# My first official PINS report 08-29-04, 08-30-04



## FS552 (Jun 17, 2004)

First off I'd like to thank my friend Derek for inviting my family and I to go down the beach with him and showing me the ropes down PINS.
Thanks to him I had quite a bit of firsts and I now have the confidence in my Suburban to go down PINS. 
We hit the beach around 7:30 am (bought my 1st yearly pass for PINS) and met up with Derek and his friend Kelly at the 4WD sign, Kelly it was nice meeting you btw. We drove down to the 35MM (1st time in my own vehicle lol) and set up there. 
After casting some manolures under the birds we managed to catch some skipjack. We rig up and Derek yaks a 4/0 on a 552 and then yaks my TLD25 on my 552. 
About an hour 1/2 or so later Derek's rod starts to go off. As he is fighting his fish my 552 starts going off also. We have a double hook-up and shortly afterwards we land 2 blacktips.
His was 4' and mine was 5' (my 1st shark off the beach). After a few pics we safely release both sharks without incident.. Nick Meyer showed up as we were releasing the 5' footer and commended us for the safe release. I was so pumped about the catch and release I forgot to introduce myself. Sorry Nick.
Excited about the catch we rig up again and Derek paddles out both 552s, again we used skipjack for bait.
Meanwhile the kids are having a blast playing in the water, the sand and collecting coconuts and shells.
After awhile my rod goes off and shortly I land another blacktip, this one was 5' 3". 
Derek got onto the shark to restrain it so that I could remove the hook. After about a minute trying I asked Derek to try, that meant I had to get on the shark. Big mistake (1st time on a shark). I get on and the shark starts to thrash while i'm holding on for dear life. I didn't know if I was going to be fast enough to get off once Derek got the hook out. It settled down quickly and Derek got the hook out, but not before I got a good case of shark burn on my knees and ankles (1st shark burn BTW).
Derek manages two more blacktips that went 5' 1" and 5' 6" that afternoon.
Oh and I also caught a stingray that was about 50-60lbs (1sr ray off the beach) that hit cut whiting. We caught a few more whiting and jumped just as much skipjack. We packed up and headed out about 5:45pm on sunday.
On monday Derek picked me up about 10:30am and we hit the beach around an hour later (wife and kids had to go to work and school). Water looked better, but there wasn't as much birds working like on sunday. After we got to the 38 we managed to catch some skipjack, rigged up both 552's and Derek yakked them out. 
After awhile we checked our baits and realized my mono leader had been bitten off at the hook (I use all mono leaders btw). I had 2 more hits with a little line pulled out but no hook-ups. Derek's rod never got a hit all afternoon.
We spent most of the day casting lures messing around with the skipjack, Derek managed to land an undersized redfish. Afert a slow day we headed out about 6:45. 
Driving was not that bad (my opinion), and seaweed was non existant on both days.


Thanks again Derek we had a blast....can't wait to do it again.


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## FS552 (Jun 17, 2004)

Here's some pics, forgot to mention that Derek racked up a few point for his team CC Sharkers.


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## Argo (May 21, 2004)

Sounds like a blast. I will be going down with a few ppl and my fam pretty soon(couple weeks) to send out some baits and you are welcome to come by and drop a line out. BTW do any of you guys ever use spanish macks for bait. I have some that I picked up for bait a while back to drag trolling and will not get a chance to use them this year. Are they any good. I have always used skipjack, mullet and whiting.


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## FS552 (Jun 17, 2004)

We'll definately try and be out there. Thanks for the invite Argo. I'm not sure you can use them for bait, I might be wrong though. All 5 of our sharks were caught on skipjack with the exception of the ray. It was caught on whiting.


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## Sharken (May 21, 2004)

Nice report, fishing the beach is a whole different world, and its unbelievable fun. You just cant match fishing on the beach. Congrats on your new experience. You also cant beat having an excuse to go four wheeling every once in a while either.


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## gundoctor (May 20, 2004)

Argo said:


> BTW do any of you guys ever use spanish macks for bait. I have some that I picked up for bait a while back to drag trolling and will not get a chance to use them this year.QUOTE]
> 
> Spanish mackerel are on the list of game fish in Texas and therefor illegal to use as bait in state waters. Texas state waters extend out 9 NM from the beach.


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## Argo (May 21, 2004)

bummer, I didnt even think about that. Thanks.


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## SurfRunner (May 22, 2004)

Nice Report! I have a TLD 25 but scared to carry it on the beach with me. Did it work fine?


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## Surfrat (May 21, 2004)

*Re: Great job!*

Great report and awesome pix, 'gotta love that Shark burn, I have a few scars that won't go away. But that's O.k., 'cos the last one that made 'em, did make it off just fine.



:an1:


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## Lou (May 22, 2004)

*Way to go*

FRED great report ,,, glad you had a good first impression of the sand. That memory will stay for ever.


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## FS552 (Jun 17, 2004)

SurfRunner said:


> Nice Report! I have a TLD 25 but scared to carry it on the beach with me. Did it work fine?


It worked great. Why are you scared to take it anyway?


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## FS552 (Jun 17, 2004)

Sharken said:


> Nice report, fishing the beach is a whole different world, and its unbelievable fun. You just cant match fishing on the beach. Congrats on your new experience. You also cant beat having an excuse to go four wheeling every once in a while either.


It was awesome sharken.


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## FS552 (Jun 17, 2004)

Lou said:


> FRED great report ,,, glad you had a good first impression of the sand. That memory will stay for ever.


Thanks Lou, we'll have to hook-up sometime and soak some baits.


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## scrambler (May 28, 2004)

Love that picture of the shark saying bye-bye


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## Old salt (May 21, 2004)

*Sweet*

Great report Fred! I'm looking forward to seeing you down PINS in the near future.


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## FS552 (Jun 17, 2004)

Old salt said:


> Great report Fred! I'm looking forward to seeing you down PINS in the near future.


Same here, can't wait to hit the beach again. I was wanting to go again this weekend, but the family and I are going tubing down the Guadalupe River with my father-in-law.


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