FISH CATCHING TRAVEL
Not being on the lake for over a month I had no pre-conceived notions as to how it might look or what I might find. Since we had some rain lately, the lake was falling when I last fished it would be a learning experience, and it was. When I got to the ramp at daylight, a little late thanks to hitting snooze, there were several bass boats putting in and I ran into my buddy Eric. He is from the Houston area and spends quite a bit of time camping and fishing the lake. A real deep-water specialist he reports he is finding them in a little different area but is catching them. He had been up lake and let me know it was not to off color (My first question.) so off I went.
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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.
For all your wading needs.
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Weather
77/98. Partly sunny, hot and humid, becoming breezy in the afternoon; caution advised if outside for extended periods of time (We hit 107 heat index today.) with a 2% chance of rain. Wind SSE 12 – 29mph.
Lake Level
Today 95.77 msl. June 30th 95.85 msl.
Bite Times
Major 6:19 am to 8:19 am.
The water temp was 85 at the ramp and the same way up lake. There is definitely some color, quite a bit more up lake, but it is fishable. Just to be sure buzzbait was not working of course I caught a small on my second cast. Hit a couple of quick spots with it and did not have another bite though a good one followed it to the boat but did not eat.
Next up was plastics on wood and swim jig down the banks. One small on the swim jig and 6 or 7 on watermelon red stick worm, and they were small. I pitched some shallow cover on a deep channel bank and did not have any great success to keep me up lake, so time to head back down. One last comment on up lake, I could have caught several more smalls as 3 different bunches came up chasing shad. When they did, they busted over a pretty good area but were not interested in the buzzbait, should have tied on a Pearl Knockin Tail but I let them pass. If you are fishing the lake, be sure to keep an eye out and a minnow imitationTe tied on just in case.
Wind, stumps, and spinnerbait.
On the way down lake I stopped at one of my favorite deep points and started throwing a Texas rigged 9″ ribbon style worm and immediately got bit. I missed another but at this point I was going big or going home. While I was there the wind came up which on Coleto means get out the spinnerbait.
Mouthful of big worm. The best 2 of 8 on plastics.
I did not specifically head to a bank with stumps but like it was a month ago stumps weith wind was where they were. It took a perfect cast then buzzed, get it close and get bit. Ended up catching a couple of nice fish who smoked it and had another good one boil it near the boat. For the rest of the morning, I kept varying tossing the works and managed to get bit all the way until I quit at noon. One of the worm fish came out of a brush pile I have been meaning to fish, where I should have caught another one or two. But they like that big worm which is not surprising this time of year.
So not exactly sure what the “pattern” is, but it is interesting to note that the better fish were caught later in the morning. It may have more to do with fishing the spinnerbait in the wind and the big worm sure deserves more work. It was good enough that the plan is up and gone first thing in the morning. Considering it is July over a dozen before noon is good fishing in my book.
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I picked the boat up from the shop and it ran like a top. The compression is still amazing considering the hours and the water pressure was good enough it did not need a pump replacement. With Florida looming in a little over 3 weeks I wanted the boat in tip top condition, and it should be good to go. You can never tell when something will fail but routine maintenance can keep that kind of thing to a dull roar. Next is an oil change and once over on the truck and it will be as ready as it can be for the long trip. It has been while since I towed that far but I am starting to get excited.
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The future of the blog was on my mind quite a bit while traveling. It seems a little stale and dated at this point, at least the travel keeps it fresh. Of course, while I am in the throes of mulling over whether to keep going something happens. Isn’t that the way life is? I am fishing when I hear a boat motoring along and then it stops. When I turn around, I do not recognize the gentleman, but he says: “I enjoy reading your blog.” and off he goes. When that happens, I am always a little taken aback and always humbled. Positive feedback is the re-enforcement that has kept me after it. The complaints seem to linger longer in my mind, but they are miniscule compared to the number of positive comments I have gotten over the years. My sincere thanks to all of you, guess I will soldier on a while longer.
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Last I have a birthday coming next week, it will be number 69! Who would have thunk it? You never think you will be that old and thank God I do not feel my age. (Usually!) So while it gets harder to get up in the morning it will be up and gone first thing. See if I can translate anything I learned today into more fish. Keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.
Good Luck and Tight Lines
