from South Africa to Houston have plenty silly questions

[2scoops]

Relocating from South Africa to Houston at the end of the year. Try to get in as much surf fishing as i can in South Africa and want to do even more when I arrive in Texas. I've been lurking on a couple of forums but still not quite sure of typical fishing equipment and how it's done in Texas. Appreciate any help with the following questions for when I arrive in December. Want to ensure that I take along what's needed and buy the right gear when I arrive

- are you alllowed to drive on the beach ? 4 x 4 needed ?
- we typically fish with 14ft rods with mulitipliers such as Shimano trinidads and the like. Is that too heavy for surf / wade fishing in Texas area ? Also have a couple of smaller sticks 8 to 11ft with coffee grinders. Would that be more suitable ?
- Are many sharks caught in the surf ? what type of gear is typically used ?

have plenty more questions but would appreciate help with the above

[WestEndAngler]

There are certain areas where you are allowed to drive & not drive. Most "Beach Accesses" along FM 3005 on Galveston Island are just parking areas on the beach and have pilings preventing you from driving down the beach. You can drive at San Luis Pass (furthest West point on Galveston Island) The development on the Island has "claimed" certain beach areas & prevent traffic to protect their residents. There is a Texas Open Beaches Act. You can drive on Bolivar Island (East of Galveston ). You can drive on Follet Island (Freeport side of San Luis Pass).

14' rods would be good for surf fishing. I typically walk out to the 2nd sand bar & cast out past the 3rd. I walk back and place the pole in a sand spike rod holder. Your reel will work assuming you can get a good cast on it.

Lots of sharks! Lots of blacktips, you can catch bulls, heck a year or so ago they had a short fin mako in the bay!

In terms of gear I use a large hook 12/0 +, steel leader 250-400lb to heavy mono 100lb to a weight then tapering down to my main line in 2-3' segments. Which right now is 20lb I have a 50lb between 100 & 20lb

[2scoops]

excellent ! sounds great. Setup sounds fairly similar. Will pack all the heavy gear. Yet to land a bull shark

[Curmudgeon]

I've got a friend who fishes for sharks here. He gets a friend to stay on the beach with his gear while he paddles out 100 yds in his kayak and drops off the baited line. Sounds like a lot of work but he loves it!

[2scoops]

we normally wade and / or cast off the beach. We typically just cast the sinker (average cast of 130 odd yds) and then use a sliding arrangement to slide a "big" (1,5lbs) bait into the ocean. Will be interesting to compare techniques and tackle to say the least

[Nwilkins]

Welcome to Texas soon, fishing is fishing, we just talk different

[Robalo]

We wade the surf with light tackle to catch speckled trout and redfish-great table fare-most of us try to avoid sharks. There are shark fishing groups that probably fish as you do there. We wade and work the 2nd and 3rd sand bars (about 50 yards out) and usually when flat and green water. We typically use a 6'6" medium to light action bait cast rod, shimano curado 100 or 200 baitcast reel (or ambassadeur 5000c type reel), 10-12# mono and throw plastics such as a bass assassin with a 1/8 -1/4 oz. leadhead or a topwater such as a skitterwalk or super spook or use a popping cork with live shrimp on usually a #8 mustad treble hook. Fish in waist deep water on top of sandbar, use either a "do-net" for caught keepers or a 25' stringer with a float on end so fish are not next to you and are away so sharks don't mistake you for your fish. Mnay choices as to equipment and places to fish.

[mjh]

Welcome!!

[Jhua]

Howdy and Welcome!