Mowdy Boats Lady Pro, Amy Crapitto Weitinger with a Backwater Red. -Capt. Jeff Larson

Spring Fishing is in full swing. Spring Breakers are also ready to start enjoying our part of the coast we hold dear to our hearts. So let’s get in the mind set of being patient at the boat ramp and lending a helping hand if you see fit. The great part about our Spring Breakers is they aren’t as rowdy as the ones a little further south. We also have 1st class Law Enforcement and First Responders that are on hand in our County to assist in keeping our community safe this Spring Break. Let’s plan ahead, be patient and help our young guests this month enjoy our part of Texas.

I don’t have any parties to report but We have quiet a few good fishing reports to share.

These last few weeks have been steady fish catching days despite the increase of windage we are contending with on the Jetties and Bays. The fish are there you just need to get to your spot early before the mid day breeze picks up. Drift socks are a must if you aren’t a wader. Slowing your roll in your favorite fishing spot will get you a couple of extra fins in the box before you roll over the school. Wading by far is the best way to catch a limit of Trout, Reds and a few Flounder but we have been boxing some smoker reds pulling drifts over sand flats.

We have seen plenty of fish; Trout and Reds being caught in the keeper range. No State Records or close to a State Record have been seen around here. The bigger fish however have been in the vicinity of the Jetties. The reefs, flats and back bays are holding the ones you need to measure before boxing ‘em.
The bait of choice for catching fish is soft plastics. Dark baits seem to be working the best. Run by any of our local tackle stores to narrow your search. They know! Top waters are in full effect and will continue to create a ton of excitement. Big Bait Big Fish, Rule of Thumb. There is also plenty of Dead Bait for the Drum Run. Plenty of Live Bait also; Croaks are in their tanks next to the shrimp

Play the weather this month because it can change in a heart beat. Actually I have seen it change for the better down here. Like right now, it’s supposed to be bad and I’m not seeing it. So I’m going to wrap up and go fish. Yesterday in the so called bad weather, I strung a limit of keeper trout, 1 upper slot red plus a flatty for a Texas Slam. Knowing most of the guides on the Middle Coast, they know how to read the weather and make the right call. When in doubt hire a guide. They know where the fish are but more importantly they have more knowledge about tides, weather and have a network to insure you have a successful time on the water.

Being a Mowdy owner and Team Member, I enjoy taking my boat out on those windy days. 1, the boat can handle the chop along with a smooth dry ride. Plus, there is little to no boat traffic, it’s like having the bay to yourself. The other side of the coin is the extreme low tides and silting in of Pringle, King Fisher Cut, and Lane Rd Cut. We go where the fish are despite low tides. Every day is a different day around here with the weather and tides this time of year. Today a barge can pass through the Lagoon. A few days ago, not so much. We pulled a bunch of boats off sand bars already this month. February and March has been great for Captains with Towing Endorsements.

I recommend being a member of Tow Boat and keeping your card on you at all times, it’s a great peace of mind. The next is keeping my number on hand if you launch at Charlies Boat Ramp or another Tow Endorsed Captain.

The last reminder is Spring Turkey Season. It’s a great time hunting Turkeys in the Spring. There are two special Youth Weekends so you can spend time getting your kids on an awesome hunt. Call for details.

The Saltwater Lodge line screaming hot line is: 361 746 8134. Ask for Scott, he will hook you up. Pun intended. Wishing you a shallow running boat, unfrayed fishing lines, and a safe Spring Break.

Captain Jeff Larson 281 217 0399
Marine Towing Endorsed (It Ain’t Cheap)

Captain Chris Martin on his 4th cast with top water lure in the low country of Seadrift. Fishing with Captain Ben Boudreaux. Trout was 4 pounds landed in the tail with blue chrome topwater.

As thermometer readings teeter-totter from one end of the spectrum to the other, the month of March can possibly be one of the most challenging months of the year for the coastal angler. The water temperature at Port O’Connor has risen to the 70-degree mark a couple times now, and coastal water temps will only continue to warm ever so slowly with the passing of each week. This transition to a warmer water climate will begin setting off the springtime alarm clock in the mind of the fish. It will signal to them a natural instinct for the necessity of change in their everyday activity and pattern, with their number one priority being the need for them to once again begin actively foraging a food supply. They are coming out of a pattern whereby they are used to expending the least amount of energy as necessary in order to capture a quick meal, and they will have an overwhelming desire to satisfy their appetite. Because of this, it will be crucial for anglers to key on active baitfish when scouting some of their more favorite and productive fishing spots at this time in the season.

This month’s successful anglers will also be the ones who learn to fish the signs and the conditions. For example, if you approach an area where baitfish happen to be busting in tea-stained or chocolate water, stop the boat, drop the power pole, and setup a wade session. Don’t let the fact that the water is off-colored discourage you, especially with the presence of a high population of active baitfish.

Ever-changing winds and higher tides can do odd things to bay waters, but anglers can still manage some of their very best March trips in these somewhat strange conditions. Strong winds often stain the water clarity to the point of almost being brown, but the presence of the mullet should always convince you to take a serious look at the area. Situations like these mean you will be fishing the conditions that were presented to you, and not simply fishing a popular spot where you may have caught fish before.

In that we’re not even halfway through March yet, we’re still going to be in store for some north winds over the course of the next couple months. Now, those who are somewhat familiar with our region might know that north winds will shutdown the trout bite altogether over the shell reefs that are located out in San Antonio Bay (SAB) proper – SAB will be completely blown-out, and can even be downright dangerous under these conditions. This being the case, anglers will need to continue to focus their fishing endeavors based upon some of the prosperous patterns that they may have happened upon in the past under these conditions at this same time of the year. And at those times when the northerly winds tend to persist, anglers may need to look for brief alternatives that match the conditions.

A lot of people have recognized extreme success during periods of strong north winds while concentrating their work on the north side of the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) – areas rich in grass flats and coves. Strong blows out of the northeast will supply blue water along the north edge of the ICW, and many prized red fish have been landed where anglers have located streaks of dirty water mixed amongst the blue. And because many of these northern fronts can present us with little, if any, daylight sunshine for a period of days, anglers should target the reds by either wading or drifting these ICW locales during an incoming tide while casting more natural-looking and darker-colored top water baits back toward the ICW drop-off areas. Granted, a forceful wind often makes for dirty and choppy waters, but you should never give up on the use of your top waters. They will work, regardless of these conditions. As for the trout, look to locate leeward grass points just off of the ICW. These areas should be holding small glass minnows and mullet right about now, and many nice trout have been taken on plastics rigged with 1/8-ounce jig heads when fishing over ICW shorelines configured of mixed shell, soft mud, and sand.

Slow, warming temperatures indicate to us that spring is right around the corner, and there will be definite added boat traffic as a direct result. I encourage everyone to be safe, and to give each other plenty of playing space – there’s room for us all out there. 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

My neighbors Parker and Patty are always telling me how proud they are to be a part of Port O’Connor, Texas. They say it is a great community and so friendly.

Just last month Patty and Parker held a garage sale to get rid of some old items they no longer needed. One grandson wanted to help them out with the sale. He arrived early on Thursday morning to help sort and price the items. He got right to work hauling boxes out of the shed and setting up tables. Things were going pretty well, that is until they began to open those boxes.

In every box and almost every bag the grandson found one or more ‘treasures’ he just had to have. He found an old shoeshine box with a footrest and a storage area for shine supplies. He asked his granddad about 50 questions about the box. It had been in the family since before Parker was born and he had watched his dad shine his work shoes on that very box. Of course the grandson was sure that they could never part with this family heirloom, so it was first into an ever-expanding pile of keepsakes and mementos, souvenirs and saves that could never be sold at a garage sale.

He found an old hammock and convinced Patty it was just what he needed. He located an ancient cassette tape player and sack of tapes and after a history lesson from his granddad added it to his cache. An antique soup tureen, an old mustache cup, a razor strop and a moldering fur hat were all discussed, declared priceless and squirreled away in his keepsake stash.

Parker and Patty knew his parents would not be pleased to see him transfer less than useful items from one family storage to another, but they were unable to convince their grandson that the stockpile was really just a pile of stuff. He found the history fascinating, the family connection charming and the ageless antiquity enthralling for each item in his collection. No matter how hard they tried, they could not convince him that many of the items had no real use and little value and the space they took up could be better used otherwise.

By the time the garage sale was set up, set out and items priced, the grandson had most of the back seat of his small vehicle filled completely and a few bigger items were stuffing the trunk. He worked hard helping his grandparents, and stayed to work at the sale. He carried boxes, toted items to cars for buyers, swept up, stored the tables and even helped his granddad count the money. Afterwards he asked what he owed them for the items he had selected. His grandparents laughed and told him they were free, with a lesson. None of the items were valuable, but many of them had value in his eyes because of who owned and used them. Many were just a curiosity, something new to the grandson.

His granddad said he could take them all home and enjoy them as much and as long as he wanted as long as he promised them one thing. He must promise that not even one single item would end up back at his grandparents house after the novelty wore off. He would have to give or sell them to the next person on his own. The grandparents had already decided they had stored all that ‘old junk’ long enough when they boxed it up for the garage sale. The grandson agreed and happily took his treasure home with him on Sunday.

Parker and Patty wondered how long it would be stored at their kid’s place before it made the next garage sale….

Probably one of the hardest yet rewarding feelings in life are those of affection and love. More than the cliche imagery that might seem more apt for a column that might be written in early February rather than early March, I don’t mean love strictly as a romantic element, but rather a broader definition of the emotion — the kind of love that can shape anything from a close friendship to a family relation to an honest business partnership.

All variants of that emotion are also not as many perceive them. As you gain closeness with an individual, it is just as important to respect how they love you as it is to love them back.

Today not many people will show affection or are unwilling to try their best to help another individual out, regardless of how they feel internally. It’s a by-product of the me society we live in today to a large degree. No one cares about others, as long as it does not affect their daily lives or finances.

Personally I’ve been lucky, having three people I know in my heart of hearts I can truly rely on at anytime. However, in the immortal words of Fred Durst, I deserve a “smackin for slacking”, because admittedly I have not always honored my end of the deal as of late.

Two of that trio are two of the most beautiful women I’ve ever met. Both have hearts and souls that I adore and I love them both unreservedly one hundred percent.

Same goes for the third individual, who I’ve known for quite awhile and it’s quite possible without prompting that he is reading this space right now (hello).

Basically the idea is that love and friendship are never one lane roads, and if you find a couple of those very special people who are willing to deal with the dips, turns and forks in your path, you are extremely lucky.

Which means not only should you feel compelled to ride shotgun with them down their own twisting highways but also realize that your actions and thoughts about everything from world affairs to how you honor your own life, dreams and appearance are just as much a sign of affection for those special souls as it is for yourself.

Sometimes it is easy to forget yourself in the chaos of life’s stresses. No one means to get so wrapped up in the problems of the materialistic world, but we do.

Appreciation is usually shown, not just talked about. No matter how wonderful and how caring you appear to be, you can’t expect others to invest in a situation where they can see a negative outcome through your current actions. Those actions just don’t speak louder than words but they scream most loudly all people need to know about you.

No matter how much they care, another aspect of love is sometimes to let that love go if it is not meeting their expectations. This is fair and just treatment, as the old saying goes, how can you love someone that does not love themselves?

However, there is always hope, as long as we have not overstepped any major boundaries with those we might not have respected as much as we should have, including ourselves.

So there does exist at almost all times a choice to change course in these matters, and sometimes that journey means an inner change as well as outward.

To love thyself; the first love, the essential love, yet at times one can fall short of those aspirations, me among them.

This is not something that is non-negotiable, respect and love should breed more respect and love…so although taking on change can be difficult, in the end there is no alternative, besides your influence might be reaching further than you think.

Love is the best tonic, but if you do not know the taste of it yourself, how can you seek it out?

Top row left to right: Naiyoli Rodriguez, Gabbi Munoz, Emma Anglin, Leah Lucey, Cassidy Marek
Front row left to right: Taylor Crow, Marta Aguero, Arcana Adame, Kendall Farmer, Aerlin Bethany

After opening in May 2013, TNT Elite now has a competitive gymnastics team. From the beginning they have offered recreational gymnastics, tumbling, Mommy & Me, boys and even competitive cheerleading, but as of last year they started training for the competitive side of things. All coaches at TNT are instructor or pro instructor certified through USAG, all CPR certified and both owners are USAG safety certified. All coaches are continually doing hands on clinics in and out of town and online courses.

Last summer the two owners took a group of children to Karolyis summer camp to get some extra training experience in Huntsville, Texas. While there they were able to work with former Olympic coach Bela Karoyli himself. They got to work on new skills and progressions to help them as they returned back to home. From there the team began to learn their routines and train in the gym.

These girls are in the gym anywhere from 4-5 hours a week. “Closer to meets they can be in the gym around 8 hours a week coming every day Monday through Saturday and competing on Sundays!” -Owner Brianna says. Right now we have five girls competing level one and five girls competing level three. So far this season level 3 has competed in Katy, San Antonio & Houston. Level one has competed in Houston. Both teams have done awesome! Scoring better at each meet and bringing home the goods including 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th & 8th out of 12 teams at one meet. The 1st place team award at another meet and scores that range anywhere from 7.000-9.400. “Which is great for their first year and considering there has not been a full gym around here in 10 years!” -Owner Alysha says.

Both teams have two more meets in April in Sugarland and San Antonio. Recently TNT also purchased some new equipment so that the children will have the best equipment to train on and not be thrown off by a different look or feel at meets. This equipment will not just benefit the team but all classes! “Between sessions we plan on giving the gym a little face lift, after three years it needs it,” both owner jokingly agree. We try and keep not only the gym family updated with TNT’s progress but the community as well by posting on our Facebook page. We encourage everyone to stop by at Facebook.com/tntelitegymnastics and “like” our page. We will also be posting the schedules for when we start registering in April for summer classes. Right now we are registering for a Spring Break camp. The camp at this time of year will be our first one to date. We also offer lots of fun and exciting more things like birthdays, parents night out, flip flop Friday’s and Summer camps. You do not have to be enrolled to take part in any of these programs! For more information stop by the gym located at 200 Hwy 35 south in Port Lavaca or give us a call at 361-827-5510.