the rocks may only raise the reading a degree or two, but to fish, entirely dependent upon the elements for regu- lation of their body temperatures, that
effort really close to the surf zone.” Count pompano among the tastier of the winter treats to be plucked from the rocks in winter, but for faster action, target whiting on the moving tide with small pieces of cut bait soaked in contact with the sand bottom near the base of the rocks. Whiting are a particularly good choice, Wise said, if you’re fishing with kids who need to feel a regular tug or want some extra fillets — fast.
If you get off to a slow start despite favorable conditions, experiment to determine whether the fish may be higher or lower in the water column.
modest bump can mean survival instead of a chill, suffocating death. Most often, the comfortable sanctu- ary of a jetty is only that, a favorable position. Asecondary attraction of jetty rocks is that on their channel sides, fish also have short-swim access to the life- saving depth of an adjacent channel, a “bomb shelter” if you will, should a major freeze crash over the coast. “More often than not, fish will be concentrated from the beach to the mid-point, as opposed to being out near the end of the jetties,” said Danno Wise, speaking of the rocks at Port Isabel on Texas’ extreme southern coast. “If the water’s clear and sky is bright, they’ll be hugging the rocks extra tightly.”
And higher in the water column, as well. In warmer seasons and especial- ly through the swelter of summer, jetty fish often dive until their bellies rub sand. Below the thermocline, they find the comfort of cooler water. In winter, conversely, conditions permit- ting, they’ll rise to greet the welcome warmth of the sun. On Wise’s end of the coast as else-
where, winter jetty fishing produces a surprising variety of fish. “Days with calm, clear surf are great
for throwing small spoons or jigs for pompano,” he said. “Focus all your
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Along the middle and upper coast, patient and experienced jetty anglers take advantage of a relatively un- known — or more correctly, underuti- lized — bite for speckled trout. Prime conditions for these fish fall two to three days behind a major cold front, timed more or less with the switch from north wind back to the prevailing south or southeast. Ideally, you want to be there when the sky is still clear (warmth from sun- light) and wind has just tilted back to the southeast (warmth from air off the deep Gulf).
On the right day and tide, suspend- ing plugs such as the Mirrodine and the Paul Brown Originals offered now by MirrOlure typically produce four to six quality strikes in a generous ses- sion. If you prefer soft plastics, fish them unweighted. The premium in winter is on lure placement and pre- sentation, not on covering water with long, arcing casts. Ahalf-dozen strikes isn’t exactly fast action, but the lack of quantity here is trumped by the quality of these trout. Average in winter is two-plus pounds, and at least one of your bites likely will come from a trout scaring five pounds — with the occasional monster that will flash once on the surface and, if your luck mirrors mine, spit the hook.
LIKE MOLASSES RUNNING UPHILL
Cold-weather fish, even sickle- tailed pompano and especially heavy- weight trout, are slow, methodical feeders. Every calorie they expend chasing prey represents an energy loss, and energy stores are the only thing that keep winter fish going, often for days at a time. (Bluefish are exceptions; they move like swarms of dragonflies year-around, warm or cold.) To borrow from baseball, think of the summertime “strike zone” as pitch- ing to a giant, such as the Houston Rockets’ center Yao Ming. Get the lure anywhere close, and the fish will accel- erate to intercept.
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The opposite is true in winter, when the strike zone shrinks exponentially. Now stepping to the plate, in January and February: some unnamed munch- kin from the Wizard of Oz. Your pitch better be close in cold
water, and it had better stay within that fish’s sight for a long time. Therein lies the success of lighter, smaller spoons and most suspending plugs — all can be manipulated to stay put, relatively speaking, long enough to coax a strike from a fish that really isn’t interested. If you get off to a slow start despite favorable conditions, experiment to determine whether the fish may be higher or lower in the water column. From the first bite, stick with that pat- tern unless and until conditions change significantly. Winter isn’t the slow season for jetty fishing. It’s the uncrowded season. Read the clues, and take advantage.
Doug Pike is a lifelong outdoorsman
who grew up in Houston. He wrote out- doors columns at the Houston Chronicle for 23 years, edited TIDE magazine for 10 years, and launched his radio show. During that time, he won more than 100 national and state awards for his writing, editing, broadcasting and photography. Currently, he's on SportsTalk 790, writes the back-page humor column for Saltwater Sportsman and regular columns for Texas Fish & Game and Prime Living magazines.
BUNDLE UP, BUT DON’T OVERDO IT W
INTER WEATHER requires extra layers, but the heavy bulk of coats and boots can be dangerous on the jetties when there won’t be nearly so many people nearby to save your bacon in an emergency. Dress in multiple thin layers,
and remove clothes as activity increases or a day warms beneath full sunlight. Carry a backpack or duffel in which to shuttle out-of- service layers. To the ensemble, add gloves and a cap or hat that covers your ears. Either can be removed easily enough if you’re comfortable with- out them. Get halfway out the rocks and have a cold wind whistle across the tops of your ears, conversely, and the walk back to the truck can be miserable. Travel lightly, but take all that you may need to fish, to stay hydrated, and to be safe.
TIDE
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