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CONTENTS
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Everett Johnson Everett@tsfmag.com
AUGUST 2009 Volume 19 No. 4
GENERAL MANAGER
10
Pam Johnson
FEATURES
Pam@tsfmag.com
10 “They just shoulda been there”
Mike McBride
14 First Choice Kevin Cochran 18 The Indian Flutes Billy Sandifer 22 Traditions Martin Strarup 24 Everything’s bigger in the dark Chuck Uzzle 38 South Texas Snook Everett Johnson
DEPARTMENTS
24
30
Billy Sandifer
UT-Marine Science Institute
28 Let’s Ask The Pro
Jay Watkins
30 Fly Fishing
Casey Smartt
32 Offshore
Bobby Byrd/John Cochrane
34 Conservation
CCA Texas
36 TPWD Field Notes
Nicholas Ahrens
40 Kayak Fishing
Scott Null
42 According to Scott
Scott Sommerlatte
44 Youth Fishing
Aaron Cisneros
46 Every Man’s Offshore
Ruben Villarreal
WHAT OUR GUIDES HAVE TO SAY…
40
Dickie Colburn Mickey Eastman
58 Capt. Bill’s Fish Talk
Bill Pustejovsky
60 Mid-Coast Bays with the Grays
Gary Gray
62 Hooked up with Rowsey
David Rowsey
66 South Padre Fishing Scene
Ernest Cisneros
REGULARS Editorial
CIRCULATION Debbie Dugan Cir@tsfmag.com DESIGN, LAYOUT & WEB MAINTENANCE GRAPHICS BY DESIGN 361-785-4282 production@ graphicsbydesign.biz info@graphicsbydesign.biz webmaster@graphicsbydesign.biz SUBSCRIPTION – PRODUCT SALES Debbie Dugan
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E-MAG (electronic version) is available for $12.00 per year. Order on-line: WWW.TSFMAG.COM MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine Attn: Subscriptions P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, Texas 77983 * Subscribers are responsible for submitting all address changes and renewals by the 10th of the prior month’s issue. Email store@tsfmag.com for all address changes or please call 361-785-3420 from 8am - 4:30pm. The U.S. Postal Service does not guarantee magazines will be forwarded.
HOW TO CONTACT TSFMAG:
50 TSFMag Spotlight
MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, Texas 77983
52 New Tackle & Gear
PHYSICAL ADDRESS: 58 Fisherman’s Lane,
68 Fishing Reports and Forecasts
Seadrift, TX 77983 WEB: www.TSFMAG.COM
72 Photo Gallery – Catch of the Month
PHOTO GALLERY: photos@tsfmag.com
74 Gulf Coast Kitchen
PRINTED IN THE USA.
79 Index of Advertisers
Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine (ISSN 1935-9586) is published monthly by Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, Inc., 58 Fisherman’s Lane, Seadrift, Texas 77983 l P. O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 © Copyright 1990 All rights reserved. Positively nothing in this publication may be reprinted or reproduced. *Views expressed by Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine contributors do not necessarily express the views of Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine.
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70 Photo Gallery – Kids Back to School
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56 Mickey on Galveston
Our cover angler is Stephen Plant with a beautiful South Texas snook. Stephen was fishing with Capt. Ernest Cisneros. Check out the rest of the story on page 38.
Pam Johnson Office: 361-785-3420 Cell: 361-550-9918
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64 Capt. Tricia’s Port Mansfield Report Capt. Tricia
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19 Coastal Birding 26 Science and the Sea
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THE BIGGER PICTURE Texas fishermen have been under a lot of pressure lately. Hurricanes and a sagging economy have certainly wreaked havoc over the past year. Finding time and room in the budget for as much time on the water as we enjoyed previous to these events has been a great challenge for many. Teaming up to share expenses is becoming more common and spending time in local water rather than traveling seem to be strategies many anglers are employing. For the majority of us, these will be short term measures. These rough spots in the road will eventually be overcome and we will get back to business as usual. Our sport will continue to grow and we will once again enjoy the opportunity and discretionary income to hit the water as we always dreamed. We will only need to feel sorry for ourselves for a short time and life will be good again. Just yesterday I received a sobering email. Reading it reminded me to be grateful for all that I have and for the great friendships I have been blessed to enjoy. It is human nature to take such blessings for granted and it sometimes takes a reminder to put everything back into perspective. The email contained news that one of our young servicemen would no longer be reading the magazine we had been sending to his duty station in Iraq. All the prayers and packages his family and friends had been sending would no longer be received. No longer would emails and phone calls be coming to hopeful relatives and friends. The young man had made the ultimate sacrifice for our liberty and freedom with just weeks left in his deployment. The content of the email included the message this brave young soldier had sent to a relative in which he told of his great excitement to be returning home soon and how he could not wait to see everybody and go fishing. Reading it brought me pangs of guilt and an overwhelming sense of how selfish we can become. Self-pity and self-importance are terrible things. They blind us from the truth and reality that no matter how heavy our burdens may feel, we are still blessed in so many ways. So to all the families and friends of servicemen and women who have endured such hardship and heartbreak, I offer my most sincere condolences and my prayers are with you. That we may be forced to delay a boat purchase or team up with friends to afford a few fishing trips are but tiny inconveniences in the bigger picture. We are still here, we still have our friends, we still have our fishing, and we still live in the land of the free and the home of the brave. Whenever you may chance to see a serviceman or woman in uniform, take a few seconds to introduce yourself and thank them for their service to our country. If you know a vet who recently returned home or will return soon, send them an invitation to join you for a day of fishing. I cannot think of a friendlier way to display your admiration for their contribution to all that we are so blessed to enjoy. God Bless America!
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Mr. Johnson, I have been reading your magazine for some time now. It is very informative and I always look forward to the next issue. Recently, there has been a rather larger number of stingray hits. Some of these have resulted in the extremely aggressive bacterial infection commonly called “flesh eating disease.” I have a request. There are a large percentage of fishermen/women that have little knowledge on what to do. Is there some ointment or solution that can be applied that will reduce the chance of contracting this disease? What is the procedure for handling a situation that may cause the disease? I realize that one may get the disease from an array of sources, from the fin of a shrimp in the live well, to the “hit” of a stingray, to an abrasion caused by wading boots. All of these result in open wounds. Does “letting it bleed” help? What can we, as weekend warriors, have on the boat to limit the disease? Maybe you can print an article on the what and what-not to do. Thank you for your consideration - Charles C. Ogburn Dear Charles, Fishing can unfortunately include risk of bacterial infection through skin breaks and, though not exactly common, necrotizing fasciitis is always a possibility if wounds suffered while fishing are not treated properly. My physician says commonsense and good First Aid can go a long way toward preventing infection. It seems that we hear more each year of these flesh-eating diseases but, in reality, this may be the product of more accurate diagnosis and good reporting than the actual occurrence of the disease itself. Vibrio vulnificus and other bacteria that can cause necrotizing fasciitis are naturally present in saltwater all the time. During warmer months, the rise in water temperature encourages the bacteria to proliferate and the risk of exposure increases. Doc says if you have an open cut or sore you should avoid contact with saltwater – period! I don’t know how he does it; he wears breathable waders year ‘round as a precaution, even on the hottest days. Washing with soap and water and applying antimicrobial and/or antibiotic ointments to any skin break received while fishing should be standard First Aid. Your local pharmacist can hook you up with good First Aid supplies. Doc stresses that abrasions and shallow cuts can be treated effectively in this manner but deeper wounds such as stingray hits and fin punctures should be treated by a doctor and a tetanus shot and oral antibiotics are good insurance. Any sign of swelling or redness around the wound should send a fisherman to the doctor or ER immediately. Any fisherman who is immunocompromised either by disease or medical treatment that could weaken the natural immune system should consult their physician regarding the advanced risk they might be under. As you mentioned, even a tiny prick from a fish fin or the horn of a shrimp can lead to devastating infection. Thanks for writing and introducing this topic. I am sure that with some help from our readers in the medical profession we can put an informative article together. Look for it in a future issue. - EJ
Dear Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, As an ex-pat Texan in the US Army I don’t have the opportunity to fish the Texas gulf coast as much as I would like. As I returned home from another Middle East deployment last November, fishing has been on my mind. I was able to convince my wife to spend our anniversary in Port O’Connor and managed to squeeze in a fishing trip. I have sporadically fished the Texas coast for years with my friend Cory but have to admit I didn’t understand the meaning behind his madness on this trip. We normally use shrimptails or other artificials but on this occasion we hit the flats to throw a cast net for live mullet. I am not sure I ever saw Cory work so hard. When I commented that we should just buy some; he gave me kind of a snarl and said, “It takes big bait to catch big fish.” We anchored the boat about 40 feet off the jetties which also puzzled me. We had three lines in the water all morning, two in the shipping channel and one about 20 feet off the jetties. We had fish on the hook all morning but couldn’t seem to land anything. When I suggested we move to the other side of the channel closer to a flock of diving pelicans he said, “You don’t leave fish to go where there may be fish.” It was about that time when my pole doubled over and the fish made a long run. It was a great fight. I truly couldn’t believe it when he came to the surface - a 39-inch bull red! I can’t tell you how excited I was. It may be the biggest fish I will catch in my life. He is now a transient at the taxidermist as he is prepared for his rendezvous with destiny. He will adorn the wall of the “man room” and later take his place of honor on the wall of my retirement bar. I would like to thank my wife for sacrificing a little of our anniversary time for me to get acquainted with Big Red. I also would like to thank my friend Cory for an awesome fishing trip. - Kind Regards, Frank L. Nieto MAJ, AD Battalion XO Dear Frank, First I want to thank you for your military service. We could not enjoy the blessings of freedom if not for so many brave men and women who sacrifice so much. Next I want to thank Cory for taking you and also your wife for allowing you time to get acquainted with Big Red. Congrats on the great catch, and please stay in contact. We would be honored to add you to our complimentary military subscribers list! -EJ
Send your Letters to the Editor to: PO Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 or email Everett@TSFMag.com 8
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Without signs up top you really have to think like a fish .
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REMEMBER LIMPING BACK TO THE BOAT slip last summer
with our tails tucked. It had been a particularly rough trip, one of those scorched days where even the sea breeze offered little relief beyond barely keeping the gnats out of nostril’s way. Even the bait guys were whining about “no bite.” The only reliable movement had been a pitifully diminishing fuel gauge. It was all quiet on my end of the dock, yet right there across the slip a whole bunch of ruckus was going on. It seemed that one electric filet knife was feeding the entire population of harbor scavengers, and scores of obnoxious seagulls were squawking their air supremacy above water boiling with starving hardheads. It was the most activity we’d seen all day, and I stood there, stiff-necked, trying to fight back insecure feelings only Dr. Freud might appreciate. There was some serious information secreted over there, and despite being a staunch subscriber to the “find your own fish” mantra, I had to know what I and almost everybody else didn’t figure out that day. The answer ended up fitting the “Well duh, why didn’t I think of that?” category.
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August 2009
STORY BY MIKE MCBRIDE
“They just shoulda been there” After washing the boat, all the while eyeing trimmed carcasses fly from yonder table, I sauntered over with cap in hand to conduct some humble espionage. “Wow…great catch!” I offered as a suck-up opener, never daring anything remotely connected to when or where. Sticking with the submissive angle I queried further, “So what did you see to make you stop where you did?” “I didn’t see anything,” gritted Capt. J.D. Whitley shifting the gnawed stub of a cigar while thumbing through the roll of bills his crew had thrust into his shirt pocket. Without looking up, still sizing the generous tip, he simply added, “…they just shoulda been there, that’s all.” OK- I could accept that explanation on the surface, given his decades of local experience and all, but there had to be more meat behind that simplistic grunt. It took a few head slaps to realize that “they just shoulda been there” was a
Texas Saltwater Fishing
Mid-bay depressions offer opportunity when the wind drains the flats.
mature answer from a mature fisherman that spoke volumes, yet refreshingly void of the self-elevating we normally have to endure while listening to others explain great catches. It hinted subtly of, “think like a fish, just get in there and fish with the confidence all good anglers should have….especially if you are
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supposed to be a guide…stupid.” The self-debasing reality of it all was that I had checked that exact area several times the past several days and it always seemed completely void of life; sterile-looking water with no visible reason to stop based on our perceptions of what we need to see. The problem is that we are all sometimes guilty of thinking too much, or at least thinking about the wrong stuff. We are trained from our first days on the water to find fish by looking for slicks, birds, baitfish, and all sorts of other surface indicators, and these have their own times and places. However, these should be likened to the “congressional” truth. Which means to say; there is a whole lot more going on under the table than we are permitted to see. Yes, getting on fish is everything. It is the alpha and omega and everything in between that feeds egos and gulls at the end of a day. But how do we know where to probe without visual aids that even the Ray Charles Guide Service could follow? If our gut is right – and they just oughta be there – then let’s just get in there and fish for them. Let’s examine a few scenarios. It’s late summer when water temperatures typically soar during the day, dissolved oxygen levels are reduced when the water is warm and the wind is light, but predators still have to eat. Being that radiant cooling can make the shallows almost cold by first light and physics says oxygen content increases as surface area exceeds depth; where might some hungry trout be found during the early hours? On the Laguna flats I’d try the skinny sand behind the first grass line. They just oughta be there. Its late afternoon and time for the big boys to eat. Pods of dolphin begin cruising the ICW, jack
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crevalle begin strafing lines of baitfish and the occasional triangulated fin can be seen slicing the surface. If I was a big trout I oughta be right on top of a shallow spoil bank and out of harm’s way, and also where the adjacent deeper water still makes for some easy breathing. We might oughta be there too. It’s dead calm, middle of the day, and the only thing moving is your sweat-proof sunscreen running down your cheeks. The only relief seems like a deep plunge and the fish probably think so too. Most every deep grass bed oughta be holding fish as they nestle to nap in a cool blanket of oxygen pumping vegetation. They oughta be there; and you can bet they are. The afternoon sun has brought the shallows to a simmer and an increasing wind has churned the water over mid-bay depressions into a funky chalk. Ugly, but what better place to both hide and eat in a cooler, more oxygenated bowl of opportunity. We oughta be right in there with them. That same wind has also been draining water off the shallows and pulling baitfish down with it. No, you can’t really see the piggy perch and crab scurrying for new cover, but you can sure see the first few places they have to bail to and become more concentrated. That oughta count for something. That same wind again, while draining one side of an area is increasing the level on the other side, plus compressing microorganisms against the bank which will start the proverbial food chain moving. Those leeside depressions, which may have worked an hour ago, may become void as fish move across to enjoy the new turf and, let’s don’t forget about that new oxygen being churned in there. That counts too. Shoulda, woulda, and in a lot of hindsight; we
Texas Saltwater Fishing
probably coulda. There are countless scenarios where we can predict where fish should be without really having to see anything up top, and although “they just shoulda’ been there” is still about reading the water, it’s more about reading the fish, which is I think what we are supposed to be doing in the first place. In tournament fishing, most successful hardcores will stay where they know fish oughta be and just wait them out. So, instead of running around during this hottest part of the year looking for an easy bite, and perhaps screwing everybody else up in the process, we might think more about where they oughta be and then do it before someone else has to show us what we shoulda done.
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When the fish exit the flats the first grassline might be the place to look.
“They just shoulda been there.”
Never pass up a drain when the wind sends water boiling out of the backcountry.
MIKE MCBRIDE
Mike McBride is a full time fishing guide based in Port Mansfield, Tx., specializing in wadefishing with artificial lures.
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Cap’n Kev guiding anglers
STORY BY KEVIN COCHRAN
First Choice
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August 2009
I LEARNED MANY FORMATIVE LESSONS ABOUT FISHING while
them in one day is pointless. Weather and water conditions often dictate
running the back highways and waterways of Texas during my years of competing in Troutmasters. Measuring one’s catch against other anglers is a great way to accelerate the learning curve. Many of the top trout fishermen in the state participated in the tournaments when I did, and the officials ran the events with a legitimate plan to identify the best. We fished for three fish per day over two days, with a sixteen inch minimum length. Almost always, we competed within defined venues. The allowed areas were set large enough to comfortably accommodate high numbers of participants, often exceeding two hundred, but boundaries were indeed drawn. The anglers could launch from wherever they wanted, so long as all their fishing efforts took place on the specified waters, within the stated time frames. One of the lessons I learned early on was the importance of picking the right general area in which to start each day of competition. In a venue that might stretch from the Diversion Channel at the east end of West Matagorda to the chain of islands separating San Antonio and Ayers bays, there are many square miles of available water. Trying to cover all of
that some bays or parts of bays offer better potential than others. Learning as much as possible about how conditions affect various areas is therefore critical to success in the effort to consistently stay in the most productive places. This truth applies not only in tournament fishing, but in any kind of fishing. The memory I have of one particular tournament clearly emphasizes the importance of wisely choosing where to make the fishing effort. The poignant event was held in a venue which ran from the La Quinta Channel on the northern edge of Corpus Christi Bay to the northern end of the Land Cut, including all of Baffin Bay. The weigh-in was held in Riviera Beach. The month was April; not surprisingly, a strong spring wind created tough fishing conditions. Prior to the tourney, a southeast gale growled for days, roughing up the bays and flicking foam off crested waves. Additionally, brown tide was blooming in Baffin and all its satellites. Troutmasters had only come to Corpus once prior to that event. Most of the participants came from the Upper Coast and had relatively little experience fishing Baffin. Many were eager to take their chances there, having heard about the monster specks caught on its legendary rock-studded flats. The location of the weigh-in site was another factor which made fishing Baffin seem like a worthy idea. Some of the contestants did fish in Baffin,
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When chartering trophy excursions, I make a sincere commitment to going wherever I feel I must in order to encounter the best chance of catching big fish, given the conditions the fishing gods present. I expect those who hire me to respect my intentions with regard to that choice, whether it means we fish in Baffin and its satellites, the Upper Laguna Madre or in Corpus Christi Bay. In the end, I strongly believe that a client looking to book a trophy-hunting trip has the right to demand to be taken to a specific bay. Many fishing guides, I’m sure, will happily go along with such a plan. Some have no doubt figured out that doing so takes pressure off of them. After all, if things don’t work out, they can always point out that they’d intended to fish elsewhere. I don’t look for such ready-made excuses, so I retain the right to make the critical choice of where the fishing will be done.
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thinking they could “make Another it happen” despite the Corpus Bay trophy during rough, tainted waters and inclement raking winds. I’m sure they weather. embarked from the dock at the park in Riviera with high hopes and enthusiasm, given the reputation of the local bays. Mostly, they returned to the scales wearing long faces and carrying a sack of dinks, or worse, holding a skunk. I and my partner chose to fish in Corpus Christi Bay Windy days often take us to protected water; this one came instead, knowing that its from Corpus Christi Bay when we waters are less susceptible could not fish in Baffin. to the destructive effects of a stiff southeast wind. Fishing there required logging many miles in more sense than dredging the Colorado River. the truck, but the hours spent on the road paid That’s why I still point the bow of my Haynie off in the end. north from time to time when guiding clients on I almost won the pro division of the event, a hunt for big fish. On some days, catching five though I caught only two of the allowed three pound fish is a commendable result, even for the fish each day. In the last ten minutes of my best anglers. available fishing time, I hooked two trout and I know that fishing intelligently sometimes brought them close to hand before they pulled means finding ways to catch the biggest fish in free of the barbs and escaped. In the crystal areas given little credit for their trophy potential. clear shallows, I could see that each weighed Most talented trophy hunters hone their skills in excess of four pounds, like the others I had partly through smart choices of where to base caught; I wound up trailing the winner by three their fishing efforts from day to day, not by pounds, in third place. stubbornly insisting on always fishing the local That winning pro, a tested veteran of many bay with the gaudiest reputation. events, reported that he’d fished in Corpus These days, some clients hiring guides in Bay. Likewise, after fishing Baffin the first day my area seem bent on pressuring their guides and weighing only small fish, the amateur into fishing places with famous names. I don’t champion made a move to Corpus Bay on day read about fishing on the internet much, but I two and caught his winning stringer. I also recall have seen threads posted by people who were that lady angler Helen McGinty led the big fish disappointed that their guide hadn’t taken race and had a hefty stringer on day one while them to Baffin despite the fact that they urged fishing north of the Emerald City. him to do so. Those facts stick with me to this day. They Clients pushing their guide to take them to suggest it is often foolish to head to a famous a particular place run the risk of offending the bay when conditions don‘t allow much chance captain and distracting him from potentially for success there. I’m well aware that Baffin better plans. Any guide worth hiring should Bay and its satellites are home to some of the have a fishing plan based on real and legitimate biggest trout on the planet. That’s why I moved ideas and experiences, not just the reputation to North Padre Island! Nonetheless, going after of a nearby bay. A client who doesn’t trust the those trout doesn’t make good sense every day, guide’s basic choice of where to fish should any more than wading Kain Cove always makes probably not hire that guide in the first place.
KEVIN COCHRAN
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STORY BY BILLY SANDIFER I was living in an old camper shell located next to a bar called “The Intracoastal” underneath the JFK Causeway high bridge when I first met Dick. There was a regular crowd of “no counts” who hung out there and Dick had been living alone with his dogs in a small travel trailer at Bird Island Basin and on the Kleberg County beach for several years. I guess he needed to spend a bit of time around other humans and we suited him. We lived on the fringes of society, not as a part of it, and we were as close to it as he cared to come. At the time I was a hard drinker and so was Dick and everyone else there. The whole scene was straight out of John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row. He was obviously a well educated man but it was his habit to be very polite and he talked little among strangers. As time went on he opened up and piece by piece we got his story. Dick was a retired engineer born on an Indian reservation near Green Bay, Wisconsin and had spent most of his life overseeing the building of various factories in England and Ireland . His British wife lived in his nice house in Corpus but he simply could no longer tolerate urban life and he only went to see her on Sundays now and then. He had wild, deepwater-blue eyes that burned through you and immediately I knew he was insane. He had lived “down island” butt naked for two and one half years with nothing, no possessions whatever, just living like any other animal on the interior of the island. The feds received numerous reports of him and I think he was probably sneaking into fishermen’s camps at night and stealing necessities. He ran them a merry chase when 18
August 2009
they tried to apprehend him but they finally succeeded with the aid of a helicopter. He always swore they threw a big cast net over him as they were afraid of him. I doubt that as I’ve never seen a fed that could throw a big cast net.
He was in bad shape and spent some time in the hospital recovering from intestinal flukes he had acquired from drinking the water from the lakes scattered along the island. He said that when mosquitoes were bad he would coat his body with the gray clay found in the hurricane pass lakes. One day he followed me out of the bar and said, “I hear you’ve spent some time down the island.” I replied, “Apparently not as much as you have but I lived down island by myself for a Texas Saltwater Fishing
year and a half without ever coming out until I got pneumonia.” He was impressed with that and said, “Well, if you’ve spent that long down there by yourself then you’re for real and if you’ve spent that long down the island you’ve heard them, haven’t you? You gotta spend some time down there afore you can hear them you know.” For a moment I was confused and then it hit me and I laughed and said, “Oh, you’re talking about the flute. The Indian flute music down in the 40s.” Dick’s already large, burning eyes grew to twice their size and he said, “My God, you’re real. There’s two of us. I’d always thought I was the only one who knew about that.” And then he asked me to describe what I heard and how often, and I told him the full story: “I’ve never heard them but down between the 40 and the 49 mile, (referring to the distance from the end of the pavement on PINS) most often between 10:00 pm and about midnight. There would usually be two complete and totally different tunes, both lengthy. And then a third that would stop abruptly in the middle of a note. I never heard the third tune completed. Some nights they would be repeated over and over with varying time intervals in between for hours and at times the flute would start the first song and stop in the middle. Other times I would wake at 1:00 to 3:00 in the morning to the beautiful yet mournful music.” Dick asked if I thought he and I heard them because we were part Indian, that maybe only Indians could hear them. I laughed and told him I thought we were the only ones who had been down there in the right areas and circumstances. www.TSFMAG.com
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the fact that the spirit of one of them could remain. This spirit offers its tunes on windless nights to honor the island and to sooth the hardships of the children of Creation who live there now. The spirit seeks to share the legacy and memories of a time and a people who are no more and mourns their passing. Dick died eight years ago and sometimes when I’m sitting alone by my small campfire down there at night many miles from another human being, I see in my mind’s eye the flute player sitting on the sloping side of a bare mid-island dune. Dick is there, covered with mud from head to toe sitting next to him and smiling. They nod when I walk up and quietly sit cross-legged alongside them. The flute player silently raises his instrument to his lips and begins to play. I am totally at peace and content as the beautiful sound echoes among the dunes. I know I am where I belong and was intend to be and all is right with the world. At least the real world; the important world, the world where the sea meets the sand. None of the rest really ever mattered anyway. “If we don’t leave any, there won’t be any.”
Billy Sandifer’s
Common Tern Among other varieties
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Most folks have radios blaring and lots of other noise in their camps and we didn’t and we were down there more than other people could genuinely imagine in this day and age. And we were totally alone. I never once heard them when anyone else was around and I’ve never heard them except during that extended period when I lived down there. “Did you ever try to find the flute player?” he wanted to know. “Sure, lots of times,” I replied. “Sometimes I never seemed to get any closer and other times it seemed I would get very close and when I did it always stopped instantly.” He related that his experiences mirrored mine. He had chased the sound for miles and hours many nights and whenever he got too close it would instantly stop for the night. We talked about every possible explanation and agreed nothing we could think of could possibly account for the music. Not wind blowing through rusted pipes or wreckage, or sounds carrying across the Laguna or anything else. It often came when the wind was perfectly still without even a whisper of a breeze. And it was coming from too nearby to be from the Laguna or inland and always there were no other people for miles. The Karankawas revered this island; it was as holy to them as anything could be in their minds. The last record of them on Padre Island was in 1846, by Samuel Reid of the Texas Rangers. Reid maintained that some of the warriors, driven to desperation by their sufferings at the hands of the Anglo settlers, murdered their women and children and chose Padre Island as a suitable place to live out the remnants of their lives. The final Karankawan account was in 1858 where one last group living in Tamaulipas were forced to flee back across the Rio Grande into Texas where they were “exterminated” by ranchers. To the native Americans, the flute player is the tribal peacemaker. The sound of his flute soothed and comforted. Being a breed Choctaw, I find it easy to accept
CAPT. BILLY SANDIFER
Billy Sandifer operates Padre Island Safaris offering surf fishing for sharks to specks and nature tours of the Padre Island National Seashore. Billy also offers bay and near-shore fishing adventures in his 25 foot Panga for many big game and gamefish species. Telephone 361-937-8446 Website www.billysandifer.com Texas Saltwater Fishing
Length: 62 inches Wingspan: 108 inches Weight: 16.4 pounds
The most wide spread of the terns; found on lakes, rivers and oceans. Inhabits our area only during migrations; May-June and September-October. Nests in Canada. Distinctive smooth, black cap, red bill and forked tail. Best ID is the black wedge of color known as a “carpal-bar” on outer primary wing feathers. Shorter legged than most other terns. Fish eater; it dives for food. Note the black “carpal bar” on the shorter legged bird in the center foreground of this group of Sandwich and Forester’s terns. This is the Common Tern and the difference from others is conspicuous by this marking.
August 2009
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The color schemes and patterns on the Yo-Zuri Sashimi lures actually change colors as the angle of view changes. Most baitfish will change colors to blend into their environment or signal that they are in distress; these are the ones that gamefish key in on to eat. These new highly-detailed lures mimic that color changing behavior, attracting your favorite inshore predators — redfish, seatrout, and more. The winning combination — YoZuri Sashimi Lures™ and Yo-Zuri H.D. CARBON™ Fluorocarbon leader. US Patent: U.S.#11/651, 615 • International Patent: #PCT/JP2007/068739
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August 2009
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21
STORY BY MARTIN STRARUP
S
TRADITIONS
O THE TENTH ANNUAL PORT MANSFIELD FISHING ADVENTURE
has come and gone. What started out ten years ago as a few guys getting together in Port O’Connor for a weekend of fishing and fun has turned into a five day marathon fishing trip in Port Mansfield. Some of the original group is still with us but we’ve lost a few along the way to wives, babies and changes in employment. While we’ve lost a few of the core members we’ve not lost our ability to have a good time and put a few fillets in the freezer. As usual we ate well, we imbibed more than we should have and we spent a lot of time out on the water in 30+ miles per hour winds, but the fish were there and that made us get out of bed for roll call each morning. Gary thought enough of this milestone in our fishing adventure to have caps made to commemorate our tenth year together. Sterling, who designed the caps, even made sure that our motto was embroidered on the back of each one. “What Happens In Mansfield, Stays In Mansfield” I’m about to violate that motto. Glenn, Gary and Scott got into some nice trout one morning fooling them with rattling topwater baits and soft plastics and, while the rest of us didn’t get into the bigger fish like they did, we certainly had no problems finding our five trout per day which is now the limit in the Lower Laguna Madre. And while the trip is all about fun and camaraderie it wasn’t without heartache and pain. We managed to break three very nice fishing rods and I managed to wade into a genuine booby trap. I was on my way back to the boat after a long 22
August 2009
of monofilament I continued to the boat. Once in the boat I washed the area around the hook with bottled water then cleaned around it with alcohol swabs. I would have flushed the area with peroxide but the large bottle I keep in my fishing
Sometimes we win.
Sometimes we lose.
wade and slid my foot off into a hole that was deep enough for my right leg to go all the way down to the thigh. When I got up I felt what I thought was seaweed wrapped around my left foot so I kicked out to free it and immediately felt a sharp pain in my right calf. I thought for a minute that a ray had gotten me but there was no slap from a tail. Nowhat got me was a 5/0 Kahle hook and it was buried very deep in my calf. The seaweed that I thought was wrapped around my left boot turned out to be 30lb mono with a pyramid weight and no fewer than five really sharp croaker hooks rigged on drop leaders. After cutting myself loose from the tangle Texas Saltwater Fishing
bag wasn’t there. I explained to my friend who is a novice to saltwater fishing that I was going to extract the hook and would require a little assistance from him in getting it out. He wasn’t happy with the prospect of having to watch much less assist in what I was about to do. Now I’ve extracted more than a few hooks from other people without a problem but they were all “J” hooks or treble hooks. Removing a croaker hook shouldn’t be any different or so I thought. And I was wrong. I attached a good length of leader material to the bend of the hook and wrapped it around my wrist while I had my friend press down on the shank with his finger. Now here’s where things got interesting. #1 - It’s much easier to jerk a hook out of someone else than it is to jerk one out of yourself. #2 – Wide-gapped croaker hooks don’t always pop right out the way a “J” hook does. #3 - Your friend with the weak stomach will pass out when the hook curves inward and makes an exit wound above the entrance hole exactly the width of the gap in the hook. Yeah, that’s right. The hook didn’t pop out. The mono slipped a little and the hook simply did what it was designed to do, it curved around and came back out of my leg. Now I don’t know if that’s how all croaker hooks act or if it was the bad angle that I had on the pull being as how the hook was embedded in the back of my leg but; I can tell you www.TSFMAG.com
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all my strength I couldn’t make it happen but I did succeed in ruining one set of perfectly good pliers. Okay now here comes bad idea #3…I’ll hold onto the bend of the hook with the pliers while my woozy friend grabs the point of the hook behind the barb and twists it to break it off. It would have worked had my pliers not slipped. I’m quite sure that they heard me scream all the way to the harbor. I don’t think my friend heard me though as he had crumpled to the deck. So call me hardheaded but I wanted that hook out of my leg, so using both pairs of pliers, I finally managed to break the point off and extract the hook. From the first aid kit I used more alcohol swabs and cleaned the area around the wounds then I forced antimicrobial solution through the wound until I was sure that the wound channel was clean, and then I let it bleed. By the time my son and another friend made it to the boat with some nice redfish I was more than ready for a shower and some more first aid since the memory of seeing my friend Mike McBride’s foot the day before was still fresh in my mind. We watched the wound carefully the next couple of days looking for any redness or swelling but there was none and I felt extremely lucky that www.TSFMAG.com
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no nasty bacteria found its way into my leg. I wish I would have thought of taking some pictures of the hook in my leg but to be honest I was in too big a hurry to worry about taking the camera out of my shirt pocket and snapping some pictures. Lame, I know, but you would have had to have been there to understand. I will be happy to show you my scars anytime you want to see them though; just ask. Next year, God willing, will be our eleventh to join together for five days of fishing and fun and the houses are already rented. The only thing I’ll do different next year is to make sure that every boat has some good side-cutter pliers on board and a well-stocked first aid kit. On Monday I paid a visit to my family doctor and informed him of what had happened. He was pleased with the way the wound was healing and said the steps that I took in cleaning the wound and having a good immune system had kept me out of trouble. I got a tetanus shot and to be on the safe side he gave me a strong antibiotic to take for ten days, just in case. So be safe, make sure you have a good pair of side-cutters in your boat and make sure that your first aid kit is current and has a good antibacterial or antimicrobial solution in it. Check the dates on the items in the first aid kit and replace them as needed for they do expire. Make it part of your regular safety inspection of your vessel and you’ll always be covered.
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that it’s a strange feeling and a sight to behold when a hook pierces your skin from the inside out. So okay at least the barb is now outside of my leg and we can cut it off and I can divest myself of this troublesome piece of wayward tackle. Well that was my plan; however I wasn’t in my boat and this particular boat didn’t have a pair of side cutter pliers with which to snip the offending barb. No problem, (get ready for bad idea #2)…I’ll just use the line cutters on my fishing pliers. Trust me when I tell you that the generic pliers that come with your wading belts won’t cut a croaker hook. Using
MARTIN STRARUP
Johnny’s True Value, Harlingen Port A Outfitters, Port Aransas Rockport Tackle Town, Rockport Marburger’s Sporting Goods, Kemah The Tackle Box, Victoria South Texas Trolling Motors, Corpus Johnny’s Sport Shop, Eagle Lake John South Padre Island Kayak, SPI R&M Firearms, El Campo Brenham Tackle, Brenham K&W Arms Ammo & Tackle, Brazoria Tally’s Tackle, Groves Lake Charles Tackle, Louisiana Hookset Marine, HooksetGear.com Hoo see more at
BrownLures.com/TSF Texas Saltwater Fishing
August 2009
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STORY BY CHUCK UZZLE
Everything’s bigger in the dark THE WHOLE FISHING WORLD WAS CRYING ABOUT THE WIND and wishing it would stop. Well guess what, the wishes came true and now we have a new enemy as the daytime temperatures are just plain going through the roof. It has just been hot as a family of rats in a wool sock and we are just now really
sunscreen. The newest designs in fishing clothing will help protect you from harmful UV and also allow you to fish comfortably. I have fallen in love with the long sleeve pullover Guide Skiff T-shirt from Columbia, it’s light, comfortable and dries quickly which makes it nice when I’m on the poling platform
Calm seas at sunset; the wind is finally gone.
getting to the toughest months. Excessive heat like we have experienced so far means that fishermen will have to do some things differently in order to catch fish on a consistent basis and remain safe while we are doing it. Some precautions should be taken before you hit the water while others require attention during and after the trip. Blazing sun can take a toll on your body if you aren’t prepared and no fish is worth jeopardizing years off your life. Make the effort to protect yourself by dressing right and using quality 24
August 2009
all day. Another addition to your wardrobe needs to be a hat that covers your ears and the back of your neck; the old ball cap just won’t cut it. I have seen many of the Florida and Caribbean guides using the Buff which is an adaptation of the neck gaiter that snow skiers wear. The buff can be wrapped around a hat or your neck and face to give incredible protection from harmful UV rays. I recently began wearing the Buff and they make a nice addition to my summer fishing attire. Now that we are properly clothed and sun Texas Saltwater Fishing
protected we can get down to the business of catching fish. The summer heat will do just as big a number on the fish as they do on the fishermen. Feeding windows become narrow and fish seem to get lazy when the mercury climbs. Redfish in the shallow marshes give me the impression they would rather not be disturbed. These fish can be difficult to catch under these conditions, but give them a little overcast or summer shower that brings the temperature down and you have a whole different fish. That wonderful feeling of relief that we all get after a much needed rain is just what the doctor ordered to get them moving and eating again. Speaking of eating, how many times during the hottest days of summer have you seen fish just come up and nudge a topwater? It seems like they just don’t want to commit to coming all the way up and closing the deal. Several years ago I spent some time with Jim Leavelle in his booth at one of the fishing shows and we discussed this very subject. Leavelle, who spent years as one the top guides in the Galveston region, had been taking clients down to Baffin. During some of his summer trips he encountered the same situation; fish nudging a floater but not hitting it aggressively. Jim’s remedy was adding weight to the rear hook by wrapping the shank with a small piece of lead solder. The weight caused the back of the plug to sink so that it floated almost www.TSFMAG.com
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fleeing and show where the best concentrations of bait are staged. Anglers have varying theories on which moon phase is better for night fishing, I like the days around the full Hunter Uzzle moon; I know others who swear enticed this by no moon at all. Either one will beautiful redfish work if you have a plan and set from a up accordingly. Some anglers marsh like to use lights in order to draw pond. fish to them while others opt for a more traditional approach and fish known structure. Again, both methods will work and only you can pick your favorite. The summer heat will be upon us for at least a couple more months so be prepared to deal with it. The fishing will change with the weather but the strategies discussed here should at least help you along the way to locate and catch fish at this time of the year. Please be safe if you go out Mike Edwards in either the heat of the day with a hot or the dark of night, no fish is weather worth a big risk and I am sure redfish. there are plenty of folks who want to be around for a long while. Enjoy the summer, take a kid fishing, and by all means, be safe.
CHUCK UZZLE
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vertically when it wasn’t being pulled across the surface. That bit of plug below the surface was often enough to get them to commit. I still use the technique and I always give Jim credit for sharing that little bit of knowledge with me. Now for many anglers at this time of the year, the best way to escape the summer heat is to wait until dark to hit the water. Night fishing is an altogether different animal compared to fishing during the day. I personally will not take clients at night due to the fact that so many things can happen and they are multiplied in the dark. For my own personal fishing this is a different story, you can have an absolute blast under the cover of darkness. A calm night and a vicious topwater strike are what many fishermen’s dreams are made of. At night you get the benefit of several things, and beating the heat is high on the list. Another benefit of fishing at night is the reduced traffic on the water; fish are much more likely to move around in the calmer conditions. If you plan to be out at night please remember to do a couple of things that will help insure your safety and make your trips more productive for years to come. First and foremost, be sure to let someone know where you are going and what time to expect you back. Always carry a VHF and a cell phone. It’s awful hard to flag someone down and get help in the dark. Next, be damn certain you wear your PFD at all times and carry a small flashlight and a whistle when you wade for signaling others. Be careful when navigating. Always light the way ahead with a powerful spotlight, especially when exploring new water. Carrying a spare Q-Beam is a good idea. Nobody likes surprises and they are always magnified in darkness. Now that you have the safety stuff out of the way you can get down to the business of fishing. A Q-Beam will help you locate bait. A quick scan across the surface will send baitfish
Texas Saltwater Fishing
August 2009
25
Science Science and andthe the Sea Sea
TMTM
Continental ContinentalShelves Shelves Conservationists, Conservationists, governments governments and and energy energy companies companiesallallseem seemtototake takea akeen keeninterest interestininthe the oceans’ oceans’continental continentalshelves. shelves.These Theseextensions extensionsofof continents continentsare areshallow, shallow,mostly mostlyflat flatregions regionsofofEarth’s Earth’s crust crustunder underthe thesea seaalong alongthe thecoastlines. coastlines.On Ontheir their outer outeredge, edge,a acontinental continentalslope slopefalls fallsaway awaytotothe the much muchdeeper deepersea seafloor. floor.
Dear Everett: Thought I would send some catch and release photos for the magazine. These fish were caught along with a number of other good fish on Memorial Day weekend. The photos are of my son Kirk, grandson Austin, and myself. (Three generations of fisherman and trout nuts). All fish over 22” were released and we did keep a few small ones for the Memorial Day fish fry. All of these fish were released and they were all caught on lures. We had a great day and lost count of the really big fish we released. Still enjoying your magazine, all three generations of us. Enjoyed working with you on the Flounder Recreational Stakeholders Work Group and all our trips to Austin to testify to the TPWD Commission regarding trout regulations. Keep up the good work. Sincerely, Scott Murray
Continental Continental margins margins around around the the world world can can bebe “active” “active”oror“passive.” “passive.”AtAtpassive passivemargins, margins,there thereisis little littlevolcanic volcanicororseismic seismicactivity. activity.There, There,sediment sediment eroded erodedfrom fromthe theland landaccumulates accumulatestotoform forma abroad broad continental continentalshelf shelfthat thatcan canextend extendforforhundreds hundredsofof miles. miles.The Thenorthern northernGulf GulfofofMexico, Mexico,forforexample, example, has hasa abroad broadshelf, shelf,where wherethe theMississippi MississippiRiver Riverhas has deposited depositedlarge largeamounts amountsofofsediment. sediment. AtAtactive activemargins, margins,the themovement movementofofEarth’s Earth’splates plates causes causesearthquakes earthquakesand andvolcanic volcanicactivity. activity.This This activity activityshapes shapescontinental continentalshelves shelvesaround aroundmuch much ofofthe thePacific PacificOcean, Ocean,where whereshelves shelvesare areoften oftenvery very narrow, narrow,sosothat thatsediment sedimentmay mayget getdumped dumpedinto intodeep deep ocean oceantrenches. trenches. Continental Continentalshelves shelvessometimes sometimesharbor harborportions portionsofof a acontinent’s continent’smineral, mineral,oiloilorornatural naturalgas gasdeposits. deposits. Because Becausewater waterover overcontinental continentalshelves shelvesisisrelatively relatively shallow shallow– –ananaverage averagedepth depthofof250 250feet feet– –shelves shelvesare are attractive attractiveplaces placesforforextracting extractingthese theseresources. resources. But Butthe theshallow shallowwaters watersabove abovecontinental continentalshelves shelves also alsosupport supportanother anothervaluable valuableresource: resource:marine marine ecosystems. ecosystems.Continental Continentalshelves shelvesare arehome hometotothe the largest largestconcentration concentrationofofbottom-dwelling bottom-dwellingmarine marinelife, life, and andthey theyare arethe thesites sitesofofmajor majorfishing fishinggrounds. grounds.With With allallthe theresources resourcesthey theyhave havetotooffer, offer,it itisiseasy easytotosee see why whycontinental continentalshelves shelvesget getsosomuch muchattention. attention.
The TheUniversity UniversityofofTexas Texas
Marine MarineScience ScienceInstitute Institute www.ScienceAndTheSea.org www.ScienceAndTheSea.org 26
August 2009
©©The University ofof Texas Marine Science Institute The University Texas Marine Science Institute
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August 2009
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JAY WAT K I NS
Ralph Glister with a solid trout in 86-degree water over shallow grass.
I HAVE TO ADMIT, I AM NOT NEARLY THE FISHERMAN I THOUGHT I was six months ago. Sure, the drought has raised salinity levels to abnormal highs, our air and water temperatures are setting records, and fishing pressure is still taking its toll. But, somewhere along the way I lost my focus. I became a victim of my worst enemy, me! What happened when the catching became tougher in my home water was simple; I started looking for excuses. Baffin, by the way, has been wonderful to me this year but I fear the pressure being exerted on this system will prove to be too much if we continue the over-harvest of both trout and redfish. I promote catch and release wholeheartedly to the anglers I take to this system and restrict those wishing to keep fish to no more than five per day including redfish. Everyone else can do what they want but don’t point the finger my way when the gig goes sour. For too long I was a kill guide and what a poor example I have been to so many. I’ll step off the soap box now and get back to this month’s topic which is trying to catch fish in the toughest of times. I became a victim of making excuses as to why I was unable to put my clients on the numbers of quality trout that we have become accustom to catching. Sure, conditions have been tough; the truth, though, is that we still have some really good fish roaming these bays. Very smart fish, fish that are responsible for replenishing the population when outside forces get out of control. Nature finds a way to create opportunities that will continue to allow them to survive. No real scientific background for me except that I continue to 28
August 2009
see our fish patterns changing from season to season. Slowly they adapt to the changing environment around them if they cannot leave it. Give them a kitchen pass to greener pastures and they will surely punch the clock one last time.
you have struck out on them. Fastball hitters don’t layoff off fast balls after a few strikeouts. Lessons gained fishing the Upper Laguna and Baffin areas have been great retuning tools for me this year. I have had to depend
After about two months of honestly struggling from day to day on the trout catching end of my job, I decided to start over. I removed most all of my old photos from my tackle room. The trash can was too small for some of the larger photo collages I had built for seminars so they remain but, all the others have gone to the boys or guide buddies of mine that were in the photos with me. I was living in the past by having these things surrounding me. I needed to start over, so I did. No doubt I still use my knowledge of thirty-plus years but I have tried to let my eyes and mind guide me. Fishy-looking areas should never be overlooked no matter how many times
on my basic fish-finding skills. Even though this area is really hot right now, they are not everywhere and they still don’t eat every day. OK, I do have a handful of the best guides as friends, and yes, Rowsey, Loomis, Webb, Hornsby and Akin give me heads up on patterns but they force me to find the fish on my own. I think they know that is the way one truly learns. Back home I have started leaving the dock each morning with my mind clear and eyes open. We still need to seek the preferred structure for each bay system given the seasonal conditions. Bait is always a major player in this. Without the chow you’re swinging at bad pitches. We still need to be
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get back to fishing? I tend to be of the opinion that we make our own luck and it would safe to say that luck played little if any role. It was looking for what you know to look for and recognizing it when it appears. I’m going to get back to fishing and I’m done worrying about everything else. May your fishing always be catching!
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Brown taught me twenty-five years ago in California Hole looking for redfish. He sounded like Lieutenant Dan in the movie Forest Gump when they were looking for shrimp. ”Over there, over there my boy, that’s where we’ll find ‘em.” His voice rings clear in my ears to this day. After easing to a stop seventy-five yards upwind we made a slow wade into the area of activity. Within minutes I had a five-pound-plus trout in hand and not too many casts later Ralph had one of equal size clipped on his Boga. For the next hour we probed the edges of the larger potholes and small grass beds catching eight more fish over the four and a half mark. All were released and we made only a few hasty photographs due to the extreme heat and desire to send them swimming again in good shape. I had fished this same area many times over the past two or three months without much success. Did the fish just suddenly show or did I clear my mind of all distraction and finally
JAY WAT K I NS
searching for signs of gamefish presence; a slick, that flip a menhaden makes when its buddy just got slurped, a lone pelican sitting in the middle of nowhere, a few gulls hovering over a shallow flat that looks to be totally void of activity. All of these can be signs of day-changing fish activity. Just this past week I had one of my fishing club members out for a morning of fishing. Tides were slack and winds light. For the past two days we had struggled to find any real numbers of quality trout. We had fished a bunch of water and found some good sign but never really got the job done. On this particular day, in an area of heavy traffic, I saw something as we ran outside an area of broken bottom. It was a mullet rocketing out of the water about one hundred yards off to my right. Yes, at age fifty I can still see a five inch mullet that far. I have seen this many times; it is the reaction of baitfish when a much larger predator blows through the area. Schooling reds are notorious for this. Howard
August 2009
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STORY BY CASEY SMARTT THE PAST DECADE HAS SEEN AN EXPLOSION in saltwater
WILDERNESS SYSTEMS RIDE If stability, roominess, and a huge payload are what you’re looking for, check out the Wilderness Systems Ride. The Ride is a muscled boat, measuring a little over 13’ long with a 32” beam and an empty weight around 65 lbs. The Ride boasts a modified pontoon design that is extremely stable and allows a reasonably coordinated person to stand up without an imminent fear of falling out. But what sets the Ride apart from other wide boats, is that it doesn’t feel like a bulky barge when you paddle it. It handles nicely, paddles smoothly, and tracks as though it was a much narrower and sleeker craft. WILDERNESS SYSTEMS TARPON 120 The Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120 is one of the friendliest boats you’ll ever paddle. At 12’ long and 30” wide the Tarpon 120 is a relatively small craft but it feels balanced and smooth, tracks well without a rudder, and has plenty of storage space. Another great thing about the Tarpon 120 is that it is easy to load and transport in the bed of a pickup. Its short length also makes the Tarpon 120 a perfect choice if you plan to fish a few local creeks and rivers or portage to a distant location using a skiff or bay boat as a mother ship. Overall, the Tarpon 120 gets my vote as one of the most versatile and most-likely-to-please kayak on the market.
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4 Great Kayaks for Fly Fishing WILDERNESS SYSTEMS TARPON 160 The Wilderness Systems Tarpon 160 has established itself over the years as the king of the open water boats. At 16’ long and 28” wide, the Tarpon 160 glides across windswept expanses like an arrow. If you are looking for a slick fast boat that eats choppy water, this boat ought to be at the top of your list. The Tarpon 160 has undergone several remakes over the years, mostly in the cockpit design and layout. But the boat is still a greyhound at heart and its lines are smoother than ever. Anglers who are considering purchasing the Tarpon 160 boat should keep in mind that although it is a wonderful boat for long touring runs, the Tarpon’s 16foot length makes it tough to maneuver in tight quarters and a real bear to handle and transport on dry land. The Tarpon 160 is not the best choice for all anglers, but it is the perfect choice for some. NATIVE WATERCRAFT ULTIMATE Native Watercraft’s Ultimate line of “hybrid” kayaks is becoming more and more popular with fly anglers. The Ultimate, available in solo and tandem layouts in lengths from 10 to 16 feet, is as much like a canoe or pirogue as a kayak. The advantage of this design over a standard sit-on-top kayak is that the interior of the boat is roomy and open and the hull is wide and stable, allowing anglers to easily stand and cast or stand and paddle/pole. The Ultimate also has an adjustable seat mounted above the floor of the boat. This means fewer cramps for
paddlers and a dry butt at the end of the day. The Ultimate is a perfect boat for exploring protected water, tidal creeks, and marshes. It is not the best choice if you plan to paddle across wide open windswept areas, or cross heavy chop and strong currents. The bottom line with kayaks is that your own physical fitness, where/how you intend to fish, and how you plan to transport your boat will help determine which model is the right choice for you. Be sure to paddle a variety of boats, do your homework, and be honest with yourself before you make a purchase. KAYAK FLY FISHING SCHOOL For those interested in learning more about kayak fly fishing, Capt. Dean “Slowride” Thomas and I will be offering an intensive 3-day kayak fly fishing school in Aransas Pass this Fall. Additional instructors include veteran fly angler Jim Shulin and FFF Master Casting Instructor Al Crise. Enrollment is limited to 15 students. For more information on the course, contact Capt. Dean Thomas at slowrideguide@cableone.net or Casey Smartt at caseysmartt@att.net.
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kayak fishing, and for good reason. Modern kayaks are durable, stealthy, and seaworthy and there are currently hundreds of models out there to choose from. So which boats are best for fly fishing? That of course depends on who you ask. Rather than try to cover all the designs available, I thought a better approach would be to cut straight to the chase and take a quick look at 4 different boats that have proven over time to be very good kayaks for fly fishing.
Casey Smartt has been fly fishing and tying flies for 30 years. When he cannot make it to the coast he is happy chasing fish on Texas inland lakes and rivers.
Check out Casey’s Fly Fishing Video Library at www.TSFMag.com August 2009
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B O B B Y B Y R D & C A P T. J O H N C O C H R A N E 32
Port Aransas, Texas
Texas’ Premiere Sportfishing Destination THE SUMMER FISHING SEASON IS IN FULL SWING and with cooperation from Mother Nature it looks like we’re in for some great fishing. With the first tournaments of the year under our belt, it’s obvious there are plenty of fish around. In the 5th Annual Houston Invitational Billfish Tournament held out of Freeport; Brett Holden’s “Booby Trap” took top honors with an incredible tournament catch of two blue marlin, one white marlin, two sailfish and two swordfish.
August 2009
That’s a grand slam (three billfish species) and super slam (four billfish species) caught during the tournament! Twenty-five boats fished the two day event with total prize money exceeding $280,000. This tournament is quickly becoming a major event in the month of June for Texas bluewater fishermen. Most boats have reported that the fishing is very good around the edge of the continental shelf and shallower this year. Rigs like Little Sister, Cervezas, Tequila and Falcon have been very productive and full of bait. Sailfish seem to be quite abundant with many anglers reporting multiple strikes and catches. As of this writing, seven sailfish have even been caught at the Port Aransas Jetties! There are not too many places where you hear, “fishing was pretty good, we caught a limit of trout, a few kingfish and, oh yeah, we released a sailfish.” In the Fred Rhodes/ Port Aransas Masters Tournament, sailfish were the thing and the “Got’m On” won the event with three sails and a blue marlin. Port Aransas has Texas Saltwater Fishing
always been a great place to fish. From the early days of tarpon fishing made famous by celebrities and presidents, to today’s fleet of high performance, cutting edge sportfishing boats, Port Aransas is a premier destination for sportfishing in Texas. One of the main advantages “Port A” has is location. Being centrally located on the coast makes it very convenient for anglers living in Austin, San Antonio and even Dallas. Many upper coast residents in the Houston area also prefer the lower coast with its clear, shallow bays and white sand beaches. Deep water is close to shore and there are several very productive rocks and rigs within a 45-mile run of the jetties. Sportfishing is a way of life in Port Aransas and you will find more serious fishing boats in this area than anywhere on the coast. It also has a great selection of accommodations, restaurants, bars, shopping, tackle and gear for the visiting angler. Places like the Tarpon Inn, Fisherman’s Wharf, Woody’s, Virginia’s and Trout Street are just a few of the popular spots anglers have been patronizing for years. “Port A” is also home to the largest fleet of charter boats available on the coast. Whether you’re interested in bay fishing, jetty fishing, offshore head boats or big game sportfishing, it’s all available here. Take time this summer to give Port Aransas a try whether in your own boat or a charter, we think you’ll have a great time! Just a reminder - Don’t miss the upcoming Texas Legends Billfish Tournament, August 6-9 in Port Aransas. Last year’s event was a huge success with 69 boats competing for over $746,000 in total prize money – the largest billfish tournament payout in Texas www.TSFMAG.com
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of brokerage boats and Fox is the exclusive Texas dealer for CABO Yachts. We specialize in sportfishing boats and motor yachts. Come by and get a great deal on your next boat. For more information contact Bobby Byrd at 281474-4000 or John Cochrane at 409-739-4817 or check us on the web: www.txlegends.com www.tunamania.com
OFFSHORE
history. The Port Aransas location is ideal for this bluewater event with boats fishing the entire coast. Join us this year as we honor
old friends, catch some great fish and celebrate our big game fishing heritage. Also, later this month, TEXAS TUNA MANIA is going to be held out of the new Surfside Marina in Surfside, Texas on August 20-22. Located at the Freeport jetties, Surfside has quick access to the Gulf of Mexico and is the closest Texas port to the deepwater oil platforms. The tournament will also include fishing for other pelagics, including billfish, but the main emphasis is going to be on yellowfin tuna. For more information on Big Game Fishing off Texas - buying, selling or rigging your boat, call us or come by Tops-N-Towers in Seabrook, Texas. Our Fox Yacht SalesSeabrook office has an extensive inventory
Born in Galveston, Capt. John Cochrane has been a professional captain for over 25 years. He concentrates his fishing efforts in the Gulf of Mexico, promoting big game fishing and billfish research. A native Texan, Bobby Byrd has fished the Gulf of Mexico since he was eight. In 1995, Bobby combined his love of fishing and boating into a business when he opened Tops-N-Towers in Seabrook, Texas. Contact Fox Yacht Sales / Seabrook 281-291-0656 Tops-N-Towers 281-474-4000 Capt. John Cochrane 409-739-4817 Websites www.byrd-cochrane.com www.topsntowers.com www.foxyachtsales.com
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Gyroscopic Stabilization thrusters / Bow & Stern Hydraulic Swim Platforms / Dinghy Lifts Leave it to the pros…
STABILIZATION Texas Saltwater Fishing
TECHNOLOGY August 2009
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CCA Texas & TPWD Intern Partnership Continues CCA TEXAS AND TEXAS PARKS WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT (TPWD) are currently in the eighth year of a successful internship program that has grown from one student working in the Upper Laguna Madre field station to four. CCA’s support during 2009 has made it possible for interns to work in the Aransas Bay system, Corpus Christi Bay system, Upper Laguna Madre and Lower Laguna Madre. These interns are students from the Texas A&M Corpus Christi campus with Marine Biology studies and are screened, interviewed and eventually hired to play a crucial role in TPWD’s efforts to manage and enhance Texas’s coastal marine resources. The intern program offers a unique opportunity for actual hands on work in the student’s field of education and gives them valuable insight into the type of work they intern , Brian CCA sponsored g with a Witherell , helpin sas Bay. an Ar in survey net
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Texas Saltwater Fishing
might someday be doing in a full time position for TPWD. At the same time, this program gives TPWD a forward look into a potential fulltime employee’s ability, work ethic and desire to be part of the TPWD Coastal Fisheries staff. Experience, commonsense, knowledge and work ethic are crucial to the continued success of TPWD Coastal Fisheries data collection effort. Sampling procedures and data collection are the steering mechanisms that direct management strategies in place today and also for the future. Current intern student, Brian Witherell recently commented, “Not only have I had a blast working in the outdoors and helping conserve our wildlife resources, but I have had a chance to actually use the skills I have learned in school. While you can gain knowledge in a classroom, it can not compare to the knowledge and skills you gain when you are applying it in the real world.” The summer intern’s job responsibilities follow those of any of the full time employees. These interns participate in all parts of the coastal fisheries technician’s job and these responsibilities include sampling (gill nets, bag seines, trammel nets and other gear), data entry and review, boat maintenance and creel surveys at local boat ramps. In addition, the interns are an asset to the individual labs during one of the busiest times of the year for the coastal fisheries labs. “The summer interns are really working out well this year, as usual,” commented Corpus Christi Bay Eco-system Leader, Perry Trial. Perry commented further, “The Corpus Christi team has especially benefited from the interns this year. One of our team’s technicians was promoted leaving us a man short during one of our busiest times and the intern was able to fill in and keep our staff at a reasonable work load.” CCA Texas sees the TPWD summer intern program as a valuable tool in the pursuit of good science for fisheries management and as an opportunity to help bring young and talented employees to TPWD. “This program started eight years ago to give a student from Texas A&M Corpus Christi the opportunity to work side by side with TPWD technicians in the Upper Laguna Madre. The program has since grown to four interns working in the Aransas Bay system, the Corpus Christi Bay system and the Upper and Lower Laguna Madre,” commented CCA Texas Executive Director Robby Byers. Byers continued, “CCA Texas is a firm believer in sound science for fisheries management and this program helps give the future marine biologists a head start as they transition from their education to employment.”
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Spin-tastic! 04 11 12 13 14 15
Weight: STRAIGHT Jacket™ — 3/8 oz. Weight: STRAIGHT Jacket™ Jr. — 1/4 oz.
Dave Workman, Jr.Pro Series
STRAIGHT JACKET
TROUT • REDFISH • FLOUNDER • SNOOK
Colors: (04) Chartreuse
This lure has been tournament tested and proven to be a winner. Works best with a slow to moderate retrieve. Deadly on Trout, Redfish, Snook, Flounder and Striped Bass. STRAIGHT Jacket™ can be fished in the grass with confidence. The bright blade flash and tantalizing tail wiggle can produce line screaming strikes.
(11) Root Beer (12) Pearl (13) Clear/Blue Sparkle (14) Black, Silver Belly (15) Green, Silver Belly Available at your favorite tackle supplier.
Dave Workman, Jr.Pro Series © 2008 BOONE • Winter Park, FL • 407-975-8775
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August 2009
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Field Notes
NEW GUY ON THE BLOCK Nicholas Ahrens, Fish and Wildlife Technician, Rockport Texas
I PUSHED THE ALARM BUTTON OFF ON THE CLOCK. 5:30 am. I had not slept much. Mostly out of anticipation and excitement of what we were going to catch in our gill nets. With my degree in fisheries from South Dakota State I had recently applied for several vacant positions with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. As a youth, I had spent several memorable summers in the Corpus Christi area, so I was very interested in the Fish and Wildlife Technician position with
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the Aransas Bay Ecosystem team. I was very excited when I was called for an interview, and even more so, about a month later, when I was offered a job. Now, my second day on the job, I was going to pick up three six-hundred-foot gill nets we set the night before. These net sets are a part of the spring and fall adult finfish resource sampling program conducted in each of the eight bay systems across the coast. There is no other program in the
Texas Saltwater Fishing
country with a 35-year data set of high quality sampling procedures. And now I was part of it. After unloading yesterday’s bag seine samples and loading ice chests, we headed for the ramp. Technicians Moises and Luis talked non-stop telling me about the many things they loved about the job. They had chosen the set locations from a list of 45 randomly selected sites throughout the bay system for this spring season. They had chosen that days sites to get a little wind protection from the ever-strong southeast breeze. My freshwater boating experience faired me well when I was given the helm of the 21-foot boat powered by a 150 hp outboard motor. Despite the presence of a GPS unit, I was given excellent verbal guidance around crab trap floats, across oyster reefs and other potential marine hazards. The sun rose bright and red and it was a beautiful morning. As we reached the upper reaches of St. Charles Bay, I caught glimpses of the floats on the first net. It stretched 600-feet perpendicular to shore, with a few white bullet floats every couple hundred feet to identify it as ours and to warn boaters. Game Wardens had been notified of the net location yesterday.
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We tied up at the deep end of the net. We gathered and recorded the required water and weather data. I could see where several sections of the float line had been pulled below the water surface. I could hardly wait to see what we had caught. The net had been set with the large mesh (6-inch mesh) panel (150 feet) away from shore. I could see the dorsal fins of several very large fish surfacing and then disappearing. Near the boat I saw what looked like catfish, and gizzard shad, very similar to my freshwater friends. I was glad to hear that the rookie was required to take fish out of the net, rather than record data. I had time to learn data recording, but I was very eager to get my hands on some saltwater fish. The nylon gloves protected my hands from spines, scales and raspy teeth. The larger mesh caught the larger fish. Luis and I pulled in several feet of netting and removed the entangled fish. Three beautiful red drum were over 24 inches in length. Moises recorded their length and they were released alive. I was somewhat slow in removing the lively hardhead catfish, with their large spines. The prehistoric
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looking alligator gar, all 5 feet of him, was the most awesome catch. The tooth-filled elongated snout, the rock-hard diamond shaped scales, and the abundance of slime coating this fish made it very difficult to remove. We made our way through each of the next 150-feet sections of 5-, 4-, and 3-inch stretch mesh. As each organism, including crabs, jelly fish, and fish, was removed, we identified, measured and recorded data. The shoreline anchor of the 3-inch stretch mesh panel was removed. It had taken us abut an hour to remove the 76 fish from the entire net. We drifted back to deep water and made our way a mile down the shore to the second net. Gizzard shad and menhaden dominated the
Texas Saltwater Fishing
catch here, with a few spotted seatrout, and of course, a few of St. Charles Bay’s famous alligator gar. By the time we finished picking up the third net over 2 hours later, I had my fill of fish removal. Next trip I will see if I can record the data. Back at the lab, we cleaned our gear and boat and prepared it for the setting of the last two nets for the week. Jason and Faye were going to set these nets, and I was eagerly looking forward to the pick up again. Data sheets were checked and double checked. Summaries were prepared. One week of the 10-week spring netting season was almost over. When I got home, I realized I smelled a little like fish, I was tired and my hands were sore, but still thinking about all of the unusual fish that we had caught. I knew that I had landed a job with a great crew, a great program, and that I was going to enjoy every day helping manage the fishes of Aransas Bay.
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S0UTH TEXAS K O O SN STORY BY EVERETT JOHNSON
Author’s first trophy snook from Texas water.
THEIR PROPER NAME IS COMMON SNOOK, but for the life of me I don’t understand why. When hooked, a snook is as quick as a trout and pulls like a redfish. At the first sign of rod pressure they go full-burner and shoot skyward. I see nothing even remotely common in this, especially when said “common snook” weighs over eight pounds. My snook fishing career was launched in Everglades National Park with Capt. Charles Wright. Charlie poled us down backcountry creeks where we landed lures beneath mangrove limbs. We had timed everything just right, the water level was low enough to fish under the mangroves and the snook were willing. We had fun with literally dozens of two to four pound fish but none heavier. Return visits brought reruns and I feared I would never shake the big snook skunk. My first go at South Texas snook was with our own Capt. Ernest Cisneros, two years ago. Somehow, smack in the middle of really solid days, that same skunk followed me to Port Isabel. Pre-dawn thunderstorms and strafing southeast that howled past lunch enabled the dastardly varmint to once again sink its claws and hang on. I jumped one big fish that pulled off. My next trip tried to die during birth. Pam, my wife, and good friend Barbara Skalak, left Seadrift for Port Isabel early Thursday morning. Their plan was to visit an advertiser in Harlingen and then check into the motel. Longtime fishing pal, Stephen Plant, was to meet me in Houston where I had an appointment and we would drive together to meet the girls. We had plans for dinner on South Padre and a Friday trip with Ernest. The skunk sprayed Pam first. She called from 38
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the side of the road near Kingsville with a flat and the spare stuck in the rack. Then Stephen called and said he had to see a client unexpectedly at 4:00 PM. I assured Pam that a tow truck was not terribly expensive and told Stephen to meet me in Seadrift as soon as he could. Pam and Barbara
We met Ernest at the dock with only faint light in the east and barely more sleep. Seadrift to Port Isabel takes five hours, which means barely enough time to wrinkle sheets. With gear stashed and seats taken, Ernest pushed from the dock assuring us we were in for a treat.
were rescued in time to make their meeting and Stephen and I finally left Seadrift at 8:00 PM.
“We have to be early,” he said. “We caught fourteen snook yesterday, one over thirty-
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four and one a little over thirty-six,” all the while squinting ahead to pick his way down the channel. I kept watch, suspecting the skunk was somewhere onboard. “The tide is the key,” Ernest added over the roar of the engine. “The tide moves the bait through the area we will be fishing and the snook will only feed in the current. Sometimes the bite lasts only thirty minutes.” I continued looking and sniffing for my old nemesis. Stepping off the boat in weak pre-dawn light, Ernest laid out the plan. “Watch for the bait at the surface. Please do not get in a hurry, we have to fish very slowly across these grassbeds and potholes or we will walk through them. To catch a snook, you have to be more stubborn than a snook.” And so we fanned across the flat; Ernest setting the pace. Every eye straining for telltale ripples, every leg muscle tested by soft bottom and uneven contour, every nerve poised for a giant blowup. This was when I learned that
trebles would hold. We all prayed with him. The big fish screamed out of the water landing on its side with an awesome splash. Nearly as excited as he, I encouraged, “Keep your rod down, Stephen,” as though he needed to hear it. Careful pressure through three long runs brought the prize close enough for a deft swoop with the Boga Grip. A heavy eight
offered in hushed tone. Noticing the vicious walk-the-dog Ernest was using; I began to mimic his effort. (Always listen to your guide.) Fifteen cautious steps brought me close enough to a still-nervous school of mullet. Fifteen wicked attempts to drown my Spook Jr. with a frenzied retrieve accomplished little except scattering more bait. The image of the varmint sneaking up my back Quick measurement was burning into the back of before release. my brain. Ernest’s words about stubbornness came rustling back. This was focused angling and I needed to adjust mine. One more cast, another cast, did you see the swirl? Quick, throw back. Kablooge - It was on! Three jumps, loosen the drag, don’t lean on her so much, grass on my line, keep the rod down, don’t stumble; so many thoughts flash through your mind. Without my noticing, Ernest had waded to my side with a The smiles say it all. loaner Boga. Finally the fish was in hand. Nine pounds even and a tad longer than thirty-four inches. Thank God the skunk had
snook fishing with Ernest is focused angling. Trained in other waters and accustomed to habits of different quarry, I wanted to forge forward. And, I just knew that damned skunk was following me. Stephen got the icebreaker. A stubborn six pound red was no snook, but at least it was a bite. Shortly, I stuck a three pound trout and Ernest got a red, then Stephen got a giant blowup. “Don’t move and keep throwing into that same area,” Ernest encouraged. Now Stephen is no guy for waiting on things
pounder; Stephen’s best including Florida, and
to happen, that’s not his style. I could see his frustration at being held back. I could also see tiny steps being stolen when Ernest wasn’t watching. Thirty minutes seemed like a day and then it happened. In a foamy swhoosh, the snook Ernest promised was there decided to eat. Stephen was throwing a Spittin’ Image and praying the tiny
certainly more than enough for a session of backslaps and high-fives. Quick photos and CPR carefully administered, Ernest allowed we could take a few steps forward. My turn came when Ernest noticed a baitsmashing disturbance about seventy yards to my right. “You really need to ease over there,” he
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finally drowned. We ended the day with eleven snook, a handful of reds and a few trout, all released. Ernest said we had a pretty good day. Stephen and I thought it was awesome. Even the girls, whose trophy snook will surely come on another trip, agreed it was an outstanding day. Ernest shared snook stories over late lunch at Pirate’s Landing. Growing up in Brownsville, Ernest has been lucky to live in the heart of this South Texas snook fishery all his life. His earliest efforts were around piers and in the Brownsville Ship Channel as a young boy. “We’ve had snook here as long as I can remember but the numbers really began to increase around 1999 and 2000. It has only …Cont’d on page 48 August 2009
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K A Y A K
F I S H I N G
Kayak Fishing on the Dark Side C A P T. S C O T T N U L L
WHEN THE GOING GETS HOT, THE HOT GO NOCTURNAL. It seems that we went straight from non-stop wind to dead-still oven-like conditions without much in between. When you’re the motor on your boat the odds of overheating the engine greatly increase throughout the summer season. The best way to beat the heat is to get out there when the sun isn’t shining. I began night fishing to beat the heat way back in my high school days. It is always a bit nerveracking to wade through the blackest nights wondering what creature was out there. Every splash seems to be magnified in the dark and a feeding redfish sounds much more like a big ol’ gator looking for an easy meal. I think we tend to rely so heavily on our sight that we miss many of the other signs of feeding fish during the daylight. While night fishing you’ll quickly find that your ears will often lead you to the best bite. Nowadays I prefer to paddle into the dark and
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keep myself within the relatively safe confines of my little plastic boat. Not that anything has ever “gotten me” while night-wading, but I think keeping my feet off the bottom negates at least a few of the hazards. I’m also a lot more cautious about where I go and how I prepare for such a trip. The dark of night tends to amplify even the most minor of mishaps and getting help can be much more complicated should things go south. And while there are certain dangers inherent to night fishing, the rewards can be great. We aren’t the only ones affected by the heat; the fish don’t seem to dig it either. I was in a back lake recently and found the water uncomfortably warm. When the water becomes heated to this level, the dissolved oxygen potential plummets and, fish can become lethargic and reluctant to feed. Trout simply won’t tolerate it and will migrate to more acceptable environs. Take that same lake after several hours of cooling during the night and you’ll have a completely different scenario.
Texas Saltwater Fishing
We all know that the shallow-water fishing in summer is often best during the first hour or two of daylight so we rush to be there just as the sun comes up. But in reality that is often just the tail end of the feeding that started during the night. Doesn’t it make a lot more sense to forego a few hours of sleep to get out there at the start of that feeding frenzy and be off the water before the sun starts broiling? There are two good ways to get in on this action. One of the most popular is to hit the subdivision canals to take advantage of the lights placed near the piers and docks. As long as you’re courteous and don’t horn in on the property owners while they’re fishing their lights it’s a good plan. Being in a kayak allows you to ease into position and fire a few casts into the light. I’ve found that many times there are one or two decent fish on a light along with a bunch of runts and after the commotion of a couple fish fights the action tends to slow. If you’re stuck standing on the pier you often have to wait a while for things to settle back down, but with the kayak it’s easy to move on to the next target. I’ve had some banner nights slowly working my way through a subdivision picking off one or two fish at each new light. After many years of experimenting with lures in the lights I’ve narrowed my selection to just a handful. Most are very small soft plastics rigged weightless. I like clear and silver minnow imitators and the DOA shrimp. You should try to match whatever bait you see cruising the lighted zone. The other method, and my personal favorite, www.TSFMAG.com
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As usual, safety is the highest priority. I always wear a PFD when night fishing, there are simply too many uncontrollable factors involved. I also keep a whistle secured to the vest and have a handheld spotlight within reach, both to signal any approaching boats that might not see me and to signal for help if necessary. You are also required by law to have a 360-degree visible white light. Put fresh batteries in your light and carry some spares if you plan to be out there all night. One last thing, bring a buddy. Not only is it safer, you’ll have somebody to take your picture when you nail that big sow trout.
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is to go out to one of your normally Don’t horn in – ask first! productive areas and fish much as you would during the daylight. Pick a place that you know really well and are very comfortable with as things tend to look a lot different out there in the dark. Beyond being a productive area, my main criteria for choosing a particular location are a lack of possible boat traffic, protected water, and a lack of strong currents. Basically I’m looking for a nice flat along a shoreline, a cove or a back lake. Stay away from big passes or areas with deep drop-offs. better night fishing. I personally haven’t found As for lures, I tend to lean on topwaters. While that to be the case, but it probably wouldn’t hurt I’ve caught plenty of fish on subsurface lures, to schedule your first foray under a full moon there is something exhilarating about a topwater to take advantage of the added illumination. getting hammered somewhere out there in It’ll make it easier to get around and give you the dark. I hear often that only black or darka greater sense of security. Also, an all-night colored lures will work at night. I tend to think trip might sound cool, but the reality is that it’s that’s more tradition than hard fact. The general a tough grind. After a really hot day the water thought is that a black lure produces a more doesn’t cool off sufficiently for several hours, thus defined silhouette, but my thinking is that the the bite might not start for a while. Plugging baitfish aren’t black and predators don’t seem dead water in the dark can get old pretty quick. I to be having difficulty locating them. There’s prefer to get started a few hours before daylight also a popular notion that a full moon makes for and then stay through the prime early morning.
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August 2009
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According to Scott been trying desperately to take a non-working vacation. That means going somewhere for more than a day or two and not being obligated to guide or take pictures. Oh, I can hear it now, “Give me a break Scott, you’re always on vacation.” If only that were so. . .You see, rarely do I go somewhere either domestic or abroad that I am not spending the majority of my time taking photos or guiding, instructing or hosting anglers. The point is, I rarely fish just for fun and it has been since 1994 since I took my last non-working vacation and that was when I took leave from the Coast Guard and drove up to Colorado to go skiing. Well, folks, I finally pulled it off- I took a week off and went fishing just for fun, well sort of anyway. You see, it has become sort of an annual thing for my old Coast Guard buddy Todd Prestidge and I to get together for at least a few days to do a little fishing and/or hunting either here in Texas or, in whatever region he happens to be assigned to at the time (he is still in the Coast Guard). The problem
has always been that, in order for me to justify the time off, I needed to finance the trip with some sort of photo or writing assignment. Because of this, I seemed to always get too wound-up trying to get that perfect picture or story angle and never seemed to fully relax and enjoy the trip or time with my friend. As usual, I would return home absolutely spent. Some vacation, huh? Well this year it was going to be different. Back in February, Todd and I made plans and I swore to myself, no work other than taking a few photos just for fun. So, a few weeks back I packed some gear, boarded an airplane and was off to Virginia for what was supposed to be a four day float- fishing trip for smallmouth bass on the Rappahanock River. I arrived at Reagan International in Washington D.C. with high hopes. For one, I was hoping our Commander-in-Chief would be waiting to great me at the gate so that I could object to just about everything he has done since taking office and I was jacked about going fishing. Sadly enough, neither happened. No sooner had we departed the airport Todd
broke the news to me. It had been raining for several days and he was not sure that it would be safe to get out on the river. That was when it hit me, for the past several months I had been fighting the weather at home, cancelling trip after trip because of the wind and even had to cancel a trip to the Bahamas a month earlier due to wind and rain. I cannot say that I was not bummed at first but, after a few moments passed, I realized that it just did not matter. One way or the other, I was going to have fun. As planned, we made our rounds to all of the outdoor retailers between the airport and his home in Stafford, VA and arrived at his house to good news. The outfitter that Todd had made arrangements with to rent a canoe and take us up river to drop us off had reported that the river was falling. We discussed it and decided that we would make a go of it whether we got to fish or not. Incidentally, what was supposed to be a fishing/camping trip turned into a white-water canoe-trip. That is right, we got on the river and four hours or so into the trip, some major weather came through with high winds, hail and
Photo by Scott Sommerlatte
C A P T. SCOT T SOM M E R L AT T E
FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW I HAVE
42
August 2009
Texas Saltwater Fishing
www.TSFMAG.com
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CONTACT
ACCORDING TO SCOTT
several more inches of rain dumped into the watershed. The river was on the rise and, did I mention that neither of us had ever been in a canoe in moving water before much less run Class-III rapids? Needless to say, things got very interesting. Surprisingly though, we only got thrown from the canoe once in over 24 miles of river. Not too bad considering that two others, who launched at the same place and had made this trip annually for over 20 years turned over at least five times. Now for the funny part- we had very few opportunities to even think about wetting a line and we still managed to have a blast! Since arriving back here in Texas I have taken my kayak out a couple of times to fish and I have began reading all that I can about the sport of paddling. And, if that is not enough, not only I am doing research into getting my own canoe that is designed specifically for expedition paddling, I have just ordered another kayak from the folks at Native Watercraft. I do not know what has gotten into me but I have to say that I am quickly becoming Capt. Scott Sommerlatte is a full addicted to the time fly fishing and light tackle paddling sports. guide, freelance writer and photographer. At this point, all I can say is that Telephone 979-415-4379 it was the best Email danged vacation vssommerlatte@hotmail.com that I have ever Website www.scottsommerlatte.com taken.
AT A! E R G IDE T F I TEXAS GAME G WARDEN CHRONICLES
Texas game warden history is replete with legendary lawmen who dedicated their lives to resource conservation. Mike Bradshaw leads you from the birth of the agency in 1879 into the challenges of the 21st century. Today’s Texas game warden deals with backroom politics, gutless judges, deal making prosecutors, and drunken boaters—not to mention having to nab resistant game and fish hogs in flagrant crimes against wildlife. As you patrol shoulder-to-shoulder with game wardens you’ll go hand-to-hand in combat with thugs and spotlighters evading the law. Jailbreak shootouts, cowboy shenanigans and hilarious arrests—it’s all here. If you love Texas history, hunting and fishing, you’ll be fascinated with Bradshaw’s writing. A must read for Texas outdoor enthusiasts.
www.mikebradshaw.org
Publisher: Mesquite Bean Press Copyright © 2009
www.tsfmag.com
tsfmag.com
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Texas Saltwater Fishing
August 2009
43
Summer is Almost Over A A RO N C I S N E R O S
MY SUMMER IS ALMOST COMING
44
to an end, and soon I will be a senior in High School. I will be entering my last year in writing for the best fishing magazine on the Texas Coast. The opportunity in writing for TSFMag has taken me many places. Writing has allowed me to do things that ordinarily I wouldn’t have accomplished or seen much less. It has been a really neat experience, and I am thankful for those that have surrounded me and supported
perfect. Windy conditions were moving the water just right, the mullet were active, and no one was in sight but us. It didn’t take long for us to find the fish; looking back I could see all the guys with bent rods and water splashing. Right then and there it felt good to make the right call and put a smile on their face. We spent the rest of the afternoon in this hot spot until it was time to head for the weigh-in. We felt good about our catch as the reds were big and the trout were decent. Heading south I could tell
me through these last three years and the one to come. I have met some wonderful people in the fishing industry and have learned many life lessons from many folks. This summer seemed like it went by so fast, but I feel like I accomplished a lot. I got to fish a tournament with some friends. It started with a shotgun start which put pressure on me from the onset. Many scenarios went through my mind. I don’t fish many tournaments, but when I have, I have always been the passenger. Making the decisions for the team brings a whole different level as I was finding out. The day started off terribly slow. It was noon and no fish to show. I could tell the team’s moral was going down hill, so I decided to take a risk; it was going to be boom or bust. I made the call to travel to a spot where I had been catching in weeks prior, but it was a good thirty minutes away. If the fish weren’t there, I would be very disappointed along with my team. When we arrived, the conditions looked
everyone was tired as they tried to doze off. Finally, at the weigh-in we came ounces short of placing in the redfish and trout division; nevertheless, it was a good experience for me and a fun trip with a bunch of fun guys. Not only did I get to fish a bunch this summer, but I also experienced something very unique. I met up with longtime guide out of South Padre Island/Port Isabel area Capt. Gilbert Vela. He was gracious enough to invite me and a few of my friends out for a ride on the “Sea Rocket” which he and his wife Teri own. The “Sea Rocket” is a 34’ Catamaran Power boat that leaves you speechless as you travel fast through the Laguna Madre and the Gulf of Mexico. If Enjoying the summer on you just got your hair done, plan on the “Sea Rocket” losing your hair style. As you take off, the engine sounds just like a jet at take off. My adrenaline was pumping with excitement as we took off like a red bullet skimming through water at a shocking speed leaving other boaters in the wake. We circled the island making loops and turns that could get you sick, but not us, we were having a great time raising our hands, yelling, and
August 2009
Texas Saltwater Fishing
laughing just like riding a roller coaster. Cool water splashing our faces made it even more exciting. In addition, I got to see the island from a different view from the Gulf of Mexico; it was certainly an amazing thrill ride that anyone of all ages would truly enjoy. If you would also like to experience a thrill ride on the water, you can contact Gilbert or Teri at 956 761-4566. The end of this summer will mark my departure of my 140 Suzuki outboard; I gladly Ready to head to weigh-in.
inherited my dad’s Yamaha V-Max 150 which will get me places a lot quicker. Gone will be the days where I can fish during the week when the pressure is light. I guess I will have to settle for weekends from here until graduation. Fishing has been my cushion to stay out of trouble, and I recommend it to anyone that is looking for a good addiction. In closing, I would like to say that the Lower Laguna has not been the same since good friend Capt. Mike McBride suffered a stingray wound. He has been a friend that has taught me more than he actually realizes. My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family, and I hope that he gets well soon. If you have never experienced our precious Lower Laguna Madre, I encourage you to do so. The fish, pristine waters, good people, and the “Sea Rocket” are all waiting. Better hurry because summer is almost over. www.TSFMAG.com
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Get one.
waterloorods.com
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361-573-0300
Texas Saltwater Fishing
August 2009
45
RU BE N V I L L A R R E A L
LATE SEASON LING
46
WE ARE NOW GETTING INTO THE LATTER HALF OF WHAT IS USUALLY THE BEST TIME OF YEAR for anglers with smaller
A good all-around lure selection for ling on lighter tackle.
boats to get their shot at offshore fishing. Everybody by now has undoubtedly heard a few fantastic stories of ling being caught and, unfortunately, some heartbreakers of excellent fish hooked and lost boatside. Let’s review some general tactics to stack the odds in your favor for your next trip. As always, the key elements to becoming more successful are location, tackle, baits and lures. When specifically targeting ling, as opposed to accidental catches when fishing for other species, the location you choose can make or break your trip. Buoys and other surface structure attract ling. Any buoy that you run past leaving the Galveston, Freeport, Matagorda, POC and Port Aransas jetties are excellent choices for the small boat angler. Buoys normally have abundant bait around them which naturally brings in predators such as ling. Safety fairway buoys make great pit stops to catch live bait and also to find occasional ling. Single pipe stands also make great stops, once again for both a shot at a ling and another opportunity to catch live bait. Single pipes offer opportunity commonly ignored by larger boats headed further offshore. Weed lines are legendary for attracting ling and a great place to specifically target them. Ling are very fond of hanging in the shadow of anchored shrimp boats. One of the most important things you need to consider when targeting ling is being prepared to make a cast on short notice. If you don’t have a rod ready you are really behind the game, sometimes ling only give a few seconds of opportunity when they surface. Ling have a reputation for being curious but they often have a very short attention August 2009
span. The angler floundering about to rig a rod normally loses. So, when launching your boat and waiting for your buddies to park the truck, grab a rod designed for ling fishing and get it ready. Remember that fluorocarbon leaders for all offerings will improve your hookup ratio. In the tackle department, anglers targeting ling should always consider line capacity and strength of line, and also the drag capability of your reel. Rod action and rod length are also very important as much of your targeted fishing will include accurate casting. Rods with fast tips in medium to medium-heavy action and length of 6-1/2 to 7 foot length are most popular. Line ratings should be at least 12-20#. Rods with recommended line strength in the 15-30# and 20-40# class are also very good for ling fishing. I must confess, early in my career I did not favor the use of spinning reels as selection was rather limited. However, much has changed and manufacturers have vastly upgraded their offerings. Through fishing for Texas Saltwater Fishing
yellow fin tuna with topwaters and landing fish in the 80-100 pound class on spin tackle, I have revised my opinion. Whether your prefer baitcast or spin reels, a good drag system that functions without spikes and stutters is an absolute must. Line capacity will depend on whether you choose braid or monofilament and there are excellent lines available in both categories. Braided lines are slimmer and offer greater line capacity. Braid also offers an edge with superior abrasion resistance. Let’s talk about bait and lures. In the live category I like piggy perch, mullet and croakers. All of these can be caught with a cast net; piggy perch and croakers can be caught by rod and reel using fresh, peeled shrimp on sabiki rigs. My favorite dead baits are whole white squid, Spanish sardines and ribbonfish. Lures can be very effective on ling. Bucktail jigs tipped with squid or sardine work very well. When choosing a bucktail, go with something in the two to three ounce range for more hang time in www.TSFMAG.com
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the upper part of the water column. Another lure that is very effective on ling is the curly tail grub. Erratic retrieves around single pipe stands will take ling that have not surfaced yet. One of my most effective methods for bringing ling to the surface is reeling a sabiki slowly to the surface after it is full of bait with a buddy on standby to cast when the ling shows. Last but not least is how to land your ling when you bring him boatside. The best place to stick a gaff is in the back. Head shots are also good but the head is a smaller target. Gut shots can be unreliable as they tear out easily and you can end up with a broken line.
Curlytailed grubs on leadhead or bucktail jigs can be very effective when probing structure for ling.
www.TSFMAG.com www.TSFMAG.com
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E V E RY M A N’ S OF FSHOR E
Flourocarbon leaders along with highquality swivels and hooks are basic tools for anglers targeting ling.
Dear Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, Enclosed is a photograph of my granddaughter, Shay Fredrickson, with a drum caught on the beach at Sargent, TX. This picture was taken a while ago. Shay is now 9 years old. The second photograph shows her dad helping hold the rod during the fight. You can see Shay is reeling in the drum. She actually brought it all the way in herself. The drum weighed over 25 pounds. Her grandpa put the drum back in the surf and did a little CPR on it and it swam away. This past weekend, Mother’s Day, our family went to the same spot and Shay caught a 28 inch redfish on her first cast. She’s a great little fishergirl. Shay also makes straight A’s in school. She attends Needville Elementary. Her parents are Brett and Becky Fredrickson. Sue Fredrickson, Shay’s grandmother Needville, TX
Texas Texas Saltwater Saltwater Fishing Fishing
August August 2009 2009
47 47
…Cont’d from page 38
been in the last five or six years that I have been able to target snook successfully on my charters. Before that we only caught them occasionally, not enough to be able to pattern them,” he told us. Ernest went on to describe the territorial nature of snook and their orientation to structure, which explains why you might only find a few trophy fish on any given flat. He also told of how the bite lasts only thirty or forty minutes most days, only feeding when the current is running. Even with optimum conditions and careful patterning, it is rare when the bite lasts more than two hours. The snook fishery of South Texas is just beginning to thrive. Twenty consecutive mild winters have contributed kindly and TPWD regulations that allow only one fish per day in a 24-28” slot have supported the growth. Ernest has his own rules. “I tell my clients that we are fishing for only a few bites and all snook are released on my charters. I want everybody to understand how fragile this fishery is and unless we give them a chance this is all we’ll ever get,” he said. Now Ernest is a humble fellow, polite to a fault, and possesses an incredible passion for fishing.
Our crew; tuckered out and happy!
His dedication to the conservation of the South Texas snook fishery is highly commendable. His knowledge of their behavior and habits has been gained over thousands of miles spent wade fishing. His reputation is growing, and not surprisingly, his date book was filled months before snook season,
with standbys listed in the margins. We were lucky to snag a cancellation date. The drive home was a joy. Hallelujah - the skunk was dead; no flat tires, no emergency appointments. We made memories with Ernest and we are planning to go back.
F RWA T O ER M F $ 2RO 49 NT K
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Artist renderings and plans for The Reserve at St. Charles Bay are under development. Hal Jones Development reserves the right to make changes without notice. No guarantee is made that the proposed features will be constructed, or that if constructed, will be of the number and type described. These materials shall not constitute an offer in any state where prior registration is required. Void where prohibited by law. For unimproved lots at The Reserve at St. Charles Bay, obtain the property report required by federal law and read it before signing anything. No federal agency has judged the merits or value, if any, of these properties. WARNING: THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF REAL ESTATE HAS NOT INSPECTED, EXAMINED, OR QUALIFIED THIS OFFERING.
*WAC. Visit www.StCharlesBay.com for details.
SCB_SWF042909.indd 1
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August 2009
5/1/09 10:06:14 AM
Texas Saltwater Fishing
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A M E R I C A N I N N O VAT I O N • A M E R I C A N D E S I G N • W W W. U S R E E L . C O M
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GALVESTON TIDES & SOLUNAR TABLE Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine AUGUST 2009
The BEST Choice‌ Any Place, Anytime!
To find a location near you, please visit us at www.speedystop.com
TIDAL CORRECTIONS Location Calcasieu Pass, La. Sabine Bank Lighthouse Sabine Pass (jetty) Sabine Pass Mesquite Point Galveston Bay (S. jetty) Port Bolivar Texas City, Turning Basin Eagle Point Clear Lake Morgans Point Round Point, Trinity Bay Point Barrow, Trinity Bay Gilchrist, East Bay Jamaica Beach, Trinity Bay Christmas Point Galveston Pleasure Pier San Luis Pass Freeport Harbor
High -2:14 -1:46 -1:26 -1:00 -0:04 -0:39 +0:14 +0:33 +3:54 +6:05 +10:21 +10:39 +5:48 +3:16 +2:38 +2:39 +2:32 -0:09 -0:44
Low -1:24 -1:31 -1:31 -1:15 -0:25 -1:05 -0:06 +0:41 +4:15 +6:40 +5:19 +5:15 +4:43 +4:18 +3:31 +2:38 +2:33 +2:31 -0:09
For other locations, i.e. Port O’Connor, Port Aransas, Corpus Christi and Port Isabel please refer to the charts displayed below.
Please note that the tides listed in this table are for the Galveston Channel. The Tidal Corrections can be applied to the areas affected by the Galveston tide.
Minor Feeding Periods are in green, coinciding with the moon on the horizon, and the last from 1.0 to 1.5 hrs after the moon rise or before moon set. Major Feeding Periods are in orange, about 1.0 to 1.5 hrs either side of the moon directly overhead or underfoot. Many variables encourage active feeding current flow (whether wind or tidal driven), changes in water temp & weather, moon phases, etc. Combine as many as possible for a better chance at an exceptional day. Find concentrations of bait set up during a good time frame, and enjoy the results.
Te x a s S a l t w a t e r F i s h i n g M a g a z i n e l
w w w. t e x a s s a l t w a t e r f i s h i n g m a g a z i n e . c o m
“The new Mirage Pro Angler maneuverability of a kayak, stability of a boat.”
— Hank Parker
tHe new Hobie Mirage
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Length: 13’ 8” Width: 38” Hull Weight: 88 lbs. / Fully rigged: 138 lbs. Capacity: 600 lbs.
a revolutionary design breaktHrougH witH extraordinary stability.
Lightweight, efficient, and feature-filled, the Hobie Mirage Pro angler is everything you need to maximize your angling experience without sacrificing comfort, functionality or storage. Powered by Hobie’s patented MirageDrive™ pedal system, the Pro Angler allows you to enjoy fishing without the noise or expense of a gas engine. Protected horizontal storage for up to six rods and two additional vertical rod holders. Space for 13 Plano® tackle boxes, three in-hull storage compartments, plus an additional large on-deck storage area for an optional livewell or cooler. Fully-adjustable, breathable Cool Ride seat, work area/cutting board and replaceable mounting boards on each side to attach your fish finder, GPS, lights or downriggers.
1-800-Hobie-49 www.TSFMAG.com
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Texas Saltwater Fishing
August 2009
49
THE SPORTSMAN is conveniently located just south of Paso Real /
T S F M AG S P O T L I G H T
FM509, on Bus Hwy 77 between Harlingen and San Benito, Texas. Their hours are Mon - Fri 8:30A - 5:30P and Sat 10:00A – 3:00P and anytime by appointment. Whether your fishing passion leads you to the flats of the Lower Laguna Madre or other shallow waters of the Texas coast, you’ll find the largest selection of shallow water fishing boats at The Sportsman. While their specialty is custom-outfitting your new boat to your detailed specifications, you’ll also find many flats boats already rigged and ready to fish in their showroom and pre-owned inventory. The Sportsman is a third generation, family-owned business, founded at its present-day location in 1951. Owner, Rob Youker, began his career at The Sportsman in 1972 and purchased the business from his father in 1987. His grandfather was the founder. The Sportsman opened originally as a service center and soon expanded to become a full-service, new boat dealership. Youker’s business philosophy is all about the customer and serving the customer’s needs. “I have always taught my team that customers have needs,” he said. “I have always trained them to do business by the 80/20 rule; the customer should do 80% of the talking. Our job is to be good listeners. Our mission is not to sell them a boat. Rather, our job is to assist them in selecting the right boat and rigging that best fits their needs.” Going further he explained, “Anybody can sell the customer a boat, we see it all the time. There are currently four boats less than one year old in our PreOwned Department that came on trade-in. Somebody talked those owners into a boat that did not fit their needs. Here at The Sportsman we excel in fitting the right boat to suit each fisherman’s individual needs. Before they take it home we take them to the water and teach them how best to operate it. It does not matter if they have 20 days or 20 years experience, we take the time to teach them all we can so they can operate safely and efficiently on their first outing.” A visit to the Sportsman internet website drives these points home. A very unique feature of the site allows opening a dialog with the sales staff where customers can explain how and where they fish and the size and style of boat they are seeking. Another feature allows customers to schedule service appointments and advise the service team what they need and any problems or concerns they may have. Sportsman’s Parts Department offers the opportunity for customers to discuss their needs before driving to the store. They also offer online parts shopping. Sportsman was recently honored to be selected by Boating Industry as one of the Top 100 Dealers in the nation and the only specialized “shallow water boating” dealership in this elite group. Their customer service, professionalism and business operations coupled with the knowledgeable sales staff and Five Star Certified Service Center are unrivaled in the marketplace. Sportsman Boats – 956 399 5123; and on the worldwide web at: www.sportsmanboats.com. 50
August 2009
Texas Saltwater Fishing
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Texas Saltwater Fishing
August 2009
51
NEW Tackle & Gear LAZER SHARP® MAGWORM HOOKS
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August 2009
hull while maintaining lighter “We Live Hunting & Fishing”
Texas Saltwater Fishing
weights.
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Seaworthy Garmin GPSMAP® 640
Yo-Zuri® Edge Trembler Minnow
Zebco Quantum® PTs
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Small. Light. Fast. Strong. Bold words - but the Energy® and Catalyst® PTs saltwater models are just that … small, light, fast and strong. While Energy might sound familiar because the low-profile baitcast series has been around a while, both it and brand new addition Catalyst PTs are part of a major transformation given the entire PT baitcast family for 2009. The result is dramatically fitter physiques to accompany the long list of Performance Tuned attributes. Most impressive is the overall weight reduction of two ounces from previous PT versions accomplished through a combination of redesign and new materials. With the changes come improvements in performance and maintainability without compromise to durability and features. Even Quantum’s exclusive six-layer Saltguard Corrosion Protection system has had an extreme makeover this year to provide even greater protection to keep all PTs reels looking as good as they fish. For more information on Quantum saltwater rods and reels, visit www.quantumfishing,com.
strikes. The Edge Trembler’s flat belly slows the drop rate to one half foot per second. It also allows the lure to rock North
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August 2009
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THE PAST MONTH HAS REALLY BEEN A CASE OF THE GOOD, the bad, and the ugly for Sabine Lake fishermen. It all started with a series of Dickie Colburn is a full unseasonable cool fronts that fortunately time guide out of Orange, Texas. Dickie has 37 years coincided with the beginning of the spawn experience guiding on Sabine and it was as good as it could get for a and Calcasieu Lakes. couple of weeks. Area anglers just pounded the big trout with everything from live bait Telephone 409-883-0723 to She Dogs and the folks at Bridge City Bait Website Marina were weighing in an 8-pound fish www.sabineconnection.com darn near every day. Then, without warning, an unrelenting south wind returned and raked the entire length of the lake all day every day for three weeks. The bite was still decent, but you really had to battle the elements to take advantage. Immediately following that challenge, a dome of high pressure squatted on southeast Texas silencing the wind, but scorching everything outdoors in the process.
DICKIE COLBURN
We continue to hunt any source of shade by noon most days, but we are finally catching fish a little more consistently both early and late. The lake is covered up with schools of shad and mullet that are attracting trout and redfish. The schools of baitfish are so numerous, in fact, that observant anglers idling around the open lake can locate huge schools of feeding fish without the aid of gulls or terns. While I am not fond of fishing the jetties, nor the short rigs, they will continue to provide the most dependable bite across the remainder of the summer. Live bait, whether it is shrimp, croaker, or finger mullet will account for very good catches of reds, trout, and Spanish mackerel on most days. Lure chunkers can also expect to score well right at dawn. Very few local anglers fish with live shrimp on the north end of the lake, but they will catch their fair share of trout and reds this month fishing both finger mullet and shad. If you prefer to drift the flats or work the revetment walls, the better option is to either fish your live offering under a popping cork on a 3 to 4 foot leader or free-line it on a 3/0 Kale hook with a small split shot. It has been a formidable challenge catching fish consistently on artificials
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S A B I N E Kelly Ford caught and released his personal in this heat, but fishing a good tide change very early or late in the day can still be best speck to very productive. Pre-dawn wades with a black-chartreuse Top Dog, Jr. tied on are complete her spawn! not only more comfortable, but often yield mixed limits of trout and redfish by the time other anglers are just launching their rigs. Once the sun clears the roseau, we fish slightly deeper with 5-inch Assassins rigged on 1/16 ounce heads or suspending lures like the MirrOdine XL and the Catch 2000 or Catch V. Depending on water clarity, and it should be outstanding, Opening Night, Texas Roach, and Bone Diamond are very dependable colors in tails while chrome-chartreuse or chrome-green back are hard to beat in the hard baits. I will usually spend the remainder of each trip cruising the mid-lake area checking out every fresh slick while watching for ladyfish and game fish churning the surface in pursuit of shad. Do not abandon that program simply because an occasional gafftop crashes the party. Once you locate the buffet line, there are very few lures that won’t work, but the task is made easier with a swimbait like the Crème 3-inch Spoiler Shad or a Sea Shad fished on a 24-inch leader under a Kwik Cork. Depending on the size of the shad or mullet running for their lives, match the hatch by swapping the shorter Sea Shad for a 5-inch Assassin or MirrOlure soft mullet. The beauty of those choices is that they are so user-friendly. The Kwik Cork-Sea Shad combination will catch fish even when unattended and the Spoiler Shad is most effective when simply flung as far as possible, allowed to sink, and retrieved at a slow, steady pace. The vibration of the tail and its likeness to the real thing make it an unbeatable lure to hunt fish with as well. Fish smart and respect the heat!
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Texas Saltwater Fishing
August 2009
55
LAST MONTH I REPORTED THAT IF MOTHER NATURE would remain kind. July’s fishing had a good chance to make the record books, it just was that good. Well, Mother Nature has a mind of her own. Maybe my prediction provoked the old gal. We had to endure quite a string of hard south wind days in July and you know what that does to the fishing in many areas. Finally though, the strong south winds seem to be backing down and we’ve only a little west wind that we’ve have to fish around lately. Not too bad, fishing has bounced back overall, so let’s get started with this months report and forecast. We will begin with the areas where the action has been most consistent. EAST BAY AND THE LOWER SHIP CHANNEL – This area has provided the most consistent speckled trout action lately. A lot of the old Bolivar well pads and helicopter pads all along the Houston Ship Channel on the east
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side have been holding numbers of just keeper to medium sized trout. Lots of numbers on calmer days and easy limits. If you can get on a pad and catch the current just when it begins to slow, where you can get your jigs down, we are popping them real steady. Limits by 9:30 have been common on good days when working the deep well pads in about 8-12 feet of water. The reefs in East Bay, Hannah’s and all of the bigger reefs down the middle of East Bay, have been producing some really good trout with reports of a few pushing eight pounds. These are mostly coming on soft plastics and live baiters are doing their thing too, catching lots good specks. When the water is clean on the north shoreline of East Bay; wade fisherman are doing real good on redfish with spoons and jigs and there has been some topwater action as well. CAMPBELL BAY AND WEST BAY – All the water through this area has been producing good fish over shell. Anywhere from about 5-7 feet of water over good solid oyster shell has been producing good numbers of trout under bait slicks and tide lines on soft plastics. Water conditions have been
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G A L V E S T O N holding in this area as it is not as west wind sensitive as other regions. There has been some scattered action behind San Luis Pass when you catch the tide right down there. Guys wading the guts and the sandbars with topwaters and soft plastics have been doing good on trout up to the 26-27 inch class. I have heard of a couple of big 29 inchers from back there. For the most part there are fair numbers of fish behind the pass. The beachfront from High Island all the way over to Surfside at Freeport has been paying off good when the green tide rolls in right up on the beach, everybody is enjoying catching them. Good numbers of trout with artificials and live bait have been coming from the surf when you can fish it. A word of caution though, the sharks are in there too. A lot of little blacktips have really been tearing the live baiters up. The pluggers are having an easier time but they’re having their problems too. A shark will eat fish off anybody’s stringer. UPPER GALVESTON BAY - From markers 52 to 72, all the reefs along the ship channel have been paying off fairly well. Working schools of fish under slicks has been productive over humps, ledges and drop offs. Deeper reef structures in that area have been holding the best numbers of trout with these hotter water temperatures. A good push of cool gulf water rolling up the channel really helps keep the bites coming. West and southwest wind helps increase tidal movement along the channel. TRINITY BAY – Redfish are still the big ticket over here. It’s a shame there are not any tournaments here because it is real common to catch 18-19 pounds for your two best redfish in the slot. There are a lot of big fat healthy reds here right now. There is some trout action to be found, but we just need better wind conditions to catch them consistently. Anything in that due south around to due west quadrant slows the bite because it kills the tide flow over here and stirs the water up. Just to give you an idea, yesterday we had a light north wind and it was trout limits by 9:00. We saw trout jumping out of the water feeding on small shrimp and the crazy part was there were no birds on them. The north end is still pretty fresh and off-color but all the reefs and well pads and everything down the middle of Trinity Bay has better water quality. Like I said at the top, fishing is coming back around. We had that little lull there with all of those pumping south winds and it kind of killed the open water fishing. I’m not going risk making an August prediction just in case Mother Nature is listening, but I think it’s going to be pretty good.
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Texas Saltwater Fishing
August 2009
57
WELL FOLKS, THE “BIG BRIDGE” OVER THE INTRACOASTAL CANAL FINALLY OPENED the last week in June and it is a sight to see; no more waiting at the swing bridge. Fishermen will still have to mess with the Colorado River Locks until that job is complete and at this point is ongoing with a variable completion date. Many are aware of the hot spots in and around Matagorda but there may be some newcomers to welcome and acquaint with what we have to offer in our small coastal community. Looking at the bait camp scene, there are a couple of well established businesses that can supply most all your fishing needs. These include: Russell’s Bait and Tackle—979-863-7620— Russell’s is located at the big Matagorda Harbor just off Highway 60. Accommodations here include four boat ramps, gas pumps, live croaker and shrimp in season, dead shrimp, ice, offshore baits, and plenty of fishing tackle to supply your needs. Russell and Brandy Hicks run a fine business. Rawling’s Bait Camp—979-863-7669—located about six miles south of the “Big
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M A T A G O R D A Bridge” on the way to the beach. Mike Talasek runs this store and can supply your live croaker and shrimp, offshore bait, ice, gas, and fishing tackle needs. He may even give a little fishing advice as well. This month Mike will have plenty of eating shrimp 9-12s and 13-15s if you’re looking. For one-stop establishments, check out these two
they take reservations David Cassady’s Full Stringer Lodge—979-863-1143 Fish Jumpin’ Inn—979-863-2309—talk to Joyce Fishermen’s Motel—979-863-0000 Rental houses—979-241-1705—Bink Grimes— 979-479-1397—Mark Talasek Pelican Point Marina RV Park—979-863-7888—— ask for David Allen Stanley Fisher House—Bed and Breakfast—979863-2920—ask for Peggy Stanley If you are looking for a restaurant, here’s a few picks: Waterfront Restaurant at the Matagorda Harbor—979-863-2520
CONVENIENCE STORES: The Bird’s Nest Market (Locals call it the Shell Station)—979-863-1167—located on Highway 60 coming into Matagorda. Find gas and grocery items here along with a mean hamburger or cheeseburger around lunch time. Stanley’s—979-863-7613—Highway 60 at the caution light right before the “Big Bridge” can also accommodate your gas, grocery needs, along with some fishing tackle and mini lunch buffet. I’ll mention a few lodging contacts but also am aware that there are many others: Shell Motel—979-863-2520—this is also the Waterfront Restaurant but
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The Reef—979-863-7990—located on Beach Road River Bend Tavern & Restaurant—979-8637481—located on Beach Road Spoonbill’s Restaurant—979-863-7766—located on the left one block before the “Big Bridge” If you strike out on your fishing trip, stop by Buddy’s Seafood—979863-7500 to grab some fresh fish, shrimp, or oysters. He will also provide you with offshore baits as well. This is a great place to stop before heading home. Matagorda beaches are clean with a fishing pier and small jetties. There have been plenty of fish caught off the rocks and pier. You will need a permit to travel onto the beach which you can obtain at Stanley’s Grocery Store. Now for those who are interested in fishing, one thing is for certain. June was one of the hottest on record temperature-wise but that did not keep us from catching quality fish. Most days we had our limits including a 31 inch trout caught and released. Both East and West Matagorda Bays produced if you could bear the heat. July played out about the same with most of our catches coming off small Skitter Walks or big Super Spooks and, of course, Bass Assassin’s Roach, 10W40, and Chicken-on-a-Chain. A lot of good trout were caught by fishermen drifting scattered shell and chunking live shrimp under popping corks. August plans are to fish East Matagorda Bay as much as possible but if the winds get me I’ll head over to West Matagorda Bay. Wading East Matagorda Bay’s Mid-Bay Reefs will be top choice and I’ll be throwing Bass Assassins and drifting over scattered shell. If I’m thrown over into West Matagorda Bay, I’ll wade grass beds on an incoming tide. My eyes will be watching the surf because when it gets right it’s like taking candy from a baby. August night fishing is another item on the agenda if the conditions are conducive. All in all, fishing has been on the upswing. Just a friendly reminder to watch that sun and don’t overdo it. Drink plenty of water and for heaven’s sake wear those ForEverLast stingray boots to protect yourself because the stingrays are bad this year more so than ever.
Texas Saltwater Fishing
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WE ASKED FOR IT AND WE GOT IT! I can remember in May and June praying for the winds to die down so we could fish some of my favorite reefs in San Antonio Bay. I got what I asked for and it has really been paying off for me and my clients. Not because I can get out to the reefs but because everyone else has been heading to the reefs now and leaving the shorelines to a few of us. I have had some excellent days chasing my speckled friends, but like I said I have spent more time on the shorelines in July than I have in past years. There are two reasons we are staying on the shorelines of San Antonio Bay. One reason is the size of the trout we are encountering and the second is the amount of finger mullet and baitfish that are inhabiting these shorelines. It seems there are more baitfish than I can remember for mid-summer months staying right on the shorelines, and the size of the rafts look more like surf mullet rafts. So yes, it has been very hard to venture onto my favorite summer haunts because of this. I haven’t even thought about the surf lately or wondered if it was calm enough to get out there …..Well okay, I still think about the surf. We have released trout up to twenty nine inches shadowing these
rafts of mullet, and redfish to thirty two inches have been released to swim another day. The average trout we are harvesting are very healthy and are running from seventeen to twenty two inches. We have been catching very surprised This nine footer a back us while wading lake pass .
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few throw-backs. That is some excellent fish people, they seem more like surf trout to me. Okay, okay I’ll explain more of the structure we are fishing. I concentrate on the outlet areas that drain the vast expanse of marsh from Matagorda Island and also the area in front of the many back lakes of the island. I prefer an opening that will have small islands or shell around the openings so I will have more structure to focus upon. I have been wading from calf deep to waist deep, always starting shallow in the morning of course. The lure that has tricked more trout on these outings has been the 5’’ Saltwater Assassin. I stay more with the natural colors; Bone
Diamond, Baby Bass, Pumpkin Seed, and to add a little flash Opening Night, all rigged on 1/16 oz. Assassin jigheads. I will let the fish dictate what speed I need to work these baits. I have been throwing into and all around the rafts of mullet. It seems like the trout are staying very close or right under the mullet until its time to eat. When the trout shut down or move out to deeper water in the heat of the day, we move to the actual drain or deep cut going into the back lakes. Here we have found flounder and redfish in the cooling depths of these drains. The preferred lure for these guys has been the 4” Sea Shad in Pumpkin Seed/Chartreuse and Bone Diamond. Hop the lure along the bottom slowly. Funny, that’s how John Howerton found the first of our many gators on a recent trip. John started fishing the drain before I got there and he was hung up. I told him there shouldn’t be anything to snag on, and about that time it came loose. A few seconds later his “snag” came to the surface, the alligator was every bit of nine feet; it never bothered us and vise versa. We managed two more reds and three flounder from the spot. A word of caution though regarding the deeper cuts; we have also found six to nine foot alligators enjoying the cooler water temperatures of these drains. I have also seen them on the flats adjacent to the drains I have been fishing, so be very careful when trying to wade into the drains, you don’t want to step on one of these bad boys. I also would like to mention that my 2008 21’ Shoalwater Cat w/ 200 Evinrude ETEC is for sale and anyone interested can contact me through e-mail or phone. Fish smart, fish hard!
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Texas Saltwater Fishing
August 2009
61
WELL I GUESS YOU COULD CALL THIS THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER. The heat is in full force, DAVID ROWSEY
the winds are down, and we are finding ourselves wading out to our necks just David Rowsey has 20 years to cool off. As a guide that specializes experience in the Laguna/ in lures only, August is viewed as one Baffin region; trophy trout with artificial lures is his specialty. of our toughest months. In theory, it David has a great passion for is true, but much of that is weighed on conservation and encourages one’s tolerance for heat, and not the fish’s catch and release of trophy fish. willingness to bite. The trout are still here, they are still big, they still have to eat, and it just comes down to how bad you may 361-960-0340 want it. For me and my clients…It’s seems www.DavidRowsey.com we still have the urge pretty bad. We have caught fish all summer down here, and I am certain we will continue to do the same. We have made certain modifications to the fishing plans but that is normal during seasonal transition periods. Trout are much like humans. Well, they’re like me at least. We like to eat
big early and then spend the rest of our day in a cool spot where we snack occasionally until our next big meal that comes in the evening hours. Trout tend (usually) to head a bit deeper to some accommodating structure or suspend deeper in water column where the temperature will be slightly cooler. I know everybody has waded in water that felt warm at the surface and cooler at the midriff area. We think it feels great; I believe trout think of it as natural A/C and love to suspend in it. When the trout are suspended like this they are not always the easiest to catch, as their first priority is to stay cool and comfortable. I’ll be the first to tell you that trout in this mode are not looking for meals, but they can be caught. We, as fishermen, get so caught up in “Gucci” lures that we forget to think about what a trout will actually “snack on” to gain results during these slow periods. I have come to rely on a few favorites for these suspending fish that just want a snack versus a large meal. The 4-inch Sea Shad by Bass Assassin is my first choice as a swimming bait that can easily be kept at any depth in the water column with a varying retrieve speed. The original Corky, MirrOlure’s Stickbait, and the Heddon Swim’n Image are all top choices that routinely get the job done. The trick is to understand the rate of fall, the depth a lipped crankbait will dive to, and where a slow sinker will suspend on a
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UPPER L AGUNA/BA FFIN SEEING YOUNG MEN OFF TO AN EARLY START WITH LURES AND CONSERVATION IS AWESOME. Sam Stephens - 6.5lb trout - Bass Assassin - released.
Andrew Giamava with a quality trout caught on a Bass Assassin - released.
paused retrieve. I wish it were as easy as just throwing it out and reeling it in, but one of the great things about fishing is the all the toys and learning to maximize their performance. Taking the time and concentrating on these cooler layers within the water column will provide some amazing results for even the warmest days of the summer. I hate to sound like a broken record, but the fishing pattern has not changed too much down here. We are starting relatively shallow on most days and heading to belly deep water as the sun rises. In some cases we are fishing chest deep, but this is usually due to us trying to reach deep rocks or a deep grass bed. As we head deeper into the water we will start noticing the variations in water temperatures below the surface, and then concentrating our efforts there.
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One resource that is being under utilized, and one that I am taking full advantage of, is the edge of the ICW in the Upper Laguna. It is the ultimate deepwater scenario for our bay system, and quality fish are on both sides of it. You will catch five or six dinks per keeper, but the solid fish are there. In fact, I just released a seven pound trout this afternoon, in the middle of dinks, and a good number flounder. If you have kids that you want to turn on to lure fishing, this is an easy gig with lots of catching, and few big fish mixed in. In closing, I had to say goodbye to an old friend and family member. He was 10-1/2 years old, trained from seven weeks on Earth, and still the love of my life, next to my wife Sally of course. Any of you who know me well know how much I loved my great Chesapeake Bay retriever. He would swim forever for a downed duck, goose, quail, dove, or dive to seven feet for something at the bottom of the pool. Always obedient and ready to please me at any time, no other will ever take his place. He was “Laguna Madre’s Ace Scout”. Rest in peace, big boy. “Game fish are too valuable to be caught only once.” -Lee Wulff “Set ‘em Loose” - Rowsey
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THE WATER IS STILL CLEAR, FISHING IS STILL GOOD, and Capt. Tricia’s Skinny Water Adventures operates out of Port Mansfield, specializing in wadefishing with artificial lures.
they’re still blasting the heck out of top waters. Even with oppressive summer heat catches are running well above normal and our trout are sporting impressive weights. Of course we still get a slow day now and then but expectations are running high every morning as we leave the harbor. August
should be another great month with the only threats being a churning gulf or too many churning propellers. Whoever said a five fish trout limit would drive the fishermen away might need a new crystal ball. August here in the Lower Laguna is known to bring exceptional redfish opportunities. Yes, that’s been happening, but quality trout are still commanding most of the show. Low winds and cool mornings made for
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some exceptional surface action during July and some excellent fish were caught. Curious, but even with the abundance of shrimp, where you might expect plastic tails and smaller plugs to be best options, larger topwaters are still getting hit with reckless abandon and even seem to be preferred. When the timing is right, big mullet and other large finfish are still high on the menu. Just yesterday I was skiing in a thirteen inch trout when out of nowhere an absolute behemoth of a trout nailed it; the second such occurrence in as many weeks. Dock talk says I am not the only one to see this. Last week I did a little experiment after missing several good blowups. The wind had picked up and, although the fish were still coming to the surface. they just would not commit. I tied on a plain old Top Dog, a bait that I just haven’t given a full chance in a long time. She Dogs yes, when conditions call for it, but out of curiosity I pulled out the less obnoxious Series III 94MR 21 that looks about as fishy as they come. This lure floats lower than the She Dog, especially the tail end. Boils and swirls turned into take-downs and we caught a number of strong trout including a few between 27 and 28 inches. Although I would much rather emphasize skill
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PORT M A NSFIELD over selection, there are certainly times when just a small change can make a big difference. One of those 27’s weighed almost eight pounds, healthy for any time of the year. Also of note has been shark encounters. Twice recently I have had them swimming within feet of me and following my lures. No one has ever been hit to my knowledge, but finding yourself a few feet from such a powerful and dangerous fish tends to make things exciting. I’m thinking of longer stringers with quick releases. Redfish are plentiful but have been tough to stay on lately. Consistent catching has been a challenge. Deeper depressions Topwaters on the flats with heavy grass beds have are the most been the most consistent. Calm days make exciting finding them easier as we can spot their but soft plastics wakes from quite a distance. Some longtime will locals blame the boat traffic for running off almost always the flats. bring more strikes. August will bring some changes, and while we can’t predict all of them, we do know that overall water levels should be very low early in the month. Boat traffic should decrease as school starts back into session. Less water for fish to hide and fewer fishermen competing for them may improve our situation
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even further. We would look forward to seeing schools of reds on the flats and staying there longer during the day. Sight casting to big bruisers milling in shin deep water is one of the most thrilling experiences we can have, and by all counts, we might expect that to become more predictable during the next few months. Let’s talk a bit about lures. While topwaters are the most exciting, soft plastics will almost always bring more strikes. When activity drops you need to drop too, and the Hogie Major Minnow on the 1/8 ounce Hogie springlock jig is a great combination. Twisting the bait onto the spring helps it in position strike after strike. Another one to keep your eye on is the old Kelley Wiggler soft plastic swimbaits. We hear the Kelley Wiggler brand has new owners and will be making a comeback. When the bite gets tough and fish get finicky, a soft plastic swimbait is my go-to lure. Enjoy the rest of the summer, go when you can, take only what you need and leave the rest. Fall will be on us before we know it, and with a little luck and a lot of care, the magic of the Laguna will continue for all of us.
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NOW THAT WE’RE THROUGH FIGHTING THE WINDY CONDITIONS OF EARLY SUMMER, I can sum up all of what’s been happening down south in a few words. “It’s been fun!” The early part of the summer brought the usual strong winds along with lots of floating grass. The grass became so thick some days that we just could not fish in many prime locations. During grassy conditions, make it a point to know which areas do not collect as much grass as other areas. Some of those areas can be located on the vast sand flats of the east side, most leeward shorelines on the west side, and back bays that contain hooks or land masses that can capture most of the floating grass. Early summer brought plenty of trout opportunity and lots of excitement but the redfish at times were harder to pattern. It seemed you found them one day and gone the next day. That’s OK though, the trout kept us busy. At present, the winds have died considerably and locating schools
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Ernest getting fin clip from Peter Landry’s 33-incher - C&R!
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ARROYO COLORADO TO PORT ISABEL Capt. Ryan Rachunek 33 3/4 trophy - C&R!
of redfish has become easier. Once you find their pattern you can bet it will hold so long as they not heavily pressured. Many of the schooling redfish have been in the oversize category. There have been numerous redfish schools on the east as well as on the west side, and it’s always fun wading up to them and catching them till your arm gets tired. One of the keys has been big schools of mullet. With the tides being as low as they have been, these fish have been around shallow flats that contain easy deep water access. When the fishing pressure increases they drop into the deeper water and then become harder to locate. The key has been finding them early and throwing small topwaters or 1/2 oz spoons at them. Another tactic that has brought recent success is fishing slowly and carefully whenever a school has been located. We tend to stay put in that location for at least an hour and sometimes two or three, covering it at
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a very slow pace. If we felt like we passed them up, we hop on the boat and do the same wade again. Sometimes the second wade can be as productive as the first. It’s the same concept as drift fishing. When you get on a bite and then all of a sudden it turns off, it’s a good plan to try a rerun. I wrote an article last year about fish highways and it had to do with guts and depressions and the tides rolling in and out. Baitfish and gamefish use these highways to enter a particular area; if you pay attention to the tides and what they are doing in the areas you fish, you too can find a pattern and locate these fish highways. Some things to look for are 1- Where is the bait concentrated and where is it heading. 2- Is the bait nervous? 3- Are slicks present? 4- Is the bait being chased? If some or all of these things are present there’s a good chance you have located a fish highway and will experience a good bite. August is certain to bring plenty of water into our bay systems and hopefully plenty of rain as tropical depressions will begin to pop up in the gulf. Keeping an eye on the weather will be a smart thing. The influx of water will cause the fish to spread out especially along shorelines on the west side. Back bays will be filled with bait and hungry predators. The sand on the east side will have plenty of fish way up on the island shelf. Redfish will continue to school up and hopefully the floating grass will be washed away with the rising tides. Top bait choices will continue to be topwaters along with Brown’s Sea Devils on 1/8 ounce heads and the reliable gold spoon. In closing, I would like to thank Dr. Andre Landry from Texas A & M University at Galveston for his work here in the Lower Laguna. Dr. Landry and his graduate student, Chris Chapa, are collaborating with TPWD biologists William Karel and Joel Anderson to conduct snook studies. Their efforts include DNA analyses as well as recruitment and habitat preference studies. I had the pleasure recently to assist Dr. Landry and his team. We caught and released 47 snook in a three day period, taking a small fin clip from each fish for DNA testing. Richie Hominga played a role in helping set this up and I want to thank him for his efforts. Snook have a special place in my heart and I hope to see the fishery thrive. Texas snook are simply too precious to be caught only once. This is why all my snook trips are 100% catch and release.
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Fishing has been great since the winds have finally slowed down to seasonal speeds. During the month of August, the best trout fishing will be in the ship channel, along the surf, and at the close rigs. Birds should also be picking in the lake, but there will be plenty of ladyfish under them. In order to cull trout from among the ladyfish, try your favorite topwater or fish a little deeper in the water column. If you do happen to get a ladyfish on, don’t be in a huge hurry to get it to the boat. Big trout love to eat medium sized ladyfish. Best lures to try are shrimp imitations such as H&H beetles, H&H grubs and D.O.A. shrimp. Try these in clear, glow and chartreuse in pretty water. If the water is a little stained, try avocado or black. Also, if dry weather continues, fishing north of the Intracoastal should be excellent. This is a great month for reds in the marshes. Look for them in huge schools in marsh ponds and cruising the edges of canals. Best lures are grubs with spinners, spoons, and topwaters.
Randall reports that the fishing is fair to really good lately in his area, especially for those who are willing to look at all options. “We are sticking with our guns, staying close to the beach when we can, diverting to live bait most of the time, fishing deeper than we usually do. All the things that keep us catching fish in this heat and wind. The average number of trout per day has been good, normally in the twenty five to thirty keeper range. We aren’t catching many undersized fish at all. When the winds are light in the morning and we can get to the beach, that’s usually the easiest catching, but even with the stronger winds in the middle of the day, we’ve been doing okay. One day, we did manage to get offshore and chase the king mackerel with topwaters. That was really a blast. We’ll continue the same drills throughout the rest of the summer.” He was raving about his boat again. “I just love the ride of this new JH Performance boat I’ve got. It’s the smoothest, best performing boat I’ve ever been in.”
Summer fishing in the Galveston area has been good for James and his crew. “We are catching limits of trout almost every day, regardless of the winds. The most consistent bite has been the deep water bite. We’re targeting patches of shell and other structures in eight to eighteen feet of water, using soft plastics mostly. The best lures have been soft plastics, like the Bass Assassin Sea Shads. I throw red most of the time, but I doubt the color makes a whole lot of difference. If you want to catch reds, the fishing for them has been steady too. You can usually find the schools by watching for them busting the top and jumping after the ribbonfish. If they sound, you can often still see them as a kind of reddish ball just under the surface. In the schools, we’re chasing lately, there are a lot of oversized fish, but you can get some keepers too. Culling through the big ones is a blast, I know that much. We have had a few good flurries on the trout shallow, wading for them with topwaters, but it’s not really as consistent as the boat fishing.”
Tommy likes to fish primarily in two places in August, he says. “I’ll either be in West Matagorda Bay, or in the surf on most days. If we can get into the surf, I like to throw the big, noisy topwaters early. When and if the bite stops on them, I’ll generally switch over to Norton Sand Eels, the larger ones, in dark colors. The large size helps when casting into the wind. If fishing West Bay, I like to work the grass beds early, then move out to the drop offs in the middle of the morning. Often, though, I find my way back to the shallow grass beds and catch some of my biggest trout on them in the middle of the day. The best bet there is to work dark soft plastics on light jigheads slowly and thoroughly around each and every grass bed.” He won’t forget East Bay, he admits. “If it gets calm enough and the tides are somewhat high, I’ll try East Bay some. And of course on the calm days, we will still be hunting the tripletail too. We’ve had some real monsters this season and they should still be around in August.”
The surf fishing has been as good as it gets at times lately, Jim says. “It’s been just wide open along the beach on many days lately. When the water first clears up after a little blow, there will be a couple of days in there when you can catch all the trout you want on topwaters basically all day, whenever you show up. After it stays clear a while, it gets tougher, especially to catch the bigger fish on lures. Then the morning becomes the best time. When the south and west winds are blowing, the area closer to the jetty is better. When it’s calmer, the good water will stretch all the way down toward High Island.” For another option, he mentions a second summer staple, fishing deep shell in the middle of East Bay. “Keying on slicks around Hannah’s and Deep Reefs has been good lately too. We’re throwing mostly Bass Assassins and Texas Trout Killers. I use the chartreuse and glow in the morning, the dark ones when the sun is bright. Recently, we had a nice box of trout off the reefs, with almost all the fish between twenty and twenty five inches.” 68
August 2009
Tripletail fishing has been the highlight of the last month. We have caught some beasts over twenty six pounds and lots more between eighteen and twenty two pounds. The early morning bite has been the best for the tasty brutes, with live shrimp still by far the best ticket to the bite. On some days, we find them hanging close to the legs of oil rigs, other days under floating seaweed mats, and other days around buoys and the chains underneath them. Pound for pound, they can pull with the best fish on light tackle. Trout fishing has been solid, with small keepers taken around deep structures out in the middle of Tres Palacios and West Matagorda bays. We have been catching these fish in depths ranging from eight to thirteen feet. Best baits have been freelined live shrimp and DOA shrimp rigged on eighth ounce jigheads. Redfish are roaming area shorelines early in the mornings and moving to deep channels as the days heat up. Quarter ounce gold spoons and Gulp shrimp under popping corks work well lately to cull fish out of the schools.
Texas Saltwater Fishing
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The fishing and catching has been great, with more emphasis on the catching! The water is beautiful in many parts of the Laguna, including much of Baffin Bay. The speed in the wind department has been down and this has allowed us to fish in areas that we had not been able to get to before. I’ve seen some speckled trout reaching the thirty inch mark, but as usual for this time of the year these are not weighing as much as they do in April. The redfish are schooling and the calm winds have made it easier to spot the schools. It’s easier to keep up with the schools if you use a trolling motor and don’t drift through them, instead of crashing into the school with your boat. Keep looking for the trout in two and a half feet of water or less and use a swim bait like the Bass Assassin five inch swim bait in gold shiner and trout colors, or the four inch Blurp Sea Shads, rigged on sixteenth ounce Spring Lock jigheads. If you’re wade fishing, don’t forget your ForEverlast Ray Guards. Lynn says the August tactics for him will largely depend on the wind. “Of course, our first priority this time of year is to get into the surf as much as we can. We will take the boat down the beach and wade among the rafted mullet with topwaters every time we get a chance. I like to throw the chrome plugs out there mostly. We will switch over to soft plastics if the fish move into the deeper guts and refuse to come up to the top and play. If it’s windier, we’ll stay in the bays. There are several plans that work well in there during the middle of summer. We prefer to wade shorelines with hard sand and scattered grass, also where there are distinct pothole systems within the grass beds. We also like to stay close to the deep water, especially on flats close to Pass Cavallo. Those areas produce best when the tide is coming in at a pretty good clip. On the other hand, we also like to work the drains that funnel water into the back lakes. Fishing that pattern also requires moving water in order to work.”
Joe reports that the water quality in the Upper Laguna Madre continues to be excellent. “I’ve been fishing some clear water lately; it’s been a real treat. Most of the time, we’ve been targeting both trout and redfish which are holding over bright sand pockets in two and a half or three feet of water. When the sun is high overhead, we’ve been able to see them pretty regularly. When it’s earlier in the morning, we just use the pockets as targets and cast to them without seeing the fish, of course. Bass Assassins and Texas Trout Killers have been the main lures of choice, in natural colors. Some of the time, the fish seem to prefer to be in the “swag”, the deeper water next to the drop off from three feet to maybe five feet. The water is usually a little murky along that edge, so you can’t see the fish, but if they disappear from the visible potholes, we find that’s usually where they’ve gone.” He says he intends to continue fishing mostly north for the next month. “Seems like the fish should hold around those drop offs in this heat. I seriously doubt that August will be anything but another scorcher based on what
Blake plans on heading through the Port Aransas jetties and running up the beach as much as possible in August. “Haven’t been able to get out there much, but we should be able to get to the beachfront quite a bit this month. Most of the best fishing has been pretty far north when we’ve gone. If I get out of the boat and struggle to get a few bites, I’ll keep moving. When it’s right in the surf, you should be getting a bite on nearly every cast. As far as fishing in the bay goes, I like to chase redfish this time of year. It’s a great time to find the fish schooled up. They are getting ready to make their move toward the passes. So I’ll look for the big gangs of fish on the flats in the bays closest to the access points to the Gulf. Catching them once you find them is easy, of course, as long as you are able to keep the boat a reasonable distance from the schools and cast toward the fringes to prevent spooking the fish. For trout fishing, I’ll wind up using live bait much of the time this month. It’s often better than the lure fishing.”
With record breaking high temperatures and water temperature occasionally going as high as 90 degrees very early this year the fishing has been a bit peculiar. Some species such as skipjack and Spanish mackerel which should be in good supply are not, jack crevalle continue to hit the beach front now and then when they shouldn’t and there are more bonnetnosed and baby Atlantic sharpnosed sharks than I have ever seen before while our typical 5-6 foot blacktips and bulls are hard to come by. Some very large sharks have been hooked but overall shark fishing has been slow. Tarpon are present and could be in really good numbers in August. Speckled trout are hitting topwater baits and chrome seems to be the best color. A few redfish are around the wrecks and Gulps and Fishbites have been the best producers. Finger and medium sized mullet are available and live-lining them could be very productive. Very large numbers of whiting are available almost everywhere on the beach with Fishbites or dead shrimp. A few Atlantic pompano are being caught. www.TSFMAG.com
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The heat is on, literally! Temperatures are breaking records and the fish are looking for a cool place to hide. It is tournament time down here; we have the Port Mansfield Chamber Tournament July 23-26, followed by TIFT at South Padre Island Aug 2-5. Trout have been holding on deeper grass beds. Topwater action has been good early in the morning. You’ve got to be on the water before daylight to get in on the really good bite. Redfish are starting to school on the grass lines middle of the day. TPWD is in the process of creating 100 acres of new artificial reefs approximately 7.0 miles offshore that should make good nearshore fishing even better. The reefs will be within the state water boundary so they will be fishable year round at a depth of about 65 feet. The jetties continue to produce some oversize reds along with some nice kingfish. There is lots of bait moving through the East Cut that should make for excellent late summer and fall season fishing.
Super low summer tides and not a whole lot of water movement have both contributed to making us scramble to limit on trout during the last weeks of June. We have often resorted to hunting for herds of reds. We’re coming up with oversized ones fairly easily on the days when they’ll bite, but with sluggish tides and warm water, fish are feeding at night and/or hanging out in deeper areas. The Gulp three inch shrimp in a variety of colors is working as well as anything, pulled behind Cajun Thunder cigar corks in the shallows or beneath the larger, heavier, round Thunder corks on the dropoffs. Freddy says, “We have been dealing with massive amounts of floating grass and dirty dredge water, making it difficult to fish some of our deeper holes. Take your time and make extra long drifts, using the corks with Gulps or weedless spoons in gold or copper to get the best results. Moving to deep potholes for trout later in the day when the wind is light is working also.” Fishing is tough, but running all over the bay won’t change the bite, so staying put and waiting for the tide to move is often a better choice.
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Back To School! Adriana Cabrera 22” red West Galveston Bay Hunter Bagwell 19” trout Lower Laguna Madre
Trey Brooks red Rockport
Christopher Chang 36” jack crevalle Estes Flats
Joseph Garcia 28” red Shamrock Cove
Raymond Chang skip jack Estes Flats
Justin Cortez 52” black drum Matagorda
Tyler Gless trout San Antonio Bay
Sean Cortez black drum Matagorda
Julio Gonzalez 27 1/2 red Port Mansfield
Aubrey Goodwin 26” trout
Mary Hale 25” red
Hunter Havel red Sabine
Benjamin Lopez trout CPR
Hayden Havel red Sabine 70
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Texas Saltwater Fishing
Hunter Leslie Hinojosa flounder Kemah first flounder www.TSFMAG.com
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Matthew Murrill red Lower Laguna Madre first fish CPR Trey Lovato trout Port O’Connor
Michael Serrato 27” red Three Island CPR
Marcus Molina 32” jack crevalle Port Isabel
Jake Townsend spanish mackerel CPR
Alex Peters flounder San Antonio Bay first flounder
Owen Townsend waiting on his first bite
Patrick Trask redfish Trinity Bay CPR
Reese Reddick 20” Flounder Upper Laguna Madr
Ray Shears trout Lower Laguna Madre Tyler Van Lee 42” black drum Fulton Harbor
Andrew Schock & Dad Trey 25” trout Kemah
Please do not write on the back of photos.
Email photos with a description of your Catch of the Month to: Photos@tsfmag.com
Jeremy Jackson 21” trout Corpus Christi www.TSFMAG.com
Danile Lopez 29” black drum Just Keep Five
Dalton Taylor 29” red Sabine Lake Texas Saltwater Fishing
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Jason Close 30” trout East Matagorda Bay
Chealsea Altinger tarpon San Pedo, Ambergrise
Helen Fuller trout Harborwalk Galveston Pier first ever fish
Debbie Fougerat 27 1/4 red Redfish Bay CPR
Daryl Grossman 26” red Fish Pass
Amber Riley 27” red Upper Laguna Madre first red CPR 72
August 2009
Melissa Brasher 27” red Corpus Christi Bay
David Doria 30” red Neuces Bay CPR
JoEllen Locke redfish Sabine Pass CPR
Austen Rivera 28” trout Baffin Bay
Gary Damborsky 33” red San Antonio Bay
Richard Pevey 6.75” trout East Matagorda Bay caught on fly - broke the record
Rene Huron 45” black drum POC
Texas Saltwater Fishing
Donna Romeyn 29.5 red Galveston Bay Marsh
Josh Teare 26” Trout Caught in Dickinson Bay
Lauren Cropper 38” red
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David Couch 29 red
Kelly Isaacks and Michelle Johnson 39” red Corpus Christi ICW CPR
Ronnie Ortega 22 1/2” trout San Antonio Bay Norton Sand Eel
Raul Sosa 30” red Lower Laguna Madre
Curtis & Colin Mason red cold pass
James Cornett 29” trout CPR Tara Husak 41” black Drum Point Comfort CPR
Mike Dabney red
Frank Lockhart trout Corpus Christi CPR
Greg & Jeffery McGehee 40# black drum Port O’Connor CPR
Raymond Shears 24” trout Arroyo City
Kurt Kalivoda 41’ Red Mitchell’s Cut CPR
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Angela Griffin redfish on Trinity Bay www.TSFMAG.com
Luis Tijerina 40” black drum South Padre Island Just Keep Five
Erik Fonseca 5’ Gar Sharpsburg Texas Saltwater Fishing
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The Captain’s Shrimp Spaghetti
This recipe is one you can use anytime a delicious seafood dinner meal is required on short notice. Prep time is only 45-minutes and we’re certain your dinner guests will love it. The addition of Italian sausage is a great flavor enhancer but, a little goes a long way, too much will overpower the shrimp. The basic recipe is very good with or without the sausage. Serves four adults, great with tossed salad and garlic bread.
Ingredients: 1-qt prepared spaghetti or marinara sauce (Ragu, Barilla and Bertolli brands are all excellent) 1-1/2 cup chicken broth 1-pound shrimp tails, peeled and deveined 2-tablespoons thinly sliced fresh garlic 1/2-cup chopped yellow onion 2-Tbsp chopped fresh basil 1-cup sliced fresh mushrooms 2-tablespoons olive oil 1/4-cup red wine 1-box thin spaghetti (14-oz size) 2-links Johnsonville brand mild Italian sausage (casing removed) Method: Heat olive oil in large skillet, add sliced garlic, chopped onion, basil and crumbled sausage. Sauté until sausage begins to brown lightly. Stir in the sauce, broth, and wine. Simmer 20-minutes. Add shrimptails and continue a light simmer 20 additional minutes, stirring frequently. While sauce is on final simmer, boil the pasta per package instruction, drain as soon as al dente texture is achieved. Ladle sauce mixture over pasta on serving plates and sprinkle with grated or shredded Parmesan cheese. For added zest, sprinkle lightly with crushed red pepper.
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French-Fried Onion Fill ets
Warm thanks to Shirley Elliott, we so enjoyed this wonderful dish and wanted to share it with our loyal readers.
Everybody loves “catch of the day” but nobody wants to be stuck in the kitchen after a long day of fishing. This is an easy-to-prepare recipe for tasty and crunchy fillets without frying. Prep time is less than 30minutes which means a delicious seafood dinner can be whipped up in a jiffy. Don’t be bashful with the French-fried onions, the quantities specified are simply a guideline; more is better if you love onion flavor and lots of crunch.
Ingredients: 2-pounds of your favorite fillets (speckled trout, redfish, flounder, snapper, dorado, even shark) 1-cup ranch dressing (full flavor or light not fat-free) 2 1/2-cups French-fried onions Non-stick cooking spray
onions. Sprinkle remainder of crumbled onions evenly on fillets. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until thickest pieces flake easily with fork. Check often, do not overcook. Serving suggestion: Great with rice pilaf or baked potato, roasted veggies and green salad. Serves four adults.
Method: Trim all dark flesh from fillets and check for small bones, if fillets are thicker than one inch slice lengthwise, cut into pieces not longer than four inches. Preheat oven to 400-degees. Spray baking sheet lightly with high temperature nonstick spray. Crumble French-fried onions and distribute half evenly on baking sheet. Dredge fillets in ranch dressing and place atop crumbled
Seafood Buyers’ Guide
Selection: Fresh fish will have bright, clear bulging eyes, firm flesh and a mild clean odor. Shrimp should be free of flesh discoloration and have a pleasant odor. Shell-stock oysters will have tightly closed shells and shucked oysters will be plump, free of extraneous materials and have clear liquor. Picked crabmeat should be free of shell and cartilage and have a sweet, clean odor.
wrapping or freeze in water in small plastic containers. Thaw in cold water or in the microwave oven on lowest setting.
BUYING: Allow at least 1/3 pound per serving of fillets and steaks, and 1 pound of dressed or whole fish. Four to six ounces of cooked product is suggested for shrimp, oysters and crabmeat, depending on the recipe and appetite. STORING: Use fresh seafoods within a day or two of purchase. Freeze products in amounts suitable for one meal. Use air-tight
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COOKING: Check for doneness before the suggested cooking time is up. Fish cooks quickly and is done when the flesh flakes and is opaque in appearance. Seafoods have very little connective tissue, so excessive cooking time and heat is unnecessary. Allow ten minutes of cooking time per inch of fish thickness. Developed by Annette Reddell Hegen Seafood Consumer Education Specialist Texas Marine Advisory Service
Texas Saltwater Fishing
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T E X A S S A LT WAT E R F I S H I N G H O L E S
Hammertime Guide Service Captain SledGe Parker
Port O’Connor, TX 713.371.7479 Specks, reds, Flounder & drum don’t be Skeered, Come Catch you some! Boat Towing Avilable / Coast Guard Licensed
Bluewater Offshore Fishing King / Ling / Snapper / Amberjack / Dolphin
Freeport / Surfside Capt. Don Miller 713.899.7598
Capt. Joe Gilleland 713.852.7317
www.bluewateroffshorefishing.com Federal Permits & Licensed
MATAGORDA M ata G o r d a B ay Speckled Trout / Redfish
USCG Licensed Captain Stan Sloan 76
August 2009
832.693.4292 fintasticcoastalcharters.com Texas Saltwater Fishing
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T E X A S S A LT WAT E R F I S H I N G H O L E S
ROCKPORT TO PORT MANSFIELD Rockport RedRunner Captain Chad Verburgt
Specializing in shallow water flats fishing for redfish, trout & flounder.
EVERGLADES FISHING Join us for the BEST light tackle saltwater fishing imaginable! JIM CONLEY’S
* Full day/Half Day * Baffin Trips * Cedar Bayou Trips * Kayaks Shuttle Drop off / pick up * Kayak Rentals
Outdoor Adventures LLC
Call (361) 463-6545
www.rockportredrunner@yahoo.com www.rockportredrunner.com
Snook l Tarpon l Trout l Redfish We fish for all species! Capt. Jim Conley & Capt. Ward Michaels
www.outdooradventuresllc.net conleyjn@aol.com 407-496-2701
GUATEMALA
Capt.Mike Wilbur’s
Chaser Key West Fishing
Tarpon + Bonefish +Permit Fly-fishing and light tackle www.chaserkeywest.com / 305-296-7201 www.TSFMAG.com
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All you have to do is catch a really good speck and release it alive‌ and send us some photos! Photos will be judged on photographic quality, artistic merit, demonstration of conservation ethic and, of course, you must include a shot of the release. The winner will be featured on the cover of TSFMag and receive a high-quality rod and reel combo. Four runner-up prizes will also be awarded. Fish must be caught in Texas waters and TPWD regs apply. Make sure your camera is set to capture high-quality images. Photos become property of TSFMag, employees and writers are not eligible. Submit entries via electronic mail to: Everett@TSFMag.com. For more info please email Everett or call 361.550.3637. www.TSFMAG.com
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BOATS, KAYAKS, OUTBOARDS
For more information about these advertisers visit: http://www.texassaltwaterfishingmagazine.com/contact_advertisers_product.html
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Okuma Fishing:Okuma ....................................................20 909-923-2828 www.okumafishing.com
Texas Marine-E Sullivan ...................................................58 409-832-2027 www.texasmarine.com
PDS Corporate Sales ......................................................... 27 713-869-6767 www.pdscorporatesales.com
The Sportsman ........................................................ Cover, 1 956-399-5123 www.sportsmanboats.com
Rods by Pepper ..................................................................63 409-737-1136
Boat Accessories
Seaguar ................................................................................. 31 414-276-1080 www.seaguar.com
Blackhawk Specialty Fabrication ..................................31 512-392-1767 www.blackhawkspecialtyworks.com Boat Lift Distributors ........................................................ 67 800-657-9998 www.liftboat.com
Strike Pro America ............................................................. 17 409-938-7400 www.strikeproamerica.com Texas Tackle Factory ......................................................... 21 361-575-4751 www.texastacklefactory.com
Fibertex & Supply ..............................................................58 361-991-5956 www.stiff ypushpoles.com Gulf Coast Trolling Motor ................................................ 55 281-481-6838 www.FishingTackleUnlimited.com
US Reel ........................................................................Solunar 314-962-9500 www.usreel.com
House of Fiberglass...........................................................57 361-853-2541 www.houseoffiberglass.com Safe Floor Company.......................................................... 55 281-435-5904 www.safe-floor.com
Waterloo Rods ....................................................................45 361-573-0300 www.WaterlooRods.com
www.TSFMAG.com
Just Keep Five
Wade Aid Enterprises .......................................................66 888-923-3243 www.wadeaid.com
Real Estate / Rental
The Oaks at Bentwater ..................................................... 12 361-790-0001 www.oaksatbentwater.com The Reserve at St. Charles Bay .......................................48 512-804-1455 www.stcharlesbay.com/ TideWater Properties LLC................................................66 512-659-4754 www.tidewatertexas.com
Places to Stay
Falcon Point Ranch ........................................................... 41 361-785-2191 www.falconpointranch.com The Inn At Clarks ................................................................78 361-983-2300 www.theinnatclarks.com
Miscellaneous
Aventura - Jewelry ............................................................ 16 713-932-0002 www.coastaljeweler.com Crab Master - Pearl Products.......................................... 74 850-994-4168 www.Crabmaster.net D & P Coastal Marine Contruction ................................62 979-332-0090 www.piersdecks.com Graphics By Design Ad .....................................................54 361-785-4282 www.graphicsbydesign.biz Hillman’s Seafood .............................................................. 74 281-339-2897 www.iqfoysters.com Third Stone Software ....................................................... 55 888-361-2221 www.thirdstonesoft.com Trident Funding Corporation .........................................62 800-514-6946 www.tridentfunding.com TSFMag Subscription Form ................................ 43,64,80 361-785-3420 www.tsfmag.com
Woodee Rods ...................................................................... 35 281-723-4154 www.woodeerods.com Texas Saltwater Fishing
August 2009
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Mail to: Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 Phone: 361-785-3420 Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Fax: 361-785-2844 E-mail: store@tsfmag.com
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SUBSCRIPTIONS Quantity 15 months for 12 months @ $25.00 ea 2 Year @ $45.00 ea E-MAG 1Yr @ $12.00 ea or Free w/Mailed Subscription TSFMAG SHIRTS REDHOT FISHING REDFISH Quantity: Short Sleeve $15.00 ea Available in Navy Long Sleeve $18.00 ea Available in White Medium Large XLarge XXLarge + $2 for XXLarge E BIG “MOR NOWTK U O R T FROM H OW T H O R U THE A ICKING OF TR X A S TE T!” TROU
FISHN’ W/ ATTITUDE TROUT Quantity: Short Sleeve $15.00 ea Available in Gray Long Sleeve $18.00 ea Available in Black Medium Large XLarge XXLarge + $2 for XXLarge BOOKS Quantity Cookbook @ $21.90 ea Waters Wild @ $23.95 ea FISHING CAPS $5.00 ea Olive/Orange
Quantity:
FISHING VISOR $5.00 ea Khaki/Navy
Quantity:
STICKERS $3.00 ea White Black
Red
Quantity: Green
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