Just got back from Port A..................

[jrossjr79]

We went into Corpus to just get out of the house, then wife decides to surprise the kids that we will go ahead and stay the night. (Surprised me as well)............. Anyway, because I knew we were going out there I grabbed my net and bucket, just in case I got a chance to go out to the jetties. Sure enough I went out there both at night and during the day. Both at night and day I did not see much, other than a big fish under the jettie rocks, and lots of anemones. Was looking for other additions to my tank. Any case, I went ahead and picked up two, a small one, and a rather large one. However after getting them home, got a little nervous about adding both to my DT, scared a bit of anemones of any kind. Anyway I am keeping the smaller one, (will add pics later) but also plan on either selling or trading off the big one, currently he is in my sump for easy grabbing. Will add pics later tomorrow.

Anyway, biggest question, how far down the jetties do yall go when yall go collecting? At night (with the fog and the fact I was by myself) I did not go very far, but during the day I went 3/4 of the way to the end. Seems after the half way point I was seeing less and less of anything.

[ramsey]

I didn't go very far he time I went. I was collecting peppermint shrimp though. Oddly enough, I didn't find any anemones but plenty of peps and blennies. The nems are likely rock anemones. If they are they supposedly pretty hardy and some of he easiest to keep.

[mrarturocampos]

Where exactly is this where you can net your own fish?

[Sherita]

I usually go all the way to the end.

The nems are easy to keep, but they are non-photosynthetic, so you must feed them. They WILL eat fish (I know this for sure), and are very sticky. The are also quite mobile for a nem. You can't sell them, it's illegal to do so without a commercial license, but you can trade them.

[cowboy572]

The last time I went, we were catching them in any of the rocks that make nad of the pockets and small pools along the jetties. To really catch them you need the red led flashlight so you can see them. We were catching rock anem's as well. Very colorful but need caution with them. They will eat just about anything that comes near them. The only thing thats remotely reef safe you catch down there are the pipe fish and some of the peppermints.

[ramsey]

Yup, I agree. Every blenny I caught down there ended up eating corals or clams. The peps I caught did a number on my aiptasia though which is what I was hoping for. There was a ton of whelks too which aren't reef safe. I'd really like to take my seine net down there next time I go and see what I can catch next to the jetties.

[Flyride95]

I am excited to go down there this year as a Maast group.

[jrossjr79]

I didn't go very far he time I went. I was collecting peppermint shrimp though. Oddly enough, I didn't find any anemones but plenty of peps and blennies. The nems are likely rock anemones. If they are they supposedly pretty hardy and some of he easiest to keep.

I am pretty sure they are rock anemones, that was the main reason I was out there is to find some peppermint shrimp.


I usually go all the way to the end.



That was pretty much my intention, but with the fog last night, there was no way I was going all the way to the end by myself. Had a chance to go all the way today, but had my two oldest with me that got scared to go any further than half way, so I let them be as long as I could see them, and that was about 3/4 up the way.


The nems are easy to keep, but they are non-photosynthetic, so you must feed them. They WILL eat fish (I know this for sure), and are very sticky. The are also quite mobile for a nem. You can't sell them, it's illegal to do so without a commercial license, but you can trade them.

Thank you for the info, dont need to get into any legal trouble, and ya I was afraid it would eat the fish, which is why I decided to only keep the small one, that one is about the size of a quarter (diameter) the big one is about the size of my hand, so its down in the sump hoping to find someone to trade off with.


The last time I went, we were catching them in any of the rocks that make nad of the pockets and small pools along the jetties. To really catch them you need the red led flashlight so you can see them. We were catching rock anem's as well. Very colorful but need caution with them. They will eat just about anything that comes near them. The only thing thats remotely reef safe you catch down there are the pipe fish and some of the peppermints.

Went through all the ones I came across, even climbed into 3 of them, but couldn't reach some of the anemones that way (to big of a gut, lol). Reached one of them that way, got him easily due to he seated himself on a piece of rock I was able to free.


What are whelks?

[Sherita]

BTW, it's my understanding that the peppermint shrimp are only there at certain times of the year. I could be wrong, but I've heard this from several people before. I never have tried to find them except in the heat of the summer.

[jrossjr79]

BTW, it's my understanding that the peppermint shrimp are only there at certain times of the year. I could be wrong, but I've heard this from several people before. I never have tried to find them except in the heat of the summer.

Any idea what time of the year this is?

[Pennies2Cents]

Any idea what time of the year this is?

I cant wait till the summer when the PORT A Trip is scheduled. :) Its so much fun! Ill have to look but its sometime in June or July.

[Flyride95]

I personally have not caught peppermints there before may-June and they are there untill it starts to cool off in September. I may be way off though but that is when I have my best luck.

[Sherita]

Any idea what time of the year this is?

I've only ever tried to find them during the MAAST Port A trip, which is traditionally in July. I think the peps are only to be found on the jetty in the hottest months, but I'm not 100% sure on that.

If I get the chance to make the Port A trip this year, I will probably try taking my boat into Laguna Madre after sargassum. I want some of those weird shrimp that live in the sargassum, they are cool looking things. I'll have room for a couple more folks, if anyone is so inclined.

[jrossjr79]

I've only ever tried to find them during the MAAST Port A trip, which is traditionally in July. I think the peps are only to be found on the jetty in the hottest months, but I'm not 100% sure on that.

If I get the chance to make the Port A trip this year, I will probably try taking my boat into Laguna Madre after sargassum. I want some of those weird shrimp that live in the sargassum, they are cool looking things. I'll have room for a couple more folks, if anyone is so inclined.

If I am able to go this year I will take you up on that offer.

What is weird about the shrimp there though?

[Sherita]

They are sargassum shrimp, and blend into the seaweed. So, they have all these little things (protrusions?) that stick out as camouflage, they are quite beautiful. Other lovely things can be found in the sargassum too, such as sargassum anglers and sargassum triggers.

Also to be found at the coast are porcelain crabs if you know where to look, and virgin nerite snails (again, if you know where to look). I also gather several pounds of small grass shrimp with a push net, freeze them in ziplock bags, my tanks LOVE to eat them. When you are gathering with a push net, you will also sometimes catch pipefish, itty bitty puffer fish, and seahorses. And crabs, can't forget them. Usually just little mud crabs, but occasionally a bigger one winds up in the net. They don't like it much. I've also caught little stingrays in a push net, *I* don't like that very much.

A cast net will catch other interesting creatures such as stingrays, eels, and a multitude of different fish (none of which you want in your tank, but some are good tank food). I want to try seining one of these days, just for giggles.

[jrossjr79]

They are sargassum shrimp, and blend into the seaweed. So, they have all these little things (protrusions?) that stick out as camouflage, they are quite beautiful. Other lovely things can be found in the sargassum too, such as sargassum anglers and sargassum triggers.

Also to be found at the coast are porcelain crabs if you know where to look, and virgin nerite snails (again, if you know where to look). I also gather several pounds of small grass shrimp with a push net, freeze them in ziplock bags, my tanks LOVE to eat them. When you are gathering with a push net, you will also sometimes catch pipefish, itty bitty puffer fish, and seahorses. And crabs, can't forget them. Usually just little mud crabs, but occasionally a bigger one winds up in the net. They don't like it much. I've also caught little stingrays in a push net, *I* don't like that very much.

A cast net will catch other interesting creatures such as stingrays, eels, and a multitude of different fish (none of which you want in your tank, but some are good tank food). I want to try seining one of these days, just for giggles.


Mind telling me what you know, lol........................

BTW, I didnt even know what a push net was tell I read what you posted and I googled it, where would I go to buy one, or are they simple to make?

[Sherita]

Sorry, I wrote a book there, LOL.

They are simple to make. I'm down with the flu right now, but as soon as I'm back up to speed I will post some pics of mine and how I made it. Didn't cost much, was easy to make, and I've had a ball with it.

[BattleAthletics]

I live in corpus and have never been to the jetties....going to have to go now. The fog was horrible last night.

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[jrossjr79]

Sorry, I wrote a book there, LOL.

They are simple to make. I'm down with the flu right now, but as soon as I'm back up to speed I will post some pics of mine and how I made it. Didn't cost much, was easy to make, and I've had a ball with it.

I love books, and I would really appreciate that once you get better.




I live in corpus and have never been to the jetties....going to have to go now. The fog was horrible last night.

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Yes, the fog was really bad last night, couldnt see more than 5 - 6 ft in front of me on those jetties.

BTW-- there are two different jetties (yes I know obviously, but that is not my point, lol) Of course the one that is on the edge of Port A near the public beach and the big pier. But on the other side of the channel (so I hear anyway) you can get a boat out to that side and go to those jetties, not sure if it is any good over there or better than the one of the public beach side of the channel.

[Bill S]

We are in Port A most weekends. Please look us up. Pier 3 in the City Marina. Boat's name is "Merlin", big black mast. I'd love to go down the jetties with y'all.

You can get to the north side jetties in the Jetty Boat. Be aware that you have to come back on the last boat, or spend the night on the beach!

And yes, the fog was insane this weekend.

[BattleAthletics]

Tonight is worst I think

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[FireWater]

It is bad. This morning isn't any better. I'm in Corpus for a class this week.

[Sherita]

We are in Port A most weekends. Please look us up. Pier 3 in the City Marina. Boat's name is "Merlin", big black mast. I'd love to go down the jetties with y'all.

You can get to the north side jetties in the Jetty Boat. Be aware that you have to come back on the last boat, or spend the night on the beach!

And yes, the fog was insane this weekend.

Bill, I've not seen Merlin. Is she a sailboat?

And, he isn't joking. I went over to the island one time and did miss the boat back. You do spend the night on the beach. Thankfully it was in the middle of the summer, so it was actually fun.

[BattleAthletics]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/26/2eveqaty.jpg

@1728 cause way to Portland

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[FireWater]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/26/7esuvave.jpg

Much better outside right now. This pic was from this morning.

[glarior]

This has been a great post! I am planning to go to Port A to collect ocean water and now I would like to catch fish/snails/shrimp.

If memory recalls people have caught lion fish in Port A?

Port A collection trip is July 18-20th! I am for sure going this year.

[jrossjr79]

I remember hearing about that, heard it was an invasion of lion fish


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[FireWater]

Invasion of a non native species. Yes, the lion fish have made it to our coast.

[Bill S]

I wouldn't expect to see a lionfish. But they have been caught.

[Flyride95]

I saw two lion fish around the pillars where you go across with your automobile on the ferry.

[glarior]

Invasive fish... yet how much do they charge for a large lion fish at the lfs lol

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