June 15, 2011
Summertime is often the time of the year when folks try to recapture lost time by getting away from the chores of the workplace whenever possible in order to enjoy all that the great outdoors has to offer. The school year has ended, and any plans for a family vacation have already been made well in advance. And in that temperatures are already at all-time record levels across the state, those who choose the Texas coast as this summer’s getaway destination shall be dealing with some downright bothersome and punishing heat, especially those who may choose to spend several hours each day out on the water fishing. Not only will the days be long and hot, but our coastal waterways also become somewhat crowded during the summer months. If you’ve never learned to adapt to this type of extreme climate over the years, then you’ll consequently need to know how to take proper care of yourself in these conditions.
First, you’ll need to dress accordingly. Wear long-sleeved shirts and long paints whenever possible when out on the water. You’ll also want protection for your head, ears, and neck, so wear a wide-brimmed cap or cover exposed skin areas with a bandana or similar article of clothing.
Second, never venture out into the Texas summer sun without first applying an adequate amount of sunscreen to any (all) exposed areas of your body. You’ll thank yourself over and over again for doing so. And the last thing to remember is that you should always hydrate with plain water, or your favorite sports drink, whenever possible throughout the entire course of the day. Keep all these things in mind and you might find yourself on the winning side of what could just very well become one of the most productive summers for fishing in many years. Our area bay water temperatures have already risen to the mid-eighties. With that said, and as the warming of the waters will only continue, so shall the summer’s top water bite. I might suggest that you start out each day by wading with your favorite surface walker rigged to your line, and here are some reasons why.
The hotter months of the year are when anglers will generally tend to find larger concentrations of baitfish slowly working their way up and down sandy, grassy shorelines and guts. These big schools of bait attract game fish in more numbers, especially the redfish. These summertime months are often the period in the year that we begin witnessing the development of large schools of redfish. Sometimes there’ll be many separate groups or schools that are in real close proximity of each other in one area. And as the water temperatures begin to climb, so will the redfish. They’ll climb to the surface of the water in a hurry, showing themselves more and more each day as they feed on the summertime baitfish that mingle at the water’s surface. Redfish are creatures of somewhat strong habit and routine, so if you are successful in locating one of their main gathering areas this summer, then you could very well find them in, or near to, that same locale at this same time of the year next summer. And if our recent top water results are a sign of things to come in the months ahead, then I’ll make sure to tie my first knot of the morning around the head of my favorite top water bait before I even get out of the boat.
Granted, the top water bite has not been the source of a lot of conversations until just the past few weeks. Previously, anglers who had been willing to endure a full day of throwing “top” plugs had yielded lesser numbers for their troubles, and many probably found it to be very difficult to maintain their course, especially given the fact that they watched others recognize greater success while offering soft-plastics and live bait. And while it’s true that the fish activity will continue to increase as the months get hotter, there’s still one thing in particular that has us excited about the possibility of this summer being most memorable, and that’s the fact that we’ve yet to receive a lot of measurable rainfall. The fact that we have experienced small amounts of rainfall this year is helping drive higher salinity levels in our bay systems, and big trout just love high salinity numbers, so don’t be at all surprised if this summer offers up to you one of the best-ever catches of your life. The only thing you need to do at this point is remember to start out at the top as you make your way into the water each morning. Good luck, and…keep grinding!
The waters of San Antonio Bay are surprising us more with the passing of each day as they continue to turn on strong this summer. Those of us here at Bay Flats Lodge join the millions of other Gulf Coast residents in hopes and prayers that we may have a minor hurricane season this year. Don’t forget what we discussed earlier – summer is now here in full force, so dress properly, hydrate regularly, and apply (and re-apply) sunscreen religiously. 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
Britt Schexnaider from Cypress, fishing at Bay Flats Lodge as guest of Bob and Linda Erdmans, June 11, using live bait in San Antonio Bay.
