San Antonio Bays pays off on Specks, Redfish
Victoria Advocate Thursday, October 10,1996
Partial clipping of complete article

When it comes to saltwater fishing, Gary Gray doesn't have to travel any great distances to be successful.

Gray, who operates the Victoria based Bay Rat Guide Service, has found the upper portion  of San Antonio Bay a consistent producer of speckled trout and redfish this year and in late 1995.

Recent trips have produced 10-fish limits of trout from 19 to 23 inches and three-fish limits of reds up to 24 inches.

Gary's favorite lure has been the Ghost - a topwater lure similar to a freshwater Zara Spook, Bone, red-white and white with black back colors have paid off.

"I've fished San Antonio Bay all of this year and it has been excellent," said Gray, who has been guiding for 10 years with most of the time spent covering San Antonio Bay off Seadrift. "The trout are getting bigger every year there. It has been excellent on big trout.

"We had days when we caught 30 trout and none was under 20 inches. We're fishing in 4 to 5 feet of water off reefs for trout. We're catching the reds in 2 to 3 feet of water on the flats."

"We've been fishing the northern end of San Antonio Bay since January and it has been excellent," he added. "Fishing has been getting better since the last freeze. Trout fishing has been good all year. It never slowed down. During the winter, we waded the reefs.

"I fish San Antonio Bay because it's not as crowded compared to other places but it is becoming more congested."

Gray says he favors throwing the Ghost lure on "an overcast day and when it's calm because it makes noise. We have no problem catching fish with them."

Gray points out that "you should always try them, but it's better to use a topwater lure on overcast days and when it's sprinkling. You can use them when it's sunny but early in the morning and late afternoon."

Gray said the first time he used a Ghost lure was during a Gulf Coast Troutmasters' Association tournament in Galveston Bay where he finished ninth.

When throwing a Ghost, Gray says "the lure sits in the water and when you retrieve the lure, it walks on the water ... like you're walking the dog. You work it slow. You can't work it too fast or the hooks will get tangled in the line.

"You twitch the rod but you can't move the lure over too far. You drag across the surface. The trout come up and hit it.

"We've been fishing from day-break until just before 2. When it's muddy, we don't use lures ... we go with live mullet. We go with Ghost lures when we fish the fall pattern I don't carry bait in the boat. I use a Hogie's Swimming Shad for a backup."

Gray said the weather hasn't been a problem until this week when a high tide scattered the red-fish and a north wind turned the water off-color.

"The best fishing is still ahead," Gray says. "Fishing is just going to get better and we'll start wading soon. The water is cold enough to wear waders.

"The birds are working but they're not right. We're going after bigger fish now.

"The birds have been working for three weeks now but the trout are small ... up to 16 inches. We're staying away from the birds and going for quality fish."