FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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TUESDAY

Weather

64/46.  Intervals of clouds and sun with a 0% chance of rain.  Wind light and variable.

Lake Level

Today  98.20 msl.  Yesterday  98.23 msl.

Solunar Times

Good  8:02 to 10:02 am.  Best  2:17 to 4:17 pm.

*******************Try one on a popping cork!

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Coleto  Tuesday

Instead of doing two reports I have condensed them to one.  I started about 9:30 Tuesday after one cold night.  The water temps are still in the 63 – 67 degree range and there was not significant clearing from the day before.  In fact the plant arm is actually quite a bit off color compared to what it has been.  And way up lake it is still muddy, and you can see that the lake is barely inching down.  I can honestly say I expected better today.  Now don’t get me wrong, I did catch 13 today, but here is a perfect example.

All except 1 came on the Controlled Descent Jerk Shad in pearl.  But as far as a definitive pattern there does not seem to be one.  I actually caught one here and there and never did find the “place.”  Clearly the bite improves during the day and it just might have been one of those right place, wrong time deals, or the other way around day.  And other than one on the Bang O Lure I could not get them to bite a spinnerbait or crankbait.  But they are still in the bushes, and the ones that do bite are all over it.  So while small, put it next to the right bush and they jump all over it.  Funny how aggressive they are, but the question is why the big fish have not shown their face.  Several did bite off the bank, but near cover, which may be a good sign, we shall see tomorrow.

Clearly the loss of the grass has affected the fishing over the last 4 years.  I have been wondering lately if the loss of the grass really is just a loss of shallow cover, which has reduced access to the bigger fish.  But looking back at pictures from the last 7 years there has been a significant reduction in big fish, and I mean the 7lb plus.  But there are sure plenty of small fish.   So the question is whether the big fish are just not there in the numbers they were before, or if it is just not fishing where “they” are, or is it simply the natural fluctuation lakes go through. Only time will tell.  And since I will be fishing with my buddy Ken on the Lavaca Thursday I will take on more day on the lake and see if I can do just a little bit better.  The good ones are coming, or hope springs eternal.  It was a beautiful day and I can honestly say that I am happiest slinging lures to cover.  Seeing a bass roll up and watching the Jerk Shad disappear is a thing of beauty.  (Especially right now when the bay fishing is so good it just seems pointless.  So you caught a big mess right now, so can everyone else.  Kind of a what’s the point deal.  Big talk, we shall see Thursday.)

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Weather

73/62.  Partly cloudy with a 10% chance of rain.  Wind S 10 -20 mph.

Lake Level

Today  98.19 msl.   Yesterday   98.23 msl.

Solunar Times

Good  8:55 am to 10:55 am.  Best  3:10 pm to 5:10 pm.

THE FISHING IMPROVES – WEDNESDAY

Again I waited until around 10:00 to get on the water.  Always when we are post cold front in the winter it is slow in the morning, and then with warming it tends to get better, with the best bite in the afternoon.  And today was no different.

Why I go!

I know it might sound like a broken record, but the Bang O Lure catches big fish on Coleto in the winter.  And when one this size eats it in a foot of water it is a thing of beauty, and this one exploded on it!  I started off with the Controlled Descent Jerk Shad in pearl, and like they have for the last 2 weeks it caught fish, until the better ones moved late.  So while it was working I knew as it got later that the Bang O Lure was the ticket.

They are still shallow, and coves seem to be a little better than main lake.  But they are definitely not in all of them.  I fished from up lake to down, and down was better, but……the first place I fished up lake I caught 2 and missed a couple.  The problem, the wind started blowing almost 20 around noon and it did not let up all afternoon.  It was definitely an improvement up lake, and if conditions were a little different it might have been good.  It was just to tough with the wind.  But the water definitely has cleared some up lake, thank goodness.

More of this size are finally showing up.

The warmest water I found was 68 and other than a big gator, nothing there.  So it was as it has been, hunt and peck.  It is tough to see anything to far under the water, and not being able to see them trailing is a problem.  What makes the Bang O Lure so awesome is coaxing those big ones to eat it under the surface.  But I stuck with it and finally caught the big one above.  Before the day was over I put 17, give or take a couple, in the boat.  About 50% walking the dog under the surface with the Jerk Shad, the rest on the Bang O Lure.  They wanted it jerked right along, none of that jerk stop thing with the Bang O Lure, or the Jerk Shad, they wanted it moving.  I did catch one pulling it way under, but it was just to off color to fish it that way.  And almost all of the fish came close to cover.

I did break off the first one this morning.  There was a stump close to the bank and I walked the Jerk Shad right by it with no bite.  So I tossed it to the other side and once past it let it sink.  The next thing I know my line is headed the other way.  I jerk and the line just parts.  No matte how many times I tell myself to re-tie every rod each morning I still forget, and it cost me.

But over all a good day.  The big fish came late, which is very consistent with what I have seen over the years on Coleto.  I have caught a lot of big fish as the sun is setting in the winter, and today was a perfect example.  As long as it stays warm the fishing will continue to improve.  As soon as we have another cold front, Monday, the cycle will start all over again.  So that is why I kept after it 3 days this week.  I knew it was coming and it did.

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This will be my 1030th post, that is a lot of posts.  My dogged pursuit of bass right now, and my perseverance on the blog, say nothing more than I am persistent.  But I keep on keeping on, but when it comes together there is nothing better.  And every day on the water is a “free” day, it keeps me moving with a purpose.  Fishing is, and has been, my whole life, with the rest of normal “life” tossed in.  And to those of you who have been here since the beginning a big thanks.  Without your feedback I would have given up on this a long time ago.  So whenever you have a comment or suggestion lets hear it, makes this whole thing a lot better.

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This is my time of year.  It will be fishing, and more fishing.  There are certain times of the year to catch big bass, and this is one of them.  And the redfishing will continue to be off the chain with a chance to bust a big trout while you are at it.  I intend to get after it next week.  We just need it to not rain anymore right now.  Let the lake clear. and then even a cold stretch does not hurt them as bad.  Bass do not like muddy water when it is cold.  Tomorrow my buddy Ken is going to take me on the Lavaca River so it will be back to the salt, and hopefully a butt kicking to start off his weekend right.  He is camping tonight, then after we fish he will be headed to POC for Fishmas.  Unfortunately this year I scheduled something this weekend, brain fart, so I will miss the boys.  Dang it.  By the same token a little time in the Big Easy with friends this weekend will be just dandy.  Eat, drink, and be merry.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines