FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

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Stunning

My photographic skill could never due justice to the beauty that is Colorado fall.  We took a wonderful hike yesterday afternoon and no words can describe what it looks like right now.

9000 feet on the Lake Fork Trail.

This was the first time we hiked this trail.  Not far from the house it goes through a crazy beautiful canyon and while we just hiked some of it next year we will hike the whole 7 miles round trip.  Today was just wanted to get back to real life.  And as I said there is no way to describe just how amazing it is right now.  The Aspens and Willows are in full fall display and everywhere you look it is stunning.

The small mountain creeks/springs running with our recent rain.

Not sure how to edit it smaller but here is my best freind way up there!

It is read, yellow, green and all coolers in between.

Yesterday, Monday we headed out on a 4Runner search.  We found several that fit the bill and our first and last stop was Pueblo Toyota.  I had specific requirements for the suspension as it will be the mountain truck and it also needs to able to deal with big snows which are coming soon.  While replacing my truck was the last thing on the agenda there is something about new.

White Ice Blackout TRD Offroad Premium.  If you are going to be a bear, be a grizzly.  This thing is a beast.

This 4Runner is now our 5th and this one has all the bells and whistles.  It is top of the line and will last me the rest of my life.  With the Boss also owning one we are now a 2 4Runner family.  The Trail Edition’s response to the wreck just solidified our long term love of the vehicles and in spite of the wreck we feel safe in them, just a hard way to discover they are all that.  The only modification needed is the grille protector which will be added as soon as I get back to Texas in a couple of days.

Once we made a deal we decided to license it in Colorado, so the real move has started.  Here you pay the dealer the sales tax and they end up forwarding it and the loan agreement to the county seat, in our case Rio Grande.  Once they send it we will be notified and then come in and pay the registration and get plates.  The downside (Sort of!) is the temporary plates are only good until December 1st so I will be returning before that to get it done, and maybe go ahead and take the Colorado DL plunge.  Since I feel like this is home the reality of the impending move is happening.  The only downside is I will not get to fish for 2 full months, but it is what it is and you just have to roll with the punches.   But hey, if the worst thing that ends up coming out of the wreck is I have to suffer in the Rockies so be it!  And there will still be open fishable water.

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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Spotted Sea Trout – Speak Now Or Forever Hold Your Peace

TPWD Coastal Fisheries staff will host several public scoping meetings on the coast to gather input from stakeholders and constituents concerning spotted seatrout management options.

The public is encouraged to attend and provide comment at the following public meetings:

• Tuesday, Oct. 17 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Bauer Community Center, 2300 Texas Highway 35, Port Lavaca, TX, 77979
• Wednesday, Oct. 18 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Saltwater Pavilion at Rockport Beach Park, 210 Seabreeze Dr., Rockport, TX, 78382
• Wednesday, Oct. 18 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Natural Resources Building, 6300 Ocean Dr., Corpus Christi, TX, 78412
• Wednesday, Oct. 18 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Port Isabel Event and Cultural Center, 309 Railroad St., Port Isabel, TX, 78578
• Thursday, Oct. 19 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Bob Bowers Civic Center, 3401 Cultural Center, Port Arthur, TX, 77642
• Thursday, Oct. 19 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Rosenberg Library, 2310 Sealy Ave., Galveston, TX, 77550

For more information, call or email the TPWD Coastal Fisheries Division at 512-389-8575 or cfish@tpwd.texas.gov

My only real comment is why TPWD is doing this AFTER they returned to the previous limit.  It would seem that why not keep it at the 3 fish- 17″ limit and let the public air their opinions?  But no matter, if you care about the fish speak your peace.  As I continue to say if you do not voice your opinion, you have no complaint. And just as important TWPD will continue to do as it pleases with minimal oversight if fishermen do not participate.

And one last word on TPWD and Chronic Wasting Disease.  They have now created another zone that has CWD and instituted specific requirements when you kill a whitetail.  So be sure to review those zones in case you are hunting in one.  It is important to monitor the spread.  Just remember a couple of years from now I told you so, it is coming, and it is probably to late to stop the spread to the whole herd.  Sad.

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Can You Say the Rut is On?

Saturday we just stayed at the house and digested what happened to us the day before.  The after affects were much more traumatic than I would have suspected.  (I would not exactly be described as a sensitive kind of guy.)  It left us feeling sad, concerned about what could have been, about the future, generally apprehensive, but so happy to be alive.  In my case it was the old maybe I could have done something, which while stupid was very hard to kick.  The instant that doe and buck appeared, and he and the front end exploded, will live in my memory forever.  The world literally just exploded.  Since you can’t buy a truck on Sunday we decided to head over to Durango and hit the casino, not for big bucks, just a complete mindless diversion from thinking about it, and the few aches and pains that appeared today.

Of course when we headed out of the neighborhood there was a big bunch of does with 2 bucks acting a fool.  The biggest was chasing does, running in circles, does crossing the road, it was a mini mayhem of hormones.  Then on the way and back there were more dead deer on the road than I have seen the whole time I have been here.  It actually made us feel some better, the mule deer are flat nuts right now and the roads around here are a little frisky.  But in the end, it is just part of the learning process about living here.  And we sure love it here.  And this says it all…….

I just want to know where I can get the shirt!

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And this comment from a reader.

Glad you’re both ok.. that could have been much worse if he tried to jump. Trucks can be replaced, God smiled on you both….

Thanks for your kind thoughts.  Looking back on it as I lifted the truck about 4″ probably kept him from coming through the windshield.  So yesterday went and bought the new 4Runner and as soon as I get back to Texas I will get a “real” grille guard installed.  It will not only keep us safer but should reduce future damage if it happens again.  The whole thing was one big eye opener.  I hate to imagine if it was an elk or a moose.

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The next couple of months is up in the air but one consideration is the Texas fall deer hunt.  After living in Texas for 15 years I finally got an invite to hunt, from a Texan I met here.  In his words:  Can you come to our ranch and help thin the does?  You bet, they all taste good to me.  I will be fishing next week on the lake and bay and many other days until I head back here.  And thanks to all who come here basically for the fishing for sticking with me.  With the last couple of weeks events I have not been on the water much, but that is about to change.  We shall see if I remember a dam thing about the coast and the lake.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

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Off Topic Rant

Poverty doesn’t create criminals, lack of a moral compass, a lack of character, and thinking the world owes you something you haven’t earned does.

TRUTH – WE HAVE TO QUIT MAKING EXCUSES.

• Time to make carjacking a 20 year no parole crime.  (Noone is carjacking to feed their family.)
• Time to lower the age of responsibility to 15 y/o with no need to file to transfer to adult court.  (That comes from my brief time in juvenile court and then seeing the same punks in adult court just a short time later.)
• Time to bring back bond conditions that have teeth, violate conditions back in the slammer you go.  I can tell you from experience no bond is the worst idea in the history of criminal law.
• Time to permanently place folks on the no-fly list if they are kicked off an airplane.  If you fly you know the quality of flyers and their behavior is in sad decline.
• Time to ban any idiot “touron” who harasses wildlife or violates the rules in our national parks.
• And last, bring back 3 strikes you’re out if any involve an act of violence or the use of a firearm.

What brought this on, the kidnapping of the 9y/o girl who thankfully was rescued.  That animal needs to be locked up forever and the key thrown away.  Disagree?  Folks do until it is their family.  Having represented the worst of the worst we are kidding ourselves that all can redeemed – that is absolutely nonsense.

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