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The View: June 2018
Often, the toughest decision captains have to make is which way to go and which way to fish. East or west? Wade or drift? Flip a coin.
It's June – my favorite month to wade and throw topwaters. When the weather allows, I will also hang out within sight of the Port O'Connor water tower. Flats sandwiched between the jetty and Pass Cavallo often see the best tides and the fastest action.
We toss topwaters, Bass Assassins, Down South Lures and MirrOlure Soft-Dines in some of the most beautiful water you will ever wade. We enjoy the dolphins, turtles, occasional tarpon and sometimes deal with sharks.
Working close to the jetty also offers us quick access to the beach. The surf normally gives us a few days to fish in June and there is nothing better than watching a plug get crunched in the foam. This year has already been a good one for the surf as we enjoyed 3-4 days in April and May along the beachfront.
We wade the first gut on an incoming tide but choose to drift out of the boat when tides are falling so we can safely fish the outer bars in 4-6 feet of water.
When wading the bay, we traditionally focus on the grassbeds during the summer. Most of this terrain can be found on the lee of southerly winds and tend to remain fishably clean even with gusty wind. June normally affords ardent incoming tides in morning hours, perfect for walking a She Pup or Super Spook Jr. over the flats.
We don't forget about the jetty, either. Some days it's large trout, others it’s all redfish. Then there’s East Matagorda Bay.
With light wind, all of East Bay is in play, including the productive mid-bay reefs. Few bays in Texas rival East Matty for its potential to grow large trout; and, when the weather allows you to wade one of those coveted reefs in the middle of the bay, you better hold on. I can't tell you how many arm-length trout I have released over the years while tossing a topwater or Bass Assassin.
Our bays continue to thrive as the result of the generous rainfall we received the past 4 to 5 years. There have been so many tiny minnows and shad flooding our bays this spring; and, at times, this abundance of baitfish has actually made it tough to get a bite.
I don't mind dealing with it, though – the greater the bottom of the food chain thrives, the greater the quantity and quality of gamefish in our estuary.
It's not all about wading all the time. Some of our best big-trout days come while drifting over scattered shell in East Bay. We normally see an influx of sand trout in June and I believe those larger trout shadow the sandies and dine on them often. Of course, on those days when the bite is a bit slower, the larger 15- to 18-inch Gulf trout fill in quite well with some of the tastiest fresh white fillets to ever hit peanut oil.
Don't be afraid to call or text if the weather looks good and you can get away for a last-minute trip. If I am not available, I can normally find you another hard-working, competent Matagorda fishing guide. Follow our catches on Facebook and Instagram and weekly on the Texas Insider Fishing Report on Fox Sports Southwest.
Check out Sunrise Lodge video: http://vimeo.com/m/58631486