Corpusfishing.com

[Towboat Trash]

Dedicated to Ironmanstan, lost too soon with so much left to give...Rest in Peace....

"I used to lie there at night and think of the day when I would have to stand before my creator and fess' up. And I would be standing there getting my story straight in my mind about what a fairly good guy I had been. And then when my turn came and I stood before my creator to have the worth of my life judged and before I could even open my mouth to defend my actions a finger was pointed to my right and when I looked in that direction I was horrified for lying there in this huge pile was everything I had ever killed. Huge fish and small birds and many, many things in between with bloody, gaping gashes in their sides and ALL OF THOSE THOUSANDS OF DULL, CLOUDED OVER DEAD EYES staring straight into my soul. And I got up and began organizing the first "Big Shell Beach Clean-Up" and I went to the superintendent of the Seashore and set up a program for me to begin growing native Yuccas my yard for re-establishing on the National Seashore. Over the impending years we have put 128 Yuccas grown in my back yard on the Island and I cannot explain the personal satisfaction and fulfillment I feel on my way to work in the mornings as I drive along and see those Yuccas. I just DID NOT want to face my creator with only that horrifying pile of death to justify my existence. I DID NOT want to be remembered as that half crazy guy who killed all those big sharks and fished on the beach for so long. I hope that as I continue to live for a while longer I can continue to increase the size of that pile of good living things which shall be located to my left when I answer to my Creator. Somehow they ease the pain and the sorrow in my soul at the acknowledged existence of the other.

--Captain Billy Sandifer, "Letter to a Young Outdoorsman", 1999


"Dusky sharks are one of the slowest-growing and latest-maturing sharks, not reaching adulthood until around 20 years of age."

Dusky shark teeth have also been recovered from the vicinity of two baleen whales in North Carolina, one preserved in Goose Creek Limestone dating to the late Pliocene (c 3.5 Ma), and the other in mud dating to the Pleistocene-Holocene (c. 12,000 years ago)

The bite force exerted by a 2m (6.6 ft) long dusky shark has been measured at 60 kg (130 lb) over the 2mm2 (0.0031 in2) area at the tip of a tooth. This is the highest figure thus far measured from any shark, though it also reflects the concentration of force at the tooth tip.

The dusky shark is one of the slowest-growing shark species, reaching sexual maturity only at a substantial size and age.

The annual growth rate is 8-11 cm over the first five years of life.


--A few Dusky Shark facts, courtesy of Wikipedia, August 24, 2018


"But I have learned that the genuine worth of a day really doesn't have anything to do with how many fish I may have caught or not caught. I have learned that it isn't all about ME and MY ambitions and MY desires in the first place but rather it is actually about every thing else other than me. It is about all the wonderful sights and sounds and experiences a day in the living classroom that is the Natural World allows me to enjoy. And it's about the pleasure in seeking answers to unknowns in scientific material at the end of that day. A balancing of the two."

--Captain Billy Sandifer, "The Living Classroom", One of Billy's TSF magazine articles regarding the way it is, and the way it oughtta be, not necessarily in that order.


Captain Billy Sandifer, Padre Island National Seashore guide for 22 years, shark fishing many moons ago. RIP Billy.


The phone rang loudly in my right ear as I bit into a chicken sandwich and it was none other than the great Billy himself. "MAN, WHAT YOU WANT!!" I yelled, with an obvious lack of the usual courtesies of our time. "COE-LINN I have neither the TIME nor the PATIENCE for such FOOLISHNESS today!!! I am ATTEMPTING to COMMUNICATE with you!!! Something you should TRY sometime!!! If you will but LISTEN then you might HEAR what I am trying to SAY!" I took a bite and replied, "Hold up, a do what?! You wrote a song you want me to listen to? Daaaaaang I didn't know you played! What instrument!? Like the flute or something or other!? Maybe like a tuba or something!" Long pause and I knew I had 'im. "COE-LINN I am selling two of my shark rods and you are the only person I have called!! I am giving you permission to come over here and look at them and inspect them, and NO!!! I AM NOT GOING TO PLAY YOU A SONG!!" "Ok, Ok, Billy I'll be right over! Just don't be wearing them short shorts you always be having on, ok!??" Silence, and then he hung up-I had gotten 'im again."

--Just another phone call from Billy, right after he stopped doing the shark charters...maybe 2010 or 11 or so...



Well, it sure enough has been a tough week around here. But I didn't have to tell anyone that now did I....it seems that we've lost so many good men this year, men that we all miss having here with us. With this in mind, I took a quick one night trip down the beach before heading back to the towboat, to shark fish only, NO trout fishing, NO snapper fishing, NO redfish hunting, etc etc etc. And we all know we don't need one more doggone shark hero with shark photos, and I normally don't post shark photos anymore, but oh well, I guess you can "lead a horse to water"....


And the surf was clear and flat and beautiful.


And saw Sam, who grew up in the same county in Georgia as I did, and they had begun work on Yarbrough!


And with that, I was gone to the sharking spot.


And I was pleasantly surprised to see the signs of late summer had begun. Glass minnows and dusky anchovy baitballs forming in late day.






And I rigged up some big baits, no messing around.








And the winds blew gently and the baitballs became 1000 feet long.


With spanish and everything else just jumping out of the water after bait.


Sorry for the bad photos this report, but I was hustlin' for once, no messing around.




I rig these both ways, but for today's purposes, I was happy with this different 4-hook setup.


Sianara homeboy, time to wait....




And there was no one but one other visitor on the beach except our good friends the Seigmunds down at the 31. What a day.


And I just couldn't stop watching this cool egret hanging out in his makeshift tide pool.




And again, sorry for the bad photos. But the birds! Staged up! Fall is coming, and late summer is here! Tarpon and dusky anchovies!


And I've always loved this old hurricane blowout. It's a darn big one, Allen knocked it clear in 1980....


And the badlands in the distance called my name, but that would have to wait until fall....


And you'll wait for me, ghosts and all, you always do and I know you will.....






Biggest darn reel I've ever owned. And totally ridiculous, almost like me accusing Billy of playing the "flute." Hahaha...






One of these days I'll share Billy's Indian Flute story....every time I see the sun set over the dunes I remember it...


And I couldn't wait to see Mars...tonight would be the night!


And up the moon rose....


And the beach evening primrose opened up all around.


And there it was! Super cool!


And it was red tinted just like predicted!




Just a night alone on the sacred ground of Padre, watching stars and listening for the voices of those we've lost....




And dinner was served.


And plates were cleaned. Hah!



And early morning on one of the Tiagra 130s brought.....a Dusky! I really like these guys, which is why I decided to share her.



The only one I've ever seen was the one Steven Kenedy and Ryan Wolff and I found washed in still alive, and walked it for hours to try to get it to live.






We tried to hard to help it.



And we'll never know if that shark lived, but right at dark it swam out over the bar.





At 9 ft 2 inches, she could be around 18-20 years old, and that just blows my weak mind....I had her on the beach in nothing flat, and the hook just dangling and out in one slight flick of the wrist, and she was on her way.




And the business end of her was daunting, thinking about how much bite force these guys are packing....


Likely around 275 lbs.


And on heck of an eater.




And the day dragged along and I watched heatwaves.


And cooked a beach burger.


And watched clear water for what could be seen swimming in it...


And that was a wrap. Got work coming up and a newborn at home, so back to the real world it was.

I just don't know why we're losing those around us at what seems a faster pace this year. Dr. Tunnell is another great loss of a fabulous person and scientist. I can only hope each and every one of you finds peace in such a hard year. Sorry for being a shark butthole, but I suppose if I coudn't beat 'em, I'd join 'em for just a day. Hah. At least there was no one around on the beach to block the road and cause them to have to drive 450 feet out of their way to get around me. Ya'll take care, I'm not funny today, so I'm gonna go change a diaper...

Rest in peace to all we've lost...


--Colin
_________________
Protect Padre at all costs for future generations to use and enjoy and never forget our freedoms aren't free.

www.padreislandexpeditions.com

[ThisIsTheLife]

Love reading your reports..always entertaining and informative. You should put all of them into a book someday..

RIP to IMS. Didn't know the man personally but of course read a lot of his posts here. hate to see such a beloved person go and witness pain from all his friends/family. Really makes you appreciate the time we have with one another, even if it is interacting with a stranger on the internet.

Have a great weekend, Colin

[deputydawg]

Thanks for the pics and words! Lots to reflect on these days....

[jocc]

Good stuff.. I like reading your posts but I especially like your PINS pictures. That's how I get to see what it's like way down PINS.

[Eric ATX]

Looks like you got some shark tail rash in the pic with the chomp taken out of that ray haha. That's how you know you're gettin' work done down there!