Peterbuilt Truck Factory from Denton, Texas enjoyed the lodge and fishing with Capt. Steve Boldt, Sept., live bait San Antonio Bay. -Bay Flats Lodge
Admittedly, given the weather transitions that continue to occur this month, and with the legendary tides of October, coastal anglers along the Coastal Bend region of Texas often describe redfish angling in the back lakes as being nothing less than epic, at times. However, fishing for speckled trout above shell may soon reach a point to where there’s nothing comparable for the next several weeks as fall prepares to fully unfold. Historically, some of the year’s hottest trout action can often be recognized atop the numerous shell pads spread amongst the vast waters of San Antonio Bay this month and next.
The amount of shell in San Antonio Bay is unquestionably large, yet its presence is sometimes discounted or dismissed simply due to the fact that anglers are either unfamiliar with the bay, or they have heard horror stories from other anglers describing bad experiences with some the more shallow reefs in the bay. Granted, there’s a lot of shell located throughout San Antonio Bay, but there’s really not anything about all of the reefs that should place fear into any one of your fishing trips. Most any of today’s electronic maps accompanying modern-day GPS systems commonly have each and every one of the San Antonio Bay reefs marked. If the vessel you fish out of doesn’t have a GPS, then an alternative might be the use of one of the more common hotspot fishing maps of the area. These maps are generally concise as to the reef locations, yet you will more than likely need the water in the bay to be fairly clear on the particular day you wish to traverse San Antonio Bay with the use of only a map. Of course, a third alternative would be to fish with someone already familiar with the area, or who has in-depth knowledge and experience with San Antonio Bay. The reefs in this bay, as like those in any other bay, do call for a certain amount of respect and consideration before one heads blindly across the water. Regardless of your methodology, look for the speckled trout action to improve amongst all of the shell with the passing of each day this month. Reefs like Chicken Foot, Dagger Point, First Chain, Half Moon, Refuge, Sickle, and even Panther could begin sparking angler’s interests very, very soon.
Until the fall shell action turns on strong, there are always alternatives available for anglers looking to catch nice trout and redfish, especially in a bay system the size of San Antonio Bay. For those who may be unfamiliar with the area and who want to get to know their way around the neighborhood, there are seemingly endless shorelines outlining San Antonio Bay that can offer anglers convenient contingencies in almost every weather condition. On the east side of the bay (the Seadrift side), anglers can enjoy wading any of a number of flats areas and shell piles situated parallel to the Victoria channel on the western edge of the channel itself. These shallow spots and spoil areas can work well for anglers on calm days, and can somewhat protect fishing efforts on days presented with slight north or west winds. At the north end of the bay sits Guadalupe Bay, a venue offering shorelines protected from northerly winds that also happen to be sprinkled with isolated areas of small clam shells that the redfish often find irresistible. San Antonio Bay’s west shoreline happens to be situated along the eastern most edge of the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, and it can offer superb trout, redfish, and flounder to anglers wishing to try their luck at wading whenever weather and tide conditions are working in their favor. And then, of course, there’s the shoreline that outlines the southern portion of San Antonio Bay. This is probably one of the more well-known areas of San Antonio Bay, and is also commonly referred to by many as the Matagorda Island shoreline. It’s a shoreline offering almost anything and everything that will accommodate a lot of various conditions in a lot of different situations – coves, back lakes, drains, bayous, grass, shell, mud, sand, deep water adjacent to shallow water, great protection from southerly wind, etc. When planning your next fall fishing trip to the coast, give San Antonio Bay some consideration. You might just be pleasantly surprised!
In closing, our team of guides at Bay Flats Lodge wishes to remind everyone of the rapid approach of the upcoming waterfowl season, with this year’s opening day being November 1st. Duck season is a wonderful time of the year to experience a “Blast & Cast” trip where you can experience a full morning of waterfowl hunting, take a short break, and then exchange the shotgun for top water lures and a fun afternoon of fishing. Remember to practice CPR, “Catch, Photo, and Release”, whenever possible on trophy Trout and Reds…Guide Chris Martin, Port O’Connor/Seadrift region. www.BayFlatsLodge.com…1-888-677-4868
Nephews of Captain Chris Martin from Houston and Austin, David & Dirk Aman, landed these fish with Captain Boriskie out of Bay Flats Lodge while visiting Uncle Chris and Aunt Deb, September 28. All fish landed on live shrimp and cut mullet in lower San Antonio Bay.
