FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Weather

91/73  Cloudy with 50% chance of scattered thunderstorms  Wind SSE 10 – 15

Tides

High   5:40 AM     1.0   (Not the best flow but the timing is right)
Low    6:14 PM     0.4

Solunar Times

Best    5:13A – 7:13A    5:37P – 7:37P       Good  11:01A – 1:01P

I really had no specific plan today other than catching a couple of keepers for supper.  The wind was blowing about 15 when I got to the ramp at Froggie’s.  The tide was way up, almost to the top of the piers, so it was high and had some color to it.  I was surprised at the number of folks at the ramp, and the parking lot was almost full. But the bigger point is I fished uninspired and this report is boring, a reflection of the morning.

From there it was off to Big Bayou.  I was hoping the water would start to run out at some point, but when I started fishing it was still coming in and the wind was blowing it right along.  The first stop was a sign of things to come.  Topwater (Knocker B and Skitter Walk) produced 6 or 8 bites, but only 2 hooked up and neither were worth a hoot.  I caught 4 or 5 there but nothing close to a keeper.  It stayed like that all morning, especially the good ones not staying on.

The best of 3 or 4 reds today.

After that first little flurry it was hunt and peck with a bite here and there.  But there was one big problem, I could not for the life of me get a hook in them.  I lost several (Lots) of really nice fish, both trout and reds.  For some reason they just pulled off, and it happened on both spinning rods.  My hooks were sharp enough, not sure what the problem was.  I did drop my rod tip on one nice trout and of course it jumped off.  And to add to the misery the small ones managed to stay hooked up.

This was the biggest trout of the morning.  She had a mullet in her bigger than some of the trout I caught today.

There was one thing different today and that was I caught some fish on a couple of really shallow flats behind an island in Big Bayou, so actually it was in Barroom.  The tide was so high, and not really dropping, and that obviously had something to do with it.  And with the wind helping to keep the water moving it was actually tough to fish the drains with the water running off the reef into the Bayou.   And the water color was not as clear as the last couple of times.

I did throw spinnerbait for a little bit and even managed to lose one on that, which is a really rare occurance.   The only one I boated on it was a rat, just like the others I caught on plastics.  Nothing got bites like the watermelon red/white paddle tail anywhere water was running around a point.  I did catch a bonus Spanish Mackeral but even he did not make the grade.  But on a better note, the fishing seems to be trying to creep into the fall pattern, we just need to break out of this hot weather.  Nothing those cool fall mornings won’t fix.

So here it what I learned today.  First, I should have been wading.  The couple of shallow places where I caught them would have been a ton better if I had been in the water with them.  Second, time to get out of the Big Bayou rut.  I can blame it on several things, including hot weather meaning shorter trips, but really it comes down to being lazy.  No matter what the reason, my saltwater reports have been fairly boring, and even I am somewhat sick of them.  My trip yesterday really did leave me bored and uninspired.  I achieved the goal, supper, but that is hardly motivation.  As my good buddy Randy would say when the fishing was slow, “Somebody do something spectacular!”

Fortunately there is a really simple resolution to my boring saltwater reports, just drive the boat another 15 minutes and jump in the water.  Add in a little experimentation and you have the makings of a good report, and a good day on the water.  So I hear you Randy, time to get back into doing something spectacular.

*******************

The Mad Trout Fisherman (aka Chad) is at it again.  The boy has them down pat on croakers.

Poc today light winds to start off the morning . A livewell full of croaker a 4 man crew, and a 5 min boat ride to cityslickers. When we shined the spotlight on the water upon arrival, and bait was everywhere i knew i made the right choice. We made short work out of it today. 4 man limits of trout, 7 redfish 0ne 45″ oversized released. The tide was falling and the fish were right on the drop off. Big trout of the day 22″ i love it when the fish make look like i know what im doing. Last time i had one of these guys on the boat was at baffin at yarbough pass and i shut the boat down in less than a foot of water. We had to push it 100yds . He hasnt forgot lmao!!! So it was good to wack em today!

The nice thing about your current run is you have got to share it with some folks who make it great when you whack them.  Nothing like right place, right time, and right bait to make it come together.  Good job.  So keep those reports coming, we all love them.  Thanks.

*******************

There is a bad situation happening on Falcon, and as usual the folks at Falcon Lake Tackle are all over it.  He works hard at keeping TPWD, and other state agencies in line, and again there is a another big issue on the lake.  A contactor building a new bridge has built a dam which ended up causing a huge fish kill.  Basically all the involved agencies and contractors are getting away with fishocide by their inaction.  You try causing a fish kill in the thousands and thousands and see what that gets you.  So if you are interested in how TPWD has responded to the killing of your fish please read his blog, it is very informative.  Plus nobody would ever accused him of not speaking his mind.

http://www.tackleandrods.com/lake/flash.htm

*******************

One thing that happened Friday was fairly spectacular, though not in a good way.  As I was fishing a drain in Big Bayou a couple of guys in a fairly big deep V came roaring into the next cut headed onto Bill Days reef.  If you know anything the back side of the islands in Big Bayou they are shallow, even at high tide, and covered in oysters.  So they slam into the bottom and spent the next 1/2 hour trying to get moving.  When they finally did they were chewing up the oysters and the bottom of both the bay and the boat.  So here is my point, other than being amazed they did that, your GPS is not the be all, end all, on new water.

It really seems that map study has gone by the way side with the widespread use of GPS.  As maps were the only way we got around they have been a part of my fishing for decades.  Even today I buy a map first thing anywhere I intend to fish.  Not only does it give you the big picture, it can keep you out of trouble.  Fishing with folks who have different mapping on their GPS there is a big difference in the information they contain.  It was real apparent these guys were not local because even a basic examination of a map would have prevented the whole fiasco, or maybe hundreds of $$$ when you break something.  Plus on the good maps available now it seems like you always learn something reviewing them.

******************

It can be hard to keep it fresh when you try to write 150+ days a year.  Your comments and reports really help keep me motivated and I appreciate them all, feel free to comment anytime.  Next up is a weekend full of football and door painting.  Easy to get started on the football, harder to get started on the painting.  Then Monday it will be back to fishing, though still in the 90’s and a 50% chance of rain.  It is like a broken record around here.  Here’s to hoping you all are getting to fish some, the good times are coming.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines