Weather conditions, surface temperature, and cooperative fish are all important factors in putting together a winning pattern for tournament anglers, but easily the most overlooked factor has to be preparation.

Kirk Stansel, a Big Lake guide for the past 31 years and part owner of Hackberry Rod and Gun Club shifted his weight from foot to foot with both hands tucked in his pockets while delivering his message to members and guests of the Golden Triangle CCA Chapter Thursday night. The affable guide wasn’t nervous...he was freezing to death!

We are looking at another dose of cold weather this week, but the modest warm up at the end of last week proved to be a shot in the arm for local fishing.

I have never been much on gadgets, more especially those related to fishing. I have seen so many throughout the years that I am skeptical of even those that appear to be the real deal.

The overhyped Flying Lure did prove to have some merit as we did not use the lure itself, but did use the technique that made it work so well with 4-inch plastic worms.

Two Walmart shoppers waiting to check out were discussing the oil spill that occurred Saturday on the Sabine-Neches Ship Channel. “I just don’t see how that could possibly happen,” said one of them.

Capt. Mike Rector of Bridge City emailed me a picture of his 11-year old son and fishing partner, Preston, maneuvering through the ice in his kayak.

It is hard to believe that we are about to close the book on what has been just an incredible year of fishing on Sabine Lake. The unforgettable run on big trout started about this same time last year and was still going strong in May.

It has now been a week, and while I feel blessed to have it over and done with, I am of the opinion that any surgery is the pits at best. It now appears that I will begrudgingly spend the remainder of the month on the injured reserve list, but I will fill that time helping Santa and reconditioning tackle in expectation of a big year in 2010.

For the few folks that knew that Dec. 7 would mark the end of my fishing for 2009, I appreciate every single prayer.

Mother Nature did area duck hunters no favor by shutting down the wind the latter part of last week, but it set up nicely for the fishermen. We had to endure a frosty boat ride at daylight each morning, but it warmed up quickly and so did the fishing. The birds worked all day long on a flat lake and the boat traffic was surprisingly light and courteous to boot.

It comes as no surprise that the first wave of Corkies made only a brief appearance in area Academy stores this past week. While the stores had a pretty generous initial stocking, it took only a hand full of desperate anglers to quickly sack up the more popular colors.

“Dang, I hate to break off another one of these baits,” muttered Aaron Felts as he gently tugged against a submerged snag in water much too deep to wade into. “That is just part of the game,” I reminded him as I continued to cast into a biting northeast wind.

Everyone with anything to sell should be so fortunate. You would think that boats, especially boats that are faster and better equipped than any ever offered before, would be the hottest topic at a Boat Show.

“What is a Catch V? I have never even heard of one of those,” said Johnny Hughes as he lobbed his chartreuse Catch 2000 in the general direction of a small point of grass jutting out across the shallow flat.

With only three days remaining before Santa secures his bulging sack of toys and points Rudolph and his pals southward, it is probably too late for Dad to add any last minute requests to the list. He has no one to blame but himself, however, as he too could have added his request to the list Mom mailed to Santa back in September.

Friday’s untimely arrival of an icy mixture of snow and rain not only put a halt to the annual Christmas parade, but some absolutely incredible fishing as well. While bragging size trout were starting to lure more and more anglers to the shallow flats, the never-ending bite under the birds continued to produce not only slot reds, but good numbers of trout up to four pounds as well.

“How do you make this thing work,” asked Lewis Williams as I tied the nondescript rubber lure on his line and tossed it in his direction. “Paul Brown already took care of that part,” I replied. “Just toss it out there as far as you can, retrieve it very slowly and let the trout do the rest!”