FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

One of the things I love about hunting season is the reduced traffic on the water.  And for the second weekend in a row I have actually fished.  Today I was the second boat to the ramp and while there was moderate traffic it was no big deal.  Love fall and winter.

Weather

49/78.  Seasonably cool in the morning; otherwise, plenty of sun; a beautiful start to the weekend with a 0% chance of rain.   Wind W 5 – 7 mph.

Lake Level

Today  98.26 msl.   Tuesday 98.34 msl.

Activity Times

Major  8:55 am to 10:55 am.  Minor  3:43 pm to 4:43 pm.

***************

The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

**************

When I put in at daylight the air temp was 47 degreethe water temp was 73, which is a big drop.  The color still leaves a little something to be desired, and it was flat dead calm, staying that way until I quit at 1:30.

The biggest of 4 on the spoon and Knockin Tail.

The fish are definitely on the move.  What has changed is the grass pattern has changed to one here and one there.  Before when you found them it was game on.  Today the bites were few and far between.  And not a touch on the buzzbait.  So once the sun was really out decided to try the black/blue swim jig, and of course had a bite on my first cast.

I got fooled.

This one smoked it and swam about 5 foot to the side before I stuck her.  So one would think that a fish like this on the first cast is a good thing, and at times it is.  But today it lead to one other really small, and I missed 2 I probably should have caught.  With the water color the way it is the dark swim jig should be good, but hard to say based on today, but with conditions as they were probably had as much to do with it as anything.  And the little drop did not help if I were guessing.

It was a mile high sky with not a breath of wind, it was really  calm.  The bites would come randomly and while everywhere looked great, I just could not see what the difference was.  I kept after it until 1:30 and basically did not have a bite after 11:00 or so.  If all the ones that bit had hooked up it might have been an ok morning.  Their heart just was not in it today, but better fishing is on the way.

And then got checked by the Game Wardens.  They were good guys and after a quick check I was on my way.  I did  mention to them that I had heard more shooting than normal and they told me it was youth hunting, which explains that.  They were professional and I love seeing them out there reminding folks you can get checked any time.  And I also told them thanks for the grass program,

****************

I got an interesting comment from a friend on their fishing trip to Boerne Lake yesterday (Wednesday), the same day I also struggled.  They reported they could barely buy a bite, and while I managed a few it was really tough on a day when you would think it would be game on.  Who knows for sure how conditions really affect fish?  In the end the have fins and tails and can move about, and when they do not want to eat they don’t, no matter what we think.

****************

And this comment from Matt on TPWD and Coleto Creek.

That is great news. If we weren’t going to be out of town, I’d bring my kids out for this.

I can not tell you how excited I am about TPWD replanting Coleto.  Not sure how long it will take to really start growing and take hold but it sure is needed.  This is the kind of innovative program that really has a positive result for the common guy.  And it is the type of thinking we hope for when we pay our license fees.  At times I have been a harsh critic of TPWD, occasionally they deserve it.  In this case nothing but props to whoever got this off the ground.  So a tip of the hat to TPWD.

And I too will be out of town for a wedding that weekend, but I sure hope some of the younger guys take the chance to see TPWD at work.  If  you want to be a “big time” fisherman, or have a career in the industry, take this opportunity to give back, maybe learn a little something, plus add to the resume.  Thanks for the comment.

**************

Monday will be the river or the creek, depending on which mood strikes me.  Now that we finally have some serious night time cooling it should be good and getting better right along.  This year it has been a little late, so it will probably not last as long as normal, so time to get while the getting is good.  And with several friends coming next week it is going to be a fish till you drop stretch.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

**************