Fish Catching Travel

Time to throw that Strike King Swimming Jig!  Man I love spring!

I have been placed in a really bad position.  What was one of the best days of redfishing I have had in a while has turned into a complete feeling of revulsion.  How did it come to that?  I do this blog so that I can help you all catch a few more fish, and as much as I can I put you on them.  Well for the first time it has been misused in a really bad way and I feel terrible.

We caught reds, and caught reds, and caught reds.  When we cleaned them at a friend of Chris’ he told him where we caught them, and apparently he told his son.  From that point the story makes me sick.  He sent a text telling how he found (BS – he did not find shit) a big school of reds and he strung 15 keepers.  That make me sick.  To think that someone would take a tip like that and then abuse it really troubles me.  And what makes it worse, he claims to be a guide.  How f’n low can you go?  And the reason I went down there  today was to check it out for back up when my buds are here Friday and Saturday.

I am troubled by this from many points of view.  As a former defense attorney, if he strung them, which he did, he was 5x’s over the limit and is a criminal, at least that is what they are called in court.  As a sportsman it makes me sick to my stomach that someone would even think of doing something that would not only put us in a bad light, but is the sterotype we fight against every day as our fishing and hunting rights are assaulted after actions of irresponsible folks like this.  And as a former guide if he would string 15 reds what else will he do?  And last, as a person it pisses me off that he would take credit for how he found the school of redfish, which is a flat out lie.

Thanks for letting me vent before I tell you about our good day.  I try to take the high road here as best as I can, this just sticks in my craw.  If this is the kind of person you are I do not want you reading my stuff.

Redfish Madness

Chris did not even make it out of the boat, then it was game on.

Chris and I headed out about 8 from Froggies and ran over to the island. The tide was low, and I mean as low as I have seen it this year.  How low you say?  We saw 2 folks pushing their boats off when they tried to get into Pringle.  And the water temperature was only 56 and was as clear as Baffin.

Our first stop was past Pringle on the main shoreline where there were birds working pretty hard, along with dolphins and a few gulls.  Chris headed out and I stayed in.  He kept going out, and going out, and going out.  The tide was so low I thought he was going to wade back to POC.  I stayed in and for our first hour plus wade I was the winner, I caught 2 pinfish.  It was hard to tell what  fish were working there, but no matter what they were not having it.

So next we headed down the island looking for likely spots.  It was so clear and the water was so low that we just kept going looking at the bank and back lakes and pockets for anything that looked right.  We ended up in San Antonio bay, in front of a back lake that I was particularly wanting to fish, and as we idled in it was maybe a foot deep and as we got to the mouth there were reds moving.  I can’t remember for sure if Chris had even jumped out of the boat but he tossed it in front a a bunch and from then on it was game on.

His limit, there is a 25″ behind that big one, who made it under by a hair.

We could basically see redfish moving all around the opening and the oyster bar at the mouth.  Chris make a long wade all around the area, I on the other hand moved about 50 feet from the boat and camped out.  I was using the Down South on the 1/32 jig head and 8lb fluro and it was a blast.  First there were lots of small ones, then the hosses moved in and it was fantastic.  They were knocking the snot out of it and we caught several doubles and several times two or three on consecutive casts.

Chris made a wad out the mouth and down the bank and he said at one point there were waves of redfish crossing in front of him.  Meanwhile I still had not moved and could see them rolling over as they ate and we even saw a couple tailing.  It was just ridiculous.  And both of us were surprised we did not boat a trout, not one, in spite of all the bait.  So after catching a bunch it was time to move on, my arm was actually getting tired, not.  The conditions were perfect.  A back lake with a softer bottom that you could feel was a little warmer.  A light east wind combined with the tide going out flushing the warmer water and bait all combined for the perfect storm.

Here is my limit, who knows how many I caught.

The last place I wanted to check today was Shoalwater,  By now the wind was up so we crossed the bay and on arrival there were about 5 boats in there.  They were drifting so we got in line and made 3 drifts.  Chris caught one small one, and we both missed a couple.  People started to leave one boat after another so I have a feeling we were a little to late.  We did see a couple of folks catch small ones on shrimp and popping cork.  I am pretty sure they are some trout in there, just not sure if it will justify a run down there this weekend.

But as days go, it was pretty funny, 2 strike outs places and then one flat out wailing on them place.  If I was guessing we caught around 40 easy.  And we did it right, we kept our limit and let the rest go as soon as they made the net or boga.  I fish because I love it, not to make some big mark, nor to notch my rods with kills, and what happened after we left is everything that is bad about fishing.  So my joy over a great day is tempered by what happened later, to bad.

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Remmy sent me this comment and I have about half an answer.

Is that launch ramp on garcitas creek good for a 22′ boat with top? can a ttop get past the railroad tracks? I can see a launch at Bennet park but it either looks private or there is a gate in front there that maybe a boat with a ttop cant get in. Thanks for the info, fish the lavaca river all the time just thinking about trying something new. When you fish the Lavaca river, I’ve always went south, never north. Do you fish up the lavaca side or the navidad side?

I put in off the highway and not at Bennet Park, and it is fine for a bigger boat.  Bennet is open and some folks put in there, but I have not done that.  But I did heard a good trout report from there last week.  I have been told that you need to be careful coming back down the creek from Bennet due to logs and shallows.  As far as whether your t-top will fit under the bridge, no clue.  I would put in off the highway first and you should have no problem and if you want to go up creek just take it easy.

When I fish the Lavaca I love the area down, past the high lines.  But I will sneak in the Navidad on occasion, but this year the water was off color enough that the bite did not really materialize like it has in the past, but I sure have caught them there.  Hope this answers some of your question.  Just remember that Garcitas is not the Lavaca, it is a creek so caution as you learn it.  Thanks for the question and if you go let us know how it went.

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And I heard from Johnny who is headed to one of the lakes I have not fished in a couple of years but really love to fish, Amistad.

Was out on Coleto Lake on Saturday. Caught fish on main lake points and on the way in to the back of the cove. Used Senkos…never felt them bite. Also caught them on the 38 Special Spinner bait.

Is that the new Strike King Swim Jig in the picture above? Hope your daughter wins her race.

Will be heading to Amistad Lake this weekend. Any tips?

Keep on fishing!

Sounds like you are finding basically what I have been finding on Coleto.  It is so close and with our weather staying stable and warm it can only get better.  And the Swim Jig in the last post is not their new Swinging Swim Jig, though I got a few and will be fishing them next week and will report.  That thing really looks mean.  But that color and Rage Craw are my favorite.

And thanks for shout out for the kid, she won and I am proud to be her dad.  And last, Amistad.  I fished it quite a few times in the past before switching to Falcon.  It so reminds me of our lakes in Arkansas.  If I have any advice is head up the Devils arm.  Not only can you catch bass but we always added a few bonus smallmouth.  And be sure to throw that jerkbait some.  Our very last trip a shallow running Shad Rap jerked put the hurt on them in that clear water.  It has a good population and fishing up lake always seemed to add a couple of stripers to the string.  So good luck and let us know how it goes.  Here is the story on out last trip there.

Amistad – nothing like a little wind to make a bass fishing trip fun.

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Next it will be waist deep in the bay for a couple of days.  I feel good about our chances, fishing with the boys from Austin is always a dawn to dusk affair. And there is nothing like fishing with Todd since he caught the popping cork disease.  Music rocking, a few cold ones, and good guys.  That is what sharing the outdoors is all about.  So have a great weekend, and if you fish let us know how you do.  Keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines