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OCTOBER 2011 VOL 21 NO 6
ABOUT THE COVER October often brings a tarpon bonanza as the famed “silver kings” make their way south toward warmer waters. Joe richard share tales of Texas tarpon encounters from the Sabine to Port O’Connor – page 32.
EDITOr AnD PUBLISHEr Everett Johnson Everett@tsfmag.com vICE PrESIDEnT PrODUCTIOn & ADvErTISInG DIrECTOr Pam Johnson Pam@tsfmag.com Office: 361-785-3420 Cell: 361-550-9918 nATIOnAL SALES rEPrESEnTATIvE Bart Manganiello Bartalm@optonline.net
CONTENTS
8
FEATURES
08 Stay Interesting My Friends! 12 Trophy Dimensions 20 From Shark Pups to Tigers 24 Cooler Weather is Coming... 28 When it “drains” they pour 32 October Tarpon? Don’t Tell Anyone… 38 Indian Summer Surf Safari
Mike McBride kevin Cochran Billy Sandifer Martin Strarup Chuck Uzzle Joe richard Joe Doggett
CIrCULATIOn
Billy Sandifer Jay Watkins Casey Smartt James Sanchez CCA Texas Chris Mapp Scott null Scott Sommerlatte Jake Haddock Mike Jennings Stephanie Boyd
Linda Curry Cir@tsfmag.com ADDrESS CHAnGED? Email Store@tsfmag.com DESIGn & LAyOUT Stephanie Boyd stephanie@tsfmag.com Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine is published monthly. Subscription rates: One year (Free Emag with Hard Copy Subscription) $25.00, Two year $45.00 E-MAG (electronic version) is available for $12.00 per year. Order on-line: WWW.TSFMAG.COM MAkE CHECkS PAyABLE TO: Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine Attn: Subscriptions P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, Texas 77983 * Subscribers are responsible for submitting all address changes and renewals by the 10th of the prior month’s issue. Email store@tsfmag.com for all address changes or please call 361-785-3420 from 8am - 4:30pm. The U.S. Postal Service does not guarantee magazines will be forwarded .
42
REGULARS
4 | October 2011
Donna Boyd Donna@tsfmag.com
SUBSCrIPTIOn – PrODUCT SALES
HAVE TO SAY
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Shirley Elliott
WHAT OUR GUIDES Dickie Colburn Mickey Eastman Bill Pustejovsky Gary Gray David rowsey Capt. Tricia Ernest Cisneros
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23 Coastal Birding 42 Let’s Ask The Pro 44 Fly Fishing 48 TPWD Field notes 52 Conservation 51 Boat Maintenance Tips 54 kayak Fishing 58 According to Scott 60 youth Fishing 62 Texas nearshore and Off shore 66 Fishy Facts
72 Dickie Colburn’s Sabine Scene 74 Mickey on Galveston 76 Capt. Bill’s Fish Talk 78 Mid-Coast Bays with the Grays 80 Hooked up with rowsey 82 Capt. Tricia’s Port Mansfi eld report 84 South Padre Fishing Scene
Patti Elkins Patti@tsfmag.com
BUSInESS / ACCOUnTInG MAnAGEr
DEPARTMENTS
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rEGIOnAL SALES rEPrESEnTATIvE
06 Editorial 70 new Tackle & Gear 86 Fishing reports and Forecasts 90 Catch of the Month 92 Gulf Coast kitchen
HOW TO COnTACT TSFMAG: PHOnE: 361-785-3420 FAX: 361-785-2844 MAILInG ADDrESS: P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, Texas 77983 PHySICAL ADDrESS: 58 Fisherman’s Lane, Seadrift, TX 77983 WEB: www.TSFMAG.com PHOTO GALLEry: photos@tsfmag.com
PRINTED IN THE USA. Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine (ISSn 1935-9586) is published monthly by Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, Inc., 58 Fisherman’s Lane, Seadrift, Texas 77983 l P. O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 © Copyright 1990 All rights reserved. Positively nothing in this publication may be reprinted or reproduced. *views expressed by Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine contributors do not necessarily express the views of Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine. Periodical class permit (USPS# 024353) paid at victoria, TX 77901 and additional offi ces. POSTMASTEr: Send address changes to Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, Inc., P. O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983.
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EDITORIAL WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE
SEASON? If you could pick a season, any season of the year, three months when you could fi sh to your hearts content with no other responsibility to get in your way, which would it be? Judging from the crowds at boat ramps and the number of boats I see on the water, most folk’s favorite season would be either spring or summer. now don’t get me wrong, spring and summer have a lot going for them but, for the sheer enjoyment of being outdoors and the quality of fi shing available, my favorite will always be fall. Fishing during the fall just suits me better. Gone is the sweltering heat of summer, gone are the weak tides, gone are the days when it seems you can’t buy a bite, gone are the crowds (except maybe on weekends), and with shorter days I don’t have to crawl out of bed at 4:30 to be hooked up at sunrise. There is magic in the equinox tide, that beautiful green swell that rises in the bays and laps high along the Gulf beach. Bay waters that grow tepid and stale through the worst of summer’s doldrums suddenly become vibrant and full of life. And the fi sh – Hallelujah! – The fi sh love this season. I can understand how fi shing during winter may not be everybody’s cup of tea, still it amazes me how many folks stand their rods in the corner right after Labor Day as though it marks the offi cial close of the season. Indeed there is much to do in fall, what with football and hunting seasons underway and holidays before you know it, but I have to believe if those same seasonal anglers were allowed just a tiny taste of the fi shing they’re missing they’d fi nd a way to weave some fi shing days into their fall schedules. Some of the year’s best angling opportunity comes during fall. Pick a spot and a style of fi shing - lighted pier - shoreline wading - drifting fl ats and deeper structure - pass or jetties - along the Gulf beaches or miles off shore; the number of bites and the pleasant weather of Indian summer make for some of the best fi shing days anybody could ever hope to experience. Another great aspect of the fall season is mixing hunting with your fi shing. Dove hunting along the coast is some of the best in the state and of course our vast bay systems and coastal marshes are the seasonal home of millions of migrating waterfowl. Cast and blast as we call it can be a spectacular way to pass a fall weekend, mornings in the blind or afi eld followed by afternoons on the water, still another outstanding angle for getting young people hooked on the outdoors. If you have never tried a family fi shing and camping trip, fall is without a doubt the best season to give it a try. Watch the long range forecast, make a list and get your gear together, then head to a sandy shoreline or your favorite stretch of beach. you can’t beat October’s weather and the fi shing can be awesome. your family will love you for it.
6 | October 2011
STOry By MIkE MCBrIDE
Besides fi shing, the only other really fun thing to do in Port Mansfi eld is watching fi shing people. An interesting cast of characters usually mills about, providing plenty of entertainment, especially during summer. Much of it comes from observing what fi shermen have basically evolved to become – i.e. the “progressive” coastal angler. While in Port for yet another harrowing outdoor adventure, their more colorful antics might even resemble those of the iconic alpha male hero of Dos Equis beer advertisement fame…The Most Interesting Man in the World. Indeed, some of us have turned into the most interesting fi shermen in the world, or at least we’d like to think we have. Unless you live under a rock you’ve seen these beer commercials. Considered genius by gurus of advertising, there’s just something about the range and ridiculousness of this character that can easily make for some laughable parodies of ourselves. A middle-aged man of distinguished appearance, rugged and somewhat handsome, fl owing with stories of over-the-top adventure, heroism and chivalry, all spiced together with a resurgence of old school man-stuff steeped in gentlemanly wisdom. Loyal fans live vicariously through him, and being that the fi shing world is brimming with strong egos, it would be quite natural to assume some of his “achievements” as our own. Unfortunately there is usually a broad gulf between who we are and who we think we are; our perceived self versus our real self (kinda like that overly plus-sized person putting their pictures all over the net). Being that the myth is always greater than the man, we might be able to laugh at ourselves while sailing towards those feats beyond the capabilities of ordinary men. Here are some slightly “fi shy” parodies of things we have heard the Dos Equis guy say. See if any of it fi ts or if you might know somebody it would fi t…somebody we could dub “The Most Interesting Fisherman in the World”. “He lives vicariously through himself.” yes, he is the fi sherman you dream of becoming, always catching more and bigger than you while dodging danger and discovering new species. Unfortunately there are never any pictures as he barely escaped a very aggressive bull shark that was close to the world record by blinding it with a shock from his camera battery – or was that last time? “His reputation is expanding more quickly than the universe.” Of course it is and the internet is indeed universal. “I don’t always embellish my fi shing reports, but when I do, I prefer to do it on 2CoolFishing.com.” The problem is that he usually posts other people’s information and spots, probably yours. “He once had an awkward moment…just to see how it felt.” Of course he never makes mistakes, so it must have been truly awkward when he either ran aground, ran out of gas, or fl ooded his truck while trying to launch with the transom straps still in place - spinning the
whole rig sideways and blocking the ramp for two hours. “His shirts never wrinkle.” They never will either when you truly dress for success, but I’m interested in the fact that the less secure a man is in his fi shing skill, the more likely he is to dress like a fi sherman. We can display our worth in either application or appearance, so it’s probably best to simply wear what’s practical. The fi sh don’t care…promise. “He fought the civil war…on both sides.” And very gallantly we might add. Battled hard against lowering the limit while fi shing almost exclusively where the limit has already been lowered, but only by coincidence I’m sure. you also might fi nd him atop an anti-CCA soapbox, with a paid-up STAr Tournament ticket secretly tucked away in his billfold, just in case. “The police often question him…just because they find him interesting.” The Game Wardens also fi nd him interesting in that his navigation lights were out, boat registration expired, and strangely enough, some “extra” trout had jumped in his boat while he wasn’t looking. He is just that good! “He is left-handed, and right-handed.” Quite obvious when asked what kind of rod and reel he wants to borrow. Any answer bordering on, “Oh it doesn’t matter,” means he has to use a spinner and being fully ambidextrous can (and will) use it upside down. “He once went to a psychic…to warn her.” Because he is the most interesting, he knows where fi sh are before the fi sh do, and is always helpful to off er advanced advice even to those who fi sh everyday. In reality, unless you actually do drink Dos Equis, it is much safer to understand that the adage - Those who have knowledge don’t predict, and those who predict don’t have knowledge. “He knows Victoria’s Secret.” And he’ll tell it to anybody that will listen, especially at a bar, and especially other people’s secrets. “He’s a lover not a fighter, but he’s also a fighter so don’t get any ideas.” yes, and while passively “loving” right in the middle of your wade or drift, don’t get any ideas about saying anything because “you don’t own the bay.” Lots of guides and tournament anglers are displaying a lot of love these days. “Every time he goes for a swim dolphins appear.” It is magic as he is one with the universe, but while fi shing his immediate universe is often afl oat with undersized trout due to careless hook removals, sloppy handling, and probably because that is all he is catching. Indeed, the dolphins do love him. “When in Rome, they do as he does.” Perhaps, but in Port Mansfi eld it may be best to just go ahead and put that local toga on. Like Capt. Tricia says, “your upper coast stuff just ain’t gonna work down here.” you might want to leave those 3/8 ounce gumball jigheads and such back at the home arena. TSFMAG.com | 9
“When he talks, E.F. Hutton listens.” Only because he has to. Our man usually dominates all boat or dinner conversations with “experienced” opinion. In reality, fishing opinion is the medium between knowledge and ignorance. The more we fish the more humble we should become, as nature will teach the honest man that his knowledge is but a smidgeon of all that’s out there. And anyway…“Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something.” “His business card says ‘I’ll call you.’” And of course our man would never hire a guide, but funny how they sure like to call one for information or just flat-out potlick the spots the guide has been fishing. About those business cards, it’s also “most interesting” that the more abbreviations behind their name, the smaller the tip - if they ever DO hire a guide. (He’ll call that waitress though, right after he leaves without tipping her.) “He can speak Russian in French.” But he can’t speak Spanish in English. About blending in near the border, see “advice on language” below… There are hundreds more examples of how the most interesting man got that way…and with his great adventures also comes sage advice on random topics. (Actually some aren’t too bad.) On Life: “Find out what you don’t do well in life, and then don’t do that thing.” The bottom line is that there are some people who do not need to be guides…(or maybe writers.) On Language: “Unless our whole conversation is to be in Spanish, don’t lead off with ‘Hola!’” Do that down here and prepare to be pelted with rapid fire bursts of strange words you’ve never heard before let alone understand. On Going Dutch: “When you pay for just yourself, you usually get what you pay for.” And next time you don’t pitch in acceptably to the table, you will be paying for yourself because you are by yourself. On the Two-Party System: “The after-party is the one you want to attend.” Absolutely, and there should never be any political leanings addressed while in the boat. We go fishing to escape that stuff. On Life again: “It’s never too early to start beefing up your obituary.” This Dos Equis guy may have a strong point here. We can die boring and uninteresting, and anyone who doesn’t fish to us is indeed uninteresting, so let’s get out there and go for it. If we stick a fisherman in this commercial it really does poke at our modern day week-end warrior, plus even a few other “participants” we can chuckle at. In trying to sell ourselves we are all just another commercial anyway, and for whatever reason, fishermen are some of the most ego-driven out there with a lot to prove. Stay interesting my friends.
Contact
Mike McBride
10 | October 2011
Mike McBride is a full time fishing guide based in Port Mansfield, TX, specializing in wadefishing with artificial lures.
Skinny Water Adventures Phone Email Web
956-746-6041 McTrout@Granderiver.net Skinnywateradventures.com/ Three_MudSkateers.wmv
STOry By kEvIn COCHrAn
This monster trout would be a trophy in any angler’s book, even one as accomplished as Dr. John Gill. The Boga Grip verifi ed the specimen’s weight to be 11 pounds. not wanting to harm the fi sh by dragging it to the boat to make an accurate measurement, John estimated its length at 33 inches.
While working as a fi shing guide focused primarily on helping others catch large speckled trout, I spend time on the water with clients of highly variable experience and skill levels. These hopeful anglers have diverse dimensions in mind when it comes to defi ning their targeted “trophy”. Most hope to catch a trout meeting or exceeding some specifi c size, often depending on how many big ones they’ve caught previously. My own policies provide guidance for all in the establishment of trophy parameters. I operate with a “boat rule” related to the harvest of medium and large specks. When keeping trout to eat, we keep those from fi fteen to about twenty-two inches, but none between about twenty-two and twenty-eight inches. A client who wishes to keep a trophy specimen for skin mounting purposes (or to make a painting using the skin of the fi sh) must catch one exceeding twenty-eight inches and eight pounds. Most clients don’t kill fi sh meeting those criteria either, choosing instead to take accurate measurements with a tape and a Boga Grip and use the measurements in conjunction with pictures and/or video to generate an authentic looking replica mount. Many settle for the pictures and videos themselves as reminders of the catch. In our technology-driven world, digital images are in 12 | October 2011
some aspects superior to wall mounts as a way to commemorate the catch of a special fi sh. After all, these documents can be instantly shown to the world via youTube, on Facebook, and as email attachments, whereas a wall mount can take two years or more to return from the taxidermist. Far more people will see and comment on images of a fi sh posted online than will view a mounted fi sh hung on someone’s offi ce wall. One cool way to memorialize a great catch is to take a digital image and have an artist create a larger painting of the image. Such a painting is permanent, potentially dramatic, and it includes the smiling face of the angler and possibly others who were present at the time the catch was made. Some purists are content to simply release all the trophies they catch without taking pictures or even accurately measuring their fi sh. These folks are concerned more with the transient, personal joys of the moment than the recording of the event for all posterity. Such people know trophy fi shing, like life itself, is a journey; they consider no particular fi sh to be the “destination”. Others have diff erent purposes in mind when seeking trophies, including setting records and winning contests. Generally, people who avidly target monster trout fall into two
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For some anglers, the face to face interaction with big fish is more important than the exact dimensions of those fish.
categories--those who typically put a priority on length and those who think mostly in terms of weight. The majority of accomplished trophy trout anglers fish primarily by wading and carry a Boga Grip while fishing. Not only does the Boga make landing and handling fish easier in a less harmful manner, it also allows one to determine each trout’s weight down to the quarter pound. Measuring the length of a speck, especially an extremely long one, is not so easy, even with a rod carrying a tape measure or several marks denoting significant lengths. Holding a fish vertically next to a rod while it dangles on a Boga gives only a general idea of its length. Obtaining measurements accurate to the quarter inch requires one to stretch a flexible measuring tape alongside the trout or to place it horizontally 14 | October 2011
on a measuring device like a Check-it Stik. Carrying a tape and measuring fish while wading isn’t hard, but taking the time and effort to go to the boat and measure one flat on its side is normally too time-consuming to be practical and is often harmful to the fish. Consequently, many modern anglers think of weight first and foremost when generating dream-scale dimensions for their “bucket list” trout. For most, catching a double digit fish, meaning one weighing ten pounds or more, is the ultimate goal. For those who’ve already caught a ten or several fish exceeding ten, the bar will likely rise to eleven or twelve pounds, maybe more. A select few will settle for nothing short of the state and/or world record to satisfy their obsession(s). Most records and tournament standings are in fact determined
by weight, not length. To some extent, though, length is a better way to determine the “quality” of a trout. Specks can vary widely in weight from day to day, week to week, season to season. In cold weather, their metabolism slows down, and the undigested remains of their prey stay in their stomachs longer, so their average weight increases. In hot weather, when the metabolism of the fish is highest, the opposite is true, and the fish become slender and snaky, with flat bellies.
Mississippi angler Travis Paige was properly introduced to the Lone Star State’s trophy trout when he caught this 9 1/4 speck on his first bite ever in Texas waters!
Eggs periodically add weight to female fish too. Specimens full of eggs during the spawning season, which runs from about March through October in South Texas, will hit peak weights just before they dump their eggs. Females spawn regularly during the warm period, repeatedly growing eggs, then dumping them, so all females caught during this time are likely to have some eggs in them, though the amount of eggs and added weight will vary. The heaviest trout caught will be full of eggs, and will have recently ingested a large meal or meals. Notoriously, trout go on frenzied feeding binges. When they’re caught on plugs in the midst of those binges, before they’ve had the opportunity to digest what they’ve eaten, they sometimes weigh two or three pounds more than they otherwise would. During times like those, it’s not uncommon to catch a trout with the tail of a mullet, croaker or even another trout protruding from its gullet. Is such a glutton really a “better” fish? Catching a fish when it’s in a hyper-aggressive feeding mode is undeniably easier than catching it when it’s not; catching a fish full of eggs is purely a matter of chance. In other words, the “extra” weight of a fish is arguably irrelevant to its status as a trophy. The same old, long fish, caught 16 | October 2011
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This 27 inch specimen would not be a trophy in some angler’s minds, but it’s probably a memorable one for angler Wes Deskin, who caught it on his first outing using topwaters.
the interaction with the fish during the time it’s hooked, fought, caught and strung or released is what really counts. The rush of adrenalin and feeling of accomplishment associated with the catch of a trophy fish are fleeting, intense and addictive. That’s why I say the same thing over and over again while fishing. The truth in the statement never changes--“All I need is one more big bite!”
Kevin Cochran
Contact
outside spawning season, with an empty stomach, is essentially every bit as beautiful and significant as when it’s fattened up. Others will, of course, disagree. The personalized perception of beauty and the argument over the relative importance of weight and length enhance the mystique and status of trophy fish. According to most trout anglers, trophies measure at least thirty inches and/ or weigh ten pounds or more. For the record, most thirty inch trout (at least in South Texas) weigh less than ten pounds. I’ve been able to verify the weights of dozens of thirty inch (and longer) trout I and others have caught since we started carrying Boga Grips. The average weight of those fish, including the thirty-ones and thirty-twos, is a shade under nine pounds. All but one of the trout weighing ten pounds or more exceeded thirtyone inches in length. The fattest of the fish, a thirty inch specimen, did weigh ten pounds even. Contrast that to a thirty incher which weighed less than seven pounds, and two thirtyone inch fish which weighed under eight pounds. I definitely consider every one of our thirties to be trophy fish, based on my tendency to place more of a premium on length over weight. In addition to personal preferences and priorities, the choice of angling method can influence one’s definition of a trophy. I recall reading about a record-obsessed marlin fisherman who was hellbent on catching a Grander (1,000 pound specimen) on ten pound test line. He certainly came to define his trophy differently than most big-game anglers, even those who’ve caught and released many monster marlin. Similarly, an angler fishing for trout with a fly and a four-poundtest tippet will probably define trophy differently than one fishing with live finfish and a medium-heavy baitcasting outfit. Even the weather and location of the fishing effort can alter one’s idea of a trophy. Fishing in difficult conditions and in places where big fish are scarce can make the catch of a six pounder poignant. A spotted seatrout is a relatively small fish when compared to others swimming around in the open seas and estuaries, reaching a maximum length around three feet (or slightly more) and rarely exceeding twelve pounds in weight, though specimens measuring in the high teens have been documented. In the end, a trophy fish is whatever an individual deems it to be. For all involved,
Kevin Cochran is a full-time fishing guide at Corpus Christi (Padre Island), TX. Kevin is a speckled trout fanatic and has authored two books on the subject. Kevin’s home waters stretch from Corpus Christi Bay to the Land Cut.
Trout Tracker Guide Service Phone Email
361-688-3714 KCochran@stx.rr.com
Travis Velasco with kingfish from the PINS surf.
STORY BY BILLY SANDIFER August was one tough month for those grinding with artificials in the surf. Deathly still mornings were so hot at times it would make us nauseous and with the lack of water movement halfhearted strikes were few and far between. Then the afternoon winds would rescue us and the catching as water movement increased and trout readily hit our topwaters. Third week of August the trout disappeared and large numbers of newborn sharks and kingfish invaded the surf as they have always done at this time of year. They will stay for a couple of weeks and then new visitors will arrive for their annual visits. It is learning and keeping track of these constantly changing annual patterns that separate surf fishermen from very good surf fishermen. I’ll not miss the late August heat. I am thrilled and would like to congratulate Alberto Zerluche on his catch and successful release of a 12’ 6” tiger shark with a 78” girth off Bob Hall Pier. I BELIEVE this is probably the heaviest shark EVER caught of Bob Hall Pier. Larger ones were said to have been caught off the pier years ago but in many cases I know they were caught down the beach and taken to the pier to protect the beach fishermen’s secret fishing hole. Alberto is the manufacturer of Z’s 20 | October 2011
custom fishing tackle and creates weights and custom leaders for fishing piers, beach and jetties. This fish was caught on one of his custom pier shark leaders. His web site is zseasyfishin.com. Alberto has been advocating catch and release to the Bob Hall fishermen for a long time and they’ve been a tough crowd to turn around and my hat’s off to him. No one has figured it out yet but somehow that dusky shark Eric Ozolins placed the satellite tag on that was pictured in last month’s issue managed to shed that tag. How funny. It first started off at Yarborough Pass and then went to Baffin Bay. Guess Baffin Bay didn’t suit it so it promptly went to Choke Canyon where it hid out at a house there for several days. What a hoot! Turns out some beach fisherman found it but didn’t know what to do with it and after a few days he gave it to a biologist who gave it to another biologist who returned it to Harte Institute. Now they will have about a month’s worth of data on that shark and can then have it rehabbed and use it again. That was the last tag they had and good on the folks who found it. Five thousand dollars is a lot of money for a tag and thanks to these folks it won’t be wasted. Not a clue how it got loose. Maybe the fish scraped
it off on the bottom of a shrimp boat. No way to tell. Recently I was on a combination shark-light tackle trip and the trout fishing was as slow as it gets. I put my customers out and shortly after arriving at the bar one came back and said there’s an eight foot bull shark out there. Within seconds a sixty pound tarpon free-jumped in the first gut and this was immediately followed up by a big nurse or lemon coming up on top. In spite of my urging, the customers weren’t ready to stay in one spot yet so we drove off and left those fish and never caught a trout the rest of the day. When you hire a guide it is your hard-earned money being spent and it’s your day not his; BUT if you want to catch fish it’s well advised to depend on the guide’s judgment. Especially in a situation like that. Things like that will make or break your day. Won’t stop you from having fun but sure will make a difference in the catch. I’ve received many inquiries so I’ll mention here that my younger brother, Jimmy, died at 7 a.m. on Sunday, 14 August, 2011. His suffering had been unbearable for some time and he’s in a better place now. I went to a public meeting on the proposed Baryonyx wind farms that was held at Texas A&M Corpus Christi. I addressed them and acknowledged I knew they have been considering neo-tropical bird migration but had they considered the dangers to fish-eating sea birds attracted to the turbine structures by shoaling bait fish seeking cover there. The terrifying answer was “No, we hadn’t thought about that.” The proposed wind farms cover 60,000 acres. I specifically asked if boaters and fishermen would be allowed within these areas. They assured me Baryonyx had no problem at all with that but they couldn’t speak for the government agencies. Bet
Our camp on the PINS beach during the Velasco overnighter.
Jeff Beauchamp with a very solid kingfish from the PINS surf.
we all know what the answer to that question will end up being. The problems with wind farms have been in the news quite a bit lately but it’s only covering the tip of the iceberg. This is the biggest scam ever ran on the American and international public in a very long time. After deliberation we have rescheduled the 2012 Big Shell Beach Cleanup for Saturday, 25 February, 2012. This was done to avoid the March 1 change in speed limits on PINS. But looking back we’ve always received comments wishing it wasn’t during Spring Break so that will take care of that issue at the same time. I went back through my log books for six years and found the weather on 25 February has been better than on our cleanup dates all six years. Seems as if NPS has ran into some political problems with their policy of changing the speed limit. We’ll have to wait and see. To me the bottom line is quite simple. Is PINS a turtle preserve or a National Park for the use of citizens while protecting ALL species of wildlife? I could go on and on but I won’t, but I do know that the enabling legislation forming the park intended it for the TSFMAG.com | 21
I’m always preaching to y’all about taking emergency supplies with you so I was put in my place last week when I had a fl at and found all three cans of my Fix-a-Flat stash were so old they had leaked down and wouldn’t work. nice fella came by and I asked him if I could borrow a can from him and search as he could he couldn’t fi nd his. So check out those emergency supplies from time to time. The driving in the Big Shell just gets worse and worse every day and it will most probably continue to do so until we fi nally get some much needed rain. Driving “out front” hasn’t been possible for large stretches of the Big Shell and we just have to get up in the main track and deal with it. I’m taking Harte Institute scientists down island tomorrow with the goal of tagging twenty newborn sharks known scientifi cally as “neonates”. Once they wonder through our area the Spanish mackerel, bluefi sh, skipjacks, tarpon and various other species should show up feeding on huge shoals of dusky and bay anchovies and fi nger mullet. The next real change will happen behind the fi rst two northers of the season when the surf becomes alive with fi sh. Make sure you have some single strand wire leader material with you or be prepared to lose lots of tackle and fi sh. I’m told I am featured in the October issue of Sport Fishing Magazine for being one of the winners in their “Making A Diff erence” conservation awards in July. Life’s a Hoot. If we don’t leave any there won’t be any. -Capt. Billy L. Sandifer
use of citizens for recreation as well as to protect the resources. My real fear is that this lowering of the speed limit is only the fi rst step in limiting our access to the beaches of PInS. One thing the “regulars” have been talking about is how many long term beach users of many years we are not seeing this year. I don’t know if it is the economy or park Pr problems but I do know it’s very important to the economy of the Coastal Bend. visitors have malls, museums and parks where they live. They come here for the bays, the Gulf and the beaches.
The MOST
COnTACT
BILLy SAnDIFEr
The award I received from Sport Fishing Magazine.
Billy Sandifer operates Padre Island Safaris off ering surf fi shing for sharks to specks and nature tours of the Padre Island national Seashore. Billy also off ers bay and near-shore fi shing adventures in his 25 foot Panga for many big game and gamefi sh species. Phone 361-937-8446 Website www.billysandifer.com
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Leaning post CoVeRs
CenteR ConsoLe CoVeRs
outboaRd CoVeRs
t-top boat ConsoLe CoVeRs
Photo credit: Jimmy Jackson
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Longer-bodied and shorter-billed than similar long-billed curlew. Boldly striped crown and dark eye line also distinguishes from long-billed curlew. Coastal species preferring beaches, bay shores and marshes. Feeds by probing soft mud and sand for small invertebrates and by picking small crabs and similar prey off the surface. Present in Texas during migration stopovers - April and May, then again in September and October. Nests in the Far North.
Length: 17.5 inches Wingspan: 32 inches Weight: 14 ounces
TSFMAG.com | 23
STORY BY MARTIN STRARUP
Running a Q-Tip through the inserts in your rod guides is a sure way to detect any nicks or cracks that could damage your line.
It is hard to believe that September is nearly gone and October’s cooler water or a commercial reel cleaner that contains the proper solvents to weather is just around the corner. Okay – it’ll be a warm corner some of get rid of them. If you use hot water, make certain that you’ve rid the the time – but dang it, I sure hope the days with afternoon temperatures reel of all traces and let it dry thoroughly before applying new lube. I that soar near 100° or above are all in the rearview. really like those cans of compressed air that you can buy for blowing Those of you who will be storing the fishing tackle for the winter dust out of computers to take care of excess water. in exchange for shotguns and rifles for hunting season need to pull Check the bearings, drag washer, springs and such and make sure your reels off of your rods and do a little maintenance before you put that nothing has rusted since you last used it. If you need new bearings them away…trust me they’ll work much better when you get the urge make sure that you get some. Don’t just place the damaged bearings to head out after spots and dots again. Those who will continue fishing through the long deer and waterfowl seasons, especially if you will be going infrequently, you get no pass here, your tackle deserves a little TLC as well. A good place to start is stripping the line from your reels. If it is monofilament I recommend you throw it away. Braid is probably worth winding onto an empty filler spool you should have saved and storing for future use unless it shows a lot of wear. Place a towel on the kitchen table and tear your reels down as far as your capabilities will allow. It’s not that hard to do if you put things down on the towel in the order that you remove them. When you’re ready to put things back together you simply start where you left off and work backwards until the reel is back together. If you doubt your reel repair prowess, take it to someone who does it for a living and let them clean it for you. Oh my…why do we let this happen? It is very important to clean away all the old lubricant and salt deposits inside and out by using either hot 24 | October 2011
Changing out rusted or damaged split rings and hooks in the off-season means you’ll be ready to snag a wallhanger on that first cast next time out.
back into the reel as you’re just asking for a short day on the water if you do. After you get the reel back together put some fresh line on it if you’re going to do some fall and winter fishing; if not, leave the line off until the spring. This part about installing new line pertains to monofilament, not braid, as all mono has a memory property and will take a set from being tightly spooled for several months while braid does not. What about your rods? Any guide inserts missing or damaged, any wrappings frayed or coming loose? Check them and make sure there
are no sharp edges in any of the guides. If the cork handle and fore grip need cleaning try a wet SOS pad over the kitchen sink. Wrap it around the cork, work it back and forth, rinse and let dry. The cork should look as good as new. Have you checked to see if your waders still fit? You might laugh but if you put on some weight over the summer you may be in for some heavy breathing trying to maneuver around in them. Are there any tears or holes that you need to patch before you slip into some cold water? Check straps or suspenders to make sure they’re in A few minutes of preventive maintenance can prevent good condition and replace or repair as necessary. a nasty surprise. Clean all battery connections Check your wading belt (if you use one) and regularly and apply a shot of Corrosion-X. make sure that there are no surprises waiting for you when you put it on. Check the buckle and the stringer holster for a tight fit. Speaking of stringers, is yours ready for another season? Check the knot at the float and take a look at the spike for any problems. If it needs sharpening, you can use a grinder to put a point back on it, but be careful you don’t grind too much off. How about those wading boots and stingray protection? Do your boots need serious attention or even replacing? Don’t forget to oil the zippers liberally before storing to prevent them seizing up with salt corrosion. Are your lures in tiptop shape? Replacing hooks on your plugs during the off-season can save you some “dang its” on the water. Check TSFMAG.com | 25
If it has a zipper it needs thorough rinsing and drying followed by a squirt of penetrating oil before storing.
the split rings too and make sure that they are not sprung or rusted. How’s the paint job? Does it still rattle? If a noisy bait has gone silent, try removing the hooks and bumping it on a hard surface to loosen the rattle. Don’t hit it too hard as you can crack the body and turn an expensive topwater into a waterlogged bottom dragger. Go through your soft plastics and make sure that colors haven’t bled together. Sort them out and ditch the torn and chewed. Most of us have way more soft baits than we’ll ever use and, if you’re like me, some you’ve never used and likely never will. While you’re checking the soft plastics you might as well go over your supply of lead heads. Make sure you have a good number of each weight and hook size that you use and check the sharpness of the hooks. A little touch-up of the points will go a long way towards more hookups. How about cold weather fishing clothing? Check to make sure that your favorite wading jacket still fits and that the zipper works, the hood is still attached and that it will do what it is suppose to do…keep you dry and warm. Make sure your insulated underwear still fits. Check your boat and trailer for the following: If you’re putting the boat away for the fall and winter make sure to add the recommended amount of fuel conditioner and that you have run the motor long enough to get that conditioner through the entire fuel system. For those who will fish periodically through the cooler months; I hope you’re already running a fuel conditioner. If not you really need to take of it right away. Ethanol is no a friend of outboard motors. Hit all the fittings on your outboard with the grease gun, especially the steering arm. Check the spark plugs, better yet just go ahead and replace them if they’ve been in there a full season. Rinse everything under the cowling and spray liberally with electrical component grade silicone.
Check the springs and hangers on the trailer and make sure that the tires are in good shape. When was the last time that you replaced the bearings on the trailer? As a rule I change the bearings on all four wheels every other year and they are greased after every trip. Check the winch and tie down straps for wear. It might be a good time to replace your water pump whether or not you’ll be using the boat this winter or not…I change mine every other year or sooner if there is a problem with water pressure. The main thing is to make sure your equipment is in good condition before you put it away or before you continue to use it. Proper inspection, proper maintenance and TLC for the tools you use will help insure that you get to the ramp and back when you want to. Be Safe, Martin
If reel maintenance is not your favorite pastime, take it to a professional such as Joey Ybarra at Fishing Tackle Unlimited.
26 | October 2011
Martin Strarup
Contact
Pull the prop and grease the splined shaft. Reinstall prop to proper torque specs and make sure the locking device on the nut is in good repair. Check the kill switch system while the engine is running on the hose. Check your batteries to see if they’re holding a charge and if not, replace them. Three years is about all you can expect from wet cell batteries. Gel cell batteries will usually last at least five. Check to make sure you have all of the drain plugs and that all of your emergency equipment is up to date and in good condition. Did you damage any PFD’s over the summer? Throw them out and replace them if you did.
Martin Strarup is a lifelong saltwater enthusiast and outdoorsman. Martin is also a collector and dealer of vintage fishing tackle and lures, especially those made in Texas. Email
Trouthunter@swbell.net
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STORY BY CHUCK UZZLE It is said that P.T. Barnum’s crew would quietly post signs at the ends of the bleacher aisles under the big top as the show was winding down. The signs read; “This way to the great egress.” The story goes that the stage crew was always anxious to get rid of the audience so they could prepare for the next event. And of course there was always some number not in a hurry to leave and that’s where the signs came in. The hapless rubes would read the sign and stampede the exit, already outside the big tent by the time they figured out what egress meant. Well like Barnum’s great egress, the first hint of north wind will usher all sorts of life through the Sabine marsh “exits” and out into the open lake. Shrimp, shad, mullet and just about everything else that lives in the marsh will be escorted by the falling tide where plenty of 28 | October 2011
predators will be waiting to greet them. These areas where the flow manages to leave the marsh and backwater regions range in size from broad sloughs and bayous to tiny ditches and wear the common moniker – drains. Sabine Lake and Calcasieu fishermen for as long as I can remember have utilized these marsh drains like very few other bay systems. These egress lanes from the fertile marshes offer fishermen an opportunity to take advantage of concentrating on the fish they are chasing since there are only a few ways in and out of these expansive areas. During the fall months you can witness the carnage as white and brown shrimp just get pounded by everything from speckled trout to largemouth bass as they dump out the protected water. Smart anglers will often use this to their advantage as they anchor up
Note the eddies forming behind the rock weir, lots of opportunity here.
and let the good times come to them. I can honestly say some of the most fun I have ever had while fishing came as I was on anchor at the mouth of one of the many bayous that dot the landscape of Sabine Lake. My good friend Sammy Nolan who passed away several years ago would come down to just “buddy fish” with me in the Sabine River where nine times out of ten we found ourselves on anchor pitching our baits into an outgoing tide and loving every minute of it. The sheer numbers of fish that gang up in these areas can be mind boggling, especially if you catch the conditions just right and find the spot where all the fish will stage. You can’t just run up to any drain and expect fish to just start jumping in the boat, no sir. Boat placement along with lure or bait presentation are still very critical factors. I had the importance of both of those points shown to me many years ago by TSF’s own Dickie Colburn. It is very safe to say that there are not many folks who have logged the hours on both the Sabine Lake and River probing all manner of underwater locations and patterns like he has. On this particular trip we set up on an underwater point where a herd of
redfish had been holding for a few days. Our initial set up was off the “X” by about 20 yards so we never got the first bite. Being young and impatient I was ready to head out for another location when Dickie picked up the anchor. Instead of leaving we repositioned the boat on the opposite side of the point and immediately began to catch fish on virtually every cast. That small adjustment taught me a huge lesson, the difference between being a hero and a zero is often smaller than most folks realize. Since that day I have seen countless anglers pull up on different areas, be off by a boat length or two, and not have any idea how close they were to a fantastic day on the water. Knowing your location and being able to read your electronics is crucial but having the willingness to search out these areas is even more important. Unlike the underwater nuances that are much harder to find or spot, these drains from the marsh are relatively easy to read. Current breaks like rocks or other structure that offer fish protection from the current or a place to ambush prey are keys to success. I saw this first hand as I watched in amazement while scuba diving in the Caribbean. TSFMAG.com | 29
A focused drain angler intent on finding a seafood dinner.
A pack of snapper sat in the eddy formed by the current going over a reef; I mean there were so many that you couldn’t get another fish in there if you tried. I often think about all those fish huddled in one small space when I fish the deeper water of the river and Intracoastal, knowing full well that in certain areas the trout and redfish can be
30 | October 2011
that thick as well. Now as we make our way into the last quarter of this year the opportunities for taking advantage of these marsh drains will increase with each passing cold front. The first ones in late September and early October will turn Sabine Lake on like a light switch. Plenty of
Another angler often seen in and about the drains when they are pouring out the year’s best opportunity.
big pushes when the water empties out are almost like national holidays for some folks. The thought of sitting on your own dock and letting pounds and pounds of shrimp drift into your net while you watch is about as good as it gets for some. For many anglers the fall means diff erent things. For some it’s the fl ounder run, for others it’s the crazy schooling action under the birds or some other time-honored pattern. regardless of which category you fall into these marsh drains are a vital part of the program. Learn how to fi sh them correctly and take advantage of them because they will certainly make your time on the water much more successful.
schooling action will be available as tons of shrimp will hit the lake. Most folks know when it’s about to happen as the shrimpers begin to stage up in the bayous and surrounding waterways. you can bet the folks in Louisiana will have the butterfl y nets ready to drop when the marsh starts to empty, the amount of shrimp brought in on some of the docks at a few duck camps will blow your mind. Those fi rst
COnTACT
CHUCk UZZLE Chuck fi shes Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes from his home in Orange, TX. His specialties are light tackle and fl y fi shing for trout, reds, and fl ounder. Phone 409-697-6111 Email cuzzle@gt.rr.com Website www.chucksguideservice.net
TSFMAG.com | 31
STORY & PHOTOS BY JOE RICHARD
Texas tarpon love the huge drop in angler effort each October, and can be found rolling at the jetties, cruising green surf, gorging on migrating baitfish before winter arrives. Likewise, for the tarpon faithful, it’s Heaven having your own tarpon school, watching greedy fish bigger than porpoises chasing lures to the boat. Glance around and nada, not another boat in sight. Summer’s crowd is mostly gone, returned to their own autumn rituals. Boats are in storage, football stadiums jam-packed and a million bags of corn roll down the Interstate, bound for deer leases near and far. Meanwhile a few of us are fighting these amazing fish of a lifetime, sometimes in weather cool enough for windbreakers. We’ve caught plenty of October tarpon over the years, even landed a triple-header while listening to baseball’s world series on the boat radio off Port O’Connor. All four rods bent double with big fish that somersaulted and crashed around us, though one eventually tossed its circle hook. With only two anglers on our boat, we had a problem. Somehow everything held together and we landed all three. I got mean with the first fish and released the 90-pounder in record time, 32 | October 2011
then pulled anchor and let an incoming green tide carry us into the bay. My second fish, estimated at 120 pounds, took more time; he a patient beast resting out there at 100 yards, keeping the rod doubled over for more than 20 minutes before I could grab it. Oh, man….this party was just starting. I wrenched the rod out of the gunwale holder and wrestled with number two. We drifted along, cranked and gained line, sunset came and went. The north breeze grew chillier, with a cloudy overcast. Around us in pitch darkness were huge splashes, tarpon wallowing like hogs, showering menhaden or mullet by the hundreds…Finally my second tarpon was alongside and I grabbed the leader with gloves, hung on until he calmed down, then released him. Two down and one to go. This biggest tarpon led us further into the bay, then eventually sulked 20 feet deep in Saluria Bayou, saving her strength, jumping only once. It was a huge tarpon hooked on 30-pound line and our lightest rod and it sorely tested Miss Amy, who for the longest time had perhaps only 20 wraps of line left on her spool, until I cranked the outboard and followed. It was like trying to raise a big shark on light line. Around 10 p.m. its huge bulk finally
Bruce Ungar attaches a satellite tag to a Matagorda Bay tarpon estimated at 175 pounds, after measuring girth and length.
appeared with the aid of our Q-beam, swimming ponderously four feet below, pacing us with a broad tail. After several attempts I was finally able to hang on to 200-pound mono leader with both gloves. Measuring seven feet with a thick girth, it was possibly a state record, but released to fight again. By the time we navigated back to POC in skimpy windbreakers we were cold, tired, hungry and ready for refreshment that would seriously fortify, shall we say, any Scotsman. A tarpon triple-header on a late October night? Get out of here! Or in the vernacular of our times today: Shut up! Year after year, autumn tarpon action was outrageous, and our command post for a half dozen years was Jimmy Crouch’s rustic rental mobile home in Port O’Connor, two blocks from Matagorda Bay. On his porch at mid-day there was tackle to mend, baitfish and chum to sort, boats to clean---all while Crouch, POC’s unofficial mayor, held court and offered sage advice. (He now has a bigger trailer in the same spot, with more tales to tell). My tarpon-hunter friends from Port Arthur became quick believers in October tarpon on their first trip to POC when I took them on an
all-nighter, anchored in Pass Cavallo in my 23-foot SeaCraft. It was a dark-of-the-moon night with an incoming tide: Every time we dozed another reel howled, followed by a big splash nearby. Soon all three of us had landed good-sized fish in the 100-pound range. We stowed away tackle to grab a few hours sleep. From then on, the tarpon crews returned each October, staying five days or longer, racking up big scores, making two trips each day split by a peaceful siesta. Our technique was simple enough: Castnet live mullet, croaker, menhaden, sand trout, anything in the six to 10-inch range, and pin a 16/0 circle hook through their lips. Fish on top and bottom in the deeper parts of Pass Cavallo. Often we ran out of bait, thanks to bull redfish that covered us up, or marauding jack crevalle (averaging about 22 pounds) that would hammer every rod on the boat, leaving us baitless when tarpon finally appeared… The pass has sadly shallowed since then with the big jetties nearby robbing it of water volume and flow. (Widening the ship channel from jetties to the Alcoa plant far across the bay might well finish historic Pass Cavallo). TSFMAG.com | 33
Bruce Ungar encourages a nearby boat hooked up during the Tarpon Tomorrow tournament held out of Port O’Connor.
But tarpon are opportunistic and still around. Today they’ve shifted more to the big jetties, just like at Aransas, Mansfield and South Padre. They also school along the coast in 10 to 30 feet of water (like always) on their migration back to Mexico. They’re also in deeper bays; monster fish scattered over miles of open water, though fewer in number, requiring different tactics: Set up a drift with multiple lines and watch the horizon for one or two rolling tarpon, often just a brief white flash. If you spot fish, ease upwind and deploy the lines again. You just might hook up with the king of the bay. Fishing two years ago with Scott Alford during his Tarpon Tomorrow tournament made me a believer in finding big bay tarpon. Within three hours we landed a fish weighing 175 pounds, a feisty one that soaked Victoria tarpon guide Curtiss Cash and bloodied the ear of tarpon tagger and fish scientist Bruce Ungar from the University of Miami. These big puppies are best tagged and released while still somewhat energetic (and certainly not limp in the boat, a wasted fish and tag). Doing so makes it more of a contact sport; Bruce also broke a rib an hour later on wet fiberglass 34 | October 2011
during another running battle. However, salvation soon arrived when two babes from a nearby center console plied him with small pills that worked like magic. He was soon grinning wildly for no reason and shouting encouragement at nearby boaters who were hooked up… By then we were two miles off the coast, where contestants had found a migrating tarpon school averaging about 80 pounds. They called
Closeup of a home-made Coon-Pop lure. Hook is cut off with bolt-cutters, and big circle hook attached to hook’s eye with tie wrap or wire.
Satellite pop-up tag in the back of a big tarpon. These tags eventually detach and float, and their data (depth and GPS) can be uploaded into a computer.
in the cavalry and “Coon-Popped” the school, and several boats soon flew six or more tarpon release flags. The calm August weather helped. Our early tarpon successes meant simply anchoring and live baiting. In retrospect we should have also tried prowling the coast, pulling a spread of Louisiana-style Coon-Pop lures, but in those years we were happy with results; we were fishing close to town where the 100-pounders bite and a cheeseburger was minutes away. For slow-trolling offshore it’s easy to make your own Coon-Pops; check out the examples shown from Scott Alford’s boat. Scott runs his tag tournaments each summer out of Galveston and Port O’Connor, finishing up this year on Oct. 1-2 in POC. Only the largest tarpon are tagged with expensive satellite pop-up tags, however. When a tag finally detaches and floats ashore, it’s retrieved with a tracking device. Sometimes a tag washes into mangrove trees and is difficult to retrieve. One was inside a home in coastal Mexico, where the owner freaked out when a gringo knocked on his door, asking for the tarpon tag inside… Late-season tarpon certainly seem bigger, often the last migrants heading south for the winter. Indeed, the current Texas record of 210 pounds was caught in October off the Galveston Fishing Pier (of all places) by Jeremy Ebert of Deer Park. That’s an outstanding catch and record, when you consider how hard Texas tarpon guides with good tackle and boats have pursued these fish for the past 30 years. Any dedicated pier rat would give his left thumb to catch the Contestants in the Tarpon Tomorrow tournament subdue a tarpon in murky Matagorda Bay.
TSFMAG.com | 35
next state record tarpon. Ebert’s tarpon bested the long-standing record by mere ounces, another 210-pounder caught in November, 1973 at South Padre Island by famous tarpon hunter Tom Gibson of Clear Lake. Gibson earned a few IGFA records along the way, prowling far from home, even West African coastal rivers where 300-pounders lurk like creatures from mythology. Landing a big tarpon isn’t easy, because they’re strong and sometimes crazy. But then what? Of all the big tarpon we caught out of Port O’Connor, we never considered hauling one back to the dock. For almost 20 years, leading up to 2006, anglers were required to carry an expensive “kill tag” to harvest a tarpon, saving countless fish. Permit or not, we weren’t about to kill one of these shiny beasts hoping for a record; it seemed unthinkable. Today Texas anglers are allowed to keep tarpon reaching 85 inches in length, on the assumption it will probably be a new record. (A 286-pounder landed in Africa was 90 inches long, with a thick girth). I’ve seen a half dozen Texas tarpon that might have been state records, but were either lost after long fights, or unhooked and released in darkness. Today, if I was seriously looking for the next state record tarpon, I’d use sturdy tackle, big baits and fish only in October/ November. Hmmm…
Tarpon guide Curtiss Cash of Victoria takes a bath while leadering a huge tarpon. That’s tarpon guy and tournament director Scott Alford in the green shirt.
Tarpon exceeding 100 pounds explodes from calm Matagorda Bay...it’s great catching tarpon in water so calm, your drink never spills.
Amy Richard lands a smaller tarpon along Matagorda Island, for longtime friend and POC resident Marilyn Giessel.
(above) Home-made Coo n-Pop lures ready for the water on Scott Alford’s boat. He uses wire lead er in case a blacktip shark comes calling. Dull, dark circle hooks are considered best by tarpon experts; they’re dull and set tle fully over a tarpon’ s lip before digging in like an old-fashioned can opener . Sharp hooks dig in mo re quickly and may grab onl y a pinch of lip.
36 | October 2011
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STORY BY JOE DOGGETT
Wading the surf is a Texas classic. The open beach is accessible and inexpensive and, when a green tide is swelling onto the sand, the light-tackle fishing can be outstanding. Problem is, the open beachfront is really hit or miss, the most fickle of all inshore venues. And it can be most inconsistent during midsummer, the traditional vacation season. July and August often are plagued with prolonged spells of sandy water. This especially is true along the upper and middle coast. Recurring winds from the south and southwest blow side-shore, hitting the sandbars at odd angles and stirring the sediments. The same winds tend to push water out, creating lower-thannormal tides - seldom a good thing for the beachfront wader. Hot conditions can be another negative. When inshore water readings climb into the upper 80s, the prime window for fishing usually occurs during the first two hours of daylight. Once the summer sun gets high, the action tends to move to deeper water. This pattern puts a premium on the dawn patrol - and the dawn patrol (at least for urban traffic) demands a brutal alarm clock. And, perhaps the ultimate irony, the surf can get too calm during the dog days. A sustained run of dead-flat, low-tide “frog water” seems to discourage active feeding within reach of the beach. 38 | October 2011
No doubt, the summer surf can provide flurries of outstanding fishing, but the “ice cream” days can be the exception rather than the rule. What many anglers relatively new to coastal fishing may not realize is that the Indian Summer of early fall is prime time for beachfront fishing. Several factors support this statement. First, the weather patterns are more favorable (well, barring the arrival of a tropical storm). Wind often is from the “sweet southeast,” or light offshore behind an early-season cool front. Both encourage “trout green” currents to linger. Also important, tides often are strong - on average, higher than normal pushed by the prevailing wind and the influences of the autumnal equinox. Even behind the weak northers, the offshore flow seldom is sufficient to trigger significant drops in water levels. Any dips seldom last long. And, as stifling summer heat relaxes and the calendar days shorten, coastal water readings begin cooling. The early-season fronts help the process. Surf readings in the low 80s to high 70s hold into October unless something really out of the ordinary happens. The combination of strong tide, fishable clarity, and tolerable temperature opens the entire day to productive fishing. An early-
afternoon session can be as good as the dawn patrol - assuming a rich incoming flow is swelling onto the sand. This all-day potential offers another option: Early fall is the best time of the year for family-type outings. This casual drive-to fishing is available all along the Texas coast. A great treat is cooking your catch right on the open beach. You can wade and the younger kids can soak “fresh dead” in the first gut. With any luck, the combined efforts should be able to grease a skillet. Worst case, you’ve got backup hotdogs. The serious campaigner might tote a big rod or two and bait with finger mullet or cut mullet. Early fall is dead center for surf runs of “bull” redfish. Not to mention jack crevalle, tarpon, and various inshore species of sharks. Try to key on a stretch of beach with deep inshore “guts,” or channels between the parallel sandbars. The trenches encourage the heavyweights to ride close. Incidentally, if you are serious about the big stuff on the beach, read Billy Sandifer’s regular articles in Texas Saltwater Fishing. He’s a real pro in this specialized arena. I must admit I’m not the world’s biggest fan of beach camping. I’ve done it on occasion (mainly years ago on remote Gulf beaches accessible only by boat) but favor a hot shower, an A/C, and clean sheets. But if that’s your call, it doesn’t get any better than October. Teaming with another vehicle provides security and safety during an overnight expedition; if nothing else, the additional manpower and horsepower can be wise insurance against soft sand. But with reasonable caution you can camp without issue and in tolerable comfort - or enjoy a full day then retreat from the beach and hope that Tom Bodett of Motel 6 fame left the light on for you. As another plus for the family outing, traffic is reduced following Labor Day. I’m not claiming the beach is deserted, but hunting seasons, school/sports activities and social obligations do reduce the
congestion normally associated with summer weekends. One warning: On the backside of a light norther, be prepared for mosquitoes being blown from the saltgrass by the offshore wind. Several angling options are available, but wading with “trout tackle” is the main event. Both lures and live baits are effective. Either way, the grab-bag potential is excellent during the mild weather of Indian Summer. Anything with an inshore passport is apt to swing within range. In addition to the A-Team lineup of speckled trout, Spanish mackerel and redfish, the “usual suspects” include flounder (especially near passes during the fall migration from bays to beachfront), skipjacks, bluefish, croaker, sand trout, whiting, black drum, gafftop catfish, pompano, on and on. Down south, maybe even snook. And, to keep things interesting with the light trout rod, “something big” might clamp on; if a six-foot tarpon erupts on a 52M MirrOlure, about all you can do is hang on and holler. It’s hard to whip a full-blown tarpon while standing flat-footed in the surf; a flimsy terminal connection will fail or you’ll get cleaned when the fish gets the line over a shoulder and heads for the open Gulf. Great fish story, though. The live-bait specialist usually rigs with a popping cork or rattle-type cork. The float serves two advantages: First, it provides additional weight for confident casts across the wind and surge, second, it suspends the bait (usually a kicking brown shrimp) about midway in the water column, above the bottom-hugging riff-raff such as hardhead catfish and stingrays. Spoons, jigs, and plugs all are effective. Keep in mind that reaching out and covering water can be a big plus in the open surf, so use a suitable payload that will cast with authority. Remember, also, the surf wader usually must chunk into the prevailing onshore
Scott Sommerlatte photo
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Scott Sommerlatte photo
wind. You might gain a slight angle (usually by shuffling left-to-right against the east/southeast), but it’s still more demanding that the downwind cast afforded the bay wader or drifter with the barrier dunes at his back. Last month I championed the spoon, and I stand by that statement - especially out on the third bar. No trout-type lure whams into the wind as well as a compact metal spoon. Many bigtrout specialists favor mullet-imitation plugs, and the soft-plastic tails are excellent for grab-bag duty. But, to reiterate, when extra yards into the wind matter, nothing this side of a Nosler bullet will
outgun a proper spoon. Use some sort of leader when casting lures in the grab-bag surf. The breaking surf seldom requires a finesse approach. The water is turbulent and the fish are in a killer mode. A 30-pound monofilament “shock leader” or a short length of brown wire will minimize cutoffs, especially when mackerel (sharp teeth) or ladyfish (sandpaper jaws) are on the tide. Also a thought, throwing a loop knot into a three-foot mono leader allows you cheat and rig two jigs tandem. Stagger the jigs to minimize tangling during the cast and amid the waves.
Scott Sommerlatte photo
40 | October 2011
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floater” guts are located. When it all looks the Joe Doggett photo same on a flat day, finding the outside bar can be a toe-touching gamble. Maybe under high sun you can see the shallow bars, but don’t be fooled by shadows. It’s a rookie mistake to chase a retreating cloud and overshoot the outside bar. Keep going, and the next firm footing will be the terrace of the Riviera Hotel in Havana. I’ve been there; it’s a nice place to relax, especially with a glass of dark Havana Club and a Montecristo No. 2, but I don’t recommend swimming. No kidding - pay attention when wading the surf. The open beach can be an exhilarating and rewarding fishing experience, especially during early fall, but don’t get in over your head. Respect the breaking waves and powerful currents and, oh yes, if you want the outside bar (and sooner or later every surf wader does) always wear a flotation vest. The pockets are handy for stashing tackle and the snug insulation helps cut early chill; most important, if you lose the bar the vest might spare a very bad time. They don’t call it a “life jacket” for nothing.
The Record Setters ®
The RIGHT TOOLS to Catch’em!
Pam Johnson photo
On the subject of waves, “flat” days can be the exception during early fall. October is one of the most consistent months for surf on the Texas coast; the nearest surfer will support that claim. This apparent contradiction may require explanation. The surf may be breaking on a given day but the water clarity often is fishably green. This is because the swell typically is generated by the prevailing onshore wind. The waves hit the bars at a clean angle. Don’t be discouraged if several rows of breakers are showing - assuming the lifting swells beckon with that gorgeous trout-green sparkle in the morning light. The waves can be your strong ally. The rolling surf pushes more tide onto the beach and the recurring whitewater provides “cover” for predators moving close. The turbulent foam also oxygenates the inshore water. And, a big plus, the savvy wader can use the consistent pattern of breaking waves as a roadmap; pay attention, and you know exactly where the shallow bars and “hat
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Much of October’s pattern changes will be delivered by fronts from the north.
J A Y W A T K I N S
ASK THE PRO
It is true that as we grow older the days seem to fly by. drop that the predators in the system start to jockey for Seems like only yesterday I was putting away my waders position. This movement is about the only thing that I have and looking forward to days when wet wading the warm found to be the least bit predictable during the month waters of the middle Texas Coast would require only my of October. By November it will be wide open in my bay wading pants and a fishing shirt. As we enter into October system and limits of trout and redfish will many days come I now find myself making ready the Simms waders and with little effort but that is another story. The story line foul weather clothing in preparation of the first cold front right now is how do we figure out where the fish are going of fall. So it’s true, time flies when you’re having fun. to be on a consistent basis. I guess the first thing one No doubt we have had a hot, dry summer along has to know is where the fish are prior to the oncoming the entire Texas Coast. We have had little relief from the drought conditions but I am hopeful that approaching low pressure systems from the north this month will aid in bringing our drought conditions closer to an end. October is a transition month and that means fishing will be extraordinary at times and then down right lousy at others. Any time we have significant changes in weather patterns, the patterns of the fish will change as well. Sometime we zig when they zag so misses should be expected as the weather patterns transcend from one season to the other. The signal of the Working the sloughs that connect backwaters to the change is what excites me. I know that as the days bays places you along the banks of fish highway. grow shorter and temperatures slowly start to 42 | October 2011
weather pattern change. In the months previous to October’s changes, weather patterns are stable and are typically very hot with minimal wind to start most days. In 2011 we can add to these existing conditions, severe drought as well. This complicates matters due to added stress on our fish populations. Trout and flounder seem to exhibit the most negative reactions to these conditions from my observations. Predatory species are just not as active or predictable when we have severe heat coupled with higher-than-average salinity levels. Freshwater entering the bay is essential to the overall well being of just about every living thing in our bay systems. When it is dry, we hurt. So the answer to the WHERE ARE THEY question I raised so many lines back is along deeper drop-offs with good structure adjacent to NIGHTIME FEEDING areas. The cover of darkness brings with it a drop in surface water temperatures which in turn relates to increased oxygen content. These changes along with a decreased strike zone due to shallower water makes for optimum feeding conditions. Add some moving water and bright moon and these areas literally come alive. As the sun rises, so do the water temperatures and off go the predators to seek refuge in deeper, darker, cooler water. This area must have some bottom structure much like the shallow feeding area that lies close by. As fronts approach and the signal is sent that change is coming, baitfish start to migrate out of the shallow backwaters to the deeper, faster moving water. Baitfish need strong outgoing tides to aid in carrying them to the safe haven of deeper water. This action results in a reaction from the gamefish in the area. They now move into positions out in front of these drains as well as in the drains themselves. It is a meeting that both anglers and predators have waited for the entire season. Fish catching gets as good as it ever gets during hard falling tides. This is especially true when a 10° or greater drop in air temperatures is added into the mix. If you pay close attention to where you were catching fish in September, you’ll probably realize that there is some kind of shallow flat with a slough of some size feeding some portion of backwater in close proximity. I am a firm believer in finding where fish live then working out the details of where they move to when conditions change. I guess one would think if you know all this stuff how could you miss. Well, the answer to this is quite simple. You miss if you do not change your approach when the conditions revert back to more summer like conditions. October fronts are typically few and not severe temperature droppers. Most are followed by fast warm ups and a return to prevailing SE winds. This is yet another change and not one that is usually favorable for providing the fish with easy feeding opportunities such as were presented during the frontal passage. Fall is all about eating enough to put on a fat layer for the tough times that lay ahead in winter. When conditions are not right the fish simply move back to the offshore drop and wait it out until the next weather change. We are then forced to go back to summer-like thinking in order to put ourselves in a position to continue to catch fish. If I did not have to fish in-between fronts I guess I would not have to worry about any of this. October is one of our busiest months due to the cooler temperatures and just a good time to be outside and on the water taking in all the glorious sights we have here on the Texas Middle Coast. Our fishing as well as birding is hard to beat and that is for sure. May your fishing always be catching. -Guide Jay Watkins
C o n tact
Trout and redfish will trade between the deeper drop-offs along bay shorelines and backcountry as the fronts come through and then return to the deeper structure as the weather becomes summerlike once again.
Jay Watkins has been a full-time fishing guide at Rockport, TX, for more than 20 years. Jay specializes in wading year-round for trout and redfish with artificial lures. Jay covers the Texas coast from San Antonio Bay to Corpus Christi Bay. Telephone Email Website
361-729-9596 Jay@jaywatkins.com www.jaywatkins.com TSFMAG.com | 43
CASEy SMArTT
F LY F I S H I N G
SUGGESTIONS FOR SUCCESS If you are new to fl y fi shing you may be a bit overwhelmed by the tackle, terminology, and techniques associated with the sport. Don’t worry, everyone fi nds it confusing at fi rst. After all, fl y fi shing is notably diff erent than most other forms of fi shing. Fly lines are expensive, only 100 feet long, and are measured in “weights” rather than breaking strength. reels aren’t cheap either, and ironically are often not used to land fi sh. Multiple knots are required to attach fl y leader, line, and backing. And casting is just plain screwy. you cast the line and the fl y is just along for the ride. With a little research though, nearly anyone can navigate the maze of fl y fi shing terminology, tackle, and rigging. The real challenge isn’t learning how fl y tackle works, it’s learning how to use it eff ectively. Here are a few no-fl uff pointers for improving your saltwater fl y fi shing skills. These are strictly my opinions and are based on what I have observed over the years and identifi ed as common fl y fi shing challenges and misconceptions.
video
Check out Casey’s Fly Fishing Video Library at www.caseysmartt.com
44 | October 2011
Casting The number one hurdle faced by fly fisherman is learning how to cast properly. The ability to make good solid casts under a variety of conditions undoubtedly determines success. In short, if you can’t cast you’re not going to catch much. There are exceptions but not many. A good fly casting stroke is not complex. It is simple and fluid… almost effortless, like a smooth golf swing. But, it requires good form and lots of practice to develop. Very few folks can adequately teach themselves this skill. Get help. Find someone qualified to teach you. Ask around and you will find the right person. You may have to pay for a few lessons and it will seem frivolous to you, but it is absolutely worth it in the long run. Set two short term goalsFirst, using a correct core casting stroke, learn to make a rock solid and accurate 30-foot cast. This is not a long cast, but a good anchor point. Practice this cast until you have developed the muscle memory to make it second nature. From the thirty foot mark you will slowly learn to cast farther, accurately, using exactly the same stroke. You will need accuracy for sight fishing, and distance for blind casting or casting to surfacing fish. Your second goal should be to learn the double haul. The double haul is a method of adding energy to your cast. It enables you to make very long casts in good conditions, and moderately long casts in very tough/windy conditions. The latter is probably more important. I consider the double haul an essential element of saltwater fly casting and am often surprised at the number of experienced anglers who have not learned it. Mark the Fly Whether you are sight casting or blind casting it is imperative to know the location of your fly. Sounds elementary right? It is. If you are casting at a redfish, or school of redfish, you need to know exactly where your fly landed and where it is during the retrieve in relation to the fish. If your fly missed its mark, the redfish will not magically find it. You’ll need to quickly cast again. If you made a good cast and a redfish is following during the retrieve, his take may be subtle. If you have mismarked your fly you may set the hook too soon, too late, or not at all. The same holds true for blind casting. Although the name suggests you cannot see the fly/ fish, you should develop a good idea of how close or far your fly is from your targeted strike zone and how deep it is during the retrieve. Knowing this will help you make accurate consistent presentations, even when you can’t actually see your fly.
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Simplify Your Stuff keep your auxiliary tackle simple and limited. Aside from your rod/line/reel, you only need a few fl ies, extra leader/tippet material, and a good pair of pliers. The common temptation is to pack any and everything in the spirit of preparedness, but inevitably the essentials get lost in the clutter. I learn and re-learn this lesson again and again. nothing is cooler than a big box full of colorful fl ies, but you can do quite well with only a few. If I was to suggest a collection of simple fl ies for fl ats and light inshore fi shing, they would include a tan or chartreuse Clouser Minnow, a small gold spoon fl y, and a chartreuse East Cut redfi sh popper. Also, a Seaducer is a great fl y. you can catch darn near anything with these fl ies and you can buy them at most fl y shops.
C O n TA C T
Learn to Use Sinking Lines Sinking lines have been around for a long time, but have been slow to catch on with many Southern anglers. This is due in part to the fact that these lines take practice to master. They tangle easily, require a stripping basket or tub to effi ciently handle, and are just one more piece of tackle to purchase and keep up with. But sinking lines absolutely have their place. Although they provide no benefi t to fl ats fi shermen, there are many situations where sinking lines are helpful or outright required. Sinking lines allow anglers to deliver fl ies to fi sh at depths of 6-25 feet. Although it is possible to get fl ies much deeper than 25 feet using sinking lines, it becomes increasingly diffi cult to make consistent presentations and detect strikes past this depth. Sinking lines are also helpful when fi shing wave or current ridden areas (surf for one). I resisted sinking lines for years until striped bass fi shing forced me to reconsider. I was glad I did. These lines have enabled me to catch fi sh I could not have caught using fl oating lines and have gained an important place in my arsenal of tackle. remember, the most important element of your game is your cast. Develop a good stroke and practice. you will slowly but surely improve. keep your tackle simple and look for opportunities around you. They are there. And most of all don’t forget… it’s fi shing. Enjoy it!
46 | October 2011
Casey Smartt has been fl y fi shing and tying fl ies for 30 years. When he cannot make it to the coast he is happy chasing fi sh on Texas inland lakes and rivers. Telephone Email Website
830-237-6886 caseysmartt@att.net www.caseysmartt.com
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By James Sanchez | Summer Intern A r a n s a s B a y E c o s y s t e m | R o c k p o r t , T X
FIELD NOTES
WHAT DIVERSITY WE HAVE Picture a beautiful morning along a shoreline in Aransas Bay. You get out of your boat for the day’s first wade, shuffling through the clear waters hoping to catch some fish. You observe well known species like mullet, blue crabs, and the occasional shrimp popping out of the water. This is soon interrupted as you get your first strike. A feisty spotted seatrout, the most sought after species of the Texas coast. This scene is played out daily in Texas bays, but as a fisherman, do you ever wonder what other species are in our waters or the habitats they utilize? As an intern for Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Coastal Fisheries Division, I learned the importance of diverse habitats and the role they play in our fisheries. Aransas Bay is one of the eight major Texas estuaries and is physically and biologically diverse. In comparison to estuaries like the Laguna Madre, mostly comprised of seagrass beds, the Aransas Bay ecosystem hosts an array of habitats that include oyster reef, salt marsh, seagrass, and open bay bottoms. These habitats provide crucial ecosystem services and influence the community of organisms in the estuary. Oyster Reefs - The eastern oyster is an important species that forms extensive reefs in Texas bays. They are ecologically important as filter feeders that improve 48 | October 2011
water clarity and quality by removing excess nutrients and pollutants. Oysters also play an important role in influencing the community structure of estuaries. Compared to other habitats, oyster reefs are unique: they are three-dimensional structures providing refuge from predators. While collecting dredge samples, I observed fish such as the gulf toadfish, crested blenny and naked goby in low abundance. However, crustacean diversity and abundance was much greater and included grass shrimp, brown shrimp, blue crab, green porcelain crab, and gulf grassflat crab. A factor that likely contributed to the dominance of crustaceans was the area around reefs was comprised of mud bottom and the reefs provided refuge that the surrounding habitat could not offer. Salt Marsh – This habitat, commonly found along shorelines, is mainly comprised of cordgrass. The services this habitat provides are bio-filtration thus reducing pollution and shoreline stabilization by inhibiting erosion. This habitat provides excellent cover and food for numerous juvenile species with its complex root structure. Decaying plant matter, known as detritus, settles to the bottom and is regularly consumed by many species. The diversity of shrimp and crabs was low but their abundances were high. The
most abundant was the grass shrimp which is a common grazer of detritus. Though fish were not as abundant as the crustaceans, there was greater diversity. Species not commonly found in other areas of the bay included the longnose killifish, gulf killifish, sheepshead minnow, and mosquito fish. Throughout the summer we continued to catch juvenile spotted seatrout in the salt marsh. Seagrass – All five species of seagrass exist in Aransas Bay: shoal grass, turtle grass, star grass, manatee grass, and widgeon grass. Seagrass is essential habitat that stabilizes soft sediments and provides oxygen through photosynthesis. Though seagrass is not as structurally complex as oyster reefs, it serves as critical nursery grounds for numerous species. In comparison to oyster reefs and salt marsh, I saw the greatest abundance and diversity of species in this habitat. Although numerous species of fish were collected, I commonly found six species, including spotted seatrout, pinfish, striped mullet, inland silverside, black drum, and red drum. Common crustacean species were the blue crab, brown shrimp, white shrimp, and grass
shrimp. In comparison to species in other habitats, the organisms collected in seagrass were mostly juveniles. Open Bay – Seemingly featureless, open bay bottoms are a dominant habitat of the estuary and host to organically rich sediment constantly influenced by wind and tidal currents. This process is ecologically important as nutrients are re-suspended throughout the water column attracting numerous species of fish and crustaceans. The abundance and diversity of fish was greater in the open bay than from samples from other habitats. Species encountered were the bay anchovy, spot, Atlantic croaker, hardhead catfish, pinfish, and silver perch. With the exception of the bay anchovy which feeds on plankton, all of these species feed on shrimp and crabs that bury themselves in the substrate. One way to assess the health of the ecosystem is by measuring abundance and diversity of species. It was evident that diversity varied among the habitats, which indicates that organisms may rely on a specific habitat for survival and growth. The diverse habitats found in the Aransas Bay ecosystem are important both ecologically and in terms of the ecosystem services that they provide. These
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quantumfishing.com
© 2010 Quantum, a W.C. Bradley Co.
processes contribute to the continued health of our bays and the species that depend on them. Despite the numerous challenges that they face, estuaries are some of the most productive ecosystems in Texas. Table 1. Common and scientifi c names of some plants and animals routinely encountered while sampling certain habitats. Habitat Common name Scientific Name Oyster Reef Easter oyster Crassostrea virginica Gulf toadfi sh Opsanus beta Crested blenny Hypleurochilus geminatus naked goby Gobiosoma bosc Grass shrimp Paleomonetes spp. Brown shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus Blue crab Callinectes sapidus Green porcelain crab Petrolisthes armatus Gulf grassfl at crab Dyspanopeus texanus Salt Marsh Cordgrass Spartina alterniflora Longnose killifi sh Fundulus similis Mosquito fi sh Gambusia affinis Gulf killifi sh Fundulus grandis Sheepshead minnow Cyprinodon variegatus Seagrass Shoal grass Halodule beaudettei Turtle grass Thalassia testudinum Star grass Halophila engelmannii Manatee grass Cymodocea filiformis Widgeon grass Ruppia maritima Spotted seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus Pinfi sh Lagodon rhomboides Striped mullet Mugil cephalus Inland silverside Menidia beryllina Black drum Pogonias cromis red drum Sciaenops ocellatus Open Bay Bay anchovy Anchoa mitchilli Spot Leiostomus xanthurus Atlantic croaker Micropogonias undulatus Hardhead catfi sh Ariopsis felis Silver perch Bairdiella chrysoura
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Check the TPWD Outdoor Annual, your local TPWD Law Enforcement office, or www.tpwd.state.tx.us for more information. 50 | October 2011
Boat Chris Mapp’s Tips Maintenance Let’s talk marine batteries… When should you replace? Which type? Where should they be installed? How should they be secured? The manufacturer’s recommended replacement interval for starting and deep cycle wet cell batteries is 24 months. The full life expectancy for either of these is 30 months. I have seen batteries last longer than 30 months but it is more likely they will fail during that 24-30 month time frame. Marine cranking batteries are designed specifi cally for use in engine starting applications with capabilities for quick energy release and faster recharging. The typical engine manufacturer’s rating for a cranking battery is 1000 MCA (marine cranking amps) at 32°F and 800 CCA (cold cranking amps) at 0°F. Cranking batteries come in several sizes and Group 24 is regarded as pretty much standard equipment in the marine world. When a marine battery is replaced the cables should be cleaned and locking-type nuts installed on the post connections. A shot of Corrosion-X red protects against corrosion. The battery must be installed in a tray or box that is secured to the deck or compartment fl oor. A battery being tossed around at higher speeds in rough water is a recipe for disaster. The best location for batteries in most fi shing boats is under the console. Stern compartments are least desirable given that they are often consistently damp or wet which can lead to rapid deterioration of electrical components. Deep cycle batteries, commonly used for trolling motors, are also available in diff erent sizes. Group 24 and Group 27 are most common in marine applications, Group 31 not so common. While Group 31 off ers greater reserve capacity, they require more space. Deep cycle batteries are designed for slow release of energy with slower recharge rate to better handle long term draining from trolling motors, live well pumps, etc. The availability of space usually dictates the battery size selected. Gel cell batteries are also available for cranking and deep cycle applications and are sized the same - Group 24, 27, and 31. Gel cell batteries that combine cranking and deep cycle features are also available. The life expectancy is 36 months and although they cost more, you get what you pay for. If your boat is equipped with dual cranking batteries and a battery selector switch, you should always crank and run at position 1 or 2 and alternate each day of operation to keep both fully charged. The ALL position should be used only to crank the engine when the batteries are too weak to do it singly. Operating in the ALL position allows only partial charging of the individual batteries and can mask the fact that one may be weak or completely shorted. never change battery selection with the key “on” or engine running unless the switch is marked Ignition Protected. When your boat is not in use the battery selector should be set at the OFF position. Have a great fall season! Chris Mapp
Science and the Sea
TM
Going with the Flow Wind and gravity aren’t the only forces that move the ocean’s water – there’s also a conveyor belt at work. The Great Ocean Conveyor works by thermohaline circulation – water movement caused by density differences. The oceans are layered in water masses that differ in temperature and salt content. Lower temperatures and higher salinity translate to greater density. The densest water in the ocean is formed at high latitudes, in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. In the North Atlantic, for example, cold Arctic air cools the salty surface water until it becomes dense enough to sink. This deep water slowly flows southward as the first leg of the conveyor belt. It eventually gets swept up with other deep water moving eastward around the Antarctic continent. Here, strong winds on the sea surface gradually mix the deep frigid water with warmer layers above it. This mixing continues as the water flows into the Indian and Pacific oceans, where some of it finally returns to the surface – up to 1,000 years later! Surface currents drive the conveyor belt from here on, sweeping the now-warm water into the southern Atlantic, then back toward Greenland to complete the circuit. The ocean conveyor moves huge amounts of heat around the globe, making it a key regulator of Earth’s climate. Scientists have linked some major climate shifts in Earth’s history to conditions that prevented water from getting cold enough or salty enough to sink, bringing the conveyor to a halt. They’re also investigating whether mankind’s impact on the oceans could affect the conveyor – and thus, the world climate – in the future.
The University of Texas
Marine Science Institute www.ScienceAndTheSea.org © The University of Texas Marine Science Institute
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C O N S E R V AT I O N COASTAL CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION STAYS BUSY IN FIGHT FOR
MARINE CONSERVATION AND RECREATIONAL ANGLERS Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) and Coastal Conservation Association Texas (CCA Texas) have remained busy through the summer in the continuing fight to maintain our coastal resources. Several issues remain at the forefront on the national level that have direct and immediate impacts on Texas’s offshore recreational fishermen while habitat restoration continues to be a top priority not only in Texas but also in CCA’s sister states. CCA’s Building Conservation initiative and CCA Texas’s Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow program have made tremendous strides in restoring and creating vital marine habitat both inshore and in nearshore waters. In addition, CCA Texas continues to support many programs within the state that have remained important to the organization throughout its existence. CCA Texas Executive Board approves funding for TPWD boat lift – CCA Texas Executive Board approved $15,900 in funding for a boat lift located in Rockport, Texas that will cradle Texas Parks & Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) new 38’ enforcement boat. This project will potentially save thousands of dollars in annual maintenance. “CCA Texas supports the work of TPWD game wardens and this new enforcement vessel will provide the state’s wardens an effective tool for patrolling the nearshore and offshore waters along the Middle Texas Coast,” commented CCA Texas Parks Wildlife Committee Chairman Ronnie Luster. “It’s important that necessary steps be taken to ensure the longevity of the warden’s equipment and keeping this boat out of the water when docked will save thousands in annual maintenance.” This new vessel, the P/V Holt, will increase the fleet that already a 29’ Safe Boat in Rockport and a 29’ Safe Boat in Port O’Connor. The existing vessels proved their effectiveness recently during confiscation of 40,000 lbs of illegal shrimp. CCA Texas looks forward to seeing P/V Holt on the water soon. CCA testifies before the Gulf Council regarding Sector Separation – “Sector separation” is the proposal to formally split existing and future recreational sector allocations of harvest into separate private boat and charter/ for-hire/headboat sector portions. The idea of sector separation and catch shares for the recreational sector has been embraced by only a vocal minority of vessel owners and has been opposed by four Gulf state governors, Congress and the vast majority of the recreational angling community. Nevertheless, the Gulf Council continues to toy with the idea. In June 2011, the Council appointed an advisory panel to make recommendations on a new catch share program for headboats, and the idea continues to gain momentum. In August, CCA presented the following testimony to the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council on the issue of sector separation: The primary objection that CCA has with sector separation is the lack of apparent benefit to be had for recreational anglers, the states or for state budgets. There continue to be vague 52 | October 2011
references to better data but there is no new way to track catches on for-hire vessels. If the sectors were separated today, the same data gathering systems (the Marine Recreational Fishery Statistical Survey or the new Marine Recreation Information Program) would continue to provide catch estimates for private and for-hire sport vessels. Any new data collection efforts could be implemented without separating the sector. Economically, NOAA’s bio-economic studies show that recreational anglers will contribute $9.1 billion during 20092032 in Gulf of Mexico shrimp and reef fish fisheries while the for-hire fishery will contribute $0.83 billion. We hope the Council will factor these in when considering sector separation. Other economic figures should also be examined. NOAA Fisheries Service Office of Science and Technology looked at Economic Impacts and Expenditures from Saltwater Sportfishing by Gulf State in 2009. That information indicates that in Texas, angler expenditures came to almost $103 million while for-hire expenditures totaled about $27 million. Gulfwide, angler expenditures came to over $1 billion. For-hire expenditures came to about $208 million. For state governments and their marine resource management agencies, private boat anglers supply the vast majority of license fees that support state fisheries programs. Charter/for-hire supplies a much smaller percentage. Politically, we suspect separation will create deep conflicts for state governments as they grapple with how to spread fishing opportunities between private boat and charter/for-hire/ headboat sectors. Looming over all these points is the trend over the past decade towards increased red snapper catch by the private vessel sector relative to for-hire catches. We do not know why this trend has occurred but do not believe the Council should impose government action to reverse what has occurred naturally. We also do not think the Council should impose government action to support the increasing private vessel catch trend. We believe these dynamic changes should occur without artificial influence by managers, and without the outdated encumbrance of sector allocations that are set in stone. Before this Council lets the concept of sector separation come into existence against almost universal opposition, CCA encourages it to first reallocate fisheries according to modern factors like economic, social and conservation criteria, rather than outdated catch history. There is a very good chance that reallocating red snapper would solve many of the problems faced by the CFH sector without creating so many new problems. CCA also advocates creating a means to transfer red snapper IFQ shares between sectors. This approach would allow those for-hire Captains who also hold commercial shares to utilize those shares to enhance their charter business. This Council faces many real management challenges, and CCA appreciates the demands of those challenges on its time and resources. We hope the Council will elect to focus its energies on core issues and set aside the distraction of sector separation.
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Fishing from a kayak affords the ultimate in stealth – take advantage when you can!
C A P T . S C O T T N U L L
K AYA K F I S H I N G
YOU GOTTA USE
YOUR NOODLE! I am hopeful that by the time you read this we will have seen them. The shrimp migrations have been sporadic and had some nice soaking rain over the Texas coast to set us this has led to unusual movements of redfish, presumably up for fall fishing season. October is usually my favorite constantly on the search for areas with abundant forage. month of the year for fishing the marsh. The weather is At times I have been on large concentrations of reds for nice, the bait is plentiful, and the gamefish sometimes feed Like a bunch of kamikaze shrimp, all day. this situation is also self-explanatory. The only hitch in the plan so far is the dreadful drought we’ve been experiencing. Much of the bait we count on needs freshwater to flourish. Our normally brackish marshes are currently as salty as the Gulf, in some cases even more. It has been one weird summer in the back lakes. Sharks, dolphin and jacks have all been unusual company further into the marsh than I’ve ever 54 | October 2011
Sometimes the pattern is pretty easy to decipher.
several days only to return one morning to find the entire area void of fish. In “normal” years an area will slowly build a good population and then lose fish much in the same manner. Suffice to say what I’ve experienced this year is highly abnormal. As we all know, successful fishing is all about figuring out the patterns. It has always been my experience that if you find a pattern that is working in one part of the bay system then chances are good you can replicate that pattern in other areas even though they may be miles apart. That has not been the case for me this season and it has led to some serious head-scratching. The only explanation that makes sense are the widely scattered pop-up showers giving rise to isolated forage
species hatches and migrations in the areas where the rain has fallen. On the plus side, it has led me to study the marsh and its inhabitants more thoroughly. In the past I tended to rely heavily on my tried and true method of slowly paddling through the marshes watching and listening for reds feeding on the shorelines. Once a red made its location known by blasting the bank I would ease in and wait for the fish to show once more. An accurate cast to the next toilet flush would often be rewarded with an immediate reaction strike. When shrimp are present, the reds tend to work slowly and methodically down a shoreline making them fairly easy to figure out. But what about when there aren’t any shrimp? First, you must
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accept two constants. reds are almost always present in the marsh The next trip I decided to target these fi sh with a slower and more and they are opportunistic feeders. In addition to the normal variety of deliberate approach. While staked out near a drain to one of my favorite shrimp, fi sh and crabs; I’ve seen or heard of reds with eels, frogs, snakes ponds I started tossing out a Buggs jig and slowly bumping it along the and even fi eld mice in their stomachs. your assignment is to fi gure out bottom. The seductive wiggle of the rabbit fur jig along with the small what they are targeting and adjust your approach accordingly. Here are puff s of mud created by letting the lure hit bottom were just the ticket a couple scenarios and the solutions I found. to drive those reds crazy. I suppose these jigs look enough like a crab to Throughout the late spring and early summer the winds were fool them. Problem solved. relentless and led to higher and somewhat off -color water deep in The next mystery occurred a couple months later. There had been the marsh. Shoreline blow-ups were basically non-existent and the a few decent rain showers over the marsh leading to a decent showing clarity wouldn’t allow you to see the fi sh. At fi rst I thought they were likely still working the shorelines, but higher tides masked the feeding activity. relying on lures that would quickly cover a lot of water seemed the way to go. My go-to search lures are spinnerbaits rigged with TTF killer Flats Minnows and also small topwaters. It worked, but the overall catch numbers were not that inspiring. Also, while paddling close to the shorelines there were very few mud puff s leading to the conclusion that there weren’t many reds in these areas of the marsh. That plan was blown apart when I started running over scattered fi sh far off the shorelines. Grunting reds scooting out from under the kayak leaving the telltale mud clouds got me to thinking they were in some sort of non-feeding funk. After all, there were no obvious signs of feeding and they weren’t overly responsive to my search lures. Upon cleaning a couple of these fi sh, a stomach examination revealed nothing Over time we all develop a but crab parts. I don’t claim to be the sharpest hook in the short list of lures we trust. tackle box, but I got the hint.
56 | October 2011
of shrimp. The reds went to pounding them along the edges of the grass and I fell into my old pattern of tossing light colored Killer Flats Minnows up against the banks wherever there was a blow-up. An erratically jigged KFM in the right color can easily pass for a fleeing shrimp. Then something changed. The reds would blow up hard on a shoreline and then disappear. There weren’t any follow-up strikes and tossing a lure in there was a waste of energy. It took some time and close observation to put the pieces together. First off, the blow-ups were almost always on points or in the back of small coves, nothing on the straight run shorelines. Paddling right up to the spot would result in spooking a red ten feet or so off the bank, but nothing up tight. The action was so sporadic and unpredictable that it was tough to
Marsh angler’s dream… thirty inch red on fly!
C o n tact
anticipate where it would occur in order to observe what was going on. By sitting quietly in an active cove I got lucky and saw the event unfold. Single reds were herding small schools of baitfish up against the grass and then blasting into them using the shoreline to cut off their escape. Following the strike, they would ease off the shoreline a good ways and sit still for a couple minutes before returning to the hunt. The solution was to watch for a school of bait that started getting into a tight ball and hugging the shoreline. Tossing the trusty spinnerbait or a TTF Big Mino right into that bait school would send the baitfish in all directions and induce the red to make a move on his escaping meal. The lure would often get their attention as it was the slowest to flee and my reward was a solid thump. The whole point here is that we often fall into a rut of throwing the same favorite lures into the same familiar places without much thought about what is really going on out there. When times are easy we’ll still catch some fish, but when times get hard it can lead to some frustrating skunks. As kayakers, we have the advantage of stealth. Make use of that advantage to quietly enter an area without causing too much disturbance. Slow down, watch for the clues and use that brain for something other than daydreaming about the last time you actually saw it rain.
Capt. Scott Null is a devout shallow water fisherman offering guided adventues via kayak, poled skiff, and wading. Telephone Email Website
281-450-2206 scott@tsfmag.com www.captainscottnull.com
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S C O T T C O M M E R L AT T E
ACCORDING TO SCOT T
BE GRATEFUL It is no secret that it does not take much to get me fired up. It must be the German blood or something of that nature. Anyway, one thing that has always gotten me worked up is when I hear someone bitching about being stopped and checked or, as I have heard it said before, “harassed” by a game warden. Really…? How can anyone say such a thing? Let me tell you folks, if you could witness or hear some of the stories that I heard while in Africa, you would learn to appreciate the wonderful, yet thankless job that our game wardens do. As I said in the last issue, I experienced a whole new world over in Africa and, while I had the experience of a lifetime, a person visiting there ten or twenty years from now might not have the same. You see, over there, poaching runs rampant and nearly unchecked. The only thing that stands in the way of most African wildlife being poached to extinction is the outfitters. That is right, the people who are hunting the animals are the ones protecting them. In fact, in many countries, there are few, if any, real game wardens to patrol and protect the wildlife and catching poachers is left up to whoever manages (leases or owns) the conservancy or safari area. They in fact become the game wardens so to speak. What happens is that the outfitter charged with the stewardship of the land hires the most skilled native 58 | October 2011
“bushmen” for scouts and trackers. Routinely, these scouts leave camp on foot for days and sometimes weeks to patrol hundreds of thousands of acres keeping track of the herds and looking for signs of poachers. They are paid a day rate but receive incentives for bringing in any traps or other devices that they come across and get even more for actually bringing in a poacher. The outfitter, who is actually the warden for that area must then transport the culprit, sometimes five or more hours away, to the police for punishment, which quite often is little more than a slap on the hand. All and all, the only thing they have really accomplished is to get the traps and/or guns out of the bush and destroy them which, ultimately, only delays the poacher from his next foray into bush. Even worse, sometimes the outfitter learns that the very people that they have hired to catch the poachers are in fact the very people that have been doing the poaching. One of the areas or conservancies that I had the privilege to visit was in Mozambique and was, if I am not mistaken, over a million acres in size. Two outfitters had acquired the lease on the property about seven or eight years ago and prior to that, it had not been legally hunted in many years. One afternoon I took a break from hunting and photography to accompany the owner of the outfit, Gary Duckworth, out to work on one of the pumps that
mine- Bill Bullock, Billy Bearden, Arthur Lawrence and Clay Shock. These are names that left a lasting impression on me because I saw them do their jobs with a pride and professionalism that goes way beyond the call of duty. Since then, I have yet to meet a single TPW game warden that did not stand out as anything less than a true professional dedicated to making our Texas outdoor experience the best that it can be. Now, I personally have always held our TPW game wardens in the highest regard but, after hearing the horror stories of baby elephants and lion cubs caught in traps and the losing battle they fight daily trying to protect the wildlife in Africa, I have a newfound appreciation for the wonderful men and women that wear the badge that means so little to way too many. So I say to all of you that wear the uniform of a Texas Parks and Wildlife game warden- thank you all for enriching and protecting the lives of all that live in Texas. And, to any of you who might think otherwise- shame on you. Until next month- Be good… and stuff like that!
C ontact
they had installed at a bore-hole (well) to provide water for the wildlife. He told me that when they first acquired the property the few roads that once existed had become completely overgrown and it took months for them to cut their way into the area with axes and machetes just to set up a camp. The stories of how they set up and built the camps fascinated me, however, the most interesting part of the stories he told were how the area had been so disastrously overhunted by poachers, they had to reintroduce some species back into the area. He also told of how they had picked up thousands of illegal “gin traps” (British name for leg hold trap). Ultimately, to keep these traps out of the hands of poachers, they were used as reinforcement in the concrete foundations of the camps we stayed in during our safari. Duckworth went on to inform that we were in fact one of the first “big” hunts to be run out of the Tandekwe Camp (named for the Tandekwe Forest) because they had been working so hard to re-establish a healthy number of animals in the area before taking any as game. Fortunately, Texas hunters and fishermen do not have near the worries that they do in Africa. Why? Because as understaffed and underfunded as our TPW Enforcement Division might be, they take their job seriously and lay their lives on the line to not only protect our natural resources but also to protect us, both in a law enforcement and life saving capacity. That is right, one day they might be checking the safety equipment on your boat or measuring your catch, chasing smugglers along the Rio Grande the next day, and possibly risking their own lives in a daring search and rescue mission in the middle of a storm the day after that. During my Coast Guard career I had the privilege of working alongside several wardens with names as common as yours and
Scott Sommerlatte is a full time fly fishing and light tackle guide, freelance writer and photographer. Telephone Email Website
979-415-4379 vssommerlatte@hotmail.com www.scottsommerlatte.com
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Jake’s friend Cody with a nice speck in the Galveston surf.
JAKE HADDOCK
YO U T H F I S H I N G
SURF'S UP If you read my last article you will remember that my Flats Cat was out of commission getting re-wired. Well the boat is ready to roll, but I haven’t yet had the chance to go down to POC to test it out. So the past few weekends I’ve been staying around the house and exploring the Galveston Bay area a little more than usual. The way the weather has been with triple-digit highs and single-digit winds, I found that surf fishing is a blast. Of course the conditions have to be right, and when they are you can have some unforgettable trips. Surf fishing is a good change of pace from the flats fishing that I usually do. Sometimes while bay fishing you get into large schools of trout, but they may not be large specimens. What I like about the surf is that you can catch a good number of trout as well as trout of size. Also, you can usually catch them on a variety of baits. I like to throw a few different plug baits, but I would have to say the MirrOdine in the regular size and XL seem to be some of the top producers right now. Some people throw nothing but topwaters, but I think the sinking plug tends to catch bigger fish. The surf however, can be dangerous. Sharks, jellyfish, 60 | October 2011
stingrays, rip tides, and large waves can all be threats while in the surf, but they can all be prevented. Some people might carry “shark proof” fish buckets and what not, but I just keep it simple with a 20 foot surf stringer made by Fish Slick. As long as I can get distance between me and the fish on my stringer, I’m not really concerned about the sharks. Dealing with jellyfish is simple, just wear long fishing pants. You can get away with wearing shorts in the surf if they’re not prevalent although I do not recommend banking your day on them not being there. I learned my lesson, and I always wear long pants now. As far as rip tides and waves are concerned, check the reports. Websites for this type of thing are all over the internet, and there is bound to be one for the beach that you like to fish. Also check a wave model forecast for planning trips in advance. This shows offshore swell height and most of the time is very accurate. One I like to use is a link from www. surfspecialties.com./surf-report/. Go to the bottom of the page and click on the wave model forecasts link. When in doubt simply slip on a life vest that fits
You need to look at water clarity too. Does the term "trout green" come to mind? Well, that’s what you’re looking for. So if you are lucky enough to catch a day with little to no waves, low wind, green water, and can find bait and birds, there is a good chance that you will get on some trout. The best thing about the surf is that you don’t need a boat. In the Galveston area there are many free access beach roads. This allows for great fishing for everyone. Just like I mentioned earlier the conditions have to be right. So if the wind is blowing twenty out of the south with four foot swells, I would make arrangements to fish elsewhere. Typically, this is summertime type of fishing. So by the time you’re reading this, surf fishing will probably be coming to an end until next summer. It’s not all bad news though. With the seasons soon changing, hopefully we will get some rain to stabilize the salinity levels of the bay. Fish should also become more concentrated with the cooling water temps, which makes for easier fishing. Before the temperatures cool too much, get out there and hang ten or five if you’re feeling conservative!
comfortably and will not interfere with your fishing. I am actually sort of new to the surf fishing thing. You see, I have never really fished the surf until this summer. However, I have learned that the telltale signs for locating trout in the surf are more or less the same as bay fishing such as; bait, diving birds, and slicks.
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Capt. Jennings hoists a happy angler’s catch for the camera.
MIKE JENNINGS
TEXAS NEARSHORE & OFFSHORE
SOMEBODY PLEASE…
I’M CONFUSED ALREADY! As we make our way toward the close of the summer fishing season I am receiving a large number of calls from folks inquiring whether there will be a supplemental fall red snapper season such as we had in October 2010. There has been much speculation, rumor and confusion concerning a move taken by the Gulf Of Mexico Fisheries Management Council to reevaluate the red snapper landings data for 2009 and 2010, to discover if any discrepancies might have occurred. Once completed, this “rerun” of the numbers, if you will, resulted in 345,000 pounds being added to this year’s quota. This addition to the annual catch limit sparked a wildfire of rumors about a possible fall season that literally took on a life of its own. The blogs and dockside conversations were all about how windy it had been during snapper season, the number of days we lost, and so the speculation grew that with the added poundage we would surely see another late fall season. To explore this remote possibility, the Gulf Council asked Mr. Andy Strelcheck at the NMFS Southeast Regional Office to work up some early projections on the 2011 red snapper landings with the catch data that was currently available. To nobody’s surprise, when the projections were presented to the public at the Gulf Council meeting in Austin during the third week of August, there was little room for entertaining a fall 62 | October 2011
season. Moreover, the projections would show that we may have inadvertently overfished the annual catch limit yet again, even with the added poundage. This whole issue became even more heartbreaking when the reality set in that, when all the data is compiled, if it is discovered that we had truly overfished the 2011 Landing increasingly larger red snapper contributes to the overfishing spiral.
Annual Catch Limit, we will most likely face an even shorter red snapper season in 2012 - shorter than the Andy Strelcheck (at the computer) discusses fisheries data collection with 48 day season we were given in 2011. Yes you read that concerned charter captains during Gulf Council meetings in Austin. correctly , our shortest-ever 48 day season may not be the shortest on record much longer. I am by no means a fisheries scientist, but I can run the numbers in my head and comparing them to the last couple of years, I think we will be lucky to break 35 days next year if everything I heard bandied about at the meeting in Austin turns out to be accurate. So let’s examine this whole issue for a moment -Even though the present management system has helped the resource rebound to current historically high level - and the recreational red snapper annual catch limit has been augmented by 1,355,000 pounds over the last three years - we are facing the reality that in that same time frame this system of management has taken away 72 days of our red snapper season (since 2008.) And then consider this -Due to the fact that we are now taking larger fish on which is basically a glorified “official� fish count if you will, that sets average, and also due to increased effort (lots of fishermen looking the stage for future management decisions. There is currently a for their share during an abbreviated season) we may end up push to move this Stock Assessment up to 2012 and many feel that overfishing our quota for yet another year. And of course, this will this count will reveal that the snapper population is far better than lead the fisheries managers to shorten our seasons even further in the stock assessment that the National Marine Fisheries Service is the future. currently using. (More in line with what you and I are seeing on the Are we confused yet? water.) Well hang onto your shorts because it gets even better. The Gulf At first this seems like great news, the only problem is that there Council is set to conduct a Benchmark Stock Assessment in 2013,
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Gulf Council has begun discussions of using “paybacks” in the recreational red snapper fishery. Basically it will work this way if implemented-When overfishing controls don’t work and we continue to overfish our annual catch limit, the poundage that we overfished will be deducted from the subsequent year’s allowable harvest. This is your payback. This measure has been used for some time in the commercial fishery but recreational fisherman have been spared from the implementation of a payback fishery thus far. Personally I think its coming, its just a matter of time. I will wrap up this whole discussion with one simple question for you to ponder. What happens if we find ourselves in a position where the payback approaches or exceeds the proposed Annual Catch Limit for the next season?
Captain Mike Jennings is a professional charter captain with more than 25 years offshore experience. Mike is the owner/operator of Cowboy Charters in Freeport TX and is known locally for running further and fishing harder for his clients.
C O N TA C T
is no guarantee that even with more accurate stock assessments we are assured any sizeable increases in the annual catch limit for the recreational sector. As I stated earlier, we have had a 38% increase in our allocation the past three years. Yet with the way this fishery is managed the current trend toward overfishing could very well continue. This brings me to the most recent revelation by the Gulf Council to curtail the perceived overfishing spiral that we find ourselves in. The
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Brown shrimp (Farfantepenaeus aztecus) Photo credit: Ryan M. Moody
STEPHANIE BOYD
F I S H Y FA C T S
SHRIMP "Shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, sautÊ it. Dey's, uh, shrimp kabobs, shrimp Creole, shrimp gumbo; pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich‌" ~Bubba, Forrest Gump, 1994 Shrimp is on everyone's mind. And if it's not on your mind, it's probably on your plate. The major role shrimp play in the local ecosystem is food. Yes, they are most valuable as dietary support for the growth and survival of larger species. "Everything from mites to elephants and from larvae to whales must have food to survive. For us, bread is the staff of life. For fish, it is shrimp."1 They do have another important task: recycling basic nutrients by feeding on organic matter in the sediment. It's a thankless job, one the white shrimp, in particular, usually gets stuck with.2 Brown, white, and pink shrimp make up the vast majority of local shrimp that end up in your stir fry (though most shrimp consumed in the US are imported), and the life cycles of these three are essentially the same. 66 | October 2011
Each species spawns in the Gulf of Mexico; larvae are swept into bays and estuaries by tides and currents. Once ensconced in the nurseries, young shrimp grow quickly and emigrate back to the Gulf when they are about 3-5 inches, depending on the species. Now for some specifics: brown, white, and pink shrimp begin their lives in the Gulf of Mexico. Females of all three species release between 100,000 and one million eggs, which hatch within 24 hours.3 Spawning of white shrimp occurs between April and October, and the highest concentration of young are swept into bays and estuaries during the summer. Brown shrimp spawn in late winter, and larvae begin entering the bays and estuaries during February and March. Pink shrimp (also called hoppers) spawn year round,4 but the highest influx of larvae into nursery areas occurs in the fall. The growth rate for each species is highly variable, dependent on such factors as water temperature and salinity. Adolescent shrimp grow much more rapidly than adults, but both increase in size by molting their shells and getting larger before the new shell hardens.3 Brown shrimp typically don't grow larger than seven inches, pink can reach about 8 inches, and white (also called
jetty shrimp) can grow to over nine inches.2 Both brown and white shrimp females reach sexual maturity at about 6.5 inches; pink shrimp females reach theirs at 3.5 inches.4 Brown shrimp can live up to two years, but white and pink shrimp are an annual crop.2 When in inshore waters, brown and white shrimp prefer areas with muddy or peaty bottoms, though brown shrimp prefer the saltier, seagrass-filled water of estuaries while white shrimp gravitate to the fresher upper bay areas, sans seagrass. Offshore, they're most commonly found over soft bottoms of mud, sand, and shell. Pink shrimp, on the other hand, prefer bottoms of hard sand and calcareous shell. All three species are omnivorous, feeding on organic debris and small organisms. They are prey for almost any larger
Pink shrimp (Farfantepenaeus duorarum) Photo credit: Rebekah D. Wallace
carnivorous or omnivorous predators. Brown shrimp are grooved on the back surface of the shell next to the rostrum and commonly have green or red coloration on the tail. Pink shrimp are also grooved on the back and sometimes sport a dark spot on either side. The tail usually has a dark blue band. White shrimp are not grooved, unlike brown and pink, have much longer antenna (three times longer than the body), and have green coloration on the tail. All three species have ten long, slender walking legs and ten swimming legs.2 As dinner is the main reason for existence if you're a shrimp, it's not surprising that food is also the primary reason humans fish for shrimp. In 2001, shrimp surpassed canned tuna as the most popular seafood item in the US.1 Texas is certainly no exception as our shrimp fishery is one of the largest seafood industries in the country. Of course, brown, white, and pink shrimp account for a majority of the Texas commercial catch, ninety-nine percent, in fact.4 Of that ninety-nine percent, brown shrimp make up the majority and pink are just barely represented. The one percent "other" commercial catch consists of seabobs, rough back shrimp, royal red shrimp, and rock shrimp. And there are some noncommercial shrimp caught in the sidelines, grass shrimp being the most common of these. With few exceptions, shrimp are caught commercially with trawls. Before trawls,
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shrimpers dragged long seines set close to shore. Then, shrimping was only a worthwhile endeavor while white shrimp were abundant near shore.3 However, even with the many improvements, trawling doesn't meet the growing demand for shrimp. In Texas, half the shrimp sold come from farms, but domestic farms and trawling combined don't meet the rising consumption of shrimp in the US. Over eighty percent of the shrimp bought in the US is imported, and most of those come from farms as well.1 Both trawling and farming have some cons attached to them (the pros being fairly obvious). While trawling can affect the seabed in a variety of ways, more likely to be monitored is the bycatch. In the Gulf of Mexico, only about sixteen percent of a shrimper's catch is commercial shrimp. Sixty-seven percent is finfish, and most of the remainder is invertebrates. This is more serious for some species than others. For instance, brown shrimp bycatch is one of the primary sources of red snapper mortality in the western Gulf. To reduce this and other impacts, bycatch reduction devices and turtle excluder devices are required. In addition to bycatch, shrimp overfishing can decrease predators' food sources, possibly leading to significant changes in community structures, the results of which can't always be predicted.2 In farming, waste water runoff can pollute nearby coastal waters, diseases from the farmed shrimp can spread to local native populations, and exotic species introduced for culture can escape and become destructive, invasive species in native habitats.1 Despite these effects, through mindful management programs and because of the fact that
68 | October 2011
environmental problems lead to shrimping failure, both trawling and farming can continue to evolve into more sustainable industries. All the services we install to settle an area, roads, sewer facilities, power plants, etc., unavoidably impact the surrounding environment and affect the populations of native species. Life history, such as habitat, growth, feeding, and reproduction, of a species lead to how a fishery is managed. By altering fishing regulations to offset natural and human-induced imbalances, the abundance of fast-growing, short-lived species, like our shrimp, can be managed relatively quickly.2 TPWD took over management of the shrimp fishery in Texas bays in 1985. Since then, TPWD has had some success in shrimp management by adopting and refining fishery regulations and introducing the shrimp vessel license limited entry and buyback programs. By 2008, the shrimping effort had decreased ninety-one percent since 1994. The goals of all these changes are to reduce
White shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus) Photo credit: Monterey Fish Market
overfishing, to increase the industry's economic value, to reduce bycatch, and ultimately to promote the sustainability of shrimp stocks.4 In the Gulf of Mexico, the shrimp fishery is managed by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, which often works in conjunction with the State of Texas. The goals of its fishery management program are similar to TPWD's: enhance yield, in volume and value. The Council, in cooperation with the State of Texas, annually closes the shrimp fishery off Texas to allow brown shrimp to grow into mature adults, providing a more valuable harvest size overall and lessening the waste of shrimp that would have been discarded due to small size. Brown shrimp levels are monitored annually and haven't been classified as overfished for forty years.1 That's good news for your next shrimp cocktail.
Footnotes 1 "Invertebrates: The Other Food Source," Oceanography in the 21st Century, 22 August 2011 <http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/resources/oceanography-book/ invertebrates.htm>.
2
"Fish Watch: U.S. Seafood Facts," National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 22 August 2011 <http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/>.
3
"Shrimp," HuntStats.com, 22 August 2011 <http://www.huntstats.com/shrimp.html>.
4
Robert L. Cook, "The Texas Shrimp Fishery: A report to the Governor and the 77th Legislature of Texas," (Texas Parks & Wildlife: 2002).
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70 | October 2011
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DICKIE ColBuRn
DICKIE ColBuRn’s Sabine Scene
sabine
Dickie Colburn is a full time guide out of Orange, Texas. Dickie has 37 years experience guiding on Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes.
Telephone 409-883-0723 Website www.sabineconnection.com
I don’t recall ever feeling less confident in my ability to guesstimate what to expect on Sabine Lake for the upcoming month. The salinity is through the roof and the shrimp are homesteading the surrounding semi-brackish marshes with no intentions of leaving. Every time you hit the troll motor they just shower the surface while you are hard pressed to see even a few in the lake. The most promising thing I have to report is that while we have absolutely melted down most days, the catching aspect has still been very decent. If we get a cold front and some rain before this magazine reaches you, it will be dealer’s choice with bird activity providing the easiest gig. The most dependable bite, regardless of the weather, will continue to be the incredible redfish bite. It has not slowed down on even the hottest of days as the thick-shouldered bullies instantly adapt their diet to whatever is available. For the past three months it has been menhaden shad and finger mullet. There is no wrong way to fish for them once you have located them, but the ultimate thrill is to find them schooling in the open lake. By the end of this month, more often than not, you can expect to find yourself in the middle of one school with several others churning the surface a short distance away. This
will take place on a daily basis all the way from the Causeway to Hickory Cove! When they are not schooling, you can usually Another schooling red caught and released.
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locate them by drifting the flats in four feet of water or less with Kwik Cork rigs. I prefer a four inch paddle tail in Stinky Pink, Texas Roach, Bug Juice or opening night rigged on a quarter ounce head, but lots of folks rely strictly on Gulp! when fishing this technique. Three-inch Swim Baits are also deadly choices for blind casting as is the Hoginar. Once you have located the fish, you can double your pleasure by casting virtually any topwater lure into their midst. The explosions alone are worth the price of admission. While on the subject of topwater lures, we have caught far more trout this summer with the smaller versions of the proven brands. Before we figured this out, we could work our tail off with a mid-sized She Dog with very little positive results only to limit over the next few Hooking and fighting this beautiful red helped Keith Daley forget about the heat.
hours with the smaller Pup or new MirrOmullet XL. We found the same thing to be true with TTFâ&#x20AC;?S Little Dummy, and the Spook, Jr. The revetment walls have also been very dependable for anglers willing to grind away with a Swimming Image, Catch 2000, MirrOdine XL or a Swim bait. When the slicks are popping up you can also do well with topwaters or by swimming a 5-inch paddle tail like the Die Dapper rigged on a 1/16 ounce head. We were gluing Die Dappers back together after the Shivers lost their Assassin factory to fire earlier this year, but they were in a new building and back up and running much quicker than we could have ever expected. Robin recently suggested rigging their Die Dapper weedless on a 4/0 worm hook and pegging a 1/16 ounce worm weight against the nose when swimming it in the upper part of the water column. It has proven deadly on the trout for me when they can beat the redfish to the bait! Another pattern that has been very good for us has been fishing sunken piles of debris or rocks and structure breaks at depths of 15 to 25 feet in the river. Having already put together a decent list of spots that have produced good catches of not only trout and reds, but an occasional flounder as well, I only stop to fish them after idling over them and watching the depth finder for suspended bait. Several of our larger fish have also been taken drifting these deeper breaks split-shotting a Maniac Mullet or Corky Devil. The extra weight helps compensate for the strength of tide. A small in-line swivel also helps prevent line twist when fishing this way and pearl-chartreuse has easily been the most productive color. I am looking forward to digging out my Frogg Toggs on a chilly, rainy day!
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mICKEY Eastman
mICKEY On Galveston
galveston
Mickey Eastman is a full-time fishing guide out of Baytown, TX. Mickey has 26 years guiding experience on the Galveston area bays and is the founder of Gulf Coast Troutmasters, the largest speckled trout tournament series of all time
Telephone 281-383-2032
74 | October 2011
Howdy sports fans. Capt. Mickey here to bring everybody up to speed on what’s been happening across the Galveston Bay region and what we might expect during the month of October. Let me tell you – It is truly a pleasure to be bringing such a positive report. Now if you haven’t already heard, September can be one of those up and down months. Depending the tides and the weather it can be awesome or it can turn out to be four more weeks of August and the fishing can get pretty slow. I don’t know what we did to deserve it but for the past month and a half we have just been tearing them up. This is the best late summer-early fall fishing I have seen in all my years. We had to work around some rather nasty southwest wind back in the latter part of August and September opened with a 100° degree norther over Labor Day (first I’d ever seen) but that all settled down and we’re right back to catchin’ ‘em. I have heard of lots of limits by 7:00 am and I know these guys. I don’t think they’re pulling my leg. Up here on Trinity Bay, trout fishing has been very steady. We have been working the wells nearly every day, all down through the middle of the bay, the old Sun Oil and Exxon wells, most of them have been
holding fish. The ones with the big pads on the south end have been best; lots of fish stacked up on that shell. Soft plastics like the Lil John, which is turning out to be an incredible bait, (I nicknamed it “The Suppository”), has been a steady producer for us. It is kind of slug shaped and doesn’t look like it would have much natural action but it darts like crazy when you jig it and the fish love it. Another soft bait that has been doing real well for us around these wells is the Tidal Surge split tail mullet. I haven’t been fishing East Bay much of late but I hear of some good catches when the water is clean. It really gets gutted on a southwest or west wind and that’s the way we have been starting our mornings. Believe it or not, from the reports I have getting, even with all this heat, the best bite has really been about 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. I think redfish are taking over the world. In the last month big herds have been showing up all over the place and during the past week or so they have really begun to pull up shallow. We kind of lost those big herds for a while – probably just hanging out in the middle of the bay somewhere – but let me tell you they’re back. Shoreline waders are tearing them up every day in lots of places, bulls too, way too big to
keep. It’s all a good sign; tells me we’ve got a very healthy bay system right now and we’re going to be in good shape for the future. It is really amazing to me the changes we have been seeing in our trout fishery. Just last winter TPW scheduled meetings all along the coast and came out asking everybody if they thought is was time to reduce the limit. Now I know there for a couple of years the fishing was not nearly as good as it is right now, but honestly folks, what I’m seeing so far this year and especially this summer looks like the heyday of the Galveston Bay System back in the 80s. The only significant difference I can see in the present fishery and what we had back in the 80s would be lower numbers of bigger trout, fish heavier than five and six pounds. Our numbers are solid right now and we have lots of fish up to 23-24 inches, some surprisingly long males too, maybe we’ll begin to see the numbers of heavier fish increasing over the next year or two. I hope so. Some of the biologists say this is what you get when a major hurricane like Ike stirs up the sediment and nutrients in the marshes and the upper parts of the estuary. Ike was a disaster and I’m never going to wish for another hurricane but I sure like what I’m seeing in the trout fishery. I mentioned the big herds of redfish we have been seeing lately and I want to talk more about how to catch fish from a big school, especially when they are holding in deeper water. Reds are naturally going to give you a longer battle in deep water than when they are caught in the shallows, that’s just the way it is. It is also a fact that the longer you have to fight a fish the more things can go wrong. For years we had to put up with monofilament line. Thank God for braided line; it has just about eliminated break-offs on strong redfish. You see what happens sometimes is that we get into so many big
redfish and you’re fighting one, he cruises back through the herd, then pretty soon another redfish runs into you line. With mono, those other fish rubbing against a really tight line just cuts it off, but with the braided stuff we no longer have that problem, it’s that much tougher and abrasion resistant. You’ve probably heard what’s been going on in the surf. When that surf is flat and green to the beach, at least in the early part of the day, those dawn patrol guys have been scoring field days with the trout. There have also been good numbers of redfish and Spanish mackerel being caught out there. I look for this to continue well into early fall, conditions permitting of course. So let’s size up our prospects for October. We have lots of fish, trout and reds, and the catching has been pretty easy all through summer. Right off the bat you’d think the fall fishing will be a slam dunk, and hopefully it will. But I have a couple of concerns. First is that dreaded “H” word. We have at least another month to go before we can let our guard down. Next is salinity. With this drought situation still going on and freshwater inflow all but dried up, our bay salinity is really beginning to shoot up there. I checked salinity last week close to the mouth of the Trinity River and found it to be 28 ppt. Over in Jack’s Pocket it was 32 ppt. This is the saltiest I have ever seen Trinity Bay. Continued high salinity will take a toll on the shrimp crops, and as you probably already know, the overall shrimp population and their migrations have great influence on trout fishing. Pray for rain…not a flood…just a good old fashioned soaking rain.
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BIll PustEJoVsKY
CaPt. BIll’s Fish Talk
matagorda
Bill Pustejovsky is a full-time guide at Matagorda, TX. Bill fishes year-round for trout and redfish in all the Matagorda Bays. Wading and drifting for trophy trout and reds are his specialty.
Telephone 979-863-7353 Email CaptBill@GoldTipGuideService.com Website www.goldtipguideservice.com
What a relief…October is finally here! October and November are the two best months out of the year for fishing the Matagorda area bays with cooler temperatures, stronger tides, and our shrimp migration kicking off bird activity. Hopefully, we will have an abundance of shrimp, even with the lack of rainfall and high salinity that currently prevails in our bay system…only time will tell. Everyone knows we’ve had a hot, dry summer so I’m more than a little optimistic looking for a great fall fishing season - at least some redemption from the grilling hot days we were forced to endure in July and August. My October plan will be to camp out in East Matagorda Bay for the duration, wading the north and/or south shorelines (depending on the wind) on a daily basis, along with mid-bay reefs when we can. Even drifting the deeper
shell could pay dividends. All the drains on the south shoreline typically prove productive in the fall — Double Bayou, Catchall, and the Oyster Farm can be very good just to name a few. The drains are good on a falling tide, even the smallest drain could hold fish where it empties out into the bay. The birds are another sure shot and they Nicholas Strehli with could be working all over East his first-ever redfish. Matagorda Bay. You’ll need a good pair of binoculars and once you find the gulls diving, go to them and cast. Standard operating procedure in the lure department when fishing under birds will be Bass Assassins on 1/4 and 3/8 ounce jigheads to get them down quick. I’ll also have a rod rigged for topwaters because a lot of times you will catch bigger trout off the surface than you can down below. Also, always remember that if the birds
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76 | October 2011
break up, just keep drifting. Quite often there will be fish scattered for quite a distance downwind of where the feeding frenzy took place. Like I’ve told many clients, “You don’t necessarily need birds diving in front of you to catch fish.” Many times overly anxious fishermen will crash the birds too hard and they’ll take off in another direction - but the fish will still be there. Look for jumping shrimp in the area you stop. There have been many days where we have caught a limit just by following jumping shrimp and what’s really a no-brainer is when you see trout jumping out of the water chasing shrimp and no birds are around. On occasion, we will get a strong cool front where the bay will be rough and dirty. When this happens, we usually wind up in the Colorado River unless it is too fresh from a lot of rainfall. We’ll fish the river drifting and fishing bends, sand bars, and drop-offs coming off the west bank. Also, while in the river, I’ll usually make a run to the Diversion Channel. If reds are your game, try out West Matagorda Bay’s Oyster Lake, Crab Lake back behind Cameron Eubanks with a 28 inch redfish Shell Island, Twin Islands, and caught on a Hot Chicken Bass Assassin all the shell on the outside of wading West Matagorda Bay. the Diversion Channel as these
Dr. Wayne Brueggen with a 40-45# black drum caught on an Eddie Douglas Broken Back Special wading West Matagorda Bay.
areas can hold a ton of redfish in the fall. My bait choices will probably remain relatively the same as they have been for the last couple of months with Bass Assassins in Hot Chicken, Chicken-on-a-Chain, 10W40, Pumpkinseed, Glow, and Fire Tiger as best bets. If you have any discolored and faded out plastics, they generally work well under the birds. It might be a good time to clean out all of your old stuff and catch some fish with them. The Eddie Douglas Broken Back Special along with MirrOlure She Dogs, She Pups, and, of course, a few pearl goldsided chartreuse Corkys to round out my tackle box will be the ticket. Hope you have a great October. Until next time, God Bless. -Capt. Bill
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CaPt. GaRY GRaY
mID-Coast BaYs With the Grays
port o'connor seadrift Captain Gary and Captain Shellie Gray fish year-round for trout and redfish in the Port O’Connor/ Seadrift area. Gary started his Bay Rat Guide Service 20 years ago. The Grays specialize in wade and drift fishing with artificial lures. Gary and Shellie also team up to fish many tournaments.
Telephone 361-785-6708 Email Gary@BayRat.com Website www.bayratguideservice.com
September was a precursor for what to expect here in the Seadrift/Port O’Connor area in October. With the drought continuing and salinity increasing every day you will likely see the bow of my Shallow Sport pointed towards the head of San Antonio Bay more often than not. This isn’t my first drought. When average bay salinity hedges toward 40-ppt as it is right now, spotted seatrout will seek the lower salinity where the freshwater from the Guadalupe River enters the estuary. For the majority of the summer we were able to catch all the redfish we needed as far up into Mission Bay as your boat would allow you to go. Now Mission is not your average bay and there were days when people were catching largemouth bass, redfish, catfish and the occasional speck with regularity. Of course everybody released the bass. During the first weeks of September I spent a lot of time wading the reefs in San Antonio Bay. I neglected the reefs when the Matagorda Island surf caught fire in August and it felt good to be back on my old stomping grounds. I will not get into naming reefs but suffice to say if there is bait holding over shell you should
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78 | October 2011
be able to catch a fish in October. The way I approach a reef this time of year is to come in on the troll motor to about 100 feet and then watch for some type of bait activity – be it mullet flipping, ripples on the surface, or birds hovering nearby. Any of these will show you where to begin your wade. Ditto if you plan to stay in the boat and drift. I usually try to set up with the wind at my back, wading toward points and ledges that jut out on both
Chance Wegner nets a trout while Ryan Sellers frees his lure from the net for another cast.
sides and also on the ends of the shell. We will move ever so slowly until we get that telltale thump and I will tell everyone to stop and fish for a while. The most common mistake is to keep walking into the fish. I know you are saying I am wearing that line out but it still happens almost everyday that I am on the bay. Someone hooks up and they will actually walk towards the fish as they are reeling it in. I have to use the so-called “different voice” to make them stop in their tracks or use it to stop one of the other anglers from walking all over the fish. Okay we have our location chosen now we will choose a lure. I have long used Bass Assassin lures primarily for the same reason a lot of anglers shy away from them. Assassin lures have always been A reminder that early season northers can arrive very suddenly.
the softest available and this increases the action. Yes, you will go through more Assassins in a day’s fishing than other brands but if they catch more fish it makes sense to me to continue using them. Just saying is all. I will actually be using two types of lures (primarily) during the fall months in San Antonio Bay. You will see my shirt pockets overflowing with 5” Saltwater Assassins in Baby Bass and Bone Diamond colors and you will also see a bunch of the new Die Dapper Assassin in the Chartreuse Dog, Sand Tout and Houdini. If you are familiar with the Bass Assassin color charts you have probably already figured out that I prefer lures made in natural colors. I rig all my Assassin baits either weedless or with 1/16 ounce Bass Assassin jig heads – part #JA 05001. The main change we will be witnessing during the month of October is the cold fronts getting stronger and more frequent, actually dropping the temperature and humidity for longer periods. During the fall season you should always be on the lookout for birds working in San Antonio Bay as the shrimp migration continues. When working the birds you should try and use up all your old plastics that may have faded or bled into each other as the fish under the birds are usually in a feeding frenzy and it really doesn’t matter what you put on the jig head. With the passing cold fronts we will be seeing the annual migration of ducks starting to take place and hopefully we will get some much needed rain all over Central and South Texas, which in turn should put more water traveling down a river to a bay system near you. Let’s hope. Fish hard, fish smart!
TSFMAG.com | 79
DaVID RoWsEY
hooKED uP WIth Rowsey
Many of my regular clients and some new ones have begun calling already for winter and spring dates before I officially opened the books for the season. They caught me off guard with requests coming in August and all I can say is thanks, and thanks again. There are many excellent dates available for big trout upper season but please do not procrastinate if you must laguna/ have something in particular. I look forward to seeing baffin the old friends and making new ones. By the time this magazine hits the shelves, I expect a portion of our audience will be slinging corn into deer feeders, brushing duck blinds, and doing last David Rowsey has 20 years minute work to fine tune their dogs. I'll be doing a experience in the Laguna/Baffin little bit of the latter two but most of my energies will region; trophy trout with artificial be spent on getting ready for the early stages of the lures is his specialty. David has a big trout season. Good Lord, I am looking forward great passion for conservation to some cool weather, Simms waders, and Corky and encourages catch and release of trophy fish. (MirrOlure-Paul Brown Originals) strikes on the end of my Waterloo. Telephone In all seriousness, this is the time of year when I 361-960-0340 start pulling it all together for cooler weather fishing. Website Everything from waders, tackle, rods, reels, boats, www.DavidRowsey.com Email motors, etc., will be gone through with a finetoothed david.rowsey@yahoo.com comb to hopefully prevent the unexpected. Waiting until the first cool fronts drop the water temperatures
80 | October 2011
is not the best time to discover that your old one-ply waders from last year "somehow got a hole in 'em" or that last year's badly coiled mono line "should have probably been switched out" or "the handle turned just fine last spring.â&#x20AC;? I hear all of these on a daily basis from rookies and even the seasoned salty crowd on occasion. You can bet that by the second trip theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have it all figured out. If you do just a few simple things before you jump on the boat for the first cool weather trip of the season, you can spend more time fishing and less time watching your organized buddy catch fish. Quick checklist: Reels cleaned, new line, new hooks on lures, check waders for leaks, clean corroded zippers on tackle bags, boots, etc., organize your layering system. Reread the checklist a second time, and a third! I'm not big on working birds here in the Upper Laguna but October will be a time that I will not be passing any. A mass exodus of bait will be taking place in September and October and some huge results on all species are possible. A few birds, though less obvious than the traditional large flock, can still be worth a try. Fishing "under birds" provides a ton of action for young and old and can produce trophy catches to boot. I have always found it best to stay
a long cast off the birds as they do their work. Many times in the Laguna the smaller fish will be closer to the surface and the larger fish near the mid-depths to the bottom. My wading effort will be concentrated on spoil islands that
Brooke McGee with one of many big reds that she and family landed while sightcasting the shallows.
run parallel to the ICW from the mouth of the Land Cut to the JFK Causeway. East and west shorelines of Nighthawk Bay, the King Ranch, and Rocky Slough will produce both quantity and quality before it gets too cold and the bait vanishes. The east shoreline of Corpus Christi Bay is a sleeper for big trout this time of year, especially in the hours just before dusk. The full moon of October has traditionally been a good one, especially if you do not mind doing some super early fishing as the moon sets in the weak light of morning. I have told many people that if I were limited to fishing only one hour every month, the moonset minor during full moon would be it. All of my favorite three lure types will see action from this point forward. Topwaters (MirrOlure), Corky (MirrOlure), and the Bass Assassin will see equal play time in October. Bass Assassin just shipped me a new lure that roots from their original 5" rat tail configuration (my favorite). The new lure is called Vapor Shad and is also rat tail style. This bait keeps the original attributes that make it such a killer lure while adding features that will only make it more attractive. The first thing that grabbed my eye was the deeper body profile (I love this for big trout), a textured body, rubber eyes, and a split tail. As far as I know the lure has yet to hit the shelves but I can already tell you it is going to be a homerun for me and Baffin Bay. Set 'em loose. -Capt. David Rowsey
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tRICIa’s Mansfield Report CaPt. tRICIa
Although fishing here in the Lower Laguna Madre has been pretty much meeting or exceeding our expectations lately, October should bring some exciting changes. Cooler weather and reduced boat traffic are always a bonus but heavier fish staying shallow longer and becoming even more aggressive should really fire all of us up. I can’t wait for the next port chapter of what has already mansfield been a great 2011. To recap this past month, little changed as far as patterns and techniques. Capt. Tricia’s Skinny Water Solid trout continued to Adventures operates out of hold in many areas; from Port Mansfield, specializing in shorelines to neck-deep wadefishing with artificial lures. grass and from super-skinny sands to the contrasting Telephone sand pockets in between. 956-642-7298 Depending on how you Email wanted to fish, fair weather shell@granderiver.net graced us with no shortage of Website www.SkinnyWaterAdventures.com opportunity. Deciding where to start our day has not been complicated; find some
82 | October 2011
flipping baitfish or curious birds, and you’re probably close enough to try a wade in the area. Combine surface activity with crisp changes, such as color streaks, current rips or interesting bottom deviations and now you’re definitely close to the best catching. All that is left to figuring out the bite is what they want and how they want it. Being that the system down here continues to be very healthy, the remaining success factor mostly boils down into just being a fisherman. We have made a few interesting discoveries this summer. For one - we have not been seeing nearly as many sharks as in recent years. Phil Jose, studying sharks for Harte Research Institute, commented that they seemed fewer than normal along the entire Texas coast. Neither have we been seeing as many schools of those tackle-crashing jack
crevalle patrolling the flats. Our large herds of redfish seemed to have held abnormally deeper for longer this year, and as of this writing are just now beginning to show up in the shallows in their usual numbers. What we have been seeing in greater number than usual are flounder. Cownosed rays, the ones with pointy wings that swim in formation like geese, were often so numerous to muddy up acres of water, and schools of black drum have been everywhere. Who knows why fish populations fluctuate, but with flounder it seems more than coincidence that two years ago the bag limits were cut in half. Perhaps coincidentally as well, when they showed up early last spring, they were all about the same size, 13 to 14 inches, suggesting the same age class. I know little about their growth rate, but the fish we are catching now are averaging 18 to 20 inches and about 2.5 to 3.0 pounds, again indicative of a year class. What a bonus! One of the most exciting things all summer has been the unusual amount of sight-casting opportunity we have been enjoying on big trout. Depending on the conditions, virtually all sandy areas both north and south can hold uncommon numbers, and they can often be seen in a foot or less water even during the heat of the day.
Seeing a bunch of trout in the 24-inch class and longer is no longer a surprise. I have personally never seen so many so consistently, and if it’s any indication of what fall and winter may have in store – well, it’s gonna be one those years…again! Yes, October will bring welcome changes. Expect herds of brutally aggressive reds in the shallows and heading toward the Gulf. The trout will begin putting on weight as soon as spawning is done. Flounder will be headed toward the passes in late October and all during November to do their spawning thing - channel edges and spoils along channels will become hotspots. Expect not only plentiful catching but lots of quality as well with the big three – trout, reds and flounder. Even as good as October promises to be some fishermen seem bent on finding ways to screw it up. A major mistake I see often is trying to out-think the fish; wasting time changing lure after lure, as though the next one will have magical powers. I say pick one that has been good for you in the past and work with it, maybe a few adjustments to depth and speed, but that’s all. That’s what I love about my soft plastics…fish love ‘em year round. Just give me a Green Rod, a pumpkinseed tail, my trusty Costa 580 sunglasses, and I’m in the zone. Here’s hoping October gives you great fishing.
TSFMAG.com | 83
CaPt. ERnEst CIsnERos
south PaDRE Fishing Scene
a rr oyo c olorado t o port i s abel
A Brownsville-area native, Capt. Ernest Cisneros fishes the Lower Laguna Madre from Port Mansfield to Port Isabel. Ernest specializes in wading and poled skiff adventures for snook, trout, and redfish.
Cell 956-266-6454 Website www.tightlinescharters.com
84 | October 2011
October is known to bring lots of changes to the fishing patterns here in the Lower Laguna Madre. Having said that, much of the change we are accustomed to seeing in October actually begins in the rainy month of September. As of the 7th of September we have yet to receive the first drop of rain and there is none in the extended forecast. How this will affect our fall fishing is anybody’s guess. One thing is certain – rain or no rain – that scorching summer sun and unbearable heat will be all but gone when October rolls around. I am looking forward to cooler mornings with beautiful sunrises
and pleasant temperatures through the evening hours. During the hot weather we had some unusual experiences with sharks as we waded in deeper water. Looking over our shoulders for the next shark to pop up while trying to avoid stringrays added excitement to our trips; two more things I will not miss. Our fishing as of lately has been a hit or a miss, especially if your trip included a tight timeline. I mainly attribute the “miss” to our early morning slack tides. There have been many days when we started with little or no tidal movement – the incoming tides occurring in the wee hours, way before sunrise. To overcome this we have been running further away from the Brazos Santiago Pass for a better chance of catching a moving tide during the day. I have come to estimate from my personal observations that the difference from predicted tides of Port Isabel to the predicted tides of the Arroyo Colorado is between four to six hours depending on your location and how strong the tide is moving on that particular day. The mornings when we have experienced favorable pre -sunrise tide movement, our choice has been to make runs further away from the Pass to catch a moving tide further up the bay while we still can. Another strategy that has been working for us on tough days is waiting
on the tide to fall out later in the day. Countless times we have fished where we know fish are present but perhaps not willing to bite in the early morning hours. In those cases we go looking for more productive areas only to return later to the same general area but perhaps slightly deeper as the tide begins to move out and bring the fish to us. Moves like these have changed many of our trips from slow to productive days on the water. We continue to throw small topwaters rigged with Gamakatsu single live-bait hooks, but presently the most productive baits have been ball tail shad Kelley Wigglers in dark colors. Because of warmer temperatures the fish have not been staging up shallow very long.
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As a matter of fact, our most productive depth has been right around waist deep throwing tails on 1/8 oz Kelley Wiggler jig heads bumped slowly on the bottom. Time-wise our most productive hours of catching have been right around noon and into the evening hours when the outgoing tide has been at its maximum speed. Greater numbers of redfish continue to be caught near the Arroyo Colorado when compared to areas down south to Port Isabel. Trout are being caught in good numbers from Port Isabel to Port Mansfield, and if these past few incredible months are any indication of the size and number of trout we will see this winter, the outcome promises to be a blast. As the air and water temperatures drop, look for fish to remain in the shallows a lot longer than they have been so don’t give up to early on the shallows. In closing I would like to say that we had a very good spring/ summer snook run. My logbook says we caught more this summer than in 2010 which proves that February’s freeze had no ill-effect on the fishery. I had many clients make lifetime best catches but none made me personally happier than serviceman Eric Onishi who was on a bucket list trip, just home from Afghanistan. Eric plugged away with great determination and when his bucket list fish finally crashed his lure it put on quite a show, jumping and thrashing, trying every trick to shake loose. I’m very grateful to be a part of something that started when he was stationed overseas, flipping the pages of Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, dreaming of one day catching a linesider. Congratulations Eric, and many thanks to you and all the brave servicemen that sacrifice to help protect our country.
BLACK PEARL
TSFMAG.com | 85
FISHING REPORTS
ORECASTS F from Big Lake to Boca Chica
AND
Lake Calcasieu Louisiana Jeff and Mary Poe - Big Lake Guide Service - 337.598.3268 This is the month for catching large numbers of speckled trout. Birds will give away the location of the fish throughout October; the wise will keep their eyes on the horizon. Our school trout are much larger than they have been in recent years. Stopping near a group of birds may produce a box full of three or four pound trout. There will be days when birds will be picking as far as the eye can see. All signs point toward one of the best falls in a long time. Always remember when approaching birds, get on the upwind side and shut the big motor down at least 150 yards away. Approach them slowly with your trolling motor and give them time to let you know which way they are moving. Whichever way they are moving will dictate which way to turn the boat. Remember, 99% of the time, trout move against the tide when feeding. Work the shoreline along the east side of Calcasieu. Birds working there will usually be over trout and reds mixed. The big bull reds should still be schooling in the middle of the lake. Trinity Bay - East Bay - Galveston Bay | James Plaag Silver King Adventures - www.silverkingadventures.com - 409.935.7242 The tarpon season was in full swing when James made this report, and the high-flying action should continue into the middle of October. “I think we caught our last tarpon on the 17th of October last year. It’s been good; we’ve seen a ton of silver kings, jumped a bunch and caught our share too. Trout fishing has been steady, with the same old summer patterns producing as of right now. We’re still targeting deep structures along the
channel for the most part, using Bass Assassin Sea Shads in LSU and white/ chartreuse. As we get some cooler weather, Trinity Bay should go off real good. There should be birds working over there in good numbers. Keying on slicks should be pretty easy when the birds aren’t picking. And fishing East Bay should be similar, with more fish moving up a little shallower than they are right now in this heat. If it stays this dry, the end of West Bay near San Luis Pass will probably be better than the other end around Green’s Cut. In drought years in the past, that’s normally been the case.” Jimmy West - Bolivar Guide Service - 409.996.3054 Jim is splitting time between the field and the pond right now, as he always is in the autumn of the year. “I’ll be dove hunting quite a bit. We had a good opener, and then got some rain associated with the tropical storm and the action slowed a bit. But it will pick back up. I’m anticipating good shooting on most days. We’ve got plenty of birds. The fishing is in a transition phase right now, and a good one at that. Normally, in October, the potential to catch fish by wading becomes better. There are more fish up shallow to work with. We’ve had a good topwater bite lately on some of the calmer days, and this should continue on into the cooler weather. October is usually good for fishing with floating plugs. Of course, like in any other month, the weather is the key to the best fishing. If it’s calmer, we’ll have more options. On many days this month, we can catch ‘em how we want, out in the middle around birds and slicks or by wading. If it gets too windy to work the open water, we will be forced to wade the shorelines.”
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Matagorda | Tommy Countz Bay Guide Service -979.863.7553 cell 281.450.4037 With cooling weather, Tommy expects improved action with all three of the primary species in the Matagorda area in October. “Normally, October is the kick off month for steady bird activity. Mostly, we catch trout under the birds in East Bay. The action can happen anywhere, so mobile anglers who maintain a sharp lookout will do best. We do catch some reds under the flocks in East Bay too. When I’m fishing East Bay and no birds are working, I like to stay over deep shell. In West Bay, it’s kind of opposite in a way. Much of the action moves shallower this month. I like to throw at the grass beds close to the bank, using topwaters early, then switching over to dark soft plastics on eighth ounce heads once the sun gets up and/or the bite slows. We do find some birds working really over the shallows at times in West Bay and catch some nice trout under those. Another great option this month is bottom-bumping soft plastics around small shoreline reefs
for flounder. Seems the new regs have brought the flatfish numbers up nicely.” Palacios | Capt. Aaron Wollam www.palaciosguideservice.com - 979.240.8204 Fishing in September was as good as it gets! The surf, wells and flats were producing, drifting scattered shell was paying off, and birds were working in our bay system. The last month has pretty much been the best I can remember in recent years. Redfish schooled up earlier than usual, and were abundant in big numbers. We have been consistently finding pods of 40-60 fish and hope to stay with them through most of this month. I hate to say you could throw anything to catch them, but truly it doesn't matter much. Small topwaters, gold spoons or paddletails all work about equally well. The surf has been on fire also, with lots of solid trout up to 22 inches, caught mostly on SheDogs with any chrome on them and chartreuse Paul Brown‘s Original Lures. The bird activity was steady as well and should remain that way through October, with lots of keeper trout mixed in with a few more small ones. Best bet is to use heavier jigheads to get below the dinks to the bigger fish. Old reliable pearl/chartreuse has been the best color for soft plastics. Port O’Connor | Lynn Smith - Back Bay Guide Service - 361.983.4434 Lynn hopes to scratch out a few more trips in the surf in October, as well as explore some other more-established options. “This has been a weird weather year all along, and it’s been extra hot now for a long time, so I think the surf might stay productive a little later than in some years. I plan on trying it if the wind stays light. Of course, I’ll also be wading close to area shorelines and targeting grass and sandy pockets along the bank. It’s not quite as important to stay close to deep water once we start having cooler weather and water temperatures. October is a great month for topwaters in most years, so I’ll be giving those a good look most every time out. In
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West Galveston - Bastrop - Christmas - Chocolate Bays Randall Groves - Groves Guide Service - 979.849.7019 - 979.864.9323 Randall was steering his JH Performance Craft in the near shore waters when we talked, trying to position it in front of a group of rolling tarpon. “We might have a chance at some more good tarpon and light offshore fishing well into October this year if it’s calmer than normal. As far as the bay fishing goes, I’m seeing signs of improvement already and looking forward to a strong fall run. This little cool snap has really dropped the water temperatures in a hurry, and I’m seeing lots of shrimp and bait on the move. Bait migrations mean working birds. We should have plenty of birds to key on in October. I like to take advantage of that whenever I can. When the birds aren’t working, I tend to stay in depths about four or five feet and key on slicks and rafted bait. This is usually a good month to catch fish on top. We’ll give the Skitterwalks and other floaters a try on most days. If they are working, catching the fish is a real hoot; if they aren’t, we’ll try some Paul Brown’s Original Lures too, and of course, we always keep the Sand Eels on standby!”
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fact, here lately, the bite on them has been good. We’ve been drifting the back lake areas and staying in the boat, catching plenty of both trout and redfish. That plan is normally a good one in October too, since we generally have high tides and moderate water temperatures. Those are two things that usually make fishing the back lake areas productive.” Rockport | Blake Muirhead Gator Trout Guide Service - 361.790.5203 - 361.441.3894 Like many outdoor enthusiasts and experts, Blake will be splitting time between the dove fields and the coastal marshes this month. “Right now, I’ve got several fields full of doves. The hunting is off to a good start and should remain that way. There’s enough grain growing in the areas I’m hunting to keep the birds interested. The fishing has been good this summer, and should improve with the cooler weather. I’ll be wading shorelines in area bays like St. Charles, San Antonio, Aransas and Mesquite, fishing shallow, in depths from about knee to crotch-deep. I like to throw topwaters a lot this time of year; they normally work well on both the trout and redfish. It’s not uncommon to find schools of both along the shorelines in the fall. Mostly, I key on sand and grass, but I also fish the shell some too. And I’ve always got my eye out for birds working up shallow. Usually, they will lead us to pods of reds cruising the shallows, but every now and then, we find some quality trout under them too. It’s a great time to be outdoors!”
88 | October 2011
Upper Laguna Madre - Baffin Bay - Land Cut Robert Zapata – rz1528@grandecom.net - 361.563.1160 The weather might be cooling off but the fishing and catching should not. The water temperatures will be cooling a bit, but not enough to send the fish into deep water. In fact, the fish will probably move shallower as the water cools. There will be an aggressive trout spawn, which translates into heavier weights and more aggressive feeding. Many of the trout are already showing signs of preparing for the spawn, as many are carrying loaded egg sacks. I’ll be using topwaters like bone colored MirrOlure SheDogs, as well as Bass Assassin Die Dappers in colors like plum/ chartreuse and pumpkinseed/chartreuse, or live piggy perch. The redfish will continue to run in schools, and these should be easy to find on calm mornings while running slow in water less than three feet deep, looking for them to wake up when they hear the outboard getting close to them. Casting half-ounce gold weedless spoons or quarter-ounce jigheads rigged with bright colored Bass Assassins will be the best way to catch the schooled reds. Corpus Christi | Joe Mendez – www.sightcast1.com - 361.937.5961 Most of the summer, Joe was having luck finding schooling reds on the flats of the Upper Laguna Madre, but he’s seen a change already happening in response to rising tides associated with tropical weather systems and
the coming of the equinox. “Once the tide moved in real high, I stopped seeing the reds on the flats as much. Lots of people think a high tide will move fish shallow, but I run around up there a lot and have for years, and I don’t agree. I think this time of year the reds prefer deeper water. Seems like they use the ICW to begin their yearly migrations. I’ll be fishing along the ditch quite a bit in October, throwing soft plastics at the edge some and also looking for small schools, singles and tailing fish along the shallow sand bars next to the channel. If the tide stays high, the schools will often show up shallow again, especially in the flats around the bridge. The schools that are heading out to the Gulf will congregate in this area, and lots of times it’s possible to find some big herds before they leave.” Padre Island National Seashore Billy Sandifer - Padre Island Safaris - 361.937.8446 Wonderful fishing should be available throughout the month of October. There are two enemies to an October trip – the fall equinox tide and passage of cold fronts. Check your tide schedules before going on a trip; if the weather forecast says a cold front is arriving during the time frame of your trip you should reschedule rather than spend the entire trip being sandblasted while sitting in your truck. Cut bait, dead shrimp, and “Fishbites” will produce oversized and slot reds. Large schools of jack crevalle will be running at the water’s edge on reasonably calm mornings and will hit almost any topwater or spoon. Brown pelicans diving and swirling will let you know where the jack crevalle are even before you reach them. Sharks are often in good supply and will come into very shallow water. Pompano fishing will start but get better later in November and December. Large Spanish mackerel will be common as will stray king mackerel. It varies from year to year but good numbers of adult tarpon may be migrating through the area. Port Mansfield | Terry Neal www.terrynealcharters.com – 956.944.2559 We had a 99° norther blow in over the Labor Day weekend and it seemed
very strange indeed for north wind to blow so warm. The good part was the humidity went down making the weather more pleasant and as the front passed we found exceptional topwater action. Large schools of big redfish have been roaming around Duncan’s and Three Islands and the conditions continue to be favorable for some classic fall fishing. The flounder fishing has been unbelievable. Everybody is amazed at the numbers being caught from nearly anywhere you care to fish in the Lower Laguna Madre. Picking up several per wade is not uncommon at this time. The secret to putting a flounder on the stringer is to work your bait on or near the bottom and slowly. Offshore fishing should continue to produce some good tarpon around the Mansfield Jetties. October and November always bring us great weather and excellent fishing. Watch the forecast so you do not get caught out in a fast-arriving norther. Keep only what you will eat fresh and release the rest. Lower Laguna Madre - South Padre - Port Isabel Janie and Fred Petty – www.fishingwithpettys.com – 956.943.2747 It seems like every September we remember why we love living in the Rio Grande Valley…limits of redfish and whitewing doves on the same day! With summer ending, we’re beginning to see a drop in boat traffic on weekends. We’ve also had higher tides, probably helped by a tropical storm in the Gulf. Although we’re limiting on reds easily, with at least a flounder a day, north winds have scattered the trout, and the ones we’re catching are skinny and underfed. Freddy says, “We’re trying out some new jigheads from a tackle company called Logic Lures. We rigged one of the quarter ounce Wiggly Jigglys with a Berkley Gulp! three inch glow shrimp under a Cajun Thunder round cork, inserted the Google Eyez clip and tossed it into a herd. The cork came back totally mangled with teeth punctures, and the bait was being fought over by four reds, never to be seen again! We’re definitely calling Jim for another sample; check with us next month for more info.” It looks like another excellent fall for fishing and for dove hunting as well!
TSFMAG.com | 89
Thomas Kuhlow
Brady Kalhoefer W Matagorda - 26” first red!
Jose Silva Surf side - 42” redfish
Tyler Tran Sabine Lake - 17” flounder
90 | September 2011
Rick Lashley Basford Bayou - drum
Miguel Martinez 31” drum
Terri Adams biggest catch ever - redfish
Kelly Baggett Laguna Madre - 31” 10lb trout
Sammy Rios Arroyo City - 26” redfish
Patti Simpkinson Port Arkansas Bay - 38” 21.4lb red
Caroline Burkett Redfish Bay first trout over 20”
Jacob Finkelstein 16” flounder
Bronson Hilliard West Matagorda - 46” drum
Mike Adams biggest catch ever - redfish
Matt Lammers Galveston Bay - 40” 41.5lb drum CPR
Manuel Fernandez Packary Channel - 45” redfish CPR Meghan Kalhoefer W Matagorda - 22” first red!
Sharque Haque San Antonio Bay - 42lb black drum
Juan Garcia Texas City - 17” first flounder!
Steven Hunt Powderhorn Lake - 27” red
Wyatt Kuhlow
Bebe Lopez Port Mansfield - 25” redfish
Chris Watson San Luis Pass - 35” 17lb redfish Jaime Solis Port Mansfield - 26” redfish
Kacey Wagner Bayou Vista - 25” 7lb flounder
Anthony McIntosh Laguna Madre - 29” first red!
Ryan Kimble Bastrop Bayou - 23.5” redfish
Please do not write on the back of photos.
Steven Nevarez Schikle Point - first fish ever!
Payton Matagorda - 15.5” first trout! CPR
Email photos with a description of your Catch of the Month to: Photos@tsfmag.com Mail photos to: TSFMag P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 TSFMAG.com | 91
Pam Johnson
Gulf Coast Kitchen
Pam Johnson
Got ideas, hints or recipes you’d like to share? Email them to pam@tsfmag.com or send by fax: 361-785-2844
SEATROUT FLORENTINE 8 Tbsp butter 2 Tbsp flour 3/4 cup milk salt white pepper 2 Tbsp dry sherry 1 cup mushrooms, chopped 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion 4 green onions, chopped 1 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1/4 tsp dried thyme 1/2 cup parmesan cheese 10 ounces fresh spinach 6 6-oz seatrout filets 1/2 cup white wine 1/4 cup water lemon juice 1/2 cup bread crumbs 1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter lemon wedges chopped fresh parsley 92 | October 2011
Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and cook without browning for 4 to 5 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly. Continue to stir until the sauce has thickened and is smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the sherry and set aside. Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan. Add mushrooms, onion, green onions, basil, oregano and thyme. Sauté over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the parmesan cheese and continue to cook until the cheese has melted. Combine with the white sauce. Stir in a handful at a time of spinach to the sauce. Set aside. Preheat oven to 425°. Place filets in buttered shallow baking dish. Pour the wine and water into pan. Squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over each filet. Spoon spinach sauce mixture over each filet. Sprinkle with bread crumbs drizzle the butter evenly over filets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until flaky. We like to serve it over Uncle Ben’s Ready Whole Grain Medley Brown & Wild Rice and garnished with lemon wedges and chopped parsley. Serves 6.
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94 | October 2011
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GALVESTON TIDES & SOLUNAR TABLE Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine OCTOBER2011
The BEST Choice… Any Place, Anytime!
To find a location near you, please visit us at www.speedystop.com
TIDAL CORRECTIONS Location Calcasieu Pass, La. Sabine Bank Lighthouse Sabine Pass (jetty) Sabine Pass Mesquite Point Galveston Bay (S. jetty) Port Bolivar Texas City, Turning Basin Eagle Point Clear Lake Morgans Point Round Point, Trinity Bay Point Barrow, Trinity Bay Gilchrist, East Bay Jamaica Beach, Trinity Bay Christmas Point Galveston Pleasure Pier San Luis Pass Freeport Harbor
High -2:14 -1:46 -1:26 -1:00 -0:04 -0:39 +0:14 +0:33 +3:54 +6:05 +10:21 +10:39 +5:48 +3:16 +2:38 +2:39 +2:32 -0:09 -0:44
Low -1:24 -1:31 -1:31 -1:15 -0:25 -1:05 -0:06 +0:41 +4:15 +6:40 +5:19 +5:15 +4:43 +4:18 +3:31 +2:38 +2:33 +2:31 -0:09
For other locations, i.e. Port O’Connor, Port Aransas, Corpus Christi and Port Isabel please refer to the charts displayed below.
Please note that the tides listed in this table are for the Galveston Channel. The Tidal Corrections can be applied to the areas affected by the Galveston tide.
Minor Feeding Periods are in green, coinciding with the moon on the horizon, and the last from 1.0 to 1.5 hrs after the moon rise or before moon set. Major Feeding Periods are in orange, about 1.0 to 1.5 hrs either side of the moon directly overhead or underfoot. Many variables encourage active feeding current flow (whether wind or tidal driven), changes in water temp & weather, moon phases, etc. Combine as many as possible for a better chance at an exceptional day. Find concentrations of bait set up during a good time frame, and enjoy the results.
Te x a s S a l t w a t e r F i s h i n g M a g a z i n e l
w w w. t e x a s s a l t w a t e r f i s h i n g m a g a z i n e . c o m