Hey guys,
I'm new to the forum, but I wanted to add my $.02 worth to the pier discussion. I'm looking forward to Spring Break to get in on some of the action at the pier and maybe some other places in G-Town. My best luck this time of year on the beachfront is to use fresh dead shrimp on the bottom w/ a #6 circle hook so you can catch those big bull whiting, sand trout, and gafftop. Also you'll want to try some cut bait for keeper or bull reds and drum w/ a 2/0 kahle hook. Live shrimp seem to work well on the sheephead and flounder on a #4 kahle hook. You may get lucky with a speck or two if the water's warm enough. Fish all the above on the bottom with a Carolina Rig w/ about 1/2 oz (or bigger if it's rough) egg sinker and you will do some damage. I know that if I try these methods I will usually have something to filet. I use medium tackle for rods and reels. I don't use those wire leaders, I use fluorocarbon in 20 lb. test.
These are just some tips for those that are trying to get on some fish this time of year.
Good Luck to all.

Tuesday 11 th talked to Ray at the Galveston Fishing Pier and he personally caught a limit of keeper drums this AM . Quite a few keeper drums being caught also some nice whiting and lots of sheepshead. Weather suppose to be in 80's by friday

hey bobtx im from college station and am going to be in galvastin for spring break. im planning on going to the pier tommarow morning with my gf im just wondering what kinda bait i should use and if you have any pointers that could help me and her have a pretty good time. if im lucky ill prob run into you there since you say you fish on fridays, ill be there in the morning aournd 8 maybe but any help will be greatly appreciated.

All you need is dead shrimp ... and an anchor or rope to hold you on pier winds suppose to be up to 30 mph thursday and friday

really??? ill be there tommarow hopefully its not really bad!! do fish bite pretty good when its windy? and how about live shrimp?

You prob will catch sheephead with live shrimp or a red or flounder .

I gave the SLP pier a try today. Water was rough and dirty. I got skunked! I saw a few people catch some sheephead and aslo one keeper red and a stingray. I still had lots of bait left over so I headed to a buddy's house in San Leon and fished the evening. I caught several decent and gafftops, but the hardheads were out in force. I may try the galveston pier monday.

Friday 14 , Galveston fishing Pier . Met a bunch of my old freinds and made some new ones . Met All-about-fishin and his girlfriend there. Saw a bunch of fish caught , a bull red, some sheepheads , My buddy Ted caught a 60 lb big ugly . Some nice whiting , a few gaftops , a few bonnethead sharks and some of the biggest dam hardheads I ever saw . I got one that weighted 5 lbs 2 oz. I sure they are eatable just didnt fell like cleaning the slimmy things. The Gafttop Tourney started Sat . First place $300. 5 places paying off . Tourney last for 2 months. Fishing only gets better now . If you see a middle age crippled guy sitting on a barstool THATS ME say hi!!!

Hey bobtx it was awsome to get to meet you! man your buddy had a BIG BIG fish, that was cool! well i had fun and my gf enjoyed it also maybe next time i go ill c you there again but that wont be for a while i want to go alteast one more time while the specs and macrols are running

Bob;

Did you see any blacktip or spinners caught? Did it seem like the sharks were flukes or like they were starting to move in for the summer?

I'm wanting to make a couple of trips down before July when my son get's here, but I fish mainly for shark and want to make sure it's not a total waste of time.

Mike it will be about 3 weeks before the sharks really move in. I looked up my weekly log and it was april 3 last yr when they really showed up along with the gaftop

ARE GAFTOPS EDIBLE? I CAUGHT A NICE ONE LAST SUMMER AND HALF THE PEOPLE ON PIER SAID IT WAS TRASH FISH AND OTHER HALF SAID IT WAS GOOD. I WILL BE FISHING AT SLP AND GALVESTON PIER APRIL 11-14TH. CAN'T WAIT TO GET DOWN THERE. HOPING FOR A BIG UGLY OR MAYBE A SHARK OR TWO THIS TIME. HOPE TO MAYBE MEET SOME OF YOU DOWN THERE. MAYBE EVEN LEARN A LITTLE FROM YOU..... GOOD FISHING AND TIGHT LINES TO ALL!

gaftop are edible, i just dont eat them. ive even heard of people eating hardheads. not for me. in florida they eat mullet. now thats just gross. as far as the sharks, the pups are starting to show up now, and its usually a few weeks after they show up that the bigger ones start rolling in. if the water would consistantly stay around 70 the sandbars would start showing as theyre usually the first to show in the spring, and those suckers get real big.

where is the best place on the island to fish for sharks where I can back my truck up onto the beach to put my rods in the squares holes in the bed of my truck?

i wouldnt use the holes in the bed. go to any hardware store and buy 10ft sections of pvc pipe. have them cut in half at an angle and used a hammer or a post hole digger to drive them in the sand. its much easier that way, and doesnt tear up the end of your rod. as far as for sharks, i usually try to fish High Island or San Luis Pass. Though ive caught quite a few off the Galveston Fishing Pier as well.