It seems such an irony that Kinsel and Company keep their barge in the marina when they still owe us some work on the breakwater that they have been paid for. I understand they have permission from the an owner in Sea Shell Shores.
J.R. is making good use of the backhoe while he has it. He used it to lift the two big rotted posts from the mitigation site that were near the wall by 608. He also had the AEP come out and repair the two street lights along the entrance road. The lights had been out for months.
My visit with Karen Meador of TPW went well last week. She said oyster harvesting is still closed in all the bays except Mesquite Bay because of the residual effects of the red tide from last fall. The season ends at the end of April and the ban may last until then. She showed me a power point presentation from the department about the trout population. The fall surveys showed a decline in keeper trout that is consistent with the decline from recent years. The trend line has been steadily showing a decrease for the last seven years. We are almost at historical lows. On the other hand, the bag seine surveys for the last two years showed a sharp spike upward to historical highs on the number of juvenile trout. She said it takes 30 months for a trout to reach the keeper size of 15 inches. With that in mind, she said by late summer we should see an abundance of keeper trout. I can only hope she is right. She did add that it is likely that in May, anglers will be asked to bring the department live larger trout for breeding purposes. They are considering a restocking project for the area bays.
+

When you don't have a garage or a workshop and the weather is poor, what does a guy do? Answer, move the work into the house.Scott and his family and I painted on this thing in his condo. Saturday night, after the seven hour board meeting, I held the light and he dug the holes and poured the cement into the holes to anchor the posts. On Sunday we attached the sign. I know, now all we need is some fish to display on it, but when we do catch some, we are ready

Chuck Madsen(107) exercises his dogs every chance he gets. Onyx, Willa, and Cinder all look so much alike I have a hard time telling them apart. They are grandmother, mother and daughter. I can tell the grandmother, Onyx, only because she is starting to gray a bit. Chuck and Sandy's motor home is still in the shop for brake work in Kerrville. My dentist, Bradley Schultz, is also an avid duck hunter albeit not so avid and Chuck. When I was there last week he said he was going to Crab N to have them cook some of his duck from this year's season. I didn't even know Crab N did duck. I've always taken fish to be cooked there.
Yesterday my friend, Gerald Spencer, and I took his 21 foot Carolina Skiff for a day of fishing. There were a lot of boats at Conn Brown Harbor, but I saw no one cleaning any fish. Gerald pulled in two undersized trout and I went all day without a bite. It was a lot fun though.
Rain is in the forecast for tonight again. I saw a stat that said that we have had more rain the last four months than the last two years combined. This should bode well for a huge Texas Bluebonnet crop. They usually start to bloom late in March.
Jim and Barbara, former Kontiki owners, are having their kitchen in Heron's Roost remodeled. J.R. and his crew are doing the work.
Josh Carter, an hydraulic engineer from Coast and Harbor Engineering of Austin, came by yesterday to look over our breakwater and channel problems. He took a lot of notes and pictures. He estimated that for between $7k and $12k a proposal could be drawn up for solving our problems. This is a triparty project among Phase I, Phase II, and Sea Shell Shores. It's difficult for our board to take any action without the cooperation and agreement with the other parties. The channel is silting in rapidly since the dredging of last spring. I do recall the dredge operator telling me, "I'll see you all again next year." Texas Parks and Wildlife operates a boat launch at Bayside that has many of the same silting problems. They have tried a number of remedies and nothing has worked.

The retaining wall for the mitigation site was repaired today. The sand had washed out between the road and the wall. J.R. replaced the washed out portion with a mixture of cement and sand. When that mixture sets up, it will be solid and resist washing out again. The posts were all leaning inward.
The boards as well as the posts were replaced. The old posts were no more than four feet long. It was only an illusion that they were deeper below the water level. I think we took low bid on that job. Speaking of cost, I wonder how this cost will be divided. Almost all of us would think this is a Phase I problem, but as far as I know, this property actually belongs individually to our HOA president. Who ultimately has responsibility for maintaining the mitigation site? No one can tell me exactly where our property boundaries are, but I don't believe they extend that far. There is a recent survey stake a few feet east of this work and that may be the end of our property. Even the appraisal district does not have an answer to this.
These are some of the posts that were replaced.

J.R. brought out a backhoe today to work on the lift station. Here one pump is lifted out cleaned, and repaired. J.R. is very skilled at operating the backhoe. He said he first operated one when he was nine years old. The second photo shows J.R.'s dog, Ryker. You can guess whose feet he is curled up by. He is never far from J.R. When you see Ryker you know J.R. is somewhere near. The backhoe will also be used to work on the bulkhead problems next to the road by the mitigation site.

Work was completed today on the window replacement on the 400 building. Here we see Carlos' wife painting the trim. It was pretty scary seeing her so high with no help. Carlos has done a great job for us and painted in nearly every condo. He was given an offer he couldn't refuse for a free sabbatical trip south of the Rio Grande. The cost to get back sometimes exceeds $2,000.

Trash trucks must be bigger than they were years ago. These two concrete squares were put in place fifteen years ago to prevent just what we see in the picture. I guess with larger trucks we may have to put down more squares to bear the load of the trucks. These concrete squares were purchased in the early nineties to use under the buildings as a base for replacement temporary piers where the old ones had rotted out. When we replaced the rotted piers with concrete piers, the concrete squares were no longer needed. I'm sure there are some more still under the buildings.
This weekend was the annual Lamar Fire Department fund raiser. It is interesting how they have advertised the event. They call it the LamarDI Gras event. I did see two sheriff's vehicles and an EMS unit heading across the causeway this afternoon. I hope there was not an accident at the event.
The old Burger King restaurant that was reopened as China Bay and then closed, has now reopened as Panda Bay. There seem to be a few cars in the parking lot when I have gone by.
The Pelican Bait Stand is being remodeled at the Rockport Harbor. The Navigation District owns the building and leases it out. During this off season for fishing was the best time to remodel. No one has any bait anyway.
A grant of over $200,000 has been awarded to improve the boat launch area at the south end of Copano Bay fishing pier. The launch was built last year and this grant is for more parking and picnic facilities.
The Aransas County ISD has been going down in student enrollment the last few years and earlier this month the high school was moved down to the 3A level. They will now compete with Aransas Pass, Ingleside, and other small districts in University Interscholastic League events.
Justin and Rachel have relocated back to California. Rob has finished the initial phase of the remodel of 202 and begun working to remodel 502.

Electricians were on site today to repair the fish cleaning stand. They showed me some the previous work that led to the problems that we are having. Scott has ordered some Starboard, a cutting surface board like on the new pier, to install on the fish cleaning surface. The old plywood has never been replaced and was wearing out.

Hector worked today to remove the sand from the concrete walkways that need to be built up with more concrete. He wasn't sure when the repair work would begin.

The white foam on the water today was as bad as I have ever seen. I visited with Karen Meador, marine biologist in charge of Aransas Bay, on Friday. I have an appointment to talk to her in detail on Tuesday. I will ask her about the foam We will also look at the fall gill net survey for Aransas Bay.

Steve and Cheryl(202),front right, were in town this weekend. They invited me to join them and their friends, Dana, Ernie, and Harris at the Yacht Club to watch the superbowl game. It is so neat to have so many new owners here at Kontiki who are so much fun to be around. Cheryl taught me a new card game called 31. I had a perfect 31 on the first hand we played, but my luck didn't last. Steve and Cheryl tried out their new boat on Friday and Saturday, but did not find any hungry fish. Rob started today to do a re-remodel on their condo. 202 was one of the first to be remodeled and Rob is now making changes that were incorporated into the later remodels. They are going to replace the carpet with wood floors both up and downstairs.
Steve and Jane(711) spent the weekend here also. Steve has built a really neat webpage to advertise their condo. It is a must see. www.rockporttxvacationcondo.com
Jim and Lois(705) enjoyed some time on the tennis court today, but the forecast for the rest of the week is not so promising.
I tried a DOA on the pier before the cold front hit this evening. There were some trout around, but I only caught one small one.

It's nice to know there are a few trout in the area. Randy(308) sent this picture this morning that a friend had sent to him. Here is his quote.
Finally found these trout stacked up in my canal during the cold weather last week. Caught 24 solid trout on sand eel and topwater in about two hours last Friday . . . 5 over 20" . . . largest 23". Big ones were on topwater spook.
Funny thing is that I took off that day to go fishing with my neighbor in his boat but it was too foggy so we cancelled. So I resigned myself to fish off my dock again, but was pleasantly surprised.
However, only 1 trout since then . . . go figure.
Randy said it wasn't in Key Alegro. Bayhouse maybe?

It's interesting to watch the ever changing shoreline of the HEB property. Here you can see that a second shoreline has been formed. This only happens when the tide is low and strong winds prevail long enough to deposit shell at the lower water level.

The sidewalk repair has been completed, or at least on one of the several that need to be done. These have been a trip hazard for a long time.

The bay this morning had spots of suds all over it. The corner by the pier shown here was covered. I can only surmise this is a result of phosphates being leached from agricultural operations by the rains that have been persistent this winter. I'm sure many other chemicals are also being washed into the bay system. I don't think this bodes well for fishing this summer.

Randy(308)sent this article from the Corpus Christi Caller Times. This is good information for boat owners.

COASTAL BEND — Routine corrosion problems are never ending for Coastal Bend boat owners.
And now that ethanol is being distributed more widely in Texas — and a mixture of up to 10 percent ethanol is sold at all Corpus Christi Valero and Stripes stores — local boat mechanics tell me they expect ethanol-related problems to increase, particularly with older outboards and boat components.
The lower the ethanol content the better, said service specialists Marty Benge (361-937-7800) at Gulf Coast Marine and Kerry Henry (361-994-0317) at Ronnie’s Marine. The trouble is, ethanol mixtures vary in potency from place to place and, in some cases, from season to season in certain regions. But 10 percent is the maximum for now for us.
If a push for 15 percent ethanol goes through, then we’ll have real problems, Henry said.
All new model outboards can run fine on what’s called E10 (up to 10 percent ethanol). However, performance and efficiency may suffer. But with routine maintenance and several precautions, problems can be reduced, Benge and Henry said.
I could not confirm this, but a report circulating around the boating community claims that a local man tested ethanol content at several local pumps. He found at least one retailer that consistently dispensed fuel that contained considerably more than 10 percent ethanol.
To conduct your own test, talk to Kevin at Coastal Bend Lawn & Garden in Portland. Call (361) 777-0277. As for a Gasohol Test Kit.
In other parts of the country ethanol essentially melted or dissolved the insides of fuel tanks made of fiberglass. Newer fiberglass tanks are not a problem. Fiberglass fuel tanks are not popular here, but at one time were being installed mostly on high end larger boats made by Hatteras, Bertram and Chris Craft in the 1960s and 70s and later were installed on some Boston Whalers.
Because alcohol is a solvent, this property also can result in the breakdown of other boat components such as rubber fuel lines. This breakdown results in a gummy sludge that can find its way into the engine and clog fuel filters and valves, leading to engine failure.
Newer boats are equipped with ethanol resistant parts.
Ethanol’s solvent quality also can loosen residual varnish, rust and grim throughout the system, again, clogging fuel filters, jets, carburetors and injectors and causing engine failure.
If you have old fuel in your tank, it’s best not to mix it with E10. And change your fuel filter after at least every 50 to 100 hours of use.
Ethanol not only is corrosive but it absorbs water, which can cause fuel to separate. The water-alcohol mixture then sinks to the bottom of tanks or engines and wreaks havoc.
If you don’t have a fuel-water separation filter, get one. Henry and Benge recommend one rated at 10 microns. They also recommend a fuel stabilizer, which should be an additive recommended specifically for your outboard. Local mechanics like Johnson-Evinrude 2+4 stabilizer, but, again, consult your owners manual. Don’t be taken by fuel additives that claim they can offset ethanol-related problems. Go to a reputable marine dealer.
Below are symptoms, recommendations and more information on ethanol as it relates to boats and motors.
RECOMMENDATIONS
- Use components compatible with ethanol and replace those that are not (check with your boat mechanic)
- Install a large capacity fuel water separation filter (10 micron) if you don’t already have one.
- Carry extra FUEL filters onboard.
- Keep your fuel tank full.
- Smaller horsepower engines should consider using small capacity portable fuel tanks.
- Try to use the same source for fuel every fill-up.
- When using a fuel stabilizer, always add fresh stabilizer to fresh fuel.
- Use your boat frequently to avoid stale fuel.
- Never combine old fuel that has darkened with fresh E10 fuel. The resulting gunk will clog filters and result in costly damages.
- If you have old fuel in your tank, bring it to a marine dealer for disposal. There will be a fee.
- Buy from high-volume fuel retailers.
- Use only manufacturer recommended fuel additives.
- Do not knowingly use fuel with more than 10 percent ethanol.
- Check hoses often for cracking or other signs of softening, hardening or leaks.
- Check your fuel tank for water and separation.
- Replace your fuel filter often.
- Some manufacturers recommend adding a carbon guard to each fill-up to avoid rust, carbon build up and piston ring sticking.
- Keep your engine well-tuned and lubricated.
POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS OF ETHANOL USE
- Engine stalling, poor acceleration, sputtering or poor idling.
- deterioration of parts, particularly rubber, gaskets, aluminum and fiberglass.
- Ethanol produces 28 percent less energy than gasoline alone, so expect a reduction in power and fuel economy.
- Water in fuel tank and/or in the engine.
- When ethanol combines with water and sinks, the remaining fuel is lower in octane than originally. This leaner fuel can lower performance in four-stroke engines and can damage two-stroke engines.
- The more frequent problems caused by ethanol involve damage to components within the boat not the motor, such as the fuel tank, fuel hoses and the primer bulb.
David Sikes’ Outdoors column runs Thursday and Sunday. Contact David at (361) 886-3616 or sikesd@caller.com.

This thing called winter just keeps going and going this year. Even the guides are having a hard time. Here is what guide, Marvin Landers says in his report.
2-1-10 Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I'm sure getting cabin fever with all this bad cold weather and been spending way too much time on E-Bay auctions trying to add a few old fishing lures to my collection when I could be fishing if we could get just a little warm up. We fished a little last week -- caught a few sheepshead on HEB table shrimp. Should have just eaten the shrimp!
Guide Mike Cook has this to say.
2-1-10 I never thought I'd say this but I'm ready for Spring. Winter is normally my favorite season but this one has been too cold and too wet. I'm ready for some warmer weather. I think the fish are too. Skinny water fishing has been hit or miss lately.
It wasn't always this way. The photo below is of my son, Ryan and his friend, Stewart, taken in January of 1995. These reds and trout were all caught off the gazebo in one afternoon. There were no limits on number of reds at that time. Guess who had to fillet all these? Click on the image to enlarge it to see the fish better.