FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

“SAVE OUR WATERS”

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt

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Love the morning ride!

POC – Wednesday.

The Boss was wanting to do a little practice with her fly rod before we head to Montana next week so she asked if we could hit the water.  She was good with doing it at POC so we dropped the boat in at daylight and headed to Big Bayou.  The water temp was 86 degrees and the  water color was not anything to write home about.

Weather

81/9o.  Mostly sunny and hot with a 20% chance of showers.  Wind SSE 9 – 15 mph.

Tides

High 10:49 am  1.04.    Low  1:36 pm  0.97.   High  3:13 pm  0.99.

Solunar Period

Minor  9:28 am to 10:28 am.  (Only relevant period.)

When we got to Froggie’s it was just breaking daylight and there were folks everywhere.  The parking lot was full and by time we got in Nancy had to park almost behind the new steak house.  According to TPWD license sales are up 26%, and with folks still having spotty work issues, they are definitely fishing.  The last few times there was as many folks out during the week as a normal weekend.

We fished my old standby’s as it was going to be a short fishing morning, then a little practice with the flyrod.   It was beyond slow.  The Boss tossed plastics and missed a couple in Big Bayou.  I on the other hand tossed a topwater until the sun came completely out, which was a total bust.  So time for a move.

The Boss actually came fishing.  I on the other hand did not do my part.

We headed to the Oil Cut and at least we boated a few, around a dozen or so to be exact, but nothing to write home about.  The Boss was tossing a Knockin Tail on a popping cork, (A whole bunch more coming on that subject.)  and it was the most consistent as far as bites went.  She actually caught a few good ones, and had one break her line in a humorous effort to boat flip it.  I found a Pearl Limetreuse Knockin Tail and put it on her popping cork and it was by far the most productive.   Looking forward to Michael at My Coast Outdoors getting restocked.  Amazing how much of a problem it has been in the fishing industry to keep stocked and you see it in any tackle store.

I stuck with the Red Shad Knockin Tail and caught more fish, but they were smaller.  I did catch the rat red above, but other than that no reds.  Big change from last trip where it was basically all reds.  But it was not a total surprise with the high surface temp  combined with the influx of fresh water.  Really needed to be wading but this was for the Boss, she has been under a lot of stress dealing with the virus at work and needed a mental health break.  It has been tough in Victoria and lots of folks have died.  But I digress.

Around 10:00 we had a little practice with the fly rod as she is concerned about fishing out of a boat on the Montana float, something we have not done yet.  After a half hour of that she had her fill, and it was hot, so we called it an early morning.   Nice to have her in the boat and she wants to go again one more day next week.  We were just drifting in the calmest water I could find for her practice, who knows, maybe try to really catch one next time?

It was awesome watching the sun pop out!

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I want to take a minute to chat about something I saw on Facebook.  A guy posted a picture of a sunrise and was making fun of folks who post them because they probably did not catch any fish.  Sad.  He is really missing the point.  Occasionally I look back at some of the sunrises I have been fortunate enough to experience,  and capture, and they are amazing.  And that it comes with the fishing makes it all the more special.  If it is just about catching fish then you are missing out.  Be thankful for every sunrise you are lucky enough to see, they don’t last forever.

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The Knockin Tail is the perfect trailer for the swim jig.  They smack it!  

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One beautiful morning.

COLETO CREEK – Thursday

Not sure why I went this morning as I was just not feeling it.  Both me and the fish are suffering from the dog days of August.  All I can say is I can not wait for fall.  Occasionally I need something different to keep it interesting, an itch that will get scratched floating the Yellowstone in 2 weeks.  Plus when it tops 90 degrees unless the fishing is great I am headed to the house.

Weather

77/95.  Partly sunny, hot, with a 50% of precipitation.  Wind  SE  9 to 16 mph.

Lake Level

Today  93.61 msl.  Monday  93.75 msl.

Solunar Period

Minor  10:21 am to 11:21 am.

The water level was down a hair, unfortunately looks like it is starting to fall again.  The temp was still in the 88 degree range and the color was just a little off from Monday.  Today’s unmade plan, get right to the point – go pitch the good spots, then troll some, and home for lunch before the Boss heads to work.  I stuck to the plan, with mixed results.  The dink fest continues, which is probably a function of the way I am fishing.

Best I could muster pitching today.

I pitched for a couple of hours, and the results were the same as it has been.  Now today was not all the fishes fault, as I had a big one break me off in a pile of brush.  Not sure what I would have done different, but this time the fish won.  Other than that, same old, same old, pitch it close and be a line watcher.  And if it even twitches set the hook as they have it.  It can be a little tricky getting some of them to stay pinned when they swim right at you and you do not get tight enough on them to make a solid hook set and they shake off.  But it is a fun way to fish.

And one thing I am learning, weight makes a big difference.  As an example pitching a 1/4 vs. a 1/8.  Often times it seems to not make a real difference in the number of bites on each, but with the way it feels when they do.  Using the lighter weight, which obviously falls slower, they seem to eat it and swim, and it is harder to feel the bite but your line swims off the cover.  The heavier weight which falls faster leads to harder bites, more thumps, as they have to chase it down and suck it in.  But no matter what size it is all about the pitch, put it in the right place and you will get bit.  And the plastic can be any color as long as it is watermelon/red.

Trolled up a few.

Around 9:30 time to do a little trolling.  After catching a couple of small whites in one area I started there.  I trolled for an 1 1/2 hours and caught 3 whites, 1 crappie, and 6 or 7 bass.  I think it was a big catfish that broke me off, the 12″ of slime on the end of my broken line was an important clue.  (Sucks to break off the only 2 big fish I did have on today.)  One thing that increased the trolling bite was using lures that ran in less than 10 foot.

Finally caught a white bass that was a keeper, but it was not near any others so still wondering where the good whites are.  And again caught a keeper crappie.  When I posted something about crappie on Coleto a reader who knows commented:  They are everywhere, and I believe that.  As an example today had a couple of bites on plastic that were probably crappie around wood in less than 10′.  And watching some of the regulars who crappie fish they are being caught from 8 – 20 feet, most on minnows.

Much of the activity was in the 8 – 15 foot range and if there was scattered shad it was a bite.  It seemed the fish were a little shallower than they were last trip.  And one good thing for the future there are plenty of bass in Coleto.  Tons of 13″ and smaller, and they are fat and sassy.  So when I complain about the dink fest it is only a half hearted complaint.  The fishing is ok for numbers, and when you can catch 20 before lunch it is hard to complain just because most are small.  And I did have a couple of chances today and it did not happen, not the lake’s fault.

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Under the “Yada Yada” file, or the “Dream On” file.  TPWD is trying to get folks to voluntarily quit trashing the sea grass in our bays.  Sorry TPWD, that is not going to work.  Fishing for 15 years in Florida before I started fishing here I was used to regulations and areas that required idle only.  And if you tore up sea grass you better hope they don’t catch you as there will be big time fines and ugly restitution.  I got used to idle in and idle out and still practice that most of the time.

Once I got here and started fishing with folks I was almost appalled at where we ran and often how we got on plane.  And anybody who tells me folks are going to modify their behavior voluntarily has not spent much time actually looking, wading, and fishing grassy areas.  There are prop scars for miles, some areas are just trashed.  With the prevalence of boats that run “really really” shallow there is no way that any voluntary program is going to help.  Folks are not going to spend $60K plus and not run shallow wherever, and whenever, they feel like it.  All you have to do is be on the water a couple of days on any weekend to see how folks really act.  So as long as there is no teeth to running on sea grass there will be no change in behavior.  But maybe they will make some posters.  Yea, that will help.

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Though no great shakes in the result departments, no complaints fishing 2 days in a row and sharing one with the Boss.  Guess it is just auto pilot for me waiting for fall to get here.  I am no big fan of some of the serious heat we have been having, but it is just a matter of letting it play out and soon enough it will be cool mornings and shorter days.  And Yellowstone, with some fishing and wildlife viewing, will be a nice break and help kill off August.  Hope to see a grizzly and wolf, or two, both amazing animals, along with a few zillion bison and elk.  But of course I will keep fishing until then.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines