Soft plastics like a TTF Trout Killer or Berkley Gulp are an excellent option for trout when fished under Assassin Kwik Corks.

As of Monday April 4, the water temperature here in Port O’Connor is 73.7 degrees, and the wind is honking as another cold front approaches. But being this late in the year we aren’t going to have any big problems with cold weather and falling water temperatures. However, this is Texas and anything is possible when we’re talking about THE weather.

I had a group of anglers out recently and we caught two huge gafftop sail catfish while working Assassin Kwik Corks with Berkley Gulps in West Matagorda. Bay. When the gafftop sails show up you know for sure that all the players have arrived. Plus, when these fish show up it’s a sure sign that the surf is going to be holding trout.

Any time we have a late spring cool front move through you can bet the barn that the surf is going to be calm and green to the beach along Matagorda Island, once the front moves through. That’s when I like to head out Pass Cavallo, hang a right and work the surf for big trout. The key is to run until you see some sort of baitfish activity in the water.

Just behind a cool front the water in the first and second guts will be gin clear. That’s when you have two options. One is to cast up to the beach while controlling the boat with a trolling motor. The other is to anchor the boat and wade along the first sand bar. When the water is clear you can actually see reds running the first gut. They will climb all over a 1/8 ounce copper or gold spoon.

The No. 1 lure in the surf is a ¼ our half ounce silver spoon rigged with a treble hook. A pink or chartreuse teaser on the treble will get the attention of more trout and reds.

But if you’re looking to have a certified blast in the surf tie on a Super Spook Jr. in chrome/blue. This is like offering crack cocaine to a junkie. They can’t resist this mullet-imitation plug. The blow ups can be tremendous. Of course the Super Spook Jr. is deadly just about any time, but this lure is at it’s very best early and late in the day.

Once the sun heats things up you’ll do best by working a Gulp or Texas Trout Killer about 2 feet under a rattling cork. We used this type of rig in Matagorda Bay last week and caught seven trout and three reds during early morning drifts over shell and mud in 4 to 5 feet of very sandy water. We had one on that was every bit of 9 pounds. She made a tarpon-like jump and was gone. That’s a good pattern right now. By the way we found those fish by looking for concentrations of jumping mullet. Best colors were white or chartreuse.

Also, that particular pattern will be good for the next week or so in West Matagorda, Espiritu Santos and San Antonio bays. But keep this in mind. Once you start seeing slicks pop up hit ‘em first with topwater plugs to catch the larger trout. Once you’ve made a few casts with the topwater offering, switch over to the rattling float and jig.

If you’re looking to sight cast to shallow reds some of the best water will be along the hard sand and grass bottoms along the many islands. Best lures will be 1/8 ounce copper or gold weedless spoons. If you’re a fly fisherman tie on a No. 4 bendback in gold/yellow or chartreuse/silver.

If you make a good catch take a photo and email it my way, with the details, at sloan288@aol.com. I’ll post it on my next fishing report. To book a trip with me, Capt. Robert Sloan, call 409 782 6796 or go to www.hightailangler.com

With April upon us, warming trends across the state of Texas will become the norm rather than the exception, so make sure you are ready to take full advantage of the coastal situation. Spring has sprung, and you may just find yourself wanting to spring into the fishing action with little notice the moment an opportunity arises. So, if you have not already done so, now is the time to get your fishing rig to your nearest authorized service dealer so they can address any of those necessary annual checkup items you may have been postponing all winter long. Generally speaking, outboard engine technicians are quite experienced at knowing what to look for during an annual inspection of your boat and its engine, but I’ve learned the hard way to never assume that they are going to check everything that I consider to be on my “important list”. That’s why I make it a point to spend a little extra time with them when I deliver my boat to them. I specifically ask them to replace the engine’s water pump impeller, any other water pump parts that may appear defective due to wear-and-tear, to drain the lower-unit of all its old lube oil and replace it with new oil, and to check and verify proper fluid levels for the hydraulic tilt-and-trim system.

I also request to have the engine’s spark plugs and plug wires replaced, regardless of whether they appear to need to be replaced, and I also ask to have a compression test performed following the installation of the new plugs and wires. And with the type of fuel we’re required to use these days, it’s extremely important to me to also have the guys at the shop check all the fuel lines and hoses, fuel filters, and fuel pump very closely.

Now, some of you may find that many of the items (if not all) I’ve mentioned are already included on a standard checklist that’s used by most outboard engine mechanics, but it never hurts to ask just to make sure. Certain other things, like some of the electrical items that are important to the proper functionality of your boat and its accessories, may not be included in your mechanic’s basic checklist. For this reason, I always ask that all electrical connections be inspected for the presence of corrosion, and that they be repaired or replaced if needed. I also like to have the solenoids for the hydraulic jack-plate checked, and if necessary, replaced. And, as usual, I also like to have the guys take a look at the bank of electrical fuses (mounted beneath the center console in my boat), and to make certain that the electrical lines and connections supporting all the running lights are in good shape and are ready for another hard year of fishing.

All of these items are things I consider to be of major importance to me when having my boat serviced, and can probably serve as a good starting point for you next time you take your boat to the shop. However, you should not consider my list to be all-inclusive of the things that you may wish to have your mechanic inspect on your boat, as circumstances surrounding every boat are different, and each person has their own preferences.

Once you’ve made sure that your boat and engine are both now ready to provide you with proper operation, there’s still one other major item that will often require some level of your time and attention as you attempt to prepare for the assurance of another uninterrupted and fun-filled season of fishing, and that’s the boat trailer. The total number of items making-up the trailer checklist is not great, so if you have the time, and you consider yourself to be somewhat mechanically-inclined, and you aren’t afraid of getting a little dirty, you can probably perform your own trailer inspection and do many (if not all) of any required repairs or replacements yourself – actions that can save you money. Check the wheel bearings for the proper amount of grease. Most all newer models of boat trailers now have “Bearing Buddies” which make the task of injecting grease into the wheel bearing hub quite simple and fast for the trailer owner.

Next, check the tires for the correct air pressure as specified by the tire manufacturer, as improper air inflation can cause your tires to wear incorrectly and possibly shorten the overall life of the tires.Inspect the tire tread using a penny by placing the penny between two of the treads with Lincoln’s head pointing downward. If you can still see the top of Lincoln’s head, it’s probably time for you to replace the tire.

Another, possibly more obvious, thing to inspect on the trailer is the trailer lights, making sure that they all illuminate as intended and that the brake lights and the turn signals are all functioning properly. If you happen to plug your trailer lights into your tow vehicle and absolutely none of the lights appear to be working, don’t panic just yet. This often occurs due to a simple “grounding” issue, so before running out to purchase a new set of trailer lights, check to see that the ground wire (usually white) on the trailer’s wiring system is making a good and secure “ground”connection to a metal portion of the trailer. A few last things for you to quickly check on the trailer are the trailer hitch, the tow chains, and the winch strap. Like I said, the trailer checklist is short, but it is a list that’s of equal importance when trying to ensure safe transport and worry-free travel as you drive to and from your fishing destinations throughout the upcoming year.

Keep in mind that you can always stay informed as to the latest that Bay Flats Lodge has to offer by simply signing-up on the website to receive your daily newsletter. 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

Spring Break has come and gone, so now we start setting our sights on Summer. The fronts are still coming by, but between the big blows we have had some nice weather. The water temps are around 75 degrees and the tides are higher than they were a few weeks ago so everything is adding up to some good fishing. As I am writing this, a front has just arrived with northerly gusts to about 35 knots, but that should be gone by tomorrow evening.

Trout fishing in the bays has improved steadily over the last few weeks. San Antonio Bay has been the most consistent area but Espirito Santo and Matagorda Bay have improved. The area around Greens Bayou has been good for waders. I’ve talked to a few folks who said the sharks are already showing up down there. Most of the trout that I’ve caught have been undersized. Soft plastics or live shrimp have been best.

In the photo above, Connie Rodriguez, Jose Karam, Mike Schellenger and Joey Rodriguez of San Antonio had a good day at the jetties.

In photo below, Al Aguilar, Domingo Dominguez, Adrian Aguilar and Stephen Dominguez from the Dallas area caught a bunch of fish at the jetties.

-Capt. Bob Hill, Port O’Connor Charters

With the higher tides, the back lakes have been good for redfish. Topwaters are working for waders. There is a lot more baitfish showing up so it should just get better over the next month. I haven’t seen a lot of trout in the lakes yet but that will improve. Some of the lakes took a pretty big hit from the freeze so we’ll just have to wait and see how they rebound.

The jetties are full of fish. We are catching big boxes of “Puppy” Drum, Sheepshead and Redfish. Many of the Reds are oversized but there are a few slots. We’ve also seen Spanish Makerel, Pompano, Flounder and sharks. We have caught fish on live shrimp, dead shrimp and cut bait.

Capt. Bob Hill Port O’Connor Charters (361) 983-4325 www.fishportoconnor.com

On the back lakes beat, Redfish tightened up schooling mid-week for rediculous action on bruisers to 29.5”. Working mud pockets in a foot of water proved to be a great idea with full limits dominating the boards. Black Drum have been sluggish over the back lake environs and I don’t see them getting real comfortable centering up until we get a little higher water levels on the scene. Regardless, we did manage some solid catches along with our Redfish with some hefty “jail break” add ons in the 18 to 23” range. Our guests are continually impressed with battling the striped bruisers and inch for inch they will challenge any Redfish you might run into.

Last Spring I witnessed more alligators coming into the salty back lake environs than I had ever seen “cumulatively” in my career. Evidently they were migrating from the freshwater ponds on Matagorda Island feeding on Mullet and other baitfish in the area. Alligators are a freshwater reptile so seeing them actively feeding in saltwater lakes and marshes is something I’ve seen occassionally. To date this Spring, I hadn’t seen any signs of them reappearing until Friday. I ran into a 9’ alligator at the far West end of Power Lake. I don’t know if this is the beginning of another unusual presence of them in the back lakes but it makes you wonder?

Trout seem to be everywhere at present with popping cork/shrimp or artificial being the go to for boat fishermen. Drifting shell and mud/shell has been producing decent catches but limits haven’t been hitting the boards lately. Capt. James Eastep is waiting for the fish to center up on sand/grass and thinks April will be the month. With a Spring Tide yet to appear, you can just about bet when it shows up things are going to break loose. Trout action picked up for us late week and emergent grass growth has exploded during the past week and bait concentrations are blossoming throughout. Schools of shad running with the tide over shell led our guests to solid catches of Trout to 22” lately working live shrimp; soft plastics; and, topwater while wading and drift fishing.

Getting that big Full Moon behind us has made all the difference in the fishing and the catching of late. I didn’t ever get the full scoop on that full moon but heard that it was the largest in a couple hundred years or something to that effect. I’ve never paid much attention to “one” negative as it applies to fishing. A Full Moon phase in and of itself hasn’t ever appeared to be an insurmountable “negative”. However, when you add a number of adverse conditions and pile them all up on one particular day or stretch of days you can bet it’s gonna get tough out there. Take a Full Moon with a 30 knot wind, low water, and poor tidal action. You could say that combination of conditions is a 1+1 = Negative 10. Over the years, the best offense during these “dog days” has been to find a small bite and work it into the ground. That requires a much less aggressive approach on the water and setting aside the “run and gun” play book for a bit. The key, however, is locating something to work with, a bite of some kind, somewhere. When it absolutely plays out. Searching for greener pastures in conditions of this nature will often lead you down a dead end road.

As it applied to fishing during the last Full Moon, it was very interesting to see the fish scattered and in absolute shutdown mode early. One particular night during the moon phase, heavy overcast set in overnight and the action the next day was off the charts early. This could have been a coincidence, but it sure made you think that the clouds blocking the moonlight had made for less foraging overnight. As we got the moon behind us, action returned to pre-moon normal with strong action early and very aggressive feeding.

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

Memorial Day weekend will be here before you know it and so will the 22nd Annual CCA Texas/STAR scheduled for kick-off Saturday, May 28 at dawn through 5 p.m., Monday, Sept. 5 (Labor Day). Anglers can count on a speck-tacular prize line-up of awesome truck/boat packages, boat packages and, of course, giant scholarships! Check out the new Offshore Division Prize, the fabulous Explorer by Dargel 216 Blue Water Series… a sweet rig for the big seas! Be sure and enter now to take advantage of some great early bird incentives, including a 21’ Shoalwater Cat with Mercury 150 OptiMax and McClain Trailer.

This year’s contestants have a chance at winning over 100 prizes including trucks, boats, motors, trailers and college scholarships in the following categories:

Texas Ford Dealers Redfish Division; Trout Division; Offshore Division; Inshore Division; StarKid Flounder Division; FS Houston/FS Southwest StarKid Gafftop Division; Houston Community Newspapers StarKid Sheepshead Division; Time Warner Cable media StarTeens Inshore Division

In order to win one of a $1,000,000 in prizes being offered in Texas’ largest, richest, summer-long saltwater fishing event, an angler must be a CURRENT member of CCA, in addition to being registered as a 2011 TEXAS STAR entrant. The STAR tournament entry fee is still an awesome bargain at only $20 for ages 18 and up ($20 bucks of insurance to claim your share of $1,000,000 in prizes)! Membership fee is $25 annually, plus $20 STAR Tournament for a total of $45. In order to win at STAR, an angler must be registered and be a member of CCA. Remember, everyone entered in the STAR Tournament, who will be 6 years old in 2011 and older, is eligible to win the prizes being offered (even the Tagged Redfish Division)!!!

For more information, including a list of weigh-in stations, instant-entry registration locations in your area and weekly leader board updates, go to http://www.startournament.org