FISH CATCHING TRAVEL
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It has taken me 24 hours to finally sit down and write this. If it was possible to make any worse decisions, or fish any more poorly, I have no clue how. First thing that I did not do was prepare the conditions before I left. Then once I got there it was one wrong move after another. By time I quit I was completely disgusted. It has been a while since it went like that and I guess I was just due.
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Looking at the tides it was supposed to be high at 10:42 if memory serves me right. So the plan was to be on the water by 11:00 or so and catch the falling tide. And the other factor was the wind, so I waited around until 10:00, it did not look to bad so I finally decided to go. The first clue was the lot at Froggie’s was full, except for the open spots of folks who had already hit the road, it was blowing. When you get spot 5 there that late you know something is up.
On my way out to the island it was not to rough, at least in the beginning. But there were huge muddy areas, in fact anywhere there were spoils or shallow water it was pretty off-color. It was down Bayucos island then Grass island, and when I rounded the tip of Grass headed to the island the white caps were rolling and it was a typical windy ride to the island. The minute I got to my first spot I knew there was a problem.
Though the tide was supposed to be up, it wasn’t, at least not there. What I think happened was it was blowing so hard that it blew the water out of the drain and it looked like low tide, and the fish definitely were not having it. And it really surprised me there was no water on the flat with a projected positive 0.9.
The only thing that really pulled back all day.
To make a terrible story short I spent to much time in that area. I would catch a small one every once in a while, but after spending a couple of hours in the general area I could only catch 5, a small red and 4 short trout. The Controlled Descent was the only thing I could get bit on, (It was not the only plastic I tried.) and no topwater bites. After that a couple of drains on Bayucos and Grass were next, and not a touch. On the 3 wades I fished shallow and deep, and for some reason was not holding my mouth right. Now I am getting irritated so back to the basics for a little boat fishing.
I had not been in the Oil Cut in while, and with the wind blowing I found everyone else hiding out. The water was a little off color and I managed to catch another small red on spinnerbait, and another short trout. After hitting that it was a stop at a couple of drains in Big Bayou and it was 1 short trout. Yikes! At this point it was 6:00 and I called it a defeat and headed to the car wash.
When my wife got home she asked how it went and I said terrible. “But you caught some fish.” My response was I try to not blame the fish, when it goes like that there is only one answer, I fished like crap. And I am not blaming the wind but it has been this way lake or bay, fish where you can and not always where you want. But when that happens I expect myself to think things through, be able to adapt, and then make it work. Today that did not happen. The only bright side? Just makes me want to head back out and make them pay.
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Joe sent me a couple of comments on the time TPWD gave Sharelunkers to the owners of LaPerla Ranch. He rightly remembered I ranted about it, but it looks like some good will come out of it after all.
I remember you getting fired up about this situation. I guess he felt guilty (I concur.) and is now giving back to Lake Falcon???
You are so right on that, in fact I just read it on the Falcon Lake Tackle website and was getting ready to comment on it. And until getting your comments I knew it was high to fish there, but are you kidding me? $4,ooo per person for a weekend. That is insane. All the more reason that TPWD made a big mistake, but you see it often. At times fish and game departments confuse managing the fish and game with owning it. Sorry we do and it is not to be given for nothing to a rich guy, end of story. If your local city maintenance worker took home a truck load of gravel with city equipment and did not pay for it firing would be in order, and potentially criminal charges. This case is a little different in that there was no intent, just clearly a case of head up butt and whoever made that decision is lucky they did not get fired. First is the link you sent me and the next is Falcon Lake Tackle. (Scroll down to his May 1st post.) Interesting reading, and it looks like it might end up having a good outcome and everybody learned a little lesson, I hope. Good to hear from you.
http://www.tackleandrods.com/lake/flash.htm
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And thanks to Jim for his kind comment. Nothing like winning one occasionally.
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I assume that croaker fishing is on full blast at this point. I should put my prejudice to live bait aside and give it a serious go, but I am a lure guy but a another trip like that may send me to the dark side.
So there it is in all it’s glory. Fishing days like this remind us that we are not all that. For every fabulous day there seems to be a day like this. But looking at it from the perspective of a lifetime of fishing the bad days disappear from memory, while the fabulous linger forever, it is why we fish. I promise my attitude will improve next time I have a rod in my hand. So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.
Good Luck and Tight Lines
