# Surf fishing crystal beach



## etx fisherman (Mar 8, 2016)

I knw it is early but got a question. I'm staying in crystal beach the last week of July and plan on having lines out alot from the beach. Just wondering what I might expect to catch. Not real picky on what I catch just like reeling them in. What rigs and bait and advice can yall give me. Would like to catch some shark but don't know if that's do-able from casting off the beach cause I won't be able to yak a bait out or anything. Thanks in advance.


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## fishingcacher (Mar 29, 2008)

etx fisherman said:


> I knw it is early but got a question. I'm staying in crystal beach the last week of July and plan on having lines out alot from the beach. Just wondering what I might expect to catch. Not real picky on what I catch just like reeling them in. What rigs and bait and advice can yall give me. Would like to catch some shark but don't know if that's do-able from casting off the beach cause I won't be able to yak a bait out or anything. Thanks in advance.


Dead shrimp on a double drop with 4 oz sinker. Whiting, sharks, drum.


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## etx fisherman (Mar 8, 2016)

Thanks


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## jimj100 (Dec 1, 2012)

U gonna catch a lot of hard heads in July in the surf with shrimp. If u do catch a whiting, cut it up and cast that out. Less hh.


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## troutless (Feb 17, 2006)

Don't forget there is Trout out there in the surf and can be caught on live bait and artificial baits. Good luck.


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## etx fisherman (Mar 8, 2016)

Do hard heads make good cut bait. I've heard it both ways.


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## rynochop (Aug 28, 2006)

With all the water coming down the Sabine, you may want to Texas rig a worm and try and catch bass.ha


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## fishingcacher (Mar 29, 2008)

etx fisherman said:


> Do hard heads make good cut bait. I've heard it both ways.


Someone told me that Ling's like them if you cut of the fins. Never tried cut bait but if you have a couple setups you could try it. No one is going to complain about dead hardheads.


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## etx fisherman (Mar 8, 2016)

Yea I hear ya ryno I live on the Sabine in northern Texas and its stupid high but the catfishing is getting good.


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## etx fisherman (Mar 8, 2016)

Another question. If I try to target sharks what's the best rig. Thinking about 150 lbs single strained wire with 150 lbs mono shock leader. Or something like that. Or is just a store bought double drop steel leader ok or is even a mono leader good.


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## troutless (Feb 17, 2006)

I would use 400 lb mono for leaders with 20/0 Circle Hooks. The hooks will usually hook in the corner of mouth, but let them set the book by applying pressure as they run with the bait.
I use BTB fish out of a kayak and have caught several 5-6' ers w/o any maker problems.
The Texaskayakfishingmen.com BTB section.


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## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

troutless said:


> I would use 400 lb mono for leaders with 20/0 Circle Hooks. The hooks will usually hook in the corner of mouth, but let them set the book by applying pressure as they run with the bait.
> I use BTB fish out of a kayak and have caught several 5-6' ers w/o any maker problems.
> The Texaskayakfishingmen.com BTB section.


This is what I use and rarely get cut off. I have never caught a shark or anything on hardheads. Make sure your bait is big enough that a gafftop wont eat it. The head half of a big whiting is my favorite bait for bull reds. Put out the big rods and then throw lures for trout. A silver spoon will work or a popping cork with shrimp imitation for someone a little less experienced with lures. Good luck!

You don't have to be real far out to catch fish. Try to fish the guts and backsides of the bars. Try and stay off the top of the sand bars with you baits. Don't be afraid to fish the first gut after dark.


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## etx fisherman (Mar 8, 2016)

Thanks for the advice. Really cool to be able to get on here and ask questions and not get called dumb. I fished the surf for the 1st time last year in orange beach alabama and really enjoyed it but they say that fishing galveston is different but that's just hear say. I just like the change of senery. I'll probably asking more questions as I try to get rigged up the next few months.


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## etx fisherman (Mar 8, 2016)

And I have silver spoons, rattle traps, zara spooks, and some more top water plugs. What are the odds of any Jacks or blue fish hitting top waters or is that a further east thing?


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## fishingcacher (Mar 29, 2008)

etx fisherman said:


> And I have silver spoons, rattle traps, zara spooks, and some more top water plugs. What are the odds of any Jacks or blue fish hitting top waters or is that a further east thing?


No warm enough yet.


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## Instigator (Jul 6, 2004)

Trout, Spanish mackerel, skipjack and smaller blues than the East Coast are all topwater possibilities. If the smacks and blues are around you'll need some light wire leader.

Since you're a catfisherman you may want to ignore the previous advice regarding gafftops. They are a fun fish on light tackle and eat better than a channel cat. Their downside is slime. They make more of a mess than you can imagine. Most guys cuss them but there are a few of us who are happy to catch them.

You can reduce the hardhead catch by going with shrimp fishbites. Whiting hit those almost as well as shrimp. A 14" whiting on a light rod is a lot of fun. You can get away with very light gear for the small stuff since unlike freshwater you don't have to worry about snags.


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## popeye_iv (Oct 29, 2015)

What size wire for the spanish macks? Is that single strand?


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## matagordamudskipper (Feb 18, 2006)

96# single strand minimum(my opinion. I dont like rewiring constantly and anything smaller I've had slip through split rings but it can happen with 96#) but like 120#-170#(kings, cuda)better. Fishing for smacks reel and twitch spoon as fast as possible without breaking the surface of water. I've caught limits on 170 plus lots of other critters. Practice your haywires, soon you can do them perfectly with your toes. And for the love of God don't leave a tag end on single strand, break it off clean and flush . You can catch Jacks and blues. I shot an 8.5# blue a few years ago spearfishing...should have submitted the paperwork in time along with all the other 'records'


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## matagordamudskipper (Feb 18, 2006)

You can catch sharks on hard heads. Bullreds and stingrays too. There isn't much you can't catch those 3 fish on...
If you want a shark casting leader 400-700# mono 14/0-16/0 circle hook will be sufficient. You can catch them on less as well as more. My nominal casting leader is made of the material above. If you are going in July and want to catch a shark catch some lady fish cut one in half and cast it out at sunset.


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## Swampmamma (Feb 14, 2007)

Good luck


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## etx fisherman (Mar 8, 2016)

Thanks everyone.


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## Blueshoes (Jan 24, 2013)

You would be very surprised what a 7-8/0 gamakatsu octopus circle will catch. MUCH better hook up ratio than the big mustads in my opinion. If you are kayaking baits out, which, i skim read this thread so you may be, but if you are then I would go with the 14-16/0 mustads, 20 is overkill for texas. Casted baits i would highly consider using the gamakatsus. They make them in a 4x strong but weve caught sharks up to 7'6" with the single x strong. 

Unless you just want to get some fish on the board, i wouldnt bother with shrimp. Getting hard heads off all the time gets annoying quick haha. If you can throw a net, live mullet would probably be my go to. If the menhaden are in close enough to throw a net at then those would also be good. Sand trout, croaker...the usual coastal species are all good bait


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## etx fisherman (Mar 8, 2016)

I doubt I kayak anything out. Just gonna cast from beach and see what happens. I plan on using what I catch in cast net mostly. But the wife and kids just like catching fish so I will probably, the way it sounds, be taking off many hardheads. Maybe I will.hook something that will make the reels sing.


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## matagordamudskipper (Feb 18, 2006)

You'll also catch a lot more salty cats and pup sharks using small hooks. Personally I target quality not quantity when fishing for myself. If you really want a top notch hook up ratio build a kingfish leader with 3x VMC'S trebles, hard on all species fish and shark but it will bring in just about any torpedo or sub out there up to few hundred pounds. Hardheads get annoying but catch enough you can take them off for years no pliers or pokes necessary, depending on blood alcohol level. 
More than one way to skin a cat or catch fish. I've caught some biggins on smaller tackle and vise versa. 
It's a wonderful day in the neighborhood, see yall on the sand or blue water...Poco is right around the corner!


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## matagordamudskipper (Feb 18, 2006)

BTW blue shoes 20/0 circles, 14/0 and 16/0 J hooks as well have been straighten off the Texas coast. Where do you come up with this stuff? Regardless it cracks me up, I thank you for that.


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## etx fisherman (Mar 8, 2016)

Im not gonna get to technical when I go. Fish 3 poles. Build a shark rig out on mono and single strand and put a piece of cut bait on it. Fish a bluefish rig with dead shrimp. And throw plugs and spoons and rattle traps. Don't know enough about it to get into it deep. 

But I figure a 20/0 can and will get straightened in texas. I've straightened 12/0 circles on blue cats here. But thanks for all the info.


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## Blueshoes (Jan 24, 2013)

matagordamudskipper said:


> BTW blue shoes 20/0 circles, 14/0 and 16/0 J hooks as well have been straighten off the Texas coast. Where do you come up with this stuff? Regardless it cracks me up, I thank you for that.


i get it because my blood alcohol level is always zero when im dealing with things that can remove hands  youll learn one day kiddo

I agree, I have a 16/0 mustad circle hook sitting on my end table right now that has been straightened out but i will argue all day that youre going to be more productive on smaller hooks here on the upper tx coast. After doing a bit of fishing from SLP to crystal beach for a few years, and having done NUMEROUS longline research trips, I have a pretty good idea of where the bigger sharks are. Most of them are not up here, sorry to break your heart. I dont even think ive seen a fish over about 9 foot caught inside of a few miles here on the upper coast. Think somebody entered a big tiger caught a few miles out in the tackle time last year or the year before but for the most part, i would be willing to bet 80-90% of our sharks up here are sandies, bt and spinners less than 6.5ft long


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## matagordamudskipper (Feb 18, 2006)

Blueshoes said:


> i get it because my blood alcohol level is always zero when im dealing with things that can remove hands  youll learn one day kiddo
> 
> I agree, I have a 16/0 mustad circle hook sitting on my end table right now that has been straightened out but i will argue all day that youre going to be more productive on smaller hooks here on the upper tx coast. After doing a bit of fishing from SLP to crystal beach for a few years, and having done NUMEROUS longline research trips, I have a pretty good idea of where the bigger sharks are. Most of them are not up here, sorry to break your heart. I dont even think ive seen a fish over about 9 foot caught inside of a few miles here on the upper coast. Think somebody entered a big tiger caught a few miles out in the tackle time last year or the year before but for the most part, i would be willing to bet 80-90% of our sharks up here are sandies, bt and spinners less than 6.5ft long


Good stuff right here, can always rely on ole blueballs for a laugh. Hope you learned something from your longline trips like water temperatures and sharks!


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## Ragecajun (Oct 31, 2011)

*Anyone see this*



Blueshoes said:


> I have a pretty good idea of where the bigger sharks are. Most of them are not up here, sorry to break your heart. I dont even think ive seen a fish over about 9 foot caught inside of a few miles here on the upper coast. ..., i would be willing to bet 80-90% of our sharks up here are sandies, bt and spinners less than 6.5ft long


 Anyone see the 104" Bull Shark (8' 8") caught last year on the Texas Coast??? 2015 Sharkathon.com winner

*1st Place Shark - Duke Washmon 104" Bull Shark*

* 12.5 footer caught off Texas Pier...*


*http://www.outdoorlife.com/photos/g.../record-12-foot-tiger-shark-caught-pier-texas*


*9' Bull Shark caught in Aransas Bay*

*http://www.texaskayakfisherman.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=610773*


*Texas State Record for a Tiger Shark is almost 16 foot from "the Gulf"..*


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## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

Instigator said:


> Trout, Spanish mackerel, skipjack and smaller blues than the East Coast are all topwater possibilities. If the smacks and blues are around you'll need some light wire leader.
> 
> Since you're a catfisherman you may want to ignore the previous advice regarding gafftops. They are a fun fish on light tackle and eat better than a channel cat. Their downside is slime. They make more of a mess than you can imagine. Most guys cuss them but there are a few of us who are happy to catch them.
> 
> You can reduce the hardhead catch by going with shrimp fishbites. Whiting hit those almost as well as shrimp. A 14" whiting on a light rod is a lot of fun. You can get away with very light gear for the small stuff since unlike freshwater you don't have to worry about snags.


Just had a huge plate of sail-cat fillets yesterday,and am so glad we put up with the slime.Just throw them in an old cooler with ice,and they won't be so slimy when you get ready to clean them.Learned that trick here on 2Cool.


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## Blueshoes (Jan 24, 2013)

Ragecajun said:


> Anyone see the 104" Bull Shark (8' 8") caught last year on the Texas Coast??? 2015 Sharkathon.com winner
> 
> *1st Place Shark - Duke Washmon 104" Bull Shark*
> 
> ...


are any of those from the upper coast....???? my point....

yes there are descent sharks down south but we dont see many of them up here from the beach...


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## matagordamudskipper (Feb 18, 2006)

Blueshoes said:


> are any of those from the upper coast....???? my point....
> 
> yes there are descent sharks down south but we dont see many of them up here from the beach...


Maybe you don't see them but doesn't mean others don't 
Maybe that's why your 50w for sale is mint conditions lmao
I do think you are a good 'kiddo' but still green to salt water based on things I've read. I'm no old salt either.


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## matagordamudskipper (Feb 18, 2006)

FYI a very very large bull was caught on upper coast last year closer to 9ft than 8ft.


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## Blueshoes (Jan 24, 2013)

OP,

using a 20/0 would be illadvised in my opinion. Apparently others have other opinions but I think youll be more successful with 7-14 or 16/0 hooks depending on the style. I forget where you originally said you would be fishing but over off crystal beach in the warmer months is a good place to go cast out baits. Weve had longline sets with NMFS come up with 60+ blacktips/spinners out of 100 hook sets. Good luck!


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## alka144 (May 4, 2010)

We have landed up to an 8ft 9in bull on the upper coast along with two greater hammerheads. Just choose your hooks based on bait size. Simple as that. I've bent a lot of 16/0s on 6-7.5ft sharks, but they work well and are my favorite hook for anything up to a 6/0 senator (check out the VMC 16/0 6x). 50 wides and up I run 18-20/0 circles (catch all tackle offset version). Good luck and yes catfish do make good baits, we have really good luck with gafftop bodies. 

-Zach


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