THE GUIDE REPORT
MONDAY – July 9th
Capt. Doug Russell – The day started out a lot slower than the past week or so, but my guys from the Tito’s Vodka group finished up with limits of trout all around. It’s always a good time with these guys!
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Capt. Cody Spencer
– Monday started out looking like it might not be a good day for fishing – we just couldn’t get the fish to cooperate first thing in the morning. However, my crew from the Tito’s Vodka group stuck things out and showed everyone they had what it takes to get the job done! They filled the box today with a near-limit of trout that they should be proud of! They worked for every fish they caught! We’ll be going at them again Tuesday morning for day #2 of fun and action!
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Capt. ‘Lil John Wyatt – Started slow this morning, but finished strong – lots of fish caught and good times with members of the Tito’s Vodka group! The trout bite was almost non-existent early this morning, but the fish finally decided to cooperate as the morning wore on. We even saw catches of redfish today! Everyone got in the action!
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Capt. Kevin Matula – My guys today from the Tito’s Vodka group pulled-off something extraordinarily special! Not only did one of the members of today’s team catch his first-ever fish, he caught what may just turn out to be the biggest fish he may ever catch! It was another good day on the water with these guys, and we can’t wait until they get to come back to Bay Flats Lodge.
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TUESDAY – July 10th
Capt. Cody Spencer – Today marked round two with the Tito’s Vodka group, and what a great day it turned out being. Unlike yesterday, we were greeted this morning by hungry trout. The bite was much different today, and it remained steady throughout most of the morning. Everyone enjoyed their time out on the water and the time they got to spend with each other. After all, that’s what it’s all about!
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WEDNESDAY – July 11th
Capt. Billy Freudensprung – Bryan M. was here at the Lodge today for the very first time, and he brought with him his two sons, Mike and Andrew. Not only did they manage their three-man trout limit, they also caught some really good-sized trout. Way to go guys! Now, hopefully, we’ll repeat the same fantastic outcome tomorrow, and y’all will have some good stories to tell when you get home! We’ll be back at them again Thursday morning!
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Capt. Perry Rankin – Bay Flats Lodge visitors Kevin, Colin, and Chad started the day with top waters and croakers. Went looking for Reds and found a lot of rats but no keepers. Great time with these guys! Look forward to their next visit.
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Capt. Todd Jones – Steve and Bill took full advantage of the light winds this morning, boxing a 2-man limit of solid trout in the 18″-22″ range. Bounced around trying to find the elusive redfish, only to catch and release several more trout. Called it a day and headed in with some nice fish. Glad their first trip to Bay Flats Lodge was a success! Hope to see you again soon!
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SIZZLING HOT SUMMERTIME FISHING
A lot of anglers may not think of the middle of July as being a good time of the year for catching fish because it can often be one of the absolute hottest times of the year. However, it’s the approximate midpoint between spring and fall, and it often represents the summertime peak in coastal fishing. Numbers of saltwater inshore game fish – speckled trout, redfish, and flounder – don’t dwindle simply because it’s happens to be hot outside. The fish are still there, but July anglers may need to keep a couple things in mind when trying to find them.
Speckled trout and redfish can often be pinpointed by finding active baitfish. These fish tend to travel based on the presence of a food source, so learn to make it a practice of yours to always look for the bait. When you find bait in an area, chances are great that the game fish are close by. The bait will tend to migrate between shallow and deep water based upon tidal movement, heavy wind currents, and water temperatures, so doing what you can to stay near the baitfish increases your odds exponentially for finding an effective trout and redfish bite.
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For some hot July action, try fishing over shell pads or reefs containing a bit of mud or sand. On a rising tide, look to the windward side of the shell first for the bite, and during a falling tide place your initial focus on the tapering ends of the shell, if possible, before working the rest of the reef. These shell reefs tend to be home to a multitude of varying marine life, at all levels of the food chain – from the smallest of marine organisms to the larger game fish like the trout and redfish.
If your July fishing time places you out on our neighboring waters during a period of high wind, duck out of the breeze into protected areas like that of the ICW between Seadrift and Port O’Connor, or any of the many protected back lakes out on Matagorda Island. In the ICW, target the drop-offs from the surrounding flats areas where the water goes from a couple feet deep to 15-20 feet deep. Out on Matagorda Island look for bait activity along any of the miles and miles of sandy shoreline outlining the southern regions of San Antonio Bay and Espiritu Santo Bay. If you’re lucky, you might even pick up a flounder at the mouth of a small creek or bayou emptying water out of a back lake area during a falling tide.
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If artificial baits are more your style, begin with early morning efforts of walking a top water lure across the water’s surface during pre-dawn hours. Upon sunrise, switch from top water baits to that of plastic tails, working them slowly across the bottom so as to create a minimal “mud cloud” behind the lure. It won’t take long after the sun is up for you to realize that July is an intensely hot month. At the same time, however, remembering these few things may just help your July fishing be even hotter.
Latest posts by Capt. Chris Martin (see all)
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- The Hunt for December Trophy Trout Continues at Bay Flats Lodge Resort & Marina! – December 4, 2018
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