December 2017

December 2017

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about the Cover

Contents

December 2017 VOL 27 NO 8

Dave Roberts is our cover angler, showing off a beautiful king mackerel landed from the kayak.

Dave shares his Florida roadtrip angling adventure on page 56.

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

10 Options Abound!

16 Maximizing Benefits of the Cork and Jig 20 Bodie Goes to England: Part 5 24 Just Try and Keep Up! 28 Christmas Fish List

33 44 48 51 52 54 56 58 60 62 64

Steve Hillman Kevin Cochran Martin Strarup Chuck Uzzle Joe Richard

28

Holiday Gift Guide Let’s Ask The Pro Shallow Water Fishing Science & the Sea TPWD Field Notes Fly Fishing Kayak Fishing Chronicles TSFMag Conservation News Fishy Facts Inshore | Nearshore | Jetties | Passes Extreme Kayak Fishing & Sharks...

48

WHAT OUR GUIDES

HAVE TO SAy

68 70 72 74 76 78

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

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

REGULARS 8 Editorial 66 New Tackle & Gear 80 Fishing Reports and Forecasts 84 Gulf Coast Kitchen 86 Catch of the Month

78 6 | December 2017

84

Jay Watkins Scott Null UT Marine Science Institute Zack Thomas Scott Sommerlatte Dave Roberts CCA Texas Stephanie Boyd Curtiss Cash Eric Ozolins

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EDITORIAL

Make It An Outdoors Christmas!

December is upon us. Hunters and wintertime anglers are in their glory. This past weekend Pam and I hosted her son and nephew for a Seadrift cast and blast and it was all we could hope for, on both ends. We bagged impressive straps of puddle ducks in the morning, enjoyed brunch at the local Mexican restaurant, and then headed for San Antonio Bay to sample the fishery. Wade fishing Matagorda Island’s back lakes did not disappoint.

Like so many area anglers have been enjoying all year, our local speckled trout fishery is currently as healthy as I have ever experienced. Halfway through the afternoon we settled into a windward shoreline teeming with active bait. What followed was the stuff of legend as we worked a school of solid five-pound specks and Pam pulled out a fat six-pounder. I’m praying it was a harbinger of what we will continue to enjoy as the winter season develops.

As a youngster, the anticipation of Christmas was more than I could bear. At the tender age of seven, I found a long skinny box under the tree that held a J.C. Higgins bolt-action .22 rifle. There were other gifts, of course, but that rifle stole the show. For my birthday I had been given a Johnson Century spincast reel mounted on a solid fiberglass True Temper fishing rod from the local hardware. Outdoors hunting and fishing TV was still decades in the future but it didn’t matter. The video cameras in my head captured thousands of real-time adventures

along waterways and uplands – and they’re still running!

My father taught me respect for firearms from that Christmas Day in 1959 until his final days. On his deathbed he bequeathed a goodly portion of his heirloom collection of sporting gear that I will always treasure and some day pass on. He never allowed BB guns, believing their less than lethal nature bred disrespect for guns in general. He was very staunch in his reasoning. Along with gun safety he taught me marksmanship. He also preached sportsmanship and conservation.

I had a hard time understanding at first when he’d intentionally let a sleek stream trout slip through his fingers and say, “Darn, he got away!”

Reminiscence of my past has a purpose here, and that is to encourage parents and others capable of being mentors to recognize the important role we can play in the lives of children and teens. From my earliest days tagging along on fishing and hunting trips to becoming a father and grandfather, passing on love and respect of the great outdoors and natural resources has been one of my greatest joys in life.

I encourage often in this column to take a kid fishing, and I mean that sincerely. Take them hunting, too. Put some nice hunting and fishing gear under the tree with a card describing the fun that awaits on trips you have planned for them. I cannot think of a better gift.

Merry Christmas!

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Lots of these little guys everywhere!

STORY BY STEVE HILLMAN

I

must say I have been pleasantly surprised at how quickly our bays recovered from Harvey’s massive floods. We started catching a few fish about a week later, albeit mostly undersized trout and reds that had been flushed from the marshes and back lakes. Equinox tides and wind-enhanced tide flows caused exaggerated tidal exchanges which resulted in increased bay salinities sooner than any of us could have imagined. Decent fishing followed. By October, our success rates improved even more as white shrimp filled our bays. Undersized trout are in every corner of the bay but keeper-sized specks are mixed in along with an occasional four-pounder. The redfish (including over-sized) and flounder availability seems to be above average as well. I think our chances are good for a respectable winter fishing season.

When I was growing up I loved it when my mom would bring us Neapolitan ice cream from the grocery store. I’ve always had a penchant for chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice cream. The ingenious creation of Neapolitan satisfied all three cravings in one bowl. I enjoy watching baseball, football, golf, basketball and even volleyball. I don’t get to play much golf these days because fishing tends to consume me, but I sure do miss it.

My obsession for duck hunting almost landed me in divorce court when I was younger, and spring turkey hunting provided an adrenaline rush that ranks up there with catching a nine-pound trout. There’s nothing like using a diaphragm call or box call to induce a 30-minute conversation with a mature gobbler. But it doesn’t end there. I’ve had some longbearded toms go silent for ten minutes or so, leading me to believe they’d lost interest, only to have the silence broken with an unexpected and exuberant gobble from fifteen yards behind that would blow you out of your hunting stool.

After a long year of fishing there’s nothing better than looking through the small mesh opening of my bow blind on a chilly late-December morning down in God’s Country (aka South Texas). Maintaining a healthy dose of variety in my life has always been a major contributor for sustaining happiness. I try to take advantage of that same variety when on the water by moving around to different areas and targeting multiple species, using a variety of techniques.

Through the years, December has become one of my favorite months to fish because

TSFMAG.com | 11

trout, redfish and flounder are easy to catch on a daily basis. Having an assortment of species from which to choose can offer a fun change of pace away from the grind of targeting mostly speckled trout. Often, all three species can be caught while fishing the same spot. I catch more flounder in December than any other month, and usually by accident. A Corky is flounder candy, by the way. When we do specifically target them a MirrOlure Soft Shad is very hard to beat.

My Waterloo Ultra Mag is the ultimate rod for feeling the soft bites.

The back lakes and bayous hold plenty of redfish this time of year and they’re not bashful to crush small topwaters – Super Spook Jrs and MirrOlure She Pups. Of course, you can never go wrong with a variety of soft plastics or a gold spoon.

I tend to focus on smaller areas this time of year compared to summer and fall. Open-water drifting becomes a lower percentage play. As water temperatures decline, the odds for catching healthy fish over soft-bottomed areas increases. Slight undulations near small oyster reefs with some current set up nicely. Every corner of the Galveston Bay Complex possesses the right elements for success as the mercury drops.

Marsh-lined flats, bayous and guts all come into play. Characterized by lower-salinity nutrient-rich and often warmer water, forage species are naturally attracted to these areas. Larger predator species up the food chain naturally follow. Once we arrive to one of these areas I simply survey the layout while looking for something that jumps out at me such as presence of mullet and color streaks.

One of the best things about December is you can fish just about any time during the day. You don’t have to rise early to beat the heat and, more often than not, the late afternoon bite can be exceptional.

Moon positioning and tides play a larger role in your opportunity for (upper right) Ryan Woods caught a good variety of everything on this day but I think his red topped the list!

Gwen Ingram enjoyed wrestling this giant redfish!

12 | December 2017

The afternoon bite, two days after a front, was solid…due in part to my Texas Chicken Corky Fat Boy!

(lower right) Roy Valdez tricked this beautiful flounder of 5-plus pounds while trout fishing, and then completed his Inshore Slam with a 27-inch red!

Here’s wishing all a very Merry Christmas!

14 | December 2017

Steve Hillman

Contact

success than time of day. Cold fronts also influence the timing of when to fish. Not all cold fronts are created equally. Strong fronts with substantial temperature drops and increased barometric pressure will often shut down a good bite immediately following its passage. This is when we might wait two days and start our trip midday and fish until dark. This gives the water some time to warm a bit and the pressure to stabilize.

We often get some weaker Pacific fronts during December, compared to later in the winter. These types of fronts are usually characterized by heavy cloud cover for several days and are by far my favorite conditions to target better quality fish. The overcast skies and lower pressure associated with such fronts will usually find us wading small shallow areas (2- to 3-feet) not far from deeper water, while chunking either MirrOlure’s Paul Brown Original Fat Boy or MirrOdine XL over scattered clusters of shell. Ideally, I like the water temperature to range from 50 to 59 degrees for optimum results. Once the water temperatures creep back into the 60s we typically spread out over larger flats and switch to soft plastics and topwaters to cover more water.

Contrary to popular belief trout, reds and flounder do not base their feeding habits Conner Woods along with brother, Ryan, or locations upon a didn’t seem to mind the drum gobbling calendar. In other words, up their MirrOlure Soft Shads. just because it’s winter doesn’t mean that we Lots of variety…just not the kind I was hoping for. should all grab our Corkys and go find the deepest water possible, to work our baits slow and near bottom.

The conditions will always dictate how we should go about our business when planning a trip. I remember last year at this time when we were catching really nice fish on topwaters and soft plastics drifting over hard shell in 7-foot depths. Birds were working all the way through Christmas as well. That being said, it seems that winters following hurricanes have historically been colder – so who knows what’s in store.

I have personally witnessed what has once again become a robust flounder fishery, especially over the past couple of years. Some of my friends who target flounder share the same experiences. I mainly attribute this to the implementation of stricter limits by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department along with adequate rainfall. Timely freshwater inflow has contributed to an abundance of shad, shrimp and mullet over the last three years. TPWD would be wise to implement the same good management practices for our trout here on the Upper Texas Coast by reducing our limits to five. There’s no better example than the improvements we’ve seen in the trout fishery south of here.

Management priorities will determine whether our fishery is managed for liberal limits and smaller fish or more restrictive limits and larger fish. I choose the latter. In the meantime, we’ll continue to do our part as responsible anglers by only keeping what we need and releasing the larger ones so that someone else can have a shot at a trophy.

Additionally, mixing things up a bit and catching reds and flounder takes pressure off the trout and, based upon what I’ve seen, we should have plenty of opportunities for that.

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

F OR S E C ON D- G E N E RATI ON WADE R MAK E R M I CH E LLE H E LV EY, TH E R E WAS N E V E R A TO R C H . J U ST A N E E D L E A N D T H R E A D A N D A N I N N AT E A B I L I T Y TO R U N W I TH I T. A W I N DFALL OF U N FLI N CH I N G W OR K ETH I C I N H E R I T E D F R O M H E R M OTH E R, LE ONA, W H O S PE N T A DE CADE I N N OVATI N G AN D EX E CU TI N G T H E W O R L D ’ S B E ST WA D E R S AT S I M M S . H E R E , I T ' S A H E R I TAG E R O OT E D I N H A N D C R A F T E D Q UA L I T Y. PA R T O F A P R O D U CT L I N E AG E D E F I N E D BY H A R DW O R K I N G P E O P L E W H O D R I V E T H E P R O C E S S . O N E T H AT F E E LS FA M I L I A R . A LOT L I K E FA M I LY.

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Lure fishing for dummies - or - unraveling the intricacies of the cork and jig?

STORY BY KEVIN COCHRAN

Y

ears ago, I realized the potential efficacy of dangling a soft plastic under a float. On some occasions, the method proves far more productive than other strategies. In the past, I’ve generally touted the cork and jig as a last-ditch attempt to scratch out a few trout in sloppy conditions. But on several outings this year, I realized the tactic can dramatically improve the catching when a slow bite occurs in benign conditions.

Certainly, the attributes inherent to the method make it attractive when windy conditions create high turbidity and reduce water clarity.

The cork generates noise and displaces water, helping fish find the lure when they can’t see it. This basic truth accounts for why I’ve long thought of the plan as a way to cope with ugly weather and water.

When fish rely on their lateral lines and other sensory devices more than their eyesight to locate prey, sending them vibes in the form of splashes makes perfect sense as a coping mechanism.

Reduced sight-ability likely affects fish much the same way it affects us, by elevating their other senses. Fish probably pay more attention to noise and vibration when they lose the ability to locate things easily with their eyes.

While in the process of homing in on the commotion caused by the float, fish come close enough to find the soft plastic hanging beneath it. Anglers who allow fish plenty of time to do so benefit handsomely from their patience. Trout often strike a soft plastic hanging under a cork after the angler allows it to sit still for several seconds. In most cases, especially when strong winds create visible waves on the surface, the bobbing action of the cork generates subtle movements of the soft plastic, without the angler imparting any action.

This method provides other benefits, in addition to allowing the

fish ample opportunity to locate and strike the soft plastic. The incorporation of a float also allows for working worms over shallow structure and cover elements without becoming snagged. When manipulated with sharp twitches of the rodtip, the worm snaps up and down enticingly, sometimes hopping out of the water behind the float. No other method creates such spastic movements as the cork and jig.

Certainly, specific aspects of the movement pattern of a lure can profoundly affect the productivity of a presentation. I’ve observed the truth of this statement many times in my career. Much of the time, when I or some member of the group identifies an effective method with a specific lure, all of us attempt to mimic the action using the same plug. In some cases, a reasonable approximation of the presentation with a similar offering proves sufficient to urge a relatively similar number of strikes.

At other times, minutely detailed aspects of the movement pattern of the lure play an astoundingly dynamic role in productivity. Until this year, I did not apply this truth to the cork and jig method, probably because, at a superficial level, the strategy appears so simplistic.

I figured the basic attributes of the method would render it more productive in a given situation, also that any angler deploying the method would experience similar results, regardless of their skill level or ability to fine-tune presentations.

For the most part, I placed the strategy in the “lure fishing for dummies” category. I did not perceive meaningful ways to tweak the presentations, and tended to become easily bored using it, due to its monotonously repetitive nature. Additionally, the need to keep an eye on the float at all times becomes tedious to me. These facts partly account for why I don’t use the method unless I experience difficulty TSFMAG.com | 17

catching fish with other types of methods and lures.

I’d describe my basic fishing style as animated and energetic in nature. I favor presentations incorporating lots of rhythmic twitching, which allow me to impart erratic action into the movement pattern of the plug deployed. These methods don’t really translate well to the cork and jig. For the most part, the angler simply twitches the rodtip hard enough against a tight line to make the cork create a splash, then pauses, and repeats. This can quickly send an artistically-minded angler spiraling into auto-pilot mode.

The negative mindset related to the cork and jig changed somewhat for me this year, partly because I remembered something a wellknown angler taught me back in 1993, the first time I saw someone skillfully deploy the technique. On the memorable day, Doug Bird took me fishing in Baffin Bay for the first time. I listened as he described various ways to tweak the subtleties of the presentation, including adjustments to the vigor and cadence of the twitching, and the length of the pauses between twitches.

I can’t explain why I temporarily forgot the lessons I learned from him, but I have found renewed confidence in their veracity. On numerous occasions this year, when the catching on more favored lures did not measure up to my expectations, given reasonably calm winds, pretty water, moderate temperatures and other benign aspects of the situation, I discovered I could catch trout quite easily by suspending my soft plastic under a cork. Perhaps more importantly, I realized the specifics of presentations can and will affect productivity with this method.

One outing etched the truth into my psyche more than the others. While fishing a shallow, rock-studded sand bar in Baffin on a calm summer morning, I and the other members of the group worked through the usual lures without any

success, after we managed to catch several solid trout on topwaters right at daybreak. I could see signs of feeding fish all around us, including frantically fleeing mullet, hopping shrimp and popping slicks. In the clear water and friendly conditions, I expected to switch off the topwaters to sinking twitch baits or soft plastics on light jigheads and continue catching at a steady rate, as I had on several trips prior to this one.

When the other lures produced no bites, I pulled the pins from each end of the Comal Tackle Company cork I had placed in my pocket and attached it to the line about eighteen inches above my worm. This ease of use explains why I favor a cork made by this company; carrying a float of this kind at all times encourages testing the method’s efficacy on a regular basis. On the first cast, after no more than three or four twitches of the rodtip, a trout aggressively attacked my MirrOlure Provoker and yanked the chartreuse float under. In the next five casts, I caught three more fish.

Narrating the events to my clients, I walked around handing out corks to each of them, and we all began using the method. Two of my customers mastered the technique quickly and began catching fish. Because we cast into water about knee-deep, with scattered rocks protruding off a sandy bottom, we used sixteenth-ounce

Clear water allows lots of light to penetrate a trout’s eyes, sending more pigment to the skin and producing stunningly dark specimens with numerous dots.

Topwaters work well in autumn on a regular basis to trick large trout, like the 30-inch specimen Jason King holds here.

This long, thick trout bit a white MirrOlure Provoker dangling under a Comal Tackle Company cork on a warm, quiet morning in October.

18 | December 2017

heads. When one of the customers failed to catch a fish for a while, I realized he had an eighth-ounce head tied onto his line, and switched him over to the lighter one, figuring this would solve his problem.

He continued to fish without getting bites, so I began to carefully observe his method, all the while offering advice on its specifics. Eventually, we concluded the movement pattern of the lure created by the intensity and cadence of the twitching, coupled with the exact duration of the pauses between twitches, accounted for the difference in my results and his.

Over time, he became better able to adequately mimic the productive sequence and began catching fish at a quicker rate.

These events proved poignant to me, emphasizing the importance of both the physical aspects of the setup of the rig and the specifics of the presentation deployed with it. I now believe sixteenth-ounce jigheads generally produce better than heavier ones, when deployed under a cork. The twitching of the rodtip snatches the lighter payload around more erratically behind the float, and the worms flutter down more enticingly on the pauses. They also wobble around in a livelier manner while the cork dances on the waves.

In addition to elevating the status of the light jighead for use behind a cork, I also realized the vital need to pay close attention to all aspects of the presentation when deploying the method, making adjustments to the timing and intensity of the twitches and the duration of the pauses. As with all presentations, experimenting in a precise, controlled, consciously-planned manner makes sense, allowing one to identify which elements enhance productivity.

Certainly, it’s possible to tweak the effectiveness of the cork and jig through adjustments to the physical elements of the equipment, by changing jighead size, type and color of the worm, length of the line between float and worm and the type and size of the float. I don’t deny the potential impact of these things. But those adjustments sometimes carry less significance than focusing on an issue which profoundly affects the productivity of any method—the subtleties of the movement pattern of the lure.

Moving forward, I will continue to carry Comal Tackle Company corks in my pocket, so I can experiment with them regularly. I’ll also pay careful attention to the precise manner in which I manipulate the rig and presentations made with it.

Most likely, this will facilitate better focus and creativity with the method, so I can use it more productively.

Contact

Kevin Cochran

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 TSFMAG.com | 19

Part V STORY BY MARTIN STRARUP

T

ommy had all of his stuff and the things he had bought for Bodie packed and was trying to think of anything that he might have forgotten. “I got folding money, my two-piece rod and reel and some lures, plenty of Red Man and other necessary stuff,” he mumbled aloud to himself as he took a final look around the room. Satisfied that he hadn’t missed anything, he began the task of stacking everything at the back door.

Doug had informed Tommy they would be taking off at 7:30 in the morning, and in order to surprise Bodie, he should be there by at least 6:00 to board the plane. Tommy had arranged for Skinny Johnson to pick him up at 5:00, just to be safe. Having Skinny drop him off seemed a good plan, to avoid Bodie seeing his truck in the parking area and ruining the surprise.

Bodie was pacing the kitchen floor and drinking way too much coffee for as late as it was, but his nerves were shot. “I should never have accepted Doug’s offer to go on this trip.” Bodie thought. “I spent fishing and hunting money on clothes and sundries and, well, who am I kidding? I’m going to stand out like a three-legged calf at a roping over there in England.”

Bodie had his bags packed and was suddenly a little ashamed at their worn appearance.

Thinking aloud, he said, “I should have bought a nice suitcase and one of those wardrobe things, I guess.” But the fact of the matter was that the worn leather King Ranch duffle and carry-on bags that he had won in a fishing contest years ago would just have to do.

Bodie carried his luggage out and put it in his truck, then went back inside to go over his list for the umpteenth time. Picking up the worn list from the kitchen counter, he noticed his passport lying beside it and tucked it carefully into the inside pocket of his vest. “Hard enough to keep up with a billfold and all this other stuff, much less a passport,” he grumbled. “Heck with it,” he announced loudly, though he was alone. “I’m going to Haddon’s for a beer and try to relax a bit.”

There weren’t many vehicles in the parking lot at Haddon’s when Bodie pulled up. He recognized a few trucks and Red’s souped-up golf cart and he was glad there wasn’t a big crowd.

Red was at the bar and Bodie took a stool next to him.

Eloisa drew a cold beer into a frosty mug and placed it in front of him. “Will you be having dinner?” she asked.

TSFMAG.com | 21

22 | December 2017

ride to the airport together!”

Eloisa laughed heartily and Bodie was speechless.

“Wait, Red, don’t you need to call the wife and get permission? And do you have a valid passport?” Bodie stammered.

“Got it all covered, Bodie. Nancy’s on a ten-day Alaskan cruise with the girls and is going to stay with the oldest daughter another ten days when they get back to California,” Red assured him. “And my passport is always up to date.”

Red plucked a ten from his wallet and dropped it on the bar, nearly knocking two tables over as he turned and bolted for the door.

“So Bodie, umm, what’s Tommy going to think when he finds out that Red went to England with you and Mr. Sellers and he wasn’t invited?” Eloisa quizzed.

Bodie frowned, stroking his chin. “To be honest, Eloisa, I never asked him because I didn’t think he would go. I swear.”

The flight attendant on Doug Sellers private jet told Tommy to hide in the galley until about twenty minutes after they got airborne, and then he could surprise his friend when she took breakfast out. So, Tommy sat in the galley bothering the nice lady, eating everything she would give him, while slurping some really good tasting coffee.

Bodie and Red arrived on time and were welcomed aboard by the attendant and the pilots. Doug Sellers arrived a few minutes later and Red thanked him profusely as they took their seats. The co-pilot announced they were cleared for take-off and would be departing momentarily.

The fasten seatbelt light flashed in the galley and the flight attendant took a seat next to Tommy, informing him to buckle up as they were about to depart. Tommy had just put a fresh chew of Red Man in his jaw and started choking as the plane began rolling down the tarmac. The attendant slapped him on the back and he recovered just as the engines went to full throttle.

Gaining cruising altitude, the seatbelt lights were turned off and pilot announced they were free to move about the cabin. The galley attendant, whose name Tommy found out was Pamela, said that she was about to serve breakfast and that he should get ready to surprise his friend.

She placed the food and beverages on a serving cart, opened the door and started into the main cabin, Tommy in tow.

Bodie was sitting facing the front of the plane, next to Doug, while Red was sitting across from them facing the rear of the plane.

Tommy and Red saw each other at the same time and Bodie noticed Red’s face suddenly flush and his mouth drop open.

“What is HE doing HERE?” they blurted in unison.

To be continued...

Martin Strarup

Contact

“Man, my nerves are so shot that I hadn’t even thought of supper,” he replied.

Red laughed and said louder than necessary that Bodie should stop hanging out with Tommy so much because he was starting to act like him. Bodie shot him a look but broke into a grin and laughed along.

“Red, I sure hope I never get that bad!” Bodie retorted, lifting his mug toward Red for a toast.

Eloisa, Red and others in the place all laughed at that and Bodie ordered a chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy and a salad to go with it.

“As nervous as I am about this trip, Red, I can’t believe that I’m eating anything at all,” Bodie allowed, wiping suds from his lip.

“Oh sure, nervous about a free trip to England, all expenses paid,” Red shot back sarcastically. “If someone asked me to go to England all expenses paid, I’d sure be nervous alright.”

Bodie let that sink in a few seconds and then offered, “Red, you wouldn’t go even if you had the chance.”

“The Hell you say. I’d be packed and ready within the hour.” Red bellowed.

Bodie stared at Red for a moment and then excused himself to get something out of his truck.

Bodie called Douglas Sellers on his cell phone. “Bodie, how are you?

All packed and ready to go, I hope?”

“I sure am Doug. I might be a tad bit nervous, but I’m definitely up for the adventure. But, say Doug; I really hate to ask since you have already been so generous. But, uh, do you think it might be possible to invite a friend along on this trip. Might help settle my nerves a bit, having a friend with me. But the expenses and all, I just really hate asking.”

Doug caught himself before nearly blurting that he already had a friend going on the trip, so he paused and asked instead who Bodie might have in mind.

“I’d like to ask Red if he would like to go.” Bodie replied.

This is a good thing Doug thought quickly to himself, having just learned that his business meetings would require much more time than he originally planned. Having another friend along would be perfect to keep Bodie entertained around London.

“Bodie, that is a splendid idea. Please do invite the good Captain to go with us. There is plenty of room on the plane and, please do not even give a second thought to the added expense.”

“Well heck, Doug, that’s mighty kind. But, I don’t know if he has a passport or even if he wants to go, but he was popping off a minute ago about how he’d be packed and ready in an hour if he had a chance to go to England.”

“Please do ask him to go, Bodie, and I hope to see both of you tomorrow morning at the airport.”

Bodie got back inside just as a very pretty lady was setting his food down on the bar. “Who on earth was that?” Bodie said excitedly.

“Friend of Eloisa’s who’s staying with her and needed a job,” Red answered.

Just as Eloisa came by to refill their mugs, Bodie dropped the bomb.

“Uh, say Red, I just got off of the phone with Doug Sellers and he would like for you to go to England with us, all expenses paid and everything. Maybe you were just flapping your jaws earlier but this is the real deal and a once in a lifetime chance. Whattaya say?”

“I’m out of here,” Red exclaimed, draining his mug “I’ll be packed in an hour and I’ll just come to your house and stay the night. We can

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.

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Jimmy “JD� Spurlock took time away from chasing white perch and catfish on Sam Rayburn to target fall flounder fishing on Sabine.

STORY BY CHUCK UZZLE

T

he end of the calendar year is in sight and there are still plenty of things left to accomplish for most of us. Many businesses go into “slow down” mode as they wait for the New Year to provide a new budget and opportunities. On the contrary, anglers and hunters are far from slowing down as they stare directly into what many consider the best time of the year. Late-November and December offer some of the finest trophy potential for everything from big speckled trout to South Texas mega-whitetails.

Pursuing trophy fish and game animals takes some preparation and attention to detail to maximize success but sometimes there are just not enough hours in the day to do it right. In order to maximize your efforts at this time of the year you may need to prioritize your goals and then adjust accordingly. Whatever you decide to pursue it’s important to remember that a few things are non-negotiable and must be accounted for in order to achieve success.

Easily the most important factor to consider at this time of the year is the weather, specifically the temperature. Normal activities, such as fishing, present a completely new set of hazards when the temperatures drop compared to the much more comfortable summertime conditions. It goes without saying that several things change when the temperatures drop and Old Man Winter pays a visit. Simple acts like wading take more thought and precaution due to the potential for hypothermia as well as basic comfort. Just running across the bay can be an adventure as the tides are the lowest of the year during the winter months. Ultra-low tides expose plenty of obstructions that would otherwise present no problem to most boaters.

Hitting a submerged object or even running aground on a mystery sand bar or reef is nobody’s idea of a good time. Keep this in mind as we head for the home stretch of 2017.

Now, besides keeping up with the weather, it’s much more fun trying to keep up with all the fishing options this late season presents. Several options jump right off the page and few are as highly anticipated as the annual flounder run. Catching a limit of trout or redfish is fine but, when you start talking about table fare, very few Texas anglers will turn their nose up at the potential for a flounder supper. If you don’t think the fall flounder run is serious business, just go by and check out the major passes from the bays to the gulf and start counting anglers lined up shoulder to shoulder for a shot at these fish as they make their spawning run to the gulf. Bank anglers rejoice as their opportunities for success grow exponentially when the flounder exit the marsh and fill the passes, making them much easier to access.

The full moon during the first week of November will be like “last call” at the saloon for flatfish as they will head for the gulf in large numbers. Some of the biggest flounder of the year will be caught this month and that fact has not been lost on Texas Parks and Wildlife as TSFMAG.com | 25

26 | December 2017

Note broken spring If you haven’t been caused by blowout – here…it’s not a and my emergency good place! Periodic roadside maintenance inspection of tires technique that and trailer suspension allowed me to limp can help eliminate back home. roadside headaches.

Hunter Uzzle showing off a beautiful Sabine redfish – one of the many angling options of the late-fall season.

breaking a leaf spring on my boat trailer while on the way to the boat ramp. Nothing is worse than being broke down on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, especially when you have people waiting on you. After several hours of “primitive roadside maintenance” I managed to get my boat back home where I could really look at things. It was at that point when I found another spring in really bad shape and decided it was time for a full replacement of springs and tires on both axles.

The peace of mind gained from knowing all your gear is in top shape is priceless. My recommendation to all boaters is, don’t cheat the maintenance schedule. Putting it off to pull another trip or two has a way of haunting you at the worst possible time.

Enjoy your holidays at home and on the water.

Chuck Uzzle

Contact

they will enforce the “November Limit” of only two per day instead of the normal five.

During November, Texas anglers are also only allowed to take flounder by means of pole and line – gigging is prohibited. Be sure you pay attention to the November exceptions – violations can prove expensive!

Probably the most popular bait used on Sabine for catching flounder during the late-fall run is any member of the Berkley Gulp! family, especially the 3-inch and 4-inch Swimming Mullet, AKA Curly Tail. Popular colors are chartreuse and pearl. Stocking up before the run gets underway is advised as these things can get plum scarce in local shops once the bite gets rolling. Other popular offerings include small swim baits and, of course, live bait when you can get it.

Patrolling the shallow flats along the ship channel from the Causeway Bridge to the jetties will be about as complicated as it gets if you are in search of flounder.

Find one and you are likely to find several more. Patience is required. Probing an area thoroughly once you get a bite is essential and often pays big dividends.

If hustling flounder is not your priority, have no fear because other options can be just as rewarding. Many anglers wait all year for stronger cold fronts associated with the coming of winter to purge the marshes of shrimp, and kick redfish and trout schooling action into high gear. Very few things put a smile on my face like entering the open lake and seeing flock after flock of gulls working over schools of hungry specks and reds. Generally speaking, saltwater anglers rejoice on these days as the later in the year it gets the lighter the traffic is on the bays. Hunting, football, and holidays take precedence for many.

Standing on the bow and having your choice of multiple schools of fish without another boat in sight is the saltwater equivalent of winning the lottery. If you choose to chase these schooling fish, remember to be courteous of other anglers. Nobody wants to take something as enjoyable as fishing and ruin it with some unnecessary nonsense and stress that comes from horning in on another boat already working a school. Bay rage can be every bit as ugly as road rage. Treat your fellow angler the way you want to be treated and things usually end up working out just fine.

Now that we have established that there are a ton of patterns to choose from this time of year, it’s really hard to keep up with all of them and it’s probably a good idea to step back and consider a few things that we tend to overlook. The winter months provide both ends of the spectrum as far as weather goes, so on the days when it’s not safe to be on the water, take a good look at all your gear and assess things that need to be repaired or replaced.

I recently had the unfortunate experience of blowing a tire and

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

STORY BY JOE RICHARD

A A number of useful items in the boat: Drift sock, pushpole and sun protection clothing.

s the holidays approach at breakneck speed, I’ve been thinking about a few handy items in the boat that might make useful gifts for your favorite angler. I guarantee they’ll be used more often than the usual necktie or cufflinks gift.

The first item that comes to mind is a drift sock. We affectionately refer to ours as “the parachute.” I’ve had one for 10 years, but recently found ourselves using it much more frequently, making slow, controlled drifts where we suspected there might be fish. It gave us more time to sling artificial baits and really probe the depths, and many trout were landed as a result. One fish at boatside bolted away straight into the funnel some 10 feet away, which stopped him cold. Fortunately a hook didn’t get stuck in the fabric.

In August we had a match between parachute and wader. Both boats arrived on a sunrise flat at the same time, and the guy was hard-pressed to reach his spot, slogging along while I drifted quietly at the same speed not even 50 yards away. We both caught trout, then I pulled anchor and continue the drift, easing through a windy creek and out into a bigger bay. He was left to wade a long ways back.

I’ll expound on our parachute techniques in a future issue, but suffice it to say that in windy Texas weather, this odd contraption is a necessity. It can be tied amidships to a handy cleat, and the boat will drift exactly perpendicular to the wind, allowing everyone a shot at casting to unspoiled water downwind. Our version is a large cloth cone, about a yard wide at the mouth, towed from a short rope. When fully deployed it will jolt a big jonboat when the rope comes taut, and you have to brace yourself if standing. After that, it’s a nice controlled drift with time to try different lures before passing across the honey hole. Shell reefs aren’t so big these days, so a slow drift works best. The boat’s drift can be sped up by retrieving the sock.

In June we made a slow drift of a mile or more in the shallow backcountry while a northeast wind was cranking. Each time we neared a point of land, I poled around it and we kept on going for hours without using the motor. Pelting the area with topwater plugs, we picked off several reds, and eventually came up nice and easy on a school of 40 or so slot redfish that were too busy rooting and tailing to notice us. We eased the chainless anchor out and stopped just upwind of the school. Amy was so enthralled by the patch of copper-red water and waggling tails, she didn’t cast right away. I had time and should have taken photos, but instead my eager lure landed just beyond them. A few turns of the reel, a heavy boil and I was bowed up. The school bolted in every direction, unfortunately, and we lost track of them. Next time, we’ll try to time both retrieves at the right moment into the school for a double-header.

Another item that has been useful on nearly every trip is a push pole. I’ve covered this before, but a 12-foot push pole has so many uses on a boat, it deserves mentioning again. The last use unfortunately was when my motor blew a powerhead not far from town. We poled around and caught a few fish and then eased 80 yards over to the channel. The first boat passing by that morning (returning with fuel problems) offered a tow. It was the day before Hurricane Harvey and Matagorda Bay was freaky glass calm, only mullet ripples.

(In retrospect we should have kept going with the pole until noon at least, busting reds and trout that were hungry that day, before getting a tow). The other boat pulled up but drifted a little too far into the shallows while we rigged the tow-rope, and I had to throw the stranger my pushpole so he could get his boat off the flats. Then, it was a quick tow back to town. At the marina he seemed to admire the push pole and then returned it.

One never knows what the day will bring but a 12-foot wooden dowel is a worthy investment. My version is from a hardware store and I bolted on small blocks of wood at one end, and then coated with four or five coats of polyurethane. Since then it has reached out

and grabbed duck decoys, crab buoys, docks, Gulf and bay platforms, fended off jetty rocks, eased us over shallow oyster reefs, explored big flats, and gotten us out of tidal creeks when the tide was dropping fast. Saved several hats and a floating Croc shoe. The pole is mostly a saver on lower units, props and water pumps. It also makes an easy, homemade Christmas present. We don’t leave the dock without it.

Other ideas: You can do someone (including yourself ) a big favor at Christmas by buying protective sun gear. The only item that really blocks harmful rays is sun-proof clothing—we no longer trust sunscreen. (Though we use zinc oxide on days when we can’t entirely cover up). Long-sleeve shirts should be mandatory for regular fishermen. Button-down cotton with a collar is obviously cooler. If you’re slinging a castnet, wearing a tight-knit long sleeve without buttons will prevent mesh from snagging shirt buttons while in mid-throw. Aggravating, when a hundred finger mullet finally pass by at close range.

Buff-style facemasks (a generic term) became more common in Texas after 2009. Prior to that, I didn’t see a single one in Port O’Connor. Today they’re fairly prevalent. We favor the dark ones that seem to block more sun, versus the cooler white versions that are almost thin as an old tee-shirt. They’re not 100 percent sunproof, but smearing a little zinc oxide under the mask has been very effective when fishing for 12 hours. Fishing a few casual weekends with occasional light burns is one thing, but guides should be wearing these masks every day out there, if they’re determined to go the distance. Without sun protection, some skin doctor in the future may be carving on them like a…well, maybe not a Christmas turkey, but you get the idea.

Protective hats are even more important. I shun sketchy golf visors that allow sun and rain on top of the head; getting skin cancer up there is a big concern after a fishing buddy died from it. Covering the ears is another priority. When my kids were small and squirming under an application of sunscreen in the boat, I used to tell them that the oldtimers often have their ears notched like family hogs by skin doctors. After due reflection, they sat real still for an application.

Fishing gloves. After trying different brands for six years, I prefer those that have an extra leather (left) Miss Amy with a hefty trout caught during a slow drift. (top) A trout literally pulled out of a drift sock. (bottom) A slow drift can be accomplished without a drift sock, but how many days are this calm on the Texas coast?

Not many weekends, during some years.

30 | December 2017

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three-foot blacktip shark bite his bare hand, leaving three fingers barely attached. Doubtful that fishing gloves would have helped him, because blacktips have triangular cutting teeth.

If all this sounds like too much precaution, keep in mind that I’ve somehow made it to 65 and can still fish for two straight weeks out of Port O’Connor. I’ve seen what just one Saturday can do to the weekend crowd: most of them are slow-moving on Sunday mornings. Many of them launch late, if at all. They’ve had about 18 to 20 hours of fun the previous day under a cruel sun and often, plenty of wind. Not to mention a little Crown that night.

Anyway, this list may not be as glamorous as a new $300 spin reel, but these items should improve your catch-rate, fishing stamina and longevity.

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

pad sewn into the palm. They last longer when handling a lot of fish, and often deflect sharp teeth and hooks. Thin nylon gloves stretch, are cooler and completely protect from the sun, but may not deflect an injury. Although I have one pair with a line of little cuts where a Spanish mackerel bit but somehow never broke the skin, a lucky break. I’ve also had a plug come flying back at my face, hitting the double-glove right at the wrist over tendons. Easily removed. Regular use of these gloves should prevent hands like we see on the oldtimers, blotchy and pre-cancerous.

Long pants are another must for serious anglers. I sometimes wear shorts until mid-morning or so, and then pull doctor’s scrub pants over them. They’re light, roll up small for storage, and seem to be fully sun-proof. Most days I wear a pair of beige fishing pants with sturdier threads, which can help prevent injury as well as sunburn.

I’ve had a kingfish rear up on deck with a big trolling plug with heavy treble hooks, ripping my pants while 50 miles offshore. But the hooks never touched skin.

The same with shoes: I’ve had numerous hooks stuck in my shoes without penetrating. I’m fond of New Balance brand shoes with extra blue pad inserts that take the shock out of hitting a few thousand waves each day. Lord knows, offshore is no place to go barefoot—the late Capt. Howard Horton in Galveston was famous for fishing barefoot out there, and took some hard hits over the years. Once, a 30-pound mahi flopping on deck impaled a billfish-sized hook in his foot just below the shinbone. Howard danced around with that fish, hopping on one foot until they could quiet it down. Bolt cutters were used to remove the hook. On another trip at the jetties, he had a gaffed,

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T E X A S S A L T WA T E R F I S H I N G M A G A Z I N E

This is what we are calling a blowout.

J AY WAT K I N S

AS K T H E P RO

Harvey Changed Middle-Coast Bays I have been blessed with plenty of business the past couple of weeks and I want to thank all of you that have been so thoughtful and supportive. It is true that we have all suffered cancellations but this is to be expected in the wake of an event as destructive and disruptive to life and business as Harvey. We hope that everyone continues to find their way through the hardships and back on their feet soon.

I want to focus this month on the changes Hurricane Harvey’s 140-plus-mph wind and double-digit tidal surges created in middle-coast bays. Recently updated Google Earth images of the Aransas Bay Complex demonstrate much of this, but some of the changes are not as obvious. Boat anglers may not notice, but the changes to depth and bottom structure are quite significant to a guide that wades every day. So much so that I now spend a great deal of time explaining the structure layouts and warning of wading dangers – even to experienced clients who have fished with me for years.

I touched on some of these changes in my November article but since then the tides have risen due to Hurricane Nate, the fall equinox, and a stubborn easterly wind component.

These abnormally high tides began on October 20 and, save for the odd norther, continue to control what we do each day.

44 | December 2017

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Extending into to bay from the blowouts we find newly-formed sandbars. Talk about a fish magnet!

them off to who knows where. Nothing shows less fishing savvy than anchoring on top of them in the dark and wading all over them all morning when the day’s first solunar feeding period is hours away.

With all these changes in our bay systems come more ambush points for more predators. I am a big believer in the fact that apex predators will move up, out of deeper water, to feed along shallow shorelines when conditions are right. Adding more points of possible interaction can only lead to more opportunity. The blow-outs and sand bars will be red hot when tides fall, pulling large amounts of forage to waiting gamefish along the deeper edges. I know this is seeing the cup half full rather than half empty but, what kind of fun comes from a negative attitude?

I am almost hesitant to mention how good fishing is right now with so many still slugging their way through hurricane recovery. But it’s very good and will only get better as water temperatures drop.

On another note, Custom Corky Gold Series Fat Boys and Soft-Dine XL will be available at the Waterloo Pro Shop in Victoria and Johnny’s Sports Shop in Eagle Lake by mid-November. These baits are ordered in limited numbers so don’t wait. Gold has been the key to my dirty water fishing success the last three seasons and I attribute much of it to these lures. I will continue to use my trusty 5” Bass Assassins, MirrOlure 5” Provokers, and Lil John XLs, but there are days when Custom Corkys absolutely rule the water.

May your fishing always be catching! -Guide Jay Watkins

C ontact

Also, since the last article, I have been able to map a lot of shoreline changes and bottom configurations along outside beaches, spoils and barrier islands. We still have the parallel guts that prevailing winds create, but now there are two other bottom factors that have become players in my daily game plans – moguls and perpendicular sand bars.

It is evident from debris lines and much of the vegetation along barrier islands and spoil islands that water levels rose high enough to literally cover much of the land mass. As the water exited the land masses, it cut deep holes and blowouts (we are calling them) in the shorelines. Water receding through these blowouts deposited sediment on the bayside shorelines of the islands.

Over the past several weeks I have waded in and out of these blowout areas and over the newly-created moguls. At each blowout I am finding at least one new sandbar that extends out perpendicular, intersecting the normal parallel guts, with dangerously steep and deep drop-offs in some places. Extreme caution should be exercised when wading and learning these new bottom configurations!

We are also noting very significant depth changes around grassbeds – 10 to 12-inches and more. This may not sound like much but in 2- to 2½-feet of water it represents almost half the depth. This is huge to gamefish as they prefer to ambush their prey whenever possible. I have also recognized the new sandbars as structure that will attract and hold gamefish. This is especially true along windward shorelines.

Based on what I have seen so far, trout and reds both seem to be holding very predictably to these new structure types.

Prevailing water clarities this fall have been clean but not necessarily too clear, if that makes any sense. My personal preference though, would be a bit sandier. Typically, in my area, the water is trending toward gin-clear this time of year and only gets worse as the water temperature continues to cool. What is worse than gin-clear, well, how about air-clear. The difference is very slight but usually relates directly to the numbers of quality fish we catch in one versus the other.

So, with predominantly clear water, I believe shallow-feeding fish will utilize low-light or darkness to feed, and will begin to exit the shallow-clear water as the sun rises. Likewise, they will tend to hold better with slightly off-colored water conditions. Now, add to this scenario the newly-created blow-outs and deeper water lying directly adjacent to the shallows where they feed, and we have a formula that could possibly hold fish the entire day.

I strongly believe that if a preferred and reliable food source is present, as we currently have on these shorelines, the gamefish will not be too far away. You could almost say the lions are sleeping with the lambs.

I have also noticed that the smaller trout in an area seem to be early feeders no matter what the solunar table might say. The larger fish, however, are proving that knowing where to be at the right time is critical. Try whenever possible to avoid wading through the targeted area when the time is not right. Just entering in the wrong manner can booger it enough to cancel a normal feeding pattern and bump

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

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Pre-front southeast pumps up the tides. Reds follow forage right up into the grass and mangrove thickets

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

S H A L L O W W AT ER F IS H ING

Eyes Front!

It appears that fall has finally made its way to the Texas coast. Fashionably late, but still quite welcome. Every year we suffer through summer and then get all excited with that first little puff of north wind that tends to arrive sometime around the end of September. It doesn’t really change anything other than our attitudes. The promise of October is like the finish line to the marathon…usually.

As with most of the rest of 2017, October wasn’t even close to normal. It was hot, windy and held some of the craziest high tides I can recall. The water sprawled into boat ramp parking lots at high tide as it would be with a storm in the gulf. I spent my days poling across places that would normally be dry, trying to find the widely scattered redfish. The reds just laughed as they fed way back in the flooded mangroves, completely safe from even the best cast. My favorite month of the year was pretty much a bust right up until it was about time to flip the calendar.

With the clock running out, the sweet northwest wind came howling and pulled the plug. The bays drained, the bait was pulled from the bushes, and the reds followed. As I write this it is now the first week of November and reports up and down the coast indicate that fall fishing arrived with a fury. The flats are alive with schools of feeding trout and redfish and flounder are on the move. And the Astros won the World Series.

48 | December 2017

All is right in my world.

My plan is to take full advantage of the bounty while squeezing in some time in the deer blind. I might tear myself away from the flats for a trip or two to the beachfront for one last jack on the fly before they head to warmer waters. And don’t be surprised if you see some pictures of a few red snapper show up on my Facebook page. State water snapper often get forgotten this time of year, but they’re out there if you can catch a little weather window.

There’s so much to do, I think I’m going to ask Mother Nature for another month. A fall-like December would be awesome. Just enough cold front action to cool the water and keep the tides low. Clear water, low tides and calm winds make the life of a sight-casting redfish guide much easier. Given what we’ve been through the last couple months I don’t think that’s too much to ask for.

However, given the fact I rarely draw into a straight flush, I suspect December will be a typical mix of prefrontal southeast with rising water levels, strong fronts pushing the water back out, followed by a few days of calm and clear. Might even throw in a couple stalled fronts that linger with muggy overcast conditions. So what is a sight-casting guy supposed to do in December?

My best advice is to be flexible, watch the weather, and be ready to roll out when the window presents.

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©2017 EAGLE CLAW FISHING TACKLE | DENVER, COLORADO | EAGLECLAW.COM TSFMAG.com | 49

50 | December 2017

Skies clear and atmospheric pressure rises as fronts push through.

Strong frontal winds push tides out, setting stage for “drain days.”

Dead-low post-front water levels…OMG!

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Yeah, I know, a bunch of you just read that and rolled your eyes because all you have is Saturday and Sunday each week.

I get that to an extent. My trips are generally booked a month or more in advance. That means I’m fishing no matter what the weather is. If it’s safe to go my customers want to fish and I have to deal with the hand that’s dealt. So, let’s take a look at the options.

Prefrontal conditions usually mean overcast with southeast winds and rising water levels. We all know the fish will be feeding, but in this game, it comes down to being able to see those fish for a targeted cast. I’ll get out there and hope they’re tailing. Hey, it happens…occasionally.

Absent tailing fish there should be some good schools that will give themselves away with feeding activity. Wakes, shoreline crashes, swirling feeds, etc. On low visibility days, anything that looks suspicious deserves a cast. You might be casting at mullet, but it doesn’t cost anything to give it a shot.

Reds love to get shallow so I’ll push into some newly flooded areas hoping to see a few with their backs out. A good day of “backing” redfish beats tails in my book.

Once the rain and/or thunderstorms push through with the front line, the wind will kick in. Fronts vary greatly in strength and direction with each one causing different scenarios on the flats and in the marsh. A northeast won’t do much to drop the water levels and might even continue pushing them higher, depending on how much east is in it. These are the worst fronts for me. I’ll be looking for basically the same thing as prefrontal, but with more wind and less feeding. I’m not a fan.

A straight up north wind will at least stall the rise in water and perhaps drop it some, depending on how the timing syncs up with the tide schedule. If the wind stalls an incoming tide we’re pretty much back to just looking for the signs of fish. If the timing hits on a falling tide it has the chance of being pretty good. The falling water should pull some bait out of the flooded grass to the edges and kick off a feed that’ll give you some targets.

Now give me a strong northwest or a west-northwest and I’ll drop whatever I’m doing to get out there – whether I have a trip or not. Some of my most epic days of shallow water redfishing has occurred when most folks won’t even bother hooking up the trailer. When the water is falling hard and sucking everything from the backwaters, the reds will take full advantage. I’ll be prowling the drains looking, or even listening, for feeding schools. Drain days are awesome.

Post-front days are hit and miss. Again, it depends on the kind of front. If it was a really good drain-day feed, the following day tends to be pretty slow. They’re as fat and happy as you are after Thanksgiving. It’ll take a couple days for them to start eating again. A weaker feed on a less desirable front will tend to be more of an average day immediately following.

Regardless of the type of front, clear skies and light winds can be really good for sight-casting until the southeast cranks up ahead of the next round. The lower the water, the better.

As for those nasty rain-filled stalled out fronts that linger for days, they’re best for tying flies and tending to long-neglected gear maintenance. Or perhaps sitting in the deer stand.

Merry Christmas!

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

Science and the

Sea

TM

Clownfish Need Healthy Anemones Nemo may have been interested in exploring the great big ocean, but his dad Marlin’s attachment to their anemone is the norm for real clownfish.

Sea anemones protect clownfish—and the eggs clownfish lay at the anemone’s base—against predators. But scientists recently learned that an anemone can only protect clownfish if the anemone itself remains healthy. When higher water temperatures stress anemones, clownfish fertility suffers.

The golden color of the anemones is due to the algae present inside their tentacles. During high temperature episodes, the algae are expelled, which causes bleaching. Credit: Suzanne C. Mills Researchers studied 13 pairs of clownfish and their home anemones every other day for 14 months, from October 2015 to the end of 2016.

During that time, the combination of an El Niño event and changes in the climate warmed the Pacific Ocean by about two degrees Celcius above 2007-2015 temperatures in the area studied.

Like corals, anemones host algae whose photosynthesis provides the anemone with oxygen and sugar. Also like corals, anemones expel the algae when stressed by higher temperatures. Losing the algae turns the anemones white, just like bleached coral. Clownfish suffer from the algae loss too. Clownfish associated with bleached anemones laid fewer eggs each month than clownfish at healthy anemones, and 73% fewer eggs survived near bleached anemones. The researchers also took blood samples from the clownfish associated with bleached anemones and found higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol but lower levels of sex hormones.

Three to four months after the warming, both the anemones and clownfish were healthy again, but scientists don’t know if the experience weakened both animals’ ability to survive another warming episode, or whether they would have survived a longer or more intense warm spell.

For Nemo and his friends to raise their own healthy families one day, scientists will need to learn more about anemone bleaching and its effects on clownfish fertility.

www.ScienceAndTheSea.org © The University of Texas Marine Science Institute

TSFMAG.com | 51

By Zack Thomas

F IE L D NO T ES

Texas Abandoned Crab Trap

Removal Program

Lost fishing gear including fishing line, nets, and various types of traps represents 10% of marine debris littering the bottoms of our coastal estuaries and bay systems.

While there will always be some fishing gear that is inevitably lost in any fishery, an effective clean-up program should include a systematic process to locate and regularly remove lost fishing gear as efficiently as possible. Across the country, there are a variety of programs involving both the private and public sectors, commercial and recreational fishermen, designed to locate and remove lost fishing gear on an annual basis.

Some of these programs include the systematic removal of stray crab pots by fishermen after commercial season closures; programs led by fishermen’s associations to remove lost fishing gear; and even a lost net reporting system resulting in the immediate response and retrieval of lost gillnets.

In Texas, abandoned, lost, or derelict crab traps have been identified as a significant source of mortality for a variety of recreationally important fish species and for a few select species of greatest conservation need such as the Texas diamondback terrapin. These lost traps also have negative impacts on habitat, create navigation hazards, and become a source of visual pollution. To help combat this problem. The Texas Abandoned Crab Trap Removal 52 | December 2017

Program was created in 2001 with the passing of Senate Bill 1410 during the 77th Texas Legislative session giving the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) authority to create a community-based program to systematically remove abandoned, lost, or derelict crab traps during a 10-day crabbing season closure. Prior to the passage of the Bill, the removal of derelict crab crabs was delegated to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) game wardens who had the only authority to remove traps from the public waters of Texas. These efforts were very labor intensive, time consuming, and costly. Thus, the extent of these issues were brought to the attention of state legislators, which ultimately led to the passing of the Bill.

Provisions in the Bill gave TPWD the authority to establish a temporary closure of both the recreational and commercial crab fishery each year, and stated that abandoned crab traps would be considered “litter” under state health and safety regulations and anyone from the public could pick them up and dispose of them during the seasonal closure. These provisions provided the opportunity to use volunteers in a statewide campaign to remove abandoned crab traps.

Consequently, in February 2002, TPWD facilitated the first ever Abandoned Crab Trap Removal Program event in which over 8,070 crab traps were removed from Texas’ coastal waters by 543

volunteers using 223 vessels.

Since that time, each February for more than fifteen years, countless numbers of volunteers have spent time on the water searching the bays for abandoned crab traps that have been left to foul shrimpers’ nets, snag anglers’ lines, “ghost fish,” and create unpleasant views.

To date, 3,198 volunteers have removed nearly 34,000 crab traps using 1,080 vessels. Undoubtedly the Texas crab trap removal program has protected and conserved countless crabs, finfish, and marine reptiles that may have otherwise perished in a lost or abandoned trap.

During the annual 10-day period beginning on the third Friday in February each year, coastal waters are closed to crabbing with wire mesh crab traps. As mentioned previously, any traps left in bays are assumed abandoned and considered “litter” under state law allowing anyone to legally remove any and all crab traps they happen to find. To facilitate trap removal efforts each year, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and our partners provide 20 trap drop-off sites at locations in each major bay system along the coast. Additionally, at all sites, dumpsters or collection areas marked with banners remain available to receive traps for the duration of the closure each year.

TPWD also supplies tarps for vessels, gloves, crab trap hooks, and other items to volunteers. The comradery and friendly competition

amongst community volunteers has been instrumental in the success and growth of the program.

Also, vital to the success and sustainability of the program, are the valued partnerships with Coastal Conservation Association Texas, Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program, Galveston Bay Foundation, San Antonio Bay Foundation, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service who have continued to provide support to the crab trap removal program.

Numerous other organizations and companies have also volunteered their services throughout the years.

This year’s cleanup (2018) is February 17th through the 26th. The big cleanup “push” will be Saturday, February 18th. To volunteer for this year’s program, be sure to visit the TPWD website (www.tpwd. texas.gov) for additional information, including drop-off sites, early next year. In the meantime, visit the Abandoned Crab Trap Removal page on the TPWD website at tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/water/ conservation/Crab_trap/Crab_trap.phtml for more information.

Please help us remove abandoned, lost or derelict crab traps from our coastal bays. Come out and make a difference!

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

TSFMAG.com | 53

S C O T T S O M M E R L AT T E

F LY F I SH I NG

It’s been a tough year I never thought I would experience a year as crappy as 2001. I lost my father that summer, then 9/11, and on November 7 I buried my chocolate lab, Major, by the light of a full moon.

Laying Major to rest, I locked myself in my fishing cabin and remained for nearly a week, in misery. Then one day our illustrious editor E.J. and a mutual friend, Raymond “Kutch” Albrecht, literally broke in and Kutch grabbed me by the ear like my grandfather used to and dragged me out of bed. E.J. looked me square in the eye and said, “Get your ass out of bed; we’re going fishing.”

The fishing was memorable, E.J. caught a 7-pound flounder, and just what I needed. It did not make me forget my heartache but it brought me back into the world.

As you all know, one of 54 | December 2017

the “social contracts” we agree to when we accept an invitation to go fishing with a friend is to engage in conversation. Actually, I was told to listen, and received a lectured on how I needed to get another dog.

The lecture continued until January 4, 2002. After

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months of listening to him and other friends, I finally contacted longtime friend and breeder, Linda Palmer Weld, owner of Pecan Acre Kennels (Classic Labs). In July I picked up a little ball of gold and white love who instantly pulled me out of a deep, dark place.

To be honest, without Major, I had lost interest in hunting, and was just hoping for a great companion and fishing buddy. I ended up with a spectacular companion and a damn fine retriever. As for the fishing buddy, that came later. In the early days all he wanted to do was to retrieve the fish or chase the tails.

Classic Tequila Sunrise, AKA-Sonny, eventually ended up turning into a great fishing buddy in his later years, after he realized that jumping out of the skiff was hard on his old bones. However, his finest qualities as a fly-fishing guide’s dog were not out on the water standing point on the bow of the skiff.

Sonny always made sure I was up at 4:45 a.m. and was good at keeping my bare feet warm, laying on them through long wintertime fly-tying sessions. He was also a really great drinking buddy. He never complained when I had a little too much.

In addition, he was the best co-pilot ever for long drives to and from Louisiana and Florida. Oh, the stories I could tell….

Probably one of the funniest Sonny stories is the day he learned to use a credit card. You see, I had driven into Houston to make the rounds of the fly shops and load up on supplies. We stopped by the old Orvis shop to visit my dear friend, Marcos Enriques. Well back in the day (and I assume it’s still the same) dogs were welcome in the Orvis stores. Anyway, Marcos asked if I would join him for lunch.

I was concerned about leaving Sonny in the truck and he said we could just let him help man the store while we were gone. He had some good folks working for him and I thought, “What the hell.”

About an hour later we returned to find all (and I mean all) the stuffed dog toys they had on display strewn about the store.

We laughed so hard that one or both of us spotted our britches a little. I spent another hour trying to clean Sonny slobber off as many toys as possible but some were beyond saving. We went home with at least a half-dozen toys, and this is where Sonny learned to use a credit card. One of them, a stuffed mallard duck, is still in his toy basket today.

Anyway, like I said, I never thought a year could suck more than 2001. I was wrong.

This year, I saw the loss of Sonny Bear’s first home when the fish camp cratered during Harvey, and Irma took his last home when my place in Florida was destroyed.

To top it all off, I had to say goodbye to Sonny on October 12, 2017. The Good Lord blessed me with a perfect friendship that lasted 15-plus years and, for that, I am grateful, but…

I could go on for pages about my Sonny Bear but that is for another place and time and, since they say a picture is worth a thousand words, I’ll share as many as space will allow.

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 | 55

DAV E R O B E R T S

K AYA K F I SH I NG C HRON I C L ES

Trip of a Lifetime The majority of my greatest fishing adventures have occurred when I really didn’t plan anything other than simply going. A few basic bullet points – when I could leave when I had to be back. Half the fun has been figuring it out as I go with no planned itinerary. Relax, learn new water and, Lord willing, catch a few fish!

As I said in my last article, I traveled to South Florida for 10 days recently and was not really sure what to expect.

Snooktopia was the second half of my trip but before I even made it there, my trip had already been monumental.

When I left Texas, the only planned events on my agenda were stopping for a crawfish pistolette in Louisiana, camping on Chokoloskee Island for five days, a guided kayak charter at Pompano Beach, and then Snooktopia. Everything in between would be played by

56 | December 2017

ear. The trip to Chokoloskee took just under 24 hours to cover the 1151 miles. Arriving to my campsite, I eagerly got my tent up and hit the water.

Due to the uncertainties of my trip, I packed every piece of fishing equipment I owned. Thankful that I did, I used every piece at least once. My skiff was loaded with every rod and reel in my possession and my Cuda 14’ was strapped on the side. My first day on the water was spent weaving in and out of endless miles of mangroves. How native Americans and early settlers could navigate the area baffled me – thank God for GPS! I assumed the fish would be stacked in the back ponds of the mangrove jungle but I never could find any. As the water level receded with the falling tide I was able to see oyster reefs, which I marked on my GPS so that I could return when the tide returned and covered them. Like a switch being flipped, the rush of the incoming tide made a huge difference. I caught several solid reds and some really nice trout – but no snook. Through two snookless days I learned two important things; the fish fed when the tide was moving and sweet spots could be found along points of the oyster bars.

My last day came and I was determined to do whatever it took to catch a snook. The sky was overcast so, naturally, I felt comfortable with a bone-colored Spook Jr. By 0800 I had landed several each, trout and redfish, and hooked one small snook that shook off before I could get it in the boat. And it started to rain.

With unwavering determination, I continued fishing despite the almost constant showers.

I eventually decided to make a move to other reefs I had marked in the days prior. And, as though on cue, my first snook came as soon as the tide started moving.

A quick photo and release later, I proceeded to land another dozen. As quickly as it had begun, the current faded and it was over.

My first visit to the Everglades was nothing short of incredible. I spent five days fishing the waterways of a pristine mangrove forest and checked-off a bucket list species that I found on my own. I weathered a tropical storm, ran into a guy from my hometown who knew everyone I grew up with, and learned a lot about the ecosystem of the Everglades. Chokoloskee Island should be on every angler’s wish list.

Wednesday morning found me up at 0300, headed across Florida to the Atlantic side, for a day offshore with Brian Nelli of Pushin’ Water Kayak Charters. I met him at daylight at the launch, delighted to see the Atlantic as smooth as glass. We paddled out about a mile and met the

I passed my camera over to him and continued peddling and cranking. I was in awe of her beauty as she came to the surface and totally overwhelmed that I was about to land a sailfish from a kayak.

She made a few good jumps beside the kayak and as she tired I was able to grab the bill. I quickly removed the hook, posed for several hurried photos, and began the process of reviving her. A few minutes later, feeling her strength returning, I pushed her away and watched as she faded back into the depths of the ocean. Brian and I exchanged a few high fives, recollected the past 20 minutes, and decided to call it a day. Without a doubt, one of the most memorable experiences that I have ever encountered on the water.

All of this took place before I even made it to Snooktopia. Between the Everglades, the kingfish and sailfish, and giant snook I wrote about last month, I felt that my trip to South Florida was honestly a trip of a lifetime. I may never be able to duplicate the success of that trip and I am still astonished that it went half as well as it did – given that I had pretty much winged nearly everything between leaving Texas and returning. I will definitely be going back next year. South Florida is a beautiful place and full of incredible angling opportunity.

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bait boat for a supply of live goggle-eyes for trolling bait.

Rigging baits, it did not take long before Brian’s reel was screaming.

He no sooner grabbed the rod and mine was screaming. We were off to a great start with a king mackerel double hookup. We continued to troll in water that was 120- to 160-feet deep and picked up several more kings through the morning. About an hour or so before noon, Brian decided to take me closer to shore to troll the last three of our baits. He thought we might get a shot at tarpon as he’d been seeing and jumping a few recently – landing them, though, had been a different story.

As we were heading in, maybe a half mile from shore, our conversation came to a halt as Brian shouted, “Sail!” Clear as day, a sailfish swam between our kayaks. He instructed to me to just keep peddling straight ahead and let her swim back to the baits we were trolling. A few minutes passed and he picked up his rod saying that he could feel the goggle-eye getting nervous. He flipped the bail open, waited a second, and made a motion to let me know the fish was about to eat. Sure enough, he told me to get over there quickly and I hastily made my way to him.

As soon as I was within arm’s length he flipped the bail down and handed me the rod. The fight was on immediately! I hung onto the rod with all my strength and looked up to see a huge sailfish tail-walking, completely out of the water, and showing no sign of slowing down.

She ran off every bit of 200 yards of line and made several impressive jumps. I knew after the fourth jump that she was hooked solidly and it would be only a matter of getting her alongside the kayak. Brian coached me to keep pressure on the rod and peddle towards her. “Do not stop,” he said, “until you have her alongside.”

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 | 57

Healthy marsh means healthy ecosystem.

Story by John Blaha | Photos Lisa Laskowski

TS F M a g C o n s e r v a t i o n N e w s

CCA Texas 2017 in Review 2017 has been a year of success and also challenges for the Texas coast and CCA Texas members. On the fundraising front, many questions arose as the year began, headlined with a new US president taking office, many new faces in the Texas legislature, and concerns about the economy and how the setting of the political stage might affect it all.

The first few banquets set the tone for the year. Some were up, some were down, and some records were set. Through it all, the strength of the organization remained at its core – the local volunteers, donors and membership. Corpus Christi set the trend for our larger banquets. The chapter had 2,000 people in attendance and was very strong financially.

This was followed by other big chapters and the small and medium chapters doing well also. As this article is written, CCA Texas has one more event remaining and, as the books close on 2017 it will go into the record as another successful year for the volunteers and CCA Texas, in general.

Advocacy CCA Texas and CCA National were extremely busy on the advocacy front. Red Snapper was at the forefront as always 58 | December 2017

on the national level, and after a ridiculous 3-day season was announced, the fight only strengthened and with the help of lawmakers all along the Gulf coast, the season was extended by re-opening on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from June 16 to Labor Day. More battles lie ahead for 2018 and beyond, but the overall importance of the recreational fishing industry is finally perhaps being recognized.

CCA National has also been hard at work alongside the Center for Sportfishing Policy in pushing for the passage of the Modern Fish Act. Passage of the Modern Fish Act would be a great win for our nation’s natural resources and for the millions of Americans who enjoy recreational fishing – and the thousands of businesses they support. It’s important for the passage of this act that brings an updated fisheries management policy to the nation’s fisheries.

The Texas oyster fishery dominated CCA Texas’s advocacy efforts in 2017.

With huge support from Representative Dennis Bonnen, Representative Ryan Guillen, and Senator Juan Hinojosa, HB 51 made its way through the house and senate to make Healthy fishery transformative changes to the means healthy fish. oyster fishery and will go a long

way in the recovery of public oyster reefs. These changes will force players in the oyster industry to either abide by the regulations or get out of the fishery.

Perhaps most importantly, returning 30% of the shell back into the water will have monumental impact as our bays are currently experiencing a scarcity of hard substrate for oyster larvae to set upon. After the passage of HB 51, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission then stepped forward to further cement the changes of HB 51 to set into motion the important steps necessary to protect the oyster fishery and ecosystem for future generations.

Saturday and Sunday are now closed to oyster fishing; the daily sack limit has been reduced from 40 sacks to 30; reduction in the number of undersize oysters in a sack from 15% to 5%; Closure to all oyster harvest in Christmas Bay, Carancahua Bay, Powderhorn Lake, Hynes Bay, St. Charles Bay and South Bay; and the creation of a “shoreline buffer” to prohibit the harvest of oysters 300 feet from the water’s edge or vegetation line.

Passing of HB51 and new management adopted by TPWD Commission will help provide necessary steps to help the oyster fishery.

Habitat CCA Texas’s Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow (HTFT) and CCA National’s Building Conservation Trust (BCT) continue CCA and BCT remain committed to to work with Texas Parks and Wildlife, Galveston Bay creating a healthy nearshore fishery by Foundation, Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program, San working with the TPWD reefing program.

Antonio Bay Foundation, Texas A&M and Harte Research Institute, Friends of Rio Grande Valley Reef, and others to Good science makes for good fisheries management restore and create new coastal habitat up and down the and habitat creation/restoration decisions.

Texas coast. Since the creation of HTFT in 2009, CCA Texas has contributed over $6.2 million dollars to Texas habitat restoration and creation.

In February 2017, HTFT and BCT partnered to provide $530,000 for six habitat projects which equated to $4.28 million in habitat along the Texas coast. These projects included: Egery Island Marsh Restoration in Copano Bay - $70,000; RGV Reef Nearshore Reefing - $55,000 ($255,000 total commitment); Moses Lake Shoreline Protection/ Marsh Creation - $150,000; HRI Oyster Restoration Site Location and Identification Mapping Study - $150,000; HRI Nearshore Reef Enhancement Study - $50,000 ($250,000 episodes that provided great amounts of information. These total commitment); and Bird Island Cove Marsh Restoration - $85,000 conversations are with local fishermen and conservationists, guides, ($138,000 total commitment). biologists and the general public. These are all great episodes Through the efforts of BCT, $2.3 million from RESTORE Bucket 1 that can be found at www.ccatexas.org/bog, on SoundCloud, funds will be headed to Texas for the Texas Reefing Initiative. These Stitcher, and iTunes. When searching, search for Coastal Advocacy dollars will help provide critical habitat for nearshore species in Texas’s Adventures or CCA – Coastal Advocacy Adventures. These are coastal waters. These areas will offer close and easy-to-reach fishing enjoyable and well worth your time to listen to. grounds for recreational fishermen from across the state. The CCA In closing, CCA Texas’s strength continues to be and will always Texas and BCT partnership is a natural one that will have lasting effects be its volunteer base and members. These along with sponsors, on the health of the Texas coast for generations to come. donors and other supporters help drive the successful efforts of the organization. CCA Texas and National along with BCT are grateful for Communications CCA Texas and CCA National continue to grow their communications all the support they have received. We look forward to working in the future to ensure that our coastal resources are here for present and efforts. The staff from both have garnered many awards annually for future generations. their articles in Tide, Currents, and other publications. When Shane From the staff at CCA, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We Bonnot was hired as CCA Texas’s Advocacy Director in September hope everyone will have the time to enjoy the great Texas outdoors 2016, one of his goals was to create a CCA Texas Blog and PodCast. whether you are on the water or in the field.

To date, there are numerous blogs, and twenty-one podcast TSFMAG.com | 59

STEPHANIE BOYD

F I SHY F A C TS

Black Drum The black drum, Pogonias cromis, is a chunky, high-backed fish of the croaker family. The undersides of adults are white, but coloration of the backs and sides can vary depending on habitat or age. In Gulf waters, black drum are frequently light gray or silver with a brassy sheen.

Those inhabiting bays and lagoons tend to be darker, typically with dark gray or bronze dorsal surfaces and gray sides. Some are even jet black. Juvenile fish up to about fifteen pounds have four or five dark vertical bars on their sides and are often mistaken for sheepshead. The bars disappear with age. Small black drum, under a pound in weight, are sometimes referred to as butterfly drum; those less than eight pounds are called puppy drum; and large adults over thirty pounds are known as bull drum, though these large specimens can be either male or female. The largest black drum on record weighed 146 pounds, though they are more commonly encountered around thirty or forty pounds. The Texas record, listed on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department State Records website, is 36.63 pounds (2009). However, other sources list it from 78 pounds to 81 pounds. Regardless, there are some sizable black drum in Texas waters. All sizes can be identified by the whisker-like barbels under the lower jaw, which give them their genus name, Pogonias, meaning Big daddy black drum caught and released in Matagorda by Austin Renaud.

60 | December 2017

“bearded.” As a member of the croaker family, the black drum is related to Atlantic croaker, red drum, and spotted seatrout. A characteristic of this family of fish is the ability to produce croaking or drumming sounds with the swim bladder, resulting in both the common names of drum and croaker, and also the black drum species name, cromis, meaning “to croak.” This ability is most developed in the black drum, and passing schools can sometimes be heard from boats or even waterfront homes.

The black drum ranges along the Atlantic coast from New York south through Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to Argentina. They are especially abundant in Florida and along the Gulf coast to Texas. In Texas, the area of greatest abundance is from Corpus Christi to Brownsville.

This species can adapt to a wide range of habitats, from the clearest water of sand flats to the muddiest waters of a flooding slough. They can live in water so shallow their backs are exposed, and in Gulf waters more than 100 feet deep. Though commonly found over oyster reefs, shell hash, and sand/mud bottoms in high runoff areas, they can also survive in waters twice as salty as the Gulf.

When food is plentiful and water conditions acceptable, movements are small, but long migrations in search of food and more desirable habitats have been recorded.

Sudden temperature drops in the winter can cause them to migrate to deeper waters. Movements toward freshwater flow are also notable. Though tagging studies have recorded migrations of 245 miles in less than a year, most distances covered were less than 10 miles. Tagged black drum in Texas generally move less than 5 miles from where they are tagged.

Black drum are primarily bottom feeders, using their sensitive chin barbels and electroreceptors to detect prey buried in the substrate. As adults, their diet consists primarily of mollusks and crustaceans, such as clams, oysters, crabs, and shrimp. Some greens are also included.

Black drum have no canine teeth like the spotted seatrout, but they do have highly developed pharyngeal teeth (in the pharynx, or throat) used for crushing the hard shells of their prey. They likely compete with other drums, especially the red drum, for benthic food resources, but their large, strong pharyngeal teeth probably give them an edge in the competition for mollusks. Feeding black drums swim in a head-down position, called tailing.

Some feed in this vertical position in waters so shallow, their tails stick out of the water. When a drum’s barbels drift over a food item, the drum stops swimming and inhales the unlucky creature. This creates small craters in

the bottom, called “drum noodles.” Experienced anglers can track the recent passage of a drum school by the presence of many noodles.

After crushing the prey’s shell, the drum spits out the larger shell bits from its mouth, the smaller having already fallen out through the gills during the crushing and eating. On average, black drum can eat one oyster per pound of body weight per day. Larval black drum subsist primarily on zooplankton. Young drums less than eight inches feed mostly on maritime worms, small crustaceans, and small fish. After eight inches, they switch to the adult diet. Large black drum have very few predators, mainly sharks. However, young drum are targeted by seatrouts, jack, and a variety of other large fish.

Black drum are a prolific species that form large schools before the beginning of the spawning season. Offshore, often 20,000 to 60,000 pounds of drum will be in a single school, frequently mixed with cownose rays, and occasionally jack crevalle and red drum. Courtship is accompanied by fervent drumming. Special muscles, called sonic muscle fibers, run horizontally along both sides of the drum’s body and are connected to a central tendon that surrounds the swim bladder. When the sonic muscle fibers are contracted against the swim bladder, the amorous namesake croaks are produced. Black drum will spawn in the bay, Gulf, or connecting passes, in depths between 10 and 165 feet. Spawning periods are dependent upon geographic location. Sites are closely tied to the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water, the more oxygen the better. In Texas, most spawning occurs from February through March, with some residual attempts continuing into June and July. Peaks seem to occur at new and full moon phases in the early evening, one to two hours after sunset. Black drum are multiple spawners, capable of spawning every three days. It is estimated that an average-sized female of around thirteen pounds can produce 32 million eggs per year.

Eggs hatch within 24 hours, and larval drum are carried into estuaries on the tides where they settle into seagrass beds to grow.

Older larvae cluster in the nutrient-rich, somewhat muddy, waters of tidal creeks and channels. After a few weeks, the young look like small adults. Small juvenile black drum occur over a wide variety of temperatures and salinities, but most are often collected in low to moderate salinities over mud bottoms. Based on length-frequency analyses and tagging data, growth rates in Texas indicate that juvenile drums reach six inches in their first year, twelve inches in their second, and sixteen in their third. After that, they only grow about two inches per year. There doesn’t seem to be any difference in growth rates between the sexes. Depending on the location, black drum reach sexual maturity between 12 to 27 inches, anywhere from two to six years old, males maturing at a somewhat smaller size and younger age than females. They are a long-lived species, reaching over forty years on the Gulf coast and almost sixty on the Atlantic coast.

Some compare landing a large black drum to raising a sunken log, but for many people, black drum represent the best chance to land a 30- to 40-pound fish. Recreational landings are significantly larger than commercial landings in all states within this drum’s range. Fishing for this species can be enjoyed by anyone at almost any time. It doesn’t take expensive tackle or boats, or even much experience. However, if you don’t want to catch your own, or keep catching hardheads instead, drum meat can be purchased in stores and fish markets for about half the cost of “choice” fish. Black drum less than five pounds, cleaned and prepared properly, can rival the more glamorous flounder, red drum, and snapper. Drum over five pounds tend to have

coarse flesh, and the larger the fish, the coarser the flesh. Those are good candidates for catch and release. Larger drum also tend to have infestations of a larval tapeworm in their flesh, colloquially referred to as “spaghetti worms.” They are actually a parasitic tapeworm of sharks, using the drum as an intermediate host. While unappetizing, they are harmless to humans, even if eaten raw (though I wouldn’t recommend it unless you have a Klingon’s stomach).

Though their population trend is decreasing, the black drum is not considered overfished and is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Prior to 1988 – when size and bag limits, as well as a seine net ban, were implemented – fishing pressure on the black drum was becoming a potential problem for the fish. Luckily (for the black drum), the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission had witnessed what purse seines could do to red drum, wiping out numerous year classes of breeders, and had learned how to prevent the same from happening to black drum. Only Texas, Louisiana, and Florida have enacted black drum bag and size limits, but even this small amount of protection has made a difference, though it hasn’t stopped the decline of oversized drum everywhere. Black drum are a fairly data-poor species. State surveys and fisheries have highly variable numbers of encounters, and limited size composition data makes age-structured models unreliable. Assessments estimate reference points based on historical catch data and life history information. As such, regulations probably won’t become looser in the near future.

Where I learned about black drum, and you can too!

TPWD tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/blackdrum/ tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/action/staterecords.php?env=FW&age_ group=all&list=0 Louisiana Fisheries www.seagrantfish.lsu.edu/biological/drum/blackdrum.htm FishBase www.fishbase.se/summary/425 Smithsonian Marine Station www.sms.si.edu/IRLSpec/Pogoni_cromis.htm Ocean Conservation Research ocr.org/sounds/black-drum/ IUCN Red List www.iucnredlist.org/details/193269/0 Chesapeake Bay Program www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/field-guide/entry/black_drum Atlantic City Aquarium www.acaquarium.com/animals/black-drum/ Coastal Current www.valleymorningstar.com/coastal_current/outdoors/article_7ecf031c-b8b511e6-9540-4778a9245abf.html The Marine Scene Plus! flseagrant.ifas.ufl.edu/newsletter/2016/07/black-drum/ Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_drum TSFMAG.com | 61

CURTISS CASH

I NSHORE | NEARSHORE | J ETT I ES | PASSES

Murphy’s Law And Generally Bad Luck Once the winter season sets in I have lots of time on my hands. I still fish, but not as often or as seriously as during warmer months. Don’t get me wrong, the fishing is still great, but I’m just not as motivated. Reflection of the previous warmer months and planning for the ones ahead receives much of my attention.

Each successful fishing trip on a boat depends on a series of checks and measures. Day in and day out there are many things that can go wrong on the water. Safety is always paramount and reducing the opportunity for failure or accident is of the utmost importance.

Murphy’s Law or genuinely bad luck can prevail and preparation may ease some of the disappointment and discomfort. Minor equipment failures can often be repaired with minimal tools and spare parts carried onboard. Most failures involve fuel delivery, electrical connections or failed mechanical connections - nuts or bolts, and the like. Simple on the water repairs can salvage the day and help keep you out of harm’s way.

Here is a list of tools and spare parts that I normally carry for minor emergency repairs: propeller with appropriate wrench, nut, spacer and two cotter keys.

Bilge pump replacement cartridge, drain plugs, spin-on fuel filter and wrench, spare kill switch key, 3/8” brass fuel line barb splice, wire ties, wire nuts, electrical tape, screw drivers, slip-joint pliers, 10 & 12 mm wrenches, lineman’s pliers, 8” adjustable wrench, long nosed Vice-Grip pliers, leather gloves and jumper cables.

That’s quite a list some may say, but it has been born of necessity. I’ve either used all the above or needed them a time or two in the past 30-plus years of boat operation.

FUEL FILTER CHANGE The fuel filter and wrench are a given, everyone should have these onboard especially if they travel offshore.

The complications experienced from ethanol-blended gasoline are inevitable.

I change this filter at every 100-hours of service, but often much sooner. I run my engine enough to notice slight decreases in power during operation. Almost always this is due to water captured in the filter.

You never know if water might be getting into your boat’s fuel tank from the filling station. Water accumulation in your fuel tank can become suspended due to rough water wave action, for sure.

I carry my spare fuel filter, filter wrench and most of my other tools in a 4-quart plastic Rubbermaid tub with snap lid. The tub doubles as a spill containment collector when changing filters on the water.

PROPELLER CHANGE I’ve spun three hubs and slung a blade off a prop once.

Each time I was fortunate enough to have a spare prop to replace. One time I dropped the prop spacer in the mud at my feet in waist deep water never to be found again. We finished the fishing trip but the vibration and rattling from the prop shaft area was nerve wrecking. I was lucky it was only a spacer and not the prop shaft nut. I soon purchased an extra nut, spacer and cotter keys (or lock-tab washer as might apply) to carry in my spares kit.

Use a new cotter key and the Vise-Grips when removing and replacing. Lock down the key so it is not lost when worming it back into the slot. Always attach a safety line to your tools and parts when working over the The reds joined the fun at Kyle's water. The leather gloves bachelor party. help protect your hands from the razor-sharp trailing edge of the stainless propeller.

JUMPER CABLES Well, this is selfexplanatory, good to have in case you have a bad battery or if you need to give another boater a jump. Another situation I’ve encountered was being stranded once

62 | December 2017

FUEL LINE SPLICE The possibility of puncturing a fuel line or developing a leak is not a common problem but certainly possible. Leaking fuel can cause a terrible mess, environmental contamination, and be a dangerous explosion hazard, to say the least.

I once had a triggerfish puncture a fuel line near the stern by the engine. With the engine running and fuel line pressured up, there was a steady stream of gas spewing out. We had to improvise quickly – 40-miles offshore. So, we removed the stainless hose clamp on the fuel line coming out of the fuel filter housing. Luckily the fuel line was shrunk down on the filter housing outlet. The fuel was dried off the hose on the outside of the leak, wrapped leak with electrical tape, and tightened the clamp around the taped hole. The gas still leaked some, but was minimal compared to what it had been.

Cutting the fuel line in two pieces and reconnecting with a 3/8” brass splice barb would be a quick and safer fix on the fly. Wire ties can be cinched down tightly with the help of pliers in a pinch, or better yet, carry a few spare stainless worm-type hose clamps.

THE BATTERY Lastly, I would like to mention battery maintenance. This power plant is often overlooked and taken for granted until there is a breakdown. It should always be checked for adequate charge, secure mounting, and tight, clean connections.

The first thing that should be done on a boat is to replace battery wing nuts if they are used as connectors on battery terminals. These are a big NO-NO. Vibration is a given on boats and they will eventually loosen. Replace with quality nylon-inserted stainless steel locknuts and coat liberally with dielectric grease or a corrosion inhibiting/water displacing lubricant, such as Corrosion-X. Hopefully the tools, spare parts list and stories I’ve shared about mishaps will help someone in the future. Cheers to safe boating and successful fishing outings in 2018!

C ontact

when the engine would start and not stay running once jumped.

Apparently, it was an electrical issue between the engine and batteries since all other electrics onboard worked fine. The trim switch worked but was very weak and the starter Bendix gear would not spin up to engage the flywheel.

I connected the jumper cable ends to the engine block ground and the positive lead to the starter. This allowed the engine to start and run, so long as the jumper cables were connecting engine and battery.

After getting back on the trailer I found it was a bad ground cable running from the engine to the batteries, under the console. In the rigging tube the ground cable rubbed the exterior coating off which caused terrible corrosion internally.

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

TSFMAG.com | 63

Author poses with a large sandbar on the beach – 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 O L I NS

Sandbars on the Brain There are so many aspects of the outdoor world that interest me. During the winter, the chaotic action of skipjack, mackerel, and other inshore predators fades with the water temperature. In this cooler season, many anglers (me included) begin to focus on hunting in some amount. I have to admit that even I have become more interested over the years in the pursuit of the other “big game” but my true priorities are and ALWAYS have been the surf.

Quite often December’s cold fronts will blow relentlessly for a couple days at a time. This onslaught of north wind eventually passes and on the second or third day following a front the South Texas surf comes alive again. Red Drum remain in the surf and begin to feed.

If water clarity is above average, the pompano fishery explodes with action as they rummage the shallow guts and bars for plentiful coquina clams. Also during this

Alexis Anthony with a cold wintertime sandbar, very typical of the species.

64 | December 2017

unique period is when the largest of our wintertime sharks come prowling the shallows – the sandbar shark.

The majority of our coastal shark species venture offshore into deeper, warmer waters during winter but often present and chasing anything from small stingrays to abundant whiting are the sandbars. Interestingly, we are just recently beginning to understand this species.

The sandbar shark (Charcharhinus plumbeus) is a federally protected species that were once very abundant on the east coast of the United States. Through commercial overfishing, this species, like many other sharks, have dwindled in numbers.

Sandbars are a robust predator. If you were to crossbreed a blacktip and bull shark, you would essentially achieve the physical characteristics of a sandbar. Highly aggressive, and sporting a large and intimidating head with equally large teeth, sandbars possess the fast swimming trait of the blacktip and are known for their acrobatic jumping – similar to blacktips and spinner sharks. Size-wise, sandbars typically larger than blacktips and, like the bull shark, they attain lengths of seven feet or more. Overall, sandbars are a very respectable shark species.

Texas is both a mating and pupping ground for sandbars. Mature males and females come to certain areas and stage for this purpose. These occurrences are both time and weather specific; sandbars are usually present in greatest

C ontact

abundance between November and March.

Considering that I am a year-around surf fisherman, and have been most of my life, I have tangled with my share of these toothy critters. A very interesting fact with some of my personal sandbar catches is the recapture data. I have been tagging sandbars for various research groups more than fifteen years and have recaptured some of my own as well as other’s tagged specimens – years later in some cases.

Most incredibly, these fish were often recaptured within a few miles of the original tagging and release sites. Proof that they return annually to very precise locations.

Despite their wintertime abundance, only a small number of dedicated surf anglers have actually landed a sandbar. This could likely be attributed to the general unwillingness of many to kayak baits offshore during the cold days of winter.

Oz preparing to release a Why do I love pursuing this species as much as I do? Well, sandbar following tagging. essentially, they are a formidable opponent. In addition to their brute physique, “sandies” also possess a very Sandbar recapture: This species large, triangular dorsal fin. This broad fin is unmistakable exhibits exceptional fidelity for upon first sight and aids in the hydrodynamic steering of pupping grounds. This one was their beefy body, contributing to a strong fight. It is very tagged months earlier, only a impressive to see a 200-pound shark go aerial when hooked few miles from recapture site. from the beach, which can only be outdone by the majestic displays of the less-common mako.

Much like many other inshore shark species, sandbars will hunt down any easy meal available in the shallows.

Some of their favorite prey are whiting and pompano. On the other end of the spectrum, they are not shy in taking down even the largest late-lingering jackfish or mature sheepshead. The sandbar diet includes many options and, if conditions are just right, can offer exceptional sport for shark commands respect but sandbars especially require an extra anglers willing to brave the elements. amount of alertness when handling. Don’t be fooled by their size, they Even though the sandbar is considered an inshore species for the can easily curl up on themselves and you do not want to be in the line amount of time they spend along our coast, casting baits for them of fire if their jaws are open. is usually not a productive option as they mostly tend to prowl the A sandbar shark is the only species I’ve had a serious run-in with deeper second and third guts. In fact, as far as I am aware, only a very on the sand, an encounter that sent me to the ER. A couple repaired limited number of sandbars have been taken on baits cast from the tendons later I was back in action. Still, ten years later, I am more beach. Having said that, your chances can be improved with specific cautious than ever with this species. techniques and rigging methods.

Danger notwithstanding, I continue to target sandbars every winter, The best bait I have found is a large whiting. The bigger the better, and I also enjoy the ability to put anglers of all ages on them. Whether deployed with a single 20/0 or 24/0 circle hook. You don’t need an for the joy of an avid angler crossing a coveted species off their list especially long leader, but you do need something of sufficient length or a young individual amazed by a true wonder of the natural world, to avoid being cut off should the shark roll back on the leader if it everyone has a tremendous smile glued to their face. Wintertime breaches or jumps. My personal preference is one of several Catch charters are always hard work and often quite challenging but the Sharks leaders, ideally the Surf Ninja Series or anything similar. reward can be the angling thrill of a lifetime.

The single circle hook should be placed either through the head of the bait or through the midsection. Hookup ratios are usually good For the past decade Eric ‘Oz’ Ozolins has been promoting shark with sandbars on these smaller baits versus larger offerings such as catch and release and assisting various shark research programs. Eric jackfish. Once hooked up, hang on and enjoy the fight. They will test offers guided shark fishing on Padre Island National Seashore. Also you the first few minutes but end up obeying your direction if played renowned for extreme kayak big game fishing, Eric runs Kayak Wars; properly. One thing is certain, this is a fun shark to catch! one of the largest kayak fishing tournaments in the world.

Of all the shark species I have handled, sandbars are known Email oz@oceanepics.com to display a most aggressive temperament. Even compared with Websites extremecoast.com | oceanepics.com | testosterone-filled male bull sharks or healthy, pregnant blacktips,

kayakwars.com sandbars are nothing short of ferocious on the sand. Every individual TSFMAG.com | 65

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TSFMAG.com | 67

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

Gene Locke launched a long looping cast that sent his chrome She Dog dead into the middle of nowhere.

Neither the direction nor the non-specific landing spot was of any consequence. While peeling off a couple of remaining loops on the spool that he hadn’t seen in far too long, he paused to assess our prospects of a successful fishing trip.

“This is already a great day,” he beamed. “No stench of duct-taped refrigerators full of rotten food, no sheetrock dust and no waiting in line hoping to negotiate with an irritable insurance adjuster.” While I hope that you can’t relate to any of that, his assessment sets a higher standard for what constitutes a successful day on the water than you may think!

Ever since Hurricane Harvey sloshed across our area, we have been blessed with unseasonably dry and cooler weather that aided not only in reconstruction

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work, but catching fish as well. Because so many locals are displaced or rebuilding, the fishing pressure has been exceptionally light, but the catching has steadily improved.

The most recent norther blew some of the water out, but the marshes are still flooded and the shrimp have yet to make any substantial Better trout are move. The redfish carried us starting to do for five weeks and the flooded their thing. grass along the shoreline was a great place to start your trip every morning. An occasional flounder getting an early start on the annual migration made for a mixed bag, with only keeper trout nowhere to be found.

Enter the unexpected arrival of a dash of colder than usual weather and every bite stepped it up a notch. Within the first week, the reds were chasing bait in the open lake again, the flounder were moving out in herds and a higher percentage of

the trout working under the pelicans and gulls were keeper fish.

If you are looking to do nothing more than enjoy a pleasant day on the water with no intention of targeting any specific species, I would recommend tying on one of three lures. Smaller is better if you want to include flounder, thus a four-inch tail is more productive than the longer version. A Gulp! Swimming Mullet rigged on an eighth-ounce leadhead will catch anything!

My second choice would be a three-inch Usual Suspect swimbait. It is not only a lure that requires no prior experience to make work, but also casts exceptionally well. I don’t think it comes in any color that won’t catch fish, but silver shiner, morning glory and space guppy are very reliable on Sabine.

My third choice, these choices are all interchangeable, would be a four-inch tail or Gulp! fished under a popping cork. This is one rig that will fish itself, provided you can cast just a little. The cork makes it a great rig to hunt fish with and don’t think that flounder won’t hit it as well!

While the salinity levels are still below average, trout up to five-pounds have finally decided to abandon the deeper water long enough to gorge themselves on the shallow flats. This bite has cranked up even earlier than usual and the waders are doing the

best job of exploiting it.

We are catching these fish on every bait in the box once we locate them. She Dogs, Spooks, Catch-5s and five-inch Assassins rigged on sixteenth-ounce heads have all worked well. While it will get even stronger with more cold weather, the Corky family is already producing as well. The smaller Soft-dine has worked a little better than the Fat Boy. The key to catching better numbers of these shallow trout is staying put. That is Charlie made it happen on the reason the waders are doing far better a rainy day. than the boaters, for the most part. They are fishing quieter and waiting out the bite. Drift fishermen can compensate by burying their Talon or Power Pole and pounding small areas before moving a few yards.

Fishermen are part of an extended family and that was never more evident than dealing with the aftermath of Harvey. The number of emails and phone calls that flooded in not only from clients, but readers of this magazine as well, was incredible.

Fishermen that I will never even meet offered everything from a place to stay, to coming in and helping with the clean-up.

Not surprisingly, the editor of this magazine, Everett Johnson, was one of the first to call.

Merry Christmas and thanks to each of you!

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TSFMAG.com | 69

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

70 | December 2017

December is one of those months many anglers seem to forget about. I guess there are too many ducks to shoot, bucks to chase and Christmas parties to attend. If December 2017 is anything like November I might not be able to stand it.

This fall has been one of the best in Matagorda in more than a decade.

With deer and waterfowl seasons fully underway we are seeing fewer boats on the bay. I like to make long drifts with Chicken on a Chain Bass Assassins, gently working the jig over towheads and broken clumps of shell. Their new Lit’l Boss has proven to be an excellent big trout bait. It really has a wiggle in the water that trout seem to like.

The bite is often subtle, especially if water temperatures dip in the 50s or low 60s, so braided line helps

feel the slightest tick of a fish opening and closing its mouth on the bait. If you feel the slightest tick or weight on your stick, set the hook.

My first stop will be over deep shell for healthy

specks, wind permitting. That’s the key - wind - and how much cold air blows from the north. Too much of it and East Bay becomes a mud hole, too little wind and the bay can become so clear you can read a newspaper on bottom.

Waders will begin to search for large trout on the east end of East Bay in December, over soft mud. Corkys and MirrOlures are the normal offerings, but if afternoon temps reach the 60s, never discount your favorite topwater. Don’t be surprised if bruiser-sized redfish crash the party as well.

If the wind blows and temperatures dip, the Colorado River is always a safe haven from the wind; and, the colder the better for the deep depths of the winding river. Most anglers work the edges with topwaters, while jiggers throw along the dropoff working in 5- to 12-feet of water. When it is really cold, we set out multiple rods and float down the middle of the river and allow soft plastics to delicately work the bottom in depths of 20-feet and more.

We will continue with duck, goose or sandhill crane hunting most mornings, and fishing the afternoons. It makes for a heck of a fun day for outdoorsmen. We really have so much to be thankful for in living on the Texas coast and being able to hunt and fish on the same day with such success.

I always get emails this time of year asking

for Christmas gift ideas for anglers and hunters. I do all of my shopping at Johnny’s Sports Shop in Eagle Lake. So does my wife, mother, mother-in-law and sister and sisters-in-law. Here are a few ideas: A new reel is always good - I like the Lew’s aluminum baitcaster. Let your budget dictate.

A light, sensitive piece of graphite to compliment the reel is even better; I use a Waterloo HP Lite and Ultra Mag. A pile of soft plastics stuffed in a stocking with fluorocarbon leader material and dozens of new jigheads is a thought, not to mention a load of Skitter Walks, Super Spooks, Top Dogs, Corkys and MirrOlures.

As far as soft plastics go, Bass Assassin, Down South Lures and MirrOlures are plentiful in my boat. A sack full of MirrOlure Soft Dines for winter wading is a must for me.

A pair of breathable waders, boots, wading net or even a gift certificate for a guided fishing trip would look good under the tree. I haven’t found a better wader than Simms and just about every captain I know would be thrilled to sell you a gift certificate for a guided trip.

Weather-wise it has been a tough 2017 for many folks. Keep smiling, we live in Texas.

Thank the Lord for His blessings.

Follow our catches on Facebook and Instagram @matagordasunriselodge.

2017-TX-dec-TSL-MMSS-redfish.pdf

Tidal Surge joins Paul Brown at MirrOlure.

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TSFMAG.com | 71

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

72 | December 2017

December, in my opinion, can be one of the better months along the middle-coast. I say this because of the many different ways and locations you can fish. Granted you will have to judge the weather and pick your fishing locales logically, meaning that when a norther is blowing you don’t want to head to the south shoreline of a major bay.

Typically, during December, fronts become increasingly stronger and last longer as the month progresses. But there will be two to three days with calm winds between fronts when the whole bay comes back into play.

During these calm days is when you will see the bow of my Shallow Sport X3 pointing toward San Antonio Bay. Nothing gets me more excited than knowing I am going to be reef hopping across the bay where I honed my skills for the trade I chose to make a living. This reef hopping scenario has already played well during the months of October and November for me and my clients. We have enjoyed many great days wading, and on days when wading was not an option, we drifted the same reefs with equally good results.

On the drifting trips we generally choose the

Like father like son. Ryan and Luke Overholt passing time with dual backlashes.

Ahh…the memories!

larger reefs that run north to south so we can drift along the deeper edge using my Minn Kota trolling motor to adjust the drift. The Minn Kota has also saved many a day when there was no wind at all. On those days, I would just slowly troll along while casting to the dropoffs and underwater points, and also toward the shallower sections of submerged shell.

When choosing a reef to wade there are many factors to consider.

Number one should be the presence of bait whether it be mullet or small shad. Just remember during the cooler part of the month the bait will usually be less active at the surface, but still visible. Look closely for swirls or flashes. Another factor should be the presence of birds – pelicans and gulls are both excellent indicators. They can be sitting on the shell or hovering above it. More birds usually mean more bait.

Once a reef has been selected you need to recognize its various features to concentrate your efforts. This is especially true on the very

large reefs in the San Antonio Bay system, like Panther or Dagger.

They are too large to go wandering around firing casts into potentially unproductive water.

Breaks in the crown of the reef can be some of the most productive areas. This can be any place where the crown takes a dip allowing water to flow across. As little as a narrow one-foot deep gateway to a major cut four-feet deep. Cast methodically on both sides of the reef and, if wide enough, work your lure with the current through the break.

More good targets would be the points of the reef. I’m not just talking about the ends of the reef, but any point of shell that juts out from the main structure. There are many reefs where you will find fingers jutting to the side that often attract and hold fish. Again, you will want to work methodically and cover the whole water column.

My favorite lure when wading open-bay reefs is my trusty 4” Bass Assassin Sea Shad (paddletail). I rig the Sea Shad on a 1/16-ounce Bass Assassin jighead (#05001). When working deeper dropoffs along the reefs I usually switch to the 5” Bass Assassin Saltwater Shad (rattail). The reason I chose the rattails for deeper water is because I can more accurately cover the lower part of the water column than with the paddletail.

In the lure color department, I generally lean toward darker colors – Magic Grass or the Slammin’ Chicken. I will use these colors until the dead of winter when the water gets very clear and then I will switch to the more natural hues - Opening Night or Fried Chicken.

In closing I want to thank Coastline Marine in Seabrook and Shallow Sport Boats for my new Shallow Sport X3. This is my second X3 and I can honestly say that I do not believe there is a better all-around boat out there for our coastal bays. I can safely cross rough bays without my customers taking a pounding and run anywhere I want in the back lakes of Matagorda Island.

My new ride – And most important of all – make my way safely back thanks to Coastline out of those shallow backwaters.

Marine in Seabrook.

Fish hard, fish smart!

TSFMAG.com | 73

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

74 | December 2017

Our first real cold front just passed through and the house indoor temperature is 65⁰F. That must mean that it’s in the 40s outside. I have so been looking forward to this day. After a long hot summer, hurricanes, and super high tides, I have been craving the positive effects of brisk north winds. They didn’t let me down.

I was on a two-day charter in Baffin, staying at the client’s cabin, when this big front was approaching.

The first day gave us light wind out of the southwest, hot as you know what, but we were having to wear waders due to the 73⁰ water temps. It was just a stifling day, and the fish seemed to not like it so much either.

The bites were slow by my standards, and I just kept looking back to the north wondering when the wind would shift. I could see the line of the front over Flour Bluff, but it was moving very slowly. Baitfish started breaking the surface all around us as we felt the first hint of north wind. Everyone was hooked up in the next few moments. This lasted for about thirty minutes as the front blew through. Following that flurry, the wind kicked up to 30-plus, the bait went down, and the first wave over the waders was a clear sign to pack it up.

We made it back to the cabin, had a cocktail, enjoyed a good dinner and debated on what to expect for the

next day. I found that my best sales pitch for fishing on a north wind in the morning was falling on deaf ears (or just maybe they wanted an excuse to sleep in), but I prevailed and in the end and we braved the elements as the first light started to show itself over Padre Island.

Being in the middle of the week, and a pretty stout north wind, we had the bay to ourselves.

We made our first top on Baffin’s north shoreline and were rewarded with some solid bites to 4-pounds and a few reds mixed with the solid trout. Then the bite slowed as the morning progressed. I decided a change of venue was in order so we loaded up and headed north into the Laguna Madre. The plan was to get the guys on some reds I had been working and was certain they would still be available. Trolling into the area to wade, I bumped up two reds, and then a third.

Oops, that wasn’t a red…that was a large trout! As I was trying to point it out to the guys, another of equal size spooked out of the pothole where the first was heading. I put the Power Pole down and it was a race to get out of the boat.

The wade lasted for a couple of hours and we did prevail on the redfish; however, our hearts were somewhere between having fun with the reds and

Joe Moon with an exceptional trout knocking on 30-inches. Released!

grinding for big trout. We continued on and were eventually rewarded with a pair of 27-inch trout and a personal best for one lucky customer that taped just shy of 30. One must keep in mind that this was the first significant cold front of the year, very high barometric pressure, and crystal-clear water. Not what you would consider ideal conditions, and I have thought about that fact often since that great wade took place.

I have been plugging the coast for thirty years and confident in my ability to find and catch them any day I’m on the water. But just when you think you know most everything they surprise you with a new opportunity to learn something.

I was really kind of baffled at why such quality fish would eat in such crappy conditions. After much head scratching and debating with myself, I finally concluded that the trout were just as happy as me about the cooler weather and water. Seems almost too simple to be true, but I honestly think they were just feeling frisky and acting like a young child when the first snow hits the ground. The old cliché holds true - You can’t catch a fish without a line in the water.

Winter and spring dates have filled up nicely for this season, but there are still a few open, and guides always have to contend with cancelations. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you think you want a real chance at a trophy trout.

“So much of life is not how you act.... but how you respond.” -Announcer of UT vs. Wyoming 9/2009 Remember the buffalo! -Capt David Rowsey

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TSFMAG.com | 75

Wayne Davis

WAYNE’S Mansfield Report Greetings from Port Mansfield! What a great time of year this is. As you receive this issue of TSFMag you are likely enjoying a feast of a big Butterball turkey or are about to. Maybe we should start thinking about partaking of such fine fare more often, instead of waiting for holidays to come around.

More importantly, some of us (me included) are thinking about big trout while eating turkey and enjoying the company of family and friends. I am curious to know how many coastal anglers fall into this category. As we are swimming in holiday spirit, eating some of the best meals of the year, the fish are in the same mindset – so to speak.

November and December are when fish, especially trout, start packing on weight and, in that regard, speckled trout may be more like us than we realize.

I am fortunate to have been extremely busy these last few months on the water. Also on my schedule have been several Coastal Conservation Association chapter meetings.

I have learned a lot over the last two months about the CCA and the important role they play in our current fisheries and the future of our fisheries. My seminars presented at Hill Country and San Antonio chapters, as well as another that Captain Ernest Cisneros and I presented jointly at the Rio Grande Valley chapter, seem to have been well received.

The primary topic of the presentations has been the Empty

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

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Doug Combs shows off a very nice “bonus” flounder taken on a recent charter.

Stringers Catch and Release Program that continues to garner great support in the fishing community.

CCA contributes resources that support the stocking of literally millions of seatrout and redfish fingerlings into Texas bays. CCA also helps educate anglers on the mortality rate of seatrout following catch and release. Guess what, post-release survival actually averages 85-90%. I find that quite amazing, considering they will all die in an ice chest.

Moving on to fishing: Northers have a little more bite these days and our tides are receding from the highest levels I’ve seen in a while.

This will help concentrate fish into depressions on the flats and other deeper structure. While the tides were unusually high I could navigate my 24-foot Shallow Sport practically anywhere. While running some backwater areas I noticed some nice fish taking advantage of the increased water levels. Now, think forward and consider fishing out a little deeper John Walker was very from those same areas as the tides pleased getting into some solid trout – CPR! recede. I’m betting you might be pleasantly surprised.

Late-fall and early-winter fishing requires that we slow down a little bit. Areas we would cover in 30-minutes during warmer months should be given 45-minutes to an hour. And, just because the water is a bit cooler, does not mean topwaters will not work – just slow them down! The fish will tell you how they want it.

In addition to surface plugs, we continue to rely on our K-Wigglers Willow Tail Shad. This bait really shines in thigh- to shin-deep water. Its buoyant nature when rigged weedless or paired with a light jighead keeps it in the strike zone longer than other lures. Pushing out to waist-deep, we usually opt for the Ball Tail Shad but, again, with the lightest jighead possible.

Remember that whatever you’re throwing, keeping it within the strike zone as long as possible is one of the greatest keys to success.

Heading into cooler fishing weather, personal comfort during long wades and days on the water is paramount to achieving angling success. I know you have heard it hundreds of times but, you simply cannot hang in there and remain focused when you are wet and shivering cold. A few suggestions for fishing in comfort would be Simms waders, with layered undergarments to match the conditions, and a quality waterproof jacket. Simms jackets are legendary in their own right and the new Anhydrous jacket from American Fishing Tackle Company (AFTCO) are two of the finest on the market today. I recently had the opportunity to field-test the Anhydrous and found it very comfortable and dry.

In closing I would like to thank all those who have participated in our Empty Stringers Catch and Release Program trips. So far this year, my clients have released a combined total of more than 750 keeper trout, redfish and flounder. This does not include keepers that came on my personal rod – only client landings.

A special thanks to the sponsors who help make this happen – Simms Fishing, AFTCO, Shallow Sport Boats, Costa Del Mar Sunglasses, Fishing Tackle Unlimited, K-Wigglers, and Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine.

Until next month, good luck out there and, always remember to practice conservation and courtesy toward your fellow anglers.

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

TSFMAG.com | 77

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

78 | December 2017

Approaching year’s end and looking back, we have enjoyed good fishing through 2017 but it will not go in the books as a record-setter. Fishing has been steady the past several weeks, although it has not always been easy to keep up with patterns when tides run unusually high for weeks and northers begin to arrive more frequently. I sometimes like to use the analogy of laying floor tile to explain fishing.

Successful tiling requires planning and preparation. The sooner you develop a technique or understand a pattern, the quicker you can lay the tile. Then you come to a corner or along an edge where a full tile doesn’t fit and you must stop and figure out what size to cut it. Productivity picks up again when you get past that spot.

So it goes in fishing. To be consistently successful you must do some planning. It is critically important to understand what the weather and water conditions will be. You should study the tide chart, moon phase and solunar table. A game plan should be formulated well ahead of hooking up the trailer and heading to the launch ramp.

The more days you can be on the water, the more recent your knowledge and the better your understanding of fish movements and feeding patterns. The puzzle obviously becomes tougher to solve if you only get to fish one day a week. That’s why I always say you have to do your homework – keeping track of tides, moon phases, water temperatures, and the like.

Just recently, Capt. Wayne Davis and I were K-Wigglers are our top choice in the soft plastic bait category. Great action, tough texture, great colors, and fish love ‘em.

Robert Solis landed the largest flounder of the year at 23-1/2 inches!

discussing fishing patterns. I shared that my son, Capt. Aaron Cisneros, was doing well on shorelines with outflowing drains and potholes, much farther south than Wayne normally fishes.

Wayne then applied Aaron’s pattern on his northern end of the Lower Laguna and found it to work very well for him as well.

The point here is understanding and applying patterns – just like when laying tile. You can sometimes apply what works in one place to be successful in another. Every day is different. Do your homework and apply what you’ve already learned to be continuously successful.

Redfish action has improved and should get even better as water temperatures continue to decline. Here recently we are finding better numbers between the Arroyo Colorado and Port Mansfield than on the lower end of the Laguna Madre. Pods and small schools have been working the sand flats during early morning and again in late-afternoon. Bait is currently plentiful and easy to keep track of in warm water but we will soon be relying more on birds to point the way as cooler temperatures push the bait below the surface. Never ignore a hovering gull or swooping osprey when searching for wintertime fish!

As much as I would love to tell you the reds have been crushing topwaters, it just hasn’t been happening. K-Wigglers Ball Tail Shad in Mansfield Margarita and plum-chartreuse have been far more productive for us.

Trout fishing has been very good. They are gaining weight steadily and already we’ve had several that would make any angler proud. Most of our better specimens are currently coming from sandy bottoms in shallow water but I expect they will soon begin showing a preference for softer mud bottom. As always, bait presence will be the primary key. When you see the mullet transitioning from shallow sand to slightly deeper-muddy bottoms, you can bet the trout will be moving with them. From what I’ve been seeing lately, I am predicting a better than average winter trophy season.

If I might be allowed only one lure to fool a trophy wintertime trout, my choice would be a K-Wiggler Willow Tail Shad and my favorite colors are Mansfield Margarita, Bone Diamond, and Plum-Chartreuse. This bait was introduced only a year ago but has already become our most trusted big trout lure.

On the flounder scene, I guess you could say we got a little spoiled during 2015 and 2016. Thus far, 2017 hasn’t quite measured up to those of recent past but we still managed to land our fair share, even if by accident most of the time.

Our snook landings in 2017 were much improved over several previous seasons. I keep hoping and praying that with greater conservation through catch and release angling our snook fishery will to continue to grow and thrive.

In closing I want to thank all my clients and sponsors for the support throughout the year. I also want to encourage greater sportsmanship, courtesy on the water, and conservation of our fisheries. May you all enjoy a very blessed holiday season.

Merry Christmas!

TSFMAG.com | 79

FISHING REPORTS

Lake Calcasieu Louisiana Jeff and Mary Poe - Big Lake Guide Service - 337.598.3268 December can be an excellent month. We look forward to winter fishing all year. Trout fishing is excellent when weather permits. Fishing for reds, on the other hand, is fantastic no matter the conditions. If the boat will float, go catch redfish. The weirs and banks adjacent to them will be excellent places to start your search. Gulp! baits, rigged on quarterounce jigheads are usually quite effective. On extremely cold days, try tipping the Gulp! with a small piece of dead shrimp. Trout fishing is also very good on warmer days. Turners Bay is our most productive area in the month of December. Oyster reefs in three to five feet of water hold the most fish. MirrOlure Lil' Johns in natural colors on light jigheads work best. Look for any surface activity and the presence of sea birds.

Terns, gulls, egrets, and loons are all signs of baitfish being present.

Shallow sand, mud, and shell flats will be productive for bigger trout.

Bigger baits like Paul Brown Lures and Thunder Sticks will be our lures of choice when targeting larger trout.

Trinity Bay - East Bay - Galveston Bay | James Plaag Silver King Adventures - silverkingadventures.com - 409.935.7242 Like others in the Galveston area, James reports catching lots of small trout on recent outings. “I've been doing this a long time, and I can

80 | December 2017

ORECASTS F from Big Lake to Boca Chica

AND

honestly say I've never seen so many small trout all over the place. I've been catching undersized trout in numbers in West Bay coves, under flocks of birds in East Bay, and making drifts over in Trinity. Of course, there are some keepers mixed in. On the warmer days, we're seeing a high ratio of dinks to keepers. On cooler days, the ratio improves some.

I'm encouraged by the vast numbers of young fish. This should be good for the future. In the short term, we should see an improvement in fishing for bigger trout once the water gets colder. I predict the best fishing of the year will come right at the end. Waders who target trout in shallow areas with a muddy bottom and lots of mullet will make some good catches between Thanksgiving and Christmas. If we get fronts moving through frequently, the key will be timing. Fishing the lulls between the passages will produce the best results.”

Jimmy West - Bolivar Guide Service - 409.996.3054 “Birds have been working all over the place, and the catching has been easy lately. We've been catching tons of little fish, with some solid keepers mixed in,” Jim says. “I was concerned we might have lost our fish after fifty inches of rain, but we surely didn't. We have plenty of fish in East Bay right now, and the topwater bite has been on fire.

I expect, once the water cools down somewhat, the average size of the fish will improve. We've had really warm water temperatures in

early-November, up to about seventy eight degrees, and that's usually good for a topwater bite and bad for the average size of the fish. December is usually the first month when water temps drop down into the fifties and stay there for a while. When that happens, wading the muddy shorelines and shallower reefs in the back end of the bay normally produces some big trout for people who are willing to be patient with slow-sinking lures which look like small fish. I think we're set up for some really good cold-weather fishing, given how many fish I'm seeing these days.”

West Galveston - Bastrop - Christmas - Chocolate Bays Randall Groves - Groves Guide Service 979.849.7019 - 979.864.9323 In October, gigantic rafts of mullet congregate near the surface in areas near San Luis Pass. Randall takes full advantage of this. “When we find the giant schools of mullet in the fall, we normally have great success catching trout and redfish on chrome topwaters and red magic Norton Sand Eels tossed in the immediate area. Slow-sinking twitch baits which effectively mimic the shapes of the mullet work well too. Right now, I'm looking forward to times ahead, when water temperatures will drop. Later in the fall, and into winter, finding even small concentrations of mullet can lead to easy catching. Right now, the shrimp migration is in full swing, with dropping water temperatures and tide levels pulling the crustaceans out of the back lakes and into the bays. So, of course, we've got birds working. This action should last for a while longer, into the early parts of December, at least. Good colors to throw around schools of migrating shrimp and squawking gulls include the tequila gold Sand Eels, Sand Shad and Bull Minnows.”

Matagorda | Tommy Countz Bay Guide Service - 979.863.7553 cell 281.450.4037 “East Bay is option number one for anglers in the Matagorda area in December,” Tommy says. “If we don't get too many strong fronts, and tide levels and water temperatures stay relatively high, we should have birds working over there. If it's colder and the water falls out, the shrimp and fish will move to open areas of the bay, and we'll be working either the mud flats in the east end, or the areas with scattered shell in the west end. In either cast, paddletails with bright tails on heavier jigheads work best. Option number two is the Colorado River. In there, we like to throw bright paddletails rigged on three-eighths ounce heads for trout and redfish, fluttering them off the drop. Option three is wading West Bay, focusing on guts and drains, throwing gold spoons and MirrOlure Lil' Johns. This option becomes especially good when tides are extremely low. In such a situation, redfish tend to stack up in the deepest parts of the waters close to the shoreline, where we can catch easy limits.

Regardless of the weather, one of these options will produce.”

Palacios | Capt. Aaron Wollam www.palaciosguideservice.com - 979.240.8204 Catching has been phenomenal in our local bay systems. We've been working flocks of birds for some solid trout in local bays, using Cajun Pepper VuDu shrimp under popping corks. We're still catching some trout out in the open bay over deep shell on live shrimp rigged about four feet under popping corks. Our best method has been to drift and then when we start getting bites, pole down to stop. Fishing for redfish has been excellent too. Falling tides have stacked our reds on shorelines adjacent to drains, where they're chasing shrimp. Vudu Shrimp in natural colors thrown into the fray have accounted for some great action. Floundering was as good as we can remember. We gigged numerous fish to twenty five inches on area shorelines when the winds have allowed us to go.

December should continue to produce great fishing. The key this month in colder water is to find bait and be persistent around it. Flats located close to deep water are some of the best places to start looking when the fish get into winter patterns.

Port O’Connor | Lynn Smith Back Bay Guide Service - 361.983.4434 Lynn likes to time his December outings to coincide with the nicer weather between fronts, focusing his efforts on catching big trout. “December is a good month to go after the big trout in this area, so that's what I'll concentrate on. We normally fish in spots with a soft, muddy bottom and some scattered grass and shell too. The bigger trout like to stay in water a little shallower than the smaller TSFMAG.com | 81

ones, and they love areas with a muddy bottom. We throw soft plastics a lot this time of year, rigging them on light jigheads. They work best on a consistent basis.

On the warmer days, the slow-sinking twitch baits like Paul Brown Lures and SoftDines also see lots of action. A couple of the other keys to success in the first month of winter include leaving the dock a little later in the morning, so more time can be spent targeting fish after the daylight has a chance to heat up the flats some. And working flats adjacent to deep water also makes good sense, because the fish move into the deep basins in reaction to passing fronts.”

Rockport | Blake Muirhead Gator Trout Guide Service - 361.790.5203 or 361.441.3894 December is smack dab in the middle of cast and blast season, which has been going well so far for Blake. “We have lots of ducks in the Rockport area right now, and fishing is great too. I'll be hunting ducks in the back lakes off Aransas, Mesquite and San Antonio Bays, then fishing my way out after the shooting stops. When we're fishing, we usually target the redfish in the back lakes first, focusing on holes in the bayous and deeper parts of the lakes when the weather is colder, and fishing the shallow parts when it's warmer. After we finish that drill, we normally move out to grassy, sandy shorelines looking for trout. Best lures for me this time of year are soft plastics like Norton Sand Eels in purple/chartreuse and pumpkinseed/chartreuse, and Gulp! Jerk Shads and Swimming Mullet in white/chartreuse. I like to throw topwaters too, when the fish are active, up and moving around. Overall, this month provides ample opportunity to take advantage of the bounty Mother Nature offers in the Coastal Bend.”

Upper Laguna Madre - Baffin Bay - Land Cut Robert Zapata – rz1528@grandecom.net - 361.563.1160 The deer hunting season is going on strong right now, and that means that it has been very quiet on the water, with very little boat traffic. The weather during the month of December can be a little fickle, with a few days being warm, then suddenly getting very cold for a few days before warming up again. This is the time to keep an eye on the water temperatures on the days you plan to go fishing. If the water temperature gets below sixty degrees, fish a little deeper and slow your retrieve when fishing with soft plastics. The soft plastics I like are Bass Assassin Die Dappers in colors like plum/chartreuse, salt & pepper, silver phantom/ chartreuse and sand trout, rigged on eighth-ounce Spring Lock jigheads.

With water temperatures above sixty degrees, use the same baits with a sixteenth-ounce jighead. If we don’t have too much suspended grass, a slow-sinking lure like a MirrOlure Catch 5 is good to use, in colors like BNSBO and CHBL. I like their colors and the thumping sounds they make.

The sight-casting game continues to be good for me in less than twelve inches of water with Fish Bites for reds, black drum and trout.

Corpus Christi | Joe Mendez – www.sightcast1.com - 361.937.5961 December's fast-changing weather patterns require anglers to adjust somewhat on a daily basis in order to find and catch trout and redfish in the Upper Laguna Madre and Corpus Christi Bay. “In the aftermath of cold fronts, we often find lots of small keeper trout and a few bigger ones along the edges of the ICW, feeding on herds of shrimp migrating toward Packery Channel. The key to locating stretches with fast action is finding diving gulls and terns. Once in the right area, the key to catching is to keep the boat in the deeper water toward the middle of the ditch and cast toward the shallower edges. If winds and currents are light, a relatively light jighead can be used to keep a soft plastic in contact 82 | December 2017

with the edge of the drop-off. Stronger winds and tides dictate the use of heavier heads, up to half-ounce. When the weather warms, trout and redfish will gather at the ends of guts leading out of the ICW onto shallower flats. On sunny days, they venture into super shallow water in nearby potholes to warm up, providing opportunities for sight-casting.”

P.I.N.S. Fishing Forecast | Eric Ozolins Here comes winter! October was absurdly warm with limited baitfish migration activity. When it did cool, water clarity was below par, even with cold fronts. Blame the exceptional freshwater inflow for creating thermoclines and dirty water. I’m predicting the surf could remain a crapshoot for several more months. The only certainty of late has been red drum, usually present in great numbers. Redfish of all sizes, slots and beyond, are ambushing any mullet and menhaden they can find. Sharks are around and taking advantage of off-colored water to ambush prey.

The million-dollar question is when will truly-nice green water push in?

If and when it does, and the water temperature is warm enough, the jackfish will likely storm the beach. Mullet, large spoons and topwaters will catch 'em. Another highly-desired species is the pompano. If the water clears, they'll be around in numbers following each front. Anglers targeting pompano with shrimp and Fishbites will also likely catch a good many slot drum and whiting.

Port Mansfield | Ruben Garza Snookdudecharters.com – 832.385.1431 Getaway Adventures Lodge – 956.944.4000 It’s all about the weather in December! Catch it sweet and you’re golden.

You sure don’t want to get caught in a screaming norther. Wait a day or two, while the tides remain low, and head to your favorite deep gut or old oil field channel. A prime area lies north of the King Ranch pier on the west shoreline. All you need to see is a few small baitfish flickering or a single mullet jump. Topwaters work well on milder days, but a Paul Brown Lure or Catch 2000 should work nearly every day. If those don’t produce, show them a K-Wigglers Willow Tail Shad. Most days along that west shoreline, we find best results in mid-thigh to waist-deep water, carefully fanning every depth we can reach. You might go through some small fish but should eventually find some solid ones. The ICW spoil banks always deserve a look, as does the Community Bar area. Both can be good for bonus flounder. And don’t forget the Saucer and ICW drop-off, in general. The East Cut jetties will also produce when weather allows, as will state waters for red snapper!

Lower Laguna Madre - South Padre - Port Isabel Janie and Fred Petty | www.fishingwithpettys.com – 956.943.2747 Deer season is always a good time to go fishing! Less traffic on the Lower Laguna Madre equals more fish feeding on the flats. The past month has been good, except for a couple of rough days with no tide and no wind, but for the most part, the redfish have been steady. The trout fishing, with the exception of one twenty nine and a half incher and a few healthy keepers, has been a lot of small ones. Freddy says, “We need another cold spell to trigger the big trout bite again. A couple of days after a cold front, the trout will be back in the pot holes, but when we get into January, and the water gets really cold, shorter days can keep the sun from warming up the shallows.” We will continue to throw FP3s with Berkley Gulp! Live three-inch shrimp on a sixteen inch leader and a screw tight eighth-ounce jighead, attracting predators with vibration, splashing and smell. When needed, we switch to cut ballyhoo, drifting to the bait after long casts, or anchoring up when cold water runs the hardheads off. No more open bay dredge disposal!

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

TSFMAG.com | 83

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

Roasted Shrimp Salad Many thanks to Donna Boyd for sharing this wonderful recipe. I made it last weekend for the first time and put it out with crackers – between kids and grandkids it was gone in minutes. I think that means they liked it!

INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION

• 2 1/2 pounds shrimp (12- to 15-count)

-Preheat oven to 400⁰F.

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

-Peel and devein shrimp. Place on baking sheet pan with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss together.

• 1 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise • 1 tablespoon orange zest (2 oranges) • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

-Spread into single layer and roast for 6 to 8 minutes, just until pink, firm, and cooked through. Allow to cool 3 minutes.

• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

-Meanwhile, in large bowl, prepare sauce by whisking together mayonnaise, orange zest, orange juice, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

• 1/4 cup minced fresh dill

-When shrimp have cooled, add to sauce and toss.

• 2 tablespoons capers, drained

-Add dill, capers, and red onion – mix well.

• 2 tablespoons red onion diced fine

-Flavor improves with allowing finished salad to sit at room temperature 30 minutes. Otherwise, refrigerate and serve later at room temperature.

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste 84 | December 2017

texas saltwater fishing holes

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)

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ON THE WATER

Saltwater Fishing Clinics WITH

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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.

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OWNER / OPERATOR

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dwPescado@gmail.com

TSFMAG.com | 85

Chuck Barousse Jr. Upper Galveston Bay - first saltwater fish!

Amber Arredondo & Brie Matagorda - first tripletails!

Chris Goudeau Highland Bayou - 23” redfish CPR

Andy Cawthon Goose Island - 21” first red!

86 | December 2017

Tony & Jessi Battle Aransas Pass - 23” trout

Chuck Corpus Christi - 26” trout

Mike & Nancy Lalumia 10 lb 2 oz red snapper

Margaret Casillas Estes Flats - 23” redfish CPR

Kimberly Bozeman Matagorda - 31” redfish

Heather Rush 27” personal best drum!

Kristin Jendrzey Baffin Bay - redfish

Angie Boshart 26” & 27.75” trout

Marcus Molina South Padre - 25” personal best trout!

Trevor Shaver with son, Caleb Portland - trout

Juan Herrera Texas City Dike - first redfish!

Wally McCue South Padre - jack crevalle

Denny Willis Redfish Bay - first keeper red!

Gavin Peña Port Aransas - first blacktip shark!

McKinley Mote Drum Bay - 21" redfish

Janet Wright Matagorda - 29.875” 8 lb 4 oz trout

Mario Gutierrez III Arroyo City - 31.25” redfish Cori Lopez Redfish Bay - 21” trout

Jason Coleman Lower Laguna Madre - 30” 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

Liz Gonzalez 56” kingfish

Korbin Martinez Rockport - first of each!

Kelsey & Whitney Chumchal Sea Center Texas - first redfish!

Mail photos to: TSFMag P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 TSFMAG.com | 87

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