Reasons

It was a muggy morning last November when my three clients and I rolled out of the marina. The third real cool front of the fall was forecasted to hit our area around 11AM. I knew we wouldn’t have much of a window, but I also knew that this pretty good school of trout I’d been on would be snapping if Mother Nature would allow us to be there when they went off.

As I trolled towards the mouth of this deep bayou which opened into the bay the air was filled with the smell of trout. There was no wind so I couldn’t tell where the slicks were coming from but I had a pretty good idea based on the layout and where I’ve historically caught fish there under the same conditions. I quietly trolled the boat into position where we could cast along the ledges that had been carved out by the ebb and flow of the bayou over the years. The bottom landscape consisted of soft silty mud with scattered clusters of live oysters. We immediately started getting bites but very few hook-ups and the ones we did catch were small specks. I told my crew that there was no way those larger trout weren’t there. It had to be a timing thing. The tide was due to start going out around 9:30AM so I was hoping that would trigger a feed for the larger fish. The tail end of the major solunar feeding period was also around that time.

I always joke around with my clients about how many excuses I have for when the bite is off. James Plaag told me one time that we should make a list of excuses then shrink it down, laminate it and keep it in our wallets then just whip it out when the fishing gets tough. Well, it was almost 9 o’clock and if I actually did have a “guide’s list of excuses” I would have burned through about the first 15 excuses at this point. I looked at my weather radar and the front which was originally predicted to hit around eleven appeared to be ahead of schedule as the line of storms was now approaching North Houston. Our window was rapidly closing.

My patience was wearing thin when I noticed a small eddy beginning to form along the eastern edge of the bayou drain. The tide was finally starting to go out. Two small slicks popped up about 50 yards out in front of the bayou mouth. I trolled us into position and we caught 17 to 20 inch trout as fast as we could throw with a few 22 to 23 inch fish in the mix. We were anchored where all of the guys could cast their Lil Johns and Bass Assassins up current while letting them carry down the edge of the drop-off. Forty something trout later we were back at the dock by 10:45 and I got my boat on the trailer right as the sky opened up with sideways rain and gusty north winds. There’s always luck involved in having a successful outing but we can increase our “luck” by noting our reasons for success in an attempt to replicate the same outcome on the next trip. After a while all of those triggering mechanisms will become mentally programed into our daily game plan eventually becoming second nature.

So let’s go over a list of the reasons this trip ended up being a huge success.

• Predator fish instinctively gravitate toward bayou mouths, rivers and marsh drains during the fall, especially prior to and during the passage of cold fronts. They behave this way for several reasons. Forage species such as shad, shrimp and mullet tend to migrate downstream and concentrate in these areas because salinities are typically lower than the open bay and there are various types of plankton present upon which they feed. Habitat such as live oysters, spartina and seagrass beds will sweeten the pot even more. In addition, water temperatures in and around these areas tend to be a couple of degrees warmer than the open bay. Strong fronts typically bring stiff northerly winds that drop tides, which in turn flushes these forage species out and concentrating them, thus creating easy meals for trout, reds and flounder. Our predator fish are programmed to feed heavily with the passage of each front anyway as they instinctively sense the onset of winter when forage species will not be as readily available. Tons of food being shoved right into their faces sets up the perfect all-you-can-eat buffet situation.
• I talk about it a lot but the most influential factor here in Galveston Bay is not necessarily tidal movement but more specifically the tide change. During this particular trip the tide was peaked out when we arrived that morning. It was somewhat stagnant. When it began to trickle out around 9:15 our fish went crazy. They were there the entire time; they just needed something to spur them to feed. The fact that this occurred during a major feeding period didn’t hurt either.
• I’ve heard many folks talk about how fish like to feed about one day ahead of a cold front. I can’t completely disagree with that but I have noticed a more aggressive feed many times within just a few hours of a front’s arrival and sometimes even during. Such was the case on this particular trip. I believe the main triggering mechanism associated with fronts is the sudden change in barometric pressure. The effects of barometric pressure on fishing has been an ongoing debate for years but I truly believe it has an impact. I actually wrote an entire article about it in this fine magazine back in February of 2016. It’s called “Under Pressure.” Check it out for more insight.

It’s not only helpful to make mental notes (written if necessary) of the reasons our fishing trips were good but it’s just as helpful to know the reasons for them being less productive so we can make the proper adjustments. Here’s a little list of reasons that usually warrants a strategy change or relocating to other areas:

Problem: No tide movement

Possible Solution: If it’s within a reasonable time frame and you sense the presence of fish (slicks, active bait, etc.) then wait for the next tide change. If time is not on your side then target areas near the Intracoastal Waterway and areas near cuts and passes where artificial tides are created by barges, ships, etc. You can also try downsizing to smaller soft plastics rigged on 1/8 ounce Bass Assassin Pro Elite jig heads. The Assassin 4 inch Sea Shad is a perfect choice when the fish are in a negative feeding pattern, not only because of its smaller profile but also the vibration it creates with its paddle tail. The jig head style and this bait’s buoyant nature enables it to stay in the strike zone longer as well.

Problem: Dirty water

Possible Solution: We must first determine if the water clarity is poor because of too much freshwater run-off or if it’s wind or current induced. Many of our fronts this time of year bring torrential rainfall and salinity levels in certain areas can drop below a suitable level for trout. So what is “a suitable level?” I remember reading somewhere through some of my past research that spotted seatrout begin seeking other areas when salinity levels drop below 10 ppt (parts per thousand) and that adult trout have trouble surviving in water with salinities under 4 ppt. I know we’ve caught some trout around here in pretty darn fresh water in years past. No one needs or wants to carry a refractometer or a hydrometer around in their boat so I recommend the eye and taste test along with a little common sense. If it smells musty, tastes fresh and looks like my wife’s coffee (creamer with some coffee in it) then seek out higher salinity areas closer to passes or fish deeper pockets of water that may contain saltwater beneath the freshwater layer. If someone’s refrigerator floats past your boat then definitely move on. If that doesn’t cause you to relocate then sell your boat because you need to find another hobby.

If you’re fishing in an area that’s been holding fish and the salinity level is fine but the wind or current has caused it to become off-color then try chunking a high-pitched topwater such as a MirrOlure She Dog. When going subsurface switch over to dark-colored soft plastics such as a Morning Glory or Red Shad Bass Assassin. Another effective bait is the MirrOlure Lil John because of its impregnated scent.

Problem: No visible bait

Solution: There are typically two reasons we do not see bait; 1. It’s present but staying down in the water column (not active) or 2. It’s simply not there. I’ve had trips where zero mullet were jumping but as I wade I’d see swirls. I’ve done the same thing as I use the trolling motor when drifting. When this is the case I fish down in the water column with soft plastics or MirrOlures while focusing on the most eccentric ledges and drop-offs I can find. When we have tide movement, good structure and we’re still not seeing any signs of bait (not even a swirl) then it’s time to try somewhere else.

We have many tools at our disposal these days. One great one is the Solunar Feed and Tide Prediction chart towards the back of this very magazine. There are detailed fishing maps such as the Hook-N-Line map which not only provides GPS coordinates but also the best time of year for those spots. And I could write an entire article about the state-of-the-art electronics we use these days. Of course weather is always the one uncontrollable variable but between what we have between our ears and all of the tools available there’s no reason we shouldn’t be successful. Especially if we know the reasons.