Lots of Opportunity in June

With the plentiful and timely rainfall events we’ve received through this spring season I see the fishing in June being just as productive as April and May have been. A lot of folks don’t like seeing the bays flooded or even a steady pattern of rainfall every couple weeks, but I am here to tell you it helps much more than it hurts. Bay waters stay cooler, seagrasses flourish, and the salinity stays at more moderate levels. Yes, when salinity becomes too low our fish will move on, but the flipside is that they are also known to vacate when it becomes too high. The grass beds along the shorelines and backcountry marshes need some freshwater to thrive, the same as our yards and gardens.

June can be a fun time to go and wade the surf out of Cedar Bayou. There are always a handful of calm days during the month that can offer some fun surf fishing, or simply walking and casting along the banks of the bayou. Other good wades can be the mid-bay oyster reefs in San Antonio and Mesquite bays. Hopefully, with the springtime winds beginning to calm during June, the water on the reefs will be mostly green again, perfect for jumping out of the boat for an early morning topwater session.

If wading isn’t your cup of tea, June can also provide many sunny and low-wind days, perfect for sight-casting redfish in the marsh. We troll creeks and ponds that will be holding plenty of baitfish, and redfish cruising the banks patiently searching for their next target. Sight-casting fish is a very interactive way to fish. If your heart gets to racing when deer hunting or bird hunting, chasing these fish through the marsh is for you. It is exactly that, hunting. We are constantly on the move looking for that next fish. What is surprising to many folks is the number of opportunities at trout in the 5-8 pound range.

From the tower, a lot of surface action happens before the sun clears the morning cloud bank. But wait, don’t you need sun to sight-cast? Not exactly. Clients ask all the time why it is we plan to leave so early on a sight-casting trip. My reply is simple, surface activity! Even in the weak light and coolness of early morning you can witness all kinds of fish behavior. To me, this is when the marsh is still quiet, and the roar of outboards hasn’t yet filled the air. It is a very special time to be on the tower staring at crawling reds, pods of tails, or simply watching a single fish repeatedly crashing bait along the bank with no clue of our presence.

As the morning sun climbs higher the surface action will usually begin dying down. This doesn’t mean the bite is over, it just means adjustments on our end are necessary to continue to be successful. Looking out a little deeper and slowing our trolling speed have been big keys for us.

Each time you plan a trip this month, have a game plan together before you leave the dock, and don’t be a “spot fisher.” Just because you caught a few in a certain location three months ago doesn’t mean they’ll be there today. First you need to find bait, and it needs to be holding in water that is the right color. Always remember to try to locate water that is slightly off-color or with streaks of color. Bait fish like to congregate in off-colored water for two reasons. First is because many bait fish species like mullet are filter feeders, meaning that they feed by straining algae and plankton from the water. The second reason is that it is easier for them to hide from predators in murky water.

From Port O’Connor to Rockport, we also offer navigational trips. These trips are designed to help anglers of all levels, whether you are new to navigating the backcountry or an experienced angler looking to expand your horizons. We offer tips and tricks for each. We emphasize safety and boat etiquette on these trips, as well as teaching you how to run new waters safely and marking your GPS for any hazards along the way. We help you to read the water from a navigation and fishing standpoint and have fishing discussions in each area we travel to on the day of your trip.

Some of these discussions are weather, tides, time of year, and what to look for and how to approach these particular areas. Whether you are new to fishing or an experienced angler, we try to customize each trip to fit your needs. With most anglers spending the bulk of their time on the water between May and September, a summer navigational trip might help you be just a little more successful.

Captain Nathan Beabout
USCG/TPWD Licensed
Full time guide since 2007
Seadrift, Port O’Connor, & Port Mansfield, TX
Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin (N&M Sportsman’s Adventures)
Cell (210)452-9680
Email www.nmsaguide@gmail.com
Website www.nmsportsmansadventures.com