Beware the Ides of March!  This is said to be what a soothsayer warned Julius Caesar back those thousands of years ago. That was in 44 BC.  It is most familiar to us because in his play Shakespeare used the phrase. That was only 500 or so years ago.

The closest we come to that “Ides” date is our March 15th. Astronomers had to work a little math magic to get to the comparative date. When the Romans were writing Calendars at that time they only had ten months in their years.  And they used a lunar type of calendar.

They did count things but it wasn’t in numbers like 1 2 3 … they counted in I’s, V’s, X’s, L’s and C’s.  If you think math is hard nowadays you should have pity on those poor Roman school children.

They really observed three main days of a month. Kalens was the new moon day. Then Nones was the first quarter moon and finally when the Moon was full it was Ides. And Ides was the first of the new month.  You have my permission to figure out how we relate the Ides in Caesars time to March 15 in our time.
The whole upshot is that the date, thanks to Shakespeare, lives as a disastrous day because that was when all those worried Roman senators including Brutus stabbed Julius 23 times. Nowadays senators just call each other liars or idiots as they try to work their way towards the Presidency.

It turns out that William S.  may have been correct about the Ides being a bad day for folks.  This is of course starting with Caesar’s murder.  There have been several nasty things happen on the 15th of March in the years since.

Some of them occurred in the 20th Century.  Some of the more notable ones are mentioned here.  Way back in 1917 Czar Nicholas II abdicated his rule of Russia ending his family’s several hundred years of rule.  Then a year later he and his family were executed.  That was not a pleasant retirement.

Then in 1939, Hitler and Germany occupied Czechoslovakia. This was after the Prime Minister of England, Chamberlin, had declared that they had negotiated “Peace in our Time” with Hitler..  Actually it was a major step to WWII.  I guess the Russian book should have been called Peace and War because the natural sequence was reversed.

Some of the more recent disasters have been natural disasters.  In 1941, on March 15th a tremendous blizzard occurred in the Great Plains of the US and Canada it killed over 60 people. There have been many other natural disasters but they weren’t necessarily on Mach 15. Mother Nature has not been very kind of late.

One of the saddest 15ths was in 1971 when CBS cancelled The Ed Sullivan Show. That began the demise of what many of us old folks call the golden years of Television.

This year I am a little worried about the Ides of April.

This big red blasted a Super Spook that was worked over shallow grass in two feet of gin clear water. Topwater lures will take reds 24/7. But a gold or copper 1/8 ounce spoon is also a very good option here in Port O’Connor. Capt. Robert Sloan photo

Top Five Redfish Lures:

1) Heddon Super Spook Jr. in chrome/blue, spectrum and bone/silver.
2) Johnson weedless gold or copper 1/8 ounce spoon.
3) Yum Money Minnow, 3-1/2 inches in pearl/chartreuse or clown.
4) Egret 5-1/2 inch Wedgetail in limeade or white/diamond.
5) MirrOlure Lil John twitch baits

Everybody loves to catch redfish, and the best way to do that is with lures most of the time here in Port O’Connor. Sure there are days and places where live or cut baits catch more reds, but it’s a fact that lures will deliver more action packed fishing trips and limits.

One of the greatest things to happen over the past three or four decades is the escalating numbers of red drum. These are gamefish that will eat just about anything that won’t eat them first, which is why they are so much fun to take on artificial lures. You can catch reds on clear sand flats, backwater estuary lakes, in the surf and at the jetties. One of the more unique aspects about reds is that regardless of their size they will eat anything from an inch-long fly-fished streamer to a magnum-sized topwater plug. Without a doubt reds are one of the most abundant, aggressive and strong gamefish you’ll catch – and they will hit a wide variety of lures 24-7.

Topwater Lures

Out of the top 10 all-time most exciting lures to catch reds on is a topwater, and topping the list is the Heddon Super Spook Jr. This lure, with its unique side-to-side action drives redfish crazy. The Spook Jr. will catch reds just about anywhere you can find them. Top colors are chrome/blue, spectrum and bone/silver. When you tie this lure onto your line use a locking loop knot. Something like an improved clinch will hinder the “walk-the-dog” action of the Spook.

Spoons

One of the all-time great redfish lures is the Johnson weedless gold or copper colored 1/8 ounce spoon.

The 1/8 ounce gold or copper weedless Johnson spoon is a salty favorite for anglers in the hunt for reds. The ¼ ounce is best in the surf for longer casts and a faster sink rate. What you want to do is cast it out, and reel the spoon in with a medium/fast retrieve. The flash of this lure is too much for a hungry red to resist.

Swim Baits

A lure that I discovered a few years ago is the Yum Money Minnow. The 3-1/2-incher is perfect. This is the No. 1 lure that I use on my guided wade fishing trips here in Port O’Connor. It’s a sure fire redfish magnet. This is a soft plastic swim bait that is shaped like a shad with a round vibrating tail. When rigged on a 1/8-ounce jig head this lure can be fished on 1 to 3 foot deep flats on a steady retrieve. Cast it out, reel it in and set the hook when you feel a thump – it’s that easy. Best colors are pearl/chartreuse and clown.

Wedgetails

An Egret Wedgetail is soft plastic swim bait that’s evolved into a redfish killer along the Texas coast. It, too, is simple to use. The 5-1/2 inch Wedgetail very much resembles a swimming mullet. The wedge tail kicks out a lot of vibration, looks like the real deal and is perfect for fishing on shallow flats with a medium retrieve. Best colors are limeade or white/diamond.

Twitch Baits

Over the past couple of years the MirrOlure Lil John Twitch Baits have come on strong as a top soft plastic for catching reds on clear water flats here in Port O’Connor. This is a 4-1/4-inch bait with a tube shape that tapers down to a pointed tail. This bait is made for fishing with a lightweight spinning rig and 12 pound test line. When this lure is twitched it darts around like greased lightning. This is a lure that will provoke strikes from reds that aren’t even hungry. Top colors are gold, rootbeer, opening night and margarita. This is a great twitch bait to rig on a super lightweight 1/16 or 1/32 ounce jig head. That allows you to twitch it and let the bait sort of flutter down, which is when most strikes occur. They can also be fished under rattle floats.

Carry these five lures along with you on any given day and sooner or later you’re going to catch reds.

Let’s go fishing!

Book a wade or jetty fishing trip with Capt. Robert Sloan. Call 409-782-6796; go to www.luckystirkeguide.com or email sloan288@aol.com.

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….