Jump to content

2018 Fishing - Year of the big one


fattyflattie

Recommended Posts

1 hour ago, Lurch said:

I bought a cast net, but can’t seem to get the hang of it. Anyone have good instructions? I’ve seen a few videos but nothing I’ve been able to apply successfully

Just takes practice. And slow down and think your way thru it. I only use one a few times a year before heading offshore but it’s like riding a bike. Also, I guess I should ask, what size?  Anything above 6’ for a beginner is probably pretty difficult. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Lurch said:

I bought a cast net, but can’t seem to get the hang of it. Anyone have good instructions? I’ve seen a few videos but nothing I’ve been able to apply successfully

 

Edited by Lat22
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't fished with bait in years, but that's about all we did when I was a kid. My grandfather had a pretty big net, but also had a small one...maybe 4', that he had custom made by a Port Arthur firefighter who made them on the side. It was made out of shrimp boat net with nylon cord and big egg sinkers. Pretty much indestructible, and much less tangle-prone than a monofilament net.  Anywho...that net was awesome for throwing in drainage ditches and small marsh drains. Most of the time, we'd start looking for drainage canals or ditches on our way to fish and be full up on bait before we even got to where we were going. The best part was you could throw that thing a mile up a little marsh drain and the baitfish would never even know you were there. 

Even though I don't bait fish, I've still got that net...it's one of my most prized possessions from my Grandfather. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alright - we're road tripping in one of those Sprinter van RVs to Destin FL next Tuesday.  Will be there 6 days.   I need some advice on where to fish.   I've heard there are some piers around that area which we will probably fish at night if possible.  If I wanted to just wade or fish the surf, are there any places that won't be completely blanketed in tourists?  Any good fresh water lakes around the area?

Edited by krevo
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

I haven't fished with bait in years, but that's about all we did when I was a kid. My grandfather had a pretty big net, but also had a small one...maybe 4', that he had custom made by a Port Arthur firefighter who made them on the side. It was made out of shrimp boat net with nylon cord and big egg sinkers. Pretty much indestructible, and much less tangle-prone than a monofilament net.  Anywho...that net was awesome for throwing in drainage ditches and small marsh drains. Most of the time, we'd start looking for drainage canals or ditches on our way to fish and be full up on bait before we even got to where we were going. The best part was you could throw that thing a mile up a little marsh drain and the baitfish would never even know you were there. 

Even though I don't bait fish, I've still got that net...it's one of my most prized possessions from my Grandfather. 

I had an uncle that lived in Lolita, he fished Lavaca a lot. I think he worked at a dairy farm in the area but they were pretty poor and he made nets and sinkers/weights to sell for supplemental income. I still have a lot of the weights that he made. Big honkin' things that we had no use for in fresh water. Most of them have turned white with oxidation. One of my cousins, this uncles grandson has a bunch of his stuff still. He lives in Ohio and so has no real use for the weights either but he treasures them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, after 20+ years of doing little to no fishing, I’m going to get started again. I’m only in Houston for a little while longer so the wife and I were thinking about starting with one of those party boats out of Galveston. Thoughts?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not a fan but that's just me. Limits on snapper are so restrictive now that it's hardly worth it for a half day offshore trip. That said, I've had friends who went out for 36 hour trips and they said the haul was worth it as they'll get into tuna and some other species. 

If I didn't have a lot of time and just wanted to go catch some fish I'd probably get a guide and do either bay or jetty fishing. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not a fan but that's just me. Limits on snapper are so restrictive now that it's hardly worth it for a half day offshore trip. That said, I've had friends who went out for 36 hour trips and they said the haul was worth it as they'll get into tuna and some other species. 
If I didn't have a lot of time and just wanted to go catch some fish I'd probably get a guide and do either bay or jetty fishing. 

Interesting idea. Might go that route.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Speaking of snappers, there is a decent sized snapping turtle in the main pond near Central Market on North Lamar (looked to be Common and not Alligator).  Saw him come up near the bridge, looked to be easily 20 pounds+.  Not as big as the snapping turtles around Barton Creek/Springs/Town Lake, but some kid is going to be surprised one of these days when they are down there catching minnows, especially with all of the growth on the water hiding a lot of things.

Hopefully nobody takes a hammer to it

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Mac8111 said:

 


What did you throw at them ?

 

Threw a Paul brown corky type deal, various soft plastics and even tried a gulp shrimp under a Mansfield mauler. It was about 330 when I got there not the best time but there was lots of fish all around. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, while at the coast a couple of weeks ago, I cleaned out an old tackle box.  At the bottom, I found that some items had "melted."

27260865747_b18f5621db_b.jpg

27260865597_d99be832f7_b.jpg

27260865867_015f28870a_b.jpg

Each of the "melted" areas was either on top of an old soft plastic or had an old soft plastic on top of it.  Also, the "melted" areas on the spool and plastic bobber were soft to the touch.  Some crazy chemistry stuff happening there.  In case you were wondering, no, the box was never exposed to extreme heat or anything. 

Edited by solamente73
Link to comment
Share on other sites

49 minutes ago, solamente73 said:

So, while at the coast a couple of weeks ago, I cleaned out an old tackle box.  At the bottom, I found that some items had "melted."

27260865747_b18f5621db_b.jpg

27260865597_d99be832f7_b.jpg

27260865867_015f28870a_b.jpg

Each of the "melted" areas was either on top of an old soft plastic or had an old soft plastic on top of it.  Also, the "melted" areas on the spool and plastic bobber were soft to the touch.  Some crazy chemistry stuff happening there.  In case you were wondering, no, the box was never exposed to extreme heat or anything. 

Soft plastic baits and other "plastics" don't do well together.  Especially over time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's been happening since the invention of plastic worms. The solvents used in them don't do well in contact with many types of plastic. Tackle box manufacturers have gotten smarter over the years but used to be common to find one melded to the box. Or a tire.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/13/2018 at 3:02 PM, atomheartbevo said:

Went to Jenson Fishing Tackle up on Parmer. 

It’s a fucking time machine that takes you back decades. 

I mean that in the best way possible. 

That place is great. Guys know what they are talking about, too. Beats the hell out of going to academy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/13/2018 at 3:02 PM, atomheartbevo said:

Went to Jenson Fishing Tackle up on Parmer. 

It’s a fucking time machine that takes you back decades. 

I mean that in the best way possible. 

haven’t been there in over 10 years. used to stop by for live bait to fish out the creek that i think is now covered by parmer villas or some such nonsense. 

i’ve passed by this retention pond deal in falcon pointe (derkaville) errday for the last 4 years. i’ve always wondered what’s in there, and finally made it down to find out. caught me a couple bass the other day off some rooster tails. now i’m on a mission to fish the rest of the endless retention ponds in all these neighborhoods around me.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, joe dirt said:

haven’t been there in over 10 years. used to stop by for live bait to fish out the creek that i think is now covered by parmer villas or some such nonsense. 

i’ve passed by this retention pond deal in falcon pointe (derkaville) errday for the last 4 years. i’ve always wondered what’s in there, and finally made it down to find out. caught me a couple bass the other day off some rooster tails. now i’m on a mission to fish the rest of the endless retention ponds in all these neighborhoods around me.  

You can catch some decent sized large mouth bass at the little pond at the entrance to Villages at Hidden Lake. A coworker lives there and the bastard is always sending me show off pics of his catches. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, joe dirt said:

haven’t been there in over 10 years. used to stop by for live bait to fish out the creek that i think is now covered by parmer villas or some such nonsense. 

Almost guarantee that the shop hasn’t changed, and they are still using the same tanks for the minnows. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

Almost guarantee that the shop hasn’t changed, and they are still using the same tanks for the minnows. 

Can verify.

I still go there to get my reels serviced, and when hitting the white bass run with the kiddos, that's where we get our minnows.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, Chewbacca said:
20 hours ago, DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt said:
what beer do y'all drink on the water? i'm a bit of a beer snob but i'll be damned if a banquet isn't the perfect beer on the water.
pantoad.jpg

Read more  

Banquet or bourbon.

I keep a flask of bourbon in the boat but usually only take a tug if I can’t get the skunk off.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can catch some decent sized large mouth bass at the little pond at the entrance to Villages at Hidden Lake. A coworker lives there and the bastard is always sending me show off pics of his catches. 
I've got a friend that works at our Austin branch on mopac at duval that catches some real hog bass on his lunch hour. He wont tell me where.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, BearSchlong said:
On 5/15/2018 at 5:51 PM, T-shirt Sip said:
You can catch some decent sized large mouth bass at the little pond at the entrance to Villages at Hidden Lake. A coworker lives there and the bastard is always sending me show off pics of his catches. 

I've got a friend that works at our Austin branch on mopac at duval that catches some real hog bass on his lunch hour. He wont tell me where.

Pescado now spends the rest of the afternoon on google maps...

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just got back from Corpus before the Babes on the Bay madness hit. Had an outstanding day of fishing 26,23.5, and 22.5” trout and on the same shoreline limited out on reds. We threw 4 oversized back with the biggest being 33”. I’m too technologically disadvantaged to post pics.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alright, got back from the Chandeleur Trip last night.  Absolutely exhausted.  My shoulders ache from three days of casting and my ankles are swollen from wading so much. 

 

We had a really good time.  Was on the Backdraft with DMJ charters. They ran a great trip.  I forget which one of you said they have a trip coming up with them. Message me and I can give you some insight with them. 

 

We ended up with 75 keepers.  I definitely expected the numbers to be a little bit higher, but we had a couple of things that worked against us. The wind screwed us two of the afternoons. The first afternoon it was blowing 20mph+ and stirred everything up.  I actually managed to swamp the skiff coming back from The Houseboat area. One of the other charters had a center console the Captain uses and he came to get us.   I am sure I will be referenced in all future orientation talks for new guests.  The second afternoon they called us all back in dues to high winds and a storm on the horizon.    The third day ended up being perfect and we managed to get into some nice fish. 

 

I noticed that we never really had that feeding frenzy that you see here on the TX coast.  We picked up one or two here and then nothing.   Then go to another spot and catch one.   Go to another spot and nothing.  That was probably the most frustrating part. 

 

What we lacked in numbers, we made up for in size.  Man there are some monsters out there.  We had side pots going for Biggest Red and Biggest Trout daily as well as for the trip.  The two biggest reds were caught less than an hour before sundown.  I watched my old man reel in a 39 incher and then his buddy pulled in a 41 1/2 incher right as we needed to load up our skiff and head back to the boat.  Biggest trout was also caught the last afternoon we were there. 

 

Biggest trout ended up being 25 1/4 ".   We had a 24 1/2 " on the boat and a lot in that 20-22"  range.   We had six reds over 30 inches. 

 

One buddy did end up with a bacterial infection on his ankle and it had a bunch of swelling and fever.  Make sure if you have any cuts or nicks on you, you use liquid band aid. 

 

I managed to get my phone soaked when I swamped the skiff, so I lost a lot of my photos.  I will post some of the ones I got from others on the trip. 

 

This first trip definitely was a learning experience and most certainly plan on going back next year.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Holy shit Mac, nice haul.  

 

I just got back from Fort Walton/Destin family trip.   Would highly recommend the South Walton area (30A) over anywhere near Destin.  That place is a madhouse.    Caught an overslot pomp in the surf, a few slot reds, a couple rays, and a myriad of other species.  (Sea Robin, Bluefish, Ladys,)  Was able to fish the brackish inlets, the surf, and the flats on the other side of the jettys.   That place is a fishing paradise.  Only thing I regret is I didn't get to catch a Florida largemouth in one of the many ponds and lakes in the area.  If anyone is headed that way soon, PM me and I'll fill you in on what baits and lures worked, where the fish were, etc.

Edited by krevo
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

CO peeps...supposedly the salmonflies are coming off on the upper colorado...i'm going to try and hit it this saturday. it'll be a shitshow with the recreational boaters on the holiday weekend but salmonfly. if i float by a dude ripping a panther martin through a salmonfly hatch i'm assuming it's chewie, pulling over and chunking rocks in his water.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just wondering -  is there any real chance of catching a tagged redfish in the surf?   Taking the kids to Port A this weekend and might kill some time in the surf.  Wouldn't mind winning a new boat and truck while I am at it.   Seems like several are caught that first weekend of the contest.   I know I could probably go wade Brown & Roots flat, but then the ferry line would be a nightmare getting back across on holiday weekend. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...