The Calhoun County Republican Club will meet on Monday, September 7, 2015, at noon in the meeting room of the Bejing Buffet, Calhoun County Plaza. The guest speaker is Samantha Bell who is a certified speaker for the Alzheimer’s Association to speak about the Top Ten Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s. Samantha (Sam) Bell graduated from Southwest Texas State University in 2003 with a BBA in Marketing. She worked for a screen printing company in southern Illinois for 5 years before returning to Texas. She worked at the University of Houston – Victoria for 3 years, mostly focused on projects involving first year students. She recently celebrated her first anniversary as Business Development Coordinator for Port Lavaca Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, and looks forward to many years to come with the company. She lives in Victoria with her husband, Dr. Justin Bell; and son, Michael. The public is encouraged to attend.

Ron, Melanie and David with Capt. James Cunningham
-Capt. Jeff Larson

OH! OOOHH! OooOoH! OUOUCH!!! (High Pitch Girls Voice), After 30 years of wading along the Gulf Coast, It was finally my turn to get hit by a sting ray. While doing a tow job in the Lagoon, my water intake on my Evinrude was clogging up from all the grass on top of the water during low tide. The water spout wasn’t discharging the circulated water like normal; it was clogged up as well. I stepped out of the boat to really clear the grass out and around the skeg so we could finish the job. Then BAM!!! Slice, Slice, Stick! Right through my heavy rubber shoe into the side of my right foot. SHREELING in a high screeching voice, I fly out of the water, almost walking on it, hit the deck of the Mowdy and begin tearing off my wading shoes and sox. Seeing my life flash before me. I’m definitely over reacting. Didn’t seem like it at the time. I begin to assess the damage. OK, it’s not bleeding too bad but I feel the fire increasing in my foot. The only thing I know to do is try and stop it from climbing up my leg. I press super hard behind the wound and start pushing the blood and poison back out of the wound.

The wound isn’t big but the stinging fire pain is increasing. I spend a few minutes pressing the fluid back through the opening in my foot. Dawn, my wife gets the hydrogen peroxide and begins washing the entrance point. After about a minute, or more of me whining, Captains James and Brandon start pouring salt in the wound, you’re OK! You big baby, Let’s go, suck it up, you get the picture. I’m thinking flesh eating Vib, can’t fish, pain, foot problems and the list grows on.

The bottom line is, I got lucky this time, I have a girl’s scream and you never know when things can go awry, so be prepared with your safety equipment. Usually, most people get a bit of sympathy when they get hurt but after everyone on the bay heard me hit some really high notes, all I got was a beer to shut me up and a hard time. Use this experience to be ready for the unexpected, make sure you have a first aid kit, and plenty of cleansing agents ( rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or a bleach/water solution) to wash out any open wound.

July was an epic month for catching everything from Blue Crabs to Marlin. The best tactic for catching trout, reds and flounder was wading. Croaker and Piggies were the best Bait for Bait Fishermen while soft plastics were a solid pick to string em on artificials. Tops had the most action when the reds and trout were aggressively feeding. The surf was the best place to be during July and August when you could get out there. Flounder Gigging was and still remains phenomenal. Walking or boat gigging gets it done for the spear fishermen who don’t want to get a sunburn. There is always a bonus flounder or 2 in the pictures I see come across my phone and FB.

August is working on being an epic month also. Offshore, Near shore, Inshore, Where and What do you want to catch? Did you say flounder? With a rod & reel or gig, in a boat or out, day time or night time.

Speaking of flounder giggin’. Roger from Seadrift, our beloved, retired Police Chief has started manufacturing flounder gigs with a underwater light attached to the gig. They are Awesome! They are easy to use and super efficient when wading for flat fish. If anyone wants to gig flounder this is the way to go. Roger has named the combo, Gig & LITE. He has 2 basic models, Model 1 has 9 LED lights and produces just under 30 watts of light and weighs a little over 3lbs. The 2nd Model is a little lighter at 2 pounds and is a bit more stream lined with 6 LED lights. I have 3 of each. Either model works great. If weight is an issue I suggest purchasing the lighter model.

If you gig deeper areas and want more lighting, I use the 9 LED model because it has more lights. They both run on a 12v battery. My deer feeder battery has kept the 9 LED model 1 running for over 17 hours. I haven’t tested the other model but it pulls less power. The gigs and name are being patented and copyrighted due to their popularity. The lantern days are being replaced with a more efficient, faster and easier method.

These gigs are not in any retail stores at the moment. If you want to take advantage of the current pricing give me a call and I can get em to you. The cost at this point is $150.00 per gig n lite. The retail side is looking like $195 to $210. Roger stands by his product and work. He offers a 1 year guarantee when you purchase his gigs. He will replace any part of the gig for free and the light for cost. He currently has plenty of stock. The only way to purchase a gig at this time is at his shop off of Cemetery Rd, or via Facebook Kolton Braun or myself PM. You can also call me direct.

I’m headed out tonight to get a quick limit of flattys AGAIN with my G&L Model 1 for my birthday, then off to Cabo for some offshore fun fishing where I can still see land. Dove season, Alligator season, Teal Season is almost here. Start breaking out the shotguns. GET EM CLEANED NOW!!! Don’t wait until the last minute, that never works. Utopia Guns off Lane Rd is who takes care of all my battle axes so give them a call. Also you need to get your dates on the calendar. The opening weekends are getting full so call us at The Saltwater Lodge: 361 – 785 – 3825.
Stick Em shallow, Stick Em deep, Stick Em in the Head,

Captain Jeff Larson 281 – 217 – 0399 or limitlarson@yahoo.com.

Limits of flattys with the Gig & Lite Model 2

Melanie with a monster.
Capt. Jeff Larson

Team Rehab
Champions of the Lone Star Shootout

The best ever! 52 Boats registered and when the smoke cleared the optional pots totaled $965,900. With a 5% donation to the HBGFC Charitable Fund of $48,295 the boats headed out fishing for some serious money and the prestigious Champion’s Trophy. The action started off hot at day light on day one and kept going right up to the last minute. As day 2 went into the afternoon, no less than ten boats were reporting at least 2 blue marlin releases so it was truly a “shootout” up to the last minute of fishing. After all the boats were in, videos reviewed and paperwork confirmed the field had caught a record total of 98 billfish! The totals were 35 blue marlin, 30 white marlin and 33 sailfish. Rehab put a steady climb up the leaderboard on the 2nd day with 2 blue marlin and 2 sailfish releases to capture the title by the slim margin of 200 points over Wild Hooker and Whoo Dat. Blue marlin records were shattered both in total releases of 30 and with Over-Ride weighing in a 644 pound blue. Congratulations to TEAM REHAB AND ALL THE WINNERS!

2015 Final Results:

Total Points/Championship:
Champion: REHAB with 2 blue marlin and 2 sailfish releases and a 412.5 pound blue marlin weighed on day 1 for a total of 2,450 points. Owner Jasen Gast, Captain Troy Day
Second Place: Wild Hooker with 3 blue marlin releases, 2,250 points. Owner Allen Stuart, Captain Shane O’Brien
Third Place: Whoo Dat with 3 blue marlin releases, 2,250 points. Owner Keith Richardson, Captain Max Morris

Billfish Release:
1st Place: Wild Hooker with 3 blue marlin releases, 2,250 points. Owner Allen Stuart, Captain Shane O’Brien
2nd Place: Whoo Dat with 3 blue marlin releases, 2,250 points. Owner Keith Richardson, Captain Max Morris
3rd Place: Down Time with 2 blue marlin and 2 white marlin releases, 1,900 points. Owner Bobby Walters, Captain Bobby Walters

Lady Angler: Christy Barwise, Cherokee with 2 blue marlin releases

Junior Angler: Caleb Richardson, Whoo Dat with 3 blue marlin releases

Weighed Fish:

Place Boat Name Owner Angler Weight

Blue Marlin
1st Over-Ride Marty Griffith Evan Villareal 644

2nd Big Torch Steve Ferguson Andrew Ferguson 508

3rd Over-Ride Marty Griffith Patrick Martin 470

Tuna
1st Tico Time Dennis Wilkerson Shawn Thomas 142

2nd Smooth Move Porter Trimble Porter Trimble III 86

3rd Cherokee Britt Barwise Christy Barwise 85

Wahoo
1st Leveled Out Ed Williams Andrew Wendler 44

2nd Sails Pitch Monty Meave Monty Meave 42

3rd Doc Holiday John Lomonaco John Lomonaco 39.5

Dolphin
1st Relentless Pursuit Dennis Pasentine Mike Akiu 41.5

2nd Mine Time Cliff Thomas Miles Stamper 36.5

3rd Wild Hooker Allen Stuart Jeff Todish 32

Fighting for space outside the small jetties, heading out to the Gulf in the Lone Star Shootout July 21-26. Photo by Mike Hessong

Derek Moody and his personal best trout – POCO 2015

In the 2015 Poco Bueno Inshore Tournament, my younger son, Ryan and I were fishing out of my 23 Cat Shoalwater as “Fishing Team Real Moody.”  My boys, Derek (age 22) and Braeden (age 20), wanted to fish the tournament, too. But the only boat I could round up for them to fish out of was my 14 foot Alumacraft Jon Boat with  a 9.8 HP Tohatsu motor.

Without complaining, Derek and Braeden stepped up to the challenge and entered the tournament as “Team Real Moody II.” Thank goodness I had enough confidence in their ability to enter them in the pot for the Master Angler. Derek caught his personal best trout ever (7.1 lbs) and together Derek and Braeden placed 2nd in both the Master Angler and Trout Divisions of the two day tournament.  Quite the accomplishment considering the quality of the anglers in the POCO field with 116 boats in the Inshore Division.

This was quite the culmination of the summer for Derek, as he will head off to start his freshmen year of Medical School in Houston at the end of this month. Braeden has already gone back to TAMU where he is studying for the MCAT and preparing to start his Sophomore year.

This just goes to show that POC offers some really GREAT fishing for those committed to hard work and learning the waters of the “The Best Kept Secret in Texas”!!!

Poco Bueno Offshore Results:

1. Hasta Leugo Blue Marlin 575 pounds, 112.5 inches
2. Mojo Blue Marlin 574 pounds, 115.5 inches
3. Lady Adele Blue Marlin 508 pounds, 106 inches
4. Honky Tonk Blue Marlin 452 pounds, 1123/8 inches
5. Done Deal Blue Marlin 421 pounds, 101.5 inches
6. Over The Limit Blue Marlin 393 pounds, 101 inches

Poco Bueno Inshore Results:

Master Angler Jugheads 28.4
Redfish RedFish Dogs 15.45
Trout Blow up Brothers 16.6
Largest:
Jugheads Redfish 8.25 pounds, 273/4 inches
Reel Moody Trout 7.10 pounds, 261/4 inches

Flyfish division:

Master Angler Red Dawn 20.10
Largest:
Comp Baily Redfish 7.25 pounds, 273/4 inches

Braeden and Derek Moody
2nd in both the Master Angler and Trout Divisions
Poco Bueno Inshore Tournament

First Marline brought in “Whoo Dat”

Crowds at The Fishing Center waiting to see the weigh-in at the annual Poco Bueno Fishing Tournament.
-Photo by Sue Kubecka