Saltwater Basics

As a kid growing up in southeastern Kentucky the opportunity of seeing a coastline, let alone fishing the gulf coast never occurred to me. But that didn’t discourage me from heading out the back door and down the hill to the river we grew up on to chase large mouth bass. I remember flipping rocks in search of the bait that a bass just couldn’t resist crawdads. There were very few spring and summer days that I didn’t wade for miles in either direction fishing the numerous holes and wash outs that were so familiar back then. I was still just a kid when I decided to head south to escape the cold fish-less winters in KY, going as far south as I thought possible, I landed on the west coast of Florida, talk about culture shock. But I wasn’t deterred, and although Florida has numerous ponds and world famous lakes that most bass fishermen only dream of fishing, I was bound to try something different

When the first invitation came to join a friend of mines father on the salt, I eagerly accepted the invitation. That first trip was educational to say the least. I had no idea that most saltwater species could either bite, sting, cut, or several combinations of the above that were sure to leave a lasting impression on an unsuspecting fisherman, a lesson I’m still learning to this day through trial and error unfortunately.

After several unsuccessful trips it finally happened, I stalked through the flats and landed my first Redfish! And although bass fishing was fun, it was just a fond memory from that day forward. The thrill of wading a shallow flat looking for signs of activity were undeniable, slowly sliding through the water in search of a passing shadow, or the nervous water created as bait fish fled for their lives from a hungry predator on the hunt provided an adrenaline rush like I had never experienced.

Rest assured that there were numerous casts at objects that I thought were definitely fish, until getting close enough to discover they were nothing more than a clump of grass, or an oyster shell that had undoubtedly been mistaken in the past by unsuspecting anglers.

But when the stars aligned, and the lure hit the water several feet in front of that passing shadow, and that gentle twitch of the rod was just convincing enough to get a reaction, all that was left was setting the hook! All those fruitless casts were quickly forgotten and the battle was on. The adrenaline rush of it all coming together can be somewhat overwhelming. Gone were the days of tossing crawdads at hungry bass in southeastern Kentucky with my old, indestructible Zebco 33. Great memories to say the least, but I had a new addiction now.

That was a long time ago, and a lot has changed since then.

Today we have electronics that will almost locate the fish for us. There are lures on the market today that cost in the double digits, boats the will run in barely inches of water, rods that are lighter than air, and GPS mapping devices that enable us to explore areas we may have never seen without them.

But with all this technology at our disposal, heading out in to the vast bay systems along the Texas coast and locating fish can still be a daunting task, much like locating the preverbal needle in a haystack.

And that my fellow anglers lead’s us to the fruit of this article. Have you considered hiring a professional to show you the ropes?

Think about it, if you’re considering taking up the sport of saltwater fishing consider this, there are experienced guides all along the Texas coast that have more experience on the water they fish, than we will gather in our entire lifetimes.

Let’s face it; they fish several days a week, every month of the year. They have patterns on the fish that we target that we’ll unfortunately never have without their “help”. They know what fish are eating and when. They know what depths they are holding in during any given time of the year. They know how to get to the fish and what time to be there!

And a good number of them are ready and willing to teach us the tricks of the trade.

There are numerous guides along the Texas Coast that specialize in teaching not only technique, but also navigation of the local waters they work in. And MOST, if not all, are ready and willing to share their knowledge and wisdom with guys like you and I. Some will even take you fishing on YOUR own personal boat. But there are some keys to selecting the right guide, and choosing the right one will not only make your “on the water classroom” more enjoyable, but it will be money well spent. You’ll not only take away a wealth of information, but you’ll also have a great time in the process while on the water.

Some things to consider when shopping for a guide:

• Be selective, locate one in the area you plan to fish that has a history of one on one instruction.
• When contacting the guide don’t be afraid to ask questions, you’ll get a pretty good idea of what to expect while on the water.
• When the day arrives, be on time and ready to go at launch. It’s YOUR time if you waste it.
• Have a mental list of questions that you would like to have answered, such as navigating the bay you plan to fish, baits for a particular time of year, water depths that are likely holding fish, different structure that fish are going to be on, what equipment works best in different circumstances, why they chose the boat they use, what’s the best time of year and why. You get the idea, the more you ask the more you’ll know.

Knowledge unshared is a waste, and the best guides know it.

-By: Jeff Dean

Jeff Dean is the owner and an active member of a Texas Fishing community of anglers dedicated to conservation and the preservation of our fishing heritage and resources.