I know this will make me a bit unpopular..but I've known about this place for a while, fished it myself, but always knew if I used it for a spot on tournament day, there was the possibility of be disqualified for fishing in a Federally protected wildlife management area if caught or protested. So this week I contacted the Brazoria National Wildlife management director to get a ruling on public access to the marsh North of the fish weir in Salt Lake. ...I have forward this info to Sal at Specktacular to bring it up at the Captain's meeting..Sorry if this squashed someone's honey hole..but fair is fair and restricted water is restricted water.

Mr. Rinando,

The area to the north of the Salt Lake Weir is not open to boating or foot access. Our regulations have always allowed boats to pull up to the weir, get out and fish along the wier bank, but we do not allow them to portage or cross over the weir into the salt marsh to the north. We have tried to maintain signs that state AREA CLOSED, on the north side, but people keep pulling them up. I will see to it that the area is re-signed again soon.

Please help us in trying to educate the public that this area is a valuable nursery and estruary which helps keep the bays, lakes, and bayous populated and stocked with fish, crabs, and shrimp. To allow unlimited access into that particular region, in my opinion, would be very detrimental in the long run to the sport fishery in the area.

Thank you.

Floyd A.Truetken
Refuge Manager
Brazoria Natl. Wildlife Refuge

As far as I'm concerned, Vincent can make all the the rules he wants, since he's a dedicated (on the water all the time), competent (does the homework), and conscientious (understand conservation) sportsman if there ever was one.

But even though I know Salt Lake pretty well, I'm not sure where this weir is. I was just there a few days ago, and didn't see a weir that I recognized as such. Can Vincent, Del Sol, and/or CaptJack spot it out clearly for us (with their ever-astonishing maps) without causing 10,000 idiots to rush it as a potlicker's special of the day?

Oh, if that sounded harsh, I'm sorry. And if we can't post the map, I understand.

Cheers, Kurt

I am not in the tournament, and could care less. But I could not see how anyone would get mad at you. If you would have not posted this, and brought it up when somone was leading a tournament fishing this area. OR not said anything and let people get turned away tring to launch that morning. That would have been a reason for someone to get mad. But to just check on a launch area and inform others seems like you took the high road.



I though TKF only had 7000 potlickers,, uh Members

Mad was a little tongue and cheek..it's a honey of a honey hole..it's a managed water level marsh that is a release point for many of their restocking programs.

Here is a pic of the location of the weir..it is in the NE corner of Salt Lake..as you notice in the pic..there is a service road that leads to the low water dam..that road is locked by a gate..

I have been past the weir one time. The tide was high and it was a easy paddle through the opening. As I paddled the calm water and noticed bait jumping and birds that you usually don't see in the open bay, a feeling came over me that this must wrong. There were no signs but I felt that I was trespassing. I fished but didn't catch anything and I was kind of glad. It was like i left it like I found it. I will go back to the weir again but I will beach my yak and get out on the berm to view the vast marsh and feel good that this area will help breed fish for our future bay fishing. I hope that all others will do the same.

Later flounderfoot

I guess it's been a high tide every time I was there... I found an unimpeded pass to the back marshes, and saw no indication that I wasn't supposed to go back in there (never took a fish out of it, though). A weir is a spillway wall, isn't that right?

Dennis, Cox Lake isn't a far paddle from Clay Banks... although I'm never wild about leaving my truck there for some reason.

Good job Vincent...

Good job properly done Vincent. You aren't causing a problem. You ARE preventing a potential big problem when a tournament is involved.

-hook

The weir is one of my honey holes. This past year I called the Refuge manager and he stated to me that it is time to put up signs for no fishing in the marsh. The marsh behind the weir is an excellent hatchery- nice reds and founder- I usually hit a slam at the weir. I love to paddle the marsh but alas.... it is now off limits. The marsh also holds some of the finest blue crabs in the world- big mothas. I understand the need for this area to be saved. I wish the entire gulf coast was as nice as the weir but refuge means refuge and stay out means stay out. I wish I had never called him.

I had no idea this area was off limits.
Thanks for the info and I will be sure to pass the word.

Seems pretty "Black and White" to me. No ambiguity there.
Trespassing for the purpose of taking fish or game is Poaching....plain and simple.

If a person can only win a tournament by fishing in a estuary they arent much of a fisherman in my eyes. Being a fisherman means that you adjust your patterns to the wind, tides, temperature, water temp, etc. & to do this you have to fish a variety of spots. Anyone caught fishing in that place for touney purposes is a first class LOSER in my book!

See you guys there Saturday morning at 5:00! Justin kiddin!

Vincent, I know there is a lot of animosity going on right now with this spot being publicized but I think you did the right thing. See you in the winners circle!

I wasn't at the Capn's meeting, so I didn't get the whole story from my partner yet, but I've talked to Floyd before and was informed by him that past the Weir is not open to boating or foot access, but they have been allowing you to fish off the Weir bank only.

To me that is cut and dry. You can go up to weir and fish off the weir bank, but you can't continue any further (ie, up the channel or its bank) by boat or foot.

He also told me that people keep pulling up their signs and I was asked to Please help them out by passing the word.

I believe the "animosity" sprouts from........how it was said, not what was said.......I sound like my Dad now!

Maybe.... But most of those folks know Vincent...he wasn't trying to bust anyone's chops. I have to admit I am a little stunned at the reaction.

JUST SO it is clear. Sal posted on CKA that the marsh behind the Weir is OFF LIMITS....