Port O’Connor Texas 11/29/17.

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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All it took was one look at the weather report and it is POC here I come.  Maybe I can start to get a clue for the weekends trip, at least maybe give us a little head start.  Plus if I can not force feed those bass a topwater maybe a trout or two will cooperate.  So it will be up early and on the water at daylight.

Weather

75/58  Sunny.  Wind N 5 – 10 mph.  10% chance of rain.

Tides

Low  8:35 am -o.5    High  11:53 pm +0.8

Solunar Times

Best  6:32 am until 8:32 am  (Only relevant period.)

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When the Boss said it was going to be foggy, she was so right.  When I took off for POC it was fogged in fairly solid.  I left early enough to account for that and I hit Froggie’s right before daylight.  I was the second boat there, and after parking and getting ready it was apparent there was not going to be  a big run.

The wind was light out of the north as I eased down the barge canal.  This was not one of those times you could run, to foggy to trust the GPS, and you never know who else is out there.  So discretion being the better part of valor. I idled out Fisherman Cut and headed down Barroom shoreline.  While I could not go anywhere, starting there was fine, and it turned out to be exactly that.  It was so foggy I could not even wear my glasses.

Big and small there were lots of reds moving around and they were wallowing on the topwater.

I started with a bone One Knocker Spook and had a follow and a wallow from a red, then another, and another. Initially I figured a bigger bait would be the ticket in the fog, for what reason I am not sure.  In the first hour several came after it, making a big show of things but not hooking up.  It was a little frustrating until I removed my head from you know where and downsized to the Bagley Knocker B and then they started eating it.

The Paddle Shad getting it done.

The tide was low and the fish were not up by the grass but our near the break where it dropped off.  And I saw several tailing, which if you could get the plastic in front of them it was fish on.  I was catching small ones and some nice ones on top when I started throwing the Controlled Descent Paddle Shad in Plum/Limetruese with a 1/16th weighted swim bait hook with a rattle inserted.  The ones that ate thumped the snot out of it, both reds and trout.  It would basically suspend, perfect in that really shallow water, and I used a side sweeping motion, pull stop, pull stop.

From that point on I alternated between the topwater, the Paddle Shad, and a smaller 3″ paddle tail.  Somewhere around 10:00, I gave up the watch when I retired so I had not a clue what time it was,  it started to clear just a little.  I was wanting to head across to the fish island when here it comes again, sea fog.  Having been out in a bad one that is something I would not want to repeat, and actually it helped extend the bite.  So it fogged back up, see the boat above, and they kept biting.  And then it clouded up for a while after the fog finally lifted so the bite kept up consistent until at least 11:00.

Even the little guys like the Paddle Shad.

Besides the Paddle Shad and the Knocker B I caught on small paddle tails using the 1/32 ounce jig head on 8lb. fluoro.  That combination catches lots of fish, you just have to wade through small ones.  Also a couple fell to a twitch bait, it was one of those mornings when if you got it in front of their face they would bite.  Since it was after 11:00 when it started to clear, and they Austin Boys are coming, I just kept moving and tried several places all the way down the shoreline to Army Cut trying to find a few more.  But the sky cleared, and once it got sunny and bright with the light North wind they quit.  Of the last 3 places I tried not a bite, so at 1:30 I called it a day.  The last couple of years when the boys come there is always a late fall bite, so things are looking good.

I caught lots of small reds and only 4 or 5 trout, and the few trout that took a pass at the topwater did not hook up.  But if I missed one I tossed the plastic back at them successfully.  I can not say it enough, the Wade Right belt is as important as the baits and the equipment, and is a major part of my wading arsenal.  Being able to carry a casting rod for topwater and the spinning rod for plastics let me alternate, which today put fish in the boat.  It easily let me put the bait and switch on the ones that missed the topwater.  So a successful morning and with a great sign of things to come this weekend with the boys.

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SA Joe had this question.

Quick question. What i see from online the normal pool level at Coleto is 98ft?  so the lake is about 1ft low? Thats pretty good for a lake.

Joe

That is about right.  It got a lot lower than that last year, but never a ton higher except for a little while this spring.  Over all it stays fairly stable compared to the wild swings the Corp of Engineers lakes had in Arkansas.  The biggest swing I saw there was 27 feet in one year, and I can not remember the biggest one day rise, but we stayed up all night letting docks out so they did not get dragged under.  We still have some cover in the lake, which if it remains fairly stable should set up the spring fishing.  Thanks for the question.

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And from my favorite Metal Head.

Doug, Doug, Doug, it’s never hard to get excited about fishing saltwater.

Billy is a topwater maniac who never met a trout he did not like.  And I notice on his Facebook he has been putting them on the stringer.  And yes, yesterday got me excited, this weekend has a chance to be epic.  With 6 or 7 boats and over 25 folks fishing someone will do something spectacular.  Stay tuned.

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As soon as I post this I will load the boat and get the rest of my stuff together.  I am meeting a group at the Lavaca River later today to start working on the fish fry, then down to POC for 3 days of some serious eating and fishing.  After them bringing a major cold front the last 3 years the weather looks like it will be perfect.  So let the tom foolery begin.  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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