FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

We were at an undisclosed location doing undisclosed things and it sure was fun.  But it is going to be back to things as usual around here.  

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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Here is a great comment from Pat.

Hello Doug,
Thanks for what you do and highlighting the killing of the four whooping cranes. My son and I duck hunted the POC back lakes this weekend and Sunday morning when the sun rose there were 10 within 200 yards of us and many heard in the distance. With all the airboat traffic in the marshes I’m surprised no environmentalist have tried to shut them down for “harassing wildlife”. The amount of airboat traffic during duck season is out of control as there’s no more peace on the bays. They can be heard coming miles away and you can’t hear yourself think when they pass by. That’s my rant but every CCA photo op of a new project has a pic of their higher ups with a airboat in the background lol. Fishing was tough…either the fish aren’t in their winter haunts yet or the freeze has taken it’s toll. Probably some of both with the warm winter so far.
Thanks

I have deleted a few identifiers in this post to give Pat a little annonymity for a couple of reasons.  But the real point, when he talks fishing on the coast it is time to listen.  He and his son have probably caught more big trout than all my friends combined, and that is not an exaggeration.  So when he talks tough fishing, and lack of trout on his normal winter pattern it is time to take notice.

With our winter, or lack of it until the last couple of weeks it would make sense that they have not moved into their historical winter haunts, if they had Pat and his son would have found them.  Who knows, maybe this weekend’s norther will get them there.  The other 0ption, they took it on the chin a lot harder than we might have thought.  What gives credence to that theory is the state is thinking of a major reduction in the limit, both numbers and size restrictions.  Guess what I am saying is if they were not finding them there is probably a problem.  I hope it is the weather but fear it is the reduction in the population or why would TPWD be thinking about reducing the catch?  I know I almost froze my ass off during the freeze so that might have literally happened to the trout.

Now to the airboat thing.  First, they are fun having fished and duck hunted out of them.  But in the time I have spent on the bay the worst treatment I have ever experienced was when a guide (Or a complete asshole in my opinion.) from a local operation went between us and the bank where we were on a school of tailing reds.  Gives you an idea how shallow it was.  He then the next morning he did the very same thing to my buddy who went back to fish the same fish.  People wonder why guides are criticized but that type of behavior comes with a self-centered entitlement, “I am a guide” so I have bigger rights than the regular dude.   They so forget that it is our water and we have just given then the ability to use it to make a living on OUR resource.  When we balance the resources on the planet like fish and game the taxpaying citizen should come first, period.   Commercial users of our resource should come second.  The fight over our resources is growing every day, see below.

As far as the airboats I really know little about them, other than they are louder than all get out and as far as a nice quiet day on the bay those days are over unfortunately.  But I am one of those no music on the boat guys.  It is the outdoors not a bar, but that is another topic.  So if any of you know:  Why do they not have a classic muffler on them?  If it simply because they sound bad or cool then that makes no sense.

The Whoopers to us are just like the bears, wolves and other things we love to pursue in the outdoors.  In fact, they are sure one of the rarest wildlife you can see in this country.  Your comment on the environmentalists getting their panties in wad is directly on point.  As the outdoors becomes more and more crowded this type of issue will continue to come up.  We have to figure out ways to accommodate all the interests: hunters, fishermen, hikers, off-roaders, environmentalists, bikers, guides, crazy cat ladies, and any other group that claims an entitlement to usage of the outdoor resource.  Compromise is going to be necessary.  When usage and behavior is balanced it would seem crazy loud would be at the bottom of the discussion.  Really appreciate your comments and if any of you have anything to add on airboats would love to hear no matter where you come down on the issue.  Thanks for your comment.

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Great question from Lacy.

Whats your go to spinning rod & reel set up for those frisky Colorado rainbow lake trout.

A good 7 foot light or medium light action rod with a small spinning reel.  You can throw it a mile with a Rooster Tail, small spoon or a Countdown Rapala.  But most important, 4lb fluorocarbon line.  You could use a Zebco 202 and cheap rod and catch them with the fluoro as clear as most of those lake are.  It really helps to be able to toss it a mile in the lake.  Then start reeling and if you do catch one start counting down.  Often throwing a Rooster Tail I will catch them above a 20 count one day and then by the rocks right on the bank the next.  But if you really want to whack them for supper the Power Bait or something like that is the ticket.  I have watched folks sack them up in nothing flat using it. Good to hear from you and if you head that way let us know how it went.  Out of the water in the pan!

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Lake O.H. Ive, which was responsible for most of the ShareLunker bass in Texas last year is at it again.  You must be kidding me!  A 14.48 and 14.92 on the same day.  That is stupid big.  And both were caught on the Alabama Rig.  If you bass fish and it is not a part of your arsenal you are missing out.  This is the time of year to throw it so buy one, put some Pearl Knockin Tails on the back and hang on.  Like I will be trying tomorrow.

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And speaking of bass here is the note I got from the TPWD biologist on the Kentucky’s I have been catching.

Greetings, Doug.  Really appreciate the note and interest in Coleto Creek.  We too, have great hopes and are optimistic our collective efforts to restore fisheries habitat and reestablish desirable native vegetation will achieve some great successes and help restore the great largemouth bass fishery.

That is interesting indeed! TPWD has not stocked any spotted bass in the reservoir.   And while spotted bass are native to the Guadalupe drainage, we infrequently encounter them in Coleto.  In fact, I queried our fisheries monitoring data and we have only collected 5 over the last 20 years or so.  Hope this info is useful and we will keep our eye out for them in future sampling.

Feel free to reach out anytime.

All the best and tight lines,

Greg

First, I really appreciate a response, nice to know they are listening.  But most importantly, I have caught more in the last month than they have found in the samplings the last 20 years.  So my recommendation, be sure to sample up lake.  It will be interesting to see how many more are caught in the future.  I do know I am not the only one who has caught one, so stay tuned.  I really am not sure if it is a good thing or a bad thing.  My guess it is a secondary response to our loss of grass, but just like all the medical know-it-alls we have right now that is the best you can call me on fish biology.

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2 Off topic legal rants.

Our felony indicted Attorney General has been ordered to turn over emails and other pertinent documents surrounding his communications after and during the takeover of the capital.  He initially refused citing executive privilege.  Sorry but that is pure horseshit.  What is he afraid of?

 “When the public official responsible for enforcing public records laws violates those laws himself, it puts a dagger in the heart of transparency at every level in Texas,” he said. “Why should other Texas officials be transparent with public information if the AG himself is not?”

There should be very few exceptions, and there are, for turning over our documents.  I am sick of folks from your local dog catcher, police department, mayor or whoever we pay citing some non-existent executive privilege or other mysterious “cause I said so” exception.  They work for us, we paid for their work and production, we own it and they do not!  There should be no secrets.  It is so time for term limits, we need to purge the government of folks who think they own the show. (And I mean across the board:  See Pelosi and McConnell who are walking fossils.  Remember I am also one of those fossils. )  If any of these self-important pinheads think they are above our requests, they need to go.

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And one last off topic legal rant that really got my attorney back up.

The man filing the suit is 23 years old, 5 feet 7, and Black. The actual man listed on the arrest warrant was 49 years old, 5 feet 11, and a white man with a “bushy white beard” and blue eyes. The arresting officers failed to properly verify the person listed on the warrant.

“Failed to properly verify the person listed on the warrant.”  What kind of BS excuse is that?  A black dude, with no criminal record was arrested on a warrant and jailed for over a week after being stopped in Law Vegas for a traffic violation.  Everyone who was responsible for checking his identification should be fired and have any law enforcement license suspended, end of story.  Think that is too harsh?

He was stopped for a traffic violation.  When the officer ran him the name was the same on a warrant, but the officer did not even bother to read past line one, much less the whole warrant which he could and should have done if he was not lazy or stupid, take your pick.  So he cuffed and stuffed him and took him to jail.  The jailers then did the exact same thing in spite of him repeatedly telling them you got the wrong guy.  Multiple folks in the line did not do even the most basic part of their job.  He ended up in jail for over a week.

So too harsh for you?  Of course in your case if it happened to you it would be no harm no foul right?  Just never mind, it was ok to stay the week with the rest of the prisoners.  And of course the towing company would give you your car back without cost, if you paid to post a bond the bondsman would give you your money back, and if you hired an attorney he would give you back your money.  Dream on.  But if you are ok with them not being fired you have never been jailed or are full of *&^%, it is not a motel.  This was not a case of looked like someone, or even both the same color, it was nothing more than pure lazy causing a man to have his freedom taken away for absolutely no reason.  Can’t wait to see what that costs the taxpayers.  When the government has the right to jail you they have a duty to get it right, this is not tidily winks.

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Sorry for the off topic rants but sometimes I can not help but pontificate on legal issues.  I love being retired a lot more than I like being an attorney, but it is ingrained in me and I will always be a “lawyer”, licensed or not.  (I am currently still paying small dues in Texas but am classed as inactive and cannot call myself a lawyer or take your money.  Thank God!)  To bad the profession comes in below used car salesman in some poles on public perception.  Guess since I have been taking this break I have to much time on my hands.

Tomorrow I will be headed to the lake to see how things have changed.  The way it has gone this winter I am done taking a guess on how the fishing will be.  This whole year on Coleto has been hard to predict, and there is even some of that on the bay.  But a new year is here and it will be what it will be.  And time to head to the few places I catch better trout, I expect some of the same results Pat had but hope springs eternal.  Like all fishermen tomorrow is a new day and the fishing will be great.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines