By Capt. David C. Dillman
galvestonbaycharterfishing.com | 832-228-8012
There are places in time etched in your memory. Some might be related to travels, family, relationships, or even a first love. Those of us who enjoy the outdoors, have one or more experiences etched in our mind.
I had a gentleman call and book a trip for May 13, 2020. A couple days before the trip we talked and he said “we like to wade.” He knew it wasn’t my style of fishing, due to my customer base. I laughed and told him “I have not waded in almost 20 years.” The day before the trip I called him and said “bring your wading gear.”
It was just him and his friend for the day. I still had a old wade belt and stringer, minus useable waders, so wet wading it was for me that day. Before leaving the house, I looked into my collection of MirrOlures, picking one to use that day and off I went to Eagle Point Fishing Camp.
Departing from Eagle Point that morning they asked “Where are we going?” I replied, “where the good Lord takes us.” We were going to a legendary place in East Galveston Bay. A place in time during this period known for producing trout, a place I have not waded in 20 or so years!
As we rounded the corner towards Fat Rat Pass, the water turned trout green! With no other boat around, we idled in towards the shoreline where a small patch of shell extends out from the shore. Baitfish flipping all around, we were at the right place at the right time!
My two customers bailed out of the boat before I was even ready. I instructed them to head west and stop and start fishing once they feel the shell under their feet. They were armed with topwaters and corkies; no babysitting these two guys. I fumbled around, donning my pants, boots, and wade belt, then tied on my MirrOlure. I was going to live and die by that lure on this day. They were catching them as I waded up to the spot. Once I figured out the bite, that old lure still worked great, to this day.
On my way back home that afternoon, I called Mike Williams. He was the first person to introduce me to the MirrOlure as a young man. He designed many of the color patterns for this bait. I gave him the color pattern and model number stamped on the bottom of this bait. He said “That lure is from the mid 70’s and is legendary!“ When I got to the house and cut the lure off the line, it went back into the original box.
Memories in life are often never repeated, hence why they are memories. On this particular day, in a legendary place, on a legendary lure, on what could be my “last wade,” will be forever etched in my mind.
