FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

“SAVE OUR WATERS”

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt

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Check out the new Madre Sling

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I meant to be fishing today, Wednesday, but after the visit to the doctor Tuesday and hearing exam I ended up sleeping in.  Nothing like a needle into the inner ear to make your day.  But that aside I have no plan or preconceived notion on where or how I will fish, though wading is on the menu, as is finally getting to throw a few of the new Knockin Tail colors.  (Nice to know somebody.  Thanks Michael.)  So we shall see how it goes but it will be Froggie’s at daylight.

The early bird catches the fish.

Weather   

81/92 (Feel like 101.)   Mostly sunny with a 24% of rain.  Wind S  9 – 15mph.

Tides

High 5:08 am.   1.23 ft.     Low  5:09 pm.  -0.05 ft.

Solunar Period

Major  8:38 am to 10:38 am.

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The new Knockin Tail colors are freakin’ stunning!  

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The Mansfield Magic getting it done on a good one.  I love it when a plan comes together.

This morning there was a plan I made last night and I stuck to it.  Of course it meant getting up way to early to be where I wanted to before the sun was completely up.  So I hustled down to a drain near South Pass.  The water temp was 86, the wind was about 10 out of the south with good water color.  The plan, topwater until I got a couple of bites, then feed them a new color from My Coast Outdoors, the KTL Heavy Metal.  After that a little boat fishing with a few other colors.

They were not missing it his morning.

I fished 2 drains close to each other.  Staying shallow and throwing the bone Spook not a bite.  So after fishing them both shallow, they are close, time to work out deeper.  This time of year waist deep is usually just getting there, and it was true this morning.

But first I want to share a pattern that has worked for me quite a bit in the summer, and it was right on today.  If there is a long line of crab pots running down the bank it can be a roadmap.  They usually put them in at least 4′ of water, which often puts them off the nearest drop from the bank.  And today that is where the fish were.  Standing a little over waist deep and tossing it way out was the ticket.

Working the spook fairly erratic and quick the better ones that came for it smoked it.  Nice to have them actually eating it.  So after catching 3 or 4, and missing a few, time to feed them the Heavy Metal Knockin Tail.

Hard to see the Heavy Metal when it is down in their throat.  Same with number 2 but I got it out for the picture.

While it was not fast by any means I did catch lots more on the Heavy Metal Knockin Tail than the topwater.  The minute I saw that color, especially during croaker time, I knew it would catch fish.  They wanted it hopped off the bottom and were a little hard to feel, I do use light jig heads, but the keepers had it down in their throat.  So I worked them over catching a few more keepers and some smalls until about 9:30.  They were liking the Heavy Metal.  And then I decided to move just for a change of scenery and another color as I hoped to wade one more place.  All the way down the Pringle shoreline there were boats.  And on the shoreline along the Bayucos Island area there was a boat on every drain.  So with  both place I intended to fish occupied I kept going to the Oil Cut for some boat fishing.

Just wanted to show you that a couple came on the Bone Ice Knockin Tail.

In the Oil Cut I threw the Bone Ice and while it was slow, the results had more to do with where I was than the bait.  But keeping after it produced 4 or 5 small ones and the one red above.  About like last time when I fished it with the Boss.  The only red came on the Bone Ice on an Oval popping cork made by Four Horsemen Tackle, which is the bomb.  There will be more to come on that popping cork as I spend more time at the bay but I sure like it for several reasons.  So a full review is on the way.

At this point it is noon and getting hotter than hell but I wanted to fish one more place in Big Bayou on the way in.  I specifically saved that bank as it has produced lots of good trout over the years and the plan was to throw the Mansfield Magic color.  When I finally saw it with my own eyes it just looked like a big fish bait.  I was throwing it on a 1/8th jig head like I threw the other colors today.  And lo and behold I caught the big one above, and lost another one at least that big.  At that point the day was a complete success as I got everything done I wanted to with the new colors.  And they did exactly what I knew they would do, catch fish!  Only 11 more colors to go.

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Shameless Plug

When I got the new colors from Michael they looked even better than the pictures online.  They are flat beautiful and should work great just like the original 6 colors.  It is easy to plug the Knockin Tail when it has produced everything from bass, walleye, white bass, striper, trout, redfish, tilapia, and crappie for me to name a few I can remember since they came out.

I want to congratulate Michael of My Coast Outdoors on finally getting his supply issues resolved.  And trust me they were not of his making, as the rest of the fishing industry is finding out.  But that aside the new colors are off the chain.  They are available right now at Anglers Anonymous in Katy and will be coming soon to a store near you.  My initial favorites:  Heavy Metal, Mansfield Magic, and the Bone Ice.   (See I told you they would work, I wrote this last night and used them today.)  But there are now a total of 20 colors and each will have a “time” or specific applications, like White Ice for white bass, or the Greenback for green bass.  There are plenty of multi colors available with and without the chartreuse tail.  Michael reports he will finally be able to fill online orders sometime next week.  So take a look at his site and see what you can’t live without.

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When I posted a couple of bass pics on Facebook the other day one of my friends posted a couple of nice bass he caught while crappie fishing on Coleto.  And here is his reply when I asked him how the crappie are biting:

We’ve been pulling about 30 a trip out…. we only fish 2 spots for them close together in the same cove. As long as they produce like that every trip im not worried about finding another spot. Haha

Thanks for the report Michael.  And you obviously are following the old rule:  Never leave fish to find fish!  I knew you were catching them but sounds like you are putting the real hurt on them.  Coleto has always been a good crappie lake but it is off the chain right now.  Thanks for keeping us informed.  I have been telling folks for months that the Coleto crappie are numerous and biting.

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On a completely different note, it really does hurt to have a needle stuck into your ear drum and then have a steroid injected in to the inner ear.  Just saying.  But nothing a pain pill and a few brews couldn’t defeat!  No wonder I slept in.

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So I give the morning a big fat A.  The getting up thing to be there at sunrise is tough, but worth the effort.  Since I have not really fished the bay in a while I can see why there are some strings on Facebook, find them and you will catch them.  Trout fishing is not rocket science.  (And I say that in deference to big trout fishing, which is a whole other game.)

As fall starts to take hold I am excited about the fishing to come.  And today there was not near as many people out.   With schools coming back online and hunting season around the corner it should reduce the traffic some so come on fall.  What is next I do not have a clue other than Montana trout fishing and Yellowstone in 8 days.  But there will be some fishing before then, definitely back to the bay.  Got the Knockin Tail fever.  Feeling like a 2 day with a stay over night trip to POC.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines