The Hoot Owls Head to the Salt

by Keith Mars

It’s hot! And it’s been hot and there’s no end in sight! That’s not just us saying it. The next time you catch a redfish and it’s croaking, that’s what it’s really saying. We’ve seen record temperatures here along the Texas coast and across the entire Gulf. This past week water temperatures over 100 degrees were recorded at a buoy off the coast near Miami. We’ve seen fish kills up and down the Texas coast this summer. There’s an inverse relationship between temperature and dissolved oxygen. As water temperatures get high, then higher, and stay high for weeks and months on end, the dissolved oxygen is significantly reduced, even in saltwater. Even saltwater species struggle in these conditions, much less when on the other end of that perfectly tied clouser. So what’s a responsible Austin Fly Fisher to do? In the West, they have hoot owl restrictions, encourage folks to carry a thermometer, and stop fishing when the water gets too hot. Well, we can apply a similar mindset to responsible catch and release when in the salt.

1. Pinch barbs. You don’t need ‘em! The fish and your fumbling fingers will thank you.

2. Keep Fish Wet! Avoid or minimize the time that fish is outta water. If you take pictures, and we all do, keep that fish in the water until its glamor shot and then back in the water asap.

3. Wet those hands! This is good practice for all fish. Get those hands wet to minimize removing slime and scales.

4. Reduce your handling time in hand and the net. Friendly reminder, debarbing your hooks reduces handling time.

5. Don’t overfish the cooler water refuges. Y’all know when TPWD closes locations to fishing during winter freezes? The same logic applies in the heat of the summer. Be mindful of these locations.

6. Dawn and dusk patrol. It’s just better fishing and better for the fish. The heat of the day is for watching baseball in the air conditioning. Enjoy your summer fishing and take care of our coastal fisheries!

Graph from Fondriest Environmental Learning Center https://www.fondriest.com/ environmental-measurements/parameters/water-quality/dissolved-oxygen/