D “Cedar Bayou – The Good Ol’ Days”

August 13, 2008

Those early morning hours had been hot and muggy back on that day not so present.  We had three parties setup tight against the protected shorelines just adjacent to either side of the mouth of the bayou.  Most everyone had either top waters or plastics tied on the end of their line, but a couple of the guys even had some live bait thrown into the mix that day.  But they didn’t need it.  Nope, if that day was to be anything like the previous months that I had spent in that same general vicinity, the fishing gods would be very generous to us today in our presentation of almost any artificial bait of our choosing.  The fishing had been good for quite some time, and not just at the mouth of Cedar Bayou.  I had spent practically the entire year fishing the southwestern most reaches of San Antonio Bay – from Ayres Point on down into Mesquite, and sometimes even beyond.  Why?  It was because I was successful at almost every turn of the way when I did so.  The fishing had become more consistent in those areas back then, and it seemed as though you could depend on catching fish if you spent the required time it took in making the run down to the far regions of the lower bay systems.  So much so, in fact, that I was forced into re-evaluating my overall business plan if I had any personal expectation of remaining a successful fishing guide in the Seadrift area.  And one of the largest business transitions that I went through at that time was the reconsideration of my choice of boat models.  Because the fishing had grown to be so good in some of those otherwise remote locations, and if I stood any chance at all of maintaining the acquired level of success we had grown accustomed to in those areas back then, I was going to have to opt for a faster boat in order to get me and my clients to those further southwestern hot spots ahead of everyone else each morning – thus was born my love for the Majek 2200 Extreme.  But back then, the pure number of fish available down in those distant portions of the lower bays had not become our only point of interest.  Most any of the surrounding areas down there had gotten to the point to where they were consistently producing some big numbers of large trout – continued numbers of large trout that neither we, nor our clients, could ever remember witnessing on such a regular basis.  I caught one of my personal-best trout back during that period immediately west of the mouth of Cedar Bayou while tossing a plastic Norton Bull Minnow up against the grass in shin-deep water.  And that was in the heat of the mid-afternoon sun during one of the hottest times of summer.  Go figure!  The year was 2005.  But, that was then, and this is now.

Since those days, the Cedar Bayou and Vinson Slough areas have undergone rapid deterioration from a quality flow of water perspective, and the quality of fishing in these areas has consequently declined as a direct result.  By January, 2007, beach sand and sediment had caused the entrance to Cedar Bayou at the Gulf of Mexico to be closed during periods of low tide.  Aerial photographs taken in February of this year reflected complete closure of the mouth of Cedar Bayou at the Gulf of Mexico, and as of this month you would not even recognize an opening ever existed from the Gulf side – the entrance looks no different from that of the rest of the beach that runs for miles up and down Matagorda and San Jose Islands.  Coastal navigation charts dating as far back as 1884 and aerial photos from as early as 1967 portray, in fact, that there once was a naturally sustaining water flow union between Cedar Bayou, Vinson Slough, and the Gulf of Mexico.  Unfortunately, in the wake of the Bay of Campeche oil spill in 1979, Cedar Bayou was purposely filled-in as a part of emergency measures to keep oil out of our bays.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) later dredged Cedar Bayou in 1959, 1987, and again in 1995, but all three attempts at permanently restoring the pass to its original and natural state have proven unsuccessful.  Experts in the field state new man-made waterways up and down the coast have altered water flow in the Cedar Bayou area enough to where there is now not enough outward water flow to maintain the once natural pass area.  So, how does this have anything to do with recent downgrade in the quality of fishing in these areas?  Well, exchange of seawater within any bay system is essential in allowing the bay to maintain its required ecological balance.  With the closure of Cedar Bayou, the nearest resource of sea-quality water for lower San Antonio Bay and Mesquite Bay is suddenly now miles away at Port O’Connor and Port Aransas.  Without intermittent open passes, like that offered by the presence of Cedar Bayou, it soon becomes an unreal expectation that any isolated bay system would be able to revitalize itself to a point where it can successfully support its water quality and fisheries.  Open passes supply migration routes between the Gulf and the shallow estuaries and nurseries for organisms and many other members of the fishery food chain, like shrimp and crabs.  With the nearest passes being many miles away on either side of these isolated bays, the present passes are simply unable to adequately support the many, many miles in between.  After all is said and done, the quality of fishing gets worse as a direct result of the absence of many different members of the food chain.  All of those quality numbers of trout and redfish, and the number of quality trout and redfish, that we caught in those otherwise isolated areas a few years ago were all being supported by the seawater exchange provide by open access to the Gulf via Cedar Bayou.  As long as Cedar Bayou remains closed, you can expect to see a steady decline in the quality of fishing in the lower San Antonio Bay and Mesquite Bay areas.

On a positive note, the required Environmental Impact Assessment on Cedar Bayou has now been completed and will be reviewed shortly.  The Rockport-based organization called Save Cedar Bayou, Inc., has now applied for the needed Coastal Impact Assistance Program grant from the Texas General Land Office, and if the project is picked for funding the Save Cedar Bayou group shall immediately proceed with putting out bids for the dredge project.  They are currently working on the 3rd required permit which will be submitted in the last part of this month. Once the USACE has reviewed the permit, it will go on the USACE website for a period of 30-days for public comment.  If all goes well, a permit should be issued and construction shall be allowed to commence on Cedar Bayou and Vinson Slough once the Whooping Cranes leave their nesting sites in April, 2009.  Your offer to contribute to the efforts of getting Cedar Bayou re-opened is most welcome.  At this time, the Save Cedar Bayou organization is gathering names and letters to be sent to the USACE for the public comment period.  You can also go to the Texas Flats Fishing website www.texasflats.net sign-in, and then sign the petition.

In closing, Whitetail and waterfowl are but just a couple of the great game animals that Texas is known for. Join Joe Coogan, host of Benelli On Assignment, on Versus Country TV this week as he heads to southern portions of our state to partake in some Southern hospitality – Texas style.  Airing times are as follows: 8/28 10:00 AM Texas Deer and Duck, 8/29 10:30 AM Texas Deer and Duck, 8/30 10:00 AM Texas Deer and Duck.  Remember to practice CPR, “Catch, Photo, and Release”, whenever possible on trophy Trout and Reds…Guide Chris Martin, Port O’Connor/Seadrift region. www.BayFlatsLodge.com…1-888-677-4868.

“ Hello, and Good-Bye, Dolly! ”

Guide Lines, by Capt. Chris Martin

Aug. 6, 2008

Last summer started-off as being what must be one of the wettest summers on Texas record.  This very same time last year I was talking to you about the importance of being able to familiarize yourself with freshwater tactics and strategies.  But dealing with the effects of unusually high amounts of freshwater runoff won’t be the topic of discussion for this edition of Guide Lines.  No sir, 2008 has dealt the Texas hill country and coastal plains another extremely hot, dry summer leaving us with only the thought of cooling, wet rainfall.  These somewhat drought conditions tend to effect different things in different ways.  One such noticeable effect has been the exceptionally high salinity levels of our bay waters and the resulting impact this has had upon the coastal marine ecosystem – for example, this year’s annual brown shrimp hatch has been severely delayed simply due to a lack of a steady freshwater feed to our Texas wetlands and estuaries that allow for the re-establishment of the brackish environment required by the shrimp.  However, salinity levels will vary by location and they are only one of the many different things that can offer-up hurdles during this time of the year.  There are other naturally occurring events, such as major storm systems, that can also present directly-effecting physical forces that aid in the determination of the relative summertime fishing pattern.  Recently, Hurricane Dolly demonstrated to us that even remote storm systems can have noticeable influence upon the physical actions that affect the ecological game plan in distant shallow coastal bays.

As we rounded the midway mark in July, the month was turning out to be a good time for fishing as the water was clear and green and the top water action was heating up fast.  However, that was just as the fourth tropical storm of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season formed and made its way across the Yucatan Peninsula near Cancun.  The storm proceeded into the Gulf of Mexico where it rapidly strengthened to hurricane force, and Hurricane Dolly made landfall two days later on July 23 as a Category 2 hurricane packing 100 mph winds in South Padre Island.  Although our Lodge, in Seadrift, is located more than two hundred miles away from the actual landfall site, we still experienced the physical effects of this massive storm system.  Torrential downpours were not a ramification for us here in the San Antonio Bay area.  We got about one day worth of rain, but it was nothing in comparison to the 16+ inches that was commonly reported from some of the towns in the deep southern portion of the state.  Instead, the marked impacts that we received were in the form of wind and tide.  The wind forcing and physical responses of our local bays were evident through the strength and longevity of the southeasterly winds that we endured.  These winds promoted what has to probably be some of the highest water levels we have seen in the San Antonio Bay and West Matagorda Bay areas this year – during the storm event, wind stress enabled a large pulse of saline-rich water to enter the bays, resulting in extreme high tides and increased salinity levels.  The winds and the tides from Dolly made for some very tough fishing conditions, to say the least, in the days immediately following the passage of the storm.  But the old adage of “that which goes up must eventually come back down again” is held true in Mother Nature, too, at least in some instances.  Currently, the winds continue to howl on a daily basis, but the tides have since receded to a point to where they are now dropping below normal making the mid-bay reefs and the surf unthinkable options until such time that the wind decides to calm down.  Some of our recent best action has been on protected flats on the windward side of the bay system near deep channels or canals.  I recognized a particular redfish fortune while fishing on the windward side of protected shorelines during the period of the extreme high tides brought about by Dolly.  But as I said earlier, the high storm tides are now gone, and I have since established almost the same level of success by focusing my attention in deeper water over sand with a Norton pumpkinseed/chartreuse Sand Eel Junior along leeward shorelines now that we are encountering much lower tide levels.  As of late, some of the guides at Bay Flats Lodge have turned in results of daily averages ranging from 17 to 20 fish while using live bait, while others have seen single-digit to low double-digit trout numbers.  However, and as I write this edition, I have just received a report from our own Capt. Chris Castillo which states that his entire party today managed trout limits.  Well, we may have just witnessed our first step on the road to Dolly fishing recovery for the summer of 2008!  August may very well turn out to be all that we hoped for and are used to.

In closing, we at Bay Flats Lodge join the rest of the state of Texas in sending out our sincere and heartfelt condolences to those who recently have fallen victim to the devastation brought about by Hurricane Dolly.  In the aftermath of this storm, our thoughts and prayers are with all those whose lives have been impacted. Until next time, be courteous while on the water, and remind yourself to always approach wade fishermen in the same manner in which you would wish to be approached if you were in their position.  Remember to practice CPR, “Catch, Photo, and Release”, whenever possible on trophy Trout and Reds…Guide Chris Martin, Port O’Connor/Seadrift region. www.BayFlatsLodge.com…1-888-677-4868.

Thanks, Capt. Chris

“July Fishing Report”

Guide Lines, by Capt. Chris Martin

July 15, 2008

          We’ve been working areas with 2 to 3 feet of soft shell or what I call reef beds. Concentrate casting to the end of the reef or the curves near area reefs. When I say beds, there is a distinct difference between reef beds that are under water and reefs that protrude out of the water. These beds vary in depth but most of them slowly taper from 1 foot to 4 feet of water. Knowing when to fish these beds has been the most contributing factor in my recent catches. Just the other day while fishing someone asked me, why don’t you go far distances when you decide to move? I personally think trout stay within a general area. Yes, they will move away from a spot. But if you were catching good numbers and size trout earlier in the day, why wouldn’t these same trout move back at a later time or date? This really makes your gears turn upstairs. Getting inside a trout head is what I’m always thinking about, before making any move. Try to visualize what a trout would do if given the same circumstances. 

          The sand and grass shorelines have been much slower for me then others. Talking with a few of my counter parts, shoreline fishing has been much better for them. I guess I’m too hung up on shell to make the switch. Their telling me, live fin fish while wade fishing has been the best method for catching trout and reds. The bite has been very early and normally is over after 9:00 AM. I noticed the early and late bite during out last full moon. Our back lakes have also slowed way down compared to earlier in the month.  One thing I’ve noticed that hurt my fishing in the backcountry, the strong nagging south winds. The south to southwest wind is the kiss of death for pulling water out of the bay system. Hot weather and very low tides makes for fair red fishing, but trout prefer deeper water or cooler shell during the hot month of July.

          Let’s now discuss fishing during the month of July. Here are a few tips that might help during this month. If the winds lay way down, key in on the surf action. I will continue to focus on reef beds until they play out. My feeling is, once San Antonio Bay heats up from the rising temperatures, deep reefs will produce better then the shell beds. I will also continue to fish San Antonio Bay, Carlos Bay, Mesquite Bay, Espiritu Santo Bay, and given the opportunity fish the shorelines near Seadrift.

          My favorite passion is fishing with top water lures while wade fishing. Just the other day, a customer couldn't believe his eyes when he saw my top water selection. He asked if color and size made a difference. I replied yes, and they also work in dirty water, rough water, and clear water. You probably want catch quantity every outing, but rest assured, one that chunks top water lures all day will return with better quality trout. Try using different retrieves until you figure out which one works. The hard part is, remembering what you did to create a blow up or hook up. Duplicating the same retrieve to fool another trout the second time around is the essential key to becoming a better top water enthusiast. 

          With soft plastic lures, the Norton sand eel jr. lure in the tequila gold color has been doing very well for our parties when conditions are right. I’m rigging most of my lures with a 1/16- ounce head when fishing shallow and switching to a 1/8 ounce when deep.  

          As of late, the salinity levels in San Antonio Bay are high. But don’t get to use to these conditions, July can also be a month where the coast experiences severe weather and torrential downpours for days. While on the water, keep an eye out for the sky and check in frequently with someone who can check computer radar.

           In closing, I want to wish everyone a safe summer on and off the water. Remember to drink plenty of water and apply sunscreen frequently.

“Death, Taxes, and Traffic”

Guide Lines, by Capt. Chris Martin

June 27, 2008

Death and taxes are the two constants that everyone tells me cannot be avoided.  If you live in or around any of our major cities, the third constant that is unavoidable would be the everyday traffic.  On most days commuters can pick the time and place where you find the non-stop free flowing traffic, the stop and go areas and yes the dreaded bumper to bumper congestion points where everything comes to a stand still.  Next commuters will be thrown a curveball when the unfortunate fender bender occurs and all the rubbernecking puts a twist in your best laid out estimated time of arrival plans. 

Now lets apply this information to the type of fishing that is going on right now along the endless stretches of shoreline like the southern portions of our bay complexes (Matagorda Island) and the northern sectors of the mainland shorelines.

The windward or leeward shorelines all offer a wade fisherman’s best friend, hard sand bottom.  Depending on which side of the bay you chose you’ll find more pronounced sandbars and guts which have been created by wind and current.  The commuter fish that we have been targeting during this time of the year use the free-flowing unobstructed guts, to meet their daily forage needs.  Most of these fish are definitely left hand traffic dwellers have the pedal to the floor slowing down occasionally to make a pass at a top-water or soft plastic.  The result from these encounters usually will yield a few fish being brought to your hand. 

Next group of commuters that you will want to focus in on will be the stop and go variety.  Now to increase your fish to hand ratio you’ll need a couple of factors working in your favor.  Steady bait activity and stained water are without a doubt are a two obstructions that will keep fish in an area for a longer period of time.  Depth of course will always be a factor depending on the time of the day.  Our better fish 20-26 inches have been taken along the shallow contours in the first two hours of daylight.  As the temperature and sun both climb, position yourself in waist to belly deep water to intercept these traveling fish.

So many times we find ourselves thinking of greener pastures when the bite comes to a standstill. But, because my customers continued to probe into the far right lane, which was deeper, their footpaths came to a standstill while recording numerous hookups. We finished up with 30 trout for the day while chunking margarita Norton sand eel Jr. lures. Our plan for the following morning was to arrive in the dark to the same stretch of shoreline. Immediately after exiting the boat, we found ourselves rubbernecking to the right and left and noticed the lack of hookups. Roaming pods of porpoises created a fender bender on this highway that crushed our best laid out plan. It’s all about perception, that is, when to stay and when to go, and after looking at the given scenario, moving on was the best choice.

In closing, fish don’t have to take the same commute day-to-day like we do, knowing what intersection, exit ramp or shortcut they travel will result in a better days catch.

“A Little Bit Is All It Takes”

Guide Lines, by Capt. Chris Martin

April 30, 2008

The last week of April brought us two minor frontal passages that cooled things down around here much more than originally anticipated.  During cooler times in the year, marine life activity can slow to somewhat of a crawl at times.  The metabolism of the game fish shifts into low gear and the fish find themselves reducing the amount of energy they expend – for doing anything like feeding, and even swimming.  In slowing down on their feeding patterns they reserve whatever small amount of energy they may have stored so they can utilize it for brief, yet violent, thrusts upon any unsuspecting food source.  Bait fish are none the different.  Like the game fish, their bodies also slow down, as do their activities, resultant of the effects brought about by the changes of cooler water and atmospheric conditions.  This is the primary reason why you normally do not see a lot of bait fish, at least not in any significant numbers, scurrying along the surface of the water once temperatures have fallen.  But don’t let that fool you.  The bait fish are there.  They are often just below the surface, and many times in numbers, but you don’t notice their presence because they aren’t running for their lives due to the inactivity of the larger game fish.  Be certain that any bait fish activity, whatsoever, that you may witness during these periods should signal to you the presence of game fish.  With the numerous recent mood swings in the weather along our coast, fishing has been hit or miss for a while now, and locating bait activity during these constantly changing conditions has meant the difference between success and failure on a daily basis for trout. 

This past week, Bay Flats Lodge welcomed back the ESS Company for another fishing excursion.  These guys love to grind all day with lures, and I do mean all day.  This crew normally enjoys fishing from dawn to dusk, and things this time around would be no different.    They began their morning by casting across a protected flat covered with sand and grass, only to fool a lonely seventeen inch trout that was landed by Ron.  We pulled the anchor and made our way to our second stop which yielded Capt. Chris Castillo but two more trout to twenty three inches.  Upon settling onto our third destination of the day, Capt. Castillo managed another two trout.  The morning hours were all but gone now, and the day had started out slow for the ESS party.  The wind had grown to about 15-knots out of the northeast, and everyone needed a short breather from the grind at hand.  We broke out the sandwiches and soft drinks and everyone enjoyed a relaxing break.  Before getting underway after lunch, I sat silently and began thinking to myself of the time of the day it was then, the fact that the tides were falling, and of area protected shorelines that would be readily available to us during the afternoon hours given our current conditions.  I decided to head in the opposite direction.  Moments later I slowly motored into an area that showed signs of flicking mullet.  We set anchor and we all proceeded to ease over the sides of the Extreme with our favorite lures.  Capt. Castillo kept everyone in a line and instructed each person to cast directly ahead of their wade.  It wasn’t long at all before everyone in the party started hooking-up, so I took that time as an opportunity for me to investigate the immediate area a little more for any further potential.  I walked back to the boat and proceeded to let the wind blow the boat downwind about one hundred yards.  I secured the boat and began my walk while tossing my Norton tequila gold Bull Minnow rigged with a 1/8-ounce laser-lock jig head.  I hadn’t waded more than forty yards when I started catching twenty inch trout, just one right after another – not all of them were twenty inches, but most were over eighteen.  Meanwhile, Carl, Greg, and Ron were still landing good, solid trout, so I continued on my way.  I later switched to one my favorite top waters when I came upon sand flat and was fortunate enough to fool two nice reds.  The day later ended with the guys picking me up out of the water at around five o’clock.  Ron lit his cigar, shook our hands, and said, “You guys made my day. Thanks!”   We probably landed forty trout at that afternoon location, all due to the simple fact that we had stopped to fish an area where we had seen just two small flickering mullet.  Go figure!

In closing, I once again wish to remind everyone of the fact that the month of May generally represents the first substantial warming month of the year, and with it will bring more boat traffic on our area bays and coastal waterways.  So, please pay attention to the other guy, give waders and drifters a wide berth, and think safety at all times.  Be safe, and have fun!  Remember to practice CPR, “Catch, Photo, and Release”, whenever possible on trophy Trout and Reds…Guide Chris Martin, Port O’Connor/Seadrift region. www.BayFlatsLodge.com…1-888-677-4868

Bay Flats Lodge Report

Capt. Chris Martin

April 16, 2008

It was a long day on the water.  I struggled with my conscience knowing I had made the best decisions while searching for a trophy trout.  This same area back in 2003 gave up a personal-best trout while photographer Tosh Brown (www.ToshBrown.com) was following me with his camera.  This area is one that produces lifetime trout year-to-year.  It is a place very few people fish, especially due to the fact that closely held secrets are most often best left hidden.  Now, let’s fast-forward to 2008.  Tosh was getting his camera ready while he slowly slipped into the water and asked me, “Are you the one to follow?”  I took a deep breath before casting my favorite top water and turned back toward Tosh with an ear-to-ear grin and said, “Let’s not celebrate just yet.”  Between Capt. Chris Castillo, Capt. Jason Wagenfehr, and me, we lost a couple of big fish on this trip, but we never landed what we came for. Our search for big trout continued.

I personally think we are way behind on catching big trout this year, especially if you compare this season to the past, but this last week offered more promise with several 4 to 5-lb. trout fooled along with some even larger 5 to 6-lb. class trout.  In our mid coast region we are generally accustomed to catching trout between 25 to 30 inches during the spring months of February, March, and April.  Last year, we had two ladies both land their personal-best trout in the same day while wade fishing together while throwing Norton’s plum chartreuse Sand Eel Jr. lures.  So you never know, we might just catch more big fish this month if we can avoid the unfavorable windy days.  On the other hand, I cannot remember redfish action this good especially over the past three weeks.  Locate a windward shoreline in the back lakes of Matagorda Island, look for bait and stained water, and cast all the way to the grass edge – I bet you might just be able to stay put all day catching and releasing reds until your arms start throbbing.

The lodge recently welcomed Houston-Stafford Electric for a 5-boat, 2-½ day fishing trip.  Upon their arrival, our Bay Flats Lodge staff served the crew a lemon rosemary habanera Shrimp Diablo as a lead-in appetizer to a delectable 12-ounce Texas rib eye steak dinner, all of which was later topped-off with strawberry cheesecake for desert.  Shortly after stuffing ourselves with desert, we all walked out onto the outside deck to enjoy the sight of the end of yet another beautiful day along the Texas coast.  To our surprise, the wind began shifting from the north, and it continued to build by the hour.  The very next morning, we awoke to the sound of coastal scrub oaks swaying back and forth from the strong wind blowing out of the north.  But regardless of the adverse wind conditions, Capt. Jason Wagenfehr and Capt. Harold Dworaczyk were able to locate a very aggressive trout and redfish bite while drifting over the flats on a leeward shoreline.  The area they were fishing is located in Espiritu Santo Bay, and all of the clients were fishing with live shrimp under a popping cork in stained water.  Everyone returned with big smiles and a lot of fish at the conclusion of this, their first, day.  As the guys walked in from the boats, Deb and I served fried oysters and Cajun style chicken wings for appetizers before serving them a fabulous dinner of grilled duck smothered in Fischer & Wieser roasted raspberry chipotle sauce.  After a delightful banana fosters desert, all of us again watched the sun set over San Antonio Bay from the comfort of the deck.  The evening’s sunset was more typical of that of a fall sunset – that is, with little to no wind.  The conditions were changing right before our eyes, and the very next morning offered no wind for drift fishing.  The Guides predicted that today would require a certain level of grinding to produce any numbers, and they were correct.  Everyone caught fish, but not nearly as many fish were caught as compared to the day before the north wind started blowing.  Historically, the bite tends to go through a somewhat slack period the first day immediately following the passing of a frontal system, and it is for this reason that the day after a front happens to be my least favorite day to fish.

Regardless of whether you are a seasoned fisherman or have never wetted a line, you may have heard, “Fishing brings the best out in people.”  In the early hours before daylight on the second morning of the Houston-Stafford Electric visit; Capt. Harold Dworaczyk was pulling his boat into the parking lot at the Lodge.  At the same time, I was driving the golf cart over to the boats and noticed a noise coming from one of the tires, so I stopped Harold and asked if he had a flashlight so we could attempt to see what was causing the tire noise.  To my surprise, Harold was already holding a flashlight in his hands.  I noticed his hands were black with grease and I asked him what had happened.  Harold explained that he just had a tire blow out on his boat trailer, and he expressed to me his appreciation all the other Bay Flats guides stopping to aid and assist him so he wouldn’t be late in meeting this morning’s party.  This may seem like a small deal to some, but it is teamwork like this that enables us to serve others better.  The Bay Flats guides work together day-to-day while out on the water in very much the same manner in which they helped Harold with his flat tire experience.  This brings to mind another phrase you may have heard throughout the years, and that is the term TEAM – Together Everyone Achieves More.  Fishing really does bring out the best in people.

"Still Holding"

by Capt. Chris Martin

March 27, 2008

The fish are still holding a winter pattern for now, especially on cold nasty days. Now, get geared up for a fast transition when the water surface temperature hits that magic 70 degree mark. Mud and shell patterns have produced the most fish during warming periods. But, the transition from mud and grass on cold, wet, nasty days to shell and mud/sand on warmer “calmer” days has been the hardest piece of puzzle to figure out.

Just because trout have made a moderate transition to sand, I will continue to wade fish in that sticky stuff called mud. According to my logs, fishing over mud & grass offered continued success during the month of April. The key; find water that is slightly off colored because predator fish use stain water as structure, in other words they camouflage their body with dirty water.  High winds are a factor in April and scout for added protection from the wind. Warmer mud will attract more baitfish during early morning hours. The presence of bait normally makes fishing the same spot, a good stock option. The key is, knowing what time of the day to fish these spots. Meanwhile, that brings up another good subject; fishing logs. Junk in, is junk out! Keeping good, accurate logs takes a degree of discipline. Take your time with each entry, so that, you build good data in you’re personal fishing logs. Let’s now get back to the subject of fishing mud.  Most of the places I fish are not on the hot spot maps. I prefer fishing away from the masses. Fewer crowds normally equal more fish. In other words, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Divide areas where you fish into two categories. First, new fishing areas that need to be scouted and learned. Second, areas you know that already produce.

As spring blows in from the gulf, she brings with her warmer air temperatures to our bay systems and bait continues to gather over warming flats. Water temperatures are just warm enough to concentrate large mullet over sand and grass shorelines. Look for what I call key point shorelines where the contour of the land changes back another direction. The wind will be blowing towards the point of land sticking out, normally the land continues back the other way 45 degrees. Just out from this point or before the point is where I like to focus my wade. Because over time the wind creates wave action that results in wash out guts and saucers. Grass beds normally surround these guts and holes and baitfish may not see trout hunkered down below the surface.

When scouting an area I will look for the following signs. Look for small, round slicks. Small slicks normally indicate larger fish. When presented with smaller slicks and higher tides, fish tight to the grass. Work your lure beyond the slick, retrieving slowly back through the slick. Use a 1/8-ounce Norton laser lock jig head rigged with a Norton quick clip. Long and big slicks normally have been blown by the wind for some time or possibly could be small school trout. If you cannot locate slicks, look for bait. The key word here is bait. Look for bait that is nervously jumping. Flipping shad or glass minnows is another good indication that trout are present. The spring tides will flood shrimp and baitfish out of the marshes. I will scout the openings of sloughs and drains winding into the back lakes. Look for diving brown pelicans near these areas. Talk about spring tides, as of late we’ve experienced nothing but low tides. Just the other day while fishing the windward shoreline in extreme skinny water in deep ankle biting mud, we kept seeing seagulls picking up something near the shore. As we waded closer, we witnessed trout actually jumping on top of fleeing glass minnows. It’s in my opinion the glass minnows are showing up early this season. But, like an old salt told me, “If you see lightning and thunderstorms in February, you better look out in March for cold weather.” Hopefully by the time you read this we will be out of the woods on bad weather.

During the spring it seems anglers spend a lot more time running around looking when they should be fishing. If I’m catching decent size fish and adequate numbers, I will often re-wade the same area. Especially if an area has produced better during the middle to late part of the day, this is when I will decide to stay put.           

“Fantastic Behind Us”

by Capt. Chris Martin

February 27, 2008

In my last edition, I touched upon prime February fishing periods as being those times just prior to the arrival of the next northerner, and then the second and third days following the passage of the front.  This has been my definite high-strike pattern this month, and today’s trip was no exception.  The weatherman had said we should anticipate the approach of a somewhat dry-front moving through the coastal watershed during late evening, so we set out this morning to execute upon a practice that has worked for us over recent weeks.  As we left the Lodge, we had a mild SSW wind with a forecast for air temperatures to reach the high 70’s today, and the water temperature was in the low 60’s.  We knew the wind would rapidly increase over the course of the day with the nearing of the front, so we chose to take advantage of some deep water target practice at the first light of early morning.  We set up our initial wade session just adjacent to a sandy shoreline in deeper water made up primarily of scattered shell and potholes.  I had everyone tie-on an 1/8oz. Norton laser-lock jig rigged with my favorite Mardi Gras Norton Bull minnow and pitch their plastics just as far as they could out into deeper water, working the bait back to them at a ridiculously slow pace.  We picked up a few class trout to 20-inches before the sun rose in the morning sky to the point where it was effectively warming today’s water temperature.  But as expected, and after only about an hour of full sunlight in the sky, the wind began to build up substantially, and it was time for us to retreat to more manageable waters.  I packed everyone back into the boat and moved to our next locale where we would be focusing our efforts in a well-protected area where the water would already be warming to the mid-60’s due to today’s warm air and strong sunlight conditions.  It was an area offering what has proven to be one of my most productive February bottom structure transitions – from that of hard and deep, to that of soft and shallow – for the most part made up of soft silt, with a little duckweed thrown in for additional warmth and ambush cover.  We were now about to change from fishing in waist-to-chest deep water to water only about knee-high, so it was also time to make a change in our bait selection and presentation.  I had witnessed several loner “log” trout sunning in some very shallow waters on numerous occasions in recent weeks, so I was more than anxious this day to take things to the top.  Top waters would be our choice for the remainder of the day, and what a fine choice it would turn out to be.  Today’s trek would go down in my record book as a day never before experienced by an entire party during any one day of fishing, as every member of today’s party of four recognized a true “Texas Slam” – each person caught trout, redfish, and flounder.  We had near limits of trout to 26”, many slot redfish to 28”, and a few flounder.  February has been very good to us, as the fishing gods appear to have been with us throughout the entire month, and March should prove to be just as good, if not better.

We have seen ever-increasing flounder numbers over the years, and I get several inquiries each month in regard to how folks should fish for flounder using artificial lures.  So, here are some tips that might help you put more flounder on the end of your line.  Flounder are a very aggressive fish, and they can be downright nasty when it comes to feeding, especially given their steel-trap jaws and their near razor-sharp teeth.  A lot of anglers choose to fish from shore or from an anchored boat while trying their luck at flounder fishing, but I prefer the wade fishing approach myself.  I guess it may just be me, but I think wading for flounder adds a whole other level of excitement to the experience.  When going for flounder, my preference is to walk the edges of bayous and cuts – it’s a wonderful way to get out of the wind, and it’s a fine way to locate new real estate for trout and redfish.  I’ll let water current and wind speed dictate what size of jig head I use, but I’ll generally try either a 1/16 or 1/8 ounce Norton Laser Lock head, and will also tie a loop knot to the jig head in order to add more movement to the lure.  Now, cast your favorite plastic and slowly creep the Norton Laser Lock head back across the bay bottom and wait for the expected tap, tap-tap, or tap-tap-tap.  The most important part about hooking a flounder is having lots of patience. Too many times anglers will attempt to set the hook prematurely, thus pulling the lure out of the flounder’s mouth.  All too often the flounder will bite the lure while only holding the plastic with their sharp teeth. You should feel a hard tap, and maybe even another.  Now then, lean forward, and as you allow the fish to tighten the line, set the hook.  Happy hunting!

With February behind us, steadier periods of higher temperatures and additional daylight should soon launch the seasonal transition into springtime fishing patterns.  March is often associated with the arrival of that magical 70-degree water temperature, and within the upcoming weeks anglers should begin seeing indications of a marked transition taking place along the waters of the mid-coast bay systems.  February may be gone, but the year’s cold fronts aren’t yet finished, so actively engaging the 1-2-3 frontal passage technique (1-day before the front, and 2-days and 3-days after the front) should continue to payoff for you throughout March.  And in that March can also be connected back to some of history’s heaviest and most dismal weather conditions, it is of utmost importance that we all maintain safety as a top priority while out on the March waters.

As an additional reminder, the Bay Flats Lodge team will be represented at this year’s Houston Fishing Show, March 5-9.  If you’re unable to make the show, but still wish to take advantage of the many show specials we’re running, you can still recognize the savings by contacting me on my cell phone, (361) 746-0280, during show dates. If you would like to receive more information about the Houston Fishing Show savings, please email me at Chris@BayFlatsLodge.com.  Remember to practice CPR, “Catch, Photo, and Release”, whenever possible on trophy Trout and Reds…Guide Chris Martin, Port O’Connor/Seadrift region. www.BayFlatsLodge.com…1-888-677-4868

“Fantastic February”

by Capt. Chris Martin

February 13, 2008

Basketball season is more than halfway over, and a month from now 65 collegiate teams from across the nation will begin slugging it out at this year’s NCAA “March Madness” round ball tournament for a chance at the 2008 crown.  But why let them have all the fun?  I’ve started my own basketball-type amusement, but with my game being played in an entirely different arena – the cold, clear coastal waters of wintertime.  February often represents the coldest month of the year for the state of Texas, and the coastal plains are no exception.  Blustery, northern-blown clouds fill the skies with the approach of turbulent frontal passages, which are then generally followed-up by a pattern of two or three bluebird days, slack tides, and the ever so popular gin-clear water that results as a condition of lower mercury levels on the thermometer.  After that, south winds usually begin to re-dominate, and then the whole cycle starts over again with the onslaught of the next cold front.  But it is the period just immediately ahead of the front’s arrival, and the period represented by the second and third days following a front’s passing that my outdoor court game comes into play.  Naturally, I’m not out on one of the area flats literally tossing an inflated ball through a raised goal with four of my buddies.  That would be silly.  What were you thinking?  Instead, I’m using a Waterloo HP Slam Mag 6’6” fishing rod, Shimano Core reel, Sufix Braid line while maneuvering the presentation of my artificial plastics in much the same manner as that of a basketball player handling the ball while dribbling it to the basket.  I achieve this by pumping the lure across the bay floor without reeling it in.  This tends to keep the targeted bait in front of the fish a longer period of time, and creates minute vibrations and mud clouds as it slowly works its way across the bottom.  As of late, this methodology has paid-off substantially while fishing for redfish using the Mardis Gras color of Norton’s Bull Minnows rigged to a Norton 1/8-oz. laser-lock jig head.  And with the brilliant water transparency provided by that of the wintertime cold, it often becomes very easy to pick-up on where these reds are located.  With redfish being primarily a bottom-feeding species, they spend a lot of their time foraging and rooting their nose in the mud in search for food.  As they do this, mud boils, or cloudy waters, become quite evident in the otherwise translucent water.  My recent strategy has me keying-in on mud boils the size of (again) basketballs, then casting my bait beyond the mud boil.  I’ll slowly reel the bait within a close proximity of the murky water, and then begin my dribbling procedure as I work the bait across the area.  This technique has already provided its fair share of limits of reds this February, and should continue to do so throughout the remainder of the month.

Because February offers the amount of opportunities for foul weather that it does, it’s always important to uphold safety as one of your top priorities.  Before heading out, leave an estimated itinerary, or float plan, with folks who can be available in case you do not return when you think you will.  Additionally, it’s not a bad idea to wear your life jacket while underway across a rough wintertime bay, or at any time for that matter.  Remember that the water at this time of the year can fluctuate between the mid 50’s to the high 60’s, and if you inadvertently find yourself in the drink, there may not be anyone around for quite some time to offer help.  It is also critical to remember the importance of proper attire. Layer your clothing, and include such items as a stocking cap and a pair of warm gloves.  To keep water out of your waders in the event of an unanticipated slip or fall, institute the use of a belt around your exterior waist-line.  You would hate to have to cut your big-speck career-day short due to you being too cold and too uncomfortable.  The more comfortable you are throughout the day, the longer you will be able to fish.  Be quiet, and remember to fish slowly.

NEWSFLASH - Bay Flats Lodge is growing, and we've consequently added another full time guide to our already long list of professional staff.  Meet a great ambassador for the sport of saltwater fishing and waterfowl hunting, Capt. David McClelland.  David has been fishing and duck hunting the Port O’ Connor and Seadrift areas since 1983, and is married to Dawn and has a wonderful family of four children.  David served our country five years in the U.S. Marine Corp, during which time he attended Survival School and Scout Swimmer School, and served a tour of duty in Operation Desert Storm as a Marine sniper.  David is a U.S. Coast Guard licensed Captain and holds a Texas Parks and Wildlife Guide License, and he captains a new 21-foot Shoalwater Cat rigged with a 200 ETEC outboard.  David takes great pride in his equipment and keeps his rods, reels, duck decoys, and boat in perfect condition.  He is as genuine a person as you will ever wish to meet, and works great with kids and family – he truly works hard for his customers – David’s normally the last one to come in from a long day on the water.

In closing, I once again wish to remind everyone of the fact that the month of February is rapidly booking-up, so please phone or email me to learn more about our February Fishing Special.  Remember to practice CPR, “Catch, Photo, and Release”, whenever possible on trophy Trout and Reds…Guide Chris Martin, Port O’Connor/Seadrift region. www.BayFlatsLodge.com…1-888-677-4868.

BAY FLATS LODGE WELCOMES BENELLI ON ASSIGNMENT

January 09, 2008

Bay Flats Lodge welcomed host Joe Coogan of Benelli On Assignment to film a Waterfowl / Whitetail Trophy Deer Hunting trip to air on Versus TV show. Joe Coogan is the brand manager for Benelli USA. He is a respected outdoor writer and former editor for Peterson's Hunting Magazine and recently worked with Tanzania Game Trackers Safaris conducting seasoned safaris as a licensed professional hunter in Tanzania, East Africa.  Joe Coogan is the host of Benelli On Assignment. He holds a degree in mass communications/journalism from the University of South Florida. Join former outdoor writer and professional hunter Joe Coogan as he travels around the globe with some of America's finest outdoor writers. Each week showcases a new location and new writer who is there to put Benelli firearms to the most grueling test possible. From bison in Colorado to plains game in Africa, Joe and his guest will inform and educate all along the way and, at the same time, show you some of the finest game and locations to be found throughout the world.

Our first assignment was to shoot the video of a duck hunt with myself, Capt. Capt. James Welder, and Joe Coogan. Along with this video, I will have another assignment to write an article about the waterfowl / whitetail trophy deer hunting trip for Sporting Classics magazine.

Before Joe and I loaded up the airboat, Guides TJ Christensen and James Welder took the other airboat and went ahead to place out the decoys and get the blind ready. From the minute we arrived in the airboat, teal were buzzing and trying to land in the blocks. We set one cameraman in the blind with us and placed the other on a bench covered with brush in the water. The flights of teal continued to build while the sun was starting to peek above the horizon. The hardest part of shooting this video, it didn't matter if you could shoot ducks; we had to make sure the cameraman could get the ducks on video coming into the decoys and trying to land. Also the angles of our video man were pointed right in front of the blind, so having ducks land to the sides or behind the blind would not work for TV.

I was extremely nervous about not only shooting ducks, but also having enough ducks trying to land into the decoys. The pressure was building, and the sun was very bright making this a blue bird day, but soon as Joe pulled the trigger and folded the first pintail drake trying to land into the blocks, we both grinned ear-to-ear. Both cameramen gave us the thumbs up showing us they got the entire footage. The morning worked out great with many flocks of teal and single pintail working the decoys. The cameraman picked up several other good shots of ducks being taken.

The pressure was not over because we had another day of duck hunting ahead of us.

January 10, 2008

The second day's weather was completely different and was challenging because we had thick fog and no wind. We safely made it to our hunting spot by airboat and started working on building our natural blind. While working on brushing the blind and setting the decoys out, both cameraman were busy getting footage of us working to make this hunt a success. The duck hunt started out very slow due to the thick fog and no wind. The sky was becoming light enough for the cameraman, so we started looking for incoming ducks. Just out of my right eye, I noticed about 30 redheads swinging towards the decoys. They had gear down and were about to land, I was going to call the shot, but Joe said wait, the cameraman still need more light.

The fog started lifting around 8:30 and waves of ducks were approaching the blocks. The wind was building strong out of the north into our face. The gamelan for this video duck hunt, we would let one person take a shot at a time. Finally redheads swung towards the shore and started heading right for us. I told Joe, wait, wait, and wait, now take'em. The cameraman gave us the thumbs up on getting the shot on video.

Later into the morning Joe Coogan, James Welder and myself got on a pintail drake from far off and called the duck right to the edge of our blocks. The duck worked back in forth and we slowed the calling down. Joe had the perfect camera shot and folded the duck right above the decoys. Redheads continued to fly low over the blocks and try to land in front of the blind. We had many other flights of ducks come into the decoys and got a lot of good low flying bird footage.

Now the pressure is not over, James Welder and myself will be relocating to South Texas to hunt Whitetail Bucks with Joe Coogan and Benelli On Assignment. More to come!

January 11, 2008

After a wonderful duck hunt on the second day Joe Coogan, James Welder and myself shifted from duck hunting in Seadrift to driving down to South Texas to rattle up a trophy whitetail buck. After arriving we had about an hour of sunlight remaining so we went to the range to site in our Benelli Slug Shotguns at around 100 yards.

I was up the next morning before the alarm clock ever went off making coffee and getting my gear in order. After a quick breakfast we drove down where we would have the best chance to rattle up a buck. The air temperature was 31 degrees and we had a light north wind. After several attempts of rattling, we finally saw a buck. We made several more attempts to rattle this buck.

It was getting late in the day so time was not on my side. We walked up into heavier brush where we had seen several larger deer earlier in the day. We set up in a spot to rattle, and while James was rattling, we both noticed a nice 10 point buck that was walking out of the heavy South Texas brush. James asked,” Do you have a shot, if so, take it" I clicked the safety off and started to pull the trigger. Now, the only thing I remember was the small opening I had to shoot this deer. Next thing I noticed the deer dropped like hit a concrete wall.

The two mornings of duck hunting and the South Texas Trophy Whitetail hunt with Benelli On Assignment and working with Joe Coogan made me appreciate my career and job even that much more. Just having the opportunity to hunt next to Joe was a treat in its self, not to mention having the entire hunts shot on video for Versus TV.  

Thanks
 
Capt. Chris Martin
Bay Flats Lodge, Inc.
391 Bayside Drive
Seadrift, Texas 77983
1/2-hours south of Houston, Texas
www.BayFlatsLodge.com
1-888-677-4868
 
Sponsored by: Waterloo Rod Company, Norton Lures, Majek Boats, Mercury Marine, Footcush, Final Approach Blinds,  Ray-Guard Wading Boots, Hook & Tackle Outfitters,  Simms Waders,  Shimano Reels, Power Pole, Kent Ammunition, Eagle Claw, American Airboats, Avery Outdoors
 
Join Our Team! Bay Flats Lodge is always interested in quality individuals. If you would like to be a part of Bay Flats Lodge, please email Chris@BayFlatsLodge.com or call (888) 677-4868.
 

BAY FLATS LODGE ANNOUNCES NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH WATERLOO ROD COMPANY

January 02, 2008

Bay Flats Lodge announces a new partnership with Waterloo Rod Company. The guides of Bay Flats Lodge will have their boats outfitted with Waterloo Rods. After fishing with a Waterloo Rod, you will be able to purchase your own rod from the Bay Flats Lodge pro shop. I personally fish with the HP Slam Mag Waterloo Rod 6'6" and prefer the palm swell.

Trout move slowly during winter months and like to conserve energy. The fish’s metabolism slows during colder days and they “may” become less aggressive in their feeding habits. During these colder days it helps to slow down your presentation. This is where subsurface lures have an important role in catching big trout. Slow subsurface lures are becoming increasingly popular for winter fishing. Some of my personal favorites are the Corky Fat Boy, Corky Devil, and the regular slow sinking Corky. I also cannot leave out the Catch 2000 family of lures. I am really partial to the smaller Catch 2000 Jr. I actually have a chartreuse Catch 2000 Jr. that I’ve been using for over 3 months now. I have replaced the split rings and treble hooks twice since I’ve been using it. This particular lure has so many scratches on it from sharp teeth, that it’s loosing its chartreuse color. I have confidence in this lure and it’s normally the first lure I start casting with on each trip. Any of the above subsurface lures will allow you to keep the target out in front of the fish for a longer period of time, while at the same time delivering a slower presentation.  

I have a few techniques that I like to share when fishing subsurface lures. To start off with, when fishing shorelines I like to slow down my retrieve, allowing them to sink a foot below the surface. When fishing deep reefs, I will let them fall between the middle and lower water column. No matter if I am fishing shorelines or reefs, once the lure sinks, start reeling at a slow to moderate speed. It’s good practice to make sudden stops with the lure, allowing it to fall. After the lure has fallen, reel at a slow pace first! If it feels too comfortable, it's probably the wrong speed...If you find yourself getting grass on the treble hooks, you’re allowing the lure to sit too long. Most importantly, if you find yourself casting more “then once every minute”, you’re probably reeling too fast. Pay attention to how the trout hits the lure. In deeper water, I normally get hits on subsurface lures as the lure falls. In shallower water, I have more trout hit aggressively when I start reeling the lure right after it falls. 

The month of January offers anglers fewer choices where to fish for big trout due to such inclement weather. There are days when mud and shell would be wonderful if the wind wasn’t blowing 25-30 mph. Therefore, you will find me working over mud and grass in area coves and back lakes. Also many flats offer plenty of the same environs as area back lakes. The number one key to locating big trout is locating mullet. Because of lower water temperatures and the trout’s metabolism, these big fish will eat larger mullet to carry them through the cold periods. While looking back, I dressed in layers and stayed warm so I “could” stay out longer in the elements. During the next few months the temperatures can be brutal. Stay focused. A non-focused angler will make cast without thinking about why he’s casting to that spot. Focused fishermen will have a “reason” for every cast. Each cast is planned out before hand. No matter where you decide to fish during the month of January spend more time prospecting new areas and remember it’s never too late to start recording accurate fishing logs.

 Please know, Bay Flats Lodge has a new website that features daily fishing & hunting reports along with FVI flash videos that allow our viewers instant uploading. We update our photo & video gallery daily to keep you informed, click www.BayFlatsLodge.com or if one wishes to sign up for my Newsletters, email Chris@BayFlatsLodge.com or call toll free 1-888-677-4868.

Thanks
 
Capt. Chris Martin
Bay Flats Lodge, Inc.
391 Bayside Drive
Seadrift, Texas 77983
1/2-hours south of Houston, Texas
www.BayFlatsLodge.com
1-888-677-4868
 
Sponsored by: Waterloo Rod Company, Norton Lures, Majek Boats, Mercury Marine, Footcush, Final Approach Blinds,  Ray-Guard Wading Boots, Hook & Tackle Outfitters,  Simms Waders,  Shimano Reels, Power Pole, Kent Ammunition, Eagle Claw, American Airboats, Avery Outdoors
 
Join Our Team! Bay Flats Lodge is always interested in quality individuals. If you would like to be a part of Bay Flats Lodge, please email Chris@BayFlatsLodge.com or call (888) 677-4868.