Friends of Padre: Reports

On Friday, Feb. 6, Jeff Wolda and I made a Beach Scouting trip to the Port Mansfield jetties. Driving was smooth, 2 wheel drive and excellent both ways. Water was murky to the 45 mi. and “trout green” south of there. We have had some high tides and the trash is windrowed on the upper portion of the beach. Few vehicles and no fish were observed. Scattered numbers of Gulls and Terns were observed. 172 Willets, 120 Cormorants, 3 Curlew, 1 Wimbrel, 1 Peregrine, 1 Osprey, 2 White-tailed Hawks, 1 Little Blue Heron, 175 Sanderling, 60 Ruddy Turnstones & 13 Brown Pelicans were observed. No other wildlife was observed. 8 knot winds and low temperatures in the 50’s and high 70 degrees were encountered. Billy Sandifer Pics of beach conditions and vandalized picnic table at the Mansfield jetty

Via Captain Billy Sandifer We traveled to the Port Mansfield jetty yesterday. Sand is hard packed and 2 wheel drive the entire length and the beach was 2 wheel drive. Water was Pompano green with 2 rows of surf at one foot. 500 Cormorants and 72 Horned Lark made up the majority of the birds. No sign of fish activity was observed. Very few people were observed.

Via Captain Billy Sandifer Water was flat and crystal clear the entire length of the beach with the wind blowing from the West. Driving was somewhat bumpy but 2 wheel drive the entire length of the beach. Dead sargassum was present on the North end but there was none South. Redfish, Spanish mackerel, skipjacks, jack Crevalle and Blacktipped sharks were present but awfully hard to bait in the gin clear water. We observed 6 Blue Land Crabs/Great Land Crabs in the 30s and what makes these noteworthy is they are the first ones I have ever seen on PINS. Finger and medium sized mullet were present the entire length of the beach and some Tarpon were seen free jumping. Migrating birds included 237 Red Knots, 45 Long-billed Curlew and 3 American Golden Plover. Common Tern were in good supply but it seems the Black and Least Terns have move on as have most of the Wilson’s Plover.

Via FOP President - Captain Billy L. Sandifer While the water along the entire beachfront is clear much of it appears brown and black due to dead sargassum laying on the bottom. You really had to pick your place to be able to fish. Blacktipped, Spinner and Bull shark were being caught as well as were ladyfish, redfish and hardheads. The beach is packed hard but there is constant dead sargassum and debris the width of the beach and the driver sure has to watch where he’s going. A few jack Crevalle were seen. Bird Count - 453 Red Knots, 14 Curlew, 2 Peregrine falcon, 1 Merlin, 8 American Avocets and 2 Reddish Egrets.

  Air Temp: 84 Water Temp: Warm Wind: 15 NE Waves: 3-4 ft Water Clarity: North end is clear, green in the high banks. Weed: Dead weed covers the beach with new coming in. Driving: Very bumpy!!!!! Jeff Wolda and Billy Sandifer hit the beach this morning for a pre sharkathon beach report.  Made it to the 25 and Billy said, “the only reason I’m going to make it off this beach today is because I forgot my cyanide pills.”  We turned around and headed off. The beach is covered in dead seaweed.  There is one road and it is very bumpy.  Sharkathon already has its first victim.  There is a truck stuck with a broken rear axle that was pulling a pop up camper at the 19 right in the middle of the beach.   For what it’s worth, taking a camper past the 17 right now is NOT a good idea.  Also found a very large gill net just washed in at the 21. The good news, dusky anchovies are thick north of the 8.  Lots of large jacks were observed running the 2^nd bar from the 20-25.  One shark was seen in the first gut at the 21.    

Billy Sandifer and Jeff Wolda made another scouting trip due to the upcoming holiday weekend. A couple of warnings. For those of you who do not watch weather reports there is a low pressure in the Gulf offshore of us and there is a chance of rain through early Saturday. We are going to have varying winds and that is bound to bring in more grass and there is the possibility of higher than normal tides due to that low pressure. Yesterday the water was beautiful from one end of the beach to the other. The water temperature was 82 degrees at the end of the pavement and remained warm the length of the beach. There was lots of bait from Big Shell south but it was dead on the north end. No offshore action was observed. Driving is good on low tide with medium rough going on high tide. There is scattered dead grass in the water along the majority of the surf and small pieces of fresh grass are spotty. FOR THOSE PLANNING ON CAMPING AT THE JETTIES YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH ON DEAD LOW TIDE OR DRIVE IN THE WATER in a couple of spots north of the jetty. Birds included several thousand Black Terns, 19 Long-billed Curlews, 20 American Avocets, 100 White Egrets (sp), 5 Yellow-crowned Night Herons, 4 Marbled Godwits, 1 Green Heron, 2 Tri-colored Heron, 12 Great Egrets and 4 Little Blue Heron . Peep and Wilson’s Plover are in good numbers. Fishing was poor with trout and reds present but not active. Have a Happy Holiday! Billy Sandifer

Water is green on the north end and murky south of the 20. Water temp. is warmer on the north end and in the 70s south. Fresh mats of sargassum were coming in from the 40 north. Bait was seen on the north end but was absent on the southern end. They appear to be moving/taking down the rig at the 5 mile. An 8 point whitetail buck was found dead at the 44 mile. No signs of injury. Birds are spotty and the migration is just starting.29 Long-billed Curlew, 6 Yellow –crowned Night Heron, one Tri-colored Her, 40 white egrets (sp) and 6 Little Blue Herons were observed as were good numbers of various plover and Western Sandpipers. Ladyfish a Gafftop Sail Catfish were being caught as well as a few Blacktipped sharks. Driving has improved but there are still plenty of soft and rough spots.

Via Captain Billy Sandifer Water is green the length of PINS and water temperatures stable from 81.1 to 84.9. There was tons of bait but game fish remained elusive with only a few ladyfish being encountered. Driving is slow, bumpy and soft. One bad spot around the 21 mile beach. The beach is eroded away at the 59 so we did not travel to the jetty. Fresh sargassum in varying amounts is coming in south of the 30 mile and there is no fresh grass north of the 30. Eroded Beach at the 59 below