July 17, 2013
July's Fantastic Fishing
by Capt Mullet
Fishing has been really good this month except for a few of the windier days that it blew almost 20 mph +. I started out the month in East bay but have been switching over towards the ship channel as the month has progressed. For me the artificial bite has done much better than the croaker bite. Maybe it is my clients having better angling skills on arties but I am not sure. All I can say is that I can't wait to get out there with another group of artificial anglers again.
The croaker bite has been solid (of course) with lots of strikes. I am still amazed at how effective croakers are at drawing bites during the heat of summer. I still have not anchored up yet on any piece of structure while throwing live bait. My method has been 100% dredging the reefs in East bay and along the ship channel from Eagle point northward. I am using a 5/0 or 6/0 kahle hook with approximately 14-18 inches of 30 lb leader attached to a 1/8 oz weight and a a swivel. If there is a well near the channel I will hit it hard and typically they have produced a few bites if not more. Also TPWD has made several new reefs in the middle section of the bay and they haven't turned on just yet but good fish are just starting to show up slowly. As our water temps rise these reefs should get better and better.
The few artificial trips I have had were fantastic. Limetreuse Bass Assassins and glo Norton sand eels are producing fish up to 6 lbs. I am using heavier jigheads(3/8 oz) along the ship channel and 1/4 oz jigs on the reefs in East bay with good results. The topwater bite has been very good on the reefs in East Bay. She Dogs and Super spooks have been tearing them up during that midday bite. When it gets hot and that wind dies I am switching over and it is a blast. You don't catch as many as a plastic bait but I personally would rather catch one on topwater than a few on plastics or live. A slow steady walk the dog action has worked well and they rarely miss it.
The ship channel should have turned on a few weeks ago but those lower water temps have kept the fish comfortable in other areas of the bay without too much heat stress on the fish. We have made it to the middle of summer now with only 2 more weeks till we hit that time when daylight stops increasing and we see less and less light during the day. This will get those fishing moving in a northward direction and really turn on those wells in Trinity bay.
There is a ton of good fishing going on right now so just get out there and get after it and don't forget to take a kid fishing!!
July's Fantastic Fishing
by Capt Mullet
Fishing has been really good this month except for a few of the windier days that it blew almost 20 mph +. I started out the month in East bay but have been switching over towards the ship channel as the month has progressed. For me the artificial bite has done much better than the croaker bite. Maybe it is my clients having better angling skills on arties but I am not sure. All I can say is that I can't wait to get out there with another group of artificial anglers again.
The croaker bite has been solid (of course) with lots of strikes. I am still amazed at how effective croakers are at drawing bites during the heat of summer. I still have not anchored up yet on any piece of structure while throwing live bait. My method has been 100% dredging the reefs in East bay and along the ship channel from Eagle point northward. I am using a 5/0 or 6/0 kahle hook with approximately 14-18 inches of 30 lb leader attached to a 1/8 oz weight and a a swivel. If there is a well near the channel I will hit it hard and typically they have produced a few bites if not more. Also TPWD has made several new reefs in the middle section of the bay and they haven't turned on just yet but good fish are just starting to show up slowly. As our water temps rise these reefs should get better and better.
The few artificial trips I have had were fantastic. Limetreuse Bass Assassins and glo Norton sand eels are producing fish up to 6 lbs. I am using heavier jigheads(3/8 oz) along the ship channel and 1/4 oz jigs on the reefs in East bay with good results. The topwater bite has been very good on the reefs in East Bay. She Dogs and Super spooks have been tearing them up during that midday bite. When it gets hot and that wind dies I am switching over and it is a blast. You don't catch as many as a plastic bait but I personally would rather catch one on topwater than a few on plastics or live. A slow steady walk the dog action has worked well and they rarely miss it.
The ship channel should have turned on a few weeks ago but those lower water temps have kept the fish comfortable in other areas of the bay without too much heat stress on the fish. We have made it to the middle of summer now with only 2 more weeks till we hit that time when daylight stops increasing and we see less and less light during the day. This will get those fishing moving in a northward direction and really turn on those wells in Trinity bay.
There is a ton of good fishing going on right now so just get out there and get after it and don't forget to take a kid fishing!!