Fish Catching Travel
With great intentions of heading to the Gulf to fish that creek I have been wanting to fish, it did not work out that way. The wind was forecast for 20 mph plus, and it blew every bit of that. And with it coming out of the south it would be blowing right in the creek so I headed to Coleto.
Last trip to Coleto turned out pretty well with the fish hitting topwater, and today with no different except with one exception. First off it was a big main lake cove that was out of the wind, at least as much as possible. It was just daylight when I started and the fish were up.
As it has been the last 3 years in early spring, it was a topwater minnow twitched right on top. In the first hour I put 6 in the boat, with 2 being keepers. I slid into the next cove and put 2 more small ones in the boat. It is real apparent we have been warm, the males are in the coves trying to hurry the spawn along, but with the little front coming this weekend it should knock it back to where it is supposed to be.
After the couple of main lake coves I headed up lake hitting any point with no wind on it, but there were not that many. Though I caught one here and there it was not what I was looking for, so I kept going up. I stopped in a big cove way up lake, and on the point going in I missed the first real big one that has made a pass at the topwater the last couple of weeks, encouraging. About halfway back they started biting.
No whopper, but before I quit 5 or 6 this size came in the boat on the Bagley Bang-O-Lure.
The fish are definitely getting ready to get after it. The points going in some of the coves have fish, and I caught them from the points going in the coves to a couple of small ones all the way in the back. While you can catch them in a little wind, the really calm places if you could find some, were clearly better. I think it had to do with 2 things, one the water was warmer there, and that put the bait fish there. One cove had shad dimpling, and I probably got 10 bites in there.
When I worked out of that cove the point had wind pounding on it, and deep water right off the edge. So though I have not caught to many on spinnerbait in the last couple of weeks I picked it up, and caught 3 in nothing flat buzzing it right below the surface, and they were whacking it. I missed a couple of more there, and due to a small fubar, no others came in the boat off that point.
A nice fish, mainly because they are starting to really bite. The spring bite is right around the corner. and buzzing that Strike King Pro Model spinnerbait will really come into it’s own.
I really think I could have put several more in the boat there but I wanted to take a picture of this one. So I laid the rod on the deck, and of course with the wind pounding on the point I left the trolling motor on. So as you might guess the spinnerbait was hanging in the water and got wrapped up the in the trolling motor prop. Good thing I noticed it or it might have been 2 rods in the lake in 2 trips. After that I left that point and moved further up lake trying different places.
Fishing never did get any better after about 10, and seemed to really slow down around noon. Other than a couple of little ones on long banks, all the good bites came around the points leading into coves. Right where they are supposed to be. They are staging for the spawn big time. While one big fish did take a pass at it today, the topwater is still taking males looking for a date. But that is why I throw it. It won’t be long when the day will come that the big girls will show up, and it will be game on.
And don’t forget if you have to fight the wind, get out a spinnerbait and fish the windy points. By alternating with the topwater where it is calm and the spinnerbait in the wind you can maximize your fishing time in the spring. And do not forget your polaroid sunglasses, they are a must for fishing the topwater as many of them take it below the surface. Additionally, you will see some roll on it, it helps to let you know what they are interested in, and how they want it.
Best I can remember around 17 came over the side before I quit around 2. Not a bad day of fishing considering a 25 mph wind which started to blow even harder around noon. By time I put it on the trailer there were only 2 other trucks at the ramp. I love winter fishing, folks are still hunting, the weather is usually less than desirable, but when you find them, fresh or salt, you can whack them. Of course the opposite happens too, when it sucks, it really sucks.
Random Thoughts
A sure sign that spring is in the air is gators soaking up the heat on mud banks. While you will see them year round on Coleto, they seem to take a little siesta when it is really cold, and then reappear when it warms up. I love those things.
Your Coleto tip for the day. Remember where you see them this time of year is the warmest place they can find, and it usually is the same for the fish.
The next best thing to a dinosaur.
Finally it has been tough without the flats boat this last month. It quit working and has been at the marine shop, it is finally fixed. Bob told me that some of the Opti’s had an occasional problem with coils, and that turned out to be it. So the part came in and I can pick it up in the morning. This time of year with some of the winds we have the Skiff just does not let me make those long runs on the bay that are necessary to get at some of the trout hot spots. So with the LTS back I am sure I will be hitting some of those places I have not hit yet this winter.
Right around the corner the website will hit a mark that in my wildest dreams I never thought I would see, 100,000 visits. It seems surreal that it will happen tomorrow. I can not thank you all enough, and just today I got another kind note from a reader. It is humbling and keeps me working to keep it fresh. With the help of my friend Jeff there are changes coming in the future that hopefully will make this an even better place. Thanks for reading my stuff.
Good Luck and Tight Lines
