A Little Rain Goes a Long Way

The past two weeks has brought Rockport over 8 inches of rain, a desperately needed blessing for both lawns and bays. I always preach that lower water temperatures and salinity resulting from abundant rain keeps the fish biting better all summer, and this rain could not have come at a better time. Lighter winds gave us access to more of the bay system, and the runoff from the rain pushed bait and predators out into areas where we could access them. One of the highlights of the last couple weeks was wading and throwing lures in the creek drains in Saint Charles Bay. Reds were scattered, but trout and flounder were abundant and the action was fast and furious. The fishing pattern has remained roughly the same, early with shrimp and popping corks for drum and reds, then taking advantage of the incoming tide and greening water late morning to catch trout on croaker. Lately the oyster reefs have been producing better than the grass and sand flats, but there are still some good solid trout to be had. I had one afternoon trip last week that resulted in some great action with oversized reds, and a lot of photo and release. Fishing has been mostly excellent, although a few days with west wind last weekend proved to be a little tougher. Today’s June “cold front” should make things interesting the next few days. Still a few days left in late July if you want to get in a summer trip!