Fish Catching Travel
Wow! That is all I have to say about our weather. One thing that happens here in South Texas that is a little different from my old stomping grounds is the fantastic changes that come from what is known here as a Norther.
I got to the lake with high hopes of fishing on the front. It was a beautiful 67 degrees, cloudy with a few sprinkles. At exactly 10:00 you could hear it coming. In about 2 minutes the wind started howling and the temp dropped 15 degrees. Real wonderful!
I was really anticipating fishing before the front. It started off slow, at least it felt like it. The plan was to work on fishing the white swim jig with a paddle tail. With the bass feeding on shad big time right now it seemed a logical choice.
This guy came on the first bank. It wasn’t as dark as it looks, just real cloudy and right at daylight.
The wind was not blowing at all when I got out. So it was off to those mid depth banks with grass in 3 – 6 foot of water. It was just one here and one there. While I caught a couple of fish on spinnerbait and a couple on topwater I kept working that swim jig.
Lately it has become somewhat of an addiction as I learn the best way to get them to eat it. To generate the most bites you need to reel it so that it just tips the grass. And every time it tics the grass speed it up just a little and they will eat. One thing about the swim jig, you have to concentrate. Occasionally they will smack it, but usually it is nothing more than a light tic.
Other times they just start swimming with it, and you have to be a line watcher. Every once in a while they actually swim with it all the way to the boat, or move it sideways with little resistance. I think the cat and mouse game of feeling them is what makes it such a cool way to catch fish.
Of the dozen or so this morning this was the size run.
One thing that surprised me was it remained calm until the front came. It felt like I was not really catching them but when I got number 10 I looked at the time and it was only 9, so it was going pretty good. That is until it felt like I had some grass on my line and it dawned on me one was swimming with it to the boat. I set the hook, broke my line, and was so unhappy to have a big fish break the surface and try to throw that swim jig. That is about the fourth one I have broke off the last week or so, operator error, and I am going to make some change to remedy that. Maybe a light braid and a 20lb fluro leader will clear that up.
Then it came, and I mean it was roaring. The lake started white capping in an instant, and the fish quit me like someone threw the switch. Of course I fished another hour without a bite. It reminded me of the old tournament days in the Arkansas winter where they were never cancelled no matter what. After a while it was what are you doing out here, and I headed to the house.
One last note on Coleto, not only has there been some schooling at the out flow on the Coleto arm, there are fish being caught at both out flows. So if it stays cool, and it sure looks like it is going to, add that to your list next time you go. Fishing that way has never been my thing, but with winter upon us, it is a way to catch them at times when nothing else it happening.
You could sure tell the front was coming with the amount of geese that were flying over as they rode it down. And the ducks were flying all morning at the lake. And I am not sure if the following picture had anything to do with the front.
This is the biggest bunch of pelicans I have seen at the lake in a while. First time I saw something like that in Arkansas I was astounded. Not to many pelicans up there.
Our weather report is absolute crap. It is blowing 25 and is 46 degrees, and that may actually be the high tomorrow as the high north wind continues. Now I used to be that mad at them, and in the Arkansas winter it was either fish or stay home for 3 months. Here fortunately it will break sooner or later, and no matter what the weather I will only stay in the house for so long. So next it will be the Lavaca River, by Friday at the latest. This is the cold snap that will drive those trout into rivers and deep holes near you.
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Shoedog has bucks running all over him on his hunting grounds. He is still in search of Mister Big, but he sent me a couple of pictures from his game cam. With this front those deer are charging around in the day time. With visions of hot chicks on their mind this is the one time they throw caution to the wind, not in their best interest.
He isn’t sure if this is the same buck, but he isn’t Mr. Big.
Shoedog is on the hunt for the big one and is putting in the time. It won’t be long and the rut will be in full swing and Mr. Big will make the fatal mistake. Hopefully he can lay down the gun long enough to make it down here next week. We have some trout to whack.
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Good Luck and Tight Lines
