Texas Sportsman June 2014

FREE! TAKE ONE

COVER STORY

VINCENT HONRUBIA FISHING FOR A CHALLENGE PREVIEW

BATTLE

OF THE ARROYO INSIDE

- PHOTOS OF THE MONTH - KAREN & SKIPPER’S GREAT ADVENTURE - MONTHLY TIDES - THE ALVARADO BOYS

Valid until 8/10/14

16 THE CHALLENGE Dr. Vincent Honrubia could go out and catch fish anytime. But that’s not a challenge. Picking out the exact fish, then diving, then shooting it with a speargun now that’s more of his type of fishing.

Dr. Vincent Honrubia always fishing for

A CHALLENGE

Los Angeles native loves diving, prefers spear fishing, uses small reels and rods, and loves world-class fishing in South Texas Dr. Vincent Honrubia was fishing in Costa Rica, out to catch Rooster fish when something hit his line hard.

After a 90-minute struggle, Honrubia won the battle and hauled in a monster-sized Jack Crevalle fish.

“That could have been a world-record fish,” Honrubia said. “It was almost as big as I was, but we couldn’t measure it because we were in the middle of nowhere.

With no way to document it and no reason to keep it so we let it go.”

That Jack Crevalle was truly fishing lore’s “one that got away.”

They took some photos of the catch and, when they compared it to the world record, found out that their catch could have broken that mark.

“We were fishing in 10 feet of water and that was not what we were looking to catch,” Honrubia said. “It was almost as big as I was.”

Honrubia is the Board Certified Otolaryngologist at the South Texas Sinus Institute in Edinburg, Texas. He grew up in Los Angeles, earned his degree at UCLA, and trained at Northwestern University in Chicago. He moved to South Texas 18 years ago and quickly realized there was nowhere near as much to do as compared to the major cities he had spent his life

doing.

“What do you do when you’re in South Texas,” Honrubia said. “We love being near the water so we came down here to be near the beach, to go surfing and do some world class fishing.”

Honrubia and his entire family – wife, Shannon and their children Vincent, 21; Caroline, 18; Lillian, 13 and Anna, 11 have clearly taken advantage of South Texas weather and water.

“The kids have been fishing all their lives,” Honrubia said. “They love fishing and love the outdoors.”

For Honrubia, fishing is a passion. The key for him fishing is to go out and catch what he’s looking for. He doesn’t like random fishing. In fact, he likes to see which fish he wants – and go after that particular one.

“I really enjoy spear-fishing,” he said.

“It’s my preferred fishing technique.”

Honrubia will spear fish at the jetties and also liked to go out about 3 miles offshore where a rig was sitting. Underneath the rig would be a tropical fish environment.

“You could take your boat, anchor it and you have 100 feet of clear water,” Honrubia said.

“You can spear all type of fish like bar-

WHAT’S INSIDE

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FROM THE TEXAS SPORTSMAN

MAINTENANCE BEFORE PLEASURE

It’s Hot!

F

ishing requires constant cleaning and maintaining your rods and reels and your boat.

Now that fishing season is in full swing, I am sure most you have changed your fishing line on your reels and cleaned out your tackle box.

Let’s talk about the yearly checklist on your boat. John Machem, owner of Southern Marine of Pharr, Texas, said a yearly check is a must.

The first thing on the checklist is the water pump. Most boat owners use their boat two or three times a month between March and October, running them through shallow water in our bay system where sand and mud runs through the water pump.

The first thing you need to do is change your water pump.

Next, is your oil in the lower unit. This is a must, too.

Running lights should also be a top priority along with your batteries.

The next thing is your trailer. Make sure the axle is properly greased and lubed and that your tires are properly inflated.

Bottom line, make sure you take care of your boat and equipment.

Now let’s go fishing!

With June and July coming upon us, head to the intracoastal. Fish tend to go and hang out in the deeper water as our temperatures start to rise.

Free shrimping is my personal favorite. I like to use a Number 4 treble hook and live shrimp with a 1/8 split shot.

You want to anchor about 5- to 8- feet from the drop off along the Channel. Cast your line with the wind on your back. Cast about 5- to 10-feet away from the edge. Since the fish like to swim up and down the edge of the channel, make your cast and wait until they start biting. I like to give at least 30 minutes to see if they are biting.

Summer Trout Fishing

UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF SEAGRASS TO OUR LOWER LAGUNA MADRE

Time for those boat checkups

By Capt. Joey Farah

It is illegal to uproot seagrass in coastal waters - use it, don’t abuse it

Another technique is looking for the birds.

If you are cruising around the bay and you spot some seagulls, take your time and ease up to them. The best lure and the quickest is going to be one of your favorite artificial lures such a white Logic Lure.

Another summer pasttime is fishing at night. There are many options. Make sure yours is fun and always think safety first.

One more thing and this is a must!

Please watch out for the other fishermen and watch cutting off your fellow fishermen.

In other words, keep your distance and watch what you are doing. Have a great time on your next fishing trip!

As the sun beats down on the waters of the Texas Coast, two things happen: 1) fishing and fishermen relish in the warm summer sun, and 2) trout fishing in the Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay begins to BOIL! When May first comes around the availability of live croakers for use as bait for speckled trout gets fishermen out on the water. This special bait fish emits a croaking grunt that attracts speckled trout.

The small croakers are just one of many species of small fish that eat the eggs of the speckled trout. Their absence of hard pectoral fins and the ease of which they can be found by the trout because of their grunts find them in harm’s way.

There are great opportunities to catch summertime trout on both soft plastics and top water.

Fishing soft plastics along the areas that large, mature specks hunt in the early morning can bring some giant fish to hand.

This can be the best time of year to bring your family and friends, and entertain customers on fishing trips that will make memories for a lifetime.

The atmosphere at the marina in the morning can be like a circus, especially on the weekends. Many private and public tournaments will highlight every weekend and can add some excitement to your fishing, as well as introduce you to new fishing friends.

It can be easier than you think to walk away from some of these tournaments with some nice prizes and money. The importance of learning how to fish these specialty baits during this burning hot trout season is to shave some time off of the learning curve by starting off with an experienced guided trip, or follow some of these key techniques for hot summer trout action.

In the ebb and flow of the tides in our bay, one thing most pass by is how important seagrass is to our Lower Laguna Madre.

While many fishermen follow the rituals of tide, sun and wind, the wise rely on water clarity to really tell a story of where to fish in the bay. You’ll find many fishermen talking about chocolate colored water, the color change, and the clear lines.

What are they talking about? With the bay averaging 18 inches and a prevalent muddy bottom, the churning water ends up turning the bay into what most call chocolate milk.

What’s the root cause?

The simple answer - the action or lack of action of seagrass upon the waterflow. It’s hard to catch fish when you can’t see them, commonly referred to as blind fishing. However, most fly and veteran bay fisherman rely on semi-clear waters for sight casting; the act of actually seeing your gamefish, targeting them, and activating a strike.

There are many areas in South Texas where seagrass is widespread like “the Pasture” just north of the Queen Isabella bridge in South Padre Island, “Mexiquita flats” just south of the Old bridge, and “South Bay.” Seagrass acts as a filter, trapping debris and food chain remnants which are brought in and out from the depths of the Gulf and sloughs

BY PAUL TREVINO throughout the bay.

This “biomass,” as referred by biologists, provides food, habitat, and nursery areas for adult and juvenile fish, shrimp, crabs, and other baitfish.

Here is where the game of fishing begins.

If you follow the food chain, you’ll find the fish. In my experience, I compare fishing the bay to a buffet table. If you find the buffet, fish are more likely to prevail. Fly fisherman commonly refer to “Matching the Hatch” in river systems where larvae hatch and develop into flies or other insects. So, if you can match the hatch, then your chances of a successful catch in a river increases dramatically. However, in our Bay System, the “hatch” can be commonly found in seagrass.

Another concept that is common to bass fishermen is also “fishing in structure.”

Aside from the Queen Isabella bridge, the old bridge, navigation posts, and buoys, there isn’t much other structure for fish to congregate around.

In the open bay, redfish and other game fish utilize seagrass instead. Reds and other game fish are ingrained with this knowledge. Why? About 80 percent of the Lower Laguna Madre is comprised of seagrass, so it acts as a protective nursery for larval and juvenile fish. Redfish learn to utilize seagrass while maturing and commonly look for their food source in this structure. Additionally, reds are opportunistic and will usually squat in the seagrass.

One reason is the seagrass helps camouflage their silhouette, especially while hunting or when resting (as seen in the photod).

Fred Rodriguez is host of the Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors TV Show.

Watch his TV Show on Fox 2 at 11:30 a.m.

Saturdays in the Rio Grande Valley and at 9:30 a.m. Sundays in Corpus Christi.

Follow us on Facebook - Texas Sportsman Magazine - for stories, photos, the latest updates and you could win great prizes

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THE CROAKER BITE Fishing with live croaker has been loved and hated by many Texas Anglers. The fact that some fishermen believe it is an unfair advantage and that it should be removed from sport fishing is just stemmed from ignorance.

When game fish are feeding, live croak-

ers are very effective and can aid novice anglers in producing good catches of trout.

When the lunar bite is slow then game fish are reluctant to feed on large food sources and become inactive and very hard to catch.

The days are gone when everyday guides could go out with live croakers and bring back 40 to 50 trout in a very short amount of time. Today our average day consists of being ready for the best fishing according to the lunar feedings and the rest of the day coaching our clients to cast and fish the baits with great detail, while trying to fool sluggish fish.

Scratching up a box of fish one to two fish at a time until the bite ignites and then keeping bait in the water and fish coming in. This is when details count, small goof ups like putting sunscreen on your hands and not having the right live well will spell disaster on your fishing day.

These small baits are hard to keep alive and well. A wise man once told me that “You are only as good as your bait” and this is very true.

When preparing to use live croakers, your first step should be keeping the bait in the best condition you can. Start off with a good sized live well or ice chest. Having an insulated container will be best because the baits will pee in the water when the temperatures change mid-morning.

The second key is your aerator or oxygen system. The choice is up to the user. Air pumps can be battery operated or hooked up to a 12volt system, which is the most cost-friendly choice. A good coarse stone will provide good air. Mr. Bubbles, and Pro Air systems are very good.

The problem comes when fish cannot escape the bubbling of the water. This wears them out and takes the slime off of their bodies. For this reason I prefer the Salty Air Oxygen System. The regulator can be turned down to the lowest setting after the oxygen starts defusing through the stone.

Do not use a regular air stone for your oxygen bottle, the very fine carbon or white slate stones must be used with oxygen.

Look for complete systems at South Texas Trolling Motor in Flour Bluff on your way out to the Island. They can set you up with portable or in-boat systems and fill your bottles.

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 24 22

8 FRED SAYS Annual boat maintenance makes for more fishing fun.

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SEAGRASS How easily we forget the importance of our seagrass.

PHOTOS Check out some of the great catches sent in to us.

SUMMERFUN As the summer gets hotter, so does trout fishing.

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PREPARED FOR BATTLE

Texas, Padre Island Date 1 2

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BY HENRY MILLER Rudy Romero and the Saltwater Warriors are in a battle.

That battle goes beyond the second annual Battle of the Arroyo on June 21 in Arroyo City. It even goes beyond who wins the Laguna Madre Bragging Rights.

“Kingdom work is not always easy,” said Romero, founder of the Saltwater Warriors and director of the second annual Redfish Cup event. “Fortunately we have a big community who we ask to help make this a success and they make is very successful.”

“Our first tournament was very sucessful and a friend came up to me who worked with a lot of kids and asked if we might be interested in doing something to reach out to Buckner's,” Romero said. “I know that home.

My pastor and I worked with them a lot. After he approached me I just kept praying about it and everything came together – the community found out and everybody started helping.”

That “Kingdom work” in this case is raising money for Buckner's Children Home in Mission.

According to Buckner's website, The Rio Grande Children’s Home in Mission, Texas, provides a loving, Christian home for children and sibling groups in an effort to keep families together.

Committed houseparents and staff provide emotional, spiritual and educational support that encourages each child to grow their sense of self-worth and to discover their special purpose in life.

Buckner children are active in the community. They attend public school and participate in many extracurricular activities, including the 4-H program established through the Carruth 4-H Center on campus. An on-campus activities coordinator provides the children with a variety of leisure and recreational activities.

“We are on a mission,” Romero said. “We don't stop for anybody.

We need the community – we need to fight this battle. This is not like any other tournametn, it's not just a fishing tournament. This is a battle.

“There are children out there being molested and assaulted. So many come from broken families and broken homes. It's time to fight with everything we've got. It just has to stop.”

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20 HAPPY FATHER’S DAY Ryan and Andrew Alvarado following in dad’s outdoor footsteps.

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KNOW YOUR LANGUAGE You’ll be surprised to read where certain nautical words come from.

Everyone does a party. I wanted something different; something exciting.”

June 2014

N 26° 04.1' / W 97° 09.4'

Second annual Battle of the Arroyo is for more than just Laguna Madre bragging rights

FISHING WITH DAD My foster brother’s name was Chucky. He would’ve loved to go fishing or hunting...

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GREAT ADVENTURE

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KAREN & SKIPPER’S

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Outdoor enthusiasts Karen Watt, Skipper Mock celebrate Karen’s 50th birthday in style

New

Story by Mary T. Walker

©2014 FreeTideTables.com - For comparison only - Times are local - Tides in feet from MLLW

Capt. Al Solis Romero is founder of the Saltwater Warriors and the tournament director. The Warriors are a Christian-based outreach group.

Romers is also founder of Wheels on Fire – Skateboarding for Christ. He said he gave his life to Christ about 10 years ago and he has used skateboarding, fishing and surfing as ways to reach out.

And as excited as he is about this year's tournament – which requires the defending champions to return to defend their title

For you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me.

-- Psalms 18:39

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Congratulations to Moises Avellaneda for winning the Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors June Photo of the Month from our Facebook Page Contest!

Make sure you like us on Facebook at Texas Sportsman Magazine for plenty of chances to win!

NAME Moises Avellaneda HOMETOWN San Juan FISH CAUGHT Red Drum LENGTH 44’ CAUGHT AT East Cut jetties TACKLE Finger sized mullet Penn Slammer Rod REEL Shimano Thunnus 6000F

30lb Berkley Trilene Game line THE CATCH It was about 3 in the Morning anchored to the north side of the east cut channel and it had been a slow night when suddenly the tip of my rod seemed like it was going to touch the water as it sat in the rod holder, peeling line.

I got up and started to fight whatever was at the end of the line. I started to reel in the line but for every 5 feet of line, it seemed like the fish would take twice the amount. After a while of fighting with this fish,my friends, David Guajardo and Danny Guerre-

ro from Omega 3 fishing tried to locate the fish with there Spotlight. Once it got closer to the boat, it was finally clear it was a Bull Red. I remember saying, “get ready with the net” as my heart pounded as it does on every catch. As this Red was by the boat,and it was time to net it almost seemed impossible to net as it rolled every time an attempt was made. Once netted, the sound that was heard as the fish hit the deck of the boat, was a great moment. We were all excited, high fiving each other at this amazing accomplishment.

n on the and Kare intrae Skipper panhandl Florida waters coastal

When Karen Watt turned 50, she didn't want a party.

She wanted an adventure.

She got one.

Watt, a UTPA professor in graduate studies, and her acquaintance Skipper Mock, a fishing guide on the Laguna Madre, boarded their two Yamaha Waverunners and just took off.

“I turned 50 last year, and when he wanted to know how I wanted to celebrate my birthday, I knew I didn’t just want a party,” Karen said. “Everyone does a party.

I wanted something different; something exciting.”

So they took their waverunners, which they had outfitted with aluminum racks to hold supplies and took off along the Gulf Coast.

Skipper had spent the previous year traveling more on fishing boats and in different states, enjoying the new scenery.

This, however, was going to be something different.

“We had a few jet skis we’d played around on –not the ones we took but we had some experience on them so it just worked out that the jet skis were what we took,” Skipper said. “It’s like riding a

ABOVE: Karen in Lousiana TOP PHO TO: of the south Skipper in fron t ern most the US in Key West point in

Harley on the highway with no traffic and no white or yellow lines to stay inside of.”

But it wasn't necessarily as easy as it seems. There were challenges along the way – starting out with would Karen and Skipper both be physically capable of such a trip.

Karen had completed two Iron Man competitions so they were pretty sure everything would be fine physically.

“Skipper knows the water pretty well,” Karen said. “That helped us survive the whoel adventure.”

So off they went on their jet skis, carrying supplies and GPS devices, Taking 10 1/2 days for their 1,800mile trek The journey provided the couple with some challenges, the most difficult being getting to the from the Mississippi River.

“We were on the intra-coastal waterway and had to stay in a lock before being released into the river,” Karen said. “It was kind of scary floating there while the water level was raised, but when they released us into the river New Orleans was right there in front of us! It was pretty neat.”

Getting back across the Mississippi also provided a little challenge, testing Skipper and Karen's patience just being a part of the challenge.

“Again we were held at a lock, but this time we had to wait for all these ships to pass before we could get out of the lock. It was long, like hours.

We waited there so long, it got dark and we didn’t know where we were — it was scary,” Karen said. “Thankfully, this shrimp boat had some nice people on it. They let us follow it to a waterway where it was going to dock. Where they ended up docking was right next to a hotel on the water in Chalmette, Louisiana. We stayed there at the Marina Hotel.”

Skipper agreed that the most tumultuous times were on the Mississippi.

The wind got us a bucket of water in the face every so often when the winds got to 20 miles per hour out on the Mississippi,” he said. “Tampa Bay, too, got us wet faces. Food, too.

“We had to live off of slim jims,

cheese and crackers, only a couple of times did we get to use the propane cooker for the steaks we brought.”

Not only did they have to deal with the water, but also with what was in the water. Karen said they were surprised in Louisisana by alligators and in Flordia by sharks – in shallow water both times as they had slowed down to take a break. The couple had to dart quick with the jet skis to scare the creatures away. Thankfully the trip did not bring them any alligator or shark-related injuries.

“It was the Texas coast that was the most quiet and serene of the whole trip. Three days around Corpus Christi to Port Arthur,” Karen said. “It wasn't like Louisiana with the hundreds of barges—barge after barge!”

Skipper’s main lament was not being able to fish much. He tried standing on his jet ski hoping to catch a big carp on the south side of the Keys. A thunderstorm rolled in, puttin and end to those efforts.

When asked if they would take the trip again, they each had a different take when it came to a response.

“Maybe when we are retired and have nothing to do. But we would have to take more time. Break the trip up so we can spend time in each place,” Karen said. “But, if I think about having to cross the Mississippi, I think, NO.” Skipper's response was quicker, and shorter.

“No, did it already.”

Skipper added that they were planning to take a trip to reminisce about the Gulf Coast journey out in Port Aransas.

But they have another adventure planned already, heading over to the the motorcyle rally in Sturgis.

Skipper was quick to clarify that he and Karen will take a trailer hitched to their vehicle and stop off to visit national parks along the way.

They will not be taking motorcycles,.

“We'd have to watch out for a lot more on this trip,” Skipper said. It’s not like the jet skis where all we really had to watch out for are waves.”

ABOVE: Karen and Skipper’s jet skis tied up to a shrimp boat in the Mississippi River locks BELOW: Karen on the Mississippi with New Orleans sprawling in the background.

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BATTLE TIME

JUNE’S BEST PHOTO

ADVENTURE TIME

The second annual Battle of the Arroyo is just around the corner.

Check out our June and July photos of the month! Like us on Facebook and you could win too!

Karent Watt wanted something different for her 50th birthday. She ended up getting exactly what she wanted.

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HOW FISHING FIGHTS THE BIGGEST FIGHT

FREE! TAKE ONE

COVER STORY:

His name was Charles Dashner.

I called him Chucky.

Chucky was a couple of years older than me. I was really young when “they” took him.

My last memory of Chucky at home was when a car pulled into our yard and my dad told me to go to my room. When I ran back out; maybe I was 5 or close to it, Chucky was in a black car, being driven away. I didn’t know why. I knew my parents were crying. I may have cried too.

Chucky was my foster brother. That’s why he was taken. He was either going home or to another home.

Henry Miller is Publisher of Texas I’ve often thought of Chucky – especially durSportsman Tracking Outdoors. He ing recent days. has more than 25 years of publishing His name has popped into my head more experience, has written sports for more than 150 newspapers, covered often recently as we worked on this edition of the Olympics, NASCAR, Major League Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors.

Baseball and other sports. He has Of course Father’s Day falls during this issue. been syndicated on radio in more than I thoroughly enjoyed interviewing the Alvarado 70 markets. His 9-year-old daughter boys and talking about their family adventures.

Camilla enjoys hog hunting, volleyball So much love, fun and memories galore! and fashion (and is an A student). They That interview made me think about Chucky. live in McAllen, Texas.

I have pictures of me and Chucky and dad out fishing. I wonder how many more times Chucky’s had that chance. A chance to be with someone he loves doing something that builds wonderful memories.

Dr. Vincent Honrubia, our cover story, talked about how his children grew up fishing with him. He made it sound as if they were attached to his hip all the time growing up.

It pains me knowing that Chucky probably didn’t have too many hips to hug – or maybe he hugged them once and then had to move to the next home. It encouraged me to know at least he had me and my parents for a while.

Finally, I interviewed Rudy Romero, who’s the founder of Saltwater Warriors and founder of the second annual Battle of the Arroyo. Funds from this event will benefit the Buckner Children’s Home in Mission.

“There’s a battle going on right now,” Rudy told me. “It’s a battle for kids who can’t fight for themselves. Those who are lost. Those who are abandoned. Those who feel unloved or like they are failures. This is a battle we have to fight for them.”

I wonder who fought for Chucky after “they” took him from me and my parents. I wonder if he ever got a chance to be part of a family again that fished together or hunted together, or was just... together.

As I listened to these stories I realized that so many of our children are in great hands.

But for those who aren’t, Rudy is right. There is a battle – and we at Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors Magazine are encouraged to see everyone who does their part in this ongoing and never-ending war.

Enjoy this edition. We are excited about all that’s happening.

I’m sure Charles Dashner – wherever he is – would be proud of his foster brother.

I called him Chucky.

He called me Hank.

Volume 1, Isssue 3. June 2014. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of the publisher. Views and opinions expressed in this publication are strictly those of the writers, photographers and contributors, and are not necessarily those of Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors or its publisher. Every effort has been taken to ensure the correctness and accuracy in the material published in this magazine. Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors reserves the right to edit, rewrite and refuse editorial materials and assumes no responsibility for accuracy, errors, omissions or consequence arising from it. Texas

6

Sportsman Tracking Outdoors shall be held harmless and indemnified against any third-party claims. Advertisements appearing in Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors present only the viewpoint of the advertisers. Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors is printed in the U.S.A. All correspondence to the publication become the property of Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors.

Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors is published by H&J Publications. Copyright 2014. To advertise in Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors call (956) 607-0853 or email joey.texassportsman@gmail.com

VINCENT HONRUBIA FISHING FOR A CHALLENGE PREVIEW

BATTLE

OF THE ARROYO INSIDE

- PHOTOS OF THE MONTH - KAREN & SKIPPER’S GREAT ADVENTURE - BATTLE OF THE ARROYO - THE ALVARADO BOYS

ON THE COVER Dr. Vincent Honrubia loves to fish and loves to challenge himself even more. (tikitillmanphotos.com)

STAFF Henry Miller Publisher henry.texassportsman @gmail.com (956) 607-9210

Fred Rodriguez The Texas Sportsman fredrsportsman@yahoo.com (956) 776-4623

Joey Dowden Advertising Director joey.texassportsman @gmail.com (956) 607-0853

Tiki Tillman Photographer tikitillmanphotos.com (956)572-6132 David DeLeon Henry Miller Designers

FROM THE TEXAS SPORTSMAN

MAINTENANCE BEFORE PLEASURE Time for those boat checkups

F

ishing requires constant cleaning, maintaining your rods and reels, and your boat.

Now that fishing season is in full swing, I am sure most you have changed your fishing line on your reels and cleaned out your tackle box.

Let’s talk about the yearly checklist on your boat. John Machem, owner of Southern Marine of Pharr, Texas, said a yearly check is a must.

The first thing on the checklist is the water pump. Most boat owners use their boat two or three times a month between March and October, running them through shallow water in our bay system where sand and mud runs through the water pump.

The first thing you need to do is change your water pump.

Next is your oil in the lower unit. This is a must.

Running lights should also be a top priority along with your batteries.

The next thing is your trailer. Make sure the axle is properly greased and lubed and that your tires are properly inflated.

Bottom line, make sure you take care of your boat and equipment.

Now let’s go fishing!

With June and July coming upon us, head to the intracoastal. Fish tend to go and hang out in the deeper water as our temperatures start to rise.

Free shrimping is my personal favorite. I like to use a Number 4 treble hook and live shrimp with a 1/8 split shot.

You want to anchor about 5- to 8-feet from the drop off along the Channel. Cast your line with the wind at your back. Cast about 5- to 10-feet away from the edge. Since the fish like to swim up and down the edge of the channel, make your cast and wait until they start biting. I like to give at least 30 minutes to see if they are biting.

8

Another technique is looking for the birds.

If you are cruising around the bay and you spot some seagulls, take your time and ease up to them. The best lure and the quickest is going to be one of your favorite artificial lures such as a white Logic Lure.

Another summer pasttime is fishing at night. There are many options. Make sure your time is fun and always think safety first.

One more thing and this is a must!

Please watch out for the other fishermen and watch cutting off your fellow fishermen.

In other words, keep your distance and watch what you are doing. Have a great time on your next fishing trip!

Fred Rodriguez is host of the Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors TV Show.

Watch his TV Show on Fox 2 at 11:30 a.m.

Saturdays in the Rio Grande Valley and at 9:30 a.m. Sundays in Corpus Christi.

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TOP LURE CH

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PREPARED FOR BATTLE

Second annual Battle of the Arroyo is for more than just Laguna Madre bragging rights

BY HENRY MILLER

Rudy Romero and the Saltwater Warriors are in a battle.

That battle goes beyond the second annual Battle of the Arroyo on June 21 in Arroyo City. It even goes beyond who wins the Laguna Madre Bragging Rights.

“Kingdom work is not always easy,” said Romero, founder of the Saltwater Warriors and director of the second annual Redfish Cup event. “Fortunately we have a big community who we ask to help make this a success and they make is very successful.”

“Our first tournament was very sucessful and a friend came up to me who worked with a lot of kids and asked if we might be interested in doing something to reach out to Buckner's,” Romero said. “I know that home.

My pastor and I worked with them a lot. After he approached me I just kept praying about it and everything came together – the community found out and everybody started helping.”

That “Kingdom work” in this case is raising money for Buckner's Children Home in Mission.

According to Buckner's website, The Rio Grande Children’s Home in Mission, Texas, provides a loving, Christian home for children and sibling groups in an effort to keep families together.

Committed houseparents and staff provide emotional, spiritual and educational support that encourages each child to grow their sense of self-worth and to discover their special purpose in life.

Buckner children are active in the community. They attend public school and participate in many extracurricular activities, including the 4-H program established through the Carruth 4-H Center on campus. An on-campus activities coordinator provides the children with a variety of leisure and recreational activities.

“We are on a mission,” Romero said. “We don't stop for anybody.

We need the community – we need to fight this battle. This is not like any other tournament, it's not just a fishing tournament. This is a battle.

“There are children out there being molested and assaulted. So many come from broken families and broken homes. It's time to fight with everything we've got. It just has to stop.”

Capt. Al Solis Romero is founder of the Saltwater Warriors and the tournament director. The Warriors are a Christian-based outreach group.

Romero is also founder of Wheels on Fire – Skateboarding for Christ. He said he gave his life to Christ about 10 years ago and he has used skateboarding, fishing and surfing as ways to reach out.

As excited as he is about this year's tournament – which requires the defending champions to return to defend their title

For you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me.

-- Psalms 18:39

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BUCKNER Hope shines here.

SM

R

DEDICATED TO ABANDONED & ABUSE CHILDREN

Saturday, June 21, 2014

2nd ANNUAL

presents

BATTLE ARROYO OF THE

LAGUNA MADRE BRAGGING RIGHTS

$10,500

in cash!!!!

winner takes all!!

red fish cup pro division $5,500 - Biggest Red Fish 20” to 28” (no oversize) $1,000 - Biggest Trout 15” to 25” $1,000 - Biggest Flounder $2,000 - 20” Red Fish $1,000 - Red Fish with most spots 20” to 28”

ARROYO CITY, TX

Thomae Park, 37844 Marshall Hutts Rd / Take off at 6 am / Weigh In 4 pm NO EXCEPTIONS!!! / Judged by LENGTH & WEIGHT by The Weigh Masters Tailgate BBQ Party - FREE DRINKS & BBQ by S.O.S PitMasters LIVE MUSIC / Family and friends welcome

CAPTAIN/TEAM, CALCUTTA MEETING R

Last day of registration, Friday, June 20, 2014 / 6:00 P.M.-9:00 P.M. Uncle Buck’s VIP Room inside Bass Pro Shop / 101 Bass Pro Drive / Harlingen, TX

Registration forms available at Tejano Grill 102 North 77 Sunshine Strip, Harlingen, TX / 956-412-0901 Fee is $350/Boat (2-4 man team)/NO EXCEPTIONS! 1 School Backpack per Angler will be donated to the Children’s Home Rules of Calcutta: 100% of entries will be paid out. Entry fee is $50 per species For more information contact Hector Randell Hernandez 956-367-1562 Miguel Cobos 956-655-3904 Capt. Al Solis 956-345-0523

and bragging rights, he's also thrilled that children from the Buckner home are scheduled to attend and join in with the festivities.

“They have no idea what's going to be going on – to them Arroyo City and all the things we are going to be doing is nothing but a myth,” Romero said. “This is going to be the biggest pachanga, the biggest party for them.”

There's going to hamburgers and hotdogs, pony rides, games, giveaways and all sorts of entertainment for the kids.

It's going to be a heck of a pachanga for those competing as well. Everything begins Friday, June 20 with pre-registration and the captain and team meeting at Bass Pro Shop from 6 to 9 p.m.

“That's where everyone gets their goodie bags and see the trophy displayed,” Romero said. “There's going to be finger food from Uncle Buck's restaurant, the calcutta boards, raffles, givewaways from Yeti Coolers and other sponsors. It's gonna be a great time.”

Then it all culmintes with the second annul Battle of the Arroyo on Saturday, where $10,500 in Winner-takes-all cash prizes will be handed out to division winners.

“Everyone wants to have those bragging rights, everyone wants to win the redfish cup,” said Romero.

14

BATTLE OF THE ARROYO WHEN: Saturday, June 21 WHERE: Thomae Park, 27844 Marshall Hutts Road, Arroyo City Time: Take off at 6 am.; Weigh in at 4 p.m.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.saltwaterwarriors.org or call: Hector Randell Hernandez at (956) 367-1562; Miguel Cobos at (956) 655-3904 or Capt. Al Solis at (956) 345-0523) Captain/Team, Calcutta meeting and last day of registration is from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, June 20 at Uncle Buck’s VIP room inside Bass Pro Shop, 101 BassPro Drive, Harlingen.

Hector Randell Hernandez

TIKITILLMANPHOTOS.COM

Dr. Vincent Honrubia always fishing for

A CHALLENGE

Los Angeles native loves diving, prefers spear fishing, uses small reels and rods, and loves world-class fishing in South Texas

BY HENRY MILLER Dr. Vincent Honrubia was fishing in Costa Rica, out to catch Rooster fish when something hit his line hard.

After a 90-minute struggle, Honrubia won the battle and hauled in a monster-sized Jack Crevalle fish.

“That could have been a world-record fish,” Honrubia said. “It was almost as big as I was, but we couldn’t measure it because we were in the middle of nowhere.

With no way to document it and no reason to keep it so we let it go.”

That Jack Crevalle was truly fishing lore’s “one that got away.”

They took some photos of the catch and, when they compared it to the world record, found out that their catch could have broken that mark.

“We were fishing in 10 feet of water and that was not what we were looking to catch,” Honrubia said.

Honrubia is the Board Certified Otolaryngologist at the South Texas Sinus Institute in Edinburg, Texas. He grew up in Los Angeles, earned his degree at UCLA, and trained at Northwestern University in Chicago. He moved to South Texas 18 years ago and quickly realized there was nowhere near as much to do as compared to the major cities he had spent his life doing.

“What do you do when you’re in South Texas,” Honrubia said. “We love being near the water so we came down here to be near the beach, to go surfing and do some world class fishing.”

Honrubia and his entire family – wife, Shannon and their children Vincent, 21; Caroline, 18; Lillian, 13 and Anna, 11 have clearly taken advantage of South Texas weather and water.

“The kids have been fishing all their lives,” Honrubia said. “They love fishing and love the outdoors.”

For Honrubia, fishing is a passion. The key for him fishing is to go out and catch what he’s looking for. He doesn’t like random fishing. In fact, he likes to see which fish he wants – and go after that particular one.

“I really enjoy spear-fishing,” he said.

“It’s my preferred fishing technique.”

Honrubia will spear fish at the jetties and also likes to go out about 3 miles offshore where a rig was sitting. Underneath the rig would be a tropical fish environment.

“You could take your boat, anchor it and you have 100 feet of clear water,” Honrubia said.

“You can spear all type of fish like barracuda or mangrel snapper for example. If

17

you’re fishing for red snapper and they come up shallower you can dive and spear them. I dive to about 50 feet and they sometimes get to that level.”

For Honrubia it’s all about the challenge.

Looking for a specific type of fish, finding the fish you want and targeting it with a speargun is the perfect way to do it. To take it a step further (and adding another degree of difficulty and challenge), when Honrubia dives, he doesn’t do it with any air tanks – he just takes a deep breath and dives.

“I dive, see what I want to shoot and go back up,” he said. “It’s harder than regular fishing.”

Honrubia said he’s never had any threatening situations with deadly animals, such as sharks. And he’s not too interested in catching sharks.

“I’ve never had an issue with a shark and I’ve caught sharks before, but it’s boring to me,” he said.

Spearing a barracuda is one of the most exciting catches.

“I speared about a 4-foot barracuda,” Honrubia said. “They get so big that you get one and they pull you around. They are so wild that you are basically waterskiing behind them.”

Despite fishing all over the world, Honrubia said he especially enjoys fishing for big trout in the bay. Of course, even something as simple-sounding as fishing on the bay for trout (you still have to be in the right place at the right time) or going out for reds isn’t going to be done in the simplest way when it comes to

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Visit their website at southtexassinusinstitute.com Honrubia.

“I use light tackle for big fish,” Honrubia

said. “It’s more challenging and more technical. I prefer to use the lightest rod for the biggest fish. Fishing guides don’t like that. I show up with the smallest rod and the smallest reel – they want you to get it done.”

Sitting in a frame in his conference room cabinet, there’s a photo of Honrubia with fellow angler Blake Hensler showing off a 40plus inch red – caught on a 36-inch snoopy rod.

Hensler, who is a PA at the South Texas Sinus Institute, grew up fishing. Originally from Allen, Texas, Hensler often travels with Honrubia for their adventures. His wife, Monique, is also an avid angler and very competitive, capturing grand championships in the past in both the Shallow Sport and TIFT tournaments.

There are many signs of the competitive fishing nature within the walls of the Sinus Institute, a stuffed trophy case being one. But there are also several photos along the walls, including one of a rare male mahi-mahi that Honrubia hauled in while trolling his boat along the jetties.

“The females are much bigger and much more aggressive,” Honrubia said. “That’s why it’s unusual to catch a male because they go in schools and the bigger fish generally get what’s there.”

Translated another way – the males are a tougher challenge to catch. And the bigger the challenge, the more apt Honrubia is to take it on.

LIFT KITS DROP KITS LEVELING KITS SUSPENSION TRANSMISSION REPAIR TIRES & RIMS GENERAL MECHANIC CUSTOM MODIFICATIONS ACCESSORIES

501

N

Border

Av e

Weslaco

Tx,

78596

9 5 6 - 3 5 1 - 5 3 7 3

w w w . g o 4 x 4 s h o p . c o m

( 9 5 6 )

5 3 2 - 5 6 1 6

HAPPY FATHERS’ DAY

JUST LIKE

DAD

Brothers Ryan and Andrew Alvarado already have plenty of “old” outdoor adventures to share

PHOTOS Above, Ryan Alvarado displays his 27” redfish. Below, Andrew Alvarado shows off the red he hauled in with his dad Dr. Jeffrey Alvarado in Arroyo City. On next page, the Texas Sportsman Fred Rodriguez, Andrew, Jeffrey and Ryan with their trophy.

Ryan and Andrew Alvarado have more than their share of hunting and fishing quests to talk about.

And they are just 12 and 10 years old, respectively.

“Dad takes us out hunting and fishing a lot,” said Ryan.

“It’s a lot of fun and exciting,” added Andrew.

The boys have a pretty good list of conquests so far.

That list includes a black antelope, a ram, a hog, several trout, some redfish and even a stingray.

“I had no idea what I had - I just wanted to reel it in,” Andrew said. “It was pretty strong. We just took a picture of it and let it back in.”

Andrew also remembers catching his first redfish along the bat.

“At first I thought it was a catfish,” he said. “I was pretty excited it was a red.”

The boys dad, Dr. Jeffrey Alvarado, operates Lakes Family Dental on McColl Road in McAllen. An avid outdoorsman, he frequently takes the boys out for quality father/sons time and exciting outdoors time.

Ryan recalls catching his first redfish - and it was a tough battle.

“We fought, for sure,” Ryan said. “My dad helped hold the pole up so after a couple minutes I reeled it in.”

They went to take it to a taxidermist to have it mounted but he recommended to bring one just a little bigger.

That was fine with Ryan.

“I wanted to eat it anyway,” he said.

Of course, boys being boys they enjoy just about everything active under the son.

Older brother Ryan plays baseball for his Toros team.

A versatile athlete, you can see him playing shortstop, pitching or catching on any given day. He said he enjoys catching the most, being able to see the diamond and the ball coming into his glove.

He’s not a bad pitcher either, however. Ryan said his most memorable game was pitching a perfect game.

What makes that more impressive is that he struck out

all 18 batters he faced in the six-inning game.

Both boys are like their dad when it comes to who their favorite baseball team is - the Cincinnati Reds.

“Dad introduced us at a very young age,” Ryan said.

Andrew, likewise is very active. Andrew likes to play outside, kicking the soccer ball or throwing the baseball around. He also likes to play football (and sometimes basketball). His favorite teams are the Spurs in basketball, the Reds in baseball and the Texans and Ravens in football.

“I’ve got a fathead of Ray Lewis on my wall,” Andrew said of his favorite player.”It’s full size.”

The boys not only enjoy catching fish and hunting, they love eating what they bring home.

“Mom will cook the fish different ways,” said Andrew. “Dad fries it.”

Both would love to go on a safari hunt with their dad in the near future (hint, hint dad). Andrew has his eyes set on landing a buffalo. Then he wants his mom to make a buffalo meatloaf out of it, agreeing with his brother that mom’s meatloaf is awesome.

“That would be terrific,” he said.

Ryan’s most memorable hunting moment came when he landed a ram.

“It took me a couple of shots to get it down,” Ryan said. “That was really exciting.”

He also has bagged a hog for his resume.

“There were a couple of deer around and a couple of bucks,” he said. “We decided to scare the deer away and got out of the deer blind and on the ground.

“I got in the right spot and shot it.”

There are plenty more adventures in store for Ryan, Andrew and their dad.

And mom’s going to probably be making a whole bunch of meatloaf in the future as well.

SEND US YOUR PHOTOS

Send us photos of you and your kids hunting or fishing for our next edition of the Texas Sportsman. You can submit them to us via our Facebook Page - Texas Sportsman Magazine (you have to follow/like us for your photos to be used) or email them to henry.texassportsman@gmail.com

Understanding the importance of seagrass to our Lower Laguna Madre It is illegal to uproot seagrass in coastal waters - use it, don’t abuse it In the ebb and flow of the tides in our bay, one thing most pass by is how important seagrass is to our Lower Laguna Madre.

While many fishermen follow the rituals of tide, sun and wind, the wise rely on water clarity to really tell a story of where to fish in the bay. You’ll find many fishermen talking about chocolate colored water, the color change, and the clear lines.

What are they talking about? With the bay averaging 18 inches and a prevalent muddy bottom, the churning water ends up turning the bay into what most call chocolate milk.

What’s the root cause?

The simple answer - the action or lack of action of seagrass upon the waterflow. It’s hard to catch fish when you can’t see them, commonly referred to as blind fishing. However, most fly and veteran bay fisherman rely on semi-clear waters for sight casting; the act of actually seeing your gamefish, targeting them, and activating a strike.

There are many areas in South Texas where seagrass is widespread like “the Pasture” just north of the Queen Isabella bridge in South Padre Island, “Mexiquita flats” just south of the Old bridge, and “South Bay.” Seagrass acts as a filter, trapping debris and food chain remnants which are brought in and out from the depths of the Gulf and sloughs

BY PAUL TREVINO throughout the bay.

This “biomass,” as referred by biologists, provides food, habitat, and nursery areas for adult and juvenile fish, shrimp, crabs, and other baitfish.

Here is where the game of fishing begins.

If you follow the food chain, you’ll find the fish. In my experience, I compare fishing the bay to a buffet table. If you find the buffet, fish are more likely to prevail. Fly fisherman commonly refer to “Matching the Hatch” in river systems where larvae hatch and develop into flies or other insects. So, if you can match the hatch, then your chances of a successful catch in a river increases dramatically. However, in our Bay System, the “hatch” can be commonly found in seagrass.

Another concept that is common to bass fishermen is also “fishing in structure.”

Aside from the Queen Isabella bridge, the old bridge, navigation posts, and buoys, there isn’t much other structure for fish to congregate around.

In the open bay, redfish and other game fish utilize seagrass instead. Reds and other game fish are ingrained with this knowledge. Why? About 80 percent of the Lower Laguna Madre is comprised of seagrass, so it acts as a protective nursery for larval and juvenile fish. Redfish learn to utilize seagrass while maturing and commonly look for their food source in this structure. Additionally, reds are opportunistic and will usually squat in the seagrass.

One reason is the seagrass helps camouflage their silhouette, especially while hunting or when resting (as seen in the photod).

CONTINUED ON PAGE 24 22

Another redfish tactic is to bury themselves in the seagrass to help conserve energy. The tide has a great amount of kinetic energy which can exhaust most fish, especially the bigger gamefish.

So, by burying in the seagrass the top water current passes over redfish and bait will also find their way into a red’s path. Fishermen with keen eyes capable of identifying the unique redfish silhouette in seagrass and presenting any bait into their path can take advantage of this tactic with usually positive results.

But, there is an ugly side to fishing in seagrass. A common problem in South Texas is uprooting seagrass by propeller, otherwise known as “prop scars”. The bay is full of newbie fisherman with $40,000 plus boats with simply no education in these matters. As stated above, the average bay depth is about 18 inches.

The average propeller measures 12 to 14 inches and only work underwater. So, a common victim in this formula ends up being seagrass or other bottom structure. Most fishermen or boaters have no remorse when “cutting up” this grass. But, the State sees otherwise. Texas has recognized the value of seagrass to the local ecology and has adopted new laws in the matter.

In a measure to expand seagrass protection coast-wide, Texas Legislature passed House Bill 3279 which makes it illegal to uproot seagrass in all coastal waters. According to the bill, it is Class C misdemeanor to uproot seagrass with a motorboat outboard propeller. The law took effect September 1, 2013.

So, next time you’re out on the water, don’t treat the seagrass like your lawn. Seagrass is an elemental structure in our Lower Laguna Madre which can be a productive bed for catching reds.

Use it, fish it, and protect it!

For those interested in learning how to fly fish or if you have any other questions, please feel free to email me at paul.texassportsman@gmail.com.

In future installments we will be focusing on other fly-fishing tactics and tips….

Congratulations to Moises Avellaneda for winning the Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors June Photo of the Month from our Facebook Page Contest!

Make sure you like us on Facebook at Texas Sportsman Magazine for plenty of chances to win!

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NAME Moises Avellaneda HOMETOWN San Juan FISH CAUGHT Red Drum LENGTH 44’ CAUGHT AT East Cut jetties TACKLE Finger sized mullet Penn Slammer Rod REEL Shimano Thunnus 6000F

30lb Berkley Trilene Game line THE CATCH It was about 3 in the Morning anchored to the north side of the east cut channel and it had been a slow night when suddenly the tip of my rod seemed like it was going to touch the water as it sat in the rod holder, peeling line.

I got up and started to fight whatever was at the end of the line. I started to reel in the line but for every 5 feet of line, it seemed like the fish would take twice the amount. After a while of fighting with this fish,my friends, David Guajardo and Danny Guerrero

from Omega 3 fishing tried to locate the fish with there Spotlight.

Once it got closer to the boat, it was finally clear it was a Bull Red. I remember saying, “get ready with the net” as my heart pounded as it does on every catch. As this Red was by the boat, it almost seemed impossible to net it as it rolled every time an attempt was made. Once netted, the sound that was heard as the fish hit the deck of the boat, was a great moment. We were all excited, high fiving each other at this amazing accomplishment.

Texas, Padre Island

June 2014

N 26° 04.1' / W 97° 09.4' Date

Day

1

Su

858am

High Tide 1.4

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926am

1.4

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Tu

946am

4

We

5 6

High Tide

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Sunrise

Sunset

Moonrise

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637am

817pm

959am

1125pm

636am

817pm

1050am

636am

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1204am

636am

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636am

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Congratulations to Ruben Medina for winning the Texas Sportsman Tracking Outdoors July Photo of the Month from our Facebook Page Contest!

Make sure you like us on Facebook at Texas Sportsman Magazine for plenty of chances to win!

30

NAME Ruben Medina HOMETOWN San Juan FISH CAUGHT 54� Dorado/Mahi Mahi TACKLE Avet 6/4 SX Raptor, Melton Tackle rod, trolling a cedar plug lure.

THE CATCH This dorado was caught aboard the fishing boat "Kool Kat," trolling around a few shrimp boats 35-40 miles offshore from South Padre Island. Raul Medina and myself (Ruben Medina) had been getting double and triple hookups at a time, prior to landing this nice Dorado. She hit the trolling cedar plug and immediately jumped out of the water.

After seeing her size, I knew we had to land it. She gave a good fight for about 15-20 minutes or so, before we were able to get her in the boat.

Texas, Padre Island

July 2014

N 26° 04.1' / W 97° 09.4' Date

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©2014 FreeTideTables.com - For comparison only - Times are local - Tides in feet from MLLW

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34

Eddie Ruiz 956-648-8467 Owner / Taxidermist

Exotic Game N. American Game

5115 S. US 281 Suite H Edinburg Tx. 78539

Salt and Fresh Water Fish Fiberglass and Skin Mounts

“Fast Turnaround Time”

KAREN & SKIPPER’S

GREAT ADVENTURE Outdoor enthusiasts Karen Watt, Skipper Mock celebrate Karen’s 50th birthday in style Story by Mary T. Walker

e en on th r a K d n a Skipper nhandle intra a p Florida waters coastal

38

When Karen Watt turned 50, she didn't want a party.

She wanted an adventure.

She got one.

Watt, a UTPA professor in graduate studies, and her acquaintance Skipper Mock, a fishing guide on the Laguna Madre, boarded their two Yamaha Waverunners and just took off.

“I turned 50 last year, and when he wanted to know how I wanted to celebrate my birthday, I knew I didn’t just want a party,” Karen said. “Everyone does a party.

I wanted something different; something exciting.”

So they took their waverunners, which they had outfitted with aluminum racks to hold supplies and took off along the Gulf Coast.

Skipper had spent the previous year traveling more on fishing boats and in different states, enjoying the new scenery.

This, however, was going to be something different.

“We had a few jet skis we’d played around on –not the ones we took but we had some experience on them so it just worked out that the jet skis were what we took,” Skipper said. “It’s like riding a

ABOVE

: Karen

in Lous

iana TOP PH OT of the s O: Skipper in f outhern r most po ont the U.S int of . in Key West

Everyone does a party. I wanted something different; something exciting.”

-- Karen Watt Harley on the highway with no traffic and no white or yellow lines to stay inside of.”

But it wasn't necessarily as easy as it seems. There were challenges along the way – starting out, would Karen and Skipper both be physically capable of such a trip.

Karen had completed two Iron Man competitions so they were pretty sure everything would be fine physically.

“Skipper knows the water pretty well,” Karen said. “That helped us survive the whole adventure.”

So off they went on their jet skis, carrying supplies and GPS devices, Taking 10 1/2 days for their 1,800mile trek The journey provided the couple with some challenges, the most difficult being getting to and from the Mississippi River.

“We were on the intra-coastal waterway and had to stay in a lock before being released into the river,” Karen said. “It was kind of scary floating there while the water level was raised, but when they released us into the river New Orleans was right there in front of us! It was pretty neat.”

Getting back across the Mississippi also provided a little challenge, testing Skipper and Karen's patience just being a part of the challenge.

“Again we were held at a lock, but this time we had to wait for all these ships to pass before we could get out of the lock. It was long, like hours.

We waited there so long, it got dark and we didn’t know where we were — it was scary,” Karen said. “Thankfully, this shrimp boat had some nice people on it. They let us follow it to a waterway where it was going to dock. Where they ended up docking was right next to a hotel on the water in Chalmette, Louisiana. We stayed there at the Marina Hotel.”

Skipper agreed that the most tumultuous times were on the Mississippi.

The wind got us a bucket of water in the face every so often when the winds got to 20 miles per hour out on the Mississippi,” he said. “Tampa Bay, too, got us wet faces and wet food.

“We had to live off of Slim Jims,

cheese and crackers, only a couple of times did we get to use the propane cooker for the steaks we brought.”

Not only did they have to deal with the water, but also with what was in the water. Karen said they were surprised in Louisisana by alligators and in Flordia by sharks – in shallow water both times as they had slowed down to take a break. The couple had to dart quick with the jet skis to scare the creatures away. Thankfully the trip did not bring them any alligator or shark-related injuries.

“It was the Texas coast that was the most quiet and serene of the whole trip. Three days around Corpus Christi to Port Arthur,” Karen said. “It wasn't like Louisiana with the hundreds of barges—barge after barge!”

Skipper’s main lament was not being able to fish much. He tried standing on his jet ski hoping to catch a big carp on the south side of the Keys. A thunderstorm rolled in, putting an end to those efforts.

When asked if they would take the trip again, they each had a different take when it came to a response.

“Maybe when we are retired and have nothing to do. But we would have to take more time. Break the trip up so we can spend time in each place,” Karen said. “But, if I think about having to cross the Mississippi, I think, NO.” Skipper's response was quicker, and shorter.

“No, did it already.”

Skipper added that they were planning to take a trip to reminisce about the Gulf Coast journey out in Port Aransas.

But they have another adventure planned already, heading over to the the motorcyle rally in Sturgis.

Skipper was quick to clarify that he and Karen will take a trailer hitched to their vehicle and stop off to visit national parks along the way.

They will not be taking motorcycles.

“We'd have to watch out for a lot more on this trip,” Skipper said. It’s not like the jet skis where all we really had to watch out for are waves.”

ABOVE: Karen and Skipper’s jet skis tied up to a shrimp boat in the Mississippi River locks BELOW: Karen on the Mississippi with New Orleans sprawling in the background.

39

SPOTTED HEAT

Options for hot summer trout action The morning’s gentle southeast breeze had picked up into a full-blown wind around lunchtime, and the steady 15-20 mile an hour gusts had started to chop up the waters of the Lower Laguna Madre enough for foam streaks to intersect the healthy waves. The few boats that went out headed to all points north to look for some calmer, clean water that might make sight fishing possible.

My wife Sandie and I didn’t make so long a run. We put in at the Parks and Wildlife ramp in Port Isabel, then aimed my 20-foot BayQuest across the choppy bay waters toward the Padre Island Convention Center (I love that the v-tunnel hull handled the beam-to slop with a minimum of bounce and spray).

I eased the boat off plane ½ mile from the shoreline and, with the deployment of a drift sock, set up a drift that paralleled a marked color change from semi-clear water to sandy green water.

Texas Sportsman Saltwater I whipped the Gulp!

Fishing Editor Calixto Shrimp/Cajun ThunGonzales has been an outdoor der combo towards writer for 15 years, and a the murky water. The school teacher for 20. The fish wind carried it further he doesn’t catch are left very into the color change intimidated. than I wanted, but it didn’t matter. The bright green cork never seemed to stop on the surface, and disappeared.

A short while later a solid 16-inch trout was flopping in the cooler. Sandie and I made five more casts, and two more keeper trout went into the box with their littermate before we turned the boat around for another drift.

June, July, and August are synonymous with speckled trout fishing for the majority of Texans within driving distance of the coast. More leisure time in the forms of vacation days and better weather mean that fishermen no longer have to pick their days. Rather, chances are that the weather and conditions will be optimal whenever hopeful anglers go after summer mustardmouths.

Summer also means a greater variety of bait is available for hungry trout to prey on. Shrimp, pinfish, croaker, finger mullet, ballyhoo, small needlefish, and even juvenile trout are available

in great numbers, and medium and large speckled trout belly up to this forage buffet to pack on the bulk.

The broader dinner spread also means that fish become “stupid.” In other words, trout become aggressive enough that they attack bait and lures with more abandon, which makes them easier for part-time anglers and novices to hook them.

Though summer specks fishing is as good as it gets, it doesn’t mean that the fish are going to simply wave little white flags in surrender. The smart fisherman needs to apply some simple effort to maximize their efforts.

High gas prices mean fishing trip costs have moved higher than they have in a long time. It behooves summer trout fishermen to develop strategies that will minimize the amount of fuel burned and time spent tracking down their quarry. Fishermen should look for differences in the water that might point to the presence of fish. An excellent — and very obvious — example is a color change.

A color change is the boundary in variances in water clarity. In summer, they usually form when a southeast wind agitates a sand bottom along the edge of a weedline. Speckled trout use these color changes both for cover and as an ambush point, especially later in the day, when the wind is up and makes the color line even more pronounce.

The best strategy anglers can use along color lines is to set up drifts that can run perpendicular to the boundary. Usually, because of wind direction, a parallel drift is problematic, although a trolling motor — which should be standard equipment on a saltwater boat whenever possible — makes the job a snap. Setting a drift anchor on a rear-quarter cleat sets the boat at a 45-degree angle to the color change, and allows for fishermen to work it for a longer stretch than a straight 90-degree drift.

When I’m fishing color changes, my favorite rig to work with is either live bait or soft plastics

as an Alameda float. Alameda’s are those hard plastic, pellet-filled popping floats that you find at big box stores such as Wal Mart and Academy. The lures make a huge racket when popped, and the rattles continue to emit sound as the float bobs along in the current. These are very, very effective in attracting a trout’s attention to the offering hanging beneath it.

Suspending plugs and stickbaits are also effective when working color changes. Worked slowly, the lures hang in that water column, which makes them easy marks for trout to find and nail. Use a twitch-twitch-pause cadence, with at least a four- to five-second pause. Usually, trout will hit the lure during the pause.

The same ditches that form color changes on windy days are effective during the heat of the day. Trout will hold closer to the bottom, where water remains the coolest through the teeth of the day.

A great mid-to-late summer spot to find hot weather trout runs the entire stretch of the Texas Coast: the Intra-Coastal Waterway.

The ICW’s average depth of 12 feet not only provides a shipping lane for barge traffic, but also a great summer home for speckled trout.

They’ll hold along the edge of the “Big Ditch” and cruise up along the spoil banks that dot the ICW along its length. Fishermen from Sabine to South Padre have their own favorite honey holes that will produce good numbers of fish when the flats don’t.

Most fishermen fish the edges of the ICW with freelined live shrimp. Simply cast your offering parallel to the channel edge and let it fall back toward you. Trout will usually take the bait on the drop. Medium-light to light action rods are good choices for these applications because of the need for sensitivity. There is no need to worry about not having enough power to land a large trout. Snags aren’t much of a problem.

Lure selections usually trend toward leadhead jigs. A ¼-ounce head with a curlytail is a longtime favorite, but any tail with plenty of tail action is ideal. Gulp! baits are also very popular, especially because they can be rigged just like live bait. The DOA ¼-ounce shrimp is another excellent choice, especially because of its “do nothing” style of fishing that makes it easy to work.

The trout are waiting. All it takes is the willing fisherman to seek them out to make a hot summer even hotter.

Though summer specks fishing is as good as it gets, it doesn’t mean that the fish are going to simply wave little white flags in surrender.

40

Though summer specks fishing is as good as it gets, it doesn’t mean that the fish are going to simply wave little white flags in surrender.

For more info call Gabe Lozano, (956) 383-1077 or email jinglebells333@hotmail.com

It’s Hot!

Summer Trout Fishing

By Capt. Joey Farah As the sun beats down on the waters of the Texas Coast, two things happen: 1) Fishing and fishermen relish in the warm summer sun.

2) Trout fishing in the Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay begins to BOIL! When May first comes around the availability of live croakers for use as bait for speckled trout gets fishermen out on the water. This special bait fish emits a croaking grunt that attracts speckled trout.

The small croakers are just one of many species of small fish that eat the eggs of the speckled trout. Their absence of hard pectoral fins and the ease of which they can be found by the trout because of their grunts find them in harm’s way.

There are great opportunities to catch summertime trout on both soft plastics and top water.

Fishing soft plastics along the areas that large, mature specks hunt in the early morning can bring some giant fish to hand.

This can be the best time of year to bring your family and friends, and entertain customers on fishing trips that will make memories for a lifetime.

The atmosphere at the marina in the morning can be like a circus, especially on the weekends. Many private and public tournaments will highlight every weekend and can add some excitement to your fishing, as well as introduce you to new fishing friends.

It can be easier than you think to walk away from some of these tournaments with some nice prizes and money. The importance of learning how to fish these specialty baits during this burning hot trout season is to shave some time off of the learning curve by starting off with an experienced guided trip, or follow some of these key techniques for hot summer trout action.

THE CROAKER BITE Fishing with live croaker has been loved and hated by many Texas Anglers. The fact that some fishermen believe it is an unfair advantage and that it should be removed from sport fishing is just stemmed from ignorance.

When game fish are feeding, live croak-

ers are very effective and can aid novice anglers in producing good catches of trout.

When the lunar bite is slow then game fish are reluctant to feed on large food sources and become inactive and very hard to catch.

The days are gone when everyday guides could go out with live croakers and bring back 40 to 50 trout in a very short amount of time. Today our average day consists of being ready for the best fishing according to the lunar feedings and the rest of the day coaching our clients to cast and fish the baits with great detail, while trying to fool sluggish fish.

Scratching up a box of fish one to two fish at a time until the bite ignites and then keeping bait in the water and fish coming in. This is when details count, small goof ups like putting sunscreen on your hands and not having the right live well will spell disaster on your fishing day.

These small baits are hard to keep alive and well. A wise man once told me that “You are only as good as your bait” and this is very true.

When preparing to use live croakers, your first step should be keeping the bait in the best condition you can. Start off with a good sized live well or ice chest. Having an insulated container will be best because the baits will pee in the water when the temperatures change mid-morning.

The second key is your aerator or oxygen system. The choice is up to the user. Air pumps can be battery operated or hooked up to a 12volt system, which is the most cost-friendly choice. A good coarse stone will provide good air. Mr. Bubbles, and Pro Air systems are very good.

The problem comes when fish cannot escape the bubbling of the water. This wears them out and takes the slime off of their bodies. For this reason I prefer the Salty Air Oxygen System. The regulator can be turned down to the lowest setting after the oxygen starts defusing through the stone.

Do not use a regular air stone for your oxygen bottle, the very fine carbon or white slate stones must be used with oxygen.

Look for complete systems at South Texas Trolling Motor in Flour Bluff on your way out to the Island. They can set you up with portable or in-boat systems and fill your bottles.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 46 44

There are a few effective ways to fish the live croakers, the most effective and consistent is to free-line them without weight.

I use a line to line knot instead of a swivel to attach my main line to my #30lb leader.

Another choice is to use a Texas Rattler. This is used in between the main line and the leader and can add some casting weight. The Texas Rattler is pretty much natural in the water and does not sink your bait but puts out a lot of noise and vibration. The clicking noise and reflective finish attracts trout - you can and will see bite marks all over them.

At times when fishing in deeper water, strong currents, or when seagulls are grabbing my bait, I will use a 1/16th ounce bullet weight just above the hook. I will always have at least a #5 to#6 size wide gap hook when croaker fishing. Mustad Ultra Point and Owner Back Nickel hooks seem to be the absolute best.

At times colored beads will enhance the presentation of the live baits and make some flash as well.

Fishing with these specialty live baits is not as easy as buying a live well full of croakers and casting them out. It is a style of fishing that demands attention to detail such as where to fish them, boat position, rigging, and the way one must let the trout take the bait before the hook set.

All of this and more can be shown and learned on a guided trip. Then you can go out on your own with confidence and enjoy some of the awesome summer time live bait fishing.

SUMMER TIME LURE FISHING There is a different type of satisfaction that anglers receive when catching trout on artificial baits. Like the wise old man told me you are only as good as your bait holds true. With lures, the angler is in complete control of his presentation. The selection of the bait is only the start. the way it is rigged, the action, and the place and time are all important to success.

Summer live bait fishing can be fun, but when game fish are not eating large meals it can make catching difficult.

Soft plastic lures can be the answer to hassle-free fishing, as well as tie a monster fish of a lifetime on the end of your line. D.O.A lures has a complete lure fishing system that has the right lures for every situation. I like starting off along the edges of the Intracoastal Canal at first light, pitching soft plastics up to the shallow edge can be action packed.

During the hottest times of summer this deep channel will keep fish cool enough to be active and aggressive. Night time is full of night life out in the bay for mature trophy sized trout. This means anglers searching for really big fish need to be on the water before first light. Search for

46

feeding trout along shallow grassy shorelines adjacent to deep water retreats.

I prefer windy shorelines where bait will stack up during the day and hold in the shallow grass for shelter. The large trout will move up into the shallows and hunt small schools of baitfish until the sun rises up in the sky, then they will move out to the drop-off to mid-depth water. I have enjoyed great success fluttering the new DOA Airhead baits in natural color combinations over shallow sand pockets along the King Ranch Shoreline as well as the Back Flats of Yarborough Pass. The Airhead can be rigged weed-less with a #6 wide gap hook or fished with a very light 1/16th ounce jig head. I love to hook the bait weedless without any weight giving this bait top water action. Softly floating the bait into shallow pockets will create strikes that boil the surface.

As the sun rises and fish retreat to deeper water, try a DOA Cal series soft plastic, this is a smaller soft plastic with great lifelike action. The smaller size will catch fish that are looking for that small snack before they lay up for the day. Another favorite of mine is the DOA paddle tailed grub, this bait creates massive amounts of vibration. The large tail pulses through the water sending out vibration and enticing big trout to make a reaction strike. Trout will strike the baits in defensive attracts to protect their spawning areas where eggs lay in the grass.

Good summer colors are a good balance between natural, bright, and dark combinations. Experiment and find what is work-

ing best at the time. When scouting for areas thick in fish stocks, use a DOA shrimp and Popping Cork combination. This loud cork will attract fish and the DOA shrimp will catch fish without the angler having to rebait every time a small pin fish grabs the bait or a strike is missed. Attention should always be shown to rig the baits strait so that your lure runs strait.

Lures that wobble or turn circles in unrealistic swim actions will not fool wise old trophy fish. Give thought to every cast and become the bait. Let your imagination move your hands to swim the bait with the tip of the rod. Every cast should be thrown in an area the angler believes to be a hunting zone for the trout. To predict a hide, cast a bait, and fool a fish is the panicle in fishing. The lure of fishing with artificial this summer can put you on the water without the circus of the bait shop in the morning. You can skip it all and fall in love with the hunt.

The next few months will see the explosion of trout fishing that you have been waiting for all year. Your coastal adventures are at the tips of your fingers, all you have to do is pick up the phone and call and I can help you learn to enjoy the great coastal summer fishing we have right here in our back yard.

Consistent weather means consistent fishing. Get the colanders out and plan your next summer time trout trip.

Call for a custom bay fishing adventure or follow us on Facebook at Joey Farah’s Fishing (361) 442-8145. Keep those lines tight and your hooks sharp!

Get your Captain’s License New Class starting soon!

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ALAN STEWART CALL 956-639-8697

GAME WARDEN FIELD NOTES TATTLETALE A Smith County game warden was contacted by a local landowner on the Neches River about a driver in a truck with noisy pipes shooting a rifle and shining a light across his pasture. Shortly after the warden began to observe the area, the truck returned and after a brief chase, the subjects were stopped. After the warden questioned the passenger, the driver admitted to shooting at some wild hogs.

The warden called the landowner and asked him to check his property for freshly killed wildlife. While the warden drove back to where the hogs were shot, the passenger confessed to all of the events that night.

When they arrived, the driver, who held the brand new spotlight, said they “may have shot a hog.” Then, after seeing the buck next to the landowner’s vehicle, the driver hung his head and said “Sir, can I tell you something...We shot that deer.” The subjects were arrested on eight charges.

GUS’ NOSE KNOWS A Brazos County game warden received a call from Bryan Police Department requesting that Gus the patrol service dog sniff a vehicle. When the game warden and Gus arrived at the location, they went straight to work searching the outside of

the vehicle. Gus indicated two separate times on the driver’s side rear door handle.

A police officer searched the vehicle and found a bag of marijuana in the rear door pocket. Charges pending.

FISH ARE FRIENDS, NOT BAIT Two game wardens were patrolling the Navidad River checking for recreational fishing and water safety violations during a local catfish tournament when they found a trotline holding several blue catfish. They watched the trotline from a distance and later that afternoon, three fishermen returned to check their line and were greeted by the wardens. The fishermen were questioned and asked if they were using the catfish as bait, but the men denied baiting their line with the game fish.

The wardens explained that they had taken pictures of the catfish and the fishermen then admitted to baiting the trotline.

The three men were issued citations for using game fish as bait.

BRAGGING BRINGS TROUBLE A Zapata County game warden received information from a partner, who was fishing on his day off, about some bow fishermen who said they had shot an alligator gar and one black bass. The warden located the boat that was described and after a brief water safety check, he found multiple water safety violations along with one illegally taken black bass. Cases and restitution pending.

IT WASN’T ME Two Taylor County game wardens received a call about a man at Lake Fort Phantom with undersized crappie. They began to patrol the lake and made contact with the man, who said he had caught a few fish but not many. A fish basket was located nearby that contained seven crappie- four of which were undersized. The man claimed he leaves his fish basket at that location and sometimes people generously leave fish in it for him. Citations were issued for undersized crappie.

DON’T LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL A Montgomery County game warden responded to a call from the county sheriff’s office about a vehicle seen swerving into oncoming traffic and off the edge of the road. The warden found the vehicle at a red light before it entered the highway staying on the shoulder of the road. When the car began to swerve, the warden stopped the vehicle and found it occupied by a man, his wife and three children. The driver staggered when he walked, used the car to maintain his balance and smelled strongly of alcohol. While speaking to the warden, the driver leaned heavily on the car and made it roll forward a small distance. The warden checked inside and saw that while the driver had turned the vehicle off, never placed it in park. The man was arrested for driving while intoxicated with child passengers.

THE NAUTICAL DICTIONARY Back in the old days of sailors and scoundrels, they had their own dictionary of words they used to convey what and where they were going.

One particular word has stuck throughout the decades and centuries. That word is the HEAD. Have you ever been on a boat and someone asked you where the head was?

In nautical terms it means the bathroom. How did they come upon that word instead of maybe “the john?”

In those rough-and-tumble days there wasn’t a bathroom or “John” per se to go and, well, take care of your business. Back then, the #1 was easy enough to do for the men – and they were all men back then on the vessels. How about doing the business of #2? This is where the head comes in.

On the front of most sailing vessels, there was netting in front of the boat. I mean really on the front. The front of the boat was commonly called, in those days, the head of the boat. This is all the way over the bow where a net would hang horizontally and the sailors would go out

KNOW THE

RULES and do their business. The waves would sometimes hit them from underneath and do an automatic cleaning job. They would shower and do their laundry out there too.

Maybe that’s a little more information than you might want to know, but it is factual and historical.

Nautical terms are another language in themselves.

One that most salts should know is the starboard and the port. An easy way to remember them is that LEFT is PORT. They both have 4 letters in them. But where did they come up with those words?

In the Venetian day (and I mean a long time ago) they would put a board on the right side of the boat toward the stern and they would steer the boat with it. It was called that because they would steer their boat using the STARS hence the word STAR-BOARD. Any good captain would not want to ruin his precious steering board by parking his sailboat on the right side, so he would pull up on the left, port, side.

That’s the vocabulary lesson for today.

There will be a pop quiz now.... just kidding.

As always, be safe and see you on the water.

Captain Alan Stewart owns and operates Stewart Training Center and holds a Master license with the U.S.C.G. Stewart Training Center is located at 39572 Loop Rd. Bayview, Tx. 78566.

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