The Saltwater Magazine for Gulf Coast Fishing!
WINTER 2008 PREVIEW OF THIS ISSUE
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THE LURE OF THE LUMP by Al Rogers The Midnight Lump - Prolific fishing and lurking danger.   Old salts sometimes call it a sixth sense. It's a heightened; almost extrasensory "feeling" that inclement weather is on the way. The acquired ability comes to those who have spent many years on the water. They don't hold degrees in meteorology, but maybe something better - an acute sense of their surroundings. They "feel" the slightest drop in barometric pressure, air temperatures, or wind shift. They sense trouble, and they know when its time to get out.   Particularly in winter anglers must remember that there is no wrath - not even the scorn of a vindictive, straight razor-toting woman, which comes close to the sea. There is no comparison. Mother nature's blows can be fierce and fatal. The hits can come unprovoked and often without warning.   There may be no better example that the Midnight Lump, arguably one of the most productive offshore fishing destinations in the Gulf of Mexico. A relatively short 20 mile run off the mouth of the Mississippi River, it can be an angling paradise. But it can also be an angler's worst nightmare...   A RED MAGNET by Capt. Robert Brodie North Eastern Louisiana's marsh is a redfish wonderland. There are times throughout the year that many anglers take a break from fishing due to the chill of winter, and simply spend the cold months sitting around a fireplace dreaming of the fine spring and summer angling that's to come. However, during those cold months there are numerous beautiful days that are ideal for angling, and that's especially true for encountering those gorgeous and powerful redfish prowling in skinny water.   One such area that's highly noted for good numbers of winter redfish is the vast Cajun marshland just south of Mississippi's mainland. Although it's located in Louisiana waters, a short run of 12.8-miles from the Pass Christian Small Craft Harbor located on the south side of U.S. Hwy. 90 will quickly land the adventurous angler in a magnificent maze of marshland...   Drum vs. Drum - by Chester Moore, Jr. Redfish and black drum go head to head.   Redfish are darlings of the outdoor media.   From magazine covers to bumper stickers, the image of the redfish is iconic from the bulldog looking head to the spot on the tail. There are redfish tournament circuits worth millions of dollars, t-shirts with the fish's image in living color and entire hatcheries dedicated to their propagation.   The true name of the redfish however is "red drum". Yes, redfish are a drum and that puts them in the same family as the black drum.   Yes, I am talking about the barbell-chinned bottom dwellers known for housing huge spaghetti worms when they get above about 30 inches and sounding off like a bass drum at a heavy metal concern. Despite these attributes, black drum have a growing following on the Gulf Coast and are quite fun to catch. Let us look at how to catch both species and let you figure out which is for you.   Will it be red or black drum..?   Winter River Refuge - by Kyle Tomek Texas' rivers offer sanctuary to hoards of gamefish Just like when the surf gets flat for the first time in August, when word gets out in winter that rivers are green and packed with specks, fishermen get fired up.   The anticipation of wintertime river fishing stems from the ability for anglers to fish at night as well as combine styles of offshore, bay, and bass fishing all in the same outing.   Supposing rivers are salty and void of northern flood water, speckled trout by the thousands spend the coldest months of the year soaking their scales within the warmth of the deepest water available.   Rivers, streams, and deep bayous serve as typical refuge.  Despite the frigid conditions, specks feed aggressively on the wads of baitfish that bob overhead.   The rivers of Texas' coast cater to fishermen as well once old man winter arrives.    The reliability of the Brazos, Colorado, Tres Palacios, and Lavaca Rivers trump all other wintertime haunts.   Gulf Coast Closeup - by Vernon Summerlin Touring St. Mary Parish on Louisiana's Cajun Coast   If you've never visited a mysterious moss-draped cypress swamp in the Louisiana's Atchafalaya Basin, its beauty will astound you. The vast stillness is occasionally broken by the tail-slapping of a shy gator diving beneath the water's surface. Swamp tour operators will certainly take you to a spot where things get considerably livelier while they share their savoir faire. Atchafalaya refers to both a river and a large wetlands region; the name derives from the Choctaw hacha falaia, meaning Long River. The river serves as a major distributary of the Mississippi and Red rivers and runs through a swampy wetland called the Atchafalaya Basin that is about 20 miles wide and 150 miles long.   Bird watchers and hunters also favor the area, which is located along the Mississippi Flyway, an important migratory path for waterfowl. Beyond the barrier islands, the Gulf of Mexico stretches into the distance... OUR DEPARTMENTS...   Paddling Out - Heroes on the Water - by Jeff Herman   Rod & Reel'n Offshore - More Snap-On/Snap-Off Weights - by Patrick Lemire   Equipment Notebook - Install a Bus and Battery Switch - by David Ayers   The Bay Naturalist - Otoliths - Fish Ivory - by John Hook   The Fly Guy - Leaders and Stuff - by Pete Cooper, Jr.   Tackle Time - Fishing Fotos - by Colby Sorrells   Bait Hook - The Social Side of Fishing - by Jim Martin     From the Publisher... Besides all these great articles and departments, Gulf Coast Fisherman is the only source for the Wells Daily Fishing Forecast. Each issue carries three months of the Wells Daily Fishing Forecast - with Monthly Fishing Calendars. Also, don't forget about the Advance Planning Calendars in each issue that takes you out three months past the current issue. This will provide what you need to intelligently plan your fishing trips - hours, weeks, and up to six months in advance!   Top saltwater guides and fishermen use the Wells Daily Fishing Forecast - shouldn't you be using it ,too?...   "The fisherman that knows what the currents are doing has the advantage - over fish and fishermen!" And remember - "Fish feed everyday, somewhere " - Harold Wells   Gary Ralston Publisher   Home