Texas coastal fish kill 2021

[netboy]

The recent artic blast caused a significant fish kill on the middle and lower Texas coast. My friend that lives on the Laguna Madre in Corpus Christi sent me this picture from the canals. Most of the fish were mullet and skipjacks but he said there were quite a few speckled trout in the mix and some redfish. Needless to say the smell is pretty disgusting. Also it appears that lots of big speckled trout were killed south of the Corpus area per this report and pictures. 

Mother nature gives and takes... 

   Corpusfishing.com :: View topic - PINS/THE GRAVEYARD/MURDOCKS FISH KILL, FEBRUARY 2021

 

 

 

[curtisce]

57 minutes ago, netboy said:

The recent artic blast caused a significant fish kill on the middle and lower Texas coast. My friend that lives on the Laguna Madre in Corpus Christi sent me this picture from his deck. Most of the fish were mullet and skipjacks but he said there were quite a few speckled trout in the mix and some redfish. Needless to say the smell is pretty disgusting. Also it appears that lots of big speckled trout were killed south of the Corpus area per this report and pictures. 

Mother nature gives and takes... 

   Corpusfishing.com :: View topic - PINS/THE GRAVEYARD/MURDOCKS FISH KILL, FEBRUARY 2021

 

 

 

We just got back from Padre island. We had mullet in our canal not that thick but plenty. Went fishing 2 days. Went from JFK causeway to Baffin Bay one day with a guide didn't get one bite  Lots of dead trout on the surface. Not many small fish mostly 20" and above. Lots of wall hangers floating. 

[netboy]

It sounds pretty bad. We were planning a trip down there in May but I guess we may have to cancel based on what I am seeing.

What a shame to see all those trophy trout floating dead or rotting on the shorelines.  

Also here is summary of the cleanup that occurred this past Saturday in the Padre Isles canals...

 

[curtisce]

we went out the next day and fished just north of the causeway. Did well on nice sized reds and caught 2 18" trout. They lost some good ones but maybe not all of them

[gotmuddy]

Why in the world were they doing throwing those fish in the dumpster?  Sheesh.

[netboy]

25 minutes ago, gotmuddy said:

Why in the world were they doing throwing those fish in the dumpster?  Sheesh.

The city supplied the dumpsters and then hauled them off. I guess they went to the landfill.

[netboy]

32 minutes ago, curtisce said:

we went out the next day and fished just north of the causeway. Did well on nice sized reds and caught 2 18" trout. They lost some good ones but maybe not all of them

That is good to hear. That area north of the causeway has a deep area known as the Boat Hole that is 25 feet deep in places. That deep water provides shelter from the cold. Most of the area south of the causeway is shallow flats 2 to 3 feet deep.

[gotmuddy]

2 hours ago, netboy said:

The city supplied the dumpsters and then hauled them off. I guess they went to the landfill.

What a waste.  At least those dead fish could have fed the ecosystem.

[netboy]

3 hours ago, gotmuddy said:

What a waste.  At least those dead fish could have fed the ecosystem.

There are PLENTY of other dead ones to feed the ecosystem outside of the residential canals. Back in the big freeze and fish kill in 1983 the rotting fish caused an algae bloom known as brown tide that lasted for 5 years in the Laguna Madre. Water was a brownish color and the fishing was terrible.