# 9/25 Newbie Bolivar Report w/ Questions



## JCSHEPHE (Jun 4, 2012)

Spent the last 5 years landlocked and hadn't dabbled with TX surf fishing in a long time. A buddy of mine and I decided to do a more dedicated trip. After using some of my previous knowledge, as well as knowledge gained on the forum, we set out early Friday morning and posted up on the beach a few hundred yards from Rollover before the sun came up.

We got 5 bull reds from 6am - 4pm on Friday. Exciting times. All were between 22-26 lbs. First one came before the sun came up on half a crab in the 1st of 2nd gut. (Couldn't really see, but the bait wasn't far out there).

We spent the next two hours trying to figure out how to get our baits to hold. Long story short anything shy of a 4oz spider wasnt cutting it. 5oz+ would hold the majority of the time, but would still drift down the beach at times. Plus it was a pain to reel in and check the bait as there was trash in the water, and we didnt have very stout rods. Any advice on how to get your spider weights to set, without using tons of weight would be useful, (if it's even possible.)

We then yaked out baits and the other four fish came further out at all periods through the day. Some were on half crabs, crab claws, or cut whiting. Mullet didnt produce. Also, caught a small bonnethead on half a crab. No reds were caught on even the thinnest #24 single strand wire. All on mono. Also, we had a few heavy breakaway rigs, and no fish came on those either. All on spike weights.

Never kept a bull before, but we decided to tag one and bring it home for dinner. I was surprised by the amount of blood lines. Should I have bled it prior to dying, or does the taste really matter?

Thanks to all, as I'm gunna need a new net...........


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## sharkchum (Feb 10, 2012)

Nice reds. On your spider weights, try to stay away from the one's with the copper wire legs, they don't hold. Also how you bend the legs makes a big difference on how well they hold. This is how I bend my legs and it works great.


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## sharkchum (Feb 10, 2012)

Bull reds are full of red meat and even bleeding them out don't help. The best thing to do with them is to have fun catching them than throw them back. If your hungry enough to try to eat a bull red, than here are a few things you may want to try first that taste better.


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## Runway (Feb 6, 2005)

Somebody has to hit Sharkchum with some green - I am fresh out for him! :rotfl:


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## gigem87 (May 19, 2006)

sharkchum said:


> Nice reds. On your spider weights, try to stay away from the one's with the copper wire legs, they don't hold. Also how you bend the legs makes a big difference on how well they hold. This is how I bend my legs and it works great.


Where do you get those weights? All the ones I see everywhere have copper wire legs.


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## sharkchum (Feb 10, 2012)

gigem87 said:


> Where do you get those weights? All the ones I see everywhere have copper wire legs.


I make them. Do-It makes the molds and I use 1/16 stainless welding wire for the legs.


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## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

Looks like I gotta melt down all the weights I made with copper wire.Just retired and will be getting into surf fishing and trying to get some equipment together,so I bought a Do-It mold and made the weights.Don't mind re-melting them and using stainless though.Kinda fun.This morning has been the most enjoyable learning morning here in a long time.


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## 535 (May 23, 2004)

another trick to getting lighter weights to stick is to run, or cast the lines INTO the current at a 45 degree angle... this creates less drag on the fishing line and allows the current to push trash/weed up your fishing lines towards the rod where it is easier to get rid of


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## sharkchum (Feb 10, 2012)

jc said:


> another trick to getting lighter weights to stick is to run, or cast the lines INTO the current at a 45 degree angle... this creates less drag on the fishing line and allows the current to push trash/weed up your fishing lines towards the rod where it is easier to get rid of


This is great advice, and I can't express enough how important this is. You rarely if ever have a current heading straight into the beach, its always going one way or the other. Thank's jc.


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## matagordamudskipper (Feb 18, 2006)

I've ate a bullred tasted fine though we decided to stay on the beach longer than anticipated and we were low on food. If using copper shoot for 8 or 10 gauge wire. I've used 6 and 4, I don't reel in the #4 I only use it on gigantic baits in rough water, if they don't get picked up I'll paddle out to my buoy and take it off. SS works great I have copper and ss depending on current. Another trick to having baits stick better in swift currents is to make the eye of the weight longer if you build them. Let's the weight lay down and dig a little deeper.


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## Salty-Noob (Jun 9, 2015)

gigem87 said:


> Where do you get those weights? All the ones I see everywhere have copper wire legs.


There is also a guys that sells them reasonable in the classified section

Blacktip shark I think is his handle here

He has 5 & 8 oz ones

Worse case hookers in Surfside carries them


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## WillieT (Aug 25, 2010)

Nice report and congratulations. 

Also, thanks to Sharkchum and jc on the great information.


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## WTM7110 (Oct 11, 2015)

Great reds! Good advice to stay away from the copper ones if you can


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