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2015 1st BTB Adventure w/"New Beach Wagon" #10919659 06/16/15 04:37 AM
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Fish ZoMbiE Offline OP
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The salt has been calling since last Fall though work and family has been accupying much of my time.
We did pretty good last BTB Adventure & were looking to repeat.

Sooner or later history will repeat it'self right?

This BTB adventure really started back in January 2015 when the wifey said she wanted to go to the coast with me
more but, didn't want to be in the wind & sand ALL THE TIME.
hmmm I thought? OK, Then we will need to upgrade our "Beach Wagon". After a lot of searching we found this used but not abused enclosed trailer w/a ladder rack on the cheap.

The whole family pitched in to help get her ready for our first 2015 Coastal Trip.
After giving her a good scrubbing, we gave her about a 4" lift, we redid the floor n walls then, added a shower/toilet combo,
picked up a futon for us, hung a few LED lights, threw down a couple of rugs,
& a few hammocks for the kiddos.

Last week we were finally able to pull free & the weather reports looked so right we were excited.
My daughter said this should be the intro pic for our 2015 adventure...

We hit the road on a Tuesday around 6:pm & drove South for about 8hrs to Corpus Christi, TX.

It was late or VERY early AM by now so we just found a high spot at the beach near the Mayan Princess Hotel.
We pulled out the futon, stretched out the hammocks then, zzzz zzz zzzz zzz zzz!
I woke up around 6:am to this. PERFECT CONDITIONS MAN!!! Cloudy, light wind, low surf & time to fish.











Re: 2015 BTB 1st Adventure w/"New Beach Wagon" [Re: Fish ZoMbiE] #10919662 06/16/15 04:38 AM
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That 1st morning, we noticed a yak angler who was a ways down the beach prepping his yak to paddle out to the rigs which r around 2 miles out.
He seemed to be taking his time & maybe waiting for someone.
We finally saw him push out solo into the surf & within 45 mins, he was out of sight.

Our kiddos playing inside the beach wagon all excited to be on the beach.


I wanted to go rig fishing bad but, I also prefer not 2 go alone.
We unpacked setting up the awnings, tables/chairs. Then we began rigged up the big rods for some bait deployment.
We call it land-based shark fishing. We use the yaks to drop baits beyond the surf. As long as someone is at camp, these lines usually stay out. They can soak for several days with chunks of sting ray.

Word on the coast was the Blacktips & Hammers were biting just South of our location.
My hopes were high, "Maybe we'll catch a BIGGEN!"

Several hours passed when we noticed that same yak angler returning. He was still a good ways off the beach paddling slowly our direction. After I dropped our last bait, I paddled out to him to asked how things went.
"Currants are very strong offshore" he replied. He said it was so strong he didn't make it to the rigs.
Then he said he lost 2 Kingfish about half way out to the rigs. 1 was lost to a shark the other shook loose.
He came by after he re-hydrated & resting up a while at his vehicle. We got acquainted then made loose plans to head out together the next day. He pulled up late that next AM w/ some fresh ribbon fish for us both ready to head offshore. So, I gathered my gear & a bite to eat & we paddled off to find some more Kings & Spanish Macks. When we got to the spot, we found it littered with Gulls, Pelicans & bait fish jumping for their lives in thick but scattered boils.
Gettin bit was not an issue. Staying hooked up was a problem. Once I dropped my lures I must have got hit a couple of dozen times. My new friend was experiencing the same. Definately Spanish Mackrel! It was a lil frustrating but we kept at it hoping to get something good for the grill. Then my new friend Eric boated us this keeper...

As soon as he got the 1st one, it was GAME ON for us both! We must have gotten into a school of Kings because it wasn't long we had double hook ups & 1 after another!!!

But the 1st few fish had already caught the interest of a large Porpus in our area.
I'm pretty sure we had met before. Last time we were cameraless. But, not this time!
The Porpus didn't have any company this time & wasn't as bold as before.
He did hang around closely hoping to snatch an easy meal. Once we got comfortable with one another, I spashed the opposite side of my yak & got his attention /curiosity up. Then I dangled a spent Ribbon Fish over the water & when he came under me I got to feed him by hand. YEEESS!!!
We got it on video before he got nervous & tore off seen in the pic below.
It returned again when I hooked another King.

I was carrying Eric's coolerbag.
When the bag got stuffed full we started heading back to shore & we left them KINGS biting! thumb


Eric & I posing with our Kings. We had to cut the tail off Eric's big King to make it fit in the bag laugh


Eric & I cleaned our fish then sat back under the canopies.
We all talked about our trip taking in the sights & sounds of the beach with a cold one.





















Re: 2015 BTB 1st Adventure w/"New Beach Wagon" [Re: Fish ZoMbiE] #10919663 06/16/15 04:38 AM
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day 2 was sure Niiiiice!


On day 3 the water started gettin rough.


We got 2 runs that AM before the surf got rough. One must have been a JUMBO!
It pulled our 80# topshot loose at the swivel. It's never happened to me before.
I'm blaiming it on old line. The other run was this 6' 2" Bull Shark.


We didn't put any baits back out. Instead we drove into Port A for lunch & picked up a few souvenirs for the children. On the way back to camp we saw gulls n pelicans diving in the surf. "Too rough to play in the surf" I thought. Then, we saw more schools of bait being blasted from below BTB (BeyondTheBreakers) by Spanish Macks?!?!?!
Turned out to be schools of Skipjack or "Poormans Tarpon". They are a lot of fun to catch but not much for eatin :~(
While catching the SkipJacks something hit my troll line hard! I pulled my rod from its holder & it took me for a ride :~D It was a Tuff paddle back to the beach but I managed to get this 5' plus Black tip through the surf. We reeled it in from the beach. We tried to release her but she got hooked deep n wasn't going to make it.
Some other shark anglers carved it up grill Notice the surf now...


Sad to say but, this trip I saw the most washed up trash I'd ever seen. Might have had something to do with
approaching tropical storm "Bill". Some of the hotels even had signs posted:
PLEASE CHECK SHOES FOR TAR BALLS BEFORE ENTERING.
Here's 2 of the larger tar balls we found. My daughter got 1 stuck to the bottom of her Croc.
It would'nt come off.


The sea weed & mosquitos weren't bad like I had imagined. So, it made for some really nice early mornings & evenings.
I tried this lager beer 4 the 1st x. Works well & has a light flavor. Nice summer brew IMO.


The next day we hung out on the beach relaxing, cooking, swimming & catching crabs with the kids for fun.
1 really got me good. It drew blood & burried it's pincher in the top of my finger nail! OUCH!

We packed what we could that evening anticipating we'd B pulling out early in the AM.

OR SO WE THOUGHT!!!










Re: 2015 BTB 1st Adventure w/"New Beach Wagon" [Re: Fish ZoMbiE] #10919664 06/16/15 04:39 AM
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Re: 2015 BTB 1st Adventure w/"New Beach Wagon" [Re: Fish ZoMbiE] #10919665 06/16/15 04:39 AM
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Last night at the beach:
The surf looked a lot like this that evening. We wouldn't learn about Tropical storm Bill until we arrived back to DFW.

We had packed up half of our gear n stacked some up on the beach rd. side of the trailer.
I had also layed our aluminum ladder down on the surf side of the trailer n stuck the shovel in the sand
threw it because the wind had picked up & the tide was on the rise.
High tide was suppose to be at 11pm. We all fell asleep around 9:15. The ladder n shovel alarm
woke me up around 10pm OMG It was time to move everything to higher sand! By 10:15pm we LOST THE BEACH :-O
Rather than drive through the surges we decided we'd wait it out.
So, I chalk the tires n drove the truck up on some pcs. of plywood I had brought just in case.
Good thing i did. Others were not as lucky.
Driving off the beach (approx 1:AM) we saw lots of folks WITH CAMPERS sunk into the sand that would have to dig themselves out after sunrise.
Snapped this pic on day 2. This is why i don't drive in the water.

The surf continued to rise after 11:pm. It surged all the way up to the dunes.
It receeded around midnight
By that time I was just ready to get on the road.
We pulled into the Corpus State Aquarium parking lot around 3:am.

Ah, Time to Zzz zzz zzz zzz!
We woke up and fead the gulls then went in for coffee & potty break. They are expanding this
great place. We saw the construction of the new wing for more attractions.
The kids got to pet the sharks n rays. We saw the see turtles, dolphins, jelly fish, otters & palagics.

The aqaurium is a nice place to take the family. They even have a small water
park for the wee ones & a burger grill.

Little Z with the aqaurium mascot.

Returning down I35 we decided to stop in Austin to the see the bats at Congress Bridge emerge loco

The best time to see these bats take flight is mid-Summer just before sunset.
We learned that the bats travel to Austin annually from deep into Mexico (about 1K miles) to deliver n raise
their pups. They mainly eat mosquitos, nats & moths by the millions each night.
The emergence will happen earlier each day after late Spring. We saw them really come out in larger
numbers after dark. There are so many (approx 1.5 milliion) you can hear them chirping.

The largest bat emergence is in Braken cave in San Antonio. Those bats number around 20 million.

This Adventure we got to see and or caught Wild domestic dolphins, sea turtles, gulls, pelicans, jelly fish, crabs, small fish we couldnt ID., Skips, Kings, Spanish, Whiting, Hardheads, rays, otters, birds of pray, coyotes, bats, bass, rainforest fish & frogs, other palagics, alligators etc. etc. We have some fish for the freezer now. I was spent when we got back. What a trip. The memories will last a lifetime.

I'm ready to head back down soon...





Re: 2015 BTB 1st Adventure w/"New Beach Wagon" [Re: Fish ZoMbiE] #10919728 06/16/15 09:46 AM
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Very cool! If I had a place to store something like that id have one too.


Re: 2015 BTB 1st Adventure w/"New Beach Wagon" [Re: christian myrick] #10919858 06/16/15 12:55 PM
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Been there, done that. I'll stick with...



Owner/Guide at River Crossing Guide Service

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Re: 2015 BTB 1st Adventure w/"New Beach Wagon" [Re: Fish ZoMbiE] #10920145 06/16/15 02:50 PM
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Nice rig Zombie! thumb

When it comes to a beach wagon and sand, you definately want it to KISS! thumb

Last edited by Jimbo; 06/16/15 03:02 PM.

Just one more cast!

Re: 2015 BTB 1st Adventure w/"New Beach Wagon" [Re: Fish ZoMbiE] #10921256 06/16/15 10:23 PM
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Just added some more. Hope it flips your switches cheers

Get ready fellas. I'm wanting to head back down soon.

I like your setup Jerry. thumb

Thanks Jimbo!


Re: 2015 BTB 1st Adventure w/"New Beach Wagon" [Re: Fish ZoMbiE] #10925402 06/18/15 03:13 PM
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Awesome.


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Re: 2015 BTB 1st Adventure w/"New Beach Wagon" [Re: Fish ZoMbiE] #10927354 06/19/15 04:35 AM
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Very cool, Zombo. Are you starting a trailer collection or did you get rid of the shark platform?

Re: 2015 BTB 1st Adventure w/"New Beach Wagon" [Re: B_Rod] #10928579 06/19/15 07:46 PM
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Re: 2015 BTB 1st Adventure w/"New Beach Wagon" [Re: Fish ZoMbiE] #10929497 06/20/15 03:47 AM
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Originally Posted By: B_Rod
Are you starting a trailer collection or did you get rid of the shark platform?


got one more this week hammer i should be good for the month. beach wagon #1 is going up 4Sale soon thumb

sorry for the delay yall. technical issues hide2


Re: 2015 BTB 1st Adventure w/"New Beach Wagon" [Re: Fish ZoMbiE] #10929957 06/20/15 03:45 PM
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Nice! That looked like a really good time!


Re: 2015 BTB 1st Adventure w/"New Beach Wagon" [Re: Fish ZoMbiE] #10931274 06/21/15 03:18 PM
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Solid post. Thanks for sharing. cheers


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