Ready for the Fall

Reported by CAPT. MARK TALASEK

LISTEN: (2 Min, 45 Sec)

I HOPE EVERYONE enjoyed their summer vacation and were able to spend some time on the water. Maybe one of you won a prize in the STAR Tournament? It’s been another hot one. I’m ready for some fall weather and football. This is one of the best times for fishing of the year. 

The first cool front is going to trigger the shrimp migration into the gulf. Schools of shrimp will slowly head south during the back of a full moon. Trout and redfish will school up as well to feed. When you catch one fish another one will usually be close. If you’re wading, stay in the area and fan cast before moving on. If you’re drifting, circle back around quietly if you quit getting bites. These fish will disperse if spooked. Live bait always works well but artificial does just fine in the fall. 

The jetties can be a hot spot as well. North winds become more common in turn calming the surf. The shrimp migrate through these channels which can create a feeding frenzy. I have seen acres of reds on top of the water around the jetty this time of the year. Beautiful gold rafting on the surface. It’s a site to see. Trout and reds will gorge themselves preparing for the cold winter. Most any bait you throw will draw a strike. 

When the wind blows one of my favorite spots is the diversion channel where it dumps into west Matagorda Bay. The shorelines provide protection from heavy winds. There are oyster reefs littered along the grassy shores. This provides protection from predators for shrimp and other bait. Scores of redfish roam these areas. I mainly use a popping cork to keep from hanging up on the reefs. This is another place where reds pod up and feed. 

Flounder numbers remain constant to previous years. Just a slight decline. But the past several years have been stellar. For those wanting to experience what the bay system possesses, gigging at night is an adventure. You can see everything in the bay system from the lighted boat. Flounder migrate every year so cold weather doesn’t affect them as much.

Trout numbers seem to be rebounding from the freeze a few years ago. Lower bag limits and conservation have helped. Most of the tournaments have adopted catch, weigh and release or live weigh ins. With the number of tournaments this has allowed the population to mature more. Practicing catch and release is also important. 

Give me a call for your next adventure to Matagorda.

Email Mark Talasek at MarkTalasek@sbcglobal.com

ONLINE: TalasekGuideService.com