ABOUT THE SERVICE CLUB: The Port O’ Connor Community Service Club is an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the Port O’ Connor Community by providing assistance and funding for programs, events, and projects that enhance and better the Community. Service Club members work hard throughout the year to raise money for the support of various community projects, with our main fund raising being our two garage sales, which are always held the first Saturdays in April and October.

MEMBERSHIP: Members can be full or part-time POC residents, and all community and civic minded ladies are encouraged to join!! Since we just started our new Membership Drive for 2020 in January, it’s a perfect time for Newcomers!! If you are looking for a way to be a part of a great bunch of ladies, and want to give back to the Port O’ Connor Community, please come and join us!!
SERVICE CLUB MEETINGS: The POC Community Service Club meets twice monthly from September-May on the first and third Thursdays, and once a month June-August on the first Thursday; always at 10:00 a.m. at the POC Community Center (enter through the rear door). February meetings are Feb. 6 and Feb. 20, 2020, and March’s meetings will be March 5 and March 19, 2020.

THE NEXT POC SERVICE CLUB GARAGE SALE WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 2020 AT THE POC COMMUNITY CENTER PAVILION!!!

Because we rely on the generosity of POC residents for the success of our Garage Sales, we appreciate and encourage your donations of good, used clothing and shoes, small household and kitchen appliances, dishes, kitchenware, toys, sports, fishing, and hunting equipment, decorative items and pictures, seasonal decorations and items, etc. Due of our limited storage, we do not accept or store any furniture prior to the Garage Sale.

FURNITURE MUST BE DELIVERED TO THE COMMUNITY CENTER PAVILION WHILE A SERVICE CLUB MEMBER IS PRESENT, ON THURSDAY, APRIL 2 OR FRIDAY, APRIL 3!! NO FURNITURE DONATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED ON SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 2020!!!! PLEASE DO NOT DROP OFF FURNITURE DONATIONS TO THE COMMUNITY CENTER PAVILION OUTSIDE OF THESE DATES AND UNLESS A SERVICE CLUB MEMBER IS PRESENT!!

WE DO NOT ACCEPT ELECTRONICS (COMPUTERS, TELEVISIONS, STEREOS, RECORD PLAYERS, PRINTERS, ETC.!!!!!!!)

Thank you in advance for your respect and adherence to these rules, and for your support of the POC Community Service Club and its fund raising efforts!!!

The year 2020 is still young and before we go any further I thought you might like to know this is no ‘common’ year, but a leap year.

Now, besides eternally blessing those born on February 29th (known as leap day) with in-built jokes about how they only have a birthday every four years, what exactly is a leap year?

Well, put in the simplest of terms, a leap year happens because the Earth does not make a full rotation around the Sun in 365 days, the number of days in a ‘common’ year.

The concept was decreed by none other than Julius Caesar under the ‘Julian’ calendar but it would be Pope Gregory XII who would remove ten days from the month of October and made February 29th the official extra day added every fourth year.

It should be noted that the state of Texas gets into the leap year festivities as the town of Anthony marks the occasion with a four day celebration along with its twin-city Anthony, New Mexico.

However, like any thing that is defined as an oddity, leap year also has a reputation for some strange beliefs and behavior, such as the now outdated belief that a woman could only propose marriage to a man on leap day or that the entire year is cursed with bad luck.

You also cannot discuss leap year without talking about those aforementioned leap day born babies, who will usually celebrate their birthdays in other years on the 28th of February or less common the first day of March.

Leap year though is more than just some weird little date that pops up every so often, because without correcting the time differential between the dates on calendars and the time it takes the Earth to rotate the Sun, our clocks would eventually become affected.

The Earth is only ‘late’ getting round the Sun by just under six hours, but without correction it would wreck havoc on our time measurement and hours of daylight.

Amazing that a scientific and mathematical system would later give birth to jokes about athletes wearing ‘jump suits’ on leap day or that the place to get a bite to eat that day is…wait for it…’I-Hop.’

Leap year also regularly occurs on the year of the elections for an American President, which depending on the candidates is often a ‘leap’ of faith of a different kind (and another bad joke one can only make every four years).

Regardless of how one chooses to view leap years, leap day, or how to deal with those pesky slowly aging leap babies, the most solid advice is just to ‘leap’ right in and enjoy the extra day on this year’s calendar.

Trophy Trout Time! Who’s been taking advantage of the Pre Front and Post Front Bites? We spent the first part of February finishing Duck Season south of the border on the Lower Laguna Madre. Over the years, Duck Hunters have always asked or said “Wish we could keep Duck Hunting through February?!?!” Is there any reason why we can’t? (asking for friends)

Since we can’t hunt Ducks here in February we have explored the South of the Border option with Great Success! For 2 years now we have been taking Dove and Duck Hunters down to our Lodge and BnB. Yes it’s safe, once you realize how easy it is and go one time, you will find yourself going every year to ward off the Post Season Blues.

The Post Duck Season Blues is a Bitter Sweet Phenomenon that perplexes the Duck Guides and Hunters up and down the Flyways. Wives and GF’s are probably rolling their eyes and thinking Poor Baby Duck Guide or better yet, get over it, it’s just a Duck.

I wonder if they don’t let us have Duck Season through February because we need time to detox and get prepared for Valentines Day. Who’s notorious for waiting to the last minute of Valentines Day running to Walgreens snatching up cards, flowers and chocolates? Thanks, Walgreens for the years of saving me!

Trophy Trout Hunting compares to hunting Trophy Deer. Hunters have to put their time in the woods and on the water. Data collection is the key to fulfill your Bucket List Wall Hanger Trophy Trout. The best way to build your skill set is to hire Trophy Trout Hunting Guides. Try several in the Bay Systems that are easiest for you to access on a moments notice.

Most Fishermen have to work day in and day out, as guides we get it, so we have call lists that we call guys that want to maximize their time on the water for Big Trout but are limited to their time off from work and family. I’m not a Trophy Trout Guide but I know who they are and they are good at it because they have a passion for it. The caveat to this is you have to be prepared for fishing in some nasty conditions, rain, fog, wind etc. You have to have good equipment to endure the elements. Waders, wading boots, outer wear, rain proof jacket, inner wear, light and medium weight thermals, good beanies, then there is your equipment. Rod, reel, line, good fresh line, nets without holes and big open mouth nets not just an everyday wade net. The list goes on, line cutters, stringers, wade boxes I prefer water proof ones with just a couple of proven baits that I have confidence in and has a proven track record for catching Big Trout. I only take a couple so I don’t wear myself out over thinking the Bait selection. There is nothing worse than wondering “should I switch baits?” because you haven’t been bit yet. It’s hours of chunking, winding and sticking with it, pushing past the hours of nothing. You’re truly hunting for the needle in the hay stack.

Captain Mark Robinson is a friend who guides in our area all the way to Baffin Bay. He has already put numerous clients on their PB (Personal Best). He posts remarkable pictures of Gator Trout on his Social Media pages. He is one of several successful Trophy Trout Guides on the Texas Coast.

I talked to Mark yesterday and he said he is seeing great potential for you to break your PB this year. He said they are thick and hungry. If you are serious about Trophy Trout success let me get you in contact with Captain Mark.

In the mean time, we are ramping up for Spring Filling your Freezer with Fillets month.

Call Billy Rhyne to reserve the Lodge – 713 907 4796.

Check your waders before you go, clean your reels and re- string.

Captain Jeff Larson 281 217 0399

Fly fishing has been great! Big fish are coming off the flats, and they are happy to eat a well-placed fly! As we get into longer and warmer days, this trend will continue. As healthy as the fishery is looking, we anticipate an epic year of fly fishing.

Here is Capt. Owen Gayler’s take on the fly fishing so far this month. The line we’ve been using is Rio eight white wintertime redfish. The redfish have been pretty lethargic and spooky, but they are there in great numbers and size. We’ve made our leaders a bit longer and added a 16-pound tippet of fluorocarbon. We have had great success on Wasted redfish crack flies in neutral colors with orange heads. Water has been extremely clear in places, but finding majority of the fish in a little deeper water that has a soft bottom. We’ve even spotted a few speckled trout warming up on windward shorelines. Fishing has been outstanding so far this month, along with the weather. I anticipate this being an incredible year for our fishery, as the fish seem very healthy and their numbers are great. We are also noticing many whooping cranes while we pole the southside of our estuary – a good sign of a healthy ecosystem.

Capt. Chris Martin
Bay Flats Lodge, Inc.
1.888.677.4868 Office