FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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Put your favorite Knockin Tail under a Four Horsemen popping cork and hold on!  A deadly combination.

Weather

92/65.  Partly sunny and very warm with a 5% chance of rain.  Wind S  7 – 13 mph.

Lake Level

Today  93.26 msl.   Monday  93.28 msl.   (As the water slowly falls the ramp is headed to be an issue.)

Solunar Time

Major     11.27 am to 1:27 pm.

Conditions basically the same with the water temp up a degree or two here and there.  Will fall ever get here?

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

All your wading needs.

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I am finally starting to feel just a little more normal.  One sign of that is I woke up right in time to hit the lake at daylight.  On getting there it was a little hard to see as it was really foggy.  Enough that I waited a bit and then idled over to a point where it seems there is always fish, and there was, one.

She flat blasted it!

It may seem old to some of you how often I start with a buzzbait, well here is the reason.  She was right on the tip of the point by a stump and I maybe turned the handle 4 or 5 times when she exploded on it like only a big fish can.  It was the kind of bite, and the kind of fish, that makes the whole day.  To bad it went downhill from there.

As the fog slowly lifted I point hopped alternating with the buzzbait and the stick worm.  I had a total of 4 more bites.  I missed a small on the buzzbait and the other 3 bites came on the stick worm.  2 made it over the side but unfortunately the third one did not.  I had tossed it right into a tangle of stuff and a real one thumped it.  She was wrapped up and though I played the game she just would not come out, until she finally pulled off.  It was definitely another real one.  So I guess since I got one out Monday it was bound to happen that the next one would come off.  But at least it was 2 big bites today, come on fall.

I also gave the Bang O Lure a go, but the water temp needs to fall some for the winter top water bite to get going.  But I will be tossing that every trip from now on.  After 3 hours and just those bites time to troll until calling it a day.

These 2 were the best of 10 or so.

By time I started to troll the wind had just about died, like Monday.  Though you could see them on the locator they were just not happening.  But trolling around for an hour still got bites and fish, but they were not bunched up, just here and there.  And after changing hooks only one came off reeling it in.  Amazing what sharp hooks will do.  So at 1:00 I called it day.

One thing that was really interesting today was 2 unusual brushes with wildlife.  First as I was fishing I saw a gator way ahead of me swimming to the bank.  When he turned sideways I could see what looked like a coon or maybe a small pig in his mouth.  I kicked  the trolling motor on high to go take a look but he was not having it and dove down and was gone.  Was cool though.  Then when pulling in to the ramp I could see fry jumping right on the bank where I pull in.  When the nose hit the sand they took off, and so did a big fat snake!  Guess he was after them.

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This is an interesting question from Lacy.

Enjoyed your Colorado road trips .

What color knockin tail would u recommend for flounder.

Check out @TracesofTexas on twitter.

I had my own choice but I wanted to ask Michael, the owner/designer of both the Controlled Descent Lure and the Knockin Tail.  He has caught a world of flounder, had a good fall last year, and his recommendation was the White Lightning.  Mine is the Pearl so we are basically on the same page color wise.  My biggest last winter, 20″, came on the prototype Pearl.  Of course you can catch them on any color, I often think flounder fishing is as much technique as it is color.  But since I rarely target them not much of an expert.

Last year his Controlled Descent tandem rigs, which he personally ties, caught a ton of flounder.  The only way to get them is on the site, and if memory serves me correct the White/Limetreuse was the ticket as far as color went.  Take a look at them, there may be a new one coming  and of course I will be shilling it as soon as it happens.  Or buy a bag of CDL to go along with the Knockin Tail and tie your own.  Jig head on the KTL and flotation to supend the CDL, deadly on flounder.

Appreciate your comments on our Colorado trips, we have really learned to love the mountains, the wildlife, and the fish.  As a result we are looking to relocate and are basically just waiting for the right circumstance.  I could spend the rest of my life crawling around the mountains, and who knows it just might happen.  Got some bears and lions to see!

And last, looked at the Traces of Texas website, don’t do twitter, and was impressed.  Any Texan who loves the state should take a look at the website, cool photos and history.  So thanks for commenting, always good to hear from a new reader.

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I have repeatedly said be careful what you post on the internet, but there is no accounting for stupid.  Some bozo in Florida posted a video of himself holding a shark that was to short to keep being placed in a swimming pool, which is against the law.  He also had pictures of himself fileting a Goliath Grouper, protected, and lobsters on the grill that were also to short to keep.  He contended he could not go to jail, wrong dude.  He was arrested by Game and Fish, his bond was set at over $18K, and he remains in custody.  No sympathy.

To bad Texas refuses to take game law violations seriously, unless you trespass on some rich guys land, then it is a felony.   Or TPWD giving a rich guy our Share A Lunker fry for his lake, where it costs over $3K a weekend to fish.  Makes clear where their priorities lie.  We need serious penalties for intentional violations.  Not talking a redfish that is an inch short, but have a dozen of them and there should be a serious price to pay.  As a retired criminal defense attorney I know that most laws do not really deter folks who are willing to break them.  So make it hurt in the wallet, works as well as anything.

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And this from Keith.

Doug
I would love to talk to your friend that is selling his boat. Tired of my 25 Carolina skiff and wanting to make a change. I am interested please have him contact me at XXXXXXXXX Keith. I’m in canyon lake. There was no longer link to reach him like you mentioned.
Thanks and get well. I’m heading to p o c Friday. Hope to see you out on the water.

I looked it is still up on Craigslist and it is still there.  Sorry I should have said to just click on the boat in the post below and it will come up.  So good luck with your search, and I sent you comment on to Todd.  I have had a Carolina Skiff for exactly 20 years and it is finally going to move on, but it has been a great back up.  And thanks for reading, always appreciate hearing from folks.

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And John dropped me a note.  He has been “keeping his head down” since the virus started, smart man, you do not want it, trust me.  He has been taking the kids to Fayette and working over the big brim.  Sounds like fun to me, good to hear from you.

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From the looks of the weather we have a front coming on Friday with temps to stay in the low 70’s.  It is only supposed to get into the mid 60’s Thursday night with a possibility of showers and the wind shifts to the north and blows some.  So will be definitely be fishing the lake Friday.  Then it is totally up in the air.  The Boss hits the road for a week and I spend the next few days looking at the weather in 4 different places until I make up my mind what is next.  I am starting to feel better and intend to keep it in the water.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines