Posted By: back2fishing
Galveston Fishing Pier......04/19/13.....Jim celebrates his birthday - 04/25/13 08:15 PM
Thursday night, winds in Galveston hit 40 with gusts to 50. When I drove over the Causeway Friday morning, I could feel my car shake. As I came down off the Causeway, I could see the palm trees blowing like scenes when they are reporting before a hurricane. As we began fishing the wind was N at 25 gusting to 37. During the morning the wind increased to 28 gusting to 44. By the time we left it was only 17 gusting to 25.
I had called Bulldog the day before to find out what time he would be open. When I walked in to buy bait he said he thought I would have changed my mind. I told him it was Jim's birthday and we were going to fish. He smiled because he knows how seriously we take our fishing.
We started fishing at 0715. The tide was running 1' or more below normal. There was a stretch of beach in front of the rocks and that isn't common. Seagulls were working the bare beach for treats the strong wind had exposed. Swells were about 2' but as they broke the wind would shear off the water and turn it into mist. The water was muddy and clarity was less than 1”.
We decided to start fishing shallow and then work out deep to find the fish. Within an hour I caught an 18” black drum. 15 minutes later I got a 17” and 10 minutes later another 18”. I was dumbfounded. With the weather and water we had, I had expected we would be lucky to each catch one keeper whiting. The bite went dead for an hour and a half. I remembered some advice an old-timer had told me and I cast toward the rocks. I caught a 22” and a 17” black drum in 30 minutes. Four hours on the pier and I had my drum limit. Jim had caught 2 keeper whiting and some small bait fish but using them cut and live didn't get any hits.
Julia joined us around 1030 and Herbert arrived around 1130. It was fun to brag to Herbert about having my limit because he is a real black drum fisherman. Jim hooked a big fish and once we got it netted it was a 27” red. Jim, the birthday boy, was grinning from ear to ear.
Then Herbert caught an 18” black drum.
Julia caught a small bait fish and took it off the hook. Before anyone could grab it for bait a seagull flew over, grabbed it, and flew off. We all had a good laugh out of that. I caught a few more keeper sized whiting and then the bite went dead again.
Around 1300 one of my rods bent and it was a big whiting. It measured 15.75”, the second largest whiting I have ever caught. Then another rod bent and it was a 29” bull red. I measured it 3 times trying to make it legal but it was a catch and release.
I went upstairs and ordered cheeseburgers and fries for Jim and myself, as a birthday treat. If you have never tried a cheeseburger at the pier buy one. With your pier pass they are only $6.99. They make them big and old fashioned with the bun warmed on the grill. They serve them in a box so that you can eat on the pier. The waitress was nice enough to delivery ours to us on the pier.
After we ate I told Herbert that eating lunch had broken the lucky bite. That's when Julia caught a 22” black drum. Jim caught his first black drum of 20”.
Shortly after that, Julia hooked a 19” red. We measured it over and over but could not get it up to 20”. It was a catch and release but Julia was still happy.
Then it was Herbert's turn. His rod bent in half. The butt was stuff between the pier railing and it got stuck. He fought to get it free and hauled in a beautiful 27” red. We had to get Herbert to try 3 times to get a big smile. He was so shy. Then restaurant patrons on the balcony called for him to turn and pose. He looked a like a pro model with his big red.
My memory gets fuzzy after this. I do remember that we had a package of cheap chocolate chip cookies. While we weren't looking a grackle stuff his beak inside and took off with a whole cookie. His buddy came back a half hour later and did the same. Stealing bait is one thing but we have to draw the line at stealing COOKIES.
We kept catching off and on. Julia had to leave around 1600. Jim and I packed up at 1915. Herbert stayed for a while.
For the day 4 of us caught 10 black drum, 2 slot reds, 1 bull red, 1 rat red, 8 whiting from 11-16” and numerous bait fish. These are photos of what Jim and I took home. Jim's red is at the top and the big whiting at the bottom looks almost drum sized.
For the day every fish we caught was in 6-24” of water. Jim made up a Jimmy rig for me to test. I caught almost half of my fish on it. Jim is selling rigs he makes but you need to contact him about that. Bulldog fresh dead shrimp and orange colored, crab flavor, Fish Bites caught the most, especially drum and reds. Shrimp Fish Bites in pink, chartreuse, orange and fast acting caught mostly big whiting.
The TFF Mafia will be at the pier Saturday, the 27th. The tides don't look impressive but the weather should be decent. Come on down, say hello and fish with us. We will share what knowledge we have and hope that you bring the GOOD LUCK.
I had called Bulldog the day before to find out what time he would be open. When I walked in to buy bait he said he thought I would have changed my mind. I told him it was Jim's birthday and we were going to fish. He smiled because he knows how seriously we take our fishing.
We started fishing at 0715. The tide was running 1' or more below normal. There was a stretch of beach in front of the rocks and that isn't common. Seagulls were working the bare beach for treats the strong wind had exposed. Swells were about 2' but as they broke the wind would shear off the water and turn it into mist. The water was muddy and clarity was less than 1”.
We decided to start fishing shallow and then work out deep to find the fish. Within an hour I caught an 18” black drum. 15 minutes later I got a 17” and 10 minutes later another 18”. I was dumbfounded. With the weather and water we had, I had expected we would be lucky to each catch one keeper whiting. The bite went dead for an hour and a half. I remembered some advice an old-timer had told me and I cast toward the rocks. I caught a 22” and a 17” black drum in 30 minutes. Four hours on the pier and I had my drum limit. Jim had caught 2 keeper whiting and some small bait fish but using them cut and live didn't get any hits.
Julia joined us around 1030 and Herbert arrived around 1130. It was fun to brag to Herbert about having my limit because he is a real black drum fisherman. Jim hooked a big fish and once we got it netted it was a 27” red. Jim, the birthday boy, was grinning from ear to ear.
Then Herbert caught an 18” black drum.
Julia caught a small bait fish and took it off the hook. Before anyone could grab it for bait a seagull flew over, grabbed it, and flew off. We all had a good laugh out of that. I caught a few more keeper sized whiting and then the bite went dead again.
Around 1300 one of my rods bent and it was a big whiting. It measured 15.75”, the second largest whiting I have ever caught. Then another rod bent and it was a 29” bull red. I measured it 3 times trying to make it legal but it was a catch and release.
I went upstairs and ordered cheeseburgers and fries for Jim and myself, as a birthday treat. If you have never tried a cheeseburger at the pier buy one. With your pier pass they are only $6.99. They make them big and old fashioned with the bun warmed on the grill. They serve them in a box so that you can eat on the pier. The waitress was nice enough to delivery ours to us on the pier.
After we ate I told Herbert that eating lunch had broken the lucky bite. That's when Julia caught a 22” black drum. Jim caught his first black drum of 20”.
Shortly after that, Julia hooked a 19” red. We measured it over and over but could not get it up to 20”. It was a catch and release but Julia was still happy.
Then it was Herbert's turn. His rod bent in half. The butt was stuff between the pier railing and it got stuck. He fought to get it free and hauled in a beautiful 27” red. We had to get Herbert to try 3 times to get a big smile. He was so shy. Then restaurant patrons on the balcony called for him to turn and pose. He looked a like a pro model with his big red.
My memory gets fuzzy after this. I do remember that we had a package of cheap chocolate chip cookies. While we weren't looking a grackle stuff his beak inside and took off with a whole cookie. His buddy came back a half hour later and did the same. Stealing bait is one thing but we have to draw the line at stealing COOKIES.
We kept catching off and on. Julia had to leave around 1600. Jim and I packed up at 1915. Herbert stayed for a while.
For the day 4 of us caught 10 black drum, 2 slot reds, 1 bull red, 1 rat red, 8 whiting from 11-16” and numerous bait fish. These are photos of what Jim and I took home. Jim's red is at the top and the big whiting at the bottom looks almost drum sized.
For the day every fish we caught was in 6-24” of water. Jim made up a Jimmy rig for me to test. I caught almost half of my fish on it. Jim is selling rigs he makes but you need to contact him about that. Bulldog fresh dead shrimp and orange colored, crab flavor, Fish Bites caught the most, especially drum and reds. Shrimp Fish Bites in pink, chartreuse, orange and fast acting caught mostly big whiting.
The TFF Mafia will be at the pier Saturday, the 27th. The tides don't look impressive but the weather should be decent. Come on down, say hello and fish with us. We will share what knowledge we have and hope that you bring the GOOD LUCK.
