Birds on schools

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crusher
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Joined: Sat Aug 03, 2013 12:18 am
Location: Houston

Birds on schools

Post by crusher »

Made a really short quick trip to a little marsh area between Freeport and Galveston Thur morning. Fished from 6:15 to 8:15 only. Fairly firm wind from the south, slightly outgoing tide. Solunar bite was supposed to be 6:30 to 7:30. The area has a lot of oyster patches and a lot of grass with little channels and pockets weaving through the grass areas. I saw a couple birds doing their thing, hovering around 8-10 feet and diving to pick off fleeing shrimp. Hightailed it over to the birds only to find I had to weave in and out and around tall grass to get to them. By the time I got there I could see they were slowly moving along, following the school. The birds were over a little channel about 6-7 feet wide, and the wind was too strong for me to stealthily sneak up on the school, although I stood for a moment and saw a dozen or so red backs. I turned around and went around a big grass island to head them off, assuming they would stay together and keep going that direction. I was lucky and in the couple minutes it took me to go around a half acre of grass, the school and birds were exiting the tiny channel. Made one toss under the birds with a purple-chartreuse paddle tail to the edge of the school and hooked up. Landed a 23" red, both he and I tangled up in the grass by the time I netted him. I tried to chase a couple more diving birds but I was always a couple minutes late to get there. Called it quits, got back to Houston, cleaned up and was in the office at 11:30.
Sorry no photos - when I'm solo I don't always take the time and effort to pull out the phone and try to get a pic. After landing, I saw a guy on the land that I had passed on the way out and he showed me the pic of a yuuuge (he said it went 40) big ugly he nailed with live shrimp under a cork in a big main channel/river/waterway. Its pretty cool two dudes with two very different approaches both get something very worthwhile within a half mile of each other in a very short morning. We're blessed to have our coastal environs.
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karstopo
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Re: Birds on schools

Post by karstopo »

That birds marking a school of feeding redfish is good stuff and always exciting. I feel like it when I'm out and see that it should be an automatic hook up, but things can go wrong. Sounds like your strategy worked out.

Don't sweat the no photo taking. Many days, I don't really like pulling out the phone either. You painted a very nice picture of what sounds like to me a great way to start the day.
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kickingback
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Re: Birds on schools

Post by kickingback »

I will drop whatever I am doing to chase birds. Always a bite! Good on you. Gad you got your "fix" in before work.
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lahai1dj
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Re: Birds on schools

Post by lahai1dj »

Niiice! Gotta love schooling reds.
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