I got to the pier at 7:05. Water was chocolate and ugly. Swells were 1-2', surf was choppy from 2nd sandbar inward. Water clarity was ZERO. It was overcast, mid 50s, wind N at 10-15 with gusts to 25. It felt a lot colder. The sun came out mid afternoon, wind died down and it turned warm.

I caught 3 hardheads in the first half hour. Then pferox (Jim) arrived. The bite went dead. We knew it was going to be a hard day to catch.

Around 800, Julia (I didn't even know her at the time), yelled "Robert, are you here?" It was Herbert77060 on the phone. He was supposed to meet me at 700 but was running late. Herbert arrived around 830 and we invited Julia to fish with the TFF Mafia. That is our name for the group of us who fishes the pier.

I found out that Julia works at the Sylvan Beach Pier during warm weather months. Whenever you are there say "Hi" to her. She has a great sense of humor and good fishing advice.

Jim caught the first keeper, a 13" whiting. The rest of us kept trying.

Herbert and Julia had a bet who would catch the first fish. Herbert won by catching a hardhead which he deemed NOT A FISH. We kidded with him about it and he finally accepted that he won the bet.

We did a great job of watching others catch some fish. Whiting, pompano, drum, sheepshead, bull drum, bull reds.

Early afternoon, Phuong, hooked into something big. He was fishing a light combo and 10# line. He did a great job of playing the fish. He walked about half the length of the pier working it in closer. Jim netted for him. It was a 38", 24lb, black drum. That is handsome Herbert on the left side of the photo.



We continued with our slow pace of fishing. Jim added a few more whting to the cooler and I finally caught my first keeper whiting. About an hour later, Phuong, hooked something big again. Jim grabbed the net and I went ahead to clear the pier. Whatever he had was bigger than the first. As he worked the fish, Jim gave him some fast lessons on how to use the rod to get the most leverage. Phuong's reel began to grind under the stress. Jim told him it was either land the fish or break it off. Phuong agreed. The fish was exhausted and it was dead weight but still deep and we couldn't see it. Jim pulled in line by hand. After a few minutes of doing this the line broke off at the knot. Our best guess is a big bull red or a sting ray. It had to have weighed 30lbs or more.

We all went back to fishing. With the waves, current and undertow all of our lines were moving. This was even with using spider weights. Jim began to say ROBERT DID IT anytime lines got crossed. Then Herbert started saying it. I think I heard a few strangers on the other side of the pier say ROBERT DID IT. We all laughed.

Fishing was slow so we made new friends, talked and laughed. David, a first time saltwater fisherman showed up around 1600. Jim gave him some fishing tips and adjusted his baitcaster. David will be joining the TFF soon. He caught his first saltwater keeper, an 11" whiting, which he donated to us. Julia got her first keeper around 1800. I got a double hookup on 2 nice whiting.

We all became experts at catch and release on hardheads. But when you are with nice people and having a good time hardheads are fun. The sunset also added value to the trip. The kind of sunrise and sunset you get on fishing trips is worth half the price.



We packed up and left at 2230 after a great day. We ended up with 16 whiting, most in the 12-14" range, and 1 pompano. Jim and I caught 7 whiting each. Jim caught the pompano. Whenever, any of you have time to fish the Galveston Fishing Pier let us know and we will inititate you into the TFF Mafia.

Nice report, all I have to add is ROBERT DID IT!!!!!

sounds like another fun day from the TFF mafia. Beautiful sunset as well.

Hope we see you on the pier soon.

Well, I made it to the forum. Look forward to fishing with you again. I may go surf fishing Friday night with felow Springer (that's what you call people from Spring. Or is Springonians?) I booked a campsign March 14-16 at Quintana Beach. Closest I could get with it being Spring Break. My wife has a friend visiting her and I was told I could do what I want. What I want is to camp and catch fish. I'll stay on the forum and try to hook up again with the TFF Mafia. I certainly appreciate all the advise and a couple of gifts I received.

David

David, we enjoyed your company on the pier. You even shielded Jim from a few of those hard heads that kept chomping his bait.

I have never fished Quintana. Maybe, I can get down that way if the water warms up a bit.

Robert, I'm not sure when the gang will be back on the pier, but Saturday my son has a 2:45 soccer game. So I can't come on Saturday. However, if my Friday night fishing trip with my experienced, shore-fishing buddy doesn't happen (He says it may be too cold,) I think I will book a beach side campsite at Galveston State Park and do some shore fishing myself. The low is supposed to be 47 degrees. I've camped in 25 degree weather this year, so that doesn't bother me.

My question is will the cold weather negatively affect the fishing? If not, I can't leave work and be at the park by 6 p.m., pitch my tent, and start fishing. Saturday I can wake up and fish a few hours, take down the tent, and be at the soccer game. If I'm lucky, and my son's team is lucky, we can celebrate the win with a fish fry!

So will my trip Friday be in vain, or will I catch some fish?

Thanks,
David

What leader did Jim catch the pomp on? Was it the fancy one he made you early on? The same thing happened to me down at the end in regards to a dead weight on the end of the pier. Me and Logan bent my rod over tried to pull it out, but it would not budge. Then I tightened up my drag all the way and plucked the line. Nothing. I then loosened my drag completely and waited. Once again nothing. Tony eventually put a plate on it and yanked it out of whatever it was. It not only broke the circle hook, but bent it straight.

Robert, I am the guy with the two big Ugly Stick's and the Penn Reels. I was the guy who you saw at Bulldog's early saturday. I decided to join here in addition to Fish West End.

I was using a simple slider rig, heavy weight, #1 circle hook, and a real long freaking cast for that Pomp. Leader length vs water movement seems to be kind of important, but I haven't figured out the right mix yet.

To me, water temp, clarity, and movement seem to be more important than the air temp. Saying that, I don't do well on post front days, usually right before the front, and then the 3rd day after the front is more productive.

I've been finding that on murky water days with active surf seem to be the big red and black drum days, some bull whiting. I don't have it figured out yet, but I'm working on it.

Had a great day there gang, glad everybody showed up, welcome to the new members of the mafia, missed the ones that couldn't make it. Just remember no matter what, ROBERT DID IT.

Good news for me. My Spring Fishing Buddy can't make it Friday so I am camping Friday night at Galveston State Park. I am going to do so some surf fishing and if any of you are going to be pier fishing Saturday I'll to join you again. My wife said I don't have to come back for my son's soccer game so I can stay late on Saturday.

Just let me know if any of you are fishing. I'll probably fish at the pier anyway, but this way I can be on the lookout for you.

David

We'll be there. Get some 2 and 3 ounce spider weights, it might be rough there.

We will be fishing the pier Saturday. If you can make it Jim will give you a couple of his experimental rigs to try out. You are lucky the hook broke. 99% of the time when I get solidly hung up the line breaks and I lose all the terminal gear. They caught 3 pompano at the pier on Wed. 2 were on the top hook of double rigs and Kim got one on the bottom with a single rig.

I am going to take this weekend off. Hoping to go down on the 16th.

Also do you what Kim's secret is?

Kim's secret is that she chooses a spot and fishes it hard. She doesn't move around. She waits for the bite to come to her.