FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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I finally ditched that slow laptop for one with more speed, which helps a ton when it is late and I am in a hurry to get this stuff up.  So while I am getting tomorrow’s conditions in anticipation of a day of fishing on Coleto Creek the new computer is getting a workout.

The weather looks good for my usual shallow baits so it will be buzzbait for starters and we will go from there.  The wind continues on the coast for the next few days but it looks like it will subside some later in the week, and if it will relax just a hair I will probably stay a night at POC and give it a serious go for 2 days.

Weather

83/68   Cloudy  10% chance rain   Wind SE  15 – 25mph

Lake Levels

4/28  97.37 msl    Today  97.17 msl   (Slow decline over the last month.)

Solunar Times

• 9:29A – 11:29A   (The only major or minor time today.)

A beautiful day in the neighborhood.

When we hit the water most of us have a preconceived notion, or at least a plan, on how the day will, or should, go.  Today was one of those days, I thought they would bite, and they did.  I thought they would bite all day, they didn’t.  If I had to attempt to explain how the day went, it was the wind.

I made it out at the crack of dawn and there was a light breeze.  The lake is still dropping but has cleared considerably.  Up lake I went and started throwing the buzzbait.  They were biting.  I was still throwing the buzzbait with the toad instead of a skirt, and today they were hitting it a lot farther off the bank.  Obviously the clearing and falling water caused that.  There did not seem to be any bank any better, caught a few in the coves, long straight stretches, and points were good.

The best for the day.

What made it interesting is when the Boss heads to work she usually calls at 9:45, and today she did.  I had counted this morning and when she called I had already caught 13 and missed and lost several.  Nothing particularly big other than the one above, but most looked like the ones below.

          A dozen like this with a few other smaller ones tossed in.

And the punch line, that is when the wind started.  As you can see in the pictures it was dead calm, and they were smacking it.  After 10:00 I only put 3 more in the boat, when it stopped, it stopped.  I tossed a little swim jig and topwater and caught one on each.  For some reason I did not get the hook in a couple pitching the watermelon beaver style plastic.  They were swimming with it and for some reason it did not stick.

There was one other cool thing today, there is a big eagle on the lake.  There was one here earlier and the ospreys were giving it hell all the time.  But with most of them gone hopefully the eagle will hang around.

So after 3 hours without much, and white caps on the lake, I called it a half a successful day.  It really was interesting how quickly they quit, it went from a great bite to hunt and peck.  And of course once the big wind comes the buzzbait is done.  Dead calm to a light chop is perfect, and when it was like that they bit.  The lake is getting to the point where lots of places are about to lose the water, and things will change big time with summer right around the corner.  And with that is the rule, try to be where you should be fishing for what you should be fishing for, in other words off to the bay I go.

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I also got this update from Jim, who I had the pleasure of fishing with on Coleto, and he included a picture of a nice one from Fayette.

Love those Fayette fatties.

Doug,
Thought got I’d drop you a line. Looks like you had a good day on Coleto today. Lots of nice fish. I saw that you went with toads on your buzzbaits, good call. Remember, I owe you a trip on Fayette. So to entice you a little I have included a pic of a solid 5#er I caught there today. My buddy and I boated 35 in 6 hours on a combination of spinnerbaits, pop r’s, shaky heads and of course CR’s. So enjoy your trout fishing trip and let’s get together soon.

Jim

First let me apologize for taking so long to get your report up.  I somehow managed to lose this and finally found it.  I will holler at you soon, would love to boat 30+ any day of the week, and Fayette is just the place to do it.  So as soon as possible I will be happy to learn a little more about Fayette.  Thanks for the report and I had a great time fishing with you.

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

My old buddy Clyde from high school and his lovely wife Maria have moved from Arkansas to some place in the middle of nowhere northwest Iowa, the state we originally met in in high school.They call that supper where I come from!

I initially wondered where they might fish but it turns out there are lots of places local, much less they are close to South Dakota, where we fished some in the past, and of course Wisconsin and Minnesota.  So there are lots of walleye and bass to be caught, and they will give that new Lund a work out.   Nice job on the walleyes, the Boss is jealous.

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I had the distinct pleasure and honor of heading to Academy and buying my 2 grandbabies their first real fishing poles.  Baby Wren got a little short one, and Miss Mia who looks like she is really going to be a fisherman, a Zebco 33.  It is how I started and is a good easy to use first reel for kids.  It will be great to teach her how to use it and hopefully when we are at Lake Travis for the upcoming holiday I can figure a way for her to catch a fish.  She spent 5 hours trying at a pond a few weeks ago until she caught one, that is dedication.

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It was good to hear from Faye and Steve.  They had a tough trip, but who hasn’t had some of those. 

Well, we blew in to POC Sunday on a strong north wind, fished two days with hard south winds and arrived back in DFW Wednesday to north winds again.
Day one was really tough!  The winds had shifted back to the south and the water was chocolate milk in most places.  We chose not to beat ourselves up trying to get over to the back lakes.  We spent 6 hours on the water in every location we know that is somewhat out of the wind.  The days net result was one nice trout and one catfish. These came from fishing the ICW just off the 2nd cut in an eddy.  We could pitch to deeper water and to a flats area.  My trout came from letting the popping cork float over the flats area that had grass beds.

Day two was much the same but the numbers were better.  We caught 4 nice trout while anchored in Saluria at the opening of the large drain that has a houseboat in it.  We would pitch out and let the current carry our bait from the deeper water to the shallow opening of the drain.  All the bites and catches were just before the shallow water.  We were using shrimp on light jigheads and popping corks.  The trout were all of keeper size (this trip was a catch & release) and very healthy!  We look forward to making it back down in June.  As always, we enjoy all your posts,

Steve and Faye

I always enjoy hearing from you.  One of my longest running readers, they are always wiling to share their reports, good or bad.  As I know they work really hard with their business it goes back to that old saying; “A bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work.”  We have all been fighting the wind for well over a month, and it looks like most of the week will be the same.  So you are due to have a good trip in June and we will be looking forward to hearing how it goes.  Thanks again for your support.

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

Tomorrow and the next day I will actually be engaging in a little more manual labor helping my buddy out.  After that it will simply be a matter of the wind.  They are saying it may lay some at the end of the week, which will work out perfect.  A couple of days at POC is in order.  As usual I appreciate you all taking the time to read my ramblings.  You keep reading and I will keep fishing, I think I am getting the good end of that deal.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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What is not to like about this view from our balcony?

The Boss and I really do enjoy the mountains, and one of our favorite areas is Ruiodoso New Mexico.  Great mountains, hiking, hunting, fishing, shopping, skiing, a game of chance or two, it has it all.  We have visited several times, this was our first in the spring.  It actually snowed the weekend before, but the weather was great.  40’s in the morning, and mid 70’s in the afternoon.   In fact, the Boss met a store owner, the former basketball coach at Halletsville, who moved to Ruiodoso and opened a  hiking store.  He told her they only turned on the AC one day last year, must be nice.  And of course being a walker and hiker she found a couple of things she could not live without.

One thing we really enjoy is seeing wildlife, and this trip it was antelope.  Driving into New Mexico we started seeing them, but differently from how they usually are.  They were spread out over miles in groups of 2 here, a couple there, not bunched up like usual.  I wondered if it had to do with them having babies, and on the way out it may have been exactly that.  On the way back we saw 2 really new babies.  I know squat about antelope, but looks like that was what was happening.  They are one cool animal.  And we did see several turkeys, including a Rio Grande and a Merriam, and it was easy to see the difference.  No elk this trip, but we did not take the 4Runner so no mountain road drives this trip.

It is a pretty good haul, about 11 hours, but we knock that off pretty easily.  We stay at the Inn of the Mountain Gods, which is a cool resort and casino.  They have stuff to do, zip line, kayak and small paddle boats on the lake, fishing, golf, and hunting is all available.  I had never fished there so I decided to give the lake a try.  It is a clear mountain lake stocked with trout.  That is not my thing, bank fishing for stockers, but I had a mission from my granddaughter Mia.

Flat Stanley, who happens in this case to be a girl in a dress, got flattened to a bulletin  board, and so her 2cnd grade class sent him out to their relatives to get his picture taken on adventures.  Since she loves to fish, and I was on an adventure, I needed a Flat Stanley pic for her board.

Flat Stanley catches a rainbow trout.

The lake is pretty big and stocked with 20,000 rainbows a year.  You pay a day use fee and they have bait and even pole rental if needed.  You can walk around about half of the lake and there are ample places to fish.  In a couple of hours I ended up catching 3, losing a couple, one trying to set up a Flat Stanley picture, all on a Panther Martin spinner.  But as you can see from the picture, they are stockers.  So while it was great to catch a couple in such a beautiful place, my heart was not in it.  Do not take this as a negative comment on the fishing, but for me it wasn’t a 7lb bass smashing a buzzbait or a big red swallowing a topwater, guess I am spoiled.  But if you ever go, there are trout to be caught, and if you bobber and bait fish you could catch a bunch and it would be great for the kids.  So for me it was a scratch that off the list.

We also went hiking one morning in the woods.  There is a great hiking trail there, just tough enough but nice, so I accompanied my hiking wife with an ulterior motive.  Along the way is the hunting lodge, skeet range, and guide hang out.  I wanted to check out the hunting opportunities, as they have some of the best big bull Elk hunting in the nation.

When we got there the guides were hanging out, drinking coffee and watching tv.  The trophy bulls on the walls in there are freaks, worth the stop in and of itself.  They filled me in on the hunting which is elk, bear, and turkey.  Most of it on the 360,000 reservation with native American guides.  Of course the trophy bull  hunt is way out of my price range, but a cow elk is not, and I am considering it.  Yummmm.  They only issue is only permits by draw, and the success rate in the draw is the 25% range.  He said that had a lot to do with New Mexico not permitting out of state hunters to get a cow elk permit except through them, and probably other outfitters in the state.  Suffice to say I found the rest of the prices reasonable and I just might have a go at the draw next spring.  Not a bad trip if you think about it.  Close to Texas, and if you fill your tag day one you can still fish and hang out in a great place.

Of course we did engage in a little adult entertainment.  We are cheap gamblers, we enjoy it, but we have our measly limits and stick to them.  Of course being a cheap skate like I am a .50 bet for me is a big one.  So we rarely win, and we rarely take a beating.  Well this trip I got lucky.

That would be $1260 on a .40 bet!

There is nothing like getting your whole trip paid for in one push of the button.  But that is hardly all there is to do in Ruiodoso, there is so much more.  Inn of the Mountain Gods is a great place to take a break, and still get your fill of the great outdoors.  And if you take the family they will not be bored if you decide to sneak off and be “a guy.”  I highly recommend Inn of the Mountain Gods, great resort in a great place.

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

It is that time of year again, time to pay the dues for the Texas Bar.  I am still an attorney, though on inactive status.  Though I have not given any legal advice or entered a court room in 8 years, I still keep my license, law school was tough and I worked hard for that, not to mention the $$$.  Though I have no plans to ever go back to that living hell, I keep sending my money.  Who knows, it just might come in handy some day.

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Those of you who read this stuff know how much we enjoyed Australia.  It was probably my favorite trip of all time.  Well I just found out how much the  Wow I did not see that coming!  (I can not tell you how much research and reading she does in preparation for a big trip.  They almost always come off without a hitch, tough job considering some of the places we have been.  She must have been a travel agent in a past life.)  We actually heard from many folks in Australia, much less folks that have been there, it is a trip not to be missed.  And the side benefit to her planning, I spent some time looking at the fishing.  The exchange rate is great for US money, and they have some of the best big brown trout fishing in some of the greatest scenery on the planet.  It looks like I will be fishing with some guides in 4 different places on the trip.  Time to get the fly rod out and start practicing.  The fish there are no “stockers”, they are some of the wildest browns in the world.  The only problem with her early planning, I have to be excited and think about this for a year!

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That catches me up for today.  Next trip to NM, and there will be more, it will not be without the 4Runner.  There are miles and miles of backroads through the mountains, and we love the slow drive looking for wildlife, and I still have to see a big bull elk there.  And I will fish the lake again at the Inn, but will do it with the flyrod, good practice for next year.  For now it will be off to Coleto in the morning.  With the wind expected to blow up to 25mph with all day cloud cover it has buzzbait written all over it.  Probably toss in a little topwater to go along with it.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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(Sorry for no reports this week, the Boss and I have been in New Mexico for a few days.  We love that place and as usual had a great trip.  I even fished a minute.  I am getting at that report next, but I wanted to share a report from Jay, one of my long time readers.  I hope you enjoy it, I did.  We all love hearing a great fishing story.)

Doug,

My old Army Brother Ted called me a couple months ago about a fishing trip on Calcasieu (Big Lake as the cajuns call it) a few months ago. We were both at White Sands Missile Range (our 1st duty assignment) as Privates back in the early ’90s where we did a lot of CRAZY stuff together. WAY over trained at that stage of our careers! We kind of met up at a lot of the same places here and there over the years; Germany, Korea, Iraq, Ft. Bliss just to name a few.

His plan was a guide trip with Jeremy Waltrip from Waltrips Saltwater Guide Service and some general hanging out together as we had already covered all the debauchery over the last 25+ years!

Pre-trip I decided to take my old Lund but had to do some work, My throttle remote bound up, disassembly revealed a broken wave/spring washer which resulted in a 3-4 county drive locating one in a boat junkyard. Wheel bearing R&R which revealed one a little more noisy than I would have liked, but cleaned, repacked and as they say “patted on the butt” & hoping for on down the road. I forget to caliper the spindle for a spare hub, so held my breath for 1200 mile round trip. Got lucky……

I arrived on a Saturday to DeRidder, Louisiana. Wanted cajun groceries so we headed out for that, Catfish Oppolousas for me, can’t remember what him and his missus had as I was too busy shoveling what is one of my favorite dishes the world over. They later attended a comedy show, I relaxed.

Sunday is his range day. It’d been 5+ years since I’ve spent any quality range time, VERY BAD IDEA. He had entertainment, my skills were UGLY! A perishable skill and I knew that. Since return here to the farm there’s a new firing lane built and in use. THAT will NOT happen again!

We were lazy Monday or rather ran around to gun shops as he wanted one I have. Had to order.

Looks like you all had a couple of bites!

Tuesday was a oh dark thirty wakeup as we Army call it. Drive to Calcasieu for a day of fishing. It was tough. We tried a reef, even though Big lake is only about 7-9′ deep. Ended up chasing birds most of the day for trout, 38 keepers in the boat. Way too many hardhead catfish. I landed a 6lb red. And broke off one over 40″. Got it to the boat 3 times and on the last run I got impatient, palmed the spool and yuup, you guessed it, broke off. I just sat down.  Wind ended up blowing 25-30. We were fishing 1/8th oz jig heads with mirrorlure little johns in copper w/chartreuse tail and watermelon. Jeremy Waltrip is an exceptional guide, we were moving every 15-20 minutes to different spots when no bites. He was a huge pleasure to fish with and has been fishing Big Lake since his youth. I highly recommend Waltrips Saltwater Guide Service if anyone is headed that way. He books thru FB. But said he doesn’t guide July 3&4, Memorial or Labor day as it’s just too crazy.

A great red!

We went to catfish Lake Vernon on Wednesday. I had done research, loaded Navionics. Everything I read said underfished, boat lanes horribly marked and full of stumps. We spent most of the time breaking off of snags. My 998csi hd showed a veritable forest in all depths. After sliding the boat off several tree trunks they call stumps in the boat lane at 20-30 FOW we gave it up. Water temp at 76* told me catfish were more than likely in the spawn. Plan was to fish Toledo Bend Thursday. An early rise revealed Ted had been up all night scratching his hide off as office boy was beyond lobstered. So we hung out and caught up on years past as what had happened over the years to most of our 21 man team from a quarter century before. I have to say I’m extremely blessed as most are still working the grind while I’m retired doing as I like fishing, cattling, gardening, throwing hay bales  and able to travel at my own pace.

Were planning a Lake Ponchartrain trip in a few months. Looking forward to that.

So, back to the farm, grass needs cut, shooting lane built and operational, going easy on the catfishing as water temp is in mid 70s which 72-80* is prime for spawn.

Appreciate your interest in others trips and reports! And always enjoy reading your stuff!!

A few pictures enclosed.

Always enjoy your blog!

Jay

If you go to Lake Vernon Louisiana that boat lane on Navionics is non existent! Supposed to be phenomenal bass fishing too!! Better idle around though!

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

I really appreciate you taking the time to send me your great trip!  And I love that you fished multi-species, my favorite.  But the best – to get to spend time with a buddy, what could be better than that.  So I love reading it and seeing your pictures, and you are welcome to comment any time.  Fishing is fishing, successful or not, but spending time with a good buddy like this as they say in the commercials, priceless!  And who doesn’t ,ike to take a little time and blow some stuff up at the range.  And you may not hear it often enough, thanks to you and your buddy for your service and keeping us safe!  Always good to hear from you.

Now I am going to sit down and finish the report on my trip to New Mexico.  It should be up soon.  I can not thank all of you enough for sticking with me.  We hit 6 years soon, and for the half a million of you who have visited, I am humbled.  And I so love it when folks like Jay take a minute out of their life to send us a report.  The rest of you – comment anytime, we love it.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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

This is what time you are supposed to be there.

As I had a short day, have to get ready for a couple of days of Rainbow Trout fishing on Wednesday and Thursday, Coleto Monday was the obvious choice.  So I got up real early and was on the water as it was just cracking daylight.  First up it was a main lake cove close to the ramp and not a bite.

The next pocket was full of them.  They were eating the buzzbait reeled at a moderate speed and I had lots of bites.  No big ones, but they were mostly nice keepers.

                                      2 of the 4 on buzzbait out of the second cove.

I caught 4 and missed several, so I made another pass with the Bang O Lure and caught one and missed one, and then 1 more on a white swim jig.  One thing is becoming clear, they are still in the covers early, and fish the deeper side.  If it has grass, wood, or stick ups and it is on the deeper side, there are usually a couple there anyway.  And I have noticed that the best coves not only have cover but the tilapia spawned in them big time, may be a baby tilapia buffet.  So after that cove I hit a couple of more places without a bite on the buzzbait when I remembered a deeper bank with lots of cover in a cove near the plant so I headed there.

She thumped a pitched beaver plastic.  If I caught her a couple of months ago she would have been a freak.

I caught a nice one there the other day pitching the watermelon red beaver style plastic so time to do it again.  A couple of small ones cooperated when I had one just thump it and the fight was on.  It was a big fish, minus the weight she lost spawning.  They are definitely back up on the chew trying to recover, and they want it slow to medium with the buzzbait.  It would probably be a little better just pitching plastics, but when they are eating the buzzbait I am going to stick with it.

                             This size kept after the buzzbait until noon.

After leaving the plant arm I headed all the way up the other arm.  I kept with the buzzbait, and they kept cooperating.  I actually lost 2 big fish today, a little more than usual, but I was getting the hook in them.  Notice in the pics above and below that I have taken the skirt off the buzzbait and replaced it with a white plastic toad with the paddle legs.  At a medium speed it raises quite a ruckus.  Most came right on the bank but the one below smacked it over half way back.

Not sure why she was bleeding she was hooked in the jaw, but either way she was a nice fish.

With a ton of things to do to get ready to travel I called it a day at 1:30.  They really stopped biting at about noon, but I soldiered on for a while but the better fish called it a morning.  Before it was over it was probably 12 – 15, I really did lose count, but it was not fast by any means.  But when one would hit the buzzbait it was a good one.

For the next little bit they will stay on the buzzbait, but it is also time to get back to tossing the bluegill swim jig.  The perch and gills will be on the beds and the big fish will follow.  This is a little window that comes up in late spring on Coleto when that pattern will hold up for a while as long as there are shallow perch.  And if you see some beds be sure to remember where and fish them with the swim jig, some of the biggest bass I have caught on Coleto have been during this period.

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And thanks to several folks who pointed out my error.  And probably nobody was more surprised that Miles Davis was the first choice in the draft than any surviving family.  Obviously it was Miles Garret, and as one of you pointed out Mr. Davis has been dead a while.  Hope you got a laugh out of it, I sure did.

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It looks like I will get to fish for rainbows 2 days this week in the mountains.  Should be fun.  Today was great.  I really have a case of loving that buzzbait, and this is the time.  I am sure that pitching, swim jig, and topwater will work just as well right now, so it is a good time to be on the lake.  And the Gulf reports keep rolling in, and as soon as I whip some of those Rainbows I will turn my attention to the Speckled variety.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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

After 3 days of manual labor, no really, I did some, I was not sure whether I would be working Friday or fishing until my buddy Jeffish texted me and told me “He did not need my sorry ass.”  What kind of friend is that?  The kind that takes into account my fishing disease so I was free to have at it.

Weather

92/71.  Sunny and windy.  SSE 20 -30.  0% chance of rain.

Solunar Times

• Best   1:14P – 3:14P
• Good  6:59A – 8:59A  (Should have been out earlier.)

Lake Levels

Today   97.37 msl     18 days ago  97.56 msl

The wind was projected to blow 20 – 30mph today and it was every bit of that.  I got a late start and was fishing by 9:30.  It should be buzzbait time on Coleto so I pretty much committed to fishing it most of the 5 hours I was on the lake.  The thing that made it tough was it was one of those fish where you can and not always where you want days, especially with a buzzbait.  A chop is ok, but not white caps, at least in my experience.

The first place not a bite, but from there on it was one here and one there.  There are still a few stragglers in the back ends of some of the covers, but remember I could only fish in the ones without the wind blowing in.  I caught a couple when I went by a great piece of gnarly piece of wood and made 3 casts at it from different angles, and then a big girl pulled it under.

That is a freakin’ good one!

That said a lot about the way they were all biting it, just pulling it under and not blowing up on it.  That was probably a bi-product of them being post spawn, they wanted a slow easy meal.  When I quit counting bites I was 5 for 8.  Of course the most important factor today was cover.  Wood being first, and one or two came out of stumps just under the surface.  I did try the white swim jig and of course caught one on my second cast, and then only one more.

                          Definitely spawned out females trying to recover.

The water up lake is still off color but the rest of the lake is clearing fast.  It has obviously fallen some, and of the 11 I caught today, all were somehow related to at least some water depth.  It might have been a little bit better up lake but the wind was howling right down the pike, making it tough to fish properly.  But any time you can catch a big fish is a good trip.  So many of the better fish are looking pretty post spawn thin, but the good one today was solid and heavy, the biggest one I have caught in a while.

                                         Best I could do on the swim jig.

Now  I will be watching for that cloudy, rain, drizzle day, with light wind, and it will be a buzzbait extravaganza.  Coleto is a good buzzbait lake and now is the time.  I like to catch fish all ways, any fish, but having a big one eat a buzzbait is right up at the top of my list.  When it happens, and you see it like today, there is an instant where your mind goes, did I just see that?   Nothing more to say about that!

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Congrats to Miles Davis from Texas A&M as the first pick in the NFL draft.  I hope it all goes well for him, he seems like a good guy, but he has a tough row to hoe.  Cleveland has toiled in less than mediocrity for decades, so good luck with  that.  Dallas took a defensive end, which was surprising and not quite what they need.  But after last years draft success we have to give them the benefit of the doubt and see how that works out.

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I actually participated in a little manual labor this week.  Hadn’t done much of that in while but it was good to help my buddy out, and will be doing so occasionally for the next little bit.  But it really drives home the old saying; “A bad day of fishing beats a good day at work!”

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Time to renew your CCA membership and Star Tournament.  Not only is it good for conservation of our coastal resources, but who knows, if you saltwater fish even a few times you need to send in your bucks.  I know a guy who a few years ago was the only guy in the boat without his membership and he caught a tagged red.  Nothing like knowing you could have won a boat and truck if you would have just taken care of it.  There are tagged redfish released in our area every year and you never know.

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So today was all good considering.  Having Coleto is a great fall back position if the wind really howls like it did today.  Hopefully we are about to get out of that pattern and into the summer, minus the heat.  When I went to put the boat on the trailer I had the truck parked in the shade, and it was 91 degrees.  So like it or not summer is on the way.  And hopefully some serious bay fishing.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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

I am watching some guy in India catching a giant catfish called a gooch.  Cracks me up when they try to turn freshwater fish into man eaters, sorry but I ain’t buying it.  Tomorrow it is off to the bay.  The weather looks good, the tide is ok, and the active period is perfect, especially if you do not like getting up early.  I will still try to be there at daylight throwing that topwater.  Hopefully I will catch a couple of good redfish tomorrow.  So where I am starting is up in the air, it will just be across the bay and out on the island somewhere.  It is pretty apparent if I want to catch a good red I need to fish some new stuff.  It is looking good, can’t wait to see how it works out.  (After I got this done my buddy Jeffish called needing help tomorrow but I was able to weasel out for the day.)

Weather

78/71  Sunny.  Ne wind shifting to SE 10 – 15mph.  0% chance rain.

Tides  (Lots of water.)

High   5:53 AM     0.7
Low  11:37 AM      0.5
High   2:58 PM     0.6
Low  10:47 PM     0.4

Solunar Times

Best  9:30am – 11:30am   (Notice the relationship with the falling tide?)

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The bay was completely flat when I stopped on a drain on the island and the water was super clear.  The tide was slowly going out, more of a subtle drop in the water level than moving water.  And the best thing was my buddy was needing help with his business and when he called last night wanting me to work Monday I whined and he agreed to start the project on Tuesday.  Unfortunately that takes away the last chance to fish Travis with SAJoe a day this week.  But back to the fishing.

This one went 4lbs+ on the boga, then a quick CPR.  A good fish.

I waded right to the drain and they were there.  I started with a Bagley Knocker B, and they were cooperating just fine.  I missed as many as I caught, but nothing beats trout knocking it a foot in the air, and then smoking it.  Nothing real big, but it was consistent for a couple of hours.

                             They were eating the Bagley Knocker B.

I caught an easy small limit on topwater and some shorts, so time to toss the Controlled Descent Lure.  Today I went with the Pink Limeaid jerk shad.  The did not seem to like it quite as much as the darker ones, but it was just like the other day, get a couple of bites on the topwater, then toss back in with the plastic and it was usually an instant bite.

                          Best I could manage as far as these guys went.

Basically I stayed with the topwater way to long, but hard to put it down when they are biting.  After fishing that area it slowed down so I moved farther down the island to an area we call Bikini Cut, nothing.   I made 1 more stop on the island, and just could not get it going.  The wind was still down, but the tide was dead low and the water wasn’t moving all that well.  Time for Barroom.

Once there the wind had the water with a slight chop, just perfect, but the water was definitely off color.  I threw the book at them, both in a foot and out to 4 foot on the Barroom shoreline, and other than the red above and another smaller rat, not another bite.  And both of them came after a long wade, right next to the boat.  Of course.

So time for old school.  For the first couple of years here most of my fishing was out of the boat using the trolling motor.  Into Big Bayou I went, which I have not fished in months, and I catch a small one on my second cast.  With the water barely moving I downsized to the 1/32 jig head and a small 3″ paddle tail in pearl/red flake.  Basically fishing the banks, the little deeper ones, the bite was not fast, but it was one or two here and there.

The afternoon bite out of the boat was slow but steady and some were good ones, including the one at the top of the blog.

I have no clue why the one above bleed so much.  It was hooked in the mouth and it swam away one happy fish.  If I were guessing, and I am, it was 7 or 8 on that small plastic and light jig head.  It has a place when the water is like that, clear and not really moving.  The fall rate is really slow, and today they wanted it jerked fairly quickly and stopped, most were there when I lifted up.  They seemed to be on the outside of any off color water, and most came out of 3 foot or more.

Once I started boat fishing there really wasn’t a rhyme or reason to where I caught them, it was just here and there.  Now normally I catch a red or two in there but not today.  So the day was a success.  I fished 7:30 to 3:30, and other than that one stretch around noon, it was good enough fishing for me.  And any time I catch one 4lbs is ok by me.  Before the day was over I caught them on 2 different small paddle tails, the Controlled Descent, and the Bagley Knocker B.  But I am still not “on them.”  Time to take a long day and head all the way down hitting Panther, Twin Lakes, Cottonwood, and Ayers.  Also time to take a look back at this month for the last 6 years, just might learn something.

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

Sorry things have been a little slow around here, but that is about to change.  I will be fishing more now that we are slowly getting out of our yearly stretch of wind.  From what I am seeing on the net right now, taking much of it with a grain of salt, there are some good trout being caught right now.  After catching that big one in December it has been a while.  So if anybody is due it is probably me.  But no matter what you can’t catch them sitting on the couch, unless you have one on the front end of the boat.

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

And I want to thank donf for his suggestion after my bout of vertigo.  I fit the profile and it did happen when I jumped out of bed, apparently not uncommon.  I have saved the site but hope I won’t get the chance to try it.  And of course I will have the Boss read it and get her 2 cents.  Thanks for the suggestion and good to hear from you.

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

I really enjoyed the day.  The weather was good, the wind was perfect, and it wasn’t to freakin’ hot.  And it helped the fish cooperated.  I need a few more days to start figuring it out a little better, and will try to get after that as soon as I am done helping my buddy.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Brought to you by 

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

It seems like the Gods did not want me to fish Friday, though the boat was hooked up to the truck and ready to go Friday morning.  Then I got a text from Jeffish and he had a guy quit his company and was wanting to know it I could help them out Friday.  So of course when your best friend asks for your help you respond, end of story.

So yesterday morning I hopped out of bed and almost fell on my face.  When I say I was dizzy that would be an understatement.  Now I was not feeling sick, but just so dizzy I could barely stand up.  One good thing about living with an emergency room is the Boss gave me the once over, and accept for the dizziness she said I would live and it was probably a case of vertigo.  I have seen folks in the ER in days past with vertigo, and it sucks.

So the Boss got me lined out, gave me some medicine and said this is how to get over it, get in bed and let the medicine work and sleep it off.  I have learned one thing over the years, she knows what she is doing, so back in bed I went.  5 hours later I woke up, and though I was feeling washed out, probably from the meds, the vertigo was gone.  She said there are several reasons it happens, and hopefully it was just a transient thing.  Being that dizzy sucked.  And not helping out Jeffish or fishing sucked even more.

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I got this comment from Kyle and I could not have said it better.

Love your reports, you , my friend are a “grinder”
Not sure how you don’t get burnt out .
Keep up the good work

Trust me, I do get burned out at times.  It takes a lot of effort, time, and money keeping this going.  Some days even if I am not feeling it I still head to the water.  Many a day I have thought about giving it up, then something spectacular happens that changes my whole perspective.  I might hear from a new sponsor, catch a big fish, share a good report, or meet a new friend, all of which motivates me to keep on blogging.  Plus, where else would I have the freedom to rant poetically?  And thanks for the compliment, I am a grinder.  As I love to say, the more I fish the luckier I get.  Glad to know you are out there and comment anytime the mood strikes you.

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Get Inhaled!

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I did want to say something about fishing the Controlled Descent Lures that I might not have made clear in yesterday’s post.  When I say it fishes differently, it does, it is different from other plastics.  You can still put a heavy jig head on it and bounce it on the bottom just like any other plastic, but then that is missing the whole point as far as I am concerned.

First there is a difference in fishing it in fresh and saltwater.  Saltwater is heavier and often the air contained in the foam pocket is almost enough to float it.  That is why I have been using the weighted swim bait hooks.  It allows me to adjust the weight based on everything from wind, tide, and whether it is mono, fluoro, or braid, to get it where it needs to be at the speed they want it.  And the thing that I like a lot is that with the swim bait style hook it suspends horizontally, something no other plastic does that I know about.  Using it requires some thought and then adapting to what the fish want.

Wednesday was a perfect example, they wanted it right below the surface and fairly fast, so I used a heavier hook, which kept it from coming to the top.  Come next winter it would be a lighter hook fished a lot slower.  Then you can adjust the foam and the weight to get it down and keep it down if fishing in deeper water, while still letting it suspend.  And this summer if fishing deeper reefs it will be a bigger weight and fished a lot faster.  And of course using a lighter weighted hook when fishing over shallow grass and potholes.

Because that is what is comfortable for me does not mean it may be the way you like to work it.  An un-weighted hook and inserting lead and foam in the body cavity accomplishes the same thing, and it reduces the number of different hooks you need to carry.  I know this may sound a little complicated, but it is simply a matter of experimentation.  I still feel like it is a big fish bait, and hopefully my turn is coming soon!

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

I headed out with a honey do list Thursday morning with various stops on the way.  The Boss takes care of finances, (Not sure what I actually do around here.)  so there were a couple of checks for boat stuff.  First up it was TPWD to renew the LTS registration. That went fine but on my way to the clerk’s office to renew the LTS trailer plates it occurred to me that when I lost my plate quite a few months ago I thought I renewed the plates.  So when I got to the clerks they checked and they had not deleted the old plate.  Never assume something you get from the government is correct, they can not be trusted.  If I had not had them check who knows, I might have paid, and they would have taken my money, for a plate that does not exist.  Just wonder why they did not delete the old plate from their record the day I was there and told them it was lost and paid to replace it.

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

And I wanted to share this comment from Jay.

Doug,

I know you had to have enjoyed that trip. I spent four drunken days in Sydney in my younger Army days while I was stationed in Korea. If I knew then what I know now, I’d have done a lot less bottle hugging in my younger days. But, I still got to go, when so many never have and I’m grateful for that! 52 countries.

I enjoyed the write up!

Good to see y’all made it back and you continuing your write ups.

Try to remember to send ya something after my cajun trip begins Saturday.

Jay

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

So that is it for a Saturday morning, sorry for no fresh reports, stuff happens.  I have several fishing things cooking this week, so it is time to make some decisions about where.  The fish are biting most everywhere in Texas, and just like travel, so many places so little time.  So I will recuperate a little today,  yesterday was tough.  It really does lend credence to the old saying;  “It is hell getting old!”  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff. There is more fishing to come – I promise!

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!**

Time for some Saltwater Fishing

We just got back in town from a quick trip to Port Aransas.  We love staying at the Tarpon Inn, the history and pictures from the tarpon heyday are amazing.  But it is pretty easy to see why the tarpon just quit stopping there in mass for decades.  Most of the tarpon taken were an easy 100lbs plus, mature breeding fish.  They were taken by the thousands over the years and the effects were devastating, but fortunately they are now back every year on their migratation and becoming more prevalent.

One of the (my) reasons for going was to stop at Roy’s Bait and Tackle, one of my favorite tackle stores.  But guess what?  They were closed.  Must have been on vacation.  Fortunately the store on Port Aransas was open and I was happy to find the new Rapala Skitter V walking the dog bait.  The shape has a keel/v like a boat, and according to the package will switch directions on a dime and then glide much further than a regular Spook or Skitterwalk.  So we shall see what all the hype is about.  (Report:  It caught fish just fine.  It walked the dog basically like every other bait of that style.  So no complaints but unless you just want one save your money.  I did not find anything special or different about it.)  After a big absence from the salt I will get a chance to use it in the morning when I am waist deep in the bay.

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Get Inhaled!

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Weather

78/71  Partly cloudy in the a.m. with possible scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon.  Chance of rain 40%  Wind out of the SE 10 – 20.  (An easy 20 most of the day.)

Tides

Low   5:58 am  +0.3     High  4:53  +0.9

Solunar Times

Best   5:40 – 7:40 am      Good   11:29 am – 1:29 pm  (Yep)

It All Worked Together

Sometimes things work out, and today it did.  Not by the number or size of the fish but how it went.  A topwater, a Controlled Descent, my Wade Right Wading belt, and a pair of Cocoons.  All were equally important today and it actually made for an interesting day of wading.

I got to one of my favorite cuts on the island and jumped over the side.  The wind was coming over the island, and it was windy most of the day.  The water was clear and as I worked my way to the cut I could not buy a bite.  The water was a big up-low, and it was trying to work it’s way into the cut, and the wind was blowing it out the other way.

Wanting to try the new Rapala Skitter V I kept after it and finally caught one.  The fish were right in the middle of the cut, and were cooperating.

                 The Controlled Descent put them on the Boga today.

Here is the punch line and why it all was necessary.  First the Wade Right wading belt let me carry 2 rods, one for plastics and one for topwater for the bait and switch.  The topwater was getting bites, but only a couple in a place and then nothing.  So time for the Controlled Descent Lure.  A black/goldlimetruese rigged on a 4/o hook with a 1/8th belling weight on the hook.  I was fishing it just like I have been for bass, just jerking it right along.

The best of the day smoked that topwater.

So having the extra rod, with a topwater and the Controlled Descent, I was able to double up on them.  As they moved around in the cut, probably chasing bait, I would catch a couple on topwater, maybe miss one, and they would quit.  By following with the jerk shad I was able to put it right in their face and catch one or two more.  The Cocoons were critical because I was making long casts and it was hard to see the jerk shad, but you could see the trout materialize out of nowhere from 5 foot of water and eat it.

                     Nothing real big but they were willing for a while.

They were hard to hook and I confess I missed more than a few.  But I tricked some and as soon as they would quit I would move 20 feet and do it again.  They bit from the time I got there at 9:00 until I moved at 1:00.  I could have stayed catching them in the cut but the outside flat in front of the cut is one of my favorite flats, with a great mix of grass and sand.  There are usually some great reds there, but I have just not hooked up on any the last couple of trips.

                                            It all worked together today.

So after I finished a wade around the outside grass and potholes without a bite, I noticed the wind had laid some, and then I made a bad decision.  I headed to Barroom thinking there would be a light wind on it and I could catch some reds, but no, by time I got there the wind was back up and it was white capping.  I was hoping to catch a red, and I did give it a go, but not a bite on top or on the jerk shad.  So one last stop was in order.

It was a cut in Big Bayou where I caught a bunch of trout last trip, whenever the hell that was.  It only produced one small trout and 3 small reds, all on plastics.  So at 3:30 I called it a day.  The wind was blowing hard enough that I just did not feel like driving back out to the island.

It really did all have to work together today.  Giving them a one two punch worked great, reminded me of throwing back in with something different when you miss one bass fishing.  It really was cool to see them roll over on the jerk shad, and I should have caught some more, but it is just part of the learning curve with the Controlled Descent Lure.  It really is something different for me in the plastic line.  It fishes different, and one thing I have really learned is having a variety of weighted hooks with screw locks is really important.  Wind, tide, depth, water color all play a part of fishing it visually, which is the way I like to get em!

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

Over the years I have commented that I believe that guides should pay more for the privilege of making a living with a public resource.  If you have not read me before understand one thing, I guided for almost 20 years, been there done that one.  When I started I was getting $45 a day when I provided the boat and $30 when guiding for a trout dock.  Basically I was barely scraping by.  So it would have been tough to pay more, I understand that.  I just felt, and still feel, that it is fair for guides to pay more. It always struck me as unfair that I was only paying for my guide license and the state was providing me with a free resource to make a buck.  If you reduce it to its base, making money as a guide involves taking a pubic resource that we have all paid to bring back and manage and selling it to customers.   I am not anti-guide, hell I occasionally get the itch, good thing I am old enough to know better.  But to go along with that, to bad we can not trust our government to use any increase in license fees or other taxing methods and place it back on the resource, that would be way to much to ask.  So here is why I brought this up right now.

The April 14th issue of the Lonestar Outdoors News has an article on the front page entitled Taxing Guides.  First, if you are a guide you need to pick up a copy immediately.  Calhoun County will start taxing the value of the goods you use in your guiding business, rods, reels, boat, etc.  And that applies to any guide, full or part time, that operate in Calhoun County.  As an example if you were operating in POC or Seadrift on January 1 this year no matter where you live you should have assessed with the county by April 15th.  If you are guiding you will be taxed just like any other business, so get ready.  And according to the article they are cross referencing those people who bought a Texas Parks and Wildlife guiding license.  I feel your pain but it is coming whether you stick your head in the sand and try to slide by, or you suck it up and do the right thing.  I represented lots of clients over the years who thought if they just did nothing, nothing would happen.   Thanks to Lonestar Outdoors News, pick up a copy today, always a great read.

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And speaking of Port A, we always hit Roy’s and then drive on the island over to Port A.  On the way, just outside of town on the right, there is one of the fancy golf resorts with the ridiculously priced houses.  In fact, it is where the golf cart bridge crosses over the road.  At the resort, Palmilla Beach Golf Club, is The Black Marlin Bar & Grill.  Passing by it many times I wanted to stop but thought it might be a little high falutin for my tastes.  Well I could not have been more wrong.  Happy hour was 3 – 7 with delicious apps half off and drinks were reasonable.  The food was great and with 2 drinks was well within my comfort zone.  And the help was great.  So if you are looking for a place to eat on the island give them a go, it was good.

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I really had a good time today.  They moved, I moved.  They missed, and I tricked them.  It was way cool to see them roll up, I love that.  There was lots of bits and the action was consistent.  So there will be lots more salt in my future, starting to get my mojo back.  As our winds start to subside the topwater bite could last all day with the right clouds.  It will be watch the weather, then go.  There are lots of other places that should be loaded right now.  And I am still waiting for a couple of days on the Laguna.  And I appreciate all of you who take time out of your life to read my stuff.  Keep stopping in.

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!**

I was working on the trailer lights when Jeffish and his son Korbin stopped by.  He came up with a solution to the problem, at least most of it.  Of course he had ulterior motives, Korbin wanted to go bass fishing.  So since we were legal how could I resist.

Bass fishing with lures is not the best thing for fishing with small kids, and while Korbin had a go at it, he is just not quite old enough.  He loves catching fish, the operative word, catching.  But hey we gave it a go.

We got to the lake at about noon, and it was already hopping.  The parking lot was filling up, as was the camp ground.  Jet skiers, skiers, and pleasure boats were already out in force.  The weather was perfect for enjoying the lake.

Fish number 1.  Beautiful day.

We started on a main lake bank and I thought the best bait for Korbin would be a topwater, a Pop-R type bait, no problem detecting a bite and easy to fish.  Jeffish started with a Texas rigged craw, and I kept with the Controlled Descent pearl jerk shad.  I put a couple in the boat in the first area, and on our second place Korbin had one smoke the topwater, but it came off.  I caught another 1 there then we decided to head up lake to our old stomping grounds.

This guy was a freakin’ cannibal!  That is Korbin’s thumb next to the baby bass this guy puked up.

By this time Korbin was losing interest, he gave it the old college try but it was just not enough action to keep him entertained.  Meanwhile Jeffish put on a swim jig and got a couple of bites so I put one on and we started having a little action.  He was throwing the crawdad look and I threw the white.  They were close to the bank and most of them just smacked it.  Jeffish did get bambozzled by one that swam 15 feet towards him and he just kept reeling wondering what was wrong with his bait.

                                           Jeffish got it going on the swim jig.

Before it was over we caught 9, nothing big, but an ok result for 4 hours in the middle of the day.  Korbin did not catch one, and that is all about the attention span of a 6 year old.   Shortly after he wanted to go home we hit the road, the last thing you want to do is make them stay.  But he is a little tough guy and we will keep taking him occasionally, and he will get the hang of it.   Fun to get out with them as they keep busy and we don’t get to fish together as much as we like to.

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We got back in one cove today and it was just literally overflowing with tilapia.  Jeffish likes to shoot them so he and Korbin went out for a little this morning and here is a quick report.

The tilapia spot from yesterday had wind blowing in it and chocolate colored. They weren’t coming up to the top so we found a spot out of the wind. Beds everywhere but being out of practice I only brought 4 in. The one here is the smallest of them.

Nice job boys!

The tilapia are everywhere right now.  So if you like to bow fish now is the time.  Just ease back into the back end of any cove and watch, they are in most of them.  Plus some good eating can be the result.

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And just a reminder, that law enforcement will be out in force this weekend.  Time to take stock of the important stuff.  Trailer bearings ok, life jackets, registration and paperwork in order, fire extinguisher and flares, there is tons of stuff to take a look at this weekend.  Game and Fish was out on Coleto yesterday so be advised no matter where you are, get your stuff together.  I just had the head to toe check at POC last month, it happens.  So take some time to look it all over, then spend a little money to get up to snuff, or you can just hand it over on a ticket.  Your choice.  Plus, it would really suck if you had to get off the water because of it.

And to go along with that, it is a “be nice” weekend.  Everybody and his brother are out there, our weather is just fantastic right now.  So be the bigger guy at the ramp and on the water.  Lots of folks on their first trip to the water this spring so be patient.  And watch for folks having boat trouble, a common occurrence this time of year.  Stop and help if you can, it will come back to you in spades.

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Get Inhaled!

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Makes a grandpa proud!

My grandbaby Mia.  She loves her fishing and we will be fishing together on Lake Travis in a little more than a month.

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One of the things I really enjoy about watching MLF fishing is seeing how they dissect a body of water and try to catch as many fish as possible.  If I had to describe my style of fishing that would be it.  Keep your bait in the water and keep the faith.  I find my myself often fishing what I know will work, sometimes to my deterement as far as big fish go.  My wife describes that place, both in life and fishing, as your warm and fuzzy spot.  It is hard to get out of that spot at times but it goes back to the old adage that is applicable to fishing;  “A bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush.”  Hard to get off what is working sometimes.

Another thing I like even more than that about the show, which we can all take away from watching that format, is that “guess what?” – There may be 6 or 8 of the best bass fishermen on the planet, and usually one or two will have a tough day.  All fishermen should find some comfort in that.  We may not be the best fishermen in the world, but the pros have their tough days too, it is still fishing.

And last, I see guys post on Facebook some really nice big fish, and some of them are really good fish.  But I never see their “We went today and it didn’t work out.” post.  Easy to just put the big ones up, but unfortunately that is not how every day goes.  And I notice one other thing that is common with that kind of big fish post, notice how they never tell you where or what they caught it on?  That is one thing I take pride in with this blog, I can not catch them with the best of them and tell you about how with my superior skill I managed to screw it up.  We can learn just as much from a not so successful trips as we can from a successful trip.

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That is all for today.  I am still having a little vacation blues.  Hard to get motivated from all that, but some serious fishing should help.  I spent the morning detailing the boat, it needed it.  I will leave it to everyone else to enjoy the water today.  It looks like a perfect weekend to be on the water or in the outdoors doing whatever floats your boat.  I on the other hand will get up the Sydney post, watch some fishing and MMA, and get ready to get back at it as soon as the weekend traffic clears out.  I hear those speckled trout and reds calling me.  Have a safer and fun weekend and keep stopping in.  Thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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

Day 3

It was supposed to be cloudy all day and finally clearing, and that is exactly what the weather did.  The end of 2 days of rain and clouds with clearing does not bode all that well for the day.  I took it easy this morning, the bite has been in the afternoon, and it played out just like it has the last couple of days when I fished the lake.

I started way up lake, and other than one small one pitching, and a couple of small ones on spinnerbait, it was a bust.  The water is quite off-color and it is hard to guess whether that had something to do with the lack of bites up lake, or it is just an afternoon bite.  So after not doing all the much I went back to the Controlled Descent pearl jerk shad and stuck with it the rest of the afternoon.  It was 3 here, 4 there, 1 on this point, 3 in the back end, it was a consistent bite even if they ran smaller today.

               They bit the Controlled Descent pearl jerk shad all afternoon.

The bite really started about 1:00 after I headed down lake to a little clearer water and they were biting when I called it a day at 4:00.  Of course they wanted it differently today.  It was a steady jerk/pause working it sub- surface like you would walk the dog with a Spook.  Remember it is critical that you make sure the jerk shad is on there as straight as possible so it glides and not spin.  I have been using a hook with a keeper and a 1/16oz weight on the shank and it is important to let it sink just a second before working it.  The belly weight on the hook will keep it up right and walking nicely.  It takes a minute to get a good cadence, and it is all about having it on there straight.  Not a one took a pass at it when  I stopped it, they just wanted a nice regular cadence.

                                  I missed the only big fish bite I got all day.

Now using it that way I definitely missed more fish when moving it along today.  Several materialized out of nowhere half way back and just did not get it, or at least I missed them.  Unfortunately I made a big mistake, the kind that drives a tournament fishermen crazy.  A really big fish, the only one I saw in 3 days, came out of an isolated  bush and rolled on the Controlled Descent and did not hook up.  I was ready and tossed a watermelon red senko back on her and she ate, and I did not get a hook in her.  No excuses, should have been a slam dunk.

The lake is definitely clearing and holding steady.  A lot of the water temps over the lake are in the high 70’s.   I have learned a couple of things that are applicable to the lake right now.  First, though I did not pitch much today, that is really the way to go as it has been for me the last couple of summers.  There are multiple banks on the lakes with deep water and heavy cover, the place to be right now.  Second, there are still fish in the coves, but they are getting smaller by the day as the lake heads into a summer pattern.  We are a month early this year and it shows.

I did not fish all that well today.  Got a little to hung up on places that are just done for the spring, at least as far as the big fish go.  And since I only had one bite from a really big fish, obviously I need a change of tactics.  It is apparent that being gone I probably missed the best fishing with the Controlled Descent Lure, a great bait for shallow bass, it sure did put them in the boat the last couple of days.  Funny how when you catch 20+ in a short day and am not really happy with the results.  All in all I could have fished better.

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Get Inhaled!

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Thanks to a couple of Jims, and few others, for your welcome back.  It is good to be back on the old stomping grounds, but I am still feeling like some fish catching travel.  I have a couple of things in the works and we will just have to see how the timing works out with everything else going on around here.

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As soon as I hit publish it is out to the boat and see just why in the hell I have running lights but no brake or turn signals on the Mako trailer.  When I changed both boats over to LEDs a couple of years ago I have not had any problems.  If I were guessing it is either a ground issue or a plug issue.   First I will just back up and hook on to the Carolina Skiff and make sure they work, probably the quickest way to ascertain whether it is a plug problem, ground problem, or a problem with the Mako trailer.  And while I am at it check and grease the hubs and make sure nothing in the compartments is wet from being in the rain a couple of days.   Owning boats is a never ending process that takes time and money.  I really should not complain, when you fish over 150 days a year stuff is going to fail, it always has and always will.

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Not sure what or where is next, but time for some wading.  Our wind has stayed up, it often just turns into putting on your big boy pants and just go.  Occasionally being able to pick your days is a good thing, and other times it is easy to let time pass and then  you wonder why you haven’t been.  The wind usually is just a hassle on the ride, but once in the water can be managed.  Plus, I want to get in some topwater fishing, this is usually the best time of year for it other than late fall.  So off to get some stuff done so it can be back on the water.  Keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines