Planning Needed for Trophy Speckled Trout, Redfish

This is that time of year when you better plan your fishing trip for trophy trout or redfish. Luck has a lot to do with it, but don’t leave anything to chance. If you are prepared, the odds will be in your favor.

Clothing is essential. Dress in layers, so as you can peel them off as the day’s activity and sun heats up. Neoprene waders are needed to block the frigid water temperature. Usually, you can wear soft cotton sweats and thermal underwear to block out additional chill from the water.

Lure selection should be that of larger deep running plugs. Examples are the “Corky”, She Dogs by Mirrolure, Skittle Walkers by Rapalo and the Baby Spook. Top water lures can sometimes jump-start your heart with their erratic actions, causing “blow-ups” as you retrieve it. Switch to a deeper plug as mentioned earlier.

Remember, almost every large trout is going to be a female. The males don’t grow as big, nor do they live as long as the female.

Interesting enough, the odds of catching large trout or reds in the winter are reasonably good. The fish are more sluggish from the cold, but the larger ones are more active feeders.

In the winter, the larger fish are more tightly schooled. You may find larger trout running with their smaller friends.

Come spring and summer, the bigger specs tend to shy away from schools. They travel in small pods, maybe six or less. Often, the larger fish are loners.

Try fishing at night under the lights. People with bayfront property and pier owners can catch a good many big trout and reds by rigging overhead lights to beam down on the water. The lights attract a lot of bait and with the bait comes the game fish. Usually, the bigger trout will be more active around the fringe of the lights.

To use live bait, selections can include small piggy perch, croakers or mullet. Using live shrimp, place this bait under a popping cork about three or four feet deep.

In the winter, areas that may produce larger trout and red catches are around deep holes, where there is a minimum of current. Large ship basins and areas adjacent to the ship channel where there are dead ends are good places to catch fish. Offitt’s Bayou, Moses Lake and Clear Lake, to name just a few.

During the spring and early fall, work the fringes of salt grass marshes early in the morning or late in the evening on a spring flood tide. By the way, these times coincide with the trout spawn periods. The trout’s roe is dropped in the vicinity of tall grass. As soon as the eggs hatch, the young fish use the grass for food and cover.

What a lot of anglers may not know is that trout are cannibalistic. After the spawn, they return to feed on the young trout. I remember my grandfather using small trout (six-to-eight inches long) as bait for larger trout. Of course, that was before the minimum size limits were in place.

For obvious reasons, the best way to catch the above mentioned is with a licensed, professional guide. It is their business to follow the movement of the fish. They often have a few special techniques to entice the larger ones.

A point to keep in mind about the big ones. They are extremely easy to spook. The reason for their size is their awareness and caution. If you fail to keep this in mind, you will obviously never find one on the end of your rod. Most fishermen in search of large trout will wade fish, using boats simply as a means to reach the fishing grounds. This method allows them to approach these areas with a minimum of noise. Make your cast so the bait strikes the water with as little fanfare as possible.

Pay close attention to what’s happening in the water. Be aware of baitfish activity. Any activity will aid you to catch that trophy speckled trout.

Remember: Structure, bait, and water movement will result in good catches of large speckled trout and red fish.

Presentation and Patience. Sounds easy. Just try all winter and you will be rewarded. Best bet this time of year has been the soft plastic Assassins, or the Stanley Jigs. Use em’ right on the bottom in that mud area or near shell reefs.

As always, the best time to go fishing, is any time you can.

See ya’ll on Galveston Bay.

Capt. Paul Marcaccio

Fishing gear 101

It is often said that approximately 10 percent of the fisherman catch 80 percent of the fish.

If so, what are the fisherman that make up the other 80 percent doing wrong.

Many times it the little oversights that lead to a fisherman’s downfall and allow a trophy fish to escape the hook and net.

Here are a few ways I have managed over the years to lose fish.

Old line – Neither braided or monofilament last forever. Long periods of unuse, as well as constant action and excessive heat, weaken a line and cause it to break at the wrong time.
How often an angler needs to change line depends on how much he or she fishes and the type of water they fish in.Long hours of wade fishing around shell and structure might call for a line change every three or four trips. As a general rule, the average angler should change line with each season (approximately four times a year). Reels should be stored where line is not exposed to direct sunlight or excessive heat. You may select any number of lines. Personally, I prefer Suffix Elite or Pro-Mix. Other named brands are P-Line or Berkley. Cost is different with each.

Frayed line – Abrasion is probably the single greatest threat to a fishing line.

A wise fisherman will scan the line or lightly run it through his fingers to check for any rough spots before each fishing trip. Some anglers make it a habit to strip off and discard line before a fishing trip. Check rod eyes (guides) for rust or rough spots, which could damage line.

Damaged hooks – Dull hooks mean lost fish. Either sharpen the points or replace the hook.

Some fishermen make the mistake of reusing hooks, which have been spread open. Bending the hook back into shape weakens the metal.

And, of course, rusty hook should be replaced. Use Mustad triple grip.

Boat inventory – I had a nice trout at the side of the boat. When I reached for my landing net, it was tangled in my client’s feet. I lost the fish before I could free the net. To be prepared for such instances, an angler should be certain of three areas:

1. To be able to move freely around the boat if need be, without stepping in an open tackle box, or getting tangled in something (anchor line or landing net).

2. The landing net is within easy reach.

3. Once the fish is on board, there is a storage box or ice chest to put it in so it won’t flop overboard, which has happened on more than one occasion.

FUEL- always has a FULL tank of gasoline when leaving the dock. Never try to do it with less. Either weather or your ability will cause you to run out. It’s expensive to call the Coast Guard or you’re soon to be distant friend. By keeping the fuel tank full, condensation will not form in the tank, which could turn to water and cause the motor to stop. Water and gas is no marriage on the bay.

REELS- always carry an extra reel in your tackle with line on it. That way, if you have a professional override (backlash), you can replace the reel and continue to catch those pesky specs and redfish.

RODS- some will bring a extra rod for that moment when you least expect it to break. Most guides have adequate room for just that. Check the rod after each trip for nicks or stress areas after you may have hit the gunnels rail or a t-top.

BOAT TRAILER- now here a subject that if not properly keep checked, folks will wave at you as they drive by on the way to the bay or gulf. Pay close attention to your buddy bearing, check them after each trip and use a small amount of pressure to place additional grease in the tube. Not too much or you will blow out your seal. Check the springs and lubricate after each outing. Wiring important for turn lights and running lights. Sportsman Trailers in Sante Fe has great parts for all your trailer needs.

There are many other ways to lose a fish. Lack of concentration, not playing the fish long enough, poor net handling or lack of confidence can all set fish free.

See ya’ll on Galveston Bay.

Captain Paul Marcaccio

Wade fishing : Classroom 101…

As we try to find other methods to capture those speckled trout, this writer would suggest that one might try and get out of a perfectly dry boat, commonly referred to as wade fishing. Many are called, few are chosen to this art of catching great fish. It seems that there is some who would believe that you could successfully catch bigger fish, while in the boat. That is further from the truth………………………

Successful wade fishing depends a lot on how you dress. Wearing apparel that can be seen under water from more than a few feet can penalize you by spooking the fish. Remember that fish are skittish when they search for food in shallow water.

Additionally, the wrong apparel can be downright dangerous, especially in waters with deep holes or along the fringes of cuts and channels or in areas where very soft mud can become dangerous bottom.

Don’t wear clothing that will reflect light. A person all decked out in white clothing can really spook fish, especially speckled trout, in shallow water. Instead wear any dark colored pants. When wet, these materials will make your legs look like posts. It’s not at all wise to wade fish bare legged. Long pants will protect your legs from hooks, fins and jellyfish. Guys that wade in shorts, spend a lot of time in the boat, recovering from the sting of those pesky critters.

Some kind of footwear is a must when wade fishing the bays. Bare feet can get you into all kinds of trouble. I prefer tennis shoes or lightweight wading shoes. Boots can get you into a lot of trouble if you happen to step into too deep a hole. So be careful when you purchase those wading boots. Make sure they are at least a size larger. That way, you can lose them should you need too. This is especially true if hip boots are worn. They can quickly fill with water and will practically anchor you to the bottom. Never wade alone. I know what you are thinking. No one else will go or you want to move more quickly to cover the water area. This writer has personally saved several from possible serious injury or worse. Wade in teams of at least 2(two) fishermen. You can really cover more water and when you find those speckled trout or redfish, you can hold them for a time.

The very worst way to wade fish is to go bare footed. I still see this often when the water along the beach front is clear and waders are out seeking speckled trout. Instead of going bare foot, wear very lightweight tennis shoes. It’s very important that these shoes can be easily kicked off if you happen to slip into water over your head and be faced with a situation of having to swim for shore. This is a thing that occurs all to frequently when waders invade the waters of San Luis Pass.

Of course, some sort of insulated wear is needed for wading in the winter. I prefer chest high neoprene waders by Simms Outdoors. Waders, however, can get you into trouble if you venture into water too deep. So always walk with a shuffle to feel the ground ahead so you can dodge holes and avoid slipping off the edge of cuts and channels.

A belt around the outside of the waders can make the apparel serve as a makeshift flotation device if you step into a deep hole or slip into a channel. The belt will help to trap air inside the waders to give you a certain amount of flotation. The thing to do if you go into a hole is to abandon your fishing gear and start paddling to shore. Buying new fishing gear is far less expensive than having your family come to visit you at the area hospital. Remember that you can become numb very quickly in cold water. Hypothermia is nothing to fool with. The water temperature today is slowly moving down toward colder conditions. Presently, it’s 64 degrees and dropping as these cold fronts continue to assault our coastline.

Be sure and layer you apparel when wading. It’s much easier to take it off, instead of not having that pair of sweats of light jacket.

The ideal way to wade fish is to wear some sort of flotation device. There are several on the market that instantly inflate when an access cartridge is popped. With a device like that you can save your life as well as your fishing gear. Otherwise, you can purchase those that are already made to wear. Be sure that they would hold your weight. Check the tags for instructions.

It’s extremely important to wear gear that will seal out moisture as well as the cold when wade fishing in the winter. Wearing several layers of clothing is better than a single heavy garment.

Another important aspect of wade fishing is to always let someone know just where you plan to fish. Your family and friends can use this to start a search for you, if you fail to arrive in a timely fashion. Carry your hand held GPS, so you can let them know where you are at with that implanted (cell phone) we all now carry. Be sure and carry an extra phone battery.

Fishing this time of the year is as good as it gets. Take care of your homework at home or office, and experience a moment of a lifetime.

As always, have a good time in the outdoors.

See y’all on Galveston Bay.

CaptPaul Marcaccio,B.O.I.