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ABOUT THE COVER Erin Holecamp is our October cover angler, showing off her career-best trout from the Lower Laguna Madre, near Port Mansfield. Erin’s trophy fell for a KWigglers paddletail plastic and pulled the Boga Grip to almost seven pounds. Conservation kudos to Erin for releasing this great fish.

Her pink wade belt is a reminder that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

OCTOBER 2020 VOL 30 NO 6

CONTENTS

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

8 14 18 22

28 32 34 36 38 42 44 46 65 70

Just the Facts The Big Move Laura Leftovers and Speed Demons Running up the Score

Steve Hillman Kevin Cochran Chuck Uzzle Joe Richard

18

Let’s Ask The Pro Shallow Water Fishing TPWD Field Notes Kayak Fishing Chronicles TSFMag Conservation News Fishy Facts Extreme Kayak Fishing & Sharks...

TSFMag Tested and Recommended Science & the Sea Boat Repair & Maintenance

WHAT OUR GUIDES

HAVE TO SAY

50 52 54 56 58 60

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

Dickie Colburn Bink Grimes Gary Gray David Rowsey Wayne Davis Ernest Cisneros

REGULARS 6 Editorial 48 New Tackle & Gear 62 Fishing Reports and Forecasts 66 Catch of the Month 68 Gulf Coast Kitchen

68

54 4 | October 2020

Jay Watkins Scott Null Christine Jensen Dave Roberts CCA Texas Stephanie Boyd Eric Ozolins TSFMag Field Staff UT Marine Science Institute Chris Mapp

28

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.

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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

TSFMag

ADVANCES INTO THE

DIGITAL AGE

Last month I mentioned how anxious I was for the fall equinox to arrive. Cooler weather, stronger tides, etc. Turns out I didn’t have to wait very long. Stepped outside this morning (Sept.

10) and, hallelujah! North wind at 15 mph and the thermometer said 64°. Long range forecast is calling for five days of continued north wind and daytime highs mostly below 90°. If that doesn’t get your blood flowing nothing will.

This issue is filled with prospects for much-improved fishing and I hope everybody gets a chance to enjoy it. We’ve been shooting doves and teal season opens this Saturday. Great time to get out and enjoy the best of fishing and hunting.

Big announcement! Pam came up with the idea to increase TSFMag’s appeal with a program to create increased exposure for our writers and, hopefully, a greater flow of support for the advertisers who make this whole thing financially feasible.

What you will be seeing throughout the magazine are increasing numbers of QR Codes within the writers columns and some of the advertisements. The written word is certainly still powerful but we believe the effect can be boosted even farther with video presentations.

The QR Code is a box filled with a pattern of dots and sometimes squiggly lines, and it works very similarly to a barcode. They have been around for a while but have become more common recently, in restaurants of all places. During all the Covid-19 precautions, diners are accessing restaurant menus electronically, rather than printed menus.

Fewer things on tables needing disinfected, etc.

The iPhone is particularly easy to use in gaining access to YouTube video presentations, presumably other brands of smartphones have the same or similar capabilities. Being that I am definitely old school and under-educated in the world of modern mobile devices, I will leave the details to the experts. I must confess that I learned to access the menu at my favorite Mexican restaurant only a month ago.

All you need do is open the camera app on your iPhone, hover over the QR image, and snap a photo. When the YouTube link appears at the top of the screen, just tap on it, and you’re redirected to the video presentation. We believe this will be a great way to get to know the writers and hear what’s happening in their world in a more personal manner.

We started in publishing when columns were printed on paper and then cut and pasted onto frames that were placed in front of a giant camera and photographed. Images were burned to press plates and the plates were installed on press rollers. Ink adhered to the burned images and was transferred to paper that sped through the rollers.

Technological advances over the years have greatly simplified the process. Thank God! Like my childhood hillbilly neighbor who lived up the holler and loved listening to baseball on my transistor radio would exclaim…

“What will they think of next?”

Get your kids involved in the outdoors!

Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine

! e v i l A g n i is Com Likely that you already understand QR Codes.

We are instituting another way to gain fishing information and knowledge through video presentations generated by members of the TSFMag writing team. You will be seeing QR Codes throughout the magazine, some within writer’s columns, and others in advertisements. To access the video, open your iPhone camera and hover over QR Code image. When the YouTube link appears at the top of the screen, tap on it to access the YouTube video. These will be updated monthly with each new issue of the magazine. We hope you will enjoy this addition to the magazine and the opportunity to connect in a more personal way with our writers and advertisers.

TSFMag…GOIN’ LIVE! www.tsfmag.com

6 | October 2020

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This trout had a leader hanging out and a croaker hook in his belly and still ate my MirrOlure Lil John!

These trout don’t have any pressure on them though!

JUST –THE– FACTS STORY BY STEVE HILLMAN

T

he Galveston Bay Complex covers approximately 600 square miles and has a surface area of about 345,000 acres. Historically, each section of the complex has possessed its own unique set of characteristics. Through the years, significant characteristics of most of these areas were defined by live oysters, seagrasses, water depth, and salinity. These are all critical traits to consider when targeting speckled trout, especially heading into the fall fishing season.

However, the key word here is “historically.”

In years past we would frequent areas such as Anahuac Pocket and Jack’s Pocket in Trinity Bay. These general areas would come to life with the passage of each cold front.

I can remember many days working birds hovering over schools of trout that were 100 yards long. Some of our best days for hefty fall specks were spent working slicks or balls of shad at the mouth of the Trinity River. The same was true for F Lease, C Lease, and Skippy’s, just to name a few. Clam beds and oyster reefs were the ticket.

There were also a few areas in the back of Jack’s Pocket where widgeon grass was so thick it looked like Port Mansfield. Reefs from Houston Point all the way to the HL&P Spillway also produced some insane stringers of fish.

One of my best days ever was on Fisher Reef. The entire reef was littered with slicks. I still remember the clients I had, what we caught, and the lures we used. We landed over 150 trout to 6-pounds. After that we found several schools of redfish at the wells and caught dozens of them.

Upper Galveston Bay was just as good. We caught fish from Tin Can Reef in Tabbs Bay all the way up the San Jacinto River. The colder the weather got the further upstream we would go. Shell, mud, and deep water access with plenty of food made finding and catching those fish a no-brainer.

The west shoreline from Sylvan Beach to April Fool Point was dotted with productive spots. Across the bay, East Bay provided us with some career days as well. The north TSFMAG.com | 9

shoreline from Smith Point all the way around Frozen Point and up to Oyster Bayou possessed too many good spots to even try to list.

One of my best days ever for big trout was spent wading the shoreline just behind Cowshed Reef.

Almost every fish was caught on Chartreuse / Pearl (83MRCHPR) MirrOlure She Dogs. We used to paint the heads on them candy apple red. We caught most of our trout casting out towards the bay in belly deep water and drew massive explosions from beautiful upper-slot reds while casting back towards the shoreline. It seemed like the giant rafts of mullet stretched down the shoreline as far as we could see.

Our two biggest trout (a 27 and 28.5 incher) actually were mixed in with the redfish in the shallow, mullet infested water. The south shoreline was good at times too, but I remember our better quality fish coming from the opposite shoreline. Certain open bay reefs were very productive in October too, with Deep Reef my favorite by far.

I can go on and on about the good old days but let’s chat a bit about the here and now. Few folks these days debate the fact that fishing around here doesn’t seem to be as consistent as it should One of several really good trout caught and released Reid Dawson with a solid speck be. Those few who do not either refuse to believe while fishing an area that was atypical for the time of he tricked while drifting over a we have issues or, they’re simply too young to year. It’s all about habitat, food and salinity. section of live oyster reef. remember what it was like a few years ago…and they have nothing to compare it to. from the Trinity River has made catching more blue cats than trout Natural and man-induced changes have given new identities to a common occurrence for the better part of the past six years. In some of the areas I’ve mentioned here. So, in recent years these addition, most of the live oysters died because of the super low changes have forced folks like me to deviate from our old ways. salinities, which is another issue within itself. Prior to that the fishing For instance, I mentioned a few fall hotspots in Trinity Bay. Well, up there was excellent, especially during the drought years. However, until recently the salinity there has been extremely low. Freshwater those long drought periods had some negative impacts of their own.

Landen and Braeden Shaffer with some solid trout while working slicks in a small area along a shell ledge.

10 | October 2020

There are far fewer live clams (Rangia cuneate) in Trinity and the back of East Bay. I was told by a very reputable source at Texas Parks and Wildlife that the lethal protozoan parasite, Dermocystidium (also called Perkinsus marinus), was the culprit.

Dermo thrives in warm, high-salinity water. Dermo has also been responsible for high mortality in our oysters (Crassostrea virginica).

Our area experienced almost five years of drought following Hurricane Ike, with the worst during that stretch being 2011. At one point the salinity at the mouth of the Trinity River measured greater than 30 ppt (parts per thousand), which is basically the same as the gulf.

Hurricanes, excessive ship channel traffic, dredging and years of natural erosion have also changed the shoreline and bottom landscape, leaving us with fewer places to wade successfully. The Vingt-et-un Islands are a perfect example of this. There are islands that were visibly exposed not so many years ago that are not even reefs today. Other spots that come to mind are Hodges and Little Hodges.

Both are submerged these days except on very low tides. Bull Shoals over in East Bay is another example.

More than half of our live oyster reefs no longer exist because of Hurricane Ike and some of the other issues I’ve already mentioned. Since Ike, it seems like we’ve experienced either prolonged periods of drought or prolonged periods of freshwater inundation. Just three years ago our bay got flushed out by the Hurricane Harvey floods. It’s difficult to know our true potential when we can’t seem to keep trout in our system for

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more than a couple of years. A balance seems to be hard to find these days.

So what adjustments do we need to make until we see overall improvement, bay wide? I’ve been fortunate enough to find a few areas recently holding a good number of live oysters. As a result the bait is there along with fair numbers of trout and reds. Patches of well-defined slicks were what initially helped me find those fish. I actually have three or four such areas that I seem to rotate like crops nearly every day. Sometimes I feel like Bill Murray in the movie Groundhog Day. I do the same thing every day until the pattern changes. The end result is usually enough to justify our efforts but I could certainly spin it into making others believe that our fishing is really good.

In reality, though, I know we can’t go to all of the places throughout the bay and catch them like we use to.

I find myself fishing West Galveston Bay Jennifer Witte with a keeper red mixed A quick catch and release sent this healthy girl during times of the year when I would in with some healthy mid-bay reef trout! back to get even bigger and keep reproducing! normally be on the ship channel or in East Bay. West Bay has quite a bit of live oyster reefs and the shoal grass there many of the same small areas over and over again. These trout have had many different types of bait and lures thrown at them day after has made a miraculous comeback in recent years. The salinity has been day. Until we get more trout into our system this will continue to be more stable there and that bay has been loaded with shad and mullet. the case. The good news is that each part of the complex seems to The surf and the jetties have been full of trout this year, so I think West have two or three of these small areas holding some fish. Towards the Bay’s close proximity is a major advantage compared to other parts of end of October more fish should gravitate towards the river mouths the bay. San Luis Pass also helps breathe life into it as well. and bayou drains and become a bit more concentrated.

As large as the Galveston Bay Complex is we find ourselves fishing The presence of oysters, clams, and seagrasses are all bioindicators for our bay system. Some areas are struggling while others seem to be showing improvement. It’s just been one year since we’ve gone to a five trout limit, so we’re still years away from being able to analyze the potential benefits. In the meantime, we need some of the other pieces of the puzzle to fall into place. As Sargent Joe Friday from Dragnet would say, “Sorry. These are just the facts ma’am.”

View The Video

Open Camera and hover over QR Code. When link appears at top of screen tap to open in YouTube.

Roland Altinger tricked this nice trout while casting to a small patch of shell on a sand bar.

12 | October 2020

CONTACT

STEVE HILLMAN Steve Hillman is a full-time fishing guide on his home waters of Galveston Bay. Steve fishes the entire Galveston Bay Complex, wading and drifting for trout, redfish, and flounder using artificial lures.

Phone 409-256-7937 Email captsteve@hillmanguideservice.com Web www.hillmanguideservice.com

TSFMAG.com | 13

BIG move the

STORY BY KEVIN COCHRAN

T

he more I study birds and the avocation of birding, the more parallels I find between the attempt to locate and identify avian species and the sport of lure fishing. These structural similarities relate to many aspects of the endeavors, including the sometimes complex tasks associated with locating the target species. Seasonal variations enhance the odds of finding some species; they also present daily challenges to people hoping to capitalize on the increased opportunities.

Many birds migrate, some over long distances, moving to latitudes closer to the equator for winter, back toward the poles to breed during the summer. In spring and autumn, this means they travel through places lying between their breeding and wintering grounds, making short stays for rest and fuel during their journeys. In South Texas, where I live, this plays out most notably in April and May, also again at the end of summer/onset of fall.

During those time frames, we sometimes see over 100 species of birds in a day, many of which won’t stay around for long. In this way, the seasonal migration increases the likelihood of finding some species of birds in the places they use for rejuvenation during their physically demanding travels. This often means it’s possible to locate an individual bird in a relatively small site for several days straight, perhaps a week or more.

In other cases, a bird appears one day in a place, where people document its presence, then vanishes, probably because of the profound effects spurred by the undeniable urge to complete a necessary journey.

As birders, we help each other locate the migrants when they pass through, posting reports of locations where we see uncommon ones, or ones who’ve veered off track and shown up in places where they don’t normally appear.

Some people drive and/or fly long distances to give themselves a chance to get a glimpse of a rare bird in these situations.

But, like my friend Mel Cooksey, says, “The worst place to look for a Bobolink is the last place it was seen.” Mel has studied birds for half a century. He makes a simple point. Birds like Bobolinks don’t typically sit still for long, since they make their living hunting for edible seeds and insects in weedy fields and other spacious, open tracts of land. Especially when they’re traveling from parts of Central America to northern parts of North America and back again, they move almost constantly from one place to the next, sometimes making impressively long flights at night.

In essence, this truth strongly affects the strategy of any birder hoping to locate one during a migration, elevating the importance of mobility and persistence of focused effort in sites with specific types of habitat. The best way to find a Bobolink in South Texas is to go to locations where 16 | October 2020

Summer topwater action was good at times this year. Jeremy Compton caught quite a few trout on top while wading with the captain in August.

Jose Hernandez caught this small snook on a summer wade in Corpus Christi Bay while fishing with the captain recently.

they drop down to the ground to rest and feed, then look hard for them, during the peak days when they’re generally seen, and when weather elements increase the likelihood they’ll find a need to temporarily stop, rest and refuel.

This birding mantra applies strongly to some aspects of fishing for speckled trout in Texas bays during October. This month, many organisms in our coastal waters move out of shallow backwater areas and head toward the open ocean. Like migrating birds, they pass through places and stay briefly, while they make their way.

Avian and piscatorial predators know this, and they take advantage of the temporary bounty the situation creates.

When I lived in Bayou Vista, in a home on stilts beside a canal fed by the waters of Jones Lake, I developed a strong awareness of the typical timing of the onset of the fall migration among the crustaceans and other prey species which populate the back-bays and saltwater lakes throughout the warm period. On average, about a week or ten days before Halloween, the first cold front possessing enough force to serve as a genesis for the yearly big move usually passes over the Upper Coast of the Lone Star State.

The expected arrival time of this big front gets pushed back a bit later in The Coastal Bend, but certainly the bait migration gets underway by early-November, even in southern extremes of the state.

By “enough force”, I mean this front drives water temperatures down to around sixty degrees or maybe a shade lower, and more importantly, the north winds shove water out of the recesses of remote bodies of water like Greens, Carancahua and Jones lakes, and the species which have spent the summer in those places begin making their perilous journeys toward the Gulf of Mexico.

This original front and the ones that follow serve as the straws that stir the metaphorical drinks in the

October isn’t the best big trout month, but Kev has caught a few monsters during this time frame, including this one from a couple years ago.

Cove, Jack’s Pocket, Green’s Cut, Chinquapin, Tres Palacios, Hynes, Guadalupe, St. Charles and Odem bays, also other oyster-studded bodies of water close to the mouths of rivers which spill into our coastal waterways.

Then, the action will march steadily toward the ocean, like it always has and always will, as long as our estuaries support these many life forms. Savvy anglers will resist the temptation to fall in the trap of seeing something so kinetic as something static. They’ll remain ready to move and search, keeping an eye out for all signs of life as they go. Finding the new stage for the next scene might involve watching a tern wheel and dive, recognizing the likely source of a muddy patch of water or hearing the unforgettable whines uttered by a pair of laughing gulls squabbling over the remains of a single brown shrimp.

View The Video

Open Camera and hover over QR Code. When link appears at top of screen tap to open in YouTube.

Captain Kev’s tips on using Paul Brown’s Original Lures

KEVIN COCHRAN CONTACT

existential tavern their passing propagates. Brisk, whistling winds provide dramatic, natural music, like a score for the scenes playing out beneath them, within and just above the frothy waves. Mostly, this drama centers on survival, a struggle shared by the prey and the predators which hunt and eat them.

Predictably, speckled trout take advantage of the largescale movement of so many organisms which potentially provide them sustenance. Consequently, they stage in places where the burly forces of these autumn fronts blast water out of back-lakes, coves and shallow nooks and crannies, dumping countless creatures into open parts of the main bays lying adjacent to them. Then, a game of chase and flee begins in earnest, while the hungry trout attempt to take as many of the migrating shrimp and other critters as they can, fattening up on the ephemeral source of food.

The birds who live in these places know what’s coming, and they arrive on cue, hovering above the stages, their sharp eyes scanning for every opportunity to snatch a hapless shrimp out of the air, once it desperately jumps away from the snapping jaws and slashing teeth below. As the action reaches a peak, the squawking voices of the gulls add audible highlights to the wail of the wind, providing complexity to the scenes’ scores.

Like all things related to the coastal waterways, the action ebbs and flows. While the tide rolls out under the influence of the winds, the intensity of the drama increases. Eventually, fronts lose their punch, calmer conditions prevail, and the migrations stall for a while.

During these halcyon days, the general location of the center of the action can become somewhat predictable and dependable, and though the number of trout pushing schools of harried prey toward a surface frenzy might not equal what occurs on days with stronger winds, the action will nonetheless provide reliable potential to coastal anglers who pay attention to recent trends (and reports) and show up in the right places.

But once the next front roars in and sloshes the water around again, the action will likely find a new center, one somewhere down the road which provides the migrating species access to the Gulf. In this way, chasing school trout in October on a riverine estuary on the Upper Coast resembles searching for a Bobolink in Nueces County in April. On many occasions, looking for them in the last place in which they were seen makes little or no sense, compared to the idea of venturing to another known productive area and maintaining a vigil.

Consequently, anglers keen on staying in the midst of the working birds, migrating herds and slurping trout this month will acknowledge the need for mobility, also to monitor weather and other factors which affect the migrating species in predictable ways.

These trends include tide levels, water temperatures, wind speeds and directions, sometimes salinity levels, too. Early in the month, good numbers of trout will likely move well back into the fringes of the upper parts of our coastal bays. There, they’ll prey on shrimp and other species.

Anglers who spend time in the back-lakes and coves during the first half of the month will probably encounter flocks of working gulls and terns which lead them right into the midst of the fray. As Halloween creeps ever closer, Mother Nature’s predictable forces will likely send the action out of those same marshes and pockets, into adjacent parts of the main bays, in places like Coffee Ground

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 TSFMAG.com | 17

Fishing this shoreline area very thoroughly paid off for Dickie Colburn.

Laura Leftovers & Speed Demons STORY BY CHUCK UZZLE

O

nce again our little puddle of a bay system called Sabine Lake was the victim of a violent storm and her name was Laura. When Laura made landfall to our east, about twenty-five miles or so, somewhere over Cameron, she was packing winds that reached within a few milesper-hour of qualifying as a Cat 5 hurricane. And that’s as bad as it gets.

Small communities like Holly Beach, Johnson’s Bayou, Creole, and obviously Cameron, were absolutely devastated by this ultra-powerful storm. Storm surge and extremely high winds wreaked havoc on those folks and it remains to be seen how much it changed Calcasieu Lake and the surrounding marshes. The effects will not be fully understood for some time and there will be a process of exploration and discovery for many anglers and also hunters who travel the wetlands along that coastline. Sabine anglers were spared in comparison but there was still plenty of damage to go around.

So far this summer our fishing had been the best we have seen in several years and appeared to be headed back in the right direction; like the “good old days” we have so sorely missed. Hopefully, we can continue to make progress and the aftermath will be minimal.

Until we get it all figured out all you can do is make the best of the situation and go fishing.

One thing I see commonly is how some anglers fail to fish an area thoroughly before they speed off for a new location. Fishing in this manner can be quite unproductive, especially in the fall when fish tend to gather in large schools. Saltwater anglers who chase schooling fish on the bays, along with their freshwater counterparts who also key on flocks of birds hovering above hungry stripers, hybrids, and whites, are equally guilty. The frenzied activity puts everyone on the boat in high gear, often leaving the majority of the water column untouched before they crank the outboard and zoom out of sight.

It’s a proven fact that smaller more aggressive fish will be the first to attack a bait, so consequently, the “speed fisherman” may never see what caliber of fish is lurking lower in the water column. Savvy anglers will let a bait sink below the surface melee and are more often than not rewarded with better quality fish. Saltwater enthusiasts often find better speckled trout and redfish below the swarm of small trout hustling shrimp and shad near the surface.

A productive technique is to allow the smaller fish to hit the bait but not set the hook, which allows it to sink deeper where the big boys play. Some anglers will actually cast beyond or to the side of the surface melee and then crawl their baits along bottom. The action is by no means fast and furious but quite often the ticket for finding the best specimens the school has to offer. Not easy when everybody else is hooking up every cast but quite often worth the effort.

By taking the time to patiently work a school of fish with a slower retrieve, and perhaps a larger lure, anglers can effectively avoid the small ones. The smaller fish will peck at the larger baits while the better fish will usually strike them with gusto. This slightly different approach proves itself in some of the strangest ways. Think about how many times you have caught a fish while dragging your lure as you were clearing a backlash. Makes you wonder…right?

If we could actually see our baits during our retrieves, we would likely be surprised to learn how little of the water column we are covering. Most of the time it’s only a few feet near the surface. This is not to say that burning a lure at high speed does not have certain applications, but it’s pointless to argue against the success the slower retrieve produces when they’re schooled and feeding greedily.

Speaking of slower approaches, one that comes to mind is dropping anchor on drifts instead of dropping buoy markers. In years past we would make long drifts down Sabine Lake, catch some fish, and then repeat the drift and catch more in basically the same

TSFMAG.com | 19

Hurricane storm surges create havoc in the marsh; this slough was navigable before the storm.

area. It was like fishing on an escalator; you just went round and round until the fish quit biting.

One day on Calcasieu I got schooled by a local on a better way to go about this process. We were fishing the same basic area but going about it quite differently. The local guy was sitting on anchor while I continued to make drift after drift on the same line. After about three passes I heard him remark to his buddy, “That guy has a beautiful boat;

So sad to see coastal communities devastated in this amount by wind and water.

shame he couldn’t afford an anchor.” I quickly adopted his style and it has paid big dividends ever since.

If you watch these guys, they keep the anchor real handy. One or two bites in the same area and they ease it over the gunwale and fish the area thoroughly. Same thing with a Power Pole if the depths allow such. Usually, these patient fishermen wind up catching more fish, while those who continue drifting miss out on most of the action. I am sold on the technique because it works; we use it religiously in springtime down on the south end of Sabine Lake.

Taking the slower approach a step farther, learning how to anchor properly over deeper structure can be crucial to success. One day many years ago, Capt.

Dickie Colburn and I were fishing a stretch of the Sabine River where we knew a herd of redfish had been staging. For whatever reason we just couldn’t connect with them that day until we adjusted our position on the anchor by letting out another thirty feet of line. Turns out that small adjustment put us into position to allow our lures to be swept across a submerged point the reds were lying behind to escape the current. Sometimes a few feet makes all the difference between a great day and a goose egg.

During the coming weeks, your patience and abilities will be tested not only by other anglers but by the elements and the fish as well. A more controlled approach will pay huge dividends as the crowds descend on the bays to enjoy great fall weather.

Waterfowl seasons provide options for coastal outdoorsmen - Lawson Burtsfield and Joli.

It never fails this time of year; everybody hears

20 | October 2020

Hopefully every angler will be able to experience redfish action like this in October.

how good the fishing is and the herd thunders toward the coast.

Regular anglers know this is coming so they adjust accordingly and make do best they can until the crowds diminish. Remember there are plenty of fish out there for everyone; stay calm and patient because fishing is our sanctuary, and the actions of someone else should never be allowed to ruin that.

Enjoy the fishing and cooler weather, and be sure to share the outdoors with someone who may not know yet just how wonderful it really is.

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CONTACT

CHUCK UZZLE 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

TSFMAG.com | 21

RUNNING up the

SCORE STORY BY JOE RICHARD

A school of 20-pound jacks passing by, looking for trouble.

A

former classmate from Port Arthur High School way back when has racked up impressive catches of bull redfish and big jack crevalle—both species that school up around Labor Day and sometimes into October. Though I later relocated to Port O’Connor, it turns out we both like to run up the score on these fish on the upper and middle Texas coast. Most people are happy to catch even one of these fish in a day, but not us.

My best totals hardly compare with Mike Spencer’s, who has seen stellar (some would say punishing) days just off the upper Texas coast. He and his crew launch from the beach in aluminum boats, many miles from any boat ramp, and fish within sight of their vehicle.

They narrow their search from a pickup truck. It’s roll down the window and let out a little AC, check the horizon with binoculars, then ease along for another mile. When they can see water exploding offshore, it’s time to launch the boat.

The schools of bull redfish out there, and fast-moving jacks, often hold thousands of fish.

“Here’s how we caught so many,” says Spence. “The water was really green along the beach one Labor Day weekend and it stayed very calm. Lots of pogies and mullet out there. There were dozens of large schools of jacks cruising back and forth on the surface from a quarter-mile to one mile off the beach. In two and a half days we caught 83 jacks, some big bull reds, and only a few big blacktip sharks. The absence of sharks helped.”

Spence knows that aluminum boats are light compared to fiberglass, and can be manhandled when launching. When returning, they run up on the beach in wave chops. “You need a manual tilt on the motor when you hit that sand, because a power tilt is too slow. They use 25-horse outboards. His stories make me miss the good old days, when we launched small jonboats with 9.5 horse outboards from Sabine to High Island on Hwy. 87, which was later erased by hurricanes.

“The day we caught 133 bull reds was on a Labor Day Saturday,” says Spencer. “We found a very large area of pogies (menhaden) a mile off the beach. The reds had circled the pogies into a bait ball about 300 yards across. And they just circled and fed all day. We would drift across the school in a large aluminum boat with four

guys, constantly hooked up. We took two breaks and went back to the beach to eat. But we stayed at it for seven hours. All fish were caught on circle hooks. We would pick them up by the heavy leader, unhook and release. And all fish swam off.

“Now this is critical: In sandy water we throw hair jigs and reel steadily, so these fish can find the jig. In green or clear water we use the drone spoons reeled fast. The reds, and especially the jacks can out-run jigs.

They see it’s not an actual fish, and they just follow it to the boat without hitting. The fast spoons are so erratic and flashy they really can’t identify it and hit it before their schoolmates can grab it.

“We use heavier tackle and that makes it easier to catch and release.

Like five-foot, six-inch stand-up boat rods with Shimano TLD 15 reels with 40-pound line. Baited with live or dead pogies. We sometimes use 2-ounce egg weights with balloons, to present the baits at different depths. Then we use 7-foot casting rods with the Shimano 200GT size reels with 30-pound line. Everyone wears a rod belt. The heavier gear allows us to handle the jacks, bull reds and the 30- to 125-pound blacktips that hang around these bait schools. We use 7/0 circle hooks and five feet of 125 mono leader. No wire. This allows us to land and release a jack or red fairly quickly, depending on the size of the fisherman. The sharks rarely cut off because they’re hooked in the corner of the mouth. We never bring sharks in the boat, just cut the leader. I did have a blacktip shark turn and bite my knife blade twice, while trying to cut the shark free.

“Our redfish in those schools were in the 20- 25-pound range.

We did catch one that weighed 42 pounds. That was our biggest redfish ever. Our second best day on bull reds was 72 fish. And third best is 42. All were in schools of reds working off the beach in calm weather,” Spence said.

*

*

*

Double-header on bull redfish, about to be released off Port O’Connor.

Catching bull redfish on artificials is a sporty endeavor.

This crab-colored feather jig worked repeatedly.

24 | October 2020

Another double-header of bull redfish landed at the POC jetties.

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One hundred and forty miles to the southwest, my buddies and I were fishing around Port O’Connor. We didn’t get acres of bull reds offshore, but the big bruisers use Pass Cavallo when decent water is running through. We could anchor in calm water, even spend the night there when we were mad at the fish, and used four and sometimes five sturdy rods. We always hoped for a tarpon, but more often battled bull reds, jacks, and blacktip sharks, which could be hooked only 15 feet down, very close to the boat. On 40or 50-pound line, they’d only peel off maybe 20 yards of drag and sometimes not even that. I used at least 200-pound Ande leader and big circle hooks and whatever baitfish we could scare up with a castnet. A bucket of shrimpboat cull from a POC bait dock worked, too.

Some days the big fish were stacked up but we couldn’t find enough bait.

This happened when I had a dad Catching a bull redfish from a jonboat on light tackle is a special thrill. This (who owned two Dairy Queens), who trophy was caught in five feet of water by a lady angler using trout tackle. brought his 16-year old son and a Since then I’ve found bull reds to be more sporty when hooked schoolmate, and the teens caught almost every redfish that day. on bigger spin reels with 25-pound line, mounted on stiff (no wimpy Mullet were scarce at the nearby beach and I only caught a dozen tip) seven foot rods. You can pull hard, but the fish has a chance to medium-sized. We had to scrounge for every scrap of used bait, but show his stuff as long as the current is slow. were still able to put 46 bull reds in the boat without moving. There Both big species can even be caught on 12-pound trout tackle, was plenty of time to catch more bait that day, but those teenagers but with jacks, that usually means following a hooked fish with the were done, finito. Spoiled for life on redfish. boat. And it takes time, at least a half-hour depending on the angler.

I later punished another charter—this time we’d been offshore all Bull reds aren’t quite that tough. We recently landed a 44-inch bull day catching limits of snapper and kingfish. It was a calm day, so we red from a jonboat while anchored in five feet of water. The angler stopped at Pass Cavallo on the way back, anchored and put 31 bull lady was new at pulling on big fish and had two guys standing over reds in the boat. My lower back almost gave out, picking those big her offering tons of advice. She finally yelled “Shut up!” and we all fish off the deck and tossing them overboard. That charter needed settled down. Eventually I grabbed the 20-pound leader, eased the Advil and a strong drink to wash away the pain. tired fish close, then tailed it aboard. After a few pictures her trophy Often, we’d catch 20 bull reds both day or night, and quit when redfish floated belly-up, but then righted itself and swam away. we reached that round number. Sometimes on very quiet nights, we could hear big reds drumming under the boat—there may have been thousands down there. They grabbed any bait that touched bottom. If we dropped a bait down, the big rod often doubled over before we could set it in the rod holder. Or, a rod bent so far over we couldn’t wrench it out of the rod holder. There was no point in baiting up more than one or two rods, because multiple hookups would turn into a mess; all hooked fish stayed behind the boat’s Joe Richard has fished the Gulf since 1967, starting out of Port Arstern if there was tidal current. thur, but his adventures have taken him up and down the entire coast.

In contrast, jackfish seem to be strictly daytime feeders. In He was the editor of Tide magazine for eight years, and later Florida October they start leaving Matagorda Bay, hordes of 20-pounders Sportsman’s book and assistant grabbing our baits. I started using 8-foot leaders of 250-pound test, magazine editor. He began guiding and if a jack hit close to the boat, I’d pull hard, grab the leader with out of Port O’Connor in 1994. His specialty is big kingfish, and his gloves and wrap it fast around a boat cleat. If I missed the quick latest book is The Kingfish Bible, wrap, that jack was off to the races. If I did make the wrap, the fish New Revelations. Available at went crazy on a short leash but never could break the leader. That’s Seafavorites.com one way to rack up 29 jacks in one day. Our Penn 4/0 reels filled with 40-pound line took a lot of punishment.

CONTACT

JOE RICHARD

26 | October 2020

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TSFMAG.com | 27

Well defined grass edges near shoreline guts. Photo by Dustin and Darrell Brownlow.

J AY WAT K I N S

ASK THE PRO

IT’S ALL ABOUT EDGES & DROP-OFFS During the final weeks of September and early October we will begin to see the change from summer to fall with the passage of each mild front. I prefer to call it change; I never liked the word transition in this context.

To better understand this we first need to understand that fish are in a constant state of change, daily and even hourly, due to changes in weather and water conditions. During this period some areas offer better fishing than others, and this forces me to be ever more vigilant every day of the delicate changes as they occur.

My dad taught me from a young age to put the day’s successes and failures behind me and look at each day as a new beginning. “You need to learn from both success and failure, but also be able to let both go,” he would say. Never has this been more important than with the pressure our fishery receives daily.

With the start of each day I am presented the question, “Where we headed captain?” Just so you know, I don’t like to be called captain. Just call me Jay. I’ll reserve the captain title for the real ones.

The tail end of September can be tough due to elevated water temperatures and seasonably low tides.

Prolonged periods of low tide can boost our redfish success but hamper our trout bite. One would assume that when flats and back lakes are virtually dry, and the majority of the baitfish have moved to the drains and 28 | October 2020

outer shorelines, redfish and trout would be equally abundant. Well, trout may be abundant but catching them, especially those in the 20-inch and longer class, can be difficult at best.

I see them and catch some here and there in the shallows with the redfish but it’s difficult to pattern.

One pattern I have learned over the years about early fall fishing is the tendency for large trout to mingle with schools of redfish. My one double-digit trout from San Antonio Bay came during the last week of September, out of a school of mostly oversize redfish, as I worked slicking reds on my way back to the boat. Yes, slicking reds, you read that correctly. More on that later.

I released that fish but when I drifted down to my group they had found her floating. Efforts were made to revive her but the near 90° water temperature wouldn’t allow it. So, into the ice she went, with a handful of upper-slot reds. We didn’t carry Boga Grips back then, so I stopped by a local seafood shop on the way home to have her weighed. The scale said 10 pounds and 11 ounces. The lady at the counter asked if it was a big one. Really!

Getting back on the trout track, I start my day focusing on edges versus individual potholes or grassbeds. I can normally find mullet strung along the edges where heavier grass stops and broken bottom

begins. I cannot see the edges distinctly in the low light but the mullet typically string along such edges and provide all the visual I need. Bites will almost always come directly under the larger schools of mullet.

Last September I had a particularly good morning in St. Charles Bay working this pattern. Winds were light and I could hear the mullet flipping and bumping into one another as my lure passed through them. I love the Texas Customs Double D for this application. The lure swims with just enough noise to draw attention and at a maximum running depth of less than 18 inches, and I can swim it under the mullet versus amongst them. The bait shudders to a halt on the pause, suspends momentarily, and then makes a slow ascent to the surface. Intermittent pauses, twitches, and short jerks create an almost irresistible action that on this day was met with unbelievable blasts. My guys were like…“You better have four more of those.”

The beauty of working defined edges is that the edge concentrates both bait and gamefish into very close quarters, creating smaller strike zones for anglers. I love working these edges but as a guide there can be times when the size of the group prohibits utilizing the pattern effectively.

I seldom, as in never, drop guys off to hopscotch with the group.

One – I want to control the speed and direction of the wade.

Two – I can’t help the guys if I can’t see what they need help with.

Three – I like an audience when I am teaching. I also hope to never be labeled as that person that drops his buddies off in hope of blocking a large area.

I like to cast at angles to the structure. This allows the lure to be presented out in front of fish that are moving or facing in the opposite direction of our wade, which is more times than not the direction they are facing. To create the proper angle one must be in the proper positon in relation to the structure. It sets up like this.

I lead, but I stand back farther than my anglers. My second angler is to my left and slightly more forward, but still inside the edge.

Angler three is left of angler two but a little closer to the edge.

Laney Dailey with solid CPR late summer trout.

Close up of grass edges along shoreline guts.

Angler four is the closest to the structure, so his and angler three’s casts are reaching beyond the edge and picking off fish that enter and exit the edge. Angler two and I are casting closer to the edge but also catching the upwind side of it due to being a greater distance away from it. This setup allows each angler the ability to work “unfished” water.

When an area of bait concentration is located, the group has to adjust accordingly by lining up in closer quarters and actually timing their cast as to not tangle or cross one another’s lane. For the record, it is not the duty of the angler that has a fish hooked to get his fish out of everyone’s way. It is your job to move out of the way as needed.

I suggest turning and walking to the side rather than backing up. Most anglers hit by stingrays are hit when backing up. Rays are known for following a mud trail and settling in dirty, recently disturbed water.

It’s a lot to think about. There is more to wading as a group than just exiting the boat and taking off. If we wade slowly and observe carefully, the fish will tell us where we need to be, which will then tell us where and how to set up.

As the day progresses and with the sun rising, I will usually turn my attention toward the drop-off where the combination of rising TSFMAG.com | 29

30 | October 2020

with smaller profiles seem to work better for shallow-water redfish.

Wrapping up: Target shoreline edges for trout early where you find strings of mullet, and then move to deeper shoreline dropoffs with submerged grass as the sun rises. For redfish, allow the daytime heating to drive them off the shallow grassbeds toward adjacent drop-offs. Despite seasonal changes, savvy anglers following the patterns described will find success when many others will not. Stay safe, stay distanced, and stay positive.

May your fishing always be catching! -Guide Jay Watkins

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C O N TA C T

water temperature, low tides, and seasonal migration patterns of redfish will have them schooling in numbers. It is pretty easy to spot these fish when schooling as they push along the drop-offs – smashing pods of baitfish and shrimp as the herd moves forward.

Redfish are known for saving many a day during late September and October along the middle Texas coast.

Now, back to redfish making slicks. There is often a distinct pattern in which a sequence of two or three slicks will pop along a similar line, and mostly near a shoreline drop-off. Many times these slicks are created by reds when they have been spooked, not from feeding. It is way better odds of staying with the school if you locate the slicks and then set up a wade to intercept the line they’re traveling. Jay Ray and I won two IFA Redfish Tournaments working slicking reds while other boats ran right past them.

Most everyone that has ever fished with me knows I’m not a big fan of paddletail plastics. Yeah, they work, sometimes maybe better than what I am using. My rhythm, though, is best suited to rattails, and therein lies my confidence.

Old dog new tricks – I recently discovered the new and improved Marsh Minnow paddletail from MirrOlure. What I really like about it is the tougher connection between the body and tail that prevents pesky tail-biters nipping the tail off when fishing for reds over heavy grass. (Piggies and pinfish love heavy grass.) The Molting Sparkle and Golden Copper are my favorites so far.

Another good bait on shallow, heavily grassed flats is the MirrOlure Lil John, in Watermelon Red Glitter. You know me and my glitter. Lures

Jay Watkins has been a full-time fishing guide at Rockport, TX, for more than 20 years. Jay specializes in wading yearround for trout and redfish with artificial lures. Jay covers the Texas coast from San Antonio Bay to Corpus Christi Bay. Telephone Email Website

361-729-9596 Jay@jaywatkins.com www.jaywatkins.com

TSFMAG.com | 31

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

THE MARVEL OF SIDE IMAGE TECHNOLOGY I’ve always been one to resist technology, particularly in the realm of fishing. I’ve run boats for years without GPS, depth finders and fish finders, trolling motors, etc. That changed a couple years ago when I bought a Humminbird Solix for my Dargel Kat. I bought this boat for running jetty and beachfront trips, hunting primarily for bull reds and tarpon.

When I added the Humminbird along with a Minn Kota trolling motor my whole game changed.

The side image feature took a couple trips to wrap my brain around what I was seeing on the screen, but once the fog cleared I became addicted. I spent a good bit of time on my days off just cruising up and down the rocks looking at the underwater structure. There are always areas on the jetties that pay off more often than others. I knew there was a reason, I just didn’t know what that reason was. This was like draining all the water and seeing a whole new world.

Most every location I had fished successfully had some irregularity in the structure of these big granite blocks.

Sometimes there’s a single rock that tumbled away from the main structure, sometimes it’s a hole or washout, every so often there will be a mini landslide. There were a lot of “ah-ha” moments in those first few trips.

Having a GPS was never a big priority for me as I’d always just navigated the old fashion way, landmarks and triangulation. Running a poling skiff for the majority of the last twenty years never gave me much reason for needing pinpoint locations. And honestly, I still don’t use it all that much. When I do, it is mostly to get back in the general area where I found the tarpon schools the day before. The beachfront is a big place and this speeds up

Young customer with a big jack on topwater.

32 | October 2020

the search and keeps me from straying too far from the most productive areas.

The Minn Kota has probably paid for itself in lost anchors. The Spot-Lock function is a true game changer.

As I slowly cruise the rocks and locate something that looks fishy I can simply push a single button and the boat is “anchored” to that spot. I’ve used it in some pretty rough water and extreme tidal flows without issue. It’s also pretty handy when I’m busy trying to land a tarpon.

Knowing the boat isn’t going to drift into trouble while my mind is elsewhere is a great relief.

But let’s get back this side image capability. Of all the gadgets I’ve added, this is the most important to the successes on my boat. Tarpon and reds don’t always feed on the surface. It’s cool as hell when they do, but when they don’t it really helps to be able to see below the surface. It’s

Huge bull from a deep school found on the Solix.

Bull red pulled from a school found on the Solix.

This tarpon school surfaced briefly and then disappeared. Saw them on the Solix and threw some DOA Baitbusters into them for a double hook-up.

Baitfish on the jetty.

Pair of tarpon.

Bull redfish school.

really exciting to be searching the surface for breaking fish and glance down to see the screen lit up with the telltale signature of fish.

Quite often you can clearly see what kind of fish it is. I’ve had tarpon cruise by where I could see their entire profile including the fins, leaving no doubt what it is. Schools of bull reds and jacks have a similar look and you often don’t know until you can drop a lure into them. Schools of tarpon are pretty easy to identify once you get familiar with what you’re looking for. Many times I’ve been ready to relocate when I happened to run across a deep school and start catching them. There is no doubt this thing has accounted for many fish we wouldn’t have found otherwise.

Just recently there was a big school of bull reds working just inside the jetties. They would surface chasing ribbonfish. Word got out and the weekend crowd descended. As soon as the school would surface every boat in the area would run full throttle into them, often putting the school down before anyone even got a chance to hook up. It was pretty frustrating, but I had a plan. Get near the melee and let the other boats put them down, then use the Humminbird side image to locate the school. Customers simply dropped their jigs down through the school for instant hook-ups. Frustration level dropped and we caught fish while the crowd waited for them to resurface.

But even when I’m not seeing the targeted fish, the side image capability is still working for me. I’ve located small pieces of structure on our otherwise featureless beachfront. During slack tides, when the predators aren’t very active, I go looking for bait balls in areas I know to hold tarpon or bulls. Not every area holds bait every day.

Knowing where the bait is narrows the field and lets me know where I should be once the tide gets rolling.

I’m not even scratching the surface of the capabilities of this unit.

I’m not patient enough to learn how, so far anyway, but you can use the Humminbird Solix to communicate with the Minn Kota and tell it to take you directly to a specific location. You can also give it a route to follow based on previous tracks or based on a certain depth contour. I say “you can” literally because I probably won’t any time soon.

One of the newest features involves having the Solix communicate with the Talon or Raptor shallow water anchors. I currently run a Power Pole, but I could see switching over to the Raptor. If any of that is of interest to you, go to their website and click on the One-Boat Network.

There is another new technological addition I’m thinking of making.

Humminbird has come out with a 360° transducer that offers real time info on what is going on all the way around your boat. That could sure come in handy when that school of tarpon on the surface goes down and you can’t tell if they went left or right. Yeah, I need that.

View The Video

School of tarpon on the move.

C O N TA C T

Open Camera and hover over QR Code. When link appears at top of screen tap to open in YouTube.

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

TSFMAG.com | 33

B y C h r i s t i n e J e n s e n | G a l v e s t o n B a y E c o s y s t e m Te a m L e a d e r

FIELD NOTES

STATUS OF OYSTER REEFS IN TEXAS

Figure 1.

Importance of oysters

Trends

Oyster reefs play a vital role in both the ecosystem and the local economy. They help clean the water with a single oyster able to filter 50 gallons of water per day. Oyster reefs also protect shorelines from erosion by breaking up wave energy and provide habitat that supports a unique underwater community providing shelter and feeding opportunities for a thriving ecosystem. Each of these functions enhance sportfishing opportunities for recreational anglers.

Oysters are also an important food source for humans.

Few Texans harvest oysters recreationally, but oysters are one of the top commercial fisheries in the state. In 2019, a total of 823,724 sacks of oysters brought in a dockside value of $33.5 million and provide numerous job opportunities in local economies.

The primary oyster-producing bays are on the middle and upper Texas coast with Galveston, Matagorda, San Antonio, and Aransas bays supporting commercial fisheries. The trends in commercial oyster harvest have changed dramatically over time. Historically, Galveston Bay made up the bulk of the landings, averaging 74 percent of the total harvest per year from 1972 to 2009; however, over the last 10 years, that number has dropped to 41 percent with commercial harvest from the southern bays increasing since the early 2000s (Figure 1).

As seen in the commercial data, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s own data also shows that the abundance of oysters large enough to harvest (3 inches or greater), sometimes referred to as “market oysters”, has also declined in Galveston Bay since the early 2000s (Figure 2).

Improvements were observed in San Antonio and Aransas Bay where market oyster abundance increased in recent years.

Why the decline?

Figure 2.

34 | October 2020

Texas oyster reefs have had multiple stressors over the past several decades with Galveston Bay experiencing some of the most severe conditions. The act of fishing itself removes oyster habitat that oyster larvae and other creatures rely on. In 2008, Hurricane Ike dealt a major blow to the reefs in Galveston Bay by burying large areas of reef with sediment. One of the worst droughts on record peaked in 2011 and caused reduced freshwater inflow and increased salinity.

Increases in salinity cause an increase in the number of predators such as oyster drills, crabs, and fish known to feed on oysters. In addition, a disease known as Dermo is more of a problem for oysters under salty conditions. In recent years,

Figure 3. The crew of a commercial oyster dealer blows oyster shell off the deck with a water cannon to restore Texas oyster reefs.

reduced abundance in the other gulf states has increased the seafood market’s demand for Texas oysters.

The Houston area experienced record flooding in recent years during the Memorial Day flood (May 2015), Tax Day flood (April 2016), and Hurricane Harvey (August-September 2017), which added insult to injury for oysters in Galveston Bay. Each flood caused localized mortality, but Hurricane Harvey caused extensive mortality throughout Galveston Bay. The shallow reefs of East Galveston Bay and reefs off Eagle and Dollar points saw the highest mortality, averaging near 85 percent, while reefs in the middle of Galveston bay in deeper areas fared better, averaging only 25 to 48 percent mortality.

What are Fishery Managers Doing to Help?

Management Strategies and Regulations The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department began using a new precautionary management strategy in 2015 to improve the longterm sustainability of the oyster fishery. This method examines the abundance of market-sized oysters and the percent of undersized oysters to determine if an area has been depleted and if it should remain open or closed for harvest.

In recent years, both the legislature and the TPWD Commission have passed several rules and regulations to minimize the impact of fishing on the resource including eliminating fishing on weekends, reducing harvest limits to 30 sacks, increasing penalties for fishing in closed waters and establishing a license buyback program to eventually reduce the size of the fleet.

An effort was also made to lessen the harvest of undersized oysters by reducing the tolerance from 15 to five percent and significantly increasing the penalties for harvesting undersized oysters for both fishermen and the dealers. Oyster reefs within 300 feet from shore have also been closed to both recreational and commercial harvest to protect intertidal oyster reefs and adjacent marsh habitat. Additionally, six environmentally sensitive bays were closed to any oyster harvest.

Restoration Because oyster habitat is removed from the water when oysters are fished, many areas that have experienced a heavy amount of fishing pressure are lacking adequate substrate. Substrate refers to a suitable material for oyster larvae to settle on and grow into an adult oyster. Texas waters are thought to produce plenty of oyster larvae, but these larvae do not always have enough substrate on which to settle. Thus, TPWD has focused a lot of effort on restoring degraded and lost oyster habitat.

In the past, TPWD did not have a regular source of funding available for restoring oyster reefs. Instead, TPWD relied on periodic donations, grants, and disaster relief assistance to restore Texas oyster reefs with most of that effort focused in Galveston Bay. In 2017, legislation was passed that required oyster dealers to plant oyster shell or other suitable material equal to 30 percent by volume of oysters purchased from fishermen or pay a fee so that Texas Parks and Wildlife could plant material on their behalf. In addition to providing a regular source of material, this makes it easier to restore reefs in other bay systems. To date, a total of 1,720 acres have been restored with additional acreage being added every year.

The Future of Oysters in Texas Since the start of these new management strategies, regulations, and increased restoration efforts, TPWD has seen an increase in abundance of market-size oysters in our sampling in Aransas and San Antonio Bays (Figure 2). Given time and assuming mother nature gives our state a break, TPWD is optimistic that we will see additional increases in oyster abundance over time.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is also investigating new sampling techniques to combine with our ongoing mapping efforts to obtain better estimates of sustainable levels of harvest that are appropriate to maintain the overall health of Texas oyster reefs for generations to come.

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

TSFMAG.com | 35

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

SNOOKTOPIA 2020 – PART 1 I believe it fair to say 2020 has been quite unique and very challenging. Travel bans have created havoc for many folks this summer, me included. No worries though, fishing trips can be rescheduled and there are plenty other destinations we can reach without flying.

Lucky for me, my annual snook fishing trip to southern Florida remained on my calendar and I was eager for the road trip.

I arrived at Jonathan Dickenson State Park after a seventeen hour drive and was greeted with the familiar surroundings and excitement as years past. I unloaded my truck and headed straight for the Loxahatchee River.

I only had a few hours before sunset but figured that I would stay until dark and give it an honest effort. Having never been upriver, I decided to head that way and see what it may be holding.

I threw a topwater all afternoon along the mangrovelined shore and never received so much as a single blowup. With darkness coming on I decided to head back to camp and relax after the long day of driving. I got on the phone with a friend that lives in the area and 36 | October 2020

he said fishing has been tough and catching live bait has been tougher. That being said, I figured I would just stick to the river in the morning and then venture out closer to the inlet around midday.

The next morning I got up at daylight, grabbed a cup of coffee and headed to the river. This time I headed down and fished the areas that I am more familiar with.

I made it around a few bends and become slightly discouraged by the lack of action. Rounding the next bend I noticed several small tarpon rolling in the current.

I made dozens of casts over a thirty minute period with no luck but they really were a beautiful sight to see.

While casting to the tarpon I had a school of about ten large snook show up right alongside the kayak and took that as a good sign. The rest of the morning was spent standing in the kayak, hoping for a sight-cast shot at snook making their way along the mangroves. I never got a strike but seeing at least forty or more told me they were definitely using that part of the river.

I got off the water around lunch time and decided to take a break from the heat. While cooling off, I was

be in the 25-30 lb. range. A true trophy of a snook!

I got her back in the water to be revived and watched her disappear into the stained depths of the Loxahatchee. I was on cloud nine. Dave and I laughed and reminisced every detail of what had just happened. I am thankful he was there to get a good photo and assist with the measurement and reviving before releasing her.

This is my fourth year of chasing my snook dreams in Florida and this is by far my best fish of all the landings I have accomplished. I have seen several snook of this caliber swimming around but getting one to eat always seems to be a challenge. Also, catching a fish like this on artificial is a complete different accomplishment in itself.

Knowing what I have done, I believe I will be getting a replica of her made to commemorate the event.

At this point, I had set the bar very high for the other anglers coming down to join our annual Snooktopia. Naturally, excitement and expectations of all were running at peak levels as the photos were shared. Knowing that they were available and catchable gave everybody an added jolt of motivation. Fishing had started slow on this trip but one good fish can certainly turn things around!

View The Video

Open Camera and hover over QR Code. When link appears at top of screen tap to open in YouTube.

Hey this is just a introduction of myself and a little more about me. It also talk about some of the products I use and the companies who have supported me through the years.

C O N TA C T

scrolling through the Snooktopia Facebook page and noticed a new post. David Naumann, who lives in the area, was asking if anyone had arrived yet and wanted to fish. I sent him a message and he obliged to meet up and hit the water. After discussing where we might fish, I fell back to the Number 1 Rule – Never leave fish to find fish. So we decided to head back to the river for the afternoon.

We launched and made our way downriver, working opposite shorelines. The first bend has a cut that leads to a secondary channel and I had just explained to Dave that this was where I had caught my biggest snook on a lure. I tossed my topwater across the mouth of the cut and, working it toward the center of the opening, I received a surface explosion more powerful than any I had ever witnessed. So powerful that it startled me and, needless to say, there was no need to set the hook. I instantly knew that I was connected to a giant fish and that I needed to make sure she didn’t break me off in the mangroves. It took about fifteen minutes to bring her alongside the kayak and into my hands!

I carefully removed the plug and nervously tried to position her in my lap for a picture. I was trying to be delicate with her, all while trying to maintain a firm grasp, which seemed difficult to do with such a large fish. We got a few pictures and put a tape on her for a measurement. She went 42-inches and Dave estimated the weight to

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

TSFMAG.com | 37

Story by John Blaha

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

CCA TEXAS: LATE SUMMER UPDATE CCA Texas volunteers and staff have had a busy summer as we all continue moving through a different and challenging 2020. As CCA leadership in Texas continues to move along with a cautious approach in its everyday business, some Texas businesses continue to flourish and others are working hard to make the best of the situation.

CCA Texas is no different, and with requirements put in place by the state, new approaches to critical fundraising are being explored daily by staff and volunteers.

Through the end of September, approximately 40 online auctions will have been held across the state.

The auctions have been successful and have seen participation from individuals all across the state and throughout the USA. In addition, CCA Texas has held two Cast for the Coast events. Both of these events have been very successful, and a big part of those success are the unique packages that have been provided by board members, supporters and staff. These once in a lifetimes experiences have garnered a great response and CCA Texas is grateful for these wonderful donations. These types of trips give our members, supporters, and staff the opportunity to visit and talk conservation on a personal and relaxed level. A big THANK YOU goes out to each and every one of you! You are truly making a difference in the conservation of Texas’s coastal resources during a trying time. Be sure to keep an eye out for messages about our

final Cast for the Coast to be held in November 2020.

Habitat restoration and creation projects continue to move forward. CCA Texas and Building Conservation Trust (BCT) projects continue through the contraction and construction processes. Current active projects include: • Marsh grass planting with Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program (CBBEP) at Egery Island in Copano Bay. This project should be completed by the time this issue hits the newsstands (provided salinity levels stay consistent).

• Galveston Bay Foundation Headquarters living shoreline construction. This project will provide not only habitat, but great community outreach opportunities with the Galveston Bay Foundation.

• St. Charles Bay Big Tree Unit shoreline protection and oyster restoration with Harte Research Institute, and other funders including Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, NOAA, and Lone Star Beer, as part of the continuing Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. Construction is currently underway and should be completed by mid-September.

• Dollar Bay shoreline protection and marsh restoration ongoing in the contracting process with Galveston Bay Foundation.

• Sabine Lake Deep Reef TPWD oyster restoration is currently on hold as crews work to get mobilized once again after Hurricane Laura.

The St. Charles Bay Oyster Reef Restoration project was completed in early September 2020. -Photos courtesy John Blaha

38 | October 2020

TSFMAG.com | 39

• Galveston Big Man, Kate’s Reef, and Sabine HI20 Nearshore Reefing Projects continue to move along in the contracting and build process prior to deployment. Contracts will have been awarded in mid-September.

Texas Parks and Wildlife and conservation groups are asking the tens of thousands of people who boat in Texas coastal waters every year to become part of the solution to conserve diminishing habitats.

Habitat loss and degradation has been documented for years as a very real problem in coastal bays. The call for conservation comes as people look for a safe outdoor activity during the ongoing pandemic, when choosing to fish or boat in the bays is a popular option.

Compared to last year, the total Texas resident fishing license sales have risen 27.2%, as of the end of June. This increased activity on the Gulf coast means protecting coastal resources has never been more vital. In response to this, a relatively new organization focusing on angler etiquette and behavior called Flatsworthy has emerged.

The group’s three tenets are: Respect Fellow Anglers – Respect the Resource – Respect the Law. CCA Texas recently released a podcast, with Flatsworthy president, Chuck Naiser, discussing the importance of angler education, boater safety, mutual respect and habitat loss. Check out Episode 39 of the Coastal Advocacy Adventures Podcast and visit Flatsworthy.com to learn how you can help.

Also be on the lookout for more exciting content coming from Flatsworthy and CCA Texas.

On the advocacy front, the CCA Texas Advocacy Team continues to stay busy, and oyster restoration and management continues on the forefront of CCA Texas’s Advocacy Team’s work. In early August, TPWD announced that the Texas Cultivated Oyster Mariculture

Program is now active. Under the leadership of CCA Texas Advocacy Director, Shane Bonnot, CCA Texas played key role in developing this plan that holds great promise for future oyster management plans in Texas. Texas was the last coastal state to have a mariculture plan put in place, and this is truly a great milestone. Information is available at: https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/commercial/com_cf/ com_index.phtml Don’t forget, new regulations are now in place for southern flounder in Texas. The new minimum length for retaining flounder is 15 inches, effective September 01, 2020. Also, if you haven’t already done so, you need to renew your Texas fishing and hunting licenses before you head out to the water or field.

CCA Texas membership, supporters and staff remain committed to the health of Texas coastal resources. In these trying times, interest in fishing and the outdoors has seemed to grow to all-time highs.

Boat and tackle sales are as high and higher than they have ever been, as well as hunting gear. CCA Texas STAR Tournament is a great indicator of the interest in fishing and this year has set a record with participation surpassing 58,600 angler registrations. With the conclusion of the 2020 CCA Texas STAR Tournament, this annual event will have awarded scholarships valued at $7.15 million to youth and teen participants. Fishing is not only a cherished past time of many families, but can be a life changing event for many as well.

CCA Texas leadership, local committees, and staff, thank you and every one of our members and supporters for helping make CCA Texas the greatest conservation group of its kind. For more information about CCA Texas, please visit www.ccatexas.org.

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STEPHANIE BOYD

F I S H Y FA C T S

MARINE FUNGI

There are mushrooms living in the sea! Well technically, a mushroom is the fruiting body of specific species of fungi, but let’s take some artistic license and run with it! Our understanding of the fungi that inhabit our oceans (an area covering more than 70% of our planet’s surface) is quite limited, compared to what we know of their terrestrial brethren. We know they’re there, but we have only a vague idea of what they’re doing. One challenge hindering the field of marine mycology (the study of fungi) is defining which fungi are truly ‘marine.’

Many species collected from marine environments are already well-known from terrestrial habitats. While it’s tempting to dismiss those samples as inactive flotsam, gene expression evidence suggests that at least some fungi are actually amphibious. (A diverse group discovered in 2011, called Cryptomycota, has been found lurking in dirt, pond muck, deep-sea oozes… really most environments on Earth.) In general, marine fungi are classified as either obligate or facultative.

Obligate marine fungi are those that grow and create spores exclusively in a marine or estuarine habitat, either permanently or intermittently submerged; these fungi would not survive in fresh water or on land. Facultative marine fungi are those that normally occupy freshwater or terrestrial habitats but are able to grow (and possibly create spores) in a marine environment. This is an ecological/morphological classification; they are grouped together, not by DNA, but by the adaptations they have evolved to live in a specific environment.

Most ocean fungi live on animals and plants, or dead and decaying matter. Relatively few species float freely in the water column, and those are mostly yeasts.

Some species are obligate parasites, deadly enough that some shrimp and lobsters host symbiotic bacteria that produce anti-fungal compounds to protect the crustacean embryos; any aquarium enthusiast can tell you about fungal infections that rapidly take advantage of wounded fish. Some fungi are beneficial symbiotes, such as Turgidosculum complicatum, which lives in association with a green algae and offers protection from dehydration during low tides. There is a special symbiotic class called the lichens that consist of fungi hosting algae inside that convert sunlight to energy (through photosynthesis).

Other marine species are saprophytic, obtaining their nutrition from decaying matter, such as dead wood and animals. Still others are free-living, such as arenicolous fungi that live in sand pores. Fungi have been found in nearly every marine habitat examined: mud, sand, corals, the water column, mangrove swamps, estuarine grasses, even nestled in the gut of crustaceans – ranging in location from deep sea sediments all the way to surface waters. Some marine fungi even live on terrestrial plants (these would be the facultative type). Such is the case with fungi eaten by the marsh periwinkle snail, Littorina irrorata. This intertidal snail lives in the marshy area that gets flooded at high tide; this snail purposely damages Spartina plants that grow there. When high tide comes, some fungal spores colonize the damaged parts of the plants, and these are what the snail eats – it cultivates a fungus farm on the Spartina.

Historically, marine fungi have been understudied. Most mycologists, never mind the general public, don’t know much about the group. They aren’t visible to the naked eye like the terrestrial mushrooms many people are familiar with.

Moreover, studying marine fungi previously required time-intensive culturing methods. The relatively more recent application of DNA sequencing techniques has Morphological diversity of fungi collected from a biotic host. Fungal collection isolated from a marine provided additional insights into sponge, Ircinia variabilis (formerly Psammocinia sp). Licensed under the CC 4.0 International license.

Originally appearing in “Diversity and potential antifungal properties of fungi associated with a marine fungal diversity and has Mediterranean sponge” (Fungal Diversity) by Paz, Z., Komon-Zelazowska, M., Druzhinina, I.S. et al. 2010. stimulated a new wave of interest 42 | October 2020

into their functional roles in marine ecosystems – though the DNA sequencing techniques currently in use were designed using largely terrestrial representatives, and so are greatly biased towards the fungal subkingdom Dikarya, resulting in poor representation of other fungal groups known to occupy marine habitats. However, even a combination of cultures, microscopy, and DNA-based methods have determined that the vast majority of fungi identified from marine environments belong to Dikarya. One phylum from this subkingdom, Ascomycota, is of particular relevance to humans as sources for medicinally important compounds, such as antibiotics. They are used for making bread, alcoholic beverages, and cheese as well, but also exist as pathogens of humans and plants. Familiar examples of ascomycetes include morels, truffles, brewer’s and baker’s yeast, Dead Man’s Fingers, and cup fungi. Ascomycota is the largest phylum of fungi, with over 64,000 species. The defining feature of this group is the “ascus” (from Greek askos, meaning “sac” or “wineskin”), in which they produce their spores for reproduction. Basidiomycota is the other phylum of Dikarya. They are filamentous fungi composed of hyphae (long, branching filamentous structures). Included in this group, among others, are puffballs, stinkhorns, bracket fungi, jelly fungi, chanterelles (a popular group of wild edible mushrooms), earth stars, mirror yeasts, and the human pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus.

Basidiomycetes produce their spores in special cells called basidia.

To date, a little over 1,000 fungi species associated with marine environments have been identified, though it is estimated that there are greater than 10,000 as yet undescribed. Interest in marine fungi is rising, not only out of the systematics and phylogenetics corners (the study of evolutionary relationships between groups and their classifications), but also from the biotech fields, as they’ve been shown to be a good source of all sorts of useful chemicals, much like their terrestrial counterparts. For example, a species of Fusarium (a large genus of filamentous, and mostly saprophytic, fungi) isolated from a seaweed harbors a chemical that may have anti-cancer effects.

Similarly, Ascochyta salicorniae (from a genus of ascomycete fungi) produces a compound which could have anti-malarial effects.

Fungi are important decomposers in the marine realm, particularly because of their ability to decay wood (and also slurp up dead whales and other rotting animals). After the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, we heard a lot about oil-eating bacteria. But many fungal species also secrete enzymes from their cells, which can externally break down an array of compounds in the surrounding environment, including hydrocarbons (the chief component of petroleum and natural gas). In an assessment of coastal sediments in the Gulf of Mexico, both before and after the Deepwater Horizon spill, fungi were found to dominate benthic communities impacted by oil, and those communities include species known to “eat oil” (technically they just degrade it; they don’t eat it). In fact, in oil-polluted sediments, fungi are likely the primary degraders of high-molecular-weight hydrocarbons. While most can’t fully mineralize hydrocarbons on their own, they work cooperatively with oil-degrading bacteria – fungi break down the tough carbons; bacteria decompose the resulting simpler carbons. Fungi are thought to have a relatively high tolerance to hydrocarbons, and more than 100 genera are known to play important roles in biodegradation of hydrocarbons in soils and sediments. Not that we should continue business-as-usual, hoping that fungi will save us on this front. We should still reduce plastic pollution and prevent future oil spills. In the meantime, fungi can help us clean up the mess we’ve already made.

Fun side fact: fungi eat nematodes (microscopic worms, to oversimplify). Imagine if an oak lassoed you as you ran past. That’s basically what these fungi do in soils, entwining the nematodes with their rope-like hyphae and choking the poor worms to death.

There isn’t much evidence of nematode-eating fungi from marine environments yet, but this is probably just because we haven’t looked for them, specifically. Marine sediments are filled with thriving masses of yummy, juicy nematodes.

It’s clear that fungi are a thriving, abundant, active, and functioning component of the oceans, from the sunlit surface waters to the deepsea sediments, influencing the ecological and biochemical cycles in every habitat they live in. In just a handful of years, researchers from around the world have filled in some major holes in our understanding of marine fungi, but there is still a ridiculous amount of interactions and biochemical processes we don’t know about. There remains more questions than answers. How many species are there?

What exactly are they doing? What cool chemical compounds are they hiding? And above all—how do we get more people to pay attention?

It’s an exciting time for sea shrooms!

Where I learned about marine fungi, and you can too!

National Center for Biotechnology Information www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6401481/ University of Southern Mississippi web.archive.org/web/20130422084649/http://ocean.otr.usm.edu/~w529014/ index_files/Page2025.htm Sciencing sciencing.com/types-fungi-grow-ocean-8467074.html Science Daily www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/10/191025170633.htm Teaching Biology web.archive.org/web/20120316214528/http://bioteaching.wordpress. com/2011/12/17/cool-new-paper-marine-fungi/ Springer Link link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13225-019-00426-5 Marine Fungi www.marinefungi.org/ Forbes www.forbes.com/sites/linhanhcat/2019/06/30/marine-fungisuperpowers/#4c52d90a16bf Deep Sea News www.deepseanews.com/2011/08/marine-fungi-are-totally-badass/ Forest Floor Narrative www.forestfloornarrative.com/blog/2019/7/12/an-aquatic-edition-of-fungifriday-marine-fungi-and-the-roles-they-play Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_fungi en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascomycota en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basidiomycota en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chytridiomycota TSFMAG.com | 43

Double-hookup tiger shark landed by the author prior to wrestling with the huge hammer.

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

OF MYTHS AND MONSTERS -

LEGENDARY EDITION

Many people dream of being rich and famous, or having exotic love interests. Not me; sharks haunt my dreams.

I’ve dreamt of hunting sharks at the beach, having to steer a kayak over towering mountains of water to deploy my baits. Twisted images of sharks cruising my neighborhood’s flooded streets and ditches color my nights. Evolution’s toothy monsters also play an integral part in my daily life. I truly treasure pursuing these beasts.

This summer, shark fishing in South Texas essentially shut down. For over a month during peak big-shark season, the pandemic caused officials to close most all beaches from Port Aransas to Mexico. Then Hurricane Hanna delayed the opening of Padre Island National Seashore even longer. When authorities announced the park would open on August 20th , I had a chance to hit the beach before the masses showed up.

My “first trip back” had a purpose. I needed to place satellite tags in some tiger sharks for the Harte Research Institute. Late-August being prime-time for tigers, I knew the catching might be good. I opted to stay closer to the north end of the park and fish spots that have been productive in the past, though I don’t fish them often.

Oz’s beast of a great hammer taped 14’-8” length and sported a massive 78” girth.

44 | October 2020

After identifying what I consider an optimal spot, I set out some baits.

The shark bite on summer days is usually slow, and this was no exception. I expected this and also figured I’d get a bite around dusk. Sure enough, soon after I deployed my night-time baits and the sun began to set, a tiger moved into the spread and picked up a bait, biting just shy of the hook. Ten minutes later, it found the second of three big baits and gulped it down deep enough to taste the hook.

I got the first tiger in fairly quickly, and as I was about ready to lead it over the inside bar, something picked up the remaining big bait and smoked the reel. Instantly, I knew it was a big hammer and did my best to quickly land and tag the tiger. While I completed the process within no more than ten minutes, the hammer dumped roughly 400 yards of line off the other reel. After the release, I jumped back on the platform and strapped myself to the most destructive Kraken of sharks.

I settled in for the fight of my life. Nailed to the rail of the platform continuously for over an hour, I finally managed to turn the fish with my 80W. At that point, I looked down and saw an exposed spool hub with nearly

C O N TA C T

no line remaining. The shark swam in a couple hundred yards, then circled back out, repeating the process at least The head on this hammer three times, failing to completely empty my spool, though was just incredible. it came perilously close. After the third run offshore, the fish began to cooperate.

Over two hours into the fight, the behemoth shark started to swim consistently in, but at least 1200 yards of water still lay between us. I fought the good fight, eventually leading the beast closer to shore. With things going smoothly, I became convinced I’d win the battle, but at roughly 600 yards out, my opponent finally stopped swimming in, then began to exhibit odd behaviors. For the next few minutes, I felt mere flutters. Having seen big hammers do this before and die during fights, I feared the same might happen to this fish.

By around 10:30 pm, I could barely move the fish with a locked down 80W and torqued pre-sets. Desperate, I turned on the rack’s lights and went out in the kayak to Hammers this size are known try and find the float and leader, hoping to attach another for fighting all the way to their death; something Oz short float near the drop for buoyancy, like I’ve done regrets very deeply. before to get sharks off bottom. After searching for about twenty minutes in the eerie darkness, I found nothing. So I came back to the beach, climbed in the rack, put the reel in low gear and cranked with all my might.

After a few minutes, I winched the brute free from the bottom, but could only gain about ten feet of line per minute. This would lead to a long night indeed. After a relentless effort, I finally dragged the shark to the first sand bar, only to discover it had died during the fight. This is unfortunately common with giant hammerheads, the most delicate shark species we encounter. Being solo, I couldn’t wrestle the dead giant off the bar; I had to utilize my truck Catches like this cannot be publicized without giving credit where to pull her up to the edge of the beach. She was absolutely massive, credit is due. This shark ultimately picked up and ate a whole large measuring 14’ - 8” length with a 78” girth! ray, with a single Catch Sharks 24/0 hook in its head, attached to an Estimates derived from various formulas place the shark’s weight at Incognito Acclimation leader. The workhorse reel was a standard about 1,000 pounds. I’ve achieved almost every surf-sharking accolade EXW 80W Avet with half a spool of 150 lb. braid backing, the top half I could dream of and have personally released perhaps a thousand being 250 lb. braid. I purchased the reel from Rocky at Roy’s Bait and sharks at the beach. While many giant sharks have been caught from Tackle, to add to my 80W arsenal, right after I had a 50W dumped the Texas surf over the decades, I can find no evidence of a larger one, by an unseen thief. The rod in the setup was constructed from a though some longer specimens came from the Port Aransas jetty area Jawbone 1053 blank, handcrafted by the great Roy Guerra. All these many years ago. My monster also ranks among the largest surf-caught components helped make this catch possible. sharks in the entire Gulf of Mexico.

I will be fishing the rest of the year, as long as our beaches are I made sure the situation would end the best way possible for other open. I’m booked pretty solid through the first half of October, but am feeding wildlife and scientific research, collecting flesh for genetic currently taking reservations for the rest of the fall and winter, through sampling at the university. Anyone who knows me knows I do not kill my website: oceanepics.com. The 80,000 miles I’ve put on my truck sharks intentionally, particularly large species such as bulls, tigers, and the past four years have created an unreliable mess of sorts, so I’m hammers. My adult life has revolved around chasing these monsters in search of a vehicle sponsor to continue pursuing my dreams and in the Texas surf for the past 20 years. Happily, I did discover this mega exploring the mysterious world of our coastal sharks. mamma had no pups growing inside her. In all likelihood, she gave birth in June or July. Her litter could have numbered as many as fifty.

For the past decade Eric ‘Oz’ Ozolins has been promoting This fact makes me feel a little better about the situation, though I do shark catch and release and assisting various shark research experience bittersweet emotions over the outcome. programs. Eric offers guided shark fishing on Padre Island The sad truth is most extremely large hammers do not survive National Seashore. Also renowned for extreme kayak big game fishing, Eric is the owner of Catch Sharks Tackle Company. catch and release. I’ve told others who dealt with giant sharks dying after they caught them to remain proud of their catch. I now have to oz@oceanepics.com Email tell myself the same thing, despite the lingering negative feelings I Websites oceanepics.com | catchsharks.com have about the circumstances.

TSFMAG.com | 45

TSFMAG TESTED & RECOMMENDED

Nasty Weather?

Got You Covered!

STORY BY TSFMAG FIELD STAFF

46 | October 2020

You may recall the first week of November 2019 when an old-fashioned blue norther came screaming to the Gulf Coast. I sure do; we were booked for a three-day fishing trip out of Venice, Louisiana. We had gusty south wind the first day but we found protected water and the redfish played nice, chomping every lure in the box. Seems that darned old weatherman had a mean trick up his sleeve, though.

The rain started shortly after dark and it poured buckets, a few hours later the north wind hit like a sledge hammer. It continued raining through the night and by morning the wind was blowing 30+. The temperature dropped to the low 40s and with steady rain still falling the fishing was cancelled.

It was do or die the third morning, even with steady drizzle and the north wind making 40-ish temperatures feel more like 30s. Oh well – it’s a twelve-hour drive from Seadrift to Venice and we came to fish.

As the old saying goes, the fish are already wet. So we donned our Frogg Toggs Pilot jackets and bibs, and slipped on rubber boots. You won’t know if you don’t go! The fishing was predictably slow with the harsh weather but we still found a few. At least we stayed warm and dry.

The Frogg Toggs Pilot gear comes in a rainbow of colors, including several popular camouflage patterns. Camo is a great option for fishermen who also enjoy waterfowl and turkey hunting – so long as you don’t mind hunting in the rain.

Zip-in vests and liner jackets can be paired with the basic jackets for greater warmth on really cold days and reversible from black to camo. The bibs have zippered legs that make it easy to slide them on over boots. Both garments have plenty of large, zippered pockets for carrying the things you need on the water and in the field. Jackets and bibs are both available in a full range of men’s and ladies sizes. MSRP for the Pilot line of jackets is $184.99 and bibs $169.99.

Check out the full line of Frogg Toggs gear at Roy’s Bait and Tackle Outfitters in Corpus Christi, Rockport Tackle Town in Rockport, and all three Fishing Tackle Unlimited locations in Houston. You can also shop online at FroggToggs.com.

Zip-in jacket and vest.

Men's camo line.

For the ladies.

TSFMAG.com | 47

NEW

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The Alijos 2-speed lever drag is a lightweight, compact-bodied, big fish stopping machine. Built with 6051T5 machined aluminum frame and side plates for ultimate strength, the Alijos will be available in 5, 12, and 16 size variations. It also features 17-4 grade stainless steel main and pinion gears for ultimate smoothness and utilizes Okuma’s DFD: Dual Force Drag system, outputting a maximum of 48 lbs. on the 12 and 16 size reels. The all-new Alijos is a great addition to any fisherman’s saltwater arsenal. www.OkumaFishingUSA.com/products/alijos-2-speed-lever-drag-reels

Excel Boats An Excelleration™ Pad Hull virtually eliminates hydrodynamic drag for increased speed and handling. An extremely tough .160 gauge hull is standard; making the Bay Pro the toughest aluminum bay boat in the industry. Bay Pro’s Sleek lines provide maximum interior space and design strength. Large casting deck provides plenty of room for fighting trophy fish. Lockable rod boxes keep gear safely stowed. Other features include flip-up jump-seats, deluxe center console with rod holders, leaning post with storage, two livewells, integrated trolling motor bracket, 45° angle transom splash-well, and over 31 cubic feet of storage. The Bay Pro represents an exceptional combination of performance, functionality, fishability and craftsmanship.

Offered in 18’, 20’, 22’ and 23’ models. www.ExcelBoats.com

Double Clutch – Back by Popular Demand Double Clutch; the ultimate suspending jerkbait. Innovative tungsten sliding weight transfer system allows the Double Clutch to cast like a bullet and swim with unique twitching and darting action. The slim bill enables it to track straight and deep, getting into the strike zone quickly. Internal dampening reduces lure noise to enhance finesse appeal. “A blast from the past bait that we are proud to reintroduce.”

Dives 4- to 6-feet; deeper when trolled. Daiwa recommends 10- or 15-lb/test J-Braid x8 braided line to maximize running depth and sensitivity, along with 18- to 24-inch J-Fluoro fluorocarbon leader. The Double Clutch 95SP’s hooks are equally as remarkable; #8 SaqSas trebles, heralded for their exceedingly smooth, sharp points. www.Daiwa.com/us

48 | October 2020

P R O D U C T S

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Available at your favorite tackle supplier. Model CS22MR, Length 3", Weight 3/8 oz., 2 Hooks, 0 - 24"+ Running Depth. MSRP: $9.17 Additional information at www.Mirrolure.com or call 727-584-7691.

Frogg Toggs: Grand Refuge 2.0™ Zip-Front Bootfoot Wader Perfect for early waterfowl season or anytime you experience warm weather, with a removable 120 gram insulated liner for when cold weather starts to creep in. The Grand Refuge 2.0™ Zip-Front Bootfoot Wader is breathable, comfortable, versatile, and lightweight. Areas subject to wear-and-tear are nylon reinforced.

Includes a quick access, 10-count shell holder, a zippered flip-out security chest pocket, a zippered front storage pocket, and oversize handwarmer pockets. From hot weather to cold weather, early season to late, anywhere on the map; the Grand Refuge 2.0 is the one wader to cover any situation you may encounter.

Learn more at www.FroggToggs.com TSFMAG.com | 49

DICKIE COLBURN

DICKIE COLBURN’S Sabine Scene

As if simply trying to avoid Covid 19 wasn’t enough of a hassle, it now looks like Hurricane Laura is bearing down on us. I was dealing with the rigors of tying down the house, emptying freezers and loading up S ab i n e three truckloads of dogs and kinfolk when my wife asked if I had written my column. That wasn’t very high on the priority list at that moment, but I think Dickie Colburn is a full I can finish it on the road and mail it in time guide out of Orange, before the end of the month. I don’t Texas. Dickie has 37 years know, however, if I can even send a text experience guiding on Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes. message from Arp, Texas where we are headed, but it is worth a try.

Telephone It should come as no surprise that 409-883-0723 we had finally turned the corner Website here on Sabine. You never know how www.sabineconnection.com accurate the forecasts will be, but even without a lot of rain, a twenty-foot tidal surge is unthinkable and would render this report totally useless! I don’t see any way this storm can possibly miss us altogether, but sliding over just a

couple of miles to the east would not only minimize damage here in Orange, but do worlds for a shorter recovery as far as the fishing is concerned. To even be talking about fishing right now would be considered a tad irresponsible by anyone begrudgingly joining the northbound caravan of evacuees.

The good news is that while we have seen very few trout in the four to five-pound class, we are once again catching really solid numbers of smaller keeper-size trout all over the lake. I truly believe the bite on the north end has been as consistent as anything going on further south.

We are not finding a lot of fish under the terns and gulls right now, but that will happen very shortly should Laura cut us a little slack.

Ladyfish have been all over the massive schools of small shad and schools of twelve to eighteen-inch trout have been right behind them.

Easily the most productive approach has been to drift a medium cast away from the surfacing fish and offering them a four-inch tail under a cork. Color has not been critical, but an eighteen to twenty four-inch leader has worked especially well.

When that bite slows down or you tire of jumping off ladyfish crashing the party, the second-best option is bouncing a plastic tail off the shell in three to five feet of water or fishing a jerk bait.

A rattail Assassin, Lil John, or Down South threaded on an eighthounce head will keep you busy catching and releasing, even after it is too hot to enjoy yourself.

The bite is little slower with the jerkbait, but the average size of the trout it fools has been a little better. There is a world of top-notch jerkbaits on the market, but I am still throwing a gold Long A with a black back. Regardless of which jerkbaits you prefer, life will be much easier if you switch the trebles for single hooks, or at least clip off the barb opposite the other two. We are also finding more schools of surface feeding reds every day. When we fish afternoons, we are starting out looking for the schooling reds and fishing the trout later. There is no wrong lure when they are on the surface, but I would tie on something you can throw a long way.

For those of you more comfortable hunting reds on the shoreline than cruising the open lake, the first couple of hours of the day have been the most productive for me. An outgoing tide improves the bite around the cuts and mouth of the bayous, but a high tide will hold fish tight to the flooded grass.

I undoubtedly no longer throw a gold Johnson weedless spoon often enough, but I find it very hard to clip off a three or four-inch Usual Suspect swimbait when fishing this program. There are days when they will hit the larger version much better, but the threeinch model fools flounder and trout as well.

The only program that has yet to recover is the Even though our house and garage suffered significant deep-water bite in the Intracoastal and rivers feeding damage, we feel blessed to at least into the north end. When that happens, I will consider have something standing that we the bite completely recovered. Big trout are still hard can repair and again call home. to come by, but waiting is much easier now.

Many folks were not as lucky.

A day spent fishing with the kids is never forgotten!

50 | October 2020

TSFMAG.com | 51

BINK GRIMES

THE VIEW FROM Matagorda

I like listening to old country music.

Songs that tell a story – take me back to my childhood – the good ol’ days.

We reminisce about the good ol’ days in Matagorda a lot. We still feel blessed to fish in a bay that gives you M ata go r d a a shot at a world-class trout just about every cast. However, there were times when October was legendary.

I remember chilly earlobes, calm Bink Grimes is a full-time fishing afternoons, and fish everywhere. In and hunting guide, freelance writer and photographer, and the mid-90s, it was nothing to pop owner of Sunrise Lodge on countless 3- to 5-pound trout on Matagorda Bay. topwaters during an evening session under the birds. I will never admit Telephone to her, but those sunsets in East 979-241-1705 Matagorda Bay sweetened the deal Email during my college-day courting of a binkgrimes@sbcglobal.net sweet little Bay City girl. It will be 25 Website matagordasunriselodge.com years come October14.

Back then, it was crowded to see three boats on an October weekday afternoon in East Matagorda Bay. People were more concerned with getting deer camp ready and duck blinds brushed. The past two Octobers have been pretty solid. Good shrimp hatches have spelled awesome fall fishing.

But don’t be surprised if the “good ol’ days” of bird action return once again this year. We have had intermittent rains throughout the spring and summer, which helps reduce salinity levels, thereby affording a better white shrimp crop.

The telltale spark that gets birds working is the amount of water in the marsh. When tides are high, which is normally the case in early autumn, shrimp retreat to the backwater areas and nurseries. Then, as tides recede, often after the first strong cold front of the year, the marsh dumps those bloated tides and shrimp ride the current to the bays.

52 | October 2020

We like to throw soft plastics and topwaters under the birds, or maybe even a MirrOlure Lil’ John under a popping cork. Some impressive sand trout stage on the bottom as well for jiggers.

Even if the birds don’t work, there are still plenty of fish to catch.

The bull redfish run is strong in the surf and at the jetty. Large table shrimp, finger mullet and cracked crabs are the best offerings for the big spawners. If you plan to target bull redfish, the Gulf is the spot, but don’t be surprised if you run into a 40-incher in the bay.

Swelling fall tides are a boon for redfishers. Like shrimp, when tides are high, redfish wander to the back lakes and marshes. We often Power Pole down and work the grass line, then pull up and drift down the shoreline and do it again.

Large schools of redfish tour the grass line rooting shrimp. The large “V” easing down the shoreline gives away schools of 25-50 reds, but so does the cracking pop of their jaws from inhaling small crabs and shrimp that get in the way.

September afforded the first schooling action for redfish, even in the sweltering heat. Fish just know when to get it going as shorter days spark an intrinsic reaction to spawning fish.

Times they are a changing. I still believe we have some “good ol’ days” left.

TSFMAG.com | 53

CAPT. GARY GRAY

MID-COAST BAYS With the Grays

I sometimes have difficulty deciding what to write about. Quite often it’s “Oh Wow!” moments of recent charters and related tips to pass along. This one is about a trip with two fathers and their twelve-yearPort O'Connor old sons. I had taken them last year Seadrift and we enjoyed a truly stellar trip.

I suspected I might be in trouble when Dad One phoned to book Captain Gary Gray is a full a two-day trip this year. What he time guide, born and raised in didn’t understand, even though I Seadrift. He has been guiding mentioned it numerous times that the Seadrift/Port O’Connor day, we’d enjoyed a record-book region since 1986. Gary trip and luck had definitely been on specializes in year ‘round wade fishing for speckled trout and our side. Even the boys errant casts redfish with artificial lures. that landed in the mangroves were met with crushing strikes when their Telephone lures were jerked loose and landed in 361-785-6708 a fish’s mouth. The dads fished with Email bayrats@tisd.net more focus and seemed to understand Website the importance of placing casts near www.bayrat.com structure…or so I thought.

Facebook So, during the call with Dad One a @captsgaryandshelliegray couple of days before this year’s trip, he informed me they would like to get their limits of reds early and then practice catch and release the rest of the day. I again reminded him that our success the prior year was hardly normal, but I’d do my best to make it happen again.

They showed up late the first morning. All the other boats had already left the dock; seems the line at the taco shop was longer than expected.

Dad Two remarked, “Not many boats for a Saturday.” That’s when I had to break it to him that everybody was already out fishing.

They finally got all their stuff in the cooler and climbed aboard my X3. This group is not into wading, which meant we had to find fish we could catch from the boat. Lo and behold, there were boats already fishing all the spots I had hoped to target. To make matters worse, places with no boats that had been holding good numbers of redfish had already seen plenty of boat traffic.

By 11:00 am we had only one red to show for our morning’s work.

Chelsy Williams with her first jackfish on a surf charter.

54 | October 2020

One of the sons was sitting on the front ice chest pouting over their lack of success. Just when I was about to pull my hair out, thinking we’d be headed in with only one fish, I noticed a small group of terns working low over the water. The flock wasn’t large, maybe only fifteen birds, yet even with boats drifting nearby, none of them seemed to notice. I told the guys to reel up and get ready.

I cranked the MinnKota trolling motor, explaining there might a school or reds under the terns. Almost within range, one of the guys fired a cast that landed short and ended up getting run over by the Shallow Sport. Miraculously, even after getting that fiasco sorted out, the terns were still working. Back underway and coming into range, I stuck the Power Pole and suggested everybody get ready on the big front deck of the X3. As luck would have it we had found a school of reds that averaged twenty-four inches.

We worked that school of with numerous hookups and, remarkably, none of the other boats were taking notice. Even the dip net coming out never got their attention. We continued this for about two hours, moving between small flocks of terns that would occasionally form and point the way to another school, until we had eleven redfish. When it appeared we were going to end the day one red short, I spied a lone tern and trolled toward it. Bam! We got a double hookup, released one, and called it a day.

While cleaning their fish, Dad One asked if they needed to leave the dock earlier tomorrow to get their limit earlier, they were eager to be headed home as early as possible. I just shook my head and reminded him how lucky they’d been – two trips in a row.

The terns working the schools of reds had been the key to another productive outing. Without them it could have been a long grind for only one redfish. Praying for another miracle tomorrow!

These guys are the perfect example of the up-and-coming generation of what I call, “instant gratification anglers.” They could have used the experience of a slow day as a teaching tool. Catching a limit is a bonus to the opportunity to witness the beauty of nature and to spend quality time together. Instead, they were fixated on an early limit and totally missed the teaching moment.

Oh, by the way, this View The Video is not the topic I was Open Camera and hover over QR Code. When planning to write. It is, link appears at top of however, what came screen tap to open in tumbling out of my head.

YouTube.

Fish hard, fish smart!

A nice backcountry redfish for this young angler.

TSFMAG.com | 55

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

56 | October 2020

It has been a busy tropical weather season thus far along the Texas coast and we currently have systems developing in the Atlantic that could make it into the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane Hanna hit us on July 23 and just last week Category 3 Laura devastated the region along the Texas-Louisiana coast.

Time will tell whether any of these new systems will develop into hurricanes. Hopefully not!

Last month I mentioned the aftereffects of Hurricane Hanna that came ashore between Baffin Bay and Port Mansfield. Since the water has subsided and cleared up we can now see some of the positives from that storm; specifically the removal of dead seagrass that has been choking out the bay bottom of the Upper Laguna for quite some time. The turbulent waters of Hanna turned over at such a violent rate that it lifted decaying grass from the shallow bay bottom and deposited it onto the shorelines of the King and Kenedy ranches.

What we are left with are areas of a perfect mix of new growth seagrass amid hard, sandy potholes. In other words, there is new structure everywhere for big trout to hang out.

October is a transitional month for the Upper

Laguna and Baffin, in my opinion. While our friends from Rockport and north experience some great October fishing, the waters are still too warm for me to get that good vibe we hear so much about along parts of the middle coast and bay systems farther north.

But as the latter weeks of October blesses us with a few cold snaps, I really look for a good fall pattern to develop as we head into November.

Although October can be generally hit and miss, there are still plenty of opportunities to have great days on the water this month. As mentioned in last month’s article, the bait migration to the gulf will be in full swing. The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) will serve as the main corridor for this and my focus will be the various types of structure it has created over the years. Spoil islands, sand bars, drop-offs, channel intersections, and miles of pothole-laden flats. With 30 miles of said structure lying between Summer House (northern end of the Land Cut) to the JFK Causeway, it can be a headscratcher deciding where to start if you are not on the water every day, and sometimes even if you are.

Birds working the edge of the ICW will be a great place to start, when you can find them. There will be

many days when the fish will be right under them. However, I tend to use them mostly as an indicator to the whereabouts of large baitfish schools.

As a wade fisherman, I prefer to jump out on the bars, flats, and breaks into the mix of bait. You can certainly follow the birds with the boat, but I prefer the stealthier approach for trying to pick off the bigger fish that are hanging on the edges of the chaos.

Expect to catch a variety of species in these ventures. Redfish moving to the gulf will be right alongside some of the larger trout we are trying to catch. This has traditionally been my most effective method for finding the best October has to offer.

As my charter books start filling up for the winter and spring dates, I like to remind all of you wade fishermen/ women that October is a great time to get your gear in order for the trophy season. Pull your waders on and take a walk in the swimming pool or nearby boat ramp to check for leaks before the weather turns cold. If you really

want to be on the safe side, I highly recommend a new pair of quality waders such as the SIMMS G3 or G4 models. They are worth the price and will take the guesswork out of comfort and reliability for years to come.

Assuming most anglers will be using last season’s reels, now is the time to have them cleaned by a professional and re-spooled with Seaguar 40# Smackdown Braid, which is my personal favorite. You might also treat yourself to the newest models of 13 Fishing’s Concept Reels – A2 or C2.

Check your rods for nicks and dings that may have been incurred on prior fishing trips. Jimmy Burns at Waterloo Rods has the best quality rods you can buy, in my opinion. My current all-around go-to is the Waterloo Carbon Mag in 6’-9” length, however, the 6’-6” Carbon Mag might take the prize when using topwaters and Corkys.

Remember the buffalo! -Capt. David Rowsey

View The Video

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WAYNE DAVIS

WAYNE’S Mansfield Report

Greetings from Port Mansfield! We have put most of the pieces back together following Hurricane Hanna and things are beginning to get back to normal. Our bay received a good Port flushing from Hanna; there is still Mansfield some brackish water in places but probably not enough to have a long term detrimental effect. Too much fresh water can be harmful, but a good Captain Wayne Davis has flushing is a good thing in the long run. been fishing the Lower From late June to early September Laguna-Port Mansfield for I spend quite a bit of time working over 20 years. He specializes the flats for the elusive South Texas in wade fishing with lures. snook. We had a decent year in 2018 and 2019 was exceptional; my clients Telephone and I connected with around 50, with a 210-287-3877 Email couple pushing 35 inches. This year has captwayne@kwigglers.com been challenging to say the least.

As of this writing we have landed seven snook with the biggest pushing close to 25 inches. The schools have simply been scattered and, to be honest, I think I have been working one, maybe two small schools in total. With the LLM comprising about 270 square miles, locating them can be a tough assignment. You can almost compare it to trophy trout fishing in winter – only harder. Fish slow, walk slower (if at all), cast a lot, and do all this in mostly shin deep mud. No problem…except trout are easier to pattern.

Snook have a mind of their own and will disappear in a flash.

Having said all that, check out Gavin Garcia’s photo. It was his fourteenth birthday and I really wanted to put him on a trophy. I mentioned to Phillip, his father, there might be a chance to catch a snook if they wanted to put in the time. He knew without me saying that it would be challenging, and the chances were slim, but agreed to give it a go. We fished hard and then a little harder; simply put, it was a grind.

I was about to totally shift gears and move to an area where we

would have some action on reds and trout but decided to check one last 40 square yard area out of the 270 square miles of Laguna Madre to pick from. Once we set up it took about 15 minutes and I landed a nice snook. Walking back to the boat to tag the fish, Philip hooked up and landed a nice snook. We tagged both fish and then moved to another “micro zone” where I had previously spotted snook.

Ten minutes into it, young Gavin connected and landed a nice one. His fish was also documented, tagged, and released. We then moved on and had an exceptional afternoon catching monster reds and nice trout.

Every client that puts in the time and lands a Texas snook agrees; the reward of landing one outweighs the challenge and time spent fishing for them. For those who have not yet landed a Texas snook and have been putting in the time, I say stay the course, land one, and then decide.

Moving into October, barring another big storm, I feel confident in saying the fishing will be excellent. Fall is a very consistent season for catching lots of fish, especially immediately following the first cool breezes out of the north. I recently told a new client, who is also new to lure fishing; fall is the perfect time for building confidence with lures. Bait is abundant and fish feed predictably.

October’s topwater action for both trout and reds is usually some of the best we see all year.

As the dog days of summer fade away we are still fishing shallow but are enjoying our best success for reds and trout in depressions on the flats where the water averages a foot or so deeper than the surrounding areas. The bait and gamefish are there presumably to take advantage of the slightly cooler water temperatures. Hard to believe but one or two degrees can make a difference when the flats water temps have been running consistently in the low-90s.

Our primary lure choices lately have been the KWigglers Willow Tail in Bone Diamond, Plum Blue Metal Flake/Chartreuse, and Dirty Jalapeno. The KW Ball Tail Shad in Jalapeno Popper, Chrometreuse, and Mansfield Margarita have also been good fishing close to the bottom in deeper water.

Until next time, remember to stay safe out there and consider a more conservation-minded approach to the sport… release a few more than you put in the cooler.

View The Video Open Camera and hover over QR Code. When link appears at top of screen tap to open in YouTube.

58 | October 2020

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CAPT. ERNEST CISNEROS

SOUTH PADRE Fishing Scene

October is the first full month of the fall season and it quickly brings several things to mind. First; we are one month away from wearing waders. Second; the Arr o y o weather will be noticeably cooler. Third; C ol o ra d o some of the most spectacular sunsets t o Po rt of the year will occur this month. And, I sa bel if you care to add a fourth; October is known to provide excellent fishing.

The days will be growing A Brownsville-area native, continuously shorter, which Capt. Ernest Cisneros fishes contributes to cooling water the Lower Laguna Madre from Port Mansfield to Port Isabel. temperatures that trigger more Ernest specializes in wading frequent and more aggressive feeding. and poled skiff adventures for Surprisingly, in the past couple of snook, trout, and redfish. weeks we have already received a couple of weak cold fronts. Way ahead Cell of schedule to my thinking. I hope this 956-266-6454 Website not a sign of a hard winter ahead as we www.tightlinescharters.com can ill afford a fish-killing freeze on our already heavily-pressured fishery.

Redfish catches continue to be sporadic, especially on the shallow flats. Currently, our better numbers have been coming from waist to belly-deep water, with sand and shell potholes being the most productive structure. I expect the reds will return to the shallower flats as the water temperatures continue to decline.

Small crabs, shrimp, and finger-size mullet are typically plentiful in fall, and you can bet the redfish will be staging where they are most abundant. I would not pass up the sand-grass transition on the east side of the Lower Laguna. Reds will feed shallow in these areas during morning hours and then retreat deeper as the sun rises higher.

The reds will readily accept plastics such as the KWigglers plum and chartreuse Ball Tails and Willow Tails in natural colors. I prefer to run these on 1/8 ounce jigheads. Weedless gold spoons are another solid choice when targeting reds shallow, especially where there’s lots of grass.

The trout bite has been steady with lots of slicking occurring in Stacy Schaaf placed himself in the right spot.

primary feeding zones. Tracing the slicks to their origin is important; remember that even a slight breeze can cause them to drift away quickly from the feeding zone. Quite often we can detect slicks by the smell more than the visual appearance – especially when they pop upwind of the spot you are wading.

There are still plenty of small trout out there, but a limit of decent fryers can be found with some patience. On many occasions recently we have keyed on mullet activity to lead us to the bite. Success on bigger trout has been more consistent during solunar minors and majors.

Water movement definitely increases the feeding activity; incoming and outgoing tides can be equally helpful. The same as the redfish, look for trout to feed shallower as the water cools throughout the month.

I expect better topwater action for trout this month. I always keep my eyes trained on my surface baits during the retrieve for swirls and wakes. Everybody is aware that numerous blow-ups without hook-ups are a sure signal to switch to a subsurface lure but those subtle swirls and wakes are trying to tell you the same things.

Structure types and depths to focus on this month will be potholes (shallow and deep), deeper grassbeds and, as I mentioned above about the redfish, the sand-grass transition line on the east side.

KWigglers Ball Tails and Willow Tails will be good plastic choices, and of course smaller topwaters in the shallows. Slicking will continue throughout the month and I heartily recommend focusing on concentrations of nervous and frantic mullet.

I wish I could say the snook bite has been phenomenal but it has been a slow year in general for bigger fish. We are catching smaller snook in surprisingly deeper water than usual, which I cannot help but attribute to increased pressure from boat traffic. In years past our bigger fish came from the flats and adjacent waters of wadable depths but we have found them more often in the ship channel this year. A few good cold fronts in the fall chases them off the flats to deeper waters I have traditionally not targeted nearly as much. The good thing around here is that we can catch snook year-round if we choose to target them, which is always a bonus.

Hunting seasons will already be underway by the time you read this, which always provides some much-needed rest for our fishery.

Diehard anglers who fish year-round are fewer in number than the warm weather crowds, and with greatly reduced traffic and fishing pressure they enjoy some of the best fishing Tommy Daniels our bays can deliver. If fishing is not in your scored big on his first Texas snook. outdoor plans this fall you might want to consider changing them. I wish you safe and excellent fall fishing.

View The Video

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Snook can be caught year-round in south Texas, and here is a prime example of a summer trophy snook.

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TSFMAG.com | 61

FISHING REPORTS

Trinity Bay - East Bay - Galveston Bay | James Plaag Silver King Adventures - silverkingadventures.com - 409.935.7242 In the days prior to giving this report, James had not seen much of a change in the fishing in the Galveston area. “We're still finding most of our trout out in the middle, around reefs, structures and along deep drop offs, like we have all summer. It's still been really hot. Even in the deeper water, we're having more bites on small, noisy topwaters than anything else. Using slicks to locate the fish, mostly. We're also encountering some schools of reds under the slicks.

Trinity Bay, in particular, has several big schools swimming around. Come October, the weather should cool down, and we'll start wading more. The bite on lures other than topwaters will pick up too. The fish bite soft plastics and twitch baits better once the water cools down some. Still holding out hope for a late run on tarpon. The storms have kept things messed up for the most part so far, but in some years, the best fishing for the silver kings happens early in October, when the weather settles down a little bit. I've seen quite a few fish lately. They've been hard to catch. But that might change any day now.”

Jimmy West - Bolivar Guide Service - 409.996.3054 Like many people, Jim looks forward to the crisp weather October brings, and the fishing patterns that emerge with the drop in temperatures. “I'm ready for some fish to show up in the shallows. The water has been steadily getting more salty after the big floods we had earlier in the summer. If we don't have any more big rains, the upper parts of both East and Trinity bays should be holding lots of fish in October. Normally, wading the shorelines with topwaters produces well this time of year. Lately, the fish have been out deep, so we're having to fish out of the boat most of the time, and we're catching lots of fish, but most of the trout have been on the small side. In October, when more of the fish move shallow, we'll catch a better average size on the trout. I also look forward to continuing the hunting seasons this time of year. Still booking trips for the fields and marshes to shoot ducks and doves. I'll be fishing during the week and hunting the weekends, mostly. That nip in the air makes both of those things more fun! I can't wait.”

West Galveston - Bastrop - Christmas - Chocolate Bays Randall Groves - Groves Guide Service 979.849.7019 - 979.864.9323 Randall expects to see an uptick in the productivity of fishing efforts in the San Luis Pass area during October. “We're seeing shrimp moving out of the marshes recently. Birds have started working in lots of places. Usually, we get some stronger fronts as fall settles in, and more and more shrimp dump out of the backwater areas into the main bays on their way to the Gulf. Working birds will mean easy catching when that happens. Tides usually run high after the equinox, and that means fishing in the shallow parts of area back-lakes is usually good. Lots of redfish and solid trout hang out on shorelines with a mix of shell and mud on the bottom in those places this time of year. The main parts of West, Christmas and Chocolate bays also hold plenty of fish this time of year. After the stronger fronts, when winds settle down somewhat, fishing is usually good out of the boat in water about four feet deep or so. When fishing that pattern, it's helpful to use jigheads heavy enough to keep soft plastics well down in the water column. When topwaters aren't working, of course!”

Matagorda | Bay Guide Service Tommy Countz- 979.863.7553 cell 281.450.4037 Tommy likes the fishing in October in the Matagorda area about as much as in any month of the year. “Usually, this time of year, we've got higher than normal tides, with strong tide movements, cooling water temperatures, and shrimp on the move. Migrating shrimp means birds will be working. Normally, when fishing out of the boat this time of year, I'm in the west end of East Bay. Over there, we look for flocks of working birds, or make long drifts over a bottom 62 | October 2020

ORECASTS F from Big Lake to Boca Chica

AND

of mixed mud and shell. Usually, we throw slightly heavier jigheads than when we're wading, so we can make long casts and keep our lures close to the bottom. The wading on the south shoreline of both bays is also good in October, better for reds in West Bay, for trout in East Bay. Sometimes, we find birds working tight to the bank in some of the coves and pockets, and we're able to walk right into 'em and stay in 'em. Another pattern that's often overlooked this time of year is fishing the Colorado River. It's a great option, especially when the stronger fronts hit. Up the river, I usually look for rafts of mullet along the banks.”

Palacios | Capt. Aaron Wollam www.palaciosguideservice.com - 979.240.8204 Redfish have now become the favored target fish in our area, as they've started schooling along shorelines, chasing shrimp, shad and mullet, in advance of their migration. We've come across some schools of 50 or more fish lately, which gets any coastal angler's heart racing. Best lures for throwing at the schooling reds have been DSL in chicken of the sea and Norton Bull minnows in pumpkinseed/chartreuse. Best bet is to throw these in front of the schools, with the drag set right! When looking for the schooling reds, search for gulls hovering low on the water, also egrets running along the shorelines in the shallows. The trout bite has been spotty lately. We've managed to take a few limits using live shrimp around deep structures. Our flounder run should be excellent this fall. We're already catching good numbers of the flatties in the 18 to 20-inch class around the mouths of sloughs and creeks on falling tides.

Giggers have also had good luck, working sandy, grassy patches on the south shoreline. Birds should become more active in October, leading us to easy catching on lots of days, in both South and East bays.

Port O’Connor | Lynn Smith Back Bay Guide Service - 361.983.4434 Lynn expects to be doing two main things when fishing in the Port O'Connor area in October. “Normally, we wade the area shorelines, in shallow water lying fairly close to drop offs into deeper water. We have lots of redfish schooling up and moving out of the backwater areas this time of year, heading toward the pass and the open ocean. When we're really after the reds, we like to stay well up in the shallows, in water about knee-deep. We throw topwaters a lot this time of year. The fish seem to like them when the water's cooling down from the high temperatures we've seen all summer. If we're targeting trout, we tend to move a little deeper, into water between our knees and our waists. We'll focus on areas with lots of sandy pockets in the grass. Normally, some of our bigger trout move out of the depths and into areas like this as water temperatures cool down. The cooler water also elevates the productivity of slow-sinking twitch baits. We throw them when the fish aren't blowing up on our topwaters regularly. They're easy to work slowly through the potholes in the grass.”

Rockport | Blake Muirhead Gator Trout Guide Service - 361.790.5203 or 361.441.3894 Few things stir the hearts of folks who love outdoor activities in Texas more than the cooling weather of October. “This is a great time to be out and about in the Coastal Bend,” Blake says. “It's one of my favorite times of the year. We have numerous fishing options which produce well, everything from wading mid-bay reefs and area shorelines and throwing topwaters for trout to fishing the flooded back-lakes for schooling reds. Normally, we don't rely as much on live bait by October as we have during the summer months. The cooling weather makes lures more effective, on average. In some years, we still have big schools of migrating reds in places close to the deep channels, like Super Flats and East Flats. The action can be fast and furious when you find them. Of course, we also find birds working on a regular basis this time of year. In some

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9) Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor: Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, PO Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983-0429. 10) Owners: Pam and Everett Johnson, PO Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983-0429. 11) Known Bondholders, Mortgagee, None. 12) Tax status has not changed during preceding 12 months. 13) Publication Title: Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine 14) Issue date for circulation data below: Aug/26/20) Extent and nature of Circulation: a) average no Copies preceding 12 months: 15,750; no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date 12,131. b1) Mailed outside-county paid subscriptions: avg. preceding 12 mo., 4,723; single issue nearest filing: 4,318. b3) Paid distribution outside the mail including sales dealers and carriers Avg. preceding 12 mo’s 15,232, single issue nearest filing: 11,669. b4) Paid distribution by other classes of mail Avg. preceding 12 mo’s: 81, single issue nearest filing: 77. c) Total paid distribution-Avg. preceding 12 mo’s: 19,870, single issue nearest filing: 16,064. d1) Free or nominal rate outside county Avg. preceding 12 mo’s: 0, single issue nearest filing: 0 d4) Free or Nominal rate distribution outside of the mail Avg. preceding 12 mo’s: 0, single issue nearest filing: 0. e) Total free or nominal rate distribution Avg. preceding 12 mo’s : 0, single issue nearest filing: 0. f) Total distribution Avg. preceding 12 mo’s: 20,036, single issue nearest filing: 16,064. g) Copies not distributed: Avg. preceding 12 mo’s: 0, single issue nearest filing: 0. h) Total Avg. preceding 12 mo’s: 20,036, single issue nearest filing: 16,064. i) percent paid Avg. preceding 12 mo’s: 100%, single issue nearest filing: 100% . 16) Publication of statement of ownership: If the publication is a general publication, publication of this statement is required. Will be printed in the October 1, 2020 issue of this publication. Signature and title of Editor, publisher, business manager or owner Pamela K. Johnson - date 08/26/20

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cases, all the trout under the flocks are small, but sometimes, we find schools of solid keepers, and catch quick limits. And, this is when we crank up the cast and blast season too. Few things are finer than fast shooting followed by fast catching, or vice versa.”

Upper Laguna Madre - Baffin Bay - Land Cut Robert Zapata – rz1528@grandecom.net - 361.563.1160 October can be a great month to catch big trout in the Upper Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay. With a surge in spawning activity accompanying the cooling water temperatures, large females will be loaded with eggs and carrying extra weight. The spawning urge creates ravenous appetites at times, so the bite this month sometimes becomes epic. Early in the mornings, most of the trout will be found hanging out in shallow, grassy areas, in less than two feet of water.

This is where small soft plastics like Bass Assassin Elite Shiners in colors like Houdini and meat hook, or the four-inch Turbo Sea Shads in colors like chicken on a chain and salt and pepper/chartreuse work best. Rig them on sixteenthounce spring-lock jigheads. The redfish like these same areas and will strike the same lures. After mid-morning, the fish typically move into slightly deeper water, where Die Dappers in plum/chartreuse, hot chicken and trickster work better. Focus on sandy potholes or drop offs. Sight-casting red and black drum in the shallows remains good, when the water's clear and the sun bright. In a foot of water or less, shrimp flavored Fish-bites rigged on sixteenth-ounce heads produce the most strikes.

Corpus Christi | Joe Mendez – www.sightcast1.com - 361.877.1230 Cooler water temperatures and more variability in the weather patterns make October an excellent month for fishing the Corpus Christi area, for those willing to adjust to the changes. “At times, fishing this month is much like it was during the summer. Especially early in October, we usually have quite a few days with highs in the 90s. When the weather is hot, targeting trout on deep grass beds and along grassy drop offs works best. Fishing around structures out in Corpus Christi Bay can also be good. When the weather cools, the trout and reds tend to prefer the shallow water along the shorelines of the King Ranch, also on top of shallow sand bars and other structures in Baffin. Fishing along the spine of the Tide Gauge Bar can produce epic catches this month, particularly when the tide is running high, which it often does. In some years, we see a decent number of tarpon come into the ULM and feed on the grassy flats in the general vicinity of the Pure Oil Channel. Folks drifting around and fishing for trout and reds in those areas should keep their eyes open for roaming pods of the silver kings.”

P.I.N.S. Fishing Forecast | Eric Ozolins 361-877-3583 | Oceanepics.com All the passing storms have left our beaches in a mess most of the summer.

Padre Island National Seashore has been restructured in several places. The storms flattened out the beachfront and relocated sand which was in the dunes into nearshore guts and holes. Despite this fact, trout fishing should remain good this month when water clarity is good. Topwaters presented slowly work best on average. If the bite is slow, try moving the lure more erratically.

Fall migrations will be the big news this month. The dusky anchovy migration

64 | October 2020

extends into the month, and the mullet migration begins. Predators like trout, reds, jacks, mackerel, tarpon and sharks will show up in great numbers, chasing bait in the shallows. Lots of lures work well with so many hungry fish present. Frenzied activity among sharks, especially black tips and bulls, will be common. Wading into spraying bait balls is thus not advised. Stingrays also lurk beneath this kind of action, picking up scraps, so always keep the soles of your feet in contact with the bottom. Be careful when driving the beaches in the near future, as trash distributed by the storms creates treacherous conditions for tires.

Port Mansfield | Ruben Garza Snookdudecharters.com – 832.385.1431 Getaway Adventures Lodge – 956.944.4000 Fishing on the Lower Laguna Madre has been excellent lately for all who can make it out there. The area around Green Island north to the cabins along the ICW has been good, as have the flats surrounding the Saucer area. Topwater action has improved steadily and should only get better throughout the month. Bone and pink/gold Heddon One Knockers have been producing the most blow ups. Peyton's Bay has been giving up some really nice trout. Early on many mornings, we've been seeing birds working along the ICW spoils to the south of there, and sometimes in Peyton's Bay itself. The water between the Pipeline and the islands lying along the southern edge of the East Cut can be productive when winds are light. We're starting off most days working knee-deep water with topwaters, then working our way steadily out deeper, switching to KWiggler soft plastics as the day wears on. Usually, sometime about Labor Day weekend, we start seeing the first signs of the tarpon migration at the mouth of the jetties. Normally, some big king mackerel and jack crevalle lurk among the schools of silver kings when we do.

Lower Laguna Madre - South Padre - Port Isabel Aaron Cisneros | tightlinescharters.com – 956-639-1941 Cooler weather has turned some of our patterns toward those we see in the fall. Our tide movement has not been really consistent, but the bite has improved as water temperatures have declined. Redfish numbers on the flats have been on the rise. We've found reds feeding aggressively in the shallows along area shorelines early in the mornings. Bone Spook Juniors rigged with single hooks have produced plenty of blow ups when the fish are active in the skinny water. As the afternoon heat moves the fish away from the bank and into sandy potholes in three to five feet of water, KWiggler plum/chartreuse Ball-tails rigged on eighth-ounce heads worked slow and close to the bottom have produced better. Trout fishing has also been pretty steady, with most of our fish still biting in fairly deep water. We're catching lots of small fish, with a decent percentage of keepers, throwing KWigglers in Margarita and Lagunaflauge rigged on eighth-ounce heads. Like with the reds in the potholes, the key to getting bites is a slow retrieve. I expect fishing to continue to become more productive as stronger fronts bring temperatures down even more, and the fish become more active.

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TSFMAG.com | 65

Carson Byars Galveston - 17.5” flounder

Dason Wunderlich Shoalwater Bay - 25” redfish

Gage Fowlkes Galveston - 28” trout CPR 66 | October 2020

Cassidy Green Laguna Madre - 24” redfish

Raul Flores Arroyo City - 22” flounder

Madison Bardwell Laguna Madre - redfish

Cheryl Olson Keller Bay - personal best hardhead!

Connor Tuff Causey Port O’Connor - trout

Corey Pinckney Sabine Pass - 27” redfish

Rudy Medina St Charles Bay - 50+ lb black drum CPR

Doreen Van Dyke Crystal Beach - 88” personal best alligator gar!

RC Roberto Carlos Cowes IV South Padre - 31" black drum

Mason Willcox Matagorda - 34” bull red

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.

Ryan Becker, Allison Scheeler, & Lorilee Becker Padre Island National Seashore - 38” Mom’s first red! CPR

Gabriel Latta Shoalwater Bay - 26” redfish TSFMAG.com | 67

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

Red Snapper Supreme INGREDIENTS 2 lbs red snapper filets 1 stick unsalted butter 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cups celery with leaves - finely chopped 1/4 cup green bell pepper - chopped 1/4 cup jalapeno pepper - seeded and chopped 1 – 14.5 ounce can tomatoes - drained 1 cup extra hot seafood cocktail sauce 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp. chili powder 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice 1 clove garlic - minced 1 tsp. salt 3 Tbs. flat leaf parsley - finely chopped

68 | October 2020

This recipe is contributed by Randy VanderNaillen who has been making it for years. I didn’t have to guess why after preparing it for friends the first time. They licked the platter clean, as they say. The sauce is simply amazing, and one of my guests has encouraged me to “rev it up” next time with the addition of more jalapenos. Randy recommends red snapper but I believe it would be great with any type of fillets.

PREPARATION Preheat oven to 450° F. In a large saucepan, melt butter and sauté onion, celery, bell pepper and jalapeno until tender. Add tomatoes, seafood cocktail sauce, Worcestershire, chili powder, lemon juice, garlic and salt. Mix well and simmer 30 minutes. Place filets in a medium Pyrex baking dish. Pour sauce over fish. Cover with foil and bake at 450° for 15 to 17 minutes per inch of thickness. Baste occasionally until done. Place on platter and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

TSFMAG.com | 69

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

JACKPLATE MAINTENANCE Shallow water fishing boats, including catamaran and tunnel hulls, have greater versatility with a jackplate. Jackplate failures can occur Chris Mapp, owner of for a variety of reasons, yet proper Coastal Bend Marine.

Evinrude, Suzuki, Yamaha, care and periodic maintenance will Mercury, Honda, BlueWave, eliminate most of them.

SilverWave, Shallow Stalker Bob’s Machine is a popular brand, Boats, Coastline Trailers, and their two main offerings are the Minnkota & Motor Guide Flats Jac and the Action Jac. Trolling Motors.

-The Flats Jac has a detached Great Service, Parts & Sales Solenoid and hydraulic system, “What can we do for you?” typically installed inside a rigging or storage compartment. The previously recommended hydraulic fluid was Mystik® 20w20 Non-Detergent Oil for earlier models. The newer model pumps require ISO 32 fluid.

-The Action Jac is self-contained, with a hydraulic pump and motor assembly integral to the jackplate. This system uses a separate sealed relay system, and the Action Jac motor pump assembly as of January 2020 has a five-year warranty. The fluid is non-serviceable to the consumer. The jack plate body has a lifetime warranty.

Flats Jac and Action Jac require regular lubrication with

70 | October 2020

waterproof grease to keep the slides operating smoothly.

CMC Powerlift is another popular brand. The motor and hydraulic pump are of integral design with separate relays. The Regular applications of CorrosionX Red will prevent CMC Powerlift utilizes problems with jackplate circuits and solenoids. rollers and Nylatron self-lubricating washers. The fluid is 20w or 30w non-detergent oil, yet adding fluid is rare. Wash with soapy water after each use and lubricate the actuator and rollers with a light spray of CorrosionX Red – Do Not Use Grease!

A light spray of Corrosion X Red is effective for preventing corrosion on electrical relays and main body components for both manufacturers. The light spray will aid in softening hardened grease on jackplate low friction surfaces.

Have a great fall fishing season!

Chris Mapp coastalbendmarine.com | Port O’Connor, TX | 361-983-4841

TEXAS SALTWATER FISHING HOLES M ATA G O R D A B AY Speckled Trout / Redfish

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Wade & Drifting the Back Bays & Surf

Call 361.983.4434 (cell 361.935.6833) Email lynn@tisd.net (tswf.com/lynnsmith) TSFMAG.com | 71

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