Galveston Bay

[reevesr1]

Finally got my mom's computer up and running, so I thought I would post some pictures of my trip back home.

 

First stop was the local tackle shop. I was recently asked how big the tackle shops are back home. Here is the answer. This place is advertised as the worlds biggest tackle shop. No hunting, camping stuff here. Fishing only. I actually try to stay away because a hole always seems to form in my wallet. Picked up a couple of local flies and some information. Note the big marlin on the roof:

 

 

I didn't really fish much the first morning. Just drove around to a few places that I fished as a kid when I didn't have a boat and later as an adult when I didn't feel like messing with the boat. Those of you who've fished the coast might notice a couple of slicks to go with the sunrise:

 

 

Fished for an hour or so. Didn't catch anything, but didn't really expect to. More just practicing casting in the gale force wind at my back. As it turned out, I needed the practice.

 

Took this picture from the levee system that protects my home town, Texas City, from hurricane flood waters. This is taken looking back towards town, the bay is at my back. You will see the refineries. They stretch for 5 miles or so. I get a bit annoyed whenever I read someone who doesn't want any industry anywhere near where they live. I grew up with refineries. If you don't want industry where you live, go live in a cave and quit using anything developed from chemicals. You don't get a car. We've done our bit where I'm from. It's other peoples turn. (Sorry for the quick rant. I just hijacked my post, in the post itself. That's gotta be a first.)

 

 

Ok, so on to the fishing. Day 2 was with a couple of buddies I used to work with. One is a fantastic fisherman, and an aspiring guide. One is from Oklahoma. The spot was a place I've fished a lot of times with my dad, and several times with Rick, the aspiring guide. It was really windy (and it stays windy for the whole trip so far), but the water clarity wan't too bad. We pulled in and got excited by all the bait and obvious trout feeding signs. I started the day off by sticking a nice trout right off the bat working a topwater bait. For those of you who've never experienced a predatory fish attacking a surface lure, suffice to to say it will get your heart started. Big lure, 16" fish (not so big!):

 

 

Continued to get blowups on the lure, but couldn't hook any more up. My buddy was having the same problem. I actually tried topwater poppers with the fly rod with absolutely no success. One blowup in 50 casts or so over the course of the trip. Need to work on that. So we all went subsurface and located some the Oklahoman and I located some fish:

 

 

I figured if an Okie could catch one, they must be thick. I went back to the boat and got the fly rod. Tied on a chartruese and white Deceiver that Wayne Hanson tied for me, cast out, let it sink, one strip and:

 

and the release:

See why we call them Specks?

 

My first "keeper" trout on a fly rod! I must say I was slightly disappointed in the fight. But my disappointment didn't last long!

[Conor]

That last pic is great. Glad to see you have translated the fly rod to your home waters.

 

This July I am back home in MA and I plan to have some pics of stripers on the fly for you all.

[reevesr1]

Man, Stripers on a fly rod would be sweet! Do you catch them in the surf, or out of a boat?

[agbff]

I dig the comic book clouds in the background of the last shot!