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South Padre: June 2010
Cindy was on fire with multiple landings of trout this size.
Good News The Lower Laguna rebounded very well from the brown tide and as of early May our entire bay system has returned to its normal clarity. As I write, the Laguna is yielding great catches for many fishermen. There have been days when harsh wind pinned us to protected shorelines and coves but even then we were able to find good redfish numbers and scattered trout. Lately it seems we are finding an uncommon number of pesky and lightning-quick ladyfish everywhere we go.
May got off to a great start with both quantity and quality of fish. Evening wades have been exceptionally productive and this pattern will continue through the summer months, especially when planned around the full moon. If your desire is to get on a good bite on a less crowded bay, which is hard to find these days, I highly suggest you do a little studying of the solunar charts. Take note of the predicted feeding periods and then compare these with your actual results. An exercise that I have always found informative was to hit the water at daybreak and fish all day, keeping careful notes as to feeding activity. You will be surprised at how closely your catching and the solunar feeding periods align. Do this for a few months and you will begin to understand the science of fishing. We will never learn everything, but we can always learn more than we already know.
In winter, pelicans will tell you where the bait is holding even when it's not visible at the surface. This time of the year, the osprey (best fisherman on the water) gives us the same clues. I have learned to watch the ospreys that inhabit some of the locations I fish regularly. What I've noticed is that when the ospreys are fishing the bait is usually active and the bite is usually good. In turn, when the ospreys are resting we usually find a tough bite. Being observant and learning to use Nature's clues will make you a better fisherman.
The topwater bite has really turned on for us and should continue to produce lots of reds and trout this month. Currently, the best times have been during the low-light of dawn and dusk. Remember that water temperature will be rising quickly during June and during the hottest part of the day the fish will tend to go deeper and hug bottom. This will be the cue to switch to plastics worked right on top of the grass beds. A gold weedless spoon is a good choice when the reds slow down during midday. The weedless spoon can easily be worked in the heaviest of grass, and when a fish is hooked on a spoon, it is usually stays hooked.
The key depth right now seems to be right around knee to thigh deep. Pay close attention to shorelines and look for any clues the bait or birds are willing to give. This month the winds usually tend to die off. When they do, the back lakes will offer excellent opportunities to find tailing reds in depths of a foot or less. Patchy grass and potholes in heavy grass have been the key to finding the better trout. The flounder should start to show up along the edges of the ICW and also along defined guts and channels that stretch into the flats will have their fair share of doormats.
June will be a busy month, both for catching and also in regard to boat traffic. With the increase in the number of anglers trying to get their boats launched and underway, greater caution around the launches and access channels will be necessary. Please remember to be courteous around the docks and especially on the water. Get yourself a note pad and start looking at the tidal and solunar charts and how they all interact. The fun part is that every time you get out on the water, you will be tested. Will you pass the test? If every time you're out on the water you are learning something new, then you are doing well.
In closing I would like to thank Marty at Coastline Trailers for building the best trailer I have ever owned. I trailer my boat everywhere I go and I can say that I have great confidence in my Coastline to get me where I need to go. These trailers are very well built and their customer service is unbeatable. Give Marty a call and let him tell you why your next trailer should be a Coastline.
May got off to a great start with both quantity and quality of fish. Evening wades have been exceptionally productive and this pattern will continue through the summer months, especially when planned around the full moon. If your desire is to get on a good bite on a less crowded bay, which is hard to find these days, I highly suggest you do a little studying of the solunar charts. Take note of the predicted feeding periods and then compare these with your actual results. An exercise that I have always found informative was to hit the water at daybreak and fish all day, keeping careful notes as to feeding activity. You will be surprised at how closely your catching and the solunar feeding periods align. Do this for a few months and you will begin to understand the science of fishing. We will never learn everything, but we can always learn more than we already know.
In winter, pelicans will tell you where the bait is holding even when it's not visible at the surface. This time of the year, the osprey (best fisherman on the water) gives us the same clues. I have learned to watch the ospreys that inhabit some of the locations I fish regularly. What I've noticed is that when the ospreys are fishing the bait is usually active and the bite is usually good. In turn, when the ospreys are resting we usually find a tough bite. Being observant and learning to use Nature's clues will make you a better fisherman.
The topwater bite has really turned on for us and should continue to produce lots of reds and trout this month. Currently, the best times have been during the low-light of dawn and dusk. Remember that water temperature will be rising quickly during June and during the hottest part of the day the fish will tend to go deeper and hug bottom. This will be the cue to switch to plastics worked right on top of the grass beds. A gold weedless spoon is a good choice when the reds slow down during midday. The weedless spoon can easily be worked in the heaviest of grass, and when a fish is hooked on a spoon, it is usually stays hooked.
The key depth right now seems to be right around knee to thigh deep. Pay close attention to shorelines and look for any clues the bait or birds are willing to give. This month the winds usually tend to die off. When they do, the back lakes will offer excellent opportunities to find tailing reds in depths of a foot or less. Patchy grass and potholes in heavy grass have been the key to finding the better trout. The flounder should start to show up along the edges of the ICW and also along defined guts and channels that stretch into the flats will have their fair share of doormats.
June will be a busy month, both for catching and also in regard to boat traffic. With the increase in the number of anglers trying to get their boats launched and underway, greater caution around the launches and access channels will be necessary. Please remember to be courteous around the docks and especially on the water. Get yourself a note pad and start looking at the tidal and solunar charts and how they all interact. The fun part is that every time you get out on the water, you will be tested. Will you pass the test? If every time you're out on the water you are learning something new, then you are doing well.
In closing I would like to thank Marty at Coastline Trailers for building the best trailer I have ever owned. I trailer my boat everywhere I go and I can say that I have great confidence in my Coastline to get me where I need to go. These trailers are very well built and their customer service is unbeatable. Give Marty a call and let him tell you why your next trailer should be a Coastline.