FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

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I Still Suck at Fly Fishing.

Nothing has changed in that department.  Monday the weather was going to be sketchy, it is raining as I write this.  It has finally cooled off and will be down in the low 40’s tonight and the rain should be ending.  I put off heading to Lake City and Lake San Cristobal and decided to hit the creek for my first fly fishing of the trip.

My favorite type of creek to fly fish.  It is still up from the runoff, but it is definitely fishable.

I am still such a neophyte and today was a perfect example of that.  Not knowing all I need to know about flies and such I just chose a dry fly and went at it.  To make a long story short – lost 1, missed 3 and had 3 take a pass at it but not even come close.  Interesting how 3 hours just melted away.  All were brook trout.  While small they are one of the more beautiful trout and I love catching them.  But back to the issues.

Not an excuse but the photo above is in one of the few open spots along the creek.  It is rugged in a canyon, so access is based on how hard you want to work.  But it will have brookies in it until it ices over and is a close reliable place to fish a few minutes from the house.  And with the Rio Grande still running strong it is a good option until the river goes down.

Not sure but I think the fly was just a hair big but that still does not explain why I did not catch one.  The art of making a perfect drift with line control had a lot to do with it.  And I am sure the line contact between me, and the fish had something to do with missing them.  Losing the one I did hook was simply a matter of keeping a tight line.  My hook setting ability is not up to snuff either but no hurry.  I have the rest of my life to learn and nothing beats time on the water, end of story.  And speaking of water it is off to San Cristobal in the morning.

**************The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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

San Cristobal

It does not get any better than this.

San Cristobal has been on my list since I got back and so I headed up to Lake City on Tuesday morning.  It turned out to be an interesting day.  While 75 miles from South Fork it is a 2-hour drive through some really high mountains.  You end up going over the Continental Divide and then a pass, both over 11,000 feet.  Once I got there it was interesting to say the least.  (The only problem with that drive by myself pulling the boat is who knows what wildlife I did not see, other than the muley that made the better choice to not jump out in front of the truck.  But it is a beautiful drive.)

As many of the more popular lakes do there is a check station for the boat prior to launching.  The guy did the check and thought he could maybe see a small green piece of something way back in the prop that he could not say for sure what it was.  So to be on the safe side he would just blast it with hot water before I put in, then the fun began.  The sprayer would not start due to a bad battery.  I gave him my jumpers and he tried to jump it, but it would not take a charge.  Luckily the other gentleman that works there had a jump starter which worked great, it only took a minute, and I was on the water.  It is a great program and a compliment to commitment by parks and wildlife to keep the lakes free of invasive species.

There are as many variations of color as there are brown trout.

The goal was to catch a lake trout unfortunately that did not happen.  They guy at the station said he had not seen any yet this year, but remember it was not that long ago it was ice out.  I kept trolling and learning the lake, interesting not having a built-in map on the small lakes like most of us are used to.  So it was simply keep trolling and watching the locator to get the lay of the land.  The water temp was 50 degrees and off color due to the runoff.  The deepest water I saw was 79 feet but there are some deeper spots than that.

A nice rainbow.

I stayed with the deeper program hoping for a lake trout but just could not generate a bite.  There is still a pretty good run off and there was a noticeable line of “stuff” near the surface on the locator and it dawned on me, probably fishing too deep.  I just read an article that warned against doing that, so I lightened up on the gear and started catching trout.  Not my original plan but fishing is nothing more than a string of decisions and once I shallowed up the bite was on.  While not as fast as I have been having it was steady.

A little toad.  As usual all fish were a quick CPR and back in they went.  Hold them by the lure and a quick shake with the pliers and back they go without touching them.

The wind finally came up around 2:00 and as I am not nearly as “mad” at the fish as I used to be I called it a day.  As so many of the lakes around here the view is stunning.  There were lots of campers and plenty of folks out in kayaks and paddle boards.  There were only 2 boats on the lake the whole time I was there but according to the guy at the check station come July 4th it is a mad house.  While I am pretty sure I will not be back there before then it will be on the menu as soon as the summer season is over.

The learning curve on trolling continues.  It is not simply dragging something around and hoping something jumps on.  It is an art all unto itself to successfully target a specific fish and lake trout and kokanee are still the goal.  Since fish are fish no matter where you are, you just have to “listen” to the fish.  They will tell you what you need to know to catch them if you just keep an open mind.  And often that listening is not “hearing” anything, there are lessons in that.  I could easily catch them on traditional trout lures using the trolling motor but that can happen whenever, so I continue to expand my trolling knowledge.  Trust me, I am already drooling at the mouth thinking of the jerk bait right after ice out, it will be fun.

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The boys in Canada are continuing to have what can only be described as an epic trip.  And here is another monster.

Now that is a musky!!!

Clyde has been making the trip to Lake of the Woods for over 40 years now and that experience is really starting to pay big dividends.  They have caught some real big fish this trip so congrats.  Keep it up!  There are some great fishing holes in North America, but few can compare to Lake of the Woods.  Every cast could be your fish of a lifetime and if you are a fisherman and not a one trick pony it should be on your bucket list.  Multi species anglers can rip some lips on Lake of the Woods.

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It is a lovely day in the Rockies as I write this.  There needs to be a little boat cleaning today along with a few other chores to do but the water is calling me.  And definitely need to visit the fly shop and find something for the brookies so I can copy it and tie it myself.  There is another stream calling me which is much higher in the mountains, and it will be a tough decision tonight, that or back to the lake.  Life is good.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

My Thursday fishing view.

After fishing the Rio Grande I fished Beaver on Thursday and Big Meadow on Friday.  Since I was waiting on the new spare which came today I did not want to get to far from the house.  But in the last week I have learned a lot about trolling for trout but little about Kokanee.  I did catch a small fish on Beaver that I think was a young Kokanee but will have to look up the stocking history to be sure.

One of a few Brown trout I caught the last 2 trips.  They sure are pretty.

On both lakes the trout fishing has been stellar.  The fish from Beaver are bigger and Big Meadow was heavier on the stockers.  But on both still learning the lakes as there are no maps.  One thing I have learned is if there is runoff there will be schools of trout.  Whether from the main creek or a small feeder the fish will be right in front of the water entering the lake.  How many you say?  When fishing Rio Grande I caught one and after taking him off I got a bite on the other rod.  I laid the first one down and while I was fighting fish #2 another one hit the other rod which maybe had 5 foot of line out.  It has been amazing to see the locator light up with trout as the dine on whatever the runoff brings.

Big Meadow.  And this was the way I ended my week.

It has been interesting seeing how many fish I can catch and on what.  Whether a spoon, Rapala or a hoochie, depth is the key and color seem to matter some.  Though the Rapala has not really produced bigger trout it will.  There is a big brown out there somewhere who will eventually jump on.   I try to do a quick catch and release with the pliers and generally do not handle them, just shake them off over the side.

While I was fishing Big Meadow the stocking truck pulled up and dumped a bunch in.  It was just like the old days on the White River.  As soon as the fish hit the water the catching began.  It was a feeding frenzy by the folks fishing on shore and everyone had a big time.  And speaking of people I basically have no competition as far as boats go.  It’s so nice and quiet, the eagles are here, the deer are always moving around and you never know what you might see.

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Jeff caught a freakin’ real one.  Congrats!

The fish of a lifetime.  A giant 30″ walleye, they don’t get a whole lot bigger than this.

The boys are in Canada having an epic trip.  They have caught big smallmouth, muskie, pike and who knows what else.  And to top it off check out below.

Mom and the gang.

Unfortunately, I could not get the videos to transfer but you get the point.  Nothing like getting up close and personal with bears, always cool.  Keep it up boys you still got a few days left.

**************The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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

And this from a long-time reader on a subject near and dear to me, CWD.

I just read on the internet that texas parks and rec, killed 250 deer on a private ranch. All had cwd. At least it’s a start.

I have been complaining about TPWD apparent ineffective enforcement as it pertains to Chronic Wasting Disease for a while now.  Now after a drawn-out legal fight the department just killed 249 whitetails on a breeding ranch who were all infected.  What I do not understand is why any breeding facility where it is detected the deer are not all destroyed.  TPWD says that the incubation period is unknown but could be years.  Seems to me that not destroying them is playing with fire.  At least this place will not spread it anymore but do not tell me it can be isolated.  Thanks for dropping the comment, it will be interesting to see what the future brings for whitetails in Texas.

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And here is another reader comment, this on my broken tire carrier.

I bet there was a pay for mount box on the side of trailer also… Honor box,system

More than a honor box it is a one-way feeder directly from my wallet.  Unfortunately, it comes with the territory.  In this case it is ok as the spare was a bias ply a little smaller than the radials I put on so just a matter of time before I bought a matching one.  It is really necessary that they match for the number of miles I tow every year.  And it could have broke at 70mph which would be another story, and not a good one.  Good to hear from you.

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It was a quiet week around here as I fished 3 times and did a little upkeep on the house.  There are 3 nagging things needing fixing, unfortunately 2 are going to require some help.  But I did knock 1 off the to do list and will get at the others one way or another.  First up this week will be a lake about an hour from here that I might have fished last week but without a spare that was not going to happen.  But the spare is here, weird getting a tire in a box from UPS, and I am really looking forward to trying a new lake.  And of course will be back at Beaver trying to figure the Kokanee thing out.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

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The plan was to head out first thing to the Rio Grande Reservoir.  It is about a 40 miles drive with the last 14 rough road (Which will rattle your teeth lose.) as it is way back in the mountains.  It is on a road where we have seen moose and I got lucky this morning seeing a moose going in and coming out.  How rough?  The spare tire carrier broke on the way in, and it cut the spare so have to figure that one out but safe to say no pain no gain.

A nice moose on the way to the lake.

High up in the Rockies.  It does not get any prettier than this.

The Rio Grande Reservoir is the third highest lake in Colorado at 9,400 feet.  I was really looking forward to fishing it but somehow got my lakes mixed up.  I was hoping for lake trout and kokanee but once I got to the ramp learned otherwise.  Not sure where I got the idea they were in there but no matter, it is only trout.  They make it clear that the only ramp is best for small boats but calling it a ramp is a stretch.  It is nothing but a washed-out rocky mess leading to the shoreline where you are basically backing in on the bank.  A ramp it is not.  In fact folks fish there as it is the only place you can get close to the water.  It is pretty sketchy but boy is there lots of trout.

Beautiful out of a high mountain lake.

I was set up to troll for the lake trout and kokanee but since it is basically rainbows, cutthroats and browns started with the baits I had on and other than increasing the size of the Rapala stayed with the same baits the whole time.

An easy 40 today but who’s counting.  Forgot to take a picture of the nice cutthroat and did not boat a brown.

First I headed up lake and on one stretch caught 5 or 6 but when I got near where the river comes in it was off color and I did not raise a bite.  So I headed back down and hit the jackpot.  The Weminuche creek comes out of the wilderness area about 1/3 of the way before the dam and the runoff was in full swing.

Once I got close the bite began.  The green spoon with yellow spots has worked on any lake and it continued to produce.  On the other rod I was using a small Rapala which they liked but I wanted to upsize to a 3 hook which they really liked.  When I trolled right where the water hit the lake the whole locator lit up, there were literally thousands of trout.  In fact, so many that I only made a couple of passes that close because it was too easy.  Once I started trolling right down the middle of the lake, which is 40+ feet deep it was consistent fishing until I called it day.

Not a boat in sight but did meet a couple of guys who filled me in on the lake.

So not sure how I confused what fish are in the lake but at least the guys I met at the ramp let me know.  One was actually a close neighbor who has been fishing it since 54′ and he and his buddy just come up there to fish for the scenery.  As he said to me, “Boy is it beautiful.”  I could not agree more.  On the way out saw another moose.  While there are not tons of them around this road is the best place to see one, and today did not disappoint.

And another on the way out.  Looking a little shabby as they shed their winter coat.

So while the fish I am chasing were not in that lake there is no shortage of places.  And while the carrier breaking is a hassle, as we all know just break out more money, I literally hammered them.  Just another day in my learning curve and it sure does keep things interesting.  But best of all, I had a 50,000-surface acre lake all to myself.

**************The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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

And this interesting question from a reader.

Are you able to recognize if any of the rainbows you harvest are native or hatchery stock.
Keep posting

The basic answer is no.  Not sure how to tell but the stockers are easy to spot.  And when you catch one that has been in the lake over a season they are so pretty.  It will take me a while to learn more about the fishing and who does what and when, but I will keep fishing and posting.  Thanks for the question.

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Sitting by the road in our subdivision.  You know you live in the great outdoors when you see this, and no one having to guard it.  Love it here.

This area is all about the outdoors, hunting and fishing, 4 wheeling, hiking, and everything else you can do in the mountains.  So, when I got home from the lake and saw this sitting down the street from the house, I thought how fitting.  They are all well done mounts and a couple are real studs, along with an African plains game or two.  Momma must have decided time to clean up the house.

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That will work.

My brother and buddy Clyde are doing their annual northern swing and they have been catching them. But when it comes down to it nothing beats a big ass muskie.  Plus they also saw a bear today.  Way to go boys.

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I know there has been a dearth of reports and I am so appreciative those of you who have not deserted the blog.  While the posts will come a little farther apart I will be fishing and keep writing the story.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

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FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

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I have been having fun here in the mountains.  The first 2 trips to the lake catching rainbows and browns have been easy pickings.  I took a guy from next door yesterday and we caught our limit of 4 each in a little over an hour and finally managed to score my real goal, a kokanee salmon.  It is the only one we landed but it was a small success.  Talk about a silver beauty I can’t wait to spend enough time on the water to get them down.  (And on the smoker!)

************The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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

How many deer hang out in our yard?  Look close behind the propane tank, that is a buck in velvet.  He could care less I am in the boat doing stuff.  Love our yard.

I went to Beaver today and caught the snot out of trout and 1 small Kokanee.  Using a combination of dodgers and inline gang trolling spinners the fish just keep getting on.  Not sure how many I caught but it was lots, and the rainbow trout were a little bigger as I slowly learn the techniques.  Next up will be casting with jigs and jerk baits as I vary my methods to hopefully put a big trout over the side.  And will definitely be fishing a new lake this week.

The brown trout have cooperated and the spoon behind the dodger has been best for them.  The rainbows seem to prefer the trolled squid.  And my trial and error with lead core line has been interesting.  It is a really specialized way to fish and is fairly easy if that makes any sense.  But learning is the goal and as I am batching it there will be plenty of fishing to come as I finally have most of the jobs done around here.  I will be doing some fly fishing as the small streams are starting to fall some and with the warmer days there has been a hatch most afternoon.  Guess I am going to have to spend a little time learning this bug thing as it is the key to consistent success.  So the fishing goes on but there is one little hitch in the git along.

The blog has been dealing with spam, and I mean tons of it, and it is hardcore stuff.  Where it is coming from I do not know but sometimes as many as a hundred a day.  And the number of times they have attempted to breach by signing in has increased with almost 700 attempts.  Not sure what has happened, but it is a hassle.  What really is puzzling is who gives a crap about this little fishing blog but me and you long time readers.  So where that is going is hard to guess.  Sorry for the lack of photos but that will begin in earnest.  Until then I will try to figure out this spam thing and hopefully get back to normal.

I spent the day cleaning and waxing the boat and getting stuff ready.  No salt is a good thing but gravel roads are just that, gravel and will require consistent cleaning to keep the boat in top shape.  And it was time for new line on the spinning stuff and tackle check on the stuff I use on the river as the prime river level for lures is coming soon.  Give the brown trout credit when they smack a small minnow bait it is a thing of beauty.  Then it was clean and check out the fly rods, line and see what flies I need to tie.  The truck and boat are turning into a rolling fishing machine.

Hope you are all enjoying the summer heat, not the case here in the Rocky Mountains.  Low 40s in the morning usually rising to the 70s the weather has been fantastic.  Some days have been a little windy but not that big a deal.  According to some of the old timers until all the snow is off the high peaks the wind will blow.  Not sure how accurate that is but there is still some snow on the high mountains, but it is slowly melting.  But whether trolling the lakes or fishing a small stream you might never suspect holds fish; it is stunning no matter where you look.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

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Random Rants

Flying quite a bit over the last 20 years there has been a noticeable decline in the quality of the passengers and their behavior.  (Why we do not fly any of the discount airlines.  It has turned into a zoo.)  Lately a family whose child had a peanut allergy decided to take over the intercom and announce it, then attempted to get at the cockpit and the pilot is a perfect example of entitled fliers.  Sorry your kid has an allergy, but it is not the airlines or passengers’ fault, if peanuts are served don’t eat them.  If your kid is that sensitive then drive, we are not responsible for your problems.  Any attempt by a passenger trying to enter or interfere with the cockpit should be immediate tossing from the plane.  The time has come to place anyone removed from a plane on the no-fly list.  It is a freakin’ airplane for God’s sake.

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FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

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Sorry I have not posted lately but plenty to do as we continue to make things the way we want them around the house. But it has not been all work and no play and yesterday we went on a long drive.  The hope was to see some moose, but it was elk on this drive.  You never know with animals, they do have feet.  But the bigger point is the picture below, it is nothing short of stunning around here and we take advantage of all it has to offer.

We never get tired of the stunning views on our drive.

There were a couple of roads we wanted to explore, the state topo map is a necessity.  As we continue to explore there are tons of roads we have not had a chance to drive on, some of them just opened.  The high mountains of Colorado are still getting the occasional dusting but the weather has been nothing short of great.  Cool at night then the mid 60’s, perfect hiking and fishing weather.  Today we had a great hike on a little different terrain than normal, there are enough marked trails to last a lifetime.

These were a mile off, the elk have made the move to the high country.  When we stopped to glass they headed back in the woods.

On our drive we found some small streams that I can fish later, right now they are high.  The runoff is in full swing but with snowpack 37% of normal in most of the high mountains in Colorado the water level will be dropping soon.  At least compared to last year the water while high is clear, which makes it fishable from drift boats as many of the fish are on the bank.  Having fished a high river one time with streamers it reminded me of spinnerbait fishing.  Hit the bank and strip it out a few feet and then cast again.  When it is this high it is tough to fish from shore, that will be coming soon, then the wading will begin.  Last year the water was up and high early and then dropped like a rock which really hurt the guiding season so hopefully it will extend a little longer so those guys can make a living.  In my case with the boat I can fish all I want no matter what.  And that adventure is about to begin in earnest.

************The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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

Unlike Texas which pays less than lip service to “Clean, Drain, and Dry” Colorado takes it dead serious.  All you have to do is fish plenty of lakes in Texas where the effects of spreading invasive species is a real issue.  I had read up and was prepared for it, but it happened way quicker than I thought.  As we crossed the border a flashing sign said all boats required to stop so we did.  It was an eye opener.

Now when you hit the border with a boat there is a required inspection, and cleaning if you need it.

The folks were great and it just took a few minutes.  They inspected the hull, the bilge, the livewell and looked the trailer over.  Once we got the clean bill of health I got a written compliance ticket.  Then they clipped the green inspection clip to the boat and trailer and we were off.  10 minutes to ensure pristine water, worth every second.

They have it all depending on what your boat is infested with.

This is how serious they are, they had one boat come in the state that was so infested with Zebra mussels it took 3 days and 3 cleanings to get it to pass.  What a great program by folks who really care about the waters.  Then you get the pleasure of paying $50 (It will be $25 next year when we are permanent.) for the ANS sticker which funds the program.

Then the inspection tag is attached to the frame and the front eye which lets you get in anywhere without a new inspection.  But in our area lakes they are not all inspected so once I cut it off if I go to another inspection lake I will be inspected on entering and leaving.

First drop in a local lake, this is the perfect boat for those high mountain lakes.

Part of the Clean Drain Dry is also based on folks actually complying.  Making sure once you leave all water is drained from the boat, there is no material stuck to the boat or trailer and just generally making sure you are not taking anything with you.  In Colorado you are even required to remove the plug for transport.  While it might require a little patience at a busy ramp if is worth it as folks inadvertently spread invasives and it is a constant battle.

I just wanted to try a ramp with the Boss here as loading and unloading a new boat is a learning process and there is rarely a dock to help out.  Beaver was the first lake up as it is only 15 minutes from the house.  The plan was to just make a couple of passes around the lake to learn the depths and contours, most are not on the built in map.  But easy enough as they are small and it only takes a little bit to traverse.

So I put out first the light trolling rods specifically for Kokane and trout and as I suspected the beat down began.  I am totally clueless about this part of fishing, but it went just like I figure it would.  After a couple of passes around the lake fishing shallow it was 6 or 8 trout so time to try out the lead core line.  Interesting as it is pretty easy to figure out what depth your bait is running as the line has a different color every 10 yards/30 feet.  Generally each color will let you bait run 5 to 7 foot deep per color.  So let it out 2 colors and you can fish a small bait 10 to 12 feet deep.  So kept it to one or two colors and kept on catching them.  Plenty to learn about the lakes and techniques and the next couple of months will be fun.  If all goes well I will fish 4 different lakes in the next week or so and might even catch some lake trout.  And as the water begins to decline small stream trout fishing will begin, and then the river later in the year.  The fishing played a big part in our decision to move here and it has been a good one.

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We have spent the week doing some painting and just generally getting things in tip top shape.  The driveway work we had done is great and the boat parking is fine.  The ongoing garage project is the biggest thing left.  We had it dry walled and now the organization begins.  Taking our life from parking for 4 under cover much less a tackle room and shop it is going to be tight.  Plenty of measuring and planning to get it all in one place.  But downsizing as we have done is a good thing.  We all have to much stuff.

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The Boss heads back on Sunday and looks like I will be here for at least a couple of months.  As her retirement looms we have a house to sell and things to finish up in Texas.  I had always promised I was never going to move a house full of stuff again, and we are not going to.

The fishing will begin in earnest, in fact just stopped at a store where we know the guy who is a big, small stream Tenkara guy.  He is going to take me and show me the ropes.  He hikes to high mountain small streams, and I will soak up everything he has to offer.  The fishing opportunities are endless so let the fishing begin.  Keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

Things are not quite so dramatic as that, but it is one last chapter in our Texas history.  I was happy to return for the last spring fishing on the lake and it finally came through.  Of course I wish it had been a little better earlier but no matter what it is still fishing.  Of course I will be here much of fall as we go through the process of selling the house and all that comes with that and some fishing will be in the plan.

I decided not to fish Monday due to the forecast.  While it ended up not being to bad early it is raining and blowing as I write this, so good decision.  Plus did not want to end up way up lake and have it show up, long run back to the ramp with the 25 hp.  So tomorrow at daylight it will be one more ride on a lake that has been a big part of my fishing life the last 15 years.  Tough times or great it has always been a ride.  And it was my pleasure to catch some many big fish.  So while not the “end” it closes another door on our time in Texas.

(Right after I wrote this a little after noon it came.  It was blowing a good 50 and the weather dude said we had gusts to 60+.  It rain like crazy and then a little hail.  Some of it was easy golf ball size but thank goodness it did not last long.  Glad I was home.)

************The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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

Weather

64/93.  Partly cloudy skies. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.

Lake Level

Last Monday 97.49.    Today 97.38.   (Still on the decline, on the 11th 98.32.)

Bite Times

Major 6:06 am to 8:06 am.   Minor 11:58 am to 12:58 pm.

It was dead calm and stayed that way all morning.  The temp was down 3 – 6 degrees depending on where you were and the watercolor basically remains the same.  I headed up lake and fished the grass with the swim jig and the craw trailer.  While there were some fish in the grass it was clear the front did not help things.  But no complaint still boated 10+ before 9:00 so no complaint.

Last bite….blasted a buzzbait.

From there it got downright tough.  It was easy a good hour before I got another on the swim jig or the buzzbait.  Since it was going to be an early day as it is packing time I decided to call it a day around noon.  Of course on the way in could not resist the old one more place thing so stopped at a consistent spring cove and ended up boating another 3 on the buzzbait.

Lots of these before 9:00 when the bite slowed.

 No wind, mile high sky, the steady level drop along with a slight cold front really slowed them down.  But after 2 weeks of clouds and a good bite, it was no surprise.  When conditions are like they were it does not get any better than that.  So the fish took a little break today and I don’t blame them.

They just keep eating the swim jig.

One thing I really saw today was old beds.  With the water receding, and clear and sunny, I could really see them.  No wonder the fishing got better with them finally getting the spawn done.  I am sure there are a few here and there on beds so if you are a bed fisherman give it a look.  So that ends my spring fishing on the lake.  It has been a good run and having it so close to the house has been great.  But things change and in our case it is about to be one big change.

Got the boat and fishing stuff in order and ready to hit the road.  Tomorrow is finish off all the things you need to do before a long trip, which in my case is going to be almost 3 months.  And I could not be any more excited at the prospects for the future.  Next week the new adventure will start, and I cannot wait to commune with the deer, turkeys, coyotes and the bears in the backyard.  And best of all, get out of this Texas heat.  Looks like it is going to be one long hot summer and I am sure not going to miss it.  But there is plenty of fishing to come and it will be a totally new experience.  Plus, there are a couple of small creeks with trout that are needing some attention with the fly rod.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

Weather

79/93.  Overcast. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.

Lake Level

Monday 97.49.    Today Site I use was down but the decline continues.   (Still on the decline, on the 11th 98.32.)

Bite Times

Major 1:52 pm to 3:52 pm.   Minor 6:54 am to 7:54 am.

It was hot and hunid today.  The cloud cover was perfect and the wind barely blew all day.  The water temp was in the mid to as high as 87 degrees.  But the best thing, the water really is clearing and it ended my day with a couple of big fish after noon.  The bite is on and if you bass fish get out there.

No lost picures today.  When I said I got them Monday here is how today and then went.  The bite is on.

This is how the one above had the Bang O Lure.  What a freakin bite.

**********The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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

I headed for the grass patch I have been catching them and they were there like they have been for the last 2 weeks.  It really is fun tossing the swim jig in the grass and wallowing it out.  I am not sure how long the grass will last as the lake falls but they are there.  It is the green stuff, not implying you can not catch them other places as I learned today.

This size is on the chew.  Most today had spawned and were beat up.

I have been using almost any craw bait that swims with the 1/4 ounce swim jig.  Like I said last time it needs to get just a little chance to swim in the grass and then out from the edge and they jump it.  My first 2 banks are within sight of each other and produced a good 20+ before 9:00.  Of course lots of smalls but the better fish have finally showed up shallow.

They were on the jig from the minute I started until I quit.

Today I wanted to throw a few different things and guess what?  They ate it all.  Several came on buzzbait and as usual it was a great bite.  One of the better ones came out of the middle of downed tree pitching a beaver style bait right in the heart of it.  One cool battle and it took a while to get her out but since I flip with 20lb test and a flippin stick I usually win many of those battles.

I didn’t get the big buzzbait bite today but no complaints.

It was hard to decide what to throw today.

This is the one I winched out of the tree.  There are lots in the water and this is the only one I pitched to.   Take that for what it is worth.

The bite stayed consistent all morning.  Grass is still the ticket but since I did not fish many places without it not sure how good they might be.  As I was on the way in it hit me with the clearing water it was time to try the Bang O Lure.  (Both the Bagley Bang O Lure and the Lunker Lure buzzbait are two of the best baits ever made.  Have been fishing both for over 40 years.)  I stopped at a cove with no grass but plenty of stuff on the bank, mostly more sticks and buckbrush.

I fish the Bang O Lure by slowly fishing in a twitching but not really pulling it under to far.  At times the big fish seem to follow it and the good bites usually come way off the bank, which is exactly what the one at the top did.  She flushed it in a huge boil and immediately jumped.  With the bait wedged like it was it was nice knowing unless she broke the line she was in the boat.  I ended up catching 2 more in that small cove and called it a day.

When I said that Monday was off the chain I was not kidding, and today was right up there.  The fish are biting and there are plenty of ways to catch them.  Looking back on it wish I could have fished the other stuff a little more, but it was hard to put the jig down.  And if that last good one on Bang O Lure had happened earlier the day it would have been different as I would have stuck with it all day.  It really catches big fish on Coleto and the time is right.  At that point the wind had slacked, and it was hot.  How hot was it?  My phone which was laying on the deck said it was to hot to use and until I got in the truck and turned on the air it was not having it.  And the transducer on the trolling motor read 111 degrees as it heated up on the way in.  So time to call it a great day.

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The Islands

Nothing like a Chandeleur shark to keep it interesting.  We had several of these on our trip.

Notice he puts up a fight then the stringer heads for the hills and so do the boys.  Hard not to draw sharks when the catching is going on.  Cool stuff.

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The lake finally turned on like I hoped it would.  I will only fish one more day on Monday before heading out, but the last few days have been great.  But my mind is on the mountains and all they have to offer.  I am so looking forward to the new fishing adventure, my fishing life has been a been there done that and now something new.  I will be one happy camper when I hit a new lake, doing a new thing, and catching something different.  But no matter what or how the fishing will continue.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

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

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

What does one do when they just get back from a hard-core fishing trip?  Go fishing.  With only a week until Colorado return will be fishing the lake a few more times on the spring farewell tour.  Looking at the forecast tomorrow it looks like it could be killer.  But like all things in fishing, you won’t know until you go.  I will be on the water at daylight with high hopes.

Weather

75/88.  Considerable cloudiness.  Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph.

Lake Level

Today 97.49.    8 days ago 97.61.   (Still on the decline, on the 11th 98.32.)

Bite Times

Major 12:01 pm to 2:01 pm.   Minor 5:39 am to 6:39 am.

**********The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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

It was just as good as I hoped it would be!

When a bass this size blasts a buzzbait it is a thing of beauty.

Let’s get this out of the way, something went wrong and this is the only picture I ended up with today.  I do not have a clue but it is possible the card was completely full.  Suffice to say there should have been more, and I mean lots more.  And here is why.

The one above was the first fish I caught this morning, and it went from there.  15 or so right off the bat, then on it went.  5 here, 3 there, every place I fished produced.  It was a great day, and while that one is the biggest I boated one jumped off right at the net that was quite a bit bigger than that one.

Maybe 5 or 6 jumped on the buzzbait but it was the swim jig and craw plastics that caught them.  Today was a repeat of the last few times I fished the lake, it was big numbers but the size was better.  And the pattern is absolutely consistent, green grass.  Add stunning perfect weather and it was a recipe for a beat down.  Cloudy all day with a lighter wind.

And the cover, the green grass.  Not saying that it was the only place but it was money.   I was throwing it as far back in the grass as I could, but if it was to thick only a foot or so.  And don’t reel it to fast, it needs to be in the grass and not on it.  They hit it from big blow ups in the grass to half way back.  There were quite a few that the line either started moving sideways or just slowly tightened as they eased up on it.  The big one I lost was in a couple of foot of water at best.  Weather a blue gill colored swim jig or a brown, they both produced fish.  And the trailer made little difference as long as it had wagging craws.  By time I quit at 2:00 the floor of the boat was littered with plastics missing a claw, the bite was on.  It was a little unusual but they were not the least bit interested in white.

I have a little theory on that and it is a combination of factors.  First the water color while 80 degrees is still off color.  Second though there is still a little shad spawn here or there it is getting towards bluegill spawning time.  Over the last 10 years I have caught some of my biggest bass during the next month on the bluegill swim jig and as long as the water color remains the same it will stay good.  So buzzbait first thing then stick with the swim jig hopping grass to grass, and I mean that nice green stuff.

In the early period of the blog, I would be really mad that I lost all the pictures today, there were plenty of good fish.  It was probably my best day of the year.  But you know what?  It was a serious whacking and the kind of spring fishing I came back for.  Just sad not able to share them with you but it was ugly.  Have a few things to do tomorrow then it will be back at it Wednesday.  Might even stop in Academy and see if they have a pink trick worm.  Conditions are perfect for it and that would be another way to catch them.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

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

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

Backdraft.  DMJ Charters.  The best deal in fishing on the planet. dmjcharters.com

Port.  Never a bad sunset on the Chandeleurs.  Time to head out. 

**********The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

The boys from Coastal Fishing Gear.  And who else would we be fishing with?  A special thanks to Tim for his organization and Jason for running the pools.

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

Our chariots.  Saf and stable and plenty of speed to get around.

Paraphrasing something I heard the other day perfectly describes how I felt about the trip.  Don’t get caught up in the years, the months or the days you have left.  Know your life has unlimited moments and treasure them for what they are.  Some folks caught a few, some a few more, and of course a couple of folks did some damage but that was irrelevant.  Every moment is precious, every fish a joy.  Including when I went on a hardhead twitch bait rampage.  As a side note they were not even interested in a corky style bait, other than the twitch bait in about any color, it was some variation of green with a chartreuse paddle tail.  I never did figure out which color to stick with.

A loosely associated group who have become friends.

That works!

Meeting the boys and getting on the boat is always a great moment as we renew our friendship, and everyone is filled with anticipation.  From that point on it does not matter how it goes, it is the simple fact we are there, and we are fishing.  This group keeps it to 10, though the boat can handle 12 but 10 works great.  There is a waiting list for this bunch, there is no problem keeping it filled as at most 1 person may not be able to make it.  I am already trying to figure out how to make it next year.  (We missed you Kyle.  Was hoping to get the low down on the Space X rocket blowing up.  Nothing like having a real rocket scientist on the boat.)

Jason with a good red.  Nice size for redfish on a half shell.

Hooked up.  The boat in the background was attempting to pot lick our spot.  

And speaking of pot licking it is a term that I was unfamiliar with until moving to the Texas coast.  One of our guys told the other who was catching more that he would pot lick his hole.  Which started with dead silence and then plenty of ribbing.  You better be able to take it as well as dish it out.

Looks like they limited out.  Not sure if that “limit” did not end up beating the fish limit over the 3 days.  How many returned to the boat will remain a state secret.

Headed to the boat for some food, drinks and a good time.

While the fishing was slower than we have had on some trips one thing I can say it is always different every trip.  The fish were in transition and our usual places were just not the best.  As usual we managed to figure it out and in the end we had a cooler full.  In fact 4 of the boys put together a 60 fish afternoon and from that point on we caught them.

There were few caught on topwater, though I managed a couple, plastics was by far the bait of choice.  But for some of us the small twitch bait was the ticket.  While it was for me, the spanish managed to eat the couple I brought with me the last day.  Like all trout fishing it still comes down to location, location, location.  The Islands have a well-deserved reputation though it is still fishing and like fish everywhere they don’t “jump” in the boat.  You have to figure it out and once you do it is game on.

Who is this guy?  Oh, it was Jimmy the Newbie.

The Newbie comes in and steals the belt.  Well done!

The belt is coveted by all and is given to the fisherman who boats the best red and trout combo, which can be upgraded daily.  It involves some weight and length calculation to determine the winner.  Trust me the belt has become a real thing on the trip and Jimmie was consistent and earned it fair and square.  It came down to something like a half a point.

There is that little side benefit of the belt.

Keith with the winning “anything pot” measured by inches.

The boat itself is great, good sleeping quarters, a nice salon and rear deck for hanging out and eating, and plenty of bathrooms and showers.  At 100′ it is a pleasure to fish out of.  For me the sound of the diesel generator running at all time makes the sleeping great keeping it nice and cool.

Hanging out on the deck at the end of the day.  Notice the smiles on everyones face?  It says it all.  And thanks James for some of these pictures, most of the good ones.

Speaking of benefit the tax man was taking his toll.

Tim paid the tax.  That was a nice red but it ended up not being a total loss.

The sharks were out and about and there were several confrontations.  The Champ had his stringer bitten off and almost lost his net and maybe his pants in a tug of war.  I had one smash my plastic when I was reeling it in after working the cast and took off like a rocket.  Once I could see the spool it was thumb down to save my line.  Then while I was wading next to Tim he hooked a big fish which turned out be a nice red with a pretty good shark actually eating on it.  They came less than 10 feet from me, and that shark was having at it.  First time I have seen it that close, cool stuff.  So the tax was paid.  But then the tax was taken illegally from me a second time.  I was robbed by the government, the lamentation of the common man.

One of the pots was the closest red to 21″ without going over.  My first red was 18 1/2 inches and it held the lead for the pot until Tim kept his “head”, which measured 20″.  I have lost plenty of tourneys and Derbys, but this was a first.  A good laugh was had over that.  In all seriousness there were shark among us, it comes with the commotion.  One of them was a whopper and would cruise in and out.  To tell you the truth I like it they are there, always provide some entertainment.  Plus, it is their house.

And Speaking of Entertainment

It is a real struggle for all of us to keep it to 3 rods each.  

A new trophy was going to be awarded by the acclimation of the boys.  A potential contender ended up winning the prestigious trophy starting out by losing a rod and reel the first day.  That actually led to the breaking of 5 rods total on this trip.  Of course one was $400, more than my 3 put together.  One even broke below the reel seat on what I call the handle.  I have never seen one break there and I have broken many more than most folks.

But as far as the new trophy the way I would describe it was a cross between the Biggest Single F’ Up vs.  The Overall Biggest Dweb.  It was tough for me, was it the best one-time f’ up ever, or a body of work that only could be described as stupid amazing.  The winner was clear without discussion because he checked both boxes.  The trophy was seriously fancy and well-made with the potential to be a family heirloom.  Suffice to say a picture will not be forthcoming due to the X rating and will probably not be displayed on the mantel over the fire place.

What more would you expect from a Packer fan.  I think that is the number of championships they have won in the last 30 years.  Plus nice fish dude.

Interesting

A weird find.  I think it had something to do with tides and pompano.  And it was on land.  

About to be turned into a fish fry.

These guys did not even make the first evening at home.  Cooked by Keith for a 85 y/o neighbor.

The trip total was around 140. Most were trout and we decided not to keep all the small legals and kept them to at least 14’s.  The majority were in the 17″ to 20″ range and were nice and fat.  While we did not have the numbers of some other trips they were really a nice solid bunch this trip.  We added some reds, spanish, and ever a pompano and a few flounder.  One year Captain Howie told us to quit keeping redfish, this time trout dominated the bag.  When it was all said and done there was plenty of filets for all and thanks to the deckhands for a great job.  I was sure happy it was not me.  My big bag is headed to Colorado to give those folks a taste of those “other” trout.

First night get together before boarding the boat.

As usual the eating was great, prime rib, a big fish fry, and Cajun rounded out our evening eats.  A full breakfast and lunch, including fresh snapper one day.  Suffice to say no one went hungry.  The night we board the boat we always go out to eat and then put our cards in a hat and draw 3 to pay.  After all these trips I finally lost and caught 1/3rd of the bill which really was my pleasure.  Bless the waitress she was a patient woman and the tip reflected it.

Turn out the lights the party is over until next time.

Please excuse this post but I am tired today but life goes on.  Of course I have forgotten plenty, mixed up who did what, and God knows what else.  But you get the drift.  The pics may not be the best, you know I never edit them, but like the words on this page the quality is not the point.  There are other pics out there and will post what else I find.  This trip is in the doing, the results are nothing more than a bonus.

It really is a great trip, I could not recommend Capt. Dennis and the Backdraft any higher.  I had to learn on these adventures to not do anything, they take care of it all and you would just be in the way.  A bucket list trip it just takes some folks willing to really commit as he fills the next year quickly.  The boat costs X for a 3-day trip, so when you split 10 ways with tip it is a real deal.  They have had folks reserve and then only 3 show, but you still pay X for the boat no matter how many show.  Ouch.  One of things about this bunch if they say they are coming they show.

I really am thankful that they have included me and apparently have not worn out my welcome yet.  After many travels with groups big and small these guys are the best.  They party hard but keep their good humor and everyone is respectful to each other.  (Sort of kinda, maybe.)   I am already counting the days until next year.  Unless my health deteriorates as long as I can put on the waders and sling a rod I will make the trip.

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Back to the real world.  Tired today after the drive back, hit a mother of a storm in Wharton which kept it interesting.  Today I am getting my act together and deciding how to pack the fish.  Colorado is coming next week and the serious packing will begin.  I am slowly and surely reducing our life.  Moving in spurts is the way to go, no more massive moves for us.  Amazing what you hold on to so time to not only downsize the house but our life.  Until then it I will be on the lake most days and first thing tomorrow morning.    So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

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

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

I am totally packed and ready to leave for the Chandeliers on Tuesday.  It really does take some thought in what to take as you never know what conditions will be or what they will eat.  Every year is different depending on wind, whether we get to fish the surf, drift or wade.  There reaches a certain point where it is time to put it to rest.  I got organized so that I can fish Monday without thinking about what I have to do to get ready, it will simply be throwing it all in the truck and hitting the road.  The weather tomorrow looks fine, and I don’t mind a little rain and clouds as long as no lightning.  It will be up and gone in the morning, great way to spend the day instead of sitting around waiting to go.

The only reason this was the big for the day was operator error.

Weather

72/87.  Showers in the morning, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.

Lake Level

Wednesday 97.68.   Today 97.61.   (On the 11th 98.32.)

Bite Times

Minor 10:19 a. to 11:19 am.

**********The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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

The water was real dingy this morning, probably the result of the last 3 days of high winds.  The water temp was 77 give or take and you can really see how far it has dropped.

First up was the shad spawn bank and it was an easy 10+ but they weren’t much.  As the water recedes it was necessary to throw it all the way in the trash and slow roll it out.  The brown swim jig with a Rage Menace was the bait of choice, at least until the first disaster struck.

A long cast into real shallow cover produced a great bite really close to the boat.  She smoked it and went right under a tree.  It was one of those she was stuck and jumped and would have easily made the day.  I tried everything from letting it go slack to sticking my rod in the trash and finally got it unhung, only to learn she went under a completely different tree.  Finally the only option was to break her off.  It was not really operator error, it just was where she bit.

They bit from the first bank to the last.

There is one place no matter where on the lake you are that is a sure thing:  Any flat point with stuff on it and deeper water nearby.  Just throw the swim jig across it and reel it pretty quick and if there is a good one they will usually jump it.  And that is where number 2 jumped off.  The minute she bit it was easy to know it was a good one.  She kept trying to jump and I managed to keep her down a couple of times before she made the big jump.  It was not a giant, but would have been big for the day until she spit the swim jig back at me.  Oh well it happens, just usually not twice in 1 day.

The swim jig did the damage and a couple on pitching a creature bait.

Again today the numbers were good, but the real big ones have eluded me.  I keep thinking there is a better bait but when you are catching lots all day it is hard to imagine what.  So I have been stuck in a rut with the swim jig but it is hard to put it down.

What puzzles me is today there was only 2 other boats out and only 3 trucks at the ramp.  It is a little depressing as it was not that long ago there was a crowd most days and big fish were not uncommon.  (Funny to hear me complaining there is not enough traffic, definitely a symptom.) Unfortunately, the fishing is not all that great, at least for big fish.  The loss of our grass has made a long-term big impact, on not only the fish but the fishermen.  No more wondering if there was good parking left, or if someone else fished the bank before you did.  It is still a mystery how this happened.  From a natural brown out following a big spring flood 5 or 6 years ago, to GBRA actually sprayed and killed the grass.  That question will never be answered, it is what it is.  But Coleto has gone from one of the great big bass lakes to what it is today.  Too bad, it sure was fun while it lasted.

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

And this question from a reader.

– “I noticed you recommend a 10 lb test line for trout fishing. Have you ever tried using a lighter line, and if so, how did it affect your success rate?”

Great question and the answer on salt is yes, I have fished 8lb quite a bit and even 6lb on occasion.  To go along with that I paired it with a 1/32-ounce jig head and it worked like a charm.  (Big Hint:  There is some really big trout being caught right now on dart style plastics with the 1/32 jig heads.  Keep it moving.)  If you think about it the majority of the time once you hook a trout there is not that much to get hung up on and it is just a matter of taking it easy.  And big trout help you out by coming up and showing that yellow mouth.  That is why they put drags on reels.  And the lighter line is perfect when you are finding them in sand holes on the grass flats.  You can work it quick over the potholes and it is so cool to see them materialize and eat it.  In my younger days I put many stripers up to 20lbs in the boat on 4 or 6lb test while crappie fishing, the rule is no big hurry.  The combination is perfect for clear shallow water but not really needed most of the time.  It is just a fun way to fish.

Now if you are talking freshwater rainbows, browns, or cutties I rarely, as in never, go heavier than 4lb test.  More than saltwater it is almost mandatory on small streams and lakes.  Nothing like hooking a good brown in big current, it will test your skill as a fisherman.   Fishing should be fun and the lighter the line the more fun it is.  Lose the occasional fish, then you have a good story to tell.  Thanks for your question.

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

CWD

2 more deer in a captive breeding facility have tested positive for CWD according to TPWD.  As the fiddler fiddles the state had decided to ignore the potential of full-blown spread of CWD.  As you watch what happens remember this, taken directly from their website:  “CWD has an incubation period that can span years.”  If that is the case then can they say definitely that every animal in those facilities are not already infected?  So seems like they are playing with fire.

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

For years I have been telling you NOT to buy any boat without a title for the motor, trailer, and hull.  Period, full stop.  In spite of what the sellers try to say there is NO WAY for you to fix almost any of it.  And if anyone tells you just go to TPWD and they will help you fix it they are full of shit.  (At least what they told me the last 2 times I asked while doing some business at my local office.)  Either the seller fixes it or walk.  For fun if it is an engine ask the seller if you can call the cops and have them run the serial number.  That could be interesting.  And here is proof of the trouble that can ensue.

In that vein props to the wardens of TPWD who just conducted a check at the ramp during a big bass tournament in Texas.  They confiscated over $100,00o worth of stuff just in one day.  Good, hope they throw the book at some of them.  We will have to wait and see what the final specific totals are on what and the amount of stuff confiscated.  Save yourself a ton of trouble and look at any boat without all 3 titles with skepticism.  Almost impossible to fix at best, stolen at worst.

(And do not ever think that my criticism of some of TPWD decisions have one thing to do with our wardens.  They do not make policy they just do their job.  Every interaction I have had with a Texas game warden has been positive and I appreciate what they do for us.  Wish I could say that was the case with the Coast Guard at POC.  I hate when folks lie to me and they lied like a dog.)

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I am no football guru though it has been a part of my life since early childhood.  Suffice to say the draft is similar to going to a casino, boom or bust.  But I have to say the Cowboy’s decisions were a little hard to understand and watching the first day and most of the second their ineptitude was on full display.  According to Jerry the Texas running back was their top choice so why not trade up and come out with the one player you want instead of broadcasting to the whole world what you think, and then losing him?  Hey, I like Zeke and he will have a role but that will not get them there.  Folks dog on Jerry all the time and unfortunately, he deserves most of it.

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

BYE

That will do it for a week.  Tomorrow is head to the Chandeliers.  It will be 3 days of hard core fishing with the Wade Right boys.  It is a fun group and it will be year 2 of the battle for the belt.

Billy with the belt.  9 others in a Battle Royal are coming for you!

The trash talking has already begun for such a prestigious belt.  These guys are trash talking great fishermen and it will be the usual barrel of fun.  The weather looks like it is going to cooperate and the Captain reports good trout fishing.  And if the stars align we will be able to fish the beach on the ocean side.  When it works out the trout are big and the reds are bigger.  It will be a week before I get a chance to report but I will be back.  Nice to spend a little time without phone or internet, just good company, a cold one, and good fishing.  It does not get any better than that.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

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