Rich on the Road

Lake Whitney

Photographer Rick Smith and I were Lone Star Adventuring today on Lake Whitney with fishing guide Randy Routh -- locked in and catching big catfish around a flooded island in the middle of the scenic lake (maybe the most scenic in Texas) where thousands of egrets have nested and are raising their young.  Catfish are attracted by bird droppings (not a real appetizing thought) and Randy says the result has been the best catfish bite he's ever encountered.  After reeling in some monsters, I have to agree.

Old friend Luke Clayton gave me the heads up on Randy.  Luke writes now for Catfish Gold magazine and dozens of newspapers.  He raved about the fishing and the setting and he was right.  The water has receded a bit but there's plenty of flooded grass where bugs and earthworms always attract catfish after the water comes up.  The combination of the birds and the flooded grassland is a perfect storm.  Randy expects it to stay redhot at least through September.  I won't run the piece on TV for at leas four weeks so get a jump on the crowd and book a trip with Team Redneck Guide Service by calling 817.822.5539 -- or checking him out online at www.teamredneck.net

All the rain we had this spring and summer has been great for our lakes.  It's flushed out the golden algae which had been plaguing Possum Kingdom and Granbury and others on the Brazos River and threatening Whitney.  It made conditions perfect for an explosion of bait fish that should keep fishing terrific for years to come.

Rich