Fish Smart: Learn to Exploit Opportunity

Writing this in early August, we have thus far experienced three tropical weather events that affected the Aransas Bay Complex. These have been mostly tidal and rain events versus strong and destructive winds in our region. Two passed to the south of us, leaving Rockport on the northern or dirty side, while Hurricane Beryl drifted just far enough east and north to leave us on the calm side. Rain is always beneficial, even when we get a bit too much.

Besides the freshening of our bays, rain cools the surface water temperature and the higher tides have a very beneficial flushing effect that produces higher oxygen levels. The bays see increased growth in shrimp and crabs to name only a few species. Years with an abundance of rainfall have historically been better trout years, according to my records. With the peak of hurricane season still ahead I expect to see more tropical weather events impacting the middle and lower coast. We do not need nor do I want a hurricane, just more rainfall and flushing of our bays and estuaries.

I am seeing improvement in the overall numbers of trout in our bays in 2024. We still have a long way to go but with our new trout regulations and a little help from Mother Nature, how can keeping fewer fish ever equate to having fewer? I am a positive-minded guy and feel that we have come a very long way in the promotion of catch and release of all species over the past several years. I am not a total catch and release person; I believe harvest of specific sizes and appropriate numbers is necessary to maintain a balance in our fisheries.

We depend on TPW and Harte Institute biologists and their field staffs to monitor and manage our fisheries. It’s a tough job and not one that I would want, nor do I participate in, which is perhaps bad of me. I have gained the opinion that TPW are not as proactive in their management practices as they could be, especially in their dockside creel survey methods. Though I participated in these for many years, I no longer do and the reason is very basic.

The only data they are collecting is species, numbers, and length of fish, hours spent on the water, county of angler residence, and the degree of trip satisfaction the anglers report. They do not weight or sex the fish, nor do they obtain otoliths for aging or examine stomach contents. To me, it seems the surveys are more about economics than collection of useful data. However, and having said all that, we have been releasing all our trout and nearly all we catch of other species…so they wouldn’t be able to get much data if we did elect to participate. For the record, I did participate for more than 30 years.

I do not target undersized trout and try to stay away from areas that are known to produce large numbers of them. Instead, I use my past years of fishing experience and knowledge to concentrate on areas that I have discovered to produce more mature trout. Over 47 years of guiding daily, I have meticulously recorded details of each day on the water. Stored on numerous thumb drives, I now have 12,455 days of catch data, much of which is recorded in wade-by-wade detail. In addition to numbers and size of fish caught, I have also logged water and air temperatures, weather and water conditions, along with the solunar details for the day. Which, incidentally, I kept track of for years before most folks ever heard of the solunar tables. Other details are the types of bottom structure fished and the top three producing lures used that day. Lastly, now that we have cameras on our cell phones, I have also included actual fish photos of the day’s catches. It’s all good stuff and incredibly valuable to me as a guide. Believe me when I say that I still reference all these data often to formulate fishing plans according to weather patterns, tide levels, and seasonal influences.

It is amazing how fish will show in areas where they have not been seen for years when the seasonal conditions become favorable. My webmaster, Ken Vestal, created a search function for my fishing club members long before Google Search. We just called it SEARCH. I tell you all of this so that you might begin to record your own experiences and begin to build a fishing log of your own. Today's fishing world is changing by the minute. Get lazy and it’ll pass you by and leave you wondering what happened. I find myself more dedicated to changing and adapting today than ever in my career.

Let’s talk now about actual fishing. I have a strong tendency to stay shallow and fish areas with various types of scattered structure. Honestly, it does not matter to me what type of bottom structure I have to work with, so long as it’s scattered, shallow, and catches some wind to move the water when tidal movement is not happening. The hottest time of the year is upon us and we must work smarter versus harder. Working harder is easier than smarter, yet smarter is what usually produces the best results.

Working hard is a great quality and aids in many aspects of life, but it can be too physically demanding to do it all day when fishing. Years ago I coined the phrase FISH SMART in a video I made and it kind of stuck with me. With fishing pressure at an all-time high, fishing smart has never been more important than it is today. In my opinion, the smart approach right now is to seek out barrier island shorelines and spoils that offer slightly deeper areas of scattered grass beds. The more scattered, the greater the potential of attracting and concentrating the quality of fish that I seek daily.

Just today I had a group of young anglers seeking to increase their skills on fishing smart. I explained to them how to read the water and why we were focused on the smaller areas of scattered grass structure during midday hours. “Look at how the bait fish are reacting when they come in contact with the grass beds,” I told them. “Notice how the bait rises to the surface as they pass over the beds. Why? Because they are totally aware of the areas where predators will be staged at this time of the day.”

So many times anglers will overlook smaller areas of scattered grass in search of the larger areas, which are quite often more plentiful. I believe I am accurate in saying that at least four of my top five career trout have come from areas of small structure such as I am describing here. Aim small miss small always comes to mind when I am trying to explain my structure theories.

I remember an afternoon at Port Mansfield during the winter of 2021, prior to the big freeze. I had four anglers spread over a large area of small scattered grass beds. Small bait fish were plentiful all across the area. We had the beginning of a moonrise minor with a strong cold front due to arrive in a few hours. A perfect setup as far as conditions are concerned, but I coached them about how we were still going to have to do our part and put the lure in front of the fish.

It’s seldom magic, like some would want us to believe. We discussed how critical it is to be able to make accurate casts to the available structure and also to know exactly where the lure is located at all times during the presentation. This is especially true as the lure approaches the targeted structure. It’s also important to understand where the strike zone will most likely be and when to anticipate the strike.

Shawn Dinwiddie was the first to strike a blow and then it was Adam Todds’ turn; both catching fish in the 28-inch class. Texas Custom’s Double Ds were in play because I wanted the guys to be able to swim or bang the lure down into the lower part of the water column and then allow it rise slowly as it approached the grass patches being targeted. I was next and went on a run with a pair of 28- to 29-inch fish, and then another that bumped 8-pounds on the Boga. Chuck Boorman was next with a 29-inch personal best.

What was so cool about that afternoon was that we had talked about making a move, but we all believed the fish we wanted to catch were present and just not yet ready to play. As the wade progressed we entered an area where heavier grass and sandy potholes gave way to scattered grass and larger areas of sand with small grass patches. On several occasions I saw the gills of the large trout flare just before feeling the strike. An incredible thing to experience; I promise you.

It was literally one the of the most rewarding afternoons I have ever experienced because we were able to decipher what we were seeing and put a plan of action into play. To be able to coach the group through the two hour period that we caught fish was one of the best teaching and learning opportunities that I have experienced in a long time. It helps to have attentive students and students capable of taking the instructions and then building on the opportunity.

I hope this long and detailed story helps you understand the importance of fishing scattered bottom structures, as well as the more traditional types of structures that I often talk about. I also hope that it allows you to see the many skill sets that are necessary to allow you to be successful when faced with opportunity. Fishing is hard, and attention to detail along with strong work ethic and fishing smart will enable you to become the best you can be.

Try to put some of the tips in this month’s article to use on your next trip to the water. I think you will discover that fishing smart works.

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