Fish Catching Travel
The Weather
I was hoping to hit the Gulf somewhere the last couple of days but things have conspired against me. Monday the dog needed to be at the Vet’s at 8 a.m. for some surgery, so I dropped her off and spent the day waiting to hear from the Vet. When I did late in the afternoon they decided to keep her overnight.
So here I sit on Tuesday, wondering when I will pick her up. But even that turns out to be irrelevant as it has been raining and blowing all night. Now that is a thing of beauty. According to the weatherman we got almost 2″ last night along, and we needed it so bad. The forecast is for rain thru sometime tomorrow. With Coleto down 4 feet, it is a God send.
The effect on the Gulf fishing may be somewhat different than the lake. We are projected to be as low as 51 degrees the next several nights, which is almost unbelievable in South Texas this time of year. Not the usual May weather that warms the bays dramatically. So while the weather will keep me off the water until tomorrow, as we are almost 7 ” down this year already I will happily sacrifice a day on the water for another day of rain .
CCA Banquet
It appeared a good time was had by all at the Mid-Coast CCA Banquet. Good barbecue, good drinks, and a ton of fisherman, all contributed to a fun evening. There were a bunch of items available via silent auction and raffle. Of course the highlight of the show was the auction. Now there is no other outdoor group that has put their money where their mouth is more than CCA. Their funding of projects, and their conservation goals, are above and beyond any group, and fishermen have directly benefited with better fishing. And the support shown at the banquet was a direct results of those good works.
It was amazing to see what folks paid for things during the auction. $7,000 for a cooler with no clue what it contained. Over 2 grand for a beer dispenser. Thousands of dollars for a ride with a guide at the Speedy Stop Guides Cup. It was something. I have no clue what was raised, but you have to give the local CCA Chapter credit, they know how to throw a bash.
Fishing Reports
I guess the folks I do talk fishing with are not good fishermen, and that includes me. I have read various vague reports online but as far as our area, the Gulf fishing reports have been poor. One local fisherman with places in POC says it has been the slowest spring he has seen. And with another cool front here, it may keep the fishing at status quo. But when it does cut loose, look out.
Canada
We are headed to Muskie Bay Resort on Crow Lake in less than a month. In the Nestor Falls area, it is just a short hop to Lake of the Woods. The folks at Muskie Bay are great, and the fishing is something everyone should try at least once in their lifetime. And what can I say about Lake of the Woods? Over 15,000 islands and 65,000 miles of shoreline make it one of the greatest fishing holes on the face of the earth.
Our last trip was 2 years ago, and we were lucky enough to catch big walleyes, muskie, and lake trout. This year we will be staying 2 weeks, which will give us time to explore some of the smaller lessor fished lakes. There are 4 us going and we are taking our own boats, so we plan to explore some new waters, it should be something.
Along with that comes the preparation. It is something when you finally get your list going. The list is mandatory and becomes a month long project that is continually revised and gone over. Being gone for 17 or 18 days, and needing to take everything, requires a lot of planning. This long a trip is one of those if you do not have it you will end up buying it. And in Canada that can be an expensive proposition.
Also, before travel out of the US you have to do your research. What is required to get in and out of the country? What are the fishing rules? Good preparation makes for a much better trip. And you won’t accidentally become a smuggler. In fact I know a couple of bozos who through no fault of their own besides ignorance, smuggled those deadly potato’s into Canada. It would suck to end up in jail on a potato smuggling caper. So do your research before you go, you just might learn something.
It has been tough with the way the fishing has worked out. But it will turn around in the next couple of days. The boat is hooked on the truck and I am just chomping at the bit to hit the water. So keep stopping in, hopefully this fishing dry spell is coming to an end. And thanks to all of you for hanging in there and reading my stuff.
Good Luck and Tight Lines
