Corpusfishing.com

[gulftrout]

Well, the day before I had arrived at Bob Hall around 7 am. I threw lures for an hour or so and only had one strike. I did see a nice 26" red caught and one small blacktip shark. As I was leaving the entrance where you pay, the attendant said my pass was good until 5:30 am the next morning. Being a frugal type of guy, I thought if I wake up early enough I will head back over and try the pier before 5:30 to get my moneys worth! I wake up around 3 am and decide I will make that drive from Portland to Bob Hall to see if I can catch my first surf trout of the summer. I have already tried 3 times and have only caught skipjacks and whiting on the lures I have been throwing. On my drive over I cross a small rain shower. I think, "This is good." Maybe the rain has driven some of the anglers off the pier and I just might have the pier to myself. As I am parking I do not see anyone fishing on the straight part of the pier. There are a few guys out on the "T", that's it. I guess that little shower has done it's job.

[gulftrout]

As I walk out on the pier, I start checking the lights to see if I can see any specks. First light on the right, nothing. Second light on the right, a huge school of large mullet are cruising through but I do not see anything else. Third light on the right I start seeing a few skipjacks and a speck or two. I try a few cast here and there are no takers. I can see skipjacks chasing minnows out in the shadows past the light, but no strikes on my lures. I am throwing a tandem rig similar to a speck rig. I made this one myself with two 1/16 oz jig heads and small hooks. On one jighead I have a 1 1/2" glow white sassy shad and the other I have a 2" glow white sassy shad. I usually put the smaller lure in the back and if I use a heaver jighead I always put the heavier one in front, so the smaller weighted jighead will float along behind the lure. The next light on the right has waves breaking hard right in the light. I make a cast here and I get a hit instantly. I cannot see the skipjacks here because of all the white water, but they are here and hitting my lures every cast. I quickly land a half-dozen. On my next cast I hook two large ones, one on each lure and try to lift them up on the pier . As they near the rail my line breaks. This rarely happens with 15lb. Trilene Big Game, but it did this time. I quickly make another rig and make a cast. I get a strike and try to set the hook. I miss the fish and my lures come flying up toward the pier. They hit something just under the concrete walkway and get hung up. I try to get them off, but they are hooked solid. I finally have to grab my line and wrap it around my hand with a fish rag and try to pull the lures off but the line breaks again and I think to myself, that's enough. I take a break and sit on my cooler before I head to my car.

[gulftrout]

Before I leave I figure I will check the guys on the "T" and see if they are catching anything. As I walk toward the end of the pier I am checking the lights. Much to my surprise on the very next light to the left, I see a few specks just under the surface. The water here is pretty sandy, but it clears occasionally as the waves are coming through. I quickly fix another rig and catch a nice 16" speck on my first cast. In a short period of time I catch five keepers, all between 16 an 18". I make several more cast and nothing, they seem to have all gone. I thought, "Oh Well" it was nice while it lasted. I figured I would catch a few more skipjacks and call it a night. I go back the other side of the pier a make a cast. On my first cast I get a hard strike and set the hook. I was expecting another skipjack, but this was "NO" skipjack. It was a huge trout and looked like a monster shaking it's head in all the white water. As I am fighting this fish I am thinking, "Is this one over 8 lbs. and heavy enough to make the leaderboard in the Star Tournament. I do not think there has been one weighed in for the "Middle Coast." I quickly remember that Bob Hall Pier is the boundary dividing the middle and lower coast and I have hooked this trout on the wrong side of the pier to be entered in the middle coast division. Oh well, this fish is a long way from being caught and now I have to figure out how to get it on the pier. There is no one else around and I do not have a drop net, not that I could have used it by myself with this fish dancing around in the breaking waves. I decide to make that long walk toward the beach and hopefully, somehow keep this fish off the pilings!

[gulftrout]

After what seemed like forever, I finally drag this fish up on the sand and look down at what is without a doubt, the largest speck I have ever caught on a fishing pier with a lure. I run down the entryway and onto the sand thinking that this fish better still be there. I unhook this beast and lift it up thinking, if it is over 28" it just might go 8 lbs. I head back up on the pier and start getting everything ready to leave as the suns starts to light-up the eastern sky! Here is a picture taken a couple hours later at Conn Brown Harbor. She did not reach 8 lbs. but sent the digital scales at Woody's Sport Center to 7.20. This is the best trout I have caught in the surf in several years and I now realize how hard it is to catch one that actually weighs over 8lbs., on certified scales!

[rickg]

Nice report, I'm heading down Saturday for a week. I hope to have some of your luck.

[eksda]

seeing and reading all the reports about bob hall makes me long for a trip but have to put it off. had toe surgery yesterday and i must say that if uncle sam had wanted to recruit me as a spy i would not make a good one. i would have spilled everything i ever knew if i thought they were going to torture me using my fingernails or toe nails. in other words i was a big wuss. i had to get hubby in while they were doing it so i could get it done. been putting it off for a long time and i was to the point of not being able to walk. will be out of commission for 2 weeks. so everyone catch lots of fish for me and be sure to post as i can almost feel a pole in my hand when i read and see the pics. good luck to all

[shallowsport]

The fishing gods have been kind to you, my friend. Congrats on a great catch.

[gulftrout]

[blackhawk78418]

Nice fish

[TomP]

Nice catch great report. Cool Pic of Trout, Thanks for sharing
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Hook'em and givem Dragggg !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Stinky Fish]

Awesome report & beautiful trout!!
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"Those of us that had been up all night were in no mood for coffee and donuts, we wanted strong drink. We were, after all, the absolute cream of the national sporting press."

[FIDO]

Good Job GT! I love those big trout with their weird looking heads. I just got a 28" this year and man was I happy. I'm happy for you! However, that pic is missing a critical element... a SMILE!

Get Better Eksda! I have ingrown toenail issues. I want my doctor to cut both of them off forever! It's total freaking misery. Just think about how good you will feel in a couple weeks!
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Fish hard. You never know when you'll make you last trip south.

[lloydrage]

I really enjoyed the report! I am new here but I hope to continue to see reports this detailed.

And thats a beautiful fish!!

[Tyler]

Great story and trout!
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[gulftrout]

[quote="FIDO"]Good Job GT! I love those big trout with their weird looking heads. I just got a 28" this year and man was I happy. I'm happy for you! However, that pic is missing a critical element... a SMILE!