# Surfside Beach



## Mullet (May 21, 2004)

We had read the article in the paper like everyone else about Surfside. So that was our plan. But first we decided to try San Luis Pass.

We were in the water at 5:30am. Right of the bat I hooked one trout on a She Dog. Then nothing for an hour, so we headed south to Surfside. The birds were working in scattered flocks up and down the beach. We caught around a dozen jacks on top waters & 51MR's. They were from 19" to 22". We would see the birds then drive down to where they were walk out and play them out, then move again. They were a lot of fun, until you had to de-hook them. We lost a bit of tackle to them, one topwater, two mirror lures and one broken dip net.

By 10:00 we only had 1 red and 3 trout.

Steve's friend wanted to leave so they split.

(Bad decision)

It was just about to bust wide open.

Going solo I caught 8 nice trout in the next 30 minutes on 51MR's.

Took a break, had a coke then went back out.

This time I waded out to the third sand bar. I was walking south throwing assassins. I caught and released 3 more fish, 2 which were over 25". Just after I released the second big one I turned to cast again when I saw a huge shadow coming towards me in the water. It was heading straight for me. It swam directly at me and went one foot past my left leg. It was either a tiger or a bull shark an it was around 7 to 8 feet long. The dorsal fin was at least a foot tall.

I almost $hi+ on my self. :hairout:

Stand still was the first reaction.

Then I felt a bump on my butt.

It was my fish basket full of bleeding trout.

*Re-think strategy???*

No way I'm swimming back to the second sandbar right now so I slowly walk down the bar toward two other guys I talked with earlier that were also fishing off the third bar. They were about 1/8 mile down.

My hands were still shaking when I got there.

After fishing with them for a while and not catching I went on in to the second bar and slowly walked back towards the truck. I got about 200 yards when I hooked up. Then I hooked up on the next 6 casts. I had already called for the others to come over and by the time they got there I hooked into several more. All in all the three of us stuck close to 25 fish in less than 30 minutes, two more over 25".


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

way to go, weather was perfect for wadeing the surf this morning.


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## gatorbait (May 21, 2004)

*nice*

nice report, I bet that fish basket bumping in to you made you do an octopus/ink impersonation. lol I know I would have. Very nice report, its time to throw a pair of boots, rod, and basket in the truck.

Z


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## jeff.w (Jan 22, 2006)

Great report. Appreciate that. I know what ya mean by getting spooked by a large shadow in the surf. Been there and done that. One time had a pesky blacktip about 3ft long tear into my stringer of trout. Ripped a couple of them to shreds before I got outta there.


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## Profish00 (May 21, 2004)

Im going to the beach in the morning....does this make me a potlicker?


Great report and thanks for sharing


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## gatorbait (May 21, 2004)

*maybe*

but it makes you a smart potlicker. lol If I didnt have a tournament Id be there with the dawn patrol. Probably be bumper to bumper in the morning. Where was that wooden stake at in the sand down by SLP again? LMAO

Z



Profish00 said:


> Im going to the beach in the morning....does this make me a potlicker?
> 
> Great report and thanks for sharing


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## Profish00 (May 21, 2004)

********* said:


> but it makes you a smart potlicker. lol If I didnt have a tournament Id be there with the dawn patrol. Probably be bumper to bumper in the morning. Where was that wooden stake at in the sand down by SLP again? LMAO
> 
> Z


Im packed and ready, anyone see a lil white baby hummer ( stealing the wifes car, mine needs inspection) come on.. looking for company.


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## Lagunabob (May 19, 2005)

I'll be hitting it in the morning as well...


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## OUTLAW (May 26, 2004)

Way to go, nice report as usual!


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## Mullet (May 21, 2004)

*Bull Shark*

*As a follow up:*

*I just want to say that I have only been fishing and surfing the beach in Galveston for 23 years. In that time I have encountered sharks taking my stringer 4 to 5 times. I have been surfing and seen them ripping though the mullet. I've had them brush up against my leg. Each time they have been those sleek little black tips (4 to 5 footers).*


*The shark that swam no 12" from me today was a bad mother Firetrucker!!!!!. *

*I was working the scales down on the Dike back 10 or so years ago when we weighed in the state record bull shark. I'm not an expert but I've seen my share of sharks.*

*This SOB scared the hell out of me today.*



*Yall be careful out there!!!!*


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## anton (Aug 2, 2005)

Awesome report jay, if you ever need a fishin partner just shoot me a pm. Schools out in a week


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## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

Interesting story, I enjoyed reading it. I've had a scare like that, just no pull on my stringer.


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## Majek27 (Apr 21, 2005)

nice report. can't wait to get out in the surf


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## txdougman (Jul 12, 2005)

Man, you hit it just right. Nice catch & great report.


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## bambinosan (Feb 9, 2005)

You sure you were fishing on the "3rd" BAR? It's a long 100 yard swim to that sucker and its about 4.5 feet deep. Comes up to my neck. Been out there throwing with the wind free shrimping and catching a fish every cast (in 1974) with 4ft black tips chasing my stringer. Had to hit them with the fishing rods to run them off. They wouldn't leave even sometimes when we kicked them with our feet. Kept fishing. HAH! Must have been pretty dumb at the age of 33. Had a buddy (Bobby) who was 6'9" and he could wade to the third bar with me hanging on his shoulder. 

NOTE: We stopped going out there when we saw the picture of the 15ft shark taken from a helicopter that was swimming between the fishermen standing on the 3rd bar. The 3rd bar is the last one, BTW, in case some of you don't know how it actually is out there. 

I bet everyone is going to string them today. With a full moon there should be an afternoon bite. 

All you mothers have a great and wonderful weekend.


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## ar_mcadams (May 21, 2004)

I am no surf expert for sure but I thaught the wind is blowing to hard from the south today to have a good day in the surf. BTY I aint going fishing with a big assed bull swimming around by me. Thats what boats are for. HAHA.


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## bambinosan (Feb 9, 2005)

*Wind*



ar_mcadams said:


> I am no surf expert for sure but I thaught the wind is blowing to hard from the south today to have a good day in the surf. BTY I aint going fishing with a big assed bull swimming around by me. Thats what boats are for. HAHA.


People will still catch fish whether the wind blows or not, Mca. It's still going to be a beautiful day to be at the beach and it will be cooler with the 20s blowing down there. Trout aren't the only fishies in the H2o, you know. Whiting, sandies, slimers, reds, uglies, and sharks and maybe a flattie every now and then, even piggies for the kiddo's.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY!!!!!!


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## Profish00 (May 21, 2004)

I went this morning, no sharks or trout. Gotta love the beach early in the morning. The crowds were light and I didnt see anyone catch anything. I started at slp around 7am and ended at the seawall with not even one bite. The wind was light this morning but picked up as the morning progressed, Their were lots of mullet in the ares. The full moon may have played a part in this. One of my buddies is picking up a new yack as we speak so we may try TC this afternoon.


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## Dell (Sep 10, 2005)

According to my Father-in-law, fishing is tough after a full moon because the fish have fed all night long under the light and aren't hungry the next morning.


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## ar_mcadams (May 21, 2004)

Profish00 said:


> I went this morning, no sharks or trout. Gotta love the beach early in the morning. The crowds were light and I didnt see anyone catch anything. I started at slp around 7am and ended at the seawall with not even one bite. The wind was light this morning but picked up as the morning progressed, Their were lots of mullet in the ares. The full moon may have played a part in this. One of my buddies is picking up a new yack as we speak so we may try TC this afternoon.


thats something, to bad you didnt get any.


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## boashna (May 28, 2004)

good report , how deep was the water with the most result .


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## Sponge (Jun 22, 2004)

Dude, I know exactly what your were feeling. I had a similar experience last year and trust me I did exactly what you did and stayed on the sand bar til the shark left. I actually let my trout go so I would not attrack him and walked down the bar a good 100 yards or so and then swam back in to shore. It was a bull shark and trust me that's the only shark I don't trust being in the water with (a big one at that). I've seen small black tips swim by and I would only get a little nervous but continue fishing but when a bull shark comes around I just will not stay in the water with them unless there hooked on a line.

Sponge



Mullet said:


> *As a follow up:*
> 
> *I just want to say that I have only been fishing and surfing the beach in Galveston for 23 years. In that time I have encountered sharks taking my stringer 4 to 5 times. I have been surfing and seen them ripping though the mullet. I've had them brush up against my leg. Each time they have been those sleek little black tips (4 to 5 footers).*
> 
> ...


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## atcNick (Apr 7, 2005)

Mullet said:


> I almost $hi+ on my self. :hairout:
> 
> Stand still was the first reaction.
> 
> ...


I just [email protected] myself reading this report. Im going out tommorow morning to San Luis Pass, (6/16). Hope there's no sharks and the air temp. is warm enough.


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## Troutslurp (Dec 19, 2004)

Good Luck atcNICK, We saw a four foot Blacktip Due North of Mud Cut in west bay Friday, I was pretty surprised to see him almost to the ICW....Coulda had shark steaks if ida packed the 12 ga. that morning. LOL 

Slurp


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## Mullet (May 21, 2004)

*In the gut*

For clarification: the 3rd bar, to me, is the first one that you have to wade deep water or swim to get to. I was wearing waders and it was too deep to wade to in the morning. By 11:00 the tide had dropped low enough to wade out to the third bar but only 2 fish were caught on the other side of the 3rd bar.

Most fish were caught off of the 2nd bar throwing to the 3rd bar. Right at the drop off before the 3rd bar in the gut between them, the deepest part of the gut.
We would throw the MR51 and just let is sink with enough tension on the line to feel a bump. The wind put a bow in the line so you had to be quick on the trigger. Same method worked on the few caught using touts. The rip current would move the lures and keep them suspended higher in the water column. 
That's why we were letting them sink more than normal. Every thing caught on yellows and greens.


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## opie (May 12, 2006)

Thanks For The Report,now I Know Not To Go Past The 2nd Bar


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## Hop (May 21, 2004)

Good Report Mullet!
Wish i could have been out there but, i'm kinda glad i wasn't. LOL
I've had bonnet nosed hammer heads get pretty close to me.
They were only 3' long and it scared the crud outa me. The best part was swiming back to the 2nd bar knowing that there were sharks in the water.
--Hop
Man was that shoot a blast!
DVD coming your way.


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## tealnexttime1 (Aug 23, 2004)

yea man i hate wading the 3rd bar by myself especially, before sun up. you know they're there but i rarely see them. i always like wading the surf at least 100 yards close to someone else or closer. at least they can the scream!!!!!! good deal on the fish.


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## jamesgreeson (Jan 31, 2006)

*photographed it*



Mullet said:


> *As a follow up:*
> 
> *I just want to say that I have only been fishing and surfing the beach in Galveston for 23 years. In that time I have encountered sharks taking my stringer 4 to 5 times. I have been surfing and seen them ripping though the mullet. I've had them brush up against my leg. Each time they have been those sleek little black tips (4 to 5 footers).*
> 
> ...


 I wish you could have photoed it that would have been the ultimate,extreme,2cool thing to do.Personally i would have thrown the camera ate it.


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## Mullet (May 21, 2004)

*research*

I have been doing some extensive research on what to do under those conditions.
That is, when you are alone in the water with a large say "tiger shark".

These are my findings.

My brother Ed had the best advice.

He said,

"If they are coming right at you, try to hit them as hard as you can in the tip of the nose with your closed fist."

"Then after that if they return, try to poke their eye out with the bloody stump"


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## speckhunter7 (Jan 29, 2006)

Mullet said:


> I have been doing some extensive research on what to do under those conditions.
> That is, when you are alone in the water with a large say "tiger shark".
> 
> These are my findings.
> ...


too funny - but only because it is so true


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## JustAddWater2 (Oct 10, 2005)

Jay, you must look like bait underwater. Go clean that sandy rod and reel. Makes me want to rinse my mouth. Plaaa

Nice catch. Fished the HOLE lately? I'm doing real good on Trinity.

Steve


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## speckledred (Jun 1, 2004)

Been fishing Surfside most all of my life and have had a stringer taken in the surf by a shark, talk about pucker! Good report and good job.


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## cacciato71 (May 13, 2005)

That is exactly why I don't use a stringer in the surf. I just walk it back to the truck. If I have to go out that far to catch a trout I'm out! Way too many sharks out there, and if you had seen the number of sharks that I saw in Bolivar right at the water line you would think twice about using a stringer too. Having a stringer of fish tied to your waist in the surf is like going to a weight watchers meeting with a tub of chocolate hagendaas under each arm!


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## Crab_n_Fisher (Jan 7, 2005)

ar_mcadams said:


> thats something, to bad you didnt get any.


Reminiscing about the good ole days of high school, too? LOL


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## dcalbert (May 17, 2006)

Capt. Schenk and I will be down there after work. Hopefully the morning bite will carry over to this evening. I'll let you all know how it goes.


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## Bug_Power (Jul 14, 2005)

FYI for you guys walking fish in from the 3rd bar. take your stringer....tie it off to the end of your line, and leave it there while you walk in...then just reel them in. I've been on a longboard when the JP Luby Surf Pier was still around. About this time (may or so) the water was green and the surf was flat. I loaded up a milk crate on the nose of the board (this was before ocean yaks) and paddled out. Killed the trout and reds that day. Had stringer full.....that was when 3 blacktips kept bothering me. They'd bump the board, grab my leash, circleing me. So I figured it was time to pick the fish up put them in the basket and paddle back in. 2 hours later I was snorkleing the pier and caught a 30" big ugly with my hands. It had been speared earlier and was hurt, I grabbed it under the gills and swam it in. Should have seen the tourist react to that one when I walk out of the water with the fish! I just answered "G-day mate"!


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## haparks (Apr 12, 2006)

i did a lot of surf fishing back in the 80's ---is it just me or does there seem to be alot more sharks these days------


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## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

Heading south at 3:45 hope to rip a lip or two.

Good luck to everyone, and I will be enjoying a few cold pops after I fish.


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## jeff.w (Jan 22, 2006)

> I just answered "G-day mate"!


LMAO! That's hilarious!


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