CORPUS CHRISTI

Reported by CAPT. JAKE WHEELIS

Blow Ups, and More Blow Ups

LISTEN: (3 Min, 1 Sec)

FIRST AND FOREMOST, let’s talk about this unreal winter we are having – it has been nothing short of amazing! My clients and I have had days with multiple trophy fish coming to hand. We’ve been throwing lots of custom Corkeys – The Texas Turnip is the perfect bait for lighter colored water and bright days. On darker days and in darker water, we’ve had unbelievable days using red shad in multiple baits. There’s a new bait on the market that we have had remarkable success with – the 6” Dart from Coastal Brew Bait Company. Look ‘em up, check ‘em out. It’s an awesome bait, has a lot of action, and will cast a country mile!

Alright! Let’s talk about what my boat is going to be looking for over the next couple of months and the strategies we are going to employ to catch a fish of a life time. First of all, the first day of spring is March 19 this year. With that being said, our tackle bags and pouches will have a lot going on. We all know how the weather is in South Texas – if you don’t like it, wait ten minutes! I love to throw a top water in March and April. Of course, it’s not an end all be all as we will still be getting quite a few fronts. Colder water can cause the fish to be very lethargic and in turn make them less likely to pursue a bait, calling for a very short strike zone. In this case, we will keep rolling with our large paddle tails and Corkeys. I love the 5” Hogie Super Shad worked multiple ways. You will find what a fish is eating with different cadences and different speeds.

For the first part of March, we will key in on areas that have deep water adjacent to grass flats with an abundance of bait, like the numerous spoils in the upper lagoon and the holes that are in Corpus Christi proper (if you like to wade in). Another area that I love in late winter and all of spring is Yarborough Pass – with extensive flats and deep water all around the edges, it makes for some unreal fishing this time of year. As for later in March and into April, fish start transitioning from a larger bait like mullet and menhaden to a shrimp and fin fish diet. I recommend us fishermen transition with them. Moving away from using big paddle tails/suspending baits, and instead throwing smaller baits like the Lil John and the smaller dart from Coastal Brew. Can’t forget my personal favorite – this is prime for topwaters! Focusing on wide open grass flats in all ranges of water depth is the way to go. King Ranch shoreline is killer this time of year!

Email Jake Wheelis at Wheelis85@gmail.com

Phone: (361) 575-9058