Not a Bad One in The Bunch

Don’t look now, but as you peel the page from the calendar, November is about to jump right out at you. Yes, we finally made it to one of the absolute best times of the entire year; one of my personal favorites, and definitely one of the most anticipated by coastal anglers.

Right about now it’s easy to feel like one of the lucky men that get to appear on The Bachelor, TV’s popular dating show. Everywhere you look you see an attractive option and the truth is there’s not a bad one in the bunch. Angling options galore, everything from skinny backwaters to the surf and nearshore gulf has a program and nobody could blame you for choosing any of them. For most Texas anglers the biggest problem, if you can call it that, will be picking only one from the myriad options and not having to second-guess your choice.

The list of quality options this month has to start with perhaps the most highly anticipated of the season, and that’s chasing schooling fish under flocks of seagulls. The “blow and go” of hustling from flock to flock is always a favorite method of catching fish for many anglers as both the action and opportunities can be non-stop. Soft plastics threaded on leadhead jigs and fished with or without a rattling cork is by far the top lure choice for most folks that enjoy this type of fishing.

Durable plastics are a must due to the high volume of bites and this is where the Z-Man line of soft plastics made from ElaZtech separates itself from the rest of the crowd. Baits like the Jerk ShadZ, Mulletron, and MinnowZ are perfect for this application. The newest addition to the Z-Man lineup, a shrimp imitation called Prawn StarZ may be the most impressive yet and will really do a number on all the targeted species. Prawn StarZ come in several sizes and colors and may be the most lifelike and realistic shrimp imitator I have ever seen. The action of these lures is just incredible and has to be seen to be believed.

Two things that are a must if you decide to put serious effort into chasing fish under the birds are binoculars and patience. Obviously, the binoculars help you locate the next flock of feeding birds. Patience, on the other hand, will help you keep a smile on your face and your temper under control as traffic increases and the display of etiquette decreases. Keep in mind during these high-volume periods that many folks may not understand or know the “unwritten rules” about how to fish the birds properly, so a cool head can be a big bonus toward avoiding any type of confrontation. Just remember there isn’t a fish out there worth getting in an altercation over.

If running all over the lake doesn’t do it for you, perhaps keying in on some structure in deeper water and taking a shot at some of the biggest flounder of the year may be more appealing. The fall flounder migration is what many folks have associated Sabine with for many years. The abundance of marshes surrounding Sabine Lake offer prime habitat for juvenile flounder to grow before they begin their annual migration toward the gulf for spawning. Big numbers of these fish will gather up this month in predictable areas along the Ship Channel and in both the Sabine and Neches rivers as they exit the marsh and head for the gulf.

For many years anglers looked forward to this migration to stock up on some excellent table fare, but that’s not the case anymore. Starting November 1 and continuing through December 14, the season for retaining flounder will be closed in order to promote escapement to the gulf. For those of you who continue to circumvent the Texas laws by using Louisiana boat launches, don’t forget that Louisiana will also be closed for retaining flounder from October 15 through November 30. But, just because you can’t keep them doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy catching them, and November is about as good as gets, so don’t pass that up if you get the opportunity.

Still other anglers will opt for another excellent choice and that will be the pursuit of trophy-class speckled trout. Historically, November has been a top month for catching better trout and you better believe there will be some folks out looking for that fish of a lifetime. Most of the folks who choose to pursue these bigger fish will be wading, especially in the afternoons as the water temps climb throughout the day and those fish become more active. Remember during this period these better fish will be looking for one big meal, so do your best to coordinate your time on the water with the best feeding periods in order to maximize your odds.

If you don’t want to wade, don’t stress. There will also be ample opportunity to connect with those bigger fish from the boat. Long drifts in 3- to 5-foot depths that border the Ship Channel and Intracoastal Waterway will also be a solid area to look for those better fish. I know plenty of folks will shudder at the thought of it, but drifting live bait is a great option in these deeper areas. The bonus to drifting live bait will be the opportunity to catch some oversized redfish that will be all over the Sabine area during this time, so you increase your chances of getting your string stretched and your drag tested.

One last option to consider will be the deepwater bite in the Sabine and Neches rivers. Obviously this bite is contingent upon water conditions and runoff from up north due to heavy rain or adjustments to lake levels at Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn. Live shad or mullet fished on a Carolina rig near the breaks along the channels can be exceptionally productive and offers up some protection from days when the open lake gets too windy and rough to fish. Quality trout, redfish, and flounder should all be present as well as big numbers of sand trout. The option of just relaxing while anchored and catching fish is a pattern many will never turn down and I can’t blame them because it’s certainly an enjoyable way to spend a few hours on the water.

Now, on certain days, several of these patterns may all come into play, so you need to be prepared, and that might mean having some extra gear handy. One particular piece of gear I like to add at times is a fly rod because of the chances of getting into schooling fish where you can catch big numbers. I have introduced many clients to the sport of flyfishing this way and it works out incredibly well. Running into multiple flocks of feeding birds is akin to being in a batting cage; if you miss a fish another one should be right behind it, and that’s exactly what a beginner needs the first time they try flyfishing. Making the sport fun and allowing the new angler to be successful is what it’s all about.

I recently found a great way to solve the problem of bringing extra fly gear along and that was courtesy of a company called SeaSucker and their excellent line of products. SeaSucker uses an innovative suction cup design that allows all manner of optional equipment to be attached to everything from boats, trucks, RVs and more. I added one of their rod racks to the side of my bay boat so I can now carry a 9-foot fly rod that’s strung up and ready to use at a moment’s notice. The suction cup design can be pumped up to increase the vacuum and provide ridiculous holding power.

I saw their bike rack that sticks to automotive glass and was blown away at how sturdy it was. You couldn’t make it break loose from the window if you tried. The suction cup design allows anglers to attach their gear virtually anywhere, making a customized fishing environment suited to each person’s specific needs. If you have never seen their products, you’ll be amazed once you look them up; easily some of the coolest stuff I’ve seen in quite a while.