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September’s Outlook
Jason Jessup displays his personal best lineslider 32 1/2 inches.
The effects of Hurricane Dolly were felt throughout the Rio Grande Valley and Lower Laguna Madre. As a category two hurricane, it carried winds in excess of one hundred miles an hour when it made landfall on South Padre Island causing some extensive wind damage to the popular fishing and vacationing destination. With rainfall of eight to fifteen inches, flooding was a major problem in many low-lying areas.
In the short term, the surplus freshwater in our bay system will probably not be received with a warm welcome. In the long term it will be beneficial in moderating the high salinity we were experiencing due to the lack of rain in the area this year. Not only did it help moderate the salinity, but also helped flush out our bay system which will benefit all the marine species that inhabit the hyper-saline lagoon.
Pre-hurricane Dolly, the fishing was good to very good. We had to sometimes work for them, but we were catching good numbers of big fish. Redfish were up shallow where they were supposed to be, mixed in with large schools of mullet. Decent-sized trout could also be found up shallow during early morning hours.
In looking through the logs of years past and knowing that fish patterned themselves over time in particular areas under certain conditions, we stuck to the game plan. Some days weren't as successful as in years past due to heavy boat traffic. Despite the cost of today's gas prices, we did not and have not experienced a noticeable drop in boat traffic as reported in some other areas of the coast. Over the course of summer, the amount of boat traffic played a big role in changing fish feeding patterns, but again sticking to a game plan and waiting for the traffic to lighten up brought us rewards.
One vital contributor to our success was to fish areas that everyone was passing up. As most boats went to local favorite fishing holes that have been known to produce over the years, we began to dissect the entire bay system. My dictionary defines dissection as a process of disassembling and observing something to determine its internal structure. And that's exactly what we did. By jumping off the boat we inspected the bay floor with our feet, as you wade, you can gain valuable information about bottom structure. If you get on fish, you will then know what type of bottom they prefer. In addition, wading gives you firsthand experience of the depths where the fish are holding.
As we waded, we began to dissect areas other fishermen usually pass up. To our surprise, we began to discover the importance of depth changes. Everybody thinks of depth changes in terms of feet, what we discovered was the importance of a few inches, especially around bars and points that create perfect ambush points. At times our dissecting decisions were as simple as choosing off-colored water based on the amount of traffic in the area. Since most of the surrounding water we fished was clear, we figured the pressured fish would find refuge in the deeper off-colored water. More so than not we were right as many personal best fish were caught this summer even in the midst of all the boat traffic.
As of this writing the Lower Laguna Madre is still in recovery from Hurricane Dolly. The harsh conditions that Dolly brought made it tough to produce significant catches even weeks after the storm. With all that freshwater in the bay system, the water turned an iced tea color in deeper areas near the ICW, the Arroyo Colorado, and also further north. The good news is that with the aid of the predominant southeast winds that blow this time of the year the month of September should bring things back to normal.
Something to keep in mind is that September is still a very wet month down here, but as soon as the water clarity returns, look for the back bays to flourish with life. Redfish will be rooting for eels and crabs, trout will be found in deeper sand pockets, and the flounder should continue to be caught in good numbers along the ICW. The top baits down here continue to be the Super Spook Jr in color bone, and a plumtreuse Sea Devil from Brown Lures is a sure bet when they are not hitting on top.
I would like to put in a good word for two AFTCO products that I have been using on a regular basis. One of those products is the most comfortable fishing shorts I have ever worn. They come with plenty of leg room at the thighs which allow a great fit. They dry quickly, are stain resistant and most important lightweight. The other product is the AFTCO captain's bag which has allowed me to organize the necessities for the next day of fishing. I'm able to keep my sunglasses, licenses, camera, and keys organized among other things. This enables me to grab the bag and quickly walk out the door in the morning without scrambling or forgetting something. The bag comes with many waterproof compartments that hold and protect your valuables while on the water. Visit their web site at www.aftco.com or go by Fishing Tackle Unlimited and take a look at these wonderful products. They will make your fishing more comfortable and well organized. Best fishing to you in September.
In the short term, the surplus freshwater in our bay system will probably not be received with a warm welcome. In the long term it will be beneficial in moderating the high salinity we were experiencing due to the lack of rain in the area this year. Not only did it help moderate the salinity, but also helped flush out our bay system which will benefit all the marine species that inhabit the hyper-saline lagoon.
Pre-hurricane Dolly, the fishing was good to very good. We had to sometimes work for them, but we were catching good numbers of big fish. Redfish were up shallow where they were supposed to be, mixed in with large schools of mullet. Decent-sized trout could also be found up shallow during early morning hours.
In looking through the logs of years past and knowing that fish patterned themselves over time in particular areas under certain conditions, we stuck to the game plan. Some days weren't as successful as in years past due to heavy boat traffic. Despite the cost of today's gas prices, we did not and have not experienced a noticeable drop in boat traffic as reported in some other areas of the coast. Over the course of summer, the amount of boat traffic played a big role in changing fish feeding patterns, but again sticking to a game plan and waiting for the traffic to lighten up brought us rewards.
One vital contributor to our success was to fish areas that everyone was passing up. As most boats went to local favorite fishing holes that have been known to produce over the years, we began to dissect the entire bay system. My dictionary defines dissection as a process of disassembling and observing something to determine its internal structure. And that's exactly what we did. By jumping off the boat we inspected the bay floor with our feet, as you wade, you can gain valuable information about bottom structure. If you get on fish, you will then know what type of bottom they prefer. In addition, wading gives you firsthand experience of the depths where the fish are holding.
As we waded, we began to dissect areas other fishermen usually pass up. To our surprise, we began to discover the importance of depth changes. Everybody thinks of depth changes in terms of feet, what we discovered was the importance of a few inches, especially around bars and points that create perfect ambush points. At times our dissecting decisions were as simple as choosing off-colored water based on the amount of traffic in the area. Since most of the surrounding water we fished was clear, we figured the pressured fish would find refuge in the deeper off-colored water. More so than not we were right as many personal best fish were caught this summer even in the midst of all the boat traffic.
As of this writing the Lower Laguna Madre is still in recovery from Hurricane Dolly. The harsh conditions that Dolly brought made it tough to produce significant catches even weeks after the storm. With all that freshwater in the bay system, the water turned an iced tea color in deeper areas near the ICW, the Arroyo Colorado, and also further north. The good news is that with the aid of the predominant southeast winds that blow this time of the year the month of September should bring things back to normal.
Something to keep in mind is that September is still a very wet month down here, but as soon as the water clarity returns, look for the back bays to flourish with life. Redfish will be rooting for eels and crabs, trout will be found in deeper sand pockets, and the flounder should continue to be caught in good numbers along the ICW. The top baits down here continue to be the Super Spook Jr in color bone, and a plumtreuse Sea Devil from Brown Lures is a sure bet when they are not hitting on top.
I would like to put in a good word for two AFTCO products that I have been using on a regular basis. One of those products is the most comfortable fishing shorts I have ever worn. They come with plenty of leg room at the thighs which allow a great fit. They dry quickly, are stain resistant and most important lightweight. The other product is the AFTCO captain's bag which has allowed me to organize the necessities for the next day of fishing. I'm able to keep my sunglasses, licenses, camera, and keys organized among other things. This enables me to grab the bag and quickly walk out the door in the morning without scrambling or forgetting something. The bag comes with many waterproof compartments that hold and protect your valuables while on the water. Visit their web site at www.aftco.com or go by Fishing Tackle Unlimited and take a look at these wonderful products. They will make your fishing more comfortable and well organized. Best fishing to you in September.