Corpusfishing.com

[Towboat Trash]

"There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number--living things both large and small." Psalms 104:25


Whatsup everyone! Once again....I am back and wow what a week it has been. I helped shut DOWN bob hall around 6am one night, visited the Lexington, went to the aquarium to see a shark so beat up and old I felt bad for his weak arse...and then, wonder of all wonders, it was time for a trip to the endless beach that goes on forever and which deals suffering and painful beatdowns on a daily basis. And man was I ready...due to various commitments however I would have to break my cardinal rule and leave out on a weekday approaching the weekend. But so be it. Let it be known now as well, that this report is dedicated to the current encylopedia of the greatest beach I've ever known, the one and only Billy Sandifer. It seems about every winter I call him and talk a lot of smack about let's go winter trout fishing, and all I'm ever doing is talking the same...maybe because I know he'll throw my behind out the passenger door if the poor man has to spend more than the first five miles with me. Believe me, I would drive the man nuts with questions, opinions about taxes, and maybe even comments about who knows what else! But this year...we shot the bull for a loooong time, and I swear I haven't slept right since. Ancient Mayan burial grounds, naked Indians playing flutes in the dunes...wild coyotes that have bred with World War era military dogs and created red haired hybrids...and even some answers to certain towers in the dunes, and bunkers made of concrete that were more than a mystery to me for a long time....once it was all said and done I realized I have a lot more in common with El Troutmaster than I thought...and started locking the house windows and sleeping with my Glock! And have had a feeling of a sense of something greater than myself ever since. And thus would the latest beach adventure begin.........



And before I could go, I handled my other commitments by taking some out of state family to the Island that will forever be the greatest ever!


And ME being ME, I handled my "bidness" grown man style....thanks Carlos and Ray for the grilling "instruction" via post-casting practice roundups at Ray's BBQ pit/house! WHAT!


And things got accidentally lit on fire....


And the love of my life, young Becky, fell in love forever with surf fishing and maybe just maybe, my coat of much pimpingness....


And sand dollars were found, and smiles had!




And my turtle shell was stripped bare!



And before I knew it, it was towards the end of the week and I could go....and the night before launchoff found me loading the rig, buying grub at H to the B, and in general looking like a man on a mission. And at 3am, I awoke, looked around my pitch black room and said to "To heck with it, Billy has got me scared to sleep in my own house, I might as well go sleep on Padre's....." Off I went.

"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss."


On the beach earlier than early, I was pleased to find low water and coquinas in abundance.




Dawn came and found me at Green Hill....fishing...but pondering what draws not just me but my soul to this lonely stretch of Island....


But a lonely sliver of a moon would pop through the clouds and accompany me till sunrise.


And as typical, I would climb up on top of my mountain, Green Hill, and find a lonely and nesting for the night....Billly do you know?.....hawk? Or Osprey Eagle? I watched him for five minutes afraid to move, because I swear it looked like he was watching me HARD. And after talking to Billy, heck, I didn't know if he was happy, mad, sad, or about to ATTACK!
I moved wrong, and he turned...and FLEW after not liking my clothes, face, heck take your pick. I'm not a likable PINS afficionado!


And my bunker lured me away from exploring the hill, away from my four baited and set rods on the beachfront (yes I abandon rods at times....), and down the sandy beachfront to a closer vantage point, for today would be the day I would explore this location.


I snaked my way to the bunker, which hails from the World War.............and you guessed it, took no pictures. Such a sight deserves no public view, I recieved goosebumps from being in the area, not just from the history, but from the fact that years ago........before cell phones.....before these forum boards, before Club Shank-Aw, I mean Macaw, and before even the legendary Packery Channel....a MAN would defend his country....MY country....from OUR enemies by doing what he had to do and patrolling these lonely beaches with only a dog and his weapon....and today where has MY....or even our.....pride gone? We have SO much history behind us....and pathetically, the older I get, the more I realize the sacrifices generations before us have made. My father won't talk much about Vietnam. But sometimes, what isn't said speaks louder. This country was FORMED on sacrifice. I only wish to have done more. With a heavy heart, I headed south.

So down the beach I set out, only a few whiting caught. And I found this guy.


If one doesn't know, these buggers DON'T sit still like this. I knew something was WRONG. I quickly saw as he turned from me, a CHUNK ripped out of his back....bleeding and oozing all over his oily feathers....and I knew....that maybe...just maybe a shark got him? Billy? Because every morning thereafter would find them already...in the surf....together just bobbing. When even I won't be caught dead standing around like "Please something poke, sting, rub, bite, or elsewise attack me."




So I headed south and once again found something new. Fish!



Uhhhh.....cork tape put on by yours truly! "El rod builder destroy your rod don't trust it to me!"


And a drum was had.










And he had SUCH a Maxlike face!




Meet Max, the other love of my life.


His nickname is "MaxAttack." And believe me, his only worthy opponent in life, remains me. But I have the scars to prove it.


Anyways, I worked my way south even further, and weights starting pulling apart from my ahem English bought clips.



But the whiting didn't mind.


And I took this pic for my great friend Gary, aka Buddhahead.....what a FREAKING rod builder. Jeez....every time I see another rod come out of his shop it's even better than the last. This is his castable shark bait rod....and with it, I had been railing live whiting, etc. about 30 feet out into 6 to 7 feet of water consistently all morning. I thank "Da Buddha!"


I LOVE this rod.


And I was daydreaming about random naked Indians trying to attack me with flutes or something or other (Billy) a beautiful butterfly showed itself onto my shoulder....albeit dead upon landing. Doggonit I felt downright horrible!


So who can tell me what this is?


And as I worked myself south into the timeless abyss...birds (again Billy? what kind?) showed themselves as they would every afternoon from then on, and I chased them, throwing SpoonR's, spoons, Krocododiles, you name it....with no takers.


Me and those working birds played cat and mouse for a long time...until finally frustration set in and it became time to let the stupidity unleash!



I grew upset at not understanding any of this occurence (no big new thing with me) and eventually chose my night shark fishing location and went re (because I've scouted this spot before) -scouting this dune area.




And of COURSE, some DBAG (yes, I said that) just HAAAAAAAAD to throw all his trash plus bag into the dunes. Unbelievable. I wonder what is wrong with folks at times like these?!


But it was beautiful nevertheless.


And I found myself three stories up...


And happy.




And my long lost tower....would taunt me...


After Dec 4th of 2011....I no longer play with rattlesnakes during the months of winter....so there it would sit...




And I went back to the beachfront to run baits.


And was amazed that the birds from earlier were at my truck! And feeding! On these!




Someone (Billy) please tell me what these are!


As the high tide splashed over a slight hump at my camp, the 1 inch of leftover runoff would pass through this rivulet on its way back to an angry Gulf. And sure enough, after ten minutes of patiently squatting, I was rewarded with catch/discovery!


And I SURVIVED the NASTY 4-6 foot sea. And I swear to all who read this....it wasn't fun out there! But what in life really is? Nothing....but to my south Texas kayak nuts like myself, to those who inspired me, to those who are beginning, to those who are old salts, THANK YOU for everything any of you have done and shared, personally I've been inspired by a certain Padre Island old salt, and am thankful for and to those who have gone before me. Man up, lift weights, do cardio, eat right, get right mentally, have the drive, and REPRESENT!!


I've been feeling lately...and it's not good....that I am in the prime of my life...and if I don't live it now, then it won't happen. Is this true? Yet again...from one that's been more than in my shoes, is this true? Billy?


But baits were run and rods BEEEEEENT!


And yet again, TOWBOAT TRASH was on the beach!!!
Thanks again Buddha, for an AWESOME and UNBELIEVABLE custom rod work job....


And Avets were put to good use!!!!


And not a naked Indian, but a big lip fish (october at the rig anyone??? lol) came and tried to almost attack my naked heel!


So of course, I picked him up and inspected his half naked, half Indian, arse!


And soon, it was nightfall, and rods remained holding, bent, tight, and glowsticks bounced, weaved, and bobbed for me in the pitch black night...the moon would not rise for me until late after midnight....



And I went into the dunes....I took a chair....and sat for about an hour. All to hear this Indian flute playing that Billy told me about...and throught the roaring and angry surf and the howling wind....I heard the unmistakeable sound that I've NEVER heard before of an American...U.S. Made....Avet 50w clicker brrrrrrrring through the darkness! And I ran, to heck with naked Indians anyway, I'm not gay, and I had better things to do besides....here we go!!!



And when the battle was all said and done, a healthy and green 7ft 3 inch Sandbar was on the deck, and quite willing to show it's gratefullness at meeting me by raring back with teeth bared at every opportunity...where is Max when I need him...








And I want to put it out there.....I am SO impressed by a certain Padre guy's ability to get a night time picture! This was the best I could do! Taped out at 7 feet and 3 inches. And throwing its head and biting and slashing back at me the whole time. How the heck do you get a picture with that wild beast! What a fight it put up....even with a 3lb plus weight with 1/8 inch wires it ran for 60 seconds while I got my videocamera...and then gave me more runs from then on....shout out to Z's Easy Fishing....for the weight...and I should have mentioned this earlier, but I love his weights! His website will put you on any gear that you can want, and he personally has sat in my garage with me many a night and helped me make gear and rigs and answered all of the questions that only I would have. And besides that....he is the rare person who has the intelligence to really question, test, and eventually approve certain gear. He has paid more than his dues. Here is his site, http://www.zseasyfishin.com/

Sorry for the crappy picture, I've got a long way to go with these night shots!


And I was pretty whooped!




And after an uneventful rest of the night, I awoke ready to do battle once again.






But first, it was time for coffee and "classwork." Billy has said reading will help my wayward ways! So here goes!


And my new favorite, from our one and only aquarium.


And I would find the duplicate tower...


And soon I would pack up and once again disprove the myth that shark fishermen are immobile! Roll out!


And my racoon from last month was ALMOST...but not quite...picked clean. When I found him, he was still being eaten on.


What a grisly way to spend the afterlife!


And tell me this! (Billy!) Why the heck did this coon have a red molar!!


And then something ELSE red struck again....




I just pray when I die that something doesn't do THIS to MY ahem, hole?!!!


But fishing would take over once again...


And it became ray time somewhere in the 40s...






Almost a manta ray!


And as I fished my way into another late afternoon on a desolate beach empty of anyone but myself, I took a breather and time out to think.


And after chasing said school of small rays around the beach for a few hours, I eventually settled in for the night even further south than the night before, and it became time to suit up in the neoprene GLORY!


And the current ripped to the north, but I ran baits both large and small.








And I apparently didn't buckle down the center hatch properly after being flipped in the 1st gut earlier, so upon the last deployment a rather large rogue wave swept over and under me and broke the hatch off the boat, immediately swamping the hull. Yep, half sinking and having to backstroke my yak to the beach is so much funner in winter.

I drained the water and was thankful yet again to be alive.


And I was blessed with a good luck shark...


And I once again searched for the naked Indians playing flutes in the dunes...


And the sun set...




And dinner was prepared.




And once again, the Trash was on the beach!!


And when it became time for sleep, I grabbed a quick shot for everyone of the extreme beach mansion.


And I would be awakened by the unmistakeable sound of my 50w sounding off through the night yet again...


But it would only prove to be a bait that was conveniently picked up, run with, and then bitten in HALF about a centimeter...or less...lol, from one of my super wild super sharp hooks.

And the next morning yet again brought MY kind of weather...dark, stormy, and unpredictable! Bring it! Bluebird weather "window" my arse!!! Who needs 'em!



And for the 4th straight day the flies were so bad, in this picture the skin on this poor fish can't even be SEEN.


And upon yet again moving camp (sharkers can haul butt if need be!!) I left to run back north for a top secret super hopefully awesome...exploration mission.


Only to find some pretty nasty critters feeding on this poor soul....


But time and tide wait for no man, so off I would go.


And the exploration proved fruitless. Argh!!!




Hours later and back on the beach once again, I headed south...only to find this massive critter....




Now you all know why I don't care for these guys!!!


Now.....just IMAGINE the beast that would have been big enough to remove...this CHUNK of flesh...


What a set of bitemarks...


And of course, the Nic stands strong and proud...




And as typical for such a wild beach...the sun popped out, the water turned to gin, and of course.....the fishing DIED! Lol....


But I fished on anyway.


And after a quick detour at the jetties where I quite literally spent about 4 hours offshore in the kayak resulting in not even a single bump of a rod...I came back in to the beach after a quick north and south jetty troll, and got rolling back north...

And prepared shark rods. Thankyou here Roy's Bait and Tackle for such a beautiful shot. Love the topshot all new and shiny and never used! If I could stay out of your store however, I would be rich. But I wouldn't get to keep collecting such awesome man-gear!! Lol! But tell me folks, is it WRONG to take women in there to show them such greatness?


And I quite literally ran out EVERY BIG GUN I had!


Love it...4 of these are Buddha's rods....pretty cool!! Can yout tell which piece of junk isnt? Lol...




What a sight! Love it!!!






And once again, I was king of my world, no work, no rules, no ties that bind, and doing what maybe just maybe I was created to enjoy...and while wars are being waged worldwide, thieves keep stealing, the sick keep getting sicker, and the rich getting richer, you sure couldn't have gotten me to care about any of that...freedom.


And I would once again attempt to find these doggone naked Indians with flutes...


As as always, I would spend sunset in the dunes, watching the light disappear from such a wild and lonely place...




But i would soon have to leave, to get the party started with a dinner sure to cause a massive arse explosion in the dunes the next day.


And as every night before this one, the fog would settle in around 10pm so thick that even the fish wouldn't be able to find my baits...


But none of that mattered anymore, not a single shred of further pictures would be taken, because my camera happy right fatfinger had taken so many pictures that I killed the thing's battery. No, it didn't scream "Mommy," but I sure tried to go ahead and get it to anyway.

Is there a point, moral, a skinny, a long, or short to this tale? Not really....after all....like so many other things, life is what you make of it and outcomes are what your attitude allows them to be. As for me, I remain happy and well to hopefully continue this seemingly ever-better saga in three weeks, and I've still got a real nasty GRIN plastered on my face from hearing the song that only an Avet 50W belching smoke and fire from the afterburners of a ticked off 7 foot plus Sandbar shark will allow said reel to bellow into the night can produce...

So for now, I remain thankful for the continued healing from red tide in our fish population, for the ten thousand whiting I caught and released, and for rays, drum, sharks, and the like....heck, I'm glad for all of 'em! And before I forget, thanks for the stories there Captain B. Take care of our resources, eachother, and our sport. Until next time, best wishes and better fishing.

Thanks for reading.

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

www.padreislandexpeditions.com

[SharkBait]

great report man

i love the story telling

congrats on the shark

some advice don't ever drink cold water in the middle of a battle with a big fish(not saying you did) your body has to expend energy to warm it up, it can really put a hurt on you

awesome pics
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http://www.youtube.com/user/Shark456Bait/featured
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[ltorna1]

once again another thrill of a report. Gorgeous shark, ugly drum. Not many people can say they see a carcasses of a dolphin, sea turtle, racoon, trigger fish and coyote in one trip. Those little fish were juvenile (post-larval) mullet.

[AcousTennis]

Hahaha this had to be one of the greatest reports yet, good stuff Double T

[Bigrock]

You are becoming the Master Storyteller!!!...Thank you

[ccfishingcoach]

Didn't know what I was getting into when I opened that link, but well done on the storytelling! Sounds like a fun adventure and anytime on the water is always worth it
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Fish On!

[surfdragon]

Awsome report and pics Man versus wild it doesnt get any better.
Thanks !
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''ONE LAST CAST''

''TERMINATOR''

[carolina kinger]

One hell of a ride ,I enjoyed it.

[Mrs. Underdog]

Great report as always Colin! Love reading your stories...

[ibtexas]

Thanks for sharing your adventure Towboat.

[gotmullet?]

That took a lot of time and effort.
Thanks for sharing your adventure
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"Do not call my Jeep a Car ever again "

[Livtoday2]

Epic tale Colin. Sorry we missed you. We camped at the 18 mm. See you next time.
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Live for today, Yesterday is gone & tomorrow never comes

[Finsonpins]

Thanks again for the report Colin! You really need to save these posts somewhere so the stories don't ever get lost.

[deputydawg]

Fantastic!!!!!! Great pictures and write up!!!

Thanks for letting us come along for your adventures! I hope one day you will put these all together for a book. I want a first edition signed copy!

[Stump]

Enjoyed taking a ride down the beach with you, through your writing and pictures. Congrats on the Sandbar! Look forward to crossing paths one day.
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CARPE DIEM