Fish Catching Travel

Time to throw that Strike King Sexy Dawg Topwater!  Man I love spring!

A Tale of Two Days.

You could not find a better couple of days to illustrate how significantly water movement and a little cool front affect the fishing and radically change it in one day.  More on that later.  I was lucky enough to get to fish with the Austin Boys when they were down at POC the last couple of days.  Todd, Pete, John, Ro, Don, Perry, and the rest of the gang arrived on Thursday night for 2 days of having at it.   So there would be 2 boats with 9 guys, some serious hardcore waders.

The first day saw both boats off at daylight for the long ride down the island to fish in the area of Cedar Lake, Twin Lakes, not to mention a little Big Pocket and assorted other drains basically wherever we fished.  Let me set up day 1 to illustrate the conditions.  The day followed a nice 4 day warming with the water temperature rising from 56 to 58 over the couple days leading up to day one.  Tide was high around 7 and falling, basically all day.  In other words, from this table the water was moving most of the day.

The tide was perfect.

A perfect set of winter conditions set up the perfect storm.  The 5 in our bunch all bailed out and I caught a keeper red on my third cast with the KVD Sexy Dawg topwater.  Now after our success 2 days ago I thought it would be a killin’, well it was tough in a weird sort of way.  We all caught a couple of fish, and one or two whipped on the rats, but there were plenty of reds, and reds, and then more reds.

While we were all trying to get them to bite like you might think they should, the other guys are wading down the bank towards us, from almost 2 miles away.  All around us were groups of reds, maybe 5, or maybe 25, going around all of us at times, but that was nothing.  We heard someone yell at us and way down the bank here comes a couple of our guys behind us and they are yelling.  And there it was, a massive school of reds, I mean giant.  Hundreds of them in a huge dark spot pushing water like a tugboat, it was cool.  The guys had been following them for over a mile just knocking the snot out of them.

Pete had a couple of good days, probably catching the most fish on this trip.

Got them cornered.

Why the reds around us were not eating as well who knows, but that other school was something to see.  I don’t know exactly, but before it was over they had limits or close to it.  And while we had some fish, it was not as many as we should have.  Just one of those anomalies that happens, but we were catching them.  But things finally turned our way.

So the other boat hit the road for other places looking for trout, we stayed working any drain in that 5 mile stretch.  Then around 5 in the afternoon we got another good tide movement and the bite was on.  I do not know how many I caught out of 1 drain without moving, but it was in the 25 – 30 range with some ok trout, reds, and good eating size black drum.  Early in the morning John had been catching them basically dragging it on the bottom and I varied that some.  You could actually feel them pecking it so I started reeling it as soon as I felt a peck, and they would jump it.

This is what happens when you find a few, like hundreds, of redfish schooling.

Everyone was catching some and before we called it a day we put a big ass pile of the works on the cleaning table at Froggie’s.  Most of us caught a red, flounder, and trout slam, even if they all were not keepers, and a couple of us added a black drum.  Slams all around is good fishing any day.  The other boat never did have any more real hot luck, like they needed it, and quit a little early.  On the other hand by time we got fish cleaned and dinner made it was 9.

Boudan, roasted oysters with parmegean on crusty bread, soup, all a thing of beauty.  We traded stories and plans for day 2.  For both boats day 1 was a solid day of fishing with all 9 of us catching fish, a couple of us catching a bunch.  And John, below, was making his first trip with the boys and after a little advice, you know how fisherman are, full of advice or something else, began to catch a few.

John’s first trip to the salt with the boys, and he started getting the hang of it.

The first day was filled with reds, flounder, blacks, and trout, though the trout were few and caught late when the water was running.  Only a few fish were on topwater, and darker plastics ruled the day.  Any particular companies plastics seemed to be irrelevant, as long as it was dark.

Everybody got in on the act.

Day 2

When I got to their place the next morning Ro and his bunch were already outside getting ready to go.  My bunch was sleeping.  (Wait, haven’t I repeatedly said what a hard core fishing bunch these guys are?)  So I rousted them up and by time I got done herding cats it was around 8:30 before we jumped over the side.  We were still fishing drains on the Matagorda Island shoreline past the First Chain, while the other boat headed for Big Pocket.

So now to the punch line about different conditions = different days.  After 5 warm stable days there was a small cold front that blew through in the middle of the night, which really affected the weather none as far as I could tell.  But look at the water movement predictions.  (Let me take a second and make an observation:  I really try to not read to much into the tide tables, I mean it is good to know high and low times, but that often is not the important thing.  So I google water movement predictions and get a much better indication of where to be and when.)

Look at the difference from the day before.  The water moved for hours between tides the day before, and then again right before dark.  Day 2 the water moved a little in the morning and then flattened out for hours during most of that tide.  Luckily we got a little falling late in the afternoon and they finally started biting.

The other bunch went to Big Pocket and fished it hard and by time we spoke with them around noon they were having no luck.  We had a few fish, but I don’t think I had one before lunch, in fact 3 of us didn’t.  Those herds of redfish were gone.  From days worth of big schools to just plain not there, we fished drains, points, long shorelines until afternoon, and we struggled.  The water just sat there, and obviously even that little front that blew through the night before affected them.  It was a good teaching moment for me.  When the water is border line cool in the winter a little front we may not feel will hurt them much more than any other time of the year.  And make it a high pressure with bluebird skies and you get the picture.

But finally the water started moving.  Heading down a long sand flat in knee deep water, mullet started swimming by, and I realized I was right in the path, so I moved really shallow and here come the fish with the mullet.  The bank was bare sand and it was really shallow.

I just liked the spots on this one, we caught tons of rats like this.

Let me put in a plug right now for the Cocoons.  The sun was super bright and the mirrors were the ticket.  It was easy to spot the fish, and to tell them from the mullet.  It so reminded me of bonefishing.  I started tossing the light jig head with dark plastics right in their face and finally started getting bit.  I caught 6 in short order, a mix of trout, reds, and a small flounder, and should have had twice that.   Funny how watching them hit is not all it is cracked up to be, I was clearly premature on the hook set with about as many as I caught.  No matter what it was cool.  The others got in on the act and you could feel the bite was coming.  It was my first real experience with slow fishing and then to find trout in a foot of water on bare sand.  But the mullet were there and as it is their primary forage right now they were where their supper was.

Our last wade took us in front of a back lake and we fished the drain, finally put a few more on the stringer.  It wasn’t quite as crazy as day 1, but it was a good day of fishing.  Lots of rats were caught both days and on day 2 I think our boat kept maybe a dozen trout, a couple of reds and flounder, give or take a fish.

I did my part.

We started winding down and John was the last one in the boat.  While we watched him and enjoyed a cold one he caught the last couple of redfish on a bone Spook Jr. throwing into a drain and working it out while we watched and enjoyed a cold one.  The other boat struggled in Big Pocket but kept after it and finally in the afternoon like us they located reds in a drain and put the hurt on them, though they did not catch any trout to speak of.

Pete and John.  The hits just kept on coming.

Turn out the lights, the party’s over.  This is what it is all about.

So it was really an interesting 2 days, and they could not have been more different if they tried.  One really interesting observation was plastics clearly ruled the day and out fished live shrimp hands down.  It drove Todd nuts as he could actually see groups of reds the first morning swim right by his shrimp.  And the second afternoon as soon as the water started falling we started catching flounder.  Most were small but if you want a good indicator of what the water is doing you can rely on the flounder.  The water falls, they bite.  And the catch coincided with the water movement predictions.  The tables are such a good indicator allowing you to place yourself in the right place at the right time.  All days are different, but sometimes it really is as simple as that.  And last this was my first real experience catching them that shallow in a place I would never have guessed, gotta’ love those mullet.

Headed to Austin.  Our boat from day 1.

I really enjoy fishing with the Austin Boys.  For them it is time off from stressful work doing what they like best, fishing.  Some are accomplished bay fishermen who have been doing it for years, and they stay in the water as long as it takes to get the job done.  And let me tell you we all waded some miles the last couple of days.  Good food and drink, good fishing and good friends, it does not get any better than that.  There are a couple of fishing reports and other comments I want to share with you and will get to that later today.  Tomorrow it is the dentist and then Tuesday some fishing.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

Time to throw that Strike King Swimming Jig!  Man I love spring!

I have been placed in a really bad position.  What was one of the best days of redfishing I have had in a while has turned into a complete feeling of revulsion.  How did it come to that?  I do this blog so that I can help you all catch a few more fish, and as much as I can I put you on them.  Well for the first time it has been misused in a really bad way and I feel terrible.

We caught reds, and caught reds, and caught reds.  When we cleaned them at a friend of Chris’ he told him where we caught them, and apparently he told his son.  From that point the story makes me sick.  He sent a text telling how he found (BS – he did not find shit) a big school of reds and he strung 15 keepers.  That make me sick.  To think that someone would take a tip like that and then abuse it really troubles me.  And what makes it worse, he claims to be a guide.  How f’n low can you go?  And the reason I went down there  today was to check it out for back up when my buds are here Friday and Saturday.

I am troubled by this from many points of view.  As a former defense attorney, if he strung them, which he did, he was 5x’s over the limit and is a criminal, at least that is what they are called in court.  As a sportsman it makes me sick to my stomach that someone would even think of doing something that would not only put us in a bad light, but is the sterotype we fight against every day as our fishing and hunting rights are assaulted after actions of irresponsible folks like this.  And as a former guide if he would string 15 reds what else will he do?  And last, as a person it pisses me off that he would take credit for how he found the school of redfish, which is a flat out lie.

Thanks for letting me vent before I tell you about our good day.  I try to take the high road here as best as I can, this just sticks in my craw.  If this is the kind of person you are I do not want you reading my stuff.

Redfish Madness

Chris did not even make it out of the boat, then it was game on.

Chris and I headed out about 8 from Froggies and ran over to the island. The tide was low, and I mean as low as I have seen it this year.  How low you say?  We saw 2 folks pushing their boats off when they tried to get into Pringle.  And the water temperature was only 56 and was as clear as Baffin.

Our first stop was past Pringle on the main shoreline where there were birds working pretty hard, along with dolphins and a few gulls.  Chris headed out and I stayed in.  He kept going out, and going out, and going out.  The tide was so low I thought he was going to wade back to POC.  I stayed in and for our first hour plus wade I was the winner, I caught 2 pinfish.  It was hard to tell what  fish were working there, but no matter what they were not having it.

So next we headed down the island looking for likely spots.  It was so clear and the water was so low that we just kept going looking at the bank and back lakes and pockets for anything that looked right.  We ended up in San Antonio bay, in front of a back lake that I was particularly wanting to fish, and as we idled in it was maybe a foot deep and as we got to the mouth there were reds moving.  I can’t remember for sure if Chris had even jumped out of the boat but he tossed it in front a a bunch and from then on it was game on.

His limit, there is a 25″ behind that big one, who made it under by a hair.

We could basically see redfish moving all around the opening and the oyster bar at the mouth.  Chris make a long wade all around the area, I on the other hand moved about 50 feet from the boat and camped out.  I was using the Down South on the 1/32 jig head and 8lb fluro and it was a blast.  First there were lots of small ones, then the hosses moved in and it was fantastic.  They were knocking the snot out of it and we caught several doubles and several times two or three on consecutive casts.

Chris made a wad out the mouth and down the bank and he said at one point there were waves of redfish crossing in front of him.  Meanwhile I still had not moved and could see them rolling over as they ate and we even saw a couple tailing.  It was just ridiculous.  And both of us were surprised we did not boat a trout, not one, in spite of all the bait.  So after catching a bunch it was time to move on, my arm was actually getting tired, not.  The conditions were perfect.  A back lake with a softer bottom that you could feel was a little warmer.  A light east wind combined with the tide going out flushing the warmer water and bait all combined for the perfect storm.

Here is my limit, who knows how many I caught.

The last place I wanted to check today was Shoalwater,  By now the wind was up so we crossed the bay and on arrival there were about 5 boats in there.  They were drifting so we got in line and made 3 drifts.  Chris caught one small one, and we both missed a couple.  People started to leave one boat after another so I have a feeling we were a little to late.  We did see a couple of folks catch small ones on shrimp and popping cork.  I am pretty sure they are some trout in there, just not sure if it will justify a run down there this weekend.

But as days go, it was pretty funny, 2 strike outs places and then one flat out wailing on them place.  If I was guessing we caught around 40 easy.  And we did it right, we kept our limit and let the rest go as soon as they made the net or boga.  I fish because I love it, not to make some big mark, nor to notch my rods with kills, and what happened after we left is everything that is bad about fishing.  So my joy over a great day is tempered by what happened later, to bad.

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Remmy sent me this comment and I have about half an answer.

Is that launch ramp on garcitas creek good for a 22′ boat with top? can a ttop get past the railroad tracks? I can see a launch at Bennet park but it either looks private or there is a gate in front there that maybe a boat with a ttop cant get in. Thanks for the info, fish the lavaca river all the time just thinking about trying something new. When you fish the Lavaca river, I’ve always went south, never north. Do you fish up the lavaca side or the navidad side?

I put in off the highway and not at Bennet Park, and it is fine for a bigger boat.  Bennet is open and some folks put in there, but I have not done that.  But I did heard a good trout report from there last week.  I have been told that you need to be careful coming back down the creek from Bennet due to logs and shallows.  As far as whether your t-top will fit under the bridge, no clue.  I would put in off the highway first and you should have no problem and if you want to go up creek just take it easy.

When I fish the Lavaca I love the area down, past the high lines.  But I will sneak in the Navidad on occasion, but this year the water was off color enough that the bite did not really materialize like it has in the past, but I sure have caught them there.  Hope this answers some of your question.  Just remember that Garcitas is not the Lavaca, it is a creek so caution as you learn it.  Thanks for the question and if you go let us know how it went.

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And I heard from Johnny who is headed to one of the lakes I have not fished in a couple of years but really love to fish, Amistad.

Was out on Coleto Lake on Saturday. Caught fish on main lake points and on the way in to the back of the cove. Used Senkos…never felt them bite. Also caught them on the 38 Special Spinner bait.

Is that the new Strike King Swim Jig in the picture above? Hope your daughter wins her race.

Will be heading to Amistad Lake this weekend. Any tips?

Keep on fishing!

Sounds like you are finding basically what I have been finding on Coleto.  It is so close and with our weather staying stable and warm it can only get better.  And the Swim Jig in the last post is not their new Swinging Swim Jig, though I got a few and will be fishing them next week and will report.  That thing really looks mean.  But that color and Rage Craw are my favorite.

And thanks for shout out for the kid, she won and I am proud to be her dad.  And last, Amistad.  I fished it quite a few times in the past before switching to Falcon.  It so reminds me of our lakes in Arkansas.  If I have any advice is head up the Devils arm.  Not only can you catch bass but we always added a few bonus smallmouth.  And be sure to throw that jerkbait some.  Our very last trip a shallow running Shad Rap jerked put the hurt on them in that clear water.  It has a good population and fishing up lake always seemed to add a couple of stripers to the string.  So good luck and let us know how it goes.  Here is the story on out last trip there.

Amistad – nothing like a little wind to make a bass fishing trip fun.

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Next it will be waist deep in the bay for a couple of days.  I feel good about our chances, fishing with the boys from Austin is always a dawn to dusk affair. And there is nothing like fishing with Todd since he caught the popping cork disease.  Music rocking, a few cold ones, and good guys.  That is what sharing the outdoors is all about.  So have a great weekend, and if you fish let us know how you do.  Keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

Time to throw that Strike King Swimming Jig!  Man I love spring!

The week begins.  Today it was Coleto, tomorrow POC, maybe Thursday Coleto, Friday and Saturday definitely back to POC.  It is time to fish, our best fishing of the year is starting, and today it got a little closer to spring time  bass fishing.

First off it was a main lake spawning cove.  Starting with topwater, not even one made a pass at it.  I got a new rod the other day and wanted to try it out on the Swim Jig so out it came but it was still awhile before I got a bite.  Finally as  I let it fall one smoked it and I missed him.  A little while later I put one in the boat, but it was small.   Next it was a main lake bank and not a bite.  So up lake I went.

The run of the litter.

I caught one on the senko bait but went back to the Swim Jig and they started to bite.  I was throwing a bluegill color with a watermelon red Rage Craw and I finally started to get the hang of the way they wanted it.  Basically slow, ticking the bottom, and boy were they hard to feel.  Just crawling it along and then feeling the slight difference in hitting something and having one on.  So I started pointing the rod straight at it and making sure it bumped bottom.  If I felt anything, especially if it moved, I set the hook.  Funny when it turns out to be a fish!  And it sure is nice how rarely the Swim Jig actually hangs up.

The big one for the morning.

From about 10 until I quit at 1:30 one would jump on almost everywhere I tried.  Points with some wind on them were the best, and nothing came from the back of a cove.  But from a point to about halfway in seemed to have a fish or two.

As the day progressed they got on that Strike King Swim Jig.

Before I had to quit 8 came on the Swim Jig and 2 on the senko style plastic.  It has been a while since I have caught that many on the Swim Jig, but it is just getting time.  The water temp was from a low of 57.2 on most of the lake to a high of 60 in one cove.  But basically it is the same over much of the lake.  I did not throw a crankbait today, but the last couple of times when I have they wanted it bumping bottom, which is the best way to describe how they wanted the Swim Jig today.  The lake fishing is really about to get started.  We have a moon coming and it will depend on how warm it stays the next couple of weeks.

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Jimmy sent me this last week.

Sounds like you had a great day at Coleto. I sure enjoy reading all posts and a really good job on the saltwater lures 101 article. Just wondering, have you heard any updates on the Lavaca River or Garcitas Creek?

I heard a good report from Garcitas in the Bennett Park area so there must be a few trout left in there.  In fact, the report was more than a few.  It may not be over in the rivers yet, if any of you get there give us a shout out and let us know how you did.

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As I type this we are watching election results online.  My daughter is running for school board in Oklahoma City.  She has a 30+ vote lead with 33% of precincts reporting.  It will be off to bed when she wins.  It will be up early to head to POC so the reports will be coming fast and furious the next 4 days.  And if you have anything to say drop us a line, we love to hear from you.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines!

Fish Catching Travel

Time to throw that Strike King spinnerbait!  Man I love spring!

It was nice to get my buddy out of the house as he has been laid up with a broken leg.  Jeffish and I always have a good time fishing together.  In this instance not only did we want to catch a few whites to eat, but I wanted to show him where they were in case he got a chance to take his son out to catch a few

It was still blowing out of the north, 15 mph, still a little chilly but not near as bad as yesterday.  We motored up lake to the last deep water and dropped the trolling baits over the side and in about 2 minutes had our first one.  From then on we had a good solid bite.

Hooked up!

We circled a large area and would catch one or two here and there, and did manage to figure out a couple of key areas where we would catch one or two each pass.  Shad imitating crankbaits about 45 feet behind the boat in 6 – 10 foot of water was the ticket.  We had multiple hook ups and put around 10 – 12 smaller ones in the box for a fish fry and released the rest.  We caught them off and on for about 3 hours.

A little better than the average size today.

It was not as windy up lake today, and we noticed that when it would slick off every now and then the fish would bite in the calmer places.  I really was puzzled though that the fish were a smaller today, and we only caught a few of the bigger ones.  I am not sure if the bigger females went farther up lake or what, but they moved.  But it still is fun to watch them smack it and drag the rod down.  As it got a little later in the afternoon we made a pass or two and only caught one so it was time to hit a couple of bass banks before we quit.

You never know what you will catch trolling.

So next it was a little crankbait fishing.  I used the same red one from the day before and managed to catch 3 fish.  The one below was in a tree and ate it when I cranked it next to the tree and stopped it.  He popped it and went back in the tree, but since he ate it I was able to keep slow and steady pressure and he finally backed out.  Jeffish just could not get it going, so we headed down lake to a bank I have caught a few nice ones on lately.

There is a red crankbait down his throat somewhere.

We spinnerbaited  one of my favorite spring banks and did not have a bite.  The only real difference from the day before, when I caught the big one on it, was the wind was not really pounding on it like it was.  So with no bites in about a half hour we called it a day.

There is one sure sign that the fishing is less that stellar on Coleto, when you get back to the ramp at 4, and there is not truck and trailer one.  We are still stuck in that high pressure with a north wind cycle.  It really is not surprising, it is still winter in south Texas.  But that is going to change, and change fast.  We cleaned a dozen or so, caught another 20 give or take a couple, so not a bad day at all considering.

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Speaking of catching white bass I got his comment from Matt.

You need to try Texana for white bass. Go up the Navidad north of Hwy 59.

I have heard that it can be pretty good there, and it should be right now.  I have never tried it up there and I have a questions or 2 for you or anyone else that knows.  I see off Highway 59 on the north side there is a sign for a ramp.  Is that the one to use?  And how about the ramp on the south side?  How far up do you go above 59? Any help you can give any of us is greatly appreciated.  And thanks for reading.

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Folks if you want to read not only a complete report, but a how-to for those of you who fish Travis here it is.

Redfishlaw,
Last spring I annihilated white bass day in and out on Travis near the Perd, also off Pt. Venture, on a sandy slow dropping bank trolling 8-12FOW. Also a bunch of Crappie to 2.6 lbs and many just under striper.
Bait of choice was the Storm Smash shad 06-07 in Metaalic yellow/black back. They have a rattle to them so they work well in murky, stained, muddy water. They’re also cheaper than the Shad rap…. The hooks can be a little cheap so I just kept the split ring pliers and some good red replacements handy.
Speed of choice was 1.7-2.3mph.

Thank Jay, that is a great report.  I know from my  past trolling adventures where you have stripers in the lake there is always a chance to really catch a big one.  In fact I was just telling Jeffish yesterday about getting spooled on Beaver Lake by a huge striper while trolling for white bass the  year before I moved here.  And nice you had crappies mixed in with them.  Anytime you want to fill us in with a report or comment please let us know, we appreciate it.

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And I got this great question from Jimmy.

Sounds like you had a great day at Coleto. I sure enjoy reading all posts and a really good job on the saltwater lures 101 article. Just wondering, have you heard any updates on the Lavaca River or Garcitas Creek?

Funny that you asked, I have not heard a word.  Sorry not much help here.  If any of you out there have caught a few on either place give us a shout out.  I know that normally it is often about over there, but who knows.  So if you have a clue let us know.  Thanks for keeping up with us Jimmy.

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And last I got this from a Rick, a regular around here.

Great report….as usual. Man you really do get around. Looking forward to a POC report.

You POC reports are coming in spades.  I will be down there 3 days this week, one of them with the Austin Boys so I am sure there will be a couple of good reports.  With those guys something spectacular usually happens.

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As I finish this up today Bill Dance is on TV fishing the North Fork of the White River in North Arkansas.  I fished and guided on that river many days over 20 years and it leaves me a little nostalgic.  Both the White and the North Fork are premium trout rivers with some of the biggest brown trout in the world.  And if  you just want to catch fish you can sure do it on both rivers.  You don’t have to be a big fly fisherman to catch fish, and if you have never tried it put it on your bucket list, you will not be sorry.  And it gets me cranked up for my trip there in less than 2 months.

My schedule this week involves 4 days of fishing, at least 3 at POC and one at Coleto.  The other day will be doing our taxes.  I am one of those folks that does not mind paying taxes,  I consider it a privilege to live here.  My only complaint is what we are getting for our money.  But a few days on the water will definitely take the edge off.  And last but not least I sure love hearing from all of you, so keep those cards and letters coming.  Keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

Time to throw that Strike King spinnerbait!  Man I love spring!

There are certain times of years, certain days, a perfect set of conditions, when it is time to do a certain thing as far as fishing goes.  We are in early spring, and the weather is changing every day.  Today was clearly a lake day, unless you like a solid 20mph wind out of the north with a 20 degree temperature drop for bay fishing.  That is not me, so it was back to the lake.

Nothing like white caps in the cove, and it did not lay down any more than this most of the day.

Instead of messing around down lake I just put on my big boy pants and drove all the way up lake before I stopped.  It was a rough ride, not to mention cold.  It really was a big cold front.  And if I was going to fish I was going to spend a little time trying to catch some white bass.  Trolling for white bass is one of my favorite early spring things to do.

Number 3 out of a small creek.

I started in a small creek way up lake that was probably the calmest place on the lake.  Before it was over in there 3 came over the side, and I missed another one.  That senko has remained consistent and if there is isolated cover you can often get a bite.

After that it was the main river channel throwing a red crankbait.  With the water color like it is a small red crankbait fairly slow is a good choice.  I was letting the wind blow me down the bank, like I had a choice, it was blowing right down the lake.  But a couple of bass smacked it, and then I caught a white bass.

My first white bass.

So it was time to see if I could finally put some in the boat this spring.  Using a small Bagley crankbait on one rod, and a shallow running Shad Rap on another I started trolling.  Usually it is a long cast out and then pull out another 3 long pulls with the rod to get it out about 40 – 50 feet at a slow troll.  Generally baits like that run about 5 foot deep.  So off I went and they started to bite.

Then it was game on!

They were in an area along the creek channel in 6 – 10 foot of water and when they hit it they knocked the stuffing out of it.  Whether going up lake or down, once I had them cornered  it was about 2 hours of catching whites.  Big ones, little ones, and more in between there were several doubles, and would have been a few more if I had more arms.

They were smacking that crankbait.

I tried other trolls up and down lake but once I found the area that is where they were.  Before I finally decided to go bass fishing I probably caught 20 -25 whites.  It is so awesome to put the rods in holders and idle along and then seeing them jump on it.  It really was fun, and tomorrow I intend to throw jigs and jerkbaits if the wind is not blowing like a banshee.  I love catching them on jerkbait, they knock the stuffing out of it.

So it was about halfway back to the ramp to hit a main lake bank with some points and pockets on it.  The wind was blowing out of the north right on the bank.  I had only gone a little ways when I buzzed it by a bush and one just annihilated it.

This big girl came out of a bush and just blasted that spinnerbait!  The biggest bass I have caught in a while, but it won’t be the last this spring.

I have been trying to hurry spring along, and it is big fish like this one that keeps me fishing hard in the spring.  They are getting ready to bite and even though conditions today were not optimum it was a pretty good day.  It really is a good day when you boat one like this.

The last fish of the afternoon.

So I fished a little more bank and put one more in the boat on spinnerbait.  When one stops it as you are reeling high speed and making a wake it is a thing of beauty.  The fishing should really take off the next real warm front we get.  Then a cloudy day with drizzle after a 3 or 4 day warming front and the fishing for big fish will really take off.

It was a good day considering I fished 10:30 to 4.  Tomorrow my good buddy Jeffish, who has been laid up with a broken leg is coming along.  Trolling like that he can just get comfy, throw a bait out back and just reel them in.  Not sure what is next after tomorrow but maybe the Gulf on Friday depending on the wind.  It is supposed to blow a little less tomorrow so hoping to really sack them up.  There are a couple of more things to share with you and will try to get them up with tomorrow’s report.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

Our good bass fishing is right around the corner and Strike King has the baits for you!

Nothing like Texas weather.  As I write this today the wind is starting to blow out of the north, before it is over it will blow 25mph again today.  The temperature is set to drop from in the 80’s yesterday to barely making 60 tomorrow.  And of course the wind is forecast to blow for the next 5 – 6 days.  Welcome to early spring on the coast.

When I got to Coleto Monday it was nice and warm, but the wind was already howling out of the southwest at over 25, with gusts exceeding 30.  Begs the question:  Why when the weatherman forecasts completely crap weather with high winds is he always right, but when he forecast 10mph at the Gulf he misses it by 10mph?  Oh well.

The water level continues to rise and the color, it is just plain ugly.  In fact there is almost no water from the dam to up lake that I would describe as clear.  Not sure what that is all about.  One thing that is going on is there seems to be some king of moss/slime bloom up lake.  Not sure what that is about either, but it is messy stuff when you toss your bait in it.

That 5″ stick bait has been the only consistent thing I have found the last couple of months.

I started on the main lake throwing spinnerbait and probably went an hour without a bite.  As I worked my way back in a pocket, where it was fairly calm, I threw the senko up against a stickup and the one above tried to swim off with it.  A fish all the way back in a cove is a sure sign of spring, or at least of the warm weather the last few days.  After a long stretch down lake I headed up.

I stopped on a main lake bank with a serious of points and small pockets.  The wind was pounding on that bank so it was buzzing a spinnerbait.

Spring fishing is right around the corner.

It is time for a Strike King ad.  The spinnerbait I was throwing was a Booyah and it happened again.  I caught the first one and as I reached down to lip him he tossed the arm and blades off, at least I got this one in the boat.  Usually you just see the arm fly off and then the fish swims off with the hook in their fact.  Last year I probably had 5 Booyah spinnerbaits do that, and this is the last of the replacement ones they sent me.   There is no excuse for that so be advised, their spinnerbaits do not hold up.

The ones that did hit the spinnerbait tried to jerk the rod out of my hands.

So I got out the Strike King Red Eye spinnerbait, my favorite, and that solved that problem.  That windy bank gave up a couple before I moved farther up lake.  From there I let the wind blow me up the river and I fished most of it without ever starting the boat.  By this time the wind was just howling out of the southwest, which on Coleto means it was blowing in and on almost every inch of the lake.  Before I headed back down I caught another one on a spinnerbait and 2 on senko, all in coves.

Managed to even put one in the boat on topwater.

My last stop on the way back in was one of the big coves around the corner from the boat dock.  They were probably the only place on the lake without white caps.  Before I quit I wanted to see if they would hit a topwater.   The one above, and a smaller one, came over the side, and another missed it.  For the day it was only 3 misses, 1 on spinnerbait, 1 on plastic, and 1 on topwater, and 7 made it in the boat.

The Carolina skiff has a shoot thru the hull transducer so not sure what the water temp was, but at least a few of them have moved into the coves.  To bad most of them were unfishable.  The last couple of days of warm weather had them thinking of spring, but reality is returning.   A cool down should keep things about the status quo as far as the bass fishing.  The day I wait for now is the drizzling day following a 3 day period of sun and warm weather.  Some of my best days have come on Coleto on those very days.

I was happy with the fishing as the last couple of trips I barely scratched out a couple.  Spring is right around the corner.  Now it is just watching the weather looking for the least wind possible and head to POC.  I have a hankering for a trout fry.

We made our Canada reservations, and this will be my 4th year and we are learning more and more about Lake of the Woods.  And the Arkansas trip is getting closer, and being the first week in April we should catch a wad of them.  First the Austin Boys hit POC in February and if their luck stays like it has been, the fish should be afraid.  So the spring fishing is starting to take shape.  I hope to hit the Upper Laguna one more time.  As soon as I publish this it will be out to do a little work on the boat, it never stops.  Keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

Our good bass fishing is right around the corner and Strike King has the baits for you!

We interrupt this fishing site for a short travelogue.

We went on in anyway!

Built in the 1800’s they just put in running water in 7 years ago.

The main bar, about 8 seats.

We are back from our Western swing and the weather could not have been any more confusing.  From when we left until Sunday as I write this it has been a blizzard, then 20 degrees and cold, to it is around 80 degrees and flat out beautiful here at home.   The forecast for this week is lots of wind, up to 30mph tomorrow and almost 80, to in the 50’s with a little less wind.  So the plan is to hit the lake tomorrow, then the bay a couple of days this week, again depending on the wind.

Never did see that big bull.

We really had a good time out in Ruidoso.  We did some serious driving around, including some dirt road driving in the mountains.  Antelope, mule deer, turkeys, and a few elk, we basically saw all the cool stuff out there.  Our favorite part of the trip was a drive to White Oaks.  Established in the late 1800’s after gold and silver were discovered, it was a real boom town.  A railroad was planned t0 town but the land owners got greedy and the line never materialized.  Then the town basically was deserted.

Taken at around 8000 feet from a roadside turn out on a 12 mile mountain road, one great drive.

It had banks, stores, bars, and a post office.  Today around 30 people are left and there is one open business, The No Scum Allowed Saloon, one of the original saloons.  The town had Pat Garret, Billy the Kid, and a host of other characters woven into our history.   We visited the saloon and of course got the t-shirt.  We also did a little driving in the National Forest that is adjacent to the town and will definitely be back.  It is one of the cooler little places we have ever visited.

The cemetery was awesome.  From wooden markers of old miners that are almost gone to newer headstones of families with a long history in New Mexico, it was something.

We really enjoy the Ruidoso area, and have expanded our range on each trip.  There is so much to see and do there, and if you love the mountains and the west, you can not beat the area.  Our next trip, and there will definitely be one, will probably be in September.  Four wheeling on some of those mountain roads is such fun, and we want to time our mountain exploration with the Elk bugling season.  I can only imagine how awesome it is to sit on the top of a mountain overlooking a huge valley and hearing a big bull screaming his head off!

Today I spent some time getting my fishing stuff back organized.  Tomorrow it will be back on the water, in fact I have lots of days to fish in the coming weeks.  I will be interested in seeing the changes in both the lake and Gulf since this warm weather.  And I really appreciate you sticking with me, and if you have any reports send them this way.  Keep stopping and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

Our good bass fishing is right around the corner and Strike King has the baits for you!

Over the last couple of years the Shoedog and I have fished Somerville a time or two for bass without much success.  We have caught a bunch of whites and the occasional hybrid there, but never really had all that much luck.  Now KVD we are not, but we have caught a couple of bass in the past, it just stumped us.  But we had a trip earlier this year and caught some, and then I got this report from him on his last trip there.

I was lazy this morning and it probably cost me some bites. There was a front coming through mid-day and it was very warm. Over 65 when I left the house at 11 am. The clouds were coming through and the wind was picking up. Supposed great conditions for a bite. Well I got to lake Somerville and it was a bit windy, but not bad. We had heard better reports about the bass fishing and in December we had caught a few nice fish on our first trip there in a while.

I left out of the park ramp by the dam and went out and fished the big island on the way out on the west- always get a bite or two there and the last couple trips have caught catfish there on jerk bait. But, today, nothing. Water levels were probably 8-10 feet lower than last month and water was more off color than usual.

Love those nice spinnerbait fish.

So I headed off to a creek arm that we had caught some in last trip. I started with a white spinner bait with the wind and the chop, even though the water temp was only 53-54 degrees. I started off about 2/3 of the way back in the creek.  Second cast I caught a nice 16 inch bass. I went all the way back on that side of the bank and got back into muddier water and they were definitely not all the way back in the end. I headed back out and as soon as I got back into 4-5 of water with dead reeds/horse weeds (or whatever they are) I got some great bites. In the next 200 yards I got three more nice bass- all right on the edge of the brush and they were whacking it!

Spring is on the way.

The best was a real solid 17 1/2 inch fatty and they were all healthy fish. Looks like good times ahead for this spring at Somerville.

Got some nice bellies on these.

But- as usual- it changed. the front passed and even though it stayed warm, the wind died and the high pressure stopped them cold.I tried the Strike King Swim jig, a KVD jerk bait, nothing. The rest of the day I only managed 2 small bass on a crank bait that I don’t even know what kind it has been in my tackle box so long.

Overall a good day- I just should have been there sooner.

Our gas stop after it had been snowing about a half hour.

As we headed off I10 south to Alpine it really started snowing and the road had not been plowed at all.  You can deal with it 2 ways, either freak out, or drop it in 4 wheel and keep on rolling.  The 4 Runner is a beast in the snow and it was no problem.

Driving in Fort Stockton, it only got worse, or more fun, depending on how you look at it.

About halfway to Alpine there was a good 6 – 8 inches of snow but people were actually acting like they had half a brain.  Weird I know, but other than almost getting rear ended by a rear end in a Beamer, there were no close calls, and like we used to do in Arkansas with a big snow, it was just 4 wheeling.  The only thing that is a little different, I still can not get over snow in what they call the high desert.

And a side note, one of our favorite restaurants in the whole world is at the Gage Motel in Marathon.  So we headed over to get some supper and on the way I saw a cow elk.  Hope that is a sign of things to come tomorrow as we head to New Mexico.  I love seeing the antelope and the mule deer.  She said she wanted to see a little winter and she sure got her wish.

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On the way over to Ruidoso we took the long way through the mountain and got to see a few elk and a couple of wads of mule deer.  Unfortunately no bulls or bucks, but hunting season just got over and they still are keeping their head down.  Funny how getting shot at for a couple of months has that affect on critters.  But we will be taking more mountain drives so who knows what we will see.  And then we will be on the road home in a couple of days and I am really looking forward to what looks like a warming trend.  The fishing should be in full swing.  So if you have a report drop us a note.  Keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

Our good bass fishing is right around the corner and Strike King has the baits for you!

Even though I normally do not fish weekends I really should have got off my butt and headed to the lake today.  I got a report on white bass on the upper end of Coleto and I want to give them a go.  During my time in Arkansas, whether it was Beaver, Norfolk, or Bull Shoals, I always enjoyed the white bass run.  Now I am not sure where they might specifically be located on Coleto, but if they are like white bass everywhere there are a couple of keys to catching a wad of them in the spring no matter where you live.

First, drive up lake, and then drive some more.  In fact, drive until you are worried that you will bottom out, and then start fishing.  White bass gang up on the shoals in the middle of the river, or on the flat banks.  Especially pay attention to flat banks with sun on them and no wind.  Those type of banks warm up faster and more than the surrounding water.  And it actually attracts the shad and baitfish, and here  come the white bass.

As far as lures there are only a couple you need to catch some fish.  Rapala makes a line of balsa bl/silver minnow looking baits.  My favorite is the shallow running Shad Rap.  That said, any good smaller shad colored crankbait or jerkbait will get the job done.  Once you locate a wad of them get out the light action spinning rod, the 1/8th ounce white or Chartreuse feather jig or plastic twister will put the hurt on them once you locate them.

A great fish to take folks after who are not the most experienced fisherman.  Once located the action is fast and the fish are willing.  So if you have never taken the time to do it they can be found on the upper end of almost any reservoir in this country.  Remember, drive up lake, the drive some more, they are way up.  Writing this makes me want to head out, but there is some football to watch today.

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Glen dropped me a note after I answered his question on basic trout lures.

All I can say is WOW!
I didn’t expect to get that kind of response, but I can’t thank you enough. All the info is much appreciated. Thanks again and keep posting.
The column is great and really helps.

Glad it helped out.  Keep it simple and if you work at it you can make those baits work.  It sure is a lot easier and cheaper than live bait.  Usually, lol!

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Glen was one of several folks who commented on that post.

Excellent saltwater 101 post!

Thanks   Jim

That really was the idea, a true 101 class.  Sometimes I forget not everyone fishes as hard as some of us do.  And those of us that do use jargon that we think everyone understands.  So that is the exact comment I hoped to get.  But that was just one of several and here is another.

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Redfishlaw,
Thanks for the lowdown on the baits!
Been wanting to venture to the salt.
Recently moved from Austin area to North Alabama due to aging parents, 59 acres to upkeep with cows. Good thing the TN river is close for cats, Guntersville for bucketmouth, Wheeler and Wilson for smallies and Lewis Smith for 20-40lb class striper.
My brother goes to Orange Beach 1-2 times a year for7 days each. And I’m definitely joining that! This will give me a good start. Since you gave a bait lowdown, anyway we could get a short and curlies on rods and reels…..
I also looked back in your history for something on your “sciff”. Found a pick of a Mako. Is it 16′, 17′ 18′ or the 21′. And maybe your observations about it. As I don’t plan to put my 35 year old, non-leaking, recently totally restored interior Lund in the salt!!
Thanks! And yeah different but I’m still chomping thru your stuff.
Jay

Nice to know I have readers way off in the hinterlands.  While I have never fished that area I of course as a hard core bass guy am real familiar with all those places you listed.  Austin it is not, but when you can decide to go fishing based on what body of water is hot you are in a great place.  Of all the fishing styles I miss after leaving Arkansas it is the stripers.  I love catching them at night on topwater, how fun is that.

As far as rods and reels I will sit down and write a little bit on the subject.  You actually might  be surprised on my theory of rods and reels.  Suffice to say I have lots and lots, and have not really spent all that much money.  So watch for that.

Speaking of the Orange Beach area the boss and I stopped in that area last year to look around and we really liked it.  There were endless fishing opportunities in the area and we actually plan on returning soon.  We stopped at a ramp in Gulf Shores and talked to a guy who was telling me how good the fishing was.  Lots of access and miles of protected water, it sure looked good to me.  And if you are a tackle store junkie like me be sure to take the time and stop in at L&M Tackle in Orange Beach, one awesome tackle store.

I have 2 boats and often use the term skiff interchangeably.  My true skiff is a 17 1/2 foot Carolina Skiff with a 50hp mercury on the back.  I have owned it for almost 17 years and would never think of giving it up.  It is simple. light, cheap to run, easy to tow, and can take a licking and keep on ticking.  A 50lb trolling motor will tow it for days.  I have used it on rivers, lakes, the Everglades, and everywhere in between.  You could beat that thing with a sledge hammer and not do any damage.  No carpet or fancy electronics, it is as low tech as you can go.  And it usually burns about 6 gallons of gas, on 3 trips!  The major drawback on big water is if the wind is blowing you will get wet, and your teeth may be lose by time you get back to the ramp.

My brother and I bought a Mako 18LTS about 6 years ago, in fact it was one of the first ones in Texas.  It had just come on the market and while it had some bugs, they got worked out and we love it.  On that one we did the works, on board charging, 24 volt trolling motor, front and rear locators/gps, power pole, it is a saltwater fishing machine.   But it also works just great as a bass fishing boat, and has had several real hogs come over the side on Falcon and Amistad.

Now as far as a skiff goes for general fishing I really like the looks of the new Mako 17 Skiff.  Simple, easy to maintain and clean, easy to tow, and with the 60hp 4 stroke it should move right along.  And with the new hull design it should be a lot a drier ride.  It would be a great river boat or catfishing boat, along with a good saltwater boat.  Hose it off and put it to bed.

And last you are  so right about the Lund.  The best aluminum on the market, I see them by the hundreds when we are fishing Canada every year.  I bet yours looks great and very few boats handle big water like the Lund.

Since I bought my first cigar style bass boat with a 70hp, which was something at the time, through my first Champion pad boat, then the Champ V followed by the Black Max engine, to todays 24 foot saltwater boats with 300hop racing engines, the boating thing has gone nuts.   It is easy to get caught up in the flash and speed deal, but it overlooks one very important point:  All the money in the world does not make you a good fisherman.  In fact, we often see that it makes you a horses ass at the ramp, a snotty knucklehead at the cleaning table, and some kind of a big shot at the tackle store, to mention a few.  When it is all said and done there is only one thing that matters, fish on the end of the line.   The biggest payment in the world does not put fish in the boat.  So thanks for your comments and send us a couple of pictures when you catch some of those Alabama fish.

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Last, I heard from Todd of the Austin Boys and they are coming down here in February and it looks like I will get to fish with them a day or two.  Always a good time with those guys and I look forward to it.

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And here is a blast from my past.  Our old buddy Jimmy, who likes to fish almost as much as he likes building his rat rods, sent Clyde these pictures and I wanted to share them with you.  Texas it isn’t.

Nothing like the Iowa winter.

If you have never had a fresh, ice caught, bluegill fish fry you are missing something.

Ice fishing is something every fisherman should try once, but it is just to cold for me.  Watching the storm this weekend out east reminded me how much I do NOT miss winter or snow.  Pretty to look at a light dose does it as far as I am concerned.

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Sorry for the limited number of fishing reports lately, but it is January.  Our weather is as schizophrenic as can be, hot/cold/windy/calm, we have had it all.  We have a little more weather to get past before spring is really here, but it is coming.  I will be taking a little time today getting things back in order for the big spring push.  Tomorrow it will be out early and hard at it.  As usual I have not made a plan yet, but those white bass are calling me.  And after fishing Coleto hard the last few years it is time to see if I can catch a few, or a few hundred.  So no matter where we are on the water I can not thank you enough for sticking with me.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines