Hometown News For Orange County, Texas
Hometown News For Orange County, Texas
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Fishing too fast is a common problem that many anglers have, especially when the fish tend to gather up and school in big bunches. Saltwater anglers who chase schooling fish along with freshwater fishermen who also key in on flocks of birds over hungry groups of stripers, hybrids, and whites are perhaps the worst. The frenzied activity puts everyone on the boat in high gear often leaving the majority of the water column untouched. It’s a proven fact that smaller more a...
For many years local anglers have long been loyal the S.A.L.T. Club and the fantastic traditions they are a part of. The club annually hosts one of the most prestigious events for local anglers and the new PRO Series is just another exciting addition to their great lineup. The new PRO Series event is a redfish tourney with 3 separate events along with a Team of The Year award. The SALT Pro helps to benefit the SALT Club which in turn uses the funds to purchase lifetime fishing...
Fishermen are an ever-evolving breed, much like the fish they pursue fishermen continue to get smarter and better equipped in order to be more successful. A perfect example of this phenomenon is as close the nearest tackle box and fishing rod. Standard fare among coastal anglers for years was a level wind reel "spooled" to the hilt with 17 or 20 pound monofilament. In the hands of the average angler the reel made one feel as if there were no fish known to man that could not...
Not too long ago I read a very interesting quote, “In your thirst for knowledge, be sure not to drown in all the information- Anthony J. D’Angelo” which sparked a thought and subsequent conversation with several other anglers. Over a cold beverage with the tailgate dropped down a “redneck think tank” evolved and all manner of observations about the great sport of fishing began to be debated, deliberated, cussed and discussed all at the same time. The myriad of topics th...
Spring is the time when the whole fishing world loses its collective mind, winter is in the rear view mirror and most anglers are suffering miserably from cabin fever. Some of the angling faithful have taken advantage of the lack of on the water participation from most fishermen, big trout hunters have spent the past weeks waist deep in chilly water snatching stud trout from nearly every venue along the coast. Bass fishermen have enjoyed some incredible catches already this...
The slick surface of the lake was disrupted by skipping shrimp and the familiar sound of trout crashing the helpless crustaceans. Each cast with a soft plastic was met the familiar thump of an aggressive fish that thought they were much larger than they really were. One small trout after another continued to hammer the jigs and also continued to be too small. The next logical thought for catching bigger fish was to go to a topwater plug, which usually works well under these...
Show me an angler who shuns deep water and I'll show you a fisherman who's missing plenty of fish. With so much attention being paid to shallow water angling these days it's no wonder your local fishing hole is growing more crowded by the day, everybody wants to be in the "skinny water" because that's where the glamour happens. Well if you have fallen victim to that line of thinking don't despair because you are not alone, it's an epidemic in the angling world that has one sim...
You ever wonder what a 64 pack of Crayola crayons, 31 flavors of ice cream at Baskin Robbins, or bags of assorted candy have in common? The answer is they offer something for everyone because we all don’t have the same taste. If everyone did things exactly like everyone else then life would be ridiculously boring and mundane. It’s choices and options that give each individual the opportunity to succeed and sometimes those options and choices are a little different than wha...
Show me an angler who shuns deep water and I’ll show you a fisherman who’s missing plenty of fish. With so much attention being paid to shallow water angling these days it’s no wonder your local fishing hole is growing more crowded by the day, everybody wants to be in the “skinny water” because that’s where the glamour happens. Well if you have fallen victim to that line of thinking don't despair because you are not alone, it’s an epidemic in the angling world that has one...
As the mercury creeps up into a more comfortable range outside as well as on the water, don’t let that fool you into feeling too secure at this time of the year. January and February on the Texas gulf coast can be down right brutal with all the rank weather we receive at this time of the year. Bone chilling winds coupled with humid overcast days can make even the toughest fisherman wish for a warm spot in the truck and hot cup of coffee. When late winter fronts pass through a...
Local duckhunters prepare for final weekend For all those hunters who have spent the last couple of months waking early, fighting the weather, and staring at the skies in search of ducks it's almost over. In what feels like the blink of an eye the duck season that started back in September with early Teal will end on Sunday leaving waterfowlers wishing for more. The light goose conservation season will allow hunters a chance to keep chasing birds but for the majority of duck h...
Just like the old saying “all good things must come to an end” the 2022-23 waterfowl season is almost over. For plenty of local hunters it feels like the season already ended as this crazy weather pattern has made staying on the birds a challenge. Hunters who have been willing to put in the scouting time and be flexible are still shooting their birds but they are certainly working for them. Without a doubt the hunters who are locked in on a freshwater pattern are having the...
Here in Texas there are a few things that are common from Sabine to Baffin at this time of the year and everyone who calls the coast or saltwater home has an idea what those things are. Probably the biggest and most common factor is the wind, you just can’t escape those big gusts that seem to come around every weekend. The wind is a constant factor and most anglers eventually figure out how to deal with the uncomfortable conditions, some seek shelter in protected waters w...
From my perch on the poling platform I often have plenty of time to think while I push my little boat around the marsh. The standard stuff that goes through every fisherman’s mind usually dominates my thoughts. “Where are the fish?” “Should I change locations?” “Is this the right bait?” Nothing out of the ordinary, just everyday fishing thoughts that happen to come to mind. Plenty of those moments routinely get interrupted by my fishing partner for that day and I snap back t...
For months the faithful waited in anticipation for opening day and in what seems to be the blink of an eye the 2022-23 duck season is just about gone. With a few weeks to go before the end, many water fowl hunters have resorted to road trips to get that last little fix in before the party’s over. For many hunters the coast has been the destination, especially the Rockport and Port O’ Conner areas since they have been covered up with ducks for most of the season. The stories ab...
Pardon me for just one moment while I steal a line from a great Texas country music drinking song by Roger Creager “It’s the invisible intoxicant….it’s call Everclear”. Ah, the wonders of clear liquid and what it can do to ones senses. Clear liquid doesn’t have to come in a bottle, be a zillion proof, or cost 10 bucks at the bar to do a number on your senses. The water in your nearest bay during the winter months can easily have the same effect. Catch clear water in your favor...
In every sport there are different levels of accomplishment, different levels of skill. In baseball you have rookie leagues, minor leagues, and then you have the guys in the majors who are at the top of the food chain so to speak. Far too many times in magazines the writers take for granted that everyone out there fishes just like they do. Nothing could be farther from the truth if you just get right down to it. On more than a regular basis I get asked about certain...
December and January, two months that for a long time were rarely associated with fishing of any kind in this area, have now become almost like any other good month to wet a hook. Techniques that were brought up from the lower coast of Texas have transformed the dismal winter months into a saltwater fisherman’s paradise. Over the last several years Sabine Lake has suffered from the effects of floods, storms, and freezes which have greatly contributed to the lack of big t...
A steady stream of boats, hunters, and dogs crowded the local launches Saturday morning as the Louisiana duck season officially opened. Texas hunters continued their hot start from the previous weekend by taking advantage of the big north winds that greeted hunters at shooting light. The high winds made for some fantastic decoying action in marshes all along the southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana marshes. Heavy straps of gadwall, teal, wigeon and shovelers were the norm...
Saturday morning will officially usher in the 2022-2023 waterfowl season for all our local hunters and expectations run the gamut from cautiously optimistic to gung ho. Texas duck and goose hunters cranked up last weekend and the initial reports were very good.. Many local marshes that are historically proven early season producers had mixed reviews after the storms rolled through but they made up for it on Sunday. High water during the late summer stunted vegetation growth...
“You remember when….” is a question that I am hearing all too often these days, especially when I am talking to water fowlers. Less than a decade ago our area marshes were a haven for all types of migratory birds, world class wing shooting at its best. The skies were filled with ducks and geese and the local hospitality and great Cajun cuisine made this part of the world a magnet for hunters from all around the globe. Well the food and hospitality are still here but the birds...
One of perhaps the most anticipated hunting days of the year is upon us; Saturday morning starts off the annual youth hunting weekend in Texas. Young hunters and adults alike look forward to this very special weekend for a variety of reasons. For many young hunters this is their opportunity to take center stage and reap the benefits of all the practice and preparation they have been through during the off season. The trips to the range, the work at the hunting lease, or...
The sun has just broken the horizon to illuminate a relatively smooth lake surface, the temperatures are mild and the forecast is in the anglers favor. A short boat ride into the wide open expanse of Sabine is stopped so one of the anglers in the boat can glass the area with a pair of binoculars in hopes of finding a set of working birds. The glassing pays off and the boat of hopeful anglers speed off in the direction of the birds with visions of speckled trout busting shrimp...
I must admit I never imagined I would see our Louisiana friends to the east jump on the conservation bandwagon this hard. For years there has been a huge disparity on fishing limits between Texas and Louisiana, so much that many Texas anglers have routinely taken to launching their boats on the Louisiana side of the lake in order to keep the much more liberal limits. Once Texas moved their speckled trout limit to 5 there was a large increase in the number of Texas boats at...
All along the Texas gulf coast the pattern is the same, cool fronts signal the much anticipated frenzy that is fall fishing. Anglers of every description ready themselves with the latest technology and gear in hopes of finding flocks of gulls working over schools of hungry speckled trout and redfish. Shiny fiberglass cruisers masquerading as bay boats are stocked up with an array of tackle that would make most anglers drool with envy. It is the same scenario in each bay...
