I’m not as much concerned with knowing who experienced the most consecutive days of triple-digit heat this summer as I am with the fact that those days appear to finally be behind us. The position of the Earth in accordance with the position of the sun will soon officially mark the ending of summer and the beginning of fall. This happens each year at this time during the month of September and it is known as the September Equinox, or fall equinox, and it formally takes place this year on September 22, at 4:18pm CDT. The word “equinox” is derived from Latin words meaning “equal night”, but in the case of our Northern Hemisphere, the daylight hours will still be longer than nighttime by about seven to ten minutes (a couple days after the equinox, day and night are finally equal). And for those mariners who may be interested, the sun rises directly in the east and sets directly in the west on the equinox, so on this day of the year you can find the exact basic directions of East and West by using the sun. But the September Equinox, also referred to by many as the autumnal equinox, has also been linked to many myths and superstitions over the years. For example, it is believed that this is a somewhat magical time of balance when some mystical or supernatural force allows one to be able to balance eggs on their end on these days – some even believe that one can only balance an egg within a few hours before or after the exact time of the equinox. But back to fishing! How does all of this play-on, or effect, our fishing along the coast? Well, here’s how…and it’s no myth!
Twice a year, at the September equinox and at the Spring equinox, the plane of the earth’s equator is aligned with the orbital plane of the earth around the sun, and the biggest tides of the year occur. This is a time in the year when we will experience periods of extremely high tidal ranges that generally peak in September, October, and sometimes even into the early part November. When will the absolute highest tides occur? Well, that would be a day or two after the full or new moon nearest to the equinox. Some years have had tides that are notably higher than other years – 1997 was a significant year, as will be the year 2015. Nevertheless, favorable fishing conditions commonly exist around higher tides, specifically in coastal marshes and wetlands like ours, and especially following an intense bout with such extreme slack-tide conditions like those which we experienced along our particular region of the coast for the majority of the summertime period. Desolate and isolated back-country grasslands and flats abandoned and uninhabited due to the lack of tidal water during previous months will once again begin to fill with the nourishment required to sustain new life. Grasses will rejuvenate, and even the tiniest of microorganisms will prosper and flourish. Crustaceans of all sorts will once again take-up residence in the marsh floor and along the base of grasses that were formerly dry. Smaller baitfish will acquire what they believe to be substantial safe-havens as higher water levels penetrate well into new territory. Fundamentally, the equinox tides routinely open-up a lot of new water-covered acreage, and this newly acquired marine real estate provides an abundance of added food sources and new shelter for both prey and predator alike. Trout, redfish, and flounder will all be able to venture upon reservoirs of riches that previously were unavailable to them. The trout, and particularly the redfish, will once again begin to look toward foraging for their next meal item on outgoing tides, tides that will tend to dump a conglomerated assortment of food out of the grassed areas and upon the adjacent flats and sloughs. And I’ll be there. Waiting to take advantage of some of the hottest action the year has to offer. I’ll present top waters for trout during the first hours of light, but will later switch tactics by going with soft plastics, and will work them slightly above the sandy grass floor in anticipation of an aggressive trout bite. While wade fishing for the trout over grass beds, I’ll focus my casts from the middle of the grass beds to the outside edges of the grass – lately, I have found larger trout to be just on the outside edges where the sand meets the grass. The next few weeks will offer anglers who may be new to the sport of artificial fishing a fighting chance at boosting their confidence while fishing with lures. This time of the year exist during a magical time in the outdoors, a time that can certainly raise the bar for anglers of all levels wanting to improve their skills.
It’s a privilege for us to be able to harvest game from the land and waters. At Bay Flats Lodge, our philosophy is to give back and protect our natural resources so future generations can enjoy the same quality of outdoor life that we have experienced. Bay Flats donates a portion of every trip back to the Lone Star Legacy Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation’s restocking program. We give back to the preservation of the bay system, and the sport for those to come.
Captain Chris Martin
President
Bay Flats Lodge www.BayFlatsLodge.com
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