Fishing In The OLD Rio Grande Valley
I was born in the Rio Grande Valley, in Harlingen. From the time I could walk, my dad used to take me with him as he plug-casted for bass in the irrigation canals in the area. On the front page of Old Texas Fisherman, I recounted my first experience with falling into one of those canals.
As I grew older, I finally was able to begin learning how to fish, myself. I have already told how I came to have my first fishing rod; and, now, I shall enlarge upon my experiences from then on. Pay close attention, ’cause much of what was good back then still works today.
Anyone who has visited the Valley is aware of the many irrigation canals, drainage ditches, and resacas scattered across the Valley. Of course, there is also the Rio Grande River, the Arroyo Colorado, and the North Floodway. In addition to these, there are many reservoirs, and almost every city has a city lake. These are just the freshwater fishing holes. Along the coast, there are uncountable saltwater fishing places. Most of my early experiences were from Arroyo City south to Boca Chica Beach, so I’ll write about those before getting into places like Port Mansfield and points north.
What you will find in the succeeding posts will include baits, advice, anecdotes, and even the occasional fish story.