The Texas summer surf can spoil a newcomer in a heartbeat and it’s what the seasoned surf angler typically awaits each year.
Vacation days are set aside well in advance and excuses to come in late to work are ready and often recycled. Spoil a newcomer, addiction, you might ask, what is so special about the surf?
My fastest limit, 10 trout from the upper Texas coast, came on 12 consecutive cast. One was a dud, a lost fish, and 10 were solid trout, 19.5 to 24 inches. After I caught my limit, I continued to catch and release solid trout up to 5 ½ pounds. If that doesn’t spoil you, nothing will. Days like this are not uncommon when the conditions are right. The key to a successful morning in the surf is to remember you don’t plan a trip when you want, you go when the surf calls you.
Green incoming tides rising with the sun paired with a calm surf are my favored conditions. May and June routinely provide the best odds of landing the larger trout with Independence Day marking the arrival of masses of school-size fish.
I like to start my day before the sun’s rays illuminate the horizon. Standing on the sand, tossing topwaters, or suspending baits parallel and as close to the sand as I can effectively work the lure. I have caught many trout pushing 7 pounds along with large flounder and snook using this approach. It is amazing the size of fish that will feed in mere inches of breaking water.
As the blanket of darkness no longer conceals my presence, I will begin to gradually angle my casts towards the open Gulf. I will broaden my search area and structure type until I find where the fish are feeding, never overlooking the shallow water where I began my day. As the sun climbs, the trout will typically find comfort in the guts, chasing mullet, shrimp, shad and other baitfish. When this occurs, I still vary my cast from parallel to offshore, covering the deep guts and not overlooking the structure, which is the bar. As you would do while fishing the bay, don’t overlook the drop-off. Casting along it can produce great catches.
Whitewater and waves crashing is an often-overlooked hot spot. I seldom see surf fishermen casting into the whitewash, which can be a huge mistake. The turbulence disorients the baitfish which are easy meals for the thick-bodied, strong-swimming surf trout. I can remember one day in particular when most, if not all, of my trout, were caught in the white water on top of the bar. A solid trout inhaled my slow-sinking lure as it tossed and turned in the froth. After that, I made repeated casts into the turbid water to end a successful day that up until that point had been quite slow.
Let me check the forecast. Is it calm yet?
Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Controlled Descent Lures and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.