# Ponds Off The Marsh & ICW



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

*â€œFebruary Trophiesâ€
by Capt. Chris Martin
February 23, 2014*

If I had to guess which coastal species of fish is most sought after along our Texas Gulf coast, I would have to say it is probably the ever popular speckled trout. And fishing for coastal trout is a fun sport that just about anyone can enjoy. Take me for example. I like fishing for trout even if I donâ€™t catch anything, but thatâ€™s just because I love to fish, period! But fishing and catching are two different things. And with all the variables associated with the sport of coastal angling, one can only imagine how hard it can often be just to catch trout on a regular basis. But to be able to boast consistent catches of trophy-sized trout is even that much more of a challenge. Doing so is somewhat of an art that requires almost covert-style procedures, some rather serious knowledge of the fish and their habits, and an altogether separate manner of approach to the subject of fishing. For those in search of big-trout in February, this is the time to put away the live bait rigs. Move away from those drop-offs to extremely deep water where youâ€™ve been fishing the last couple months for those â€œschooliesâ€, and go toward the shallows to start looking for some of those really big trout that will almost stop your heart next time you happen to see one.

A lot of coastal anglers who are fortunate enough to be able to fish on a regular basis often manage impressive catches of trout that measure anywhere between fifteen and twenty-two or twenty-three inches in length, yet most of these same anglers probably have never caught more than a few (if any) trout that are larger than that. Some may say the reason behind this is that a lot of anglers, even some of the more seasoned veterans, simply don't fish where the big trout tend to locate themselves. Contrary to popular belief, some of the places that a lot of us may consider to be good trout water, like some of the more typical grass flats that are between three and six feet deep are not always good places to spend a lot of your time when youâ€™re looking for one of your career-best trout. Of course, you could be fortunate enough to stumble upon a big sow as she happens to be moving from one hangout to the next, but that level of odds probably isnâ€™t worth staking your fishing reputation on, if you know what I mean. In order to recognize better results with the larger, trophy-size trout (the â€œbig gals"), you must first realize that these larger trout tend to act, and react, like a completely different family of fish over that of the smaller and less-mature trout.

Make it a point to head for some of the more shallow flats this month. Why? Because once the trout grow to a length of about twenty-two inches, or longer, they generally prefer very shallow, healthy grass flats for much of the year, or whenever they can find such places. The shallows are attractive to the trout for a few reasons. First, shallow water means protection for the trout. Thatâ€™s right, natural predators like the dolphin and the shark are unable to get to the trout in the skinny water. Plus, because they are now as big as they are, the larger trout donâ€™t have to fear â€œdeath from aboveâ€ because they are now too big to be scooped up by predator birds like the pelican and the osprey. A second reason the trout are attracted to the shallows is the water temperature. During colder months of the year, shallow water tends to warm during the day and, consequently, this warming effect invites fish to be drawn out of the depths of the darkness and the cold. And during the warmer months of the year, the shallow flats cool down at night much more rapidly than that of neighboring deep water, which also attracts the fish into the shallow water where they will often stay until the heat of the day starts to heat the water to the point to where it becomes too hot for them. A third reason that shallow water tends to attract large trout is simply because baitfish are attracted to the shallows, as well. Common food sources, like huge mullet, that trophy trout feed upon year-round are attracted to the exact same shallow water areas for the exact same reasons as the trout. So, next time youâ€™re scouting for your next wading spot of the day and happen to see big, jumping mullet atop a shallow flat, this should be an immediate indicator to you that this location should probably prove to be a great fishing spot. One thing to keep in mind while discovering flats areas that may produce your next record trout is that whenever you begin to think that you are in water thatâ€™s too shallow, you probably aren't shallow enough! The ideal big trout terrain has often proven to be less than one foot in depth. Iâ€™ve even heard tales of folks witnessing small birds resting on the exposed backs of big trout and reds sitting in water so skinny that the fish werenâ€™t even fully covered with water.

These big fish can be extremely spooky, and running your boat motor anywhere near them will often send them heading for the nearest hiding place and can quickly scare them to the point to where they may not feed for quite some time. The secret here is to be as sly as you can possibly be â€" stealth is the key to success. Creep-up slowly on big trout with a good trolling motor or push-pole, whichever one is your choice. Personally, I like wading, but thatâ€™s simply my own preference. Just remember, the farther you can keep away from the trout, the better your chances will be. And as one last item, always try to remember the criticality of you being able to lead your cast far in front of the fish so the fish doesn't hear the splash of your lure â€" youâ€™re trying to be undetected.

Obviously, catching large trout in February can be a challenge. But, with some practice and a little understanding, producing "trophy" catches this month can be well within your reach.

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

Photos: Captain Cooper Hartmann guided part of 31 guests attending the SC Man Camp at BFL. They had a great day wade fishing with lures.


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

*More pics and fun*

Ahead of the next arctic blast...


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

*It all worked out*

Monday found us entertaining wade fisherman with Capt. Bryan Steubing guiding his crew over mud and grass. Experienced and non-experienced anglers were fishing today with the Captain. Red fish took center stage with a mix of speckled trout for their efforts. After returning back for appetizers and dinner, the crew expressed how much fun they had with Capt. Bryan. "We kept trying to imitate what he was doing to catch reds."

Captain Boldt was able to put Michael, Jeff and Chris on a memorable day of reds to 30 plus inches. Both Captain Harold and Boldt worked hard for the crew. You really know the guides are doing something special when both groups walked in the office, and before checking out they rebooked for spring and summer trips.

Captain Chris Martin


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