FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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A Small Job Turns Big

You would think by now that I would have a clue about how some jobs go.  Before it was over it took parts of 2 days to take 2 locators off and mount 2 new ones, including a couple of trips to the store.

The Drangonfly Pro7 and Pro5 got here Monday afternoon late and I got started by putting the smaller one on the front deck with the transducer on the trolling motor.  The transducers on both are bigger than I have had before but I had the factory bracket and it fit fine.  That whole operation took that day and the next morning I was at it at 8:00 and spent the day doing it.

Of course none of the previous 2 different brands of locators had the same mounting holes which required all new.  Stringing the transducer with the cable running under the floor requires a rope to pull it through, which is permanently in the bilge.  On pulling it through it pulled a connection apart on the bilge pump which I found out later.

After getting both on it was out to the lake to check the transducers out and to finalize the functions, etc.  It took a little to figure it out, the view and functions are different than the other brands.  So with things set it was back to the house to finish the transducer mount.  When I hit the bilge switch nothing happened.  Going to the bilge I found the connection, which was 6 years old, had separated.  Instead of just rejoining the connection it was time for a total wiring replacement.

So off to the parts store for all new wiring, connectors, and switch.  By now it is 4:00 and it is freakin’ hot.  I put the switch on, over tighten it, and it comes apartt.  Nice.  So back to the store and get another.  All the wiring is almost inaccessible in the LTS and it takes a contortionist to get it done.  At that point I called it a day.

So today (Tuesday) it was finishing it all up good as new and off to the lake at noon to check it all out again.  Storms all around, it was hot and still.  The GPS and sonar work great.  This is the first time I can read the depth to 30′, all there is in Coleto, while running 30 mph.  Love that.  I did manage to fish for 45 minutes, 2 bites, before I heard thunder and saw some lightning in the distance.  Which was not unexpected but I hoped it would pour on the boat, it was dirty from putting on the locators, and it did, all the way home.

Doing stuff like that is always a small hassle and this time it was a little tougher.  But replacing the wiring in the bilge was the most work but was actually a good thing.  There may be a thing or two I would fish without, a bilge pump is definitely not one of them.  Will update you on the how they new GPS/locators work as it goes along.

********************A new bait is coming!

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I Did Catch My biggest Ever

The weather looked ok for the lake, but there was going to be a north wind.  At daylight it was blowing pretty good straight out of the north so I headed up the plant arm and started on a long channel bank.  Since it had been so slow shallow I started with a 5XD in a shad color and spent and hour banging rock, wood, and anything else down to 12′ without a bite.  That did surprise me as the shallow bite has been so slow.  After over an hour without a bite off it went.

From then on I fished lots of places I have not fished in a while and it was same old, same old.  One here and there, today all on swim jig.  They were not interested in spinnerbait or buzzbait but they did not get that big a go.  The ones that did bite were right on the edge of green stuff, but they just did not make the grade.  So up the main lake I went.

All 6 looked just like this.  At least it was not 4 like the last 2 trips.  I can not buy a big bite.

One did cooperate out of wood on the worm, but again small.  So time to make another change.  With the water color the way it is up lake it was time to try a red shad 2.5 square bill.  It was around 11:30 and it was just clearing when one slammed it after a couple of minutes.  It only took a second to figure out it was a catfish, it has been one good year for catfish on lures.  Then a case of head up butt stuck.

Wait for it!

I reached down and grabbed the crankbait.  Held it up for a quick pic, he flopped, and we were joined.  He was thrashing like mad.  It drove the big treble into my middle finger and then he thrashed some more before getting him corralled.  Of course the other treble was buried in his lips so we had a pretty good struggle getting him unhooked.  So I tossed him back, cut the line, and looked it over.

What a mess, it was buried.  I tried the hook out method but with one hand just could not get it done.  Of course the wire cutters I usually have in the boat are in the cabinet after using them wiring the locators, so no way to get the bait off the hook.  Those big Strike King Squarebill split rings are stout.  The only thing was to head back to the ramp, put it on the trailer, and head to see a friend.  I did call the Boss who was working in the ER, but they sounded like a bunch of vultures wanting to jerk it out at my expense, (Just Kidding!) so I went to see my buddy Chris.  He cut the bait off, and used the loop method, and it popped out with little pain.  If there had been someone with me we probably could have got it out, but by myself it was a one legged guy at an ass kicking contest.

Stupid!

The moral of the story, I know better than that.  Picking a fish up by the crankbait is just asking for trouble, especially a nice catfish.  I started fishing at 5 y/o, and have been at it for 60 years and never been hooked.  It is a good reminder that it can happen in an instant.

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Lately there has been lots of disturbing water issues in certain places in the country.  The red tide went nuts on the west coast of Florida this summer, which has led the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to implement new rules.  From way north of Tampa Bay to was south of Fort Myers, until May 10, 2019, snook and redfish are catch and release only.  Red tide has always been around but the bloom this year, and an ugly algae bloom last summer, were epic.  Why it was so large this year is still an open question, though the release of phosphates into the area waters is the likely culprit.  No matter what they need to figure it out.  The snook and reds will be fine, it will just take a while.  This time.  

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So there you have 3 eventful days.  It did not go perfect by any means but when you do it right it takes a little longer.  As far as getting hooked, 2 things, one I probably had it coming if you look at the odds.  Second, and the worst part, it felt like the fish were just starting to bite.  Stuff happens.   Beginning to get a feel for operation of the new stuff, and so far I like it.  The map is interesting and it will take visits to other bodies of water to see how they are presented.  Tomorrow if it does not rain, we have an 80% chance, I might get back on the water.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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It is the usual Saturday fall morning.  Watching fishing and just waiting on football, and there is some really good games today.  Unfortunately the Hogs have Auburn, and the way we are playing it should be a massacre unless somehow the boys step up.  But after the last couple of weeks I hold no hope.  When your team literally stands there and lets a guy run 90 yards for no good reason you have some problems.

A&M has Bama today, and while I am no real fan of the Aggies, anyone who beats the Crimson Tide has my vote.  And the TCU vs. Texas game should be a barn burner.  TCU is one powerful football team and Texas is on the rise.  So let the games begin.

********************A new bait is coming!

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Nothing Astounding Today – Just a Bored Fisherman

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And to our resident Fayette/Bastrop expert Rusty, get back on your feet soon and back in that boat.  He had a knee done and will have a rod in his hand soon.  As I am learning, getting older is not for the faint of heart.  So here is to your quick recovery.

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It was a cool morning to be outdoors.

I wanted to thank Jerry for sending me this after I commented on wishing I had left the edge of the boat out.  So he edited it and it is cool.  I should carry my “real” camera with me all the time but I am always afraid of getting it wet.  And as far as the edit, most folks don’t know my undergrad degree is in photo journalism.  Just goes to show, I use a $100 digital camera and don’t bother to edit my pictures.  If it had been taken with a real camera and a great lens it would be one of those you could hang upside down and folks would barely notice.  Guess it really is all about the fishing with me.  Thanks again.

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With new electronics on the way I thought I would de-rig the 2 on the LTS to get ready for the new ones that will arrive on Monday.  It took a little longer than I suspected, and boy it was hot and humid out there.  Glad I got that done in advance, it will save an hour and half.  The power/transducer wire on the front locator had completely dry rotted and as soon as I took it off it completely shredded.  To bad as that one still worked, and I have another one but a different model (It is a basic GPS/locator that has basic mapping and no card slot.) where the same thing happened, so there are 2 locators in the pile that work but need cables.  And the Humminbird on the console, which has been turning off and on, is shot, but the coastal card is still ok.  But it is not a micro SD so unless someone has the bigger slot, the new ones all have the micro slot, a good $125 card is worthless.  The thing that was nice about that card is it had both the coast and Coleto on it.  So if you have a Humminbird that can use that card holler at me.

And while I was at it I fixed a trailer light wiring on the skiff and just generally did a tightening of assorted nots and bolts on both boats.  Having 2 is great when one is down, but the ongoing cost, and hassle, occasionally prompts me to sell the skiff and be a one boat guy.  Then I come to my senses.  The skiff will be 20 years old next year and it has served me well all over the country and I just can not part with it.  It is sure is nice to have a boat that can take a licking and keep on ticking.

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The redfish bite is on.  There are tons of online posts all over the coast with some really great catches, and I plan to join the crowd as soon as the rigging is done Monday.  And Dez, one of the Austin Boys was at POC this weekend and put the absolute hurt on them fishing the jetties and pass.  But I do want to comment on the fishing pictures that are posted, many of them from guide services.

I basically quit posting the old dead fish cooler pics a while ago.  Why I often show me holding 5 or 6 on the site.  And since I CPR 99.9% of the fish I catch it lets you know a general idea of how the day went.  When I see the fish on the front of the boat picture it is just that, a pile of dead fish.  It would be nicer to see more bent rod pics, maybe the over the shoulder stringer picture, something with some action.  And while I know piles of fish are the life blood of guides, the same thing can be achieved without the pile of dead fish.  But hey, each to his own.

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And an update on the Lew’s reels I bought last year.  I love them and they have held up better than any I have owned in a while.  Of course since they only get used in fresh water that is to be expected.  As soon as the current reels on the saltwater stuff craps out, and they will, I will transfer a couple to the salt rods.  That will be the true test.  But all I can say is they are worth every penny and have held up to hard use way better than the Shimano’s I used to use.

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I am very concerned with our waters.  They are the life blood of our sport and without clean water no fishing, and in the end, no life.  One affect of the hurricane in North Carolina is a huge overflow from a coal plants retention ponds into a major river.  It contains mercury among lots of other ugly things, and it will be while before the true affect on the river is known.  What irritated me is no state or local agencies are on the scene, though there are private entities taking samples and tracking the flow.  But what really pissed me off is the coal company is blocking people from using a public road to a popular public ramp.  Since when does the coal company have the right to stop anyone from using a public road?  Maybe when they have something to hide?  They are not law enforcement and have no right to do that, end of story.

And the Formosa plant in our area just got fined $20k for environmental violations.  $20k?  I am sure a world wide company like Formosa is going to be deterred with that “massive” fine.  Hey we need oil and gas, we need jobs,  but when our water is at stake time to take a little sterner action.  Heck there is 100’s of square mile of a floating garbage dump  in the Pacific.  Companies need to do what they need to do, but it is our water.  And if you are not happy with my opinion on that just head down Port Lavaca bay and eat some of the fish near the plants.

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And speaking of water, day 2 this week on Coleto did surprise me some.  I expected them to move shallow but so far they are not so inclined.  But with some cooler nights in our future it is coming.  And with more rain in the forecast the lake may have another little rise.  Falcon Lake is living proof what affect cover has on fry survival.  So if we are lucky the lake will come up a little more and stabilize over the winter.  Which will also make the fishing much more consistent when it does.

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I just got an offer to fish Fayette in a few weeks with a couple of the Austin Boys and so it went on my calendar immediately.  They have fished it quite a bit in the past and hopefully I will learn a new technique or two.  Fayette may, no is, one of my favorite bass lakes I have ever fished.  50 fish days happen there, and when they are all in the 3lb and up category there is nothing not to like.  So see you then boys.

Part 1 is on the video page.  It was a beatdown.

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The Hogs sucked, A&M did as well as could be expected, and Texas is getting scarier and scarier and may be on a roll.  Today the Cowboys take on the Seahawks and a win should be in the cards.  I am patiently waiting for tomorrow to get the new electronics mounted.  The last year has been a B.O.A.T. x alot on the LTS.  New trailer, upholstery, trolling motor, and now electronics.  That about taps out my allowance.  Nice to have Team Nancy as a sponsor.  Not only a great wife she “gets” this fishing thing.  I am about to take advantage of all our fall fishing has to offer!  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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I got so wrapped up in catching redfish that I forgot a major milestone in the life of fishcatchingtravel.com – My 1000th post!  That is freakin’ nuts.  It has been over 7 years now and who would have thunk that this thing would last this long.  But it gives me pleasure to write, it must, and the folks I have met, the trips I have shared with them, maybe just maybe someone learning something which makes it all worth it.   So here it is –

POST 1004. 

********************A new bait is coming!

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The plan was the bay but it is impossible for me to NOT go to the lake in the morning, especially with the possibility of some rough weather.  Plus better to be 1 minute from the ramp and 18 miles from the house if it gets ugly.  But clouds, maybe a little rain, and winds within reason, all pointing to a buzzbait beatdown.  So a trip to Academy and 3 new buzzbaits and I should be good to go.  Hopefully it will not be so hot and with the clouds should be better fishing in the afternoon.

Weather

89/76.  Cloudy in the morning with a 60% chance of thunderstorms developing later in the day.  Wind  SE 10 – 20mph.

Lake Level

Today  97.25 msl.  Tuesday  97.23 msl.

Solunar Periods

Best 7:45 am to 9:45 am.  (Only relevant period but love the timing.)

It was just a little sketchy this morning.

Sometimes I think I know something, and then it is back to earth.

Let me get right to the point.  I caught the same 4 fish as Tuesday and I did not take any pictures, I don’t want to see them and neither do you.  They were all small.  I fished buzzbait – 1, spinnerbait -1, stick worm – 1, Bang o Lure – 1, white swim jig – 0, and bluegill swim jig – 0.  2 small ones came in the back of coves, one in main lake grass, and one off a stump.  Other than that it might have been one more bite.  I tried new places, old places, windy places, all with out success.  I did not find even a smell of a pattern.

I stuck around the ramp area until it was clear I was not going to be struck by the lightening I could see in some of the bigger clouds.

The lake is clearing just a tiny bit, but it is up in the stuff.  I was sure it would be better, shows what I know.  I guess the fish are just not acclimated to the new water, but hope springs eternal and they are coming.  When?  Not sure but maybe the cold front they are saying is coming next week may turn them on.  But maybe this will be one of those times I have seen in the past when it takes them a while to make the move after a big raise.

It was awesome looking this morning.

Finally at 1:30 with rain and dark clouds heading to the lake I called it a day.  It was disappointing, but I was still fishing so it was not the end of the world.  But it is time to put that stuff up and start thinking about the bay as soon as this rain pattern gets out of here in few days.  I hope to get out with Jess the neighbor next week and it is weather watching time.  The Upper Laguna is on the list and I plan to spend a couple of nights on North Padre and put in at the park as soon as it is stable or at least within reason and have at the big Laguna trout.

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I finally took the plunge and bought some new electronics for the LTS.  Over the decades I have used all kinds so it was time for a change.  Not being a big deep water fisherman other than trolling there is no need for the high $$$ stuff.  In my case the mapping is the issue, when you go places without a clue it is mandatory not only to decide where to fish, but to keep the boat in water and not on a reef.

So this time I am trying the Raymarine Dragonfly 7pro for the console and 5pro for the trolling motor.  And where I got them they threw in Navionics mapping for both.  They are not complicated, I am all about that, but the real kicker was the power/transducer cable is the same for both.  That means even if the one on console decides to crap out I can just move the front one and still have the depth and mapping.  Sad when you think about it, the expectation that it “will’ crap out just like all the other brands that have gone by the wayside.  Only time will tell how they work out but will keep you updated.

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And to all you serious hunters TPWD has the annual raffle for some of the finest hunting in the world.  Only $9 a chance for each, you could actually end up killing a Bighorn Sheep, what is to not like about that.  But you have to purchase your tickers by the 15th of October.  And apparently you can buy them at any license dealer or of course your local TPWD office.  Somebody has to win and it might as well be you.

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Today was a bust, just another lesson to be learned.  Not sure what I could have done differently other than fish deep but I was sure it would not be necessary.  Like I said, every time I think I know something they throw me a curve.  So hopefully you all are having a little better luck but like all good fishermen I will not throw in the towel.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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Just got done cleaning truck and boat, organizing tackle, and putting the Grand Isle trip to bed.  The lake is on tap in the morning and I am totally amazed at how much it has come up.  Having seen that particular thing happen hundreds of times you never know how the fish will react, or how much color that the lake has.  So it will be up early and on the water.  Let the fall fishing begin!

Weather

92/72.  Partly Cloudy.  10% chance of rain.  Wind SE 5 – 10mph.

Solunar Times

Best  5:30 am to 7:30 am.  Good  11:18 am to 1:18 pm.

Lake Level

Today  97.23 msl.  One week ago  94.16msl!  (As my daughter says – Holy Crap!)

********************A new bait is coming!

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A GREAT REPORT!

It is not very often you will hear that title when it was a total of 4 fish for the morning.  But there was a good thing – The lake is up 3′.  The water has hit the grass and cover, and the color is workable even way up lake where one would think it was muddy.

One week ago.  This morning.  Might have been just a touch foggy!

On Coleto that is a significant amount of water.  Coming right before fall this morning told me one thing, it is gonna be good.  Real good.

When I got there at daylight it was foggy and the word humid does not describe the morning.  So not being able to go to far safely, even though there was no one else, I fished the first big cove up the creek arm and started with the Bang o Lure as it was dead calm.  And it remained dead calm and hot all morning.

The Wood Storks have hung out a lot longer than usual.

One took a run at it but missed, and I saw a couple of more below it that just took a look.  The water has a brown tint to it down lake and so I wasn’t sure the Bang o Lure was the way to go so I made a decision to fish out the cove with a buzzbait,  And I continued down a long length of main lake and another cover without a bite.

Finally the fog lifted and up the lake I went.  I was hoping no big trash line or real muddy water, and there was none.  The water is back in the cover and over the next couple of hours it was buzzbait, stick worm, and swim jig.  The only ones caught there came right up in the grass and trash, super shallow.

Did not miss a buzzbait bite.

Pitching the worm to cover was pointless, not a bite.  Unlike that last 3 months where that was where they were hanging.  And the ones that did hit were super shallow.  It might be counter intuitive to be happy with only 3 bites up river, and none on the wood, but with the water stabilizing and the color clearing they are coming to the bank soon.  The lake has not looked this good in a while.

These were the size of it.  The last one was on the swim jig.

Around 11:00 it was flat calm, flat hot, and flat humid.  So just to be sure headed up the plant arm and the water was even clearer.  Worked the Bang o Lure over pretty good without a bite, which was a little surprising.  But it was so calm and dead it wasn’t happening.  One did jump on the swim jig and next trip instead of the bluegill it will be time for white.  That is always a good fall bait on Coleto but today one cove was full of small bass schooling on small shad.  As a rule bass go to the shad heavily in the fall and as much surface activity there was it is time to switch.

I am really happy with what I saw today.  Catching fish is the plan, but today just seeing all that water was a thing of beauty.  Of course that is somewhat selfish as I love that shallow fishing.  Now all we need is some cool nights and it will take off.  So I will be watching for one of “those” days –  Cloudy, drizzling, and light wind.

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Billy chimed in with a the rain report.

Right along the coast has gotten more rain than up the country. Lavaca nor Navidad is up much from what I can see. Not real sure about the Guadalupe. But I don’t think it is having terrible run off either.
By that token, the only issue you should have is any runoff from the marshes from the locally heavier rain the coast received.

Thanks for the report.  Since I am headed to the lake in the morning I checked the level, and it looks like it is up 3 feet!  (It was!) I even went back and checked it a couple of times as I found it hard to believe.  So in the morning I might/will be in for a big surprise.  Will holler at you for the coast soon.

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And here is 3 fresh reports.

A boat on Coleto had 31 crappie today.  The crappie fishing has been very consistent on Coleto this summer in spite of the heat.

A friend and his buddies tore up the redfish  a couple of days ago on topwater and croaker out of POC.  He told me the reds were everywhere.

Then a guy showed me a picture of a nice batch of white bass caught on the Lavaca River right before the rise.  Not really surprised just did not know they were in there.  And they also had a nice red and black.

Fall is coming and the fishing is about to heat up.

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Forgot to tell you about the nice thing that happened when I went to buy my fishing license.  I was prepared to shell out the $90 for an annual when the lady said “How old are you?”  Louisiana and Texas have reciprocity for old folks fishing license.  As long as you have your Texas on you while fishing in most of Louisiana it is all good.  Nice to be $90 ahead before starting fishing!

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Looking at the weather Thursday looks good for some bay fishing.  Cloudy with a 40% chance of rain, reasonable wind, and a falling tide all morning is as good as you can hope for right now.  Can you say redfish on topwater?  And who knows, might even catch a trout.  And speaking of adding to the bag it is getting towards the flounder run.  Things are looking up on the coast.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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I headed out for the house at 6:00 am and it took exactly 8 1/2 hours.  Sunday morning is a great time to make some miles before the traffic gets to heavy on I10.  And when I hit Houston it was like the twilight zone, I think I only had to slow down twice, a rare happening.  Today will be getting things organized and then back to it.

Weather

87/80.  Increasing clouds during day with a 50% chance of thunderstorms.  Wind  WNW 5 – 10.

Tide

High  1:56 am  +1.3.  Low  1:48 pm  -0.4.

********************A new bait coming soon!

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

Turn Out the Lights – The Party is Over!

I know you can’t really see him, but I was real surprised to see a gator.  Didn’t know they were this far down.

A great way to end the trip.  It was going to be hot with mild winds so it was back to the marsh as I knew I would quit early to get organized.  (In other words watch a little football later this afternoon.)   Also the neighbors have stayed with the trout the last 3 days and have stuggled, even with plenty of trips here and live bait.  So it made sense to just go whack a few more reds and call it a trip.  There is just something about a redfish bite on spinnerbait that I love.  Plus, never leave fish to find fish and today was the perfect example of getting the most out of the trip.

When I hit the ramp at 7:30 the tide was running to beat the band, by far the best flow of the trip.  It was going to be spinnerbait the rest of the morning, and I started in a place where I have caught them on a past trip, near houses with lots of cover, pilings, and trash.  A couple jumped on right away.  And from then on it was one here, two there, but always a something anywhere I tried.

This was one thick red.

It was strictly power fishing today.  A few new places, and the old reliable places.  I knew I would miss the prime time so I covered the miles.  The water moved heavy until about noon, and got as low as it has this trip.  I fished until 1:30 and they bit fairly well all morning.  In fact, when I quit there were oysters on one bar out of the water, first time I have seen that.  Probably should have stayed, it was about to get right.  Not sure my poor old hands and fingers could take much more.  They are rough.

The marsh is a redfish nursery, and there are plenty this size and smaller.  But I never met a red I did not like!

Had one charge out of nowhere and smoked it right at the boat.  Cool bite.  The biggest one of the morning was in about 6″ of water and it was cool dragging him through the mud.  Several came in the boat the last 3 days by simply seeing a mud, a bust, or that slight disturbance in the force.  It was really a case of keep it in the water and they will come.  With the water color I was able to use 20lb XT, and it really helped to be able to muscle them when around trash.

The last fish of the day.

This is one great place if you like redfish.  And I will say it again, if you own a kayak and use it this is the place.  Folks launch all along the road in the Grand Isle area, and the only boat I saw fishing in the marsh this morning was a kayak, and he was in an area I would not have tried to get to in the boat.  To go along with that, as I fished down a channel where I catch some of my best reds there is a big pothole I could not get at it and they were in there having at it.  When the water falls out in to the narrow channel it is a great place for good ones.  In fact that happens all over the marsh.  This marsh is in the 20 square mile range and there are fish that never see a lure.  Wish it was closer, I would make the trip more often.

Reading the reports over the last few years this is a time of transition for the trout in Grand Isle.  From about now, as fall and winter come, they seem to spread out and the fishing is not its usual consistent.  Then as it gets cold many of them swim way the hell up the marsh to Golden Meadows, which is 20 miles from the Gulf.  There is an area of really deep water from old mines where they winter.  Of course the guides are still killing them right now, and with the 25 fish limit fairly common the trout fishing is nothing to sneeze at.  Next time I plan to stay a few more days and see if I can figure that out.

That about covers it and I give this trip a B+.  Nice to get the redfish fix I have been needing.  Now for our fall to come and the reds to start really ganging up.  And as it looks like you have had lots of rain since I left the lake should be on the way up.  Not sure if it has been enough to start affecting the bay with fresh water.  The only way to know is to go and Tuesday morning I will be back at it somewhere!

And a last couple of comments on football.  I have seen my Hogs stink up the place but Saturday was nuts.  North Texas State, the Boss’s alma mater, beat us like yard dogs.  And when somehow the punt team thought the guy made a fair catch and just stopped playing, letting him go 90+ yards untouched, was maybe one of the worst plays in the history of football.  At least the Cowboys got back on track.  Football and fishing, ain’t fall grand?  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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I just could not help myself and headed right back to the marsh.  When I was trying to go to sleep last night the Controlled Descent Paddle Shad kept coming to mind.  So the plan was to throw it all morning and see how it goes.

A cold one on the deck as the sun goes down.  Does it get any better than this?

Weather

86/80.  Generally sunny with 20% chance of rain.  Wind ESE 5 – 10.

Tide

High  1:15 am  +1.2.   Low  12:29 pm   -0.5.

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                                                     There is a new bait on the way.

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The biggest I managed to land on the Controlled Descent, but definitely operator error.

You would think as long as I have been fishing the head up butt syndrome would not happen as often as it does, but today it showed up.  I tied it on my trout rod, which has 10lb line, big mistake, more on that later.  It seemed like they wanted a nice steady vibration with the spinnerbait so why not slow roll the paddle shad?

They were eating it, and that one had some spots

I used both the white/limetreuse and the watermelon red/limetreuse on a 1/8th swim bait hook, rattle inserted with some scent.  Because I wanted a maxim thump I pulled off the small tail.  It did not take long to learn they wanted it at a medium retrieve where you just could not see it but you could feel the tail.  If there is one complaint, it caught lots of smalls, like that is a problem, but several nice ones hit it.  Obviously it had more to do with timing than anything else since I went to the spinnerbait at prime time.  I just have a “spinnerbait” problem.  And Chris, that fancy rod you made me is doing yeoman work.

On the other hand 2 broke off on the 10lb, and of course they were both big ones.  Rule 1 – Do not throw 10lb to redfish around pilings, you will not have a very good outcome.  And the bite could be little tricky, you would not even feel the bite but your line would just start moving.  Some right toward you and it was tough to catch up to them.  I even had a big one on a spinnerbait follow it all the way to the boat making a huge mud. Fun stuff.

This size really liked it and after a while I just quit taking pictures.

The weather was perfect, the tide was falling all day, and the wind was light.  It was another day of covering water, but since I am learning every day my timing was good.  But here it seems like anytime is good, sometimes are just better than others.  They seem to be on the rounded banks inside big coves.  That is where much of the oyster is and consequently that is where the fish are.

And one thing really driven home the last couple of days is reading the water.  Not talking about seeing fish, I mean getting back in these places without getting stuck.  As along as the tide is moving you can see a slight line where water drains these big places.  Idling real slow the cove might, and I do mean might, be 2 foot, but there is always a channel which allows you to get way back, it may only be 1/2  foot deeper, then fish the tide out.

This size is just right for a great fight.

Around 2:00 the water had all but fallen out and it was time to hit my 2 best spots.  It was back to the spinnerbait and 20lb test, running it just like the Controlled Descent Paddle Shad and the better ones would just smack it.  Today the hook up ratio definitely went to the Paddle Shad.  Not sure I lost any this morning other than the 2 break offs.   The 20lb test is fine for these waters, and makes it a lot easier to control them in cover and oysters.  I mean they are shallow!

Just waylaying the spinnerbait.

As you can see from my face, or lack thereof, it was hot and sunny.  The fish had moved out of some of the smaller potholes and were on the shell with bait.  I can see how down here if you fished it a lot you could have a milk run.  With the 16″ limit the paddle shad took care of that pretty quickly.  So a another successful day in Grand Isle.  I really enjoy coming here, it is one of the “fishiest” places in the country, both the fish and characters who live here.

This is such a fishy place.  The options are endless, from tuna to trout, tarpon, snapper, redfish, kinfish, and on and on, they are all here.  There are close rigs that when the wind is not blowing I have seen jon boats out there.  Buggy the owner guided some guys to a pile of mangrove snappers today.  Said all he could do was keep rigging them.  This whole place revolves around fishing as there is nothing else.  When I get back there will be more of a how to article.  The access is good, and you kayakers, this place is the bomb.

Bridgeside Marina and Cabins the place for fishermen in Grand Isle.

Tomorrow I might, and I use the term lightly, hit the bay and trout fish.  The guys from Louisiana next to me only caught 8 today, and they fish the salt a lot, so we shall see.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Brought to you by

**For a super deal on your Wade Right use promo code FCT15 and get 15% off on your online order!**

It was a little over 9 hours over here, and some of that was due to the traffic in Houston.  And to make matters worse it poured 4 or 5 times on the way here.  And as soon as I turned of Hwy 90 at Raceland headed to Grand Isle the wind began to blow fairly hard out of the East and it cleared up.  But no matter it was nice to be back.  From the looks of things tomorrow the weather will obviously play a role.

I have never had a bad trip here and Bridgeside Marina is the place to stay.  Good folks, a great store, tons of live bait, they open at 5:30 and close at 7:00.  They are all about the fisherman and if you need it they probably have it, like when one of the trolling motor batteries craped out last year.  As far as accommodations go it is simple, but if you are here you should be fishing anyway.  There is a fishing bridge right here, and though I have never fished there folks catch tons of reds and trout off it all the time.  With the bay and beach there is miles and miles of stuff, and the marsh if it is windy, or like me you love to spinnerbait redfish, and this is the place.

Weather

85/80.  50% chance scattered morning thunderstorms then cloudy.  Wind  ESE 10 – 15.

Tide

High  12:46 am  +1.1.   Low  10:48 am   -0.6.

********************A new bait coming soon!

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I Freakin’ Love This Place

This one smacked it!

The original plan made at home was to fish the beach first, but the wind was pounding right on the beach.  It was out of the East with some serious looking stuff going around so I took it easy and did not hit the ramp at Port Fourchon until 8:30.  The marsh is an interesting place to fish, and some of it is posted, but if you like redfish it the place.  After 5 trips here I am learning.  But the marsh is not worth a hoot for trout.

Today the low tide was supposed to be around 11:00. but the hard east wind kept the water in a little longer.  And to make matters worse, the color left something to be desired.  So I headed to the first little creek and caught a nice one and lost another.  For some reason today, including a couple operator errors and some structure, I lost several nice ones.  But that was ok because they were biting.  As I replaced the plastic paddle tail multiple times color did not mean squat.  They wanted a nice steady retrieve and like always it is such a cool bite.

Standard marsh redfish.  They were eating the spinnerbait!

There was some freaky stuff going on today.

A couple of nice solids.

As the water started falling around 1:00 they went on a little tear.  They were definitely on the shell pads as the water fell.  So knowing a couple it helped to be there at the right time.  The wind was not a big problem, just had to deal with it, and the water did not really start to clear until it fell, though it did not fall as much as it should have.

The only trout today.  And there are some rats.  This one I jerked completely out of the water setting the hook.

One area has some old camps that were victims of a hurricane and the pilings are left.  I broke 2 bigger ones off trying to get them out, even with 20′ test.  Hard to resist making the cast but worth it when they come out of cover and smoke it.  Not sure the total number today, but I am happy.  This is the best of both of my fishing worlds.  Spinnerbait is a favorite, and since bass and redfish like it I am happy to let them have it.

I actually wore out the trolling motor today, going against the wind and the tide, but covering the miles was the ticket.  I don’t remember for sure but I didn’t fish anywhere without catching at least one.  And like all reds, get a bite and get ready because another one is coming.  I give today an A considering the conditions.

If it were not for the open bay and maybe the surf I would just bring the skiff.  A Jon boat with a 10hp would be great here.  And boy what a place to kayak.  There is miles of roadside access to the marsh and the bay in fairly protected water in case of wind.   This area has become one of my favorite trips.

Arties is where I eat every day, just a bar and grill that has good food.  Of course no one is here so when I went tonight Artie and about 5 of his friends wer there.  I order a burger, and they are all eating fresh tuna, which apparently came off a boat that fished it’s way here from Port Aransas.  Then they come over and brought me a plate of tuna with broiled  asparagus and brussel sprouts.  Suffice to say I ate little of the hamburger.  Thanks!

Tomorrow will be wind dependent, looks like it will be light, and of course we have a chance for thunderstorms.  It may be back for one more day at the marsh, then the bay Saturday.  But either way it will involve some fish catching.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines.

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Brought to you by

**For a super deal on your Wade Right use promo code FCT15 and get 15% off on your online order!**

Weather

83/71  Thunderstorms and rain.  80% chance.  Wind NE 5 – 10.

Solunar Times

Best  11:24 am to 1:24 pm.

Lake Level

Today  94.16 msl.   20 days ago  94.14 msl.  (It has come up .04 in the last 24 hours.)

********************A new bait coming soon!

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Let the fishing begin.  I wanted to run the boat and make sure it was all good before hitting the road, and if I ever saw a day that had bass written all over it today was it.  It has been tough so was hoping it was going to improve on Coleto.

It was raining right along when I got up.  So as soon as it slacked off around 9:30 it was time to load up and hit the lake.  As the title of this post says – this is my kind of day.  Drizzle, rising water, and a light wind says bass all day long, and it was a major improvement from my last few trips.  Fall is coming and I am about to fish until I puke.

The rains have come just in time.

The lake was just about to drop to the level of a few years ago during the drought, and the water had receded to the end of the piers.  So be advised that the end of the ramp is not that far out and so until the lakes comes up some be careful.  There is a sign on the pier telling you how far the end of the ramp is, so beware.  The water has some color, more as you go further up lake, and the water temp has come down 6 – 8 degrees.  Today was a perfect bass fishing day.

A real Bang O Lure kind of day!

Starting up lake one jumped the buzzbait on my 3rd cast.  Like they have been, that one, and most of the others, came out of wood or dam close to it.  Keeping with the buzzbait for an hour only produced 1 other half-hearted attempt so it was time to pitch the 4″ craw with a 1/4 tungsten sinker on 15lb. fluoro.  Over the next hour or so I boated 5 or 6 on plastic.  The one below came out of a green tree in about 8′ of water.  After releasing her I made a half-hearted cast to the edge of the tree as I stepped up on the deck and a good one jumped it.  Not sure what it was, it was not well hooked, and after a pretty good struggle it pulled off.  It acted like a catfish, which I have been catching on lures all year on Coleto.  To bad, it was quite a bit heavier than this one.

The line jumped 6″ when she hit.

As I worked that bank there would be the occasional shad flip.  A balsa shad crankbait did not work, which surprised me.  So around 1:00 it was time to head down lake and fish some clear water.  With a nice drizzle and clouds there should be some up.  I figured the Bang O Lure could produce some bites and it did.  They wanted it right on the bank next to a piece of cover.  The 3 best ones hit it almost the minute it hit the water.  The big girl (first pic) above was on a gnarly  stump and just sucked it under.  They were definitely not interested in chasing anything.

First one of the morning on the buzzbait, then the first one on the Bang O Lure.

As you can see it would rain a while, and then drizzle lightly, then nothing for minute and it would start up again.  Today was one of those throw it on their head days.  The wind was up a little so I did fish 2 windy banks with spinnerbait without a bite.  But I wanted to cover most of the stuff I fish so it was a serious try.  By then it was apparent that the topwater in the clearer water was best, though no particular typed of bank or structure was a pattern.  The big girl came on a point in less than a foot, then another on a channel bank, and even a couple in a cove.  Since there is very little cover due to the low water it seemed like a good piece of cover no matter where it was had a good chance of having a fish on it.  Definitely classic rainy day fishing, and boy I do like it.  Plus those days you have it all to yourself.

Unfortunately I had to quit early, it had almost quite raining so no excuse not to get the grass mowed.  Since I am fishing somewhere in a couple of days it would have been a mess if I did not get it done.  You know, “that guy” who doesn’t mow his grass as much as the neighbors.  But the day was definitely a success.  With the forecast calling for several days of rain, and the lake finally starting to rise, the bite will be on for several days.  And nice that the early rain was in the 70’s, with the water cooling added to the mix it should be good.

I did check on a guy in an old Ranger who was having motor troubles.  The boat was plowing then it would die.  He had the cover off so I made sure he was ok.  He said no problem I can make it, so I kept track of him until he made the ramp.  Always remember it could be you next so help a brother fisherman out when you get the chance.

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Topwater Billy sent this question along after I posted the marlin picture.

Couple of things.
I can’t make out the marlin photo. What is stuck on it’s bill?
That being said, until you captioned it, I thought it was a painting as opposed to a photo.

If the forecasters are anywhere near right, you best have some wet weather gear if you’re going to be on the water this week.

The marlin stuck that turtle through and through.  Chris said it looked like there was a line in the marlin’s mouth.  Here is my guess and I am sticking with it.  If they had it hooked and it was going nuts it could have easily headed up to jump and impaled the turtle.  Obviously he was not going to eat it.  And today’s forecast was right, so it was rain suit on and sack them up.

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The next time you hear from me I will be “somewhere.”  Louisiana has been the plan but I have not committed after watching the weather.  There is an alternative or 2 so weather watching the next 24 hours will ultimately decide where I am headed.  Actually it is kind of fun to be weighing the alternatives because it is happening, where is the only question.  The only downside to Grand Isle is going through Houston.  It is always an adventure towing the boat, especially with all the construction.  But it is only 8 hours, an easy trip, and I can feel them thumping that spinnerbait as I type this.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Brought to you by

**For a super deal on your Wade Right use promo code FCT15 and get 15% off on your online order!**

With the Boss being off this weekend, something unusual, we watched some serious college football on Saturday.  Great to have a wife who likes football.  How the Hogs, A&M, and Texas do today remains to be seen.  I spent the day doing the research on a long planned trip this week.  Though I am sure it will be Grand Isle, Falcon is also in the running so the research goes on.  The trout fishing at Grand Isle has been good lately and of course if I go I will spend 2 days in the marsh hammering the redfish.  I went 2 weeks later last year and had a great trip.  So today it is just cleaning up a few things before fishing on Monday.

********************A new bait coming soon!

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I got this from my buddy Aaron.

*&%%%$^#*

And that was his comment, easy to get the point.  Hard to shoot a deer with that many freakin’ pigs around.  But Aaron is a big bow hunter and before the season is over he will put a real hoss on the ground.  Thanks for the pic.

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And speaking of cool pictures got this one from my buddy Chris.

Now that is nuts!  What are the odds?

Not sure the history but he said it came from a charter boat captain out of Bud N’ Mary’s Marina in Islamorada.  Not even going to guess how it happened but doesn’t look like it did either one any good.  The great outdoors is a wonderful and mysterious place!

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I just want to put in a little plug for my buddy Terry and Trophy Hunter Guide Service.  He is absolutely thrashing the stripers, some really nice ones.  Texoma was noted for an abundance of small stripers but over the last couple of years lots of better fish are being caught, and he has been on them all summer.  So if you have never caught one, or want to take a kid or family, he has a big lake boat that can accommodate a crew, or maybe the airboat on the river, which we did with him and was cool.  You will not be disappointed in the fishing or spending some time in a boat with him.

That is freakin’ ridiculous! 

https://www.facebook.com/TrophyHuntersGuideService/

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I just picked up the LTS and it pays to maintain your stuff. First was just general maintenance, plugs, water pump kit, lower unit grease etc.  And the electronics all checked out fine thank goodness.  The Power Pole had a leak in a hose, the shaft was cracked and ground off some, and it rattled like crazy, guess being almost 10 years old it was just getting worn out.  And I am sure that trailering the boat up the ramp with it down a couple times didn’t help matters.  I was wondering why it was working so hard, turns out the little pin hole in the hydraulic hose was a super slow leak.  So with a complete rebuild it feels and works like new.

I also had them remove the steering cable and clean the tube and grease it, no problem yet but good to go for a few more years.  Keeps it from being hard to turn in the winter and reduces the chance of breaking a cable.  As a result of that they noticed that the 2 top engine mounting bolts had backed off almost a 1/2″, that alone was a disaster waiting to happen.  (Never buy a boat from Bass Pro in Katy.  The worst rigging job ever, total incompetence.)  The Boss always asks when I get home – “Catch any fish and what did you break?”  If I was not laughing I would be crying when I had to tell her the engine was laying on the bypass.  So while not an immediate problem it needed to be tightened, and as it is not on my walk around, who looks at that, I would have never noticed.

It is so important if you use your boat much to have it checked out yearly at a minimum.  The goal is to keep those little problems from becoming real problems.  And who wants to go somewhere and have something major happen?  Easy way to ruin a trip.  But best of all – 600 hours exactly and 125 on all 3 cylinders!  Nice to not have to think about most of this for another year, the peace of mind is worth every penny.  And I can not wait to crank her up Monday morning, and the rest of the week!

(And a boat buying tip:  With the high cost of boats these days if you are looking at a high end used boat absolutely require the maintenance records.  If they have done as they should that will be no problem.  If they can not, or will not, produce them run away.  I have every one and if selling the boat would be happy to have them speak with the marine service.  It will tell you lots, the compression on each cylinder, any fault alarms or warnings, exactly how it was run at what RPM, and just how and when it has been serviced.  If they are trying to sell you a used boat in the $30k and on up they should be more than happy to show them to you. And if they say they did not save them the marine shop will have them and they can easily get copies.  If they can’t/or won’t – there may be something to hide.)

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And I got this comment from SA Joe after my Dunlap trip.

Great, Come into my neck of the woods, no heads up to share a beer or two. Dunlap from my house is 20 miles.

Yep, fishing has been tough. The water flow is there but has gone down 2-3 feet. Weekend traffic(wake boats) makes the water fog up with all the sediment from the shores.

When we take the troops from BAMC and put them on kayaks to fish, above the dam in New Braunfels. Even up there the water is murky until the Comal river comes in and help clear it up

There was a very little flow and there was crap, grass, shoes, and bottles among other things floating everywhere.  That was obviously a result of the falling water dragging some of it in the lake.  I did not have a clue about water level, should have looked it up.  So no real surprise the fishing was tough, and I was actually surprised at the number of skiers that day.  But I will be back to the area though it might be Canyon which has been on my bucket list for a while.  Good to hear from you and when I am that way again I will take you up on that brew.

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What to say about college football yesterday?  Props to A&M, what a finish, they showed an amazing amount of heart and determination.  And as far as I am concerned the call on the fumble at the goal line was wrong, and to the young man, keep your head up.  Now my Hogs on the other hand were up 27 – 9 and then Colorado State scored 25 unanswered and we went down in flames.  Ouch.  Today the Cowboys start a new season, and here is my homer prediction –  If they stay healthy at most positions they will be a hand full, but any serious injuries and they will be an also ran.

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It is pouring down buckets in South Texas over a huge area.  There has been some flooding around the San Antonio area and as I type this it is pouring.  We so desperately need it and area lakes from Falcon to Coleto to Travis can sure use more water.  And it looks like this pattern will continue most of the week.

Unless it is flat pouring in the morning I will be headed to the lake just to run the boat and make sure all the stuff is working before I head out on Tuesday or Wednesday.  You would think I would have made a decision on where I am going by now but by the end of the day plans will be made.

While things have been a little slow around here the last little while the fishing is about to heat up in earnest.  Heck I am already looking forward to Fishmas!  As usual I want to thank you all for hanging in there with me.  Your comments are so appreciated and we all like reading them.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Brought to you by

**For a super deal on your Wade Right use promo code FCT15 and get 15% off on your online order!**

Lake Dunlap

In spite of the slow fishing it was good to spend some time with my buddy Vetter on Lake Dunlap.  In fact last evening sitting on the deck and having a cold one in the evening was the nicest weather since last spring.  A light north breeze made for a nice evening.  Then polishing it all off with some great chicken on the grill made for a great finish.

Other than seeing my buddy I hoped to put a catfish in the boat and then catch a few bass.  Unfortunately the catfish did not bite our jugs for 2 nights and when I took them in this morning the perch were still there.  Not sure why that did not happen but it might have had something to do with the water, which seemed stagnate according to the locals.  And the bass fishing was not much better.

This was the size of all of them.  

Dunlap is an interesting lake.  Really just a wide river it has houses and docks lining most of the shoreline.  Now one would think that pitching and flipping docks would be a no brainer, it was more no mas.  I fished most of the day yesterday and caught a total of 10, not one out of a dock, which I found really interesting.  And while 10 is not so bad for a first time trip somewhere, laid end to end they weren’t much.  The bright spot, I caught a nice Guadalupe, maybe my first, so I admired it and tossed it back, and forgot to take a picture.  All but 1 came on a 4″ craw rigged Texas style, and surprising enough not a bite on a senko.  You never know.

The fish I did catch were on the banks with few houses, and were on the deep side.  Dunlap being long and skinny seemed to have a deep side and a flat side, and little in between.  I actually went all the way up the river where it was 3′ deep and fished all the way out to deeper water, and just did not find the “spot”.  It was a little challenging for me but I am sure there is a better way to catch them, but due to the weather, thunder and lightning as we dank our morning coffee and with a forecast of lots of rain to come, followed by more rain, time to head back to Victoria.

On a different note I saw a squirrel swimming the lake.  That phenomenon happened one fall on Norfork Lake and many could be seen swimming the lake.  It was strange to come around the corner on the big lake and see one chugging along.  The old timers said there was not enough of the white acorns in some places and the squirrels were migrating to find them.  Not sure about that bit of folk lore, this one was probably just headed to see his home girl.

So while the fishing left something to be desired, the trip itself was a booming success.  I did not look at my computer or anything related to it for almost 3 days.  We sometimes forget how tied we are to our electronic world, and taking a couple day break from it, while not particularly intentional, was nice.

A new bait coming soon!

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Just slap me!

Ok I did it.  After my rant the other day I still went ahead and bought a fishing license at the Victoria Academy while I was there.  And guess what?  What I wrote about them not appearing to have a clue was confirmed.  I got the right license, but what she told me was so wrong it was almost funny.  At least I went over the whole thing before I moved.  So I should be good to go, but be slapped for not going to TPWD.

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

 I got this warm and fuzzy comment from my buddy Clyde, who I have been friends with for 50 years.  Putting it that way I am amazed we both made it this long.

Carry on Pork Rind!!!!

I just have 2 things to say about that comment.  First, since you are a perch jerking, shad eating Grebe you have no room to talk.  And last, my laptop is password protected and when I sign on if I get it wrong my question comes up to remind me what it is.  My question……”What does Clyde not catch?”  Then I remember – “Fish”.  So take that, and anytime you want to hop on a plane and catch some reds just holler.  And good luck on the deer stand this year.

Just kidding.  He really can catch fish!  That is a freakin’ hoss. 

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Heading home this morning it was drizzling here and there so when I was on I10 I took it easy.  While speaking with the Boss on the phone I told her I was being passed like an old man towing a boat.  Then I went, Oh Shit!  I am the old man towing a boat.  Oh well, beats the alternative.

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Time to get back on the bay now that the weather is looking up, hunting season is getting started, and the kids are back in school.  With the temps are moderating along with some clouds it should be topwater mania.  Hopefully I can pick up the LTS at the marina in the morning.  Even though I have a back up the skiff just does have the range and it is getting time to head to some of those back lakes and drains way down the island.  Please have a safe weekend no matter what you do.  Keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines