MATAGORDA

Reported by CAPT. MARK TALASEK

Email Mark Talasek at MarkTalasek@sbcglobal.com

No Time to Hibernate

LISTEN: (2 Min, 37 Sec)

I HOPE EVERYONE is doing good after being cooped up indoors for the winter. I would never make a good bear because I hate hibernating during the winter. You can find me working on my boat or on the water when the weather allows. Seventy degree water temperatures bring a smile to my face each spring.

People always ask me what my favorite fish is to eat. Well, my favorite fish is flounder. Not knocking any of the other species at all but flounder is my go to. The texture is white and flaky. Not much of a fish smell. No blood lines. I would put trout a close second.

When all else fails, try a night flounder gigging trip,
(Photo: Capt. Mark Talasek)

Grilling is my preferred method to cook. Cut off the head, scale and season. Eat skin and all to the bone then pull out the bone and finish the rest. For those wanting to spice it up, fillet the top and add a stuffing. Crabmeat or boudin works great. Filleting them and deep fried is also wonderful. Some people like rolling them in cornmeal whole and fried. There’s not a bad way to cook them.

Catching flounder is the chore. They can be finicky. Live shrimp or finger mullet are a staple. Curly tail plastics can also be effective when wading. When all else fails come with me at night on my airboat.

I have a custom made boat rigged with lights on the front. It illuminates the bay floor at night. The air motor maneuvers us along to where the flounder bed down at night. We stick them with metal gigs. There’s plenty of marine life to see in the water. It’s interesting for young and old.

A recent flounder haul on Capt. Talasek’s Boat.

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(Photo: Capt. Mark Talasek)

Flounder are the only fish that require water pressure to spawn. The females migrate to the gulf each year to spawn in the deeper waters. Most of the males stay inshore unless frigid temperatures move them to deeper waters. We usually stick flounder year round except for the six week closure in November.

This is a great experience for those of you who have never been out at night. Spring time is great for flounder returning from the gulf. I have added some new lights on the boat this winter and ready to take you on an adventure. Give me a call, captain Mark Talasek 979 479 1397.