The trip was planned to explore several areas in the San Leon, Dickinson Bay, and Texas City near the Dike. But, the old pier pilings that have always been such a magnet for redfish beckoned. It's hard for this guide to give up good old bad habits, especially when they have produced fried redfish filets so many times. The Big Bay Parker just seemed to go on autopilot, quickly swinging into familiar territory.
On a Bass Assassin ¼ oz wide gap lead head, the limetruse plastic mullet imitation looked deadly swimming through the sandy green bay waters. Long cast with my All-Pro Fishing Tackle Unlimited rod back toward the shallows drew the bait in an almost parallel course to the old pier pilings near April Fool Pt. Just as the sun was clearing the eastern shoreline of East Bay, my 6-½ foot rod bowed deeply. The power and style of the run indicated that I had a good redfish. The ultra light action of the rod along with my 10 lb. Elite line by Suffix proved to be lethal again. However, the pier pilings are different. It was over in less than two minutes. Twice more, my presentation proved to fool me'. It was embarrassing……
Then there was that magic day a couple of days later, back near the Texas City Dike. Using medium action All-Pro FTU rods, four of us did battle on some awesome black drum. Lots of Big black drum. It was a bright sunny day with a light east wind. Those fish were stacked in a deep hole near the Dike. And they were eating fresh blue crabs just as fast as we could serve them up. Passers by on the Bolivar Ferry were treated to several Herculean tussles. These spawn-minded females were all in the 25-40 lb class and they make ones forearms similar to Popeye's……
There was the beautiful April morning, spent with a very dear friend, Brother Chuck, around Goat Island near the Hog Pins in East Bay. We used several assortments of She Dog's and soft plastic Assassins and Tidal Surge baits to tally a mixed bag. By the end of the day, we had waded that entire shoreline and come away with speckled trout, redfish, sand trout and even one grandee gaff stop. My brother Chuck was equal to the test and found great success, both on top as well as feeding those great fish with soft plastic.
And yet again was the morning with Mike Heidaman and Casey, along the north shoreline of Trinity Bay. Get this, with no tidal movement, we boxed speckled trout to around four pounds on soft plastic Salt Water Assassins and Tidal Surge baits. On still another day, when cabin fever trampled good sense, a hasty run to the back of Moses Lake seemed to ease the situation. That campaign featured deteriorating conditions with a light drizzle. The only fish happening were several sand trout and some Hugh ribbonfish. Still again, the need was served.
The aforementioned episodes are described, not for the quality or quantity they produced, but to highlight the exciting fact that April is the month when it all begins. Most of the action we find on the Texas Coast pecks during the warmer months. By the firth of May, water temperature is in that magical 70's and the summer smorgasbord is being served up…
The large black drum show first. While the run pecks in September, bull redfish are year round possibility. As the beachfront warms to the sunlight, gaffs top, speckled trout and keeper redfish begin the work the shallow guts. Big flounder are funneling through the passes and ditches, working there way back into the upper part of Trinity and East Bay. Sharks will oversee the migration in numbers most people do not begin to realize. The first of these will usually be the small sand sharks. Not far behind them will be the black tip, bulls and hammerheads. By mid-June, Spanish mackerel, jackfish pompano, king mackerel and even ling will be taken near the beach front.
It is easy to rush this great out door experience. As much as this writer and guide love fishing the colder months, I eagerly anticipate that which is to come. Rare is the year that I don't try to will the fish into place before it's time. The next three months will offer more and more varied opportunities than any other time of the year. The possibilities are virtually limitless. And every year, during the dog days of summer, I suddenly blink one hot, steamy afternoon and wonder where those magic days of spring went already……
God bless you and your families, while you enjoy His great backyard.
Captain Paul Marcaccio, USGC & TP & W.
Article-April 2006-a B.O.I.(born on the island) with over 30 years of Coastline experience.
