2019 Fishing - Bent rods and tight lines

[Brew 3,049]

1 hour ago, crash_davis said:

there's no shame with fishing with live or dead bait.  the only opinion that matters is yours.  i would love to fish with dead or live, but i had ADD when i'm fishing, always moving reading water.  i don't have the patience to throw out a lure and sit waiting for something to happen.

I’m having to use a lot more live right now than normal. There just aren’t enough fish around and the ones that are here seem to be picky because there is no competition. The local guides are seeing the same thing. I used to be able to catch as many trout as I wanted and haven’t seen any recently.

Looks like FWC is going catch and release for trout to go along with Snook and Reds through next May in our area, so anyone in SW FL that wants trout has a week to find some.

[Brew 3,049]

1 hour ago, DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt said:

i always tell people it's the only calming thing I do that forces me to be completely present. all the other noise in life fades away. 

for me, it's the anticipation. whether it's the time spent at the boat ramp rigging up for a float, or the weeks or even months prior to a destination trip, i'm consumed with the possibilities of the experience. on other (non-fishing) trips, the day before the trip will arrive and haven't even thought about the trip. but the second i book a fishing trip, i can't stop thinking about what might happen on that trip. the same with a day of fishing locally...what's the weather going to do? will they be eating streamers? will it finally be the day i catch the fish of a lifetime? what flies should i tie?

every time i go fishing, i have no idea what to expect, and that unknown is like a drug for me.

side note: as i've been trying to answer the question i posed, i was surprised at just how far down the list actually catching the fish is.

I enjoy catching, but it isn’t #1 otherwise it would be a disappointing trip on occasion and I enjoy it either way. I have gotten flat skunked the last two days, but I’ll head back out later this afternoon for another run at it. I just enjoy being on the water. Fishing, taking my kids out to wakeboard or tube, whatever, the water is where I want to be.

[fattyflattie 4,639]

Brew that sucks to hear about your trout. We’ve been on some solid trout, topwater and tails. Texas mid-coast   

Great post (not)colt.  I’m the same way.  Every single cast can be the one you’ve been searching for your entire life. 

Ifgaf who uses bait or not. But I haven’t in the last 20 years or so (inshore). I just don’t enjoy it.  Even offshore I’ll jig for snapper, pull divers for kingfish etc.   But will drop natural baits out there too.

 I also don’t look down on those that do. I do however, wish the bay shrimpers would quit buttfucking our systems trying to catch that bait, and the shit guides that run 3 trips a day during croaker season would stop, but that’s not really the same guy just out soaking bait with his kids. I do urge people that fish bait regularly to try and catch their own.  Bay shrimpers are fucking terrible for our ecosystems. 

[Brew 3,049]

Up until September I couldn’t go a trip without catching more trout than I wanted. It got irritating when targeting snook because you couldn’t get away from them. I prefer that over this.

Another thing high up my list, constantly learning and evolving what you do. The last two days I’ve watched movement in the water and have thrown everything I had that reds usually eat and have gotten nowhere. I stop in the local bait shop and am talking to the guy working and he tells me it’s tarpon not reds. They are back up in the shallow flats this year instead of the passes destroying bait because there is no competition with other big fish that are usually there. It never even crossed my mind because I haven’t seen one where I fish in the past. Looks like I’ll be breaking out the big rods tonight and tomorrow.

[Pescado_Rojo 19,414]

Tarpon, you say? 

[Mac8111 2,106]

Y’all got deep this Friday afternoon.

[Braff Zacklin 13,553]

Seeing someone else's stuffed flounder makes a man wax introspective, Mac.

[Lat22 4,010]

On 5/2/2019 at 9:40 AM, crash_davis said:

vicky stark and fishing with luiza are my two new favorite youtube channels.

nsfw.  i'm spent.

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

I’d add Darcizzle to that list as well. 

[El Diablo 4,232]

Gigging is cheating? Lol, what a clown. I like to fish for carp with dough balls, where does that fall on the spectrum?

[Brew 3,049]

12 hours ago, El Diablo said:

Gigging is cheating? Lol, what a clown. I like to fish for carp with dough balls, where does that fall on the spectrum?

I like to fish for Asian carp with a bow, it may be lower. However, like hogs in Texas I figure I’m doing a service for our waters up this way.

[El Diablo 4,232]

3 minutes ago, Brew said:

I like to fish for Asian carp with a bow, it may be lower. However, like hogs in Texas I figure I’m doing a service for our waters up this way.

We used to have an annual carp tournament, held it in August when there was nothing else to do. First place prize was a Zebco 202, second place prize was TWO Zebco 202's. It was a team event with no limit to the number of members a team could have so you could have a one man team or a 20 man team. It was not uncommon for folks to try and cheat, weigh-ins were a hoot. Guys trying to weigh in a burlap sack full of old car parts etc... But we actually caught a lot of carp and buffalo, I held the rod and reel water body record for small mouth buffalo for a few years until some 12 year old punk beat it. 

Anyway, anyone who is too good to gig or fish with bait or have fun probably sucks at life.

[Braff Zacklin 13,553]

Anything y'all do to cull the horde of carp in our waters counts as community service, not cheating.

[Chewbacca 7,767]

someone asked me awhile back what my single favorite thing about fishing is and it caught me off guard and i wasn't sure what to say. i've spent a lot of time thinking about my answer to that since then, but i'm curious what it is for y'all...so many facets to it all, but you have to pick one favorite...?
 

Being out in the mountains with my boys and my dad. It's one of the most relaxing things i know of. Catching fish is fun, but catching is secondary.

[Spaulding Smails 1,552]

Fished Rockport Friday.  On the water for an hour wade fishing when a big storm blew in.  Luckily, we were only a 10 min boat ride from the pier.  We sat in the garage with the guide for 3 hours to see if it would die down, but the wind was still whipping, so we called it.  Guide still charged us a full-day rate which I thought was kind of bullshit.  Any thoughts on that?

We did fish off the pier that night and caught a few trout under the lights before the big storm that hit Austin arrived.  Temp dropped 20 degrees in 60 seconds.  50+ MPH winds and lots of rain.  A buddy got this cool shot.  Once we saw that lightning, we high tailed it back to the house.

[Mac8111 2,106]

If he didn’t at least offer to rebook another time I would call bullshit on it.

[DougO 5,243]

I was always strictly a lure and plastics guy. I never liked the idea of trading a fish for a fish. Seems like a push to me. For me, the satisfaction of being able to fool a fish into taking a bite of a totally inedible inorganic substance by making it look delicious was part of the thrill. And if you don't catch anything, you don't have fishy, wormy smell to wash off.

[Humpy 112]

I would rather fool them than feed them, but when times are tough then I feed them.

[Lat22 4,010]

That guide screwed y’all. Tempted to ask for his name. 

[Mac8111 2,106]

That guide screwed y’all. Tempted to ask for his name. 

At the very least we should chip in for a banner and fly it around Estes Flats.

[fattyflattie 4,639]

Yeah that’s bullshit. I’m guessimg he won’t be guiding long like that. 

[Chewbacca 7,767]

Yeah that’s bullshit. I’m guessimg he won’t be guiding long like that. 

On the flip side, he can't control the weather and has to feed his family. Not saying you are wrong, just that i see both sides.

[fattyflattie 4,639]

I agree but split the trip in half and pay your gas and what you need to get by. You’d make it back and then some on the top, during the makeup trip I’d be willing to bet.

He’s entitled to it I guess, the customer paid. But repeat business yada yada. 

[Spaulding Smails 1,552]

13 hours ago, fattyflattie said:

I agree but split the trip in half and pay your gas and what you need to get by. You’d make it back and then some on the top, during the makeup trip I’d be willing to bet.

He’s entitled to it I guess, the customer paid. But repeat business yada yada. 

This is what I was expecting.  I would've been fine throwing him $300-$400.  Heck, if anything, he got to ride out the storm drinking a Coke in the garage with his boat safely moored at the dock as opposed to getting his ass whipped by the wind and rain during the 30 min ride back to the boat ramp.  

The guide we usually use was booked this weekend, so we got this guy on a referral instead.  Said he's been guiding in Rockport for 20+ years.  Is what it is, but I thought it was bush league.  He even balked when we asked him to leave the croaker so we could fish under the lights that night.  

[Lat22 4,010]

Wow. Unless his last name is Watkins, I don’t know how he gets away with that and still has clients. 

[Judge Roybeanbag 11,819]

Fished down Pins and at the Mansfield cut Friday afternoon and Saturday.  Friday was slow because of weather I guess.  No rain or lightning Friday night but the wind wrecked our shit.  Broke my tent, blew sand everywhere and somebody’s canopy landed in our campsite from a couple hundred yards away.  

Saturday was fantastic.  The flounder run was on and we caught 21 between five of us, along with five keeper reds. Threw a ton of undersized back.  Most flounder were 18” to 20”.  Ate well that night.  I’ll try to post some pics later. 

[Judge Roybeanbag 11,819]

[Mac8111 2,106]

You dirty SOB you

[4th and 5 4,914]

20 hours ago, Spaulding Smails said:

This is what I was expecting.  I would've been fine throwing him $300-$400.  Heck, if anything, he got to ride out the storm drinking a Coke in the garage with his boat safely moored at the dock as opposed to getting his ass whipped by the wind and rain during the 30 min ride back to the boat ramp.  

The guide we usually use was booked this weekend, so we got this guy on a referral instead.  Said he's been guiding in Rockport for 20+ years.  Is what it is, but I thought it was bush league.  He even balked when we asked him to leave the croaker so we could fish under the lights that night.  

Post the name. That’s bullshit. 

[texastough 1,129]

This is tangentially related, but if anybody fishes with airboat guides who burn around the back lakes herding the reds to the middle, which is illegal, they need to be doxxed too. And please, nobody patronize airboats for fishing (duck hunting is different)

[Pescado_Rojo 19,414]

god, I hate airboats

[williemackgarza 1,826]

Headed out to LA next month.
Any recs for bass fishing guides?
Castaic or casitas lakes?

[texastough 1,129]

16 hours ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

god, I hate airboats

Since it sounds like you spend a lot of time in that kind of water, you should know this. Game wardens on the coast are aware of the problem of airboat guides herding reds, but need fishermen's help to stop them. If you see them, try to take video and then pictures from close enough to identify the culprit, then report to the game wardens.

[fattyflattie 4,639]

53 minutes ago, texastough said:

Since it sounds like you spend a lot of time in that kind of water, you should know this. Game wardens on the coast are aware of the problem of airboat guides herding reds, but need fishermen's help to stop them. If you see them, try to take video and then pictures from close enough to identify the culprit, then report to the game wardens.

If that's the case they need to go sit a Spauldings Bight for a few hours any day of the week.  I see no less than 5 every. single. time. that I'm there.  It's their only option on that end of Aransas, as they all launch out of Goose Island.    It's turned one of my all time favorite areas into a headache.  Actually its between the back of Spaulding all the way thru Jaybird until they can get into the lakes.  Then it sounds like a fucking air show for the next several hours once they are back there.  

*Airboats are the most inconsiderate fucks on the water.  They routinely run within feet off the bow of my anchored boat (while I'm wading), will come right up a drain you are clearly fishing so they can access the  lakes, etc.  I've been misted by those fuckers too many times to count.  BUT, they are the coolest shit in the world when they are taking you thru 1" of water on the way to a duck hole.  They still need to be checked a bit, in Aransas anyhow.  They are getting out of control.

[DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt 12,301]

1 hour ago, texastough said:

Since it sounds like you spend a lot of time in that kind of water, you should know this. Game wardens on the coast are aware of the problem of airboat guides herding reds, but need fishermen's help to stop them. If you see them, try to take video and then pictures from close enough to identify the culprit, then report to the game wardens.

he's trying to get you killed, @Pescado_Rojo.

[Lerka Lerka 1,086]

44 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

If that's the case they need to go sit a Spauldings Bight for a few hours any day of the week.  I see no less than 5 every. single. time. that I'm there.  It's their only option on that end of Aransas, as they all launch out of Goose Island.    It's turned one of my all time favorite areas into a headache.  Actually its between the back of Spaulding all the way thru Jaybird until they can get into the lakes.  Then it sounds like a fucking air show for the next several hours once they are back there.  

*Airboats are the most inconsiderate fucks on the water.  They routinely run within feet off the bow of my anchored boat (while I'm wading), will come right up a drain you are clearly fishing so they can access the  lakes, etc.  I've been misted by those fuckers too many times to count.  BUT, they are the coolest shit in the world when they are taking you thru 1" of water on the way to a duck hole.  They still need to be checked a bit, in Aransas anyhow.  They are getting out of control.

Totally agree.  My favorite is when they power load at the boat launch.  I fucking hate those obnoxious redneck machines, but for certain applications, they can't be beat.  Jumping cuts and marsh lands in the back lakes is pretty incredible and efficient way to get around.  Ideal for duck hunting.  With that being said, I wish they were banned. 

[Pescado_Rojo 19,414]

2 hours ago, DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt said:

he's trying to get you killed, @Pescado_Rojo.

yea, sounds like a good way to get the Dick Cheney treatment with a load of #4 duck shot. 

[Dry Elbows 142]

I just came to say fuck airboats as well.  Last summer some buddies took a video of an airboat burning them in a back lake on St. Joe, posted it on Facebook and set off a shit storm.  Good times. 

[fattyflattie 4,639]

I have a friend with a place in Key Allegro.  We used to fish/hunt down there several times a year (pre-wife and kids).  One year we were duck hunting over by Turtle bayou and this air boat pulls up to our blind.  Tells us we need to gtfo because it's his.  No, its not.  Fucker starts to push the blind over with his boat.  Two of the guys in our blind come unglued and start to board the boat.  Shit got real in a hurry.  Dude ended up crawfishing and hauled ass off.  He had clients on his boat.   I've been turned off on the guides that run them since. Dumb really, because this one prick, but still.  He just seemed to epitomize the typical airboat captain, from what I've seen.   "I have to run the shoreline and fuck up your fishing, it's dangerous for me to be in deep water".

[Judge Roybeanbag 11,819]

On 5/6/2019 at 9:17 PM, Mac8111 said:

You dirty SOB you

I think this is the last time we make that trip as a large group - we've done it about 5 years now.  It's too much of a beating logistically to pack enough stuff for multiple people for 3 days, unpacking, repacking then cleaning everything up afterward.  2 people in a truck is manageable, but there were 3 of us in our truck, and my buddy, another adult and 3 kids in his.  As much of a pain as it is, PINS is a fantastic place.

Edited May 10, 2019 by Judge Roybeanbag

[Hornius Emeritus 12,450]

I am really feeling the need to go fishing myself...
 

 

[bigshark88 388]

Let's do this.

#Tomorrow

[Judge Roybeanbag 11,819]

Good luck!

[bigshark88 388]

Pompano bite wasn't really that good. Maybe it was the full moon. Rode around to some "old favorite" spots and put a few of these in the boat. Fished pretty skinny for a 23', 4500lb bay boat

[tx 3 putt 76,870]

On 5/5/2019 at 12:22 PM, Spaulding Smails said:

Guide still charged us a full-day rate which I thought was kind of bullshit.  Any thoughts on that?

This is what I was expecting.  I would've been fine throwing him $300-$400.  Heck, if anything, he got to ride out the storm drinking a Coke in the garage with his boat safely moored at the dock as opposed to getting his ass whipped by the wind and rain during the 30 min ride back to the boat ramp.  

The guide we usually use was booked this weekend, so we got this guy on a referral instead.  Said he's been guiding in Rockport for 20+ years.  Is what it is, but I thought it was bush league.  He even balked when we asked him to leave the croaker so we could fish under the lights that night.  

That's bullshit all the way around. Who ever referred him needs to be kicked in the balls also. Double bullshit on not giving you the croaker you just paid for. I would have told him to go fuck himself, all they way around. 

That's the problem with Rockport, waaaayyyyy too many bad eggs - all the way around. on the flip side, rockport girls liked to party

Edited May 19, 2019 by tx 3 putt

[DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt 12,301]

@Pescado_Rojo and i wore our arms out on bass a few weeks back out on lake bastrop. highlight of the day though was sitting at the dock for lunch and our guide finding a folded up dollar bill between the picnic table planks, unrolling it and about gram of meth sprinkling on to the table. good times!

[tx 3 putt 76,870]

that grass line though !

[Mac8111 2,106]

Taking the family to Port Aransas this weekend.   Probably will sneak off for a quick wade one morning.  Catch a tagged Redfish or something.  Any good suggestions on places to walk in?

I have walked in from the truck back behind the Island of the Sun Church back towards CC a couple of times.  Didn't really catch anything though.   It's an easy wade.   

I managed to get my truck stuck over by Brown & Root flats one time.  That sucked.   I am not sure I really want to cross the ferry to go over there because getting back across will be a nightmare with the holiday weekend traffic. 

 

 

[Braff Zacklin 13,553]

4 hours ago, DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt said:

highlight of the day though was sitting at the dock for lunch and our guide finding a folded up dollar bill between the picnic table planks, unrolling it and about gram of meth sprinkling on to the table.

The real Hollywood Colt would've found cocaine.

Edited May 20, 2019 by Braff Zacklin
itals

[Judge Roybeanbag 11,819]

12 hours ago, Mac8111 said:

Taking the family to Port Aransas this weekend.   Probably will sneak off for a quick wade one morning.  Catch a tagged Redfish or something.  Any good suggestions on places to walk in?

I have walked in from the truck back behind the Island of the Sun Church back towards CC a couple of times.  Didn't really catch anything though.   It's an easy wade.   

I managed to get my truck stuck over by Brown & Root flats one time.  That sucked.   I am not sure I really want to cross the ferry to go over there because getting back across will be a nightmare with the holiday weekend traffic. 

 

 

If it were me I'd just go fish the jetties or make a quick drive down to Packery Channel.  

[Pescado_Rojo 19,414]

17 hours ago, DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt said:

@Pescado_Rojo and i wore our arms out on bass a few weeks back out on lake bastrop. highlight of the day though was sitting at the dock for lunch and our guide finding a folded up dollar bill between the picnic table planks, unrolling it and about gram of meth sprinkling on to the table. good times!

No, the highlight was being able to water ski behind the rowboat after lunch!