Fish Catching Travel

Click on the logo, time to check out the new baits before our spring fishing heats up!

It is funny how when you are retired you still have these moments where you are too busy to fish.  I had a pile of things to do yesterday and today, including finding a new camera to replace the one that got wet.  I am not sure that the other one is completely dead, but so far it has not cooperated.

The trip to the Upper Laguna Madre might not have produced that elusive 30″+ but as far as good fish go it was a great trip.  In fact this comment from Jim describes how we felt while we were doing it.

Sounds like an awesome trip! Nothing like a fish wallowing on the surface, no matter what kind it is.  I felt like I was with you while reading. Also glad you were able to salvage the pictures!!

Fish on!

It was just awesome to set the hook on a good trout and have him come to the surface and wallow and try to jump.  And the fact that you got the feeling like you were with us is exactly the feeling I hope comes with reading my reports.

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My fall trout fishing has centered around fishing the light jig head with lighter plastics.  As the water temp has dropped, and along with that the trout’s activity level, it has increased the effectiveness of this light line technique.  Fishing in that super clear water of the Laguna let me really observe how the bait fell and what it looked like.  And fishing it on fluorocarbon line without a leader was an important part of provoking that reponse we are looking for, the thump.  There is lots more to do as I refine the combinations that work, and I will be updating you as I go along.  When I caught the last big trout this trip it was under less that stellar conditions, but my amber Cocoons let me see that really small patch of grass a long cast away.  Then to make that perfect cast to place that slow sinking plastic right on the sweet spot was what it took to convince her to eat.   Suffice to say, it works!

I have been throwing the bait on 8lb test with no leader.  The question now is whether that really makes a difference over heavier line.  My initial inclination is that it almost has too.  And I am not using braid, which is definitely a no-no with this technique as it tends to float and not allow the bait to sink naturally.  So far I have had no real problem breaking fish off.  The right rod paired with the correct terminal tackle combine to make this a deadly technique.  And catching trout over 5lbs on light line is a thing of beauty.  So expect more on this subject as this year progresses.  It will be interesting to see how it works in all seasons.

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I also got this report from Jim the other day and wanted to share it with you.

What a beautiful day to go fishing. Got on Fayette at 9am and fished until 3pm. In the morning it was 41 with a slight breeze out of the west. At about 11:00am the breeze died off and the lake became flat calm. When I left at 3pm it was 63 and still flat calm. Absolutely beautiful!!

The final tally was 15 bass. 3 were 15-15.50″ while the rest were all 13-14″. All fish but one were caught on a CR power worm at the dam. The one was on at TR lizard up against the reeds in a cove on the east side of the lake. (I have some pics but don’t know how to send them to you).

I spent about a total of an hour idling around deep structure checking out the new Lowrance electronics. Awesome technology. I was able to see and make waypoints for a bunch of new spots to be fished in the near future. I was truly amazed at the clarity of the HDS display. I could see rocks and other bottom structure with no problem. I can’t wait to get out there again!

Jim

Ah the joys of new toys.  When I started fishing it was the old flasher technology.  It actually was fairly effective, and with practice it did not take long to differentiate between brush, fish, and bait.  Then I purchased the old X15 by Lowrance, which was a paper graph.  We thought we were something, and it worked great for trolling for stipers.   Now all that is gone by the wayside and this new stuff is literally light years ahead of the old stuff.  But it still is nothing more than another tool, and as we all know having it is still no guarantee of fish in the boat.  So congrats on your day and we will look forward to hearing about your future expeditions.  Keep them coming.

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And I heard from my buddy Voe who is fishing the desert, sounds funny to say that.

Just got home from fishing Lake Mojave and had a very tough day.  Roger managed to get 2 decent bass early and I only had one shot at a striper.  Around 15 lbs in 35 feet of water on a Strike King 6XD.
Hope Baffin is treating you well.

Thanks, Baffin did treat us well.  And nice striper.  The Strike King 6XD catches fish when you need to get way down there.  I do feel for you fishing those super clear desert lakes.  Those bodies of water, just like the highlands lakes of Arkansas, can be tough to fish.  There is a side benefit, other places seem easy after fishing deep super clear lakes.  So keep those reports coming and see you when you get back.

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That catches things up for today as far as the blog goes.  Now it will be a concerted effort to get the things done that have to be done today so that I am free to start wailing on them again.  The weather looks perfect tomorrow for fishing as long as the rain is not to hard, but no matter what I will be on the water.  And this warming trend should have our fish biting both fresh and salt, spring is almost here.  And I know some of you are fishing so send me a report.  There may be a few changes coming to the blog, so keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

Buy more baits, KVD is down to his last million!

I am finally back after 2 1/2 days of hard fishing.  Of course the road was paved with good intentions, I really did hope to post while I was gone, but once I dunked the camera I could only give you the quick update.  It just would not be the same without some pictures.  Once we got home I was able to recover the pictures from the card so here we go, what 2 grown men did all day.

Tuesday

I tend to use the generic term, Baffin Bay, to describe what is actually the Upper Laguna Madre out of the Bird Island Basin boat ramp in the Padre Island National Seashore.  Like the last couple of trips, we get close to Baffin proper, but basically we fished the Upper Laguna on the King Ranch Shoreline.

We specifically chose this period because it was slated to be cloudy and not to windy, and boy did that work out.  The first day we wanted to make long wades and see if we could establish some kind of pattern, and fortunately we were able to figure something out.

The first one, and the last clear sky of the day.

Of course it took us a while to begin to establish some kind of pattern.  I basically stayed with soft plastics on the super light jig head.  Shoedog on the other hand tossed topwater, corky, and soft plastics.  The topwater was not working, the water temp was 56 degrees and it just was not the best option.

           Shoedog gets in on the act.  Notice here comes the weather.  (This is a great example of how fish look depending on the perspective and how they are held.  This fish weighed 4.5 on the boga.)

We made super long wades just trying to get a feel for the area.  You can put what we know about it in your hat so we took it slow and just tried to work out a pattern.  I used to say I am the worst trout fisherman ever, so maybe I am a little better, but while I still suck at corky fishing I am really getting the hang of using the super light jighead on light line.  And a fish the size of this one on light line and a spinning rod is nothing short of fun.

I finally stuck a real one.

My first real good fish of the trip came in about waist deep water in a mix of hard sand, scattered rock, and grass.  That type of bottom is scattered for miles down the King Ranch Shoreline.  We would make a long wade and then move farther down the shoreline towards Baffin, picking one up here and there was we learned more and more.

The trout were just good solid fish.

Shoedog kept after the corky, but had a oops moment when throwing one on his spinning rod and 8lb test, not a good idea as he broke off a big one.  So he started using an old broken back Tsunami, a corky knock off, and established his pattern for the next couple of days.

He kept after the corky bite and ended up getting rewarded for it.

We ended up making 4 big long wades and began to get a feel for the pattern.  The weather was slated to be perfect the next day, cloudy with little wind and we were getting the idea we just might have a clue.  For the day it was 7 trout and 2 reds, which we were happy with considering we are real rookies as far as the Laguna goes.

Day 2 – Thursday

It was perfect today, light winds, clouds, and very little boat traffic.  We headed to the second area where we caught some yesterday and were over the side at daylight.

You could not ask for better big trout weather.

After we anchored the boat I took off one way and Shoedog took off the other.  He had a little trouble getting started, in my case, not so much.  Throwing the watermelon red Down South on a 1/32 ounce jig head turned out to be breakfast for some hungry trout.

Here is the first 5 trout I caught on wade one, some really nice solid fish.  (Why the flash on the camera chooses to work sometimes and not others is a mystery.)

We started catching them and kept at it all day.  The fish are in such good shape down there just like in the POC area.  Fat and sassy, whether it is the 5 fish limit, the floods, or just a natural happening, the fish were solid and heavy.  After a while we just quit taking pictures and kept fishing.  We both lost count, but it was probably over 30 for the day.

I was catching all mine of the plastics, and Shoedog kept with the corky.  He was wanting to get better at it, and persistence is the only way.  It was a slow twitch stop twitch retrieve that got them.  He caught several nice ones and then caught one of those that was a little better than the solid average we were catching.

Get you some of that!  What a trout.

The whole day was full of catching.  Every wade we made, I think it was 5, we  caught fish.  It turned into just another good one, and another.  I wanted to try to improve my poor corky fishing skills and two things ended up happening, first I finally caught a nice trout.  Second, I had something happen which has not happened to me in years, and it was crazy.  You often hear the old “That one tried to rip the rod out of my hands” saying while you are fishing, but it actually happened to me.  As I slowly jerked and paused the corky one literally ripped the rod right out of my hands.  It went in the water like a shot and luckily I was able to grab it and found a redfish on the end of my line.

My last good one from a day filled with nice solid fish.

It was truly a solid day filled with good trout.  Most were in the waist deep water and it was a mouth open, head shaking good time.  For an average it was one of the better days we have had.  I was amazed at how heavy the fish were for how short they were.  None of them have been shorted on the groceries.  So at the end of day 2 we were happy and wondering what the weather change would bring on Friday.

Day 3 – Friday

While there was 5 or 6 trucks at the ramp the first two mornings, there was a wad today.  Someone must have put the open for business sign out as there were boats running everywhere, and several parties fishing the shoreline.  Unfortunately it was sunny and warm, and luckily the wind was still not blowing.  As Shoedog said, “Why does it not blow like this at POC?”

Shoedog started his day off with a bang.

To make a long story short we only managed 5 or 6 today before we quit at 2.  We made 3 wades, working the areas over better as there was tons of boats flying up and down the Laguna.  He stayed with the corky and I with the plastics.

My first fish of the day.

You really get a sense of how clear the Laguna is when the sun is out and the wind is not blowing, it is amazing.  Along with that came tougher fishing, or should I say catching.  While yesterday they were eating it, we probably missed a higher percentage of fish today than the rest of the trip combined.  We made on more stop and I finished my trip off with a nice 5 pound, on the boga, trout.  The sun was out in full force and I tossed to a small isolated patch of grass and she thumped it.

25″ inches and 5 lbs of beautiful speckled trout and like all the others this trip was released to fight again another day.  A great finish to a good trip.

The few fish we caught today were nice ones.  In fact of the 40+ we caught while there only 3 or 4 would have to have been measured, and then only because they looked small compared to the 6 or 7 bigger fish we caught.  And other than the rod ripping incident the only other happening included both of us stepping off in water over the tops of our waders.  Thank goodness it happened on the last day when it ended up being 78 degrees.  And a side note to that was the water warmed up 5 degrees that day so look for the topwater bite to come on strong.

With the drive back to Victoria, and boats and equipment to be cleaned, we called it a trip.  These pictures do not really do it justice to how good it was, and how solid the fish were.  It has been a banner fall in the mid-coast region of the Gulf and it should only get better in the future.  There were many voices of dissent in the Lower Laguna and then the mid-coast region when the state proposed the 5 fish limit but the results are undeniable.  And as I have said repeatedly, I am not the guy to definitively state why the fishing is so good and the fish are in such awesome shape, but whatever, it is working.

This was also a trip were being able to watch the weather and then leave when it was right made the whole thing work.  It you have ever noticed how many of the big trout pictures in the magazines seem to be on cloudy misty days you are right.  I can not over emphasis how active the fish were on Thursday.  And bait was also the key.  There were lots of big mullet jumping most places we caught fish, and no bait meant slow fishing.

Sorry I did not report while gone, but the camera snafu put a stop to that.  So here is the abbreviated version, but you get the picture.  To bad it is just a little to far for a day trip, or I would be back down there expanding my knowledge of the area.  You always here about the rocks and how dangerous it can be.  It is easy to stay out of trouble down there and we have never had even a close call.  First remove your head from your ass, second, once you leave the ICW idle, it is simple as that.  Taking a few extra minutes to idle to a shoreline makes all the difference.

That about covers it.  I am sure I have left some things out, but these are the high points.  The lovely wife went with us and other than a quick couple of suppers she went her way and we went fishing.  We stayed in Port Aransas and also managed to eat some seafood.  It is 30 miles to the ramp at Bird Island Basin but not a bad drive.  It sure is easy to see why so many really big trout come from that area and if I am lucky I will get back at least one more time this spring.  There are some other comments and pictures that need to be posted and I will get to them next.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

 Fish Catching Travel

Buy more baits, KVD is down to his last million!

Sorry I did not post yesterday, but after getting up at 4 and driving down here, then fishing all day, by time we ate I was beat.  And the practical result of that is there are no pictures, yet.  Why?  Because this afternoon, day 2, I dropped the waterproof camera in the bay.  Real smooth.  Now normally this would not be a problem except for two things, it is an Olympus and uses it’s own download cord, which I forgot, and apparently when they say it is waterproof they are making it up.

So the end result is the camera says the card door is open, it isn’t, and since it uses it’s own special card which of course does not fit in any kind of a standard card slot, it will not fit in the laptop.  So not only does it not use a standard cord like the rest of the world it has the card that no one uses.  Whether all our pictures are gone will have to wait until I get home after fishing tomorrow.   It makes me sick to think about it, we had some good ones.

I will actually write a full report tomorrow sometime, but suffice to say we have had a good time.  The average size of the trout is nothing short of awesome.  We have probably boated at least 5 or 6 over 4, and 1 over 6.  The first day it was only 9, 7 trout and 2 reds, but only 1 did not measure, and I mean no problem not measure.  My first one was the biggest of the trips so far.  Today it was around 3o trout,and around 5 right before we quit we did catch 3 that would not measure.  Again, the average size is freakin’ awesome, and who knows. some of those might have measured.   If we had been keeping fish it would have been one of the heaviest 5 fish limits I have ever been a part of.

We are catching most of them about waist deep along the King Ranch shoreline and have found 3 places that have fish.  It is so nice to set the hook and have a real speckled trout on the line.  Head shaken’, mouth open, wallowing good ones.  The fish down here are in such good shape, fat and sassy.  2 baits have been the staple, corky for the Shoedog, and plastics for me.   The water temp is in the 57 – 58 degree range, which probably accounts for why we have caught nothing on topwater.

Tomorrow will be day 3, and we will fish as long as we can based on weather.  So far it has been beyond our wildest hope, cloudy most of the day and almost dead calm.  The wind is supposed to start blowing tomorrow and it will be sunny and warm.  What effect that will have I don’t know. but we will give it the old college try.

Excuse the abbreviated report, but fishing is still the reason for the season, and we are burning the candle at both ends.  If we are lucky I will save the pictures one way or another.   Again I am just sick they may be gone, but as soon as I am home I can really see if they can be saved.  Heck I am already trying to figure out how to get back here before it is over, it is that good.  So thanks for stopping in and a more detailed report with pictures to follow.

Good Luck and Tight Lines.

P.S.  My good buddy Jeffish broke his leg yesterday.  Hope you are feeling better, will holler at you tomorrow.

 Fish Catching Travel

Buy more baits, KVD is down to his last million!

With a 3 day trip to the Upper Laguna Madre coming tomorrow I decided to hit the lake Monday.  My buddy Voe was back in town for the week finishing up a few things on his house as they wait for the right offer so he went along.

It was cold, and I mean cold when we got to the ramp Monday.  The wind was blowing out of the north at 10 mph+ and it was blowing cold, about as cold as I care to be out fishing.  We headed up the arm to fish the channel banks in the area of the plant.  I got this report from Billy on Sunday, and it definitely affected how I fished.

Good luck on the Baffin trip. Love that place.
As for Coleto, went again today. Was absolutely shocked at the water temperature. Never saw anything below 58 and it got up to 62 in a couple of spots. Was expecting much cooler temps. Fishing was slow again. Each caught about five or so, all on soft plastics. All fish caught on points and sloping banks. Nothing in the coves.

Thanks for the report, and the last one you sent which was basically the same.  Your reports are exactly what I have found the last month.  I took your reports to heart and did not pick up another bait all day other than the senko.  It was plastic, plastic, and more plastic.  We ended up fishing near the plant for quite a while.  I went 4 for 8 bites there, and I think Voe missed one.

This is basically the size of the ones we did catch.

We ended up fishing way up both arms and a couple of main lake places in between, but the wind was blowing hard and cold out of the north and some places were too rough.  And we found the water temp to be in the range you did, maybe a degree or two lower here and there, but it is fairly consistent over the whole lake.

Up lake we found the same thing, a bite here and there, on the main body of water and not in coves.  Though we had bites off and on during the day, other then one flurry in the mouth of a small cove, it was never more than one or two bites in a place.  Voe did throw a couple of other baits, but as Billy found, and I have found the last month, plastics are still the ticket.  While the ones we did catch were just “ok” we did not catch any real small ones, the sure sign things are about to get hopping in the spring.

Now that will be changing, soon I hope.  The fish we did catch are getting the big belly, and as soon as the water begins the slow warming trend pre-spawn will begin.  I wish I could give you a good guess as to what is to come, but we will just have to wait and see. My biggest hope is the grass and vegetation get a chance to grow back this spring.  That will be predicated on clearer water, and it is slowly clearing a little more each time I am there.

Most bites came somewhere near a point and we had several do the swim away with it thing.  It was one here and there as we fished, but we never did establish a real pattern other than points and plastics.  Before it was over I caught 5 or 6, but did break my line setting the hook on a couple of them.  I do that occasionally and I think I figured out why today.  I was tying mono leader to the braid, and I was using line off another rod to make them.  When I pulled the knot up on one of the connections the line broke.  Looks like the line on the rod is old or brittle, not sure which.  But it does mean that when I get ready for the Laguna today I will be replacing line on lots of rods.

For the day I think we caught 7 or 8 which is just enough to want to go again, and not quite enough to make me want to fight those 32 degree mornings.  As usual was had a good time,but there is fine line to that good time when it is cold and blowing out of the north.  Voe will be heading back to Nevada for a couple of weeks and hopefully when he gets back the fishing should be a lot better on the lake than it is right now.

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Voe has a good buddy our in Nevada who he fishes with fairly regularly.  They fish those desert lakes like Mead and Mojove, which have super clear water.  Most of the lakes out there are way down thanks to a drought and massive water usage, I think he told me Mead is down like over 150 feet.

One thing those lakes out there have is a great stiper population that provides lots of consistent fishing opportunity, and they catch quite a few while they are bass fishing.

Roger with a nice 15lber from their last trip.

A nice 4.5 lb. smallmouth.

Cutting my bass fishing teeth on the highland lakes of North Arkansas I have a pretty good feel for fishing that deep clear water.  It is a world of difference from the fishing in Texas and many other places.  So be sure to send us plenty of pictures when you get back.

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I got this comment from Glen, one of those that reminds me that not everyone knows exactly what I am referring to at times.

I am a novice coast fisherman. Usually we wade fish with live shrimp on popping corks.
You always talk about baits you use but being a rook don’t know what they are. Could you please include some pictures of these lures. Thanks

Thanks for your comment, I need to hear that occasionally to remind me that not everyone who reads this is some died in the wool fishing fanatic with a lifetime of experience who has the basic knowledge of what I am writing about.  So tell you what, as soon as I get done with Baffin this week I will try to sit down and spell it out with pictures as far as baits and basic rigging.  So stay tuned for that one.

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I got this comment from Jim.

Thanks for posting the Fayette report. It is timely indeed as I am heading there Tuesday. I have a new boat and am in a learning curve with the Lowrance electronics. I am going to idle the length of the dam using the new structure scanning to see what I can see and hopefully catch. I’ll get you a report after.

Good luck with Baffin Bay. I look forward to seeing some “big momma” pics.

Being freshly retired I couldn’t wait to start fishing any day of the week Monday through Friday avoiding the weekend crowds and by fishing based upon the best weather days. And I have to say it has been awesome! About the only time now that I will have to deal with adverse weather will be during pay-to-play tournaments where you just about fish no matter what the weather is. When watching weather trends I like to use weather underground as it shows a 10 day forecast for conditions, temperature, precipitation and barometric pressure.

Again, good luck this week and tight lines!

Jim

As you are finding out being retired really helps the fishing success.  Picking your time and days based on weather and traffic will significantly increase your quality time on the water.  And of course nothing like a new boat, heck that is even better than a new wife!  And be sure to really stick with the practice as you get more familiar with your electronics.  They are definitely not just there to just tell us how deep it is.  The first time you really locate some deep fish, and then lay the smack down on them, will make you feel like a pro.  Remember folks, there is no such thing as a bad report.  Your fishing day is what it is, and we can all learn from them no matter how your day goes.  So thanks for the update and let us know how it goes.

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I think that catches us up for the day.  Now work on the list begins.  Getting cameras and video together, we are going to shoot some video the next 3 days.  (Not sure if that will jinx us or not.)   Rod and reels, line, baits, all have to be checked and organized.  All the wading gear checked along with spare waders, boots, clothes, the pile grows.  Then checking air pressure in trailer tires, making sure the flares and all the safety equipment is up to snuff.  One thing we have learned over the years traveling and fishing, you can not take to much stuff with you.  You just never know.

So the Shoedog and I will be out of here really early in the morning to make the 125 mile drive to Bird Island Basin where we will put in every day.  The weather looks as good as we can hope for this time of year, lows in the 50’s and highs rising each day until topping out in the high 60’s by Friday.  The wind is forecast to be in the 10 mph range, but you know how that goes.  And it looks like clouds will be the order for each day, perfect.  I will try to get something up each day while I am gone.  The planning is all done, the preparation complete, nothing left to do but see if we can get it done.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

 Fish Catching Travel

Buy more baits, KVD is down to his last million!

It has turned off cool, clear, and windy, gusting to 25mph, out of the north today. (Saturday)  There are small craft advisories on the bay.  So I made a good decision fishing yesterday even though it did not go as well as I would have liked.  So a little football this weekend and then back at it.

Watching the weather has not gotten me any closer to making a decision on Baffin this coming week.  One thing about traveling is the farther out you have to plan the tougher the weather is to predict.  Take last years Canada trip, the first real cold front of the fall on what is normally the hottest week of the years.  Or the wind pretty much howling its rear end off in South Florida.  It is always a crap shoot.

It is funny how only going a 100 miles is just as tough a decision.  Is this the calmest weather with clouds this week?  Is it going to be perfect early next week?  Is 50% chance of rain mean you have a 50/50 chance or will you be wet 50% of the day?  When it involves overnight travel, you just have to take your chances.  And this time of year it still is a matter of putting on the big boy pants and just doing it.   Great results do not go to the timid.

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Got this timely Fayette report from Steve.

Fished Fayette today. Hit the water at sunup, and fog was so thick you couldn’t see for more than 30 yards until about 10 am. Days like today you’re glad you’ve got the gps on the boat! Took me 20 minutes to navigate to my first spot, which would normally take about 3 minutes. Safety First! Caught 6 in about first 2 hours on shallow diving crank baits. Hit a cold spell till about 11, than picked up another 7 on deep diving crank baits and senkos off the dam. Shut it down about 1, total count 13. Only a couple dinks, though no hogs either- biggest probably about 3 lbs and average about 2 lbs. Water temp about 64, still dropping from 3 weeks ago when it was 67.

Sounds like a normal day on Fayette.  Even when it is not hot it seems to always be consistent, and they sure love that crankbait.  And nice job on the foggy run.  I am not scared in the fog, it is the other guy that scares me.  Put along and nobody gets hurt.   We are now in the heart of what passes here for winter and the water temp is slowly dropping on most of our waters, and of course it usually takes some of the fishing with it. But it won’t be long before we start the slow rise back up, and the good fishing that comes with it.  It was good to hear from you and thanks for the good report.

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I really appreciate your comments and questions.  There is no such thing as a stupid question, and any report is better than no report.  It makes my job so much easier when you participate.  So thanks for all the comments lately, keep the coming.

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I do not mean to rag on duck hunters but as I was fishing Big Bayou the other day it looked like there was some kind of fence on the bank behind me so when I idled over to fish it I checked it out.  Interestingly it was a line of shotgun hulls floating along on the water, there must have been a dozen of them all in a line that looked like the top of a fence from a distance.  And then here comes a Gadwall floating along dead.  Now not sure how the dead duck got there, over the limit maybe?  But I do know how the shells got there, the hunters were to lazy to pick them up.  What does it take, a minute?  Come on folks, this is not your private dump.  Littering is littering on land or sea.

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Well a decision is finally made and it is Baffin and ULM Wednesday thru Friday.  Leaving Wednesday early will give us 3 full days of fishing.  You can over think decisions like this, and in this case it was time to make a choice and put it to bed instead of worrying it like a dog with a bone.  With that decided I will squeeze in a day at Coleto in the morning.  So a busy week is ahead with 4 days of fishing.  I appreciate your support and keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

 Fish Catching Travel

Strike King – So you can kick them in the bass!

I did not decide to fish today until I got up this morning and it was cloudy and foggy.  After checking the weather it was light winds with any real chance of rain later this evening.  So after making the boss some breakfast it was off to POC.

The wind was almost calm and the tide was still going out a little, I was late, but the water was still moving.  The plan was to head across the bay and fish a couple of places on the island shoreline.  First up was the flat near Army Hole.  Idling in to 1 foot deep I dropped the anchor so it was a short wade to the drain.  The tide was moving out and as soon as I got to the drain the fish started to bite.

 The kind of day I was hoping for.

Using the light jig head and a DOA Cal in a shad looking color was the ticket.  I started catching them and for the next hour they bit right along near the mouth of the drain.  A good cast was where you could keep your line tight and let it swing out with the tide.

 Started catching them as soon as I got to the mouth of the drain.

I stayed with it for an hour or so near the mouth of the drain but the it was time to see if I could catch a real one.  So I headed out to the grass and potholes in knee to waist deep water and started tossing topwater and occasionally a Corky.  I was determined to stick with it and not go back to catching them in the drain.

They look awesome in the water when they are doing that mouth open thrash thing.

Moving really slow and alternating my retrieve with the topwater did not produce a bite.  I worked in and out from the bank to waist deep water and did not even have a follow.  And though I covered lots of water there and stayed with the plan hoping for that one bite, it did not happen.

They ones in the cut never did amount to any more than this.

So I pulled up stakes and moved down the shoreline to what we call The Bikini Cut,  which is the drain after you get past Pringle.  Over the  side I went but did not take a plastic, just the topwater and Corky.  I was still looking for that big bite.  Again working in and out, varying the retrieve and even a different topwater did not produce a bite.  So after about an hour there it was time for anther move.  Where next I was not sure, the no bite thing was getting old.

As I idled out of shallow water the oil alarm went off  on the motor.  On the  Optimax when the alarm sounds you basically have about a half hour at wide open.  So being at least a half hour from the ramp it was time to call it a day.  I would have had enough time for one more spot if I had bothered to put the gallon of oil I just bought in the boat from the back of the truck.  Oh well.

After catching a bunch in the drain right off the bat I stayed with the plan trying to get the big bite, and managed to fish over 3 hours without one.  Fishing plastic would have been a little more successful I am sure, but I was trying to stick with the plan.  It is time to catch a big trout and so I did not lose faith.  It is a little interesting I never had a bite on the topwater, it was simply a matter of poor bank selection.  Time to hit Baffin this week coming up and increase my odds.

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

Rick and TheMowdy both commented on yesterdays fishing.

That was an excellent report. In fact, it was so good, I went back and read it again. I work a lot and get to fish very little. Sometimes after I read one of your saltwater reports I feel like I just went fishing. Thanks for the great blog and all the work you put into it.   Rick.

Wow! What a day! You had fun fishing . Kresta’s just called and my boat with new trolling motor is ready! Will watch the weather and head out soon.  Enjoyed your post!   TheMowdy.

Thanks guys, it was a fun day.  The fishing is good right now and I am glad you enjoyed the report.  And good luck next time you are out TheMowdy.  Nothing like a new toy on the other toy.  Let us know how you do.

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And I heard from John, one of the guys from the group I refer to as the Austin Boys.

Thanks for the report Doug. I ‘ve noticed that you’ve been throwing 1/32 oz jigs so I decided to look for some around Austin. I can’t find any that would work with saltwater size baits. Everything I see is geared for panfish with small wire hooks. What kind are you using and where are you getting them?
Thanks! Hope to fish with you again soon.

Bagley (the lightest) and War Eagle Shaky Head Jigs.  (Sorry for the glare.)

Here are 2 out of the 3 I am currently using.  The missing one is the Strike King Shaky Head.  Shaky Heads are used by bass fishermen for light line and small plastics.  That style of jig has a hook acceptable for bass and easily handles trout.  Let me say this about jig heads, do not rely on the weight listed on the package, they lie.  It just depends on the mold.  So how to really tell what is light, just look for small, and then look for smaller.  I have found the Bagley at Tackle Town in Rockport and Cabela’s in OKC.  The others from here and there, the War Eagles also came from OKC.  So when you are looking head to the freshwater section.

Now the Bagley is by far the lightest.  If you see the collar on the hook shank, it is a small separate keeper, that will work loose and slide on the hook after a few fish.  So I have started using super glue, not only on the Bagley, but on most other jig heads.  It really adds longevity to the plastics.  And the last thing I want to say about using this light jig head, if your plastic is also small and light it is easier to make long casts with a spinning rod.  And 8lb. fluro mono is all I use to help it sink faster, especially in deeper water.   When I say it falls slow with the Bagley, it falls really, really, slow.

And just for fun here are the four baits I have basically been throwing.

Here are the plastics I have been using the last  couple of months.  The Down South in purple has worked well, and of course I am throwing it in watermelon red.  Next is a Yum Swurm which I just started using, they seem to like it quite a bit.  It is flat and with the light jig head is killer.  Then the only H&H plastic I like, the 3″ Cocahoe Minnow.  The 3″ tail wags pretty aggressively, unlike the 4″ which is a little to stiff for my tastes.  Last is the 3″ DOA Cal in a dark with red flake.  It seems like every day they like one a little more than the other, but today I caught at least a couple on most of them.  Kind of goes back to what I said yesterday, it is the rate of fall more than the color of the plastic.  Hope this answers your question and look forward to fishing with you again.

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

I actually am still a little surprised I did not have a good bite today on topwater, I put in the time.  Again, it was probably bank selection so I need to keep trying different places in the bay.  I am watching the weather close and will be fishing Baffin 2 or 3 days this week.  That should significantly improve my odds.  If I can match the today’s weather next week it will give me as good as chance as I will get all year to intentionally catch a big trout.  And the one other place I do not want to miss before winter ends is Shoalwater.  This time of year it always holds trout, it is just a matter of finding the right drift.  And keep those cards and letters coming, we love hearing from you.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

The Best Baits on the Planet!

Initially it looked like the Shoeodog was coming but he got wrapped up in something so he did not  make it.  Then they were talking serious fog until 9 this morning so I just slept in and did not hit the road until 9.  It was cloudy with a light north wind and just a little misty on the way to Port O’Connor but it just cleared up as I put the boat in.  And I somehow managed to forget the camera, so sorry no pics today.

I brought all the stuff to wade but had decided it was keep a limit day so it was to my favorite deep bank in Big Bayou.  The thought of a fish fry has been driving me crazy so time to get the guests of honor.   The wind was barely blowing, and it was dead calm on the bank so I was able to throw the 1/32 – 16th jig heads.  I started catching them right away on an interesting looking bait I had not thrown before, and they were eating it.  It looked like an eel and I will show you a picture of one, they like it.

Casting to the grass edge, most were on the first or second hop off the bank, and off and on there would be bait jumping.  Before I went very far I had a limit of 15″ – 18″, and the rest of the day did not catch anything any bigger, though they bit pretty steady the whole 5 hours I fished.  Now nothing like  catching a limit in nothing flat, but that was not the real cool thing for the day.  Now keep in mind that I forgot my camera, and as has happened in the past, I wish I had it.

After about an hour I picked up some help, around 5 dolphins, and as I started catching the trout every few casts they prowled the boat.  No matter where I tossed them the dolphins were on them.  The biggest one would come below one when I was reeling it in and then look at me while I was taking it off.  I foul hooked a mullet in the eye and when he went back in he circled on the surface and the dolphin decided to play catch with it.  It got so bad I decided to go all the way to the other end and fish up there to give the trout a break.

Well after a little bit here they came, and down the bank we went together.  This whole day I was trying spinnerbait, topwater, and a Corky, all without a bite.  But get on a deeper bank and hop a light jig head with a dark plastic and you would get the bites.  It was not near so good in that area so back down I went to fish the good area one more time before I quit, and after about 10 minutes here they came again.  Those damn things swam all the way to one end and then all the way back when I moved.  And they were just hell on the trout and even a small rat red I tossed back.

Now of course I have seen this behavior in lots of different places, but these were homed in on the boat. Before it was over I made 4 moves and they found me every time.  At one point I was thinking murder, they were that aggressive.  They never tried to take a trout I had hooked, but the minute I tossed them in they would smoke them.  Just really an interesting, irritating day.

If I had to guess it was around 20 – 25 trout and one small rat red, and I missed as many as I caught.  I did have something pretty big on for a little while but it pulled off.  If I was guessing it was a big flounder.  There were no bites on the couple of redfish banks I fished so not really sure what was up with that.  But the trout fishing continues to be consistent, and though the ones I caught today were not big by any measure, I am not complaining.

Talk about a dead fish pic.  In this case half were headed to the fry pan!

Since I started using the lightest jig head I can find my daily production has gone up.  It can be tough to fish in the wind, but when you can fish it like today, they will eat it.  Color has been here and there, but electric chicken/chicken on a chain/watermelon red/purple have all been good this fall, with the darker the better right now.  And my point is this, almost all colors have worked, I think it is the fall rate on the light jig head that does it, irrespective of color.  And most of the time I am throwing the light jig on 8lb fluorocarbon which surely helps.

I am still amazed when someone recognizes me at the ramp.  I was taking out at Froggie’s and 4 guys were headed out and hollered at me asking if I was the fishcatchingtravel guy.  They asked about Big Bayou and how I did so I told them right where I caught them.  Hope they caught a few.  And if you see me at the ramp just holler, it lets me know there is folks out there reading this.

Next it is back to the bay for another go at them.  This time it will be out of the boat.  I have a friend who says you can’t catch a big trout out of the boat.  Most of mine have came fishing out of the boat, but it makes a point about how stealthy you need to be to catch really big trout.  I will be sure to take the camera next trip.  Stuff happens.  So keep stopping  in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

The Best Baits on the Planet!

My fishing on Tuesday was totally dictated by the weather.  The forecast was for warm and fairly calm on Thursday and Friday, so that was reserved for the Gulf.  In fact the Shoedog may be down so it will be hard after it.  Wednesday has a 90% chance of rain so there would probably be no fishing.  Tuesday the wind was supposed to blow 15 – 20 out of the north, definitely not a bay day, and stay in the 50’s, so a short trip to Coleto was in order.

I knew I made the right choice as the lake was white capping when I got there.  I am going to make this report short and sweet, the fishing just sucks there right now.  It has gotten to the point that I am getting a complex.  Today I fished half old faithful places, and half I haven’t fished in a while.  I threw crankbait, plastic, topwater, spinnerbait, jerkbait, and I can not remember all what else, but it was the whole box at them.

As my old bud Tad used to say:  This is all a grown man did all day.

First it was the area around the plant.  The first fish came on a crankbait, then after while of no fish, another came on plastics, and from there it went downhill.  If anything has been surprising it is how few bites have come on jerkbait.  With no grass it has opened up many new areas where it was impossible to throw.  In most lakes in the last of winter/early early pre-spawn, a jerkbait is the ticket.  Points leading into spawning coves, steep channel banks in leading into the back end of creeks and rivers, big flat secondary points with cover, rocks or brush in big coves, all are classic patterns to fish early spring.  No matter how hard I try to put them there and eating a jerkbait, they are not having it.  After 4 hours I put it on the trailer and headed to the house.

The punch line is that there are fish to be caught, but it is just a little early.  Fishing those cold, blue bird sky, north wind days, is not the ticket.  A good warm rain and nights staying in the 50’s will get them going and all will be right with the world.  So for the time being the lake will be put on the back burner and the big trout hunt begins.

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

My wife, my friends, my family, they all give me a hard time about my flip phone.  It is I Phone this, and I Phone that, with a whole lot of Facebook thrown in.  Well I have not succumbed to the I Phone thing and for 3 or 4 years have had the same Samsung flip phone.  I can not remember the specifics but it is built hardy for people like me.

So yesterday when I got out to hop on the boat and drive it off the trailer somehow my phone must have popped out of the pocket on the sweatshirt, fell in the lake right on the ramp, all without me hearing or feeling anything.  I park the truck and realize as I start the boat I do not have the cellphone.  The truck, the route, the boat, nothing.  So the conclusion is I left it at home, so off fishing I go.

Later that day Shoedog calls the number and Ron, camping at the park answers it and says he found it laying on the ramp in 2 foot of water as he launched his boat.  Who know how long it was there.  But the punch line is this:  Your fancy I Phone would not have survived a soaking in 2 foot of water.  I love that phone and it is just right for a train wreck waiting to happen like me.  Thanks Ron and the office at Coleto for getting my phone back to me.

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

I got this Coleto comment from Billy, and it actually goes to what I have kept hitting in hopes they would finally start the move.

Missed you by one day on Coleto. A buddy of mine fishes it pretty regularly and he and I went Sunday. Started at about 10 and fished to a little past dark. It was a slow grind. We each caught about six or so fish. Except for three of them, they were all on brush hogs. He did catch three of them in pretty short order after the sun went down in the back end of a cove on a topwater frog bait.

That is exactly what I have been finding, you can catch on about any bait, but plastics are still the ticket.  The fishing remains tough, but it is time to hit the back ends of coves and creeks and watching for the big warm up.  It is coming sooner or later, I am just trying to hurry spring along at the lake.  Thanks for your fishing reports, we will be sharing a boat soon.

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Belize

I actually happened upon this post while searching about fishing behind the Lazy Lizard, since two of my friends also found tarpon there a few years ago.

I was wondering if you could tell me more about those tarpon.  Do you think they’d be there in the winter (around now?).

Michael it is funny you asks this today.  The Boss was just looking at Belize airfares this morning, and it is right around $300 round trip direct to Belize City.  Then a $100 for your round trip air to Caye Caulker and you are in business.  As  far as whether the tarpon are still there I would imagine they are.  I think the majority of that size, <30 lbs or so, are resident fish.  Now how they may react this time of year is a guess on my part.

We stay at Sea Dreams when we are there, and hope to return some time, and I would email them and ask if the tarpon still come in to the pass behind the Lazy Lizard at night this time of year.  So if you find out any more let us know.  And the rest of you, if you have never been there before now is the time, the airfare is half of what we paid the last couple of times.  And check out Sea Dream in the article in the travel section, great place and great folks, and if you have never hired a guide there is no better deal anywhere.  Good place to cross both a permit and bonefish off your list, and maybe stick a tarpon in the split.  So thanks for asking Michael, and if you go we will all be looking forward to a cool story.

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

I just straightened out the saltwater stuff, got my wading gear in order, changed over a few things in the boat, all the necessary things to hit the salt.  If things work out like I think they will the boat will be hooked up for the next week without interruption.  Watching the weather, wind, and tides is the order of business.  So not much left to do but go.  Keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

  Fish Catching Travel

The Best Baits on the Planet!

After several days of really crap weather it finally cleared so I hitched up the boat and headed to the lake for the first fishing trip of the year.  It was around 45 degrees with little north wind and not a cloud in the sky.  When I backed the trailer in it was obvious the lake has stabilized some and is finally clearing just a little.  The water temp was around 59 down lake, to a low of 57 way up either arm.

The first couple of places were main lake points with fairly deep water close by.  The topwater minnow got a good workout but never did raise a fish.   I also threw the KVD jerkbait without a bite.  Normally this is the month for the topwater minnow, but I finally picked up the 5″ watermelon red senko style plastic.

Bite Number 1.

The first fish came on a deep point right where he was supposed to be, but there were no buddies with him.  I kept fishing the main lake points and after an hour another good one jumped it.  Today, as they have been doing this fall, they would just start swimming away with it.

The watermelon red senko style bait has been consistent this fall.

During this period I threw a white Swim Jig, the KVD  jerkbait, and spinnerbait on and off, but just could not buy a bite.  I tried the back ends of a couple of pockets just to see if there were any small ones there yet, and only managed to catch one small one on the jerkbait.  So I pulled up and ran all the way up lake.

As you head towards the bridge past the out flow cove the water temp got as high as 61 but then started dropping to a low of 57 way up.  And the water up there is significantly more off color as you go up.  Once up there I stuck with the plastics and finally had a good bite.

The only bite up lake, but this was a good one.

It was nice to put at least one pretty good fish over the side today.  I am not complaining about size today, other than one small one they were all nice keepers.  So after fishing way up I decided to head farther back down and fish a calm sunny bank with no wind.  I stuck with the spinnerbait and finally put one in the boat.

Even caught one on a spinnerbait.

This one came off a flat point with a little brush on it and was on a lay down.  She smashed it buzzed on top.  For the rest of the afternoon I had one more bite, and it was on the plastic.  I can not emphasis enough, if you feel anything set the hook, how some of them get it in their mouth and swim with it before I feel anything is amazing.  I tried a few other places on the way to the ramp, mostly throwing the spinnerbait, but did not have another bite.

So for a 5 hour trip, the first of 2016, I can live with the results.  While bites were few and far between, when I got one it was a good fish.  I am definitely trying to hurry the bite along by fishing spinnerbait, but the water temp is sure not a problem right now.  I am surprised that the topwater minnow is not producing yet, but give it a couple of warm days with clouds and mist, it will happen.  My guess is when they really start biting this spring on Coleto it will be something.

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I got this comment from TheMowdy and wanted to share it with you.

I am a new follower of your blog! It was recommended by a friend. I am enjoying your writings! I am looking forward to hearing about the 4 wheeling trip in the mountains of New Mexico!  I also fish Port O’Connor. I fished the Ineos docks on the 29th but did not do much. I don’t believe the fish had acclimated from the warm weather the week before. I hope to make a return trip up the barge canal soon.

Funny you say that because I have several thoughts on the barge canal and docks, and creeks and rivers off the Gulf, places that traditionally have a good winter trout run.  This year it stayed a lot warmer a lot longer, and when it was combined with several pretty significant rainfalls putting lots of fresh water in those places, consequently the fishing has not been as good as it has been the last couple of years.  I really think it slowed the fishing down, so we will see what happens if we have an extended cold snap.  But with another round of rain coming this may be as good as it gets this year in those deep water winter spots.

And I am really looking forward to some cruising in the mountains in a couple of weeks.  So thanks for the comment and let us know how it goes if you get a chance to head back up there.  It will probably be the river the next couple of days for me so will report that as soon as I go.  And my thanks to whoever shared the blog with you, it has grown by word of mouth and I appreciate it when anyone shares it with someone else.

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RL sent me this kind comment.

Your site is an addiction to those of us who can’t make it out as often as we would like. Thank You for choosing to take the time to post! Hope the new year Blesses you with Good Health, Better Fishing & a 30 plus inch trout!! Happy New Year!!!
RL

Thanks, your comment is the kind that keeps me writing.  It is you all taking the time to read this that makes it what it is, and I thank you.  And the 30″ trout hunt will be starting in earnest shortly.

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So off we go this year.  The weather will be sketchy off and on the next couple of months, but with proper timing some of the biggest fish of the year will be caught in the next few weeks.  Those periods of really warm cloudy days with light mist can be killers when everything comes together at the same time.  I will be watching the weather closer the next couple months than the rest of the year combined.

Not sure where next but with a 90% chance of rain tomorrow it will be Wednesday before I get a chance to go again.  If the wind stays down like it has been it will be the Gulf, there are a few places I still have not fished this winter that I want to.  And we love your comments so keep them coming.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

                      Fish Catching Travel

The Best Baits on the Planet!

Here we go for 2016.  We had hoped to be in the mountains of New Mexico today, but due to Goliath, one of the biggest storms of the decade, we are home.  After having a Christmas with the family in College Station, then a quick one day with the grandkids in Oklahoma City, we planned on being in New Mexico on Tuesday.  We were hoping to be 4 wheeling, maybe some snowmobiling, and maybe even a little adult entertainment with a few games of chance.

When we got to OKC Monday night it was already sleeting and lightly snowing, and by Tuesday morning it was glare ice and blowing over 40 mph, real nice.  We hoped to still be able to limp out of town but the Ruidoso area was completely snowed in with some drifts to 8 foot tall.  Roswell was completely snowed in.  So all the roads from the border of Texas were closed, and even a long stretch of I 40 was closed in both states.  We hung out another day but the roads were still closed in New Mexico so we re-scheduled the trip and came home.

It has been awhile since we were in real winter, and while it was interesting, a steady diet of it is not in my future plans.  On the other hand, the chance to 4 wheel the mountains out there with new snow sure sounded good, so we will be returning in a few weeks to try it again.  I hope to see an elk and a few mule deer on the next trip.  They are both cool animals.

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Nothing Could Be Finer!

Korbin and his first trout.  Congratulations!

My buddy Jeffish and his son Korbin, the 2020 Bass Master Champion, did their first trip on the creek together the other day and it went ok.

Yep Korbin caught his first trout. And caught 5 total. I caught 5 and one red and two bass! Using an ultralight pole. Seemed to help feel em bite. Crow next door went and caught about the same. No real keepers.

I believe they were trolling, but no matter what you caught some fish and Korbin managed another first.  Oh to be young again and each and every first fish is a thing of beauty.  The boy not only has the want to, he is getting the hang of it and he will always have the life long love of fishing.  So congrats to both of you and hopefully we will get it done Sunday before he is back to school.

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This year we already have a few trips planned, starting in a week or two.  What has become the annual trip to Baffin will happen shortly.  I will be watching for the perfect storm, warmer cloudy weather with little wind.  If the weather looks to remain stable for a couple of days we will head that way.  Time to put in 3 days effort trying to boat a real trout.

Next it will be 4 days of fishing in Arkansas sometime around the end of March.  Last time we went it was white bass, blacks, smallmouth, Kentucky’s, crappie, walleye, and even a couple of carp.  We hit it just right on Bull Shoals and had some really good fishing.  Being the old stomping grounds we know the drill, and if we can combine that with 55 degree water temp, it will be another great trip.

And then not that long after it will be back to Canada for 2 weeks.  Last year we tried it at the end of summer, and got caught by a big front which toughened it some.  So this year it will be back to the end of May.  Not saying we can’t get caught by the weather some, but it is spring time fishing then and we just can’t fish for muskies intentionally.  This is a big boy fish until you puke trip.  10 -12 hours a day no matter the weather, hands torn to shreds, back aching, what is not to like and it makes me excited just thinking about getting back there.

There will be other trips interspersed with these, they just have not been thought up yet.  There may not be that big fishing trip this year as we have just started to make our Australia plans and do the research this week.  It looks like we will be going in April of 2017 and that trip will include at least 3 days fishing on the Great Barrier Reef and another day in New Zealand.  A trip like that takes extensive planning and saving, but will be the trip of a lifetime.

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I am not making any particular New Year’s resolutions, but I do have a few thoughts on what I hope happens around here this year.

1.  Catch a fish on a Alabama rig.  I have never really had any success throwing one but maybe this spring fishing in Arkansas it will happen.

2.  Catch a 30″ trout on purpose.  Easier said than done, but it sure is fun trying.

3.  Take a little time to work more on the business side of this operation.  It takes time and money to fish this hard and any help I can get is appreciated.

4.  Write a few more how to articles.  It might seem simple to me and others of you, but we all can learn something new.

5.  Get back to making videos.  The actual process of shooting them is no big deal, just put the camera on your head and push play.  The work is later getting it ready to go.

6.  Pay a little more attention to potential game and fish regulations and possible changes.  TPWD solicits comments on many potential changes and if you do not share your opinion you have no gripe if it does not go that way.

7.  Try not to get so hung up on things that work and try new stuff.  Folks have a tendency to try different baits when it is tough, but the best time to try new stuff is when they are biting.  You never know what you might learn and expanding your repertoire is always a good thing.  And my experience this year on Coleto proves what happens when you are caught in a rut and doing the same old thing that always works, except this fall with the changed conditions.

8.  Do a better job of keeping in touch with folks.  Should be simple enough.  I have met a lot of good folks through the blog and I do not want to forget the the very reason I am here.

9.  Continue to regularly encourage all of you to send reports, thoughts, complaints, and whatever else is on your mind.  Your participation makes this a much better site.

This list is filled with good intentions, but is also do-able with just a little thought and effort.  But most important this year is to enjoy the outdoors, make new friends (not that the old ones are not good ones), and catch fish.  What more could a guy want.

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I have had several comments that I needed to catch up on, and the first is from my buddy Bobby.

Happy new year my friend hope we can fish together in the coming year…

Same to you, and looking forward to fishing with you on Coleto again.

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And it was good to hear from Dustin.

 I enjoy reading your Coleto reports, I am hoping to be on the water new years weekend so if you see a white red fin feel free to stop and say hello good luck and tight lines in 2016.

Thanks for reading the blog.  If I am out there this weekend will watch for you.  Let us know how it goes, looks like it might be a little wet.

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And I really appreciate this comment from Ed.

I really enjoy all your “stuff”. Especially the bay fishing, since I live in Marion and get to go to our place in Poc about 2 times a month.  It really helps me on what to throw and exploring new areas. Wishing joy and happiness to you and your family and all that read your stuff. Merry Christmas!!

Ed Soto

And your comment defines the reason I continue to do this even when I begin to get lazy.  When I hear from folks that some of the stuff I write really does help them catch fish it makes it worth it.  Sharing information helps all of us become better fisherman.   I had a great Christmas, thanks, and keep exploring that area, there are a ton of little places that hold fish all the time and it does not require having to run 20 miles.  Thanks again.

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I got this from Billy who I actually will be fishing with sometime here in the near future.

Hit the water for a bit Christmas afternoon. Didn’t catch a whole lot. Ended up with two reds(24″ and 22″) and a trout(19″). Lost two other decent trout. All caught on top waters. The ones that ended up getting hooked were knocking the fire out of it. All in all, had about 20 blow ups.

Sounds like a good trip for a short afternoon.  And I am all about the blow ups.  Topwater works year round, it is just a matter of finding out how they want it.  And I guess when we hit the water together you can put me on them!

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 Here is a comment from Jim that warmed my heart.

I wanted to let you know that I have followed your blog for well over a year and look forward with anticipation for every posting as I love reading about your travels, ramblings and especially the fishing reports. I am an avid fisherman that lives in Cypress. I love to bass fish as well as inshore saltwater fish. I would have to call Fayette my home lake but love fishing Coletto Creek when ever I can get down there. I have recently retired (Nov 30) and plan on fishing as much as possible. Maybe we can meet up sometime in the new year and shake hands. I wish you a happy new year and continued solid catches.

Jim

First, congratulations on the retirement.  I always heard about those guys who retire and then get bored and die, but that is not the case when you have the fishing disease.  Funny how when you finally retire there will still seem to never be enough time.  And liking to fish both fresh and salt is my idea of a good time.  You will find that being able to pick your days and places gives a whole new perspective on the fishing.  So enjoy your retirement, and fish every day like it is your last.  Next time you are headed down this way to Coleto drop me a comment, maybe we can meet at the lake.

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As I sit here typing and watching football it is 47 degrees, there are small craft warnings with winds north at 20 mph, and it is lightly raining.  Normally after a week off  I would be fishing, but I am not quite that mad at them right now.  So college football is the plan for the next couple of days and it should break by then, I hope.

Next up will be totally weather dependent, with Baffin being at the top of the list.  As soon as it stabilizes with little wind I am gone.  In these parts, a trip to the Lavaca River before that pattern is over and of course the obligatory Coleto trip to see if I can get out of that rut I have been in.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Happy New Year to you and yours, and may you all have a great year!

Good Luck and Tight Lines