Going Coastal

by KELLY GROCE :: TF&G Contributing Editor

Rolling with the Tarpon

DRIFTING OVER GIN-CLEAR ats as far as the eye can see is truly remarkable. It’s something that the Lower Laguna Madre is notorious for. e odds of catching a trophy speckled trout or stumbling upon a 100+ herd of red sh is highly a ainable on this one-of-a-kind Texas resource.

When I became a full-time resident here on South Padre Island, I quickly learned that this area is the ultimate playground for anglers, o ering even more than the alluring ats. When it comes to the number of species and di erent styles of shing you can do in a relatively close area, South Texas o ers an abundance of options.

For some sherman, the ats are it. You will nd them day in a er day out dri ing, wading, etc. You can’t really blame them for being stuck in their ways, it’s a good one to be stuck in.

Bud Rowland caught the state record speckled trout (16 pounds, 34 inches) here on the ats during the month of May, so I don’t blame any angler that is seeking big trout for sticking to their guns. On the contrary, I’m chomping at the bit to step beyond the ats and as we like to say “peek our head out” at the je ies.

May and June are transitional months where we will begin to see the rst signs of migratory tarpon. e sight of a 30- to 60-pound tarpon rolling at the je ies becomes a regular occurrence during these months. e hair stood up on my arm as I wrote that last sentence. e countdown for the arrival of tarpon started as soon as they le for warmer water late last year. As the water continues to heat up and the bait begins to ood in, the big tarpon will follow. e state’s premier tarpon shing guide, Capt. Brian Barrera, had a great kick-o to his tarpon season last year. He landed four sh in the 100- to 150-pound range in early June. e rest of his season would be one for the record book as he, landed more than 60 tarpon between May and December.

Aside from the nest speckled trout and tarpon shing along the coast, anglers can also enjoy catching mangrove snappers on topwaters, snook on jigs along mangroves, and bull reds on bo om rigs at the je ies. Another option is live baiting nearshore wrecks for red snappers, ling and groupers.

A new favorite for me is targeting mangrove snappers on topwater plugs. ese sharp-fanged sh get red up during transitional months. ey will demolish a Heddon Super Spook Jr. or a Shimano Current Sniper topwater. Watching their predatory strike is extremely pleasing to the eye. e Lower Laguna Madre is a unique shery o ering anglers plenty of diversity. And diversity is key for keeping us sharp—and most important—continually learning. e opportunity to chase a er these amazing species in our waters is what keeps me thanking my lucky stars that I’m a South Texas angler.

Capt. Brian Barrera brings a healthy tarpon alongside the boat.

Email Kelly Groce at ContactUs@fi shgame.com

WHEN RECALLING my youth, the most positive memories from childhood involve the outdoors. As I grew into adulthood, I often returned to local lakes, parks and hiking trails to reconnect with myself.

Every moment I was able to spend in nature only grew my passion for the outdoor lifestyle. I longed for more, not just for my own family, but also to serve the community.

In 2016 I made a commitment to get certified through Texas Parks and Wildlife and began a youth outdoor fishing program. In the past six years my children and I have grown our program to include archery, camping and basic camping and day trip adventures.

Connecting with our youth and grounding them to nature has grown my passion even more. It has built a stronger bond between me and my own children.

I find myself looking for any opportunity to get outdoors and bring as many families with me as I can. We have adopted a mindset of tackle boxes over x-boxes. We love seeing our families go hours without reaching for electronics.

Unplugging from the cyber-driven world, and plugging into each other is priceless. Creating these opportunities to share the love of the outdoors has become my mission and purpose.

As I find myself reminiscing about long

summer days at the lake as a child, fishing and playing along river banks, I feel even more compelled to pass this love to the next generation.

The connection of one’s soul to Earth is not easily explained, but overwhelming to experience. The common bond across generations and connecting to something bigger than me continue to drive my passion.

On a personal level, the water is where I connect the most. There is a certain peace and calmness that comes over me when I enter the water.

Usually by kayak, sometimes by boat, and occasionally on a wade, I take any opportunity to cast a line. There is a deep connection, and unspoken healing I experience when I am fishing

Generationally, I come from a long line of fishermen. I feel that connection to my ancestry. I feel well, balanced and real when I am out on the water.

We all have that in us, some of us spend a lifetime searching for it. The IT for me is my passion turned to purpose. The love for the outdoors and the desire to share it with community, family and friends is my driving passion.

I am one step closer to being whole with every cast. The truth is we never really know when our next trip will be our last.

THE TEXAS PARKS AND Wildlife Commission approved hunting regulations for the 2022-23 season at its March public meeting in Austin. Commissioners adopted the following modi cations and clari cations to the 2022-23 Statewide Hunting Proclamation: • Establish mandatory buck and antlerless white-tailed deer harvest reporting in Collin, Dallas, Grayson and Rockwall counties during white-tailed deer season. • Modify the de nitions of “buck deer” and “antlerless deer.” • Modify the proof of sex requirements for harvested buck deer. • Create de nitions for two types of commercial cold storage facilities.

• Modify tagging and proof of sex requirements, log procedures and destination regulations for commercial cold storage facilities. • Expand mule deer antler restrictions to an additional 21 counties in the Panhandle. • Extend the general mule deer season in 15 southwestern Panhandle counties from nine to 16 days and add a special archery season. • Establish a mule deer antler restriction in Terrell County within the TransPecos. • Establish a veterans and active-duty special waterfowl hunting season to occur concurrently during youth-only season in all duck zones. • Modify the West Zone for goose hunting to open a week earlier than current goose hunting regulations. • Remove the daily bag limit restriction (two) on hooded mergansers.

• Combine the separate merganser and duck daily bag limits into a single aggregate daily bag limit of six per day. • Reauthorize the requirement to possess a Federal Sandhill Crane Hunting Permit while hunting that species due to an administrative error. • Close the turkey season east of IH-35 in Ellis County to support ongoing restocking e orts along the Trinity River.

Hunters hi ing the eld in the upcoming season should make note of these changes and follow all regulations set for species, tagging, bag limits, counties, season dates and means and methods.

Hunters can check the Outdoor Annual for complete and updated regulations. Information currently in the Outdoor Annual re ects last season’s information.

Young Mule Deer Buck: Mule deer regulations are changing in a large part of their range in Texas.