# Bay Flats Lodge -"Yule Tide Forecast"



## Capt. Chris Martin

Bay Flats Lodge on San Antonio Bay
January 9, 2017

*Flats Cat Boats*
Anyone who has fished our coastal waters, especially during winter, knows exactly how much the wind and the waves can vary each day, or sometimes throughout the course of just one day. You can launch the boat in fog and glass-smooth conditions at sunrise, only to be fighting a 30-mph headwind with 3-foot waves on your way back to the ramp later that afternoon. Thatâ€™s why you need a boat that can handle all that the waves can throw at you, while at the same time being able to maneuver in some of the skinniest water along the Texas coast. Thatâ€™s why I chose the 21â€™ Flats Cat. Its catamaran hull was designed so as to create natural lift when getting on plane, thereby minimizing bow rise at take off, allowing you to get on top in a hurry even in extremely shallow water. Once youâ€™re on top, the hull rides across the top of each wave rather than forcing itself through the waves creating a comforting ride unmatched by many others out there in todayâ€™s market. And the actual shape of each hull pushes the water out and away from the boat, rather than bouncing directly off of the hull, thereby eliminating the well-known wave spray that commonly drenches everyone onboard. With your outboard engine propped correctly, the aeronautics of the cat hulls will even keep the boat on plane at about 10-12mph, giving you a most unique advantage of being able to cover a lot of ground more quickly when scouting fish in the shallows. But donâ€™t take my word for it, stop by the Flats Cat booth at this yearâ€™s 2017 Houston Boat Show from January 6th to the 15th, and schedule your demo ride today. Tell them Chris Martin sent you!

*Flats Cat Video*





*Capt. Chris Martin*
Cold temperatures will be in store for anglers as we enter the beginning of another new year along the Texas Gulf coast. We can expect periods of exceptionally strong winds out of the north that will almost certainly be pushing a lot of water out of area bays producing lower tides as a direct result. This should signal to boating anglers the need for them to heed extra caution while underway in any body of water, even those they may be fairly familiar with, as they make their way to their January fishing destinations. Additional safety measures this month will include layered-clothing, an extra set of dry clothes, foul-weather gear, and the practice of leaving a copy of the dayâ€™s intended float plan at home with family members or friends before heading out onto the water. It is also a good idea to always make sure everyoneâ€™s cell phone is fully charged and that each of the phones are stored securely in a dry spot in the boat.

It goes without saying that whenever the water turns cold the trout are going to get cold, too. And when the trout get cold, they will begin to search for warmer surroundings. For the trout, this might mean locating water that is only as much as a few degrees warmer. And because mud is as efficient as it is in its ability to absorb, store, and discharge heat means that Coastal Bend anglers can increase their odds for success this month as they explore areas comprised primarily of the thick, soft, blackish-gray stuff. The many lake areas like Pringle Lake, Long Lake, Contee Lake, South Pass Lake, and Panther Lake are all good choices, along with Panther Point and Shoalwater Bay (on the other side of the bay).

If January turns really, really cold and consequently causes bay water temperatures to simply plummet, anglers can anticipate the need to look for the trout in some of the deeper locales around the region. One of the more popular deep spots is The Army Hole thatâ€™s located across Espiritu Santo Bay out on Matagorda Island. Another deep-water alternative that is offered to area anglers is the approximate 20-mile stretch of the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) that runs between West Matagorda Bay at Port Oâ€™Connor all the way down to where it reaches San Antonio Bay near Seadrift. Occasionally, this particular leg of the ICW serves a dual purpose in that it can also provide protection from nagging winds on most days. Unless we experience an unexpected heat wave, Januaryâ€™s going to be cold, so plan to look for mud and for deep water (or mud thatâ€™s in deep water)!

*Capt. Stephen Boriskie*
On Friday and Saturday, it was my fortune to host three guys who are new to duck hunting, and we had the coldest weather I have hunted in during the past couple years. Nathanial, Matt and Roman, from Victoria, who are accomplished dove hunters, really impressed me with their 80% kill ratio on the ducks! We joked Saturday about the lack of flying birds, but we figured out early that the guys could hit what theyâ€™re shooting at! Probably the nicest, most gentlemanly trio in their college age group I have ever had, and these guys had a good time at their inaugural waterfowl outing. We had puddlers and divers decoying most of Friday and early on Saturday. Donâ€™t let these customers have ALL the fun, duck season ends at the end of the month and we at Bay Flats Lodge have plenty of talented guides and open dates for both duck hunts and fishing trips.

A Sunday afternoon fishing trip with brothers Terry and Foster had me running around the bay trying all sorts of deep guts, but to no avail - didnâ€™t get a single bite! Thankfully, Capt. Steve Boldt was out on the bay showing the ladies a few redfish tricks, and consequently was able to tip me off regarding the bite. This is important on days when it is so cold the fish are scattered and freaked out as much as we are, so communication sharing is very important. I say â€œTHANK YOUâ€ Capt. Steve for helping Bay Flats customers. I think we got a dozen undersize redfish and two nice keepers, and the brothers were very happy and were more than ready for a warm meal back at the lodge.

Monday morning was day #2 for Terry and Foster, and it was the Blast portion of their visit. These guys are new to duck hunting, but youâ€™d never know it to see them shoot. Youâ€™d be impressed with their kill ration - doubling-up, too! Theyâ€™ve had a great time down here along the mid-coast at Bay Flats Lodge enjoying what was a gifted Cast & Blast from their folks. It was my pleasure guys!

*Watch Our Latest Videos*










*2016-17 Winter Fishing Special (December thru March)*
http://www.bayflatslodge.com/2016-17-winter-fishing-special
You and your party can enjoy a great ending to the year with some well-deserved rest and relaxation as you savor some fabulous cuisine, enjoy first-class accommodations, and experience great fishing at some of the best rates Bay Flats Lodge will offer all year long.
$412 per person 2 Guests per boatâ€¨
$275 per person 3 Guests per boatâ€¨
$232 per person 4 Guests per boat
(Includes 1 night lodging, 3 meals, and 1 full-day of fishing
Live bait provided at additional charge, if requested.
6.00% Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax not included.

*Deer Season Is Hereâ€¦*
Open marshlands and sandy swamps covered by grassy plants, and nearly impenetrable motts of trees and brush, are both natural environs that make for a great attraction to the deer, and Bay Flats Lodge hunters are able to take advantage of both. Being less than three hours from Houston, Austin, or San Antonio, our deer hunting property is located along the coastal bend region, providing time saving convenience to hunters. Gone are the days of having to drive into the depths and remoteness of south Texas, or out to the far reaches of some of the more secluded western regions of the state in order to enjoy a trophy hunt of a lifetime. Hunting whitetails with Bay Flats Lodge means spending more time enjoying the finer things in life such as the pleasure of the hunt itself, the camaraderie of friends and family, and the truly finest accommodations and service offered anywhere along the Texas coast.

Our whitetail hunting area was developed locally several years ago, and the land and the wildlife have been managed closely ever since. In that we hold exclusive outfitting privileges on this hunting area, and because it sits just moments away from our Lodge, we are able to provide our customers with a whitetail hunt second to none. We invite you to experience Bay Flats Lodge, the premier hunting and fishing destination on the Texas coast for your next trophy-class whitetail deer hunt.

*Three-Day Weather Forecast*
*Tuesday 20 % Precip. / 0.0 in* 
Partly cloudy skies. Gusty winds in the morning. High 74F. Winds S at 20 to 30 mph.
*Tuesday Night 10 % Precip. / 0.0 in*
A few clouds from time to time. Low 63F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.
*Wednesday 10 % Precip. / 0.0 in*
Sunny skies. High around 75F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph.
*Wednesday Night 20 % Precip. / 0.0 in*
A few clouds overnight. Low near 65F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph.
*Thursday 20 % Precip. / 0.0 in*
Intervals of clouds and sunshine. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 74F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph.
*Thursday Night 50 % Precip. / 0.05 in*
Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. Low 64F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. 
Synopsis: 
Light to moderate southeasterly flow this evening will strengthen to a more moderate south flow overnight into Tuesday. A moderate to occasionally strong onshore flow is then expected Wednesday through Saturday. Cool shelf waters near the coast will interact with warm and moist marine air and result in the generation of sea fog as early as tonight, and continue through at least Friday morning, generally over the bays and nearshore waters north and east of Port Aransas due to the more south flow. Moisture and instability may be sufficient by Friday for a chance for showers and thunderstorms through the weekend. 
Coastal Water Temperature: 
Rockport 52.0 degrees
Seadrift 55.0 degrees
Port Aransas 55.0 degrees

Watch our story





Watch Our Deer Hunting Video





See Our Acres of Wetland Habitat for the 2016-17 Duck Season





Download our App on iTunes 
https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=898844158&mt=8

Download our App on Google Play 
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.app_bayflat.layout

Join our fan page
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bay-F...15209515185497

1-888-677-4868
Captain Chris Martin
www.BayFlatsLodge.com

Meet Our Partners:
Simms
Costa Del Mar
Mojo Sportswear
Columbia
Drake Waterfowl
Flats Cat Boats
Bernies Boats & Motors
Yamaha Outboards
Coastline Trailers
Shoalwater Boats
Old Victoria Outfitters
Brinson Powersports
Quack Rack
TTF - Texas Tackle Factory
CCA - Texas
Ducks Unlimited - Texas
Delta Waterfowl
Benelli USA
Franchi USA
Black Cloud Ammunitions
Finck Cigar Company
The Texas Gourmet
Stacy Hedrick - Realtor
Port Lavaca Auto Group
Lifetime Decoys
MOmarsh
Law Call Lanyards
FireDisc Cookers
POC Freeze Out Fishing Tournament
Hector Mendieta Tunes & Tails Fishing Tournament
Seadrift Shrimpfest Fishing Tournament


----------



## Capt. Chris Martin

*Pics 2*

Pics 2


----------



## Capt. Chris Martin

*Fun Outdoor Writer Photo Shoot*

A mix of cotton tops and redheads found the X while hunting with veteran waterfowl guide Captain Harold Dworaczyk, Jet and Lefty Ray. Photos by professional outdoor writer and photographer David Joseph


----------



## Capt. Chris Martin

*Captain Harold and Jet*

Photos by Lefty Ray Chapa
Outdoor Photographer/Writer
Texas Outdoor Writers Association President
Member of OWAA


----------



## Capt. Chris Martin

*Photo shoot*

Photo by Outdoor Photographer Lefty Ray getting that perfect shell shot of David Joseph Sikes and Captain Harold over a small salt marsh pond near San Antonio Bay.


----------



## Capt. Chris Martin

*Thank you!*

Seasonal conditions for blast & cast offerings have delivered this January. We are so proud to have the best guides and staff a fishing & hunting lodge could ask for, but we couldn't be where we are today without the most important ingredient of our business, the customer. I want to thank each and every guests for their continued support and business. We all share the same love of the outdoors. Thank you for letting us share it with you.


----------



## Capt. Chris Martin

*Really nice article by Outdoor Writer and photographer David Sikes*

http://www.caller.com/story/sports/outdoors/2017/01/14/duck-hunters-praise-texas-season-success/96442700/


----------

