Saltwater Angler December Article

Well, it may not say it on the calendar yet, but winter has definitely made an appearance. Temperatures are forecast to be in the 30’s and the winds are whipping from the north. Two things come immediately to mind. The fishing is going to be a little tough, and the duck hunting is going to be great. Now what more could you ask for this time of year? No matter what the conditions are out there, we are privileged to be able to experience the bounty of Mother Nature here in the greatest part of the greatest state of the greatest country in the world.

We duck hunted hard the first half of the split and were rewarded with the best duck hunting I have experienced……. Ever!! The two week split between the first and second half was actually welcome. Those 3:00am wake up calls tend to get to you after a while. After resting up a couple of days, the itch to get on the water came back full force and you know how much I like to chase the Big Girls this time of year.

Our trout fishing is a little sporadic right now. I had two really good days with trout up to the 24””mark followed by a few so-so days. The weather cooperated for the most part but I just couldn’t seem to find a consistent pattern. There are still a lot of shrimp in the bay and the trout just seem to be following them around in deeper areas of the bay.

Small top waters as well as small plastics rigged underneath a Cajun Thunder popping cork have been our top producers but the bigger fish have come on suspended baits like my favorite blood red Corky Devil. A medium to fast retrieve has been working best. On the days after a cold front has passed and we got a little warming trend, the trout were congregating on some of the sandbars in Alazan and along the south shoreline. Look for concentrations of mullet on these bars and then camp out for awhile. Top waters and Corkies work well here too.

Redfish are very hungry and aggressive up shallow for you sight casting fans. I like to use white or chartreuse Saltwater Assassin Sea Shad on the lightest possible jig head when pursuing these bruisers. I am not certain if the fish prefer one over the other but I do know that I can see them better myself and it’s easier to get my lure where I need it to be when I can see it. Swimming the lure in the middle of the water column and leading the fish slightly has made for some very exciting hookups.

By the time you read this, the second half of our duck hunting season will be in full swing. As I stated earlier, it’s been the best I have experienced and judging by the clouds of redheads, pintails, bluebills and other assorted ducks I have seen this week, it’s only going to get better.

Capt. Sally and I recently received recognition for being in the inaugural class of Certified Wildlife Guides in a program developed by the Corpus Christi Convention and Visitors Bureau. The program seeks to insure that visitors to the Corpus area have a quality experience. The program focused on quality customer service, environmental issues and wildlife identification. I’ve been told before that I was certifiable, and now it’s official.

Wintertime in South Texas isn’t a time to huddle indoors. There are way too many angling and hunting opportunities out there. It’s too bad the economy is in such poor shape because everything else down here in God’s country is so good. Y’all be safe and I’ll see ya on the water.



Capt. Aubrey Black

(210) 355-5091

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