Corpusfishing.com

BayFly · Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2020 7:50 pm Post subject: Trolling

Not internet trolling, but when I turned the TV on it was set to a channel where a guy was trolling and caught what I think was a pike. It occurred to me I once wondered if anyone has successfully trolled down the Intercoastal canal with any success. I've never heard of anyone doing it, but with all of the winter Texans I thought maybe someone had at least tried it and possibly with some success?

bulldog1935 · Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2020 8:03 pm Post subject:

The places I can think of where it would work are where pelagic fish come into shore - Lydia Ann Channel - smacks in spring and fall. I've also seen slashing jacks up Aransas channel, where you could nail them trolling.
Tried it one time paddling 3 miles out of Arroyo Colorado without success.
People catch redfish all the time on the flats paddling out to their destination structure and trolling, .e.g. lightly-weighted cocahoe minnow.
One weekend a friend trolling a Shiney Hiney caught slot redfish crossing Estes Flats the first day, and another crossing Brown & Root the next day.
One day on Fence Lake, my buddy was trolling a small red popper on his fly line while wading back to the boat - don't think he was intentionally trolling as much as just ignoring it, since everything floated, and caught a slot red.

BayFly · Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2020 9:51 pm Post subject:

Interesting you mention catching the reds in shallow situations while more or less, trolling. My B-I-L was trolling a live shrimp behind us while we were drifting into very shallow water throwing artificials, and he caught a slot red. I thought was very unusual, but it sounds like it's not.

Johninaustin · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Posts: 1115

Catch trout on the flats by dragging a topwater behind the kayak on occasion, when it's too rough to go offshore I've caught kings and jacks by trolling inside the PA jetties. Never tried it in the intracoastal although one of the posters here drags a trawl for shrimp, that might be a better option.

SandJKENNELS · Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2020 10:50 pm Post subject:

We have caught trout and reds in the Lavaca river trolling big spoons slow in the winter. Always do best when really cold in deep water and slow.
_________________
Shane

Rxfire · Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 4:55 am Post subject:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl5V3j9JzOg

hickroots07 · Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 8:42 am Post subject:

I've got friends that booze cruise the canals trolling a yozuri diver and catch trout, ladyfish, and reds.
_________________
Great captains, the stuff of legend, are made not by what they have caught, but by what they have given back.

Mike_D · Finger Mullet Joined: 30 May 2017 Posts: 36

Donnie · Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 12:25 pm Post subject:

I would try it - nothing better than deep fried pelagic fish ! Rolling Eyes

_________________
Don - permanent prescription of salt water therapy.

Tyler · Site Admin Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 12865

I have always wanted to do that in the winter time with a plug along the edge of the ICW. Billy Sandifer and I talked about doing that but never did.
_________________
Like Corpusfishing.com on Facebook!

Central Scrutinizer · Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 1:58 pm Post subject:

My all-time favorite trolling story comes from Nueces Bay.

Cold, foggy March morning, I'm taking plankton samples by the first set of markers inside Nueces Bay, on the west side of SH181.

This large Bertram slowly pulls under the bridge, pulling in the out-riggers, with rods still deployed from the stern. Motors slowly up to me and asks: "If I follow this channel (pointing west, towards the back of Nueces Bay!!, Mind You), can I make it back to Port Aransas"?????

Shocked

I said, "No, You can't get there from here"!!!!

So Story goes, they launched out of City Marina, hit the ship channel and began trolling through the fog, thinking they were headed offshore! Following the Day Boards, they made it all the way to the junction of the ship channel and Nueces Bay, trolling the whole way!!! These Tourist were totally lost! Rolling Eyes

speckled.trout · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 30 Aug 2012 Posts: 1190

Back in the '80s we trolled the ICW and Riviera Channel quite a bit. We used a downrigger, a 5lb cannon ball to get the bait down to the depth we wanted and a Cordell brokenback for bait.
Had some game wardens laughing their a$$ off

BTW it worked very well

ST

Lizardfish · Joined: 13 Feb 2017 Posts: 4 Location: Corpus Christi

We have done it several times. Best when water temps are very low. Use a rat-l-trap lure. Have had better luck in neighborhood canals than ICW. Trout and Reds.

bd0202 · Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 4:44 pm Post subject:

For those that have done it, do trolling motors hold up to saltwater as good as fresh?
_________________
All things will pass. Have a Blessed day.

Tyler · Site Admin Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 12865