NOS Special Projects has developed, in collaboration with the National Geodetic Survey and NOAAs Coastal Services Center, a new tool to view NOAAs collection of historical shoreline surveys. The NOAA Historical Shoreline Survey Viewer provides access to a large number of historical shoreline surveys conducted by NOAA and its predecessor organizations. About 7,800 surveys, the earliest dating back to 1841, are available for viewing in Google Earth. In addition to overlaying a scanned image of the survey in Google Earth, the viewer provides links to download the original scan and metadata, the resulting extracted vector shoreline, and a descriptive report compiled by the survey team. When compared to imagery available through Google Earth, the surveys provide invaluable historical information about how the shoreline has evolved through both natural and man-made changes over the last 170 years. More at http://specialprojects.nos.noaa.gov/tools/shorelinesurvey.html.

This is the 5th year of the TEXAS Sail Club’s “Raid” up the South Texas Coast.  This year, as it was last year, will start in Port Isabel, Texas with stops in Port Mansfield/Jetties,  Happt’s Cut, then a big to-do at the Padre island Yacht Club, with a Last stop at Paul’s Mott.

There will be a “first” for the Texas 200 Sail Club, as there will be a wedding at the Paul’s Mott over night. What a way to start a life with another person! On a Raid, by a Captain, of a Small Boat.  Good luck to the newlyweds!

Boats have been as small as a 4X8 sheet of plywood, and just as square,  to the larger white plastic sail boats that everyone sees, –  and everything in between. From Mono hull’s to Cat’s, and Tri’s they’re all there.

As with any time of year in Texas, one can expect great weather. That is, if one is from Texas and understands that Texas Weather can be from just warm “upper 90’s” to the warmer 115◦ plus.  And the wind can be from nothing to gale force.  As it was last year, we started in a calm and light wind, and ended with small craft warnings all up the coast.

What a way to live!  Sailing in the coastal waters of Texas, in the Summer and nothing to worry about but your self, “Your Boat” and where you’re going next!  Some of the sailors and boats come from ‘’All’’ over the Country, just to sail and RAID the Coast of  Texas!

This year the start is on the 11th of June and finishes here in Seadrift, Texas on the afternoon of the 15th.

Come on down and watch the boats finish this 200 mile Raid, “run up the Coast”.  And everyone that finishes, is a Winner!  The winning is making it the 200 miles.  And most do!

Jack LaBarge
Just a Member of the Raid

You can tell Summer is here. We have 90+ temps, big crowds, full parking lots at the boat ramps, lines at Speedy Stop and lots of boats going to Sunday Beach. Memorial Day brought lots of people to town and the weekend after was about the same. Everything was orderly and I didn’t see any signs of problems, no gunfire or anything.

The fishing held up pretty well during the last few weeks. Trout fishing has been best in San Antonio Bay. The surf is holding good trout but the weather hasn’t permitted very many days that left the surf safe to fish. South winds have been in the 10 to 15 knot range. We had one or two days last week that allowed surf fishing and the results were excellent but I would encourage everyone to be extremely careful when deciding whether or not to fish the surf. If you think it might be too rough, it probably is. Catching trout isn’t worth the risk of turning your boat up side down and hurting folks.

The lakes are getting better as the water temps rise. Reds are the main attraction but trout are there as well. Some big trout are there to spawn so you might find a 25+ trout in Pringle or Contee. Most folks are using live shrimp under a rattle cork or throwing soft plastics. I’ve found that on most days the artificials worked well but some days the grass makes it a lot easier to fish the shrimp.

The jetties have been good overall. The last few days have been a bit tough with some pretty stiff tides. I have been doing better in the late afternoon than in the morning. We’ve caught a little bit of everything; reds, drum, snapper, grouper and trout. I had two trout over 25” on one trip this week. Its been a bit difficult to get to the outside due to some fairly big swells (5-6ft) at the ends of the rocks.

In the above picture, Sissy and Randy Jordan from Anahuac and Pat and Sheldia Hill (no relation) of Oak Grove, La. had a good time on a windy day at the jetties.

Capt. Bob Hill
Port O’Connor Charters
(281) 984-0015
www.fishportoconnor.com

Jason Neville from Houston enjoyed landing his personal best trout, 27 1/2”, using live croaker with Bay Flats Lodge Guide Rick Hammon; San Antonio Bay back lakes 6/3/2012.

Wade fishing red & white TTF flats minnows around the City Slickers region tight for reds over grass and sand, while working out over guts for trout is a good bet for early morning hours, along with late hours of the day. Most anglers are using an 1/8-oz jig head for best results. Top water plugs in both bone or chartreuse worked tight to the Cedars shore can produce solid trout in the mid 20-inch class for anglers getting a very early start. Best action has been right as the sun is rising. Mid to late day is good down in West Matagorda Bay with brown diving pelicans giving good signals there is fish around. Trout action will continue to improve with best catches with anglers wade fishing with darker color lures, or live croaker.

Good sport, Orlando Noriega, who unfortunately did not enter the tournament, shows off the “Win That Could Have Been” .

Many CCA STAR anglers will be saddened to learn that some people just won’t. Learn, that is. Day 5 of the 2012 STAR, and already TWO tagged redfish have been caught—-but both by UNREGISTERED fishermen! Both missed claiming a brand-new 2012 Ford F-150 “Texas Edition” truck connected to a Haynie 23 Bigfoot boat, 150HP Mercury Optimax engine, and Coastline trailer. This regal prize combo(in fact, five(5) of them) can be won instantly by catching any one of the 60 tagged redfish released last week up and down the Texas coastline…if you’re entered.

Why stop there? The next five tagged reds caught pay off with the Haynie boat package! So, please don’t go down this path of regret and misery. BE IN to WIN.

Of course, there is joyous celebration for all who are entered! The Texas Ford Dealers Redfish Division is WIDE OPEN and all prizes available to be claimed. Get on the water……and Good Luck!

The State of Texas Angler’s Rodeo (STAR) Tournament is the annual membership recruitment drive for CCA Texas. The tournament spans the entire Texas Gulf Coast and offers current CCA Texas members the chance to win over $1,000,000 in prizes and scholarships. Fishing categories include Speckled Trout, Flounder, Sheepshead, Gafftop, Dorado, King Mackerel and Ling (Cobia). There is also a special tagged Redfish Division in which winners receive complete boat and truck combos. In order to ensure a fair and impartial outcome, the tournament is professionally directed. It is also zero-budgeted, which means that the money raised is put back into the event in the form of media, prizes and more scholarships. The STAR Tournament runs from the Saturday before Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Membership in CCA ($25.00) is required to fish the STAR tournament, it must be renewed yearly and is separate from the STAR tournament entry fee which must also be paid yearly.

For more info: http://ccamembership.org 713-626-4222