The Beach...

The beach. I bet there is more than one post with this title to be found if you look through the blog. We took a couple of nights to stay at a nice little beachfront hotel in Surfside for a fishing/big grandkid visit. It turned out really good because on check out day we were close by when Parker was born so we were able to make just a short drive and be there in a timely manner. 

Warren and Coraline float ashore under a full moon. I always imagine this is how Cabeza De Vaca looked coming in through the surf all those long years ago on the Texas coast with the Karankawa Indians peeping from the dunes and wondering what new hell is this?  Old Cabeza probably only had a little bit more sand in his pants than these two.  

The water was blue green clear. This is usually good for beach front fishing but for some reason it was not to be this trip. I started out with one of those big salt water Zebco 808s and a dead shrimp fished on the bottom just to see what was out there and maybe give the kids something to reel in. I should have came loaded for bear because something grabbed that shrimp and took off like a freight train and probably arrived in Cuba sometime yesterday with my leader in tow. 

I rearmed with a heavy pole and hooked this personal best stingray. He gave a nice fight, peeling off 75 yards of line before tuckering out. Since I was stung by a ray several years ago every time I catch one I clip the stinger before the return to the water so they sting no more.    

Lady fish. This is a pretty good size one. Not swimming in my belly.  They are a member of the tarpon family and make skittering leaps when hooked. I lost a Mackerel on a lure right at the net and hooked another something on  a lure I did not get a look at.  

I think maybe the low river flows make the salty bay environment and the passes more pleasing habitat for the fish. With water this clear it was also hard to catch bait in a cast net. I think they saw it coming.   

The kids with a whiting I caught under examination in the net before release. 

Brother in law Matt throws the net. Note the clear blue water. 

Say hi to Cathy. She usually don't fish this early but I guess it was a can't beat em, join em.