FISH CATCHING TRAVEL
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Before I get to the selfish stuff I wanted to put a plug in for Living Reel Salty Tackle & Bait, I stopped there this weekend just to say hello. They are in Portland outside of Corpus and I love what I have seen following them on Facebook. They have held kids tournaments, kayak tourneys, and shore bound tournaments. And folks catch some nice fish right by the store. This is no high falutin store where if you are not one of the “crowd” you are an afterthought. Tim the owner has just put up a Christmas tree and folks are putting fishing stuff and toys under it for him to give out to his less fortunate customer’s kids. We put a kids rod and reel under the tree and just maybe some kid who does not have it like the rest of us will find a new hobby. Way before fancy boats, guiding, trips to great places around the world, I was just a little kid on a bike with my Zebco.
These are good folks doing a good thing. Check them out on Facebook and if you make it to the Corpus area this month stop in and bring some toys, or fishing stuff. It will be appreciated more than you ever know when some kids who doesn’t have squat opens up a present he never would have gotten. Thanks to Living Reel Salty.
Weather
59/36. Partly cloudy with 0% chance of rain. Wind N 10 – 20
Lake Level
Today 98.23 msl. Friday 98.23 msl.
Solunar Times
Good 6:45 am to 8:45 am. Best 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.
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Try one on a popping cork!
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The fishing was exactly like I thought it would be, sort of, it is the first day post cold front. The water temp at the ramp was 63, 61 way up lake, and 65 in one place. More on that later. I still do not like the color, we need some stable days with no wind to settle that. When I got to the ramp at 10:00 if was blowing a really cold 20 out of the NW and there was that mile high post front sky. Everything pointed to it being tough, and it was. It did not help that I threw my back out putting on my wind breaker pants. I am sure it looked crazy with me stuck not able to get them off or on, hopping around, and trying to open the car door to sit down and going owwwwww. Oh well, off I went.
Forgot the camera, not bad for a flip phone.
To make a long story short I boated one out of 5 bites in a 5 minute stretch. And that was it, before then, 3 hours without a bite. Both up lake and down, neither produced a bite. It was blowing around every nook and cranny which eliminated lots of areas, but I finally found a place out of the wind and in the sun. The air temp was probably 10 degrees warmer and I finally got a bite in the warmest water I found all day.
In about 50 yards I had 5 great bites on the Controlled Descent Paddle Shad in pearl and I only managed to stick one. Most my fault. One of the bites I missed was a real good one, and 4 of the 5 bites came out of an isolated green bush a little out from the bank. Having evening plans I called it a day at 2:30, actually happy with the results. Tomorrow looks good so will be headed back to the lake with a good pattern. Calm sun, warming water, clear as possible, grass and green stuff off the bank, a light breeze, and tomorrow has real potential.
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Our resident Fayette guru Rusty got to take his grandson on Garcitas where he caught his first redfish. After watching Rusty catch a 22″ he wanted to tie a rope around his waist so he wouldn’t get pulled in! Obviously made an impression. Lucky I was able to point the way, and Rusty took if from there. I love hearing about things like this when I share information, it keeps me writing. Colton is 7 years old and who knows, it might be a defining moment in his life and he just might grow into a real fisherman. But even if he doesn’t take it up he will always have that memory with his grand dad. Doesn’t get any better than that.
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I got this really good question from Steve, and I actually have a good answer.
Doug,
I love reading your posts. You are an inspiration to all aspiring fishermen/writers out there-demonstrating that the only way to develop a skill is to just do it.I have been wondering about something and thought you might be able to shed some light on the subject. You use balsa swimming plugs in freshwater from time to time, but never in the salt. I know the problem with hooks, but with the predominant bait fish being mullet right now, why wouldn’t a Bang-o-lure or Rapala be the bait of choice right now?
Over the weekend, I fished a little from the dock in that development at Port O’Connor that you are not overly fond of and caught a couple dozen trout. Mostly small, but a couple of keepers along with some good size sandies. All of them were full of mullet. Of course I followed your advice and used white swim baits with 1/8 oz heads.
I am not complaining, but wonder “what if” is always part of the equations. Anyway, keep doing what you are doing and thanks for doing it so well.
I can not tell you how much I enjoy a good fishing question. First and foremost, the Bang O Lure will catch trout, in fact lots of them. And it, along with the Bang O Lure Twin Spin, which is their prop bait, catch the heck out of snook. I caught my first snook, got spooled twice till I learned my lesson, and lots of trout jerking the Bang O Lure in Florida. The water was super clear and you could see it coming back, working it erratically, and there would be trout behind it, more than I would have ever thought. And jerk it just right and you could trick them when they were following it like that. So what is the problem? I do not own the factory.
Unfortunately most of the fish in the salt either have teeth or pull your arm off. (And the foil.) The result, you will go through any companies balsa minnow baits really quickly. Same with Rapala. Get a hole or two punched in them and keep fishing all day, they get wet, and that flash and roll which only balsa can give you dulls. And then the foil starts to come off and it changes the aerodynamics. (Which I am sure is not the proper word, but you get the point.) And if you think about it you really do not see balsa used in jerk baits. My experience is the fish love that light quiver, the quick flash, the rolling it does as you jerk it forward, and once weight is added it loses that special “thing”. In the past I tried using the weight dots or light solder wire to get it deeper but it just destroys the action.
I first started using it after seeing Bill Dance wading in backwaters on Lake Seminole and crushing huge largemouth. From that day foreward, which would be 40 years now I have thrown it anywhere the water is clear. And doing that in the highland lakes of Arkansas, and the clear waters of Florida, I have been fortunate enough to really observe how the fish react to it. Seeing a 7lb bass roll up out of nowhere and eat it is one of the visually great bites. Baits have come and gone, effectiveness changes with the seasons, but one thing is a constant, the Bang O Lure catches fish.
And nice job on the POC trout. Nothing like this time of year. Once you find them you sure can catch them. And with them on the mullet feed bag makes sense how many big fish are caught every winter on corky style baits. So thanks for the question, the answer might have been a little long but as usual, don’t get me started on the Bang O Lure. (And it will get a work out tomorrow along with the Controlled Descent Jerk Shad.
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Will give it a little tomorrow morning before heading to the lake, letting it warm some, then try to duplicate exactly what I outlined above. With lighter winds many more places should have exactly what I need, and just maybe one of them will hold the mother lode. That anticipation is what keeps us fishing. And with the Lavaca on Thursday, and maybe POC Wednesday, it will be a busy week on the water. So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.
Good Luck and Tight Lines
