Joined: 25 May 2009 Posts: 615 Location: somewhere on 130 miles of beach
Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2019 10:04 am Post subject: PINS 10/14-10/15
"She said if I ever deceived her,
She'd be gone before I count ten....
She's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone
Crying won't bring her back...
The more that I cry the faster that train
Flies farther on down the track...
If I only knew where to find her,
I'd crawl there on my hands and knees...
She's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone.
--recorded by the artist Lefty Frizell, written by Harlan Howard, "She's Gone, Gone, Gone"
"There are things in the fishing world that will haunt you. Things that make you stop dead in your tracks. Things that cause you to hit the brakes, drop the rod, screw up the drag setting, let slack in the line, or not keep the tip up high and lose the fish. This story is one of those. As it has truly been the week of the "googan," and every last one of my efforts at somehow avoiding them any way I could including hitting the beach at 4 am, I was thwarted by yet another googan who was currently walking around my quite productive redfish and trout hole with an outfit of tie dye colored flowers and a significant other with purple hair and only a thong on. The last straw was when they asked to hold one of my rods and promptly dropped it in the surf, leaving it there in the water no less. Time to go. As I rolled north watching crystal clear water for signs of life and signs of predation, I knew precisely what I would see. The shark mayhem has been extreme from 0400 to mid morning with smaller blacktips smashing anything not locked down and leaving bitten in half fish washed in on the beach in one particular 6 mile area I mentally called "The War Zone." But at that particular moment, the sun was shining, it was 1400 hours, and just right to see shadows in the surf that should or shouldn't be there. At that exact moment, I saw yet another oversize redfish in 18 inches of wade gut surf, lying almost motionless. "How annoying," I thought. "Now I'm obligated to go harass him like those other ones today." Coming to a sand throwing halt, I promptly jogged 200 feet south with my cast net, with no plan other than to see if it was truly a red or another species. Upon slowly approaching the hole, I was shocked to see it was no less and no more than a approximately 37 inch long grander snook, the same size as several bull redfish I had almost tripped over that had previously been sunning themselves in the wade gut throughout the day around my ankles, not feeding and not active, even though after I saw them I backed up and been "experimenting" on them by hitting them in the heads with spoons, plastics, and twitchbaits, even put some of my lunch on a hook to see what would happen. However, this snook had been hit by a shark and had a chunk the size of a grapefruit missing out of its lower back, with blood still oozing out of the ragged hole. Thus why it was shallow, as non-baitfish go to the wade gut for three things, to die, to hunt, or to hide after an injury. I did as I always do at times like these, and looked around for witnesses, i.e. more googans that could somehow foil such a gift from above as a 37-40 inch Texas snook just lying for me to somehow nab. Then I looked for the shark that did this, if he was still around, as I quite value my ankles. Darn!!! The dust cloud and the flying truck of the previous fellow was approaching, as googans will follow others all day, whether in the bay or on the beach, they cannot be alone as they MUST have others nearby to annoy or to potlick. They really cannot be blamed, it's a genetical anomaly for which there is no cure to heal them. Time was short. My aim must be sure and swift. With trembling hands from the glory of the whole situation, the sheer greatness which could be mine, the first cast missed by 12 inches. The snook moved. I followed. I knew this would be my last chance at a greatness of which I barely understood. I was an animal acting on no rational thought, only knowing I needed that snook like a fish needs water. The second cast landed precisely where I wanted it to and he was squarely in the net. Backing up with the weight of him, I looked south and saw I had scant time to land him before the tie dye flower boy arrived with more harassment and questions and of course, his significant other's lack of clothing and purple hair. The choice was clear. Letting the net sink back into the surf, thereby hiding the fish, I waited for him to drive on by. At that time, flower boy was already running hot at 30 mph, and then he floored his diesel truck that had no exhaust to speak of. Much to my shock, the massive snook heard and felt the diesel roar by and began thrashing violently, head-shaking hard. As I watched to see if flower boy was going to run into the back of my parked truck at 45 mph which would be totally typical, the snook violently shook himself right out of the bottom of the net! Nooo!! With the most shock and utter defeat I could imagine, he swam right back out over the bar and it was over with, he was gone, and he wasn't coming back even though I scanned the surf up and down waiting for him to return. I never planned to keep him, had no use for it at all, and really only wanted to see how bad he was injured, but I was totally obligated to try to catch him the very minute I saw his long shadow in the gut, and for a brief moment in time, I suppose I had."
Monday was foggy.
And Tuesday's full moon was still huge.
But the reds didn't care.
Ole fatty.
And the black drum made appearances.
And grander skipjack would come through and wipe out 3 rods all at once.
Anyone have an idea on these clouds? Looks like orographic lift again, but what a really cool sight for October no less...
Truly, it was pretty cool.
And a few long-billed curlews hung around.
And it was beautiful.
And there were multiple pairs of Cara-caras on the beachfront.
And plenty of mullet to go around.
Yes sir! Slot!
But they still wanted that gold, hah!
How's that for bait in the surf, eh?
Yes sir!
Anbody able to id this guy? Spanish?
And the pelicans fattened up for winter.
Small but beautiful colors.
Gotta roll. Charter tomorrow and some errands to run. We'll see whatsup after this latest twice a darn week cold front nonsense. Joe it was more than great to sit and visit with you the other day on the sand. Hope your trip was just what you needed my friend. Mr. Chris Sessions, was great to visit with you as well, I love that old Ford you restored.
Ya'll be good, or good at it, see you on the sand. Oh, and NO googan'ing!
--Colin _________________ Protect Padre at all costs for future generations to use and enjoy and never forget our freedoms aren't free.
Orographic lift. Good eye. This is a common occurrence every summer here, but you typically see it over the Laguna rather than over the Island, like your pictures. The SE winds pushed up by the dunes causes this long formation to show during most summer days.
I saw the same 'plethora' of bait in the surf the other day, around Newport Pass Rd. Every breaking wave had tones of mullet surfing! No airborne mackerels there, but great picture.
Joined: 28 Jul 2009 Posts: 9 Location: Exiled in Kansas
Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2019 10:48 am Post subject:
Great report and awesome pics. No idea about those clouds but they are pretty cool; looks like they were airbrushed to follow the beach. That is a tremendous amount of mullet in the surf, surprised you didn't see any tarpon blasting them. Excellent camera work on that those action shots; jumper looks like a smack to me but is kinda thick, could also be a tunny. I have been away from TX way too long, really miss being on the beach this time of the year. Good luck with the googs, just unreal what some people think is ok to do. Accidents happen but I would have lost my mind if someone dropped one of my rigs in the water then compounded the issue by just leaving it there. Good job keeping your composure, I might be currently facing charges. Nice to know there are stud snook roaming our beaches, unfortunately that one wasn't long for this world but I'm sure he made some blacktip very happy. Tight lines, wishing I was there. _________________ Go hard or don't go!
My vote on the fish is a smack or king. On the clouds, we don't have enough elevation change at the coast to create orographic lift (my opinion). Those clouds are most likely due to the humidity change pre-front between the surf and sand. Dunes may help the lift a LITTLE bit down south, but not enough to actually push the vapor that high. The vapor is already there. Most likely a change in pressure up high and dew points down low coming together. Down low, (first picture, when dew point reaches air temp), we call it fog... _________________ Fish ON!
On the clouds, we don't have enough elevation change at the coast to create orographic lift (my opinion). Those clouds are most likely due to the humidity change pre-front between the surf and sand.
I agree with the first part, but disagree with the second. This formation, a roll-cloud style formation (not wide but well defined) that follows the contour of the coast, especially over the Laguna, is something I've seen for years. The only thing I've come up with the the 'lift' hypothesis. Humidity, especially full on summer conditions where everything is covered in a wet wool blanket, can't explain it. And despite strong SE winds, these clouds maintain their location.
Not trying to hijack the post TB...you asked the question =)
CS, I agree with you. Seen these same formations for years. They literally HUG the shore at the shoreline. Maybe the sea breeze literally from the incoming surf (regardless of prevailing wind)? I dunno. But it's still freakin cool and unique.
And Collin, great freakin pictures, except the wife and kiddos aren't in them _________________ Fish ON!
Joined: 25 May 2009 Posts: 615 Location: somewhere on 130 miles of beach
Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2019 5:46 am Post subject:
HungerBuster wrote:
Not trying to hijack the post TB...you asked the question =)
CS, I agree with you. Seen these same formations for years. They literally HUG the shore at the shoreline. Maybe the sea breeze literally from the incoming surf (regardless of prevailing wind)? I dunno. But it's still freakin cool and unique.
And Collin, great freakin pictures, except the wife and kiddos aren't in them
No, thanks for the input Jeff and fellas! I'm with CS, the clouds just maintain their position even in a stout SE breeze....Honestly maybe asking ole Alan Holt over at Channel 6 there might be a thing. I'm just a dumb fisherman, ya know the feeling?
Update on the snook deal-went to use the net yesterday down island and the whole crown was ripped wide open up near the top below the spreader circle. He didn't get out the bottom like I thought-he ripped the net in half! Someone go catch this out of control beast!!
There's been two beautiful Oyster-Catchers hanging around the 6 mile marker for those that are interested. Awesome bird to briefly be on the sand!
Thanks for the input fellas. _________________ Protect Padre at all costs for future generations to use and enjoy and never forget our freedoms aren't free.
Outstanding writing, as always, Coe-lynn!
Nothing wrong with trying to salvage a mortally wounded creature.
I heard snook is really good eatiin! _________________ "If we don't leave any, there won't be any."
Capt. Billy
"Enjoy every sandwich" Warren Zevon
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