FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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When I got up first thing checked was the radar and it confirmed the lake.  It was drizzling at the house and there were pockets of storms blowing in from the Gulf in the POC area so off to the lake I went.  On putting the boat in at 6:00 the wind was about 15 mph out of the SE, the water temp was in the high 80’s, and the water is finally starting to clear some.

Right off the bat 3 just flat missed the buzzbait, all on points.  Not sure what that is about but only one looked like it might be a good one.  I worked lots of different places and the results stayed the same as it has been, no bites after first thing.  I finally changed tactics, which might have cleared a few things up, or maybe confused me even more.

It was kind of a Gary Klein thing, a small chartreuse square bill crankbait.  Strictly just hoping for a bite.  The first point I came to one the size of the one below jumped on, and I mean smacked it.  From that point on it was the only thing I threw for the rest of the morning.

Ok maybe there is something to this.

One small jumped on next, then the one above.  All three of them smacked it, no trouble telling it was a bite.  And all three came on a windy point.  I fished several places without a bite then had a run of the “other” stuff.  Got to give them credit they unload on it.

Then it was the attack of the killer catfish.  They do not come off.

And if these guys are shallow looking to spawn the bluegill swim jig should be working.  And looks like the catfish are also about to spawn.

Of the 6 I caught on the crankbait all were right on the edge of the stuff, and about half jumped it after it hit something.  None came very far off the cover.  Points were best, but just because it was a good looking point did not mean there was a fish on it.  And if you take into account the miles covered with the crankbait it was not fast by any means, but it gives me hope.  Also tells me I might have had head up rear syndrome.

I am somewhat puzzled though.  With the amount of water that I have tossed both the swim jig and swim bait without success the last week it was another story with the crankbait in the exact same type spots.  Confirms there are some shallow like I thought, guess I have just not been throwing the right stuff.  Maybe the bright color with the wobble is what it took, and will take, to trigger a bite.  Another bait that might catch them would be the vibrating jig.  Makes me wonder how many might cooperate if I threw it all morning.  No matter what it was nice to have some bites that acted like they really wanted it.  Now I can not wait to head back up lake where the water color is not the best, who knows, it just might be the ticket.

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Can I Have 2?

Mercury just introduced a 600hp Verado that has 2 features new to outboards.  1.  It has a 2 speed automatic transmission.  2.  The lower unit is articulated.  Turn the wheel and the cowl stays unmoved and just the lower unit turns.  All that is wow!  But the real wow, it only costs a cool $77,000.  What a deal.  And that is all freakin’ nuts if I do say so myself.

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Saturday we made a lunch run to Rockport where the choices are more to our liking.  After eating we made the usual stop at Tackle Town.  First I was looking for swim bait hooks in a certain size and weight.  The options are still far from complete in the hook business, one area that was, and still is, affected by the pandemic.  And whether it was in North Arkansas, Houston, or Rockport there just is not a full compliment in any store.  But there was one that I thought at first would be the ticket, until I looked at the price.

They were a Mustad 4/0 in 1/8th weight.  Ok that will work, except there are only 3 hooks in a pack, and they were $9.99.  Wow!  I am not paying that for 3 hooks, period.  Though they were the most expensive, most were in the $6 plus for 3 or 4.  Man I am getting old.    As we all know a  4/0 in one company is not always a 4/0 in another, so I settled for another brand, and then addressed my second need.

After taking a Penn spinning reel locally to get it cleaned, I wanted to shop somewhere else.  They actually cleaned it and gave it back to me still basically broke, and charged me $20.  They knew it was not functioning properly because he said I could order the part.  Huh?  If I am going to order the part, then take it apart then I might as well clean it.  Make sense?  That is like dropping your car off at the mechanics for the transmission and he fills it with gas, changes the oil, washes the windshield, then bills you for it and giving it back to you and it still won’t run.

The dude at Tackle Town told me if they could not fix it they just stop, put it in a bag, and give it back to you.  No charge.  Much better, then at least if you want to put in the effort to save it you can order parts.  But anyway they had the pawls I was needing so nice to get those.  I am not all about cleaning and repairing reels, but pawls I can handle.  And it was all it took to get my 4500C cranking reel back in action.  To bad I did not have it today.

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Chronic Wasting disease has infected  some Texas captive whitetail breeding facilities, which according to what I read makes a total of 5.  Now it has made the national media.  It says TPWD is “scrambling” to test and contain, but it looks like the horse may be out of the barn, which could threaten the wild whitetail population.  There are calls for increased regulations of the 900 plus breeders, but it has been unsuccessful, and of course you can surmise why.  TPWD should be “scrambling”, if the wild Texas whitetail herd gets infected we could have a serious disaster, decimating the herd with what is called the “zombie” disease.  And as keeper of the wildlife they might also “scramble” to explain how this happened under their watch.  Who was watching them?  Another example of why at times I am skeptical that TPWD always has their priorities in order.  Animals first, commercial interests last.  Pretty simple concept.

I know at times I have been critical of TPWD, when they deserve it.  But in their defense they need more money, more help, and more wardens.  Arkansas took the bull by the horns and the state voted a dedicated 1/8th cent sales tax for fish and game.  And they specifically dedicated it so the greedy legislature can not steal it, as so often happens.  Texas needs that kind of  funding, it is a big state.  And one other thing it needs, how about just one “regular” person on the commission?  Using politically connected folks with money is not the best way to assure that all the users of our outdoors are protected and have at least a little of the access most commissions have.

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Congrats to Colby Peyton and the Waterloo gang for their win at the Rojo Classic this weekend.  Those were some really stud redfish.  Between him and Colton with the Everlast guys, tough for anyone else to win one on the coast right now.  The little friendly competition between them could go on for a while.  No clue where they caught them this weekend but there are some good bull redfish reports from the jetties.

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Hopefully the Boss will have a good outcome on her knee in the morning.  The Doc says she will be good as new and that mountains are back in her future.  Just have to see how it goes, but I should be back on the water in a few days, hopefully the bay.  Maybe it will start clearing like the lake has, but there is more rain in the forecast so who knows.  I am happy to have the LTS back and looking forward to adding a ton more hours.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines