Good day at Coleto Creek bass fishing!

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Redfishlaw

I intended to hit the bay today for some wading but the wind was just blowing to hard.  So one of the great things about living in Victoria on the Texas coast is that great little lake, Coleto Creek.  So with 25 mph+ off I went and I am sure glad I stuck it out.

I did not get to leave until 11:oo, and when I got there the wind was howling and of course the sun came out.  I hit a couple of main lake coves with little wind and did not catch a fish.  I threw spinnerbait for a while with out success to I decided to pitch the prop bait on a windy bank and managed to pull a couple out including a good one.  The 4 or 5 I caught I actually caught reeling it.  And those were right on the bank, and I had no bites after the first 5 feet.

 This guy smashed it like a ton of bricks!

I headed up lake, stopping at flatter banks alternating between the prop bait and buzzing a spinnerbait.  One would jump on here and there but it just wasn’t what I was looking for.  So I headed way up lake past the bridge and decided to throw a crankbait some.

I got a new KVD 2.5 from Strike King in a red shad, which I intended to fish on deeper banks for redfish, but I decided to throw it anyway, and what a good choice.  Basically I fished the whole straight stretch up the river.  The wind was howling, and I mean howling, and I was whipping down the bank.  It took me a few casts to figure the speed out but once I did it was game on.  It was now about 4 and I intended to hit my last place right before dark with a topwater, but these fish side tracked me.  I caught a bunch on both sides of the river.

 This was the second one I caught on that Strike King 2.5 KVD, he will work.

For the next hour and a half it was good.  I was reeling it at a moderate speed with a high speed reel, occasionally stopping it.  The good ones were following it, and when it stopped they smacked the snot out of it.

I caught several like this one, notice he was barely hooked on the back hook.  I got smarter and slowed it down and they really liked it then. 

The sun was starting to set, and even though I was still catching them, I decided I had to make a move to one of my favorite coves where I have been catching some bigger fish.  A large cove full of timber, it has a couple of real nice spawning banks on it.  My intention was to fish a topwater, and even though it was as protected as a cove would be in these conditions, it was still to windy.

But with the sun setting it was time to buzz the spinnerbait.  In these conditions, pre-spawn, I have been very consistent with the spinnerbait.  But the trick is to get it up and making a wake, but keeping it there slow as you can reel it.  Those big fish will smash it if you get the speed just right.  So I put on my head video cam, and started down the bank when I heard it beep and it shut off, the battery was dead.  So I took it off and you can guess what happened.  A 6’10” just flat waylaid it like she had not had anything to eat in a month.

 A great finish to a good day.

So it was one of those days where it would have been easy to quit.  Only 1 good fish came over the side before 4.  But I kept after it, made the right changes, and ended up with a nice limit if I was tournament fishing.  Maybe that is why I rarely fish tournaments anymore, when you can fish during the week, and on days when everyone else hits the road, your odds increase dramatically.

Coleto is still hot, today was just a matter of staying with it.  There are 3 good patterns right now for me.  Topwater when the wind is down, spinnerbait and crankbait when it is up.  The best places are still slopping banks with grass, and the back of certain coves where they are getting ready to spawn big time.  So if you get  a chance, go, now is the time to catch a big one!

Good Luck and Tight Lines! 

 

 

 

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Facebook, Strike King, and other stuff.

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Redfishlaw

It has been another long week without getting in the boat.  I took my wife out for a few days on her birthday, and a great time was had by all.  Now my parents are here visiting from Arkansas.  They will be leaving tomorrow, so it is back on the water for me.

Facebook

I have started a Facebook page to coincide with fishcatchingtravel.com.  I hope to have a few more readers find me and join the party.  As an “old guy” it is a little more time consuming to put this all together.  For God’s sake, I just figured out this texting thing a few months ago.  For me it has always been about the fishing, and it still is, but I am attempting to join the modern world.

Strike King

There was a nice development here at Fish Catching Travel, I met another fisherman who has a Strike King sponsorship, and he has hooked my up with some baits.  Now I have been using their stuff as long as I can remember.   If you have read my redfishing escapades you know that I use the Redfish Magic spinnerbait exclusively for redfish.  It is strong, runs well at both slow and high speeds, and casts like a bullet.  I am also a huge fan of their Flats Jig Heads.

There are 2 great things about the Flats Jig Heads, first, the barb is not to close to the head, allowing for good penetration into the bait, which holds it on so much better.  Second, and by far the most important, is the hook size.  There is nothing more irritating than those jig heads that have that hook with the narrow gap.  Strike King’s are strong and wide, and it helps.

I must admit that I have not tried their Rage Tail shrimp imitations yet, but that will come in the next few days, and I will report back to you on how it goes.  Of course I have used their Redfish Magic Soft Baits in  both the paddle tail and the Zulu on both spinnerbaits and on jig heads.  They are tougher than some plastics, and come in all the usual colors.

Last are the crankbaits, the KVD 1.5 and 2.5, and the Red Eye Shad.  What is there to say about the 1.5 and the 2.5.  They have been the hottest baits in the country, and they work, which says it all.  Just read any bass fishing page or reports in this country and you will see folks catching on Strike King square bills.  To go along with that, and I have written about it before, is their Red Eye Shad.  I love it, and it works, just ask those Falcon bass.  One of it’s best features is that it actually vibrates on the fall, and if you have ever seen it in KVD’s hands you know what a weapon it is.  So thanks to Strike King.

This Week

So off we go this week.  I will be hitting the water at least 2, and probably 3 times, this week.  I am just waiting to hear from a fishing partner whether he can do the 3 day thing at Baffin.  If not, we are about to see the last of the “winter” fishing, if you can call it that this year, and I still intend to catch a big trout.  So this week I will be waste deep in some bay, somewhere.  Now whether the plan will come together I do not know, but I just may hurt myself trying.

So thanks for your continued readership, I really appreciate every single person who reads my stuff.  So keep those cards and letters coming, and I will see you on the water.

Good Luck and Tight Lines! 

Posted in Bass, Fish Catching Travel, Freshwater, Gulf Coast, Random Thoughts and Blogs, Saltwater, Texas, Trout | Leave a comment

The South Africa Trip – and a little offshore fishing, maybe even a tuna or two.

Posted on February 26, 2012 by Redfishlaw

I am heading to South Africa in July on a mission to help a school system with 22 schools that teaches young children.  We are going to provide backpacks with supplies, paint buildings, and whatever else these schools need.  My wife and I will be teaching first aid, and other basic medical things like choking, blood born pathogens, and the other things the teachers need to keep those kids safe.

My daughter started a foundation, Vilakaze, that is dedicated to helping poor kids in South Africa.  I am very proud of her as it is growing every day.  She married a South African who is a really great guy, and even better because his uncle lives in Cape Town, South Africa, and it looks like God willing, I will get to fish a few days offshore.  I probably will not be able to sleep the month before we leave!

Sydney Jacobs and what he proudly calls his “Baby”.  Now that is an offshore machine!

While it is not prime tuna time in their winter, there is always hope.  So if the weather, and the schedule cooperate, I will be offshore battling whatever comes my way.  In fact, if you are like me, just being offshore in South Africa will be a great adventure.

 Now folks, that will work!

So a thanks to Sydney, no matter how it works out, I appreciate it and look forward to meeting you.

Good Luck and Tight Lines! 

My daughter’s foundation, stop by and check it out.  –   http://www.vilakazi.org/

 

 

 

Posted in Fish Catching Travel, International, Saltwater, Travel and Fishing | Leave a comment

Coleto Creek Report – Topwater fishing for bass.

Posted on February 23, 2012 by Redfishlaw

I was feeling like it was not going to be my day.  Heading out at sunrise, the first cove I fished did not yield a bite.  Now if you have been reading my reports, you know I have been doing a pretty good job of catching them on topwater.  So after not even a bite, I eased over to a main lake point above the bridge and threw a big bladed spinnerbait.

My first bite was a great one.  To bad I did not check my drag, it was way to lose.  I was buzzing a big willow leaf tandem like I am want to do at times, and she wolfed it about 5 feet from the boat, and immediately headed under it, and with a light drag came up on the other side.  I got that sorted out, then she jumped, an easy 7 pounds, and with my superior skill I managed to lose her.  Not only was my drag to light, but you have to pull them back down when they are going to jump.  It was just a cluster all the way around.

So at that point I am not feeling all that good about my chances, lose one like that and you probably will not get another.  While that turned out to be right as  far as size, the fishing did pick up considerably.

I headed to a cove where I have been catching them, and they were there.  Over the next 2 hours that 5″ Rapala did it’s thing.  The one difference today was that they wanted it paused just a little more than they had been.  Once I figured out the cadence they came pretty regular.  I am still catching them in the back of the  bigger coves, the clearer the water the better, and on some of the main lake flats.

Now this is the size I came for.  They just have not got off that Rapala!

Now I do have to say this, it was nice and cloudy and misty this morning.  It stayed that way until about noon, which really helped the fishing.  I pretty much just kept with the back of coves and flats with the Rapala.  As the wind came up I did catch 5 or 6 on the main lake on spinnerbait, buzzing it as fast as I could reel it, keeping the blade right below the surface while making a big wake.  Most of those were ok fish, just nothing like that big girl first thing in the morning.

 Caught 3 like this on back to back to back cast around the same log, love it!

So all in all not a bad day.  When that sun came out it put a real damper on the fishing.  It went from a consistent bites to tough.  Good thing I had an excuse to call it a day, my wife’s birthday.  So we are headed to Austin for a couple of days for fun and frolic.  Of course I will be ready to hit the water as soon as my husbandly duties are done.

I also got to meet Aaron today.  I have been corresponding with him online, as we have the fishing bug in common.  He is from out of town and is working in the Victoria area.  It just so happened he was fishing Coleto with his friend Tim.  So I met them and hope to get to fish with them in the future.

So while it was not quite as hot as it has been, it is simply a matter of sticking with it.  They will still hit that minnow, and as usual if you can hit a cloudy day it is obviously better.  And one last thing when I am fishing the Rapala, I am fishing with 12 pound line.  Now that is a little scary on Coleto, but with that lighter Rapala you need light line to get it to flutter and twitch just right.  And I was also encouraged by the spinnerbait bite today.  The next month on Coleto Creek should be great.  So if you get a chance go, time to catch some of the biggest bass of the year.

And last but not least, thanks for reading my stuff.  I appreciate it every time someone comes here and reads my reports.  I am no Roland Martin, and do not claim to be.  What I am is a guy lucky enough to get to fish and who wants to share it with you.  Maybe the way I am catching that day is not the best way, or even the best for you, but maybe sometime it will help you catch a couple of more fish.  And that is why we all go out there.

Good Luck and Tight Lines!

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Bass, Fish Catching Travel, Fishing Reports, Freshwater, Texas | Leave a comment

Port O’Connor Texas Trout on Plastics

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Redfishlaw

After not being able to fish for a week, I was ready to get after it.  And so were the trout.  I got to Froggie’s about 10:30 as there was a really heavy fog this morning.  When I headed out it was just starting to clear.

I was intending to do some wading today, but the fish ended up side tracking me.  When I started there was a light breeze, and the water was not moving as it was low tide.  Throwing a topwater resulted in no strikes.  I guess I am just not a winter topwater guy, or the time was not right, but either way it was not working for me.

So switching to the usual, a Texas Tackle Factory purple paddle tail with a chartruese tail, I worked some shallower banks with soft mud.  Staying way off the bank and making long casts resulted in exactly nothing.  I fished about half of the left side, including the large oyster bar, which was out of the water.

I did have one thing happen, as I eased down the oyster bar a man and his wife in a Trans Cat just plain cut me off, driving right up to the bank and tossing an anchor.  Not only did they cut me off, fishing that particular bank by driving up on it, it has a shelf way out that is only 18″ at low tide, just ruins it anyway.  I guess there are folks who just do not know the etiquite as far as moving in on someone.  So instead of getting mad I moved across to the deep channel bank on the right hand side of Big Bayou.

I started getting bit right away.  Basically it was just like the last time I fished there.  Just tossing it to the bank, hopping it up and letting it fall down the drop.  The water had started moving by then so I stuck with the whole right hand side.

The old dead fish in the cooler shot.  Sorry there are no more pictures, I intend to take some with the baits in their mouth but I fished to hard and then the fog got the best of me.  But at least I got the fish fry for the old folks.

The fish really started biting.  For the next 3 hours I just used the trolling motor to maintain a good distance from the bank, and just hopped it along.  It got better and better to the point that when they were really whacking it I used it real fast and could actually see some of them roll on it.  There are times when the Polaroids really come in handy.  When they are like that it really gives you a sense of how often you have trout tailing it, slashing at it, and just not getting it.

So I stayed there until I quit.  I threw a bigger 5″ bait, but they were biting the tail off it, so I kept with the 3″.  They were also willing to hit a corkie, and I threw it some, catching maybe 5 or 6,  but the plastic was clearly the way to go.  And of course, after catching a bunch reeling the corkie last time, they would not touch it that way.  The wind was blowing now just hard enought to make corkie fishing out of the boat to difficult, so back to the plastics.  The corkie requires a perfect cast and action, and when you are whipping down the bank it is not the bait to use.

One thing I found interesting today was that I caught no reds and no flounder.  Now not catching any flounder was not that surprising as they bite much better on those deeper banks on a falling tide.  But with the tide coming, up it is rare that the reds do not come with it in that area.  But all in all it was a good day.  My parents are coming from Arkansas so I kept 7 for a fish fry, the rest lived to fight another day.  Most were in the 15 – 17″ class, but a couple topped 20, and I had one real good one break my line, which was my fault.

About 4 the east wind off the Gulf started blowing in a fog.  And it was getting thick, thick enough I headed to the dock.  2 years ago my brother and I had a similar sitution when the fog rolled in mid day, and we stuck it out, which was a bad decision.  You could not see your hand in front of your face, and we barely made it in.  The next day while cleaning the boat to go home, we met a couple cleaning theirs who stayed to long.  And they got to spend a long night in the boat.  So even though I have a GPS to follow back, why chance it.  So discretion is the better part of valor, so in I went.

The trout fishing has just been awesome this winter.  Though the fish have not exactly gone to some of the places they have the last few years when it was really cold, if you find them now they seem to be hanging there on a regular basis.  So if you get a chance go,  and if the fishing now is any indication of what is to come, we are going to have a great trout year.  And if you do get a chance, take some one who does not get to go to often, they will love it.

Good Luck and Tight Lines.

Posted in Fish Catching Travel, Fishing Reports, Gulf Coast, Saltwater, Texas, Trout | Leave a comment

Winter trout fishing with corkies on the Texas coast

Posted on February 18, 2012 by Redfishlaw

What an interesting day it was.  I started out wading and throwing plastics, and it was good.  Nothing big, just lots of them.  I am still throwing that Texas Tackle Factory paddle tail in the purple with a chartreuse tail, and it is working.

After catching at least 15 or so I decided it was time to throw a Corkie.  I wanted to catch a little better fish, but sad to say in one respect it did not work out that way.  But in another it worked great.

Here is the Tsunami corkie style bait I was using.  So what is so great about this fish?

What was so great about it was I caught three or four just slow twitching and dead sticking it first.  By now, of course, the wind was blowing about 25 and it was getting rough and hard to feel.  But in my little pea brain I thought about what a store director at Academy told me about corkie fishing.  He used to live in Houston and fished with Paul Brown some, and he told me that one of the ways they used it was to just reel it real slow.  Boy was he right.

For the next 2 hours I caught them.  Now nothing big, but I am not sure there were any big fish there.  But let me tell you, they slammed that thing.  I mean some of them tried to jerk the rod out of my hands.  I have never reeled it like that, but I will in the future.  As I was using a high speed reel, I was casting it out and letting it sink to a 3 count right over grass patches with potholes, and then turning the handle just enough to keep it off the bottom.  When I say slow, I mean slow.  No jerking, no stopping, just a slowwwwww steady retrieve.

The wind kept blowing harder, and it sprinkled on me.  It got rougher, and as I was in over waist deep, throwing into 4 foot plus, I was getting wet.  And even though the forecast was for about 75, that clearly never happened.

Now this is the only picture I took.  I was not keeping any fish and did not have the camera with me as it would have gotten wet.  I did manage to use my head cam for a little while, and if you want to see the video just click on the link below to utube.

So maybe you have caught them this way with the corkie, but for me it was a first time experience and an eye opener.  So when it is cold and rough, try it.  You maybe surprised.

I will be at my parents 60th anniversary for the next few days so will be back to fishing next week.  So again, I can not thank you enough for reading my stuff and I hope that every once in a while something I write might help you put a few more fish in the boat.

Good Luck and Tight Lines!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMUR7jPsBFU

 

 

 

Posted in Fish Catching Travel, Fishing Reports, Gulf Coast, Saltwater, Texas, Travel and Fishing, Trout, U.S. | Leave a comment