What am I doing wrong?

I am asking for help in what I am doing wrong in order to catch some fish. I feel like I am missing something. I have been in Texas for two years and have yet to catch any fish other than a few flounder. I haven’t caught a speck in Texas! We did catch a bunch of fish in Port Arthur immediately after the storm on Gulps but since then, nothing. I mean…not even bites. I am working on my boat so I have had to wade, bank, surf, and jetty fish. I have used gulps, grubs, jigs, spooks, bomber long As, top dogs, swim baits, spoons, cut mullet, whole finger mullet (on popping corks and on the bottom), live shrimp, fresh dead shrimp, frozen shrimp, cut cigar minnows, pin fish,etc.. I’ve used mono leader, flouro leader, no leader, circle hooks, j hooks,etc.. I moved from Alabama and had no problem catching fish in Fla and Ala using the EXACT techniques that I have tried here.
Any ideas on what to try? By the way…I never see anyone else catch anything when I am out either. I don’t believe it has been that poor of a fishing day EVERY time I go. Help!

location, location, location??? Salinity of the water??? Moving tide???? The Chupacabra???? Heck it could be a host of things. If you are fishing the surf looking for fish are you just picking one spot and sitting on it?? Look for BIRDS working. This will tell you SOMETHING is pushing bait to the surface. Fish the surf at sunrise or sunset and use some live croaker or top waters, also might want to try some plastics???????? I've never fished the area of the coast where you live but I am pretty sure it can't be that much more different than down here by Port A.


Rob

Right now if you can find some live croakers they are the ticket for trout. Just freeline them out there in the surf if it is calm and you shouldn't have any trouble fiding some trout. Just my opinion to get on some fish right now.

Thanks. I know that I should be able to catch fish but it is frustrating to not even get bites on live shrimp at the jetties. I mean not even a pinfish.

Sounds like you're trying the right stuff but probably in the wrong spots.

Watch for bait and bird activity. Fish on moving tides. Fish clear-er water. Green water would be best.

Fish the guts of the surf. If you have no luck in the first couple of guts then move out into the deeper guts. Fish early and late.

Find cuts and guts in the backwaters and fish them on a falling tide. Fish channels on both moving tides. With the heat subsiding the fish will begin to move shallow again. Until then fish shallow early and then deep later.

I would watch the tides and watch the bird activity. I prefer to be on a fast moving current with underwater structures like oyster beds. As for baits, I like the bio bait jerk minnow in watermelon gold. I also like there new bio chum. Its not messy and can be reused. It puts out a nice slick behind the boat and attracts all kinds of fish.

Gotta give the tides the I think I would fish the jetties on the incoming tide, just my 2 cents.

yeah tides are key as is moon phases wave height ect. but allot of pro's will say its presentation as far as plastics try different speed retrieves, color, or maybe try a float with those gulps it would probably help if you could find some one who knows the water where you have been fishing and get them to show you some in and outs or get to no your local bait people they can steer you in the rite direction but take there advise with a grain of salt they may be just trying to make sales most of us here can tell when and how to target a certain species at a given time but lots of factors come into concideration first just keep trying once you hook up look at all the variables and try to figure out what went rite or wrong

My 2 cents: Yes Tides are most impt, 3-4 hrs b4 peak high or low is best. I've also found during Full moon they'll feed heavily during the night (when tides are right) and not so much during the day.

You still have to be on the fish, no matter what/when. Trial & error. Try em, if nothing move.

I fish that area regularly but never found a place to fish from the bank that you can catch many fish . You need a boat .

With a boat you can watch the bird's and locate fish or drift till you locate a good oyster bed .

I alway's do much better on the north end of the lake . You might try along the ship channel . Croaker have been pretty good
there with an occasional speck or rat red .

Location is the key and try lil trout killers i personaly only wade fish some pockets on the side of the flag ship pier i free line live croaker that u can get from boyds bait shop in texas city there u will catch some huge specs and some nice keeper reds

Location is the key and try lil trout killers i personaly only wade fish some pockets on the side of the flag ship hotel in the sea wall in galveston i free line live croaker that u can get from boyds bait shop in texas city there u will catch some huge specs and some nice keeper reds

Go to beach access 61 on seawall blvd. There's a bait shop across the street that sells live croakers. Get some and fish the first gut in the surf at daylight...if the tide is in and the 2nd gut if it's out. I see a lot of people throw their baits too far out in the surf. The trout will be in shallower water than you think, early in the morning. Sometimes only knee deep.

I also use Gulp, tipped with a pinch of fresh bait shrimp to improve my catch on a slow day.

Your hooks or weight may also be part of the problem. I use a #4 circle hook for trout, I think....(but it may be a 3 or 5. )

If bottom fishing, I use as little weight as possible that will hold my bait in place. Otherwise, a popping cork about 18 inches deep. Above all..you MUST fish a moving tide.

http://www.texasprimetimes.com/Texas_Fishing_Calendars/texas_fishing_calendars.html

Sounds like you are doing everything right to me. Perhaps this feeding table will help . You will need to chage the location from Port O'Connor to your location.
Hope this helps
Stormy Seas

I caught a 42" red, not long ago !! Been slaying reds and trout