FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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Stop by and see them at the Houston Fishing Show  March 6 – 10th.

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It is 11:30 Tuesday morning here in South Texas and it is cold.  The temp just hit 41 degrees and the wind chill just hit 33, so at least it is not freezing.  It is all helped by a North wind that is gusting to a little more than 20mph.  So my plan to hit the lake for a few hours today is not happening.  Since I am heading to Houston for a couple of days, first to spend some time with the Sony Rep to make sure I have at least a minimum clue how to use the new camera.  Second to work the Controlled Descent booth Thursday evening.  Should be a good time, and with the weather still acting up I don’t think I will be missing much on the water.

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And as usual great to hear from Mac after my Monday ramblings.

Doug, welcome to Alberta, Gnome, Iceland. etc

I have not moved more than 10 feet of a roaring fireplace and have consumed many cups of java only to look forward to some Guinness Stout this evening. In addition I now have a bad case of a sinus infection. “Bah humbug”. For over 1o days I have combated fever, chills, and coughed up green slime in relentless fashion. My wife an RN, says this type of infection does not respond to antibiotics. Her Dr. friend says this crap may take 2 to 3 weeks to rid itself. I sit around and moan daily, but as my wife says. ” Mac, You could have the death of a disease, but you would still be fishin’.”

Not so fast Janet: As I progress up in age, that rocking chair calls out more often.
Doug, all of your candid stories always make a long winter day much shorter. Your story today was just the medicine I needed. One meets the nicest folks unexpectedly.

A few years ago I worked my way through college guiding anglers around Port A. After a long hot day, I went over to Shorty’s to have a cold Lone Star (Coors was still in Colorado.) Sitting at the bar was Frank Broyles,. your pig’s coach, and a guy named Gad About Gaddis or The Flying Fisherman. I wanted to talk about football but Frank then told me they were down to fish and not talk football. I learned a lot in one hour that afternoon. Being a student at A&M, Arkansas was crushing us every year, but Coach said something I always remember when the Aggies lose to anyone. “Mac, don’t ever get upset on losing to us. All the players players on the field are only a bunch of 18 to 20 year old kids and you never know what can happen .

I guess i will, as you say, ramble one more time Last week I was getting gas at a station in La Grange, when B J Thomas pulled up next to me. We talked only for a minute and I went inside for coffee. On my windshield were 2 tickets to a concert in Austin that night

There still are a lot off good people in this country;

Its 1 pm and the temp is 31 degrees. If it were January I would be in a Duck Blind regardless of my ailment.
Oh well, come July I will be bitching about he heat!!!!!!!!
Now that the weather not to good, write us some more of your many untold stories

Yukon Mac

Many thanks for this, love the stories.  And as a side note next year we have a trip to Ireland scheduled, including a stop at the Guiness plant.  I will hoist one in your name!  Cool story about Broyles, an icon in Arkansas.  After he became athletic director there were many times when the games were close, and he would leave and walk around, often outside because he got so nervous.  He loved the University and football, his kind are slowly becoming a thing of the past.  And a side note, when they built the new basketball stadium his wife basically said she was tired of women not having the same amount of restroom facilities and demanded better so he made sure to fix it.  Attending there with the Boss she was in total agreement.  (The Boss is the woman who when the line to the women’s restroom was so long at the horse track she and a friend went in the men’s and almost got arrested by a State Trooper.  Those were the days!) Plus nice to meet Gad About Gaddis, another all time great.  You got a 2 for 1 shot that day.

And along with that, today I finished Gods and Generals about the early years of the Civil War.  I have been an avid reader my whole life and this book is in my top 5, if not number 1.  Historical novels are not my thing but this was great.  And in the index was a blurb about where some of the generals ended up.  Major General Daniel Harvey Hill became the Dean at the University of Arkansas in 1877.   Just thought it interesting you brought Broyles up today.

And that was nice of B.J. Thomas, you are so right, there are good folks out there.  So be  nice folks, a small gesture to you may mean the world to someone else.  Hope you get to feeling better, having suffered a 2 week pain in the ass last month I feel your pain.  And last, as we get older it is not the money, the big house, or the fancy boats that is a measure of our success, it is our memories.  Memories of days on the water and in the field, shared with friends, keep us warm in front of the fire, along with a toddy.  It is in the doing, not the results.  Get well and as always love your memories.  And the rest of you, we all love hearing yours.

*******************Fresh or salt it has a place in your arsenal. 

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Bass Champs had a tournament on Lake Fork this weekend and 2 teams tied, really unusual.  But that is not the half of it.  First they were offered a chance to have a 1 hour fish off and due to the weather declined and agreed to split the $$$.  Now I was not there but with high winds and cold temps this weekend it was probably not fun.  I think the bigger thing was the fact that they both had 10.28 pounds, not much for a tough grind.  But that is not the weird part.  One winning team had a 5 fish limit that weighed 10.28 and the other had 1 fish, that weighed 10.28, which was also big fish for the tourney.  What are the odds?

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And Keith sent this along.

I live in Canyon Lake, and fish POC about 4-6 times a year. Been doing that for over 30 years. I really enjoy reading your blog especially the salt water portion.
I am turning 50 this year and want to plan a trip to the Chandeluer Islands like the one you have been on. Me and my Girl and my best friend and his girl, I want to go sometime in May when the weather is a little more predictable.
So looking forward to going somewhere and catching some fish but seems odd to go there to catch the same fish I can catch here. I guess I more looking forward to the food you raved about last year when you went.
The white bass haven’t even started here at Canyon, been several times and each time the water temps have still been in the high 50’s.
16 years up here and I never really catch them till the temp gets to 67-69 degrees in the lake.

This cold front today and tomorrow really problem threw them for a loop if they were thinking about getting started.
Would love any suggestions of things to take on the Chandeleur trip. Can’t wait.
I always look for you at Froggies when I’m down there, haven’t crossed your path yet. I stay just down the street across from the Captains Quarters motel.
Thanks for giving all of us that cant fish as much as we would like something to read and dream about.

First the Chandeleur trip.  When you plan really look over the available boats.  There are lots of options.  We went on the Southern Belle and I would, and will, go with them again.  Be advised the fishing boats are pull starts, but well maintained and each has a radio in case.  Now do not get me wrong, the sleeping arrangements are close, it is a ship.  If memory serves me correct his was the first boat built for these trips.  So when looking to add the ladies be sure to make sure they know what they are getting in to and make sure the boat can accommodate their needs.  And while nothing fancy, Capt. Howie knows how to cook.  When you are out there and come back to a warm meal and a few adult beverages the day is made.  And book early.  We choose our period last year and he was already filling up.  Another word about time of year.  The year before I went the boys went in the fall and limited out with their 25o trout.  We on the other hand caught about 2/3 of that, but they were a lot bigger.

fishsouthernbelle.com/  – check them out.

There is acres of shallow flats and with the boats they have, you can fish out of the boat all 3 days if you like.  The biggest trout of the trip came drifting in the middle of the day, and several folks did not wade at all.  We did both.  And that time of year, May, there are some big ass trout and reds on the beach.  It requires a little walk over the island depending on where you beach, but trust me, it is worth the walk.  The only real problem, carrying a full stringer back to the small boat.

The beach.  Loved the average size.

As far as baits, easy.  Topwater – I really enjoyed throwing the Whooper Plooper and of course any walking the dog style topwater will do.  Popping cork – Simple and effective.  Add anything you like on the end, but I was impressed with Marker 54’s hard 3″ shrimp, the fish loved it.  Plastics – Your preference.  I had great luck slow rolling the Controlled Descent Paddle Shad on the beach, the nice trout just stopped it.  Other than that anything you are confident throwing works just like here.

And to your comment about catching the same stuff as we do here, I get it.  I really understand that, when I go to Florida I will catch reds and trout if it happens, but I am there for snook and maybe a tarpon or two.  This trip is different in it is all about the doing.  A real poor man’s mothership, then not having to do anything, no cooking, no boat cleaning, heck the crew on the Southern Belle would not let you even load your own stuff and they filled your cooler!   I got used to that real quick.

And the reds averaged nice and fat.  We saw reds like this everyday.  In fact the first bite I had was a big red who smashed a ripped Whooper Plopper and I almost fell out of the boat setting the hook!

One last piece of advice, we paid extra to leave the first night so that we were on the water first thing day 1, and we got 3 full days of fishing, worth the extra.  The trip per person cost is beyond reasonable for 3 days.  Having fished lots of places here and abroad it is the best deal in adventure fishing.  So good luck with your planning, and stay tuned for a report as soon as I get back early May.  Just writing this got my heart to pumping!

And the poor white bass, I am sure they just do not know what to do.  My guess, the minute it warms up it will be on, and probably shorter than usual.  Ours are still hanging out up lake, as they have for the last month.  All we need is that big warming trend, but with this delayed warming it might spread it out and will never be off the chart crazy like it can be.

Last, thanks for reading.  I try to share info, techniques and just maybe a little entertainment.  This winter was slow but that is about to change.  There are still lots of big trout being caught and I hope I get in on the act.  And with easy limits the last 2 trips it helps with the motivation.  Hopefully there will be some good future reports, which means I get to catch them.  Thanks again.

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I did take a hike, glad I did not go fishing and here are a couple of picture with the new camera.

Looks like there will be a fairly large learning curve but so far so good.  Since I will spend a little time with the camera rep tomorrow that curve should be reduced quickly.  We want to be sure we have it all down before the wolf tracker trip to Montana in April.

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Off to the Houston Fishing Show tomorrow and when I get back a couple of days from now hopefully the weather will calm down at least some.  It is spring and time for the real spring fishing.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines