COASTAL FOCUS: Upper Mid Coast

COASTAL FORECAST: Rockport
August 25, 2017
COASTAL FORECAST: Matagorda
August 25, 2017

September’s Cooling Refreshes Hot Action

W e have been suffering from a lot of hot air for months, but it is now time for Mother Nature to turn down the heat.

By the end of September, the coastal regions of Texas have already received the year’s first notable northerly frontal passage which typically drops daytime coastal temperatures out of triple-digits and down into the 80s—even if it’s just for a little while.

The end result will be cooler water temperatures and less sunshine, which is usually provided by an increase in cloud cover. Repeating frontal passages along the Texas coast throughout September and October not only signals mild drops in temperature, but also moderate conditions. This influences the popular greening effect upon our coastal waters.

With autumn approaching, coastal anglers should anticipate the beginning of what could become some of this year’s most spectacular fishing, as they enjoy the benefits offered by cooler conditions and the reward of some heated action.

Summer’s hot weather can make things difficult for coastal anglers, and at times can be downright dangerous. You need adequate hydration to maintain physical activity throughout the day, and you should take precautions to fight fatigue from the extreme heat.

One thing you can do to address the heat issue is to break your fishing activities into two separate sessions—a morning session and an evening session. Another is to fish for only a half-day instead of the entire day. However, having to make concessions for the heat will not be necessary the farther we get into September.

As September’s temperatures begin to drop, coastal anglers will once again be able to spend the whole day fishing. Conditions will be more comfortable, which means you can spend more time on the water. It also means you’ll have a much greater chance at catching some of what the September fishing period has to offer—heavy trout and broad-shouldered redfish.

In addition to the cooler weather, September marks another transition worth noting, and that is a gradual rise in tide levels. Anglers should look for trout in many of the area back lakes as higher tides become more the norm, not the exception.

Start early morning sessions in shallow water with a presentation of small top-water baits. You should be able to catch trout on top waters all day long in the latter part of the month. Until then, start out in the shallows early with top waters, then move to deeper water as the surface bite subsides.

As you move out deeper, toss plastic tails primarily in brighter colors that will show up brilliantly in clean water. Pretty much any color combination containing chartreuse, white, or even limetreuse works extremely well.

Redfish encounters have been about average for this time of the year, but they should only become more heated as the month progresses. September’s redfish anglers will find they are more successful as they search for the red bite over soft sand and mild mud, with an occasional mixture of shell provided as structure.

September has historically been a popular time for anglers to engage redfish by sight alone. It’s not uncommon to find groups of redfish telegraphing their position either by creating that well known “mud boil” from their bottom-feeding activities, or by aggressively herding baitfish to the water’s surface. In either of these two scenarios, you could probably toss an empty hook into the pod and recognize immediate results, as the action is fast and furious.

If you wade fish in September, begin looking for your trout over grass beds while focusing your casts from the middle of the grass bed to the outside edges of the grass. The larger trout are often found on the outside edges where the sand meets the grass.

As for redfish, look for signs of their presence, follow the bait, and use what you’ve learned over the years to outsmart them. If you are new to wade fishing with artificial lures, the fishing action over the course of the next few weeks will offer you a chance to significantly boost your confidence. This time of the year is magical—a time that can certainly raise the bar for anglers of all levels wanting to improve their skills. Until next time, have fun out on the water, be safe, and be courteous.

Contact Capt. Chris Martin at 

bayflatslodge@gmail.com

or visit bayflatslodge.com

 

 

Email Chris Martin at bayflatslodge@gmail.com

or visit bayflatslodge.com

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