The Harbor of Refuge was the perfect spot to launch the newest puddle duck racer built by seventh grade students at Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic School and sponsored by Russell Cain Real Estate. The building project, overseen by Texas Sea Grant Extension Agent Rhonda Cummins and OLG School Board President Morris Sadleir, was done after school twice a week for 7 weeks and was completed for the blessing on May 22nd. Nine students were involved in the project and all were given sailboat rides on May 31st by Cummins. Students waiting to sail were involved in kayaking led by school principal, Theresa Dent. Even the curious dolphins got into the fun and swam among the boats. To learn more about this innovative student project involving wood working and boating, contact the Calhoun County Extension office at 361-552-9747.

When the surf is clean and green to the beach, wade fishing can be an excellent option from now until the first cold fronts of September begin moving through. Robert Sloan photo

Wading the surf is like walking into outer space – you never know what to expect. Every trip out is a new angling adventure. And from about now through the end of September this is an excellent option.

Wading the surf is a no brainer. The drill is simple. If the water is green to the beach cruise the sand until you see birds or baitfish.

Another way to fish the surf is with a boat. On a calm day you can anchor the boat on the second sand bar and wade for miles. It’s not unusual to catch trout upwards of 7 pounds right about now along the Matagorda Island surf.

Wading the surf is easy once you figure out how it’s done. First you’ve got to be dressed right. Wading booties are a must. The high top boots will keep sand and shell off your feet. A pair of long pants and a long sleeve shirt will keep the jellyfish from stinging you. Needless to say a hat is a must. The best, if you can still find one, is the old Styrofoam pith helmet. It not only keeps the sun off your head but holds a lot of lures.

Other gear that will complete your wade fishing experience in the surf is a good belt that’ll hold a pair of pliers and a stringer. Besides a good rod and reel that’s about it.

The key to being successful in the surf is to hit it right. By that I mean hitting the beach when the water is clean and green. For that to happen you’ll need a light wind, preferably a variable wind out of the north or southeast.

A variety of lures will work in the surf. Regardless of what you tie on the best time to wade into the surf is at first light. That’s when the topwater bite will be the most consistent.

There is good news and bad news associated with wading the surf. The good news is that it’s a quick hit option for catching a stringer of trout. The bad news is that your fish are on a stringer that is attached to you. And sharks definitely like to take advantage of an easy meal. That’s why it’s always best to wade with a long stringer and keep the fish on that stringer away from your torso.

The number one thing to keep in mind is to play it safe and wear a life jacket. Over the years a lot of fishermen have drowned while wading the surf. In most of those situations strong currents were a key factor. A speckled trout is definitely not worth risking your life for.

For details on fishing with Capt. Robert Sloan go to www.hightailangler.com or call 409 782 6796.

Top five baits in the surf
1 –     Silver spoon.
2 –     Topwater lure like a Super Spook or Top Dog.
3 –     Five inch Egret mullet wedge tail.
4 –     Live shrimp under a cork.
5 –     Live mullet on bottom for reds.
-Capt. Robert Sloan

Getting credit for catching a record fish in Texas is easier than you may think, especially if you’re a youngster. Better still from a conservation standpoint, you can hang a nice Texas Parks and Wildlife certificate on your wall instead of a mounted trophy.
“With school out and plenty of time for fishing, the department would like parents to know the chances of their kid becoming a record holder are really good,” says Joedy Gray, who runs TPWD’s Angler Recognition Program. “The odds are in a young angler’s favor because there are a lot of bodies of water in Texas for which no one has applied for a record yet.”
Junior anglers under the age of 17 are encouraged to set records in fishing holes around the state this summer. In areas where there is no existing record, fish must be at least the legal size. To record the fish, remember to find a certified scale location and have a measuring tape handy. For a list of locations with certified scales, visit the TPWD site at: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/programs/fishrecords/scales.phtm.

The Angler Recognition Program maintains state records for public and private waters including all lakes, rivers and bays. In addition to size records, the program recognizes other fishing achievements including first fish (for any angler, any age), big fish (for landing a trophy fish of any qualifying species), elite angler (for catching five trophy-class freshwater or saltwater fish) and outstanding angler (for a catch that does not fit other award categories but still deserves recognition.)

If a junior angler’s first fish turns out to be a state and water body record for weight and length and also qualifies for a Big Fish award then that youth is looking at six separate awards for their one fish.

If you are unsure of your fishing hole’s records, look them up on your phone with the program’s mobile record search at: http://tinyurl.com/texfish . For more information, visit the program’s site at: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishrecords/.

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.