# Charlies Bait Camp, Seadrift



## branson (Oct 14, 2004)

I am new to fishing the flats. I just bought a new boat (tran cat) and plan on fishing out of Charlies Bait Camp, Seadrift. Can anyone give me any info that will be of value to me as I learn more about boating and fishing in that area.


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## BertS (May 21, 2004)

practice backing your trailer, before you get to the ramp......lol.....and remember, that ramp is wide enough for three trailers, provided everyone backing has a clue.....

also, after you load your trailer........if you need to move rods and gear from the boat to your truck, pull truck and trailer way up......past the big dumpster....this allows others room for access egress to and from the ramp.......if you plan on cleaning your catch at Charlies......then unload your ice chest, then repark the trailer, in the lot......again, this leaves room.....


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## branson (Oct 14, 2004)

Thanks for the clues. Does Charlies usually have bait. I hope I will get to use their fish cleaning facilities. Are their any secret fishing holes you care to disclose. Our boat will be ready sometime mid-November. We (my son and I are partners on this boat venture) plan on making our maiden voyage then.


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## BertS (May 21, 2004)

yes, they usually have bait......

as far as secret hole, depends on your boat......Shoalwater is always a good bet....the south shoreline can be good.......as well as Pringle and Contee lakes....even the back lakes.....during the colder months, First chain reefs, and anywhere there is mud and shell......


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## QBall (Jun 27, 2004)

*Branson*

Bert has just given you the single best piece of advice you will ever receive when it comes to the ownership and operation of a boat - Boat Ramp Etiquette!

I seldom fish out of charlies, but there is some good fishing close. Get you a top spot map from Academy and pay attention to how other boats navigate the cuts around there. Don't park close to anyone that's fishing unless they wave you over, and be extremely cautious of wade fisherman in the area. There's usually quite a few of them and it's important to give them lots of room.

Go back and read some of the old threads on this board, there's a wealth of information to be found if you take a little time to look for it.

I wish you safe boating and full stringers.............Q


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## BertS (May 21, 2004)

oh yeah, if you fish Shoalwater......be aware of kayakers.....in the cut on the east side, as well as fishing in the lake.....


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## branson (Oct 14, 2004)

Thanks for all the good advice. I am new to this forum and to boating in shallow water. We bought a Tran Cat so we should be able to navigate in shallow water. We intend on be very cautious as we are new to this. We will always try to keep two pairs of alert eyes out for boats and wade fishermen.

Yes, I will search some of the previous threads.


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## BertS (May 21, 2004)

with that boat, you should have easy access to Shoalwater, the Lagoon areas, and both are close to Charlies, also little to no problem with Pringle, and Contee...one word of caution, on entering Pringle.....the cut to enter, first makes a hard turn to the right, then another hard turn to the left......usually very visible....use extremem caution..it's very narrow......... and do like Q says, get a map.....and each trip, go a little further afield......try new spots........and above all.......be courteous....it isn't difficult, although, it may be thankless most of the time.......


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## Weedless (May 26, 2004)

*Espiritu Santo...*

...looks like it's gonna be my new 'home waters'. Moved from San Antonio to Austin during the summer and the straightest shot to saltwater appears to take me to Seadrift/PO'C. Finally got my boat outta the barn near Floresville and brought it to Austin this past weekend and am heading for the ramp for a dawn launch this Saturday. I'll probably skip Charlies and put in at the Boat Dock in PO'C and fish the edges of the channel near the backside of the big jetties, soaking mullet and perch for big reds. If the incoming breakers aren't rolling the channel too much, there's a couple of holes along the south jetty that can hold some awesome trout. If all else fails, I'll likely work the edge of the flats near the coast guard station, bumping a white curly tailed jig tipped with dead shrimp for flatties. Whatever!!! With the move and remote location of my boat barn, I haven't been on saltwater since June. For a guy whose goal is SW fishing twice a month, that's way too long.

Branson, give me a PM once you get the boat. I'll be busy hunting in Nov and Dec, but don't mind showing you what I know about that area once we get closer to spring.

Bob


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## Redfishr (Jul 26, 2004)

That boat will run were it won't float ., So if you shut down be sure theres enough water to float the boat,and if your running and it stops (runs aground) your in deep do-do. I ran my shoalwater aground one day and when it stopped it wouldn't budge.
We were stuck hard and had to wait on high tide;luckaly it was low and came in.
Just because you can run 3 ft from the shore ,doesn't mean you have to .Run several hundred yards from the bank and go in to were you want fish,so you wont be srewin up someones wade fishing.
Some people think since they have a shallow draft that they're supposed to run right down the banks and run all the fish off along the way.
I do have a shallow draft boat and I'm not one of those.

R.R.


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## Salty Techsan (May 28, 2004)

Best advice I can give is be curtious on the water.. go waaaaay around waders and drift fisherman. Also.... GET A GOOD GPS/CHARTPLOTTER. You can learn 20yrs worth of info in 5 minutes with the the purchase of a good GPS PlOTTER> We bought the Garmin 176C color plotter and have been absolutely tickled with it. Really makes a day on the water more fun.. especially when you're on new water. The Garmin 182 is also a great plotter for the money.


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## Back Country (Oct 14, 2004)

Branson, you have been given advice to enter some of the LEAST navigable water in the areas on a TYPICAL tide. The spots Kenny has mentioned are awesome spots, but to a new captain of a new boat, take it easy until you have someone run your boat through these areas a few times with you. Mouth of Pringle is hard sand. If you mess up on your approach, or slide and miss the cut. it is not fun. Furthermore, entrances to Contee Lake can be fun as well. Lower Shoalwater has a tricky entrance with a huge sand bar straight ahead, and plenty of stuff to hit in low light conditions. Upper Shoalwater (Lagoon) is extremely shallow on a normal tide. Plenty of stuff there to jack your boat up on also. The good thing is that these areas are pretty much mud and grass with little or no shell. This is not meant to scare you, but there are a ton of places to fish without having to worry about navigating shallow back lakes. (Yet). Your boat will run very shallow, but don't hot dog until you can control slides, trim it out correctly, and pop it up on plane in shallow water.

If I were you in that boat, I would start at the following. South Pass Reefs, South Pass Lake, Long Lake, mouths of Twin Lakes, Panther Lake, and Pats Bay. Try fishing mid bay reefs of San Antonio Bay. In Addition, try mouths of cuts and guts leading into Pringle, Contee, Shoalwater, and the above mentioned lakes. You can fish reefs in SA bay all summer and never fish the same water. These spots are novice friendly, and fairly deep. This ought to give you 1-2 years of exploration until you feel comfortable venturing into the back lakes of Matagorda Island. Hope this helps.


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## 79_ag (Sep 24, 2004)

I would really like to find some of those guys that "wave you over" when they are on fish. Dang I have had a lot of them come on over and I never did wave.


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## QBall (Jun 27, 2004)

79_ag said:


> I would really like to find some of those guys that "wave you over" when they are on fish. Dang I have had a lot of them come on over and I never did wave.


*[email protected]_ag*


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## Redfishr (Jul 26, 2004)

What color boat is Mr Tran building for you?
Your gonna love it.
R.R.......


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