Henry Rifle Forums

I don't have a boat ("The best boat is one your friend owns.") so I went to the Horace Caldwell Pier in Port Aransas. I got there about 2pm and was the only person on the pier and fishing was good. I usually try or Jacks and reds, but its the ocean and you never know what will come along.
I started with a large catfish - typical. but a good way to break in my new rod and reel - one of my former students had given me a nice bait casting rod that he had made and I picked up a cheap reel for it at Academy Sports. Lots of back lashed, but I got better as the day went on.
Whiting, reds and a couple of spec sea trout. Nice day fishing!
The the tarpon came in, I threw everything I could at them; shrimp, spoons, topwater, mullet, soft plastic. I guess they were just sight-seeing. they looked to be about 5 feet long - 60/70 pounds. Would love to tie into one of them...mind you I'm using a cheap bait-casting reel with 8 pound mono, a reel that is prone to backlash.
Around 5pm I put the last shrimp on and cast into a school of shad the birds were working - immediate backlash. By the time I had the reel clear I figures it was time to go home, as I reeled in I was ambushed by a medium size Jack - maybe 5 pounds. It resulted in a 6 or 7 minute fight then he spit the hook. Was gonna let him go anyway.
A good day on the pier!

Michael

thanks for bringing back some really good memories of years ago we would drive down to the coast and spend all night pier fishing .... while I use a bait caster for bass fishing, I quickly learned that I did much better pier fishing using a open face spinning reel .... we did catch fish but never had one of those fill the coolers nights .... it was our luck to be greeted with "You should of been here yesterday." .. ..

I miss fishing. We really need to get out at least once more if we can. Sounds like you had a good time... even if you didn't land the tarpon. A friend of ours took his son fishing a lot, and at six he put it all in perspective.

"It's about the journey guys, they don't call it catching."

The boy would fish in a mud puddle.

Thanks guys - I never keep anything - always catch and release. Can't eat jacks or tarpon anyway. I mostly fish with spinning gear, but I wanted to try the baitcaster - too much trouble, will stick to spinning rigs.
I can still see the tarpons in my dreams.
This are was once know for Tarpon fishing. FDR once fished here and the press made a ton of photos of the fish he caught. These days we only get tarpon in the fall, but they are still exciting to see. They'll roll slowly and look around.
Michael

Nice report Blackdog. Give it a bit with the baitcaster. You'll get better braking the spool with your thumb in time, and then it''s more fun IMO than the spinners. I think some of the pricey ones have magnetic braking systems, but I prefer my thumb. I also prefer beach fishing than pier fishing as I like to get into the water with the fish .

Henry88 wrote: I also prefer beach fishing than pier fishing as I like to get into the water with the fish .

When I surf fish I wade out, cast and wade back.I fish from the shore.
I know who lives out there.
M

true story .... years ago we were at the NC coast with another family .... the adults were sitting in beach chairs watching the kids .... off to our left 2 fellows, with some of the best gear I've ever seen, were surf fishing .... they literally weren't catching anything .... off to our right several families with beach towels and coolers were having a great time ... to our surprise, we saw 4 fellows take out brim busters ===> https://www.amazon.com/BW3-Black-Widow- ... ref=sr_1_2 .... their lines was tied to the end and they had the standard orange float on their lines that were baited with shrimp .... they would wade out chest deep into the surf, with their poles held high .... as we watched the tips would bend, they'd set their hooks and wade out of the water onto the shore ... while the guys walked to the coolers for refreshment, the kids would run down, take whitings ===> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_whiting off of the hooks, and rebait the hooks .... they were literally walking in and out of the surf about as quickly as they could .... after a while they fishermen on our left ...

As some of you know I was a fishing guide in Boca Grande. Retired my ticket 2 years ago. Occasionally when I did not have a client I would go play with some Poons for myself...

Bugs - Nice fish!
We have tarpon here too, but generally smaller that yours. Good show.
(FDR came here years ago and went tarpon fishing. He caught one - maybe 60lb - the news media made a big deal of photograping him with the fish - over and over. Poor thing (the fish) didn't survive be reeled in over and over for the Movietone footage.)
Ours seem to have larger eyes - my observation when they come by the pier and look us over. Whatever they are eating is not what we're offering!
Still, nice fish!
Michael

very nice tarpon indeed .... I suspect it put up a pretty good fight