Baffin Bay is my home waters and for good reason, this area is targeted by many of the aforementioned trophy trout seekers. The stable, hyper-saline environment seems to be conducive to the development of these really big trout. Lots of shrimp, mullet and crabs are everywhere. The ever present rock formations in the bay are veritable “fish magnets”.
The changing of the seasons brings plenty of unpredictable weather. Cold fronts come through just about every three to five days.
North winds will have us looking for areas of semi-protected shorelines near deep water and or mud. The north banks of the Laguna Salada and the Cayo de Grullo along with drop-offs from Starvation Point all the way to East Kleberg Point. Behind the Tide Gauge Bar in the mud, rocks and grass is another great place to look and the Badlands and King Ranch Shoreline should be holding some genuine monster trout right now.
With the onset of cooler water temps, we are starting to focus our efforts on the areas which hold large trout. Baitfish, primarily large mullet, are abundant especially in the back half of the bay system. The far reaches of the bay system, including Alazan, received a huge influx of fresh water this year and it seems to be helping the overall health of the bay.
Sandbars, drop-offs and deeper rocks will be the focal points depending on the weather. I love those cool days after a cold front with light winds and sunshine that really seem to warm up the flats and shallow bars. Big baits work well this time of year in these situations. Large topwaters, Corkies and other suspending baits take top billing as the big trout look to be more efficient in their eating habits. Wade just off the bar and make long casts on top of it working your lure towards the edge. Many of the hits we get here are just as the water depth changes a couple of inches and the strikes can be aggressive and vicious.
Slow presentations no matter what you throw will be key to your success. Dark plastics rigged on the lightest jigheads will be first and foremost in my wading arsenal. Corky Fat Boys and Corky Devils are a staple as well. I personally don’t throw many topwaters this time of year but have seen many clients successfully use these baits. Vary your retrieve until you find what they like. A big Super Spook with a slow walk-the-dog retrieve and occasional pauses has been a big producer.
Grinding in cold, wet and windy conditions will probably be the norm until late March this year. Being prepared with the right gear is half the battle. Don’t hit the bargain bins when you are looking for your wading gear. Staying dry is the key
Good quality breathable waders with layers underneath are a must. Under Armour makes several great products and a good pair of fleece pants will help keep you dry and comfortable. Simms and Orvis make some of the best wading jackets on the market but make sure you do your homework and get the one that best fits you and your style of fishing.
It’s an exciting time to be out here enjoying God’s bounty. Duck hunting, dove hunting and fishing have been good to excellent. The trophy trout season is just now kicking into high gear and we fully expect to do as well or better than we did last year when we had six monster trout over thirty inches. That included one ten pound plus trout caught early spring. We hope to see many of you down here this year as we pursue the biggest and best our waters have to offer. Y’all be safe and I’ll see ya on the water.
Captain Aubrey Black
www.captblack.com
Facebook: Capt Blacks Outdoor Adventures
Twitter: CaptBlack15
Ablack1@rivnet.com
