POC 9/8/17.

Fish Catching Travel

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This mornings fiasco is actually working out for the best.  It is time to head to the bay and look things over.  In fact, who knows?  I might even catch a couple.  So I switched equipment from the boat to saltwater from freshwater tackle.  Everything will be ready to go and I am getting excited as this is written.

Weather

84/71  Mainly Sunny  Wind ENE 10 – 20.  0%  Chance rain.  (And for future reference it will be exactly 1 week post hurricane.)

Tides

 Low   1:26 AM     0.6   
 High   7:20 AM     0.8   
 Low   1:54 PM     0.6
 High   8:36 PM     0.8

Solunar Times

  • Best Times  12:37A – 2:37A   1:02P – 3:02P
  • Good Time    6:49A – 8:49A

Here is my quick take on tomorrow conditions.  As long as the wind stays below 20 it will be easier to tell if it is hurricane leftover or the coloring up that happens at POC when the wind blows that direction.  The tides are definitely not worth a hoot and it should be high.  And looks like there are a couple of Solunar Times that are helpful.  Note that the Best and good time surround the morning high and early afternoon low.  Maybe with a 2 tide day the water moves best during that time unlike when it moves earlier or later on a one day big tides.   All that is left to do is go fishing.

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And right on point for tomorrow’s fishing I got this comment from ED.

Doug,
sorry your plan A didnt pan out as you wanted, but I am very interested in POC right now. our little house didnt have much damage (knock on wood!) but since I had knee surgery beginning in august I havent been down except to do some clean up.
wondering if you could give a report on the barroom area and also around coastguard area. thanks Ed

First glad you made it through.  So much is really random.  A perfect example my close next door neighbor had a few limbs down and not much else.  We on the other hand had a huge tree on the garage and are getting the pleasure of putting on a new roof.  As the Boss always says; “Fate sucks.”

But to the important stuff, the water and fishing conditions in our area, see below, I am just as interested in how it goes tomorrow as you are.

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POC

I can not win for losing. After not getting to fish on the bay all summer, then getting released and here comes Harvey, it seems things have conspired to keep me off the water. Last night I got all the gear ready and was heading to bed early to be at Froggie’s at daylight and again the gremlin reared it’s ugly head.  The Boss got home about 10:30 and was probably lucky to make it.  Seems her battery failed, which was way early.  And to make matters worse she had a hair appointment at 8:00 this morning.  So I slept in and took her car to Interstate Battery, and will wonders never cease, it was under complete replacement.  So they popped it in and we traded vehicles and finally about 9:30, 4 hours later than I planned, I was on the way.

The water was real muddy at the ramp and the temp was 87 degrees.  And the wind, oh the wind, was blowing about 15 – 20 in a straight line out of the NE.  If there was ever a hassle wind in the POC area, this was it.  It really made it difficult to tell how much of the water color was the hurricane remnant and how much was wind.  It was one of those winds that was blowing in on the island near Pringle, in on Dewberry, and straight down Big Bayou.  I brought the wading stuff but did not plan on getting in unless I hit a hot spot.  The goal was to cover water.

Finally caught a few trout, the first in 3 months.

So it was hard to discern exactly what is going on with the water color but the farther away you get from POC out to the island it gradually clears.  So as far as water color goes if you are planning on fishing go to it.

Since this was a partial exploratory trip, remember I have not been on the bay in 3 months, I was interested in how it looked as well as how it fished.  The strike outs places were drifting throwing plastics on Dewberry and Big Bayou.  I attribute that totally to water color, but the plan was to fish the places I knew so that they sucked was no surprise.

I fished the Oil Cut and the water color is pretty good there.  5 trout and 1 red came over the side, but nothing to talk about.  I did miss several today, way more than usual, but with a big bow in the line, and not having fished in a while, that was not unusual.  From there a ride down Bayucos and Grass island gave me the first experience with change.  I was in about 5 foot running along when I hit something, not hard, it felt like wood.  I slowed down and there was another stump end of a tree of some sort sticking right above the water.  There was one more during the day so remember, things have changed.  In fact a guy washing his boat said that the entrance to Pringle has definitely changed.  So just be careful.

They never did get any bigger than this.

The plum/limetreuse Paddle Shad was the preferred bait, though I got bites on every color I tried.  My favorite, the blackgold/lintreuse Jerk Shad, caught the small ones.  With the wind a 1/4oz swim bait hook with an inserted rattle was best, and I think with the water having some color to it made the Paddle Shad which had vibration the key.

When I got to the island near Army Hole the wind was blowing pretty good right down the bank.  I set up in 3 foot of water and just drifted from there all the way past the regular entrance into Pringle, where it finally got to windy.  The shoreline was clear enough and the only affect on the water was due to the wind.  On that drift 7 or 8 jumped on, most in about 2 foot of water, and my continued problem getting the hook in them led to me losing several better ones.  I did throw a spinnerbait just a little, and did not have a touch.  After a couple of drains without any success and finally called it a day.

 Considering the wind, the water color, and not wetting a hook until 11:00 it was not to bad for a short day.  And in a few more trips the not getting the hook in them will disappear.  It really reminded me of the difference in fishing constantly then not fishing.  My reactions were a little late, and I was cranking them on instead of setting the hook.  And it definitely pays to be carefull your next few trips.  It will take a little while for things to settle down, but as far as the fishing goes looks like it is on.

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And on the subject of my little foray to a closed lake I got this comment from SA Joe.

I have been there, read that, went fishing and the report completely sucked from TPWD.

TPWD website and it mentioned the water being clear= murky.
TPWD website and it mentioned the water being murky=CRAPPY !!!

Go one up on their water clarity !!!
I’m in the same boat as having to travel to get to some great lakes. Pisses you off when there is no help to find the conditions of the lakes.
Joe

And I want to add to that.  One of the things I have strived to do is help folks catch a couple by blogging reports about specific places and methods, no matter how the fishing goes that day.  When traveling a lot research is a big part of going fishing somewhere, especially if you have not been there before.  One thing I have noticed is there is often no place where you can get real usable specific advice or reports.  Really makes it hard at times to have a leg up.  So I feel your pain.  If more fishermen would trade real advice and reports everyone would benefit.  And just showing a big sack of fish online with no information does not add to our knowledge or the sport.  Now that I am back in the game the reports will start coming.  I have lots of making up to do!

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Last, the gremlin has one more bump in the road before I can get back to it hardcore.  We have planned a trip to see my parents this weekend, then U2, and then the grandkids.  So here we go again but I am not letting it piss me off.  It is what it is and I will just have to fish half again as hard to make up for the lost summer.  But it sure did feel great to be out there again.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

About Redfishlaw

I am a retired attorney who just loves to fish. I was a freshwater guide for about 20 years and now have moved to the salt. I am not the greatest fisherman, but I am committed. So if you love fishing, and want to learn what little I have to offer, stop by anytime.
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