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By: Capt. Mike Cook
| Winter Time Flats Fishing | Take the Next Step | Hooked on Sight Casting |
A very common misconception among coastal anglers is that trout and red fish go deep in the winter and the only way to catch them is to fish deep. They do, indeed, seek the warmth of deep channels during the coldest of times but believe me when I tell you they will be back on the flats as soon as the sun shines. January has been the best big trout month for me. The average high temperature for Rockport in January is 64 degrees. That means plenty of warm sunny days. In the past two years my clients have landed 14 trout between 25” and 31”in January. Most of these were taken by sight casting.
The best flats fishing in the winter is three to four days after a cold front when the winds lay low and the sun shines bright. Reds and trout, especially big sow trout will lay up in the shallow water to warm. When I say shallow water, I mean shallow water. Most of my winter time trout are caught in water a foot or less deep. Look for areas with soft mud and grass with deep water access. In the Rockport area the spoil islands along the ICW and Aransas Channel are prime big trout and red fish habitat in the winter. Shallow flats with pot holes are great spots to sight cast to big trout. Look for them lying on the bottom around the edges of the pot holes.
During the winter there is not much need to hit the water at the crack of dawn. The fish are going to be there to warm so give them some time. My theory is they will not eat until their body temperature equalizes with the water temperature. Big fish require more time to reach the temperature equilibrium than smaller fish. In other words the little ones are going to get hungry first. I usually start my winter charters around 9:00 or 10:00 a.m. The later start will also aid in sight fishing as the sun will be higher in the sky.
Another misconception is you need to fish a big bait to catch a big fish. In the winter most of the fish I have cleaned, even the big trout, have eaten small crabs and shrimp. My favorite flies have been a size 4 or 6 Boone Butter Rum Sand Flea, a chartreuse and white Foxy Clouser with lead eyes or small crab patterns. I normally begin with slow strips as the fish tend to be a little lethargic but some of the fish caught have eaten flies that were ripped through the water. You will need to experiment to find the speed they want.
You will need to experiment with lure presentation too. I prefer slow sinking lures and my favorite is the Chatter Tube made my Texas Rattlin Rig. Corkies and the Mirrorlure Catch 200 also work well. When the fish are real spooky I’ll switch to a smaller lure like the Texas Flats Killer Minnow rigged on a 1/16th ounce jig head.
One other thing to remember when fishing the shallow flats in the winter is that it is also duck season. When poling or drifting a flat look for decoys around the duck blinds and along the shorelines and avoid them. The duck hunters will be out early but the also tend to head back to the boat ramp by 9:30 or so on sunny days. That is another good reason to start your fishing a little later. Avoid confrontations and never, ever, take a fishing rod to a gun fight.
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Perhaps you have been considering fly fishing in saltwater. You are not alone. Saltwater fly fishing is the fastest growing segment of fishing all along the Texas coast. For me fly fishing means sight fishing. I see fly fishers blind casting into deep channels in hopes of a hook up. This has to be laborious and, quite frankly, very boring. The excitement comes from seeing the fish, making the cast, and watching her take your fly. To help get you started I’d like to offer the following advice.
Take Lessons: Fly casting has some basic fundamentals you will need to learn. Just like a golf swing, if you develop bad habits they will be very difficult to correct later. Look for a certified instructor with saltwater experience.
Practice: To be successful in salt water you should be able to make a quick accurate cast out to at least 40 feet.
Equipment: You can spend a small fortune but you don’t have to. I advise you spend your money in this order.
1. Rod: This is your most important tool. I suggest a 9 foot, 8 weight rod. You can fish a lighter rod on calm days and a heavier rod on the really windy days but for daily use the 8 weight is the ticket. A good rod to get started with is the TiCrX from Temple Fork Outfitters
2. Sunglasses: Yes, I said sunglasses. A good pair of polarized sunglasses is an absolute must. If you can’t see the fish you can’t cast to it. Costa Del Mar offers several styles of quality sunglasses. I prefer the vermillion colored lenses for all around use.
3. Fly Line: You will need a quality, weight forward, floating line matched to the weight of your fly rod. I suggest the Professional Series, Flip Pallot line from Jim Teeny Fly Lines. This line is designed for a quick, accurate 40 foot cast. Spool it with 100 yards of 20# backing.
4. Reel: In salt water the reel is not just a place to store your line. You will need a reel that can stand up to the saltwater environment and has a decent drag. Check out the reels from Temple Fork Outfitters.
5. Flies: Here is where I feel local area knowledge is a must. Check the fly shops in the area you will fish for specific flies. General recommendations include shrimp, crab and minnow patterns, poppers and spoon flies. Boone Spoone makes great spoon flies and their Butter Rum Sand Flea is one of my go to shrimp patterns.
My next suggestion would be to fish with a guide that specializes in fly fishing. This will enhance your odds of catching a fish as the guide will take you to the fish and teach you how to catch them. There are several techniques in fly fishing that differ from conventional fishing. The retrieve, the hook set and playing the fish just to name a few. A guide will work with you to perfect these techniques. In my novice package trips I meet with you the day before we fish to go over several of these techniques in an effort to increase your odds of a hook up.
If you decide to go it alone think shallow. Sight fishing for red fish is usually done in water less than a foot deep. I have caught reds with their backs out of the water while I was standing only ankle deep. The fish in water that shallow can be very spooky so stealth is the name of the game.
For the angler that has progressed from live bait to lures and is ready for a new challenge fly fishing can be the next step. Take the step. With some practice and perseverance fly fishing will take you into a totally new world of fishing.
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Hello. My name is Mike and I’m hooked on sight casting. Since my first attempt at sight casting several years ago I have become hopelessly addicted to what I consider the most challenging and rewarding style of fishing the Texas coast has to offer. I consider my guide service something of a floating therapy center for fly casters and light tackle enthusiasts who share in my addiction.
As the name implies, in sight casting, a cast is not made until the angler sees a fish or group of fish. In this sense it is closely related to hunting. Often compared to bow hunting, sight casting requires stealth, nerves of steel, and a quick, accurate “shot” or cast. For the angler who has progressed to the point where the “sport” is more important that merely filling the cooler with fish sight casting can be the next step. I no longer measure the success of a fishing trip by the number of fish caught, but by the number of fish seen. For the trip to be successful I want to show my clients at least 50 redfish in a day.
I will do my best to get the angler in an area of clear, shallow water where redfish feed. While silently poling my flats boat along a shoreline or grass covered flat, from my elevated platform, I scan the area looking for our prey. If we are lucky we’ll find reds tailing. Tailing fish are the easiest to see and normally are actively feeding. Otherwise I focus on the bottom, not the surface of the water, searching for that beautiful bronze color or maybe just a fin or blue tipped tail. Sometimes it’s just a shape that doesn’t fit the scene.
Once the fish is spotted I tell the angler where the fish is related to the clock and distance. The bow of the boat is always 12:00. Therefore a fish at 11:00 and 30 feet is just a little left of directly in front of the boat and 30 feet away. From this point the challenge is in the hands of the angler. He must make a quick accurate cast to the target. The target is not the fish. The last thing you want to do is hit the fish with your lure or fly. Depending on the conditions, the target is a few feet ahead of and a few feet beyond the fish. This allows you to make the cast without spooking the fish and then work your lure or fly to the fish. Sounds easy enough but it’s not.
Several factors affect the situation. The boat is moving, the fish may be moving, the wind is blowing and you are probably a little nervous or excited. You must calm your nerves and adjust to all the other factors to take advantage of the opportunity. A well placed cast and the proper twitch of the lure or strip of the fly can result in a heart stopping strike at your offering. Your rod bows and the line screams from your reel as the red rips across the flat frantically swimming for freedom. The rush you experience is incredible as the adrenalin runs through your veins. In short order the fish is brought to the boat and the fight come to an end. You take a few moments to relax and snap a few photos. Now let’s do it again. By the way you might as well call for another therapy session because now you are hooked too.
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Capt.
Mike Cook is a native Texan who has fished from Sabine Lake to the Lower
Laguna Madre. Born in Houston, Mike cut his teeth fishing in the
Galveston Bay system. He gave up the corporate life and settled in
Rockport where he specializes in sight casting to reds and speckled
trout in the areas grass flats and back bay lakes. As a year round
shallow water guide Mike enjoys working with novice fly fishers and
sight casters.
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