We Found DOUBLE HOOK-UP REEF!

Post Reply
User avatar
Dandydon
TKF 1000 Club
TKF 1000 Club
Posts: 1543
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2009 6:26 pm
Location: The Heights, on my bayou

We Found DOUBLE HOOK-UP REEF!

Post by Dandydon »

Shoffer & I tried to mobilize the Hobie Navy to hit East Matagorda Bay this morning, but Watson & Kickingback called in sick. They missed an epic day!
We launched pre-sunrise at Rawlings Cut and worked our way into the bay, amazed at the vast glassy waters glinting in the sun. Winds were calm, water temperature about 60 degrees and 2-feet water visibility. Not much bait activity but you could see swirls & splashes over 100 yards away.
Shoffer quickly landed two small speckled trout in about 4-ft.-deep water and called me over on the marine radio.
I came in trolling my beloved white Down South 4" paddletail while Shoffer was 30 feet away reeling in the same rig. Suddenly both our rods bowed over & we were fighting big specks, silver scales flashing and water splashing everywhere.
After a few Apache war calls we both landed fat 25" trout. Then we noticed our location over a large reef which we named "Double Hook-Up Reef," so marked on the GPS log.
For the next hour or so we worked that 200-yard long reef, catching double-limits of solid specks and also a 23" Redfish for me on a Tony Acetta gold spoon. We had to release about a dozen legal trout, a labor of love under the circumstances.
On my way in I was trolling the reef and greeted two kayakers heading toward me. I told them to work the reef.with white plastics, then immediately landed another 25" and a 23" speck in front of them to illustrate my point, both released.
Shoffer and I both released two 25" trout this morning. That kind of fishing puts a smile on your face & a song in your heart. Matagorda rocks! The Winter fishing pattern is finally here. Oh joy!
See you on the water.ImageImageImage

Sent from my SM-G973U1 using Tapatalk
User avatar
Ron Mc
TKF 5000 Club
TKF 5000 Club
Posts: 5675
Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2006 6:12 pm
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Contact:

Re: We Found DOUBLE HOOK-UP REEF!

Post by Ron Mc »

those men are smiling - great haul, and great report.
User avatar
karstopo
TKF 5000 Club
TKF 5000 Club
Posts: 5612
Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2009 10:30 am
Location: 77566

Re: We Found DOUBLE HOOK-UP REEF!

Post by karstopo »

Those are some healthy fish. Not a day y’all will forget anytime soon. Thanks for the report.
Yak Dog
Posts: 209
Joined: Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:19 pm
Location: Richmond

Re: We Found DOUBLE HOOK-UP REEF!

Post by Yak Dog »

Can’t even tell you how many times I’ve hooked up trolling that area. I stopped trolling two rods out because the action was constant and it was impossible to keep paddling and troll. Great report thanks for sharing
User avatar
Dandydon
TKF 1000 Club
TKF 1000 Club
Posts: 1543
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2009 6:26 pm
Location: The Heights, on my bayou

Re: We Found DOUBLE HOOK-UP REEF!

Post by Dandydon »

When it rains it pours! Last trip I caught no legal fish over 7 hours. This trip I caught about 12 legal trout and a slot Redfish within 2 hours trolling over a large reef. I was releasing 25" trout. Fishing is unpredictable. It's one reason I love it.

Sent from my SM-G973U1 using Tapatalk
User avatar
Ron Mc
TKF 5000 Club
TKF 5000 Club
Posts: 5675
Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2006 6:12 pm
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Contact:

Re: We Found DOUBLE HOOK-UP REEF!

Post by Ron Mc »

you just paid your dues - it's still great times out with friends and paddling
mwatson71
Posts: 552
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2016 2:03 am
Location: 77005

Re: We Found DOUBLE HOOK-UP REEF!

Post by mwatson71 »

Great report Captain. Man what a great day on the water. I am so bummed that I couldn't make the trip but between the never ending hacking cough and having to drive carpool this morning there was just no way to make it. When Shoffer sent me those first pictures I had a feeling you guys were going to slay them. Well done guys.
User avatar
kickingback
TKF 5000 Club
TKF 5000 Club
Posts: 5178
Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2016 3:24 pm
Location: Houston, Texas

Re: We Found DOUBLE HOOK-UP REEF!

Post by kickingback »

Awesome report Captain Don! Sure wish I didn't have a stomach virus or I would have been there with the Plastic Navy! Next time for sure! Great pictures!!! :clap:
User avatar
Dandydon
TKF 1000 Club
TKF 1000 Club
Posts: 1543
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2009 6:26 pm
Location: The Heights, on my bayou

Re: We Found DOUBLE HOOK-UP REEF!

Post by Dandydon »

You can't go fishing when your body is sick! That's why I take vitamins, practice Kung Fu, do fast daily bike rides, win all my legal cases, and chase young Mexican gals around until they let me catch them... My positive attitude and humor keep me healthy.
Plus I take shit from NOBODY, including our government. Follow me to big laughs and big fish limits, men! I'll be your guide.
Next fishing trip? Rollover Pass!

Sent from my SM-G973U1 using Tapatalk
bones72
Posts: 236
Joined: Sat Jun 08, 2019 1:42 pm

Re: We Found DOUBLE HOOK-UP REEF!

Post by bones72 »

That sounds fun as all get out!!
User avatar
shoffer
TKF 1000 Club
TKF 1000 Club
Posts: 1468
Joined: Wed Apr 28, 2010 10:41 am
Location: Bellaire, Texas

Re: We Found DOUBLE HOOK-UP REEF!

Post by shoffer »

It was quite a day. I started out by catching a 14-inch sand trout, so I kept that one, not knowing what was in store for us. I easily caught 12-13 keeper trout, maybe more.

Some photos of the first two big girls I caught are below. I let the first one go, but the next one (a 23 incher) I kept as she had swallowed the lure and there was bleeding out. You can see her head on the picture next to my 20 inch mark on the boat. After that, another 24 to 25 incher, and I threw her back. Then it was consistent keeper trout - 18, 20, 21, 23, 17, 19, etc. I did not bring a scale, but I think the first one was easily six pounds. The others seemed to weigh a little less.

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

The major feed was 6-9 am, and I looked at some of my photos of the big trouts, and they were 8:43 am, 8:53 am and 9:04 am. Solunar theory works again. It was in this same bay where I really saw it work once as well.

Winds were light, water temps were 59 degrees, barometric pressure was rising, and we were in a major solunar feed at the time of most of our action (though we caught fish continuously from about 8:30 am until 11:40 am when we headed in). Fish were located in 4 feet of water on top of or around the reef that was a muddy bottom with scattered shell in a cove. My fish were caught on a White/Glo Down South Paddle tail, or the same color in TTF Hackberry Hustler model, tipped with fishbites or Procure Shrimp gel, on 1/4 oz jigheads with a fluorocarbon leader with a loop knot to the jighead. 90% of my fish were caught on the troll.

I also caught a couple on a LeLe I trolled.
User avatar
Dandydon
TKF 1000 Club
TKF 1000 Club
Posts: 1543
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2009 6:26 pm
Location: The Heights, on my bayou

Re: We Found DOUBLE HOOK-UP REEF!

Post by Dandydon »

Thanks for filling in all the fishing details for our TKF brothers, Shoffer! As usual, you nailed the tides, water temp, and Solunar window! You told me yesterday that this was perhaps your BEST TROUT TRIP, ever! Yes, it was awesome, but I'm older than you with many more trips taken. This barely cracks my TOP TEN, ha ha. Ron Mc and I have had better fishing trips LAST YEAR! Ha, ha. Oh my...
Nothing will ever compare to my 2003 Sabine Lake stringer of 8 trout caught wading a green SkitterWalk in 70 minutes of unforgettable action: 3 over 9lbs (to 9.75 lbs, 29.75 inches), 3 over 8 lbs, & 2 over 7 lbs, all released. Our fishing guide was so flummoxed watching it that he moved to Australia! Best day of my young life. Fishing embeds memories in our brains we'll always treasure.
See you at Rollover Pass, next week!
Image

Sent from my SM-G973U1 using Tapatalk
User avatar
YakRunabout
Posts: 784
Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2015 10:34 am
Location: Magnolia

Re: We Found DOUBLE HOOK-UP REEF!

Post by YakRunabout »

Excellent outing! Congrats and thanks for the report -
SWFinatic
Moderator
Posts: 1037
Joined: Thu May 31, 2018 9:31 am

Re: We Found DOUBLE HOOK-UP REEF!

Post by SWFinatic »

Great report guys! That's good medicine.
User avatar
Dandydon
TKF 1000 Club
TKF 1000 Club
Posts: 1543
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2009 6:26 pm
Location: The Heights, on my bayou

Re: We Found DOUBLE HOOK-UP REEF!

Post by Dandydon »

Our current blueprint for success is that Shoffer sets our "Fishing Window" based on winds, tides, Solunar Tables, & traffic.

Then I have a sacramental Makers Mark & select our fishing location. "It's GOLD, Jerry!"

Although we are both busy lawyers, we can often bend our schedules to stalk & catch solid gamefish. Especially this time of year. We also welcome other yakkers to join us, if you'll keep up, laugh at our jokes and sign some non-disclosure, liability-waiver forms.

Next week at our next Window we shall drive to Bolivar Peninsula and fish the legendary ROLLOVER PASS. This time of year expect heavy Grand Slams working white soft plastics over all those reefs over there along & around the Intracoastal Canal. If you want to join us, call Capt. Shoffer and bring some tacos for Capt. Don. See you along those reefs, men!
Baja Laguna Trip-10-30-10 014.jpg
Sent from my SM-G973U1 using Tapatalk
Post Reply