Need some advice from experienced anglers - trout fishing in the bay vs. gulf

[ubermensch1324]

Hey guys! I'm new to actually posting on the forums but have been reading them for quite sometime now so thanks in advance for any advice given.

My first question: Bay vs. Gulf wade fishing - Is it worth it to just make the 30-45 minute drive to wade fish the Galveston surf over the 15 minute drive to fish places in Kemah/Seabrook (during the summer)? I live in La Porte and I can fish any day early morning/evening and am just looking to actually produce catches on artificials, although, I feel that not having live shrimp with a popping cork is really hurting me, see my experience below .

I tried out the seabrook flats yest. ~6 pm.-8pm (calm green water by the way) but I'm definitely not doing it right with artificial because yesterday evening trout were hitting everywhere, with birds diving to my left and right and mullet/baitfish jumping around and they wouldn't bite at all. I was kicking myself for not having live shrimp but I knew that someone who was good with artificials would have caught them. I was throwing skitterwalks, super spooks and red w/white tailed shad assassins. Nothing.

My rig is: 20 lb. test with a swivel to quick attach top-waters/plastics (is this spooking the fish and messing up movement of artificials?). My arty box includes: Skitterwalk bone and pink, super spook bone, red shad and morning glory assassin plastics on a random 1/2 oz. jig head. I also don't use a leader so I could be going wrong here because my top-waters tend to hang up on the front hook/fishing line when I walk the dog w/them.

Thanks for reading...tight lines!

PS - I've been doing research and used the search feature but didn't see many people fiishing seabrook flats area. Couldn't seem to locate the Kemah flats or how to get there despite reading through 3 or 4 threads on different forums.

[ubermensch1324]

Oh and forgot to also ask if top waters lose their effectiveness when fishing evening sessions as opposed to morning time in the bay. I feel that most of the posts I see of results with top waters seems to be early morning but maybe I'm wrong here. Thanks!

[dbarham]

you gotta take advantage of the flat calm surf it only gets that way a handfull of times a year... and the topwater is effective all day!

[Milkjug]

Yep, barham got it. Surf is only comfortably fishable on occasion, and only from ~June-October. Get it while you can!

Also, when it's hot, it's hot. The action can be very fast. I have actually never limited in the bays on trout, but have several times in the surf.

The surf-run specks seem to fight harder too.

Many people pay no heed, but there is a consumption advisory on bay trout (I would be especially cautious of the ones N. of the causeway). Surf trout: eat up, feed 'em to your kids, whatever.

Lastly, there is something nice about not having to wear wading boots, and just clean sand between the toes, no mud.

You can catch 'em on tops all the time, but I still prefer them early (this goes for bay or surf). I am normally throwing jigs by the time the sun is decently up.

[Gilbert]

its only worth it when the surf is calm enough to fish it.

I would switch down to superspook jrs. Its just a confidence thing but I only like trowing skitters and ss jr's. I will use the big spooks in the surf from time to time but for the most part, its the jr's.

I would lose the swivel and tie direct. Learn how to tie a loop knot and use that. Also go with a lighter jig head. You were probably knocking them out with that heavy jig head and scared them off. lol.

[ubermensch1324]

Man, thank you guys so much for the replies.

Am I going to spook the fish in the surf with a leader so that my top-waters don't tangle themselves on the first hook? If so, what type of leader do you recommend me to use in the surf? Thanks again!

[Gilbert]

are you fishing with 20# mono or braid?

[ubermensch1324]

Yep, barham got it. Surf is only comfortably fishable on occasion, and only from ~June-October. Get it while you can!

Also, when it's hot, it's hot. The action can be very fast. I have actually never limited in the bays on trout, but have several times in the surf.

The surf-run specks seem to fight harder too.

Many people pay no heed, but there is a consumption advisory on bay trout (I would be especially cautious of the ones N. of the causeway). Surf trout: eat up, feed 'em to your kids, whatever.

Lastly, there is something nice about not having to wear wading boots, and just clean sand between the toes, no mud.

You can catch 'em on tops all the time, but I still prefer them early (this goes for bay or surf). I am normally throwing jigs by the time the sun is decently up.

Thanks Milk Jug.

When you say jigs do you just mean something like a single 5" salt water assassin tied directly to your line or do you tandem rig them, etc.? What types of jig heads do you usually prefer? Thanks again for the solid advice...tight lines!

[ubermensch1324]

are you fishing with 20# mono or braid?

Thanks for the reply Gilbert.

I'm fishing with 20 pound mono light blue clear color. Going out to the galveston surf today and starting off with the super spook jr. somewhere around 61st street. Can't wait to try out the new advice and will be keeping ya posted when I get back! Let me know if you think I should be using a leader, and if so I'll rig it up!

[Gilbert]

don't use a leader if you are fishing with mono already. just tie the lure on with a loop knot.

[Milkjug]

Yeah, just your normal jig. 1/16-1/4oz saltwater assassin screwlock with a gulp is what I like. I don't bother with tandem stuff. If they are on, one lure will do just fine. Plus having a hooked fish swinging around the other lure could get you stuck. Not to mention the extra time to re-rig if you break off.

Today's bigger trout came on a gulp "lump" (swimming mullet with the tail already bit off).

Finding the fish is the biggest challenge. Good luck.

[Robalo]

Go to a 12# mono test line-clear is preferred. I use Ande-cheap and good. Use 1/8 jigheads, not 1/2 oz. and get rid of all snap swivels-first good fish you catch will tear it open and you'll lose it. Surf when hot cannot be beat for fast action. Evenings and mornings are best for flats fishing -same with surf if not rough or off color. Try a johnson silver spoon sometimes. Change your retrieves on you plastics and try different depths/retrieves and make sure your bait is on right-if it twists while retrieving that aint good-ya want it to imitate a minnow-not a stunt plane doing loops and barrel rolls.

Good luck and good fishing.

[Reef Drifter]

Go to a 12# mono test line-clear is preferred. I use Ande-cheap and good. Use 1/8 jigheads, not 1/2 oz. and get rid of all snap swivels-first good fish you catch will tear it open and you'll lose it.
Good luck and good fishing.

x2 , 20 lb is a little much and snap swivels are crap Good Luck !

[Curmudgeon]

Good info from everybody!
I'd definitely step down to 12# mono like Robalo said. I do like using a 20# flouro leader on my rig with a swivel tied between them. Spook jrs & skitterwalks can work all day if it's smooth. Lighten up the jigheads and learn to tie a loop knot. I wade the surf in water sandals or fishing shoes. If you really need a meat haul, I'd reccomend live shrimp, but fishing with lures is so much more fun.
Good luck

[XtremeAngler]

Many people pay no heed, but there is a consumption advisory on bay trout (I would be especially cautious of the ones N. of the causeway). Surf trout: eat up, feed 'em to your kids, whatever.

Not trying to open a can of worms, but I disagree. I fished with Mike Mcbride and he told me they did some study down south (Port A or Rockport or somewhere down there) where they tagged trout and released them. I can't remember the time frame, but they found trout as far as 20 miles away from the release point. That's why I think the consumption advisory is bogus. You may have a few resident fish but trout move around. Do those surf trout live in the surf all year, even during the winter?

It's a flounder up the Houston Ship Channel I would be worried about eating.