Lessons Learned During A Lifetime of Fishing Oyster Reefs

This month we are going to talk about wade fishing oyster reefs. First, hats off to TPWD and the coalition of conservation organizations responsible for the restoration efforts and new laws that now protect many of the reefs in San Antonio, Mesquite and Aransas bays. I grew up fishing reefs; a neighbor who owned a small skiff took me and my dad fishing occasionally and we typically fished reefs in Copano and St. Charles. I remember him saying that if the mullet were up on top of the reef the trout had them pushed up there. This was reinforced by a couple of guys I fished with during my high school years.

The late Robert Brooks and I waded these same reefs early in my career with MirrOlures on cold winter days. We would unscrew the eyelet and place it in the nose, filling the top hole with clear fingernail polish. We wanted the lure to swim and shine more side-to-side versus digging down in the water column. Both ways were very productive. Easy to catch ‘em when there are literally thousands of them. If I showed you the photos of the trout we caught you might still not believe the size. Robert passed a month back so those memories of us fishing together have become even more precious.

Reef fishing was probably at the core of my beginning as a fisherman. My dad and I waded a lot from the banks, fishing shallow grass and sand, but back then I’m not sure whether we even realized the importance of bottom structure. We just fished wherever we could get in the water and start casting.

During the summer months, when water temperatures are higher than normal and winds are typically lighter than normal, it is possible to fish the more open waters where many of the reefs in middle coast bays are located. If you are familiar with reefs, you are likely aware that many of them lie in a half-moon shape. Seems every bay system has a Half-Moon reef. This shape is created largely by predominant SE wind.

There are also some unique names out there. Some in our area that I like are Grandma’s, Chicken Foot, Panther, Magnum, Lap, Newcomb’s, Shell Banks, 40 Acre, Mullet’s Toe Head, Rattlesnake, Oyster Claim, and Scotch Tom. All the names have stories and are worth a listen if you’re ever lucky to engage a knowledgeable old salt on the subject.

I personally prefer smaller reefs with well-defined crowns that transition to a scattering of clump shell. There are not many left with these features but those that do continue to be productive most any day the weather allows us to fish them. By having three well defined structural elements within one specific structure, we now have areas on the reef that fish can use throughout the day as conditions change. More choices in bottom contour usually equates to more opportunities for a predator, this I believe is a key to our success many days. Anglers still need to become knowledgeable of these features and the only true way to do this is to walk it. I have to say that my wading boots have touched just about every inch of shell along the Middle Texas Coast. Speaking of which, I have found no wading boots of any brand that hold up very long on live oyster reefs.

Reefs are singular structures for the most part, and concentrate both bait and game fish, making them highly productive at times. I also prefer to find reefs that have moving water during periods when tides are moving. In this case I am looking to the points of the reef as well as any deeper portion that will allow water current to pass through or across the crown. I have several small reefs that I use only in these situations and from the very beginning of my career to the current (no pun intended) they produce for me during periods of tide movement.

The opening of Cedar Bayou has restored some much-needed movement to many of the reefs in the Mesquite, San Antonio and Aransas Bay areas. In all cases, I am still looking for bait fish activity around the reef structures just as I would on any other type of bottom structure. It still seems to be true that when the mullet are stacked on top of the reef, trout or redfish can be found somewhere around the perimeter.

Here is a bullet-point version of my thoughts on how anglers should approach and fish a shallow reef:

-First, I slow my boat, reverse the engine to slow the drift, then cut my engine and drift in. Try to ease the Power Poles or anchor down as quietly as possible. The sound of an anchor or Power Pole dragging bottom is notification to the reef’s residents that they have visitors.

-I like to stand off the shell on sand whenever possible and ease along parallel to the targeted area. I refer to walking on shell as “crunching them off” and I’m a firm believer that it does just that.

-I try to position my anglers where we can all cast at a slight angle to the reef edges and points. Moving slowly, stopping and making multiple casts, is an absolute must if the best results are to be achieved.

-If your lure gets hung on shell, DO NOT walk forward to free it, just break it off. Losing a lure now and then is a hazard of the sport. If you only brought one of your favorite lures, then that was your first mistake.

-When working reefs that present opportunity to fish moving water, anglers would be advised to position themselves where the current is most likely to stack the bait, because that’s where the predators will congregate. I have a ton of small areas like this within our reef systems where I feel confident we will catch at least a few every visit.

-Success hinges on our ability to place ourselves in such areas during peak tidal movements. But remember this, wind also moves water. Keep this in mind when your fishing schedule does not align with tide movement.

-I like reefs that have scattered clump shell along the tips and edges of the main reef. On some clumps you will notice a type of algae that looks like grass. I love this combination. You need quality glasses to see it, though. I use Smith Optics and have found them to be of excellent quality and they seem to hold up very well.

-Through quality polarized lenses, the reef will have three distinct colors. Sandy areas will appear light green, oyster shell often appears somewhat rust-colored, and scattered clumps of shell with grass (algae) appear almost black.

-Standing clump shell is tailormade for wintertime with slow-sinking and suspending lures – Texas Customs Double D, Custom Corky Fat Boy, and MirrOdine XL. I call my presentation the “swim and stick.” Swim the lure over the structure with some erratic twitches and then dead stick it to allow it to briefly fall into the small pockets of sand or flat shell between clumps. The action is deadly when performed properly.

-As I mentioned earlier, to qualify for our consideration, a reef must have bait present and some water movement. Yesterday we fished a very typical reef in the Aransas complex. Tides were low and the water was very hot. The wind was light SW and we had an incoming tide.

-You should always construct a game plan based on seasonal patterns as well as weather and water conditions. I knew of an area where the wind velocity and direction would be favorable for an early morning wade. As we approached the reef we noticed three small slicks drifting off the northern tip of its half-moon shape. Many would have likely motored closer to the sweet spot and just went right to catching them. Honestly, that is not the proper approach if you are wanting to experience the best the reef can provide.

-We dropped the Power Poles about a hundred yards away and got out in waist-deep water over sand bottom. A quiet deployment is critical as much as the area will allow. Bait was stacked along the up-current side and I gave instructions to position offshore and cast to the bait line, which was also where the reef began to break down into clump shell and the water became deeper.

-Bites did not come quickly. As we eased along we continued to see small slicks popping from a couple locations on that northern tip. We started catching fish as soon as we worked our way into casting range. Not big trout, just slot-sized fish to maybe 20-inches.

-One of the toughest things to teach anglers is the importance of STOPPING and continuing to work the area where the very first bite was received. I absolutely can’t stand waders that persist in walking through the fish. Just because you haven’t received a bite while your buddies have does not mean there are no fish in front of you. On fixed structures such a reef, we must allow the area that is holding fish to reload as we pull fish from it. This is especially true when dealing with moving water situations.

-Watch the birds that are feeding on the reef in the area where you are catching fish, if any are present. We had a royal tern working that small pocket on this day. Many times, I focus on finding gulls or pelicans working small pockets or areas of moving water around the reefs.

-Have you ever watched a brown pelican idling in the current just off a small reef? Paddling with their feet enables them to remain in one spot despite the current. It is amazing how they can hold position – nature’s version of “spot lock.”

There are numerous lure types that will work when fishing reefs. You should use the lures that you have the most confidence in to start the day. I always have plenty of MirrOlure Lil Johns in my box along with a few Double D series. When large bait fish are strung out along the edge of a reef I usually tie on a Double D. I can literally bang in down into the bait, and then dead stick it, allowing it to suspend and float into the pod of bait. It’s a basic swim and stick retrieve and easy to master. Sounds like a great tip to discuss on Instagram account: official_jaywatkinssrfishing.

May your fishing always be catching. -Guide Jay Watkins