Time For a Saltwater Getaway

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Is anyone paying attention to the number of boats being dragged down the highway? From before dawn till late afternoon, even into the night, people are making tracks to their favorite destinations.

And with good reason.

First, summer vacation is here and parents can finally load the kiddos up and take the family for a nice saltwater getaway. That, coupled with the fact that the coastal bite is in full swing is what has everyone chomping at the bit for a piece of the action.

Here on Sabine Lake, Texas’s northernmost estuary, things are heating up nicely. The redfish bite is on early with topwaters from Madame Johnson Bayou southward to Blue Buck Point.

Switching to soft plastics once the hot June sun begins to penetrate should keep you in the action. Light colors such as glow and chartreuse rigged on 1/4 oz. lead heads work well. Throwing one rigged under a popping cork with about 20 inches of leader can also keep you in the game.

Pay special attention to areas where bait is present. Have your binocular handy and watch for gulls and terns working behind you.

Fish the perimeters a little deeper and slower for these bronze beauties. For trout, we spend a lot of time at the short rigs. Light winds and sandy green water usually equal nice boxes of trout.

On calm days when the current is not too strong, the trolling motor is all you will need to stay on the fish. If it’s choppy, however, a rig hook or anchor (with plenty of rope) is necessary.

Most of the time you can get by with a 1/4 oz. lead head but depending on the current and wind, you may need to go heavier. Mirrolures and Rat-L-Traps can also be real trout killers. Filling your live well with finger mullet and shad is never a bad idea either. Sometimes the fish get lockjaw when it comes to artificial baits as the water heats up in the summer months.

Keep an eye on your sonar because a lot of times the trout will be in tight groups for protection. They will also hang out around unseen structure that could be several yards from the legs of the platform. For flounders, work the mouths of the bayous on the Louisiana side of the lake. Move down the bank keying on areas where there is Roseau cane. Also, work any small cuts or points thoroughly. Throw GULP swimming mullet or other curl tail grubs tipped with peeled fresh shrimp.

Another good bet for flatties is the Causeway Bridge on the extreme south end of Pleasure Island. Both the Texas and Louisiana sides hold lots of nice flounders in June. Anchor on either side near the boat ramp and drag mud minnows or cut tail grubs tipped with shrimp. 

 

 

 

 

Email Eddie Hernandez at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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