Baffin Bay

[RiverRat00]

Hi,
I know a lot of you are familiar with the area. I wanted to do some fishing around this area or nearby Corpus.

Where is a good place to fish for whatever is bitting? I don't have a boat so lighted piers or from bank..

What fish are hot/ easy to catch right now and what baits?

I have limited knowledge of saltwater fishing and want to take my kids for a little bit...

Thanks,
MannyG

[Muddy Bud]

Trout a fairly easy to catch right now. Not much size to them but keepers non the less. I fishe'd shamrock last week and picked up a limit of trout in about 15 minutes in one spot. Poco fished Nueces earlier this weeK and picked up a couple of limits pretry quick. I know we used to catch a ton of drum fishing around Riviera this time of year as a kid. Drum point and can't remember the name of that park but it has a lighted pier. I believe it was coughman park or something like that. Dead shrimp would be your best bet there.

[Sleepy]

Site 55 is good for black drum and trout. There are lighted piers by the Baffin Bay Cafe and one of the RV parks down there, I think it's called Sea Wind. Worked there for about 8 months back in '08 and did pretty dang good. It was through the summer though, so can't really vouch for this time of year. I would wear the trout out on a lighted pier at night with glow in the dark jigs, running 2 jigs on the same line about 12 inches apart. Caught 2 at a time a lot. Not a whole lot of keepers, but it was pretty easy to catch 30-40 trout in a couple of hours. Caught black drum up to 38" on shrimp, and reds on some of the bigger jigs. I'm sure the locals will have more input, but that's my experience. It can be really good down there if you time it right and hit the right spots.

This is all in the Riviera area.

[RiverRat00]

Trout a fairly easy to catch right now. Not much size to them but keepers non the less. I fishe'd shamrock last week and picked up a limit of trout in about 15 minutes in one spot. Poco fished Nueces earlier this weeK and picked up a couple of limits pretry quick. I know we used to catch a ton of drum fishing around Riviera this time of year as a kid. Drum point and can't remember the name of that park but it has a lighted pier. I believe it was coughman park or something like that. Dead shrimp would be your best bet there.

How do I get to shamrock? And what bait did u use to catch the trout

[RiverRat00]

Site 55 is good for black drum and trout. There are lighted piers by the Baffin Bay Cafe and one of the RV parks down there, I think it's called Sea Wind. Worked there for about 8 months back in '08 and did pretty dang good. It was through the summer though, so can't really vouch for this time of year. I would wear the trout out on a lighted pier at night with glow in the dark jigs, running 2 jigs on the same line about 12 inches apart. Caught 2 at a time a lot. Not a whole lot of keepers, but it was pretty easy to catch 30-40 trout in a couple of hours. Caught black drum up to 38" on shrimp, and reds on some of the bigger jigs. I'm sure the locals will have more input, but that's my experience. It can be really good down there if you time it right and hit the right spots.

This is all in the Riviera area.

I'll have to try that spot, have been to Baffin cafe and seen that pier.

[Reedimus]

Don't think your getting to shamrock without a boat

[AtTheWall]

The surf conditions this Saturday are perfect right now. Green water at 68 degrees and waves a foot or less on a SE wind and swell.

I'm rolling down to Padre Island National Seashore way early AM tomorrow. The plan is simple, lock into 4x4 with 3 long rods rigged for bullreds. One will simply be a long distance plug and metal casting bomber with the other two rigged with 3/0 3x strong circle hooks, Carolina rig style (fish finder) using 3 - 5 ounces of lead above my leader and barrel swivel - allowed to slide when a redfish picks up the bait. Another pair of rods will be rigged for Pompano, one with a red lead head and New Penny colored Gulp, and the other a smaller fish finder version of my long rods - rigged with shrimp and shrimp flavored FishBites.

The technique, roll the sand looking for feeding bird and or bait sign - stopping and casting for about 30 minutes at each stop. If a pattern develops, this is the spot.

During this time of year, with these conditions, huge bullreds will roam within casting range of the sand on feed. The current in these conditions will be pushing water to the North. I cast about 30 degrees up current, holding my rod, I'll let my fresh cut mullet swing on that circle hook, swinging with a tight line from right to left, allowing that bait to find fish, bumping from the outer 3rd sand bar over into the 2nd cut channel and swinging up over the 1st sandbar literally onto the sand before repeating my cast.

Using this technique, on long rods and Pompano rods, I've scored dozens of bullreds when I find them. When you find a school, these schools can be massive in numbers. Most of these redfish start at 20lbs and go up to the 40lb range easily. Had one trip that kept a couple of Game Wardens glued to me for about an hour, watching me catch and release bullred after bullred. Once the wind starts to swing back out of the North or Northeast, the bite gets iffy using this technique.

You can also fish the Packery Channel jetties, which are just above the Bob Hall pier. I recommend cruising to the South Jetties and working the rocks from mid-zone out into the surf and in as well as the channel from the outside inlet all the way back to the back side wall, where it is across from the Packery Channel boat ramp. In the channel cast lead head Gulps and let your line settle to the bottom. Then do a slow bounce off the bottom retrieve keeping your finger on the line as you work the lure in. Flounder, sandtrout, specks and redfish with the occassional sheepshead can and will hook-up.

The key to fishing this time of the year is simple, fish and move, fish and move till you find a school and then recreate the cast and retrieve pattern that hooked you up.

[Reedimus]

Great info as always, AtTheWall

[Muddy Bud]

I'll have to try that spot, have been to Baffin cafe and seen that pier.

I used live shrimp and sand eel jrs. To tell you the tryth I think they would have hit anything I chunked in there. Kinda hard to get in that area with out a boat kayak or a good 4 wheel drive. Basically you can drive to the landing off of 361 right across from sea gull condos on the island. That will get you to Wilson's cut.