Galveston Island North Shore

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kickingback
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Galveston Island North Shore

Post by kickingback »

Fished the north shore of the Island and found some lights on the bay and they were loaded with reds. Found lots of trout in home canal lights, especially the overhead lights. The fish were spooky all night. I am not sure but I swear I saw a gator a couple of times, but it may have been a giant gar. When I got close to it, it never spooked or moved. I swear I saw four legs on it but them gar can get big fins as well. Pictures below, you decide. I thought maybe that was the reason the fish were so spooky. You could only throw into the lights one time and that was it. They scattered, but they move the the next lights I saw.
I caught about 14 trout total with the smallest around 12" and largest at almost 21". The menhaden were only in a few lights and the trout would circle them and tear them up in one light and then move to the next after they scattered the bait. I sat and watched them work over 4 lights in a row. I didn't throw to them as I wanted to see what they were doing and how they were doing it. I caught 8 total reds and some were rats but I took pics of the bigger ones.
When I threw the heavy 3" paddle tails they hardly got a strike. I put on the 2" paddle tails and was hooking up more. I threw some glass minnow looking jigs in tandem and did well with them as well even thought they were 3" their profile was smaller and made it more of a snack for the fish biting.
I used a shrimp under cork and caught a couple with it but were small.
I lost two really big fish. One was a red at least 24" but when I got it to the yak the other tandem jig hooked the net and the red bolted and broke the line. Another bent my hook and pulled the paddle tail off the jig head. It turned me around a full 360 then bent the hook and off he went. Biggest red almost 22".
Water was 70 degrees at 9 pm launch and turned to 65 closer to early morning at 8 am when i recovered. Winds were light 8 mph at the most from the south.
Was glad to finally get back out since my shoulder op.
Enjoy!
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TroutSupport.com
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Re: Galveston Island North Shore

Post by TroutSupport.com »

That was just me Charlie, I've been doing research ;-)

Man that first pic has the profile of a gator, but I'd have a hard time believeing he's gotten into the canal, then again it would be a good place to feed with all the fish there. The other 2 shots look gar ish. Can you get closer next time ;-)

congrats on the fish though, solid.
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YakRunabout
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Re: Galveston Island North Shore

Post by YakRunabout »

Nice fish, congrats!

A couple of years ago, while fishing some canal lights in West Bay, I saw a gator on the surface - had a clear look at it so am sure it was a gator - looked to be 4-5'.
Also back then, but a different outing, I saw what I believe to have been a gar. This was early in my canal lights fishing - I thought about casting in front of it, but chose not to tempt a hookup to that 4' shadow in amongst all those docks!
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kickingback
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Re: Galveston Island North Shore

Post by kickingback »

My thoughts exactly! Each time I saw him (twice in two different lights) there were no bait fish or predators!
I dunno, the more I look at it, it could be Tobin! :lol: :lol:
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Dandydon
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Re: Galveston Island North Shore

Post by Dandydon »

Great detailed nighttime report, KB! Glad you're back in the lighted canals observing the action, catching fish & sharing your wisdom. I haven't been fishing in a while, but looks like warming waters are improving the night action.
Shoffer is busy as can be, but we'll finish formulating the NIGHTTIME TOURNEY️ rules by around the first week of April. Now we're thinking of having $20 entry fees so 3 cheesy trophies & a bit of prize money can be awarded.
Watch for our tourney thread to be unfurled soon.
--Dandydon


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kickingback
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Re: Galveston Island North Shore

Post by kickingback »

:clap: :clap:

I think it was a giant gar. I found this video and this is how the thing looked to me from the kayak.
It was this exact size!!
You can see the fins are huge which is why I thought it may have been a gator. But now I know it was a gar.
Jump to 5:00 minute mark to see how I saw the fish.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG_81E5rjzs
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shoffer
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Re: Galveston Island North Shore

Post by shoffer »

Nice Report, KickingB! Dandydon is right - work has got me busting ass, so I cannot bust bass, or any other fish for that matter. But we will get the tournament rules posted, and see who is, the words of one of my favorite bands, the "King of the Nighttime World."
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kneekap
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Re: Galveston Island North Shore

Post by kneekap »

I made the mistake of tossing a paddle tail in morning glory at that four foot shadow and fought the thing for forty five minutes before I could get it to the top to identify it as a gar. Then I broke it off so we both could get some relief! I'm sure it still has my paddle tail...
Gage5602
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Re: Galveston Island North Shore

Post by Gage5602 »

definitely a aligator gar see them all the time in our lights in dickinson bayou.
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