Bolivar surf fishing for a new guy

[mboydtxk]

Hello,
I want to start by saying thanks for all the great posts and advice you all provide. I'm going to post this message to two forums in case you see it cross posted.
I'll be staying at Crystal beach on Bolivar Peninsula at the end of this month. I'll be fishing mostly with live bait. I am curious to know if I will be able to fish directly from the bank, or if I will need to wade out to what I read is the "second sandbar". Some posts sound like I can fish the speckeled directly from the bank early in the morning, casting out directly into the surf, while other sound like I should wade out and cast, possibly then wading back up to the bank.
Also, some posts make is sound like night fishing is the best time to take shark. Again, would this be from the bank or wading out.
Thanks in advance!
Michael

[plugger]

Before light and a little while after light , trout may be in close in the first gut under the safety of darkness. As it gets lighter they would move out to the second gut and progressively to the third gut. Trout could be in the second and third guts all day . You will need to be in the water to reach the second and third guts. The waves break over the sandbars and not the guts . You will walk up on a sandbar and down into the gut . Depending on if the tide is out or in , the the guts will be shallower or deeper . Usually getting to the third bar can be an adventure and down right dangerous . I advise an inflatable life vest or bouyant wade belt. Optimal conditions would be a gently lapping surf with trout green water encouraged by a southeast wind less than 10 MPH . The rougher the surf and browner the water greatly reduces the chance of catching trout . Dirtier water encourages shark strikes on hunks of cut mullet .
Good luck , be careful , and have fun .

[mboydtxk]

Plugger,
Thanks for your reply, great advice!

[EASTTEX]

I fish Bolivar a lot but mainly for Bull Reds, most of the time we kayak our baits out. Depending on what the surf looks like. Just like Plugger said be careful wading out when the waves are breaking hard. I've been caught trying it when the surf was up and the tide was ripping, it wasn't a fun experience! Early morning is when I've heard the best reports for trout. You should be able to catch some whiting also in the surf usually around the 2nd gut. Have fun and I hope you do well. We will be down there Tuesday night and gonna fish the week until Jeep Topless kicks off Friday.

[mboydtxk]

Bull Reds

I fish Bolivar a lot but mainly for Bull Reds, most of the time we kayak our baits out. Depending on what the surf looks like. Just like Plugger said be careful wading out when the waves are breaking hard. I've been caught trying it when the surf was up and the tide was ripping, it wasn't a fun experience! Early morning is when I've heard the best reports for trout. You should be able to catch some whiting also in the surf usually around the 2nd gut. Have fun and I hope you do well. We will be down there Tuesday night and gonna fish the week until Jeep Topless kicks off Friday.

EastTex,
If I didn't mention it before, thanks for the input. I had a blast but didn't catch anything except a crab and a shrimp - lol! So I've decided to head back down for the Bull Reds in September. Sounds like you are familiar with beach fishing for them? Wen I was there this summer, there was so much seaweed in the surf it was not fishable. Do you have any idea what I can expect in September?

[plugger]

No seaweed in September .