# Early January Beach Run



## Paleo Dave (Jul 10, 2006)

Wasn't really intending to get my Shark Rig on the beach until Spring but I decided to hurry and make some last minute preparations to take advantage of the unusual Spring-like weather we had late last week. It was early afternoon by the time I got it together and got set up on the beach Friday. Still had time to catch some nice 12" to 14" bait and run out on some of the big rods before dark. Saw some action about 200 yds from shore, looked like amberjacks tearing up bait. Dropped our baits in over 8 ft deep water. Between that and the slick surf, full of tasty Whiting, I had my hopes up for some kind of fast action over night...


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## Paleo Dave (Jul 10, 2006)

Sometime around midnight one of the bigger Whiting got smaked & crushed but some how ran up the trace leader and stuck on the swivel, 3 foot from the now harmless hook. Another Whiting got ate by something that was even more sneaky, never even knew it was ther. The other two baits went untouched.

We caught some good sharkbait early but with 30 mile wind blowing down the beach we descided to pack it in for home. Wishing I had got him early Friday it became a semi-lucky day for the sting-a-ray who swam off without his stinger.

We stopped and watched the wild hogs eating the free hand outs scross from Riverbend on the way home. Fun trip, even without any giant fish, guess we will be eating Whiting for dinner.

Come on Spring time!


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

Was this at Matagorda?? 

Applauded the effort, but chance of getting any large sharks this time of the year on the upper coast are slim to none. Maybe by march some sandbar sharks will show up. Also do not think that was amberjacks you saw, I do not know what you saw but can almost guarantee it was not amberjacks.


Nice looking rig, sure you are going to have some great trips with it.


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## Paleo Dave (Jul 10, 2006)

Jolly Roger said:


> Was this at Matagorda??
> 
> Applauded the effort, but chance of getting any large sharks this time of the year on the upper coast are slim to none. Maybe by march some sandbar sharks will show up. Also do not think that was amberjacks you saw, I do not know what you saw but can almost guarantee it was not amberjacks.
> 
> Nice looking rig, sure you are going to have some great trips with it.


Yes on Matagorda ... actually Middle Coast ... reserving judgement on what's in the surf in Jan. They used to tell me there were no trout in the bays here at this time of year  Not sure what I saw feeding but it was sure tearing up some water. Probably a 50 foot circle. The beach water temp was 60+ degrees all week, so who knows.

Thanks on the rig, couple of more small additions to complete. With this artic blast that I keep hearing is coming, I should have a couple of months to work on it before we see 60 degree beach temps again.

Thanks!


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

Paleo Dave said:


> Yes on Matagorda ... actually Middle Coast ... reserving judgement on what's in the surf in Jan. They used to tell me there were no trout in the bays here at this time of year  Not sure what I saw feeding but it was sure tearing up some water. Probably a 50 foot circle. The beach water temp was 60+ degrees all week, so who knows.
> 
> Thanks on the rig, couple of more small additions to complete. With this artic blast that I keep hearing is coming, I should have a couple of months to work on it before we see 60 degree beach temps again.
> 
> Thanks!


good luck, looks like you got it figured out.


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## newsharker (Oct 31, 2009)

living north of dallas, any time at the beach is awesome. sounds like a fun day. sweet setup


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## big john o (Aug 12, 2005)

Thats a cool set-up you got there!!


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## great white fisherman (Jun 24, 2008)

My guess it was jackfish, in any case thanks for the report and heck of a set up.


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## 535 (May 23, 2004)

definitely a nice set-up! great pics of the hogs too... if you're looking for sharks in the surf this time of year you'd prolly do better to head down to PINS and SPI... they're still catching some bulls and the sandbars ought to be showing up... seems like they are late this year


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## Category6 (Nov 21, 2007)

guessing it was bluefish, they are cold tolerant and get real active on the surface sometimes. We have a lot more in the surf here than most people know about. I don't think they migrate up and down the coast, just move deeper when it gets too cold, although I'm not really sure.


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## ron (Aug 3, 2005)

coulda been smacks in the surf. i remember a few years back takin dad to fish the surf for whiting and gettin cut off by smacks


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## Paleo Dave (Jul 10, 2006)

I thought about S'macks but wasn't sure they are still here, and it could have been bluefish :dance:. 

There were plenty of Whiting in the first gut, surprised me that we didn't ambush any reds. It's all good though.


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## DRILHER (Apr 4, 2010)

Maybe Jack Craveles. Amber Jacks live in deep water far offshore


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## Paleo Dave (Jul 10, 2006)

DRILHER said:


> Maybe Jack Craveles. Amber Jacks live in deep water far offshore


Absolutely right on ... Jack Crevalle ... I should have just said jack fish, that's what everyone around here calls them.

Hopefully I'll be calling them bait in a couple of months!

Thanks, Dave


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## johnmyjohn (Aug 6, 2006)

By looking at the effort you made at sticking together your equiptment you're all in. Reading post like this makes me want to mix up my fishing where I can do a beach trip more often. I just may rebuild my other surf rod and get ready.


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## aggiemulletboy (May 31, 2006)

ron said:


> coulda been smacks in the surf. i remember a few years back takin dad to fish the surf for whiting and gettin cut off by smacks


Doubtful the smacks are still around inshore. That water is too chilly. Spring, summer, and fall, yes. Winter when that water gets into the 50's and 60's...nope.


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## Jeremy E (Jul 23, 2010)

Spainish are around in the winter, just not in any numbers. (with my hand on a bible) I have caught two and been in the boat when another was caught drifting streaks in west galv. bay. Two in Jan and one in dec in three separate years. Could not believe it when I caught the first one, thought it was just a freak but the next year we caught another. All three were around four pounds and bit soft plastic tails. I have caught hundreds of them in the warmer months, growing up on the gulf coast pier, so I know what they were. Anyways, good job on the Jan surf trip! Sure wish they would finish the gulf coast pier so I can fish the surf again.


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## bubbas kenner (Sep 4, 2010)

cool rig and report snag a hog


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## troutless (Feb 17, 2006)

Nice rig set up, and I enjoyed your photo's. I love to shoot those hog's with a bow an arrows. Then put them on the grill.


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## SurfRunner (May 22, 2004)

I wouldn't count out Matagorda for winter sharks. I have caught a couple of 4 footers in the middle of January there on surf rods when the water temp was 57 deg. I remember reading reports of 6 footers caught from there in the past as well in January and February. You don't get the reports from Mata simply because seldom anyone fishes it during the winter - They all go to PINS which is why all the winter sharks are caught from there. I do agree that most of the upper coast is sharkless during the winter, but not Matagorda.


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