September 2017
Only $3.95
TSFMAG.COM
TIDE PREDICTIONS & SOLUNAR FEED TIMES INSIDE!
We Live Hunting and Fishing
D L I W P E DE
ARE YOU THE
&
TYPE?
OR THE
SHALLOW & CALM?
X3 DOES IT ALL www.Sha l l o w S p o r t B o a t s . c o m
WHEN ONLY THE BEST WILL DO. Now available at
eat u r i wf no
ng ar two
rk b y
W E B R E A T H E B L U E WA T E R ProtectUV® Mega Solar
TM
50+
800.606.4003 · denaliperformance.com 800.606.4003 · denaliperformance.com
®
September 2017 VOL 27 NO 5
about the Cover Cobia, or ling, as they’re commonly known, are wonderful fighters and provide some of the tastiest fillets of any species in the Gulf of Mexico. Melinda Scheps caught this one on a recent red snapper trip.
Contents FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS
10 Slack Tide Strategies 16 Resisting Temptation 22 Bodie Goes to England: Part 2 26 Ultra-Hot Weather Options 30 Back in the Trees 36 Mackerel Assault Mission 40 ICAST: World’s Largest Fishing...
44 Let’s Ask The Pro 48 Shallow Water Fishing 52 TPWD Field Notes 54 Fly Fishing 58 Kayak Fishing Chronicles 62 TSFMag Conservation News 66 Fishy Facts 66 Inshore | Nearshore | Jetties | Passes 70 Extreme Kayak Fishing & Sharks... 73 Science & the Sea 100 Boat Maintenance Tips
Steve Hillman Kevin Cochran Martin Strarup Chuck Uzzle Joe Richard Joe Doggett TSF Mag Staff
36 WHAT OUR GUIDES
44
HAVE TO SAy
76 78 80 82 84 86 88
Dickie Colburn’s Sabine Scene The Buzz on Galveston Bay The View from Matagorda Mid-Coast Bays with the Grays Hooked up with Rowsey Wayne’s Port Mansfield Report South Padre Fishing Scene
Dickie Colburn Caleb Harp Bink Grimes Shellie Gray David Rowsey Wayne Davis Ernest Cisneros
REGULARS
76
8 Editorial 74 New Tackle & Gear 90 Fishing Reports and Forecasts 94 Catch of the Month 98 Gulf Coast Kitchen
98 6 | September 2017
Jay Watkins Scott Null Jan Culbertson Scott Sommerlatte Dave Roberts CCA Texas Stephanie Boyd Curtiss Cash Eric Ozolins UT Marine Science Institute Chris Mapp
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 Linda Curry Store@tsfmag.com Design & Layout Stephanie Boyd Artwork@tsfmag.com Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine is published monthly. Subscription Rates: One Year (Free Emag with Hard Copy) Subscription $25.00 E-MAG (electronic version) is available for $12.00 per year. Order on-line: www.tsfmag.com Make checks payable to: Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine Attn: Subscriptions P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, Texas 77983 * Subscribers are responsible for submitting all address changes and renewals by the 10th of the prior month’s issue. Email store@tsfmag.com for all address changes or please call 361-785-3420 from 8am - 4:30pm. The U.S. Postal Service does not guarantee magazines will be forwarded. how to contact tsfmag: Phone: 361-785-3420 fax: 361-785-2844 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. Periodical class permit (USPS# 024353) paid at Victoria, TX 77901 and additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, Inc., P. O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983.
EDITORIAL
Great Coastal Adventure Lies Ahead!
Goodness – It’s been a long, hot summer. We have been toughing it out, though. Fishing often and doing quite well despite the hot weather. I believe the trout success we have been enjoying along the middle Texas coast speaks volumes about the recovery of this fishery. Thank the rain gods and TPW’s five-fish limit! September 22 is the big day – autumnal equinox. Hours of daylight and darkness become equal and temperatures begin to gradually decline. I get pretty excited; not just because the hottest days of the year are finally dwindling, but because there is so much happening in the outdoors. Right off the bat – Texas dove seasons open September 1. Not only is dove hunting a ton of fun for the whole family, it also signals the season’s first cast and blast opportunities. Nothing screams Texas outdoors louder than a morning of wade fishing followed by an afternoon in live oak shade, waiting on the birds to hit the grain fields. And teal season! September 9 will mark the opening of Texas’ waterfowl seasons and more great outdoor opportunity. Cast and blast the easy way – you can do it all out of a bay boat! Nearshore and surf anglers enjoy excellent weather and some of the greatest success of the year during September. Migrations of gamefish and forage species occur within sight of the beach; king and Spanish mackerel, hard-fighting ling, a variety of sharks, and the mighty tarpon. Throw in a school or two of bonito and your days can
8 | September 2017
be full of excitement. Bull reds gather at the passes and in the surf zone in preparation for spawning. Few things can compare with family outings targeting these bruisers. We have spent many great days with our grandkids at the Matagorda Ship Channel Jetty, jigging for bulls when the tide is ripping, and then heading to gas wells and channel markers in the bay for tripletail. The bulls are all released, of course, but nothing beats grilled tripletail. On the fishing regulations scene, the TPW Commission will convene their annual hearings on August 24, with oysters one of the hottest topics. The passing of HB 51 changed the landscape of the commercial oyster fishery significantly last spring and now the Coastal Fisheries Division has proposed additional measures to further conserve this vital resource. Early feedback from scoping meetings held August 7 foretell the likely closure of oyster harvest in seven minor bays along the coast, including a 300-yard shoreline buffer to protect inter-tidal oyster reefs. Oyster reefs are viewed as more important than even seagrass in bay ecology as they filter enormous quantities of water, contribute to shoreline stabilization, and provide thousands of acres of critical nursery habitat for a multitude of species including seatrout and redfish. Keep your eye on this critical issue as TPW seeks to further improve our coastal fisheries. Pack up the family and hit the coast . . . September is going to be awesome!
Whether you are in the surf searching for your next trophy or stalking the flats for redfish, the Tsunami Barrier combos are designed to take on the harshest punishment that saltwater gamefish can inforce on tackle. Each combo is factory balanced to provide anglers with the best setup possible to insure the ultimate experience while on the water. Built for both monofilament and braided line, Barrier combos feature a light weight graphite reinforced reel body and rotor while 4 shielded stainless steel bearings provid smooth operation. A durable graphite composite or tubular glass rod provide the perfect combination of weight and balance for casting and fighting fish.
Combo Features: • Graphite Composite & Tubular Glass Blanks • Stainless Steel Guides with Aluminum Oxide Inserts which are ideal for both mono and braided lines • Cork & EVA Grips
• Machined Anodized Aluminum Spool • 4 Shielded Stainless Steel Bearing System (IAR) • Thick Anodized Aluminum Bail Wire
Author’s daughter, Brooke, stayed busy catching small ones before the tide changed.
STORY BY STEVE HILLMAN
I
used to cringe when I looked at the tide predictions and it showed two inches of movement all day. Water movement causes forage species to become more active and usually the predators we target with spots, specks and both eyes on one side will commence feeding. Regular clients who have been with me a long time have it figured out. They do their research and call well in advance to hopefully get the best days. The open days on my calendar are mostly weaker tide days and are the last to fill but someone has to end up taking them. It would be nice if every day had great tidal movement but the bottom line is that we go every day that ends in Y. Many fishermen still believe that four tide days are best, and this is potentially true if each swing provides a four- to six-inch change in water level. Too often though, it’s only one or two, and we’re faced with a challenge. Trout and other target species tend to become inactive during these periods and getting bites on lures can be like pulling teeth. Because folks like me who take folks like you fishing for a living, we cannot pick our days, so we have to find a way to make something happen. Believe it or not, sometimes we can actually make things happen. It requires some patience but like Captain Ernest Cisneros says, “We have to be more stubborn than the fish.” Ship Channel and Intracoastal On Galveston Bay this time of year, I like to spend more time near the ship channel where substantial amounts of water are displaced by ship traffic. We will generally get the occasional bite as we wait for passing tankers, container ships, etc. However, the artificial ebb and flow of one passing through can give us a flurry of action that otherwise would not be experienced farther away in the bay. Not only will water movement spur temporary activity but, often times, muddy streaks will be created which serve as ambush points for trout. As a side note, one must be careful not to drift or anchor too shallow along channel spoils when employing this strategy. Some of the breakers along shallow spoils can capsize small boats. It happens every year. For this reason, I like to stay on deeper structure in say 9- to 11-feet of water. There are many great areas along the Intracoastal with sudden depth changes, shell and shoal grass, depending upon which part of the bay you’re fishing. Most of these areas are better suited for wade fishing as opposed to drifting because of their close proximity to shorelines and shallow spoil islands. Barge traffic is the ticket here. I remember a trip several years ago while wading with two clients on a slack tide near
Siever’s Cut in East Galveston Bay. Every time a tug pushing a barge rolled through it would send the trout into a mini-frenzy, waking them up enough for us to trick some really solid fish.
minimal tidal flow, it enables us to see slicks and cover more water when drifting. Sometimes the surface resembles a giant mirror. As awesome as this might look, it doesn’t bode well for catching.
Wind Normally, I would say that wind is not our friend here on the Upper Texas Coast, but sometimes wind can move enough water and stir bait when nothing else can. The Lower Texas Coast, where tide currents can be almost non-existent, some amount of wind-generated current is necessary for success and they seem to get plenty of it. Up here, we can handle a little but not a lot. Too much turns our bay into liquid mud. Prior to Hurricane Ike, we had more areas of hard substrate, mainly in the form of live oyster reefs, and we could handle stiffer winds. On days with subtle tidal current, an 8-to 12-mph breeze can make a huge difference. Not only does it contribute to the
Loud Topwaters and Waking Baits On days when there is no wind or current, we go to reefs or structure that have been holding fish and use loud topwaters such as MirrOlure’s She Dog to entice agitation strikes. Often times we’ll get more blow-ups than hook-ups but it can spur somewhat of a feed if you’re persistent. Trout remind me so much of dogs. We have three of them. On hot days they lie on the back patio near the pool just chilling. They’ve already eaten but if I throw a Milk Bone on the patio they’ll fight over it. Trout seem to exhibit similar behavior. A She Dog may wake them up and trigger competitive activity, following which a soft plastic or waking bait like a Strike Pro Hunchback can strike pay
John Chisolm helped us get the bite going with this solid topwater trout! Johanna with her personal best trout duped after a ship wake (Pink Ghost Saltwater Assassin Sea Shad).
12 | September 2017
Tide movement doesn’t mean much to my dad, Clifford. He just catches fish like he’s been doing all of his life. Longtime client and friend, Haley Matthews, finessed this beautiful speck as I slowly trolled to “stir things up.”
Dustin Young used a straight retrieve method to fool this one in slack water! Cody Wagner was able to fool this gorgeous redfish in less than 3 feet of water during a slack tide.
dirt. It is possible to make the trout eat sometimes! Shallow Water - Smaller Strike Zone A very effective tactic I use often is venturing to shallow water shorelines or back lakes where depths average 1.5- to 3.5-feet. By narrowing the strike zone our odds increase for drawing strikes. Fishing a wide-open reef in 8-feet of water leaves a lot to chance but in shallow water our lures are immediately in the strike zone the instant they hit the surface. This “in your face” tactic has bailed me out many times on tough slack tide days.
Redfish For whatever reason through the years, I’ve determined that redfish don’t seem quite as smart as speckled trout. Maybe this is why they don’t seem to garner the respect I think they deserve. I’ve fished for
Steve Hillman
Contact
Trolling Motors This one may sound a little strange but, trust me, it works! I actually used this trick on today’s trip. There was no tide or wind and very little surface activity. I had three clients drifting in about 7-feet of water. I knew the fish were there because of recent results, not to mention I could smell slicks that I could not see (too calm). I would troll about 20-yards and stop, and we would hook up with pretty good trout. Five or ten casts later the bites would cease. I would then troll slowly back through the area and the bites would come again. The movement of the boat and the stirring from the trolling motor gave us something we could work with in what most folks would consider dead water. It really works!
them as far up the East Coast as South Carolina and as far south as Port Isabel. I’ve heard them called every name in the book. Spot-tailed bass (Carolinas), rubber lips (Ken Griffith), saltwater armadillos (Randall Groves), grass donkeys, channel donkeys, etc. When conditions take a turn for the worse and trout won’t cooperate, channel bass seem to bail us out. When you’ve tried everything but C-4 to catch trout and the reality of heading home with a skunk is looming, hitting a back lake armed with paddle-tailed soft plastics, spoons, waking baits and topwaters will sometimes save your day. Mud boils, slicks, wakes and hovering gulls can be the signs that lead you to the gold. Each month usually has about 15 days of tide movement conducive to great results. The other half can be spent playing golf or, you can get out here with those of us who have to try to make things happen, even when they’re not supposed to. At the end of the day it’s just fishing. If you catch ‘em, you catch ‘em. If you don’t, you try harder next time. But, by all means, never think you’re dead in the water just because it’s a slack tide day.
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
The next wave of Power-Pole anchors have arrived featuring C-Monster 2.0 control system, new heavy-duty hydraulic hose, a new look to our Pro II Series and much more. We’ve upped our game, now it’s your turn. Get all the details and find a dealer near you at power-pole.com.
14 | September 2017
© 2017 YETI Coolers, LLC
B
N CHRA O C VIN BY KE Y R STO
y the end of summer, some Texans grow weary of the persistent heat, eagerly anticipating the arrival of the next season’s crisp, refreshing relief. On the calendar, summer officially ends about three weeks into the month of September. Ironically, in the minds of many coastal anglers, autumn begins on Labor Day. Some folks even mention the onset of “fall patterns” well before then. Adding further confusion, the blazing heat wave usually lingers into October, especially along the Lower Coast of the Lone Star State. In a basic way, making successful angling forays to the Texas coast in September means resisting the temptation to jump the gun and expect cool weather to alter the habits of the fish too quickly. Generally, productive patterns available in this transitional month closely resemble those of the previous three. Anglers who correctly recognize September more as a summer than an autumn month increase their odds for productivity. Prevalent water temperatures partly dictate the truth inherent to such a statement. The shallow water in our coastal bays tends to hover in the mid to upper-eighties throughout most of this timeframe. Especially during the dreadful dog days at the end of summer and into the early parts of autumn, hot water tends to drive some fish to seek comfort in the relatively cooler, deeper parts of the estuaries. Consequently, catching trout in September often requires fishing areas close to deep basins, holes and channels. When fishing this month, many savvy coastal anglers understand this and regularly begin searching for signs of life in the middle parts of the riverine estuaries from Sabine Lake to Corpus Christi Bay. On halcyon days, the flat surface of the water might allow them to perceive schools of redfish pushing wakes, even frantic shrimp performing aerial acrobatics. More often, in a greater variety of conditions, keen eyes focus mostly on locating pairs or flocks of laughing gulls or terns flying low over the water, looking for herds of shrimp pressured to the surface by roving packs of hungry trout and/or redfish. Transitional months generally provide excellent potential for finding birds working on the bays throughout the state. Monitoring weather conditions and tide levels aids in the effort to predict when migrating prey species will likely attract the attention of predatory fish and the squawking flocks which shadow their efforts. Passing cool fronts force water out of backwater areas, triggering crustaceans and other forage species to move toward the open Gulf, where they remain during winter months. During this journey, the critters must pass a gauntlet of snapping jaws, creating a familiar drama which happens slightly below, at and above the water’s surface. Anglers easing alongside the natural stages where these life-and-death scenes play out relish the anticipation they inspire. Unfortunately, some become overly committed to chasing working birds, ignoring the ways slack, high tides and warm spells in the weather can stifle the activity for days at a time. During persistently hot weather in September, locating schools of trout and redfish in the open portions of Texas coastal bays often dictates a search for popping slicks and/or areas holding murky water, created by roaming schools of predators (usually redfish) working areas close to the bottom. Red drum gather in herds numbering in the hundreds and thousands this time of year. In 16 | September 2017
Spread image: Slow-sinking twitch-baits like Paul Brown Fat Boys work well in hot water, especially in calm conditions.
nearshore waters, spawning urges cause mature fish to commiserate. In inshore waters, youngsters join ranks before they migrate into the Gulf of Mexico, where they normally remain throughout their adult lives. In clear bays like the Laguna Madre, locating the staging schools by looking for reddish “blobs” moving over grassy or sandy bottoms in depths of four to five feet allows anglers to tussle with the tackle-busting brutes. Spoons, soft plastics and shallow-running crank baits help connect anglers with their adversaries in these dragstripping showdowns. Waders concentrating their efforts in shallower water often encounter smaller gangs of redfish, which show a tendency to attack floating plugs with reckless abandon during the days and weeks prior their move to the open expanses of the Gulf. Presentations which incorporate speedy, erratic movements regularly produce violent, foamy explosions when the bronzed bullies strike. Reds show a tendency to become interested and follow a floating plug while it hops from side to side in a rhythmic manner, but won’t attack until the lure either stops for a moment or begins moving forward at a faster clip. Anglers accomplished at tricking them on topwaters recognize the need for speed in their presentations. In fact, regardless of the lure deployed or the species targeted, presentations including speed as a primary component work well in September, especially when the feeding mood of trout and redfish falls to a low level. Inactive fish in hot water tend to ignore slow-
moving targets, though they sometimes viciously snap in reflex at fast-moving ones, perhaps because their metabolism runs high in response to elevated temperatures. This truth rings loudest when water temperatures rise and stay above eighty degrees. Of course, this mantra applies to the most effective family of lures available to anglers during the searing days dragging out the end of summer, the soft plastics. On many September days, soft plastics produce many more strikes than other types of lures. Wading anglers deploying worms in the shallows benefit from rigging them on light jigheads, eighth-ounce or lighter, while those tossing them from the deck of a boat around popping slicks, mud stirs or squealing flocks in the middle of the bays need heavier heads, weighing a quarterounce or more. Heavier heads allow for longer casts, and help keep the worms lower in the water column than lighter ones. Anglers targeting trout and redfish under working birds certainly benefit from the extra casting distance, and those targeting them around mid-bay reefs and other deep structures need their lures to stay in the lower regions of the water column to entice strikes much of the time. Lighter jigheads tend to bring the worms in well above the heads of the fish. Inactive fish lolling around in the depths of a mid-bay basin often keep their heads and eyes cast downward, showing little or no willingness to look up and swim toward the surface to strike. Effective presentations with these lures partly resemble those used in more moderate water temperatures, meaning they include raspy motions with the rodtip to create sharp, hopping movements of the lures up and down in the water column. In the hot waters common to this timeframe, they also include speed bursts, made by holding the tip of the rod steady and turning the reel handle several times in rapid succession, to move the lure horizontally for several feet, at maximum speed. Sometimes, fish striking lures while anglers reel them in to make the next cast provide clues to the need for incorporating such rapid bursts into presentations. These kind of reaction strikes can occur wherever anglers make an effort to catch fish, including two of the most productive places available this month, the surf zone and areas adjacent to the jetty systems lining the channels connecting Eric Corrill with a photogenic redfish the Gulf to the estuaries. Because many species of pulled from shallow, hot fish move from the shallows of the bays to the deep water on a soft plastic. expanses of the open ocean during late-summer and fall, the waterways connecting these places will have fish passing through them during September. Consequently, anglers hopping around on the granite boulders will encounter trout and redfish at times this month. Weather patterns can affect fishing at the jetties Slow-sinking twitch much the same way they affect the migration of shrimp baits like Paul Brown and other baitfish in the bays. Tides pushed outward Fat Boys produce by northwest winds behind passing cool fronts tend to handsome trout in increase the activity levels of predators feeding around hot water, especially on calm days, like the the stone walls lining the pathways from the bays to the one on which Steve Gulf. Instinctively, predators know they will encounter Orr caught this one. migrating herds and schools close to the slime-coated rocks at such times. They also know they’ll find plenty to eat in the shallows close to the beach this month. When gigantic herds of adult red drum venture close to the sandy shorelines of the Texas coast this month, they do so primarily for spawning purposes. They certainly eat a few meals while in the mood
18 | September 2017
Chip Colvill used a soft plastic to entice this twenty-eight-inch trout to bite on a relatively tough, windy, hot day.
to make more of their kind. Their activity levels rise to the highest point while strong winds and currents make the surf zone look like coffee with extra cream. Knowing anglers toting long rods cast cut baits into the waves during such weather events. Anglers effectively targeting trout in the surf in September can do so by fishing soon after a front, while offshore winds mute the waves rolling onshore. More often, they find success the same way they have throughout the summer, by venturing into the guts close to the beach during calm stretches, or when light onshore winds coincide with incoming tides in the late-night and early-morning hours. This truth repeats the basic moral of the story for coastal anglers in the Labor Day month—productive patterns on the coast during this timeframe remain much the same as they have for the previous three months. September is, both literally and figuratively, more summer than autumn.
Contact
Kevin Cochran
20 | September 2017
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 Email Web
361-688-3714 kevxlr8@mygrande.net www.FishBaffinBay.com www.captainkevblogs.com
STORY BY MARTIN STRARUP
W
hile Tommy was busy packing for his trip, Bodie was pondering what the London weather might be in August. “I’m curious Doug, what type of clothes should I bring on this trip?” Bodie asked his friend. “It will be much cooler than here, probably 70⁰ for a high, and lows in the upper 50s,” Doug replied. “I would bring a couple of light jackets along with jeans, long and short-sleeve shirts, stuff you normally wear here in early-November. “Well, I’m a cowboy, but I mostly wear fishing shirts this time of year. I guess I’ll need to dig into my closet and see what I can find. “Oh, say Bodie, do you by chance have a nice dress suit?” Doug asked. “I have one that I wear to funerals and weddings, but I’m afraid it’s a might worn.” Bodie chuckled. “No worries, then. We’ll fix you up with a suit when we get to the hotel,” Doug answered as they ended their phone call. I’m thinking some new jeans, shirts, and I know I need a few light jackets. Maybe a new hat, Bodie sighed aloud. Bodie drove to Haddon’s after spending the morning at the ranch and ran into Tommy and Red who were just sitting down for lunch. Eloisa came to take their orders and congratulated Bodie on his upcoming trip. “Where ya headed, Bodie?” Red asked. “I’ve been invited to accompany Doug Sellers to England and I’m excited. Never been that far from home before. “ENGLAND?” Red exclaimed. “Yup, Doug asked me to go and Mr. Connor gave the okay for me to be gone. Encouraged me, actually. Said I’d enjoy seeing the sights over there. “Well I sure as heck ain’t lost anything in England, but I bet it would be a hoot to see what life is like over there,” Red replied. Bodie noticed that Tommy hadn’t said a word since giving his order to Eloisa, and TSFMAG.com | 23
24 | September 2017
“Yeah, but it’s a Hart Schaffner Marx, Bodie. A very good brand and it’s on sale,” Tommy assured him. “Well, if that’s the sale price, they can just as well try to sell it to someone else,” Bodie replied, placing it back on the hanger. Bodie found some jeans he liked, and some shirts that really caught his eye. Trying on one he noticed the price and almost fainted, again. “The day I pay $60 for a shirt is the day that they bury me in it,” he told Tommy. Satisfied with the jeans and jacket, Bodie announced he’d like to check out and go to another store. Tommy told him to go ahead, he wanted to check some more things there at Dillard’s and he would catch up. After Bodie left, Tommy went back and got the sports jacket that looked so good on Bodie, along with a selection of the Polo brand shirts he said were too expensive. Next, he picked out five pairs of slacks in Bodie’s size, two khaki, and one each dark gray, navy and black, with belts to match. Handing everything to a sales clerk, along with a similar number of slacks, jackets and shirts for himself, he turned and headed for the shoe department. Trying at least a dozen styles, he finally decided on one pair of cordovan and another black, with socks to match. Satisfied that he was covered in new clothes for the ten-day trip, and Bodie as well, Tommy made his way to the cashier and handed her his Dillard’s Elite credit card. “Have you found everything you needed today, Mr. Meyers?” “Yes, thank you. But would it be too much to ask for separate garment bags for the jackets, shirts and slacks? “Certainly sir, I’ll have them brought up right away. “Good,” Tommy replied. “I’ll be paying for everything now but will not be picking this stuff up until later this afternoon or tomorrow morning. Would that be OK? “Not be a problem, sir. Your purchase will be waiting for you at the Customer Service desk. Now, Ol’ Tommy, you see, is generally a tightwad. But a rather wealthy and sometimes generous one. Stay tuned for Part-III
Martin Strarup
Contact
guessed he was probably feeling left out. “So Tommy, I guess you’ll be hitting all my secret fishing holes while I’m gone… Huh?” Bodie asked with a grin. Tommy looked up from his big chili burger and wiped the corners of his mouth. Mumbled something unintelligible through half-amouthful, and greedily took another bite of what locals call “the heartburn burger.” “I don’t get it, Bodie. The man eats like a pig and never gains an ounce. It’s just not natural!” Red blurted in amazement. Bodie laughed at the remark. Tommy dabbed his napkin at the chili running down his chin and took a swig of tea. “Nah, I’m probably going to Corpus to see my brother and hang out with him for a few days. Maybe then I’ll head up to San Antone for a few days. See the Alamo, and stuff,” Tommy said. Red was flabbergasted. “See the Alamo? What on earth for? You’ve gone at least once or twice a year in the twenty years I’ve known you and it hasn’t changed a bit…far as I know. What are you…starved for entertainment or something? “It’s a Texas shrine, Red, but then I wouldn’t expect you to understand that kind of stuff,” Tommy squeaked, trying to swallow a half-chewed bite. Red was turning redder, but before he could tear into Tommy further, Bodie said he thought it was a good vacation plan. Red rolled his eyes and everyone resumed their lunch. Bodie announced that he had to go into town to buy some clothes and stuff, and asked if either of them wanted to ride along. Red said that he needed to mow the yard but Tommy said he would go. “I’ll go, Bodie. I need some new shirts and other things. “So what’s the weather like in England this time of year,” Tommy asked as they headed toward Victoria. “Doug said it would be cooler than here. Probably not warmer than 70 during the day and upper 50s at night,” Bodie informed him. Tommy nodded, silently creating in his mind a list of things he’d need. “So, what stores are ya thinking of hitting, Bodie? “Oh, I guess maybe JC Penny and Dillard’s should have what I need. Maybe stop by that new western store and check out their hats. Tommy agreed and suggested going to Dillard’s first. The boys were lucky that some new fall items were already on the racks. Bodie found a jacket he liked right off the bat. “What do you think of this one, Tommy? Tommy looked at the jacket and walked around Bodie, saying it looked just fine, but khaki might go better with more outfits than light blue. That made sense to Bodie and he found one in khaki that fit well, and then began looking for another. “Maybe you should get something like a sports jacket for going out at night,” Tommy offered, pulling one from a hanger for Bodie to try. “Here’s a 40-Long.” Bodie slipped it on and it fit perfectly. Looking in the mirror, as much as he hated to say it, it looked great on him. “Dang, Bodie. You clean up pretty good,” Tommy commented. Bodie checked the price tag and gasped. “Tommy, this jacket is $247.50. No way I can pay that much for a jacket I might only wear once!
Martin Strarup is a lifelong saltwater enthusiast and outdoorsman. Martin is also a collector and dealer of vintage fishing tackle and lures, especially those made in Texas. Email
Trouthunter@swbell.net
STORY BY CHUCK UZZLE
“C
areful what you wish for, son…you just might get it!” Things that seem such great ideas at the time often turn out to be greater nuisances than the situation you were in when the thought occurred. For months, Texas anglers, me included, totally fed up with daily high winds, prayed the wind would lay and allow the bays to become more user-friendly. Well, the winds have subsided and the temperatures have just gone through the roof. It is almost impossible to spend an entire day on the water without an ice chest the size of a Peterbilt stocked with refreshing liquids. As the mercury continues to climb fishermen will need to make adjustments in order to combat the heat and come out a winner. Easily, the most reasonable option is to go early or late and avoid the midday meltdown. For some time now Sabine anglers have been making pre-dawn treks to the jetties and just having their way with quality fish. This pattern is both solid and exciting as the action on good tide changes can be non-stop. The topwater bite along the rocks is as vicious as you can imagine and only magnified when it happens in darkness or very low light. Once the sun breaks the horizon you can switch over to shallow running crankbaits or stickbaits and continue the assault until it plays out when the sun gets higher. On toward midmorning, the bite usually slows considerably, making it tough to continue grinding under the beaming sun. Anglers who use the inverse pattern – heading out at sunset and staying until after dark – will also get their string stretched when the bite cranks up again as the sun goes down. Fishing in the dark requires some preparation and more attention to detail than during daylight hours. Everything from fish to boat problems are magnified in the dark so plan accordingly and take all necessary precautions to stay safe. Boaters are not the only ones who take advantage of darkness during summer – wade fishermen adopt the same strategies. Being waistdeep for a pre-dawn wade across a protected flat under the right water conditions can be the stuff of legend. The potential for a truly big fish hangs thick and controls every thought and action. Once the silence is broken by that first vicious strike and subsequent thrashing on the surface, all that’s left to do is settle in and enjoy the moment. That magical hour or two before the sun gets well up is well
worth the effort it took to reach that destination. Some of the best trout I’ve ever seen caught were taken in the predawn hours by wade fishermen. The same as boat anglers who head out later and stay past sunset, waders will do likewise and find their fair share of good fish. There is something extra special, the way the water calms down as the boat traffic dissipates and the light begins to fade, the fish become more active and begin to feed more aggressively. By taking advantage of the reduced traffic and better feeding conditions, anglers can beat the heat and increase their odds exponentially of tangling with a big fish at the same time. Now, if a dark-thirty stealth mission is not your idea of a good time, you have other options, too. For years we have made great use of the deepwater patterns On stifling hot afternoons, even a slight in the Sabine and Neches Rivers. During breeze, just enough to ripple the surface, the summer months, the runoff from can be enough to trigger a topwater bite. Toledo Bend, Sam Rayburn, and all the A great late-summer option lies along the ledges other miles of watershed area, becomes and drop-offs of the Sabine-Neches rivers. minimal and saltwater begins to creep Quite often we see shad and pogies getting hounded by huge schools farther up the rivers. When these conditions exist those who know of oversized redfish. Heat or no heat, this is a party you do not want to how to take advantage of them are often rewarded with some of the miss. If you have never witnessed the carnage during such an event, easiest and most productive fishing possible. you are in for a surprise. Those big reds will blow holes in the water It’s tough to beat live bait when this pattern develops. Most locals that defy description, and any bait tossed into the melee is sure to get use a cast net to gather live shad and fish them on Carolina rigs along hammered as soon as it touches the surface. Anglers willing to brave the breaks and depth changes. Underwater structure that causes the temperatures and spend a little time looking around can usually eddies or current rips will concentrate big numbers of both speckled find an active school of fish that will keep them busy for as long as trout and redfish into relatively small zones. Being precise as to where you anchor in proximity to the depth change and current is critical and they want. And, with temperatures creeping close to triple-digits, it doesn’t take long to get your fill. your depth finder plays a vital role. With the boat positioned where Now that you are armed with options for beating the heat, you your baits will be swept into the feeding zone rather than away from can take your pick and enjoy any or all of them. Regardless of which it, you can relax and enjoy steady action. pattern you choose, please take proper heat precautions. Cover up This deepwater pattern is a favorite of mine. I have spent many and stay hydrated. Should you begin to feel queasy or nauseous, do days dunking shad with the boat anchored correctly on structure, and not linger in the sun. Many times it’s not until after the trip before you catching as many or more fish as the folks running by me headed for the open lake. This program works and is so easy that it’s almost funny. really feel the effects of a day in extreme heat. Enjoy the consistent weather pattern and the great fishing that lateAnother great way to beat the heat. summer presents. It is truly a great time of the year to be on the water. Well, so far we have discussed how to stay out of the heat and still
28 | September 2017
Chuck Uzzle
Contact
catch fish, a common goal for most anglers this time of year. But, there is still another, although I must say it is not for the faint of heart or health. If you can stand the heat you can patrol the open lake about midday when a great number of anglers are heading in to find some air conditioning. Many times during late-summer heat, long about early-afternoon, the lake will just turn as flat as a bowl of mercury. Even the least surface commotion can be noticed from a great distance. Often times the shrimp will get bunched up and the speckled trout and redfish will go on a vicious feed, all the while giving away their location. It’s during these times a careful angler can stay with a group of schooling fish for a long time. And shrimp aren’t the only species that headline the midday buffet.
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
Black mangroves have an almost impenetrable root system, but they can shelter and retain green water on windy days. Photo by Petra Hockey
STORY BY JOE RICHARD
F
or years I scorned the black mangrove trees that have taken over the middle Texas coast, with the assumption that their combined root systems are way too tight for sheltering fish. They’re nothing like the expansive red mangroves that actually grow in the water and shelter considerable marine life, even big fish like goliath grouper. Instead, black mangroves concentrate on tidal ground that is generally above water at least half of the day. Lately, I’ve gained a new appreciation for these dense coastal thickets. With a root system like a fine-tooth comb, black mangroves allow a high tide to filter right through onto the sand flats beyond. Among other benefits, the trees also trap and protect clear water from the wind, which is great when bigger bays are being lashed to muddy chops. And as it turns out, black mangrove sloughs are a welcome haven during small craft advisories, if the tide is high enough. In short, when the water is over the docks and the wind is high, take to the trees. Unfortunately, many boats are ill suited for going back into these sloughs, what with the large oysters and shallow water. Poling the boat seems to be the only option here because an electric motor with plastic propeller won’t last long around oysters. Few Texas bay boats carry a push-pole these days, or have crews
inclined to manually push a boat around. A lot of boats today won’t even anchor. The only boats capable of getting around back in there are small, one- to three- passenger fly fishing skiffs, the kind preferred by fly guides who constantly pole around and explore the back bays. The same waters are also accessible by kayak and jonboat, the latter either poled or paddled. Airboats can also get in there, but I don’t really have anything good to say about airplane engines howling in quiet backwaters. Stealth is the name of the game. These shallows have their challenges however, especially inevitable hang-ups from errant casts. Sail your favorite topwater lure into far branches, and you can either break off now or pole the boat across what Plugging smaller might be a choice spot, spooking fish. Still, mangrove ponds, the promise of quality fish on windy days some of them a lot is worth it. Fortunately, we were raised smaller than this one. back in the day on Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend reservoirs when they were solid forests. As a result, we learned to make accurate casts around dense structure starting in high school, always using the red reel in those days. During a windy spell earlier this summer, we sought refuge in one of these mangrove-lined ponds and quickly relearned the old ways, casting near thick vegetation. After suitably easing the boat into a point of trees, we’d tie a light rope to a handy tree branch—so close that mangrove leaves accumulated all over the boat. There was no need for a rattling anchor or Power Pole. Hidden from view, we watched a steady procession of big boats skirting past, headed for a white-capped, chocolate-colored bay. Meanwhile, fishing from the bow, Patrick Geraghty from San Antonio limited out on sturdy, jetty-sized reds in only a half hour. Oh, Patrick Geraghty from San it was sweet! Antonio with a pondIf we’d started with topwater baits, caught redfish that scarfed it would have taken more finesse and his topwater Junior Spook. longer to catch limits, but I had fresh mullet and the reds were all over it. For some reason these shallow, what I call “creek redfish” were crazy over fresh cut mullet. After a time, we switched to topwater Spooks and the real fun began. Weedless gold spoons worked well, too. Several lures had to be retrieved from trees on the far side, but we never lost one. (If a lure sails 10 feet back in the bushes, it’s a real chore to retrieve. During those windy days I suggested making easy, initial casts into open water, get warmed up and familiar with the spin tackle, before trying to work closer to trees. It was one classic blowup after another. The icing was catching nine reds at our next stop, a pond we’d never been to, but matching our sudden new requirements, which was green water in sheltering mangroves. Getting blasted by reds on topwater plugs is the ultimate—the opposite of reeling in redfish Finding keeper from deeper jetty waters using bait. (Been trout back in the there, done that.) The wind was howling and mangroves was a our 12-pound spin gear, normally fine in open special treat. water, was a little inaccurate when compared 32 | September 2017
consulting tea leaves and it dawned on him: How rough can it get, fishing a pond lined with tree thickets? He’d just been through a tough day and his much larger boat had taken a beating with no chance of exploring where we’d been. Sometimes less really is more. With the natural high tides of September, it may be time again to probe these mangrove thickets, looking for shallow fish. There may even be a few days of cooler or at least dryer northeast wind. Coupled with the higher tides, it makes for some great days on the coastal waters. After Labor Day the crowds have “runn-oft” back to school, dove fields or teal blinds, so fishing pressure is lighter. And if we should get another tropical storm in the Gulf during this prime hurricane month, raising tides even higher, you can bet these black mangrove thickets will offer shelter to fish and fishermen alike.
Joe Richard
Joe Richard has fished the Gulf since 1967, starting out of Port Arthur, but his adventures have taken him up and down the entire coast. He was the editor of Tide magazine for eight years, and later Florida Sportsman’s book and assistant magazine editor. He began guiding out of Port O’Connor in 1994. His specialty is big kingfish, and his latest book is The Kingfish Bible, New Revelations. Available at Seafavorites.com
Contact
to baitcasting tackle. However, we got a better fight out of each fish with spin. Even trout were back in the mangroves, which was great to see. The action went on for several days until the storms moved further inland and its flood tide began to ebb. When that happened, the fish knew it was time to leave. Once again my new jonboat shined, floating in five inches of water, and the occasional oyster scrape didn’t faze it. With low sides and olive drab paint, the boat was invisible and never noticed by passing traffic. One boat passed by so close, I set the hook half-heartedly (not wishing to be noticed) on a serious blowup, missing the strike. Later, as we poled by a narrow band of trees and flooded sand flat on the other side of the pond, there was no sign of even a finger mullet, so these black mangroves really do act as a corral. Many big, fine oysters were protected in there as well, hidden away from commercial oyster boats, whose ravages of Texas bay bottoms are by now well-documented. Presumably these oyster’s young spat will travel and help repopulate the bigger bays, if they can still find substrate to attach to. Back at the boat ramp after one of these trips, with wind advisories still in effect from tropical storm Cindy, a veteran jetty guide glumly unloaded one redfish from his big boat and proclaimed the combination of wind, current and tide that day was the worst he’d seen…or in his words, “the worst E-V-E-R.” From the dock, one could plainly see the edge of the storm cloud on the horizon, though we labored under harsh sun all day. When asked how we did, I pointed to the mangrove leaves scattered in the boat, along with our fine catch. He stared at them like he was
ROY’S Bait and Tackle Outfitters Versatile performance ready for action on your favorite bass lake or inshore saltwater destination. The all new Casitas baitcasting reels feature technology-leading Shimano features for smoothness and ease-of-use. $
Evair Marine/Fishing shoes featuring ultra lightweight EVA material. After a day of fishing or any other marine activity, you will feel as if you were wearing nothing on your feet during hot summer days.
49.99
34 | September 2017
$
www.roysbait-tackle.com
7613 SPID Corpus Christi, TX 78412
The Caius is a compact, versatile, and durable bait casting reel, designed with light weight lure casting in mind. Reducing the size of the new Caius from 200 to 150, and upgrading the braking system, means the reels cast much easier.
119.99
$
361-992-2960
NASCI is an exciting, new powerful spinning reel with unparalleled gear durability at its price point. Incorporating upgraded drag, X-Ship and HGN Gearing, and available in sizes from 1000 through 5000, it’s a great choice for everything from light freshwater to medium saltwater applications.
99.99-$109.99
Open 9 am - 6 pm 7 days/week
$
79.99
STORY BY JOE DOGGETT
G
reen tides and Spanish mackerel go together. You’ve got to like that. On the beachfront, so-called “mackerel water” is rich with startling color and clarity. You get pumped just looking at it. Schools of racy mackerel shoot through the beautiful currents during late summer and early fall, and inshore anglers can intercept them from surf piers and jetties. The long granite-block jetties especially are good; some are easier to access than others but all can reach lighttackle mackerel action. Some salty anglers have an attitude about Spanish mackerel and I never have understood this haughty disdain. It probably stems from the speckled trout pros using live shrimp when “free shrimping” with a pinch of lead, or when drifting a kicking brownie under a cork. You cast out, get a sharp strike and – Zowwee! – nothing. The needle-sharp teeth of a mackerel easily can cut a light monofilament line, costing time and tackle. And mackerel can be murder on soft plastics – one short strike that misses the jig hook and you reel in a ruined lure. When mackerel are in the surf, the attrition rate on a pouch of prized plastics can be brutal. And, admittedly, Spanish mackerel run on the small side – the average fish along the Texas coast is in the one- to two-pound class and anything over an honest four or five is exceptional. Of course, that’s not so different than the average speckled trout. The state record is 8.70 pounds but, to repeat, you’ll grow old between five pounders. Unless maybe
38 | September 2017
ran laterally, with the line stretched across the surface. It had more horsepower than a trout and it was a decent keeper, about two pounds. The spoon looked secure in the hinge of the jaw. I had no net; frankly, my celebrated “catlike reflexes” aren’t what they used to be, and climbing down the random blocks close enough to use a net can be sketchy. So I lowered the rod tip and reeled close and waited for a surge to help flip the fish onto a flat granite surface. This can be hit-or-miss, and you hate to see a fish pull free and flop into a crevasse for the nasty jetty rats (rivaled in size only by Norwegian wharf rats and the odd possum). But the severe snout of the mackerel is durable and the derrick technique usually works. Conversely, the speck is more apt to shake and thrash, and the fragile tissue framing the maw is more apt to tear. This is not the combination you want as an inbound prize arcs through the air. My first fish glowed with racy fins and shiny colors – dark green back, silver sides and yellow dots. A very handsome fish. As with many fast-lane predators, mackerel must keep moving to stay alive. Rats or no rats, they seldom last long on a cord stringer sloshing around in the surge. Or, worse, left to bake on a flat rock. So, without ready access to an ice chest, you don’t want to overstay the clock on a summer day. Two hours later I quit with seven Spanish mackerel – well short of the 15-fish daily limit, but a fun session and sufficient for several baggies of fillets. The generous limit is another good thing about mackerel. The minimum length is 14 inches and it doesn’t take much of a mackerel to make muster. No doubt, the boater has greater potential during a good run. Drifting or trolling with small spoons or jigs off the beachfront can be very productive, especially when birds are working over surface schools. But it’s not all about numbers and a mackerel assault mission on the rocks is my style of fishing. I shook the stringer into an ice chest, put the rod and stringer belt in the back of the Tahoe, and drove home a winner.
Joe Doggett
Contact
you live in North Carolina; the IGFA world record is 13 pounds, caught off Ocracoke Inlet in 1987. Florida is close behind with a 12 pounder. Regardless of size, the Spanish mackerel is a sleek and handsome fish, with a wicked forked tail, dramatic colors, and the sharp pointed head of a no-nonsense killer. They hit hard and run fast and you can catch them on or near the surface as opposed to growing old while soaking bait on bottom. And they are easy to clean and good to eat – superior by most palates to the larger king mackerel. As a bonus, you get a high yield of meat per fish. Cut off the small head, clean the puny body cavity, slice the trim fillets, and you are ready for a hot broiler. As with most oily fish, they are best when fresh, not frozen. I think mackerel are great; under “ice cream” conditions, I go out of my way to fish for them. And my favorite way to do this is by walking the jetty rocks and using a light rod. And, for what it’s worth, the beachfront schools during the cooling water of September and October seem to hold larger fish. At least, this has been my experience. The best way to catch mackerel is to rig for mackerel. When walking the rocks, the idea is to travel light and unencumbered so you can bounce from granite perch to granite perch, chunking and moving until a school is located. A small spoon (say, 1/2-ounce, maybe two or two-and-half inches in length) is an excellent choice. It casts well, with superior ballistics, and no fish is going to cut it in half. A short (four- to six-inch) light wire leader secured with a loop knot to the spoon prevents unnecessary cut-offs. Dark wire is less visible and the braided easy-to-knot products are simple to use. A pocket spool of 20- to 30-pound test flexible wire will last forever. A small swivel helps prevent line twist; again, the swivel should be dark (a shiny one invites strikes that can slice the connection). If you forget the swivel, it’s not a deal killer as long as the spoon can freely twist and wobble against a split ring or loop knot. A recent drive-to trip to the Surfside Jetty near Freeport was a good example of a mackerel assault mission. The Gulf was “green to the beach,” groomed by a light southeast wind and an incoming tide. I walked about half-way out and began rock-hopping. I made long casts straight away from the rocks and fished fast and shallow. This is the percentage technique for Spanish mackerel. Allowing the spoon to settle several counts might expand the strike window but regardless of depth mackerel prefer running the open currents rather than prowling close to the rocks. This approach and tempo are in contrast to the slower retrieves angled along the sloping blocks for specks and reds. It’s also much less apt to hang up – unless you throw a bad backlash. For this reason, an open-faced spinning reel is a fine choice, especially in the hands of a tangle-prone beginner. Come to think of it, the spinning reel probably has a faster retrieve ratio than the typical casting reel. I always have favored casting tackle for coastal fishing but this is one instance when prejudice can be put aside for practicality. The spinning rig can effectively cover water and you cannot crank fast enough to pull a spoon away from a hot school of mackerel. But this particular trip I was armed with a 7-foot casting rod and a level-wind reel spooled with 12-pound mono. What can I say – I still like the feel and blur of a positive free-spool cast. About 15 minutes into the rock-hopping, a hard strike jolted the rod. A quick splash on a green swell marked the hooked fish. The mackerel
Joe Doggett was an outdoors columnist with the Houston Chronicle for thirty-five years. Retiring in 2007, Doggett writes occasional freelance pieces between hunting, fishing and surfing adventures. Contact: DoggettJ@SBCGlobal.net
Smooth, Dry and Fast
No Wood! Limited LIfetime
Warranty
PERFORMANCE BAY BOATS
2220 GTS
675 Ultimate Bay
New Designs
Latest Innovations Custom Electronics
2420 GTS Designed By
FiShermen For FiShermen!
1
#
New GTS Console
Raised Console
Blazer Dealer
in the USA 361-651-BOAT
w w w. w a y p o i n t m a r i n e . c o m 3033 S. Padre Island Drive Corpus Christi, Texas
ICAST W
ithout a doubt, the highlight of our July calendar each summer is attending the annual ICAST Show. Most all major industries have trade shows and ICAST is billed as the granddaddy of them all for the recreational fishing industry. ICAST is an acronym – International Conference of Allied Sportfishing Trades, organized and promoted by the ASA – American Sportfishing Association, the membership of which includes fishing tackle and accessory manufacturers, manufacturer’s representatives, product distributors, retailers, and the media. The massive Orange County Convention Center complex in Orlando, Florida was the venue for the 2017 event. Pretty near everybody has attended a fishing and boat show. Here in Texas, the annual Dave Holder and Associates - Houston Fishing Show is a pretty big deal. Imagine if you can the Houston Fishing Show on about a 100x scale, with tackle and related goods on display from manufacturers from around the world. To add a bit more perspective, the display booths of Shimano and Pure Fishing alone would represent approximately one-third the floor space of the Houston show. You need a program to navigate the place. Attendance this year exceeded 15,000 registered visitors – and several thousand employees and representatives manning booths. The four-day event opens on Tuesday afternoon with the New Product Showcase. Manufacturers large and small are invited to display the products they will introduce to the market in the coming months, with a head-to-head competition wherein retailers and media attendees cast ballots for their picks of the most innovative and useful
1
2
4
3
40 | September 2017
new products of the lot. Best of Show awards are awarded by product category and highly-coveted within the fishing community. Given the incredible array of products displayed at ICAST, and so many eyecatchers, compiling a concise list would be impossible. So, in attempt to bring you the goods and gadgets
WORLD’S LARGEST FISHING TACKLE TRADE SHOW STORY BY TSFMag Staff
5
6
7
we liked most, I struggled but eventually pared it down to the these. Known more their high-performance baitcasting reels, 13 Fishing garnered a Best of Show in the Kids’ Tackle category with the Ambition Combo that includes features found on many full-sized rods. MSRP: $59.99 (1) Competition in the Fishing Line category is always brisk. Pure Fishing topped all entries with their new Berkley Fireline Ultra 8, thermally fused line with 4x more abrasion resistance than original Fireline. Pounds-test ratings range from 4- to 30-pounds. MSRP: $19.99 (2) Costa Del Mar, one of the premier fishing eyewear brands and winner of many previous ICAST awards, topped the Eyewear Category this year with their Sunrise Silver Mirror Lens. Shallow water anglers will love the polarized efficiency of these new lens in low-light conditions. MSRP: Starting at $189 (3) The Fish Smart category winner was Eagle Claw’s Flounder Sample Pack. The innovative long shank design of these hooks promotes the hook lodging in the jaw for easy removal – perfect for catch and release of flounder during the November-December special regulations season. 3-pack price: $2.86 (4) This year’s Footwear Category winner was Huk Gear with their Huk Attack fishing shoe. Huk’s been turning lots of heads the past couple of years with their technical clothing line. Now the Attack fishing shoe. Keep an eye on Huk! MRSP; $84.99 (5) Keeping with their tradition of offering super-lifelike fishing lures, the LIVETARGET Hollow Body Mullet was very well received and captured Best Saltwater Soft Bait awards. The weedless features of this bait will allow imitating mullet sliding through shoreline cordgrass perfectly. The weedless hollow body concept has been proven highly-effective in other lure types – this one should be killer for shoreline redfish. (6) Best Saltwater Hard Lure honors were captured by Rapala’s X-Rap 40. This lure can be trolled as fast as 13 knots – the massive lip design enables it to dive unassisted to 40-feet. At 7-inches long and 3.5-ounces and tough steel hooks, this one has king mackerel written all over it. Comes in 20 proven big-water color patterns. (7) The hits just keep on coming from Shimano. The newly introduced Shimano Sustain C4000/5000 ran away with top honors among all new saltwater reel entries. New gear technology coupled with high line-gather are but two of the features that Shimano has incorporated TSFMAG.com | 41
into these new designs. MRSP: $309.99 (8) Simms Fishing is another brand that has garnered multiple ICAST awards over the years. Any Texas angler who enjoys dry and warm wintertime wade fishing knows why Simms is trusted by so many. The Simms G3 Guide Stockingfoot Wader came away wining the Fly Fishing Accessory category but do not be fooled – sure to be a hit with fly anglers on western rivers and streams, this fine product will perform yeoman service in Texas salt water, too. Features all-new four-layer Gore-Tex pro-shell fabric in the legs and three layers up top. Simms most breathable yet. Chest pocket, hand-warmer pockets, integrated utility tabs, and front and back leg seams. MSRP: $499.95 (9) If there was ever an Energizer Bunny award for new product introductions, Yeti would have to be in the running, it seems they just never quit. ICAST’s 2017 Fishing Accessory Category award went to the new Yeti Panga Duffel. This air-tight fully-waterproof duffel looks perfect for use as a boat dry-bag, packing fishing and hunting clothing and gear, and just about anything you could imagine. The super-tough exterior will stand up to the rigors of as many uses as you can throw at it. Handy straps make it easy to carry or backpack. Comes in three sizes: 50, 75 and 100. MSRP: 50-$299.99, 75-$349.99, 100-$399.99 (10) Another Item we found at ICAST that genuinely piqued our interest is the new Concept-Z baitcast reel from 13 Fishing. 13 Fishing burst on the scene a few years ago and immediately began turning heads with their Concept series baitcasters, delivering exceptional casting performance and silky-smooth drag clutches. Their limitedrelease Concept-TX, designed specifically for Texas flats and inshore applications, got snapped from dealer’s reel cases as soon as they could be unpacked. Now comes Concept-Z, a reel with a feature that could end up revolutionizing baitcast design. Saltwater is the all-time nemesis of fishing tackle – even with frequent cleaning and lubing, the ball bearings that have traditionally provided the smooth long-casting capability we require, corrode and fail all too soon. Enter Concept-Z—the reel from 13 Fishing built without ball bearings! While “no bearing” reels have appeared in the past, none performed adequately and soon faded away. 13’s Concept Zero Bearings (CZB) are actually bushings machined precisely from proprietary high-tech polymer, designed and manufactured in the USA. No rollers – no corrosion – all performance. Initial product releases are scheduled to arrive in coming months. I’m dying to get my hands on one! (11)
8
9
10
11 42 | September 2017
Steve Flanagan with a beautiful specimen caught in shallow 88⁰ water – CPR!
J AY WAT K I N S
ASK THE PRO
Big Trout – Knee-Deep – Midday? I am of the opinion that during the hottest months of the year, larger trout and redfish feed mostly at night, in shallow water. New moon or full moon – doesn’t matter. Shallow water cools more rapidly than deep water and, with plenty bait available, the shallows have to be more inviting. This sounds logical, given that daytime water temps often rise to 90⁰ and higher. I don’t fish at night but the flounder guides say they see lots of trout and redfish in their lights. Sometimes, I’m told, redfish are so thick they muddy the water to the point that they cannot see the flounder. So, we know they go shallow at night. Whether to cool off, eat, or seek relief from boat traffic – they go shallow. It also makes sense that some of them will still be shallow come daybreak. People say I think like a fish but that is not possible; fish don’t have the ability to think. React is probably a better term. Fish react to everything that happens around them and some reactions no doubt arise from survival instinct. A dolphin slaps the water along a shallow grassy shoreline and trout run to heavy grass and bury up. I tell people that I react to what I believe the fish’s reactions might be. It’s not a perfect science but it 44 | September 2017
seems to work. Now, let’s talk about something that is going on in my home waters around Rockport that I think you’ll find interesting. It is no secret that trout fishing in Aransas and San Antonio bays is better today than it has been in many years – maybe twenty years. Taking advantage of this, my clients and I now target trout very differently than we did in the past. Yes, I still have the “let’s go get our limit” groups, which I have zero problem with, now that the limit is five. I too like fresh fish for dinner once in a while. Most of my clients nowadays prefer to chase specific age classes of trout and these guys and gals practice catch and release religiously. What a wonderful turn of events for our fishery. Over the past several years I have noticed a significant increase in the size of the trout we are catching. I attribute much of this to abundant rainfall and fresh water inflow the past two years, and the reopening of Cedar Bayou. Thicker bottom grass, plentiful forage, and more predictable tidal flows play huge roles in the success we are experiencing. Trout in the 23- to 25-inch class are suddenly not
BIG SOUND
FOR YOUR BOAT! REV 6x9 SM GUNNEL SPEAKERS Horn Loaded Compression Driver Surface Mount Speakers
TEAM PAPOTANIC @Bill_Platt
WS-220 BT
STEALTH AS SUBWOOFERS
MARINE AUDIO CONTROLLER WITH BLUETOOTH
Up to 500 Watt Active Subwoofer Enclosure Multi-Zone Marine Audio Controller
1.877.938.7757 WetSounds.com HIGH PERFORMANCE MARINE AUDIO
FREE GIFT from WET SOUNDS! Send an email to info@wetsounds.com, with “TSFM 2017” in subject line!
46 | September 2017
Talk about a setup – moonset minor going off over shallow, grassy shoreline.
Another perfect setup – multiple slicks popping shallow, shortly after sunup – the bite is on!
glitter 5” Provoker and Lil John XL. Tougher and longer lasting is key when fishing over heavy grass with an abundance of tail-nipping baitfish. Red glitter really jumps out in clear water over green to brownish bottom grass. I believe the nanosecond glint of that glitter is what they are seeing and striking. The green body of the lure itself becomes almost invisible, the same as a live baitfish disappearing in grass. Fish in shallow, clear water definitely know when we enter their territory, so any advantage we can gain will be rewarded with more strikes. Casting distance is definitely one of my keys to success. With the 13 Fishing Concept TX, 1/16-ounce 2/0 plain lead-colored Bass Assassins Screw-Loc jighead and the MirrOlure Lil John XL, you’re there! It’s an exciting time when we are seeing such good fish appearing in late-summer. Can you imagine what it will be like when the first cold fronts arrive? May your fishing always be catching. -Guide Jay Watkins
C ontact
uncommon when targeting them. Smaller numbers of larger fish have also been caught, which is also not uncommon. The most impressive change I am seeing is the increased number of areas that are holding these kinds of fish. In recent weeks I have fished Port Bay, Copano, St. Charles, Aransas, Mesquite and San Antonio bays and landed numerous fish per day over 23-inches. Several 27s and one 28. Equally impressive is that I’m not the only guy enjoying such success. My Fishing Club members keep me informed of their catches and I see the photos. This might be rather hard to believe but most all of these trout are coming from knee-deep water over solid grass along bay shorelines or in back lakes, when the tide allows me to get back there. Just today we caught five fish between 24 and 26-inches, around the noon hour, in 89⁰ knee-deep water. The third day in a row that we caught trout like this in the same general area. Hard to believe, but I have some thoughts I want to run by you. First let me state that I am still paying very close attention to the solunar feeding periods, which by now should be a given with all serious fishermen. Second, every area holding these fish has a very stable and predictable forage supply. Third, boat traffic is minimal on weekdays but increases greatly on weekends. Fourth, we see lots of dolphins cruising the nearby breaks and drop-offs. So, my question is this. Are the dolphins and boat traffic pushing the bigger trout up shallow? As an aside - I have caught more trout this year than I can ever recall, 25-inches and longer, with rake marks (dolphin teeth) down their sides. I have always believed that left alone, nature finds a way. Are the older and larger trout reacting to the pressure of man and dolphins, leading them to spend so much time up shallow? Boat traffic is greater today than ever and Lord knows we have A LOT of dolphins. Sounds like a good research project for Dr. Greg Stunz and crew at Harte Institute. Now let’s talk a bit on how we are catching these fish – lures and such. Most know that I’m not a big fan of topwaters. I throw them when the bite is on but that’s about it. I figure that if I have to coax a fish to take a lure or when trying to draw a reaction strike, I can do a better job with soft plastics or suspending plugs. In the soft plastic category, I basically have three favorites. The 5” Shad Bass Assassin, 5” MirrOlure Provoker, and MirrOlure Lil John XL. All my soft plastics are rattails, believing I can create more of the erratic action that draws instinctive strikes from wary trout and redfish. The Bass Assassin is the softer of the three, which in itself produces lots of bait movement. When pinfish and piggy perch become troublesome, nipping at the lures, the Provoker’s tougher texture holds up longer. I hope my honesty is appreciated by both of these fine manufacturers. I mentioned erratic lure action and I watch baitfish very carefully. The pinfish and piggies are plentiful right now and highly visible in the clear water we’re fishing. What I see often is one of these guys coming out of thick grass for a second or two and then quickly darting back into the cover. Their darting creates a quick, colorful flash of color for a fraction of a second. Imitating this erratic darting with a rattail bait seems to draw the most strikes. In clear water, I typically want a clear-bodied bait with either silver or gold glitter. Gold glitter is not as popular yet, but highly effective none-the-less. To me, a little glitter is all you need. I’m picky and do not believe more is better in this situation. In recent days I have had tremendous luck with the watermelon-red
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
Ed Zyak-DOA lures with a big South Texas trout on the new Sna-Koil soft plastic.
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 NG
ICAST Highlights Walking through the doors of the Orange County Convention Center for the opening morning of the ICAST (International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades) is always fun. It’s a time to catch up with people in the industry I only get to see once a year, hang out with some of the legends in fishing and, of course, check out all the new toys. I’ve lost count on how many of these I’ve attended, but this one was different. My first ICAST visit without sales rep responsibilities, our editor had been kind enough to provide me a media badge and I was free to roam the aisles. It took a little getting used to. In years past I’ve had that “exhibitor” badge hanging around my neck with the name of whatever company I was representing, which drew considerable attention from folks wanting to show off their gear. It sure made for an interesting show. There are so many great new products being introduced that it really is hard to narrow it down to fit in the space I’m allotted in this magazine. I’ll have to settle 48 | September 2017
TyWheel – fly tying materials organizer.
for giving you a sampling of the things that would apply to the style of fishing I tend to do most. Every rod company shows up to ICAST with something new, but two new lines from Texas companies caught my attention. First off was a completely redesigned saltwater lineup from TFO (Temple Fork Outfitter) out of Dallas. Their new GIS Inshore rods are some goodlooking sticks with bright blue blanks and high-quality Fugi black frame Alconite guides. These are offered in 16 models (spinning and casting) for most anything we’re likely to encounter in our bays or along the beachfront. They cover throwing anything from a 1/16-ounce jig on up to the largest of plugs. I wandered into the Castaway Rods booth catch up with Scott Luft. After the greetings he handed me a rod and just stood there grinning. Dayum! I’ve never held a full-sized fishing rod that was so light. Weighing in at a mere 2.8 ounces is their new Titania Air. Scott went on to explain some of the technology involved in using a carbon fiber wrap over the blank for strength without weight. The rod also sports a carbon fiber weave grip in place of cork and super lightweight titanium guides. Truly an all-around impressive stick. Pair this with some of the new lightweight reels and you’re looking at less than 10 ounces. If you happen to drop your rig in the water I think it might just float.
Live Target is a fairly new lure company that has come on strong over the last couple years with some innovative lure finishes and ideas. This year they introduced a hollow body topwater mullet that looks like it could swim away on its own. If you’ve ever fished for bass you’re probably familiar with the weedless hollow body frogs where the hook rides up inside the body. That’s what this is, except it is a perfect finger mullet. You could throw this thing into flooded cord grass or work it through those matted up floating grass lines and never worry about fouling. When I stopped in to visit with Mark Nichols and Ed Zyak at the DOA booth they handed me a 12-inch plastic snake they’ve named Sna-Koil. It was intended for bass, but is apparently catching on with some south Texas guys for big trout. I could see where a big trout or red would think this thing was an eel. I’m also thinking a picky ling hanging on a buoy might like one, too. To prove the point, I just received a photo from Ed of a really nice south Texas trout he caught on a Sna-Koil last week. As much as I hate to admit it, those Florida boys can fish. With my new boat arriving and my eyes turning towards the beachfront and nearshore action, I had it on my list to go looking for some fishing gloves for handling leaders or grabbing big angry fish. I had received some pre-show promotional emails from a new company called Fish Monkey Gloves so I went looking for them. I was expecting a little 10’x10’ booth with a few gloves hanging on a display rack. Nope. They had a full blown big booth with a dizzying array of gloves. They were exhibiting everything from thin sun-protection styles up to heavy-duty gloves suitable for a leader man handling blue marlin, and
Double Barrel popper from Flymen Fishing Co.
The Howitzer popper head from Flymen Fishing Co
50 | September 2017
Live Target’s new hollow-body mullet, this lure is going to be fun to fish through flooded cord grass and floating mats of dead grass.
a baggie of each style sitting on my tying desk. Speaking of topwater flies, Drew Chicone has come up with an interesting new fly being offered by Umpqua. The Chicone’s Tuscan Bunny has a head made up of little foam sticks tied like flared deer hair and a rabbit strip tail. I watched a video of this thing and it has an enticing waggle that should drive fish nuts. It was intended for tarpon but I can see ling, reds and trout wanting a piece of the action. I’m running out of room, but here are a couple additional quick mentions you might want to check out. If your fly tying desk is as disorganized as mine, get on-line and check out the TyWheel. It’s an innovative system that you can mix and match to fit your needs. And if line management is a problem, (and when is it not) go check out Carbon Marine’s new LineTacks. They’ll likely adorn the bow of my new Dargel in the near future. Now excuse me while I go meet the UPS guy…again. It’s like Christmas around here.
C ontact
a cut-proof style for cleaning fish. It’s hard to impress with something so simple and common as gloves, but these were all well made as well as comfortable. I walked away from there with all kinds of hand protection. I talked to some buyers from our local tackle shops who said they’ll be bringing them in so be on the lookout. There is also a show within the show dedicated to fly fishing, the International Fly Tackle Dealer. It used to be a separate show, but has conveniently joined with ICAST the last few years. I wandered over to that side of the convention center and got lost for the better part of a day looking through all the toys. The Flymen Fishing Co. booth caught my attention with an array of poppers. I love poppers. Flymen has introduced several sizes of what they call the Double Barrel Bass Bug. They’re soft foam bodies with extra-large mouths that are going to drive redfish crazy. They sell them as complete flies or blank bodies to tie your own. They’ve also got a more cylindrical style popper head called the Howitzer that can be tied as a head on baitfish patterns to make them into topwaters. I now have
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
u
Between Yo
and the
Fish!
GUIDE GLOVE SERIES
www.fishmonkeygloves.com TSFMAG.com | 51
Figure 1. Dickinson Bayou Wetland Restoration Project site located in the Galveston Bay Ecosystem.
B y D r. J a n Cu l b e r t s o n | N a t u r a l R e s o u r c e s S p e c i a l i s t , Coastal Fisheries Division | Dickinson Marine Lab
F I E L D NO T E S
Restoration on Dickinson Bayou This story begins in Dickinson Bayou, a water quality impaired watershed, located along the upper Texas coast within the Galveston Bay ecosystem (Figure 1). A large group of concerned private citizens along with representatives from several local, state, and federal agencies formed a community-based partnership with the goal of improving the bayou’s water quality. This diverse stakeholder group developed the Dickinson Bayou Watershed Management Plan (www. dickinsonbayou.org). The Plan’s main objectives included reducing water quality degradation in the upper bayou and finding opportunities to increase habitat in its lower reaches. Once the Dickinson Bayou Watershed Management Plan was in place, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) 52 | September 2017
TSFMAG.com | 53
Figure 2. Dickinson Bayou Wetland Restoration Project aerial view following completion of first phase of construction (breakwaters) in August 2016.
Figure 3. Sea Scouts from Baytown and Katy, Texas, harvesting smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) at NRG Energy EcoCenter on August 6, 2016.
Figure 4. Girl Scout Troop 127001 from Katy, Texas, with Aaron Chastain from NMFS planting the Dickinson Bayou Wetland Restoration site during an Earth Day Marsh Mania Event on April 22, 2017.
54 | September 2017
staff identified a potential restoration site. This site was undergoing significant erosion with 50% of the salt marsh in the area having been converted to open water since the 1930s. Habitat restoration here would improve water quality and increase available habitat for finfish, shellfish, and wildlife. TPWD formed a project team (with over ten partners including the participating landowner) to design, seek funding for, and implement the Dickinson Bayou Watershed Restoration project. The team envisioned the restoration of a sustainable wetland on this site that would achieve one of the major goals of the watershed management plan. After funding was awarded for the project, the plans were engineered and construction began in June 2016. Restoring the site required transport of over 130,000 cubic yards of sediment material that came from within the bayou. Sediments are typically sands, silts, or clays that come from the weathering of rock or erosion of upland soils which have been transported by flowing water (such as from rivers). These sediments then get deposited in the calmer waters of stream beds or bay bottoms. For this project, dense, fine clay sediments were excavated to build ~3,000 linear feet of containment berms (Figure 2). Once the containment berms were completed, silty material dredged from the channel was used to fill these containment areas. This silt material was removed from the channel bottom along with large quantities of water so that it could be pumped out and placed in these containment areas as a slurry. Over time the water drains off and only the silt remains. An additional 2,000 cubic yards of concrete rock material was placed on the outer side slopes of the earthen berms to deflect wind and wave induced erosion. Another 1,000 cubic yards of rock concrete was used to create a living shoreline breakwater to protect existing wetlands on the south side of the project area too. Construction was completed in August 2016. With construction completed, the sediments in the containment areas began to consolidate and dewater. The target for the overall restoration site settling was to an elevation that supports healthy wetland plants. This dewatering process is on-going and expected to take about 12- to 18-months to reach the final designed elevation. During this settlement phase, TPWD and other project partners organized a public outreach event with the local Sea Scouts to harvest plants. Figure 3 shows the first group of sea scouts harvesting 4,000 smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) plants from the NRG EcoCenter nursery in August 2016. Then, project partners from multiple resource agencies used a variety of methods including an airboat, kayaks, and manual placement
to plant the cordgrass. Plants were placed in the unsettled materials to “jump start” wetland plant colonization at the project site and help stabilize the containment berms. In 2017, the Galveston Bay Foundation and TPWD also sponsored an Earth Day “Marsh Mania” public planting event at this restoration site. About 80 local volunteers placed 6,375 plants while learning how important their stewardship is for this watershed. Figure 4 shows one local Girl Scout troop at the “Marsh Mania” event. Student Conservation Association teams (up to 10 young adults) will be planting up to 58,000 additional wetland plants during the spring and summer of 2017. This will be followed by two years of monitoring to insure long term project success. When completed, this successful “partnership-based” restoration project will have restored 10 acres of salt marsh habitat. It will also have protected and enhanced 18 acres of existing wetlands that would have been converted to open water habitat due to erosion over the next 25 years without intervention. This community-based partnership is a large one that could not have been completed without the collaborative efforts of a wide array of partners. This project is only a reality because of all the funding and resources they provided. Their efforts, through this project, have provided an important foundation for the community to continue to improve water quality and habitat for fish and wildlife in a vital watershed of the Galveston Bay Ecosystem. Kudos go to the partnership that made this story a success which included - Dickinson area residents, the Sea Scouts, the many Marsh
Mania volunteers, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Galveston Bay Estuary Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s - Texas Coastal Program, Galveston Bay Foundation, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Galveston Bay Estuary Program, CCA-Texas, NOAA’s Coastal Management Program, Texas General Land Office’s Coastal Erosion Planning and Restoration Act Program, the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program, NRG Energy, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Soil Conservation Association, Texas Sea Grant Agrilife Extension Service, the Student Conservation Association, the Dickinson Bayou Watershed Plan workgroup, and the willing landowner –White Oak Energy. It is through partnerships like these that we can all play an active part in helping to conserve coastal ecosystems across the state of Texas.
Check the TPWD Outdoor Annual, your local TPWD Law Enforcement office, or www.tpwd.texas.gov for more information.
TSFMAG.com | 55
S C O T T S O M M E R L AT T E
FLY F I S H I N G
Gluttony for Gear Years ago I wrote an article that appeared in Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine that was titled A Pocketful of Tackle. The premise was that a person did not need a ginormous tackle box or a boatload of gear to hit the water and catch fish. And, I will stand by what I wrote all those years ago… sort of. It just really depends on an angler’s focus. With that said, if you know me, you will know that I am about as focused as a 10-week-old bird dog and can be easily distracted…”Look, squirrel!” Now, what was I talking about? Seriously though, if I go out on a day of fishing for redfish, I can leave the house with a rod rigged with a floating line, some leader material, a dozen flies (4 patterns, 3 of each) and I can get the job done. But wait, what if I see some birds working over trout in 5- to 8-feet of water? Well, now I need to add a rod with an intermediate line. Or, what about a big school of jacks? A whole other set up is needed. I’m guessing you are starting to see a pattern. The point being, if you have only one species of fish that you are targeting in a certain type of water and, in only the best of conditions, it is very easy to become a minimalist. But now add into the mix that I am, in fact, a guide and do not always have the luxury of targeting only one species under perfect conditions. The answer to my problem…MORE GEAR! 56 | September 2017
Over the years I have often confessed to being a gear whore in the pages of this publication. However, it was not until I began packing recently to make the trek from Florida back to Texas that I realized there is not a psychiatrist nor enough medication in the whole country that could fix my “gear issues.” The revelation came while attempting to cram the insane amount of gear I use in my guide business into the truck and, at the same time, still craving more. Why more? Well, shortly before packing things up, I had been to the “ultimate crack house” for the fishing guide/ fisherman – the ICAST/IFTD show in Orlando. Let me tell you, there are some great new products out there. So many that I cannot begin to tell you about them all so, I am going to pick and choose some of my favorites. Also, some of these products are not necessarily new but, I am seeing some of them for the first time because I skipped the show last year. Let’s start with rods. As many of you probably already know I am a big fan of not only G.Loomis rods, but also of one-piece rods, in general. Well, G.Loomis has released a new rod that I think, after casting it, is going to be a spectacular redfish rod. The rod is called IMX Pro-1 and utilizes a new technology known as Conduit Core to create a smooth flex to mid-section that allows for throwing larger and heavier flies. The rod is designed for
C ontact
freshwater anglers who throw streamer patterns, however, it is made with saltwater-safe components. Better yet, it is a great casting rod with a great price point. The next rod I fell in love with is the new bamboo rod from Thomas & Thomas. Now I am going to be honest in that I do not know a whole lot about it other than, if you like the idea of the nostalgia of fishing with a bamboo rod in the salt, this stick is nothing short of incredible. It is available in a range of weights for fishing everything from redfish to tarpon. And, while it is a pricey investment, it is a product that reflects the history of the sport yet has a modern feel to it. Moving on, let me tell you about a Simms product I fell in love with. First is a reel pouch (koozie) that is ventilated. Apparently I missed this one last year but, am fully aware of it’s existence now that most of my
reels in my boat are protected by them. The beauty of this product is that you can literally wash your reels while they remain in the pouch (water drains out) and the ventilation feature allows air flow to dry it. Now let’s talk Yeti – Holy crap on a cracker! This company has gone nuts with new products. From the new half-gallon and gallon stainless steel Rambler jugs, all the way to products that enhance and make older products more user friendly – they had it all. The best though, is their new Panga Bags which are 100% waterproof and built tough enough to withstand the kind of abuse I dish out. If you are a hardcore outdoorsman who travels a lot, you are going to want a couple of these bags. On my way home from Florida, I had all of my clothes packed in these bags in the bed of my truck. At one point, it started raining so bad traffic slowed to 15 mph. When I got home to Texas, everything was bone dry. Truly an amazing product that sets a new standard in dry bags. Believe me when I say, I have not even scratched the surface of what is new and exciting out there. However, I will leave you with this thought – whether you are a gear junky like me or just in search of a better mouse trap, start looking out for some of these products. You will be pleased.
Scott Sommerlatte is a full time fly fishing and light tackle guide, freelance writer and photographer. Telephone Email Website
979-415-4379 vssommerlatte@hotmail.com www.mangrovefly.com
TSFMAG.com | 57
DAV E R O B E R T S
K AYA K F I S H I N G C H RON I C LE S
Paddling with the Bulls I believe it is safe to say that we will make it through another scorching Texas summer. We aren’t there yet but the hard part is over. The temperatures are starting to drop and the long trips on the water are becoming more bearable with each passing day. Along with that, just any day now, we will receive a light puff of norther breeze – the first signal of the changes that lie ahead. Much like the transition in weather, my own internal angler switch will get flipped in a couple of weeks. No secret, I love chasing shallow water redfish but, this time of year, I spend a little more time venturing out to deeper water. I am still targeting redfish, but much larger ones. The bull reds begin staging in preparation for their annual spawning activities all along the Texas coast. Hundreds of thousands of redfish from the nearshore gulf and bays congregate and the fishing can be just plain stupid. And, since only mature redfish are able to spawn, this means when you hang into one, you better be holding on. According to TPWD Coastal Fisheries and Louisiana’s LDWF, coastal redfish become sexually mature and capable of spawning at around 28-inches in length. This means, typically, the smallest fish you will land in a given day will be 28-inches, and can exceed lengths of 50-inches. If you have ever wondered why they call them “bulls” just hang into one and you will quickly learn how 58 | September 2017
they got the name. When it comes to targeting bulls in the surf, I have found that any place can be as good as another. From my experience, the depth of water is the key factor – the exact location you decide to launch and fish is far less important. I know BTB (Beyond the Breakers) guys that do this religiously who say that 8- to 12-feet of water seems to be the magic depth. A depth finder makes finding the zone much easier than simply relying upon distance from shore. I usually anchor about 200 yards from the shore to begin fishing. If I don’t hook up in the first 30- to 45-minutes I make a series of short moves further offshore until I discover where the schools are roaming. Another helpful hint as to where to begin fishing is watching the pelicans. If you see pelicans diving or repeatedly flying a line the same distance from shore, start there. They are likely eating the same forage as the bulls. Likewise, if the action slows, the pelicans will show you where the school has gone. When it comes to gear and accessories, you pretty much need a completely different setup from your typical inshore fishing. First off, ditch the stake-out stick and get a decent anchor. No, you do not need a 30-pound chunk of iron but you need an anchor that will hold your kayak in the wind and current. I use a 9-pound Danforthstyle anchor and it does the job well. Also, make sure to
TSFMAG.com | 59
60 | September 2017
step out of the truck and go to work. Redfish are definitely my favorite species and I typically prowl the back bays and marshes in pursuit of them. But the spawn only comes once a year, and for a few short weeks, at that. If you have never had opportunity to fish it, you do not know what you’re missing. I met a group of guys on the water last year that drove all the way from Dallas – that’s how good it is!
C ontact
include a stout anchor line with a buoy attached. I find it useful to fashion loops in the anchor line about every ten feet and then clip to the loops. That way when you hang into a fish, you can unclip easily and continue fighting your fish. The buoy makes it easy to retrieve the anchor after the battle. Since you are targeting much bigger fish, your favorite trout rod is not going to cut it. I use a Daiwa Lexa 400 spooled with Daiwa’s 80-pound J-Braid, paired with a heavy-action Ugly Stick. For terminal rigging I prefer 60- to 80-pound fluorocarbon leader and a heavy-duty circle hook. Cut mullet is probably the best bait for bull reds, in my opinion. A quick stop at a dollar store for a cheap set of steak knives is all you need for cutting bait. No biggie if you lose one or it gets rusty – just break out a new one and keep fishing. No need to risk dropping an expensive filet knife overboard. This style of it is fairly relaxing, until you hang into a big one. You just paddle out, cast your bait out and enjoy your day. It is quite leisurely sitting in the kayak until you feel your line start slowly pulling away. Then you tighten up, set the hook and the fight is on. Your drag starts screaming and your kayak is getting towed out to sea. This is when you realize just how much power they have. Once you get them in the boat, it’s time to CPR (Catch-PhotoRelease) and do it again! Truly, the most fun aspect of the bull red run is the number of fish you can catch in a day. During the early days of autumn, landing ten or more in a day of fishing is very common. I have heard stories of thirty or more from the BTB guys. Several kayakers fishing together might land a hundred. I have personally seen schools numbering in the hundreds pushing down the coast, and sitting in the middle of them as they pass by is an unforgettable experience. Some days they will be so close to the beach that you don’t even have to launch the kayak – just
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 | 61
Story by John Blaha | Photos by Lisa Laskowski
T S F M a g C o n s e r vat i o n N e w s
Recreational Angler Idea Becomes Reality –
RGV Nearshore Reef
In 2014, brothers Bob and Gary Glick began talking about the fact that the Gulf of Mexico bottom, in particular the Lower Texas Coast, lacked habitat to support marine life for the entire life cycle. Growing up in the Rio Grande Valley and fishing the Gulf of Mexico out of Port Isabel, the Glicks had a vision that quickly became a movement and brought the community together to establish the largest permitted nearshore reef in Texas state waters. Collaborating with researchers Dr. Richard Kline and Dr. David Hicks at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley; visiting with local recreational fishermen, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Nearshore Reefing Program, and CCA Texas; the next step was developing a plan to establish a new nearshore reef off of South Padre Island. The plan was clear, the local community had to compile a proposal that TPWD would find difficult to ignore. “My brother and I both felt there was a lack of suitable hard substrate in the Texas nearshore waters, and everything we wanted to do would land us in trouble. We reached out to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Nearshore Reefing Program leader, Dale Shively, to find out what we needed to do in order to get a reefing permit,” commented Friends of RGV Reef President Gary Glick. Gary continued, “Dale told us to build a group of stakeholders, and we took Dale’s advice and we built a group of politicians, academicians, local fishermen, conservationists, fishing tournaments, and others to move the effort forward to get a new nearshore reefing area permitted off of South Padre Island.” CCA Texas and the Rio Grande Valley group visited 62 | September 2017
several times in 2014 about what they would like to accomplish. CCA Texas, local recreational fishermen, local academia and community leaders met with TPWD in early 2015 to pitch a new nearshore site for South Texas. Strong leadership and support from the local recreational fishing community, as well as a lot of data collection and planning, was very telling at this meeting. TPWD supported the idea, and they were impressed with the efforts of the local community and began the permitting process almost immediately. The long-term vision of this site was to have low-relief materials in the reef site for smaller marine life and fish, and higher relief materials such as pre-constructed pyramids for higher relief habitat and larger fish, thus creating a “life-cycle” reef. Long term visons also included sinking a large vessel for habitat and diving opportunities. “Recreational fishermen in the valley are excited to have a new nearshore site with easy access for fishing and what we feel will offer excellent fishing opportunities for many species,” commented Friends of RGV Reef Treasurer Bob Glick. Glick added “The vision of the local active members of this effort is to create a nearshore site that isn’t just a one-time effort, but a continuous effort to reef the entire site and create a habitat within it that supports the entire life cycle of the Gulf fishery.” With the support of the Rio Grande Valley and Lower Laguna Madre chapters, Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow (HTFT) put together a funding proposal and submitted it to the CCA Texas Management Committee. HTFT and the
Management committees met with local CCA Texas representatives from the Rio Grande Valley, and TPWD law enforcement to discuss the concerns of the Management Committee members. After answering their concerns, a $100,000 funding proposal was then submitted and approved by the CCA Texas Executive Board in August of 2015. HTFT also approved Building Conservation Trust (BCT), CCA National’s habitat program, for matching funds and BCT matched CCA Texas’s grant of $100,000, earmarking $200,000 for the Rio Grande Valley Reef. BCT contributed another $55,000 to the reef at its 2017 budget meeting in January 2017, giving CCA a total commitment of $255,000 to the reefing site to date. The Rio Grande Valley grassroots group leading the effort quickly realized that in order to effectively raise funds and move forward, they must establish themselves as a non-profit organization. Friends of RGV Reef was established as a 501 (c) (3) organization and the local efforts continued. TPWD continued its efforts to secure a US Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) permit and a Texas General Land Office Surface lease for the new site. The permit and lease were secured in mid-2016. The normal size for TPWD Nearshore Reefing reefing sites is 160 acres.
With the plan presented by the Friends of RGV Reef, this new site was permitted for 1,650 acres, making it the largest permitted reefing site along the Texas coast. It was time to begin gathering materials for deployment into the site. Friends of RGV Reef was able to secure a storage site on the Brownsville Port Authority’s property and began collecting hard substrate materials such as concrete rubble and culverts. They were also able to secure two vessels, an old tug and an old shrimp boat. CCA Texas funds were going to be used for purchasing over 67,000 cinder blocks for low relief habitat, and for deployment costs of the cinder blocks and other materials. TPWD was able to secure a Coastal Management Program grant of $400,000 and will match another $400,000 for pyramids to be deployed within the site. Researchers from Texas A&M and The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley secured research funds that would deploy 50 pyramids into the site in configured patterns for their research, that would help establish best practices in future reefing projects. Reefing became reality in November of 2016. The “TIFT Tug” and “Max’s Wreck” were both sunk within the reefing site and marine life was immediately drawn to the boats. In late June 2017, the 50 pyramids that are part of some of the nation’s finest academics research, were deployed by Lil Mo Marine Services and Atlantis Marine Habitats. On July 5, 2017, Lil Mo Marine Services began deploying the 67,000 cinder blocks and other concrete rubble that had been collected. In the near future TPWD’s Nearshore Reefing Program will deploy several hundred pyramids into the site as part of their CMP grant secured in 2016. The “Life Cycle” reefing concept has become reality. Habitat is now in the water for the early life stage fish, the young fish, and the mature and larger older fish. Friends of RGV Reef, CCA Texas , and BCT have plans for more materials to be placed into this site, and will continue to work together toward that goal. This critically important habitat will grow the bio-mass of species such as red snapper by the hundreds of thousands annually. This project not only provides services to the fishery, but it provides an easily accessible opportunity for recreational anglers to fish in the nearshore waters of Texas. CCA Texas and Building Conservation Trust are committed to creating and restoring habitat along the entire Texas coast. The Texas Reefing Initiative of BCT will continue to raise funds for nearshore reefing opportunities as they arise. CCA Texas and BCT are working hand and hand with TPWD, and local community groups to give Texas’s recreational fishing community fishing opportunities that will last for generations. Please be sure to visit www.ccatexas.org and www. buildingconservation.org to see the habitat work of CCA. For more information about Friends of RGV Reef, visit www.rgvreef.com. TSFMAG.com | 63
Scrawled cowfish, photo by Ben Cantrell.
STEPHANIE BOYD
F I S H Y FA C T S
Cowfish The pufferfish – one of the most famous examples of a creature that evolved in the slow lane, opting for armory over speed. In fact, almost the entire Tetraodontiformes order have followed the unorthodox path of convincing everything else in the oceans that, like those threemonth-old leftovers in the back of the fridge, they are a snack that just isn’t worth the risk. But despite their odd and unappetizing exterior, pufferfish still possess a conventional fish skeleton inside. Their cousins, the boxfish, have moved on from such mundane biology, and taken armory to the next level. Boxfish come in two varieties: cowfish (with head spines) and trunkfish (without head spines). The members of this family, Ostraciidae, have two skeletons: an exterior bony carapace and a reduced interior system, for internal organ support. Cowfish carapaces are triangular bony boxes composed of fused hexagonal dermal plates. Like a skull, there are precious few openings in this armor: eyes, gills, lips, and fins (including the anal fin, because it doesn’t excrete waste through its mouth). The mouth is small with fleshy lips, at the end of a sloped profile, and contains fifteen or less moderate, conical teeth in each jaw. Pelvic fins are absent, along with pelvic bones. There are several species of cowfish. We have two regularly occurring species in the Gulf: the scrawled 64 | September 2017
cowfish, Acanthostracion quadricornis, and the honeycomb cowfish, Acanthostracion polygonius. Acanthostracion comes from the Greek akantha and ostrakon, meaning thorn shell. Both have a pair of spines projecting from in front of the eyes, hence the name “cowfish.” A second pair of spines is located at the rear corners of the carapace. Scrawled cowfish are generally yellowish to olive green with vivid, opalescent blue scrawling patterns and dark splotches on the body. Three or four parallel-ish blue stripes on the cheeks just below the eyes are an identifying feature, though some individuals lack these prominent markings. The honeycomb cowfish’s coloring emphasizes the hexagonal plates of the carapace. Each plate has a pale border and center with a dark ring in between, giving the distinct “honeycomb” appearance. Color palettes range from gray to bluish, greenish, purplish, or yellowish and brown. Honeycombs lack the recognizable cheek stripes of the scrawled cowfish. Also, their tail fin is unmistakably rounded, while the scrawled cowfish tail can be either rounded or truncate (shortened/flat). Both the scrawled and honeycomb cowfish are fairly shallow water denizens, neither venturing much beyond about 260 feet deep. Scrawled cowfish quite like seagrass beds, though they also hang out around reefs.
Honeycombs live almost exclusively around coral and rocky reefs. Scrawled cowfish eat anything too slow-moving or small to escape, including crustaceans, sponges, hermit crabs, marine vegetation, and sessile invertebrates such as tunicates, gorgonians (sea fans, sea whips), and anemones. Actually, a lot of those have zero chance of escape… Honeycombs also eat sponges and tunicates, along with shrimp and alcyonarians (blue coral, soft coral, sea pens, and gorgonians). Larger fish are potential predators, however crunching down on a cowfish is “less like the satisfying splintering of a hard taco and more like trying to chew a kneecap… Not too many predators jump at the opportunity to slam their pearly whites down on what is effectively the peach pit of the sea.” Of course, the cowfish’s armor is its last resort. They first rely on camouflage and stillness, changing colors to blend more effectively with the surrounding environment or partly burying themselves in the sand and remaining stationary for long periods of time. Failing these strategies, they can also discharge a toxin, one very dissimilar from that of their cousin, the pufferfish. Puffers are endogenously toxic, meaning another fish has to take a bite out of, or otherwise come into contact with, them to be poisoned. Great for the species as a whole. Unfortunate for the individual teaching the lesson. Cowfish secrete their toxin in a slimy mucus that oozes from specialized skin cells all over the body and disperses into the surrounding water. The poison is a surfactant called pahutoxin, also known as ostracitoxin. Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension between two liquids or between a liquid and a solid, meaning they make certain substances that don’t normally dissolve in water suddenly very dissolvable in water. One example of a surfactant we all (hopefully) use every day is soap. Just think how dish soap breaks down all that oil and fat left on your skillet. Obviously, rubbing soap on a fish is no good for the fish, but pahutoxin is even more insidious. Studies in the last decade have hinted that this toxin binds itself to specific receptors in the gills (receptors that are conveniently absent in the cowfish). Combined with its hemolytic effect (meaning that it ruptures red blood cells – the cells that incidentally carry all the oxygen), pahutoxin basically asphyxiates any gilly fish caught in the cowfish’s slimy cloud. In the wild, the toxin would gradually dilute to the point of being functionally benign, but cowfish are popular specimen in the aquarium trade and as such often find themselves is small, closed systems. It’s unfortunate to have a cranky tankmate, but even more unfortunate to have a timid little death machine. The moment anyone gets a little too nippy, the cowfish’s DANGER mode is triggered and out comes the invisible smog of death, like a fart in an elevator. The good news is cowfish (and other boxfish) poison apparently isn’t a problem for humans. In some parts of the world, cowfish are even considered a delicacy and roasted over the fire like chestnuts. (You should take care if eating, however, as some boxfish have been implicated in ciguatera poisoning, a contamination from certain dinoflagellates and not related to pahutoxin.) If a predator sees past the camouflage and somehow avoids the toxin, the armor is the cowfish’s ace in the hole, because it’s certainly not out-swimming anyone. Since their entire body is inflexible, adult cowfish are only able to propel themselves by undulating their tiny fins and the tip of their tail, a type of movement called ostraciiform swimming. The juveniles of some species are more oval in shape and thus faster swimmers, but not by much. However, cowfish do possess some evasive skills, such as being able to turn on a dime and dart into secluded overhangs and holes. Both the scrawled and the
honeycomb commonly reach just under a foot in length, and can grow up to around twenty inches. Scrawled cowfish are mostly solitary. Honeycombs often school in groups of three: a male and his harem. Both species spawn in open water. They don’t guard their eggs, but they will guard their resources. Cowfish are a popular fish for tourist divers and public aquariums. You’re much more likely to see the scrawled cowfish in our waters, as the honeycomb is somewhat rare and shy. If you catch a scrawled cowfish, be prepared for a grunting protest while you release it from net or line. Though cowfish are slow and easy to catch, handle with care because their horns are sharp!
Where I learned about cowfish, and you can too! FishBase www.fishbase.org/summary/92 www.fishbase.org/summary/Acanthostracion-polygonia.html Florida Museum of Natural History www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/discover/species-profiles/acanthostracionquadricornis/ www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/discover/species-profiles/acanthostracion-polygonius/ University of the West Indies sta.uwi.edu/fst/lifesciences/documents/Acanthostracion_quadricornis.pdf sta.uwi.edu/fst/lifesciences/documents/Acanthostracion_polygonius.pdf IUCN Red List www.iucnredlist.org/details/193647/25 www.iucnredlist.org/details/193646/25 REEF www.reef.org/reef_files/puffersboxfish.pdf Advanced Aquarist www.advancedaquarist.com/2004/5/short Dangerous Sea Life of the West Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico By Edwin S. Iversen and Renate H. Skinner Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostraciidae en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pahutoxin Nature’s Poisons naturespoisons.com/2015/08/13/cowfish-the-mutant-superheroes-of-theocean-pahutoxin/ Science Magazine science.sciencemag.org/content/146/3641/244 US National Library of Medicine www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12893062 Shit You Didn’t Know About Biology sydkab.com/2014/07/16/boxfish-little-fish-big-toxins/#more-254 TSFMAG.com | 65
CURTISS CASH
I N S H ORE | NEAR S H ORE | J ETT I E S | P A S S E S
SEASONS CHANGE September is one of the months when big changes come to the coast. Air and water temperatures begin to decline and the humidity drops considerably. The change in season becomes increasingly noticeable with each passing “cool” front and decreasing hours of daylight. Prey and predator alike sense the change. Sure as clockwork, a progression of forage and gamefish species begin their annual migrations toward warmer Gulf waters. A parade of marine life slowly moves toward jetties and passes. Many times, schools of each species will stage at or near these “exit” channels, waiting for a signal or perhaps it is primal instinct that tells them when it’s time to go. During such stagings they all feed voraciously. Schools of mullet congregate on the flats and channel edges near the gulf passes and inlets. Often the schools are so large you can smell them from a distance and zero in on the whereabouts. Look to channel edges, jetties, passes, water bodies intersecting the ICW, windward shorelines and drains or funnels for schools. The tidal currents and recent prevailing wind direction can also play important roles in congregating these fish. Find the current – find the bait – find the fish. It is basically that simple. Locate areas that the current concentrates the bait by pulling or pushing them into a channel or against a shoal. When the bait stacks up in these areas the predators have a much easier time locating them. Savvy anglers then find the predators.
Redfish on the move Redfish once again start schooling early in the month on bay shorelines. Groups of different sized fish mix to form a ravenous traveling mass. As the reds move toward the gulf they gain momentum and become very predictable targets. Wave after wave of fish concentrate where the food source is stacked up, close to the gulf. While anchored and fishing waters less than 5-feet deep, I cast baits as far away from the boat as possible. Both the tide current and wind-driven water current help carry the smell of the bait. Find an area where these two factors are working together and your chance for success multiplies. When targeting schooling reds I employ the most readily available bait in the area, usually mullet. A cast net is the best way to procure fresh bait. Often, fresh cut bait will produce better than a live offering, so mixing them up can increase catches. A 24-inch Fish-Finder rig with an egg weight between the leader swivel and rod tip works well. Using enough weight to make a lengthy cast and hold the bait on the bottom is important. A MUSTAD Ultra Point 39941 6/O circle hook completes the business end. Make sure to leave at least half the barb end of the hook shank exposed when rigging chunks of cut bait. That gap allows the hook to make good purchase while digging into the corner of the fish’s mouth. Capt. Brad Graham leadering his first tarpon.
Pleasant weather has provided lots of opportunity for bay boaters to venture offshore this summer.
66 | September 2017
FISHING Rich, natural, unapologetically Cajun. Just south of New Orleans where Cajun runs deep. Explore this authentic bayou culture through a wealth of outdoor experiences, restaurants, festivals and attractions. You’ll find storytellers up and down the bayou, and you’ll take a little piece of the story home with you. As sure as the bayou flows to the Gulf, we want to share it all with you.
877.537.5800
LACAJUNBAYOU.COM
#CAJUNBAYOU
TSFMAG.com | 67
68 | September 2017
Catherine landed and released this 58-inch sea monster. Menhaden bait and chum catches them all!
Sebastian with a big king he caught while live-baiting offshore.
Fat Bat – customized for duty as chum chunker.
C ontact
Chum and get it! Using chum in the target area can increase both the quantity and quality of your redfish catch. The majority of chum is thrown out between the boat and the bait on your lines. The scent of the chum and your bait will mingle in the current. If all works according to plan, the redfish find your baited hooks before filling up on the chum. Spreading a few chunks of chum in the general area being fished is also helpful. Fresh cut mullet is good, but Spanish sardines and menhaden really get their attention. The oils in the flesh of these species will travel much farther in the current, which brings the reds from afar. To help spread the chum, a “chum chunker” can really toss the chum and help save your pitching arm. Getting the chum away from the boat will increase the spread's effectiveness. There are commercially made chunkers available, if you can find one, but making one is easy enough. I’ve been purchasing plastic baseball bats made for children and cutting them to order. The one I prefer most is “The Original Fat Bat,” approximately 28-inches long and 5-inches in diameter. The fat end can be cut at an angle or customized with a little imagination. I‘ve made a few and found that using masking tape to mark cutoff lines helps. A utility knife makes for clean straight cuts along the lines, heating the blade helps. Leaving about a 1/4 of the bat’s bulbous end intact forms a lipped scoop. This lip helps hold the chum from flying too widely from the open end while swinging. A snap of the wrist helps release the chunks of chum. Practice makes perfect. Each one of these hollow plastic bats I’ve purchased has a hole in the end of the handle. Be sure to plug this or wrap the end with electrical tape. Leave it open and I guarantee you’ll have smelly chum juice dripping from your elbows. Nearshore action In September the nearshore waters will be teaming with bait and gamefish alike. There will be an abundance of dusky anchovy and rain minnow bait balls this month. The easiest way to locate the bait is to look for flocks of bonito birds and white terns in large groups diving at the surface. These bait balls will be getting hammered by bonito and Spanish mackerel mostly. Often tarpon, shark, kings and jacks will be nearby, drawn by the commotion. Rushing through the bait clouds with mouths wide open, these large predators also enjoy the small fry. Targeting the smaller fish, we do good casting 1/8 or 1/4-ounce Spec-Rigs in either white or orange colors. The larger predators may hit these small baits also, but more substantial offering are best when seeking them. Last September we did very well when casting #17 or #18 chrome Tony Accetta Pet Spoons. Casting the spoons past the bait balls and allowing a 10- to 15-count drop drove the fish crazy. If you don’t get hit on the drop, reel the lure slowly about 10-feet and give it a 3-count pause before proceeding. The wounded baitfish wobble and chrome flash is hard for them to resist. An 18-inch trace of 60- to 90-pound wire leader helps get the big toothy fish to the boat. These spoons have a tendency to twist the fishing line when retrieved, so rigging with a ball bearing swivel helps. When the fish are actively feeding it is rare to make a complete cast without getting hit.
Capt. Curtiss Cash offers charters in the Port O’Connor area; specializing in fishing the bays, passes, jetties, surf and nearshore waters. Species targeted include speckled trout, redfish, flounder, tripletail, black drum, bull reds, sharks, snapper, kingfish, ling and tarpon, when seasonally available. Phone
361-564-7032
Fence Company Commercial & Residential CHAIN LINK • WOOD PRIVACY • RAIL Sales Manager: Alan Ratjen
Project Manager: Larry Stanley
We Accept All Major Credit Cards Bonded & Insured Public Sales Welcome!
979-265-5122 979-864-3775
www.fosterfencefreeport.com
Free Estimates
“We contracted the construction of the TSFMag office building with Farrell Jackson. Jackson also built my son’s bay house here in Seadrift. We were completely satisfied with both projects…a professional and trustworthy contractor.” ~ Everett Johnson Editor/Publisher, Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine
361-576-3825 Office | 361-576-3828 Fax 36 Hunters Circle, Victoria, TX 77905
Barndominiums • Metal Buildings • Boat and Mini Storage • Metal Frame Homes • Commercial Buildings
www.RafterJConstruction.com A previous owner of Circle J Enterprises, Inc.
TSFMAG.com | 69
Alexis with a nighttime Matagorda bull shark – tagged and ready to be released.
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
ER I C O Z OL I N S
Upper Coast Thunder The Texas coastline runs an incredible 367 miles. With that, the ecology and geological structure changes significantly from one area to another. The weather, too, varies widely along this long coastline. As with many ranging ecosystems, certain regions of the coastline may contain a wide range of activity at any given time. While the bite may be slow in one location, another area of coastline 100-miles away may be enjoying incredible fishing. There are many variables in nature. My usual stomping grounds lie along the coast of South Texas and the majority of my kayak and surf fishing effort is focused along Mustang and Padre Islands. To narrow it even further, the waters of Padre Island National Seashore are typically what I call home. The currents and slightly deeper water depths along with better water clarity make it very inviting. In all honesty, if not for these unique characteristics, I would not be living in Corpus Christi. The problem at hand is that during certain months we encounter periods of rather slow shark opportunity along PINS. While the speckled trout bite may be rock solid and even opportunities at cruising tarpon might open up, targeting sharks can prove boresome. Blame it on the shrimpers – I guess. Come late-July in South Texas, the Gulf shrimp season is in full swing and a great number of resident sharks 70 | September 2017
are drawn to the smorgasbord of shrimp cull just a few miles offshore. Mature blacktips, greatly abundant much of the year, virtually disappear from the beach for nearly two months. Another factor that might contribute to the shortage of sharks on PINS during this timeframe are the mysterious upwellings of cold water on PINS. From the Port Mansfield jetty and sometimes extending nearly 30 miles to the north, we find temperature anomalies of 10- to 15-degrees. Not much is known about this phenomenon, whether it originates from deep offshore currents or exceptional freshwater runoff. There are exceptions. Sharks of various species will follow shoals of dusky anchovies, however most of those don’t make it up on the beach until September. And, despite being generally slow in the toothy category, this two-month period can sometimes provide our best shot at tiger sharks and, just occasionally, a great hammerhead might come along without the risk of pesky blacktips and smaller bulls shredding baits before the tigers and hammerheads can find them. So, on Padre, while the shark action is less than stellar, the fish you do get are most often very high-quality specimens. When shark fishing gets slow in the south, I sometimes trek northward to beaches along High Island, Surfside
with g a m e REE F G et se! a h c r u p y p h ar d co onth subscripreceive a 12-m Order today and ry and sign up family memur tion for $25.00. H iends at the same rate! fr or d/ bers an
Subscription
Form
Sub0917
To order subscriptions simply fill this form out below and mail it to the address below, fax, email or go online. 361-785-3420 Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. FREE EMAG WITH HARDCOPY PURCHASE E-mail required
AM EX
12 months print - $25.00 or 12 months digital only - $12.00
All subscriptions come with yearly autorenewal.
Subscribing for more than yourself? Please write additional information on a separate sheet of paper.
TSFMAG.com | 71
C ontact
and Matagorda Peninsula. Alexis and I decided on the Matagorda beach for Author poses with a Matagorda bull – tagged and released after this particular trip. this quick photo-op. The largest species landed there is likely a summertime lemon shark, upwards of 8 or maybe 9-feet. No real monsters. Water clarity is often murky, not where you typically expect to find the larger species such as tigers and hammers. However, what it lacks in massive sizes it makes up in sheer numbers. If you want to catch a 4- to 5-footer there may not be a better place on that part of the coast. Bait is generally plentiful along Matagorda, menhaden and mullet. And, while shrimpers are also active up there in late-summer, they tend to work much farther offshore than along PINS. So – murky or not – their surf zone teems with life and we yearned for adventure. Matagorda it is a mosquito wonderland compared to our beaches One of our better fish. This nighttime lemon shark was and the terrain along the beach is successfully tagged and released. vicious to say the least. To prove it we broke a leaf spring on my new Tundra. The beach is composed of hardpacked oyster shell and Pleistocene fossils, hence the gnarly driving. Alexis and I banged out a variety of shark species. As expected, no monsters, but plenty of action. The majority of the sharks were bulls in the 4- to 6-foot range, though we did get one around 7.5-feet. Out of about 25 shark baits kayaked out, at least 20 got hit and about half were landed. Our weather window ended up being shorter than expected so all our fishing really came within a 24-hour period. The bait abundance was staggering, and all the reason the predators were there. Along with sharks we observed large schools of tarpon blasting mullet. Meanwhile, with 367 miles of Texas beach to explore, the fish are While we did not hook any they were a beautiful sight to behold. At bound to be somewhere! the time of our trip, reports from Sargent beach all the way up to High Island included shark landings and other game fish. Galveston anglers were checking with solid bull shark action. All the while, that same weekend, Padre Island was reporting For the past decade Eric ‘Oz’ Ozolins has been promoting shark catch and release and assisting various shark research programs. Eric extremely slow fishing. It just goes to show that while action may be offers guided shark fishing on Padre Island National Seashore. Also slow on one part of the coast, the surf zone can be going berserk on renowned for extreme kayak big game fishing, Eric runs Kayak Wars; another part. Sharks will remain active on the upper coast through one of the largest kayak fishing tournaments in the world. October and into November. Then, the oversized red drum will be Email oz@oceanepics.com storming the surf, so thick you can practically walk on them. Hopefully Websites extremecoast.com | oceanepics.com | by that time the PINS surf will be teaming with sharks and we will not kayakwars.com have to travel so far. 72 | September 2017
Science and the
Sea
TM
A Tiny but Fearsome Jellyfish They’re tiny and they’re brainless, but the box jellyfish of Australia, known to science as Carukia barnesi, packs a deadly punch — and its victims aren’t random. Researchers already knew this extremely venomous predator was one of a half dozen jellyfish that cause Irukandji syndrome, named for an aboriginal tribe that lived in the area where most of the stings occur. Symptoms in humans include lower back pain, severe muscle cramps, vomiting, anxiety and occasional cardiac problems that can lead to death.
Carukia barnesi, is a species of tiny box jellyfish that causes Irukandji syndrome in humans and uses its nematocysts as fishing lures. Credit: GondwanaGirl- Wikimedia, AttributionShareAlike3.0 Unported. Scientists also knew what this box jellyfish ate, including fish as large as the jellyfish itself. But scientists did not know how they caught their prey. So researchers used bright lights to attract and capture several of the transparent jellyfish and then filmed them in captivity for a full day and night. With a box-shaped body about an inch in diameter, the jellyfish keep their tentacles in at night, extending only an inch or two below the bell. This way, the animals aren’t very dangerous because their stinging cells, called nematocysts, are bunched together. But when daytime arrives, the jellyfish extend their tentacles out more than 3 feet, nearly invisible but lined with pearl-like clusters of nematocysts. The jellyfish then twitches these “fishing lines,” using the pearls of nematocysts like lures. The venom instantly paralyzes any fish that take the bait. Then the jellyfish reels in its catch.
www.ScienceAndTheSea.org © The University of Texas Marine Science Institute
TSFMAG.com | 73
NEW
Denali – Teaser-Tournament™ Shirts Introduced at ICAST 2017, Denali’s Teaser-Tournament™ Shirts, made from proprietary ProtectUV® Mega Solar® UPF 50+ fabric. Functionality is built-in for serious blue water fishing, Teaser-Tournament™ Shirts are made with the same ultra-protective fabric as Denali’s famous Teaser™ shirts and carry the coveted and rarely bestowed MELANOMA INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION Seal of Approval. Teaser-Tournament™ Shirts are equipped with Zyptron® Stain Release and WiKZ® Permanent Moisture Management. Available in Delph Blue, Ice Blue, Fighting Lady Yellow, Sea Frost, White, Bermuda Tan, Tangelo, Light Grey and Green Tea and may be ordered on Amazon. 800-606-4003. www.DenaliPerformance.com
Fuji – KR Concept Series Rod Guides Long a premier rod component designer and manufacturer, Fuji announces its updated KR -Series Tangle Free Series for spinning and casting applications, the most innovative and complete family of rod guides available to rod factories and custom builders, worldwide. Until now, K-Series has been the leading choice for topend rods - Titanium frames, SiC and TORZITE® guide rings the best of the best. Now, Fuji offers an economical new ring called FazLite™. Braid-tough, exceptionally long-casting, and protected by Fuji’s CORROSION CONTROL, 7-times more corrosion resistant than standard stainless steel.
AnglersResource.net
Gone Coastal Jewelry Gone Coastal Jewelry has a variety of sterling silver fishing, nautical and coastal jewelry pieces. They are known for their ability in designing and manufacturing custom pieces for both men and lady anglers. In the last four years, they have designed several of their own signature pieces like their Tailing Redfish Pendant, Enameled Flounder Pendant and the newest Speckled Trout Pendant with a Broken-Back Corky, along with many other designs. With excitement, they are in the process of designing several new pieces that will be released during the coming year…Stay Tuned! www.GoneCoastalJewelry.com 74 | September 2017
products
Power-Pole Vision Multi-Media Tablet Power-Pole’s VISION onboard marine accessory management and multi-media tablet is an all-in-one touch-screen that allows multiple boat accessories to be controlled by one smart device. VISION uses the C-Monster protocol to wirelessly communicate and add enhanced control to the jack plate, trim tabs, live well pump, lights, speakers and much more. VISION allows the entire family of Power-Pole anchors and products to be customized and controlled and it is NMEA 2000 capable to display engine and fuel data. The only marine tablet built on the Android platform allows connection to thousands of apps – fishing, navigation and maps. Super bright enhanced screen technology allows viewing in full sun – even with polarized sunglasses. Power-Pole VISION is your boat's new Digital Dash. www.Power-Pole.com
H&H Rattlize™ Jig Heads H&H Lure Co. Rattlize™ jig heads are designed to attract fish with its one of a kind rattling eyes. Each eye is a custom rattle made of high impact ABS plastic and stainless-steel BBs creating a dual rattle effect. Using the eyes as rattles allows fisherman to rig their jig heads with any soft plastic to make their favorite rattling lure! The cone barbed shoulders keep bait secure without splitting or tearing soft plastics with one style, Rattlize™ Threader, equipped with a screw lock wire keeper. The Rattlize™ jig head family is available in 4 styles (Shad, Cocahoe, Stand-Up, & Threader), 4 colors (Red, White, Chartreuse, & Unpainted), and 3 sizes (1/8oz, 1/4oz, & 3/8oz) in three-packs at $3.99 retail. www.HHLure.com
Mud Buddy HDR with Reverse The Mud Buddy Hyperdrive Reverse (HDR) is the original electric shift reverse mud motor. Over 40 exclusive features include a stainless steel drive tube, stainless skeg, Mercury power trim, cast aluminum 3/8” thick outdrive, built in travel lock, four vibration dampers in the mount and handle, upper cast aluminum transmission cover, user friendly handle end trim and shift controls and the most powerful engine option available, the 4400efi BPS engine. A reverse style propeller provides optimum thrust in all conditions especially deep mud. The outdrive has the exclusive Mud Buddy bearing and seal system that keeps grease in the drive. www.MudBuddy.com TSFMAG.com | 75
Dickie Colburn
DICKIE COLBURN’S Sabine Scene
Sabine
Dickie Colburn is a full time guide out of Orange, Texas. Dickie has 37 years experience guiding on Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes.
Telephone 409-883-0723 Website www.sabineconnection.com
76 | September 2017
The redfish are currently riding herd on schools of shad in the open lake and that much anticipated phenomenon couldn’t have kicked off at a better time. Improved water conditions and lighter winds have enabled more fishermen to exploit this bite and there is no doubt that the Another one a tad numbers thus far have just too long goes back! been astounding. Depending on your perspective, the only problem has been the lopsided ratio of oversized fish to slot fish. For the most part, the program has simply involved cruising the lake looking for slicks, gulls or mayhem on the surface. When the lake is dead calm we often hear them before we see them! Confirmation of the consistency of this bite lies in the fact that we are now seeing far more tower boats running the open lake than
we are in the canals and marsh lakes. Lots of gas is burned every day at speeds of 15- to 25-miles per hour by anglers looking for their next tug of war. Aside from just plowing into the middle of the school, the biggest mistake you can make is offering them any lure rigged under a cork. They will readily attack your cork on the surface and demolish it before turning it loose. Their main diet consists of small ladyfish, shrimp and huge schools of menhaden. While the scorching heat makes it difficult to fish for an extended period of time, the middle of the day is often the most productive. Anything involving a treble hook is a no-no. We replace the trebles on our spoons and Hoginars with a single hook to make releasing fish both quicker and safer. Five-inch Assassins and Split Tail mullets
rigged on 1/4-ounce jig heads are all but a sure bet as are four-inch swimbaits like the Usual Suspect. Color is very seldom an issue, but chicken on a chain and pumpkinseed have been especially reliable. Unlike our trout bite, the redfish bite is taking place from the Causeway all the way to East Pass. Some areas have been a little more consistent than others, thus a quality pair of binoculars can save you a lot of gas. The best areas change from day to day as the fish are tracking the mobile buffets. While the trout bite continues to improve, they have not been that cooperative in the main lake. We have had just enough good days on the north end to keep the faith, but if it’s trout you want you need to head south. The ship channel from the Causeway to the end of the jetties as well as the short rigs are yielding not only good numbers Nice way to end summer vacation!
but larger fish as well. Live bait is inevitably the most dependable choice, but the hottest lures have been shallow running crankbaits like the Swimming Image or four-inch swimbaits. Depending on direction and strength of tide, the best bite will occasionally take place a little deeper, but I would still start my day probing the upper part of the water column closer to the rocks. A word of caution for anglers looking to exploit the crankbait bite… take a bunch of them! There are several legitimate reasons why a local angler will purchase every available lure as soon as it adorns a peg in area tackle departments. Not unlike your favorite Skitter Walk or She Dog, some will not survive ricocheting off the granite, but while Swimming Images are incredibly effective, they are not very durable. Lips break off, treble hooks pull out or open up and they will eventually start taking on water. When the Spanish mackerel move in, they are best left in the box for another day. Our youngster-friendly bite under the birds seldom kicks off before the kids are back in school and this year is no exception here on Sabine. While they are not as available as they were during their summer vacation, however, weekends and holidays remain a viable option. I recently stopped to chat with four different anglers fishing alone on the same morning. When I asked where their usual partner was or why they were fishing alone, three of the four replied, “I couldn’t find anyone that wanted to go.” There are a multitude of youngsters just dying for an invitation to go fishing, that would readily tell you that answer was B.S. Who stepped up and made the effort to take you on your first fishing trip?
TSFMAG.com | 77
Capt. Caleb Harp
The Buzz on Galveston Bay
Galveston
Capt. Caleb Harp has fished the Galveston Bay System since childhood and, now a charter captain and fishing guide, he uses his knowledge to enable clients to enjoy the excellent fishing the area offers. His specialty is the yeararound pursuit for trophy trout and redfish with artificial lures
Telephone 281-753-3378 Website harpsguideservice.com
78 | September 2017
Lots of discussion lately, social media and at the docks, concerning the current state of the Galveston Bay System spotted seatrout fishery and why a lot of folks are not finding traditional success on their outings. Even though that is probably a five-hour conversation, I’ll try to bring to light some of the more important topics and questions. We have fish in our bay, plain and simple. The problem lies in the amount that Big redfish love we have traditionally enjoyed and MirrOlure She Dogs! the apparent lack of schooling fish in areas we’re used to fishing. Vast schools of slicking fish and quick limits for artificial lure anglers simply are not happening this year. Sure, we all know the summertime bite gets tougher on the artificial guys versus live-baiting, but the current situation leads many to believe the seatrout biomass has dwindled significantly. Personally, I do not believe this apparent shortage can be traced to the number of people fishing,
live croaker, or the number of guides. No doubt, there is some abuse going on and guides running multiple charters per day isn’t helping. I believe habitat loss is playing a much larger role. Capt. Steve Hillman, also a contributor to TSFMag, has expressed his concerns over the amount of habitat loss within this bay system in his writings. Steve has extensive knowledge of oysters and bay ecology. He’s also a great fishing guide and a good friend. Just as Steve has mentioned over and again, the amount of LIVE oysters we have lost has been most detrimental to our bay system overall. Before Hurricane Ike, we had around 24,000 acres of live oyster reefs within the 600-square mile Galveston Bay Complex. Post-Ike, TPWD ran side-scan sonar imaging and declared that more than 50% of our live oyster reefs had been lost due to silting during the storm. Oysters are the most important link in the ecology of
our bay system. They filter water and provide beneficial nursery habit to hundreds of species – including our precious seatrout. Over the years, Galveston Bay has endured hurricanes, freezes, floods, oil spills, etc., and somehow always managed to bounce back. The scary part now, though, is that the core habitat that has always supported the recoveries is no longer as prevalent in the ecology of Galveston Bay. I believe some regulatory changes are needed to support a sustainable seatrout fishery. I’m no biologist – but I fish every day. I may be only 24-years-old and too young to remember the good old days but, having fished these waters since childhood, I have seen my share of truly awesome fishing. Releasing a halfJason Johnston dozen or more 5- to 8-pounders during a day of pulled this red fishing hasn’t happened in a while. from a school we found on a It’s time to think of the future and get away calm day. from the kill ‘em all mentality. We need to get the hero stringers off social media for no other reason than they encourage others to do the same. We need instead to preach and practice good conservation of this fishery. Let’s all go out and enjoy the day and gain the most knowledge we can and appreciate what we’re given. Fishing needs to become more than a sack of fillets if we want our children and grandchildren to enjoy Galveston Bay the way we have for so many years. Now, I don’t mean to be going all doom and gloom on you. I’m just trying to be honest about the facts as I see them. There’s still plenty of fish
out there to enjoy catching – we just have to fish a little smarter and maybe a little harder. West Galveston Bay West Bay has been decent for waders down around San Luis Pass with MirrOlure She-Dogs. A lot of the drifters are throwing croaker but if you find the bait you can get them on tails as well. Redfish have been good on the north shoreline between Greens Cut and Mechoms. East Galveston Bay East Bay trout fishing has taken a hit from fishing pressure all summer. You can still find a few on the mid-bay reefs but probably not in the numbers you expect. Redfish are a much better bet at present. Slot reds have been thick in the ICW and the marsh ponds behind Goat Island. Trinity Bay Trinity Bay continues to be somewhat hit or miss. The salinity is back to normal but the tide-runners did not come with it. The gas wells, which should be on this time of year, have been a disappointment thus far. September will hopefully be better as shrimp begin leaving the marshes and birds begin following them. Follow us on Instagram @harpsguideservice.com
SADDLE BLANKET
SHOWDOWN December 16th 2017 The Galveston Yacht Basin
$6000 PAYOUT
CASH AND PRIZES Tournament Entry Fees: Junior Division: $40.00 for Junior Artificial $20.00 for Junior Open Bait ( Ages 13 -17 )
Youth Division: $40.00 for Youth Artificial $20.00 for Youth Open Bait ( Ages 12 and Under )
REGISTER TODAY AT WWW.HSJAA.COM TSFMAG.com | 79
Bink Grimes
The View from Matagorda
Matagorda
Bink Grimes is a full-time fishing and hunting guide, freelance writer and photographer, and owner of Sunrise Lodge on Matagorda Bay.
Telephone 979-241-1705 Email binkgrimes@sbcglobal.net Website matagordasunriselodge.com
80 | September 2017
Trout, teal, dove, redfish - That’s a lot of choices! But, that’s why we are so blessed to live in Texas and why we love September. The first north breezes of September slice overnight mercury readings by 5- to 10-degrees. Those cooler nighttime temps do wonders for coastal fishing, knocking water temperatures down at least a couple of degrees. It may not seem significant, but there is a big difference between 78 and 80 when it comes to coastal fishing. A couple of degrees puts life in a fishery grown stagnant in summer heat. Higher tides encourage waders in East Bay to return to the shorelines for larger trout. Muddy bottoms on Brown Cedar Flats and Catch-All Basin are prime locales to toss a topwater for gator trout. These are also solid spots for reds. If water temperatures continue to hang in the 80s, Matagorda trout will remain in a summer pattern. That means over deep shell in East Bay, where Bass Assassins, Down South Lures, MirrOlure Soft-Dines, Gulps and live shrimp are best under a cork. Small topwaters like She Pups and Super Spook Jrs get blown out of the water as well. Reefs along the north shoreline of West Bay hold
trout, redfish and black drum that readily take live shrimp. Shell Island, Twin Island and all the points along the north shoreline are littered with shell. Redfish have been known to school in large numbers in late-September in these locales.
With high tides, expect redfish to fill the back lakes and grassy shorelines, and readily eating small topwaters and weedless soft plastics. Bloated water levels also encourage large, solitary trout to extend their boundaries to the upper reaches of estuaries. So, when casting to a pod of marsh redfish, don’t be surprised to find a silver streak cruising the shallows.
We find large schools of redfish on the north shoreline. Live shrimp, mullet and topwaters work well. Back bay areas like Oyster Lake, Crab Lake and Lake Austin hold healthy populations. Don’t be surprised to see birds working in the back lakes on calm days as shrimp begin to leave the marsh. Wading the mid-bay reefs in East Bay will produce throughout the year. With higher tides, the muddy bottoms around Brown Cedar Flats hold both trout and redfish for waders and drifters. The far east end of the bay gets really good this time of year. Grass beds on the south shoreline of West Bay will continue to hold trout and redfish on topwaters and soft plastics. Since tides most often are higher than normal, expect those fish to be tight to the shorelines. Teal season runs September 9- through 24. We will hunt every morning and fish the afternoons. Most of our morning hunts are done with plenty of time to get a bite to eat before hitting the bay before noon. Rice production is up this year and we have plenty of ponds full of food in Matagorda and Wharton counties. We have high-ground blinds on the prairie for ducks and geese along with marsh ponds, both fresh and salty, right along the coast. The Special White Wing Dove Season runs Sept. 2-3 and 9-10, afternoon only, and the general South Zone dove season also opens September 22. This gives us another blast option through the end of October before regular duck and goose season opens November 4. Follow our daily catches and hunts on Facebook, Instagram and weekly on the Texas Insider Fishing Report on Fox Sports Southwest. www.matagordasunriselodge.com | http://vimeo.com/m/58631486
2017-TX-sept-17-27-37-trout.pdf
“SUPER MirrOdine®...The XXL Suspending Twitchbait!” Looking for BIG FISH? The NEW SUPER MirrOdine® XXL fits the profile. Weighs 1 oz., features bright, reflective foil inserts, “fish-calling” rattles and natural 3-D eyes to enhance their realism, plus extra-strong hooks. This NEW heavy weigh, darts from side-to-side, mimicking a wounded baitfish. BIG Trout, Redfish, Snook, Striped Bass and Tarpon find the MirrOdines® to be irresistible.
L&S Bait Company
1415 East Bay Drive • Largo, Florida 33771 Tel 727-584-7691 • www.mirrolure.com
MirrOdine® XXL 37MR-EC 3-7/8" Long, 1 Oz.
MirrOdine® XL 27MR-CFPR 3-1/8" Long, 9/16 Oz.
MirrOdine® 17MR-BKGCH 2-5/8" Long, 3/8 Oz.
TSFMAG.com | 81
Capt. Gary Gray
MID-COAST BAYS With the Grays
Port O'Connor Seadrift
Captain Gary Gray is a full time guide born and raised in Seadrift. He has been guiding in the Seadrift/ Port O’Connor area for 28 years. Gary specializes in wading for trout and redfish year round with artificial lures.
Telephone 361-785-6708 Email bayrats@tisd.net Website www.bayrat.com
The end of summer is just around the corner and I can hardly wait. Despite the heat, our summer fishing has been very good but I look forward to the cooler days when I won’t have sweat running into my eyes as we prepare for our first wade of the day. Fish have held predictably in the same summertime pattern for the last month and I look for that to continue until we receive our first couple of cool fronts. I know it sounds farfetched but typically, in years past, our first fronts begin to appear somewhere around the second or third week of September. Until those fronts begin to arrive more regularly, fish will continue to stage along sandy shorelines that have guts and grassy patches adjacent to nearby drop-offs. The surf will continue to offer good opportunity for both trout and redfish throughout September when the weather allows us to fish it safely. As of late, we have had many days of southwest wind which, while not rare this time of year, is definitely not the norm. The predominant wind direction in August is generally from the south with
Build Your Own Custom Saltwater Rod With This Turnkey Kit
MUDHOLE.COM/SALT-KIT (800) 498-4216
82 | September 2017
some southeast that helps push very pretty green water from the Gulf into our bays. Southwesterly flows do the exact opposite, pushing water out and turning the bays murky to sometimes muddy in color. But, even with the southwest wind and murky water conditions, fishing has remained good for us in San Antonio Bay. When fishing the reefs in San Antonio Bay, I prefer the leeward side of the structure, beginning at the Klay Schmitt was all smiles after getting this bruiser to the boat.
crown of the reef and wading and casting toward the deeper dropoffs. Given the elevated water temperatures this time of year, the majority of strikes will come near the bottom of the deeper areas where the water is a little cooler. Working your baits slowly is the best bet, allowing your jigs to bounce off the bottom every so often. Hanging up on shell occasionally is part of the game because it means your lure is running where the fish are most likely to be feeding. I have been having the most luck lately using Bass Assassin 4-inch Sea Shads in the copperhead-chartreuse tail combination rigged on 1/8-ounce jig heads. You definitely want the vibration from the paddle tail and flash of chartreuse when fishing off-colored water. I believe fish pick up on vibrations first and notice color only after they have
Julie didn’t mind striking a pose with this solid trout.
zeroed in on what is making the vibration. Some days you have to take the good with the bad. Don’t be surprised if you suddenly hit the motherlode of gafftop catfish mixed into a few trout bites. These guys can be a real pain when you are in the middle of a good trout bite but don’t let them persuade you to throw your hands up and vacate the area – unless the gafftops are the only fish that want your lures. On days when the wind makes it difficult to fish reefs in open bay areas, we head instead to the leeward shorelines of San Antonio Bay. The most productive areas are usually close to drains or sloughs that connect to large areas of marsh and back lakes. The best signs for selecting a likely place to find trout and reds feeding would be bait presence and bird activity – especially pelicans. Another great thing about the coming of fall is the general increase in tide levels. We spend quite a bit of time fishing back lakes and the seagrasses have been exceptionally thick this year, making many prime areas off limits to fishing through much of summer. As the hours of daylight grow shorter the grass will begin to diminish, and the higher tides improves the chances of getting a lure through the grassy areas. I am excited to return to some of my favorite fall season haunts. If you are planning a wading trip this month, be advised that we have been seeing a lot of what Gary and I call “hot jellies.” Sea nettles, is their proper name – with long stringy tentacles that deliver nasty stings when they wrap your legs. They are sometimes hard to see in murky water and often sneak up on you from behind. The best defense is wearing long, lightweight fishing pants when you wade. Believe me when I say that you do not want to learn about them the hard way – wear the pants!
Made in USA
w e N Walk where no other topwater has walked before! Compact, durable and rattles, the PT-7’s aerodynamic body casts like a bullet, rattles like crazy and skips into tight places where others can’t. 3” length and 5/8 oz., this soft plastic minesweeper detonates explosive strikes like no other topwater on the market today. Seatrout, redfish, snook and largemouth bass find its “walk-the-dog” action simply irresistible. Pre-rigged with a single premium 7/0 EWG hook, it keeps big fish on where standard trebles fail. Available in 12 realistic colors.
w w w. d o a l u r e s . c o m
171033_DOA_5.17_TxSF_3.685x4.875_BigTrout_PT7.indd 1
5/17/17 1:40 PM
TSFMAG.com | 83
david rowsey
HOOKED UP WITH Rowsey
Upper Laguna/ Baffin
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
84 | September 2017
When I started guiding there were some things I did not expect or think through very well. This is not a sad story, so do not feel sorry for me. Actually, it’s in the context of good. Really Good! What I am getting at is that I have developed friendships that I know will last the rest of my life. The different people from different backgrounds that board my boat so early in the morning are, mostly, amazing. Everyone has a life story and I love hearing about them all – good and bad. Watching the news, it’s easy to recognize that there are some real derelicts and misguided people around us on a daily basis. But I’m telling y’all, with all the nut jobs out there, there are a hundred more for every one of them who are the salt of the bay and would do a kind deed for a perfect stranger at the drop of a hat. Thanks to all of you for giving me the chance to know you. The hardest part about writing these articles is giving an authentic report or prediction about what you can expect on the water each month. The truth is that it is tough to try and sound original about what to expect, when patterns are just that – patterns. I have thousands of journal entries to prove this point. Regardless, each year throws its own curve balls and unexpected events are cast our way by Mother Nature, but those are so
unpredictable that they can never be measured. One event I can predict with absolute certainty is that September 1 marks the opening of dove season in the Central Zone, and you can count on me having a Benelli in my hand and smoking their feathered back-ends. Good Lord, after a fishing season that has been just super busy since December of 2016, I am ready to smell some gun powder, eat some sausage and tortilla wraps on a tailgate, and laugh hard with some of those fine people I mentioned earlier in this article. I’m also sure that I’ve been hunting with some of them longer than some of you young bucks have been alive. Not to get too philosophical, young folks, but trust me on this… spend as much time as you can with people that make you laugh and smile, that you can trust, and have your best interest at heart. Life is too short for anything less. July and August blessed us with some very fine action. Although I am a trout man tried and true, the redfish were the main act for us. We experienced some amazing days, with numbers reaching 110 slot reds caught in a single day. The average was about 75 per day for a three-week span. I would land only 2-5 per trip, so the clients were doing all the damage on their own. It was funny to see grown men throwing in the
Zane Childress getting familiar with some big reds for the first time. I think the kiddo was diggin' it.
towel by 9:30 because they were worn out from the constant battle. One memorable new customer asked me, “Captain, can we get away from these reds and go some place where I can just cast and not catch another one?” That was a first! September should produce a quality trout bite in Baffin. Calm winds should keep the water quality in good shape and you will find that trout are feeding a bit heavier than they do in the summer. This has certainly been the case in years past. Short of a big tropical event, I see no reason why this year would be any different. One thing that is certainly different this September is the amount of new growth grass in the Laguna Madre. Holy cow, you can hardly find a sand hole to cast into. For me, that’s a bad thing as I need some bottom diversity/structure to cast to, where I know the predators are lurking. The current scenario is not conducive to lots of action, therefore my Haynie HO and 250 Merc will continue to head south for the best action. If you are into a solid topwater bite, now is the time. We have had some mornings that have been just short of amazing on top. If its choppy, go with a MirrOlure He Dog, anything with chrome. My go-to Bass Assassin color has been Crystal Shad. Funny things how things work out, as this same color is the one that got me hooked on Bass Assassins in the early 1990s. It is just such a solid, mullet-like color that it seems to produce in all conditions, year ‘round. Remember the buffalo! -Capt David Rowsey
TSFMAG.com | 85
Wayne Davis
WAYNE’S Mansfield Report
Port Mansfield
Captain Wayne Davis has been fishing the Lower Laguna-Port Mansfield for over 20 years. He specializes in wade fishing with lures.
Telephone 210-287-3877 Email captwayne@kwigglers.com
86 | September 2017
Howdy from Port, we are certainly experiencing some seriously hot weather down here on the Lower Laguna. Light breezes keep us a little cooler on the water than inland. Water temperatures are extremely warm, but even at 90⁰ the fishing remains very good. Since the beginning of summer I have had numerous father-son trips and these are always a pleasure. I have experienced firsthand, the son out-fishing the dad and, for the record, I have not seen a disappointed dad. Tournaments continue to highlight weekends in Port but as September rolls around this will slow down a bit and boat traffic should follow suit. This is when the true transition to fall fishing begins to take place. With slightly cooler temperatures (emphasis on slightly) and days growing a little shorter, we can expect an uptick in fishing success. Lower Laguna hardcores revel in that feeling you get walking outside just before dawn, into the season’s first cool breeze. Right now, though, we’re stuck with 100⁰ afternoon highs. Last month, I was fortunate to receive an invitation to speak at the CCA Hill Country
Chapter’s quarterly membership meeting. I was greatly flattered that they wanted to hear about the Empty Stringers Catch and Release Program. Great news but, apart from a simple discussion, I did not
Shared a great day on the water recently with Mark Nichols of DOA Lures.
know how to deliver the message because this program is basically only a philosophy with a name – two Lower Laguna guides, Capt. Ernest Cisneros and myself, trying to make difference while making a fisheries conservation statement. Well, I threw together a 40-slide Power Point presentation and gave it a go. Seemed to go over well and the folks seemed to enjoy the program. The proof will be in whether I get invited back. As mentioned above, fishing has been good around Port. Trout action has been steady but we are having to sift through quite a few small fish for folks wanting fillets. That seems to be OK, though. The number of bites keeps a smile on their faces, in addition to being a good sign for the future of the fishery. The willingness of small trout to bite also presents opportunity for testing the durability of soft plastic lures. Between those sharp teeth and their thrashing, they can certainly tear up a lot of baits. One of numerous father-son trips Redfish have been appearing this summer, Justin and Carter with greater regularity and we ran High were a joy to take fishing. over a nice school recently, which was encouraging. Another species worth mentioning is the flounder. Most trips are producing at least one and sometimes more weighing up to five pounds. Catching one, I immediately slow down and really work the area because there are usually more than one. During July we attended the Hunting and Fishing Expo in McAllen. That show also brought Mark Nichols of DOA Lures to town, and opportunity to spend a day on the water. Capt. Ernest Cisneros and I were invited to a fishing and conservation event in Florida last year where we first met Mark and spent time on the water with Capt. Ed Zyak, also with DOA. I informed both Ed and Mark that when they came to Texas for the McAllen show they needed to come a day early so I could repay the hospitality we received in Florida. Well, a few weeks before the show I reached out and reminded them both of the offer. They took me up on it and showed up at my house the Wednesday before the event. We enjoyed an outstanding day of fishing, double hook-ups were common and plenty of laughter. Both Ed and Mark are great guys so I thought it relevant to mention it here. It is not often you find this connection. Moving into fall, expect fishing to get even better as boat traffic diminishes. School will be back in session and bird hunting always draws hunters away from the water. Reds will be schooling and easy to pattern as they move toward the passes and jetties. I will still be fishing calf- to thigh-deep water and using topwaters, depending the floating grass situation. Fish will either be staging on or near grass lines or around potholes on the flats. Floating grass problems usually have me throwing plastic, especially the KWigglers Willow Tail Shad. This bait has been continuously proving itself as a producer since it hit the market earlier this year. The action is great and it is buoyant in nature; on a 1/8-ounce jig head it is deadly on big trout. Any twitch of your rod tip produces tail action that prompts reaction strikes from any gamefish. As always remember to practice good conservation and be courteous on the water.
The New
Fishing Lodge
The new Chandeleur Islander is a pre-certified jack-up fishing lodge located in the midst of the Chandeleur Island chain offering hearty meals and comfortable accommodations. We provide on/off gangway access directly onto shore where you can enjoy excellent surf fishing on the island itself or use your own boat to head for that favorite fishing spot you heard about!
Fun Stuff
• Surf Fishing • Kayak Fishing • Crabbing • Night Fishing • Night Bow Fishing • Floundering
Amenities
• Sleeps up to 22 • Breakfast/Lunch/ Dinner • Air Conditioning • Hot Showers • Comfy Bunks • Internet/DirecTV
CALL 985.445.2699 OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO BOOK NOW!
www.Chandeleur-Islander.com
TSFMAG.com | 87
Capt. Ernest cisneros
SOUTH PADRE Fishing Scene A rr oyo C olorado t o Port I sabel
A Brownsville-area native, Capt. Ernest Cisneros fishes the Lower Laguna Madre from Port Mansfield to Port Isabel. Ernest specializes in wading and poled skiff adventures for snook, trout, and redfish.
Cell 956-266-6454 Website www.tightlinescharters.com
If you compare the duties of a financial advisor and a fishing guide, you might be surprised to learn the two professions are actually quite similar. One invests your money for the best return while the other takes you fishing and teaches where, when and how to catch fish. When everything goes according to plan the client wears a huge smile. The little I know about financial planning, I am aware that the best returns come when investments are allowed to mature. Likewise, in fishing, we must often allow a situation to develop (mature) in order to catch the best and most fish. I had a group recently that proved this point perfectly. Knowing that we were in a good spot that had been holding a lot of fish, I explained very carefully that we might be a bit early and would have to wait for the bite to develop. Ignoring this, they took off like sprinters until I was able to coax one into hanging back. The other two took off again. The mullet became active about 45 minutes after sunrise. Shortly, the angler that accepted my advice and I began experiencing phenomenal blowups on our topwaters, landing many nice fish. The track stars had little luck and eventually returned, in time for the tail end of the bite.
None of this happened unexpectedly or by accident. Knowing the area or structure type that fish have been using is a big plus. Understanding tide movement
Jason Neslony fished patiently for this great flattie.
88 | September 2017 1750-020418-15_RedfishAdTXSWSF_CSP_vsf.indd 1
7/15/15 10:25 AM
Joey Burnett has scratched the snook species from his bucket list.
and solunar feeding predictions helps tremendously. Probing the entire water column, using everything from topwaters to slow-rolled plastics, defines the strike zone. And finally, allowing the situation to develop fully for maximum yield. I mentioned in my last column that August is usually a tough month for me – so much for predictions. I am happy to say that our fishing actually improved when the winds laid and the tides fell to normal summertime lows. The water cleared without daily blasting wind and the lower tide levels concentrated fish in deeper holes. On many days the edges of the ICW have been sweet spots for catching plenty of fish. The greatest numbers of redfish continue to roam between the Arroyo Colorado and the Land Cut. East side sand flats are holding redfish up shallow in early morning; watch for wakes and tails. Perfect for sight-fishing but a super-stealthy approach is required to get within casting range. Even with extremely low tides, redfish have been roaming the back lakes, places where most boats do not dare venture. When the water temperature soars later in the day we have been having great success catching the same reds in deeper cuts and bowls nearby. Finding mullet is the key. The best action has been early morning with small topwaters around rafts of bait. I will offer no prediction as to when tides will return but, when they do, expect to see even greater numbers of redfish in the backcountry. Trout continue to be our mainstay; even slow days give us enough action to continue plugging. We continue to land some upper-20s, keepers have been easy to find and, of course, lots of small fish. Belly-deep has been the depth for the better ones while we find an occasional larger trout in the shallows at first light. Plastic baits such as the new KWigglers Willow Tail in Bone Diamond, Mansfield Margarita, and Red Shad Pro have been effective, as well as the reliable Ball Tail Shad in plum-chartreuse. Topwaters have been producing well when the bite is aggressive. September gives us lots of rain and I expect as salinity and water temps decline the trout fishing will get even better. Flounder catches have slowed but we’re still getting some. Best bets for snagging a few are along the ICW and old oilfield cuts. While the chance landings have been fewer we continue to do when targeting them. Here again, patience is the name of the game and where you find one there are usually more. One more tidbit – flounder do not spook easily. Our editor taught me this on a tournament day a while back but that’s another story. In closing, I am excited to announce that Capt. Wayne Davis and I will be speakers in this year’s Slack Tide Event held in Jensen Beach, Florida. It will be an honor to address the fishing community from all over the nation. Our topic will be Empty Stringers, a program we are both committed to and proud to be part of that promotes conservation of our fisheries. TSFMAG.com | 89
FISHING REPORTS
Lake Calcasieu Louisiana Jeff and Mary Poe - Big Lake Guide Service - 337.598.3268 September ushers in our favorite time of year: autumn. The first cold fronts and strong outgoing tides of the year will bring about a transitional period for both trout and redfish. Trout will begin moving back into northern portions of the estuary. They'll be in search of shrimp that pour out of marshes and bayous with every passing cold front and its associated outgoing tide. Redfish will also start making their move out of shallow marsh ponds on outgoing tides and congregate at the small cuts and bayous that drain their summer homes. These fish seem extra hungry in the fall of the year, so they feed actively on a daily basis, taking advantage of the abundance of bait-fish and shrimp, which become scarce by mid-December. Shrimp imitations work this time of year, as do topwaters. Be on the lookout for diving seagulls as well as trout and reds breaking the surface. These are tell-tale signs of actively feeding fish that normally show readiness to strike at most anything which crosses their paths. Trinity Bay - East Bay - Galveston Bay | James Plaag Silver King Adventures - silverkingadventures.com - 409.935.7242 At the time of this report, James had been fishing hot-weather
90 | September 2017
ORECASTS F from Big Lake to Boca Chica
AND
patterns for trout and redfish. “We're fishing deep structures out in the bay, around well pads and other submerged structures. On some days, we have to cull through lots of gafftops and sand trout to catch the specks. They bite for a short period of time on the turn of the tide. We've had a good bite over the tops of some of the reefs lately too, and some birds have been working, making it easy on those days. In a typical year, we start catching fish in the upper reaches of the bay system in September, around the wells in Trinity Bay, places like that, and birds start working more of the time. When the birds aren't working, we wind up searching for fish around slicks and mud-stirs. Bass Assassins in natural colors that look like shrimp work best to catch 'em. Tarpon fishing has been good when weather allows us to get after 'em. We've caught quite a few fish up to 140 pounds on recent trips. September and October are prime months for catching the really big silver kings. Jimmy West - Bolivar Guide Service - 409.996.3054 “Our fishing has been hit or miss. On some of the better days, catching is pretty easy, with trout up to four or five pounds. On other days, we are struggling to deal with the winds. It's hard to cope with wind when we're working typical summer patterns, in six to nine feet
of water, targeting fish around reefs and under slicks. We're hitting some schools of big bull reds around mud-stirs when we have light winds and enough sunlight to see the color changes. We have had a decent topwater bite fairly far up into the morning hours on some days, so that's exciting. Soft plastics do work better than topwaters on a lot of days this time of year, though. Normally, in September, we start to see a little better consistency in the catching. The birds usually start working more regularly once the fronts start dumping water out of the back lakes. Right now, I'm gearing up for hunting seasons. Once September rolls around, I'll be splitting time between the blinds and the boat. It's a great time of year to come to the coast. Fall weather is a relief after the hot summer.” West Galveston - Bastrop - Christmas - Chocolate Bays Randall Groves - Groves Guide Service 979.849.7019 - 979.864.9323 “I'll be looking for the big schools of migrating shad during September. All our fish follow the schools once they become thick. Seems like everything perks up once those menhaden arrive. Some years, fish strike topwaters and twitch-baits shaped like the shad real good once they show up. Fishing gets better on the reefs and mud-flats further from the pass as the season wears on, not quite as good in areas immediately adjacent to the pass. Lately, we've had some days with a decent topwater bite, but most of the action occurs right at daybreak, and doesn't last once the sun gets up a little bit. That should change some in September, which can offer better action on floating plugs on a consistent basis. Mostly, we'll be targeting our fish with the old stand-by soft plastics like Norton Sand Eels in colors like red magic and other dark ones. If we're wading around shallow reefs, we'll rig 'em on light jigheads like an eighth-ounce, but when we're tossing 'em out of the boat around slicks and mud-stirs and under working birds, we'll use heavier heads.”
The owner of Diamond J, James Rosalis, was a partner in Circle J Enterprises at the time our office and son’s home were built by Circle J. Workmanship and attention to detail were both excellent! – Everett Johnson, Editor/Publisher, Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine
Matagorda | Tommy Countz Bay Guide Service - 979.863.7553 cell 281.450.4037 Several productive patterns present themselves to anglers in the Matagorda area as summer transitions into fall. Tommy says, “The surf still produces pretty good on calm days early in September, so we'll head out there if we can. We also like to target schooling reds in the coves of West Bay this time of year, especially if low tides drive all the fish into the deeper guts and drains. When that happens, small topwaters and dark soft plastics work well to catch easy limits. Trout fishing around the reefs and in places with scattered shell over a mostly mud bottom in East Bay is generally better than on the shorelines, especially if catching numbers of keepers is the goal. Keying on slicks and color changes in the water will lead to the fish if the birds aren't working. It is possible to catch a few big trout wading the coves and shallow reefs on the shorelines of East Bay too, especially in low-light conditions, when winds aren't blowing too hard. Slow-sinking lures like FatBoys and Catch 5s produce a few big bites, and topwaters do too.” Palacios | Capt. Aaron Wollam www.palaciosguideservice.com - 979.240.8204 We have been having a great bite in our bays, in the surf, and around deep shell-pads in West Matagorda Bay. The surf has been on fire when winds allow us to fish it. Solid trout up to twenty three inches have been hammering topwaters at first light. Pink SkitterWalks and Bone Spook Juniors have been the most productive plugs. Our deeper shell-pads out in West Matagorda have also been great. The hot temperatures have the fish holding in about twelve to fourteen feet of water, around old and new wells with solid shell on the bottom. Free-lined live shrimp and Cajun pepper VuDu shrimp have accounted for most bites. Fishing for reds has been great as well. Slot-fish have been thick in the marsh, chasing shrimp and shad. VuDu Mambo Mullet in pearl/chartreuse as well as the old reliable quarter-ounce gold spoon have been our favorite lures for them. September is one of my favorite months to fish, with redfish schooling, early northers knocking down the surf, and flounder action picking up as temperatures drop.
TSFMAG.com | 91
Port O’Connor | Lynn Smith Back Bay Guide Service - 361.983.4434 In September, Lynn expects to continue fishing hot-weather patterns during the first part of the month. “We'll be working the surf anytime we can, when the wind and weather allow. When we're in the bays, we'll focus on areas with a sandy bottom with some scattered grass beds, targeting trout. We like to spend most of our time on flats about waist to chest-deep, in areas where we find good concentrations of bait-fish. In the earlymorning hours, we normally find quite a few redfish up in the really shallow parts of the flats, where it's grassier. So, we like to start off after them, throwing small topwaters right next to the bank, or on top of the shallowest parts of the bars if we're wading spoils or mid-bay humps. Then, we normally move a little deeper and focus on the trout. Soft plastics work better than the topwaters once the sun moves well above the horizon, on most days. Later in the month, when the water cools down some, we'll probably fish the back-lakes a little more often, especially when north winds push the tide out.” Rockport | Blake Muirhead Gator Trout Guide Service - 361.790.5203 or 361.441.3894 With the start of autumn just around the corner, Blake is anticipating the beginning of his cast-and-blast season. “I'll be hunting teal and doves starting in September. Hoping for some fast shooting in the fields and marshes for them. When fishing, I like to target redfish in the back-lakes, working my way out of the marshes after the hunt. We also find redifsh schooling in areas close to the pass this time of year,
so I might spend some time chasing them. When targeting trout, I like to fish areas with a sandy, grassy bottom on shorelines adjacent to drains leading into the marshy areas. We normally have the best bite mid-day in water about waist-deep or so. On some days, topwaters and sinking twitch-baits work well, but soft plastics like Norton Sand Eels in dark colors with chartreuse tails produce bites more consistently. We also have good luck fishing for trout around some of the mid-bay reefs in the area this time of year. Light winds improve the water quality and make fishing the shell humps more productive.” Upper Laguna Madre - Baffin Bay - Land Cut Robert Zapata – rz1528@grandecom.net - 361.563.1160 When September arrives, it’s back to school for all our young ones. Schools are also open for our redfish in the Laguna Madre. This is a good time to look for redfish early in the mornings, while the winds are calm. The big schools will be easy to spot by running slowly across shallow flats that are three feet or less in depth, looking for their wakes. Once seen, the best drill is to work upwind from them and quietly approach the school with a trolling motor, by drifting or using a push pole. Casts should be made to the outside edges of the school with a natural-colored Bass Assassin Die Dapper rigged on an eighth-ounce Spring Lock jighead or a half-ounce weedless gold spoon. Crowds will diminish on the water, so it's a good time for serious trout fishermen to look for their trophy trout. My target areas for trout will be around shallow rocks, grass lines, drop offs and sandy potholes. Because the water in the Laguna is in great shape, I’ll be using the natural-colored Bass Assassins. Free lining live
NOW AVAILABLE “There is something about the outdoors that brings us closer to God.” The devotionals in this book are real-life experiences from an author who has spent countless sunrises and sunsets in God’s great outdoors. It is practical application of God’s principles, shown through the eyes of a sportsman, with beautiful photography to accent each lesson.
Only $12.95 Order by mail or online: binkgrimes@sbcglobal.net www.binkgrimesoutdoors.com 92 | September 2017
Bink Grimes 333 CR 166 Bay City, Tx 77414
croakers in these areas will also be productive. Corpus Christi | Joe Mendez – www.sightcast1.com - 361.937.5961 Water quality continues excellent in the Baffin/ULM system, and Joe expects to experience plenty of sight-casting opportunities in September, as a result. “We've had pretty good fishing lately on some medium-low and low tides, but normally, the autumnal equinox sends a bull tide rising this month. That usually means we get a push of clear, ocean water in upper parts of the ULM. If and when this happens, fishing for redfish and a few big trout in shallow parts of the Boat Hole area, the Crash Channels and on the flats of Laguna Shores can be excellent during the middle of the day, under bright sun, with moderate winds. On cloudier days, or when winds are too strong to allow for good sight-casting opportunities, we have better luck targeting our fish on deeper grass edges in places like Emmord's and Beacroft's Holes, throwing soft plastics rigged on fairly heavy jigheads, to keep them in pretty close contact with the bottom. This pattern also produces well when the tides remain low, rendering some of the shallowest parts of the area high and dry.” P.I.N.S. Fishing Forecast | Eric Ozolins As we close in on September, things are heating up in the tropics. Keep an eye on weather forecasts as storms anywhere in the Gulf of Mexico can greatly affect tides on PINS. Driving the beach can become dangerous. Sargassum seaweed has diminished to scattered patches. Huge schools of dusky anchovies will appear this month. Numerous species feed on them as they approach the surf zone - skipjacks, Spanish and king mackerel, tarpon, and a variety of sharks. The surf sea trout bite has been above average this year. Expect that to continue through October. With a large variety of species demolishing anchovies in the surf, it becomes tricky to avoid them when seeking trout. Later in the month, jackfish and slot-redfish will become abundant. Spoons and large topwaters are effective on jacks and sometimes tarpon. Waders should be extra watchful for sharks and stingrays in the shallows. Though it may not always feel like it, September marks the beginning of the fall season – and the best surf fishing on PINS! Port Mansfield | Ruben Garza Snookdudecharters.com – 832.385.1431 Getaway Adventures Lodge – 956.944.4000 We're looking forward to calmer days and cooling September rains. With cooler weather, the jetties and beachfront should really turn on. Tarpon, kingfish, jack crevalle, bull reds and several species of sharks will congregate at the tips of the jetties. Watch for bait-balls below diving pelicans and gulls. Frenzied feeding always includes lots of surface explosions. Steel leaders are recommended with all lure types. Trolling Rapala CD-18 Jointed Divers and Russell Lures is a great option. Redfish and trout action will also be very good. The west shoreline always comes alive with light winds. Start with topwaters early and switch to plastics on eighth-ounce heads later. Spoil banks and belly-deep potholes also hold lots of fish. The Saucer area east of the cabins is another place to try. Reds usually school in and around East Cut this month. We like to start with topwaters to locate the schools but often switch to spoons and plastics to increase the hook-up ratio. September is great at Port Mansfield, especially if you sneak in a dove hunt. Lower Laguna Madre - South Padre - Port Isabel Janie and Fred Petty | www.fishingwithpettys.com – 956.943.2747 We have just come through the toughest time of the year for charter fishing. Many mornings the bay is completely calm, giving the impression that the boat is sitting on a mirror. It's beautiful, but steamy hot! Freddy and I usually take a vacation during TIFT weekend, knowing from experience, that boat traffic and tournament pressure will make fishing difficult. For many years, we would be excited by the opportunity calm conditions presented to find herds of redfish boiling away from the boat, all tails flipping at the same time moving in the same direction in a perfectly coordinated attempt to look like one large fish instead of a bunch of smaller individuals. We still occasionally find small pods to attack, but it isn’t a sure bet the way it used to be. Freddy always says, “Don’t expect to see the big schools after the first good norther of the year.” We’ve had a few very productive days on reds throwing Berkley Gulp! three-inch shrimp under FP3, but the real story has been trout and flounder this summer. Let’s help stop open bay dredge disposal!
TSFMAG.com | 93
Dallas Cruz Port O’Connor - 18” first trout!
Jared Esley Galveston - redfish
Emilio Martinez 36” jack crevalle
Adam Garcia Arroyo - 40” 24 lb redfish 94 | September 2017
Keaton Wisnieski Carancahua Bay - 31.5” personal best red!
Benji Barrientos Isla Blanca jetties - kingfish
Ferny Mendoza Indianola Bay - black drum
Anthony Gutierrez South Padre - 26” skipjack CPR
Cody Jones Galveston - 38” red
Jackie Eckert Port O’Connor - 30” red
Chris Robinson Freeport - bonnethead
Konner & Klayton Kristoff, and friend - flounder
Justin Lathon Matagorda - 30” first trout!
Johnnie Gussett Galveston Bay - redfish
Sherrie Osteen POC - 41.5” redfish
Randy Sanchez South Padre - 5’ blacktip
TH Osteen POC - first jack!
James Minter East Matagorda Bay - trout
Trevor Risica South Padre - 29.5” trout
Carson Wegener South Padre - 34” redfish
Jonathan Vazquez Rockport - first trout! CPR
Curtis Thomas Chocolate bay - bull red Bub Wilson Copano Bay - trout CPR
Ellie Voulgaris Matagorda - first legal trout
Please do not write on the back of photos.
Email photos with a description of your Catch of the Month to: Photos@tsfmag.com
Carolyn Silva Estes Bay - 30” personal best red!
Rey Ramirez Upper Laguna - 24” black drum
Mail photos to: TSFMag P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 TSFMAG.com | 95
Cameron Apostol Port Lavaca - 23” redfish
Brian & Tanner Bidigare Freeport - bull reds
Dexter Polk Moxy Rig - barracuda
Mason Cottingham Galveston Seawall - 26” redfish 96 | September 2017
Mario Gamez Baytown Spillway - redfish
Evert Garcia South Padre - 40” redfish
Kyle Issendorf redfish, caught unassisted!
Neida Grantland Arroyo City - 44” red CPR
Lauren Wilson Lower Laguna - 18” trout
Joey Battle San Luis Pass - 26” bull trout
Linda Cook Quintana - redfish
Marisol De La Garza Port Mansfield - 4 lb trout & 3 lb flounder
John Menchaca Aransas Wildlife Refuge - 29” red
Devin Williams 18” sheepshead
Barbara Reynaga High Island - bull red
Wayne Stroud San Luis Pass - 48” redfish CPR
Justin Bohanan Fish Pass - 30” redfish
Todd & Dawson Janaky redfish
Daniel Escamilla Goose Island State Park - 40” drum
Kellan Craig The Landcut - 6 lb redfish
Jeff Kettler Trinity Bay - 23” trout
Danielle Tobias Port Bolivar - first keeper redfish
Please do not write on the back of photos.
Email photos with a description of your Catch of the Month to: Photos@tsfmag.com
Rick Fabian Victoria Barge Canal - 33” red CPR
Camryn Smith Jones Lake - flounder
Mail photos to: TSFMag P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 TSFMAG.com | 97
Pam Johnson
Gulf Coast
Got ideas, hints or recipes you’d like to share? Email them to pam@tsfmag.com or send by fax: 361-785-2844
Sea Scallops with Caramelized Onions Thanks to Fred Eppright for sharing this incredibly delicious recipe.
INGREDIENTS
PREPARATION
24 medium-large scallops 1 large onion 1 stick of butter divided 1/2 lemon 1/4 cup white wine 1/2 cup bacon bits
Season scallops with salt and pepper. Cover and place in refrigerator. Thinly slice onion. In a large skillet melt half stick of butter over medium heat, add sliced onions. Sauté onions slowly until caramelized. Remove from skillet and set aside. In same skillet, add remaining butter and return to medium heat, add scallops. Sear about two minutes each side or until lightly brown. Add wine. Sauté one or two minutes. Squeeze lemon over scallops and serve. Plate scallops on a bed of creamy mashed potato puree. Top with onions and bacon bits, serve immediately with veggie of choice and fresh green salad. Provides six servings.
98 | September 2017
with g a m e REE G et F h a se! c r u p y p o c hard onth subscripreceive a 12-m Order today and ry and sign up family memur tion for $25.00. H iends at the same rate! bers and/or fr
Subscription
Form
Sub0917
To order subscriptions simply fill this form out below and mail it to the address below, fax, email or go online. 361-785-3420 Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. FREE EMAG WITH HARDCOPY PURCHASE E-mail required
AM EX
12 months print - $25.00 or 12 months digital only - $12.00
All subscriptions come with yearly autorenewal.
Subscribing for more than yourself? Please write additional information on a separate sheet of paper.
texas saltwater fishing holes matagorda to corpus M ATA G O R D A B AY Speckled Trout / Redfish
USCG Licensed Captain Stan Sloan
832.693.4292 www.fishfcc.com
Designer & Manufacturer of Specialized High Performance Fishing Rods Office: 361.573.0300
805 B. South Bridge Victoria, TX 77901
Fax: 361.573.0304
• Bay Fishing, Offshore, Floundering, Waterfowl, Dove • Night Fishing off Lighted Pier • Right On The Water • Lodging with/without Meals www.matagordasunriselodge.com 979-241-1705 TSFMAG.com | 99
CHRIS MAPP
B OAT M A I NTENAN C E T I P S
Boat Owner’s Greatest Enemy Chris Mapp, owner of Coastal Bend Marine. Evinrude, Suzuki, Yamaha, Mercury, Honda, BlueWave, SilverWave, Shallow Stalker Boats, Coastline Trailers, Minnkota & Motor Guide Trolling Motors. Great Service, Parts & Sales “What can we do for you?”
100 | September 2017
Fuel system problems arising from ethanol continue to be the most common problem in our shop. In fact, ethanol related repairs are up more than 50% compared to last year, clogging the workload pipeline and costing our customers an average of $1000 when the entire fuel system must be disassembled and thoroughly cleaned. Pumping contaminated fuel from fuel tanks, flushing fuel lines, getting new fuel into the system and pushing it through the injectors to insure all is clean, and then disposing of old fuel is just one part of this expense. Note—it is not uncommon in our business to have to dispose of as many as 50 barrels (55 gallons) of contaminated fuel during a single summer boating season. The second part of the fuel system cleaning process that owners do not understand is cleaning the vapor separator tank (VST) on some models, which is located behind the intake, and then removing injectors to have them cleaned and reinstalled. Contaminated fuel must be completely removed (siphoned) from fuel tanks during cleanup. On many models, where the fuel pick-up tube is located an inch or so off the bottom and we cannot siphon all the fuel, it is necessary to work through the top of the tank at the fuel sending unit port to accomplish pneumatic cleaning and swabbing. The third distressing part of ethanol-related fuel system problems is replacing galled injectors, swollen grommets, and also the filters. When these are accomplished we then run the boat on an auxiliary (shop) fuel tank, and finally reconnect the boat’s onboard tanks to the fuel system and run it on
a water hose in the shop. The fourth and final part of a complete fuel system cleaning job is taking the boat to the water and running it to ensure all aspects have been cleared and the boat runs normally. Hopefully, during onthe-water testing, we will not experience additional injector failure. The toughest part of this process for us is handing the owner a bill for $800- to $1400—depending on boat configuration, tank(s) size and number of engines on the transom. Ethanol-blended fuel is the boat owner’s worst enemy and extra care must be given to protect your valuable investment. Monitor the fuel filters under the engine cowling—when the red rings in the cup are floating you have water trapped in the filter! Change fuel/water separator filters often, inspect o-rings on fuel caps regularly, check regularly for water pooling on the top surface of fuel tanks (especially after washing the boat). Another great tip is to include ethanol fuel treatment at every fill up and store your boat with a full tank to reduce the accumulation of condensation in the fuel tank. I cannot stress enough the importance of contacting your state congressman and senators to demand the coastal regions of Texas be cleared of the E-10 fuel requirements they have allowed to be implemented. Boat ownership and coastal fishing are supposed to be fun—not so darned expensive! Chris Mapp Coastal Bend Marine | Port O'Connor, TX coastalbendmarine.com | 361.983.4841
texas saltwater fishing holes
OPEN TROUT REDFISH FLOUNDER
Capt. Lynn Smith’s Back Bay Guide Service Port O’Connor Area
Wade & Drifting the Back Bays & Surf
Call 361.983.4434 (cell 361.935.6833) Email lynn@tisd.net (tswf.com/lynnsmith)
classifieds
ON THE WATER
Saltwater Fishing Clinics WITH
Capt. Robert Zapata
If you are having difficulty catching fish on a consistent basis, the clinic is designed for you. Learn Capt.Robert Zapata’s secrets to finding and catching more fish from his 25 years of experience as a professional fishing guide.
For Information Call 361-563-1160
TSFMAG.com | 101
©JASON ARNOLD
IF WE SAVE THE SEAGRASS,
WE SAVE THE FISH. Seagrass is critical to good fishing. Marine organisms depend on it for survival—for food, shelter, and oxygen. But boat propellers are destroying Texas seagrass, which is seriously impacting saltwater fishing in the coastal shallows. When boaters do not lift their propeller in shallow water, the prop cuts and uproots the seagrass beds—leaving long barren trenches or “scars” that may take years to heal ... if ever.
Stop Prop Scarring – Lift, Drift, Pole, Troll
It is ILLEGAL in Texas to uproot seagrass with a propeller. Avoid damaging seagrass – lift your prop! When in shallow waters, lift your motor and drift, pole, or troll through it. After all, there’s nothing like a redfish on light tackle in shallow water. Let’s keep it that way!
For more information visit:
www.tpwd.texas.gov/seagrass
PROP SCARS
SHALLOW STA B L E S P E E D
10
YEAR
HULL WARRANTY
DEALER NETWORK
UNSINKABLE DESIGN
The NEW 2 0 1 7 R ECON delivers dry speed
T h e R ECO N s p o r t s a n a d d i t i o n al layer of
i n rough c h o p , a cce lerates on-rails in the
b i l ate r a l g l a s s i n t h e l ay u p s c h e dule and a
t r uly shines when
n ew f u l ly fo a m i n j e c te d “rib-cage”
carrying h e av i e r l o a ds. The RECON is
s t r i n g e r sys te m m a k i n g i t u nsinkable.
a broad - s h o u l d e re d cat that refuses
T h e R ECO N 2 4 i s n ot a t y p i cal fishing
backwate r,
and
to sacrifi ce d r af t - i nlayed
b o at fo r o rd n ary fisher-
with trip l e s te p p e d chines
m a n , T h i s c r af t is custom
for
ma x i m u m
s p e ed
built
and
competitive
ex p l o re r s l o o k i n g for those
perform a n ce - a n i ntelligent custom d e s i g n b u i lt tough &
un-fished
unsinka b l e .
bigger fish!
956-233-9489
fo r
A DIVISION OF
wate r s
t hat
hold
www.scbboats.com
Te x a s S a l t w a t e r F i s h i n g M a g a z i n e l
w w w. t e x a s s a l t w a t e r f i s h i n g m a g a z i n e . c o m
Models
100% composite 7 year Hull warranty
Our boats are designed and built to maximize horsepower efficiency, shallow water capability, quality of ride, and fish ability.
Come design the JH model that’s right for you! 3925 FM 359 Richmond, Texas 77406 Ph: 281-238-0060
WWW.JHPERFORMANCEBOATS.COM WWW.JHPERFORMANCEBOATS.COM