Friends of Padre Beach Report 10/11/2016

Friends of Padre Surf Report • 10-11-16

By Jen Merchant

Air Temp: 84

Water Surface Temp: 79 from 0mm-40mm

Wind: NE 5 mph

Water: Clear with 1-2ft swells

Driving: Water almost to the dunes in some places at high tide.  Hard packed sand close to waters edge made for easy 2-wheel driving down to the 45mm.  Didn't have time to go any further than that today.

Tides are still high but should start subsiding soon.  Watch the tide charts if planning a trip down the beach.  The water was clear.  Lots of finger mullet in the first and second guts.  I could see bull reds swimming in the first gut.  Reports of reds and trout being caught on live mullet.  Jack Crevalle could be seen past the breakers and were closer to the shore early morning for a short time.  Birds were diving around them.  Also, further north large schools of ladyfish and blue fish were exploding in the second gut with birds diving.  I personally caught small jacks, bull whiting, ladyfish and spanish mackerel.  The weather was great.  All in all it was a good day.  I found a few pieces of sea glass around the 20mm.  I did see a large black drum bit in half by what looked like possibly a bull shark and a dead bird that was more than likely hit by a car as it was in tire tracks.  And I reported an injured Caspian Tern with a broken wing.  Please keep in mind, we all want to get to a good fishing spot but It's important to slow down and watch for all marine life.

Birds seen (approx. amount)

Sanderling, Curlew, Willet, Blue Heron, Black Tern, Royal Tern, Least Tern, Sandwich Tern, Caspian Tern, Herring Gull, Piping Plover, Brown Pelican, Reddish Egret(5), Common Egret (5), Cara Cara (1),Double Crested Cormorant (2).