Outside beaches are hot for Black Drun here in February. Photo courtesy of Castaway Lodge.

The Back Lakes have yet to fully recover from freezing conditions earlier this month but more and more fish are moving into the environs daily. Capt. James C. reported a Big Trout sighting while airboat Redfishing Saturday. James said “she was about as long as my leg and looked to be in great shape”. We’ve managed Redfish limits consecutively from the area over the last two days but haven’t really seen a whole lot in the way of population as of yet. Water levels are what I would call “medium low” at the start of the morning with tides falling out during the day for the last two days.

Outside beaches have been lighting up with school after school of solid slot Black Drum intermixed with Redfish in the middle slot and beyond. Guests from SP Development managed full limits of Redfish along with Black Drum in the 22” range. The Drum action was periodically interrupted on the shorelines by foraging schools of Redfish. The guests managed another full limit of “CPR on Redish” while they were at it.
Capt. James E. reported Trout action was steady working soft plastics over mud/shell in SAB. Winds seemed to knock the Trout bite down a bit with Capt. Doug R. reporting Redfish limits on Texas Gold Rush Brown Lures today but few Trout for the effort while wade fishing mud/grass and shell.

Talk about missing a “coastal wind forecast”, it was clicking pretty good today and building into the evening. Forecasts aren’t calling for it, but it’s definitely in the cards as a cold front approaches but may fall short of us. We’ll be fishing guests from Patterson Development tomorrow and based on the last couple of days, things are looking good. Word has it we’re in for another cold front toward the weekend. With South and SE winds pumping, hopefully we’ll see a little more water in the bays before it hits.

Castaway Lodge 1-888-618-4868
www.seadriftbayfishing.com

Three Bros. - Capt. Lil’ John, James, & Devin, February in POC.

Finally – some good fishing news to report. What a difference a few weeks of good weather can make. All the pieces are beginning to come together and the fishing has really improved. Our temperatures have been pleasant, the wind has been blowing from much more favorable directions and the water temperature is hanging around the mid 60’s. The tides are still pretty low but with the wind moving to the South I’m sure we’ll see the water levels rise.

I have heard conflicting reports about the impact of the freeze on fish in our area. I saw one report from a guide in East Matagorda Bay that indicated a lot of big trout were killed. I didn’t go to the Lakes but I only heard reports of moderate numbers of dead fish from people that did go.

The bays have been producing nice boxes of fish for waders. Boat fishermen fishing over shell have had some good luck as well. Trout have been best on soft plastics and reds have been good on plastics and natural bait. South Pass and San Antonio Bay have been good for trout and the South shorelines have been goof for both trout and reds.

The jetties have been good for the normal Winter action. Sheepshead, Reds and Drum have been good and a few big trout have been in the mix as well.

The next few days should see the start of the Drum Run in Saluria Bayou and Mitchell’s Cut.

Port O’Connor Charters (361) 983-4325

Trout Drifting
On Tuesday, February 15, Captain TJ Christensen drifted with Robert E. and guests on day-2 over deep shell in ESB with TTF lures. Scores of trout 50-60 were landed and released using white chartreuse TTK tipped with 1/8-oz classic killer wide gap jig heads. Captain Harold Dworaczyk drifted scouted with his family members while using bait. They only found a few fish for their efforts. According to Captain Harold, red fish action was much slower today.

Trout Mode
Anglers looking for a trophy trout should be less concerned with the color of the water and more focused on bait in the area. This time of year, water color isn’t as important as bait. Even if you see one piece of bait, stop the boat and investigate further.Whether I am working the back lakes, coves or drains, I will be looking for fish to be holding over mud. We concentrate on mud bottom this time of year. Mud is like a solar panel in that it soaks up heat and releases it throughout the night and day. Fish will naturally stay close to that mud bottom. Stay away from sand this time of year; it doesn’t hold as much heat. Concentrate on mud and shell. Shell also gives protection or cover to small baitfish. And, of course, if the bait is hiding in the shell, trout will be hanging around. Tide and water height will be critical in determining where our clients fish during the second month of the year. If we have high tide, go way back in the lakes. If the water is low, fish the drains coming out of the lakes. One thing we like to do when there is a high tide is to fish the windward shoreline of the back lakes. The water will be off colored for the most part, but there will be a lot of bait being driven against the shore.

Red Focus
Anglers looking for red fish should key on the same basic elements-shell, mud and bait, but they need to look a little shallower. Red fish are hardier than trout, and aren’t as affected by cool water. They will generally be a little bit shallower than trout, so hit the shallower back lakes and shorelines. If it starts warming, look for them on sand a lot of times this time of year traveling in the bayous and channels, following bait fish from one lake to the next. If it gets warm, they’ll come up on the flats close to these channels. Solitude is also an earmark for success in February. Get away from other boats, be extra quiet and fish slow. We have some of the coldest days of the year in February. You hate to be having a career day on big specks and have to leave because you’re too cold. It’s happened. Layer your clothing, wear a stocking hat and gloves, and keep comfortable. Also, always wear a belt around your waders to keep them from filling up if you happen to fall. The more comfortable you are, the longer you’ll be able to fish.

Becky Haynes still loves fishing and boating. She is the proprietor of BB Upholstery in Port O’Connor.

Several years ago all outboard motors became equipped with a Kill Switch; to most of us long time boaters this is an annoying piece of equipment. Quickly we figured out how to make a loop on the hook end and drape it over the throttle. “I wear it if I am on the boat alone, or I wear it when I am in rough water” is what you will hear from most boaters you talk to. I personally sat in Mitchell’s Cut late last summer during a weekend and counted 1 out of 35 boats that went by that actually had their kill switch on their wrist. Well, 2 if you count me.


My friends, family and I used to be some of those people, but not anymore. Very quickly we will be celebrating the anniversary of my boating accident. Yes, I said celebrating because I am still here and able to write this story. I have both of my legs attached and can walk and run without any noticeable change in their function but there is quite a noticeable change in the appearance of one of my calves thanks to running our boat and no kill switch in use. Did I mention that it was a calm day and I had someone in the boat with me?


It couldn’t happen to me; I’ve been running a boat for years you say, well I have too. I was raised on the water here in Port O’Connor and taught to run a boat at an early age. There was no drinking on the boat the afternoon of my accident; I didn’t run aground; I was not going fast; the water wasn’t rough; I wasn’t trimmed up or out too far; the water wasn’t too shallow and there was no horseplay going on. I had been running the boat I was driving for 5 years and the boat had never “swapped ends” or even attempted to swap ends before, nor have other boats of the same make been known to swap ends. Basically, every reason anybody could come up with that might have caused the accident was ruled out. I wasn’t wearing my kill switch, the throttle was wearing it at the time the Good Lord decided for me to have a freak accident.


When the boat swapped ends; I was thrown overboard and the few seconds that it took the person sitting next to me to reach and turn off the engine was just seconds enough for the prop to pass over my leg and come very close to removing it.


I was lucky, very lucky, because we were a great distance from the dock and the prop had cut a blood vessel in my calf. I could have bled to death. My dad was in his boat a short distance in front of us and heard the prop noise. When he turned around I was gone and he quickly returned to investigate. I tease and say that was the day my dad straightened out the back bays– it seemed like we were at the dock in no time and made no turns. Thank You, Dad!


Over the last year I have had 4 surgeries, numerous hospital stays, and crutches for months and more doctor visits and bills than anyone should ever have to endure. I have met a lot of people who have shared stories of prop related boating accidents that have happened recently all along the coast and on various lakes. There are a lot more of them than we see in the newspapers, internet or on TV. I’m blessed; mine seems to have had one of the best endings. The one thing all of these accidents have in common is that no one on the boat was wearing the Kill Switch.
As the Dr. would let me, still using crutches and not able to stand more than 10 minutes in an hour, I was back in the boat doing what I love, fishing and driving the boat again. But now the Kill Switch is firmly placed around my wrist and not removed until the engine is completely off.


The little loop under the pocket on your “Fishing” shirt is put there to clip your kill switch to; life jackets, if you wear one, also have a loop. Your belt loop works, too. Since I am usually in a bathing suit, I found a comfortable wrist kill switch holder at Academy for $12.99 that is intended for Personal Watercraft. If you don’t want to wear the kill switch make whoever is sitting next to you wear it and instruct them to jerk their arm to pull the key if someone falls off the boat or something goes wrong. What if you the driver has a heart attack?


There really isn’t a “Good Reason” not to wear it and I can give you a lot of “Good Reasons” why you should. I will even show you pictures if you need more persuasion. I promise they aren’t pretty. A moving prop can amputate, maim, or kill a lot of things very quickly, but a kill switch key pulled can stop that prop from having any power behind it.


I would like to again Thank My Dad and Boyfriend, ALL of the Volunteer First Responders that were at the dock waiting on the boat to arrive, Dr. Barber, Dr. Mondolfi and the great Medical Staff I encountered from the dock to Citizens Hospital for the prompt and great care I was given. I would also like to thank my family and friends for being so supportive to me through this long journey of recovery I have been, and am still on. It hasn’t been easy and I couldn’t have made it without you. I think we have finally made it to the home stretch. I pray everyone who reads this learns from our experience and utilizes that once annoying coiled cord with a key on one end and hook on the other called a KILL SWITCH. It could save their life or the life of someone they love.