Great End to the Season! photo by Capt. Jeff Larson

Great wrap with full straps! Duck Season 2017 – 2018 is in the books. We have been getting the annual question, “How was your season?” Depending on my mood and the age of the person who asks it, The answer ranges from, it was above average to we slammed ‘em all year. I’m not a very good record keeper but when you have been hunting this stretch of the Texas Coast as long as I have, you just know, you feel it. The main priority of a guide is a Safe return to the dock with new memories. We also knocked that out of the park. We sent a bunch of birds to the Taxidermist. The 1st part of the season was Puddlers and Divers. We finished the last month with client limits of Puddlers. The Pintail numbers were up compared to years past and only getting to bag 1 per hunter made the hunts tricky to say the least. It was a great Puddler Year, no doubt. We were slammed with tons of Widgeon and Teal to fill the leather straps. Gaddys came and went throughout the season and with the Pin Constraints you had better know the difference between Grays and Pinny Hens. No mishaps this year.

Hey, The Freeze Out Tourney was a Great Success. Congrats to Ol Jimmy Burns and the Waterloo Crew. They spanked the field again this year, not as hard as last year but a win is a win. It doesn’t go un- noticed to the Hard Core guys who landed in 2nd, E. Simmons Custom Boats Team and 3rd Slow Roll with my friend Capt. Todd Jones. No matter where you ended up on the board you competed against some Bad Ass Fishermen. Great Tourney!!!

Here’s a quick mention, Dawn and I are headed to the SCI Show in Vegas to visit with our extended African Family, SS Pro Safaris, Sure’ Van Zyl and “Mayor”Jason Stone, Stone Safaris – Zambia. If anyone is interested in booking a Safari, I will be glad to help. As of now, 2019 will be the next time, I will be booking a month long Safari. Now 30 plus days isn’t necessary to get some trophies for your wall. 10 days is plenty of time to fill a shipping container full of animals.

Looking into the rest of February, we have plenty of dates available for Trophy Trout and Combat Redfishing this month. The weather is unpredictable at best in February but when the Good Lord gives us a mild day, we are going to take full advantage of it. We are going to get in the mud with the pigs and grind em out. Its what we as guides do this time of year. Pack a lunch and get to chunking. It mirrors the Rut in Texas. Might be today, might be next week or even into March or April that she eases up in the shallows to spawn and/or feed. Lets get busy, lets get out there and find you a wall hanger trout. It will be over before you know it, just like duck season.

Billy Rhyne is holding the Lodge down, so give him a call to check availability for your next middle coast trip. Billy’s direct line is: 713 907 4796.

Maintain your Boat, Check your Batteries and Sharpen your Hooks. Its going to be a good one.

Captain Jeff Larson
281 217 0399