It never occurred that she might not be enjoying it nearly as much as I was.

As we broke the end of the jetties I noticed my father looking back at me and eventually putting his index finger in the air with the universal “turn this rig around” sign. Thus ended our day offshore, but to everyone’s enjoyment, began one of the best redfish days I ever experienced with my family aboard.

This one experience alone taught me that although we can be mindful of the usual details and concerns of introducing the

Texas Saltwater Fishing

TE X A S N E AR S H O R E & O FFSH O R E

young to be taken along on a fishing trip. I never seem to have a definitive answer for them and often lay that decision back at their feet with a little to think about. I remind them that they obviously know their child better than I and also emphasize that taking a youngster offshore is not something to be entered into lightly.

The first thing I ask them is just what do they hope to accomplish on the trip. I stress that it should be about the young angler, not about watching the adults fish. Secondly, we must consider the water conditions.

All of us can remember fishing in seas too rough for kids and adult novices.

But do we consider that average Author’s mother conditions can still be intimidating? with a nice I am reminded of a lesson from snapper (we eventually got my mother. For the longest time she her beyond the was intimidated by boats and water. jetties.)

She just didn’t like them unless the conditions were extremely calm. After years of watching my father and I come and go, and listening to our stories of snapper, kingfish and the like, she decided she was ready to try her hand at offshore fishing. It was a beautiful morning and nice enough that I didn’t even back off the throttles as we made

www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 51

young and novice to the sport of offshore fishing; the offshore boating experience on the way to the fishing grounds can be the most intimidating and important aspect. We not only have the responsibility of everyone’s safety but we need to consider their enjoyment as well. Achieving this will likely have the greatest impact on whether they will embark on a lifelong passion for the sport we are introducing.

With new anglers, young and not-so-young, I have to remind myself constantly (as we all should) that their expectations are nothing like ours. Making their first trip offshore as safe and enjoyable as possible should be our first priority. Make their first trips short and keep them on fish, even if the species may not be the most glamorous. Take the time to show them that the real thing beats anything Microsoft or Apple can build into the latest gaming software. To borrow another slogan from our Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, “Life’s Better Outside.”

CONTAC T

Author’s son with first amberjack, fought with rod in gunwale rodholder.

52 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Captain Mike Jennings is a professional charter captain with more than 25 years offshore experience. Mike is the owner/ operator of Cowboy Charters in Freeport TX and is known locally for running further and fishing harder for his clients.

Telephone 979-864-9439 Email texassportfishing@gmail.com Website www.cowboycharters.com

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1(: 7DFNOH *HDU www.flyingfisherman.com

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Mirrored Lens Finish Is Salt Water Friendly Flying Fisherman® added new lens options for the Magnum model, a top seller with hard core anglers. With unbeatable coverage, wide temples to eliminate side glare, and extra light, durable TR90 frames, new styles include black with silver or blue mirrored smoke lenses, and tortoise with green mirrored amber lenses. Also available in black with smoke or vermillion lenses, and crystal rust with amber lenses.

Along with 100% protection from UV rays, the Flying Fisherman® polarized PC RhinoLens™ delivers virtually indestructible polycarbonate protection, and the AcuTint™ lens coloring system eliminates glare and enhances contrast without distorting natural colors. www. flyingfisherman.com.

Stable, fast, and lightweight describe Hobie’s new Mirage Oasis tandem kayak.

Whether fishing alone or with a friend, the ample storage, built-in rod holders, roomy cockpit, rear trunk area for Hobie’s livewell or extra gear, and flat rails for mounting accessories make it a dream to fish from. Two patented MirageDrive systems power the boat. Selfcentering padded

pedals are connected to two underwater flippers.

Steering is controlled via dual fingertipcontrolled rudder controls, making it easy to cast, hook, and land fish while maneuvering. The rudder can be rotated out of the way for slicing through weeds in very shallow water.

Paul Brown Original, Fat Boy and Devil Series Lures are now available from MirrOlure.

L&S Bait Company, the proud maker of the popular MirrOlure and Iland Lure brands, has recently acquired the Paul Brown Original Series Lures. Paul Brown, the inventor, has been making these popular softbodied baits since 1974. The Original is credited for catching a Texas state record speck over 13 lbs.

Paul Brown’s Original and Fat Boy feature a soft-bodied mullet profile, Devil features a long “rat tail.” All are scientifically weighted via an internal wire harness and “fish calling” rattle. The “suspending” action and life-like eyes are what make these lure so successful. For skinnier situations, use the Floating Original and Floating Fat Boy. For additional information call 727-5847691 email: ebachnik@tampabay.rr.com

54 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

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The Magic Swimmer Soft is Sebile’s first soft plastic bait. Like the original hardbait Magic Swimmer, the soft version is jointed for incredibly realistic baitfish swimming action, plus can be rigged and fished weedless.

Designed and built in the USA, the Skeggpro is a new innovative product released by TR Coastal Innovations. Two years in design, development and field testing has made the initial product launch a success. It will not rust or corrode in the harsh environments it was designed to withstand.

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Patriarch XT is the most advanced Pflueger yet. So light one would think the new low profile Pflueger® Patriarch XT baitcaster would float. At just 6.8 ounces, this low profile reel is an angler’s dream for sunrise to sunset casting. Features include carbon fiber handle with EVA knobs and soft touch thumb bar.

Patriarch’s rigid aluminum frame is incased with titanium coated aluminum sideplates.

The titanium coating resists scratching and protects against corrosion, even in saltwater. The reel may be light, but the components make this a durable and rugged workhorse for the serious angler.

The Patriarch XT is built with 9 double shielded stainless steel bearings, one-way clutch instant anti-reverse, precision cut gears, 6.4:1 gear ratio, carbon fiber drag washers, titanium line guide and six pin spool brake.

“Hook holes” are molded into the lure’s nose and back for rigging convenience. The feature also makes the bait last longer than regular soft plastic lures.

The Magic Swimmer Soft 130 mm/5-inch is the first size available.

Three baits come in a package, along with the SEBILE Soft Weight system including a 5/0 hook and six tungsten soft weights. The lures feature stunning hand-painted color finishes.

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“Unbelievable, completely hands free, I don’t have to crawl up under my motor and fight with a bunch of bungee chords”, Michael D. Humble, TX “Exactly what I’ve been needing for my twin rigged offshore boats.” Mr. Massey Port Aransas, TX. “A remarkable product, easy to use and stores easily in my dry box.” Capt. Rick O. Victoria, TX. TR Coastal Innovations has other new exciting products on their website; we just released Pol-Soc, in 6 and 8 ft versions. Visit www.skeggpro.com to view or place order.

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 55

6WRU\ E\ 76)0DJ 6WDII

Texas outdoorsmen need hardworking trucks and they’re picky about the looks. General Motors marketing and engineering teams know what Texans want and the 2011 Silverado HD line hits the mark dead-center.

Up front, the 2011 Silverado HD has received a bold new look. Beginning with full-width chrome steel bumpers and grille configuration, the front-end appearance makeover also includes a power dome-style louvered hood. Daytime running lights alert oncoming traffic and automatic lamp control switches on the head and tail lamps as daylight fades. Available fog and roof marker lamps add to the brawny good looks and increase inclement weather safety and function.

Under the hood, the 2011 Silverado and Sierra HDs carry the best powertrain warranty in America at 5-years/100,000 miles with roadside assistance and courtesy transportation. Performance enhanced for 2011, the Duramax 6.6L V-8 Turbo-Diesel belts out Texas-sized segment-leading numbers; 397 horsepower and 765 foot-pounds of torque – just what offshore anglers need to drag a heavy rig up a steep launch ramp. Pairing the Duramax with the improved Allison 1000 6-speed makes towing heavy loads over rough terrain as easy as running down the interstate.

56 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

More on towing; the Silverado HD is rated best-in-class here too.

On a standard ball hitch it is rated at 17,000 pounds maximum tow weight and the crew cab/long box dually can tow up to 21,700 with a fifth wheel hitch…more than comparable Ford Super Duty and Dodge Ram HD models.

Silverado HD shines in the fuel efficiency and emissions ratings department. Several enhancements for the 2011 Duramax combine to offer 11% greater fuel efficiency over 2010 models and the Selective Catalytic Reduction system uses Diesel Exhaust Fluid to reduce emissions to near zero. B20 biodiesel capability allows for use of clean burning 20% biodiesel and 80% petroleum diesel blends.

The Silverado frames and suspension have also received major upgrades for 2011 to improve durability and ride. Bending and beam stiffness are increased 92% and 20%, respectively, and torsional stiffness is increased by a factor of five. Completely redesigned front suspension delivers the best ride and handling Chevrolet has ever offered in a heavy-duty pickup.

So what’s it like to drive the new Silverado? The first thing we noticed was the comfort and roominess of the cab. The seats are plush, hardly what you expect in a vehicle bred for hard work.

The instruments are easy to see and read. Barely touching the Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

key brought the Duramax to life and the noise-insulation package does an excellent job of keeping engine and road noise out of the passenger compartment.

At the boat ramp, the Silverado 2500 HD walked smoothly up a steep grade with only minimal throttle pressure. The 24’ Dargel we used during the trial may not be heaviest rig out there but it’s not the lightest either. Trailering on the highway was performed smoothly and effortlessly. Braking was crisp and positive. You find yourself checking the rearview to make sure the boat is still back there.

Driving both the Silverado 2500 HD and 3500 HD dually over what I would term semi-rough terrain at the Knibbe Ranch north of San Antonio gave greater insight to off-road capabilities. While not exactly hill climbing, the grades were steep enough and the road surfaces rough enough to test the off-road suspension and ride capabilities. The 2500 HD ride was similar to what might be expected

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

from a cushier-suspended half-ton unit. The 3500 HD is definitely a lot more truck and the stiffness of the chassis and suspension deliver a stiffer ride but did not include the jars and jolts we expected.

On the highway, without towing, the Silverado 2500 HD and 3500 HD earned high marks. Acceleration with both units is very impressive and shifting of the Allison trannies is nearly as smooth as a luxury car. Also impressive was the absence of a black exhaust cloud during hard acceleration. The handling through tight Hill Country curves was clean and positive.

During drag-race acceleration testing with identically prepared trailers carrying identical loads, the Silverados out-performed comparable units from both Ford and Dodge. To make sure; trailers were swapped and the runs repeated by the same drivers with identical result.

Summing up the whole Silverado test-drive experience, Chevrolet has combined engineering and style to build a heavy-duty truck as capable and comfortable on the highway as most any luxury SUV. The towing capability and impressive horsepower/torque numbers qualify it as a true workhorse – everything a Texas sportsman needs to get the job done and look good doing it.

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 57

DICKIE COLBURN’S

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The fishing has been very inconsistent for me of late in spite of the cooler days and lighter winds. The bait is there DICKIE COLBURN and the water clarity is excellent, Dickie Colburn is a full time guide but the fly in the ointment has out of Orange, Texas. Dickie has been extremely high water, 37 years experience guiding on compliments of several near-miss Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes. storms and the draw down on Toledo Bend to repair the dam.

Telephone Surrounding marshes are 409-883-0723 inundated and chockfull of not Website only shrimp and shad, but reds www.sabineconnection.com and trout as well. Hopefully, by the time you read this all of that water will be blown out and it will be “game on” in the lake!

Before getting into what to expect should Mother Nature elect to cooperate this month, I need to thank Vera Shiver and Warren Brister for most of my catching of late. Vera suggested that I try a new color in their Assassin Sea Shad and Warren, a local angler and friend, absolutely left me no choice.

I don’t know that I could ask just any sales person to help me find

58 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

the new color on the racks, but I would do it before leaving empty handed.

The new color is called Stinky Pink and I have caught fish on it this month when every other color failed to produce a keeper trout. I was struggling on the same days that Warren was just wearing out the trout and the difference was that one color.

And, while on the subject of lures and colors, Mike Tennian of MirrOlure, sent me several new colors that they are adding to the Corky stable this year and there wasn’t a bad one in the bunch. He also assured me that there would be no shortage this year and our area tackle shops already bear out that statement!

After 41 years of part and fulltime guiding, I am officially out of the predicting business. This entire year has been crazy starting with a bitterly cold and extended winter. We dodged any major storms, but still found ourselves having to deal with high water well into the late fall.

As of right now the trout are taking up the slack for the redfish and that in itself is unusual. The only reason for that phenomenon is that they have no reason to abandon the room service buffet in the flooded backwater. One or two strong northers can change all of that, but who knows if we’ll be wearing shorts or thermals Christmas day.

Let’s assume that we are blessed with more normal conditions this month. If so, there will be no bad color or magic color in tails for just wearing out both trout and reds under the birds. They will school from one end of the lake to the other and usually do so from dusk to dawn. It is the bite that the weekend angler eagerly awaits ten months out of the year.

If that is not your bag, stick to the shallow flats near deeper water and be especially watchful for slicks and bait on the surface.

The larger trout can sense that winter is not far off and they take advantage of the security afforded by the ICW and Sabine River. My records, for what they are worth, show that we generally do the best fishing this program in the afternoon hours.

We will start wading and hounding bragging size trout next month, but most of this month will be spent drifting those flats with the Stake Out Stick in hand. Pleasure Island, Stewts, Sidney, and Rabbit will get the lion’s share of our attention. Depending on wind direction, Coffee Ground Cove and the Johnson Bayou area can be

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

SABIN E equally productive.

As long as they will eat top waters I will stay with the She Dog or opt for a Spook in rougher water. Bone, pink, and black-chartreuse patterns all have their moments depending on light conditions and water clarity.

Assassin Shads, MirrOmullets and Texas Trout Killers in the five-inch version will not only produce the best numbers, but big fish as well.

They are most effective this time of year rigged on 1/8 ounce Pro Elite heads.

Very few anglers around here target redfish as they seem to find us regardless of what we are chasing. They will school in the open lake, conduct relentless raiding parties on the Louisiana shoreline and stack up both in

the river and major bayous e leading into the lake. They will eat anything that gets in d b t they th their way most days, but find a Hoginar or Chrome Trap irresistible.

It wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take long to limit on flounder this month, but the best news is that they are aggressive and the average size is very good.

They will make brief stops along points and passes in the lake as they exit ahead of colder weather. Live finger mullet and mud minnows soaked on the bottom are the surest bet for a stuffed flounder dinner, but we catch our fair share working these areas with spinnerbaits, GULP, and curly tail grubs tipped with a small piece of shrimp.

I hope that you are able to take advantage of the easiest bite of the year, but I encourage you to keep a few to eat and release the rest to make the rest of the year even more fisherman-friendly!

There are still some big flounder holding around the drains and cuts.

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 59

MICKEY 2Q *DOYHVWRQ Fall is upon us. It’s nice, cool weather here, and it looks like November patterns will be in full swing before long. The week before and the week following Thanksgiving are traditionally Mickey Eastman is a full-time some of the best of the whole fishing guide out of Baytown, year here on the Upper Coast, TX. Mickey has 26 years guiding barring ugly weather, of course. experience on the Galveston area bays and is the founder We get flocks of birds, particularly of Gulf Coast Troutmasters, in Trinity and East Bays, covering the largest speckled trout some really nice trout. The tournament series of all time shrimp crop is phenomenal this year and with shrimp prices Contact in the tank there haven’t been Mickey Eastman’s many boats working. While the Guide Service great number of shrimp in the Telephone bay means you can find birds 281-383-2032 working just about anywhere, the fish stay full nearly all the time and the bite may not last too long. That’s a tough problem to have, huh?

Trinity Bay and Upper Galveston Bay Region Redfish are fair. Catches in general have been spotty but when you find a school it’s good. The bigger slot reds are staying in deeper water

60 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

still, but the small rat reds/juveniles are coming along the shorelines.

Brooder size redfish are in deep water along the ship channel up near the Fred Hartmann Bridge, not sure why they haven’t moved to the Gulf yet. Spots like behind Exxon, along the rocks and discharge pipes, are producing 30 to 40 reds a day with soft plastics such as the Big Nasty Voodoo and the Little John. That new MirrOlure shad swim bait is also a good producer right now; I just started trying them, and they’re working real well, scented too. Besides soft plastics, we’ve been getting a little bit of spoon action and topwaters are starting to come around.

Most of our trout at this time are still deep, though a few are starting to move into the shorelines as the water temperatures drop. Two or three more fronts and we will be in full wade fishing mode. Even out of the boat in Trinity Bay, in 6 to 10 feet of water, we are working slicks in open water. The bigger fish are coming on topwaters, soft plastics will get you more bites.

Flounder are still a little spotty along the shorelines. Most of the flounders being caught right now are at bayou mouths and marsh drains. They’re starting to stack up where the good outgoing tides are bringing bait out of the marsh. That’s pretty much the drill in Trinity Bay. The water clarity is Goldilocks-good: not too clear and not too off-color; it’s just right. Fish are really responding when we get the slick-offs like mid-morning to mid-afternoon. That’s when the trout, especially, really get to schooling on top and birds start working. The tide dictates a lot of it, of course.

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

GALVESTO ON East Bay There has been some fairly consistent bird action down the north shoreline between Richard’s Reef and the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, generally in about five to six feet of water along those tow heads and all that area. Some of the deeper reefs in the middle of East Bay are producing some pretty good trout on soft plastics, up to six pounds.

West Bay The coves over at West Bay are starting to show a few fish in the shallows, running the guts up into the coves. For anybody willing to fish real late in the day, the best action is usually right before dark. You’ll get a fairly decent topwater bite late in the evening in the coves of West Bay. The bull red run is still going real good on the beach front, West Galveston Island, and Bolivar Peninsula. All the way down to High Island, they are still catching bull reds up and down the surf. Baits such as gizzard shad and cut mullet are paying off real well. The Texas City Dike has reopened, and a lot of interest has evolved around that.

Several people going out on the dike have had a really nice bull red run this year on the last quarter mile of the dike on the Texas City channel side. Spanish mackerel are starting to show there too. The croaker run is a little bit light right now, but it will kick off about the same time as the flounder run. Once the water temperatures hit the lower 70s consistently and begin dropping into the 60s we will really see the fall

patterns kick in. That’s when your big trout start showing consistently on the shorelines, great for wade fishing.

Talk a bit about topwater lures here; I have been throwing a combination of Super Spooks, Skitt Skitter Walks, Spook Jr., Top Dogs, She Dogs, etc. It just kind of depends on conditions and your personal preference. A favorite of mine this time of year (when I feel I need to downsize) is the old 7M Mirrolure. This is a floater that I work like a twitch bait on top but can also be taken down about foot or so when you really get on it, work it hard, then stop it.

The #19 color combination in the 7M has always been real good for me. The green back, silver sides, and white belly (#18) has also been a longtime favorite. The other day we got into some trout that ran fourto-six pounds on 7M MirrOlures and they were really hitting them hard, taking them deep. We had to switch to soft plastics to avoid killing every one we caught. That right there ought to tell you why I like that old 7M so much.

It’s great to live in Texas this time of year. We had a great teal season up east of town and Chambers County in general had as good a teal season as I have ever seen. Prospects for waterfowl are very good, our deer are looking fat and sassy, and fall fishing is set to take off like a rocket. What else could you ask for?

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 61

CAPT. BILL’S )LVK 7DON Fall fishing is the icing on the cake, the cream of the crop as they say. October has always been a great month here in the Matagorda bays but, even Bill Pustejovsky is a full-time as good as October can be; guide at Matagorda, TX. Bill fishes year-round for November is the ace of all trout and redfish in all the months in my book. Leafing Matagorda Bays. Wading and through fishing logs of thirty drifting for trophy trout and years brings back incredible reds are his specialty. memories and records of awesome catches. Success on Telephone trout and redfish is noted on 979-863-7353 nearly every page, weather and Email water conditions permitting of CaptBill@GoldTipGuideService.com course, and trout longer that Website www.goldtipguideservice.com twenty-five inches are more numerous in November than all other months combined. I attribute this success to cooler air and water temperatures, fish feeding aggressively for longer periods during daylight hours and abundant bird activity as shrimp migrate from the marshes into the bays and then on to the Gulf. Throw all those variables into the mix and the outcome is lots of catching.

Another interesting bit of information I noticed while looking over past fishing records, while November has been the ace of all months for catching both numbers of trout and trout over twentyfive inches, there has been a steady decline in numbers of trout in general and especially big trout. I spend nearly all my fall days in East Matagorda Bay and, given its relatively small size, I fish pretty much the same areas with the same methods year after year. I carefully log each day’s location, conditions and catches. This data tells me the fishery is declining and I truly hate to see that. The way things are shaping up I think we should see excellent November fishing and I am curious to see how this year’s catch record stacks up against the thirty year data base I have built.

62 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

To give you a classic scenario of why November fishing is so thrilling for me, many times I will have my boat loaded with three or four guys headed toward the Gulf Cut in East Matagorda Bay to do some wading on the south shoreline.

We clear the cut and low and behold we come upon a flock of birds Ralph Aulds - 27” speck East and end up Matagorda Bay - Bass Assassin. staying for the duration, never wading at all. Not every flock of birds will be covering big trout but when you come upon a group of birds working over three to five pound trout jumping every direction out of the water as they gorge on shrimp, your plan to wade the south shoreline can fall by the wayside. These types of experiences actually happen more frequently than most fishermen would believe on late October and November fishing trips here in East Matagorda Bay. In my opinion, to be a better fisherman one should keep a fishing log or record of each fishing trip, memorable or not. This information will help in planning for future fishing excursions. I have noted some typical data I track to round out my record book and help me focus more on catching.

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

M ATAG O R DA • • • • • • • • • •

crunchers out there, look at it as inputs and outputss and I think you’ll agree on the validity and reliability of data collection.

As for lure suggestions, you know me; I’ll be sticking with my Bass Assassins, Corkys, a few She Dogs and perhaps the Eddie Douglas Broken Back Special.

Another tidbit I ran across when looking over my fishing log that I’ll pass along – over the years red and white has been my most productive color of soft plastic for November in East Matagorda Bay. There you go; this tidbit of information would have been lost in space had I not noted it in my fishing log. Hope everyone has a great month of fishing and hunting.

Date of trip Number of individuals on the boat Wind direction and strength Tide direction – water level Water clarity General weather conditions Locations fished Fish caught and size Baits used When did the bite start and how long did it last

If the job of taking notes during the trip and entering them in your logbook seems like too much work, then don’t bother. But I will tell you as a professional; this routine has benefited me tremendously in planning and preparing my trips and has definitely contributed to my fishing success. For those data

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Fall is a great time for flounder – John Bining – four pounder.

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Until next time; good fishin’ and God bless. -Capt. Bill

www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 63

MID-COAST BAYS

:LWK WKH *UD\V water quickly and sends us packing to the lakes on Matagorda Island, but as I said thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a bad thing. The only downside is that most of the lakes have soft bottom and therefore tough to wade, better suited to drifting and fishing at anchor if you use natural bait.

Recently I have been able to get out to San Antonio Bay on many trips and have had some rewarding days. It takes a little reef hopping to find a solid bite some days but well worth the effort. Keying on bait activity is a must when deciding which reef to fish. If bait activity is scarce move on to another reef. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re lucking you may come across some birds feeding up close to some of the reefs. Notice I said â&#x20AC;&#x153;up close to the reefs.â&#x20AC;? Birds that work out away from the reefs are usually feeding above small trout, ladyfish and gafftop. The reef bite has been good on bone diamond and also salt and pepper 4â&#x20AC;? Assassin Sea Shads on 1/8 ounce heads. Even though the water temperature is falling we still see an abundance of stingrays in November so be sure Marcia Dyer and Adra Berryhill show off reds caught wading San Antonio Bay reefs.

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I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t say enough about this exceptional weather. Fall is CAPT. GARY GRAY everywhere and the leaves are Captain Gary and Captain Shellie turning on most of our trees.

Gray fish year-round for trout Our bay water temperatures and redfish in the Port Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor/ have dropped considerably Seadrift area. Gary started his Bay and the once dense vegetation Rat Guide Service 20 years ago.

The Grays specialize in wade and that inundated our back lakes drift fishing with artificial lures. is diminishing and making lure Gary and Shellie also team up to chunking much easier. fish many tournaments.

Many anglers are under the impression that fishing is only good during the warmer Telephone months and they couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be 361-785-6708 more wrong. I know some Email Gary@BayRat.com people are leery Website of colder weather, www.bayratguideservice.com but if you think about it, we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t typically get the nasty, wet and cold stuff until January and February. This leaves November and December open to some fantastic fishing.

As the water temperature drops many of the smaller baitfish and shrimp that redfish and trout feed on will migrate to deeper waters. The decline in readily available food means the fish will not be as picky and more likely to gobble up whatever you have to offer, artificial or natural.

If natural bait is your game you will be thrilled to know that pesky bait stealers like hardheads and gafftop will be moving off to deeper waters as well.

The sand shorelines of summer will produce less consistently during November as the water cools but the back lakes usually more than make up for the loss. San Antonio Bayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s many reefs will hold lots of trout and reds but they are weather sensitive. Strong wind muddies the

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64 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

P O R T O â&#x20AC;&#x2122;CO N N O R / SE AD R I F T

Sandy Reese, Sheri Schmitt and Roslyn Faust were happy anglers on a beautiful fall day.

to wear your ForEverlast stingray gear.

Back lake action has been steady on the Super Spook Jr. lately, especially the redfish pattern my dad jokingly calls his â&#x20AC;&#x153;coming and going lureâ&#x20AC;? because the spot on tail resembles an eye. The Waker by Mannâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bait Company and a Texas-rigged Gulp Jerkshad in the sardine color are running a close second. The key to catching in back lakes is to focus on points and coves. The coves are often the best producers this time of year.

I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t finish this article without mentioning my all-time favorite dinner fish, the southern flounder. Flounder round out the big three for Texas anglerss and I i d i also want to remind everybody that the lilimit during November is two fish by rod and reel only, no gigging. This two fish bag limit is reduced from the normal limit of five during all other months and the possession is also reduced to two fish during November. These changes to the flounder limits are worth noting, especially for anglers making multi-day trips to the coast.

During the fall months, especially during November, mature flounder will be making their way to the Gulf to spawn. Fishing in cuts and marsh inlets is a good strategy when targeting flatties and an outgoing tide improves your odds greatly. Anything from fresh dead shrimp to a 4â&#x20AC;? Gulp Swimming Mullet in pumpkinseed will work.

I usually rig my Gulp baits on 1/8 ounce heads. Fishing slowly along bottom will produce the most strikes but it can also mean snagging bottom frequently. Delaying the hookset for a second or two will produce more hookups. This can take a few practice â&#x20AC;&#x153;missesâ&#x20AC;? before one gets the hang of it.

If anyone is interested, I have finally decided to sell my 2008 23foot Explorer Attack-A-Flat. It comes with all the bells and whistles and is equipped with a 2008 200 Yamaha HPDI outboard. Give me a call or email for more information.

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¸0 YLJLP]LK [OL +=+ HUK NP]L `V\ HU ( VU HSS ZLNTLU[Z š e:[L]LU *VWLSHUK Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 65

HOOKED UP WITH 5RZVH\ Is November already here?

After an unseasonably warm summer, I was not sure if we would ever get any relief from the scorching DAVID ROWSEY sun, and water that seemed to almost boil on the David Rowsey has 20 years flats. Late September and experience in the Laguna/Baffin early October have finally region; trophy trout with artificial brought some relief, and lures is his specialty. David has a great passion for conservation most days are starting with and encourages catch and air temperatures in the mid release of trophy fish.

60’s and water temperatures in the 70’s. It is actually cool Telephone enough that a wade jacket 361-960-0340 is required on predawn boat Website rides to Baffin. www.DavidRowsey.com All summer long I have been singing the praises of great water clarity, abundant grassbeds, and good catches of trout and redfish. The diversion of flood water from the Rio Grande that inundated the Lower Laguna Madre finally made its way into the Land Cut, and headed north towards Baffin. Numerous tropical storms that came in south of Corpus Christi dropped record amounts of rainwater

66 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Looking forward to many days of quality fish in November and beyond.

on us, pushed up the tide levels, and has, generally, lowered our water visibility to about one foot. With a little luck, some hard falling tides and north winds will get everything back in check before we know it, and just in time for the kickoff of trophy trout season.

By now most of you guys and gals have heard of a fish kill that took place in the west end of Baffin. The general consensus is that depleted oxygen levels (DOL) was the culprit. Every year we deal with DOL to some extent, but something was different this year than years past. The amount of dead fish that washed up appeared to be far greater than most of us have ever seen, excluding freeze years.

Ironically, it came right after tropical storm Hermine passed and dumped major amounts of water on inland farm lands that eventually ran into the bay. A growing number of anglers and conservation minded folks are wondering if there is a relationship between agriculture runoff, fish kills, and years when brown tide raises its ugly head. The closest thing I have to a test tube is a Super Spook and a wine bottle cork, so I’ll leave that one for the scientist to decide, but does need to be looked at in great detail.

Soon after the kill was made very public on the internet forums, I had to go take a look for myself on the west end. All species seemed to have been affected, from the bottom to the top of the food chain, and, yes, it was sad to see some trout in the 27 to 30-inch class trout washed up on the beach. I am, by no means, making light of the situation, but

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

UPPE R L AGUNA / BAFFI N - A personal best on a Bass Assassin.

the bottom line, from what I observed, is that the kill was no worse than what you would see at the cleaning tables during the peak of finfish season on a typical Friday and Saturday at any marina attached to the Laguna or Baffin. So to all that were shocked to see the carnage washed ashore, I would have to ask – How do you feel about boat after boat dropping 100+ pounds of mature spawners onto the cleaning table?

Between Mother Nature and the need for some to thump their own chests, it is way past time to start fishing these bays with a more conservative mindset.

There are still lots of big trout around, and when the water temps

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

drop this month, they will go from skinny to fat in what will seem like overnight. Some large trout will start w gathering in areas where deep and shallow oreline, all of water come together. The King Ranch Shoreline, the north shoreline of Baffin and spoil islands will be high on the list to investigate. Since the vast majority of bait has made its migration, any little sign of something for the trout to eat may be all it takes to get the right bite going. All of the pristine water conditions throughout the summer carpeted the bay floor with new grass growth. Locating the areas that have a mix of sand holes in the grass, a nearby dropoff, and any small guts that lead into and out of the feeding areas will be key in casting versus catching. There are literally hundreds of areas that offer this scenario, so get out of the boat and pay attention to the water depth as you zigzag through a wade.

Top lure choices for me will be a 5” Bass Assassin to locate the fish.

The Paul Brown Original (Corky) to try and tease the largest out of the crowd (not to say that the Bass Assassin will not do that as well). Given the right conditions, a wide array of topwater lures will be mixed in for good measure.

“Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19 Set ‘em Loose, Capt. David Rowsey

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 67

TRICIA’S We’ve already had one heck of a fall season in the Lower Laguna Madre. If everything stays on course and continues Capt. Tricia’s Skinny Water to develop our winter season Adventures operates out of could end up with “epic” Port Mansfield, specializing in written all over it. If you don’t wadefishing with artificial lures. have your waders and winter gear ready to go you might Telephone need to hurry.

956-642-7298 Although the entire Lower Email Laguna is still recovering from shell@granderiver.net the effects of tremendous Website freshwater run-off, the www.SkinnyWaterAdventures.com salinities are coming around quite nicely. Much of the water still has a weird greenish tint to it and visibility is not what we’d like in all areas but it hasn’t seemed to bother the fish. Redfish have been doing their traditional fall thing on the flats and shorelines and trout have been thick in most of the depressions and deeper swales. It hasn’t been a problem to stay busy with seventeen to twenty inch trout with a few better ones most days. The topwater bite has been getting much better but plastics are still the most consistent for catching numbers. The bigger trout we have been waiting for are just starting to show with regularity, but even the little guys are fat and healthy so that’s another great sign. All will soon change though, and perhaps even by the time you read this.

The available forage is phenomenal and perhaps even too much in places. At times mullet are rafted up for miles down the banks and completely smother the surface of some back areas. There has been more slicking activity than can I remember in a long time, so much that on some mornings it’s hard to choose which area to fish. Crabs have also become so numerous that a few commercial operations have actually relocated here, and on any given wade you can watch big blue crabs scurrying around your feet. We’re even getting a few on slow-rolled tails. They seem to like Kelly

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Redfish are just starting to school in numbers; we’ll see more in November.

Wiggler paddle-tails in plum-chartreuse and also the Texas Tackle Factory Big Minow in Texas shrimp. The fish like them too.

Freshwater does some unusual things and it seems to have done a number on the seagrass in some areas. Thankfully most of the dead grass is staying on the bottom and not floating, but it may be a while before some of the meadows recover.

As of this writing redfish are just starting to school in numbers and there have been some large herds prowling the deeper flats within a few miles either side of the East Cut. Typically, we’d have already seen more but I’m pretty sure things will be back to normal as pattern develops. Meanwhile, sight-casting in the clear sand next to flooded banks has been fun with good visibility. Again, trout have been steady and bigger baits such as Corkys are already back in play, and in fact just today I had a heck of a topwater bite

6DOHV 6HUYLFH 6LQFH Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

POR T MANSFI E LD done once you find them. Corkys, Kelly Wiggler’ss big nd TTF’s Big paddle-tail, and Minow seem to entice fish when straight tails don’t quite get it done. A swimming bait is easy to fish at whatever level you need it, whether extremely shallow or deep, and the only real change needed is the speed of retrieve and lead-head size. Colors are subject to conditions but I still lean towards lighter or more natural colors in clean water and darker baits when it’s dirty. I use a lot of black or purple with a chartreuse tail in the winter and they seem to work just fine.

With all the rain this year, life is quite abundant this fall in and along the Laguna Madre, everything from bait to fish to deer, quail and turkey. There are a lot worse things we can do this winter besides taking advantage of this outdoor opportunity we have been given.

Light colors in clean water and dark in the dirty seem to work just fine. .

throwing the big Rapala X-Rap 13.

According to NOAA, water levels along the coast will begin to drop by the first part of November. As soon as we get some water out of here better fish will be easier to find as they are forced off miles of flooded flats and pull down into more predictable depressions and guts. Colder water will make for some aggressive feeds between northers and bigger baits should continue to do well.

Full-sized topwaters over active bait on warmer days should produce well but for most other situations big plastics should get it

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 69

SOUTH PADRE )LVKLQJ 6FHQH As we exit the month of gulls working more consistently than most anglers can recall. Bird October, our summer/fall snook action always seems to intensify during periods of brisk north winds. season ends with a bang, and The arrival of a cold front tends to activate a feed. Redfish and trout the anticipation for a great certainly take advantage of these periods to gorge on shrimp that are winter snook season begins. exiting our shallow bays.

A Brownsville-area native, The summer of 2011 looks very Once again, bigger birds such as pelicans, will play a significant Capt. Ernest Cisneros fishes promising, baring any hard role in helping us find fish. When our water temperatures begin the Lower Laguna Madre from Port Mansfield to Port Isabel. freeze. This year, although we to fall, bait will become more limited and not as easy to find in Ernest specializes in wading did have a dip in numbers of concentrations, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s when these birds become a key part of our and poled skiff adventures for snook caught and released, the fishing plans. Their nose dives into the water will show us where the snook, trout, and redfish. average size of snook caught bait, and consequently the fish, are lurking. increased.

Despite recent This is the month where we will begin to see an obvious weight Cell weather that has been a bit gain and added shoulders to the redfish species. Trout too will show 956-266-6454 Website out of the norm, there was no noticeable signs of gluttony around their girth and shoulder areas. www.tightlinescharters.com ill-effect on our fall snook bite. Yes, all the high water made them harder to find; however, when we found them, they were schooled up and hungry. To our excitement, our very last fall snook trip produced twelve linesiders, all released to fight another day.

All the wet weather and record rainfall we have been experiencing since June has continued to replenish our bay system with the freshwater it needs to sustain itself.

Despite the dip in salinity, fish are still adapting well to their new environment and have found our artificial baits very alluring. Water temperatures have cooled off a bit making the fish more active as they gear up for the cooler weather that lies ahead, but the greatest positive effect I have observed with the influx of all this rainfall is that all this freshwater has added the right nutrients and right combination for our bait to continue to thrive.

Simms waders, cold weather, Because of the continued abundance of shrimp in the and big trout go hand in hand.

Lower Laguna Madre, we have been seeing flocks of sea

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70 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

AR ROYO CO LO R AD O TO P O R T I SABE EL

Jason’s annual snook trip always ends with a trophy. This one measured 32-plus.

As the fish sense a drop in temperature and shorter days, every day will be a feast as the fish know that their feeding patterns will be determined by old man winter’s desires for the next few months.

It has been a while since I have fished the mid-portion of the Lower Laguna around the Arroyo Colorado and on north to Port Mansfield.

This time of the year, I like to spend my efforts slightly south of the Arroyo. Areas with muddy shell bottoms have worked well in the past because redfish always seem to like warmer muddy bottoms as water temperatures dip. When they spook over shallow muddy bottoms,

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

they tend to leave a mud puff that is easily visible. This is a sure winter sign showing the presence of fish in a given aying area. If I happen to run into an area displaying oncentration mud puffs, I’ll stop if I can see that it’s a concentration of fish and not just a cloudy area where the fish once was.

Topwater baits should be on stand-by and ready for use when the conditions arise. The variety of our plastic baits will take a change as the water cools down. The old reliable tails will still work effectively, but we will add 6” Gambler Flapp’n Shads along with MirrOlure’s Paul Brown Fat Boy and Devil to the lure box. This is also the month that a good pair of reliable and durable waders will be needed.

Actually, starting about the first of November and continuing into April, waders will be needed if your trophy excursions will be by foot.

I highly recommend that you take a look at the selection of Simms waders. View their website (www.simmsfishing.com) and take a look at what they have to offer. You might also take a look at the Fishing Tackle Unlimited online store, (www.fishingtackleunlimited.com) for all your winter fishing needs. Better yet, come by Fishing Tackle Unlimited on Saturday, December 11, for the 2010 Inshore Fishing Expo. I will be conducting a seminar on the elusive Texas snook. Be sure to come by and say hello. Until then, may you and your family have a happy Thanksgiving.

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 71

)LVKLQJ 5HSRUWV DQG )RUHFDVWV IURP %LJ /DNH WR %RFD &KLFD Lake Calcasieu Louisiana Jeff and Mary Poe - Big Lake Guide Service - 337 598 3268 The only thing better than October fishing is November fishing! I t is, however, harder to get on the water in November, due to the increasing frequency of fronts. The fishing quality on days you can get out is usually fantastic. Birds will continue picking throughout the estuary. Oyster reefs will continue to produce lots of trout. At present, salinities are very high ,so concentrate your efforts on the northern part of the estuary, if drought continues. Most of the fish we are catching now are coming from areas north of the Intracoastal Waterway. As we get more and more fronts, the fishing will get better and better. Soft plastics in avocado/ chartreuse, glow, opening night and chicken on a chain are our best colors.

We will also start to throw some pinks and oranges starting this month.

MirrOlures, Catch 2000s, 52MRs, MirrOdines, Jointed Thundersticks, and Corkys are best for big trout. These fish will put on weight by November to prepare for the coming winter. We will start wadefishing sand flats and oyster reefs to catch more of the big trout.

West Galveston - Bastrop - Christmas - Chocolate Bays Randall Groves - Groves Guide Service - 979 849 7019 - 979 864 9323 The fall fishing is already in full swing and looks to be improving, according to Randall. “We are seeing lots of shrimp in the bays. I thought all the fresh water might move them out, but once the salt water came back a little bit, the fishing came right back too. We are using lures that are easy to see in the stained water. Topwaters in most any color are working pretty good, especially the little Spooks in black/gold/orange. We are also having good results on Sand Eels in fire tiger and salty chicken. November is normally an excellent month around here. We will catch plenty of trout, whether we’re wading or drifting. When I have customers who want to drift, we’ll key on the birds and deeper shell, particularly areas with scattered shell and a mud bottom. When wading, we’ll key on shorelines more and hope for fewer, but bigger fish. The whole key to November fishing is the weather. The calmer days allow us more options, and we can fish however and wherever we want. Those days can turn into some of the best of the whole year.”

Trinity Bay - East Bay - Galveston Bay - James Plaag Silver King Adventures - www.silverkingadventures.com - 409 935 7242 Though the fishing at the time of this report was almost summer like, Jakes predicts a change for November. “We’re still catching most of our fish around open water structures like well pads and reefs here of late, but by November there should be a big change. We do have some birds working already, but that will get better in November. We are catching some fish on the shoreline wading too, but not limits generally, just quality fish in relatively small numbers. Did have one nice trout yesterday about five and a quarter pounds, and several other threes and fours, all on white ShePups. There’s a ton of shrimp on area shorelines to date; these weak fronts haven’t dumped the marshes yet. By the time this magazine comes out, the fronts should have dropped the water temperatures and level and the bays will be full of shrimp heading for the Gulf. Then we’ll have plenty of options. There’ll be good fish under birds and better ones on the shorelines. I’ll favor the wading plan as much as I can. November is a good month to catch some fat trout wading.”

Matagorda - Charlie Paradoski Bay Guide Service - 713 725 2401 “Lately, with most of the calls coming from people who prefer to fish from the boat, we’ve been working the birds in East Bay. Fishing is outstanding.

Last couple of days, we’ve limited out by nine o’clock or so. I’ve found something interesting that I really haven’t experienced much until recently.

Seems that you catch bigger trout if you use a rattling cork and suspend a soft plastic under it. I’ve been using quarter ounce jigheads and corks and catching a lot of two to four pound fish that way. If you take the cork off, and fish deeper, the fish get smaller. If you throw a topwater, you won’t catch anything. In November, the topwater bite usually gets better, and the first two weeks of December are about the best of the year for big trout under birds in East Bay. I won’t mess with fishing around the birds unless it’s not very crowded. Keying on slicks and sweet spots around the mid-bay reefs is productive too. I know there will be some big trout biting on the shorelines, if I can just get some people who want to wade, we’ll get ’em.”

Jimmy West - Bolivar Guide Service - 409 996 3054 Jim always says the same thing about November. “It’s arguably the best month to be in the great outdoors. My plan for this month will be to fish during the week and hunt on the weekends. Duck season opens at the beginning of the month, and the season sets up great. We should see some fast shooting. As far as the fishing goes, there are a bunch of good patterns to consider. The marsh lakes are full of trout and reds when tides are high, and they offer protection from the wind. The shorelines in both Trinity and East bays will be stacked with trout once the water cools down a little more. We’re already experiencing a steady topwater bite, and that should only get better in November. I’ll wade as much as I can when fishing and will probably start backing the timing of my charters up. Once the fall season kicks in real good, it’s a smart plan to fish from mid-day into the early evening. Sometimes it seems like the bay is void of life until the sun starts setting, then everything cranks into high gear for a couple of hours. I love November!”

Palacios - Capt. Aaron Wollam www.palaciosguideservice.com - 979 240 8204 So far, this has been one of the best fall runs on redfish in recent years.

We are catching multiple limits of redfish every time we go out and then playing catch and release the rest of the day. For bait fishermen, live shrimp rigged eighteen to twenty four inches under popping corks drifted over flats in three to four feet of water have been the ticket. For lure fishermen, any kind of tails in white/chartreuse have been the big producers. SheDogs in pearl/chartreuse and Spook Juniors in bone have been the best topwater plugs. The quarter ounce weedless gold spoon has also been a killer along the flats. The trout bite has been sporadic, with a few fish starting to show along area shorelines over shell. Live shrimp under popping corks and Gulp shrimp under corks have worked best for the trout. November should find fish staging over mud and shell as waters cool down and plugs such as slow-sinking Corkys or suspending MirrOlures will work well. When it’s cold, make sure to fish around lots of bait for best results.

72 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Port O’Connor - Lynn Smith - Back Bay Guide Service - 361 983 4434 Lynn predicts that November will closely resemble October in terms of his choice of patterns to fish. “Right now, we’re fishing shorelines mostly, keying on sandy, grassy areas. The redfish are schooling and running down the bank. We’re either catching them by keying on bait activity or by sightcasting to them when we see them tailing. When we’re prospecting around nervous bait, we’re having good luck with small topwaters like Spook Juniors, but when we find the tailing pods, soft plastics and gold spoons work better. Stealth when wading makes it easier to get close enough to the tailing fish to have a good chance to catch them. We should also see the trout bite improve as the water cools down some more. November is a good time to catch some of the bigger trout on area shorelines. I still like to fish sand and grass mostly, as long as the water doesn’t dip down into the fifties. We’ll throw topwaters and Corkys for the trout as much as we can, but won‘t hesitate to try soft plastics if we locate fish and the bite turns tougher.”

Rockport - Blake Muirhead Gator Trout Guide Service - 361 790 5203 - 361 441 3894 November is cast and blast season for Blake. He says there are lots of ducks around and his hopes for fast shooting are high. “They gave us a two pintail limit this year, so that’s good for hunters in this part of the world. The duck hunting should be excellent. After we finish shooting, we like to fish our way out of the marsh. If fishing continues as it has been, that will be productive too. We’re still catching lots of trout. All this fresh water has them stacked up in some places. I’ll be trying the reefs and guts in San Antonio Bay, also cuts in Aransas Bay near the entrances to the back lakes and I’ll probably spend some time in Corpus Bay too.

The water over there is crystal clear right now. Most consistent bite lately has been on dark colored Sand Eels, like red shad. We’re also catching some fish on topwaters, mostly early in the morning. And gold spoons have been good for the reds. Overall, the potential is excellent for some fall action. Trout fishing in particular has improved a lot over last year and sets up great.”

Padre Island National Seashore Billy Sandifer - Padre Island Safaris - 361 937 8446 There are plenty of fish on PINS in November but we will be ducking cold fronts and high tides the entire month so the timing can make or break your trip. Sharks of several species come in close in November. Both of the two biggest tiger sharks I was ever around came in early November. Slot and oversized redfish, whiting, big Spanish mackerel and pompano will all be available as will large numbers of adult jack crevalle. Good flounder are to be had working Bass Assassins slowly along the bottom at the jetty.

The pelicans will lead you to the schools of jack crevalle and will even let you know in advance they are ahead of you. Live and dead finger mullet will produce for bottom fishermen as will peeled, fresh, dead shrimp and Fishbites. Seems I do better with the pink or chartreuse shrimp flavored Fishbites on the pompano. East or hard northeast winds will stack water high on the beach and are to be avoided. The second day behind a norther is usually the most user-friendly time frame.

Upper Laguna Madre - Baffin Bay - Land Cut Robert Zapata – rz1528@grandecom.net - 563 1160 A few inches of rainfall is always good for the Laguna Madre, but the amounts that we got from the storms we’ve had in the Gulf of Mexico lately was too much. Too much fresh water has made it tough on the speckled trout hunters in Baffin Bay and the areas close to Baffin. The fish are still there, but the water has become tainted with brown tide, so if you plan a trip to Baffin Bay you’ll need to take live shrimp or something smelly Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

and noisy like Berkley Gulp or live piggy perch. The water in the upper end of the Laguna is still pretty good, although it is beginning to lose some of its clarity too. In November, I intend to fish in clear water that is less than two feet deep with half ounce weedless gold spoons, Bass Assassin Blurps and Berkley Gulps in natural colors rigged on sixteenth ounce Bass Assassin Spring-Loc jigheads. As the days progress, I will move into areas holding good concentrations of bait in four or five feet of water. Reds and black drum will continue to stay in schools and shrimp will be the best bait for targeting them.

Joe Mendez – www.sightcast1.com - 361 937 5961 Joe reports excellent water quality around the JFK and north into Corpus Christi Bay lately. “I’ve been fishing up north a lot. There are plenty of redfish, of course. Fishing for them has been good all year, and now we’re full into the fall migration. Locating the schools is pretty easy over the last month or so, because we’ve had lots of days with light winds and bright skies, so you can see the schools making wakes as they move. When it’s windier, it’s easier to see into the water and you can sightcast to individual fish better. The trout seem to still be hanging around the dropoffs into a muddier bottom where it’s three or four feet deep and the water is not quite as clear. November is a great time to catch both trout and reds and if the water quality situation stays the same, meaning it’s better up here around town, I’ll mostly fish up this way. Shamrock Cove and East Flats are other favored areas of mine for this time of year. The water’s usually clear and there are numerous shallow flats perfect for sightcasting opportunities,” Port Mansfield – Terry Neal – www.terrynealcharters.com – (956) 944 2559 November promises to be exciting on the water. Our ability to identify and take advantage of patterns will be greatly improved with cooler temperatures and fewer boats. Cruising the flats, we’re going to find schools of mullet working. One day you might find reds chasing finger mullet and the next it might be eighteen to twenty-four inch trout on the edge of the mullet schools. The area north of the East Cut continues to amaze me with the number of trout and reds that have been caught there over the years; granted it’s where the Gulf current enters and a constant supply of bait is often available in that portion of the Laguna Madre.

The water continues to change almost daily and this should continue as incoming tide mixes with the off-colored and predominantly fresh water we have in the system. Secret to catching in these conditions: find bait and be patient. The Mansfield Maulers work very well for attracting fish. Keep only what you will eat: release the rest.

Lower Laguna Madre - South Padre - Port Isabel Janie and Fred Petty – www.fishingwithpettys.com – (956) 943 2747 YeeHaw! If you’d like to see a picture of the winning red in the ladies’ Redfish Rodeo, held annually at South Padre Island, go to our website and check out the girls in the pink camo. We’ve been limiting on trout and reds every day since the beginning of September when we have wind… preferably a north wind with an outgoing tide. The bay is still full of fresh water, but a recent norther has cleared things a bit and blown much of the thick floating grass off the shoreline on the west side. We’re catching some lunker trout that are heavy with eggs, even this late in the season. Freddy says, “The fish are feeding on perch and tiny shrimp hatched on the full moon. When the strong north wind churns up the waves, try pulling the cork faster, like a top water, to attract fish that are hanging low in the water column but, be sure to slow down when you see the initial strike to allow the lure to sink a little.” Our most consistent producer is a Berkley Gulp Shrimp in new penny and pearl, under a Cajun Thunder round cork. The bite’s been great.

Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 73

Catch of the Month!

All upcoming Photo Galleries are now online! Check out when your photo will appear in the magazine.

Jacob Flores Port Aransas - wahoo

Paul Fuqua East Matagorda - 30” 10lb trout

Paul Martinez Copano Bay - 29.75” red C&R

Corey McGaughey Gulf - bull red 74 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Lauren Muzny Gulf - first king fish!

Doug Johnson Port Mansfield - 42” red (choked on mullet)

Karson Hinojosa Trinity Bay - 16.5” first speckled trout!

Nathan McGaughey Brazos River - redfish

Larry McGaughey Christmas Bay - 24” 8lb flounder Texas Saltwater Fishing

Robert Raddatz Port Aransas - 39” redfish

Junior Sanchez ICW - 33” redfish

Rex Stanley Eagle Point Marina - 30” red

Dylan, Ken, & Trey Darnell North Jetty - bull red C&R

Aubrey Lindquist & Grady Dylla Bolivar Peninsula - 15” first flounder!

Arianna Sanders 5.5lb flounder

Phil Simon Baffin Bay - 39” red

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

Gastin Montemayor Mexiquita Flats - 26â&#x20AC;? redfish

Christopher McMillan Arroyo City - 31â&#x20AC;? redfish

Gillion Orozco Caranchua - 23â&#x20AC;? redfish

David Muro Seawolf Park - 22â&#x20AC;? 9.5â&#x20AC;&#x2122; flounder

Stacey Wells 27â&#x20AC;? redfish

Zachry Whitehurst Copano Bay - 30â&#x20AC;? trout

Ray Vargas Matagorda Bay - 35.5â&#x20AC;? 30# red

Ramsey and Alyssa Reyes 24â&#x20AC;? sheep head

David Wells 25â&#x20AC;? 5.5lb flounder

Laura Palmer Sabine - 6lb flounder

Scott Nixon 26.5â&#x20AC;? trout

Gerald Piper, Jr. 29â&#x20AC;? speckled trout

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Matt Lookingbill Corpus Christi Bay - 41â&#x20AC;? redfish

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

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Phil Morin Corpus - 29â&#x20AC;? 7lb trout Texas Saltwater Fishing

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www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 75

GULF COAST

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Crisp Crab Cakes PAM JOHNSON Got ideas, hints or recipes youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to share?

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

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 scallions, thinly sliced 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper 1 cup Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) 1 large egg, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons nonfat milk 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning Dash of hot sauce 1 pound lump crab or crab claw meat, picked over salt and pepper to taste Olive-oil cooking spray

Heat 2 teaspoon of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallions and red bell pepper and cook until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly.

Mix 1/2 cup panko, egg and milk in a small bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the Worcestershire sauce, mustard, lemon juice, Old Bay and hot sauce; fold in the crabmeat, panko mixture, scallion-bell pepper mixture, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Shape into 8 patties and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Coat the crab cakes with the remaining 1/2 cup panko.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Mist the crab cakes with cooking spray and cook, sprayed-side down, 3 to 4 minutes. Spay the tops, flip and cook 3 to 4 more minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Sweet Corn and Jalapeno Relish 2 tablespoons butter 1 cup fresh sweet corn kernels, sliced from cob, about 3 ears 2 jalapeno peppers, seeds and membranes removed, diced 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme salt and pepper to taste On medium-high heat melt butter is frying pan. Add corn, diced jalapeno, thyme, salt, and pepper. Fry until corn begins to browns.

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76 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

2 cups mayonnaise 3/4 teaspoon hot mustard 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup dill pickle relish 1 cup diced yellow onion 1/2 cup parsley chopped 2 tablespoons capers

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

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TE X AS SALT WATE R FISHING HOLES

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

TE X AS SALT WATE R FISHING HOLES

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Texas Saltwater Fishing

www.TSFMAG.com / November 2010 79

I N D E X O F A DV E R TI S E R S For more information about these advertisers visit: http://www.texassaltwaterfishingmagazine.com/contact_advertisers_product.html

ADVENTURES

Trans Fiberglass Boat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Fish-N-Hunt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Big Country Outdoors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Tropical Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Back Cover

Roy’s Bait & Tackle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Seaworthy Marine Supply . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Cabo Magic Sportfishing . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

BUILDER & BUILDER PRODUCTS

Speedy Stop Solunar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Solunar

APPAREL

Building Products Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Bass King. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Easy Lift - Marine Lift & Dock Supply . 11

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Peligac Offshore Gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Eco Vantage Wood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Eichhorn, Gonzales & Miller. . . . . . . . . . 20

Pink Marlin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Legacy Lifts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Fishing Jewelry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66, 70

FISHING PRODUCTS (RODS, REELS, ETC.)

MISCELLANEOUS

BOAT ACCESSORIES

Bimini Bay Outfitters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Aventura - Jewelry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Boat Lift Distributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Bomber Saltwater Grade . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Benak Boat For Sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Coastline Trailer Mfg., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Brown Lures-JB Outdoors . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Daniel Holt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Coveralls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

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Hillman’s Seafood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Fibertex & Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Darrell Lehmann Texas Tackle. . . . . . . . 79

TSFMag Subscription Form . . . . . . . . . . 31, 53

Gulf Coast Trolling Motor . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Eagle Claw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

House of Fiberglass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

EZ Drainer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

OUTDOOR FURNITURE

Safe Floor Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Fishing Tackle Unlimited Green Rod . . 47

Wild Bill’s Texas Coastal

SkeggPro/TR Coastal Innovations, LLC 59

ForEverlast Hunting/Fishing Products 43

South Texas Trolling Motors . . . . . . . . . 71

Kevin Cochran Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Specialty Aluminum Works . . . . . . . . . . 24, 60

Marsh Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

PLACES TO STAY

Tops-N-Towers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover, 1

MirrOlure - Paul Brown’s Originals . . . 21

Baffin on the Rocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Salt Water Soul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Furniture and Décor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Mirrorlure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Bentley’s ICW House Rental . . . . . . . . . . 79

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Mud Hole Tackle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Floating Cabin Rentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Anchor Marine of Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover, 1

Pier 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Serena Residences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Bernie’s Boats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Power Pro / Shimano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

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Busha Boat Works. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

REC Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Coastal Backwater Marine . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Rods by Pepper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

REAL ESTATE/RENTAL

Coastal Bend Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Russelures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Solunar

Lee DeForke -Galveston Island . . . . . . . 79

Coastline Marine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover, 1

Stunt Grunt Lures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Rick BonGiovanni- Condo 4Sale . . . . . . 79

Flatstalker Boats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Texas Tackle Factory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Gulf Coast Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover, 1, 6

Third Stone Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Solunar

SERVICE

Hell’s Bay Boatworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Ultimate Wade Fishing Caddy . . . . . . . . 63

Art Republic of Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Hobie Cat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Waterloo Rods:Waterloo Rods . . . . . . . 7

Boat Workz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Kroll’s Marine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Yeti Coolers:Yeti Coolers . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Chad Sullivan - Land Clearing . . . . . . . . 79

Majek Boats:Majek Boats . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Your Fishing Pal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Kevin Severance Insurance . . . . . . . . . . 69

Mt. Houston Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Yo-Zuri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

West Point Boat Works:Twelfth Page . 58, 79

Shallow Sport Boats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover, 1

FISHING RETAIL LOCATIONS

WEBSITES

Texas Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Academy Sports + Outdoors . . . . . . . . . 2

The Chupacabra Outdoors . . . . . . . . . . . 70

The Sportsman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover, 1

Fishing Tackle Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover

Sail & Ski Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

80 November 2010 / www.TSFMAG.com

Texas Saltwater Fishing

Please use our Texas spotted seatrout resource wisely!

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GALVESTON TIDES & SOLUNAR TABLE Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine NOVEMBER 2010

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prime time strength/flow prediction catch condition analysis over 3,000 US Coastal sites trip journal

revolutionary catch-analysis software

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