The Admiral's Log
by Capt. Joe Kent
Sailor’s Delight, Fisherman’s Plight
Over the past two decades, there has been a shift in weather patterns, especially along the upper Texas Coast. March has long been considered the windiest month of the year; however, April now has that dubious honor.
While sailboat owners enjoy this windy month, fishermen curse the dastardly winds that keep them off the open bays and restricted to protected shorelines and other areas where the wind is not a problem.
April is one of the transition months for saltwater fishing. It is a time when the water temperature hits the magic 70-degree mark and fish become active after a long winter of living in cold water and enduring frequent cold fronts.
Old timers around the Galveston Bay Complex used to look at San Jacinto Day, April 21, as the beginning of the saltwater fishing season. Prior to the mid-1970s, the day was recognized as a state holiday and schools, along with many businesses in Houston and southern Harris County, would close in honor of the victory at San Jacinto. The result was a lot of people making that first fishing trip of the season.
