Gulf Coast Fisherman Magazine Vol 39 No. 1 | Page 5

Editor’s Notes From the Rockport-Fulton ad at the bottom right corner of this page, fishermen should know that a once great fishing area on the central Texas coast is back. Anyone who ever fished Cedar Bayou in the “good old days” certainly has fond memories of spectacular fishing trips. Both the surf and pass offered prime fishing for speckled trout during the days, but it was during the nights, fishing under lights, that are truly memorable. It wasn’t just anytime of the day or night that was good. It was when the current started moving and forcing along vast numbers of shrimp into the bay or out into the Gulf. It was fairly common for anglers to just nap on cots in tents, or outside on the sand along the pass, with just an occasional check for water movement or jumping shrimp. But when the current began moving from slack, to ebb or flood, things started happening fast, and at the peak of movements the water surface was literally alive with shrimp. A trout striking on the surface would send showers of shrimp flying in all directions as they tried to evade the speckled marauders. Whether you threw MirrOlures, spoons, or “worms”, the usually most effective means of filling a cooler was a tandem jig loaded with red worms with yellow dots. Remember those? The Bingo Hump M5 was also particularly deadly in the surf or pass fished under a popping cork. Another memory, not so fond, is about the mosquitos. The only thing outnumbering the countless shrimp passing through were the vast hordes of mosquitos that made sleeping outside a hot tent a real challenge. Most effective means of surviving the swarms were building smoky fires with driftwood and employing a mosquito net whenever exposed outside. Both worked well. Not only will the opening of Cedar Bayou enhance the fishing in its general area, the bay systems from Port O’Connor to Aransas Pass should benefit, as well. Special thanks goes to Aransas County, the Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept., Coastal Conservation Association, Texas General Land Office, and all private contributions, as well as the dredging company, RLB Contracting from Port Lavaca, that did the dredging. The sometimes opened and sometimes closed bayou was definitely open in November of 1863. Several thousand members of the Union Army moving up the barrier islands from Aransas Pass and headed for Pass Cavallo, crossed Cedar Bayou – a feat that was accomplished via pontoon bridge. Due to the large number of soldiers, and the cannons, wagons, horses, and gear transported, the complete crossing took three days. Once across the bayou, the army moved on to Pass Cavallo and attacked the Confederate forces at Fort Esperanza. During their stay here on the Gulf Coast from November to the Spring of 1864, things often mentioned in diaries, were weather – both severe and pleasant, swims in the Gulf between northers, the large number of deer in the area, and the ever favorite, succulent oyster. Some things never change... Order a 2015 Advance Planning Wall Calendar on page 35 of this issue. CHANGE OF ADDRESS? Don’t forget to send us your change of address at least forty-five days prior to the publication date of the first issue you need to have delivered to the new address. JANUARY • FEBRUARY • MARCH 2 0 1 5 5