San Luis Pass - 12.14.17

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shoffer
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San Luis Pass - 12.14.17

Post by shoffer »

Dandy Don and I hit the SLP area last week – Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 to be exact. Winds were super light all day, but tides were super low, moderate incoming. We launched at Ernie’s at first light and fished until 4 pm. Temps started at 58 degrees and warmed to 72 during the day. Water temps were 51 degrees at launch, warming to 54 in the marsh area. Mostly overcast throughout the day.

We fished Churchill Bayou, picking up 3-4 keeper specks on the troll or at marsh drains and a slot red on a topwater that I hunted for a few minutes.
top red 2.JPG
Beyond that, most of the day, I trolled a Down South paddle tail in Glo/chartreuse on a 1/8th oz jighead and on a 1/4oz jig head to work the entire water column. I tipped both with Shrimp Fishbites. As I trolled, I worked a Super Spook Jr. in bone or bone/chartreuse along the shorelines.

Don was picking up multiple 18-inch reds on the southwest shoreline of Cold Pass. We then ventured north into Titlum Tatlum, where I picked up three more slot reds – two on topwaters. One red inhaled by Bone Super Spook so deep that the back hooks got caught in his throat, so I could not retrieve it until we cleaned it. The other got a hook caught in his eye socket, and that was how I brought it in – it was not hooked in the mouth.
eyesocket red.JPG
I picked up another slot red trolling Churchill back to the launch. I only kept two reds – the throat-punched one, and the Popeye – and released the others.

As we trolled Titlum in the afternoon in better current, I picked up 7 keeper trout in about 45 minutes trolling the same 100 yard stretch of channel. Most of the trout had mud on their anal fin, so they were clearly rooted in the mud waiting for food to swim by. I kept some of them and threw some back.

Total – I kept 6 specks (15 to 17 inches) and a limit of reds to 22 inches three reds. DandyDon pulled a Grand Slam, but I will let him chime in on his day.

We had a major solunar feed from 9:30 am to 11:30 am and we fished the minor from 2:30 to 3:30 as well. Most of our fish were caught during the solunar feeds. We were off the water at 4 pm, cleaned our catch and headed home. it was the first time we have fished nearly 12 hours straight. Sore back, but a good day.
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karstopo
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Re: San Luis Pass - 12.14.17

Post by karstopo »

Nice report with great details. Thanks for posting.
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Cityfisher
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Re: San Luis Pass - 12.14.17

Post by Cityfisher »

What a good day of fishing!
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Dandydon
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Re: San Luis Pass - 12.14.17

Post by Dandydon »

Shoffer & I covered a lot of saltwater to catch our fish, but once found, we caught 'em quick. The best action was casting close to the banks & working the channel drop-offs with white Down South paddletails.
I started off catching a bunch of barely undersized redfish & specks. Frustrating. After we hit Titlum Tatlum the fish got bigger. Within a half hour of our second Solunar period, I landed 2 slot reds, 2 legal specks & a 16" flounder. Grand Slam in the cooler!
Shoffer hit his trolling rhythm & landed 7 specks in a row running his Down South lures across the muddy channel bottom. When I learned to troll deeper like him, I joined the deep fish jamboree.
We had good action & a long tiring trip, so am hoping for less traveling next outing.
Now that Winter is officially here, I hope for bigger trout with less effort! Time for some Corkies... Tight lines & big smiles to all.
--Dandydon
IMG_5592.JPG




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YakRunabout
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Re: San Luis Pass - 12.14.17

Post by YakRunabout »

Nice, detailed report, Stewart - Congrats on an active day. Sounds like you guys put in some miles.

Double D - congrats on the slam!!
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kickingback
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Re: San Luis Pass - 12.14.17

Post by kickingback »

Great report guys. SLP is great this time of year. Titlum Tatlum Bayou is the perfect place for trout, reds and flounder. I caught a grouper there once. Well done and thanks for sharing.
potlicker
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Re: San Luis Pass - 12.14.17

Post by potlicker »

how deep can the channel of TT bayou get? About 5, 6 ft?
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shoffer
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Re: San Luis Pass - 12.14.17

Post by shoffer »

In a high tide, yes - most of it can be that depth, although there are spots where it can 8-9 feet. On this day, it was low tide - lowest I have ever seen it back there - and we found some 4-5 foot spots, but it was mainly 2-3 feet and really skinny up by the northern area where it empties out to Xmas Bay. It tends to be deeper the further south towards SLP you head.
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