Fish Catching Travel
Matagorda
While the wife and I were out of town the Austin boys headed to Matagorda for a weekend of fishing. A real serious fishing bunch, they hit it hard. I dropped Todd a line on Wednesday when I did not see a report anywhere online. Apparently their experience mirrored what I have been hearing, and seeing with my own eyes, it is just plain tough.
“You didn’t miss much. Fishing was very slow both days. We fished East Matty the first day and caught a few drifting reefs. We waded some beautiful spots on the South shoreline but not a bite. We made our way over to the house about mid day and then anchored in the river just outside the diversion cut. We managed a couple nice reds in there including a 27″er.
Todd with a nice redfish.
We went over into the West bay and one boat bass fished the shoreline like you like to do and had a few blow ups on top water late in the day and managed one keeper. My boat drifted through the cut in fast current and I decided to throw a paddle tail out and hooked up with a keeper right away. We did it again and got another keeper.
Next day we went back to East bay because the SW wind had us thinking West bay would be muddier. Drifted several times over reefs in the morning with not a single bite. My boat decided to make the long run over into West bay. I’d never been down there before to places like Cotton, Cullen house and the Oil Fields but it was really nice in there. The water color was beautiful, clear, sand, grass pockets, etc… All those bayous look great for reds and the grass has to hold trout. There was bait everywhere. We threw croakers, live shrimp, plastics and top waters and managed one nice trout, some under reds and a few catfish. We were joking it was a predator free zone because of all the bait in there.
So once again a lackluster trip as far as catching is concerned but still really nice to be down there and that south shoreline of West bay is really nice. “
Sounds like the boys had a tough trip, but that happens as you expand your range. You have to take the first step in new areas, and it gets easier and easier after that first trip. And while the fishing could have been better, I am sure the eats and good times helped ease the pain, they are a good bunch of guys to fish with.
As a side note Todd will be spending some time this summer out West, near some good trout fishing, so he actually took a fly casting lesson. That is smart, and he will be real glad he did when he has some time to trout fish. And he also managed to catch a nice bass on his fly rod. Good job, nothing like another hobby to our outdoor obsession.
Todd’s first fish on a fly rod.
Coleto Creek 5/9/14.
With a sketchy weather report, and the CCA banquet tonight, a quick morning trip to Coleto was on tap. What can I say…no big change. Before I quit around 2 I put well over 20 in the boat. Today most of them were ok fish, just no big ones.
Lots of these hitting that spinnerbait on Coleto. I’ll spare you any more pictures, they all look the same.
They are still near grass with some wind on it, hitting the Strike King Burner spinnerbait when the bank has lots of wind, the buzzbait when there is a little less wind. While a couple fell for a chartreuse buzzbait, white is still the color of choice in either bait. I did have one on buzzbait that would have made the almost big category, but he nosed down in the grass and pulled off before I could get to him.
And again, I caught them from in sight of the ramp to the upper end. I almost hate to say it, but I am getting a little bored with this pattern, it has stayed stable for weeks now. I am sure you all are getting a little tired of this same old record also. I am not complaining, Coleto is a great place to fish right now, and with the rough winds and cold fronts we have had it has saved many a fishing day when the Gulf would have been to much hassle.
Just hanging out waiting for something to chow down on.
It has been wildlife extravaganza at the lake. The deer are everywhere, turkey, alligators, and lots of other stuff moving around, the unstable weather has everything moving. And it definitely has the bass up and feeding. So while I am ready for a change, there have been very few boats on the lake and the fishing has been good.
You would think with only 3 or 4 boats on the lake someone would not cut me off, but it happened today. I still marvel at how rude some folks can be. I guess when your head is up your a$$ it makes it hard to see other folks. Oh well, you can’t change them so you live with it. Easier than getting an ulcer.
CCA Banquet
Tonight is the Mid Coast CCA banquet. As usual we have a table and enjoy the eats and seeing all the fisherman and the goodies. If I am correct last year they raised over $300,000 at the banquet. Some stuff went ridiculously high, others within reason. Actually watching the auction is the highlight of the evening and I am always amazed what a few drinks will do. I am sure there is a little buyer remorse to go along with the headache when some folks wake up in the morning. But it is for a good cause and all in good fun.
It finally looks like the weather is going to straighten up, and with it I am ready to assault the coast. When the fishing does break loose, it should really be hot. The trout are looking to spawn, and when the water finally does heat up, they should come shallow in mass. Hope springs eternal in fisherman, and I really, really, really am ready for some salt success. Time to scratch that itch. So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.
Good Luck and Tight Lines
