# Surfside end of Sept



## twice a year (Sep 5, 2011)

Hi, have been to Surfside twice so far and no luck in the surf or the jetty. Would like to ask for any pointers, such as when where and bait. Thanks.


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## mshanks13 (Jul 22, 2011)

we always use live shrimp under a popping cork. when the bait is gone we go to a spoon and sometimes soft plastics. we usally do pretty well as long as conditions are favorable.


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## fultonswimmer (Jul 3, 2008)

*Surf*

Bull reds should start their run in the surf end of September well into October. Try roads four and five and fish with Fish Bites and dead shrimp throwing weighted line into wave gut and on out into the second gut. Use a spider weight to hold your double drop line in the surf, especially if the surf is bumpy. Cut bait in the form of mullet, whiting, skipjack or similar are also good for reds. Might pick up some black drum on dead shrimp and Fish Bites....I like the hot pink and bright orange. Whiting and sometimes a pompano like em too.


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## troutless (Feb 17, 2006)

I usually go in at access #5 and drive toward SS looking for bait activity in the water and birds diving. Also I look for cuts and points in the sand. I use the same method as fultonswimmer. Now, if I'm Trout fishing I throw topwaters, mirrors lures, silver spoons and soft plastics, and soft plastics under a cork.
Good luck and finding a person thats good at surffishing can and will cut your learning curve.


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## twice a year (Sep 5, 2011)

Thanks very much!!!!


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## TexHepCat (Sep 12, 2005)

See my posts under the "San Luis Pass Surf" thread. (http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=362156) I've been having some luck in the surf at at the north end of Follets Island "Surfside". My last trip was last Wednesday and I can tell you the Reds are starting their fall run down the beach along with many other species. It will only get better as the month progresses.

Tight lines,

:texasflagTHC


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## norm9 (Apr 5, 2006)

There's not really a short answer to your question. Without knowing more about the type of rods/reels/terminal tackle/technique you're using, there could be more to learn than what could be explained in a post. There's a lot more to it than when, where, and bait. However, I wouldn't go chunkin dead shrimp in the surf expecting game fish..especially unattended. You're just going to get cleaned up or catch trash fish far more often than anything else. The life span of a dead shrimp in the surf is about 15 seconds before the hardheads, whiting, and everything else get it. I only use shrimp to catch bait fish and usually not even then when you have a cast net. What you'll want to do is try to meet up with some people down there and learn in person. People will often post when they're going if its a public invite. Or post your own and see if others join in.


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## fultonswimmer (Jul 3, 2008)

*Surf fishing*

No debate intended here but I must take exception to the post concerning dead shrimp. Every October we fish at Quintana Beach and Surfside(roads 4 and 5) and pretty much use dead shrimp excusively(I am too damned cheap to pay the going rate for live). The Fish Bites work well enough by themselves but the black drum really like the shrimp. Reds will take cut bait and/or shrimp as mentioned in earlier posts. As far as equipment goes, take anyone's advice with a grain of salt. I have caught up to 42" bull reds at Quintana using nothing more than a 6'6" Ugly Stik boat rod spooled with 15lb. P-line with a 25lb mono shock leader on the end. Usually 3 or 4 oz spider weight will suffice unless the surf is really ripping and then nothing heavier than a 5 oz. If a 5oz won't hold I pack it in until the next time. October is good for the reds, some misguided black drum and even a pompano once in a while. Lots of whiting(which I love to fry) and of course trash fish in between. Usually lots of mullet in the surf and if you have a cast net you are set with either finger mullet(hook em up live) or pony/horse mullet, small whiting, skipjack(ladyfish) for cut bait. I use nothing larger than an 03 Owner circle hook on a double drop. I have given up on crimping and the use of other hardware. I just tie off the drops off my shock leader, tie the spider weight directly to the end of the shock leader and wala......fish on brother.
I will be at Quintana Beach for about five weeks starting the middle of next week. I will be at one of the host camp spots in a little white Casita travel trailer. Look me up and we can hit the surf right in front of Quintana Beach Park or roam on down towares Bryan Beach. I head up to Surfside mostly in the evenings/nights as we like the shark action up that way. As mentioned previously, roads 4 and 5 out of Surfside work and they do not require any kind of Surfside Beach parking sticker.
Hopes this helps.
Mike
Fulton


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## fultonswimmer (Jul 3, 2008)

*Surfside/Quintana surf*

Quintana Beach fish using only dead shrimp on a double drop rig.


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## troutless (Feb 17, 2006)

Nice mess of fish.


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## sotexhookset (Jun 4, 2011)

Wooweee! Look at that grass!

(2 post up)


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## norm9 (Apr 5, 2006)

There's no debate on whether or not they'll eat dead shrimp. I've caught big reds in matagorda in the wade gut fishing for bait fish on shrimp. But, that's not the best method of going about it. You could use a zebco spincast on some pos rod if you really wanted to and it'd work for the most part. Doesn't mean you should if you have better options :tongue: If you're going cheap, a rinky dink 12' surf rod and spinning reel with 250 yards on it, with fresh cut whiting or mullet heads/body pieces, on a fish finder style rig with 14/0 to 16/0 circles, and 3-4oz spider is going to far out perform and catch academy tackle thrown in the surf with dead shrimp. But it all works if the fish are there. It's not like reds are picky eaters. I don't enjoy screwing with hard heads, re-baiting constantly, and having to hold onto the rods when you can let the circle hooks do the work for you.


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## Friend (Sep 12, 2011)

Mr Fultonswimmer, I am looking for someone to give me pointers how to do Successful surf fishing. I willing to compensate for time. If you or someone you know, please let me know?
Thanks.


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## troutless (Feb 17, 2006)

I always start fishing at Access #5 ( Sams Beach )Founder of CCCF, an old site and have attended alot of gathering there. I used the orange shrimp fish bites and caught alot of Whittings with it, and no hardheads. We had one 4' blacktip caught there by Capt. Chris at the gathering of Texas Sulf Fing.net. on 9/17/11. The waves were like 2 1/2' but the water was clear, and the bait was hard to catch with a cast net.


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## fultonswimmer (Jul 3, 2008)

*Surf*

Friend:
I will be at Quintana Beach beginning sometime next Wednesday and will be there for the next five weeks or so.
When you come into the Quintana Beach Park next to the Freeport Jetty, look for a while Casita at the camp host area. I will have plenty of rods and gear if you need to share. 
I work at the campground depending on whoever else might or might not be on duty. I can fish from 8AM til 5 on my duty days and anytime when I am not on host duty. I usually take my pier cart and walk on to the beach at the park or head on over to Surfside, especially at night.
Look me up and we can do some fishing and hopefully some catching.....see the surf report as someone who cruised the area yesterday. Sounds like the reds are on the move in the surf.
Mike


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## fultonswimmer (Jul 3, 2008)

*Surfside surf*

OK Norm, I'll try to understand your reasoning but in the meantime if you look back to the original post, the person wanted some info on where and how.....not suggestions on where to buy tackle or how much to spend.
Now if he wanted specific info on how to catch specs, I would not have even bothered as I do not target them. If a person wants to get out on the surf with some basic equipment, any rod/reel combo will do the job, especially if they are already equipped with some basic bay tackle. Your reference to pos equipment and Academy gear gives me the impression that you are more about appearing "proish" than the actual act of getting out and "fishing". I am an old fart and I could care less what my gear looks like, where I bought it or wheter it is what the pros use. I was trying to let the initial poster know that he can get out and be successful in the surf with the gear at hand.
I have all the high dollar gear(Breakaway rods, several hundred dollar surf reels, et. al) but I have caught many, many fish in the surf with my old Walmart(too far to an Academy from my house) Ugly Stik boat rods, mid-price Shimano spincasters spooled with 250yds of 15lb mono. Probably the most important part of those combos are the spider weights. I also enjoy sitting and waiting out the fish so my rods are in the rod holders if bait is on and line is out.
Hope to see some of you out in the surf in the next few weeks.
Mike
Hopefully the bait shops at Surfside are not out of "fresh dead" as I can only bring a few pounds at a time up from Fulton!!!!!


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## troutless (Feb 17, 2006)

Fultonswimmer, I'm try to get down there next week or the next. I give a post up and fish with you if you want some company.


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## Friend (Sep 12, 2011)

I am new at this. One thing for sure, members at this site are very help full. Thank you. 
I went to the Quintana beach on Saturday. We tried to find the " Road #4 & 5". But had no luck. So we kept on driving on the beach until there was a Right turn and we turned right. It was some sort of Intercostal water way. Having a 4x4 we went further along the beach. 
Using dead shrimp and cut bait we caught some crockes (which were uses as live bait). No Reds were biting and had no luck.
Its always nice to get out there (fishing). So peace full, so beautiful.
Although next morning, I woke up with burning eyes.
I am sure it cannot be the BEER.
I have acquired a great deal of knowledge from you guys.Thanks!
Mr. Fultonswimmer and Mr. Troutless, you both seem to prudent in fishing. I hope to learn from you guys. May be, oneday we can meet up and fish together and share some cold brews. (on me)
Thanks.


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## fultonswimmer (Jul 3, 2008)

*Surf*

Sorry for the confusion on the beach access. As you cross over the bridge(ICW) onto Bryan Beach on Quintana you have three choices, none of which will take you onto roads 4 or 5....they are over on the Surfside Beach on the Bluewater Highway leading N out of Surfside going towards San Luis Pass.
On Quintana you can either go dead E or straight off of the ICW bridge and drive onto Bryan Beach or take a right and go all the way down to the end of the gravel road which takes you onto the last stretch of beach road which in turn will take you all the way down to the mouth of the Brazos River mouth.
If you take a left on the beach road off of the ICW bridge road you will follow the beach all the way down until it exits the beach at the Freeport/Quintana pier. The stretch of beach from the pier down to the Freeport/Quintana jetty is a walk on only beach and has bollards preventing vehicular traffic. To get down to the Freeport side jetty you will be on the paved road that parallels the LNG plant and the Quintana Beach Campground heading N until you have to turn back towards the surf at which time you will run into the jetty parking area.
Roads are numbered over in Surfside beginning in the town itself and continuing out onto the Bluewater Highway. A beach parking permit is required in Surfside proper and that is why we always head N out of Surfside on up to access roads 3, 4, 5 et. al where no permit is required.
Hope this helps.
Maybe we will see you up there in the next few weeks.
Mike
Fulton


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## troutless (Feb 17, 2006)

This past week the Bull Reds and Shark fishing has been slow from SLP tp Sabine Pass. The TKF BTB crew advised that the fishing very slow and the Bull Reds seemed to have disapeared around the surf. Where two week ago they wre catching 10 to 13 Bull Red on a good day. They are Catch and Release guy''s. So you shouldn't feel bad about catching, it's just part of fishing.
Good luck and post up when your going and maybe we can hookup.


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## Friend (Sep 12, 2011)

Thank you! That information was very helpful.


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