MORE ABOUT THE BILLY RAY AND SHRIMPER DAN SURF FISHING CAMP CHRONICLES

So they didn't catch many fish, but they had a good time. Which is the name of the game. Relaxing. Having fun. Cooking. Having some brews. Checking out nature. Watching what washes up on the shores, particularly in the nether regions of Padre Island National Seashore (PINS) where they were fishing.

I may actually be able to be PB (Padre Bound) or MIB (Mustang Island Bound) this weekend. The Mrs. and I are conspiring to do it. We've both had intense past few weeks at work, and need an immediate relaxation situation. And I mean Stat, as my rarely heard from friend and former blogger So-And-So would say.

The Mrs. requires setting up camp in a condo of some sort with a balcony and a nearby ocean view. No problemo. She busts her rear and has since we before we were wed to provide for our family. In many years, she was the lead provider, and has always made sacrifices for our family. Big ones. So just out of trying to be nice to wife and mom for all she does for us, a condo with a view isn't too much to ask at all.

In our spring break desperation searching for a last minute place to stay last month, we discovered some really cool home rentals and really close to the beach abodes. It's time to check them out. Several houses are on the beach. On the beach, like we used to stay in during Galveston trips in the nineties when a friend of mine owned a nice front row house in one of the towns on the west end of the island. Or we'd rent a house just down the road from there.

I can go set up on the beach, or hit one of the piers in town and get some side fishing in no matter what the family has going on. We all prefer our own stretch of beach to crowds if possible, so it works out well for me fishing where there are no swimmers or lots of beach walkers. I've never been messed with in all my years of fishing with the family, and that goes back to our dating days. Mrs. El Fisho has always been tolerant of my fishing, and although she's not interested in it, she gladly goes along to any beach fishing expedition because it gets her to the beach.

But back to the legend of Billy Ray and Shrimper Dan's latest Padre excursion.
As I mentioned in the last post, they stopped at the HEB in Aransas Pass and were amazed, I tell you they were amazed at the selection of fishing gear in the store. Shrimper Dan even bought a rod and reel combo and their bait there. Good to know.

Of course, I plan to buy a nice long (13' to 15') surf rod spinning reel combo on my very next visit, and I'll be buying it at ISLAND TACKLE CENTER (located 207 W. Avenue G in Port A, the street through town from the ferry landing to get to State Highway 361) because of the most excellent way they treated me when I had a broken tip guide on my favorite 9' pier/surf rod. So I am going to spend some money there on a reasonably priced rod and reel combo that I can reach the third bar and beyond for some of the larger crusing fishes. Maybe some shark action.

So Billy Ray and Shrimper Dan ended up high tailing it to PINS where they trucked down the beach for about 25 miles past the 4WD only sign and set up camp, picking the campsite based on how the spot looked at night versus what the waves and breakers looked like where they would be fishing. Of course, it would've been faster to head through Corpus instead of Port A at 5 p.m. on a Friday to get to PINS but that, at it's very essence, is the typical behavior seen in Billy Ray and Shrimper Dan surf fishing trips.

Laid back. Unconcerned about the stuff that really doesn't matter. At times it can be a bull in the china closet approach with Billy Ray, but it's usually entertaining and always enjoyable.

I'll get more particulars on the story as the week goes by, and with any luck Billy Ray can come down to Port A and hook up with us. I always feel more comfortable using the buddy system in setting up a fishing camp in the wilds of the beach, and in case of getting stuck, it's always handy to have a second hand. As I've mentioned before, you never know just what kind of character, good or bad, you might stumble across while surf fishing, so I like the idea of having a good friend out there with me.