Knowledge & Instincts vs. Hot Spots

As I type this (late March) we’re coming off of a two week rollercoaster of wind from every possible direction, winter-like low tides, spring-like high tides, and 20 degree fluctuations in water temperature.  March and April here on the Upper Texas Coast have never been known for consistency but, Good Lord, this has been ridiculous!  

If I were one of those folks who read what dozens of “experts” on targeting speckled trout have written, I would’ve likely wasted lots of gas fishing their March and April Hot Spots because our fish were seldom where they were supposed to be.  I understand that we all like to use guidelines for targeting certain species certain times of the year, but real-life anecdotal information will trump a calendar every time.

Please don’t misunderstand, there are many websites, DVDs and downloadable tools out there that offer some valuable pointers.  However, at the end of the day, they should be viewed through a discerning eye.  For instance, most fishing articles, calendars, videos, etc., will tell us to focus on grass-lined sandy shorelines, potholes, and shallow, hard shell reefs here in Galveston Bay from about the second week in March through early May.  These are reliable areas to target as long as weather follows historical averages.  But what about when it doesn’t?

From March 6 through March 17, our water temperature continuously crept upward until it reached almost 78°, which is about 10° above average for that time of year.  We spent the week catching trout and redfish on various topwater plugs in thigh to waist deep water over sand and hard shell.  Trout which had gorged upon tiny shad were regurgitating, forming beautiful well-defined slicks on the surface right where every how-to article said they should be.

A strong cold front pushed through the area on March 18.  Within a few days the surface water temperatures plummeted to 53°. This is the part where the knowledge of how trout react to such changes gives us the upper hand over those who are strictly looking at an information source which tells us what’s supposed to happen this time of year versus what is actually occurring because of weather changes.

Trout tend to stay near deeper water, hanging out primarily over soft mud and shell throughout the winter.  As water temperatures warm during late winter and early spring they gradually take up residence over some of the habitat and bottom landscapes I mentioned earlier (sand, grass, etc.).  But, when strong cold fronts arrive later than normal and bring unseasonably colder temperatures and stiff northerly winds which drop tide levels, we have to sometimes revisit our winter strategies.

So, within two days after this mid-March front hit, I was booked with three of my long-time clients.  We all discussed whether it would even be worth venturing out there as the forecast called for 20 mph northeast winds with overcast skies and 40-degree air temperatures to start the morning.  Taking into account the sudden weather changes and how I believed (and hoped) the trout would react, I told my clients that we would have a couple of areas where our fish would most likely “stack-up” as I assumed they would temporarily revert back to a winter pattern.  Both of the areas also happened to be somewhat protected from high winds from the forecasted direction. So, the next morning I met them at the marina.

The guys wore their wading gear to stay warm as the forecast was actually accurate for a change.  I had my best thermals on along with multiple layers beneath my Simms insulated bib and coat.  It’s not like we were fishing in winter blizzard conditions but when you’ve gotten used to 80-plus weather it feels colder than it really is. 

After a long run to our first stop I set up a drift along the edge of a deep gut (about 8 feet).  With the boat positioned in the deep area, we fanned our casts up onto the adjacent mud flat which ranged anywhere from 2 ½- to 4-feet deep.  As with most areas this one has its sweet spots.  These are characterized by clusters of oysters growing randomly across this flat.  The surface water temperature was 52.8° and there were mullet and shad of all sizes flipping and buzzing across the flat.  Armed with Saltwater Assassins and MirrOlure Lil’ Johns rigged on 1/16 and 1/8 ounce lead heads, the four of us were able to cover a lot of water until we found one particular zone where the trout were holding. 

The first dozen or so specks we caught were very small ranging, from 12- to 15-inches.  Despite the size, our best bite was around the end of the solunar minor feeding period, which was around 8:00AM.  I was beginning to wonder whether I had made the right decision by even bringing these guys out in these conditions. 

As anglers, we sometimes question ourselves as to whether the larger trout are actually there, but simply not feeding yet, or are they even there at all?  When this question pops into my head I typically take a step back mentally and think of where those larger fish were before the sudden weather change and what other factors may be influencing their feeding pattern.    

While major and minor solunar feeding periods are always worth a look, there is one variable that often overrides both.  This is especially true here in Galveston Bay.  Even though our minor feed was officially over we still had one thing left to look forward to.  The tide was due to peak around 9:00AM before beginning its outward flow for the remainder of the day.  I decided to remain in the area until this happened.  After all, our options were limited anyway because of the brisk winds. 

It turned out that our decision to stay was the right one.  Those little trout eventually turned into 16- to 20-inchers.  As it turned out, they were there the entire time but just weren’t quite ready to feed.  We ended up catching more trout along with some nice flounder and a few reds in another similar “wintertime” spot that day before heading in happy with our 50-plus day in very adverse conditions.  We never saw another boat that morning.  I’m sure part of it had to do with the weather but I’m guessing the other reason is because we caught our fish where we weren’t supposed to catch them in late March.

The month of May will bring us more consistency as water temperatures begin to stabilize.  Consistently warmer water will increase the metabolism of our fish.  Forage species such as shad and shrimp will grow and trout will begin to form actual schools as opposed to being spread out like they were in March and April.  We will be able to have success wading sandbars, bayou drains, and grass flats, as well as drifting open bay oyster reefs.  While trout patterns will become more predictable we will still be thrown the occasional curve ball.  Which could be a late cool front or even a large fishing tournament where heavy boat traffic pushes fish into areas they otherwise may not have gone.  We always need to be ready to use that wild card in our pocket when something forces a temporary pattern change. 

We can and should use every resource and tool that’s at our disposal when it comes to targeting fish, but let’s never be afraid to go off the grid and follow our instincts, along with what we’ve learned through years of experience.