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To Book A Trip 409-739-8526 www.fishinggalvestontx.com www.freeporttexasfishingcharters.com

Greg Jr.’s choice APEF-1-66TRC-SG Growing up in the Galveston area, Capt. Greg Verm Jr. has always had a passion for fishing. From the Galveston Jetties to the Brazos River and everywhere in between throwing live bait or artificial lures, he really enjoys sharing the small piece of paradise that the Texas coast has to offer. Whether its wade fishing for trophy trout and redfish in West Bay with experienced anglers or free lining live shrimp for sheepshead at the Jetties with first time anglers, he enjoys it all. Following his Dad’s footsteps to be a full time fishing guide in Galveston has allowed him to show anglers, young and old what the upper Texas has to offer and the importance of conservation to keep it healthy.

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ABOUT THE COVER Jim Sloat made his first-ever fishing trip to the Lower Laguna Madre recently with Capt. Ernest Cisneros. The highlight of the day for Jim was landing and releasing a magnificent speckled trout that taped 31.5 inches and weighed 9-3/4 pounds. Jim duped the big fish with a Bug Eye Corky!

JULY 2019 VOL 29 NO 3

CONTENTS

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

10 18 24 28 34

40 Let’s Ask The Pro 44 Shallow Water Fishing 48 TPWD Field Notes 52 Kayak Fishing Chronicles 56 TSFMag Conservation News 58 Fishy Facts 62 Extreme Kayak Fishing & Sharks...

66 H&H Lures Celebrates 60 Years 68 Plastic & Water Don’t Mix 70 Two Can Be Better Than Six 74 More Solutions to the Grass Problem 100 Boat Repair & Maintenance 103 Science & the Sea

The History of Natural & Man-Made Changes...

Truths Intertwined Pamela Comes to Texas: Part 3 The Struggle is Real Tarpon Time

Steve Hillman Kevin Cochran Martin Strarup Chuck Uzzle Joe Richard

28

Jay Watkins Scott Null Tara Topping & Greg Stunz Dave Roberts CCA Texas Stephanie Boyd Eric Ozolins Steve Miclette, Jr. Everett Johnson Everett Johnson Everett Johnson Chris Mapp UT Marine Science Institute

WHAT OUR GUIDES

HAVE TO SAY

78 80 82 84 86 88 90

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

88

Dickie Colburn Caleb Harp Bink Grimes Shellie Gray David Rowsey Wayne Davis Ernest Cisneros

40

REGULARS 8 Editorial 76 New Tackle & Gear 92 Fishing Reports and Forecasts 96 Catch of the Month 98 Gulf Coast Kitchen

98

6 | July 2019

EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Everett Johnson Everett@tsfmag.com VICE PRESIDENT PRODUCTION & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Pam Johnson Pam@tsfmag.com Office: 361-785-3420 Cell: 361-550-9918 NATIONAL SALES REPRESENTATIVE Bart Manganiello Bartalm@optonline.net REGIONAL SALES REPRESENTATIVE Patti Elkins Patti@tsfmag.com Office: 361-785-3420 Cell: 361-649-2265 PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Donna Boyd Donna@tsfmag.com CIRCULATION SUBSCRIPTION – PRODUCT SALES Vicky Morgenroth Store@tsfmag.com DESIGN & LAYOUT Stephanie Boyd Artwork@tsfmag.com SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Jen Shive Jen@tsfmag.com Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine is published monthly.

Subscription Rates: One Year (Free Emag with Hard Copy) Subscription $25.00 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: PHONE: 361-785-3420 FAX: 361 792-4530 MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, Texas 77983 PHYSICAL ADDRESS: 58 Fisherman’s Lane, Seadrift, TX 77983 WEB: www.TSFMAG.com PHOTO GALLERY: photos@tsfmag.com PRINTED IN THE USA. Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine (ISSN 1935-9586) is published monthly by Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, Inc., 58 Fisherman’s Lane, Seadrift, Texas 77983 l P. O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 © Copyright 1990 All rights reserved. Positively nothing in this publication may be reprinted or reproduced. *Views expressed by Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine contributors do not necessarily express the views of Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine.

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POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, Inc., P. O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983.

EDITORIAL

DOES CATCH & RELEASE REALLY WORK? I got into a discussion recently with a fellow that challenged vehemently whether catch and release was a viable conservation measure. In his words, releasing fish was simply a “feel good” for fish huggers who would eventually succeed in taking away his right to keep fish. “They’re all going to swim away and die later,” he told me. “You’re just encouraging people to waste fish.”

Of course I disagreed and tried to do so as politely as possible. When it became clear he wasn’t interested in my opinion on the matter, I wished him continued good luck in his fishing endeavors and bade him farewell.

You can’t win them all.

The conversation remained in my thoughts several days and I wished I had been quicker on my feet when I had him on the phone, so I’ll do it here. Perhaps he will read this.

One of the finest examples of catch and release success can be found in the popular CCA Texas STAR Tagged Redfish Division. Those sixty redfish CCA releases along the Texas coast each year do not grow STAR tags on their own. The tagging team catches them and applies the tags. They are then transported to release sites and turned loose for lucky anglers to catch again. Anyone who is registered in STAR and abides by the rules can win a brand new Ford F-150 pickup truck towing a brand new boat, motor, and trailer. CCA manages to give away as many as five such packages every year, so it evidently works.

In this issue we have a tale from Eric “Oz” Ozolins of a lemon shark he

8 | July 2019

landed in the Padre Island surf. The saga began in April 2018 with Oz landing, tagging, and releasing the large male lemon. Two weeks later, barely two miles down the beach, the same shark was recaptured by another angler. No way to fake the story, he had the number of the tag Oz had attached near the base of the lemon’s dorsal fin. Sounds pretty convincing, huh? Well, there’s more!

Fast forward to April 2019. Almost a year to the day, Oz was back down the PINS beach fishing for sharks with charter clients. As amazing as it might sound, they succeeded in recapturing the same lemon and releasing it successfully for the third time. Oz says it swam away, again, as if nothing ever happened.

Now some might say redfish and sharks are heartier than speckled trout, especially in summer when water temps are elevated. All I can say is any who believe this haven’t referenced Dr. Greg Stunz’s release mortality studies. Dr. Stunz conducted a study more than fifteen years ago during late summer on the Upper Laguna. Trout were captured by a variety of methods and placed in holding pens where their survival could be monitored. Even with trout that had been caught on live shrimp with treble hooks included in the study population, the overall survival rate exceeded 80%.

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The History of Natural & Man-Made Changes on

Galveston Bay

STORY BY STEVE HILLMAN

New oyster growth on limestone erosion control breakwater planted by the Galveston Bay Foundation (Photo by Lee Anne Wilde).

“

W

e’ll get behind this finger reef. It’ll get us out of the wind and we’ll be able to find some better water to fish.” That used to be a common dialogue between me and my clients on windier days. Not so much nowadays. That particular reef was basically an extension of a point that jutted out from the shoreline and it has all but eroded away the past few years. The clear, fishable water that used to lie behind it is now liquid mud on breezy days. The sediment deposited there has pretty much taken away the wade fishing opportunities, unless you enjoy trudging through knee-deep silt. There used to be quite a few areas such as the one described, that is until the giant wakes of tanker vessels coupled with natural erosion and subsidence exacted their inevitable toll on this and many similar places through the years. Our bays are continually changing. In order to better understand the changes we don’t necessarily have to go back to the Ice Age, going back to the beginning of the Industrial Age will be more than adequate.

Make Way for Progress!

According to the United States Census of 1850, Galveston was the largest city in Texas with a population of 4,177 people. The island’s maritime industry was prospering, thus requiring many changes between 1850 and 1900. Following the Civil War, an increase in commercial trade and transportation required deepening and widening of the Houston Ship Channel to handle increased traffic to and from the ports of Houston and Galveston. In addition to the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) extensive channel dredging projects, they saw the need for a pair of granite jetty walls to provide protection for the Houston-Galveston ship channel.

Originally constructed in 1874 and completed in 1898, Galveston’s north and south jetty walls were designed to reduce sediment transport and siltation in the ship channel. The South Jetty is 35,899.9 feet (6.8 miles) long and the North Jetty is 25,907.2 feet

(4.91 miles). (Citation: Galveston County Erosion Response Plan, Agenda Item No. 23a, August 7, 2012.)

Galveston would continue to prosper leading into the late 1800s with its population growing to more than 22,000. In 1880, Galveston’s population was 22,248 and Houston’s was 16, 513.

(Galveston Bay: A Brief History of One of America’s Great Waters, Courtney Smith). The 1900 Storm changed everything. More than 6,000 islanders were killed. Many businesses and families moved inland causing a population and economic shift from Galveston to Houston. This required further deepening of the Houston Ship Channel. Not many years later (1915), the Corp of Engineers built the first version of the Texas City Dike to help reduce silting of the Texas City Channel, the main conduit for tanker and barge traffic serving the petrochemical industry that was booming there. The initial crude attempt was just that despite a hefty price tag of $1.4

Erosion of the east shoreline of Trinity Bay in 2005 before rock breakwater was installed (photo by Lee Anne Wilde).

Galveston Bay Foundation planting cord grass behind erosion control rocks (Photo by Lee Anne Wilde).

12 | July 2019

Completed project years later with erosion control and habitat restoration (photo by Lee Anne Wilde).

Anthony Vlahos with a nice 24-inch trout he landed while casting along the edge of an old geotube in West Galveston Bay.

TSFMAG.com | 13

million. The piles of timber doing to mitigate and prevent topped with channel dredge the negative impacts caused by material used for the original man and nature? dike eventually washed back out into the bay. It wasn’t until 1931 Erosion Control and when the Corps added granite Prevention rocks and boulders to help Not only does erosion cause reduce wash-outs. After years loss of shorelines and wetlands, of political battles between the but the resulting habitat loss City of Texas City and the Corps, also has a negative effect on land acquisitions and makemarine life. Up until a few years shift patches to combat erosion ago geotextile tubes were that included scrap automobile used to help reduce shoreline bodies, rock, broken brick, erosion. To learn more about and waste from the city dump, modern methods used to an application to build a new control erosion I spoke with retaining wall was submitted Lee Anne Wilde who is Living in September 1945. There have Shorelines Program Manager for been many improvements since the Galveston Bay Foundation. then to what a lot of folks refer According to Lee Anne the to as the longest manmade geotubes don’t hold up in really fishing pier in the world (5.4 high energy environments. miles). (Texas City History, Moore Limestone and concrete chunks Memorial Public Library). are the better options these Chemical companies and days. I’ve personally witnessed oil refineries were increasingly the degradation of the tubes in attracted to the area, all the front of several West Galveston way up to Baytown. Demand for Bay coves. As confirmed by Lee more and larger barge access Anne, geotube material breaks continued from the 1920s and down due to UV light, boat beyond. This resulted in the anchoring, bird activity and just Elise Simmons with a keeper trout she caught while drifting “deepening (and widening) of general wear and tear. over newly planted oyster reef restoration river rock. the Houston Ship Channel to Modern era rock breakwaters 34 feet in the 1930s, to 36 feet in the 1940s, and to 40 feet in the also provide better protection against erosion than bulkheads.

1950s. Presently, the Houston Ship Channel is a 52-mile long channel Bulkheads do a poor job of absorbing wave energy which, in dredged to 45 feet deep.” (Galveston Bay: A Brief History of One of turn, creates undermining and accelerated erosion along nearby America’s Great Waters, Courtney Smith). shorelines. In addition to the planting of rock breakwaters, Galveston In 1955, the Texas Fish and Game Commission (now Texas Parks Bay Foundation staff and volunteers conduct habitat restoration and Wildlife Department) created a man-made cut through a narrow behind the breakwaters by planting new marsh grass. The Galveston stretch of Bolivar Peninsula connecting the Gulf of Mexico and East Bay Foundation is not working alone to control erosion and Galveston Bay in an effort to improve recreational fishing. Rollover restore coastal marshes around Galveston Bay. Many others are Pass has been a very popular fishing spot especially for big trout similarly involved, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, The Nature through the years. Unfortunately, natural sediment flows from the Conservancy, National Fish and Wildlife Federation, Texas General eastern beach of Bolivar have not only contributed to beach erosion Land Office, Galveston Bay Estuary Program, Coastal Conservation but also excessive siltation in Rollover Bay and the Intra-Coastal Association (CCA-Texas), Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Waterway (ICW). (Galveston County Erosion Response Plan, Agenda Act (CEPRA [under the TXGLO]), and National Resource Damage Item No. 23a, August 7, 2012). I can personally attest to the siltation Assessment (NRDA). The NRDA handles funding after catastrophes of Rollover Bay as I have spent many hours wading and drifting that such as oil spills. area through the years. Many areas there are too mucky to wade and many of the oysters have been covered with silt. This being Oyster Reef Restoration said, my opinion is that tugboat-barge traffic in the adjacent ICW Droughts, floods, hurricanes, and dredging projects have all taken could possibly also contribute to the accumulation of sediment their toll on live oyster reefs in the Galveston Bay Complex to the there as well. tune of more than 12,000 acres of lost reef. Through various sources There are many other changes that have taken place through the of funding the Texas Parks and Wildlife has been planting river years in addition to the ones I’ve already mentioned. These include rock and also limestone for more than 10 years. TPWD continues to drought, hurricanes, and floods. Most all of these have changed the discover better ways to plant substrate to help reduce silting over of dynamics of the Galveston Bay Complex forever. So what are we newly planted rock materials.

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Planting of river rock in mounds rather than large flat areas - “When we first started planting cultch for oyster restoration we applied approximately 400 cubic yards of cultch per acre. This resulted in a relatively thin veneer (3-4 inches) of cultch spread over the area. More recently, we’ve started using a methodology of creating a field of small mounds of cultch material spread over the restoration area. Each mound consists of approximately 4 cubic yards of cultch, resulting in a mound that’s about 2-feet tall in the center and has a radius of about 10 feet. These mounds are typically placed in parallel rows to each other at a density of about 100 mounds per acre. The use of these two cultch application processes is dependent on the conditions at the site (e.g. water depth, substrate, etc.).”

(Lance Robinson, Deputy Director/Management Resources Manager TPWD Coastal Fisheries Division).

Summary Progress and population growth have dictated what changes to make in order to not only be able to handle growth but for the estuarine environment to continue to prosper. Subsidence and erosion have caused islands and reefs to disappear.

Deepening and widening of channels have not only caused natural reefs to become buried in silt but have also changed the hydrology and salinity balances of our bays. Hurricanes, tropical storms and ship traffic have accelerated shoreline erosion as well as habitat destruction. Damming of rivers has changed the freshwater inflow into our estuaries, further upsetting the natural salinity balance. Whether it’s widening or deepening our channels or building rock groins that are miles long, all changes come with consequences.

Some changes are man-induced while others are caused

by Mother Nature herself. Regardless of the culprit, we as stakeholders are charged with attempting to find solutions in an effort to protect and improve our estuaries for the future.

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Truths Intertwined STORY BY KEVIN COCHRAN

Fish tend to bite best when the moon hovers close to the horizon, while it stands high overhead or when it sinks straight underfoot.

M

any structural similarities exist between birding and the angling activities which have sustained me professionally for the better part of two decades. A poignant set of events played out during the 2019 spring bird migration, enlightening and reinforcing several angling concepts for me. The scenario involved a male member of a relatively uncommon species, the Prairie Warbler.

While returning from his wintering grounds in Central America or the Caribbean, the tiny, streaked, yellow and black bird stopped for rest and refreshment in a grove of willow trees in the lawn fronting a condominium complex on Mustang Island. Birders spotted him in the shadows cast by drooping branches and reported the fact on the internet. Within a couple days, I made my way to the site, hoping to scratch the species off my Year List.

The diminutive tangle of trees stands in a shallow bog, no bigger than a typical backyard swimming pool. Walking around the perimeter of the thicket takes no more than a few minutes, even if one creeps slowly, watching for movement in the interior all the while. I practiced due diligence on my first attempt at the spot, but saw no birds, so I headed down the road to Port Aransas to sites with more spacious habitat.

While walking around in town, I encountered two groups of people who had seen the Prairie Warbler in the willows earlier the same day. Disgusted with my bad luck, I made plans to stop by the site on my way home, knowing the warbler likely still lurked somewhere in the shadows. By the time I arrived, I felt tired from walking around looking up all day, so I parked the truck where I could easily see into the center of the grove,

scanning for movement for several minutes before giving up again. likelihood of encountering actively feeding fish increases the Later, looking at reports on the internet, it seemed everybody in the likelihood of catching fish, in the same way timing a birding outing local birding community had gotten a look at the little critter, except to coincide with predicted feeding activity increases the likelihood me. The next morning, I went to the condominium again and parked of finding a bird. Anglers trying to determine what factors will likely beside the key group of trees. While raindrops gently pelted the create a high level of appetite in fish face a more complex dilemma puddle which sustains the willows, I began to see warblers moving in than birders attempting to do the same thing. the grass and low limbs, just over the water.

Generally, birds feed either diurnally or nocturnally, showing a high I counted five other species, but still had not spotted the Prairie level of feeding activity in the early parts of the day or night, then Warbler, for at least an hour. Determined not to leave without a again in the later portions of either time-frame, after filling up and sighting, I pulled the truck forward a few feet, so I could see the south taking a rest. Surely, predatory birds feed much differently than those end of the canopy, formed by the leaves of a Brazilian Pepper tree. eating seeds, berries or other plant material. Migrating birds behave After just a few minutes, I saw the quest bird hop out of the foliage, differently than birds which stay in the same places year-round, light briefly on the grass, grab a bug in its bill, then wheel around and weather phenomena affect the timing of feeding cycles on a and fly immediately back into cover, behind weeping leaves. Though temporary, local basis. continuing rain discouraged me from getting out to take a closer look, These factors also play roles in the feeding cycles of fish, with higher I felt relieved to add the species to my list. levels of complexity. On average, predatory fish do feed somewhat Early the next morning, crisp air under bright skies adorned the vigorously during both light changes, meaning around dawn and Texas coast, and I made another stop at the condominium on my way dusk, but seasonal and other environmental factors impact the level to Port Aransas. Not long after I stepped out of the truck, the male of activity on a daily basis, and the locations where the feeding likely Prairie Warbler jumped right out in the open and began eating tiny takes place. For instance, in the shallow, clear water fronting the insects off the backs of leaves, less than twenty feet from me. I pointed the bird out to two other folks standing close by, and we all began watching him.

He moved closer to the ground, gorging on bugs the entire time. “Come down on the grass and pose,” I said, readying my camcorder to shoot video. Amazingly, seconds later, the hungry warbler did land on the grass, hopping closer to our feet. Then, to ice the cake, he suddenly flew forward, circled behind me, inches from my ankles, then plopped down again on the grass in front of us.

We cheered and laughed at the bird’s antics. I shot some video while the migrant continuing taking in fuel to sustain him for the remainder of his journey. Once his appetite waned, he flew over our heads and dived deep into a stand of gigantic Oleander bushes maybe fifty yards from the grove of willows, disappearing instantly, and the nature of the scenario became crystal clear to me.

The bird was easy to see while it was eating, sometimes Jennifer Crisp Barnard used a soft plastic This shows the spine of a large sand bar, coming out in the open. Its appetite made it less cautious, to urge a bite from this trout after a with the typical feeding station denoted almost oblivious to other things. But when he finished vigorous topwater bite slowed down. in red, the typical resting area in white. a meal, the warbler instantly sought the safety of thick cover, to rest out of sight of other birds, predators and people. Any person searching for him at the feeding stations during such a time would have no chance of finding him. All these incidents and facts reinforce several angling concepts for me.

Most importantly, the fact I saw the bird while it engaged in the act of feeding reminds me of a basic angling truth. A fish’s appetite level profoundly affects an angler’s ability to catch it. A hungry fish certainly behaves in ways which make it easier to trick into taking artificial lures. A fish with no appetite always proves more difficult to catch, and locating it often requires casting in places where it generally does not feed.

These facts lead to a separate, related conclusion.

Timing an angling outing to coincide with a high 20 | July 2019

TSFMAG.com | 21

22 | July 2019

The hours and minutes surrounding both dawn and dusk provide higher potential for catching predatory fish, on average, than other time-frames.

In either case, an angler hoping to induce an inactive fish to open its mouth and take a bite must place a lure close in front of its face. This won’t happen if all casts land within the boundary of the nearby feeding station. During the lull, making repeated casts and presenting a lure low in the water column in a gut lying adjacent to a reef or over a patch of sandy bottom between a set of rocks will more likely produce a strike from an inactive fish than tossing a topwater over the shallowest concentration of shell or right at a rock.

Sometimes, non-feeding fish will stay in the same areas where they eat. On expansive, shallow flats, sated pods of trout sometimes swim steadily in slow “figure eights”, occasionally passing through the pothole systems where they feed, without seeming to notice members of their prey species within their reach.

Anglers hoping to urge strikes from inactive fish in places like these generally need to change tactics by altering lure choice and/or presentation style. Certainly, many casts might be required to induce a few bites, much in the same way a birder trying to find a stationary warbler among the intertwined branches and leaves of a monstrous oleander needs to display supreme focus and persistence.

Both birding and fishing require patience and perseverance from people hoping to optimize results. Ironically, intelligence of a specific kind can reduce the need for those attributes. Thinking ahead and attempting to accurately predict the feeding mood of the pursued creature, then planning the trip to coincide with strong appetite aids the quest for productivity, as does adjusting strategy and/or location when the appetite level of the sought creature diminishes significantly.

KEVIN COCHRAN CONTACT

shorelines of the King Ranch, an angler will more likely encounter ravenously feeding trout at dusk in December, while the hours around dawn produce better results in the same places in April.

Similarly, hungry trout will show up reliably atop the shallow crowns of sand bars lying adjacent to deep channels and basins at the end of a warm winter afternoon, but in summer, those same places will likely attract actively feeding fish at the end of a short, relatively cool night and into the early hours of morning.

In addition to seasonal, temperature influences, celestial factors dramatically affect when fish generally feed most actively. Consequently, in places with ample tide movements, understanding how moving water affects the timing of the “bite” bears great significance.

Tidal movements dictate more than the Mike Barnard caught timing of the bite; they also dictate where this trout tossing his lure right at a fish feed most actively. Saltwater moving recognized feeding over structural elements creates places station, toward the conducive for predators to catch their prey. end of an active So, anglers must not only pay attention to morning bite. how tide cycles affect the timing of the bite, but also how the cycles create sweet spots in the area, to maximize productivity.

In places where tides don’t move much on a daily basis, the position of the moon in the sky bears more significance. Fish tend to bite best when the moon hovers close to the horizon, while it stands high overhead or when it sinks straight underfoot.

Focusing an effort in known “feeding zones” during times of peak predicted appetite enhances productivity in hypersaline lagoons, where tides roll feebly.

Conversely, focusing efforts in those same places during lulls in feeding activity can make little or no sense. Much in the same way a Prairie Warbler dives deep into thick cover to rest between feeding forays, inactive trout or redfish sometimes move away from a feeding station when not actively feeding. Observing trout in canals with submerged lights verifies this.

Feeding fish move around erratically, repeatedly darting into the brightest part of the light’s orb to grab meals. Inactive fish listlessly circle around the edge of the lit area, never venturing into its center.

These nocturnal feeders likely sit on the bottom some distance away from the light during daytime, especially in winter.

In other places, this plays out differently. Adjacent to a jetty, fish likely move away from the ripple beside the prime rock after feeding, suspending and/or circling in open water nearby, while on an inshore reef, inactive fish might move away from the shallow concentrations of shell, sitting dormant on a mud bottom in water of greater depth.

Kevin Cochran is a full-time fishing guide at Corpus Christi (Padre Island), TX. Kevin is a speckled trout fanatic and has created several books and dvds on the subject.

Kevin’s home waters stretch from Corpus Christi Bay to the Land Cut.

TROUT TRACKER GUIDE SERVICE Phone 361-688-3714 Email kevxlr8@mygrande.net Web www.FishBaffinBay.com www.captainkevblogs.com

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TSFMAG.com | 23

Pamela comes to STORY BY MARTIN STRARUP

T

he big New Years Eve party at Doug’s house was definitely big. Bodie estimated more than a hundred people milling about and sipping what he assumed was very expensive Champagne. Pamela looked stunning in what Bodie described as a three-piece suit made for a woman. Tommy and Red both commented on her ensemble with Tommy exclaiming that the top and the slacks might be just a tad tight. Bodie told him to look at something besides Pamela’s top and bottom and they all had a good laugh.

“And just what are you; dare I say it, gentlemen, having such a laugh about?” Pamela asked with a smile.

“Tommy thinks your top and slacks are too tight and show off your figure too much,” Bodie answered.

“And what do you think of my outfit Mr. Allen?”

“I think you’d look great wearing a feed sack; but what do I know about fashion and style?”

“Oh, good answer Bodie, that was very nice of you. And might I say you look very handsome in that suit you are wearing.”

The conversation continued a few minutes until Pamela announced she needed to mingle and for the boys to try and stay

Part 3

out of trouble.

“Bodie, I think she’s a keeper,” Red offered as Pamela walked gracefully away.

“Oh, I’d keep her!” Tommy agreed.

“Look here you two, she’s not a trout or redfish that we might keep or throw back. And while I agree with both of you, it’s going to be up to her where this all goes,” Bodie interjected.

Tommy noted that a guy in a white suit had just put out more meatballs and took off for the buffet while Red and Bodie waved off a server offering Champagne and headed for the bar.

“So how’s it going with Pamela?” Red quizzed.

“Red, I may be in over my head.”

“And what exactly do you mean by that?”

“Well she’s beautiful, she’s smart, she’s friendly, and she’s so easy to get along with. I keep waiting to wake up from this dream.”

“That sounds like a load of horse apples to me,” Red responded.

“You’re thinking you don’t deserve her and you don’t have anything to offer her. That’s what’s bothering you, just admit it.”

“Well, Red, what do I have to offer her? My house isn’t going to make the cover of Better Homes and instead of Christmas greetings my bank sends me sympathy cards.”

TSFMAG.com | 25

26 | July 2019

“No worries about that Bodie. When we are ready to do some shooting the rules are pretty simple.” And with that Doug opened a box and pulled out a wireless remote, pressed a button and the high house threw a bird that was followed by another from the low house.

“You can control the throwers with this remote so there is no cord to drag around and trip over.”

“Well that’s sure slick,” Bodie said.

Tommy came walking up, gnawing a turkey leg and admiring the skeet setup. “Hey this is cool. I can’t wait to shoot me some skeet.”

“You can’t hit the first dove with a whole box of shells, Tommy.

How are you ever going to shoot skeet?” Red snarled.

“I can shoot skeet,” Tommy shot back. “I can beat you any day of the week.”

“Doug, I need you to get us two shotguns and some shells so I can teach this ignorant freak of nature a lesson,” Red proclaimed haughtily.

“Alright, settle down you two. We’re not going to do any shooting tonight with all of these people here,” Bodie glared in his way they knew meant business.

“We’ll have plenty of time to shoot skeet boys, and even if I’m not here, you are always welcome to come out and shoot a round any time you like,” Doug assured them. “Just get with me before you do so I can fill you in on how the equipment works.”

Tommy began sulking and walked back toward the main house with Red in tow muttering oaths that would make a sailor blush.

Doug, Bodie and Pamela just rolled their eyes while Doug shut the lights down and headed back to the party and his guests.

“Maybe you could teach me how to shoot, Mr. Allen.” Pamela suggested coyly.

“I’d be most happy to teach you. You might even find that you enjoy it.”

Pamela leaned in to give Bodie a quick peck on the cheek but he grabbed her and gave her a real kiss.

“Bodie! What about the guests?” Pamela blurted with surprise.

“Yeah, well, what about ‘em? I won’t be giving them any kisses and neither will you!”

Be safe!

MARTIN STRARUP

CONTACT

“Hogwash! You know as well as I do that she probably has more money than you, me, and Tommy put together. It’s not about a fine home, money, or anything material…she wants you, Bodie.”

Bodie nodded as they both ordered a bourbon and walked outside to the pool. Tommy came up to them with a plate piled with meatballs and offered to share.

“You should try these, they are just the best,” he barely managed to squeak with a mouthful. Bodie and Red took one and agreed that they were very good.

Turning away, Tommy let Bodie and Red know the prime rib was due out any minute…“And you sure don’t want to miss that!”

Red asked where he was going and Tommy called over his shoulder …“There’s smoked turkey and little wieners and other stuff up there I haven’t tried yet.”

“I swear that boy eats more than anyone I know and never gains a pound,” Bodie said shaking his head.

“Yeah, probably has worms,” Red quipped.

“I see you two have found the bourbon,” Doug observed, greeting Bodie and Red. “Sure did. And Tommy found the hors d’oeuvres.” Red replied.

“You’re right about that, Red. I haven’t seen him anywhere but at the buffet,” Doug chuckled.

“You might need armed guards around the prime rib,” Bodie added.

“Well, if he can eat four thirty-pound bone-in rib roasts he’s welcome to all of it,” Doug replied.

“I want you two to have a good time here this evening,” Doug advised. “The house is yours, make yourself at home, mingle with the guests and try to get to know them.”

“How many of your guests are into fishing and cattle?” Bodie asked.

“Point taken, Bodie,” Doug said with a smile and took his leave.

Pamela walked up to the bar and ordered a vodka tonic. “Okay, I need a break from mingling. What are you two up to?”

“We’re thinking we could go over to Haddon’s for a frosty mug and a chicken-fried steak,” Bodie replied.

“You don’t know how tempting that sounds, Bodie. But while Doug is a friend, he also signs my paycheck; and I do like my paycheck!”

While the three joked about ditching Doug’s party for Haddon’s, Doug walked up and announced he had something to show them.

He led down a walkway past the pool into the darkness.

“I knew it. This is where we get fed to the ‘gators,” Red said jokingly.

They all had a good laugh until Doug said, “OK, wait right here,” and stepped away. Within seconds lights came on and they were standing in front of a skeet range with all the stations and a high and low house.

“Well, Doug, I don’t recall this being here. Is it new?” Bodie asked.

“Two weeks start to finish and the crew wrapped up the lighting yesterday!” Doug beamed. “I thought we could have some clay bird fun to help us get ready for next dove season.”

“It’s really nice, Doug,” Red allowed. “But Bodie doesn’t need any practice. If he gets any better with a shotgun I’ll be embarrassed to hunt with him.”

“Aw, come on Red, everybody can use a little practice. And besides, I’m not at all familiar with the skeet game,” Bodie commented.

Martin Strarup is a lifelong saltwater enthusiast and outdoorsman.

Martin is also a collector and dealer of vintage fishing tackle and lures, especially those made in Texas.

Email

Trouthunter@swbell.net

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Sabine marsh redfish come in a range of colors depending on water clarity and bottom vegetation. This is one of the darkest you’re likely to see.

STORY BY CHUCK UZZLE

W

hat a difference a few weeks can make. This time last month we were wondering if the wind would ever quit blowing and now we just need a gust every now and again to make life tolerable. The summer heat is upon us and lots of different fishing methods will soon be in play. Many local anglers will seek the cover of night to beat the heat while still others will enjoy a casual wade along a shoreline. One thing that’s for sure, we should start seeing some unexpected guests like sharks and jellyfish, so be careful if you get in the water.

The months of April, May, and early June were down right tough for us on Sabine and Calcasieu. The winds that were so noticeably absent earlier in the year acted like a bad house guest who came for a visit and decided to stay a while. Besides cursing the wind we also got a big dose of rain and runoff from both the Sabine and Neches rivers. The water clarity went from the penthouse to the outhouse in the span of a few days and it has taken some time to recover from that blow. Hopefully the much more consistent weather patterns of summer will soon usher in some of the best fishing of the year. We look forward to the calm mornings and the ability to fish wider expanses of water in a variety of ways.

The open lake has become more accessible and much more fisherman-friendly as the wind socks and flags begin to droop. The big schools of shad that inhabit the fertile waters of Sabine will much easier to spot when the waves aren’t breaking over your bow and the water doesn’t look like a stale Yoo-Hoo. Being able to cover more ground is the key and those who venture a little farther into the wide open spaces of the lake will be rewarded with some outstanding fishing and much lighter angler pressure.

I’m not real sure about the phenomenon or the “magnetic pull” that the shoreline has, but for some reason most anglers rarely ever get any farther off the bank than maybe a half mile. There is a big part of Sabine Lake that sees very little pressure, it’s like it doesn’t even exist. I have made the analogy for years in seminars that when we were kids all we could think about was being able to cast as far away from the bank as possible because we knew all the fish were out there. Years later we grow up and buy a fancy high-dollar boat and, what do we do? We sit in the boat and cast to the same bank where we stood when we were kids. I can’t figure it out.

TSFMAG.com | 29

Now don’t get me wrong, there are all kinds of patterns and methods to catch fish and they can be caught in a variety of places and depths. All I’m saying is be open to a different approach because you may never know what you are missing.

Besides being able to look forward to much better weather, the kiddos are all anxious to hit the water now that school is out for the summer. I thoroughly enjoy it when clients bring their kids; some of my most memorable trips have been of the family variety. For whatever reason it seems like when you bring kids on the boat you get a whole new perspective about many different things.

Fishing with kids tends to help me get grounded; helps me understand just what is really important. Some of the absolute best conversations I have ever had with my son happened when just the two of us were fishing. It doesn’t really matter what your fishing for or how you go about it, having a kid fishing with you is a treat. Take a break sometime and change up your technique, soak some dead shrimp on the bottom, and take time to talk to your kids. The topics of conversation will amaze you and the memories will last a lifetime as well.

As for me this month, I’ll be where I spend most of my time, in two feet of water or less, chasing redfish around the marsh trying to coax a strike on a topwater plug. The summer months are just my bread and butter due to the absence of those high winds we fight constantly at the end of spring. Those calm mornings make locating spooky fish a much more user-friendly pursuit so I tend to make the most of it every time I am afforded the opportunity.

But the lighter wind and warmer temps that we all dream of also come with their own fair share of difficulties. The air temp isn’t the only thing that rises during the summer, the water temp also climbs.

Many times the water gets so hot it makes those redfish lethargic and difficult to get them to eat a lure. Most strikes are just reaction at this point so casting accuracy is at a premium. If I can’t make those fish eat a topwater offering I will tend to go with a tube jig or a Fluke rigged weightless so I can let the bait fall in the face of the fish and that will usually get a solid strike. Best colors tend to be lighter so you can see the fish eat it and get a good hookset.

Once you hook up it’s really important to try to land and release these fish as quickly as possible because they will stress much more in

The “eyes have it” in the sight-fishing game.

Being reincarnated as a MirrOlure She Pup wouldn’t be a lot of fun…redfish don’t play nice.

30 | July 2019

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32 | July 2019

CHUCK UZZLE

CONTACT

the elevated water temps. I will usually go with a little heavier action rod and stay with braided line so I can put some pressure on them and get them to the boat sooner. Releasing these fish takes some time so don’t get in a hurry, respect that fish enough to take the time to be sure it is ready for release.

Work the fish in a swimming motion to help its muscles become free of lactic acids that built up during the fight. Be sure to keep the fish upright until release and watch to be sure it doesn’t turn belly up and float a few minutes later. Nothing infuriates me more than seeing folks leaving a trail of fish floating dead or struggling on the surface because they couldn’t take time to revive and release those fish correctly. You owe it to the fish and to other anglers to do your part and be a good Camp Bailey with a “Marsh Dinosaur.” steward of the resource. Don’t ever forget that.

The outlook for the summer will be much different than in years past as we continue to deal with huge amounts of runoff from Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn. Right now Sabine is more fragile than any other estuary on the coast so please be mindful of how you treat her. Keep enough fish to eat and let the rest go for another day. It will pay off in the long run.

Chuck fishes Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes from his home in Orange, TX. His specialties are light tackle and fly fishing for trout, reds, and flounder.

Phone 409-697-6111 Email wakesndrakes@yahoo.com Website wakesndrakes.com

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TSFMAG.com | 33

Tarpon Time STORY BY JOE RICHARD

Small tarpon hang around the jetties each summer, and they’re great sport.

T

exas tarpon can leave you feeling like “you just got your ass handed to you,” as one diehard tarpon angler told me recently.

And I agreed, having seen some phenomenal days with this fish.

Tarpon command much so respect, they’ve been labeled “the man in the silver suit.” There are lifelong tarpon fans out there like Clear Lake’s Tom Gibson, who retired from NASA and spent decades of vacation time hunting record tarpon from Port Isabel to West Africa. He owned the Texas record for many years and caught a few world records too. Some of the giants he caught in Africa would scare the poop out of coastal trout fishermen.

Where none have been seen, tarpon can arrive overnight in huge and hungry schools. Diehard fans are used to these erratic schedules, and disappointment, but when they hit the right day, it’s all worth it. I was reminded of this recently when, knowing better, couldn’t resist casting a spoon at a few big, rolling tarpon in shallow Florida water. And foul-hooking one, leading us a mile offshore with the boat, wasting more than an hour of fishing time. Each time the big fish gulped air only feet away, we could plainly see the spoon stuck under a massive scale. With 12-pound spin tackle, I realized we were wasting our time and the tarpon’s too, so tightened the drag and broke him off.

That big fish never jumped, which is what we wanted, but it was a new lesson in the power and beauty of these fish. Every time it surfaced a few feet away, my elderly guest screamed, “Oh my God!” There is also history in tarpon. Port Aransas and its Tarpon Motel were famous for these fish back in the 1930s and President Franklin Roosevelt showed up in 1937 to catch one. It was early in the season, May 8, and locals were worried he wouldn’t hook up after he’d anchored at the jetties and caught nothing. So, they sent two of their best fishing guides, Bill Matthews and Barney Farley Sr. to make sure

Port Aransas fishing guide Barney Farley Sr. holds a 77-pound tarpon that President Franklin D. Roosevelt, seated, caught on May 8, 1937 in Lydia Ann Channel near Port Aransas.

Behind Farley is Roosevelt’s son, Elliot. At the helm is Ted Mathews, local fishing guide.

36 | July 2019

Schools of big tarpon cruise up and down the Texas coast each summer.

it happened. In Lydia Ann Channel, they anchored up and Roosevelt caught a 77-pound tarpon in front of Life magazine photographers.

Matthews went on to live a long life in Port Aransas and around January 1990 handed me his Vom Hofe reel used that day by the president. Bill kept that shiny reel in his laundry closet, in a canvas bag with other reels. I was keenly disappointed he wouldn’t sell it but it probably belonged in a museum. I hope it didn’t end up on eBay. Enough of history; what about this year’s tarpon action? At this writing in late May, I’ve only heard one positive sighting on the middle Texas coast by Capt. Curtiss Cash, who has caught quite a few of these fish over the years. So, it’s still too early to make predictions for this year, if tarpon can be predicted at all. (They can’t). One should keep in mind that there are three key areas, or “tarpon alleys” in 30 feet of water along the Texas coast where the vast majority of tarpon are caught. The first is a stretch of beachfront from Sabine Pass to Freeport. The second would be Port O’Connor to Port Aransas, and lastly just north of Port Mansfield’s East Cut jetties down to the Brazos Santiago jetties at South Padre.

Finding schools of tarpon along these alleys depends heavily on the

Mike Reed’s boat heading home with a tarpon flag, showing one hookup.

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weather. Last year there was a spate of hundreds of fish and struggling to get tarpon action in late May to early June, a taker). After the five-fish hookup and then a typical harsh southerly offshore a 3-ring circus, I had to agree.” wind arrived, lasting for three weeks.

Mike has advice on proper tackle (My advice is to wait until July, before and etiquette, fine-tuned after many making a serious tarpon effort, unless hours offshore. He would emphasize you get a hot fishing report from a that electric trolling motors are the reliable source). Perhaps 99 percent of key. If you approach a tarpon school these big fish are caught off the beach, with an outboard motor, they will very which can stay rough for weeks. A likely dive and disappear for hours. Use few big tarpon venture into the bays, a strong electric motor with multiple but they’re shy and avoid boat traffic, batteries that can hopefully keep up especially on the weekends. I’ve caught with these traveling fish. them in the bays, but you can bet it Mike: “I use a 36-volt (Three Optima was a quiet weekday morning with batteries) with a Great White electric hardly a boat in sight. And the wind motor mounted on the transom.” wasn’t howling. We used castnet“You don’t want to run a big caught live mullet and hoped gafftop outboard motor within 200 to 300 catfish and bull sharks would give us yards of these fish. If another boat is a break and stay away, though they working them, add another 100 yards usually don’t. A more reliable venue or more to that. I’m using 40-pound would be the jetties, where tarpon big test for my mono rods, and 65- to and small hang around the rocks and 80-pound test for the braid reels. out 50 yards or so.

I prefer 80-pound braid because Back in 1995 or so I put a guy named it’s thicker, and more durable from Mike Reed of Houston on a Pass fraying. I’ve got one Calcutta 400 reel, Cavallo tarpon, back when the pass it won’t hold enough 80-pound line, was deep and the current swift—not so it’s loaded with 65-pound braid. I’m anemic like it is today. Catching that using 100-pound mono leader, but “Coon Pops” are plastic jigs rigged with big circle fish made an impression on Mike, and a lot of guys use 150 or 200-pound hooks, proof that tarpon will eat small baitfish. since then he’s concentrated on big mono. Big circle hooks, of course. Most tarpon every summer season. He’s spent countless hours prowling serious guys will have nine or more tarpon rods loaded and ready, off Galveston, Freeport and Port O’Connor, searching for these fish. when the action heats up, because there is no time for fooling with And will be this year. tackle, as the bite can be short-lived.”

“It’s an absolute, or about 99% chance you have to see these “Standard trolling is six lines free-spooled between five and 30 fish, to catch them,” Mike advises. “If you’re lucky enough to catch seconds behind the boat, or basically staggered from directly behind a single, loner tarpon without first seeing them, very likely you’ve and below the motor to about 40 yards back. My closest line just been working a current line (color change), schools of shad, or baitbehind the motor is typically my hottest. We mostly use coon-pop jigs balls of rain minnows.” because of a better hookup ratio. They can also be cast at rolling fish.”

“Last summer towards the end of the season, late August to Every angler should have a tarpon on their bucket list of life’s goals, early September, they showed for a good month or more. One day it’s just that some guys want an entire list of tarpon in their bucket.

I launched at 1 p.m. and within 30 minutes had fish rolling a few hundred yards from the boat. I moved up current, put three trolled coon-pop lures out in staggered formation behind the boat, and eased in their direction. Trolled into casting distance and 15 to 20 minutes later had landed and released a 110-pound tarpon. I called a friend in Galveston, told him I was on fish, to meet me on the beach.

Joe Richard has fished the Gulf since 1967, starting out of Port ArThirty minutes later, I picked him up in three feet of water in the surf. thur, but his adventures have taken him up and down the entire coast.

Within 45 minutes we were on another group of slow-rolling tarpon.

He was the editor of Tide magazine for eight years, and later Florida It didn’t take long before I cast to another taker. Unfortunately the Sportsman’s book and assistant hook didn’t stick, so it was one landed and two hooked that day. magazine editor. He began guiding We had scattered rolling tarpon for a couple hours afterwards, but out of Port O’Connor in 1994. His specialty is big kingfish, and his couldn’t find a taker.” latest book is The Kingfish Bible, “Further down the coast, POC got hot a few times. We had a New Revelations. Available at five-fish hook-up at once, landed two and popped one line trying Seafavorites.com to untangle them. Warren Cloves, my fishing partner, had just mentioned we were getting our asses handed to us. (We were in

CONTACT

JOE RICHARD

38 | July 2019

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“Rockport Guide’s Wives” fishing Babes on the Bay celebrating yet another win.

J AY WAT K I N S

ASK THE PRO

A R E YO U F I S H I N G S M A R T ?

Fishing smart is a concept that so many overlook. I see it all the time, and quite often with relatively experienced anglers. Heck, I even find myself fishing stupid at times.

To many, fishing is simply throwing a bait or lure out there and waiting for a fish to pick it up; basically following that old “rather be lucky than good” line of thinking. It works some of the time and if that’s what you enjoy you should continue doing it.

Before my father died many years ago, back when I was still a very young fishing guide, he said to me, “People often say they’d rather be lucky than good, but what happens when their luck runs out? You better plan on becoming good at this if you want to make a career of it.”

He was not wild about my decision to become a fishing guide but supported my efforts as long as I attacked the business with genuine desire to be the best I could be.

Well Dad, I am still working on that.

Angling skill trumps all other attributes in my book. I see it daily; anglers with a good working knowledge of a bay system but limited skills in the art of getting fish to eat their lures. I personally believe that to become a great angler one must be proficient with every type of lure that he elects to use.

Bass anglers are into this big time. I grew up watching bass shows on Saturday mornings. The Bill Dance Show was one of my favorites and Dance was a teacher. He instructed what lures to use, how to use it, and when it would work the best. He promoted fishing smart. He is still teaching today and I still watch.

40 | July 2019

I had the recent pleasure of making a trophy bass trip to Lake Comedero, Mexico with Ron Speed Adventures.

BASS Hall of Famer and Bass Master Champion, Denny Bauer, along with his son and grandson were also on the trip, along with Shane Moore. My son Ryan and I were amazed at the strategies and the fishing intelligence of this group. At 70-years-young Denny Bauer is still an absolute stick and so is the younger Bauer and Shane Moore. I listened intently when they spoke and made mental notes when they suggested what we might do each day. I loved that nobody was handing out gimmes.

You want to catch them? Get out there and figure it out.

They never used those exact words but in our heart of hearts good fishermen want to do it on their own.

Fishermen expect that of other fishermen.

We loved the trip, caught lots of great bass and we’re planning another trip for 2020. I highly recommend Ron Speed Jr. and his crew. Everyone was very professional, good accommodations, good food, especially the caramel sauce, and unbelievable fishing. You work hard each day on the lake and earn each bite; the part that Ryan and I truly enjoyed. Oh, and the scenery is breathtaking.

I have always preached that we should start each day with a clean slate and let the conditions and the fish show us what to do. For many years I was basically (only) a soft plastic guy. I was building a business and back then it was all about numbers of fish. Yes, I used topwaters, spoons, and other lures but my confidence was in soft plastics – Bass Assassins – and they still rank very high on my go-to list.

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C O N TA C T

Truth was, I was not Lindsey Laskowski Ryan Watkins very good with other with her personal best with 8-pound lures because I did not trout on Texas Customs Lake Comendero use them enough to Double D…CPR! bass. Oldham’s master them, nor was 1oz. jig/Tilapia.

I educated enough to know that I needed different rod actions for different types of lures.

Bass anglers are all over this, which is why you see them with a halfdozen rods strapped to the deck. Each has a specific purpose for a specific lure. Smart? You bet they are.

Presentation is an individual thing and many factors are involved in one’s ability to put the proper action on the lure they choose.

It takes serious water time to become accomplished in soft plastic presentations versus and their consistency in the Texas Saltwater Legends and Texas Trout topwaters, swimbaits, suspending baits, and the like. When we reach Master tournaments bear this out. the point where we can mentally visualize the action we want to So what I’m saying is that all of us must strive to up our game if impart and then transfer it to the lure without actually seeing it, we’re we want to be successful. To do this you must fish smarter today there. Just remember that some rods are great for soft plastics but not than yesterday. Success is different to each of us. Personally, I am all that good for topwaters or suspending lures. not ready to be second even though it appears I’m probably farther In the past ten years my clients have become more interested in down the line numerically than that nowadays. I live to compete targeting upper-end trout. This is what I prefer as well but bear in with whomever, wherever and whenever but, more importantly, I mind that weather and tide conditions preclude catching numbers of compete against myself. top-end fish much of the year. This reality has forced me to become a Try to work outside your comfort zone with lure selections. Say better teacher of other types of lures besides soft plastics. you’re great with topwaters and not so good with soft plastics, maybe I am not a full-time believer that bigger baits catch bigger trout. you need to work on that. I personally need work in the shallow When trout are targeting smaller forage, even small crabs and shrimp, Floating Corky and Soft-Dine areas during the summer months. I wish I you must downsize your offerings or be satisfied with very few bites. could hire John Gill to teach me!

When I determine the fish want smaller baits, I like the Lil John from I know this article bounces around a little. In summation I believe MirrOlure. It’s tough and holds up to “tail nipping” that is so common bass anglers fish super smart most of the time and I have learned on summertime grass flats, and even more of a nuisance when game tons by watching, talking, and fishing with them. I think saltwater fish are not very active. Remember that when you lose part of the tail anglers wanting to up their game should take some lessons on how you also lose much of the action. It irritates the heck out of me to pull bass anglers look at fishing. I believe that in both categories, bass up on my guys and see them throwing lures with the tails bitten off. and saltwater, those that are more openminded and work harder That’s not fishing smart. reach a higher level of angling skill, and therefore achieve greater High atmospheric pressure, low tides, and calm water requires levels of success. downsizing, in my opinion. With clear water conditions most of the May your fishing always be catching! -Guide Jay Watkins year, I see firsthand how larger trout can react negatively to larger baits, which reinforces my beliefs in downsizing. I have also seen days when big, loud topwaters drew strikes when nothing else worked. If fishing Jay Watkins has been a full-time fishing guide at Rockport, TX, for more than 20 years. Jay specializes in wading yearsmart is your mindset, you’ll need at least one such lure in your box. round for trout and redfish with artificial lures. Jay covers Another thing I’ve been noticing this year is that when I locate large the Texas coast from San Antonio Bay to Corpus Christi Bay. rafts of mullet along a shallow shoreline, a Floating Custom Corky or Texas Customs Double D sometimes works better than my soft plastic Telephone 361-729-9596 presentations. Jay Ray is huge fan of staying shallow over large pods of Email Jay@jaywatkins.com mullet and working the Floating Custom Corky and the Double Ds. His Website www.jaywatkins.com tourney teammates, Adam Nesloney and Jeff Steckler, are also big fans 42 | July 2019

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A full-service Costa Del Mar dealer such as Fishing Tackle Unlimited’s three Houstonarea stores is a great place to shop and review all the fishing sunglass options.

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

S H A L L O W W AT E R F I S H I N G

PROTECT YOUR EYES –

SEE MORE FISH! PART TWO:

Last month we covered some fishing eyewear basics – polarization and UV protection. This month we’ll look into a few other things to consider as you narrow your search for new fishing glasses.

The style of frame and size of the lens is usually the first consideration when folks walk up to the sunglass showcase. I know it’s cool to have those aviator style sunglasses, but you might want to rethink that choice.

Small diameter lenses and thin wire frames will allow a huge amount of light to reach your eyes all around the edges. Not only will it allow in stray light, it will let those harmful UV rays reach your eyes, thus negating the effectiveness of your chosen lens. What you need when selecting fishing glasses is the most complete coverage you can get. Larger lenses and close-fitting wrap-around frames are the best choice for maximum protection.

Glass or polycarbonate? This is a matter of personal preference. Glass lenses are generally superior on an optical level and typically cost a little more. Most agree that they are clearer and provide the best possible visual acuity. They are also more scratch resistant. The downside is weight and that’s where polycarbonate lenses are your other solid choice.

Polycarbonate lenses weigh less than glass, at the price of not being quite as clear as glass. The difference is nearly undetectable but it’s there. They’ll also scratch easier than glass if you do not take special care in cleaning them. One 44 | July 2019

big advantage of polycarbonate is that they are shatter resistant and will stand up to an errant backcast from your fishing buddy, possibly preventing an eye injury.

Different companies have various proprietary names for their formulations of polycarbonate. It can be a bit confusing to sort through the marketing terms, but it all pretty much boils down to glass or poly. Much further down the list are the regular plastic lenses on the bargain sunglasses. These have much lower optical integrity and they are very easily scratched.

That leads to perhaps the most contentious aspect of sunglasses…price. There is a huge difference in price points with some selling for as little as $15 while the upper-end can put you over three bills. Then again, most of the equipment we buy to pursue our favorite pastimes fall into this same trap. Generally speaking you get what you pay for. I tend to gravitate towards buying quality equipment. Days in the field or on the water are too special for me to go bargain and risk disappointment. It stands out even more with eyewear; plus we’re talking about the health of our eyes.

On the lowest end of the scale are the all-plastic sunglasses. Most of the ones I’ve seen are tagged as polarized but I don’t recall seeing much on them about their UV blocking qualities. I’d be suspect of these models and thoroughly check them out before trusting my eyes to them. Generally speaking their coatings are applied to the outer surface of the lens. And, being relatively soft plastic, these lenses are very easily scratched. Those

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Early morning ride on the Sabine Skiff. Better have those shades ready!

Kim Johnson, store manager at Fishing Tackle Unlimited – Sugarland, assists a customer in selecting Costa eyewear.

46 | July 2019

with seeing through the water to locate underwater structure and fish.

For this you need a lens that increases your perception of contrast.

There is a huge range of lenses that fit this bill. Every manufacturer has a different name for the various colors covering this spectrum. Rose, amber, copper, and vermillion are but a few. All of these filter varying amounts of different light waves. The increased contrast provided by these lenses really does improve your perceived visual acuity. They can literally make a marsh redfish appear to pop out from its surroundings.

If you enjoy sight-fishing in shallow water, these are the colors you need to check out.

From my non-scientific research over the years I’ve found that what works best for one angler isn’t necessarily the optimum color for the next guy. Some studies indicate that it relates to individual eye color and seems to make sense when you think about it. People with light blue eyes perform best with the darker hues while those with dark brown eyes prefer the lighter tints. Folks in the middle generally report that they don’t see much difference.

Good quality sunglasses can make or break your day on the water.

I’ve had many anglers on the water with me wearing the wrong sunglasses. I’ll be calling out fish locations while they stare at the water getting frustrated because they can’t see them. I carry a spare pair for just such occasions. Once these guys put the good stuff on they are simply amazed at how much easier the game becomes and I guarantee they’ll be willing to fork over a few extra bucks for the upgrade.

For the health of your eyesight and increased enjoyment of the outdoors, I hope you will take a serious look at your choice of sunglasses.

C O N TA C T

surface scratches are not only irritating, they can leave you open to increased UV penetration as the UV filter is on that outer layer. Some studies theorize this could be worse than going without sunglasses since your eyes are dilated from the dark lenses, thus allowing more UV to reach your retina.

Quality sunglasses will have multi-layered optical-grade lenses with various coatings to improve their performance. Most will sandwich their polarizing films and UV filters between the outer layers of the lens. This keeps these components free of scratches and maintains the integrity of the protection for your eyes. The major manufacturers offer a variety of different coating and layers. Perhaps the most useful coating to look for is an anti-reflective film applied to the inside of the lens. With this option, any light that slips in through the sides is not reflected back into your eyes.

In addition to quality lenses, you’ll also want to look at the construction of the frames. Corrosion resistant stainless steel screws, hinges and springs are a must in our coastal environment. Padded nose pieces and comfortable temple pieces are also nice features to look for. Remember that you’ll be wearing these all day so get a pair that fit properly. Different models are designed for different facial shapes and sizes so try on as many as you need to find the right style and best fit.

Last, but certainly not least, what color lens do you need?

Perhaps the most debated option on fishing sunglasses is lens color.

It can make a huge difference in how effective your glasses are for different applications. The myriad of tints and hues greatly affect the way you see the world. Grey is likely the most popular selling tint for all-purpose sunglasses across the United States. Being a neutral color, grey provides for nearly natural color perception throughout the light spectrum. Depending on the degree of tint, it can also provide the most overall darkening effect in very bright conditions. This is generally the preferred color for offshore anglers and for driving. Green and blue tints also fall into this category, though to a lesser extent than grey.

While offshore guys are most often concerned with toning down the overall light intensity, inshore anglers are generally more concerned

Capt. Scott Null is a devout shallow water fisherman offering guided adventues via kayak, poled skiff, and wading.

Telephone Email Website

281-450-2206 captscottnull@gmail.com www.captainscottnull.com

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FIELD NOTES

ISNAPPER: HOW TEXAS ANGLERS ARE GETTING INVOLVED The 2019 federal red snapper season began June 1 and runs 97 days for private recreational anglers, and we hope that calm seas and good weather allow for great fishing! It wasn’t that long ago when you could count the number of days of the federal red snapper season on two hands. With all the recent changes, it’s worthwhile to look back to see how the red snapper fishery has changed in such a short time.

In 2015, the federal recreational red snapper season was only 10 days, a drastic decrease from the 40 days they had the previous year. Anglers felt the squeeze and were dismayed to have only a week and a half to venture into federal waters to harvest red snapper.

Despite anglers following federal regulations, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries determined that private anglers continued to overharvest their quota. This resulted in 2015 being the first-year anglers were penalized with a 20% buffer to ensure the quota was not exceeded again.

That same year, The Center for Sportfish Science and

iSnapper is so easy to use that there are only 3 steps involved in submitting a trip: 1) Start a trip, 2) Log your catch, and 3) Close the trip. Fill out and submit your trip as you idle back to the boat ramp!

48 | July 2019

Conservation (CSSC) debuted the iSnapper app in an effort to increase available data. The app allowed private recreational anglers a means to self-report their fishing effort and harvest information to help Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) manage the red snapper fishery. iSnapper was created with busy fishermen in mind and takes only a few minutes to submit a trip, with catch and trip information being entered directly from the app (Image 1) or from a computer after a trip is completed (Image 2). It was the hope of CSSC that more refined data would encourage NOAA Fisheries to remove the quota buffer and provide anglers with more fishing days.

However, the 2016 private season was comparable to the previous year, anglers still only had a handful of days to fish for red snapper in federal waters. We were encouraged though to have encountered many anglers that were active iSnapper users. These forward-thinking individuals realized the need for better data and were hopeful that by submitting their trips they would be rewarded with more fishing days. Unfortunately, this was

Your Catch Counts!

Report your Red

Snapper Landings

Get involved.

Help manage the red snapper fishery for future generations.

At the end of each day’s trip, parties that land red snapper are strongly encouraged to report their landings via a mobile app or online.

It’s fast, simple and easy!

load n w o D pp the a ! today

Download the free app at

www.iSnapper.org or report online at iSnapperonline.org Each submittal is important to the management of the red snapper fishery off Texas shores and beyond.

Anglers fishing from party boats are exempt as the captain reports for you.

FOR INFO ABOUT THE REPORTING PROGRAM Harte Research Institute iSnapper@sportfishresearch.org www.sportfishresearch.org

FOR INFO ON THE RED SNAPPER FISHERY TPWD Coastal Fisheries cfish@tpwd.texas.gov TSFMAG.com | 49 www.tpwd.texas.gov

Don’t have a smartphone?

No problem! Trips can also be submitted online at www.isnapperonline.org.

not the case and in 2017 the season was just 3 days. Many iSnapper supporters felt as though their data did not matter; “What’s the point?” is what we heard.

We empathized!

Fortunately, the Department of Commerce recognized the importance of the red snapper fishery to Gulf anglers, and in an unprecedented move, they ordered NOAA Fisheries to re-open the season for an additional 39 days. Anglers had a dramatic opinion reversal and a renewed enthusiasm for reporting trips.

In 2018, all five Gulf states gained management authority over the red snapper fishery to test “Regional Management” under a special Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP), and it was a huge success. In fact, private anglers in Texas were able to enjoy an 82-day season in federal waters. To ensure red snapper would not be overharvested in Texas, TPWD projected landings from the year-round state water season and the landings during previous years’ federal seasons to estimate the number of days it would take to harvest the quota. The estimate was intentionally conservative, and Texas only harvested 75% of the 2018 allowable catch limit. The long season was encouraging to anglers, and they responded in kind with a record-breaking number of trips reported on iSnapper.

Although iSnapper has gained recognition over the years, many anglers still wonder why they need to report their trips, especially since the EFP was so successful. The short story is: the more individuals that report their harvest and fishing effort, the more data is available to make more accurate harvest rate estimations in order to avoid overestimation and to continue these months-long fishing seasons.

Providing data through apps like iSnapper is pivotal for allowing state 50 | July 2019

management of red snapper in federal waters.

The iSnapper app was never intended to replace the TPWD creel survey but to supplement this world-class program with a means to manage offshore fisheries characterized by short seasons. This is especially the case due to the difficulty in surveying anglers that have their own private docks, as well as anglers that may return to the dock after the creel surveys are completed (after 6:00pm). The additional data from iSnapper, in coordination with the TPWD creel survey, found that despite the 82-day season in 2018, there was a decrease in total landings and effort when compared to the 42-day season in 2017.

These findings suggest that increasing the number of fishing days might result in reduced fishing pressure.

Just recently, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council passed Amendment 50, making regional management permanent, so we are hopeful that these prolonged seasons will continue. With all the progress made in just the last 12 months, we are optimistic about the future of red snapper management in the Gulf of Mexico.

To help ensure we continue in the right direction, do your part to support state management by having iSnapper on your phone and submitting every trip.

To learn more about the Center for Sportfish Science and Conservation at the Harte Research Institute please visit our homepage at http://www.sportfishcenter.org.

Check the TPWD Outdoor Annual, your local TPWD Law Enforcement office, or tpwd.texas.gov for more info.

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DAV E R O B E R T S

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

HAVE FUN AND KEEP LEARNING If you’re not having fun, you’re not learning!”

-Richard P. Feynman Although Mr. Feynman was a theoretical physicist, he is right on the money about one thing—having fun and learning go hand in hand. Through all of my experiences and hours spent on the water, I have had more fun than I can recollect. Along the way my kayaking and kayak fishing learning curve has never stopped rising. I have been fishing as far back as I can remember and I learn something new with every trip I make.

When you look at both of these factors, it is apparent that they feed off each other. If at the end of a long day of fishing you can say it was fun, the odds are you will go again, soon. And, since you had fun, you will culture more opportunities to spend time on the water, and thus accelerate your learning. You can also read every article in this magazine and gain a wealth of information on many types of fishing on the Texas coast. However, if you don’t go out and implement the things you’ve learned, what fun would that be?

One thing I have learned and cannot stress enough is kayak safety. Being safe on the water insures that you are able to have fun while being out there. Here in the past few months there have been some unfortunate kayak angler drownings, reportedly through failure to wear a personal flotation device (PFD). These incidents and others like them could have been so easily prevented.

There are so many affordable, effective, and comfortable 52 | July 2019

PFDs made specifically for paddle sports on the market today that not wearing one makes no sense whatsoever.

Wearing your PFD, especially on solo trips, provides peace of mind that allows you to free your mind and have fun.

Please wear your PFD! Another thing I have learned throughout my paddling career is to either start early or start late. I originally began doing this to escape midday heat. Baking all day in hot summer sun is no recipe for having fun. So, I would begin my trips just before daylight or late in the afternoon. Not only was I more comfortable, I also learned that fish were more likely to be active in the cooler temperatures and during the light change. I have enjoyed countless quick limits of fish during the first and last hour of daylight. You not only beat the crowds and the heat, you get to enjoy spectacular sunrises and sunsets. What could be more fun than that?

More about the fun department, it doesn’t really matter what I am doing, just as long as I am out there.

I thoroughly enjoy taking my time and paddling long distances through the marsh. Through this I have discovered new places to fish and even caught quite a few.

Also along the way, I have been able to observe wildlife of many species, learned where and how fish utilize currents through marsh channels while feeding, which answered many questions of why those fish were even there in the first place. The farther I paddled and the more I observed, the more I learned and the better angler I became.

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not a “funner” way to catch a redfish. The thing that I have learned about this though, is that accuracy is far more important than distance. It’s almost like a game to me, you have to make a near perfect cast to get a fish to eat. Throw in variables such as wind and standing in a kayak and you have yourself a genuine challenge!

I know I have said this before but the more it is repeated the truer it becomes. Catching fish is a bonus. Most of us go out there to escape the grind of day-to-day life and our main objective should be to have fun.

Everything else will come in its own time.

Get out and enjoy yourself. Remember to have fun and keep learning.

Most importantly, always wear your PFD!

C O N TA C T

On top of finding fish while paddling around, one of the other aspects I find to be great fun is just plain watching fish. If you ever get a chance to locate a single redfish or small school, try to resist grabbing a rod and simply observe their behavior for a few minutes. You will learn that they don’t generally swim in straight lines. After watching them, I have found that they will zig-zag back and forth and can turn the complete opposite direction at any given time for no apparent reason. Other times, you can follow them down a shoreline and watch how they corral and attack bait. It amazes me how they often work a few yards off the bank as they slowly cruise along, almost as though they are leaving that gap as a sort of safety zone for the bait to linger within. Then comes the attack. When everything settles down you might see that same fish resume cruising and setting up the same way as it continues to feed.

Have you ever seen a redfish attack bait on the shoreline and make a direct cast towards him and not get a bite? That’s probably because he already changed direction and did not see your lure.

Through hours of slowly inching along and watching fish I have earned a great number of sight-cast opportunities. Personally, there is

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

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

Kayakers, paddle boarders and anyone fishing with one hand free can now achieve powerful catches with the Trophy Haul™ Bearclaw Night.

Simply wrap the support bar around the forearm and grab the handle right at the yoke for easy one-handed operation. The upgraded light module illuminates the reflective hoop to guide successful catches even in low light.

www.Frabill.com 54 | July 2019

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Past projects such as this marsh restoration effort with partners Ducks Unlimited and US Fish and Wildlife Services continue to flourish up and down the Texas coast.

Story by Shane Bonnot | Photos by Lisa Laskowski

T S F M A G C O N S E R VAT I O N N E W S

86TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION WRAP-UP The 86th legislative session ended Memorial Day weekend with several fishery-related bills sent to Governor Abbott’s desk for his signature. CCA Texas once again worked closely with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), legislators, and likeminded people and organizations to ensure a successful legislative session. Oysters were at the forefront once again, and this session brought into place an Oyster Mariculture bill, closed loop holes in the commercial oyster fishing business, and stiffened penalties for the illegal sales of aquatic products.

Oyster Mariculture House Bill 1300 passed with broad support from numerous stakeholders including CCA Texas. This bill requires the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission to establish an oyster mariculture (aquaculture) program by September 30, 2020. CCA Texas looks forward to working with Texas Parks and Wildlife to develop a cultivated oyster mariculture program that addresses concerns of the angling community, redefines the Texas half-shell market, and puts more oysters in our waters to benefit the coastal ecosystem.

Representative Todd Hunter is hosting a Texas Oyster Aquaculture Summit – A New Industry For Texas on Wednesday, July 10 from 8am-3pm at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi in the Anchor Ballroom.

56 | July 2019

Admission is free but registration is required. Do a search on Eventbrite.com for Texas Oyster Aquaculture Summit and complete the registration form if you are interested in attending. Please reach out to Shane Bonnot (sbonnot@ccatexas.org) if you have any questions regarding this piece of legislation.

Commercial Oyster Fishing Loopholes Each year the commercial oyster fishery opens on November 1st and closes on April 30th the following year – effectively a six-month season. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) continually monitors public oyster reefs throughout the year by conducting random bi-monthly sampling in our bay systems. They will also conduct additional sampling before and during oyster season if feedback from law enforcement or the oyster industry triggers them to do so. Using metrics that TPWD has established based upon the abundance of oysters and the percentage of their sample under 3” (legal size), they may close a bay system to commercial harvest.

Once a bay system is closed it will take 1-2 years for the reefs to recover and then it can be re-opened by TPWD. That time table is highly dependent on how hard that bay system was fished and environmental conditions. It is important that the reefs are given the proper time to recover for a sustainable oyster fishery.

Research and habitat restoration go hand in hand. Many projects require long term monitoring to discover levels of success or failure. This monitoring helps confirm and create “best practices” for future habitat restoration and creation.

Unfortunately, there are bad actors within the fishery who ignore the closures and continue to harvest oysters from closed waters, often targeting the undersized oysters remaining on the reefs. While there is an enhanced penalty structure for undersize oyster violations, there is no true deterrent for fishing in closed waters other than a Class C misdemeanor. That will soon change thanks to Representative Geanie Morrison (R-30) and Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (D-30), sponsors of passed legislation (House Bill 2321 and Senate Bill 671) that cleans up language in current statute regarding harvesting undersize oysters and increases penalties for commercial oyster fishing in closed waters.

In the next commercial oyster season, persons committing harvest offenses can expect the following: • Class A misdemeanor for harvesting at night and either harvesting in closed waters or restricted waters during same criminal episode.

• Class B misdemeanor for harvesting undersized oysters or harvesting in closed waters if defendant was previously convicted at least twice for violation regarding undersize oysters (less than 30% of cargo) and/or previously convicted for harvesting in closed waters.

• Class B misdemeanor for second violation of possession of cargo of oysters greater than 30% undersize oysters.

• Class A misdemeanor with attendant license suspension for third violation of possession of cargo greater than 30% undersized or fishing in closed waters.

• State-level felony for harvesting at night and either harvesting in closed waters or restricted waters if the defendant has been previously convicted once before within five years for the same crime.

Unlawful Sale of Aquatic Products No doubt the “back door” sale of aquatic products to restaurants and fish markets has increased over the years as fish, such as red snapper, fetch a premium price in the market. The Texas legislature passed House Bill 1828 to address this issue, increasing the penalty for the illegal sale of aquatic products. The normal penalty for a violation of

this nature is a Class C misdemeanor which carries a fine of no greater than $500. This bill increases the penalty to a Class B misdemeanor, Class A misdemeanor or State Jail Felony with an escalating fine structure for increased poundage of illegal aquatic products.

CCA TEXAS / BUILDING CONSERVATION TRUST PROJECT UPDATES

By John Blaha

CCA Texas’s Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow and Building Conservation Trust (BCT) continue to make strides along the Texas coast in habitat creation and restoration, and providing funding for critical habitat research. To date in 2019, CCA Texas and BCT have funded $275,000 for four projects and have three more pending for potentially an additional $560,000. Funded projects to date included: • $50,000 to Galveston Bay Foundation for a marsh restoration effort in Dollar Bay. • $50,000 to Galveston Bay Foundation for marsh restoration efforts along the shorelines of Galveston Bay Foundation’s new Headquarters. This project will create a living shoreline and project excellent outreach opportunities for surrounding schools.

• $75,000 to Harte Research Institute and Dr. Jennifer Beseres Pollack’s staff to continue their research on the serpulid reef structures of Upper Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay. • $100,000 funded to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s coastal fisheries in Sabine Pass to restore Sabine Lake Big Reef. This funding is in addition to $100,000 previously funded by CCA Texas / BCT in 2018, and $500,000 that TPWD has secured from Hurricane Harvey Relief Funds.

CCA Texas and BCT have funded more than $7,000,000 to forty-one projects in the last 10 years. We look forward to continue building partnerships and working to ensure the coastal resources along the Texas coast are healthy for present and future generations.

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Photo Credit: WaterFrame / Alamy Stock Photo

STEPHANIE BOYD

F I S H Y FA C T S

SEA LICE What we see before us is just one tiny part of the world‌ The real world is a much darker and deeper place than this, and much of it is occupied by jellyfish. ~ Haruki Murakami Nicknamed more for their size than any connection to actual lice, sea lice are the very tiny offspring of jellyfish and sea anemones. While they look like specks of pepper out of the water, they are near-invisible once submerged, sometimes becoming quite a nuisance to swimmers. The primary offenders in Gulf waters are the larvae of the thimble jellyfish, Linuche unguiculata. **Side note: there is also a crustacean known as sea lice, but it’s a parasite that affects fish, not people. And those are different yet from sand lice (also called sea fleas), which are another crustacean that live in wet sand. Common names can sometimes cause quite a lot of confusion between species!

Thimble jellies are so named for their radially symmetric bell (the main body that the tentacles attach to). The bell has straight sides with sixteen grooves, sixteen lappets (folds), a flat top, and can be up to half an inch wide and almost an inch tall. In the grooves between the lappets are alternately eight tentacles and eight rhopalia. The tentacles are quite short and not easily noticeable.

Rhopalia are sense organs, and each rhopalium includes statocysts (for equilibrium and balance), two sensory pits (concentrated areas of sensory cells), and occasionally an ocellus (simple, photoreceptive eye). With the rhopalia, 58 | July 2019

thimble jellies can respond to gravity, light, touch, various chemicals, pressure, and temperature. There is one mouth in the center on the underside of the bell. The bell has a transparent outer coating, but symbiotic zooxanthellae (photosynthetic algae) attach to the surface, giving thimble jellies an overall brownish color. The inside surface is white with spots of green and brown.

Adult thimbles are prevalent in the warm waters of the subtropics and tropics. While they prefer shallow waters, they can live even in the abyssopelagic depths (almost four miles down). Buoyancy, light, pressure, prey abundance, temperature, salinity, and oxygen gradients affect their depth ranges. Their primary prey consists of crustacean plankton, including copepods and barnacle larvae.

They also rely on the zooxanthellae, as these algae can produce organic food during photosynthesis. Phosphate, ammonium, nitrate, and amino acids they absorb directly from the seawater. One means of locating prey they make use of is chemical stimuli. Thimbles begin feeding by pulsating their bell, creating a flow that draws in water.

Then the thimble extends four fishing tentacles and waits for prey to pass by. If prey comes into contact with one or more of the outstretched tentacles, nematocysts (stinging barbs which cover the tentacles) discharge and ensnare the hapless creature. The tentacles then draw the tasty morsel into the mouth. These same nematocysts are used as a defense mechanism against predators. Spadefish, sunfish, sea turtles and other marine organisms prey on

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adult thimbles. Nudibranch sea slugs consume juveniles.

Seasonal reproduction begins in the spring and early summer months when mature thimbles form aggregations in the northern Atlantic. These formations increase sperm concentration and improve reproductive success. Thimbles are dioecious (separate sexes). They are also polygynandrous, meaning males and females have multiple mates.

In March and April, large aggregations of almost half a square mile have been recorded in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. Four gastric pouches, each containing two gonad reproductive organs, connect with the stomach lining in mature thimbles. During reproduction, the male releases sperm out of his mouth into the open seawater. Some of the swimming sperm are swept into the female’s mouth and then into her gastric pouch. Fertilization is internal. Early embryonic development of the zygotes begins inside the female, in brood pouches along the oral arms. Small, flat, free-swimming larvae (called planula) form and swim from the female back into the water. After several days the larvae settle and attach themselves to a hard, sedentary structure on the sea floor. They then begin a stage in their life cycle called scyphistoma.

During this stage, the free-swimming larvae gradually transform into polyps. The polyp is composed of hard, thin tubes of chitin, taking on a hydra-like stalk form and growing up to six inches tall.

Polyps sometimes reproduce asexually to form polyp colonies before completing growth to the medusa (the final adult form). Eventually, the fully developed polyps undergo strobilation, developing a stack of saucer-like buds. Each bud develops into a tiny jellyfish, breaks off from the stack, and becomes a free-swimming young ephyra (a larval form that resembles a tiny version of the adult). After a few weeks, the young ephyrae will grow into medusae, completing the life cycle.

Thimble jellies do not care for their young once they reach the first freeswimming phase. Offspring can end up with zooxanthellae from their mother’s supply, even though the mother doesn’t intentionally supply them. Specific information on the longevity of thimble jellies is not known, but the lifespan of a typical jellyfish is a few months.

Planula and ephyrae larvae are the main culprits behind sea bather’s eruption, a rash that generally appears about 24 hours after swimming in the bays or Gulf. Though it’s a far more common appearance along Florida beaches, it’s not unknown to other Gulf states. Thimble larvae become trapped under swimsuits, t-shirts, etc. and fire their nematocysts.

Unlike full-grown thimbles, the sting from a larval jellyfish is not usually immediately noticed. The rash generally forms around areas where clothing is tight (kind of like chiggers) because these are the most likely areas for the jellies to be squished. The main symptoms are just redness and itchiness, though some people do experience fever, chills, headaches, or nausea. Just like insect bites or poison ivy, everyone reacts a bit different. However, seabather’s eruption has never been reported to cause death, and symptoms typically clear up in two or three weeks.

It’s also seasonal, peaking between May and August when thimble larvae are likely to be in the Gulf. To reduce your chances of being stung, avoid loose clothing that might trap the larvae against your skin, change out of your swim suit soon after you're finished swimming, don’t towel off before rinsing because that mechanical stimulation can trigger the nematocysts, and preferably rinse in quite hot water since cold or lukewarm fresh water can also activate the stingers. And remember to wash your swimsuit before wearing it again! If you do end up with the rash, over-the-counter antihistamines, hydrocortisone creams, and calamine lotion can be used to mitigate mild symptoms.

Sea lice aren’t the only culprits of rashes after swimming though.

60 | July 2019

Some arthropods leave bites that look awfully similar to seabather’s eruption, though their bites will be in grouped configurations of three.

Swimmer’s itch has a similar morphologic presentation but is caused by larval schistosomes (parasitic flatworms) that invade the skin, and they are only found in fresh water. Even seaweed caught under your swimsuit can cause dermatitis that resembles sea lice stings. At least you can take consolation that occurrences of seabather’s eruption in Texas waters are less common, and that thimble jellies aren’t actively out to get you.

I always try to remind folks that jellies have no control over where the currents take them or even over their own stinging cells. They are almost completely automated and at the mercy of the currents. We just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when we get stung. ~ Sharyl Crossley, senior aquarist at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga Where I learned about sea lice, and you can too!

*Special thanks to Rockport kayak fishing and eco tour guide Ryan Ford for the inspiration and knowledge he shared on our kayak trip.

Ryan Ford www.rockportkayak.com World Register of Marine Species www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=221098#distributions Marine Species Identification Portal species-identification.org/species.php?species_group=zsao&id=2419 Animal Diversity Web animaldiversity.org/accounts/Linuche_unguiculata/ Texas A&M University: Corpus Christi tamucc.edu/news/2016/06/061516%20Sea%20Lice%20Withers.html#.XJKqN_x7m9t Ingenta Connect www.ingentaconnect.com/content/umrsmas/bullmar/1994/00000054/00000003/ art00028 SpringerLink link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF00363913 National Geographic news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/06/sea-lice-jellyfish-science/ KHOU*11 www.khou.com/article/news/health/texas-beachgoers-cautious-about-sealice/285-235942648 Knox News www.knoxnews.com/story/news/2018/07/02/south-carolina-florida-beachesjellyfish-sharks-sea-lice-sun-burn/718533002/ Mother Nature Network www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/blogs/swimmers-brace-sea-lice-infestationalong-gulf-coast National Center for Biotechnology Information www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482307/ Medscape emedicine.medscape.com/article/1088160-overview Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thimble_jellyfish en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seabather%27s_eruption en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swimmer%27s_itch

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Lenny doesn’t look particularly happy during his initial encounter with Oz.

ERIC OZOLINS

E X T R E M E K AYA K F I S H I N G & S H A R K S F R O M T H E S A N D

LENNY THE LEMON In this era of heightened conservation awareness and involvement of the marine science community, increasing numbers of anglers are participating in shark tagging. Data collection from tagging, both biological and geographical, is extremely valuable to researchers seeking to better understand the fishery. Thanks to landbased shark fishermen who participate in tagging and releasing their catches, data that would be otherwise unobtainable is now being gathered. I would like to think that programs like the APEX Predators Program and other

local tagging organizations are playing a key role in the rise of conservation ethic within the Texas shark fishing community. Without trying to sound too scholarly, let me get straight to the tale of a shark I named Lenny.

It all began in late April 2018. Coming off an unusually cold winter that spawned a South Texas snow storm, among other weather anomalies, April’s warming trend was most welcome. The surf zone was alive with the smallest of prey species to the largest of predators.

With good water quality and no pesky sargassum weed

Donnie Tidwell recaptured Lenny only two weeks after the initial landing.

62 | July 2019

present, sharking got off to a phenomenal start.

Giant bull sharks were roaming the shallows consuming everything in their path. Even a few large tiger sharks and hammerheads made their presence known. During this time my beach charters were very productive and a regular client from San Antonio booked a weekend trip, hoping to get in the action. The plan called for me to go down ahead of their arrival to scout for a good location ahead of the weekend warriors. I set about collecting fresh bait and putting out a few lines of my own to check for shark activity. The answer to the activity question was not long in coming.

A rod I had ran out only thirty minutes earlier was getting slammed.

The shark picked up a large stingray and it felt like it had some mass. I knew in less than a minute I was into a fairly decent shark.

I battled the fish for about 20 minutes and got it to the first sandbar.

I went out to leader the fish and, to my surprise, it was a lemon shark.

While lemons are not rare in Texas, they are not all that common either, especially in South Texas. The majority of surf lemons are landed on the upper coast, starting around Matagorda. Here on Padre and farther south, what we call “lemon season” usually lasts about six weeks, beginning in late April. This one appeared right on cue.

Measuring 9-feet and 2-inches, this mature lemon was the largest male I’d ever caught or seen caught in Texas. Quite impressive, but there’s a lot more to the story.

The same as large male bull sharks, this lemon was full of aggressive energy. A natural product of the extreme testosterone levels the males of these species possess, which in fact rank among the highest of the whole animal kingdom. I maneuvered the shark into position to

remove the hook and he was quick in demonstrating that he wanted no part of it. Staring into that cat-like eye, I sensed he was keeping close tabs on me.

Being solo, it was a task to tame the beast but I finally managed it. I was also able to take measurements and place a tag near the base of the dorsal fin for the Harte Research Institute. I dragged him back into the water and he swam off as though nothing had happened.

Roughly two weeks later, on a personal shark adventure with Alexis, we were having a blast banging out sharks and had a couple larger fish pick up baits but none were hooked. Later that evening, a friend and younger shark fishermen who has enjoyed considerable success farther up the coast stopped by. Donnie Tidwell calls Matagorda his home water and was making one of his infrequent visits to Padre.

Donnie was wearing a large smile and by way of greeting said, “I think I caught your lemon. Do you by chance recall the tag number?”

I looked up the data and sure enough, Donnie had recaptured my lemon. Traditionally, shark recaptures do not occur than soon after a release. However, and for whatever reason, this shark had remained in the area, still trying to satisfy his voracious appetite.

Donnie’s recapture was made within only a couple miles of where I originally tagged it, and he too was fishing big baits. This time the lemon hit a large section of jack crevalle Donnie had placed roughly 500 yards from the beach. It was approximately 4:00 a.m. when Donnie accomplished the landing and, the same as with me, it was very aggressive and active trying to “crawl” on the sand.

Given only two weeks between the landings, Donnie’s measurements showed no growth. However, the location of a

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Gibson Colvin recaptures Lenny a year later.

64 | July 2019

Harte Institute tag Oz placed on the initial Lenny encounter.

This may well be the first time, certainly in Texas, where a lemon shark has been recaptured twice. The data collected through the initial capture and subsequent recaptures is invaluable to science. For me personally, I developed a strange and obsessive respect for this shark, as if he was human.

Where will Lenny travel next? Will he be recaptured? Who will be the lucky angler?

C O N TA C T

recapture, even though only a short distance from the first, is very important. That shark was there for a reason. Whether for the abundance of food or possibly seeking a mate, it had stuck around.

This was also the first time one of my tagged lemons had been recaptured. Recaptures of lemons on Texas beaches are very rare and I was pleasantly surprised and very happy for Donnie’s success.

Fast forward one year. I was on a beach charter with regular client, Gibson Colvin. The date was April 17, 2019. The conditions were quite brutal with very stiff southeast wind. Southeast wind of such strength blows the water straight up the beach creating a tremendous current.

We fished through the afternoon and things were relatively slow until his son caught a 20-pound stingray. We decided the ray would make a perfect bait and I kayaked it out right before dark.

Around midnight the reel went off. I jumped up on the rack to assess the situation and confirmed it was a solid fish. After a fairly decent fight, I went out to tail-rope the shark in the darkness. It was very aggressive at first and I had to let it calm down to apply the rope. I could tell it was a large lemon as soon as I was able to get close to it.

As I pulled the shark to the edge of the water I noticed it had been tagged previously – a local tag on a large male lemon. Could it be?

Even with only a quick glance I recognized the tag number. It was him! The feeling that came over me was like something from the paranormal realm. It inspired me that this guy deserved a name and I dubbed him Lenny. Lenny the Lemon.

So there we were, removing the hook from the same mouth, once again gazing into those same cat-like eyes. It almost seemed he was staring back at me and thinking to himself, “I know you.” Our paths had crossed a second time and, the same as the first, he was dragged back to the water and swam away as though nothing had happened.

For this second recapture, Lenny was brought to the sand fewer than five miles from where he had been caught twice before. Over the course of a year Lenny had grown another inch, approaching the biological maximum for his species.

For the past decade Eric ‘Oz’ Ozolins has been promoting shark catch and release and assisting various shark research programs. Eric offers guided shark fishing on Padre Island National Seashore. Also renowned for extreme kayak big game fishing, Eric is the owner of Catch Sharks Tackle Company.

Email Websites

oz@oceanepics.com oceanepics.com | catchsharks.com

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Celebrates Sixty Years

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H&H Lures celebrates 60 years in the fishing tackle business this year. H&H was started by Bill Humphreys Sr. in 1959, working out of a secondhand bread truck with $2000 as a wholesale distributor (Humphreys Wholesale Sporting Goods) and lure manufacturer.

About three years later he had to choose the business that had a more promising future. He phased out of the wholesale business to concentrate on lure manufacturing, specifically the Original H&H Spinner which was America’s first spinner lure.

Working seven days a week and sixteen hours a day, H&H grew rapidly and soon began selling their products nationally. As larger retailing concerns began to appear across the country they began to seek relations with manufacturers that could supply them accordingly. Since Bill had the knowledge of fishing tackle, he increased production to meet their demands.

Over the years H&H has grown to produce more than 25,000 items, plus private brand/OEM products for several tackle companies. Bill Sr’s son, Billy Humphreys, Jr. joined the company in 1980 after graduating LSU. Bill Sr’s grandson, Steve Miclette, Jr., third generation of the family involved in the business, joined the company in 2008 upon graduating from Southeastern LA. The H&H brand presently consists of 60% saltwater tackle and 40% freshwater tackle, as well as a full line of accessories. Bill Humphreys Sr. has enjoyed 60-plus years in the tackle industry and says he could not have accomplished this without his family and loyal employees.

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EVERETT JOHNSON

P L A S T I C & W AT E R D O N ' T M I X

TRASH BLOWS – BOY DOES IT EVER!

Last month I reported on an organization that is doing an amazing work in Aransas County, helping restore the communities of Fulton and Rockport as they get back on their feet after a bad actor named Harvey drew a bullseye on the two coastal communities. The group is Keep Aransas County Beautiful (KACB) and their post-Harvey mission and accomplishments continue to be highly-commendable.

The initial focus of KACB was assisting residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed during the storm to find alternative housing, food, drinking water, and other necessities of life. As that crisis became more manageable, KABC shifted gears to cleanup mode, becoming involved with various organizations and agencies removing mountains of storm debris from bay waters, shorelines, streets, and highways.

Approaching the two-year anniversary of Harvey’s landfall, KABC remains engaged in many projects, not the least of which is outreach to encourage recreational boaters and fishermen to practice better litter management.

Have you ever followed a boat being trailered down the highway? What about a plain old pickup truck that wasn’t towing a boat…ever noticed trash blowing from the bed of the truck? I’m sure you have; it happens all too frequently.

And, sadly, a lot of the trash that blows from vehicles eventually finds its way into waterways that drain into the bay.

I have mentioned this before; the road I live on deadends into the Intra-Coastal Waterway. Charlie’s Bait Camp, 68 | July 2019

at the end of the road on the ICW, is a very popular destination for launching boats and purchasing bait and refreshments for a day of fishing. On busy summer weekends I have counted close to 100 vehicles with boat trailers in their parking lot.

Most fishermen, as soon as they get their boat on the trailer, head for the cleaning table to take care of the day’s catch. With that done, anxious to get headed home or wherever they will be spending the night, they toss bags of fillets in ice chests, and hit the road. It is always very disappointing, that first mile or so of Lane Road, becomes a catch-all for all manner of trash that blows out of trailered boats. I have seen it so many times. Hand towels, ice sacks, plastic shopping bags, aluminum cans and plastic bottles – if it is not disposed of or stowed properly, it’s likely to find its way into the roadside ditch. And ditches drain to the ICW! It’s the same everywhere and KABC has a plan. They have gained permission from an organization engaged in a similar mission on Mobile Bay (MobileBayNEP.com) to use a piece of clever cartoon-art to help spread the message.

KABC is planning billboards, signage at boat launches and other fishing-related destinations, bumper stickers, and handbills to get the word out. KABC and Mobile Bay NEP deserve a hearty salute from all that care about the health of our bays and the coastal environment. Hopefully the message will sink in.

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EVERETT JOHNSON

TWO CAN BE BETTER THAN SIX – A CASE FOR SINGLE HOOKS As early as we learned to count we were taught that six is bigger than two. Sometime shortly thereafter we bought into more is better. As true as these facts might prove in some ways, we must accept that there are exceptions to every rule.

The late Capt. Dan Colley, who fished the Lower Laguna Madre out of Arroyo City and no stranger to grassed-up water, introduced me to single hooks on surface plugs more than twenty years ago. Skeptical at first, within only a few outings I became convinced that two hooks can be as effective as six when fishing with topwaters. You might land a few less fish on foulhookings, but how many foul-hooked fish actually stay on the line? The bottom line here is that when fish eat single-hooked topwaters they stay hooked!

The most obvious reason to ditch trebles for singles is found after only a few casts if you’re fishing an area with lots of floating grass. Turn the reel handle a few times and treble hooks rake up a bunch grass. That dog won’t walk

Got grass? Ditch the trebles for a better chance to keep your dogs walking!

70 | July 2019

and the fish don’t like it any more than you do.

Shortly after the discovery that single hooks were effective on surface lures, I was fishing one February afternoon in Port O’Connor’s Pringle Lake. Big trout were staged shallow over grass and going ape for Fat Boys. Several quick rod twitches followed by a pause of several seconds was doing the trick, but a second too long produced more grass than trout. I waded back to the boat, swapped hooks, and enjoyed the rest of a memorable afternoon.

There are more reasons than grass to swap factory trebles for singles. One is rooted in conservation and the desire to release all or part of your catch. Treble hooks, by their very nature, are prone to causing greater injury to fish you wish to release.

Safety is another consideration. Ever tried to land a frisky trout or redfish on a topwater without a Boga Grip or net when wading? The Boga would be my first choice over hand-grabbing a fish bristling with barbs. Nets will never be my favorite. I have always viewed untangling treble hooks from them a waste of valuable fishing time.

Mike McBride wrote an excellent piece we published back in July 2008 that he titled; Going Single. You can find it with a quick search of our web archives. Here’s what Mike said…

“Jerk it out; do it now!”

That was Capt. Tricia giving orders as I tried to remove a hook from her finger…Trying to land an aggressive topwatered redfish, the silly thing torpedoed and drove the front set of treble hooks into her waders below the knee. Trying to free herself; the second set of hooks found purchase deep in the first joint of her index finger. Even more serious was blowing bubbles on each wave due to the awkward position she was caught in….Treble hooks are just flat evil; in fish, in human flesh, in landing nets, and especially in floating grass. Beyond the obvious safety factor, by using single hooks we are able to get plugs on fish in conditions we had to walk away from before. A properly rigged topwater will negotiate most everything but a full-on grass mat.

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The evolution of the single hook, aimed specifically at replacing trebles has been a godsend to serious pluggers. For lack of anything better, Dan Colley used small Kahle hooks. My earliest choices were short-shank J-hooks of any flavor that looked like they might work.

The simple J-hook is forged with the eye oriented 90° to the centerline of the shank. Using them requires a second split ring be added so that the hook can align with the longitudinal axis of the lure. Properly installed – the point gap of the front hook will face forward while the gap of the rear hook faces rearward.

The shorter the shank the better to preclude the hooks tangling.

Gamakatsu’s Live Bait Hooks with Forged Rings in sizes 1/0, 2/0, and 3/0, intended for live baiting of large gamefish, were and still are a good choice for swapping with trebles as the additional ring is already there.

Taking things a step farther, VMC and Owner now offer inline single hooks as replacements for trebles on saltwater lures. Not to be outdone, Gamakatsu is also developing their own version that should be available soon. In case you still doubt the whole single hook concept, consider that Rapala now offers several hardbaits with single hooks rather than trebles.

Some anglers fret whether the lighter single hook might somehow impede or reduce the action of their lures. To be honest, I have never found this to be a problem. If any change in action can be detected, I believe the lighter singles actually “loosen” the lure to dive, dart, and walk more effectively.

If you haven’t climbed aboard the single hook bandwagon yet, you really should give them a try. Many of our writing team swear by single hooks and use them daily in their guide work to fish places where trebles just can’t hang…unless you enjoy catching grass.

Looking to swap trebles for singles; Gamakatsu and Owner offer some great options.

Inline singles – hooks with the eye oriented in the same plane as the shank – can be slipped right on the existing split ring when the treble is removed. If you cannot find these, Gamakatsu’s Live Bait With Ring requires no additional split ring to get the hook hanging correctly. The front hook should always face forward and the back hook to the rear.

Not just for floaters; single hooks work equally well below the surface.

A very nice feature of the Gamakatsu Inline Single Hook – the wire that forms the eye is flattened slightly to allow slipping it onto a split ring.

Ouch! Ask Capt. Steve Hillman if he would have rather had a single hook on the rear-end of that Jointed Corky.

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More Solutions to the

GRASS PROBLEM EVERETT JOHNSON

Biologists describe seagrass as the foundation of the estuarine food chain; a linear network of links in a food web starting with the tiniest of organisms and ending at apex predator species.

The apex predators Texas shallow-water anglers seek are primarily spotted seatrout and redfish.

Any angler who has waded enough miles of flats is most certainly aware that the best fishing opportunity lies in and around grassbeds. Not so much barren sand and featureless mud bottom.

So grass is good; put that in your book. But too much grass can be a problem, whether rooted to the seafloor or dead and suspended in the water column or floating on the surface. Fishing effectively in heavily-grassed habitat requires choosing your lures carefully to avoid the risk of catching more grass than fish.

Swapping trebles for single hooks helps in some situations (see page 70 in this issue), but there are times when even this isn’t enough.

A better answer sometimes lies in weedless rigging. Or should I say rigging lures to catch “less” weeds. The truth of the matter is that weedless is a relative term and therefore more of a goal than a reality at times.

There’s lots of ways to get a lure through thick grass and perhaps the most famous is the time-tested Johnson Silver Minnow Spoon. Invented in 1923, it was billed as the Original Weedless Wonder.

Redfish love them and every fisherman should own several.

Another lure that deserves serious consideration is the PT-7 by DOA Lures.

Though a tad dorky in appearance, don’t let that fool you. When redfish are lurking beneath floating grass mats, as we commonly see in the Laguna Madre, this little floating bait is the bomb. Just pitch it out there and walk it back. Make sure the hook point is snuggled against 74 | July 2019

The Johnson Silver Minnow has to be one of the most popular weedless lures ever invented.

It’s been catching fish in grassy situations since 1923!

Don’t let the dorky appearance of the DOA PT-7 fool you. This little floater is the bomb, even when fishing full-on floating grass mats.

the soft body (but not piercing the plastic) to avoid snagging grass while maximizing the hook-up ratio. We’ll discuss a neat trick a little later that helps accomplish this.

A bait that has begun to attract a lot of attention lately for its enticing side-to-side darting action and weedless capability is the Trout Support Grass Walker. Inventor Tobin Strickland bills it as an underwater dog-walker. Whether to fish it on a nonweighted wormhook or a lightly-weighted swimbait hook depends on water depth being targeted and presentation style. I’ve used it both ways with great results for trout and redfish. Discussing presentations with Tobin, I remarked that if the fish were feeding actively and staging higher in the water column we wouldn’t need your lure…but that only happens a few hours of any given day. The Grass Walker does its best work when the fish are sulking in the grass on the bottom.

The Bass Assassin Die Dapper is another great soft plastic bait for weedless presentations and, here again, it works equally well on non-weighted and weighted hooks. The greatest attribute of this bait is the large paddle tail.

Whereas most soft plastics require the angler impart some amount of twitching to create enticing action, all that is necessary with the Die Dapper is a slowroll retrieve right down amid the grass and oyster shell. Yes, it works as well over heavy shell as it does in grass. The wobble of that big paddle tail sends all the message the fish need.

Last but not least on this list of “weedless wonders” is the KWigglers Willow Tail Shad. KWigglers owner and inventor, Wayne Davis, is a full time

guide on the Lower Laguna. Wayne’s quest in developing the Willow Tail was rooted in his need for a lure that clients could use effectively in heavily-grassed conditions. Like the Die Dapper’s paddle tail, the Willow Tail wiggles enticingly with every turn of the reel handle.

KWigglers also offers a specialized wormhook for the Willow Tail in weighted and non-weighted configuration. The neat thing about the weighted version is the weight can be adjusted along the hook shank for a nose-first or flat-fall presentation.

Now that we have established that shallow grassbeds attract gamefish and we need specialized lure rigging to catch them most of the time, there is yet another problem to be solved.

How can we keep the hook point just barely exposed to increase hook-up ratios while not exposing it so far that it catches grass?

Right out of the package, most soft baits have enough elasticity to remain on the hook exactly as we rig them. However, that elasticity fades quickly. Dragging the lure through heavy grass and catching a few fish usually means the lure becomes loose and wants to droop to the curve of the hook shank. When this happens, the hook point is exposed in the amount that we’re no longer fishing weedless.

Hook-Pal to the rescue!

Hook-Pal is a small plastic disc originally made for securing trailer hooks to spinnerbaits. To install the Hook-Pal disc on a wormhook or swimbait hook, you simply pop it into the recess on the accompanying tool and push the hook point through the disc. Next, slide the disc out of the way toward the eye of the hook. After placing the lure on the hook, with the point just barely grazing the back of the lure, slide the disc against the belly of the lure to hold it there. Viola! You’re grass-catching problem is solved!

One more tidbit – hook point alignment. Quite often we find wormhooks and swimbait hooks with the hook point angled downward in a fashion that makes it difficult to rig the point parallel with the body of the lure – just barely exposed.

Grasping the hook just behind the barb with pliers and bending it upward to open the gap makes rigging easier and greatly increases the hook-up ratio.

Good luck in the grass!

Got grass? Break out the Grass Walker! In just the short time this bait has been on the market it has gained go-to status with many hardcore shallow-water anglers.

Talk about a weedless wonder – if you’ve never tried this soft bait on a wormhook you don’t know what you’re missing.

Designed by a guide that fishes thick grass for a living, the KWigglers Willow Tail can be rigged on a standard leadhead, or weedless depending on the situation at hand.

Keeping soft plastic lures working in grassy situations can be as easy as falling off a log with the addition of the Hook-Pal disc to keep the bait aligned with the hook point. Unless your hooksetting can put Bill Dance to shame…you need this!

TSFMAG.com | 75

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76 | July 2019

P R O D U C T S

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Excel Storm Cat 210 Wide, deep, tough, fast and versatile. The spacious 102” beam and deep 28” sides allows you to fish bigger and rougher waters and provides a wide and stable fishing platform for fishing multispecies; cats, bass, crappie, salmon, stripers; you name it. Thick .160 gauge aluminum takes a pounding and is the thickest aluminum hull in the market. The Excelleration™ Pad Hull runs smooth and extremely fast. A full-height and sealed walk-through windshield protects from the elements and extends your fishing season. A 40 gallon fuel tank provides miles and miles of range and 55 gallon recirculating livewell holds your catch on a successful day. The Storm Cat is loaded with dry storage compartments for gear and rods. For more information see your nearest Excel dealer.

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TSFMAG.com | 77

DICKIE COLBURN

DICKIE COLBURN’S Sabine Scene

S ab i n e

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

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

78 | July 2019

We have received very little rain over the past month, but any at all only adds to the problem for Sabine Lake anglers. Aside from running both generators 24/7 on Toledo Bend, the Sabine River Authority has also been forced to open a varying number of gates depending on the strength of each new storm plowing across central Texas over the past seventeen consecutive days.

Even Rayburn is still six and a half feet above pool level and all that fresh water eventually flushes into Sabine Lake as well. Exceptionally strong and persistent winds that usually lie down in June have let up very little and tend to hold up the outgoing tides while stacking water in the surrounding marshes.

There is no longer much debating as to why the trout bite is so poor. For the most part, they just aren’t there to be caught.

It has been so difficult catching Texas-legal trout that I gave up on hunting them and have turned to

a solid redfish bite in order to consistently catch fish.

Hopefully, the trout will eventually find me!

The S.A.L.T. Club annual Memorial tournament is the longest running tournament on Sabine Lake and annually draws a large field of very competent anglers. In spite of the fact that there are a number of species and categories that pay off, 169 anglers brought a total of only 16 fish to the scales in two days.

The redfish division was predictably competitive, but only two flounder were weighed in and the three winning trout were caught in Calcasieu and Galveston!

Regardless of water clarity or lack thereof, if the wind allows it is still relatively easy to catch redfish in the main lake. Easily, the most exciting program is to find them feeding on the surface in sizeable schools. They Just the right size are blowing holes in the water in flooded bayous. and shad into the air; hooking

up requires little more than reaching them with virtually any lure.

Because so many of them are measuring oversize, there is little need to worry about keeping up with the school.

I highly recommend offering them a lure with a single hook and using braided line. They could care less if you attach a short length of leader anyway, and the faster you can win the tug of war the better their chances of surviving upon release.

For the most part, these fish are doing their thing well off the shoreline and you will invariably catch more fish by staying put rather than chasing them. If you just can’t resist attempting to run them down, look for terns or a gull or two to get you in a promising Reds schooling in open lake. Large, but fun!

area. Too many boats and too many wakes will quickly put an end to this program.

The bite on the shoreline is much more akin to bass fishing.

Topwaters, gold spoons and Gulp rigged on a light jig head are all good choices when hunting these fish. If you are especially lucky, you will find small schools of slot fish hunting in groups tight to the shoreline.

As a rule we will start working either side of a drain when there is no visible activity. Never pass up a group of nervous egrets wading the shoreline as they are waiting for the reds to blow their next meal up in the grass. The same can be said for red-winged blackbirds perched just above the water’s edge.

Undoubtedly, no one is dealing with the water stacked up in the marshes better than Capt. Chuck Uzzle. He was chasing redfish in the backwater ponds in his aluminum boat long before it became popular. His only complaint thus far is that the water is high enough for bass boats to access the cuts and the additional noisy traffic scatters the fish.

“We are catching our share of bass as well,” says Uzzle. “But they are not the reason for manning the push pole. There have been very few days lately when I can’t tie on a small topwater or plastic frog and stay in quality reds all morning long.”

We have found a lizard rigged weedless on a 4/0 worm hook to be a good choice as well. If I were looking to hire a guide on Sabine right now it would be Capt. Chuck. I cannot imagine any trip that would be more enjoyable for a youngster, even if they never caught the first fish.

The “looking” is darn near as much fun as the “catching”!

TSFMAG.com | 79

CAPT. CALEB HARP

THE BUZZ on Galveston Bay

Galve s t o n

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

Telephone 281-753-3378 Website harpsguideservice.com

80 | July 2019

July typically brings stable weather patterns that includes lighter winds and calmer bays. This will be a great improvement, coming off recent weeks of windy, stormy conditions. I’m not sure what is going on with these continual west and southwest winds but they’re welcome to go away anytime.

In general, any amount of west or southwest blows water out of our bays and greatly diminishes the strength of incoming tides. Galveston Bay system’s hydrology works best for fishing when the prevailing wind comes from the southeast. Hence the “sweet southeast” nickname. Southeast wind pushes water into the bays, increasing the strength of incoming tides. Several days of predominantly west/southwest drains the bay and usually puts the kibosh on the bite.

Being that July mostly gives us calm conditions, we can all quit complaining and enjoy a wider window of fishing opportunity. More water in play means we won’t all have to crowd into small areas. Lord knows it’s going to be hot, though. But don’t let that scare you away from enjoying a day on the water. Often times people don’t want to grind all day in July heat but if you know the Galveston Bay System very well, you probably already know how good the fishing can be.

Stable summertime weather patterns allow us to fish just about anywhere we choose, and when we are able to locate schools of trout on deep structure they tend to remain there as long as the bait holds. Sure, spring weather is hard to beat, temperature-wise, but dealing with the spring transition and all the crazy wind gets lots of folks to thinking they’d just rather have a crawfish boil. If you can stand the heat July is definitely game-on in the catching department.

The fish aren’t super spread out right now, which means you cannot simply drift around all day and expect to catch fish wherever you end up. You have to pinpoint the schools and stand on them. With all the new technology in Power Poles, GPS, and iPilot trolling motors with “anchor mode” capability, anglers nowadays have greater ability to position themselves right on the school without drifting away from the action. It seems lately that if you keep trying to redrift or troll around a spot you will eventually lose the school and risk not being able to find it again.

The days when we could make a short move and find another school are over. We don’t have nearly as many fish, so you’ve got to play a lot smarter.

It amazes me that with as much information as we

have at our fingertips fishermen don’t seem to be able to read the handwriting on the wall. Like I’ve talked about in previous articles, we don’t have to wait for the new limit changes to be implemented in September. We should change the perception of why we fish today.

Fishing doesn’t need to be about killing every legal fish we catch.

Learning the patterns, tricking fish, having a good time, and enjoying the day for what it’s worth is what it’s all about – or should be. Try to keep only what you need for dinner and release the rest. That’s the beauty of fishing. You can throw them back and still have a good time. If you’re truly so hungry you have to kill everything, you might want to take up another hobby…one where you can earn a few extra dollars for groceries.

West Bay has been good for wade fishermen on the west end and around San Luis Pass throwing MirrOlure She Dogs and Provokers.

East Bay has been a bit inconsistent

Darrell Palmer with a bull red from an open water school.

but when the tide is right the reefs have been producing solid trout. There have been a lot of smaller fish spread all over the bay, so getting bites hasn’t been a problem. Just be patient and handle the little guys carefully on your way to the better ones.

Redfish have been good in openwater schools in the middle of the bays, pretty much hanging with rafts of mullet, menhaden and ribbonfish.

The Houston Ship Channel spoils will become more consistent for trout as the weather settles in July.

Everybody is anxious to see the tide-runners coming up the channel toward Trinity Bay. Let’s just hope the salinity improves in time for their arrival; it’s pretty much a muddy mess right now. Barring any unusual rain events between now and the end of July, I expect Trinity could make a rebound toward the middle of August, certainly by Labor Day. Be safe out there and enjoy your fishing.

TSFMAG.com | 81

BINK GRIMES

THE VIEW FROM Matagorda

M ata go r d a

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

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

82 | July 2019

It gets hot in July, but we beat the heat by leaving well before sunrise and returning to the shade of the cleaning table before the sun begins to melt.

July is a great month for topwaters. We look forward to calm days and when that happens we love wading mid-bay reefs in East Matagorda Bay. Spots like Drull’s Lump, Three Beacon Reef, Long Reef, Barefoot Reef and Halfmoon Reef are all players with topwaters, Bass Assassins, Down South Lures and MirrOlure Lil’ Johns.

We like to get waist to chest-deep and fire plugs off the drop-offs of the reefs. It is a patient game, but then a slick pops here and a slick pops there, and before long 5to 7-pound trout with the occasional 8- to 9-pound sow shows on those glorious days.

Halfmoon Reef in West Matagorda Bay has been on fire when the wind allows fishing there. The 54-acre restoration project built

by Nature Conservancy is a trout magnet. It’s like fishing a 6- to 7-foot underwater jetty. I can’t tell you how many days I have caught

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limits in less than an hour. The key is fishing it on a day with 5-10 knot winds.

For redfish in July, fish incoming high tides in spots like Cut Off Flats, Zipperian Bayou, Oyster Lake and Crab Lake. Work the mouths of these lakes and bayous as the tide begin to fall.

Tides seem to always fall well below normal levels this month after a westerly wind. East Matagorda Bay loses almost two feet of water. When this happens, most all of the redfish pull off the shorelines and congregate in the middle of the bay. The reds give themselves away by producing big slicks and we drift right through them.

The reds are not small ones either – mostly upper-slot fish with lots of attitude. When the reds start slicking, you can literally make one drift and have all the fish you need.

When tides get really low due to nagging southwesterly winds, the middle of East Matagorda Bay is a player. Look for slicks and make long drifts.

Trout will always be the most targeted species in Texas. We have good incoming tides in morning hours that usher fish over sand and grass flats in West Matagorda Bay. We run a distance off the shorelines to avoid burning potential wading areas, looking for slicks, and then slide in behind them and wade through the fish.

For those who choose to stay in the boat, the same deep reefs we drift every month out of the year will hold fish in July. The bait of choice is live shrimp under a Mid-Coast popping cork. In fact, live shrimp while drifting generally out-fishes all other baits 10:1.

As always, the surf is a player in July. Lots of hearty 3- to 5-pound trout are caught on topwaters and MirrOlures. As of this writing, the Gulf has not given us a calm enough day to work the beach.

However, July has a reputation as a reliable month for surf opportunity. We enjoyed about 10 days in the surf during July 2018.

Stay cool and well-hydrated, be conservation-minded, and be nice to your neighbor.

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TSFMAG.com | 83

CAPT. SHELLIE GRAY

MID-COAST BAYS With the Grays

Port O'Connor Seadrift

Captain Shellie Gray was born in Port Lavaca and has been guiding in the Seadrift/Port O’Connor area full time for the past 16 years. Shellie specializes in wading for trout and redfish year round with artificial lures.

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

Weather patterns have finally stabilized after a rollercoaster ride through the spring months. Calmer winds recently have given us so many options that we are sometimes left wondering which direction is the best one to take when leaving the dock. While I still enjoy sight-casting redfish in our backcountry lakes, some of them have become so inundated with seagrass that it’s nearly impossible to get a lure to the fish.

Many areas of Matagorda, Espiritu Santo, and San Antonio bays have hard sand shorelines with patches of grass and guts near deeper water. San Antonio Bay has many mid-bay reefs with deep drop-offs. Fish use these areas this time of year as they search for forage and also because the drop-offs offer cooler water during the middle of the day.

Wading deep or anchoring on drop-offs adjacent to deeper water have been the key to catching lately. I am not a fan of neck-deep wading but it is sometimes necessary to find a steady bite. Holding steady when you find a decent bite is imperative to staying in the fish. I watch too many anglers walking forward as they reel in a fish. After a few fish, they have wandered into the area where the fish were holding and the bite shuts down. This can be a real headache when you

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84 | July 2019

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Even though I’ve been guiding 17 years, nothing is more exciting to me than watching a youngster battle their first keeper redfish. This is Trevor Price and his smile says it all!

have worked hours to find the bite, only to lose it shortly thereafter.

Some of the areas we fish are strongly influenced by tide movement.

Matagorda Bay, with its two openings to the gulf, is a great example of how tides can affect fishing success. As the tide moves in and out it delivers bait to game fish. When the tide is slack the fish tend to become inactive. When I notice this I relocate to areas that are less tide-dependent in Espiritu Santo or San Antonio Bay. I mention this to encourage anglers to study the tide charts before heading to places such as Matagorda Bay’s south shoreline.

If fishing this close to the passes isn’t to your liking, the mid-bay reefs in San Antonio Bay have been producing nice catches in recent weeks. You might have to hop from reef to reef to find fish but the hunt is half the fun. Remember that finding bait on a reef is always a primary key to finding fish there.

I have many customers that get excited when they notice a flock of birds hovering and diving. I wish I could share their excitement but I know what lurks under those birds so often in our waters – dink trout, skipjacks, and gafftop. Contrast this with East Matagorda Bay where fishing the birds often produces quality trout and redfish. There is one significant exception, though. If you happen to find birds working close to the crown of a San Antonio Bay reef, you could be in luck. The trout under those birds working close to a reef are usually of better quality with fewer non-game species present.

Now that we are getting into the middle of summer, I can’t stress enough the importance of getting an early start to your day. I put a lot of effort into arriving at my first spot when the sun is only a rosy glow in the east, still below the horizon. I am not saying you cannot catch fish later in the morning or mid-afternoon, but I can tell you I have more confidence and success when fishing the early morning hours than in the hottest part of the day.

The use of a handheld spotlight comes in handy when leaving the dock before sunrise to signal other boaters and to avoid channel markers and other obstructions. Likewise, a small headlamp on the bill of your cap is very handy when tying knots and organizing gear for your first wade.

There are already more boaters on the water than only a month ago. Please use your best judgment when fishing or boating around others. If you think you might be too close to another boat you probably are. Give as much room as possible to all anglers, whether they are wading or fishing from the boat.

If by chance you are a kayak angler, you definitely need to familiarize yourself with channels, sloughs, and other waterways you plan to travel before navigating in poor light conditions. Here on the middle coast, nearly all the bodies of shallow water – back lakes, Shoalwater Bay, Dewberry Lagoon, and others – have very limited access in the form of navigable channels. I see way too many yakers trying to fish in the middle of these travel lanes. I fear it’s only a matter of time until someone gets hurt.

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TSFMAG.com | 85

DAVID ROWSEY

HOOKED UP WITH Rowsey

Upper Laguna/ Ba f f i n

David Rowsey has over 25 years in Baffin and Upper Laguna Madre; trophy trout with artificial lures is his specialty.

David has a great passion for conservation and encourages catch and release of trophy fish.

Telephone 361-960-0340 Website www.DavidRowsey.com Email david.rowsey@yahoo.com @captdavidrowsey

86 | July 2019

The days have gotten hot, especially when winds are light. If I was in my teens and needed a good summer job I think I would go into the shaved ice business and make deliveries to boaters and fishermen on the bay. Good chance that sales might be hotter than a fresh load of croaker.

Summer patterns are going to hold steady into mid-September for Baffin and the Upper Laguna, not withstanding something dramatic from the tropics.

Catching numbers of trout should not be an issue but you’ll need an early start with water temps running in the mid-80s and rising. Larger trout will certainly be around but they are typically loners this time of year, not generally associating with smaller fish. Mind you, associating can be a relative term as larger trout may not be right in the midst of the schoolies, but very close by. For example; if you find a ton of small trout bites on a drop-off into deep water, adjust your focus to nearby shallow bars, flats, and shorelines for larger fish. The bites will not be as plentiful but the reward thoroughly outweighs it.

With the sun climbing, long about 10:00 am, I like to switch to sight-cast mode for reds and occasional large trout. The morning is getting warm by this hour

and the trout bite is starting to dwindle anyway. What could be more fun than seeing your target, making a perfect cast, and watching them eat your lure? With miles and miles of flats and shallow spoil islands, this combination of hunting and fishing is a personal summertime favorite. Preferred conditions are clear skies with enough breeze to ripple the surface and break the glare, and bait flipping occasionally in scattered potholes. It’s very easy to get caught up in this and end up far from the boat. Pack a bottle of water for the hunt.

As has been the case since way back in early winter our water quality has been superb. Baffin and the Laguna have remained trout-green to almost airclear. I attribute this largely to the unprecedented amount of seagrass. It’s as thick as I’ve ever seen and great for clear water, but I would much rather have more bottom diversity in the form of sandy potholes (feeding areas). Seeking these areas will cut your scouting time in half if you make a mental note and return to fish them when they have a good bait supply. TPWD has always made a big deal on how long it takes for seagrass to grow but I must respectfully disagree. Having success on any small

It’s hard to make a 6.5-pound trout look solid when the angler stands 6-feet and 7-inches. Royce Moran had three good ones this day throwing 5” Sea Shad Bass Assassins.

cluster of potholes for a week, I can come back in two- to three-weeks and discover new grass covering 50-75% of the sand pockets that were there. I’m sure it’s different further up the coast but down here it’s almost like an invasive weed.

Seems the number one question before every charter is; “What they hittin’ on Captain?”

Personally, I like to keep things simple. I start most mornings with a MirrOlure She Dog (choppy surface) or Top Pup (calmer conditions). I’m going to know within ten minutes if there is a surface bite worth pursuing. If I’m not feeling it I break out my 5” rattail Bass Assassin fish finder. I determine the weight of my jighead based upon bottom structure, which is usually grass. Very grassy and/ or shallow gets a sixteenth ounce jighead while deeper and sandier bottom gets an eighth.

Regardless of weight, I’m using a small 2/0 wide gap hook. In the case of hook size, bigger is not better when it comes to jigheads. Far and away, my favorite hardbait is the MirrOlure MirrOdine. I have gained so much confidence in this lure over the past three years that I now rely on it yearround. I recently discovered the Heavy Dine C18MR, also from MirrOlure, and find it awesome in deeper water where you want it to get down quicker. It has proven especially effective on deep rock piles along the edges of deep bars. Easy to work and very effective.

It would be hard to carve a quality living in the fishing industry without great sponsors and relationships. I’m blessed to have made many over the years. I only promote what I believe in and use on a daily basis. Saying that, I have to tip my hat to Chris Coulter and Chris’ Marine. Whether it be turning a wrench, spraying aluminum, or painting a lower unit; Chris and his crew have always had my back, as well as anyone else who might be in a bind. Highly recommend!

Remember the buffalo! -Capt David Rowsey TSFMAG.com | 87

WAYNE DAVIS

WAYNE’S Mansfield Report

Port Mansfield

Captain Wayne Davis has been fishing the Lower Laguna-Port Mansfield for over 20 years. He specializes in wade fishing with lures.

Telephone 210-287-3877 Email captwayne@kwigglers.com

in

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Greetings from Port Mansfield! I heard a rumor we were in the running for Windiest Fishing Village on the Texas Coast last month. If you have fished anywhere on the Lower Laguna recently you can probably relate. Fishing in 30 mph sustained wind can be frustrating, especially if the water is muddy.

Lucky for us, water levels were running unusually high, thus keeping some of our water clean. We have an excellent water filtration system down here; it’s called seagrass, and we have lots of it. We keep our sanity because we can see clear water in high winds. That doesn’t necessarily mean we are catching fish in clear water, but it is pleasant to see while cruising the flats. On the contrary, if our water levels had been extremely low during that windy period the majority of the bay would have been a big mud puddle.

So, what are we doing to catch fish in windy situations? It’s really pretty simple, we go fishing and fish the same areas that hold fish when the wind is down and the water is pretty. We just have to adjust our mindset and understand that fish still eat when it is windy, even if the water is murky. Albeit

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Todd Koenig was happy to land this snook recently on a KWigglers Willow Tail Shad.

somewhat of a mental challenge but we are having some good Caroline Shankle fooled catches under windy/dirty water this great redfish with a weedless-rigged soft plastic. conditions. On this topic it is important to capitalize on major and minor solunar feeding times, putting forth our best efforts during the predicted peaks.

During off times, slow down and don’t work so hard. Take a break, relax, and watch the wind blow.

Just about everywhere we go we are seeing bait and lots of it, which is a good sign. But not all areas holding an abundance of bait are holding gamefish. When I believe trout and reds are in the area I work bait lines and bait balls from the perimeter, making the occasional casts into the schools of mullet. The most consistent bites are on the perimeter but every so often we are catching large loner trout under schools of horse mullet by letting the soft plastic flutter slowly below them. The last thing you want to do is foul-hook a two-pound horse mullet.

Flounder landings have been good to excellent lately. Just about every trip one lucky angler catches a flattie and the average weight is running around 2.5 pounds – just right for a tasty fish dinner. Another species worth noting is snook. As of this writing we have hooked and landed a couple of nice ones up to 27 inches. We are not specifically targeting them but I often put my groups in areas consistent with snook habitat if they can handle it, meaning able to wade boggy bottoms. Keep in mind these areas are also good for trout, reds, and flounder so it’s a win-win if one is hooked and landed. Mid-July to August I’ll be back checking areas where we caught snook over 30-inches last year and I’ll be anxious to see if they have returned.

As you might have guessed, our topwater bite has been on hold recently but that should be turning around as the winds diminish in July. Anticipating more frequent topwater opportunity with less floating grass, I will rig a medium-light action FTU Green Rod with a topwater and a light action Green Rod with a KWigglers soft plastic. Assuming that my guess about the grass problem proves accurate, my first casts of the day will be with either a Heddon One Knocker or the new Colt Sniper from Shimano. I’ll be targeting shallow flats early if the wind is up while southerly breezes less than 10 mph will send us to spoil humps and ledges close to the Intracoastal.

I’m happy to report that interest in our Empty Stringers Catch and Release Program remains strong and it is gratifying to see accomplished anglers wanting to participate. Good anglers see the pressure on our bays. They see the kill tournaments being conducted with no cap on trout length and the number of mature spawners being brought to the scales in those events.

Good anglers are motivated by a higher level of stewardship. They take action by controlling their own actions. The handwriting is on the wall; we will either voluntarily conserve our fisheries or we can wait for new trout regulations to dictate greater conservation. Sadly, by the time that happens, we will be in full-blown recovery mode and will have missed the chance to do the right thing on our own.

Until next time, stay safe and be courteous on the water.

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CAPT. ERNEST CISNEROS

SOUTH PADRE Fishing Scene Arr o y o C ol o ra d o t o Po rt I sa bel

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

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

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

90 | July 2019

Here we go, heading into one of the hottest months good we have it fishing weekdays. of the year and, as I predicted last month, the boat Moving on, we are still dealing with windy traffic on the bays has risen to perhaps the highest conditions and no telling when it will slow down. level many have ever seen. In addition to the normal fishing traffic, we see many family groups taking to the water and there’s hardly a weekend goes by when several fishing tournaments do not add to the crowds.

I usually begin my charters very early in the morning, well ahead of the masses showing up at the boat ramps. By customer request recently, we launched on a Saturday afternoon and I was amazed at the number of boats buzzing in every direction. My normal practice is to be at my first spot as soon as it’s light enough to fish and then seek secluded places to fish as we move about during the day. Not only are fish easier to locate before they’ve been buzzed by dozens of This snook made boats but they are definitely more willing Ken Butschek to take a lure. That Saturday afternoon work for the catch. launch really opened my eyes as to how

I remember a few years back when even July was unusually windy. These blustery conditions have not allowed us to focus on areas we would prefer to fish; instead, we are fishing decent water clarity wherever we can find it.

The schools of larger trout we enjoyed in late spring are now scattered and showing up as mostly single landings.

In fact, we’re actually doing better on redfish some days than upper-slot trout, which is quite a change. We find small trout almost everywhere, which is a good sign for the future, but getting into nicer keepers and upper-slot fish has been somewhat of a grind lately. One good thing the wind has given us is an increase in bird activity Denise's first time over mud and shell bottoms. The wading was a generous shrimp hatch this year great success. likely plays a role in this.

Our better trout catches have been coming during periods with strong tide movement.

Productive areas to wade and drift are along sand bars, edges of spoils, and the ledges of the ICW. Tracking the solunar major and minor feeding periods definitely helps swing the odds in your favor. Topwater action has been sporadic, which means we rely more heavily on KWigglers soft plastics – Ball Tail Shads in Plum-Chartreuse and Mansfield Margarita in deeper water and the Willow Tails in Turtle Grass and Mansfield Margarita where it is shallower.

After a couple of years of disappointing spring and early-summer redfish success, I am happy to report much better numbers this year. Redfish can be found in small pods on the flats and small schools are using secluded backwater areas. The sand-grass transition line in some areas is holding numbers worth targeting. Color changes in deeper water seem to be holding the bigger fish. Stomach contents at the cleaning table include mostly crabs and shrimp, which tells me the back bays on the west side, where these crustaceans are most prevalent, should continue to provide redfish action through the summer.

When the winds calm in July, which we pray will happen soon, we should begin seeing wakes of redfish as they flee from outboard noise in shallow water. Remember though, they might retreat to deeper water toward midday as the water temperature soars in the shallower areas.

Unlike the trout that have been snubbing our topwaters, the redfish are taking them readily most days. Gold weedless spoons are always on the redfish menu, as are KWigglers PlumChartreuse Ball Tails on eighth-ounce jigs.

The biggest surprise so far this summer is the number of flounder we are catching. Last year and the year before we scratched our heads trying to figure out where they all went, and this year we are picking several each day without even targeting them. The few times we actually targeted them lately have provided impressive numbers. The fishing grapevine says we are not alone in this.

Another welcome surprise is that our snook numbers seem to have increased over recent years. Like the flounder, we are very pleased to see this.

Wrapping up, summer is here in all its glory. Remember to stay hydrated and practice boating safety and proper etiquette on the water at all times. I also want to encourage respect for the fisheries we are blessed to enjoy, for now and the future. I’m looking forward to attending ICAST in Orlando this month and promise to report on the new products that will be introduced there in future articles.

The owner of Diamond J, James Rosalis, was a partner in Circle J Enterprises at the time our office and son’s home were built by Circle J. Workmanship and attention to detail were both excellent!

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FISHING REPORTS

Lake Calcasieu Louisiana Jeff and Mary Poe - Big Lake Guide Service - 337.598.3268 July provides consistency. The weather and tides become more predictable, making it easier for us to pattern speckled trout. Most of our days are spent in the southern end of the Calcasieu Ship Channel, at the Cameron Jetties, in the surf and at the short rigs, working deep, cool water. The main issue we face while fishing the channel is many of the “spots” are one-boat holes, so finding a spot to fish can be an issue with the number of boats on the water. Folks who get to fish these spots first, which is usually most productive, often leave Cameron before the sun rises and have their way with the fish before they hear the hum of other outboards. Personally, July is my favorite month. Yes, it’s hot, but often, we have plenty of fish in the box before the mid-morning heatwave takes hold. I enjoy fishing deep water with current, which is exactly what July provides. Nothing in fishing makes me happier than the solid thud of a two-pound trout biting in twenty feet of green water. Above all the other patterns we fish throughout the year, it's my favorite.

Trinity Bay - East Bay - Galveston Bay | James Plaag Silver King Adventures - silverkingadventures.com - 409.935.7242 James is hoping all the freshwater flowing into the upper portions of Galveston and Trinity bays provide extra fish in West Bay. “In years when the salinity falls really low in the parts of the bays closest to the big rivers, the fish sometimes move around the corner, meaning around the Texas City Dike, then move westward. If they do, areas around Sand and Pelican Islands, Virginia Point and all the reefs and coves west of there can produce good catches of trout and redfish. July isn't a great month for working birds, but the action can be pretty good under birds when the water is not so salty, since this improves the shrimp production. Best bet will be to wade early mornings, especially when winds are medium to strong. Fishing out of the boat around slicks and rafted bait works better in the heat of the day. East Bay might turn out to be productive too, even if it's pretty fresh. The number of boats over there will become ridiculously high, if so. Typical light July winds will increase the odds for catching in any and all of these areas.”

Jimmy West - Bolivar Guide Service - 409.996.3054 On the day Jim gave this report, about six inches of rain had fallen in the Galveston area. “We're doing a repeat of the last few years, with so much freshwater flowing into the bays right now. Problem is, it makes the weather an even more important factor in whether we can catch or not. When the bays are running under ten parts per thousand salt, the water clarity is already not good, so any wind or strong tides make a muddy mess muddier. On days when winds are light and we have four tides, fishing can be really good out in the middle. We'll throw bright and dark soft plastics and work 'em low and slow, in the salty layer close to the bottom. When winds crank up and when we have two-tide days, it's a struggle. People wanting to fish on those kinds of days will do better moving toward the passes and the channel, where salty water pushes in. Parts of West Bay can be good. There are birds working over there already, and when it's wet, summer can be a good time to take advantage of that pattern in parts of the bay close to San Luis Pass.”

West Galveston - Bastrop - Christmas - Chocolate Bays Randall Groves - Groves Guide Service 979.849.7019 - 979.864.9323 Randall expects excellent fishing in July, and he mentions a variety of 92 | July 2019

ORECASTS F from Big Lake to Boca Chica

AND

options which normally work in the first complete month of summer.

“We should have some good catching in July. We usually get a good number of flat days, so we're able to fish out in the surf, and on the flats behind the pass, for trout mostly. Topwaters work well on a daily basis, when the water's hot, winds are light, and we have a tide rolling in. We do well in the first gut off the beach when we're out there, and on shallow parts of the sand flats adjacent to deeper guts when we're behind the pass. Lately, the woodpecker SkitterWalk has produced best. Of course, when the bite slows, soft plastics like Norton Sand Eels work better. Catching plenty on the glow color has been a no-brainer on recent trips. We also do well on trout and reds along some of the protected shorelines in the bays when winds are up a bit in July. This month the shad hatch made the bite a bit tougher, but we should be well over that by July, back to catching on a better variety of lures.”

Matagorda | Charlie Paradoski Bay Guide Service - 713.725.2401 On recent trips made prior to giving this report, Charlie had been catching trout and redfish tight to the shorelines of both East and West Matagorda bays, in a foot to two feet of water. “The fish just moved into the shallows along the shorelines in both bays. This normally happens earlier in the year, but this weather pattern is weird, and things aren't normal. If we keep getting so much rain, and the wind stays up most of the time, the patterns will likely stay the same. We'll be targeting both trout and reds in protected pockets of salty water on the south shorelines. We've got a bunch of fish pouring into both bays right now, so it could be really good. If winds get lighter, which they usually do in July, it will help us some, opening up areas in the middle of the bays, spreading out the fish and the fishermen. Of course, if that happens, one place we'll look to fish as much as possible is the surf. July is a great month to head out to the beach and throw topwaters in the guts early, then move out a little deeper as the sun comes up.”

Palacios | Capt. Aaron Wollam www.palaciosguideservice.com - 979.240.8204 Winds have been relentless, and fishing has been tough. We've moved our focus to redfish/drum/flounder with our trout areas blown out due to strong winds. We've been working shell in two or three feet of water, grinding out the redfish and drum. Live and fresh-dead shrimp rigged under popping corks have accounted for the best bites. High winds have produced high tides, and incoming tides have been most productive.

Flounder have been plentiful far back in the marsh on live shrimp under corks. July should be a great month, once we can get out to the rigs and deep reefs. Free-lining shrimp and croaker over the deep reefs and shell pads in twelve to fourteen feet of water will be productive in the heat of summer. The surf outside West Matagorda will light up when we have light winds. Topwaters thrown early in the first gut always work well at the beach. Tripletail will also be an option when the winds lay, and as always a live shrimp rigged about four to five feet under a cork will be the best bait to throw at those tasty critters.

Port O’Connor | Lynn Smith Back Bay Guide Service - 361.983.4434 With the heat of summer standing in place, Lynn expects fishing to be good in a variety of areas close to Port O'Connor. “I will be heading out to the surf as much as possible, meaning when winds allow the water to be calm and green enough. We like to get out to the beach early in

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summer, throwing Super Spooks in the shallows close to the sand at first. We'll move out a little deeper during the morning, sticking with the topwaters if we can, switching over to soft plastics if the bite gets tougher.

Incoming tide seems to work best. If the tide is going out, the fish will sometimes prefer the deeper guts off the second bar. When fishing in the bays, I like to stay on grassy, sandy flats close to the pass most of the time, throwing topwaters around large concentrations of bait. Mullet usually key us into the right areas, but there are usually piggy perch, shrimp and other small fish in the best cases. Flats close to deep, cool water normally produce best in the hottest months. Waders in all these places should remain aware of sharks.”

Rockport | Blake Muirhead Gator Trout Guide Service - 361.790.5203 or 361.441.3894 In July, Blake expects to be fishing some of the same areas he's been fishing in June, flats in St. Charles, Aransas and Mesquite Bays, along grassy, sandy shorelines, and on reefs in the middle of the bay some too.

“I generally fish around grass beds in about waist deep water most of the time during the summer. I use artificial lures some, especially if my customers want to, but we start throwing live croakers a lot more of the time. Normally, this month is a good one for catching redfish in some of the same spots where we target the trout. The reefs in particular hold plenty of slot reds in July. I guess they come out of the shallow parts of the marshes and back-lakes to escape the heat in there. Of course, we will look for opportunities to head out into the surf. When winds calm down for a couple days, the topwater bite on trout can really go off along the beachfront. With Cedar Bayou closed up, it isn't quite as easy an option to try as when it was open, but I do plan on making some trips around the jetty and up the island when conditions are right. Overall, July is a hot, productive, fun month for fishing the Coastal Bend.”

Upper Laguna Madre - Baffin Bay - Land Cut Robert Zapata – rz1528@grandecom.net - 361.563.1160 When the very strong winds give us a break, the water in the Upper Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay is in good shape. With the warmer water temperatures, the fish will prefer depths of less than two feet early in the morning and then move into deeper water as the day progresses. I will be looking for areas with grass lines, sandy potholes and shallow rocks in about two feet of water early in the mornings. If we don’t have too much floating grass, natural colored MirrOlure SheDogs will work nicely for trout and redfish. The Bass Assassin Die Dappers in colors like salt & pepper/chartreuse, plum/chartreuse and sand trout, and Bass Assassin Elite Minnows rigged on sixteenth-ounce Assassin Spring Lock jigheads will work if there's too much floating grass. I’m finding good numbers of redfish and black drum in less than twelve inches of water while fishing with shrimp-flavored Fish-Bites. Wading has been the best way to approach the areas I’m fishing, and I’m always wearing my ForEverLast Ray Guards to protect myself from sting rays.

Corpus Christi | Joe Mendez – www.sightcast1.com - 361.877.1230 The water in most parts of the Baffin/ULM system remains exceptionally clear, and sight-casting opportunities abound on all of the better days lately, Joe reports. “We have beautiful water to work with over much of the area. It's clear enough to make conventional methods tough under bright skies, which we have much of the time in July, so fishing places where we can see the fish is a key to catching once the sun gets high in the sky. Usually, this means targeting reds, drum and the occasional trout around potholes in grassy flats covered by water less than a couple feet deep. Throwing paddletails on light jigheads past the fish and reeling them steadily close in front of the fish normally works best to get bites. When cloud cover prevails and early in the mornings,

94 | July 2019

we tend to target trout around deeper grass edges, along the fringes of spoils adjacent to the ICW and around rocks lying off shorelines like the Kenedy shore, between Baffin and the Land Cut this time of year.

When working this drill, soft plastics on heavier heads work best.”

P.I.N.S. Fishing Forecast | Eric Ozolins 361-877-3583 | Oceanepics.com Rolling into the hottest part of the year brings changes to the surf zone.

Expect a morning bite to fade as temps rise and improve again lateafternoon. Favorable morning incoming tides and shoals of anchovies can extend the morning bite. Throwing topwaters toward suck-outs or deep holes on calm mornings can produce plenty of surf trout. If fish are lazy on the surface, I switch to Saltwater Assassins. Occasional tarpon should become available in the surf. Expect to see skipjacks moving in with a vengeance, following anchovies and other small bait. Spanish mackerel will join skipjacks, harassing anchovies. Shark action will vary along the coast, with Upper-Coasters seeing plentiful action from small to medium-sized sharks, while Lower-Coast shark action generally wanes, as many of these predators surround shrimp boats offshore to feed on net-cull. Tiger sharks will remain in the PINS surf, feeding mostly at night on the plentiful stingrays. Keep an eye on the tropics. Storms hundreds of miles away can create extreme tides!

Port Mansfield | Ruben Garza Snookdudecharters.com – 832.385.1431 Getaway Adventures Lodge – 956.944.4000 Jetty and nearshore fishing will be in full swing this month. Gulls and pelicans will be working bait balls as kingfish, Spanish mackerel, bonita, jack crevalle, and tarpon push bait to the surface. Monofilament leaders will not hold up to toothy fish. I prefer wire designed for tying knots. Premade, coated wire leaders work, assuming they include cross-lock snaps.

Lure selection can include topwaters, bucktail jigs, Rat-L-Traps, and gold or silver Kastmaster spoons. At the jetties, cast tight to the rocks for slot and over-sized redfish, trout, and any of the aforementioned species.

In the bays, I like to start my day on the west shoreline when the wind is light. With stronger wind, I head to the Saucer or West Bay. Preferred lures are topwaters or KWigglers on eighth-ounce jigs for trout, gold weedless spoons for redfish. If drifting, hit the Weather Station, Butcher’s Island, Wagner’s Bar, or the deep water south of the East Cut. KWigglers plastics and Gulp! under Mansfield Maulers and popping corks are always good choices when drifting.

Lower Laguna Madre - South Padre - Port Isabel Aaron Cisneros | tightlinescharters.com – 956-639-1941 Recent fishing success and the beginning of summer on the Lower Laguna Madre indicate the higher the mercury rises, the better the fishing gets. Our trout fishing has been exceptional along the edges of the ICW, where we are focusing on muddy-bottomed spoil islands and throwing natural-colored lures like KWiggler’s Mansfield Margarita Ball Tail Shad on eighth-ounce screw-lock jigheads. Working these tails with fast retrieves has shown to be effective early in the mornings. We then shift to a slower cadence that allows them to fall closer to the bottom as the sun gets brighter. We're catching mostly small keeper trout, with a few really solid ones mixed in. Redfish have taken up residence on the east-side flats, where we're throwing some of the clearer soft plastics and eighth-ounce weedless gold spoons. Targeting bait concentrations along edges of grass beds has been a productive pattern there. Expect the trout, reds and the bait they are following to slide off into deeper water during the hottest hours of the day.

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BROUGHT TO YOU BY Jordan Arredondo Bastrop Bay - 22” trout

Brian DeCure Matagorda - 28” 7.75 lb trout CPR

Juan Perez Galveston - 25” redfish

Garrett Schmidt Baffin Bay - 10 lb 30.5” trout 96 | July 2019

Chad Pavlu Middle Coast - 31.25” 11 lb trout

Steve Sullivan Ingleside - 23” trout

Bryan Anderson Port Mansfield - 28” reds

Eric Arredondo San Luis Pass - 45” bull red CPR

Rebecca Rice Matagorda - first redfish!

Terry Oberlender Nueces Bay - 27.5” red

Marc Jeremi Menezes Port Isabel - redfish

Howard Brown Corpus Christi - 30” 8.5 lb trout CPR

Christina Burchett Holly Beach - redfish

Dalia Garcia South Bay - 23” trout

Chris Pennington Galveston Bay - 28” trout

John Burchett III with dad Holly Beach - shark

Kelly Underwood offshore - mako shark

Triston Burchett, with dad Holly Beach - redfish

Henry Kalisky Port Aransas - 30” redfish

Tommy Roach West Galveston Bay - 20 lb jack crevalle

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Photo Gallery Guidelines First come – first published!

Photos are judged on artistic merit and sporting ethic displayed. No stringer, cleaning table, or hanging board images allowed.

Digital images only. Adjust camera to high or best quality. All images become property of TSFMag. Email to: Photos@TSFMag.com Include short description of your catch with name, date, bay system, etc.

TSFMAG.com | 97

PAM JOHNSON

Gulf Coast

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

Email them to pam@tsfmag.com or send by fax: 361 792-4530

Zyde’ceaux Joe’s Cajun Seasoned Fish Fry There’s a new fry in town! I made a great discovery recently that I feel I just have to share with TSFMag readers who follow this page – Zyde’ceaux Joe’s Cajun Seasoned Fish Fry. This authentic breading product comes from an old family recipe that has been handed down through generations and has a “wow factor” you have to experience to believe. I have used it two ways; lightly dusting both sides of fresh drum fillets and going straight to the fryer after allowing fifteen minutes for the coating to adhere, and also by dredging fillets in egg and milk wash and shaking the fillets in a ziplock bag of the product.

The first method provides a very light and flavorful coating while the second method delivers a thicker coating with a lot of crunch. Either way works and both are…as they say…to die for!

The first batch (lightly dusted) got gobbled up as soon as they were cool enough to eat. I had to fight off my dinner guests as I prepared the “crunchy” batch or there wouldn’t have been any left for dinner.

I have also used Zyde’ceaux Joe’s product on shrimp, onion rings, and French fries with the same impressive results as the drum fillets.

Over the years I have tried dozens of packaged fry coatings and concocted many of my own. Zyde’ceaux Joe’s beats them all – hands down! That’s saying a lot for a seafood cook that’s been at it as long as I have.

Visit www.zjcajunfry.com to learn more and place an order. As the label says, “When It’s Cajun We Do It The Cajun Way.” ~Pam Johnson 98 | July 2019

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S P O N S O R E D B Y C O A S TA L B E N D M A R I N E

C H R I S M A P P ’ S R E PA I R & M A I N T E N A N C E

IT’S WHAT YOU CANNOT SEE THAT WILL STARVE YOUR OUTBOARD FOR FUEL!

Today’s outboard engines are equipped with multiple filters to catch tiny particulate matter that Chris Mapp, owner of passes through the boat’s fuel Coastal Bend Marine. system. The boat, when rigged Evinrude, Suzuki, Yamaha, correctly, will have a 10-Micron Mercury, Honda, BlueWave, SilverWave, Shallow Stalker fuel water separator filter mounted Boats, Coastline Trailers, between the fuel tank and the Minnkota & Motor Guide engine, before the primer bulb.

Trolling Motors.

The filters under the cowling on a Great Service, Parts & Sales four-stroke usually consist of the “What can we do for you?” low-speed primary filter, a highspeed filter after the engines fuel pump, a filter located on the highspeed pump within the vapor separator tank (VST) and possibly one additional filter located just after the VST. There is also another filter inside each fuel injector. The purpose of all these filters is to catch, or I should say to attempt to catch, as much trash as possible before the fuel enters the engine through the fuel injectors. Two-stroke engines will generally have a single fuel water separator filter under the cowling as well as filters in each injector.

The reason for so many filters is that ethanol can encapsulate trash

100 | July 2019

and pass through a filter, and so a series of filters is the best defense against engine damage. All fuel water separator filters should be changed once a year, and I prefer twice a year as filters are cheap.

Carry spare filters on the boat and a filter wrench. Under the cowling filters on a four-stroke outboard should be changed once a year or every 100 hours of operation.

Have a safe and happy summer season, Chris Mapp Coastal Bend Marine | Port O’Connor, TX coastalbendmarine.com | 361-983-4841 This is a fuel filter from under the cowling of a Mercury four-stroke outboard; note the particulate matter that drained from it.

The white object is an under-thecowl fuel-water separator filter on an Evinrude two-stroke.

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A One of a Kind Octopus…For Now Most octopus species hunt by probing holes or lunging at prey with all eight arms. But the larger Pacific striped octopus is not like most octopuses. This large species is more subtle—and sly. When it spots prey, the octopus shrinks itself and sneaks up to its mark. Then the cephalopod simply reaches out and… well actually, it gently taps its prey. The prey is so startled that it jumps into the octopus’s waiting arms, or the octopus uses the moment to grab dinner.

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The larger Pacific striped octopus is unique in more ways than one.

Credit: Roy Caldwell/UC Berkeley And that’s not the only way this species differs from its brethren. The Pacific striped octopus is also quite social. Most octopuses are loners, but scientists have found several dozen Pacific striped octopuses hanging together in the Pacific near Nicaragua and Panama.

These striped beauties aren’t afraid of romantic entanglements either.

Unlike the brief, arm’s-length transfer of sperm most octopus species use during mating, a male and female Pacific striped octopus spend time together, sometimes sharing meals beak-to-beak and staying attached to each other for several days.

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After the female lays a clutch of eggs, she mates again, and again, and again over several months. Most octopus mothers lay a single clutch of eggs, brood them until they hatch and die shortly after, but Pacific striped mothers go on hunting, mating and laying more eggs even after multiple hatchings.

When a Panamanian biologist first observed these behaviors in the 1970s, other scientists rejected them as too bizarre to be true, until recently, when others saw these behaviors for themselves. But it’s possible the Pacific striped octopus isn’t all that unusual. So few octopus species have been closely studied that biologists may yet discover even stranger lifestyles among others.

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