Fish Catching Travel
I made it to POC in time to catch an awesome sunrise. Though today was a fishing trip like all the others, I did have a plan. As the fishing has slowed under the heat wave, and many are staying deeper, especially after the sun gets up, I decided to try something different. And not only try it, but stick to the plan.
If this is not reason enough to be out at daylight then you are not a redneck!
So of course I went to Big Bayou first for a little topwater action on either the trout or reds. The water was still rising, high tide was for around 8 am, and it was almost livable out there. I managed to catch 2 trout and 2 reds. The reds were rats, and one of the trout was a keeper. They were on the ends of the islands where water was running around the point as water raised on Bill Days. I did have several nice reds follow and blow up on it, but for some reason they were behind it. I tried slowing it down without any noticeable difference in the number of strikes. Before I left I hit one of my steady trout banks with plastics and all I succeeded in doing was breaking off a big red, it happens.
So now to the great plan. The tide had stopped moving so off to Oil Cut #1. The reason I chose there was I planned on really giving crankbaits a try. With the fish deeper seeking more stable water I wanted a place that I knew was over 5 foot with a nice edge since I was using a 1.5 Strike King square bill. As they run 3 – 5 foot it was perfect. And another nice thing about the Oil Cut is you can fish most of the way across it with a long cast, giving me a good way to work most of it.
As soon as I entered the cut I dropped the trolling motor and started cranking. I was using a bait with mostly white and greens with a bright blue tail. I immediately caught a small one, then another, then a lady, then a small red, then a keeper.
Just wanted to show you my first keeper on a crankbait.
Over the next couple of hours I caught a couple of small reds, 6 or 7 trout and other assorted fish, including a jack and a catfish. Another of the trout was a good keeper, but overall most of the fish I caught on it were small. It was probably a matter of location. I do not intend to give up on crankbaits, and the next time I am down there I intend to drift some of the deeper mid bay reefs. Maybe this will amount to nothing, but it is something I have wanted to try, and I intend to do a little more work on it.
Some of the best catches come from that little something different, and since I have lots of crankbaits and time, I will keep after it.
Random Thoughts
9/11
As a former Nationally Registered Paramedic I always remember what happened to those brave responders and victims of the 9/11 attacks. And now we have this attack on our embassy in Libya, read our soil, and the murder of our ambassador and 3 other workers. And that in the very country we just spent lives and money helping. I have tried to keep politics out of my writing, this is about fishing, but in this case I can not help myself.
The middle east and north Africa have been politically and religiously unstable since the time of Christ. They have never been able to resolve their differences, and we are sure not going to. So what to do? The time has come to quit spending our blood and money on their problems. Cut off all funding to any country where this happens. Withdraw our diplomats and let them fend for themselves if that is all the better they can do. I am puzzled by the theory that our money and support does not buy some deference. So if you want our money, live by the conditions that should come with it. Otherwise good luck, let us know how that works out for you.
And finally, I am very tired of the political correctness on both sides of the aisle. Tell it like it is. There attacks are carried out by Muslims, period. While you hear the term terrorists used regularly, we tend to not attach Muslim to it in some ridiculous attempt to not hurt some body’s feelings. It is not Methodists, Catholics, or any other group doing this, it is radical Muslims in the name of Islam. Well folks I am sick of it. Time has come to call a spade a spade. Lets hope this attack is met with a swift and firm response, not just words.
A Discussion of Ethics.
I really appreciate it when I hear from my readers. The comments vary from great blog, to my very favorite, “You used to be interesting.” I get questions from folks all the time about ideas I might have when they fish the area, and quite a few readers sharing stories they have concerning something I wrote. Please keep them coming. I want to read them, I respond when I can, and I learn something every time I read one. Which brings me to a question of ethics prompted by an online message I received from a 2 Cooler last week. That message was an impassioned plea for me to stop being so specific on exactly where I am fishing.
What is interesting is that I have received the same email or comments from several people about “their” spot over the last year. Do not get me wrong, nothing anyone has said was mean spirited or nasty. They all have one thing in common that drive those comments, the rapidly shrinking places we can go that are not crowded, especially with those “out of towners.” They all fear an influx of people to “their” area. These are good folks who have been fishing these places for years, many of them their whole life.
In the last year I have encountered the same thing in several different countries. In Belize on Caye Caulker it was the guides who work out of that island. They are not happy with the big bonefish clubs who keep expanding their range into “their” water. In Canada it was fishing on a lake with over 69,000 miles of shoreline (30x bigger than the Texas coast). Very rarely did we not see another boat, in fact at times it was downright busy with boats. All doing the same thing we were doing, trying to catch a fish. Our waters are shrinking, no doubt about it.
I have struggled with the question of whether I should continue to point out specific places I am fishing. Am I part of the problem? Can my little blog really have some affect on the number of fisherman in an area? To tell you the truth I do not have a clue.
So my dilemma is this, should I stop telling you exactly where I am fishing? Do you really think my writing is making that kind of difference? Is letting folks know exactly how I am catching what few I catch enough, and I should quit letting you know where? This is one time I am asking you who read my stuff to let me know. Where do you come down on this issue?
So where do I come down on the basics of this issue? I truly believe this water belongs to all of us. In the 50 years I have been chasing fish I have seen what we all have, an explosion in both salt and freshwater fishing. A boat used to be a luxury, now it is just part of many folks life. The earth is shrinking, and consequently there are few places left that are a secret. We as fishermen have to change, the world is not going to change for us. It is incumbent on everyone to find a way to share the water. It is not going to get any better in the future.
That is your question, am I to specific? Should I quit mentioning specific places? Where do you come down on this issue? Please let me know, and I will post some of your comments here. There are no right or wrong answers.
Teal Season
I got a text from my friend Chris wanting to know if I was going to teal hunt with him Monday. Of course the answer is yes. I appreciate him turning me on to duck hunting last year and look forward to the fall season. So I am excited, but I am not sure the ducks are all that worried based on my duck to shell ratio of last year.
Of course, now I have to spend some money. The waders I bought at Academy are pure junk, in fact that is giving them a break. They have slowly leaked more and more over the 1 1/2 years I have had them. The ones my brother bought at the same time are even worse. So take my advice on their waders, save yourself the trouble and get some real ones that just might last.
Time to get ready. Clean the gun, buy some shells and a duck stamp, and see what shape my hunting clothes are in. I love the getting ready part, and look forward to a great season. Heck, I might even buy a duck call from the Duck Commander and quack my way to glory. More to come.
So here I sit watching the weather. We all set for some rain the next couple of days, moving in today. The boat is loaded for Coleto and if it clouds up for real I will be heading that way this afternoon. Maybe the weather change will get them moving.
As always, thanks for reading my stuff. And for letting me rant and rave a little today. So keep those cards and letters coming. I am so ready for fall and the good fishing that comes with it.
Good Luck and Tight Lines.
