ROCKPORT

Reported by CAPT. JARED McCULLOCH

 

Cast and Blast

 

 

MOTHER NATURE HAS BEEN HAPPY to throw plenty of rain our way this year in the Rockport area and I’m sure she will be throwing more at us for the start of dove season. I don’t think she likes that we make dove poppers out of her little birds. But that’s just too bad! I’m seeing plenty of goat weed and natural sunflowers all over. I am willing a good dove season to be upon us, but that’s after a morning of fishing of course.

Every spot on the bay by September is worn out. Trout, reds, drum are all onto our tricks and methods. Stay strong and don’t let them deceive you. They are there, you’ll feel them pick up your bait and drop it, so don’t fall for it. They can’t help themselves. They will come back and pick it up. Give them a long leash to hang them on. I like to start looking at the reefs in the middle of the bays, the areas we don’t generally go to because of heavy winds the rest of the year. The old oil wells in the bay can be worth getting in the line up with. A lot of people stay away from the small feeder wells out there. It may take 2 or 3 of them but they hold good fish, just not in the numbers as the bigger wells. Never pass on good structure no matter how big or small it is. That goes for the bridges in this area. The fish are looking for some sunscreen too. 

For the late summer waders, my hat is off to you. I generally don’t have any wading trips this time of year, maybe one or two. But there’s still plenty of fish to catch up skinny. The superflats will generally start gathering red fish and a lot of times they don’t like the boats. This is perfect for the wader to slip in and have a great day fighting red fish while not sinking in the mud. I keep a healthy stock of colors and sizes this time of year. Or if we get any shad pushing back in late, I like to have some silvers to imitate them whenever I see them busting near a shoreline. 

All this is while we wait for the first “cold” front to show itself in October. Not only are we looking for a little break from the heat but it’s our kickoff to stronger tide movements and for the fans of chasing bull reds, the green flag in the air to do so. The jetties and up and down the ship channel are groups of bull reds waiting to be fought. We’ll see them moving in and out of the flats with our tasty slot size reds as well. If you are deep, the heavy bucktail jigs with a shrimp fed onto the hook work well for reds. Shad if you can find them of course. But don’t be afraid of trimming up a piggy in the flats for your reds to munch on.

 

 

 

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