Joined: 25 May 2009 Posts: 615 Location: somewhere on 130 miles of beach
Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2016 1:20 pm Post subject: PINS 6/27-6/28
"Five dollars a pound. That's for everthing. Yes sir. Rays or Jack Crevalle or the like for shark bait is five dollars a pound. Yes, I suppose that would be about 100 dollars per large jackfish or ray. Yes sir. Ok, thankyou."
--Quote I was given the other day for shark bait
"Just then the stern line came taut under his foot, where he had kept the loop of the line, and he dropped his oars and felt the weight of the small tuna's shivering pull as he held the line firm and commenced to haul it in. The shivering increased as he pulled in and he could see the blue black of the fish in the water and the gold of his sides before he swung him over the side and into the boat..."
--Ernest Hemingway, "The Old Man and the Sea."
"You did not kill the fish only to keep alive and to sell for food, he thought. You killed him for pride and because you are a fisherman. You loved him when he was alive and you loved him after. If you love him, it is not a sin to kill him. Or is it more?"
--Ernest Hemingway, "The Old Man and the Sea."
"Well heck, I ever tell you about that one time at the pier? No, no, not the turtle in the trunk story, but another one. Ok, well here goes. Now look here...I'd been down Island about 5 days, sure had. And I was comin' on back up Island to the blacktop, you know, where the blacktop used to end right there at Bob Hall Pier. Nueces Park, that's it. And well, I seen some of them boy's vehicles there next to the pier and thought I'd have a walk on out there and say howdy. So I walked on out on the pier just to take a look around and saw a whole bunch of them fool shark fishermen I knew all asleep! Like a bunch of bums! It was nothing but drool and body odor I tell ya! Shameful! And with all their lines out! And ya know, it was real early and all. 7 am. And I figured, well heck, there's no better time than the present doggonit! And so I went ahead and real quietlike cut off every last one of them boy's shark lines with a pair of snips, ya know, and then hightailed it on outta there!! And by then it was about 8am, and heck, ya know-a real good a time of day as any for drinking some COLDBEER! So I stopped off at Louis Rawalt's place, ya know, his old place there, what's it called...that's right, the "Coastway!" Stopped at Louis' bait stand there with a cold 6 pack and got to shooting the bull with Louis there on the porch. And well-we were still setting there drinking beer on the front porch and commiserating when Troy Martin shows up all hot and bothered!!! "What's wrong?" I asked him. "Some gutsy s.o.b. no account, no life, dirty rotten dog, child of a flea bitten coyote done cut every last one of our lines off last night down at the pier!!!!" And I says, "Well do you think it's somebody you know???" Troy says, "He** if I know! But when we find 'em we gonna give 'em something to remember, I can promise ya that!!!" So I pondered on it, and well, just went right on ahead and let him have it. "Well, I GUESS I BETTER BE LEAVING THEN TROY!! CUZ I'M THE DIRTY, ROTTEN, MISERABLE CUSS THAT CUT ALL YOUR LINES!" And Troy's mouth dropped, and Louis' did too, and me? I took another slow pull of that cold one, and just grinned."
--Ralph Wade, surf fishing legend of Padre Island and ever the prankster, story from the 60's, from one of our talks together, 2012
Well, I guess there's just no better time than the present, right? That's sure enough what Ralph said there to me one time. I sure do miss him. It seems like a piece of ya isn't around anymore when someone you care about passes on. Just isn't anyone left to go see anymore at Brookdale every month, no more stories to hear, and I guess my hero just done passed on. All that's left is me and my thoughts and what I have left inside. Been wanting to share that story for a while now, but I guess I had to wait for the right time. The recent article by my pal Jay in the Island Moon about Bob Hall pier kinda made me remember it I suppose. Good writeup Jay. You were spot on, and it kinda made me think about Hemingway too. Ya know...he asked the question in his book there....because we care about what swims out in that blue deep, is it ok to take and kill? Or is all the more a "sin?" And that is where the story begins....
Having just got back from the last trip, a new trip desperately needed to occur. Loaded with a 12 gallon livewell of those buck apiece croaker, and no shark bait, I set out to do the unthinkable! Catch ya own gottblasted shark bait or die trying! And get a surf trout or eat sand!! With a spoon!
And Monday morning brought lower seas as anticipated, and lots of moisture in the atmosphere and brown water to boot.
Arriving to the location of the shark bait and food fish launch, it was off to the races! Now I just know what I'm after is out there....just gotta get to ya!
Pretty shortly thereafter, I was hooked up.
Best rod I ever owned! Love this ole' fiberglass buggy whip!
And there we were!
And I kept at it!
100 bucks a Jackfish my behind! Got your 100 bucks right here!
And I deployed more Kevin Eager lures of greatness...
But soon switched up tactics and went after dinner!
Snapper and pompano. Gotta be my two favorite fish. I sure do love a trout, but when it comes to the table? Boy...snapper or pomps!!!
Soon I relocated and this time....the Ling were present in force. Topwater time it would be again.
Kasplash!
And like normal, they grew wise, so it was time handfeed some Cobia...
Feeding them cut after cut of bait, finally, the big one I was after cut off the rest and came in close....
At that point, out went the pitch bait on a free line...using a leader of washed in Mexican long line gear, including hook! Heckuva setup!
And it almost broke my heart....the little guy just kept following the big guy around....
But I don't gaff, and I actually don't even bring one, so everybody turned out ok in the end.
The jewels! These guys can really hurt ya!
And I just kept playing with 'em.
Again and again!
And somehow, Obama made it into the boat. Wait...I don't think I paid taxes on my Mexican longline gear Cobia leaders or on the latest hole in the zodiac....
And with one more for good measure, I called it a wrap, and remembered...it's croaker time!
Not nice.
Seems to keep clearing up and then dirtying up. Par for the course I suppose.
But that's why we are live baiting it!
What a mess!
But still pretty.
And I stood still and remembered Ralph and thought about his ashes and his spirit. And wondered...will the Island remember him?
How about any of us? And does he look down and see me? Does he watch?
And it took quite a while, but I do believe I found the only bait school on the doggone Island that day. And I took a few for the road.
Can barely tell they are there eh? But they are. Ralph always used to ask, "Well was there any mullet? How about the TROUT!?"
And arrived to the night's location troutless, but ready with big baits to do some battle.
And yep...heard some flutes so off I went...
But when I got to the top, the only thing there was me and the breeze and rustling sea oats.
And the view.
And soon enough, there we were with a fat 81 inch female Bull. She hit just as I climbed down off the rack to make dinner.
The end portion of one blistering run on a 33lb drag Daiwa 900H.
With an opportunity to cook, I came up with some cool Moody's Meat Market party items! Bacon wrapped cream cheese filled stuffed Jalapeno poppers, Boudin balls (seasoned pork stuffed with rice boudin), and two center cut pork chops!
And the rest of the baits sat and morning came.
And it was so pretty.
And went out and pulled floats. And somehow Obama found himself there too!
BOOM
Baits up, I headed to Mansfield looking for more jacks.
But my left hand was severely hindering my ability to hang onto the boat bridle, and do much of anything. The night before, I took that bull out into the gut and swam him, whacked him on his tail, and sent him packing. When I got back, I saw the unmistakeable bright red of very fresh blood running down my left fingers. Hoping it was anyone's but mine, I was wrong, and I somehow neglected to wear my Pelagic gloves and ended up shark rashed in one of the worst locations, the back of the hand. You know, over the years on the Padre's Island that's been my biggest lesson I believe. Our bodies are all we have. One injury...one ray barb to the calf....one sliced open finger....and you're looking at immediate infection and immediate lack of effectiveness for the mission. And just like in nature...the weak and injured are culled out first... With all the flesh eating Vibrio lately...it had me concerned to say the least.
But heck, I'm married to a nurse, so chalk it up to nine lives, use one, and go for a swim! Mansfield brought me up empty anyways! So I came back and immediately ran baits back out. Thanks for the Hard Life hook Albert. And for the knot talks and advice. I can honestly say you and Carlos are two fellas that thrive in helping others and giving free advice. Carlos, when you gonna teach me to 800ft cast ole buddy? Wait! You have! I just didn't comprehend!
And I grabbed my goggles and snorkel and went searching for buried loot from Francisco Vasquez there...
4 feet deep is where the good stuff is! Just gotta watch out for rays and those gotblasted finger pinching evil speckled sea crabs!
And I was rewarded.
The state shell! Lightning whelk! I remember when we used to find stuff like this on the beach. Now, between turtle "talk on their cell phones at Mansfield" patrol and all the drivers it's tough anymore.
And it was beach burger time!
And just before dark, with baits crabbed out, a quick check found me with a voicemail that baby Elizabeth was sick! Married to a nurse that means something! I packed up and acted like a man and took off home for my loved ones. Fish wait, little babies don't.
And today finds me nursing this shark rash and trying to explain to the old lady why I went swimming after having the skin ripped off my left hand... New father immunity from prosecution? Yeah, let me try that...
Ya'll take care, it looks like some weather is trying to come in for this weekend, we'll see how July 4th pans out. Hope ya'll enjoyed Ralph's shark line story, and if anyone sees some trout, release him and let him know it's ok to come back to our beaches already! And about eating that sand with a spoon? Oh, I was just kiddin about all that... Baby is better and just had a tiny cold and allergies and I suppose I can still fish one handed if need be. As for old Ernest...well, he always did ask questions and raise issues that were never meant to be solved one way or the other anyway, didn't he? And if anyone wants dibs on those $100 Jackfish, don't think any of us will fight ya on that. And Jay? I guess the pier answer could always be some old Ralph's "cut lines extravaganza!" Wait---I never said that. Maybe just a lil time reading Ernest is all it would take. Bye ya'll.
Clear water, silver spoons, and Catch 2000's with red eyes.
-Colin _________________ Protect Padre at all costs for future generations to use and enjoy and never forget our freedoms aren't free.
Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 3260 Location: Flour Bluff/Kingsville
Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2016 5:56 pm Post subject:
Wow! what a great post...Love all the pictures. Keep them coming. _________________ "I do hunt and I do fish and I do not apologize to anyone that I hunt and fish." - Norman Schwarzkopf
Great write up as always ,
Colin. Thanks for taking the time to put it together.
"And I stood still and remembered Ralph and thought about his ashes and his spirit. And wondered...will the Island remember him? "
Will the wind ever remember
The names it has blown in the past? _________________ "If we don't leave any, there won't be any."
Capt. Billy
"Enjoy every sandwich" Warren Zevon
Joined: 26 Aug 2012 Posts: 137 Location: Weatherford, TX
Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2016 4:36 am Post subject:
Thanks for the excellent post and the memories. When I was a kid we would come down to bhp regularly. I stayed on the end of that pier for days with those shark fisherman and I remember some of the pranks played. If that story happened in the late sixties I may have been there. I remember watching them lay line on the end of the pier, run a nail through the leader and twirl that bait overhead to send it out. It's been 43 years since I've been back to bhp. Next week the clock restarts. I hear its not wooden anymore.
Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 1103 Location: El Rancho Jones
Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2016 6:10 am Post subject:
Nice post and pics. The Troy Martin story brought back memories as I fish with Troy on the pier in those days. Had a crush on one of his sisters .... but that's another thread.
Great report as always. Every time I read one of your reports I want to run home, pack the jeep and head for the island but I must wait another month before having the time to get down there again.
Glad to hear your baby is ok. I would like to know how the heck you got a cell signal to check your voicemail. Once I pass the visitors center my phone dies. Sometimes can get a week signal down at the jetty but nothing in between.
Joined: 26 Aug 2012 Posts: 137 Location: Weatherford, TX
Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2016 12:50 pm Post subject:
rustynail11 wrote:
Great report as always. Every time I read one of your reports I want to run home, pack the jeep and head for the island but I must wait another month before having the time to get down there again.
Glad to hear your baby is ok. I would like to know how the heck you got a cell signal to check your voicemail. Once I pass the visitors center my phone dies. Sometimes can get a week signal down at the jetty but nothing in between.
Up on the dunes at the jetties and at select other places. I can always get service at the jetty dunes, although I try not to do that more than once a day.
Heh. Your toe, your hand...what's going to be next? I like that umbrella up top. It's SO much cooler when you can sit up on the rack off the sand and actually have some shade with the breeze.
Aside from ONE trout on a spoon two months ago way south, I haven't had any luck out of the surf either. But it's still fun to try!!
Joined: 25 May 2009 Posts: 615 Location: somewhere on 130 miles of beach
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 11:51 am Post subject:
rustynail11 wrote:
Great report as always. Every time I read one of your reports I want to run home, pack the jeep and head for the island but I must wait another month before having the time to get down there again.
Glad to hear your baby is ok. I would like to know how the heck you got a cell signal to check your voicemail. Once I pass the visitors center my phone dies. Sometimes can get a week signal down at the jetty but nothing in between.
Sorry so late. The last week has been a blur of holding a baby bottle in one hand and diapers in another. I was camped more or less at the jetty give or take a mile. Phones. I'm dreading the day if it ever comes that they work down there more places than they do now. I'm thinking we NEED at least one place left that they are unusable. Thankyou, and ya'll take care. _________________ Protect Padre at all costs for future generations to use and enjoy and never forget our freedoms aren't free.
Joined: 05 May 2006 Posts: 550 Location: San Antonio
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 12:47 pm Post subject:
I always enjoy your posts and pics, Towboat.
You need to write a book.
Did you happen to see the June 30 edition of Island Moon? There is a real interesting article with memoirs by a guy named Louis Rawalt. It's a great read on Island history.
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And get a surf trout or eat sand!! With a spoon! 
With all the flesh eating Vibrio lately...it had me concerned to say the least.
Thanks for the Hard Life hook Albert. And for the knot talks and advice. I can honestly say you and Carlos are two fellas that thrive in helping others and giving free advice. Carlos, when you gonna teach me to 800ft cast ole buddy? Wait! You have! I just didn't comprehend! 
