Round 2 of cast’n and blast’n, its going to be a good round. Round 1 was a great success with P’s and D’s (Puddlers and Divers). The Puddlers were Pintails, Gadwalls, Widgeon and Teal. A few Boot Lips also came back in Ryders’s cotton candy jaws. The Pintails seemed to be up in numbers around here and those are my favorite. We actually shot some drakes with surprisingly long tails. Their decoying antics are so awesome, I personally think they decoy the best, they look like little angels coming down from heaven. On the Diver side of things, redheads poured in the decs by the hundreds. Redheads really commit to the spread once they take that 1st look. Talking with some other duck hunters we agreed there were a bunch of Buffleheads already here. We had 1 hunter who shot a real pretty drake that he took to his taxidermist.
Billy, booked in several groups of duck hunters that were great shooters, so it made my numbers go up so far this year. We had calm and clear conditions on some of the days which is great for mosquitoes, but not for ducks. But the duck numbers have been so good we were able to kill limits of P’s and D’s. Despite the calm that comes before the norther and after we SMASHED ‘em.

Fishing has also been really good. Trout and Reds with an occasional flounder are filling zip lock bags. Flounder Gigging is back and the giggers are poking some monsters. 5, 6, and 7 pounders are pretty common if you hold off on the smaller ones. Remember its only 2 until December 16th then it goes back to 5 flounder per license holder.
The other day we went scouting in West Matagorda and Port O’ Connor and saw a bunch of ducks scattered all over shallow flats and on the bay front. The mild weather has fishermen out in some of these spots, mostly in front of the bay’s drains.
Wow! I just looked out the window and saw another flock of ducks flying the Lagoon. Holy cow there’s another flock. DUDE!! I’m getting pumped up for the opener. I’m telling you it should be a barrel burner.

The Saltwater Lodge is booking daily events. Billy Rhyne is the new contact to book your next outdoor outing. Give Billy a call and he can give you the latest scouting report. The NEW LODGE number is: (713) 907 4796.

We wish everyone a Coastal Christmas and a Coastal New Year!!!

That’s because everything is better on the Coast,
Captain Jeff Larson, 281 217 0399

Call upon the weather forecasters or your favorite weather app or the Farmers Almanac and you may get similar answers to your questions of “what is the weather going to be like the first week of December 2017?” Almost unbelievably, we are experiencing weather right now that reminds me of the skies and temperatures we get in March. I guess since December is really the beginning of our “winter” and March the beginning of our “Spring” around here in the middle coast of Texas it makes sense. It’s hard to imagine the reality of our fellow Americans in Washington, Idaho, North Dakota and Ohio and what they go through this time of year, but then that is why we do not live there!

Today’s trip with three gentlemen in the agriculture business around these parts was an almost unusually perfect weather outing for anyone. Temperatures began in the middle 50s and quickly rose to the low 70s as the sun beamed down upon us and gave rise to countless downed corks as we were offering live shrimp on popping corks, with two foot leaders and a number five kahle hook.

The bite has been hit and miss lately which also reminds me of the fishing in March. As the water both cools and warms in and out of the 60s the Speckled Trout must be standing by with a thermometer of their own which tells them it’s time to feed here or there. You can be, as one of our fellow guides put it the other day, ‘on the fish and if you aren’t, you are off them!’ Now that makes me say something along the lines of “ NO KIDDING, REALLY?’ in a smarty sort of way. But he is right and that’s the way it has been. If I am 50 yards from you and your crew in a very similar reef pattern, let’s say, and we are getting bites on every cast of solid keeper trout and you are sitting there with your guys catching all smalls, you are probably looking at us thinking ‘well I’ll be!’ Why is it that 50 yards makes that much of a difference when we all know conditions around the reef like depth, current and water color are the same? It’s because we are not fish and the fish know what they want and where they need to be at that particular time of day and tide movement. How do they know that then you ask? These keeper trout recently have figured it out over time and that’s why they are beyond the 15” minimum and are actually a bit larger than the trout you may be catching. Today we had trout in the 19” range being the norm! Granted I will not turn my nose up at 15.75” trout any day of the week but when you stick the ones closer to 20” you have to be impressed, and appreciative of them and the fact that you have found a formula on where other similar good ones will be for this time of the year.

By the way our bays are uncrowded and there is plenty of room to spread out and FIND YOUR OWN FISH so come down and do it your way, don’t stop on a reef or flat just because there are other boats there. Heck they may not know what they are doing and have stopped just because one other boat was there. Trust what you know over time and figure it out for yourself and I promise you will enjoy your success more and gain confidence on the water.

Growing up on the Texas coast near Galveston I was fortunate that my dad and mom believed in getting us kids out on the water whether it was fresh or salt and having us experience the wonder of God’s creation of the lakes and bays of the South. I will never forget the excitement and anticipation of knowing we were going to walk the jetties or drive up to Lake Somerville and get out on the water for the weekend. Sometimes we would stay in a motel and other times we would get to stay at my cousins places but then the coolest trips were those we got to camp out and spend the weekend exploring campgrounds, boat ramps and shorelines.

Our kids are almost grown now and I don’t know that we continued these traditions with them that I was able to grow up with. Maybe there were times of the same wonder and excitement but I’m really not sure. I will tell you one thing for sure, if they don’t remember the times or it was unclear I will surely make it up with our grand children when the time comes. Fast forward 10 years from now and I bet if you ask them their favorite times with Pops they will tell you how much fun it is fishing with him, being a Captain and all.

Search your own life and relationships with your loved ones right now and maybe there are opportunities around you that you can do something about. Maybe it’s a work in progress or the kids just aren’t ready but hopefully if you give them some time and let it come naturally they will come around and want to be a part of the thing that makes you tick. The only way to perpetuate this sport of fishing and the love of the great outdoors is to pass it on to those in our lives. Personally I plan for our kids to be taking me fishing (and catching fish by the way) when I’m well into my 80s. My own dad is in his mid 80s right now and I try to get him dow to fish as often as I can and his schedule allows. The greatest gift we can give to our young people is our passion. Try passing it down and see if it doesn’t turn someone’s life around or make them a better person. Kid’s are so open to new ideas and fun times and they like nothing more than to model their mom and dad, their grandmother and grandad, or their uncle Stephen. Capitalize on these moments because they are precious and cannot be reborn. Make the most out of your time with those you can reach out and touch and take them out on the water. Stories of long ago are great and cherished but imagine yourself as that person you are introducing the outdoors to and then realize that they are just trying to be like you, the fun, exciting, great story teller that you are and that they can’t wait to tell their friends about and to later share with their own children.

Capt Stephen Boriskie
Bay Flats Lodge