Fish Catching Travel
Finally home after our Padre trip. Of course the last morning the wind kicked up to 25 mph blowing right on the beach, so my hoped for last beach go was not to be. It was to bad, considering I caught a snook and lost a couple more the morning before.
So we headed out with her sister and brother-in-law up the coast to show them Port A on the way home, and as I should have known, the girls wanted to spend the night. So we showed them the sights, and of course ate another fancy meal out. At this point I was ready to get home so I could return to my regular diet of bologna sandwiches. Funny how you can get tired of eating out.
So I am finally home and let the fishing begin. The Shoedog is making an appearance after not making it down here since May and we are about to embark on some hard core fishing. He will be here this afternoon and it will be Coleto until dark. Following that will be at least 2 straight days on the Gulf. I hope we can make one day a cast and blast, but no matter what it will be good to get back to the way the Shoedog and I roll, fishing from dawn to dusk. And with our weather finally shaping up, it looks great. So thought I would share a couple of things while I wait to head out fishing later.
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Those of you who read my stuff know I had my concerns with the TPWD using fry from the Share-A-Lunker program to stock a private lake. The salient point is this place has another trophy lake and they charge in the $2000 range to fish for 2 days. According to what I have read the landowner agreed that there would be no fishing on the stocked lake by anyone for a period of 15 years. The state was giving us the rationale that it would potentially result in really big bass in private waters.
Now I know how it works, and I am even less happy with what I have learned. I picked up a copy of the Texas Outdoors Journal , September, 2012, a magazine I like very much. There was an article, Jurassic Bass by Matt Williams and it makes me mad. Basically a TPWD employee says that huge bass in private waters will take some pressure off public waters. That is ludicrous for the average Texan. Private waters are becoming increasingly harder to access unless you know someone. (Read – You have money and they have money.) I find that rationale means that TPWD is out of touch with the majority of folks who buy fishing licenses, which is basically all of us who fish and would never shell out $2000 to bass fish a couple of days.
But the thing that really makes me crazy is the contract that TPWD signed with the landowner. Yep, no one can fish the lake for 15 years and TPWD can study the fish, which almost makes this deal palatable. But guess what, there is a clause written into the contract that lets either party basically opt out for what I would argue is any or no reason. Then TPWD has 180 days to remove the fish.
As an attorney my opinion of that clause means the following no matter how you sugar coat this deal: This contract is worth approximately the cost of the paper. Are you kidding me! And that TPWD can then go get the fish – who are you kidding? And I do not fault the landowner, as my friend Denny says: I am not mad at em, I just want to get me some. You can put a wig on a pig, but you still have a pig. This whole thing stinks, but as with many Game and Fish Departments in this country, and no one can say they don’t care about the wildlife, those with influence and money get stuff we don’t. So go buy a copy of the September issue, Matt William’s article is well worth the reading
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I got a note from Rick, and I just wanted to say well said brother. Thanks for reading my stuff.
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My waders had a really slow leak in the right boot. So using Aaron’s suggestion we filled it up with water and then he squeezed the snot out of them. We could not see any water coming out until I noticed a drop coming out of the bottom of the boot. These are the heavy duty boot footed waders for duck hunting. How in the world the sole got holes I will never know. Some of that shell must be sharper than heck. So the next couple of days will determine whether my patch holds up. Better than another couple of hundred for new waders.
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And one last rant to finish this Random Ramblings. I can not understand why tackle stores are closed in fishing destinations on Sunday, unless it is for religious reasons. Having owned a tackle store I appreciate how tough it is. But folks fish on the weekend, and when you are located on the water I just don’t get it. Now I know this is off-season on South Padre but it sure looked like folks were fishing to me. So instead of a plug for their store you get my rant.
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I have about talked myself out here, at least you know we are still alive and fishing. So off to get all the tackle in order, coolers rinsed, gear organized, all those little things that add up to a lot to take care of just to fish a couple of days. So keep stopping in, the Shoedog and I are about to do something spectacular, we will just have to see what that is. Thanks for reading my stuff.
Good Luck and Tight Lines
PS: I did want to say a little something to Evan one of my regular readers. I think you have gone insane. The only “Gigging” gonna be done on Saturday is when a Razorback tusk gigs the rear end of a bunch of Aggies. So obviously a little of that kind of trash talking is allowed. But all BS aside, it has the potential to be one heck of a game. Talk about a difference in philosophy. GO HOGS!
