Fishing Updates
January 2008
It seems like only yesterday that we packed up our fishing rods for the winter and turned our focus on readying Redfish Lodge for the 2008 season. With no unusual cold spells or warming trends, the 07-08 winter seemed to be a normal one, as hard as that is to define in South Texas. Fishing, especially for reds, remained consistent throughout the winter as it seemed to do throughout the 2007 season. Looking ahead to our opening in March, it seems as though everything is right on schedule for a great fishing year.
By the time the lodge reopens, the black drum spawning run will be in full swing. For those of you that have not experienced this event, it means big fish and lots of them. March is also a time to hunt for big trout while wading with top water lures and soft plastics. The pre-spawn is the best time to hang that trophy trout on the wall. As the water warms throughout March, reds and trout alike will be looking to fatten up from a winter of slow metabolism and decreased baitfish availability. The warm water will signal the return of a myriad of baitfish and the feeding frenzy that will follow.
By the first of May, croakers will be the preferred baitfish and trout will be plentiful. This great spec run will last throughout June and July, with the bigger fish caught earlier in the run. These months should also provide some good lure action, especially while wading the back bays and newly sprouted grass beds. If last years trend continues, we will also see great redfish action throughout this time frame, making it an ideal time to visit Redfish Lodge and fish the coast.
August 2007
With tropical storm Erin having just soaked the coastal bend yesterday and hurricane Dean threatening to do the same, the hot topic of the 2007 fishing season is definitely rain. With record breaking rains throughout Texas, the fresh water falling from the sky and flowing down the rivers has turned our fishing waters into drinking water. At first glance this may seem like a bad thing, but anyone who has been to Redfish Lodge in the last three months can attest to the contrary.
The deluge of fresh water has pushed huge numbers of trout and redfish out of the back bays and into the higher saline areas of South Rockport and Port Aransas. These increased populations, combined with the rain-cooled water temperatures have made for lots of hungry and active fish. July and August, not known to be great redfish months, have been the best anyone can remember. The limited opportunities we have been afforded to get out into the gulf surf have not hurt us, as the trout fishing in the bay has been so consistent.
The fish that remained in the back bays have been left undisturbed by anglers and have had a steady diet of shrimp and crayfish for the last three months. As the green waters of the gulf creep their way back into these areas over the next few months, we should see an extraordinary fall redfish bonanza throughout our bay system.
If there is a down side to all of the rain, it has made travel difficult at times for our guests, and has really slowed the night fishing off the beach and piers at the lodge. With three rivers feeding it, Copano is one of the hardest hit bays when the rains come. We had a similar situation in 2003 when there was not measurable salinity in Copano due to rain, and when the tides flushed and cleaned it, one of the best fishing years in Redfish Lodges history ensued. We are hoping for a similar outcome from this flood.
To summarize, if it stops raining the back bays are going to explode with redfish activity. If the rains continue to fall, more fish will be pushed into the areas where fishing is currently so good. Any way you look at it, it is going to be a great fall in Rockport.
April 2007
The warm waters of spring were slow to arrive in 2007, changing the normal patterns significantly in the coastal bend. Cold temperatures throughout February and a frost in early March delayed the spawning run of black drum, with only a few fish being caught in what should be the peak of the season. The low tides that accompanied these cold spells have kept the redfish off of the shorelines, making them tough to keep track of early March.
Trout, and good size ones, have been plentiful on the reefs and shorelines of our area, as long as you keep a winter mindset. Soft, dark colored bottoms and slow bait presentations have been the key to some great trout action. The shrimp migration thus far has been nonexistent, making live bait acquisition difficult and lures a necessity.
However, there is good news. The low pressure system and high winds of late March have brought the spring bull tide in, and with it came the reds. They have flooded the flats of Estes and Redfish Bay, and are making their way north to the reefs of Mesquite and San Antonio bays. This tide will also bring the shrimp and juvenile finfish, so both the reds and trout will begin their spring feed on this big tide.
With water temperatures that hit 70 for the first time since early December, the topwater bite for big trout should go into high gear over the next few weeks. This late winter will delay croaker fishing for several weeks, so if you have a trip booked for April or the first half of May, plan to throw shrimp or try out your wading legs and get in on the lure action that has remained excellent throughout the spring.
January 2007
2006 was a year that will be remembered fondly by Redfish Lodge guests and staff alike. The staff will remember the largest crowd and the busiest season in our fifteen year history, with old familiar faces and fresh new ones as well. The guests will hopefully remember the best fishing year the lodge has ever had, with more fish of more species caught than any prior season. The Redfish Lodge and Aransas bay system redfish record was set in May with a 35-pounder, and we saw a handful of others in excess of 25 pounds. The lodge record black drum was broken in March with a 70.2-pound monster, and 102 catches qualified for the Wall of Fame. Overall the weather was good, with adequate rainfall and no close call from hurricanes. September saw a red tide give us a little scare, but it stayed well south of our fishery and went away without affecting us.
2007 gives every indication of following suit with the success of ’06. The bookings are again coming in at record pace, which means we are in for another busy year. The fishing seems to be going nowhere but up. This can be attributed partly to the excellent health of our fishery, and partly to the ever-increasing knowledge of our guide staff that have put yet another year under their belts and in the log books. One benefit of fishing at Redfish Lodge is that you always have seven boats looking for fish for you to catch! Adequate winter rain points to a great spring trout season, and redfishing has showed consistent improvement over the last several years, so we expect that trend to continue as well.
Guests in the 2007 season will notice some renovations to the Lodge upon arrival. The kitchen has been completely remodeled and updated, but it will continue to put out the same great food it has in the past. A beautiful wood floor has been installed in the main lodge and a fresh coat of interior paint will make the facility sparkle even more. We have a couple of new boats in the guide fleet, and have added some staff to provide better service to our growing number of guests. 2006 will be a tough act to follow, but here at Redfish Lodge we are pulling out all the stops to do just that.
