Port O’Connor TX 1/7/16.

Fish Catching Travel

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The Best Baits on the Planet!

Initially it looked like the Shoeodog was coming but he got wrapped up in something so he did not  make it.  Then they were talking serious fog until 9 this morning so I just slept in and did not hit the road until 9.  It was cloudy with a light north wind and just a little misty on the way to Port O’Connor but it just cleared up as I put the boat in.  And I somehow managed to forget the camera, so sorry no pics today.

I brought all the stuff to wade but had decided it was keep a limit day so it was to my favorite deep bank in Big Bayou.  The thought of a fish fry has been driving me crazy so time to get the guests of honor.   The wind was barely blowing, and it was dead calm on the bank so I was able to throw the 1/32 – 16th jig heads.  I started catching them right away on an interesting looking bait I had not thrown before, and they were eating it.  It looked like an eel and I will show you a picture of one, they like it.

Casting to the grass edge, most were on the first or second hop off the bank, and off and on there would be bait jumping.  Before I went very far I had a limit of 15″ – 18″, and the rest of the day did not catch anything any bigger, though they bit pretty steady the whole 5 hours I fished.  Now nothing like  catching a limit in nothing flat, but that was not the real cool thing for the day.  Now keep in mind that I forgot my camera, and as has happened in the past, I wish I had it.

After about an hour I picked up some help, around 5 dolphins, and as I started catching the trout every few casts they prowled the boat.  No matter where I tossed them the dolphins were on them.  The biggest one would come below one when I was reeling it in and then look at me while I was taking it off.  I foul hooked a mullet in the eye and when he went back in he circled on the surface and the dolphin decided to play catch with it.  It got so bad I decided to go all the way to the other end and fish up there to give the trout a break.

Well after a little bit here they came, and down the bank we went together.  This whole day I was trying spinnerbait, topwater, and a Corky, all without a bite.  But get on a deeper bank and hop a light jig head with a dark plastic and you would get the bites.  It was not near so good in that area so back down I went to fish the good area one more time before I quit, and after about 10 minutes here they came again.  Those damn things swam all the way to one end and then all the way back when I moved.  And they were just hell on the trout and even a small rat red I tossed back.

Now of course I have seen this behavior in lots of different places, but these were homed in on the boat. Before it was over I made 4 moves and they found me every time.  At one point I was thinking murder, they were that aggressive.  They never tried to take a trout I had hooked, but the minute I tossed them in they would smoke them.  Just really an interesting, irritating day.

If I had to guess it was around 20 – 25 trout and one small rat red, and I missed as many as I caught.  I did have something pretty big on for a little while but it pulled off.  If I was guessing it was a big flounder.  There were no bites on the couple of redfish banks I fished so not really sure what was up with that.  But the trout fishing continues to be consistent, and though the ones I caught today were not big by any measure, I am not complaining.

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Talk about a dead fish pic.  In this case half were headed to the fry pan!

Since I started using the lightest jig head I can find my daily production has gone up.  It can be tough to fish in the wind, but when you can fish it like today, they will eat it.  Color has been here and there, but electric chicken/chicken on a chain/watermelon red/purple have all been good this fall, with the darker the better right now.  And my point is this, almost all colors have worked, I think it is the fall rate on the light jig head that does it, irrespective of color.  And most of the time I am throwing the light jig on 8lb fluorocarbon which surely helps.

I am still amazed when someone recognizes me at the ramp.  I was taking out at Froggie’s and 4 guys were headed out and hollered at me asking if I was the fishcatchingtravel guy.  They asked about Big Bayou and how I did so I told them right where I caught them.  Hope they caught a few.  And if you see me at the ramp just holler, it lets me know there is folks out there reading this.

Next it is back to the bay for another go at them.  This time it will be out of the boat.  I have a friend who says you can’t catch a big trout out of the boat.  Most of mine have came fishing out of the boat, but it makes a point about how stealthy you need to be to catch really big trout.  I will be sure to take the camera next trip.  Stuff happens.  So keep stopping  in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

About Redfishlaw

I am a retired attorney who just loves to fish. I was a freshwater guide for about 20 years and now have moved to the salt. I am not the greatest fisherman, but I am committed. So if you love fishing, and want to learn what little I have to offer, stop by anytime.
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