Category Archives: General

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a…Fishing Guide? Well, I’m still awake trying to keep my pipes from bursting from the fridged cold snap that was delivered just in time for Christmas. Although strangely reminiscent of the big freeze in 2021 that killed millions of fish, this time around it’s not quite the same beast. It seems we may have been spared from a repeat of 2021 as of now with regards to marine life. It has been almost two years and I’m happy to say that the entire ecosystem is gradually recovering, it just takes time. Over the past few months, I have seen some of the best fishing in years here in Rockport Texas. Redfish, Black Drum and Speckled Trout of all shapes and sizes have kept the rods bent and smiles on faces.

The best part of being a fishing guide is watching people smile and helping them forget about the trials and tribulations of life. It’s easy to get caught up in the rat race and forget to enjoy life. Believe me, I am guilty of this however, a fishing rod in hand and the beautiful waters surrounding Rockport Texas can help melt the anxieties away. Add a fish to the end of your line, the sound of drag screaming off your reel with the sun on your face… That deadline that you were dreading and those emails that you needed to send don’t really matter anymore, if only for a few hours. Just like any good memory, it never really goes away. It simply fades and gets fuzzy, but it still makes you smile years later.

The intrinsic value of fishing and the resources that make recreational fishing possible are subject to relentless environmental and anthropogenic influences. Hurricanes will always blow, and freezes will always freeze. Fish will have good years and bad. Everything happens in cycles, just as the tide fluxes with neap and ebb. Much of what determines a fisheries productivity is in God’s hands, however a good portion can be influenced through fisheries management. The more populous the world becomes, the more pressure is exerted on our natural resources, thus increasing the need for management. Marine ecosystems around the world, including Rockport Texas, cannot survive a plundering, free for all, tragedy of the commons.

One of the most important resources along the Texas Gulf Coast in terms of habitat and hydrology is oyster reefs. They provide vital habitat for thousands of marine species and function as a filter, cleaning millions of gallons of bay water daily. Commercial harvest of natural oyster reefs has been occurring for decades along the Texas coast. As with any natural recourse, overharvest can lead to cascading catastrophic effects across the ecosystem. Once thriving and abundant live oyster reefs have been reduced to mounds of crushed dead shells. The shrimp, crabs and fish that once called the reefs home are displaced and forced into less suitable habitats.

In November of 2022, Texas Parks and Wildlife unanimously voted on the permanent closure of oyster harvesting both commercial and recreational in Carlos, Mesquite and Ayers bays. This is a big win for the ecosystem and the recreational fishing community. It will take a few years for these oyster reefs to reproduce and create a “living surface”. Over the years I have noticed a significant difference between the productivity of live oyster reefs vs. dead. Living oyster reefs simply provide more habitat by surface area for bait to hide as well as improved water quality, thus increasing the number of predatory game fish.

The November 2022 amendment was a step in the right direction, protecting thousands of acres of vital habitat within the ecosystem. This is only a fraction of what needs to be protected if un-sustainable fishing practices continue in other parts of the Texas coast. Shifting un-sustainable fishing practices away from a damaged ecosystem to another ecosystem is only a temporary solution to mitigate the overall impact of destructive commercial harvest. Ultimately, the answer lies within sustainability; a word that is increasingly difficult to define within this populous world. Part of my job is bringing awareness to the controversies that define my existence. Unfortunately, this is only an example of one. Controversy will always exist when multiple interest groups share the same public resource, hence the need for responsible management.

With regards to sustainability, Texas was one of few coastal states that did not allow for commercial oyster farms to operate within the bay systems. Recent amendments have now made it possible for oyster farms to operate. One of the first farms is operating within the confines of my backyard, Copano Bay. A strange site to see for a local that frequents the waters, but relatively unnoticeable to those not familiar. I will spare you from the exact scientific methods involved but the final product is roughly one acre of oysters that can be harvested year-round in a sustainable matter without disturbing the natural oyster reefs. From my understanding, this single acre farm supplies one of the busiest restaurants in Corpus Christi with a seemingly endless supply of fresh oysters.

For me, many years of education and time on the water has shown me how important conservation really is. Regulations, such as bag limits, do not mean that we need to kill everything until a limit is reached – it simply means this is the most you can legally keep. Instead of focusing on obtaining a limit for the glorified purposes of saying “we limited out”, think about what you might want for dinner tonight, or for a few nights. Are you really going to eat the forgotten bags of fish with freezer burn in the depths of your freezer? If so, great! The real tragedy occurs when those forgotten fillets are thrown away and never given purpose to their existence. The simple message is don’t be wasteful and don’t take our natural resources for granted. You’ll appreciate it when you see your grandchild catch their first fish.

For now, the hustle and bustle of my busy fishing year is subdued by the holidays and brutally cold temperatures, but I can’t complain. It doesn’t take long for me to get the itch though. It sounds like a good stretch of weather is on the horizon for Rockport Texas and these warm lazy cabin days are numbered for me. For those of you that will be out and about fishing anywhere along the Texas coast the next few months there are a few things to keep in mind with regards to finding and catching fish. I will briefly touch base on what I will be looking for over the first few months of 2023 as winter fishing patterns transition into spring.

Redfish and Black Drum will be my focal point however, Speckled Trout fishing should be pretty good through mid-summer this year. Keep in mind Texas Parks and Wildlife has changed Speckled Trout limits to 3/person/day and a 17-23” slot in order to help reverse the effects of freeze related fish kill of 2021. My best advice on trout fishing is get out of the boat and wade fish with lures if you want solid fish. There are plenty of small trout and some larger to be caught on live shrimp and off piers at night if you prefer good action.

Redfish and Black Drum should be abundant through April and winter patterns should persist until cold fronts become less frequent. One of the most important factors to consider is when the fish are most likely to feed during colder months. I find the warm afternoons and early evenings to be consistently productive. It’s simple, when fish are cold, they feed less, just as when they get too hot. Another good indicator is wind speed. Ideal wind speeds during the winter months tend to be on the heavier side, roughly 12-22 miles per hour is ideal. Crystal clear, calm, cold water is a good recipe for scratching your ass and watching fish. Once the wind pics up enough to create muddy or off colored water that is when the fish will feed. Timing when you fish during the day is crucial. You can learn a lot by simply eliminating some of the time forecasted to be less productive.

We just covered when, so what about where? The answer also has to do with water temperature. Finding the warmer water usually means finding fish this time of year. Think about what absorbs heat…Dark surfaces, concrete, wood, shell and mud. Most importantly, shallow water, as it warms the fastest. By combining structure within structure, you also increase your odds. For example, shallow mud and shell with a wood structure nearby. The fish can and do exist in deeper water, especially during extremely cold conditions when shallow water becomes too cold and deep water harbors more heat. As water temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit most gamefish will begin to retreat into deeper warmer water. Until then, think shallow, for the most part.        

If by chance you are fortunate enough to be on the water at the right place and right time, you still must figure out how to catch them. Fish watching is a great pass time activity, one of my favorites, but I prefer catching. For Redfish and Black Drum, I like to use live or dead shrimp of the larger size during warm spells and smaller chunks of dead shrimp during cold spells. Same goes with crab. My philosophy is simple during winter months; in warmer weather the fish are more aggressive and will more readily chase or eat a larger bait while in colder weather the fish are lethargic and more likely to eat a smaller dead bait. Simply downsize your bait and hook the colder it gets. I prefer a size 4-5 hook with whole table shrimp on warmer days while colder days might demand a size 3 hook and half a shrimp. Anticipate a very light bite, and don’t set the hook too soon. That is one of the biggest mistakes I see.

It’s been a few days since I began writing this and the new year is upon us. It is now time to say goodbye to any grievance, annoyance or hard feelings against this past year. Life is full of ups and downs, just as in fishing. Remember the ups and learn from the downs. It will make you a better person and a better fisherman. During the trying and unforgiving times that we live in, don’t forget that stress relief can exist in simple places. The smell of salt, the sound of waves, the sun shining from above and reflecting from below, can help ease the tensions of life.  2023 is looking to be one of the best years of fishing that we’ve had in a few years here in Rockport Texas and I’m looking forward to it! Remember, good memories, smiles and fishing are just a cast away so feel free to give me a shout with any questions. I wish everyone a safe and happy New Year!

-Capt. Johan Coombs      

It has taken me the better half of this year to find my words once again. I had to assess the situation here in Rockport, Texas before I concluded anything. After an entire year of fishing in the most extreme and volatile conditions that I have ever experienced in the 15 years of my career as a fishing guide, I can finally say that I understand but I don’t really know anything for certain. From an ecological standpoint, it is not easy to accurately assess the extent of any natural disaster for sometimes weeks, months and in some cases years. It is relatively easy to estimate the impacts of natural events in a closed ecosystem such as a lake. What if the lake had no physical boundaries aside from the entirety of earth and the small parts of terrestrial land that protrudes through the surface? I am speaking of the ocean itself, roughly 71% of the earth’s surface. How does one measure the abundance of anything when boundaries are seemingly endless?

We estimate much of what we know. For example; there is an estimate that one billion trillion stars exist in the observable universe. The key word here is observable. It was the 3^rd week of February 2021 when the ultra-freeze hit. For anyone not familiar with this event, you aren’t from around here. South Texas, does not handle sub-freezing temperatures for very long with regards to humans and animals alike. We are not built or prepared to thrive and sometimes survive extreme cold. Temperatures across Texas fell to near or below zero degrees Fahrenheit. Long story short; Texas froze. Humans, fish and wildlife suffered but unfortunately the fish and wildlife took the brunt. This wasn’t the first time I told myself, it had happened before. Nature finds its way.

I had walked miles of shorelines shortly after the freeze looking for life or lack thereof. To my surprise I found mostly dead bait fish, trash fish and only the occasional game fish. Also to my surprise I found thousands of live game fish in the deeper marinas sunning themselves trying to get warm: Redfish, black drum, trout, and sheepshead, many of which were barely moving but still alive. It was good to see that some had survived however much of the devastation was still waiting for me to find.     

Then I went fishing, it was my job, I had to go. Curiosity led me to find out what had happened. Personally, I didn’t want to catch the fish even if they were there. I wanted to leave them alone; if there were any to be left alone. I had customers booked and wanting to fish regardless of the situation. All I could do was explain to them what had happened. Ironically, they were just as curious as I was to see the extent of the freeze and fish kill. It wasn’t long after I left the dock that I realized my skepticism was justified.

When a fish perishes due to abnormally low temperatures it takes several days for them to bloat and then float up off the bottom. I suppose I happened to go at exactly the right time to see what I hoped I wouldn’t. I remember thinking that Id’ try fishing the areas that I had left off at before the freeze. I was only about a mile in when I decided to make a U-turn. Hundreds of dead redfish, trout and drum drifted slowly across the surface of the water. It was a haunting image, so haunting that I couldn’t fish there. I made my way in a different direction only to find the same.

Eventually I decided that we had to fish somewhere so I found the deepest area possible and began fishing the oyster reefs surrounding it. I was honestly expecting for us to not even get a bite but it wasn’t long until we hooked into a descent fish. From that moment on and for the remainder of the morning our rods were doubled over with redfish and black drum. It was a humbling and surreal moment. I netted fish after fish while dead fish occasionally floated by. Once again, I was excited that some had survived but I also felt strangely guilty. Many of those fish had not eaten for days and had mud caked to their bodies from burring themselves to stay warm. It was these moments that led me to take a different approach to my mentality and ethics. We only kept enough for dinner and released the rest. I was thankful that my customers understood and at the end of the day we felt good. We had a great time, we did not exploit the resources, we only kept what was needed and we learned a great deal.

I have continued to practice my trade in a conservative manner as it will take some time for the fish populations to fully recover. Over the course of this year I found plenty of fish but had to work much harder and with more patience than usual to be successful. There were slow days that made me question what I know followed by days where it seemed the freeze never happened. Long story short, a estimated 3.8 million game fish died on the low end. What’s difficult to determine is how many fish lived and that brings me back to open ecosystems. Accurately counting the actual number of stars in the universe is just not feasible.

After obtaining my undergraduates degree in marine ecology and working with Texas Parks and Wildlife (TP&W) Coastal Fisheries Division I have some insight into how fish population statistics are determined. I understand that there is a lot of skepticism with regards to the sampling methods used to generate the data needed to manage a resource. I think that some things could be done differently but it is difficult to find sampling methods that are not skewed or biased. Everything must be done at random in order to insure unbiased results. The tools and resources that TP&W uses to determine regulations are the “best known” ways to generate a population trend. Overtime, sometimes years, statistics on estimates generate trends. These trends in population size are what ultimately determine how many fish we can keep and what size they need to be. It is my firm belief that TP&W is doing what they can to manage resources but I also believe that their methods should continue to evolve with a rapidly changing world.

As if the freeze wasn’t enough, when it rains it pours; literally. Over the course of spring and summer in 2021, Rockport, Texas received its yearly rainfall in several heavy doses. 10 inches one day, 7” another, 25” in three days and so on… I had a lot of customers asking me how this will affect the fishing. My best response was thinking back to the freeze we had only a few months earlier, “Well, it didn’t kill them”. That was the truth however it did further complicate fishing for me. In a nutshell, that amount of rain in such a short amount of time took many of our northern bays from brackish to fresh. Long term, the rainfall events this year will lead to revitalized bay systems as all types of flora and fauna depend on freshwater in a saltwater environment. It sounds like a contradiction but freshwater is in fact a necessary component in estuarine environments.

The best way to describe the immediate complications of the floods with regards to fishing and the freeze is that it temporarily changes the typical fishing patterns. The fish were already in disarray from the freeze. Add tremendous amounts of fresh water to the equation and you could say that the pot had been stirred. Throughout this year I have been finding fish in water that was rather unappealing at first glance. Sometimes the water was as fresh as it gets, sometimes the water was of strange color, sometimes there was no bait or sign of life; yet they were there and sometimes nowhere. With lots of experimentation, moving and patience I found fish but not always easily. At the end of this year, regardless of how hard I had to work, I found it to be a success in many aspects.

This year was a tremendous learning experience for myself. When conditions were not ideal, it forced me to think outside of the box and try things that I wouldn’t otherwise have done. I can say that I expanded my horizons with regards to what I know. Hard times allow us to adapt to be better at we do as long as we don’t give up. Over time things could get better, or worse, but I’m better adapted to conquer whatever lies ahead. I am at the end of another year of fishing. With respect to everything that I’ve written, I’m excited to say that November and December this year has been some of the best fishing that I’ve seen in a long time, in fact years. I did not expect it and there’s some irony imbedded within. I’m not exactly sure where these fish came from, I can only guess. With the ocean as endless as it seems, they had to be hiding somewhere; like those tiny stars that you can only see on clear cold nights with no other light around. With the year 2022 on the horizon I am hopeful that everything will progress in all aspects of life. I will be “mending my nets” as my father would say, getting ready for another year. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!  

-Capt. Johan Coombs

It has been difficult for me to find the words needed to adequately describe the year 2020. To be honest with you it’s been much easier to simply ignore them. “Keep your head up and just keep fishing”, I tell myself. I suppose at some point in time I have to acknowledge the presence of turmoil in this world. Without going into details and specifics I think we can all agree that this year has been strenuous. My hope is that the year 2020 is a wakeup call to the world. Change is needed. Change is happening. We are in the middle of a revolution regarding all walks of life. It’s easy to become caught up in the mayhem to the point that we forget how to live. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Fishing is my salvation. If I’m guiding, fishing with family, with friends, or alone, I find peace in it. My job is to help others forget about turmoil, if only for a few minutes. I’ll keep it simple and leave it at that.

In my 15 years of being a fishing guide in Rockport Texas, this has been by far one of the strangest. I never thought the day would come I couldn’t take people on fishing charters. In April of this year public boat ramps, restaurants, bars, hotels and vacation rentals in Rockport Texas were forced to close due to Covid-19 restrictions. Talk about baffling! It was so surreal that none of us wanted to believe it. Unforeseen events and spontaneous eruptions of instability will always be a part of life. That is something we can be certain of. The only answer is to keep going and make the best of the situation. Continue to do what one loves despite the distractions.     

I remember the first day that I decided to try fishing during lockdown. With no public boat ramps available my friend let me borrow his private ramp for the day. Driving toward the boat ramp I passed a few folks with strange looks of disbelief. “Did you see that? That guy is going fishing during a pandemic! What’s this world come to? How irresponsible of him!” I chuckled at the looks but couldn’t help but to feel as though I was actually doing something wrong. It didn’t take long for me to lose that feeling and it was quickly replaced by another; eerie solitude. I didn’t see another boat on the water that day despite the beautiful spring weather. It was like something out of the Twilight Zone.  

I’ve never been a fan of fishing on the weekends because of the crowds; however, it’s part of my job. Just another obstacle to overcome. It’s interesting to compare how the fish behave on weekdays vs. weekends. I happened to be out on a Saturday, the first time I fished during lockdown. The entire bay was mine, not another angler in sight all day and the fish reacted accordingly. This continued every few days for the rest of lockdown. I’d get bored, and being caught up on everything I figured I’d just go fishing. I wasn’t making money, I was losing it. It didn’t matter though, I was having fun.

That’s when the cities came; a flood of people tired of lockdown. As soon as  restrictions were officially lifted, the flood gates opened and the people from every major metropolis, city and town in Texas flowed into Rockport. Boats, kayaks, RVs and barbeque pits, most trailed by flapping Trump flags created a highway parade every weekend for months to come. Not just highways, any public entity or ground that was open looked like the Fourth of July with no major holiday in sight. People were camping at the boat ramps. You could say it was a stark contrast from the peaceful days of lockdown. I could tell that folks were tired of the situation.

People wanted to get out and fish. Lockdown, isolation and confinement fueled the “great escape” from metro to vacation getaways like Rockport TX. I was spoiled in April by peaceful waters and it didn’t take long for me to realize why I liked the “quiet sleepy” Rockport. Still, I felt blessed to have a job and as always, I worked around my annoyances. You might be wondering if I was concerned. Of course I was and I still am; however we have learned a few things about this invisible beast. Of all the fishing guides who I know, not a single case of covid-19 can be directly tied to a fishing charter that I am aware of. UV light, high relative humidity and fresh air might have helped, I suppose, but this is all speculation. As of today, Aransas County has officially reported about 400 cases with only a handful currently active. The facts are the facts. I see light at the end of the dark tunnel.        

“The only thing to fear is fear itself.” President Franklin Roosevelt said it best. Run and hide, or face the threat that encroaches? The answer was easy for me, business as usual with the recommended precautions. Despite the calamity, 2020 has been a great year of fishing. Very seldom did I ever feel as though the fish were under quarantine. Redfish, speckled trout, black drum, and many other species took advantage of the beautiful weather Rockport TX had this year. The lack of fishing pressure during the weekdays provided myself and my clients with their own personal playground. I can’t tell you how many times people asked me, “Where is everyone else?”

Today is December 1, 2020. A few hours ago I was chasing a school of oversized redfish and drum. The conditions were not in our favor. The tide was gone, full moon, light winds, clear skies, high pressure, water temperature 52 degrees and air temperature much colder than water. Sometimes on post-cold front days like today something strange happens over the bay, in the sky. It usually begins by swatting a sticky silky substance from your face. Then you notice something white dancing with the wind at the end of your fishing rod. Against the infinity blue atmosphere, stringy white puffs sail from north to south through the sky, eventually landing on something. It’s a strange occurrence that happens from time to time when conditions are perfect…Spider migration.

Spider migration is actually not something that I get excited about. Spider migration sounds irrelevant and crazy with regards to fishing, but its not. An old timer once told me, “Spider webs flyin, fish ain’t bitin.” Crazy superstitions are taken seriously in my profession for good reason; they seem to be true more often than not. Exceptions always exist, like today. Even on the most difficult days of fishing, the fish are eating somewhere, spider webs or no spider webs. We ended up catching and releasing several oversized redfish and drum unharmed while keeping some of the smaller tastier ones for dinner. My friends ate well and did not waste. My grandfather always told me, “Waste not, want not” and “Moderation is the key to success.” Old men are wise, I know he didn’t tell me that without reason.                             

With the year 2021 approaching, I am excited and optimistic with regards to progress and change. The legendary Cedar Bayou has been open and closed periodically for centuries by both natural and man-made causes. Prior to Hurricane Harvey in 2017 it was dredged open for a few years but silted in after the storm. With additional funding and grants Cedar Bayou is slated to be reopened in 2021. The natural pass that connects the Gulf of Mexico into Mesquite Bay provides the water exchange needed to support multiple ecosystems. It’s not just Cedar Bayou that experiences benefits. Migratory marine species find the water exchange productive and conducive for spawning. Every adjoining bay system receives a trickle effect of productivity. It’s a river of life that flows through desolate sand dunes.

The hustle and bustle of long hot salty summer days exist as nostalgia for me. Winter is beginning to set in. I can’t help to think back to all the beautiful days that I spent on the water fishing with great people this year. Despite the hurdles and inconveniences of life, I can honestly say that it has been a year of smiles on the water. I remember one customer, terminally ill, not sure how much time he had left. His enthusiasm and the look in his eyes told me that he wasn’t a quitter. He booked for next spring, I hope to fish with him again. Another customer, 85 years old, fished and caught his first fish ever. It’s never too late to try something new. It’s never too early either. I took a 3 year old earlier this year who caught on faster than most adults. I look forward to the New Year and new beginnings. If you are interested in catching some fish and making memories just give me a shout. I live for it.

-Capt. Johan Coombs

“If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help someone else.”

-Chinese proverb- 

As a child, I never thought or dreamed of the year 2020 in its current state of existence; yet here I am, fishing in the future. I will spare you the complicated details of my opinions with the only exception being the subject of fishing. The winter of 2019-2020 in Rockport, Texas has been unusually warm and fishing patters have deviated drastically as a result. In general, fish adapt to abnormalities within seasonal changes much faster than humans can perceive them. I can’t tell you the number of times that I have been too late or too early. The only remedy is to take notice of your own faults and learn from them. I believe this to be true in all aspects of life including fishing.

Not long ago, my good friend Matt Sullivan sent me a picture of his father David with a hideously large collection of giant speckled trout. Turns out he didn’t actually catch them, he picked up the frozen carcasses after the deep freeze of 1983 that killed an estimated 20 million fish. It took years for the ecosystem to recover but nature is resilient. We have been fortunate not to experience a catastrophe on that scale since 1983 in terms of fish kills. Despite the occasional crisp 40 degree mornings, this winter has been the warmest that I can remember in Rockport for years.

So what does that mean? The typical winter fishing patterns have been more reminiscent of early spring on many days. The fish have been very shallow for this time of year making for some exciting sight casting opportunities. On a recent trip, we fished a school of several hundred oversized redfish mixed with black drum in inches of water. They were constantly on the move and we had trouble keeping up with them at times. After about an hour of missed attempts and frustrating losses the school finally settled down and began to slowly cruise within our casting range. That’s when all hell broke loose.

We caught and released about a dozen oversized redfish ranging from 29” to a massive 38”. On occasion we would catch a nice keeper sized drum for dinner. It’s difficult to describe the feeling that you get in the pit of your stomach when your cast lands in the middle of hundreds of giant angry fish and then the drag begins to scream. It’s the sort of moment that gets stuck on repeat in your mind. My customers eventually became tired so I got in on the action while they had lunch. Not a single boat wake lapped the side of my boat that morning; we had it all to ourselves.

With spring and summer just around the corner, these types of days will become more frequent.  The waters on the Texas Gulf Coast will gradually warm. I will continue to use a combination of live and dead shrimp for bait and lures such as the “Double D”, “Corky” and “Down South” plastics. On unusually warm days, a top water bait such as a “Spook” or a “Rapala Skitter Walk” can produce some explosive surface action. In time the pattern will continuously evolve to that of summer and once again, everything changes. Until then I will continue to enjoy the cooler temperatures and mild winter because I know that the dog days of summer will be upon us before we know it.

I frequently get asked questions regarding the Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts, the state of the community and how it has affected the fishing. I can sum up all the answers in one statement: Rockport is alive and well! If you are interested in visiting the charm of the Texas Coast, Rockport, Texas and experience the world class fishing and wildlife I have some suggestions for you.

If you prefer a hotel check with the Lighthouse Inn near Fulton Harbor. It is centrally located to all boat ramps, restaurants and bars, on the water, lighted fishing pier, restaurant and bar within and beautiful to say the least. Mention that you are fishing with me to receive a discount. If you prefer a vacation rental (house) located on the water check with Miss Kitty’s Fishing Get Away. Beautiful water front rental houses are also available that can accommodate large corporate groups with catering as an option (ask).

Fishing licenses and any other outdoor related gear can be found with my friends at Tackle Town. As a fishing guide, I will provide you with everything that you need for fishing and safety except for a fishing license, foul weather gear, food/drink, and personal items. You can find just about everything you need for outdoor related activities at Tackle Town. They even have great beef jerky.

I frequently leave from different boat Ramps based on circumstance and conditions. Any boat ramp that I depart from on most occasions is located within a 15 minute drive from any location in Rockport. These are the three that I most often frequent; Goose Island State Park, Copano Bridge public ramp and Cove Harbor public ramp. At each location you will find restroom facilities and dining locations nearby.

It is hard to imagine what the world will be like in another decade. I am continuously baffled by the news and it shows just how random and unpredictable the world can be. My advice for a fear mongered society is to go fishing. Yes, I did tell you that I would spare you my opinions but I included the word fishing so it counts! In truth, fishing is my life and it has been the therapy that I needed during difficult times. The other day I took a good friend fishing with stage four cancer. I’ll never forget his enthusiasm, curiosity and smile that day. During times of fear, it takes a great deal of courage to face the fear instead of running. Mike, your smile and attitude that day convinced me that you have the strength to endure. I am inspired.

-Capt. Johan Coombs

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

-Nelson Mandela

The relentless flapping of bait stand flags and sail boat rigging pinging against masts in the Rockport, Texas harbor will forever haunt my dreams. This happens almost year-round on the middle Texas coast at any hour, however the specific sounds I speak of occur during one particular time of year just before sunrise. The sound of cool north wind in the fall is ominously hollow as there is nothing other than the sound of wind and what it deflects. Darkness only adds to the effect of being alone in a place and time where during other times of year mayhem and calamity prevail. I embrace the solitude as I fill my live well with bait for the day. I have to pinch myself to make sure that this is real as the memories of the ‘dog days ‘of summer were created only yesterday. I realize that this is no dream as I drive toward the boat ramp with windows down, music jamming and AC off.

Today, Saturday September 14^th 2019 was a busy day in Rockport, TX. Opening day of dove season, opening day of early teal season, multiple fishing tournaments combined with the usual Saturday crowd left me slightly intimidated during the pre-dawn hours. However, a dry north east wind licked the humidity off of me, just enough to create a sense of pre-fall nostalgia. The NE wind was not the result of a cold front (the one I dream of), but a low pressure systems in the Gulf of Mexico. This brief yet prevalent north east wind was the equivalent of fall hors d’oeuvres for the fish and I: We both had a good sample of what’s to come. The usual fall patterns produced great boxes of redfish, trout and black drum. Over the the next few weeks, the weather and fishing patterns will switch back and forth; one day summer, next day fall.

One of the most common and obvious questions that customers ask me is, “How do you determine where to fish?” There is no easy answer to the question and if there was I wouldn’t have a job. My best short answer is: “I read the water.” I completely agree with you, this is a vague statement. Reading the water… Sounds like strange witchcraft or sorcery from a foreign standpoint. Part of my job is to help others understand the mysteries of fishing; the where, the why, the how. One day summer, next day fall…Yes, it is daunting! What I would like to offer you over the next few paragraphs is my thought process. You can read anywhere, “Where to go”, “What to do”, “How to do it”.  None of that matters at all unless you understand the reasoning behind each and every circumstance as every day is different. What I am about to describe is NOT an end all with regards to specifics. It is simply my train of thought on a daily basis when I read the water.

Wind speed and direction? I like to combine the two because one does not exist without the other. In laymen’s Terms, or fishing terms, wind speed and direction is the single most important factor in my decision making process. Year-round, not just in the fall, wind ultimately determines my options. Let’s start with the typical fall wind direction of northeast. Step one, eliminate the obvious: What is impossible to fish? Regardless of reasons, you can eliminate at least 50% of the water based on common sense. Too rough is not only dangerous but non-productive due to the fact that you should be more focused on your safety than the fish. Ironically, windblown locations are almost always my focal point for redfish and black drum during the fall. The trick is to find the safe and comfortable windblown locations. Whether it be windward oyster reef or grassy shoreline, the sweet spot exists somewhere everyday despite the wind speed or direction.

High tide or low? Rather than confuse you with the various combinations or scenarios I have a method that anyone can use at any given location. When you leave a location to fish, there will be a bulkhead, a pier, a tide line or a fixed white PVC pipe in my situation. Regardless of which, there will be oysters, barnacles and algae attached to everything sub-surface that’s stationary and long term. The more that sticks out of the water, the lower the tide. In my case, once the white PVC pipe is underwater the highest of tides have arrived. Ultimately, the tide level determines where I can take my boat and year-round I promise you that it is mostly shallow. During the fall there will be extreme high tides and extreme low. My best advice is to watch the pipe.

This brings me to water temperature. During early fall, the water temperatures in the bay can exist at close to 90 degrees but by late fall the water temperatures can drop into the 50’s. Throughout the fall, my fishing locations remain shallow regardless of temperature but my timing transitions with temperature changes. Let’s take for example; a major cold front. Most people would choose to be off the water before the cold 25 MPH north wind hits. This is where the fish and humans differ in terms of opportunity. The second the wind shifts from SE to NE in the fall and the temperatures drop, the fish eat and most humans run for cover. Resilience, confidence and safety is the only remedy to offset what we see out of the water while fish thrive and see opportunity beneath.

What do I catch them with? In terms of bait choices I will keep it simple because it is. Live/dead shrimp and live/dead mullet. On calmer days with good water clarity I prefer live shrimp and live finger mullet. It is a deadly combination because you cover all of your bases. In general, with lower wind speeds regardless of direction you will find less turbidly in the water. Redfish, trout, black drum and flounder will begin to use their sense of sight in conjunction with smell and sound to find prey. On the contrary, during times of rough turbid conditions the fish will abandon foraging by sight and rely mostly upon scent to hone in on prey. This is where the dead and stinky comes into play. Both cut mullet and dead shrimp provide the scent needed for fish to find there meal when sight is not an option.

By combining wind, tide, temperature and choice of bait I can dramatically eliminate the daunting number of possibilities, therefore allowing me to focus on what is available and productive to fish. The process of elimination helps me and can help any angler to become more productive. Reading the subtle details that nature has to offer is the only way to truly read the water. The more attention you pay, the more you will see. The result is that of a well-rehearsed speech; likelihood of failure or embarrassment diminishes with time and practice.

As of this moment it is October 21^st 2019; just over one month since I began writing this article. I have to admit, it’s a bit strange reading what I wrote one month ago and not having to change much. Today is also my first day off in twelve days; just enough time to reflect. I’m happy to say that the patterns I spoke of held true. The fishing here in Rockport, Texas has been phenomenal this fall and I say that without exaggeration despite myself being humble. Tonight a REAL cold front hit. I just stepped outside and the cool hollow north wind licked my dry skin and I heard things pinging and flapping. It feels good and I imagine that the fish feel the same sensations as I despite being in a different environment. With any luck, conditions will continue to favor me as fall transitions to winter and 2019 transitions into 2020. I wish the fish best of luck but I have some advice for them; swim fast and hide well. I won’t be far behind.

-Capt. Johan Coombs

“Most of the world is covered by water. A fisherman’s job is simple: Pick out the best parts.”

-Charles Waterman-

Today is March 3, 2019. I write this without haste because an unusually strong cold front hit earlier today and I’m not in any rush to get out on the water. I’m perfectly content within the shelter of my home. I’m getting older, 35 years and some change. I’ve spent my fair share of days over the past years stomping around in mud, slinging baits and lures in sloppy wet frigid conditions. I know that those who brave the extreme elements can potentially reap the rewards for their efforts. I’m fortunate enough to know this based on experience; sometimes my reward is the ability to write about it. Today I write.

Dynamic: Constant change and activity within a system. This is the best word that I can use to describe a spring fishing pattern along the middle Texas coast. One day high temperatures in the mid-80’s and the next day mid-50’s. One day high tide, next day low. One day north wind, next day south. One day dense fog, next day bright and sunny, not a cloud in sight. If you also take into account solar/lunar phases, barometric pressure, fishing pressure and most importantly water temperature you are faced with the same equation that plagues my professional existence as a fishing guide. If an easy solution existed, I wouldn’t have a job.

In terms of spring patterns one must first consider the overall comfort of the fish with regards to environment, physiology and psychology. Laugh if you want, fish do think and feel, therefore fish psychology does exist. We do not need to be specific in terms of species. I am speaking on behalf of all fish species and humans alike when I say this: We all seek comfort on many different levels based on our environment and circumstances. When we are cold we seek warmth. When we are hungry we eat. When we are tired we sleep. When we see opportunity we take advantage of it. This all might seem vague and non-specific but it is not without reason. Fish and humans are much alike.

Take for example: A span of several days with lower than average temperatures and little to no daytime sunlight. Water temperatures will be cold and will remain cold with little sunlight to warm the shallows. The fish will retreat to depths or bury themselves in the mud and slow their metabolism to a crawl. The energy needed for survival barely exceeds the amount of energy consumed while lying in a dormant state. Lethargy is survival for fish faced with cold, but at the first sight of sun after a long few days, attitudes begin to change. Have you ever noticed more people in the park than usual on a warm sunny afternoon after a long stretch of dark and cold? Both fish, humans and all creatures alike exhibit a need for comfort.

The feeling of comfort can mean many things, not just being warm vs. cold. Sometimes in order to achieve comfort one must not be hungry. Both you, I and the fish feel this primordial urge to eat, and the feeling is hard to ignore. For a fish; even during times of lethargy and laziness, if the perfect food is placed perfectly in front of it the fish, it might consider eating. Just as you and I might. Never have I refused breakfast in bed, especially on a cold dreary morning when someone is kind enough to place it in my lap. If I was hungry enough, I would have crawled out of bed and moved to the kitchen long before the generous offer but I was content.  We don’t always get breakfast, especially in bed and sometimes we have to search for it. Both fish and fisherman alike.

After a cold span of time with energy reserves dwindling, a fish begins to feel discontent. My breakfast in bed has not arrived and the primordial itch of hunger scratches at my stomach and mind. The sun has warmed dark surfaces, rocks, mud and shell almost to the point of comfort. Why not venture out into the park? There should be a hot dog stand along the way. Sometimes opportunity arises for the fish but long after most fisherman have given up. I can’t tell you the number of days in early spring that I have personally departed, in my opinion, too early. After poking holes in the water for hours with no results I eventually realized my mistake late in the day when the fish became suicidal and the pattern repeated itself; for years.

There are exceptions of course and always will be. Unlike humans, a major influence in behavior and feeding for the fish is the solar and lunar phases. This information is most easily accessed by fishing and hunting apps that combine the position of the sun and the moon to predict major and minor feeding times. I find this information most useful during colder months but is a good reference during the entire year. The actual fishing and hunting forecast does not take into account some of the most important factors involved in fish behavior such as water temperature, wind speed, wind direction, barometric pressure and so much more. Take it with a grain of salt on its own but combine the fishing forecast with all of your observations and you can systematically pick off times to avoid, leaving you with times of reward.

Take for example: The same example as before, except… You notice that a major feed or prime time occurs early in the day and not so much for the remainder of the day. Despite the unusually cold temperatures, some fish that have exhausted energy reserves will take the opportunity to feed when Mother Nature tells them and not when we as humans would expect. A good friend of mine recently proved this concept to me on a day that I would have bet against him despite his abilities. Water temperatures were in the upper 40’s low 50’s after a front, colder in the morning without a doubt, yet he pulled out close to a dozen slot reds during the first hours of light and not much to show for during the warmer parts of the day. It pays to take note of feeding times but combining them with the exact conditions can yield unexpected and exciting results sometimes.

I was having lunch at a local sandwich shop in Rockport, Texas (must have been my feeding time) and couldn’t help but to hear two old timers having a rather loud discussion. I watched them adjust their hearing aids up but it didn’t seem to manipulate the level of their voice. One spoke or yelled of being a musician while the other spoke or yelled of knowing musicians. We all sat, listened and enjoyed our lunch with hints of smiles at the two old strangers that became friends, unknowingly in public. Two things caught my attention during their conversation. One old man mentioned a singer song writer named Guy Clark. The other mentioned the weather changing and his left leg was hurting because of it. I happen to love Guy Clark but just as intrigued with the old man’s leg hurting I wondered over for a brief conversation.

I never asked about his leg, but we spoke of Mr. Clark and the weather. The weather did change that day. It is the cold front that I spoke of at the beginning of this article. I never doubted that the old man’s leg didn’t hurt, I simply wondered if it was because of the weather. Just as fishing, life is a collection of delicate patterns. I think back to many old men including stories of my grandfather, my father and now myself where we all stubbornly limped for a time. I think tonight about why my back aches. It’s probably from pulling up a stubborn anchor from what I call death mud; mud so deep, dense and thick that you could use it to make a pot. I’m also getting older, maybe the old man is beginning to show in me. I can’t help but to think why a big old fish with an aching pectoral fin would venture out into this weather if it didn’t have to. Fish and humans are much alike. Tomorrow the sun will rise, waters will warm and with any luck both the fish and I will be back to our usual game of hide and seek despite any unusual pain.

-Capt. Johan Coombs

“I hear this song and I think: Man, this is… great! This is the best I ever heard. I forget I’m the one singing.”

-Guy Clark-                           

“This is a live croaker. This is a hook. No weight. Cast as far as you can. Croaker hits the water. It tries to swim down and hide but you don’t allow it to. Every 20 to 30 seconds give the croaker a wiggle or twitch, twitch, twitch if you will. Just enough to pull it away from its hiding place. When the speckled trout hits the croaker you will feel a defined thump at the end of your rod followed by a slow and gradual pull. Allow the trout to eat the croaker for a few seconds. Yes I know, instinct tells you to set the hook quickly because you are excited about the bite but you will miss the trout every time if you set the hook too soon. If you set the hook and miss, allow the croaker to sit for a few seconds and then give it another wiggle. Tease it. The trout will come back and hit the croaker again and harder the second time because you made it angry. Once you connect, reel fast and give the fish no slack because that’s when they spit the hook. Understood?”

I wonder how many times I have made this speech over the years at first light. My speech is well rehearsed and repetitive without feeling mundane. Each time that I describe the process and see success, I smile. Despite what some might think, fishing with live croaker for trout and being extremely successful is art. It’s not as poetic as fly fishing, or as beautiful as sight casting but still requires skill and patience from the angler. I like to compare fishing with live croaker for trout as a combination of a lure and a bait. The croaker alone will not produce, one must “work” the croaker and present it according to the situation. Contrary to some misinformed critics, the trout don’t just jump into the ice chest the second a croaker hits the water. Allow me to explain.

Two anglers standing side by side, one working the croaker properly, the other not. The difference can be 10:1 and I see it all the time. That’s where I come into play, I coach the underdog because it’s my job. I like to see 1:1, everyone catching fish, neck and neck, no one is behind. In order to truly understand the technique it requires experience but no harm no fowl with regards to remembering my first paragraph; I repeat it every day I fish for 5 months out of the year for a reason. That is your crash course, refining and polishing the technique can take years. I still miss and loose fish while fishing with croaker. There is no such thing as “shooting fish in a barrel” unless of course you actually have a barrel with fish in it. I’ve yet to see one that I can legally shoot at.

Many people ask, “What’s the croaker hype about?” “Why spend 70 cents per bait?” It doesn’t take long to figure it out along the middle Texas coast during the summer months. The simple answer is, they work; however, the reason why is debated. Speckled trout are considered broadcast spawners, meaning that they release their eggs and sperm into the water externally with little regard to the safety of the young. This is the opposite of guarding spawners, which lay eggs in nest like areas and protect the young. Croaker are consumers of trout eggs. The question is, do trout eat croaker because they are hungry or do they simply kill them because they are natural enemies? I’m a fishing guide with a background in marine ecology. I would have chosen fish phycology as my major given the choice had that existed. Fortunately my life and profession allows me the opportunity to explore the subject that doesn’t exist.

Let’s go further back, way back…It’s no secret that speckled trout and croaker have been sharing the same waters for hundreds, if not thousands of years. I’d love to see what the fishery was like before humans interfered. The Karankuwa Indians had early perspective of the fishery along the Texas Gulf Coast and it’s probably one of the reasons they survived the harsh environment. Everything was different 400 years ago except for a few things; trout probably ate croaker and croaker probably ate trout eggs. Some things never change. What changed are the methods of fishing over time. Bow, arrow and spears transformed into long lines and massive trawlers dragging nets. Handmade canoes transformed into hundred thousand dollar bay boats. I suppose I’m getting old myself because I remember the days that I actually fished for croaker with my grandfather out of a canoe. We didn’t even know what speckled trout were because croaker were so large, plentiful and delicious. Yes, I once fished for croaker, the bait that I use today for trout: And so, the plot thickens….

The once plentiful giant croaker that I caught as a child are now extremely rare. Once in a blue moon I’ll catch one of those rare giants and it takes me back to a simple time. I remember the smell of the grease and the persistent crackling of the batter turning into a beautiful golden brown. There’s nothing better than reminiscing a good day of fishing and planning the next while eating todays fresh catch. So that’s exactly what my grandfather and I would do. I’d like to think that our planning was as productive as our intentions but thinking back it was probably unnecessary; the giant croaker were everywhere. All we had to do was pull up to a random stretch of sandy shoreline and cast dead shrimp on the bottom. My grandfather liked to use tackle large enough to catch sharks for croaker fishing and sometimes I would barley know that I was reeling in two fish at one time on a double drop leader. Ironically every once in a while we’d catch a nice trout: We would act as if we had reeled in a bar of gold.

Yes, the times have changed but irony continues to linger. When I catch one of those giant croaker these days they are gold to me. Instead of licking my lips thinking of how delicious it would taste, I tip my hat and send it on its way because I know how rare they have become. I take a little trip down memory lane with hopes of catching one of its offspring someday. Then, without second thought, I open my live well, grab a juvenile croaker, hook it and cast it out with no regret anticipating the defined rod raddling thump from an angry trout. At this second you might be thinking that I have adopted a double standard and for the purposes of speaking the truth I suppose I have. There is a reason why the large croaker have all but vanished and I am a part of the problem, I can’t deny that. My business, as well as many others depend on good reliable bait. Live croaker on the Texas coast is the sole of a billion dollar recreational bait fishing industry. Do I feel guilty? Yes. Am I guilty? No. I am a product of time.

You might be wondering what could be done to bring back the big croaker. This however is a different subject on its own and opinions begin to fume the second it’s brought up so I’ll leave it alone. Put it this way, if there was an easy answer some public or private entity would be capitalizing on it. Read between those words. With that said, the next time I see a golden croaker (that’s the actual common name ironically) I’ll kiss it goodbye and tell it sweet dreams. Saying hello to the past in the present is sublime. This is especially true when something as simple as a fish can take you back in time to someplace lost but not forgotten; a good memory. If you know me, then you know what I’m doing tomorrow, if you don’t then guess. Remember… Give the fish no slack because that’s when they spit the hook. Read between those words as well. Understood?

-Capt. Johan coombs

“If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there’d be a shortage of fishing poles.”

-Doug Larson-

Spring is a time of change in Rockport, Texas; days get longer, nights get shorter, one day cold, next day hot, wind 30 mph from the north, wind 30 mph from the south. No wind, high tides, low tides, high pressure, low pressure…The possibilities and combinations are endless. Each day brings a new set of circumstances creating a dynamic weather pattern with very little consistency in the spring. This is much different than the dog days of summer where each day can almost be a carbon copy of the day before for weeks at a time. I sit here and write this surrounded by a diverse assortment of tackle that I am preparing for the next day. I’m like child that dumped its toy basket and is trying to play with everything at once. Eventually I narrow down my favorites and clean up the rest but not without some serious thought. When every day of fishing is different from the day before I must also think different to keep up with every change. Easier said than done.

Despite the complicated nature of spring fishing patterns there is a method to my madness with regards to my approach each day. You shouldn’t let yesterday blind you from seeing what is directly in front of your eyes at the present. I think that can be said for many aspects of life but it is especially true for fishing. A slight change in any weather or hydrology can make fish stop feeding in one area and begin feeding in another like a light switch turning off and on. This seems to be the case for much of the spring so even if you caught fish in one particular location at a certain time with a certain technique you shouldn’t count on it working for long. Maybe next year with similar conditions? Take note. Wind direction shifted from north to south, tide came up six inches overnight: Want to make me a bet?

Appropriate strategy is always a gamble when it comes to fishing but refining your game can put you ahead of the fish in terms of odds. This is my job and Id’ like to think that I have mastered it but even the best poker players loose. There are days that still leave me baffled as to why I’m not catching or why I caught fish the way that I did. Fishing is very similar to poker because you have basic strategy. Assuming that you understand basic strategy and play by the rules your odds of success are at their best. Mother Nature is the dealer like in a game of blackjack and she throws down something extreme like low tides and high winds; dealer shows an ace if you will. What should you do? Purchase insurance; fill your gas tank, take multiple types of baits and be ready to work hard because the house could win. With any luck there isn’t a jack sitting beneath the unturned card but at least you’re prepared.

I play by basic strategy every day that I fish but it also pays to bend the rules sometimes. Sometimes different or new is the answer to fishing success. I have had days where after stubbornly playing by the rules for most of the day, the only bite that I have had is from a mosquito. Stick to basic strategy or break free and make a risky bet? Probably not a good idea in a casino but on the water your only loss is time wasted especially when you’re considering eating your bait for dinner because you don’t have a fish in the box. Fishing a location differently or using unconventional techniques when nothing else is working can lead to successful fishing from time to time. Forget about what you know and learn something new. Even if it doesn’t work you can learn from the mistake and every once in a while different or new does work, ultimately making you a better fisherman.

With all of this said it’s time to for me to lay out some basic strategy. It’s impossible for me to describe each scenario as they are endless but there are a few factors that you should keep in mind during the spring. The first is wind. North, south, east, west, heavy or light. In the spring along the Texas Gulf Coast there tends to be lots of heavy wind. It’s not uncommon for me to fish in sustained winds of 20 to 30 mph. I tend to focus on redfish and drum with heavy wind because they feed best in response to turbulent off colored waters. On the other hand, in light winds I focus primarily on speckled trout because they feed best in response to calmer conditions. Determining what you fish for in the spring is the first step. Allow the conditions to describe the possibilities to you.

Once you have determined what species you should target it’s time to focus on where. By combining the wind with tide level your search for fishing locations begins to narrow. Where can you go and where can the fish go based on tide and wind? Let’s assume my least favorite scenario, Mother Nature dealt the ace, high wind and low tide. Scratch off trout because of high wind, focus on reds and drum. They have a tendency to always stay shallow regardless of tide level. Reds and drum are forced into cuts, guts, and depressions sometimes even becoming trapped. The trick is getting to these locations in a boat and sometimes wade fishing into them is the answer. Let’s assume the opposite, high tides and light wind. I tend to scratch off reds and drum and focus on the fair weather trout on flooded shorelines and mid-bay reefs. Allow the wind and tide to help you determine location with respect to species.

As mentioned before spring is a time of change and this includes fish diet. Determining what bait or lure to use is another important factor to consider. During the spring to summer transition as water temperature warms, redfish will tend to shift their diet away from shrimp to bait fish such as mullet, perch and sometimes croaker. The same goes for trout as they shift from shrimp to mullet, croaker and perch. The bait or lure you choose should mimic what they are feeding on. Easier said than done when every day is different. I personally use live shrimp for trout until the average size of croaker becomes 3-4 inches long consistently. For reds I gradually transition from shrimp to cut and live mullet as the water warms. Cut shad, cut perch and sea lice (mantis shrimp) are also popular spring time baits for reds and some days I take multiple types. Just as quickly as conditions change so does diet, so don’t forget to purchase your insurance.

Change is always occurring. Still surrounded by my spilt box of fishing toys I look at the Dr. Seuss like half trees that somehow survived hurricane Harvey and sprouted branches with leaves growing in mysterious directions. An ominous and ghostly whistling sound sings to me from beneath the tiny gap under my door telling me that the wind has begun to shift from north to east and soon to south. A humming bird landed on the tip of my fishing pole the other day in the middle of San Antonio bay. It’s not often that you see a humming bird stop flying, and to land on the tip of my fishing pole surrounded by dead calm glassy water… An omen maybe? If nothing else it was a beautiful sight and we caught fish shortly after. We were fortunate enough to play our cards right that day; basic strategy with some modification did the trick. I will clean up my mess for now but I’m sure that tomorrow will lead to another as everything changes again.

Thus far, 2018 has been a great year for fishing. Over the next few month’s speckled trout, redfish, drum and flounder will occupy the spotlight but many other species rest backstage. Sharks, kingfish, cobia, Jacks and snapper are all possibilities as summer approaches. I’m truly blessed to share my passion with others and look forward to the coming months. Whether you are interested in learning, or just relaxing and having a good time while catching some fish give me a shout!

-Capt. Johan Coombs

“You can’t stop the future, you can’t rewind the past. The only way to learn the secret… is to press play.”

-Jay Asher-

It is noon before the dense fog lifts and the sun peaks out from above the thick blanket of moisture. It hits my skin through the window and I can feel the heat. It draws me beyond the shadows of my cozy home that I have taken comfort in during the soupy mess that plagues my intentions. I’ve fidgeted nervously all morning piddling with lures, rods and reels, waiting for my chance to cure cabin fever. I can’t help but to think about how fish react to the same environmental stimulants as myself. Cold; find shelter. Warmth; play in the sun. I take that thought and that thought takes me by second nature to a place that I have dreamed of. The place is not specific, it’s based more on scenery or conditions if you will; green water, nervous bait and pelicans diving. Lure hits the water, twitch, twitch, pause… Thump, tension, hookset, bent rod, drag screaming. As soon as I see the huge yellow mouth surface trying to shake the lure, I ask myself; “Is this, the one?”

February marks the beginning of what I consider speckled trout season in Rockport Texas. Air temperatures reach close to 80 F on some days in the dead of winter, slowly warming the frigid shallows. Large trout use this optimal warming trend, combined with spring rains to reap the benefits of perfect spawning conditions. Trout spawn year-round despite popular belief but peak season is late winter to early summer when conditions promote optimal survival rates. In response to reproductive urges, large female trout tend to eat opportunistically in order to provide appropriate nutrition for their young. Forgive me for being blunt ladies and gents, but if you are pregnant you eat differently by second nature; your body craves certain foods that most likely benefits your child. Fish are not that different from humans with respect to natural urges; twitch, twitch, pause… Smack pop, tension, hookset, bent rod, drag screaming. Maybe this is the one?

The one I speak of is the largest speckled trout of my life. I’m always searching for her. I remember my personal best, and many that would rest just beneath her shadow had I not released them. What fuels my desire is finding the one again. Unfortunately, for a trout fisherman on the Texas Gulf Coast the one becomes larger with each personal best. Chasing my own shadow might seem just as productive at times but every once in a while the trout makes a crucial mistake whereas the shadow does not. That is my only advantage; one mistake.

Finding that perfect spot at the perfect time under perfect conditions is what I’m always searching for and it’s not something easily found. Paying attention to every meticulous detail will point you in the right direction. I actually prefer to scratch off areas that I will avoid and focus on the small percentage of water that holds hungry fish. 90 % of the fish live in 10 % of the water. Do the math, eliminate most of the bad water and focus on the 10 % that you think holds fish. Your chances of success increase dramatically through process of elimination. Easier said than done but using simple logic can take you a long ways. Let me explain.

Let’s assume the wind speed is 15 to 20 miles per hour out of the north; scratch off most, but not all unprotected windward shorelines and mid bay reefs where water is the color of chocolate milk with heavy chop. This already eliminates possibly 50% of the bay. You can assume that the tide will be going out or lower than mean level with north winds so also scratch off where you, your boat and the fish can’t go within the 50% of the bay available. I’d say that we’ve knocked off another 10% of dead water leaving us with 40% to work with. The ultimate goal is to find that magic 10% of water.

Let’s try to narrow our search for fish to even better odds. Timing is crucial. The water temperature has dropped with the passing cold front so the fish might be a little cold first thing in the morning. Plus there’s supposed to be some afternoon sun with the highest temperatures of the day around 3:00 pm. While inspecting the solar/lunar calendar for feeding times, a descent bite occurs at 5:00 pm. It takes a significant amount of time for air to warm water but two hours of direct sunlight can change the water temperature by a few degrees and sometimes that’s all it takes. Knowing when to be in the right spot at the right time is crucial. I’d say we’ve knocked off another 10% with consideration to timing and location.

20% of the possibilities are still available before narrowing this down to the magic 10%. This is where your eyes and mind narrow down the odds even further with impeccable precision. Understanding how to “read the water” isn’t well represented with respect to this last 20%. Your ability to read the water will ultimately dictate how successful you are any day.  All patterns and variations of patterns must be considered and at times this is daunting. The best approach is to cycle through what you know works best. Start with your favorite lures and set aside (but don’t forget) the ones that don’t make sense to you based on conditions. It’s been cold; scratch top waters but don’t forget about them late in the day when your fingers hit the water and it feels warm.

Reading the water is an art and in my opinion art is never perfected. Art always has flaws but this is what makes it unique. Not a bite. You decide to change to a top water from a plastic when your fingers hit the water and it feels strangely warm. Despite setting that type of lure aside earlier in the day, because it was cold and your logic told you to do so, you didn’t forget about it. At first you work the top water slow because it’s been cold; twitch, pause, twitch, pause, twitch, twitch and repeat. Still nothing. Second cast, new variation, it’s become warmer; twitch, twitch, pause, twitch, twitch, twitch, POW! Tension, hookset, bent rod, drag screaming! This is art. It wasn’t perfect to begin with, it wasn’t in the end, it had flaws but I am satisfied looking back at that moment because I found that 10%.

Understanding lure patterns with regards to conditions is another fishing art. Take a lure and place it in the water. Does it look out of place? Take into account how natural it looks. You should be able to see it but if it resembles a real live bait, it should also disappear fairly quickly as it sinks or blend into the surface as it floats. Many vibrant colors exist for lures and some can pay off in extreme conditions but most of the time, mimicking the actual bait present combined with a little pizazz such as sparkle, hints of bright colors, large eyes, and some sound is a solid approach to lure selection. You want your lure to look like the bait, only slightly more appealing. The best approach is to think like the fish; once again, easier said than done.

Let’s sets aside the last scenario (but don’t forget about it!) and build a new one. Full moon, midnight, water temperature warm, light ripple on the water, bait jumping, wade fishing and your goal is large trout. One of my first choices for lure selection would be the obnoxious looking top water painted black with a chartreuse head. During the day this looks unnatural but at night, from the perspective of a fish, the black silhouette combined with the chartreus head stands out slightly better than the rest of the bait. Despite this lure appearing obnoxious and out of place during one time of day doesn’t mean that it won’t pay off in the dead of night. Imagine yourself as the fish. Would you eat it? Think like the enemy in order to defeat it.

Thinking is just as important as execution; they both rely upon each other in terms of success. Thinking outside the box, or should I say, ‘out of your mind and in the fish’s mind’ is the most important strategy any angler can possess. This might sound vague but it’s the foundation of fishing strategy. Many people ask me, “What do you do on your days off?” My best response is, “I fix all the broken things and then I go fishing.” They scratch their heads mostly about the fishing part. Essentially, I like to work on my days off. I’m always chasing the one and if you are serious about catching it, there is no better way than through the process of trial and error. Get out and fish! Make some mistakes; the only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing. Today is my day off and as of this moment I am done fixing broken things. I think you know what comes next for me. The winds are light, the tide is high and the sun is setting.

-Capt. Johan Coombs

“As no man is born an artist, so no man is born an angler.”

-Izaak Walton-

Sometimes life has the ability to scar. Thinking back, I can remember many events in life that have drawn blood. Sometimes the blood drips and a few days later the scar heals but other times the blood drips and the scar takes months or years to heal. The devastation that Hurricane Harvey unleashed upon the Texas Gulf Coast has undoubtedly drawn blood from myself and just about everyone I know. The scars left will take a longtime to heal; some fast, some slow but some permanent. All scars are life changing events regardless of if they disappear. If nothing ells, I might remember the initial pain after infliction but over time that pain is dulled and diluted with other pains, prides, triumphs, failures, wins and losses… Life goes on. Someday I will look back at all of my scars and the one inflicted by hurricane Harvey will be pronounced; one that healed but never quite disappeared.

I will spare you the details of my specific experience because those are a dime a dozen. I will sum up the impact of Harvey with a few words; destruction, revival and resilience. Destruction not only encompasses the physical damage that Harvey inflicted but also the mental. The daily routine of individuals to multi generation old gatherings in the heart of the Texas coast will be forever changed. Yes, I said changed; but not forgotten or revived. The memories of places like Rockport are what we hold true to heart. These memories are the fuel driving their survival. Whether it be, “The charm of the Texas coast” or “A sleepy little drinking village with a fishing problem”, I will remember it as my life. I’m not about to let the sublime dreamy ambiance of such a place wash away. It’s my life… I decide.

Revival: An improvement in the strength or condition of something. As a marine ecologist by degree, and fishing guide by heart, I believe that hurricane Harvey flushed and cleaned the ecosystem surrounding Rockport Texas like nothing seen in decades. It’s difficult to look at the terrestrial landscape and also understand that the marine environment benefits from such destructive forces. As one environment is destroyed another is created. Freshwater inflow and a “flushing” process is important for the long term survival of the saltwater ecosystems. New structures such as sandbars, cuts, wrecks and debris will provide structure and habitat in the years to come. I am visiting this new post hurricane habitat at a regular basis for work and pleasure. It hasn’t been easy but this leads me to my next word: Resilience.

Resilience: The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. I’ve seen a thing, or two, or three that have left my mouth agape over the past few years with Harvey the latest. It hasn’t been easy dragging out my boat that survived. Initially, I felt guilty while fishing because so many people were still trying to find their shoes. I’ve seen a few float by over the days and I wonder where they came from and who they belonged to. On one such occasion my lost sandal train of thought was interrupted by my rod bending and my drag screaming. The rate at which my drag screamed was equivalent to that of my pulse. I had forgotten the feeling of that thrill, and it didn’t take long to justify my initial guilt with remorse. I had forgotten who I was and I hate to forget, especially my own identity… But I remembered.

Just a little over a month after Harvey, I found myself drifting the flats of Redfish bay with my father. The destruction that we drove by on the way to the boat ramp was lingering as we passed more on the water further solidifying the idea that we were going fishing one month after a category four storm ravaged the area. Only once the horizon was a distant blur and the only thing we could see was fishy looking water did we forget about what we had just seen. I think it was the second my father’s drag first screamed that I realized not much had changed on the water and it left me with an ear to ear grin that almost fractured my face. From that moment on, we caught fish, talked and remembered. Memories drifted to and from myself and my father as we drifted the flats with lures. Everything from the one eyed state record pin perch “Moses” that we caught years ago to scientific studies of cats being thrown off of buildings to see if they’d land feet up were topics of conversation. It was nice catching some fish but it didn’t matter because I remembered…I found myself. A few beers later, a stomach full of redfish, ironically Bob Dylan – Hurricane, and pops sound asleep snoring to the old tune; I write this.

Enough with the jibber jabber, what’s up with the fishing in the aftermath of a cat 4 hurricane? Truth be told I’m becoming more and more excited each time I go out. Monster high tides not associated with Harvey and the occasional cool front have pushed fish into areas that are sometimes inaccessible. A tremendous lack of reliable bait sources has left my shoulder tired from cast netting and my fingers slick from the oily scent of many soft plastics. Both plastics and dead bait such as cut mullet and dead shrimp have been productive. Let the water determine your style. Sometimes live croaker and live piggy perch are available but based on the current environmental factors and availability of bait to purchase I will be using lures, live shrimp, dead shrimp, cut mullet, and anything else that I can get my hands on. A box of your favorite lures, dead shrimp and cut mullet can take you a long ways on a good day right know. Don’t forget your cast net!

As always the presence of bait fish in a given area is never something that you should pass up. Rafts of nervous mullet, jumping shrimp, flipping shad, mud boils, v- shaped wakes, and slicks are all giveaways when locating fish. The water quality is also very important in the wake of the storm. There’s lots of fresh water and flood water mixing with gulf water thus creating a full spectrum of hydrological scenarios. Don’t pass up the obvious signs even if the water looks off colored. Most of the saltwater species that I target inshore have the ability to thrive in what some might consider less than desirable conditions. One of my friends caught redfish in water that he described as black a few days ago. Don’t let the reverie of turquoise green water blind you from the truth. The bays are still flushing with each lunar cycle and hydrology is constantly changing for the better with each flood and ebb tide. The fish have to deal with the same mess underwater as we do on land; rarely do I forget to eat.

Today was one occasion that I almost forgot to eat. I took a long time customer out, just himself and I. From 8:00 am -2:00 pm I never had a chance to eat my full lunch. Each time I started to eat, one of our rods was bent with a fish on the end. I found myself eating the last of my lunch once I got home. I stare out of my window now remembering today, even though it’s not over. This is why I do what I do; it makes me happy. Tonight I will dream and hope for another day like today. For now I will forget about the “H words”, those are in the past for now. I will continue to pursue my dreams as I’m not about to let a storm blow them away. When I get sad or frustrated with life my therapy rests only a few feet away from me in the form of a rod and reel. Maybe it’s time for you to forget about the turmoil of life? Just give me a call and come on down to Rockport, Texas; I didn’t blow away and neither did the fish. Be courageous and stay strong!

-Johan Coombs

“Courage is being scared to death – but standing up anyway.”

-John Wayne-