Friday afternoon ahead of the front

[Prof. Salt]

With a front scheduled to pass through during the night, I opted to fish Friday afternoon rather than trying in the North wind Saturday. High tide in the Nueces Bay had been early morning and I hoped it would be rushing out and giving me an easy time spotting fish. What I got was a good breeze and higher water than I planned on. The tide was slowly dropping, but the levels were high and even after lunch it was high enough to let me see into the next lake (and the one after that). Not one to complain, I set out just after lunch to find some fish. Since it would be several hours before the projected heavy feed, I went ahead and paddled North across most of the marsh, watching shores carefully as I went. Only a mile and a half into the marsh I found my first few fish working the grass. I eased quietly to within 15' and it only took one cast to hook a good fish. It wasn't the one I was watching but was cruising beside it in slightly deeper water, and it was a good fish pushing 27". Once that guy was in the bag I kept paddling and it was nearly three more hours before I spotted the next group. The sun was beginning to get low in the sky and on a string of islands beside a drainage I found what looked like four fish quietly moving along. Most of the time there were no signs of their presence, but as I was passing that shoreline one got close to the surface and made a wake long enough to draw my attention. I couldn't see them, but when shrimp jumped out of the water I knew where to cast. The line came tight and number two came aboard. I began to work back toward the truck and came around a corner to see a group working along ahead of me. I caught up and got beside them before casting. Yep, these were hungry too, and I had a limit on board. I was enjoying the exercise as I made my way back, and as I eased down the last shoreline before the portage site, I noticed a small bulge in the water followed by a shrimp jumping. I flicked the bait out and eased it back towards me and the fish hit hard. Once the bonus fish was released I stowed the lines and just paddled to get back before dark. I hadn't brought the all around light, and didn't want to find out if any motorboats would be in the river once it got dark. It all worked out and I got to the truck 10 minutes before dark, having paddled 11 miles. Now I wouldn't feel bad about doing other chores on Saturday while the North wind blew.

[shoffer]

Love your reports, Professor, and your commitment to the chase. In November, it is hard to think about work when there is so much going on out there, so I am glad to gaze at those pumpkins while contemplating my next trip.

[Prof. Salt]

Thanks, and I hear you about the busy season. I think I'll take a morning this week for fishing so that Saturday can be spent up a tree watching deer.

[deptrai]

Please keep posting. I'm going to have to fish vicariously through you while I recover from (quadruple) hernia surgery. Hoping to be back at it mid-December.

[Prof. Salt]

Please keep posting. I'm going to have to fish vicariously through you while I recover from (quadruple) hernia surgery. Hoping to be back at it mid-December.

Hope you heal quickly! Getting mine repaired was the best thing ever (after the first couple of recovery days). Just don't tell the doc if you paddle within a week of surgery. This was me 7 days post-op paddling in a tropical storm ...and rolling the boat. Probably not my best idea, but I was tired of being cooped up in the house.

[karstopo]

We wade fished (with a guide) Nueces Bay on Saturday morning. It was blowing pretty good at dawn and so much so we delayed launching until after 7am, but the very good guide was able to motor us across the choppy bay without any problems. Those 65’ high bluffs on the north side are a fantastic wind break in a big wind. We had a blast it was fishing there, but good grief, there’s a lot of barely submerged pilings and other old junk in that bay for a motor boat to be aware of. We started our day and wade where some of the little tidal drains and little creeks enter the bay on the west side. I promptly sunk in some soft and muddy areas up to my neck and had to get to firmer ground before I either drowned or had a coronary.

But, what a neat bay. The industrial area on the south side of Nueces Bay doesn’t bother me, we have similar plants here around Freeport. Some of my favorite fishing spots are in the shadows of these facilities.

We saw a very few reds along the shoreline. I was wading out a little deeper being the tallest of our group. Most of my fish came throwing soft plastics to sign. I can see where this relatively smaller bay would be a great place to really sink one’s teeth into and learn inside and out.