October....Gone?? November Fronts Here!

We've had some good , fair, and bad days on the bay in October. There was more bait in the bay then I have ever seen, but the trout were not always with them. We did numerous wade trips not only north, both on the bars near the jetties and Mexiquito. South Bay was also on our list, but it,as usual, didn't seem to be on the days we fished it.
We discovered or should I say rediscovered a bar up near Cullen off of Stover's Point that has yielded some great trout action. To find the bar, you need  GPS. It is near deep water. I think if we catch those calm days this November after a front and the water clears, this bar may produce some trophy trout. Its got it all, grass, deep water, mud both deep and shallow, and is hard to locate.
One morning last month, I hit it alone at daybreak. Shortly after I stepped in, I hooked up with a nice 26 and two casts later was onto a 28. That was it for the rest of the morning. Great start, great day, but a little of a let down in not be able to put a few keeper fish on the stringer.
Mexiquito and the Old Causeway have been consistent in producing some good reds and lots of keeper trout. The topwater bite is still on and will continue through December. The soft plastics are also producing.
Lately we've been taking some "not so frequent"species of fish from our LLM. In early October on one trip to Mexiquito, Lee Flick took a 15" barracuda. Then just last week while I hosted friends from East Texas, my buddy, Charles Rushing, snagged two in one morning. The largest was around 17". Are we going to see these predators more and more, and are they going to grow to Florida size? I think they eat trout!!

                                                David Wood takes on a Mexiquito red!!

Tom Wineman w/his first ever red!

Charles Rushing w/ barracuda #1

Lee Flick w/ Mexiquito barracuda!

Several interesting happenings. During the winds of Halloween, I fished three days with some buds from east Texas. We really hit it hard and managed limits of trout each day even with the winds blowing at 25+. We fished behind the convention center and found fish. During the latter part of the week, on an off day we ventured over to the convention center board walk and noticed lots of reds working the grass and mangroves. After everyone had left I decided to hop over there and try my luck. Using the trolling motor I managed to snag four undersize reds while some visitors watched from the boardwalk. Fun!!

Shortly after that I headed back, but decided to drift the sandholes just north of the pasture. I started having some massive blowups. Thinking they were big trout, I anchored down, and started hitting the area heavy. I got a great surprise when a 3 ft tarpon erupted on the topdog. I managed 5 jumps and thought for sure I'd land that baby, but that's fishing!! Next time!

SEPTEMBER HERE ALREADY???? Time to get on / in the water!

   

28"+

Almost 29"

A near limit for 3

A nice 26 for Damon!

God is indeed an AWSOME God!

September is upon us and the water is starting to cool. The summer crowds are gone. The fish are starting to stack up, getting ready for our "cold" months. We are getting our bigger fish on topwaters...the spook jr. in white seems to be the number. Plastics are always a producer, but the trout are seeming to want only tequila gold in almost any brand or design. I have been using the 5&6 inch with good results. Lots of fish on Mexiquito Flats. We've found a few new wade areas up North out in the middle of the bay. 

Doesn't get any better!

HOT! Fishing and Weather

One day the fishing will be so fast it will scare you, and then the next day...same spot...same time...same bait..you can't find a keeper fish. That seems to be the pattern this summer. We are doing alot of wade fishing and staying cool. The areas we are hitting are all around Mexiquito flats. The bait has been unreal early in the mornings and the trout and reds are doing what the books say...following bait!
Topwaters are the name of the game, with Spook Jrs doing most of the honors. I have found my small Waker baits to be productive also. As the wind comes up, as it will do each and every day, the larger Spooks and copies seem to work. All colors seem to work as long as its white or black!
The trout are moving back into the deeper holes and dropoffs as the day progresses. Plastics will continue to take these hiding fish.
One little note, don't think you can't catch a big trout in the middle of the day. A couple weeks back we decided to drift the potholes in Mexiquito around noon. We had some of the biggest blowups I've ever experienced. On one drift we managed to miss several good fish, landed a 29" and two 25's. All on the new Bomber topwater.

 EVER CAUGHT A BLOWFISH ON A HARD BAIT?

HOW ABOUT A 5lb 22"

 SUNSET ON THE LLM!

We are getting ready for the "Fishing for Hope" Tournament thats held each year the last of August. Hope the tides don't screw us up!
On a different note.. I started a christian fellowship group called C.A.S.A.  Christian Association of Saltwater Anglers. If you are interested in starting your own group or joining us please contact me.

Spring is Up On Us!!

Its been a fast and furious Spring. I haven't found the time to write or fish much. But, that's gonna change! We got fired....replaced by the younger generation. Patsy and I have been working for Aftco (American Fishing Tackle Corp.) and Guy Harvey Sports for the last three years. Its been part time work, traveling and servicing stores along the Texas Coast. Aftco decided they wanted a full time person so we are out. Back to full time retirement. I plan on working on another DVD.
We've had a flurry of fronts come through this month. The last several days we have actually had RAIN!
The water has been off colored, but the trout are there. I fished last Saturday with a group from Lake Jackson and we managed a two person limit, fish to 24". Monday of this week was slow with a large number of undersize. Saturdays fish were on gold & black One Knockers and Gamblers.
This morning I hit Long Bar and in about two hours had a nice limit of fish. All of these fish came on my old standby, a white Renagade. This is an old lure that Walmart used to sell. It has great dog action and a very unusual rattle system. I purchased about 25 of these lures back in 2005. Every now and then I find them on Ebay. Great lure!
I think we are going to have a great year. 
Redfish are scarce down here. I hear that South Bay is holding some. Gota try there soon.

Take care!