It was Wednesday, November the 18th. The hard northeast winds were still blowing and were predicted to turn due east in the afternoon and diminish to a tolerable level. The past 5 years have been tough on Trinity Bay. The huge influx of fresh water on a yearly basis has upset the once pristine saltwater eco system. The loss of oyster habitat due to sedimentation and fresh water has put this bay in stress mode. The widening of the Houston Ship Channel and displacement of dredge material has contributed to excessive sedimentation throughout the bay. Now the back end of East Bay has been cutoff from its saltwater flush through Rollover Pass by a money grabbing land scheme. What once was a highway for saltwater and fish species that came through it is now filled in. This allows for more fresh water flow toward Trinity Bay from the east.
It’s been a year since I fished this shoreline, and I had in mind to visit my newest grandchild in Anahuac after I got off the water. My plan was to put in at a friend’s ramp in a subdivision and work my way toward a drain about a mile away. As long as I hugged the shoreline along the way, I was able to prevent the strong winds from pushing me to the middle of the bay. The sun had warmed the chill of the morning air, and the water had cooled slightly. I pushed off the shoreline and noticed the water was a nice green color, and the salinity level was coming back with the lack of rain and fresh water flow from the north country. On my third cast while drifting around a pier, I hooked up with a small trout. My immediate thoughts were – this is going to be a good day. I made my way around a point and was planning to fish a canal behind a subdivision where I had caught slot reds before. When I came to the mouth of the canal, a dark jagged head popped up in the middle and eased off into the tall reeds. Not wanting to disturb this 4 foot, prehistoric creature, I continued on my way down the shoreline. Small shrimp were jumping everywhere, but very few predators were giving chase. The tide was starting to drop out of a small drain, so I decided to work faster toward the major drain down the shoreline. Casting as I went, I thought I would pick up a flounder or two. My lure was probably too high on the water column as I continued on.
When I finally got to the major drain, the muddy water was rushing through the pilings. The pelicans and other shore birds were feasting on the bait being washed out into the bay. The loud cracks of the pelicans slamming the water and pouncing on their prey filled the afternoon air. The speed of the rushing water picked up my kayak and pushed it quickly along the muddy trail of water. I decided to fish the slower tailrace area out away from the shoreline. Here the color change in the water gave the trout a chance to intercept the bait that was being washed out of the drain. I found the trout on the north side of the swirling water staying closer to the green water. After catching my second trout, I slid my anchor into the off color water and positioned myself to cast toward the green water. This proved to be the ticket as I proceeded to catch one small trout after another. Although they were small, it still felt good to have a tug on my line.
The air quality was beginning to diminish due to an uncontrolled fire at the Anahuac Wildlife Refuge. The smoke drifted over the bay and created an orange glow on the horizon. It made the hour seem later than it was. A power boat came in to fish with me, and to my surprise, it was the father of a player I had coached. I always enjoy catching up on the activities of explayers and their families. We visited for a few minutes and said goodbye as the sun got closer to the horizon. On my paddle back, I noticed some bird activity on the shoreline where I saw all the shrimp earlier. When I got within casting distance, I thought these were flounder feeding in the shallow water. On my first cast, a large wake turned and headed for my offering. Before I had a chance to reel up the slack, an explosion displaced a large amount of water directly under my lure. I set the hook, and my drag started screaming as the fish left a super sonic wake as it sped by my kayak. After two hard runs and a short sleigh ride, the 27-inch, 8-pound redfish slid slowly into my net. What a great way to end the day!
My impressions of the bay from this trip are simple. Trinity Bay is a magical place, and Mother Nature, if taken care of, will heal itself over time. It may not be the bay system it once was, but if we take measures to help this metropolitan water system, it can be a refuge for those who cherish its ecosystem.
Mankind is similar. No matter how off track we get in our lives, we can flush out the bad and replace it with good. God gives us his GRACE for that purpose. God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Christ died so that we may have eternal life if we accept him. No matter what you are going through in your life, his GRACE is there. [Ephesians 2:8-9] “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast.”
God bless you and thanks for reading my blog.
Enjoy the video from this fishing trip!
Tim Lumpkin
Blog: Legacy-outdoors.net
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Legacy Outdoors 