FISH CATCHING TRAVEL
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I told you about meeting Jake at the lake the other day and I wanted to share a little more information with you. He is a custom lure painter who has just moved to the area from Louisiana. We met on the upper end of Coleto, he was exploring the lake before his first tournament.
He is a bass fisherman who fishes’ tournaments, joining the Coleto club. It was so interesting speaking with him, he was commenting on our “clear” water color as compared to what he called the mudhole he fished in Louisiana. He drives a Champ so he can not be all bad. He was kind enough to share a couple of his hand painted baits and they have something I have never seen before, the top placement on the rear treble. Can’t wait to give them a go.
Great paint job and interesting hook placement. Jake says it reduces some hang-ups. The red/yellow will get the bill cranked off it in Arkansas. And if they get hung up less Falcon here they come.
And I got this straight from the horses mouth.
I do custom color request for different styles of crankbaits , trolling baits ,jerk baits , top water ploppers , spooks , lipless cranks , most any hard plastic , I also do recolor of classics , I typically paint per order , I do shipping, offer mustad , Gamagatsu, owner and trokor hooks….. I’m going to try and broaden myself to other things , like smaller vehicle interior or boat parts n panels.
Thanks. So if you have a special request get ahold of him and let him know and see if he can help you out. He has multiple outlets for the body you want. And when I order will share it with you all.
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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.
For all your wading needs.
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I was really looking forward to watching Big Water Adventures with Mark Davis and it did not disappoint. (I love his show, he catches them in the best places.) He was fishing Coastal Carolina out of Charleston using the Knockin Tails and the name of the show was “Trout After Trout”, if that tells you anything. I can tell you all I want how great they are, but nothing like confirmation from a pro. It warmed my heart to see them coming over the side and then him showing the baits. I feel just like a pro, I have a Knockin Tail box just like Mark, and other than hard baits it is all I take to the bay. Michael already has a presence in some areas on the east coast and hopefully this show will spread the word. If you get a chance watch it this Saturday at 9:30am on the Outdoor Channel. Next month will be 4 shows out of Delacroix LA.
And on that note My Coast Outdoors is getting closer every day to 2 new sizes in the Knockin Tail. Pretty easy to guess, one bigger and one smaller. Both have their time and I can’t wait to give the small on on the A Rig a go on the bay. Interesting experiment.
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At their January meeting TPWD commissioners approved new trout regulations from the Sargent area down the rest of the coast. The limit will be reduced from 5 down to 3 and only 17″ – 23″ can be kept, with no overs. It is temporarily set to start March 10 and go until August 31, 2023. Be advised the dates are subject to change so keep watching. That will keep it in place for 2 spawn cycles to rebuild the population. I of course have no problem with it, the Boss and I only eat 3 at a time anyway. Hope it does not hurt the guides and coastal businesses to much, it is why many folks hire guides on the coast, to sack a few for the freezer. So it will be interesting this year to see how easy, or hard, it is to get them to fit in the slot. Or it may be a yearlong dink fest, only time will tell. And as long as we are on the subject it is getting cold and will plunge into the 20’s the next couple of nights, the last thing we need on the bay.
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We have all experienced this: Thinking about it and something happens.
Hope you keep writing ;the truth is uncomfortable for some ;don’t look up what dates for Arkansas?
I actually opened the computer to look at my last trip 2 years ago to see when it was and I got this from my buddy Clyde. Great minds think alike. The preliminary dates are around the week of March 21st give or take a day. Of course will keep you informed. As a side note will be watching the generation on the White and lake levels, hope to do a little fly fishing while I am there.
One thing you learn really quick at trial: The truth never changes, and facts are facts. And of course, my degree is in journalism and as a member of the Journalism Honor Society, makes it hard for me to keep to the keep my mouth shut at times. But no worries, one thing about reading, whether a book or the blog, if it does not interest you or makes you mad, don’t read it. Life is too short. Good to hear from you, will hollar when I get a little better idea of when.
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And this from SA Joe.
Doug,
A good fisherman would have had 5 bass on the A-rig. Not 3, with the so called”4th” coming off at the boat !!! Had to give ya some ball bustin, cuz that is 4 more than i ever caught on my A-rig. Still chucking mine once in a while and still haven’t gotten a one on it….i get tired from throwing that weight !!!!!
Joe in San Antonio…
It was by far my best ever little flurry on the A Rig. If it had not been so good right then would probably have netted them for the picture, but I was in too big a hurry as they were on the chew. (Interesting that I caught 2 on one crankbait the day before, neither a common occurrence.) As far as weight of the A Rig it is not to heavy right now. Coleto is not a deep lake, I am able to get away with using a light 1/8th on the jig heads. I am using it like a spinnerbait with a medium to slow retrieve. When you are a big cast from the bank and only in 10′ of water if they want it they will come after it. I ordered some smaller ones which should make it even easier.
Not to happy we are having this front right now. I have seen them come to the bank during pre-spawn many times on other bodies of water but this one took the cake. They came in a day, and you could really tell when the points I was catching them on were deserted. The girls are big and fat, and in the back of 2 coves the tilapia were there, a sure sign the spawn is getting ready to take off. It will be wait and see what changes await, but Monday I will be throwing lots of jerk bait on secondary points and the first deep bend in any cove. Gets my blood going just thinking about it, but it will be different as we will definitely lose the gains we made in the water temp. Good to hear from you.
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I cannot help but comment on a local story. A kind woman found a loose dog and with the weather like it is picked it up and took it to the local pound, and as we are so often encounter this took place. Here is the short version. Nice Lady: Here is a dog I saved from the freeze. Your Public Servant: No room at the inn so you keep it. Nice: It is not my dog I have more at home and cannot take it so I will have to let it go, Servant: To bad. It is now your responsibility and you can’t let it go you have to keep it. Nice: Really so it is my dog now. Servant: Yes. Nice: Ok then I surrender it, euthanize it. (Thinking quickly.) Servant: You can’t do that it is not your dog. There are no words.
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And last I found a cool old postcard in a used book I bought. It was of the LaFitte Hotel in Seadrift. Having never heard of or seen it could anyone send along whatever you know. It looks like it was a cool old place. Thanks for any help.
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It is cold, flat cold. With windhchill it is in the teens but it could have been a lot worse. From the Gulf Coast to the East Coast things are mess. I10 is closed as people have been stalled for 12 hours with no immediate relief in sight. So what a mess, my brother in North Arkansas has not left the house for 4 days, but it is winter. Luckily the weather looks like it will straighten up fairly soon and I should be back on the water Monday. So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.
Good Luck and Tight Lines
