Sow The Wind
fly fishing for redfish on laguna madre
Sunrise on the Laguna Madre with David McNewDaddy.
The wind was at my back last week, as I found myself at the tip of Texas wading the flats of the Laguna Madre, and then on the return spending time taking Rob Woodruff’s entomology class on the Guadalupe River, in Canyon Lake, Texas. Thank goodness for that wind, since my Land Cruiser went over 300-thousand miles on this trip!
Fish on. David brings home a Speckled Trout on the Laguna Heights side of the bay.
The salt experience was much more productive than the last time, with the helpful knowledge of Ray Ramirez in Brownsville, Texas. Not only did Mr. Ramirez provide a previously proven fly formula, he also clued me in to specific sites on the Heights side of the bay. The other fly formula that hounded the Speckled Trout population was a chartreuse and white size 4 Clouser with no flash – bucktail and not synthetic. I used one of the Mustad Circle Hooks for that formula and it hooked and held perfectly. His information, along with David McDonald’s wading boots on the ground, made for a good day – at least in comparison to days this past year. I have a long way to go to really groove on these fish, but I assume time has just about run out before the fish seek other environs during the winter’s cooling waves.
Redfish. Me. Rocking good little fighter.
On the Guadalupe, conditions are indescribable as the drought has lowered release levels to the point where I had to ask Mr. Woodruff, “Will they still stock here if the water levels remain this low?” It was a question on everyone’s mind. His response was that the fish are bought and paid for, and that means they get stocked. It is so low there, that I chose not to focus any photography on it in deference to those who may make their living guiding on the Guadalupe. However, there are plenty of images from Saturday and yesterday (on the water) that will be bundled with a manuscript to be finished and shipped this week.
The Valley also yielded an interesting story on a business that has a personal connection to my childhood, family … and fishing. The images and manuscript for Dargel Boats, in Donna, Texas, should be done by the end of the week and excerpts from that story and the Rob Woodruff story could appear here. I sincerely appreciate all the openness and information I received doing the Dargel story and will one day be the proud owner of a Dargel Boat (although not the first in my family to own a Dargel). The finer things in life certainly aren’t free are they?
Happy 300,000 to my 1984 FJ60 Toyota Land Cruiser. Note the cheap South Texas gas being pumped into the tank.
Is tomorrow the day we sow the wind? If it is, then do we reap the whirlwind? One thing is certain, we are headed for change of some sort, and I doubt we are actually closer to the end of the world than just another day. Whatever the case, when I lay me down to sleep tonight I pray that tomorrow’s outcome is not close by any measure. Prediction: McCain wins the general election and Obama wins the electoral college convincingly.
Category: Central Texas, Equipment, Fishing Reports, Fly Tying, Gulf Coast Report, On The Road, Paid Reading Content
