HACKED BY CYBER-ATTACK - ALPERENBTN

[rabbit]

I just caught my first limit of redfish A big kiss for mudbug when I see him again. I left the house about 7AM this morning and drove out to mustang island state park and fished the jetties there. Cast out the net and caught 5 ballyhoos and a couple big shad 6-8 inches, broke the nose off the ballyhoos and threw one out and WHAMM right off the bat I was onto a big one and he was headed for the open gulf. I had to climb the rocks and chase him until I got to the end of the jetties and then we played see who last the longest and I won. I got back to where I started fishing and measured him and he went 30 inches, that was my first tagged red ever. I put on another ballyhoo and in 2 minutes I was on again and he headed for the open gulf also, back up over the rocks I went and finally got him in and he measured 28 inches. Now that 2 red and my mine starts thinking limits, I have never caught a limit of reds. So back I go and throw out a shad 4 minutes later my line starts to move and I let it go because I was using a large shad, he stops and then takes off again and I set the hook and he headed for the open gulf, so back over the rocks I go and I get to the end of the jetty and the fish keeps going he doesnt want to play. Line broke I threw out another shad and bang it got hit right away, back over the rocks to the end of the jetty and he keeps taking line I cant turn him so I grabbed my line to see if the drag was to loose. Line broke Went back and put on another shad and waited maybe 5 minutes and fish on again. Landed him that time for my 3 fish limit. It was nonstop action 5 others down there were catching reds hand over fist also. By 9AM I was back on the blacktop heading home. A FANTASTIC DAY FOR ME Final talley 1 tagged 30 inch and 2 28 inch reds.
PS. Just kidding about the kiss mudbug
I layed them on the cooler just for you bluffer



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Fishing and Kayaking its a rough life but somebody has to do it.

[Guest]

Maybe it's wishful thinking, but can it be the shad you fed to the reds were actually menhaden? Shad that size would have had one big black spot not far back from the head, while the menhaden or pogiefish would have had a series of spots down its sides. There have been schools of these large but still immature pogies in the surf lately.

After your success with the big reds and mine catching a big Spanish mackeral two days earlier on what is likely the same bait, I wonder if getting some is an omen of good things to come. Makes me wish for a dependable supply of shad/menhaden/whatever to use every trip. By weight, it's the most caught commercial fish in the Gulf, so how hard could it be? Maybe the Gulf shrimpers could ice a few and bring 'em in to the docks occasionally?

Great story. Let's hear from others fortunate enough to find and try this lucky bait.

[Skipjack]

I grew up fishing the fish pass jetties. Many days of luck and many days of nothing. I can remember getting into spanish macks down there around the end of August and catching them one after another. I have not caught spanish from those jetties since I was 15 years old.

Nice report Rabbit. We should start seeing alot of redfish action in the surf the closer we get to October.

Did the shad you were catching look like the pics below or did they have black spots on them.

The shad below are called Watermelon Shad I believe. All about 2 to 3 inches in length. Sorry, they are a little sandy in the pics.


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-Skip

[RodBreaker]

Great report! And you could have kept another slot red if you chose to. From the TPW&D regs:

"Any fish retained under authority of a Red Drum Tag or a Bonus Red Drum Tag may be retained in addition to the daily bag and possession limit as stated in this section."

[Lat22]

Rodbreaker beat me to it. Technically not a limit. Very nice catch.

[Guest]

The pictured baitfish appear to be scaled sardines, Harengula pensacolae. The gulf menhaden, Brevoortia patronus, I caught on the 31st was nearly three times as large and had a line of spots down its sides. In the size range Rabbit caught, the baitfish could be that or the finescale menhaden,Brevoortia gunteri, gizzard shad, Dorosoma cepedianum, or threadfin shad, Dorosoma cepedianum. The last three all have a single black spot on their sides behind the gills, while the last two have an extended last ray (the 'thread') in their dorsal fins.

[rabbit]

I was told that they were shad and they looked like your pic only bigger. I will have to remember that about the tag. Quit fishing 1 fish to early. but it was fun anyway.
_________________
Fishing and Kayaking its a rough life but somebody has to do it.

[Guest]

The threadfin shad is D. petenense. Teach me not to read a key and type at the same time.

[Skipjack]

Hey Johnny,

Where are you getting your Identifications from?

I need some good ID pages to find out what bait I am catching and for educational purposes as well.

I caught well over 2000 of these shad in a couple of throws At the begining of August.
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-Skip

[Skipjack]

By the way, these shad had green backs and when I put them all in the ice chest, there blood was a pinkish color. All together it looked green and pink. Like a watermelon....??? I am not familiar with identification of smaller species of fish. But, I am still learning. Any help is greatly appreciated.
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-Skip

[RodBreaker]

This guide has several of the species that have been discussed:

http://www.flfish.com/baitfish/index.htm

[Guest]

The fish IDs are coming from my old textbook, "Key to the Estuarine and Marine Fishes of Texas." It was produced in May 1972 by Texas A&M while I was a grad student there in Galveston. It was edited by Jack Parker and prepared by him, Benny Gallaway (one of my fisheries lab instructors) and Don Moore.

Wish I'd referred to it recently before Tyler caught me misidentifying a palometo for an African pompano.

I don't know if that key is still in print. Even so, it's reliance on scientific terms to distinguish species makes it tough to use. Try Hoese's book, which I think is listed on this website.

[Tarzan]

Awesome catch my fellow Flour Bluff brotha! Three Redfish, 20"-28", is a limit. One fish may be over 28", if properly tagged, and will be counted in the three fish limit. I won't tag anything over 30" anymore and you hit it on the head with that one. Sounds like the fall run is on!!
later,
Ernie

[Curmit]

Awesome job on the fishing, sounds like you had a good time, might get some heavier line though, LOL.

I have ofter wondered just what I was using for bait before, I usually don't know for sure what it is called by it's official name I just rename it "bait" and it usually works.

I was surprised by the mention of ballyhoo though, are they a nearwater fish or mainly offshore?

[rabbit]

Ok rodbreaker let me see if I understand this then. According to that short cut there are no shad in the gulf. They are menhaden in verious stages of growth. At least I was right on the ballyhoo.
_________________
Fishing and Kayaking its a rough life but somebody has to do it.