FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

With rain in the forecast will fish the lake tomorrow, not interested in driving down to POC and getting blown off.  According to the weather dude we will have 2 more days of rain and then it looks like this pattern is over, finally.  I am sure before it is over the next year or two we will be wishing we had this rain.  There is an upside, it filled the lake.  I keep expecting once if finally stabilizes that the fishing will improve.  Just have to see how it goes tomorrow.

Early enough for you?

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Weather

76/89.  More clouds than sun; humid with a 47% chance of thunderstorm in a couple of spots.  Wind  ENE 5 – 10 mph.

Lake Level

Today  98.29 msl.   Last Friday  98.27 msl.

Bite Times

Major 11:09 am to 1:09 pm.

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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

It was dead calm at the ramp and the lake level looks about like it did.  The water temp ranged from 89 to 92 as the day warmed and the color is slowly but surely clearing.  Unfortunately since the grass did not come back it will never be “clear” again.  So I headed up lake to throw buzzbait until sunrise, then crankbait and plastics.  It was dead calm and basically stayed that way all day.

Best of 5 casting.

And as it has been I caught 2 smalls on the buzzbait, which was the only 2 bites on it.  So I tossed the chartreuse square bill, some plastics on wood, neither of which produced a bite.  At this point I turned around and ran way down lake to the one bank that has had fish on it and tossed the crankbait.  Basically the bank is a good ways from deep water and not the kind of place that one would think has fish.  For the whole length of it just reeled the crankbait at medium speed and when they bit they whacked it.  3 made it to the boat, and i missed 2 for some reason.  The one above was the best I could manage.   Now it is about 10:30 and dead calm so I decided to do a little trolling and see if the white bass are at the lower end.

First up was the long point coming out of the mouth of the ramp cove.  It usually has white bass on it most of the summer, but not this morning.  So time to just keep going, which I did for an hour without a touch.  And the finally it started with a double.

2 whites bass of the 5 caught trolling.

Using a Shad Rap on one line, and a shad looking thing I have no idea where I got it, it gave them 2 different looks and vibration.  I tried out to the main channel, some of it almost 30 foot deep without a bite.  What made that interesting is that usually produces small bass.  So I moved in some and then a double with a small bass and a white bass.  They were in 10 – 14 foot of water and there were schools of shad on the locator.  After making a bunch of passes it produced 3 small bass, 5 white bass, and one nice catfish.

And like catfish will do it smoked the crankbait.

I find it interesting that until I found them I did not have one random bite, which is very unusual for summer trolling on Coleto.  And all of them were in one stretch about 20 yards at most, and miss it by a little and no bites.  It was 2.5 mph with about 100′ of line out, which had one bait running 10′ and one running 7′.  The Shad Rap was definitely the bait of choice.  Those of you who read this know I like to troll when the time is right, and maybe a little more time in the shallower water might produce.

So it is puzzling that one spot had a bunch of fish, and miles prior to that zip.  They were definitely on shad, which were in that 12 – 16 foot range.  And I am still seeing a really strong line on the graph that must be dirt from the flood.  Really reminds me of when Norfork and Bull Shoals would thermocline and you could easily see it.  Only time will tell if it clears up.  I still do not know what to think about the bass fishing, but there is definitely a fish fry coming in our future.  And hey, I did catch 14 which made the morning.

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The Coleto Bassmaster club tournament went exactly as I thought it would.  One good one over 5lbs was caught by the winnner, Johnny Wagoner (Sp?), and the next couple of places barely made the 5lb range.  It really is a comment on the fishing on the lake right now and is what I am finding every trip, including this morning minus the trolling.

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Unfortunately sliver carp have been found in the river below Texoma.  It now joins 2 other rivers in the state which have reported one form or another of the invasive filter feeding carp.  Suffice to say they will infest and take over a river in nothing flat.  If you fish any of these bodies of water you are not allowed to remove them from the river.  But looks like that has turned out to little to late.  More to come on that front.

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As I plan on my September fishing out west I have had to modify my plans some.  With the fires and drought on the Western Slope there are already low water reports in some area.  That could definitely be a problem so the plan is the area in Colorado I usually go, I have found 3 rivers I have not checked out yet.  And one of those we fished one of three lakes last trip and smoked them, but did not check out the river.  We spoke with a fly fisherman on the way out who was catching a few so that is top on the list.  As the Boss will be flying in to Durango for a week in Pagosa I am free to move about aimlessly for a couple of weeks, but with a plan to keep moving until I find some good fishing.  And this year I hope to end my bad luck at hearing bugling elk.  So it will be up and in the mountains every morning at daylight, you never know what you will see.  No matter what the trip is taking shape and it is not that far off.  Then it will be Louisiana soon after I get back.  So fall is really looking up.

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And great news from Rusty our Fayette guru.  His annual Canada trip was canceled and then of all things Canada is going to open August 9th.  The resort called and asked if they wanted to come and of course it was a big yes, so trip saved.  There is a big world of fishing out there and while it takes effort to get it done, that is how adventures are born.  Go somewhere, it is good for the fishing soul.

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No other particular plan at the moment.  Really hoping the weather dude got it right about next week and we are finally out of this rain pattern.  And with that will come a couple of days of fishing on the coast.  Hope to spend a night or two down there to avoid the driving back and forth.  Until then will just see what the weather has to offer.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Weather

78/86.  Partly sunny with a 40% chance of thunderstorm in spots in the afternoon.  Wind S 7 – 13 mph.

Tides

Low 7:27  1.21 ft.   High 8:59 am  1.23ft.  Low  6:05 pm   -0.22 ft.

Bite Times

Major  9:12 am to 11:12 am.

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

The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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

A funny thing happened on my favorite topwater bank in Big Bayou.  4 blew up on the Skitter Walk and none hooked up.  It was exactly what happened the other day on the same bank.  So of course I stuck with the topwater to long.  But I did fish some places in there I have not fished in a while, but without success.  So time for the old honey hole, and like it is want to do they were on it.

Now that is a trout.  On the Pink Ice Knockin Tail.  CPR.

Since they were liking the Pink Ice last trip, and it was already tied on, started tossing that and on my first pass on my deep trout hole (Not sure what else to call a place I have caught buckets loads of fish this size.)  I put 4 or 5 rats on the deck like the one below and a couple of trout until I got to the very end of it.  When I lifted up, it had just fallen off the drop into 4 foot of water, the one above just started swimming with it.  Thought it was a red at first since I was using light line and a spinning rod.  Then she did the mouth shaking thing and in the net she went.  So no matter how the day went before or after this made it a success.

5 or 6 like this, all on the Pink Ice Knockin Tail.

I re-fished the first bank, and not a bite.  So while I was fishing another shell edge here it came.  It was a couple more smalls up to that point.  Now maybe in the old days I might have waited it out, but it looked big enough to at least head to the ramp around 10:30.  I had seen several showers around me this morning, so discretion being the better part of valor, time to put it on the trailer instead of trying to dodge them.  As soon as I pulled out it started pouring and rained for about 10 miles as I headed out of town, then started clearing back to pockets of showers.  We have enough rain!

Then here it came.  Since I am older and wiser, and not near as “mad” at them as I used to be, time to head to the dock.

I have been fishing the Knockin Tail on 10lb line and a spinning rod, generally on a 1/16th jig head.  And once the water gets over a couple of feet deep on a “heavy” 1/8th ounce screw lock.  Of course I threw other KTL’s colors, and had a tail bit off one when a lady fish smoked it at boat side while I was reeling it in.  While the last couple of trips to Big Bayou the numbers have been down, the water color has not been the best, but there are fish there.  So not heading to South Pass turned out ok, will get there soon.  But looking at the forecast we have rain 2 of the next 3 days.

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Knockin Tail –  Not just for the salt.

Michael got this picture from one of his customers.  It is a nice big muskie caught on the Mansfield Magic Knockin Tail.  You can just see the white tail sticking out of his mouth.     The guy also sent along a few smallmouth pictures to go along with it.  So while the Knockin Tail has caught most fish that swim in the salt this has to be one of the better fish yet.  Anytime any way you can put a muskie in the boat is a great thing.  It you are not fishing it in freshwater you are missing out, and definitely anywhere there are smallmouth and walleye.   And it should catch the snot out of lake trout early in the year.  Not sure who this is  but congratulations, that is a real one.

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I still do not get it.  So far in the Tampa Bay area over 791 tons of fish have been killed by red tide. They basically know what causes it and where it comes from, and of course the state has done zip other than making fishing catch and release in the area.  Treating the symptoms instead of the cause is just plain stupid and irresponsible.  My bigger point, and an issue I have with every Game and Fish in the country, including the at times toothless actions of TPWD, why do they let things like this continue?

State Game and Fish Departments are charged with the protection of our wildlife, but they move at the speed of a snail.  Take the current CWD in Texas commercial deer farms, it almost took a freakin’ disaster to get TPWD moving, and still no guarantees we will not have an outbreak .  And for the love of GOD Florida-  791 tons of dead fish!  Your response is catch and release?  Just what in the hell does that do to resolve the issues and hold whoever accountable?  Instead of laying the blame, and the costs, at the feet of the polluters, lets just have fishermen not keep any, that will work.  And since it has happened repeatedly over the years it is no freakin’ surprise.  Nothing but lip service most of the time to commercial interests.  Exaggerating?  How about they let a private company dump 200 million gallons of pollution into the bay in March and April!  What do we pay these folks for?

Update:  DeSanits, the governor of Florida has denied any aid and says there is enough money to clean it up.  What a pin head, he exhibits a complete lack of understanding of the problem.  Or should I say a complete knuckle under  (Or bought and paid for?  Who knows.)  to commercial interests like the phosphate mining companies that dump pollution in the bay.  Bars, restaurants, resorts, and other business are now suffering their second punishing year after covid.  Seriously folks, how have we gotten to this point?  Nobody gives a rats ass until it is their house.  Think about it, if this stuff was in your front yard you might think differently.  And until you see something like that with your own eyes you can not believe how flat out nasty it is.

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One of the things I always wondered about when I was guiding is why the license was so cheap.  You, the taxpayers, gave me a place to work and a crop to harvest.  So my feelings that guides have a higher responsibility to the resource continues to evolve over the years.  So good to see Bay Flats moving away from plastic bottles, which is the kind of thing I am talking about, a company using the resource and responding in a responsible way.  Very few days on the water you don’t see one floating somewhere, plus they are part of a larger problem.  It is incumbent on those who are using our resource for their personal financial gain to do something, anything.  If everyone did just a little something, the water would be a better place.  Good for Bay Flats.  And good for them for not posting trout pictures right now, think they are in catch and release mode for the time being.  And speaking of that we should be hearing something on the net surveys at some point.  That will be a defining answer to what were the real repercussions of the freeze.

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OFF TOPIC RANT

Mtn Home, my old stomping grounds made the New York Times due to the massive outbreak of Covid and the folks who got it were not vaccinated and bitching.  Ok, you think you know more than the medical community?  Think you have some constitutional right not to take the vaccine?  So don’t take it.  But the time has come to then be sure to get a medial directive stating you do not believe, you know better, and do not want to be taken care of when and if you get it.  Don’t go to the ER, stay home and tough it out.  (I did and boy did that suck!)  And when you end up on a vent please have enough money to pay the $10,000 a day to save you so if you croak we the taxpayers are not left with the bill.  I have seen enough stories of folks saying I wish I had taken it, or family members whining when pops kicks the bucket because he was smarter than the rest of the world.  We all make choices in life and then live. or die, with the consequences.  Sorry, but I feel strongly about taking the vaccine.

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So while it was a short morning at least a few jumped on.  Tomorrow looks like real rain so not sure if I will get back out.  But unless I get a better offer it will be back on the water no later than Wednesday.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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Weather

77/89.  Humid with clouds and sunshine; 40% chance of an afternoon thunderstorm in one or two spots.  Wind SSE  12 – 17 mph.

Lake Level

Today  98.27 msl.   Tuesday  98.24 msl.

Solunar Times

Major  5:54 am to 7:54 am.  Minor  11:54 am to 12:54 pm.

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Maybe Some Improvement?

I was on the water at daylight, and you could tell there is a tournament tomorrow as there were 5 boats there before me.  That never happens during the week.  The water level is basically stable, still off color, and the temps was around 87 degrees.  The wind was already blowing just a little.

O course I started with the buzzbait, I am nothing if not consistent.  And low and behold by time the sun got completely out I caught 4 smalls and missed a couple.  The one thing I noticed was they were in a little sparser grass near deep water.  It was good to catch a couple way up lake, and one thing right now is pay attention to the color.  It is not consistent and it seems just a little clearer is better.

2 on buzzbait.  Nothing to write home about but at least they were biting.

They finally quit the buzzbait so why not back to the chartreuse square bill.  It was working 2 weeks ago then seemed to fad.  But today they were just a little more interested.   A funny thing, when they bit they jacked it up, and I mean smacked it.  Of the 5 I caught on it most came on shallower banks.  Which only makes sense with the square bill, as this one only runs 3 – 4 feet at most.

Then they started on the crankbait.

Another catfish jumped on, to bad for him as  he is headed to the pan.  I cranked until I did not have bite for over an hour and called it a morning at 11:30 as the jet skis and pleasure boats started coming out.  Funny though I gave it a go in the right places I did not buy a bite on plastics, and also threw a swim jig on one place without success,  So no pattern to it right now, more keeping it in the water and getting lucky in the right place.

There was a couple of cool wildlife encounters today.  Monday there was a dead deer on a flat bank and the buzzards were working it over.  The water came up just enough and it was in the water.  When I came by it spooked 2 big gators who were apparently doing a little fine dining.  Near the same area a turkey for some reason decided to gobble his head off.  Not sure what that was about but it sounded cool.  And last as I passed in front of a big tree a really huge owl spooked.  That was by far the biggest I have ever seen.  These 3 happenings made the morning.

You know I have been saying I can not believe they have not come to the bank, but maybe, just maybe, if the water level would stabilize and clear they might slowly come to the bank.  There is just way to much good cover.  But it might just be the ones above, small, but as tough as it has been I am not complaining.  And my guess is someone will catch a big fish tomorrow in the tournament, it generally happens.

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Michael, the designer and owner of the Knockin Tail Lure is in the Everglades.  I could not be more jealous, I have been lucky enough to fish it 3 times and always enjoy it.  To top it off he will be using some secret stuff so I can not wait for the report.

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My buddy Clyde, one of my oldest fishing friends, is going through some serious medical issues right now.  So please, whether you pray to God, Allah, Budda, or the Man of Many Faces, say a good word for him and his family.  Hope he is back on the water soon.

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As usual leaving it to folks for the weekend.  We are talking going somewhere this week, just a matter of making a decision.  I hope to be fishing POC 2 days next week and will stay down there overnight.  Time to do some wading, it has been a while.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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Weather

75/88.  Times of clouds and sun with 40% chance of widely separated thunderstorms.  Wind ESE 10 – 15 mph.

Lake Level

Today  98.24 msl.   17 days ago  98.24 msl.   (After all that rain and it is right where it was.  They dumped a ton.) 

Bite Times

Minor  9:54 am to 10:54 am.

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

The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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

This is what a $250 annual permit will get you in a morning of fishing!

My struggles on the lake continue.  When I pulled out of the ramp at 10:30 (Big storm coming.) there was a guy taking out his nice Ranger so we chatted.  Johnny’s experience this morning was the same as mine, one small one.  His came on a drop shot on wood, mine came way up lake pitching to cover.  Whatever is going on right now I am not the guy to go to for positive information.  I do know one thing, they are not in the stuff.  But we both agreed on one thing, it seems GBRA’s explanation of where the grass went, (The flood about 4 or 5 years ago.) seems to be bullshit, but that is another story.  We both think they killed it, but no proof that is the case.

As the water is still up I ran almost to the plant then way up the river just to get a feel for color and temp.  The water temp was in the mid 80’s and the color is a real tannic looking dark.  It did surprise me that way up the river the water color is fishable, no real mud line which I thought for sue there would be.  I went that way after fishing lots of shallow cover without success with lots of different baits.  Then it was a couple of deep points out to 20′ without a bite.  The one above came after pitching a mile of great stuff, and was the only bite I had all morning.  And I pitched over a mile of great looking cover.

The Coleto Creek Bassmasters have a tourney this weekend and I will be very interested in the outcome.  Here is my projection.  One big fish will be caught, the rest will be in the 6 – 8lb total for runners up since it is a 3 fish limit.  That is they way it has been going, so if you are in the club and reading this, please post the results so the rest of us mortals can see how it went.  Put enough people on the water and someone will get lucky/or figure it out.

So while there might be some usable information here, water color etc, unfortunately I am adding little to the discussion.  I guess the only type of fishing that is not in my wheelhouse, slow dragging a plastic on a Carolina Rig on deep ledges, just might be the way to go.  What ever has kept them from moving into all the fabulous looking cover is escaping me right now.  It just looks to good.  Guess I will remain a puzzled old man for the time being.  And it sure is humbling.

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And this from Anonymous.

Thank you for writing your “stuff”.

Thanks for reading.  Who knows, you might even get something out of this drivel.  At least  on the lake there is a primer on what not to do.  So keep reading, it keeps me writing.

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Headed out of town for a couple of days, then it will be back at it.  Time to head back to the Gulf, at least I can catch one.  It really is puzzling what is going on at the lake.  Maybe at times I am simplifying the question.  Is it lack of fish, or is this set of conditions the perfect storm?  As I did whack lots of big fish last month they are obviously not gone, it must be the perfect storm of conditions.  At least that is my story and I am sticking to it for the time being.  So in spite of my complete lack of success this morning keep stopping in, you never know, and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

This one pulled a little bit!  Smoked the Pearl Limetreuse Knockin Tail.

I was excited to be headed to the water so it was easy to get up and get gone.  I got to Froggie’s  at 6:15, the parking lot was half full, and there was a pretty good crowd for a Monday.  The water looked like crap and was 83 degrees, which was the temp over most of the places I fished.  The wind was a steady 10 mph out of the SE and it was hazy on the horizon.  First up was my favorite daylight topwater bank, and it turned out to be a mixed blessing.

Weather

79/86.  Partly sunny with a thunderstorm in spots in the afternoon with A 40% chance of rain.  Wind  SSE 10 – 15mph.

Tides

High  11:39 am   1.39 ft.   Low  11:50 pm  -0.12 ft.

Bite Times

Minor  8:54 am to 9:54 am.   Major  3:51 pm to  5:51 pm.

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

The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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

At least 6 made a pass at the Skitter Walk.  Half were reds, they were just a little bit behind, the others trout doing the knock it in the air thing, and none hooked up.  I did re-fish it with a spinnerbait but they were not interested.  So I tried one more place with the topwater and with no more bites I put it up.  From then on it was Knockin Tails in assorted colors in assorted ways.

A 10 spotter on the Heavy Metal Knockin Tail.  One of the 2 on a 4 Horseman popping cork and the Pearl Limetreuse Knockin Tail.

Only one fish came on the deeper banks that normally are a no brainer right now.  In Big Bayou the side with the wind had floating grass, the color sucked, and not a bite there are in that kind of color all morning.  The water was super high, which was no surprise as it was coming up from when I started until quitting at 1:30.  I readily admit to not being the best rising to really high tide bay fisherman, much prefer the fall, but you can’t always get what you want.

Other than the 2 below only a couple of more trout jumped on all morning, and they were not worth a pic.  It was definitely slow after the sun came up until I finally had a moment of insight.  If that many hit the topwater early, maybe they are still there.

The first one slow rolling the Red Shad Knocking Tail.  Number 2 on the Pearl Limetreuse Knockin Tail.

The color on that bank was slightly off, but perfect for redfish.  I put on the 4 Horseman popping cork and old reliable, the Pearl Limetreuse Knockin Tail.  Since the bank is very shallow I put it on a 24″ leader.  I started right where the daylight bite was and ended up catching 5, 2 trout and 3 reds.  When they hit they pulled it under and took off.  Ended up wishing I had spent more time on the shallower places with the popping cork, especially with the color in most places.  I hit one more bank with it, missed a flounder near a dock, and called it a day.

The fishing could best be described as slows, but as it has been a month since I fished the bay I can live with it.  The water is super high and there were lots of folks cruising the back lakes.  Not sure what is up with the trout other than the fresh water has them a little messed up, and when combined with some poor color it is not surprising.  Today the best places had a touch of color along with being loaded with bait.  It was good to be back on the salt and next trip time to get out the waders.  In the end catching redfish never gets old.

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How Much Rain?

There is water everywhere as you get close to the coast.  The ground is so saturated that it is not sinking in.  It definitely was over the road in a couple of places on the way.  Here is a couple of the local rainfall totals over the last week, and a little more was added to that.  To bad we can not send some of it out west.

Rockport  –  18″

Port Lavaca  –  14″

Victoria  –  10″

Saturday I decided to take a little ride out to the lake and fork over the $250 for the annual permit.  (Now that is nothing short of a total ripoff.  GBRA told me last year it was for upkeep, which the road and  ramp sorely need.  But that is another story.)  But I basically did it then to see what the water had done.  It almost went completely over the piers and into the lot.  The real sight was when I crossed the creek bridge on Hwy 59 on the way out there.  All I can say was they were dumping water like mad.  What it has done to the lake fishing I will not know until I go.

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The current plan is to be on the lake at daylight.  Not a clue what might happen, but might as well start getting my $250 worth.  If they do not come to the stuff now it just might not happen until fall finally gets here.  And will be headed back to POC soon, maybe stay the night and hit it hard.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my sruff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

The Great Barrier Reef.

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Calling it a Week.

The amount of rain we are getting is amazing.  In fact we got the months worth in the first 5 days of July, crazy.  There has been heavy cloud cover stretching from POC to Victoria and beyond all week.  Inches upon inches of rain, it is actually projected to be over a foot in Port Lavaca by Friday and the streets in Rockport are flooding.   Just here at the house we have passed an easy  5″ and growing.  Of course we are under a flood watch/warnings for the rest of the week.  So our earlier freshwater issues in the bays will only get worse.  I hate to even think what it is doing to the lake.  And the forecast is significant rain until Saturday, then starting up again.  Who knows, I may actually fish a weekend day.

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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

Cabo Blanco Peru.

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And from TPWD the holiday weekend numbers:

Texas Game Wardens conducted safety checks on more than 12,220 vessels statewide between Friday and Sunday.

In addition to issuing 1,474 citations and 1,797 warnings for various boating safety law violations, wardens arrested 42 individuals for Boating While Intoxicated (BWI) and filed eight other charges for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI). Additionally, another 33 people were arrested for various other charges.

18 reportable boating accidents at several Texas lakes and rivers including: Nasworthy, Bob Sandlin, Grapevine, Richland Chambers, Canyon Lake, Possum Kingdom, McQueeny Granbury, Corpus Christi, Lewisville, Ray Roberts, Lake Fork Ray Hubbard, Neches River, Lake Austin, Lake Travis (2) and Lake Belton.

the TPWD dive team assisted with locating an open-water fatality at Lake Travis.

Texas Game Wardens also dealt with two boating fatalities and seven open water fatalities on Texas waterways over the Independence Day weekend. The two boating-related fatalities occurred on Lake Lewisville. Open-water fatality locations included the Brazos River, Lake Amon G Carter, Lake Travis, North Bosque River, Joe Pool, the Gulf of Mexico (Matagorda Beach) and the Comal River.

In Austin on Lady Bird Lake, TPWD Boater Education Manager Kimberly Sorensen and City of Austin Lake Patrol made contact with 60 people without proper life jackets on their canoes, kayaks or stand up paddleboards.

Falcon Lake off the Rio Grande River.  An inspection of the vessel revealed more than 200 pounds of illegal narcotics in the vessel’s storage compartments.

Another spectacular holiday weekend in Texas.  A special round of applause for the Austin area, guess life jackets are a new concept to the area.  If you think about it, they inspected over 12,000 boats and issued over 3,000 citations.  Of course there is some overlap but when it comes down to it 1 out of 4 were in violation, besides 40 of them were drunk.  There is no more dangerous time on the water than the holidays, and as usual these numbers are disturbing.  Nothing but props to the wardens for dealing with all of this 3 times a summer, what a hassle.  We can do better than this.

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Had some friends fish the Sabine area in Louisiana last month.  It was tough for them but they did manage to box some trout the last day.  Unfortunately a little tangle with a immovable object resulted in the death of a lower unit.  The joys of boat ownership.  Nothing like traveling fishing, you never know.  But if you never give it a real go you are missing out.

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Colorado Rainbow.

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The last year and half since the pandemic has been a shit show in some respects.  It did not help I got the covi, which when combined with the lake being closed meant a 6 month mess.   But finally things are starting to shape up.  Having both vaccinations I am ready to ramp back up the fishing travel.  The only question is where, besides the big western swing in September.  So I will ponder the next destination, but I am needing a fix that is out of the area.

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And last but not least this for all you Rudy G. lovers.  The Washington DC courts have also suspended his law license, the second jurisdiction to do so, for being nothing more than a big fat liar.  I told you so last year and now the chickens have come home to roost.  I hope if you need an attorney you find one that is truthful.  It is so important.  If they will lie to the court they will lie to you.

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Just a few thoughts today.  Guess I will head to the tackle room and stare at the baits, best I can do right now.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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First my condolences to Michael and his family for their loss.  Loss is always tough.

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Random fish pic – Belize permit, a bucket list fish for me.

As I sit here Wednesday morning watching the radar I am beginning to wonder why the Gods are conspiring against me and my fishing plans.  What happened to retiring and fishing whenever I want?  The rain is literally solid from here to the Gulf, a pattern we can not seem to get out of.  And for some reason the electricity has been out 3 times already this morning.  The wind is blowing lightly as it rains, and rains, and rains some more.  We actually have a flash flood watch/warning until Friday morning.  Can it be possible that we have finally have to much rain?  That would be a Texas first for me, though we have only been here 15 years.  If it was not so heavy I might try to slip out to the lake at some point today but looks like that will not happen.

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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And further conspiring to keep me shore bound we traveled to Houston yesterday to see ANOTHER ear specialist.  Over the last 2 weeks the roaring in my ear has gotten much worse (They were not impressed.) so I decided to give it one more try to get some relief.  (Attempt #4.)  I was hoping there might be some form of surgical option, nope.  The punch line – To bad, so sad.  It gets somewhat frustrating to hear that we have done all we can, and maybe try this or that,  (As in $3,000 and $4000 gadgets, cash up front.) with the realistic chances of relief about zero.  And if I hear one more time it is all in my head – DUH!  Funny how one of the professionals I spoke with yesterday said I might be obsessing.  Well no shit Sherlock.  So guess this is my fault?  You try having your ear literally roaring 24/7 and see if maybe you might “obsess” some.  So today is give up day, I guess it will be what it is.  Occasionally in life it requires all of us to man up and shut up, so time for me to do the same.  But hey, they got to do hearing test number 4, which was exactly the same as it has been since this started a year ago, and charge Medicare and my insurance company, so it is all good.

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Everglades snook – That is a real one!

So since it looks like fishing is not on the plate today guess I will hit the tackle room and try to get a little better organized.  In other words clean up the mess that comes with changing line, hooks, gluing stuff, changing combos, all that is associated with fishing.  But it sure is nice to  have a tackle room.  Wish I had not sold all my lure making molds, pots, etc, would be making jig heads today.  I have a style I like and being able to make them at will was nice.  Sure saved lots of $$$ as the price has gone over the roof.  And speaking of jig heads, the ones at Tackle Town that were $10 I found for $7 so it pays to shop around.

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The Boss crosses the border in the jungle from Costa Rica into Panama.  It is in the doing!

And there is some early planning going on for what will be one of my biggest adventure yet.  The Boss is wanting to head back out west, Montana or  Idaho, and has a week to get it done in September.  So the plan that is taking shape is I am going to fish my way west for a couple of weeks, leaving after the holiday.  Then pick her up for a week, and then fish my way back.  As it is hefty drive thinking the plan is at least 2 weeks out and 2 weeks back, stopping and fishing from Colorado to the Canadian border.  No plan, no route, take the scenic route and fish it if it looks good.  The San Juan, the Yellowstone, Snake, Bitterroot, all those famous places, and who knows what other rivers and lakes await.  And of course at least a day or two in Yellowstone to get my wolf and griz fix.  Then back and 2 weeks later to the Chandeleurs, looks like it will be a great fall.

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So a melancholy day to mess with tackle, read a book, and take a nap.  Hope you all had a great weekend, and if you got to fish had a couple tug on your line.  I appreciate you sticking with the blog during this down time.  I know it gets a little stale during some of these periods, it feels that way to me.  But just around the corner the fish are jumping in the boat, hope springs eternal for all fishermen.  It is the one trait we all share.  So keep stopping in, there is fishing to come, and most of all – Thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

TPWD has taken additional action on deer breeders in an effort to contain the spread of CWD.  I do not think they took it far enough, but it is a start.  Until proven otherwise NO deer from any commercial breeding facility should be allowed out.  I feel for the breeders but this is a potential disaster and there should be a moratorium on sales or movement of any deer from any breeding facility in Texas, or importation for the time being.  After that until the herd is absolutely undeniably clear no movement without a test, end of  story.  Time to nip this in the bud, before it spreads over the whitetail industry, both hunting and breeding.  It can easily spread and then no one wins.  I still have a problem with a state agency equating the commercial needs of an industry with our animals they are paid to protect.  I understand that there has to be some balance to it, but nowhere does it say Texas Parks Wildlife Commercial Department.  Oh… and a couple of questions, asking for a friend:  How did this happen?  And why has it taken this long to be given the look it deserves?  Just wondering who was supposed to be minding the hen house?

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Boy looking daily at boats for sale is eye opening.  First is a “shortage” of some new boats and consequently the price of used is skyrocketing.  And now the shortage has extended to used boats.  I used to say if you could afford a high dollar boat why buy used.  Now that is not the easy answer as there is very little out there, and finding exactly what you are looking for it might have to be used.  Of course the price “might” be a  little out of line, it depends on how bad you want it.  A few folks are selling hoping to take advantage of the current market. The best advice right now, hang on if you can, this will not last.  (Probably.)

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A Sad Day

Another senseless death out of POC.  According to what I read a man was killed when the SCB he was riding in hit the small jetties near midnight.  It could have been even worse as there were 4 other folks in the boat.  How do things like this continue to happen?

I can scream about horsepower till the cows come home, but the repercussions from high speed boating continue.  (And do not put words in my mouth, I do not have a clue how this happened.)

As a buddy and I headed home late one night on Lake Norfork we almost had our incident.  It was dead calm and I felt the Champion rock slowly back and forth, then it hit me, wake.  I pulled back on the throttle and we idled down and almost hit a pontoon full of folks.  They had their running lights off so they could “see.”  The one and only time I ever yelled at anyone on the water.

If you do not know, and I mean like the back of your hand, where you are and where you are going, you have no business on the water at night.  And if you think you know where you are, but your horsepower is overriding your good sense, you have no business on the water at night, or maybe even owning a boat capable of going that fast.  Your GPS is fine for general navigation but it is not infallible, or that precise, to rely on it while running high speed in the dark.

Do not get me wrong I have no idea why or how this happened, or whether speed was a factor, but I saw the pictures from the last deadly crash involving a high speed boat out of POC, and they were ugly.  (That gentleman is now under indictment and facing significant prison time.)  I know many of you think you have some God given “constitutional” right to run as fast as you want.  (Love how that is always thrown around when talking about a ton of different “rights” by folks who heard about the constitution in the 4th grade.)  But as far as I am concerned it is time for a speed limit on the water.  There is a reason we have them on our highways.  Trust me, after having worked a bunch of highway fatalities crashing at 45 mph is nothing comparted to 75 mph.  How hard is water?  You can roller skate at 60 mph on water, plenty hard depending on how you hit it.  And while mandatory kill switches is a start, it means little when you hit an immovable object.  I do not mean to rant, but it is so sad when a good time turns to tragedy.  Seeing the human consequences at the time it happens is heart breaking.  My condolences to family and friends, what a waste.  Try telling the family a few times their member has died, it is not easy.

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Please, please, please be careful out there this weekend.  The weather is going to straighten up and that means folks will be out in full force.  So wear your life jackets, assume the other guy does not have a clue, be the bigger man and yield, check all your stuff before heading to the water, and then act like you have a brain in your head and it will all be fine.  And do not get shit faced and drive anything mechanical, safer that way.  So have some big fun with family and friends, we deserve it after the last year and a half.

For me it is another few days of the kids, letting everyone have the holiday weekend, then finally back on the water full force.  All parties are on notice that I am going to fish, and then fish some more.  Keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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Got to the ramp at daylight, the water temp was 87 – 91 over the whole lake, the color is still sketchy, and the wind was light.  It was clear overhead when I got up and watched the full moon sink into the horizon, and here came the clouds.  Other than the wind white capping when I quit at noon conditions stayed the same all morning.

Best of the 13 I caught this morning.

Though I threw the buzzbait on a few small flat points, see the only one that ate above, I stuck with the chartreuse square bill.  I was confident that the bite would be better, and the numbers bore that out.  The only problem, size.

There was no place any better than any other, but throwing it near cover accounted for a few, the rest just got on, most close to the bank.  The better places have some deep water close by, common this time of year.  And today like Monday they did eat, the only one I missed all morning knocked a foot of slack in it and just did not catch up.  And like Monday, a few “other” fish jumped on.

I small catfish stayed on, another followed it all the way to the boat.  Then one smashed it and the tussle was on.  Hoping it was a bass it turned out to be a pretty big carp.  I was already envisioning the picture but being to lazy to get the net I tried to grab it, and after a couple of attempts it pulled off.  It was hooked in the side of the head, if it would have been the mouth there would have been no getting off.

After a couple of fishless trips, then 6 Monday, 13 today was a definite improvement.  Crankbait looks to be a ticket, and maybe throwing deeper diving baits might be effective.  I did throw another similar bait and color but did not get a bite.  It seemed they wanted the little tighter wiggle and noisy rattle.  And for those of you who like the bladed jig it would sure seem to be an option right now.

The one thing I know for sure, seems like when I get above the bridge and go further up the fishing definitely declines.  It is much dirtier way up, and while I hoped the crankbait would get it done in that water, not a bite.  Most of the places I have caught the last 2 trips have been on the lower part of the lake.  So while it was not a big fish day the bites were just often enough to keep it interesting.

And as side note the grandkids will be here next weekend and they want to go fishing.  With the number of catfish shallow we should be able to catch a couple.  And they always tell Granpa – We don’t want to touch them!

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There is a crazy story of a collegiate bass angler who was struck by lightning while practicing the other day.  They saw the storm coming and took off and were hit running 55 mph.  Best they could tell it hit the driver in the shoulder and exited out his pants into the boat seat.  Wow!  He was checked out and seems all is good.  Man that could have been a lot worse, when you see it coming the lightning is often already there, so be careful next time you see one coming.

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Happy to report the Boss came through her knee surgery with flying colors.  She had the most trouble with the after affects of the anesthesia.  The Doc said it was all good and is ok to walk on it after a couple of days of rest.  Then some rehab and she is good to go.  It is hell getting old, it is not for the faint of heart.

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Rudy…Rudy…Rudy

Those of you who have been reading me for a while might remember the guy who gave me hell and said he would never read me again because of my comments on Rudy G.  Well guess what?  He has now been suspended from the practice of law in New York, and actually has to appear in court today for one of his bullshit legal filings.  Then a hearing before the BAR to see whether he will actually be disbarred.  No greater shame for an attorney. The BAR in its lengthy opinion said that he was suspended for lying, both to courts and to the public.  End of story, he is a liar, plain and simple.  And when the courts where he spread his nonsense get done with him and that nut Powell, much less the multiple lawsuits for defamation,  (Making shit up.) he will be nothing more than a stain on the profession and one heck of  a lot poorer.  Sad to see what was once a well respected lawyer and politician sink to nothing more than a scumbag.  And what next?  Then a good chance he will be indicted.  Told you so.

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In a perfect world I will have a few days on the Gulf next week.  The Boss will be back in business and the kids will not be here until late in the week.  The world continues to conspire against me but I should be good to go for a month or two after this latest commotion.  Can you say Grand Isle?  So keep stopping in and thanks of reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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When I got up first thing checked was the radar and it confirmed the lake.  It was drizzling at the house and there were pockets of storms blowing in from the Gulf in the POC area so off to the lake I went.  On putting the boat in at 6:00 the wind was about 15 mph out of the SE, the water temp was in the high 80’s, and the water is finally starting to clear some.

Right off the bat 3 just flat missed the buzzbait, all on points.  Not sure what that is about but only one looked like it might be a good one.  I worked lots of different places and the results stayed the same as it has been, no bites after first thing.  I finally changed tactics, which might have cleared a few things up, or maybe confused me even more.

It was kind of a Gary Klein thing, a small chartreuse square bill crankbait.  Strictly just hoping for a bite.  The first point I came to one the size of the one below jumped on, and I mean smacked it.  From that point on it was the only thing I threw for the rest of the morning.

Ok maybe there is something to this.

One small jumped on next, then the one above.  All three of them smacked it, no trouble telling it was a bite.  And all three came on a windy point.  I fished several places without a bite then had a run of the “other” stuff.  Got to give them credit they unload on it.

Then it was the attack of the killer catfish.  They do not come off.

And if these guys are shallow looking to spawn the bluegill swim jig should be working.  And looks like the catfish are also about to spawn.

Of the 6 I caught on the crankbait all were right on the edge of the stuff, and about half jumped it after it hit something.  None came very far off the cover.  Points were best, but just because it was a good looking point did not mean there was a fish on it.  And if you take into account the miles covered with the crankbait it was not fast by any means, but it gives me hope.  Also tells me I might have had head up rear syndrome.

I am somewhat puzzled though.  With the amount of water that I have tossed both the swim jig and swim bait without success the last week it was another story with the crankbait in the exact same type spots.  Confirms there are some shallow like I thought, guess I have just not been throwing the right stuff.  Maybe the bright color with the wobble is what it took, and will take, to trigger a bite.  Another bait that might catch them would be the vibrating jig.  Makes me wonder how many might cooperate if I threw it all morning.  No matter what it was nice to have some bites that acted like they really wanted it.  Now I can not wait to head back up lake where the water color is not the best, who knows, it just might be the ticket.

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Can I Have 2?

Mercury just introduced a 600hp Verado that has 2 features new to outboards.  1.  It has a 2 speed automatic transmission.  2.  The lower unit is articulated.  Turn the wheel and the cowl stays unmoved and just the lower unit turns.  All that is wow!  But the real wow, it only costs a cool $77,000.  What a deal.  And that is all freakin’ nuts if I do say so myself.

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Saturday we made a lunch run to Rockport where the choices are more to our liking.  After eating we made the usual stop at Tackle Town.  First I was looking for swim bait hooks in a certain size and weight.  The options are still far from complete in the hook business, one area that was, and still is, affected by the pandemic.  And whether it was in North Arkansas, Houston, or Rockport there just is not a full compliment in any store.  But there was one that I thought at first would be the ticket, until I looked at the price.

They were a Mustad 4/0 in 1/8th weight.  Ok that will work, except there are only 3 hooks in a pack, and they were $9.99.  Wow!  I am not paying that for 3 hooks, period.  Though they were the most expensive, most were in the $6 plus for 3 or 4.  Man I am getting old.    As we all know a  4/0 in one company is not always a 4/0 in another, so I settled for another brand, and then addressed my second need.

After taking a Penn spinning reel locally to get it cleaned, I wanted to shop somewhere else.  They actually cleaned it and gave it back to me still basically broke, and charged me $20.  They knew it was not functioning properly because he said I could order the part.  Huh?  If I am going to order the part, then take it apart then I might as well clean it.  Make sense?  That is like dropping your car off at the mechanics for the transmission and he fills it with gas, changes the oil, washes the windshield, then bills you for it and giving it back to you and it still won’t run.

The dude at Tackle Town told me if they could not fix it they just stop, put it in a bag, and give it back to you.  No charge.  Much better, then at least if you want to put in the effort to save it you can order parts.  But anyway they had the pawls I was needing so nice to get those.  I am not all about cleaning and repairing reels, but pawls I can handle.  And it was all it took to get my 4500C cranking reel back in action.  To bad I did not have it today.

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Chronic Wasting disease has infected  some Texas captive whitetail breeding facilities, which according to what I read makes a total of 5.  Now it has made the national media.  It says TPWD is “scrambling” to test and contain, but it looks like the horse may be out of the barn, which could threaten the wild whitetail population.  There are calls for increased regulations of the 900 plus breeders, but it has been unsuccessful, and of course you can surmise why.  TPWD should be “scrambling”, if the wild Texas whitetail herd gets infected we could have a serious disaster, decimating the herd with what is called the “zombie” disease.  And as keeper of the wildlife they might also “scramble” to explain how this happened under their watch.  Who was watching them?  Another example of why at times I am skeptical that TPWD always has their priorities in order.  Animals first, commercial interests last.  Pretty simple concept.

I know at times I have been critical of TPWD, when they deserve it.  But in their defense they need more money, more help, and more wardens.  Arkansas took the bull by the horns and the state voted a dedicated 1/8th cent sales tax for fish and game.  And they specifically dedicated it so the greedy legislature can not steal it, as so often happens.  Texas needs that kind of  funding, it is a big state.  And one other thing it needs, how about just one “regular” person on the commission?  Using politically connected folks with money is not the best way to assure that all the users of our outdoors are protected and have at least a little of the access most commissions have.

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Congrats to Colby Peyton and the Waterloo gang for their win at the Rojo Classic this weekend.  Those were some really stud redfish.  Between him and Colton with the Everlast guys, tough for anyone else to win one on the coast right now.  The little friendly competition between them could go on for a while.  No clue where they caught them this weekend but there are some good bull redfish reports from the jetties.

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Hopefully the Boss will have a good outcome on her knee in the morning.  The Doc says she will be good as new and that mountains are back in her future.  Just have to see how it goes, but I should be back on the water in a few days, hopefully the bay.  Maybe it will start clearing like the lake has, but there is more rain in the forecast so who knows.  I am happy to have the LTS back and looking forward to adding a ton more hours.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines