Port A Trip

[PhilipB]

Hello all, ive been wanting to join for a while but havent because, well, im lazy! For real though its great being part of this awesome community. My family and I are leaving in the morning to Port A and I cant wait to go to the jetties! I have no idea :angel:where to go and what i'll find but im having a good time!:) hopefully i can find some peppermint shrimp and or some other goodies but who knows. i dont even know what to take but im getting outta san antonio for a few days! any hints or tricks let me know.

[dustint21]

Welcome to MAAST! No tips here sorry. I havent been yet myself.

[PhilipB]

Thanks. ill let you know how it goes

[glennr1978]

I hope you don't mind a ton of wind. I just came back from the island a little while ago and it's probably gusting at 40+mph.

[Third Coast Tropical]

please leave more peps than you take....;)...

[PhilipB]

LOL

[PhilipB]

anyone have any ideas on what i should use and where to go?

[JimD]

Make sure you have a Texas saltwater fishing license.

[Third Coast Tropical]

bucket, flashlight, dip net, good pair of non-slip shoes or sandles.......aeration for transport and holding

[reddrum]

They are out there. If you spot one with the flashlight turn the light away and then try to dip net. If they see any light they will take off.

[hobogato]

use a red light - they dont get as spooked by it and it will make their eyes glow. i would suggest the led one that straps to your head.

[SABOB]

Agree with Ace above,but please take pictures of you and the headlight!!!!!!!

[FactoryKTMmotocross46]

you need to take your sea ray and put it in the salty water and get a shrimp boat net and attach it to the wake board tower and you can catch anything you want and ur gonna need beer too... a lot

[PhilipB]

LOL hey Nate what up? put my boat in the ocean? i dont think so mang. but we just left the beach and i already saw some stuff. nothing worth while but i do have my led flashlight with red lens, sorry sabob but i aint putting it on my head! my bucket and net are ready and were gonna go out in a little while. fyi, its super windy and i have sand in places that i shouldnt. in fact im making you a pearl right now nate! ill report back soon. hopefully one of these two nights will pay off

[FossilReef]

Watch out for scorpionfish if you go down very deep inside the jetty (like to the point where a snorkel is needed and/or lots of breath-holding). I just about got nailed a couple of months back.

[Third Coast Tropical]

you shouldnt have to get more than ankle deep if they are there...if you dont have at least 10-15 in 30 min.....its not happening...with this wind, look on the calmer side of the jetty....

[PhilipB]

ok so heres my report. it was very windy last night but we went down about 11. i didnt even go out 25' and i turned on my red led and looked on the calm side and bam peppermint shrimp! i wasnt prepared as well as i am now but in about 30 minutes i caught 20-40 peps a scooter blenny and some sort of small silver fish about an inch long. dont know what it is but its lean kinda like a damsel. also tons of crabs and snails! i dont know if i should keep any of those or not? any ideas? ill post my next trip tonight or in the morning,

pb

[Third Coast Tropical]

some of the snails may be oyster drills....dont keep those......dont keep any juvenile blue crabs (or blue crab in general), or any crab that looks like it can grow into something menacing.....if you got some of the striped hermits, they are cool and safe, but get big and clumsy and can knock your rockscape around..be careful

[Third Coast Tropical]

i am guessing youre "scooter" blenny is a molly miller...there are several different species out there, that is one of more common........but blennies and gobies and peps galore

[MikeP]

I'd toss the Sgt Major's back. They have a lot of personality, hardy as all heck , but get huge, territorial and nasty to fellow tankmates.

July and August you may see some true tropical fish occasionally that drift up from closer to the Carribean.

[PhilipB]

how about clams? my wife got a ton of small very colorful clams from the beach that were sifting thru the sand. are these good or bad?? again very colorful and 1/2 to 1 inch long

[JimD]

There was a thread a while back about someone using those small clams in a refugium to filter the water, makes sense to me! Try serching for it...

[PhilipB]

i found the thread and i dont think ill take the chance. i like the way my tank is for now!

[BigKGlen]

If you're interested, I'l buy some of your Peps...helps pay for gas, etc.

[PhilipB]

sounds good to me. ill post tomorrow with a total count.

[PhilipB]

well my total count was two molly millers one sgt major and 63 peps! now onto the bad news. outta all those only about 25 made it home. yes i had an aerator but my little one knocked over the bucket while i was unloading and well i still have the fish and 24-25 peps are in my tank now. im gonna go down again in about a month. ill let yall know how that turns out. id love to find some other things.