Every Bolivar trip is a little different, but this trip was unique for several reasons. For one thing, instead of 13 or 14 of us cramming into our beloved beach house, due to the pandemic, we car-camped at the Bolivar Peninsula RV Park which worked out quite well. Each site had electricity and running water, and we also had toilet and shower facilities available. (Due to recent storm damage, only cold showers were available at $1.75 for 15 minutes.)
Another unique aspect of this trip was the high tide. Never in the 17 years that I have visited the Stingeree Marina have I ever seen such high water. It was all the way up to the parking lot. The road leading to the marina was also under water. The guy at the bait shop said it was due to the equinox, whatever that is*. I have also heard that the filling in of Rollover Pass also affects tide and fishing in this area. Regardless, the exceptionally high water in the marsh made it unrecognizable from the norm, and I was unable to find the honey-hole that so many of us have enjoyed over the years, and of course, high water means that the fish are spread out and harder to find. Melissa Holbrook and I fished about 10 locations in the marsh before finding one spot that was productive. Using live shrimp, I managed one slot red and a nice flounder and about 8 rat reds. Melissa also had one or two small reds.
Friday was not a meat haul, but just about everyone caught fish. Will Henderson had a nice stringer. Bruce, Marvin, Blake and Bill went to Yates Bayou where they did quite well. Marvin evidently hooked a couple of big reds that broke off and Bill had lots of fish but no keepers. Bruce and Blake of course had limits. And THEN the excitement began! I happened to talk to a friend in Houston who informed me that a ferocious front was passing through and would be at Bolivar shortly.around 4pm. I immediately called everyone to warn them. Most were aware and headed in, but a few had no idea. Fortunately everyone got in safely. What;s a PACK event without a little hurricane force wind? The only real fatality was Chris Busch's new 8x10ft tent, which was totaled, and he had to head home prematurely. Frank Stanley also had a very productive day prior to the storm.
Blake the Fishing Guru, claims that the change in barometric pressure following the front turns the fish off. I suspect that he is right, as once the front came through, not one of us even got a bite. Saturday, after the winds died down about 6 or 7 of us headed to the Horseshoe, which is normally a prime flounder spot, but not a nibble was to be had. Blake and Marvin tried some night fishing Saturday night, with the same result. And so, by Sunday morning, everyone was pretty much headed home. Eric Thompson had the unfortunate ordeal of not one, but two flat tires to deal with. Moral of that story- always have a good spare tire.
Lastly, I should mention that we ate very well, mainly at the Stingeree Marina Restaurant where several of us had our own catch cooked for us. I highly recommend the fish a la Ponchatrain! Across from the RV park is a good Mexican restaurant where we had excellent breakfasts, and another exceptional restaurant is Jose's Cantina where some of ate on Saturday night.
Sooner or later, all the stars will align and the Bolivar weekend will be one non-stop meat haul again. Even still, it was a most enjoyable weekend. Joel Berry
*A syzygial tide during/near an equinox is the strongest. This means, there must be either new or full moon. In general, syzygial tides are strong because three bodies (Earth, Moon, Sun) align near one line, and tidal effects of Moon and Sun on Earth become (nearly) collinear and sum to the maximal possible magnitude. T