2005

Home	Contact Info	210-260-6154

2005 Fish Report and Recent Pictures

Jennifer, Nov 1, 05 Update

We would like to thank everyone that has responded to our call for prayer in regard to our daughter. The response from the fishing & kayaking community has been outstanding. I have created a webpage for Jennifer,  which will keep you updated on her progress as she goes through this terrible ordeal for the third time. We again thank you for your support and prayers. Currently Jennifer is back in school, back at work and she continues to improve.

Alamo Fly Fishers Christmas party

Rainbow Trout are Here !

The first load of rainbow trout have arrived at the Shonto Ranch in Kerrville. Trips are being booked and you could end up with a monster like Tom Whitehouse above. He caught this beast last season and has been talking about it ever since. Call us, 210-543-1865, or email us, k4r@leftyray.com for trip information. We furnish fly gear or light spinning gear and fish from the bank so waders are not required.

Free Fly Casting Class

The Alamo Fly Fishers will hold a free fly casting class on Saturday November 19 at noon. The general public is invited and gear will be provided. The location is the Cambridge Elementary school in Alamo Heights in San Antonio located at the corner of Broadway and Ogden.

So Long Texas Coast

Another great season has come and gone. I lost track of the many firsts that were achieved by clients. First red, first red on a fly, first flounder on a fly, first red via kayak, etc. The best part is that all fish were released this season. This marks the first season that every client cooperated and made it 100% catch & release.

With colder weather right around the corner, it is time for us to shift gears. The coldwater RAINBOW TROUT season is a few weeks away. We are booking trips already for these huge fish, fly gear or ultra-light spinning gear, your choice. We will be doing a preliminary trip to the fabled Shonto Ranch of the Texas Hill Country this week. The Nueces River is also another great choice. These coolers temperatures have the Guadalupe Bass very active.

As soon as I have finished compiling it, I will post my 2005 Product Reviews. These are my opinions on how some of the new gear I tried out this year fared. The great, good, bad, and the ugly will be revealed.

Again, thanks to all of my great clients who made this another successful year. Stay tuned for some great Rainbow Trout photos. So long Texas coast, see ya next spring.

Paddling Pirates

After a piss poor showing in the EEF kayak tournament, the paddling Pirates were content in winning the "Best Team Shirt" category. (1) Team Karankawa (2) Team American Rodsmith (3) Captain's meeting

(4) Below is last years Slam winner, Amancio with a 24 inch redfish.

(5) paddling Pirates (6) Pirate Joe and Lloyd getting ready to launch

(7) Amancio with a 21 inch red (8) Lefty Ray with a 20 inch red

Sweet's Success

Many firsts were achieved including the her first red caught ever. Above is Angela with a nice red caught on a topwater lure. This was Angela's second fishing trip of her life, but she fooled us as she was casting a fly rod and a spinning rod like a pro all day. (1) Below is Angela and Jim from San Antonio.

FFF Southern Council Conclave

Steve Flanagan and Lefty Ray once again attended the Conclave in Mountain Home, Arkansas. Above is a White River Rainbow Trout. Steve and Lefty Ray both tied flies throughout the weekend in front of a steady crowd trying to learn various saltwater patterns. Lefty Ray was nominated for fly casting instructor of the year for the second year in a row.

(1) Steve casting on the White River. (2) Popper galore. (3) Steve accepting a $1,000 college scholarship on the behalf of Buddy Robicheau's granddaughter.

(4) Stacy Trimble, from Austin, TX won 2nd place in the ladies longest distance casting contest. (5) Joseph, an old friend from St. Louis. (6) A nice colorful fly.

(7) Dale at his Blue Ribbon Fly Shop in Mountain Home. (8) The Reel Divas showed up in force.

The Paddling Pirates Have Arrived

Here is the link to the Pirate Page.

Dallas Does Dandy

Above, Julie with a nice red caught with a topwater lure. So many firsts were achieved that I lost track. Everyone had a great time despite the windy day and high water.

 (1) Mike, Julie, Bill, & Jeanne from the Dallas area. (2) Julie with another nice red.

(3) Jeanne with a small red. (4) Bill with his first spec.

(5) Guess who did this? His new nickname is "Big Bird."

Rita Rips Through

Another hurricane and another lost stretch of fishing days. The good part is that Rita missed the coastal bend. Our hearts and prayers go out the people on the Texas-Louisiana border affected by Rita.

To Move or Not to Move

Judy and Mike are retirees from New Mexico contemplating a permanent move to the Texas coastal bend. Above is Mike and his vote of "yes." The water and weather were perfect on the eve of Hurricane Rita making landfall.

Good Bye Old Paint

After over 189,000 miles my beloved "Havelina," a 1998 Chevy Tahoe has decided to head to better pastures. A major component failed leaving me stranded out in the middle of nowhere for the better part of 2 days. Many adventures and trips were enjoyed over the years. It has been to Yellowstone, dodged a couple of hurricanes, and even nailed an 8 point buck last winter. Nothing like losing a close and dear friend after so many years together. I hope its replacement the "Havelina II" will hang in there just the same.

Fly Casting Class Coming to Corpus

Once again we will be offering a casting class in Corpus. Above is Bob from San Antonio with a very nice Gunnison Colorado rainbow trout. Bob signed up for a fly casting refresher session prior to his trip and scored big as a result.

When & Where: Sunday morning Oct 16 at Roy's Bait & Tackle in Corpus.

How much? $50/person, equipment provided upon request.

How long? 3 to 4 hour session, maximum 8 people per class. Advance registration required.

How do I sign up? Email me k4r@leftyray.com or call 210-543-1865

Lefty Ray is one of the senior FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructors in Texas and has instructed for over 10 years all over central and south Texas. Individual sessions also available. Call for details.

Do What You Can

Hurricane Katrina could have easily hit our Corpus Christi metro area instead of Louisiana and Mississippi. The shoe could have been on the other foot and our coast could now be in ruins. Help however you can and do whatever you can. Guiding activities have been suspended and part of the Lefty Ray family has been volunteering and helping the victims of this disaster.

Texas Flyfishers Annual Redfish Rodeo

Amancio & Lefty Ray teamed up for the Redfish Rodeo again. Above is Amancio with a nice kayak caught red. This year the fly fishing rodeo benefited veteran guide Chuck Scates who is battling throat cancer. (1) Lefty Ray & Chuck Scates. (2) Mike Cook with shrimpers hat. (3) This years bait fishing crew.

(4) Winner of the biggest red. (5) Rodeo dinner shenanigans. (6) Lefty Ray finally gets to fish.

Rusty Returns

Rusty and Tom returned for some more kayaking as the water finally returned to the flats. Above is Tom with a nice red caught on a topwater lure.

Texas Flyfishers North Jetty Campout

With thoughts of tarpon dancing through everybody's mind, hopes were high, but the Fishing Gods must be on vacation as few fish were hooked and landed throughout the night. Some break-offs occurred and one rolling tarpon was spotted. (1) Aaron stripping in a fly at daybreak. (2) Jeremy with the catch of the trip, a nice skipjack.

Bass Birthday Bash

Above is 80 year old Charles from Houston with a 19 inch largemouth bass. Son Scott (below) and his sisters treated Charles to a Gift Certificate for a guided trip on the Nueces River for his 80th birthday. Charles scored a SLAM (perch, largemouth bass, and Guadalupe bass) and Scott scored a GRAND SLAM (perch, largemouth bass, Guadalupe bass, and Rio Grande perch). Custom designed Gift Certificates are available for your loved one. Various trips are available for a birthday or a Christmas present.

(1) Scott & Charles with a double hookup. (2) Charles with a huge 14 inch Guadalupe Bass. (3) A huge 10 inch Rio Grande Perch caught by Scott.

Kayak 4 Redfish Seminar, Fly Fishing Gear

Another SOLD-OUT session and more kayak fly fisherman have been brought up to speed. Everyone caught fish or got broke off by some monsters. Highlights include John with a 21 inch skipjack that took him into his backing and busted a couple of knuckles. Jerry got his SLAM (red, spec, and flounder). Many firsts were achieved by everyone, first red on a fly, first spec on a fly, first flounder on a fly , and many more. Below is Tim with a nice red. Get the full fishing report story and a chance to win a FREE guided kayak fishing trip by signing up for my Fishing Report at the top of the page or email me at k4r@leftyray.com .

(1) Speckled trout. (2) John with 21 inch Skipjack. (3) Jerry SLAMMED out with this flounder.

Kayak 4 Redfish Seminar, Conventional Gear

"No Water is Too Far, Too Shallow, or Too Hot!" Boy did my motto come true today. The after affects of the hurricane left the flats devoid of water and we had to really paddle quite a bit before we found some fish, plus it was really hot. Another SOLD-OUT class and nearly everyone caught fish. Below is Chet with the catch of the day, a 27 inch redfish.

Below is Ron who won the G. Loomis $200 baitcasting rod.

Weather Watcher

As much as we would like to go fishing, sometimes Mother Nature decides what is going to be on the agenda. Rain, high winds, high water, and lightening sometime pose a threat to the safety of kayakers. Email us at k4r@leftyray.com and we will send you the weather sites that we look at on a daily basis.

The Maine Thang

Joe from the state of Maine found out that the main thing while kayaking is to stay alive. Thunder, lightening, rain, big waves, and more lightening made it very exciting. Under the threat of getting permanent curly hair, we cut the day short, but not before scoring a SLAM while fly fishing ! Tuff day, tuff water (but somebody has to do it).

Potential State Record Redfish on a Fly

The Alamo Fly Fishers made a return visit to the North Jetty @ Port Aransas for an overnight stay. Several redfish, Spanish mackerel, skipjack, and snook were caught. The catch of the night was a 42 inch bull red caught on a fly by Jon King. This fish bottomed out a 30 lb Boga portable scale. State record application pending. Below is Jon King (left) and Bill Slough (right). The fish was released.

(1) Lefty Ray trying out a tent cot on the north jetty. (2) Happy hour at the Shark Shack.

(3) Lynn casting at sundown. (4) Dave with Spanish mackerel.

Another look at Jon's bull red.

First, First, First!

Tom (above) and Rusty (below) from San Antonio scored their first red, spec, and skipjack on a fly. The water was nice and glassy till noon and tails and schools were all around us.

Summer Sunrise

The best part of the kayak fishing season has arrived. Choice dates are getting tight. Call or email to reserve a guided trip with us. If you are not on the Fishing Report email list, send us an email to join. Now in its 4th year. We email this to you on a weekly basis, so no need to surf for the hard facts of what is happening on the water. We supply truthful information without the chamber of commerce hype or typical blowhard B.S. If the conditions and fishing is crappy, we will tell you so; and if it is fantastic we let you know that too. For those of you that signed up earlier this year, we gave away a free half day guided kayak trip. While that trip has yet to take place, we will again give away another trip later this summer. Stay tuned for details or signup before the rush.

The A.B.C.'s of Fishing

Aaron Beat Clint (ABC) with size and numbers of fish caught. The highlight was when Aaron hooked a 30 inch skipjack which made a spectacular leap right before our eyes before it came off.

San Gabriel Flyfishers

The newest fly fishing club in Texas, the San Gabriel Flyfishers from Georgetown, TX  came down and set a new single day record of 6 flounder caught in a day of flies.

Texas Flyfishers

The Texas Flyfishers from Houston paid us a visit and fish were caught.

(1) Scott w nice red. (2) Another Scott with another red. (3) Eduardo with red.

(4) Mike with his second red of the day. (5) Aaron casting away. (6) The "Mullet Master" did not want to be identified, but he caught 2 mullet on a fly, which has to be a record of some kind

Cabelas Sneak Peak

Cabela's in Buda, TX, just south of Austin will open on June 30th. This is a sneak peak of what to expect.

(1) Inside shot. (2) Reels, reels, and more reels. (3) "Where's the kayak dept.?

(4) One of many animals inside. (5) A full size elephant is included in the African diorama. (6) The kayak shop is getting in shape.

(7) The fly shop. (8) Inside the fly shop. (9) Kayaks are parked outside already.

(10) Hunting Dept. (11) The guns have not arrived yet. (12) The renown Bargain Cave.

(13) The Fishing Dept. (14) Now that's a surf rig. (15) The aquarium.

The Engle Angle

Noted writer, book author and Colorado fishing guide Ed Engle visits us and the Nueces River. The catch of the day was on the last cast of the day. A 13+ inch Guadalupe Bass hit a chartreuse/white Clouser. Larger than normal Guadalupe's keep getting caught on this particular stretch. Call us for a chance to set a state water body fish record on this river.

Just Beachy

Had a chance to visit Virginia Beach, Virginia and fish with Capt Cory Routh and former Corpus resident Chad Hoover. (1) Cory casting to Cobia. (2) Chad with flounder caught on a fly.

Beauty & the Beast

Diane latched onto a big beast with a fly. Never mind that the winds were pushing 20 mph and the passing clouds made site casting difficult, she got the job done.

(1) Bill also got into the action site casting to a tailing 26 incher. (2) Flounder on fly? You bet. (3) Diane & Bill honeymooning on the B&R Flat.

One-on-One Seminars

If the Kayak 4 Redfish Seminars dates are not convenient for your schedule, consider a private one-on-one seminar. This is a one day session done on the water with the same topics covered. We concentrate on filling up your mind with tactics and techniques, so that you can return and fill up the kayak with fish. Call for details.

Nuts About the Nueces River

We had so much fun on the Nueces River, we had to go back. Above is a 15 inch very large Guadalupe Bass. Very good day on the water enabled several anglers to land over a dozen Guadalupe's each on flies.

(1) Steve with 15 inch Guadalupe Bass. (2) Amancio with very large perch. (3) Secret spot #45.

Bud Priddy Memorial One Fly Contest

Here is Jennifer with a rather large 13 inch Guadalupe Bass caught on the Nueces River during the one fly contest. She caught a large number of bass and several perch. Stay tuned for the 2005 Fall issue of Southwest Fly Fishing magazine. It will have a feature story of mine on the Nueces River.

(1) Early morning signup. (2) Lefty Ray back casting. (4) Guadalupe Bass.

(5) Jennifer. (6) Awards dinner.

Texas Sporting Journal Magazine

Texas Sporting Journal Magazine will host a weekend getaway on the South Llano River near Junction , TX in August. The weekend will include fishing some private tanks and a private stretch of the South Junction River. Meals and housing will be included. Stay tuned to future issues of Texas Sporting Journal magazine for details.

Roy's Bait & Tackle Customer Appreciation Day

The Shimano Fishing Tour Team made a two day stop at Roy's annual spring get together. The team truck carries two kayaks and pulls the large trailer below. The trailer is full of rods and reels for customers to try out. Eric & Ross will make their next Texas visit at the Houston/Galveston EEF Kayak Tourny in May.

Roy's has expanded their fly fishing department. Fly casting classes will be arranged there in the near future.

Fishing has been tough as the winds surpassed 22mph over the course of 3 days. Fish were caught but the conditions have been very unpleasant.

O.T.K. (Other than Kayak)

Dave Scadden and his prototype flats float craft from Utah made its trial run. We took out a two seater and a single seater through some trial runs and chased some schools of reds with some success..

Kayak Instructor Certification Class

Patti from SouthWest Paddlesports in the Woodlands (Houston) conducted a 3 day class to certify kayak instructors and instructor trainers. We went through the rigors on the Brazos River near Navasota, TX.

The Kayak 4 Redfish Guide Service has achieved another first in becoming the first kayak fishing guide on the Texas coast to be an ACA Certified Touring Kayak Instructor.

(1) Paige spins out of an eddy. (2) Maria comes through some rapids. (3) Chuck demonstrates a spin.

Above Chuck shoots through some rapids.

(4) Mandy busts between some rocks. (5) Kens explains the throw rope. (6) Ask me about the story about the rock the next time you see me.

Kayak 4 Redfish™ Seminar

Another full class and more kayak fly fisherman are armed and dangerous. Watch out redfish. The first day included class instruction followed fly casting practice outside. The second day we put those new skills to work. This fly fishing group faced fierce winds and no sunlight but they prevailed. Many firsts were achieved including Mike's first red on a fly (below). More fish were caught but released before I could arrive with a camera. New dates for the next round of kayak fishing seminars to be posted in about 1 week.

(1) Forrest with a skipjack. (2) Flounder were around for those with patience. (3) This red was caught site casting with a popper.

What Do You See?

A superb caster cannot be denied. The winds hit 30 mph and the flats were bare but Raymond from Houston would have none of it. He scored his first flounder, redfish, and spec on a fly fishing the Brown & Root Flat.

Kayak 4 Redfish™ Seminar

Another sold out class and two days of fun. Instruction was conducted during the first day and these lessons were put to practice on the second day. The weather tried to hold us back, but to no avail, fish were caught and fun was had by all. The fly fishing class is next weekend (April 9 & 10). Call if you want in, 210-543-1865. Join the first kayak fishing school established on the Texas coast. The next conventional class will be posted in 2 weeks.

Above is Lonnie with a 28 inch redfish which turned out to be the prize catch of the day.

(1) The group class. Joaquin won the G. Loomis baitcasting rod. (2) Homer breaks the ice by catching the first red. (3) David proves, "No Water, No Problem."

(4) David gets into the action. (5) Unloading in the morning. (6) Jeff with his first redfish ever! (photo courtesy of Jeff)

The day after the seminar Chad landed this beauty (photo courtesy of Chad). In his words "Your fish fighting advice paid off. He was 29" long. My first cast ever with that lure got him! Thanks again for the weekend. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did."

Kayak 4 Snapper™

We are now conducting guided trips via kayak for mangrove snapper. We believe we are the 1st in providing this service in Texas. Enjoy a short paddle and cast very light tackle (fly or spinning) for these scrappy fighters. We fish from the kayak in protective waters. This is a lot of fun and very easy to do. Email me for details k4r@leftyray.com

Sweet Shonto Success

Above Kim holds a nice Shonto rainbow trout about 18 inches long caught on a fly.

(1) Kaye with rainbow. (2) Kathy with one of many rainbows caught that day. (3) Ernie holding a dry fly caught rainbow.

Shallow Water Fishing Expo, Austin, TX

Noted fly caster and author Chico Fernandez checks out the Kayak 4 Redfish booth at the Shallow Water Show. Fellow fly angler Joe Filer from San Antonio looks on. At this show I debuted by new slide show titled, "Fishing the Brown & Root Flat of Aransas Pass." The show was filled with details on launching spots, where to fish, tactics, and GPS points of the major spots. This slide show is available for sale for $10 (without audio). This includes a never before seen aerial map of the Brown & Root Flat. Email me at k4r@leftyray.com if you want a copy.

(1) David & the Lone Star Kayak booth. (2) & (3) Chico putting on a casting demonstration.

Lefty Ray Scores a Double at TOWA

At the Texas Outdoor Writers Association annual meeting, I received 2 First Place awards. One was for Outdoor Photography Action Category and the other was for Newspaper Feature Story. The story was titled "Kayaker Killed," which appeared in the Saltwater Texas newspaper in April 2004. I took a lot of heat when the story first appeared, but  the judges liked it and awarded it First Place. Click here to read it yourself. My purpose in writing this story was to create awareness of the dangers of a possible motor boat and kayak collision. It created some controversy, but the controversy created some discussion and increased awareness of what I was warning about. As I said in the story "The ever increasing number of kayakers on the water mixed with an uneducated boating community is a potential recipe for disaster." To date some boat/kayak collisions have occurred but no life has been taken.

(1) Tripp Holmgrain with 2 First Place awards. (2) Ray Keeling with a First Place and Second Place award.

Cabelas in Buda, TX Update

The grand opening is planned for May 28th. That is a little over 2 months away. This location will have a Bargain Cave just like the other stores.

Kayak Kid Conquers Shonto

Buzzz AKA Kayak Kid got his arm yanked off stripping in some rainbows. The catch of the day was the above trout which was 21 inches long. Great weather and great company made it a wonderful day.

Third Shonto Slam (in a row)

Coach Bush scores a SHONTO SLAM . In preparation for a trip to Brazil we got Coach up to speed with a fly rod. If he can rack 'em up here, we feel sure he can do it down there. Many fish were caught on a very pretty sunny day.

Bass Pro San Antonio

The site work is coming around nicely. It will be located across I-10 from Fiesta Texas and Loop 1604.

Sundown Shonto Slam

Ron from Canyon Lake scored a SHONTO SLAM but it took all day to get it. The perch and rainbows were willing all afternoon, but the banana came on the last cast of the day.

Fly Fishing Bass-ackwards

This is what happens when you hook a perch and let it dangle in the water too long. The big bass at the Shonto Ranch know an easy meal when they see one. In addition to these two fish, Todd also caught plenty of rainbows but the highlight was getting his 3 fish SHONTO SLAM with only 2 casts! Wait till you see the video.

Bob Bags a Beauty

Bob kept catching the best looking fish of the day. He was also part of some of the double hook-ups, and even a triple hook-up that we had during the afternoon.

Houston Fly Tying Festival

Steve Flanagan and I were once again invited to tie at this Houston Texas Fly Fishers event.

(1) Steve Flanagan tying a fly. (2) Ron Mayfield from Houston. (3) Lefty Ray

(4) Jerry Loring, Texas Fly Fishers President. (5) Featured fly tyer Jack Gartside from Boston Mass. (6) Chris from Houston.

Shonto Slam (Bow, Brown, Banana)

O.C. from Victoria scores a river ranch slam at the Shonto Ranch. Several rainbows were caught plus the first brown trout of the season. The banana is not a golden trout but a rainbow with one of the pigments missing. Very beautiful.

First Flounder Found

Ed O. from Richmond, Virginia wanted to go kayaking no mater what the weather was like. Although the promise of a decent day was in the forecast, it did not arrive. The temps were in the mid 50's and the NE wind never let up. Nevertheless we found some flounder willing to cooperate.

Birding Boat & the Whooping Cranes

A Whooping Crane wintering in the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.

Fellow kayak guide Captain Tommy Moore and his wife Darcy run birding boat tours during the winter to view the Whopping Cranes. These endangered birds winter in our part of the Texas coast. It is an unbelievable sight to see these huge birds out in the wild and up close via Tommy's double-decker boat. I highly recommend this trip to everyone. They can be reached at 877-TX-BIRDS or www.rockportadventures.com and are located in Rockport.

The Legends of Texas Fly Fishing

This fishing year is dedicated to these 6 individuals. They have more fly fishing experience than I can imagine. While a few of them are still in great shape and a few of them are starting to slow down a bit, the fire inside of all of them still remains the same.

Merry Christmas

A very unusual snowfall hit the coastal bend creating a White Christmas.

 The first such occurrence in over 100 years.

Merry Christmas @ the AFF Party

The Alamo Fly Fishers had their annual end of the year party and dinner.

Tom Takes Trout

Tom from San Antonio had a blast on his first trip to the Shonto Ranch. The first cast, first strike, first hookup, brought this 24 inch rainbow trout to hand. Needless to say everything was downhill from there. Although more fish were caught, including a second 24 incher, this could have been you!