Return to the Fishing Articles page.Transcribed with permission from the Port Isabel/South Padre Island (Texas) Press Parade -- May 1996
Last month we talked about Big Trout and possibly a State Record coming from the lower Laguna Madre.
Well, so far I've heard of a nine-pound, seven-ounce; a 10-pound, one ounce; a 10-pound, 12 ounce; and, from yours truly, a solid 11-pound trout. I'm sure there are more that I haven't heard about.
Three of these fish come from in back of Three Islands. One on a red worm with a white tail and two on Capt. Lou Austin's "Clicking Popping Cork" with live shrimp. I'm not sure, but the other two fish came off of the East Side also, one on top water artificial and the other on cut mullet, if the story is correct.
The Bay is the clearest we have seen it in years. I think this is a combination of lesser activity from the shrimp farms and no dredging except in front of South Bay. Let's hope it stays this way so we might have a summer like days of old.
This is starting out to be a late season. With all of these springtime cold fronts, the bay temperature at this time is only 65-66 degrees. This is a few degrees shy of a good spawn temperature for trout. The last of April and the month of May will also show a start of bird action. Look for small groups of seagulls with a tern or two mixed, hovering over shallow water.
Usually the West side and part of Gas Well Flats in the morning and east of Gas Well Flats and South Cullen Bay in the afternoon. When you fish these bird groups, be extra cautious as these fish are very spooky. Rule to live by is give them about 300 to 500 yards as you start your drift. When you get ready to cast, make sure that you can cast past the birds (sometimes you will see the tails of the fish. If so, don't panic) and bring the lure or popping cork back through the school. Usually, you will only get one or two fish out of each small school, but my personal record is seven fish by casting touts to the edges of the school.
When you come up on this pattern and see tails, it can cause an extreme case of "Buck Fever" so try to keep cool. I've seen even the most experienced fisherman panic and destroy the chance of one or two fish or more by blasting the lure right in the middle of the school. Usually, the fish you catch are trout averaging about two pounds, but it is not unusual for there to be redfish mixed with the trout. Actually, they are getting a free lunch. What is happening with the trout is that there is one or two big females (you seem to never catch them) surrounded by a group of males that are tying to make them spawn by biting at them and forcing them on to the bottom. When this happens, the trout disturb a lot of shrimp and crabs that the redfish are feeding on. Also, the male trout will feed while they are aggressively pursuing the big old sow trout.
This type of fishing is a run and gun method. When you are in an area and there is another boat or two doing the same thing, just sit back and try to work with the other boats. You can't possibly get to all of the birds and usually, if the other boat is someone that has used this method before, you can come to an agreeable pattern and never have to talk about it. There are a handful of guides that work these schools every year and will willingly give you every opportunity to enjoy this type of fishing.
This looks like a good fishing year shaping up so remember, if you don't have a line in the water, you are not fishing.
Good fishing
Capt. Lou Austin
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