Bryan Beach April 7th 2009

[Power Fisherman]

Here is Surf Junkies Report

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I got down to Freeport about 0745 and headed to pier 30 for some stingray and shrimp. Then headed down to Bryan beach and the mouth of the brazos to get some fresh bait for the day. 88gmcjimmy showed up with his mom and nephew and brought his Frenzy and some more stingray. In short order we had some good sized mullet, and some smaller sized whiting, and trout.

We drove down the beach and the birds were working the surf very heavily about 1/4 mile down from MOB, so we set up there. It was pretty cold with a stiff north wind, so we took our time getting ready and finally had bait out around 1230-1pm. I have lately been a fan of running baits DEEP, in fact I often tell people to just lock down my drag to prevent me from spooling the reel. Fortunately gmcjimmy had walkie talkies so that made things easier. Also the water was simply beautiful.. the color change was about 300 yards offshore and the water was emerald green.

Around 2pm gmcjimmy got a fast run, i dont remember if it was a casted rig or his yakked 6/0. In short order he had a fiesty foul hooked spinner on the beach.

Shortly after my 10/0 takes off in a screaming run. Picked up the rod and set the drag and I could tell right away the thing was big. It made some headshakes and swam off to the left, but no outward runs. Within minutes I felt the weight lighten up and I was reeling in quickly to keep up. I was afraid I had lost the fish, but the heaviness returned when the float reached the 2nd sandbar. We could see the fins at this point and they were quite large. Gmcjimmy went out to tail rope the fish at the 1st sandbar and I kept tension on the mouth. It took both of us pulling to get the shark on the beach. It was a 7'2'' fat female sandbar shark.

Trying to get the hook out myself

Didn't have enough leverage, 88gmcjimmy came to help

The hook was in there too well, had to cut it

She, and her attendant remoras, were released. I ran out the 10/0 again with some more southern stingray and 6/0s with mullet and stingray. gmcjimmy kept getting short, fast runs on his 6, but the shark never committed to the bait. My 6/0 with mullet also got nailed, but we missed the hook up. Around 530pm I noticed a ton of slack in my 10/0. Turned out I got cut off, probably by smacks, so I yakked out to pick up my float.

With the north wind changing to the west and eventually to the south, the surf picked up a bit and yakking out became more difficult. It also brought the color change closer to shore, in some cases almost all the way to the beach.

We stayed awhile longer, but eventually packed it up and headed back before sunset.

[kriso]

tops report mate thats one fat shark! nice one

[Brian D]

Good report there guys. Everything looks the same over there except for the stupid car. Your steering wheele is on the wrong side.

I love the tail grip with the cattle rope.

[Terry H]

Chris...

The car on the beach?? How do you guys make it onto the beach without a 4wd? To get to any beach here you normally have to go through some soft stuff which you'd probably have no hope of getting through without a 4wd!

And brian is right about the steering wheel... :laugh:

Thanks for another report Chris!

[redfishgirl]

With the way the beaches have been here I am not sure how he made it in the car also:ohmy: But super report And we like the wheel on our side:woohoo: