# Gorda Lemon 10/16



## Shark_Reeler (Aug 16, 2014)

A cold front had just gone thru over the weekend and I was checking the surf forecast for a possible window during the week. The surf forecast was to be flat all week. The only problem I faced was an empty bait freezer. I had already depleted my leftover bait from Sharkathon. I got a text from Joe (WHAT) "You on the beach?". I said "Nope, just chillin" but inside I'm really thinking about it. What the heck, I loaded up and took off Wed about noon with a bag of shrimp hoping to catch some bait and work my way up the food chain.

I arrived at a good spot just short of Mitchell's cut about 2pm and proceeded to bang out a bunch of whiting and black drum on shrimp and fishbites. By 5pm, I had 8 whiting of various sizes and 2 good sized black drum. Not exactly ideal sharkbait, but definitely very fresh.

Just before dark, I ran out both black drum and and the biggest whiting on the 3 shark rigs I brought. It was quiet all night. About 4am, I was awakened from a sound sleep by the awesome sound of an Avet 50W screaming like a banshee. I flipped my surf lights on, shot out of the truck and climbed up on the rack in less than 10 seconds. I grabbed the rod and set the hook just to make sure. It was game on!

I could tell by the way it ripped off about 200 yds of line this was a good size shark, stronger than the 7'-6" sandbar I landed back in March. I gradually pushed up the drag until I got it stopped and eventually turned. Twenty minutes later, I had it in the 1st gut about 4 ft deep. This fish still had a lot of fight left and proceeded to make another run. I was locked down and it was a stalemate. Strong fish! I was fishing solo and knew I had to leader this fish by myself. Finally, I was able get it in a bit further so I could climb down off the platform and leader it in.

I had no more TSR tags left, so I focused on getting it measured, a good pic and a quick release. An 8' 6" (102") female lemon with an 84" fork length and 45" girth.








I watched her swim off with grace feeling very satisfied I made the trip.

-Ron


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## Greatwhite (Mar 28, 2011)

Good stuff man. Glad to see you finally get rewarded for all the hard work.:brew2:


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## Paul-nm (May 30, 2014)

**** fine job!!


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## sharkchum (Feb 10, 2012)

Nice lemon, congratulations.


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## jagarcia10 (Mar 10, 2011)

I was thinking to myself. How is Ron (who is retired) not on the beach with this optimal weather window? lol... Glad you put this one on the beach bud! Congrats! Too bad I didnt get to camp with you this night. I got on the beach late and had to set up before it got completely dark on me.


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## TexasTom (Mar 16, 2011)

Congrats! Nice catch


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## Finfisher (Jul 20, 2008)

WOO HOO!!!!!!
Very Nice


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## troutless (Feb 17, 2006)

Awesome, I'm glad to see you get a nice Lemon - Well Done!


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

A FINE shark!


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## YELLOWCAT01 (Jul 25, 2012)

Great catch.....


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## Big Guns 1971 (Nov 7, 2013)

Nice one there..........


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## WillieT (Aug 25, 2010)

Great report and a nice shark.


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## Shark_Reeler (Aug 16, 2014)

Thanks to everyone for the good comments.


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## iamatt (Aug 28, 2012)

Shark Reeler. Is this your first lemon? I am kind of new to shark fishing but have put a couple of decent fish on the beach this summer. Never a lemon and overdue for something. Do the lemon come on as the water cools down? Is this a typical size lemon?


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## Greatwhite (Mar 28, 2011)

lemons can be caught from spring through fall.
There's just less of them here in Texas as there used to be years back. 
average lemon Ive seen goes 6'-8'.

Seems that in past years several good 8' and bigger lemons have been landed though and most on the upper coast.


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## Shark_Reeler (Aug 16, 2014)

What my buddy GW said above and yes it's my first lemon. There was an 8'er caught at Surfside back in June and a couple smaller ones in the 5' range caught at Pins this summer/fall. They are pretty uncommon in Texas.


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## iamatt (Aug 28, 2012)

Thanks good info. I don't care what it is as long as teeth on the beach!


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