Fish Catching Travel

They were eating the KVD jerkbait today.

First I hope you all had a great weekend because we sure did.  Friday night it was Christmas dinner with my wife’s employer and her work compatriots, and then it was Austin for Fishmas.  I really want to thank Todd and his wife for their hospitality and good eats.  We got to see a few old friends and make a couple of new ones.  And the music was fantastic as Pete flat wailed on his mandolin.  I am sorry I forgot  (It is hell getting old.) his buddy’s name who was singing and playing the guitar, but to both of you,  it was great.  Thanks to all.

My buddy Voe is just finishing his complete remodel on the house and lots of folks have been coming by and I expect it will be sold soon.  And with that he will pack the last couple of things and join his significant other in Las Vegas.  One of the places I have talked about with him was Fayette County, and before he hits the road I was hoping we could fish it, and today was the day.

It was just cracking daylight when we got to the ramp.  The air temp was 43 degrees, the wind was around 10 out of the south, and it was apparent the lake is up.  So in the water we went, starting not that far from the ramp.  Those of you who read this stuff know the Shoedog and I throw the snot out of the jerkbait there year round, and so I started with the KVD 3 hook.  It was not long before I got the first one.

A good start.

As always I tried to keep the boat in about 6 – 7 foot of water and keep the jerkbait coming over the top of sunken grass.  And the retrieve was jerk/pause/jerk-jerk/pause and they were whacking it pretty good.

What we lovingly call a Fayette Fatty!  And they love that KVD Jerkbait.

They bit fairly consistently in the morning, and if I had to guess we put about 15 in the boat before noon.  I stayed with the jerkbait until they slowed down, Voe pretty much emptied his box, but as usual jerkbait and crankbait was the ticket.

A couple more good jerkbait fish.  Love the average size on Fayette.

Today grass was not a sure thing like it usually is on Fayette.  We seemed to catch one or two here and there, but really did not establish a real locational pattern.  Coves, points, channels, all seemed to have one here and there.

The few I caught on the shad color crankbait choked the crap out of it.

It really slowed down later in the afternoon and we finally found a couple of places that had a few fish.  I was throwing the crankbait and the ones that took the plunge were smacking it.

Good solid fish, Fayette fish are just plain fat from nose to tail.

They moved into small coves/notches in the bigger covers that were warming with the sun and had little wind on them.  By late afternoon the wind was blowing pretty good and the windy banks just did not produce any fish.

Around 4 we called it a day.  If I had to guess we boated over 20, maybe a couple more, most on jerkbait.  I really had the advantage over Voe as I knew to stay with the old tried and true, it has been our go to bait since Shoedog and I first fished there and if you keep throwing it sooner or later one, or 20, will eat it.   I really like Fayette for its consistency.  It is not always fabulous, like today where we had to work for them, but it is rare we do not catch  fish.  When you can say that about any body of water you have a good fishing hole.

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I got this comment the other day, and it is the reason I do this stuff.

Thanks for the timely report on the Lavaca river. I usually plan my coastal fishing trips around the full or new moon. I had planned a trip on 12/11 to hit Seadrift but the wind forecast had us making other plans. I have been wanting to hit the Lavaca River for a few years now and it was now the back up plan. It was perfect timing that you went Wednesday and loaded a fresh report.
We left Austin at 4:00 and hit the river about 7:15. All I knew was to start down past the power lines. It wasn’t too windy early as we drift the shore line. One thing we were not expecting was how many times we would get snagged on the flood debris. Lost a few jig heads. Wind was pushing us along pretty fast by the afternoon but we would catch one or two on each drift. All in all we had a decent day for it being our first time on the river. Very cool place to fish. We finished the day with 20 trout up to 19″, 5 reds , 3 black drum and 2 flounder. We both had a trout/red/ flounder/ drum slam so it was a good day. Kept a few fish for a meal.

Thanks for the blog.

John M

First thanks for the report.  I really appreciate hearing from folks who actually read this stuff and then make it work.  It was nice to read you kept a few for a meal and released the rest.  The Lavaca is like a lot of other spots, cool and something different to fish.  It is nice to hear from someone who enjoyed it for what it was, and did not engage in a meat haul.  Don’t get me wrong, if it is legal then I do not have a problem with it.  But the river is a cool place that everyone should try.  It is a different fishing experience that only happens a few months of the year and it should be respected for what it is.  Thanks again and feel free to drop us a report on any of your trips.

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While I was watching football Sunday I just caught a portion of an ad for a Ford pickup which had some kind of back up trailer assist.  Looked like that thing would back a boat without any problem.  I have to do a little more research to see what that is all about.  I know one thing, a truck that can back up the boat by itself will do away with the need for a wife.  Just kidding

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Shoedog is back from his hunting trip and will be headed this way soon for some saltwater fishing.  With some of our family making the trip to College Station for Christmas a fish fry is sure to happen.  We will probably fish the river and then wade the coast.  Again let me say I love getting your reports and comments.  It keeps me writing and we all can learn something.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

The Number 1 lure company in the world.

Voe was able to fish with me again so today we decided to hit Coleto.  Now I have been on a real love/hate kick with the lake the last couple of weeks, and today turned out to be no different.

It looks like the lake is coming up slowly but surely and it has definitely cleared some.  The only problem was the wind was blowing at least 20 mph out of the south, and it picked up as the morning wore on.  So with the wind blowing we started on a main lake bank by the dam and let the wind take us.  I was throwing a spinnerbait and Voe started with a buzzbait.

The first bite of the morning.

We rode the wind, dipping in and out of pockets and coves.  The first fish came on a buzzbait off a weed patch in a about a foot of water in a cove.  His second one came just a little bit later, also out of shallow water.  I on the other hand did not have a bite, which is the story of my bass fishing life lately.

The second and last one on the buzzbait.

After that we started bank hopping as we moved up lake, with absolutely no success.  When we finally rounded the big corner up lake the wind was howling right up the lake.  It was blowing to hard to have the kind of boat control necessary to fish properly, so we headed back down lake.  We stopped and fished a main lake bank with the wind pounding on it, and again no bites.

At this point we were fishing where we could, and not where I wanted.  Finally about noon we started getting bites after moving up near the intake.  And then a funny thing happened.  Voe has a watch that is a fishing watch which  actually lets you know when the prime periods are taking place.  It was showing 4 fish and flashing, and dang if the fish did not begin to bite.  (Good thing he brought the watch, he left his tackle bag at the house when I picked him up this morning.)

I finally got in on the action.

Over the next couple of hours we boated 8 – 10 fish, all on plastics.  Voe did miss one on a topwater, but there really wasn’t anywhere that was calm enough to work it properly.  I continued to throw spinnerbait, swim jig, and buzzbait without success.  But when I tossed the 5″ watermelon red senko style plastic I caught fish.

It has really puzzled me how on days like today, warm with wind and clouds, the fishing has just not been all that great.  Today was perfect weather for bites on moving baits, but they just are not interested.  I do think that if it had not blown quite so hard we would have actually caught quite a few today, but it was just to much of a hassle.  But by the same token we put a dozen or more in the boat, which is progress compared to the last couple of trips.  And we had a good time, so what is there to complain about.

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When I posted the picture of Pete on Garcitas with the bass I could not remember what they called that slam but here is a note from Pete to clear it up.

Hey Doug – We dubbed it the “Garcitas Slam” when you get a trout, redfish and bass. I suppose you could include flounder, but we didn’t catch any that day.
Cheers, Pete

Thanks for the reminder.  Had a good time fishing with you guys and anytime you are down let me know.  And see you this weekend.

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This weekend starts the holiday cheer for us.  First up is my lovely wife’s work party and dinner tonight, followed by Fishmas in Austin tomorrow.  It will be a busy weekend, but at least all the Christmas shopping is done and packages headed to the mail tomorrow.

The Shoedog is still in Nebraska trying to put that big one on the ground.  He has seen a few, and missed one shot, but he soldiers on.  The weather is going to take an ugly turn for the worse so he should be back in Texas pretty soon.

There will be some serious fishing next week.  First it will be Fayette on Monday depending on the wind, then back to the bay.  I will be looking for a warm cloudy day to spend some time wading and trying to catch that big trout.  The trout fishing has been nothing short of spectacular this fall, and there is no reason to suspect that it will slow down.  One of the real benefits of living in Victoria is good bass fishing right down the road and some of the best shallow water saltwater fishing in the country close.   Some days it is just tough to decide where to go, but that is a dilemma I can live with.   So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

The best baits money can buy!

 Voe and I decided that a trip to the Lavaca River was a good plan so we met about 8 and headed to the river.  It was warm even first thing, and though it was fogged in, as soon as we actually started casting the fog lifted.  By time we quit it was shirt sleeve weather.

The water was quite a bit clearer than my last trip, and there was a light wind maybe 5 mph out of the south.  We started down river past the power lines and from the first cast until we quit it was steady.

The first of an easy 50 today.

The better areas seemed to be where there were little flats and the boat was sitting in about 5 feet of water and a good cast just reached the bank.  Many of the fish were there on the first lift, most less than half way back to the boat.  I was throwing a plastic paddle tail on a 1/16th jig head and many of them were knocking the snot out of it.  Occasionally you would feel one hit it, swing and miss, and there would be another one on when you lifted it up again.  Others would grab it and be 5 feet from where you felt them.

Most were in this category, would have made an easy limit if keeping them.

Most of the morning we just kept easing down the bank, and I don’t think I even started the big motor for a couple of hours.  We would catch one here and there then hit a little pocket of them and maybe put 5 or 6 in the boat one after the other.  Color sure did not seem to matter today.   Voe did put a couple in the boat on a popping cork with a DOA shrimp, but bottom bouncing plastics on the jig head was the preferred method.

This was my third trip there this winter and the fishing has been getting better and better as the water clears.  I have been a little surprised that there has not been any keeper redfish, but I think that just is luck of the draw.  We caught several rats today, but none made the grade.

Just look at how fat this guy is, looks like a bonefish.

Later in the day I made a run up to the Navidad to my favorite bank, and other than one miss by both of us, it was a big fat zero.  The water is quite a bit more off-color from the bridges up, which may have something to do with the results.  In fact, as we were taking out we talked with a gentleman who just came down river and he only had one keeper, which is a pretty good indicator of how the fishing is up river.  I asked if he was coming back and so I put him right on the fish for tomorrow.  I love doing that and hope he whacks them.

The day would not be complete without the obligatory black drum.

So before we quit we headed back down river and caught another dozen or 20.  It was just like that today.  We easily boated 50 and would have had easy limits if we were keeping them.  None were particularly big fish, just a good run of trout with some solid keepers in the mix.  One of those days where the fishing remained steady and consistent all day.

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 A got this rant from Hal concerning a couple of rants by me.

I totally concur with your rant. Rich kids, athletes, etc are all that we see on outdoor shows now.  If they’d zoom out on half the hunts, we’d see how canned the hunt is. Even if it’s not canned, they are filmed in prime/exclusive locations that you and I can’t afford to go to.

The fishing shows have become advertisements with a bit of fishing. I understand that America is all about retail and squeezing more money out of folks, but I get tired and disinterested in watching those shows. Your blog, on the other hand, is more informative, helpful and entertaining. Keep it up because we enjoy it.

One of your other rants some time ago related to whole ducks left on the ground at one of the ramps in POC. I saw some at Thanksgiving in POC as well. Hunting is not a video game. When you shoot an animal, eat it. If you don’t care to do that, quit hunting because animal rights activist will use such idiots against those of us who love the hunt and the harvest.  It’s our duty and obligation to call out such idiots and report them when we see it.

Oops. I better stop now before I fall off my soapbox.

Thanks again and take care!

Hal

Fish Catching Travel

Do not overlook the white Swimming Jig this time of year!

I forgot to post this picture of Pete on Garcitas Creek from the other day.

A Garcitas Creek bass.

Besides this largemouth, they put a few trout in the boat there on Thursday.  They had concocted a name for the slam he caught that day, but in my old age I forgot what they said.  So what would you call a redfish, trout, flounder, and a bass on the same trip?

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And here is Jeff’s report from his weekend of tourney fishing on Coleto.

Doug,

Saturday morning was a very cold launch 38 degrees to start. I decided it best not to freeze my partner, so a short run was in order. We went around the corner from the launch cove heading south to first trees on the left. After about an hour I lost my first fish on a trap. After the sun came out we made that run all the way up the river to the buoy. Fished the creek to the left where I had caught two decent fish Friday and nothing. Headed back down south to next creek on the left which had some isolated trees near creek channel and picked up two quality fish here….. Decided to see if that would work somewhere else, so we headed further South to some isolated trees by a boat stall and picked up a solid 3 pound fish. Moved down again to the creek that goes left rt as the river turns rt….. Nothing but wasted time there…. at least for the small pattern I had put together(fat storm square bill, 5′-6′ depth) had to hit the wood and they would take when it stopped and floated back up. I don’t think I felt one of them hit, just got heavy or they hooked themselves and swam off. Next stop we ran up to some trees across from the creek heading back into the discharge and put number 4 in the boat.  The last 30 minutes we spent on the right hand point leading back to ramp. I mention this because I had one follow a trap back to the boat and as i was picking it up out of the water at the boat it jumped out of the water to try and get it. Was pretty neat had never had that happen before. Ending total 4 fish 9.80

Day 2: Decided to run back to trees across from discharge creek….. Had seemed like a good idea to start as i picked up 3 rt away however this time all near the flooded grass line, and all on a white swim jig, I did have two that came off that might have kept but who knows, my swim jig fish were much smaller all about 14-1/4 – 14-1/2″……. Off the water at noon ending total 3.85 two day total 13.65 good for only 4th place.

1st   was a little over 25lbs

2nd  was around 22

3rd  was around 19

4th was us at 13.65

5th was rt around 5lbs

I believe the first place team spent all of there time down on the south end.

There you have it, the Waller County Bass Club Classic at Coleto Creek 🙂 the most disappointing part of my trip was not being able to get my partner a fish.

Jeff

After our tough day on Coleto I got this comment from one of my most loyal readers.

Doug, glad to hear that you are only human. For the past 3 years I have viewed your blog only to see you and your many catches from all waters. Most of us are not as skilled in catching fish as you are. Many times I see your pictures and read your words of all kinds of fish you caught that day. Skunk is not in your vocabulary but it is in mine and others. We are inspired by your dedication and sharing your exploits with all of us. This past year, I have not caught as many fish as I did in my younger days, but just getting away from the trials and tribulations of mundane daily life while not on the water keeps me sane. I often are picked up by your blogs and they give me hope on my next venture out. Keep us abreast of your travels and both good and bad days… Sorry there are no bad days when one is on the water. Even Redfishlaw has days with little or no fish but you always come up with great stories to keep us glued to our computers waiting for whatever you write about Thank you and We all are with you in every outing you go on. Mac

First off thanks for your kind words, I am not sure I am all that deserving of them but they are appreciated.  As far as how skilled I am there is an old saying – “The more I fish the luckier I get.”  That applies to all of us and nothing beats time on the water.  And it is so true about being on the water, catching fish becomes the primary motivation and we often forget that being out there is to be savored for what it is.  And as far as hope and anticipation, it defines fishing, hope for today, tomorrow, the next cast, the next place, the next bait, hope springs eternal.  After all these years I still wake up hours before I need to if headed to the water, I hope those feelings never fade.  So thanks for making me think about things with a little more perspective than simply basing success on production.  Comment anytime you feel the need to, they are always welcome.

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I know this is off topic but since this is my blog a proud papa gets to toot his daughter’s horn.  If you have read my stuff for a while you know my daughter Carrie and her husband have their Vilakazi Foundation that helps really poor children in the ghettos of South Africa, doing it out of the goodness of their hearts and a sense of duty.  Both have been recognized as young players in Oklahoma City and are active in the community.  Now my daughter has decided to run for school board out of this ongoing sense of duty to children.  As a former teacher and journalist who has written extensively on both state and local public school issues, she is well informed and qualified for the job.  I am proud of her accomplishments and both of them are great folks that this world needs more of.  My only comment – Look out what you wish for!

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A Rant

Theresa Vail, former beauty queen, of the TV show Limitless with Theresa Vail on the Outdoor Channel, is currently charged with crimes involving illegally taking a grizzly and then participating in a cover up with the Alaskan guides.  Outdoor shows have been taken over in many cases by cute girls, rich kids, well connected monied folks, athletes, and others who do not have the long term background in the outdoors or ethical practices.  I do not need to remind you Ted Nugent has been prosecuted in several states for game law violations.  Many of these folks could not catch a fish or kill a bear on their own if they tried.

The Outdoor Channel and the other outdoor networks share the blame, not to mention the suppliers of outdoor equipment.   There is a big difference between making a mistake and then acknowledging and taking your punishment like a stand up person and engaging in an illegal cover up.  That simple act takes it out of oops stuff happens and puts it into intentional criminal action.  That is never the actions of an ethical outdoorsman,  that is the actions of a criminal.  When will the Outdoor Channel and suppliers of outdoor equipment going to stand up and say we will not air shows or sponsor those who have engaged in this type of activity, intentional law breaking?  Her show should be suspended pending the outcome of the legal issues, and if she is convicted it should be canceled.  Hunting and gun ownership is under enough pressure in the country and we do not need this type of exposure.

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So here I sit at home, without a tow vehicle.  I had hoped this thing would go pretty quickly but doubts are beginning to creep in.  After speaking with the insurance company Monday I took it to a body shop and dropped it off to await the adjuster.  Then the body shop calls and asks if I want it back, no adjuster until Thursday.  THURSDAY!  Are you f’n kidding me?  So I complained to the insurance company and was told the body shop could do the estimate.  Ok good, and everyone would get a hold of me.  Now here it is the next day and I have not heard a word.  The damage is quite a bit more extensive than previously thought so I am starting to get worried.  No tow vehicle puts me in a bad way, heck I feel like a heroin addict who can’t get a fix.  The longer this goes the worse I will feel.  So I guess it is time to sit back and try not to stress out to bad.  It will resolve itself when it does.  I guess my thought that it might be taken care of quickly and efficiently was just a dream and I should have known better.

On a good note my buddy Voe is going to do the towing tomorrow.  We are headed to either the creek or the river to put the smack down on some trout and reds.  The weather looks great and tide will be falling first thing and then rising the rest of the day.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

Do not overlook the white Swimming Jig this time of year!

Taking the good with the bad.

This is livin’  –  That is all I have to say about that!

The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.  Talk about a day filled with fun and fish ending on a down note, this sure was it.  The Austin boys were down for their annual December fishing trip and I was invited.  18 guys and 4 boats, they are hard-core fisherman and good sticks, plus they are more fun than a barrel of monkeys!

I was going to fish with Todd and his bunch, so we headed back to Pringle to fish his fresh dead shrimp on popping cork drifting pattern while some of the guys wanted to wade.  They tore the reds and trout up in there a couple of weeks ago and were back for more.  So we got in line with the other 10 -15 boats in there and started drifting.  Now I do not want you to think I have gone over to the dark side, using live bait and listening to good tunes while we fish, but I stayed in the boat for a few drifts to watch them as I threw plastics.

Our first pass we put 4 keepers in the boat, and it basically continued like that for 3 or 4 drifts.  There were areas of off-color water and that seemed to be the sweet spots that were holding fish.  Basically the fresh dead shrimp were out fishing my plastic, but that would actually change later.  It is such a good thing to do if you have folks who are not that proficient fishermen.  We caught lots of trout, rat reds, and flounder during the day.  Then the wading boys called needing a break.  We motored over and picked them up on the Pringle shoreline, and they had a few nice fish to say the least.

John’s personal best – 25″ of speckled trout.

Wearing his Cocoons, John’s nice string for the first wade.

Pete and John were both throwing plastics, and these came on a 4″ white paddle tail on a small jig head.  One thing we noticed today was the better trout and reds were in the knee-deep range on the shoreline near grass and not on any bare sandy areas.  The mixed grass and potholes was the ticket.

The boys taking a lunch break.

At this point I jumped out of the boat and did a little wading.  In keeping with my plan to catch a big trout I stayed with topwater and on that wade had one big blow up which missed by a mile.  Pete and John maybe added another fish or 2, but it was slow during mid day.  Todd headed back out to drift and after the flurry in the morning it slowed considerably as the tide stopped moving.

One thing about these boys, as they only make it down a few times during the year there is no wussing out, they fish from daylight until dark.  So we made a couple of more drifts and the plastic really started coming on and I put a couple of keepers in the boat and it seemed only small trout wanted the shrimp.  So we all met up again and it was decided that we would do a group wade in the area they caught their good reds and trout earlier.  One of the other boats with Ken and his boys joined in and they all cornered them.

It was interesting as Todd took his shrimp and was fishing it while the other 6 or 7 guys were throwing plastics, and they were eating the plastics right next to him.  So he switched and everyone ended up putting a few on the stringer, including another personal best for the group.  The hot bait was a straight tail jerk bait in a grey/clear flake with a Chartreuse tail.  As the sun set the bite was on.  They had a great time as they were fishing close to each other, talking and laughing like we all do when the good fish are biting.

Look closely, the long one is Pete’s personal best, a 26″ trout.

Todd with a couple of 20″ trout that did not raise an eyebrow today.

Pete fills out his redfish limit.

They all lined up on the shoreline on the edge of a pocket and had a great time talking and catching fish.  I on the other hand headed the other way and kept with the topwater, and other than one half-hearted swirl did not get a bite.  I noticed an area with baitfish so I waded over and parked on the edge and finally boated a nice 19″ on plastics.  On some days that would be a good one, today it was just another nice trout.  I do not have a clue how many we caught, or kept, it was not my job to count, but it was a solid day of fishing.  Our boat was just a fish or two from our 5 man limit of reds and trout.  Not sure how the other 3 boats ended up but everybody had fish.

Suffice to say this was a nice string of fish, carrying the cooler to the cleaning table was not a one man job!

It was just getting dark as we exited the cut at Pringle and headed back to Froggie’s to clean fish and put the boat on the trailer.  As we got close there seemed to be some lighted boats in the ICW, and I told Todd to slow down, until then I had forgotten it was the Christmas boat parade.  So was we idle to the cleaning table the party starts.

Todd’s boat has the cool underwater green lights all around with blue LED’s inside so we fit right in.

Talk about surreal!  Here we are, wet, smelly, with a pile of fish.  The dock and fingers of the ramp are crowded with people and we are right in the middle of it butchering fish.  Beads, candy, and Frisbees flying, fireworks going off, decorated boats streaming by, it does not get any weirder than that.  So we got that job done and it was back to their rental, where it kind of went downhill from there.

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        As my lovely wife always says, “It only hurts for a second.”  Or, Pride goeth before the fall.

When we got back a nice gentleman with the group I had not met before was looking for me.  It was pretty dark and he managed to back his truck and boat right into the front of my truck.  Now let me get this out of the way, my new 4Runner, my 3rd one, is my favorite of all the vehicles I have ever owned.  I love that truck.  I mean really.  I guess I was a little to proud of it.  It was dark as we walked to the front and it was ugly, and it turned out even uglier in the daylight.  It makes me cringe just looking at it.  The gentleman who hit me felt at least as bad as I did, and already had all the info ready for me.

Ouch! 

It is driveable as long as you don’t need those pesky turn signals, like the ditch well lighted and not the road, and are not worried if the hood pops open while you are driving down the highway.  And it really is no problem when you are 62 y/o crawling over the passanger seat, console, and shifters to get in the driver’s seat because the driver door will not open.  And opening the hood to see what other damage has been done might be risky, bent and sprung, it may not close again.  And to finish off what I can see the whole front nose piece is cracked.  Dang it!  I promise to not whine about it again, probably.

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On a day where 2 of the guys caught their personal best trout, and a 19″ was no big deal, we began discussing the fishing lately and several theories sprung up on why we are catching bigger trout, and more of them.  The following is what we came up, along with other guys I have spoken with, as some of the reasons.

One: It is the first year of the 5 fish limit and it is working quicker than we could have imagined.  Just looking out at the 20 or so boats we saw in Pringle yesterday you only had to do the math.  3 people to a boat, 15 less trout in the box times 20 boats is 300 hundred trout that one day, in that one place, on a day at POC that can only be described as not that busy.  That does not count all the other boats in the POC area that day and during the year, not to mention what the guide boats will take in a year.  That is a heck of a lot of fish.

Two:  The spring floods.  The first real benefit was the cleansing of the bay.  There seems to be so many more blue crabs, mullet, and bait.  Many of the bigger trout the last couple of months have been in amazing shape, fat and sassy.  Nothing like a smorgasbord everyday to keep the weight on.  And if you remember it was tough the first couple of months this summer as we dealt with higher than normal fresh water in the system, which also left it off-color for months.  The fishing was tough, and then it finally broke and the bite has been on the last couple of months.

Three:  We are just awesome fishermen and getting more “awesomer” by the minute.  Seriously, we have all experienced a significant increase in the number of good trout the last couple of months.  I know I personally have caught more 20″+ trout the last couple of months than I caught the 6 years since moving here, not to mention a 29″ earlier this year.  I wish it was us because we are such amazing sticks, but it probably has a little more to do with theories One and Two.

These reasons seem to be the ones that most guys I have talked to think have affected our fishing lately.  Who knows if they are even anywhere near right, they are only uneducated guesses based on what is flopping in the net.  So if you have a theory, or something to say on this subject, please chime in.  And as usual, if you have anything else to say let us know, we love your comments and reports.

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Since I moved to Arkansas in the mid 70’s I have participated in lots of fishing trips with assorted large groups.  These guys are as good a bunch of guys as you could hope to hang out with, not to mention they are hardcore fishermen.  They eat, fish, and play hard on their occasional trips here, and I am always glad when I am invited.  And it really helps when the fishing is good.

What a week here at fishcatchingtravel.com.  A good day on the Lavaca, a slow day on Coleto, a whack and stack at POC, Cocoons Eyewear coming on board, and my truck gets the new smacked off it.  Who knows what this week will bring, but I know one thing, not having a truck is a real issue.  I know I am spoiled having 2 boats always ready to go, but there are not 2 trucks, and without one I may have to see a psychiatrist by time that gets resolved.  So please keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

Do not overlook the white Swimming Jig this time of year!

I need a break from Coleto.  After fishing it really heavy the last 4 years a case of burn out has set in.   It is probably caused by a number of things, which right now really means tough fishing.  And that has one root cause, me.  For some reason it has become tough to figure out, which is my fault.  Basically if you are not catching fish you are not doing something right.  That said, there are just some times tougher than others, and that is a perfect description of the fishing right now.

After whacking the trout  yesterday it was off to the lake with Voe.  The ride was cold heading up lake so we made the whole run and got that out of the way.  We alternated between plastics and Voe threw the buzzbait some until he caught his first one on a senko style plastic Texas rigged.

Voe put the first nice one in the boat.

It was probably an hour or so before he boated his first one.  I meanwhile was not having any luck.  Finally one tried to run away with it next to a tree and with my superior skill managed to mess it up and miss him.  Voe finally caught another one like the one above, again on the 5″ senko.  We fished the channel side, the flat side, brush, logs, rocks,  and just could not get it going.  The water was pretty off-color up lake, unfortunately I had the skiff, so no water temp.  I heard another boat talking and they said it was in the 50’s up lake.

We moved down just a hair and on the way there is a small flat point with bushes sticking way out on a flat so we stopped and fished it,  On my 3rd cast one thumped that all white Strike King Swimming Jig and the tussle was one.

This girl went 5’4″, to bad that was the last of it.

Voe has a scale so we weighed her and she was 5’4″.  She came out of 2 foot of water, and the boat was siting in 4.  Of course it was the last fish I boated today.  We fished several of my favorite places, and a couple I have not fished in a while, and besides losing one on a spinnerbait and missing one on a lizard, it was zip.  After Voe catching his 2 I don’t think he had another bite.  So what is the problem?

First, if we were tourney fishing there would not be a problem.  The 3 we landed were good fish, and only having to boat 2 more we would have stayed up lake and ground it out.  But we weren’t.  If I had to guess there are 3 reasons fishing is so poor right now.  One, no grass, which is a given.  Second, that rain last week when it was cool really slowed it down even further.  And last, I think the continued fluctuation combined with the temp and time of year have put them somewhere, to bad I do not know where that is.  But I will figure it out at some point, or they will just start their pre-spawn move and all will be right with the world.

We called it a day about 2:30 after only boating 3.  Though we did not do all that well it is always nice to fish with Voe.  The lake fishing has just left me somewhat befuddled and not knowing whether to fish it every day until I figure it out, or spend more time at the Gulf.  I guess the Gulf will win out for now.  As I type this I am waiting to hear from the Austin boys as to how their day went and what time I should meet them in the morning.  It will be good to see some of the guys I have not seen this year.  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 I was headed to the creek but after thinking about it last night plans changed and it was the Lavaca River.  Last time it was real off-color and though I caught some fish it just wasn’t what I had in mind.  So with a new outlook I hit the ramp at 10:30 and headed down river.

The color was not the best, but compared with last trip it was lots better, getting clearer the farther down you went.  So as soon as I passed the overhead power line down the trolling motor went and the wind basically blew us down river.  That north wind was about 15 mph and cool, but at least it was blowing right down the river.  The first one came over the side about 5 minutes after first cast, and the bite remained fairly good until I quit at 3.

They averaged a little better than last trip.

Initially it was the Chattahoochee paddle tail in an electric chicken color, but after a few fish I changed to the sand eel in a copper and they seemed to like that quite a bit better.  I did have to go to a solid/heavy 1/8th jig head with the speed of the river and wind blowing me down pretty quickly to get the feel I needed to feel some of the softer bites.

They really were liking the sand eel plastic today.

I stayed on the west bank and just went with the wind.  I guess I would describe the bite as erratic.  Some ate it, some you never felt, some ticked the snot out of it, but no matter what the majority of the bites came in 1 – 3 foot of water.  I did notice today that the shallower stretches of bank with bare sand seemed to be the preferred stretches.

Copper  flake with a Chartreuse tail.

It would be hard to estimate the number of trout today, but it was an easy 25 plus, but who knows, it seems like if I do not start off trying to keep track it does not happen.  Suffice to say it was a consistent bite.  The big motor never even started until I hit the other side of the river near the marsh and the opening to the lake.  By that time the water had quit moving, and though they were nipping at it pretty regularly, they were not quite as committed as they had been when I started.

This one had some shoulders.

I was surprised today that besides the one rat and a midget drum, nothing else jumped on.  I may have lost a flounder earlier, but who knows.  It was definitely a trout bite though it is somewhat unusual to not catch a few more of the other fish.  Before I quit I wanted to head up river and check out the color and my favorite bank in the Navidad.

A rat red and little black drum were the size of it besides trout today.

The river was off-color the farther up you went and when you went under the bridge at the mouth of the Navidad you could clearly see the color break.  The Lavaca was quite a bit dirtier than the Navidad.  So I went in there to check my favorite place in that area and like last time could not get a bite.  All in all not a bad day on the water.  For how short I fished it was a pretty easy limit, to bad I did not bring the cooler, they would be frying in the pan right now.

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After telling you about Cocoons coming on board I got this note from Jim.

Thanks for the tip on the cocoons, that will do the trick for me I am sure

I hope you like them as much as I do.  Today it was that really bright sun and having the side plates on there was a big help, not to mention seeing the logs in the river and keeping from getting hung quite so much.  Let us know how you like them and thanks for the comment.

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Jeff, who I will be meeting somewhere on Coleto tomorrow, noticed the deer pictures I have been posting and so he dropped me one his nephew shot.

That is a nice one, I am sure your nephew was proud.

Thanks for the pic and looking forward to seeing you out there on the lake somewhere.

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

The Austin boys are back in town already for another run at POC.  I know a couple of them came a day early and were going to fish the creek before the rest of them arrived tonight.  I had already made plans to fish with Voe before I knew they were coming so we will be chasing some bass tomorrow.  Then I will be able to hook up with them on Saturday for a little wading out of POC and an all around good time.

The fishing generally remains good, hopefully we can figure a little more out on those Coleto bass, and who knows, help Jeff out some for his tournament.  The fishing should only get better and lots of guys are having trouble deciding which way to go, do some hunting or do a little fishing.  What a great time of year.  A bass report, followed by a POC report is on the way, so keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

The best baits on the planet!

Though I have not fished any the last couple of days there is lots to talk about.  First though I would like to welcome Cocoons Eyewear to fishcatchingtravel.com.

Cocoons Eyewear

If you have been reading my stuff you have seen the thousands of pictures where I am usually wearing fitover sunglasses.  The only brand I have ever worn are Cocoons.  I don’t remember when I first bought some, but they have been my standard polarized glasses ever since I saw and bought my first pair.  They have enough sizes to fitover any glasses, with a multitude of lens colors for all conditions.  They have been kind enough to lend support to the blog and I wanted to thank them.

Of course the obvious reason to wear a good pair of polarized Cocoons is to see stuff in the water.  Whether it is a stump on your favorite lake, a tarpon laid up in a pothole, bonefish on a Belize flat, or a big granite shoal just below the surface on Lake of the Woods, good optics let you see it all.  I would not have boated my only permit on the last trip to Belize without them, and I wear them under almost any condition no matter what fish I am chasing.

There is another reason I wear them, eye protection.  Whether it is a huge muskie plug with a 20lber attached, or a 1/4 ounce slip sinker flopping around outside that big bass’ mouth, a layer of protection between your eyes and those potential missiles is worth every penny.  And what is not to like about the lifetime warranty on the frames.  And a word to the wise, register the warranty and save the receipt, they will definitely stand behind them.

A little while ago I actually managed to hit myself in the face with the rod while setting the hook.  It broke the frame, but after a little super glue I was good to go.  My wife was real impressed when I told her I was thinking about putting a piece of tape on them like my 5th grade picture since I forgot to save the receipt.  So register that warranty and keep the receipt, you just might outlive them.

So thanks again to Cocoons Eyewear.  A great product at a great price, what is not to like.  Click on the link to the right and look over their catalog.  You will be surprised at the wide range of eyewear they offer, including clip-ons, which I have a pair, and their new clip on wrap arounds, along with a host of fitover polarized glasses.  You know I don’t plug stuff here that I do not use and believe in, and Cocoons is one of those products that works.

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I got this great report from Aaron A.  He has laid the smack down on them.

Hey Doug,

I’ve loved the recent salt reports.  I’ve had a hard time getting the coast with deer season in full swing but did manage to grab the kayaks for a morning on the water with my wife over Thanksgiving.  The fishing was as you advertised and we had about 50 before lunch (cleaning table pic of the ones we kept attached).  I even caught a black bass in a back creek the cast after catching a trout.  Never had that happen before.

As much as I love fishing, this time of year the focus is deer.  I took a big turkey with the bow for Thanksgiving and spent a good bit of November looking for the big 9 point in the attached photo (taken by landowner on a portion of the property we can’t hunt).  I hunt near Fredericksburg so this is a big deer for a hill country low fence ranch.  I ended up shooting him over a mile away from where this trailcam pic was taken.  Back tines were over 12” and he grossed 146.  He’s the best deer I’ve taken after 27 years of hunting the hill country.

Your Coleto reports haven’t inspired me to give the lake a try but I’ll probably give it a shot during Christmas.  Always feast or famine on Coleto for me as well.  I’ll let you know how it goes.

Thanks as always for the reports.

Aaron

Wow on the deer!  That is an awesome buck of a lifetime.  In fact this picture almost looks fake.  All I have to say is you have one good place to hunt as his buddy is no slouch either.

That is a freakin’ monster!

And good job on the trout.  Being able to slip in the rivers and creeks off the Gulf right now in a Kayak is a sure ticket for some fish, the keepers below will do all day long.

A nice solid mess of winter speckled trout.

And as far as the Coleto fishing I will be giving it a go this week so stay tuned, it has to get better.  So as usual I appreciate your great reports and pictures.  Looks like you have made good use of your limited outdoor time.  Thanks again.

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

Speaking of deer Shoedog sent me this trail cam photo.  He has really hunted hard this year and this guy has made the camera during shooting hours again, of course when Shoedog took the morning off.

He will forever be known as the Nemesis Buck.

That is really a nice shooter buck.  Shoedog has passed a smaller one or two waiting for this guy.  Who knows, he just might know when to be there or when not to be there.  Hope you get him on the ground.  And good luck in Nebraska.  Shoedog leaves in a day or two for 3 or 4 days of hunting with Terry for those big monster northern bucks.  They did not get a big one on the ground up there yet, so hopefully they can harvest a whooper.

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

Yesterday when I blogged about my less than satisfactory Coleto trip I mentioned that the truck parked next to me was my buddy Bobby so I sent a shout out to him to see how he did.

Hey Doug the last time I was at the lake was about 2 weeks ago. Man I did not get one bite. I tried everything I had it was not to be so I just threw in the towel!!!

Guess that was not you.  Ouch!  I know the feeling.  This year Coleto has been a victim of no grass, constantly fluctuating water levels, and poor water color.  The good thing about the lake right now is it can only get better.  So hang in there Bubba, better days are coming.

And speaking of bass we have not heard from our resident bass pro on Fayette and Bastrop.  So Rusty how has it been on the lake?  Might get my blood going for a trip to Fayette, it is usually pretty good right now.

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

And as long as we are talking about Coleto, I got this comment from Jeff, whos club has been trying to hold a tourney on Coleto for over a month.

Doug,

Just wanted to touch base with you, our re-scheduled end of year classic is finally upon us. I read your post today about the murky water, is good to hear that the water level is up. We will be coming down early Friday for some pre-fishing. I am thinking I will run my wife way up the river and work down…. With the cooler weather I had planned on targeting the backs of creeks but saw a recent report where water temps are holding between 70-77…

It will be a win for me no matter the case, as you have pointed out I am very lucky that my wife does this with me.

Perhaps one day we will see you out there.

Jeff

The sun will come out tomorrow, sounds like a bad Broadway song, and I will be back on the water.  I think it will be the river or creek for some trout and reds as the lake has continued to confound me this winter.  But we are just a month away from pre-spawn, and as they have done for eons, the fish will answer the call and the fishing will pick up.  And I am still trying to get a couple of days at Baffin to continue my quest for a real trout.  So it is on with the Cocoons and off we go.  Keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

The best baits on the planet!

Hope everyone’s holiday weekend went ok.  We finished ours off by hitting IKEA and Bass Pro in Round Rock on Sunday.  It surprised me how many folks were still shopping.  Wine glasses at IKEA and replacement sunglasses from Bass Pro were on the shopping list.  It was my first trip to that Bass Pro, and it was just like all of them.  They are both rapidly turning into department stores that sell hunting and fishing stuff.  I did hear they might be buying Cabela’s but how that would really matter or change things we will have to wait and see.

So yesterday after a leisurely breakfast I headed to Coleto.  There was nobody at the ramp and it was drizzling lightly.  It looks to me like the lake is up a little, and the water color was murky at best.  With rain in the forecast I fished around the lower end.  And it begged the following questions:  How long do you fish without a bite before you quit?  How many different types of lures  should you throw without a bite before it is ok to quit?  I have an answer to both of them, 4 is about right.

Before I mislead you I did have one bite, it was a nice blue cat on a plastic but he came off when I tried to flip him in the boat.  Other than that, not a bite, zero, zip, nada.  I fished a spinnerbait, topwater minnow, crankbait, Swim Jig, and plastics and caught exactly nothing.  Coves, main lake points, channel edges, flats, that about covers it.  It was one of the few times where I really felt like the bass on Coleto were just not having it, and I mean anything.  Finally about 1:30 I could not stand it any more so it was off to the house.

It will be interesting to hear from Bobby.  I believe that was your truck parked next to mine at the ramp.  So how did it go?  Surely you must have done at least a little better than I did.  Drop us a line.

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

Evan got a moment to comment and sent a few pictures along with it.

Well sir, time for me to comment. I’ve been busy with the holidays, new house, hunting season (of course), and a new baby who should be here before St. Nick.  Speaking of baby, she’ll be my 3rd little girl.  I’m blessed for sure.  Going to reward myself with more guns and ammo.  God save the boys because I won’t be.  Ha! My biggest fan (and critic) is glad to be prego during hunting season.  It has really prevented me from going out.  I’ve only been on one hunt this year to be honest.  Its sad really.  Almost depressing so I try not to think about it.  I’ll just keep salivating over your fishing reports and those beautiful people that send you those duck hunting reports from the coast.  My goodness I need a good duck hunt. Your posts from the last couple of weeks really hit the nail on the head.  Its hard for someone like me to love football right now.  The only thing good about the Cowboys is Romo is out.  He’s about a good a QB as the Aggies have.  Which Aggie QB I’m talking about? Whichever one they decide to play this quarter.  Ugh. Aggie football.  Its like we’re back to the ‘ol Slocum Big 12 days.  Bad QB, bad coach, bad football.  Its quite depressing.  So glad for other awesome SEC teams.  Including those nasty pigs.    Go Hogs! Should be going on a Texas meat hunt in a week or so (deer).  I told BabyGirl#3 to hold off until after I get back from that trip.  I need it.  You’re my hero.  When I grow up and get to wake up every morning and go fishing/hunting – well….  I’ll just keep reading for now and work hard to get there.  Thanks for sharing.  Keep the reports coming.

*Attached pics from my weekend goose hunt out of Garwood, TX*  If I’m allowed to advertise: Mike Lanier @ Red Bluff Prairie Hunting Club has a phenomenal setup. We worked hard for these geese but when you limit out – it pays off.  9 man limit both days on Specklebelly, with some snows/ross’ and ducks mixed in.         http://redbluffprairie.com/

Not only are you allowed to blow their horn, I looked at their website and they have a first class operation.  So if you hunt feathered things click on the link and look at what they have to offer.  From the looks of their site, and your pictures, the shooting is always good with them.

 Nobody minds totting that load.

I appreciate you hanging with me and your comments.  Good luck on the meat hunt.  Hope you get home just in time for BabyGirl#3.

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

I also heard from Hal.  He was down in POC last week and wondered if I could help him point the way to a few fish, and it looks like it went ok.

Well, I’m back at this desk and computer plugging away at it again wishing I was on the bay fishing. I just wanted to get back with you and say thanks so much for the info.

We fished the flat around Army Hole as you recommended and had a lot of fun. My brother-in-law and nephews waded around the flat using live shrimp and Spanish sardines. They limited out on reds on Friday. We drifted all over the flat with shrimp under a popping cork and picked a mixed bag of reds, trout and flounder.

My brother in law and nephews did wade around dewberry and caught a bunch of black drum. We never made it to South Pass or the opening to Shoalwater.

It was a great time thanks to your willingness to share info and I really appreciate it. It’s just not common that anyone does that anymore. My wife, daughter, sister and nephews had a hoot because of it.

Now that is what I am talking about.  Sounds like you dialed them in pretty good.  It really is consistent with the fishing we have had the last couple of months.  So keep those cards and letters coming, we love hearing about your trips.

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

That catches us up for a little bit.  The weather today, Tuesday, is similar to yesterday, around 50 degrees with intermittent rain/mist.  It is that cold wet weather that cools your bones.  But there is a turn coming, and with it me back on the water.  Time to get the insulated waders out and get ready for some cold weather wading.  Just have to figure out a time to head down to Baffin for a couple of days.  And I really appreciate all your comments and pictures, actually makes my job easier and we all learn something from them.  Keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines 

Fish Catching Travel

The best baits on the planet!

I spent the last couple of days in College Station with the Shoedog and his family and got to fish a lake that I can honestly say has been my nemesis.  Somerville has been tough for us, and rarely did we ever catch much more that white bass and the occasional hybrid.  For me the bass were few and far between and it seemed like I did not have a clue on that lake, which obviously I didn’t.  After our conversation with the guy at the cleaning table on Coleto who told us fishing was improving it was time to give it one more chance.

The lake is way up and the water is slightly off-color and there was hardly anyone fishing as we headed out.  Our first stop was the big island by the ramp and it was catfish city.  Shoedog caught one on a jerkbait, not a rare occurence this time of year in Texas, and then I caught one on a plastic.  He also put a small bass in the boat on his jerkbait before we moved.

Jerkbait catfish.

My turn.

From there was headed into a long cove and started fishing from the back out to the mouth.  If I have not ever fished a lake, or haven’t fished one lately, this is the easiest way to get a quick idea on what might be going on.  And not having an idea what might be working we fished jerkbait, spinnerbait, plastics, and a Strike King Swim Jig.  I love the white Swim Jig with a paddle tail trailer this time of year.  They are feeding heavily on shad and it does the job.

Yes there are bass in Somerville.

We would motor almost to the back and then fish out, and it might have taken 2 or 3 before we put it together.  Most of the fish we caught were all the way back in 6 foot of water in the brush.  Now don’t get me wrong, of the 15 or so we caught they were small, but that was not the point.  Somerville has some bass and if this water stays up it may be a banner year.

With the water temp being 62 or so I could not resist the spinnerbait and the ones that ate it smoked it.  But the Swim Jig was the preferred bait.  Once we started really going in the back of those places we found the other key, shad.  If there was a bunch of shad dimpling it was almost a guaranteed bite.  So though we got a late start we put it together and from there it was fairly consistent.  Unfortunately his trolling motor battery was not fully charged and it limited us somewhat, but it made it until dark.

I love hitting a new to me lake.  Not sure what or where to go, and then figuring out a way to catch them is what fishing is all about.  Being able to recognize a pattern fairly quickly and then repeating it in other areas is truly the bassin’ game, and today we did ok.  I really am hopeful that is a sign on a resurgence for Somerville as far as the bass goes.  Though no big fish came over the side, there are fish there and if you live in that area get ready for what should be an awesome spring.

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

The other reason I went up there was to do a little deer hunting, so Thanksgiving morning we were in the stand before daylight.  The place he hunts has lots of deer, and hopes were high.  Finally after noon we called it a day for some Thanksgiving dinner and a little football.  We did not see a deer.  Before we left he checked the game cam and for some reason there had not been a deer there for 2 1/2 days.  Who knows why, but I can state that is my hunting luck.  It has been decades since I shot one, and my luck continues.  I am not asking much, just a simple doe, but it just did not happen.  Thankfully I have some folks who share a little with me, it is backstrap for tonight’s supper.  So while it was not a successful hunting trip, it was nice to spend some time in the woods even if I did not have a rod in my hand.

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As you cross the dam headed to the ramp at Somerville and you can see the spillway below.  There were lots of cars in the lot so I stopped to see what they were catching.

Dumping water out the spillway and here come the white bass.

I talked to a guy who said he was catching nice catfish early, then switching over to white bass.  Several people caught some while I was there, so if you live in the area the fish are there for the taking.

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

I got this kind post from Polecat, love the name by the way.

Thanks for the reports. I may not comment much but use your reports religiously to help me find fish when I am unable to make it fishing frequently. It has helped my catching which is still not much lol , but thx for the reports. They are actually helpful. Really appreciated.

It may sound like horse hockey but this really is the reason I do this.  It may not mean much, but if it helps anyone put another fish in the boat it is all worth it.  And I really sympathize, it was not that long ago I could not go fishing whenever I wanted but I am so fortunate that my life has turned out this way.  So when I am tired, or not feeling it, I still go.  We only have so many days on this earth and there are so many fish to catch.  So thanks for your comment, your turn is coming.

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I also got this interesting comment from Billy.

Shameless self plug.
I sure don’t like hearing about folks having to fish by themselves.

I know this will probably get me kicked to the curb, but I’m already on the outside looking in.

Look out what you wish for.  So check  your email, you never know.

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

Before I wrap this up I do have one off topic comment on football.  As we were watching the Cowboy game Shoedog, who hates the Cowboys, said they need to take Romo out before he gets hurt.  It took exactly 2 plays before it happened.  The Boys are snake bit.  Good thing I have my Hogs, who as I type this are beating the snot out of Missouri.  We may not have won as many games as we should have but it has been a good year.  Just a matter of waiting to see who we will play in a bowl game.  Brings back memories of the beat down we put on Texas last year.  Go Hogs.

Not sure what or where is next but we have a weather change coming and it just might feel a little bit like winter around here.  The fishing has been so good and I do not expect it to change much.  Time to put on those waders on those cloudy cold days and get to throwing that topwater and catch a big one.  Now it is time to take the little woman out for her reward for working while the rest of us enjoyed the holiday.  Hope you and yours had a safe and happy holiday.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines