“Allowing Fish to Teach You”

I was thinking the other day during a lull in the bite―When was it that I learned to stay in areas where I believed the fish were living, even during periods when I was not catching them?

Now, in order to give that question full and just consideration, I think I should first mention that any area that I believe to be holding fish must exhibit a certain set of criteria: There must be appropriate bottom structure – the primary food source for the season must be in place – the possibility for some type of water movement (tidal or wind-driven) – and some quick access to deeper water.

You must understand that deep in this context is relative to the bay system in which I am fishing, which in most cases averages about 3- to 5-feet along the perimeter of most flats areas. I would prefer that a very similar bottom structure exist in the deeper waters as well as the shallower zones being targeted but that is not always possible.

In my early years I was able to be more of a run-and-gun type of guide due to the general lack of fishing pressure and competition from other guides. I remember days when I was learning the northernmost portions of the Aransas Bay System and especially San Antonio Bay, I would not see another boat for a whole day, maybe even an entire week. Back in the day, there were so many fish in so many places that making a move seldom resulted in not finding fish wherever we stopped. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case in any of the bay systems I fish, or that any of you reading this might fish.

I believe tournament fishing trained me to choose an area based on weather conditions and the proper ingredients for the proper fish-catching recipe. Time constraints on the day of the tournament prevented us from running long distances back in the day, as did tournament boundaries and considerably slower boats. Slowness is not a bad thing at my age just so you know. What I learned when we picked areas and stayed in those areas the entire day was that the fish did move from time to time but never very far, and I believe to this day that more times than not, the fish just shut down and allowed our baits to pass in front of them without any consideration from them at all.

I am not even sure when I reached the level of confidence that I have today in the areas that I choose to work but I know it took years, and I know that there was a larger learning curve than what I remember today. I remember those days; I still have them, when I doubted the pattern but even today there is always something that confirms to me that the process works.  I have so many examples of moments of, let’s call it clarity when it comes together like one flipped on a light switch.

I remember vividly a day on Traylor Island during a final wade when we stuck a nice fish in an elongated pothole that ran parallel to a shallow sandbar. The pothole was lined with broken patches of grass, but thick enough to form a sort of underwater wall or barrier one might say. After we stuck the first fish I said, “Let’s give it ten more minutes.” In what seemed like almost 10 minutes another fish was stuck but this bite came on the opposite end of the line of three anglers. “Ten more minutes guys,” I called out to the crew. Back in the day I wore a clear-banded SWATCH watch I think it was called. On the third hookup, I looked at my watch and it revealed about a seven-minute time span between the previous bite. Ten more minutes turned to seven more minutes. Turns out that a single man limit of fish were obtained out of that pothole before we called it a day.

That evening I was thinking about what had occurred as I wrote in my journal, I wondered why the time difference between bites. It was some time after that when it dawned on me that it was taking the dozen or so fish in that elongated pothole about seven minutes to slowly cruise from one end to the other. That’s when I began to think differently and became more patient when working larger areas of structure, believing now that as fish feed in the area they mill through the structure, and as long as they are able to continue to find something to eat they will stay in the area.

It should be noted that I have always been a big believer in positioning myself and my anglers at greater distance from the structure being targeted than many would like to be. But – big but here – get too close and they can sense our presence. This is especially true with larger, more mature speckled trout.

If you have ever attended one of my seminars you know that I always speak to the importance of being able to make longer than normal casts. The greater the distance away from the targeted area the better in my opinion. The distance allows you to pull fish from the school and not spook the school with the noise that we can sometimes not avoid when fighting and landing fish. I believe that when one fish is pulled quietly from an area the others will more often than not return to normal feeding activity.   

We see this play out quite often on small points of shell that lie just off prominent shoreline points. I can’t tell you how irritated I get when I ease three guys up to a point, stick a fish or two, and one of the group who hasn’t received a bite pushes forward. I honestly lose my “you know what” at times. I am too old to deal with disrespect. Not knowing or understanding due to lack of experience; I can deal with. Just not giving a “you know what” ain’t happening on my charters. If your buddies call you a track star, do them a favor and go fish by yourself.

This past week I had the pleasure of fishing with four great anglers from Speckled Truth. Kyle Johnson a guide in Mississippi; you so need to book a trip with him, Chris Bush from San Antonio, Shane Overstreet and Ed Crum from Mississippi. For five days we worked two large areas of a flat where the signs for catching large trout were present. Understand that these four anglers will make any Texas fishing guide look good at the end of the day and, if not, that’s on the guide for not putting them in the proper area. These guys can catch them when they are not wanting to eat and that provides confidence within the group and also lends confidence in the area being fished.

The key to the success we enjoyed was fishing slow and deliberate, concentrating on the smallest of details being observed, along with their ability to communicate within the group and decipher the signs that were being presented. It is a real pleasure watching good anglers dissect a flat and show what the true possibilities are. Everyone caught five and 6-pound fish over the five days with Ed and Shane both landing 29-inch specimens weighing more than seven and a half pounds. I can’t wait for this group of guys to return, and I want to publicly thank them for their support, help during the week, and their generosity.

I am of the belief that there are many out there that need to take to heart some of the things that I have mentioned in this article. If the conditions and the area is holding all that fish need, there are fish there. And now the kicker…if you will work and wait them out, they’ll teach you something.

May Your Fishing Always Be Catching.  -Guide, Jay Watkins