First offshore trip...

I was invited to participate in one of the first offshore trips of the season with our resident red snapper guru, Eric, former justice system whip and newly ordained Nordic god. Financial aid came in the form of Christmas gifts from wife and mother-in-law, possibly with divine intervention, since they arrived 5 days early and just in time to help pay for the trip. First things first...the trip was a blast.

 Good company, good fishing and guided to the fishing grounds by a battalion of dolphins...how much better can it get.

I was lucky enough to catch one of the largest red snappers of the day and it agreed to have it's photo taken before being relegated to the stringer.

We managed a pretty decent limit and luckily the cooler proved adequate. Although the fish look huge, fillets were more modest since 1/3 of the fish is head.

 

These  guys were hanging around the fish cleaning station where they helped with disposing of all portions of the fish not destined for the trip home. And they did a pretty good job.

A good day in the surf...

Had a great day in the surf yesterday. Started early, around 8:30 and finished when my shrimp ran out, about 1:00 PM. All the whiting were pretty big as were the 4 hardheads and 2 croakers also landed. My fishing buddies all went to Mexico yesterday so they're out there now trying to play catch up.

We're back!!!!

So happy to be back and so happy to be Winter Texans! This area has to be one of the best places in the world to spend a winter...especially if you happen to spend your summers in the great white north and you love fishing. Yesterday the surf looked a little brown...the kind of brown the catfish like but when it's your first chance to fish you just have to go for it. Caught five different species and enough for a good meal so no complaints from this cowboy. On a sad note, a buddy had a MONSTER fish on and after a difficult 15 minute fight, the line parted as the fish got it's first view of it's potential captors. We just saw the swirl and it left quite the eddy with it's departure. Quite likely a bull red and a big one at that. A few pictures of the first day mediocrity in the surf coming up...

Whiting

Croaker (?)

Pompano

Hardhead catfish

Gafftopsail catfish

A friend just sent me a picture of an unknown angler from home...would you rather be there?

Bye till next year....

Well, all good things must come to an end and so ends our sojourn as winter Texans.We've arrived safely back home, mainly due to some heroic driving on my part and gobs of good luck. First two days were perfect, the last provided 4 hours of white-knuckle excitement on black ice and blowing snow between Sioux Falls and Fargo. Fair skies and clear sailing after Fargo followed by a home driveway freshly pelted by Tuesday's storm. Of the two entrusted with keeping the driveway clear, one had the audacity to go to Arizona and the other, a small, frail widow broke a shear pin after getting in 50 feet. A big cheer for snow-blower equipped tractors.

Had a great winter with several species netted; ladyfish, sheepshead, pompano, whiting, catfish, speckled trout, croaker and even a big ole crab that just didn't want to let go of the shrimp. We're already planning some fishing for next year and may head out for sharks and also red snapper. I'm also planning more time on the flats for red fish and specs. See you next year.

A couple of hours on Laguna Madre...

My buddy Bill was able to get away for a few hours this morning so Lamar, Bill and I headed out to the bay near the convention center. After a breakfast burrito and a short wait for enough light we headed out on the yaks. Lamar fished the grass and soon had a trout on but no cigar, it was a little too short. Bill fished the edge of the channel and nailed this nice 21" trout within the first few casts. He also hooked something BIG that headed west and was never able to turn it before the hook was dislodged. I had a trout on but lost it and later caught a catfish on a mullet. And so ended our morning. Bill doesn't like to clean fish but I do so this story had a happy ending for me. It'll be my first taste of speckled trout.