Back from coasting on the coast

One of the barely legal Speck's I caught.

As we mentioned a few weeks ago, we spent a portion of our Thanksgiving week at the coast near Rockport.   We got to go kayaking twice and caught many Speckled Trout.  Trouble is, most were too small.  We did get a small handful that were legal so we'll be having trout dinner some time soon. 

This is the exact model I had
Super Spook Jr.
Bleeding Shad

Made several milestones on this trip.  I finally was able to perfect my topwater lure technique and finally fooled quite a few trout.  The first round was during the night from the Goose Island pier.  I had to get the Super Spook Jr. (2 hook) at the very edge of the light and just twitch the thing a couple times and then let it sit for a full 4-5 seconds.  Then twitch again once or twice and let sit.  This caught me one of my keeper trout for the trip.

The next day we went kayaking again near the pier but out further east. There was a decent wind out of the southeast and it was pushing waves over the bar into the channel that went under the goose island pier.  We parked ourselves near the channel and fished from near the bar out into the channel.  I was concerned that my night catches only worked because it was night and fish couldn't see the lure properly.  But I used exactly the same technique and it worked like a charm.

Redfish apparently weren't biting this time at all.  I met a guy who is a redfish guide and he said he was having a real hard time finding the fish.  Apparently things haven't been so good in that category either.  The theory is that due to the drought the salinity is high on the coast and is driving away some of the brackish loving fish like redfish.

Next time we go surf fishing!

We did go down to Port Aransas to the beach and found that people were catching things there.  Mostly sharks and whiting, but at least something is biting.  I might have to see if I can catch me a shark next time we go down.  <<grin>> 


I now have some ideas about the kind of rod I want to build for the surf.  Long enough to put some fight into the fish but hefty enough to hold a large casting reel with 1000 yards on it.  I will also make it a spiral guide rod as well to help keep me from fighting the rod too much.  Now to find the perfect rod for this little venture.  I'll be sure to post some pictures when I get it done.

Still working on getting the business off the ground.  Have been pretty preoccupied with accquiring another day job (current contract is ending) so I am trying to wrap my head around where I'm headed next.  Hopefully I will get this resolved this week so I can focus on something else like rodbuilding!

Mike
HCFR

How to find the best place for guides on a rod

Here is the method that I first used 25 years ago.

http://anglersresource.net/StaticLoadTutorial.aspx

The static load method was the only method I knew.  My teacher said that using charts would get me in trouble so I shouldn't use them. 

Once you know where your butt or stripper guide is going to be, use the static load method to find the placement for the rest of the guides.  I generally tape the guides on the rod in positions that just "look right" and then go out and do some casting until I get the stripper guide in the right position for the best cast.  Maybe even tune up the second guide from the stripper.  Once this is done, it's back inside the shop to do a static load test.