I have gotten a little lazy with updating the Blog portion of my website so sorry for that but it seems that there are not enough hours in the day anymore to get everything that I need to get done. I am thinking that I work slower than I once did so there are the same hours I just don't utilize them as well as I did at one time. You know, I am still very busy, like 5 days a week most every week of the year except for my weeks in Port Mansfield which we limit to the best three days of the week in the weather department. Seldom do we see winter weather patterns at allow us to fish productively more than 3 to 4 days a week. In Rockport, due to the layout of our barrier islands and our back bay systems I can easily find some water to navigate safely on and typically have a chance at catching fish IF the waders match up to the bottom in the areas we might need to be wading over. It is definitely true that some of my groups have grown to an age where walking in soft, muddy bottom is something they can or wish to do. I will get there soon enough I know but not there just yet. Our trout bite has been tough no doubt but we did see a slight increase the past couple of weeks after the rains we received. Many portions of what I call the NORTH COUNTRY have received some run-off issues which are creating a stacking effect with both bait fish and trout. On Wednesday we had a decent day in Copano and Northern Mesquite Bay so that is really good news as we approach a very busy time of the year here along the middle to lower Texas Coast. Once all of the public schools and colleges let out, we see a tremendous increase in the numbers of boats on the water each day. Air temperatures are also on the rise so this to will create smaller windows in our feeding period due to higher water temperatures. Early morning wades are a must for the next 3 month's if you are wanting to catch trout. I am still totally CATCH and RELEASE on trout due to the 2021 freeze and the over harvest of trout right after the freeze. Understand that seasonal bounty is what we are going to see at times. Don't be fooled by the short-term increases in numbers that we will all see at times. TROUT NUMBERS are still low and they need our help to recover so if you cannot release them, keep only what you need and release the rest.
I will be working both the Southern portions of Arnasas Bay and Corpus Christi Bays as well as the North Country which includes northern Aransas, Carlos, Mesquite, San Antonio Bay as well as St Charles and Copano. I won't do much in Port Bay because these fish really need a break, and they are not getting one right now. I like Port Bay in the winter months anyway. I like to fish moving water when I can find it over whatever type of structure, I can find the movement. Water movement allows the trout to setup and allow the water movement to bring the bait to them verses them having to use a lot of energy to chase a meal down and eat it. On Wednesday we had a really good bite during a mid-day major period in a small funnel where the water was concentrating bait fish. Water temperatures will be in the low 80's by weeks end so early is going to be the key from here on out. i don't suggest running in the dark. Lights or no lights, just too many boats out there in a hurry to get to that magic area for me and nothing is worth me risking my clients and my life or someone in another boat, kayak or simply someone out wading in the dark. With boat traffic like we have today we must be extra careful,
I will throw MIRROLURE LIL JOHNS, LIL JOHN XL'S and the 5"PROVOKERS as well as 5" Bass Assassins when extra soft is on the menu. Texas Custom's DOUBLE D'S and Mirrolure's MirroDine XL will be my hard bait choices. I love these two lure choices when I have large pods of mullet, glass minnows or menhaden in the area. Both of these lures offer the angler the ability to find the water column the fish want to feed in and then keep the lure in that specific spot column. Lures are tough as well and only need a hook replaced now and then.
Picture in this week's Blog is Miss Blair Donaldson. What a red right? 10 plus pounds and just under 29 inches. Reds in our back bays can really put on some weight during the freshwater run-off periods after big rain events. Congratulations Blair and thanks for the effort you gave me last week. Hope to see some of you on my boat and many of you around the docks in the coming weeks.
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