Fishing

Cooler Waters Producing Red Hot Action at Bay Flats Lodge Resort & Marina

Leave a comment

THURSDAY – Sept 6th

Capt. Jason Wagenfehr – Thursday we had to duck and dodge a few storms, but we got lucky and landed on some fish. My thanks go out to Capt. Todd Jones for the use of his boat while he was on vacation – it seems to attract fish rather nicely!

f6866cdc-1e3f-403b-9fb4-89fc4adb9139.jpg

FRIDAY – Sept 7th

Capt. Stephen Boriskie

– We beat the rest of today’s deluge by limiting out on Speckled Trout early and then calling it a day just in time to once again get the customers under cover from today’s multiple rain storms. Unfortunately, things are probably going to be like this for a while. The next few days will be all about patience and timing until this tropical moisture dries up!

daa48594-3727-4a2d-9009-f0eb00f74ea9.jpg

Capt. Billy Freudensprung – I had a good day with these guys! We looked for the trout and the reds, and we found a couple here and there, but the guys wanted to experience some steady action. They wanted a bigger pull, so we chased a big school of black drum for some rapid C-P-R action. It was a lot of fun for everyone!

3b11f56e-3ed7-4c0f-ab9e-84bd02c153cf.jpg

Capt. Garrett Wygrys – Today was an all around amazing day! My crew set their minds to doing their very best, and that’s exactly what they did. They managed their three-man limit of Speckled Trout, as well as Redfish (to include one tagged Red). They topped things off by landing a few Black Drum – it was just icing on the cake!

e9085c30-9549-4db7-9fc2-0430eba9daf8.jpg

SATURDAY – Sept 8th

Capt. Billy Freudensprung – I had another Black Drum kind of day with today’s party, with a Redfish and some cats thrown in the mix. The trout bite just never materialized for us this morning, but the Black Drum were plentiful, which has been the case for the past few weeks now. We saw a nice Red and some cats, which filled the trout gap accordingly, but it would sure be nice to get back into the big trout circle once again. Once this weather blows through, and when things cool off a bit toward the end of the month, we will see some good Speckled Trout and exceptional Redfish action on a much more regular basis each day.

cb38bcb1-7e4b-4ea2-8dba-837729176465.jpg

Capt. ‘Lil John Wyatt – Great day on Saturday with the bachelor party that was part of the Vincent G. group. We actually experienced a rather nice Speckled Trout bite today, landing some of the finest trout I’ve seen all week long. The Redfish also graced us with their presence, and a couple of guys caught some nice ones. The guys had an absolute blast, with lots of fish boxed that led to everyone having a great time!

c2d15a16-e7ea-4ba4-81c6-6214545dd025.jpg

Capt. Todd Jones – Back in the saddle after a two-week hiatus, and a much needed vacation. Knocked the rust off on a half-day morning trip with a group of contractors from the Houston area. The trout bite was a little slow for us, but the guys boxed eight solid fish for their efforts. A quick lunch and we were back out again for the afternoon trip. A change of strategy and location kept the guys busy with non-stop action, ending the day with their limits of reds to 27″ and some solid drum to 22″. Half-day on Sunday morning coming up with this group – hope their luck holds out!

3931e49e-53e0-4be0-98ef-21bc3e95094b.jpg

COOLER WATERS PRODUCING RED HOT ACTION

If you’ve been waiting for a break in the summertime heat before coming down to the coast to fish, then you should start packing for a September trip. We’re already seeing temps in the lower 80’s, and we should expect even a little cooler weather later in the month. It’s at this time in the year when the temperatures will begin to slowly drop allowing for milder conditions all along our coastal regions. The waters shall begin their greening process, and some of the season’s initial flights of ducks should start arriving from the upper states. The beginning of autumn will soon be upon us, and you’ll need to be ready.

With higher tides already taking place, Coastal Bend anglers should start looking to the various back lakes on Matagorda Island and to the shell reefs of San Antonio Bay to start producing some of the year’s finest trout action. As for the reds, you might start searching for them in Guadalupe Bay, looking for sand pockets and pushes (wakes) rather than tails. Recent rains have already cooled the water a bit and the reds have reacted quit positively. Maintain your standard summertime routine of starting early in the morning and starting out in some really shallow water.

For the pluggers amongst us, some of the year’s best top water action will soon begin, so start each day tossing small surface walkers like the Skitter Walk Junior or the Super Spook Junior. If they’re not hitting on top, try throwing some plastic tails rigged on either 1/8 or 1/16-ounce jig-heads. Absent of any unexpected tropical weather, area bay waters should remain in good shape, so try some of the more brilliant tail colors until you find one they like. Have fun out there, and be safe!

 

Fishing

Higher Tides Bring Fall Action at Bay Flats Lodge Resort & Marina

Leave a comment

WEDNESDAY’S SCOUTING REPORT

By: Capt. Chris Martin

c2dc071a-1aed-4ca5-a517-edcd9c60b1c5.jpg

While on a Wednesday scouting session, I dialed-in several areas that needed to be investigated, especially with the bull tides we’re seeing right now. The top water bite was more of the “slap, swing in a miss”, so it was necessary to work the other portions of the water column. Interior back lake drains with swollen tides gave up scores of trout while working 6-inch Gambler flapp’n shad chicken on a chain tipped with 1/8 oz. screw lock jig heads. While scouting sandy shorelines in other areas, I found shrimp jumping nervously out of the water 100-150 yards off the salt grass, which resulted in fast-paced trout action. Norton tequila gold sand eels rigged on a Norton screw lock worked best. The best lure action was away from the shoreline and was a slow, but steady, retrieve – it felt like a heavy weight on the lure, or a slow pull on the line. I hope this helps!

Date – Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Time of Day – 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Water Temperature – 84 degrees

Air Temperature – 88 degrees

Wind Direction – Southeast

Wind Speed – 10-15 mph

ES Custom Boats Mercury Marine

THE GUIDE REPORT

TUESDAY – Sept 4th

Capt. Stephen Boriskie – Today was day #2, but it was a shorter day for these gentlemen. They had just as much fun, however, catching today as they did yesterday. Before we called it a day, one of the guys hooked a Gar on a live shrimp on a croaker hook. Imagine that! Anyhow, it was an interesting ending to a couple of fun days on the water with good people. We’re really looking forward to the fall season and the fall fishing pattern – it can’t get here soon enough!

8d145aee-2d48-44d1-b994-63a59b9a3a8e.jpg

Capt. Jeremy McClelland – We have had some great fun the past few days with customers from age 6 to 60 – everyone’s been getting in on the action! The fish have been cooperating for the most part, with the most recent activity coming from the Redfish and the Black Drum. The trout are here, and in numbers, but many times we have to go through quite a few before we locate a slot fish. But that all seems to change from day to day, as well, because the other day some of our guests found numbers of nice size trout, even a couple of “Bigs”. Once this heat is broken for good, and the fall pattern sets in, we’ll be looking for greater numbers of larger trout. I can’t wait!

a5614fef-9b68-4590-98f5-5e1430100d0f.jpg

WEDNESDAY – Sept 5th

Capt. ‘Lil John Wyatt – I have been fishing with different groups the past few days, and the fishing action has been nothing but steady! If things continue at this pace, we’re in for a great month of fishing in September. We’re seeing Speckled Trout, Redfish, Flounder, and Black Drum almost daily. We continue to swap between croaker and live shrimp, but the results have almost turned out the same regardless of the bait. As they bay water starts cooling a little bit later this month, we’ll start fishing more over grass and mud. Fall is always a transition worth waiting for around here – the weather cools off, and the fishing heats up! Get ready!

01df1237-2605-47cd-8eed-0df6ad9b5aa5.jpg

HIGHER TIDES BRING FALL ACTION

Twice a year, at the September equinox and the spring equinox, the earth’s equator is aligned with the orbital plane of the earth around the sun. This is when we experience extremely high tidal ranges that generally peak in September, October, and sometimes even into the early part November, with the absolute highest tides occurring a day or two after the full or new moon nearest to the equinox. This is good news for us because favorable fishing conditions commonly exist around higher tides, specifically in coastal marshes, and especially following such extreme slack-tide conditions like those we’ve had here during the last part of the summer.

The trout, redfish, and flounder will suddenly all be able to go places that were previously unavailable to them. The trout, and particularly the redfish, will once again start looking for food on outgoing tides, tides that will dump an assortment of food out of the grassy areas and upon adjacent flats. When this happens, anglers need to be ready to take advantage of some of the hottest action of the year. Toss top water baits for trout during the first hours of light, but later switch to soft plastics, working them slightly above the bay floor. While wade fishing for the trout over grass, place your focus from the middle to the outside edges of the grass, as you’ll often find larger trout to be just on the outside edges where there’s sand.

The next few weeks will offer anglers who may be new to the sport of artificial fishing a fighting chance at boosting their confidence while fishing with lures. This time of the year is truly a magical time in the outdoors, a time that can certainly raise the bar for anglers of all levels wanting to improve their skills

Fishing

September’s Speckled Start at Bay Flats Lodge Resort & Marina

Leave a comment

THE GUIDE REPORT

FRIDAY – Aug 31st

Capt. Stephen Boriskie – What a fabulous day with great new customers in the hauling business – crude, fuel, you name it, they do it! Welcome to Texas, and to Bay Flats Lodge, and we hope to host your groups again.

d0b5e1fb-c97e-4207-972d-5e082d04a3f0.jpg

Capt. Billy Freudensprung – Side-splitting day from laughing and catching with Bo, Bruce and Eric today. These guys kept me rolling all day long, and they were none too bad with the fishing rods either. They filled the box today with trout, redfish, and black drum, and they had a great time doing it!

e249d5ff-77b1-41ca-a328-6d856c7268d3.jpg

SUNDAY – Sept 2nd

Capt. Stephen Boriskie – Relief from the scorching heat all morning as we dodged storms and rain and enjoyed the cloud cover, and we were able to box a three-man limit of Speckled Trout and a bonus Redfish. September is looking good right now, and we hope the good fortune continues without the threat of tropical bullies. God bless and happy Labor Day weekend!

9975bcac-814b-492d-9170-4af8fd011d48.jpg

Capt. Doug Russell – Getting kids addicted one at a time! 12 year-old Holly got all she could handle today, and her parents and I enjoyed watching the show! There’s absolutely nothing more fulfilling than seeing kids enjoying the sport of fishing, especially in such a special place as our own San Antonio Bay system.

7e874e28-5fd3-4f37-90c0-b412b4c4e0db.jpg

SEPTEMBER’S SPECKLED START

We made it through June and July this year without being scorched to death, but the sun Gods really strapped it to us in August. We didn’t have much precipitation to speak of, and bay water temperatures almost matched that of the air temperature around here. But if there is any truth to the old adage that history does repeat itself, then September should begin to show us a cooling trend toward the later part of the month. That’s right, September marks the month on the Texas coastal calendar when Mother Nature finally considers turning down the heat in her summertime oven.

f13b7e86-7a03-468d-b7f8-0141618d960d.jpg

We’ll look this month for the Coastal Bend region of Texas to receive this year’s first notable cool front that should, in turn, provide some badly needed rainfall across the state, and to drop daytime coastal temperatures down into the 80’s. Even if it’s not for but a very brief few days, it will be greatly appreciated by all. We should also be able to anticipate some cooler water temperatures and less sunshine as a result of a possible increase in cloud cover.

In addition to a cooling climate, another transition also begins taking place this month. It is in September that we routinely begin seeing a gradual rise in the daily tide levels as we work our way toward October. Because of this, anglers should start looking for September trout and redfish in many of the area back lakes as the higher tides become more prevalent, starting early each morning in shallow water with small top water baits and then moving to deeper water while throwing soft-plastics as the surface bite diminishes. Lately, anglers have located the red bite over soft sand and mild mud, with an occasional mixture of shell provided as structure – key ingredients that can all be found in our back lake areas.

1a90e69b-ef77-4edc-a255-9a99001ccb58.jpg

Recurring mild and brief northern frontal passages along the Texas coast throughout the month of September will not only signal moderate drops in temperature, but also of modest conditions that influence the ever-popular greening effect upon our Texas coastal waters. With the approach of autumn beginning this month, we might very well be looking forward to what could possibly become some of this year’s most remarkable fishing to-date. I hope you’ll join us as we look to enjoy some of the benefits offered by cooler conditions, and the rewards of some heated September action. Good luck, and keep grindin’!

Fishing

Snook in Seadrift!

Leave a comment

Capt. Chris Martin, owner of Bay Flats Lodge, pulled me aside at breakfast and asked if I wanted to hook up on something special.  Yes, I do!  He then introduced me to Capt. Garrett Wygrys who explained that he had located a pod of Snook that had somehow found their way into the Seadrift area.  Snook?  You bet!

Texas snook
Capt. Garrett Wygrys with Snook

Snook are plentiful in Florida and can be found in the Lower Laguna Madre of Texas.  However, it is rare to catch snook in our middle Gulf Coast.  Capt. Garrett found these fish some months back and has been keeping tabs on them ever since.  They are growing about 1″ a month so they could be something truly special in another year if they stay local. Continue reading Snook in Seadrift! →

Fishing

Trophy Technology at Bay Flats Lodge Resort & Marina

Leave a comment

Bay Flats Lodge Resort & Marina

August 23, 2018

TROPHY TECHNOLOGY AT BAY FLATS LODGE

da2a13e3-b56c-48dc-88ba-da80adfa89b7.jpg

Aside from being two terrific men, Jay Madden and Scott Head are the owners and operators of Trophy Technologies, Inc. Trophy Technology has been with us here at Bay Flats Lodge the past few days filming two future shows. Capt. Harold Dworaczyk and Capt. Cody Spencer of Bay Flats Lodge acted as hosts and fishing guides, as well as general lodge experts. You can look for the Bay Flats Lodge episode of Trophy Fish Hunter on CBS Sports Network in the first quarter of 2019.

Founded by avid anglers, Trophy Technology seeks to produce brands that cater to professional anglers, while at the same time provide superior products at a price within reach of the average angler. Headquartered in Trenton, Texas, Trophy Technology is home to these great brands: Castaic, Reaction Strike, the BD Series, Musky Armor, Kitana Hooks, MonsterBass, Throwback, Backstabber, and Bulldawg Rods. Continue reading Trophy Technology at Bay Flats Lodge Resort & Marina →

Fishing

Shiny Seduction for Sunup Specks at Bay Flats Lodge Resort & Marina

Leave a comment

Bay Flats Lodge Resort & Marina

August 20, 2018

THE GUIDE REPORT

WEDNESDAY – Aug 15th

Capt. Todd Jones – Family fishing trips always seem to be the most fun, especially when you have a good day of catching. Returning customer Doug got the chance to bring his family down for the first time. His wife Helen, son Daniel, and daughter Nicole enjoyed a rare day on the water together. It was a slow start, but they kept the grind going until we finally got on a solid, fast and furious bite after lunch. It was fun to be a part of all the smiles and laughter. Hope to see all of you again very soon!

a5479bc2-bbf2-432e-8a4e-d3a5dcd5a2cd.jpg

THURSDAY – Aug 16th

Capt. Stephen Boriskie – Today was a tough day for catching fish, at least from a keeper standpoint. However, we did do extremely well in the throwback division! Today’s crew stayed in the game until the very end, as we tried just about every go-to reef and sandy pocket where I typically fish. There were lots of “firsts” today for the newbie, as well as a lot of fun times kicking around on a beautiful day down here along the middle Texas coast. Continue reading Shiny Seduction for Sunup Specks at Bay Flats Lodge Resort & Marina →

Fishing

Trout-Green Water at Bay Flats Lodge Resort & Marina

Leave a comment

Bay Flats Lodge Resort & Marina

August 13, 2018

THE GUIDE REPORT

THURSDAY – Aug 9th

Capt. Cody Spencer – Today was Day #2 with this group of three friends that made up the Rusty K. party. Yesterday presented us with rain and a slow bite, so we were hoping for a much better day today, and that’s exactly what we received. The guys had steady action all day long while catching speckled trout, jack crevalle, and even shark. It turned out being a very interesting trip with these guys from the Smithville area! Hope we’re able to do it again soon!

c985eaff-a950-4181-9611-4d986ba8f326.jpg

MONDAY – Aug 13th

Capt. Stephen Boriskie – Thanks to Mike C. who has trusted BFL multiple times each year over the past decade by bringing his 20+ customers each time for a more personal and relaxing way to talk business, and to catch fish at the same time. Old school ways of doing business are sometimes the best way! Take Brian here, for example, shown holding a 27.75″ redfish that he landed today. Add to this today’s near limit of hard to find speckled trout and you know why these guys return time and time again. We are approaching one of the most productive times of the month, and the year, so get on the books and make the short drive from almost anywhere in Texas. I have plenty of dates open for you and your guests, so call Angie or Randy at 1-888-677-4868 to get your fishing trip of a lifetime booked now!

9e37904f-c8c8-4ecb-9eea-e06d3b055805.jpg

Continue reading Trout-Green Water at Bay Flats Lodge Resort & Marina →

Fishing

High Temp Fishing at Bay Flats Lodge Resort & Marina

1 Comment

Bay Flats Lodge Resort & Marina

August 13, 2018

THE GUIDE REPORT

SATURDAY – Aug 4th

Capt. Kevin Matula – Had a great morning wading with lures with this group from the Ben M. party. They managed a decent box while wading waist to knee deep sand and grass. Their day ended with a dozen well-proportioned Speckled Trout and one nice slot Redfish. It was great to be able to get in on some awesome wade fishing with such a great group of anglers. Hope we can all do it again soon!

ff4adbea-6875-4c66-bd94-2ebe14031121.jpg

TUESDAY – Aug 7th

Capt. Billy Freudensprung – This morning was extremely slow, but my crew of four from the Chris M. party wouldn’t settle for a “goose-egg” finish on the day. They stuck out the hardships and proved to everyone that they had what it takes to turn a day of poor fishing into a time to remember. These folks put their heads together on our very last stop of the day and managed four handsome Redfish and nine Black Drum. It was an impressive recovery on the day!

71f08667-bca5-4e59-876c-e36835380f00.jpg

Capt. ‘Lil John Wyatt – Everyone had a good time this morning out on the water. Today finished up two good days with this group from the Jared L. party. We had to work for the fish yesterday and today, but these guys were able to put fish in the box each day, plus they got to take plenty home for later. They were all-around happy customers! Continue reading High Temp Fishing at Bay Flats Lodge Resort & Marina →

Fresh Intel

TPWF and Apache Corporation Partner to Raise $2 million for Balmorhea State Park Pool Repairs

Leave a comment

TPWF and Apache Corporation Partner to Raise $2 million for Balmorhea State Park Pool Repairs

Apache Corporation announces $1 million challenge grant

Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation (TPWF) has established a fund to raise $2 million for pool repairs at Balmorhea State Park. Apache Corporation is providing a challenge grant and will match gifts up to $1 million.

The iconic spring-fed pool at Balmorhea State Park in West Texas has been closed since early May after part of the structure collapsed during the pool’s annual cleaning. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) announced in a press release last week that repairs to the historic pool are set to begin.

The labor-intensive job will repair the damage to the concrete apron used to stabilize the diving board along the east headwall. TPWD reports that months of thorough evaluation, including extensive geotechnical examination, found that the structural failure was due to years of undermining erosion behind the wall caused by the flow of water from the springs.

“Apache is proud to partner with Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation to support one of Texas’s most treasured destinations. This public-private partnership will ensure this unique natural treasure remains an iconic part of our community for many years to come,” said Apache Chief Executive Officer and President John J. Christmann IV.

Raising private funds for this project will allow available state funding to be used for other critical repair needs across the state park system. State park facilities throughout the state have been hit hard by Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and devastating floods in recent years.

“We are incredibly thankful to Apache for their spirit of generosity in stepping forward with this major challenge grant to help repair Balmorhea State Park and its much beloved spring-fed swimming hole,” said Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Executive Director Carter Smith. “This west Texas oasis is one of Texas’ great treasures, and its closure this summer was a source of deep disappointment to the Department and thousands of families who otherwise would have enjoyed basking in its magical, refreshing waters. With this challenge grant and the generosity of other Texans, we can now embark upon the essential repairs to the pool without having to divert resources away from other critical repair and maintenance projects across the State Park system.”

The Civilian Conservation Corps structure was built in the mid-1930s and is the world’s largest spring-fed swimming pool. More than 15 million gallons of water flow through the pool each day, gushing from the San Solomon Springs. The 1.3-acre pool is up to 25 feet deep, holds 3.5 million gallons of water and the water temperature stays at 72 to 76 degrees year-round.

“Generations of Texans have enjoyed the cool, clear waters at Balmorhea, and we’re deeply grateful for Apache’s challenge grant to help us meet the fundraising goal of $2 million,” said Anne Brown, Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation Executive Director. “We’ve heard from many individuals and companies that are interested in helping, and we hope everyone who has ever dipped a toe in this Texas treasure will consider making a donation to help.”

Online donations may be made, or a donation may be mailed to:

Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation

2914 Swiss Ave.

Dallas, Texas 75204