Quintana beach tips?

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Chubs
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Quintana beach tips?

Post by Chubs »

Well me and my little family has gone and bought ourselves a camper :)

We are planning our 1st trip to Quintana and are going to camp out at the campground there very soon. Way cheaper than surfside beachfront camping but I've never been over there.

I plan to swim with the family and play in the sand, but of course am going to bring my fishing gear for while they sleep/ nap/ etc.

Just wanted to see if anyone has some good tips for the area. I'm not planning to bring my kayak but if someone makes a good case maybe I'll change my mind heh. I figure I'll have plenty of things to do between the surf and jetties though.

I've combed through a few old threads and had some ideas already.

My thoughts were to fish the jetty for sheepshead with dead shrimp on a small treble hook with a drop shot in the mornings.
Come back when family wakes up and play with them.
Fish for trout in the surf during the day while the family is taking an after lunch nap, using spoons and/ or gulp under a popping cork, and maybe catch some whiting with fish bites on the bottom. Drop some big rig baits out in the 2nd/ 3rd gut for bigger fish.
play with family again when they wake till they go to sleep in the evening.
Night time go to the jetty again and see what I can find looking for sheepys again or trouts with spoons.
Go back to camper and crash till the next morning and rinse-repeat.

I saw the brazos river spilling into the gulf could be good as well, I might make my way over there one morning (assuming I'm allowed to drive on the beach??).


Excited to go try this all out.
Ciguatera
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Re: Quintana beach tips?

Post by Ciguatera »

You can drive to the MOB, but sometimes 4wd is necessary depending on beach conditions. You can catch all sorts of creatures off the jetties if the water is clear. There are jacks and smacks out there and sometimes the kings will come in close to the jetties. The trout bite can also be good in the surf early in the morning if its flat.

There used to be a sunken shrimp boat down the beach between the jetty and the MOB - there can be decent bottom fishing in that area and also at the MOB.

Another option down there is the San Luis Pass park. Prob a bit more expensive for camper site, but it lets you fish the bulkheads around the campground -which can be really good. Also - the kayak fishing in that area is great. Paddle across cold pass to titlum tatlum or down the southern shoreline towards Churchill bayou.
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karstopo
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Re: Quintana beach tips?

Post by karstopo »

I fish that area. Normally, there's better fishing as the beach gets closer to the MOB. The beach narrows up against a wall of sand and dirt on the approach ( maybe a half mile from the mouth) and one has to be very aware of the tides to avoid getting cut off by a tide rise.

There is a lake or two behind the dunes that get saltwater on extreme tides, but I don't think they have gotten any big tides there recently and the summer heat tends to kill off any fish stranded in those lakes.

The MOB is a dangerous place to wade and rivals SLP for drowning.

If you bring the kayak, there is a ramp under the bridge to Quintana. Paddle about a mile down the ICW (watch for barges as they like to ground there waiting on the locks to open) and there is a cut to a marsh there. There's another cut just a bit farther down and another marsh. Avoid getting close to far bank there as that is the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and serious folks with serious fire power will greet you.

The surf can be good for trout, whiting, sharks, and all the other normal surf fish. The guts and bars are anything but uniform on Quintana/Bryan beach. I pay particular attention to reading them when I fish there.
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karstopo
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Re: Quintana beach tips?

Post by karstopo »

Distance more like 1.6 miles from narrow spot to MOB.

Distance from launch under Quintana bridge to first marsh cut 1.16 and 1.6 or so miles to second. You can see the SPR structures at the corner of the image.
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Chubs
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Re: Quintana beach tips?

Post by Chubs »

Thanks for the info guys and the notes of caution.

Where is that SPI exactly? That far left marsh I assume on the entire north to west shore line. Probably a bad idea to hunt for reds the along the NW shoreline but I assume they are ok if you stay on the south east side.
And I assume the 1st marsh doesn't have such a problem.

You ever fish that marsh on the left of 332 by bridge baits? I'm thinking I could launch by the rv park and paddle across... but... there is bound to be a lot of boat traffic so that might not be advisable. But I see that marsh and always wonder if it would be a good trout hangout since its so close to the gulf. But I've never checked it out because there is not many options to fall back on it seems like. If I'm actually there it would be a lot easier to check out but I've not convinced myself to bring the yak yet lol.
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karstopo
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Re: Quintana beach tips?

Post by karstopo »

Image

Red is the strategic petroleum reserve. I’ve only been as far as the yellow line. That lake is shallow. Both cuts off the ICW are deep in places. I’ve heard that if one gets close to the red that’s when the SPR folks come to greet you.

Left of hwy 332, coming from the north or south? You can launch at Salt Grass Bait that’s on the right coming towards Surfside from the north. It’s five dollars. Boat traffic usually isn’t terrible until you get over to the ICW. Bridge bait is a good spot to hang out for a beer on a weekend. Interesting boats and folks. Usually, there is a little band or someone playing a guitar. You can feed the Pelicans.
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weekendyakker
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Re: Quintana beach tips?

Post by weekendyakker »

From what I've heard and seen recently, have a backup to using dead shrimp. The hardheads and gafftop have been pretty relentless as of late. Guys have been catching them on topwater lures too. Unreal.
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Chubs
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Re: Quintana beach tips?

Post by Chubs »

karstopo wrote: Left of hwy 332, coming from the north or south? You can launch at Salt Grass Bait that’s on the right coming towards Surfside from the north.
I was thinking of coming from the jetties area, traversing the icww, to go fish that bayou. But I'd be coming from the south west side. I think I spotted a launch area to get over there. Use to be marked "keep out" when a house was there per Google maps street view, but the house is gone now so I figure it's fair game. It's literally right next to the camp ground so I could just wheel my yak over there.

That said, my wife is semi vetoing me bringing my kayak for our 1st trip lol.
weekendyakker wrote:From what I've heard and seen recently, have a backup to using dead shrimp. The hardheads and gafftop have been pretty relentless as of late. Guys have been catching them on topwater lures too. Unreal.
Last time I was there a few weeks ago that was all we were catching (gaftops). We did manage a few specs. But this is more for my 4 y/o son to "catch a fishy" :) daddy will probably be throwing lures or keeping said son and his little brother from drowning themselves...
mkaiser9
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Re: Quintana beach tips?

Post by mkaiser9 »

I am racking my brain trying to figure what “MOB” stands for. Sorry, if this is obvious.


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imaoldmanyoungsalt
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Re: RE: Re: Quintana beach tips?

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

mkaiser9 wrote:I am racking my brain trying to figure what “MOB” stands for. Sorry, if this is obvious.


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I'm just guessing because I don't know either but maybe "Mouth Of Brazos"

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karstopo
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Re: Quintana beach tips?

Post by karstopo »

MOB = Mouth of the Brazos River.
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