The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

More often than not, the joy of receiving a new rod and reel for Christmas is somewhat diminished by inclement weather that is not conducive to spending even a few minutes on the water. That, however, has not been the case of late and eight-year old Joey Lane was already

trying out his new rod at his Grandfather’s pond the morning after Santa left town.

The only problem for Joey was that Santa failed to leave enough lures to get him through a morning of fishing.Spinner baits are not the best choice of lures for fearless youngsters according to Santa’s helper and it didn’t take long for him to hang every one of them in a submerged

brush pile. “We’ll get them back when it warms up a little,” said his Gramps, Jason.

Things improved as soon as Jason rigged him up with a cork and a small piece of shrimp.After freeing a small turtle, Joey proceeded to catch five or six ten-pound bream in a row.What a day, even if none of the fish were actually as large as his hand! While they didn’t get any new gear, Everett Whitaker and two friends were equally excited about limiting on trout up to six pounds Sunday afternoon on Big Lake.“We have been catching some solid trout for the

past month, but nothing like this,” reported Whitaker. The three Tomball anglers were wading shallow oyster shell and caught all but a couple of their trout on a black/chartreuse She Dog. “We have been catching most of our trout swimming a bone diamond five-inch

Assassin, but it didn’t get much playing time Sunday,” reported Whitaker. I was a little surprised that they were wading less than three feet of water and never caught the first red.“It was almost like the old days,” added Whitaker. Local anglers, on the other hand, continue to catch their fair share of reds on Sabine. It has been a mixed bag of reds and trout for the waders

while the boat fishermen have done better on reds bottom fishing in deeper water. Frozen shrimp or shad have worked the best. Those anglers that just cannot tolerate bottom fishing are also catching slot reds on a Hoginar, Trap and four inch Swim Bait.They are still bouncing those lures off the bottom, but not having to deal with fresh dead bait! Local anglers that elected to spend the holidays on Toledo Bend or Rayburn have been in no big hurry to return home. “We were planning on coming home Sunday evening,” said Chad Sales, “but my Grandson caught

his first eight pound bass that morning and we unpacked the truck.See ya New Years Eve!”

The unexpected Christmas present crushed C.J.’s 3/8ths ounce spinner bait in six feet of water. “That pattern has worked well for us all week,” said Sales, “but we haven’t been catching bass like that.” “A little turkey might be a welcomed change,” reported Glenda Goins and

she was serious. “I have never eaten so much white perch in my whole

life. Ralph and the kids keep catching them and I keep cooking them.” Ralph said they are still fishing his brush piles closer to the bottom and the deeper crappie seem to be getting a little smaller on average. They have been fishing with shiners exclusively. Eddie Hudson gave himself an unexpected Christmas present that would please any fisherman. Due to a job change requiring relocation several years back, Eddie had methodically packed away items to be used once he

returned to the area and forgot about them. He is currently splitting time between Orange and Toledo Bend and could not have been more surprised or elated when he recently discovered a

fishing cache stowed away that he had forgotten about. “I have been like a little kid digging through stacks of Plano boxes filled with everything from crankbaits to worms and terminal tackle,” said Hudson.“Every box is a new surprise!” In Eddie’s case, it wasn’t like these were antiquated lures taking up room that no longer worked on Rayburn or Toledo Bend. They simply

represented an untapped bass fishing arsenal that will immediately find a place in his Bay Boat..

After talking with Eddie, I am not going to wait until next Christmas in hopes of surprising myself. I am going to dig through every sealed box in my attic tomorrow morning!