# Port Aransas trip, 11-7 to 10



## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Rarely do trips work out like they used to when I was young enough to buck the obstacles in my way to catch some fish. When you get older and have some limitations, even careful planning can get wiped out by tough conditions. So I was prepared for the worst when our three days at the saltwater might be a rain out.


We stayed at the Channelview in PA and I mostly fished the lighted pier there.
It was great, every night I waited until the solunar and tides were lined up and the fish cooperated.
What a difference it made planning to the minute to go down and cast for trout and other fish with a Big Nasty and other shrimp imitations on a jig head. There were sea turtles, dolphins, and all kinds of life passing through under the pier in the clear water, that is magic.
The only trump to the solunar and tides were the dang pelicans
The Channelview has a great view of the pier and I noticed that whenever no one was around big flocks of pelicans would surround the pier, eating any trout brave enough to try for a shrimp swimming by.
So I developed a strategy, go out before the peak time and scare off the pelicans.
It worked good and even though I had to wade through a lot of dinks, I was able to get my five each night. Nothing big, just 16 to 19" trout, fine for the table.
I also caught Spanish macs, mangrove snapper and gulf trout.
The best night was when I caught the 31" red fish on 12# mono and 6' top water rod/curado 200 HG that had taken my lure the night before. CPR.
It was a fight!

The very best action was what I went in hopes of, croaker on the out going tide at the jetties.

I used to catch them 30 years ago in the fall.
I went and looked out on the jetty during the out going tide the 2nd day and sure enough a short walk out on the jetty showed savvy anglers catching bull croaker two at time.
I bought one pound of dead shrimp and caught twenty eight bull croaker. It made a fine bucket full.
A shout out to the jetty walkers who let me slide in and catch some.
:work:.


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## Ducktracker (Aug 1, 2011)

WTG


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Geordican (Jul 16, 2015)

Nice!!!!

I'm headed down tomorrow to fish corpus/upper laguna area


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## wavygravy (Nov 18, 2015)

I'm jealous, I grew up catching croakers that size in VA. Good eating


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## Dick Hanks (Aug 16, 2007)

Looks like you had a very memorable trip. Well done.


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## acoastalbender (Jul 16, 2011)

Good post, good on you ...
.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Fried a batch for lunch, wow just as good as I remember! They were all ready to spawn soon, full of eggs and milt. Not quite fully developed though, so maybe the action will be good for a little longer.
They are really game fish and super table fare when they get 12"+.


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## Spinky (Aug 11, 2005)

shadslinger said:


> Fried a batch for lunch, wow just as good as I remember! They were all ready to spawn soon, full of eggs and milt. Not quite fully developed though, so maybe the action will be good for a little longer.
> They are really game fish and super table fare when they get 12"+.


You're depleting our bait for next year!!:smile:


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Spinky said:


> You're depleting our bait for next year!!:smile:


I almost felt bad, LOL!!!!
:walkingsm


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## SeaOx 230C (Aug 12, 2005)

Hard to beat a mess of croaker.


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## Olliver (Oct 24, 2016)

Nice fish. Good pics. Thanks for sharing









_____________________________________
Life sometimes sucks. Fishing always helps.


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

There is no telling how good our fishing would be if there were no shrimp trawlers.

Great report!


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## schoalbeast101 (Oct 23, 2014)

Great job Loy! Sounds like you had a ton of fun! A switch to SW once in awhile is good for the soul! now back to the Catfish, whites, stripers and hybrids.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

schoalbeast101 said:


> Great job Loy! Sounds like you had a ton of fun! A switch to SW once in awhile is good for the soul! now back to the Catfish, whites, stripers and hybrids.


Not yet, I have some flounder to catch first.

:walkingsm


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