With predictions of a “HOT” summery day formulating the final day for my fishing vacation, I opted to rise and shine early to beat the sun to the surf. Arriving on the beach thirty minutes before first light I found a light southwesterly calming the pre-dawn surf with “TONS” of baitfish rippling the surface.
Mullet, of all sizes, swimming against an incoming tide greeted my wade-in with large schools of menhaden (shad) skittering within easy casting distance. Flinging a 3/4 oz gold spoon out past the flitting shad my first retrieve almost jolted my light action spinning rig from my hand with the brute force of an attacking predator. A good speckled trout bowed my rod, giving good credence to its 3 lb surface battle before finally hand landing it, after viewing its long, silvery spotted beauty, I then shook it off to fight another day. It was 6:am and my first predawn adventure would become but a fleeting memory to the many “jolts”that I would endure this morning.
I was wade-fishing near “the pocket” which is located on the tip of the Bolivar Peninsula, near the north Galveston jetty. Coming upon this area the day before after wading the north side of Sea Wolf Park, on Galveston Island. Sea Wolf provided some excellent action in itself, but with mostly “throwback”specks of under the keeper limit of 15 inches. But action is action and that is the allure that keeps the wade-fishermen coming back. But one incident while wading Sea Wolf pretty well assured me that my heart was still healthy and strong.
While wading and casting as I slithered my way across the sandy bottom, a porpoise broke surface not a rods length in front of me to blow its air-hole. “NOW, TALK ABOUT WALKING ON WATER, the good Lord and I wouldâve had a good race that morning. After recovering from the shock we both moved off in OPPOSITE directions.
Coming out of the water about 9:30am, I decided to visit “the pocket”area of the north jetty before heading back to camp. Crossing the Ferry I headed up Hwy 87 to turn right on 108. Pulling onto the beach I veered right to flats. But with no waders in sight I figured “no action”and headed north towards a little known spot referred to as “the cut”.
Again, with no waders prowling the surf I almost left before calm, clear waters attracted my attention. So, as it was only 11am I opted to give it a try. Belly deep in the surf I began slinging soft plastics, but didnât draw any bumps, hits, or trout. Spotting rafts of shad swimming the edges of the 2nd sandbar, I then switched to a 3/4 oz gold spoon to try for reds. “WHAMMO” the fight was on, but instead of spot tailed reds only speckled trout came to my net. Landing 8 specks in about an hour and a half (all keepers) I decided to pull out from the noon day heat and try again in the cool of the morning.
After releasing my first speck of the morning I quickly made another and just as quickly cast hooked up with another chunky fighter. This was to be repeated on several more casts until I had a 10 speck limit before the sun began creeping up on the horizon. Loud splashing behind me quickly caught my attention as a former marine, who I met briefly before wading in, was splashing his way towards the action. The “Nam”vet, whose name Iâve since forgotten, who was camping on the beach couldnât stand to watch. So we both began flinging gold spoons and reeling in solid fighting trout.
This was one of those days when everything just came together to provide the awesome action that we were now enjoying, as trout after trout, along with a few good “smacks”(Spanish mackerel) kept our rods bowed and our smiles wide.
By 8:30am, when I was to leave for previous business concerns, my count was 46 speckled trout, with only 5 or 6 throwbacks, with one, a Gator-Speck of 26 inches, being the largest. My fellow marine wade-buddy had caught 26 specks for his efforts. But we were just fishing for the fun of it all and released ALL of the trout. “True story!
Leaving the fish still biting, we both waded out of the surf with tired and well worn casting arms from the adventure we just experienced. In but two hours, we caught and landed a total of 72 specks, along with a few “smacks”, blues, and sandies who joined the foray. Now that may not sound like much to a few and maybe a whole lot of action to most. But to us, it was an awesome adventure that would play heavy on our future story telling. ….. The trout are in the surf folks, “Go Gettum!By: Ed Snyder / Ed Snyder Outdoors
