Give Thanks

It's the day before Thanksgiving and though the ground ain't muddy, folks are taking a break before supper and Bible study.

I haven't been able to frequent Evans Lake as much as I would like to so this was my chance! I had a couple of hours to test my skills against the wily bass and I intended on getting in some practice on the Revo baitcaster.

I still find the spinning reels more comfortable but I want to improve my confidence in both.

The lake has healthy weed growth which provides great cover for bait and bass.

I tagged this small fish on the first cast - always a good sign!

The BGW is still effective. I had recently switched from 15lb Suffix mono to 14lb Fireline on the Revo.

I was facing into the wind and quickly realized that I needed to move to where I could cast downwind or I would end up with a major league backlash.

I skirted around the edge and found "green gold" along the weedline.

As I continued along the shoreline I caught several nice fish...

Handful of Fish


Eye-to Eye


Back to Fight Another Day

...and a few more small ones too.

Future Lunker

I found a few nice fat ones as I approached the swimming area. The concrete wall is like a magnet for minnows and baby bluegill and the bigger bass tend to frequent this area looking for a free meal.

Healthy Bass


Along the Wall


Flying Fish

Many of the remaining fish were caught in an opening in the weeds just off the shoreline.

Cruising Lane


Scrappy Fighter


Sunbeams from Heaven

Here is a short video of some bass action. Just click the button and the video will play in the embedded mini player.

I didn't stay until sundown as the dinner bell was ringing but with an approaching cold front the clouds were putting on a real show.

Approaching Thunderheads

Psalm 104:1-3

Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD my God, You are very great;
You are clothed with splendor and majesty,

Covering Yourself with light as with a cloak,
Stretching out heaven like a tent curtain.

He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters;
He makes the clouds His chariot...

Texas Sleigh Ride

I got to witness a fisherman's dream this weekend.

Sometimes it's just as exciting watching a friend catch the big ones as it is to catch them yourself. Troy and I decided to paddle in to McNab Lake on Friday morning to chase redfish before heading to Sargent for the annual elders' and preachers' retreat. Last year, a cold front blew in but this morning promised to be cool with warming throughout the day.

We launched a little later than normal but were greeted by a beautiful day to paddle through the marsh.

Troy at the Launch


Watery Highway

We jumped some fish on the way in but didn't go "on-line" until a little later.

Troy Scored First with a Flounder

On the east end of the lake we finally found some hungry reds and Troy hooked up on a nice 23 incher. The video below demonstrates the Texas Sleigh ride!

These fish are strong fighters and can pull you backwards and forwards!


Troy & a Nice Slot Red

A short paddle into the slough yielded me this rat red.

Triple Spot

Troy connected one more time and landed another keeper red.

Red #2 Back at the Launch


Happy Fisherman

We both had a great day at McNab and were uplifted and inspired by the beauty and majesty of God's creation.

This is a great way to prepare for a retreat!

Genesis 1:26
Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."

I'll Fly Away

This weekend Tracy and I took a short trip to the Texas Hill Country to visit the Wool & Fiber festival Kid 'N Ewe and Llamas too.

One of the attractions for me is this couple from north texas playing the guitar and dulcimer.

Blue Ridge

No fishing in this post

I had a busy week of travelling - first to Salt Lake City on Sunday and then to Virginia for a meeting at the Wintergreen Resort. This facility is just off the Blue Ridge Parkway so on my return to the airport I took the scenic route and caught some early morning pictures.

Wednesday morning at Wintergreen


Blue Ridge Morning


Thursday Morning Sunrise


Fire in The Sky at Rockfish Gap


Through the Windshield


Looking for Acorns


A Bend in The Road


Valley Pond


Wary Whitetail


Scarlet Glory


Many Colors

I did stop in Rhodes Fly Shop in Warrenton, VA and picked up a book describing good fly fishing streams in VA and some poppers for bass and panfish.

I guess that bit of info qualifies this as an appropriate post for this blog.

RV Karma

On Saturday, Tracy and I boarded the Research Vessel Karma for a two hour educational Discovery Cruise out of Matagorda Harbor.

Captain Tom Klaiber and Coastal Naturalist Doyle Schaer were our hosts and instructors. I think I could see myself with a nametag that read "Coastal Naturalist" one day!

Here are some of my pictures:

RV Karma

Matagorda Harbor


Deploying the Plankton Net


Hoisting in the Net - All Hands on Deck!


Mr. Doyle telling the kids "It's just like a lady's stocking"


He called the contents, "Matagorda Stew"


Baby Jellyfish


Looking at Diatoms under the microscope


Preparing the Clamshell Dredge


"Lower Away"


Looking at a mud worm under the scope


Dragging the trawl


Captain Tom gets some help with the winch


The bounty of the sea - shrimp, fish, & squid


Squid


Checking out the catch


Croaker


Barge traffic on the Intracoastal canal

Tracy has a good post on the Discovery Cruise as well.

Jack and Elsie

Many times while staying in the travel trailer, we meet some interesting neighbors. This trip was no exception and as we were getting set up, I noticed an older couple parked next to us.

It didn’t take long before I had the truck unhitched, the jacks down, and the utilities hooked up, and I was ready to wet a line in the Colorado River. We were lucky to get a spot that was only a few paces away from the shoreline and I took the 10ft surf rod out to try my luck.

My neighbor came over to see what I was doing and to introduce himself.

“Jack from Hondo” is how the introductions went. He and his wife Elsie were down from the hill country for a month of fishing. They looked to be in their seventies and said this was their fifteenth year of coming to Matagorda to fish.

When I met Elsie later I mentioned fishing to her and asked if they were hoping for reds, trout, or what. “We are strictly Flounder Fishermen”, she informed me. I later learned from Jack that she was the fisherman in the family. “That Canadian gal loves to fish,” Jack stated. “I’m too old to do much of anything,” he said more than once.

Tracy and I suspected that this may be one of the last trips they make to the coast. They were showing signs of aging – physical signs and a loss of confidence about certain things.

But mention flounder and Elsie’s eyes would light up.

She was always dressed nice - even for fishing. Not fancy or overdone, just well coordinated and proper.

Here are some pictures:

Jack and Elsie waiting for a flounder.


Two Fishermen



Early Morning on the Colorado

I was informed that last year they caught 60 flounder starting on the 15th of November through the end of the month. Elsie told us that there used to be a fish camp on this spot and showed me where the old wreck used to be prior to the LCRA purchasing the land and building the RV park.

Jack said, "That gal was born in Canada and said, 'Once a Canadian always a Canadian'. I told her she couldn't vote unless she got her US citizenship but she said, 'I don't need to vote!'"

They only use live bait - mullet or mud minnows that Jack catches in the cast net and they only go for rod and reel fishing, "I don't think gigging them at night would be much fun", said Jack.

He had seen the flounder boats combing the shore the previous night looking for the flatfish.

I suspect that they will be catching fish before long. Once a good cold front hits the flounder will be heading for their winter retreat to the Gulf of Mexico.

November in the Marsh

I was thinking that this would be the day I would limit out on reds and maybe even catch a flounder or two.

I was up before daylight (much less sunrise) and unloading the boat at McNab in the fog.

The tide was way up and visibility was just a few feet. I headed in towards the lake and for a while thought maybe the fish had all gone out to the bay.

I finally found some feeding fish but they were way back inside the cordgrass in areas that I couldn't even navigate in the yak.

On the trip out I came across several fish working the edges of the main channel but they weren't having anything I was throwing. I tried spoons, topwaters, gulp and plastics but they were keyed in on something else.

It was great to be on the water and I'm thankful for a fishing experience - even if I got skunked!

Earliest Light


Pre-Dawn


Sunrise

Fog Burning Off


Beautiful Morning


Geese On The Move