[b][/b]I was at Texas City Dike fishing the left side, entering the dike, about 2 miles down. I got there about 11:30 pm and setup lights...there was a lot of activity in the water but I was having no luck catching specks. I was using live shrimp and live croaker for bait. I tried fishing with a cork and with letting them swim free. About 6 a.m. a school of specks moved through. I could see them feeding as they passed me and soon after the gulls and pelicans joined in. The specks would not strike anything I had in the water. I ended up catching a couple of sand trout and whiting.

What am I doing wrong?[size:14pt][/size]

Next time try using a mirror lure , semi fast retrieve , schools usually like fast moving bait .

Gulp shrimp or minnow on a jig head also works.

I feel your pain. Its happened to me before. Last year I was at Goose Island when a school came through. No one could catch anything. I put a Super Duper brand spoon on that I had for freshwater trout fishing. I reeled it really fast and they started hitting. It was like reaction strikes. Like a cat attacking a ball. Some of them even seemed to be getting pi$$ed off. Like they didn't have time to think about it.

Hey Herbert,

that has happened to me in the past too. Sometimes, they dont want shrimp on the menu, thats when you have to be ready and prepared to change your gear. with plastics. I always have options in my tackle box. I will make a tandem rig set up, where I will have two jig heads at the end of my line. I will then use the little fishies, curly tails, glow in the dark paddle tail minnows, or the famous "Spec Rig" with the colors of red with pink spots and /or the white with red spots that i have bought at Academy.

From these experiences I pass them to you becuase they have worked for me. Good luck and Good Fishin!!!

I was going to say, I've had good success with spec rigs when fish are running like that.

Always keep a rod rigged up with an artificial that you can sight cast to 'em. If they won't take live bait then go for the reaction strike.

If your terminal tackle is too heavy and the water is clear they may be shying away from it. The lighter your leader material the better.

Thanks for all of the replies. I usually fish the bottom and am just trying to get into speck fishing. Hopefully I will get to try again this weekend....if the weather participates.

How do you know they were specs..? they could have been sandies... gaftop... small ladyfish... you might now have been doing anything wrong at all. Usually, if it's a school of keeper size specks or reds... they'll find a live shrimp.. most of the time.