FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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It is Sunday morning and though I am not fishing, I am thinking about fishing.  And I wanted to get Chad’s latest report out to you while it is fresh.  As I have repeatedly said, read his reports closely, the only other thing he could do is come to your house and mark the map.  There is plenty of great information on location and lure choice to be gleaned from his reports.  While other folks keep this kind of information close to the vest, Chad is kind enough to give us the real stuff.

Wow what a great report on the garcitas, thats why i love this blog. Good job doug! I live 20 min from both ramps lavaca and garcitas. So its really a blessing when i can fish close to home.  I normally dont fish weekends but my son was rearing to go. So of we went for a quick trip to the bay for a wade.  We are still catching good fish on matagorda shoreline.

As daylight broke we eased in the water, and hit a few good ones right out the gate. About 10 min into the wade i see a boat approaching us at a high rate of speed wondering what the hell! And sure enough four young broncs decide to blow by us 40 ft away and run up in the cut where were fishing. 20 yrs ago one the cats would of been wearing a topdog as jewelry . Good part about it we still caught 3 more trout 21″-23″ 19″ but i think we could of filled the box on the first stop. Oh well ! I heard the famous sound of of the prop coming out of the water and the boat going from 40 to zero in 2 seconds so i didnt have to ruin my morning. My son Taylor did have to hear about boating education for a while though. So after a 100 yrd wade we loaded and left. To the next spot which made the box right. 15 trout 2 red and a flounder. Nice day!

We did a little scout fishing on the way in, fishing panther reef, post lake, and shoalwater. My opion is the better fish are still on shoreline. Headed to the deer blind.  Good luck out there and watch out for the idiots!!!! Thanks chad

It is so awesome that you get to spend such quality time in the outdoors with your son.  And education him on sportsmanship is part of our responsibilities to the next generation.  And I, without your knowledge or fresh experience, came to the same conclusion, the fish are still on the shoreline of the open bay.  And thanks for the tip on the Down South plastic.  I have been a big user since I first saw them.  The only downside is the tail is so tempting to pinfish, needle fish, and other smalls with teeth so one snap and the tail is gone.  It really has a completely different vibration on the fall that I think is a higher/quicker pitch, and it works.  It was really the bait on my last trip to the Upper Laguna.  As a side note I actually was going to promote them on the blog after speaking with them, they called me, and then I never heard from them again.  Never did figure that out.  But either way, they catch fish.

And thanks for the compliment on Garcitas.  Fishing the creeks and rivers is a whole different animal, one I really like.  And it may be good for a month, or two, but it is one of those things that has a specific hot time and then it is over.  For a fisherman like me who likes to catch fish, it is one of those things I look forward to every year.  Just like I do pre-spawn bass, the white bass run, or the fall gathering of the redfish.  It is just trying to maximize results, doing the right thing, at the right time, in the right place.

“Because We Can” but Should We?

Now to the important point of your report that I want to address.  Those of you who have read this blog for the last 6 years know that I constantly preach about etiquette on the water.  Your experience with the 4 knuckeheads is a perfect example of self centered behavior with not a shred of thought for the other guy.  Hope they buried that thing deep and it f’d up their morning.

I have had this experience quite a few times.  So I want to say this whether any of you like it or not.  DRAINS ARE NOT THE INTERCOASTAL!  Just because it happens to be the entrance to something does not make it an area where you can blow by folks who are wading or anchored fishing that drain.  It is your tough freaken’ luck you did not get there first.  Just because it is the only way in is totally irrelevant.  If you were wading a stretch on the open bay and a boat blew by you less than 100 feet away you would be pissed correct?  Then why do folks think it is ok to run close to people wading and fishing a drain?  Apparently some thoughtless folks think they have more rights than the rest of us.  I have never understood that other than it must be a case of head up a$$.

Sometimes I think it is what I call the “Because We Can” syndrome.  Boats are now able to run in nothing, and get up in a foot, so we do it “Because We Can”.  If memory serves me it takes 7 years to start recovering a prop scar, if ever.  And we make those scars because we do not want to idle down and then in to the bank, or “Because We Can” get in this way and not have to go around.  And we want to get up in a foot instead of idling to a little deeper and water and getting on plane.  All “Because We Can”.   So as a group we are wantonly destroying the very thing responsible for our fish, the sea grass.  Not to mention pissing other people off.

I know I enjoy exploring the bays and back lakes as much as the next guy.  Fishing places that used to be unavailable to most boaters is great.  And blowing through back lakes and cuts is often just plain fun.  But with that has, and will, come consequences.  Florida has really addressed these issues in a big way.  Huge no wake zones are common, and any destruction of sea grass is a crime that is taken seriously.  Texas has made it a crime to destroy sea grass, but if they had to document prosecutions they could probably not show one.  Trust me, increased rules and restrictions are coming, it may not be soon but they will come.  When they come we only have ourselves to blame.  If you operate in saltwater and have not read this do it, it is part of both responsible and legal boat operation.

http://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_br_v3400_1101b.pdf

Sorry for the rant but as outdoorsmen we have a responsibility to not only protect the environment, but to protect our rights to use the great outdoors.  The anti hunting and fishing crowd will use anything to restrict us, and if we do not acknowledge where our behavior fits into this thing we deserve whatever comes down.  The use of our woods and waters grows steadily and we need to police ourselves and not open the door.  If we don’t the government will be happy to step in, and we all know how messed up that is when it happens.  So be nice, think about what you are doing, and respect the law and our great outdoors.

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Now that I have this done it is time to check the weather and tides.  My plan for tomorrow keeps changing, and just might until I hitch the boat and leave the driveway.  Fall is such a great time of the year.  Fresh or salt, there is something on the chew.  And if you have anything to add to the discussion above please chime in.  My rants are only my opinion and it is neither more valuable or informed than yours.  So anytime you want to vent or comment please do, it make this so much more interesting than me holding up another fish.  So I am headed to the boat and tackle room to make sure stuff is ready to go.  Another day on the water and I can’t wait, at least until the Cowboys are done kicking the snot out of the Steelers.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines