Posted By: TPOTTS
Matagorda "February Heavyweights" Surf Report - 02/25/21 11:04 PM
One thing I think we can all agree on is that us Texans have it pretty good here in the Lone Star state. Fairly low cost of living, mild winters, the best dang BBQ on planet earth and of course that “little ol’ band from Texas”. One thing that can’t be overlooked is just how incredible our fishery is here. With hundreds of miles of driveable coastline, the angling opportunities are endless. Whether you are on a mission for a trophy trout in Baffin, chasing tarpon off the rocks on Padre Island or battling redfish of epic proportions in Matagorda, we have it all. Texas truly is a sportsman’s paradise.
Besides the rare arctic blast that we just endured, February fishing was outstanding. Many days we experienced 70 degree weather, optimal water temperature and just overall great conditions which resulted in many good fish being landed. Redfish and black drum ran the show as they usually do in the winter months. If you are on the hunt for a true trophy redfish then February is the prime time to be out there. It is not uncommon to land 10 or more fish in the 45”-50” range in a day. While the fish won’t be there in really strong numbers as they are in other months, the size and quality of the ones you will catch make up for it. Using a mix of blue crab, mullet and whiting proved to be effective for those winter surf zone heavyweights. Prior to the winter storm, the sandbar sharks made their appearance and I would go 1 for 2 on them landing one big male at 7’5 and having another one come unbuttoned as I went to leader it over the first bar. While I was hoping to get a shot at a couple more of them before the months end, the significant drop in water temperature from the storm put a halt to that. My favorite sandbar baits are giant whole whiting and chunks of sheepshead. Black drum and cownose rays are also a great option and readily available. Once the water temp pushes back into the low and mid 60’s, they should be back within range in pretty good numbers. Pompano even made an appearance on one of the days when the water cleared up and I was able to pick off a few of them using pink Fishbites on my triple drop bait leaders. While not a rare catch by any means, I just don’t see them too often on that stretch of beach. One thing I have found myself doing more and more of lately is throwing bigger lures at bullreds as opposed to just slinging bait out there. Savage gear mullet pattern swim baits, Storm swim baits and large plugs were excellent all month long. It can be tiring making cast after cast while getting pummeled by waves but when you hook up to a brute of a redfish it makes it all worth it!
While I only saw a handful of fish casualties on my first outing post winter storm, the pictures I have seen from down south really hit hard. Unfortunately, Mother Nature can be cruel sometimes and that is just the harsh reality of those extreme cold snaps like that. In time things will rebound though, no doubt about it. With March knocking on our door, the blacktips will hopefully make their arrival as the water temperature rises and the jacks and large bull sharks will likely be right behind them. That’s when the fun REALLY starts, see y’all out there!
-TPOTTS
Besides the rare arctic blast that we just endured, February fishing was outstanding. Many days we experienced 70 degree weather, optimal water temperature and just overall great conditions which resulted in many good fish being landed. Redfish and black drum ran the show as they usually do in the winter months. If you are on the hunt for a true trophy redfish then February is the prime time to be out there. It is not uncommon to land 10 or more fish in the 45”-50” range in a day. While the fish won’t be there in really strong numbers as they are in other months, the size and quality of the ones you will catch make up for it. Using a mix of blue crab, mullet and whiting proved to be effective for those winter surf zone heavyweights. Prior to the winter storm, the sandbar sharks made their appearance and I would go 1 for 2 on them landing one big male at 7’5 and having another one come unbuttoned as I went to leader it over the first bar. While I was hoping to get a shot at a couple more of them before the months end, the significant drop in water temperature from the storm put a halt to that. My favorite sandbar baits are giant whole whiting and chunks of sheepshead. Black drum and cownose rays are also a great option and readily available. Once the water temp pushes back into the low and mid 60’s, they should be back within range in pretty good numbers. Pompano even made an appearance on one of the days when the water cleared up and I was able to pick off a few of them using pink Fishbites on my triple drop bait leaders. While not a rare catch by any means, I just don’t see them too often on that stretch of beach. One thing I have found myself doing more and more of lately is throwing bigger lures at bullreds as opposed to just slinging bait out there. Savage gear mullet pattern swim baits, Storm swim baits and large plugs were excellent all month long. It can be tiring making cast after cast while getting pummeled by waves but when you hook up to a brute of a redfish it makes it all worth it!
While I only saw a handful of fish casualties on my first outing post winter storm, the pictures I have seen from down south really hit hard. Unfortunately, Mother Nature can be cruel sometimes and that is just the harsh reality of those extreme cold snaps like that. In time things will rebound though, no doubt about it. With March knocking on our door, the blacktips will hopefully make their arrival as the water temperature rises and the jacks and large bull sharks will likely be right behind them. That’s when the fun REALLY starts, see y’all out there!
-TPOTTS