2018 Fishing - Year of the big one

[DougO 5252]

On 8/8/2018 at 10:23 PM, atomheartbevo said:

I’ve seen the guy who runs that posting on various Texas fishing forums.  Don’t see anybody knocking him.  Have seen him discussing soil conservation reservoirs (there’s a few thousand in Texas, and they are mostly on private land). 

 

I do google satellite once in a while looking for places to fish and have often wondered if any of those can be fished legally.

[atomheartbevo 89743]

5 hours ago, DougO said:

I do google satellite once in a while looking for places to fish and have often wondered if any of those can be fished legally.

Just the ones that are public land (and there are some that are in parks).  @Armybrat probably has more info, and this isn't an age-related joke, but he may remember the program.

All of this is anecdotal, and I could be wrong on parts.   You can't find this stuff officially online, because the program ended decades before the internet, and from all accounts, the state stopped messing with them in the 80s.

The program, from what I've read, and heard from a friend who has access to one on his parent's land, was mainly going on in the '50s-'70s.  It was over 2,000 new ponds/small lakes built by the state for soil conservation reservoirs.  I've seen a lot of comments about them being built on creeks/gullies with earthen dams/dikes. Based on the name, and locations, I'm guessing they were built to handle flash-flooding on a small scale.

2,000+ ponds/lakes built across the state...that would seem to stand out, but based on comments on various sites (discussing rebuilding the ponds, etc.), a lot of the smaller ones have silted in as a result of the way (and where) they were built over the last 40-60 years, which is not surprising if the owners did nothing.

A certain number of them were stocked by the state as well, but from what it sounds like, that was ended in the '80s.  While they were being publicly stocked, some people were saying that the public had to be allowed to fish them, which makes sense.

There's a bunch of them that were pretty big/deep, and have been maintained by the land owners, and these seem to be the ones that the folks on Fishbrain are pulling monster bass out of, which makes sense - they would have really mature populations.

I've seen people asking about how to find out about the owners - there is no master list of who has these things on their land (and many have silted in/shrunk down to nothing), and apparently you have to track them down through taxing authorities/ownership records just like you would with any body of water you see (and a lot of current owners may not realize they were built by the state anyways).  Some people say you can call up the local Ag offices, but others say a lot of the info on the reservoirs was either lost or never really maintained since there were so many of them.

That was a long post, but I have looked into it out of curiosity.  I've never been able to find a list of ones on public land, just the odd mention here and there that was in located in such-and-such park.

The ones on private land are definitely off-limits though, regardless of the state having built them, especially since it's been many decades since the state performed maintenance on them.  Even then, the maintenance I've seen mentioned was mainly on maintaining the dams/dikes.

It actually sounded like a very common-sense thing that benefitted everybody involved, and any that were stocked/used for fishing were just a nice little bonus.

[Armybrat 40854]

Never having been an angler, I don't know any details about the program - just that it existed.

If a state-stocked body of water is on public land and is safely accessible, then those with current fishing licenses should be allowed to fish there.

Private land is private, regardless if it received a state benefit such as being stocked with fish.

JMHO

[Brew 3049]

I’m not in Texas, but I do have a watershed on land I own. It is definitely private although I do have to allow access to the state to monitor it, do repairs to the drainage system and dam, etc. However, there is no other outside access.

[justhookit 4191]

Unfortunately, this was fun fishing and not a tournament.

edit- oops wrong picture. That was TIFT tournmaent.

Edited August 13, 2018 by justhookit

[justhookit 4191]

Trying again 

[justhookit 4191]

So the above picture was unfortunately not a tournmaent. We just finished fishing Legends and came in 6th. Had a bad first day but found the fish the 2nd day and ended with 2 whites and 6 sails. Lost a blue, again, that would have put us in 2nd. Won the dorado pot with a 32.5 fish. We finally get a break and a weekend off and then it’s TWAT here in Port A to end the season. Then Bisbees in Cabo in October.

[troph 24881]

Trying again 

Wow!!

That’s incredible!

I dream of days like that.

[atomheartbevo 89743]

3 hours ago, Armybrat said:

Never having been an angler, I don't know any details about the program - just that it existed.

Sorry, for some reason I was thinking you knew about it/had mentioned it on Shaggy years back. 

If they were publicly stocked, public was allowed access, but it sounds like public stocking stopped in the 80s. 

1 hour ago, Brew said:

I’m not in Texas, but I do have a watershed on land I own. It is definitely private although I do have to allow access to the state to monitor it, do repairs to the drainage system and dam, etc. However, there is no other outside access.

Yeah, that’s what was going on here - according to some older owners I’ve seen discussing it, for a while the state was maintaining a lot of them,  but they were still private lands.  I can’t find anything that says the state still does that, and I’d imagine it was too expensive for that many bodies of water. 

[bmbmd 1027]

The official state fish of Texas.

[atomheartbevo 89743]

Would like to see an official map of all of those soil conservation reservoirs on private land. I bet one was made. Have to get lucky on eBay or somebody dumping s bunch of stuff at Half-Price books.  And the name is somewhat misleading - some of them were water conservation (including over the aquifers) and some farmers were paid not to plant around them.

PDF about the program up through 1963 - http://www.twdb.texas.gov/publications/reports/bulletins/doc/B6404.pdf  (but it does not cover reservoirs built/planned for under 5,000 acre-feet).

Interesting stats:

 

Spoiler

 

• 1940 - just over 4 million acre-feet of soil conservation reservoirs.
• 1950 - nearly 8 million acre-feet
• 1963 - nearly 16 million
• 1970 - (planned) - 29.8 million acre

Major reservoirs (5,000 acre-feet or more)

• 1910 - 3
• 1930 - 31
• 1940 - 46
• 1963 - 117 (with 15+ under construction or in planning in 1963)

 

 

Edited August 13, 2018 by atomheartbevo

[solamente73 1132]

@justhookit lol holy crap I wouldn’t have even thought to have that many flags on the boat.  Just wow.

@bmbmd not sure the cutoff, but I don’t think that’s a keeper.  Maybe for an ant?

@atomheartbevo might be a long shot, but try the PCL’s online map depository here.  They have all kinds of cool stuff for Texas, the US, and the world.

[Mac8111 2107]

Not enough rods on that boat.





Heading back to POC this weekend. 10 boats going out on Sat. Let’s get it going.

[Sbbruin 21865]

Any spearfisherman on here?  We're starting to see a lot of dorado out here, but they are all jugged full of micro baits and won't chew on anything presented to them.  A couple of summers ago we came on a paddy full of dorado, they wouldn't bite, and my buddy jumped in with his gun and darted one.  I saw yellowtail last week breezing by while I was snorkling.  A speargun would have been handy.  But I have only shot one fish in my life, with an Hawaiian sling.  Thinking of trying my hand with a speargun.  Any recs on a moderately priced one?

[solamente73 1132]

I speared your mom’s yellowtail last night.

[Chewbacca 7780]

4 hours ago, Sbbruin said:

Any spearfisherman on here?  We're starting to see a lot of dorado out here, but they are all jugged full of micro baits and won't chew on anything presented to them.  A couple of summers ago we came on a paddy full of dorado, they wouldn't bite, and my buddy jumped in with his gun and darted one.  I saw yellowtail last week breezing by while I was snorkling.  A speargun would have been handy.  But I have only shot one fish in my life, with an Hawaiian sling.  Thinking of trying my hand with a speargun.  Any recs on a moderately priced one?

Don't get eaten by a shark.

 

 

[Lurch 5931]

Saw my first big shark (well, fin and tail) yesterday, no more than 20’ off the beach. I was watching the mullet jumping and he just rolled right through. Fucking spooky.

[huge 3795]

I went spear fishing in Punta Mita. Got a pompano and a spade fish. Such a rush. That’s all I got on that.

[HouTex 1887]

14 hours ago, Lurch said:

Saw my first big shark (well, fin and tail) yesterday, no more than 20’ off the beach. I was watching the mullet jumping and he just rolled right through. Fucking spooky.

Which beach? 

[Dry Elbows 142]

17 hours ago, Lurch said:

Saw my first big shark (well, fin and tail) yesterday, no more than 20’ off the beach. I was watching the mullet jumping and he just rolled right through. Fucking spooky.

I've been wade fishing and had 6-8' sharks swim 12-15' from me.  First couple of times it bothered me, but then I realized they weren't really interested in me. 

[Lurch 5931]

Which beach? 

Jacksonville Beach

I've been wade fishing and had 6-8' sharks swim 12-15' from me.  First couple of times it bothered me, but then I realized they weren't really interested in me. 

While I know it’s true, every little fish/trash that bumps me is now in my head.

[Dry Elbows 142]

22 minutes ago, Lurch said:

While I know it’s true, every little fish/trash that bumps me is now in my head.

 

I'm more bothered when I feel a flutter under my feet; just waiting the piercing of a stingray barb.  But like sharks, stingrays would prefer to not be around people.

[HouTex 1887]

39 minutes ago, Lurch said:

 

Jacksonville Beach



While I know it’s true, every little fish/trash that bumps me is now in my head.

 

I know sharks in all sizes are all along the Texas coast, but when I see one close by while wading in waist/chest deep water in the surf I still get nervous.  

"Civilization ends at the water line.  Beyond that, we all enter the food chain . . ."  Hunter S. Thompson.

[Brew 3049]

I don’t think my butthole will ever not pucker up when I see a fin in the water. The odds are in my favor, but the thought of being dinner is still disturbing.

[BearSchlong 8100]

Had dinner (fresh snapper)at stingaree tonight and then sat on my tailgate watching the surf until sunset. Listened to the waves, contemplated the sandpipers and tried to imagine what goes on in their little sandpiper brains. Peaceful.

Saw some mullet jumping in the surf and a few guys surf fishing and thought "this would make Lurch happy."

I think this is going to be my new Thursday evening ritual.

Oh yeah and my fiance got tipsy and said we need to get a girlfriend.

So bless.

[Lat22 4015]

Fresh snapper indeed. 

[Lurch 5931]

Another really big hit broke my line again last night. Can/should I add 5-10’ of a heavier line between my 30# braid line and my wire leader?

[Lat22 4015]

Another really big hit broke my line again last night. Can/should I add 5-10’ of a heavier line between my 30# braid line and my wire leader?

Loosen the drag? Had to have been a monster something to snap that braid.

[llanoflash 151]

11 hours ago, BearSchlong said:

Had dinner (fresh snapper)at stingaree tonight and then sat on my tailgate watching the surf until sunset. Listened to the waves, contemplated the sandpipers and tried to imagine what goes on in their little sandpiper brains. Peaceful.

Saw some mullet jumping in the surf and a few guys surf fishing and thought "this would make Lurch happy."

I think this is going to be my new Thursday evening ritual.

Oh yeah and my fiance got tipsy and said we need to get a girlfriend.

So bless.



 

dirtbike there?

[Dry Elbows 142]

56 minutes ago, Lurch said:

Another really big hit broke my line again last night. Can/should I add 5-10’ of a heavier line between my 30# braid line and my wire leader?

With a wire leader I assume you are fishing for smacks or some other toothy critter.  What type of braid are you using?  How old is it?  Where is the break occurring?  I use a 20# fluoro leader about 5-6' long on my braid.  Can't recall an instance where the braid snapped; usually occurs at the knot if anywhere. 

[Lurch 5931]

Loosen the drag? Had to have been a monster something to snap that braid.

I feel like I have it fairly loose. This one ran the drag for a few seconds before it broke. I’m losing maybe one a week to a break, and they’re massive hits, bending my rod 90*. I assume shark or jack as this one had a 6” live mullet on it.

[Lurch 5931]

With a wire leader I assume you are fishing for smacks or some other toothy critter.  What type of braid are you using?  How old is it?  Where is the break occurring?  I use a 20# fluoro leader about 5-6' long on my braid.  Can't recall an instance where the braid snapped; usually occurs at the knot if anywhere. 

Yeah we get a lot of sharks and blues so everything is wire leader.

Sufix 832, 30#. Bought and put on reels in Jan. The breaks appear to be more than halfway out, perhaps near the swivel hook. I’d guess if my knot failed the line would show kinks where it was tied, but this is always straight at the break.

[Dry Elbows 142]

21 minutes ago, Lurch said:

 

Yeah we get a lot of sharks and blues so everything is wire leader.

Sufix 832, 30#. Bought and put on reels in Jan. The breaks appear to be more than halfway out, perhaps near the swivel hook. I’d guess if my knot failed the line would show kinks where it was tied, but this is always straight at the break.

 

If the break is in the braid you won't necessarily see kinks in the line from the knot.  What kind of knot are you using from braid to swivel?  Is it cinched down tight?  Kind of sounds like when the tag end on a loop knot isn't tight enough and when a fish gets on the knot cinches down and comes undone.  Either that or you got a bad batch of braid, but that doesn't sound likely because the break is always near the same location.

[Sbbruin 21865]

On 8/16/2018 at 6:55 AM, Dry Elbows said:

I've been wade fishing and had 6-8' sharks swim 12-15' from me.  First couple of times it bothered me, but then I realized they weren't really interested in me. 

 

[Lat22 4015]

Double check the insert (if there is one) on your rod tip guide. I went through a period of braid break offs where a tiny defect in the insert was cutting the line. I was about to lose my mind before I found it.

[Brew 3049]

Are you cutting the braid back regularly and tieing everything fresh? Braid can get nicked fairly easily from the beach and knots wear down every fish you catch. You need to cut the braid back periodically and do everything over especially if you are catching and not just fishing.

I lost a sizeable Snook at the beach last trip right as I was grabbing it. I had been catching Spanish on a spoon and the spoon had worn through the circle in the knot over time and the knot failed. I felt like an idiot because the knot was perfect still but the loop was cut through and I hadn’t thought anything about it.

The drag needs to be set below the break strength of the line. Then if the line breaks you know it is a knot failure, connection failure, or the braid was nicked somewhere.

[Brew 3049]

20 minutes ago, Lat22 said:

Double check the insert (if there is one) on your rod tip guide. I went through a period of braid break offs where a tiny defect in the insert was cutting the line. I was about to lose my mind before I found it.

Good thought especially if it is a cheaper rod. Beach fishing you can also get sand in the guides that wear down the braid if you don’t keep it clean.

[Lurch 5931]

Ive not been cutting back the braid. Just a few feet? I fish about every night. Once a week/month?

I’ll check the guides for nicks. They’re nice ugly sticks fwiw.

I’m using the improved clinch knot. Wet when tightened. They seemed strong

[Lat22 4015]

I run the tag end through the loop twice when I’m using that knot on braid. Otherwise, I use the palomar. 

[Lurch 5931]

Which loop, the one near the eye that you run the tag through the first time or the new loop created by doing so?

 

I was not familiar with palomar knot. Just looked it up and will retie tonight

[Spaulding Smails 1555]

2 hours ago, Lurch said:

Which loop, the one near the eye that you run the tag through the first time or the new loop created by doing so?

 

I was not familiar with palomar knot. Just looked it up and will retie tonight

Palomar and FG are my go-to knots.  I've always heard the saying though, "better to tie a decent knot great than to tie a great knot decently."  Practice in the garage until it becomes second nature so you can do it on a rocking boat or in bad light.

[Spaulding Smails 1555]

4 hours ago, Brew said:

Are you cutting the braid back regularly and tieing everything fresh? Braid can get nicked fairly easily from the beach and knots wear down every fish you catch. You need to cut the braid back periodically and do everything over especially if you are catching and not just fishing.

I lost a sizeable Snook at the beach last trip right as I was grabbing it. I had been catching Spanish on a spoon and the spoon had worn through the circle in the knot over time and the knot failed. I felt like an idiot because the knot was perfect still but the loop was cut through and I hadn’t thought anything about it.

The drag needs to be set below the break strength of the line. Then if the line breaks you know it is a knot failure, connection failure, or the braid was nicked somewhere.

This brings back a horrible memory from last fall.  We were doing our annual 3-day Devil's trip.  I had kayak fished the previous weekend back home and still had my favorite frog top water tied to my 6' kayak rod.  When we were putting in at the SNA, I noticed a little snag on my braid just above the leader.  I was hungover and lazy and figured I wouldn't see anything but little smallies on that section above Dolan, so I didn't bother to cut back my braid or re-rig my leader / lure.

There's a little pond just south of the SNA that I always thought would hold decent fish.  I threw that frog topwater back into the corner amongst some lily pads and WHACK, it got slammed.  I had a decent 3-4 lb largemouth on.  She jumped out of the water and shook, then turned and ran left and SNAP.  My braid broke.  Lost what would've easily been my biggest largemouth on the Devils PLUS my favorite topwater lure.  

Since then, I check my braid before every trip. 

[Dry Elbows 142]

How often are you switching out your line or flipping your braid so you have fresh line?  I still think it's an issue of knot integrity (not cinched down enough) or just a wrong knot for the application. 

[Lurch 5931]

Ive not switched out my line since I put it on in Jan. Flipping it?

[Dry Elbows 142]

3 hours ago, Lurch said:

Ive not switched out my line since I put it on in Jan. Flipping it?

If you do all braid with no backing, you can "flip" the braid and respool with the top on bottom. That way you have fresh braid on top. 

If you're fishing a lot, I would put on new line or flip. 8 months is a long time. 

[bigshark88 388]

Double check the insert (if there is one) on your rod tip guide. I went through a period of braid break offs where a tiny defect in the insert was cutting the line. I was about to lose my mind before I found it.

Check the rod guide eyelets with a cotton ball.

[Dry Elbows 142]

I fished East Matty today. Probably caught 12-15 reds but most were under Texas slot. Had on a big trout that came unbuttoned. Oh well, nice morning on the water. 

[BearSchlong 8100]

Same here but sabine. Wind was howling. Went to the Jetty but ended up in the LA marsh. At least I went.

[Pescado_Rojo 19426]

The boy and I went to the ranch to check on our pet bass. Ma, we need a rain. The water levels in the tanks are waaaay down, and the water looks "thick" if that makes sense. I told the boy we weren't going to fish it...I can't imagine what oxygen levels are, and if we caught one, it might not survive the release. Hoping for the best. 

[fattyflattie 4639]

Fished offshore POC all weekend in a small tournament. Got in a great trip just before snapper season ends.  Had 4 over 10# on boat, everything else had good size to it as well. Kings were ok, couldn’t find a ling or dolphin to save our life. 

Was somber scene as we left the fishing center, they hadn’t yet found that kid and all cops and paramedics were staged at the dock.  Saw the vigil that night in front beach. 

May he Rest In Peace and prayers to the family.