FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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  Tip for the Day

Go to the store right now and buy a couple Bagley Knocker B’s and head to the bay.  And if they do not have them hit the link on the side of this page and get them direct.  I need to order a couple myself.

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It was good to hear from Mac one of my long time readers.  He too has been “Knocked Up.”

Doug, The redfish prosper on our gulf coast!!!!. Thanks as always for your input on the current report from you. Topwater fishing right now is the best I have ever seen and I have been around a few years.

Last Saturday my son and I just went to the bay to fish for only a short morning, We wanted to see how the Fightin Texas Aggies would do later in the day at the spring game.

On arival at Charlie’s bait camp we were greeted with thunderstorms and a huge fishing tourney in process. The water in the intercoastal was very muddy and I thought the day was useless for fishing. I then rembered my dad years ago saying “The wind sometimes can be your friend” We fished your Knocker B’s along the muddy intercoastal. All the tournament guys went elsewhere. Along it we found clear water in the small inlets and also redfish in numbers. Most fish were the same size as you caught, but we did catch our 6 legal fish. Ripley’s believe it or not–over 50 caught that morning. We made it to the spring game and the Aggies looked bad. Your Hogs will and may make the Aggies look again for help coaching. Again thanks for your info on this lure. Both your local news and your travels keep the fire to fish with all of us. Write us from Peru–Mac

Great to know you made what could have been a bad day into a good one.  And I have  done basically the same thing out of Charlie’s.  One trip we put the boat in at POC and the starter broke, and instead of being done we put in at Charlies and used the trolling motor up and down the Intercoastal and caught fish.  In fact, one trip I intentionally did exactly that, put the trolling motor down and fished all the way to the Drum Hole and caught plenty of reds without ever starting the boat.  And I love to hear you have been using the Knocker B.  It works, plain and simple.  And if the numbers I caught yesterday are any indication the redfish population is alive and well on the Texas cost.  Thanks for keeping in touch.  GO HOGS!

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And Terry from Trophy Hunters Guide Service sent along this note after our chilly weekend.

Have fun on your trip Doug! I always enjoy the blog on my lunch breaks! I like your weather better than mine..

Finally a perfect day yesterday.  We always get the wind this time of year, it just seems that we have had a lot more 30 mph days than usual.  And as far as your weather, reminds me why I have migrated further South as I got older.  And I hope to get at least some stuff up while gone.

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The Florida Sportsman Best Boat tv show review 3 boats each episode.  One they ran today had a 200hp outboard and one of their conclusions was it only needed a 150hp.  That is near and dear to my boating belief, a good match is fuel efficient but can get you there if you need to while keeping the rpms down.  I really believe (Or am making stuff up.) that every engine have so many rpms in them, use them now or use them later, your choice.  But some of the bay boats I am seeing now have 300hp motors.  Hey going fast is nice but that size of engine on a bay boat seems a little extreme, unless you are a guide and basically have to go where you need to everyday no matter what the weather.

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Bagley Baits shared my last trip on the their website, for which I say thanks.  I did want to tell you a little about fishing the Knocker B.  First rule:  Let the fish tell you how they want it.  They may want it fast, slow, stopped occasionally, just keep trying until you get a couple of bites.  And on a side note, in my experience the reds want it at a steady pace, usually not to fast or slow, but definitely no stopping it.  The trout on the other hand seem to be a little different every time.   But with both of them, if they do not eat it keep it coming.

Second Rule:  Keep it coming, they may miss it a time or two, but if you jerk and miss you are usually done.  Let the rod tip load up then set the hook.  That is way freakin’ easier said than done.  It is really hard when one blasts it, you just want to jerk, but keep it coming if you do not feel them.  Your success rate will go up with any topwater bait.  I just know over the last couple of years the Knocker B has been about the only topwater I throw.  It is a one knocker, so that works, and it is so easy to work.  So fresh or salt get  you a couple, if the fish are feeding on top you will be in business.  And while you are looking at the Knocker B, pick up a couple of Bagley Bang O Lures, I refuse to throw it on the bay, to many tooth critters like it!  In the past I have caught lots of trout on the Bang O Lure in Florida, and the one with the spinner put lots of snook in the boat.  Their baits just work.

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Not sure when you will hear from me again.  It will all depend on what type of WiFi is available, but my travel experience has shown that you never know.  Thanks to Jeffish, Smith and Wesson, and the neighbors for watching the house.  I appreciate all of you who read this stuff and no matter what there will be lots to come.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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  Tip for the Day

Get some Flambeau Zerust for your tackle boxes, it works and will save you money.

As I prepare this for tomorrow the wind is blowing pretty hard but it is a beautiful day.  This morning was spent organizing the tackle room and all my stuff.  Funny how after lots of fishing things get piled up.  Next it was time to check rods and reels, new line, tackle boxes, all the things that have to be done to keep fishing.  Tomorrow it is off to POC for a day of wading.  After putting the conditions up on the blog tomorrow this one looks pretty good.  Not many days where the timing allows you to be on the water for both the rising and falling tide potential bite, and with it cloudy topwater should be the ticket.  Like we all say, you do not know until you go, and I am going.

Weather

77/64  Partly Cloudy.  Winds SSE 10 – 20 mph.  0% chance of rain.  (Funny how the wind forecast went from 10 – 15 an hour ago.  It just keeps blowing.)

Tides

Low    1:05 AM     0.2
High  11:57 AM     0.9

Solunar Times

Best 1:21 pm to 3:21 pm.    Good  7:07 am to 9:07 am.  (Note how the tide times are related to the tide today.  An early rise bite followed by the later falling bite.  We shall see.)

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Lets start this post off with a comment from Rick.

I’m going to nickname you DH. Man, you are a DieHard fisherman. I got cold just reading your story and its 70 degrees in Austin right now. Hope you make it to POC and the weather treats you better. Would love to hear a POC report.

A diehard, or a nut, I am not sure which.  As far as a fishing report from POC here you go, it was big time fun.

Get Knocked Up!

In the past I have told you about using the Bagley Knocker B topwater, which has become my go-to topwater, and today I could not keep them off it.  The rat reds would not leave it alone and I am not complaining.  The weather looked awesome, and it was.  Sometimes it looks like a topwater day before you leave the house, and except for a couple of casts with the twitch bait, I literally stayed with it all day.

What a topwater bite today!

The water temp was 74 degrees and the wind was blowing around 15 mph out of the SE and it was cloudy.  Wow!  The weather dude got it right!  At daylight, I was the 3rd truck at the ramp, I hightailed it across the bay to fish my favorite drain on the Pringle shoreline.  The water was clear and there was bait moving around in about knee deep water so I headed that way.  The only way to describe the day is below.  I literally caught the living snot out of rat reds all day.  The pictures below are not simply to show you some small ones, but this is a small piece of what happened from daylight until I quit at 2:00.

This is not all of them by any stretch but you get the point.

I stayed on that bank until 11:00.  As I had not been in a while it was just plain a good time as they were following it, rolling on it, and the occasional blow up.  It was rat after rat and I finally said to myself, move and see if you can find some trout.  So I headed down to South Pass, the trout the last few months have been on shell, so I headed right to it.  And it was just like place one, tons of bites on top.

This one absolutely had bad intention when she blew up on it!

And just like place one they were knee deep.  They were not in either drain, but out on the flat where the drain tailed out and it was a simple matter of watching for the bait and wading to it.  There were tons of rat chasing bait, and a good cast to a disturbance in the water got a bite.  I missed way more than I caught, but finally started putting a few trout on the end of my line.

Unfortunately I lost a big trout, one of those that absolutely blasts it then comes to the top with the mouth open wallow, it was a real one.  Though that one made her escape it was not a big deal.  I never got over knee deep all day, they were shallow and on the chew.  With the island slightly protected from the wind, and the clouds, there might have been other baits that worked today, but I just could not help myself.

Maybe 5 or 6 like these on the  second place, was not keeping or measuring so not sure how many would have made the cooler.

The trout were blowing up on it, some of the  bites were absolute explosions.  So I kept after it.  Today was one of those days when if there was some water “disturbance” a good cast often got a good bite.  The fish really do like the Bagley Knocker B, it is the right size and is easy to work.  I would hate to guess how many fish I caught today, but I can tell you my hands and back are hurting and I could care less.  It has been a while and today was everything I thought it would be, conditions were too perfect.

About 2:00 I thought I would make one last cast and then try one more place, bad idea.  I had only re-tied once, and I reared back and off it went in the wild blue yonder.  Stupid when they are biting like that.  Hundreds of fish have fallen for that particular bait and it was my favorite.  I hurried to the boat and tried my best to find it but alas, gone.  So on that note I headed to Froggie’s with a smile on my face.

All I can say is that the bite is on.  So if you want to catch a few fish, or dozens, now is the time.  If you can find a good cloudy day, go before the water warms up and summer gets here.  And pick up a Knocker B, it really does catches fish.  So there you have it.  What a fun day.  When it has been a while it takes a day like this to remind me how much I love watching them eat a topwater.  Big or small, I could give a rat’s ass less, if they will hit it I will throw it.  Peru is only 4 days away and Monday morning a couple of offshore fishing days begins.  Dreams of big fish are dancing in my head.  It really is fishcatchingtravel around here.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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  Tip for the Day

Time to take a look at your bearings.  You will often see grease on the inside of the rim, but if it is on the outside of the tire it could be a serious problem.  Have a single axle?  Shake your trailer side to side and watch each wheel.  Have a double?  Stand behind it and make sure the tires are inline, if not it might be bearing failure.

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Stuff Happens

Jeffish and I were excited to be heading to Texoma to fish for stripers and maybe a catfish or two.  But as the week wore on Terry sent me several forecasts, and it was looking ugly.  They had a big storm blow through on Friday night, the same one we got, only a heck of a lot colder.  I was kind of worried about the weather, but what the heck, who would pass up a couple of days fishing on the big lake and the river.  And it looked like it would be starting to get out of there, to bad we were a day early.  So Saturday morning we drove up there, and the drive should have given us the hint.

Trolling as the sun set.

On the drive up the wind howled straight out of the north, in fact, I had to get gas about 60 miles before usual, I have made the drive many times.  It was freezing, or at least felt that way.  We got there for a late supper with Terry and his girlfriend, and then would start our 2 days Sunday morning.  When we got up it was cold, and I mean ice on top of the big cooler seat until 11:00.  And to really make conditions more perfect, it was blowing 25 out of the north and it was a freakin’ cold wind.

Jeffish and his first stripers.

The plan was to start on the Red River below the dam and then take it from there the rest of the day.  So just before daylight we dropped the air boat in the water in the back of a cove on the lake and Terry and Jeffish caught bait.  It took them a little bit as the north wind was blowing right in the cove and the water temp was around 44 degrees.  But Terry finally got us enough shad, and we headed to put in below the dam.

Texoma is a Corp of Engineers lake, and unlike my past life on Norfork and Bull Shoals where you never knew if the water was coming, here they post a schedule.  They were going to turn the water on at 8:30 so Terry wanted to fish until the water came.  Basically we launched the air boat on mud below the dam, definitely 4 wheel drive country as there is no real ramp, and other than a kayak there really was no other way to fish that area other than from the bank.

We set up on 4 different times on little runs and holes tossing llive shad on un-weighted hooks.  It only took a few bites to realize they were definitely off their feed.  Must have had something to do with being the second day post cold front, terrible wind, high pressure and a super high sky, falling water temp…….  Huh?  Wonder if I forgot any other helpful conditions.  One here and one there, with lots of totally uninterested nibbles.

The only safe way to fish the Red River is an air boat, except for the occasional holes it is one shallow river.

Below the dam we ended up boating 4 stripers and I caught a big ass white bass.  There were lots of short half-hearted bites killing the shad, but that was about it.  And Terry even did some chumming with live baits, which normally gets them going but had no affect today.  The wind was blowing like a mofo making it tough to cast and position, but we stayed with it until the water came, then off to breakfast.  Slow but an ok start to the day considering.

After warming up, and filling our belly’s, we headed several miles below the dam and put in at private ramp close to where he catches lots of big catfish, and that was even uglier.  It was finally getting in the 40’s, but the wind was howling.  We fished 3 holes, and other than a couple of nibbles, interesting considering how big the baits were, but not one real “bite”.  At this point in the day it was real apparent it was way past tough.  So off for a nap and boat change, then out on the big lake at 5:00.

The best we could figure is that orange red cloud was smoke from the big fires in Oklahoma.  Whatever it was it sure was pretty.

(Side Note:  The Boss has always said that I just might be the worst catfisherman on the planet.  Well guess what? She might be right.  I am so freakin’ bad at it I can screw up a guy who has caught tons of them over 30 and has broke the 80lb mark this year.)

Terry’s lake boat is a big and safe 27′ custom made aluminum boat powered by a V8, good thing as the lake was rocking with 3′ plus rollers.  You could easily fish 6 out of it with plenty of room to spare.  He has been catching fish in the evening trolling so we headed there, it was a good thing his boat was that big or there is no way I would have even considered it.  It was that cold and rough.  So we trolled until dark, and other than one bite and Jeffish losing a pretty good fish which made it “perfect”, that was it.    Watching the graph we went over tons and tons, having trolled for stripers many miles in my life there was no doubt they were there, and I means lots of them.  We also saw the occasional bunch of diving gulls, which would stop as quickly as they started.  So a little before dark we called it a day.

So in one day we put 2 different boats in 4 different ramps, fished 3 different places, 3 different ways, for 2 different fish, from daylight to dark.  When I say Terry was trying to catch us some fish that would be an understatement.  He was making the best of a bad situation.  I felt sorry for him because he would have been hanging out with his girlfriend instead of fighting the weather with us.  Sunday was tough, period, end of story.  If I had been home I would have passed.  But we all had the time so we gave it a go, you never know until you go.  Then as we headed to our place that evening Terry gave me a call, trashed trailer bearing.  As in trailer not moving until fixed, plus looking at the rest of them.  Double axle trailer = double axle fun.  Ain’t boat ownership fun?

He actually was going to hurry up and fix it in the morning and try to get us out there but after a nights sleep Jeffish and I decided to hit the road.  We were going to leave in the afternoon anyway so it was time to let Terry get his trailer fixed without having to hurry or worry about us.  He was going to have plenty to do fixing it and when we went by to say thanks we saw the hub was damaged too.  Luckily that has only happened to me twice, 40 years ago, and last year, it happens if you tow enough.  But it was a really good time for him, because he has a trip coming up shortly and that would have cost him a day.

On the bright side we had a really good, cold, time.  Jeffish has his first air boat ride and caught his first couple of stripers.  Terry is a great guy, and if this is the effort he makes with me under these conditions you can be sure he will do all he can if you book a trip. (We got a good laugh, (Not really.) when he fished POC with me it was a big north wind and tougher than hell with basically the same results.)  But as far as the lake, the number of stripers available is crazy.  Good thing it is not any closer or I would be in the throes of striper mania, it would take meds to get me to stop.   As it has been a while, I forgot how much I liked it.  Texoma has tons of those 3 – 6 lbers, (Good eaters.)  and plenty of 10’s with the occasional 20lb+ thrown in.  And according to Terry the summer period has some consistent schooling activity so the hot line is open and I will be gone on the call.   A big thanks to Terry for his hospitality and it was good to have Jeffish along.

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When I got home the phone rang and it was Tim from the Wade Right company  making sure I was all in for the Chandeleur Island houseboat trip a month from now.  Talk about excited, that has the potential to be truly epic.  They went with the same boat last year and had a great time, along with lots of trout and redfish.  They caught them both boat fishing and wading, and according to Tim the eats are something to behold.

But first it is some offshore fishing in Peru next week.  I have no particular expectations on that, but for me offshore trolling is fun no matter what you catch.  Think it is my “ADD”, I can watch the baits and water for hours without getting bored, and if something jumps on it is always an adventure.  It has seemed like it was just out there waiting to happen, and here it is.  And though no particular fishing is planned on the Amazon trip, I made sure I can get a travel rod and reel in the suitcase.

This week at least one more day on the bay, hopefully Wednesday.   The winds look great, the tides are right and there should be some clouds.  Sounds like a topwater day to me.  So the fishcatchingtravel continues.  So many places, so little time, no matter the results I intend to take advantage of every second of it.  Keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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Comment for the Day

When the feds raid your attorney’s office things might not be going all that well.  Take it from a retired attorney.

After a long break from the salt it is back at again tomorrow.  Will be riding with my buddy Chris in his boat, after a long lay off he is wanting to give it a dust off.  (He has not fished much this year so I had to give him a little crap about it!)  As we all know nothing good comes from letting a boat sit for to long.  I am excited to be heading back that way and this is probably the beginng of some serious salt water fishing.

Weather

77/68   Sunny  0% chance of rain.  Wind  ESE  10 – 20 mph.

Tides

Low   9:23 AM     0.3
High   6:55 PM     0.7

Solunar Times

10:15 am to 12:15 pm.

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Spotty

We hit the ramp around 7:30 and off we went.  The water temp was in the mid 60’s and the water color was not to clear near Froggie’s.  It was the first time Chris has had his boat out this year, and it ran perfect all day.  On the way the birds were diving for a mile on big balls of bait, and of course I caught a gafftop, so we did not do that long.  So we scooted across the bay and made a wade near the entrance to Pringle.  We stopped there after just cruising along looking for bait.  (Note:  You do not have to burn the shoreline for others who might be right behind you, just stay off, idle and watch for bait.)

Chris caught a small red first on top.  (Never got the camera out all day so no pics, sorry.) I also stayed with the topwater, in fact most of the day, and finally put a nice trout on the stringer after missing several.  We really did make a long wade and the final results were mixed.  For me it was 6 blow ups but only 2 hook ups.  Chris ended up losing a keeper trout, besides a small rat, trying to get it on the Boga, which can be an adventure.

So we headed into Pringle to make a couple of drifts, and if memory serves me we might have caught 3 or 4, but I did boat the nicest flounder I have caught in a while.  What was funny about that was it came on a slow sinking jerkbait.  It is the Academy brand and the fish do love it.  And for some reason I could not catch a fish on plastic today.  Why?  Who knows but no matter I used it was not happening.

From that point on we cruised all the back lakes from Pringle to wherever, doing drifts looking for keeper reds.  I stayed with the topwater, and caught 5 or 6 anyway, but all small.  Chris was throwing a big ass paddle tail and he boated a keeper red, and caught several more.  The fish were definitely on the little shallower clear water places.  Which I guess being that shallow was the reason they would hit the topwater all day.

After several back lakes we headed back towards POC, via Mule slough and Fish Pond, taking a look at Sunday beach.  The wind had shifted around from NNE when we started to a more Easterly direction, and the closer we got to Froggie’s the worse the color got, it was milky ugly.  At that point the only answer would have been to go back to the island in search of that good water, or call it a day.  As it was 3:00 we just put it on the trailer.

It was funny today, we caught a couple here, 1 there, 4 in that place, but never did find the ones we were looking for.  We did manage a slam between the both of us, which was the highlight of the day.  And for me as I do not spend much time in the back lakes and I always like fishing with him, his Dargel is a shallow running son of a gun.  And there were quite a few tower boats out today, the most I have seen in a day, just wondering if there is some redfish tournament coming.

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I got this question from SA Joe, on of my loyal readers.

Where are you and jeffish going to find those stripers ?

We are headed to Texoma, one of the great striper factories in America.  Texoma has the necessary water for striper spawning, not that common in the US as most fisheries are a put and take.  For years it was famous for small stripers, and lots of them.  In recent years big fish are showing up regularly, in fact one of his guide buddies landed a couple over 20 lbs this week, and that would be just dandy.  As you all know I have caught hundreds of them over the years guiding, but it has been 3 or 4 years since I caught my last one.  The wind will be up following a cold front, of course it could not be perfect, but Terry is a great fisherman and knows how to put them in the boat.  My perfect weekend will be if Jeffish catches a big one.  I have caught my share but a nice pile of filets will fill the bill.  And it just happens to be the Bosses favorite fish.  So stay tuned for that report.

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

If you want to know what kind of guide and fisherman Terry is check out the reviews of his guide service.  Not only a great fisherman, he is a good person unlike the horses butt guide we fished with on Baffin a couple of years ago.  I have fished with guides many places in this country and the world, and he is an example of the way it should be done.  A great trip for folks who are not that experienced and a great way to bag a bunch of good eating.  And who knows, maybe a 20+.

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It was nice to get back on the bay and as soon as I get back from Texoma I will definitely try to get another day or two before it is off to Peru.  The weather looked pretty sketchy for Texoma but looks like the worst will be gone by time we fish on Sunday.  But no matter what we will be fishing with dreams of big catfish and stripers keeping us motivated.  I might try the lake tomorrow but with a 50% chance of rain and winds back to 30 mph, at least yesterday was great, it will be a morning decision.  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!**

Tip of the Day

Don’t stop on the railroad tracks!  Funny anyone has to say this.

The day looked great for some bass fishing, but it is getting off to a rocky start.  Up early, all ready, stuff to the truck and boat, and then like I always do before I leave the driveway, turn the boat motor over.  As I reached for the key I noticed the instrument lights were on, oops.  Guess last trip I turned off the graph but not the main power switch and the motor barely turned over.  So while a pain in the ass it will be ready to go in an hour, which gave me time to prepare this as I wait.  Though it is killing me.

Weather

65/55  Considerable cloudiness.  Periods of rain poss thunder.  40% chance.  Wind NE 10 – 15 mph.

Lake Level

Friday  96.42 msl   Today  96.43 msl   (Nothing like a little stability.)

Solunar Periods

(The only relevant period today is while I am sitting here waiting for the battery to be charged.  Nice.)

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The gators were on the move.  And if you are a turkey hunter hope you were out there, the turkeys were going nuts this morning.

It was drizzling with a nice light wind, a real change from the last couple of weeks.   The water color remains slightly off-color, and the temp was down a little in the low 70’s, a side affect of the winter front we had the last few days.

Starting with spinnerbait it was a strike out, then crankbait, which put 3 or 4 small ones in the boat before I lost it.  But with the wind blowing lightly it was time to pitch.  See below.

I took more pictures today to give you sense of how good it was.  And I did not take a picture after noon though the bite stayed the same all day.  It was just plan good.

There were plenty this size and tons of small ones.  No big ones, but numbers sure made up for that!

From 9:00 until I quit at 4:15 they bit, and bit, and bit some more.  Whether coves, main lake, creeks, it did not matter.  Wood, the more the better, and if it was a thicker patch, there was a fish.  The biggest one above came out of a pile after getting all tangled up.  It is usually a matter of taking your time and letting them swim around until you can pull them out, which she did.  Unfortunately 2 more did the same thing and no matter what I did I could not get them out.  Tells you how thick the brush was.

Sometimes I have a pretty good idea about how many I caught, but today, not a clue.  The last 2 weeks it has been 20+ every trip, today it went way past that.  They were really on the chew.  About half would tic it pretty good, the other half would just start swimming with it.  Still using a 1/4oz slip sinker with a 4/0 hook and a 20lb fluoro leader.  And while they will hit most any plastic, they definitely want the 5″ stick worm in a watermelon red.   As I spend more time pitching it is apparent how important accuracy is.  Make a good pitch tight to cover, don’t let your bait fall away from the cover, and you are in business.  I even caught 2 out of 1 bush a couple of times today. Though I retied several times today a couple still broke off, which if you throw into enough heavy stuff is going to happen.  Pulling them out of the brush is hard on line, but great for the soul.

And with the wind being within reason it was possible to fish most places, which really added to the catch rate.  I did give spinnerbait a go several times, and that other thing I have been working on, but they were not interested.  They wanted it pitched right in their mouth, and you could tell as several ate it as soon as it hit the water. and very few further than a couple of feet away from any cover.  The term bunched up is not really accurate, but once you caught one on a stretch of bank, another 4 or 5 or more would come quickly.  It was just that kind of day.

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Fishermen are funny people.  Everything is a big secret, not telling the whole truth is not lying, and stretching the truth is a way of life.  Who knows what to believe?  Today is a perfect example, I know I put an easy 30 in the boat today, which I know from doing this blog some people just aren’t having it.  The reason I bring it up is a little encounter at the ramp on Falcon.  Our trip was over, and Aaron had just put on a pitching clinic catching a bunch of great fish.  As we were getting the boat ready to go a guy, dressed in the required clothing and pulling a big ass bass boat, came over and asked – “How did you do?”  So of course I told him exactly how and where and his response – “Oh, come on.”  First, then why the hell ask?  Second, I actually had the pictures and offered to show them to him, at which point he changed his tune.  It really is a sad comment on a part of the fishing culture when you ask and expect a lie.

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So what a day.  Very few days offer everything. clouds, light wind, fish shallow, water stable, it does not get any better than that on Coleto, and most other bass lakes.  But the run is over, at least on my part.  Looks like Wednesday will be the bay with my buddy Chris.  It has been while since we fished together and I am looking forward to it.  Plus, can’t wait to eat a few trout.  And Jeffish and I are only a week away from some serious striper fishing, it is gonna be a great week.  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!**

Tip of the Day

If you want the occasional good deal on rods be sure to check the combo department at Academy.  When a reel is stolen, a common occurrence, they have a chart for the price of the rod alone.  I got another great rod today for $22, and had a nice Lew’s that I got last year for $28.  It pays to take a quick look.

No matter how much I want to do some wading I just refuse to fight what will be another day with winds to 30mph on the bay and beyond.  There will be plenty of wading to come. And unfortunately we here on my side of town have not gotten much of the rain that fell all around us the last week, and the lake is already on the decline.  It was tough to cross the Guadalupe this week and see it is high from the rain up north, it just did not happen in my back yard or help the lake.  So back to the lake to fight the wind, at least I will be fishing.

Weather

83/65   Scattered thunderstorms early, cloudy and windy as a mofo.  Chance of rain  40%.  Wind  S 20 – 30.  (Projected to be a straight 20 all day.  And as usual they were correct.)

Lake Level

Today  96.42 msl   Tuesday  96.45 msl

Solunar Periods

Good  10:28 am to 12:18 pm.  (Only relevant period.)

********************Get inhaled!

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The wind was blowing right along when I got to the lake at 8:30 and it only got worse as the day wore on.  They sure got the 20mph correct, and much of the lake was white capping.  The water temp continues to be in the mid to high 70’s depending on where you are, some places have a little bit of color but I have not really noticed a difference in the bite no matter what the color, up lake or down.

Love is in the air!

First up was a cove I have not fished in a while, and it was a strike out.  So next to a bigger spawning cove with standing hardwoods, and as there has been, there were fish on wood.  6 jumped on, and I missed several.  Pitching a 5″ watermelon red stick worm on a 1/4 oz sinker with a 4/0 worm hook was the ticket, and works most anywhere there is cover.  But they were all small so time to move on.

Not a giant but I never look a gift bass in mouth.

As I did not hit the bank with the shad spawn I headed there.  It produced exactly one, and I missed a couple.  That really is a first thing in the morning thing, and the fish were just not there like they probably were at first light.  I stayed with the spinnerbait for an hour exclusively, but only a couple of small takers, so time for the swim jig.   Whether white or the bluegill, they will eat it shallow.  But cover is still the ticket for shallow fish no matter what bait you use.  Like I said last time, you can fish what you like right now.

As long as this size keeps jumping on I am happy.  And note one consistent thing in each picture – No bait hanging.  Not because I unhooked them but because it is still in the mouth.  They were eating it.

Sticking with the swim jig at least 10 jumped on, the bite was consistent, but the majority were small.  Some where ok, and after breaking off the bluegill jig I went to the white and they were definitely eating it all the way down.  In the white I am using a 1/4oz Strike King Swimming Jig and a white Zoom Craw Jr.  They wanted it hopped and dropped occasionally on each retrieve but if thrown right by cover just a steady retrieve provoked a bite.  Again, lots of smalls, but it is tough to put down when they are biting.

And the wind, it really does limit some places when it is this high, at least for lighter techniques.  A “little” is ok, but this is getting crazy.  So it was the old fish where you could and not always where you want.  After catching a wad up lake I decided to finish in some of the coves near the ramp.  It was time to try something a little different, at least for Coleto.  On Fayette I have had good success throwing shallow running shad baits and basically working them like jerk baits, only quicker.  A pull or two, a jerk, stop it, repeat.  Erratic is the ticket.

My mastery of all things catfish on lures continues this spring.

Down lake there is one pattern that is a no brainer right now, you just have to believe.  If there is a stump there is a fish on it, and some are literally less than a foot deep.  In fact a couple today came on the bank side of a stump, it was shallow. You have to make the perfect cast, but when you do it is a bite.  So right in the middle of the afternoon 4 came out of one cove, and 2 out of the next before I quit.  I was just jerking it along, erratically, and there was no problem telling you had a bite.  And if you made that perfect cast to visible structure you could see them roll up and eat.  Really a cool bite.

So about 3:00 I called it a day.  The numbers were there again, and 20+ has been the rule the last couple of weeks.  There is usually a shot at a good one every day, you just have to work through all the smalls.  My limit today was solid, but no kicker to go with it.  That’s what I get for being lazy and getting to the lake late.  There is definitely a daylight bite, and if you are in the right place it can be fast and furious.  But overall nothing to complain about, the fish are biting and really that is all you can ask.

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The next couple of months are going to be epic for fishcatchingtravel.com.  The Boss and I  just spent the day getting somewhat organized for the Peru trip which comes at the end of the month.  And to add to Peru, The Chandeliers, and Port Mansfield, my buddy Jeffish and I are off on another adventure next weekend.  We are lucky enough to get to fish a day on Texoma for stripers and huge cats, followed by a day on the Red below the damn out of the airboat with Terry.  We meet when his fishing plans fell through and I took him a day on the bay on short notice.  He is a good fisherman who can catch dam near anything and guides on Texoma.

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=trophy%20hunters%20guide%20service

You have seen some pictures on here of the piles of stripers and massive catfish he catches, and we could not be anymore excited.  I look forward to blogging about that trip.  And it will be the beginning of 4 cool trips in the next 7 weeks.  I really am spoiled.

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As I look at the weather forecast for the week to come it looks like we have a couple of days where the wind has a chance to be below 20mph, and with it will come a day or two on the bay, finally.  Time to feed them some Controlled Descent Lures.  I also heard there is a good topwater bite for those that are fishing, but from some of the comments I have seen online the getting back has been a little tough.  So I will be glued to the weather and if it all works out some trout and reds are in my future.  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!**

Tip of the Day

To make a pile of trailer hook keepers just take a lid from a plastic coffee can and use a hole punch.  You can make a ton and they keep your spare hook on the spinnerbait no matter how big the fish is.

Weather

82/68   Cloudy and windy with rain chance increasing during the day.  20% chance.  Wind S 10 – 20.  (It blew way harder than that most of the morning.  Easily as hard as yesterday, and more of the same tomorrow.)

Lake Levels

Yesterday  96.44 msl   Today  96.45   (Staying stable and the fishing reflects that.)

Solunar Times

Good  7:39 am to 9:39 am.  Best  1:51 pm to 3:51 pm.

********************Get inhaled!

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She was interested and finally spooked.

The plan was simple, be at the point with the shad spawn at daylight.   So as it was breaking daylight I dropped the trolling motor in the water and it began.  To make a long story short, once I located the shad and the bass on the point, they were chasing like crazy.  I dropped the power pole down and spent an hour and a half catching fish without moving.  They were mostly small, but boy were they willing.

These are the guys who are spawning.

Basically I just waited for them to chase and tossed the spinnerbait on them and it was an immediate bite.  The point was slightly protected from the wind, and with the power pole down in 4 foot of water I could reach a big area.  And it really got interesting when they would get a little spinnerbait shy so I alternated with a prop tail topwater, which they loved.  Catch a couple, change, catch a couple, change, until after catching well over 20 it was time to move on.  The point, find them chasing early and until this spawning time is over they will do it most mornings.

This girl smoked it!  It always amazes me when one this size materializes out of a bush and smashes it.  

From there the rest of the day was alternating between the spinnerbait, topwater, swim jig, and pitching the stick worm.  They ate it all, and as the morning wore on they got tougher on spinnerbait then the swim jig and pitching took over in what passed for “calmer” places.  Now don’t get me wrong, they stayed on the spinnerbait, and on the super windy banks one would occasionally smoke it.  But boy were the windy banks tough.  In the calmer areas I would stick with the swim jig unless I came to a big piece of cover, then it was a pitch, and a bite.  One fairly good one did manage to break me off in a big pile of trash.  To make the day the one above just crushed it, love those big fish on spinnerbait.

A swim jig fish and a stick worm fish.

I fished from daylight until 2:00 and boated an easy 30, they are definitely on the chew, and I can only imagine how good it would be if you could fish anywhere.  The wind was just pounding, and while you could catch fish on spinnerbait on the super windy banks, trust me, you were flying down the bank.  Tough work, but productive.  I fished up both arms and mid lake, and they are on most places, at least where there is cover.  It is one of  those times when they will hit most anything, and unless they are chasing shad they are tight to cover.

So what a productive day.  After  a spotty spring with big cool downs and falling water the bite is finally on.  The change came the minute the water stabilized.  It will probably be a little tougher catching big fish, many are post spawn, but there are still a few out there looking to get caught.  Unfortunately we have missed most of the rain, but have another chance tonight, we are getting to the need it stage.  A good soaking and the fishing will stay good, and with a rise might even get better.

Unfortunately the wind continues and I am waiting for the first little break, which looks like later this week or early next, depending on the forecast.  So the bay stays on hold a day or two, but I am itching to get back.  Terry, who guides stripers on Texoma dropped me a text and invited me up there, and I am working on getting that done late next week.  He is catching some nice big stripers and it will be nice to get my string stretched with some good eating tossed in.  When all he red is taken out of a striper filet it is one of the best fish around.

Not sure what is next but it is spring and there are fish to be caught.  The lake is fishing fine now, and the spinnerbait bite has saved some of these windy days when fishing much else is a real hassle.  Today the lake was white capping in every direction, and there were few places to get out of it.  But some of those little isolated coves and pockets have fish, it is simply a matter of tossing the right bait in the right place.  Seems so simple.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

The gators were definitely on the move today.  And birds, they were having at it with plenty of turkeys doing the turkey thing.  The woods were alive and that is always a good thing when fishing.

If there is one technique in fishing that would be my favorite it is buzzing a spinnerbait.  And today conditions were perfect and it worked.  And those conditions:  The water finally started rising and it has some color to it in places.  There is still some cover, and what is there has just a touch more water on it.  If there was a stump or twig on a moderately windy bank it was an immediate bite.  In some places there was definitely a shad spawn going on with fish actively chasing.  And last but not least, it was cloudy and blowing, and boy did it blow.

A good way to start the morning.  This size was really aggressive today.

I actually re-spooled a reel with new line and put on the magic spinnerbait last night.  It was a no brainer.  The first spot was up lake on a flat point with grass and in nothing flat it was 3 in the boat.  Unfortunately the biggest of the day boiled it and missed, the next cast the smallest one of the spring jumped on.   Funny how that happens.  Then the next point, another couple, with a miss or two.  From then on everywhere I fished, from way up lake to down lake, at least a couple jumped on.  Good fishing.

Running it right on top making a wake was definitely the way to go.  They were pretty much knocking the crap out of it, most of them 5 feet or less off the bank, or closer if there was a good piece of cover.  You definitely needed some cover and the spinnerbait had to be moving the minute it hit the water.   And when they hit it they were smoking it.  How hard?  Look closely at the first one below.

********************Get inhaled!

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Sunday Ramblings

Last week ended up being very little time on the water.  Wednesday was tax and government dealing day, always a frustrating thing, and my dealing with the state went exactly like I expected – We pay these people?  Then Thurday the Boss wanted some sun so we headed to the lake for a couple of hours and then to the Gulf to pound a few oysters.  I caught 5 or 6 smalls, she got her sun, and we had an easy day.  Then Friday it was off to Houston for a yellow fever shot with Peru a few short weeks away.

As I review the weather for the week we are really in a serious March wind pattern.  (It is blowing out there as I write this.)  Except for Thursday  (Maybe only 20.) the winds are forecast to be up to 30mph Monday, and 25 the rest of the week.  So the plan tomorrow will be a early morning trip to the lake before the wind really kicks up, the rest of the week we shall see.  The salt is calling, I just have to remember in 3 weeks I will be fishing offshore in Peru, then a week after returning it is 3 days in the Chandeleur Islands on a houseboat, followed 2 weeks later by 4 days in Port Mansfield.  So while I have not fished the bay as much as usual once it gets started it will be full steam ahead, hopefully later this week.

Though we had tons or rain in our forecast it really did not happen here in town last week.  At least we got some, and the lake is actually coming back up just a hair.  Today  96.45  4 days ago  96.41 msl.   That may not be a lot, but at least it has stopped falling for the present.  That should bring the last real round of spawners to the bank and the bass fishing should get even a little better.  You will still have to wade through lots of smalls, but my experience the last few weeks was catch enough and a good one will jump on.  And with them biting lots of different baits and styles there is no time like the present to catch one your favorite way.

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It was my pleasure to fish with Dan a couple of weeks ago as he begins his quest for a Share A Lunker that will be documented in an article sometime next year.  Today I wanted to add a word of congratulations.  His article in this months Texas Monthly on the best hikes in Texas is the cover feature.  Nothing better for a writer than to be the cover story, and what a great subject.  So pick up a copy, he gets to do some great things with his job and who knows, it might just prompt you to take a hike.  Can’t wait to read the one on his quest for a biggun’.

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Another pro fisherman with a show did something that irritates me, and he is the second guy I have seen do it on tv.  He was fishing bedding fish in Florida and the minute he caught it he reminded us all that it should be immediately returned to her bed.  Nice, except when you catch them in a tournament you tote them around in a live well, then they are weighted in, allowed to rest, and returned to the water, far from the bed.  All well and good as their fish handling techniques are the best.  But apparently it is ok for you to take them off the bed but we need to return them immediately.  You remove them for money so that makes it ok?

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I am watching the Bassmaster Classic this morning  and they had a commercial which says a lot about what fishing has become.  As the dude backs the boat in the water the ad says “He could have bought a V8 instead of a V6.  As he idles away “He could have bought a 250hp outboard instead of a 100 horse.”  And as he is fishing, he catches them and the other guy who did not spend a ton is not catching them.  That is so wrong on so many levels, most of all the idea that if you spend big bucks, on everything from rods and reels to your tow vehicle, your fishing success will get better with every dollar.  I know all the stuff makes it easier but guess what?  It does not make you a better fisherman.  I wonder if the rising cost will keep some younger folks from taking up the sport.  But one thing you can be sure of, if they are a fisherman they will figure it out.

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Watching as much fishing as I do, and having fished many different bodies of water over the years, you realize how good the real tournament pros are.  Water types, traffic, adverse conditions, equipment problems, none of it matter, you have to get it done.  Taking a little license with a Vegas quote:  Fish on the scale talk, last week walks.  And all that experience you have on your close waters may help some, occasionally, but there is a learning curve every day.  The ability to change, to be proficient at many different techniques on many different waters, all play into success.  But in spite of all that, and somewhat comforting to we weekend warriors, they still have tough days.

And speaking of that, it is great to see college fishing growing by leaps and bounds.  Look at Jordon Lee, 2x Bassmaster Champion, College World Series Champion, to name a couple.  And his brother Jason, College World Champion and 2x Bassmaster qualifier.  They came up what will become the right way and their success is indicative of how it will be done in the future.  The day of the “Good Old Boy” getting it done on a shoe string is fast becoming a thing of the past and a college degree will be the baseline of the sport.  It is not just about catching fish, those products do not sell themselves.  You have to be able to communicate effectively to sponsors and the public, the whole sport is based on selling tackle and real sponsorship is tough to come by.  This is a business and you better know how to run one, because that is what you will be.  So stay in school, the one trick pony is fast becoming a thing of the past.  The sport is littered with one time winners who could not handle the business end.

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That will definitely do it for today.  The spinnebait bite is a get it while it is hot thing, and I intend to thrash them tomorrow.  It was after 8:00 before I got on the water, had to renew the permit at the office.  I will not make that mistake tomorrow.  They were biting like crazy when I got there and the shad spawn was definitely on.  So time to fix some new spinnerbaits and daylight here we come.  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!**

Tip of the Day

Tungsten slip sinkers are to freakin’ expensive, but they are worth it when flipping or ptiching.  Smaller and considerably denser, it allows your bait to fall straight down, important when pitching to standing hard woods.

This time of year you can find the big gators sunning themselves during the middle of the day in small out of the wind pockets.

Weather

83/70   Scattered thunderstorms increasing in the afternoon.  60% chance.  Wind   SSE 15 – 25 mph.

Lake Levels

Today  96.41 msl    Last Thursday  96.46 msl.  (We need rain!)

Solunar Times

Best  8:06 am to 10:06 am.

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Get inhaled!

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I did not fish Monday, it was just to windy.  It has been blowing 25+ for almost a week now and I am sick of it.  The forecast for Tuesday at least had some clouds and a chance of rain, but it still blew 25+.  So in spite of the wind I headed to the lake.

It was blowing right along when I got there.  (3 tucks at ramp when I got there, 2 when I quit.)  The water temp during most of the day was in the mid 70’s and the level keeps dropping.  It has really got the fish confused as to whether to spawn or not.  We still have fish who are spawning, some who are done, and some who want to.  There are few visible beds with fish on them, and it seems the ones in the spawning coves have moved off the bank to the wood.  And to further confuse things, and me, they will hit anything, but nothing in particular.

Swim jig, creature bait, nothing stands out right now, but everything will catch one.

I started up lake with a swim jig and spinnerbait as it was to windy on the main lake to pitch.  It was one here and one there, none amounting to anything in the weight department.  The ones that fell for the swim jig were literally right on the bank, associated with wood and most bites came within 5 feet of the bank/cover.  And that turned out to be the pattern for the morning.  Most are hitting the swim jig after  a hop a little off the bank, which usually means they are tracking it, common with the swim jig.  Around the 1:00 I moved down lake after catching 10, and the pictures give you a pretty good idea was to size.

The spinnerbait bite has been leaving something to be desired so when I moved I headed first to a windy point and promptly caught 2, then nothing.  It was starting to get to me as I just could not find a good one.  I thought about quiting, it was blowing like a mofo, but around 2:00 decided to put on the big boy pants and soldier on.  So I made a tactic change, and while it produced another 6 in one cove and 5 in the next, none were big fish.

Spinnerbait and senko, they will eat it all but nothing stands out right now.

Occasionally I have a lucid moment of insight and today I made the right move.  With the water dropping, but the fish wanting to be shallow, it made sense to hit a spawning cove with enough hard woods to give them a place to hold.  They were tight to the wood, and I mean when you pitched the plastic it had to basically land within inches of the wood and then fall straight down.  Make a good pitch and get a bite.  Miss it by a foot and nothing.

The best set up seems to be 4/0 worm hook with a 3/16th tungsten weight.  It lets the bait fall straight down and not away from the cover.  Then as I learned on Falcon with Aaron last month, move it but don’t move it.  In other words shake it but keep it as close to the wood as possible.   In 2 hours 11 made the boat pitching, less than half “hit” it.  Most were just there, or actually started swimming off with it.  Today they liked the wood in the 5′ of water range, most in the middle of the coves off the bank.  One thing I will give them, yesterday afternoon they were biting, just no big fish.  One was definitely spawning and I can only surmise some of those bigger fish are spawning in a little deeper water on wood.

As a side note I spent several hours today working on a big swim bait pattern that is killing them on Fork.  It just is not happening on Coleto, but it is probably a good indicator of the difference in both lakes.  Fork is in the high 50’s and the fish are pre-spawn where here they are way past that.  I am still going to give it another go or two, it is a big fish pattern, but it may have to be on the shelf until next spring.  But I will not forget.

Funny how when you catch 23 bass it is not a “good” day.  Maybe my expectations are to high.  The last week it has usually been a matter of working your way through lots of smalls for the big bite, and I just may have missed her today.  Usually when I get done I speak with a gentleman who comes to the lot each day and reads, plus talks to fishermen when they get their vehicle.  He is a good source for reports and he reports some pretty tough fishing, both bass and crappie.  For some reason the crappie fishing is tough, even for the hard cores.  Again I think falling water has a lot to do with it.

As I type this thunder is rolling in the distance.  They were talking the potential for 2″ of rain, then down to an inch, unfortunately it has not really rained a drop, and they have taken any real chance for rain out of the forecast for Thursday.  The best we can hope for is a gully washer today, or the lake will continue to fall and conditions will remain in a state of flux.

It will be a day of weather watching and if it does what they say, except for the wind they have been wrong more than right, so a bay trip might be in order.  It is big trout time and if the big bass on the lake are going to be as finicky as they are it is time to switch gears.  So I will get the salt stuff organized, how does stuff get so messed up, and make a decision first thing in the morning.  And if any of you have something to say let’s hear it, this is a much more interesting place when you participate and I appreciate every comment.  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!**

Tip of the Day

Whether fresh or salt, use a drop of super glue to attach your plastics to the jig head or hook.  They don’t pull down on the hook as easy and obviously last longer.  Not only is it nice to have them glued in advance for my wading box it’s a money saver.

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The Need for Speed!

The Texas Mile was at the Victoria airport this weekend and the Boss and I spent the afternoon watching some fast cars, and in both our opinions some completely crazy 200 mph motorcycle guys.  There were hot rods, foreign exotics, luxury cars, and plenty of Mustangs and Corvettes, with even a station wagon or two, all tuned up to run like a scalded cat.  Cars and bikes hitting speeds of 160 -180 as the rule, with many over 200 and we even saw a 240+ mph.  That is freakin’ fast.  We both love cars and speeds so here is a little taste.  My only questions is why if we could do 18o by simply adding a turbo to her ride she won’t let me do it?  What is she thinking?  There are just some some questions that will never be answered, except by NO!.

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So many of us have a quest.  Maybe a 30″ trout, a marlin, or maybe fishing for Golden Dorado in South America.  Those quests, big and small, all seem to come with fishing.  Reflecting on the story Dan is doing on his quest to catch a Share a Lunker I realized that is me and my life in so many ways.  Whether it was a marlin, a big muskie, or some other “cool” fish, they were all a quest in some sense.  Trips to the Everglades, Lake of the Woods, Falcon, and host of others, have all been a important part of that quest.  The love of thinking about, and visiting, far away places with fish is what makes fishing dreams.

While Dan’s quest is short term in some respects, I realized mine is ongoing without end.  It morphs regularly, I never stop dreaming, planning, and scheming.  Each and every fish and destination is a part of the larger and never ending quest.  So while mine has no particular end that defines it, it is a life time quest to do something spectacular.  So keep your fishing dreams alive and make them happen.  We only get one run at this and occasionally those quests actually come to fruition.

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I just read a post from a guide who is lamenting the traffic on the bay, apparently on his arrival at the spot he fished the day before folks were on it.  We all hate it when that happens but……..  First, it is quite a presumption to think that the only reason they are fishing there is they saw you.  Back to the old “pot licker” narrative.  It is a “I found this spot, and no one else  knows”, which is an entitled way to look at “your” spot, because obviously no one ever fished it in the decades before you got your first boat.  And of course the other folks could not have possibly found it “all by themselves”.  (But for a another guide to do that is a completely different issue.)

Next, he admits to using the internet to build his business, and now he is lamenting the results.  As a blogger who tries to spread the news I know how it  feels to find folks there first, but it comes with it and if you do not want the attention then do not bring it upon yourself.  (Again I fully understand how building a guiding business is dependent on the web.) To give you an example of what some might call potlicking, my partner and I were waiting to weigh in when one of my readers, who had a nice mess, said thanks I fished your spot.  Remember I put it out there.  So you know what my response was?  Congratulations and nice job.  (It beats your blood pressure peaking sky high.)

And as far as being spotted on the bay, then do not wrap your boat.  If you think the mere sight of you fishing draws folks like a magnate, then quit being a floating bill board.  But I understand that when you have sponsors it is imperative that you share the results of the products that support you.  Yes the bays are more crowded, yes people fish where others fished, and yes there are some sorry mofos who will steal your spot before you get there.   But it is hard to have it both ways.  It really is a Catch 22.  An example of dealing with that problem I saw a Louisiana fishing guide on TV with no boat wrap who cleans fish at his own cleaning station.  Sad it has come to that, but it is what it has become.

Change is tough, when I started guiding it was cigar boats with stick steering, a 70hp was a monster engine, and a GPS was a tightly controlled military item.  I could fish all day in the back of a creek and not see another soul.  But change has come to the fishing world.  Folks  have more money, more time, more technology, there is no stopping it.  The cat is out of the bag, and all of us who use the internet and public media to tout our stuff are responsible.  We all have had a part in changing the fishing world no matter how small that part was.  Ultimately the only response is to change with the inevitable, it is not going to get any easier.  But as I have found out the last 7 years I have been doing the blog, you use the web to market yourself, or write as I do, and shit will happen.  When it comes down to it you have two choices, either draw less attention to yourself or deal with it.  We are a long way from cane poles and row boats, the days of the “Secret Spot” are long gone.  But guess what?  I am not ragging on him, I feel his pain.

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And as long as a I am mulling over the fishing world it is apparent I am a generalist in that world.  I like fishing for multiple species.  Ok at most, except catfishing according to the wife, but master of none.  When it comes down to it as long as there is a rod in my hand I am good.  And with that, fishing for different species is part of the fisherman that I have become.  Bullheads, bluegill, carp, they all played a role.  Of course we might fish for some more than others, in my case I try to organize my quest by what is biting.  Want a big bass?  Fish now on Falcon or a few other lakes in this state.  Want a big pre-spawn speckled trout? Fish now on the Upper Laguna and Baffin.  Want a tarpon, fish summetime here or Florida in the spring.  They all have their time, and putting yourself in the best position to catch that fish of your dreams means research, reading, and planning.

It is an interesting question for many fisherman.  Be great at one thing or good at it all?  In my case, as a kid I would have been diagnosed ADD today, my attention span can be short, and my boredom level seems to increase the better I get at a thing.  So “one fish” fishing is not enough to keep me entertained.  Larry Dahlberg, who I consider to be the greatest mulit-species fisherman who ever lived said it best – “First we want to catch a fish, then we want to catch lots of fish, then we want to catch a big fish, and finally, we want to catch fish the way we want to.”   So true.  Maybe a buzzbait will not boat the most fish, but an 8lber exploding on it is a thing of beauty.  And the topwater bite may not be the best, but what is not to like about a 5lb trout rolling all over it and then coming up with the classic mouth open head shaking wallow.  And putting kids on tons of white bass is as fulfilling as any big fish.  So it is ok to be the best at one fish or technique, but looking down on others who jerk perch, carp fish, fish from the bank, or have a boat that looks like my skiff, does not make you a bigger fisherman, it makes you less.  There is no “wrong’ way to fish, nor is there a “lessor’ fish.  Fishing is done by more people than just about any other sport on the face of the earth and we are all connected by the love of our sport.

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My buddy Todd sent me this link to a company that manufactures wood lures, fast becoming a lost art.  It reminds me of the traditional lures that were used in the north country when I was a kid.  And on the web site it says they are super low on the inventory, so folks must like them.  So take a look back to days gone by, cool looking stuff.

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It is Sunday morning and after a quick trip to the store to pick up a few things, and I will admit maybe a beer or two, it will be an afternoon of basketball.  (Then the beer.)  This NCAA tourney has been exciting and looks like there is more to come.  (And a word to you A&M fans, you guys played well as much as it pains me to say that after my Hogs  fell flat.)  And while I am watching in the tackle room it will be all the stuff it takes to keep fishing.  Line to be replaced, lures to be checked, stuff to be organized.  So while I am not fishing I am thinking about fishing and doing fishing stuff.  Tomorrow it will be back on the lake, the choice due to the 25 mph winds in the forecast, then back to the bay later in the week.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines