# Labor Day weekend High Island adventures



## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

Saturday

With the forecast looking so good I got an early start and was on the beach around five fifthteen. Turned the truck headlights into the surf. Picked up a few trout on tops in the lights before it got enough light to see. Once the sun started to rise the specks and bull reds went crazy. I was catching trout on every cast, when I get a hard hit on my top water. Fish headed to cuba, I waded out as far a possible to try to keep from getting spooled. Stoped the fish and began the long fight. Took a long time, and many mor hard runs before I landed a bull red. TrailShoe makes to the beach in time to see me land the bull red on top water. We waded around for a few minutes before he asked " is that a log". I looked over and the log was crawling out of the surf onto the beach about 50 yards from us. TrailShoe was able to get a few pics before the gator crawled back into the surf. The gator stayed in the surf all day, each time the schools of fish would move up and down the beach he would follow.

Surf gator









Caught a few more trout on top before rigging the kayak and heading BTB. First bait out on a ballon was nailed and got a good air show from a leaping blacktip. Action was fast, almost non stop, lots of sharks. Mostly blacktips and finetooths. Took a break around noon and headed to the beach. Once at the beach we found bull reds schooling up and down the first gut. Flafish made a cast with a spoon and was nailed by a bull red. I had another on top water but pulled the hook. We play with the bull reds a few more times as they move up and down the beach. I get a little brave and wade out into wasit deep water and a school was coming our way. As they got close, the bait made a turn and headed right for me. Before I could move I had pogies going up my shorts and bull reds tring to follow. The bull reds were running into me, and almost pulled my shorts off. Ypu could clealy see there backs out of the water as the crashed the bait all the way to the sand. Very cool.

We get back off the beach in the kayaks and start catching almost as fast as we can get baits down. Lots of bull reds.










Caught a few bull reds and shark as the evening went on. Flafished hooked into a good shark and the fun began. Pulled him around good befoe giving him a good shower. 









Saw another large school of fish working down the beach in our direction. As they get close, th wake they are pushing is 2' high. I let me top water fly,it never hit the water beofe a large jackfish nailed it. He burned off line heading offshore. After a few minutes I started to win the fight when a huge splash on the surface. My line went slack and blood boiled from underneath. My top water plug floated to the surface, only to get ate by a shark.

TrailShoe with a Jack fish









Saturday was perfect conditions with fish everywhere. The action was fast pase and non stop all day. Most any baot was working, and we only got about 200 yards away from the beach. Most all the action was taking part right at the beach.


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

Sunday

Got to the beach around six am to find good conditions. Met up with a few friends and we chunked top waters only to get dink trout. Gave up ont the trout and paddled out in the kayaks after harding pulling fish. The action was slow but we did pick up a few fish in the morning until they just cut off.

Here are a few random pics of the morning. Others are sure to post up a few details of the day, think we had eight kayak fishermen that morning. With the slow action we decided to move to the area I fished saturday. I had family coming down and had to stay in one spot. I know they got into lot more fish in the evening.


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

Monday

I got to the beach very early in hopes of top water action. In the dark from the intecoastalbridge I could see the marsh fire. Once I saw it I knew it was going to be close to the ebach and hoped it was not to bad. Needless to say, the smoke made it impossible to see the road once on the beach. I crawled the truck for about a mile without being ale to see my hood at times. Made for an fun beach drive.










Once to the spot the east wind had kicked uped large chop and muddied up the water. Not the ideal conditions but would do. Others started showing up just after daylight. Everyone had trouble with the smoke, but made the trip in good shape. We had sixteen kayakers for the day and pushed off the sand around eight. Once out a few hundered yards off the beach the waves were much bigger then they looked from the beach. But this group had braved fire, smoke, and a nude beach. No 2-3' chop was going to stop us. Sure enough the first bull red hit within minutes of the first bait down and I think the action only got better from that. I do not know how many bull reds were caught during the day, but more then 30 and less then 100. Also a few good sharks were caught as well. Many people caught there first bull red, and others there first shark. Took a break around lunch and the wind layed and the gulf started to smooth out. Few went back out to give it another go around. Thebull reds were still hitting good.

Random pics of the moring



















































It was a GREAT weekend to be on the water. Think everyone had a great time, know I did. It was a weekend to rember and this fall should be one of the best for the upper Texas surf. [/img]


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## panhandleman (Jun 13, 2006)

awesome report and trip looks like you all had a blast congratulations


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## Redfishr (Jul 26, 2004)

All I can say is WOWWWW, heck of a good rpt. Thanks


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## Txpintal (Sep 19, 2004)

Ditto what Redishr said.


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## Charles Helm (Oct 22, 2004)

Great report. That gator picture is excellent.


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## Texasreelaffair (Jul 1, 2005)

TJ's Fishing Chronicles

Great report and pics as always.


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

I made my first BTB kayak trip with these guys this weekend, and it was awesome. I found a couple of bugs to work out in my system, as was to be expected, but nothing that hindered the fishing. Although I remain an avid surf fisherman, I will definitely be making many more offshore trips. I recommend it to everyone who has a yak. The main thing I would stress would be to fish with others. You never know when you're going to need help out there, even if it's sharing bait, or loaning you a knife you forgot.

My final tally for Monday was 12 reds and one small shark. A super introduction to the sport.

Thanks T.J. for opening up a new world of fishing to me.


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## Sponge (Jun 22, 2004)

Sweet report TJ!


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## Beeracuda (Mar 24, 2006)

Great report.


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## Redfishr (Jul 26, 2004)

bigfost said:


> I made my first BTB kayak trip with these guys this weekend, and it was awesome. I found a couple of bugs to work out in my system, as was to be expected, but nothing that hindered the fishing. Although I remain an avid surf fisherman, I will definitely be making many more offshore trips. I recommend it to everyone who has a yak. The main thing I would stress would be to fish with others. You never know when you're going to need help out there, even if it's sharing bait, or loaning you a knife you forgot.
> 
> My final tally for Monday was 12 reds and one small shark. A super introduction to the sport.
> 
> Thanks T.J. for opening up a new world of fishing to me.


You the man Bigfost............Old Guys Rule..................thats me included.
Great opener.


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

Redfishr said:


> You the man Bigfost............Old Guys Rule..................thats me included.
> Great opener.


Sometimes us old fogeys have to show the youngbloods how to catch fish.


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## blonde_fishbait (Dec 14, 2005)

That alligator pic is incredible!!! Your pics are great and your catch was awesome!
Thanks for sharing!!!


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