An hour and a half later we were standing in the Quik Stop in Port Isabel, looking at the frozen squid.We decided to pull in behind the Convention Center and net some live mullet.We had to walk about 1/4 mile due to the high tide.The whole sand lot was under about 8 inches of water.We took turns throwing the net and ended up with about 30 finger sized mullet.We pulled onto the beach just as the sun was lighting the easter horizon.
About that time the cell phone started playing the mexican hat dance. It was Bull Whiting Bob letting me know that he worked late the night before in order to get Saturday off.He tells me that He , Pampano Jim and Frank would be down there and meet up with us as soon as they could get loaded up and make the drive.We drove to our regular 8 mile starting point. As usual It took me a while to get everything tied on to suit me.We got the rod holders planted and the rigs sat out then set back waiting for the big bite.Two and one half hours later I was still standing there looking at the rod tip. Not even a wiggle.Brian and garfisher( Art ) stop buy to visit on their way to the jetty.The phone rings again. Its BWB calling to let me know they are almost there.I tell him that we are about to move down a ways and try again.We find another spot another 5 miles are so up the beach.I see a little bait action going on.We stop and talk to a few guys there and they are telling of a 6 foot shark that keeps crusing back and forth , dorsel and tail fin exposed.We back up about 50 yards and claim our spot.Hoping for some Tarpon action I break out the 10 wt fly rod and get it rigged.While I am rigging up I watch the guys down the beach, actualy they were out on the second sand bar.I see each one of them hook up , have a short fight, then get broke off.I just cant understand that.after we fish a while a huge school of glass minnow work their way to our area.Notice the Black cloud in the water.
Here is one of me throwing a jig to some working birds.
About that time a school of Lady fish herd the bait into a gut between the bank and first sandbar.There was hundred of lady fish between 12 and 24+ inches.I grabed the fly rod and tied a tarpon fly on named black death.I figured the minnows look dark, might as well match the hatch.The catching begins.I caught and uncountable number of lady fish.I was tossing the bigger ones on the beach for BWB and Pampano Jims some shark bait.Mike was casting my baitcaster with a jig head and stanley wedge tail grub. After about his forth fish the grub was gone. I hear Mike griping about having to wade back up to the truck to rig up another.I tell him just throw the head. He starts casting the jig head into the school and catching a fish every other cast.I noticed down the beach a ways BWB is parked and his gang is getting in on the action.I don't think he knew we are fishing just 100 yards in front of them.I lost at least half of the fish I hooked on the fly rod due to not being able to keep up with the fish if they swim toward me and jumped. Even at that I still have at least 10 on the beach for shark bait.About that time I look right in front of me and see a tarpon roll.Looked like a 5 footer.By the time I get the line picked up and cast back out, its gone.The old heart sped up a little on that one.The tarpon fly was no longer black.The skip jack pulled all the feathers off except for a couple of red ones.Bob and Jim and Frank pull up and I wade up to say hello.Mike gets tired of catching fish, I guess, and goes to set in the truck a while.About that time i hear TARPON. I run over to see another monster cruising inside the first sand bar.Just like the last one he is gone as quik as he apeared.I look up at the truck and Mike is asleep.I catch a few more skips and visit with the other guys a while.Things slow down and Mike wakes up and wants to go to the jetty.
30 minutes later we arrive at the jetty.Brian and Art say there is not much going on there.I am told there is someone there i am supposed to have heard of.Someone name Big Lou.I fish both sides of the jetty and the beach near by without a bite.There was a gang of people out on the end so I did'nt venture out there.The SPI team pulls up and after a while we all head for the end of the jetty. The sun is getting low and the croud is thinning out at the end of the jetty. After a 30 minute dry spell another school af bait gathers around the jetties end, followed by a school of Tarpon.BWB and Jim started throwing red and white top water plugs at them.They get a few bites and get broken off. After loosing about 8, 5 dollar plugs I tie a 20 # shock leader on jims little spinning reel.I make the trip back up the jetty to get one of my top water surf plugs.Shortly after i got back to the end Jim finnaly sticks one good and the fight is on. FISH ON.
While Jim is hooked up with the fight of his life, Mike hangs one On my big surf spinner.
After a long exciting fight Jim finaly gets the tarpon tired enough to bring to the rocks.The fish is not quiet ready to be landed and tries making a few more runs.But Jim keeps his cool and plays the fish to the gaff.A nice 36 incher.
Not a bad catch on what I call a crappie rig with 8# test line.The 20 #bite leader does the trick.
Mike is starting to wear his fish down a little but it is a bigger fish.But it gets landed too.It had one of the treble hooks in a gill and was bleading pretty bad.It measure in a 46 inches.
I released the fish and it swam off. I don't see how it made it but as far as I know it was OK.Now it was my turn. I get my surf rod from mike and start casting.Its already so dark I cant see the lure until it is right at the rocks.I got hung on someones line in the rocks.While I was trying to work it loose Frank walks by me and says " I'll Get it". He climbs down and grabs the lure and starts pulling.About that time a big wave crashes in and slams him into the rocks.Frank gets his hold back and starts climbing back up . He yells I got it.When he get up there he say I realy got it. One of the trebles is sunk up to the curve in his finger.He asked me how to get it out and I explain the string pull method.He says to heck with that and just jerks it back out. Wheew. That looked ruff.His knee is all cut up by the barnicles on the rocks.I Told Frank that i hated that he hurt himself for my lure. He tells me he has had an 18 pack and cant feel a thing and that he was glad to get to do it.I say thanks.
By that time it is pretty much dark and there is a boy franticly slinging a big surf plug all around my head so I decide to call it a trip.We all get the high fives and hand shakes out of the way and head back to the truck.I sure wanted my shot at a tarpon but it just didn't work out that way. We had a long ride down the beach and back to McAllen. I also had a bunch of gear to wash when I got home.
Until next time.
FISH ON!
