Warming Water Ups the Ante for Anglers

Reported by CAPT. EDDIE HERNANDEZ

Email Eddie Hernandez at ContactUs@fishgame.com

AS WE EASE INTO the late spring and early summer months on Texas’s upper coast, we are blessed with vast amounts of pretty, warm water and an endless array of fishing patterns, techniques, destinations and opportunities.

Just about every inshore species are beginning to bite as the water consistently continues to warm. From Galveston Bay to Sabine Lake, deciding where to go is often the toughest part since the bite should be on from the Sabine River to the Bolivar rigs.

If that decision brings you to the lake itself, finding trout, reds and flounder shouldn’t be that difficult.

Several different paths will lead you to the fish. On Sabine Lake, the number of bayous you’ll encounter on the eastern side from Blue Buck Point to East Pass should keep things interesting. Bouncing soft plastics off the bottom or dragging curl tail grubs, live mud minnows or finger mullet in one to six feet of water should work well.

Fishing the mouths of these bayous can be killer on trout, reds and flounder as the warm water and bait fish move in and out with the tide. Another option is to run the open bay in search of schooling trout and reds.

Whether gulls and terns are giving up their coordinates or you just find shrimp skipping along the surface and fish blowing up the calm water, this is an action-packed way to spend the day. Topwaters, spoons, rattletraps, plastics and just about anything else you can reach the fish with, will get hit.

The action is fast and furious while it lasts. Fish the area a little longer after they go down, then continue to run the lake slowly, watching the surface carefully for any sign of activity. A good pair of binoculars will definitely come in handy here. Oyster reefs and clam beds can also be major players, especially as the water temperatures first begin to rise.

The month of May is a great time to concentrate your efforts on areas such as Hanna’s Reef, Fat Rat Pass or the giant oyster super structure that covers just about the entire south end of Sabine Lake.

Sand eels and other baitfish are attracted to these reefs and use them for nutrition and protection. Naturally, the abundance of bait that the reefs hold will attract and hold the big, mean predators as well. Before the water temperature really heats up, we like to bounce big, long, and soft plastics over the shell. The longer baits emulate the size and shape of the sand eels, which are usually some of the first to show up on the big reefs.

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LOCATION: Galveston East Bay
HOTSPOT: Deep Reef
GPS: N 29 30.802, W 94 40.581
(29.5134, 94.6764)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, live croaker or live Piggy Perch
SOURCE: Capt. Mike Williams
713-256-9260
TIPS: There should be some outstanding fishing around the reefs the around the water flowing in from around the jetties…the near entrance reefs. Use a popping cork with live shrimp under it.

LOCATION: Galveston East Bay
HOTSPOT: Willies Head Island
GPS: N 29 32.155, W 94 48.5239
(29.5359, -94.8087)

SPECIES: Speckled trout
BEST BAITS: Super Spook & Baby Spooks
SOURCE: Capt. Paul Marcaccio
281-788-4041
TIPS: Fish the Super Spook in water that is choppy; fish the Baby Spook on calmer water.

LOCATION: Galveston Trinity Bay
HOTSPOT: Dollar Reef
GPS: N 29 26.339, W 94 52.356
(29.4390, -94.8726)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, live croaker or live Piggy Perch
SOURCE: Capt. Mike Williams
713-256-9260
TIPS: Capt. Williams says the best fishing along the jetties is from boat cut out, along the Gulf side.

LOCATION: Galveston West Bay
HOTSPOT: San Luis Pass Flats
GPS: N 29 04.957, W 95 7.425
(29.082617, -95.12375)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, live croaker or live Piggy Perch
SOURCE: Capt. Mike Williams
713-256-9260
TIPS: Capt. Williams prefers the Bass Assassin soft plastics in a pink/pearl, chartreuse/pearl, or chartreuse//gold along with a 1/8 oz. jig head.

LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay
HOTSPOT: Long Reef
GPS: N 28 40.3879, W 95 53.0899
(28.6731, -95.8848)

SPECIES: Speckled trout
BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics
SOURCE: Capt. Tommy Countz
271-450-4037
TIPS: In June, drift an area that we call the Log, which is south of Half Moon Shoal, not to be confused with Half Moon Reef.

LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay
HOTSPOT: Three Mile Reef
GPS: N 28 38.1, W 95 56.449
(28.6350, -95.9408)

SPECIES: Speckled trout
BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics
SOURCE: Capt. Tommy Countz
271-450-4037
TIPS: We will either throwing live shrimp or a 1/4 ounce, maybe a 3/8 ounce lead head in either Black Magic or Chicken-On-A-Chain.

LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay
HOTSPOT: Raymond Shoal
GPS: N 28 40.449, W 95 53.898
(28.6742, -95.8983)

SPECIES: Speckled trout
BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics
SOURCE: Capt. Tommy Countz
271-450-4037
TIPS: Raymond Shoal on the east end of the bay is like one big reef. You can drift for over a mile.

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay
HOTSPOT: Greens Bayou
GPS: N 28 31.094, W 96 12.617
(28.5182, -96.2103)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Small soft plastics in a translucent color
SOURCE: Capt. Kendall Kersh
979-248-1871
TIPS: Focus on finding bait activity…no activity you usually are not going to catch any fish.

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay
HOTSPOT: Maverick Bayou
GPS: N 28 34.592, W 96 3.625
(28.5765, -96.0604)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Small soft plastics in a translucent color
SOURCE: Capt. Kendall Kersh
979-248-1871
TIPS: Capt. Kersh’s favorite soft plastic color is white. “I use something a little more translucent, keying in on the grass. Use a 1/8 oz. jig head.”

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay
HOTSPOT: Golds Bayou
GPS: N 28 35.328, W 96 2.286
(28.5888, -96.0381)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Small soft plastics in a translucent color
SOURCE: Capt. Kendall Kersh
979-248-1871
TIPS: During the month of May Capt. Kersh is wading two to three feet of water looking for trout.

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay
HOTSPOT: Cottons Bayou
GPS: N 28 31.094, W 96 12.617
(28.5182, -96.2103)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Topwaters
SOURCE: Capt. Kendall Kersh
979-248-1871
TIPS: A small Skitter Walk, pink color, is about the only topwater Capt. Kersh will throw.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake
HOTSPOT: Jetty Tower
GPS: N 29 39.314, W 93 49.872
(29.6552, -93.8312)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, live croaker or live Piggy Perch
SOURCE: Capt. Mike Williams
713-256-9260
TIPS: Silver or gold Johnson Sprites and either the 51m704, 51m54 or 51mshp MirrOlures will take their share of trout in May.

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A Guide, a Bully, and a Butt-Whuppin’

ROCKPORT AREA

Reported by CAPT. MAC GABLE

Email Mac Gable at captmac@macattackguideservice.com

Or Visit Online: macattackguideservice.com

 

IF YOU HAVE AN AVERSION toward conflict or colorful metaphors, then keep turning the page—this article is not for you.

You’ve been warned.

A certain client had a reputation in guide circles of frequently being difficult—to put it mildly. He was loud, foul-mouthed, and liked to push folks around to get his way.

His nickname was “Storm,” which was apt as he would often fly off the handle. Nor was he shy when he bragged about his exploits. So, for most guides, he wasn’t the first choice as a client.

Ninety-nine percent of clients are great people: they are true sportsmen, polite and a real joy to take on the water. However, in every line of work there is always one rude, crude, annoying, small-minded jerk.

Storm fit this definition to a bonafide tee. So far, I had been lucky enough to steer clear of him while others had not been as fortunate. That was to change.

The fishing day was made for success. Most guides worth their salt were catching their limits of multiple species. It was good times!

I was off this day, looking forward to sleeping in, but as luck would have it, a guide friend needed help with a dead battery. I was therefore up and out early, spare battery in hand, headed to a local boat ramp. (I probably would have been up anyway, I kept telling myself.)

Despite the great fishing ahead, the mood at the dock wasn’t its usual sunny disposition. Instead, it was, shall I say, a bit STORMY!

It seems everyone’s favorite was in attendance and up to his usual antics. He berated a lady walking her dog, saying “Keep that flea bag away from me or your gonna be in the market for a new mutt!” He then verbally attacked an older couple whom he felt parked too close to his jacked-up truck.

Another angler who frequents the boat ramp said “It’s a boat ramp! Everybody parks close.”

“Mind your own damn business OLD MAN, and you better get that mad look off your face before I knock it off!

I might just let you try, I was thinking to myself as I handed my friend the battery.

“A little bit of him goes a long way,” my friend said under his breath.

“Where the hell is my guide?” Storm hollered.

The lucky guide this day was a middle-aged man I’ll call “Cory.” He hadn’t been a guide long and was a bit of a loner. He was disarmingly courteous. If good manners and comportment were the measure of a man, he was that.

He was short, stocky, and built for power. I had seen him lift the back of a boat, motor and trailer with a broken axle to help another angler.

“Expect me to go out in that piece of crap boat?!” Storm exclaimed.

Cory’s expression never changed. “It’s all I’ve got sir, and it will serve you well.”

The insults continued as Storm picked up a rod and reel, glared at it, and tossed it on the dock. “Your reels look like hand-me downs.

“Please don’t throw my gear around,” Cory said.

“Watch your mouth boy. I’ve pushed little boys like you out of the way trying to get to a real man!”

Everybody has a line that is a deal breaker, and I had a feeling this bully was about to cross the line.

“I am Da Man on this trip! What I say goes, you got that boy?”

“Yes sir,” Cory said with a smile.

“You laugh at me boy, and you’ll get a beating ten types of antiseptics won’t fix, and you can crawl back to that @##$%% you call a wife!”

As he shoved Cory in the chest, the intensity in Cory’s face was what I remember. I never saw the punch.

I heard two hits. Cory hit Storm, and Storm hit the bottom of the boat. I ran toward the scene as Cory bent over Storm. I thought he was gonna finish him.

Instead, after the bully revived, Cory said, “I am sorry, but someone needed to teach you some manners. Don’t ever talk like that about my wife or my kids again, please.”

There was no fishing trip this day, but a lesson was learned. Do I promote or suggest violence? NO! Yet sometimes, it’s unavoidable.

Bullying happens at every level in our society, and our hunting and fishing industry is no exception. Some believe simply walking away to defuse the situation is the answer. Others say seek help. Still others say stand up and fight back.

The reality is you or a loved one will probably encounter this kind of coercion. So, it’s best to decide beforehand how you choose to deal with it.

•  •  •

MAY AND JUNE are golden months, not too hot or too cold. The bull tides are happening or have happened and fishing for multiple species is very productive.

Use multiple baits and a wide variety of lures. Gaff tops are plentiful, are not hard to clean and make good table fare.

Copano Bay: I target reds early morning and trout as the day wears on. Finger mullet for reds on a free line is hard to beat. Use croakers freelined for trout.

Work the area around Redfish Point for reds and Shellbank Reef for trout. Some black drums still frequent the mouth of Mission Bay. Live shrimp under a silent cork being best to rake them in.

Aransas Bay: Grass Island Reef is a great spot for trout using croakers freelined. Allyn’s Bight is a good spot for reds using cut mullet or finger mullet on a light Carolina rig.

St Charles Bay: The back of Cavasso Creek is a good spot for black drum and flounder on fresh dead shrimp on a light Carolina rig. Big Sharp Point is a good spot for reds on a bubble cork and live shrimp. On high tide, fish close to the grass edges.

Carlos Bay: Drifts across Carlos Lake with a rattle cork and live shrimp work well for trout. The mouth of Carlos Trench near Beldon Dugout is a good spot for reds using finger mullet freelined.

Mesquite Bay: The east shoreline adjacent to Cedar Bayou is good for trout using freelined croakers. Live shrimp jigged across the bottom works well for flounder.

The area known as East Pocket is a good place for black drums using fresh, dead shrimp. A south wind here helps. This is heavy shell so a free line or a popping cork works best.

Ayers Bay: Ayers Reef is a good spot for trout using freelined live shrimp. Wades near Second Chain using soft plastics in nuclear chicken and morning glory colors work well for trout and reds.

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Mid Coast Leaps into Summer

CORPUS CHRISTI AREA

Reported by CAPT. JOEY FARRAH

Email Joey Farah at jfarah@gmail.com

 

MAY AND JUNE  are always a leap of excitement into our Summer Fishing Season here in the bays of the Coastal Bend. Anglers may choose from miles of Gulf beaches and Jetty fishing, endless public bay fishing access, and some of the state’s most famous remote back bay fishing destinations.

With all the excitement, it’s important to remember to respect other sportsmen and our resource.

When the waters along the beachfront are calm, anglers flock to the surf to throw silver spoons, soft plastics, and hard baits. They hope to hook up with speckled trout and Spanish mackerel in the surf along Padre Island.

One of my favorite surf lures is the DOA Deep Water Bait Buster. This is a perfect and easy lure to consistently catch everything from specs to tarpon. Fishing the surf at high tide, especially when it occurs at sunrise or sunset will increase your odds of gamefish chasing bait up into the shallows.

When the waves are up, you can drive south along the National Seashore to hunt black tip, Atlantic sharp nose, and other mid-sized sharks from the beach. Specialized metal leaders will help land these fish as well as the absolute need for the use of circle hooks to ensure a clean release for sharks you don’t want to keep.

Cut mullet, stingray, and jack fish are the most popular dead baits, although many fishermen prefer live whiting. Walking the jetties in Port Aransas at first light with a top water plug is a great way to get your blood boiling with explosive topwater trout action. Taking the jetty boat to the north side of the channel can land you along some remote and spectacular light tackle action.

The Corpus Christi area is rich in public access for families and the most serious bay fishermen. Along the backside of Padre Island there are miles of shallow marshes and back lakes where anglers can walk or kayak into great ultra-shallow water fishing.

Start off at the Wilson’s Cut boat ramp, or the Fish Pass Trail in Mustang Island State Park. Start with a weedless DOA Topwater plug or a gold spoon for blind casting toward all signs of fish activity. This will usually cross your path with a redfish.

Sight casting at redfish, drum, trout and more demands that you stay in water less than shin deep. Multiple casts will spook fish, walk with the wind scanning into the water with the sun behind you. Look for pieces of fish, or colors that just don’t look like grass.

Predict the direction of the moving fish and softly present your lure, or small peeled pieces of dead shrimp to the gamefish. Practice makes a better angler in sight casting, but your heart never quits jumping out of your chest when you come face to face with a drum or redfish.

Some of my most consistent sight casting baits that are easy to master in only inches of water are the 1/4- and 1/2-ounce DOA Shrimp. This bait sounds like a shrimp landing in the water and will not spook reds in shallow water.

It floats with the hook up and can be dropped along the bottom in thick grass and doesn’t ball up with snags Redfish love to inhale the natural color patterns of red as well as the Near Clear versions.

Fishing along the Downtown shorelines of Corpus Christi is beautiful, easy, and productive for many species. Gafftop catfish swarm Corpus Christi Bay along all the structure in the downtown area. The T-head and L-head area as well as the many waterfront parks all have great access. Use dead shrimp, squid, and cut bait to find everything from croakers, whiting, sheepsheads and lots of mangroves.

Corpus Christi is the gateway to the most prolific bay systems in the state. The rich Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay areas have been my backyard for over 40 years, and it’s been an amazing 26 years of guiding others into this bountiful wild place.

I will host anglers on daily expeditions into untouched water. Learning the art of sight casting teaches us how, when and why gamefish feed. Drifting or walking silently across the flats allows us to watch giant redfish, trout, and black drums explode the water into whitewater as they peel drag from our light tackle. A long day here in the sun leaves you full in the heart.

Visit the Corpus Christi Area this summer and enjoy the Coastal Bend’s amazing fishery. Visit me on Facebook at Joey Farah’s Fishing or give me a call at (361) 442-8145 for any questions on fishing our waters.

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LOCATION: Aransas Bay
HOTSPOT: South Bay
GPS: N 27 54.282, W 97 3.254
(27.9047, 97.0542)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish
BEST BAITS: Live Croaker or Cut Mullet
SOURCE: Capt. Scott McCune
361-563-8862
TIPS: If it’s not windy I will be in deeper water areas going for trout, and redfish second.

LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay
HOTSPOT: Corpus Christi Bay Wells
GPS: N 27 44.764, W 97 11.141
(27.7461, -97.1857)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish
BEST BAITS: Live Croaker or Cut Mullet
SOURCE: Capt. Scott McCune
361-563-8862
TIPS: Capt. McCune is Carolina rigging croaker or shrimp, consisting of a small sliding egg weight and a Kahle hook.

LOCATION: Copano Bay
HOTSPOT: 40 Acre Reef
GPS: N 28 4.543, W 97 11.209
(28.0757, -97.1868)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish
BEST BAITS: Live Croaker or Cut Mullet
SOURCE: Capt. Scott McCune
361-563-8862
TIPS: Early in May if we can find live shrimp, we will be fishing shrimp in the potholes.

LOCATION: Port Aransas
HOTSPOT: Southeast Mud Island Shoreline
GPS: N 27 56.006, W 97 1.0041
(27.9334, -97.0167)

SPECIES: Black Drum
BEST BAITS: Cut menhaden and cut perch head, dead shrimp
SOURCE: Capt. Garrett Frazier
409-354-3865
TIPS: If you are looking for a meat haul you can catch a whole lot of black drum off the reefs of San Antonio if the wind is low

LOCATION: Redfish Bay
HOTSPOT: Lydia Ann Channel
GPS: N 27 51.11, W 97 3.298
(27.8518, -97.0550)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish
BEST BAITS: Live Croaker or Cut Mullet
SOURCE: Capt. Scott McCune
361-563-8862
TIPS: Heavy winds: fish for trout first on windy days, unless I’m on a big redfish school.

LOCATION: Redfish Bay
HOTSPOT: East Flats
GPS: N 27 48.991, W 97 7.139
(27.8165, -97.1190)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish
BEST BAITS: Live Croaker or Cut Mullet
SOURCE: Capt. Scott McCune
361-563-8862
TIPS: Capt. McCune’s go to bait in May is live croaker, but if he is on a good redfish bite, he will use dead mullet.

LOCATION: San Antonio Bay
HOTSPOT: Cedar Point
GPS: N 28 14.184, W 96 39.659
(28.2364, -96.6610)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics
SOURCE: Capt. Nathan Beabout
210-452-9680
TIPS: Capt. Beabout’s favorite soft plastic colors are Strawberry Wine and Pumpkin Seed fished with a 1/8 oz. jig head. “Vary the retrieve until you find what the fish want.”

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre
HOTSPOT: Pita Flats
GPS: N 27 35.066, W 97 17.658
(27.5844, -97.2943)

SPECIES: Black Drum
BEST BAITS: Dead Shrimp under a popping cork
SOURCE: Capt. Jack McPartland
361-290-6302
treblejcharters@yahoo.com
treble-j-charters.com
TIPS: The same terminal rigging will work for redfish, but probably cut mullet will work better than dead shrimp.

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Conservation is Key to Post-Freeze Fishing

Reported by CAPT. GERAD MERRITT

Email Gerad Merritt at GeradMerritt@gmail.com

Visit Online: ParadiseGuideServices.com

 

AFTER EXPERIENCING A HARD FREEZE along the Texas coast in February, fishing will look a little different this year. Each angler will have their opinion as to what should be done, and it will be up to them to choose their method of conservation.

This is going to be a learning year for everyone, even those who have fished through the last big freeze down south. Remember every year is different, and we are presented with new challenges we must overcome.

At this point, it appears Baffin Bay did not get hit as hard as some other coastal areas, but we should always remember to be as conservative as possible. In my opinion some of our fish moved down to the land cut during the freeze, and there’s no realistic way to tell how our specific fish did other than getting out there and fishing.

Typically, this time of year leads to successful fishing trips. Below I will tell you about my normal methods and what I will continue to try throughout this season.

Targeting structures and deeper water will be key on fish numbers. Wading the shallow flats and sight casting for “the one” will be best early in the mornings when the sun is just coming out and the water is heating up. We normally fish deep rocks and use croakers, because the trout are starting to change their diet.

As the croakers start coming in from the gulf, the trout and red fish have a hard time resisting the temptation to feed on them. Fishing the edges of rocks and structures allows the fish to ambush the baits.

Normally when doing this, I try throwing from the deep side to the shallow side if the wind allows. If the wind is not in your favor, you may have to improvise.

When I’m wade fishing this time of year, I start shallow and work deep as the sun heats the water. I continue to play with colors and like to use artificials that are going to sparkle and catch the sun light when fishing shallow.

As the sun rises and I move a little deeper, I tend to lay off my top waters and start working more sinkers and bigger paddle tails. With all that said, it’s not always going to work this way and just finding a rhythm and something you are comfortable with, can give an angler the confidence they need to keep moving forward. 

All in all, keep in mind new methods may be key this year, as we still do not know what effects the weather events had on our fish in Baffin Bay. Always remember to enjoy your time out on the water, be safe, and we wish good fishing to all anglers.

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LOCATION: Baffin Bay
HOTSPOT: Kennedy Shoreline
GPS: N 27 14.567, W 97 25.459
(27.2428, 97.4243)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Live Croaker or Live Shrimp
SOURCE: Capt. Daniel Land
361-876-7610
TIPS: The trout will start feeding on live croaker in May. Hook the croaker by the anal fin. Live shrimp under a popping cork over deep rocks works well.

LOCATION: Baffin Bay
HOTSPOT: Kieberg Point Rocks
GPS: N 27 17.337, W 97 35.202
(27.2890, 97.5867)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Live Croaker or Live Shrimp
SOURCE: Capt. Daniel Land
361-876-7610
TIPS: Freeline the croaker using a Bay Finger Chatter weight. You want just enough leader length to keep the bait off the bottom.

LOCATION: Baffin Bay
HOTSPOT: South Shore Rocks
GPS: N 27 14.436, W 97 33.568
(27.2406, 97.5595)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Live Croaker
SOURCE: Capt. Daniel Land
361-876-7610
TIPS: Berkley Gulp, white, under the popping cork will work if live shrimp are not available.

LOCATION: Laguna Madre
HOTSPOT: Yarbrough
GPS: N 27 12.779, W 97 23.85
(27.2130, 97.3975)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Live Croaker
SOURCE: Capt. Daniel Land
361-876-7610
TIPS: Use a 6/0 Mustad croaker hook when using croaker. Give a spot about 15-30 minutes. If you don’t have a taker by then, move on.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre
HOTSPOT: Cullen Channel
GPS: N 26 15.6, W 97 17.415
(26.2600, -97.2903)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Kelley Wigglers soft plastics
SOURCE: Capt. Joseph Prado
956-357-1301
TIPS: On calm days I like to throw Kelley Wigglers on a jig head.

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