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POC & Port Lavaca 4/6/14 #9891468 04/08/14 04:09 PM
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Fishuhalik Offline OP
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Well, got to see the ocean & fish the salt for the first time! Started out on 4/6 at 0100 off the pier at Port Lavaca. I really have no idea what I'm doing so I just threw out a shrimp on both rods on a 2oz slip sinker rig (Lindy rig) with an 18" leader of 12lb mono & a 3/0 khale hook. I used 2oz cuz it was windy as heck. Had a bite on rod #1 almost immediately. First saltwater fish, booyah! Turned out to be a little saltwater cat, which I later found out is a hardhead & also found out they're annoying as heck. As I was unhooking the cat something BIG hit my other rod. I've caught lake sturgeon in MN that were pushing 80lbs, & this fish was fighting similar. Not fast or thrashing, just POWERFUL! I fought it for a good while, but as I got it up to the pier it went underneath & broke me off on the pilings. DOPE!!! Never even saw it. I ended up catching a few more cats & a tiny 12" red before the rain chased me off at 0300.
The next morning I headed out to the POC jetty. The gentleman at Marty's told me the big drum should be biting out there. As I was walking out, I noticed alot of baitfish closer to shore so I tried wading around for a couple hours, throwing a popping cork with shrimp or squid. Nothing. Then I walked out to the end of the jetty & soaked shrimp & squid til 1500, nothing but a bunch of hardheads. Got to see a bunch of dolphins though so that was cool!
At dusk I went back to the Port Lavaca pier. This time all I got was about 20 hardheads. I couldn't keep my bait in the water for more than 2 mins without getting bit by these annoying critters! I called it a day at 2300.
Any tips you guys would recommend? Anything you think I was doing wrong? Even though I didn't get much I definitely enjoyed myself. The water was terribly murky, with visibility at 6" at best. I don't think that was doing me any favors. Thanks for any tips or criticism!


Always wear clean underwear, cuz ya never know when the paramedics are gonna have to cut your pants off

Minnesota native. I might not of been born here, but I got here as soon as I could!
Re: POC & Port Lavaca 4/6/14 [Re: Fishuhalik] #9896341 04/10/14 07:00 AM
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robsco Offline
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At least you got to go and had fun!
The weather definitely did not help you any. I almost always struck out in conditions like that. Sounds like a Ray that broke you off. I think using artificials is the only way to keep the hardheads off your line. They are a real PITA but better than nothing if the gamefish ain't biting. Thanks for the report.


Clean up...
Re: POC & Port Lavaca 4/6/14 [Re: Fishuhalik] #9897450 04/10/14 05:37 PM
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Fishuhalik Offline OP
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I guess it coulda been a ray, never thought of that. I thought the rays in shallow water were pretty small? I figured it was a big drum. Never caught one but I would think with that big, thick body they'd be more of a hard pulling fish than a line screamer. It felt like a fish but I guess I couldn't tell ya the difference.


Always wear clean underwear, cuz ya never know when the paramedics are gonna have to cut your pants off

Minnesota native. I might not of been born here, but I got here as soon as I could!
Re: POC & Port Lavaca 4/6/14 [Re: Fishuhalik] #9914877 04/17/14 01:20 PM
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fishesintrees Offline
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It can be difficult to tell if it's a ray or a big drum, but many times a big ray will just "sit down", and you can't move them. As far as ray size in shallow water? I've seen several that would have covered a car hood in 2' or less water.

When you figure out how to keep the hardheads off of bait, let the rest of us know (: I throw artificial's 95% of the time, and still catch the occasional hardhead.

Re: POC & Port Lavaca 4/6/14 [Re: Fishuhalik] #9972682 05/09/14 11:30 PM
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BluecatSpecial Offline
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bump
Trip coming up POC Jetties...Hows the fishing??? Thanks and good luck!!!

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