That Elusive Trophy Trout May Be Yours This Month

March is really not the ideal time to seek trophy trout, but here are some tips that may enhance your chances of mounting that elusive show trout.

For whatever reason, wade fishermen find that large speckled trout seem to hit on long casts. Maybe they are more wary than the smaller ones. Take special interest in your tackle. Be sure you have a rod with plenty of backbone. One with too much bow may result in a missed trophy trout.

In addition, line size plays a significant role. Be sure to use no larger than 30lb braid by Sufix or 10 lb mono. Lighter line will cast farther and will drop through the water without being noticed as much as a heavier test line.

There will be a few days during the month that the tide and water clarity will be right for the asking. If possible, use double tides (two lows and two highs), along with trout water (approximately 12 inches of visibility) to start your trophy hunt.
Keep in mind, pods of nervous mullet or baitfish are essential. That show trout is lurking just beneath them.

Make sure of the entire Galveston Bay complex, areas like the south shoreline of West Bay, or the wading areas in East Bay (north and south). Don’t forget about Trinity Bay. When salinity is right, expect to find that career speckled trout.
A combination of layered clothing, covered by neoprene waders insures a comfortable guard against the winter water.

Bay water temperatures cool and the fish turn more to a diet of mullet and shad. Hard-bodied mullet imitations, such as She Dog, Jr., baby Spooks or Mirro-lures become real producers. That is not to say that soft plastics (Bass Assassin or Sand Eel, Jr. from Norton Lures) are not effective during the winter.

When the initial strike hits your rod, set the hook. Leave nothing to the imagination. Big fish are favored in the first few seconds. If she has the bait securely in her yellow mouth, you probably won’t lose her, if you remember to set the hook hard and hold the rod tip up. A tight drag is not necessary. Back off the reel drag. Let the reel fight the surges and dives she will make toward you. If necessary, use your thumb to keep pressure as she runs her course.

Some trout will tail walk and roll away in an attempt to shake the bait. At times, she will run at you in an attempt to gain freedom. Keep the rod at arms distance. Give yourself additional line by pulling the line yourself while keeping tension on the rod and line.

When you finally have her to within reach, don’t panic. She will be larger than life. Walk the fish in a semi-circle; making sure your stringer stays out of the way. Keep in mind, you will have only one chance to reach out and secure that trophy trout. You may need to raise the rod with a high arm to guide and hold the fish within reach.

Correctly grip her across the back behind the gills. When you are ready and the fish is lifeless for a moment, seize her. Reach out and grab with authority. Now place your rod under your arm and pull enough line to secure the trout in your donut or on your stringer. Your other hand may be necessary to hold the underside of the fish, being careful not to damage the gills, if you are going to release this beautiful fish.

Now you’ve finally done the impossible. Congratulations are in order. Maybe even a holler. Makes no matter, you won the battle.
Enjoy the moment. It will be yours for all time.
Have fun and be careful while fishing.
Good luck and good fishing.
See ya’ll on Galveston Bay.



Capt. Paul Marcaccio
http://www.gofishgalveston.com

Live Shrimp for Speckled Trout

Live shrimp is unbeatable trout bait in terms of all around effectiveness. The cost is relatively high and it can be difficult to keep alive in the summer heat of Galveston Bay, but many anglers will settle for nothing else. There are certain times during the summer months when natural baits will take more speckled trout than artificial baits.

Speckled trout are hard to please eaters who feed on fresh bait, not shrimp that has been frozen for a long period of time or that has a stink to it. Live shrimp works wonders around bay flats, reefs and along the edges of grass and marshes. These are areas where trout are likely to school in large numbers.

As far as some species of fish are concerned the larger the bait, the bigger the fish that is likely to be caught. In the case of speckled trout, however, the bait must be tailored to the waters being fished. Shrimp five to seven inches long make good bait for trout between four to six pounds, or when you are fishing the jetty waters or in passes or channels that hook up the bays to the Gulf of Mexico.

Larger shrimp are less effective in the bay areas. It has been my experience that shrimp about three to four inches are ideal to secure good stringers of trout. Whether you hook the shrimp under the horn or through the next-to-last section of the body, from the tail, depends on the size of shrimp and its stage of life.

Very small shrimp are difficult to hook under the spike. There are also times when the shell is very soft. In both cases, you need to hook the shrimp in the next-to-last part, next to the tail. I prefer to use the latter method at all times. The bait appears more natural and chances are you will not hook the area under the spike (commonly referred to as the brain). Many times, I feel it’s how you present the bait that will make the difference on whether the trout takes it at all. Sometimes try hooking the shrimp under the bottom (or the belly), giving the look of a crippled bait. Other times squeeze the head just enough to crack the shell. This also gives bait a disabled look and the juice will attract the trout due to the smell.

This time of year, be sure and get a early start to the bait camps along the Texas coast. Look for the flags, white in color. Eagle Point Camp in San Leon, always has this product, along with the famous crocker as well.

Speckled trout have extremely large mouths, and when they strike, they usually take the whole bait. But, this doesn’t mean they hold the bait for one or two counts before ingesting it. Many old saltwater anglers believe that trout take the bait headfirst. A lot of times, after a solid hit with live shrimp, the bait appears to be squeezed together (head to tail), giving the impression that trout grab the shrimp from the side rather than headfirst.

“Fresh” dead shrimp is excellent. Try heading and peeling it before putting it on the hook. Suspend the bait under a popping cork about three feet. Hook the entire shrimp through the body. “Jiggle” the rod tip and pop the cork carefully to give it a little action.

Another alternative to live shrimp, and my all-time favorite, is the use of artificial lures.

Successful fishing with these baits is an art that is not acquired by accident. It requires a technique that takes time, patience and practice. Until it’s mastered, this type of fishing can be quite unproductive. But, if the flags are not flying, do not hesitate to using soft plastics like Bass Assassins or Stanleys jigs.

But, regardless, have fun while fishing and enjoy the outdoors.

See Y’all on Galveston Bay.

Capt. Paul Marcaccio

Fishing Guide Galveston Bay: http://www.gofishgalveston.com

Role of the Wind in Salt Water Fishing

Make no mistake about it, the wind can make or break your upcoming fishing trip or trips. Obviously, the stronger the wind, the rougher the water will have on your fishing trip. For general sport fishing, anything over 12 to 15 knots will make for an uncomfortable day.

The story of Texan saltwater fishing and the wind, however, is more than one of velocity. Direction too, plays a very important role. Then, there is the duration of the wind out of the same direction.

Start by looking at a map of the Gulf Coast. Beginning at Sabine and moving toward Corpus Christi, the coast runs northeast to southwest. However, from Corpus Christi to Mansfield and further south becomes almost due north to south.

What would you say are the best fishing winds? As a rule, the best winds are east to southeast along the coast, less than 12-15 knots. These winds blow in from the sea to bring in clearer and sometimes cooler water. That, folks are the ideal winds for our coastline. Even stronger east to southeast winds may make your fishing a bit unpleasant, but will have little effect on water clarity.

Now look what happens when the blow comes from the land to the sea? Meaning from the dreaded northwest or west. These winds are not conducive to fun fishing, because they drop tides below normal and water clarity becomes non-existent. There is an interesting note about northwest winds in the winter from mid-November to April. These “blue northers” generally cross the coast in excess of 25-40 mph. Old and seasoned fishermen call it “blowing the water out of the bay”.

Look for areas that hold land structure to give you some protection, such as Clear Lake, Moses Lake, Taylor Lake, Offats Bayou and numerous other bodies of water you can find on your Gulf Coast maps.

In addition, it is an ideal time to survey areas normally covered by normal tides. Bottom structure such as reefs or wrecks will hold bait. Remember, finding active bait; will most often result in finding game fish.

Strong and sustained winds from off shore, especially, those from the east, can be a fishing bonanza, making tides run higher than predicted. These winds flood the salt grasses and generally on a falling tide, can result in excellent catching of speckled trout and redfish along with the 3rd member and sometimes over looked flounder.

And last but not least, dead calm wind is generally slow to poor for fishing. There are no ripples on the bay to offset the noise a wader or someone drifting might make. Make no mistake, sound underwater travels 5 times that of what you hear on top, or so the experts say.

Next time you and yours plan a trip, keep this information and use it to make a wise decision for your outdoor adventure on Galveston or any area along the Gulf Coast.

Enjoy the out doors.

See ya’ll on Galveston Bay.

Capt. Paul Marcaccio

galveston bay fishing reports

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

Winter Fishing is Hard Work

Most of the fishermen we know have put up their rods and taken up rifles and shotguns, at least temporarily.

From December through mid-March, this period offers trout that feed very much like piggy perch or hardheads. The cold weather often makes the trout very sluggish. Since the body temperature of a trout is that of the water in which it lives, the cold slows the metabolism of the fish.

Trout fishing is supposed to be fun, but only for about nine months of the year. With winter fishing comes more work than fun. All the time you are suffering through the cold day. It is apparent that there are fewer fishermen in the bay and you should not have the problems encountered during the summer months.

Needless to say, if one endures low temperatures and sluggish fish that nibble, you can enjoy great action during these frigid months.

Passage of these northers are sometimes frequent and the more violent the front, the poorer the fishing afterwards. These fronts cause the bay system to turn chocolate milk and can lower the water level. I have seen a two or three foot drop in the water level after one of these fronts passes Galveston Bay, leaving a lot of good fishing areas exposed as mud or shell reefs. This then will force the trout to move to deep holes and the channels.

Depending on whom you ask it takes sometimes three to four days for the return of normal tide levels and clear water.

Once the front passes, a fisherman can experience several days of good fishing. Most often, the trout are suspended in water that is six to nine feet deep. Work areas like oil and gas platforms, shell or oyster reefs. If you know a well pad has been productive in the past, anchor up and work it for 15 to 30 minutes. Then you might want to try drifting certain oyster reefs and return later to the wells when the alternate tide starts moving again.

Remember that the fish will be deep, so work the bait on the bottom.

Birds (working gulls) are not usually found due to shrimp migration in the fall. Occasionally, you may find some trout along the shoreline adjacent to deep structure. Trout will feed during these periods and prior to frontal passages, thinking they need to store up food before the next winter blast of cold air arrives.

The shortage of live bait during the winter keeps many fishermen at home. Some don’t know how to fish lures, or they dislike using them.

When live bait is available, use it under a popping cork about four to seven feet deep from the cork to the hook. You also may free shrimp or use a slip weight depending on the bottom you are fishing. Also, the use of live finger mullet or mudfish is good when live shrimp are not found. The above mentioned should be hooked at the top dorsal fin or the tail and hooked on the bottom. Make long casts and when the bait hits the water, let out enough line to drop the bait where you first hit the water. This will keep the bait from coming back to you because of the current. The method is to retrieve slowly and pause until the bait is back at the boat. Each time you cast, move your location and cover as much water as possible.

The use of artificial baits during the winter will test your patience.

This is not the time for the novice angler to use these baits without some prior experience.

Remember that proper presentation is important. Lifting the rod tip as you retrieve is important, as you will have to put the bait within a few feet of the trout.

Be sure and cover as much water as possible as you drift or anchor the boat. Another popular winter fishing trout lure is bottom-bumping plugs with two sets of hooks. The extra hook gives the fisherman the edge.

Keep this in mind while wading in the winter: trout have a much heavier than usual coating of protective slime. Be sure to carry a landing net. If you think these fish are slippery in the summer, try grabbing one in the dead of winter when your fingers are numb.

The clothing you wear is also important. Be sure and layer the clothes you select, so in the sun should come out, you will be able to remove a layer at a time as necessary.

As always, have fun and enjoy the outdoors.

See ya’ll on Galveston Bay.

Capt. Paul Marcaccio