We will be once again joining up to support the Redfish Rodeo hosted by the Texas Fly Fishers on October 9th. Additional details will be posted once they are available.

On November 6th, Captain Dean Thomas of Slowride Guide Services in Aransas Pass has agreed to take us out on a kayak fishing tour of either the Light House Lakes or Brown and Root flats. He will guide us and provide instruction on where the fish are how to find fish and how to fish out of a kayak if you are new to this. Dean is by far the best kayak guide on the coast and if you haven’t fished the flats in November you are in for the prime fishing season on the cost.

The cost of the trip is $40.00 per person if you have your own kayak $65.00 per person if need one of Dean’s boats.

This should be a lot of fun with a lot of fish caught. I think all will agree the fall is the best time to fish the flats.

If you are interested in the trip, or if you have any questions concerning outings call or e-mail Joe Mitchell at 722-0430 or jmitch3@swbell.net.

Please let me know if you want a spot for an educational and fun time on the water.

This is a new and exciting outing for this year. We have arranged with Captain Henry to go to Matagorda Island starting on Friday morning, October 1st and returning on Sunday October 3rd.

Matagorda island is the site of an old WWII Army Air Corps base that has been abandoned. We will camp on the airbase for the weekend. There are no facilities of any sort on the island. That means no rest rooms, no water, no showers, zero, zip, nada. The fishing however should be pretty dang good. Pringle lake and other good spots are close at hand. So this outing is bring everything you are going to need, water, food etc.

Captain Henry is going to take four people across at a time to accommodate kayaks, tents, coolers and all your needs. He has agreed to make more than one trip depending on how many we have going.
The cost of the trip (based on a group of 4 min.) will be $45.oo per person, which includes your camping permit for the island.

Please contact Joe Mitchell if you plan to go, so that we can get a good head count.

We will meet at 8:30 a.m. on Friday morning, July 30th, below the JFK Causeway near Clem’s Marina. We will load all of the kayaks, gear, and supplies onto the shrimp boat, and leave by 9:30 a.m. Depending on if other boats are available, we may all be riding on the shrimp boat. Other boats, if available, may leave from the causeway area, or from Bird Island Basin inside the Padre Island National Park. The boat ride from Bird Island Basin is approximately an hour, and the boat ride from the causeway will be about 30 minutes longer. If it is windy, this can be a rough and wet ride, so make sure all of your gear is packed in waterproof bags. The shrimp boat will require 3-4 hours to make the trip. Everyone will be required to provide his or her own, Coast Guard approved, personal flotation device. You need it for your kayak, so bring it for the boat ride. I encourage everyone to wear theirs, and the boat captains may insist that you do wear them. Around your neck is the best place to store them anyway. Through the years freak accidents have occurred, and we want everyone to have a pleasant experience.

Jim Dodd’s place has hot and cold running water, showers, toilet, and bunk beds. You will need to bring your own bedding and pillow; either sheets and a blanket, or a light sleeping bag. The cabin is air-conditioned, and tends to get cold at night.

All of your food and bottled water will be provided while you are at the cabin. If you want any type of soda, or adult beverage, you are on your own to bring it. This is an extremely remote area. The only way to get there is by boat, so if you forget to bring something, you will not have many options. Some things you might want to include are:
- Hat with brim Sunscreen Polarized sunglasses
- Wading boots Insect repellent Dry clothes
- Rain suit First-aid kit Prescription drugs
- Toiletries Towel Flashlight
- Fishing license Saltwater stamp Photo ID
- Compass/GPS Ear plugs (for sleeping) Clear safety glasses

At night, you can fish for speckled trout under the lights on the dock. Five to eight weight rods work very well. For flies, any small minnow or shrimp pattern should do well. Light colored Clouser patterns are very popular. Try everything you have to see what works, and to find out what works the best. This is a classroom opportunity with many willing subjects. Learn as much as you can. Don’t forget to bend your barbs down. You will be catching and releasing a lot of undersized fish.

During the day, you can fish a variety of places. There are premier flats within a short paddle from the cabin. You will need a kayak or canoe to cross some deeper channels, but once you locate fish you may want to start wading. These flats seem endless, but you may not have to go far to find plenty of fish. There are also some cuts that will be productive to blind casting on an outgoing tide. Most of the water is very shallow, with a
mixture of sand, mud, and grass bottoms. Make sure you have some flies you can work shallow. Lightweight Clousers or Crazy Charlies, Sea-Ducers, Bendbacks, shrimp patterns, little poppers, Dahlberg Divers, or even small Kwan flies will work. Spoon flies also work very well. These fish are big, and they are not leader shy! Use a heavy leader to avoid getting broken off. I recommend 14 to 20 lb tippet. Six to nine weight rods will
do the job nicely depending on the wind conditions. If you run into a school of bull reds, you will wish you had a ten weight!

For your kayaks, bring your usual gear:
- Paddle with leash Seat Anchor and rope
- Tether rope PFD Light
- Rod holder(s) Soft sided cooler

All 2010 proceeds will be donated to Casting for Recovery

For Complete Details and Applications, please visit www.lydiaannflymasters.com

Tournament Date: July 17, 2010

Location: Crabman Marina (2400 Hwy 361, Aransas Pass)

Venue: Fly Fishing, Photo Catch and Release

Format: Separate Divisions for Boats and Kayaks

The Lydia Ann Fly Masters Tournament was created to:
• Bring skilled fly fishing anglers together from all over the State of Texas
• Have fun, and compete for prizes and awards
• Raise every dollar possible to support Casting for Recovery

Our goal is to create the Premier Fly Fishing, Catch and Release tournament for the Texas Coast. Each year a Charitable Organization will be chosen to receive a check from the entry fees and donations. The tournament format is sure to be fair and a lot of fun for every angler involved.

We hope to see as many anglers there as possible to support Casting for Recovery’s wonderful cause.

Organized by:

Jon King: Former State Record 42" Red Fish.The second group jetty trip of the year is planned for Saturday night July 24th. As usual, we will take the last Jetty Boat run of the day, leaving Fisherman’s Wharf at 6:00pm, and camp out on the jetty all night. The North Jetty is a remote location, only accessible by boat, but still within view of Port Aransas. Jetties are manmade fish magnets, and you never know what you might catch. During tide changes, strong currents of water move bait around the rocks, and attracts the predator fish to feed. It’s like the “Now Serving” light gets turned on, and the fish line up to eat. Fishing at night under a full moon can be fantastic, but just watching that moon rise up out of the ocean, on a clear night, is worth the price of admission. Recently tarpon have been returning in greater numbers to the Texas coast, and they have been spotted a passes and around the ends of jetties. In addition to hooking and landing tarpon, this trip in the past has produced a state record redfish, large speckled trout, snook, jacks, Spanish mackerel, and ladyfish. There are so many great spots to fish along the jetty, and a variety of fish to match. Many of our guys, who have been here before, have their favorite spots and rocks to fish from.

Bill Slough: Tarpon caught from jetty.This is a perfect group outing to share an unknown fishing adventure. Come prepared to stay all night. Team up and use a jetty cart to transport everything you need – fly rods and tackle, chairs and cots, plenty of water, and snacks of your choosing. Flashlights, headlamps, and lanterns are also nice to have after the sun goes down, and a two-way radio is the best communication between fishermen who are spread out on the jetty. The Jetty Boat will collect $12 per person for roundtrip transportation. Come to the meeting on July 20th for more trip information and fishing details. I hope you will consider joining us for an all night fishing party under the stars. The larger the group, the more exciting fun we will have!

If you REALLY want to be prepared please read Bill Slough's excellent writeup on the subject here:

Night Fishing for Tarpon on the Texas Jetties