# CATCHING TROUT IN WIND AND RAIN at Bay Flats Lodge Resort & Marina



## Capt. Chris Martin (May 22, 2004)

*Bay Flats Lodge Resort & Marina
May 9, 2019*

*WELCOMED TIMES AT BAY FLATS LODGE​*





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Here at Bay Flats Lodge our days start early and we get to see the sunrise almost every day of the year. We also get to see the sunset on most days. Both sunrise and sunset are times of gathering. The morning finds everyone at the boats getting ready for a day on the water. The evening finds everyone at the pavilion enjoying appetizers and good company. Iâ€™m not sure which is the most important, but I can tell you both are full of joy, laughter, and pleasure. No matter the order, sunset and sunrise are always welcomed times at Bay Flats Lodge! - *Randy Brown, Lodge Manager*

*YOU CAN NOW CHECK OUR ROOM & GUIDE AVAILABILITY​**CHECK AVAILABILITY​*Did you know that sixty guests can enjoy our five-star accommodations nightly? Booking as either an entire property, or individually, makes Bay Flats Lodge perfect for family reunions and corporate retreats that everyone will want to do again! For reservations call 888.677.4868 now!

*WE SALUTE OUR RETURNING CUSTOMERS FOR THEIR CONSIDERABLE CONTRIBUTIONS​*





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Bay Flats Lodge is grateful to have been chosen once again as the venue for the annual fundraising event hosted by the Lonestar Legacy this past weekend.

The Lonestar Legacy story all started with a group of lifelong friends who shared in a belief of giving back. They have since focused on the primary goal of providing children with the resources and opportunities they deserve in order to fulfill their potential in life. Their mission is to improve the quality of life for children throughout Texas who struggle with developmental, physical, mental, and economic challenges.

The fundraising events they host are designed to offer attendees an incredible experience while generating funds to help those who need it most. Since 2005, they have raised and donated over $500,000 to children's charities across the state of Texas.

*Our Storyâ€¦ 
THE BUILDING CONSERVATION TRUST (BCT)​*





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In 2010, Shell Oil Company announced that it would provide $1.5 million in funding over three years to the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) habitat program and paved the way for a series of large-scale, angler-driven marine habitat projects in areas that were impacted by the Macondo accident.

In December of 2010, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal announced the first habitat project funded by the Shell/CCA partnership â€" the restoration of Independence Island in Barataria Bay â€" at a press conference in Baton Rouge.

The habitat program has benefited from partnerships with Costa Sunglasses, Shimano and Academy Sports + Outdoors. All habitat projects were initiated or vetted by CCA volunteers in those states and resulted in thousands of tons of materials being deposited or planted to complete 14 projects in the first two years of the partnership.

In July 2013, Shell earned the 2013 Gulf Guardian Award for its support of the â€œFloating Islandsâ€ marsh restoration project in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. The award is bestowed by the Gulf of Mexico Program, an initiative of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to facilitate collaborative actions to protect, maintain, and restore the health and productivity of the Gulf of Mexico.

In 2013, the Building Conservation Trust (BCT) was officially created as CCAâ€™s National Habitat Program, dedicated exclusively to the business of funding marine habitat creation and restoration in areas that can be accessed and enjoyed by recreational anglers.
*MAKE BCT DONATION HERE​*
*THE GUIDE REPORT​**THURSDAY - May 2nd*
*Capt. Cooper Hartmann* - Seems like things have been a grind lately, and then you have a great day. I guess thatâ€™s why they call it â€œfishingâ€. Weâ€™ve seen days of all trout, and then days of nothing but redfish, but we recently had a BIG gar day! It was exciting!






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*FRIDAY - May 3rd*
*Capt. Todd Jones* - This crazy storm spooked the redfish into an early morning feeding frenzy. The group landed six solid reds, along with another 15-20 undersized reds, before opting to outrun the storm and head in about 9:00am. They couldnâ€™t have called it any better, as the weather turned absolutely scary thirty minutes later. Thankful that all our guys got off the water safely!






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*SATURDAY - May 4th*
*Capt. Billy Freudensprung* - Once again Bay Flats lodge is hosting the Lone Star Legacy fishing tournament. First stop produced a few decent trout, then the bite died. Made several other wades with a few other fish for the box, just not what they needed for their tournament. Few stops later several good solid trout, that they needed for the tournament. And a couple after that they had their two reds needed. Hard work did pay off for my guys they took 1st place with hefty winnings. We always enjoy all these guys that come down for this tournament every year. See you guys next year! Big thanks to Randy and Patricia for measuring and weighing all the fish brought in.






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*TUESDAY - May 7th*
*Capt. Todd Jones* - Still needing one more trout for their limit, Reed set the hook on what was surely a solid trout, since thatâ€™s about all weâ€™d been catching. A lot of line stripping and a yellow tail let us know we still needed one more trout. Power Pole up and firing up the big motor, Reed played the fish perfectly for 15 minutes before bringing the big Jack to the side of the boat. The Waterloo Phantom had tamed the 37-inch beast. A few big smiles, quick pictures, and he was released to fight again another day. Ten minutes later he caught that last trout, so it all worked out!






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*DEFINITION OF A SPECKLED TROUT​*The scientific name for the fish is Cynoscion nebulosus, but here along the Texas coast we know them as speckled trout, or specks. Theyâ€™re actually a member of the croaker family and are indigenous to saltwater from the eastern Gulf of Mexico all the way down into Mexico. There are four members of the Cynoscion family - the speckled trout, sand trout, gulf trout, and the Atlantic-specific weakfish.

The speckled trout do roam, but theyâ€™re not what you would call migratory, as they donâ€™t head south for the winter or north for the summer. They generally travel between shallow and deep waters of the bay during periods of extreme cold or heat, or when salinity levels in the bays dictate to them a necessity for more stabilized Gulf waters. In fact, recorded studies show that when speckled trout venture abroad, they do so only for relatively short distances.

Movement of large specks, ordinarily females, onto grassy flats areas can be downright predictable at times, especially in the spring and just prior to summer. These movements synchronize with the annual spring spawn, and itâ€™s during this time of the year when you can look for these sow specks to be spawning at night in deeper guts and grass holes neighboring grassy shallows. The smaller, more immature trout more often travel in large groups, or schools. These younger specks are all about the same size, and they tend to move into the shallows under the protection of darkness during the night, but then move out to deeper waters of the bay after sunrise with an increase in daylight.

Specks typically range in length from 5-30 inches, but they reach full maturity anywhere between one to four years of age, when they would be 8-17 inches in length on average, depending on whether theyâ€™re male or female. The females typically grow to be much larger than do the males. Another thing worthy of mention here is that studies have stated that the length of a speck at maturity can vary drastically between estuaries and habitats. Areas exhibiting exhausted food supplies and spent foliage may often result in speckled trout that are slower to mature both in size and in spawning ages, whereas, eco-rich areas often stimulate and supercharge both the growth and maturity rate of the speckled trout. Itâ€™s for this reason that itâ€™s so vitally crucial for us to do everything in our power to help maintain a quality habitat along our Texas coast shorelines, as itâ€™s absolutely essential for future speckled trout. Practice CPR, â€œCatch, Photo, and Releaseâ€, whenever possible on trophy Trout and Redsâ€¦Guide Chris Martin, Port Oâ€™Connor/Seadrift region. www.BayFlatsLodge.comâ€¦1-888-677-4868

*WHAT OUR RECENT GUESTS ARE SAYINGâ€¦​*_Capt. Weston Hall did a great job! We really appreciated his patience, and his efforts to ensure we had a good fishing experience, which we did! The food service was really well done! - *Bruce F. 5/7/19*

I liked Capt. Garrett Wygrys a lot, and I would request him again! - *Greg C. 5/7/19*

Capt. Billy Freudensprung was excellent! The room, also, was excellent and very clean - looked brand new! - *Hal M. 5/1/19*

Capt. Perry Rankin was very friendly and helpful on the boat. His equipment was in good condition and very clean. When the weather went south, he put safety first and knew when to head in. - *Edison H. 5/4/19*

Capt. Todd Jones is fantastic - he had us all over the trout! Great fishing and great conversation out on the bay! This is probably my sixth trip to Bay Flats Lodge, and I've never had a bad meal! It's hard to explain to people how great the food and hospitality is at Bay Flats! - *Ryan Z. 5/2/19*_

*SEVEN-DAY WEATHER FORECAST​**Thursday 40 % Precip.*
Cloudy early. Scattered thunderstorms developing later in the day. High around 85F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
*Friday 90 % Precip.*
Thunderstorms likely. High 74F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Localized flooding is possible.
*Saturday 100 % Precip.*
Thunderstorms likely. High 77F. S winds shifting to NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.
*Sunday 20 % Precip.*
Generally sunny despite a few afternoon clouds. High 81F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
*Monday 40 % Precip.*
Partly cloudy in the morning followed by scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. High around 80F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
*Tuesday 40 % Precip.*
Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. High 82F. Winds ESE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
*Wednesday 40 % Precip.*
Scattered thunderstorms, especially in the morning. High 83F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
*Synopsis:* Weak to moderate onshore flow will persist through Thursday night, with scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms being expected Thursday night. Moderate onshore conditions are anticipated Friday through early Saturday before becoming weak to moderate thereafter. Periods of SCEC conditions will be possible on Friday as winds linger around 15 knots in our near and offshore waters. Widespread chances for showers and thunderstorms will exist through Saturday, with chances for scattered showers and storms Sunday through at least Wednesday.
*Coastal Water Temperature: *
Port Aransas 78.1 degrees
Seadrift 80.1 degrees
Matagorda Bay 80.1 degrees

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Captain Chris Martin
www.BayFlatsLodge.com

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Building Conservation Trust - CCAâ€™s National Habitat Program
Ducks Unlimited - Texas
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Finck Cigar Company
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