FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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As soon as we get a couple of cool nights followed by a cold front it is time to check out the rivers and creeks.  The trout start coming in as soon as the water temperature drops and I look forward to fishing Garcitas and the Lavaca River.  The weather looks good , maybe to good  The only way to know is to go.

Weather

81/61.   Sunny.  Wind South 10 – 15mph.  0% chance of rain.

Tides

High 5:16 am  1.3   Low   8:27 pm  0.9

Solunar Periods

Minor  4:51 to 5:51 pm   (Only relevant period.)

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I took it easy this morning and headed for the creek about 11:00, one of the joys of fishing the rivers, and was fishing by 12:00.  The water was really tannic looking, and since I took the skiff I was not sure what the water temp was, but it was not cool to the touch by any means.

About halfway down the creek the first stop was a bank which flattens out to a big flat point on a river bend.  One of the more consistent spots on the creek, today it was far from it.  2 small ones committed hari kari, and I missed a couple, but small was the operative word for that bank and the rest of the day.

The birds were on the chew.

Today I threw plastics, a couple of topwater casts, and some spinnerbait.  I just wanted to cover lots of water and check it out, and I learned one thing, it is about to get  good.  After the first place I headed down river and came across the birds working some bait and trout.  Unfortunately they were fish sticks at best, but they were willing.  The best plastic today was clearly the Controlled Descent Pink Limeade Paddle Shad.  With the wind blowing a good 15mph+ right up the river and the tide running in, I had to go to a 1/4 ounce swim bait hook to get it down quick enough.  But once hopped off the bottom they would eat it.  The other plastic that caught a few was the DOA 3″ Cal in a gold/red.  It was interesting that the tide was running in, giving some indication of how different the tide is in one area of the bay over the other.  (See tide times from POC above.)

          Pink Limeade Paddle Shad.                           3 or 4 small reds.

I gave the spinnerbait a go and did boat a couple of small ones, but plastics got more bites on the small reds.  The only one worth a hoot broke off right beside the boat while I was trying to get the net.  Before I called it a day at 4:30 I got the two things done I wanted to.  I kept a couple of keeper trout for supper, and learned it is definitely time to be fishing on the creek.  When I cleaned them the first one had a big mullet in her gullet, I thought.  She was packed with shrimp.  A couple of years ago we slayed them on the popping cork with a shrimp tail on the river, and that just might be the ticket right now.  No wonder the pink and red plastics got the most bites.  I did speak with the only other guy out there and he had his limit and found the same thing under the birds I did, lots of small ones.

While I try not to have the “old dead fish” picture, this is my favorite dead fish picture to take.

Additionally if they are at least half way up the creek, the Lavaca River should also have trout moving in big time.  If we do not get to much rain over the next couple of days the Lavaca will be next.  I really was ok with today’s results.  As I wanted to try several places I did leave the area the keepers were in and would have limited eventually.  If I had to guess it was an easy 20 for the day, with only 3 or 4 keepers, fine when you just need 2.  And while the only redfish that would have made it broke off, they are clearly in the creek right now.  The flounder will not be far behind.

I always feel a little uncomfortable writing about Garcitas Creek.  It is such a cool place and a different way to fish compared to the usual bay fishing.  And it is fairly small with most of the folks fishing it being locals.  The last thing it needs is a bunch of folks blasting up and down the river when many folks are in jon boats, kayaks, and canoes.  If you go please be courteous, it is small and idling by folks fishing is the right thing to do.  So with that in mind while I often share my posts on facebook, but any time I write about Garcitas or the Lavaca I won’t, it does not need the pressure.  I share everything here, good and bad, and have often been criticized for doing so, but this one I do not care if anyone knows about it.  It is one cool place.  Keep it that way if you go.

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I really hate insurance companies.  If for no other good reason I am in favor of single payer health care, which would cut them out.  After my operation, and approximately $130,000, we are finally getting that one worked out.  Thanks to the Boss being in the field I was lucky she could work it all out.  The process is specifically designed by the insurance companies to wear you out, make you accept whatever they say, and finally give up.  All they do is take $$$ out of the system and are absolutely no help and do not have your best interest at heart in their decision making.  And of course since that one is almost concluded, a 4 month process, my parents are now embroiled in an insurance issue, one that is actually complicated and well out of my experience and knowledge area as a retired attorney.  Their situation has caused lots of stress on them and now the rest of us.  Their problem has raised all of our stress level and all it has done is further reinforce my decision to retire.  And of course dealing with this from 600 miles away is an obvious issue, it has left the phone glued to my ear for a couple of days as I was dealing with the State Insurance Board. the State Contractor licensing board, The insurance company, and a couple of different attorneys..  Always remember your personal issues and problems are not their number one priority, that is taking your money and doing their best to keep it.

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Looks like rain for a couple of days, we need it.  The big question is will it be enough to muddy up the creeks and rivers with fresh water and slow down the building bite.  So with that in mind the rest of the week will include a trip to the Lavaca and a trip to the lake.  The weather will dictate the order of which I fish and when.  So today will be get some of the honey do list done so that I can blow the rest of the week off on the water.  Keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines