Writer's Monthly Tips!
Subscribe!
Reports & Forecasts: June 2016
Lake Calcasieu Louisiana
Jeff and Mary Poe - Big Lake Guide Service - 337.598.3268
June is when our trout fishing really kicks into high gear. By this time, we've usually gotten rid of all our freshwater issues, and speckled trout will be found throughout the entire estuary. However, we will concentrate most of our efforts on mid-lake reefs as well as along parts of the the southern end of the Calcasieu Ship Channel. The jetties, beachfront and offshore platforms will produce fish on days when the weather calms enough to allow us to fish them. We will catch most of our trout this month on quarter-ounce jigheads and MirrOlure Lil' Johns. Big trout are still present and biting during June too. Sand flats in the Long Point area will produce on incoming tides early in the morning and again right at dusk. Most of these fish will be caught on topwaters like Super Spooks, SkitterWalks, and MirrOlure She Dogs. Be ready to catch plenty of bull reds in this area, since many of them live around there, but big trout will often be lurking in extremely shallow water right against the shoreline.
Trinity Bay - East Bay - Galveston Bay | James Plaag
Silver King Adventures - silverkingadventures.com - 409.935.7242
"Fishing has been really good lately. It's pretty much of a carbon copy of last year. All the freshwater stacked up the fish in the deeper, middle portions of the bay. We are keying on slicks mostly. Some of the areas are holding bigger fish, up to five pounds or so, on topwaters. But mostly, it's just regular-sized trout. Soft plastics have worked best, in bright colors like pink and chartreuse, bright colors which stand out in the murky water. We've seen reports of some really big trout coming off the jetties too, up to ten pounds. Calm winds are necessary for catching out there. Birds are working regularly in some of the saltier areas in lower parts of the bays, and the trout are running up to about three pounds under the flocks. When tides are high, we are wading and catching some pretty decent trout, up to over seven pounds. MirrOdines and topwaters are crushin' 'em when we're wading. Best wading has been in shallow areas adjacent to deep water. That should become even more of a reliable pattern when we get to June."
Jimmy West - Bolivar Guide Service - 409.996.3054
"We have gotten into that pattern where the fish are stacked up out in the middle around the reefs. So, you can catch all the fish you want out there when winds allow the water to clear up. Birds are working, and most of the fish are kinda small under the flocks, though some groups of birds have bigger trout. Working slicks generally has been producing bigger trout when we're fishing out of the boat. North end of the bay is fresh right now, so the water is better in the middle and south side, and that's where the fish are. We're catching some good fish while wading too, quite a few bigger trout. When it's windy, wading protected pockets is usually a much better option. When wading, we tend to have a bit better luck on the topwaters and twitch baits, but catching fish around here lately is much more about location than lure choice. We've got lots of fish in small areas, and if you locate them, catching them is generally fairly easy. With all the recent rains and water coming down the rivers, this will likely remain true all summer."
West Galveston - Bastrop - Christmas - Chocolate Bays
Randall Groves - Groves Guide Service
979.849.7019 - 979.864.9323
In his usual, enthusiastic way, Randall spoke glowingly about the prospects for fishing in his area when he gave this report. "The buffet has officially arrived. We have had a tremendous influx of all manner of species which are food sources for our trout and redfish, everything from shrimp, shad, mullet, ribbon fish and even squid. Catching trout and redfish has been good on a daily basis. We are changing our lures regularly, to cope with changes in water clarity and what we are trying to imitate. In the clear water, a good color has been tequila rock, which has dark brown parts which look like shrimp and a glow belly, which seems to mimic the shad. When water clarity is off, we tend to switch over to a trick or treat or salty chicken Norton Sand Eel Junior. The tequila rock Norton Sand Shad has been good in the murky water too. We're rigging them on three-eighths ounce Norton shad-style jigheads. By the time this report comes out, we should see the fishing in the surf kick off really good. I'm watching it as I speak!"
Matagorda | Charlie Paradoski
Bay Guide Service | 713.725.2401
Charlie says both bays in the Matagorda area have been jammed with fish, and June should make a few options even better. "We like to fish the surf as much as we can when winds allow in June. Need a calm stretch of weather to kick that off, and we usually get some this month. Out there, we normally start off really shallow, tight to the beach, throwing topwaters early and work our way out deeper if and when the bite slows down in the first gut. Then, we switch over to soft plastics and sinking plugs in the deeper water. Wading the mid-bay reefs in East Bay is also good when conditions allow the water to remain in good shape. So, either of those patterns will produce well when the weather's good. When it's windier, fishing the protected parts of West Bay usually works better. We'll target our fish around guts and grass beds in the coves and along shallow parts of the shorelines, where we finds lots of bait. Redfish are thick over there at times, but we'll expect to catch plenty of trout too. June is just a great month for consistent catching."
Palacios | Capt. Aaron Wollam
www.palaciosguideservice.com - 979.240.8204
We have been blessed with some rains that have sweetened our bays and concentrated our fish in certain areas. The trout bite in our area is as good as it has been in recent memory. Drifting over shell in two to four feet of water, throwing VuDu shrimp under popping corks has been the best ticket to fast catching. The fish have been mostly solid eighteen to twenty inch fish with a few up to twenty three inches. The flounder have also made their way back to the bay, and we have been having some good nights gigging fish up to eighteen inches when the winds allow. Our redfish have been a little hard to pattern with all the recent rains. We have been coming across a few throwing topwaters on area shorelines, while trying to find a consistent bite. I look for June to be lights-out fishing. The amount of bait in the bays and the warmer temperatures we are seeing should bode well for a good month. The surf will be one of our most productive spots, along with the deep reefs and wells out in West Matagorda.
Port O'Connor | Lynn Smith
Back Bay Guide Service - 361.983.4434
Lynn was waiting for strong winds to subside when he gave this report. "It's really windy today, so we can't go, but winds won't likely last. In June, we tend to target our fish in the surf any time we can. We also like to fish around the pass and jetties when winds are lighter. We will target our fish around grassbeds and shallow, sandy areas using topwaters and soft plastics. Incoming tides in the morning generally produce best when we're fishing areas like that. All the freshwater flowing down the rivers has forced some really good trout toward POC, and we're catching some on a consistent basis. When winds get up a bit, we'll be fishing areas in the bays along protected shorelines with grass beds and potholes. We will try to stay around big rafts of mullet and other bait fish, throwing topwaters and twitch baits as long as they are working, soft plastics when the bite slows down. We might also start targeting fish along spoil banks lying next to the ship channel this month, especially toward the end of the month, if the weather's really hot."
Rockport | Blake Muirhead
Gator Trout Guide Service - 361.790.5203 or 361.441.3894
Blake says the fishing in the surf has already been productive for him, and he expects it to continue and get even better. "We'll be heading out to the beachfront as much as we can. It's already been good at times. Topwater bite is usually really good out there. When I'm fishing in the bays, I'll be working areas from Aransas Bay northward. San Antonio and Mesquite Bays have been really good lately. When targeting trout, I tend to focus on waist-deep water, and when I'm going after the reds, I usually move shallower, onto the tops of the reefs, and close to the shorelines. I'll be throwing the limetreuse Gulp! split-tail shad a bunch. It's been working really well. Of course, I also throw topwaters on most days, and my old standby lures, the dark Norton Sand Eels with chartreuse tails. I haven't really started using bait much yet, but by June I will be using live croakers more, wading and free-lining them in the same types of areas where I'm fishing with lures now."
Upper Laguna Madre - Baffin Bay - Land Cut
Robert Zapata [email protected] - 361.563.1160
The month of June is one of my favorite months for fishing because of its consistency. The weather is normally good, and this contributes to it being a good month for fishing. The better conditions also add to my fishing confidence, which leads to better catches for my fishing clients. With the warmer weather and water temperatures, the fish will be in shallow water, two feet or less, early in the morning. I will start looking for fish along shorelines with pot holes that have sand or mixed gravel on the bottom. If the wind is not blowing too hard and there is not too much suspended grass in the water, I'll fish with a MirrOlure Catch 5 in colors like CHBL or BNSBO. As the day progresses, the fish will probably move into deeper water and I'll switch to Bass Assassin Die Dappers in colors like Sand Trout or Trickster rigged on sixteenth-ounce Spring Lock jigheads. When fishing with live bait, I'll use free-lined croakers on a #5 Mustad Croaker hook along grass lines, drop offs and potholes.
Corpus Christi | Joe Mendez www.sightcast1.com - 361.937.5961
Tides still stand at extremely high levels in the Upper Laguna Madre and in Baffin Bay at the time of this report, and water clarity is excellent over most of the area, Joe says. "We look forward to continued opportunities for sight-casting as long as we have such clear water lying over shallow spots with bright, sandy bottom. In order to take advantage of this opportunity, look for areas which are too shallow to hold fish on normal tide levels, like the spines of spoil banks, and sand bars immediately adjacent to the shorelines. Sight-casting works best from the boat when light winds create enough waves to allow for seeing into the water well, but don't create lots of hull slap. We target our fish with soft plastics for the most part, when we are trying to catch fish we've seen first. Most of the time, simply throwing the lures past the heads of the fish and reeling them steadily in, close in front of the predators, will get the bites. Of course, on days when sight-casting becomes difficult, we target our fish in slightly deeper areas."
P.I.N.S. Fishing Forecast | Eric Ozolins
We are entering the summer surf season. Warm-water species are beginning to show and the highly-anticipated surf trout bite is here! Throwing topwaters early morning and evening should produce. Mid-day, target deeper pinches and suck-outs with suspending lures and soft plastics. We get some of the largest surf trout of the year in early summer. The only drawbacks are pesky ladyfish and jack crevalle that can dump light reels. Sharks of all species should be present. Red drum will still be present and available on artificials and mullet. Whiting and pompano, though not as prevalent or large as in winter, will still be available on shrimp. Spoons tossed amidst birds and bait could result in various species–Spanish mackerel to tarpon. King mackerel are possible depending on water conditions. Stingrays are plentiful. In the unfortunate event you get hit, immediately heat water as hot as you can tolerate and pour continuously over the wound. This will alleviate pain long enough to make the journey to the hospital.
Port Mansfield | Ruben Garza
Snookdudecharters.com 832.385.1431
Getaway Adventures Lodge 956.944.4000
Topwater action has been on fire the past several weeks! Heddon One Knockers (bone) have been producing solid trout–all day sometimes. You'll get lots of small ones, too, but the action is steady. Tides have been running 1.5 to 2-feet above normal bringing lots of backwater areas into play. Marsh drains and sloughs are the place to be for concentrated feeding activity when the tide is receding. Trout, reds and flounder will stack up waiting for bait to come through–try smaller topwaters but rely on soft plastics on lighter heads. Shrimp have been migrating through the ICW and flocks of birds will point the way. There will be ladyfish and small trout but, good trout as well. Schools of slot reds have been holding north and south of East Cut. Also at East Cut, the jetties have been producing plenty of Spanish mackerel, kingfish, and smaller tarpon. Large schools of mullet and menhaden have moved in and the pelicans and gulls will be great indicators of gamefish feeding activity. Take breaks and stay hydrated. Cover up and wear lots of sunscreen.
Lower Laguna Madre - South Padre - Port Isabel
Janie and Fred Petty www.fishingwithpettys.com 956.943.2747
The trout fishing continues excellent. We're limiting on trout every trip, but the big news, is the consistent number of large trout, many of which are being released. Freddy says, "Catching the larger fish of any species is what separates the average fisherman from the pros, which is based on many things. The easiest way to fish like the pros is to use what the pros use. We have added the FP3 to our Cajun Thunder corks with phenomenal success! The attraction is evident in the number of strikes and overall size!" We're also catching reds on the cork with the FP3 and Berkley Gulp Live! three inch shrimp, whether we're drifting deeper potholes or shallower flats in our Shallow Sports. The biggest problems in locating redfish are increased tournament traffic and the lack of habitat in the LLM that continues to plague the schooling redfish. We used to get a perch hit almost every pop, but since the flooding, bait and turtle grass have become scarcer and so have the herds. We must stop open bay dredge disposal to allow the grass to grow back!
Jeff and Mary Poe - Big Lake Guide Service - 337.598.3268
June is when our trout fishing really kicks into high gear. By this time, we've usually gotten rid of all our freshwater issues, and speckled trout will be found throughout the entire estuary. However, we will concentrate most of our efforts on mid-lake reefs as well as along parts of the the southern end of the Calcasieu Ship Channel. The jetties, beachfront and offshore platforms will produce fish on days when the weather calms enough to allow us to fish them. We will catch most of our trout this month on quarter-ounce jigheads and MirrOlure Lil' Johns. Big trout are still present and biting during June too. Sand flats in the Long Point area will produce on incoming tides early in the morning and again right at dusk. Most of these fish will be caught on topwaters like Super Spooks, SkitterWalks, and MirrOlure She Dogs. Be ready to catch plenty of bull reds in this area, since many of them live around there, but big trout will often be lurking in extremely shallow water right against the shoreline.
Trinity Bay - East Bay - Galveston Bay | James Plaag
Silver King Adventures - silverkingadventures.com - 409.935.7242
"Fishing has been really good lately. It's pretty much of a carbon copy of last year. All the freshwater stacked up the fish in the deeper, middle portions of the bay. We are keying on slicks mostly. Some of the areas are holding bigger fish, up to five pounds or so, on topwaters. But mostly, it's just regular-sized trout. Soft plastics have worked best, in bright colors like pink and chartreuse, bright colors which stand out in the murky water. We've seen reports of some really big trout coming off the jetties too, up to ten pounds. Calm winds are necessary for catching out there. Birds are working regularly in some of the saltier areas in lower parts of the bays, and the trout are running up to about three pounds under the flocks. When tides are high, we are wading and catching some pretty decent trout, up to over seven pounds. MirrOdines and topwaters are crushin' 'em when we're wading. Best wading has been in shallow areas adjacent to deep water. That should become even more of a reliable pattern when we get to June."
Jimmy West - Bolivar Guide Service - 409.996.3054
"We have gotten into that pattern where the fish are stacked up out in the middle around the reefs. So, you can catch all the fish you want out there when winds allow the water to clear up. Birds are working, and most of the fish are kinda small under the flocks, though some groups of birds have bigger trout. Working slicks generally has been producing bigger trout when we're fishing out of the boat. North end of the bay is fresh right now, so the water is better in the middle and south side, and that's where the fish are. We're catching some good fish while wading too, quite a few bigger trout. When it's windy, wading protected pockets is usually a much better option. When wading, we tend to have a bit better luck on the topwaters and twitch baits, but catching fish around here lately is much more about location than lure choice. We've got lots of fish in small areas, and if you locate them, catching them is generally fairly easy. With all the recent rains and water coming down the rivers, this will likely remain true all summer."
West Galveston - Bastrop - Christmas - Chocolate Bays
Randall Groves - Groves Guide Service
979.849.7019 - 979.864.9323
In his usual, enthusiastic way, Randall spoke glowingly about the prospects for fishing in his area when he gave this report. "The buffet has officially arrived. We have had a tremendous influx of all manner of species which are food sources for our trout and redfish, everything from shrimp, shad, mullet, ribbon fish and even squid. Catching trout and redfish has been good on a daily basis. We are changing our lures regularly, to cope with changes in water clarity and what we are trying to imitate. In the clear water, a good color has been tequila rock, which has dark brown parts which look like shrimp and a glow belly, which seems to mimic the shad. When water clarity is off, we tend to switch over to a trick or treat or salty chicken Norton Sand Eel Junior. The tequila rock Norton Sand Shad has been good in the murky water too. We're rigging them on three-eighths ounce Norton shad-style jigheads. By the time this report comes out, we should see the fishing in the surf kick off really good. I'm watching it as I speak!"
Matagorda | Charlie Paradoski
Bay Guide Service | 713.725.2401
Charlie says both bays in the Matagorda area have been jammed with fish, and June should make a few options even better. "We like to fish the surf as much as we can when winds allow in June. Need a calm stretch of weather to kick that off, and we usually get some this month. Out there, we normally start off really shallow, tight to the beach, throwing topwaters early and work our way out deeper if and when the bite slows down in the first gut. Then, we switch over to soft plastics and sinking plugs in the deeper water. Wading the mid-bay reefs in East Bay is also good when conditions allow the water to remain in good shape. So, either of those patterns will produce well when the weather's good. When it's windier, fishing the protected parts of West Bay usually works better. We'll target our fish around guts and grass beds in the coves and along shallow parts of the shorelines, where we finds lots of bait. Redfish are thick over there at times, but we'll expect to catch plenty of trout too. June is just a great month for consistent catching."
Palacios | Capt. Aaron Wollam
www.palaciosguideservice.com - 979.240.8204
We have been blessed with some rains that have sweetened our bays and concentrated our fish in certain areas. The trout bite in our area is as good as it has been in recent memory. Drifting over shell in two to four feet of water, throwing VuDu shrimp under popping corks has been the best ticket to fast catching. The fish have been mostly solid eighteen to twenty inch fish with a few up to twenty three inches. The flounder have also made their way back to the bay, and we have been having some good nights gigging fish up to eighteen inches when the winds allow. Our redfish have been a little hard to pattern with all the recent rains. We have been coming across a few throwing topwaters on area shorelines, while trying to find a consistent bite. I look for June to be lights-out fishing. The amount of bait in the bays and the warmer temperatures we are seeing should bode well for a good month. The surf will be one of our most productive spots, along with the deep reefs and wells out in West Matagorda.
Port O'Connor | Lynn Smith
Back Bay Guide Service - 361.983.4434
Lynn was waiting for strong winds to subside when he gave this report. "It's really windy today, so we can't go, but winds won't likely last. In June, we tend to target our fish in the surf any time we can. We also like to fish around the pass and jetties when winds are lighter. We will target our fish around grassbeds and shallow, sandy areas using topwaters and soft plastics. Incoming tides in the morning generally produce best when we're fishing areas like that. All the freshwater flowing down the rivers has forced some really good trout toward POC, and we're catching some on a consistent basis. When winds get up a bit, we'll be fishing areas in the bays along protected shorelines with grass beds and potholes. We will try to stay around big rafts of mullet and other bait fish, throwing topwaters and twitch baits as long as they are working, soft plastics when the bite slows down. We might also start targeting fish along spoil banks lying next to the ship channel this month, especially toward the end of the month, if the weather's really hot."
Rockport | Blake Muirhead
Gator Trout Guide Service - 361.790.5203 or 361.441.3894
Blake says the fishing in the surf has already been productive for him, and he expects it to continue and get even better. "We'll be heading out to the beachfront as much as we can. It's already been good at times. Topwater bite is usually really good out there. When I'm fishing in the bays, I'll be working areas from Aransas Bay northward. San Antonio and Mesquite Bays have been really good lately. When targeting trout, I tend to focus on waist-deep water, and when I'm going after the reds, I usually move shallower, onto the tops of the reefs, and close to the shorelines. I'll be throwing the limetreuse Gulp! split-tail shad a bunch. It's been working really well. Of course, I also throw topwaters on most days, and my old standby lures, the dark Norton Sand Eels with chartreuse tails. I haven't really started using bait much yet, but by June I will be using live croakers more, wading and free-lining them in the same types of areas where I'm fishing with lures now."
Upper Laguna Madre - Baffin Bay - Land Cut
Robert Zapata [email protected] - 361.563.1160
The month of June is one of my favorite months for fishing because of its consistency. The weather is normally good, and this contributes to it being a good month for fishing. The better conditions also add to my fishing confidence, which leads to better catches for my fishing clients. With the warmer weather and water temperatures, the fish will be in shallow water, two feet or less, early in the morning. I will start looking for fish along shorelines with pot holes that have sand or mixed gravel on the bottom. If the wind is not blowing too hard and there is not too much suspended grass in the water, I'll fish with a MirrOlure Catch 5 in colors like CHBL or BNSBO. As the day progresses, the fish will probably move into deeper water and I'll switch to Bass Assassin Die Dappers in colors like Sand Trout or Trickster rigged on sixteenth-ounce Spring Lock jigheads. When fishing with live bait, I'll use free-lined croakers on a #5 Mustad Croaker hook along grass lines, drop offs and potholes.
Corpus Christi | Joe Mendez www.sightcast1.com - 361.937.5961
Tides still stand at extremely high levels in the Upper Laguna Madre and in Baffin Bay at the time of this report, and water clarity is excellent over most of the area, Joe says. "We look forward to continued opportunities for sight-casting as long as we have such clear water lying over shallow spots with bright, sandy bottom. In order to take advantage of this opportunity, look for areas which are too shallow to hold fish on normal tide levels, like the spines of spoil banks, and sand bars immediately adjacent to the shorelines. Sight-casting works best from the boat when light winds create enough waves to allow for seeing into the water well, but don't create lots of hull slap. We target our fish with soft plastics for the most part, when we are trying to catch fish we've seen first. Most of the time, simply throwing the lures past the heads of the fish and reeling them steadily in, close in front of the predators, will get the bites. Of course, on days when sight-casting becomes difficult, we target our fish in slightly deeper areas."
P.I.N.S. Fishing Forecast | Eric Ozolins
We are entering the summer surf season. Warm-water species are beginning to show and the highly-anticipated surf trout bite is here! Throwing topwaters early morning and evening should produce. Mid-day, target deeper pinches and suck-outs with suspending lures and soft plastics. We get some of the largest surf trout of the year in early summer. The only drawbacks are pesky ladyfish and jack crevalle that can dump light reels. Sharks of all species should be present. Red drum will still be present and available on artificials and mullet. Whiting and pompano, though not as prevalent or large as in winter, will still be available on shrimp. Spoons tossed amidst birds and bait could result in various species–Spanish mackerel to tarpon. King mackerel are possible depending on water conditions. Stingrays are plentiful. In the unfortunate event you get hit, immediately heat water as hot as you can tolerate and pour continuously over the wound. This will alleviate pain long enough to make the journey to the hospital.
Port Mansfield | Ruben Garza
Snookdudecharters.com 832.385.1431
Getaway Adventures Lodge 956.944.4000
Topwater action has been on fire the past several weeks! Heddon One Knockers (bone) have been producing solid trout–all day sometimes. You'll get lots of small ones, too, but the action is steady. Tides have been running 1.5 to 2-feet above normal bringing lots of backwater areas into play. Marsh drains and sloughs are the place to be for concentrated feeding activity when the tide is receding. Trout, reds and flounder will stack up waiting for bait to come through–try smaller topwaters but rely on soft plastics on lighter heads. Shrimp have been migrating through the ICW and flocks of birds will point the way. There will be ladyfish and small trout but, good trout as well. Schools of slot reds have been holding north and south of East Cut. Also at East Cut, the jetties have been producing plenty of Spanish mackerel, kingfish, and smaller tarpon. Large schools of mullet and menhaden have moved in and the pelicans and gulls will be great indicators of gamefish feeding activity. Take breaks and stay hydrated. Cover up and wear lots of sunscreen.
Lower Laguna Madre - South Padre - Port Isabel
Janie and Fred Petty www.fishingwithpettys.com 956.943.2747
The trout fishing continues excellent. We're limiting on trout every trip, but the big news, is the consistent number of large trout, many of which are being released. Freddy says, "Catching the larger fish of any species is what separates the average fisherman from the pros, which is based on many things. The easiest way to fish like the pros is to use what the pros use. We have added the FP3 to our Cajun Thunder corks with phenomenal success! The attraction is evident in the number of strikes and overall size!" We're also catching reds on the cork with the FP3 and Berkley Gulp Live! three inch shrimp, whether we're drifting deeper potholes or shallower flats in our Shallow Sports. The biggest problems in locating redfish are increased tournament traffic and the lack of habitat in the LLM that continues to plague the schooling redfish. We used to get a perch hit almost every pop, but since the flooding, bait and turtle grass have become scarcer and so have the herds. We must stop open bay dredge disposal to allow the grass to grow back!