The Bulls Are Running In The Laguna Madre

by Tony Vindell/LFN

The bulls are running.

Not the hooved, four-legged critters.

This is about the sometime humongous scaly swimmers found in good numbers this time of year.

These bulls are actually red fishes or red drums many anglers go after as they prefer their meat over any other fish species.

Weslaco residents Fabian lbarra and his son Fabian Jr. made a recent trip to the South Padre Island jetty and the younger Ibarra landed a 38-inch red fish.

Another angler hooked a bull red but most of them were seen catching such fish in the 24 to 28 inch long neighborhood.

A red fish measuring more than 30 inches in length is considered a “bull red” and, if caught, it must have a tag attached to its body to be considered legal.

A tag comes with the fishing license issued by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and it must be properly filled out.

Failing to do so can result in a hefty fine and the fish is usually confiscated.

lbarra said he has been catching red fish in the hundreds over the years he has been fishing, starting out as a youngster.

But nothing like the 38-inch bull red he caught recently

“We have been fishing for several hours,” he said, while holding the red fish. “This is the biggest red I have ever caught.”