Corpusfishing.com

JMiles · Joined: 17 Jun 2012 Posts: 5 Location: Corpus Christi

Headed down PINS to around the 30 mile marker with the fiance and sister, neither of which had been camping on the beach before. The going was slow, as we took two vehicles, only 1 of which was 4WD. Luckily, she made it all the way down to the 24 mile marker before getting stuck, pulled her out and within a couple of minutes we were on our way again.

Setup camp and checked the surf for bait. Small swells and relatively clear water greeted me, and I as happy to see it! Was able to catch some finger mullet along with a nice ladyfish. Paddled a chunk of the ladyfish out about 300 yards, within 10 minutes of getting back my reel blows up. I crank down the drag and it breaks off.

Unperturbed, I paddle out another chunk of ladyfish on a different rod and reel. Again, within 10 or so minutes of getting back my bait gets rocked. I let the fish take it a while and slowly crank down the drag. After a 15 minute fight, I pull up this 5 ft blacktip:

After releasing this guy I notice the water getting churned up and a bunch of what looked like baby pompano breaking the surface. I hook up my smaller rod with a finger mullet, cast it out, and on the first cast reel in this 29.5 inch red

For the next 20 minutes i'm catching reds every other cast. Altogether I got several rat reds and 5 reds over 25 inches, all in the first gut. Very fun fighting decent sized reds on lighter tackle! About that time the ladies started asking about setting up a tent and making a fire and some food. As much as I hated to do it, I left the feeding reds for the cranky females...

I was pretty beat after all that fishing and paddling out, so I hooked up a horse mullet and through it out in the first gut to stew a while. Come back 30 minutes later and have a nice 25 in speckled trout on the end.

I stay up as late as I can fishing the 2nd gut. I have 2 nice runs, each time I reeled it up there was a gafftop that had taken the bait, and then I'm guessing a shark that had taken the gafftop!

As much as I wanted to setup a proper shark rig and get it out there, I was beat. Called it a night around 2am and woke up 4 hours later. Caught another red (27 in) and 2 more specks. Started wading out to the 2nd sandbar and casting out the biggest mullet I could catch. Had several runs, each time reeling back a mullet that was bit in half just above or below the hook.

Drove home that day feeling exhausted and like someone had beaten me in my sleep with a broomstick, but with the overall feeling of triumph. Looking to go out again this weekend with a couple of other fisherman to lighten the load, looking to give the fish another run for their money!

Tyler · Site Admin Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 12865

Awesome report! You know it was a good trip when you wake up feeling like you've been beaten! Very Happy

I wake up like that now and haven't done anything.
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JMiles · Joined: 17 Jun 2012 Posts: 5 Location: Corpus Christi

Hah, not looking forward to that! I've definitely recuperated enough to hit the surf again this weekend, fishing fever's hit me in full force!

seanu21 · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 2:53 pm Post subject:

Haha Tyler.

Awesome report JMiles. Seems like everything was there. The last few Gafftop I have caught came in looking like yours. I would put them on the short list of Shark baits right now but I can't seem to reel one in on the short rod that isn't already crunched.

Sean

Stump · Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 7:08 am Post subject:

Best beach report I've seen in a while! Congrats on your success and thanks for sharing.
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Bigrock · Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 7:22 am Post subject:

Thanks for a great report!