September 2014

Summer is winding down but by no means over. If you measure the ending of the season by the likelihood of continued hot weather we still have quite a way to go. Officially though, on September 23rd the hours of daylight and darkness will again become equal, hence the term equinox. Although September's weather may not bring immediate changes to fishing patterns it sets the stage in several ways. Gone will be the super-low tides of dog days, ditto the throngs of boats on every shoreline and reef. Fishing will remain as important as ever to many Texas outdoors-folk but the addiction to football, dove and teal shooting many of us suffer will certainly make it easier to find prime water for wetting a line. And, when the tides bulge around the equinox, backwater areas and shorelines are sure to be filled with hungry trout and redfish eager to put the feedbag on. Cast and blast options, combining a dove or teal shoot with fishing, are always a September highlight. In this issue you will find several items worth noting. Marcos Garza, our youth writer of several years, is heading to Huntsville and Sam Houston State University. It is always a joy to me having teenaged contributors to this magazine, seeing their views of fishing and writing skill develop through their high-school years, and we have been blessed with Marcos. His farewell piece appears in its regular spot but this will be his last. I pray all will wish him well in his university endeavors. Also in this issue we have a piece that we hope will be the first of many to follow; Jackie's Stories penned by fellow Seadrifter, Capt. Jackie Campbell. Jackie is a lifelong coastal fishing enthusiast and skiff guide with more great tales of growing up and fishing the middle-coast bays than most anybody you are likely to meet. Jackie's perspective is wonderful and unique–sixty-something years on the water, commercial fishing in yesteryears to a highly-conservation minded steward of coastal resources, Jackie has seen the turn of many tides. Equally adept at slinging a fly-line as he is a lariat working cattle horseback, knapping flint arrowheads and making longbows, swinging a shotgun and picking bluegrass tunes; I trust you will find his recollections of great times on the water entertaining and informative. Here at the Johnson place September is going to be an exciting month. If all goes according to plan, and in no specific ordertrout, redfish, flounder, trolling for kings, jigging for bulls and jacks, hoping for tarpon. Lots of doves and teal, too. As my buddy Sandifer says, "What a hoot!"