I'm headed down to Galvestion the 13th for a week...I have NEVER put a hook in salt water so I am as green as they come. I have heard from family and friends to check out San Luis Pass, I noticed there is a fishing pier of of Blue Water Hwy. Is that pier still there after the Hurricane. Do you have any other suggestions as to where to fish (I DO NOT WANT A GUIDE)and what to fish for? Thanks for your time.

The pier is destroyed. It will be kind of crowded at the pass.
If you are green as you say I would head to any of the rock groin jettys that jut straight out from the seawall.

Most any type of rod used to handle Black bass or medium sized catfish will do. Save your high quality stuff for the fresh water lakes

From there, go only about 1/2 of the way out, not to the end and fish on the bottom with fresh dead and peeled shrimp. Do not use frozen shrimp. Buy you a lb of the stuff for around $2.00 This type of fishing will catch you in order of preference; Red Drum, Croaker, Whiting,. The truth is you can get lucky and catch almost anything on fresh dead although rare you catch a Speckeld Trout or a Flounder and small sharks and stingrays. There is no doubt you will catch a hard head or two so be carefull handling this venemous catfish, stay clear of the spines at the base of its pectorial and dorsal fins and use something like needle nose pliers to remove the hook from its mouth.

Look around you and observe. When in Rome do as the Romans. If you spot a local doing good go ahead and ask a question and most likley he will tell you how he is catching the fish.

Try very hard to hit the rocks at first light and fish hard till 9am. Good luck.

2112 thanks a million for your info, I appreciate it and will post pictures up after I return. Thanks again for your time.
John

2112,

in following your advice, should I cast as far as I can off the rock groin jetty? or just fish fairly close to it?

thanks.

John Wester,

I'll be down there around the same time frame. If you see a bald guy with an enthusiastic 5 year old boy there at the crack of dawn, it may be me.

shane

Nay!

if your 5 yr old is going with you rig him up a sabiki rig and fish right in the first gut from the surf, you cant keep the fish off it. When he gets a croaker rig it up on a khale hook a freeline it. Easy way to catch some nice trout.

JW - just a word of advice...bring a fairly long rod, about 7' at least so that when you reel back in to rebait, you'll need to reel fast and keep the rod tip high so that you won't get hung up on the rock groins which do jut-out a few yards into the water. You'll definitely save so hardware, but bring plenty with you (lots of sinkers, hooks, swivels, leaders<can make your own & it's cheaper than buying them>, popping corks, etc.). I grew up in Galveston Co. and fished quite a bit along the beachfront wade fishing and on the rock groins (during winter months & Spring Break for whiting) and you learn a few things of what to do and what not to do to save tackle.

Oh, be careful NOT to get too close to the water's edge on the groins since they are covered with algae and you sure don't want to slip and hit them since they also have barnacles attached as well which cut like sharpened knife blades.

Wish I would have known sooner, I could have come down (my mom & sister live on the mainland) and I could have taken yall out in my boat.

Good luck!

Do not go to SLP with your kiddo. Very dangerous. Just my 2 cents.

Ok gentlemen thank you for ALL your information IT IS APPRECIATED. Can you explain the (what and wheres) concerning the ROCK GROINS JETTIES I'm not familiar with the term.
Thanks again.

John,

if you still ahve time, you could order a www.hooknline.com map #F103. its specifically for wade, surf, and kayak fishing the Galveston area. Its really handy, indicates whats good, where, when, and shows lots of the geographic reference details.

You could probably find one at an Academy/etc... further south. I couldnt find any here in DFW, so I ordered it online $16.

The Rock groins jetties are just manmade mini-jetties that poke out into the surf off the sea wall towards the north end of the island (surfside). They are specifically shown on the map I mentioned.

shane

JSW thanks your right I still have time...appreciate the information.

Like BreamBuster said a long pole is used to clear the rocks or when retrieving the rig or reeling in a fish, as the tackle is aproaching the rocks hold the tip up high and reel in fast to avoid the rocks and a hang-up. You don't have to have a mighty cast, just cast straight out from the jetty, parellel with the beach. Ask a local to show you a gut and cast into that!