Late Report - 4/11

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mwatson71
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Late Report - 4/11

Post by mwatson71 »

Sorry for the late report but I figure better late than never.

After spending the morning and early afternoon at the Houston Bar Association Civil Appellate Bench/Bar Conference, I was ready to exchange the suit and tie for a more comfortable AFTCO fishing shirt and Columbia PFG shorts and hit the causeway with my buddy Shoffer, who that morning had texted a few of us alerting us to a small window of low winds between 11p-2a. We made plans to launch around 10-10:30 and get a couple of hours in before the winds picked up. He made it on time; I got stuck in traffic.

At about 10:30 I get a text from Shoffer that his first cast resulted in a 17" speck. Damn him. I was still 30 minutes away. I launch right at 11 and paddle out to the lights. I find one that looks appealing, fire a tandem rig that I made with two 2" swim shad, and BAM, land a 17" speck. This is going to be a good night. I send a text to Shoffer, who informs me he already has four keepers in the bag. I have some work to do to catch up to him.

For the next 2 1/2 hours, I drift through the lights, seemingly getting a bite on every other cast, and landing a fish about every fifth cast. I went through four tandem rigs, two made by me, the other two TTF swim shad in glow. The fish were throwing up glass minnows and small shad so the lures of choice were spot on.

The current was ripping pretty good so I had to spend a fair amount of time paddling back to a spot after catching a fish. I know - a good problem to have. Overall, I landed 25-30 trout keeping eight specks 16-18". I also caught two undersized reds and an undersized flounder. Shoffer ended up keeping eight specks as well. We headed back to the launch around 1:45a, into the wind and against the current. After the blast we had catching fish all night, the paddle in didn't seem so bad. It was a tough paddle but I was smiling the whole time.

I loaded up and headed home, stopping at Buc-ee's for coffee, a styrofoam cooler, and bag of ice. When I got home, I ended up taking a nap in my car because I realized I was covered in fish scales and caked-on slime and I didn't want to wake anyone up getting into the shower. Not quite as comfortable as a Dandy Don inspired kayak man nap but I didn't have to worry about drifting out into the bay.

I can't wait for the sequel.
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kickingback
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Re: Late Report - 4/11

Post by kickingback »

Great report Watson! Wish I could have gone with you guys but the puppies are demanding right now. Well done sir! :clap:
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shoffer
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Re: Late Report - 4/11

Post by shoffer »

Spot on by my man, MWatson. I kept 8 specks (16 - 18 inches) and landed at least 30 specks in that roughly 3.5 hour window.
I could have easily kept a (current) upper coast limit but we were catching them so fast I threw back several 15's. One thing I noticed was that those causeway fish fight WAY harder than normal bay specks and the females I caught were about a half inch "taller" than the males:
IMG_5452.JPG
My best lures that night were a Yozuri 3DS 2.3/4 inch minnow, a tandem rig with 2 inch glass minnow imitations and I even caught a few on a Down South Glo on a 1/4oz jighead.

Time to eat!
IMG_5453.JPG
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Neumie
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Re: Late Report - 4/11

Post by Neumie »

Nice report and mess of fish. Those Yozuri 3DS/3DR's are my go to lure for fishing under the lights. Just a killer bait.
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Ron Mc
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Re: Late Report - 4/11

Post by Ron Mc »

fat trout - thanks for the photos

also like your fillet table - you can always plant the remains in your flower beds, depending on neighborhood cats...
frios
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Re: Late Report - 4/11

Post by frios »

great report!

Thanks for sharing!!
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shoffer
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Re: Late Report - 4/11

Post by shoffer »

Ron Mc wrote:also like your fillet table
Thanks, Ron Mc! It was an Academy purchase, but I got some wood scraps from a nearby home building area and bolted a nice thick 2x8 to it. To that, I attached a clamp and/or nail to it for holding fish as I skin them. I like it. I leave the sink well open for rinsing.
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Ron Mc
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Re: Late Report - 4/11

Post by Ron Mc »

good job!!
If you have project photos, I think it belongs on the rigging page
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Dandydon
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Re: Late Report - 4/11

Post by Dandydon »

Helluva fishing report & nice results from Watson & Shoffer!
I couldn't join them due to hosting my high-school Reunion party!
I didn't catch any fish, but we partied hard like it was 1969!
And "the sequel trip" happened last night & has been posted.
Thanks, men.


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Bladrick
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Re: Late Report - 4/11

Post by Bladrick »

Hey MWatson I'm not sure if you remember but we ran into each other in front of Galveston Bait Shop and you gave me the tandem swim rig early Saturday morning.

Long story short I took your advice and pedaled over to where the lights were but by the time I launched the sun came up and I only got bites from a whiting a few stingray, so I cut the trip short and only fished for a about 3 hours and headed back in.

But I really appreciate the swim rig and I am probably going to go back tonight or early tomorrow morning if you'd like to come and join I was going to try the same spot (underneath the 45 bridge, a few hundred yards away from Galveston Bait Shop)
jgg696
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Re: Late Report - 4/11

Post by jgg696 »

shoffer wrote:Spot on by my man, MWatson. I kept 8 specks (16 - 18 inches) and landed at least 30 specks in that roughly 3.5 hour window.
I could have easily kept a (current) upper coast limit but we were catching them so fast I threw back several 15's. One thing I noticed was that those causeway fish fight WAY harder than normal bay specks and the females I caught were about a half inch "taller" than the males:
IMG_5452.JPG
My best lures that night were a Yozuri 3DS 2.3/4 inch minnow, a tandem rig with 2 inch glass minnow imitations and I even caught a few on a Down South Glo on a 1/4oz jighead.

Time to eat!
IMG_5453.JPG
What color Yo zuri do you recommend? I've been meaning to pick one up.
mwatson71
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Re: Late Report - 4/11

Post by mwatson71 »

Bladrick wrote:Hey MWatson I'm not sure if you remember but we ran into each other in front of Galveston Bait Shop and you gave me the tandem swim rig early Saturday morning.

Long story short I took your advice and pedaled over to where the lights were but by the time I launched the sun came up and I only got bites from a whiting a few stingray, so I cut the trip short and only fished for a about 3 hours and headed back in.

But I really appreciate the swim rig and I am probably going to go back tonight or early tomorrow morning if you'd like to come and join I was going to try the same spot (underneath the 45 bridge, a few hundred yards away from Galveston Bait Shop)
Bladrick, yes I remember you. Bummer that the tandem didn't work for you. I am just now reading your response and appreciate the offer to join you but I had a busy end of the week and couldn't have made it out Thursday or Friday. I may try to hit it one night this coming week though and probably mid-week to avoid some of the traffic. If I do, I'll let you know.
mwatson71
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Re: Late Report - 4/11

Post by mwatson71 »

jgg696 wrote:
shoffer wrote:Spot on by my man, MWatson. I kept 8 specks (16 - 18 inches) and landed at least 30 specks in that roughly 3.5 hour window.
I could have easily kept a (current) upper coast limit but we were catching them so fast I threw back several 15's. One thing I noticed was that those causeway fish fight WAY harder than normal bay specks and the females I caught were about a half inch "taller" than the males:
IMG_5452.JPG
My best lures that night were a Yozuri 3DS 2.3/4 inch minnow, a tandem rig with 2 inch glass minnow imitations and I even caught a few on a Down South Glo on a 1/4oz jighead.

Time to eat!
IMG_5453.JPG
What color Yo zuri do you recommend? I've been meaning to pick one up.
Glass minnow, mullet, and silver/black are my colors of choice.
mwatson71
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Re: Late Report - 4/11

Post by mwatson71 »

jgg696 wrote:
shoffer wrote:Spot on by my man, MWatson. I kept 8 specks (16 - 18 inches) and landed at least 30 specks in that roughly 3.5 hour window.
I could have easily kept a (current) upper coast limit but we were catching them so fast I threw back several 15's. One thing I noticed was that those causeway fish fight WAY harder than normal bay specks and the females I caught were about a half inch "taller" than the males:
IMG_5452.JPG
My best lures that night were a Yozuri 3DS 2.3/4 inch minnow, a tandem rig with 2 inch glass minnow imitations and I even caught a few on a Down South Glo on a 1/4oz jighead.

Time to eat!
IMG_5453.JPG
What color Yo zuri do you recommend? I've been meaning to pick one up.
I also like the 3D Inshore twitch bait in ghost shad, silver black, and chartreuse.
jgg696
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Re: Late Report - 4/11

Post by jgg696 »

Thanks guys!
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kickingback
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Re: Late Report - 4/11

Post by kickingback »

Powerbait 2" swim shad are much cheaper and Wally World sells them...

https://www.walmart.com/ip/PowerBait-Po ... ected=true
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