2018 Fishing - Year of the big one

[Gunsup 56]

On 3/25/2018 at 10:50 AM, Pescado_Rojo said:

Did a little pond fishing in the front of our neighborhood with the boy last night. 

If I remember correctly from the old site, don't we live in the same hood?   I need to hit that place with my daughter if it's where I'm thinking it is...

[Pescado_Rojo 19416]

Perhaps. Pond is in the front of the neighborhood on the right as you drive in. 

[Dry Elbows 142]

Yeah, they catch them that size in and around Caney Creek every year.  I hooked one in EMB last fall that was about that size. 

[Chewbacca 7779]

On 3/27/2018 at 1:23 PM, Footballpants said:

Went to a buddy's place in Jackson Hole over the weekend for a last minute spring ski trip. His place sits on a little creek that flows into the Snake River called Fish Creek. We had a little time to kill Sunday afternoon so I went rummaging through his barn and found some waders, a TFO NXT Combo, and a fly box filled of a hodge-podge of flies. Tied on a big stone fly nymph and a zebra midge dropper and decided to head out and make a few casts. Caught this 18.5" cutter on the stone fly nymph on 4th cast. 

 

So are you Hollywood Colt?  Trying to get my names straight with people who changed them.

[Masshole Horn 773]

@Pescado_Rojo I've had some luck getting carp on the fly at a few places around austin:

Muleshoe bend when the water is high.

The Steps on the San Gabriel when the water is low.

Sight casting to feeding fish in both instances.

[Lhorn 4913]

On March 27, 2018 at 12:36 PM, jofus said:

also pulled this one out of the tank:

"Blackface" in 2018?  Really bro?

[Braff Zacklin 13573]

3 hours ago, Chewbacca said:

So are you Hollywood Colt?  Trying to get my names straight with people who changed them.

I think Hollywood Colt is just Hollywood now.

[Chewbacca 7779]

16 minutes ago, Braff Zacklin said:

I think Hollywood Colt is just Hollywood now.

So we got 2 motherfuckers pulling 20+ inchers out on flies now?  I'm gonna have to step up my game this summer.

[swTXSU 18]

On 3/28/2018 at 8:33 AM, LoneStarBiker said:

We (TPWD) went to the Livingston Dam tailrace to check for Striped Bass prior to our hatchery collections in April. Here's a 30+ lbs female we shocked up, saw a bunch of 6+ ft alligator gar, paddlefish, and a couple freshwater eels as well. 10 floodgates were open so there was quite a bit of flow (14,000 CFS; see image below) and any more it's too dangerous to get the boats in there. With all this rain, especially in the DFW, may keep us from collections next week. 

 

 

 

Looks like y'all will be waiting awhile with all the rain coming down the Trinity.

 

[Footballpants 121]

5 hours ago, Chewbacca said:

On 3/27/2018 at 2:23 PM, Footballpants said:

 

So are you Hollywood Colt?  Trying to get my names straight with people who changed them

Nope Footballpants here. I'm a serial lurker. Was a member on Shaggy since the beginning and had 300 posts. I plan to be more active in the short term so I can get to 50 posts and have access to NSAA.

 

 

[Footballpants 121]

Not opposed to chunking conventional tackle at big fish. Full transparency, this was summer 2017.

[LoneStarBiker 145]

1 hour ago, swTXSU said:

Looks like y'all will be waiting awhile with all the rain coming down the Trinity.

 

Yeah, the TRA is releasing 73,500 CFS at the dam right now and through the middle of next week.  It rained 7 inches on the lake yesterday plus everything coming down the Trinity from DFW and elsewhere, so looks like we may get out there the 2nd week of April. Hopefully the fish aren't spent (already spawned) when that happens. 

Edited March 29, 2018 by LoneStarBiker

[BearSchlong 8095]

Cruise control on 65 headed to the boat ramp. And this guy and I have been going the exact same speed for the last 10 minutes.



Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[El Diablo 4232]

Hope I can get out on the water today. We'll see.

[BearSchlong 8095]

Well I'm just waiting for the water to get 10 degrees warmer and for higher salinity. Another day of Reds with the occasional channel catfish or bass. I should have gone to the short rigs or jetty but dad and his buddy love the marsh.

 

I'll probably end up eating my shrimp for dinner like I did last week.

 

/lessstupidpicsmorefishpics

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

 

 

[El Diablo 4232]

At least you're on the water. I'm sitting here waiting for my cousin to come over and help me with a small project that requires 2 people or I'd be fishing right now (at least I like to think I would be). My writer buddy knows a lot of the outdoorsmen in the area and is supposed to have lined up a good place to go today. Can't wait!

[williemackgarza 1826]

Not opposed to chunking conventional tackle at big fish. Full transparency, this was summer 2017.

Nice Bull Red


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[El Diablo 4232]

Fuck, no fishing today, looks we're headed to a sports bar later so at least I can TALK about fishing. 

[ruitxn 296]

On 3/27/2018 at 11:40 AM, Braff Zacklin said:

Crawfish patterns do really well for carp. Something you can drag/twitch on the bottom.

Carp are extremely intelligent and get absolutely massive, but I've never understood the appeal. They don't breach or run or anything that should surprise you. They're just big, heavy, and they chug around like a diesel truck. /shrug

Great description 

[BearSchlong 8095]

My prediction came true - reds and channel cats.

 

High tide/full moon/swollen neches/Sabine = water a full 2 ft higher than normal. So high the cut off bridge pilings at willow bayou were completely submerged by about 8 inches of muddy water. It was by far the highest above normal water level I've actually fished - though it was higher during hurricane Harvey. I've seen the satellite photos.

 

A guy and his family cruised up in a gorgeous brand new loaded 24 epic and kept coming like he was going to go on by. He got about 20 feet away and I screamed stop put it in reverse and waving like a maniac. Thankfully he did. He had no idea that he almost drove into submerged pilings.

 

His first time in this particular bayou and he came within 5 seconds of a very expensive and potentially dangerous situation. He, his wife and 3 kids were just enjoying the day and I'm glad none of them were injured.

 

Makes me realize that I really need to be careful running wide open around old oilfield canals. Lots of potential surprises.

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

[3adays 454]

I’m going to be in Isla Mujeres towards the end of May. Late for Sailfish season. Is it worth hiring a charter and going out? If so any recommendations? 

[Mac8111 2107]

I don’t know about the season but we went out on the Lilly M back in Dec and they were good folks. I think it was $800 for 6 hour trip. This part of the Keen M fleet.

[jofus 2266]

[El Diablo 4232]

5 hours ago, BearSchlong said:

My prediction came true - reds and channel cats.

 

High tide/full moon/swollen neches/Sabine = water a full 2 ft higher than normal. So high the cut off bridge pilings at willow bayou were completely submerged by about 8 inches of muddy water. It was by far the highest above normal water level I've actually fished - though it was higher during hurricane Harvey. I've seen the satellite photos.

 

A guy and his family cruised up in a gorgeous brand new loaded 24 epic and kept coming like he was going to go on by. He got about 20 feet away and I screamed stop put it in reverse and waving like a maniac. Thankfully he did. He had no idea that he almost drove into submerged pilings.

 

His first time in this particular bayou and he came within 5 seconds of a very expensive and potentially dangerous situation. He, his wife and 3 kids were just enjoying the day and I'm glad none of them were injured.

 

Makes me realize that I really need to be careful running wide open around old oilfield canals. Lots of potential surprises.

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

My son and I were cruising around one weekend, kinda meandering back to San Marcos from Port O'Connor and stopped to talk to an old guy who was fishing from the bank in Port Lavaca. He liked to talk and it became pretty obvious that he was enjoying having some company. He talked about his life, his wife before she had passed away etc...The guy had a way of talking that reminded me very much of Quint from "Jaws". Slow, deliberate, measured, somewhat emotionless.  At one point he looked out across Lavaca Bay and said that that was where his only child, a son, had died and he gave the date. He said the son had grown up on Lavaca Bay and was out fishing at night and was zipping across the water headed home and hit something, they never were able to determine what but it tore up his boat and the son died in the wreck. 

Being on the water isn't like driving down a street you're familiar with, things change and you just never know.

[BearSchlong 8095]

Good dad.

Nothing is as satisfying as one of those days when your thumb is scuffed up from holding fish.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[El Diablo 4232]

Finally got to hit the water and find a few fish.

[Judge Roybeanbag 11819]

23 hours ago, jofus said:

 

[fattyflattie 4639]

On 3/31/2018 at 7:06 AM, BearSchlong said:

Cruise control on 65 headed to the boat ramp. And this guy and I have been going the exact same speed for the last 10 minutes.



Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 

I always enjoyed pacing cars down the Brazos and Sabine. I knew I was done with slow boats when I had one pace me from Golden Meadow to Fourchon at ~70. 

I do miss the super shallow flats tho. 

[4th and 5 4914]

We did the Chandeluer islands trip recently. It was an amazing trip. Quite a few of the guys caught their personal best redfish. I caught my personal best (on the flats, not soaking bait at the jetties) redfish on a topwater at 36” and then bested it the next day with a 42” on topwater. And we hammered the trout. 3 full days of fishing and all I threw was a topwater lure, mostly wading. An absolute meat haul.

[T-shirt Sip 2104]

On 3/28/2018 at 6:37 PM, Cousin Strawberry said:

Anyone still finding white bass at Colorado Bend?

It has slowed down some but between 4 of us we probably caught about 60 this weekend,at Sulfur Springs. We also caught 15 mixed catfish, 2 carp and a handful of black bass. Pretty good camping weather too. 

[Footballpants 121]

14 hours ago, 4th and 5 said:

We did the Chandeluer islands trip recently. It was an amazing trip. Quite a few of the guys caught their personal best redfish. I caught my personal best (on the flats, not soaking bait at the jetties) redfish on a topwater at 36” and then bested it the next day with a 42” on topwater. And we hammered the trout. 3 full days of fishing and all I threw was a topwater lure, mostly wading. An absolute meat haul.

Who did you go with? I have dates with DMJ Charters in June and August.

[Hook1997 5354]

Me and some friends put lines out on the Colorado last weekend.  The river was still rising when we got to camp Friday, started falling Saturday and by Sunday it had dropped 16 feet....   We ended up with 15 catfish, decent considering the circumstances. 

[4th and 5 4914]

18 hours ago, Footballpants said:

Who did you go with? I have dates with DMJ Charters in June and August.

We went on the VI

[Mac8111 2107]

We have a group going out to Chandeleur with DMJ in the middle of May. Have had this thing booked for 6 months and I bet my dad has called me every week to talk about it. God knows how much I have spent loading up on gear the past few months.

[4th and 5 4914]

Your phones won’t work out there. I highly suggest you download Motion X GPS on your phone, it will work out there. It has satellite photo overlays. I was the only one who had it and it made a huge difference. We had guys finding fish and couldn’t even find the spot the next day. I found a ton of fish about 5 miles from the boat and fished the same 500 yard stretch for 3 days.

[Mac8111 2107]

3 hours ago, 4th and 5 said:

Your phones won’t work out there. I highly suggest you download Motion X GPS on your phone, it will work out there. It has satellite photo overlays. I was the only one who had it and it made a huge difference. We had guys finding fish and couldn’t even find the spot the next day. I found a ton of fish about 5 miles from the boat and fished the same 500 yard stretch for 3 days.

That's the type of insight I am looking for!   Thanks. 

 

(As I am reading this, my dad calls to talk about a new rod he wants to get.  Lol)

[4th and 5 4914]

MAC ..... PM sent, enjoy

[Tommy El Gato 10]

13 hours ago, 4th and 5 said:

Your phones won’t work out there. I highly suggest you download Motion X GPS on your phone, it will work out there. It has satellite photo overlays. 

4th and 5 or any one else, any suggestions for android?

I've been using Geo Tracker but it doesn't work great in bfe and the map can be hard to read when it's sunny.

[Footballpants 121]

The DMJ guys have good laminated maps that do the trick just fine. Listen to Captain Dennis and the deck hands at breakfast, have them point you out some likely spots and then get in the skiffs and spread out. Somebody will get on fish sooner than later, so use your radios, and coordinate/triangulate. 

Hopefully the trout bite will be on in the surf by mid-May. In that case you don't need much in the way of maps

 

[Pescado_Rojo 19416]

11 hours ago, Tommy El Gato said:

4th and 5 or any one else, any suggestions for android?

I've been using Geo Tracker but it doesn't work great in bfe and the map can be hard to read when it's sunny.

I don't know if they make it for Android, but I've navigated all over the Cocodrie marsh with GPS Tracks on my iPhone. We weren't paying attention once and got slammed by fog, and I had to navigate from the outside edge all the way back to Coco marina staring at my iPhone.

[El Diablo 4232]

That's a white knuckle adventure right there. Sucks when you can hear other boat traffic too.

[troph 24798]

 

26 incher... rough day today, two boats, 4 thirteen year olds, 2 littles (shown here), 3 moms. Good start, turned windy and cold. Out boat caught 20+ with 12 keepers, the other boat had 1 keeper, no other catches a few lost ones too. Ouch. My boy here won $20 for the biggest catch. I just had my toes done the day before so next chance I get I’ll post a pic for Hollywood Colt. Coastal teal blue color, he’ll really like them for sure.

 

[ruitxn 296]

Doing some crappie fishing all next week.  Condos and brush ready.  Just need some warm night a calm days.  

[Hook1997 5354]

I’m confused what’s the uproar with Von Miller catching and releasing a hammerhead shark, is he suppose to use special “no shark bait”?

[Mac8111 2107]

https://www.google.com/amp/www.foxnews.com/great-outdoors/2018/04/06/two-idaho-men-catch-monster-sturgeon-while-kayak-fishing.amp.html


Hell of a fish

[Braff Zacklin 13573]

There's a few of those up here, but they are bigger and more numerous downstream by Thousand Springs, which I think is the area those guys were fishing. That's I-84 in the background. Some of the ones they pull out of the Columbia look like they belong in an ocean.

On a fishing forum I used to frequent, there was a dude who loved to drift for sturgeon from a v-tube. Wonder if one of those guys is him.

Also: take a drink every time that asshole spits. Doubt anyone can last the full four minutes.

Edited April 9, 2018 by Braff Zacklin

[El Diablo 4232]

On ‎4‎/‎7‎/‎2018 at 2:55 PM, ruitxn said:

Doing some crappie fishing all next week.  Condos and brush ready.  Just need some warm night a calm days.  

It's going to warm up a bit this week but the wind is supposed to blow all week from one direction or another. I went with a guide one time in what can best be described as a gale. He used a BIG ass treble hook tied to nylon cord and a weight to drop down to his brush pile. He'd get hooked onto the pile and then wrap the line around a cleat on the boat to hold us in position. Best bet is to find some protected coves near where you're putting in at when it's howling like it has been lately.

[Pescado_Rojo 19416]

Man, the boy doesn't have anything going on this coming weekend (rare) and I was hoping to go to the coast, but fuck this wind forecast.

[El Diablo 4232]

Yeah, it's not letting up, it's just changing direction every few days.

[troph 24798]

The wind was brutal this past weekend but the boys hung in there.  We need a summer weekend down there already 

Edited April 9, 2018 by troph