September 2015

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about the Cover The year of the Texas flounder! Texas anglers are enjoying exceptional success landing this highly-prized and delectable species. This issue of TSFMag features an eight-page howto section dedicated to enabling our readers to participate in the fishery they have contributed to improving.

SEPTEMBER 2015 VOL 25 NO 5

Contents

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

10 Fishing Blind and Praying for the Best 16 Hedging the Bet 22 A Beautiful Day 26 You Gotta Start Somewhere…

30 Bull Redfish 36 TSFMag’s Pro-Angler Flounder Seminar

46 Let’s Ask The Pro Jay Watkins 50 Shallow Water Fishing Scott Null 54 TPWD Field Notes Joel Anderson 56 Fly Fishing Scott Sommerlatte 58 Kayak Fishing Chronicles Dave Roberts 62 TSFMag Conservation News CCA Texas 66 Fishy Facts Stephanie Boyd 68 Inshore | Nearshore | Jetties | Passes Curtiss Cash 72 Extreme Kayak Fishing & Sharks...

Eric Ozolins 100 Science & the Sea UT Marine Science Institute 102 Boat Maintenance Tips Chris Mapp

36

Steve Hillman Kevin Cochran Martin Strarup Chuck Uzzle Joe Richard TSFMag Staff

58

WHAT OUR GUIDES

HAVE TO SAy

78 80 82 84 86 88 90

Dickie Colburn’s Sabine Scene The Buzz on Galveston Bay The View from Matagorda Mid-Coast Bays with the Grays Hooked up with Rowsey Capt. Tricia’s Port Mansfield Report South Padre Fishing Scene

Dickie Colburn Caleb Harp Bink Grimes Shellie Gray David Rowsey Capt. Tricia Ernest Cisneros

REGULARS

90

08 Editorial 76 New Tackle & Gear 92 Fishing Reports and Forecasts 96 Catch of the Month 98 Gulf Coast Kitchen

98 6 | September 2015

Editor and Publisher Everett Johnson Everett@tsfmag.com VICE PRESIDENT PRODUCTION & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Pam Johnson Pam@tsfmag.com Office: 361-785-3420 Cell: 361-550-9918 National sales representative Bart Manganiello Bartalm@optonline.net regional sales representative Patti Elkins Patti@tsfmag.com Office: 361-785-3420 Cell: 361-649-2265 PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Donna Boyd Donna@tsfmag.com Circulation Subscription – product sales Linda Curry Cir@tsfmag.com ADDRESS CHANGED? Email Store@tsfmag.com Design & Layout Stephanie Boyd Stephanie@tsfmag.com Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine is published monthly.

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Email store@tsfmag.com for all address changes or please call 361-785-3420 from 8am - 4:30pm. The U.S. Postal Service does not guarantee magazines will be forwarded. how to contact tsfmag: Phone: 361-785-3420 fax: 361-785-2844 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, Texas 77983 Physical Address: 58 Fisherman’s Lane, Seadrift, TX 77983 Web: www.TSFMAG.com photo gallery: photos@tsfmag.com Printed in the USA. Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine (ISSN 1935-9586) is published monthly by Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, Inc., 58 Fisherman’s Lane, Seadrift, Texas 77983 l P. O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 © Copyright 1990 All rights reserved. Positively nothing in this publication may be reprinted or reproduced. *Views expressed by Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine contributors do not necessarily express the views of Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine.

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EDITORIAL Texas coastal anglers are enjoying an outstanding run on flounder—months ahead of the flounder run!

It wasn’t too many years ago, except perhaps during the peak of the annual fall spawning migration, flatfish landings in some bay systems had declined to the point that targeting them was almost a waste of time. Thankfully this is no longer the case.

Through spring and summer 2015, catching flounder on rod and reel “without hardly trying” has become a most-welcomed shallow-water bonus. Fishing in and around sloughs that connect backwaters to main bays is almost a guarantee. I am convinced this is no twist of fate, neither is it an accident.

For nearly twenty years, flounder had been on Texas Parks and Wildlife’s regulatory radar, but a succession of changes enacted in both commercial and recreational daily bag limits and increasing minimum legal lengths failed to produce the desired effect of improving the fishery.

Finally a solution—though hardly popular at the time—was found in allowing a greater number of adult fish to the find their way to gulf spawning grounds!

Dr. Mark Fisher, TPWD Coastal Fisheries Science Director, says 2014’s fall gill net population sampling yielded a 2x increase in flounder captures over historic numbers. 2015’s spring bag seine studies produced a 3x rise in juvenile numbers, a solid indicator that 2009’s

8 | September 2015

Salute to Southern Flounder reduction of rod and reel daily limit to two fish and implementing a coastwide gigging ban during the spawning migration was evidently the boost the fishery had been needing all along.

Texas has long been a leader in marine fisheries management, and thanks to overwhelming support from recreational anglers, CCA Texas and other organizations, it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to declare this the year of the flounder. We have all contributed and this feather should be proudly worn in our caps.

To mark the rise in this unique fishery through excellent management and angler conservation efforts, we have dedicated an eight page section in this issue to flounder angling. Ten members of TSFMag’s writing team have willingly shared flounder secrets gained through literally hundreds of years of on-the-water experience.

Being blessed to enjoy many days teaching grandkids to love and respect the great Texas outdoors, I cannot begin to describe their excitement for fishing. This past Sunday, while mom, dad and I wadefished nearby, seven-year-old Sydney Mae remained in the boat casting in hope of landing her favorite piggy perch and blue crabs.

When she hooked and landed a ten inch flounder on a GULP bait, we were not only surprised, we jumped for joy.

I pray your days on the water have been and will continue as successfully as ours and I further pray every parent and adult angler reading this will make a point to take a kid fishing!

STORY BY STEVE HILLMAN

“What are we looking at here captain?”

“S

o, Captain Steve, why did you choose this area?”

“Well, there’s been a school of trout holding here and popping lots of slicks the past few days. They should be over on that northeast corner of the reef where the majority of the live oysters are. See right there? Look at those slicks!”

Those who have fished with me know that I fish with my eyes more than my GPS. I’ve always encouraged my clients to do the same. It’s important to me that everyone on the boat hopefully takes home a little more knowledge than they came with that morning.

Fishing during the summer months offers probably more visual signs than other times of the year around here. It’s fun and it’s easy most of the time, but more importantly we have on-thewater illustrations to lead the way. What a great way for new anglers to learn what to look for, right? I sure think so.

A summer spent chasing slicks, birds and bait concentrations can come to an abrupt end after an early cool front or two and September can present some challenges as we transition toward a fall pattern. Shorter days and lower nighttime air temperatures will cause water temperatures to drop. Trout sometimes tend to spread out and become harder to catch during this time. The visual signs can vanish.

If there’s one thing I can’t stand doing it’s fishing blind. Unfortunately, we have no choice in the matter at times. At times you just have to hit them on the head and hope for a little luck.

“What are we looking at here, Captain?”

“Nothing unfortunately, but we caught some here yesterday.”

Paying attention to trout movements when we could see them yesterday so that we can follow them tomorrow is all we can hang our hat on sometimes. This occurs for at least a few weeks until the true onset of fall. It’s frustrating and new customers tend to ask more questions (which is good). Curiosity and the desire to gain knowledge equates to healthy thinking.

Outright doubt and lack of confidence still gets into my head to this day. There is a trust factor

with long-time regulars and the pressure isn’t so bad.

While it sure is nice to cast to fish or signs one can see it’s simply not possible sometimes. Wouldn’t it be nice to live in a see ‘em catch ‘em world every day? There probably wouldn’t be any trout left if it were always that easy. Try to imagine an intersection with no stop signs or traffic signals.

Do we stop or keep going? Summer-to-fall transitional fishing can be a challenge, but paying attention to the patterns leading up to it can lead you in the right direction.

Following the trout from Point A to Point B isn’t all that difficult if you understand the “why” and the “when.”

If the trout were holding over deep shell in mid-August and early September when the water temperature was 85⁰ and an early fall cool front pushes through, some of the trout will move shallow while some will Lurking bull sharks will still keep us remain deep. The scenario is very similar to the company through early September. winter-to-spring transition where they don’t is a mad rush of evacuees. Mild fronts – some of all migrate at once. I would compare it to a tropical storm warning the trout move. More frequent and more severe fronts – most of when some of the “Nervous Nellies” evacuate immediately, then a the trout move. Until then they’re cruising the highways at different few days later the tropical storm develops into a hurricane and there speeds. To put it in human terms—some stop at the convenience store for a snack while others ate before they left home and only care about getting to their destination.

In a typical weather pattern (if there is such a thing around here) early-September trout will hold in the same areas as they did in August. Deep shell and structure near cool mud is always a safe bet here in Galveston Bay. In Port Mansfield and other bays down south, earlySeptember haunts may include drop-offs along ICW spoils.

Regardless of which part of the Texas Coast you fish the patterns and behavioral habits are similar. As the month progresses, trout will frequent some of the shallow flats and coves. This is when wading will again come into play for us on Galveston. Once cooler weather persists white shrimp and other forage will begin their migration from the marshes and back lakes en route to the Gulf. Even then, some fish will be caught shallow and some deep. It becomes a ping pong match on the bay where staying on your toes and being cognizant of how weather affects (above) Mud boils from reds helped save our day when the trout weren’t cooperative. trout migrations will pay dividends. (below) A 33 inch CPR red on a tough trout day didn’t bother Adam Burnett!

I like to throw small baits during this period because of the fickle feeding habits we may encounter. Rapala’s Skitter Walk in the smaller 08 size and also Heddon’s Super Spook Junior are great options and can call in weary trout that may not necessarily be in a feeding mood. In the soft plastic category Salt Water Assassin’s 4 inch Sea Shads are always a safe bet especially when rigged on lighter jigs— 1/16 and 1/8 ounce. There are many days when a straight (swimming) retrieve versus the traditional jigging method will produce better results. The paddletail action of a slow-rolled miniature swimbait can be hard for even the finickiest trout to resist. We will even mix in a few Corkys and MirrOlures later in the month. Two of my favorites are MirrOlure’s MirrOdine XL and Soft-Dine.

I am blessed to be able to fish every day. That’s the good news and I am very thankful. The not-so-good news is that I do not have the luxury of picking the best days to fish. Not every day is a good tide day and the wind gods 12 | September 2015

aren’t always kind. Variables are called such because, well, they vary. Some days can be like a box of chocolates.

However, there is one constant and that is the solunar table. Major and minor feeding periods occur every day.

They usually comprise a one to two hour window. During the summer months when a trout’s metabolic rate is high it may not make much of a difference, they feed often, but during some of the more challenging months such as September it’s critically important. Any advantage during this time will increase your chances for success.

On days when slicks or hovering gulls aren’t pointing you towards the trout, catching redfish can save the day.

It has for me many, many times. Open water schools are typically still very active throughout September even though some are oversized. Soft plastics and swimbaits on 1/4 to 3/8 lead-heads work well for those open bay channel donkeys. Backwater reds are pushing white shrimp up against grass lines and back-lake reefs. Slicks, muddy streaks and terns are what to look for in open water while wakes and mud boils are a no-brainer in the shallows. Bagley’s gold spoons and Salt Water Assassin paddletails are ideal for tricking skinny water reds.

We’re all tired of the heat but it has been a fantastic summer—muggy weather Deep water structure such as and all. There’s plenty to

(above) Gulls over migrating white shrimp will be a good back up plan during late September. (below) Who doesn’t like catching redfish?

old well pads will hold trout like these through early September.

look forward to with dove and teal season approaching. School is back in session and the bays are less crowded. I’m taking a deep breath after a long and hot summer and focusing on what’s ahead in our fishing world. And, if I can’t see what I’m looking for, I’ll just trust my instincts and pray that the next cast hits one on the head.

Contact

Steve Hillman

14 | September 2015

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

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

STORY BY KEVIN COCHRAN

I

like to fish. I like to catch more than I like to fish. Sometimes, environmental factors make the catching difficult. In times like those, savvy anglers consciously make many seemingly small decisions, which profoundly influence the outcome of their efforts over the long haul. In essence, anglers make choices in order to hedge the bet, and improve their odds of catching.

Scant few absolute truths affect the art of angling. Most truths don’t apply one hundred per cent of the time. Still, basing decisions on generally reliable truths and tenets enhances the quest for consistency. Certainly, productive anglers don’t run around without a plan, making choices on whims, hoping the stars will magically align for them.

Using sound and solid operating principles does create a more predictable and consistent outcome. Still, the catching will prove slow at times, especially for anglers who choose to use artificial lures exclusively. Often, when I experience slow catching with my customers, two statements will be uttered, normally from a polite perspective.

When things aren’t going as we’d like, customers frequently say, “Oh well, that’s why they call it fishing, not catching.” I appreciate the underlying reasons they say this, and acknowledge the implied truth which serves as a foundation for the statement. All angling efforts involve an element of luck. Making decisions which reduce the effects of luck creates a higher rate of consistency. But, eliminating luck from the equation simply isn’t possible.

Certainly, ignoring the need for solid operating principles and sound decisions will elevate the need for luck. Some of my customers seem willing to give up on using reliable tenets, preferring to leave everything to chance. Those folks regularly say the following to me, often when we’re discussing lure choice and/or

presentation--”Hey, you never know.”

Again, the implicit premise driving the statement relates to the fact that most truths aren’t absolutes. Still, relying on consistent truths proves far more productive over time than constantly experimenting and hoping to stumble on something that works, moment by moment. In essence, “You never know” is NOT an operating principle at all, it’s an admission of ignorance of those principles.

The basic problem for beginning and novice anglers starts with their ignorance of sound, solid operating principles and procedures. No one can rely on something Recognizing when a few, unless they can scattered large fish swim first identify it. How within range allows one to should anglers go grind for a few bites and find success, as did Tim Zbylot on about learning the this windy spring day. pertinent operating 18 | September 2015

principles? I say they should beg, borrow and steal them! In the following paragraphs, I will offer up a few important ones.

The arguably most important tenets relate to the timing of the outing and the location(s) where the effort will be made. One should always consider the season and weather when making these decisions. In the colder half of the year, fishing late in the afternoon and into the first hour of night often proves more productive than efforts made earlier in the day.

Conversely, in the warmer half of the year, fishing in the predawn darkness and into the first hour of light shows the highest level of consistency. If pressed, I’d say the breaking of day consistently stimulates a feeding mood in speckled trout better than any other factor. So, serious-minded anglers should consciously fish one “light change” or the other, starting before daylight or staying out until the blanket of darkness fully covers the bay.

While doing so, one should also rely on another sound principle, and remain prepared to properly and safely navigate in the dark, if using a boat. Doing so means understanding how to use the GPS, and keeping the Q-Beam functional and at the ready. Honestly, some people have no business running around on the bays in the dark. Those people will have to find some other way to hedge the bet.

In addition to thinking about the best time to fish, anglers should carefully consider where to stop and make the effort, again factoring in the season and weather. In the colder half of the year, especially while north winds blow and water temperatures drop down low, Clint Shack caught this fishing along leeward shorelines protected pretty trout in prefrom the chilling effects of the winds makes dawn darkness in latewinter, when targeting good sense. Areas with structural elements big trout during such in shallow water lying close to a deep, open a time-frame proves basin provide the greatest chances for consistently productive. success in such conditions.

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Conversely, in the warmer half of the year, When targeting large trout in fishing windward shorelines often provides clear water, cloud cover creates a better results. In general, the windy side of a better situation for enticing bites in the middle of the day. Jason structural element, cove, or even a whole body Flores caught this long, colorful of water, provides better odds for catching than specimen around lunch time the leeward side. To a point, of course. Too much under a heavy gray canopy. wind will render the previous statement false.

Understanding exactly what “too much wind” is in a given place becomes important in making the decision of where to fish.

I add one other element into my basic way of operating, as relates to the location. I think of several similar spots within an area before embarking on a journey. If my expectations about signs of life and ease of catching aren’t met at the first stop, I’ll make a short move to another spot close by, to check those things there. I don’t want to crash and burn when I experience a slow start, hoping things change at the first spot, especially if I’ve gone fishing early in the morning.

Making a short move provides more information about the feeding mood of the fish, presence of bait, and other factors.

Once an angler has chosen a time and place to fish, and arrived on always like to see plenty of bait activity on the surface to indicate a the scene, other truths come into play. I target trophy speckled trout high likelihood of a topwater bite. when fishing, almost always by wading, rather than fishing from the Wind speeds and water quality also dictate which types of lures boat, and those choices affect the principles on which I rely. First and will likely work best in a given situation. Calm weather and clear foremost, one should always carry everything needed when wading. water elevate the effectiveness of small, quiet lures in natural It makes no sense to leave the boat without pliers, leader material, colors, especially under bright skies. Windy weather and turbid and a few lures. I carry other essentials too—camera, lip balm, water necessitate the use of larger, louder lures, ones with strongly measuring tape, swivels, shades....all of which allow me to continue contrasting colors. Such conditions also favor the use of two “lures” in fishing without the need to go back to the boat. This basic “readiness” concert with each other, meaning a soft plastic dangled under a float springs from a hopeful assumption, the faith that we are always or floating plug. on the verge of accomplishing what we set out to do, to catch, In addition to affecting lure choice, weather and water quality photograph and release a big trout. Leaving the boat without all affect the proper presentation for the moment. Calm, cool weather essential items implies a loss of such faith in the outcome. and clear water suggest a need for slow, subtle presentations, while It’s always a good idea to identify the best small part(s) of the windy, warm weather and turbid water dictate a need for spastic, area and target it or them, with a plan. Picking the proper pace and noisy presentations involving speed bursts and long pauses. The direction of movement to carefully probe all edges, structural elements following fact bears related significance: speed at or near the surface and features inevitably enhances the catching. Doing so means more effectively triggers reaction strikes from fish in hot water, while looking at the area in the mind’s eye and imagining where fish should still or slow-moving lures near the bottom better entice strikes from be present. In essence, such behaviors create a positive approach. finicky fish in cold water.

While maintaining hope, one should narrow the focus in terms of These facts explain why most expert lure-chunkers rely on a low lures chosen and carried along. Great anglers carry and use fewer and slow approach in cold water and a high, fast one in hot water. lures than novices, in general. I normally carry selections in the main And that’s the point, really. Experts rely on various proven principles three families—topwaters, twitch baits and soft plastics. Usually, I when making decisions. Doing so helps them hedge the bet in their have a couple of each, the specific colors and types depending on the favor. The ultimate goal, of course, remains the same all the time, to conditions. I see no reason to carry 40 or 50 selections when wading; make the effort more about the catching, not the fishing! doing so reveals a lack of understanding of the basics of lure choice.

Choosing the optimal lure for the moment means understanding some of the general rules related to what conditions best favor each type. Again, the season and weather partially dictate these truths.

In the colder half of the year, working “up” from soft plastics toward Kevin Cochran is a full-time fishing guide topwaters makes more sense, while in the warmer half of the year, at Corpus Christi (Padre Island), TX. Kevin is a speckled trout fanatic and has created starting with floating plugs and working toward the bottom-huggers several books and dvds on the subject. proves more productive.

Kevin’s home waters stretch from Corpus Specifically, I favor topwaters most when the water temperatures Christi Bay to the Land Cut. range from about 60 to 85°; they seem to be especially productive in Trout Tracker Guide Service the 80-85° range. The floating plugs can and will produce big bites in Phone 361-688-3714 waters outside this range, particularly in 50-something degree water Email kevxlr8@mygrande.net which has recently warmed up, when this occurs during the second Web www.FishBaffinBay.com

www.captainkevblogs.com half of winter. Whatever the time frame and water temperature, I

Contact

Kevin Cochran

20 | September 2015

STORY BY MARTIN STRARUP

S

o the weather straightens up, I’m able to take a day to do some wade fishing during the week this past February, but the tides are almost nonexistent and the amount of water at the ramp where I wanted to unload would barely float a blow-up doll. That’s no problem though, tides go out but they always come back in—or so I thought.

The low tides make me change plans and drive 40 miles out of my way, but I do find enough water to unload the boat and I was extremely happy that I had a FWD pickup.

You’ve been there; a steep ramp, drop the trailer tires off the end of the concrete, rear tires in mud, etc. Getting out of the harbor was exciting as I had to jump straight up on plane while blowing mud and water out the rear of the pocket tunnel and that irritated some guy who was doing some bottom fishing off the end of the pier.

I shrugged my shoulders as to offer an excuse and he laughed and waved back…with all the fingers on one hand, I might add.

My two companions hadn’t said a word while they hid their faces under their caps.

Finding my way out of the channel and into the bay wasn’t a problem at all as most of the spoils were visible above the water. I think the best analogy for that would be that it was like running a boat down a water slide; you know those with sides that resemble a chute? Then when the “sides” vanished I just sort of punched it, raised the motor as high as it would go and hoped nothing had changed since the last time I’d run through there. Someone made

a comment about there not being any other boats on the water and how they were sure missing out on a pretty day.

Always follow your instincts as to where the fish should be; remember that.

We did.

After running to four spots we finally found one that had some bait and although none of it appeared to be nervous or in fear of being eaten, it was the first sign of life in the water that we had seen that morning. There was however one small problem with that particular spot; the bottom had the consistency of a chocolate milkshake with too much milk in it. I’m telling you, everyone I know would have passed on this spot and that’s really bad.

But, being the diehard I am, I encouraged my friends to go ahead and give it a try as since this was not the place I had originally planned to fish, I had some re-rigging to do. I told them I’d catch up. They both slipped out of the boat and then sort of just thrashed around right at the gunnel for a moment. They turned while death-gripping the side of the boat to hand me their rods while they tried their best to keep from vanishing into the sludge.

They were not amused.

After helping them both back into the boat and in the process breaking the suspenders on one friend’s waders as I tried to rescue him from the bowels of the evil sucking muck, we needed to regroup.

Just to show how deep the mud was my friend with the broken suspenders pushed his rod down into it until the water was almost at the reel. I informed him that his waders were drooping and that

TSFMAG.com | 23

24 | September 2015

tide was low, right?

It was more of a climb than he thought it was going to be and in the process he ripped his nice breathable waders on some exposed barnacles. I told him he should have taken them off while immediately placing both of my rods out of his reach as he made some nasty comments about doubting the ancestry of my family dog.

Laughing about it all on the drive back home, we decided that since we were all off the following weekend, we should try it again if there might be a decent tide.

There is a reason that on those pretty days, when the water is calm and green, when the sun shines bright, the wind is light, the sky is clear and when the tide is nonexistent—there are no other boats on the water.

The people who aren’t out there fishing followed their instincts too.

Be Safe! -Martin

Martin Strarup

Contact

it wasn’t a good idea to treat a nice rod that way. He in turn informed me that it wasn’t his rod (that now resembled the stick from a justeaten Fudgsicle), it was mine.

I was not amused.

After washing as much mud as we could out of the boat, cleaning my rod and cutting a length of dock line to serve as a belt for my buddy’s waders, we tried two more spots on the way in. Each stop yielded the same results. Not one blow up, not one nibble or tap, and not one hint that there were any fish in the entire bay system. Heck, we even tried the bay wells in West Matagorda and found nothing. Looking at the barnacles reaching three feet above the waterline on the platform pilings didn’t exactly promote my fishing confidence either.

Convinced that fresh fillets for supper were not in our immediate future we congratulated ourselves on having had a really nice but muddy adventure and headed back to the ramp.

When we found the channel to the boat ramp almost completely void of water that been present when we launched, we had to figure another way to get the boat loaded. There was a pier about a halfmile from the ramp that extended out into deep water but with the tide so low we almost didn’t make it to the T-head. I knew of a deepwater ramp in a harbor not far away that would allow us to load up— but someone was going to have to walk back to the truck and drive the rig over there. I reminded my two friends that it was my boat so I should run it to the harbor. They both reminded me that it was my truck too, so shouldn’t I be the one to drive it to the ramp?

It was all in jest though and my friend with the sagging waders took my keys and climbed up to the pier. I did mention that the

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.

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STORY BY CHUCK UZZLE

A

s the hum of the outboard wound down and the water washed up along my transom I walked to the front of my boat past my son, Hunter, and pointed to a stretch of shoreline dotted with familiar landmarks. My smile came automatically as we neared the exact spot I had caught the very first redfish in November 1983. “It all started right here,” I proclaimed to Hunter as the memory replayed in my mind so vividly it would make today’s high-definition television jealous. I could see the whole episode unfold in front of me for the zillionth time and it was every bit as good as the first, maybe better.

My first foray into saltwater fishing began with my neighbor, Chris Gunn in the winter of 1983.

Chris had been a diehard fisherman for as long as I had known him and he had a very specific approach to fishing at this time of the year. He loved fishing the river, especially in the cold when the redfish would run the shorelines eating anything that didn’t eat them first. Our usual trips started with a coin flip to see who would drive the boat, the winner got to lie down in the bottom and stay warm while we made the run—the coin toss was important.

His old Grumman aluminum hull had the structural integrity of overcooked fettuccini; you could literally watch it flex like an inch worm as we increased speed or encountered choppy water. No matter what it looked like it always got us there and back and that’s all that mattered— at least that’s all that mattered to us at the time.

Once we reached our stretch of shoreline we followed a simple game plan—chunk, wind and hope. The technique was neither pretty nor very scientific but, man oh man was it effective. Lure selection for us consisted of either a gold or chrome Rat-L-Trap, that’s it, zero complications and proven results. We would run miles of empty shoreline making thousands of casts until we found them and then all of the bone-chilling cold and fruitless hours would become distant memories.

I remember the first redfish I ever caught ate a gold Rat-L-Trap and immediately began taking drag like nothing I had ever seen. Up to this point all I had ever caught were fresh water fish and they seldom if ever took drag and certainly not like this redfish was doing. I was floored at the

Along the shorelines of the Sabine River is where it all started for me!

strength of the fish and even more excited once I got my hands on it. I was completely taken by the experience and knew I wanted more.

Each successive trip did nothing but make my infatuation with the sport grow exponentially until I was able to get my own boat and begin branching out even farther. To this day I trace back my fishing career to that one day and that first fish that started me along a lifetime path of great moments and great people. That one simple act of one person inviting another to share the boat and some knowledge can be a far greater act than any of us can imagine.

Fast forward many years and many fishing trips, my enthusiasm for fishing has not diminished in the least. I get a huge kick out of catching fish and an even bigger kick out of teaching or coaching others how to catch them. As a guide or professional fisherman it’s my duty and/or privilege to help recruit new anglers to the sport or to help other anglers improve their skills so they can enjoy it even more.

I recently had a great conversation about this very topic with James Trimble, one of the better fishermen and guides I’ve ever had the pleasure of sharing a boat with. “Trim” is an exceptionally accomplished guide and well-known by many in the industry for his laid back approach and Coaching others to ability to find fish. These days he spends most become successful of his time on a baseball field watching his son anglers is as much fun as rather than at the helm of his boat searching for catching them yourself. the next bite but he still remains in touch with what’s going on along the coast.

Our conversation centered around how we, as guides, took for granted that everyone out there in the recreational knowledge so when you share anything with them, including just world understood fishing and techniques like we do. Things basic information, they are blown away.” like what particular knot to use or how to approach a flock of birds It’s always been my belief that the majority of guides and working schooling trout, these are things that “we as guides” just tournament anglers believe that everyone else fishes like they figured everybody knew and understood. do because everyone they hang out with fishes like that. Truth “I can’t tell you how many fishing questions I answer at my son’s is though, the portion of the fishing world that is comprised of baseball games or practices,” said James, “people are starving for guides and tournament anglers is probably just a fraction of one percent of the total fishing One of my very community. There are fondest memories of infinitely more recreational taking kids fishing. fishermen out there compared to the “upper end” guys and in most cases they fish differently but—almost to a man they would like to know more about the sport in order to get better and catch more fish.

I personally enjoy answering emails or just having talks with fishermen who ask questions or just want to share information. The best correspondence however is when a fisherman contacts you and tells you how well they have done using a particular technique or bait that you recommended or 28 | September 2015

it to all the anglers to share that knowledge if possible. The best way to perpetuate our sport is to recruit new people and help them to be successful. Taking kids fishing is an obvious way to recruit new anglers but don’t forget the adults. There are many people out there who have never fished so they have no way of knowing if they will like it or not. Invite a new angler to go with you sometime, make the trip simple and educational so they are comfortable and can enjoy it. If at all possible take a new angler when they can be successful, nothing turns off perspective fishermen like a long day with no fish.

Each and every one of us who fish had to start somewhere and without a doubt we are all glad there was someone willing to not only take us but to teach us as well. Remember that next time a new angler quizzes you about a fishing subject or actually gets in the boat with you. A little bit of effort or courtesy on your part could help propel a future angler towards a lifetime of enjoyment.

Chuck Uzzle

Contact

showed them how to use. Enjoying their success along with them is extremely gratifying.

There is no doubt that each and every fisherman has something to offer their peers, even the slightest bit of knowledge can be helpful, never underestimate that fact. Be willing and receptive to others when you are asked a question, take it as a compliment and do your best to help if possible. I had the occasion to be quizzed by some young fishermen at an outdoors show once about various knots and when was the best time to use a particular one. I took out a couple of different lures from my bag along with some mono, braid, and fluorocarbon to show them some examples. After a couple of minutes a crowd began to gather and before we knew it we had an impromptu seminar happening in the middle of the aisle. The two young anglers were front and center taking in all the examples and asking to tie some of the knots as well, it was very enjoyable to watch the process unfold in front of me.

These days I have noticed more and more fishermen wanting to use guides to teach and instruct them rather than to use them to merely catch a cooler full of fish. Many of my clients at one time or another just wanted to ride around and look at the lake so they could come back and fish on their own. Having someone like a guide who is very familiar with the lake will help you navigate much more safely and comfortably than perhaps learning through The School of Hard Knocks or The Lower Unit University. Some clients are interested in learning a particular technique for catching fish, perhaps learning to cast a fly line or techniques for topwaters. The potential list of subject matter is endless when it comes to fishing knowledge and we owe

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

409-697-6111 cuzzle@gt.rr.com

TSFMAG.com | 29

Close-up of big redfish in Matagorda Bay, caught on a jig that looked good enough for reds on the surface that were busting small crabs.

STORY BY JOE RICHARD

L

abor Day can be considered the peak of bull redfish season, because they’re massed in large schools, ready to spawn and hungry for mullet. These huge reds prefer jetties and passes for such duties.

That’s when a lowered chunk of mullet is instantly grabbed, because whatever they’re doing down there, it gives them quite an appetite. At such times there’s no use in setting out more than one rod, because multiple hookups can turn into a mess. Our method was pretty fast, and we didn’t wear these fish out much, grabbing the 200-pound mono leaders and horsing them in. One afternoon we landed 46 without pulling anchor. When our bait ran out, the two guys, both teenagers, never wanted to see another. They were hurting, and so was my lower back.

We have caught hundreds in this manner over the years, too many to count. Mostly during daytime hours, but also on night trips when we were younger and didn’t mind fishing until midnight or so. Or even camping overnight in the boat. The vast majority of these big reds were caught with fairly heavy tackle, Penn Senator 4/0 reels with 50-pound line. That was a little heavy for these fish, but it was easy fishing if a current was running. Set out four rods with at least eight ounces of lead and a great big circle hook, and heavy leader that could handle tarpon, and then sit back and wait.

When a rod doubled over, you set your

drink down, wrenched the rod out of the One of Mike Spencer’s crew holder with some effort, and went to work. subdues a bull redfish near Rollover The circle hooks never seemed to miss.

Pass. Is that baitfish nearby?

Each fish was lifted aboard, unhooked and dropped overboard. That is, until August, 1996, when a teenage girl showed up on my guide boat with a new fishing license that carried an annual tag for oversized redfish. Hours later we tossed her 44-inch red on the marina dock and it must have been the first one seen there in decades.

After boating six reds, we’d left them biting out of control. The big fish wasn’t considered edible, so my wife made a Gyotaku print from the ponderous fish, and also a fiberglass mold.

Looking back to those years, we should have experimented with lighter tackle, but we were in tarpon waters and had to be prepared. Bull reds were just part of the day and we’d pretty much horse them in; our baits were practically under the boat and these fish seldom pulled more than 20 yards of line off the reel. The heavier tackle helped because there was often a strong current in Pass Cavallo in those days, A bull redfish completely clears not like today’s anemic, pitiful flow. We were the water, attacking baitfish. Out always anchored out there, so a trout rod of reach of the surf-fishing crowd, would have been useless for big reds. And unfortunately. Unless they launch a surfboard, kayak or jonboat. pure Mickey Mouse, if a tarpon latched on.

But there is intermediate tackle that would have been great on the slow-current days, that also offers a fighting chance with tarpon, if you can ever get the anchor raised in time, and follow that tarpon with the boat.

It’s a plausible scenario: There are too many slow-current days on this coast, unfortunately. (It’s the days leading up to and including the full and new moons that get some real current movement).

More recently, we’ve landed quite a few big reds on It was easy to cast at the swirls, but not so easy somewhat lighter tackle, and after that when a red latched on. That’s about had more fun, but without 250 pounds of redfish dragged aboard and killing the fish with too-light released. At least they were easy to land from a equipment. I acquired a brace of boat with low sides. “sailfish rods” popular in South My toughest redfish ever was caught on an Florida, seven-foot medium rods Ambassadeur 6500 reel with 20-pound line, with spin reels, normally packed and that fish was very tough on a hot August with 20-pound line. I filled the afternoon. I cast at a swirl near the jetties reels with sturdy 25-pound Ande and he hit on the surface, he must have been line, which can still cast a good feeding on small, migrating crabs. It was like ways and take a lot of abuse. fighting a ling with attitude; at least 20 minutes With that gear I’ve slugged it of touch-and-go in 95⁰ heat. I fought him hard out with big reds busting the but knew the slightest miscue would have surface, and it was like fighting broken the line, and finally grabbed him by a ling all day. Holy smokes, what a gill plate and dragged him aboard. workout. Nine bull reds landed Bull reds can also be sight-cast to each in a row on Matagorda Bay, from summer, when schooling just off Texas beaches. my anchored boat. They were This past June during that outrageous stretch busting the surface here and of unusually calm weather, Port Arthur friend there, for hundreds of yards, and Mike Spencer once again launched his jonboat at first I thought they were jacks. and was out there off Rollover, not another I began throwing a green and boat in sight, fighting orange, one-ounce jig that must Author subdues a ponderous redfish bull reds that were have looked like a fleeing crab. near the Matagorda jetties, caught on a 32 | September 2015

baitcaster reel with 20-pound line. Suitable for mounting, though it was released.

34 | September 2015

So, monster redfish can be taken on whippy fly tackle, probably a 9-weigh rod or higher. He says they can be sight-cast to, though they don’t actually tail like big black drum. But these reds are so big, they displace water and can be seen.

That would be a kick, catching huge bull reds on fly tackle. Much better than our old reliable method of 4/0 tackle and mullet baits.

Joe Richard

Joe Richard has fished the Gulf since 1967, starting out of Port Arthur, but his adventures have taken him up and down the entire coast. He was the editor of Tide magazine for eight years, and later Florida Sportsman’s book and assistant magazine editor. He began guiding out of Port O’Connor in 1994. His specialty is big kingfish, and his latest book is The Kingfish Bible, New Revelations. Available at Seafavorites.com

Contact

busting menhaden on the surface.

Another bull red caught on a jig Somehow Mike took the time to in Matagorda Bay. This is hard take a few pictures, when most of us work, but somebody has to do it. would have been tossing topwater plugs at these ravenous fish. But then, maybe he needed a break. It was infinitely more exciting, than anchoring a boat and waiting for a bite, using dead bait on bottom. This was another instance where a big spin reel could have reached far out there with a topwater plug. Mike’s crew that day was actually using heavier tarpon gear, impossible to cast, but just seeing bull reds busting the surface was exciting and he may now start carrying casting gear for this unique action.

Once again, his aluminum boat put him out there where the big reds bite, while the Rollover crowd nearby could only watch. (Another salute to jonboats.)

This underscores why a boat captain should carry an assortment of tackle. You can’t predict what the day will bring, A big silver spoon produced this nice redfish for Dale Fontenot and if amazing topwater action of Vidor. A school of big reds develops, what a thrill to have bull was hanging around a platform redfish busting up your topwater offshore, and spoons lowered plugs. One of the guides who is deep were very effective. keen on this technique is Curtiss Cash in POC, who always carries a couple of big spinner outfits with huge topwater plugs. The spinners carry nononsense, 65-pound braid line, which can take serious abuse. Curtiss has a spot where the big jacks cruise around in a horde of several hundred, and chunking a huge topwater plug in front of them is a sight to see, something his fishermen won’t forget.

I think the upper Texas coast has far more schools of bull redfish prowling off the beach, however. There are far more baitfish schools off that stretch of beach, mostly menhaden, though they did reach POC this summer. These precious schools of “pogey” are a supermarket for tarpon, reds, jacks, blacktip shark and other fish. (Menhaden absolutely deserve protection from commercial net harvest just off the coast, something that has gone on for about 25 years too long. A big mistake in protecting the finfish resource in Texas).

If you get into bull redfish this month, there is no need to gaff these fish. A landing net may not suffice, because they’re heavy. We grab them by the tail and sling them aboard. If they’re too heavy for that, someone can lift on the leader at one end, while someone else lifts the tail. This is a very easy fish to catch-and-release. And a big circle hook almost always lip-hooks them. Best to go single-hook on the big plugs or spoons, however; digging a thick treble hook out of a big red isn’t fun, and most needle-nose pliers aren’t up to the task.

And forget those frail, aluminum “hookouts.”

Even lighter tackle works on bull reds, but in shallow water. I recently fished with the “Montajun” guide Capt. Marty Authement, who guides for trout in Montana each summer, and then concentrates on bull reds each winter around his home base of Houma, Louisiana. Marty has pictures of ponderous redfish, all bigger than 40 inches, taken each autumn in the Louisiana marsh—many of them taken with fly tackle. In the shallow marshes, these reds can’t dive and go deep, so they run all over the marsh until they tire out.

He says each fish doesn’t require a half hour to land, but “close to it.”

HOW-TO SEMIN AR

STORY AND PHOTOS BY EVERETT JOHNSON & TSFMAG STAFF WRITERS

In my editor’s column a while back I invited readers to email suggestions regarding content they would like to see presented in future issues of this magazine. One reader wrote that at the 2015 Houston Fishing Show, he noted overwhelming attendance and audience participation at the flounder seminars. “Please consider a flounder fishing how-to,” he wrote. “Your writing team would be an excellent source of how-where-when strategies and techniques to enable us to catch more flounder.”

Flounder thrive in every Texas bay system; so what we have put together is a comprehensive presentation of flounder techniques that covers the entire Texas coastline, beginning in the flounderrich estuary of Sabine Lake and reaching all the way through the Lower Laguna Madre.

The TSFMag writing team’s advice on the topic of how-where-when to target flounder is presented in region-specific format to enable readers to become more proficient in their home waters as well as other regions and bay systems in which they may not be as familiar. You will find explicit explanations of areas to target, bait and lure selection, best times and conditions, among other tidbits garnered through literally hundreds of years of experience. I trust readers will find this presentation informative and helpful in improving their fishing success. After all—the southern flounder is one of the famed Texas Inshore Trio—and they are a hoot to catch!

— Everett Johnson-Editor

TSFMAG.com | 37

Upper Coast Chuck Uzzle – Sabine Lake Before I go very far I want to confess that while flounder are well down my list of species to target they rate right near the top of my list of species to eat. I personally have a hard time slowing myself down long enough to truly target flounder; I guess I’m just wired a little different than some folks. However, on those occasions when conditions get right I can hustle flatfish with the best of them.

Easily, my favorite season to target flatties is autumn. They congregate predictably and the average size of the fish I catch is much better than any other time of the year. October and November are my two best months and I have been known to sling live baits as quickly as chunk lures. Using lures is easier in some respects—you don’t have to locate and catch lures with a cast net nor do you have to keep them alive.

Berkley’s Saltwater GULP sits kind of in the middle of both worlds and its effectiveness over the last decade has made it the go-to bait for many flatfish aficionados. There’s just an absolute ton of fish taken on GULP during the flounder run each fall—the white and glow 4-inch swimming mullet (curly-tail) are about like dynamite on a jighead. It’s hard to dispute the numbers that GULP produces but if you want to catch a truly big flounder you really need to consider

throwing some meat. Live finger mullet, small croaker and shad are tops on my list for big flounder.

My best flounder trips have all been in or near deep water during the fall months and I have had considerably more success throwing live bait than artificials for flounder weighing 3-plus pounds. Without a doubt Capt. Dickie Colburn is the best flounder fisherman I have ever been around. Dickie told me a long time ago, “Big flounder want meat,” and I certainly believe him after seeing some of his stringers over the years.

The only drawback to the live bait technique is that its very spot specific, unlike the artificial method where it’s much easier to cover ground. Finding the right bottom contour or structure along with some help from a tide change (current) is the key for the live bait method. Put these factors in your corner and you could end up with a stringer that will turn your fishing buddies green with envy.

The basic Carolina rig with a 3/8 or 1/2 ounce sinker above a barrel swivel and a foot or so of leader tied to a live bait hook is all you need.

A handful of frisky finger mullet or other baitfish cast to the proper spot should gain you some action from the better-sized flounder.

Keep a couple for dinner and be sure to follow all the game laws.

Dickie Colburn - Sabine Lake Due to extensive overfishing (commercial netting) that limited us to chasing mostly school trout and the fact that reds were taken for granted with few regulations, I built my guiding career on the back of a very healthy flounder fishery. Forty years later, thanks to the efforts of CCA, trophy trout and backwater reds are now the meal ticket but the things I learned about catching flounder in those days have not changed.

Rather than discuss catching flounder during angler-friendly migrations, I will pass along a few tips for catching them year round.

When fishing Sabine Lake, we target the flooded root systems of the thicker stands of roseau cane and drains leading into the marsh on an incoming tide. When the outgoing tide exposes the roots, look for the same fish to move only a short distance and wait out the next incoming tide in a little deeper water.

When fishing water ten feet or deeper, any type of structure that diverts current is critical for me. Either tide direction is fine as I will concentrate on the downstream side of that structure. I prefer to fish this with a Carolina rig with a large enough egg weight to keep the

bait in contact with the bottom and a 2/0 or 3/0 Kahle hook.

GULP products have been a legitimate game changer since they hit the market but every flounder I have ever caught in excess of six pounds ate a live shad, mud minnow or finger mullet in deep water.

For years I fished the shallow shorelines with a horse head jig with a curl-tail body tipped with shrimp or a four inch tube jig with a piece of shrimp stuffed inside the body cavity and both options still work well.

Because I seldom if ever target flounder exclusively anymore, I now catch the majority of my flounder on a chartreuse or white GULP swimming mullet rigged on a quarter ounce head, a four inch Assassin Sea Shad rigged on a swimbait hook or a three inch Usual Suspect swimbait. Any time I am using plastic I add a scent and seem to have better luck with any product that has menhaden oil in the recipe. I also believe that fishing braided line provides a huge advantage in not only detecting lighter strikes, but setting the hook as well.

These techniques and patterns work year round for me. Even following the fall migration we continue to catch flounder fishing this deep water program throughout the colder months.

Steve Hillman - Galveston Bay Complex Welcomed cooler weather will be here before we know it. LateSeptember offers us opportunities to deviate from chasing trout and focus on different species. Flounder rank at the top of the list for many. There’s not a better tasting fish in the bay in my opinion and 38 | September 2015

targeting them can be quite fun.

Prior to their fall exodus to the Gulf, flounder will reside near bayou drains, small cuts and passes. This holds true for Galveston Bay and most bays along the Texas coast. Timing is imperative as

flounder become more aggressive (as do most other species) when there is good current flow. I like to fish areas such as a small bayou mouth that flows into the bay. The best tide in my opinion is a peak high tide leading up to an outgoing. The outward current will bring with it morsels such as shrimp, shad and finger mullet. This scenario applies to other areas such as the mouth of the Trinity River (Anahuac Pocket) and even breaks in geotubes at the front of some West Galveston Bay coves.

Aside from the old standby finger mullet or mud minnows, there are many “fake baits” that will trick flatties too. One of the most popular in the soft plastic category is a curly-tail grub. This bait was basically put on the map years ago by Mister Twister, but there are many other manufacturers with similar products. Salt Water Assassin’s 4-inch Curly Shad is a great choice. Choosing the most effective color to use really depends on the water clarity and amount of sunlight. Darker colors work well in cloudy water and brighter colors get the job done when there is better visibility. Some of my personal favorites are red shad, chicken-on-a-chain and red with a white tail. Berkley GULP 4-inch Swimming Mullet is hard for them

to resist as well. I typically use 1/8 or 1/4 ounce jigheads adjusting accordingly for current swiftness. Retrieval method is not all that complicated when tossing a soft plastic or a GULP. Simply dragging along the bottom at a slow to medium speed with an occasional twitch will work. Once you feel the initial tap or thump, wait a second before setting the hook.

The annual “flounder run” around here really gets going good in late-October and is usually in full swing by November.

Depending upon cold fronts or the lack thereof, early-December can be phenomenal as well. As the water temperature continues to fall flounder will congregate in well-known areas such as the Galveston Ship Channel. It’s not uncommon to see 100 fishermen lining the banks from Seawolf Park to the Pelican Island Bridge when it gets show time. Other hotspots include areas around the Bolivar Ferry Landing and the North Jetty boat cut. The same lures are effective as were recommended for September. However, heavier jigheads come into play in the deeper areas mentioned.

A 3/8 ounce would be a better choice when fishing in 18 feet of water in the channel or at the jetties.

Dave Roberts – Sabine Lake I am a kayak angler and as you may already know, fishing out of a kayak definitely has its pros and cons. The greatest benefit is the ability to fish where other boats simply cannot go, and here on the upper edge of the Upper Coast, this means being able to access top-notch marsh and other habitat anglers in larger boats can only dream of reaching.

Flounder can be found scattered all across the bays, bayous and back lakes and there is essentially no wrong way to fish for them.

I have caught them on all sorts of lures: Norton Sand Eels, Corkys, Rat-L-Traps and gold spoons. However, if I was to target flounder specifically, large flounder, I would go about it in a completely different way.

I have come to learn that flounder love to hang around walls— manmade bulkheads, jetty rocks, etc. Luckily, here on Sabine Lake, we have a rock wall that runs in the ship channel. This wall attaches to the big jetty and is made of square rocks. It is an ideal structure for holding good numbers, and large ones. My favorite thing about the wall is that you can paddle right up to it, get out and stand on it.

When you can do this you are able to walk the wall and jig directly beside it; the flounder will lay right next the wall.

Being on top of the wall will allow you to keep your lure in the strike zone longer. Even when fishing bulkheads you are able to cast parallel with the base of the structure. Anglers in larger boats can usually only cast perpendicular to the wall, and can only cover so much water with one cast.

My favorite flounder lures for jigging the wall are a green curly-tail GULP or Chicken Boy’s Bubba Clucker. I like to rig these on 1/4 ounce jigheads and prefer a fairly stiff rod as most of my hooksets will be straight up and down. The extra backbone in the rod is essential for driving the hook home in their bony jaws. I also believe that using spray-on attractants and/or scented lures can be a complete game

changer. Of the “Texas slam” species, I believe flounder use their sense of smell more than speckled trout and redfish. Keeping your GULP fresh and applying spray-on scent frequently definitely seems to draw more strikes.

Throughout the years I have caught some really big flounder right on the edge of walls. I only got to see my largest-ever for a few seconds—she slipped out of my hands after she broke my rod tip and then the line. She was by far the biggest I have ever witnessed and would have been entered in the CCA Texas STAR, had I landed her. I honestly believe that if I had the time and patience I could win the STAR fishing these walls. Use your kayak to your advantage and fish places that other anglers find tough to access. Find some structure, stay close to it, and find you a wall-hanger.

Dave with a “yak” flattie.

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Middle Coast Scott Null – Lower Galveston Bays and Seadrift/Port O’Connor In my day-to-day fishing I don’t typically target flounder. They aren’t exactly the best species for sight-casting. However, every once in a while a customer wants one for dinner. In the marsh, that means heading for a drain. Any place where the tide is being forced through a funnel on an outgoing tide is a prime target zone. The shallower edges up against the marsh grass are the most likely ambush spots, but it isn’t uncommon to pull one out of the deepest part of the wash.

If they’re strictly fly fishing I’ll have them tie on a weighted Clouser or other minnow-style fly. For conventional tackle guys, a jighead with a paddletail will work but, if we’re getting serious, a white curlytail grub is the go-to. And, if the wife has demanded a flounder for dinner it’s time to pull out the white curly-tail Gulp.

Once you are in the right place with the right lure tied on it becomes a game of patience. While there are times that they’re active and feeding aggressively, most days it comes down to thoroughly working every inch of bottom waiting for that tell-tale “tick” on the line. I like to start on the left side of the drain and then start moving to the right a few inches with each successive cast. If it doesn’t happen on this drain, move on to the next.

Now my wife on the other hand tends not to give up on a drain nearly as quickly as I do. She is one of the best marsh flounder fishers I know. While I’ll lose interest and move on to hunting redfish, she’ll sit tight and keep working the same drain. When I swing back by she’ll still be at the same spot and often have two or three flounder on the stringer. I swear she just pesters them until they surrender, but it does show that patience will pay off. If you have confidence in the location, chances are good there’s a flounder or two in the vicinity and if you pester them long enough they’ll eventually eat.

We don’t get them on fly very often, but they’re a hoot when we do.

Shellie Gray – Seadrift/Port O’Connor Fishing for flounder here on our part of the middle-Texas coast can be a challenging yet very rewarding experience. I am asked quite often if I catch flounder on a daily basis and my answer is always no, but not because we don’t have good numbers of flounder.

The simple truth is that during my average day of guiding I do not usually target them. Yes, we catch a flounder here and there but honestly you need to intentionally fish for flounder in order to catch numbers of them by rod and reel method. Let me give you a little insight as to how it’s done.

It is no secret that flounder typically hang close to or in cuts and inlets. Cuts and/or inlets are the ideal location for flounder to lie low and let the tide movement push bait from one body of water into the next. Wading is really a must in my opinion in order to be as successful as possible. Also, since most of these inlets are narrow, 40 | September 2015

they are best fished by no more than one to two anglers at a time.

I prefer falling tide and find it best to start your wade on the side of the cut or slough the current is sweeping the strongest so that your offering has a more natural appearance during the retrieve. Anything from fresh-dead shrimp to 4-inch GULP! Swimming Mullet will work, pumpkinseed is one of my favorite colors. I usually rig my GULP and other lures on 1/8 ounce jigs.

Fishing on or very close to bottom is a must and I like to make sure they have it solidly in their grasp before setting the hook.

Flounder strikes are often very light, sometimes barely a “tap” or a series of light taps—quite unlike the “thump” we get with trout and redfish. That subtle bite can be tough to detect at times and you may miss more than you hook, while you are getting the hang of it—don’t get discouraged.

I usually find that landing the bait near the shore and then applying a slow jigging retrieve to the middle of the cut works the best. Many times they seem to be lying on the sloping bank that drops down into the cut, facing the current. But you also need to make sure and work all the area in front of you, fanning your casts in all directions.

As always when wading, and even more so wade fishing for flounder, move forward slowly and stop when you get a bite as

there very well could be more and you certainly do not want to walk past them. Be careful, most cuts can have a very muddy bottom that can make it difficult to maneuver. They also have steep drop offs and can go from waist deep to over your head in just one step—go slow and be cautious!

One last tip—even if you do not customarily use a landing net when wade fishing—a quality net that floats at your side is the best way to get a good grip on your prize.

Jay Watkins – Rockport Region It is amazing how quickly the middle-coast flounder population rebounded in the wake of revised TPWD regulations several years ago. Goes to show you what conservative fisheries management can provide. I observed an almost immediate increase in the numbers of flounder I was catching—and not just during the fall run but also during summer months. I seldom target flounder with so-called “traditional” flounder lures, opting to use the 5” Bass Assassins as my first choice and then the 3” or 4” Bass Assassin Sea Shad. I seldom use a lure with a contrasting (dipped) tail of any color and don’t even own a red and white color pattern in any type of plastic. Reasoning behind my thought process here is that I believe flounder fishing can be likened to prime commercial real estate—location, location, location.

I prefer areas of scattered shell where you typically find strong tidal currents. Areas with distinct lips or edges where solid shell meets scattered shell over softer bottom seems to hold and produce the best numbers of large flounder in my area. Deep-water access is also important—in relative proximity to a major landmass (shoreline), that leads toward a pass or channel to the Gulf. Applying effort in regions/structures described over my career has logged some 20- to 30 fish days.

Areas along main-bay shorelines adjacent to backcountry drains (sloughs) where pounding waves create a gut or trough running parallel to the shore are also favorites. Flounder in these guts tend to run toward the small size during summer but highly predictable.

In the mouths of the drains and also in the hard turns or bends along their course, flounder will stack during periods of peak water movement and these fish tend to run larger on average.

If asked to predict best times for flounder success, I like three to four days leading into full moon when tides are seasonally low—July and August. Other “better” days would be anytime the tide is moving hard—September through November.

Best bait for me is a 5” Shad Bass Assassin in plum or white and I also like the 3” and 4” Bass Assassin Sea Shad—plum, morning glory and white. I rig all my soft plastic baits on 1/16 or 1/8 ounce Bass Assassin Spring Lock Jigheads; size 2/0 or 1/0.

I strike a flounder the same as I would any fish—hard, after quickly cranking down to load the line and the rod. Good thing about missing or losing a flounder is that they tend to settle to bottom

right where you missed the bite or they got off. Knowing the line you cast on and/or the approximate area you lost the fish will allow for a quick replay and maybe another shot.

I never use a net for landing flounder and probably should. Billy Gerke owner of ForEverlast Hunting and Fishing Products makes a great one that floats so it does not hang on the scattered clump shell I prefer for finding the biggest of the flat fish. I find that women have the best touch when it comes to catching flounder. I would love to know the reasoning behind this.

Guide- Jay Watkins

Renee Watkins with a 4th of July low-tide flounder; white 5” Bass Assassin, 2 days before full moon.

David Rowsey – Upper Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay For years here in the Upper Laguna and Baffin, targeting flounder was never a viable option. There just weren’t that many to be caught and certainly not enough to be targeted. Since TPWD revised the flounder bag limit and closed the fishery to gigging during the 42 | September 2015

spawning migration, we have seen a profound impact on rod and reel catch rates. As of 2014 I can confidently target flounder with clients, with decent success most days.

Obviously, I’m on the water more than the average guy but,

Flounder Habits & Lures for Catching Them

By Everett Johnson Flounder are downright vicious in terms of their feeding habits; one look at their teeth and the way their jaws close ought to tell you that.

Another thing to remember is that they have no swim bladder and are not capable of suspending at a given depth as other game fish do. They are either swimming (which requires effort and consumes energy) or lying on bottom. This fact is a large part of the reason they feed while lying on bottom facing into the current, waiting on food to be delivered. Any artificial bait that can be effectively worked very low in the water column or bounced along the bottom will catch them (they’re vicious, remember that). Given that water clarity and light penetration might be iffy at whatever depth they are lying, lures that rattle, click or vibrate during the presentation are known to be especially effective. Many anglers believe scented plastics have an advantage over plain ones. Berkley’s GULP is about the equivalent of tipping your jig with dynamite.

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The venerable Johnson Sprite is a great lure for many species—flounder included. Sometimes the bottom can be a bit cluttered; grass, shell, etc.

Refitting with a stout single hook, barb pointing up, can help keep it running in the strike zone. Spoons should be fished slowly for flounder, slow enough they’ll wobble and not twirl like a propeller. If you’re not that patient you should probably add a barrel swivel to prevent twist accumulating in your line.

Displayed above are TTF Red Killers—modified versions. The lure on the top is shortened so the hook can be positioned closer to the tail. On the bottom you will notice a notch has been made in the section between body and tail. This loosens it up the wiggle action to create more underwater vibration.

Some readers will likely remember the Acme Kastmaster, we do not see them around near much as we used to. This Johnson Splinter is pretty similar, and another good number to keep in your wade box or other handy spot for flatfish.

The good ol’ weedless spoon; everybody knows redfish love ‘em. Tie one on next time you’re in a good flounder hole…and hold on. There’s something almost magical about the wobble and wiggle of a Johnson Silver Minnow (even if it’s gold, or copper, or of the many new painted colors.) Bagley makes a great one too. Carry a hook hone to keep that point “sticky” sharp.

I saved the Berkley GULP for last, kind of afraid that once you try it you will be reluctant to try all the other artificial lures.

This stuff works, no doubt about it. Never, ever challenge my wife to a fishing contest if she has a bag of GULP in her pocket and you’re throwing plain old plastic—just take my word for it.

TSFMAG.com | 43

learning to catch flounder consistently has been a new chapter in my book. Simply put, I have had to learn to catch them just as I had to learn to start catching trout over 25 years ago—just like anyone else getting into the game.

When I first started catching them down here, they just happened to be haunting the same areas as the trout I was targeting. In most cases it was a combination of shallow, windward shorelines with bottom that consisted of a sand-mud-grass mix. I caught most of them on a 5” Bass Assassin or the occasional Corky. I started catching enough flounder while targeting trout that I decided to try and target just the flounder while clients were busy catching big trout. I experimented with all kind kinds of lures. Over time I realized that a curly-tailed grub was about as good as it gets for getting the flatties to bite. As much as I hate to admit it, the 3” GULP shrimp is pretty dang lethal also. More recently, I had a client really put it on me with a 1/4 oz gold spoon.

Note to self: Add a small gold spoon to the flounder arsenal.

Now I’m no flounder expert but, having some fish savvy running through my veins, I have figured a few favorite areas and structures in this area where they like to hang out and can be reasonably targeted. First and foremost I have learned that flounder love current.

Lack of tide movement in this part of the world means that we rely on wind to push water around.

Some of my most reliable areas for this scenario are around spoil islands; specifically the north and south tips of the islands where they fade into deeper water. I prefer to cast into the wind or at least on an angle quartering the wind to sweep the lure to them on the available current as naturally as possible. If there are good potholes on the submerged top of the island, they are heavily targeted as well.

Edges of deep channels where the wind is pushing water into the channel are also a favorite. In many cases these channels are barely navigable by boat, which means they have silted in to some degree and are a bit of a boggy wade. Apparently the flounder like the mud

more than me because we always seem to catch in these areas.

As I said, I’m no expert on catching flounder, just a guy that fishes a whole lot. Saying that, I use the same basic retrieve as I would for trout or reds, but maybe just a touch slower, but never sitting motionless on the bottom. If a flounder is hungry and willing to hit a lure (as if to kill it for dinner), it will be a good thump, just like a trout.

Just set the hook like normal and fight him in. I do not buy into the theory that he is “nibbling” on it. He’s going to eat it or not so, I say, “Set the hook!” Maybe different with live bait but; how would I know?

I’m a lure guy through and through.

Pretty lady angler with equally pretty Upper Laguna flounder.

Lower Coast Capt. Tricia – Port Mansfield My fishing program is year-round wading, focusing primarily on trout and redfish. Flounder landings tend to be more accidental than targeted, in general, but I have clients that sometimes request targeting them at some point during a charter. I also guide clients participating in local fishing tournaments and most have a separate flounder category or a “bay slam” division where a flatfish is important.

When fishing for flounder my strategies and tactics vary throughout the year—based upon locations and bottom structure where we’ve found them recently—even if unexpectedly. So, over time, you kind of learn where to look for them. The climate of the Rio Grande Valley is quite different than upper and middle-coast regions, summer is hotter and longer, and winter is shorter and not so cold. Seasonal patterns are therefore somewhat different down 44 | September 2015

here. I basically divide the year into three seasons—Spring (lateFebruary through June), Summer (July through October) and Winter (November through early-February).

Flounder are tougher for me to pattern in spring than summer and winter as they seem less attracted to deep water. Good bets in these months are shallow spoils along the ICW. Focus on areas of scattered grass whenever you find it and be sure to work slowly, fanning your casts thoroughly across a wide swath of water in front of you.

Actually, that slow-thorough-fan approach applies to all seasons.

Summer is a good time to target flounder in the Lower Laguna; lots of places come into play. The combination of deep water and current is the primary key. Along the East Cut we get tidal currents flowing between spoil humps and islands and all along the edge of the channel proper. In the Land Cut, prevailing south wind moves

water similarly. Abandoned oilfield cuts and channels out on the flats are also prime areas.

Winter is another good season for flounder fishing and I consider it another “deep water” season for flatfish, but deep is often relative— one or two feet deeper than the surrounding water can qualify. Any gut, trough or saucer-type depression can hold flounder in winter when tides and temperatures drop sharply during the passage of a front. This is when the oilfield cuts out on the flats really shine. The spoil drop offs anywhere along the ICW and East Cut will likely be holding flounder during and for a few days following the front.

Let’s talk a bit about lures and rigging. I love paddletails! Troutreds-flounder; doesn’t matter, my first choice is a paddletail, the tougher the material the better. One of my tricks is to use my incisors to bite a notch out of the section between the body and the tail— makes it wiggle better on a slow-roll retrieve. Another trick is to shorten the bait, at least an inch from a 4-incher, a bit less on 3-1/2

inch baits. You can simply bite if off if you’re in a hurry although a knife makes a prettier cut, angling slightly top to bottom. What you’re trying to achieve is locating the hook point closer to the tail.

Depending water depths being targeted I will range between 1/8 and 1/4 ounce jigheads. Flounder have no swim bladder which means they are either swimming somewhere in the water column or lying on bottom—probably 99% of the time on bottom. The bottom is the strike zone!

Current is critical in flounder fishing. Even if very slight, flounder will always face into it. Quite often we have to cast into the wind in order to present the lure naturally; remember that bait usually swims with the current. This is like gravity—don’t fight it.

How do I set the hook on a flounder bite? Instant and hard, the same as a trout or redfish. Call it a knee-jerk but that’s the way I am programmed. If you miss, throw again, and again, and again.

Capt. Tricia

Ernest Cisneros—Lower Laguna Madre Back when my son, Aaron, was eligible in the CCA STAR-TEENS we focused a lot on catching flounder hoping he’d win a scholarship.

The limit was ten and getting a limit was no big deal back then.

Fast forward a few years and flounder fishing got tough, real tough.

Today, thanks to major changes in flounder regulations we are once again enjoying plentiful catches. Even without targeting them, my charters in 2015 have been averaging at least one or two while focusing on trout, redfish and snook.

In no way do I consider myself a flounder expert but over the years I have gained some knowledge in finding and catching them.

One thing that stands out is you must fish methodically and with patience. Not every spot that looks fishy will produce a flounder every time but there are common denominators.

Flounder are highly-opportunistic ambush feeders and they prefer sandy to semi-soft bottom. Flounder do not roam around like trout and reds looking for a meal. They lie on bottom facing into current, waiting for their food to be delivered. Running your lure with the current definitely helps.

Flounder also like to settle along drop-offs. Edges of the ICW and gaps between spoils are prime locations. They also seem to like lying near pier and cabin pilings. Some pieces of structure are steady producers and others only occasionally. My guess is that it has something to do with the bottom contours.

I prefer to wade and have had good success fishing natural and manmade guts and channels that intersect the ICW, and also old cuts across the flats. Wading allows me to read the bottom changes with my feet. Edges where sand changes to softer bottom are very good along the drop, especially any patches of grass in the transition zone.

I like to place my casts on the edges of grass beds and let the lure settle to bottom. Keep the rod tip low and bounce it on a slow retrieve. Patience is extremely important because there are times when they will only hit a lure that’s in their face. If a known flounder hole doesn’t produce the first time around, it is certainly worth trying again later. I strongly recommend using a net as flounder are notorious for clamping down on a bait and not getting hooked. If the net is under them when they let go you’ll still get them.

Recently, I learned something about flounder from our editor. We

were fishing a tournament and needed a flounder, so we hit a spot that had been producing some good ones. Being late in the day my optimism was low because I knew multiple boats had visited the hole ahead of us. As we were pulling in a boat was leaving and blasted it with prop wash. Everett said, “Aw heck, Ernest, if they’ve been here right along they won’t leave. Let’s try it.” In all honesty I thought we were wasting our time but gave in to his idea. Not only did we catch one, we caught two, and our team ended up first and second in the flounder division! You learn something every day.

Emily Besser top honors on the Flounder Division during the Port Mansfield Tournament - GULP!

TSFMAG.com | 45

Gil Ash with solid CPR trout.

J AY WAT K I N S

A S K THE P R O

A Group Called “Flats Worthy” and Confirming Fish Behavior Traffic on Rockport waters seems greater this year than normal, probably due to the exceptional runoff still affecting water quality in Carlos, Mesquite, Ayres and San Antonio Bays. The best water at present in the Rockport area begins near Spaulding and stretches down to Corpus Christi Bay. There are some prominent streaks of green water developing in Mesquite, a product of tidal currents entering through Cedar Bayou, just one of many benefits we are seeing since this important pass was opened last fall.

I have written in the past of the effect that increased boating-fishing pressure has on fish and I have also touched on fishing and boating etiquette a few times. We have a new group led by longtime Rockport fly-fishing guide, Chuck Naiser, addressing this pressure and userconflict situation—the name is Flats Worthy. Catchy name but no pun is intended.

Jay Ray and I have joined although my schedule has greatly limited my participation—Chuck keeps me upto-date. Represented are airboaters and airboat guides, kayakers and kayak guides, fly anglers and fly guides, waders and other boat fishing guides. More guides than 46 | September 2015

rec-anglers, with the reasoning that guides have greater direct contact and best opportunity to educate users.

Guides (me included) have not always set the best past examples, and that’s the main thrust.

The group is focused on promoting awareness of the need to display respect to all that use our waters. I know that we all have horror stories of disrespectful behavior (sometimes guides)—cutting in front, burning, running through baited lines, etc. Truth is that everyone has equal right to all the water and navigable water in this day and age of extreme-shallow-draft boats is, well, just about all the water. Traffic and pressure will only grow so education is the key. With this said let me tell you how I am going about promoting better boating and fishing etiquette.

I wade-fish exclusively so I literally get run over by everybody. Airboats buzz shorelines, burners bob and weave through us, kayaker’s paddle everywhere and your everyday fishermen just run where they like—not knowing any better. Occasionally a skiff poles across my wading path. All have the same right to the same water as I, and I have learned to accept this. Many are courteous and make every effort to give me plenty of

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room. I believe they do this because they know I would return the courtesy.

I try to take time each day to explain to clients why I run so far off the shoreline when it is uncomfortably choppy, even though my 23’ Haynie Cat could easily run up shallow, out of the chop. I readily commend the boaters that are trying to do it right and explain that I am never completely upset with someone that messes us up—believing he or she has not been taught better.

Part of my job is to better educate fishermen on the ways and methods that will make them more successful each time out and this is a big part of it. Losing your cool and becoming verbally abusive will not solve the problem.

Practicing what you preach earns respect and Flats Worthy is definitely worthy of our consideration.

Trout-perfect water with barely visible grass beds.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

48 | September 2015

rises and water temps begin to rise. No matter the moon phase, I’m a believer that trout in excess of 25-inches feed primarily at night. They seem to be solitary or small pods of maybe 3 to 5 fish, perfect for exit ramp action.

We stood on the point for over an hour watching small slicks pop right up close to the sandbar. Few bites were received but I continued to comment on the fact that those slicks are from the fish we want to catch. That day gave us two bites from fish over 26 inches, right where the slicks had popped for over an hour. That is conformation that what I think I know is real.

On the second day with husband-wife duos, we missed the big fish as they exited the flat. Maybe the off-ramp was too crowded and they jumped the curb. We left and I knew it was the wrong move.

Traffic was terrible with boats running all over our area. I told them we would return later but move off the point about 500 yards and see if the bigger fish would pull out to deeper water with the same bottom structure.

By noon we had caught only three fish which is totally unacceptable. We eased up to the outer bar where all the boats earlier in the day had been anchored-trolling-wading and just plain running around. In 45 minutes we caught and released at least another dozen up to four pounds. More conformation!

To me this is what fishing is all about and what makes it such a challenging endeavor each and every day. It’s more rewarding to call your shots, so the next time you plan a fishing trip, try calling the shot.

All you can do is miss and, if you miss, look at what you saw and then try and discover what you did not see. The missing piece will be your key ingredient, the one that makes the difference.

May your fishing always be catching! -Guide Jay Watkins

C ontact

Now to the fishing. Tides are at summertime lows and the water temperatures are pushing to 85⁰ by midafternoon; being early is definitely the key to at least locating the areas holding the best numbers of fish. I say locating because not every pre-dawn hour or sunrise has provided a strong feed for me the past several weeks. It is true, though, that the trout and numbers of larger trout I am seeing in the Rockport area is something we have not seen in many years. I attribute this to rainfall and the “stacking” the run-off has created.

Since the last issue of this magazine I have seen a steady push of fresh water from the north stacking bait and game fish in the southern portions of Aransas Bay. Salinity is recovering slowly in some areas but as it does the bait is staying put, and as long as there is a stable food source I do not think the trout and redfish are going anywhere, any time soon.

This stacking situation is also stacking area anglers. It’s been crazier than I have ever seen but, honestly, I believe my wade clientele and I have somewhat of an advantage. I am literally arriving early and allowing traffic to push fish to my area. They do not eat every day like I want but seldom over the past several weeks have I felt that we were not where we needed to be. The bait goes down and becomes less active at times but never leaves. This makes me believe the game fish are staying put as well.

Here’s a perfect example—I call it confirming that what I think I know is actually happening. I really get down on myself when I cannot put my clients on decent action, especially when every sign indicates that the right fish are present. Two days last week I had groups of really good anglers; a single “trainee” client who is showing great promise and a foursome of husbands-wives who love catching but, more than that, like knowing why they caught them.

The first day, with the single client, we located a massive amount of bait on an underwater point and adjoining flat in Aransas Bay and began our wades amid nervous water and slicking as dawn peeked over the horizon. It was beautiful and bites were coming steadily. At first it was so-so trout, nothing big, but steady. As we eased closer to the main underwater point they got bigger, nudging up to the 25-plus-inch mark and heavy as I have seen in many years. I explained that by positioning along the outer edges of the underwater point and shallow windward bar, we were placing ourselves along the exit ramp. I believe bigger trout seek slightly deeper water as the sun

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

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

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Talk about realism…I cannot wait to get this lure in front of some redfish!

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

S H A LL O W W ATER F I S HIN G

As Seen at ICAST A perk to being involved in the fishing industry is attending the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades, better known as ICAST. This show is where all the manufacturers come to present their product lines to the fishing retailers. In addition to showing all of their standard lines, it is also where most of them choose to introduce their latest and greatest offerings.

Walking the aisles scouting out the new products can give you a sense of trends within the industry. The trend in fishing lures the last couple of years has been toward greater realism. Advances in computer imaging has made it easier for the manufacturers to reproduce Mother Nature’s handiwork in both shape and finish.

Prior years had been targeted more toward freshwater but this year I noticed quite a few aimed squarely at inshore saltwater anglers.

One company that has been leading the way in this trend is Koppers Fishing and Tackle Corporation with 50 | September 2015

their LiveTarget brand. A couple years back they came out with some clear hard plastic baits that had multiple smaller shad within the body of the lure. They were really cool, but only available in a few styles. This year I ran across their new Glass Minnow Walking Bait. Picture a topwater made up of several small glass minnows swimming in unison as a pod of baitfish would do.

Quite often when bait is small and grouped, gamefish will just slash into the schools instead of targeting a single minnow. At times it can be tough to get them to go for a lure when they are in this mode. This thing looks like it’ll work.

I first saw it in an area of the show dedicated to new products. Seeing it there led me to swing by their booth for a better look and to learn what else they might have.

In addition to the schooling baitfish lures, they also had some very realistic baitfish and shrimp that were amazingly lifelike in appearance.

Their mullet series included a topwater popper with

If I was big momma trout, I believe I would eat this!

LiveTarget Mullet available in Twitchbait, Popper, Wakebait and Walkbait models.

LiveTarget Shrimp comes in SoftPre-rigged and Hardbait versions.

a dished mouth, a slow-sinking twitchbait, a waker and a dog-walker. Each lure is available in two sizes. This series can cover just about any presentation you need when the trout or reds are busting mullet. The finish is as close to the real thing as you can get.

In their pinfish series they had three sizes of slowsinking rattlebaits. Again, as realistic a finish as you could imagine and available in a matte or metallic finish depending on water clarity and conditions. I could see a big momma trout crushing one of these when slow-rolled through a sandy pothole on the flats.

There were two different versions of perfect shrimp imitations in their line-up, both hard and soft plastic. The hard plastic shrimp is made for getting some distance.

Most lifelike shrimp lures are pretty lightweight and tough to use under windy conditions. This one comes rigged with a treble hook under the head and at the tail. The soft plastic version comes rigged with a single hook and a line tie on the head for a forward swimming motion.

As I was leaving the booth I walked by the bass lures and saw something that grabbed my attention. It is a hollow bodied topwater similar to the old frog lures with the double hooks. I’ve thrown those frogs into some really nasty stuff while bass fishing and they are virtually impossible to hang up, but when struck by a bass they compress to expose a pair of upwards facing hooks. Well now they have used this same concept on a baitfish with the fish appearing to be wounded and lying on its side.

The action of the lure is similar to what you see after a baitfish has been stunned and it is struggling on the surface trying to get right. The color selection in this series imitated just about every sunfish you could imagine.

In talking to the guys working the booth they said a saltwater version of a pinfish was in the works. Float that thing through some matted grass on the flats and I don’t think a trout or redfish could resist.

Savage Gear is another company specializing in lifelike lures. Their shrimp won Best New Hard Lure at the show. It is was designed using 3D computer imaging of an actual shrimp. The line tie is on the tail so that when retrieved with short jerks it imitates a shrimp fleeing backwards. A pause in the retrieve allows it to slowly sink just as a real shrimp would do. The hook setup is unique in that they have placed a magnet inside a slot on the belly to hold one of the hooks of the treble. This keeps the hook tight to the body of the lure instead of dangling. This should help keep it relatively snag free.

They also have a soft plastic crab rigged on a standup jighead. Again, it was created using 3D imaging and perfectly replicates a real blue crab. The stand-up jighead puts the lure into a defensive stance. Toss this thing in front of a redfish on the flats and I bet it’ll make him tail up before crushing it.

It is really hard to come up with a lure that truly has something new. A small company out of Australia has done it with their Cranka Crab. It too is a realistic looking lure that imitates a crab, but the modular design is totally TSFMAG.com | 51

LiveTarget Pinfish Rattlebait—three sizes in matte and metallic finish.

MirrOlure unveiled a soft-walkbait addition to the Paul Brown Original line that should be a hit with Texas anglers.

52 | September 2015

lures to play with. Hopefully mine are on their way to the front porch and I can get you guys some real-world reviews from the fish’s point of view. I’ll let you know.

C ontact

unique. The lure can be disassembled and parts exchanged to fit different situations. The hard plastic shell body, soft plastic legs, weighted base and floating claws can all be mixed or matched in varying colors and weights. While that might sound fragile I played around with it and it feels very solid. The real attraction for me was the floating claws. With the lure sitting perfectly still on the bottom the claws rise up and wave around giving life to the lure without moving it out of the strike zone. It sort of dares the fish to attack it. Very cool.

Another perk of getting to attend this show is having these folks ask for your card and address so they can send you some of the new

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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Green Sea Turtle DNA Research

54 | September 2015

There are seven species of sea turtles in the world today. Generally, these species have tropical distributions (existing near the equator or tropics), due to the fact that they are cold-blooded reptiles. However, some species can be found in more temperate regions, and most common among these is the Green sea turtle (green turtle, for short).

Green turtles are probably the most common species encountered in the Gulf of Mexico, particularly in Texas.

As is the case with all marine turtles, green turtles undergo long distance migration throughout much of their lives. Not long after hatching on oceanic beaches, hatchlings begin an open water existence which may last over 10 years and span several thousand miles. The biology of the turtles during this period is not well understood, and this period has historically been referred to as the “lost years” in sea turtle maturity.

Following the “lost years” the turtles settle into nearshore habitats such as jetties or seagrass beds. In contrast to other marine turtles, green turtles are mainly herbivorous. Jetties and seagrass beds provide optimum habitat for adolescent turtles because of the available food resources. These nearshore habitats, also called “neritic” habitats, are a critical stage in the development of young green turtles.

The coastline of Texas represents a large portion of the available neritic habitat in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Although they do not typically breed or nest here, young green turtles use Texas neritic habitats extensively as an area for foraging until they reach sexual maturity.

There is evidence that the green turtle population in Texas is growing, and as such, TPWD has collaborated with other conservation entities in an effort to better understand the biology of this species.

One question that has dogged green turtle researchers in Texas for some time is: where do Texas’ green turtles come from? Because Texas represents foraging, but not nesting habitat for green turtles, most green turtles in Texas were likely born somewhere else. The fact that juvenile green turtle migration can last over 10 years, and potentially cover 10,000+ miles, makes the question of origin difficult to answer.

However, the use of DNA technology has allowed researchers at TPWD and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife (USFWS) to make headway into the question, owing to a unique feature of sea turtle biology.

As it turns out, upon reaching sexual maturity, most marine sea turtles return to the beaches on which they were born to breed and nest. Furthermore, turtles from different nesting beaches across the Atlantic have unique DNA profiles that can be distinguished from one another. In 2011, major freeze events along the Texas coast resulted in hundreds of cold-stunned, stranded Green turtles washing up on

Texas shores. During the course of rehabilitating these turtles, tissue biopsies were taken by USWFS biologist Donna Shaver in an effort to tie the DNA of Texas green turtles to nesting beaches in the Atlantic.

The team of TPWD and USFWS biologists used published DNA profiles from known nesting areas throughout the Atlantic and found that foraging green turtles in Texas likely originated from nesting beaches distributed throughout the Gulf of Mexico, including Florida, Mexico and Cuba. This finding validated previous tagging data indicating a link between Texas and Mexico foraging areas, and allows wildlife managers in these areas to coordinate conservation efforts.

The TPWD is following up on this research by collaborating with Dr. Tasha Metz, a researcher at Texas A&M Galveston, and Dr. George Guillen and Mandi Gordon from the University of Houston Clear Lake, in identifying the geographic source of a debilitating disease in turtles known as turtle fibropapilloma, or FP. The disease is associated with the presence of a virus, and results in tumors originating on the skin of infected animals, which can impact the animal’s ability to swim, feed, and in some cases tumors around the eye can impact the animal’s vision. The collaborative research uses DNA collected from tumor biopsies to compare virus DNA found in Texas turtles with virus DNA from turtles on other beaches. If the geographic source of the virus can be identified, management scenarios seeking to limit the spread of the disease can be better coordinated among state and local agencies. Early results have demonstrated a link between the virus strain present in Texas and Florida, which reinforces the previously described link between green turtles residing on these beaches. This research is ongoing, but the expected outcome promises to shed light on the spread of this disease among populations of green turtles.

Management and conservation of non-game species such as Green turtles follows an “ecosystem-based” approach, which recognizes that each organism plays an important role in a healthy, local environment.

The collaborative green turtle research efforts of TPWD with other agencies and universities reflect a desire to maintain healthy ecosystems on Texas’ coastline. The next time you fish on a jetty or paddle through a seagrass bed on the Texas coast, keep an eye out for Texas’ intrepid mariner, the green turtle. If you see one, chances are it swam a long way to get there.

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

TSFMAG.com | 55

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

F LY F I S H I N G

Recipe for

Success

Earlier today I received a phone call from an individual interested in booking a day of guided fishing. After the introductions were over, I proceeded to ask him a few questions to get an idea as to whether he just wanted to go fishing or if he had designs on pursuing a species other than redfish. He quickly responded to my questioning, “No, I just want to know when I can catch the most fish and I will book those days.”

From there I started to explain that there was no way I could predict the days that he was guaranteed to catch a boat-load of fish. After hanging up the phone and being okay with knowing I was never going to hear from this guy again, I started thinking to myself—what truly are the most important ingredients to a perfect day of chunking feathers and fur in the brine?

Well after pondering it a while, I came up with an idea of what is needed to have a great day on the water.

Going into this, it important to know that three of the five ingredients can be controlled by the angler, the others are 56 | September 2015

controlled by the Good Lord. However, the two controlled from above can be predicted with some degree of accuracy. This means, we can always watch the news and have a reasonable idea what the weather is going to do in the days prior to going fishing. As for the tides and currents, well they have been predicted out way beyond the life of anyone reading this column.

Skill For many, especially those of us that are fly fishing fanatics, we tend to go fishing every chance we can get.

Some of these fanatics are lucky enough to have a cool wife or girlfriend who allow them to fish anytime they want or, some of them are like me and do not have either, and probably never will, because we fish too much. This fanatical obsession tends to create a need, at least in our minds, to practice. Casting practice coupled with an abundance of experience that comes with extensive time on the water is what creates the skills needed when the

stars and moon align. It is kind of like having all the ingredients for a killer loaf of bread in a bowl ready to be stirred. In fact, one might even say that skill is the spoon that whips everything up to create the perfect mixture that is a great day of fishing.

Preparation Many of you have heard me say before, if you want to make the most of your time on the water, you should fish even when you cannot. I guess this is my way of saying that the skiff should be maintained for peak performance, tackle should be cleaned and lubricated, fly boxes filled and tackle rigged before you ever leave the house. If you are going to fish for a species that you have never caught before, spend some time reading up on that fish and some techniques for catching and landing that particular species. In doing so, you will be ready to make the cast when that first fish appears.

Weather The whole weather thing is pretty self-explanatory. Nothing can hurt a fly fishing excursion faster than bad news from the meteorologist. Relatively light wind and sunny skies make for the best days on the bow of a skiff however, there are some weather phenomena that can make the fish go bat-crap crazy. The trick is to learn what weather events spawn an all-out feeding frenzy and try to be there to capitalize. However, it is important to remember, none of us have the ability to control the weather and sometimes you just have to make do. But know this, if I ever learn to control the weather I think my rates are going to have to go up.

Current and Water Level Currents and water levels are another important part of the recipe. Notice I did not say tides.

The reason for this is because the tides on the Texas coast are very easily affected by weather.

And, in many places along the coast, the difference between high and low tide can be as little as an inch. The important thing to pay attention to is the current and water level. Currents can be accelerated or decelerated by winds and water levels can rise on a windward bank and fall on a leeward bank in a strong blow. In addition, water levels will fluctuate in relation to the weather in regards to high and low atmospheric pressure. And, as we found out yet again along the Texas coast, water levels can also rise with an influx of flood waters. It is obviously beneficial to pay attention to the tide tables and currents however, it also important to learn how to predict how the weather forecast is going to affect the currents and prevailing water levels. Unfortunately, we cannot predict the weather the way we do the tides.

C ontact

Attitude Going back to the analogy of making a loaf of bread—if skill is the spoon, a great attitude is the yeast. Meaning, beyond any shadow of a doubt, attitude is the most important ingredient. Folks, I have a lot of people who fish with me who are far from talented with a fly rod, however, they always have a great time. Why? Because they show up to the ramp with a smile on their face and an “I’m going to have a great day no matter what” attitude. These are the people who truly get the most out of a day on the water.

After reading over this piece, I came to realize that it is rather similar to something I did a while back. Actually, though similar, it is also quite different. And usually, I would probably start over and try to come up with something fresh for you. However, after really thinking about it, I think if there was one piece I should revisit often it would be this one. It is real important to know, if you approach each day with a great attitude, dedicate some time to being better and never let your expectations outweigh your abilities, you will never have a bad day on the water.

Best of tides…and stuff like that.

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 | 57

DAV E R O B E R T S

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

Kayak Sight-Fishing “You are killing me, fish, the old man thought. But you have a right to. Never have I seen a greater, or more beautiful, or a calmer or more noble thing than you, brother.” — Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea I have been fortunate in my life to be able to encounter Mother Nature in many aspects. It started by collecting God’s bounty to put dinner on the table but with age that passion has turned into a sport for me; a greater challenge if you will. I took it as a test just to see how close I could get to a fish that has eluded many anglers while still having the chance to catch one. Being able to see a redfish mosey around a shallow flat while being oblivious to an anxious angler is an unexplainable feeling; the hunter being hunted.

I have fished just about every method and for multiple species; regardless, I find myself drawn to the marsh by the allure of sight-casting for redfish. Even though the fish 58 | September 2015

is clearly visible, the challenge of successfully hooking and landing one may often exceed our expectations. There are a few variables that play a factor and can be the difference in catching or spooking.

Lately, due to the stifling heat, I have been launching around 5:00AM to get an early start and be in a good spot in the marsh at first light. At times you have a 1-2 hour window first thing in the morning but other days it can be prolonged due to tides or moon phase. I like to fish a low tide which makes spotting redfish much easier across a flat. Just make sure you can exit the marsh once the water recedes, that is not a place you want to be left high and dry.

Now that you have made it to your spot, next comes locating the fish. Sometimes you can find a fish swimming in 6 inches of water and sticking out like a sore thumb but it is not always that easy. Other times just the very tip

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Sight-casting prize—it’s all about a precise cast and careful presentation.

of their tail or the top of their dorsal fin is visible. If you have a stable enough kayak, standing up gives the hunter a great advantage. This vantage point can really increase the odds of seeing hidden fish. Also a good pair of polarized sunglasses is a must! Another good tip is to keep the sun at your back as much as possible. A redfish’s back will tend to glisten in the light and can be a giveaway of his location.

Once you have a fish spotted, slowly make your way towards him and try not to get in a rush. Banging around in your kayak and sending pressure signals via wakes is a sure way to spook a fish. While keeping an eye on your target, try and take note of which way he is traveling.

Then adjust accordingly so that you can make a cast where you will be able to drag your lure in front of his face.

I have found that the right lures and presentation is necessary to 60 | September 2015

C ontact

Sometimes I simply stalk and photograph.

entice a redfish. I try to stay away from heavier lures or anything that will make a loud splash when landing on the water. My go-to lure is a Zoom Super Fluke in the baby bass color. I like to rig it weightless/weedless with a #4/0 hook. This lure lands softly, sinks slowly, and can be dragged through just about anything.

Even if you over-cast into the marsh grass, it can be eased out and into the water without a snag. My backup rod will be rigged up with a Buggs lure. These lures are hand-tied out of fly material on a specially designed weighted jighead. I like to put some Pro-Cure on mine, just to add a little scent. This combination can be deadly when pursuing redfish in the marsh.

Now that you have stalked your prey, it is time to make your cast. A precise cast and placement of your lure is the key!

The hard work invested to find the fish and get into position can be ruined instantly by being off target. I try to aim for a spot three feet in front and two feet beyond the fish’s head.

One of the most common mistakes made by anglers is casting directly at a fish, especially one pushing a wake. The wake you see is not the nose of the fish but the ridge of their back by the dorsal fin. You want to lead the target, reel slowly, and let him swim into your lure.

Once you feel him take your lure, tighten your line, set the hook and hold on! The most spectacular thing an angler can witness is watching your lure being inhaled by a hungry red. Then to top it off, you get to watch him thrash across a shallow flat trying to escape as the drag on your reel screams. Just the thought of this gets my heart racing. It is such an exhilarating feeling to be so close to a fish that a majority of the time will outwit you.

Even though I do appreciate catching redfish, sometimes I just like to watch them.

Getting to witness the beast of the marsh act naturally in their habitat is more enjoyable than trying to hook them. Being able to see a small school of redfish with tails out the water is a majestic sight. Often I will pick up my camera instead of my rod, which sometimes is not so easy to do. The allure of being able to see redfish and be so close has always been captivating to me. This is the reason why I kayak and moments like these are what keeps me coming back.

Enjoy Life!

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

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

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Customer should expect to receive an acknowledgement letter and full copy of contract including terms, conditions and wallet card from Suzuki Extended Protection within 90 days of purchase. If an acknowledgement letter is not received in time period stated, contact Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. – Marine Marketing via email: marinepromo@suz.com. The Gimme Six Promotion is available for pleasure use only and is not redeemable for cash. There are no model substitutions, benefit substitutions, rain checks, or extensions. Suzuki reserves the right to change or cancel these promotions at any time without notice or obligation. “Gimme Six”, the Suzuki “S” and model names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. © 2015 Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.

Science fairs and Kid-Fishing events depend heavily on CCA volunteers.

Story by John Blaha | Photos by Lisa Laskowski

T S F M ag C o ns e r v a t i o n N e ws

Membership Matters The strength of any volunteer organization is its membership base and volunteers.

Coastal Conservation Association Texas (CCA Texas) has been in existence since 1977 and it all started with a small group of recreational fishermen that were simply fed up with the decline of redfish, speckled trout and other species that were suffering from overfishing. Fourteen concerned fishermen put into motion the movement that became CCA Texas. Since then, the organization has grown into Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) with state chapters covering the entire East, West and Gulf coasts of the United States. Texas currently has in excess of 85,000 members and CCA has over 142,000 members nationwide. CCA is arguably the strongest and most effective marine organization of its kind because of the passion and willingness of its members to be active.

CCA is truly a grassroots organization that depends on its membership in many ways. Membership and volunteers are the means by which the organization raises necessary funds to ensure that our coastal resources are healthy and bountiful for present and future generations.

These funds are used for advocacy in our state capitols, habitat creation and restoration and outreach to educate the general public on the importance of responsible use 62 | September 2015

Getting youngsters involved in fishing is a primary focus of CCA volunteers who help staff these efforts at Sea Center Texas.

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of the coastal resources. The effects of a strong membership are felt near and far from the Texas coast with chapters from Orange to South Padre Island and up to Laredo; Houston to Dallas, Ft Worth, Austin, San Antonio and as far west as Midland. Texas currently has 56 chapters and, nationwide, CCA has over 200 chapters in 17 states.

CCA memberships come to the organization in many ways. In the early days, it was an effort by those involved to get out and educate their friends and others about the efforts of CCA and the importance of having them as a part of the organization. As chapters began to form across the state, fundraising and membership banquets were mandatory for all chapters. The State of Texas Anglers Rodeo (CCA Texas STAR) was created in 1989 as a membership drive and has now been a part of the organization for 26 years. In the late 1990s and early 2000s the organization’s success drew increased attention and a big push was made to add more local chapters. Many of these local chapters were born from the desire of local members to be a part of the organization in a more direct way. These members desire to raise

Hands-on conservation— planting cord grass at Goose Island State Park.

CCA members enjoying a local chapter fundraising banquet.

64 | September 2015

funds, recruit members and spread the word about the CCA mission lies at the very core of the success of CCA…its membership!

In the late 2000s, CCA began to look at other ways to bring new members and spotlight greater awareness of the organization. The organization’s biggest victories at this time were still in the halls of government, but the Texas leadership and national leadership also realized that there were other needs for membership.

In November 2009 CCA Texas created Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow (HTFT). To date HTFT has contributed over $3.9 million to habitat restoration and created projects along the entire Texas coast. CCA National leadership helped create Building Conservation Trust (BCT), a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization exclusively dedicated to habitat creation and restoration. BCT works hand in hand with CCA in all states with local chapters and communities to ensure coastal resources are healthy everywhere. These habitat efforts are another part of the organization that fulfills the mission of CCA and the desires of its members.

On September 26, 2015, CCA Texas will host its 4th Annual Concert for Conservation at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston. This event has become a “have to see” event with nearly 4,000 attendees in 2014.

This event allows CCA Texas to reach out to another group of members and gives CCA Texas the ability to spread the mission of the organization to a wider base of members across the state. Be sure to mark your calendars for September 26—tickets are on sale now and this year’s headliner is Lynyrd Skynyrd and is backed up by Grand Funk Railroad, Eddie Money, The Atlanta Rhythm Section and Folk Family Revival. It’s truly a Concert for Conservation and like no other.

Membership matters and CCA works hard to build and maintain a strong membership base. How does it matter?

Starting with one of the most successful conservation efforts ever that established game fish status for redfish and speckled trout and removed gill nets from the coastal waters of Texas.

The conservation of coastal resources would not be possible without the efforts and support of membership. Membership is everyone from youth and young adults that are beginning to appreciate the resources to the seasoned member that has been active for many years and is connected within the local communities; local, state and federal governments; local, state and federal fisheries management; and lastly and perhaps most important of all, believes in the mission and approach of CCA. Yes, your membership matters! Your membership and the membership of tens and hundreds of thousand members is critically important in the battles waged in local, state and federal government offices. CCA at times requests the help of its membership through “calls to action” asking membership to contact their local representation and tell them how important a particular issue is to them, the organization and, above all, the resources we love. Please be active, your membership counts!

TSFMAG.com | 65

STEPHANIE BOYD

F I S H Y F A CT S

Cobia Cobia are a fish that look like a shark and pull like a Chevy truck. ~ Jim Ross

anchored boats, floating debris, seaweed rips, channel markers, and offshore oil and gas platforms. Occasionally, they’re found tagging along with sharks, rays, and turtles.

Smaller cobia are also found inshore inhabiting bays, inlets, and mangroves. Cobia migrate seasonally. They are most common off Texas in June through September and move to south Florida waters in the winter, possibly spending the winter near the Florida Keys. Research conducted through the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Mississippi has shown that not all cobia migrate. In one program, over 10,000 cobia gulfwide were tagged and released. Twentyone recaptures were made in the northern Gulf during

Cobia, a.k.a. ling, are the only member of the family Rachycentridae. The remora, or shark sucker, (family Echeneidae) is their closest living relative, and cobia are often mistaken for both sharks and remoras. The body is long and torpedo-shaped with a broad snout and depressed head. The eyes are small and the lower jaw projects past the upper jaw. The jaws, roof of the mouth, and tongue have bands of villiform teeth (teeth so slender and crowded that they resemble bristles of a brush, primarily used for stabbing, and more common on deep sea fishes). They have a large tail, which becomes more forked with age. The skin looks smooth with very small embedded scales. The large pectoral fins are normally carried horizontally, so that when viewed from above, the profile appears distinctly shark-like. Cobia have brown backs, a dark lateral stripe extending through eye to tail, and a white belly. They can also have two horizontal white stripes running the length of the body that fade with age. They have several small finlets ahead of their dorsal fin, which is comprised of 7 to 9 strong, unconnected spines. Young cobia are distinctly colored with alternating black and white horizontal stripes, and splotches of bronze, orange, and green.

Cobia are found in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate waters around the world, except in the Eastern Pacific. In U.S. waters, they’re most abundant from Virginia south through the Gulf of Mexico. In the Gulf, cobia are found from the major, highsalinity bays to waters 4,000 feet deep, but they generally stay within a depth of 250 feet or so. As a pelagic fish, cobia are found over the continental shelf. They are strongly attracted to Photo by Joe Richard, Contemplating Cobia any structure that interrupts the open water such as pilings, buoys, platforms, 66 | September 2015

winter, most at depths of more than 100 feet, so some fish may stay in the northern Gulf year-round. Similarly, some cobia stay in south Florida waters year-round and do not migrate. Even in migration, cobia are rarely seen in large groups. The one exception is spawning.

Cobia spawn during daylight hours from April to September. They form large aggregations in the Gulf and may spawn 15-20 times in a season. During spawning, cobia undergo changes in body coloration from brown to a light horizontal-striped pattern. Eggs and sperm may be released in offshore open water or estuaries and shallow bays.

Depending on their size, females have between 375,000 and almost 2 million eggs. Cobia eggs are spherical, averaging 1.24 mm in diameter.

Larvae hatch about 24-36 hours after fertilization and are 2.5 mm long, clear-ish, and utterly helpless. The mouth and eyes don’t even develop for five days! A pale yellow streak is visible then, extending the length of the body. Growth is rapid. By day 30, the juvenile looks like a miniature adult, with two color bands running from the head to the tail. By age two, the average length is about 35 inches. Females are usually larger than males; research indicates that 85% of cobia over 40 inches long are females.. Females reach sexual maturity when they are 36 inches long (about 3 years old). Males reach sexual maturity at 24 inches (2 years old). Measuring up to a record 79 inches, 135 pounds, cobia are more common at weights between 50 and 80 pounds and lengths of 20-47 inches. They have a moderately long life span. Maximum ages observed in the Gulf of Mexico are 11 years for females and 9 years for males. Most fish caught by fishermen are between 2 and 5 years old.

Cobia are not bashful predators, chasing down fish, squid, and crustaceans without reservation. They seem to especially prefer crustaceans, earning them the nickname “crab eater.” As voracious feeders, cobia often engulf their prey whole. Of the non-crab variety, researchers have found hardhead catfish, eels, round scad, mullet, jacks, snappers, pinfish, croakers, and grunts in cobia stomachs, but very few shrimp. Cobia will also follow rays, turtles, and sharks, sneaking in to scavenge whatever is left behind. It is a very curious fish, showing little fear of boats. Predators of the cobia are not well documented, but mahi-mahi are known to feed on juveniles and shortfin mako sharks eat the adult.

Though cobia is a highly valued seafood species, there is no significant cobia fishery. In the wild, cobia are rarely seen in large groups, so only a small, incidental amount is caught. Despite this, cobia is a highly sought after food fish throughout its range. In Mexico, for example, it is known as “esmedregal,” and is a popular fish for weddings and celebrations. In Belize, where it is known as “cabio,” it probably won’t even make it to market because the fisherman will keep it as a treat. Most of the cobia you’ll find in stores or restaurants come from aquaculture operations. Cobia grow very quickly, reaching 13-15 pounds in one year after hatching; that’s three times the growth rate of Atlantic salmon. Plus, farmed cobia have a low feed conversion ratio (the number of pounds of feed needed to produce one pound of meat).

These characteristics make cobia an appealing aquaculture species, besides being a very tasty fish. Although commercial production of cobia is new to the west, it already has a successful history in Asia, so global production of cobia will likely expand in the future.

The wild cobia populations are monitored by scientists from NOAA’s Southeast Fisheries Science Center, and managed jointly by both the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Councils under the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fishery Management Plan. In the past, cobia were considered to be one genetic stock, but the 2013 stock

assessment determined that there are actually two separate migratory stocks: the Gulf of Mexico stock and the Atlantic stock. The Atlantic stock is defined from Georgia through New York. The Gulf stock covers the entire east coast of Florida through Texas. Separate annual catch limits exist for the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic stocks of cobia. In the Gulf of Mexico, if the catch limit is reached, or projected to be reached, within a fishing year, both the commercial and recreational sectors of the fishery will be closed. In the Atlantic, if the catch limit is reached, or projected to be reached, within a fishing year, the commercial fishery will be closed, and the recreational fishing season will be reduced the following year.

Cobia is also highly prized as a game fish. In fact, recreational landings make up more than 90% of total landings. It’s a large, powerful fish that puts up a good fight and provides a tasty meal. What more could you ask for? Cobia fishing requires no special tackle or tactics. The same gear used for tuna fishing will work for these tenacious fighters. Cobia prefer structure such as reefs and wrecks, but will also venture into the shallows along with schools of stingrays. Cobia use stingrays the way a hunter uses a bird dog to flush game. They also like to feed on scrap fish from shrimp boats. Care should be taken when handling these strong fish. The dorsal spines are very sharp and stout. The Florida cobia record is 103 pounds 12 ounces, but the world record, held by Australia since 1985, is 135 pounds 9 ounces (a 6.5-foot fish).

If you spend enough time fishing [the Gulf], you will inevitably come across a dark, thick-bodied brute that, at first glance, may look like a shark. You may be scouring the grass flats for tarpon or circling an offshore buoy in search of blackfin tuna when you come across a torpedo-shaped shadow just within casting distance. Don’t hesitate. Just toss your bait a few feet ahead of your target and hold on. You might be in for the fight of your life. ~ Hawks Cay

Where I learned about cobia, and you can too!

World Register of Marine Species www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=127006 NOAA Fish Watch www.fishwatch.gov/seafood_profiles/species/cobia/species_pages/cobia.htm South Atlantic Fishery Management Council www.safmc.net/FishIDandRegs/FishGallery/Cobia Texas Parks & Wildlife Department tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/cobia/ Florida Museum of Natural History www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/descript/cobia/cobia.html Rod n Reel rodnreel.com/gulffish/gulffish.asp?cmd=view&FishID=25 Marine Farms Belize www.marinefarmsbelize.com/about_cobia.html Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobia Hawks Cay www.hawkscay.com/experience/florida-keys-fishing-charters/cobia-fishingflorida-keys/

TSFMAG.com | 67

Hunter Burroughs with a slot-sized black drum.

CURTISS CASH

I N S H O R E | N E A R S H O R E | J ETT I E S | P A S S E S

September Has Lots Going On! Dear Readers, It’s been about a year now since I began submitting articles to TSFMag. Everett and the staff have offered much-needed support, guidance and given me plenty of rope to work with. No hangman’s noose yet, but there have been plenty of menacing loops formed.

Readers have provided some great feedback, welcomed criticism, and even some of my content was copied by a professional outdoors writer, elsewhere. With all being said I very much appreciate and enjoy the opportunity to share my thoughts, knowledge and experiences each month.

68 | September 2015

Thank you for reading my column and feel free to contact me with questions or suggestions. –Capt. Curtiss Cash MULLET RUN The mullet run is kicking off this month as it does every year. The decreasing daylight hours, cooler water temperatures and light frontal passages all signal this. The predator fish know and sense this as well. As the mullet schools congregate you can look to many of the local hotspots to find them. Many mornings I let my nose tell me where to fish, often the smell of big schools are strong

in the air. Look to channel edges, rock groins, passes to the Gulf, water bodies intersecting the ICW, windward shorelines and water body drains for mullet schools.

TROUT Last September I enjoyed the best trout catching of the whole year. All of my efforts for them were strategized to take advantage of the mullet schools. Most mornings I started off with a chartreuse Heddon One Knocker Spook cast on the fringes of the bait. Bait schooling actions tell you where to place your cast, normally where fish are blowing up the bait or making them nervous moving through an area.

Many times the trout are feeding below the mullet on stragglers and also other bait that joins for protection in numbers. Shrimp and large glass minnows work their way into the group and are regularly pushed below the schools by the more plentiful mullet. Often when a topwater goes unnoticed I would switch to a natural-colored 1/4 ounce DOA Shrimp or a lightly-weighted soft plastic.

The DOA Shrimp is excellent when cast into the middle of the mullet and allowed to settle underneath the bait, to be swept with the current. Spinning tackles helps in the proper presentation of the shrimp, line can be played out “slack” with the current and worked with light twitches. The DOA Shrimp is also very effective rigged Carolina style with a 1/8 or 1/4 ounce slip weight, 24- to 30 inches up the line from the lure.

A 3-inch paddletail soft plastic on a 1/8 ounce jighead gets noticed for sure. I realized the best results while casting to the leading edge of the school and hopping the lure quickly which kicked up spurts of sand. Dark or natural-colored YUM Money Minnows and Hogie’s Major Minnows caught the most and don’t be surprised if a flounder bites.

Joe Richard goes old school with a pink MirrOlure on a recent trip to the jetties.

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Todd and Lori Patterson caught a nice jack with the last cast of the day.

REDFISH It’s no secret that this month redfish begin to school and move toward the gulf for their annual spawn. As the water level increases during the month, reds go on a wide-open feed along their chosen path to deep water. I target them where they move and concentrate along channel edges, secondary drops, and windward shorelines with concentrated mullet.

It helps to throw some chum in your area which helps entice the fish or slows them down as they swim nearby. Spanish sardines, menhaden and fresh mullet cut into quarter-sized pieces work great. I like to anchor the boat parallel to a drop-off or cast into shallower water downwind.

Finding an area that has the wind, current and a channel edge working in the same direction helps bring the fish to you.

The same fish used for chum makes for great bait and mixing things up on different rods can increase your catches. Frozen Spanish sardines and menhaden are excellent redfish attractants but are very mushy and difficult to keep on the hook. I use small chum pieces on the same hook along with other dead baits to spice things up. Fresh dead shrimp, fresh cut mullet, cut pinfish and any combination live is good. On some tides one bait may out catch the others, so variety is often good.

POMPANO These tasty, hard-fighting rarities can be targeted effectively in late-summer. The strong tides preceding the new and full moons get them feeding and concentrated. Sandy channels leading to the gulf, nearby areas with thriving grass beds and beach sandbars cater to schools. These fish are feeding on very small crustaceans the size of a pencil eraser, but readily pounce on live shrimp, brightly-colored Fishbites and “pompano” jigs bounced on the sand bottom. Getting the sand to “puff” up when a jig or lightly weighted rig rubs the bottom helps with the success.

TARPON Tarpon get a great deal of attention as they began to migrate back south for the winter. Many times the schools number in the hundreds as they travel nearshore. Moving slowly but steadily toward warmer waters, they occasionally make stops along jetties and natural passes.

Tarpon in general and especially when in large schools, can be very shy of loud noises. A running outboard motor can spook them into moving away or in the very least cause them to 70 | September 2015

Dryden Taylor is all smiles with his big kingfish.

Ewing Devaney shows off his keeper state-water snapper.

suffer lockjaw. Outboard motors have through hub exhaust which is very loud underwater, some say like a motorcycle on the highway. The only way to approach these schools successfully are to drift quietly into an area, use an electric trolling motor or a boat with above-water exhaust like an inboard engine.

Once in the area, the best offering is a “coonpop” style lure either cast and retrieved slowly near the bottom or slow trolled. Again, trolling should only be done with an electric motor or on a boat with inboard propulsion. A trolling speed of less than 2-knots is best, which allows for multiple rods to be fished from the stern and blind-casted from the bow simultaneously. Live bait is very effective, but the jacks, bull reds and especially the sharks normally get to it first.

Serious tarpon anglers very much appreciate other boaters and anglers keeping a distance of at least 1/2 mile while they are motoring. Each season we have bites ruined by boaters running up on us, being curious and not understanding the effect of these actions. There have been multiple books written on tarpon angling and more information online to help new anglers get into the sport. Please be courteous and respectful of other anglers. <<<>>>

C ontact

The end of summer and beginning of fall make for some of the best times to get on the water.

Each September the crowds begin to thin on the coast while many outdoorsmen concentrate on hunting and family activities that center around school-sports events. Now is the time for excellent catching opportunities, comfortable weather, and decreased pressure. Come join us on the coast if you can, I think you’ll like what’s going on down here.

Capt. Curtiss Cash offers charters in the Port O’Connor area; specializing in fishing the bays, passes, jetties, surf and nearshore waters. Species targeted include speckled trout, redfish, flounder, tripletail, black drum, bull reds, sharks, snapper, kingfish, ling and tarpon, when seasonally available.

Phone

361-564-7032 TSFMAG.com | 71

Double hook up bull.

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 Certain Degree oF

“Epicness”

Whether in company of a few good friends or running solo, the water is where I escape the confines of a packed charter schedule, confusing politics and other societal boredom. The adventure we call fishing is therapy at its finest and I try to take advantage of every opportunity.

Fishermen have a special fish they dream of one day landing. For bay anglers it might be a 30-inch sea trout.

For offshore anglers, maybe the majestic blue marlin. I dream of tiger sharks.

Even in their rookie stage most Texas shark fishermen want a tiger. While putting some clients on a healthy tiger earlier this summer my own addiction was going unfed. And, having put seven tigers on Texas sand in my career, it had been four years since my last. So this trip had importance, and with big sharks abounding and a three day break, it was time.

The tale of the trip I’m about to relate had potential problems written all over it. What has been an astounding year in terms of surf shark fishing has also presented an unfortunate anomaly. No frustrating sargassum seaweed but, as we have experienced several times in the 72 | September 2015

past decade, the Padre Island National Seashore has been receiving strong cold-water upwellings. Not totally uncommon, this phenomenon usually lasts only a week or two. At the time of this trip it had been going on well over a month with surf zone temperatures running at least 10 degrees below the normal 87⁰ mark. Isolated areas have occasionally dipped to the lower-70s. There is debate over the cause of the upwellings but nobody argues they have

a profoundly negative impact on fishing. Regardless, my mind was set on doing this three day trip.

A byproduct of the upwellings are patches of cold, muddy water completely void of fish activity. Beyond this discolored zone, roughly 600 yards out, lies a defined color change. Heading south I found the surf still moderately large, all I could hope was that it would calm as forecasted. Another dark cloud was the fact that Gulf shrimp season was about to open—a time when sharks are said to pull off the beach and head offshore for a free meal of cull. But like I said, I needed this break.

The plan was to get set up and get baits out in time for nighttime

Large male bull ready for release

shark activity. Arriving to an area of interest toward the south end of PINS I noticed the surf was running a few degrees warmer. The water also was green, nearly all the water to the beach. Good tidal movement was another bonus. Sometimes the planets do align for something special.

That first night I hooked up and landed a large male bull shark.

The 8’-1” specimen was rather slim but had a massive head. This has definitely been the year of the hammer and bull. I tagged and released the beautiful fish (all solo, I remind you) while throughout the night the only other action was smaller sharks wreaking havoc on the baits.

The next day the water looked even better but typical of summer the daytime shark bite was slow.

I kept busy placing “uncrabbed” baits in the spread and persistence paid off as I managed to land an 8’-0” scalloped hammerhead. The tag and release was successful, something we always worry about; hammers landed on the beach have a notoriously high death rate. Seeing that fish swim off seemed a good omen. The rest of the day was quiet and again before dark I swapped baits, running out big ones in anticipation of nighttime action.

The first rod to go off in the Padre darkness did so with not-so-glamorous result. An average adult blacktip picked up a big bait as they often do, thus the reason for running multiple large baits in the spread. Roughly an hour later I hooked up again.

When a fish picks up a bait and heads immediately

TSFMAG.com | 73

C ontact

going to be very interesting, I thought.

I began battling the original fish that was fighting hard and demanding my full attention. I had no choice except to let the other fish swim on its own against the rod, able only to momentarily keep track of it and manage the rod for a few random seconds at a time.

The first fish was still putting up a determined fight and all could think about was hurrying it in so I could deal with the second—hopefully with enough daylight remaining to get my nighttime baits out.

But the darned shark was taking its time as large ones can surely do. After 40 minutes or so from when it took the bait, I finally got it to the first bar.

Still unsure of the species I jumped off the truck Night tiger! and ran down to grab the leader. It was dead low tide as I hurried through the wade gut and caught hold of the leader. It made a great display of thrashing before I could get it calmed to apply the tail rope. As it rolled on its side I realized—more stripes—another tiger!

Working franticly I got it tagged and made Double hook up tiger. quick measurements. I prayed the hurried photos would turn out good and made busy dragging it out for the release. Taping out at 9’-6”, this was my first-ever double-tiger trip. Celebrating had to wait, though, I still had a shark on the other rod.

Hopping back atop the truck I could see the shark was still hooked and chilling beyond the third sandbar. I began the fight and had it ready to leader at the first bar after roughly 15 minutes.

The solid 8’-3” bull was quickly tagged. I got some photos and made the release. I was ecstatic. offshore you can bet it is a big one. This shark ran strong, straight No rest for the wicked. I scurried through re-baiting as quickly as offshore for a while, but hardly a match for the enthusiasm and I could and finished with nightfall blanketing the beach. The night experience I was putting into the fight. Within half an hour I had it was not nearly as productive but still interesting with small sharks on the first bar from the original 600 yard drop. I jumped down with wreaking havoc on my big baits, bite by bite. Right before sunrise I the rack’s light bar illuminating the beach to leader it to the sand. I got a hellacious run on my 80W reel, only to have the bait dropped had hold of the leader when it suddenly began to thrash violently. after a few seconds.

Eventually seeing it broadside, it had stripes—TIGER STRIPES. After a couple of hours I brought all the baits in and on the 80W Jackpot! This is what I came for. Though not a monster, the 8’-7” all that remained of a 6-foot-class spinner shark was the head. male filled my psychological bait bucket with joy. I quickly made the The spinner evidently hit the bait during the night and almost tag and release after snapping a couple of self-photos. immediately, almighty jaws herself struck and demolished everything I still had two rods out but it took until nearly sunrise before I but the head. For another shark to eat a six-footer, you know it had to hooked up again—a stout 7’-11” female bull. Fighting the fish, it be of enormous proportions. occurred to me that I had not experienced such large shark activity Ending the trip and driving up the beach, all I think about was the in several years and, coincidentally, it too came during July. I made monster that got away. another successful release and though I should have been dead-tired, sleep was the last thing on my mind.

For the past decade Eric ‘Oz’ Ozolins has been promoting shark catch and release and assisting various shark research programs. Eric Shortly after sunrise I began preparing baits and running them out offers guided shark fishing on Padre Island National Seashore. Also into a daytime arrangement. The day passed in painfully slow fashion renowned for extreme kayak big game fishing, Eric runs Kayak Wars; and most of it was spent napping and observing nature. All day one of the largest kayak fishing tournaments in the world. without a bump on the rods, I was about to replace the baits for the Email oz@oceanepics.com evening bite when all hell broke loose. extremecoast.com | oceanepics.com | Websites My far northern bait was hit hard amid great surface ruckus and as

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Dickie Colburn

DICKIE COLBURN’S Sabine Scene

Sabine

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

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

78 | September 2015

While the catching on every bay system has suffered due to all of the fresh water, aside from what I’ve seen of Trinity bay, I can’t believe that any of them took the prolonged hit that we continue to experience on Sabine Lake.

We are still not back to normal even after several consecutive weeks of little or no rain, but there are finally signs indicating that things are about to turn around.

It is not like I haven’t explored every proposed solution while in the process of learning a helluva lot more than I ever cared to know about salinity levels and what a trout can or cannot tolerate.

If the person responsible for reporting these levels is reliable then I second the premise that trout pack up

Dad was obviously proud of his son’s first slot red!

and leave when the salinity dips below 5 parts per thousand. I also assure you that they are very leery about returning to their old haunts!

Fortunately, in our case, leaving was simply a matter of abandoning the salinitydepleted shallow water in the lake for nearby sustainable salinity levels in the deeper water of the rivers and the ICW. Rather than pack up and retreat to the Gulf, they did exactly what they do when riding out the colder water in the winter months.

All of which means that if conditions continue to improve, the bite could just explode all over the lake in less than a week’s time!

Local anglers are already catching good numbers of 16 to 20 inch trout fishing under

Troy and Ryan took advantage of redfish bite in the ICW.

the lights on the Sabine and Neches at night. These fish are chasing shrimp and shad to the surface only to return to more comfortable depths during the day. Much of this action is taking place just a short swim off the main lake.

Until these fish decide all is well in the lake, your best opportunity for dining on fried trout requires joining the crowds on the extreme southend of the lake or prospecting the deeper waters of the ICW. Everything south of the Causeway is still getting heavily pressured on a daily basis, but scattered shell as far north as Garrisons is now holding more fish as are both revetment walls.

In spite of realizing that at least fifty percent of the lake is currently a wasteland as far as catching trout is concerned, I continue to launch on the extreme north-end every morning and fish my way south.

Rarely do I ever even see another boat, but it gives me an opportunity to check areas that will be the first to improve.

Most of our trout in the southern portion of the lake are holding in 6 to 10 feet of water over isolated shell. They will suspend on a big tide change at times and just crush a Catch 2000 or Usual Suspect swimbait, but for the most part we are crawling tails over that shell. We have done well with four inch paddle tails like the Die Dapper and Sea Shad as well as the fiveinch Tidal Surge Split Tail.

Regardless of water clarity, which usually affects angler confidence more than fish, we are catching most of our trout on chicken on a chain, red shad and morning glory. In addition, we have had some ridiculously good outings with a purple demon Lil’ John rigged on 1/8 ounce Assassin swimbait hooks.

I don’t know if it simply took local anglers a long time to buy in or whatever, but I have never seen as many folks fishing live croaker on Sabine Lake as I have this year and they are predictably catching the larger trout. As a matter of fact, the last three tournaments on the lake were won by folks fishing with live croaker.

Easily the most dependable action, especially for someone that spends as much time on the north end of the lake as I do, has been the redfish bite. While the high water scattered them and they are not yet schooling in the open lake, they are still hammering away at both tails and hardbaits in the bayous and the marsh. We have also had some very good days catching them under rafts of mullet ganged up along the shoreline of the ICW. An outgoing tide has produced the most consistent action.

I am starting to feel like the rescue dog that never finds anyone alive, but I am convinced that we are getting really close and writing next month’s column will be far more enjoyable. Until then, there is still time to get the kids on the lake before school starts, but don’t dare bring them back to Mom all sunburned!

TSFMAG.com | 79

Capt. Caleb Harp

The Buzz on Galveston Bay

Galveston

Capt. Caleb Harp has fished the Galveston Bay System since childhood and, now a charter captain and fishing guide, he uses his knowledge to enable clients to enjoy the excellent fishing the area offers. His specialty is the year-around pursuit for trophy trout and redfish with artificial lures

Telephone 281-753-3378 Website harpsguideservice.com

80 | September 2015

Finally—the Galveston Bay complex is beginning to recover from the floods. With greener water in areas that have been chocolate brown since April the fish are beginning to spread out and so too are the throngs of anglers. For several months we have been crowding into the few areas that remained productive and days on the bay are definitely becoming much more enjoyable.

As a whole the fishing here has been great, tricky at times, but still pretty solid in the grand scheme of things.

Not all of the freshwater is gone nor am I going to bring bad juju on us by saying it has stopped for good; Goodness knows we could very well get slammed by another series of storms and end up right back at square one. BUT, we are rebuilding quite nicely and in a pretty quick fashion. Each bay was affected by freshwater inundation at one point this

spring and summer, some more than others. The main source of freshwater, the Trinity River, is down to only 5,000 cubic feet per second as I write this. Now the tide has more control and each incoming current we get mixes the freshwater up more and more, allowing salt to take over in areas we haven’t Ricky with a multibeen able to fish in months. spot red caught East Galveston Bay remains from an openwater school. great and what’s even better is that a large number of fishermen have shifted focus to other areas.

Six weeks ago it was normal to see forty-plus boats on each reef, sometimes more. While the fishing was amazing due to a huge number of trout migrating toward East Bay as they exited freshed-out Trinity, East Bay always holds a great number of “resident” fish of her own. With surface water temps hitting 90⁰ the deeper reefs that cover much of the bay floor are currently the way to go for trout.

A vital key to fishing these reefs is finding where the fish are holding on them, whether it be on the outside edge, in a trough-gut, or cruising-suspended chasing bait. A great lure for locating fish on reefs is the MirrOlure Lil John soft plastic. Its unique shape produces very realistic darting and can be fished in any portion of the water column by varying jig weight and speed. Typically, if the fish are suspended, I like throwing a paddletail such as MirrOlure’s Marsh Minnow on a 1/4 oz BAAD Marine Knotty Hooker jighead. Counting it down and adjusting retrieve makes it easy to A very nice stay within the strike zone. summertime Redfish are still hanging around marsh seven-pounder taken recently ponds and can be caught easily on Bagley over deepweedless spoons slow-rolled across their water shell reef. territory. Flounder have been steady around bayou drains on the south shoreline and can be caught bumping GULP along the bottom.

West Galveston Bay has been consistent with decent catches of trout, wading sand-shell bottom with topwaters in bone-chrome-bone and 51MR MirrOlures early in the day. Once the sun comes up it’s always good to bounce a paddletail on a 1/16 ounce jig through sand pockets amid the grass for mixed bags of bigger trout and redfish.

Upper Galveston Bay/Ship Channel has been exploding lately with the new salt water arriving with each tide. Reefs and spoils off

the Ship Channel are holding a lot of trout and some redfish. These areas are common for live-baiters and while that works for sure, do not be misled into believing you cannot get them on lures. The old 3/8 “gumball” jigheads with Tidal Surge Split Tail Mullet or MirrOlure Provokers worked just off the bottom and will produce plenty of solid trout this time of year.

Trinity Bay has begun to recover but it’s going be a while before it’s right again. I am guessing that maybe by mid-September we might be fishing the wells and east shoreline again.

Those Trinity Bay gas wells can be absolute dynamite when fished correctly. Remember to always work your lure with the current and you can’t go wrong with Capt. Mickey’s favorite “Purple Demon” Lil John. Just throw it and you’ll see why we’re such believers. Large paddletails on 3/8 ounce jigs are also great at the wells, the big jighead makes it run deep while a fairly quick retrieve keeps the tail flapping.

Mid-bay redfish action should be good during September. Keep watch for mud streaks and slicks in deep water over balls of shad and menhaden.

As good as it has been, I believe we are going to see even better fishing in the coming month. As Blaien Friermood says, “Better days are coming.”

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Bink Grimes

The View from Matagorda

Matagorda

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

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

82 | September 2015

Grab a rod, grab a shotgun—grab both! That’s what I will be doing most of September.

I look forward to north breezes that cut the humidity and mercury readings. Cooler nighttime temps do wonders for coastal fishing and for captains who have been fighting the heat for the past three months.

Those fronts also usher new recruits of doves and teal to Texas. What a great time to live in the Lone Star State.

Expect tides to swell and expect redfish to fill 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 estuaries.

So when casting to a pod of marsh redfish, don’t be surprised to find a silver streak cruising the shallows.

We find large schools of redfish on the north shoreline of East Matagorda Bay. Live shrimp, mullet and topwaters work well. Back-bay areas like Oyster Lake, Crab Lake and Lake Austin hold healthy populations. Don’t be surprised to see birds working in the back lakes on calm days as

shrimp begin to leave the marsh.

If 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, Down South Lures, MirrOlure Soft-Dines, GULP and live shrimp are best under a cork. Small topwaters like She Pups and the Super Spook Jr get blown out of the water as well.

Reefs along the north shoreline of West Bay will produce trout, redfish and black drum on live shrimp. Shell Island, Twin Island and all the major points along the north shoreline are littered with shell. Redfish have been known to school in large numbers in lateSeptember in these locales.

Wading the mid-bay reefs in East Bay produces throughout the year. With higher tides, the muddy bottoms around Brown Cedar Flats hold both trout and redfish for waders and drifters. The farthest east end of the bay gets really good this time of year.

Most waders forget about the grass beds in West Bay in September, but they still hold fish, redfish especially. Guts and cuts along the south shoreline often get overlooked. I don’t know why anglers forget about West Bay in September, but it’s a good place to get away from the crowds.

Teal season runs September 12-27 and we will be hunting the mornings and fishing the afternoons. Biologists point to another bumper crop of blue wings at around 8.5 million birds. Few things rival a dozen acrobatic teal cutting their wings over a prairie pond and dropping in your decoys.

Summer rains have marsh ponds in great shape. As of the time of this writing, we still have teal dates available.

South Zone dove season runs Sept.18-Oct.18 and we often fish the morning and hunt the afternoon for whitewings and mourners. Many of our hunts will be over sunflowers, corn, milo and goatweed.

Though we don’t guarantee it, it’s pretty cool to catch a limit of fish and shoot a limit of birds on the same day.

TSFMAG.com | 83

Capt. Shellie Gray

MID-COAST BAYS With the Grays

Port O'Connor Seadrift

Captain Shellie Gray was born in Port Lavaca and has been guiding in the Seadrift/Port O’Connor area full time for the past 12 years. Shellie specializes in wading for trout and redfish year round with artificial lures.

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

84 | September 2015

The waters of San Antonio Bay and surrounding areas are finally starting to return to near normal salinity level. I personally have not been able to fish since the early part of June. After seven days of charters I finally had a day off and was looking forward to relaxing and getting a manicure and pedicure. Gary said he would be pre-fishing an upcoming redfish tournament and would really like for me to come along. So much for relaxing. But since we had not fished together for some time, just us, I thought, “What the hell, it’ll be fun.”

After retrieving my wading gear from my boat I realized I had forgotten my favorite sunscreen lip balm and climbed back up again.

Exiting the boat my right foot slipped from the trailer fender and somehow landed between the tandem tires.

Needless to say it was not a pretty fall and the pain in my knee was pretty intense. Swelling soon set in and I knew the outcome was not going to be good.

After an MRI it was discovered I had ruptured my ACL and torn my meniscus. It Becky Terpstra has been seven weeks since caught this beautiful reconstruction surgery and summertime speck on a recent outing my surgeon told me not to with Capt. Gary. expect to return to guiding until the end of the year, possibly early next year. So here I sit fishing vicariously through Gary. Funny thing is we both had knee surgery on the same day but luckily Gary’s knee was a quicker recovery. He had a torn meniscus along with some arthritis that needed to be cleaned up. He was out of commission three weeks but is now going full steam.

Poor guy rarely gets a day off because when he’s not fishing with his clients he is

stepping up to help accommodate mine.

San Antonio Bay. Fish here are what we call “tide dependent.” Meaning So now that I’ve given you a heads-up on why you haven’t seen me that because they are occupying the waters that are close to the passes on the water lately, let me give you an update on how the fishing has to the Gulf, the more they become dependent on tidal movement when been (through Gary’s experience, of course). feeding since these movements provide and move their food source.

Fishing around Seadrift/Port O’Connor has been really good. Gary As the tide moves in and out it moves the bait to the predator fish. has had some of the best trout “catching” he has seen in years. At The currents produced by the tides provide the best opportunity for this time every year, weather permitting, the surf is where most of catching fish. When the tide is slack the fish tend to become inactive. So the action has been. Not only has he been be sure to check your tide charts when you plan West Matagorda Bay has a catching good numbers of trout but the size on fishing this bay system (and also the surf.) well-deserved reputation has been very impressive. Catching juvenile Espiritu Santo Bay has also been holding its for small sharks pestering wade fishermen! trout has not been as common as last year. own for steady catching. Fishing over grass I remember last year having to leave many beds and casting to open sand pockets have areas, covered up with too many small fish. been the ticket when fishing early in the Most of the trout have been in 3- to 6 foot morning. Nice-sized trout and redfish use the depths. Unless you are boat fishing, many grass as cover ambushing bait that happens wading trips are spent fishing to chest-deep to cross into the pockets. I usually like to start and I look for this pattern to continue until we my wades close to sloughs that connect back start to see cooler temperatures. lakes to the bay. These shorelines have been West Matagorda Bay has been producing most productive during the week days and great catches when the surf has been too tend to slow down quite a bit when weekend rough to venture out. This bay system has been boat traffic picks up on Friday. yielding plenty of trout action over grass beds Fall is just around the corner and I can’t wait and sand. Wading the shoreline near Green’s to see those seasonal changes take place.

Bayou has been good most days but don’t be It will be a whole new ball game by then. surprised if you lose a few to pesky sharks.

Hopefully, by October or November I can When fishing West Matagorda I pay closer return to the water for some short, fun trips. attention to tide movements than when I fish Wish me luck and a speedy recovery.

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david rowsey

HOOKED UP WITH Rowsey This may not be my favorite time of year to be on the water but bird season is just around the corner and that keeps my outdoor focus at its peak. Fast-flying doves, the smell of burning gun powder and a good retriever are always high on my priority list. By the time Upper this article hits the rack or mailbox, we, as Texans do, Laguna/ will be celebrating in the fields with lifelong friends, wore out dogs, and a cold beverage. I’m stoked!

Baffin The persistent calm winds have been making for some hot days on the water down here. Fishing has remained steady, however, the trout bite seems to fall off pretty early when casting lures exclusively, as we David Rowsey has 20 years experience in the Laguna/Baffin do. For me, it’s about time to slow everything down region; trophy trout with artificial and get some much needed rest. I’ll continue to run lures is his specialty. David has a trips throughout September but not soliciting further great passion for conservation bookings until things begin cooling down a bit. 2015 and encourages catch and has been a tremendous year so far for catching great release of trophy fish. fish, making new friends, and staying booked. I have much to be thankful for in my life; I know where it Telephone comes from and never take it for granted.

361-960-0340 Website As just mentioned, the trout bite plays out pretty www.DavidRowsey.com early in this heat. Oh, you will catch them throughout Email the day, but consistency is best before the sun is well david.rowsey@yahoo.com up and we usually get until about 9:30 in the morning

86 | September 2015

before everything slows way down. After that we are going shoulder deep just to try and grind a few more trout off the bottom, or completely switching gears to other species.

Flounder have been a great way to break up the monotony of a slow trout bite during the late morning.

I’m thrilled by the fact that we actually have enough flounder now that we can actually target them with a good success rate. Spoil islands that taper off into deeper water, with windblown current, are a favorite place to find them. This scenario stretches from Nighthawk Bay in the Upper Laguna all the way down to the opening of the Land Cut. As the day heats up, look for them to fall off into deeper potholes along the King Ranch shoreline. Their eyes being on top of their heads, I think they really appreciate the long shoal grass providing some shade in 3- to 4 feet of water. Ever notice how you always seem to catch one next to or under a dock or a pier? I don’t think it is a coincidence.

Of course, redfish are schooling up in great numbers and we are spending much of the hottest part of the day trying to locate and catch them. In general, the schools are northbound. They may stay located on a particular stretch of shoreline or a spoil island for a

Stewart Peacock with one of three trout between 27 and 30 inches caught on the first wade of the morning. Plum 5” Bass Assassin - All Released!

couple of days, then may adjust 1/4 to 1/2 mile north overnight.

As I seem to mention way too often, boat pressure plays a tremendous role on their movements. Keeping them on vast section of flats like in the old days is almost an impossibility with so many burn-boats running them down. It’s frustrating to say the least, but I guess it is just the new norm that we will all have to learn to live and deal with.

If you want to beat the crowds to the reds and enjoy some semblance of privacy on the water, go shallow and sight-cast.

You may not find huge numbers but, then again, you might.

Every day is different out here. Move slow, look through the water and scan every pothole for something that looks out of place. Some days they are like ghosts and other days they look like a red flashing light as they cruise over the sand. Sightcasting is truly the perfect combination of hunting and fishing.

Oh yea, It’s also a dang good way to find that large rogue female trout. Good hunting!

Small topwaters have been awesome in the early morning light and that should continue throughout the hotter months. If I’m not getting hit pretty quickly on the MirrOlure She Dog, I’m switching to the 5” Bass Assassin before too long. Those two lures are my bread and butter for trout right now. If sight-casting reds up shallow, or trout, for that matter, I scale all lures down to 3- to 4 inch Bass Assassins. Grubtails and paddletails are working best for us when up in the skinny water.

Remember the buffalo! -Capt. David Rowsey

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TSFMAG.com | 87

Capt. Tricia

TRICIA’S Mansfield Report Despite the lack of rainfall during July and thus far in August, the typically harsh and arid South Texas landscape remains rather lush from the heavy rains Port we were blessed with in Mansfield May and June. When you put water on an area which normally doesn’t get it the land really comes to life.

Capt. Tricia’s Skinny Water The rain and local runoff Adventures operates out of seems to have also given Port Mansfield, specializing in our hypersaline Laguna a wadefishing with artificial lures. welcome boost. We are still seeing shrimp dancing on the surface and an Telephone 956-642-7298 abundance of blue crabs Email scurrying in the grass. In shell@granderiver.net short, Deep-South Texas is Website www.SkinnyWaterAdventures.com robustly healthy for now and, with any luck, so will be September’s fishing!

Recapping late summer;

88 | September 2015

My sis, Pam Whitley, is the artistic one in our family. That’s me doing what I love best— sight-fishing the shallow sand flats of the Lower Laguna.

it has been fairly typical with low tides, calmer winds, and topwaters fouled with wads of floating grass.

Yes, we shake our fists at those floating strands of weeds but an abundance of grass is largely why we enjoy clear water and a thriving ecosystem. Overall fishing patterns have varied little since last month.

The water has remained mostly clear and the water levels are still low. The only significant difference has been the persistence of stifling, broiler-type wind that hits us a little before noon most days. You still need to hit it early, and you want to be right on the edges of color changes as the wind builds and stirs

the water. Shallow flats will stay relatively clear, but after the coolness of morning passes, most of the better fish retreat to off-colored waist deep potholes and grass beds.

Topwaters are still getting smacked as long as conditions allow and typically by larger fish (when you can keep them running clean), both trout and reds.

Although the system has many juvenile trout, a very good sign for the future, we are still getting on some nice ones to round things out. Redfish have been fairly steady.

FINALLY—most days have been providing them in good supply around waist-deep sand pockets dotted with heavy grass.

There are some on the shallow eastside sand early, but most of those fish have been on the small side and do not remain there long, especially on high traffic days.

It is definitely safe to say that our most consistent redfish action remains deeper.

Just thinking of September gets me excited. My hopes are already soaring with the approach of higher waters levels Successful release of a chunky pushing in bait from the gulf and spurring summertime speck. gamefish feeding activity. September is still going to be hot, but with higher water, and hopefully fewer boats, maybe we will see the fish in the shallows more often. If overnight conditions have been favorable

for a cool-down, (cloudless skies overnight, etc.), the sand is worth an early look. If you see good bait and wakes up shallow, be confident, be quiet, throw lures and get them. A K-Wiggler pumpkin-chartreuse Ball Tail Shad or paddletail on a 1/8 ounce jig head is hard to beat, ditto a bone-silver Super Spook Jr worked softly.

The challenge will be making the decision to precision-fish the skinny or go straight to deeper water.

We have a lot going on down here in the Lower Laguna Madre, my prediction is that September should bring many new fishing opportunities into play. The Labor Day weekend, while hardly the end of summer down here, is the end of fishing season for many folks. Boat traffic will be noticeably lighter after the second weekend and less noise from racing outboard engines usually signals better fishing. Let’s keep our fingers crossed weather-wise. While a small tropical system with some moisture wouldn’t hurt, nobody wants to hear the H word with damaging wind and storm surge that so often comes with a major weather system.

Come on down! If you live for surface crashes don’t forget you will probably still need single hooks on your topwaters to get the best of the bite.

TSFMAG.com | 89

Capt. Ernest cisneros

SOUTH PADRE Fishing Scene

A rr oyo C olorado t o Port I sabel

A Brownsville-area native, Capt. Ernest Cisneros fishes the Lower Laguna Madre from Port Mansfield to Port Isabel.

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

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

This is the toughest story I ever tried to write. Many As of this writing the Gulf of Mexico has been days I have fished with tears running unnoticed quiet and tides have been uncommonly low through behind my sunglasses and sun hood. A week before mid-August. Usually by mid-July we begin to see I started this story my dear mom, my biggest fan and tropical developments and by August a couple small supporter, went to eternal rest. Even though she never disturbances make landfall somewhere on our coast. experienced or really liked fishing she was always Looks like it’s going to be a little later this year. Our anxious to learn how my day on the water had gone. bay and Gulf waters look absolutely great. The surf has Before every charter, without fail, I would call her at been calm enough to produce some good catches 5:30 AM and call her again upon my return. She always of trout and redfish among other species. Calm finished our conversation with a blessing and I truly conditions have given us all-day fishable clarity across believe God heard her prayers. much of the Lower Laguna, unlike earlier in the year.

Growing up I had always wanted to share my passion for fishing and make a living chasing that dream. In 2003, with no money to attend Captain’s school, my mother encouraged me to enroll and paid my tuition. Her love and kindness to help me fulfill my dream has taken me beyond anything I ever imagined.

My mom never met my readers, clients, or those around me in the fishing world but she was a great influence on all of us. Had it not been for her I would not K-Wigglers new bone diamond be where I am today. Every month she would purchase has been a big this magazine and proudly carry it, showing all who hit on redfish, would listen. She will be deeply missed but I know she’s trout, flounder, and snook! resting in peace and still sending blessings my way.

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90 | September 2015

Redfish continue to be elusive and many are staying extremely shallow where most fishermen are not comfortable navigating. Even on daily high tides some of these fish are tough to reach. We have found a few small schools we could work on weekdays but weekend traffic scatters them and they become shy to bite. We are finding most of the reds we are catching on sandy bottoms with shell. Potholes around spoil islands have been giving us a few. In deeper, sandy-bottoms any slight ridge or other variance in water depth water—as slight as six or eight inches—can make a difference if you fish along that line.

In general I would say the heart of the Lower Laguna, several miles north and south of the Arroyo Colorado, is holding the best numbers at present.

The K-Wiggler Ball Tail Shad in bone diamond has been our go-to redfish bait, even in sandy and off-colored water.

Topwater action has been sporadic.

Looking back over summer I’d say our redfish catches have improved a bit but still lagging prior years. Here’s to hoping September’s cool-down and higher tides will bring better catching.

Trout fishing is very good right now from Port Mansfield to South Bay. Solid fish can be caught just about anywhere along the ICW

spoil area drop-offs and potholes in grass beds. Most areas we targeted lately produced nice fish. The prime depth has been about belly deep—sandy to green in color. The same K-Wiggler Ball Tail is working for trout and we also throw the plum-chartreuse often. Topwaters are working, too. Feeding flocks of gulls and terns have led us to excellent late-afternoon action on the deeper flats. Here in August we are beginning to see more and more trout in the trophy category in very shallow water where they are almost impossible to catch and this has heightened my expectation of a good winter trout season.

I also want to mention that flounder fishing is off the chart right now—best I’ve ever seen. Limits or close can be made when we target them. Look for these bottom dwellers off the edges of the ICW, especially near the docks and pilings of bay shacks, old oilfield channels, and any shoreline with a sandy bottom. The key is in working the lure slowly, bumping bottom. Any soft plastic will work; scented baits are usually the best.

I will finish with a quote from Ronald Reagan. “From my mother I learned the value of prayer, how to have dreams and Dave’s hard work believe I could make them come true.” paid off with this Thanks Mom for making my dream beautiful linesider. come true.

TSFMAG.com | 91

FISHING REPORTS

ORECASTS F from Big Lake to Boca Chica

AND

Lake Calcasieu Louisiana Jeff and Mary Poe - Big Lake Guide Service - 337.598.3268 Water conditions look good throughout the estuary, and the increasing presence of bait will mean plenty of food for the fish. We are looking forward to the first front of the year. It will bring thousands of bluewinged teal as well as huge groups of birds picking over schools of hungry trout and redfish! This annual event kicks off our favorite time of year. Trout and redfish will be in transition mode, moving from summer to fall patterns, and we will see massive schools of fish mixed under birds. When fishing birds, we stick to MirrOlure Lil’ Johns, H&H Sparkle Beetles, and Salty Grubs rigged on quarter-ounce jigheads. Mid-lake reefs, as well as shallower reefs will also produce plenty of fish. Shallow marsh ponds will feature tailing and waking redfish for those willing to search hard to locate them. Popping corks rigged with a twelveinch leader above a plastic on a light jighead provide a great way to catch these fish. Topwaters, gold spoons, and spinnerbaits with single Colorado blades are also great options for tricking the reds.

Jimmy West - Bolivar Guide Service - 409.996.3054 September is the start of cast and blast season for Jim. “September the 1st is my biggest day of the year. We run a lot of dove hunts, sometimes nearly a couple hundred guys. During the rest of the month, I’ll hunt a couple days a week, fish a couple. Teal season does start up toward the end of the month, and that will be another good opportunity for some excellent outdoor activity. Right now, the fish are still out in the middle, staying in deep water around shell pads and reefs. Topwater bite has been pretty good. We’ve have some good bird activity on some days, and the fishing is easy when they are working. The biggest trout I’ve caught lately have been under slicks in areas away from the birds. People are catching plenty of trout on the spoil banks along the ship channel.

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Trinity Bay - East Bay - Galveston Bay | James Plaag Silver King Adventures - silverkingadventures.com - 409.935.7242 James says fishing has gotten a bit tougher since the salty water has started returning to the bays. “The fish are starting to spread out some, and it’s harder to stay on ‘em every day. We are still catching good numbers, though, keying on slicks and rafts of bait in open, deep water

around reefs and well pads in deep water. This pattern will likely remain good through September. Often, at the end of summer, we catch most of our trout around deep structures when the water is moving, as the tides turn. I think some of the fish are moving back toward the upper parts of the bays right now, riding the saltier water. We’re still catching best on soft plastics in colors like slammin’ chicken and limetreuse, working them low and slow. Of course, tarpon season will be in full swing come September. If the weather’s calm, and we’re able to get out in the Gulf, we should be able to catch a good number of silver kings. We had plenty of fish to target the last time it got calm, so we are set up for a good run if the weather will cooperate.”

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92 | September 2015

As always, the weather dictates the potential for the fishing. When winds are calm, fishing in the surf breaks wide open, and the fish are much easier to locate and catch out in the middle. When winds are blowing harder, especially out of the west, it’s tougher.”

West Galveston - Bastrop - Christmas - Chocolate Bays Randall Groves - Groves Guide Service 979.849.7019 - 979.864.9323 First thing Randall mentioned in his report was a west wind, which he said had been wreaking havoc in his area for a while. “We’ve been throwing live bait to try and maximize the catching while trying to beat the heat. When the water is in bad shape, it pays to maximize the predators’ sense of smell when targeting them. We are using mostly piggies and croakers to catch the trout, but mullet are working better to take the redfish. In some isolated areas, we’ve been able to catch some reds on topwaters like Woodie Woodpecker Skitterwalks and chicken on a chain Norton Bull Minnows rigged on three-eighths ounce jigheads.

We are using the heavier heads because they allow us to accurately cast into the wind, which is a required thing in many of the small spots where we are targeting the reds with lures. With any luck, we’ll get a break from this wind in time to take advantage of the surf some in September.

Out there, we should be able to target and catch plenty of trout on topwaters, especially early in the morning.”

Matagorda | Tommy Countz Bay Guide Service - 979.863.7553 cell 281.450.4037 Tommy likes the fishing in September about as much as in any other month. “Normally, we see an upturn in the fishing when September gets here. Surf can be good at the start of the month; then the tide usually comes in and opens up some areas where we haven’t been able to fish most of the summer. We usually see the redfish schooling

reliably, and the coves and back lakes are great places to target them. The action on reds with topwaters like SheDogs is good in the shallow parts of West Bay, where we typically catch plenty of flounder too.

We also like to fish the grass beds and guts along the shoreline, using soft plastics in dark colors on light jigheads like sixteenth-ounce when targeting reds and flounder over there. In East Bay, we like to wade the mid-bay reefs in the west end when winds are light. We’ll throw topwaters there too, but will switch over to heavier jigheads when fishing soft plastics in the deeper water adjacent to the shell. Drifting areas near those reefs can be good too, after the bite dies down on the wade.”

Palacios | Capt. Aaron Wollam www.palaciosguideservice.com - 979.240.8204 We have finally turned the corner in our bays as the water has gotten salty again, and fishing has taken off just as we would expect! Trout continue to come from over deep shell on live shrimp and Vudu Shrimp rigged three to four feet under popping corks. The key to fishing the deep shell is to drift until fish are found, then slide an anchor out and work hard to catch them from a fixed position. Trout have been ranging from sixteen to twenty two inches with an occasional twenty five incher in the mix. The redfish bite has exploded as the bays have gotten saltier, and we are starting to see signs of fish schooling and chasing shrimp and shad along area shorelines. Gold quarter-ounce spoons and black/gold/orange topwaters have been the best lures to use when targeting the reds. Tripletail are finally starting to show up also. We have scratched out a few good ones up to fifteen pounds, with tons of small ones in the bays. The amount of crabs, shrimp, shad and mullet in the bays is unreal, so this fall is shaping up to be a great one!!

TSFMAG.com | 93

Port O’Connor | Lynn Smith Back Bay Guide Service - 361.983.4434 Lynn plans on targeting trout and redfish in fairly deep water close to the open Gulf in September, unless we get significant relief from the summer heat wave we are experiencing.

“I’ll be fishing water around waist-deep up to about eight feet. We will fish spoil banks along the ship channel and areas close to the pass where we can wade and throw into deep water. Soft plastics have by far been the best producers lately, and I expect that will be true for the most part in September too. We are experiencing a decent topwater bite on some mornings, but mostly, it’s an early thing and doesn’t last too long. Of course, when we are able to get into the surf, we will do so. Out there, the topwater bite generally works better than it does on the inshore waters, meaning we are able to catch trout a bit longer into the morning. Depending on the winds and currents, the clear water along the beachfront tends to move either south or north of the Pass. Of course, it definitely pays to target the fish in the best water you can find out there.”

Rockport | Blake Muirhead Gator Trout Guide Service - 361.790.5203 or 361.441.3894 In September, Blake mentions he likes to focus on fishing shell reefs for both trout and reds. “We will fish mid-bay reefs in bays like Carlos and San Antonio. When the tides are high, fish tend to spend more time feeding right on top of and around the reefs, so they are easier to locate and catch there. Mostly, we’ll target them with lures when fishing this pattern. Lately, the surf has been good, with the calm mornings we’re having. I’ve been catching pretty good all along Mustang Island.

Topwaters work well when the water is in good shape on the beachfront, especially early in the day. As the sun gets higher, Norton Sand Eels in my old standby colors like purple/chartreuse and pumpkinseed/ chartreuse definitely work better. Also, this month is the start of cast and

blast season. I’ve got a bunch of good fields which are full of Milo right now, so I expect fast and furious shooting to be the norm on the dove hunts. Teal season will also start. When targeting them, we usually hunt the back lakes first, then fish our way out.”

Upper Laguna Madre - Baffin Bay - Land Cut Robert Zapata – rz1528@grandecom.net - 361.563.1160 The action in our part of the Laguna Madre continues to get a high rating from me, with plenty of trout and redfish in the Baffin Bay area.

Many of the trout we’ve been catching on my charters have been measuring between eighteen and twenty two inches. I’ve been very happy with our catches. A few of the trout have been in the twenty five to twenty eight inch category. The water temperatures are still cool for this time of the year, and that means the trout and redfish are still remaining in the very shallow water for a big part of the day. I’ve been finding a few schools of redfish early in the mornings while the winds are still relatively calm. The trout are still going after free-lined, live croakers rigged with at least twenty inches of 20-25 lb. test fluorocarbon.

The redfish in the schools are going after pumpkinseed/chartreuse and sand trout colored Die Dappers rigged on eighth-ounce Springlock jigheads. Sight-casting in less than twelve inches of water with shrimpflavored Fish Bites continues to gain popularity on my charters.

Corpus Christi | Joe Mendez – www.sightcast1.com - 361.937.5961 The water throughout the Upper Laguna Madre/Baffin Bay system remains in good shape, and the fishing is steady, Joe says. “We’re having good luck catching both trout and redfish, targeting both species in the mornings in shallow water over grass with scattered patches of hard, sandy bottom. As the day heats up, we’re having better luck around the grass beds which are barely visible along the edge of the drop-off to deeper water. We’ve also caught some nice trout around deeper rocks adjacent to shallow flats in places along the Kenedy Shoreline and in

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Baffin. Most of our fish are biting soft plastics. We rig them on light jigheads for the shallow drill early in the morning, but we’ll adjust jighead size to work deeper structures as the day heats up, especially if winds pick up significantly. Heavier heads allow us to keep the lures down in the water column in the windier conditions. In September, things should stay much the same for us. If we get a good bull tide, the early bite might get even better, with plenty of cool water flooding the flats.”

Padre Island National Seashore Billy Sandifer - Padre Island Safaris - 361.937.8446 The upwelling of cold offshore currents has been the nemesis of surf fishermen since back in mid-June—except for a few scattered days.

This is the longest-running event of this type I can remember. Fishing success in September will depend on the presence or absence of the upwelling. Finger mullet in countless numbers will migrate into the surf from the bays and the redfish will follow them out. Shoals of anchovies are typically present and the combination of these two factors brings countless predators into the surf. Tarpon, redfish, blacktipped sharks, bull sharks, large jack crevalle, king mackerel, Atlantic bluefish and untold numbers of skipjacks are typically feeding on anchovies and the finger mullet. Lures of most types along with live and dead bait will all produce. Whiting are numerous and a few pompano will be scattered among the others. Follow the birds and concentrate on areas containing lots of bait and food chain activity. When working areas with extreme activity, always keep an eye out for sharks.

Port Mansfield | Ruben Garza Snookdudecharters.com – 832.385.1431 Getaway Adventures Lodge – 956.944.4000 Traditional summer weather and fishing patterns are running full bore at Port Mansfield. Light to no wind in morning and midday gusts to 30-mph. Topwater bite has been fantastic. Lots of small trout but you

will pick up decent keepers as well. Best morning action has been in mid-thigh to waist deep water. Topwaters till about 11am and then belly to chest deep with soft plastics. K-Wiggler Ball Tail Shad on 1/8 ounce jigs have been very effective. Several colors are working; Lagunaflauge, Mansfield Margarita and Plum-chart. We have also been doing well with K-Wiggler Shrimp Tails in pearl-pink and red-white—lots of shrimp in the bays! Bay fishing in general has been quite productive; if this pattern holds we are in for several more excellent fishing months. Nearshore and offshore fishing have been insane. Nearshore is producing kingfish, bull redfish, jack crevalle, Spanish mackerel, bonito and tarpon. Offshore, state-water red snapper fishing has been fantastic. Reports of yellow and black fin tuna have been coming in. Expect offshore fishing to continue unless tropical weather brings seas too rough to fish.

Lower Laguna Madre - South Padre - Port Isabel Janie and Fred Petty – www.fishingwithpettys.com – 956.943.2747 We continue to see a large bull shark near the stop sign just over the bar from Laguna Vista, so they are still prowling the bay. The TIFT tournament has just ended, and the fishing was great. Notably, offshore catches were up this year, and the number of flounder coming in this summer is encouraging. Four of the largest bay tournaments of the year occur in August. We’re starting to see more reds, though the summer boat traffic high, and trout fishing continues to be dependable, using Cajun Thunder round corks with Berkley Gulp! Live shrimp in nuclear chicken and glow. We’ve finally had some calm mornings, but the wind picks up most days and makes for hazy afternoons. Freddy says, “September is the time of the year that reminds us of why we love to live in South Texas. Cast and blast baby! Last year, the white-winged dove season was one for the record books, and now the sunflowers are blooming, so get ready for opening weekend!” Be a respectful boater and put life jackets on the kids! Stop open bay dredge disposal.

More Fish. More Fun.

More food, festivals and fun. Museums, art and shopping. rockport-fulton.org Call 1-800-242-0071 visitrockportfulton Photo by Dawn Huff TSFMAG.com | 95

Ashley Clark Laguna Madre - 44” 44+lb black drum CPR

Linda Gallegos SPI - 32” first big red!

Jose Maldonado SPI jetties - first bonito!

Billy Penney Seadrift - black drum 96 | September 2015

Joshua Fregeau POC jetties - 42” redfish

Walker Hale Port Aransas - 59” 52lb king

Steven Castleberry Matagorda Bay - 33” red drum

George Guadina, Jr. Port Mansfield - 28” trout CPR

Brady Mears Port Mansfield - 27” redfish

Mark Matheny Port Aransas - 45” red

Braiding Galveston - black drum

Lindy Bingham ICW at Sargent - 7lb tripletail

Karol Blake Rockport - 34” 15lb redfish

Lisa & Kalie 37” redfish

Pam Poston Baffin Bay - 29” trout

Deborah Rodriguez Port Mansfield - 27” trout CPR

Cory Power Lavaca Bay - 40” tarpon

Richard Young East Matagorda - 31” red

Hiram Salazar Bryan Beach - 39” redfish

Wade Tharp Aransas Bay - 2” piggy perch

Ashley Weldon South Padre - bull red CPR

Dax Satterwhite Jamaica Beach - 23.75” 4lb first flounder!

Angie Couch Seadrift bayfront - first red!

Gary Villarreal 40” bull red

Colin Toole Chocolate Bayou 21” first keeper red! CPR

Justin Pechal South Padre - king

Please do not write on the back of photos.

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

Anna Sanchez Port Aransas - 31.5” first bull red!

Daniel Sanchez, Jr. Laguna Madre - 42” black drum CPR

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

Pam Johnson

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

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

Ragin’ Cajun

www.ragincajungoods.com

This stuff is AWESOME!

Other fine Ragin’ Cajun products:

This is a fisherman’s dream…EASY! Come in after a day of fishing and enjoy a great dinner.

Creole Sauce Roux Jambalaya Mix Gumbo Mix Crawfish Boil Fish Fry Ragin’ Cajun Seasoning Dirty Rice Mix Red Beans 10 Bean Soup Mix Black Bean Soup Mix Pinto Beans Petite Red Beans Petite White Beans Lentil Bean Soup Blackeye Peas Jalapeno Relish Sweet Jalapeno Slices Sweet Pickle Slices

I used two jars with one pound of shrimp and one pound of crawfish tails served over a bed of rice, salad and garlic toast!

Just follow the instruction on the back of the jar. My suggestion is to only use 1/2 jar of water; I like it a little thicker. You can always add more water if you like. ~ Pam Johnson

98 | September 2015

Available at HEB and online.

Halo™ Shrimp Perfect Sinker ™ There’s a new shrimp in town!

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“It is breathtaking to see it falling perfectly in a circular motion while the movement & vibrations of the legs bring the shrimp to life.”

Circular Falling Motion

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Scan this to see it in action!

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TSFMAG.com | 99

Science and the

LJKWFDVW S DIDUL

Sea Star Ejection

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Imagine that every time a veterinarian microchipped a dog or cat, the animal found a way to expel the microchip from its body. It turns out that is exactly what a sea star (aka starfish) does with a foreign object in its body. It pushes the object to the tip of an arm and then ejects it from its body.

5HVHUYH \RXU SODFH RQ GHFN &HOO VLJKWFDVWVDIDUL#\DKRR FRP

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The devotionals in this book are real-life experiences from an author who has spent countless sunrises and sunsets in Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great outdoors. It is practical application of Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s principles, shown through the eyes of a sportsman, with beautiful photography to accent each lesson.

Only $12.95 Order by mail or online: binkgrimes@sbcglobal.net www.binkgrimesoutdoors.com 100 | September 2015

Sea

TM

Bink Grimes 333 CR 166 Bay City, Tx 77414

The white object at the tip of this sea starâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arm is being ejected from its body. Credit: University of Southern Denmark Two Danish biology students discovered this trick when they tried to inject tags into sea stars to track them. Within a few days of inserting tags, the tags were shed. To figure out how this happened, the students inserted a magnet with similar dimensions as the tag and used another magnet outside the starfish to track the internal magnetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s position.

They also used an ultrasound imager on the starfish to see the magnetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s position.

After about 10 days, the magnet made its way haphazardly past the sea starâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s internal organs until it reached the tip of one of its arms. It seems that constrictions of the body wall near the object are what propel the foreign object toward the arm.

This was the first time scientists have seen such a behavior in any animal, so the discovery inspired many more questions about this remarkable ability: Why the tip of the arm? Exactly how are objects pushed out? Do other animals do this? Can a sea star eliminate any object, or does the size or shape make a difference? Does this offer any benefits to a sea star? It will take more observation and research to understand sea starsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; unique ejection ability.

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

ON THE WATER

Saltwater Fishing Clinics WITH

Capt. Robert Zapata

If you are having difficulty catching fish on a consistent basis, the clinic is designed for you. Learn Capt.Robert Zapata’s secrets to finding and catching more fish from his 25 years of experience as a professional fishing guide.

For Information Call 361-563-1160

texas saltwater fishing holes M ATA G O R D A B AY Speckled Trout / Redfish

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

USCG Licensed Captain Stan Sloan

832.693.4292 fintasticcoastalcharters.com

PESCADO PARK RV PADS & BOAT STORAGE

Baffin Bay

near Kaufer-Hubert Boat Ramp DAN WARD

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TSFMAG.com | 101

CHRIS MAPP

BO AT M A I N TE N A N CE T I P S

Boat Owner’s Greatest Enemy Chris Mapp, owner Coastal Bend Marine.

Yamaha, Evinrude, Suzuki, Mercury, Honda, BlueWave, SilverWave, Haynie, El Pescador Service, Parts and Sales.

102 | September 2015

Fuel system problems arising from ethanol continue to be the most common problem in our shop.

In fact, ethanol related repairs are up more than 50% compared to last year, clogging the workload pipeline and costing our customers an average of $1000 when the entire fuel system must be disassembled and thoroughly cleaned.

Pumping contaminated fuel from fuel tanks, flushing fuel lines, getting new fuel into the system and pushing it through the injectors to insure all is clean, and then disposing of old fuel is just one part of this expense. Note—it is not uncommon in our business to have to dispose of as many as 50 barrels (55 gallons) of contaminated fuel during a single summer boating season.

The second part of the fuel system cleaning process that owners do not understand is cleaning the vapor separator tank (VST) on some models, which is located behind the intake, and then removing injectors to have them cleaned and reinstalled.

Contaminated fuel must be completely removed (siphoned) from fuel tanks during cleanup. On many models, where the fuel pick-up tube is located an inch or so off the bottom and we cannot siphon all the fuel, it is necessary to work through the top of the tank at the fuel sending unit port to accomplish pneumatic cleaning and swabbing.

The third distressing part of ethanol-related fuel system problems is replacing galled injectors, swollen grommets, and also the filters. When these are accomplished we then run the boat on an auxiliary (shop) fuel tank, and finally reconnect the

boat’s onboard tanks to the fuel system and run it on a water hose in the shop.

The fourth and final part of a complete fuel system cleaning job is taking the boat to the water and running it to ensure all aspects have been cleared and the boat runs normally. Hopefully, during onthe-water testing, we will not experience additional injector failure.

The toughest part of this process for us is handing the owner a bill for $800- to $1400—depending on boat configuration, tank(s) size and number of engines on the transom.

Ethanol-blended fuel is the boat owner’s worst enemy and extra care must be given to protect your valuable investment. Monitor the fuel filters under the engine cowling—when the red rings in the cup are floating you have water trapped in the filter!

Change fuel/water separator filters often, inspect o-rings on fuel caps regularly, check regularly for water pooling on the top surface of fuel tanks (especially after washing the boat). Another great tip is to include ethanol fuel treatment at every fill up and store your boat with a full tank to reduce the accumulation of condensation in the fuel tank.

I cannot stress enough the importance of contacting your state congressman and senators to demand the coastal regions of Texas be cleared of the E-10 fuel requirements they have allowed to be implemented.

Boat ownership and coastal fishing are supposed to be fun—not so darned expensive!

Chris Mapp

texas saltwater fishing holes

fishing retreats corpus to port isabel

classifieds BENTLEY’S INTERCOASTALS HOUSE RENTALS Port O’Connor, Texas: 3 Bedrooms, Sleeps 6, Fully Furnished. Great Location between the little Jetties & Clark’s Restaurant. Boat Slip upon availability. Guide service available with Capt Keith Gregory. Call Steve or Lydia at 361-983-4660 or 361-482-9095. Special winter rates available.

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

805 B. South Bridge Victoria, TX 77901

Fax: 361.573.0304

TSFMAG.com | 103

the only stop for your fishing needs

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Introducing Shimano’s latest in comfortable and light weight footwear - the Shimano Evair Marine/Fishing shoes. The Evair are an ‘open’ style shoe, meaning they’re quick drying and allow your feet to breathe even in the hottest day time conditions. A non slip sole gives the wearer added confidence when navigating slippery decks.

Simply put, Aldebaran redefines the lightweight, compact low profile baitcasting reel category. Weighing in at a mere 4.7 ounces, Aldebaran delivers unmatched smoothness and precision with our S3D, SVS Infinity and new SilentTune technologies. While Aldebaran is light in weight, it is by no means a lightweight when it comes to durability in the most demanding fishing environments. This reel is equipped with our X-SHIP gearing system and is housed in an electro-coated magnesium frame. Aldebaran excels at fishing jerkbaits, light crankbaits and a variety of finesse baits.

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For the avid fisherman and tournament bass angler the new Metanium baitcasting reels are LOW PROFILE all about lightweight versatile performance. Weighing in at 6-ounces (6.2 oz for XG model), Shimano offers three gear ratios to have the optimum retrieve speed to fish jigs & worms, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, and the XG for flipping or punching.

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The new Stradic FK utilizes Shimano’s latest technology while drawing on ways of the past. Hagane cold forged drive gear combined with X-Ship provides a smooth, powerful and durable reel. The sleek G-Free body provides a better weight balance to reduce fatigue. Every part has been designed to improve the anglers experience on the water.

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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 coincide 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 about 1.0 to 1.5 hrs either side of the moon directly overhead or underfoot.

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

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

w w w. t e x a s s a l t w a t e r f i s h i n g m a g a z i n e . c o m