Fish Catching Travel

Strike King – So you can kick them in the bass!

I did not decide to fish today until I got up this morning and it was cloudy and foggy.  After checking the weather it was light winds with any real chance of rain later this evening.  So after making the boss some breakfast it was off to POC.

The wind was almost calm and the tide was still going out a little, I was late, but the water was still moving.  The plan was to head across the bay and fish a couple of places on the island shoreline.  First up was the flat near Army Hole.  Idling in to 1 foot deep I dropped the anchor so it was a short wade to the drain.  The tide was moving out and as soon as I got to the drain the fish started to bite.

 The kind of day I was hoping for.

Using the light jig head and a DOA Cal in a shad looking color was the ticket.  I started catching them and for the next hour they bit right along near the mouth of the drain.  A good cast was where you could keep your line tight and let it swing out with the tide.

 Started catching them as soon as I got to the mouth of the drain.

I stayed with it for an hour or so near the mouth of the drain but the it was time to see if I could catch a real one.  So I headed out to the grass and potholes in knee to waist deep water and started tossing topwater and occasionally a Corky.  I was determined to stick with it and not go back to catching them in the drain.

They look awesome in the water when they are doing that mouth open thrash thing.

Moving really slow and alternating my retrieve with the topwater did not produce a bite.  I worked in and out from the bank to waist deep water and did not even have a follow.  And though I covered lots of water there and stayed with the plan hoping for that one bite, it did not happen.

They ones in the cut never did amount to any more than this.

So I pulled up stakes and moved down the shoreline to what we call The Bikini Cut,  which is the drain after you get past Pringle.  Over the  side I went but did not take a plastic, just the topwater and Corky.  I was still looking for that big bite.  Again working in and out, varying the retrieve and even a different topwater did not produce a bite.  So after about an hour there it was time for anther move.  Where next I was not sure, the no bite thing was getting old.

As I idled out of shallow water the oil alarm went off  on the motor.  On the  Optimax when the alarm sounds you basically have about a half hour at wide open.  So being at least a half hour from the ramp it was time to call it a day.  I would have had enough time for one more spot if I had bothered to put the gallon of oil I just bought in the boat from the back of the truck.  Oh well.

After catching a bunch in the drain right off the bat I stayed with the plan trying to get the big bite, and managed to fish over 3 hours without one.  Fishing plastic would have been a little more successful I am sure, but I was trying to stick with the plan.  It is time to catch a big trout and so I did not lose faith.  It is a little interesting I never had a bite on the topwater, it was simply a matter of poor bank selection.  Time to hit Baffin this week coming up and increase my odds.

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Rick and TheMowdy both commented on yesterdays fishing.

That was an excellent report. In fact, it was so good, I went back and read it again. I work a lot and get to fish very little. Sometimes after I read one of your saltwater reports I feel like I just went fishing. Thanks for the great blog and all the work you put into it.   Rick.

Wow! What a day! You had fun fishing . Kresta’s just called and my boat with new trolling motor is ready! Will watch the weather and head out soon.  Enjoyed your post!   TheMowdy.

Thanks guys, it was a fun day.  The fishing is good right now and I am glad you enjoyed the report.  And good luck next time you are out TheMowdy.  Nothing like a new toy on the other toy.  Let us know how you do.

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And I heard from John, one of the guys from the group I refer to as the Austin Boys.

Thanks for the report Doug. I ‘ve noticed that you’ve been throwing 1/32 oz jigs so I decided to look for some around Austin. I can’t find any that would work with saltwater size baits. Everything I see is geared for panfish with small wire hooks. What kind are you using and where are you getting them?
Thanks! Hope to fish with you again soon.

Bagley (the lightest) and War Eagle Shaky Head Jigs.  (Sorry for the glare.)

Here are 2 out of the 3 I am currently using.  The missing one is the Strike King Shaky Head.  Shaky Heads are used by bass fishermen for light line and small plastics.  That style of jig has a hook acceptable for bass and easily handles trout.  Let me say this about jig heads, do not rely on the weight listed on the package, they lie.  It just depends on the mold.  So how to really tell what is light, just look for small, and then look for smaller.  I have found the Bagley at Tackle Town in Rockport and Cabela’s in OKC.  The others from here and there, the War Eagles also came from OKC.  So when you are looking head to the freshwater section.

Now the Bagley is by far the lightest.  If you see the collar on the hook shank, it is a small separate keeper, that will work loose and slide on the hook after a few fish.  So I have started using super glue, not only on the Bagley, but on most other jig heads.  It really adds longevity to the plastics.  And the last thing I want to say about using this light jig head, if your plastic is also small and light it is easier to make long casts with a spinning rod.  And 8lb. fluro mono is all I use to help it sink faster, especially in deeper water.   When I say it falls slow with the Bagley, it falls really, really, slow.

And just for fun here are the four baits I have basically been throwing.

Here are the plastics I have been using the last  couple of months.  The Down South in purple has worked well, and of course I am throwing it in watermelon red.  Next is a Yum Swurm which I just started using, they seem to like it quite a bit.  It is flat and with the light jig head is killer.  Then the only H&H plastic I like, the 3″ Cocahoe Minnow.  The 3″ tail wags pretty aggressively, unlike the 4″ which is a little to stiff for my tastes.  Last is the 3″ DOA Cal in a dark with red flake.  It seems like every day they like one a little more than the other, but today I caught at least a couple on most of them.  Kind of goes back to what I said yesterday, it is the rate of fall more than the color of the plastic.  Hope this answers your question and look forward to fishing with you again.

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I actually am still a little surprised I did not have a good bite today on topwater, I put in the time.  Again, it was probably bank selection so I need to keep trying different places in the bay.  I am watching the weather close and will be fishing Baffin 2 or 3 days this week.  That should significantly improve my odds.  If I can match the today’s weather next week it will give me as good as chance as I will get all year to intentionally catch a big trout.  And the one other place I do not want to miss before winter ends is Shoalwater.  This time of year it always holds trout, it is just a matter of finding the right drift.  And keep those cards and letters coming, we love hearing from you.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines