June 2012 Fishing Forecast by Capt Black

It’s definitely heating up out there. Not only the weather, but the fishing is starting to get a little warmer. We are still experiencing discolored water in association with an algae bloom (brown tide) which as I explained last month does not affect the fish, just the water clarity. Again, as I stated, this outbreak looks to be relatively light and we are still experiencing great sightcasting in shallow water. Trout are beginning to show up in numbers around some of Baffin’s deeper structure. We especially look forward to the days when it is possible to wade the north shoreline or some of the “open water” spots that we love but rarely get to fish due to the conditions. Bouncing plastics rigged on the lightest jigheads you can find around this structure can lead to some exciting wrestling matches with some of Baffin’s famous Big Girls. Color seems to matter less than the size, style and presentation of these lures. Paddletail baits fall much slower and have the enticing vibration to help trigger a strike. A firm upward sweep followed by a slow flutter back to the bottom with short pauses before each new sweep seems to get the best reaction. Rythmic twitches and pauses with the rat-tail style baits are an absolute favorite down here. The erratic action of these lures can draw strikes even when the fishing is slow. Two or three twitches followed by a slowly raised rod tip will create the slowest fall rate possible and invariably, the strike will occur on that slow fall. One of the great things about June is that the topwater bite will become very consistent and last most of the day. Sandbars, grasslines and shallow shorelines beckon to be probed with your favorite topwater. Alazan Bay, the Tide Gauge Bar and many areas along Baffin’s south shoreline are good places to look for some hardcore action on top. Smaller topwaters should work well here. On days when the winds are light or almost non-existent, work your lure in a gentle side to side or walk the dog motion trying not to shake the rattles too hard. This subtle difference in your retrieve can and does attract vicious strikes on those calm mornings. When the winds kick up as they always do on Baffin, dig through your tackle box and find the loudest, highest pitched, most obnoxious topwater you can find and thrash the surface especially along color changes or bottom and depth changes. Again, color means a lot less than size and presentation. Redfish and black drum are as shallow as they can get. Often times their backs will be exposed in the shallows as they pursue small crabs and shrimp. Small paddletails and scented lures in bright colors so you can see them are extremely effective. The state of Texas STAR tournament has begun and the early bird seems to get the worm. Each year it seems and early caught trout from Baffin takes the top prize for the biggest trout so make sure you book a trip with your favorite fishing guide for a chance at that big trout or tagged redfish. Y’all be safe and I’ll see ya on the water. Phone 361-557-0090 e-mail: captblack@captblack.com website: www.baffinbayrodandgun.com Blog: www.captblacks.blogspot.com/ FaceBook: Fan Page -Capt Blacks Outdoor Adventures Personal Page -Aubrey Black Twitter: Captblack15