The crew and I had some things to do Saturday morning so we were not in a hurry to go anywhere. I already had 10 pounds of crabs in the ice chest so bait was not going to be a problem. The plan was to hit the BU honey hole Saturday night and fish Matagorda surf on the way back Sunday. We never actually made it to Matagorda but we really did not have too. I was concerned that the cold weather had pushed the BU into deeper water but I was willing to give our new favorite place to fish a chance. We arrive around two and did not wait to put bait in the water. It was slow for a while but we were patient. Then all of a sudden we had a run. I set the hook and the line breaks. Not GOOD #1 for the trip. After inspection of the line we could tell that the fish was dragging the line over a reef. You don't catch them all but this is the first fish that has broken off in a very long time. We watched a guy and his kid catch one small fish after another so we decided to break out the bait rods to load up for the next day. Unfortunately all we caught were undersized black drum and other unwanted baitfish. Brice with one of those small drums.


The tide started to come in and it started to get dark so I guess like mosquitoes the BU started to show up. Anthony with the first BU of the trip.


Here I am with a nice BU myself.


We had a slow period but when it stared up again it was on fire. Here is our friend Leo Ruiz and Brice with a fast a furious double. We actually had a run on another rod but it dropped the bait while I was helping net these two. Both these fish were pushing the 40# mark.


I saw my line barley moving so I picked up the rod and took up the slack. Fish ON and it was a good one. I fight the fish and finally get him to the edge of the pier. I horse him to keep him off other peoples lines when Not GOOD #2 happens. I am pulling UP and he pulls DOWN and my rod snaps four eyes from the tip. NOT CHEAP! Man was I upset. We get the fish in and he turned out to be this 52 pound BU.


Anthony checks one of the small poles (15# test) and the line was slack. He starts reeling in as something on the other end starts putting a WHOOPING on him. Minutes go by and he finally get the beast to the edge of the pier. No wonder he was having a hard time. This 44" fish weighed in at 51 pounds. Nice catch boy!


We don't know how Anthony was up next because we were taking turns but he grabs the next fish and the fight was on AGAIN. This time it was on 20# gear. Several minutes pass and a crowd starts to gather. We ask people to move and most cooperated. Anthony finally gets the upper hand and Brice nets this thing. I had to help him get it over the edge. 56 pounds was the reason. This one measured in a 45.5" long. You know he was trying to beat his Dad and Brother. Check out all the kids on the pier that wanted to be in the picture.


Brice seemed to be unlucky and was catching the smaller ones. Still big but not MONSTERS.


Brice and I continue to take turns catching respectable sized fish all the while giving Anthony lip about catching a fish out of turn until I have a heck of a run that produced my own 52 pound 45 incher.


By this time of the night we running short on whole crabs and I started to throw out claws. The skeptic that Anthony is, was convinced when he caught his third, YES, third 50 PLUS pound fish of the night. This short 42" fat fish had some girth on him. Check it out. Claws do work.


We went thru a dry spell and decided to check the baits. Most baits were still good so I decided to move two rods over to the other side of the pier where some people had just left. I had not even set the second pole down when the first takes off. Brice starts to fight the fish when the second rod goes off while moving it out of Brice's way. Double!!! Anthony had net duty. We quickly get them in and photographed.


From then on we continue to catch smaller fish but the action was consistent. Once we reached 20 BU's for the night we call it quits. Fighting, netting and photographing 20 large fish is actually hard work. We pack up and head home. Half way home we hear thud, thud, thud from the right front tire and Not GOOD #3 turned out to be a blowout. 3:30 in the morning, dark as can be and we had to change a tire. Luckily we had a lantern and it offered all the light we needed. Teamwork turned a bad thing into a quick task in no time and we were on our way home to Mommy! Total tally for the trip was one broke pole, one flat tire, 20 Bu's ranging from 37-45 ½" long, 5 over 50 pounds and several over 40. MAN that was FUN! I want to thank God for the opportunity to fish as hard as we want and be successful at what we like doing the most!