# Matagorda crowds?



## mgoodman2014 (Jun 25, 2014)

With the long weekend, expecting a lot of people on pretty much every beach....

Anyone have past experience on Labor Day down at Matagorda? Can I expect epic crowds?

I have 2 US Navy boys coming home for a little break and they want to do a little fishing in the surf... nothing hard core, just a fling it out and hope for a bite type of day, followed up with some swimming and some lunch before heading back home.

Thx
Mike


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## Surf Rodder (Jun 28, 2013)

*Matty beach drive-on*

God bless ya for taking some soliders fishing. I'll be in a black Dodge 1500 pickup posting colors...

Having gone 0 for 35 at Access 4 and/or 5 I've decided to try somewhere I haven't been. Brother, I'm wondering the same about the crowd and if there is beach access for vehicles.

Question: I'm heading south from Matagorda to the beach front, NE of the Colorado River, not to Matagorda Island. Can I drive onto the beach where I am heading?


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## mgoodman2014 (Jun 25, 2014)

Surf Rodder said:


> God bless ya for taking some soliders fishing. I'll be in a black Dodge 1500 pickup posting colors...
> 
> Question: I'm heading south from Matagorda to the beach front, NE of the Colorado River, not to Matagorda Island. Can I drive onto the beach where I am heading?


 Not sure on the access roads, but by google maps, sounds like we will be hugging the same shore line. I will be going down Beach Rd and entering there, maps shows its vehicle accessible.
I'm in a red-ish F250, I'll watch for your colors flying.
One of the sailors is mine, the other a friend of his that hasn't been fishing in many years... and I am always open to hanging out with my boys for a day in the sand....fish or no fish! Both will be graduating as Hospital Corpsmen in the next couple of weeks....so giving them a well deserved break.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Yes ! Best to have 4 wheel dr. Its 21 miles of beach.


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## mgoodman2014 (Jun 25, 2014)

and a shovel... always carry a shovel!


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## jhruzek (Nov 21, 2006)

Buy a permit to drive on the beach. Stop at Stanleys before the bridge to get it. Better than the fine!


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## spiwonka (Jan 29, 2009)

Cars have been driving way down the beach to 5 miles, the beach had been so packed, but past five gets very fluffy. yes, the people will be out in force. Last four weekends it had been pretty packed. Just get their early unless you have fourwheel drive. If you do you can get well away from people.


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## Surf Rodder (Jun 28, 2013)

Good data, gentlemen; thank you for that. Looking forward to seeing some new territory. I usually do SLP or Freeport(4 or 5)/Bryan Beach/MOB (5+ yrs. ago)/ Sargent or Corpus. Looking forward to a big trip to Corpus late September, but looking forward to seeing Gorda. That and the Colorado River.


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## Surf Rodder (Jun 28, 2013)

Matagorda island yesterday; Beautiful! I left home Sat. morn at 5:15 am. Surf heavier than I expected and the sand bars were an ABSOLUTE mystery! Like walking into a dark room & having the door shut behind me; like either walking into steps or drop-offs I couldn't see. Got the **** knocked out of me all day in the surf. As many as 5 large rods out at a time. Caught lots of fish. Caught four sharks; 2 black tips, 2 hammerheads and a ray that weighed at least 35 pounds. All sharks under 3'. Even a large ladyfish on a surf rod (large cut Whiting for bait). Very weird. Had a break off that break my heart as well. Must have bit the crimp too tightly in spite of it being 120lb. test. Likely a sizeable shark but I'll never know.

In spite of the beachfront sand being wet, a number of people got stuck. Given what you guys suggested I did bring two shovels. Thanks for the word.

Checked out a campground on the Colorado River (Riverside out of Bay City; nice facility) and drove to another Colorado River site. Stopped at an antique market in Bay City and bought three arrowheads. 

Even found a fossilized pre-historic horse tooth on the beach. Was told what it was when I stopped at the Nature Center right there on the Colorado at the mouth. (Nicely air-conditioned.) A paleontologist that works there smiled ear-to-ear when I showed it to him. He said "Follow me." He took me to an area in the facility, bent down and then showed me two samples that looked exactly like what I had. Three people who worked there said "Awesome find!" It looks like a piece of fossilized clam, but with Aragonite not Calcite, that I have from Florida. He said these were from a pre-historic horse that died out before European horses were introduced to North America. Very cool looking. Like I said it was an excellent day; made it home before dark.


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## Dawn Patrol (Jun 7, 2014)

Thanks for the great pics and awesome story about the horse tooth. Sounds like a real good day out there.


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## Surf Rodder (Jun 28, 2013)

Tried last night to take a couple pictures of the horse tooth; not happy with either but will post them none-the-less.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Just curious of why you think the tooth is prehistoric? They run cows on that place.


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## Illbethere (Mar 11, 2015)

what did you use for bait to catch those sharks and how far out did you catch them?


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## Surf Rodder (Jun 28, 2013)

*Good questions:* 
1) I met the resident paleontologist that works at the State Nature center; he 'told me' what it was, and then he had me follow him back to see two other similar samples also found on the beach a number of years ago. Said they were a native NA pre-historic 'horse' that since went extinct; horses native to south Texas prior to the intro of European horses to this continent. Being a 'young earth' Christian I opted just to listen. I knew it was a fossil because of others I own in my rock & gem collection, but seeing what I thought was Aragonite in it had me wondering. As it was I had packed up and headed off the beach, and was about to drive back to Houston, when I thought "hey, lets look around." When I saw the facility (and KNEW they had a restroom) I stopped in. Well worth the visit.

2) For bait, initially I used some large cut Ladyfish baits. Also cut up two large bull Whiting I caught and a smaller Ladyfish that somehow attached itself to one of my surf rods. I didn't even know it was on the line but suspected something because the sand weight never caught on the sand bars reeling in the line. Two sharks on fresh Whiting, the other two on Ladyfish. The big run I lost was also Whiting. In one of the Hammerhead pictures you can see the broken end of the 120lb. test leader I used to make the leader rigging. BUMMER to have a failure I have to blame on myself; likely crimped it too tight. As for how far out; I waded to the back end of the second sand bar and chunked it from there maybe another 35-40 yards. Got two killer black lashes that day, one I was not able to remedy until after I got home. I hand drug the line in, reclaimed the leader and reeled the limp line in over the back lash. I always bring a spare reel or two. Glad I did that day.


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## mgoodman2014 (Jun 25, 2014)

Looks like you had more luck than I did... but I am still a newb to this as well. We caught a few whiting, small sand trout, one small spec, and a couple of hardhead... plus one dogfish I believe... still need to look that one up.

Had something online for about 20 minutes before it spit the hook, was a good fight for a while and a good time.

My Navy boys had a blast and that was the goal of the trip. Good times, good memories and will be going back.

My wife even fished, which is amazing and she had a good time as well.

I guess I may need to invest in some better reels and poles now....


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## Surf Rodder (Jun 28, 2013)

Glad you guys made it down, and that the bride joined you. Sorry we didn't hook up. Going to SLP Galvez-side this Sat. Won't fish the channel but rather rig up near the point where beachfront turns into the channel. Looking forward to it.


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