# Bating the February Bite



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

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*Bay Flats Lodge Resort & Marina
January 23, 2019*

*It's Almost February, Which Means It's Time For...​**AIRBOAT REDFISHING​*








Make your way to the San Antonio Bay region along the middle portion of the Texas coast for an unsurpassed fishing adventure.

Travel where other boats can't as you go in search of the ever-popular Texas redfish amid the seemingly endless back lakes, coves, inlets, and sloughs situated out on Matagorda Island.

It's sixty square miles of remote airboat redfishing and unimaginable inland saltwater marsh fishing, with an outstanding lodge offering first-class cuisine and five-star accommodations thrown in the mix!

We have it all, along with different fishing and hunting options to suit every family member or office co-worker!

Bay Flats Lodge - The Preferred Lodge On The Texas Coast​
*THE GUIDE REPORT​**THURSDAY - Jan 17th*
*Capt. Todd Jones* - Today consisted of a solid morning of â€œfun fishingâ€ with good buddies! Several trout in the 22â€ range. Somehow our math skills were a little lacking, but itâ€™s always good luck to leave one out there for next time! Wade fishing with lures should continue to improve into February, March, and April, so call (888) 677-4868 today to take advantage of a $25 per/person discount on food and lodging when you book a wade fishing trip (with lures) for any day in February.






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*FRIDAY - Jan 18th*
*Capt. Steve Boldt* - There was a definite chill in the air, but this morningâ€™s crew got the job done. For being a half-day trip, they managed a very descent box today with a three-man redfish limit and several black drum to top things off. Theyâ€™ll all eat well when they get home!






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*SUNDAY - Jan 20th*
*Capt. Doug Russell* - A cold front blew through town overnight, so by shooting time this morning things had cooled down quite a bit as the thermometer dropped into the 30â€™s. The morning didnâ€™t turn out being one of the absolute best days of shooting for us, but it certainly wasnâ€™t the worst either with nine birds. Hoping for more cold weather soon!






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*BAITING THE FEBRUARY BITE​*For the next couple months along the midsection of the Texas coast, speckled trout anglers can prosper when keying on mud and grass in protected coves, area drains, small bayous, and narrow channels that lead out of the back lake areas that are situated out on Matagorda Island. Many big wintertime trout have been hooked while slowly working natural and artificial baits in just such places out on â€œthe Islandâ€ during February and March. However, in order to catch one of these big fish, youâ€™ll first have to target them.

These â€œbig galsâ€ can often be persuaded to eat a number of different artificial baits this time of the year, but some types of lures certainly outperform others. One steady producer that anglers can usually depend on is the slow sinking and suspending baits. These are the ones like the original plastic Corky, the Corky Fat Boy, and the Corky Devil - and now the newer line of Soft-Dine baits - of which all sink slowly toward the mud and grass until messaged to return toward the surface via a smooth, minimal motion of the rod tip. Some of the older, more popular suspending baits, depending on the brand and model (the Catch 5, Catch 2000, and the 27MR MirrOdines), will automatically position themselves in the water anywhere from 6 to 12 inches, or even two feet, below the surface. They can generally be retrieved at a steady pace with an occasional slight twitch from the end of your rod tip throughout the course of the retrieve. Theyâ€™re nothing short of fun, and can be downright effective at catching big cold-water trout when worked properly amongst the right conditions.






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Top waters will also produce during the next couple months, with some of the favorites being any of the larger surface walkers by MirrOlure, Heddon, and Rapala, to include the newer ones made available by the Paul Brown line of lures. One reason to throw top waters this month and next is that youâ€™ll need to be presenting bigger baits because big trout are usually looking for a large meal right now, like a single (big) mullet for example. Youâ€™ll also find that these heavier top water baits are quite easy to toss and to retrieve in high-wind conditions that weâ€™re so often faced with during this time of the year. Large top water lures should definitely have a permanent spot in your wintertime tackle box, as they have certainly yielded full stringers on many wintertime occasions.

If you prefer hunting your big trout this winter using soft plastic tails, then you might think seriously about lightening your overall presentation. Cold weather trout tend to move rather slowly during this time of the year, and because of this you should look at using a 1/16-ounce lead-head with your plastics versus the 1/8-ounce head that you may typically otherwise throw. Granted, numerous and massive strikes in February may become few-and-far-between, but try not to get frustrated when the actionâ€™s slow. Just keep grinding, and remember that good things always seem to come to those who persevere the cold during wintertime!

In closing, weâ€™d like to remind everyone of our 2019 HUNT FOR TROPHY TROUT SPECIAL. From now through the end of February, wade fishing guests will receive a $25 DISCOUNT off their nightly lodging and meals each day. There are several February dates still available, but theyâ€™ll go fast, so donâ€™t hesitate in phoning and making your reservations todayâ€¦1-888-677-4868.






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*HEREâ€™S WHAT SOME RECENT GUESTS HAD TO SAYâ€¦​*_I'm ready for another trip down there! Always amazing! - *Robby C. 1/23/19*

The kitchen staff did an excellent job, and the food was delicious! I had a good time! - *Jonathan D. 1/23/19*

Capt. 'Lil John Wyatt is awesome, and I would use him again! As always, we had a great time! - *David F. 1/22/19*

Capt. Jason Wagenfehr is a phenomenal guide! Heâ€™s knowledgeable, and he was able to answer all our questions without hesitation. He also set us up for success and gave us memories that weâ€™ll talk about for the rest of our lives. The quail legs and pork chops were incredible, and the facility and the accommodations exceeded our expectations! - *Nick S. 1/21/19*_






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*SEVEN-DAY WEATHER FORECAST​**Thursday 0 % Precip. / 0.00 in*
Mainly sunny. High 63F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.
*Friday 0 % Precip. / 0.00 in*
Overcast. High 61F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph.
*Saturday 60 % Precip. / 0.09 in*
Partly cloudy skies during the morning hours will give way to cloudy skies and rain in the afternoon. High 64F. Winds E at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
*Sunday 20 % Precip. / 0.00 in *
Partly cloudy skies. High 62F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
*Monday 10 % Precip. / 0.00 in*
Partly cloudy skies. High 67F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph.
*Tuesday 0 % Precip. / 0.00 in*
Cloudy and windy. High 54F. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph.
*Wednesday 10 % Precip. / 0.00 in*
Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. High 54F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph.
*Synopsis:* Cooler and drier conditions are expected for Thursday. Flow will become northeast to east on Friday, before turning onshore Friday night and Saturday as an upper level disturbance approaches from the west. Scattered showers are possible Saturday and Saturday night, with moderate offshore flow Saturday night and Sunday.
*Coastal Water Temperature:* 
Port Aransas 59.0 degrees
Seadrift 55.0 degrees
Matagorda Bay 53.1 degrees

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Captain Chris Martin
www.BayFlatsLodge.com

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

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

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

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

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Pic 5


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

*January 24, 2019*

Last year Bay Flats Lodge joined in a partnership with the Building Conservation Trust that is designed to protect and improve the Coastal Bend fishery. In its first year our generous customers giving and matching funds from Bay Flats Lodge totaled over twenty three thousand dollars. This year weâ€™re continuing that effort and weâ€™re off to a great start. In January of 2019 two corporate customers have made generous donations totaling Fifteen Hundred Dollars and others have chipped in to add over Three Hundred more. Where else can you experience an atmosphere of relaxation, enjoy the company of like minded outdoor enthusiast, share culinary excellence and help preserve the ecosystem we all love? We hope youâ€™ll come stay with us sometime this year and help us make the central coast even better.


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