FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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Happy Anniversary!

That’s my girl!

32 years filled with adventure and all the highs and lows of life.  But through it all the Boss has stuck with me in thick and thin.  It has been the joy of my life to share my life with her.  And what man in this world does not want a wife who says:  “Go fishing.”  Thanks for being my buddy.

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On the fishing front I still do not have the LTS back from the shop.  Not sure what the hold up is, will find that out tomorrow after I get back from the lake.  Amazing how getting a boat motor worked on is always an adventure, and the only person in a hurry is me.   But if they are that busy I have always wondered why there are not more shops or mechanics. No matter what my fishing has been somewhat curtailed without it, maybe I will get lucky and get it back this week.

The weather has potential tomorrow, and I am looking forward to catching some bass.  Hope springs eternal in all fishermen.  (Obviously I am a glass half full guy as far as the lake goes.)  And looking at the weather mid week we have high winds decreasing mid week to fishable in the skiff, so Thursday the bay it is.  Have a new bait that is not released yet and am anxious to feed it to some trout.

Will be interesting to see how the fishing is post freeze.  And on that note, hope folks are giving the trout a little rest until the true numbers are known.  I will be catch and release until then, but if you want to keep a few, keep what you are going to eat and not one fish more.  Now is not the time to have a freezer full.  (But when is it a good time?  They never taste better than the day they are caught.)

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Weather

61/77.  Times of clouds and sun with a 45% chance of shower in places.  Wind  SE 15 – 20 mph.

Lake Level

Today  93.84 msl.   Last Thursday  93.99  msl.

Solunar Periods

Major  8:42 am to 10:42 am.  Minor  2:00 pm to 3:00 pm

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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Not bad for the second cast!

Though I have been let down more than happy with the recent results, today just had that feel about it.  Clear but clouding over fast, occasional drizzle, wind light first thing, it checked all the boxes.  The lake still has areas of really off color water along with nice clear places, but it is definitely dropping.  The water temp was 68 – 70 degrees over most of the lake.

First up was the point where they have been, and low and behold 8 jumped on, including a couple of good ones.  The topwater balsa minnow twitched right along right on top was did the damage.  From that point on it was just as it has been.  Some coves had nothing, others had 3 or 4 willing to bite.  Sticking with what works it was a bunch on topwater, several on spinnerbait, a few on swim jig, and a couple pitching the watermelon stick worm.

It was a steady bite today on spinnerbait and topwater minnow.

The first ones have been chasing shad there for a month and will hit the topwater off the bank, the rest of them except that last one were literally right on the bank.  If there was any thing, a little grass, stump, brush the bites came within a foot or two.  But as it has been really tough to pick a go to bait.  As long as the wind stayed down they like the minnow but you had to wade through lots of smalls.  In fact 2 points during the morning had them chasing shad, there just were not better ones like the best place.

And not bad for my last cast.  My favorite bite, smashing a spinnerbait right beside the boat!

And as far as location today they were up on the main lake, coves, and points, with none being absolutely the ticket.  But points did produce the most bites.  And going back in coves just did not work out all that well.  And as the wind came up the spinnerbait was the better bait and it was nice to finish off the day with a good one smoking it right by the boat.  Love it when they come out of nowhere and crush it.  A prefect way to head to the ramp.

I don’t want to get to excited but this was a real spring day of fishing.  Hard to tell if the lake is coming around but catching an easy 20+ is a good start.  One thing that stills annoys me is the number of tilapia beds in the back ends, seems like if they are there the bass are not.  I did see a bass on a bed, the water has dropped just a little and they are somewhat easier to see.  Only time will tell if the bite is on, but at least they bit on the kind of day they should.

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A couple of reports from Grand Isle LA have me wanting to head that way, which incidentally is the home area of Four Horsemen Tackle. Some of the reports had big strings of trout which is a good sign for the early fishing, much less the ever present reds.  A couple of years ago fishing with the Yankees we had our 200 trout and 40 red limit, it was nuts and not something I will probably do again.  But as long as it is the limit have at it.  The amount of fish the marshes of Louisiana produce is just astounding.  So trying to see where a 3 day trips fits in with the coming schedule.  Love that place.

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There are 2 big threats to water quality, development and mining.  And the situation in Florida with a phosphate retaining pond is a perfect example.  Long story short, the holding pond is leaking and about to rupture, flooding homes and heading into Tampa Bay.  It is nasty radioactive stuff and a potential ecological disaster.  The time has come for the mining industry in all its forms be required to post a bond/insurance that covers decades after they are gone.  Like so many of these situations the company is bankrupt and gone.  In other words, took the profits and when it was no longer profitable hit the road.  So here we are, a big mess that the taxpayers will end up footing the bill for, and one of the great bays in the country potentially trashed.  We can make more mines, we can not make more bays.

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So progress.  But as I type this the weather guy just said it was going to blow, and then blow, and then blow some more.  Some of it in the 40mph range, typical early spring on the Texas coast.  Now I will be wind/weather watching for better days to hit the coast.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

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A Better Cork built a Better Way

If you fish a popping cork and have not tried the Four Horseman popping cork, or even if you are currently using them, here is a GREAT DEAL.  They have been kind enough to give my readers a discount. It will be a 20% discount so get them while the getting is good.  What a deal.  Use the code 4H6 at check out to save some serious bucks.  No better time to stock up.  (I will leave this up for the time being, you never know when you will need some new corks.)

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