November 2020

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ABOUT THE COVER

NOVEMBER 2020 VOL 30 NO 7

CONTENTS

Eric Moody is our cover angler; showing off his best trout from Port O’Connor waters since he began fishing there in 1986. He was fishing in a back bay area and tricked his trophy fish with a clown pattern Heddon Super Spook Jr on a Waterloo Salinity Rod. Eric says he knew from the massive blow-up that is was a really big trout.

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

8 12 16 20

25 36 38 40 44 46 50 52 67 78

Staying Aware of Constant Change Avowing the Angling Deities Beyond Good Joe Richard

16

Steve Hillman Kevin Cochran Chuck Uzzle Joe Richard

Holiday Gift Guide Let’s Ask The Pro Shallow Water Fishing TPWD Field Notes Kayak Fishing Chronicles TSFMag Conservation News Fishy Facts Extreme Kayak Fishing & Sharks...

Science & the Sea Boat Repair & Maintenance

Jay Watkins Scott Null Timothy Proper Dave Roberts CCA Texas Stephanie Boyd Eric Ozolins UT Marine Science Institute Chris Mapp

52 WHAT OUR GUIDES

HAVE TO SAY

58 60 62 64 66 68

Dickie Colburn’s Sabine Scene The View from Matagorda Mid-Coast Bays with the Grays Hooked up with Rowsey Wayne’s Port Mansfield Report South Padre Fishing Scene

Dickie Colburn Bink Grimes Shellie Gray David Rowsey Wayne Davis Ernest Cisneros

REGULARS 6 Editorial 56 New Tackle & Gear 70 Fishing Reports and Forecasts 74 Catch of the Month 76 Gulf Coast Kitchen

76

66 4 | November 2020

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HOW TO CONTACT TSFMAG: PHONE: 361-785-3420 FAX: 361 792-4530 MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, Texas 77983 PHYSICAL ADDRESS: 58 Fisherman’s Lane, Seadrift, TX 77983 WEB: www.TSFMAG.com PHOTO GALLERY: photos@tsfmag.com PRINTED IN THE USA. Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine (ISSN 1935-9586) is published monthly by Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, Inc., 58 Fisherman’s Lane, Seadrift, Texas 77983 l P. O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 © Copyright 1990 All rights reserved. Positively nothing in this publication may be reprinted or reproduced. *Views expressed by Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine contributors do not necessarily express the views of Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine.

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EDITORIAL

RED SNAPPER SURPRISE –

HUGE RISE IN FISHING PARTICIPATION Just when it seems 2020 couldn’t get any whackier, recreational red snapper anglers were blindsided by NOAA/NMFS announcing that red snapper are once again being greatly overfished. The announcement described remedy in the form of a return to ridiculously short seasons in the waters off some gulf states in 2021, and possibly no season for in others. The measures would not apply to the commercial fishery. Now isn’t that a surprise?

But wait…what happened to Exempted Fishing Permits and State Management of red snapper that seemed to be working so wonderfully?

Well, it appears the feds aren’t happy seeing rec anglers benefit from these programs, so they’re changing the rules.

While once seriously depleted, the fishery recovered remarkably in a much shorter time than originally projected. Fisherman who spent time in the gulf saw it, hell everybody saw it, everybody but the feds, who are now inexplicably proposing to gauge the last three years of rec harvest against their historically inaccurate stock assessments rather than new science.

All hope is not lost, though. We’ve said for many years the stock assessments upon which the feds were basing their allocation and season decisions were horribly flawed. Turns out they were and still are.

The Great Red Snapper Count came galloping over the horizon and will hopefully save the day. Members of the Harte Research Institute team briefed Congress on their preliminary findings in early-October and, like we’ve been saying…the feds don’t know how to count snapper.

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The upshot of the briefing is that the feds have been under-counting red snapper by a factor of at least three, by failing to conduct sampling over lowrelief structure, where more than half the population lives, according to the Great Red Snapper Count. There will definitely be a lot more to come on this matter – suits and countersuits, I’m sure – so stay tuned. Hopefully it will all get ironed out in time for the 2021 season.

On another subject, fishing participation in 2020 has risen sharply, which comes as no surprise as so many in the Texas workforce were idled and public schools were closed during the Covid-19 pandemic. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department are reporting a whopping 24% increase in resident fishing license sales over last year, handily eclipsing the prior record set in 2017.

Likewise, CCA Texas has reported greatly increased participation in their annual STAR Tournament.

Total enrollment in the popular summer-long event rose to slightly more than 59,000, which netted the organization 14,000 new members, an increase of 34%. Of special note was the 24% increase in the number of youth angler participants.

View The Video No matter how whacky the world gets, thank Open Camera and hover God we can still go fishing. over QR Code. When Happy Thanksgiving! link appears at top of screen tap to open in YouTube.

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Water temperature and potential salinity changes take place with the passage of each front, setting the stage for some good fall fishing!

Staying

C Aware of h Constant n g e STORY BY STEVE HILLMAN

“M

an, I can’t wait for Halloween. That’s when the birds really start working in East Bay every year!” Or, “We’ll start catching trout while drifting color changes over in West Bay around Thanksgiving.”

I hear these same predictions every year. While one sometimes gets lucky and hits the jackpot with such predictions, most of the time other variables such as water temperature, salinity and forage migrations will come together to provide us with more reliable results.

To me, picking some arbitrary date on a calendar falls into the same category as breaking open a fortune cookie with hope of finding the winning lottery numbers.

Last year was a prime example of why calendars are only good for holidays and birthdays because our early fall pattern more closely resembled a winter pattern.

Unexpected and abnormally strong cold fronts from October 25 through November 13 caused water temperatures to drop into the mid- to high-forties, sending trout into areas we wouldn’t normally fish until December and January.

TSFMAG.com | 9

The November 13 front brought with it nighttime air temperatures of 32° that drastically dropped water temperatures causing our trout to react very quickly by retreating to more insulated areas in and near deeper water. Once the wind subsided, two days later, we found ourselves drifting a mud-shell ledge that dropped from 4- to 13-feet. The water temperature was 46 degrees and the trout were holding along the ledge (most likely in a thermocline layer) in about 8 feet of water. The water was unusually clear for the area we were fishing due to the cold water temperatures and the sun was bright in the bluebird sky. Therefore, most of our fish were caught on brightly colored soft plastics such as limetreuse Saltwater Assassin Sea Shads and Electric Chicken MirrOlure Marsh Minnows, both rigged on 1/8 ounce jig heads.

For those who are wondering, I didn’t just randomly pick that drop-off because I was feeling lucky. For weeks prior to the harsh cold fronts those trout had been living on a shell flat not far from said ledge. The water temperatures had previously ranged anywhere from 56- to 63°.

When I first located those fish they threw every sign at us you could imagine. There were slicks, nervous mullet, and even white shrimp getting blasted out of the water. The trout and redfish were basically begging for us to come catch them. As water temperatures

declined drastically and barometric pressure increased, the closest deep water was where they instinctively relocated. And, subsequently, it’s where we went too! Interestingly enough, that three week cold period was nothing more than an outlier as the remainder of our winter actually ended up being quite mild.

Fast forward to the same period of time this year. It’s September 22 as I type this article. We’re in the midst of heavy rainfall as a result of Tropical Storm Beta. In addition to what’s occurring within our watershed we have to be concerned about excessive freshwater inflow from the Trinity and San Jacinto Rivers. The Lake Livingston Dam is currently releasing a little more than 4,000 cubic feet per second but I look for that number to increase (hopefully not too much) due to the heavy rains in East Texas. We’ll just have to see.

Fish will also become displaced because of the extreme high tides.

Our storm surge during Beta was around 3.5 feet, if not more, when I drove down to Galveston Island today. I actually witnessed birds working in a pasture on the bay side of the Island. It appeared that it was a school of mainly redfish as this particular property backs up to a south shoreline back lake that typically holds quite a few reds.

With these changes we’ll have to figure out where to start our search once we can get back on the water. I’m hoping and praying that we’ll

The trout and redfish “ were basically begging for us to come catch them. ”

An extremely high tide enabled Joseph Cianfrini to catch this trout on top of a sand bar that is normally almost out of the water.

10 | November 2020

Shelbie Dezell tricked this solid speck while casting to slicks in an area with good salinity and live oyster reef.

get a much needed shot in the arm of new fish from the gulf.

We’ve seen some pretty good fishing in years past after these types of weather episodes. Tropical events that don’t bring catastrophic damage can sometimes rejuvenate a bay system by ushering new life into a system that had otherwise become somewhat stagnant. In the aftermath, the patterns may not initially be what we’re used to experiencing, but by paying attention to the signs and not the calendar, we can capitalize on what Mother Nature gives us.

Getting back to this “paying attention” thing; just because your boat runs 60 mph doesn’t mean you have to go that fast. I cruise at about 30 or 35 mph most of the time when moving from spot to spot. My head is on a swivel the entire time and I feel like I might miss something by traveling at a higher speed. There are obvious exceptions, like when running from storms, trying to make tournament weigh-ins, etc. We’ve all heard the old saying, “If you blinked then you missed it.” Well, if you slow down a bit then you won’t miss it. Our eyes, ears and nose are essential trout-finding tools.

My memory takes me back to one spring morning last year. It was dead calm and the fog was so dense that we couldn’t see more than fifty yards. I could hear seagulls squawking in the distance. There was no mistaking they were feeding on something. We would catch the occasional whiff of slicks in the thick air. I trolled, stopped and listened, then trolled, stopped and listened, until finally we could see redfish crashing tiny brown shrimp out of the water. We went from a super slow morning to fast and furious catching. The fog eventually lifted as did our spirits. Our nose and our ears led us to the fish on that calm foggy morning.

We don’t have to play “Where’s Waldo” because most of the time the fish will show us where they are in the form of slicks, birds, color changes (aka muddy streaks), mud boils or surface activity. I love to hunt deer. Every year leading up to the season I look for signs such as scrapes, rubs, and heavily traveled trails, just to name a few. This usually gives me a pretty good idea where to set up. The same as visualizing where deer would travel down a certain trail or corridor, we should try to visualize which path the trout will take. This can be

Unfortunately, Beta left behind some undesirables, presumably from months of NIMBY’s (Not In My Back Yard) throwing trash out of their boats. Sad!

done by knowing where they are now and why, then by considering all of the combined forces that will cause them to relocate.

There will always be unpredictable circumstances when it comes to fishing and the timing will seldom occur when we think it’s supposed to happen. There are many questions that will be answered over the course of the next several weeks.

When will the real cold fronts start this fall? Will they come early then fade away like last year? Is this winter even going to be a real winter? Will this be a wet fall and winter?

It’s a guessing game every year and that is precisely why we can’t simply use the same dates on a calendar year after year. Think about what we’ve learned as anglers through the years based upon water temperature, salinity and habitat, and then go from there. Fishing where fish should be, based upon historical knowledge is a fine starting point but we must apply the conditions laid out before us to pin-point their location by using every sense God gave us.

Happy hunting!

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STEVE HILLMAN

CONTACT

Storm surge from Tropical Storm Beta displaced some fish but also hopefully brought in new ones!

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

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

TSFMAG.com | 11

g

A

w i n o v the Angling D e i t ie

s

STORY BY KEVIN COCHRAN

I

n polytheistic religions like ones which prevailed in ancient Greece and Rome, multiple immortal deities rule over the lives of mortal men.

Fantastic tales establish royal dynasties and governing structures in these mythical hierarchies. According to the stories, the patriarchs and matriarchs of almighty families wield the highest powers, doling out lesser duties to their siblings and progeny.

Some modern anglers seem to believe in a similar kind of mythology with regard to the forces which influence their activities. Generally, people referencing such beliefs do so without serious intentions; most don’t believe fishing gods actually exist. Superstition serves as the primary source behind many of the statements and beliefs related to angling deities. Consequently, some folks make a half-hearted, incomplete cast to start every outing, because they believe catching a fish on the first cast will annoy the fishing gods and taint the rest of the day.

Similarly, I sometimes mutter when I switch lures and catch a fish on the first cast made with the new one. I call it first cast magic, and often lament how seldom the catch translates into a consistently higher bite rate with the new lure, compared with the one it replaced. In the end, superstitions like these generally arise from selective memory; we well remember events which confirm our biases, while tending to forget those which don’t.

Many of us see whining as weakness and believe the angling deities favor strength and stoicism. Accordingly, when my customers snivel about the size of the five-pound trout we’re catching, I often issue a warning. “Don’t let the fishing gods hear you complain about catching a five pounder. They’ll fix that problem real quick.”

Such a statement is silly. It has no basis in reality. No panel of deities sits on thrones in the sky, ready to render judgments about our activities. People who seriously think about fishing in those terms

Cold temperatures created the perfect scenario for Jeremy Rhodes to catch this thirty inch trout on a soft plastic.

This ten pound trout bit the Captain’s Fat Boy not long after a full moon set on a warm January morning.

14 | November 2020

dwell in la-la land. That said, some elements of our surroundings do create contextual realities which might lead anglers to perceive them as deities, in the broadest sense. So for purposes of analysis, and in the spirit of good humor, I can place names and faces on the supreme external forces presiding over our efforts.

For me, three major natural entities most obviously affect our ability to catch fish. I’d rank them as equals, residing atop the Mount Rushmore of fishing gods, heads and shoulders above their lesser brethren. The forceful trio reign over all our efforts, without of course, any intention of doing so. Eternal and omnipotent, they rule indirectly and apathetically. None of us can escape the governance of Meteoria, the prodigious weather maker, Lunastra, conductor of celestial events, and Needmania, designer of biology.

The biological forces within the species we seek to catch and of the species on which they prey affect us profoundly. All fish react most regularly and significantly to three primary aspects of existence: need for safety, need for food, and desire to procreate. One of these dominant facets of their lives generally dictates the location and activities of fish at any given time. The relationships between predators and prey add complexity to the puzzle.

When fearful due to the presence of predators like trout, redfish and flounder, prey species like menhaden, glass minnows and mullet behave in predictable ways, signaling their fear to the knowing eyes of anglers. But, the tables can turn, and sharks and dolphins can reverse the status of trout and other part-time predators, making them fear for their own lives. When a prowling pod of dolphins pushes a school of trout out of the depths adjacent to a shoreline and onto a shallow, grassy shelf, they sometimes inadvertently help wading anglers.

Trout and reds also make moves in response to their regular need to feed, sometimes following herds of migrating crustaceans and smaller fish, other times stacking up in places where prey species congregate, in response to warming or cooling water temperatures, drops or rises in salinity levels, or other aspects of the physiology of the waters in which they swim.

In the same ways, the urge to procreate sometimes dictates the types of places where various species appear. Mature red drum spawn in the open ocean, in relatively shallow, nearshore waters.

Needmania dictates the fact, while denying these fish the ability to regenerate themselves in estuaries or freshwater lakes, though they can survive to old ages in those bodies of water. Consequently, the irresistible urge to procreate motivates maturing reds to migrate from the recesses of our estuaries toward the open ocean when they’re on the verge of adulthood.

Fear, hunger and the desire to spawn cause fish to behave in somewhat predictable ways and to move back and forth between locations, some separated by many miles. Likewise, celestial events cause fish to move around, usually over shorter distances than the biological urges related to spawning and feeding. Lunastra does exert effects on coastal waterways which influence when and where predators like trout, redfish and flounder feed.

In hypersaline lagoons, where tides move minimally on a daily basis, the rising and setting of the sun and moon prompt fish to feed.

Biology plays a role in why predators generally show higher levels of activity during a light change created by the rising or setting sun.

The eyes of all fish, like those of humans, respond to changes in light levels. On average, the eyes of prey species react more slowly to the changes in light levels than those of predators, who capitalize

Randy Slocum followed frantic mullet far into the shallows on a muddy flat to trick this beauty on his Super Spook.

In these ways, the lesser gods of wind, rain and water clarity serve their master, Meteoria. They also dictate realities to anglers intent on best serving them and prospering in the process. The angling deities demand respect, despite the fact they possess no means by which to state their terms.

Needmania, Lunastra and Meteoria literally could not care less whether we honor them or not. Nor do they have any way of showing mercy on us if and when we don’t. They remain distant, impassive, neither malicious nor benign. Nevertheless, our productivity does depend on our ability to avow their powers, in a nebulous realm where Lady Luck smiles most frequently on those best prepared to benefit from her charity.

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The Captain, with a word about Lunastra’s might.

KEVIN COCHRAN CONTACT

on their temporary advantage during dawn and dusk.

Needmania has programmed them to feed actively while the sun hovers close to the horizon.

For less clear reasons, these same predators typically show a propensity to feed actively while the moon looms low in the sky, also when it’s directly over anglers’ heads or under their feet. Whether one can explain this phenomenon or not, records kept over time verify its effects. In this way, the source of Lunastra’s might remains mysterious, but its powers generally work in obvious ways.

Both the sun and moon move the water. Like dual fates, Lunastra’s tidal movements influence the efforts of coastal anglers profoundly, capable of generating the ripest opportunities for catching and dictating the specific locations of feeding predators, also of rendering efforts virtually pointless. These vastly contrasting effects can occur within minutes of each other, verifying another aspect common to all these indomitable angling deities—their rapidly mutating qualities.

Certainly Meteoria’s moods can change quickly, and either elevate or devastate the potential for angling productivity.

The arrival of a strong cold front provides one extreme example of this. In the hour or so immediately prior to the wind shift, fish generally feed actively. The bite sometimes reaches a fever pitch right after north winds begin to whistle.

Then, predictably, it ends, sometimes abruptly, as if someone (perhaps Whimsy, the lesser god of wind) has flipped a switch. The wind plays many roles as a fishing god, almost always affecting anglers, often providing them assistance. It sometimes whispers the sweetest somethings, caressing the prospects for productivity on a shoreline or structural element gently; at other times, it roars fiercely, prohibiting the mere possibility of fishing, or even of leaving the dock. This exposes still another truth about the fishing gods—they give and they take.

Metroria’s icy fingers can force fish into holes and channels, making them easy to locate and catch for a while. Those same brittle digits sometimes push the mercury low enough in the glass to stun trout and redfish, making them exceedingly difficult to catch. In worst-case scenarios, the frigid temperatures turn the objects of our obsession into frozen fish-sticks.

Other aspects of weather create both bountiful opportunities and imminent dangers for fish and the anglers who seek to catch them.

Estuaries generally benefit from rain, and from freshwater flowing down the rivers feeding into them. To a point, of course. Coastal fish need some salt in the water in order to survive and thrive. When salinity levels fall too low, some species move toward the ocean, in search of salt. Excessive drought conditions, on the other hand, can pull the same fish far upriver, in search of sweeter climes.

Droughts and floods thus affect the water qualities and locations of fish in various ways, establishing truths for both fish and anglers.

Strong winds and heavy rains change the medium in which the fish live. Turbidia, the god of water clarity, can help anglers catch more fish, or prevent them from catching any. Finding muddy streaks in ultraclear waters in a main basin in winter might pinpoint the location of feeding trout. But extremely dirty water can cause fish to temporarily lose interest in feeding, at least by sight, dashing the hopes of all anglers who deploy artificial lures.

Kevin Cochran is a full-time fishing guide at Corpus Christi (Padre Island), TX. Kevin is a speckled trout fanatic and has created several books and dvds on the subject.

Kevin’s home waters stretch from Corpus Christi Bay to the Land Cut.

TROUT TRACKER GUIDE SERVICE Phone 361-688-3714 Email kevxlr8@mygrande.net Web www.FishBaffinBay.com www.captainkevblogs.com TSFMAG.com | 15

Mixed schools of hungry trout and reds are common during fall. Add a flounder or two for a great mixed bag.

Beyond STORY BY CHUCK UZZLE

D

uring an average day on the water, a fishing guide ends up in conversations with people from all walks of life, each uniquely different in their own way, but very similar in many others. Inevitably, you end up discussing some of the same topics with just about everyone who boards your boat – how long have you been guiding – what’s the biggest fish you ever caught. These are always interesting, even though discussed many times with other folks on previous outings. When sharing my answers one day with clients, it dawned on me that I live in a repetitious and predictable pattern. Seasons tend to melt into one another and become a single extended event with many sub-parts.

Early on in my life I was horribly unaware of worldly events or anything that happened outside my little circle unless it involved the outdoors. Religiously, every Thursday and Sunday, I went to the corner store for copies of the Houston Chronicle, Houston Post, Beaumont Enterprise, Port Arthur News, Orange Leader, and Lake Charles American Press. Leaving the store, I promptly discarded everything except the outdoors sections where the writers of the day published their weekly columns.

These were the days before social media and outdoors television shows, and I lived vicariously through their words and exploits – Joe Doggett, Doug Pike, Shannon Tompkins, and TSFMag’s own Dickie Colburn put words on paper that meant something to me. Over the years I got to the point where I almost knew what they would write even before it was published because the outdoor world revolved around this big cyclical pattern.

January and February were boat shows and big bass while March and April were all about big trout, flounder, and crappie. May, June, and July meant saltwater in the form of jetty fishing and offshore pursuits. August and September started the transition towards hunting season as well as kicking off the fall fishing in all the coastal bays. October, November, and December were the cream of the crop as the Texas white-tailed deer season opened and both fresh and saltwater anglers were enjoying some of the best opportunities of the year. It was an amazing cycle that still holds true to this day and still captivates the outdoors enthusiast in all of us.

TSFMAG.com | 17

Well, here we are again at that point to where it all comes together and gets beyond good. November is upon us and I personally love this month for all the opportunity it offers. Opportunity is the key word because there is plenty of it.

As mentioned above there are a virtual ton of things to pursue outdoors and that means that the crowds on the bays will thin noticeably as folks pursue their various passions. Fewer folks on the water competing for fish is a win in my book. October can be one of the worst months as far as crowds go. The weather is pleasant and everyone is fired up to get in on some easy fishing as flocks of gulls wheel and dive over schooling fish. General courtesy and manners tend to go out the window for a few weeks as the crowds converge on smaller bodies of water like Sabine and Calcasieu. These bays can get

small in a hurry when the numbers of anglers go up in proportion to the tempo of the bite. The silver lining is that it generally only lasts a few weeks until hunting season calls them away.

November on Sabine is what Dickie Colburn likes to call dealers choice because you can do so many things and none of them are wrong or unproductive. Top of the list for many anglers will be the fall flounder run that has long made Sabine Lake famous. Flounder will begin to migrate out of the marshes and funnel through the passes making them easier to target. Generally speaking the biggest fish of the year are caught at this time and it’s not uncommon to see specimens of five and even seven pounds. The big spawning age females that tip the scales this deeply receive a bit of a reprieve in that the daily bag limit in November is reduced from five fish to only two, to promote escape to the spawning grounds in the gulf.

The next hottest ticket in town will be schooling fish, both trout and reds, under the birds. Sabine and Calcasieu both will often have schools of really solid fish show up under the birds, unlike some of the bays farther south along the coast where undersized and barely-keepers are the primary fare. I know many folks from Matagorda on south that rarely stop to fish under diving gulls because they seldom catch keeper-sized fish, whereas Sabine and Calcasieu anglers often find trout of two- to four-pounds, and sometimes larger.

Over the years I have seen some legit trophies taken under flocks of screeching gulls. Several years ago I had clients catch back-to-back sevenpounders under birds on Calcasieu, The outdoors section of Thursday newspapers was Solid trout under birds are a bonus and I know of at least one legit thirtygospel to Texas anglers and hunters in the days for Sabine and Calcasieu anglers. before social media and 24-hour news cycles. incher caught from amid a of herd of redfish under birds on Sabine. It’s a phenomenon that doesn’t happen everywhere but I’m glad it happens here in my backyard.

Now if chasing the birds is not your cup of tea then you are still in luck as some of the biggest trout of the year will be caught by waders targeting these trophy fish. I personally like November better than the colder months of January or February for big fish here on Sabine. The primary forage, shad mostly, is incredibly rich and abundant, and they add weight quickly as soon as the water temps begin to cool. Perhaps one of the best things about chasing these fish in November is the fact that you can always hop back in the boat and go Angler’s rejoice over the peace and quiet that prevails on November bays. hustle some fish under the birds if you

18 | November 2020

and was amazed at how many were seemingly just lying within a space the size of your average backyard patio. What an eyeopener!

Now there are even more patterns you can enjoy that we haven’t mentioned; including the deep waters of the Sabine and Neches rivers, as well as the outstanding freshwater bite that will take place. Your options this month and beyond are plentiful and, historically speaking, some of the best we will see all year. November rarely fails to deliver and hopefully that will again be the case in the weeks ahead.

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can’t find a big fish wading. Nothing like having a solid back up plan and this certainly qualifies as a good one.

I must admit I’m a little partial to November. The biggest trout I ever caught on Sabine was in November, so it’s understandable why I have such an affinity. I have spent some very memorable days wading the big flats behind the islands on the north end of Sabine that border the Intra-Coastal Waterway. Some truly big trout as well as plenty of stud redfish tend to gang up in that area during the latter weeks of the month and if you find one there are usually more around. The day I caught my best trout on Sabine I stood my ground

CHUCK UZZLE

CONTACT

The tools of November…use frequently for best results.

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

Phone 409-697-6111 Email wakesndrakes@yahoo.com Website wakesndrakes.com

TSFMAG.com | 19

STORY BY JOE RICHARD

Show me the mullet! Without a castnet, multi-rod shallow water anglers must use store-bought shrimp or croakers for bait.

S

ometimes when fishing, it’s better to Just. Sit. Still. Stop running around and burning gas and instead, focus on two or three specific shoreline spots. The slow pace is almost like kayak fishing, but far more comfortable with more options of tackle and bait.

It’s true that bait fishing is anathema to many coastal fisherman, but on the upper Texas coast, water clarity is seldom clear. Why not anchor up and set out a few rods to find out what’s really down there? This technique can be used on Galveston Bay, also Jefferson and Orange counties to the east. And Louisiana, too.

On our murky upper coast, there’s no point in burning shorelines looking for fish, unless you like discovering oyster reefs, mud and sandbars with that lower unit. It’s much more practical to ease in quietly, coasting the last 30 feet, stake out a shoreline point or creek, set out five or six rods, then sit back and relax. It’s what we call “using the old ways,” because that’s what most red and flounder fishermen in Port Arthur did years ago, back when boats and motors were quite small by today’s standards.

Those guys learned where the best spots were by sitting still, putting in the time and observing, learning the good spots, making note of wind, season and tidal flow.

My high school classmate Bob Bellows in Port Arthur has caught up to 67 slot redfish in one spot, just by sitting still. When he ran out of bait, it was time to go. The technique is quite the opposite of redfish tournament boats that run and gun all day, throwing artificials.

Interestingly, though I moved far from the old neighborhood, I started using the old Port Arthur strategy about 10 years ago. With five rod holders on the starboard side, I usually anchor the port side against a shoreline sheltered from the wind, where we sit very quietly. Bob and I both anchor in waist-deep or shallower water.

We both use lots of rod holders.

I’ve installed five anchor cleats around the boat to accommodate any wind direction. Sometimes, a light wind may be lapping straight onto a favorite shoreline, but I can anchor on the starboard side to small waves, and cast into the wind. Other times I anchor by the stern, so that people up front can fish off the open bow.

Bob and his long time fishing companion, daughter Amy Bellows Calaway, have racked up some impressive catches—limits of flounder and slot reds, mostly. They fish the marsh country in Jefferson and Orange Counties and know it well. Friends say Bob will run right past a flock of diving seagulls on the bay, just to catch finger mullet with his castnet and get anchored up on one of his favorite shorelines. He’ll set out six rods and wait for the action to start. Sometimes six rods is way too many, other times it takes that many to grab a limit of redfish. He

favors Kahle hooks because they work well with small finger mullet. A small circle hook hasn’t worked that well.

“I use 14-pound Cajun line on 7 foot medium action rods,” says Bob. “Carolina rig with 12-24 inch leader, half-ounce weight, 2/0 Kahle hooks with tail-hooked 3-6 inch mullet, which makes them swim up from the bottom. I also use Cajun Thunder corks with 18 inches of leader, due to grass. I fish 3-6 rods, depending on the area and have lots of rod holders, you can never have too many. I use two anchors, so the boat doesn’t pivot and mess up the line set. Croaker Saver and frozen Gatorade bottles in the live well, to keep the baitfish happy in hot weather. Using shrimp just invites trash fish. Alligator gar are still plentiful and will really try your patience.”

Sitting near murky shorelines, neither of us get many problems from other boats that will burn shorelines in clear water. If you want peace and quiet, avoiding Saturday redfish tournaments is a good idea.

Some will ease in too close, but boats with 400 horsepower always seem in a hurry to be somewhere else. If they get a hot tip about a fishy spot 50 miles away, off they go. (Can you imagine a redfish tournament with johnboats only, and a limit of 25 horsepower? It’s easy, when you’ve had aluminum boats for 52 years.)

Sometimes I’ve sat still and caught 20 redfish and big trout without moving, while boats prowled by on electric motor, casting here and

Sometimes I’ve sat still and “ caught 20 redfish and big trout

without moving, while boats prowled by on electric motor, casting here and there, and I never see them catch anything.

Bob Bellows from Port Arthur works local saltwater marshes with up to six rods at a time.

22 | November 2020

”

Amy Bellows Calaway holds up a Port Arthur flounder for dad.

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there, and I never see them catch anything. For years, I’ve coached anglers on my boat to look dejected with slumped shoulders, sipping water, looking bored, munching a sandwich until a nearby boat leaves.

Shouting, waving a landing net and doing high-fives is no way to guard a fishing spot. (The opposite of guys making YouTube videos or Saturday TV fishing shows, who have to use theatrics).

If another boat is lurking nearby, we look bored, keep the rod tip down on hooked fish, and then land them on the backside of the boat. (You’ll notice the old-timers on the bay are good at that). A hooked fish can just wait out there until a passing boat is gone.

We’ve also fought five-foot jumping sharks, big gar, catfish and big stingrays that can spoil the party, once they get the scent of dead bait. That’s why we use up our live bait, first. Shockingly, we’ve caught trout up to 27 inches while parked on a shoreline. That may sound bogus and sad to the guys who only use artificials, but some of my clients can’t cast all day, and need a break.

Some of the elderly or very young can barely cast, but Author with a sow trout, caught while the they can wrench a bent rod out of the holder and reel Amy Bellows Calaway with a marshboat was anchored up, using a multi-rod in fish. Our biggest trout using this technique was caught redfish. They may catch limits of setup. This trout went back in the water. flounder and redfish on the same day. caught by an 80-year old woman who couldn’t cast at all. She wanted to keep that sow trout pushing eight pounds, but I told her no way—the three of us already had 11 trout in the box from drift-fishing that morning.

At noon we’d parked the boat and rested on a high tide shoreline, waiting for our redfish.

When one of my 7-foot spin rods with 12-pound line doubles up and stays that way, it’s a sure sign the black, 6/0 circle hook has worked. Most days we don’t even bother with a landing net unless action is slow.

Just work the fish in close, grab the 30-pound leader and the fish’s tail and lift it aboard. A fish released probably can do without first getting wrapped in abrasive mesh. (Mine is a short fold-out Frabill net, easily hidden from prying eyes).

When first mate Amy Richard is aboard, she’ll stand on the bow and sling gold spoons out of habit, until satisfied the fish won’t take hardware, and then she’ll settle down and wait for our five bait rods to work.

Some days her spoon works and others days it’s up to our pinfish and mullet.

Firing off a broadside of 5-6 rods covers a decent area, and when one rod keeps catching fish, more rods are aimed in that direction, even if I have to pivot the anchored boat. Fishing in Florida Joe Richard has fished the Gulf since 1967, starting out of Port Arlast spring, a friend followed me in his almost-new, high-dollar shallow thur, but his adventures have taken him up and down the entire coast. water boat that had no rod holders, just the center console rack. He He was the editor of Tide magazine for eight years, and later Florida had no mullet, only live shrimp. (No live croakers there).

Sportsman’s book and assistant Refusing to mar his shiny boat with rod holders; he and his son magazine editor. He began guiding struggled that day, fishing only three rods, and two of them had out of Port O’Connor in 1994. His specialty is big kingfish, and his to be constantly held. They scratched out two reds while anchored latest book is The Kingfish Bible, only 10 yards away, while we caught four legal reds and a six-pound New Revelations. Available at trout. Fortunately, he did reel in one of my spin outfits that was torn Seafavorites.com right out of a rod holder 30 minutes before. That 25-inch redfish was still on the circle hook, too.

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Proper position and angle for presentations on windward spoils.

J AY WAT K I N S

ASK THE PRO

FALL OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES, & STRATEGIES We are finally experiencing some cooler water temperatures as we start our fall fishing season. I love the change from summer to fall, along with all the good and the tough the changes present. Notice I did not say bad because there is nothing bad about cooler water temperatures and the potential for better fishing conditions.

The season begins way before the first official day of fall. I start seeing blue-winged teal in August, along with a few flights of pintail and wigeon. Brad Smythe, one of Rockport’s best-ever duck guides, says the arrival of waterfowl signals the approach of weather changes days before the weather actually arrives. Jay Ray worked for Brad as a deckhand and I greatly appreciate the way Brad kept him on the straight and narrow. He was a great role model and I will always respect him for that.

Brad and I would touch base on the duck migration as we saw it occurring. He could tell by my description of how high the ducks were flying and their flight pattern whether they were incoming migrants or local birds relocating. I was always amazed at how accurate the ducks were. I learned to pre-pattern my fall fishing strategies by what the migrating ducks were showing us was to come. Might be hard for many to believe but Brad and I believed in it.

I like to concentrate my efforts on windward spoils or shorelines where water ranges from about 18 inches to 3 feet over a distance of 50 to 75 yards. Within this span I need to see a lane – a fish highway if you will – at least 2 to 5 feet in width, along a heavy grass edge prior to the start of the sand. Next would be a broken bottom of grass and sand in the 2 ½ to 3 foot depth zone. Finally, a slight drop-off, distinct enough to feel as we walk into it. I want deeper individual grassbeds out here, and prefer that they be 36 | November 2020

scattered in nature. The more scattered they are the more likely the trout are to be concentrated on each of them.

Think of this as sight-casting to the structure. We can predict and anticipate where the strikes will be encountered.

Tide levels can be high as long as the shoreline sand remains exposed and continues to create a wall or barrier.

Big trout will get extremely shallow despite what many might believe. I watched Jay Ray and his guys catch 7-plus pounders one day on floating Custom Corkys in 53° water, that was barely shin deep. During the milder months of the fall, trout will at times be shallow enough to see their backs out of the water. Fishing super skinny like this requires stealth at every level, but that’s an entirely other article.

I prefer winds to be strong enough to push water onto the shoreline. A slight chop never hurts us when the water is clear. We need a food source but the bait doesn’t have to be in the fish highway. The reason for this is simple. As the bait moves throughout the morning, the trout will set up in areas that the baitfish must cross when moving from one area to another.

Trout can be harder to catch due to light penetration, predation from above, boat traffic, and a full stomach.

Trick is a better word; we only catch the truly big ones because we trick them first. I’ll give them a larger bait early but honestly prefer sticking with lures smaller than five inches. I’ll downsize as the bite slows. Diminished activity from bait and birds are sure signs of diminished feeding and movement. Africa’s plains antelope are less afraid of sleeping lions than ones roaming. When trout roam, baitfish take notice, and so should you.

Going from your favorite topwater or Fat Boy to a smaller soft plastic offering is hard for some trout

Step-daughter, Shayla Ledger, with a great red caught midday.

Throughout the day we have to continue to monitor all depth zones in the areas we are fishing. Areas previously determined to be nonproductive can quickly become productive during optimal conditions and/or peak solunar feeding periods. This is why we don’t want to chop up our water if we can avoid it. Wade slow and easy and idle the boat a good distance offshore when making a move. Burning an area will show you more fish but wading and chunking will catch them, and enable you to catch more. I have old school knowledge that allows me the luxury of confidence without having to actually see the fish. I suggest that young fishermen put in the water time and concentrate on fine tuning their fishing and fish-finding skills the old fashion way. You’ll be a much better fisherman at the end of the day, I promise.

So, weather patterns are going to be changing and with those changes the fish will react, which means we too must react. It’s like a game of chess, we have to think about every move. Predicting what their next move will be is where problems can arise.

May your fishing always be catching! -Guide, Jay Watkins

View The Video

Open Camera and hover over QR Code. When link appears at top of screen tap to open in YouTube.

C O N TA C T

aficionados to do. I know this.

I also know the best of the best, and ALL of them will go small when needed. This knowledge and discipline is what separates them from all the rest. What’s funny to me is that the window for downsizing lures is usually short. To me, it’s when they’ve already fed and moving to another area. Once they relocate and settle in we can go back to our larger favorites.

It is a misnomer that trout always start out shallow early in the morning when water temperatures are suitable.

They acclimate to cold and can lie in wait in cold, shallow My lovely better half, Miss water if that is where the food Renee, with nice trout along is. If it’s too cold early, they will windward spoil - CPR. pull up later in the day as the shallow water warms. Nighttime cooling in fall is not as pronounced as summer, so I typically start shallow and work my way to deeper water.

Downsizing lures can be very critical when fish are super shallow. Many times the noise of a large topwater hitting the surface is enough to put the largest trout on high alert. When in high-alert mode, tricking becomes tricky! I wade as quietly as I can; no place for track stars here.

I like to stand at slight angles to the wind and cast from deep to shallow. I prefer NOT to stand on or in the line where I feel the fish will be moving. As bait activity or the bite slows I will slowly work my way out to the drop-off, working the intermediate depths carefully as I go.

Bites can come quick from fish that are moving from one position to another. I have been fortunate enough to see large trout turn on a lure as she is making her way from one zone to the next. Many times these are very quick takes so be ready. Also, there is usually no follow-up bite if the strike is missed. Just for your notes, singles are harder to catch than multiple fish. Competition for bait creates more aggression when fish are traveling as a group.

In the lure department, you’re going to want the following lineup in your wading box. MirrOlure Lil John, both the smaller original and the XL. A few 5” Provokers and several Texas Customs 1/16-ounce jigheads, I prefer watermelon and black. You will also want a couple of Texas Customs Double Ds and Custom Corkys to cover the floating, swimming and suspending category.

Re-sizing our lures, both up and down, is probably going to be in the cards many days as we experience significant changes in the fall weather pattern. This can be especially true as regards barometric pressure. High skies with no clouds, light winds, and high pressure, definitely calls for downsizing. Likewise- heavy overcast with average wind and lower pressure calls for larger profiles and some of that “noise factor” stuff.

My favorite soft plastic colors are currently Watermelon, Golden Bream, June Bug, Plum, Opening Night, and Bone Diamond. In Double Ds it’ll be Gringo, Pearl Harbor, Double Bubble, Plum Nasty, and Sea Grass. Custom Corky selection with be Pearl Harbor, Bay Mistress, Double Bubble, Pistachio, and Plum Nasty.

Jay Watkins has been a full-time fishing guide at Rockport, TX, for more than 20 years. Jay specializes in wading yearround for trout and redfish with artificial lures. Jay covers the Texas coast from San Antonio Bay to Corpus Christi Bay. Telephone Email Website

361-729-9596 Jay@jaywatkins.com www.jaywatkins.com

TSFMAG.com | 37

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

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

GOODBYE TO SILVER KINGS;

HELLO REDFISH!

Well I suppose it’s time to switch gears. My favorite fish has headed to Mexico. It always takes me a few weeks to accept it, a sort of mourning period.

I’ll still go out on the beachfront when conditions are right, hoping for one last group of stragglers.

Tarpon get under your skin. The thrill of spotting them. The excitement of getting them to eat your offering. The amazement at their crazy acrobatics as they launch from the water. The appreciation of their power and endurance as they repeatedly refuse to come alongside the gunnel.

I truly love everything about these fish, even when they’re being stubborn and picky about eating a lure. They can certainly be frustrating.

Some days it seems as though their mouths are sewn shut. Entire massive schools can completely disappear and relocate overnight. Many times you’ll be on top of the world with feeding schools all afternoon only to return the next morning to water completely devoid of fish. But for me, that hunt is half the fun of this game. If it were easy everyone would be out there.

The relatively small group of dedicated Texas The greatest thrill tarpon anglers had an up and down season. is seeing them…

Tropical troubles, incessant southwest winds and and then getting dirty water far outnumbered the ice cream days. them to eat.

There were times when it seemed too easy and jetties and beachfront for bull reds and the tail end of many more that left us scratching our heads. If anyone the jacks. They aren’t tarpon, but they’ll school up on ever tells you they have Texas tarpon all figured out; top, eat a fly and stretch a line. That’ll work for those they’re lying. that want a big pull.

So what’s next? Well, I can still run out around the But my main focus will be poling the shallow stuff in search of redfish.

I often get queries about whether or not redfish on the flats are available Success is sweet! in the winter months. Absolutely.

In fact, some of the most consistent action of the year can occur during these months. The boat traffic slows down and the fish can settle in to shallow feeding patterns without getting buzzed all day by burn boats. Calmer fish are obviously easier to approach and feed a lure or fly. They’re also easier to locate consistently.

The opposite often occurs throughout the summer months.

38 | November 2020

C O N TA C T

You can locate a good concentration of fish during the week and then lose them overnight because they felt too much pressure through the weekend.

By the very definition, sight-casting requires being able to see the fish. The places I prefer to prowl are shallow and clear, the same places some folks like Jacks can be worthy to burn in their search for tournament fish. opponents, too.

To each their own, but it is more satisfying for me to find them in the old traditional way.

Combining past experiences and knowledge of current conditions to narrow down places to start the search is step one. Step two is putting in the time on the water. I spend many of my days off simply poling miles of flats, lakes and shorelines scouting for the next trip. Quite often I’ll never even pick up a rod and just observe what the fish are doing. I get more enjoyment out of putting all the pieces together than I do actually piercing a lip. Some folks will get that, others will think I’m half a bubble off.

Regardless your opinion of my sanity, now is a great time to be out on our bays. The periods between cold fronts can lead to some outstanding angling opportunities with little to no competition.

Hunting seasons are in full swing, school is back in session, football season continues and, of course, there are all the holiday obligations. Then there are those who simply don’t believe the bay fishing holds well during colder weather. Each takes away a percentage of your fellow anglers.

Lack of traffic isn’t the only reason winter fishing can be productive. The availability of food sources can get pretty scarce. This leads to more aggressive fish that are more likely to be fooled into eating your offering. The shrimp are gone, the smaller baitfish numbers have been culled and there won’t be any replacements until spring. It can become important to “match the hatch” with your choice of lure or fly. Larger baitfish are often their main target so you want to match that profile, particularly So, it’s back to the poling skiff until the silver kings migrate north again. when chasing trout.

Having said that, there have been times when I’ve found the reds to get rather picky. It usually occurs on the back side of a norther when the water has been chilled several degrees.

The wind is dead calm and the water is as clear as you’ll ever see it. On those days a large lure in that shallow water seems far too intrusive.

View The Video When you run across this, go smaller. I’ve thrown very small bonefish Open Camera and hover over QR Code. When link appears at top of screen tap to open in YouTube. flies at reds with much success. Always keep something in the bag that is far smaller than what you’d normally toss.

I’ll certainly be chasing reds on the uncrowded flats throughout the winter. And I’ll likely make some long wades under miserable conditions hoping for that Corky thump. There will be many days Capt. Scott Null is a devout shallow water fisherman offering guided adventues via kayak, poled skiff, and wading. spent in the deer blinds and maybe a few duck hunts thrown in too.

But even while I’m enjoying these other pursuits, know that my mind Telephone 281-450-2206 is working on solving the tarpon puzzle. Then, before we know it, Email captscottnull@gmail.com the first wave of silver kings will return from their winter vacation in Website www.captainscottnull.com Mexico. And I’ll be there to greet them to do it all again.

TSFMAG.com | 39

By Timothy Proper | San Antonio Bay Ecosystem

FIELD NOTES

HAS COVID-19 INCREASED HARVESTS ALONG THE GULF COAST? In the wake of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, it has become apparent that some areas of the Texas Gulf Coast have seen an increase in recreational fishing activity. In particular, the Port O’Connor area of the San Antonio Bay Ecosystem has seen a dramatic increase in the number of

40 | November 2020

vessels at local sites where TPWD conducts angler harvest surveys, also known as creel surveys. Though it remains to be seen what the effects of such an increase in vessels will be, there are a few that are readily evident. These include the impacts on facilities and personnel resources, financial encumberments, and the anglers of the great state of Texas.

Creel surveys are a type of in-person survey performed

by TPWD resource managers in which an interviewer asks an angler questions about their fishing experience. These questions may include the duration of the trip, how many fish were caught, and if the angler was satisfied with their experience. Additionally, harvested fish are counted and measured. Creel surveys are performed to gain insight about recreational angling perceptions, efforts, and harvests in order to inform future decision making. Creel surveys are a valuable tool that TPWD fisheries managers use to understand the systems they manage and how the public interacts with them.

According to a recent compilation of survey data taken over the past five years, the number of creel survey interviews conducted in May of 2020 was roughly double that of all previous surveys. These numbers clearly point to the fact that there are more people on the water who are making use of public boat ramps. Additionally, there have even been some reports of bait scarcity at several popular stands.

So, what does this mean for the Texas Parks and Wildlife

TSFMAG.com | 41

Department? First, in order to conduct the increased amount of surveys, it has become necessary to increase the workload of our field technicians and biologists. Also, as we are embroiled in a pandemic, ensuring that proper precautions are taken for the safety of our employees and the public are of tremendous importance. This means that certain items of personal protection are required, all of which leads to a supplementary increase in budget encumberment. However, there could also be a proverbial silver lining. An increase in anglers most likely results in an increase in fishing licenses sold, which helps to defray the costs of the previously mentioned additional expenses.

Furthermore, what does this mean for anglers? Maybe their favorite holes are often more occupied or, perhaps their “secret spots” are no longer very secret. Additionally, it has become increasingly difficult, or at least more time consuming, to launch at public ramps. I asked local charter captain Patrick “Pickle” Ragusin of Salty Dog Outfitters for his thoughts on the increased angler activity. He stated, “There is certainly more pressure on the fish, which makes fishing tougher. You know, there are more boats but not more water.” That was certainly true for the month of May. Until then, even with an increase in activity, it’s hard to beat a good day of fishing along Texas’ Gulf Coast. TPWD would encourage anyone to enjoy the sport and our natural resources. However, TPWD would also suggest that everyone be safe and follow proper guidelines for social distancing while doing so and remember, “Life’s Better Outside.”

Check the TPWD Outdoor Annual, your local TPWD Law Enforcement office, or tpwd.texas.gov for more info.

42 | November 2020

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SNOOKTOPIA 2020 – PART 2 Picking up from last month’s article, I again made my annual journey to southern Florida for the get together we call Snooktopia. The first few days on the water were tough with only one bite. Luckily for me, that single bite produced my career-best 42-inch snook. Topping it off was that she came on a topwater; an explosion I will never forget!

The rest of the Snooktopia crew began showing up mid-week and, as always, they were eager to get on the water. My buddy Chuck decided to drive over from New Orleans with high hopes to land his first snook. We hit the river right at daylight and fished downstream as we typically do. It was another slow morning but at least my buddy got to see a few good snook swimming around, which boosted his confidence.

Getting off the water that afternoon we began asking around to learn if anyone in the group had been able to find and catch mullet for our evening fishing. The consensus was that cast netting bait had been difficult, even for the locals. We quickly hatched a backup plan and headed for the nearest tackle store. Sabiki rigs and dead shrimp, we hoped, would provide pinfish or croaker…anything live and wiggling would be better than nothing. The next stop was the Juno Beach Pier and after a few hours Hardly a glamorous we had an assortment of baits, plenty way to fish. But hey... we needed bait! to get us through the night.

With night coming on we paddled

44 | November 2020

to an area that was new to me but heard there were fish to be caught once the tide changed. Chuck and I eased up a long channel that bottlenecked at a small bridge. We anchored and eagerly put baits in the water. The first hour was dull and passed slowly as we waited for the tide to change. Chuck had a quick run but the fish came undone when he tried to set the hook. Not long after I got a run with better fortune than my partner. I landed a 32-inch snook that we released after a few quick photos. The next few hours were slow and we called it quits around 0300.

Morning came and the crew eventually all rolled out. Given the nature of the fishing we’d been experiencing, everyone agreed that our best chance was to find more bait and it was off to the tackle shop for another pound of shrimp and then to the pier. Even that was slow, but luckily, a few tosses of the cast net gave us a handful of sand perch that we hoped might make better snook bait than the pinfish of the night before.

Launching our kayaks, we ran into Bart and several others who shared a method we hadn’t tried – paddling slowly and trolling free-lined baits behind the kayak. Hey, when in Rome!

It didn’t take too long and we heard someone yelling, “Fish On.” Bart’s brother, Donald, accompanied by his daughter and grandson, were fishing nearby and had the first snook of the night on the line. We prayed it was an omen of good things to come.

Action was sporadic throughout the night, most of the group getting bites and landing a few fish, everyone but me. I knew my time couldn’t be far off, but when?

I felt my rod tug me backwards and then the sound of line being pulled from the reel. I quickly tightened the drag and the fight was on!

After about 10 minutes I finally got her beside the kayak and into my lap. Some of the others paddled over to view my catch, which was lucky as I had somebody to pass the camera to for a better photo than my usual selfie. Our best guess at her length was 38-inches, shy of the coveted 40 mark, but still a great fish that I was very happy to land. We again made some quick photos and gently sent her back on her way. The tide was slacking and I decided to head back in at 0200.

Morning came all too early as I decided to pack my stuff and make an early return home. An 18 hour drive takes a toll on a person and figured I could use the extra day to get some rest before heading to work on Monday. Before leaving though, I did go meet the group for lunch, as we always do, at the local restaurant. It was a great time of

A school of snook milling around pier pilings under the lights.

rehashing the week’s events and catches.

Conversation turned to redfish and how abundant they are on our end of the Gulf coast and it got everyone’s attention. Being that everybody around the table are hardcore anglers and equally eager for adventure, it was decided that we needed to organize a Redtopia event in southern Louisiana. After everything these Florida guys have taught me about snook, I am anxious to get some of them over our way and show them a good time with redfish in the marsh.

All in all, it was another incredible trip to southern Florida. Even though the fishing was not the greatest, there is something about the area that keeps me going back. I am already looking forward to next year.

I felt my rod tug me “backwards and then

the sound of line being pulled from the reel.

”

View The Video

C O N TA C T

Open Camera and hover over QR Code. When link appears at top of screen tap to open in YouTube.

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

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

TSFMAG.com | 45

Overview of Egery Flats.

Story by John Blaha Photos by Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program

T S F M A G C O N S E R VAT I O N N E W S

EGERY FLATS PROJECT PRODUCES POSITIVE RESULTS Egery Flats sits on the western edge of Copano Bay near the mouth of the Aransas River. In 1945, when Farm to Market Road 136 was constructed, two culvert systems, each consisting of two 30-inch round culverts, were installed to allow water to flow in and out of Egery Flats. Over time, the flow through these culverts has become restricted enough to impact water quality and habitat, which has resulted in the conversion of over 100 acres of estuarine marsh and habitat to open water since the 1950s. While FM 136 connects local communities and is a favorite spot for roadside fishermen, crabbers, and birders, Egery Flats has deteriorated greatly since its construction.

The Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program (CBBEP) received a grant from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation’s (NFWF) Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund for the project. The project replaced the old 30-inch round culverts with three 3’ x 6’ box culverts at each of the two locations. These new culverts have increased water flow greatly and restored critical hydrology. This restored hydrology had immediate effects as salinity levels in the area began to drop, and the water quality began to improve for more than 600 acres of emergent marsh, submerged vegetation, and tidal flats at Egery Flats.

Prior to the start of construction, CBBEP worked with Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve (MANEER) 46 | November 2020

at the University of Texas Marine Science institute and TPWD to collect valuable preconstruction data, including porewater salinity and vegetation monitoring. These data will be valuable in the evaluation of future projects. The evaluation and ongoing data collection will last for 3 years beginning with the completion of the project.

Cordgrass plants arrive at the project site.

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“This project has shown incredible success since the installation of the new culvert systems in the fall of 2018. Salinity levels within Egery Flats continue to work towards equalizing with those of Copano Bay, and water quality standards continue to improve,” commented Adrien Hilmy, Project Manager for Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program. Adrien continued, “We look forward to seeing the continued success and growth of emergent marsh within the project site through improved water quality and grass plantings.”

In early October, contractors began harvesting and planting 40,000plus native cordgrass plants that will cover approximately 8 acres.

This effort is expected to take two to three weeks to complete. As the planted cordgrass takes hold and grows, it will then naturally expand, collect sedimentation, and restore acres of critical emergent marsh. This portion of the project is being funded in a large part through $70,000 in

Grass plantings underway.

48 | November 2020

funding provided by CCA Texas and Building Conservation Trust.

Successful projects are often successful because of a strong partnership base that works hand in hand. The Egery Flats project has several partners including: National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program, Texas Parks & Wildlife, US Fish & Wildlife Services, Building Conservation Trust, Coastal Conservation Association Texas, Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve, University of Texas Marine Science Institute, and Texas Department of Transportation. All these partners have and will continue to play a vital role through the completion and post monitoring effort of the project.

Habitat restoration and creation is a vital component to insuring healthy and bountiful coastal resources for the future. CCA Texas and BCT are committed to continuing their support to projects along the Texas coast for generations to come.

This support would never be possible without the continued success of the grassroots efforts of CCA Texas volunteers across the state and supporters within the communities in which CCA Texas chapters exist.

CCA Texas and BCT are continuously seeking project and funding partners for habitat efforts. For more information about CCA Texas or BCT, please contact John Blaha at (713) 6264222 or jdblaha@ccatexas.org

TSFMAG.com | 49

Photo by Emőke Dénes on August 30, 2018. Licensed under CC-BY-SA-4.0.

STEPHANIE BOYD

F I S H Y FA C T S

VAMPIRE SQUID

In 1925, on a survey expedition near Panama for the New York Zoological Society, William Beebe’s crew hauled in “a very small but very terrible octopus, black as night, with ivory white jaws and blood-red eyes.” It was Vampyroteuthis infernalis, literally “the vampire squid from Hell” – first described in 1903 by Carl Chun, a German teuthologist (someone who studies cephalopods) who identified it as an octopus, because it had eight arms, or so he thought… Vampire squids are the only members of their order, Vampyromorphida. They are a phylogenetic relict, the first group to evolutionarily diverge from octopuses, possessing features of both octopuses and decapodiformes (squid, cuttlefishes, etc.). It’s easy to imagine the vampire squid as a thing of nightmares, lurking in the deep sea. But in reality, it’s a soft-bodied, passive creature about the size of a football. They have large blue or red eyes (depending on light conditions), proportionally the largest eye-to-body ratio of any animal in the world. Cloak-like webbing stretches between eight main arms, the insides of which are covered with fleshy spikes (cirri). Suckers are located on the distal (lower) half of the arms. A fifth pair of filamentous arms extend well past the total length of the body, and can retract into pockets in the webbing. These two arms differ in structure and composition from the other eight and are 50 | November 2020

believed to be a uniquely derived trait of this species.

Beaks, located in the center of the circle of arms, are white.

Adults have two fins near the top of the mantle (main body section). Vampire squid have black chromatophores interspersed with reddish-brown ones, which determine their coloration. In most of the world’s oceans, the black chromatophores dominate the general pigmentation, but off central California the reddish hues are more frequently encountered. Unlike true squids, however, vampires have lost the muscles that enable rapid color change – though they do have a few normal chromatophore organs in their photophores (light-producing organs) located on the tip of each fin and across the mantle. They also lack the ink sacs found in true squid species.

The body composition of the vampire squid is similar to that of a jellyfish: gelatinous and somewhat delicate.

Because of their weak muscles, vampire squid were thought to be slow swimmers, but they can actually swim rapidly for short periods of time using their fins. They also have a highly developed statocyst (a sac-like organ that aids in balance, similar to our inner ear) that gives them agility and statolith in the statocyst that senses gravity, so to speak, and aids in balance. They can reach two body lengths per second, and can accelerate to this speed in five seconds. The vampire squid occupies

meso- to bathypelagic depths throughout the world’s tropical and temperate oceans (including the Gulf of Mexico) where little to no light penetrates, temperatures average near freezing, and oxygen saturation is less than 5 percent. To cope with these conditions, they have hemocyanin (copper-based blue blood) that binds oxygen more efficiently than hemoglobin (iron-based red blood), gills with especially large surface areas, and a very low metabolism. While the vampire squid can move rapidly over short distances, it is not capable of extended fight or flight responses, so when threatened, it has a few options. It can make a quick – albeit short – escape, zig-zagging erratically through the water. It can also assume a defensive posture, called the “pineapple posture,” where it folds its arms and webbing back up over its mantle, displaying its admittedly intimidating cirri.

This position protects the mantle and also further camouflages the vampire since the inside of the webbing is the most densely pigmented (black) region of the animal, except for the very tips of the arms, which are unpigmented. This allows for the vampire’s third line of defense: bioluminescence. The arm tips can glow or pulse at a rate of one to three flashes per second, and when the vampire writhes its arms, rapidly exposing then hiding the luminescence, it can be very disorienting for a predator, or any other observer, trying to visually fix the vampire’s position. The vampire can also glow or flash from its photophores. In addition, it can expel a bioluminescent cloud that can glow for nearly ten minutes. When the light show ends, it is practically impossible to tell whether the squid has darted away or simply faded into the abyssal waters.

While Dracula may have preferred his prey alive, vampire squids are rather less demanding. They eat marine snow – detritus consisting of bits of dead planktonic creatures and fecal matter that falls down from the sea surface. They drift along with one long filament deployed until contact with food is made, then they swim around the food until it is collected. They combine the detritus with mucus from their suckers to make a ball of food, then transfer it to their beaks to eat. It doesn’t seem like much to fuel a foot-long cephalopod, but vampire squids complement their frugal diet with an extremely energy-efficient lifestyle and unique adaptations. Their bodies neither sink nor float, so they don’t have to expend energy to stay at a particular depth.

They don’t have to swim to find food; they just stick out an arm, and food comes to them. (They tend to live deep below where there is an abundance of life near the surface, which in turn creates lots of marine snow to munch on.) Finally, they don’t often have to dodge predators, because they live at depths where there is so little oxygen that few other animals can survive, though their beaks have been found in the stomachs of large, deep-diving fishes, seals, sea lions, whales, and some bottom-dwelling fishes.

Because small vampire squids occupy deeper water than larger vampires, spawning probably occurs in very deep water. The vastness of their habitat and sparse population make romantic encounters a rare and lucky event. The male transfers a sperm packet to the female, who stores it until she’s ready to fertilize her eggs. Females have rather small oviducal glands, so eggs are probably only produced in small amounts. Eggs are about 3.3 millimeters long and are found year-round, free-floating in small masses; hatchlings are about 8 millimeters and closely resemble adults. Fin development is unique among cephalopods in this species. Hatchlings have one pair of fins near the eyes, but as they become juveniles (when their mantles are 0.5-1 inch in length), they grow a second pair of fins farther up the

mantle. Once the second pair reaches full size, the first is reabsorbed.

The development of the second pair of fins changes the vampire squid’s primary swimming style from jet propulsion to fin propulsion.

The unique fin development caused some confusion in the past, with the different stages of growth identified as separate species in distinct families, when only one species actually exists. Growth is slow, as nutrients are not abundant. At maturity, the female vampire is larger than the male. Because the vampire squid lives and feeds so deeply, it isn’t commercially fished and currently has no economic benefit or detriment to humans. Vampire squids are currently unevaluated by the IUCN Red List.

Where I learned about vampire squids, and you can too!

Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute www.mbari.org/mbari-researchers-discover-what-vampire-squids-eat-its-notwhat-you-think/ www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8oWnbcLI40 Animal Diversity Web animaldiversity.org/accounts/Vampyroteuthis_infernalis/ Smithsonian ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/invertebrates/vampire-squid-hell Aquarium of the Pacific www.aquariumofpacific.org/onlinelearningcenter/species/vampire_squid World Register of Marine Species www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=141887#distributions MarineBio marinebio.org/species/vampire-squid/vampyroteuthis-infernalis/ The Cephalopod Page www.thecephalopodpage.org/vsfh.php www.thecephalopodpage.org/vampy.php Tree of Life tolweb.org/Vampyroteuthis_infernalis/20084 www.tolweb.org/Loligosepiina/140240 National Geographic www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/2/100203-squid-vampire-threatenedvideo/ Nature www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-55719-1 New Scientist www.newscientist.com/article/dn22299-vampire-squid-from-hell-eats-faeces-tosurvive-depths/ Oceana oceana.org/marine-life/cephalopods-crustaceans-other-shellfish/vampire-squid Endless Ocean endlessocean.fandom.com/wiki/Vampire_Squid Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire_squid

View The Video

Open Camera and hover over QR Code. When link appears at top of screen tap to open in YouTube.

Watch a short film produced by Christian Baker with footage by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute.

TSFMAG.com | 51

Highly prized as table fare; Florida pompano are often abundant in the November surf.

ERIC OZOLINS

E X T R E M E K AYA K F I S H I N G & S H A R K S F R O M T H E S A N D

PANDEMONIUM Something about a quiet surf softly breaking over a wide, cloudless sky sets a surreal scene. Cool pre-dawn air draped over the Texas coast radiates peace and serenity. Soon after a violent cold front whistles over the dunes, a gentle northeast wind often whispers gently.

While I drive south on the Padre Island sand, I

52 | November 2020

contemplate the day’s possibilities. What fish may be lurking in the waves after another proven productive cold front has passed? I drive five miles, then five more, then find myself 15 miles down the National Seashore, seeing virtually no signs of action. I begin to worry. I know I shouldn’t, but I do. Is my timing off? Are the fish simply not here, or are they not feeding?

As my journey down the strand stretches to 20 miles, I begin to see action in the distance. When I get closer, I recognize a ballistic feeding frenzy. Jack crevalle, red drum and sharks destroy bait, pushing their prey right to the edge of the beach. Suddenly, the sense of serenity transforms into one of the most chaotic acts of nature-the surf zone is now in a state of pandemonium!

Such are the sights and Oversized red drum sounds of November along stack in passes and along beaches this month. the beaches of South Texas.

Sometimes, fall and winter

action can be as desolate as the moon. Other times, usually a couple days after a strong cold front passes, action worthy of all the hype unfolds.

Overall, November may be the most active month in the surf for an array of species, small and large.

Impressive numbers of feeding sharks blitz the beach, blacktips and bulls at their highest levels of concentration for the year. In fact, eight to ten different species of sharks often prowl just beyond the breakers during November. Certainly, many other present species provide potential for thrilling experiences.

This is the peak time for surf jacks.

The Jack Crevalle (Caranx hippos) is undoubtedly, pound-for-pound, near the top of the list of hardest fighting fish in the Gulf. Their bulldogging abilities compare well to those of offshore tuna. During the fall, fully mature jacks averaging 25 pounds or more storm the shallows in search of mullet and menhaden. What a spectacular treat, to see a pack of jacks cruising Stuart Richardson with through the breaking waves. his 10-foot November Sight-casting to these mini mako – the Holy Grail of Texas surf sharking. torpedoes in strict hunting mode sets the stage for quite a fight, one which will surely leave the arms aching. These bruisers are a surf flyfisherman’s dream. Most any angler can appreciate the raw power of this stout species. While not normally harvested to eat, they provide one of the best big-shark baits around.

Jacks and sharks are not the only hungry predators demolishing bait in the shallows during the Thanksgiving month. Red drum make their presence known in great numbers.

Along the entire Texas coast, adult red drum take advantage of the migrations of the mullet and other baitfish and show up hunting in the surf. Anglers commonly cast live mullet for jackfish only to get invaded by schools of bull reds measuring more than 40 inches, so it’s a great time to check a trophy bull red off the bucket list.

Redfish are both hunters and scavengers. At times, these eating machines will pick up almost any bait, including small shark baits.

While these monsters don’t make good table fare and can only be harvested with a tag, they provide the quintessential opportunity for big fish photos. At least 95% of my clients end up releasing their giant reds after obtaining a memorable photo. The new era of conservation has helped reestablish stable numbers for this species.

Jack frenzies are frequent occurrences this month – Trevor Lovett and Kip Kaiialia did well casting to them.

Even with so many sharks, jacks and reds around, anglers can find a great deal of action with other fish. Both Spanish mackerel and bluefish are as plentiful as at any other time of the year. They venture very close to the beach as they chase down trains of mullet moving through the breakers. Both these medium-sized species have razor sharp teeth. Texas blues run a bit smaller than those in the North Atlantic, but can still exceed two feet in length.

The Spanish mackerel, close cousins to the king mackerel, have a deserved reputation for tasting more like their other cousins, the wahoo. Both species will hit lures or live mullet and put up a fun fight on light tackle.

TSFMAG.com | 53

in November’s surf. There’s something to please everyone, from fly-fishing fanatics to hardcore shark enthusiasts, from crusty, aged veterans to young adults and children, too. Consequently, I book lots of family charters this month. The action can be fast and easy, but the catching does depend heavily on compliant weather conditions.

The wildly changing Texas autumn weather shows its true colors when balmy temperatures in the 80s plummet 40 degrees after a front. So be wary, but also aware. A couple days later, the potential for an epic adventure awaits.

View The Video

Open Camera and hover over QR Code. When link appears at top of screen tap to open in YouTube.

C O N TA C T

By end of the month, if the water cools down enough and has good visibility, another highly desired fish will make its way into the surf. Florida Pompano show up in good numbers in Texas during the cooler months. While they can be caught on any random winter day (pending decent surf conditions), late-November and earlyDecember offer the best shot at the largest specimens.

One of the tastiest fish in the Gulf, pompano are highly coveted by surf fishermen. They’re somewhat small, but they make up what they lack in size with their abundance. On banner days, it’s possible to catch triple-digit quantities. They feed mostly on small crustaceans such as ghost shrimp and coquina clams, so carrying a pound of shrimp in the cooler offers a chance at a harvest of these delightful fish.

Other anomalies may reveal themselves too. The passes and cuts from Port Aransas southward will hold numbers of tarpon following the migrating bait schools. Down near South Padre, Thanksgiving has proven to be one of the most productive times for Texas tarpon. Channels and passes such as the Port Mansfield jetties are temporary holding grounds, but the silver kings sometimes linger for weeks, if food sources remain plentiful.

An even more rare species sometimes shows up this month—the mako shark. If the water cools off enough, and other variables align perfectly, Texas anglers will have a slight chance to fight a shortfin mako shark. Of the six makos ever landed from a Texas beach, I reeled in three and was present on the beach for the other three.

The mako is the Holy Grail for land-based sharkers here in Texas.

Undeniably, a cornucopia of fish provides anglers plentiful options

For the past decade Eric ‘Oz’ Ozolins has been promoting shark catch and release and assisting various shark research programs. Eric offers guided shark fishing on Padre Island National Seashore. Also renowned for extreme kayak big game fishing, Eric is the owner of Catch Sharks Tackle Company.

Email Websites

oz@oceanepics.com oceanepics.com | catchsharks.com

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TSFMAG.com | 57

DICKIE COLBURN

DICKIE COLBURN’S Sabine Scene

We hadn’t even gotten our bids on the needed repairs, compliments of Laura, when yet another storm headed our way. While parts of Houston and surrounding areas eventually caught hell, we miraculously dodged that bullet S ab i n e and returned to fixing things up and going fishing again!

We have been dealing with high water since early summer and for that Dickie Colburn is a full reason alone, a tremendous amount time guide out of Orange, of baitfish, shrimp and crabs have had Texas. Dickie has 37 years no reason to exit the marshes on the experience guiding on Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes. east side of the lake. The good news for Sabine Lake fishermen is that the Telephone runoff from Laura’s rains was minimal 409-883-0723 and both the water clarity and salinity Website are in very good condition. www.sabineconnection.com Water clarity invariably affects the fishermen more than the fish, but hanging on to salinity is critical.

Harvey proved that and it took the better part of two years to even start recovering. The bragging size trout bite is still all but nonexistent, but our numbers continue to improve.

We have already had three modest fronts roll through and even the lightest of north winds has a positive effect. The bait has not exited in mass like it will when the water is sucked down to mud and grass, but there has been enough movement to interest the predators.

Just prior to Laura, gulls were starting to work over mixed schools of ladyfish, trout and reds all the way up to the mouths of both the Sabine and Neches and that program rebounded quickly. Because the trout that merit patiently wading small areas are so difficult to locate, the general fishing population has turned to burning gas and exploiting the bird program.

Even when fishing under a cork, downsizing your plastics will fool far more fish. Surfacing reds couldn’t care less if your choice of plastics is a foot long if it lands in the middle of the frenzy, but the trout prefer that you match the hatch making a four-inch tail like an Assassin Sea Shad or

MirrOlure’s Lil John a better choice.

If you have the constitution to hold your water and watch smaller trout bang away at a topwater there is a very good chance that you will eventually fool one of the larger trout in the school. It is not unusual to catch a three pound trout with a small ladyfish or smaller trout hanging out of her mouth.

When small ladyfish are on the menu, we absolutely have a blast feeding the trout an Assassin Die Dapper, Texas rigged on a 4/0 worm hook. It is easy to keep on top, sinks very slowly, and is still heavy enough to chunk a long way.

It is also no secret that the larger more opportunistic trout do not waste energy chasing the small shad or shrimp. They simply cruise beneath these surface free-for-alls waiting for the unnoticed casualties to drift down to them.

Your numbers will seldom be as good when targeting these fish, but a higher percentage of your strikes will result in keeper trout. I have found no better way to fool them than to slowly bounce a tail across the bottom rather than swimming it though the upper portion of the water column.

I have a good friend that is consistently successful dragging a Carolina rig through these deeper trout. There is no doubt that it works well, but I am not into having three or four overly excited fishermen in a 22-foot boat trying to launch three quarter ounce sinkers and four foot leaders at the same time. It is, however, another option when you are alone!

Easily one of the biggest detriments to successful wading is inconsiderate boat traffic. The same thing can be said for anglers that are privy to one of the most productive approaches of the fall season.

When the bait exits the marsh via a bayou or one of the major passes into the main lake on even a modest outgoing tide, it is “game on” for the angler patient enough to bury his Talon or anchor and target the nearest break. In spite of unwanted traffic, a depth change no deeper than two feet will often hold a mind-boggling number of fish waiting on the mobile buffet.

Once again, bouncing a jig along the bottom is the ticket and while there may be occasional lulls in the bite, it quickly resumes when the next herd of baitfish parades by.

Don’t leave the kids at home this weekend. This bite will keep them entertained!

Schooling reds will get a lot of attention this month.

Not big, but she earned a second chance.

58 | November 2020

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BINK GRIMES

THE VIEW FROM Matagorda

I can’t think of a better month to be alive. November may very well be the absolute best month for hunting and fishing. I normally make casts in the afternoon because nearly every sunrise of November I wield M ata go r d a a shotgun on some body of water in Matagorda, Wharton, Calhoun, Jackson or Colorado counties.

Bink Grimes is a full-time fishing Speckled trout, redfish, flounder, pintails, teal, gadwalls, wigeons, snow and hunting guide, freelance writer and photographer, and geese and specklebellies – normally owner of Sunrise Lodge on daylight to dark.

Matagorda Bay. With nippy air blowing from the north, water temperatures plunge, Telephone tides recede, and marshes dump 979-241-1705 shrimp, shad and crabs. We love to Email work birds this time of year – East binkgrimes@sbcglobal.net Matagorda Bay is famous for it. It’s a Website matagordasunriselodge.com plugger’s dream over deep shell with Super Spooks and She Pups. Drop down with a jig and Lil Johns, Down South Lures, and Bass Assassins catch fish, sometimes two at a time while tandem-rigging.

Obviously, the mouths of bayous and marshes on a falling tide are fall hotspots. Places like Oyster Lake and Crab Lake are good choices, while back lakes like Lake Austin and Boggy are also strong players.

Live shrimp under a popping cork, plum Bass Assassins, Gulps, or small topwaters worked across points are choice offerings.

Waders should work the same terrains, but more methodically. In East Matagorda Bay, Boiler Bayou, Kain Cove, Hog Island, Catch-All Basin, and Brown Cedar Flats hold solid trout since all of these spots have a mud bottom. Super Spooks, She Pups, Skitter Walks, Catch 5s, and your favorite soft plastic gets the job done.

If you prefer staying in the boat and anchoring with live bait, the fall offers excellent redfish and black drum action. Shell Island, Twin Island, and any other pieces of shell bottom hold fish with live shrimp under a popping cork.

Watch for oyster boats dredging shell and remember that spot for another day. Harvested reefs are especially good the next day when things have settled out after being overturned by the dredging.

East Matagorda Bay oysters are some of the best in Texas.

Buddy Treybig’s fleet of boats keep freshly shucked bivalves on ice in his seafood shop. Few things in this world are better than a good duck hunt followed by a great afternoon of fishing and a dozen oysters at nightfall.

There is always the bull redfish run if you prefer to tangle with a brute. Large reds are caught at the jetty and beachfront on cracked crabs and mullet. The beauty of the Matagorda jetty and beach is you can drive right up to the water and fish.

Sight-casting to redfish along a muddy grass-line is always fun, too.

Watch for ripples, wakes and jumping shrimp near the grass line and wait for the freight train to pass. Then toss a spoon, shrimp or soft plastic in front of the school and loosen your drag. Listen for crunching jaws when a large school of reds work through the grass. Small crabs do not have a chance.

Another bonus this time of year is the large Gulf trout found in East Bay. Many days we catch boxes of two-pounders that end up the main feature in ceviche or fried to a crisp in peanut oil.

Few months rival November for baitcasters and shotgunners. We will be ready to do both.

View The Video Follow our catches on Open Camera and Instagram and Facebook (@ hover over QR Code. matagordasunriselodge).

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60 | November 2020

TSFMAG.com | 61

CAPT. SHELLIE GRAY

MID-COAST BAYS With the Grays

It has definitely been a crazy year with many unprecedented events that have so many people wondering if things will ever return to a more stable, normal life. Through all the ups and downs though, I continue to feel Port O'Connor blessed with what I do for a living. The Seadrift saltwater soothes our souls, and not just for me, but for so many that have fished on my boat.

Captain Shellie Gray was born I know I’ve said this a hundred in Port Lavaca and has been times, but in case you missed it, fall guiding in the Seadrift/Port is my absolute favorite time to fish.

O’Connor area full time for the past 18 years. Shellie specializes Cooler weather sparks much greater fish activity in general and they feed in wading for trout and redfish year round with artificial lures. more aggressively. Grass in the back lakes has begun to decline, which opens some of the real estate we’ve Telephone been unable to fish through the latter 361-785-6708 weeks of summer. It may be hard to Email bayrats@tisd.net believe but, in our area, there is such a Website problem as too much grass. I’ll get into www.bayrat.com that some other time.

Facebook November is always a fantastic @captsgaryandshelliegray month for catching. Cold fronts will become more frequent but usually do not include severe temperature drops that can shut down the bite for several days, like we see in January and February. Days when the wind is less than agreeable, due to a passing front, I will focus my efforts in Matagorda Island’s protected back lakes. When the wind is low, you can bet I’ll be fishing any of the numerous reefs and productive shorelines of San Antonio Bay. One of the most frequently asked questions I receive is…”Under what conditions do topwaters work best?” Personally, I can’t get

enough of the slaps, slurps, and blow-ups topwaters can produce and would probably throw them all day long if I didn’t have to worry about putting my clients on steady action. There are definitely times when you should put the topwater away and throw plastics or slow sinkers instead, but deciding when or when not to use a topwater is a call that most new anglers struggle with. So, here’s a few tips that will hopefully help you with that decision.

First off; scan the area carefully and take notes of what the baitfish are doing. Are they skipping two, maybe three times, across the surface? Or perhaps they are present but peacefully swimming below the surface. Any time you see the bait active on the surface could be a great time to tie on a topwater.

I typically let the amount of surface chop dictate the size of surface plugs to use. A choppy surface tells me to try a larger and noisier plug such as a MirrOlure She Dog, He Dog, or full-size Heddon Spook. Quite often in choppier conditions the clarity will also be off somewhat, and this is where baits with louder, higher-pitched rattles come into play, helping attract the attention of feeding fish. Likewise, when the surface is mostly calm, I prefer a smaller and quieter lure such as the Super Spook Jr. Larger and louder plugs on a calm surface will almost always spook more fish than they’ll trick into biting.

I feel that size, noise, and the action we put on a plug are far more important than color when it comes to triggering a bite, which means I’m not an advocate of carrying a rainbow of colors in my wade box. I basically stick with natural colors - bone, pearl, speckled trout, redfish, and even clear. One of the few times I will opt for a brighter color is when fishing under heavy cloud cover, maybe even some rain, with a very choppy surface. You can cast larger plugs farther and the brighter colors make it easier to keep track of the lure in low-light conditions.

After you’ve decided which topwater best suits the conditions, make sure to tie it with a loop knot to allow the lure to “walk” in wider steps with less wrist and arm effort. There are many videos online that give tutorials if you don’t know how to tie one.

In closing, I would like to remind everyone that if you are not accustomed to monitoring the weather Look for redfish to favor forecast before heading out for a day shallow water where they of fishing, November is definitely a find plenty of shrimp and good time to start. You don’t want to be small crabs in November. caught wading a reef in the middle of the bay when a hard-blowing front arrives unexpectedly. Unfortunately, in years past, several anglers have lost their lives trying to swim after a boat that was not securely anchored. Check the local weather, remain alert, and use good judgement when anchoring and leaving your boat to wade.

Holten Einkauf with an oversized red he caught in less than two feet of water. He was happy to photo and release.

62 | November 2020

View The Video

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TSFMAG.com | 63

DAVID ROWSEY

HOOKED UP WITH Rowsey

I hope this finds y’all enjoying some gorgeous mornings on the bay. These early fall temperatures in the Coastal Bend have been most refreshing to Upper walk into each morning; albeit a bit Laguna/ frisky on that first wade. After being Ba f f i n beat down all summer by the heat, early morning temperatures in the high 60s to low 70s has equivalent effect of a Vitamin B-12 IV drip on my system.

David Rowsey has over 25 years Having been fortunate to shoot in Baffin and Upper Laguna some doves in September and a few Madre; trophy trout with archery deer hunts under my belt, my artificial lures is his specialty. primary focus now is getting back to David has a great passion for wading for big trout. November is conservation and encourages catch and release of trophy fish. really the start of the trophy season.

Last year we had some record cold Telephone fronts drop in on us and the trout 361-960-0340 acted predictably to the rapidly Website declining water temperatures. www.DavidRowsey.com Email Right out of the box, my clients david.rowsey@yahoo.com and I scored trout up to 9.5 pounds, with many more in the six- to eight@captdavidrowsey pound range. As I tell everyone who wants to book a trip during “the best month” for big trout…”It’s not about the month, it’s about sustained water temperatures.”

Anytime you find the water temperatures dropping into the midto high-50s you will also find what I consider the beginning of big trout season. It just so happened that it started in November last year. Water temperatures will fluctuate back and forth between there and the mid-60s, and will definitely affect the trout movements and daily patterns.

However, the big trout season will have begun and will continue through winter, spring, and on into May. Observations of our trout fishery this summer gives me great hope of what our fall and early-winter fishing will look like. I had many days with clients that included some very solid trout during the hotter months, with trout ranging in the 6- to 7-pound range. Some measured well over thirty-inches, but had their summertime “skinny 64 | November 2020

jeans” on, and were not especially heavy.

The fact that we were catching and releasing fish of this quality really has me excited about the days ahead. Honestly, it’s been a while since I have seen that kind of quality. I’m not sure what to attribute it to but I would certainly like to think that more folks are fishing conservatively and practicing more catch and release. This, mixed with the five fish limit, and an up-and-coming generation of anglers that find it “cool” to post photos and videos of fish being released on social media, may actually be bolstering the trend of more big trout in our bays.

Grassroots movements such as Release Over 20 and Speckled Truth (look them up on Facebook) are two great examples of how many are starting to take conservation more seriously, and realize that speckled trout need to be released to insure an abundant fishery with a legit trophy class. When I started guiding in 2006, releasing all trout longer than 20-inches was at the fore of my mission and still is.

This has never been an issue with clients, and I strongly encourage and challenge any guide that makes a living off this public resource to do the same. It makes a lot more sense to put more back than you take away from it. Simple math!

Outside of, “What is the best month to catch a big trout?” The million dollar question I get almost as often is, “What lures are they hitting on?” Over the years I have become a minimalist when it comes to packing lures around. After thirty years and many thousands of dollars spent experimenting, my wade box will look like this for the next six months: • MirrOlure’s Paul Brown Original Corky and Fat Boy, in both floaters and slow sinkers, when fishing clear to trout green water.

• MirrOdine XL, especially in muddy or stained water…trout love the flash.

• The old school Top Dog and the louder She Dog. • Texas Custom Lures Double D, especially in shallow, grassy areas, and many of their custom Corky colors.

• Last but not least is my daily workhorse, the 5” Bass Assassin (straight tail) rigged on 1/16 or 1/8 ounce short-shank jig heads.

I keep two wade boxes outfitted with the lures mentioned; one for fishing clear to trout green water conditions (more natural colors), and the other with the same lures in bright and dark colors for dirtier water. It’s only a matter of getting into the area, determining the water quality, and then reaching for the appropriate box for the conditions. Works for me.

Remember the buffalo! -Capt David Rowsey

View The Video Recruitment...start them wading while they're young.

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TSFMAG.com | 65

WAYNE DAVIS

WAYNE’S Mansfield Report

Greetings from Port Mansfield! As November rolls in we should start to see fewer boats on the water. Many anglers will be gearing up for deer season.

I used to play my part as a hunter.

Port From walking miles of corn stubble Mansfield for pheasants to sitting on a bucket in a sunflower field, from sloshing in the mud at 4:00am to shoot a few ducks and many days in deer stands. The last Captain Wayne Davis has 15 years or so I’ve been concentrating been fishing the Lower my efforts wade fishing the Lower Laguna-Port Mansfield for Laguna Madre. I try to be better at one over 20 years. He specializes thing rather than average at many. in wade fishing with lures.

With that said, I mentioned in my last column that we’d been having a Telephone slow year on snook. No sooner than I 210-287-3877 Email summitted that article and our snook captwayne@kwigglers.com fishing took an immediate turn. I may have also mentioned, or at least I’ve been making mental notes, that fishing patterns in general seem to be running about a month behind normal schedules. We began catching snook during June last year and our first landing of 2020 came during July. Our snook numbers began to dwindle noticeably during mid-September last year, while we stayed on them throughout the month this year.

I have taken an exceptional liking to snook fishing. Hands down it is the most challenging fish to target on the Lower Laguna. It is also, by my measure, the most exciting to catch. Their genuinely moody and stubborn nature while making hundreds, or possibly even thousands, of empty casts helps you appreciate the success of landing one even more.

We really do not know how many snook live along our coast, but Kaitlyn Coufal is all smiles after landing her first upper-slot red while wading.

we know we have them and they can sometimes be encouragingly plentiful. Another thing we do not know is where they live during the colder months. Most, in my opinion seek refuge in the Brownsville Ship Channel. I also believe they migrate up the Arroyo Colorado.

Some likely move into the Port Mansfield Harbor. Many of you know I have partnered with Dr. Greg Stunz and his team at Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M Corpus Christi. I am tagging just about every snook my clients and I have been catching.

So, if you are lucky to land one with a tag, please document its length, the location you were fishing, and carefully remove the tag. We ask that you release the fish and make a report to receive a reward.

Our fishing has been running fair to good. Trout and reds have been consistent and about every third or fourth trip someone lands a nice flounder or two. Flounder fishing should be picking up any day now. I was fortunate to fish a new group recently, some were relatively new to saltwater fishing and a few had never waded before. We found ourselves drifting after their patience for wading the flats with limited action was giving them a dismal view of the LLM. We managed to scratch out nearly a limit of keeper trout. Not being a “drifter” per se, I encouraged the group that we should dedicate the second day to wading exclusively. If nothing else it could be a great lesson into what wade fishing is all about, whether or not we ended up finding some keepers for them to take home. They agreed.

So, the following day we stayed with it all day. Fortunately, we landed some small fish and an occasional keeper. I could tell when we landed keepers their excitement for being able to “string it up” was very noticeable. After a handful of keepers, I had a “conversation” with one of the organizers of the trip. I explained the success of a fishing trip is not equivalent to the number of keepers in the cooler. After a minute of processing this statement she looked at me and could not agree more; she got it. Strangely enough, moments later she landed her first upper-slot red. It wasn’t the most graceful landing, but it was a catch. Check out Kaitlyn Coufal’s pic to see the excitement. They cannot wait to get back.

I look forward to cooler weather and with it we can expect our fish to start putting on some weight as they move up into the shallows, gorging on baitfish, and hopefully our soft plastics and topwaters. Our best baits have been the KWigglers Willow Tail Shad and Ball Tail Shad. Best colors have been the good ol’ reliable Bone Diamond. Stay safe and remember to be courteous on the water.

Now is the time to inspect your Simms waders for leaks. Check out the QR code for more details!

View The Video

Bobby Walker preparing to release a very nice snook we tagged recently.

66 | November 2020

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Science and the

Sea

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A Royal Surprise for Biologists and Historians It’s not often that a fish’s genetic analysis tells us something about human history, but that’s exactly what a discovery at the bottom of the Baltic Sea has done. The well-preserved remains of a fish from a royal shipwreck provides insight into both Scandinavian politics and the Baltic Sea’s ecosystem five centuries ago.

Scutes are bony plates along the sides and top of the body of all species of sturgeon. The Atlantic sturgeon is highly endangered today and does not occur in the Baltic Sea. Credit: NOAA. Researchers discovered Danish King Hans’s royal flagship Gribshunden about 50 years ago. It had burned and sunk in 1495 as the king sailed to Sweden to negotiate for the Swedish throne. The king wasn’t on board and didn’t die, but the sinking set back his throne claim by two years.

A wooden barrel found in the wreck last year contained a fish about 6.5 feet long. Like much of the wreck, the fish had been well-preserved for 500 years because of the Baltic Sea’s low salt levels, lack of shipworms and lack of oxygen on the sea floor. The fish’s bony plates, called scutes, identified it as a sturgeon. Researchers expected it was the European sturgeon since that is the species of sturgeon that lives in the region today.

But an analysis of the fish’s DNA revealed a surprise—the fish the Danish king hoped would impress the Swedes was an Atlantic sturgeon, now a highly endangered species not seen in those waters. This discovery offers new insights for both marine biologists and historians: the highly prized fish affirms the high status of the Danish court at the end of the Middle Ages, and it reveals one way in which the Baltic Sea’s ecosystem has changed since those times.

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

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CAPT. ERNEST CISNEROS

SOUTH PADRE Fishing Scene

Seems that many folks fail to use all their senses to aid their fishing, or perhaps I should say their catching.

They just want to be out there Arr o y o relaxing, but they also complain often C ol o ra d o about not catching fish. Using your t o Po rt senses of sight, hearing, smell, and I sa bel remaining alert all provide advantages in catching fish. As I’m fishing, wading most of the time, I’m constantly aware A Brownsville-area native, of all that’s going on around me.

Capt. Ernest Cisneros fishes Activity on the surface, below the the Lower Laguna Madre from Port Mansfield to Port Isabel. surface, and in the sky above can all Ernest specializes in wading provide valuable clues. Gulls, terns, and poled skiff adventures for and pelicans, flying and resting on the snook, trout, and redfish. water can help in putting pieces of the puzzle together. Researching tide Cell movements and solunar tables before 956-266-6454 Website the trip can also pay dividends toward www.tightlinescharters.com your daily catching success.

November is always an exciting month for me. The weather is usually pleasant, the water is cooler, fish feed more predictably, and we’ll soon be donning our Simms waders.

A sure sign that trophy trout season is drawing nearer.

The challenging part of November, especially as cold fronts become more frequent, is the high atmospheric pressure associated with the frontal system’s passing. Observations over the years indicate that it takes two and a half to three days for fish to fully recover and return to normal feeding activity. One thing you can bet on though, when the urge to feed returns, they will be gorging. Hopefully, you will be at the right place and right time when it happens.

Redfish should be plentiful this month and they will feed more aggressively. Primary forage will be mullet and small blue crabs.

Anglers will do well to focus their efforts where these forage species are readily available. Crabs are generally more abundant in bays and backwater areas west of the ICW because of the softer, silty bottoms and plentiful turtle grass where they like to hide.

Redfish this time of the year will hunker on the bottom during colder weather periods and high-pressure spans. When they are spooked, they will leave a mud puff behind as they scurry away. The mud puffs are a sign to run KWiggler Ball Tails slowly along bottom rather than higher in the water column. Now don’t rule out a topwater or a suspending bait like a LeLe or Corky during winter. All three baits mentioned can be good producers, even in chilly weather.

Waders usually become a daily necessity right around Thanksgiving time, which is also when we begin to notice our trout becoming noticeably heavier. Trout will still be found in sandy potholes and on sandy spoils along the ICW during the first weeks of the month, not yet having made a full-blown transition to muddier bottoms. This usually begins to occur later, around Thanksgiving or early December.

Trout are more vulnerable to colder water temperatures than redfish. What this means is they tend to bail off to deeper water during a wintry period sooner than the reds. The edges of flats and ledges bordering the ICW will be excellent places to explore this month, especially during chilly days.

If I am fishing shallow in winter, I like to throw KWiggler Willow Tails in Mansfield Margarita and Turtle Grass as they are very natural colors and can definitely make a difference when the bite is slow. Rigging in weedless fashion with the Willow Maker swim hooks helps avoid catching grass when making slow presentations. The weedless setup is also very good for probing deeper potholes that tend to warm sooner than surrounding heavy-grass bottoms.

As we enter the winter season, I like to use an analogy of children on a playground at the start of the day in wintertime to describe trout behavior. As the children are sent to the outside courtyard before classes start, they always seem to huddle in small groups more than spreading out and running and playing as they do on warmer mornings. Maybe this makes them feel warmer, or maybe it just helps them visualize warmth. Well, fish behave in the same manner, always seeking warmth and tending to bunch together when the weather turns chilly. Keep this in mind as you search for bites later in the month.

Wrapping up, I would like to encourage all anglers to attend Fishing Tackle Unlimited’s Inshore Fishing Expo, to be held December 12, at the Katy Freeway store. Capt. Wayne Davis and I along with other great presenters will be hosting seminars and passing on lots of useful fishing information.

Best of luck and Happy Thanksgiving!

Giovanni Mares Jr proudly displays his catch.

Capt. Aaron Cisneros put Adam Gonzalez on his first thirty-inch trout.

68 | November 2020

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PISCATORIAL TRIVIA

By Brian Henry Just when you thought you knew everything, here’s a list of maritime facts and tidbits to enrich your knowledge. Sure to impress when you casually drop a few of these on your fishing buddies!

San Francisco Bay is misnamed. It’s not a bay but an estuary because three rivers flow into it and mix fresh water with salt water. So is Chesapeake Bay. The giant spider crab of Japan is the world’s largest crab and also the world’s largest arthropod and can live more than 100 years.

The Atlantic Ocean is less than half the size of the Pacific Ocean, yet it contains the world’s largest island, Greenland.

Greenland is about three times the size of Texas.

The Atlantic Ocean receives more fresh water from more rivers than any other ocean.

Unlike ocean pearls, which come from oysters, freshwater pearls come from mussels.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) was originally made from dried kelp.

Zovirax, used to combat herpes infections, derived from the extract of a sponge.

Ecteinascidin, sold under the name of Yondelis and used in cancer treatment, derived from a sea squirt.

In the 1980s, researchers used compounds from a marine sponge to produce AZT, the first drug effective against HIV/AIDS. The Amazon River is wider at its mouth than the Thames is long.

Some lesser-known terms for groups of ocean animals include: a huddle of walruses, a lap of cod, a smack of jellyfish, a battery of barracuda, a flotilla of swordfish, a cast of crabs.

Even though ships have windows on both sides, starboard and port, they are called portholes because in early times the only windows shipboard were the port holes for guns. Windows were later added on both sides and they were called portholes.

Medicines deriving from the sea being tested for use and medicines already employed for a variety of ailments have come from such sources as algae, corals, sponges, snails, sea snakes, jellyfish, stonefish, puffers, sea cucumbers, crabs, and sea urchins, amongst others.

When the Scottish pirate William Kidd was hanged in London in 1701, his body was left to hang in a cage over the Thames for the next 20 years as a warning to all remaining and subsequent pirates.

Amongst aquatic creatures that traveled into space for experiments were goldfish, jellyfish, and sea urchins.

About 700,000 tons of sand were dredged from the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., to make the concrete used to construct the Pentagon.

Hawaii’s state fish is the humuhumunukunukuapuaa, a type of triggerfish.

TSFMAG.com | 69

FISHING REPORTS

Trinity Bay - East Bay - Galveston Bay | James Plaag Silver King Adventures - silverkingadventures.com - 409.935.7242 James loves the changes in productive patterns which normally accompany the arrival of November. “We should see the wading improve on area shorelines. Typically, this time of year, we catch plenty of both trout and redfish in water less than waist-deep, in coves and along shorelines. This is a great time of year to catch 'em on topwaters, if the weather's warmish. I like throwing little ones like the ShePup, but all different kinds have potential when it's right. On the cooler days, we catch better on twitch baits like the Catch 2000s and Catch 5s. I also still like throwing the 51 and 52M MirrOlures. Good colors seem to be pink, gold and chartreuse. Soft plastics work best on the most negative days, usually soon after the passage of a front.

In that situation, rigging Bass Assassins on sixteenth-ounce heads and working them low and slow pays off best. Some years, we have plenty of birds working this month too. The amount of freshwater flowing down the rivers can influence where most of the flocks can be found. In wetter years, West Bay tends to perk up, as fish flushed out of Galveston and Trinity Bays move this way.”

Jimmy West - Bolivar Guide Service - 409.996.3054 Jimmy was checking salinity levels in Trinity Bay when we talked.

“The upper parts of the bay got pretty fresh after the heavy rains from the last tropical storm. Lately, the flow coming down the river is already backing down, so I expect fishing to be great this fall, as long as we don't have anymore big rains. The fish typically show up along the shorelines in the back of East Bay this time of year. We catch some really nice trout wading. We also do well working the bayous and drains. Birds are also usually working in plenty of places, so we've got lots of good options. The action in the back might kick off a little later than normal because of the floods we had after the storms, but it should be good by Thanksgiving, for sure. Really, there's no magic type of lure for fishing this time of year. On different days, we do great with topwaters, twitch baits and soft plastics, sometimes all three on the same day. When we're not fishing, we'll be in the marsh, hunting ducks. This is my favorite time of year. It is the perfect time to have some fun along the coast.”

West Galveston - Bastrop - Christmas - Chocolate Bays Randall Groves - Groves Guide Service 979.849.7019 - 979.864.9323 Randall looks forward to the cool weather November always ushers in. “Our fishing improves steadily as the temperatures decline.

Lower water temperatures and falling tides mean the shrimp and other critters will be on the move. As they migrate toward the Gulf, we will be able to intercept them in areas around the pass.

Working birds and slicks in an area are the signs we look for in order to narrow our search. The cooler weather also elevates the effectiveness of topwaters. Lures like the standard SkitterWalks and the One Knockers usually draw lots of strikes from aggressive trout and redfish this time of year. Another really useful lure during the Thanksgiving month is a Norton Bull Minnow in chicken on a chain color rigged on a three eighths-ounce screw-lock jighead. The key to getting more strikes with this lure during the fall is to work it with vigorous action. I've been able to upgrade my presentation by going to a Laguna Devil Stick rod measuring 6'6” coupled with a Daiwa reel with a high gear ration (8.3:1). This combo allows me to create lots of 70 | November 2020

ORECASTS F from Big Lake to Boca Chica

AND

erratic action, with some fast speed bursts, which the fish really like in November.”

Matagorda | Bay Guide Service Charlie Paradoski – 713.725.2401 Charlie describes multiple potentially productive options available to anglers heading to the Matagorda area in November. “Usually, we still have birds working in both bays this month. This means we have shrimp migrating through the open areas of the bays. If the flocks aren't active, it's still possible to catch plenty of trout and reds drifting areas around the reefs, where the bottom is mostly muddy, with some shell scattered around. Soft plastics work best for this drill, rigged on jigheads heavy enough to maintain contact with the bottom. Wading the coves in both bays works well too, especially when high tides send water back into them after a cold front fizzles out. Both the trout and reds will find their way into the really shallow water along the shorelines in there during such a situation. Best lures for targeting the fish in the coves are slow-sinking twitch baits and topwaters. Soft plastics on super light jigheads sometimes produce best. The Colorado River and the Diversion Channel also have potential in November, especially when strong winds blow after a front. Of course, recent rains have the river running pretty fresh lately, but that can certainly change by November.”

Palacios | Capt. Aaron Wollam www.palaciosguideservice.com - 979.240.8204 I love fishing in autumn as much as any other time of the year.

With deer, duck and dove seasons cranking up, crowds thin out considerably on the coastal waters, leaving lots of empty shorelines to wade, looking for solid trout and redfish. We like to focus on shorelines in Tres Palacios Bay which have lots of shall scattered over a muddy bottom. We target our fish around shell pads lying in three to four feet of water, next to the deeper waters of the river. Trout will be found in close proximity to schools of mullet this time of year. We throw Paul Brown FatBoys in pearl/chartreuse and lime green mostly. When we aren't wading the shallows, we usually move to deep holes in the Tres Palacios River and throw DSL soft plastics in colors like magic grass and chicken of the sea, rigged on three-eighths ounce heads. We like to slowly flutter these off the ledges. This month is great for sightcasting reds on area shorelines too. As the water warms in the heat of the day, we troll shorelines looking for them feeding on crabs and mullet. Main lures for this drill are quarter-ounce weedless spoons.

Port O’Connor | Lynn Smith Back Bay Guide Service - 361.983.4434 Lynn loves fishing the Port O'Connor area during November, which he sees as a transitional time. “We wind up catching a lot of redfish and trout in the back-lakes and other shallow areas during September and October. That kind of fishing remains good during November too, but the specifics of the patterns start to change a bit. During the warmer months, we like fishing early in the morning, targeting the fish in shallow areas with a mix of grass and sand, often throwing at potholes in the grass. By the time we start getting stronger fronts in November, and lower tide levels and water temperatures, the fish seem to prefer areas with a muddy bottom, with some shell scattered around. We do better throwing in guts and depressions next to reefs when this happens. Another thing that

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TSFMAG.com | 71

changes is the timing of the best bite on the average day. On many November days, especially the cooler ones, the best bite happens in the afternoon, once the sun heats up the water in the shallows. We like to fish around drains and guts with outgoing tide after lunch this time of year. So, I'll start leaving the dock later and coming in later.”

Rockport | Blake Muirhead Gator Trout Guide Service - 361.790.5203 or 361.441.3894 November provides anglers and hunters plenty of good options, Blake says, and he plans on doing his part to take advantage of as many as possible. “Of course, we do some cast and blast trips this time of year, hunting ducks from the blinds in the marshes early, taking advantage of the tendency of the birds to fly soon after daylight breaks. After the shooting stops, we like to fish our way out of the backwaters, especially if tide conditions have the reds concentrated in holes and drains back there. If the water is higher, we sometimes find schools of reds roaming in the larger pockets and catch plenty. Trout fishing is usually better along main bay shorelines and around reefs this time of year. So, after we come out of the marsh, we usually take some time to catch trout in places with a generally muddy bottom, with at least some shell around. Best lures this time of year are topwaters, if the weather's warm, and soft plastics like the Norton Sand Eels if it's cooler. We also do some dove hunting in the fields this time of year. Afternoon hunts sometimes cap off full days of steady action.”

Upper Laguna Madre - Baffin Bay - Land Cut Robert Zapata – rz1528@grandecom.net - 361.563.1160 Though the water temperatures in Baffin Bay and the Upper Laguna Madre will be trending steadily down during November, the catching should remain hot. Water quality is quite good throughout the area.

With the lower water temps, it's time to pull out the breathable waders to make sure they aren't leaking for the colder days ahead.

Stingrays are still around, so always wear your ForEverLast RayGuards, and you won't have to think so much about shuffling your feet while wading. The trout this time of year tend to hang out in two to three feet of water along grass lines with scattered potholes. They readily attack Bass Assassins worked close in front of their mouths.

Die Dappers in colors like opening morning, plum/chartreuse and trickster rigged on eighth-ounce Spring Lock jigheads work well too.

In the middle of the day, the fish tend to move into shallower water, where the four-inch Turbo Sea Shads in glitter bug, Calcasieu brew and chicken on a chain work better, especially on sixteenth-ounce jigheads. Drifting depths around four feet with live shrimp under popping corks also works well for numbers of trout and redfish, especially on days soon after fronts, when cool weather persists.

Corpus Christi | Joe Mendez – www.sightcast1.com - 361.877.1230 With so many people in South Texas heading to the blinds to go hunting, the waters of Baffin Bay and the ULM generally see low traffic levels during November. This makes for some fun and quiet outings, according to Joe. “Fishing along the King Ranch Shoreline can be really good starting in November and heading into the coldest part of the year. The amount of floating grass drops to much lower levels than it has been through the summer and early part of the fall, allowing us to function better in the shallows. The fish often move shallow, and we catch 'em tight to the bank this time of year, usually in the proximity of the large grass mats lying on the shore, especially those with some sandy potholes close by. This works best on cloudy days. Sometimes, we have strong fronts this time of year. If and when we do, the fishing is sometimes better in the afternoons than in the mornings. If the water's clear in places like Emmord's and Beacroft's holes, the fish usually ride out the daylight hours in the off-colored water about four or five feet deep, then move right up to the shorelines around dusk.”

72 | November 2020

P.I.N.S. Fishing Forecast | Eric Ozolins 361-877-3583 | Oceanepics.com The surf usually explodes with life and activity during November. The fall migrations ignite predatory frenzies along the beachfront. A combination of anchovies, menhaden and mullet fuel the opportunities for predators to gorge. We normally get our first major cold fronts this time of year. The fishing really lights up a couple days after a strong front passes. Jack crevalle storm the beach looking for schools of mullet and menhaden. Tossing live mullet then is usually the golden ticket to hooking the jacks. We sometimes see them cruising in the waves in green water, and are able to target them with large spoons and topwaters. The redfish also invade the shallows this time of year, many of them over the slot. Other fish hammering the migrating bait will be Spanish mackerel and bluefish. Both have rows of sharp teeth, which easily cut monofilament. Early in the month, a lucky few folks will likely encounter the last tarpon of the year, as they head south for the winter. Shark action provides mostly blacktips and bulls, both of which like baits of medium size. The variety of fish available to target makes November a wonderful time to hit the surf!

Port Mansfield | Ruben Garza Snookdudecharters.com – 832.385.1431 Getaway Adventures Lodge – 956.944.4000 In November, we typically see the last redfish filtering through the jetties into the Gulf. During the first part of the month, it's still common to find them schooling alongside the East Cut. Both the north and south sides have potential to hold schools. Gold quarterounce weedless spoons work best to target them. When they're biting best, they also blow up aggressively on topwaters. Watching reds tackle topwaters is among the most fun things we do. Trout fishing in November is usually steady too. On days with light winds, the west shoreline is the place to be. We normally find fish in water depths ranging from mid-thigh to waist-deep. Bone and pink/gold One Knockers work well most of the time. When the blow ups stop coming, I generally switch to a KWiggler Ball-tail or Willow-tail Shad on an eighth-ounce jighead. Colors like bone diamond, Mansfield Margarita, plum/chartreuse and strawberry/white work well. West Bay also produces plenty of fish this time of year, mostly trout, which tend to hang out in the sandy potholes breaking up the grass. Drifting the deeper water in areas where an edge separates a grassy bottom from a bare, muddy bottom also makes good sense.

Lower Laguna Madre - South Padre - Port Isabel Aaron Cisneros | tightlinescharters.com – 956-639-1941 In fall, the combination of high tides and cool water temperatures dictates several things about the fishing in South Texas. With tides running high, shallow areas tight to the shorelines typically hold lots of lively bait fish, as do the shallowest parts of all the mid-bay structures.

These areas work best in low light conditions. We find most of our trout fishing in depths of two or three feet, focusing on shorelines with plenty of grass but also numerous sandy potholes breaking up the grass. We throw bone Spook Juniors rigged with single hooks most mornings, to avoid the effects of the floating grass. Especially on the sunny days after fronts, we find the bite better in a bit deeper water, from about three to five feet. Lately, we've caught some of our biggest trout in this depth, and the bite on reds has been steady at those depths too. Out there, we're doing best throwing KWiggler Ball-tails in plum/chartreuse rigged on eighth-ounce screw-lock jigheads. A quick, erratic retrieve is earning the most strikes, by far. These patterns should linger into November, which normally provides some of the most pleasant weather and easy catching of the entire year.

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Kylie trout

Nina Garrett East Flats - 37” black drum CPR

Derrick Lovin PINS - 31” jack crevalle 74 | November 2020

Jaxson Collins Matagorda Bay - 22.5” first redfish!

Gage Freeland Laguna Madre - black drum

Tyler Seal East Matagorda - 25” trout

Raul Vallejo Aransas Bay - 32” black drum CPR

Charleigh Nix Laguna Madre - 16” trout

Jessica Riemer Matagorda State Waters - red snapper

Austin Todd POC - 28.5” trout

Brynn Bryant & father, Jason Seadrift - black drum

Christie Oliver West Bay - first keeper red!

Freddie Willis Jr Galveston - 41” 29.44 lb red

Photo Gallery Guidelines First come – first published!

Photos are judged on artistic merit and sporting ethic displayed. No stringer, cleaning table, or hanging board images allowed.

Digital images only. Adjust camera to high or best quality. All images become property of TSFMag. Email to: Photos@TSFMag.com Include short description of your catch with name, date, bay system, etc.

Steve Sullivan Padre Island - 26” 6 lb 4 oz trout

Kimberly Imhoff Matagorda - red snapper TSFMAG.com | 75

PAM JOHNSON

Gulf Coast

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

Email them to pam@tsfmag.com or send by fax: 361 792-4530

View The Video Open Camera and hover over QR Code. When link appears at top of screen tap to open in YouTube.

Seatrout Almondine

with Butter Lemon Caper Sauce

INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION

Four fresh trout fillets

Pour milk in a shallow dish and place the trout fillets in the milk. Set aside.

1 cup milk 1/2 cup sliced almonds 1/2 cup flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoon butter 2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

Lightly toast the almonds in a sauté pan. Reserve.

Combine flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper in a small, flat dish.

Dredge the fillets in the flour mixture on both sides. Let sit five minutes.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add olive oil and butter. Add trout fillets and cook 2-3 minutes, flip and repeat on other side. Transfer cooked fillets onto plates or a metal rack and keep warm.

Add garlic to same sauté pan and swirl it around. Turn off heat and add parsley, capers, lemon juice and toasted almonds, mix with spatula to combine.

1 1/2 tablespoons drained capers 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Spoon sauce over the fillets and serve immediately.

Servings: 4

76 | November 2020

TSFMAG.com | 77

S P O N S O R E D B Y C O A S TA L B E N D M A R I N E

C H R I S M A P P ’ S R E PA I R & M A I N T E N A N C E

Chris Mapp, owner of Coastal Bend Marine.

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

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

Trailer maintenance and repair is a staple at our store, but just about the time you think you have seen it all is when you let your guard down.

When doing an annual service, we spin the wheels to listen for bearing noise, test end play, check tire inflation, test the lights, and confirm the brakes are functioning.

We ran across a trailer recently where the brakes did not work due to lengthy saltwater exposure and its highly-detrimental effect on metal components, including galvanized and stainless steel.

When removing the calipers for replacement, one of the bolts on the caliper mounting bracket stripped and pulled some of the metal (threads) from the backing plate. We examined the hole and believed tapping new threads would solve the problem. It did not!

The bolt went in tight, yet after a few long runs, the threads did not retain the bolt allowing the caliper to float freely and, when braking, dislodged from the mounting surface on one end. The force of braking caused the cast steel caliper to break in two.

We now only replace caliper mounting plates when a frozen bolt removes any amount of metal, and we use new mounting hardware.

The experience is a teachable moment for even the most seasoned repair shop.

Looking at the threads, one would never suspect a lack of material, yet the experience indicated differently.

Have a great fall fishing and boating season, and be safe!

Thank you, Chris Mapp Coastal Bend Marine Port O’Connor, TX coastalbendmarine.com 361-983-4841

78 | November 2020

TEXAS SALTWATER FISHING HOLES M ATA G O R D A B AY Speckled Trout / Redfish

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Wade & Drifting the Back Bays & Surf

Call 361.983.4434 (cell 361.935.6833) Email lynn@tisd.net (tswf.com/lynnsmith) TSFMAG.com | 79

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