Fish Catching Travel
While catching the glamour fish in Belize was awesome, it was time to get back to the Gulf. The forecast was for 20 – 30mph winds, and they were dead on. The reason I chose the Powderhorn is that at the mouth near the dock there is a high bank on the south side, The Powderhorn Ranch Shoreline, that provides some protection from the wind. Good thing.
I immediately went to the big pocket in the front of the bay and started with a spinnerbait. One thing about the Redfish Magic, as long as you can stay off a bank you can catch reds even when the wind is howling. The tide was up in the grass, which is always a good thing. I fished the pocket going in and did not catch one until I got all the way in the back. There is a small drain and there was enough water to get way back in. The first red I caught was a nice rat, but a rat all the same. I worked my way down the north side of the pocket and caught this one.
The Redfish Magic strikes again.
When the tide is up there are 2 very important things about catching them on spinnerbait. First, throw it in the grass. The Redfish Magic will come through it usually without a problem and every once in a while you will hit a little grass clump and one will blast it. Of course throw it in any slot or pocket in the grass and be sure it is moving when it hits the water. Second, that bank like many others in our area have oyster patches scattered around the grass, and that is where a lot of the fish come from. So if you see a black patch be sure to run that spinnerbait over it.
I try to let the wind move me and just use the trolling motor to stay a long cast off the bank. Less noise is always a good thing. As far as speed goes I try to just keep it off the bottom no matter how deep it is. I like a 1/4 so I can crank it slow and feel it vibrate. Today they were not slamming it, so if you feel something be sure to set the hook, it don’t cost nuttin’.
After I fished the pocket I headed to the south bank. That bank has grass which floods during high water. With the wind so heavy in the rest of the lake I decided to fish the majority of it, so I threw spinnerbait all the way to the point with the with the old ruins on it. On the whole bank I caught one more rat red and missed one. I kept noticing a lot of bait from the first duck blind all the way to the second. Most of it was off the bank. It seemed to be where the flat dropped off into 3 foot of water. So out came the wading stuff and in I went.
I have one of the wading harnesses that allows you to carry another rod on your back so I put the spinnerbait rod on my back and began to trout fish. I fished from 1 foot to 4 foot deep most of the way down that bank. I threw several colors and styles. I threw it in balls of bait, in mullet, and anything else I saw moving. I never had a bite from a trout, and I mean not a bump. One of the good things about the wading harness is I had my spinnerbait with me so I headed to the flooded grass and fished my way back to the boat.
A couple made a pass at it, including one red right at my feet. Then another rat jumped on, but that was the size of it. At this point the wind was really blowing so I headed back in the pocket and fished the whole bank all the way back to the dock. It was hard to keep position but I struggled through it.
This was the only other good one I caught today.
I got back in the big drain about half way to the dock and it was really muddy, and they were in there. 3 or 4 more came out of there, and that was it. All on the Redfish Magic, with the croaker color still being the best the last month.
It was a pretty good 5 hours considering. Sometimes you just have to make do with what you get, but a little thought about wind direction before you leave home can really be the deal maker, or deal breaker. I am not sure why I have not done any good on the trout in the Powderhorn the last couple of times, but the wind has made fishing the open bay tough, so that has a lot to do with it. At least the redfishing remains good there. I guess with the wind continuing to blow it is time to get out the Mako and start extending my range to find good trout water. The skiff is great for shallow water but not worth a hoot for crossing big bays. And Lavaca Bay yesterday had 3 – 4 rollers and looked like a bottle of Yohoo.
Before I put Belize to bed here is a few pics I got from Shoedog and Clyde.
Clyde and I coming in a after a 2 permit day.
We did not use the table in the room for eating.
Capt. Ken and me, fun with a permit 101.
The huge tree in the center of Sea Dreams. And the most popular mode of transportation on the right.
Shoedog and I enjoy and adult beverage.
These guys sell ribs and skewers of shrimp and meat on the beach. Cheap and good.
Hand-lining fish. I remember him from last trip, he was very interested when I would catch a bonefish. Can you say future guide?
Clyde’s first tarpon.
Revive and gone.
He puts his hands on his first bonefish.
Completes his slam.
Feeding our face at Wish Willy.
The main area of our apartment. Sea Dreams is clean and nice.
Headed home – to bad.
I appreciate you reading my stuff. As soon as I feed the President of Team Nancy lunch I am off to Coleto. Good cloud cover and wind should make for a good afternoon. So keep stopping in and I will keep fishing.
Good Luck and Tight Lines
