Some Like it HOT

Cool as the other side of the pillow and Made in the shade are phrases that convey instant images of comfort and relaxation that we can all relate to in one way or another. For coastal fishermen, words like August and Texas Summer also convey instant images and while fishing can be relaxing in any month the comfort connotation can be argued. For most of us it's all about thermometer-busting temperatures we have already endured as well as what is to come in the next few weeks. We got so spoiled this year as winter hung around longer than normal and spring seemed like it would last forever. Then it happened, almost overnight the temperatures soared from perfect to brutal in the blink of an eye. The daily wind and temperature readings seemed locked in a headlong race for the record book; leaving anglers to wonder every morning as they climbed out of bed: Am I still dreaming? Now that the wind has backed off all we have left to deal with is the traditional summer heat. Hopefully the fishing will be as hot as the midday sun.

Fishing during the summer months is really special to me for a variety of reasons and they are all good. Perhaps the most special is the fact that I get to take a lot of kids fishing, and that has to be the tops on the list. Sharing a day on the water with a young angler who may or may not be skilled is always a huge treat. Seeing them get wide-eyed at simple things that I take for granted is both humbling and much needed from time to time to help me realize how fortunate I am to be able to do what I do. Every now and again I get to share those days with young people I know well, kids that I have known for quite some time like the Dallas boys, Jack and Chad. I have known these two guys for a while and they have been after their dad to take them fishing for quite some time, but due to extremely hectic schedules just couldn't seem to pull it off. Well thanks to summer vacation from school, the boys finally got their wish.

Twelve-year-old Jack and ten-year-old Chad climbed in my little skiff along with my son Hunter for a day in the back lakes and marshes chasing redfish. Both of these young men are polite, well behaved, and enthusiastic, so I knew we were going to have a blast. Each of them took turns on the front deck with Hunter as we pointed out all manner of creatures that live in the marsh. With one brother on the front deck I took the other one to the back deck and taught them how to cast a spinning reel. Each boy picked up the technique quickly and soon was able to cover water with the best of them. The day was a huge success as both Jack and Chad caught their first redfish and actually caught them on topwater plugs - no less. Watching these two get excited over seeing fish and watching the reds blow up on those topwater offerings was a blast for both Hunter and me. An absolutely perfect way to spend a summer vacation day.

Now along with spending time in the marsh, the summer months allow for a host of other patterns to come into play and that is a great problem for a fisherman to have. The super hot days with little or no breeze allow anglers to probe water that is often inaccessible in other seasons, especially to smaller boats. It's almost funny to see how empty Sabine Lake can get on calm summer mornings as everything from fourteen foot aluminums to big offshore cruisers are splitting the jetties, headed for the Gulf of Mexico. For those that stay behind and patrol Sabine Lake, you can often be rewarded with some of the most fantastic fishing imaginable as acres upon acres of shad begin slicing the surface to escape the schools of hungry redfish and speckled trout. Almost like clockwork you can bet that during the middle of the day when it gets just brain melting hot, these fish will be terrorizing forage species from shad to shrimp and everything in between. The surface show put on by a school of big redfish as they blow pogies out of the water and eat more shrimp than Roseanne or Oprah at a buffet dinner is just jaw dropping. Once you locate a feeding school it's not uncommon for the carnage to last an hour or more, it's just stupid! I once had a couple from North Texas in the boat with me lose two rods to big redfish as they carelessly left their baits in the water when they put their rods down to sip a cold drink. Those redfish start eating and it looks like nothing is safe. It's really an incredible sight and the summer months are without a doubt the best times to witness this.

I know in an earlier column I mentioned the fact that Sabine is ultra-salty right now and getting saltier by the day as we continue to have no rain and very little if any runoff arriving from the big reservoirs to the north. On an almost daily basis I am seeing things that I have never encountered before on Sabine or at least never encountered in certain places. Perhaps the weirdest and most out of the ordinary here lately is the presence of bottlenose dolphins several miles up the Sabine River. I ran into a pack of them recently and couldn't believe my eyes, they were just cruising along like they belonged there. Another recent encounter with a group of eight to ten dolphins was a real eye opener as I watched them work a flat over with military precision. They absolutely destroyed some fish, I'm talking about first class carnage. Really awesome to watch up close and personal.

All of these encounters with fish or other creatures in places they don't normally inhabit should make for an incredibly interesting summer to say the least. We have already had several sharks either caught by anglers on the north end of the lake or pulling jug lines around like that scene from Jaws with the barrels. Plenty of rays and truckloads of jellyfish have now become the norm. I know for anglers farther down the coast most of this is nothing new but for a place like Sabine; it's way out of the ordinary. For me personally, I can't wait to see what else shows up and where. In the meantime we will continue to enjoy the fabulous fishing that is going on right now and hope we don't just melt down in the process. Please be safe and take precautions in the heat because it's no joke out there. Enjoy your time on the water.