# April's Constant Variances



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

*Aprilâ€™s Constant Variances*​
It seems as though the past couple weeks have thrown us every weather variable imaginable. We have seen everything from intermittent showers accompanied by subtle north winds to that of brilliantly bright days with winds pumping strong out of the south. With these variances in winds we have also been dealing with the associated changes in tidal conditions, some of which have been extreme â€" finish the afternoon with a high bull tide, only to awaken the next morning to a tide so low you might think it was still wintertime. Dealing with such conditions can be, and has been, somewhat of a challenge when attempting to locate fish on a daily basis. However, you can also look at differing conditions as being a wonderful opportunity for you to hone your strategy skills for future ventures.

For example, if you happen to be fishing a particular area that is concealed from a strong south wind during an excessive high tide period, look around the immediate vicinity to see where game fish might setup their ambush point in the event the area you are in begins emptying water and baitfish into the larger bay system due to abrupt wind and tide changes. Take note of these dumping points and use them to your advantage when staging your next wade session in the same area, but have exact opposite weather and tide conditions.

Conversely, if you happen to be wading a back lake area or even an open shoreline during exceptionally low tide conditions, make mental notes of the locations of uncovered structure â€" bay bottom features such as sand bars, oyster reefs, bare guts, grassy areas â€" that are not usually exposed. Next time you fish the same area under normal conditions you will not only be able to safely navigate the area, but will also be able to position yourself so as to focus your efforts on these structured locations for prime results.

For the past year, the fishing along our Texas coast has become increasingly good, and we anticipate it to only get better as we progress through spring and into summer. As we all continue to relish in all that our great fisheries have to offer, it is important for us to realize the necessity for replenishing that natural resource that we have enjoyed for so many years, and that is why Bay Flats Lodge has partnered with CCA Texas and their National Habitat Program, the Building Conservation Trust. All of our lodge guests now have the opportunity to get involved and donate, and we will match all of our customer donations as we submit them to CCA. With your help, these groups will be able to enhance marine life from Matagorda Bay to Rockport that will be appreciated and enjoyed by the local community for many generations to come. Donate today to make a difference! Until next time, 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 â€¦1-888-677-4868

*In The Newsâ€¦*
First BFL Check Is Written to Building Conservation Trust - CCA Texas
And so it begins - Bay Flats Lodge partnership with the Building Conservation Trust is officially launched with our first check written to BCT. We want to say thank you to our great customers who have generously given, and we at Bay Flats Lodge are happy to match their gifts. These donations are going to habitat projects here in the central Texas coast from Matagorda Bay to Rockport. As these funds accumulate and are put to use, all those who enjoy the fishing and hunting that the Texas mid-coast provides will benefit. Check out the BCT Spring 2018 Newsletter - There are lots of great things going on with CCA's National Habitat Program! Read on to learn more about new habitat projects, partnerships and ways you can get involved. http://mailchi.mp/89f4e2792e84/bct-spring-2018-newsletter






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Ducks Unlimited Event Held at BFL
Bay Flats Lodge is proud to have been selected to host Ducks Unlimited this past weekend for their annual meetings, along with a 10-boat, 2-day fishing session. The camaraderie was awesome, and everybody seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed the stay with us. More noticeable, however, was the passion and the love everyone shared for the common good of conserving our nationâ€™s ever-dwindling wetlands - a conservancy effort required in order to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. DU conserves, restores, and manages wetlands and associated habitats for North America's waterfowl, which also benefits other wildlife and people. Waterfowl conservation is facing important challenges as wetlands and other habitats are being degraded and destroyed across the continent, and Ducks Unlimited has a vision to reverse that trend.






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*Upcoming Events* 
May 17th - Combat Marine Outdoors
Due to damages incurred by Hurricane Harvey, Seadriftâ€™s own legendary seafood restaurant, Barkettâ€™s, will no longer be opening their doors to the public. In Barkettâ€™s absence, Bay Flats Lodge has volunteered to serve as host to this yearâ€™s annual luncheon event for the Combat Marine Outdoors organization. Their program serves as a vehicle to demonstrate to these Marines, Sailors, and other service members that there are tens of thousands of patriotic Americans who truly care about these brave warriors and are willing to show their appreciation and support by providing once-in-a-lifetime outdoor adventures in some of the most incredible places in the world. It will be our honor and our privilege to host the members of such a fine organization.

CCA Texas - S.T.A.R. Tournament 2018
_May 26th through September 3rd, 2018_
Just like your lure presentation, CCA is always working to improve the CCA Texas STAR Tournament. This year we are rolling out our brand new CCA Texas Guides Division. The addition of this division DOES NOT affect any other part of the tournament and guides are still ineligible in other divisions. It is the hope of Texas STAR and CCA Texas to be able to reward Texas fishing guides who support marine conservation, and empower them to help recruit more anglers into the CCA mission through this new division. The division winner will be taking home a new 26â€™ Mowdy Cat, Mercury 225hp ProXS OptiMax outboard, and custom Coastline trailer. 
Division framework: All eligible guides who were present when a member of their party catches any fish on the final leaderboard on a paid, or unpaid trip, will be entered into a drawing to win the division, pending polygraphs. Drawing will be held after the final winner board is posted. Entries will be weighted in descending order based upon final standings, with a division-winning fish (including all tagged redfish winners) being worth five entries and a fifth place fish being worth one entry. The guide must be listed on the anglerâ€™s Official STAR weigh-in form to receive entries. Please see www.startournament.org for eligibility requirements and further details.

*This Week's Featured Special*
BFL's Grass Roots Wade Fishing Lures Special
Our original customer base of the mid-1990's consisted primarily of customers who loved to wade fish with artificial bait, and it was that clientele which stood as the foundation upon which we have grown Bay Flats Lodge into the company it has become today. In recognition of our grass roots, we're getting back to the basics this year by offering a special deal to all of the wading and artificial enthusiasts out there. Beginning April 1, 2018, when you book 3 wading with artificial bait trips, you will receive your 4th wading with artificial bait trip FREE. 
- The 4th FREE trip ONLY includes one free full-day of wade fishing with artificial baits for 4 anglers in one boat.
- The 4th FREE trip does NOT include free lodging and meals.
- One full-day of wade fishing with artificial bait constitutes one trip toward your goal.
- All trips must be taken prior to December 31, 2018.
- Offer not valid on trips booked prior to April 1, 2018; only valid on trips booked between April 1, 2018, and December 15, 2018






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*Hereâ€™s What Some of Our Recent Guests Had To Sayâ€¦*
_The lodge staff and our fishing guide, Capt. Jeremy McClelland, were very accommodating and helpful. Keep up the great service! - *Clay R. 4/9/18*

The staff was professional with a great attitude, and the food was great (the quail was wonderful)! Capt. Doug Russell was awesome! - *Mark L. 4/8/18*

Capt. Jeremy McClelland was excellent and extremely competent. Probably was the the best fishing guide Iâ€™ve ever fished with. Kudos! - *Greg D. 4/8/18*

Everybody is great! TJ was there to meet us and made sure we had everything we needed and got us settled in. He always remembers our group and makes sure he spends time with us to make everyone feel welcome. I fished with Capt. Harold Dworaczyk one day and Capt. Jason Wagenfehr the next. They are both excellent guides who make sure you know the game plan but let you do your thing as well. Best guides around! The food is always top-notch! Can't wait until 5:30pm each day to dig in to those appetizers! We stayed in the new house. We had the whole house to ourselves and had an awesome time! Keep doing what you're doing! - *Kerry J. 4/8/18*_

*Five-Day Weather Forecast*
*Tuesday 0 % Precip. / 0.0 in*
Partly cloudy skies. High 76F. Winds NE at 15 to 25 mph.
*Wednesday 10 % Precip. / 0.0 in*
A mainly sunny sky. High 76F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph.
*Thursday 10 % Precip. / 0.0 in*
Wind increasing. A few clouds from time to time. High 77F. Winds SSE at 20 to 30 mph.
*Friday 80 % Precip. / 0.06 in* 
Showers and thunderstorms in the morning, then partly cloudy late. It will be windy. High 79F. Winds S at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
*Saturday 20 % Precip. / 0.0 in*
Some clouds early. Mostly sunny along with windy conditions during the afternoon. High 72F. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
*Synopsis:* 
A moderate to strong northeast flow will develop and continue into Tuesday, with the flow slowly weakening in the afternoon. Small Craft Advisories are likely for the gulf for part of Tuesday. Winds will gradually shift around to the southeast Tuesday night and Wednesday, becoming weak to moderate. Onshore flow will increase Thursday into Friday ahead of another cold front that will move through Friday night into Saturday. 
*Coastal Water Temperature: *
Port Aransas 69.1 degrees
Seadrift 66.9 degrees
Matagorda Bay 66.0 degrees

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Captain Chris Martin
www.BayFlatsLodge.com

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

*Pic 2*

Pic 2


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

Monday's fishing session:

Drift fishing uncharted environs with the airboat found Capt. TJ and I casting to crimson shoulder redfish along protected pot holes. Despite every lure imaginable thrown, these golden back fish wouldnâ€™t cooperate. Now, we did come up on small shell humps just inches below the water surface that resulted back-to-back hook ups giving up one trout after another. Best action was scored on voodoo shrimp tipped under a popping cork while rigged on 1/8 oz. jig heads.

Water conditions: Dirty
Wind Speed/Direction: NE 15-20
Weather: Drizzle rain and cloudy all day
Lures: Voodoo brown shrimp, spook blue chrome top water, and new penny gulp.


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

*Welcome back folks1*

The lodge welcomed a return customer from 2001 at the original lodge. They've been extremely loyal over the years, and we couldn't have asked for better weather. They booked the entire lodge for a 2-day fishing session. Reports to follow...

Thanks
Capt. Chris Martin


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

*Texas Trouting*

Leader Lore

Capt. Chris Martin uses 20- or 25-pound fluorcarbon leader material ahea of his 12-pound main line to make more effective lure presentation, as well as guard against chafing from the pointy teeth and sharp gill plate of seatrout. "I belive the leader's large diameter slows the lure's decent like a parachute. The slower the rate of fall keeps the jig in front of larghargic trout longer and gives them a chance to bite."


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

*Texas Tackle*

Capt. Chris Martin of Bay Flats Lodge in Seadrift, Texas, reaches for a medium-light, 6 1/2 foot rod with a palm swell in the grip. "The grip lets me hold the rod comfortably and cast all day with out tiring my elbow and wrist. The rod's faily stiff action is designed for fishing topwaters but also works well with jigs," he says. Chris favors a low-profile baitcaster.


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

*Thank you for the business Folks!*

Apr 10, 2018 by David B. on BAY FLATS LODGE
Loved fishing with Capt. 'Lil John Wyatt. It was my third time with Capt. 'Lil John and Iâ€™m trying to book him for my wife and I next month. Also have a customer that Capt. 'Lil John guided last year who wants him again. I really enjoy bringing my customers here. They love this place! - David B. 4/10/18

Apr 10, 2018 by Bill W. on BAY FLATS LODGE
Great atmosphere and great facility! - Bill W. 4/10/18

Apr 9, 2018 by Nick M. on BAY FLATS LODGE
We had an absolute blast! Hospitality was above and beyond! Look forward to coming back in the near future. Capt. Todd Jones was a great help for someone who doesnâ€™t fish that often! - Nick M. 4/9/18

Apr 9, 2018 by Rob G. on BAY FLATS LODGE
I have had the opportunity to hunt and fish at many lodges and your lodge is top-notch! Thanks for the wonderful experience! - Rob G.  4/9/18

Apr 9, 2018 by Jim T. on BAY FLATS LODGE
If there was a way for me to grade the food and food service higher than "Well Above Average", I would have marked that! You have a great place and great people! - Jim T. 4/9/18

Apr 9, 2018 by Clay R. on BAY FLATS LODGE
The lodge staff and our fishing guide, Capt. Jeremy McClelland, were very accommodating and helpful. Keep up the great service! - Clay R. 4/9/18

Apr 8, 2018 by Mark L. on BAY FLATS LODGE
The staff was professional with a great attitude, and the food was great (the quail was wonderful)! Capt. Doug Russell was awesome! - Mark L. 4/8/18

Apr 8, 2018 by Greg D. on BAY FLATS LODGE
Capt. Jeremy McClelland was excellent and extremely competent. Probably was the the best fishing guide Iâ€™ve ever fished with. Kudos! - Greg D. 4/8/18

Apr 8, 2018 by Kerry J. on BAY FLATS LODGE
Everybody is great! TJ was there to meet us and made sure we had everything we needed and got us settled in. He always remembers our group and makes sure he spends time with us to make everyone feel welcome. I fished with Capt. Harold Dworaczyk one day and Capt. Jason Wagenfehr the next. They are both excellent guides who make sure you know the game plan but let you do your thing as well. Best guides around! The food is always top-notch! Can't wait until 5:30pm each day to dig in to those appetizers! We stayed in the new house. We had the whole house to ourselves and had an awesome time! Keep doing what you're doing! - Kerry J. 4/8/18

Apr 6, 2018 by Chris M. on BAY FLATS LODGE
Great service by the staff! - Chris M. 4/6/18


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