FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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Sorry for no fishing stuff this week as the Boss and I took a little trip.  We headed out for a couple of days in the mountains around Ruidoso NM.  It is one of our favorite places that we can drive to in 1 day, and we are enjoying the mountains more each trip.

Our morning hike in the mountains. 

Having been out there a few times this trip was to really explore the 4 wheel opportunities, and they were great.  I actually had a question from a reader a few trips ago about the possibilities and this trip we learned something, and saw some really great country.

Wild Horses.  Really unique and beautiful.

We stay at the Inn of the Mountain Gods, which is a Mescalero Apache Tribe Casino nestled in the foothills of the real mountains.  As it sits in the heart of the 500,000 acre reservation I had some questions about access.  We met Sean, a resident of the reservation, and he filled us in on where to drive.  So for you who might want to make the trip and do some great exploring here is the basics.

        A good part of one of the tracks.                     View on our drive.

There are main gravel roads throughout the reservation that are well kept, and then there are roads I found on the GPS  that are labeled BIA roads, which are Bureau of Indian Affairs roads.  While marked, they are definitely from rough to real rough.  They are used basically for rounding up cattle and then during the hunting season. While we did not have to use the 4 wheel drive driving those roads, and calling them roads is an exaggeration, it would not be wise to even think about driving them without 4 wheel.  They wind through the mountains in the middle of nowhere, and as an example one we took was probably 10 miles long and took well over an hour.  Also there is no cell phone service so being prepared is a must.  And one final thing we learned, the reservation shares a border with the Lincoln National Forest, making the 4 wheel opportunities limitless.  In fact when we finally headed back we were on the edge of the forest and could have just kept on rolling.

We saw tons of turkeys, really a good looking bird.

There was plenty of wildlife and lots of cattle.  The reservation has tons of cattle and on our trip we met a couple of Native American cowboys on horseback searching for  cattle for the fall round up.  We had just seen some amazing horses, and found out from them that they are wild.  What beautiful and majestic animals.  We also saw tons of  Merriam turkeys, which are cool.  (Note they have guided trips for the Merriam at a great price if you are looking to add that to the types of turkey you have hunted, you can find it on their site, along with Elk and Bear hunts.  I will be applying for a cow elk hunt next year.)   While we did not see any elk on our drive, they are there by the thousands and we have seen them in the past, being hunting season they were obviously automobile shy.  And though Mule deer are prevalent, and we saw some in town, we did see several significant whitetail scrape lines, and from the size of the trees they trashed they were probably some pretty good bucks.  And we were fortunate enough to see 2 Golden Eagles, one of the great birds in America.  Of course we did not see a bear or a lion, a rare sight but they are there also.

So that is the short version, but trust me, we will be back.  Not sure how it might be with snow on the ground, but I hope to check that out this winter.  As I do not have a winch it would seem to be prudent to have one when driving where there is no cell service or easy help.   Do be advised that while on the reservation there is no hiking, hunting, fishing, etc. allowed, there are of course exceptions, in other words it is their land and you can’t just get off the roads and run wild.  Please respect them and their tribal lands, it is sacred and belongs to them. There is a great 3.1 paved walking trail at the Inn, see first 2 pictures, along with plenty of cool places to walk lakeside.  And should you want to catch a few trout in the lake you can get a permit there.  Also you can apply sometime after the first of the year for hunts, which are done on a draw basis.  As we begin to think about real retirement we are always looking for places that fit the bill and I know one thing, sitting on top of a mountain where the only sound might be an elk bugling or nothing louder than the wind sounds great.

To read more prior to going there here is a couple of websites that will help and educate you on what the tribe and the reservation is all about.

Tribal website:  http://mescaleroapachetribe.com/

Inn of the Mountain Gods hunting info:  https://innofthemountaingods.com/outdoor/

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I got this from Steve and will check it out and you should too.

Thanks for the info.  A friend of mine showed me one he just got and had not used yet and they look like killer.  I have not really looked at their site but will do it as soon as I get done with this post.  Good to hear from you, and the rest of you check out their site.

Here is the link.  If you like trout fishing it might be the place for you, love the concept on the new plastic.  And as soon as I get a chance to try them I will give you all a report.

https://troutsupport.com/

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And I heard back from SA Joe on his ongoing steering issue.

Man ain’t boat ownership grand!  Rarely do we get the simple solutions to boating issues and looks like you sure didn’t.  But when it comes down to it the steering is actually the most important item on a boat.  (Of  course the plug is right up there!) If you are out of gas you are stuck, if it won’t start you are stuck, but if it malfunctions at speed you might be dead.  Thanks for keeping us updated.

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That is all I have to spout off about today.  As you can see we love it there, and also appreciate how great the folks are.  As far as fishing I will be fishing soon so stay tuned.  Of course this weekend it will be watching my Hogs suck, the Cowboys maybe sucking, and the Astros beating the Dodgers.  The World Series is a great thing for Houston, it may not make it all better, but it sure will help give the community a lift.  Go Astros!  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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Tomorrow I head out with a friend’s sons for a day on the lake.  We have tried to get it scheduled for a few weeks now and while the weather is not the best to get on the water any day of fishing is a good day.  And if life is real good we will catch a few fish and have a good time, and just maybe somebody will boat a good one.

Weather

80/50  AM thunderstorms giving way to clear skies.  Wind NNW 10 – 20.  90% chance of rain.

Lake Level

Today  97.74 msl    Thursday  97.77 msl

Solunar Times

Good  6:57 am to 8:57 am   Best 1:08 pm to 3:08 pm

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I picked up Santiago’s 2 sons, Julian and Joaquin, right before daylight and we were on the water at first light.  Just a note, they are skilled fishermen who have fished in lots of places in the world including offshore in Costa Rica, the Louisiana marsh, and Arkansas to name a few, so rookies they are not.  There was fog as there usually is in October as things cool down, but it was not thick enough to keep us at the ramp.

Since I have not had the best of luck I decided to try to put them in the best position to catch fish, so first up it was the most consistent place I have right now.  And with the fish not all that active I had them toss a wacky worm and I threw a jig and frog to stay out of their way, and the day started off fine.

Julian with the last fish of the day.

The first bank we caught around 8 or so, with everyone boating a couple.  We moved and boated a couple more.  About 9:30 it came.  Clouds with a 20mph+ wind out of the north and a little rain.  The front blew through in nothing flat, and then the dreaded post front clear off with the wind to go along with it.  From then on it was just plain bad.  I think we boated maybe 2 more until we quit at 2:30.

Besides the wacky rig, I caught a couple on the jig, and we put one more in the boat on swim jig, though they did have a couple of more bites it just was not happening.  And of course I threw the spinnerbait and buzzbait off and on, which was probably stupid, but after the last 3 trips I am still searching.  We finally called it a day, and they did not complain about anything, they just kept fishing like a couple of troopers.  In fact if there was any whining it was me!

I really was disappointed with our results, but it was what it was.  They are both fishermen and handled their bait casters and spinning rods like pros.  It was a real pleasure to spend the day with them.  They fished hard and did what I told them, so the results were on me.  I was really impressed with what good fishermen they are, and I hope they had a good time, I did.  They are great kids and I definitely plan on making it up to them before the fall is over.  Who knows, I might even get dad in the boat one day, the offer is open.

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I got this slow report from SA Joe on Lake Marble Falls, a place you do not hear much about, a good report from Lake Travis, and an interesting question.

First good job on Travis.  When I first moved to Texas I did not hear much good from Travis, but that sure has changed.  I have friends who fish it quite frequently and usually have a pretty good day, I know I have both times I have fished it.  Marble Falls and LBJ are both out of my realm of fishing, but I have sure seen some huge strings of crappie for LBJ.

Before you look at replacing it the last time I had trouble with my Merc I took it to the dealer and he actually reamed it out, and it has been fine for 3 years now.  They actually have a bit that is specifically for that which you can attach to a drill and get the rust and dirt out, I believe it was $20 for the bit if you want to give it a go.  Something to consider before replacing the whole thing.  In fact, replacing the cable may not fix your problem if it is simply dirt and rust in the tube.  So check it out, may save you lots of $$$$.  As always good to hear from you.

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And last but not least Elaine dropped me a note after I forwarded Todd’s redfish/crawfish ettouffee recipe.

Thanks, but that was my email to you, I am Doug.  Todd was happy to share it and I will be interested in how you like it.  Thanks for being a loyal reader.

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Sorry this report was a little late but we had a travel day yesterday.  As I type this I am sitting in my room and looking out over the mountains of New Mexico.  This area, Ruidoso, is one of our favorites.  The Boss loves the hiking and shopping, I just like the whole area.  Today I am taking it easy, tomorrow a big hike and then a drive through the big mountains.  We always see muleys, turkey, and even a few elk, so it will be the usual fun drive.  And it was interesting to wake up to 33 degrees this morning, a reminder that fall is really on the way.  We will be back in a couple of days and then off to the Gulf for me.  Believe I will give the lake a rest, and maybe my damaged pride.  Time for some serious redfish and trout, this is my favorite time of year.  And as usual I appreciate your continued support, reports, and comments.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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Tomorrow will be Coleto where I hope to do a little better job of catching fish.  The afternoon’s weather is looking a little sketchy, but it will be what it is.  I am hoping this approaching front will get them a little more active, in other words to eat what I want to toss.  But if not I will slow down, and maybe size the plastics down some like some of my readers have reported catching numbers.  Fishing is a game of choices, and Coleto seems to be with fish smaller and catch a bunch, or fish big and boat a big one.  As usual, the only way to know is to go.

Weather

82/66   Partly cloudy morning giving way to clouds with possible rain and thunderstorms.  70% chance of rain.   Wind  East 5 – 10 mph.

Solunar Times

10:44 am to 12:44 pm   (Only relevant period.)

Lake Levels

Tuesday 97.84 msl   Today  97.77 msl   (A continued slow drop.)

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            First and last fish, and the rest fit somewhere in between.

Until noon I did not fish one place that I have fished in the last month.  Great plan, or so I thought.  I figured if it is that slow then I am either doing something wrong, which is highly possible. or they are just not feeling it, which seems to be the case.

It continues to be one fish here and one fish there, with no real consistent place, other than the couple I did not fish today.  Basically I spent the day roaming the lake waiting for the wind and clouds, which finally showed an hour before I quit.  And once the wind started to blow 3 jumped on spinnerbait in the last hour on a windy bank and I imagine if I had fished later than 5:00 they might have continued to bite a little more before dark.

While it is clear that plastics are the way to go, I was still searching for an easy shallow pattern that might be better for inexperienced fishermen on Sunday.  While a couple made a pass at the Bang O Lure, spinnerbait accounted for 4, buzzbait 3, and plastics 3.  The only real common theme was a little deeper banks.

The water continues to be that funky tannic/brownish/milky color that is hard to describe.  Fishing the skiff I have no temp gauge but the fish are warm when you put them in the boat.  And the water  slowly receding is not helping matters.  This so reminds me of October in the Ozarks when the fishing there was probably the toughest period of the year.

That about covers today’s report.  As you can probably tell I am a little stumped  at this moment.  When it gets like this it just takes time and patience to figure it out, often getting out of your comfort zone, and I need to do just exactly that.  You can try to force feed them, but after a while change is your only option and obviously I need to take a different approach.

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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Here are a few posts and comments from readers.  I love getting them and really do appreciate your shares so keep them coming.  (Excuse the funny look to this today, I can not figure out how to fix it.  I may know how to talk but as far as the mechanics of blogging I am often clueless.

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First up is this great Coleto report from Katy Joe.

Funny you should mention using shad imitators and not having any luck.  While not included in my last couple of reports I have actually thrown a couple of different shad crankbaits the last 2 trips without success.  And what you found is exactly what I am hearing.  I know I should slow down even more and go with some smaller plastics but I expect them to get going any day now, especially if the weather does what they say it will by weeks end.  Good luck Saturday, it has real potential  and with the cloud cover hopefully the topwater bite will last in to the day.  And I will get at least one, or possibly 2, chances to go this week so keep checking in.  I will definitely be out there Sunday with a couple of kids so if you find anything particular let me know.  I can use all the help I can get.  Thanks for the report.

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And this report is from Lee on his recent work trip to POC.

Hey Doug,

Just wanted to report back. Thanks for the recommended spots. My work schedule changed so I was only able to fish Thursday morning. I settled on Keller Bay and was there by first light. I tried to make it to the kayak launch but the road was underwater. So I went to the main boat ramp. I hit the opening to the back bay that is right by the ramp just thinking it might be a good spot. Started at the outside and had a few hits on top from small trout. I worked my way into the neck and found trout and some really nice slot reds. I fished there until the dolphins showed up and headed over towards the houses that looked abandoned.. Started fishing there all the way to the marsh. I caught another red and a trout. Did some wading in front of the marsh in waist deep water to no avail. There was a boat set up in front of that main marsh drain that probably would have been good. Anyway, no luck on the Wade but needed to stretch the legs. Heard fish blowing up in the marsh which marsh fishing is my sweet spot but didnt have enough time. Anyway fun day and I got to scope out Port O for the future. Checked out the back of Powderhorn and definitely want to fish there in the future. Did some some driving around Port O and it is straight up a fishing town. Boats everywhere. Cool place and hope to get back.. Thank you very much for the recommendations. Oh, and I used a paddle tail with chartreuse tail and a white/chart walk the dog top.

Glad you got a chance to at least give one place a go and even boat a few.  There are so many places, so little time.  And yes POC is a fishing town, and the boat traffic this weekend was something.  It will slowly slack off some but the days of having it to yourself in the winter is over, but at least the traffic is down.  So keep in touch and let us know when you make it back again.

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And I got this great picture from James R.

That is one nice redfish.  James said it gave him a great ride in his kayak.  Congrats and as usual love your reports and comments, good to hear from you again.

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And last but not least I got this from my buddy Clyde concerning my slight mishap this weekend.

It really was funny, even when it was happening.  Gonna have to find a better way to attach the pliers.  And I appreciate being included with those guys and their trips, maybe a comment on their good sense, but hey we do have some fun.  Hope you get a couple of days on the water before that Northern Iowa winter comes roaring in.  And hey, our rivers are about to turn on, so the offer is open.  Good to hear from you.

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This was just a catch up post.  Today it is a ride through Rockport, Corpus, and Port A.  Of course that will include stops at Roy’s, Tackle Town, and maybe a little window shopping for boats.  I am definitely not in the market for a boat, but looking at boats and cars is one of our little entertainments.  Tomorrow it will be off to the lake again, with clouds moving in pre-front I expect the bite to improve daily this week.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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Happy Birthday Joy Mellinger.

I would like to wish an early Happy Birthday to the best mother-in-law a guy could have.  You raised a great daughter who is the love of my life.  Have a great birthday.

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Tomorrow is the first of what I hope is at least 3 days at the lake this week trying to get them patterned somewhat.  Funny but it feels like when I used to practice for bass tournaments.  There is actually, in a funny way, a lot of pressure taking Santiago’s boys fishing Sunday.  I always want to put folks on fish, especially when they are in my back seat.  And there is nothing better than getting a kid on some fish.  The day will be interesting as it will be day 2 post cold front with mile high skies, it might be tough.  So I will hit it hard tomorrow and we shall see.

Weather

81/49  Mainly sunny.  Wind NNE 5 – 10mph.  0% chance of rain.  (A great day to be alive but not sure it is the best for bass fishing.)

Solunar Times

8:35 am to 10:35 am  (The only relevant period during the day.)

Lake Level

97.84 msl   Last trip  10/2  98.15 msl  (Has dropped a third of a foot in 3 weeks.)

It was a good thing that I had my day bag with me.  When I took off it was 50 degrees with a light north wind as it cracked daylight.  It was cool so I slipped on a pair of socks with my sandals and my sun gloves and off I went up lake.  Taking the skiff I had no idea what the water temp was but the fish sure are warm.  And the lake has clearly dropped some from last trip.  During the morning I say deer, gators, the turkeys were gobbling again, and a pack of coyotes were just over the hill howling their ass off.  A great day to be alive.

It was at least an 1 1/2 hours before I got my first bite.  And it was a good one.

Glad to have one like this any day.

I was pitching a stick worm, watermelon red, with a 3/16th slip sinker rigged Texas style.  She started swimming with it and when she jumped I was a little surprised as she did not feel that big.  I was pitching it to cover because nothing else had even generated a bite.   I made a move and for the next couple of hours there was a slow bite.  With the weather that was not surprising.

         Run of the mill on plastics.                  The best one on the buzzbait.

5 more came over the side on the senko, working it slowly, but as I am looking for an easy shallow pattern I gave the buzzbait a try, and I caught 4 on it, one which was a keeper.  The sun definitely started warming the water and a few shad started flipping here and there.  I kept hunting and pecking around and before I quit at 2:30 it was a total of 10, not bad considering conditions.  They were not exactly smashing the buzzbait, and a couple just pulled the trailer under.  The only real dang it moment of the day, (See the first fish above, why he made the pictures.)  one bumped it and when I set the hook somehow I pushed the thumb bar and got one of the backlashes that could not be taken out.  Somehow the fish stayed on.  Oh well, I needed to change line on that reel anyway.

So looking back on the day no complaints.  2cnd day post cold front, that swirling cold wind out of the north, falling water, and a mile high sky, everything working against catching fish.  It surely made them much more inactive.  Actually I am satisfied with what I caught.  It is going to warm the next couple of days, then cloud up with a chance of rain for a couple of days.  It really does have potential to get good.  I really worked the upper end over and will cover down to mid lake next trip.  If I can find a couple of more places Sunday with the boys is shaping up to be some pretty good fishing.  And there is an obvious bite on slow moving small plastics that can be exploited, but not quite what I am interested in, so I will be betting on the weather change to really get them moving on both topwater and buzzbait.  And if all goes well I can put the boys on a big fish or two.  You never know.

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I got this comment from Rick one of my loyal long time readers.

At times I definitely take things way to seriously in the boat and feel pressure to catch fish to support the blog.  Some of that intensity comes from the knowledge that it is the little things that often separate great catches from the run of the mill.  I am trying to learn to start taking it a little less seriously and enjoy what I have, the ability to fish when and where I want, often with some great folks.  So I will not be slowing down, just trying to put things in proper perspective.  But I still want to knock the crap out of them every time I get on the water!  Thanks for commenting.

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And Elaine sent along this question.

It gives me great pleasure to share what has turned out to be a great adventure for me the last 6 years. I am fishing my life away, which I will do until they pry the fishing rod out of my cold dead fingers.  As far as the recipe I will holler at him and see what I can find out.  But trust me, I did not in any way exaggerate how good it was.  It is easy to expand the fishing story, or the fish caught, all fishermen do it at times, but as far as that meal exaggeration would not even get anywhere near how good it was.  So thanks for commenting, hopefully I can get you an answer.  (Besides the recipe I sent your way he dropped me a note that he is NOT Cajun.  Hell I thought everyone from south Louisiana was Cajun.  You learn something new every day.)

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Before I call it a day I did want to add one more comment on the weekends fishing.  Dez, Maggie, David, and Johnny literally knocked the crap out of them fishing the pass and jetties with live and cut bait.  Dez is the man who gets the job done.  Lots, and I mean lots, of big reds, sharks, jacks, and even a 7 foot tarpon for the weekend.  To confirm their POC results the online posts from jetties and passes up and down the Gulf are full of big reds.  If you ever wanted that bucket list bull red now is the time.  It will be on for a while longer so do not miss your chance.

And one other comment on the fishing to come.  As fall begins to rear it’s head the flounder are starting to move around some.  Lots of folks are floundering at night all along the coast.  And when we were cleaning fish Saturday night a couple of guys had a nice cooler full they caught during the day.  So if you love you some flounder now is the time.

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It was really a beautiful day, just not for catching.  But clearly if you are willing to work at it there are fish to be caught on the lake.  This is my favorite time of year with bay and lake both fishing fairly well, with the best fishing to come.  So I will continue to make up for lost time by fishing every chance I get.  So thanks to the Boss for being so understanding.  My life is so much better because she understands my obsession, and never gives me any crap about it.   And thanks for your reports and comments, they are appreciated.  I have a couple more I will get posted next time if fish, including a good Coleto report.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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Before I start there are almost no pictures on my part and this story will be somewhat disjointed.  Instead of a determined fishing weekend with a story written at the end of each day it turned into a fun trip, so while not my usual report and pictures, rest assured, we fished our ass off and had a great time.   I admit I blew it off and just decided to enjoy the weekend, which is nice to do on occasion.

The sun sets on another grind.

My fishing buddies from Austin were down for 2 1/2 days of fishing and a good time was had by all.  Todd, Pete, John, David, Ro and his son, Perry, Dennis, David and his buddy Joey, and last but not least Dez and his girlfriend.  They arrived at different times over the weekend but everyone got together 2 nights for eats and adult beverages.

All that needs to be said about that before I get to the fishing is Todd (A born and bred Cajun.) may be the best cook alive not working in a restaurant.  His gumbo was superb, but the Friday night’s fresh sautéed redfish covered in crawfish etouffee was one of the great meals in the history of the world, and I mean that.  New Orleans has nothing on Todd.  Dez made a cornbread casserole which was smothered in everything both nights.  And to polish it off was a fruit cobbler that flat disappeared.  Of course fishing, football and baseball were the main topics of discussion.  And as usual it was great to get together with them.

Pete with a few.

I met Todd, Pete and John Thursday about 1:00 at the house, we off loaded and to Froggie’s we went.  With less than a half day we decided to do a drift in Pringle, then off to where I was catching them.  Pete and John waded the south shore and I drifted with Todd.  He was throwing popping cork and shrimp, plastics for me.  They struck out and Todd and I caught a couple drifting.  From there it was the shoreline where we ended up catching around 30 – 40, with 7 or 8 keepers.  (Lots of shorts was the norm for the weekend.)  As daylight dwindled I did end up in a little cut in the grass and boated 13 trout and reds without taking a step, with only 2 keepers, but it was fast and furious.

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Friday Todd wanted to try some new places, or some places we had not fished in a while.  The day turned out to be a grind.  Here is a quick list of where we waded and drifted for the day.  Powderhorn Ranch shoreline, the airport shoreline on the island, then the shoreline close to the pass.  After that we fished Grass Island and finished up in Barroom.  We caught a few here and there, with John losing a nice trout putting it on the stringer and I missed a real good one that came out of the water and tried to come down on a topwater.  Grass Island produced a dozen or so to the our boat and Perry and Dennis, we then finished the day on the Barroom shoreline where I caught about a dozen with 3 keeper trout.  It was really spotty and slow but thanks to Pete we had a few nice reds.

He was doing just fine without a tail. 

Saturday saw a complete change of area.  We got a late start Saturday morning after a late night when everyone came over for the crawfish ettouffee over redfish.  We started in Shoalwater first and Todd and I caught a couple on the drift, mine on topwater, and the boys did not boat a keeper wading.  From there to South Pass area to fish Steamboat, where Pete put a nice red in the box and I pulled off the best one of the weekend.  As I started to slide out of the boat my pliers on the belt caught on something in the boat and I ended up falling face first in the bay.  And then because my waders were full of air my feet were floating and I floundered around before I got my footing.  No harm, no foul, but I have to admit it was funny.  Last we fished the Twin Lakes/Cedar  area and I finally got them going.

Having fished quite a bit the last week I had a pattern and the last couple of hours I stuck with it.  It is simple folks – Find a long grassy shoreline, get exactly waist deep and throw in or out, and you will find them.  For about 2 hours as I went down that shoreline they bit, and bit.  They were a super long cast out, and once I got it down it was fish after fish, including my limit, and the boys also getting in on the act.  I did lose a really big one on the Knocker B that broke my line, but fortunately my topwater floated up and I saved it.  Before we called it a day for the long ride back in the dark if I had to guess it was an easy 25 – 30 for me.  So after a long grind weekend it finished with a bang.

The sunsets on a great weekend.

Baits for the weekend.  For me it was Controlled Descent plastics, DOA Cal, another small plastic, and the Knocker B.  Todd was using his popping cork and shrimp, and the boys were throwing larger TTF paddle tails and probably their best choice, the Thumping Mullet.  As far as color it was dark with chartreuse tails for most plastics.  Pete was the redfish guy this weekend, I did not boat a keeper, and all of his came on the bigger bait.  And while I stuck with the smaller baits and had to wade through a bunch of shorts, in the end it seemed to work out about the same.

Dez and the folks in his boat on the other hand had a big weekend.  Live bait guys they used cast netted mullet in the pass and before the weekend was over they caught a bunch of sharks, a bunch really nice bull reds, and then a big finish.  And he put his girlfriend on her first bull red, a 40″ plus.  Then last cut bait, last cast, and 7 foot of angry tarpon which they landed.  The pass is hot and their weekend sure proved it.

Perry, Dennis, and Ro and his son had a Saturday of lots of shorts but managed to put some nice reds in the box.  They were wading a back lake where I was wading the outside shoreline, which might account for more reds for them and trout for me on the outside.  It is pretty apparent the trout have not move wholesale into the back lakes, though we caught some in Shoalwater and Pringle, but this little cool front we are having today will help move that along.

It was a grind but  few ended up in the cooler each day for the trip back to                                                                         Austin.

While the fishing was a grind for us all weekend, we had more fun than a barrel of monkeys.  We fished from the Airport flats to Twin Lakes and lots of places in between.  We had a periods of good fishing and periods of complete strike out.  One thing that became apparent, the best bite was definitely later in the day.  With super high tides the water moved better as the days wore on, consequently the evening bite when  they turned on was good.  Back lakes were ok, but main bay shorelines produced the best bites.  Towpater had it’s moments, with some of the better keepers hitting it though it was not near as fast as plastics when the bite was on.  They will be back for a weekend in November, then the mass gathering of the clan for the December trip now known as Fishmass.  So tons of fishing with the boys to come.

The original plan was back to POC this morning with my buddy Chris, but with this cold front moving in the wind was projected to blow up to 30 mph so discretion was the better part of valor.  And when I got up this morning the weather channel listed POC as windy so it turned out to be a good choice.  The rest of the week is pretty much set.  I will be fishing Coleto with Santiago’s boys on Sunday, so I will fish the lake tomorrow and Thursday to see if I can get a pattern down so I can put his boys on some bass.  They are interested in bass fishing and have not fished Coleto so maybe I can get them to hook a few, and then hook them for life.  Wednesday weather looks good so it will be back to the bay.  I am really refining this light line small bait pattern, there is just something about catching trout and reds on light tackle that I enjoy.  Remember I am still making up for lost time so it will be fishing until I have had my fill, which may never come!

Occasionally I need to relax and not be so focused on the results and learn to enjoy it for what it is, time in the outdoors with good friends where the results are not measured in numbers, but in fun.  It is not all about the catching, though that helps, but learning to enjoy the experience and all that comes with the privilege of being outdoors and sharing good times with friends.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading mu stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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The original plan this week was to fish yesterday at POC, then maybe sneak out to the lake a day before joining the boys in POC, when something came up.  On my way home from the bay I got a text and then spoke with my fishing buddy Aaron.  He had a friend, who happens to guide for lots of stuff on Texoma, who was planning to fish with a friend a day at POC but his buddy had to cancel.  So what looks to be crappy weather aside I will be fishing with Terry tomorrow.  Sometimes you have to help a brother out.

And we shall see, it has been a while since I fished in +20mph winds out of the north.

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Weather

81/71  Mix of clouds and sun.  10% chance of rain.  Wind NNE 15 – 25 mph.

Tides

 High     4:04 AM     1.5   
 Low      4:43 PM     0.6

Solunar Periods

Good  10:28 am to 12:28 pm   Best  4:43 pm  to 6:43 pm

(I wanted to say a couple of words about the solunar periods.  Just because it is a prime period does not mean you will catch fish.  Just because it is not a prime time does not mean you won’t catch fish.  But over the years I have noticed one thing, most of my great catches came during the prime time.  Anyone else have anything to say about it?)

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What a difference a day can make.  Monday I laid the smack down on them, today not so much.  I had the pleasure of fishing with Terry Kasper, the owner of Trophy Hunters Guide Service.  Terry fishes Lake Texoma and he catches big fish, both stripers and huge catfish.

https://www.facebook.com/terry.kasper.92?lst=1576293590%3A581116279%3A1507808173

He catches fish year round and if you ever wanted to boat a real catfish or striper he is the man.  So if you want to see some really big fish stop by his website, those are some big catfish.  Trust me I will be sharing a boat with him this winter when the time is right.  But back to the fishing.

The wind was blowing straight out of the north at 20+ mph.  The first problem with that is it was blowing all the way across the bay right on the bank where I have been catching them.  The water was already coloring up as we rounded the corner into Barroom.  Since I was unsure where or what due to the weather change we drifted the leeward side of Barroom.  It started a day of a couple here, a couple there, and not a fish on topwater.  It took my little brain a while to realize the most important factor, besides the ugly looking water.  The water temp had dropped from 83 degrees on Monday to basically 72 degrees every where we went.  After only boating one keeper there it was time to move.

To make a long bad fishing story short, it sucked and I feel like I did not fish worth a crap.  Next up we fished the Oil Cut, which was the most consistent place we found.  We boated another 3 keeper trout and some small reds and several sand trout and croaker.  While the sand trout were big we just could not find a pattern.  We ended up on the island later in the afternoon but other than some small trout and couple of reds we could not get it going.

We finished off the day hitting my milk run in Barroom and Big Bayou but they had just plain quit.  Yesterday was one of those days when I really wanted to catch fish, and while we did catch 20 or more, it did not happen.  Terry grew up fishing the coast with his dad, so he was understanding of how it works.  We had a really good time fishing together, it is always a great day when you are fishing with a new friend.

Terry was headed from POC to Matagorda to fish with a friend who shook loose to take him for a couple of days.  Terry is a live bait pro, and their plan is to fish the jetties for bull reds, his favorite saltwater fish.  As you can see from his website he likes big fish.  So good luck on the rest of his coastal trip and I will be looking forward to catching some stripers this winter.   It was my pleasure to spend the day in the boat with a great guy.

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

And I wanted to apologize to Dan.  I actually thought you were coming this week, old man brain fart, so I missed you guys.  My apologies it was my intention to hunt you down.  So some time when you are heading this way to fish Coleto let me know.  Sorry.

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

No pictures today, sorry, but once I did not get the camera out of the bag I never got with the program.  Now to the next 3 days.  A bunch of the Austin Boys are coming into town the next couple of days and it will be a real fishing extravaganza, along with some great eats.  If I had to guess, which I do but shouldn’t, the fishing should be great.  Winds down, tide right, it has the makings of a good trip.  The water temp should stabilize and I expect one of the next couple of days to be something.  It always it when they come. So time to sign off and get my stuff together to meet them later to start the fishing.  Not sure when I will be able to post again but keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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Check them out – the only way to wade!

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Time to take one more run to POC before the boys get here and the wind kicks up.  The wind is supposed to be straight out of the south so we shall see how that works out, but looks like there will be good water movement during the day so there is potential.  Either way I am gone first thing in the morning to be in the water at daylight.  Fall is coming and I intend to take full advantage of it.

Weather

88/77  Partly Cloudy 105 chance of rain.  Wind S 10 – 15 mph.

Tides

High   1:46 AM     1.4   
Low    2:42 PM     0.6

Solunar Times

Good  8:22 to 10:22 am   Best  2:36 to 4:36 pm

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

Topwater, Topwater, and more Topwater.

What a way to start the day, and it only got better from there.

It was just cracking daylight as I headed out the cut towards the island.  The wind was blowing around 10 -15 out of the south, it stayed that way all day, and the water temp was 82.  The tide was completely over the fingers at Froggie’s, it might have been a little higher than Friday.   First up it was farther down the bank from where they were last trip.  I slid over the side and caught one on my second cast on a Controlled Descent plastic.  There was tons of bait flipping so I gave a topwater a toss and wham, fish on.

Not sure how many reds I caught but it was several.

Basically making a long story short I kept throwing the topwater until I quit at 3:00.  I tried several and then went back to my old standby, the Bagley Knocker B.  If you have read this stuff before you know it catches fish, end of story.  If they will hit a topwater they will eat the Knocker B.  The thing I like about it, besides the fish like it, is it makes a lighter flip when you walk the dog, better replicating the small bait fish.  In fact a couple of trout today puked up baitfish that were just a few inches long.

It was a fun day of fishing.

The tide was dropping slowly, basically clearing the water up and that was when the bite was really on.  And once it started dropping around noon and really cleared my favorite trout pattern happened, they positioned on the edges of sand pot holes in grassy areas.  The perfect cast over the tips and along the edges got a bite.  It was real anticipation waiting for the bite, and it always amazes me how many you miss even when you are ready.

It was nice to catch this size off and on all day.

And what good bites they were.  It wasn’t so much that blowing up on it and missing it thing, it was more like they were wallowing on it, often head out.  Some got it first go, some would follow and hit it on the stop, and a couple hit it right in front of me.  And with them bunched up on the potholes if you missed one you could throw back and often get several bites right there.  Though I did not land a big one I had my shot.  She came half out of the water to eat and just pulled off.  Other than that little hitch in the git’ along it was basically 7 hours of topwater bites.

The best position was exactly waist deep, where I could almost hit the grass, and still cast out towards deeper water.  They bit better out in a couple of feet but it was still worth it to cast to the grass.  And while I was not interested in redfish, I could see the moving about fairly regularly and they were catchable.  The trout wanted the Knocker B just flipped along and occasionally a red would jump on, but it was mostly trout.  I made 3 moves and fished 4 places along the island.

The only strike out was the area of Conte and Long Lake, where the water color was just not right.  The reason I stopped there was the pelicans were diving, but not a one bit, so I headed back to where I left off and caught another 5 or 6 before I called it a day.  It has been a while since I caught them all day on topwater, and all I have to say about that is, I love it when that happens!

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Billy dropped this comment on the nice limit of trout he caught on topwater last week.

The best topwater bite for trout there is, super shallow water.  It seems like when they are that shallow the only way they can hit it is to blow up on it.  I am still waiting to hit a good topwater bite, but it is coming.  (I wrote this yesterday, good guess.)  Good to hear from you.

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A quick word on this weekends football.  I didn’t watch but a little of the A&M game and apparently they made a showing after getting spanked early.  My Hogs played like some, they are in total disarray, if the coach’s buyout was not so big he might be looking for a job today.  I did watch quite a bit of the Texas game and they are starting to look pretty good, the freshman quarterback looks like the real deal, look for them to get back to the glory days.  The Cowboy/Packer game was everything you want in a game, to bad the Boys left Aaron Rogers with over a minute, always a bad idea.

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Our big trip plan for next year has changed.  Instead of New Zealand we are headed to Peru to see Machu Piccu, then a stretch on the Amazon, some white water rafting, and maybe some marlin fishing off the coast or roosterfish, which is still on my bucket list.  Plans will continue to develop but it has real potential. We had actually planned that trip a few years ago and it looks like the timing is right with the weather.

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

That is the most fun fishing the bay I have had in a while.  It was consistent, the bites were awesome, and the wind was just right.  The 6 pictures I posted today are very representative of the day, and I won’t bore you with the other 15 or so.  (And that does not include a bunch of small ones.)  6 is enough to get the idea.  I give the day an A, it was fun.  Of course being an old shallow water guy I would rather catch half as many as long as it is on top.  Next up will be the Austin Boys and as freakin’ usual they are bringing a cold front.  Not sure how they get that done, but they sure are good at it.  So lots of fishing to come.  Keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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After a couple of days struggling on the lake it is time to start the serious fall bay fishing.  With a 3 day trip coming with the boys next week, then another in 6 weeks, not to mention my usual fishing, time to see if I can get a few figured out.  And after seeing Billy’s nice mess on topwater the other day it got my blood running.  Fall brings on what at times is an all day topwater bite, and for an old shallow water bass fisherman nothing warms my heart more than a big blow up.  The tides aren’t all that hot but the rest of it looks good so nothing more to do than go fishing.

Weather

85/72  Sunny with occasional clouds.  Wind ENE 10 -15 mph.  10% chance of rain.

Tides

High   4:27 AM     1.1  
Low   12:30 PM     0.8
High   9:54 PM

Solunar Times

Best  11:12 am to 1:12 pm   Good  5:25 am to 7:25 am  (Both right on.)

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

The wind was blowing 15 mph right down the bay as I unloaded at Froggie’s.  The tide was so high that it was over the fingers and on the dock and the water had some color to it.  It was still dark as I eased out and headed to the island with visions of a gator trying to drag me under!  The ride was a little choppy but I was feeling good.  Time to see it they were biting, and they were.

A great morning to be alive!

With the tide so high I decided to not fish a drain.  Instead as I motored down Pringle shoreline, the water was so high that it was past the grass, and there were openings making little coves and pockets.  So I stopped there where I could fish the little points, which had a good breeze right across them.  The tide was so high it was waist deep in front of the grass.  But guess what?  They were there.  While the reds were not all that big they sure were willing.

You get the idea.  This size cooperated all morning.

For the next 3 hours I just eased down the grass tossing plastics and topwater, catching mostly reds and the occasional small trout.  They were very active.  The fish tended to be right in front of the grass, which again was why I think they wanted a smaller bait that did not sink to much as there was about a foot of water. Unfortunately there was tons of floating grass, but a few during the morning jumped on the topwater, with the Bagley Knocker B preferred.  As far as plastics go it was small again.  I do not know if it is me or the fish, but again there was tons of small bait on the shoreline.

            Not big today but it was lots like these guys on the second place.

As the wind got up a little it was time to head to Barroom.  It was a little more protected, and I hoped to catch some better trout.  While that did not happen, they were biting just as good there as on the island.  And again they were shallow in front of the grass.  I caught very few over 2 foot deep, which might be because that is where the bites were coming so I threw very few deeper.  And the more I throw that super light jig head on 8lb fluorocarbon the more convinced it is a flat killer in real shallow water.  Besides a slower fall, it is easier to keep out of the grass, you can fish it fast or slow, and when combined with 8 and 10lb fluorocarbon it is really effective on super shallow fish.

They basically bit from dark thirty until about 1:30 when the water fell just a little and seemed to just sit there.  Until then it was very consistent, with lots of bites and lots of fish.  Unfortunately I am not on real good fish, but after the last couple of days at the lake I could have cared less.  It was nice to be in the water and catching fish the whole trip.  There is just something so intimate catching fish while wading  Just you and the fish, cool.  The redfish were super active both places, and I caught quite a few on the first place, including a bunch of really small ones.  Then the second place also gave some up, it was just a good bite.  Though the small reds can be a pain at times, it is a great sign of things to come.  So I will be back after them this week, and once the boys are here for 3 long days we should have them surrounded.

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

It was good to hear from Rusty, one of the long time regulars here.

That is exactly what they are so I looked them up.  They are migratory but common to North and South America.  They are water creature eaters and run and live in flocks.  So thanks for the answer, looking it up was interesting.  They have one big beak.  And good luck on Toledo Bend.  How I have never fished it I do not know.  Thanks for the comment and let us know how the Toledo Bend trip goes.

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

And Nelson dropped me this answer and he is right.  It was my intial guess just looking at their bill.  Thanks for commenting Nelson, it is always great to hear from first timers.

And speaking of those birds I got this question from SAJoe.

The birds you are talking about are actually Cormorants, which are federally protected, and I have taken to calling shad eaters, among other names.  And yes a good roost tree over the water that they use constantly are known catfish hot spots.  They are common but if you want to see a couple, oops, I mean a bazillion, be on Falcon Lake at daylight as the flocks come over.  It seems to last an hour as flock after flock flies over.  There are literally hundreds of thousands there and some folks are not that happy about it as they eat almost anything with scales.  A couple of years ago a couple of fish farmers killed some that were raiding their ponds.  If memory serves me it cost them a ton of $$$$.  As you know from reading above the ones pictures were wood storks.  Good to hear from you.

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

Additionally Dan sent along these comments.

Thanks Dan, I took the license to shorten some of the rest of your comments.  I will definitely be fishing POC a day or two this week coming up and if I do I will holler at you.  Sounds like you guys have one great annual trip.

********************** 

I would give the day a B+.  As I continue to get back in the groove my keeper production will start to rise.  But I prefer to not look a gift horse in the mouth, and when they are biting I am happy to be catching.  Must mean it is time to maybe fish Keller, or Indianola.  The Powderhorn Ranch shoreline should have some good fish on it right now.  So with that in mind I am already thinking about where next.  And to those of you who have commented for the first time, thanks, it means a lot to me.  We all appreciate what you have to say.  It will be a while before I have made up for the lost summer, but I am going to do my best to get it done.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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I started a little later this morning, around 8:00 and unfortunately I should have stayed home.  I have had a slow day or two on Coleto, but the last 2 trips have been past rough.  I was able to catch some small ones, but inactive would be the best I could give the fishing right now.

                Not sure what these were but I do no see them very often.

Just like last trip I fished it all, working shallow to mid depth, fast and slow, but it was still one here, one there, and none of them worth a hoot.  Uplake, downlake, and somewhere in between, and the results were the same.  Plastics, buzzbait, swim jig, topwater, crankbait, it just never got going.  One thing is really clear, they are not chasing crap.  (See Joe’s report below.)

It was good to hear from Joe again, and his experience is exactly what I am finding right now.

Hell I did not need to write a report, you found exactly what I have been finding.  Coleto is just plain tough right now.  Not sure if it is an oxygen problem, a PH problem, a half ass turn over, I just do not have an educated guess right now.  But hey, you were fishing.  But in my case I am going to lay off the lake for a week or two and hope things change.  But thanks for the report and as usual I appreciate your participation.

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

Today was just a bad decision.  Guess I thought the other day was just an aberration, unfortunately it wasn’t.  Guess when you get to the ramp and there is only one boat left out, and I only say 1 boat all day, that is probably a pretty good indicator of just how slow the fishing is.  I am not a happy camper by any definition.

So the next couple of weeks will be dedicated to the bay.  The fishing there is picking up daily so time to switch gears.  Hope a gator don’t get me!  Keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines