# "Conditional Common Sense"



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

*Bay Flats Lodge on San Antonio Bay
by Capt. Chris Martin
Presented by Texas Marine*

December 4, 2013

Texas anglers, or any anglers who may have visited Texas for any measurable length of time, know that Texas weather can be quite unpredictable. Heck, some folks even say that if you donâ€™t like the Texas weather, just stick around for five minutes and it will probably change. And thereâ€™s no place in the state where this is more evident than along the vast stretches of coastline along the Gulf of Mexico. One minute itâ€™s muggy and raining, and the next thing you know the sun is shining â€" just like nothing ever happened. Another thing Texas coastal anglers know is that the month of December can place them amongst a wide range of cloud, water, wind, and temperature ranges and conditions on any day of the month. The weekend may bring clouds, rain, and blustery winds that help drop temperatures into the 30â€™s and 40â€™s for Monday and Tuesday, and then by Wednesday or Thursday the thermometer climbs back into the 70â€™s, or maybe even the low 80â€™s. Times like these can be very frustrating for anglers, especially for those who donâ€™t get to spend a lot of time out on the water. When this happens to you, utilizing a little common sense based upon your prior experiences can help you save an otherwise dreary day.

Let me use a recent trip to help explain what we mean. It was a couple days following a very substantial cold-front which had made its way down to the Coastal Bend region all the way from Canada. And although the winds and the rain had already blown past us, there remained a great deal of cloud cover â€" we couldnâ€™t see a star in the sky while the guides were prepping the boat before sunrise. As they made way across the bay to what has proven to be a good place for us locating cold-water trout over the years, they could also tell that the water color wasnâ€™t what they hoped it would be. The strong winds accompanying the frontal passage had significantly muddied the water, at least out in the open-water of the bay. It was just as the sky was brightening that the crew arrived at the location. As they eased the boat close to the protected shore where they knew it would be shallow enough to start my their first wading session. The guide still couldnâ€™t see very well, so he just dropped the anchor and sat to enjoy the quiet for a few more minutes.

The air was still extremely cold, and a dunk of his hand into the water next to the boat told him the water temperature had dipped also. A few minutes had passed, and they could now clearly see down the shoreline for quite some distance. They could also now tell that the cloud cover appeared as though it might be breaking up. As the guys looked out across the water, they never saw any â€œsignsâ€ of action, at least not at the surface. However, they knew that the bay floor beneath me tapered away from the shoreline into about a six-to-eight foot depth. Experience told the guide that the fish were going to be cold this morning, and that if they remained patient, this shoreline that is covered with a brief topping of mud, grass, and shell might just come alive at the first hint of sunshine. So, the Bay Flats guide tied-on a dark, slow-sinker mullet imitation and made his way into the water. Due to the coldness of the water, he knew the fish would be nibbling at his lure, so they began working the lure at a painstakingly slow pace across the mid and lower portions of the water column. He persevered in this fashion for the next half-hour with no results, and had made his way out into waist-deep water that was not exceedingly clear.

The sun had since peered from behind the clouds and was now beaming down strong upon the shallow water at his back. He knew that once the sun began to shine, the water along the bank would begin to warm much faster than out deep where he was, so he slowly started his way back to skinnier water. As he walked, he attached one of his favorite bottom-dwelling plastic tails to the end of the line and began broadcasting his presentation of the bait in patterns from his nine oâ€™clock to his three oâ€™clock, all the while attempting to create a small mud cloud across the bay floor directly behind the path of his lure. He got to about thigh-deep water when he got his first strike. The sky was blue, and the sun was bright now, and the hits just kept coming from the very shallow water as the morning progressed. They fished until about noon, and ended the trip with a half-dozen sizeable trout. Even managed a small flounder?

We hope everyone has a safe and happy Christmas holiday, and we want you to remember that this yearâ€™s annual Bay Flats Lodge 2014 Winter Fishing Special is just around the corner. Itâ€™s a time during the months of January, February, and March when you and your guests can fish at the Lodge and receive our standard fishing package at a tremendously discounted rate. Remember to practice CPR, â€œCatch, Photo, and Releaseâ€, whenever possible on trophy Trout and Redsâ€¦Guide Chris Martin, Port Oâ€™Connor/Seadrift region.

www.BayFlatsLodge.com
1-888-677-4868


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

Short fishing video we just put together from yesterday. Best viewed in 720p HD


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

*Tuesday Trip*

The lodge welcomed an 8-boat 1/2 session on Tuesday. Fishing was still spotty for the guides. Once the fog lifts on Wednesday fishing should rebound ahead of another cold front.


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

*Cold, cold trout*

Testimonials

Dec 04, 2013 by Wendy Reardon
A big hug and "thanks" to Chris, Angie and T.J. They were wonderful helping me celebrate my husband's 50th birthday!

Dec 04, 2013 by David B.
Food was amazingly, enexpectedly delicious. You guys also arranged to lend me a rain poncho when I was too stupid to remember my own, for which I am eternally grateful.

Dec 01, 2013 by Gary & Deb Ferns
Gary and Deb Blast & Cast at Bay Flats Lodge, November 2013. Deb exclaimed "What an awesome vacation for us as a couple and for bringing our two daughters so we had family time. "

Nov 25, 2013 by W. Stevens
Every person on the staff was friendly and seemed genuinely concerned about our service. They all seemed like they were part owners in BFL and wanted to make sure we were pleased. Great bunch!

Nov 23, 2013 by B.L.
You guys have a great staff. Smiles all around you, how can one NOT have a great time. Food service and quality was as good as I have ever experienced. Capt Steve was an outstanding fishing guide. Congrats to the entire staff for making the trip one to remember. You guys have a great staff. Smiles all around you, how can one NOT have a great time. Food service and quality was as good as I have ever experienced. Capt Steve was an outstanding fishing guide. Congrats to the entire staff for making the trip one to remember.

Nov 20, 2013 by RB
Everyone was absolutely terrific. I want to especially acknowledge Steve. He was totally professional and fun to fish with.

Nov 17, 2013 by Brian Smith
I was fortunate enough to have my family invited to a company function and i scored major points with them. This is a wonderful, relaxing, fulfilling experience for anyone. Having pre-dinner drinks in the pavillion, a wonderful dinner, then sitting by the fire and relaxing was wonderful. Captain Rick was awesome. He was very patient with my girls. One of my daughters caught her first fish, then proceeded to catch at least 40 more. My other daughter did just as well and they both were begging not to leave. Impressive for a 7 and 10 year old without much to do but fish and relax. Granted, it would have been an equally enjoyable, and more relaxing experirence if it were only adults, but the memories my girls have will last a lifetime. It was wonderful.


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

â€œDecember Fishing Forecastâ€
Port Oâ€™Connor / Seadrift 
Written by: Capt. Chris Martin

Cold weather should be prevailing this month as we head into this yearâ€™s holiday season. As a result, we will probably experience some less-than-stellar conditions on occasions. Donâ€™t be discouraged when this happens. You shouldnâ€™t, necessarily, alter your plans or cancel your fishing trip just because the sun isnâ€™t shining and because the wind happens to be blowing really hard. Of course, however, safety should be your main concern. If you feel that the weather is altogether too much for you and your party, then simply donâ€™t go. The fish will still be there whenever you are able to make your next trip safely.
If you do happen to make it out onto the water this month on a day when the weather decides to turn nasty, stop for a moment and try to think of alternate locations instead of immediately packing-up everything and heading back to the boat ramp. Areas along the stretch of our coastal region that I look to in these situations are places like the many back lakes located on Matagorda Island between Port Oâ€™Connor and The Second Chain of Islands that are all the way down by Mesquite Bay â€“ Pringle Lake, Contee Lake, Long Lake, and Panther Point Lake to name just a few. If you prefer staying closer to the mainland, then look to places like the stretch of the Intracoastal Waterway between West Matagorda Bay and San Antonio Bay, or the Victoria Barge Canal thatâ€™s accessible via San Antonio Bay near the bayside town of Seadrift.
For the artificial bait enthusiasts amongst us, December can be a prime month for scoring a career-best trout. Top water baits are my favorite, but they can sometimes be a challenge whenever fighting windy conditions. Thatâ€™s why I always make it a point to carry a small arsenal of plastic baits in cold weather. This month, Iâ€™ll primarily count on plastic baits in dark colors â€“ Morning Glory, Red Shad, TX Roach â€“ to continue to pay off for me in my cold-water endeavors. Whenever possible this month, Iâ€™ll be tossing these baits in some of the more popular reef areas of San Antonio Bay whenever the reefs happen to be accessible. When the shell becomes unavailable due to foul weather or wind, Iâ€™ll look to nearby protected shorelines and coves consisting of soft, warm mud with some dark grass mixed-in. And, as always at this time of the year, Iâ€™ll make sure I use a slow retrieve if I am working soft plastics or slow-sinking plugs above the shell, or the mud.

Good luck, and keep grindinâ€™!


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