Matagorda Island Advisory February 6, 2012
The comments below are mine based on my understanding of the situation as I know it on 2/2/12.
The decoys are tucked safely away, washed and cleaned; guns are lubed and it’s coming up on time to break the fishing gear out and see what shape it’s in.
While we move on with other activities, there are folks that sharpen their pencils regarding our access and enjoyment of the outdoors and have their ears bent by folks that have nothing better to do than push a political agenda while we are sleeping.
I ask that you try to stay up to date on this issue. I have decided to place a sign-up feature on my mailing list option form labeled “Matagorda Island NWR Advisory”. I can’t say that I will be of much use, but I can say that I will do my best to alert you with any substantial news as it develops. Contact us for a link to our e-mail sign-up for this advisory mailing list and I will do what I can to get this into your hands so your voice can be heard if the need arises.
I know some are “battle weary” as there have and will continue to be many fights on many fronts. I think this one just might happen to be “pivotal”, but I hope I’m wrong.
Some of us are still looking for leadership and a particular approach on this. As of yet, nothing concrete in the leadership department has risen. Best recipe and advice from some is to try to manage and mitigate the dwindling of rights, use, and access to something we can gut down like a bad piece of meat.
Island News
I’m hearing the management on the Matagorda Island NWR is directed out of Bay City and pro hunting/fishing. Whether the Superintendant there can keep things under control remains to be seen. ESA or The Endangered Species Act can be a convenient tool to do just about anything. Some things are beyond the most well-intentioned management’s ability to control.
Stimulus (Why Now) – In a conversations with one of my clients, who happens to be The States foremost environmental attorney, his opinion is that the Feds are on the move on this because of a particular lawsuit regarding freshwater inflows and the GBRA. The plaintiff is accusing the GBRA of mismanagement of the freshwater inflows to our bays which reportedly caused a Whooping Crane die off in the drought Winter of 2009 (which may or may not have occurred, seems 25 were claimed to have died but only 4 were recovered). GBRA is pushing back against the Feds and claiming that they aren’t to blame and contending the Fed is to blame due to mismanagement of the NWR. And there you have the perfect recipe for an absolute disaster.
Duck Hunting
This one is in the books! We hope you had the opportunity to take it out with a bang. We’ve got an extended Snow Goose hunt going on as we speak. I haven’t heard how that’s going as of yet. We’ve still got some small numbers of Snows lurking around water and making for impressive wing shooting. Snow Goose Conservations Season started 01/30/12!
Fishing Scene
Some things on the water will still buckle my knees and impress me beyond words. “As I was rolling through a back lake the other day scouting ahead of an afternoon shoot, I started kicking mud stirs as Redfish and Black Drum scurried from my approach. Farther along the shoreline the mud stirs were on both sides of the boat stretching 15 to 20 yards both directions. This went on for a quarter of a mile and left me pretty much in awe of what I had just witnessed”.
Capt. James E. is reporting advanced patterns ahead of typical post Winter approaches with fish already tagging the mid 20’s and getting “solid”. Best approach is wading working a variety of low and slow soft plastics. Capt. Terry reporting productive Winter and Spring pattern drifts are taking mid teens of keepers working soft plastics over mud/shell. Capt. Doug reported slow bait fishing for Redfish while covering a bunch of water. Best action was working shell/mud for Trout with soft plastics.
Oyster Season
What you haven’t seen all Winter are the endless scores of Oyster boats working the reefs due to a Season Closure resulting from Red Tide outbreaks in the Fall. Hynes Bay just opened for a few days but is closing back down due to freshwater runoff coming down the Guadalupe from excessive rainfall in the Austin area. These guys just can’t catch a break, or can they? Word has it that Espiritu Santo Bay is opening today. I’m not sure if SAB will open or not. Busting up that shell always seems to help the fishing, so be patient with these guys. They’ve got a tough job and you can’t be any further down on your luck than they are right now.
Working Oyster Boats – Strategy
Set up a drift in the muddy water moving either down wind or down current coming off the Oyster boats dredge area. During Winter and Spring months, off color water is where it’s at and about the only source of that is coming from an Oyster boat dredge. The dredge is turning up small bait sources and dislodging them. Trout and Reds know it and you can have a lot of fun bending a rod with the sound of a dredge clanking while listening to your favorite Mexican music blaring over their boom boxes.
Pretty 2Cool
We are announcing an agreement with the great folks that bring you all the fast action on the water to continue sponsorship of the Fishing Forum for another 2 years. What makes that possible? You do! Thanks to everyone for making 2011 just an outstanding year for Castaway Lodge.
We hope you have a great week, come see us!
Capt. Kris Kelley
Castaway Lodge
1-888-618-4868
www.seadriftbayfishing.com
