rbausum
05-25-07, 12:13 AM
Mike and I flew into McAllen TX on Saturday and spent the afternoon and evening with my Dad and Step-mom. A dinner of fajitas was wonderful. We then made are way to Arroyo City on the banks of the Arroyo Colorado river. After touring south Texas we finally made it to our destination.
The next morning came early, as they all did, 5 am. Breakfast was delivered at 5:30 am and we were on the boat out to the fishing water at 6 am. Our first two days were with Capt Randy Cawfield, the owner of the King Fisher Inn (www.laguanamadre.net). Our first day was great. The site fishing was very tough, I saw several pods early in the morning, but no matter how fast or slow I walked they stayed just out of range. After striking out there we tried fishing the sands. No luck. We then went to one of the old channels, all of two feet deep. We were having fun pulling out some lady fish and small reds (< 14 inches) when I hooked a freight train. A 24 inch red that got into my backing twice. I had the drag really cranked hard the second run... :) We then set off for some other water and finally settled on a small cut that was funneling some hungry ladyfish, small reds and trout. I was getting bored fishing the Kingfisher spoon, literally more fish than I could count, so I switched to a small green popper. I stopped catching the ladyfish and began catching 20+ inch trout. That ended our first day of fishing and began our long nap time. After arriving back at the dock and getting cleaned up, we crashed until 8:30 pm. Arroyo City is a one street town. On Sunday night nothing is open including the two eateries. So after a 45 minute ride to the nearest town with a restaurant, Harlingen, we had some authentic Mexican food and then ran back to the inn for a good nights sleep.
Day two had delivered high water and higher wind. They say that April is windy and the calm days came late this year. I asked if he thought what we had was calm, silly me, he said the winds on Sunday, 15 mph where calm. The 25 mph wind on Monday was still not as bad as the 35+ mph wind of April. This is my long way of saying, Mike was skunked and I only landed a 20 inch ladyfish.
That night we dined locally at the locals bar. Nuff said... :) When we got back to the inn we went down to the dock and turned on the night light and tried getting some night time fish. We used our spinning gear this time and were skunked once again. Should have bought bait.. :)
Tuesday, day three, It was Capt Scott Sparrows turn. (We were nice and made no pirate jokes.) As the sun was coming up we were out on the flat looking at dozens of tailing redfish. Mike hooked the first of many and I followed quickly with my first red and a sight casting opportunity. As the sun and wind came up we were no longer able to use the tails as an indicator of location and had to spot the torpedoes moving across the flats. On the white sand this was easier. On the grassy sections extremely difficult. Scott was able to see the reds heading towards us at 150 feet. I was lucky to make them out at 50 feet. I lost count of the reds we caught on Tuesday. Between us it was over 30. That night we went to meet my Dad at his vacation home in Port Mansfield. This year Dad and Judy decided to move the camper to Port Mansfield and try out living near the salt water instead of Lake Lanier. It also allows Judy to spend more time at home as it's an hour and a half between camper and home. After dinner at El Heffe's we got back to the inn around 11 pm and decided to try the dock again. This time we tried some clousers and Mike was able to hook a snook. Unfortunately he broke off before I could pick him out of the water.
Wednesday was the travel day home and we slept late and enjoyed a relaxed ride back to the airport in McAllen.
It was a great trip!!!
Mike with early morning red. (http://www.thefamilybausum.org/DSCF5364.JPG)
Releasing a nice red. (http://www.thefamilybausum.org/DSCF5378.JPG)
Mike and I on the sand. (http://www.thefamilybausum.org/DSCF5394.JPG)
The next morning came early, as they all did, 5 am. Breakfast was delivered at 5:30 am and we were on the boat out to the fishing water at 6 am. Our first two days were with Capt Randy Cawfield, the owner of the King Fisher Inn (www.laguanamadre.net). Our first day was great. The site fishing was very tough, I saw several pods early in the morning, but no matter how fast or slow I walked they stayed just out of range. After striking out there we tried fishing the sands. No luck. We then went to one of the old channels, all of two feet deep. We were having fun pulling out some lady fish and small reds (< 14 inches) when I hooked a freight train. A 24 inch red that got into my backing twice. I had the drag really cranked hard the second run... :) We then set off for some other water and finally settled on a small cut that was funneling some hungry ladyfish, small reds and trout. I was getting bored fishing the Kingfisher spoon, literally more fish than I could count, so I switched to a small green popper. I stopped catching the ladyfish and began catching 20+ inch trout. That ended our first day of fishing and began our long nap time. After arriving back at the dock and getting cleaned up, we crashed until 8:30 pm. Arroyo City is a one street town. On Sunday night nothing is open including the two eateries. So after a 45 minute ride to the nearest town with a restaurant, Harlingen, we had some authentic Mexican food and then ran back to the inn for a good nights sleep.
Day two had delivered high water and higher wind. They say that April is windy and the calm days came late this year. I asked if he thought what we had was calm, silly me, he said the winds on Sunday, 15 mph where calm. The 25 mph wind on Monday was still not as bad as the 35+ mph wind of April. This is my long way of saying, Mike was skunked and I only landed a 20 inch ladyfish.
That night we dined locally at the locals bar. Nuff said... :) When we got back to the inn we went down to the dock and turned on the night light and tried getting some night time fish. We used our spinning gear this time and were skunked once again. Should have bought bait.. :)
Tuesday, day three, It was Capt Scott Sparrows turn. (We were nice and made no pirate jokes.) As the sun was coming up we were out on the flat looking at dozens of tailing redfish. Mike hooked the first of many and I followed quickly with my first red and a sight casting opportunity. As the sun and wind came up we were no longer able to use the tails as an indicator of location and had to spot the torpedoes moving across the flats. On the white sand this was easier. On the grassy sections extremely difficult. Scott was able to see the reds heading towards us at 150 feet. I was lucky to make them out at 50 feet. I lost count of the reds we caught on Tuesday. Between us it was over 30. That night we went to meet my Dad at his vacation home in Port Mansfield. This year Dad and Judy decided to move the camper to Port Mansfield and try out living near the salt water instead of Lake Lanier. It also allows Judy to spend more time at home as it's an hour and a half between camper and home. After dinner at El Heffe's we got back to the inn around 11 pm and decided to try the dock again. This time we tried some clousers and Mike was able to hook a snook. Unfortunately he broke off before I could pick him out of the water.
Wednesday was the travel day home and we slept late and enjoyed a relaxed ride back to the airport in McAllen.
It was a great trip!!!
Mike with early morning red. (http://www.thefamilybausum.org/DSCF5364.JPG)
Releasing a nice red. (http://www.thefamilybausum.org/DSCF5378.JPG)
Mike and I on the sand. (http://www.thefamilybausum.org/DSCF5394.JPG)