Summer Lingers on Baffin

Baffin Bay

Reported by CAPT. GERAD MERRITT

THE MONTHS WE CONSIDER summer are behind us, but shing in September and October on Ba n Bay still has a summertime

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre

HOTSPOT: Boat Hole

GPS: N 27 39.169, W 97 14.9989 (27.6528, -97.2500) feel. e heat is lingering and on an average year we do not start seeing any signi cant cool fronts until November. Due to this, water temperatures are still fairly high, and this causes the sh to stay deeper. Flats and shallows still have some sh on them early in the morning, late in the evenings, and into the night as they venture out to feed.

We have reached the transition phase for live bait. When it is available, we are still using live croaker, but we have also started switching to live shrimp and plastics for the groups that prefer to sh with arti cials.

Our unique rock system is still holding a good number of speckled trout, as a lot of these giant rocks tend to be out in deeper water. ese rocks can sometimes be seen sticking out of the water or just inches below the surface, even though the water depth may be four, ve, or sometimes even six feet deep. If shing Ba n Bay, please be careful when driing or running a boat around them. One suggestion I always make when shing these rock structures is

CAPT. GERAD MERRITT

SPECIES: Speckled Trout

BEST BAITS: Live Croaker

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas

FishGame.com/FishGameGear

TIPS: “Put three red glass beads on the leader before I tie on the hook. Makes a lot of difference because of the noise, and because of the color.

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre

HOTSPOT: Dead Man’s Hole

GPS: N 27 38.665, W 97 12.4279 (27.6444, -97.2071)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout

BEST BAITS: Super Spooks or Skitter Walks

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas when an angler throws on top of one and gets snagged using a live bait, simply give the line some slack. In doing this, most of the time one of three things will happen. e bait will swim itself o , the current or wind will push it o , or a sh will see an easy meal and pick it up. I ask my anglers to let it sit for three or four solid minutes before we go the route of breaking the line. When shing the deeper drop o s and out in the laguna, I tie either a slip weight or cha er weight on to help the bait stay lower in the water column and help them slow down if the current is moving rapidly.

Remember, don’t be scared to try a new shing tactic! Have fun, enjoy the water and make memories with your friends and family this fall!

CONTACT CAPT. MERRITT:

Email: GeradMerritt@gmail.com

Online: ParadiseGuideServices.com

FishGame.com/FishGameGear

TIPS: When fish are shallow, use both live and topwater baits. The top color has been pearl/chartreuse.

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre

HOTSPOT: Kates Hole

GPS: N 27 39.5849, W 97 12.2159 (27.6598, -97.2036)

SPECIES: Flounder

BEST BAITS: Live Croaker

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas FishGame.com/FishGameGear

TIPS: Free lining a live croaker, just as you would for trout, works for croaker.