September 2013

Tripletail Mystery Fish of the Gulf

Saltwater Sac-a-Lait The other fresh fillets

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TIDE PREDICTIONS & SOLUNAR FEED TIMES INSIDE!

SEPTEMBER 2013 VOL 23 NO 5

EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Everett Johnson Everett@tsfmag.com

ABOUT THE COVER This issue salutes the tripletail – Mystery Fish of the Gulf of Mexico. Little understood in many ways this interesting game fish is gaining a following in TX and LA waters.

Cover images by Will Drost and Scott Sommerlatte.

CONTENTS FEATURES 42

08 Myth or Fact, Angler or Fisherman?

14 The Strangest Things 20 Surf Fishing How-To: The Time of the...

26 Independence Day 30 Saltwater Sac-a-Lait 34 Tarpon Time 42 Would You Know a Tripletail if...

68

Mike McBride Kevin Cochran Billy Sandifer Martin Strarup Chuck Uzzle Joe Richard Everett Johnson

48 Let’s Ask The Pro Jay Watkins 52 Shallow Water Fishing Scott Null 56 TPWD Field Notes Ed Hegen 60 Fly Fishing Scott Sommerlatte 62 Youth Fishing Marcos Garza 64 Texas Nearshore & Offshore Mike Jennings 66 Kayak Fishing Chronicles Cade Simpson 68 Extreme Kayak Fishing & Sharks...

Eric Ozolins 72 Fishy Facts Stephanie Boyd 103 Science & the Sea UT Marine Science Institute 104 Boat Maintenance Tips Chris Mapp

WHAT OUR GUIDES HAVE TO SAY Dickie Colburn Mickey Eastman Bink Grimes Shellie Gray David Rowsey Capt. Tricia Ernest Cisneros

REGULARS

98 4 | September 2013

06 76 92 96 98

Editorial New Tackle & Gear Fishing Reports and Forecasts Catch of the Month Gulf Coast Kitchen

NATIONAL SALES REPRESENTATIvE Bart Manganiello Bartalm@optonline.net REGIONAL SALES REPRESENTATIvE Patti Elkins Patti@tsfmag.com Office: 361-785-3420 Cell: 361-649-2265 PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Donna Boyd Donna@tsfmag.com

DEPARTMENTS

78 Dickie Colburn’s Sabine Scene 80 Mickey on Galveston 82 The view from Matagorda 84 Mid-Coast Bays with the Grays 86 Hooked up with Rowsey 88 Capt. Tricia’s Port Mansfield Report 90 South Padre Fishing Scene

vICE PRESIDENT PRODUCTION & ADvERTISING DIRECTOR Pam Johnson Pam@tsfmag.com Office: 361-785-3420 Cell: 361-550-9918

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Order on-line: WWW.TSFMAG.COM MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine Attn: Subscriptions P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, Texas 77983 * Subscribers are responsible for submitting all address changes and renewals by the 10th of the prior month’s issue.

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PRinTEd in THE USA. Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine (ISSN 1935-9586) is published monthly by Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, Inc., 58 Fisherman’s Lane, Seadrift, Texas 77983 l P. O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 © Copyright 1990 All rights reserved. Positively nothing in this publication may be reprinted or reproduced. *views expressed by Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine contributors do not necessarily express the views of Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine.

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POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, Inc., P. O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983.

EDITORIAL

when are the good old days?

My normal routine includes corresponding with fishermen of all walks and ages on an almost daily basis. Quite often they lament how so much has changed; crowded bays, tougher fishing, new regulations, coastal development – a host of topics comparing the way things used to be.

I too yearn for times past in many respects, especially the crowds and development of coastal real estate in some areas. These types of change can be documented precisely, the number of boats utilizing a section of shoreline and buildings along the water’s edge require no special powers of memory or perception.

Apart from faded photographs of highly notable catches, it seems the focus can become a bit cloudy as regards average quality of fishing results. I suppose it is only natural that great days and notable catches stick better in our memory than hard days of grinding no matter how young or old we are or were, and I am personally acquainted with but a few anglers that have maintained meticulous journals through their careers for comparison. We’re just not wired that way.

So just when were those good old days and, just how truly good were they?

This question hits home particularly for me as I get more involved teaching grandkids the wonders of the Texas coast. I catch myself relating tales of great fishing, usually pertaining to the cove or slough we happen to be fishing that day, enjoying their reaction as they take

6 | September 2013

every word for absolute gospel.

I also get a kick out of their stories told to family or friends of the fantastic trip we had yesterday, last summer or maybe two years ago. Two years is a long time ago in the memory of a ten year old – definitely good old days material.

This past week I was reading a thread on a popular internet fishing site in which a 21 year old insisted the fishing in Galveston Bays has gone completely to hell and… “Will never again be as good as when I was a kid.” Now that’s funny!

I try not to take myself that seriously; at least now that I’m old enough to recognize how selective my own memory can be at times.

The good old days, I’m convinced, are and will always remain in the eye of the beholder. In the eyes of my grandchildren every fishing trip is a grand adventure. Shortly after dark last evening they lined up under the pier lights as focused and hopeful as I would be in an exotic destination. Push-button reels hauling in small specks and hardheads filled them with glee – about the same as a twenty-five pound Everglades snook would jack me up.

My good old days, at least the ones I used to cherish so greatly, are slowly giving way to the ones I’m making in the here and now. We cannot bring the old days back, but we can darn sure make the most of the fishing experiences we’re living today. I pray I will live long enough to be a part of my great-grandkids “good old days.”

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Don’t teach them to fish... teach them to love the sea.

8 | September 2013

STORY BY MIKE MCBRIDE

It has been said that

one of the strongest human instincts is to impart

information. I can think of a few stronger but we do have to laugh because we know we are always willing to promote our personal interpretations about how the world turns. We all believe we know what we know…, but how much do we really? How much is actually learned and how much comes from what basically amounts to urban myths passed on from barstool to barstool? Let’s look at a typical on-the-water interpretation, and see where we are in defending our hard-won but highly-opinionated fishing facts.

“Hey captain, don’t you think we should move? I mean I’ve been to countless seminars, bought several DVD’s and books, and any good fisherman can see this is just wrong. There’s no bait, the big fish aren’t going to eat lures anyway, because they have already spawned, lost their teeth and have the ‘sore mouth’…Plus those porpoises have already run off whatever was here.”

Well, not to discredit good intentions, and aside from so many sources being unreliable, thank-you anyway as the information is still fascinating! What is actually more fascinating is how we humans always try to explain away what we don’t understand. Mysterious always deserves good explanations, so myths are created and handed down for generations, serving our ignorance quite well. However, despite all available science, many fishing myths continue to thrive and are often conveniently used to explain our failures. Some are funny, like bananas being bad luck and fish biting least when the winds are from the east, but others are out and out dangerous. Out of hundreds, here are a few of my favorites to ponder. Trust me – being a guide can be fun!

“Man you’re just stupid to release that big trout. Everybody knows they won’t live, that’s why they’re called weakfish!”

Unfortunately, I think a lot of misconceptions have ulterior motives; namely, handy excuses for certain curious behaviors that involve ice chests. The truth is that there are newer studies which are readily accessible and show quite a different story. We all might be surprised to read the facts: http://www.harteresearchinstitute.org/ochealthresearch/catch-and-release.

“The big trout are skinny now because they’re all spawned out.”

Actually, seatrout are classified as fractional pelagic spawners, meaning they are capable of spawning many times and in as many places, March through early-October! Yes there are peaks in spring and fall, but the reality is that they can continuously develop and dump roe the entire period. They may be skinnier in summer but not because they’re all spawned out. There is a lot of good information available from a variety of state agencies and universities should any wish to update their facts.

“Trout eat croaker because croaker eat trout eggs….they are natural enemies, you know.”

This is one of my all-time favorites! How many have actually seen trout eggs, or ever bothered to understand the dynamics of the whole process? Even if a croaker was interested in eating something the size of a pinhead, a trout couldn’t care less. They are “spew and go” animals, meaning they don’t prepare or guard spawning beds, don’t protect their young, nor care anything about them except perhaps to munch on one themselves. Amazing that we still have sportswriters and fishing guides riding those mythical barstools. A trout eats a croaker for the same reason a lazy lion will eat a bleating lamb tied to a tree.

Hey – you called?

“Dude, ya gotta use bait because they’re not going to eat lures right now. They’ve shed their teeth and have the ‘sore mouth’”.

Well, how fun to have another excuse, but trout do not shed teeth.

TSFMAG.com | 9

And if they do loose one, just like us, they don’t get it back. All myths have a lot of purposes and this one works well when we can’t catch shit on lures. Makes my mouth hurt.

“Windward shorelines are good because the bait gets pushed in there.”

Most myths, as does this one, do have some element of truth. True – baitfish could well be stacked on that wave-wracked shoreline but not because it was pushed – it was pulled! Wind pushed other stuff up there; zooplankton, phytoplankton, algae, etc., which starts the food chain moving, which then draws the baitfish in. Other reasons why windward shorelines can be good are as understandable as increased feeding activity due to increased water level, greater oxygenation, increased cover (see also: clarity and color changes), and current.

Push me there if you have to, but no self-respecting mullet can resist a windblown situation.

“No bait…no fish.”

Yes, of course everybody wants to see active baitfish on the surface.

However, what we can’t see is all the other forage available down below; shrimp, crab, pinfish and myriad other tasty critters. Just cuz we are not seeing bait up top doesn’t mean it’s not there below. Mullet, for example, will often stay down and suspended. I’d really like this one to continue though, as most boats will pass me by thinking I’m just stupid and messing around in dead, dirty water. LOL! “A good fisherman has to have a lot of patience!”

Sorry, but this is my absolute favorite. And in fact, the exact opposite is what fuels my whole obsession. Let’s use the term high anticipation instead! That patience thing comes from believing you have to sit somewhere for hours until some hungry fish comes along and finds your bait. This is a sedentary or passive style of fishing. Hey, there’s certainly nothing wrong with that if you like a good nap, some sun and cold beer to go with that nibble! However, give me that hunter style of fishing…where we go out and learn everything we can to better predict fish movements and responses, and then go make something happen under any conditions we encounter instead of just waiting for it!

Here’s another little quote that helped shape my whole direction,

“He is mostly a quiet, wellbehaved gentleman.” New studies says releasing fish isn’t so stupid after all...

High anticipation!

Kelly and Mark Molak learning the art of angling.

and indeed, along the lines of what this whole read is supposed to be about.

“An angler, sir, uses the finest tackle, and catches his fish scientifically - trout for instance - with the artificial fly, and he is mostly a quiet, well behaved gentleman. A fisherman, sir, uses any kind of ‘ooks and lines, and catches them any way; so how he gets them it’s all one to ‘im, and he is generally a noisy fellah, sir, 10 | September 2013

Angler or fisherman? (We can make it happen or wait on it.)

something like a gunner.” -Dr. George Washington Bethune-1847 The “scientifically” thing captured me. I’ll admit I’m an information junkie, and of all the things I could have done in this short life, fishing has given me the highest excuse to dive in and try to discover the wonders of the world on a personal level. Think about it! As an “angler” we get to explore and use almost all sciences! Besides trying to understand the obvious predator versus prey behavior, all sorts of physics are involved as well concerning water, wind, temperature, and even our basic equipment. Mathematics is also huge, trying to calculate our highest percentage efforts and such. Never mind meteorology as we all have to become expert weathermen. And what about chemistry; with salinities, dissolved oxygen, and all sorts of other factors.

For me the whole game on the water is exploring, discovering, and using science to pit ourselves against eons of a fish’s survival instinct. The whole reward is just being able to “call it” more often, and to me, paints the difference between an “angler” and a “fisherman.” Angling – hunter style – makes life more interesting, and some of us even base our whole existence on the exercise.

This wasn’t meant to be a primer on myth-busting. We will never know it all and everybody is entitled to their “facts.” On a higher plane, it’s supposed to be more about using the water to fuel a love of learning and knowing that what we have learned is real and can be used over and over. It’s another way to help dry land make more sense. However, from what I’m seeing, it all seems to be a dying art these days as modern society appears to prefer easy information for quick results – rather than earning a merit badge.

There is one more quote that moved me long ago, something about – “If you want a good ship built, don’t just teach the workers how to build it, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”

Perhaps that’s more of what we might want to be teaching our kids and new recruits. Maybe then they won’t have the sore mouth when they share what they’ve learned…, and fish will become much more than just meat because they discovered why. Hey, we can always go fishing but let’s get off that stool and go angling instead. There are real myths to be caught if Mike McBride is a full time fishing guide we’ll hunt for them!

Contact

Mike McBride

12 | September 2013

based in Port Mansfield, TX, specializing in wadefishing with artificial lures.

Skinny Water Adventures Phone Email Web

956-746-6041 McTrout@Granderiver.net Skinnywateradventures.com/ Three_MudSkateers.wmv

14 | September 2013

STORY BY KEVIN COCHRAN

I’ve been fishing saltwater

regularly for over twenty years now. In such a long span of time, strange things are bound to happen. Because these events are extraordinary and rare, it is difficult to make sense of them, but some conclusions do come to mind when I recap a few of the weirdest oddball incidents I’ve witnessed.

Among the most mind-boggling things I’ve personally seen on the water happened in the early 1990s, while I was fishing in Offatt’s Bayou with my childhood friend Guy Arrington. Back in those days, we were novice anglers who normally fished with live shrimp. The winter day on which the incident occurred was somewhat raw and damp; dark skies kept both the water and air temperatures below normal.

Our favorite way to fish back then was to anchor close to some kind of structural element and cast around it, either using popping corks to dangle our live crustaceans high in the water column, or egg sinkers to “Carolina rig” the shrimp and drag them slowly along the bottom. On the memorable occasion, we were anchored atop a reef which lies adjacent to the deep channel leading from West Galveston Bay into the expanses of the bayou’s “blue hole”.

As I recall, the bite was steady, though we were catching nothing spectacular. Rat reds, puppy drum, sand trout and croakers were numbing our hands, keeping us busy plucking shrimp out of the live well. I was first to notice we’d likely run out of bait well before the light of day faded completely.

Though our plan was to fish into the gloaming, it looked like we’d be headed home early.

The bites kept coming and my prediction came true. Eventually, I found myself stabbing at a solitary brownie in the live well, and notified my old buddy the gig was nearly up. I skewered the shrimp onto the hook, cast it out and sat down next to him to wait for what would surely be the last bite of the day.

He was doing our standard drill, dragging his rig slowly across the shell-studded bottom, when I saw his rod bend a bit. Not the talkative sort, he said nothing as he began the process of reeling in whatever was on the end of his line. From where I sat, I sensed something unusual. The tip of his TSFMAG.com | 15

Releasing big trout like the one Jason King is about to free here gives other anglers a chance to experience the thrill of catching them.

rod was not moving around in response to a fighting fish, though the curve in it indicated some kind of resistance.

As he got the end of the line closer to the boat, we both leaned forward, trying to see what he had succeeded in hooking.

Simultaneously, we noticed something shiny and inanimate attached to the hook. Scoffing, he said, “It’s trash, I guess.”

Astonished, we soon realized the prize he’d acquired was indeed comprised partly of trash, but it was much, much more. He had snagged a plastic bag containing at least a full pound of fresh, dead shrimp! The bait was not soft, smelly or old; it appeared to have been in the water for only a short time. How it found its way to the bottom of the channel in twelve or fifteen feet of water on a day when few boats were out on the bay I’ll never know.

We laughed, shook our heads and stared in shock, our brains having a hard time accepting what our eyes were clearly seeing. We also kept right on fishing, as we had wanted to do all along. While the light of day ebbed in the west, our conversation centered on the incredible irony of what had occurred. At the very moment when we had run out of live shrimp, Guy dragged a bag of fresh dead off the bottom. Still makes my spine tingle to this day!

Another mesmerizing event occurred many years later, after I had moved to Corpus Christi and started guiding in the Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay. The fishing on the day of the memorable event was slow; trout were showing interest in topwaters, but not sticking very well when they bit. Other lures were drawing no strikes at all. While working my way across a shallow flat and throwing at a subtle grass edge, I succeeded in hooking a small trout. At least I thought I had hooked it.

16 | September 2013

Jason King helps Captain Kev in the continuous quest to stay in touch with schools of big trout.

When I reeled the fish up close to me and lifted it from the water, I could see it had none of the hooks in it at all. The line had “lassoed” the little trout without impaling any of the six sharp points of my Spook Junior’s trebles in its flesh. I laughed while removing the dink from the loop of leader line, and made a point to show the customers what I’d done, making some kind of light-hearted comment like, “Anyone can catch a trout with hooks; it takes real skill to lasso ‘em like a calf!”

Within no more than five minutes, the customer closest to me hooked a tiny trout of similar size to the one I’d caught. He reeled the fish in fast, skimming it over the surface like a skier. Amazingly, when he got the fish in hand, he turned to me and said, “You’re not going to believe this. This fish isn’t hooked at all; the line is wrapped around its head.” We had lassoed two fish in a row! The double rodeo-hookup shocked and spooked me, causing me to want to move and fish somewhere else.

Another surprising event happened a few years later, on a calm day, while I was fishing one of my favorite rock-studded sand bars with an old friend. Casting topwaters toward the edges of tightlypacked schools of mullet atop the rocks produced three big bites for me in the first half hour or so of the outing. All the trout I caught measured 25 to 27 inches. My buddy was getting frustrated, since he could not entice a blow up.

I coached him a bit on his presentation, and he finally succeeded in garnering the interest of a solid trout. Soon after his lure landed, the speck bit with a loud cupping sound and began thrashing forcefully at the surface once it felt the sting of the hooks on his Super Spook. During the trout’s agitated display, my friend’s line snapped,

eliminating the bend in his rod and leaving his spirit deflated.

The only thing to do in such a situation is to tie on another lure and start fishing again, so he did. The bite had slowed; we could tell the trout were less active by observing the changes in the way the mullet were behaving. Both of us were quiet as we tried to figure out a way to catch some more of the trout we suspected were still lurking in the shadows around the boulders.

Suddenly, a loud sloshing sound broke the silence, in the immediate vicinity of my partner, and my head snapped around instinctively to try and identify the source of the commotion. I clearly saw a trout leap out of the water maybe twenty feet from him, shaking its head from side to side, irritated by the lure still attached to its flesh. The fish succeeded in freeing itself from the annoying trebles, and my buddy’s Super Spook flew through the air and landed within arm’s reach. As I laughed in amazement, he reached down and plucked the lure from the water’s surface. “At least you got your topwater back!” I mused.

Obviously, the fish had not made a conscious choice to surrender the lure; it was merely reacting to stress and just so happened to jump near enough to my friend to make the extremely unlikely event possible. Still, it was funny and truly bizarre the way it all played out.

As it is when the same fish is caught repeatedly. One day in March of 2006, I caught

18 | September 2013

the same 24-inch trout twice during one wading session. My baby trout Skitter Walk had been the focus of regular attacks from numerous trout in the 20 to 25-inch class. Apparently, one of the fish could not contain its enthusiastic love of the plug, as it came to hand twice in a span of maybe an hour. I know it was the same fish because I verified its length and weight accurately both times I caught it, and it had fresh hook holes in exactly the right places on the second occasion.

This year, I caught the same 28-inch, 7 3/4 pound trout on back-to-back days, in almost the exact same spot, on the same lure. Again, the specific size of the fish and The captain caught the appearance of its larger than normal head this “big headed” identified it as the same specimen. I didn’t 7 3/4 pound trout verify the hook holes on the trout, but I make in the dark on a Spook Junior two the claim with confidence. days in a row.

Also this year, my customer Rick Brill and friend Jason King caught and released the same 30 1/4 inch trout within a few yards of the same exact location, five days apart. I sent Rick to the spot and told him where to cast, working off Jason’s reported catch from the previous Sunday, hoping more big trout would be found in the place. While no other fish appeared to be around, Rick did encounter “Jason’s fish” again.

When Jason caught it on a Spook Junior, it weighed 8 3/4 pounds; the pictures of it clearly show its belly was loaded with a recent meal.

On the Friday when Rick posed for pictures with

Young angler Blake Hickey caught this solid summer trout in a conventional manner, by using the hook on his jighead!

the fish after catching it on a chartreuse/black FatBoy, it weighed a pound less, since its stomach was apparently empty.

Scrutiny of the pictures clearly proves the veracity of the coincidence, as the fish has a mark across its back where slime was removed, probably because it had been recently handled by a third angler, prior to Jason catching it! The dot pattern on the flank of the trout is also identical, making the truth of the situation obvious.

What lessons can be learned from these weird, unlikely events? For one thing, catching a fish more than once in a small area points out the importance of catch and release. Big trout caught multiple times can provide pleasure to plenty of people. A fish tossed in an ice chest cannot be caught again!

Furthermore, since trout, even big ones, can be caught repeatedly within a short span of time, we know they are not really wise and wary, like some people in the fishing community would have us believe. The older I get, the less credence I give to what I call the “smart fish mantra”.

A trout has a brain the size of a pea, even a big specimen. But knowing they are essentially stupid doesn’t necessarily make them easy to catch. On the one hand, these strange events suggest “anything’s possible”. When fishing, accidents, or flukes, will occur.

But it isn’t wise to rely on the bizarre magic inherent to such flukes.

Most times, bait and lures lost will remain forever out of reach. And while a calf-roper’s talents are useful in a rodeo arena, they don’t do a lure chunker any good most of the time. Learning how to distinguish unlikely events from the norm is a critical component in the quest for consistency. Placing too much emphasis on rare events and trying to repeat them can lead an angler down a long, dark road which has no pot of gold lying at its end.

Contact

Kevin Cochran

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 Email Web

361-688-3714 kevxlr8@mygrande.net www.FishBaffinBay.com www.captainkevblogs.com TSFMAG.com | 19

STORY BY BILLY SANDIFER

Front bumper racks are handy for transporting bait tanks but the extra weight taxes vehicle’s front suspension when filled with water and bait.

20 | September 2013

I have long referred

to September, October and November as the Time of the Frenzies; when tons of dusky and bay anchovies and spot menhaden move in and out of the surf, and the annual finger mullet migration from Texas bays to the surf takes place.

It has always occurred to me that the irony of this time of year is that it is impossible to take part in everything available in a single day. The angler has to prioritize his target species and techniques for pursuing them in advance or risk becoming totally overwhelmed by all the options available.

This is also the peak of hurricane season and you can have everything planned out and the appropriate tackle ready, and then conditions change dramatically overnight, and your plans and target species are no longer available. It’s one of the tough faces of surf fishing that longtime anglers never really get used to; they simply

learn to live with it.

For decades my beach charter customers would ask which species we would likely encounter and my standard answer is still the same; “Probably just about anything…except perhaps the one you’d like to catch more than anything else.”

The key to success is to have a variety of tackle rigged for a variety of species, fully prepped and ready in the beach truck’s rod holders – and a fully-intact sense of humor because you’ll need that too.

It’s commonplace to head down the beach on a redfish charter and end up fishing amid plentiful tarpon, jack crevalle, sharks and skipjacks. You’ll most likely be able to catch some redfish as well, but unless you have the appropriate tackle available you’ll be overpowered by the other species. But the bright side is that you will surely have more days to catch redfish in your lifetime than tarpon.

So, the better prepared for a variety of species you are, the greater the

When the driving conditions are poor I prefer to catch bait on-thespot as needed – castnet draped over bucket prevents bait escaping.

TSFMAG.com | 21

Anhinga Anhinga-anhinga Cormorant-like, the anhinga is a largish water bird – 35 inches tall with wingspan of 45 inches. The long, slim neck helps distinguish this species from cormorants. Black with silvery white spots and streaks on wings and upper back. Often swims submerged to the neck. Spears fish with slender sharply-pointed bill. Prefers freshwater habitat.

chances of having a really fun trip.

During this time of year I have quite a list of backup plans in mind and during the day we work our way through it as might be necessary.

Obviously if tarpon are readily available we’ll try to target them throughout the day, although typically we will catch other species as well. And though it’s hard for me to comprehend, there are customers who want to catch reds regardless of what else is available.

Most beach anglers carry their ice chest-live well setups in the rack on the front of their beach vehicle and this is a lot of unnecessary weight on the front suspension, ditto huge tackle boxes. When you consider 10 gallons of water at a minimum and a large quantity of bait strapped that far forward with 100 or more pounds of tackle alongside, you will begin to understand why I do not commonly use my bait tank when I’m fishing north of the 30-mile beach; unless the action is really on. If we stop to bait fish I’ll just cast net finger mullet and keep them in a bucket draping the cast net over the open top. The reason is that the Big Shell beach is typically very rough driving and all that weight hanging over the front bumper increases the probability of tearing something up. South of the 30-mile the driving is usually easier, so when bait fishing I will catch the bait and use the ice chest-live well. Most of the time we will be using lures – but having extra leaders and a variety of sinkers in 1, 2 and 3 ounce size readily available is certainly useful anytime you decide to switch quickly to bottom fishing with bait.

If you want to play with the skipjacks, go buy some Speck Rigs and some 30-pound test Hard Mason leader material. Cut the Speck Rigs off the 25-pound test mono they come on and retie them on the 30-pound Hard Mason. I’ve found that one out of three skipjacks will cut you off on the 25-pond mono but the Mason will last much longer.

Never throw your Speck Rigs directly into the boiling middle of a feeding frenzy. Your line will catch in other fish’s gills and you’ll get cut off on every cast. Cast to the edges of the school. Typically large numbers of skipjacks are feeding with the tarpon on dusky anchovies but the tarpon are feeding on the skipjacks as well. A skipjack or a big piece of skipjack on a circle hook will usually get nailed in a feeding frenzy pretty quick, but you never know if it will be a tarpon, blacktipped or bull shark.

Jimmy Jackson photo

Skipjacks can be a blast on speck-rigs but they’ll make short work of the light mono leader they’re made from; better to retie with something more abrasion resistant.

22 | September 2013

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lot to do with it, and when we are trapped in a particularly poor weather pattern for several days, fishing will become less productive.

High winds and large seas that accompany cold-frontal passage will halt quality fishing short term, but it will be all the better the second day behind the passage as conditions moderate.

We do more sight casting at this time of year than all the remaining months. We are spotting these fish while we’re driving along the beach so it’s important to keep our speeds down and NOT TO SLAM TRUCK DOORS. Follow the birds and the bait to find fish. If finger mullet are in scattered schools, fish in the area they are congregated in. If you find a hole or a short running wade gut that is full of finger mullet holding up resting, the reds are there as well. If large schools of anchovies are holding in one particular area I am going to concentrate my efforts in that area even if nothing is going on right then, for I know this is the place it will happen when the bite turns on.

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24 | September 2013

BILLY SANDIFER

CONTACT

WHEN FISHING THE FRENZIES ALWAYS ASSUME LARGE SHARKS ARE PRESENT 100% OF THE TIME – WHETHER YOU CAN SEE THEM OR NOT! I use a seven-foot length of nylon coated cable or 100 to 200-pound test fluorocarbon leaders for tarpon. As we travel south I use binoculars to inspect every large group of fish and birds working offshore to ascertain whether tarpon or jack crevalle are among them, or just skipjacks and mackerel. I make mental note of their locations because very often these same fish will be working the water’s edge in the same location in mid-to-late afternoon.

Be constantly alert for oval-shaped copperish-colored patches of water just outside the first bar. It is relatively common for 30 to 500 redfish to come out of the bay channels and make their way for miles in this manner. It is an absolute hoot because you can drive ahead of them on the beach, wade out to the bar, and be waiting for them to come by and sightcast to them. They will hit just about anything but a 3/4 ounce spoon is probably your best choice of lures. After everyone catches or loses their fish you can drive up the beach a half mile or so and do it all over and over again. I think I had two customers land 39 reds on a charter doing this one day, and we followed them 11 miles.

Usually these redfish have been schooled up in the channel waiting for a signal it’s time to move into the Gulf. A squall or a change in wind direction sets them off and they enter the surf.

ANOTHER NOTE OF CAUTION: AMID THE EXCITEMENT - YOU’vE GOT TO STAY REAL STINGRAY CONSCIOUS RUNNING OUT TO THAT BAR OvER AND OvER. NO REDFISH IS WORTH A STINGRAY HIT! Now, before everyone sells out and moves to Corpus, it’s obviously NOT like this all the time. The prevailing weather pattern has a whole

Retired after 20+ years of guiding anglers in the Padre surf, Billy Sandifer (“Padre of Padre Island” to friends & admirers) is devoted to conserving the natural wonders of N. Padre Island & teaching all who will heed his lessons to enjoy the beauty of the Padre Island National Seashore responsibly.

Phone Website

361-937-8446 www.billysandifer.com

7613 SPID Corpus Christi, TX 78412 www.roysbait-tackle.com

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STORY BY MARTIN STRARUP

26 | September 2013

When my son asked me

to go fishing with him on a recent Thursday

I reminded him that it was the Fourth of July and I don’t fish on holidays. When he told me the wind should be calm I became a bit more interested.

Not that I didn’t believe him, but I went on and checked the weather forecast anyway, and he was right. The weather people who seldom get it right were saying that there would be a light north wind at about three miles per hour. I hadn’t even looked at the forecast prior because I hadn’t planned on being anywhere near the bay on Independence Day. But now with my weather app telling me little to no wind I was becoming more than interested – Heck, I was getting excited!

I was amazed when we arrived at the boat ramp in that there were only three truck and trailer rigs in the parking lot and I had fully expected to find it packed. We transferred our gear to the boat and were unloaded in no time. It wasn’t until I was underway leaving the ramp that another vehicle pulled into the lot.

We were a wee bit early, but I could see well enough that I would be able to avoid any obstructions, so following the bright red track on the GPS, we headed to one of my favorite wading spots in the area.

The thing about this spot and the way the bay system is situated, it’s really only fishable with no wind or a light north wind. Since we didn’t have any wind at all we were already ahead of the game. So if we had any decent amount of tide movement; we were hoping to have a very good morning.

Twenty minutes later we were setting the anchor and there was bait everywhere, always a good sign. Some of the mullet pods were nervous and that is an even better sign that something toothy was thinking about breakfast. I grabbed two rods, one rigged with a Norton Sand Shad and the other with a Baby Spook in chartreuse and the two of us stepped down into the water. Working parallel we moved slowly towards the shoreline.

A lot of people don’t like to carry two rods when they’re wading for various reasons but for me it’s a lot simpler than constantly tying and retying baits.

If I don’t get any action on top I can simply reel the bait to the tip of my rod, grab the rod rigged with soft plastic, and replace it with the topwater rod. Packing two rods saves time, saves leader line, and if your wading belt is set up right it’s simple and the spare rod doesn’t get in your way.

I was a little dismayed that I hadn’t had a blowup or a hookup in the hundred yards that we waded approaching the shoreline.

But on my first cast that reached the gut nearest the grass my disappointment turned into one of those “Oh Yeah!” moments when the silence of the morning was broken by an angry speckled trout smashing the little surface bait. If you’ve never heard that sound or seen the explosion a large trout or redfish makes when attacking a floater; you’re missing out! Put it on your bucket list.

The trout was a fat 20-incher and I was stringing the fish when Sterling tied into a nice one. The trout must have had a little tarpon or skipjack in her, I guess; she put on an aerobatics display that would rival the best either of those species could muster. And in doing so she was also able to shake loose of the offending lure she had mistaken for a mullet. Undaunted, he cast right back to the same spot and a few twitches later he was rewarded with another hookup. From the bow in his rod and the wake the fish was pushing we both knew it was a strong red and he was going to be busy for a while.

I made more than a few empty casts while moving away from Sterling. One small blowup, but that was it. And then I backlashed.

While I picked through the braid to untangle the nasty little loop that was trying my patience, the little lure just sat there about thirty feet away, not so much as a ripple to rock it. And then, just as I was starting to reel the slack line in, another trout hammered the bait.

I lost the fish but gained some knowledge. They wanted it slower and they wanted longer pauses on that slick surface than what I had been doing.

I’ve quoted Mike McBride before and I’ll do it again. “Pity the man who tries to figure out what a fish with a brain the size

The reds were not so kind to the factor y hooks on Sterling’s Spoo k Jr.

on at max-zoom up That’s Sterling ds. re e th t ou aring the shoreline we (spread) Independence Day on West Matty: Slick-calm and not another boat in sight!

TSFMAG.com | 27

Imagine my surprise when well after well that we visited had no boats on them.

28 | September 2013

Meet 14-year-old Julian Trevino from McAllen, Texas. Julian was not part of our July 4 trip but I thought his catch here was notable. Fishing South Padre with his uncle, and one of my best fishing buddies, Julian’s trout was 25” long and ate a Norton Sand Eel Jr. Julian suffers a severe hearing impairment but it does not hold him back… “He’s eat up with fishing,” as we say.

MARTIN STRARUP

CONTACT

of a pea is thinking.”

A couple dozen more empty casts and I switched back to the Norton soft plastic. A look and a sign to Sterling at a hundred yards confirmed he wasn’t doing much good either, but I knew the fish were there so we persisted.

I fished the Sand Shad for another thirty minutes with one redfish to show for it when I decided I’d had enough of my honeyhole for that morning and headed back to the boat. With the calm conditions and the few boats on the bay I wanted to hit the mid-bay wells, hoping we’d find some more trout.

Sterling stayed where he was and you can tell by the picture of him taken at maximum zoon on the shoreline; he’s a pretty good ways away from me. However, by staying put and also by his body motions, I could tell he was into something good.

He started heading my way about fifteen minutes later with a limit of redfish on his stringer.

He handed me his rod and told me to check out the hooks on his plug. Bent, broken and abused is all that I can say and he told me that he’d lost a good fish when the hooks failed him. The lure was right out of the box and he hadn’t changed the factory hooks for stouter trebles as we usually do. Another lesson learned.

We put his fish on ice and headed for the bay wells. I still couldn’t believe the lack of boats on the water and that most of the wells that usually hold trout had no boats anchored on top of them. We hit our first well and picked up six nice trout in about as many casts each before they stopped biting altogether. We headed to a different well and picked up one, and then to another and caught nothing.

But it was a beautiful day with the bay unbelievably slick-calm, so we did a little exploring and then headed to the ramp to load up and find some lunch before heading home.

I cannot remember a more enjoyable Fourth of July.

Be Safe.

Martin Strarup is a lifelong saltwater enthusiast and outdoorsman.

Martin is also a collector and dealer of vintage fishing tackle and lures, especially those made in Texas.

Email

Trouthunter@swbell.net

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30 | September 2013

STORY BY CHUCK UZZLE

Like a scene from a

better way to keep some fillets for dinner without facing ridicule and scorn; they began to target species like crappie and all the world here to profess a weakness. “Hi, my name is Chuck and I like to eat fish.” approved. Now is the time for saltwater anglers to take a page from Those words, eat fish, are rapidly fading from sport fishing this playbook, avoiding the conservation hassle, and still putting some vocabularies nowadays, almost to the point that you can instantly read fresh fish in the grease. the disdain in some fishermen’s eyes if you even dare mention filleting Here on Sabine we are very fortunate to have many different types your catch. So much emphasis is placed on catch and release and of fishing available. Anglers can choose from a wide variety of water conservation in general that in some circles, especially among internet and areas to fish and even target both salt and fresh water species game wardens and other self-appointed ethics police, a fisherman is in close proximity to one another. During the summer months a almost made to feel guilty for keeping a mess of fish for dinner. particularly popular method involves fishing the Sabine or Neches This is relatively new in the saltwater world but the exact situation Rivers and the Intracoastal Canal. As the hottest summer weather arose in the freshwater community several decades ago. Folks who patterns take hold, rain gets pretty scarce unless a tropical storm dared keep largemouth bass were vilified, especially if any of them pays a visit to our shores, and the freshwater flow down the rivers weighed more than four pounds. Well, those anglers figured out a begins to subside. As this flow grows weaker the heavier saltwater will begin to wedge its way upstream, carrying with it all sorts of saltwater species. Speckled trout, redfish, and flounder that are normally in these areas in some amount will become more plentiful and with them will appear everything from jacks to sharks. When this happens it’s like Christmas for the folks who fish banks or from small boats because instead of having to go to the fish, the fish have now come to them.

Some of the more popular species that take up residence in the deeper water at this time also offer anglers an opportunity to bring home plenty of fresh fillets. Croaker and sand trout are perhaps the most abundant Don’t let the size fool you, and also favorites on the list of a mess of croaker like table fare. These are what I call these are the makings for “saltwater sac-a-lait” – sac-a-lait an outstanding fish fry.

Notoriously difficult to maintain in healthy being a French term for crappie condition, the tanks at Striper Soup were flush

movie where the main character sits in a self-help clinic; I am

with frisky shad of several sizes and species.

TSFMAG.com | 31

and sometimes panfish in general, used fairly commonly in Louisiana.

Finding these fish is not difficult; main points in the rivers or along the dropoffs that are usually marked by crab traps are excellent places to start. A standard bottom rig or Carolina rig will more than do the trick when baited with fresh shrimp or shad. The sand trout tend to hang out a little deeper than the croaker and with a little exploration they can usually be found quickly. One tip to pass along is that when you find these fish in good concentrations, it pays to switch baits from shrimp or shad to squid. The squid has a much tougher texture and will stay on your hook longer, which is a bonus when you start getting bit on every cast. Using squid will save you lots of time and effort between fish by allowing you to keep a bait in the water longer.

Many local anglers will take advantage of the easy bite from these “saltwater panfish” if it happens, although many will still be looking for speckled trout and redfish to stretch their strings. Finding these fish in deeper water can be done with artificial lures like smaller swimbaits or Berkley’s GULP! on a jig, but it’s more often the live bait that produces the most consistent results.

Now live bait in the Sabine Lake is often tough to come by on a daily basis, so most anglers usually catch their own with a castnet.

Finding and catching shad for bait is fairly easy, whereas keeping it alive for any length of time is another story. Most anglers run into problems shortly after they put their bait in the livewell and this can certainly be frustrating. There are ways to better maximize your bait in your livewell and I recently got schooled on the subject while on vacation in Acworth, Georgia, of all places.

Shawn McNew of Striper Soup Tackle Shop in Acworth, Georgia absolutely blew me away with his knowledge of shad and how to keep them alive for long periods of time. Founder and owner of Striper Soup, Shawn is also a dedicated striper and fishing guide, specializing in striper charters. Shawn graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in wildlife and fisheries science and put that knowledge to work as a guide and successful businessman who not only sells shad for bait, but transports shad for stocking purposes.

During my visit to Striper Soup, Shawn was kind enough to show me his bait tanks and setup for selling bait shad to local fishermen.

32 | September 2013

CHUCK UZZLE

CONTACT

visiting Striper Soup Bait and Tackle in Acworth, Georgia turned out to be a great learning experience.

The big tanks were flush with shad, each tank holding specific sizes and species; fingerling prices similar to that which Texas fishermen pay for live croaker. Larger shad are also available but the prices go right along with the size.

McNew’s system of monitoring bait tank water quality takes many variables into account and special emphasis is placed on pH factor.

According to McNew the biggest problem most folks run into when trying to keep shad in a baitwell is improper pH and the next biggest is putting too many shad in there in the first place. Not only does the pH go out of whack but ammonia contamination from their waste products is another sure killer.

He took the time to listen to me explain how my “shade tree” degree in biology has led to using frozen water in plastic bottles for cooling baitwell water and also the use of powdered additives to promote oxygenation. He related the problems I had been fighting back to pH, explaining that if you can keep the baitwell pH right, those shad will last far longer than you can imagine.

After many years of testing Shawn has developed a line of baitwell additives that aid in maintaining pH in the shad’s preferred range and also a compound that eliminates foam buildup in the baitwell; both are available on the Striper Soup website. While you’re viewing the baitwell products, be sure to check out the Shad CRACK™, Shawn’s trademarked product that is formulated to reduce stress in freshly caught shad or herring and greatly extends holding time. It contains a blend of salt and other ingredients, that when added to water, provides a more suitable environment in which these famously delicate bait species can be held in healthy condition for longer periods.

Back home on Sabine, I have done some comparison testing using side by side baitwells, one treated with Shad CRACK™ and the other without. Let me tell you, this stuff works!

Knowing you can keep bait alive for the duration of a fishing trip or maybe even overnight sure beats the worry of running out and having to put the rods up while you locate and castnet another batch.

So with a new view on putting fish on the dinner table and an introduction to some very useful products for keeping bait alive, let’s all enjoy a fun day on the water and a great meal when we get home.

Fishing is a wonderful pastime, enjoyed by each fisherman in their own way, and as long as we remain good stewards of the resources we will always have great fishing. September’s “saltwater sac-a-lait” should be enough to make everyone happy.

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 Email Website

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

Nice tarpon jumps in flat calm September water.

34 | September 2013

STORY BY JOE RICHARD

sePtember Is offIcIal

Texas tarpon month. For us, anyway, and we narrow it down and pick a “tarpon week” where old friends meet up again for another shot at the “man in the silver suit,” as tarpon are called. We generally aim for the new moon or the full moon, with accompanying stronger tides, and it’s generally worked well.

Coastal fish in September are restless—whether predator or prey—and ready to migrate. The obvious sign is the endless schools of six-inch mullet flowing south along the beachfront, piling up at the jetties and scooting around them. They flow past anchored boats, nervous baitfish in deep water but plain view, as if scared to dive, and that makes them easy to castnet. Or get blasted from below. It goes without saying that the serious tarpon angler knows how to throw a castnet, which is practically a lost art these days. You can’t buy live, frisky, unbruised mullet at bait stands, that won’t happen. You need big baits, and know how and where to acquire them.

Or use a variety of lures, the most popular being the “Coon Pop” jig, rigged with a massive circle hook that can be slow-trolled or cast. The really serious tarpon guys are now slow-trolling up to five of these jigs offshore in an average depth of about 35 feet, a technique that on the right day, can result in five hookups at once. That is, if the tarpon are actually feeding and not just rolling on the surface. You never know with tarpon. But imagine five monster tarpon in the air, with people and reels bellowing and screeching in unison. These are the guys who rack up tarpon numbers each year.

The sport has evolved. Our early years were spent anchored on tarpon watch, waiting for a bite. Best time was sunset, and many of our fish were landed way after dark. Pursuing these hooked fish on the blackest of nights was a trip, and I often wonder at three or four of our fish that might have been state records, had we weighed them. The latest we ever lip-gaffed a sunset tarpon was about 10 p.m. and his head was so big, two of us could only lift his head and shoulders from TSFMAG.com | 35

Capt. Curtiss Cash hangs on to a big tarpon at boat-side.

the water. And my buddy was a muscle-bound workout dude.

We had to be “mad at the tarpon” to stay out there all night, which we sometimes did, though we used a cabin boat that offered shelter when sleep took us. Today, everyone wants to make it back at the ramp before restaurants close. Or happy hour, for that matter. But tarpon are notorious night-feeders and we’ve hooked and fought them well after midnight. It got dicey out there, when a hooked fish made a determined dash through whitecapping surf and breakers on the blackest of nights. Following with the boat under those conditions isn’t recommended for the faint-hearted.

We’ve had many adventures with these fish, often with zero competition in Port O’Connor when we lived there. Even today, if you fish a weekday sunset, you should be able to hook up in September.

Landing another big one from a custom panga boat off the Texas coast.

Boat captain is wisely using gloves, when grabbing that 150-pound leader.

36 | September 2013

Tarpon with a sonic tag firmly planted.

This big puppy will be tracked down to Mexico or wherever he migrates.

Back then we were spoiled; our standard trip during the late ‘80s up to the early 90’s was if we didn’t hook and jump three big ones during sunset, then it was an off-trip. Using free bait and maybe six gallons of cheap fuel. Easy trips, except for fighting big fish.

Typically we launched around 5 p.m., walked the beach and rounded up live bait, then anchored in 13 to 20 feet of water around Pass Cavallo. Back then the Pass was stronger, not shallow and anemic like today, though it still has tarpon traffic. Back then in strong currents we could have set out a variety of Coon-Pops, and not bothered with the castnet. Bull redfish, never finicky, and always a threat to our mullet Modest jetty tarpon about to be released. Smaller Texas tarpon generally favor the jetties and surf.

TSFMAG.com | 37

supply, probably would have hammered the CoonPops. Some evenings, bull redfish grabbed all of our baits. (Other critters, too: this summer has seen a plague of gafftop catfish, and they’ve hindered efforts to catch tarpon anywhere but offshore. One angler in Matagorda Bay said waving gafftop fins on the surface reminded him of a miniature sailfish regatta.

When the “slimers” arrive, it’s time to move on.)

One prime evening with my visiting, aging dad along, we landed perhaps 20 bull redfish, topped off by a 100-pound tarpon that grabbed our very last mullet. It was a perfect evening in flat, calm water just inside the bay. To top it off, our small kids were left on the beach nearby during our hard battles that evening—to build their own driftwood shelter with a local baby-sitter. At dusk we eased the boat in close and had a bonfire with hotdogs. The kids were young and they’d seen big tarpon at point-blank range during our earliest adventures, so it became family policy that six-foot tarpon and three- or four-foot kids were a poor mix. After our battles and beach cookouts, navigating the boat back through the twisting marsh route became so common we didn’t even use a spotlight. Though it’s highly recommended that one be kept handy.

Most tarpon in that area today are caught offshore, Galvestonstyle, or perhaps in some quiet bay not trampled by passing boat traffic. In the parlance of the ‘60s, tarpon aren’t hip to howling outboards close by, though jetty tarpon must certainly build up a tolerance of some sort. Or they simply go deep when an outboard motor’s pitch becomes too high and close. That’s why a single diesel engine, with exhaust above-water, is the acknowledged best means of trolling major lure patterns around these fish, even in afternoon wave chops. On shorter approaches of a couple hundred yards, a stealthy, strong electric motor works well if swells don’t lift the tiny prop from the water.

Anticipation. We’re hoping for a solid week of action this month.

It all began by staying at Jimmy Crouch’s fish trailer, where our center

Smaller surf tarpon along Matagorda Island. Miss Amy and Marilyn Giessel in a moment of triumph.

38 | September 2013

September is Hug-aTarpon month in Texas.

console boats were parked in the front yard. On his covered wooden deck littered with beach brick-a-brac, we mended broken tackle from our dawn patrol—built fresh leaders, crimped big circle hooks, took naps and got squared away for the evening trip, which might last until 10 p.m. Longer, if a night-bite developed and all hell broke loose out there. We were focused and single-minded, and racked up some big scores out there. Another double burger, and it was off to bed. There was no dancing the Achy-Breaky Heart at Madden’s Lounge only two blocks away, where good times were had, but no tarpon caught.

All this effort originated from a chance encounter with lots of big tarpon on a dark-of-the-moon Labor Day, just as it will be this year.

Back then, Clear Lake angler and lifetime tarpon hunter Tom Gibson gave me an orange Magnum Rapala mounted with a big circle hook, a setup he used to conquer IGFA world-record tarpon in Africa. Just off the beach I flipped it in front of a passing pack of 20 fish the size of bay dolphins, and hung on! The plug was thrown far and high by a tail-walking, huge tarpon. Amy and I took turns fighting it until long after dark, the circle hook remaining in the fish as it was designed to.

It was pitch black, no flashlight, and the kids were patient but getting hungry. Finally, we were spooled. But we were hooked for life on tarpon.

Twenty-five years came and went. I recently had lunch with Tom in Kemah after this year’s Memorial Day Weekend was over.

He was once again in the news, having caught a 102-pound barracuda in Africa, while once again trolling for record tarpon.

At 75, Tom is still tough and has landed more tarpon than any of us will ever know—he started catching them in Panama as a kid.

Today, he fishes mostly in Trinidad, where you can reach 100-foot depths within a stone’s throw from shore, where thousands of tarpon of all sizes mill around below.

He’s taught the local guides there to use ribbonfish for bait, which tarpon can’t seem to resist. Trinidad is only seven miles off the coast of Venezuela, and they get some pretty good currents there, and tarpon traffic.

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(He didn’t specify whether they were catching ribbons on hook and line, or from local shrimpboat catches).

Tom has countless stories about tarpon, and related a choice one over steak dinner. He was fishing one of the West African countries for a straight week where the big ones normally bite, but Tom had nary a nibble. I mean like nothin’, to quote Ray Charles.

Finally, one other angler showed up at the remote fish camp, a Frenchman who wanted to catch a few jacks and whatnot, maybe a barracuda. Next morning both boats headed out, and Tom soon sees the other boat hooked up. The guy has a tarpon on, a big one.

They motor over to watch, and the other boat crew finally drags this huge fish into the boat. Back at the dock, hanging from a hook, it’s apparently the all-time world record by a few pounds. Problem is, the scales haven’t been certified lately. No problem, they can be taken to the capitol and tested, and adjustments made for that particular fish.

40 | September 2013

Here’s a bigger tarpon caught in a Texas bay.

There’s a problem: one week after Tom leaves the country there is a coup, and the president flees to this same island fish camp hideaway, hoping for a plane to escape. Last flight out, so to speak. Which he does. The wellarmed rebels then arrive and, miffed the president has escaped, proceed to burn down the tarpon camp. They don’t know what to make of the fish scales, so they kick it over in the sand.

The last Tom heard, the scales were never taken in to be certified, the Frenchman was long gone, and the world record never settled.

That’s tarpon fishing. Imagine fishing a remote, expensive camp for a week without a bite, and watching a tourist on the other boat catch what is likely the all-time world record, something beyond 285 pounds…

Indeed, there’s a rhyme and reason to tarpon fishing, but not much, and you never know when and where these silver beasts will appear or feed. And if you hook one, the man in the silver suit will work you over good.

STORY BY EvERETT JOHNSON PHOTOS BY TOMMY COUNTZ & WILL DROST

the atlantIc trIPletaIl

is an unusual fish in many respects. There has been very little scientific evaluation of their migrations, behavior or spawning habits. Only recently have recreational harvest regulations been enacted in US coastal states. This is notable in modern times for a prized game fish species, especially one so famous for providing excellent table fare.

Given that tripletail exist in most tropical and sub-tropical seas around the globe and in US coastal waters from California to Massachusetts, most common in Georgia and the Gulf states, you would think the scientific community would have a better handle on them. Classified scientifically in 1790, how this outstanding game fish has eluded study to the degree it has is almost as mysterious as the tripletail’s behavior.

It might be accurate to say fishermen know nearly as much about tripletail as biologists. That’s how little has been scientifically documented about Lobotes surinamensis. And, if you get too quizzy 42 | September 2013

with knowledgeable anglers, the most they’ll likely offer is that tripletail is the finest tasting fish you’ll ever catch in a Texas bay.

The tripletail gets its name from the three unique lobes formed by its dorsal, caudal and anal fins, lending the appearance of a fish with three tails. It is somewhat migratory, splitting time between oceans and inshore waters. Along Texas and Louisiana, tripletail can be found along beaches, in passes, and also in bays during April through October. It is believed they enter bays seeking lower salinity as part of their spawning strategy. Tripletail spawning peaks in July and August this much is known.

TPWD has documented tripletail captures in survey nets and also recreational landings in all the major bay systems. And here’s another anomaly…why does Matagorda Bay annually attract more tripletail than all other Texas bays combined?

Back in 2008, I assisted University of Texas Marine Science Institute research staff in rod-reel capture of tripletail from Matagorda Bay. It was hoped that mature fish captured during spawning season

might do their thing in the lab. At that time tripletail had never been spawned naturally in captivity. This project also failed. Sadly, rather than males and females getting cozy; the darn things tried to kill each other and had to be separated. The few survivors were eventually released. Put another check in the strange and unusual box.

More strange facts about the tripletail are their uncommon affinity for structure and the odd habit of floating near the surface on their side. Quite often they are spotted alongside pier or channel marker pilings and gas-oil well platforms. Any piece of flotsam is likely to have a ‘tail alongside if any are present, and they are often found in sargassum rafts offshore. The floating on their side thing is thought to be a sort of opossum trick related to feeding. They come instantly to life anytime a small finfish or crustacean makes a mistake. And they love shrimp!

Have you ever seen a tripletail?

Bill Balboa, TPWD’s Ecosystem Leader for Galveston Bays, likes to relate his first sighting - “I have been fascinated with tripletail since

my first encounter with this bizarre fish back in 1988. I was a neophyte Texas Parks and Wildlife Fish and Wildlife Technician working at the Palacios field station and we were motoring down the ICWW when I spotted what appeared to be a piece of black plastic floating on the water’s surface. Motivated to do the environmentally correct thing we turned the boat around. As we idled towards the offending litter, the plastic suddenly came to life, and disappeared below the surface. A subsequent discussion, with the station’s biologist, about this puzzling instance, revealed that what I had seen was, most likely, not litter at all but a large tripletail floating on the surface.”

Personally - My first encounter was also mysterious to me. Running across Espiritu Santo Bay we decided to try for trout at a well near the Army Channel. Drifting toward the well I spotted what looked like a large freshwater crappie beside a crab float. I knew it was definitely not a crappie but I tried to catch whatever it was. After several casts it “woke up” and disappeared, probably annoyed that I had interrupted its sunbathing. That evening I mentioned it to Capt. Bill Pustejovsky TSFMAG.com | 43

from the structure by backing the boat, otherwise it will run back and wrap the structure, cutting your line on barnacles.

I feel extremely fortunate to have these wonderful fish in our bay system and to be able to provide this type fishing for my friends and clients. I’ve developed a deep respect for them and cannot emphasize conservation enough. Texas allows three tripletail per day but I believe a boat limit of 4-5 fish would take some of the pressure off of the fishery. My 12-year-old granddaughter caught her first ‘tail this summer and I’d like to see her be able to share this experience with her kids.

Will Drost photo.

and he had a good laugh. Billy had many years of tripletailing under his belt and I didn’t even know what it was. He eventually shared his “secrets” and I’ve been lucky to catch quite a few since.

So to hook you up with some tripletail knowledge that might enable you to enjoy these mystery fish on a personal level, I have invited Capt. Tommy Countz of Matagorda and Will Drost of Lake Charles LA to tell you how they do it.

Capt. Tommy Countz – I’ve been fishing West Matagorda tripletail more than 30 years and I learn more each year. We start fishing for them in April and continue until late October. We target well and channel marker structure, putting the bait very close, usually live shrimp, 6-7 feet under a big popping cork. I use 7-foot medium-heavy rods, Shimano 200 or 300 baitcast reels, with 50-lb FINS braid. I like 100-lb fluorocarbon or coated wire leaders. A big sharp single hook finishes my rig. Once you hook up it is imperative to get the fish away

Bruiser tripletail from Matagorda Bay. (T. Countz photo)

Capt. Bobby and Capt. Brett Stansel of Hackberry Rod & Gun, offshore Sabine Pass with a pair of nice latesummer tripletail.

(Will Drost)

44 | September 2013

I recently guided a group in the 2013 Texas Oilman’s Invitational Charity Fishing Tournament.

This team of four fishermen and I probably possess over 150 years of tripletail knowledge. We were fortunate to win first, second, and third places in the tripletail division with three fish that totaled over 80 pounds: 32lb-7oz (14 ounces shy of the state record), 27lb-13oz, and 23lb-0oz.

When your cork goes down, get ready for a war!

Will Drost - From Sabine Pass to the Lake Ponchartrain basin, anglers have become enamored with this hard-fighting, unique gamefish. My home waters include the areas of Sabine Pass and extend east and south. I have caught them inshore and as far as 140 miles off our coast. We see good numbers beginning in March and April, but my experience has been that those early fish tend to be juveniles;

Tripletail are suckers for weedlines and offer exceptional sight-casting. opportunity. (Will Drost)

Notice the gas well platform. A tight drag is necessary - when backing the boat immediately following hookup, to prevent fish from returning to the structure.

Tommy Countz photo.

by mid-summer the bigger fish show. We fish structure in 15 – 40 feet of water and always stop on a sargassum line or debris. I have caught tripletail under buckets, pool floats, shoes, and coconuts. I have seen them floating solo and in pairs under nothing. Berkley Gulps are effective but generally I do not leave the dock without live shrimp and finger mullet - the new Vudu Shrimp gets their attention as well.

For tackle, I employ a heavy action rod and 50-65 pound Power Pro tied directly to an Eagle Claw 3/0 Kahle hook. In clear water I use a 50 pound fluorocarbon leader.

As long as offshore angling days and bag limits continue to be reduced, anglers will continue to shift focus. In my opinion, no species has felt the cross-hairs like tripletail. Bigger bay boats, dependable engines, improved tackle, and their delicious table quality has that kind of effect on such a fish; especially one that can be caught by sight-casting.

I serve on the Louisiana’s Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ Commission and recently, based on good science from our department, encouragement from CCA and vocal anglers, we set a size and creel limit. When the measure goes into effect, anglers here will be allowed 5 fish with an 18” minimum. I applaud our state for now joining the entire Gulf coast in protecting this species for future generations. * * * * * * * * * * * * * Fishing for tripletail is often as challenging as it is sometimes easy, and we’ll likely never understand why. They are very game fighters and will trash too-light tackle as quickly as they’ll pull your cork under.

As table fare they are easily as tasty as grouper, snapper, dorado or ling. Pick any calm day in summer and check out the channel markers and gas wells in the bay, or take a look along the jetty rocks and any floating debris you find within your comfort range offshore.

Remember to practice good conservation – especially since so little is currently understood about this fishery.

46 | September 2013

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Beautiful sunrise on a dead-calm summer morning; beautiful to observe but not good catching conditions

J AY WAT K I N S

ASK THE PRO

Tweak Position

and Wait for Conditions The period of mid-August through September is the toughest time of year for me to reliably pattern and catch solid trout. Luckily, we have redfish. With seasonally lower tides and the year’s highest water temperatures, the reds are fairly predictable and become a mainstay when the trout bite is brief or they simply cannot be found. Found is the keyword.

There are three basic elements necessary for finding trout this time of year – MOVING WATER, PREFERED STRUCTURE, and of course, FOOD. Always remember: “You can catch fish if you fish where they live.” At no time of year is this more important.

After almost 35 years of guiding and a lifetime trying to figure them out, I have discovered a handful of areas that I believe become home to our resident trout, even late-summer. One of the biggest mistakes anglers make is assuming trout can only be caught in early morning hours. True, the best bite will at times be early this time of year but, time and again I consistently catch them adjacent to the areas I found them at daylight, much later in the day.

48 | September 2013

I think the biggest stumbling block to late-summer success is leaving an area as soon as the early bite wanes.

Seldom do I have much success locating fish in a new area after that early bite has ceased. Over the years I have gained confidence in staying in the same general area. I told Mike McBride a long time ago; “M-M-Mike, you have to kno-know they ar-are there and be-believe you can catch them be-before you will.” I stutter when I get excited and Mike imitates me to a T. I may have to tweak my position or wait for conditions to develop but, by staying in the general area I typically generate another bite in the later hours of the morning.

Quite often the guys I’m guiding are astonished with the presence of better than average trout as the hottest time of day approaches.

I mentioned tweaking position and waiting for conditions. The tweaking is controlled solely by the angler. If the food source and structure that provides ambush points are shallow in the early part of the day, you will often be best-served to continue your efforts in this general area. Slicks and curious pelicans or gulls will

Thomas Gafford - Kansas City Chiefs deep-snap specialist, shows off a beautiful CPR redfish. Thomas is one of my Straight-A students.

Show him once and he’s good.

confirm that you’re still in the zone.

As the sun rises, so will the air and surface water temperatures. This will lead the bait and gamefish alike to exit the primary early-feeding area and seek cooler refuge in the nearest deeper water. If this nearby deeper refuge has similar bottom structure; you’re in luck. Sometimes a mere 30 to 50 yards can be the difference between catching or going through the motions as the day wears on. With that said; one should never just go through the casting and retrieving motions.

Cast and work your bait with diligence. You need to be casting to a designated area of structure and working the bait with purpose. In other words; fish like every cast is going to be met with a strike. Even during my nonstop yakking I am concentrating and believing that – if not this cast, the next for sure – will yield a bite.

In the waiting on conditions department; I am most often speaking of wind. In August and September our dawn conditions are often dead-calm. This is seldom good when fishing the inland shallows but can be excellent for fishing the Gulf beach. When they eventually reopen Cedar Bayou, and I am seeing the cup half-full here, I‘ll do more surf fishing simply because it will be easier on me and my clients. In the bay, with little to no wind early, I often have to wait till mid-morning for surface chop to trigger the feed.

I know for a fact that wave action increases oxygen content as I once kept a big trout alive in my live-well by continuously splashing the water with my hand. Jay Ray and I took turns driving and splashing. It might sound crazy but it kept us on the leader board. So as stated a million times, “Wind is our friend.”

On low tide days, which can be many in August and September, the lack of water volume allows for sanding to occur readily along shorelines. Then, as the wind moves water, along comes TSFMAG.com | 49

50 | September 2013

that I would suggest you throw something white. I like the white 5” Bass Assassins on 1/16 or 1/8 ounce jigs and I’m big on their 2/0 or 1/0 short-shank Mustad hooks as well. MirrOlure Top Dog Jr and Pup in white or plain bone can be killers in shallow off-colored water when winds are up during midday hours. Rig the topwaters with single Mustad live bait hooks (R10827BLN), 1/0 or 2/0. I have found the single hooks work very well and few fish are lost when hooked.

Tough angling ahead, especially for those of us too stubborn to switch to live bait. But I hope that if you follow my suggestions you’ll make it through and catch some nice fish as well. I like a good challenge and August-September is sure to give me one. At the beginning of this article I mentioned having discovered a few very reliable areas where I believe trout live year round and can be caught whenever fished. Bet you would love for me to tell you where they are…huh? Well, how about me showing you, and while we are out there maybe I can tweak a few things for you and provide you with the tools to become a better angler.

May your fishing always be catching. -Guide Jay Watkins

C O N TA C T

distinct water color changes. It is common for such color changes to make up along dropoffs where tidal movements can drag two very different colors together. Think of these as safe zones for both prey and predator. When prey and predator come together good things happen for those of us savvy enough to fish these areas. It has taken years of grinding to gain the confidence I have today. Quite often I search specifically for color changes, closest to the site of early morning action, believing I will catch the best fish of the day in and around them.

My lure selection, which I know is limited compared to most trout gurus, changes in late summer. Still a good idea to fish dark baits in dark or dirty water or on dark days, and in general clear lures are great in clear water with bright sunshine. Having said that though, we should also consider using baits that mimic the forage our latesummer trout and redfish are seeking.

In our bigger middle-coast bays we have back-bay regions with some amount of fresh inflow. Copano has the Aransas and Mission rivers and numerous creeks. San Antonio has the Guadalupe River.

Fresh water is the foundation of white shrimp habitat. Years back I remember wading the west shoreline of Copano and we were literally kicking up 12-count whites with every step. Large numbers of exceptional trout and oversized reds would school and push the shrimp, creating a virtual shrimp net of fish. You could almost set your calendar to the day this migration would start. Hynes Bay and Guadalupe-Mission Bay in the San Antonio system has the same migration each year.

So with this background on white shrimp, it only stands to reason

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

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

S H A L L O W W AT E R FI S H IN G

ICAST / IFTD 2013 Remember the first time you walked into Toys-R-Us as a kid? That’s the feeling you get walking through the doors of the Las Vegas Convention Center for the opening of The International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades, better known as ICAST. Think of the best-stocked tackle store you’ve ever visited. Now realize that the owners and buyers from that store come to this show to see what’s new.

I’ve been to this show many times but always in my role as a sales rep. In that capacity I never really got to walk the floor and check things out. My concern was dealing with my tackle store customers and the companies I represented. This time I was there just to take it all in. Three days of walking the aisles and playing with all of the latest and greatest fishing toys with no responsibilities sure was fun.

It also gave me the idea to share some of the new products I saw that pertain to shallow water sight fishing with y’all.

Probably the most talked about new product at the show came from the folks at Power Pole, the 52 | September 2013

Micro Anchor. This cool little unit took Best of Show honors and with good reason. Most every shallow water angler is familiar with the Power Pole units. I’ve got one on my poling skiff and it has changed the way I fish. The new Micro Anchor is a much smaller and lighter unit that utilizes an electric motor instead of hydraulics. The entire

WEIGHS UNDER

thing weighs in at just 7.5 lbs and can be powered with a small 12v lithium battery. It deploys the stake out pole at a little over one second per foot to a maximum depth of 8.5 feet. It’s rated for skiffs up to 1500 lbs but can also be installed on a kayak. Imagine paddling up on a school of tailing reds, touching a button on the remote to set your anchor, and putting yourself in the perfect position to place your cast. I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking about looking into buying stock in Power Pole.

The number of new lures was overwhelming but the majority were new colors or slight alterations of old standards. There were however a couple that caught my eye. The first was from a line of hard baits called Live Target by Koppers. All their lures have very realistic finishes but the one that stood out was their new Bait Ball series. It comes in a basic crankbait or stickbait made of perfectly clear plastic. Inside the plastic are several small realistic baitfish. The overall appearance is of a tightly packed bait ball. When predator fish are feeding on smaller baitfish they’ll often push them into a ball before slashing through them. I’m not sure exactly how the fish will feel about this lure, but it sure enough caught me.

Another lure that will likely get the attention of Texas coastal anglers is a new offering from MirrOlure in the Paul Brown series dubbed the Soft-Dine. They took their small MirrOdine shad bait and made it in a soft plastic Corky style. I’ve had success with MirrOdines and the Corky, this combination of the two looks like a winner to me.

There were enough new reels introduced to warrant an entire article, so I’ll just go with the one that won the Best New Reel award – Shimano’s Chronarch CI4. It has a frame and sideplates made of carbon fiber making it super lightweight. And unlike the previous lightweight Chronarchs and Cores built on magnesium frames, the CI4 should be

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TEAM SALT LIFE Capt. JIMMY NELSON

54 | September 2013

their newest product, a reversible winter/summer redfish line. There are plenty of “redfish” lines on the market, but most are designed for warm weather fishing and don’t perform all that well when it gets cold. With this line you simply pull it off the reel and switch ends according to the season.

Of the hundreds of flies I checked out, the one that stood out and seemed to garner the most attention was aptly named “The Game Changer”. It’s an articulated fly, much like many of the new hard swimbaits that have hit the market in the last few years. Seeing this thing swimming through the water was amazing, but the coolest part was how it fell like a wounded baitfish in a death spiral when paused.

I’ve got some juvenile tarpon that have been giving me fits and I can’t wait to try one of these on them. The guys at Umpqua said it should be available by the first of the year. But if you’re into tying, the jointed wires are available through Fishskull and there are tying instructions on midcurrent.com. I’ll be working up a few of these soon.

Timing is everything, so they say, and unfortunately most of these items won’t be hitting the shelves in your local tackle stores until later this year. So in the end, seeing all of this cool new stuff ends up being a lot like those trips to Toys-R-Us and then having to wait until Christmas to get your hands on them; but it was still a helluva good time!

C ontact

nearly impervious to salt corrosion.

An added bonus to this year’s ICAST was the integration of the International Fly Tackle Dealers show. In past years this was a separate event, but they’ve now joined with ICAST making it easier on the dealers that carry both fly and conventional gear. It also gave me a place to spend a lot of time.

It seemed like most of the fly rod manufacturers had something new in their line-up. The two that got my attention were offerings from Temple Fork Outfitters and G Loomis. TFO showcased a new series called the Mangrove designed by Flip Pallot. As the name suggests it was built for casting into tight spots along mangrove shorelines. They are fast action, high line speed rods that load quickly for follow-up casts with minimal backcasts. They may have had banging the mangroves for snook and tarpon in mind, but I think they’ll make excellent tools for sight casting to reds where quick accurate casts are necessary. The Mangrove is treated with their TiCr coating for added durability against nicks and scratches. I had the chance to try out the 8 wt in the casting tank and I’ve already got one on order.

The new rod from Loomis is the Pro4x. They built these as a higherquality entry level rod. The three lower sections are constructed of GL3 while the tip is made of the new NRX material from their top-end rod. This makes for a rod that is durable, yet still light with a fast and accurate tip – at a price that won’t make your wife too mad.

One of the cool things about this show is getting to talk with some of the pioneers and icons of the sport. I got a kick out of running into Lefty Kreh, Bob Clouser, and Andy Mills; all genuinely good guys. Another that I enjoyed talking with was Jim Teeny of Teeny Fly Lines. We talked redfish and fly lines for a while and he handed me

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

Telephone Email Website

281-450-2206 scott@tsfmag.com www.captainscottnull.com

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Picture provided by American Airboats Inc.

Mike Ray and Robin Riechers onboard CFDivision research vessel.

By Ed Hegen | Lower Coast Regional Director | Rockport

FIeLd NoteS

eMpLoYee pRoFILe: MIKe RaY

CoaStaL FISHeRIeS deputY dIvISIoN dIReCtoR “I got to Texas as soon as I could.” I never actually heard Mike Ray say this, but I think he is glad that he came to Texas. I am certainly glad that he is here.

Fresh out of college (M.S., Southern Illinois University, 1978) Mike began his career with the Oklahoma fi sh hatchery system. He rapidly moved from assistant to director at Durant and Bryon state fi sh hatcheries, respectively. He began developing his strong yet empathetic personnel management style, broad hatchery facility and operations knowledge, and his recognizable leadership skills. These skills were exactly what were needed when he joined TPWD in Corpus Christi as the Marine Fish Hatchery Director in 1988.

Pardon my second reference to Texas, as I refer to Mike’s career and responsibilities within Coastal Fisheries

Mike Ray receiving Certifi cate of Service plaque from TPWD Commission.

56 | September 2013

(CF) as very much like Texas weather...always intense and ever changing. He has never lacked enthusiasm and productivity in this climate.

Mike quickly adapted to the marine environment as he directed marine fi sh hatchery programs, worked with design engineers to develop construction documents and specifi cations for Sea Center Texas, and oversaw expansion of the CCA/CPL Marine Development Center facility. He also expanded his interests while interacting with Texas shrimp farm operators regarding exotic species regulatory and permitting issues.

Robert Vega, current Regional Director for the CF Marine Hatchery program, provides the following insight to Mike’s knowledge and contribution to the hatchery program. “While working as the Saltwater Hatcheries Program Director in the early 1990s, Mike made signifi cant contributions to the development of fi sh larviculture techniques used to rear red drum and spotted seatrout for purposes of stock enhancement. Mike had many years of experience in Oklahoma working with larval striped bass. Based on that experience he designed a fi sh egg incubation tank system that enabled TPWD hatchery biologists to successfully incubate up to eight hundred thousand eggs per tank. That incubation tank system has since been used at TPWD saltwater hatcheries to cultivate hundreds-of-millions eggs/larvae and it has remained a critical part of the hatcheries program. It is easy to see that the leadership and hands-on approach that Mike has provided over the years has advanced the TPWD saltwater hatcheries program far beyond the earliest expectations.”

The Hits just keep on comin’.

Come play with the big boys where the big fish roam! We may have bayous, but we also have deep blue waters where tuna and amberjack swim. Take one of our charters and land the big one that didn’t get away! The fish always bite and the hits just keep on comin’!

Offshore, inland (marsh or bay) and fly fishing, all available with experienced guides

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TSFMAG.com | 57

In April 1992, Mike moved to Austin That’s Mike in the Headquarters after being promoted to background, preparing to Assistant Chief of Inland Fish Hatcheries. Later release green sea turtles. that year, he became Director of Fish Hatcheries for Inland Fisheries following reorganization of the Fisheries Division. Mike spent much of his time over the next four years working on the design, construction and operation of the Texas Freshwater Fishery Center. (The TFFC in Athens is a must see facility!)

As always, Texas saltwater gets in your veins and Mike returned to the salty side. He became Director of Field Operations for Coastal Fisheries Division in 1996 and Deputy Division Director in 1998. His roles and his influence became much more global, both within the division and throughout the Gulf. TPWD Executive Director Carter Smith provides this accurate insight, “Over the years, Mike has literally been the heart and soul of our Coastal Fisheries team.

Widely respected and liked by everyone he has come across, Mike has played an integral role in shaping fisheries management along the coast. From his work overseeing coastal hatcheries to his service on the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission to his efforts to support the sea turtle camps in Mexico, he has given it his all for the natural resources he loves. His tireless efforts and many contributions over his long career have been an inspiration to all of us at the Department.” Additionally, Mike has served on the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council in a number of capacities as well being a member of the Bi-national Kemp’s Ridley Recovery Plan Team. For this latter in-depth service in turtle conservation, Mike has twice received the Texas Shrimp Association’s Kemp’s Ridley Award as well as NOAA’s Fisheries Special Recognition Award.

During the past five years Mike has been instrumental in seeing the start and completion of a state-of the art Coastal Fisheries field station in Port O’Connor. His leadership and know-how are the reason that this facility will be the pride of Coastal Fisheries for decades to come.

Mike has an exceptional leadership style that allows him to work well with the diverse internal staff as well as effectively dealing with the broad range of external constituents. In this age of rapid communications and a plethora of facts and mixed opinions, Mike has a unique skill that enables him to quickly analyze the situation, articulate a summary, and develop a satisfactory and acceptable solution or strategy. As reflected by Lance Robinson, upper Coast Regional Director, “Mike’s leadership qualities have impacted me and have had a profound effect on my career (and I continue to learn from him!). His leadership qualities that stand out are his ability to empower others and coaching of staff to succeed. He has a unique ability to identify team strengths and leverages those strengths to benefit the goals of the Division. The most recent, specific and significant example is his guidance and confidence in our ability to submit disaster proposals following Hurricanes Rita/ Katrina and Ike. His continued support and foresight are resulting in the establishment of the habitat mapping efforts now taking place and expansion of these efforts coastwide.”

Mike Ray is a true friend and mentor to many and is a truly dedicated champion of fisheries resource conservation in Texas and the Gulf. As Mike himself said, “I thoroughly enjoy partnering with talented internal and external colleagues to advance natural resource conservation initiatives and improve the way business is done.”

After 35 years of outstanding commitment and performance in his chosen and beloved field, Mike Ray retired from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department August 31, 2013. Thank you for the positive impact you have had on our lives and the living resources we manage and enjoy. Godspeed.

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

58 | September 2013

TSFMAG.com | 59

S C O T T S O M M E R L AT T E

F LY F I S H I N G

Change of venue:

Montana

So what does a Texas saltwater fly-fishing guide do when he goes on vacation? Well…he goes to Montana to cool down and go fly-fishing. I of course say this like I have done it before. Though in all reality, this is my first visit to the mountains and only the third non-working vacation that I have taken since I started guiding fulltime some 17 years ago. But let me tell you, if this is what vacations are supposed to be like- I am going to be taking more of them.

But of course in the day of the information age, not even a fishing guide can escape work or, in this case, the wrath of an editor, so…I sit on a cliff, under a tree watching the drift-boats go by on the Missouri River below, writing and thinking to myself how different my life would have been had I experienced Montana 20 years earlier. After having now been here for nearly two weeks, I’m quite certain that had I visited this country back in my youth, I probably would have never left.

The funny part is, I have never had any desire to pursue the little fish of the mountains and until earlier this year, never thought that I would. In fact, if it was not for one of my dearest friends asking me to stand with him in his wedding (he is marrying a girl from Montana, 60 | September 2013

if you have not figured it out yet), it was highly unlikely that I would have ever made it here. And, because I am a cheap bastard, I wanted to get the most of my plane ticket. Taking a couple of friends up on their offers to show me the spectacular fishing of their home state, should I ever make it up this way, I decided to take me a two week vacation to escape the infernal heat of the Texas summer.

Now with all of that being said, I thought I would take the time to share with you my take on trout fishing.

First let me start by saying- trout fishing has been nothing like what I ever expected in my wildest dreams.

The version that I had in my head was that it would be a serene and a much slower paced endeavor. What I have experienced thus far has been anything but.

I have always known that trout fishing is done by either fishing sub-surface flies known as nymphs or with surface flies known as dry flies. What I did not know however is that trout will also eat streamers very similar to those we use in saltwater. So far, I have only caught a few fish on nymphs and have to say, I do not really care for it. To me, it is not much different than throwing a live shrimp under a popping cork. However,

continuously made fly changes to help us have, what could not be called, anything less than a spectacular day of streamer fishing. We also managed to pick up a few on some floating ant patterns the last couple of hours.

The next day we had the opportunity to do a short float on the Big Hole where I learned why McDowell loves the river so much. Beautiful views of the mountains and abundant wildlife greeted us around every bend as we meandered downstream. And, while we only caught a few fish, we had the opportunity to see several giant fish as the scurried away from pool to pool in search of cooler, more oxygenated waters. I cannot wait to return to hook one of those beasts.

After the Big Hole came one of the biggest treats of the trip which was joining some more of McDowell’s friend for a giant music festival out in the middle of nowhere. The best part is apparently I was not the only Texan in town.

But what makes this story funny is that- I had to travel all the way to Montana to finally see Robert Earl Keen live. What a great show it was and what made it even better was all the great people that I had the opportunity to meet that day.

There is so much more I would love to share with you like my visit to the Simms factory or the day I spent with my friend Carter Andrews on a lake in Idaho wearing out the trout on light tackle butunfortunately I am running out of space. However, before I go, I just want to thank Whitney for opening her home to me and to everyone that took the time to take me fishing- thank you for making this the best vacation I have ever had. And to my friend Todd and his new wife Corry, congratulations and thank you for including me. I might never have made it to Montana if you two had not met.

Be gude and stuff like that!

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throwing streamers and dries is just about as exciting as anything I have ever done.

The first river that I had the opportunity to fish was the Yellowstone where I joined my good friend Whitney McDowell and one of her good friends Jon Yousko for a day of hopper fishing. A hopper is a generic term for a fly tied to resemble a grasshopper and is fished on the surface. Yousko is a fanatical angler and prefers fishing dries.

Being a guest on his boat and knowing not a thing about trout fishing, I followed suit and did my best to listen to the instruction that both he and McDowell gave. They of course warned me that it would be a slow day because of low and unusually warm waters but assured me that, if I continued to present my fly properly, a fish would eventually rise. And, boy were they right. By the end of the float I had a handful of nice brown trout, including one tagged fish (something neither of them had ever seen.) The highlight of my first trout fishing experience however was a nice 18� brown that I caught on a wade off by my lonesome. Let me tell you folks- the explosion on the hopper rivaled that of any speck, redfish or snook blow-up that I have ever experienced. In fact, I was as overjoyed to bring that fish to hand as I was the first time I brought a tarpon boat-side.

A few days later, McDowell and I visited the Big Hole Ranch, a private fishing club that she belongs to, to fish what she refers to as her favorite river anywhere. The first day the water was very low and warming quickly so she called her friends at the Sunrise Fly Shop in the nearby town of Melrose and hired a guide to take us out on the Beaverhead River. We were met early the next morning at the fly shop by Guitou Feuillebois, the young man who was to be our guide for the day. In a short few minutes we were off to the launch to do a little streamer fishing. Now for those of you who are already trout fishermen and who have not thrown streamers to trout from a drift boat, I highly recommend it. However, it is a very fast-paced method that requires good line management skills and quick accurate casts and is not for everyone.

Throughout the day, Guitou, a very patient and hard-working individual, worked to position us in the fast moving water and

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

Telephone Email

Website

979-415-4379 vssommerlatte@hotmail.com www.scottsommerlatte.com TSFMAG.com | 61

MARCOS GARZA

Y OUT H F I S H I N G

The Big One We left the Port Mansfield harbor just as the sun was rising. It was Sunday and we were trying to beat the weekend traffic to our spot. My dad and I had been fishing this spot frequently for the past three weeks and catching fish about 250 yards up from where we usually anchored the boat. My dad let Mr. Holcomb and me out to wade while he drifted with Mr. Holcomb’s father and father-in-law. Rick and I worked the area pretty well.

He worked the flat while I worked deeper toward the Intracoastal. We fan casted to cover more water because it was just us two wading. Rick and I walked slowly to work the flat thoroughly and to try and comb out every fish we could because we had only about a 200 yard area to wade. The fishing was slow. We had caught a few small trout and had only one trout on the stringer that was about 20 inches long.

Rick and I walked for a period of time without getting any hits on our plastics. We walked and casted with no 62 | September 2013

luck. Finally, I had a hit and with no warning, the fish leaped out of the water and threw the hook. From what I could see, it was a very large lady fish. And then we got into a school of small trout for about 15 or so minutes.

It was a tight line and it was a good break from the slow fishing. It helps to keep the mind off of the lack of catching and the monotonous walking and lure working.

A few casts after I had caught a dink trout, I set the hook on something big. I didn’t know what it was until she jumped completely out of the water. I was hooked onto a big trout. The surface exploded as her whole body erupted from the water. Three times she rocketed out of the water. After the third, she didn’t jump, but she still fought me hard. She thrashed in the water and made me shake where I was standing. I knew that this was definitely my biggest trout yet. I also knew that it would be the biggest trout that I would catch for a while. So I took my time getting her to me.

I loosened up my drag and let her run until she didn’t have any fight left in her. I kept my line tight and brought her up next to me.

The hard part was trying to get hold of her. She still had enough fight to evade me every time I tried to use my Boga. Finally I got the chance and I got her. I held her up to my rod and saw that she reached the 28-inch mark on it. I triple checked this just to make sure that I was

looking at the right mark on my rod. I had indeed caught my personal best trout by length but I was a little disappointed to see that she only weighed 6 pounds. I was ecstatic nonetheless.

Of course when something like this happens, I never have my camera. It never fails. Luckily, Rick had his camera and a GoPro with him. Rick got the fight on video and we took pictures of the fish.

Afterwards, I released her back into the Lower Laguna Madre to live and fight another day. Rick got photos and video of the release. As I watched her swim off into what seemed to be an endless bay, I removed the lure that I had caught her on.

This was the trophy that I took for the day.

I was all hyped up now that I had caught my personal best, and that fish really distracted both of us from the slow fishing. After about 15 minutes, my dad pulled up to us. My dad told us how Mr. Holcomb and Rick’s father-in-law had caught a few decent fish while drifting and that they had lost a few big ones also. Rick and I both told my dad about my achievement and showed him the pictures. My dad and I were both hoping for a STAR tournament winner but I was just as satisfied with letting her go. To me it’s not the kill that matters, but the excitement in the fight and the feeling that you get when you release those big fish. I hope everybody has had a great summer and good luck to all out on the water.

MIKE JENNINGS

TE X A S N EA R S H O R E & O F F S H O R E

Late season lifeline

for red snapper anglers This fishing year has been a whirlwind of late-arriving cold fronts, dirty water, unseasonal wind patterns, strong currents, and last minute season changes. Everything that the avid offshore angler has had to deal with has made for a tough season thus far. Now don’t get me wrong, there have been some of those magical days mixed in but, the challenges have been many. July was probably the most challenging considering that we were unable to keep red snapper and greater amberjack for the entire month.

Our saving grace was the start of the long-awaited Gulf shrimping season in mid-July that brought with it the blackfin tuna and cobia.

Much of this season has seen many of us scratching our heads in the morning trying to put together a game plan that includes something other than kingfish. I personally raised the bar on vermillion and gray snapper and I spent more time targeting near-shore bull redfish and sharks than I ever have in the middle of the summer.

August brought back the amberjack and better weather that allowed us to make the longer runs necessary to chase them. This reopening of the amberjack season along with more seasonal weather restored some 64 | September 2013

desperately-needed normalcy to our daily routine. Being able to predict conditions and having target species back on the program will make any fishing trip more successful, as well as more enjoyable for everyone on the boat.

As we continue to work our way through the rest of summer I personally enjoy the more stable weather and calmer seas that September brings. Right now, over the next sixty or so days, is absolutely the most enjoyable time of year for me. Everything we have waited for is here. All of the migratory species are here and will stay with us until the first real cold fronts begin to drop our water temperatures.

The fishing pressure on some of the more popular spots is much lower in September and these areas will begin to become more predictable. I begin to see increasingly fewer boats, to the point that I sometimes wonder if I’m the only person on the water. The days are starting to get a little shorter and the mid-day temperatures aren’t as brutal as they were just a month ago. About the only thing missing is the ability to enjoy the red snapper fishery that we have sacrificed so much to aid in recovery.

C ontact

Well not so fast! Just so happens, that in a few short weeks we will be able to do just that. Back in June the Bench Mark Stock Assessment (Fish Count) finally came in and revealed what we had all suspected.

The red snapper had recovered well beyond what the prior estimates were telling us. The new assessment allowed for an increase in red snapper harvest for this year. Being that the June season had already started and there was no ability to add it to that underway season, the Gulf Council set a one day meeting for July 17, 2013 to deal with the increase and set another season for early fall to finish out the increased quota. This meeting was still working with a degree of uncertainty on setting the season dates because the estimates on how many fish were landed in the June season were still not available. After much discussion and debating multiple options, the council decided to reopen fishing for red snapper on October 1, 2013.

Now I don’t get excited about much these days when it comes to red snapper, but the aspect of fishing for them again in October has me rubbing my hands together and looking forward to the start. The opportunity to chase amberjack and red snapper in the same day is something that we haven’t been able to do for a few years now. Even the fishing will be completely different. Unlike June, the fish will not be spawning. This should make a noticeable improvement for targeting the larger fish, for those that are willing to slow down and make the effort.

The best part about this current harvest increase and October season is that it will put fisherman back on the water. This late surge of fishing will greatly benefit not only the fishermen, but all the local business that rely on them. In these difficult financial times you will be hard pressed to find anyone that would complain about a late fall surge in our coastal economy.

Only time will tell how the weather will let us take advantage of the second red snapper season of the year but if it is anything like the first, it’s going to be well worth the wait.

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

Telephone Email

Website

979-864-9439 texassportfishing@gmail.com www.cowboycharters.com

TSFMAG.com | 65

I got a little muddy getting into position for a shot at this guy.

CADE SIMPSON

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

Lots of water time

& looking forward to fall The latter half of July and early August were fun times for fishing conditions which is what I enjoy most. me in terms of coastal fishing. In the span of two weeks I During one of the low tide trips, Cliff and I chased made four trips, three of which came in one week alone. many a redfish back around the marsh flats but weren’t Each outing brought a different scenario, each creating getting many hookups. We had started early in the different adventures. morning and as the day progressed it seemed the fish On one trip, high tides had shrimp, and needless to were becoming quite lethargic, just barely crawling say, fish too, pushed way back into the flooded marsh grass as well as completely hidden in open waters where redfish backs are usually exposed like tourists on a beach during the summer. On the positive side of things Cliff and I were able to do some worthy scouting into areas we don’t usually paddle through. Between the two of us we actually completed a slam between us, me catching a red and a trout, Cliff landing a flounder.

My preference is having lower tides. As I wrote about last month, dragging the kayak across Here’s a close-up exposed bottom of back lakes might be just a bit of “Old Muddy” as too low, though. Just enough to skim the kayak I named this fish. across, about four to six inches at the lowest, is just about ideal. This depth makes for prime sight 66 | September 2013

around. Much like my photo experience last month where I got down and dirty with the fish, I again removed myself from my kayak and simply observed reds coming out of a marsh drain, sans rod and lure. I did my best to slowly and inconspicuously creep to the mouth of the drain the fish were traveling through and eventually I was basically smack in the middle of a channel about six feet wide.

I literally just sat down in the water and waited. Sure enough every few minutes a redfish would cruise by. It was awesome watching nature work. I had a few redfish swim within inches of me and never pay me any mind. Unlike last month I didn’t have a camera on me to document this.

On another trip, Cliff and I launched at about 2:00AM to give the night fishing a go. It was supposed to be a normal trip but neither of

us could sleep, so what else were we supposed to do? Night fishing is fun and sorta spooky. Essentially it’s the same as fishing during the day, you just rely more heavily on your hearing than your sight. We crept along the grasslines making as little sound with our paddling as possible, listening for reds crashing bait. I threw a Mann’s Waker topwater bait to make some noise to help the fish locate my lure. I forget what Cliff was throwing but we both had moderate success.

Lots still to learn in this night game.

Wrap Up I am looking forward to the approaching fall season. It’s been a great year on the water so far, so I look for the fall season to continue the trend. I have been getting a great deal of new subscribers on my Youtube channel. I do have new video to edit but, right now my PC is out of commission, so hang in there guys and gals.

Reader emails have also continued to come in steadily. One reader asked about my opinion of the Hobie ProAngler 12 as his parents were looking to get a pair of them. To sum it up my response was basically, “Other than being a little heavy compared with others, they are super good quality kayaks, very fishable, and very stable.”

Thanks everyone for the support and interest, keep your questions coming and don’t forget to send me your kayaking fishing pics.

C ontact

And one on the fly the day of the great mudscapade!

Telephone Email

936-776-7028 Cademan11@sbcglobal.net

Find me on Facebook to follow along in my outdoor adventures

TSFMAG.com | 67

Sunrise weather opportunity.

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

eRIC oZoLINS

a SeRIouS LooK INto

oFFSHoRe KaYaK SaFetY Sudden squalls, high seas, and lurking sharks are some of the hazards that “beyond the breakers� kayaking can mischievously throw at us. And serious as these can be, they are but a fraction of the dangers that kayakers venturing off shore will likely encounter during their career. With the number of people exploring the world of kayak fi shing growing daily, the number of accidents and dangerous events encountered has also skyrocketed. Make no mistake, with the exception of perhaps spearfi shing, off shore kayaking is potentially one of the most dangerous methods in all of fi shing. Off shore on a relatively small piece of plastic, danger can come without warning. However, being properly prepared, keeping your wits about you, and remaining constantly

68 | September 2013

alert, can very well save your life and certainly make the experience more enjoyable.

This past summer Mother Nature gave us an extremely tough season. It started off great but in late June a rather strong and unusual frontal A kingfi sh boundary came blasting unexpectedly through. At the time it threw the hook arrived I was coming in alongside the kayak. from a billfi sh trip aboard a large sportfi sher, getting annihilated by 35 knot north wind. This particular storm had reportedly blown a kayaker far off shore, requiring a Coast Guard rescue. When July came, winds blew relentlessly from the south and southwest off ering the Texas coast only a handful of windows.

Fortunately, dust coming off Africa has greatly inhibited the development of any tropical systems in the Atlantic, even through early

A strong frontal system pushing across the coast.

August. But overall, the conditions have just not allowed many to venture out during much of this summer. With all this being said, September is here and things are about to get ridiculously good out beyond the breakers!

As fall approaches, the nearshore activity blossoms into welcomed chaos. Beginning at the beach and stretching several miles off shore, the entire food chain that supports the Gulf’s gamefi sh species is present in full force. If Mother Nature will allow, our fall season could shape up to be nothing short of spectacular.

King mackerel, jacks, tarpon, and cobia will own the September shallows, while out in waters of 7 to 10 fathoms the opportunity to encounter a sailfi sh or dorado becomes very real. And believe it or not, over the past decade, migrating whale sharks have been sighted by kayakers on more than one occasion in South Texas. Inevitably, with all this opportunity at hand, kayaking anglers will arrive in droves to participate in the madness. Despite the enthusiasm of the anxious anglers, the dangers associated with this sport remain very real and safety must be addressed seriously.

The cardinal rule of beyond the breakers kayak fi shing is to always go with at least one other fi shing buddy. It may be very tempting to deny the necessity of this rule when the action looks too good to pass up, but be advised that several lone kayakers have lost their lives over the years and this could have been prevented had they been accompanied by another kayaker. Even with a young and generally fi t individual unexpected situations could compromise your health and your safety. With our intensely hot summer temperatures, heat stroke is a major contributor to kayaking accidents. Keeping thoroughly hydrated is essential. Another factor is sea sickness. I have seen people who have never been prone to sickness aboard any vessel get sick in a kayak during moderately rough seas. In the event one turns green, immediately head back to shore and make sure to keep hydrated.

Inclement weather is the single-most dangerous force facing the off shore kayaker. When fi shing a mile or two from the beach even a squall of modest strength can be life threatening. NEVER venture off shore when a cold front is approaching the coast. You will be blown out to sea and not likely to win a battle with oncoming wind and waves. Summer and early fall will have squalls that will randomly pop up out of nowhere and often produce heavy rain, gusty wind, and deadly lightning. I heartily encourage that all off shore kayaks carry a VHF marine radio and monitor the marine weather forecasts. Heeding weather warnings can save your life!

A very important note here: Anytime lightning is seen or even distant thunder is heard, immediately lay all your rods down in the boat. Standing in rod holders or held in your hands, fi shing rods are a virtual antennae for disaster.

Not all dangers can be foreseen or prevented. It is the law that you have a whistle for signaling and a PFD on your kayak – which by the way I highly suggest you should be wearing at all times off shore.

There are times when the seas can be relatively calm, yet off shore currents could be raging like a river.

Tying up to a rig or anchoring in large seas and strong current could pose stability problems, and falling out of the kayak poses an even bigger problem. If things get hairy, don’t risk it – get back to the beach. You may lose your chance at the action for that day, but you won’t lose your life.

Another point I need to mention; mechanical devices of any kind on your kayak are susceptible

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70 | September 2013

A nice red snapper hit by a shark.

C O N TA C T

to normal wear and failure. This includes pedaldrive systems, rudders and paddles. Hopefully, in a peddle-drive boat, if a paddle is lost or broken you could pedal back to shore. If the rudder system fails you could steer with a paddle. If the pedal-drive fails, start paddling back toward shore immediately but slowly to conserve your energy. It is times like these when a fi shing partner is extremely valuable.

Sharks! Some fear them, some pursue them, and ALL must respect them. With the coming of fall along the Texas coast, sharks congregate in and near the surf zone for easy prey. While the chance of a shark randomly attacking the kayak is about as likely as getting struck by lightning; that is not the most probable danger. Fighting a fi sh that suddenly becomes the target of a shark attack alongside the kayak can be very frightening. The immediate and drastic reaction of the angler might be enough to turn the boat over. The most important thing to do is to maintain your composure.

Most shark encounters involve three to fi ve footers, though I have seen some over ten feet. Sharks are curious creatures, not prone to attack you or the boat for no reason. If you encounter them, do not entice them with live fi sh or fresh bait if you are trying to avoid them. If people only knew how many sharks innocently escort anglers under their kayaks, a good portion of them would never go off shore again.

Safety in the kayak will always remain a very serious matter. No

matter how far technology advances, a well built kayak can only do so much to keep you safe and trouble free – it is up to you to do the rest in assuring the safest trip possible. Be sure to obey your local and state laws, many of them are put in place for your safety. With the explosion of kayak angling it should not be too diffi cult to fi nd a fi shing partner if you do not already have one.

Researching your target destination and being keen on the current weather is imperative. And once again, during any signs of uncertainty or trouble, get back to shore immediately.

Beyond the breakers kayak fi shing has been dubbed “extreme” for good reason. Being prepared and continuously safety conscious can provide a rewarding off shore adventure that will live in your memory forever.

For the past decade, Eric ‘Oz’ Ozolins has been a key fi gure promoting catch and release with sharks and assisting various shark-research programs. Oz is renowned in the kayaking world for extreme biggame fi shing and runs Kayak Wars – one of the largest kayak fi shing tournaments in the world.

Email

Websites

Oz@extremecoast.com extremecoast.com kayakwars.com

Gear For The Serious Angler

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A single red mangrove flanked by several black mangroves.

Photo credit: Norman Boyd

STEPHANIE BOYD

F I S H Y FA C T S

Mangroves “One perceives a forest of jagged, gnarled trees protruding from the surface of the sea, roots anchored in deep, black, foul-smelling mud, verdant crowns arching toward a blazing sun‌ Here is where land and sea intertwine, where the line dividing ocean and continent blurs; in this setting the marine biologist and the forest ecologist both must work at the extreme reaches of their disciplines.â€? ~Klause Rutzler and Ilka C. Feller, Scientific American, March 1996 Described by some as half fish / half tree, mangroves are a diverse group of mostly trees and shrubs, unrelated, that have evolved similar abilities to live in waterlogged, saline soils inundated by the extremes of tides. As facultative halophytes (plants that would normally grow in freshwater but have adapted to tolerate or thrive under saline conditions), mangroves utilize several different of mechanisms to nullify the effects of highly saline conditions. Black mangroves are able to take up seawater through their roots and excrete the excess salt through pores, or salt glands, on the surface of their leaves. Red mangroves exclude the salt in seawater at the root-substratum interface. In salt-excluding mangroves, such as the red mangrove, the root system is so efficient in filtering out salt that a person could drink fresh 72 | September 2013

water from a cut root, though the tree is standing in in seawater and saline soil.

Mangroves also filter materials moving between land and sea, trapping sediment, nutrients, and pollutants and preventing their direct introduction into sensitive marine environments, such as seagrass beds. Additionally, trapping sediments reduces both the turbidity of coastal waters, aiding the development of offshore reefs, and carbon emissions. Furthermore, because mangroves are highly resilient to disturbances, such as hurricanes, they play a valuable role in foreshore protection, reducing erosion and lessening storm surge impact.

The unique ecosystem created by mangroves is called a mangal. Mangals are among the most productive natural systems found throughout the world. Detritus, formed from the fallen leaves and branches of mangroves, provide a wide variety of aquatic denizens, such as mollusks, crabs, and worms, with a primary food source. Bacteria also break down the detritus, releasing useful nutrients into the water and giving mangroves their rotten egg smell (since the sediment is oxygen-poor, only bacteria that use sulphur for energy can thrive). These primary-level consumers, in turn, support an array of secondary consumers, such as small fish and juvenile predators, which grow up to

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Black Mangrove, Avicennia germinans “Black” refers to the color of the bark of a mature black mangrove. These are a subtropical, woody shrub, probably the most widespread neotropical mangrove species, certainly the most common on the Texas coast. They are adapted to sandy, silty clay loam, and muck soils and are generally found at slightly higher tidal elevations than red mangroves. Though they can tolerate a wide range of salinities, black mangroves require adequate protection from wave action and are sensitive to cold weather. In fact, the 1983 freeze killed almost all the mangroves from Padre to Galveston. In 1990, there were still virtually no live black mangroves, only skeletons of those plants killed in the 1983 freeze. Now, they are abundant from the mid coast south, anywhere salinity is above 20ppt (35ppt being full-strength seawater).

Black mangroves typically grow four to nine feet tall. Their leaves, larger than most mangrove leaves at fi ve inches long, are elliptical, thick, leathery, green, and often encrusted with salt. The bark is thick with rough, irregular fl attened scales. The root system consists of long, underground cable roots that produce hundreds of thin, upright pneumatophores (breather roots) in the water around the tree. These structures conduct oxygen through pores to the underground roots.

Because of these breather roots and dense branches, black mangrove stands can be virtually impenetrable.

Clusters of small white to yellow fl owers grow on twig tips and are pollinated, primarily, by bees. The fruits are fl at, irregularly oblique-shaped, about one inch long, dark green, and smooth beneath a velvety covering. Propagules are small and bean-like, fl attened. While they resemble seed pods growing downward from the fruit, propagules are actually embryonic root structures.

When they are a fully germinated seedling, they will detach from the parent plant and are able, in the absence of suitable substrate, to fl oat for up to a year in salt water without rooting. If they land on ground, they will immediately start developing roots. If they fall into water, they fl oat horizontally at fi rst, eventually shifting to a vertical position after a month or so while gradually losing their buoyancy, which increases their chance of connecting with useable substrate. If nothing is available for rooting, they regain buoyancy and return to horizontal fl oating.

Black mangroves have little direct commercial importance. They are used primarily for wildlife habitat along shorelines, intertidal salt marshes, barrier islands, and wetland restoration sites.

Though they are threatened by habitat conversion, pollution, hurricanes, etc., total loss within this species over the last quarter century is only about 17%. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. However, it can be a diffi cult species to restore, so rates of decline should be monitored.

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be third level consumers (and so forth, we all remember 8th grade biology, right?). Ecosystems with high productivity (i.e. high levels of organic matter), in general, can support a large and diverse number of animals.

Mangrove forests provide breeding/nursery habitat and refuge for a variety of organisms, many of which are commercially or recreationally important, and are consequently intertwined with the biological productivity of coastal waters and the continuing success of tourism and fi shing industries. Bird watchers, for example, appreciate the mangroves for the many and varied species they can support. But it’s the anglers that are, by far, the largest (human) community that benefi t from mangrove environments. Mangals on the Texas coast are comprised primarily of black mangroves, with a few isolated stands of red mangroves.

Red Mangrove, Rhizophora mangle Red mangroves are native to the western coast of Africa and were introduced to the US. They are the most widespread mangrove on the planet (though not very common on the Texas coast). Of the numerous mangrove species, red mangroves grow closest to the sea. They are generally the dominant species of mangrove at or immediately adjacent to the water line. “Rhizophora” is Greek and means root (rhino) and to bear/carry (phora), referring to the numerous prop roots. “Mangle” is Spanish and means mangrove; it is the word used by the Taino people of the Caribbean Islands.

Red mangroves were fi rst described in 1753 by Linnaeus.

The height and growth rate of red mangroves depend on where they grow and what the conditions are. This is why dwarf varieties are found in the extreme north and south ranges of its distribution, where the climate is cooler and sunlight hours vary, while reds near the equator can reach nearly a hundred feet in height. Their leaves are also thick, elliptical, leathery, green, and rather large. They grow in clusters at the end of branches. Pollutants and excess salt in the sap are routed TSFMAG.com | 73

to older leaves, which yellow and fall off. The bark is gray-brown and smooth when young, becoming more furrowed when mature.

Reds are easily distinguished from other mangroves by their prominent stilt (or prop) roots. Stilt roots of a fully grown red mangrove can be sixteen feet long and extend in a radius of thirtythree feet around the trunk. They grow from the trunk or branches of the tree towards the soil, and if the root hits water instead of land, it will just continue trekking down until it reaches substrate it can hold on to. The primary function of stilt roots is to hold the mangrove in place against tides, waves, winds, and storms, and ensure growing room. Though we usually see only the sections above water (which are impressive in and of themselves), the entangled root system under water can be much, much larger. Young reds normally develop their first stilt roots around two years old.

A second important function of stilt roots is the exchange of gas.

Mangroves often grow in mud with no supply of oxygen. Abundant pores, called lenticels, on the roots’ surfaces connect to spongy internal tissues capable of holding large volumes of air. This provides pathways for the direct exchange of gases through the bark, which is otherwise impermeable to gases. When the stilt roots are submerged by the tide, the lenticels close, oxygen is used by the mangrove, and carbon dioxide is absorbed into the seawater. When the tide falls and the stilt roots are uncovered, the lenticels open and basically gasp for air, rapidly replenishing oxygen supplies.

Red mangrove blossoms are small and inconspicuous, usually white and/or yellow, and first develop around five years of age. They are hermaphroditic (containing both male and female sex organs in the same flower) and thought to be self pollinated or wind pollinated.

The resulting fruits are small and brown. Propagules develop twice a year and are typically seven to twelve inches long with a brown, sometimes woody, lower third. Red mangrove propagules can also survive up to a year without rooting and are often distributed over long distances by water currents. This dispersal mechanism allowed red mangroves to conquer Central America, South America, and the Caribbean Islands.

The wood from the trunks of red mangroves has a high density, which makes it very attractive as timber for boats, houses, fences, canoes, fishing spears, and fire wood. It is also still used to produce charcoal. The tannins are used for dyeing leather. Bark fibers are pounded for cordage. Bark extract is used for treating intense localized pains, boils, diarrhea, dysentery, and fungal infections and guarding against stomach ulcers. Both the bark and leaves are antiseptic.

However, reds are mostly used for reforestation of destroyed coastlines since they grow quickly and act as a sort of living armor, protecting coastlines from storm surges and whatnot.

In some parts of the world, where they have been introduced for coastal protection and stabilization, red mangroves have become an invasive species, outcompeting native coastal vegetation through the formation of dense thickets. Luckily, on the Texas coast, they seem to just stick to small pockets.

Scientists theorize that the earliest mangrove species originated in the Indo-Malayan region (southeastern Asia), which would account for the large variety of mangrove species present there, more species in one region than anywhere else. Because of their unique floating propagules, some mangrove species of the upper Cretaceous period and lower Miocene epoch (66 to 23 million years ago) spread westward, via ocean currents, to India and East Africa, and eastward to Central and South America. Mangroves are now distributed worldwide on all continents with tropical or subtropical coasts. There is no escape. (Except the arctic and antarctic‌) Where I learned about mangroves, and you can too!

Ramsar Convention on Wetlands: www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-activitiespartnershipindex-private-mangrove-forest/main/ramsar/1-63-50698%5E16811_4000_0__ WWF: wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/blue_planet/coasts/mangroves/ mangrove_ecosystems/ US Geological Survey: www.nwrc.usgs.gov/factshts/2004-3126.pdf FAO: www.fao.org/forestry/mangrove/3648/en/ Mangrove Management: lrm.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_ file/0004/10399/2_mangrove_ecosystem.pdf Black Mangroves US Dept of Agriculture: www.plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/ pubs/lapmcpg5917.pdf Ocean Oasis Field Guide: www.oceanoasis.org/fieldguide/ avic-ger.html IUCN Red List: www.iucnredlist.org/details/178811/0 Smithsonian Marine Station: www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/avicen_ germin.htm Encyclopedia of Life: eol.org/pages/579832/details Red Mangroves

Jeremy Helms pointing out a red mangrove. Photo credit: Norman Boyd.

Mangroves: www.mangrove.at/rhizophora-mangle_redmangrove.html Smithsonian Marine Station: www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/ Rhizop_mangle.htm Kew: www.kew.org/plants-fungi/Rhizophora-mangle.htm

74 | September 2013

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For over 50 years Yo-Zuri has been recognized as the fi shing tackle industry’s leading manufacturer of quality fi shing products for professional fi shermen and enthusiasts worldwide.

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New for 2013, RainShadow unleashes the 43 million modulus REVELATION™ rod blanks with HDSC. After a grueling 18 months to perfect this series, only the highest quality materials and manufacturing standards are used in their construction. The impressive performance of the REVELATION™ blanks can be attributed to a host of technologies that are incorporated into each model. Key features such as the exclusive “High Density SC” (HDSC), OWT™ optimized wall thickness, and PTR™ proprietary tip reinforcement all combine to make these satin black blanks 30% lighter, 100 % stronger, and exceptionally more sensitive than the competition. Initially off ered in 14 spinning and 12 casting models, they are perfect for a wide variety of applications. www.batsonenterprises.com

Donmar Stainless Steel Pliers The donmar name has picked up a reputation for reliability and versatility in almost any fi shing situation, and now American fi rm Sampo has brought a new model to the fore, the CP880. The pliers feature the same great performance and smooth operation as the famous 950 series but in a side-cutting design that many anglers will fi nd useful for either removing a hook or trimming the tag end of line. www.donnmarent.com

76 | September 2013

products

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Mojo Sportswear understands that chasing redfish under the Texas sun isn’t easy, so we’ve introduced two new signature prints in our apparel line. The Redfish Print Board Short is surf-inspired but packed with fishing features like cargo pockets with drainage vents and plier/tool pockets, all in a super-comfortable, quick drying pair of shorts that’s sure to become your favorite.

The Redfish Print Wireman Performance Shirt features all the benefits of our best-selling Wireman shirt plus vented print panels for increased airflow to keep you cooler than ever, even on the hottest days.

The ComfortWeave fabric offers great sun protection UPF 50+. It’s lightweight and moisture wicking too.

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ICEHOLE® Announces 100% American-Made Military-Grade Coolers Kerrville, Texas-based ICEHOLE LLC, has unveiled its 100% American-made ICEHOLE® High-Performance M Series Coolers. The M Series currently has three different-sized coolers, the M35 Deuce and a Half (35 qt.), the M60 Patton (60 qt.) and the M1 Abrams (100 qt.) in four different colors -- coyote tan, glacier white, tactical green and moab. All material is to military specifications, featuring interlocking nonskid feet, an exclusive freezer seal design, and latches from the M2 Bradley fighting vehicle. An ICEHOLE is an investment in tough. To prove it, every cooler comes with a limited lifetime warranty. Head out with confidence – GO ICEHOLE.”

Hartwell Fishing Company The Rockport fishing shirt is Hartwell Fishing Company’s newest innovation. A Texas-based company, Hartwell understands the unique demands of warm climate saltwater conditions which is why the Rockport starts with an ultra-light, premium polyester material that offers 50 UPF sun protection and moisture wicking by 3M. The following additional features make this shirt unique in the market: • Anchor-Point tool holder integrated into the Hartwell label for durability • CastHold sleeve retainers – 2 per sleeve to keep them rolled up • WristGuard velcro cuffs for a better fit around the wrist • BreezeRight side ventilation Competitively priced @ $59. Learn more on our website and discover your new favorite fishing shirt. www.hartwellfishing.com

TSFMAG.com | 77

DICKIE ColBuRn

DICKIE ColBuRn’s Sabine Scene

Sabine

Dickie Colburn is a full time guide out of Orange, Texas. Dickie has 37 years experience guiding on Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes.

telephone 409-883-0723 Website www.sabineconnection.com

Long ago I grudgingly accepted that someone is usually catching fi sh even when I am struggling but the past month has really been a grind for me. Coming on the heels of six months of fantastic catching, any slow down at all would have seemed signifi cant.

The results of my time spent fi shing each month, however, are in reality just a snippet of the big picture on Sabine. My trips are tailored to what my clients “can and want to do” rather than possibly exploiting a potentially more productive pattern. The fact that anything south of the Causeway may as well be on another planet as far as I am concerned also somewhat narrows my scope as I prefer the rivers over the Gulf.

Now, having laid the slower bite off to everything but my own diminishing skills, the good news is that we should have a lot to look forward to by the time you receive this magazine. Our water is in great shape and the fi sh are there, but much of our struggle up to now has been wind related. Every time the lake goes fl at overnight the gulls work over schools of shad and surfacing shrimp the following day.

If a shot at fewer but larger trout is your thing, I would tie on a She Dog or Spook and wade or drift the two to four foot fl ats on the north end of the lake at or before fi rst light. As that bite slows, move a little

further into the lake rather than retreating to the deeper water in the Intracoastal. A switch to a 5-inch Assassin Shad or MirrOdine XL will also extend your chances at fooling a big trout.

Most visiting anglers migrate to Sabine this month to chase gulls and hopefully stumble up on huge schools of surface feeding redfi sh. Even if that is the purpose of your mission I would still burn the fi rst hour of daylight fi shing main lake points all the way from Blue Buck to Middle Pass.

When blessed with a decent tide you may well limit before the gulls are even awake. Look for both trout and redfi sh blowing holes in the parade of shad and shrimp moving across these points. The points with shell hold the bait and fi sh a little longer, but any point with quick access to deeper water will do.

For pure enjoyment you can’t beat a smaller topwater like the She Pup, but for numbers it is hard to beat a 3-inch Usual Suspect swimbait or a smaller tail or imitation shrimp under a popping cork. When shad are the main entree I do best with a small paddletail grub like the Sea Shad or Flats Minnow under the cork, but a VuDu Shrimp in Natural or Tiger is hard to beat when the shrimp are getting pounded.

It is also not unusual for redfi sh to school early

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78 | September 2013

BOATS MOTORS TRAILERS SALES SERVICE PARTS & ACCESSORIES

in the day, especially on the south end, so keep an eye out for small groups of birds or absolute surface mayhem while fishing this early morning bite. As the day wears on, look for the more consistent bite on both trout and redfish to take place in the middle portion of the lake. A light wind actually helps as it easier to see slicks and cooler to boot.

Never abandon a slick just because the first fish that inhaled your topwater was a gafftop. Two or three in a row will put me on the move,

but I often catch some very nice trout and redfish by switching to a Hoginar or 5-inch tail. We are doing much better with the longer tails like the Assassin Shad, Trout Killer or a Tidal Surge Split Tail.

The flounder bite never really slowed all summer and will get even better as we move into fall. The canals in the Game Reserve have just been on fire; Black’s Bayou and Madam Johnson’s have been productive as well. Until the flounder start their annual migration, the main points along the river and Intracoastal will also give up solid flat fish to live bait anglers.

I have been asked several times Cindy Malone fooled this beautiful trout with over the past month about the use of a VuDu shrimp under a popping cork. C&R! live croaker as a solution to our recent lull in the action and while I know they work at times when nothing else will, my answer is, “That is just not my bag.”

Each to their own, but the modest benefits are not worth the apparent hassle for me.

As Capt. Chuck has always contended, we stay one step behind here on Sabine as seemingly every new and innovative technique slowly creeps its way north from the lower coast. In this instance, however, I will take my croaker filleted and fried.

Take the kids fishing Saturday morning!

TSFMAG.com | 79

mICKEY Eastman

mICKEY On Galveston The best thing for me right now is that July and early August are in the rearview and I’m hoping and praying the persistent south and southwest wind leaves too. We may still be suff ering through the latter dog days of summer but somehow I get the notion Sam Henicke – Trinity the trout and redfi sh around Bay toad redfi sh.

Galveston the Galveston Bay System must have missed the memo.

Considering conditions, fi shing has been good for the angler’s that have found Mickey Eastman is a full-time fi shing guide out of Baytown, TX. a way to adapt to prevailing Mickey has over 30 years guiding southwest winds. Another experience on the Galveston thing that occurs to me is area bays and is the founder that we have an awful lot of Gulf Coast Troutmasters, of fi sh relatively untouched the largest speckled trout due to recent wind and tournament series of all time. water conditions, and this can defi nitely be the right telephone 281-383-2032 stuff for creating incredible September patterns.

Huge schools of trout

80 | September 2013

have been roaming all across the Lower Galveston System. Hotspots have been the numerous Houston Ship Channel reefs, the Exxon A-Lease gas wells, Dollar Reef, and the fl ats that stretch from Texas City to Seabrook. These areas continue to hold green water and cooler temperatures even on weaker tidal exchanges.

Schools of bull redfi sh are forming and have been generally roaming in these same areas as well. Live bait slingers have been doing well in pretty near all conditions but when the water is right and conditions are right, lure chunkers have also been having a fi eld day with quick limits of trout and redfi sh. There have been days when occasional tarpon have been sighted rolling in the lower channel area.

Upper East Bay and upper Trinity Bay have been generally

very slow due to ill southwest winds but on days when you get lucky and catch it calm the water greens right up and the fi shing can be incredible. Deeper shell and well pads are loaded with trout in the eight to ten foot depths, when we can work them. Soft plastics worked deep on 1/4 ounce jigs have been the ticket.

The summer dog day pattern can actually be just what the doctor ordered when conditions glass off during the heat of the day. The presence of bait schools and sometimes gamefi sh Mickey Jr. with a Trinity feeding higher in Bay eight pounder. the water column become very easy to spot and target. When the wind lays suddenly, as it has done a few times recently, the surface waters are still oxygenated, so bait rises and the fi sh we’re after follow them.

This opportunity enables a guide to teach his more novice clients how to read feeding activity, something the untrained eye will almost certainly miss when wading or drifting in windier conditions with steady surface chop. Riding the trolling motor and fi shing out of the boat makes it that much easier given that you’re higher above the water. It amazes me how many times a slick, mud boil, noticeable wake, or other surface feeding activity goes unnoticed. Nothing can be more exciting than schools of trout or redfi sh swimming around the boat where everyone can see the fi sh and throw to them.

My go-to soft plastic baits this time of year are primarily the Tidal Surge Split Tail Mullets and MirrOlure Lil Johns. I have also been doing well with 3-1/2 inch Yum Money Minnows and the Yum Lil Suzees.

Color preference is mainly dictated by water clarity and light conditions ranging from pearl, chartreuse, plum, red, rootbeer, and black. In general, darker water calls for darker lures. To me though, soft plastic lure color isn’t nearly as important as confi dence, and pretty much the same goes with topwaters. If you have positive signs that fi sh are in the area, and confi dence that can catch them, you might refi ne your color selection as you go but it takes confi dence and technique to confi rm the fact they were there in the fi rst place.

The Galveston Bay System is alive and well, and the fi shing is good.

The weather is hot but the fi sh don’t seem to care. Wear quality SPF-30 or better clothing, stay hydrated, wear a good hat and plenty sun block.

If the wind has your favorite area churned up and unfi shable, take your pick of some of the areas I mentioned that have been producing right through the worst of it. Be safe on the water! -Capt. Mickey TSFMAG.com | 81

BInK GRImEs

thE VIEW fRom Matagorda

Matagorda

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

telephone 979-241-1705 email binkgrimes@sbcglobal.net Website www.binkgrimesoutdoors.com

82 | September 2013

Summer 2013 will offi cially end with the arrival of the autumnal equinox on September 22. The long days of summer will be behind us as the hours of daylight and darkness become equal. Though the calendar may claim it is fall, chances are the heat will still be hanging around throughout the month and into early October.

How will the heat aff ect coastal fi shing and hunting? That’s a tricky question to answer.

We should see a few slight north breezes this month that will cut the humidity and mercury readings. Those cooler nighttime temperatures do wonders for coastal fi shing, knocking water temperatures down at least a couple of degrees; and, a couple of degrees can put life in stagnant wildlife.

Autumn tides will swell, much like large tides associated with low pressure or a tropical depression in the Gulf. Expect redfi sh to fi ll the back lakes and

grassy shorelines, readily eating small topwaters and weedless soft plastics. Bloated water levels also encourage large, solitary trout to extend their boundaries to the upper reaches of the estuaries.

So when casting to a pod of marsh redfi sh, don’t be surprised to fi nd a silver streak cruising the shallows.

Matagorda Bay anglers should fi nd large schools of redfi sh on the north shoreline. Live shrimp, mullet and topwaters work well. Back bay areas like Oyster

Lake, Crab Lake and Lake Austin hold healthy shrimp populations as the fall weather pattern begins to develop. Don’t be surprised to see birds working in the back lakes on calm days as shrimp begin to leave the marsh.

In the open bay, higher tides make it tougher to fi nd schools of trout, so look for signs; those signs being slicks and birds.

As long as water temperatures continue to hang in the 80s, Matagorda trout will remain in a summer pattern. That means over deep shell in East Bay, where Bass Assassins, Gulps and live shrimp are best under a Mid-Coast Nexus cork. Small topwaters like MirrOlure She Pups and Super Spook Jrs get blown out of the water as well.

Wading the mid-bay reefs produces throughout the year on the same baits, and with higher tides, the muddy bottoms around Brown Cedar Flats hold both trout and redfi sh for waders.

Most waders that fi sh the grassbeds in West Bay all summer head elsewhere in September, but they still hold fi sh, redfi sh especially.

Guts and cuts along the south shoreline often get overlooked; and, for those wanting to get away from the crowds, the far west end of West Bay is the place to do it.

Reefs along the north shoreline of West Bay hold trout, redfi sh and black drum hammer live shrimp. Shell Island, Twin Island and all the points along the north shoreline are littered with shell and are a good starting place. Though it is often more of an OctoberNovember thing, redfi sh have been known to school in large numbers in late September in these locales.

Hunters curse 90° heat, knowing they need the cool fronts of autumn to usher in new recruits of doves and ducks. But, in Texas, we expect to sweat when wingshooting this month.

Teal season runs September 14 – 29 and we will be hunting the mornings and fi shing the afternoons. New for this year is a 6-teal daily bag limit which should give shotgunners another volley or two before they bag out.

South Zone dove season runs September 20 – October 27 and we often fi sh the morning and hunt the afternoon for whitewings and mourners.

Lots of opportunities outdoors – why would you live anywhere else?

TSFMAG.com | 83

CaPt. shEllIE GRaY

mID-Coast BaYs With the Grays

Port O'Connor Seadrift

Captain Gary and Captain Shellie Gray fi sh year-round for trout and redfi sh in the Port O’Connor/ Seadrift area. Gary started his Bay Rat Guide Service 20 years ago.

The Grays specialize in wade and drift fi shing with artifi cial lures.

Gary and Shellie also team up to fi sh many tournaments.

telephone 361-785-6708 email Gary@BayRat.com Website www.bayratguideservice.com

84 | September 2013

We look forward to September, very anxious for some can really be benefi cial. It is well known that fi shing relief from the extreme heat of Texas summer. Fall chest to neck deep can be advantageous during doesn’t offi cially begin till September 22 but last year these hotter months but on many occasions this we were lucky to get our fi rst “cool” front during the past month I found better numbers of fi sh in water fi rst week. I am so hoping that we will see the repeat that was too deep to wade, so boat fi shing became of an early cool down again this year. Meanwhile, I will the norm for me. This wasn’t a problem for most my remain in summertime mode until the fi sh change customers since the number of moon jellyfi sh in our their patterns. area have been the most I have witnessed in years.

July and August plagued us with unusually high The heat aff ects everything and, just like us, the and persistent southwest winds that forced water levels unseasonably low and turned our typically green bay waters very muddy at times. The choppy conditions kept me from visiting some of my favorite mid-bay Leo Carrillo with a nice reefs in Espiritu Santo and San Antonio Bay 25-incher from San Antonio Bay. on a regular basis. The surf can be some of our most productive water this time of year and it too was mostly off -limits. I am hoping September will be a little more accommodating with calmer wind from our usual southeast direction.

Just like fi shing in August, it will be important to start early. Arriving at your fi rst spot thirty minutes to an hour before sunrise

Young angler Clayton Schmitt with his first oversized red. Way to go Clay!

fish tend to get somewhat lazy when the temperature rises. It has not been unusual to arrive at an area and catch a few fish quickly then, almost like someone flipped a switch, no more bites. Moving often has been necessary lately to keep the bites coming. Also, don’t be afraid to return to areas where you caught some earlier in the day and give it another go.

Enticing these lazy fish to take a lure can be difficult and that’s when I turn to scented plastics and/or natural baits to fill the gap between catching and simply trying. When fishing the reefs or dropoffs try to bump your bait off the bottom slowly. Remember the main reason these fish are in the deeper water is to help them cool off so you want to make sure you are presenting your bait where the fish will be most likely to take it. Since you will no doubt be nicking your line from time to time on the shell, be sure to check your leader often and re-tie as necessary.

Redfish continue to be found in greatest numbers in our back lakes.

Grass is thick in many of these areas so casting to the sand pockets is your best option. Weedless setups are a must when fishing the lakes that are really grassed up. If you are not familiar with a Texas Rig do yourself a favor and learn how to tie one. This has always and continues to be my number one producer when drifting the lakes for redfish.

Here lately our reds have been scattered singles or small bunches but I look for them to form larger schools after a few passing fronts.

I know I sound like a broken record with this next topic but it is so worth repeating. Bait and/or birds are still very important when deciding on which reef, cove or part of a shoreline to try. Subsurface bait is good but I really get excited when I see fleeing mullet. I am not talking about those lazy jumpers, I look for the ones that jump frantically, just barely clearing the surface three or four times. This is about as good as it gets when looking for signs of feeding fish. You would be surprised how many anglers I get that don’t know to cast toward the spot a fleeing mullet first appeared.

On a side note, I have noticed a lot of boaters getting “hung up” in Fulghum’s Cut (aka Charlie’s Cut). The piling markers on that channel are way out of date and no longer indicate the true border of the channel anymore. If you are new to the area or haven’t been there in awhile you should know that the cut is filling in steady from the Lagoon side. The deepest remnants of the old channel can usually be seen in the daytime but not under low light conditions…proceed with caution!

TSFMAG.com | 85

DaVID RoWsEY

hooKED uP WIth Rowsey

There are many things to love about September but not all have to do with fi shing. For me, the opening of bird season is right up there with Christmas when I was a kid. College football, less boat traffi c, teal Upper buzzing the bay and early cool fronts are all things that I really look forward to this month. We are lucky to live Laguna/ in Texas where we get to enjoy great fi shing and our Baffin other outdoor passions in excess.

School is back in session! Uh, redfi sh school that is.

Reds will be migrating from the bays into the Gulf in full force this month. Jetty and beach fi shermen will David Rowsey has 20 years enjoy the bounty as well as anybody on the water, but experience in the Laguna/Baffi n the bay folks should get in on the action also. Used to region; trophy trout with artifi cial lures is his specialty. David has a be that running the fl ats and spotting a distant school was no big deal, but with the number of boats on great passion for conservation and encourages catch and the water now days, the reds seem to have changed release of trophy fi sh. their habits as more and more boats run across the top of them. Channels around fl ats, including the ICW, telephone is where you should fi nd the largest concentrations 361-960-0340 of them on busy boat traffi c days. If you are lucky Website www.DavidRowsey.com enough to fi sh during the week you may get to be a email part of some of the old and traditional style of fl ats david.rowsey@yahoo.com fi shing. Working birds, including pelicans, will be

86 | September 2013

the fi rst places along channels that I will check if my clientele are in the mood for catching redfi sh. Find schools of migrating mullet to go along with that and you will be in for some serious action. Using your trolling motor along the edges of deep water dropoff s is far and away the best method for locating and staying up on them. A 1/4 ounce jig head and a Bass Assassin paddletail Sea Shad will my favorite rig for fi nding and catching.

Every phone call or inquiry I get, questions about the brown tide eventually come up. Yes it is still around, but location changes constantly due to weather patterns. The Upper Laguna, mouth of Baffi n, and bays south of Baffi n look really good, as southeast winds continue to push good water up from Mansfi eld.

The interior of Baffi n to Loyola Beach remain to be ugly and, short of a tropical storm, will continue to be that way. Are there any fi sh in the brown tide? Simple answer is yes, but dang sure harder to catch. With the right clients I venture off into it with mixed success. If you are willing to grind, there are some good fi sh to be caught in the brown water, but it is not for the guy that needs a hit every cast.

As the bait migration heads north, my Haynie will be right in line with them. Every day will present new opportunities and locations to catch fi sh.

Something that worked yesterday may not on the next. Staying open-minded is imperative while fi shing these migrations. If you have tunnel vision on fi shing your favorite spot during this time of year, you may come in a little short versus the guy willing to move around and fi sh the signs versus the spots. Some of the best discoveries I have ever made on the water were by pure accident and thinking, “Man that looks good...let’s check it out.”

As of now, tides are SUPER low and have really pulled the fi sh off of the skinny fl ats. This is a good thing, as it has concentrated the fi sh on deeper dropoff s adjacent to fl ats. We are commonly fi nding heavy action of all

Meet Sam Stambaugh, 10 years old and a phenomenal young fi sherman. Sam was literally shaking with excitement when he got on my boat that morning and blessed me with one of my most enjoyable days on the water this summer. He caught many reds and trout on his fi rst-ever wade trip. He could cast like a grown man and his enthusiasm was simply contagious. Sam is a keeper!

species from the east side of the Laguna, Emmord’s Hole, Rocky Slough, Meadows and Yarbrough.

Many of the trout are dink size to low-end keeper trout. My advice is to grind it out in these areas because a big bite will happen at some point during the action. I cannot tell y’all how many times I have skipped a small trout across the surface back to me, only to have a 30+ donk tailgating the little fellow. There are a lot of personal best trout out there.

Patience is the key.

The dome of high pressure over Texas has made for a slow topwater bite, even in the early morning hours. Floating grass has made treble hooked lures a pain in the you know what. The 5” Bass Assassin just continues to prevail for me, year after year, season after season. Go get you some.

Remember the buff alo. -Capt David Rowsey

TSFMAG.com | 87

CaPt. tRICIa

tRICIa’s Mansfield Report The Lower Laguna Madre continues to off er everything the lure fi sherman looks for despite desert-like heat and enduring drought, we just sometimes had to work a little harder. Targeting better trout was often challenging because of low water and tons of fl oating grass, but its a worthy challenge. And fortunately for Port us, most visitors to Port Mansfi eld are eager to take Mansfield whatever the conditions have to off er and appreciate the environment like no other.

Knowledge and persistence are key here on the very few light wind and low boat traffi c Capt. Tricia’s Skinny Water days we have been getting. The stealthier Adventures operates out of among us had big payoff s sightcasting to Port Mansfi eld, specializing in giant trout and fl ounder in shallow potholes wadefi shing with artifi cial lures. on shorelines and skinny back bay areas. Four and fi ve pound fl ounder hitting topwaters was a hoot. Casting to fi sh you can see is telephone 956-642-7298 always exciting, add seven to eight pound email trout to that equation and I think pretty near shell@granderiver.net all lure chunkers would agree; it doesn’t get Website www.SkinnyWaterAdventures.com much better than that!

For those desiring more of a “get bit” trip, we can oblige that request most days too.

Our bay system has tons of juvenile trout, and

88 | September 2013

when they decide to feed, its game-on with a six to ten keeper ratio. It is important to handle these fi sh with care if we value tomorrow, and if we continue to do so the future trout fi shery seems bright.

The higher percentage places for better trout have been along the deeper breaks near the Intracoastal and shorelines with deep troughs near the bank. We defi nitely are seeing more trophy class trout cruising the skinnier stuff though, and look forward to them

Lance Thayer scored this career-best trout recently and was very pleased. CPR!

becoming more catchable in the next few months.

However, as of this writing, redfi sh have not been as cooperative, and sometimes we wonder where they’ve all gone. Occasionally what we call “redfi sh wolf packs” have given us some incredible blowup sessions in the skinny where large baitfi sh schools are hanging, but we have not done this very often. Hopefully this soon will change.

September is a month that will bring change. Doves, shotguns, football, friends and beer usually dominate this month, but a whole lot of you will want to get some fi shing in there too, and in that regard September should not disappoint. Overall water levels should increase and with it the Laguna’s entire personality.

We are already seeing some large baitfi sh migration and this should become even more noticeable as September rolls along.

Jakesy’s fi rst red on the fl y; he was so happy he kissed it right on the lips!

Redfi sh schools should be forming and if you are lucky enough to spot them it can make for some exciting action. Very often we do not stop to fi sh the schools early, but fi sh for trout instead. I like to make a note of where they were and fi nd them again when heat and boat traffi c has moved them to dropoff s and deeper potholes on the fl ats.

Later in the month they should linger longer in the white sand and we will certainly take advantage of sight casting opportunities.

Trout will begin to feed more aggressively as water levels rise and temperatures recede. They are already identifying with chunky potholes on the shoreline and will do so more and more.

We need to remember to fi nd those large rafts of mullet and fi sh the edges. They will be one place today and possibly further down the shoreline tomorrow. This is a month of signifi cant trout spawning and you can bet they will be gorging right along with the redfi sh. It always seems to me that as soon the water temperatures begin to recede they really put the feedbag on.

I am still excited. Are you?

Tricia’s Tips - Brown pelicans are you friends.

- Work the wind... light west and southwest perfect for shorelines... heavy southeast fi sh the fl ats and back bays.

- Until the tides rise the entrance to the harbor is extremely shallow; some boats are hitting bottom.

- There is still no gas at the Exxon but the new Poco Loco Marina has gas and is a fi rst rate operation.

- Lots of stingrays... wear your guards!

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CaPt. ERnEst CIsnERos

south PaDRE Fishing Scene

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A Brownsville-area native, Capt. Ernest Cisneros fi shes the Lower Laguna Madre from Port Mansfi eld to Port Isabel.

Ernest specializes in wading and poled skiff adventures for snook, trout, and redfi sh.

Cell 956-266-6454 Website www.tightlinescharters.com

I cannot believe how quickly time passes. In a matter should also see much higher tides on average from of weeks summer will be gone and we’ll be into the equinox and also from the storms. More water in fall fi shing. I’m already smiling because that means our bays will mean fi sh will have more real estate to winter is not long in coming. I have fun all year but roam and you could fi nd them a bit more scattered winter is without a doubt my favorite season here on this month. During and right after rains, expect the the Lower Laguna. shallow back lakes and other areas with very little Over the summer I would have to say we had lots vegetation to remain stained as fresh water pours out of ups and downs. Fishing was either very good or from drains and cuts coming off the mud fl ats. This very slow and only a few days time of the year, be sure not to fell in-between. I enjoyed many overlook these drains even if the wonderful days with my clients water is not as clear as you would and also had the pleasure to like. I can’t tell you how many attend the ICAST Show in Las times we have caught good fi sh Vegas. I even got to sneak away near a drain while it is emptying to the Everglades for a three day loads of nutrients and small bait to peek at a world-class snook fi shery waiting redfi sh and trout. with Capt. Ward Michaels.

With water levels rising look September is usually a wet for bait along fl ooded shorelines month for us due to tropical of small coves and back bays, the storm activity, so expect some redfi sh should be right there with fresh water to enter our bays. Let’s them. The sand on the east side, hope it is enough to balance our north and south of the Arroyo, The Lower Laguna has been producing currently high salinity levels as this some very nice trout as Matt found recently should also turn on this month. with this twenty-nine incher. is always good for our fi shery. We Look for trout and reds to feed

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Toward the end of the month the air and water temperatures will decline somewhat causing more frequent feeding as well as longer feeding periods. Redfi sh will become more willing to chase a topwater. Summer boat traffi c scatters redfi sh and we didn’t see many schools in July and August but that should change when everything slows down in September. Go-to redfi sh baits will be topwaters and Kelley Wiggler Ball Tail Shads.

All summer long I wrote of how the trout bite kept things interesting for us, well just recently it got even better. I have not seen better catches of big trout in late summer as I have this year.

Hopefully this pattern will continue through fall and into winter. Our better trout catches have come from shallow grass fl ats and not from deeper, sandier water, as I would have expected. Potholes in generally grassy bottom along spoil banks have also been very good. The You can bet I was all smiles when Capt.

Ward Michaels put me on this thirty-six incher.

Stacy and Ernest in Everglades National Park with a lingering thunderstorm.

topwater action has been slow but the Kelley Wigglers are doing well for us. With the water rising, look for shorelines on the west side of the Laguna to hold good numbers of keepers.

As I mentioned above I fi shed with Ward Michaels out of Everglade City and I highly recommend this trip to any who love fi shing for snook. The fi shing was very notable for numbers of snook and, best of all was the size of the fi sh we caught. Ward is a hardcore wade fi sherman and his knowledge of how tide levels and currents will aff ect the bite was truly something to behold. He consistently put us in the exact right spot at precisely the right time. It was all very educational for me and I cannot wait to put my new knowledge to work here in the Lower Laguna Madre.

TSFMAG.com | 91

FISHING REPORTS

Lake Calcasieu Louisiana Jeff and Mary poe - Big Lake Guide Service - 337.598.3268 September is a glorious time around here. We have college football, teal season, and awesome fi shing for both trout and reds. What could be better? It is a great month to experience both the hunting and the fi shing aspects of our business. Both will be at their height this month.

The fi rst few fronts will bring north winds and strong outgoing tides which will pull baitfi sh and shrimp out of the marshes and into the lake. The usual result is easy fi shing under birds for a great mix of both trout and reds. Limits of trout and redfi sh become the norm. Cobia and tripletail fi shing at our nearshore platforms will be off the charts at this time as well. Teal season is a blast! This season should be excellent according to the reports coming out of the Dakotas and Canada. Season dates are tentatively set for September 14-16, with the limit set at six teal per person. That will be a big change from the usual four-bird limit.

Hope all is well with you and yours. See you fi shing or hunting soon. trinity Bay - east Bay - Galveston Bay | James plaag Silver King adventures - silverkingadventures.com - 409.935.7242 James reports an excellent run of fi shing around deep reefs, spoil banks and well pads on recent days. “We're coming off a stretch of about nine or ten days in a row with full limits of trout, up to about twenty fi ve inches. All of our fi shing has been in relatively deep water, from about seven to maybe fi fteen feet deep. The topwater bite has been slow. By

92 | September 2013

ORECASTS F from Big Lake to Boca Chica

AND

far, the best lure has been a chicken on a chain Bass Assassin rigged on a quarter or three eighths ounce jighead. We catch best when the tide is turning, right as the incoming tide stops and the water gets really green.

Of course, fi shing is best and easiest when it's not too windy. Today, we are dealing with a south/southwest wind over twenty knots and the catching is slower. Off shore fi shing has been okay when we have been able to get out there. Catching lots of kingfi sh and ling, not many silver kings yet. But as we get into September, we should have more shots at the tarpon, especially if we get calm weather. Other than that, the inshore drill will stay pretty much the same.”

Jimmy West - Bolivar Guide Service - 409.996.3054 Fishing is outstanding when the weather allows easy access to openwater areas, Jim says. “We are whackin' 'em when the weather's good.

In fact, lots of people are catching nice stringers of trout when winds are light. Most of the fi sh are being caught under slicks near reefs and spoil banks out in the middle. Fishing out there is only good for hardware guys when the water is pretty clear, meaning winds are not blowing over fi fteen knots. Normally, September brings plenty of days with good weather conditions, so we should have steady success as we move into the early part of fall. I'll be splitting time between three activities. I'll be running dove and teal hunts every week, a few days a week, and I'll be fi shing on the days when I'm not hunting. Right now, I'm getting the fi elds ready for hunting, and things look promising there. We should be

able to shoot plenty of teal and doves and also catch some solid trout in ample numbers. Most of the fishing will be done out of the boat around deep structures, keying on slicks and other signs.”

West Galveston - Bastrop - Christmas - Chocolate Bays Randall Groves - Groves Guide Service 979.849.7019 - 979.864.9323 Randall expresses a desire to hit the beachfront as much as possible in September, like many other guides. “Lately, the surf has been the best thing by far for us. We keep getting south and west winds, which keeps the tide from filling the bays. When that happens, we will have better fishing in the Gulf. Some days, it requires a considerable amount of intestinal fortitude to get at the fish, if the waves are big. The fish are still there and we're catching them, mostly on live bait. Normally, in September, we see a return of a more favorable wind, meaning one with more of a southeasterly component. That will allow water to move back into the bays, and our fishing on the inside will improve as fish roll in with the tide. We'll keep a close eye on it and fish where we think we need to. One thing about fishing along the beach; you never know what will bite. Just the other day, we caught a thirty seven inch ling on a trout rod. It was a surprise and a thrill. I swear I saw smoke coming out of the reel. That fish pushed the equipment right up to its limits.”

Matagorda | Charlie Paradoski Bay Guide Service - 713.725.2401 Charlie says the fishing has been decent in and around Matagorda lately, when west winds aren't blowing too hard. “We've had a lot of days with west in the wind, and that makes fishing tough around here. For a stretch there, the winds died down and the tide came up, and fishing was good in the shallows in coves in both of the bays. The surf was good for a while during the same time-frame. Normally, we

have cooler weather and more southeast winds in September, and the fishing starts improving again. I look for the surf to kick off a couple more times at least. In years when we can't get out there a lot during July and August, September is usually good. We'll also look for redfish schooling in the coves and back lakes, especially if we get a strong bull tide around the time of the equinox.

Mid-bay reefs and open-water areas with scattered shell will continue to produce trout. Fishing out there is best when winds are light and easterly. Overall, things look okay, especially if we can get some rain in the next couple of weeks.”

Palacios | Capt. Aaron Wollam www.palaciosguideservice.com - 979.240.8204 Fishing has been both unbelievably good and unbelievably tough.

The surf was as good as as it can get for about a six-day stretch, when we caught solid trout between eighteen and twenty four inches on big topwaters like Super Spooks, SheDogs and Skitterwalks, along with some oversized bull reds up to forty inches. During the daybreak bite, the fish were tight to the shoreline, and as the sun came up, they moved to the second and third guts. We had no seaweed, sharks, or jellyfish to cope with, so it was a blessing. The last week or so has been a grind; we are dealing with southwest winds and low tides, and that makes fishing tough! We have been fortunate to be able to catch quite a few lower-slot reds on live shrimp under popping corks in area creeks and back lakes. September is one of my favorite months, with all kinds of options, including the surf across West Matagorda, birds working in South Bay by the channel, and pods and pods of reds cruising local shorelines chasing shrimp.

TSFMAG.com | 93

port o’Connor | Lynn Smith Back Bay Guide Service - 361.983.4434 In September, Lynn plans to continue keeping his eye on the surf, as trout fi shing along the beachfront can be great at the end of summer. “We haven't been able to fi sh the surf as much as we'd like this summer, but sometimes September winds are calm, and if they are, we will head out there every time we get the chance. We have been doing well inside the bays. Lately, we are targeting areas close to Pass Cavallo which have lots of grass with sandy pockets in the grass. We like to stay near drop off s to deep water and prefer to fi sh when tide movements are pretty strong. Best lures lately have been Skitterwalks in pink/silver side and my favorite, the white Super Spook Junior with a chartreuse head. We're using soft plastics when the topwaters stop working as well. Mostly, we're throwing Kelly Wigglers in chicken on a chain and strawberry/white tail. Also catching pretty good on Hogie paddeltails in the same color patterns. The last few trips we've been catching more reds than trout, but trout fi shing should pick back up as it cools off .”

Rockport | Blake Muirhead Gator trout Guide Service - 361.790.5203 or 361.441.3894 Blake will be trying various patterns when fi shing in September, and will be starting up the cast and blast season too. “I'll be fi shing in most of the area bays at one time or another this month. Still wading shorelines with sand and grass some, targeting redfi sh, particularly around the mouths of drains leading into marshy areas. Also spending some time on mid-bay reefs too, especially if I'm targeting trout. Throwing Sand Eels in dark colors with chartreuse tails as usual, hoping for quite a few days with a good topwater bite too. Typically, September is a great month for reds. It's also time to start hunting. We should have plenty of teal on the coast this year, as dry as it's been. We will be allowed a six-

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bird limit, so that's good. Dove hunting will be starting up too. We've already got a bunch of birds around, and as long as weather patterns don't cause them to move on us, I expect fast shooting and easy limits.

It's a great month, with lots of options and variety. There's plenty of excitement in the air and in the water when autumn arrives.” upper Laguna Madre - Baffin Bay - Land Cut Robert Zapata – rz1528@grandecom.net - 361.563.1160 I hope everyone has been enjoying this summer as much as I have. I have not found as many redfi sh schools as I have in past years, but they are still around. The key to success with the schools of reds is to not crash into them using the outboard, but stopping upwind (at least 100 yards) and keeping up with them using the trolling motor. I like to cast natural colored Bass Assassins rigged on eighth ounce jigheads or half ounce weedless gold spoons if there is much fl oating grass. Cast the lures at the outside edges of the schools instead of the middle to prevent spooking them. As for live bait, the croakers might be getting too big to use, but piggy perch will make excellent bait for trout, reds and fl ounder. The water temperatures will move the fi sh into a little deeper water, three to four feet, but still along grass lines, potholes and drop off s with sandy bottoms. The sight-casting game in less than twelve inches of water with green, shrimp Fish Bites and Assassin Die Dappers for reds, black drum and trout is still my favorite trick right now.

Corpus Christi | Joe Mendez – www.sightcast1.com - 361.937.5961 Joe says he expects to be pointing the bow of his boat toward the south and making runs into the Land Cut area as we head into fall. “I've got the boat in great shape. Did some work on the trailer, got a new big motor and trolling motor, also a new Power Pole. It is in great shape. I'll be fi shing areas like Nine Mile Hole and the fl ats of Summer House and Rocky Slough quite a bit in the coming weeks. The water down there is clear and has been for quite some time. Actually, I've been running

quite a few fl y fi shing charters lately, and have quite a few more coming up. The fi shing is good with fl ies when the water is clear. It allows us to see the fi sh in the water before we cast to them much of the time, and that makes it easier to entice them into biting a fl y. Tide levels have been low a lot lately, and that makes locating redfi sh and drum and the occasional big trout easier on the fl ats too. Overall, prospects are good.

September and October are generally two of the calmer months in South Texas. Light winds make casting fl ies much easier.” padre Island National Seashore Billy Sandifer - padre Island Safaris - 361.937.8446 The fi nger mullet migration from area bays to the Gulf usually begins around mid-September. Redfi sh follow the mullet out of the bays and will be in good supply in the surf once the fi nger mullet run is underway.

Live and cut fi nger mullet are the most commonly used baits for bottom fi shing reds and a wide array of artifi cials will also produce good results.

Massive schools of bay and dusky anchovies are also usually present in surf and nearshore waters at this time; menhaden should also be plentiful. From the middle through end of September is the peak time for adult tarpon in the surf. Tarpon and incredible numbers of skipjacks and Spanish mackerel will be working the anchovy shoals as will sharks of all sizes. Whiting will be readily available as will some pompano.

September is the peak of hurricane season. Stay advised of weather forecasts. If the water becomes high when the tide should be falling - LEAVE THE BEACH IMMEDIATELY! Something tropical could be brewing, and water could rise to the dunes quickly. port Mansfield | Ruben Garza Snookdudecharters.com – 832.385.1431 Getaway adventures Lodge – 956.944.4000 School, football season, and early whitewing dove season are upon us.

Lots of stuff is going on, but don’t forget about the fi shing. The winds

Unsurpassed Fishing

are typically calm and the seas are fl at in September. The bait balls may have moved on but the tarpon are rolling, and schools of reds are beginning to show up at the jetties. Throwing blue or black-back RatL-Traps and MirrOlure 51 and 52 Series are the way to go. State water red snapper are available, and bay fi shing is right on. Look for the Laguna west shoreline and the spoils to stack up with trout. Skitterwalks and Super Spook Juniors should get the adrenaline going with lots of blowups. The ICW and East Cut spoils can be surprising; you never know what you might fi nd, schools of trout and reds, maybe a jack – hold on! Wading slowly along the tops of the bars can off er sight-casting opportunities at bedded fl ounder. This is a good month to fi sh the nearshore Gulf, the jetties, and also the bays. Get out there and take advantage of it! Tight lines and calm seas.

Lower Laguna Madre - South padre - port Isabel Janie and Fred petty – www.fishingwithpettys.com – 956.943.2747 We’re averaging a couple of thirty two-plus inch reds a week, sometimes two a day. This has been a great time for tagging them, especially with windy, muddy conditions that aren’t ideal for hitting herds. Normally this time of year, the water's surface is mirror-calm in the mornings, and it’s easy to see schools of redfi sh moving away from the boat, but we’ve had windy conditions later this summer than is normal. Freddy says, “Drift the deeper drop off s with Cajun Thunder round corks and pop hard; the big guys are there, you just can’t see them. Keep your leaders long enough to drop to about their eye level and let the jighead sink before popping again.” We’ve been doing really well on trout also, with an occasional beauty over twenty fi ve and up to twenty nine inches. The coming months promise to be exceptional for speckled trout, and when we return from a quick trip to the hunting property in West Texas, we’ll be chunking Berkley Gulp! three-inch shrimp on Norton lock hooks at tempting potholes. Stop open bay dredge disposal.

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Steven Morales California Hole - redfi sh

Allen Armstrong Galveston - bull red, CPR!

Elizabeth Atkinson Port Mansfi eld - 26.5” trout

Doug Davidson Panther - 27” trout

Mike & Britt Epley Matagorda - redfi sh 96 | September 2013

Bruce Bias Port O’Connor - fi rst jack!

Heath Deville Bolivar Peninsula - fi rst bull red! CPR

Karen Everett Dead Man’s Hole - personal best red!

Dane & Nathan Grissom Galveston - 26.5” fl ounder

Ray Argueta San Luis Pass - 23” speck

Rick Cedeno Galveston - 25” personal best trout!

Jeremy Krauae South Padre - king fi sh

Feliberto Jimenez South Padre - king mackerel

Jared Hackett fi rst fl ounder!

Carley Kiolbassa with dad Estes Flats - 18.5” trout

Ivan Gonzalez South Padre - 41” king mackerel

Melvin Morris fi rst redfi sh!

Mandy Lawshae Surf Side - 18” fi rst black drum!

Jesse Tillman & Hunter Mcdonald Mcfaddin Beach - bull red

Miranda Ramirez South Padre - 17” fi rst trout!

James Reyna Galveston - 29” 8.5lb trout

Doug McCarty Arroyo City - fl ounder, CPR!

Steven Rowland Aransas Pass - 28” trout

Billy Ray Wagner Galveston - jack

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Email photos with a description of your Catch of the Month to: Photos@tsfmag.com

Andrew Torres & Juan Lopez Sylvan Beach - 23.5” personal best red!

Calla Watson Rockport - 16" fi rst speck!

Mail photos to: TSFMag P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 TSFMAG.com | 97

Pam Johnson

Gulf Coast Kitchen

Josie’s Mexican Restaurant and Cantina Mexican Food with an Attitude

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

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

burrito crab burger

Josie’s Famous Crab Cakes

1-lb Crab-claw meat (fresh) 1-lb Lump crab meat (fresh) 2 sticks butter 2 ribs celery - chopped 1 small onion - chopped 1 small red bell pepper - chopped 1/4 cup real mayo Juice of 1/2 lime 6 cups crushed saltine crackers 4 eggs 2 Tbsp ground mustard 6 shakes of Cajun Chef Louisiana Hot Sauce

Mix eggs, Cajun Chef Hot Sauce, crab meat, ground mustard, mayo, and lime juice in bowl. Sauté onion, bell pepper and celery with butter, add to mixture, then add crackers . Mix well. Grill in skillet with light amount of butter. Makes 20-24 crab cakes.

Serve as entrée, hors d’oeuvre, or form into larger patties for crab burgers – see above photo. grilled fish

Josie’s Mexican Restaurant and Cantina, a Port O’Connor landmark establishment, celebrated their 30-year anniversary on 5/1/2013.

Opened that same day in 1983, Josie and Cookie Covarrubias began their restaurant business on Stella St. in Port O’Connor, across from what is now Froggie’s Bait. The business thrived and, one year to the day, they moved to their present location at 610 Adams Street.

Josie’s has grown several times over the years in response to eager crowds seeking good Mexican food and a friendly atmosphere. First in 1985 and again in 1987, the building was expanded and the kitchen enlarged. More recently the Cantina was added to provide a fun place for Josie’s customers to gather and meet for drinks, fun and music.

Always a family-owned and operated Port O’Connor eatery, Josie’s and Cookie’s daughters purchased the restaurant from their parents in 1998. Eloisa and husband Joe Newsome along with sister Sylvia Hall took the reins, continuing the tradition of good food that includes their “You Catch ‘Em, We’ll Cook ‘Em” fish dinner, fried or grilled. Capt.

Ron Elkins was first to request this many years ago, and it has become a Josie’s tradition of its own for hungry fishermen after a successful day on the bay. Eloisa and Joe purchased Sylvia’s share of the business in 2010 and are now sole proprietors.

Josie’s takes pride in using all fresh ingredients and everything on the menu is prepared fresh daily, some days they go through three or even four large batches of their famous charro-style beans.

Cookie still makes weekly runs to the Rio Grande Valley to obtain fresh produce. The seafood is also fresh and locally-caught when in season.

Josie’s has been a long time favorite with locals, part time locals, and weekenders, thanks to their excellent food and friendly service.

Many weekend fishermen will not even consider packing up and heading home on Sunday morning without first enjoying the delicious breakfast burritos and other tasty Mexican breakfast plates on Josie’s menu.

Eloisa and Joe have a “new twist” on their traditional Mexican Food with an Attitude coming real soon so be sure to stop by and check it out!

Restaurant Hours: Thursday and Friday 11A-10P, Saturday 8A-10P, Sunday 8A-2P Cantina Hours: Friday 6P-12P and Saturday 6P-1A

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Science and the Sea

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Surviving in the Harsh Midnight Zone The vampire squid sounds like a hostile creature from the Twilight Zone, but it’s really the environment these harmless cephalopods live in that’s hostile – the dark, cold “midnight zone.” The vampire squid lives in the middle of the ocean’s five vertical ecological zones, an area about a half mile to two and a half miles deep called the bathypelagic zone.

A vampire squid drifting in the deep sea. Credit: Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, 2011 Situated between the mesopelagic zone or “twilight zone” and the abyssopelagic zone, also known as “the abyss,” the pitch-black midnight zone includes the oxygen minimum zone. Most vampire squids hang out in this low-oxygen area a mile to a mile and a half below the surface.

The temperature there ranges from 39 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and the pressure can exceed 5,800 pounds per square inch, which is 400 times greater than it is at the sea surface.

How do these squids survive such brutal conditions? Several unique adaptations help them conserve energy. The squid is neutrally buoyant and lacks the muscles other squids use to change colors. Also, it does not have to swim to catch its food. It feeds on marine snow, the microscopic dead organisms that drift down from above.

Plus, so few animals can survive the inhospitable environment of the midnight zone that the vampire squid rarely has to defend itself. While the squid can move as fast as two body lengths per second over short distances, it cannot migrate over long distances or use the rapid escape response that most animals use when threatened. Instead, the tips of its arms and fins light up with bioluminescence while it flails its arms, zig-zags through the water and finally spews out a luminescent mucous cloud, all to confuse predators so they can’t find the vampire squid in the cold darkness. The vampire squid may have a hostile sounding name, but it’s adaptations for surviving in the harsh “midnight zone” are anything but hostile.

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CHRIS MAPP

B OAT M A I N TE N A N C E T I P S The annual service checkup just got a new twist.

Every year when your outboard is in for annual maintenance, there are numerous detailed points that are inspected and serviced, now a new one has been added.

Yamaha published an article recently that discusses removing the steering arm from the tilt tube; clamp bracket bolt is the technical term for it.

This is the tube the steering rod extends through and this rod should pivot up and down or swivel as the engine is tilted. The tilt tube is stationary and should not move.

The tube does have bushings outside of it that require lubrication on a regular basis.

The two grease fittings on the front of the bracket lubricate the bushings to tilt bracket only by two small holes allowing grease to penetrate only the outside of the tilt tube.

Whether your boat has cable or hydraulic steering, the steering rod that goes through this bracket can bind up over time due to the grease drying and losing its lubricity. How many times have you or

104 | September 2013

a friend let a boat sit that has cable steering and, when you get ready to use it, you find the steering is stuck.

Hydraulic steering will not bind in the side to side movement.

The motion that affects hydraulic steering when the rod is binding or frozen, is when the trim and tilt are activated; there is no ability for the rod to pivot, it will bend the solid steel tiller arm on the engine up and down and grind on the engine’s bracket.

This is a very dangerous condition!

This recently was seen firsthand and it makes perfect sense to remove the steering cable or arms on hydraulic and remove the shaft, run a brush with cleaner through the tube, lubricate and reinstall.

It is amazing to see how powerful a tilt and trim system is when combined with a seized part. Hydraulics will win every time. Lubrication of the fittings has always been a part of regular maintenance here at Coastal Bend Marine and if you incorporate it into your own PM program you will enjoy many long term benefits.

Have a great fall season, Chris Mapp Coastal Bend Marine Port O’Connor, TX | 361.983.4841 www.CoastalBendMarine.com

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galveston tides & Solunar Table Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine September 2013

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Tidal Corrections Location Calcasieu Pass, La. Sabine Bank Lighthouse Sabine Pass (jetty) Sabine Pass Mesquite Point Galveston Bay (S. jetty) Port Bolivar Texas City, Turning Basin Eagle Point Clear Lake Morgans Point Round Point, Trinity Bay Point Barrow, Trinity Bay Gilchrist, East Bay Jamaica Beach, Trinity Bay Christmas Point Galveston Pleasure Pier San Luis Pass Freeport Harbor

High -2:14 -1:46 -1:26 -1:00 -0:04 -0:39 +0:14 +0:33 +3:54 +6:05 +10:21 +10:39 +5:48 +3:16 +2:38 +2:39 +2:32 -0:09 -0:44

Low -1:24 -1:31 -1:31 -1:15 -0:25 -1:05 -0:06 +0:41 +4:15 +6:40 +5:19 +5:15 +4:43 +4:18 +3:31 +2:38 +2:33 +2:31 -0:09

For other locations, i.e. Port O’Connor, Port Aransas, Corpus Christi and Port Isabel please refer to the charts displayed below.

Please note that the tides listed in this table are for the Galveston Channel. The Tidal Corrections can be applied to the areas affected by the Galveston tide.

Minor Feeding Periods are in green, coinciding with the moon on the horizon, and the last from 1.0 to 1.5 hrs after the moon rise or before moon set.

Major Feeding Periods are in orange, about 1.0 to 1.5 hrs either side of the moon directly overhead or underfoot.

Many variables encourage active feeding current flow (whether wind or tidal driven), changes in water temp & weather, moon phases, etc. Combine as many as possible for a better chance at an exceptional day. Find concentrations of bait set up during a good time frame, and enjoy the results.

Te x a s S a l t w a t e r F i s h i n g M a g a z i n e l

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