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Sabine Scene: May 2013
This nice trout fell for a tail under a cork. C&R!
If Sabine Lake attracts more CCA S.T.A.R. tournament entrants than usual this summer it will come as no surprise to locals. It wasn't as though we weren't already aware of what we had but two ten pound trout on the same Saturday generated a tad more interest!
The longer of the two trout weighed two tenths of an ounce less and was caught while drifting. That trout ate a Catch 2000 in eight feet of water and was not released as a gill was damaged and it was bleeding badly. The lucky angler had also caught two trout over nine pounds in the same area in the past five weeks.
The heavier trout, a 10.65 pounder, was well documented and rightfully so as once it is certified it will rank among the ten best trout caught in Louisiana waters. That fish was caught while wading and it ate a pink Super Spook in much shallower water.
I reported last month that we were enjoying a great year on trout over seven pounds and it has obviously only gotten better. The biggest surprise lies in the fact that the majority of these fish have been caught while drifting rather than wading.
Obviously the fish have to be in the area, but I am convinced that the Talon and the Power Pole have significantly impacted the numbers of big fish caught thus far. Drift fishermen are now stopping their drifts quickly enough to more efficiently and quietly pick a small area apart and are catching multiple fish rather than one and done. I am using a Stake-Out Stik in tandem with a Talon and it is becoming evident that I have drifted over more big trout than I have caught over the years!
The topwater bite in early spring ruled the scene in spite of colder water temperatures. Some days they preferred the noisier She Dog and some days they opted for the more subtle thump of the Top Dog Jr., even the floating Fat Boy worked better than the slow sinker.
I am not benching my topwaters any time soon but we have done better recently locating the fish transitioning from a steady diet of mullet to shrimp throwing H&H Usual Suspects and the Assassin Die Dapper. The little H&H swimbait is deadly on trout, redfish and flounder while the Die Dapper has been the ticket for big trout looking for just one more mullet.
The Die Dapper is only half of the equation. I began rigging the big paddle tail on a TTF Shiney Hiney head for clients that just could not fish a Corky and now fish it that way almost exclusively. The dumbbell style eyes on the head give the bait more balance which keeps it from rolling over on a slow retrieve and the thin ribs on the lead body extend the life of the tail.
The fluorescent eyes make the rig even more appealing, but we had already cashed in on that feature when fishing it under a cork with smaller tails. When fishing it with the Die Dapper I trim off most of the tinsel to take advantage of the plastic gripping ridges on the lead body. A little clear finger nail polish will also keep the fluorescent eyes glowing.
I fish the cork and two-foot leader setup year round, but it is exceptionally productive right now. We are fishing everything from tails to Gulp! under the cork and rigging them on the same Shiney Hiney head. I don't cut the tinsel off for this application. When a slow fall is not as important as distance we are rigging everything on 1/8 or 1/4 ounce Assassin JA05 jigs.
While the trout bite can't get much better, the redfish have already started schooling in the open lake and that action will just continue to improve all summer long. They love to do their thing in the middle of the lake where fewer boaters disturb massive schools of baitfish and shrimp. There isn't a wrong lure to throw and a single gull often marks the spot just prior to all hell breaking loose.
The flounder bite is also improving daily and, not unlike last year, the average size of these great eating fish has been excellent. It's hard to beat a live finger mullet or mud minnow, but the larger numbers are falling victim to a chartreuse or white Gulp! 4-inch curly tail grub rigged on a jig. The drains off the east shoreline and the bayous are currently as productive as the major passes on either end of the lake.
Take the kids with you!
The longer of the two trout weighed two tenths of an ounce less and was caught while drifting. That trout ate a Catch 2000 in eight feet of water and was not released as a gill was damaged and it was bleeding badly. The lucky angler had also caught two trout over nine pounds in the same area in the past five weeks.
The heavier trout, a 10.65 pounder, was well documented and rightfully so as once it is certified it will rank among the ten best trout caught in Louisiana waters. That fish was caught while wading and it ate a pink Super Spook in much shallower water.
I reported last month that we were enjoying a great year on trout over seven pounds and it has obviously only gotten better. The biggest surprise lies in the fact that the majority of these fish have been caught while drifting rather than wading.
Obviously the fish have to be in the area, but I am convinced that the Talon and the Power Pole have significantly impacted the numbers of big fish caught thus far. Drift fishermen are now stopping their drifts quickly enough to more efficiently and quietly pick a small area apart and are catching multiple fish rather than one and done. I am using a Stake-Out Stik in tandem with a Talon and it is becoming evident that I have drifted over more big trout than I have caught over the years!
The topwater bite in early spring ruled the scene in spite of colder water temperatures. Some days they preferred the noisier She Dog and some days they opted for the more subtle thump of the Top Dog Jr., even the floating Fat Boy worked better than the slow sinker.
I am not benching my topwaters any time soon but we have done better recently locating the fish transitioning from a steady diet of mullet to shrimp throwing H&H Usual Suspects and the Assassin Die Dapper. The little H&H swimbait is deadly on trout, redfish and flounder while the Die Dapper has been the ticket for big trout looking for just one more mullet.
The Die Dapper is only half of the equation. I began rigging the big paddle tail on a TTF Shiney Hiney head for clients that just could not fish a Corky and now fish it that way almost exclusively. The dumbbell style eyes on the head give the bait more balance which keeps it from rolling over on a slow retrieve and the thin ribs on the lead body extend the life of the tail.
The fluorescent eyes make the rig even more appealing, but we had already cashed in on that feature when fishing it under a cork with smaller tails. When fishing it with the Die Dapper I trim off most of the tinsel to take advantage of the plastic gripping ridges on the lead body. A little clear finger nail polish will also keep the fluorescent eyes glowing.
I fish the cork and two-foot leader setup year round, but it is exceptionally productive right now. We are fishing everything from tails to Gulp! under the cork and rigging them on the same Shiney Hiney head. I don't cut the tinsel off for this application. When a slow fall is not as important as distance we are rigging everything on 1/8 or 1/4 ounce Assassin JA05 jigs.
While the trout bite can't get much better, the redfish have already started schooling in the open lake and that action will just continue to improve all summer long. They love to do their thing in the middle of the lake where fewer boaters disturb massive schools of baitfish and shrimp. There isn't a wrong lure to throw and a single gull often marks the spot just prior to all hell breaking loose.
The flounder bite is also improving daily and, not unlike last year, the average size of these great eating fish has been excellent. It's hard to beat a live finger mullet or mud minnow, but the larger numbers are falling victim to a chartreuse or white Gulp! 4-inch curly tail grub rigged on a jig. The drains off the east shoreline and the bayous are currently as productive as the major passes on either end of the lake.
Take the kids with you!