Fish Catching Travel

The fish know the difference.

My buddy Jeffish sent me this picture of his mom and some really nice flounder.

Nice job guys!  That is some good eating.

Linda and her significant other John stuck these guys wading out of POC.  Now I am not sure where they got them, but there is a couple of spots you can wade without a boat and get a few.  Back when Carmine’s was open we spent several evenings shooting the breeze with her husband Larry.  He had quite a bit of success wading the beach area right at the end of the point in front of the park.  And other folks have killed some wading the flat on the POC side of the little jetty and around the point.  Just exercise a little good sense and flounders are in your future.

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And speaking of flounder I got this question from Brian so I called the Shoedog to get the specifics.

Curious…how did Shoedog fish the plastics to catch the flounder?  Was he bouncing off the bottom?

Now I am no flounder pro by any means but I have learned a few things the last 10 years.  So to answer your question lets review the set of conditions that faced us that day.  First was the tide.  We had the perfect combination of falling tide combined with the wind blowing right out of a cut leading from a back lake.  The water was hauling and for us that is when we catch flounder.  The fish were basically positioned in the middle of the cut and near the edges.  The water was only a couple of feet deep so he was hopping it along on an 1/8th ounce jig head, usually letting it hit the bottom and they were whacking it.  He caught on 3 different plastics so color was not as important as the moving water combined with the location.

The cuts leading from one water into another are always good places, it just depends on which way the water is moving as to which end of the cut you need to fish.  It is almost always on the moving out side.  There is a couple of other places that are also good for me, but always keep in mind falling water is the key.  First is boat docks, when that water creates a current or eddy they tend to move into the docks to ambush bait.  The other is long deep banks with a grass edge with a good drop.  As soon as the water starts dropping they will move right to the edge of the grass on the drop, waiting for the bait to fall out of the grass.

Now plastics are usually our bait of choice as we are trout fishing and are just happy to take a bonus flounder whenever one comes along.  But if we want to catch a couple a popping cork with a 3 or 4″ New Penny Gulp is a great choice.  Generally a 1 1/2 foot leader on a 1/8 ounce jighead is about right casting it right to the edge of the grass.  It takes a little practice or self control to not set the hook right away.  You will often see the cork just stop, so give it second.

The other method I have not tried yet, but know works, is using the same set up as bass fishermen use, a drop shot rig.  Use just enough weight to keep it tight and use the 3″ Gulp New Penny on a light hook.  My buddy Aaron did it once and had great success.  It is a great way to put it right in front of their face, letting them eat and move before you stick them.  So if you want to experiment a little this could be a really great way to catch them.  With the fish positioned like they were when Shoedog was getting them it might have really been a killing.  So thanks for the question.

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Musky Fever

Probably the fish of a lifetime, talk about making a trip everything you dreamed of.

Folks I am in the throes of musky fever.  It is eating away at me every day now as we are less than 6 weeks from heading back to Ontario and Muskie Bay Resort for a 2 week fishing extravaganza.  I am already getting tackle organized, buying baits, piling up tackle, and reading everything I can about catching muskies.  We have been twice, and caught probably a total of around 20+ muskies on the 2 trips, but this will be the first trip where there are in season and we can catch then on purpose.  The ones we caught the other trips were bonus fish, now we are about to get serious.  That is why I wanted to fish later this year, this will be a giant hunt.

Our trip is going to include the full moon at the end of August and we are going to be able to fish for them intentionally.  We will fish both Crow Lake and Lake of the Woods, 2 of the best musky waters in the world.  Paul, the owner of Muskie Bay Resort is a night fishing guru.  Trolling under the full moon can produce some of the biggest muskies of the season.  So this year we are tackling up and going for the gold.  Whether it is me or the Shoedog that catches that giant I do not care, but I feel like a kid at Christmas, visions of giant muskies dancing in my head are impossible to get out.  I just love the anticipation of taking great trips like this and Ontario is a place fishing dreams are realized!

So if you want to take a look just visit their website.  Of all the places I have visited in my fishing journey nothing tops Muskie Bay, period.  Paul, Chris, Jake, and Ashton know how to run a resort and make you feel at home, and the fishing takes a back seat to no other place.  If I seem to be gushing, I am.  Be it Belize, Costa Rica, Everglades, Falcon, you name it, the fishing is the finest in the world.  So if you ever want the fishing trip of a lifetime this is the place.

(No money or benefit changed hands in the making of this endorsement, lol.  Their friendship is enough, of course the fabulous fishing doesn’t hurt either.)

http://muskiebayresort.com/

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I heard from several of you with birthday wishes, thanks for that.  And it was nice to hear from an old friend, Charles Grinder.  I first met him probably 30 years when he was a paramedic student riding with me.  One of the good guys, it was great to hear from you and I hope you keep on reading.

No concrete fishing plans have been made for the upcoming week, but Shoedog is already wanting to come back and hit the Gulf some more, so those trout, reds, and flounder better watch out.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

 Fish Catching Travel

The fish know the difference.

Before I get to todays fishing report there is a story I wanted to tell you all.  When I was banned from wet wading due to vibro, of all things we stopped at Roy’s Bait and Tackle in Corpus the day we went beach driving and there were some waders on sale.  Well they were women’s.  Those of you who know me know I am a little guy.  The waders were breathable and light, a perfect fit, except they were women’s.  And on the front in pink is Lady’s Hodgeman’s.  Now I could give a crap what they say for $100 off.

So when we got to the cleaning table at Froggie’s there was a couple of old guys hanging out and drinking a few cold ones.  As I was taking my waders off my buddy Chris said nice lady waders.  With a straight face I said well we got the marriage license.  They looked at me like I was crazy.  So we just left it at that.

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Today, the 10th, is my birthday.  How I ever made it to 62 I do not know.  I guess I will sit in my rocker and take it easy, not.  So thanks mom and dad for the card.  And my great in-laws Jack and Joy, thanks for the card and the wad of cash.  I promise to spend it on beer and waste the rest!  And the rest of you, thanks for keeping employed and paying my social security, heck it might even cover the fishing expenses.

And speaking of birthdays my buddy Clyde’s kid Jarvis had his 21st birthday last week.  Now normally I do not say Happy Birthday to a stinkin’ St. Louis Cardinal lover, but in his case I will make an exception.  Happy Birthday to one wacky guy.

And my niece Stevie has her birthday the same day as mine, Happy Birthday Stevie.

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After a couple of days at POC Shoedog had one more day to fish and of course I had to have a bass fix.  So I imposed executive privilege and off to the lake we went this morning.  The good thing was it would be a short trip and allow him to get back to College Station at a reasonable time.  Plus I admit it, I was tired from getting up early and wading miles and miles.

When we got to the lake the water had cleared considerably.  He started with a buzzbait and for me it was flipping plastics.  On the first bank we had 7 bites and boated 3.

Shoedog’s first one.

My first one on the lizard.

As we headed up lake, fishing as we went, we did not catch another fish for a couple of hours.  So we headed back down to more main lake clearer banks with grass.  It has become real apparent they are not interested in chasing anything.  The buzzbait completely quit in spite of Shoedog’s best efforts.  I stayed with the lizard just flipping it to the grass and before it was over ended up catching 5 on plastics, and Shoedog boated only 3 on buzzbait.

I finally boated a good one.

With the water temp in the high 80’s over most of the lake the fish are finally abandoning the coves.  Most came on main lake banks or points on the outside of main lake coves.  I did have a great bite, and a real fight, but it came off at the boat.  It is always a surprise when a catfish hits a lure.  He took off towards me and I did not get enough slack out to get a good hook set, but it was a pretty good catfish and had me thinking I was really in business.

If you are going to pitch it has been working pretty well the last few weeks.  Basically flip it in the cover and hop it about 3 times and reel it in.  Make good casts to slots in the grass, next to the furthest outside bushes and cover, and wait to make a good cast.  They do not want to chase it right now so get it close.  On the deeper banks toss it right on the edge of the cover.  The deeper the water the closer to the bank they are.  And I have noticed that the good ones will start swimming with it, so watch your line closely.  Fishing all those years in Arkansas where come May until October most of our fishing was done at night, it is nice we can catch bass in the hot summer time, in the daytime, on Coleto.

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Our buddy Terry from Nebraska got a chance to fish Lake of the Ozarks and he sent me a couple of pictures.

Crappies and walleyes, can you say a real fish fry!

I actually have fished Lake of the Ozarks several times and it can be a really good lake.  It is really big and has a large variety of structure and lots of crappies.  One time my buddy Randy and I were fishing it and had just started at daylight when I caught a 5 or 6lb bass on a buzzbait.  (Duh)  A boat idled over and it was Game and Fish doing a survey.  They asked me to rate my trip and I gave it a 10.  When they asked Randy he said since I have not caught one I give it a 0.  Thanks for the pictures Terry.  You can tell he is a Yankee (just kidding) by the nice walleyes he caught.  That boy can sack them up.  And I am still waiting for you to get down here and catch a redfish, you have a standing offer anytime.

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We wrapped up the 3 days of fishing at 1 and Shoedog headed home, but we were already planning the next go at it in a week or two.  I hear the fishing is real good right now at Baffin and the upper Laguna, so we may try to make a couple of days out of it down there.  I will definitely be back to the Gulf soon, hopefully the wind will cooperate and die down some.  It would be nice to get back to Keller Bay, the deeper grass beds on the pasture side should really be holding trout right now.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

The Best Lure Company in the World

If it feels good do it again, so we did.  Since the bite was late yesterday we slept in and did not actually jump over the side until after 9.  The wind was blowing at least 20+ when we left Froggie’s and after a bumpy ride we finally made it.  We started on the flat outside the Army Hole and never left.

Shoedog headed into a cut and I stayed out on the main flat.  I caught a small red right off the bat, and since I always tend to take a picture of the first one because it may be the last here it is.

Love the nice orange color of some of the reds.

I made it to the grass line and found some small ones tailing and caught one out of a bug bunch, of course probably the small one of the bunch.  Over the next couple of hours I caught 3 reds like this, lost 2 nice ones, caught another of those drum that will not hit lures, and sacked a nice trout.

A nice keeper, to bad I was tangled in the stringer and dropped him back in.

One thing I have been doing more and more of is using a 1/64 ounce jig head on my plastics.  It is great for shallow water and when there is lots of grass.  You can fish it real aggressively and it leaves it in their face a lot longer.  And another good side effect is they really seem to eat it when it falls real slow like that.

One of 2 2o” I boated today.

Shoedog and I met back at the boat and he took this picture and then pulled up his stringer and had a nice bunch of flounder.  With small ones he landed about 8 and lost several more.

That is what I am talking about.

So after a little break we headed out on the flat and caught some more.  Yesterday we had a big shark go nuts after fish, well the Shoedog fixed that.  As he jerked his plastic along a fin came cutting across in front of him and ate it.  All I heard him yelling was “He is going to spool me!”  Which he promptly did.  But I was ok with that because we did not see him any more today.

My best trout of the day with another nice red for the box.

Basically we kept catching them off and on all day.  It was not fast by any means, but it was steady.  We limited on reds, had a couple of nice trout, and the 5 bonus flounder.  Nothing came out of over a couple of feet of water.  Many came from the potholes surrounded by grass.  If the bottom was bare, there was no fish.

We caught at least 15 trout, but only 2 made it, but they were nice ones.  I caught at least 8 reds and had a fish catching travel good time.  Shoedog caught about 25 assorted stuff, and it was cool to watch him get spooled.

Sacking them up.

So another successful day.  The water is clearing nicely and from what I have seen at the cleaning table the fish are really starting to bite.  I know I had not fished the Gulf much, but it was worth the wait.  So you will be seeing lots of Gulf reports in the next few months.  And there is a possibility of an offshore trip next week, so things are heating up.

Tomorrow we are going to hit the lake.  The perfect way to finish of his 3 days down here is to whack a couple of big bass.  Since I caught some nice ones last trip to the lake on buzzbait I am really looking forward to tomorrow.  So thanks for sticking with me, there is some serious fishing coming and I am glad you can come along with us.  Keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

Try some today – they work!

Keeping After It Pays Off

Shoedog finally made it down for a few days of fishing so the Gulf was the plan.  Then my buddy Chris sent me a text wanting to go, so off we went.

The weather forecast was for winds to 30mph so the plan was to head to the island and fish the Pringle shoreline.  It was rough as heck going across, but once we got there the water was a lot clearer than at POC and the wind was not to bad.  Before we started to wade there were lots of birds working so we hit a couple of bunches.  Other than a few small trout and a couple of ladyfish, there was not much happening.

Next it was down from Pringle near a cut we call Bikini Cut.   We all threw topwater first without success, and though we worked the cut hard only a couple of small trout and a small flounder came on plastics, so it was time for a move.

We headed down to the main cut leading into Pringle and tried both shallow and deep.  And again it was only a small trout or two on plastics.  Now at this point it would have been easy to give up, noon and no keepers.  The wind was blowing pretty good and there was just nothing happening.  So up anchor and down the shoreline a ways.  Turned out to be a good move.

We hoped out and the fish decided it was time to bite, and bite they did.

Like the guide at POC told me, you can’t catch black drum on lures.

The first keeper was a black drum on a MirrOLure twitch bait.  I just can not get over the guide telling us you can not catch them on lures.  If you read this you know we had 5 over 25 this spring in one day on plastics.  But I digress.

From about noon until 3 the fish bit.  Plastics was the ticket, and most of them were in maybe 2 foot of water.  I picked up the drum and one 19″ trout, plus a couple of shorts on the twitch bait and then Chris cornered some putting 5 on the stringer without moving.

Chris with the first bunch back at the boat.  That is what happens when a big shark goes completely nuts all around you.

I took this picture of Chris with both stringers when we had to make a quick run to the boat.  I thought I saw a tailing red when all of a sudden out comes some fins and a shark about 6 foot starts going nuts chasing fish.  He was close to both of us and completely in a frenzy.  So we both hoofed it to the boat to get the fish off the stringer.  That shark was hungry, and like alligators, I always give things that can eat me the benefit of the doubt.

Meanwhile Shoedog was up in a cut, and while he boated some small trout and had a couple of reds break his line, the better fish were out on the flat.  I think before it was over Chris caught 8 reds, they were really getting after it.  Then I got a big bite and caught an over.

This guy had to go back, just a little bit to big.

On 8lb test and my trout rod it was a great struggle, and Shoedog was close and did the netting honors.  Since by then we had plenty of reds back he went.  Reminded me I have never tagged an over.  I managed to put another good trout in the net, then Chris caught the trout below, which was well over 20″.  We kept fishing for awhile and finally called it a day.

The last four to the cooler, that was one nice trout.

It was great to have one of those sit on the cooler to close it days.  Both Chris and I had the POC slam, a red, a flounder, trout, and a drum.  He had his best success on a red and white paddle tail, I was using the Up North watermelon red paddle tail.  Shoedog caught fish, but by time he got over to us the big bite was over.

The fish were on a flat with grass patches, sand, and potholes.  When the reds were after it they were against the grass, and Chris sight fished a couple of them.  Then they moved out into a couple of feet of water with the trout.  It was easy to see what they were feeding on when Shoedog caught a croaker and a blue crab on plastics, the old find the bait, find the fish thing  It was a good bite for over 2 hours and once we found them there were all there.  The tide was high at 11 and they bit when the water started moving.

We are about to make pigs of our selves!

I am tired.  By time we got back, cleaned the stuff and the boat, cooked supper and showered, it is time to hit the sack.  Tomorrow it will be back at it again.  It will be rough again, the ride out today was rough, the ride back was worse.  But it all came together.  I am not sure how many we caught, or how many we kept, but it was one of those drag the cooler to the cleaning table days.   So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

Try some today – they work!

Hope you all had a great weekend and nobody got arrested or maimed.  We hit the beach on the Padre Island National Seashore for some beach driving and a little sun.  The weather was great, but with the wind blowing pretty hard directly on the beach the water was flat out dirty.  It was ugly enough I had a rod with me but did not even get it out.  So it was little sun, eating, and reading.  We love driving the beach and are lucky to live somewhere you can still do that.  I just wish the pigs (people), no offense to pigs, would quit leaving trash all up and down the seashore.  My guess their yards and homes are stinking messes.  Did you grow up in a pig sty?

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A friend of the boss and her husband have a place on the island out of POC, and do quite a bit of fishing.  Her friend Rhonda is a real fisherman and posted this on her Facebook page.  They have been having good success in the surf right now.

Rhonda with a nice stringer of fish.

If we get a nice calm day, and you can get to the surf, now is the time.  So thanks for the picture.  Nice mess Rhonda.

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I finally bent to the pressure and bought some light breathable waders for use in the summertime.  I have waded wet most summers I have lived here but that has come to an end.  First it was a report on the bacteria levels (read fecal matter) on the beach at Galveston, which at a level above 105 is considered dangerous, and is currently running 145, nasty.  Second is vibro, which has shown itself this summer.  I assume it is logical, if not please educate me, that the influx of the fresh flood waters carrying God knows what is adding to the problem.  For me it is just not worth it.  Plus, I just do not have enough fishing stuff.

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The Boss starts a 7 day stretch so there is some serious fishing coming.  After uneventful couple of weeks it is time to do something spectacular as my buddy Randy used to say.  Just waiting to hear from Shoedog and Voe as to their schedule, but no matter what it will be hard at it.  All my jobs are done and I am actually caught up.  So where I do not know, but that nice string of fish above has me watching the wind closely to see when I can get to the surf this week.  Keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

Try some today – they work!

I had something to do Thursday afternoon, so with a short day it was the lake.  I have been catching them pitching soft plastics the last couple of trips so that was the initial plan for the day.  The water seems to be finally clearing some so I headed way up lake.  First it was the bush where I caught 3 the other day, but only one small one ate the lizard.

I kept moving up lake catching a little one here and there on the plastics to I decided with the water clearing why not the buzzbait.  On the first bank I tried this one ate it and 3 missed it, or I missed them.

They were all small until I threw a buzzbait.

Then it was working back down lake as the sun came out.  Alternating between the plastics, which kept producing a small one here and there, and the buzzbait.  A couple fell for it in a big cove that has held fish all spring.  With the water stabilized they have not abandoned the coves yet, some even coming all the way in the back.

All the keepers were this size.

It turned out to be a good thing I was quitting early.  The wind started to blow and the sun was full out.  It finally got to windy to pitch, and they just quit on the buzzbait.  So I gave it up.  I think it was about 10, half of which were keepers, nothing fantastic, but consistent.  Considering it is full on summer here now the fishing has been ok.  They are still related to the grass, at least for me, but it is slowing down some.

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The Shoedog has not been down here fishing for quite a while.  He has been on a multistate tour.  The last stop is at our friend Clyde’s in Mtn. Home Arkansas.  They are working on some music that they will play at a big annual party in Iowa, where we grew up.  Of course it included a little fishing.

A nice Lake Norfork smallmouth.

Lake Norfork is a deep clear highland lake, and as summer comes around most of the fishing is done at night.  With crystal clear water, and depths reaching 200 feet at the dam, the fish go deep most of the summer, and do not reappear shallow until October.  He caught this nice smallmouth on a white spinnerbait last night.   Hope you guys are having a good time and be sure to bring the guitars to Canada.

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Jeffish has been taking his son fishing a lot, and Korbin is loving it.  They have been fishing Saxet Lake, which has had a pretty good bite since the water came up.

Korbin and his big drum.

Korbin is turning into quite the little fisherman.  It is so awesome to see a kid who is spending time in the outdoors instead of in front of a computer or TV.  You can do your kid no greater favor.  Congrats Korbin, this is the first of many big fish coming in your life.

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Please be careful this weekend.  There will be lots of folks on the roads and waterways.  So be nice.  A perfect example of being nice is when I got to the ramp a guy pulled his bass boat out of the lake and parked right in front of the ramp.  It would be easy to say something, but why bother.  No reason to raise your blood pressure, and you never know how crazy some folks can be.  So be the bigger guy out there.   As our waters get more and more crowded it takes cooperation on all our parts.   And make sure you have all your safety equipment and paperwork as law enforcement will be out in force.  Drink responsibly, you can get busted for BWI as easily as DWI.  And one last thing.  Please be careful if you are wet wading.  With the higher fresh/dirty water vibro is out there.  So if you have an open wound that will get wet, or are immune compromised wear waders, it may save your life.  So have a fun and safe weekend.

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Not a clue what is next but with the Boss off this weekend it may be some serious beach time, and maybe a long drive down North Padre.  And this week Shoedog will be down for a few days so the Gulf will be calling.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

No better baits made for all fishing.  If you have not browsed the catalog click on the link above and find the right bait for whatever you fish for.

Sorry for no post the last week but it was time for family and fun.  I actually have a life outside fishing, though my family may not always agree with that.  But after a long combination visit to my family, the Rolling Stone’s concert, and then visiting my grandbabies, we are back at home.  It was nice to be able to see most of my family and still squeeze in the concert.  The boss will be headed back to work and the water is calling me.  So I will accomplish a couple of things today to catch up and back to the water tomorrow.

We saw lots of water on our trip through Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri.  After several years of drought it was great to see.  Not having hit the water the last week I am looking forward to tomorrow.   The flats boat has not left the garage for almost 2 months so it is time to get it out and give it a run.  And the Shoedog is finally done with his travels so there will be some kind of fishing extravaganza with him next week.

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While I was gone I got this comment from Johan and wanted to share it with you as well as hopefully point him in the right direction.

Hi sir, i find myself stopping by Fish Catching Travel quite often. i live in Beeville and only recently discovered Coleto creek. I am not into bass, but have caught and released a couple at Coleto, my interest is  more in sand bass. i am a believer in putting in time and schooling one self, but was hoping i can get some advice from you in how to find sandies on Coleto and possible what tactics to use. I enjoy your blog, hope to meet you on the Coleto creek one day.

I am not an expert on sandies at Coleto, or what we referred to white bass at home in Arkansas, but I have caught some.  First I am not sure there is a large population of them, and most I have caught were small.  I did stop and talk with a boat doing a shocking survey for the GBRA last winter and specifically asked them about the white bass.  They had shocked a few, mostly small. That has been my experience with them on Coleto, mostly small, but remember white bass populations are very cyclical, and may be low some years, high others, so Coleto may just be on the down stroke right now.

As far as catching them, if I want to find white bass I troll, especially this time of year.  It allows you to cover lots of water, and also spend plenty of time studying the contour as you watch the depth finder.  And if I had to pick one lure to troll for white bass it would be a Rapala Shad Rap in the silver foil with a black back.  The SR-8 or SR-5 in the deep diver, and occasionally early in the year when they tend to be shallow use the shallow runner or a rattle bait like the Strike King Red Eye Shad.  I usually let out around 60 feet of line and prefer a 10lb test to help it get down a little farther.  Try trolling at an idle speed or a little quicker.  Be sure to have your drag set light as they will pull off if there is no give.  And trolling often gives you a bonus bass or crappie.  As it is summer they will be deep and schooled up, so trolling while you watch the locator is the best way to find some on Coleto.

When I have done it, not lately, they have been in the Coleto arm.  To give you a place to start try the area from the middle of the lake in the dam area and troll up the Coleto arm past the big tree on the point by the dam and up lake to the last of the three coves.  There are usually some in that area.  I have also caught some in the other arm in front of the big coves on the right.  Most of the time I have caught them in warm weather it was in open water in 20 foot deep and deeper.  Just troll and spend the time covering a lot of water until you find some, usually when you find them there are all in that area.  And if there are schools of shad in the area on the locator that is often the key to catching them.

So I hope this little bit of information helps you get started.  Trolling is not the only way to catch them.  You can use a 1 ounce jigging spoon, spinner jigs or minnows once you locate them.  Thanks for the question and I appreciate you reading my stuff.  Good Luck.

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I do want to say a couple of things about the Rolling Stones.  They really are the best rock and roll band in the world.  Starting together somewhere around 1963, they have remained true to the music.  We had great tickets and the show was all we could have hoped for.

Arrowhead is one cool football stadium.

Ronnie Wood and Mick Jagger.

With no new album to promote it was an evening of their hits, you liked it, you heard it.  And I like their style, no electronic corrected sound, no big light show, just raw and rough rock and roll.  It ain’t pretty, but it is the real thing.  It is amazing they are still alive, but one thing for sure, they are a rock band.

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 So back to real life.  Looks like the weather will hold for a day or two so it will be up early and on the water.  Unfortunately the weather looks a little sketchy for the weekend.  I really appreciate it when you all stick with me during some of the down times.  But it is back to fishing.  And Canada is fast approaching so there is lots of fishing to come.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

No better baits made for all fishing.

After fishing the Gulf the other day I said that I was not going to stop and trout fish until I found that good water.  And after fishing the lake on Monday and having a tough time of it the plan was to put all my favorites down and only fish plastics.  I may be slow but I am not stupid.

The fish are in that stuff on the bank.  After Voe caught a couple the last couple of trips I was determined to pitch.  Now it was not a case of casting and hoping, it was pinpoint casting to isolated patches of stuff.  And though Voe was tossing it way back in, I fished specific targets.  Nice after a couple of slow trips to get it right.

The first good one of the day.

I was using a 6″ watermelon red lizard, with a 3/16th bullet sinker on 20lb. Big Game mono.  One thing that helps when throwing at cover is to go ahead and peg the sinker to the head of the bait, crawls through cover so much better.  Instead of using the big sinker and trying to punch through the heavy stuff I concentrated on the farthest out cover and made cast past the cover and slid it next to it and they were eating.

Love catching them this way, hand to hand combat.

The reason I use the lighter sinker is that lizard falls really slow.  Of the 5 or 6 this size I caught I probably only felt a couple eat it.  They would just inhale it and start swimming with it.  And the cool thing, there was not one fish came over the side farther than 20 feet from the boat, and most a lot closer.  In fact, a couple flew over the boat when I set the hook.

It was very important to concentrate when you had that perfect piece of cover because you rarely would feel them hit, so you had to be on your toes.  The biggest of the day, and it was a good one, came out of the perfect bush on a long grass bank and I did not get the hook set.  And barely running the trolling motor was also critical.  You really do have to be quiet when you are pitching.

With no deep grass those fish had to be in that shallow stuff.

I fished close to the park, mid lake, and quite a ways up.  Most of the better fish were on that perfect piece of cover in a cove, but several were on points.  Though it was one here and one there it was steady.  I did miss one in the perfect bush, so back in it went and 3 came off one bush on consecutive casts.  That was awesome.  And since every one of them really ticked it hard there was some serious competition going on, at least until I threw all 3 back in.

Sticking with the plan really paid off today.  It was hard not to throw my old favorites but I knew they had to be there, and they were.  Slowing down, good quiet boat position, and making accurate casts all added to a successful outing.  And the best part, I did not wet a line until 10:30 and quit at 3, boating well over a dozen with some really nice ones.  When you can fish in the middle of .day, in summer, and boat a nice string of bass you have a good fishing hole.

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Rick dropped this comment, and it says it all about fishing.

Thanks for getting back to the salt. Even though you are retired, I know you can appreciate the fact that ” a bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work”.

So trite and so true!

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There is one momentous happening on Saturday night, we are going to see the Rolling Stones.  Makes me old to think I have been listening to them for over 45 years, holy mackerel!  And they are headed to 70, and probably lucky to be alive.  Party on – but definitely not as hard as the old days.  It should be a rocking good time.

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 Not sure what is next, but crossing the Guadalupe the water is still high and really muddy.  On the way to the concert we should get a glimpse of some other rivers, it will be interesting to see their condition.  It may just require a little change on my part as far as the bay fishing is concerned.  The Shoedog has been on a multi-state tour, which will end early next week, and I am sure he is itching to fish the Gulf.  Heck the flats boat has not even left the garage since we got back from Florida over 6 weeks ago.  Time to change that one.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

Good thing I threw the Rage Shrimp today!

Today was not what I would call a great fishing day.  The wind was out of the east about 15 – 20 and the water, until you get way away from POC, is still dirty.  I do not know about you but our local waters can clear anytime.  We have now had 37 inches of rain this year.  That is almost as much as we had the last 2 years combined.  The drought is officially over.

The plan was to catch a few for the Arkansas folks, and that turned out to be harder than it should have been.  First it was usual stop in Big Bayou for some topwater at daylight.  I had 4 or 5 blow ups but only put 1 trout and 1 red in the boat, and neither one made it.  That was to be the tune for the day.

So I headed to the Oil Cut hoping the water would be a little clearer, and it was.  I kept with the topwater for a while and again only one small one each came over the side.  So then I switched to the Rage Shrimp on a popping cork.  They only wanted it slightly more and until I got a big bite it was just a couple of more small trout, and I mean small.  But then something pulled it under and took off.

Still getting used to the new camera, but you get the point.

This may be the heaviest 27″ red I have ever caught, and on my trout rod a great tussle.  His bad luck, soon to be the guest of honor at an Arkansas fish fry.  I stayed in there for awhile, but just could not get anything going.  So with the wind out of the east I headed down Bayucos shoreline and fished a big drain.  There were no more hits on popping cork so I started throwing plastics and again, small trout.  Next it was in front of the big cove on Grass Island, and unfortunately it was the same result.

Last it was back to Big Bayou to throw spinnerbait, and that resulted in the same thing I got on it in the Oil Cut, a couple of small trout.  If I had taken the Mako I would have probably headed to the island, but with the skiff and the fishing as slow as it was I called it a day.

If I had to guess it was probably only about 10 or 12 for the day.  There was no one at the cleaning table at Froggie’s and the few people I talked to had just as tough a day.  But part of that was me, I just did not fish well.  I can honestly say this off colored water has me flummoxed.  So to solve that, next time I am not stopping and putting a bait in the water until I find some good color, or lack thereof.  One thing that can be said is there is bait almost everywhere, which is a good thing.  As soon as it settles down and all this water finally works it way through the system it should be awesome.

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 I finally figured it out – Nature vs. Nurture.  A boat with mom and dad, 3 or 4 kids, and the dog, came by me today where I was fishing, and I mean close.  Running his big boat wide open it was just flat out rude, a little more than usual by even POC standards.  The kind of thing that makes some people want to engage in violence.  Kids watch everything you do, and you only get the occasional chance for a teaching moment.  Well this dude failed, and when those boys grow up they will think that doing that is acceptable practice.  To bad.

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Not sure what is next.  It would be nice to add a few more fish to the Yankee’s bag.  So I may slip out in the morning, but it is hard to get motivated with my latest run of luck.  But one thing for sure, with the bad luck comes the good, it does not last forever.  Think I will check the water conditions down in Baffin, just might be worth the drive.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

Baits that catch fish!

With the forecast for some wind and possible rain I decided to do the lake today, and the Gulf tomorrow.  I specifically got an order for some fish from my mom up in Arkansas so I need to catch some trout and reds for those poor Yankees.  They don’t get that good fresh fish we are lucky enough to get when we hit the bay.

It was cracking daylight as I idled out of the ramp cove and headed to my first choice, a flat cove with lots of grass and cover.  The lake came back up to where it was about 2 weeks ago, and the creek was full crossing the 59 bridge, so they are letting some of the water out.  Unfortunately the last round put a little more color in the water.  It is no wonder the fish are unsettled, up, down, dirty, clearing and back to color again.  I am not sure who is more unsettled, me or the fish.

To make a long story short I threw the book at them and immediately put a small one in the boat on buzzbait, which turned out to be a bad thing, because I kept at it.  From daylight until 10:30 when I went back to the ramp to pick up Voe it was about 6 bites and only 2 small ones.  I fished places I have caught them, and several places I had not fished in quite a while.  I just could not get it going.  So at 10:30 I met him at the ramp and out we went.

When I say that I threw the book at them it might be an exaggeration.  Voe started right off with plastics and missed several and put this one in the boat on a plastic lizard.

There is the lizard he caught that one on.

His bites were coming way, and I mean way, back in the stuff.  He had several short strikes and had a couple take his lizard.  In my own hard headed way I kept alternating between my usual, and other than one more bite they were not interested.  Voe meanwhile kept switching and finally about half way back in a big cove he got a big bite.

4-15 – if he had eaten one more shad he would have been a 5.

This fish came on swimming a white grub Texas style way back in the stuff.  Now swimming a 4″ grub on spinning gear in heavy cover is not your usual Coleto tactic, but it definitely told me something,  they are not going to chase a bait, you have to put it in front of their face.  Unfortunately he missed a couple of more on plastics before we called it a day.

So there is definitely something to take away from this morning.  There are still fish back in that stuff, and swimming some sort of soft plastic is the way to go.  So next trip I will put the other stuff down and work on that pattern.  I have had some success on nice bass swimming the big Strike King Anaconda worm, and something along that lines may be the ticket.  But I will not be throwing that on a spinning rod!

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 I did mess up this weekend, and when combined with a previous engagement, I did not end up fishing with the Austin boys at POC.  When I got back from New Mexico on Thursday following a 13 hour drive I went to bed and did not make it Friday, my fault and my apologies to the guys.  They had a good day as you can see.  And if any of you guys read this send me a little more information about the fishing, I can use all the help I can get.  I am also really interested in whether any tarpon were seen or caught.  So sorry I did not make it.

A nice mess!

I wanted to fish Saturday with them but my good buddy Jeffish’s mom, Linda, had her graduation party Saturday afternoon at the Coleto Creek Park, and I am so glad we went.  A high school drop out, she always wanted to get her degree, and she stuck it out.  I know what that means, I also dropped out of high school, and ended up getting my degree and then finishing law school.  It was a great party with family and friends and all I can say is way to go Linda.  You did you and your family proud!

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Tomorrow looks pretty good for the Gulf.  With the fish order placed it will be a tough decision.  Indianola shoreline?  Keller Bay?  Maybe POC for my milk run?  That decision will be made at 5 am when I pull out of the driveway.  Heck it might even be made around the time I get close to the Gulf.  I appreciate you all staying with me when I don’t fish that often, amazing how a retired guy ends up not being able to fish everyday.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines