IF I HAD TO PICK the one-month that is as close to a guarantee for loading the ice chest goes, it would have to be November.
Several factors help me arrive at this conclusion. For starters, the entire bay is absolutely loaded with shrimp. This in itself is probably the number one reason my confidence level is maxed out. Shrimp in the bay equals fish; plain and simple.
Whether you’re fishing the shoreline in 12 inches of water, or in the open bay, if you cast near an air-borne shrimp you are going to get bit. In fact, you may get bit a few times before you actually hook up, and that is not at all a bad thing.
It simply means the fish have one thing on their mind—eating!
Little things such as lead heads with very sharp hooks don’t seem to bother them at all. They are not going to let something so trivial stand between them and an easy meal.
Another thing we’ve got working in our favor in November is the decreasing water temperatures that the frequent cold fronts bring. When it begins to settle down after the front blows through, predator fish and baitfish alike will cruise the bay with newfound adrenaline. You can almost feel the bite before your lure hits the water.
Light northerly winds and high pressure are ideal conditions for scoring big in November. Low pressure, however, is probably the number one reason I would choose November as my “guarantee” month. Low, as in low fishing pressure, that is.
We all know there are no guarantees in fishing, hence the appropriate name, but having significantly less competition on the water greatly increases your chances. A big portion of the outdoorsmen who would typically be roaming the waters of Sabine will be settling into box blinds about the same time I roll into the boat ramp.
I am happy for them, and I’ll admit at times I’m a little jealous, but the rewards of staying home and fishing can be huge. As the crowds get smaller your window of opportunity gets bigger.
Having about half of the boats that would normally be on the lake when fishing is this good allows you to fish more spots that you know hold fish. The mouths of East and West Pass usually hold some of the biggest flounders of the year in November. Being able to work these areas thoroughly gives you the upper hand on catching some bonafide saddle blankets.
The same holds true for the lake. Being able to choose your flock of birds and have it to yourself can be the difference between limiting out early or really having to work for them. When it comes to fishing and fishing pressure on Sabine Lake in November, less is definitely more!
Location: Dick Dowling Park (Sabine Pass)
Species: Flounder, Reds, Whiting
Baits/Lures: Mud Minnows, GULP! Swimming Mullet, Fresh Dead Shrimp
Best Times: Moving Tides
Email Eddie Hernandez at ContactUs@fishgame.com
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