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contentS octoBer 2008
featureS
32 departmentS
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what our guideS have to Say‌
regularS
92 aBout the cover
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Texas Saltwater Fishing
October 2008
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It is Tuesday September 16 and coastal Texas from Brazoria County to the Louisiana border is reeling from the blow of Hurricane Ike. Residents along the Texas-Louisiana border have taken their fourth beating since the summer of 2005. The IH-45 corridor from Galveston to Conroe and all of the greater Houston metropolitan area has suffered enormously. The magnitude and destruction of Ike will likely be recorded as greater than even the infamous Katrina and Rita storms that wracked Louisiana and Mississippi. If not in loss of life, although much of the affected area is yet to be fully investigated and death tolls may rise, the individual property losses and disruption of business is staggering. One early estimate suggested $20-billion. As reports continue to pour in the estimates are growing. For the fortunate whose homes are still standing, basic services such as electricity and water may be weeks away. Thousands have lost their jobs. Who could have predicted Ike would be so brutal? Three days before landfall, Ike seemed to have his crosshairs centered on Corpus Christi. As the storm churned across the Gulf of Mexico gaining strength, it began to bobble and then shifted northward. Here in Seadrift and Port O’Connor we sat on needles and pins. If the storm came ashore at Corpus Christi or Rockport we’d be on the dirty side. If it continued up the coast delivering a direct hit we’d likely be wiped out. Storm surge predictions grew as the storm widened. The historic surge of Hurricane Carla might be exceeded, a record that has stood for 47 years almost to the day. We boarded windows and Every time a storm is reported to be headed our way we all cringe. Will it be our turn? As storms veer and the cone of predicted landfalls shifts toward other communities a brief sense of relief is natural. Then the reality that our friends and neighbors elsewhere on the coast will bear the brunt of another disaster settles in and we can do nothing but pray and offer help in the aftermath. Life on the coast is grand, except during hurricane season and we still have at least a month left in this one. Will Mother Nature send us yet another test? Will our society’s infrastructure that has been so severely tested withstand another attack? Telephone service is patchy right now. We have been able to contact some friends but not all. Many of our loyal advertisers and retailers have nothing but horror, agony and rubble where their life’s work once stood. Many of our readers are homeless and may have lost family and loved ones. You are in our prayers. The television is playing in the background and I look up occasionally as hath God wrought,” keeps running through my mind. of standing our ground and banding together for common good. Ike will test our character and our resolve. Hope, generosity toward those less fortunate and stubborn allegiance to our communities will be our greatest strengths during recovery. Our coastal communities will rise again, just like they did in the beginning. We will be stronger and smarter. That’s the way God made us. God Bless Texas!
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letterS to the editor
Dear TSFMag,
Dear Everett, Thanks to you and staff for such a great magazine. I have been reading
for participating in your reader survey
TSF magazine for quite a few years. I enjoy the magazine from cover to
just arrived. I think I will wait until the new
cover every month and I look forward to each new issue. I enjoy going
Curado D reels arrive. Rumor has it they should be in sometime in August. Looks like I should be getting one for
However, this month was special for me. Not only was it my birthday,
approximately 1/2-off; thanks to TSF!
I went to check e-mail and noticed one from you. Instantly, I thought,
Tim Giesler Dear Tim, Thanks for being a reader and participating in our Reader Survey. I
really use! Again, thanks for all the stories, info and recipes (and the birthday
try one too.
gift!) Sincerely, Dear Mr. Johnson, Let me start by telling you that I have enjoyed TSF very much. I used to
Dear Joey,
was younger but have been absent for many years. My son moved to Houston a few years ago and we thing led to another and we now Dear Mr. Johnson,
own a bay boat. I live in Midland, TX
lots to learn, so I subscribed to your publication, hoping that the
area but I try to make at least one
information to be gained would prove valuable. I also subscribed to
trip per month. We have gleaned
other publications and ordered several books, particularly those about
a lot of good information from your magazine and I look forward to reading it each month, which brings me to
and frequently thumb thru past issues to reread them – and, happily, I
my gripe.
a deal!
manner as to deface the cover photo? Does the staff at the magazine
Why does the mailing label have to be placed on the cover in such a I like the look and feel of your publication and had to adjust a shelf in my library to properly hold the past issues. I truly think that the
to show you what I mean. I know this is being sort of picky, but why bother
money I spend each year subscribing to your Texas Saltwater Fishing
with a nice cover shot only to mess it up with the label.
is absolutely the best money I can spend to learn something I did not
I really do like the magazine and it seems petty to complain; I guess it is just my nature to strive for perfection. Enough griping about the label,
Please continue to improve your publication and keep sending me a bill
keep up the good work on the magazine.
each year. Johnny Cappadonna
Thanks, Gene Finley
Dear Johnny, Thanks for being a dedicated reader and bringing this matter to our
SenD your leTTerS To: TSFMag, P.o. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 12
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editor and puBliSher
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October October2008 2008
13 13
roSSing the rio grande into 196o’S
themselves in lifting rows of shore-bound waves.
Mexico was adventure sure enough;
with color as entire schools rode the incoming
but when you pushed on to the seventh or eighth pass of the Mexican Laguna Madre
would cloud the coke bottle green water with their
dreams of everything a rod and reel was
coppery hue. There were also silver and black
supposed to be became reality. Sea-life of
missiles cutting through the breakers; big surf trout
all sorts was plentiful, plentiful to the point of never imagining an end to what lay before
We mostly just threw spoons or soft plastics and
you. The only limitations of harvest were how
that was all you needed. A Tony Accetta Number-5 reached beyond the whitewater and was often
ice survived for the trip home. You didn’t need
met with violence as soon as you engaged the
GPS, fancy lures, or internet reports. The he did what most would do; a big no-no in that to be there just as they had been for eons all
setting. Freddy walked out on his own right at dark,
along the Gulf Coast. Legends were made by many who came before us, but most are long forgotten or simply dismissed as rocking chair
everything he landed until he could string no more
embellishments by more recent generations.
and then dragged them back into camp expecting
However, most stories are mostly real… and
his full glory due.
so is today’s obvious denial of what once was. civilization to fade into the horizon after you left
after dark, we still have several days to go, and you
the old Salt Mine road. The cutoff was about ten
just wasted a bunch of our ice.”
miles south of the border, named for the salts
Freddy learned quickly that back then you planned to manage your catch, not just catch and
way. It took you all the way to the second pass
string whatever you could manage. We mainly just worked the passes as you
federal checkpoint. The beachfront gradually
didn’t need to go anywhere else, but the airboat
became more primitive and tidal currents raced
took us deep into the rich waters of the Laguna.
through drifts of tire swallowing sand. Other
Ours was a little step boat made of plywood. It
adventurous sports made the journey and
only had a half-cage on it because you had to
many ingenious ways were devised to tame the
hand start the engine by pulling the prop; but when
hazards. We pulled a little airboat and used it
you got her up on that front step she would scoot.
to push our trucks through low tide crossings and high tide dunes. Some rigged pontoons and
waves and zigzagging sandbars all the way to La
even makeshift propellers on their vehicles, while
Pesca, but exploring the deserted back-bay was also compelling.
a three wheeler strapped in the bow, using that to tow the remaining seventy miles. All of the cuts could be good, but
better tidal guts. Reds on top of the shell could
prime were the third and eighth breach
be so thick that you had no choice but to run on
between the Gulf and the Laguna. There
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October 2008
During high water we’d cut over miles of oyster reefs about a foot deep to reach some of the
their backs as they had nowhere to go. If you
was a small oasis at the third, the famous Hotel
shut down they scattered, but they’d be right back
Del Mar which housed many a salty character
surrounding the boat again within minutes… they
over the years. While wading the mouths of these
didn’t seem to know what it was. On the edges of
passes, and struggling for balance on ever-shifting
those guts we could sightcast snook up to twenty-
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you missed that snook by a foot a trout would get it and we had all of those we needed
back out through curtains of gill nets. Fishing
in the surf.
was quick to slow down, and after that boy got
Flounder were there too; lots of them. A local who lived with his family under a driftwood leanto at the third pass put us on them. Before every
Progress is a wonderful thing however, so
killed going through the airboat prop we just quit
let’s get out there this October and punish that
going down there.
new rod and reel. Remember though, that just
Fishing, as we know it today, is still quite
as there were those who blindly blazed before
trip we collected clothes, toys, and anything
awesome and even improving in many aspects.
us, there will also be those excited to follow
else we could pack to give away. They watched
But compared to yesteryear stories, such as
us as well. If we are going to live and die with
over us and one evening he strolled into our
the above shared by Capt. J.D. Whitley, what
faults, let them be faults with passion. Fishing
we experienced in recent weekends pales in soon back with an incredible string, and I say
comparison to what he saw decades before.
stories our kids should be able to tell. See you
string because it literally was one.
What was happening down in Mexico then
there, but don’t waste that ice because we have
was happening here shortly before that, and
several days to go.
We followed him back out, and armed with an old knife taped to a stick, he simply blind endless Milky Way. The spear bucked back consistently. We later brought lanterns and
hardly newsworthy. Tarpon and sharks hung rotting on picture racks, bay turtles churned through local canning factories, market tables heaped with fresh
waiting for the sand to clear and then picked out the biggest one to settle at your feet. Other predators scared the heck out of you too,
a mere blip of geological time, catches are now
mostly big snook running bait up on the shelf;
limited by more than just ice, and today we are
and the night was loud from sounds and smells
happy to burn twenty gallons of fuel just hoping
of nature’s brutality.
contact
probed the sand under the illumination of an
miKe mcBride
home, other times only snook or trout, but Plants”, which like then, rapidly helped change cooler hinges. Those great hauls were always
what always was. Myriads of nicely lighted
expected, but things changed rapidly after the satellite navigation guiding the unseasoned, full-color imagery down to pothole level, himeet the demands of an eager market. We later
gloss advertising hyping new canal lots in old wetlands, well-intentioned people betraying vying for what’s left in a booming recreational
herded into them by small boats. Much of whatever came into the passes didn’t make it www.TSFMAG.com
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and we now own it. Texas Saltwater Fishing
October 2008
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iShing fanaticS tend to accumulate piles, if not tons, of equipment. For most, generating a complete inventory of equipment would require the use of a legal pad or long spreadsheet. In addition to the substantial and obvious things, a thorough list would likely include a wide array of seldom-used, yet important hand, all of which directly or indirectly enhance our chances for success. and foremost on a list of things they use and need. Almost all would remember to mention the major accessories on the boat as part of their inventory of tools. Items like a GPS unit, trolling motor, VHF radio, anchor, drift anchor, life vests and ice chests pop almost instantly into the minds of those thinking of all the peripheral stuff carried on board their craft. I’m sure some would forget to document a number of lesser things, like the two-by-four many carry so a prop can be removed when it becomes damaged or spins a hub. Others might neglect to note the spare prop and/or hub too. Also not parts for the igloos, extra bulbs for the running lights and so on and so on. For some, it might not be such a bright idea to add up the price of all the items and sell off the stuff when faced with the fact that this hobby can become about as costly as carrying a second mortgage or sending a couple of kids to private
AuTHor’S noTe: This is a follow-up to last month’s article, which described some of the major innovations that have
universities. Certainly, owning and operating a boat is for many the most expensive identify the most important one among these many new and better tools.
Tackle shops take full advantage of other reels, lines, lures, boots, belts, rod holders, ray
can and should be saved when collecting all the garb
cravings, a seemingly endless hunger for rods, It’s obvious that some who’ve
guards, waders, pliers, scissors, nets, stringers,
been bitten by the bug need a way to cut back
shades and so much more. Who among us
on their spending, in the hopes of preserving
can say that they don’t have lures and other
relationships and hanging on to a decent shot
equipment in their closets that never have been
at retirement. A starting point on the way to
and never will be used? And who can say they
reducing spending is to prioritize everything
we compile on our way to the prefer to go about prioritizing by starting at the For those interested in achieving success on
will never buy such useless junk again? some more than others. Doing what we do ain‘t cheap; that much is certain. Since most
come in several versions, some more costly
idea to cut cost corners when purchasing such
than others.
an aquatic vehicle, if the goal is to compete on a
To people for whom money is no object,
of the freaks are of the male gender, there are
making such a list is not necessary. They aren’t
plenty of wives and girlfriends who have a bad
likely to be reading this anyway; they’re probably down at the docks in Port A sipping top shelf
wondered, some aloud, why a certain restaurant
martinis and making plans to head out to the
is too costly to visit, while a newfangled
East Breaks in the Hatteras. Five dollar fuel
tournament trail, run a guide business or in any In general, a relatively shallow running, reasonably fast, smooth riding boat is required. Different parts of the coast call for boats with different basic attributes to optimize their effectiveness in the area. Some bays
jiggamabobber that’s just hit the shelves at the tackle store is considered a necessary expense.
even though they regularly use more than two
place more of a premium on one of the
Other spouses wind up engaging in open revolt,
hundred gallons a day.
three characteristics.
spending frivolously on shoes, purses and other
For the rest of us, though, money matters. It
Fishing addicts who purchase a boat should
frilly things to emphasize their disgust over the 18
October 2008
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use while limiting fatigue as much as things on which to save money.
possible. Lighter is simply better when it
Though a boat is a hugely important I know some will not be able to afford a rod and don’t tout it as the most valuable tool for
reel that costs in excess of $500. But I strongly regularly should spend as much as they can on this one tool. Testing gear by borrowing from
others that does more to determine the
friends or guides is a good idea before the buying
consistency of successful efforts. That
is done; shaking the tip of a rod in the aisle of
tool is really two in one — a rod and reel
a tackle shop really doesn’t allow one to know
unit. Ideally, the rig must be of high quality,
whether it’s an optimal match for style and needs.
meaning both components are as light and
The bottom line criteria for me is this; if a tool
durable as possible, and that the rod has the of the angler who wields it. Advances in technologies used to produce
legitimately serve this purpose, I will more than likely look to save money if purchasing one. I
decades. Anglers now have the option of using
and other necessary stuff in this category.
featherweight, strong sticks of a kind unknown
For all lure chunkers, including the guy
to the old salts who spurred the sport’s
walking into the water from his pickup truck, the
be done and procure a boat best suited to their
popularity. I must here disclose that I am partial
purist paddling in on a kayak, even the goggled
needs. They should be willing to spend as much
to two brands, Laguna rods and Shimano reels.
tournament pro racing his competitors to a
as they reasonably can on this tool, which will
Laguna makes some inspiringly sensitive most important piece of equipment consistently
not only get them where they need to be, but will
rods with just the right feel for me. They make
also provide comfort and return them to the dock
models with a variety of different actions, like
safely (or not!).
most other companies. People who prefer
is the one they cradle in the palm of their hands.
primarily soft plastics will favor something with
A rod and reel is to an angler what a putter is to
When powering a motor boat, it pays to hang
imitating plugs almost exclusively. Point is, the
effect on the ability to score.
the newest, strongest, most dependable unit
guys at Laguna make a rod that’s right for just
possible on the transom of the craft. Trying to
about any inshore need.
Of course, I’m talking about motor boats
cut costs by bailing out the neighbor and buying
I know other companies do too. My aim here
his old outboard so he can retool is rarely a
is not to shamelessly promote one rod company
good idea.
above all others; it’s mostly to emphasize that
The list of modern accessories for use on bay
anyone purchasing a rod should spend every
boats is lengthy indeed. The GPS and Power
dollar they reasonably can to get the right tool
Pole are two tools that have truly revolutionized
for their needs. It makes no sense to attempt to save money on this critically important tool. The
navigate more safely and precisely than ever before with the aid of what I see and save on my
contact
here. Motor boats need motors, it’s safe to say.
Kevin cochran
same can be said for the reel too. I use Shimano Chronarch MG 50 reels. They aren’t the most durable I’ve tried, but they are
walking back to retrieve the boat, thanks to the
the lightest by far. That’s of critical importance to
remote control I purchased with my Power Pole. For me, running a boat without a GPS and a
years now, and they help keep me functioning at
Power Pole would be like buying a pickup truck
or near my optimal level through the long hours
without air conditioning. Where I live and work,
of chunking and winding, day after day.
primarily from the boat would likely include a
that will allow anglers to produce desired
And beyond the need to set up a combo presentations with the lures they like to use, this it possible to purchase, rig and run their own
is the most important thing; a rod and reel must
boats, I know. Those who are able to choose to
have a low enough weight to allow for hours of
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October 2008
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e’d planned the trip for weeKS. Friends, JR Jr. from
or two before. No problem, I
Beaumont and his dad, JR Sr., of Conroe
would rather wade in shorts
had a house lined up down at Charlie’s Bait Camp on the ICW near Seadrift and they wanted
did the prudent thing and
anyway and besides, I’m tough. Saturday morning found
called that person who place, our esteemed Editor and Publisher, and gave him my
everyone up early and ready to
SOS. He said he’d come and
on Friday and my son and I met them there.
go. We set out with high hopes
tow us back to the dock and
Expectations were high since our esteemed
down the ICW towards San Antonio Bay. The waters were trout green and
we were waiting, so we did. I was very eager to try out a rod that the boys
told me of a top-secret spot where he had been
the wind was dead calm. The big thunderheads
on good, solid trout. So naturally, that’s where
were way offshore and it looked like we would
we were headed.
get a good wade in before any storms ran us
test. I don’t have a lot of information on this rod
back to the docks.
yet but can tell you that it is the lightest and most
We watched it rain for a good while on Friday evening; big thunderstorms that moved in from the gulf came ashore with strong winds and a lot of rain and spectacular lightning that made us glad we were not on the water yet.
About halfway across the bay Mr. Murphy
sensitive Laguna that I have had the pleasure of
crawled aboard. My oil alarm went off and I shut down in the middle of the ICW with a rather large barge
called a Texas Wader Extreme but it’s not in full production at this time. It is very different from
about 1,000 yards in front of us… heading our way. I started the outboard, no alarm, good, tried water and not just cabbage heads either, but tentacles that really smart when wrapped around
to get up on plane and the alarm went off again. Pulled back on the throttle, alarm went off so I
and the handle are much different from any
idled out of the ICW and into a safe spot away
other Laguna. The new Laguna performed very well with the small trout allowing me to feel them
an unprotected leg. I was a tad bit disgusted I had no clue. The main oil tank was full but wading pants. I think I left them I at Captain
22
October 2008
notice when you see the pictures. The standard
the reserve oil tank on the motor was low. So I
Texas Saltwater Fishing
as soon as they touched the Devil Eye lures that I was throwing. I’m impressed to say the least
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with this new offering from the brothers Neu. For more information give the boys at Laguna a call at 979-921-9910. I’ll have a more detailed
Sonny got us right in and ran some tests on
swimming next to the boat. On the other side of
various things and determined that the oil pump
the boat were three more. Mr. Murphy had come
was out and wasn’t keeping the transfer tank
along for this boat ride too.
on the Yamaha full. He replaced the pump and it more! There were shrimp everywhere in the water and a lot of trout that were after them but while the shrimp were large, the trout were small. We had a great time catching them and one of our guests
So there I sat. It’s not that I was scared to get
everything tested out and he said we were good
out of the boat; it’s just that there were those
to go. He also noticed that the plug on the stern
long tentacled stinging creatures in the water
light that is mounted on top of the outboard
and I simply didn’t feel like getting stung again.
cowling needed to be replaced and he took care
Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice and
of that as well. After settling up with Sonny we
shame on me.
were back on the road but in a driving rainstorm. It rained all the way back to the house.
and watching Sterling and JR Sr. doing their
We had lunch then hit the water again
from up north had a
between rain showers. We headed right back to
watching them that I didn’t watch behind me and
hook-up on a topwater
where we had been that morning thinking that
see the weather that was headed our way. When
that took drag only to
with all the bait in the water there the bigger escape the purple and black clouds but we
off on the shell bottom. I was wading in shorts and
We slipped into the water and after two or three
made it back and had the boat on the trailer just
casts I felt this terrible stinging pain on my left
as the cold wind hit and the skies opened.
leg and I felt the tentacles wrap around my knee. looking up. Everett showed up and we tied off to him and he tried to tow us on plane back to the dock; the
At about the same time I felt more tentacles wrap around my right leg.
and sharing in the ups and downs of the trip
Hello Mr. Murphy.
shallow running Majek had a problem with that long as I could but each time I thought that I had
with someone else on that trip.
again, another tentacle would wrap around my
trip and started packing. When we left it was
leg bringing additional stinging pain to what I
still raining and it really poured all the way to
Back at the house we decided to call it a
keep it there due to the load on the boat and the motor set for shallow running. Everett called Sonny Cook at Sonny’s Marine in Port O’Connor and told him of our situation. Sonny told Everett that we needed to add oil to
was already feeling. I got back in the boat and watched everyone
the rains washed the boat for me but he did get
the reservoir on the outboard and that the motor would run and get us back to port under our own power. He also said that if I could get to his shop
a twinge of revenge. Sterling pointed out that I
not happy. Bad weather was headed our way and
in POC that he would take a look and see if he
we pulled anchor to head back to port. We
could get us going so the weekend wouldn’t be
watched it rain for a while then decided to get
a wash. I didn’t have a spare jug of oil on board
some supper and hit it again the next morning
but Everett did. We added oil and sure enough I
in a different spot where the jelly might not be
was able to get back to the ramp and load up.
so thick. Did I mention that my legs were still
We headed to Port O’Connor and
burning? They looked like someone had taken a hypodermic needle and poked me all over.
Sonny’s Marine.
Mr. Murphy missed the ride back to El Campo;
That night I learned that the stinging could keep you awake but I managed to fall asleep under the lights at the pier. The alarm clock
had my new breathable waders that I could have Oh well. Be safe.
contact
though. It wasn’t able to get the 24’ JHP up and
martin Strarup
didn’t go off, but due to continued discomfort I was awake anyway at a respectable hour and we were off again. I took us to one of my favorite spots and there was bait in the water. We all got our wading gear on and everyone got out of the boat, everyone except me. I looked down in the water
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October 2008
23
B y
the palomar Knot iS a one of the BeSt anglers can use to attach terminal tackle. The Palomar is quick and easy to tie and will never slip, even with braid. Like all truly useful knots, the Palomar does not weaken the line in which it is tied. The dual strands of line through the eye of the hook are the basis for the Palomar’s strength characteristics. If the Palomar has a down side it would be in the amount of
e v e r e t t
J o h n S o n
line consumed when attaching large objects, a concern when tying leader material. The Palomar is suitable for attaching hooks and swivels and also lures equipped with a split ring.
4
STeP 1: Double the line and thread through the eye of the hook. STeP 2: Form an overhand knot in the doubled line above the hook. STeP 3: Run the loop extending from the overhand knot around the hook. STeP 4: Moisten the knot and work it tight by holding both strands to seat it and then pulling on each separately. STeP 5: Trim the tag end and bait up, you’re
5
AM EX
24
October 2008
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25
have only recently
the gas money
been made aware of some new rules
that could well
concerning PINS and will pass along to
be used later with healed
direct any questions concerning these rules to
hands and
them and not to me as I’m simply passing along
tarpon closer
the info.
to home. So, I
maintained at the surf’s edge.
Seine nets, trot lines, and jug lines are prohibited in the park. Sand pumps are restricted (prohibited) in the
started rubbing the injuries with
timeframe of their planned trip.
Corn Husker’s Lotion to aid quick healing and
Tournament can have a much greater
will use the downtime from Gustav to get these
negative impact than any moon phase.
tune my tarpon tackle.
weekends often kills quality catching
The point I am trying to make here is that there are lots of small issues that we often ignore when we’re determined to make a trip.
park from October 01 through June 30. From
Some of these have real potential to ruin the
July 01 through September 30, sand pumps are
venture. Sure, I understand that we sometimes
return on Monday. It’s very common for numbers of down the individual expenses of a trip. Make sure you are teamed up with like-
permitted for the collection of ghost shrimp. I’d like to remind everyone that northbound
that’s been going on all week and will
postal. But when making trips of this type that’s
minded and purposed individuals or these trips often turn into nightmares.
There have been some real issues arising from this lately.
Money is tight and as a fulltime guide I am all too aware that a lot of folks are cutting back on
area while lure grinders are constantly
I was really anxious to run the panga north of Port Aransas yesterday to see if I could intercept
to make. All the more reason to plan carefully and not waste precious personal time and high
P.O.C. in the surf. I knew it was the only day to
dollar fuel. Seems folks have unusual perspectives when
Hurricane Gustav. I didn’t go because my hands
planning trips. They are Keenly interested in the moon phase but few inquire if there may
a number of cuts acquired the past few days.
be a major tournament in the area during the
them available. If the bays are slow due to freshwater runoff or heat consider other
As bad as I wanted to go it just didn’t make any water is murky and
sense to go solo with my hands in that condition
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October 2008
Texas Saltwater Fishing
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unproductive don’t expect it to change because you showed up. Consider
If your timeframe for a trip is restricted to
near shore ventures or a change of are available during that season in the bay,
bay systems. It’s always saddened me when anglers
the surf and near-shore and then pick the trip
show up ill-prepared because I want
that will likely deliver the highest potential for
them to have a good day and a lot of fun
a good outing. My website includes a page
and get their strings stretched plenty so that they might want to come back and
of the most commonly sought species during
also recommend the trip to their friends.
each month of the year in the PINS surf.
One of the saddest things I experience
Purchase and use medicines and over-the-
as a guide is when we have one of those
counter remedies that may be of assistance
rare days with perfect conditions and
to you. Sea sickness is no reason to miss
the customer shows up without polarized eyewear. There we are with perfect
Dramamine and other medicines will prevent
sightcasting opportunities and I know
it before it starts. Wrist bands are inexpensive
right off we are going to encounter large
and strengthen weak wrists and tendinitis braces work miracles.
the beach and he is not going to be
I want to take a moment to brag on my longtime sponsor, Daiwa. They have a new
able to see them. By the way, every one is
Saltiga Inshore baitcasting rod that is to die
always bragging on their sunglasses so I want to
best balanced baitcasting rod I’ve thrown
take the time to give
in a long time and I’ve thrown most. It is
mine a plug too. I’ve
very light in weight and sensitive. The 6’-6”
worn Smith’s Action
model is recommended for 6-14# line and
Optics for 10 years
1/8-1/2 ounce lures. The Saltiga delivers
and wouldn’t trade them
high quality and excellent performance at
for any other brand out there. The amber shallow water lenses are far superior to any others
a reasonable price. Enjoy the fall; it is after all the season of harvest. Be Careful. Be Courteous. Be Kind.
I’ve owned and are easier on the When booking a trip, take time to talk with your guide and let him know what your hopes and expectations are as well as any physical problems you may have. beach charter and there were miles
contact
pocket book to boot.
capt. Billy Sandifer length: : 6.75 to 7.25 inches Wingspan: 18.00 to 18.75 inches Weight: 43 to 63 g Small, short-billed bird of the sandy beaches, lake shores and dunes. Breeds in northeast and north-central U.S. and Canada. Some present in our area all year.
told him I had 12 at the house and could
Predominant body color is that of dry sand. Has
easily have brought him a setup if I’d
orange legs and white rump. In breeding plumage, has narrow breast band and orange base of bill. In winter, bill is black and neck ring missing. Considered Federally telephone website
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Texas Saltwater Fishing
Endangered on Great Lake but not in Texas.
October 2008
27
here we go with another conteSt. Just like our Crab Trap Removal and Speckled Trout Catch & Release,
trips with Capt. Everett
this one continues on the theme of good stewardship and conservation of
and Capt. Pam Johnson
coastal resources. And of course, you have to submit photos to document
in the POC-Seadrift area (and we’ll probably snag a few bags of trash
your efforts in order to qualify. you found it. It always grieves me when wading close to the shoreline to
The contest will run from October 2008 through Memorial Day 2009. Pick it up, chop it up if you have to, bring it in and dispose of it properly.
This is trash that was carelessly discarded in some cases and things that
A coastal shoreline is a terrible thing to trash. Get involved, hands-on
blew innocently from passing boats. However it got there, it is a scar and
conservation is a wonderful thing! Questions and comments should be directed to Everett Johnson – Editor
So, to encourage folks to be more aware; and also to hopefully enlist support of clean-up efforts, we have created another contest. Here’s how
and Publisher – TSFMag at the mail and email addresses listed above or by phoning 361-550-3637.
it works. Carry a roll of trash bags, or maybe even a trash can in your boat. When you happen upon an unsightly mess on your favorite shoreline; another of the trash being disposed of properly. Submit photos via email to Everett@TSFMag.com or by regular mail to TSF Magazine – PO Box 429 – Seadrift, TX 77983. Categories for this contest will be Greatest Haul, Most Unusual, and Most Helpers. We will award three prizes in each category. Prizes will
28
October 2008
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29
situation went from bad to worse. Discretion control in all types of situations. The
being the better part of valor; my friend
guy who cut you off on the highway,
retreated to his boat and idled off only to have
the unpleasant waiter, the annoying telemarketers, and the neighbor’s yapping
he was leaving.
little dog are all prime examples of situations that test our self-control. Some people just
the ocean worth getting involved in a situation
can’t deal with it, they just can’t let it go and get on with whatever they were doing. I have a very good friend who relayed a
comes to mind for some strange reason. Now I’m not going to bore
story about an incident he was involved in on
you with dos and don’ts for your personal life,
the water. It seems my friend and one of his
but there are a few control issues that you can take care of in your angling life.
bayou on the Louisiana side of Sabine Lake
Fishing too fast is a common problem,
when another boater ran between them and the bank in a less than courteous fashion. My
up and school in big bunches. Saltwater
friend immediately took offense and decided that this disrespectful individual needed to be taught some manners. My friend caught up to the guy and tried
of birds over hungry stripers, hybrids, and whites are perhaps the worst. The frenzied activity puts everyone on the boat in high
about boating etiquette only to be shown the
gear often leaving the majority of the water
business end of a large pistol. Instantly the
column untouched. It’s a proven fact that
under the surface. Savvy anglers will let a bait sink below the surface melee and are more often than not rewarded with
small trout hustling shrimp and shad near the surface. setting the hook, anglers can get down past the will actually crawl their baits along the bottom with
By taking the time to patiently work a school of
approach proves itself in some of the strangest ways.
30
October 2008
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while dragging bait and correcting a backlash, it
If you watch these guys, they keep the anchor real
makes you wonder. If we could see under the water and watch our baits and presentations; we would likely be
handy, one or two bites in the same area and they
surprised at how little of the water column we are actually using. In many situations it is only
the area thoroughly. These
lure at high speed has it’s applications but it’s awful hard to argue with the success that the
while others who continue
slower approach produces.
to drift miss out on much of
Speaking of slower approaches, another that
the action. I am sold on the
comes to mind is dropping anchor while drifting
technique because it works;
instead of dropping buoy markers. In years past
we use it quite often in the
we would make long drifts down Sabine Lake,
spring on the south end of Sabine. Taking the slower approach
on a merry-go-round; you just went round
a step farther; learning to
and round until they quit biting. One day on
anchor properly in deeper
Calcasieu I got schooled on a better way by a
water can be critical to success. One day many years
just going about it differently. The local guy
ago Capt. Dickie Colburn and
was sitting on anchor while I continued to make drift after drift on the same line. After about
Sabine River where we knew
three passes I heard the local say to his buddy, hanging around. For some couldn’t afford an anchor.” After that encounter
for everyone; stay clam and patient because our position on the anchor by letting out about 30 additional feet of line and slipping into the
paid big dividends.
should never be allowed to ruin that. Enjoy the
perfect spot. Our adjustment put us within casting range yet held the boat from drifting
share the outdoors with someone who may not
into them. Any other setup would result in either
know just how wonderful it really is.
spooking them or not getting bit; neither of which sound good at all. By adjusting our position we were able to cast over a submerged point current. Sometimes a few feet can make the difference between a great day and a zero. During the coming months your patience and abilities will be tested not only by other anglers controlled approach will pay huge dividends as the crowds descend on the bays for one last
contact
chucK uZZle
this time of year, everybody hears about how
the coast. Regular anglers know this is coming so they adjust accordingly and make do until the crowds cease.
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Texas Saltwater Fishing
October 2008
31
unriSe gliStening on the water,
all day I do not get on the water often. Jackson
how sad I was not to be following behind him
and I design the layout and website for Texas
he would always carry me on his shoulders to a
Saltwater Fishing; so you can imagine how Three years ago Jackson and I decided
excited grandpa is to hear and learn about and, most importantly, excited
to move to the coast and leave the big bad
anglers on the Lower Laguna Madre are all
city of Houston behind. Since then we have
pretty sweet. Let me begin by giving you a bit of background on the anglers. First would be our
freshwater lakes. Many of his childhood stories río
guide, Captain Ernest Cisneros, no stranger to TSF readers. Second is my husband, Jackson,
(river). I remember when I received the photos
avid angler. Third is my grandfather, Zavala,
and story to design the layout for Mike McBride’s in December in 2006. For you2006. loyal For you loyal December
me, a novice angler.
readers who keep your magazines, go back
This trip came about in celebration of my grandfather’s seventy-second birthday. I got the
Grandpa could have been the guy talking
idea back in June and discussed it with Jackson.
to Mike.
We agreed it would be the greatest gift we could
Grandpa is old-school. When it comes to tackle he is a push-button Zebco kinda guy.
Ernest had the date reserved… we were set for Labor Day weekend in South Texas.
still remember my grandmother’s warnings not to get in the water and get wet when he took
much as I should, being involved in the layout of
orders. He would always wade out from the
the magazine and stuck in front of a computer
bank and stay close by. But when he would see
32
October 2008
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that Hurricane Dolly brought a layer of silt which
like none other. He was truly having the time of his life. If you notice in the photos he began the
her arrival. Our waters in the Port Lavaca area
morning wade with a rod more appropriate for
are very muddy in places bringing a familiarity
using bait in the surf and his old-school push-
to this wade for both Jackson and me. Jackson
button reel, that was all about to change…
commented to Ernest about this and Ernest
He continued to get blow-ups, but did not land
quickly noted this was not good as the silt had a baitcaster in hope to get him into the proper Capt. Ernest began to get our rods rigged with
gear. Reluctantly, he asked if we could exchange
topwaters and instructed us in the direction we
it for a traditional push-button reel which
were to wade. He also showed us how to work
was what he felt most comfortable using. We
the Super Spooks Jrs. he had just placed on our
gladly exchanged it, but explained to him if he
lines. I remember reading from each and every TSFMag writer how lure presentation is the most important element when it comes to landing
The ray guards and wading boots he had no problem wearing once he saw a stingray swim by
been introducing grandpa to saltwater. Quite a
Ernest would later be catching and releasing
different beast… different rods and reels and lots
them left and right.
of strange new gear, he has been learning it all. Notice in the photos he wears his ray guards,
the hooks Ernest quickly waded over and
wading boots and wading belt – even polarized
explained some facts about snook. He
sunglasses now! I never imagined I’d ever see
is an expert in catching, releasing
the day he would look so cool with shades on.
and educating people about these
Back to the story… we met Ernest bright and early at a local restaurant and followed him to the
and release trips on all of
dock. The night before we ran to Academy after
his snook trips. He taught
arriving in Brownsville to ensure we had all the
Jackson how to revive the
gear needed for our trip. Father’s Day, Christmas and birthdays have been great times to give a lot yet to get! As we pulled up to the dock I know we were all nervous and excited to see how the day Laguna Madre since a young boy and he knows the bay system like the back of his hand. We couldn’t be in better hands. Within minutes we Now here I must give thanks to Ernest’s wife, Gracie, for entertaining my grandmother, Carmen, was for her to show my grandma around so that I was able to hang out with the guys. As we raced across the water Ernest pointed Jackson headed out and Ernest got my grandpa and me ready to go also. We followed we print here monthly really do not do this bay justice, it is an amazing sight and you must
in line working the area. As we began to wade each of us started to get blow-ups as we cast with the wind, according to Ernest’s instruction.
potholes are green as green can be, where
The excitement I felt watching grandpa get blow-
trout are surely laying. Ernest explained to us
ups as Ernest coaxed him on how to react was
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Texas Saltwater Fishing
October 2008
33
J ay wa t K i n S
thanK goodneSS octoBer haS arrived.
Ike and another system not yet named and
as it gets when the weather conditions allow
referred to as Invest Ten. Ike looks to have
us to get on the water.
It was a terribly hot and mostly dry summer
the best possibility of making it to the Gulf
along most of the middle Texas coast. With dry
at this time.
and during frontal passages. Fishing while the
October is the start of everything that is
frontal systems move through requires a good
with heat comes wind. We have had stronger
good along the middle Texas coast as soon
working knowledge of the bay system as well
SE and SW wind this summer than normal. I
as we get some cooler weather. Migrations of
as a boat that is designed to handle either
guess this has been a blessing at times but
all species of ducks and geese arrive with the
heavy seas or very skinny water. I have both;
conditions usually comes extreme heat and
more times than not it kept me off some of
a 22’ MAJEK EXTREME for the rougher stuff
summer’s more productive areas.
and a 22’6” MAJEK ILLUSION for the skinny water duties.
September 1st brought Hurricane Gustav to the Louisiana coast. New Orleans was spared
up for winter by strapping on the feed bag and
the devastation this time round. After Katrina,
doing what we like most, EATING!
the festive city and its robust citizens did
October is the start of my favorite season.
The leading edge of the fronts pushes water into the back lakes and marshes of Matagorda and San Jose Island. Sustained north wind
not need another setback. This time around
I have stated in all of my JAY WATKINS FISH
blows the water out of the main bays which
the people were better prepared and most
SMART FISHING SEMINARS that October is
initiates a dump of water from the backcountry. Sloughs that feed the backwater areas are the
evacuated low-lying areas that are prone to you want to do will be productive. The choices
their way to and from the backwater and the
rains that accompany Category 3 storms. I know we were all thankful to see only
unlimited and any type of structure you choose was excellent last year in the sloughs and
modest damage and casualties in the wake of Gustav. As of this writing we have three
reefs, to the shorelines, the back lakes and the
along adjacent shorelines.
tropical systems out in the Atlantic; Hanna,
october is the start of everything that is good along the middle texas coast as soon as we get some cooler weather. 34
October 2008
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Texas Saltwater Fishing
October 2008
35
a SK t h e pro anglers this fall with the strong numbers we have in area bays. Trout will be easier to locate and catch than during summer but I be fewer than years past. With this in mind we are practicing greater conservation than ever
that last much longer than during other
before and urge others to do so as well.
seasons. Overcast days can bring us an all
We have caught a surprising number of
returns to productivity levels we haven’t seen October is also the time when Texas hunting enthusiasts begin making weekend trips to
and we hope this will continue into October.
trying to get a meal; whatever the case, it is
hunting leases in preparation for the upcoming
good stuff for sure. are down, therefore I urge that we should voluntarily limit our harvest. In 2006 we had
During October we will have periods when waders are not required but you need to have
diehard chunkers during the fall and winter
them ready. I typically get into my waders
months. The sweltering heat of summer is
once the water temperatures drop to around weeks so I suggested to my anglers that we
75 degrees. It seems that as I grow older my
only keep a very few that we caught. I will be
tolerance for wading comfortably in cool water
suggesting the same restriction this fall. My personal lure list for October will include
lies ahead. The photos from fall 2007 should get you
is changing by the year. Simms breathable
inspired to start making plans for your next trip
waders offer greater comfort than anything we
to the coast.
MirrOlure’s Mirrodine XL, Series II S38MR,
had in the good old days. Starting in October,
the proven 51 and 52 MR series, and a
good foul weather gear is a must. Trust me;
May Your Fishing Always Be Catching.
spend the money, good gear will make your day on the water much more enjoyable. For those who prefer to stay in the boat there is probably no better time of the year for as anything I’ve seen. Along the shorelines of
light affording the luxury of long, slow drifts.
just about all our barrier islands, swim baits, spoons and topwaters should be very effective
more opportunities we have to cast to the
when worked over submerged grass beds. Whether the submerged grass be shallow or
contact
not leave the boat without my Bass Assassins.
mostly grass bottom; the pothole is the there and waiting for an easy meal. Reduced daylight and the drop in
mud bottom; the submerged grass beds are
aggressively and we will see feeding periods 36
October 2008
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experience. I caught a 24� oversized red. We continued working the area and by 10:00am the bite was gone. We were still getting occasional blow-ups but the us up on the boat and took us to another
Those familiar with our waters know it is much different in clarity compared to the Lower Laguna Madre. The potholes Ernest taught us to cast toward are clearly visible in this bay. The water is gin clear enabling one to easily see grass, shrimp and anything moving in the water. Ernest switched us from topwaters to soft plastics. Grandpa’s arm was tired so he listened when Ernest suggested switching to something lighter. He had grandpa hold the rod he had been and awkward, but Ernest waded alongside and patiently worked with him. As we began our midafternoon wade in trout green water grandpa was casting further than me! Seeing him out there As we waded waist-deep getting bites on our plastics I realized how lucky I was to have him
catching small trout and rat reds. As we headed toward the third honey hole Ernest informed me it was 12:30pm already. I dock Capt. Ernest took me as I was to catch up with grandma and Gracie to spend some time beachcombing. Just ask Capt. Billy Sandifer, he knows I love looking for seashells.
that day. On our way back to Port Lavaca, he eagerly asked questions about lures, lure colors, and the tackle Ernest used. Apparently he caught his trout when Ernest switched him from a pumpkin/ chartreuse Brown Lure to a plum. How quickly he was learning! answer his questions to the best of our knowledge, opening the magazine and showing examples. As they backed down our driveway to head home, grandpa turned to me with the biggest smile,
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Texas Saltwater Fishing
October 2008
37
c a Se y Sm a rt t
what iS it that maKeS Some flieS Better than otherS? Is it their size, their color, or
of prey is only part of the picture. Time and again I have learned that regardless of how consistently recognize something in it as prey.
the brand of hook they’re lashed around? bundle of hair and feathers more attractive than a perfect replica? Angler Ken Abrames
more convincing suggestion of life than a
Whether it is color, shape, texture, sound, or
detailed copy of the original? Hmm….
movement, the trigger predators are looking
A question I responded to recently got me
for is often hard to predict. Unraveling the
has written entire books devoted to answering
thinking again about Abrames’ philosophy
mystery of exactly what entices a predator is
these questions. In his book,
and the creative process I go through when
one of the challenges of tying. Anyone who
who I know to be a highly experienced and
or a Flatwing, or even a Woolly Bugger would
is not to replicate an exact image, but rather to
accomplished angler asked how much tub of life is a unique and elusive combination of textures, colors, and movements that cause an inanimate object to be seen as
I decided (against my artsy side) to make a
should not be a copy of the original, but
consciously or subconsciously went into
fiShaBility
list of every aspect I could think of that either rather a suggestion… or idea… of life. It is an making process spooked me a little because it So many times I have sat down at the
was reminiscent of an exercise one would do
vise and strived to produce an exact replica
in a corporate training seminar. But, I have to
to cast, they’re durable, and they won’t get
say it was enlightening and it gave me a better
heavy or distorted after a few dunks. They
believing that an anatomically correct
perspective of what I value in a good
are designed with protection against weeds
end, I have used all sorts of materials, paints,
4 categories: 1) Illusion, 2) Fishability,
the cast or the retrieve. Flies that spin will
and glues. I have used up expensive little
3) Versatility, and 4) Complexity.
turn the leader and line into a tangled mess
and snags and they should not spin during
illuSion computer printer to make skins, eyes, and
As far as I am concerned, the bottom
in short order. Once discovered, the kinks and twists are aggravatingly tough to remove.
these experiments looked amazingly lifelike
for a shadow box) is that it must create the
suffer from this spinning problem.
to me, few of them have ever performed as
illusion of life. I am right in line with Abrames
verSatility
well as abstract patterns built from simple
in this thinking. Either by size, texture, color, pattern is versatility. This is important to me
materials. But why? often I
in some way suggest to a predator it is a look like food no matter where they go and I
believe the answer, in part, has to do with the mysterious spark of life Abrames writes about.
38
October 2008
the features and understanding the behavior
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one place. Versatility is one reason why the Clouser Minnow, Woolly Bugger, and Seaducer are such deadly patterns. These represent anything. They can be tied in very small or very large sizes and can It is no mystery why these patterns have remained popular over the long haul — they are simple, versatile,
by Deke Meyer is a
and effective.
short but nifty book
complexity
that showcases the tying steps for 12 proven saltwater
a pattern that is at absolute ground zero of simplicity is the San Juan Worm. It consists
Tying
of nothing more than a single piece of chenille lashed to the hook shank. And yes… it looks exactly like a dang worm. The San Juan Worm is comically plain but amazingly
Meyer shows how to tie the Clouser Minnow, Bob’s
patterns are works of art. They are painstakingly assembled and some of them are
Banger, Surf
so detailed that under a microscope they are anatomically correct (no joke). While I
Candy, MOE
appreciate the time (sometimes days for a single specimen) and skills required to tie
Fly, Bendback, Whistler, Crazy
Especially when I know that mine will eventually end up stuck in an oyster shell or the
Charlie, and
lint trap.
a handful of others. He also provides a brief review of vises, hooks, materials,
The next time you sit down at the
perhaps anatomical perfection? Or is it something more? These mysteries fuel our excitement and compel us to look for answers. I hope we never
contact
the illusion of life, or simplicity, or
pertinent tying tools and knots that are frequently used in casey smartt has been fly fishing and tying flies for 30 years. when he cannot make it to the coast he is happy chasing fish on texas inland lakes and rivers.
Although there are plenty of books that make a broader or lot of information into the scant 30 pages that make up Tying There is very little wasted space in this book.
clearly presented and easy to follow. This book would be a with a minimal level of tying experience. Priced under ten dollars, would also make a great gift for someone who is starting out.
Tying Saltwater Flies: 12 of the Best Deke Meyer
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Texas Saltwater Fishing
October 2008
39
f i S h i n g
5
f l y
4
6
/
in laSt month’S column we Began a SerieS titled, “Simple Saltwater flieS.”
Done!
S m a r t t
its performance. Last month, we featured a pattern called the Bendback.
Pioneer angler Homer Rhodes is credited with bringing the Seaducer to saltwater in the 1940’s. Rhodes supposedly used the pattern to
versions feature bulked up bodies and tails. My preference though is the original slow-sinking version in either solid chartreuse, dark orange, or red/white. Other effective colors include olive, black, and grizzly grey.
c a S e y
The original Seaducer consisted of basically one material — saddle hackles. Several pairs of hackles were matched and attached at the bend of the hook extending rearward. Once these hackles were in place, several more hackles were added and palmered (wrapped) around the shank up to the eye of the hook. That was it.
Hook: Standard saltwater #8 to 1/0 (Gamakatsu SC15 #4 shown)
The Seaducer was typically tied with a white or yellow tail and red
Thread: Clear nylon mono or colored to match body Tail: 2 or 3 pairs of saddle hackles
look like much of anything in particular — it was super simple. In spite of
Flash: Krystal Flash
its unremarkable appearance in the vise, the Seaducer came to life when
Body: 2 webby saddle hackles Sally Hansen’s Hard as Nails (nail polish)
leggy pulsing of the hackles on the body created a deadly illusion of life. The Seaducer looked like nothing and everything at the same time and predators couldn’t help but take a bite. A second key to the Seaducer’s success was its slow sinking nature.
1. Attach 4 short strands of Krystal Flash on the top of the hook shank at the base of the bend.
column. This allowed anglers to telegraph short twitches and tugs
2. To form the tail, attach a pair of matched facing saddle hackles on either side of the Krystal Flash. 3. Attach 2 long webby saddle hackles at the base of the tail.
sink quickly to the bottom where it could snag on shells or weeds. It was,
4. hook eye.
and still is, a great design. Most Seaducers tied these days (including the version shown here)
5. Palmer the second hackle forward and tie off behind the hook eye. 6. Tie off thread and coat thread wraps with cement. Done.
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October 2008
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B o B B y B y r d & c a p t. J o h n c o c h r a n e
Keeping tracK of your fiShing experienceS makes Well, the end of summer is upon us and many are starting to think about hunting more can be incredible until the cold fronts become too frequent and the water cools off. Many way up until December. It’s cooler, more comfortable and less crowded offshore. So, don’t give up just yet, there are still
especially for blue marlin. We hope many of you were able to experience some of it and you should think about documenting those to help you make that decision. There are One of the most important things a serious
and time of day. Fishing success can vary by
two important items to record here, type of
season, but over the years you can get a good Trying to remember what was happening
idea of what time of year is most productive
a rig, rock, or a rip; you need to make note of
last year or last month with all the variables
and under what conditions. Different areas
what is happening. Depth of water can be very
involved is just about impossible. By writing
tend to be better early in the season and
important and this information will help you make future decisions when needed. All of
down the weather conditions, water conditions, many ways. Wind direction and speed, wave and outcome, you can analyze what was
heights, moon phase and sky condition are
happening under certain conditions and
some of the variables you will want to record.
hopefully use that information to help you
Location is of course a big factor in catching
can help you understand when those areas have been the most productive. Water conditions should be observed
question that comes up and you can use
surface temperature are very important and
choose what criteria you want to record. One 42
October 2008
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Blu e wat e r
Jou r na l
By recording your daily fishing experiences and analyzing the data you will be fishing more intelligently and improving your future angling success. new and we will
at 281-291-0656 or call Capt John Cochrane
can be used to determine where you might
ratio. Speaking of that, keeping track of the
Offshore, Roffer’s Ocean Forecasting and
helps you gauge your success against other crews. You should always record the number
use your log to go back and see what success
of strikes and compare that to the outcome. If
certain conditions produced in the area you
you have a low catch ratio, you need to talk to
contact
direct at 409-739-4817.
other anglers and try some different tackle or technique to get your catch ratio higher. Other techniques you might want to record bait, noting its location and determining what
are trolling speed, drag setting, bait position
type of bait it is. If you are live baiting you will
and presentation. Presentation would include
want to record which type of bait works the
such things as using outriggers, clips, rubber
best. We can tell you that blue runners are
bands, kites, drop-back, teasers, bait and switch, birds or any other method you might
rigs and are very good baits, however small
use. At the end of your log you may want to leave an area for comments and summary.
some of our favorites. Don’t forget the rainbow caught on these. Using the right tackle is always a topic of
more intelligently and improving your future angling success.
contact
discussion between anglers. Hook size, type and arrangement as well as leader size and
44
type can determine your hook-up success.
by our Fox yacht SalesTops-n-
Documenting what works and doesn’t work
Towers. We’re always happy to answer your
in a statistical manner gives you accurate
questions. At Fox we have an extensive
results that you can use to improve your catch
inventory of brokerage boats as well as
October 2008
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coaStal conServation aSSociation texaS (cca texaS) recently pledged
cca texaS executive Board recently approved the addition of three new local chapters to
funding for the construction of an enforcement outpost for use by
the Texas State Chapter. New chapters include the Hays County Chapter
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Game Wardens in the Lower
centered in Dripping Springs, the Guadalupe Valley Chapter centered in Cuero and the Orange Chapter located in Orange. These chapters are
wardens enforcing game and safety laws and providing for public
now up and running and are planning fall fundraising and membership
safety along the desolate stretches of water in south Texas. Orange has scheduled October 23, 2009 and Guadalupe Valley is while they are protecting not only Texas’ natural resources, but the
scheduled for November 13, 2009. If you are interested in becoming
outdoor enthusiast who enjoy them,” said CCA Texas Executive
involved in one of these new chapters, please contact CCA Texas at 713.626.4222.
our wardens and providing tools that otherwise might not be available to the conservation of Texas’ marine resources. For more information hazardous jobs they perform. The cabin will make the Lower Laguna
please visit www.ccatexas.org.
Madre a better and safer place for us all.” Cut in Kennedy County and will provide a central location for wardens to patrol Willacy, Kleberg, and Cameron counties where the Lower Laguna Madre is located. Currently, wardens have to travel many miles and use tremendous amounts of fuel to reach their remote patrolling areas. Madre and patrol duties are hampered by the distance and gasoline required to travel by game wardens in patrol boats,” said Capt. Gary
spend extended periods of time patrolling, providing public safety, search-and-rescue operations, and will increase the amount of time wardens will have to provide public awareness of their presence in these waters.” The construction of the facility will be executed by TPWD game
texaS parKS and wildlife department-
wardens and mechanics using materials purchased with the funds
Coastal Fisheries Division will soon be holding a series of coastwide
contributed by CCA Texas. The goal is to have the facility operational
public scoping meetings to discuss potential changes to existing
by April of 2009. late September/early October in Port Arthur, Dickinson, Port Lavaca,
46
costly trip over waters that are often dangerous, wardens will now be
Rockport and Port Isabel. Visit the TPWD website for updates and
much closer to the resources and the people they protect.”
meeting details (www.tpwd.state.tx.us).
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B y
e v e r e t t
J o h n S o n
here’S an idea for you that i Began uSing five or Six yearS ago. i rely on weedless spoons when plastics and surface plugs often resemble bad hair pieces with but a few turns of the reel handle. Spoons seem to be timeless, they have been around longer than any of us and still they work like a charm. While the design is timeless, a new spoon in saltwater seems to last about as long as ice cream on an August sidewalk. A few days in the brine and even the best of them begin to corrode and fade. Add the contents of the wade box and you can build an impressive collection of not-so-pretty lures in a short time. I know! clients. We’d been on a good school that hung in Long Lake for nearly two weeks and the catching was easy. Everything in my tackle stash was showing the signs
that’s what they were eating, why not paint my rusty spoons to look like blue crabs? and white striped spoon and calls it a crab. More likely But for whatever reason, I can assure you they work… and so do the ones I’ve dolled-up with gold, copper, red, black and a host of other nail polishes.
because they encourage creativity in support of other favorite pastimes. So if you have a bit of tinker blood in you and enjoy playing with lures, give this a try. The rules are simple, take a rusted and not-so-pretty spoon and give it a new look. Just like when you took it out of the package, it will not last very long; a couple of out will erase the sparkle, but your spoon will gain a second life and you can have fun learning which colors they won’t hit. Funny thing, I haven’t painted one the reds won’t eat but I’m working on it.
48
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field notes Seafood consumption advisories for marine
dioxin still exist in combustion of fossil fuels
dioxins. Factors such as growth rate, dietary
and wood, incineration of solid waste, and
preferences, migration habits, etc. play a
waters are not new to Texas. Beginning in the
certain chemical manufacturing processes.
role in determining the concentration that
late 1980’s consumption advisories have been
accumulates in the body. PCBs and dioxins have been found in soil,
established by the Texas Department of State
ground and surface water, air, sediment,
Health Services, Seafood and Aquatic Life
plants, and animals in all regions of the world.
Group (see attached table).
PCBs and dioxins break down very slowly in
Galveston Bay are unknown. Because PCBs
the environment and accumulate in fatty tissue,
were once commonly used there are many
The recent consumption advisory issued
potential sources. PCBs can be found in the Galveston Bay has generated considerable
animals. The amount of PCBs/dioxins found in
sediments, rainfall runoff, in leaching water
diet, and surface water concentrations. Larger,
contaminated tributaries, and atmospheric
questions and confusion among recreational anglers. Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions:
deposition. Once in the environment, they take a long time to degrade or break down. Dioxins are still being produced as a byproduct
PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are a family of man-made organic compounds
bind to sediments happen to be the most
to some industrial processes and can also be
carcinogenic components of PCB mixtures.
found in old waste disposal sites.
that have been widely used since 1929
TPWD, Texas Commission on Environmental
as coolants and lubricants in electrical
the immune system, reproductive organs,
Quality (TCEQ) and the Environmental
equipment (transformers, capacitors, etc.)
skin, stomach, thyroid, kidney, liver and may
Protection Agency recently worked together
because they don’t burn easily and are good
increase the risk of cancer. PCBs are also
insulators. PCBs are stable compounds, are
suspected of causing lower birth weights in
in the San Jacinto River, which has become a
long-lived in the environment, and can be
infants, delayed physical development and
Superfund site (http://epa.gov/superfund/sites/
found everywhere. Concern over toxicity and
npl/nar1773.htm).
persistence in the environment led Congress
The TCEQ is looking for other sources of
in 1979 to prohibit the manufacture, processing
dioxins and PCBs in the Houston Ship Channel
and distribution of PCBs. Dioxin is a general term describing a
as part of their Total Maximum Daily Load Once PCBs and dioxins have entered into an animal’s body they get stored in fat
water/tmdl/26-hscdioxin.html and www.tceq.
a long time in the environment. They are
tissue. This makes it hard for the organism to
state.tx.us/implementation/water/tmdl/78-hsc-
formed as unintentional by-products of many
eliminate them from its body. As you move up
pcbs.html).
industrial processes involving chlorine such
the food chain the PCBs/dioxins compounds
as waste incineration, chemical and pesticide
54
program (www.tceq.state.tx.us/implementation/
family of organic chemicals that last for
How much of Galveston Bay is affected by
manufacturing and pulp and paper bleaching.
that are at the top of the food web are going
Dioxins are toxic at very low concentrations.
to accumulate the greatest concentrations.
Relative to the 1970’s, sources of dioxin have
It is important to note that not all animals
minor bays associated with the Galveston
been greatly reduced, but some sources of
are the same at accumulating PCBs and
Bay system: Trinity Bay, Upper and Lower
October 2008
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Major Water Body
Date of Advisory
tpw d field notes
Lavaca Bay
1988
Houston Ship Channel
1990
Gulf of Mexico
1997
Houston Ship Channel
2001
Houston Ship Channel
2005
Galveston Bay
2008
Species Affected
All species
Mercury
Dioxin
King mackerel
Mercury
All species
Spotted seatrout,
Spotted seatrout,
PCB
Dioxin, PCB
Dioxin, PCB
Cox Bay was removed from the advisory in 2000. Please refer to DSHS web site for detailed maps of area covered under current advisory.
The Houston Ship Channel and all contiguous waters, and upper Galveston Bay north of a line drawn from Red Bluff Point to Five Mile Cut Marker to Houston Point.
All waters on the Texas coast. The Houston Ship Channel upstream of the Lynchburg Ferry crossing and all contiguous waters, including the San Jacinto River below the U.S. Highway 90 bridge. The Houston Ship Channel including the tidal portion of the San Jacinto River below the U.S. Highway 90 bridge, Tabbs Bay, and all contiguous waters and Upper Galveston Bay north of a line drawn from Red Bluff Point to Five Mile Cut Marker to Houston Point.
Galveston Bay including Chocolate Bay, East Bay, West Bay, Trinity Bay and contiguous waters.
Galveston Bay, East Bay, West Bay,
2004 and 2006-2007 included samples from
fat, side fat, and fat along the top of the back)
Chocolate Bay and contiguous waters. Maps
the following species: red drum, black drum,
before cooking. The DSHS recommends
crab. Because of this, no recommendations
rack or grill to allow fat to drip away from the
of the advisory area can be found at www. dshs.state.tx.us/seafood/.
can be made for other species. be reused. The DSHS study did not include samples
Seafood consumption advisories are
Following these preparation and cooking
beyond Galveston Bay, Trinity Bay, East Bay
designed to provide anglers with information
methods will reduce exposure to many
and West Bay and therefore, no health risk
they can use to make informed decision
of the most common organic chemical
about the level of risk they’re willing to accept from other areas. However, TPWD tagging data clearly shows that spotted seatrout
already a preferred practice of many anglers
tx.us/seafood/eatrisk.shtm and www.atsdr.
move between bays, the Gulf beaches and
cdc.gov/HAC/PHA/oakridge013107-TN/appc3.
other minor bays. TPWD is supportive of Texas DSHS in their attempts to locate
covered by this advisory there are some other
additional funding to expand their monitoring
things you can do to reduce your risk. Since
efforts in waters adjacent to Galveston Bay
PCBs/dioxins readily accumulate in the fatty to these chemicals by removing the skin, dark
56
October 2008
pdf. For more information about how PCBs/ Robinson (281-534-0101; lance.robinson@ tpwd.state.tx.us) or Bill Balboa (281-534-0110;
and in other bay systems. Sampling conducted by the Texas DSHS in
consumption can be found at www.dshs.state.
bill.balboa@tpwd.state.tx.us).
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c a p t. S c o t t n u l l
K a y a K
f i S h i n g
here’S no Such thing aS a Bad fiShing trip.
kayak and the feelings rise exponentially.
Sometimes the numbers caught don’t
about chasing kings from our kayaks since my
My good buddy Jason and I have talked
at what must be going through those waders’ minds as we disappeared from sight. For a bay angler accustomed to keying on structure the featureless waters of the near-
amount to much, but the experience of just being there makes up for it. You get to see
plans a few times. Weather, obligations and
shore gulf are somewhat disconcerting. There
something cool, explore a new place or maybe
other hurdles always seemed to abort the idea.
is simply so much water that doubt creeps into your mind, particularly while you’re paddling
have the opportunity to watch nature play out before your eyes. Then there are days when
both had a hole in our schedules, the Gulf of
with no real destination. I’ve been out there
its peak. Sometimes it’s as simple as letting
pond and recent reports had the kings close to
with past success it still takes a real leap of
the beach. Plans were set in motion and a pile
faith. I could only imagine the doubt in Jason’s mind, having never been out there, and felt
future trips. Or perhaps you just get to spend The task of preparing for a trip far from It really doesn’t matter; I always manage
shore in a kayak will really make you think hard
something good from each and every trip.
about your gear. The fact that you can’t just
his direction all I could see was an ear-to-ear
run back to the truck to get something tends
grin. We paddled on. The water changed from
perfectly. You’re out with a great friend, the
to have you wanting two of everything. The
sandy-green to emerald and then blue-green.
nature treats you to a show. These are the
after dropping your only set of pliers overboard
days that are forever etched into your hard
seals the deal on packing a spare, maybe two.
balled up and diving. As we neared the fray
drive and become the stories told around
The pile grew higher.
the unmistakable splashes made it clear we
Every once in a while it all comes together
With the truck loaded I tried my best to get
were about to get hooked up. All it took was
sure I’ll relive this experience for the remainder
some sleep knowing we had a long paddle
a cast into the melee with a soft plastic to get
of my days.
ahead of us. As usual, I woke up staring at the
the action started. On every cast a half dozen
clock before the alarm. Looking through the
Spanish mackerel would crash the lure until one
Since I was a little kid I’ve always loved being offshore. There is just something
blinds I saw Jason already in the driveway.
magical about heading out onto an open
Guess he was ready to get going too. After
kid as the silver missiles shot back and forth
horizon as the sun comes up, knowing there is
reviewing the gear list one last time we pointed
swatting the bait all the way up to the kayak.
no boundary ahead of you. The
the truck south for Galveston.
Then the school simply disappeared.
On the sand in predawn darkness were run of a high-speed predator, the slight nervousness of being
October 2008
hundreds of smacks schooled up and headed
speckled trout. We went about loading the kayaks and paddled out through waves that
materialized in every direction as far as I could
you just might not be at the
weren’t even knee high as the sun turned the
see. The next two hours were spent paddling
top of the food chain sparks
horizon pink. Once outside the third bar it
far from land, and knowing that
58
several trucks with anglers readying for
the imagination. I’ve felt
seemed only right to try our luck with the trout.
this every time our boat
All we could manage were a few half-hearted
And then it was over; almost as if someone
cleared the jetties and
blow-ups on topwater and one pencil-thin
began to head toward shore. Others took a
I hope to never lose
skipjack on a soft plastic. The open water was
break on a nearby radio tower structure. Jason
it. Now throw in the
beckoning and the sun was high enough to
and I rafted up to take in some much needed
wildcard of doing it in a
provide safe light. Time to go. I had to laugh
water and decide what to do next. The water
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was caught throwing a lure from a kayak. The day could have ended right there and
started showing in every direction. Kings were shooting through the schools and some pretty impressive spinner sharks started doing their thing. It was simply awesome watching these massive sharks clear the water and pirouette
trolled our lures and paddled hard to catch up.
K aya K
f i Sh i ng
Before reaching the school Jason’s reel started
before crashing back to the surface. For a while I just sat back and watched the
signing again and I paddled closer to get some
show. I don’t really know how long all of this
action shots.
lasted, but by the time it was over we had
I was busy snapping away when Jason
caught a good many kings and some rather large Spanish mackerel. It seemed as though
here and he’s trying to eat my king.”
the sharks spread out some during the height of the action because we were able to land our
over here ‘cause there’s two more on your left. simply felt dead. Nothing was happening at all and I was afraid the day was done. Even
Oh, and a couple more the other side of me.” The dudes in the grey suits were everywhere
There were so many cool moments. At one point I was taking pictures of Jason when I
though we hadn’t found the kings we both
and they weren’t ankle-biters either. Jason’s
looked down to see a huge shark cruising
agreed that it had been worth the paddle just to
king made a hard run that ended with a thump.
next to me. I like to consider myself pretty
experience the intensity of the past couple of
The rod relaxed for a second and then bowed
levelheaded, but this guy got my attention. He
hours. Without realizing it we’d moved several
deeper than ever. I was paddling full-out
was easily as wide as my kayak, but thankfully
miles lateral to the beach while chasing the
and losing ground as Jason’s yak took off.
not as long. The shark rolled up under my
smacks. We decided to take our time and
Somehow the shark had managed to hook
paddle and stared at me a moment before
meander toward the truck while trolling and
himself and took Jason for a ride. A couple
disappearing. I don’t know if he was sizing
hoping to run across a king or two.
minutes later the split ring failed.
About the time we got going I noticed a patch of disturbed water a hundred or so yards away. Pogies, menhaden, shad… whatever
We got back to trolling, headed towards the bait school. It was like an instant replay, only this time it was my turn. First there was the
you want to call them, they’re the candy bars
crazy fella was doing out there on his turf. Once things slowed down the sharks seemed to key on our yaks looking for a free meal. We were paddling along and trolling
of the gulf for predators. The sight of them tells
followed by a powerful steady pull. My rod was
when I noticed two of them following Jason
you it’s about to get good. Before we could
bent to the max and line was pouring off the
only a couple feet off his stern. That got me to
reel at an alarming rate. I cranked the drag and
checking my six o’clock and sure enough there
out of the water. Too cool! We arrived at the edge of an acre of nervous
let him start pulling the kayak. Jason caught up and snapped a few pictures
bait and started casting. I was locked in on the
while laughing at my yak leaving a wake.
bait and looking for a target when I heard a
Then the shark turned and yanked me straight
The sun was high overhead, the cooling
huge crashing splash. Funny, I hadn’t noticed
towards him. He was still staring at the screen
breeze was gone, and we were both worn out
any 300 pound guys doing cannonballs off a
on the back of the camera and probably trying
high dive. But that’s what it sounded like and
have to admit it was a little unnerving.
to start the long paddle to the beach. On the
it came from Jason’s direction. I glanced over and saw a huge boil right off of his stern; the
nuthin’ I can do about it. Dude, seriously he’s
again.” We will my friend, just not tomorrow.
look on his face was priceless.
going under you.”
This old man needs some rest.
He put the camera down just in time to get broadsided by a Tarpon 160. I bounced off Jason made a somewhat timid cast behind his kayak and just about got the rod ripped out
without incident and kept right on truckin’. After what seemed like forever he started circling under the kayak and I got a good look. My lure
of his hands. No kidding. Hell, I could hear the drag singing from thirty yards away. After some
then that a kayak wasn’t near big enough for me and a foul-hooked bull shark. I managed to get him reeled up to the leader and cut the line. Then it really turned on. Huge schools of bait
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it was BIG!” I yelled back.
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c a p t. Scot t Som m e r l at t e
accor ding to Scott
throughout my life i have Been accuSed of being a lot of things and even called a few names.
that I talk about old friends that I have not
in my room each one containing numerous
seen in years like we had drinks with them the
small items that I have collected over the
night before and that all of the music that I like
years that I can hold in my hands, close my
Sad to say — most of it is true and, some of it’s good, some bad but most is indifferent.
eyes and go back to that place and time. I have no idea for what reason I am this
One of the things that falls into the indifferent
way but the simple fact is — she was not
category is that I tend to live in the past.
wrong. In fact other people have accused
I never really realized it until the love of my
me of having a pornographic, oops, I mean photographic memory.
were running down the bay to the spot that I hoped would be the place that she caught her wake up the morning of a trip, look at the areas and telling stories about this and that.
calendar and the weather and then pull from
As we pulled up to the small island where I
hundreds if not thousands of memories to
was to park the boat she made a comment
decide which point of the compass I should turn my boat to once we are underway.
past, don’t you?” When I asked her what she meant she pointed out that I can remember every
Again, I just do not know where it comes from however, I do have numerous physical items boxed up which, I guess in some ways, help stimulate many of my fondest memories,
ago. She even made reference to the fact 62
October 2008
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accor di ng to Scot t Of course there are no guidelines to the items that make it into the boxes. I have just and even a few other countries in there, as well as a couple of stones picked from a
small, arrowheads that I have found while hunting, spent shell casings from memorable hunts, the tail feathers from a big ol’ greenhead stuck to a picture of Sonny, my lab, and some from my grandfather. I could of course go on and on but I am sure you get the picture. There is no doubt that our pasts shape our lives and turn us into the people we considering that all of my best memories have come from the outdoors. I mean let’s face it, if all of my very best memories include boats, rods, guns and dogs, well I guess accurate and I am okay with that). I guess my obsession with the past is one of the reasons that I started the tradition or
given to anglers over the last decade or so and truthfully, it really is not that important. However, I do know that I gave the girl remembers that special day on the water.
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ritual on my boat of giving those who catch
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a a ro n c i S n e r o S the origin of thiS Story goeS BacK to auguSt 2007 when we were on our way to
me would be my uncle Louis and my cousin, Louis III. My dad was accompanied by our the engine and made sure everything was in
friend Adrian and his son, Nick. The catch would consist of two reds, two trout, and two
organized and ready. Just when I thought to give it my best try. As we got closer to the
everything was done the hardest part had
caught a trout over twenty three inches, we
lake I started the trash talking and ended up
just begun. I found out that the mental plan
would weigh it, photograph it and release it.
challenging my dad to see who could catch
was actually harder than the physical plan. All
We had to be back at the dock by 1:00 p.m.
the most bass that day. Needless to say, he
night, as I tried to sleep, scenarios kept going
Most important of all, we could not include our
put it on me really good and was not shy about announcing it to me on the way back to the
this is supposed to be friendly and fun.� Then again this was a challenge I had started.
your daddy� became common usage between
Remembering some of my return trips from
courteous enough to wake me up. I knew he meant business when he did not wait for me. Being that he got an earlier start, I later
us. My only comeback was to challenge my where I felt very comfortable in the elements.
through my mind. This day was going to be
could see that our game plans were going to
The challenge was quickly accepted.
different. I was driving my own boat, and I
be different from the start because of where
Due to various reasons we were never able game plan. Everything I had taken for granted was now on my shoulders. I was accustomed came and we both agreed that Labor Day
all these years to my dad taking care of the
produced one keeper trout. I felt a little
2008 would be a good day to have it. We set
physical and mental part; all I did was jump on
pressure as I raced to the next spot all the time
the rules and anxiously waited for the day to come. Oh, how the trash talking had once again begun from both sides. I think you
My dad and I would not be alone. Since we were taking off in different directions we needed assistance with photography and an
he caught. My next spot produced some explosive blow-ups on my topwater and I even managed
the words that were said. 66
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i also think that’s how the phrase “who’s your daddy” became common usage between us.
cause. They drifted a few hundred yards away, yelling that Louis III was hooked up. After an hour of nothing but blow-ups I called for them to pick me up. My uncle hyped the competition by saying he had just gotten off the phone with my dad and
was not going to be my day and I could hear
dad and his crew played it like they had
mentioned that he had some big reds. I didn’t
it already, the phrase I so vividly remember
caught nothing and we played it like we had
know whether to believe him because my
really busted them up. When it came time When we got back to the dock there was
All this was playing in my mind and the pressure was building. The next stops before
to weigh the catch I saw just how badly I’d
joking going around before we opened the
been beaten. To add insult and injury to my
ice chests. I knew I had no chance but was
pride, my dad weighed, photographed, and
eager to see what my dad had caught. My
released a six pound trout. His total weight in
heading in produced the same results. Today
two reds and two trout was twenty two and a quarter pounds. My total weight was an embarrassing two and a quarter pounds in the two trout I caught. You guessed it; I was getting hammered by trash talking from every direction. There was nowhere to hide from,
jesting continued at the picnic table and all I could do was take it. I realized I had just been schooled by my dad but the most valuable of the lesson was that I gained much experience on what it takes to mentally and physically prepare for a trip. In the end, we all shared the laughter. I got to spend time doing something I love to do and, most important, I spent time with my dad. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
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67
grew up fiShing for tarpon;
Typically, prime time starts around September
the picture is that we are within sight of the
10 and continues through October when large
beach and quite often without another boat
numbers of mature tarpon migrate along our
in sight.
a bit longer than six feet and upon returning
shoreline on their way to the Tampico area for
to the farm I ran inside very excited and told
the winter. The desire to pursue them more
sense of freedom much the same as I enjoyed
Mama about this most grand of creatures I
productively and for a longer period each year
on the PINS beach before it was discovered
had caught.
was the main reason I bought the panga and
I’ll never forget the way she glared at Papa, "You have absolutely ruined this boy," she said.
While we’ve been having some really fun
rat who long ago tired of crowds, murky water and poor catches; sightcasting from
Hazel; don’t make no difference with this boy. He ain’t never goin’ to do nothin’ but
of this writing the tarpon haven’t arrived in our area yet. They are in good supply at Port
Turns out that Papa had me sized up pretty
O’Connor and farther north and hopefully if we
good. And, if there was ever a single word
can get the right conditions between tropical
only extremely productive but it is a genuine
that could make my heart jump every time I
storms and hurricanes we should be at them
hoot. I have entered a brand new world with so
heard it over the past forty-nine years it would
hard and heavy soon.
much to explore and learn, theories to prove,
be tarpon. It had already been that way for a
The panga has thus far been all I have ever wished for in a boat. It’s sure been a blessing
tarpon during the summer months, the window
To ease up to a location and see 15 or 20 ling from 35 to 60 inches in length slowly
Although we occasionally see and hook
68
conventional lures seems like paradise. And I’ll
Hurricane Dolly. There is a genuine feeling of
cruising on the surface ready to accept
correctness and pleasure that overcomes me
any offering is a wonder to behold. To start
reasonable chance to encounter them in the
chumming and within minutes have hordes
Coastal Bend of Texas is really quite small.
of king mackerel in the slick is the equivalent
October 2008
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to being a child looking at gifts under a
The challenge of pulling a four pound
Christmas tree. I wonder how many people actually indulge in the high-adrenalin activity of casting
of the platform on light spinning tackle has to be experienced to be believed. When one considers that this is a delightfully delicious
possibly one of the most overlooked of nearshore angling thrills. The huge explosions and the sight of a 20-pound plus king rise
time," has never seemed more appropriate
from beneath a topwater lure and then during the fall. in its mouth will burn deeply enough into your memory to last a lifetime. There are simple pleasures available as
There are many possibilities we haven’t even began to experiment with yet in our nearshore adventures. Species such as
well. Hooking up to and chumming from a
the Florida pompano are certainly present
nearshore platform often leads to a scene that
right now but will have to take a backseat to
makes one think he’s watching the Discovery become very common as will huge shoals of little tunny and jack crevalle. These will surface as a hundred large jack crevalle and
attract sharks in the greatest numbers and
other species swim in a slow circle deeper in
largest sizes of the year and in the fall we’ll be
the water column.
live-lining both species for massive sharks. The cooler months are the time for catching large mako sharks and we will target them throughout the winter and spring. It requires near ideal water and weather conditions in the surf to be successful with pompano and speckled trout but they should be more readily available just outside the surf line. I’ve not mentioned red snapper in state waters with higher daily bag limits and year round open season but we all know they’re out there and I’ll be available for targeting them.
what I do. What a wonderful treat to be the Upper Laguna throughout winter and spring in a seaworthy boat and not have to worry about rough bay crossings to absolutely too cool and just about as good as it gets when you throw in the surf to boot. I’ll be seeing ya’ nearshore, in the bay, or on the sand.
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m e m o ry m a K e r S
first jack crevalle firSt of all, i'd liKe to commend your team for consistently providing top notch articles and pictures every month. My family and friends enjoy reading TSF magazine all year long. My son Marcus Molina is 5-1/2 years old. For most folks, he is just just a baby. My wife's water actually broke (pregnant with Marcus)
around three. Since he turned 5, he's been able to work a popping We recently took the boat out near Port Isabel and
carolina girl turns texas angler. my wife lauren and i have Been married for a little over 2 years. Since we have been together we have shared several hobbies. However, on a hot August afternoon in Port O'Connor. Lauren is from Greensboro, NC. While she grew up spending
with my buddies and come back with all sorts of stories; some successful while many others were not. She enjoyed most all of my than an active participant.
Marcus hooked onto a 32� jack crevalle. It crashed the DOA shrimp under Marcus’ cork and started a non-stop run stripping almost all of the line on
Friday August 8, 2008. After lunch, we hit the water in my friend's
the spool. I had to start up the boat and follow the
22' Kenner. We decided to try the jetties since the water was calm and the tide was beginning to rise. As we arrived at the jetties we
the big jack and I had never seen Marcus more
noticed there was plenty of bait moving, particularly around the bay
excited. This is by far his personal best, not bad
side of the jetties.
for a kid that's about to start kindergarten. Thank you and keep up the great work.
croaker near a small drop-off. After an hour or so with little action we began to get discouraged. I was especially concerned since
Joe Molina Brownsville, Texas
Sure enough, something pretty big began to spool my wife's reel. All hands on deck, we assisted her with the initial hookset and the rest was all her! She pro. Her instincts were fantastic; she kept the rod tip up and let about 15 minutes or so we was on the end of her line, a
whipped my buddy and I reached down and
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Lauren glowed with excitement admiring her catch. I knew from the expression on her face that she was now hooked. The bull red measured 38-1/2'' and weighed 34 lbs-11 ounces. I asked her want him mounted and displayed in our home." I could hardly argue with that as our den is already decorated with bird have a new home on our wall. This was a great day for the both of us and a heck of a way to introduce a newcomer to the sport. Now all she talks about is getting the opportunity to go
memory Lauren and I will cherish for the rest of our lives.
Ryan T. Cropper
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Bimini Bay tsunami airwave rods
Bio-Bait Biodegradable lures
fishing tackle unlimited
www.biminibayoutfitters.com
www.bigbitebaits.com
www.fishingtackleunlimited.com
flywater outfitters combos
October 2008
281-481-6838
test our flywater outfitter combos at the annual fly expo at fishing tackle unlimited december 13, 2008.
okuma avenger Spinning reel
72
877-222-7429
Texas Saltwater Fishing
www.okumafishing.com
909-923-2828
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Shallow Sport Boats
www.shallowsportboats.com
956-233-9489
24’v Shallow Sport and yamaha f225 4 Stroke
Storm lures thunder-Blade
www.stormlures.com
800-874-4451
texas tackle factory wade fishing tackle Bar www.texastacklefactory.com
yeti coolers – 35qt fiberglass
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www.yeticoolers.com
Texas Saltwater Fishing
361-575-4751
512-394-9384
October 2008
73
DicKiE colBuRn
if thiS column leaveS you a little confuSed
after, but it did not do us much good as we spent the better part of a month just getting electricity. We could return to wall to wall gull action in the lake, but I do not expect that to happen at this point. I do, however,
it is because I am a little confused as well and in a panic strut. We telephone website
have prepared for landfall with
infusion of freshwater will not bother them at all.
hurricanes since the early 50's and never have they issued a
of the year should be in full swing around here. The bite at the jetties
mandatory evacuation this far
is usually winding down, but the action from one end of the lake to the
in advance. I was still tying stuff
other will more than compensate for that. The most user-friendly bite will be provided by gulls and terns working
down and gassing up generators when my wife asked if I had already sent in my monthly report. Anything
can be a challenge. The reds mixed in these schools will usually eat
around here! Because my computer has been down for a week and I have been
Because keeping your distance while working surface feeding
unable to even post blogs from some very good trips of late, I am trying to get this done on a borrowed lap top. Please view this report as an unedited last minute entry and I promise to do better next month. Our bite was really improving on Sabine the early part of last month
advantages of US Reel's 230SX spooled with 20-6 Power Pro braid. That little reel will cast a mile, sports a super drag system, and still
prior to getting six months worth of rain over a three day period. In less than a week's time, the jetties cleared and the trout really kicked it into gear again. That bite is excellent area to produce following this parade of hurricanes. The trout have disappeared in the good as I have ever seen it this time of the year. On most days we have and enjoyed catch and release the remainder of the trip. The marshes, the north end of the lake, and the river though all of those juvenile reds we waded our way through for the past two years have matured. We can only hope the bite recovers as quickly as it did with the passage of Rita. The bite was incredible the week
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looks brand new after 300-plus trips in saltwater. The no-stretch factor of the braid insures a better hookset when you have that much line out Until the better trout prove they do not want it, we will start with a Kwik Cork, two foot leader and a Sea Shad in glow-chartreuse, pumpkinchartreuse, or Texas Roach. We will almost always try other colors before we opt for another lure. I stick with the 230 SX and a CastAway
spinning combination. If the larger trout will have nothing to do with this rig, we switch to a She Dog, Catch V, or one of MirrOlure's new larger MirrOdine XL's. There will also be those days when you can simply opt for a longer Assassin shad smaller schoolies.
additional choices that have worked very well in the past are Swim Baits these lures over shallow shell in 3 to 5 feet of water can be deadly on our big trout population. I will also spend a great deal of time in both rivers this month and on into nothing short of phenomenal. They will soon be joined by some bragging
shrimp and sea shads the last two months and that is much easier than having to start each day possesses a scent that produces more bites as plastics. We already know that both BLURP and start their annual run. I forgot to mention that we have already picked up a few stripers and they usually do not show up until much later. Once again, I hope this saves you a little gas money and that we see you over here highway and I am out of here!
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we were Sitting here wondering
eaSt Bay
what Hurricane Gustav might
in Trinity. Mid-bay shell structure is holding lots of good trout and your
have in store for us a few days ago and now we’ve got Ike headed our way. Hopefully we’ll
If you’re hoping for reds, you’ll do well to mix in some spoons with the
get lucky and dodge Ike’s wrath
soft plastics. Just the same as Trinity, the drop-offs and guts around the
the same as we did with Gustav. With storms brewing in the Atlantic off Africa and possibly heading into the Gulf of Mexico the next month is sure to keep
chocolate – chriStmaS - BaStrop BayS
everyone on the edge of their seat. Fishing has been real good in general although we have not been out on the water as much as we’d like with the threats of the storms and all the crazy weather they
from behind San Luis Pass. There have been reports of trout measuring as long as 26-27 inches. It has been an every other day pattern, reports
good over the small tow heads. Wading those with spoons or the
trinity Bay There are quite a few hot spots in Trinity right now. The well pads in
the bayous with soft plastics and topwaters when working the ledges and
the middle of the bay from the Yellow Separator back to the old Exxon mainly holding right off the edge of the shell pads. We are catching them
the deep guts and bayous. Things are looking pretty good.
in about eight or nine feet of water and soft plastics have been the ticket.
Summary
Weights have been running between two and four pounds, anything are hit or miss, nothing too consistent, but fun when they show up. The
Fishing overall in the Galveston Bay complex is doing real well, holding its own so-to-speak. Anglers on the beachfront and the jetties are getting Spanish mackerel. Both live bait and soft plastics seem to be working
well pads and the reds are more plentiful here. We are catching them on spoons, topwaters and soft plastics and doing pretty well. We have deeper water near the bayou mouths and also along the adjacent guts and throwing mostly spinner baits and some soft plastic. It’s pretty cool
the best out there. The guys who have been getting out on the rocks real early are bringing in some nice trout on topwater when the conditions will allow. The best thing going on the beach front right now is tarpon tropical storms develop this could last all through September. We have way from Galveston to Freeport and the Brazos River. The guys who are on them report schools being found in about 35-40 feet of water. They
and I consider these very solid for late summer. The water conditions in Trinity Bay have been excellent over the past several weeks. We have mullet and big balls of shad. It looks like we are going to have a great fall
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octoBer and novemBer are without question two of the very best months out of the the Matagorda Bay systems, is your cup of tea. The highlights of this fall season are cooler water temperatures, higher tides, and migrating shrimp. I say it every year at this time; those outdoorsmen who opt to October and November may well miss out on some of the most outstanding opportunities of the year. With the hunting seasons open in many states including here in Texas, there will be a lot less
action in Texas coastal waters to be in full swing.
eaSt matagorda Bay previously mentioned, we will have a shrimp migration that will trigger a lot of bird activity. With our higher tides giving this bay system a especially around the full moon. Look for bird activity anywhere in East Bay from the Old Gulf Cut to Boggy Cut and all the way to Drull’s Lump
Wading the reefs and the south shoreline early in the day is a solid activity in the middle of the bay. Bass Assassins will be my prime baits but I won’t overlook topwaters under diving gulls. Topwaters will often is hot and heavy simply because most people use treble hooks on their mouth compared to a single leadhead. My advice would be to take the treble hooks off and replace them much plus you’ll also enjoy a safer and quicker release. This setup will give you a quicker casting ability while working gulls and save time. momma while wading shell and mud. Here are a few points to ponder
Trout, at least to me, seem sensitive to bright sunlight; so on a
Most of my big trout have
been caught four days before and after a new or full moon. Best weather for big trout is
an overcast day with drizzle or fog, usually before a frontal passage. Wear a good pair of
polarized sun shades because with lower angles of sunlight the glare is really bad in the fall months.
West Matagorda Bay Action in West Matagorda Bay will be close to the same as East Bay with the exception that trout tend to be smaller here. You’ll probably get your limit of 16-17” trout but you will have to work your way through catching a lot of small trout to get there. It can be a lot of fun with some hot spots to check out from the Twin Islands to Shell Island and on down to Mad Island Cut for plenty of Channel on those small reefs to the northwest. Oyster Lake and Crab Lake off
retreat to the Diversion Channel and also to the upper Colorado River if it’s not fresh. The river has saved us many times from cancelled trips and proven a viable location when forced from the bays. Like I said earlier, past experience has proven that fall is prime time for
God Bless.
well, we made it through another hot summer.
shell reefs in San Antonio are holding lots of oversized reds.
up and down for the Rat Pack.
living room.
28-inch mark. On a recent trip everyone on the boat caught and
Throughout this past summer we received much less than average
Some days were stellar in San Antonio and Espiritu Santo Bays
rainfall here locally as well as all across the Guadalupe River
and the next day my speckled
watershed. What this means to San Antonio Bay anglers is that we
friends just wouldn’t give us or our Bass Assassins a second
get when Cedar Bayou was open and every incoming tide brought us
look or the time of day.
another push of salty water from the Gulf of Mexico. For those of us
We are happy to report that our trout, for the most part, seem
throughout the bay system with trout green water and the promise of
to be running larger than we’ve
our speckled friends inhabiting all the reefs and all the shorelines. Our lure preference hasn’t changed much all summer. We are still
seen in previous years. Lately it seems the norm has become at
throwing 1/16 oz. Assassin jigs with the Bass Assassin 4-inch Sea Shad, Swimming Shiner, and the Texas Assassin. The colors we have
we’ve had more than a few days when we landed several. The many
been sticking with are roach, pumpkinseed, and drunk monkey. One very important tip to or shorelines during October is that will begin schooling much more tightly than they were in August and September. The trout will be so tight that if you don’t place your lure within a 10 ft. radius of a point or hump in the reef or a similar feature on the shoreline you may think there to keep plugging until you get your and don’t move until you have
thoroughly is something I can’t stress enough to my customers If one guy decides to move towards the area thoroughly, the school will move and the bite will be shut down for the whole group. Pay special
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a long cast than it is to creep forward and spook them, especially when wading shell bottoms. Another productive option for this time of year is to chase the birds. The I feel it would be appropriate to remind everybody how dangerous it can the birds near the head of San Antonio Bay close to Seadrift. I’ve always without protection remains a mystery to me. Foreverlast Hunting and Fishing Products makes and the way I see it they are cheap insurance. If you cannot afford the Ray Guard Wading Boot that offers stingray protection from the sole of your foot to the upper part of the calf, you try a pair of the Ray Guard Shields which sell for a great deal less and can be worn over your existing wading boots. The Ray Guard Shield will protect you from the top of your foot to the calf area. Whichever way you go you will be better mind will allow you to worry less about stepping on a until you get hit by a stingray to get religion… that would be about as smart as buying car insurance after you’ve been in a wreck.
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cliff wEBB
we have Been enJoying an exceptional year with the clear water in the
shy; they’ve been nailing the Salt Water Assassin four-inch Sea Shad. This is the one with the paddle tail and the hottest colors have been
Bay. The water temperature has
plum with the chartreuse tail and chicken on a chain. When the grass
been steadily on the rise and just
gets real thick I have been relying on the 1/4-ounce Johnson weedless
recently it has reached eighty-
gold spoons, these things have been around forever and are still one of
eight degrees which is pretty In the upper Laguna Madre, along the King Ranch Shoreline and in
much normal for this time of year. Predictably, the warmer water
the Boat Hole, the trout have been decent in size, ranging from sixteen
temperatures have slowed the trout bite. trout are hanging in the deeper outside rocks where the water has more movement and is a little cooler. The outside rocks at East Kleberg Point have been consistent with good trout and reds. Tide Gauge Bar has been hit and miss bigger trout. There has been much talk going around recently of Alazan Bay and the clear water conditions that have prevailed there. The Three
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I recently learned that alazan is an old Spanish word meaning reddishbrown. So, I’m sure that when it was originally named it was for the water with most of the water in the bay system it changes in cycles through the years. Enjoy the clear water while it’s here. haven’t been down there in a while there are now giant wind turbines along the Kenedy Ranch shoreline and south around to Rocky Slough. I am told that there are plans in the works for hundreds of these to be erected in Kenedy County. They are enormous, reaching four hundred feet into the sky. They are scheduled to begin generating energy by the end of the year.
Rocky Slough at the north end along the deeper grassline and it was good early and then slowed down with the heat of the day. Following the shore
everywhere. Yarborough Pass has had good action with small trout and a lot of big reds. The cool fronts should be arriving soon. Cooler water temperatures and the north wind will really put the bait on the move. The bait starts moving
Kleberg Point, Penascal Point and Starvation Point will really turn on. These points jut out from the shallows toward the deeper water. The points are a natural ambush area, putting the bait in direct line of the waiting fall season.
that congregate there drive them out deeper into the bay sometimes. The
forward to the cooler weather and water temperatures.
into the center of the bay in the deeper water and follow the current into
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there iS little argument that
difference, and casting distance becomes even more important where
a hurricane can mess up your recently relying on my 6’ 9” APXL1 by Fishing Tackle Unlimited when would be quick and our normal
those few extra feet count. I have also been very excited about our
late-summer patterns would still
Shimano Core reels. Paired with the FTU 6’9” green rod this combo
work; unfortunately this was not
makes for a very effective setup.
the case. Heavy rain that fell
Finding good trout milling among the shallow reds was another
inland continued to drain from the Arroyo Colorado and the
fed and often hard to catch. One of the most fun and productive
surrounding ranchland. A lot of
presentations was agitating them into taking a topwater. Something like
prime water remained horribly
a bone/silver Super Spook Jr. was usually all you needed, but at times
stained and shredded grass on
a full-sized plug worked better even in less than shin deep.
the surface remained a major problem throughout the system well
Presentation was more important than size and those who could see
into September. Areas we normally depend on proved inconsistent for several weeks prompting the move to the at this time of year. Working skinny water is not for everybody, nor is it the easiest to teach to novices or those used to blind casting to structure. Action can often be sporadic, which means it can take extra effort to earn a pull. Still, it’s one of the best experiences the Laguna has to offer and I’m glad to have been driven back there to enjoy what I have been missing. Late August and early September saw many days with very light winds, so wakes
sandy bottoms would be alive with both wash settled, they became very hard to see, especially for the uninitiated and anyone not can certainly work, but the most successful anglers can identify subtle targets and make the required accurate casts and these are the
a common lament, but once you know what you are looking for things become more obvious.
repeated stops and starts. Tails also worked but the surface action was too good to pass and the plugs stayed on the end of line much
it’s crucial to stay alert and give every small movement a chance to
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October 2008
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Deeper grassy potholes were fairly consistent producers later in the day and best baits were again well-worked topwaters and of course tails and spoons. Plastic colors varied, but plum and rootbeer on 1/8 jigs did producing excellent trout as long as some current is moving. Flounder have been surprisingly numerous of late all over the bay. Great things should happen in October. The water will continue to clear
tighter together and provide even better action as they group towards the passes. Tailing activity should increase in many areas, especially newly should also be good producers along with the all the drains and sloughs. trout over deeper grassbeds along color changes and my guess is that the mouth of our jetties as bids have been published. If so, spring tides may be quite a bit fuller next year. Let’s all hope. over the past several months our expectations are running high. Look
It won’t be long before we pull out those breathable waders announcing the
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85
fiShing on the lower laguna madre iS looking better as each week passes. Hurricane Dolly dumped a ton of freshwater
clear water is easily stirred to a muddy brown.
down our way and it has been a
Some good news is that during the months of August and September
since the latter part of July. weeks of September we found unnatural caused them to bolt out of reach. When this was the case we scattered and extremely hard
found smaller topwaters a good choice. The gentle splash down and
to pattern day in and day out. Our trout numbers have been fair to good but the majority have been on the small side. When trout were the preferred species we made our nowhere to be found upon our return the very next day. There were
best catches in waist to chest deep water. The darker plastics on a 1/8
a few reports of some decent catches during these sluggish weeks,
oz jigs continue to attract the most strikes. The number of undersize trout paints a bright picture for the future of this species and I believe
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water temperatures. Currently water temps have been hovering in the mid-eighties. Even a slight drop in water temperature can trigger more aggressive feeding. Areas you might want to consider checking out in the month of October are drains and also narrow channels between the spoils along the ICW. Areas such as these are naturally attractive to many species and usually full also anytime the wind is strong enough to push water through the area. Wind direction will determine how
structure. While casting into the wind often means tougher casting, your lure will be retrieved with the current and appear more natural moving with the current the way
last few weeks these drains have produced some nice Another pattern that should be of interest is the outer edges of grasslines. When bait is present, and the water movement is noticeable, grass lines can be good producers in the fall and also in winter. Not all grasslines contain the same bottom structure; some contain sand and shell and some have muddy bottoms. It’s the ones with muddy bottoms that
the sunsets and skylines at dusk are spectacular and a sight you must
have been doing really well for us the last couple of weeks.
experience. Imagine witnessing the sun setting on the horizon and getting into a late evening bite as your rod double ups, line stretching and drag
cruising shorelines with their backs out of the water. Muddy back bays on the west side of the Laguna will be your best bet to target these shallow water bruisers. More often than not a tiny 1/8-oz gold spoon is an offering
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87
my job. I’m one of the only people I know who doesn’t need an alarm clock.”
start picking over schooling trout. As everyone knows, when the birds start
that, we have been switching over the the large salt and pepper Sand Eels to keep them biting. The surf is good early if you are willing to take a boat ride.
though it will be winding down at the time of this report. We had to hold our breath for Gustav, but we thankfully didn’t have an impact here. Now Ike is little and wade for them. This should stay true throughout the fall. I expect the fall to be great around here. We have tons of little shrimp in the bays right now. will slow down anytime soon.
Eventually, the migrations and cool fronts will kick in some fantastic action.”
East Bay under the birds. Those looking to cull a better box under West Bay The bigger trout are often at the edges of the action. Slicks over shell in open deep well pads a little too. As we get into October, there will be more and more options available. There should be birds working in East and Trinity Bays,
wading mid-bay reefs in East Bay with topwaters is productive. Of course,
especially the east shore of Trinity and around Smith Point. Popping slicks
October is a great month to wade West Bay shorelines too. We’ll have lots of shallow reds smacking topwaters. The shallow lakes of the intracoastal can be
small topwaters like bone Spook Jrs. We’ll also throw She Dogs in chrome/
a blast too. Lots of reds on top in there, with the occasional big trout as a bonus.
chartreuse when it’s windier. When wading, I love the Flutter Jig by H&H. It’s a great tool for working soft plastics over shallow shell.”
slicks and birds has still been the drill out there. The trout haven’t been that
Inshore trout and reds have been very plentiful. Trout have been stacked up on the wells in about twelve to fourteen feet of water, hitting anything with glow on it. Quarter ounce leadheads jigged over the deep shell has been the ticket.
we should see some better trout on the shorelines. The exact location of the action will depend on where Ike makes landfall. If we get a bunch more
and have been easy pickings. Pumpkinseed/chartreuse tails and small chrome topwaters have been the go to lures. The best part of this past month has been
rain in Chambers County, it might wipe out the east end of East Bay. If that
the action around the POC jetties (about a twenty mile run from Palacios). I
Currently, Jim is also running a lot of dove hunting trips, in both the south
species; it’s neat stuff. I expect next month the bird activity to really take off.
and north zones, and reports fair to good luck. 88 88
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have never seen the water so pretty and have never seen so many offshore South and East bays should have some quality trout under the birds.
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The Laguna Madre received some needed rain in the last few weeks. All the rain was responsible for a loss in water clarity in much of the Laguna, but there
just keeping the boat on plane, along shorelines and the edges of the spoil islands by the Intracoastal Waterway. The southern end of the Laguna has been producing good numbers of trout between 20 and 25 inches, with a few reaching 28 and 29 inches. This month, I will be using Bass Assassins in bone diamond, plum/chartreuse and pumpkinseed/chartreuse rigged on eighth ounce spring lock jig heads when trying for trout. I’ll still be working along dropoffs, grass lines and potholes. For the reds, I prefer half ounce weedless spoons.
combination of a reduced crowd and dropping temperatures. It makes for
shorelines, throwing mostly topwaters early, then switching to soft plastics by mid-morning. If water temperatures moderate, I’ll bring out the Corkies a lot too. If the tides are high, I’ll venture to shorelines down south, like those in Mesquite and Ayers Bays. If the tides are lower, I’ll focus more on deep guts in and around reefs, like those in San Antonio Bay, with an emphasis on guts in which there is an abundance of scattered shell.”
sides of the JFK Causeway. There are usually schooling reds all over those the schools and sightcasting the singles and small groups is pretty easy. Also, I like to go into Corpus Christi Bay some in the fall. Shamrock Cove and East temperatures and high tides typical for this time of year.”
Dolly. Fishing is good right now. There are areas of murky water due to runoff,
almost exclusively lures in October. Shallow sand and grass shorelines in bays like Mesquite, San Antonio and Aransas will be key areas. I like to use topwaters more and more of the time as the water cools down. Of course, the Norton Sand Eels will always be at the ready, in the purple/chartreuse and pearl/chartreuse color patterns.” He mentions that bait migration patterns affect
but there are also streaks of clear water. Good numbers of trout and reds are biting topwaters and soft plastics. As we get into October, the reds will continue to be really shallow and the trout should move off the outside edge of the grass line and into shallower potholes with them. The drill for this month will mainly be to throw topwaters. I’ll be committed to them almost exclusively. The cooling air and water temperatures stir up one of the best topwater bites of the year this
marshes while the equinox tides are high. Once the tides start falling, the bait will start moving out and the predators will stack up around the passages from
much help from the freshwater runoff. We’re also set to get some dredging done up to give fantastic potential to our fall and winter.”
mullet migration will be in full swing and typically mullet will be present in a non-ending line from one end of the beach to the other. Dusky anchovies may in inside guts for tarpon, schools of 15 to 25 lb. jack crevalle, slot and oversized (skipjacks) and blacktipped and bull sharks. Live and cut mullet will produce lots as readily on baits cast from shore as on kayaked baits. Florida pompano and using peeled, fresh-dead shrimp and Green or pink tides of the year; it is therefore wise to travel during low tide periods. www.TSFMAG.com www.TSFMAG.com
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seem
At some point each day, the tide is moving enough to stimulate a bite, but you might have to stay later or work harder to be in the right place at the right time to to work areas that historically produce excellent action. We’ve been limiting on reds in shallow water throwing gold weedless spoons early or Maulers and Cajun Thunder corks trailing a Gulp three inch shrimp in glow, new penny, or nuclear chicken later. When targeting trout, we move to deeper dropoffs or potholes, but lately they’ve been hanging shallow with the reds and the occasional baby the season for large schools of reds to swarm into the bay system.”
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