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ABOUT THE COVER Congrats to Deanna Saenger on landing this beautiful late-summer Espiritu Santo Bay speck.

Deanna was fishing a shoreline and the fish grabbed her lure in less than a foot of water. Not that she’s superstitious, but Deanna was quick to credit her “lucky” Waterloo rod and Fish Monkey gloves. She never goes fishing without them!

OCTOBER 2019 VOL 29 NO 6

CONTENTS

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

10 16 22 26 32

38 42 46 48 50 52 54 58 60 64 84 87

Early Fall Trout Strategies First Full Fall Month Pamela Comes to Texas: Part 6 Ebb and Flow – Stay or Go A Spinning Debate

Steve Hillman Kevin Cochran Martin Strarup Chuck Uzzle Joe Richard

16

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

Plastic & Water Don’t Mix Bycatch is a Hidden Threat...

Pop’s Secret Boat Repair & Maintenance Science & the Sea

WHAT OUR GUIDES

HAVE TO SAY

66 68 70 72 74 76

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

66

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

38

REGULARS 8 Editorial 62 New Tackle & Gear 78 Fishing Reports and Forecasts 80 Catch of the Month 82 Gulf Coast Kitchen

82

6 | October 2019

Jay Watkins Scott Null Emma Clarkson Dave Roberts CCA Texas Stephanie Boyd Eric Ozolins Everett Johnson Dr. Larry McKinney Bill Hull Chris Mapp UT Marine Science Institute

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EDITORIAL

IN THE NEWS

In the effort to keep readers abreast of developments that could significantly impact recreational fisheries, we have two very important fisheries-related articles included in this month’s magazine.

First is the proposed deepening of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel to accommodate larger vessels carrying crude oil to the refineries.

A detailed explanation and CCA Texas’ opposition to the proposed deepening can be found in Conservation News on page 50.

While it could be argued that all Texas citizens are direct beneficiaries of our state’s energy industries, there is great concern arising whether the continued development and growth of these industries is being engineered with the continued health and productivity of our estuaries at the fore.

In simplest terms, a wider and deeper ship channel will allow greater flow of water from the Gulf of Mexico to enter Corpus Christi Bay and the neighboring Aransas Bay Complex. Corpus Christi Bay is already regarded as “borderline” in its ability to sustain certain forms of sea life – especially oysters. There is also great concern for a variety of finfish species that depend on estuarine habitat during parts of their life cycle. Sea grasses within these bays could also be negatively impacted.

Disposal and containment of dredge spoils, increased turbidity, and elevated salinity levels are known to be detrimental to sea grass.

Expansion of the area’s refinery industry will be good for Texas, in general, but deepening the Corpus Christi Ship Channel is not the only

8 | October 2019

way to support it. An offshore terminal for transferring crude oil to smaller vessels that can navigate the existing channel certainly seems less threatening to the estuarine ecology of the region.

Also in this issue is an op-ed on page 60 from Dr. Larry McKinney of Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, on the subject of the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council’s recently announced intention to roll back the clock on by-catch reduction devices (BRDs) within the gulf shrimping industry.

By definition, BRDs are intended to reduce the capture of non-target sea life in shrimp nets. It’s called “net cull” and consists of a wide range of sea life other than the shrimp being targeted. At times the “cull” can easily exceed the “catch.”

The origin of the current BRD requirement came about as the Council sought options in the recovery of the then seriously-depleted red snapper fishery. In addition to overfishing by commercial and recreational fishermen, net cull was identified as a major source of red snapper mortality – juvenile snappers could not evade the net. Hence the enactment of BRD requirements to provide a means of escape and near-certain death.

Texas recreational red snapper anglers have always taken it on the chin. Ridiculously short seasons and two-fish bag limits come to mind. So, what’s the Gulf Council saying here? If the fishery is sufficiently recovered to roll back the BRD requirement, why are Texas anglers still being given such a small allocation of the fishery and a two-fish bag limit?

early fall

TROUT STRATEGIES STORY BY STEVE HILLMAN

STORY BY STEVE HILLMAN

F

all is right around the corner and with it comes some welcome changes.

Following the autumnal equinox which will occur this year on September 23, the days will start getting noticeably shorter and the nights longer. This coupled with cool fronts will result in dropping water temperatures which will send all species of fish into a giant feeding frenzy and it will be the craziest topwater action we’ve ever seen! Okay. Not really. But, trout will begin to behave differently and if you understand how they will react then you’ll have better success.

By the time you read this article it will officially be fall on the calendar. However, we will most likely still be in a summer-like pattern where the majority of our trout are holding in deeper areas over structure. There are always exceptions, of course, like the guy reading this after he just caught a bunch of fish in knee deep water yesterday. Generally speaking, though, the timing of the first real cool fronts will play a major role in determining when our trout begin to transition into a true fall pattern. These fronts which are usually accompanied by rainfall will breathe life into our bays. Dissolved oxygen levels will rise and forage species such as white shrimp and shad will be on the move. Trout will spend more time suspended in the water column as opposed to hugging deep structure. Trout will begin to migrate towards river mouths and the back ends of bays with the passage of each front. Behavioral patterns will not occur overnight but over a two to three week period.

6-year-old Clay Dolch had a blast casting to slicks over shell in 7-feet of water while throwing Assassin Sea Shads.

This pattern will still be relevant during the early part of October.

The first part of the month for me will most likely be spent drifting open water slicks much like what we do during the summer months.

Once the water temperature starts dropping below 80° we will begin checking some shoreline areas. Such areas will include bayou drains, shallow reefs, grass flats and back lakes. The fish will typically show us where we need to be most days. Active mullet and small slicks near the shoreline areas mentioned can pay off big time!

Soft plastics will still be king early on but a few adjustments will need to be made. As trout begin to suspend higher in the water column we typically switch to lighter jigheads – often 1/16 ounce.

I’m a little picky when it comes to lead heads and which one I choose is determined by the style of soft plastic I’m throwing. I like the Saltwater Assassin Pro Elite jighead when I’m throwing a MirrOlure Lil’ John and I actually prefer the 1/8 ounce because it seems to feel more like a 1/16 ounce compared to other jighead styles. I prefer a Saltwater Assassin screw lock head when I’m rigging a rat-tail Assassin and a standard push-on head when rigging paddletail baits such as MirrOlure Soft Shads or Saltwater Assassin Sea Shads. The reason I prefer the screw lock over the push-on when using a rattail Assassin is because Assassins are made of softer plastic and I can get more mileage out of them with a screw lock. They’re also much easier to rig straighter on the jig versus other styles, especially when rigging through the split belly. A soft plastic that is twirling on the retrieve will draw far fewer strikes than one that swims in a straight line.

With our trout staging closer to the surface it only makes sense to throw something that gets in their face. When throwing plastics of

the hard variety you would be doing yourself an injustice if you didn’t tie on a twitch bait. There are many varieties from which to choose but my top three are the Borboleta Lele, Texas Custom Lures Double D and Rapala’s X-Rap Sub Walk. The Leles and Double Ds are floating twitchbaits but run 4 to 8 inches below the surface when retrieved.

The X-Rap Sub Walk is a very slow sinking (suspending) lure. All three have rattles that produce an enticing medium-pitched clicking sound with every twitch of the rod tip. Some of the most violent strikes I’ve ever had were on these baits.

We will also get to enjoy some very good topwater action during the month of October. As with any bait there is a time and place to tie on a surface plug. Mullet pushed into tight balls or shrimp getting blasted out of the water may as well be a giant neon sign that reads “Throw a Topwater!” There are other times when we’ll chunk one if we think the trout are there but are possibly just in a somewhat negative feeding pattern. The side-to-side action and annoying rattle can sometimes at least draw agitation strikes when nothing else will. In this scenario I generally stay put and try different things until they are ready to feed. It could just be something as simple as waiting on a tide change. Sometimes a smaller topwater

These are my top picks for October. Top row – left to right: MirrOlure Lil John rigged on Saltwater Assassin Pro Elite jig head, 5” Assassin rattail rigged on Assassin screw-lock head, 4” Assassin Sea Shad rigged on push-on style jig.

Middle row – left to right: Borboleta Lele, Texas Custom Lures Double D, and Rapala X-Rap Sub Walk. Bottom row – left to right: MirrOlure She Dog, Rapala Skitterwalk, Heddon Super Spook One Knocker and Heddon Spook Jr.

Jessica Riemer with one of many trout she caught using a MirrOlure Lil John rigged on a Pro Elite jighead.

12 | October 2019

Fronts like this will become a more common sight as the month progresses.

TSFMAG.com | 13

Robert Garza with a solid speck he tricked while casting along the edges of rafting mullet over shell.

can get the job done better than a larger and louder one. This seems to be especially true in calm conditions. Some of my favorite topwater plugs are MirrOlure She Dogs, Rapala Skitterwalks, Heddon Super Spook One Knockers and the Super Spook Jr. Early cool fronts often bring stiff northeast winds which tend to bull tides up along shorelines. This can actually set up well as trout begin to gravitate to shorelines anyway. It just so happens that most of the protected shorelines in the Galveston Bay Complex on a northeast wind are high percentage areas for this time of year.

This coupled with higher than normal tide levels helps the water maintain good clarity. Speaking of high winds, we all need to be smart when making choices about when to go fishing and when to stay home. More often than not there are boat ramps on protected shorelines to keep us out of the choppy stuff. Crossing miles of open bay in rough seas is not only unsafe but it’s hard on your boat as well.

Weather patterns and environmental changes seem to be changing more and more every year. As a result, trout tend to be

Bonus flounder like this one Steve Morgan caught will be a common occurrence this month.

holding in different areas compared to years past. Just because you caught them in a spot in October three years ago doesn’t mean you can repeat that trick this year. Try not to get stuck running the same track lines every time out. We’re all guilty of it. There are plenty of signs to point us in the right direction if we are willing to keep an open mind. Keep your head on a swivel and best of luck this fall!

STEVE HILLMAN

CONTACT

Not to be outdone by her friends, Jenny Arnold got in on the action with several nice specks!

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

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

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14 | October 2019

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TSFMAG.com | 15

FULL Month

FALL First

STORY BY KEVIN COCHRAN

M

any Texans openly crave relief from summer’s searing heat by the time September ends. In some ways, and in some places, October disappoints them, since it often feels more like an extension of the sizzling season than the start of a crisp, cool one. Certainly, the dog days linger longer in deep South Texas than on the state’s Upper Coast.

A quick check of climate data reveals the truth of the previous statement. In Port Arthur, the average daily temperatures on the first day of October range from a low of 65.1 to a high of 84.5; while in Port Isabel, the values range from 71.6 to 86.

Those numbers look more alike than different, but they do run slightly higher at the southern fringe of the state.

By the end of the month, autumn has a tighter grip on the weather all over Texas, particularly on the Upper Coast. On the last day of October in Port Arthur, the average low temperature dips to 56.2, the average high rising to just 76.2. In Port Isabel, the average low runs over ten degrees warmer, at 66.4, and the average high still exceeds 80, 81.8 to be precise.

October sunrises hold promises of abundant catching.

Because of the warmer average temperatures on the Mexican border compared to those along the Louisiana shoreline, the fishing patterns down south differ somewhat from those up north when the calendar steps close to November. But in all parts of Texas’ coastal waterways, several truths apply when the month shifts from September to October.

In this timeframe, the variety and abundance of creatures inhabiting the bays and nearshore waters stand at extremely high levels.

Numerous species of fish and crustaceans share space in the shallow satellite bays, lakes and coves adjacent to the main bodies of saltwater in the Lone Star State during the first parts of fall. Normally, these remote estuaries bulge to their brims and beyond, due to the effects of exceptionally high “bull tides” prevalent soon after the autumnal equinox. With such a resplendent, metaphorical buffet available to the predators in remote corners of the bays around the time of the Harvest Moon, many trout, redfish and flounder find their way to these places.

Consequently, the furthest inland portions of all our bays, especially places near where rivers and creeks flow into them, provide productive potential while tide levels stand high in early-autumn. Shallow, sandy flats adjacent to both the Sabine and Neches river deltas, also those associated with the Trinity, San Antonio, Guadalupe and Nueces rivers all produce good catches of trout and reds this month, most notably in places where grassbeds and/or oyster reefs cover the bottom. Of course, heavy rains sending too much freshwater down the rivers will reduce or eliminate the chances of catching trout and redfish in these same places, elevating the potential productivity of parts of the bays lying closest to the Gulf of Mexico.

In wet years, the barrier islands and marshes in East Galveston Bay, coves in West Galveston, East and West Matagorda, Espiritu Santo, San Antonio, Mesquite, Aransas and Corpus Christi bays all serve up productive options when full of water and bait. The satellite bays lying in the western half of Baffin Bay do too, in addition to some of the lesser-utilized, super-shallow portions of both Laguna Madres. In all these places, catching predators in early-autumn usually means locating copious amounts of forage species in relatively small areas.

Though many predators move to remote sectors of the bays in

early-October, others linger in middle portions of the waterways, just as they have all summer. In all locations, anglers’ forays ideally begin with a search for signs of life and of feeding activity, in a month when predators have so many choices about what, when and where to eat.

Savvy anglers key on all available signs, including slicks, mud boils, rafted bait, working birds, any clue to some kind of frenzy playing out within close range.

The fronts arriving in early-October usually punch with light weight, dropping temperatures just a little, and creating a calm lull after their passage. Soft winds then whisper under a pure azure canopy, absolutely free of clouds. On such halcyon days, specific adjustments to lure choice and presentation often produce the best catching results. While topwater lures generally work well this month on a daily basis, they definitely produce better while medium-paced winds blow over the bays, under partly cloudy or cloudy skies.

When winds fall silent and bright light reflects off the slick surface of a still waterway, presenting topwaters at a super slow crawl normally works better than moving them with a medium or fast pace. On some of these days, stealthy, rhythmic presentations made with slow-sinking twitchbaits like Paul Brown Lures, MirrOlure Catch 5s and 2000s, SoftDines and others produce much better than floating plugs. And, of course, when calm winds coincide with slack tides, soft plastics placed lower in the water column usually produce more strikes than all lures worked closer to the surface.

During the middle and later portions of the month, stronger fronts normally begin passing over the Texas coast, mixing things up positively, like a straw stirring the drink. The stout hands of brisk north winds slosh saltwater around vigorously, eventually reducing both temperatures and tide levels. With Mother Nature’s metaphorical blender humming, the life and death scenarios in our bays begin to play out in different places.

Shrimp, crabs, minnows and other marine organisms migrate from the shallow confines of back-lakes, coves and satellite bays, passing through the main bays on their way to the Gulf. While this happens, predatory fish follow them, feasting along the way. Laughing gulls, terns and other opportunistic winged creatures enhance the drama of the

Laughing Gulls, terns and other birds enjoy the bounty of the harvest in October, the first full fall month.

18 | October 2019

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scenes, snatching meals above the open maws of piscatorial predators.

When schools of trout and redfish chase shrimp to and through the surface, birds hover, dive and grab what they can, then squabble among themselves in a battle of the beaks.

These raucous events play out first in the shallow, remote portions of the bays, then more often in parts of the main bays leading into them, eventually much closer to passes connecting the bays to the open ocean. While the shrimp run the gauntlet of snapping jaws during the second half of this month, some of the most impressive catches of numbers of school trout will occur in upper portions of Sabine Lake, Trinity and East Galveston bays, areas around Green’s and Mecom’s cuts in West Galveston, over mud flats in both ends of East Matagorda, near artificial reefs in West Matagorda, and outside the mouths of back-lakes and coves in all the Coastal Bend bays.

Anglers hoping to make the most of this opportunity for fast catching should keep the trolling motor batteries well-charged and stockpile relatively heavy jigheads, weighing at least a quarter-ounce or more. Heavier jigheads facilitate longer casts, and fall faster to the bottoms of the shrimp-herding schools, leading to better catch-rates.

Tossing topwaters and other lures bearing multiple treble hooks into gangs of frenzied trout under birds makes little sense, often resulting in unnecessary harm to under-sized fish and complicating anglers’ attempts to quickly cast back into the melee.

Folks who have little interest in chasing birds and cooperating with other anglers in the open waters can catch plenty of trout, redfish and flounder by focusing their efforts along shallow, sandy shorelines dotted with grassbeds. Patch reefs lying adjacent to cuts and drains also produce numbers of trout and reds, as do the edges and mouths of the drains themselves, especially in Upper and Middle Coast bays, where tides sweep water and forage species out of the confines of backwater areas into the main bodies of water.

On the Lower Coast, the shallowest portions of coves and sand bars in bays like Alazan, Cayo del Grullo, Laguna Salada and both Laguna Madres will provide productive alternatives for wading anglers who don’t like to troll around in the midst of the madness. During the 20 | October 2019

In early-October in South Texas, summer-like patterns often prevail, and soft plastics work better than all other lures to entice bites from speckled trout.

second half of October, when water temperatures and tide levels begin to decline, topwaters generally work well for anglers targeting jumbo trout and redfish on shallow flats, bars and shorelines in southern extremes of the state.

My logs and data indicate this month ranks fairly low in terms of producing trout meeting or exceeding the twenty-seven inch and seven-pound marks, and people who really want to catch a monster trout this time of year should avoid fishing around obvious signs of ravenous schools of small trout. While anglers occasionally catch trophy trout mixed in with hordes of dinks and marginal keepers, tales of catching numbers of big trout under the birds remain locked largely in the realm of myth. Catching a nine-pounder under birds hovering over harassed shrimp is about as likely as lassoing a unicorn with a rope made of cotton candy.

Among the biggest trout I’ve caught in October, a thirty-incher blasted off on a chrome/black SkitterWalk worked enticingly close to the edge of a narrow drain emptying a tiny backwater area onto a sandy, grassy flat in Nueces Bay. I and my partners stayed tight to the shoreline vegetation that day, accepting a relatively slow bite-rate as a necessary part of the deal, hoping to boost our odds for tackling a monster.

Others will feel no need to make such a decision, preferring instead to enjoy the bounty brought on by the first full fall month, when catching numbers of fish often feels quite easy.

KEVIN COCHRAN CONTACT

Topwaters work well to target larger than average trout in October, like the seven pounder caught by David Knight on 10/22/14.

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

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

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

EASY DOESN’T ENJOY A GOOD FIGHT PROFESSIONAL KAYAK ANGLER HOWIE STRECH DOESN’T BACK DOWN FROM THE SHIFTING CURRENTS AND PUNISHING WINDS OF THE PACIFIC.

TSFMAG.com | 21

Pamela comes to STORY BY MARTIN STRARUP

B

odie stayed out of the way of the investigators as they worked the scene. The local JP conferred with Mr. Connor’s physician who had arrived and revealed he’d been battling a serious heart condition for several years. That was news to Bodie as Mr. Connor never mentioned it and always seemed in decent shape for a man his age. The JP ruled Mr. Connor died of natural causes and arranged for the body to be transported to the morgue until all the estate legalities could be handled.

Bodie thanked everybody for their services and at the sheriff’s suggestion locked Mr. Connor’s residence and took the key. Bodie needed to bring Monroe up to speed on what had happened.

On the way to the ranch, Bodie shared the news with Red and Tommy, advising them to keep it quiet. He didn’t want word to circulate that Mr. Connor’s home was unoccupied.

“So what’s going to happen to us now, Bodie?” Monroe asked.

“We just keep doing what we’ve always done until the estate attorney tells us otherwise,” Bodie replied. “Just keep up with normal operations and projects as though he is still with us, I guess.”

Bodie was mentally exhausted. Rather than staying on the Lazy C he decided a fishing trip might be good therapy. His Tran Cat SVT hadn’t been on the water in a while and the weather looked about right for finding some winter trout.

Bodie was checking things at the boat stall and preparing to lower the boat when Red pulled up on his golf cart.

“I’m truly sorry about Mr. Connor,” Red offered.

“Yes, Red, it’s a sad day, for sure.”

“Well, are you here to work on the boat or thinking of going fishing?”

“Well, actually, I’m thinking a few hours of fishing might help

Part 6

clear my mind.”

“Got room for one more? I’d love to join you.”

“Sure, go grab your gear. I’ll pick you up at the bait shop pier.”

Bodie pulled his waders on and grabbed a pair of rod and reel outfits from the locker before lowering the boat. He cranked the big 250 Suzuki and was just about to shift into reverse when Tommy came flying through the door.

“Hey, Bodie, can I go with you?”

“Sure thing, Tommy Boy. Go get your gear and meet me at the bait shop pier.”

Tommy was off like a scalded ape. Bodie mused how he’d love to see the look on Red’s face when Tommy showed up at the pier.

Bodie idled for a few minutes in the ICW to warm the engine before pushing it up on plane. Rounding the corner to the pier he could see Red waiting. He idled in and was tying to a cleat as Red stepped aboard.

“We may have to wait a few minutes, Red. We have another one joining us.”

Red rolled his eyes and took a seat to pull his waders on. Just as he was tying his last boot lace, Tommy came down the dock at full gallop, tossed his gear aboard and nearly crowning Red with his wading net. Red promptly tossed it overboard. Tommy went to wailing, grabbing frantically to retrieve it before it drifted away.

“Alright you two, this is not the time for your childish bullshit. If it’s going to be like this all afternoon I’ll throw you both off the boat and go fishing by myself!” Bodie exclaimed angrily.

Not another word was said. Red sat red-faced behind the console with his arms folded while Tommy went to the bow to get into his waders.

Bodie idled from the pier and turned the bow toward his favorite TSFMAG.com | 23

wintertime trout spot. Red climbed up and took the seat next to him asking where they were headed. Bodie pointed to the GPS screen and Red nodded his head.

Bodie slowed to idle about a hundred yards off the edge of the reef to check for bait. Noticing a raft of mullet milling nervously in shallow water he switched the engine off and dropped the Power Pole.

“Looks like we have some bait activity ahead, boys. Let’s see if there’s any trout with them.”

Red opened the ice chest to grab a bottle of water. “Hey Bodie.

There’s plenty of drinks in here but no ice,” he announced.

Bodie shook his head and muttered something about having a lot on his mind as he tied on a new leader and a lure. Red and Tommy went over the gunnel in a flash, headed toward the reef. In less than two minutes he heard Red whistle and looked up to see his rod bowed and Tommy setting the hook.

Bodie was sliding into the water when his phone rang. Fishing it from his wader dry pouch he noticed Pamela’s number on the screen. Had it been anybody else he’d have let it go to message.

“Hello, my dear! Are you calling from Europe or are you back in Texas?” he asked.

“I wish,” she replied. “I’m in Germany. We received word of Mr. Connor’s passing and thought I better check on you.”

“Right now, I’m in knee-deep water with a fishing rod in one hand and my phone in the other. But I’m fine, thanks for asking.”

“Well, I know you must be upset and I just wanted let you know I was thinking of you. That’s all.”

“I appreciate that. News travels fast these days. I’m fine, Pamela, but very sad.”

“Doug is in a meeting but he says to call if you need anything.

He also asks that you let us know as soon as the funeral arrangements are announced.”

“That’s very kind of him, please tell him how much I appreciate the gesture. I will call as soon as I can about the arrangements.”

“Oh, Bodie, Doug’s calling in right now. I’m very sorry but I have to go. I’ll call you later.”

The call ended so abruptly that he couldn’t even say goodbye.

Zipping the phone safely back into the pouch he looked up to see Red fighting another fish and Tommy adding one to his stringer.

“I guess I better get with the program before those two yahoos clean them all off that reef,” he muttered to himself.

Bodie’s first cast was met with a solid thump but the fish managed to shake loose before he could land it. A few minutes later he strung his first trout of the afternoon and hooked another on the very next cast.

“Looks like there’s some pretty nice fish here this afternoon,” he called to Red who was already headed back to the boat with a limit.

Tommy strolled up a few minutes later and held up his stringer with three nice trout. “I let several nice ones go, Bodie. These three are all I need for a couple fish suppers.”

Bodie went ahead and finished his own limit with several more three-pounders, in hope that Pamela would be back from Germany in a day or two, and thought maybe she’d enjoy some fish and chips – Texas style.

Red and Tommy were already out of their waders when Bodie made it back to the boat. Red was wearing a big smug grin while Tommy sat shivering like a wet dog.

24 | October 2019

arrange the grave to be dug at the location specified I will have his body placed into the coffin and delivered to you here. You will then transport it in the bed of a pickup truck to the gravesite.”

Bodie was speechless; this was unlike anything he could have imagined would happen. “Who do I invite to the funeral?”

“Mr. Connor’s wishes are that you, your foreman, and all the regular ranch hands be the only people present at his burial. I too will attend, along with a minister who I have already contacted.”

“Well, if that is what Mr. Connor wanted then that’s exactly what he will get,” Bodie assured the attorney. “I have to ask, though, what about me and the other people that work for the Lazy C. Will we keep our jobs here? What will happen to the ranch?”

“That will be up to you, Mr. Allen.”

“What do you mean…up to me?

“It will be up to you and you alone, Mr. Allen. You are the sole heir to Mr. Connor’s estate. You inherit everything in Mr. Connor’s holdings, which are considerable.”

Bodie’s head was swimming. “You’re saying Mr. Connor left everything to me?”

“That is correct. The entirety of the Connor estate now belongs solely to you but there is a lot of paperwork yet to be finalized and, of course, probate to follow. I need to convey durable power of attorney so you can write checks and run the ranch until everything is settled and in your name. As executor I will fulfill all of Mr. Connor’s wishes exactly as he recorded them and as reflected in his will.

Oh, also as executor, it is my duty to inform you that you may begin to occupy Mr. Connor’s residence immediately, if you so choose. There are no liens or debt of any kind associated with any of Mr. Connor’s holdings.”

Bodie was absolutely stunned.

“Thank you for the coffee and your time. I know that this is all very overwhelming, Mr. Allen. You are a very wealthy man now and I’d be happy to be your attorney and look over your holdings as I did for Mr. Connor, and my father did before me. Now if you will see to the gravesite; we can bury Mr. Connor first thing in the morning as was his wish. When that is finished I’d like for you to come to my office to sign some papers in front of a notary and we’ll go on from there.”

Bodie assured Mr. Fisher that he would prepare the grave and be ready to receive Mr. Connor’s body for burial early the next morning.

The two men shook hands and Bodie watched him drive away.

Monroe walked up and asked, “So, do I still have a job?”

“You can have my job, Monroe. Let’s go into the office. You’re not going to believe this.”

To be continued...

MARTIN STRARUP

CONTACT

“Bodie, you got any dry clothes on the boat,” Tommy asked through chattering teeth. “We left in such a hurry I forgot my extra gear bag.”

“Sure, Tommy Boy. I always come prepared. You of all people should know that,” Bodie answered. “I’ll even loan you a towel to dry off. I told you last year to ditch those old waders and get a new pair of Simms like mine and Red’s. Maybe you’ll listen this time.”

Of course Red ate that right up, but unlike the Red they both knew so well, he never said a word. Must have been Bodie’s little speech back at the dock.

Pulling in to Bodie’s boat stall, Tommy suggested they clean their fish and give him a few minutes to run home and change out of Bodie’s clothes before heading over to Haddon’s for dinner. “I don’t want everybody seeing me with pants legs rolled to the knee and shirt cuffed up like this,” he whined.

Red said that sounded good but Bodie wasn’t ready to deal with a lot of questions about Mr. Connor. “Y’all go ahead; I have some stuff in the fridge. I’m just not in the mood right now,” Bodie let them know.

When he got into his truck he called Monroe and told him to have someone check on Mr. Connor’s house and make sure the dogs were fed. Arriving home he added water to the bag of fillets and put them in the freezer. He’d fibbed about the leftovers in the fridge but bacon and over-easy eggs with toast would make a good enough dinner, washed down with hot coffee to chase the chill from his bones.

Finishing his meal he felt suddenly exhausted. The fishing had been a good diversion but it was wearing off. He slipped off his boots and fell face-first into his pillow. The lingering scent of Pamela’s perfume pleased him. He fell into a deep sleep and awoke with a start when the phone rang. It was Tommy checking on him.

The next morning Bodie drove to the ranch and found Monroe getting the crew lined out for the day’s work. They were discussing things when a man in a blue Suburban pulled up and Bodie walked over to greet him.

The man shook Bodie’s hand and said he was Mr. Connor’s personal attorney and that he needed to go over some things in private. Bodie showed him into the office and Monroe went back to his crew.

The attorney handed Bodie a business card and introduced himself as Robert Fisher of the Fisher Law Firm. Bodie poured them both a steaming mug of coffee and was pleased that Mr. Fisher took his black, the same way he did. Bodie motioned for him to have a seat at his desk.

“I’ll get straight to the point Mr. Allen. I have here the last will and testament of Earl C. Connor with instructions as to how he wanted his funeral arranged and how his property is to be conveyed. Mr. Connor desires a private funeral with you and a few others listed here to be present. He wishes to be buried under the windmill oak tree located on the coastal pasture. Do you know of this place?”

“I know it well, sir. Mr. Connor liked to go and ponder things.”

“Okay, very well then. As executor of Mr. Connor’s estate, I will take care of all the arrangements as he has specified. All that will be required of you is to prepare the burial site.”

“You want me to prepare his burial site?” Bodie asked with a look of surprise. “Isn’t that something a funeral director should handle?”

“There will be no funeral home or funeral director involved, Mr. Allen. It is Mr. Connor’s desire that his body be placed in a plain wooden coffin with no preparation to the body. He is to be buried in blue jeans, work shirt, and boots. You will select these items. He also asks that his favorite hat and cane be placed in the coffin. If you could

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

TSFMAG.com | 25

ebb

& flow

STAY OR GO STORY BY CHUCK UZZLE

H

ands down, one of the most frequently asked questions from anglers during seminars and other fish-speak presentations is, “How do you read the tide chart for the areas I fish?”

Most any fisherman who spends enough time on the water has their own theory about how the tides work and where they need to be to catch fish during those tides. Surprisingly enough, there are plenty of people who don’t understand how important the tides really are, or for that matter, what a tide actually is.

According to Webster’s dictionary; tide is the periodic variation in the surface level of the oceans, bays, gulfs, inlets, and estuaries caused by gravitational attraction of the moon and sun.

The influence the moon has over the tides is extreme to say the least. During the first and third quarters of the moon phase, the tides are the weakest and have the smallest differences between the highs and the lows.

These small tide changes are called neap tides. On the other end of the spectrum are the spring tides; these occur when the moon is new or full. During the spring tides the differences between the high and low tides are the greatest. By thinking about these patterns you can understand why so many people plan fishing trips around the moon phases. The full or new moon phases mean more water movement because the tides are more extreme, this translates into more active fish.

Now that we have established what the tides are and how they get their energy we need to know what effect they have on the fish. During certain periods of the year the tides mean different things. For example, in the spring most fishermen like strong incoming tides because they tend to bring in good clean saltwater from the gulf. During the fall it is opposite; falling or outgoing tides help bring bait into lakes and bays as the marshes and other backwaters are draining. Either tide will help you catch fish; the main thing is to at least have some tidal movement.

The periods between the major tide events are referred to as “slack” and during these times the fishing tends to be much slower. The tides trigger most fish into becoming more active in their feeding habits – almost like ringing the dinner bell.

TSFMAG.com | 27

A few years ago I watched a documentary on The Discovery Channel that chronicled the effect that tides have on fish and other sea-dwelling creatures. The most interesting portion of the show was watching an experiment that illustrated the so-called “body clock” that all creatures possess.

The scientists traveled to a remote island and gathered multiple species of fish and crustaceans from a small tidal pool and transported them thousands of miles back to their lab where they were placed in a huge aquarium for observation. A time-lapse camera that could document and transmit images of animal behavior was left at the small pool where the fish and other life forms came from so they could see the water levels rise and fall in real time.

The scientists then noted that during periods of no water movement in the tide pool, the animals in the aquarium were very calm and really didn’t move too much. The most amazing thing happened though when the water in the tide pool began to rise or drop due to the tide. The animals in the aquarium began to move around as though they were still in their home water.

It kind of reminded me of the way we talk about the difficulties of getting adjusted when we travel to a destination across several time zones. We say we have jet lag, our body temporarily still under the influences of our home time zone. Fish, it seems, are no different, and the rhythmic movement of the tides plays a huge part in our own fishing success.

Now the tide schedules you see in the newspapers and magazines will give you an idea when the day’s tide events will occur. These schedules cannot however take into account

“

what kind of weather or wind conditions may be present. To compensate for this you need to use a little common sense.

For example, if the tide schedule calls for a weak outgoing tide and the wind is blowing strong from the south you may not see any change in the water level. The big south wind will essentially hold the water up from leaving the bay you are fishing. The exact opposite happens in the winter months when you have an out-going tide and a strong north wind; the water levels fall dramatically. There are different factors to take into account, just be aware that the tides are predicted well in advance based on the position of the sun and moon, with no ability whatever to include local weather conditions.

One other important piece of the tide puzzle deals with correction factors. Your evening news may call for a high tide to occur at 1:00 a.m. at Sabine Pass but the actual cresting of the tide will occur later in other parts of the Sabine Lake system, depending your distance from Sabine Pass. For example; the time difference between high tide at Sabine Pass and Sydney Island is just over an hour, depending on the local weather conditions. So if the tide is supposed to change at 1:00 a.m. at Mesquite Point, it should start to change at Sydney Island around 2:00 a.m. under normal conditions. Now the visible movement of water may not be evident but the influence is there.

The marshes, on the other hand, are tougher to gauge when it comes to tides. Influences such as wind and runoff can make it almost impossible to calculate the tides correctly. All you can do is keep good records and watch the conditions in order to gain a better feel for when flows might actually occur.

The rhythmic movement of the tides plays a huge part in our own fishing success.

28 | October 2019

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The tides are not difficult to understand so long as you are able to access reliable information. For years my most trusted source of tide information was the Gulf Coast Fisherman magazine, sometimes called the Harold Wells report. The tides, moon phases, feeding times, and other information in that publication elevated my early learning curve as a younger fisherman. The correction factors and tide schedules were listed for the entire Gulf of Mexico, from Texas to Florida. It was a very valuable piece of literature at the time.

As far as my recommendation for accurate and informative tide charts today I don’t think you could ask for more than the one printed in this magazine. It’s based on NOAA’s tide predictions which are about as good as it gets in my opinion. I have the utmost confidence that any angler can gain an advantage and improve their time on the water by studying those charts and implementing them on their next trip.

CONTACT

CHUCK UZZLE

30 | October 2019

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

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

TSFMAG.com | 31

Never lay a reel down on the beach, but these two redfish jerked the rod into the Gulf, where it was somehow saved and sent to a tackle repair shop.

A Spinning

Debate STORY BY JOE RICHARD

T

here has long been a debate in Texas over whether spin tackle has a place on the coast. There are still plenty of diehards who stick with their baitcaster reels, casting into the face of 20-knot gusts and picking at backlashes. The wind in South Texas averaging higher, I think the Laguna Madre area was first to accept non-backlashing spin tackle more than 30 years ago. Up in Southeast Texas, not so much. I know some old-timers today who still say they don’t want spin gear on their boats. Knowing the background of that area, I can’t blame them.

We started out back when the “red reel” was king, whether on brand new Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend reservoirs, Sabine jetties or offshore at Gulf platforms. Our gang all owned one rod each, not counting a pool cue partyboat rod. The Ambassadeur 5000 A or B (or later) the 5500 reels were treasured possessions. During high school years in Port Arthur we’d meet up on Tuesday nights and clean reels, taking them apart in a cloud of WD-40 spray. I was the only one in the group who’d ever used a spin outfit; with relatives in South Miami, I’d been trained as a kid to use left-handed Mitchell 300 spin reels, or

right-handed Ambassadeur baitcasters, and there was no choice in the matter. Spin tackle was just about king in South Florida.

Spin wasn’t practical at our few Texas venues of that time. It was terribly inaccurate in thick flooded timber and couldn’t manhandle fish out of jetty rocks or Gulf platform pilings. However, once we grew older and started traveling, spin became much more useful. It was essential for bonefish, if you weren’t a fly fisherman. Or casting into high wind while wading the Laguna Madre, mahi-mahi schools offshore, or maybe a high-stakes, one-shot cast at a cobia cruising by in open water. (Not around Gulf platforms). Making consistent long throws in the surf while trying to reach distant green water in a headwind. Or a rolling school of fast-moving tarpon. These are all scenarios where a frantic thumb and untimely backlash can ruin a shot at glory. Or a trophy fish, anyway.

At this stage in life, I overwhelmingly use spin tackle. I take a lot of people fishing, and they do very well with spin gear. In my small boat I carry a brace of inexpensive spin reels mounted on seven-foot

Spin tackle of all different sizes, on a beach pier.

34 | October 2019

graphite rods, and we mostly sling lures all day. With spin gear we get the most out of every fight with trout, redfish and mackerel.

I favor using decent rods like the early All Stars but matched with an inexpensive spin reel that will last a few years, like the Shimano Sienna 4000, which is very popular; a tackle store owner recently told me the company can’t keep up with demand, so I bought his last two. Some guys scoff at $36 dollar reels, but not after using this one.

They’re smooth as glass and with them we catch plenty of redfish, though mostly trout. This year, I snagged a tarpon of 120 pounds or so behind the dorsal fin, and marveled that this rod/reel combo could be doubled up for more than an hour, as we followed the big fish straight out into the Gulf. I finally realized I was wasting our time and his, along with a good tide, so I broke him off. Left a green Dixie Jet spoon on his back. (If anyone finds that lure, mail it to our editor and hopefully he will forward it to me). So, yes, these spin outfits are tough—though they won’t pull an annoyed six-foot tarpon sideways.

I see constant rod attrition in my fishing program, so there’s no need to go too expensive. Twenty-two years ago I bought a matched set of five Daiwa IM-7 rods, and now there is only one left. One was yanked out of the boat last week, while I was netting the biggest trout of the day for a client. I’d left a gold spoon dangling, barely in the water, and a thieving ladyfish grabbed it. There was nothing to be done, we heard a splash and watched a trail of bubbles speed away like a torpedo track. Then last summer, while trying to get a big jack crevalle into the landing net, I heard the crack of another of my precious rods above my head. No telling what the client was doing; he may have grabbed the rod midlength. He later tipped $20, “So you can buy a new one.”

Twice in recent years while bait fishing, I’ve had rods ripped out of rod holders from violent strikes.

The first went while we were hammering tournament winner-sized redfish in a bayou. With the second rod we were being pestered by very energetic, threeand four-foot bonnethead sharks. So, you can see why I don’t use expensive gear. I doubt some top-ofthe-line spinners like the Stratos would catch these same fish any more efficiently.

Old timer with spin tackle works I never knew my fishing buddies at Sabine Pass were a keeper redfish in close. using high-end gear, but they’re retired now (their kids ran off ) and so these guys can afford the better tackle in life. I found this out when a thirsty Dale Fontenot was trying to open his ice chest, one of those high-dollar fish boxes that weigh a ton. He couldn’t pry it open, there was a vacuum inside. He’d set his rod down, and it suddenly flew towards the gunnel. With a gloved hand I somehow caught it in mid-air and handed him the rod.

He strained against the bent rod and glanced at me.

“You just saved a $250 outfit.”

“What? No way.”

His little baitcaster rig didn’t look expensive. With it he reeled in what turned out to be another thieving ladyfish.

The writhing fish was unhooked and quickly tossed overboard. Then he sat down and looked at me. “I own four of these rods. Now help me pry this cooler open.”

Dale’s new retirement gift cooler was stingy with drinking water that day.

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Miss Amy with a doubleheader of redfish at the beach.

For personal use, high-end spin tackle has advantages such as smoothness and lightness.

They’re also said to be impervious to salt. However, I can’t imagine letting the public use a brace of such tackle. People I just met an hour ago on the dock, who may have never made a single cast. Or sometimes can’t keep a grip on the rod, for that matter. Imagine all the woeful stories of lost tackle out there, from fishing guides.

Yet, spin gear is ideal for the public. It’s almost immune to backlashes and simple to use. The reel hangs below the rod, kept there by gravity. Casting may not be pinpoint accurate but throwing the distance is easily learned.

Recently I took a young couple trout fishing. The husband was an experienced bass angler, but his new bride had never made a single cast. Within a half hour she was firing out the long throws, reaching way out there with a gold spoon. We caught a few keepers, but at 11:30 a.m. a black storm towered back towards town, spreading halfway across the horizon, almost cutting us off.

It was time to go! I tidied up the boat for a fast run. With her last three casts, that gal caught trout of 18 and 21.5 inches fighting them like a pro, without getting overly excited. You could tell she was thrilled, while he was a little reluctant to quit before lunch, as I was. But we had no choice. We ran wide open for four miles and scooted into safe harbor just as the wind shifted to head-on. Loaded their fish in the car and they drove away as the first raindrop fell, and it rained the rest of the day; another victory for spin tackle in the hands of a novice and a clear lesson that beginners don’t have to use live bait. And I wouldn’t doubt that couple will be fishing together for a long time.

36 | October 2019

Happy couple with keeper trout caught on spin tackle, as a storm darkens the horizon.

JOE RICHARD

Joe Richard has fished the Gulf since 1967, starting out of Port Arthur, but his adventures have taken him up and down the entire coast.

He was the editor of Tide magazine for eight years, and later Florida Sportsman’s book and assistant magazine editor. He began guiding out of Port O’Connor in 1994. His specialty is big kingfish, and his latest book is The Kingfish Bible, New Revelations. Available at Seafavorites.com

CONTACT

Keeper trout caught with spin gear and topwater plug.

TSFMAG.com | 37

Water moving over and through shallow shell reef gut.

J AY WAT K I N S

ASK THE PRO

WHEN MOTHER NATURE

DOESN’T PLAY NICE “Staying focused is the key to success during tough weather conditions.” That was the answer I gave a gentleman on the boat recently when he asked what the keys were to catching fish under brutal conditions. The day we were experiencing was indeed brutal – extremely hot and nearly dead calm. Brutal can also mean extreme cold, high winds, or some combination of these.

This past week we had low tides, full moon, water temperature nearing 90°, and little to no tide movement.

It’s hard to imagine worse fishing conditions, but then the wind picked up to 20-25 mph from the SSW. So, what are serious anglers to do when Mother Nature seemingly stacks all the cards against us?

I look for moving water when the priority for the day is catching numbers of fish. Water movement can be generated by tide, wind, and even barge wakes; just so it

38 | October 2019

flows across bottom structure the fish are using. I typically set up where we can cast lures up-current. Fish face into the current so, naturally, a lure retrieved with the current appears more natural than one pulled across the flow or into it. Stronger currents work better in the heat of summer but not so much in winter. Strong tidal current trumps strong wind-driven current in my book.

Several days last week I had my people standing on the down-current side of some of my favorite reefs, casting across the shallow shell to the up-current side. This was actually into the wind on one reef and downwind on another. Bites came from five or fewer yards of the sharp drop-off as the lure approached the shallow shell. Sheepshead, drum and the occasional red could be seen cruising in and out of the current. I never saw a trout but I saw several come up and bust small

mullet at the reef’s edge as the bait struggled against being swept over the shallow crown.

Many like to fish the down-current side of a reef, believing that baitfish being swept across the reef to the shallower down-current side are more vulnerable. While that can sometimes be true, I have found that larger fish prefer to hang in deeper water, ambushing bait that becomes disoriented in the upwelling flow, where the current collides sharply with the shallow reef.

I also like to fish narrow passes between larger areas of shallow shell or spoil during the toughest of times. Again, moving water remains a constant as does the presence of bait. The pass is the structure that attracts the gamefish and the water movement through the pass dictates how and where they will stage.

Narrow passes with shell points or sandbars on either side provide the strongest current and the most productive ambush points. I look for swift sections with slower pools or eddies lying both up-current as well as down-current of the swift water. Many times both can be accessed on a single cast if the angler understands where his cast must land and if the angler can time his retrieve to match the drift.

Once staging areas are established and the ability to repeatedly place the lure in the proper drift are understood, the angler can then entice multiple strikes. This pattern relates strongly to the ability of a prime ambush point to reload, meaning that when a fish is removed another moves up to take its place. I had a very good client and his wife a few days back that experienced this firsthand. We literally stood in one place and caught trout cast after cast for nearly an hour and a half.

Besides the passes, I also like to locate areas along long reefs where water always flows across, even with the lowest of tides.

These are really just guts that have been carved by current. I find the best way to locate these areas is when water levels are extremely low. I recommend marking these on the GPS so you can find them when the water is dirty or the skies are overcast. Hurricane Harvey changed many such areas in the Rockport area, closing some and creating new ones.

I use the same tactics here, preferring the up-current side when conditions allow. Again, water movement and bait presence are the keys. The shallower depressions seem to produce larger but fewer fish. Experience has taught me to work very diligently in and around these areas, allowing time for the fish to move in and out at a normal feeding pace. Walk too fast or get too close and the larger fish definitely become more aware of your presence and less focused on feeding. Always remember that walking on oyster shell creates noise the fish can hear and feel. My dad called it “crunching them off” and warned me against it many times. Speaking of that, I think of him often as I do of several of my other fishing guide friends that have gone home and I wonder if they ever think of those of us still here.

Another pattern I employ during the toughest of conditions is fishing the outer edges of shallow sandbars and grass in back bays.

Most of these are basically submerged extensions of shoreline points.

During the dog days of summer and winter’s lowest tides a short guy like me can easily wade these areas. Due to the water being normally deeper over these bars, the grass will survive the extreme heat as well as the cold. The grass diminishes during winter but it doesn’t take much to hold a handful of the right fish. Surprising numbers of trout can stack on these bars on calm mornings when tides or wind is moving water in or out of back bays, I often use my light bar to illuminate the sandbar as I approach

Sand meets shell equals flounder in moving water.

Carey Colley with solid trout under tough late-summer conditions – CPR!

TSFMAG.com | 39

2/0 Screwlocks in 1/16 and 1/8 ounce. Lighter jigheads hang up less frequently over shallow clump shell. I also believe the flatter head shape helps create more erratic action in shallow, fast-moving water.

Deeper water and swifter current sometimes require 1/4 and 3/8-ounce jigheads. The custom paint jobs can provide extra attraction.

So, if you find yourself struggling during the toughest of times, think back to the patterns and techniques mentioned here. Most important of all is focus. Be deliberate with each cast and presentation.

Allow your lure to visit all parts of the water column. Note the depth the bite is coming from and repeat it. The nature of the bite can also tell you whether it’s a feeding strike or a reaction strike. After 40-plus years I have a good handle on what is happening and can tell a lot by the way a fish takes the lure. Honing this skill enables you to catch fish year ‘round, even under Mother Nature’s harshest conditions.

May your fishing always be catching! -Guide Jay Watkins

C O N TA C T

early in the morning. The light brings the bait up where you can see it. As the sun begins to rise I target the areas of bait activity and I’m also very much aware the direction of water movement. When Cedar Bayou is open the pattern becomes very predictable due to the greater strength of the tide flow. The shallow bar provides a nighttime feeding zone as well as a daytime staging area. Water movement dictates how the predators will position themselves. Knowing these things and seeing the structure, we can make deliberate casts to specific parts of the structure to draw instinctive strikes. Instinct is strong medicine and during the toughest of times it is often the only way we can get them to bite.

Earlier this month I had a morning on such a bar. As the sun grew brighter we were able to see and aim our casts toward the submerged grass. Mullet activity and slicks popping stopped us in our tracks.

Another Harvey byproduct, many of the grassbeds resisted erosion during the storm surge while the area directly adjacent washed away to form moguls – deeper zones along the edges of the grass. The depth change provides excellent ambush points for trout. Over a three hour period we caught and released at least fifty trout that ranged from two to nearly five pounds. It was a very memorable day for a group of anglers that have fished with me for many years.

My lure inventory for the toughest of times is loaded with the 5” Shad Bass Assassin, the 5” Bass Assassin Sea Shad, MirrOlure’s 5” Provokers, Lil John XLs and the original 3.5” Lil John. Favorite colors include Plum-Blue Glitter, Texas Roach, Watermelon-Red Glitter, Rootbeer Red Glitter, White, Black, Bone Diamond, Cajun Croaker, and Opening Night. My go-to jigheads are the new Texas Customs

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

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

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

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

SURE SIGNS OF

FALL APPROACHING Sitting in my office this morning it hit me like a light shining through the window. We’re headed into fall, my favorite time of year. And it literally was light shining through my window. After this day the rising sun will line up with this window as it tracks further south on the horizon until it returns north next spring. But I’ll be elsewhere most mornings this time of year, either on the water or in the field.

When I took a break from my desk duties, I stepped outside; it was far from cool and crisp, but the heavy oppressive heat of late summer hadn’t cranked up just yet. Here lately I’d been breaking a sweat loading the boat in the predawn. I know we’ve still got several weeks of heat, but it felt as though the 100 degree days were finally fading in the rearview.

Then I heard the familiar buzz of a hummingbird as it checked out the flowers around the porch, one of the earliest signs of fall around here. Time to decorate the porch with hummingbird feeders full of sugar water to fuel them for their vacation in Mexico. In the next couple of weeks we’ll have more than a hundred hummers visiting our feeders on any given day.

A pair of doves flew over the yard and I shouldered my

42 | October 2019

imaginary shotgun and swung on them. Rolled ‘em both.

Of course. Next week there will be actual gunpowder burned and I doubt I’ll roll that first double. Those shifty little doves will sharpen the skills for some feathered rocket action as teal invade the coast.

Why am I writing all this hunting stuff in a fishing magazine? Mostly because they are the signs of fall I look forward to each year. Once the dawn shines through this window, the hummers show up and my calendar starts filling with season openers and…I know the fishing is about to get really good.

It also means the summer crowds will be gone and the flats will quieten down a bit. Between school, hunting, and football, a lot of folks simply won’t have time to hit the bays. But for some of us the draw of fall fishing puts a morning on the water above the other options. The water temps will start dropping making a wade much more refreshing than this bathwater-warm stuff we’ve been sloshing around in. The cooler water will awaken the flats and all that inhabit them.

I love watching the transition of seasons on the water as well as on my little piece of land. I may visit the indoors and this desk as necessary, but I live outdoors. If you are

Relax, we’ll take care of the details!

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going to be successful at fishing, hunting, and wildlife photography you must commit to being an observer. As sure as the movement of the clock on your wall, nature moves at a predictable pace. I know that when my fawns are losing their spots the reds will be cranking up their feed on migrating shrimp. The whitetail rut on my place will coincide with flounder starting to stack at the drains to feed prior to starting their movement towards the passes. The early arriving ducks tend to show up about the time the birds are working over schools of trout.

Not only is fishing this time of year more comfortable, it is more productive. I’m often asked when would be the best time to come fish the coast. My response is always if I could only pick one thirty-day period out of the year to fish the flats it would be October 15 through November 15. Generally speaking this is a time of great weather, not too hot and not too cold. The fronts are typically mild and blow themselves out somewhat quickly leaving clear skies and light winds in their wake.

The shrimp have grown to a point they are leaving the nursery grounds of the marshes. Reds, trout and flounder will all be taking advantage of this migration to fatten up for the leaner months of winter. And I’ll be taking advantage of their aggressive attitudes. There is a feeling of urgency about their feeding that is fun to watch from my poling platform. The slowly tailing fish of summer gather together into schools that march across the flats seeking concentrations of shrimp. In the heat of August it might take several precise casts to convince a lethargic red to eat your fly. In October it just needs to plop down within their sight radius to be inhaled. What’s not to like about that?

I’ve written and talked about “drain days” many times over the years. The first one will usually occur during this period. For those who are new to this term, a drain day is when a strong cold front blows in and drops the water levels significantly. The perfect wind direction varies depending on your location, but for the upper half of our coast a front with northwest winds at 15 mph or greater will do it. This wind literally blows the water out.

Whereas our typical low tide might drop water levels six inches, a good norther might drop it two feet or more leaving many back lakes dry.

All of the inhabitants of those areas have no choice but to bail out. Every gamefish and everything they eat will be funneled out through the drains. They will all be concentrated into fairly tight quarters and a feed will commence. It can be some of the most insane action you will ever experience, but it is all about the timing. An hour or two in either direction can leave you staring at dead water. A couple years back I had a father and son out for a drain event that started just after daylight. For about six hours we sat on a marsh drain and flat wore the redfish out as school after school came through, crushing bait, sometimes trapping the bait against the side of the skiff. These guys from Utah had never even seen a redfish. By the end of their day they had lost 44 | October 2019

C O N TA C T

count of fish landed. The dad said he had quit counting at forty for himself and his son was doing better than he was. It was an epic morning of fly fishing.

After I dropped the guys off to head to their pre-Thanksgiving gathering, I turned the skiff around and headed back to the marsh. I needed a fix of my own. But I arrived to dead water.

Nothing. Not water movement. No bait. No reds. It had been about an hour and a half since we left them biting.

As I said above, timing is everything when fishing a drain day. I messed around on the flats outside the drain and found several schools, but they weren’t eating. They were absolutely stuffed from their binge feast. I swear I think they were burping because there were little slicks popping up, but I could plainly see that these fish weren’t feeding.

Whether you’re sitting in your bow blind, swinging on a crossing dove, or chasing hungry fish…enjoy. Enjoy the time spent outdoors with friends and family. Enjoy the solitude of a bow blind. And most of all enjoy this cooler weather.

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

Telephone Email Website

281-450-2206 captscottnull@gmail.com www.captainscottnull.com

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Figure 1. Over the past decade, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has restored over 500 acres of oyster reef (shown in red) in Texas bays. The majority of these restoration projects are in Galveston Bay, which has over 15,000 acres of natural oyster reef (shown in black).

B y E m m a C l a r k s o n | H a b i t a t A s s e s s m e n t Te a m L e a d , TPWD Coastal Fisheries Division

FIELD NOTES

OYSTER REEF RESTORATION IN TEXAS:

A BALANCING ACT

If you’ve lived in Texas for any amount of time you’ve likely had the opportunity to eat an oyster. You may like to eat these briny treats raw, fried, or covered in butter, or you may absolutely hate the taste and texture. But even people who don’t enjoy eating oysters can still enjoy the benefits that oysters provide. These benefits largely stem from the oyster’s unique growth habit - like tropical corals, oysters grow cemented together in clusters to create a structure that we call reefs. This structural complexity supports a diverse underwater community where the reefs provide a refuge for small fish, crabs, and shrimp, and a buffet for their hungry predators. The benefits from this rich community trickle up to anglers’ coolers, and these reefs are often targeted by anglers for their known abundance of fish. These structures do more than just benefit sea life and anglers – they also reduce wave energy and stabilize sediments, which reduces shoreline erosion, while the oysters themselves improve water quality and clarity by filtration. The additional benefits provided by oysters and the reefs they form are known as “ecosystem services”, and 46 | October 2019

the services oysters provide go far beyond the production of plump tasty snacks by increasing the health and resiliency of ecosystems.

Unfortunately, many of the oyster reefs in Texas have been degraded by both natural events and human activities; some reefs have been buried by storms, some oyster communities have died from changes in water quality or currents, some have been impacted by coastal development, and some have experienced heavy harvest pressure that has reduced the structural complexity of the reefs. When reefs become degraded, not only do commercial and recreational fishing communities suffer, but ecosystem services can also be lost.

The story of oysters and their reefs does not have to end with degradation and loss. Fortunately, oyster reefs can be restored. By placing cultch (hard materials such as limestone, shell, or river rock) into a bay, spat (baby oysters) can settle, grow, and form reefs. Over the past 12 years, Texas Parks and Wildlife has successfully restored over 500 acres of oyster habitat (see Figure 1) and plans to continue

restoration efforts. While TPWD is proud of this success, 500 acres is just a drop in the bucket when compared to the oyster reef habitat in Galveston Bay (over 15,000 acres) and Copano Bay (over 6,300 acres).

So how does TPWD decide what area or site to focus restoration efforts when there are so many places to choose from? Appropriate site selection is one of the most critical parts of the restoration process because it can make or break a project. Site selection starts by identifying areas where restoration is likely to be successful. Poor site selection can result in the cultch sinking into the mud or oysters dying.

In general, we focus on areas with suitable water quality conditions that have oyster habitat that is physically degraded from impacts such as storms or fishing pressure. Rather than going into details of the hydrological and biological thresholds for the species, suffice it to say, we have a pretty good idea of where oysters will have the best chance at growing and surviving and where they will not. We always place our cultch where oyster growth and survival are likely.

The bigger question is, what are we trying to accomplish by restoring oyster habitat? By no surprise, a common goal for a restoration project is to maximize the number of market-sized oysters on a reef, but restoration projects can also have the goal of improving ecosystem services, like the enhancement of fish habitat or increased shoreline protection. Let’s use Galveston Bay as an example. The salinity in East Galveston Bay is ideal for oyster growth and survival. Therefore, restoration efforts in East Bay may focus on increasing the number of market-sized oysters, which would subsequently benefit surrounding oyster reefs as well as the oyster industry. West Galveston Bay, in comparison, has higher salinity that may promote the occurrence of

oyster predators or disease. However, oysters will spawn, settle, and grow in the salty waters of West Galveston Bay, even in the presence of such challenges, creating a complex habitat that fully supports fish communities, enhances angling, and improves water quality.

Restoration projects in West Galveston Bay may focus on enhancing these ecosystem services, and just because it may result in fewer market-sized oysters, that does not mean restoration in West Galveston Bay is less valuable or less likely to be successful.

There is, unfortunately, often a trade-off between oyster harvest intensity on the reef and the magnitude of ecosystem services provided by the reef, which must be considered when selecting a restoration site. Our goal is to choose restoration sites that maximize the quantity and quality of ecosystem services so that everyone, including recreational anglers, commercial fishers, and fish and wildlife resources, can reap the rewards. The key to a successful restoration program is to balance the ecosystem needs with those of the people who enjoy it and depend on it for their livelihood, and that includes choosing restoration sites that address all of these needs.

A single project site alone cannot benefit everyone equally, and so addressing multiple needs is often accomplished by implementing multiple projects with different goals. The true “success criteria� of the TPWD restoration program is maintaining both healthy wild oyster populations and the reef habitat and community they support, because you cannot have one without the other.

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

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DAV E R O B E R T S

K AYA K F I S H I N G C H R O N I C L E S

ANOTHER SNOOKTOPIA If you are a regular reader the past couple of years you likely remember that I make an annual trip to South Florida each summer for snook fishing. Back in January, when I picked up my new 2019 calendar, one of the weeks I blocked off immediately was in mid-August for Snooktopia. This is the third year my buddy Bart has put the event together in his old stomping grounds and I was sure hoping not to miss it.

With this being my third Snooktopia I had a much better feel of what to expect. I made a run to our local tackle shop and decided I was going to try my best and keep it simple like I always do. I grabbed a few packs of Magnum Zoom Flukes, Keitech swimbaits and a Super Spook figuring that would be a good start.

I also grabbed a supply of AFTCO fluorocarbon and 6/0 circle hooks for live bait fishing. So, with all my gear loaded I put on some good tunes in preparation for my 15-hour drive.

Lots of pavement to stare at but I finally made it to Jonathan Dickenson State Park and could not wait to get on the water.

I unloaded all my gear and started to rig rods. I 48 | October 2019

figured 20 lb. fluorocarbon would suffice for throwing along the edge of the mangroves. I rigged that rod with a weightless Magnum Fluke and the other with a Super Spook. I quickly headed to the water, launched, and was filled equally with excitement and relief to be back on the Loxahatchee River.

I began making my way down the river to refamiliarize myself and everything came back to me immediately.

Fortunately, it was mid-week and I practically had the place to myself. I eased around the first major bend, made a cast and almost instantly felt my line get heavy.

The fight was on and I landed the first snook of the trip.

come once the tide was in our favor.

Just as it switched we noticed Bart floating around with some splashing beside his kayak. He began making his way over toward us shouting, “Come check this out if you want to see what a real snook looks like.” Bart hefted the behemoth and we snapped photos and made quick measurements before sending her back on her way. Bart’s snook touched the coveted 40-inch mark and is a prime example of the opportunities that await in the river.

We were lucky to land some really great fish during the first two days on Snooktopia 2019 and, on top of that, bait was easy to come by. We had more people scheduled to join the group the next day and we were content in the knowledge of knowing where willing fish were holding. Three more days of fishing, we retired for the night hoping it would only get better.

C O N TA C T

After a quick picture I released her back into the river to make someone else’s day.

I continued around and came to an area that had a deeper cut feeding into a back pond. I could see water flowing through the cut and it had mangroves hanging around the edges. This is a perfect spot for a snook to be sitting. I fished it for 5-10 minutes and as I was thinking about moving on, a familiar thump came. This time I knew it was a bigger snook and that I needed to get it out of the mangroves quickly. I tightened my drag and began paddling backwards to pull her away. She gave me a few good headshakes but never could shake the hook. By far, she was the biggest snook I have landed on artificial and was probably around 30-inches. I fished the rest of the evening but those were the only fish I caught.

Later that night Bart and his buddy James made their way into camp and we made plans to hit the water early. We ended up meeting Bart’s brother and his son at the launch a little after daylight. We paddled around the corner and began the most important task of the day – catching bait. In past years, catching enough bait proved difficult but fortunately it came much easier on this day. We then decided upon a plan to split up; Bart and I cutting across the channel and the rest of the group paddling north.

We paddled along and were pitching free-lined mullet along bulkheads and under docks. I ended up getting a few docks ahead before I noticed him just sitting in one spot. I figured he must have been onto something since he hadn’t moved in a while.

It wasn’t long until I heard him yell and saw him getting dragged around for a few seconds. I got closer to him and he told me that he just had a monster break the line.

He said that he could see her back in the mangroves and he pitched his mullet to her when he had a clear shot. She came out, followed the mullet, and inhaled it. Guesstimated every bit of forty inches.

Excited now, knowing that they are eating, we continued on and kept the same approach. A few docks further up we both saw a snook blowup a mullet on a bulkhead. I ease up to the dock that was closest to it and quickly realized that a mid-thirties snook was swimming toward me. She was so close that I didn’t even have to pitch my mullet – only let a little slack out and drop it. She quickly picked up on the bait and attacked it right beside my kayak! She took off like a rocket and didn’t take long for her to drag my line through the dock pilings and break me off. I was completely okay not landing that fish, given that I got to watch her eat right beside the kayak. One of the coolest sights I have ever witnessed.

As the day went on we caught a few jack crevalle – another species to cross off the list. I had hooked several but never accomplished the landing. We met up with the rest of the group on a sand flat, recounted the fish that had been caught, and stocked up on bait for the evening ahead. We anchored kayaks as the sun was setting and settled in for a long night of fishing. Between us we landed a few low- to mid-30s snook and took that as a good sign of things to

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

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

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Story by John Blaha

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

CCA-TEXAS OPPOSES SHIP CHANNEL DEEPENING PROJECT The Texas Chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA Texas) submits the following comments regarding permit application SWG-2019-00067, Channel Deepening Project (“CDP”) within the Corpus Christi Ship Channel (“CCSC”).

CCA Texas is a non-profit organization of 72,000 recreational anglers and outdoor enthusiasts. The mission of CCA Texas is to advise and educate the public on conservation of marine resources. The objective of CCA Texas is to conserve, promote and enhance the present and future availability of those coastal resources for the benefit and enjoyment of the general public.

The location of the CDP is within the CCSC, also known as the Aransas Pass tidal inlet. This pass is a vital connection between the Corpus Christi and Aransas Bay systems and the Gulf of Mexico. These major bay systems support the Nueces and Mission-Aransas Estuaries, home to numerous species of marine shrimp, crabs, finfish that utilize the varied habitat types offered including oyster reefs, seagrass beds, mud flats, hard structures, shoreline vegetation and unique intertidal mosaics of the aforementioned habitats.

The intent of the following comments is to highlight our concerns that the CDP may have on the fisheries and habitat of the coastal ecosystems within and adjacent to the proposed project.

As mentioned on page 11 of the permit application, the proposed dredging activities will have substantial adverse impacts on Essential Fish Habitat or federally managed fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico. The location of the CDP is immediately adjacent to key geographic resources including San Jose Island and the Redfish Bay State Scientific Area (RBSSA). Per Texas Parks and Wildlife, the RBSSA contains the northernmost extensive stands of seagrass on the Texas coast. This includes 14,000 acres of submerged seagrass beds with all five species of seagrass found in Texas. Seagrasses play essential roles in the estuary, providing nursery habitat for fishes, organic biomass for food webs, and processing agents for nutrient cycling. The RBSSA is a component of both the Aransas and Corpus Christi ecosystems and has about 50 square miles of prime fishing habitat. It contains a unique and fragile environment of not only seagrass beds but also oyster reefs, marshes, and mangroves while providing a feeding habitat for shrimp, crabs, gamefish, waterfowl, shorebirds and turtles. CCA Texas is highly concerned that dredging operations required for this project will increase water turbidity and reduce light penetration, negatively 50 | October 2019

affecting seagrasses within RBSSA. Corpus Christi Bay is a fringe bay system for oyster reefs.

Of all the abiotic factors that can affect the biology on an estuarine organism such as Crassostrea virginica, the synergistic effects of temperature and salinity have the most profound effects, and long-term exposure to high salinities can be detrimental.1 The projected increase in Corpus Christi Bay salinities in model runs, selected by the applicant, are as high as 0.53 parts per thousand (ppt) at various monitoring stations in the bay system. Additional increases in salinity have the potential to further hinder the production of oyster reefs by providing a favorable environment for predators (oyster drills), putting the oysters in an environment beyond their optimal salinity range (10-30ppt),2 or both.

Over time, the CCSC has been artificially deepened to allow for ship traffic, increasing water flow through the inlet. The deepening of CCSC has resulted in decreased flow through nearby inlets, causing them to close due to sedimentation resulting in loss of access to nursery habitats for marine animals. As a result, the Aransas Pass Channel is now the primary conduit for larvae and early juvenile access from the Gulf of Mexico to their nursery areas in Texas’ Coastal Bend region.

The location of the proposed project is the only major tidal inlet in the region; the narrowest point of the BayGulf connection. An abundance of economically and ecologically important species depend upon the inlet for migration, recruitment, spawning, and other vital life processes. Flatfish, penaeid shrimp, red drum, blue crabs, Atlantic tarpon, and numerous other aquatic species utilize this pass on a seasonal basis to fulfill biological requirements within their life history. For example, swimming near the ocean floor, southern flounder utilize the pass annually during their fall migration to spawn in offshore waters, returning to the bays in late winter through early spring. Their offspring, also benthicoriented, recruit into the bay systems through this pass in the spring as juveniles. Dredging operations and increased deep-draft ship traffic can have detrimental effects on southern flounder stocks during these seasonal migrations.

Additionally, the project location is also important to the local economy from revenues generated from recreational fishing trips. In 2016, Texas A&M Agrilife Extension and Sea Grant Texas published reports detailing the economic impacts of marine recreational fishing in the Corpus Christi and Aransas Bay systems.3,4 Marine

recreational fishing in these bay systems supports a combined 1,249 jobs, and generates $44.9 million in labor income, $69.5 million in GDP contribution and $122.7 million in total economic impact. Without healthy fisheries, the local economy supported by recreational fishing, birding, and tourism will suffer greatly.

Citing the reasons mentioned above, CCA Texas is opposed to the proposed project and respectively requests that the applicant reconsider their analysis of alternatives C and D in their Purpose and Need Document. These alternatives would allow for the Very Large Crude Carriers (“VLCCs”) to be fully loaded offshore and eliminate the need to bring them into an ecologically sensitive region of the Gulf Coast.

CCA Texas understands that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will require the applicant conduct an Environmental Impact Statement (“EIS”) prior to any further consideration of the project. In addition to the EIS, CCA Texas requests public hearings prior to and upon completion of the EIS to obtain information regarding potential fishery and habitat impacts.

Through the process of conducting public hearings and the EIS, CCA Texas expects that the following impacts would be analyzed before further consideration: • Impacts of increased salinities in Corpus Christi Bay on sustainability of oyster reefs.

• Impacts of dredging on southern flounder during annual migration and seasonal larval recruitment.

• Timing of dredging in relationship to resident spawning populations of spotted seatrout and sheepshead.

• Impacts of dredging activities and increased channel depth on larval recruitment from offshore spawning populations of southern flounder, penaeid shrimp species, blue crabs, and red drum.

• Impacts of increased turbidity (reduced light penetration) on seagrasses.

• Impacts of increased saltwater intrusion.

• Impacts of decreased flow through nearby inlets.

In conclusion, the proposed Channel Deepening Project is a major infrastructure in an environmentally sensitive region of the Gulf Coast.

Any disturbances in this ecological bottleneck can have significant impacts on numerous flora and fauna, so it is paramount that all direct and indirect impacts are fully understood. Alternatives exist to allow for the loading of VLCCs offshore, entirely avoiding the direct and indirect impacts mentioned. In the best interest of the region’s coastal resources, we urge the applicant to reconsider this project and plans for a deep-water port at Harbor Island. ________________________________________________ Kennedy, V.S., R.E Newell, and A. Eble. The Eastern Oyster, Crassostrea Virginica.

Maryland Sea Grant College. Publication UM-SG-TS-96-01.

2 Butler, P.A. 1954. Summary of our knowledge of the oyster in the Gulf of Mexico. Fish. Bull. 54:479-489.

3 Ropicki, A., D. Hanselka, and R. Dudensing, The Economic Impacts of Recreational Fishing in the Aransas Bay System, Texas A&M Agrilife Extension and Sea Grant Texas at Texas A&M University (Nov. 16, 2016).

4 Ropicki, A., D. Hanselka, and R. Dudensing, The Economic Impacts of Recreational Fishing in the Corpus Christi Bay System, Texas A&M Agrilife 1

Extension and Sea Grant Texas at Texas A&M University (Nov. 16, 2016).

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Female magnificent frigatebird, by putneymark.

Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode

STEPHANIE BOYD

F I S H Y FA C T S

MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD Birds are the most accomplished aeronauts the world has ever seen. They fly high and low, at great speed, and very slowly. And always with extraordinary precision and control. ~ David Attenborough The magnificent frigatebird, Fregata magnificens, is the largest of five species of frigatebirds, and the only one typically found in North America. Both the genus and common names are derived from the French mariners’ name for the bird, la frégate, meaning a frigate or fast warship. Larger than a brown pelican but smaller than an American white pelican, magnificent frigatebirds are mostly black with long, angular wings. The body is about three feet in length, the wingspan is over seven feet, and they weigh up to four pounds. They have a deeply forked tail, often held closed in a point. Their gray bill is long and sturdy with a prominently hooked tip. Females have a white chest and are larger than males. Juveniles start with a white head and belly that gradually darken. In the breeding season, males have a bright red throat pouch (called the gular pouch) that they puff out to attract a mate. Frigatebirds are the only seabirds in which the male and female look strikingly different.

In the non-breeding season, magnificent frigatebirds can be found from the coast of North Carolina south to Florida, west to Texas, and on the coast of California.

During breeding season, they’re mostly found along coastal Florida and on mangrove islands in the tropical Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Though they sometimes 52 | October 2019

travel inland, such as crossing the Isthmus of Panama from one ocean to the other, they are rarely seen far inland around fresh water. Despite having dark plumage in tropical climates, frigatebirds don’t overheat. They ruffle feathers to lift them away from the skin and improve air circulation, and can extend and upturn their wings to expose the hot undersurface to the air. They also place their heads in the shade of their wings, and males frequently flutter their gular pouches.

Unlike all other marine birds, frigatebirds do not have waterproof plumage, so they can’t land on the surface of the ocean. They produce very little oil from their uropygial (preening) glands so their feathers become sodden if they get too wet. Luckily, they’re able to stay aloft for insanely long distances and periods of time by taking advantage of air currents – soaring high on warm air rising during the day and gliding along the prevailing winds, relying on them to travel far from the shore with minimal effort. Sometimes, they can shoot up into the air at rates of 13 feet to 16 feet per second just by catching a ride on a current going the right way. They rarely flap their wings, but when they do their wingbeats are slow and deep. In a 2016 study, researchers found that some great frigatebirds were spending as many as two months in the air without ever touching the ground.

Their gracefulness ends as soon as they land. Their strong toes help them hold onto branches, posts, and boat masts, but their small feet and short legs make for quite a sight when they walk. Fortunately, they are almost

continuously on the wing, with a morphology and flight Male magnificent frigatebird pattern that result in very energy-efficient foraging. courtship display, by Andrew Turner.

Magnificent frigatebirds typically eat flying fish, tuna, herring, and squid, which they snatch from the surface of the water (often the prey have been chased upwards by underwater predators, such as tuna). However, they’re opportunistic and will also take plankton, crustaceans, jellyfish, hatchling turtles, young birds, and discarded fish from fishing boats. At times, they prey directly on eggs and nestlings of other seabirds, including boobies, petrels, shearwaters, and terns. Though they are frequently seen soaring, frigatebirds are masters of pursuit – sometimes referred to as the “mano-war bird” because of their kleptoparasitic feeding behavior.

Frigatebirds will harass other birds, forcing them to regurgitate recently captured food, which the frigatebird then steals before it hits the water. Learning how to chase other birds and Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 steal meals takes practice. Young frigatebirds hold sticks in https://creativecommons.org/ their mouths and chase each other. When one of them drops licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode the stick, the other dives below to retrieve it. On average, have a generally increasing population trend. This hopefully means we kleptoparasitism only represents about five percent of a frigatebird’s will enjoy these magnificent birds for many years to come. diet. It’s mostly a supplement to their regular hunting.

Frigatebirds typically breed on remote islands with mangroves or Birds are the most popular group in the animal kingdom. We feed them other low trees and shrubs, in colonies of up to 5000 birds. Within these colonies, they usually nest in groups of five to fifteen pairs. Nests and tame them and think we know them. And yet they inhabit a world which is really rather mysterious. are packed into small areas and are often within striking distance of ~ David Attenborough another nest. Breeding can occur at any time of year, as long as the weather is dry and food is plentiful. Males have elaborate mating displays. Up to thirty individuals will group together, displaying to females flying overhead by pointing their bills upwards, inflating their red gular pouches and vibrating their outstretched wings, showing the lighter wing undersurfaces in the process. They also vibrate their bills, producing a drumming sound, and sometimes give a whistling call. The female descends to join the male she has chosen and allows him to take her bill in his. After copulation, it’s generally the male who gathers sticks and the female who constructs the nest (on the male’s display perch). The male gathers sticks from trees and shrubs, but also steals them from other males. The female arranges them into a flimsy platform about nine to fourteen inches wide and cements them with guano (seabird excrement). Nest building takes several days. Each female lays a single white egg, and parents take turns incubating the egg for about 50 days. Chicks are naked and helpless upon hatching, soon developing a white down. They are fed by both parents and continuously guarded for the first several weeks, since other members of the colony will eat unattended eggs or young. Males depart after about three months, leaving the female to continue rearing the chick for another six to nine months. Chicks fledge anywhere from four to six months old. It takes so long to raise a frigatebird chick that females only breed every other year. The duration of parental care is among the longest of any bird species. Frigatebirds only breed once they have acquired full adult plumage – eight to nine years for females and ten to eleven years for males. In 2002, thirty-five great frigatebirds were recovered from the Hawaiian Islands. Of these, ten were older than 37 years, and one was at least 44 years of age. The oldest known magnificent frigatebird was at least 19 years, 9 months old when it was recaptured and rereleased in the Lesser Antilles.

Despite their slow maturity and low reproductive rate, magnificent frigatebirds are classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and

Where I learned about frigatebirds, and you can too! *Special thanks to Rockport kayak fishing guide Fred Krebs for the inspiration and knowledge he shared on our kayak trip.

All About Birds: The Cornell Lab of Ornithology www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Magnificent_Frigatebird/overview Audubon Guide to North American Birds www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/magnificent-frigatebird eBird ebird.org/species/magfri Nature Works nhpbs.org/natureworks/magnificentfrigate.htm IUCN Red List www.iucnredlist.org/species/22697724/132597208 Popular Science www.popsci.com/how-frigate-birds-stay-in-air-for-months-at-time Science science.sciencemag.org/content/353/6294/26 Encyclopaedia Britannica www.britannica.com/animal/frigate-bird Handbook of the Birds of the World www.hbw.com/family/frigatebirds-fregatidae New Zealand Birds Online nzbirdsonline.org.nz/sites/all/files/142_Great%20Frigatebird.pdf#2 Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frigatebird TSFMAG.com | 53

Oz’s final set of shark baits rigged with the now-banned J-hook.

ERIC OZOLINS

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

END OF AN ERA I have mentioned several times in this column the evolution of land-based shark fishing over the past couple of decades.

Technological advances have boosted tackle and gear way beyond what hardcore anglers of the 1980s and 90s could have imagined. One constant that remained over time, though, is the addictive interaction between man and beast.

This is what sucked me down the beachfront rabbit hole.

The same reason my life revolves around marine forecasts, bait migrations, and seasonal changes. Shark fishing is my life. For the past twenty years I have done all possible to help optimize the efficiency and productivity of my fishing. Whether devising new methods and techniques or experimenting with new baits, my zeal has never wavered.

Many years from now, when I am a salty old man, I expect to be driven by the same passion. Still at the water’s edge, tangling with the apex predators of the deep.

Earlier this year Texas Parks and Wildlife dropped a bombshell on the sharking community with the announcement of new regulations. Effective September 1, 2019, shark anglers are required to use ONLY nonoffset, non-stainless steel, circle hooks. This is huge for several reasons.

First off, for as long as man has fished for sharks they have used traditional J-hooks in shark baits. The reason has always been the hookup ratio. J-hooks lend handily to the 54 | October 2019

streamlining of large baits – whole or large pieces of jackfish and stingray – the premier bait for targeting species such as large tiger sharks. While you can catch tigers and other large sharks on big circle hooks, rigging for them is quite different and when not done properly is not as efficient.

Another source of frustration is the banning of stainless steel hooks. Many anglers converted to the use of single stainless circle hooks in the rigging of smaller baits years before the new law, for the reason that stainless steel resists corrosion and remains razor sharp even if soaked for days at a time. But we can no longer use stainless.

And then there’s the elimination of the offset. Anglers already using circle hooks relied mostly on the offset variety to widen the gap between the point and shank to promote the hookup ratio on big sharks. The typical circle hook design is meant to have the fish eat the bait, then with resistance, the bait pulls out of the mouth and the hook catches on the corner of the jaw. Offset circle hooks have little to no effect on hookup ratio unless the gap is too small for the shark you are targeting. However, back to J-hooks, it was also a common practice among shark anglers to purposely offset the hook point just slightly to achieve more hookups. But all that is water under the bridge. We can no longer use offset hooks of any type. A mainstay in the sharker’s tackle box for decades is no longer part of the

angler’s arsenal as we enter a new era.

Now, with all those bases covered, let’s talk about the impact and reasoning. I am part of a very large and growing sharking community. I know many individuals who share the same passion and social media keeps us all in the loop. With the announcement of these regulatory changes, I would have to say the vast majority of anglers are unhappy. They want to use their J-hooks in big baits and they want to use stainless so they don’t have to buy new hooks every other trip.

Let’s back up to the reasoning behind the regulation. This gets a little tricky. Above all, it was intended to reduce shark mortality. It is no secret that on occasion, certainly not as common as some might think, the shark (if large enough) might get gut hooked. If this happens the shark will likely die before it can be released. With the popularity of land-based shark fishing booming, scores of photos popping on social media seemed to indicate an alarming number of dead sharks presented by novice anglers. Reality is quite

Colton Bayer age eleven poses with a tiger shark landed on a recent charter with the author…tagged and released successfully.

different, though. Out of perhaps a thousand big shark landings over my twenty-year career, as few as a half dozen have failed to survive and be released successfully due to injury from stainless steel offset J-hooks. I call that a remarkably low number.

More than the type of hook, I firmly believe it’s all about efficiency during landing, handling, and releasing. The biggest problem is that anglers who’ve never caught a big shark are almost in shock when they get it to the beach. While some mortality might be traceable to the J-hook, a more likely cause is the angler spending too much time making photos and taking measurements.

But sharks do die unintentionally, and while the numbers are very small, this is what TPWD aims to reduce. Still, I do not see the new hook regulations as a silver bullet. Consider the great hammerhead, the speed demons of the ocean. I do not understand how the regulatory change will contribute anything.

We cannot predict which shark species will pick up a bait and large hammers are

Alexis Antony with a tiger shark she tagged, photographed hurriedly while preparing for the release.

TSFMAG.com | 55

media that has promoted so much controversy. While the exact number of big sharks failing to survive release due to a specific hook type will never be known, it would definitely be only a tiny fraction that were once intentionally slain merely for their jaws.

My personal feeling is if Texas Parks and Wildlife really wants to protect the shark population, then perhaps they should work more closely with the feds and focus their efforts on shrimpers off our coast who are illegally finning sharks. Shrimpers are selling shark fins on the black market and making far more money than they are from shrimp. Direct intel from a federal game warden source indicates the numbers of sharks illegally taken right off our coast are staggering.

Taking this line of thinking even further, Texas Parks and Wildlife should invest more effort and work together even more with the feds to patrol and curtail illegal longlining and gillnetting by Mexican fishermen in our waters. While I do understand state game wardens already try to enforce these laws, more so closer to the border, it just seems that for the sake of shark numbers they should concentrate greater effort on illegal activity versus the miniscule number of sharks killed unintentionally by recreational anglers conducting catch and release shark fishing.

C O N TA C T

notorious for exhausting themselves nearly to the point of death during the fight – which has absolutely nothing to do with the hook being used.

In fact, despite their great size, their mouths are quite small compared to tigers and bulls, and they commonly take small baits. So, the irony in this regulation is that a lot of the hammerheads that failed to survive and caused a mainstream uproar were actually caught on circle hooks.

My personal feelings? While I have explained how many others interpret the new regs, I am honestly very neutral. For two years now, nearly all my sharks longer than ten feet have been caught on the recently mandated non-offset circle hook.

I own a shark tackle company, Catch Sharks (catchsharks.com), and the greater majority of the shark leaders I have sold were built with nonoffset circles. I coat hooks with Tru-Sand technology to help blend in with the ocean floor. Even though I also sold stainless circles and Js, most of my business revolves around hooks coated with Tru-Sand that are currently legal. I firmly believe you can catch giant sharks on these hooks.

Case in point is the fourteen-foot great hammer landed last year by Ray Cedillo. The largest shark from a Texas beach in more than two decades.

While I understand the “hopes” behind the regulatory changes I cannot say I approve. Yes, a line may break and a stainless hook could remain in a shark’s mouth for a long time, whereas a hook of plain steel will dissolve fairly quickly. I also understand the gut-hooking issue related to offset hooks. But as I said earlier, the chances of this happening are really rather rare.

Unfortunately, out of all the sharks being tagged and released by hundreds and hundreds of conservation-minded Texas shark anglers, it is only the rare case of the few giant non-surviving specimens on social

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

Email Websites

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

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EVERETT JOHNSON

P L A S T I C & W AT E R D O N ' T M I X

IF YOU DON’T TAKE IT ON THE BOAT… IT WON’T END UP IN THE WATER!

Another pet peeve is discarded fishing line. While a line can break fighting a fish, when you come across a ball of line like the one in the photo you can bet a careless fisherman was responsible – not a fish. Dispose of used line properly, your own as well as what a litterbug left behind!

Sounds pretty simple, right? But the fact remains that lots of plastic litter can be found along Texas bay shorelines. And, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out how some of it got there.

Let’s start with Styrofoam cups. We all want coffee first thing in the morning. Stop by the convenience store closest to the boat launch on Saturday morning and grab a cup. You will likely find yourself in the checkout line behind lots of fishermen – all with cup in hand. The problem with Styro cups is they blow out of the boat when they’re empty. But you don’t have to drink your coffee from a Styro cup! Think ahead and take it in a reusable mug instead. A Yeti Rambler or any similar product will keep your coffee hot much longer and it won’t blow out of the boat. Plus, some stores discount drinks when customers bring their own containers.

Plastic shopping bags should be an absolute no-no on the boat. Fishermen need snacks and the same convenience store where we get our coffee is a favorite place to get them. But, think ahead. Plastic sacks are some of the most common shoreline litter and they pose hazards to fish and other wildlife. Keep a reusable sack in your truck or boat and take it into the store.

The reusable sack can also double as a trash container for wrappers and packaging until you get back to the dock and dispose of them properly.

Plastic drink bottles; just say no! A good old-fashioned picnic jug is the

58 | October 2019

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Reusable drinkware is the best way to serve them. If you must have carbonated drinks, buy cans instead, and always recycle.

A surprising number of fishing lure packages find their way onto shorelines. We cannot blame these on anybody but fishermen. I hate to think an uncaring fisherman discarded the empty package, so let’s just say it probably blew out of somebody’s boat. Here again, if you don’t take it on the boat…

Plastic ice sacks are a real pet peeve of mine. How they get in the water is anybody’s guess, but carelessness in how we handle them must surely be the root of much of the evil. Pray you never get one wrapped around your outboard’s cooling water intake port. There are alternatives, of course. Before bagged ice became so popular lots of fishermen made their own block ice. Reusable ice-packs are another great option. Placing a couple of these with your fish in the ice chest, or any other items you want to keep cold, is not only cheaper in the long run, they’re way more environmentally-friendly. Who wants a soggy sandwich anyway?

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TSFMAG.com | 59

Bycatch is a

Hidden Threat

to Gulf of Mexico Fisheries

STORY BY DR. LARRY MCKINNEY | SENIOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HARTE RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR GULF OF MEXICO STUDIES AT TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-CORPUS CHRISTI A correction and additional take on the Fishery’s Management Council recent action could allow commercial shrimpers bycatch to threaten recovery of Red Snapper stocks Restoring the red snapper fishery in the Gulf of Mexico is one of the great conservation achievements of recent times. Bringing that fishery back from severe decline has not been without sacrifice and much controversy. Intense acrimony over harvest and allocation policies have sadly been the norm. Just as we have embarked on a new and promising approach to correct past mistakes in managing this iconic fishery, the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council (GOMFMC) seems to have taken a disappointing step backwards to allow an increase in shrimping bycatch. A step that, could wipe out years of restoration effort by allowing the commercial shrimp fleet to set aside what once required a court order to achieve.

I wrote opinion articles on this issue, recently published in Sportfishing and TIDE. In those articles I used NOAA published tables to calculate the potential impacts six years after the rollback, projecting 3.1 million pounds of red snapper lost every year. Those calculations were wrong. I misread the tables and while they were a bit ambiguous, that is no excuse. This was brought to my attention by longtime colleague Dr. Benny Galloway and confirmed by others whom I asked to examine those calculations. The use of fish excluder devices and reduction in overall fleet size, as Benny pointed out, has certainly had a positive impact and that this action will not threaten recovery.

Nevertheless, my fundamental concerns for red snapper bycatch mortality and other non-directed catch remain.

Throughout the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s, red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico were in decline even as ever-more stringent harvest restrictions were implemented for the recreational and commercial red snapper fisheries. The population did not respond to conventional management measures even as recreational seasons dropped to just a handful of days. Then, a lawsuit forced NOAA Fisheries to reduce juvenile red snapper bycatch in shrimp trawls by 74 percent. That decision, coupled with a reduction of shrimping effort by some 80% after the 2005 hurricane season devastated the Gulf shrimp fleet, was the catalyst for the snapper population in the Gulf of Mexico to explode. Today, red snapper are often the only fish anglers can catch offshore and anglers are far more likely to express their frustration on an inability to get a bait past the snapper than anything else.

In April of this year, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council approved a rollback of the red snapper bycatch reduction to 60 percent, down from the court-ordered 74 percent. Now, it could 60 | October 2019

be rolled back even further in the future through simple framework actions. NOAA calculated that allowing the shrimp industry to increase its bycatch of juvenile red snapper by 14 percent will result in just a 200,000-pound decrease in the total allowable catch of red snapper, beginning in 2023. Evidence since 2005 would seem to indicate that figure under-estimates the impact of shrimp trawls, but with observer coverage on less than 1 percent of trips by the shrimp industry that number is, at best, uncertain. My initial calculations may have been in error but uncertainties in the data upon which they were made are significant and troubling. Certainly, too uncertain to risk the progress that has been made in restoring the red snapper fishery.

Analysis used to support the rollback showed that red snapper bycatch is seemingly small, just 0.3 percent of all the finfish bycatch in shrimp trawls by weight. That is the good news for red snapper, if correct. An obvious question is “What is in the other 99.7 percent and what does that loss mean?” NOAA Fisheries did not analyze the composition of the bycatch, but it certainly includes species prized by anglers, both forage and sportfish. I think it would be important to know what that means. What is the total ecosystem impacts of the rollback? Again, no one really knows. A quick projection of the other species that would be killed in shrimp trawls under the preferred alternative in the rollback measure yields a potential loss of millions of pounds of fish. That is a real concern, the implications of which should be addressed, especially under the relatively new “ecosystem-based fisheries management” paradigms.

By rolling back the reduction in shrimp trawl bycatch, we are rolling the dice on the future of Gulf red snapper and possibly the ecosystem supporting them. Our Gulf is amazingly productive and resilient, bouncing back from hurricanes and even oil spills, but unless we wisely manage these resources, we put the amazing sustainability of the Gulf at risk.

In 2014 I led the Commission on Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Management, chaired by Johnny Morris and Scott Deal. In our report A Vision for Managing America’s Saltwater Recreational Fishery, one of our recommendations was conserving the forage base. That resource is vital for sustainability of economically important sportfish and it supports the underpinnings of ecosystem health. Forage base resilience is a great concern. Allowing the shrimp industry to increase its already significant bycatch, would be a move in the wrong direction. At a time when red snapper recovery is moving in a positive direction, we should not contemplate actions, the impact of which, we cannot adequately predict.

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Available at Ron Hoover RV and Marine Centers. www.RonHoover.com 62 | October 2019

P R O D U C T S

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Frabill Trophy Haul™ Power Extend Engineered with a revolutionary handled yoke system, the Trophy Haul™ Power Extend lands big catches without stressing the net. The push-button release increases handle length instantly while the reflective hoop and lighted module guide movement to successfully land your catch. Fishfriendly features include flat-bottomed shape and conservation netting. Available in hoop sizes to accommodate speckled trout, bass, panfish, walleye, salmon, redfish and catfish. www.Frabill.com

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Pop’s Secret

STORY BY MASTER CAPTAIN BILL HULL | ILLUSTRATION BY BARRY GRAMILLION

Pop was an avid fisherman but not a slave to maintenance of any kind. As an act of courtesy I decided to replace the spark plugs in his old Johnson outboard just prior to the first day of shrimping season. I was fifteen at the time and the motor needed it.

As the saying goes – no good deed goes unpunished – and this was no exception.

I stripped out the threads while torqueing the last plug a little too far into the aluminum head and I sheepishly admitted same to Pop. After a bit of profanity and some third degree treatment, he insisted that I go to the local hardware store and purchase for him a tube of grey glue which at that time was marketed as Liquid Steel. I explained that a Heli-Coil thread insert was the only way to properly repair the damage but he protested and then purchased and installed the glue himself.

You see, my older brother and my new brother-in-law were coming

64 | October 2019

to the bay house the next day to accompany him on the first day of shrimp season and, for Pop, it was not an event to be missed.

Next morning, true to plan, the three of them set out at first light and the old Johnson ran like a top, due in no small part to the much needed new plugs. I was not among the crew however because an Act of Contrition was in order for my screw up. Moreover, I pretty much knew the limitations of glue on a spark plug installation.

They set out the little sixteen-foot sportsman’s net and proceeded to trawl at daybreak. After about ten minutes the outboard made a loud coughing sound that was followed by a steady hollow tone and partial loss of power. Pop suspected what had happened but his crew had no clue because he had purposely not briefed them on the glued spark plug. He continued to trawl for about five more minutes with the intention of completing the first drag and retrieval of the net with its contents. When he turned to starboard to retrieve the net and boards, the spark plug, which had blown out of its hole, somehow fell up against the engine block, thus grounding it and completing a 50,000 volt circuit.

The resulting spark insured that the gasoline which had been pumped through the open cylinder head went off with a huge explosion. The blast launched the engine cowling off its latches, cart wheeling ten feet into the air. Best of all, the cowling with its foam soundproofing now gloriously ablaze, came to rest in new brother-in-law’s lap. He then screamed, leaped to his feet, and deep-sixed the offending item, all while giving new meaning to the term hot seat.

Pop cursed the loss of the engine cowling to new brotherin-law and a heated argument ensued. While this rhubarb continued my older brother decided to keep his head down whilst jury-rigging repairs to the smoldering outboard.

A wooden slat was cannibalized from one of the shrimp net boards and forced against the blown out but reinserted spark plug. The wooden holdback was then strapped around the engine block with sections of ski rope to hold the spark plug in place. When they limped back to our pier in Bacliff, Pop explained that the entire incident was my fault. He never came clean on the glue on the spark plug being his part of the caper but I have willingly and lovingly carried his cross for it all these years.

Rest easy Pop…your secret is safe. We won’t tell a single soul.

©JASON ARNOLD

IF WE SAVE THE SEAGRASS,

WE SAVE THE FISH. Seagrass is critical to good fishing. Marine organisms depend on it for survival—for food, shelter, and oxygen. But boat propellers are destroying Texas seagrass, which is seriously impacting saltwater fishing in the coastal shallows. When boaters do not lift their propeller in shallow water, the prop cuts and uproots the seagrass beds—leaving long barren trenches or “scars” that may take years to heal ... if ever.

Stop Prop Scarring – Lift, Drift, Pole, Troll

PROP SCARS

It is ILLEGAL in Texas to uproot seagrass with a propeller.

Avoid damaging seagrass – lift your prop!

When in shallow waters, lift your motor and drift, pole, or troll through it. After all, there’s nothing like a redfish on light tackle in shallow water. Let’s keep it that way!

For more information visit:

www.tpwd.texas.gov/seagrass

TSFMAG.com | 65

DICKIE COLBURN

DICKIE COLBURN’S Sabine Scene

S ab i n e

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

66 | October 2019

The Louisiana game warden completed a quick and hiring a guide somewhere west of Galveston if I were cordial license check and felt compelled to offer his looking for a trophy trout, there are finally legitimate assessment as to why the trout fishing has taken such a signs that we may once again catch Texas legal trout hit on Sabine. Unfortunately, it was not a revelation that on Sabine. Including the Galveston bays is a little would answer many questions for unfair as they are in far better frustrated trout fishermen. shape than Sabine, but they Albert Bates and his bragging size croaker!

“I think that Harvey took a significant hit as well and compromised the salinity level their big trout are still scarce and the trout that left the lake according to resident anglers. will not return until it improves,” If you still want to give Sabine he opined. “As far as big trout go,” a try, stay south of the Causeway. he added, “Things aren’t a helluva I feel certain the herd of local lot better on Calcasieu.” That is anglers fishing that stretch of the equivalent of speculating water for Louisiana legal trout that your ground game may be will not welcome added pressure, compromised with your star but it is basically the only game in running back out for the season! town. Launching on the Louisiana “Compromised” is not the side is your best bet if your end best description of Harvey’s goal might be to host a fish fry. impact on the entire Sabine What I consider to be the ecosystem. To compromise is to most encouraging sign of late, give a little on both sides and however, is that the SRA stopped Harvey was unyielding. discharging to work on the dam While I would recommend and our water clarity and salinity

have improved significantly. As you would suspect, every seasonal The one thing that remains consistent regardless of the size of the pattern is still way behind schedule, but we are now finding ladyfish and shad, is that basically any lure you can reach the fish with will get gafftops hounding massive schools of immature shad all over the lake. eaten. The most enjoyable strike takes place when you lob a She Dog That is admittedly lowering the standard for what Sabine Lake or Skitter Walk rigged with single hooks in their midst. You will be fishing was even three years ago, but few now anticipate the bite even happier upon landing your red or an unwanted gafftop if you rebounding overnight. It has to improve one step at a time and this is switched to single hooks. an important first step!

When the fish go down, we have had good Even as the smaller trout appear to be luck locating them again with a cork and Lil moving northward, I have talked with John or a Carolina rigged 5- inch Assassin.

Fall offers more than football! nobody willing to offer a guess as to where Unless you are drifting some serious shell, all of our big trout went. They obviously there is no need to Texas rig the Assassin. didn’t die, but they certainly moved or Glow-chartreuse has worked really well with changed their lifestyle. the Lil John while bone diamond and red shad A client that has fished both the Galveston have been our go-to colors with the Sea Shad. complex and Sabine recently told me that The folks that see no reason to fish anything he has caught one trout over six pounds in other than live or fresh dead bait have also Galveston and none in Sabine in the past done well of late on a mixed bag of flounder, two years. He caught a combined thirty-nine redfish, black drum and croaker. Most of the trout over the six-pound mark the year prior live bait fishermen I talk with are using finger to Harvey’s arrival, including a 9.6-pound mullet. There is no doubt that the best bite is personal best wading Sabine. taking place in the passes and mouths of the While the trout have yet to take advantage bayous on a good tide change. of the shad buffet, the redfish are starting to Despite the inconvenience, the less you hound them during the hottest hours of the handle these undersized trout, the better their day. Because the shad are so small, however, chance of survival. It’s a good investment in the surface activity is not as explosive and the the future of fishing for your youngsters! schools are moving much faster.

TSFMAG.com | 67

BINK GRIMES

THE VIEW FROM Matagorda

M ata go r d a

Bink Grimes is a full-time fishing and hunting guide, freelance writer and photographer, and owner of Sunrise Lodge on Matagorda Bay.

Telephone 979-241-1705 Email binkgrimes@sbcglobal.net Website matagordasunriselodge.com

We never know when October will finally turn into October. It’s different every year. Some years warm, some years cool. Cooler weather gets our autumn fishing going with shrimp leaving the bays and birds working everywhere. Warm weather keeps us stalled in a late-summer pattern. One thing we do know is we love October.

Higher tides this month will be a boon for redfish.

Again, there are lots of shrimp in the back lakes and marshes and many will target those reds with small topwaters and live shrimp under a Mid-Coast cork.

As the redfish begin to move from back-lakes into the bays they will be found over grass beds of both northside and southside shorelines. Many anglers will toss a shrimp right against the edge of the grass while others will wade the same areas tossing DOA Shrimp or small topwaters, like She Pups and Super Spook Jrs. Some of the largest redfish will be found in the middle of East Bay under flocks of feeding birds.

When things are really firing off in the fall there can be as many as ten to twenty groups working in the bay. One will have solid trout beneath; the other will be all redfish. Many times when terns are circling it is

a sure sign of redfish.

Waders along the south shoreline of West Bay will work the points of shell with Down South Lures and Bass Assassins. If you want both redfish and black drum take a bucket of live shrimp and work the points with a cork. There will be plenty of both in October.

Normally, the in-between days of summer and fall make speckled trout a bit finicky, especially when winds blow and you can’t get to the fish. That’s when redfish take up the slack. Higher tides push reds to the back lakes where they begin schooling along shorelines. It’s not uncommon to find pods of two to four dozen fish with noses down and turquoise tails waving above the surface.

We toss small topwaters and soft plastics under a cork (to keep it out of the shell) at those fish, sometimes with triple hookups; but, when three are bowed up with a big red, chances are lines are going to cross and hooks are going to pop.

The first few cold fronts of the year have significance. Swelling fall tides push water to the back reaches of the marsh where shrimp stage before starting their trek to the Gulf of Mexico. Not until a blast of cold north wind hits the coast do tides fall

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and shrimp begin descending out of the marsh.

Typical weather patterns seem to be later and later every year. The last few years the first cold fronts have not arrived until November, so “working the birds” has been happening later.

However, while anglers are waiting on gulls to dive, mid-bay reefs are left alone. Fewer and fewer people wade during the fall, but there are some great fish that hang on the reefs just waiting to eat a big Super Spook or Top Dog. Most of the reefs have drop-offs from years and years of oyster dredging and the trout like to work the edge of the shell and the mud. Most of those hotspots are on the tips of the reefs and can be reached with a solid cast.

With the warm September we’ve had, I’m ordering multiple cold fronts for October. I’m ready for cool autumn skies, great fishing, and the arrival of migratory waterfowl.

TSFMAG.com | 69

CAPT. GARY GRAY

MID-COAST BAYS With the Grays

Port O'Connor Seadrift

Captain Gary Gray is a full time guide, born and raised in Seadrift. He has been guiding the Seadrift/Port O’Connor region since 1986. Gary specializes in year ‘round wade fishing for speckled trout and redfish with artificial lures.

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

70 | October 2019

We enjoyed some great fishing in September. Thanks to my Shallow Sport X3; we were able to make it to the surf for trout and reds, and several nearshore gulf trips chasing schools of tarpon, bull reds, and sharks. Unfortunately there were days when the wind and weather were just too unstable to venture out there, but that was okay…the Port O’ConnorSeadrift region provides many fishing options.

On windier days you always have your choice of wading protected shorelines in any of our local bays.

For customers not comfortable with wading, we offer drift-fishing in back-lakes. And there’s always San Antonio Bay reefs, some of which are protected from a variety of wind directions.

On calmer days, when the gulf was still too rough to fish, we waded or drifted the many reefs and spoils in West Matagorda and also in San Antonio Bay. As you can see we pretty much had any kind of fishing scenario handled.

October will be bringing some changes, though, namely the first serious cold fronts of the season.

The north winds of these fronts will be strong enough to redirect which shorelines we will be concentrating our wades. We will also be seeing a

Two big firsts for Cody Kocman this day; first day wade fishing and first slot redfish.

Taylor Welch’s first-ever tripletail from the Matagorda Island surf… taken by sight-casting!

good deal less boat traffic.

The harsher cold fronts will trigger the local redfish population to begin gathering in schools, the prelude to their fall spawning migration. The reduction of disturbances from boat traffic on the bay shorelines will encourage the reds to gather into larger schools. This always means great fishing for those of us still on the bays.

You will start seeing more birds working over migrating shrimp in all the major bay systems. But pay close attention to San Antonio Bay and its upper reaches – Hynes Bay and Mission Bay. You can expect to catch many different species while “working” the birds. I have caught redfish from eighteen to upwards of thirty-four inches. I have also caught speckled trout, sand trout, gafftop, ladyfish and probably a couple more species that I am not recalling at the moment. This is the perfect type of fishing to introduce a youngster to the art of using artificial lures. The bite is often rapid-fire; you can hookup cast after cast no matter how you work the lures. Did I mention the fish will be going crazy eating shrimp?

On wading days, I will target the maze of reefs in San Antonio Bay, when the wind allows, of course. The same scenario will be playing out with the shrimp on the reefs as I described above in working the birds in the open bay. The current will be washing shrimp onto and around the reef points and the hungry trout and reds will be there waiting. The game here is tricking trout and redfish into eating our Saltwater Assassins; Purple Chicken and Magic Grass.

If we are fishing pre-front conditions, meaning a howling south to southeast wind, you will see the bow of my Shallow Sport X3 headed to the protected south shoreline of West Matagorda Bay. I prefer this bay over San Antonio because of the expanse of the shoreline. Actually, to put it pure and simple, there seems to be less shoreline burning idiots in this bay system to ruin your wades. Or so it seems, anyway.

When wading the West Matagorda south shoreline, I generally start off the day with my trusty MirrOlure She Dog. Usually the CRBK (black back with chrome body) to match the migrating mullet in the area. If the fish are not hitting on top, or if the effort yields mostly blowups and only a few hookups, my next bait will likely be the MirrOdine XL. The MirrOdine XL color will be 27MR21 (black back silver belly). You guessed it…to match the mullet.

If your confidence is greater with soft plastic, you would do well to rig up a Bass Assassin Sea Shad (paddletail) rigged on a 1/16-ounce Assassin jighead. My favorite colors are the new Purple Chicken and Magic Grass. These two colors cover the two basic color principles for me. Purple Chicken has the dark back with the silver metal flake belly to cover the lighter end of the color spectrum. The Magic Grass with its dark purple back and its dark green belly covers the darker side.

These are my personal go-to soft bait colors and yours may vary. As always, the best rule to follow is to use the color or colors that give you the greatest confidence.

Fish hard, fish smart!

TSFMAG.com | 71

DAVID ROWSEY

HOOKED UP WITH Rowsey

Upper Laguna/ Ba f f i n

David Rowsey has over 25 years in Baffin and Upper Laguna Madre; trophy trout with artificial lures is his specialty.

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

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

This must be what they meant when they coined the phrase, never-ending summer. Enough already of heat indices that refuse to drop below 110°. So tired of it.

October’s cool fronts are going to be more welcome than ever in my memory. Sally and I took a “cool break” in the middle of September on an Alaskan cruise.

Average daytime temps were high 40s to low 50s.

Everything about Alaska was very refreshing and I’m already planning a fishing vacation for the next visit.

October fishing has always been hit or miss for us down here in the Coastal Bend. Both October and November are transition months and can be a little testy, even for the guys that are on the water every day. Regardless, I will certainly be in the water trying for the largest trout God deems us worthy of, but will also be spending lots of time preparing for winter fishing, slinging arrows, and filling my sunburned nose with the sweet aroma of burning gun powder from the business end of a Benelli.

I say this every year, do forgive me for sounding like a broken record, but in all seriousness this is the time of the year when I start pulling it all together for cooler weather fishing. If you are serious about hunting trophy caliber trout, use this downtime to get ready

for the coming winter and spring months. Everything from waders, tackle, rods, reels, boats, motors, etc., will be gone through with a fine-toothed comb to hopefully prevent the unexpected.

As the first cool fronts settle in and start dropping water temperatures, this will not be the time to find out that last year’s waders have sprung a leak, or that last year’s coiled mono should have been swapped for fresh. What about, “I haven’t used ‘em since last spring…no idea why the handles won’t turn.”

I hear these kinds of statements on a daily basis from rookies, new-to-me clients, and even a few of the seasoned salty crowd. You can bet that by the second trip they have it all figured out, as they only want to be paying me as their guide, not as the most expensive reel repairman on the water. 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 better-prepared buddy set the hook.

Quick checklist: Reels cleaned and new braided line installed; 40-lb Seaguar Smackdown is my favorite. Replace hooks on lures; #4 VMC on Corkys and MirrOdines, #2 on larger topwaters. Check

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waders for leaks; I fill mine with water as wearing them in the pool takes too long unless the leak is severe. Clean and lube corroded zippers on tackle bags, boots, etc. Organize your layering system and go back through the list a second time. None of this is hard work or very time consuming, so no excuses. Be prepared!

October and November are the only times of the year I pay serious attention to birds working in the Laguna and Baffin, and only during these months, due to bait migrations being in full swing. Birds are easy to spot and an easy to figure out, but for those of us who prefer our feet in the mud, the working birds can give us some great opportunities and insight into non-traditional wading spots that most just run right past.

The first time I ever saw my name in print, Capt. Mike McBride penned a piece for CCA’s Tide Magazine and said, “Rowsey is a master at hiding in plain sight.” Mike and I had fished together quite a few times and I was always parking the boat in some “high eyebrow” areas that boats just passed by on their way to Baffin.

I mention this because this is a time of year when I fish these highly-visible areas, and one the of most productive of these is the edge of the ICW. This channel is a virtual fish highway through the Upper Laguna. While it produces year ‘round, October makes for great wading that produces thick-shouldered trout, many in the trophy class.

There are many cuts that intersect the ICW, depressions from barges getting off course, humps, and tons of grass lines and other edges that hold fish. The ICW is possibly the most underutilized part of our bay system for catching great fish during October and November. Now is the time to discover it if you haven’t already.

Remember the buffalo! -Capt. David Rowsey

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TSFMAG.com | 73

WAYNE DAVIS

WAYNE’S Mansfield Report

Port Mansfield

Captain Wayne Davis has been fishing the Lower Laguna-Port Mansfield for over 20 years. He specializes in wade fishing with lures.

Telephone 210-287-3877 Email captwayne@kwigglers.com

74 | October 2019

Greetings from Port Mansfield! We are so excited to see fall weather in the near-term forecast. Northerly breezes are probably still a few weeks away but already we’re noticing improved angler attitudes – reduced boat traffic definitely helps in that department. I’m also happy to report that fishing (catching) is still on an uptick. Reds are beginning to school, trout are more abundant on the flats, flounder are being taken, and snook are available for those willing to put in the time.

I want to briefly mention my annual Chandeleur Island fishing trip aboard Capt. Dennis Marshall’s mothership – Backdraft. Dennis is a retired firefighter, hence the name of his boat. This is always a fun trip and those who have been or heard about the Chandeleurs immediately think of two things – catching tons of fish and sharks. Both are accurate. Our group of 10 anglers always put a tournament together, but not your typical fishing contest. One trout per day closest to twenty-one inches, (but not over), wins top prize. Pretty cool format and certainly challenging. Additionally, 5 of our 10 anglers elected to keep no fish, other

Capt. Wayne prepares to release an eighteen-pound Chandeleur Island redfish.

Mike McDaniel releasing a beautiful Chandeleur redfish.

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than that one trout. The others aboard kept a few for a fish fry but by no means a meat haul. The message here is simple – if you practice conservation in your home waters you should likewise fish conservatively in your neighbor’s water. Putting it simply; conservation has no boundaries Meanwhile, back here in Port, we can expect fishing to get better in the coming weeks and months. Air and water temperatures will decline as days grow shorter and fronts become more frequent. Cooler weather is probably the primary driver in this but never discount the reduced hours of daylight. In fact, even with daytime highs still well up in the 90s, we have already begun to notice increased feeding activity. Big schools of baitfish, blue water entering through the East Cut, and reds darting from your vessel as you cruise the sand are sure signs that fall is coming.

I won’t go so far as saying fall is the easiest season to fish, but fall is pretty darn consistent as regards catching. Adding to better catching is the fact fish will start to put on some weight – not necessarily winter weight – but they’re definitely getting heavier from daily gorging.

Main baits for fall will include lots of topwaters as the bay waters begin the seasonal cooldown and surface feeding increases. I love tossing surface plugs, the blowups are incredible, especially when two or three fish are chasing the same lure. Keep in mind we will still be tossing lots of plastics, such as the KWigglers Willow Tail Shad rigged on light jigheads. This combination is a top choice when targeting potholes. If you’re lucky you might even get to sight-cast a redfish or a big trout. Pick a natural color like Turtle Grass, Lagunaflauge or Mansfield Margarita.

We are still catching some nice snook and this should continue until the water cools way down and they vacate the shallows. I touched last month on the lures and rigging I use when targeting these hard-charging acrobats of the flats. I try to keep it simple – fluorocarbon leaders – American Fishing Wire Hi-Seas 25 or 30 pound and AFTCO SAIKA Pro in the same pound strength. I like 20-pound braided line, either Power Pro V2 or Hi-Seas Multi-Color, throwing a KWigglers Willow Tail rigged on 1/8-ounce, size 2/0 black nickel jighead. My top pick in reels is the Shimano Aldebaran or Shimano Stradic Ci4 2500. My rods are Fishing Tackle Unlimited 6’-6” light action Green Rod. Angler choices vary but this is what works for me and many that I fish with regularly. Keep in mind this is the same gear I use daily for trout, reds, and flounder…it just happens to work well for snook.

Edging steadily toward cool-weather fishing I highly recommend taking time to go through all your winter fishing outfit, especially your waders. Nothing is more disappointing than discovering leaky waders on a brisk fall morning. If you use the Simms brand you still have ample time to send them back to the factory for repairs before cold weather arrives. It usually takes them several weeks or a month for the turnaround so don’t delay. Give them a thorough inspection today and call immediately for a return authorization and repair if you see anything that might need attention. Start preparing now for your winter outings.

Until next time, stay safe out there and consider a conservative approach to fishing on your next adventure.

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TSFMAG.com | 75

CAPT. ERNEST CISNEROS

SOUTH PADRE Fishing Scene Arr o y o C ol o ra d o t o Po rt I sa bel

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

76 | October 2019

October is finally here and will take us one step closer to wintertime trophy-trout season. Days will soon be growing shorter and cooler, which means more frequent feeding periods that tend to last longer than in warmer months. Historically, October has been an exceptional month for redfish and the trout bite will not be far behind.

I am pleased that the scorching summer heat is behind us, for the most part. I say “most part” because even though October is our first full month of the fall season we can still experience afternoons reaching the 90s.

Late-August and September were tough for us as fish grew very picky in their feeding habits. Finding them was one thing but the timing aspect of getting them to eat became critical to say the least. We saw evidence of this when sight-casting; perfectly placed lures were repeatedly ignored. Some of the adversity we faced was exceptionally heavy boat traffic that made them very skittish in shallow water, and soaring midday water temperatures that moved them to deep water.

What will we see different this month? I would first mention a noticeable reduction in boat traffic as hunters take to the fields and families participate in school

sports events. This will cancel much of the skittish behavior in shallow water. Next would be declining water temperatures that will produce a more aggressive bite. Cold fronts help shape fall fishing but it’s generally a toss-up as to when they will begin to arrive. October is also known for elevated tides that flood backwater areas we haven’t been able to fish in a while.

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Robert Parker scored his personalbest snook on a recent trip a whopping 12-1/2 pounder.

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We can expect schools of redfish roaming the shorelines, both on the westside and the sand flats on the east. Our bays are currently very healthy. Generous rainfall earlier in the year produced incredible crops of blue crabs, mullet, piggy perch, and shrimp. Redfish should be gorging daily on this smorgasbord, which will make locating the schools fairly easy. Potholes amid carpets of grass always seem to attract lots of reds.

Trout continue to be fairly consistent although anglers seeking limits should be prepared to sift through lots of small fish. Tide movement has been one of the keys to finding a steady bite, especially along the ICW drop-offs. The better trout of late seem to be either staging deep or in potholes along the edges of spoil islands. I believe that October’s cooler air and water temps will encourage them to begin moving out onto the flats as the month progresses.

The second half of the month should give us lots of topwater action as the trout move back to the flats. Focusing on pothole-riddled areas will increase your chances of finding them. When surface feeding slows I switch to my trusty KWiggler Ball Tails and Willow Tails. Plum-Chartreuse, Mansfield Margarita, and Turtle Grass will do the trick.

The species that continues to impress all across the Lower Laguna is the flounder. It’s been quite some time that you could go out and target these bottom-dwellers and be successful at it. The flounder have been so plentiful in so many places that we are catching them accidently while targeting redfish and trout. Now, if flounder is your preferred species, I would recommend concentrating your efforts along the edges of the ICW, any of the drains and passes between spoil islands, and the old oilfield cuts on the flats.

Snook, too, have been unusually abundant. It wasn’t too long ago that random snook encounters on the flats almost never happened – we had to target them in specific tide-affected areas to be successful. How they became so suddenly plentiful is a mystery. Let’s all hope this past summer wasn’t just a one-time thing and the species will continue to thrive. As much as I am anxious for cooler weather, it is sad that the snook will likely begin leaving the flats for deeper water very soon.

Wrapping up, I would like to give a thumbs-up to AFTCO for bringing us their Saiko Pro fluorocarbon leader material. I received my first samples back in May and it quickly won my praise with its strength and abrasion resistance. Numerous times I have caught multiple fish on the same leader and saw no need to snip off any frayed portion close to the lure. On one stretch I fished 35 days with the same leader, and this included some big fish. I am impressed with its durability and even more impressed with the way it disappears in clear water. I highly recommend you give it a try.

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TSFMAG.com | 77

FISHING REPORTS

Lake Calcasieu Louisiana Jeff and Mary Poe - Big Lake Guide Service - 337.598.3268 October is usually an all-around fantastic fishing month for us. We find quality trout, hordes of slot reds and piles of flounder. This month kicks off our favorite time of year, when we look forward to falling tides and temperatures, and north winds. These conditions cause the marshes, which are full of shrimp and baitfish, to drain into the bays, creating a buffet for the predators. All this makes catching the sport-fish much easier than at other times. Lower tides and strong outgoing flow make things simpler, much of the time. Redfish will school in numbers around the mouths of all cuts and drains leading from the marshes into the lake. Trout will ferociously feed on shrimp, and birds will hover directly over the action, farther away from the cuts and bayous. Flounder tend to hang in the same places as the reds, but they hug the bottom, of course, so getting a lure through the reds to them can be a challenge. Shrimp-imitating lures work best to catch all three of the favored species. For bigger trout, the flats adjacent to the mouths of the bayous produce best. Topwaters and slow-sinking twitch baits get their attention better than the shrimp-tails most of the time.

Trinity Bay - East Bay - Galveston Bay | James Plaag Silver King Adventures - silverkingadventures.com - 409.935.7242 According to James, not much had changed on the trout fishing scene in Galveston as of the time he gave this report. “We've still got fish hanging close to shallow structures, close to much deeper water. Catching them on topwaters a little bit, but the bite on soft plastics like Bass Assassin Sea Shads is better most of the time. We did find some quality trout out in the middle of East Bay one day recently, but that area hasn't been as good as it is in some summers. As the weather cools off, the fishing around slicks and under birds in open areas of the bays should get better. We should see shrimp and other species the predators like to feed on moving out of the marshes and back bays by then. Flounder fishing has been exceptional.

In some places, close to the channels, we've been catching numbers like never before. Had a total of twenty-six one day. Found 'em by accident mostly, after trying the area for trout with topwaters, then shifting over to soft plastics and dragging them close to the bottom. We were able to repeat similar action several times. This does bode well for a good fall run.”

Jimmy West - Bolivar Guide Service - 409.996.3054 Jim was dealing with tractor mishaps, in the middle of working the fields in preparation for the imminent dove, teal and duck seasons when we talked. “I've got ducks all around me, so it's gonna be good. Teal season starts next week, dove season soon after. I expect fast shooting. Fishing has been decent lately. We're catching lots of fish most every day we go, though the number of dinks has been high sometimes. Average size of the trout usually improves as the weather cools. If it stays dry, we will see improved catching in the upper reaches of the bays. We've got no run-off going right now, so places like Jack's Pocket, Tabbs and Upper Galveston Bay and the back parts of East Bay should be good in the near future.

Normally, we see the bait start falling out of the marshes and backwater areas once a few strong fronts push through. When that happens, wading for the bigger trout will get better, and we'll have birds working too, so catching limits of smaller keepers should get easier. Drifting around the mid-bay areas and focusing on slicks and mud-boils should also produce nice results for those in the boat.”

West Galveston - Bastrop - Christmas - Chocolate Bays Randall Groves - Groves Guide Service 979.849.7019 - 979.864.9323 78 | October 2019

ORECASTS F from Big Lake to Boca Chica

AND

With water temperatures continuing to sizzle at the time he gave this report, Randall's fishing patterns hadn't changed much since the middle of summer. “We are seeing water temps at around 90 degrees on a consistent basis, so we're still fishing fairly deep water most of the time. I'm doing best in water about four or five feet deep, with at least some scattered shell on the bottom. We're throwing mostly Norton Bull Minnows in chicken on a chain color, working them close to the bottom. At times, the topwater bite has been good, mostly early in the mornings. Pink ones have been working best, by far, especially the tried and true Skitterwalk. Out in the middle, we're catching mostly trout, with an occasional red mixed in. In shallower water, we're having good luck throwing an old classic, the weedless gold spoon, catching mostly reds with it. I expect the trout action to continue best in fairly deep water over shell next month, since the heat wave seems to have a tight grip on things. If it cools off more than I expect, the wading in shallower water might kick off with a vengeance.”

Matagorda | Tommy Countz Bay Guide Service - 979.863.7553 cell 281.450.4037 With cooler days coming in October, Tommy expects several options to perk up for anglers headed to the Matagorda area. “Some big trout have been coming out of East Bay recently, a couple thirty-one inchers, weighing up to about nine and a half pounds. We should see continued chances at those kinds of trout along the south shoreline of East Bay in October. Redfish action on topwaters is usually hot down that way, in the back-lakes, with the higher tides. And, we've got lots of shrimp in the bays right now, so birds should be working. In West Bay, it's a great time to start off targeting reds around the drains and shell humps tight to the shoreline, then move out to the grass beds farther from shore to key on trout. Down there, we often find birds working over shrimp in the shallows, where we can wade right into 'em. And, if the north wind is blowing pretty good, fishing in the Colorado River can offer some relief. We've had reds in there lately; more trout should show up as the weather cools off some.

November is normally a great month to catch trout in there.”

Palacios | Capt. Aaron Wollam www.palaciosguideservice.com - 979.240.8204 We are already fishing patterns that feel like fall, and the catching is really good most of the time. We have lots of redfish schooling on shorelines, herding shrimp, shad and mullet, eating most anything we throw in front of them. We've found these fish mostly in pods of five to about twenty members, and catching has been easy. Bite has been excellent on a new lure for us, the Matrix Craw, in either white or pumpkin, with white working a bit better. Trout have been biting steadily under birds in East and South bays, but the percentage of keepers has been poor most days.

Over there, pearl/chartreuse and pumpkinseed/chartreuse paddletails rigged on three-eighths ounce heads are working best to cull the larger fish from the lower portions of the schools. Flounder have been plentiful on area shorelines, and gigging is good with the right winds. The size of the flatfish is impressive lately, about sixteen to twenty inches, and limits are pretty easy most nights. October should be even better as more bait starts migrating out of the bayous, rivers and marshes, kicking off more bird activity and a steadier bite on the shorelines.

Port O’Connor | Lynn Smith Back Bay Guide Service - 361.983.4434 Lynn does plan to continue doing some of the same things he's been doing all summer in October, with a few notable changes. “We will still

fish some mornings close to the pass, on incoming tides especially, and we'll head out to the surf if conditions are right, just like we have all summer. If we're doing these things, we'll key on large rafts of mullet, and try to stay right in 'em. This can mean moving with them during a day, certainly moving short distances from day to day. But we'll also start focusing more on fishing the back-lakes in October. We've got plenty of redfish in some of them right now, and the action on the trout usually improves in those kinds of areas once the stronger fronts get here in the fall. We normally like to wade in there and throw topwaters, keying on areas with lots of grass and a mix of sand and mud on the bottom. Even in the lakes, we want to stay around plenty of bait, but it's not necessary to find a big raft of mullet. The bait is more mixed, with mullet, some shad, minnows, shrimp and other species in the lakes.”

Rockport | Blake Muirhead Gator Trout Guide Service - 361.790.5203 or 361.441.3894 With the arrival of October, Blake expects to be fully into the cast and blast mode. “We're seeing a bunch of teal flying around over the marshes and fields, plenty of doves too. I expect the hunting to be fast and furious from the get go. Most days, we'll try to shoot our limits and fish our way out of the backwater areas. Redfish have been numerous in most of the back-lakes lately, I'm seeing plenty while running around in there in the air boat. Normally, we find them around the cuts and drains, and catch best when the current is moving somewhat. The weather has been really hot, so some of the deeper holes in the drains seem to hold the most fish. As it cools off this fall, the fishing for trout in the shallows along sandy, grassy main-bay shorelines should perk up. Lately, with such hot weather, we're catching more trout out over the deeper grass edges, and on reefs out in the middle which have deeper water close by. Topwaters have worked okay at times, but dark Sand Eels with bright tails produce better on a consistent basis.”

Upper Laguna Madre - Baffin Bay - Land Cut Robert Zapata – rz1528@grandecom.net - 361.563.1160 I expect the weather to cool off some in October, but the fishing should remain red hot. Hunting seasons start up in earnest this month, and this means more people are heading into the fields and woods, so fewer of them find their way to the coastal waters. Conditions are usually right for some fairly intense spawning activity among the trout this month, and they usually feed aggressively. For the first three to four hours of daylight, I find most of my trout along shallow, grassy shorelines which have some sandy potholes scattered along them. As the sun warms the shallows, the fish tend to move into depths of three to four feet. This is a great time of year to throw MirrOlure Top Dog Juniors, if the floating grass isn't too bad. If the grass is a problem, Bass Assassin Elite Shiners in colors like mama's 14K, Houdini or meat hook work better, rigged on sixteenth-ounce SpringLok jigheads. In deeper waters, I favor the Die Dappers over the Elite Shiners. The sight-casting game in a foot of water or less with shrimp-flavored Fish-Bites and Elite Shiners rigged on the light jigheads is another proven winner tactic this time of year.

Corpus Christi | Joe Mendez – www.sightcast1.com - 361.877.1230 In October, tides generally run high in the Upper Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay, due to the influence of the fall equinox. “With the high tides comes clear water,” Joe says. “Clear water makes it easier to see the fish in the water, so it's a great thing for those of us who like to fish by sight-casting.

We normally find our reds and a few big trout by seeing them pushing wakes early in the mornings, in response to the boats moving around.

Later in the day, it's easier to find them by poling, drifting, or trolling along and watching for them to cross the bright, sandy parts of the bottom. They like to stay shallower in the cooler waters of fall than they did during the summer months. Once we see them, we like to throw paddletails in natural and dark colors to try and make them bite. When they're hungry, the fish will swim a pretty long distance to attack a lure placed anywhere near

them. More often, the best way to earn strikes is to place the lure a ways from the fish, then bring it close in front of their nose, using a straight, steady retrieve.”

P.I.N.S. Fishing Forecast | Eric Ozolins 361-877-3583 | Oceanepics.com With the arrival of fall come the bait migrations in the surf zone. The mullet migration hits full stride as the number of dusky anchovies begins to diminish. Jack crevalle come crashing into the surf on cue, making mullet a great bait for them. They'll hit large spoons, topwaters and a variety of swim-baits too. Many consider the jacks “pound for pound, the hardest fighting fish in saltwater.” This month, we also expect bluefish and both Spanish and king mackerel to be blasting holes in the schools of mullet. The mullet run also attracts lots of slot-sized reds; bull reds typically show up in greater numbers toward the end of the month. Tarpon will be present too, often hooked as by-catch by anglers pursuing other species. Serious tarpon anglers spend more time around the passes and jetties. Large swim-baits work great on the tarpon. Numerous black-tip and bull sharks will be cruising the shallows during the morning hours, so waders should be aware.

Toward the end of the month, the big tiger sharks usually show up, provided we have no red tide. Tropical weather often remains a threat, so plan trips with an eye on the weather forecasts.

Port Mansfield | Ruben Garza Snookdudecharters.com – 832.385.1431 Getaway Adventures Lodge – 956.944.4000 The spawning migration of the redfish toward the Gulf is underway and should remain active through the rest of the month. Flats to the north and south of the East Cut are prime areas to intercept the migrants.

Steady action can also be found along the edge of the East Cut and along the edges of the ICW close to this area. Topwaters tossed into the midst of the schools provides exciting action. It's hard to beat weedless gold spoons for producing the most bites, though. Schooling reds can also be found at the jetties and in the surf, at times. If lots of pelicans and gulls are spotted working bait-balls along the beach, lots of possibilities will present themselves. Both king and Spanish mackerel, jacks, sharks and occasionally tarpon show up in the breakers this month. Trout action should pick up as we get into October and improve through the month. On most days, lots of undersized fish bite, so patience and careful handling of these fish is important. Best bite will usually be in mid-thigh to belly deep water. Topwaters will work great, as long as floating grass isn't too bad. KWiggler Ball-tails on eighthounce heads work better at other times.

Lower Laguna Madre - South Padre - Port Isabel Aaron Cisneros | tightlinescharters.com – 956-639-1941 Cooler temperatures have become more common, and the fish are feeding more frequently and for longer periods of time. Trout fishing has been exceptional, with great numbers of keepers biting along the ICW and in guts along and between spoil islands. Plum-chartreuse KWiggler Ball-tails on sixteenth-ounce screwlock jigheads have been working best to catch them, when presented slowly in water about waist deep. Topwater action has been fair to good. Spook Juniors bearing single hooks are working best to produce the biggest trout lately. The redfish bite has been steady, and we look forward to improvement in it throughout the rest of the month. Best bite has been in back-bay areas, on weedless spoons and small topwaters. The reds seem to prefer slower retrieves, and long pauses after blow-ups do encourage them to make a second pass at the plug. The key to finding and catching both trout and reds has been tracking the movements of the schools of bait.

They are rarely staying in one place for very long, so staying mobile and within their midst is critical. This aspect of the fishing will remain true in October, one of the best months to fish the Lower Coast of Texas.

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BROUGHT TO YOU BY Harper Ingle 17” first keeper black drum!

Luke Livaudais & sister, Madeline 20” personal best trout!

Valerie Medina Copano Bay - black drum

Frankie Coronel Tabbs Bay - 50.5” bull red 80 | October 2019

Sophia Lewis 42” 32 lb - jack crevalle

Donna Koenig 27” redfish

Blake Bundrick Surfside - 22” redfish

Carter Hoogendam Galveston Bay - 19” flounder

Cameron Lair Baffin Bay - 29” speckled trout

Cameron Steadman Corpus - first flounder!

Derrick Hinojosa Offshore - 45” king mackerel

Albert Barrientes Surfside - Spanish mackerel

Nicholas Beuershausen St. Charles Bay - first red!

Rylee Arce Port Mansfield - 28” trout

Joanna & McKenzie Pruitt 24” & 26” redfish

Joseph Salazar Bob Hall Pier - 8’ 9.5” bull shark

Jeff Reininger Galveston Bay - jack crevalle

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Rene Hamock 26” redfish

Analeigh & Emma Turner bull shark

Bobby Parker West Galveston Beach - 30” trout

Nathan Alsobrook Shore Acres - 37.5" 19.75 lb first bull red!

Glen Royal East Galveston Bay - 34” first bull red! CPR

Matt Posey St. Charles Bay - 27.75” redfish

Photo Gallery Guidelines First come – first published!

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

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

TSFMAG.com | 81

PAM JOHNSON

Gulf Coast

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

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

Capt. Gordon’s Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp Many thanks to Gordon Karstedt for sharing this delicious version of grilled bacon-wrapped shrimp. The Chive and Onion Cream Cheese and Prasek’s California Vegetable Seasoning combine to lend a great flavor twist to a longtime grilled seafood favorite. Can be served as appetizers or entrée. Watch them disappear!

INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION

1.5-pounds fresh shrimp; 26-30 count

• Peel and devein shrimp, leave tails attached.

• Cut bacon strips in half and place flat on baking sheet.

• Place a teaspoon-sized dab of cream cheese on each piece of bacon.

• Top with jalapeño spear and a single shrimp.

• Dust liberally with Slap Ya Momma and Prasek’s seasonings.

• Roll into tight bundle and secure with toothpicks.

• Arrange six wraps on wooden skewers.

• Cook over medium-hot charcoal grill, two to three minutes per side, until bacon begins to crisp at edges.

• Serve hot from the grill as an appetizer or dinner entrée.

12-ounce package center cut bacon Philadelphia Chive and Onion Cream Cheese Jalapeño pepper, sliced into thin spears -or- pickled jalapeño slice Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning Prasek’s Smokehouse California Vegetable Spice Seasoning

82 | October 2019

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

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

YOUR OUTBOARD’S COOLING SYSTEM The cooling system is of primary importance on any outboard motor. Most seasoned boatowners have likely experienced a water Chris Mapp, owner of pump impeller failure, or at least Coastal Bend Marine. understand the need for water pump Evinrude, Suzuki, Yamaha, Mercury, Honda, BlueWave, annual maintenance.

SilverWave, Shallow Stalker Here on the Texas coast we Boats, Coastline Trailers, experience salt and sand running Minnkota & Motor Guide through our engines every time we Trolling Motors. hit the water. Salt and other minerals Great Service, Parts & Sales build up inside the cooling system “What can we do for you?” each time we use the outboard.

Flushing with fresh water after each outing is the first line of defense.

The cooling system components that should be inspected every year (or 100 hours of operation) are; intake screens on the sides of the lower unit gearcase, the water pump, the water pump pick up tube, the thermostat(s), and relief valve, when equipped.

The thermostat, or water pressure regulator, is a key component often overlooked during service. As engine temperature increases and decreases, the thermostat opens and closes to regulate the flow of cooling water. Salt and other minerals can build up over time,

84 | October 2019

coating the thermostat with a dense crust that inhibits the ability of the metals to conduct heat, thereby delaying the opening and closing at the engine manufacturer’s prescribed temperatures.

While the thermostat is out, inspect the cavity for evidence of white powder or scale; this is a sign of internal mineral build-up on the internal cooling passages of the cylinder block and head. An acid bath would be the standard remedy for heavy buildup.

Outboards are designed to run their best when thermally efficient, and this is the purpose of the thermostat(s). Running an outboard without thermostats should be considered only in emergency situations.

Have a great fall fishing season, Chris Mapp Coastal Bend Marine | Port O’Connor, TX coastalbendmarine.com | 361-983-4841

New thermostat below.

Salt and mineral buildup is a threat to proper engine temperature regulation.

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9) Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor: Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, PO Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983-0429. 10) Owners: Pam and Everett Johnson, PO Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983-0429. 11) Known Bondholders, Mortgagee, None. 12) Tax status has not changed during preceding 12 months. 13) Publication Title: Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine 14) Issue date for circulation data below: Aug. 01. 19) Extent and nature of Circulation: a) average no Copies preceding 12 months: 15,750; no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date 15,895. b1) Mailed outside-county paid subscriptions: avg. preceding 12 mo., 4,926; single issue nearest filing: 4,723. b3) Paid distribution outside the mail including sales dealers and carriers Avg. preceding 12 mo’s 14,876, single issue nearest filing: 15,232. b4) Paid distribution by other classes of mail Avg. preceding 12 mo’s: 68, single issue nearest filing: 81. c) Total paid distribution-Avg. preceding 12 mo’s: 19,870, single issue nearest filing: 20,036. d1) Free or nominal rate outside county Avg. preceding 12 mo’s: 0, single issue nearest filing: 0 d4) Free or Nominal rate distribution outside of the mail Avg. preceding 12 mo’s: 0, single issue nearest filing: 0. e) Total free or nominal rate distribution Avg. preceding 12 mo’s : 0, single issue nearest filing: 0. f) Total distribution Avg. preceding 12 mo’s: 19,870, single issue nearest filing: 20,036. g) Copies not distributed: Avg. preceding 12 mo’s: 0, single issue nearest filing: 0. h) Total Avg. preceding 12 mo’s: 22,040, single issue nearest filing: 19,870. i) percent paid Avg. preceding 12 mo’s: 100%, single issue nearest filing: 100% . 16) Publication of statement of ownership: If the publication is a general publication, publication of this statement is required. Will be printed in the October 2019 issue of this publication. Signature and title of Editor, publisher, business manager or owner Pamela K. Johnson - date 09/07/19

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

USCG Licensed Captain Stan Sloan

832.693.4292 www.fishfcc.com

• Bay Fishing, Offshore, Floundering, Waterfowl, Dove • Night Fishing off Lighted Pier • Right On The Water • Lodging with/without Meals www.matagordasunriselodge.com 979-241-1705

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

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

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86 | October 2019

Fax: 361.573.0304

Science and the

Sea

TM

A Mystical Name for a Magnificent Fish Descending several hundred feet toward the twilight zone of the ocean, there’s usually too little light to perceive any colors. Many creatures are visible primarily because of their bioluminescence – the dim, glowing light they produce. But one hardy little fish living on deep reefs in the Indian Ocean has defied the odds.

The magnificent Wakanda fish. Credit: Luiz Rocha © 2018 California Academy of Sciences When scientists discovered a new, species of fairy wrasse off the coast of Zanzibar, Tanzania, they were surprised that the deep purple of its scales was visible more than 200 feet deep. Given the fish’s location and color, the biologists settled on an appropriately fantastical scientific name: Cirrhilabrus wakanda.

Kyle Nethery

Wakanda is the fictional African country of the superhero Black Panther in the Marvel Comics, and it’s the name of the bright purple heartshaped herbs that grow only in Wakanda. These fantastical herbs give Black Panther his mystical powers of strength, endurance, and healing.

In comic book mythology, those purple herbs came from a plant that mutated after a meteorite landed in Wakanda. The meteorite was full of the fictional element Vibranium, the metal that built Wakanda and its remarkable technology. And so the Wakanda fish’s common name is the Vibranium Fairy Wrasse.

One of the scientists from the University of Sydney who found the fish, said in a press statement, naming it after Wakanda felt natural given the “secretive and isolated nature of these unexplored African reefs.” And the purple chain-link pattern of the fish’s scales called to mind the tough fabric of Black Panther’s suit and the patterns on Wakandans’ clothes. As the scientists continue to explore these deep reefs teeming with life, perhaps they’ll come across a Hulk or Daredevil of a fish.

PESCADO PARK RV PADS & BOAT STORAGE

Baffin Bay

near Kaufer-Hubert Boat Ramp DAN WARD 832-860-4600

www.ScienceAndTheSea.org © The University of Texas Marine Science Institute dwpb@comcast.net

TSFMAG.com | 87

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