(Oct. 04, 2004 – Gilchrist, TX)… It’s not hard to spot the excitement of someone catching big fish at Rollover Pass, just watch for long handled nets and crowds of onlookers following bowed-over rods held by a nervous anglers. Oft-times, the big fish may be a large gator trout, doormat flounder, or an oversized black drum, but during the month of October along the Rollover beachfront it’ll more than likely be a HUGE 30 to 40 lb redfish. Bull Red is it’ official classification, but that nomenclature can fool you as these bronze colored brutes are actually of the female gender of the Redfish (red drum) species.
A BULL-red doesn’t become an official “BULL” until “SHE” reaches 25 lbs or more, which puts it in a special fishing regulation status involving redfish slot restrictions. Texas fishing regulations allow for three redfish kept daily within the 20 to 28 inch slot-limit, OR, a total of three reds that would include one red over 28 inches. Texas saltwater fishing regs allow anglers to keep one red-fish a year over the 28 inch mark that must be tagged with a redfish tag that is attached to their fishing license for that purpose. A second “bonus-redfish” of over 28 inches is allowed after the first 28” redfish tag is used with a special redfish “bonus tag” that is also attached to their license. (Only two oversized redfish allowed per year) The kept redfish of over 28 inches must be tagged right after landing the fish by attaching the redfish tag to the tail with a piece of fishing line, cord, or twine. But more and more oversized reds are being live released by anglers now as a conservation concern, which is good, as mature female redfish don’t reach reproductive age until well into it’s “bull-red” phase.
Although bull-reds are caught on a year round basis along the Texas coast, actual redfish runs don’t really occur until early fall when huge schools of these oversized red drum begin migrating from the shallow bays and bayous to deeper gulf waters. Recently, good catches of these bronzed lunkers have been caught and landed at Rollover Pass, as well as along the Bolivar Peninsula beach-front surf. These beautiful, but powerful fish provide plenty of excitement as they mangle rods, strip reels, and bruise angler ego’s while “freight-training” their way through the pass on their way the Gulf.
This past week has witnessed some sensational angling skills by both men and women anglers who’ve managed to land many of these 25 lb-PLUS reds with line as light as 8 lb test. But strong recommendations are for stout casting rods, high-geared reels, and at least 25 lb test lines. Sinker weights must be heavy enough to limit tide-drags with hooks large and sharp enough to penetrate large bony jaws. Best baits can be anything from fresh cut mullet, cracked crab, live or dead shrimp, shad, croaker, or live finger mullet, with live finger mullet being your best bait option. Artificial baits are also a key factor for “sportier” fishing adventures with ¾ oz copper or gold spoons providing the best action. While watching a school of large mullet being “masticated” by a hungry pod of bull reds I quickly cast a gold Johnson spoon into the melee, and after only two cranks of the reel my 7 foot popping-stick adjusted to the running battle of a big red that soon stripped my 6500C all the way to my backing (About 100 yards). Twenty minutes later, a beautiful 44 inch “BULL” came to net, which was quickly released after pictures to allow it to continue on with her journey.
One thing is for sure, after you’ve landed one of these awesome fish your sporting smile of pride enters you into an exclusive society of bull-red anglers, and if you release your catch to live and spawn another day, that exclusive membership will further enhance your angling status to that of “elite-angler“……..”So please release those oversized reds for the future of our fishery”.
The Pass receives most of the fishing attention when the redfish run is on, but ‘knowing” anglers will fish the south-jetty on the Gulf side of the pass, the beach near the north-jetty, or the surf all the way up to the old Black’s Pier area near High Island. The Dirty Pelican Pier, situated near Gilchrist, is also a hotspot for day-time, or night-time redfish action and shouldn’t be ignored by those who wish to tangle with the “BIGGUNS”.
Rule of thumb here folks is to watch where the shrimp-boats are working and if you see them trawling close to the Rollover beachfront GET YOUR BULL-RED RIGS AND HEAD FOR THE PASS!!
Prime October redfish action can be enjoyed by taking hwy-96 or 69 to Beaumont, then I-10 to Houston. Exit at Winnie and turn under the overpass on Hwy-87 towards High Island down to Gilchrist and Rollover Pass. Be sure to have your fishing license cleared for saltwater fishing to avoid any Game Warden discomforts.
This Ed Snyder/Outdoors article is sponsored by The Stump Restaurant & Club, The Bass Buster Inn, Rayburn Country Resort, and The Sam Rayburn Pavilion Association.
