I want to begin this edition of Guide Lines by talking about a subject that might just help you become a better angler.  Before your next fishing trip, try to visualize your trip before it actually happens.  You should plan each wade session before it happens.  If I am cognizant of the area I am to be fishing, I will actually “see myself catching fish” hours before leaving the dock.  Learn to become focused, and block out all other thoughts.  Try to think about nothing other than the trip, each “step” or wade at a time.  You should anticipate each move and have a complete game plan before you even step into the boat.  Make sure you look up the wind direction and speed and the tide report, and then plan your trip accordingly.  Most importantly, stick to that plan, and work it feverishly!  A lot of times I envision myself working a slow sinking plug on a particular reef, with each movement of the rod going through my mind hours before I actually begin to start fishing.  This may sound crazy, but I’ve actually visualized catching the state record trout, over and over again.  What would you do if you caught this big girl?  Just think about it!  The hardest aspect of visualizing your trip is building your ability to stay mentally focused once you are out on the water fishing.

When you add high winds and cold weather to the fishing equation, staying mentally focused becomes an even greater challenge.  You have to keep the whole thing in-check.  For example, pay attention to your jig head hooks.  Are they dull or bent from previous encounters with shell?  Are you retrieving too fast because you are cold?  The best fishing days I can remember have occurred during the winter months.  In looking back, I dressed in layers and stayed warm so as to allow me stay out longer in the elements.  One of the biggest challenges to remaining focused is removing yourself from surrounding mental and physical distractions.  Such distractions can be described in several different ways.  The hardest distraction for me is “not catching fish”!  This is when I have to rewind the tape, or the visualization process, and replay each move over and over again.  Did I skip a part because I was too easily distracted?  If so, I will visualize each move once again.  This will do several things for me.  First, it will get me refocused.  And second, I will regain the level of confidence that will allow me to think clearly again.  An example of not staying focused may be that you suddenly find that you have continued to cast in the same spot over and over again. Your mind has wandered-off into thinking of and focusing upon events that have nothing at all to do with fishing - your job, your friends, or other personal problems external to the scope of fishing.

Once you are able to regain your composure and become refocused, your senses shall begin returning to you as well.  You will be able to hear, feel, and see everything around you.  You will know your next move before it happens.  A non-focused angler will make a cast without thinking about why that particular spot was chosen.  But, a focused angler will have a “reason” for every cast - each cast has been anticipated, and has been planned out beforehand.

Winter months along the Texas mid-coast region offer hit-and-miss opportunities for even the most avid trout enthusiast.  Some of the prevailing January weather conditions have often dictated our chance at even getting out on the water.  But between the somewhat stronger frontal passages of this month and last, we have found the fish to no longer be lingering in the shallows, not even during the warmer parts of the afternoon.  The fish have now gone deep, and we are noting trout successes primarily over shell and shell/mud mixes while offering the Tequila Gold selection of the Norton Sand Eel Junior.  As of late, the Bay Flats team and customers are not experiencing the size of fish they had previously become accustomed to as of only a month ago, but have certainly found the quantity of fish to have not been affected in the least.  If you can plan to fish the days between the cold fronts and are able to take advantage of the calmer winds, you should find the fish in numbers if you setup a session or two atop or amidst your favorite shell pad or reef.  But, if you’re still looking for that one catch-of-a-lifetime, don’t give up just yet – February is just around the corner.

The month of February is a wonderful time for catching trophy-sized trout here in the San Antonio Bay vicinity.  Because the temperatures are traditionally much colder in February, many anglers choose to sit at home rather than trying their luck at a fishing trip.  If they only knew what they were missing!  The absolute best trip of my career was February 4, 2003.  We caught and released 5 trout between 5 and 8 pounds, along with many 4 pound class fish that day. All fish were caught on Norton Bull Minnows and Corky Fat Boys.  Bigger trout, along with less boat traffic and crowds, makes February one of the most notable months for catching a lifetime trophy trout. 

My latest trip found me wade fishing with Berry Teare and guest. On this calm San Antonio Bay morning, our focus was the windward side of a spoil area. We finally located one of the best top water bites this season. At one point, we had two trout on the same top water lure. The action was just stupid, one could cast out with either a corky fat boy or top water and count to 3, you would have a fat trout pounce on your lure.

Bay Flats Lodge News

1. We would like to welcome our newest full time fishing guide Matt Moeller. (More to come on Matt)

2. Bay Flats Lodge featured in September/October 2006 issue of Texas Sporting Journal Magazine "Gone In A Glimpse" by Susan Ebert

3. Our newest sponsor is Final Approach Blinds.

4. Framing continues at the new lodge. 

This morning’s early morning venture took me and my party to a locale that had been producing steady numbers of solid fish prior to the recent week-long rains accompanied by Alberto, this season’s first recordable tropical storm.   We could not see very well as we made our way over the sides of the Extreme in the pre-dawn light, but as the sun made its way over the horizon it became apparent to us that we were wading in water that presented no more clarity than that of a chocolate milk shake.  Just before the rains hit earlier in the week, this particular area held water that was comparable to the Caribbean, at least as comparable as any Texas coastal waters can get to such.  Regardless of the water conditions facing us, we endeavored for the next hour or so with no positive results.  As we progressed downward along the shoreline I continually searched the waters ahead for any pattern changes that might offer up a relief to the current bite starvation.  It wasn’t until about eight o’clock that we rounded a distinct, 90-degree turn in the shore where the water color immediately changed from one end of the spectrum to the other – from dark chocolate to emerald green, a contrast similar to that of a tide line change.  I was the acting point-man on this initial wade session, so I made a bee-line to the demarcation.  Now that the sun had made it high enough in the sky to shine downward upon the water surface, I could make out underwater reflections of baitfish in the clean water just beyond the color line.  I anxiously changed my Norton Bull Minnow lure from a dark roach color to that of bright chartreuse as I made a rapid approach upon the clear water, and taking advantage of having the wind at my back I let loose with a long-distance cast that even Rudy Grigar would be envious of.  I must have placed my cast directly in the fish’s mouth, as the plastic plug never stopped after making contact with the green water.  The bite was on, and we had located the fish.  We had discovered the conditional change that was required in order to make this day on the water a most memorable occasion.

Many saltwater fish are predatory species, including the Speckled trout, and thus are experts in the fine art of ambushing their prey (by nature).   Because of this, trout inherently utilize the cover of off-colored water to their immediate advantage when setting up against those they intend to dupe.  They often position themselves along the fringes of the murkiness so as to be able to observe all that may pass in their line of sight.  When a tasty morsel swims by and is within reasonable striking distance, the trout will often lunge upon the unsuspecting victim with reckless abandonment.  Next time you find yourself seemingly engulfed by that latte-like water color, be sure you scan the adjacent vicinity for areas of cleaner water, even if it only happens to be streaks of green here and there.

The remaining days of July should offer anglers 3 main choices, depending on wind speed and direction I want to list them in particular order. If you’re offered low wind conditions, focus on the surf for trout and reds. Now, if redfish is your game, check out Guadalupe Bay at the end of Seadrift. Look for large schools of migrating reds. I prefer to use black & gold Norton bull minnows. Key in off colored water close the north shoreline. If the water is emerald green and conditions are salty, look for the reefs in San Antonio Bay to hold plenty of trout. Think top water early and tails mid morning.

In closure to this edition, I again take great pride and joy in the opportunity of offering a round of well-deserved congratulations to Team Bay Flats Lodge guides Capt. TJ Christensen and Capt. Jake Huddleston for their winning 2nd place in the big Trout and the big Redfish divisions while fishing their teams in the 2nd Annual Oilfield Helping Hands (OHH) Fishing Tournament.  Efforts like these are what make fishing all the more worthwhile.  Remember to practice CPR, “Catch, Photo, and Release”, whenever possible on trophy Trout and Reds…Guide Chris Martin, Port O’Connor/Seadrift region…

This past week has offered some really exciting fishing. Just the other day, we had the pleasure to wade fish with the guys from Ford Motor Company who sponsors the Star Tournament.  Bay Flats Team guides Harold Dworaczyk and Mark Robinson did an excellent job keeping the crew on fish the entire day.  They ended up with 7 man limits of trout and a mix redfish, and released several mid 20-inch trout.  According to Mark, the best action early in the morning was on tequila gold Norton bull minnows.  He was fishing in knee deep water over sand and grass, while working his 6’6” Laguna Rod Texas Wader II slowly with an up and down motion.  Around 11:00 AM, Mark moved over to where Harold’s group was wading, this was hard sand with a deep gut.  With the water temperatures heating up, the guys found the best action across the sand floor while slowly working the Mardi Gras Norton bull minnows back to them.

Now, let’s talk about the “realities” of fishing with artificial lures during the month of July.  As I was typing the above paragraph and sharing the glory, I remember the very next day fishing the exact same spot - we only pulled four trout out of that same spot that next day. Stay with me, as it’s going to get interesting.  So, we licked our wounds and regrouped.  I went to the same area two days later, and we had our way with the trout.  We had several 3lb. trout that we landed while using lime-green Corky Devil, and we walked away with limits of trout.  However, here is the rest of the story.  The very next day, I took a customer down the same shoreline, and we only managed five trout from that same spot.  As of late, I feel like a CSI (Crime Scene Investigator) attempting to locate pieces to solve a mysterious crime puzzle.  One day we hammer the trout, with the crime being that the next day we find that all the evidence has been tampered with.  It is for this very reason that I have spoken to you on several past occasions as to the importance of you fishing the conditions, and not simply fishing “the spot”.

It is common for us all to get caught up in the moment of discovery of a producing locale, and to take the easy way out the very next day, or even the next weekend, by re-visiting the exact same spot.  Remember to take mental note of what is going on around you next time you locate a strong bite in any one given place.  The fish are generally stacked in that vicinity for a reason, so it’s up to you to determine why.  Notice the wind direction and strength at the time, and mentally record what the tide happened to be doing at the time that you got into the fish.  What was the water clarity?  Were the majority of the strikes taking place at the edge of a water color-change – the area where muddy water was meeting clear green water?  Did the bite come off of a hard sandy bottom, or were the fish congregated over mud, shell, grass, or a mixture of any of these?  What was the bait situation like in that spot where you got into ‘em yesterday?  Did there seem to be never-ending herds of mullet segregated up and down the entire shoreline?  And were the bait fish seemingly active, or simply there in an un-nervous type presence?  Did you happen upon the fish in the cooler morning hours of the day, or did that even seem to be a factor on that particular day?  All of these, and others, are questions you must attempt to recall the answers to next time you decide to re-visit yesterday’s successful playground only to find that fish aren’t wanting to play anymore.  So, next time this happens to you, stop and take a moment to look around you.  Absent any major weather, structural, or environmental changes over the course of your absence since your last visit, the chances are great that the fish haven’t moved too terribly far from where they were before.

Although we have had to dodge an occasional thunderstorm as of late, we are finding the San Antonio Bay waters to be shaping up just fine for some hot summer time shell action.  If you have ever had an opportunity to apply your angling skills in or around the SAB vicinity, then you are probably well aware that this particular bay system has some of the finest mid-bay reefs that the Texas coast has to offer.  Because SAB proper is littered with shell pads of all shapes and sizes, it is a venue which offers plenty of space for everyone interested in getting in on the act, even on those tournament and vacation weekends when the fishing pressure may seem a bit heavy.  Based upon my historical fishing logs, I naturally have a list of my somewhat favored reef locales, but I am always on the lookout for what that next unexplored pad may have to offer in the way of particular fish attractions – bait, depth, contour, points, tidal movement, etc.   Next time you have a chance to fish the open-water reefs of SAB, pay particular attention to the varying differences between one reef and the next.  Make special note of those reefs that seem to be flourishing with all signs of marine life, and make mental comparisons of them against those where it appears as though the fish have placed the “For Sale” sign out on the front lawn.  You may just be shocked to find there is a common pattern which makes some reefs more productive over the others in the neighborhood.

At the beginning of the summer time reef pattern when the days are not yet as hot as they are going to be later on down the road, I do not limit my focus on submerged reefs, but rather concentrate on locating any one particular reef which happens to be offering-up the preferred configuration of active baitfish, a bit of mud underfoot, and an immediate vantage point of deep water accessibility for the fish.  The combination of these three key ingredients will generally spell a recipe for success above these vacated oyster homes.  Upon locating such a spot, I prefer to begin my efforts just within casting range of the crest of the reef.  This allows experimentation within various water columns while working a favorite Norton Bull Minnow rigged with 1/16oz Norton Lazer Lock jighead from the peak of the reef and back along the downward contour, and is a proven practice by which one can expedite the process of pinpointing the bite.  If I have determined the bite to be concentrated in a bit deeper water away from the ridge of the reef, I like honing my skills with one of the more popular suspending plastic baits such as the slow-sinking Corky or Corky Devil.  You are not able to cover the same amount of territory at the same rate of speed with these baits as you are with your standard tails, but once you have located the bite, there’s little else in comparison on the excitement scale over the slow-sinkers.    

During the hotter months, I attempt to begin my first morning wade session prior to sunrise over a submerged reef – one that may be submerged year round, or one that is submerged as the result of a high tide.  The reason for the pre-dawn effort here is to be able to take advantage of the cooler night time water temperatures of the shallowest spot of the submerged reef.  Because the daylight hours at this time in the year heat shallow water so rapidly, it is imperative to beat the heat to the punch early in the morning.  Fish will travel the shallow spots atop submerged reefs during the night time hours while in search of food, or while looking for shelter from night time predators of deeper water.  Start your approach to the area with a smaller top water of choice, something like a Skitter Walk Jr. or Super Spook Jr.  Position yourself so as to be able to overshoot the crest of the reef by several feet, and then work your surface plug slowly across the shallowest point of the reef’s ridge.  Work the area immediately in front of you completely by making several casts from your 10 o’clock to 2 o’clock positions.  If no results, shuffle on down the reef about twenty feet in either direction, and repeat the previous routine.

Each year Spaw Maxwell puts on a tournament in Port O'Connor called Arriba Pescado. This year they elected to have a Guides Cup the day before their big tournament. The crew that purchased me during the live auction, "Razzelbadazzle" (Sp) grinded hard all day with top water lures. Best color was bone or chartreuse. Our team won 1st place, and my step son TJ Christensen's team took 4th place.

What can I say about Razzelbadazzle- These guys were salty and were not afraid to walk a mile to find fish? Thanks...My hats off to all of you.

The month of June has been the busiest fishing month this year, and also one of the best months for catching. We appreciate all the business and have really enjoyed making new friends.

www.BayFlatsLodge.com

1-888-677-4868

On February 2, we welcomed Chris McGinnis and Kirk Gray to wade for trophy trout. Our first day found us running approximately 50 miles one way. After several uneventful stops, the fish ended up being on the windward side. I explained, “We need to locate stained water.”  As we motored into a great looking cove, one could see mullet getting hammered. This is when I put on a black smoke and chartreuse head super spook Jr. With water temperatures still a bit cool, my mind set was, work the lure extremely slow. During the next 30 minutes, we were releasing trout up to 5 lbs.

Kirk C&R the largest trout of the day, a 5 lb trout. The corky fat boy bite was excellent and the best color was green & black. The highlight of our day, my corky fat boy was broke off at the leader. I never was able to see the trout, but guess she pushed 7 or 8 pounds. Meanwhile, Mark Robinson and TJ Christensen were fishing down from us. Mark released his personal best, a 29” trout that was fooled by a tequila gold sand eel Jr. TJ backed up mark with a 26” trout that was fooled on a pink corky fat boy. All fish were released to fight another day.

February 3, we welcomed Jode Shupe to fish with Kirk and Chris, who defiantly stepped up their game on day-2. Right out of the boat, it was Chris showing strong with his favorite top water. He released a 4 lb and 3 lb trout, while Kirk caught a 3 lb fish. As we rounded out our day, the wind started pumping between 25 and 30 mph. This is when Kirk asked about a cove very near. Even with small swells, we located two green strips of water running parallel to stained water. We were over deep mud, no grass. This is when Kirk hit another 4 lb trout. As I was talking to Kirk and asking how big she was, my bone super spook was slammed with a matching 4 lb trout. We took quick photos and released both fish.

February 4, day-1 of the POC Bash tournament. My partner for this tournament was Jode Shupe with Laguna Rods. Our tides had fallen overnight and our good fishing location we had two days prior was pretty much blown out. So, we went to Kirk’s favorite cove. My first trout was 4 lbs and it was fooled by a bone super spook. Jode landed a 21” trout. These two fish would be it for our first day, but it was good enough to put us on the boards, we were in 9^th place on day 1. Meanwhile Harold and Aaron landed two solid fish to put them in 4^th place on day 1.

February 5, day-2 POC Bash tournament. Despite the weather forecast calling for 30 to 35 mph winds later in the day, we made the run to where we’ve been landing 4 and 5 lb trout. It just was not our day, they would not bite. We caught a couple of small fish, but nothing to put us up on the boards. Same went for Harold and Aaron. Out of 58 teams, we finished in 18^th place, and Harold and Aaron has respectable 8^th place finish.

February 6, we took the day off. The lodge welcomed in Bill Yost and 7 guest in with International Roadway Research.

February 7, with extreme low tides, I decided to choose the airboat over my extreme today. We hit an area with deep water and firm mud. The fish were just not there. After several other failed spots, I hit shell and mud. As we were motoring down the shoreline, we noticed two solid reds take off. I shut the airboat down and bailed out. Charlie went one way, while we went another. He immediately hooked up with a 26” red. A few feet ahead, Bill suddenly locates what looks like a 22” trout. Meanwhile Chris and I see small slicks popping up near the pot reefs. After a couple cast with a corky fat boy, I hook up with a big trout. She comes off after a short fight, only to find out my split ring and front hook was torn away. Just minutes later, I locate a few more trout with the corky. After a short lu