By Pat Murray
Page 2

Bait selection

In recent years, the Saltwater Assassin has made the transition from experimental to traditional. The author advises coastal anglers to remain focused on time-proven baits and then fish them for all their worth.

Choosing a lure style and color is one of the most frustrating parts of a fisherman's decisions throughout the day. With the infinite possible combinations of baits and colors, you can find yourself like some online stock trader immersed in an Internet of unlimited indecision as to the next big score. The solution to this uncertainty is simple - go blue chip. Pick the baits that have produced over the years and will continue to produce into the future. There are times when the fish will want the obscure. Remember, though, that traditional baits and color patterns became "traditional" for a reason.

Subtle changes make all the difference

When you are struggling for a bite, try changing jighead weights. If a quarter-ounce is not working, go to an eighth or sixteenth. It may not be that you are using the wrong color, but rather the wrong suspension and action in the bait.

With a larger plastic bait and a smaller jighead, you are able to finesse a bait and entice some inactive bites.

Do not over-accessorize

If your fishing buddies have ever referred to you as Batman or Inspector Gadget, you probably have an over-accessorized wade fishing belt. If you are trying to "grind out" a hard bite school of fish, the last thing you need is a bunch of so-called "handy gadgets" hanging all over you like so many ornaments on a Christmas tree.

There are several good brands and different styles of wading outfits available. Everybody's needs differ. You must find the system that accommodates your comfort without overwhelming your maneuverability. Start with a full set of "gadgets" and pare down what is not helpful. If you like a net, use one. But if you are forcing yourself to use something, ditch it.

Carry just the baits that you will use with confidence. Although there are times when it takes a black-eyed, red-striped prop bait to get a bite, you will only drive yourself nuts trying to have every bait for every situation.

Carry several true topwaters, a couple of suspension baits and a handful of jighead sizes and soft plastics.

Let the birds be your guide

Avid coastal fisherman Dennis Holland of Seabrook, nabbed this triple-dotted keeper red while wade fishing East Galveston Bay's southern shoreline in spring of last year. Water temperatures were still cool, so a light 1/8-ounce jighead made all the difference.

Birds are not just for drift fishermen. Although commonly associated with mid-bay fishing, the presence of birds can be just as critical for discovering shoreline fish. A group of pelicans cruising the bank is a sure sign of mullet. Likewise, terns and gulls focused on a bayou mouth can be great indicators of shad and minnows flowing out of the marsh.

On days when there is not a lot of bait activity, birds can put you on the majority of bait in the area and, thus, the majority of gamefish.

Dirty water can be your friend

Coastal trout and redfish anglers have been brainwashed into believing that you must have the proverbial "trout green" water to catch fish. Surprisingly, dirty water can actually work to your advantage.

Many anglers will avoid an area because the water clarity is not acceptable. All the same, that shoreline may very well be loaded with fish. With so much of Galves ton's bay bottom muddy, it takes surprisingly little wind and tide to dirty a shoreline. Just be cause the water is stained does not mean that the fish have left the area. If there is enough food, the fish will not leave.

If you're willing to modify your requirements on water clarity, you can fish water that other anglers will avoid, and fish it with confidence. Rest assured; the fish are far less concerned about water clarity than the angler is.

A Closing Thought

Wading the Galveston Bay Complex can be extremely rewarding. It is unlikely that there will ever be acres of crystalline sand and grass flats in Galveston Bay, but that is part of what makes it distinctive.

With a strong Gulf influence, rich upland marsh and substantial oyster shell growth, Galveston Bay offers as unique and rich a fishing experience as the most remote South Texas flat. By evaluating the Galveston Bay System on its own strengths and characteristics, you can fish it as effectively and productively as anywhere else on the entire coastal curvature.