Spring is Breaking on the Upper Coast

SABINE LAKE & PASS

Reported by CAPT. EDDIE HERNANDEZ

Email Eddie Hernandez at ContactUs@fishgame.com

 

THIS IS PROBABLY the most anticipated time of the year for most coastal anglers. March and April signify the end of another winter fishing season and the beginning of new hope, new life and new goals.

On March 20th, winter will officially be behind us, and we will all welcome spring 2022 like a long-lost friend. With every new day the air and water temperatures will continue to rise.

This spring is shaping up to be very exciting and productive for fishing along the upper Texas coast. Green water is beginning to make its way to Sabine more consistently.

Big tides and southerly winds are assisting the baitfish and shrimp on their journey into our beautiful ecosystem. Young shad, mullet, shrimp, crabs and sand eels are enjoying their new stomping grounds, and the big, mean, bully fish are more than happy to see them.

Finding this bait is becoming increasingly easier for us. That, in turn, means finding the predators more consistently is becoming a little easier also.

The early morning topwater bite is good and will continue to get better. Various points in the ship channel and the mouths of most bayous on the eastern shoreline of the lake are good starting points.

Fish the back side of an incoming tide and you should be in business. Walking the dog in two to five feet of water with a trusty topwater should entice some serious blowups. Soft plastics rigged on ¼- or 1/8-ounce lead heads should also produce strikes.

Trout, reds and flounder that are aggressively feeding will gladly accept plastics like Zoom Super Flukes, Down South Lures, H&H Cocaho Minnows and GULP Swimming Mullet and Shrimp. Great colors are glow, chartruese, Laguna Glass and Texas Roach.

Another high-percentage area should be from Blue Buck Point northward to Big Four Bayou. This is prime bait- and fish-holding real estate in early to mid-spring.

Hungry redfish and trout will cruise this shoreline as the baitfish ride the tide around Blue Buck Point. Soft plastics on ¼-ounce heads or rigged underneath a popping cork will get good results. Give it some good hard pops to get their attention and entice them to strike.

The flounder bite is also gaining momentum as big numbers are making their way back into the bay. Slowly dragging finger mullet or mud minnows in one to four feet of water over a mud point or ledge is always a safe bet.

If fishing with live bait is not your thing, dragging or softly bouncing soft plastics tipped with fresh dead shrimp should also work well. GULP Shrimp and Swimming Mullet with a single or tandem rigged set up is a great choice.

Colors that work well are White, New Penny and Chartreuse. Look for these fish to be near the points on either side of the mouths of the bayous on the eastern side of the lake or around the Causeway Bridge in two to six feet of water.

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GALVESTON

Reported by CAPT. DEREK YORK

Email Derek York at spotstalkerfishing@yahoo.com

 

A Great Time to be a Drifter 

HUNTING SEASON IS now over, and the weather still transitioning into Spring.

If you can get out when the weather is right and get some warmer temperatures and calmer days, March and April offer some of the best fishing of the year in the bay and at the jetties. 

In early springtime, redfish and spotted seatrout can be found on both mud and shell. I drift-fish most days with either shrimp under a popping cork or throwing soft plastics.

My presentation is slower on the colder days and a little faster when the sun is out and the temps are climbing. Mid-morning and early afternoon usually produce more when the water is warming up.

West Galveston Bay and some of the smaller bays in the upper Houston Ship Channel are still good this time of year. The wind doesn’t affect the water quality there as much as the rest of the bay system. However, the open water reefs are starting to hold good numbers of trout again, and the marshes and shoreline structure are great to target for those redfish.

The black drum spawn is in full swing this time of year. They can be targeted in most areas of deeper water around the jetties, gas wells and ship channels.

Cracked blue crab is the bait of choice soaked on the bottom. Use medium to heavy gear, as some of these fish can reach more than 50 pounds.

Large circle hooks and two- to six-ounce bank sinkers are key to keeping your bait in the strike zone. These bigger fish are usually located with a good sonar machine on the bottom. Check your baits often and make sure you have fresh bait because it makes all the difference in the world most days.

Springtime is also when sheepsheads start their spawning season around the passes. Both the north and south Galveston jetties provide some of the best sheepshead fishing there is.

Some of the heaviest fish are being caught this time of year. The past several years we have landed multiple fish over 10 pounds on my boat.

I usually target these fish with live shrimp under a popping cork right next to the rocks or on a bottom rig. For the bottom rig, I typically use a short section of leader around 10 to 15 inches, a small 1/0 circle hook and a ¼- to ½-ounce weight depending on the current.

I usually tell people they bite like crappie, usually a very light bite, but once hooked they put up a tremendous fight. And they make great table fare despite their “good looks.” With all these options this time of year, it is a great time to get the kids out on the bay during Spring Break and make some memories!

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MATAGORDA

Reported by CAPT. MARK TALASEK

Email Mark Talasek at MarkTalasek@sbcglobal.com

 

It’s Show Time

I’M DEFINITELY A fan of the warmer months. Hibernation during the winter is not my favorite time of the year.

My desired wardrobe consists of shorts, t shirt and flip-flops. I growl when I have to walk out of the house with a coat.

There is a limited amount of maintenance that can be done on your equipment before boredom begins to set in. I usually head south of the border a time or two to escape the cold.

You guessed it. I can’t wait for spring to roll around.

The Houston Fishing Show kicks off the start of a new season. I have been attending these for more than 30 years—since my dad started guiding in the 70s. It’s a good time to meet new friends and talk fishing.

Stop by and come see us. It’s a great way to see all the new fishing gear as well.

Cold fronts come less frequently. Water temperatures start to rise. A new hatch of shrimp hits the marshes. Bait fish refill the bay systems. Who wouldn’t get excited about working a top water along the shoreline after being cooped up most of the winter?

A lot of the sow trout lay their eggs this time of the year. Your chances of landing a personal best are higher.

Work your favorite top water slowly over the grass beds. Glass minnows migrate along the grass on incoming tides. Trout and red fish fill up their bellies after a long winter. Flounder migrate in from deeper gulf waters. They are one of the only fish that go offshore to lay eggs with the help of water pressure.

The bay is revitalized. Temperatures are mild. It’s a great time to be on the water.

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HotSPOTLight:

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LOCATION: Bastrop Bay
HOTSPOT: Bastrop Bay Shell
GPS: N 29 6.0005, W 95 10.0045
(29.1000, -95.1667)

SPECIES: Redfish
BEST BAITS: Norton Soft Plastics
SOURCE: Capt. Greg Brewer
832-435-3020
brewersguideservice.com
TIPS: A lot of times the redfish will start feeding in the afternoon as the glass min-nows start moving in. It’s usually a big feed up to sundown.

LOCATION: Chocolate Bay
HOTSPOT: North Shoreline
GPS: N 29 10.0065, W 95 9
(29.1668, -95.1500)

SPECIES: Redfish
BEST BAITS: Norton Soft Plastics
SOURCE: Capt. Greg Brewer
832-435-3020
brewersguideservice.com
TIPS: It it’s cold, use a paddle tail because it will have action on the retrieve. He uses a 3/8 oz. jig head mainly because he can cast it further.

LOCATION: Galveston Bay
HOTSPOT: Texas City Dike
GPS: N 29 23.0034, W 94 52.0064
(29.3834, -94.8668)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics, Corkys or Topwaters
SOURCE: Capt. Mike Williams
713-256-9260
galvestonfishinguides.com
TIPS: Use chartreuse and pearl with tons of gold. Pink is a second choice, with tons of gold.

LOCATION: Galveston East Bay
HOTSPOT: Yates Bayou
GPS: N 29 29.0091, W 94 36.0001
(29.4835, -94.6000)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Topwater baits and soft plastic shrimp tails
SOURCE: Capt. Paul Marcaccio
281-788-4041
gofishgalveston.com
TIPS: Capt. Marcaccio likes MirrOlure She Dogs and Baby Spooks in chartreuse or silver colors.

LOCATION: Galveston East Bay
HOTSPOT: North Shoreline
GPS: N 29 32.0038, W 94 30.0058
(29.5334, -94.5001)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics, Corkys or Topwaters
SOURCE: Capt. Mike Williams
713-256-9260
galvestonfishinguides.com
TIPS: Records show March is prime time for big trout.
LOCATION: Galveston East Bay
HOTSPOT: Anahuac Wildlife Refuge
GPS: N 29 33.0095, W 94 32.0044
(29.5502, -94.5334)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics, Corkys or Topwaters
SOURCE: Capt. Mike Williams
713-256-9260
galvestonfishinguides.com
TIPS: For a north wind, fish the north shoreline of East Bay, a south wind, south shore-line of West Bay.

LOCATION: Galveston Jetties
HOTSPOT: North Jetty
GPS: N 29 21.0045, W 94 43.0015
(29.3501, -94.7167)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics, Corkys or Topwaters
SOURCE: Capt. Mike Williams
713-256-9260
galvestonfishinguides.com
TIPS: The last 30 minutes of the day, any day, is the best time because most of the time that’s when the water is going to be the warmest.

LOCATION: Galveston Trinity Bay
HOTSPOT: Levee Flats
GPS: N 29 26.0102, W 94 54.0052
(29.4335, -94.9001)

SPECIES: Black Drum
BEST BAITS: Fresh frozen crab, dead or live shrimp
SOURCE: Capt. Mike Williams
713-256-9260
galvestonfishinguides.com
TIPS: Big time of the year, something that kids can catch on spring break.

LOCATION: Galveston West Bay
HOTSPOT: Anderson Ways
GPS: N 29 15.016, W 94 53.0158
(29.2503, -94.8836)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics, Corkys or Topwaters
SOURCE: Capt. Mike Williams
713-256-9260
galvestonfishinguides.com
TIPS: 98 percent of the time, state-record-caliber fish will come when you are wade fishing.

LOCATION: Galveston West Bay
HOTSPOT: Offats Bayou
GPS: N 29 16.680, W 94 51.079
(29.2779, -94.8513)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics, Corkys or Topwaters
SOURCE: Capt. Mike Williams
713-256-9260
galvestonfishinguides.com
TIPS: You aren’t going to get that close to big trout in a boat. No matter what boat you are in, you’ve got to be stealthy. It’s almost like hunting deer on a flat.

LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay
HOTSPOT: Chinquapin Reef
GPS: N 28 43.0165, W 95 47.0159
(28.7169, -95.7836)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Down South and Norton soft plastics, Super Spook Juniors
SOURCE: Capt. Glenn Ging
979-479-1460
glennsguideservice.com
TIPS: In March the biggest issue is wind. Don’t let it scare you off. Think where you can find clear water.

LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay
HOTSPOT: Boiler Bayou
GPS: N 28 38.0114, W 95 54.0011
(28.6335, -95.9000)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: She Dogs topwaters and Corky Fat Boys
SOURCE: Capt. Glenn Ging
979-479-1460
glennsguideservice.com
TIPS: When an east wind is blowing, it’s just tough. If you have southeast wind, fish that end of the bay where it’s protected and try to find some clean water.

LOCATION: Matagorda West Bay
HOTSPOT: Peninsula Shoreline
GPS: N 28 28.0133, W 96 15.0125
(28.4669, -96.2502)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics
SOURCE: Capt. Glenn Ging
979-479-1460
glennsguideservice.com
TIPS: When fishing soft plastics, fish them a little bit deeper, using a quarter ounce jig head.

LOCATION: Matagorda West Bay
HOTSPOT: Green Island
GPS: N 28 29.0134, W 96 14.0044
(28.4836, -96.2334)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Corky Fat Boys
SOURCE: Capt. Glenn Ging
979-479-1460
glennsguideservice.com
TIPS: The fish are eating mullet. There are not that much shrimp in the bay.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake
HOTSPOT: Oyster Reef
GPS: N 29 46.0033, W 93 54.013
(29.7667, -93.9002)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Egret Vudu under a popping cork
SOURCE: Capt. Adam Jaynes
409-988-3901
justfishsabine.com
TIPS: There is no reason to use a scented bait to catch speckled trout. Speckled trout feed more on profile, what it looks like.

 

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A Lasting Bond that Skipped a Generation

ROCKPORT AREA

Reported by CAPT. MAC GABLE

Email Mac Gable at captmac@macattackguideservice.com

Or Visit Online: macattackguideservice.com

 

IT WAS EARLY and I was sipping some chai latte tea because my wife suggested I branch out and try new things. After the first several sips, I had to admit it was pretty tasty.

No one was at the boat ramp except my tea, me, and God. I prefer it this way, even though a more rounded person (I was told) would embrace meeting people, I must admit as the years go by, I seem to drift farther and farther from that ideal.

A 1970 Ford truck pulled up; I could tell it wasn’t a newer truck by its headlights. The truck was well kept and obviously someone’s pride and joy. An elderly man (like me) exited the driver’s side and a young boy the other.

“Go introduce yourself,” the man said to the young boy. “And offer a handshake.”

“I’m Troy” he said, sticking out his hand to me. “Are you our guide?”

“Must be,” I said, “as the three of us are all that’s here this morning! You’re not too young to catch fish are you?” I ask him.

“No sir, I been fishing for almost two years now” he said as he puffed his chest out.

“Great!” I said, “you can take me and your …” I waited for him to tell me.

“That’s my Papaw!” he said. “He’s paying for the trip, but I have to pay him back my half.”

“So, you’re fishing on credit today?” I asked.

He pondered the question.

“Well, you’re gonna be fishing with no bait. I can’t supply bait on credit!”

He looked very concerned.

“Unless, your Papaw says I can.”

“You gonna pay me back, boy?” came the response from the older man.

“Yes sir I promise!”

I went to help with their ice chest, and the boy said “No, let me do that. It’s how I earn an allowance to help pay for the fishing trip!”

After getting them settled on my boat and fitting the boy with a PFD we were off.

The day was going to be windy and the waters murky, but I knew a spot somewhat protected from the south wind with a small reef that holds fish. The action would not be fast nor furious, but hopefully consistent.

The boy was seated in front of the center console, and Papaw was standing next to me at the helm. He gave me the impression he wanted to talk so I went slow.

“He’s my grandson,” he said. “I would appreciate it if you focused on him today and I will mostly just watch.”

“How about I get you both catching fish and you can take turns watching?” I said. “It’s the best way to teach him, if he sees his Papaw fishing a certain way and catching fish, I can almost guarantee he will copy you!”

So, I started with the old man, showed him the rigging and technique. His first cast landed an 18-inch trout; now we had the young boy’s lasered attention.

I netted the fish and then whispered to the old man. “Now, show your grandson how to do it.”

He knew exactly the reason why and what it would mean to the two of them. Papaw took the boy’s rod, tied the knots I showed him and baited the hook. Then he worked with his grandson on the cast, the target area and then the technique after the bait was in the water.

Three casts later, another nice trout! The boy was in his own world now, and if he had questions, he asked Papaw.

The grandfather grabbed a thermos and sat down watching the boy from a distance. Out of ear shot he told me he was raising this young man.

“My wife passed away and my son is not financially or emotionally up to taking care of Troy,” he said. “The boy’s mother was a meth addict, and I knew if that little guy was to have half a chance it was up to me, his Papaw.

“Not exactly how I planned my retirement,” he said, “but honestly it’s given me a purpose, and with my wife gone, the silence in the house was deafening.

“It’s sure nice to hear the sound of Troy in our home. Maybe I’m forcing myself to look at the glass half full, but really I don’t mind.

“He didn’t like me much at first, said I was too strict, but I think I’m growing on him.” He half smiled and looked down.

“He definitely looks up to you,” I said, “and after today not only do you have a grandson you have a lifetime fishing partner.”

In the United States, 2.7 million grandparents are raising their grandkids, with more than 6 million children/young adults living in their households.

My advice to the younger generation is simple: if you can’t keep up with responsibilities that go with sex, then don’t step up to the act. I’m not sure how heaven works, but there must be a special crown or place for people like Papaw and Mamaw there.

LIVE BAIT, LIVE BAIT, live bait! Be it shrimp, mud minnows, croaker or the rare “live” menhaden, this is a golden time to get your bait locked, cocked and ready to rock.

Copano Bay: The mouth of Mission Bay is the place to be for reds and black drums. For reds use finger mullet free-lined or on a light Carolina rig. Lap Reef is a good spot for trout using free-lined live shrimp or croaker.

St. Charles Bay: Egg Point is a good drift spot for reds using bubble corks and imitation Berkley shrimp. This area has some heavy grass, and I suggest multiple drifts to determine depth of bite action. Little Sharp Point is the spot for reds, use finger mullet on a light Carolina rig on high tide.

Aransas Bay: The deep edges of Nine Mile Point are a great spot for trout using free-lined croaker. A south wind works best. Half Moon Reef is a good spot for reds and black drums. Use finger mullet on a light Carolina rig for reds and free-lined live shrimp for trout. A moving tide is best.

Carlos Bay: Cape Carlos is a great wade spot for reds. Use sand eels in new penny and morning glory colors. The edges of Cape Carlos Dugout are good spots for trout using free-lined live shrimp.

Mesquite Bay: The shoreline of Roddy Island is a good spot to wade for a variety of species. A bucket of live shrimp is the ticket with free-lined preferred, or under a rattle cork. In Bray Cove the mouth of Little Brundrett Lake is a great spot for reds and trout. Croaker is the best bait here or mud minnows either free-lined or on a light Carolina rig.

Ayers Bay: Some great sheepshead action on the shoreline of Rattlesnake Island. A silent cork works best with fresh dead shrimp. Set the hook at the slightest tap. East shoreline is a great wade for trout, using croakers.

Position yourself deep enough so you can cast 360 degrees. Move slowly and be patient, some reds hang here as well.

Bank Bite: This is the time of year to wade the shoreline on Fulton Beach Rd. The private piers in this area as well as the many small reefs hold some nice trout making their way into our bay systems from the gulf. Nuclear chicken and morning glory colors work best. Please be respectful of private property.

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CORPUS CHRISTI AREA

Reported by CAPT. JOEY FARRAH

Email Joey Farah at jfarah@gmail.com

 

Floods of Bait and Schools of Trout

MARCH AND APRIL here in the Coastal Bend is a spring explosion of activity in our coastal fishing.

There are so many opportunities for anglers with and without boats. You can access great fishing grounds to land your limit of high-quality gamefish.

Corpus Christi Bay will be receiving a flood of bait and gamefish as loads of shrimp will be pouring into the area. Schools of sand and speckled trout will be thick around all the gas wells in Corpus Bay.

Live shrimp under a popping cork, or free-lining shrimp with a light pinch weight is your best bet. Lots of gaff-tops, black drums, and whiting will also be there. The marshes and back lakes of Shamrock Cove and the back side of Mustang Island are just about endless.

There are many walk in spots between Port A and North Padre to get back into these shallow back areas. Wade-fishing or drifting in a shallow water boat is excellent for anglers who throw top-waters and soft plastics. Sight casting along the beaches and top-waters at first light are my favorite times here in this area.

The many deeper channels in Shamrock Cove will offer some great fishing for those staying in the boat, especially during a hard falling tide. Look for live shrimp and finger mullet to be best along the edges of these channels as the water falls off the shallow flats.

The Laguna Madre is famous for Spring fishing. We will have waves of migrating black drum, trout, and redfish moving into the area from the big open bays and the beach front.

The edges of the ICW channel are the first place to start. Live shrimp on the bottom, and for the really giant drums a half of crab.

Look for the eroded edges of the channel where white sand is visible. This is exposed gravel sand, the favorite bottom of the black drums. If you are getting dead grass on your baits move down the channel.

Trout and redfish are also hot this spring. Topwater explosions at sunrise along the famous King Ranch shoreline cannot be beat.

A long cast and stop and go action is a solid bet to hook up with a giant. I like throwing colors that I can see at long distances. This improves my action and response time.

Drift fishing is by far the most popular and successful method of fishing this time of season, covering lots of water and varied depths.

Do not always expect the best areas to be the protected shorelines. Drifting up to windy beaches where bait is being pushed is a classic strategy for spring hookups.

Redfish like windy conditions. Live shrimp under a popping cork on a windy day is a sure thing to hook you into a big fish fight.

April is when those giant trout move up through the Land Cut and into the Baffin Bay Area to spawn. Working the edge with soft plastics is some of the most technical and exciting ways to land true trophy trout.

Many times, I sight cast to giant 30-inch plus trout as they are tailing along the shallow edge. My favorite choices for spring soft plastics are the Down South Lures Super Model in Bone/Diamond and Super Natural.

Pair this on a ¼-ounce jig head when fishing from the boat along the side of the channel. For wade-fishing I use the same plastic, but I lighten up to a 1/16 to 1/8th ounce jig head.

With the lighter set up I can slowly swim the bait across the flats. Then I slowly let it fall into the various sand pockets and grass lines.

The fishing here during the spring months can be windy or calm at any time. Cold fronts are weak. However, they change the direction of flow and tide levels, throwing anglers off predicted fishing patterns.

Concentrate on areas rich in bait and diverse bird activity. Good water clarity is good, but not all important. Smell and vibration are just as important.

Come down and fish some new and diverse water. Our bays are healthy, and our water conditions are great. Let me help you learn new techniques and strategies in your fishing game.

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HotSPOTLight:

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LOCATION: Mesquite Bay
HOTSPOT: Cedar Bayou Flats
GPS: N 28 7.0052, W 96 49.0053
(28.1168, -96.8168)

SPECIES: Redfish
BEST BAITS: Cut menhaden and cut perch head, dead shrimp
SOURCE: Capt. Garrett Frazier
409-354-3865
TIPS: Cedar Bayou provides a pretty good wade fishing spot. The redfish migrating back into the bays.

LOCATION: Copano Bay
HOTSPOT: Copano Reef
GPS: N 28 6.0117, W 97 6.0067
(28.1002, -97.1001)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Cut menhaden and cut perch head, dead shrimp
SOURCE: Capt. Garrett Frazier
409-354-3865
TIPS: With cut perch head, you have a good chance of picking up a nice size trout along the bank.

LOCATION: Mesquite Bay
HOTSPOT: Cedar Bayou
GPS: N 28 06.627, W 96 49.833
(28.110456, -96.830552)

SPECIES: Redfish and Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Cut menhaden and cut perch head, dead shrimp
SOURCE: Capt. Garrett Frazier
409-354-3865
TIPS: As the water warms head a little south toward Copano Bay. It it’s even warmer, move to Estes Flat.

LOCATION: Port Aransas
HOTSPOT: Mud Island Shoreline
GPS: N 27 56.013, W 97 1.009
(27.9336, -97.0168)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Cut menhaden and cut perch head, dead shrimp
SOURCE: Capt. Garrett Frazier
409-354-3865
TIPS: Shorelines are always a good bet with cut menhaden and perch head.

LOCATION: San Antonio Bay
HOTSPOT: Panther Reef
GPS: N 28 13.0105, W 96 41.0139
(28.2168, -96.6836)

SPECIES: Redfish
BEST BAITS: Cut menhaden and cut perch head, dead shrimp
SOURCE: Capt. Garrett Frazier
409-354-3865
TIPS: In a north wind, fish Matagorda Island, between Panther Island and Cedar Bayou.

 

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Accepting the Early Spring Challenge

BAFFIN BAY

Reported by CAPT. GERAD MERRITT

Email Gerad Merritt at GeradMerritt@gmail.com

Visit Online: ParadiseGuideServices.com

 

MARCH AND APRIL fishing in Baffin Bay can best be described as an enjoyable challenge.

The bay is gradually becoming warmer. Development of cold fronts happen less often, but are slightly more predictable. In addition, the wind and rain will continue to be spotty.

For live bait trips throughout the spring, I personally prefer shrimp. The two bait shops located near Baffin Bay are routinely bringing in live shrimp this time of year and will continue to do so for the remainder of the spring and summer.

This can be a great option to use under a popping cork whether you are fishing from a boat, pier, or wading. When using shrimp under a popping cork, I look to grass lines and rock structures to find trout and redfish.

It is best to begin by working the cork every 10-15 seconds. After a fish has taken the cork completely underwater, wait 3-4 seconds before setting the hook to ensure a good hook set.

On clear, calm days when the sun is just right, sight casting with artificial bait in shallow flats can be a lot of fun. An important factor to remember on favorable days is if you can see the fish clearly, they can also see you.

Throughout this season, choosing a lure of soft plastic with good shine or a spoon would be my first choice. Gulps and corky lures are also a few of my favorites.

Although these can be used in a variety of ways, they will also do well under a popping cork. I suggest drifting across flats, rocks, drop offs, and grass lines. Make sure when doing this, to work contouring lines and good-sized structures. Keep in mind that most of these fish are ambush predators, and these fish need a reason to be there.

This year, I have observed a remarkable influx of blue crabs throughout our entire bay system. I have also noticed that when you are fishing with shrimp, and the cork is just slowly going under and then popping back up, there is usually a crab picking away at the shrimp. Although blue crabs are good to eat and exciting to catch, make sure you understand all the rules and regulations for catching them.

There are endless opportunities when it comes to enjoying the marine life in Baffin Bay. Regardless of the fishing method you choose, it is important to enjoy the experience and make lifelong memories with your family and friends.

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HotSPOTLight:

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LOCATION: Arroyo Colorado
HOTSPOT: Duncan’s Channel
GPS: N 26 19.0099, W 97 18.0098
(26.3168, -97.3002)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish
BEST BAITS: Popping Cork with live shrimp
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
281-869-5511
TIPS: Fish live shrimp or Gulp in a Nuclear Chicken color …. Iridescent, light green, and pink/reddish.

LOCATION: Baffin Bay
HOTSPOT: Kennedy Shoreline
GPS: N 27 14.0094, W 97 25.0076
(27.2335, -97.4168)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Topwater baits and MirrOlure soft plastics
SOURCE: Capt. Tommy Countz
281-450-4037
tcountz@sbcglobal.net
TIPS: Key on baitfish, slicks working around the rock areas. Sometimes some pretty big fish come from this area.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre
HOTSPOT: Stover Point
GPS: N 26 12.0031, W 97 17.0117
(26.2001, -97.2835)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish
BEST BAITS: Popping Cork with live shrimp
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
281-869-5511
TIPS: In open water, fish the flood tides. In smaller bays fish an ebb tide because the nutrients are being flushed out of the small bays and channels.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre
HOTSPOT: West of Spoil Bank
GPS: N 26 5.0155, W 97 12.0163
(26.0836, -97.2003)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish
BEST BAITS: Weedless quarter ounce Johnson Gold Spoon
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
281-869-5511
TIPS: In clear water use a weedless gold spoon. Work the deeper flats, deep edges along the channel.

LOCATION: Port Mansfield
HOTSPOT: Land Cut
GPS: N 26 47.0116, W 97 26.0166
(26.7835, -97.4336)

SPECIES: Black drum and redfish
BEST BAITS: Live shrimp
SOURCE: Capt. Tommy Countz
281-450-4037
www.MatagordaFishing.com
TIPS: Live shrimp can catch a lot of black drum and redfish as they move in from the Jetties.

LOCATION: Port Mansfield
HOTSPOT: Green Island
GPS: N 26 30.0049, W 97 24.0035
(26.5001, -97.4001)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Spook Junior
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
281-869-5511
TIPS: Fish a Spook Jr. with a slow walk-the-dog, extended pause retrieve, maybe four or five walks, and then an extended pause, then walk it again.

 

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