Surf Questions

[RRPalermo]

My family has a house in Bay Harbor, near the Rusty Hook. When you could drive the beach from the hook to the pass we would always park across from the tower and fish, we never really knew what we were doing or looking for, it was more of a convenience. I don't live in Houston anymore so my trips are now far and few in between. I know to look for birds, bait fish, and a current that resembles a cone where the water flows quicker back into the surf (not sure what you call that.) Is there anything else that I need to be looking for?

I read quite a bit on this forum and 2cool. I see a lot about Beach access 4-7 on the surfside of the pass. Is there something under water over there that is more attractive to fish or is it the convenience of being able to drive along the beach and spot those ideal conditions?

I used to go to the third sandbar, sometimes having to swim a little (I'm only 5'6,) but I'm reading about fishing the first gut. I think as a newbie the thought is that the fish are out deeper but there are actually in pretty close, as I understand now. Agree/Disagree/Situational? I am taking my son with me too and I don't want him out too deep.

Lastly, this is not really a surf question but they recently dredged out the bay harbor channel and the island to the right if you are looking off the pier is a bit bigger. My dad was down there a month ago and said he kept getting a lot of bites on the backside of the island but he had old line on his reel and it kept breaking. I have a little boat to work with and I don't want to go too far, thought this might be a good area to start if the surf conditions aren't favorable.

Thanks in advance for any input.

[Robalo]

You got the surf down-I fish as I walk out, so yes, the first bar can be productive and you should give it a quick shot before passing it by. I haven't needed to hit 3rd bar this year so far-caught limits off 2nd bar. IMO, the 3rd is if the fish sort of turnoff, then I figure they moved a little deeper so I'll swim to it (always be careful of rip currents) and give it a try. I nailed em in front of Rusty Hook twice-I usually go towards pass, then back east to where that POS former mayor Lyda Ann Thomas closed the dang beach and made my best spot inaccessible to vehicles-may she and her trust fund burn in Hates.

Know nada about where your dad fishes, but sounds like some dredge spot/hole stacking fish (reds?)-that is where I'd hit it with your boat-make sure ya are boat legal-Galv. PD now has a boat and they work the west end doing safety checks-grey Sea Hunt.

[RRPalermo]

Thanks Robalo, I feel the same way about the beach. Last I checked the boat was legal but thanks for the heads up. I will check again before I put it in the water.