Saltwater Texas
Winter Issue
November 9, 2010
In the wintertime, it’s all about comfort….
In the winter months, the rules change dramatically for shallow water anglers. Water temperatures can swing wildly. Be flexible and thoughtful with your approach, being in tune with water temperatures and wind. Shallow water warms up the fastest but also cools off the fastest, so plan your day for the warmest water. Cold incoming tides or a cold north wind can cool off your favorite place and evacuate fish. Shallow water temperatures above 60 degrees will draw fish to enter, and the warmer the water gets, the better chance for feeding fish.
Fishing “between the fronts” offers blue bird days with light winds, clear skies and clear water. Fish that have been laid up in deeper water during a cold norther blow will eventually emerge onto the flats in search of a little food.
Begin your fishing somewhere in the mid-morning, after the shallow water has had a little time to absorb the heat of the sun. Fish shorelines, spoil islands or flats protected from the wind, with darker grass or muddy bottoms, or even slightly off-colored water and deeper potholes. Dark grass and mud and the tiny, floating particulates of the off-colored water absorb the heat of the sun faster, making these the places that the fish will seek out first.
Fish shallow areas close to deeper water, such as the Intracoastal Waterway. Along the Texas Coast, the Intracoastal can be the “bomb shelter” where fish drop into when water temperatures fall dramatically. Fish do go deep when the water gets cold, that’s how they survive. It might be 57 degrees at the bottom of the Intracoastal, but it’s a consistent 57 degrees. A shallow flat can drop quickly into the danger zone for fish survival after the sun goes down and cold night temperatures set in.
Spoil islands absorb the sunshine and warm the water around them. One of the most productive places to fish in the winter is around the spoil islands that line the Intracoastal Canal. Here, the combination of warmer water disseminating from the spoil islands and the close proximity to the deep water of the Intracoastal provide a great place for predators to hang out in comfort and safety.
Find bait. No bait, no fish. Move on. The reason there is no bait is the same reason there are no predators. The water temperature isn’t right or you are too far from deep, protected water. Clue in if you are fishing and you don’t see bait in the water. Keep searching.
Avoid any area that has a lot of current, either wind-blown or tidal. This is one of the only times of the year that non-moving water works in an anglers favor. Warm, consistent temperatures are what feeding fish are seeking and any cold, incoming flow can turn a sun-warmed 68 degree flat into an unsustainable 57 degrees in a hurry.
Oyster shells exposed at night can get really cold. During the day, this cold emanates into the water around them and could make that water unfishable. If you like to fish flats that have lots of oyster reefs, keep this in mind.
As the air and water temperatures drop, sharpen up your casting skills and move slow. When the water is cold, the fish move slowly. They are conserving all of their energy. When they feed, they move slowly. Predators are unwilling to expend a lot of energy while feeding in these colder conditions. An accurate cast will catch more fish. Don’t expect a predator to pursue a fly or lure three feet or more. They will not do it. Put it in the proximity of their mouth and they will make the strike. When you do drop the fly or lure into a fish’s “dinner plate zone”, move it slow. Hop it up and down, puff it on the bottom, and wait for it to be detected. Give the fish some time to meander over and pick up the prey, then, slowly set the hook. Cold water, clear water and light winds demand finesse in presentation and accuracy, whether you are fly fishing or lure casting.
Fly casters throw dark crab patterns on the sand, or the old standby, a white and chartreuse or red and white clouser . Move up a size, so instead of throwing a size 6 fly, try a size 4 or 2. When fish do eat in the winter, they tend to eat bigger baits for more “bang for their buck”. Lure chunkers toss weightless or near-weightless soft plastics on no-wind days for a super quiet presentation. Other lures that work great in the winter are the Corky Fatboy, Corky Devil, Baby -1 crank bait, Chattertube, Catch 2000 and the Cotton Cordell Brokenback. All of these lures are made to sink slowly and/or to be moved slowly. Don’t rush them, they are supposed to suspend and wiggle just enough to look natural in the cold water environment.
On calm days, you may have to cast beyond the target so as not to spook your fish, and then bring the lure into the “zone”. Make the “magic transect”, where the lure is presented to the fish perpendicular to his face. No bait in the natural world would come up from behind or chase a predator. The more natural the presentation, the more fish you will catch. This premise certainly holds true all year, however.
Shallow water anglers in-the-know are out on the water every day that the conditions allow. Consider the secrets to finding feeding fish and you’ll be amazed at the quality of angling that can be done in the wintertime!
Captain Sally's fishing articles, stories, tips, insight and photos from the Texas Coast... See daily fishing reports on Facebook, "Capt. Sally's Reel Fun Charters"
Monday, November 15, 2010
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Saltwater Angler Magazine Fishing Report - November 10, 2010
Saltwater Angler Magazine – On-Line Edition
November 10, 2010
For shallow water anglers, one of the best times of the year is in full swing right now. November and December give us moderate temperatures, some cool nights and mornings along with really hungry fish. Duck hunting has been fantastic and looks to be good for the rest of the session, especially here in Baffin Bay. Many new migratory birds are showing up daily and the sunrises and sunsets are especially beautiful.
Fly fishing and sightcasting has been very productive both in Rockport and in Baffin Bay the past couple of weeks. The water levels have been very, very low, which makes for some fantastic fishing, as the back lakes and some flats are virtually empty. All of the major shorelines have good concentrations of both redfish and trout. Find sand strips and grass, potholes and protected waters up close and you’ll have fish to cast at.
Rockport, like the old friend that it is, has been consistently serving up nice pods of tailing fish on moving waters and lots and lots of singles and doubles cruising around. Although there are no shortages of good fish to cast at, the real challenge has been to spot them quickly and cast at them before they spook off. The water there is just beautiful in the flats and on major shorelines, and I poled a large majority of them this past week.
Since fishing Baffin Bay and the surrounding areas in the past year or so, the stark differences in fish behavior rea
lly became evident. Fishing both bay systems has offered some fresh perspective on several topics which has been very interesting and insightful.
For the same reason the trout are bigger in Baffin Bay, so are the redfish. And, the fact that Baffin and this area are so far away from any water inflows, like the Packery Channel and the East Cut in Port Mansfield, there is no tide movement. Sure, water levels change slightly from time to time, but there is no dramatic, daily water movement in Baffin Bay. So, redfish and trout tend to stay around and just eat, without lots of nomadic movement looking for the best water conditions or food. It’s all right there and pretty consistent.
For a tidal and water level fisherman like me, this was a big change. Fishing the tide and water level movement in Rockport means everything. In Baffin Bay, it means nothing. So, finding feeding fish in Baffin is a little bit more structure-based with wind as the only means of “tide” (current). Water clarity in Baffin Bay and the surrounding areas can be as clear as Rockport, or slightly off-colored. It really doesn’t matter because the fish are just bigger in Baffin and they can be seen pretty easily in the shallow water. Everyone fishes the shallow water in Rockport, almost no one fishes the shallow water in Baffin. The fish are perfectly comfortable there, not run over by boats, not pressured on a daily basis. Consequently, they are just plain dumb. And when they are in the shallow water, they are most probably actively looking for food.
November 10, 2010
For shallow water anglers, one of the best times of the year is in full swing right now. November and December give us moderate temperatures, some cool nights and mornings along with really hungry fish. Duck hunting has been fantastic and looks to be good for the rest of the session, especially here in Baffin Bay. Many new migratory birds are showing up daily and the sunrises and sunsets are especially beautiful.
Fly fishing and sightcasting has been very productive both in Rockport and in Baffin Bay the past couple of weeks. The water levels have been very, very low, which makes for some fantastic fishing, as the back lakes and some flats are virtually empty. All of the major shorelines have good concentrations of both redfish and trout. Find sand strips and grass, potholes and protected waters up close and you’ll have fish to cast at.
Rockport, like the old friend that it is, has been consistently serving up nice pods of tailing fish on moving waters and lots and lots of singles and doubles cruising around. Although there are no shortages of good fish to cast at, the real challenge has been to spot them quickly and cast at them before they spook off. The water there is just beautiful in the flats and on major shorelines, and I poled a large majority of them this past week.
Since fishing Baffin Bay and the surrounding areas in the past year or so, the stark differences in fish behavior rea
lly became evident. Fishing both bay systems has offered some fresh perspective on several topics which has been very interesting and insightful.For the same reason the trout are bigger in Baffin Bay, so are the redfish. And, the fact that Baffin and this area are so far away from any water inflows, like the Packery Channel and the East Cut in Port Mansfield, there is no tide movement. Sure, water levels change slightly from time to time, but there is no dramatic, daily water movement in Baffin Bay. So, redfish and trout tend to stay around and just eat, without lots of nomadic movement looking for the best water conditions or food. It’s all right there and pretty consistent.
For a tidal and water level fisherman like me, this was a big change. Fishing the tide and water level movement in Rockport means everything. In Baffin Bay, it means nothing. So, finding feeding fish in Baffin is a little bit more structure-based with wind as the only means of “tide” (current). Water clarity in Baffin Bay and the surrounding areas can be as clear as Rockport, or slightly off-colored. It really doesn’t matter because the fish are just bigger in Baffin and they can be seen pretty easily in the shallow water. Everyone fishes the shallow water in Rockport, almost no one fishes the shallow water in Baffin. The fish are perfectly comfortable there, not run over by boats, not pressured on a daily basis. Consequently, they are just plain dumb. And when they are in the shallow water, they are most probably actively looking for food.
Whether Rockport or Baffin, the same water temperature rules apply for late fall fishing. Find the warmest, most protected water and avoid cold water inflows to find consistent, feeding fish.
Begin your fishing somewhere in the mid-morning, after the shallow water has had a little time to absorb the heat of the sun. Fish shorelines, spoil islands or flats protected from the wind, with darker grass or muddy bottoms, or even slightly off-colored water and deeper potholes. Dark grass and mud and the tiny, floating particulates of the off-colored water absorb the heat of the sun faster, making these the places that the fish will seek out first.
Fish shallow areas close to deeper water, such as the Intracoastal Waterway. Along the Texas Coast, the Intracoastal can be the “bomb shelter” where fish drop into when water temperatures fall dramatically. Fish do go deep when the water gets cold, that’s how they survive. It might be 57 degrees at the bottom of the Intracoastal, but it’s a consistent 57 degrees. A shallow flat can drop quickly into the danger zone for fish survival after the sun goes down and cold night temperatures set in.
Fly casters throw dark crab patterns on the sand, or the old standby, a white and chartreuse or red and white clouser . Move up a size, so instead of throwing a size 6 fly, try a size 4 or 2. When fish do eat in the winter, they tend to eat bigger baits for more “bang for their buck”. Lure chunkers toss weightless or near-weightless soft plastics on no-wind days for a super quiet presentation. Other lures that work great in the winter are the Corky Fatboy, Corky Devil, Baby -1 crank bait, Chattertube, Catch 2000 and the Cotton Cordell Brokenback. All of these lures are made to sink slowly and/or to be moved slowly. Don’t rush them, they are supposed to suspend and wiggle just enough to look natural in the cold water environment.
Shallow water anglers in-the-know are out on the water every day that the conditions allow. Consider the secrets to finding feeding fish and you’ll be amazed at the quality of angling that can be done in the wintertime!
See you on the water!
Capt. Sally Black
Website: www.CaptainSally.com
Email: Sally@CaptainSally.com
Facebook: Capt. Sally Black and Capt. Sally’s Reel Fun Charters
Blog: CaptSallysBlog.blogspot.com
Twitter: CaptainSally
Saltwater Angler Report - September 9, 2010
Saltwater Angler On-Line Edition
September 9, 2010
It’s been an interesting end of the summer…. High water, low water, lots of rain, great pushes of blue water, schools of jacks, schools of migrating redfish and everything in between. Shallow water anglers have been offered the entire gamut of conditions to experience recently. The good news, however, is that the catching has been consistently good, even under some tough conditions.
With the advent of a few cooler mornings recently, a change is in the air. Even though summer will wear on, there will be days mixed in where a hint of fall will sneak through. Getting ready for dove hunting, which opens on September 17th in the South Zone is the official kick-off of a new season of the year. It looks like hunting is going to be fantastic down in the Riviera area which is inundated with dove right now. Early teal looks good here as well, with big flocks being sighted in the Alazan Bay area.
Last year was my first season as a hunting guide and I got hopelessly addicted to the sport. My black lab, Kelly, who is now two years old made it so much fun! I am really looking forward to our second year as it looks like the conditions and the wingshooting will be very good.
Shallow water fishing in the Rockport area has been very good as of late, with lots of pods of tailing redfish and some really big schools being sighted in the usual places. This is the time of year to keep your eye out for those migrating groups of hungry redfish, heading out to the gulf passes. The “usual places” to look for these migrating herds are the outside beach of Traylor Island near Trout Bayou, Corpus Christi Bayou and Yucca Cut, the Lydia Ann Channel, Quarantine Shoreline and the Super Flats. Don’t forget to look in Allyn’s Bight and along the San Jose Island Shoreline as well.
Watch for birds diving down, bait jumping and the tell-tale “copper/orange water” patches that give these big groups away. Toss anything into the mix and it will be eaten. Whether fly fishing or lure casting, it’s a no-brainer!
Same scenario in the super shallow waters when coming across pods of tailing redfish. Toss almost anything at this time of the year, and it will be eaten. Once a fall fishing pattern becomes established, anything goes. As a new shrimp migration begins to arrive within the next few weeks, it’s a full-on food fest for redfish and trout eating up after the lull of summer. As water temperatures begin to drop, even ever-so-slightly, the message is being received that the seasons are changing.
Small topwaters, like the Super Spook, Jr. and the small Skitterwalk in light and dark colors like bone, chrome, pink and black are working great. Lately, the soft plastic that has been producing is the Saltwater Assassin small paddletail on a 1/16th ounce jig head and a #2 hook. Natural colors in clear waters or darker colors on cloudy days work great, either with a straight retrieve or a jigging retrieve, depending on the mood of the fish that day.
Sunny days and clear waters are always good for the venerable gold spoon, in 1/4th or 1/8th ounce sizes. When there is a lack of floating grass, try a Waker or a crankbait for some fun action. Both reds and trout can’t resist these two lures.
Fly anglers sightcast to these fish with chartreuse and white Foxy Clousers, bigger Seaducers and light-weight crab patterns in natural colors, depending on the water depth and conditions. It’s still important to be accurate with your casts. Presenting the fly as naturally as possible will produce the best strikes. Make the “magic transect” by crossing the path of the redfish with your fly. A fish can’t say no to this presentation.
Whether fly fishing or tossing lures, the best places to look for pods of tails are any flat or back lake with good, short grass with water levels at knee-deep or less. Moving tides prompt better feeding activity so plan your day around these water flows, either in or out.
September is a transition month for everyone. Getting back to school and football, running out of summer vacation time, planning for dove hunting, getting the deer lease ready and preparing for fall fishing has everyone working hard in all of their spare time. It’s tough to get enough of anything accomplished right now, but it’s well worth the effort. This is a magical time of the year.
And speaking of magical, on August 28th, Capt. Aubrey Black and I got married on the sand bar at Los Corrallos at sunrise. 85 of our friends and family were there with us as we said our vows, standing knee-deep in the waters of Baffin Bay. What an honor and a privilege it was to share our joy with everyone. Marrying the love of my life, who just happens to be a fishing and hunting guide too, has been the most exciting and interesting thing I have ever done. I’ll still be fishing Rockport, but I’ll be adding Baffin Bay hunting and fishing to my repertoire as well. Nothing has really changed, except for my last name, and the prospects for the remainder of this year for hunting and fishing are very bright, to say the least!
See you on the water!
Capt. Sally
Website: www.CaptainSally.com
Email: Sally@CaptainSally.com
Facebook: Capt. Sally’s Reel Fun Charters and Sally Ann Black
Blog: www.captainsallysblog.blogspot.com
Twitter: CaptainSally
September 9, 2010
It’s been an interesting end of the summer…. High water, low water, lots of rain, great pushes of blue water, schools of jacks, schools of migrating redfish and everything in between. Shallow water anglers have been offered the entire gamut of conditions to experience recently. The good news, however, is that the catching has been consistently good, even under some tough conditions.
With the advent of a few cooler mornings recently, a change is in the air. Even though summer will wear on, there will be days mixed in where a hint of fall will sneak through. Getting ready for dove hunting, which opens on September 17th in the South Zone is the official kick-off of a new season of the year. It looks like hunting is going to be fantastic down in the Riviera area which is inundated with dove right now. Early teal looks good here as well, with big flocks being sighted in the Alazan Bay area.
Last year was my first season as a hunting guide and I got hopelessly addicted to the sport. My black lab, Kelly, who is now two years old made it so much fun! I am really looking forward to our second year as it looks like the conditions and the wingshooting will be very good.
Shallow water fishing in the Rockport area has been very good as of late, with lots of pods of tailing redfish and some really big schools being sighted in the usual places. This is the time of year to keep your eye out for those migrating groups of hungry redfish, heading out to the gulf passes. The “usual places” to look for these migrating herds are the outside beach of Traylor Island near Trout Bayou, Corpus Christi Bayou and Yucca Cut, the Lydia Ann Channel, Quarantine Shoreline and the Super Flats. Don’t forget to look in Allyn’s Bight and along the San Jose Island Shoreline as well.
Watch for birds diving down, bait jumping and the tell-tale “copper/orange water” patches that give these big groups away. Toss anything into the mix and it will be eaten. Whether fly fishing or lure casting, it’s a no-brainer!
Same scenario in the super shallow waters when coming across pods of tailing redfish. Toss almost anything at this time of the year, and it will be eaten. Once a fall fishing pattern becomes established, anything goes. As a new shrimp migration begins to arrive within the next few weeks, it’s a full-on food fest for redfish and trout eating up after the lull of summer. As water temperatures begin to drop, even ever-so-slightly, the message is being received that the seasons are changing.
Small topwaters, like the Super Spook, Jr. and the small Skitterwalk in light and dark colors like bone, chrome, pink and black are working great. Lately, the soft plastic that has been producing is the Saltwater Assassin small paddletail on a 1/16th ounce jig head and a #2 hook. Natural colors in clear waters or darker colors on cloudy days work great, either with a straight retrieve or a jigging retrieve, depending on the mood of the fish that day.
Sunny days and clear waters are always good for the venerable gold spoon, in 1/4th or 1/8th ounce sizes. When there is a lack of floating grass, try a Waker or a crankbait for some fun action. Both reds and trout can’t resist these two lures.
Fly anglers sightcast to these fish with chartreuse and white Foxy Clousers, bigger Seaducers and light-weight crab patterns in natural colors, depending on the water depth and conditions. It’s still important to be accurate with your casts. Presenting the fly as naturally as possible will produce the best strikes. Make the “magic transect” by crossing the path of the redfish with your fly. A fish can’t say no to this presentation.
Whether fly fishing or tossing lures, the best places to look for pods of tails are any flat or back lake with good, short grass with water levels at knee-deep or less. Moving tides prompt better feeding activity so plan your day around these water flows, either in or out.
September is a transition month for everyone. Getting back to school and football, running out of summer vacation time, planning for dove hunting, getting the deer lease ready and preparing for fall fishing has everyone working hard in all of their spare time. It’s tough to get enough of anything accomplished right now, but it’s well worth the effort. This is a magical time of the year.
And speaking of magical, on August 28th, Capt. Aubrey Black and I got married on the sand bar at Los Corrallos at sunrise. 85 of our friends and family were there with us as we said our vows, standing knee-deep in the waters of Baffin Bay. What an honor and a privilege it was to share our joy with everyone. Marrying the love of my life, who just happens to be a fishing and hunting guide too, has been the most exciting and interesting thing I have ever done. I’ll still be fishing Rockport, but I’ll be adding Baffin Bay hunting and fishing to my repertoire as well. Nothing has really changed, except for my last name, and the prospects for the remainder of this year for hunting and fishing are very bright, to say the least!
See you on the water!
Capt. Sally
Website: www.CaptainSally.com
Email: Sally@CaptainSally.com
Facebook: Capt. Sally’s Reel Fun Charters and Sally Ann Black
Blog: www.captainsallysblog.blogspot.com
Twitter: CaptainSally
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