Castaway Lodge Seadrift Report
By Capt. Kris Kelley

Blistering hot Trout action early to late week gave way to scalding winds and a return emphasis on Redfish to present. Buttoning up shallow on schools of Redfish in shallow bays and back lakes has been the ticket with full limits returning here to the lodge. Big winds are shredding the water in many locations. The only saviour is the incoming tide over shell and that has been dragging in mid to late in the day. Pulling Trout out of dirty water was key to any Trout numbers lately. They're mixed with Gafftop competing for shrimp and finfish and it looks like the Gafftop may be winning the day. Trout checked yesterday looked absolutely famished coming out of off color water.

I think when the winds break it's going to be a major feeding cycle for the spotted beauties and a return to full limits. While 2011 weather is paralleling 2009 drought conditions, Trout numbers feel greatly improved and widespread.

Wx Outlook

...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION...
.REST OF TODAY...SOUTH WIND 15 TO 20 KNOTS BECOMING SOUTHEAST
IN THE AFTERNOON. BAYS CHOPPY.
.TONIGHT...SOUTHEAST WIND 15 TO 20 KNOTS DECREASING TO 10 TO
15 KNOTS AFTER MIDNIGHT. BAYS CHOPPY.
.THURSDAY...EAST WIND 10 TO 15 KNOTS SHIFTING SOUTHEAST IN THE
AFTERNOON. BAYS SLIGHTLY CHOPPY TO OCCASIONALLY CHOPPY.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...SOUTHEAST WIND 10 TO 15 KNOTS. BAYS SLIGHTLY
CHOPPY TO OCCASIONALLY CHOPPY.
.FRIDAY...SOUTH WIND 15 TO 20 KNOTS. BAYS CHOPPY.
.SATURDAY...SOUTHEAST WIND 15 TO 20 KNOTS. BAYS CHOPPY.
.SUNDAY...SOUTHEAST WIND 15 TO 20 KNOTS. BAYS CHOPPY.

A little lull in the winds tomorrow and Friday may be just enough to open up the Trout action for a brief window heading into the "Big" Weekend. Come see us.

Capt. Kris Kelley
Castaway Lodge
1-888-618-4868
www.seadriftbayfishing.com

Castaway Lodge Seadrift Report
By Capt. Kris Kelley

You know you've got a "dream job" when "a good day fishing is a good day at the office"! What a great office too, no walls, the most beautiful view, and a 225 Mercury Pro XS on the back courtesy of Chris' Marine and Haynie Boats. Well, lots of great days this Spring and I guess I couldn't have timed the transition better from my airboat to working the big water for Trout. Limits on limits with big smiles and happy fishermen. Despite challenging Northerly winds at some hefty velocities, the shell laden waters of San Antonio Bay are full of hungry Trout that are more than happy to "make our day".

We stumbled a little bit on Friday with a gutted bay after the big storms on Thursday but still managed better than half limits to 20" for the Clay M. "employee appreciation" trip. Winds were light but the water was shredded and there were some toe stubbing transitions quickly ahead as winds built out of the North. A big "real estate" shift proved productive by Saturday making the day for some salwater newcomers from Ft. Worth. Larry B. and his son-in-laws took a "boys weekend out" trip and it's certainly one they won't forget anytime soon. With Trout slashing our offerings in a schooled up frenzy, Larry mentioned "you know I've never caught fish like this ever, of any kind". Welcome to Castaway Lodge my friend.

Capt. James worked up near limits for Day 2 of the Clay M. trip on Saturday with full limits coming Sunday for Jay G. and guest. I had a quickie with Larry B. and the boys that maxed the 85 Quart Yeti out. "Jail breaking" shell in SAB yielded solid Black Drum action averaging 25", man they were some pigs that just about beat the boys down. Trout were scattered with the Drum and we managed to catch a handful before taking it to the ramp. All in all, smoking hot fishing and nothing but "blue skies" ahead. PCS over shell has been the ticket. Croaks are on the wee small side and growing.

Fishing around big winds is challenging and the margin for error is often very small. We will be fishing "on the margins" for awhile from the looks of the forecast. Have a great week!

Capt. Kris Kelley
Castaway Lodge
1-888-618-4868
www.seadriftbayfishing.com

Castaway Lodge Report
By Capt. Kris Kelley

In a report of a little over a week ago, I mentioned that we had picked up and sustained the first big push of water in the bay systems that I had seen all Spring. If you wonder why "water levels" and Spring Tides are a concern and have a tendency to be discussed and weaved through the pages of my fishing reports, just take a look at the explosive Trout fishing making the headlines up and down the coast. A Spring Tide is essentially a big push of water from the Gulf and sustained higher than normal water level in the bay systems. Structure, be it shorelines, shell reefs, mud/grass pockets, sand bars, all fish better with some water on them. The strong incoming water flow is like a conveyor belt that restocks and replenishes the bay systems bringing Surf run Trout and Redfish along with many other species into the bays in search of food sources and spawning grounds. As we fish through the Winter time on typically low water levels, a Spring Tide is something we look for as a sign of nature's restocking program on the move.

If the Fishing Reports board was a stock ticker, we'd be pegging 14,000 at present and the Bulls would be dominating the Bears right now. Big catches of Trout and Redfish are dominating the boards and setting the stage for a great 2nd Quarter. Big winds that are a trademark of Spring started deminishing early week and that opened up broader open water structure in search of Trout. Showering Glass Minnows and Menhaden pointed the way to excellent catches working varying depths over Shell reefs. Big incoming tides during the morning didn't hurt anything either. Thursday, the tide was a litte more advanced around break light and "it was rediculously ON". Over the weekend, we started out the days in a "dead zone" between tides with the incoming tide arriving mid-morning. Capt. James C. started us off on the right foot Saturday quickly narrowing down Trout hot spots that yielded solid results with soft action in the slack tide early. With quick limits coming to hand for Kevin L. and father he set out after Redfish finding limits over mud/grass. While I was working with the Kyle W. high school reunion group, we had pulled off half limits fishing through the slack tide but never really hit a flat spot in the fishing. As the tide started coming in things hit a crescendo with solid Trout to 20" hitting the deck and a frenzied bite firing off.

Sunday's trip with Kenny H. Bachelor party group started out "just right". I told the guys to "gather around" as I made a "demonstration cast". "All right guys let me show you how to do this"; as I fired the first cast out, it barely hit the water as a solid Trout about tore the rod out of my hand. I handed the rod off to one of the guests and said "reel this Trout to the boat". When a trip starts out like that, it's usually going to be "action packed". Capt. Doug had some "slow moving fisherman" that decided to howl at the moon all night but he managed to get them into the action quickly. One of the guys on Doug's boat said "you just couldn't ask for any stronger bite than that".

This is definately the way to start May off on the right foot and I've got a sense that we've got a lot more great action around the corner as we head into Summer. Schedule a little "me time" and lets go fishing. Hope you have a great week! Come see us.

Capt. Kris Kelley
Castaway Lodge
1-888-618-4868
www.seadriftbayfishing.com