The Saltwater Magazine for Gulf Coast Fishing!
SUMMER 2006
Reds & Tides by Chester Moore, Jr. How coastal tides and currents affect redfish feeding. Everyone has heard of fishing for redfish under the birds, but what about under the dolphins?   That is exactly what I was doing at the Cameron, La. jetties last year and the reds were biting in an almost frenzy-like state. The tide was coming back in toward Lake Calcasieu and the strong flow of water created an eddie on the west side of the rocks... Bulls on the Fringe by Pete Cooper, Jr. Big reds prowl all around the Delta   It's interesting how one's perspectives can change over the years. I can plainly recall the reverent awe in which I held redfish during my teens. The bulls were completely incomprehensible - godlike.   All that was assuredly based on the fact that I had caught so few of them - like zero! But after I turned 20 I began to make up for lost time - at least with the "regular reds". But the bulls still made only very rare appearances in my life, and by doing so they retained their divine status up until very recently...   Espiritu Santo Bay - by Robert Sloan This bay has it all and now's the time to fish it. Port O'Connor, located on the middle Texas coast, is one of the hottest fishing destinations along the Texas Gulf coast for two very good reasons. One is that the flats and bay fishing options are endless. Two, and most important, the fishing is fantastic for reds, trout and even jack crevalle and tarpon.   I've been fishing Port O'Connor for for over three decades and can say from much experience that during the summer months there are many angling options that include drifting, wading and poling the flats with light tackle and fly fishing gear. The miles upon miles of clear water flats are endless. And there are islands galore. But even at that escaping the weekend crush of anglers at POC can be a challenge. That is unless you know where to go...   Summer Beach Bash - by David A. Brown It's snook time for Florida beachfront waders. The water's warm and the fishing's hot. Witness this catch-all summary of the Sunshine State's world-famous sandy beaches. With vast stretches of pristine shores, Florida'sGulf Coast offers a wonderful opportunity for wade fishing during the summer months.   Targets of opportunity vary, but from May through September, the star of the show is definitely Centropomus undecimalus ­ the snook. Colloquially called the "linesider" for its jet black lateral line, this cagey predator spends much of the year in backwater haunts, but moves en masse toward coastal passes and adjacent beaches for the annual spawning aggregations... Gulf Coast Closeup - Found: Paradise at the Chandeleurs - by Al Rogers   Thirty-five miles off the coast of Biloxi, Mississippi, a waning crescent moon cast a faint glimmer across the dark waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Millions of stars were strewn across an endless sky. I realized a remarkable resemblance that the moon had to an area where I was anchored ­ the Chandeleur Islands. The shapes were almost identical. And much like this bright thin sliver in the night, the fading celestial body in the distance, this barrier island chain, is in its final phase. OUR DEPARTMENTS...   Equipment Notebook - "Sonar Installation" - by David Ayers   Rod & Reel'n Offshore - "How to Fish Butterfly and Dragonfly Jigs" - by Patrick Lemire   The Bay Naturalist - "Get stuck? Try the Heat Trick" - by John Hook   Tackle Time - "Your Friend the Wading Boot" - by Colby Sorrells   Bait Hook - "Waterfront Characters" - by Jim Martin     From the Publisher... Besides all these great articles and departments, Gulf Coast Fisherman is the only source for the Wells Daily Fishing Forecast. Each issue carries three months of the Wells Daily Fishing Forecast - with Monthly Fishing Calendars. This will provide what you need to intelligently plan your fishing trips - hours, weeks, and months in advance!   Top saltwater guides and fishermen use the Wells Daily Fishing Forecast - shouldn't you be using it ,too?...   "The fisherman that knows what the currents are doing has the advantage - over fish and fishermen!" And remember - "Fish feed everyday, somewhere " - Harold Wells   Gary Ralston Publisher   Home