Scooter Wells with CCA Victoria, Texas with Captain Harold in San Antonio Bay with live bait. -Bay Flats Lodge

Since the last edition of Guide Lines, we have had a couple frontal passages hit us that have had a northerly influence associated with them. Summertime northerly wind generally means flat water and cooler temperatures for a short period of time, so it’s great to be able to take advantage of such situations as they occur. The drop in air temperature that we’re talking about here may not be more than five or ten degrees, but we’ll take whatever break we can get in the oppressive heat of July and August. And the period of time in which the bay chop becomes settled may only be overnight or for only a concise portion of a day, but when it happens it can always be a very nice time to try your luck in some of those places you normally might not be able to fish in during the summer due to otherwise strong southerly winds.

The surf is always a good place to venture during periods of north wind in the summertime, and we have talked at length in the past about all the things the surf has to offer coastal anglers during the warmer months of the year. However, when these areas of low pressure crossed our region this past month, we decided we were going to attempt to locate a trout bite in the bays along some of the shorelines that normally get pounded on a daily basis by the strong winds that tend to blow out of the south most of the time. This particular morning happened to be the day following the latest front which completed its passage through our area late in the afternoon on the previous day. It was 5:00am, and The Weather Channel was stating that the winds were currently blowing NNE at 7mph, and that today’s winds would be shifting easterly at 9mph throughout the day, and they would then become SSE by the end of the day.
We set course for a northern section of West Matagorda Bay shoreline that we normally would never consider during the summer months. We arrived there right at sunrise only to find that the overnight wind had emptied a lot of the shoreline of its normal water level. The remaining water was clean and green, however, and we sighted an occasional jumping mullet along the water’s surface in some of the rather shallow water that was between us and the bank.

We set anchor as the morning sky was beginning to brighten, and we exited the boat in thigh-deep water that was quite a distance from the grass-lined shore. This stretch of shoreline closely resembled any imaginable portion of the Gulf surf, as the contour here was made up of a number of troughs and sandbars positioned parallel to the shore, with the bay floor consisting of hard sand. The one added feature we had here which commonly isn’t found in the surf was the presence of scattered beds of oyster shell.

It was still early morning and we were presenting top water baits to potential targets in some of the more shallow water. It wasn’t long before I got my first blow-up, but the initial strike had fallen short, and my bait sat motionless atop the calm water. I simply twitched the bait a couple times and let it sit again. A few seconds later the fish hit the lure again, but still didn’t inhale it. I repeated the process twice and received the same result both times. I retrieved the bait and retraced that same route several times, but the fish were no longer interested.

As the sun rose the wind became all but calm, and the air and the water began warming rapidly. We replaced our surface walkers with plastic tails and started heading for the coolness of deeper water. We situated our wade so as to be able to cast our lures parallel to a long, skinny oyster reef that protruded a great distance out into deeper water. As we headed away from the shoreline, we discovered a strike zone right against the edge of the submerged reef. The bite wasn’t coming from directly above the shell, but rather from the edge of the reef where the shell transitioned to sand. Hits became constant, so I set my feet in the sand and didn’t move a bit for quite a while as almost every cast was met with some sort of reward – either trout, red fish, black drum, or even an occasional flounder, in sizes ranging anywhere from ten to twenty-four inches. The bite remained somewhat consistent until around noon when the wind began blowing out of the south at about 12mph. As a result, we all voted to end our day short. However, we all experienced a good time because we had been willing to try locating fish in a place where we normally would not consider doing so during this time of the year.

Until next time, 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

This could be the ultimate saltwater boat. It’s a 22 foot Mowdy with a tunnel hull. It’s the boat game wardens have used for years. It’ll run the flats, and provides a smooth ride across the bays. This one is rigged with a 150 Yamaha and bow mounted trolling motor. -Photo by Robert Sloan

Finding the right saltwater boat can be akin to finding a needle in a hay stack. That may sound screwy, but it’s true. There are lots of shiny new boats to choose from. Some are prefect for fishing the jetties, but float like a barge on a shallow flat. Then there are “skinny” water rigs that’ll fish in 6 to 12 inches of water, but bob around like a cork at the jetties and bust your butt in a chop going across the bay. So what is the perfect rig? Does one exist? Well, sort of. Check this out.

Working as a guide at Port O’Connor has been a true test for me over the years. POC is the best of what the middle and lower Gulf Coast has to offer. There are miles of shallow flats. Ditto that with the bays. There are deep water jetties to fish, and the surf is always an option. Plus, there is the short offshore option when the seas are flat. Finding the perfect boat for all these situations has been tricky. Over the years I’ve owned way to many boats, but right now I think I’ve found the ultimate rig.

At one point I had a 17-foot Maverick HPS. This is a boat that’s made of high-tech carbon/Kevlar and weighed about 500 pounds. It was perfect for poling the flats. It was powered with a 60 horsepower Yamaha, would float in less than a foot of water and get up in 10 inches. It was easy to pole, perfect for three people and had lots of storage. It fished well in the bays and at the jetties. But standing up in that rig while fishing the open bays and surf was definitely tricky.

Here’s the deal. If you’re looking to fish the flats for tailing reds, but also want to fish the jetties and surf for reds, trout and tarpon, you will have to make a compromise. By that I mean choosing a boat that’s big enough to handle rough water, yet will also run the flats. The best I’ve come up with is a Mowdy. In fact, I’m running a 22-foot, 6-inch Mowdy now. In my opinion it’s the perfect boat for all around use from Port O’Connor to the lower Laguna Madre. It’s long and wide and built with a tunnel. It’ll run the flats and fish the jetties, surf and short offshore in comfort. It’s rigged with a 150 four stroke Yamaha. On the bow it’s got a Rip Tide 101 pound thrust trolling motor. It’s got enough horsepower to move three to four anglers with ease. This is not a boat that you can pole. But it’s a hull that’ll float in less than a foot of water. And with the trolling motor I can quietly move it around on the flats, at the jetties and in the surf.

One thing a Mowdy won’t do is run super shallow like a Majek or Shoalwater. The flat-bottomed hull design of a Majek combined with a tunnel is the perfect combination for running across super skinny flats. The only glitch is that with the flat bottom you’ll get a much rougher ride – as in teeth jarring. A Mowdy is a V-hull that flattens out towards the stern. Conversely, a Majek is flat from end to end. A V-hull design is made to cut through the waves. A flat-bottom will bounce on top of the waves. The V-hull won’t go nearly as shallow and get up as shallow as a flat bottom rig will. But you’ll get a much smoother ride.

One of the best economical, all-around, go anywhere boats I’ve ever used is a 17-foot Mitzi. This is what I use for polling the flats at Port O’Connor. It’s powered with a 60-horsepower four stroke Yamaha, is lightweight, and has a small tunnel and a semi-V hull. It’s got a polling platform on the stern, a center console, and wide open front deck that’s mounted with a 55 pound thrust Rip Tide trolling motor. If you’re looking for the perfect skinny water rig that’ll also fish the jetties and surf this is it. A Mitzi doesn’t have all the bells and whistles that you’ll find on something like a Maverick or Hells Bay. The tradeoff is the price.

If you’re a jetty and bay fisherman you’ll want to check out a V-hull boat that’s 18 to 24 feet long. Some of the best include a Path Finder, Blue Wave, Shallow Sport and Key West – all are well made boats that come with plenty of comfort, lots of storage and a live well. These are center console boats that are built to handle rough and open water like you’ll occasionally find on the bays, at the jetties and in the surf.

One thing to keep in mind when buying a new boat is the cost of gas. The bigger the boat the more horsepower you’ll need. That translates into more fuel consumption. A four stroke outboard is definitely the only way to go. Something else to consider is the weight of the boat, motor and trailer. The heavier the rig is the more gas you’ll use coming and going from the house. The best possible situation is to keep your boat in storage where you’ll be fishing.

It’s been said that the best two days of owning a boat are when you buy it, and sell it. That might be true but having a boat is one of the best ways to totally escape the everyday grind of the working world.

Capt. Robert Sloan runs bay, jetty, surf and wade fishing charters out of Port O’Connor for trout, reds, tarpon and king mackerel. Contact info – 409 782 6796, sloan288@aol.com, www.hightailangler.com.

Sticker price blues…

Quite often the sticker price on a boat can be deceiving. Watch out for boats that are underpowered. That will keep the price down. Most boats are priced without a stainless steel prop, trim tabs and a jack plate. You need all three to get a good ride in most boats. You’ll also want to add a GPS/Bottom finder unit, a power pole, trolling motor and maybe even some shade over the console. It all adds up in a hurry. For example a prop can cost upwards of $700 to $1,000, a jack plate $1,000, GPS around a thousand, power pole $1,000-plus and a trolling motor will hit you for $700 to $1,200 bucks. Figure up the cost of all the extras before you head to the bank or credit union.

Nails & Tails August 15 & 16
361-578-7711

POC Offshore Tournament August 22 & 23
361-935-1857

Get Hooked on Fishing August 29-30
361-552-9747

Chris Ragusin Grand Slam October 3-4
361-935-8745; 361-655-3521

To add your tournament to our list, call 361-983-4667 or email dolphin1@tisd.net

4H Fishing Tournament

August 29—30, 2014 @ the Port O’Connor Community Center

REGISTRATION: Friday, August 29th from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

FISHING BEGINS: Saturday, August 30th at 5:00 a.m.

WEIGH-IN: @ the POC Community Center is from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

DINNER & AWARDS : Starts at 7:00 p.m.

$250.00 Per Team (4 person) $75 per additional person
Limited to 6 people per boat
Includes 1 meal tickets & T- shirt per paying person.

Children under age of 16 fish free and will receive 1 meal ticket and T-shirt.

Heaviest Stringer – 5 Trout/2 Redfish
1st Place—$2000.00 2nd Place—$1000.00 3rd Place – 500.00
Fishermen under 16 will win 1st & 2nd place trophies for the largest trout and the largest redfish.

The August 5th meeting of the Bunco Group was canceled suddenly due to the illness of hostess Iris Shuh’s husband. Hostesses for September 2nd To-Do have not been announced, but whoever takes over, I’m certain they will have lively imaginations for Back To School time. For further information concerning this fun group, contact Shirley Gordon at our Library.

As August is now here with Labor Day following, the Chamber’s celebration of Labor Day Beach Bash is planned for the Labor Day Weekend at the Front Beach with lots of entertainment. Check out the overhead banner on the highway and our paper for further information.
The Service Club’s cookbooks aptly named, THE END OF THE ROAD! are available at both Sisters’ and Speedy Stop for purchase at a very low price. There are now 3 issues of these delightful books; the first in brown cover, the second in blue, and the third in red! Recipes have been compiled for many years from those of our earlier members to favorites from the latter day members, and each recipe has been tested and re-tested to make certain all ingredients are in the proper amounts. And that it tastes good! Try them, you won’t be disappointed and they make great birthday and Christmas gifts from our incredible area. And if you’re looking for a particular recipe and want to try it before buying the cookbooks, check out our Library; we have all three books.

Fishing Tournaments here in POC keep coming and coming; would you believe that on one weekend there were 3 tournaments?!!!!

Our very special lady, Janet Johnson is returning home after major abdominal surgery and a two month stay in the hospital. Janet has been unable to work for this period of time, but the bills do not stop coming. Alyse Munsch at our local Liquor Store has set up a fund available for Janet to cover some of these bills. This fund was started last week, and within a very short amount of time, over $1,200 has been raised to help Janet. Our Community is one that somehow always helps and never forgets; there have been several persons/families in need during the last several months, but somehow we residents always find that little extra to help someone else. To those who have given, individuals and organizations and businesses, a huge THANK YOU. For further information, see Alyse Munsch or call her at 983-4733.

Hey, Ladies! Remember the pincurl hairdo’s of the 50’s & 60”s? Guess what? Bobbie pins are now available in Wal-Mart! I almost dropped my drawers (no, that wouldn’t be nice) when I saw them there on a counter!

School is starting in just three —3— weeks, and often some kids need help with the necessary supplies. Currently, our local Lions Club has placed several donation cans around town: a large blue one for supplies at Speedy Stop and our bank, and smaller cans too for donations of money. And thank you!

POCO came and went this year without too much of a bang; however, some of the bang crossed over to my car. My windshield had been broken at sometime during that night. Guess someone just doesn’t like my column!

I’ve had a lot of fun writing this column; sometimes I’m really up-to-date on events and other times, I’m just being informative, and often expressing my thoughts and opinions as well! But I welcome any comments or news or other happenings for print, I can be reached at 361 798-0560 or kubeckasue@yahoo.com. And thanks for reading!