FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

As I prepared this for tomorrow I almost loaded up and went to the lake this afternoon but there were still storms around so stayed at the house.  It would have been nice to fish one more time before the weather cleared and the wind starts to blow out of the north.  But as all fishermen know the weather never seems to cooperate.  So I expect big changes tomorrow will just have to see how it goes.  But I will be fishing.

Weather

62/80.  Sun and a few passing clouds. Areas of patchy fog. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.

Lake Level 

Today   98.30.      Wednesday 98.28.  (full pool)

Bite Times

Major   10:53 am to 12:53 pm.

**************The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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The best for a short morning.

It was about as good as I thought it would be, slow.  After yesterday’s front and rain the water temp was 67, a 3 degree drop.  The wind was light out of the northwest and the color did not improve except for one area.  More on that in a bit.  The sun came out pretty quickly and did not help matters.

To make a short story shorter I started on my best bank and had 4 bites and only boated 2.  They were far from aggressive so time to hit my other good bank from this week and exactly the same result.  Caught 2 and missed a couple.  All were small and the swim jig was the bait of preference.  At this point in the morning the sun was out so I made an executive decision to head way up lake and check out the white bass.

One thing about way up, the water is clear.  Going all the way to the bridge and slow trolling back produced one big crappie, it was hooked deep so in the live well it went.  Now I needed a fish to go with it so I picked a likely looking bank with good cover and the fish above just smoked it.  To bad for him as he is the guest for dinner during the Iowa girls game.  I trolled a little longer and finally called it a day around 1:00.  After a good week of clouds and wind it was the exact opposite but there is hope.  Monday is looking like cloudy and light rain, and it will be back at it.

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Unfortunately, TPWD reports that Amistad is now “infested” with Zebra mussels.  Hard to not blame, I hate to use that term, bass fishermen.  It is not so much blame but as I and many have done is fish the hot lakes, or the good lakes wherever we could possibly get to because we can trailer.  Unless care is taken things get transferred, it just is what it is.  Though Texas has the same clean, drain, and dry program it is a toothless tiger as I found out when fishing Colorado.

Colorado has an invasive sticker fee so all boaters pay to reduce the spread of invasive species, and many of the lakes have an inspection station both putting in and taking out.  If the boat is not properly taken care of, they will be “happy” to clean it for a fee.  And when I take the Lund out there in May it will have to be inspected before it is even dropped in any water in the state.  So I am trying to practice it every time I take it out of the water, it will be standard operating procedure from now on.

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The only freshwater regret is I never got to OH Ivie.  It had 4 bass over 13 in 4 days last week.  That is amazing and it won’t last forever, speaking of bass fishermen from all over the country trailering their boats.  Ivie is a tribute to TPWD stocking programs, and they are to be commended for what they have done.

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After that guy out west imported Marco Polo sheep genetics against federal law looks like he is going to prison for developing a hybrid I wonder if there will be repercussions in Texas?  According to the article he admitted he sold some of the sheep in Texas.  TPWD should be investigating any ranch or ranches that bought the genetic sheep for high fence hunting.  If the first guy is a felon for his actions what level of accountability does the buyer of the sheep have?  Does Texas consider it ok to import these animals?  I have been critical of their handling of the CWD and private deer breeders, and this is disturbing.  These are illegal genetic freaks.  So, my guess is due to the money interests in Texas having inordinate power and influence nothing will be done.  So please correct me if I am wrong but I have no faith anything will come of it.  I still do not understand what part of their duty to “wildlife” has to do with genetic freaks and commercial interests.

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FFS

What makes bass tournaments what they are is the quest to figure it out.  A bunch of guys on water where they have to find a way to catch fish, and they do and the interesting part is who figures out the bait, location, and the way to catch them.  Forward facing sonar while amazing changes the game and not for the better.  It seems there is finally a slow movement to ban forward facing sonar in tournaments.  Want to use it yourself for pleasure fishing, fine.  But as I said when you have the top 10 all using it in a major tournament one week and then next week when you have be versatile to catch them NOT 1 of those guys from the prior week are in the top 10.  And folks are finally saying it quietly – real one trick ponies.  Sorry big-time pros are saying it, not just me.  Being rich and sponsored enough to put $50k in electronics on your boat does not make you a fisherman.  What next, daddy buying it for high school kids so they can us it?  What about the kid from a single parent who is eaten up with bass fishing and is priced out of the sport?  Is it going to turn tournament fishing into nothing more than the rich guy wins?  Folks buying it to win $100 in a club tournament?  It is headed that way.  I have said if before and will say it again, the cost of fishing has gotten insane.

And this nonsense argument it is just progress does not do justice to what made the sport.  NASCAR slowed them down, baseball and golf have regulations on the contents of the balls, football even tells you how many pounds or air pressure in the ball along with a host of other rules in sports.  These decisions are made with spectators and participants in mind to level the playing field and to keep the sport popular.  Forward facing sonar is the worst development in tournament fishing in my lifetime.

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I intend to hit the lake in the morning, and while the forecast is for a few showers in the morning that will not stop me unless it is thundering.  But I will be hooked up and ready to go as soon as it is safe.  The fishing will be ongoing as much as possible the next 6 weeks so keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

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