In a report of a little over a week ago, I mentioned that we had picked up and sustained the first big push of water in the bay systems that I had seen all Spring. If you wonder why “water levels” and Spring Tides are a concern and have a tendency to be discussed and weaved through the pages of my fishing reports, just take a look at the explosive Trout fishing making the headlines up and down the coast. A Spring Tide is essentially a big push of water from the Gulf and sustained higher than normal water level in the bay systems. Structure, be it shorelines, shell reefs, mud/grass pockets, sand bars, all fish better with some water on them. The strong incoming water flow is like a conveyor belt that restocks and replenishes the bay systems bringing Surf run Trout and Redfish along with many other species into the bays in search of food sources and spawning grounds. As we fish through the Winter time on typically low water levels, a Spring Tide is something we look for as a sign of nature’s restocking program on the move.

If the Fishing Reports board was a stock ticker, we’d be pegging 14,000 at present and the Bulls would be dominating the Bears right now. Big catches of Trout and Redfish are dominating the boards and setting the stage for a great 2nd Quarter. Big winds that are a trademark of Spring started diminishing early week and that opened up broader open water structure in search of Trout. Showering Glass Minnows and Menhaden pointed the way to excellent catches working varying depths over Shell reefs. Big incoming tides during the morning didn’t hurt anything either. Thursday, the tide was a little more advanced around break light and “it was ridiculously ON”. Over the weekend, we started out the days in a “dead zone” between tides with the incoming tide arriving mid-morning. Capt. James C. started us off on the right foot Saturday quickly narrowing down Trout hot spots that yielded solid results with soft action in the slack tide early. With quick limits coming to hand for Kevin L. and father he set out after Redfish finding limits over mud/grass. While I was working with the Kyle W. high school reunion group, we had pulled off half limits fishing through the slack tide but never really hit a flat spot in the fishing. As the tide started coming in things hit a crescendo with solid Trout to 20” hitting the deck and a frenzied bite firing off.

Sunday’s trip with Kenny H. Bachelor party group started out “just right”. I told the guys to “gather around” as I made a “demonstration cast”. “All right guys let me show you how to do this”; as I fired the first cast out, it barely hit the water as a solid Trout about tore the rod out of my hand. I handed the rod off to one of the guests and said “reel this Trout to the boat”. When a trip starts out like that, it’s usually going to be “action packed”. Capt. Doug had some “slow moving fisherman” that decided to howl at the moon all night but he managed to get them into the action quickly. One of the guys on Doug’s boat said “you just couldn’t ask for any stronger bite than that”.

This is definitely the way to start May off on the right foot and I’ve got a sense that we’ve got a lot more great action around the corner as we head into Summer. Schedule a little “me time” and lets go fishing. Hope you have a great week! Come see us.

Capt. Kris Kelley Castaway Lodge
1-888-618-4868 www.seadriftbayfishing.com

Tim B. and guests from Houston, all pilots with Southwest, Continental, and US Air, taking a break with Castaway Lodge, May 2011.

Pipe is a common product. Here in Calhoun County big industries are huge users of pipe. There are multitudes of pipe materials; there is clay pipe, plastic pipe; steel pipe and too many more to go on naming. Many of us make or made our living from some form of pipe.

Pipe has been used for centuries. The Romans made pipe, they welded pipe. It was made out of lead. It was tear drop shape because they would fold a sheet of lead around something round. Then the two edges were fused together. They used the lead pipe for water. Some say that’s why there were a lot of crazy Romans.

Heavens, they even had a Water Utility in Rome back over 2000 years ago. I have no record of how they send the bills, or for that matter paid them. Adding and multiplying in X’s an V’s must have been tough. They had a commissioner to collect the bills.. Those Romans would have made good Texans.

Here in Calhoun County if you go to the Museum you can find a piece of Pipe made from Cypress wood. It looks a little like a barrel with straight sides. That pipe is a little over a century old. It was put in the ground during the transition from Alligator Head to Port O’Connor. As near as can be told that was around 1910.

It seems the Calhoun County Cattle Company who were the guys that started Port O’Connor figured the folks they were trying to attract would need to have water delivered to the house so they put in those Cypress water mains. There is no record of tooth picks coming out of the faucet that has been found.

However, in the eighties when the highway department was doing some work they found some of that cypress water main. It was donated to the Calhoun County Museum. We thank them.

But the worry was what would happen to the wood that had been buried for years when exposed to the air. Union Carbide had a solution how to preserve the stuff. It was called Carbowax PEG 1000. The important thing is it worked.

That piece is still sitting over in a corner in the museum. It looks as good as new, well maybe the cypress wood is a little darker than new but it has lasted in the air for the twenty some years since it was pulled out of the dirt. That is one way to preserve History.

It lasted a lot longer while it was in the dirt. I guess a lot of things spend a long time in the dirt. But that’s another story. Go to the Museum and see the collections as well as that pipe. Every time I am there I slip over and take a peek at the pipe. Working with pipe was a pretty good thing for me and I enjoy its long history. That is another thing we can thank the Romans for.

The 21st Annual Pescado Grande Tournament will be held June 24 and 25. Proceeds from this tournament benefit The Harbor Children’s Alliance and Victim Center. For information about the Pescado Grande: http://www.tswf.com/pgft/tournament.cfm

George Ganem of Ganem & Kelly Surveying, Inc. is pictured above presenting a check for $1500 to The Harbor Executive Director, Virginia Hahn, and Christine Mayer, chairperson of the Pescado Grande Fishing Tournament. Ganem & Kelly Surveying, Inc. is a “Title Sponsor” for this year’s Pescado Grande Fishing Tournament.

Dr. Bryan Kestler of Accident and Injury Center is pictured above presenting a $500 check to The Harbor Executive Director, Virginia Hahn and Christine Mayer, chairperson of the Pescado Grande Fishing Tournament. Accident & Injury Center is a “Catch of the Day” sponsor for this year’s Pescado Grande Fishing Tournament.

Debbie Boyd of RLB Contracting, Inc. is pictured above presenting a check in the amount of $1000 to The Harbor Executive Director, Virginia Hahn and Christine Mayer, chairperson of the Pescado Grande Fishing Tournament. RLB is a “Biggest Catch” sponsor for this year’s Pescado Grande Fishing Tournament.

Pictured above are Virginia Hahn, The Harbor Executive Director, and Christine Mayer, chairperson of the Pescado Grande Fishing Tournament, with a $500 check they received from David Couch & David Clements of ChupacabraOutdoors.com. Chupacabra Outdoors is a “Catch of the Day” sponsor for the 2011Pescado Grande Fishing Tournament to be held June 24 & 25 in Port O’ Connor.

It’s All About Education

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department game wardens working with other law enforcement agencies will be concentrating their efforts on enforcing boating while intoxicated (BWI) laws this summer, but they’d just as soon see boaters go to school than jail.

“In real estate the old saying is ‘Location, Location, Location,” said Asst. Chief Jeffery Parrish, TPWD’s boating law administrator. “In safe boating the saying should be ‘Education, Education, Education.’”

Unfortunately, he said, many boaters don’t realize that BWI carries the same penalty as driving while intoxicated. When it comes to alcohol, the only difference between a boat and an automobile is that open alcoholic beverage containers on board a vessel are still legal in Texas.

“But that’s where the difference stops,” Parrish said. “All other Texas laws relating to alcohol and the operation of a vehicle or a boat are identical.”

Last year game wardens arrested 316 persons in Texas for operating a boat under the influence of alcohol. TPWD also reported 10 boating-related water fatalities that were alcohol related.
Game wardens offer these tips to avoid a ride from the lake to jail this summer:

• Always have a designated driver.
• Minimize your consumption of alcohol.
• Take a boater education course.
• File a float plan – let folks know where you will be and what time you expect to be home.
• Wear your personal floatation device (PFD).
• If you observe an intoxicated boat or water craft operator, notify your local law enforcement agency.

Boater education covers legal requirements for boating, safe handling and practical tips such as reading weather signs. Boating courses are available three ways: online, a home study course or in-person courses taught by certified volunteer instructors, game wardens, the US Coast Guard Auxiliary and US Power Squadron. Find course information at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/boater_education/. Locally, call 361-575-8600. Next class is scheduled for May 21.

The Texana Outdoor Expo offers hands-on exhibits ranging from fishing, archery and hunting to kayaking, rock climbing walls, and snakes of Texas. A few of our new exhibits this year are cooking demonstrations, educational seminars (earn CEU’s), geocaching, and the TPWD Operation Game Thief’s “Wall of Shame.” A variety of wildlife and outdoor vendors will also be present to enhance the Expo experience. Held at the Brackenridge Main Event Center, 284 Brackenridge Parkway in Edna. Accessible for the mobility impaired. Fee $5 adults and free for children 12 and under.
Info: 361-782-7272