22/23 Fall Preview – Texas Drought

**Texas Drought Conditions**

**Waterfowl/Gator/Teal/Dove – Fall Preview**

It’s been a really great fishing season thus far with guests from far and wide enjoying time on the water with the best guides on the coast. As we head towards combination trips in September for Dove & Teal as well as the Big Duck Season starting in November, the presence of drought conditions in Texas offer a unique experience for Dove & Waterfowl hunters alike. The trouble with dove hunting on the coast is rain during wet cycles. The last time we were in a drought was from May of 2009 to March of 2013.

This sets us up for awesome dove hunting for all local species of White-Wing; Mourning; and, Eurasian Dove. For waterfowl, the presence of drought gives the Central Flyway few alternatives either on flooded inland flats or area reservoirs. Flooded fields will be limited by restrictive water access, cost, and fuel; reservoirs are drawn down significantly taking water well away from vegetation lines and turning them into big mud puddles with little cover or forage. We’ve been there and done that before during 09 to 13. While we wished we’d never see it again, I can assure you for waterfowler’s it is a dream set up for those of us that make our living on the bays and back lakes of The Texas Mid-Coast. What will be different (depending on the health of the flyway – a question not many have the answer to given the lack of survey’s during Covid) is the amount of puddle ducks on the barrier island. In a wet cycle, this is home primarily to divers as puddle ducks including Wigeon, Gadwall, PIntail, Teal, and the likes will be scattered out all over South Texas, on the bays, inland, and reservoirs. with the absence of those alternatives, The Central Flyway will concentrate on the coast travelling to small ponds of freshwater multiple times a day creating it’s own “movement”.

We’re presently filling out the calendar and look forward to welcoming guests from all over The Nation this season.

**Alligator Season**

We’re just about at max capacity and presently filling out a few remaining dates. If you’re interested, now is the time to finalize those plans.

**Fishing**

We’ve had an exceptional fishing season and look forward to some cooler weather and excellent fishing on out into December.

We’ve got lots of memories to make, we look forward to welcoming you, come see us!

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

**Sponsored by: Mercury Marine; Air Ranger Airboats; Haynie Bay Boats; Baysport Marine Victoria; Coastline Trailers; JL Marine; Stiffy Push Poles; ForEverlast Products; Carbon Marine; CorrosionX; Pure Fishing; and, Bob’s Machine Shop.**