Note from Connie:

Darrell and I have an agreement- whenever he wants to take a few days off for fishing or hunting, I do the website work, and he promises a story and photos of his adventure, upon his return - So, true to his word, here is the latest fishing adventure, written by our webmaster, Darrell Powell !

 

Darrell Powell
F.O.R. San Bernard
Webmaster/Historian

F.O.R. Volunteer

 

Fishermen: Ron and Charlie, I worked with at Getty and Texaco. Gloria’s nephew, Steven and his son, Kirk. My brother-in-law David.

 

Charlie arrived at my house about 10:30 AM on Friday.  About 11 AM we left for Corpus Christi. The trip down was uneventful except a boat strap broke.  We arrived at the Puente Vista Condos on North Padre Island about 3:30. Ron was already there waiting to check in. After unloading the trucks and making a dozen trips up and down the stairs, it was time to launch the boats. We had piers at the condo for the boats. Then we were off to HEB for supplies for the week. Steven and Kirk were at the condo when we returned.

 

Saturday: Steven and Kirk were in my boat and Charlie was in Ron’s boat. After a short stop at Marker 37 Marina, we went down the Intercoastal a few miles to an area known as Edmonds Hole. We had an overcast sky and light wind. Just right for drift fishing. Keeper trout – Kirk 2, Steven 1, Darrell 6, Ron and Charlie 3.  Saturday night Steven caught 4 nice trout over the neighbor’s light. (Most of the fishing light were under water.)

 

Ron and Charlie

 

Sunday: Clear skies with wind 5-10 mph. On the way back to Edmonds Hole, we stopped off to try our luck in Night Hawk Bay.  Nothing. Fishing was not as good as Saturday. Steven 1, Darrell 2, Ron and Charlie 2.  Steven and Kirk had to go home.

 

Steven and Kirk

 

Monday: Clear skies with wind 10-15 mph. Charlie’s back was hurting and he stayed at the condo. Ron and I went out in my boat. Ron 1, Darrell 1.  David arrived about 12:30.

 

Tuesday: Clear skies and wind 15-25 mph. Idled out of the condos till we got past the no wake zone. Full throttle and I hear ping. Thought I had hit something left by the dredging machine. About 100 yards, the motor rpm goes up and speed goes down. Ron pulled me to the boat ramp and then took me back to the condo for me to get my truck and trailer. I was sitting in front of the repair shop when they opened. It did not take them long to discover that I had lost the lower unit on the motor.  Estimate - $2500 for rebuilt unit. I took boat back to condo and went to run some errands. I noticed that the repair shop that rebuilt my engine in 2001 was open. Check with them to see if they had used lower unit. They did. About 3 hours later and $450, I was back in business. Ron, Charlie and David caught 6 trout.

 

Wednesday: Clear skies and wind 15-25. We tried a couple of places by the power plant across the bay. I caught two small reds and some small trout. Moved to another place. I caught 3 keeper trout. Moved again to the Packery Channel. David 1, I got 2 more trout, Ron 3, Charlie 1.

 

Thursday: Clear skies and wind 20-30 mph. We went back to the Packery Channel to keep out of the wind. David 1, Charlie 2, Ron and I got shut out. But I did get a boat full of sand. When we got back to the condo, the race was on to the shower.

Charlie and David

 

Friday: Checked out and left the condo about 7:30 AM. A few miles out of Rockport, a trailer tire blew. One good thing about a boat trailer with four wheels, you can run with only 3. After 1 ½ hour delay in Port Lavaca getting a new tire we were back on the road home. It took a couple of hours to clean up the boat and get all the sand out of it. On his way down to Corpus, Ron was pulled over by a policeman. Ron could not figure out why he was being stopped. The policeman informed him he was loosing tread from his trailer tire. Well that is about it for now. Steven and Kirk will come in October for bull reds.

 

"Roughing It" In Corpus Christi House across the canal from condos

One of F.O.R.'s primary functions is to educate the public regarding the issues concerning the San Bernard River and it's Communities. Contact Pat Webb pat@sanbernardriver.com to schedule a guest speaker for your group or special event.