| Author | Message | ||
| Atthewall
Crappie Username: Atthewall Post Number: 563 Registered: 11-2004  Rating: N/A |
Last weekend spent fishing with my son Austin, my coastal compadre Drifter and his son Robbie Bettiga. PINS, May 20th, incoming high tide peaking at 11 am. Conditions green/blue and a 1-2ft surf. Birds by the hundreds offshore chasing bait. Probably bonita, jack crevalle and the mackerel families up high and sharks below. Since we have our sons with us this outing, we opted to stay close and give things a whirl....what a whirl it was. We wanted to start at first light from Drifter's home near OSO Bay in Corpus but, the evening meet Friday night burned up sleeping time with only 3 hours of sleep. So Drifter made the call to eat a hearty breakfast of chorizo con huevos and this surf safari was ready to roll.  We hit the 18 mile marker and find a deep first gut. I immediately start my routine of checking what's on the feed and after 3 casts, our first shark bait hits the sand. Whiting typically don't chase lures but the inside feed is on and everyone has to eat.  Drifter quickly rigs a bait rod for Robbie and he jumps right into filling the bait bucket.  As Robbie and I gather bait, Drifter is the first offshore running out his 6/0.  Drifter starts complaining the current is too strong for his weight and starts reeling in the slack only to find....  Kids do not try this without adult supervision.   I get Austin's first line offshore to immediately get our first hookup.  Robbie yells "Get the tailrope!" Drifter gets to work.  And a lesson of tailroping is passed from father to son.  Then things just simply got crazy and we realize, "Why work so hard yakking baits offshore, lets cast the 2nd gut" Drifter hooked up on my casting rod. We were busy with the 2nd shark roughly 50 yards away and this shark managed to get a couple hundred yards out before Drifter saved the spool.  Drifter gets hooked up yet again as well as Austin.  And this scene continues over and over again. The "Bettiga Shuffle." Like father like son LOL!  I wade out for yet another cast into the 2nd gut, drop the reel into gear and immediately get hooked up. Had to fight this one as I waded back in.  And another one on the sand with yet another one hooked up.  I've got my eye on you bud, put me back out there and let me have just one chance at ya!  This scene went on and on throughout the tidal range before shutting down. As small as some of these sharks are, they certainly don't give any on attitude.  After a full day of tail rope duties, Robbie finally finds a seat to decompress. That tail rope will make a man out of ya!  During one of the few bait sets, I managed to find a very hungry Speck. I knew they were there but these young sharks had them scattered and I don't blame them one bit. Drifter and I would have worked the wades a little more harder if the boys didn't have so much going on during prime time with the sharks. There will be more trips to square up the frying pan.   Till next time - Da Z Boyz!  | ||
| Texfisher
Crappie Username: Texfisher Post Number: 505 Registered: 8-2004  Rating: N/A |
SWEET trip Rob. Looks like those two boys had a blast. The little one looks like he had fun too. Great pics. If you're richer than me I think we're related. If you're poorer than me I know we're related. My bass club webpage http://texbass.8m.com/ 
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| Bigun
Hybrid Username: Bigun Post Number: 952 Registered: 8-2004  Rating: N/A |
Way to get the young one's out Rob! Keep on hammering them sharks. I hate 'em! Quit being a mad, little bald man! Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic. | ||
| Fishinaggie88
Crappie Username: Fishinaggie88 Post Number: 447 Registered: 8-2004  Rating: N/A |
Looks like a GREAT day with the boys. Way to go!! Love to fish and hunt. | ||
| Picou
Lunker Username: Picou Post Number: 1853 Registered: 8-2004  Rating: N/A |
Excellent recap and pictoral review Rob... Worthy of an award no doubt...  Looks like everyone had a great time down at PINS... That sure makes my wife have second thoughts about swimming in the gulf on our vacation...  Thank you Lord for my family and the waters I get to fish
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| Hawlin_bass
Bluegill Username: Hawlin_bass Post Number: 199 Registered: 1-2005  Rating: N/A |
sweet trip. You know those kids will always remember catching those sharks. That is what it is all about! | ||
| Atthewall
Crappie Username: Atthewall Post Number: 570 Registered: 11-2004 Rating: N/A |
PQ, I need to make mine swim LOL! | ||
| Will
Bluegill Username: Will Post Number: 240 Registered: 2-2005  Rating: N/A |
I know someone else who should go swimming with your wife Rob. LOL Vegatarian: Indian Word for Bad Fisherman | ||
| Dru
Bluegill Username: Dru Post Number: 214 Registered: 2-2005 Rating: N/A |
That's funny Rob. You Texas Salts have a little peace of heaven right here on earth. Nicely done. BassZone.com | ||
| Dean
Crappie Username: Dean Post Number: 370 Registered: 4-2004  Rating: N/A |
Do you keep and eat the black-tip? All In A Days Fun!!! 
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| Dean
Crappie Username: Dean Post Number: 371 Registered: 4-2004 Rating: N/A |
One day I want to see pics of Kingfish on them Kayaks! - or bill fish..... All In A Days Fun!!!
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| Atthewall
Crappie Username: Atthewall Post Number: 575 Registered: 11-2004 Rating: N/A |
Dean we will get some King Macs here soon. Wished I could have hit the coast this weekend, flat as a pancake. Once July hits, we will slow troll ribbon fish off the beach with single strand wire leaders. Drifter grilled two sharks and his report EXCELLENT! I let our go but we have a trip planned this next upcoming weekend. Any blacktip around 3-4 ft is hitting the beach grill after a good marindade. |
