Trout & Gators On The Move

Castaway Lodge Report
by Capt. Kris Kelley

Trout action picked up for us late week with Redfish action slower on low water and a falling tide during the day. Emergent grass growth has exploded during the past week and bait concentrations are blossoming throughout. Schools of shad running with the tide over shell led our guests to solid catches of Trout to 22" lately working live shrimp; soft plastics; and, topwater while wading and drift fishing.

Last Spring I witnessed more alligators coming into the salty back lake environs than I had ever seen "cumulatively" in my career. Evidently they were migrating from the freshwater ponds on Matagorda Island feeding on Mullet and other baitfish in the area. Alligators are a freshwater reptile so seeing them actively feeding in saltwater lakes and marshes is something I've seen occassionally. To date this Spring, I hadn't seen any signs of them reappearing until Friday. I ran into a 9' alligator at the far West end of Power Lake. I don't know if this is the beginning of another unusual presence of them in the back lakes but it makes you wonder?

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