Courtesy CCA Texas -

AUSTIN — Hoping to add to the pile of more than 27,500 derelict crab traps hauled from Texas bays since 2002, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials are gearing up for the 10th abandoned crab trap removal effort Feb. 18-27.
During this 10-day period, all Texas bays will be closed to crabbing with traps. Any traps left in a bay will be assumed to be abandoned and considered “litter” under state law, which allows volunteers to legally remove any traps they find. Prior to the 77th Legislature authorizing the abandoned crab trap removal program, only the trap’s owner or a Texas game warden could legally remove a crab trap. Game wardens still collect more than 2,500 illegal traps annually, but many more remain in the water to foul shrimpers’ nets, snag fishermen’s lines, accidently trap fish (called “ghost fishing”) and create an unsightly view.
This year, in celebration of the first decade of the program, two framed original TPWD stamp prints will be given to two lucky volunteers who help out with the program.
TPWD will be facilitating trap drop-off sites at several locations in each major bay system along the coast from 8 a.m. to noon on Feb. 19, weather permitting. Additionally, at all sites, dumpsters marked with banners will be available to receive traps for the duration of the closure. Volunteers may help out on Feb. 19 or work at their own pace anytime during the closure, but traps cannot be removed prior to Feb. 18 or after Feb. 27.

Last year, volunteers, with the aid of numerous sponsors, removed roughly 1,800 traps.

“The success of this program is a reflection of the keen sense of stewardship anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts have for the marine resources of this great state,” said Art Morris, TPWD program coordinator. “Volunteers have removed more traps from Texas waters than any other state and the results show. The waning number of traps removed each year demonstrates that this volunteer effort has had a big impact.”

The Coastal Conservation Association Texas, Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Research Program, and the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Reserve are providing continued support to the crab trap removal program. Numerous other organizations and companies also are volunteering their services.

To participate, volunteers can arrange to pickup free tarps, gloves, trap hooks and additional information at their local TPWD Coastal Fisheries field stations. TPWD requests volunteers’ who remove traps record and submit information about the number they collect as well as any sightings of diamond-backed terrapins.
For more information about the Abandoned Crab Trap Removal Program and how you can volunteer, please contact your local TPWD Coastal Fisheries office or Art Morris at the Corpus Christi field station: (361) 825-3356.

TRAP DROP-OFF SITES
Sabine Lake – TPWD coordinator Jerry Mambretti (409) 736-9035
* Pleasure Island Marina Boat Ramp — Trap drop-off site

Galveston Bay – TPWD coordinator Bill Balboa (281) 534-0110
* Jones Lake State Ramp (Fat Boys) — Facilitated & trap drop-off site
* TPWD Dickinson Marine Lab-1502 FM 517 E, Dickinson — Trap drop-off site
* Seabrook SH 146 Bridge Public Boat Ramp — Trap drop-off site
* Fort Anahuac County Park Boat Ramp — Facilitated & trap drop-off site
* Chocolate Bayou State Boat Ramp- FM 2004 — Facilitated & trap drop-off site
* Pier 30 Bait and Tackle-1617 E. Hwy 332, Freeport — Trap drop-off site

MATAGORDA BAY– TPWD coordinator Leslie Hartman (361) 972-6253
* Mitchell Cut Boat (ICWW) Ramp @ Sargent — Trap drop-off site
* Matagorda Harbor @ Matagorda — Trap drop-off site
* Railroad Park @ Palacios — Trap drop-off site

SAN ANTONIO BAY – TPWD coordinator Norman Boyd (361) 983-4425
* Charlie’s Bait Stand — Facilitated & trap drop-off site
* Port O’Connor TPWD Docks — Facilitated & Trap drop-off site

ARANSAS BAY – TPWD coordinator Karen Meador (361) 729-2328
* Goose Island State Park Boat Ramp — Facilitated & trap drop-off site
* North Cove Harbor Boat Ramp — Trap drop-off site

CORPUS CHRISTI BAY – TPWD coordinator Tom Wagner (361) 729-2328
* South Conn Brown Harbor Boat Ramp — Facilitated & trap drop-off site

UPPER LAGUNA MADRE – TPWD coordinator Todd Neahr (361) 825-3353
* Bluff’s Landing Marina — Trap drop-off site
* Kaufer Park Boat Ramp — Trap drop-off site

LOWER LAGUNA MADRE – TPWD coordinator Mark Lingo (956) 350-4490
* Adolfe Thomae County Park @ Arroyo City — Trap drop-off site
* Port Mansfield Navigation District Ramp @ Port Mansfield — Trap drop-off site

Click here to download and share an event flier.

If anyone gets decent photographs of collecting the traps, and / or anything to do with this – please feel free to send them via “Contact” page. I will give you the e mail address if you contact me there.

Thanks again for Mark Becerra’s (aka. The Flats Guide) report including a birthday picture from the Lower Laguna Madre along the Texas Gulf Coast. Be sure to give Mark a shout in the “comments” as these monthly reports keep coming – fresh and consistent every month to Texas Fly Caster.

We are a very lucky group of anglers here on the Lower Laguna Madre! 2011 began on a very good note. The weather has, with the exception of the last few days, allowed us to fish in shorts and light fleece jackets. The redfish have really been what I like to call “happy” fish, willing to eat just about any fly pattern that falls on their plate. Recently, I found myself picking up on how a properly weighted fly really increased the takes in 2010.

Having had neglected my tying station’s organization and cleanliness, I decided to buckle down and hit the Barracuda hard. That said, the cleanliness only lasted a few hours. It didn’t take very long to put together a list of flies that seem to produce the best. Streamers, crabs, and shrimp patterns just to name a few … The following are the bugs that I will always have in my skiff series custom made mesquite fly box – made in my very own cabinet shop!

This “simple shrimp” tied with select craft fur, flash, and chenille along with the “Krystal Shrimp” developed by local legend and friend Larry Haines produced my first and second “convict fish” aka “Texas Permit”, respectively. I plan on adding the “Outer Banks Sand Flea” originated by Capt. Brian Horsley and featured in my hardback copy of “Innovative Saltwater Flies” by Bob Veverka (Stackpole Books 1998) to the mix used to land even more sheepshead in 2011.

The “Haines Pilchard” is another fly that Larry Haines featured at one of Dr. Reynaldo Ramirez’s Laguna Madre Fly Tyers Club tying sessions. This EP fiber streamer will no doubt help one of my clients land that over the slot sized snook this year! I will however, never head out on the flats without a varying assortment of a crab fly recipes called the “BR Special” The “BR Special” is another EP fiber recipe tied by good friend and collegue Capt. Bryan Robinson. This crab fly should be without a doubt, hands down, a never leave home without it, pattern if your are coming to the Lower Laguna Madre.

If you haven’t already began to organize your fly tying bench make sure to do so while the weather is too cold to fish! Join a fly tying club like the Laguna Madre Fly Tyers Club (email Rey Ramirez at reyramit49@yahoo.com for more info) to enhance your tying skills and knowledge as well. This will help increase your chances of sticking your record fish! Make sure and shoot me an email at mark@theflatsguide.com to place an order for your very own wooden fly box and Gear Up for 2011.

- ALL WORDS AND IMAGES PROVIDED BY The Flats Guide

Thanks for your patience as I work through some unexpected health issues in the house. All is good, but the last 24-hours have been interesting for sure.- Texas Fly Caster

The Flats Guide, Mark Becerra with a December redfish from the Lower Laguna Madre. Courtesy – The Flats Guide

MONTHLY REPORT FROM MARK BECERRA – The Flats Guide
I decided to take a break from putting my Christmas list together to write this report! Another year is about to end here on the Lower Laguna Madre and I must say, “what a year!” The fishing has been phenomenal despite a bout of red tide and gallons of fresh water in our bay from Hurricane Alex. These curves Mother Nature dished out at times had us scratching our heads, but the bounties were there for the taking. It made the prize all the more satisfying.

I will say that November and December fishing has made up for all the trying times! Trout have really begun to show the benefits of a five fish bag limit; although, they remain ever elusive targets on the fly! On a recent trip, Jeff King of La Feria, Texas, managed to roll cast his fly to a trout sitting on a grass flat just 10-15 feet from the boat! It was one of those situations where all the planets aligned and everything clicked! Those of you that do it on the fly know that making a short cast with almost no line out is tough enough. Let alone making the cast to a pesky trout! The take happened in gin clear water, and watching the trout’s gills flare as she turned to inhale the fly made Jeff’s face look like he stepped on a rusty nail – his mouth wide open and no sound coming out.

Jeff with speckled trout. Courtesty – The Flats Guide

Fishing for these big trout can be addictive. However, leaving the sure fired action of feisty redfish often proves difficult for fisherman on the bow of my Maverick HPX-T. The shear number of redfish we have caught over the last 4 or 5 trips is staggering. Having 20 fish days have been the rule rather than the exception it seems.

Not only does Dr. Rey Ramirez know how to tie some killer flies, he knows how to use them. Courtesy – The Flats Guide

Tying fly patterns with varying sink rates and colors are the key. Getting out on a windy morning to fish in the Lower Laguna Madre Fly Tyers Club proved this point to my guest for the day, Dr. Rey Ramirez (the club’s founder). After presenting his fly to what I knew were a couple feeding redfish with no results, I asked Rey to tie on a different fly in his box. The next cast to another redfish rendered an aggressive take! Knowing which pattern would get down to fish’s strike zone was all it took.

Having the right equipment as well as having it in good working order is the key to a successful trip. Friend and fellow Capt. Bryan Robinson and I use off days to get out and try new equipment. Just yesterday, we went out to put a new Redington RS4 8wt. entry level outfit through the paces and it did not disappoint. Besides having a smooth drag system and great casting action it just looks amazing! Here is a picture of the refish that helped test the setup (just shy of eight pounds and 27 inches long). If you have not made your Christmas list yet make sure to add this outfit. Send me an email at mark@theflatsguide.com for the details.

If you have not made it down to our neck of the woods, I will ask you to think long and hard about coming down and hopping aboard with me. We are sure to have a blast. Subscribe to my Youtube channel for videos of recent trips: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheFlatsGuide or become my fan at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/FlatsGuide to post pictures of your recent catch. Now back to getting my wish list ready for Santa Claus!

Happy Holidays to all and may the New Year find you with the equipment and skills for landing that trophy fish!