FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

I got up this morning (Thursday.) before daylight and turned on the radar.  There was rain and high winds coming our way.  We got the wind as the front blew through but only a sprinkle.  In fact, on only one side of the truck had drops on it.  So called it a no fish day but will be heading out tomorrow to give it a go.  I hate getting up but with the way the fishing has been it sure makes it easier.  Good practice for when the bay takes the forefront.

Weather

74/96.  Partly sunny with the temperature near the record of 98 with a 1% chance of rain.  Wind SSE  8 – 27 mph.

Lake Level

 Wednesday   96.36 msl.    Today   96.36 msl.

Bite Times

Major  5:47 am to 7:47 am.    Minor 10:56 am to 11:56 am.   (Catch some of both today.)

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

The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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

It was absolutely perfect when I dropped the boat in at 6:30.  Heavy cloud cover, light wind, it just looked to good.  The lake seemed to stabilize some and the water temp has remained 80 – 83 degrees and the color varies.  With it supposed to clear off at some point and get really hot it was straight to the good spots.  Turned out to be a good plan.

Words can never do the bite justice when one this size smashes it!   Great start to the morning.

From daylight until around 10:00 I stuck with the buzzbait.  Everywhere I went, which were all sweet spots I have been catching them and they bit.  From little tiny to the one above the bite was on.  And as it has been and will until this size heads deep, she smoked it halfway back.  But others barely pulled it under, some jumped it as soon as it hit the water.  Do not take your eyes off it or you will regret it.

Another nice one on the buzzbait.  One of 4 on spinnerbait, she smoked it.

It is hard to throw other stuff when this size is cooperating.  But when the sun came out things changed.  So I switched to the 5″ Smoke Shad Knockin Tail and headed to the shallow cove I caught them in yesterday.  With plenty of cover I tossed it all the way to the bank and ended up catching 3 and missing at least that many, all about the size below.  I did have a big one roll on it but she did not like the boat.

All the Knockin Tail fish looked like this.  Here is the buzzbait, they sure like it.

With the clouds gone they slowed way down.  As it approached noon they would bump the Knockin Tail but just did not have their heart in it.  I am sure if you fished it first thing that would not be the case.  But as long as a big fish jumps the buzzbait every day I will keep feeding it to them.  I have been using the one above this whole stretch.  They finally ate the skirt off so I put it on the tying table and gave it a new look, which they seemed to like fairly well.

The real point is the fish are shallow and biting.  They can be caught on about anything right now, it is simply a matter of getting up early and choosing the right place.  Rare I actually “pattern” fish but that is exactly what is going on.  Not sure how many I caught today but it was enough.  The weather has cooperated the last month, and but this wind pattern will end.  But until then I plan on wearing these bass out.  Best it has been in a while.

When I got to the ramp I ran into Johnny who tournament fishes and he had a good morning.  He is fishing plastics and had a picture of the 6lb.6 ounce fish he caught. The plastic he is using is the same thing SA Joe used on his trip 2 weeks ago.  There are plenty of ways to skin the cat right now, so fish what you like, and what you are good ate, you will catch some.

And last the wildlife was on the move.  Saw the eagle, an osprey, a strutting turkey, deer, and a couple of hogs.  The gators were out and saw a big snake last trip.  The fish were biting and the wildlife was moving, it all works together.  Made for a great day to be alive.

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

It looks like Avian Flu has been detected in a Texas wild owl.  The first case detected was in a commercial pheasant flock in Texas.  Sorry TPWD but you are falling down in your responsibility to wildlife – NOT commercial wildlife.  Both the Avian Flu and Chronic Wasting Disease apparently came to the state though commercial wildlife interests.  If that is the case I do not understand how these operators are not being shut down immediately until given an all clean.  For some reason, or should I say usually, TPWD bows to commercial interests.  (Remember the “Here is our ShareLunker fish for free” to a guy who charges over $3k to fish in his ponds.)  Why in the world would they allow ANY commercial interest to threaten the animals they are tasked with protecting?  It makes no sense.

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

And speaking of outdoor projects Coleto has a few, and they are in disrepair.  Wood duck houses were put on the shoreline several years ago and now they are falling down.  They have not been repaired or taken care of since they were put in and now are nothing more than a trashy eyesore.  Another problem I recognized immediately, some of the pens for re-introducing the vegetation were put way to close to the shoreline, and some are now high and dry as the lake level goes down.  Guess no one is monitoring that.  Both projects were a good thing, but when they are not being monitored this is the result.

*************** 

And congratulations to the State of Texas for averting a veritable holocaust.   The state might have been overrun with oil wrestling, pot smoking, female Zombies from California who were making their way to a local bar to start murdering and dismembering the patrons.  They were carrying the evil weed  (Legal in California.) with them but their plans were stopped in their tracks making the state safe for all.  We are so fortunate that we were able to stop these Zombies from doing their dirty deeds in a bucket of oil for a bunch of drunk Texas guys.  I feel safer

 **************

The Boss has some time off so not sure what will happen next.  Actually trying to get myself motivated to make a quick trip to Colorado.  There is a house we like and when you find something like that it goes fast.  So while not ready to move yet the search goes on.  Hope you all have a great weekend.  Keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines