Welcome to the last year on earth(before 2012)!

         I doubt many people read this blog. I don't update it often, but I'm also not a professional blogger on a google payroll and I'm not one to have the days to dedicate to a personal blog about fishing that includes fishing trips and flies every week. I cant scour the web for cool things to post. I work, outside the fishing industry. I have a family. I have deadlines. But I try. I hope that I can keep posting fishing trips and random things when I remember to bring a camera. Its fun! Have a great 2011 Y'ALL and WRAP IT BEFORE YOU TAP IT BITCHES!!!!

Happy new years from Chico's Tacos.
 

The plug fish were caught on an outgoing tide the second day. Last week's Tuesday in an area covered up with gnarly live reef that we routinely wade during the coldest months. Normal fish for the spot save one lone 25", 5 lb trout shown in two pics on the boga. A few small reds. Between the two of us probably close to 20 fish in the 17-21" range. An area not unlike the famous Confederate reef that holds many peoples secret spots and special morn and eve's. But with tides running 2 ft low the famous spots are only famous in story. Bay's waters are different animals when the spot you usually fish is high and dry. That's what usually makes the learn-ed angler's skin tingle and when epic pods of stacked trout laying on each others backs are found wading in water that would swallow you up on a normal day. I can remember some of my best days fishing in spots that people typically only drift over during the normal tides. Don't let a determined, shell crunching, hard boot wearing dry leg walk around in your favorite drift line. Lest he find the trout and you catch a buzz. When waters drop out around a group of fish, if they have sufficient water depth nearby they will more than likely relocate and lie around similar structure in similar depth to where they were forced from. An area with water depth most comfortable to them that allows easy feeding. With a little deft observation and a little leg work coupled with the will to learn an area you can create opportunities for yourself that few see and experience. Plus you know what is on the bottom and will find those little underwater interstates that will become hidden goldmines when conditions return to normal.

The last two pictures are of the first day prior. We fished the same general area. Wicked oyster reef, breaks in the spine, extreme low tide dropping lower. Ripping out, flowing through the break with a deeper gut coming from a normally underwater reef lined "pond". A spot we found doing the walkabout. I took advantage of my new fly line and some of the new ep flies I tied that haven't been given away to make room for more. Not much to say. Like river fishing swinging streamers. Only a faux river mouth. This is by far my favorite way to fly fish in the winter. Cast, wait, wait, strip, wait, tap, strike. I only kept 5. Lots of fish released. The larger fish on the boga went close to 23" and about 4 lbs with several other 3+ released when the tide started to wain and the fast water became the deep slow refuge. Usually...but not when I'm around. Good times. 


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coming and going

In the dark.

Nov 19-10 fishing

 I don't get to fish as much as some. Not as much as I want too. But I know etiquette and I know the bay from Galveston to X-Mas like the back of my hand. But most people didn't have a person to show them all the little things that make you a better boat man. That's why I take it easy on guys that love to ram their boats into reefs and run right by you when your wading. Their not stupid. They either don't know or don't care. Or they might just be stupid.

All but the last picture were from the 19th. It was a great day to be fishing! Light winds, a hell of an incoming tide and great water clarity. A ton of bait fish were flipping and being run when we pulled up to our not so secret spot. The bite was a little off. Although the fish were plentiful for a while the bites came from only one lure. The broken back long a. Let it sit after casting. Swim it down quickly to about 2ft then give it 8-10 extremely light walk the dog twitches. Let it float up and repeat. Occasionally nicking the bottom or bouncing off an oyster shell seemed to trigger strikes also. I love fishing these lures but the conditions have to be right. I like to fish it in about 3-4ft of water with good clarity.

The last pic was taken today the 20th. Although I don't have any pictures of fish, the amount of red fish that covered a reef in my home waters of Texas City was impressive. I landed and released 3 undersized about 18" and 7-8 more between 22-25". What an awesome day! I caught most of the fish today on corky devils. A couple on a 4" gambler with a dipped chartreuse tail. This trip was very special. Not only because I smacked the fish but it was also my first trip with my new kayak. What a way to do it!

I also finally received my SA streamer express intermediate line from Cabelas the other day along with some clothes that were on sale and a rod holder. I am done shopping at local fly shops in Houston. Sorry guys. If you don't want to order what I want or keep your lines stocked I wont keep stopping in and being disappointed.

quick

So, when you are super determined to fish a spot you sometimes overlook signs that might make you move over a hundred yards and catch fish. Like this little guy! I am very good at keeping my fish small enough to fit in my basket. Lol. No flounder jumping sessions yet at the mud hole. But another couple cold fronts and its gonna be acrobatics again. Last year I saw over 20 flounder jumping in one evening. I am going to try and enjoy it this time. It will cut down on the frustration that is: Flounders don't bite when their jumping.

A few pics

Not too spectacular but the scenery pics have meaning to me and the fish were caught this week. I feel revitalized by fall's arrival and along with fishing and tying flies I have also purchased several albums from Amazon in the last month. The newest from Daedlus, Smoke sessions Vol 1by Devin the dude, Jogger- this great pressure, A thousand sharks teeth by My Brightest Diamond, Transit Transit by Autolux(their first album is great too this one is a little more laid back and odd in a good way), the Wu Tang dubstep album, and Unexpected Guests by Doom, also Them Crooked Vultures. Not the normal "fisherman's" choices or even my normal choices(except TCV) but all together a new direction in musical taste for me and some great driving music while traveling to work. I also recommend pod casts like comedy death ray, the Joe Rogan experience, uhh yeah dude, WTF with Marc Maron, and the sound of young america. I am playing Halo Reach right now and I think its the best Halo game to date. The last time I was into Halo was #2 but #3 was good and I enjoyed the ODST campaign because of its free roam sort of feel.

On a funny note, I went to a party over the weekend at some folks related to one of my wife's friends. I tried talking to one of the locals, I watched as he complained to his kid about wanting to fish and then about how he talked too much and how he was so annoying. I said something like "yep kids love to talk with everything being so much of an adventure and being so new and fun". He kinda looked at me like I was an idiot. I then pointed out a boat they had and what brand and where they got it. And after that I couldn't get a damn word in because he kept cutting off my sentences and wouldn't keep his mouth shut! And some people wonder where their kids learn all the bad habits they have. Classic.

9-28-10 new flies

 When I get things in the mail that I ordered online I feel a slight tweak of joy. The most recent purchase was from FTD. My favorite online material store. As far as quality goes its right up there with the big names and a quarter of the price. If you use synthetic material you should buy your stuff here. I haven't bought any real animal materials(I have enough zonker strips to last a while) but I have always been happy with this place. All this was a little over $21. I dare you to get this much in any store whether it be a hobby store or fly shop and not spend more.

 So the temporary desk is now my dining table. The dope ass roll top desk is still in "storage". Until we move to a real house I have to use time wisely. And tie fast.

My first minnow patterns in over a year took one to get back into the groove. But even without eyes these look pretty fishy! The rust color Congo hair is going to make one hell of a root beer crab!

Texas tailwater

Me and Nick. Cousins, brothers, fishing machines. When you cast for 5+ hours straight your arm is sore. And when you stumble around in a river for longer than that your body will have unusually sore parts that didn't seem to bother you at the time. Maybe I'm just getting old. But it happens to the best of us! Regardless any day spent like this is a good one. I am loving the summer trout hunt. I'm a little wary of the shoulder to shoulder fishing that goes on in the winter. I think Ill just stick with wading in the salt water for now.