19 of 21, today was the last

[GoDoe]

Today, Friday, was my last day to fish on this trip. It was to be my 19th fishing day of the 21 days I have been in Aransas Pass. I had planned to meet a buddy at 9:30am to try to take advantage of the falling tide with the sun and wind at our backs.

We meet and get everything situated. I say which way are you going. He says this way, how about you. I say that way. He says why do you want to go that way. I say because when we reach the flat we will be coming on to it down wind and down sun. He says OK I'll go that way too. He says go ahead I want to drag my fly line all the way there to stretch it out a bit. No problem.

He arrives at the entrance a few minutes behind me and we are up and poling. Right away we see a few reds laying into the wind. We haven't been on the flat for 200 yds when I see a pod of fish going at it hard. I am a good buddy so I yell to my slightly deaf bud to come over and he can have this pod. The fish are 150 yds in front of us and he can't see them yet. He comes closer to my boat and now he has a visual. I say go get them and he says "I don't even have a fly tied on yet". Sorry but I am not that good of friend so he has to watch as I wade close enough to put my #4 white seaducer just in front of the group. They are busy bumping shoulders and half way out of the water. As they move closer to my fly somebody eats it and it looks like a jail break.

My buddy wades up as I am bringing this 22 incher to hand. I told him I still see where the pod is and I think he can wade on and get a shot. About 75 yds farther a small bunch, probably remnants of my pod, is casually tailing. I point them out to him to go after. He is putting the slow sneak on them and I encourage him to hurry. He is worried about spooking them but I don't think we are close enough to bother them.

Before he can get there they disappear. We keep wading to the spot where we saw them last. For some reason my buddy, who is on my right, makes a right turn. I kept going straight. We are now about 40 feet apart standing still waiting for some kind of sign. I got my sign. A single cruises to right in front of me at 30' and I gave him the opportunity to eat the same seaducer.

I could see his gill plates flare and the seducer get inhaled. I set the hook and the splash of the beginning of the fight gets my buddy's attention. He says "you dog". I had no excuse except self defense. The fish was coming right at me so I had to protect myself from this 23 incher.

It is now 10:15 and we have been fishing for about 25 minutes. We couldn't find any more of those fish so we moved on.

We spent the next couple of hours searching for fish without much luck. At lunch break around 12:30 we meet back and bud tells me he had a couple of momentary tailers hit his crab fly, #6, but not get hooked up. My story went I had two fish try to eat the seaduce too and neither one of them was successful either.

After lunch we broke up and fished for about another 45 minutes. I caught a 25" red at close range, like 15', in some dirty water. My bud has seen a few more fish but could not get on the board this day.

We are poling off he flats at 1:45 in different states of mind. I am appreciative that the flats gods allowed me some success this last day and for the sight of that wad of rusty orange splashing along in 6" of water.

Back at the travel trailer now packing for an early morning departure.

I think the fishing is about a month behind schedule. I think the next few weeks will be good on the flats. I will be back on the flat land..............Oklahoma.

John

[Cuervo Jones]

Fine final report. My day was much less spectacular, with not fish to hand and only a single tail sighting. Safe travels.

[Jedi]

Nice report!

[roland58]

Very nice report. Your attention to detail made me feel like I was sharing the experience with you, thanks!