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Fish Talk: February 2008
Trophy time for Don Hammons, Larry Gerdes and Ralph Aulds in East Matagorda Bay - Corky lures.
As the New Year rolled in, fishing was somewhat hit and miss. Since my last fishing day was December 15, 2007, I have been relying upon reports from clients and fellow guides. The consensus seems to indicate that for those who picked their days carefully, dodging cold fronts and high wind, the catches have been fair to decent. My hands-on report will be limited at this point due to shoulder surgery December 17, 2007, but I am recovering nicely and should see fishing action come February. My boat and I will both be ready with a new engine and a new arm.
Back to those comments on the weather; where else but Texas and maybe a few other select places along the Gulf coast does the temperature vary from 29 one day to 80 weather just a couple days later? It can sometimes be difficult to decide whether you should leave the house in a tee-shirt and shorts or a wool sweater and goose down parka. Naturally, this weather affects the fish the same way it affects us, so planning and picking your days carefully is very important.
February fishing patterns here in the Matagorda region run virtually the same as what we typically see during January. The only difference might be slightly colder water temperatures, which should instantly remind us that fish are cold-blooded creatures and their body temperature will mirror the water temperature. With this in mind, one factor that I always stress this time of year is for fishermen to slow their presentations basically to a crawl. Learning to move the lure slowly and keep it in front of cold fish that are hanging deep over mud or mud-oyster bottom can make all the difference between a successful or frustrating day on the water. Another thing to remember is that your smaller fish might feed daily, but chances are your bigger guys will feed maybe once or twice a week. A lot of this depends upon the water temperature, how it affects their metabolism, and of course the size of baitfish or other forage they are able to catch and eat when they do decide to feed.
When you have picked your day and you're out there looking for fish, try mud or mud and scattered shell bottoms. The presence of baitfish is another important factor. As you view my pics you will see some of the baits I like to use this time of year including Saltwater Assassins, Mirrolures, and Corkies.
The Colorado River can certainly become a February hot spot for Matagorda anglers. The Diversion Channel is another spot that can really turn on, especially after a really hard and cold norther. You can find and catch reds and trout alike in both these bodies of water when the conditions are right. By conditions being right, what I'm saying is the river cannot be swollen with run-off and flood water. At this time the Colorado is running clean with that beautiful green winter tint and barring any major rainfall in the watershed we should see some very good fishing in the river this winter and maybe even into spring.
Locations such as the entrance to Crab Lake and Mad Island Cut over in West Matagorda Bay off the Intracoastal Canal can be good producers of late winter redfish. Back over in East Matagorda Bay, check out Gulf Cut, Boggy Cut, and all the cuts off the Intracoastal Canal in front of Chinquapin to see what's happening. These areas provide all the structure the fish love to hang on in late winter - shallow water, shell and mud, deep water for retreating when the water temperature drops.
Anglers can also cash in on opportunity by drifting deeper reefs out in the middle of East Bay. If you should happen across sitting seagulls, slicks, mullet, and streaky off-green water you might be in for some great wintertime action. Check your GPS to see if any of these signs may be occurring over reefs or other structure and then try setting your drift to keep you over it as long as possible. Avoid cranking your big motor while still over the fish or near the structure. Drift well away or use a trolling motor instead whenever getting ready to leave or come back around for another pass at them.
Here's one last tidbit for you that can make you a better fisherman and is also something that I like to pass along to all my clients. I find that it has always paid off for me to keep track of my retrieve speed and the way I work my lure. I always try to memorize and then repeat whatever I was doing to draw that first strike of the day. Trout especially can be finicky feeders in winter and what they hit today may be the last thing they'll hit tomorrow. During a day of fishing we almost surely will encounter slow periods when bites become hard to find. It is these times when I go back to what enticed that first fish of the day to take a strike at my lure and you would be surprised to learn how many times it is that same retrieve that break the dry spell. Let me say that sometimes the difference bites and no bites can be a simple as how many times we twitch the rod tip or how many cranks we take on the reel handle before we twitch it again. Memorizing your retrieve will make you a better fisherman if you can find the patience and discipline to do a good job of it. See you on the water soon and God Bless.
Back to those comments on the weather; where else but Texas and maybe a few other select places along the Gulf coast does the temperature vary from 29 one day to 80 weather just a couple days later? It can sometimes be difficult to decide whether you should leave the house in a tee-shirt and shorts or a wool sweater and goose down parka. Naturally, this weather affects the fish the same way it affects us, so planning and picking your days carefully is very important.
February fishing patterns here in the Matagorda region run virtually the same as what we typically see during January. The only difference might be slightly colder water temperatures, which should instantly remind us that fish are cold-blooded creatures and their body temperature will mirror the water temperature. With this in mind, one factor that I always stress this time of year is for fishermen to slow their presentations basically to a crawl. Learning to move the lure slowly and keep it in front of cold fish that are hanging deep over mud or mud-oyster bottom can make all the difference between a successful or frustrating day on the water. Another thing to remember is that your smaller fish might feed daily, but chances are your bigger guys will feed maybe once or twice a week. A lot of this depends upon the water temperature, how it affects their metabolism, and of course the size of baitfish or other forage they are able to catch and eat when they do decide to feed.
When you have picked your day and you're out there looking for fish, try mud or mud and scattered shell bottoms. The presence of baitfish is another important factor. As you view my pics you will see some of the baits I like to use this time of year including Saltwater Assassins, Mirrolures, and Corkies.
The Colorado River can certainly become a February hot spot for Matagorda anglers. The Diversion Channel is another spot that can really turn on, especially after a really hard and cold norther. You can find and catch reds and trout alike in both these bodies of water when the conditions are right. By conditions being right, what I'm saying is the river cannot be swollen with run-off and flood water. At this time the Colorado is running clean with that beautiful green winter tint and barring any major rainfall in the watershed we should see some very good fishing in the river this winter and maybe even into spring.
Locations such as the entrance to Crab Lake and Mad Island Cut over in West Matagorda Bay off the Intracoastal Canal can be good producers of late winter redfish. Back over in East Matagorda Bay, check out Gulf Cut, Boggy Cut, and all the cuts off the Intracoastal Canal in front of Chinquapin to see what's happening. These areas provide all the structure the fish love to hang on in late winter - shallow water, shell and mud, deep water for retreating when the water temperature drops.
Anglers can also cash in on opportunity by drifting deeper reefs out in the middle of East Bay. If you should happen across sitting seagulls, slicks, mullet, and streaky off-green water you might be in for some great wintertime action. Check your GPS to see if any of these signs may be occurring over reefs or other structure and then try setting your drift to keep you over it as long as possible. Avoid cranking your big motor while still over the fish or near the structure. Drift well away or use a trolling motor instead whenever getting ready to leave or come back around for another pass at them.
Here's one last tidbit for you that can make you a better fisherman and is also something that I like to pass along to all my clients. I find that it has always paid off for me to keep track of my retrieve speed and the way I work my lure. I always try to memorize and then repeat whatever I was doing to draw that first strike of the day. Trout especially can be finicky feeders in winter and what they hit today may be the last thing they'll hit tomorrow. During a day of fishing we almost surely will encounter slow periods when bites become hard to find. It is these times when I go back to what enticed that first fish of the day to take a strike at my lure and you would be surprised to learn how many times it is that same retrieve that break the dry spell. Let me say that sometimes the difference bites and no bites can be a simple as how many times we twitch the rod tip or how many cranks we take on the reel handle before we twitch it again. Memorizing your retrieve will make you a better fisherman if you can find the patience and discipline to do a good job of it. See you on the water soon and God Bless.