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GALVESTON BAYS VARIED SPORT Shark Tarpon Mackerel as Well as Fish in Fresh Side Streams The game fishes of the Gnlf of Mexico enter Galveston Bay tliroiiKh entrances on the north through the thirtyfoot channel between the North ami South Jetties the gulf ends of which are about nine miles northeast of Galveston Island on the south through the pass southwest of the above island islandIt It is difficult to name any specific portion of the bay as being the best section where the rod en ¬ thusiast may enjoy tin sport of angling for the reason there are so many parts of that region in which good fishing abounds Each angler after cruising over the bay a few days feels that he has discovered a new reef a good school a dandy fKding ground so the author designates the entire bay as good some narticular locations however being in bis estimation better than cer ¬ tain others Success in finding good fishing de ¬ pends too on tides weather direction of wind and tho season of the year 1 Salt water fishing in the bay is such in name only at times for the great Trinity and San Ja cinto Rivers pour vast quantities of fresli water into the north ends of Galveston Bay making those portions excellent feeding grounds for those species of clean feeding fisli which prefer to lie in wait for the large quantities of the smaller live bait small minnows crayfish bugs insects frogs mul ¬ let etc BAIT MUST BE BRIGHT AND VARIED VARIEDOne One must select ones bait to conform to the con ¬ ditions of the water as well as to the locality when going out after the game fish which conic Jni Jniiii ° iii lnlets river mouths of the bay so intelligent experience counts for the angler must keep in mind when the rivers are bringing down clear water abounding in nlenty of minnows that then is the time to select silken flies spinners spoons and various artificial baits with due con ¬ sideration for that condition of water During such times the game fish in the bay are finicky foi they have a variety of food from which to choose al pleasure The bright but small spinner is then especially attractive It seems to convey to thr fish s mind a message something like this Hert comes a fat frisky shiner a luscious mouthful ol fresh water minnow Ill grab him himDr Dr Harden once said The secret of success is often found in the thought Put yourself in his place Well thats why the bay angler studies conditions He puts himself in the fishs place mentally he seeks to know what he would do if lie were a fish under certain circumstances circumstancesAn An old angler of my acquaintance was recently questioned by a tenderfoot inlander who accom ¬ panied us on a long bay foray after red fish Asked the novice What do you consider captain thr chief qualifications of a successful fisherman in these waters watersCommon Common sense and a willingness to learn quickly replied the veteran When veteranWhen the wind is right the tide coming in and the hour is an early one the redfish strike voraci ¬ ously in most of the inshore inlets the socalled lakes and bayous of the bay The bait may then be freshly caught shrimp alive and kicking as the day advances the bull reds may prefer whole mullet or they may be temnted by a brighl spoon the Wilson type of spoon being a primt favorite hereabouts Then there are mackerel pompano trout whiting sheepshead ling yellow fin or jackfish channel bass or even an occasional tarpon sometimes a gar and at times an over ¬ whelming number of ordinary blue catfish and then the disgusted angler prays for a school ol sharks sharksOften Often the variety of species prevents bay angling from becoming monotonous for it is possible to unexpectedly snag a young and energetic shovel nose shark causing one to think that a trout or red is on the line Even the plebeian gaff topsl channel cat can put up n remarkably deceiving fight causing one to believe hes hiihg up some ¬ thing playingBay worth playing Bay fishing is no sense a lazy mans job Those afflicted with hookworm are much out of the run ¬ ning they never catch anything except by acci dent The big1 hatted tall grasser who comes down tub Galveston tub see that darned big sec wall and then goes fishing tub see whut kin be ketched in thcr bay succeeds in hooking a hunt of waterlogged seaweed some catfish a straj shark and a rayfish or else the numerous crabs chew his bait off his hook as fast as he can drop it overside and then he duly reports Thar ainl no feesh in that Galveston Bay nohow Th successful angler in the bay has learned by experi ¬ ence that bobbing with a cork and fishing with a j float went out of fashion when Noah refused tt I allow Ham to use the last two angleworms on board the Ark for that purpose purposeSCOTCH SCOTCH FISHERMANS PHILOSOPHY PHILOSOPHYModern Modern angling in the bay means among a num her of other things proper equipment supplemented by energy intelligently exerted A longshore Scotch ¬ man has well said A bit o rod hank o linewee boat gudc orsmau a bite to eat sma jug o summat wet an a braw lad rwho kens how to fecsh Twas this same Scot who once told me after many hours devoid of a strike Lad feesh are canny creechurs Noo doot they think every mons a liar The same might be said of readers of fishing stories So it behooves him who woulc bring back something to substantiate his words tc show the goods goodsThe The thing that surprised me most on my coming to this region was the discovery of fresh watei trout the regular speckled fellows not only in tin waters of Galveston Bay but in the Gulf of Mexico as well and in large schools too Of course I knew that sea trout existed but fresh water trout and even bass both the small mouth and large mouth varieties well I could hardly believe it possible but the bay has many surprises for him who would study it Among these surprises may be men ¬ tioned the tendency of a mackerel to rise to a fly in clear water the presence of a school of redfish above a school of trout and mackerel the voracity and b9ldness of a shark in snapping a tarpon into two pieces swallowing the tail and then snatching the head portion off the hook before it can bt lifted aboard These and many other episodes re ¬ lieve the forays after trout mackerel and redfish of any suggestion of dullness As Sambo our fish ¬ ing clubs ebony hued cook says De Debbil he self caint tell whats gwine to hanpen next when fishing in Galveston Bay This spice of uncer ¬ tainty makes the most blase of our inland visitors sit up and when they return the usual remark is We didnt think so much fun could be had on t salt water fishing trip tripThe The nooks are ideal where one may allow ones boat to drift while making casts which almost always produce strikes Giant crabs can be taken to vary the menu for who doesnt like baked crabs Almost everr bay angler of any skill cap ¬ tures all the redfish he can carry and even the fellow who catches only two or three fish makes up in the size of the individual fish what he has failed to bring in as to numbers and he is satisfied Practically every size of boat can be obtained oh the Galveston water front or at any of the bayside towns on payment of a nominal amount In fact every facility is at the command of him who would o on a fishing exploration of that surprisingly extensive body of both fresli and salt water known as Galveston Bay Frank Mitchell in Sports Afield
