Hooked Up: September 2024

I say it every year, and every year it means even more to me, but as fanatical as I am about speckled trout, I absolutely love September and the beginning of gun sports, dog work, and the company of friends I haven’t spent much time with in nearly a year. Besides the aroma of trout slicks as I run behind Tide Gauge Bar, assuring me that trout are feeding out front, the smell of burning gun powder on the first flight of doves every year is about as pleasurable to me as anything in my whole universe. We are so blessed to live in Texas, where so many outdoor opportunities exist. Let’s never forget that.

Thinking about this summer and how wonderful the trout action has been during this hot season; I cannot help but feel completely optimistic with the approach of the fall months.

Alberto’s storm surge delivered a much-needed influx of clean gulf water to our bay system. We really welcomed it due to brown tide blooms that had almost completely taken over and this was the flushing we needed to breathe life back into our waters. Besides the great improvement in water clarity, the tidal surge also delivered a significant drop in bay water temperatures. Like a solid one-two punch, the combination has turned the trout bite into more of a catching situation versus just fishing. To say that we have been experiencing hundred fish days would be an understatement. Mind you, not all these fish are measuring fifteen inches or longer, but that is just fine by me. My excitement lies in what I see for the future. The number of 12- to 15-inchers right now is pretty staggering, and that bodes well for the future of our fishery. Being on the water daily, I’m witnessing a once great fishery on a solid rebound.

TPWD had to make some tough decisions regarding bag and slot limits this year; if the spotted seatrout fishery was ever to be able to sustain itself in the face of mounting sport fishing pressure, guides running multiple trips per day, and the ever-looming threat of freezes and other natural events.

Following the February ‘21 freeze, TPWD enacted an emergency three fish bag limit with a 17-23” slot. With the sunset of that measure came a short window of the old five fish bag limit coming back into play. After much scientific study, public testimony, surveys, etc., the long-overdue decision to permanently reduce bag and slot limits was enacted in March of 2024. Now, effective September 1, 2024, the final version of these regulations will become law – daily bag limit three fish, 15- to 20” retention slot, with the ability to retain one fish longer than 28” with a trophy tag, similar to what we’ve had for years with redfish.

You will never be able to please all the people. There are lots of guides and old schoolers that disagree with just about every aspect of the new laws, and I get it; not many of us like dealing with changes in our lives. But the truth is the fishery will benefit immensely from these decisions and that is what TPWD had to consider, given the number of people from all walks, utilizing and taking from the resource. It was a tough decision, no doubt, but one that had to be made and is applauded by roughly 80% of fishermen launching a boat or just walking in from the road to catch a trout.

If you are catching a lot of trout right now, they did not just magically appear. They are a direct result of tighter bag and slot limits following the ‘21 freeze. I am completely sold that the release of all those 20 to 28” prime spawners under the new regulations will have a profoundly positive effect on our fishery from this point forward.

In closing, a great migration of baitfish will begin this month and continue into October. This is not a time to be a “favorite spot” fisherman. Trout and reds will be in the line with their food supply. Spoil islands, tight bottlenecks created by bars and shorelines, deep grass lines and gulf passes are about to get real hot with action. Be on the move with the bait and willing to adapt from day to day. Trust your eyes before you get off of the boat. Small adjustments will be necessary to do more catching than fishing.

Remember the buffalo! -Capt David Rowsey