Birthday Fishing Trip

I shoot for a Birthday Fishing Trip each year. Sort of an unofficial tradition.

Birthday Fishing Trip

The news was there was a cold front, headed this way. Panhandle Texas was looking at freezing temperatures, and that means we’re not far behind. It is November, it can get cold. It dropped into the 60s last week, and in San Antonio? That meant scarves, woolens, fuzzy boots. I was still in sandals and shorts.

The original plan was run the boat halfway to Port O, see if the conservation district work was yielding results, but the strong south wind, we launched and headed to the backside of San Jose Island. Stopped in one fishy spot, but no takers. Stopped in another.

Lazy wispy cirrus cloud were high in the sky as the moon was setting in the west. We moved a hundred yards north along the shoreline, again, looked very fishy with some surface activity but no big bites. One small Red.

Fishing Selfie

Nice fishing selfie, proof that I was on the water, middle of the bay, Monday morning.

Moved again, as the tide started to turn. Then, something changed. I’ll suggest the moon slipped from one sign to the next, but some folks guffaw at the notion.

I’ve heard military service as described as brief moments of high activity interspersed long periods of tedium. One pole bent over, and the fish swam from one side of the small creek to the other, in and out, under the boat, more than once.

My buddy started to wonder, out loud, if the fish was in charge. Well, yes.

Finally got the first one boated, with the fish thumping against the bottom of the boat, and I grabbed another pole out of its holder, reeling in an even bigger fish. Later, at the cleaning station, that one big went over 26 inches. Not quite a tagger, but almost.

A third decent Red rounded out the day. So in half a day, I only caught four fish, three keepers and one under-sized. Fitting end to my season.

Daily Double

It was an excellent day on the water, and the number one Alaska export, Arctic Air, on its way, even now.

Fresh fish, frozen shark, and possibly the last warm day we’ll see for – this is Texas – last warm day for maybe a week?

Wearing my lucky “Spurs” cap, too. Tottanham Hotspurs FC, not the other “Spurs,” but that’s why I liked the hat in the first place. Go Spurs!