# Family Fun - Pelican Island Bridge



## LarryWelch (Feb 29, 2008)

Date: 7/6/2013
Location: Pelican Island Bridge
Air Temp: 80-88
Water Temp: 84
Water Clarity: stained
Winds: 15-20 mph
Seas: choppy with white caps
Bait: squid, dead shad and live caught croakers and shad

Made the trek from Austin to Galveston this past weekend for a little family time. We knew the winds would be pumping, but it was our only open weekend for several weeks so we decided to give it a shot anyway.

I finally logged on 2cool today and learned the guide that helped me last trip back in May really get on some fish was: 

Capt. Chris Hayes
Reel Safaris Charters
reelsafarischarters.com
832-425-1482

Wish Capt. Chris had been at the Yacht Basin this time to give me some intel, because this trip was not nearly as productive, but still fun.

We made the turn near the Coast Guard Station and decided it was way too rough to try the jetties and played it safe by heading to the Pelican Island bridge. There were several boats there already likely for the same reason - to find some protected water.

We started out with some dead shad soaking on the larger reels and tried squid on a few bait reels. It wasn't long before my wife caught some perfect bait size croakers and we put two of them on the big reels. We noticed that shad were surrounding us and the Pelicans were having a field day, so my daughter tossed the cast net and caught about 20 small shad and on the next cast she caught about 6 large shad. The small shad were good for catching a few sand trout and we saved the larger shad for a little later.

Whatever attacked the first large croaker threw the hook in deep water after a good 2-3 minute fight. It wasn't long before we had another Okuma reel singing and this time my daughter caught what was likely her 30th bull red. As always, it was good fun to watch her fight the red. After a few quick pictures and venting, the red was released to fight another day. 

We then decided to free line one of the large live shad. It didn't take long for a shark to bite the shad in half and never touch the hook, so I put another live shad on the 8/0 circle hook. This shad was pretty active for several minutes, but then the line really started to move and I knew he was likely trying to avoid something and then it was Fish On. I started clearing rods and my daughter got on the rod and gave it a nice steady pull to hopefully set the circle hook. While clearing rods, I barely got a glance of what appeared to be about 3-4 foot fish jump about 20 yards behind the boat. My daughter saw the fish jump and confirmed it was definitely not a spinner shark and was too large for a ladyfish and says it had to be a tarpon. Based on the noise and splash, I bet she was right. He tossed the hook, but it was still fun to be hooked up for only a minute or two.

Had a little illness in the family on Sunday, so we decided to stay off the water and just enjoy a little time on the island. Good fun with the family and already looking forward to another trip this summer once we all have a chance.


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