Corpusfishing.com

[fonewiz]

I know that sounds like a dream but.. Here's my situation.. My boy and I have spent a lot of time on the coast from BHP to Goose Island over the last year and a half. I know a bunch of places to fish and have some ideas but..

I want to take my Dad to fish this weekend. He is up in the years, not in great health, had a stroke so his hands don't work too well and his balance sucks. Also, he has to be near the bathroom and can't walk long distances or be in the direct sun too long without some chance of shade or AC nearby (could be my vehicle even).

So, I have my work cut out for me. I was going to try to take him on a 5 hour trip with Dolphin Docks or DSH. I figured there is AC on the boat, bathroom close etc.. Fairly safe, don't think he can lose balance and fall in to easily. That's my best bet I think so far. Only issue is that if he starts feeling back, we are stuck out there for a while and worse, there is no hospital close to Port A if he really gets in bad shape.

Then I thought Bob Hall but, that requires some walking, no AC (but there is the restaurant if nothing else. It's safe. He is less likely to get all tangled with others with his less than great skills (hand issues due to the stroke). Bathroom can be somewhat close if we don't venture way down the pier.

I have heard the water is nasty right now so I am not sure we will catch much, especially if we stay close to the bathroom.

Bob Hall would also be a lot closer to a hospital if he got really sick.

Any ideas? Safe, convenient to bathroom but good fishing?

Seems like a losing battle but, my Dad is probably not long for this world with all his ailments and he loves to fish. So, I am gonna find a way to make it happen. Maybe night fishing would solve the sun/heat exposure issue.

Any help is appreciated, we will probably head down tonight or tomorrow morning and spend Sat and Sun.

[fonewiz]

Thing is, for all the hassle and work it will take to get my Dad out fishing. I REALLY want the best chances of him catching something. So, maybe 5 hour trip is the best.. Uggg... Conflicted here for sure.

[fonewiz]

American Bank Center is pretty easy fishing, just never had even a bite there. People seem to catch a lot of Big Uglies there though. Not really what I am after but if it gets my Dad on some fish, might not be a bad idea.

Vehicles right there if he gets winded and needs to get out of the heat and he can keep on fishing LOL. Any other spots like this around where we can fish right near vehicle but fairly safe from falling in?

I like the spot near Packery where you can park and they have Skidoo cans but it's too steep and I always get hungup in there or have nothing but crab screw with my bait.

Parking by the Jetties just won't work.. Jetty fishing for him will just be too tough.

Still thinking.

Keep thinking night fishing on the piers is my best bet. Just need to find the best ones with bathrooms close and reasonable chance of catching fish.

The pier in Port A near the stripes would be good but caught nothing but catfish out there last time I went.

Maybe the park by the Ferries on the Port A side. There's a little pier there, no luck there either but it seems like a decent spot and bathroom close.

[Rebecca of Sunnybrookfarm]

that's what I was going to say, one of the piers in Port A at night....there's station street pier, the one by the marina, and the one at charlies pasture....they all have bathrooms...

and don't knock the piers, when the tide is coming in at night, there are trout under the lights....get some live shrimp and you'll have some action....also you can work lures near the legs of the pier and the walls and pick up flounder....there's usually one the corner by each pier....

go have dinner at trout street in the evening, then when it gets dark head over to the piers for a bit....check each one, make it an adventure...

there are also piers on north padre, like clems, marker 37, and red dot/cosway....same deal, bathroom, trout under the lights, etc...
becky
_________________

[Transplanted]

Maybe Malaquite beach would work. They have pretty decent bathrooms. Its only a little ways out of town. Or maybe one of the fishing piers in the lagoon? Good luck

[cuzn dave]

[bollie]

I think a pier in and around Port A. Might be in luck and catch some fish. But i want to commend you on going that exstra mile for your dad. Do not think about it but we all get old and i hope there will be some one around to take me fishing when i can not do it on my own.

[ironmanstan]

Have you thought about renting a camper with a/c? First thing that came to mind.
_________________
I LIKE MINE FRIED.

[fonewiz]

Thanks everyone for your advice and help. I ended up taking my Dad on a 5 hour snapper trip with Dolphin Docks on Sunday afternoon.

The trip and staff were great. I wouldn't take my Dad again as it was just too much for him in terms of excitement, movement etc. Also, he couldn't really reel in the fish or set the hook even due to his issues with his hands. He also got to feeling pretty bad and scared the crap out of me LOL. It was a little scary being 25 miles or so out in the gulf. I thought of all those risk but, in the end, he is up in the years and this was something he got to do and experience even with all the challenges.

So, as odd as it sounds, I wouldn't do it again but, considering it worked out in the end and he is back home safe, I am glad we did it.

I included him however I could even though he couldn't reel in the fish or set the hook. I asked him to just watch both lines and I worked both of them. It was crazy trying to handle both poles because the snapper were nailing the bait as soon as it was dropped, it was crazy. In the end, we caught 6, one was thrown back, 5 were kept and of course we gave up one at the doc to others that I guess didn't catch their limit.

We ended up with our limit of 4 snapper, after getting them cleaned at the doc we ended up with 9 lbs of snapper filets. At HEB here is San Antonio, when you can get snapper it's over $20/lb. I called yesterday and the second store I called had it and the price was $23/lb. That's over $200 worth of fish if I bought it at HEB here in town. Far less than I paid for the snapper trip to Dolphin Docs. Not that it was about the money or the value of the fish, I just thought it was interesting.

Thanks again everyone!

[fonewiz]

Oh, we also fished Bob Hall on Sunday morning which worked out just fine except for all the little Gaf Tops.

[TroutSupport]