2023 CCA Texas STAR Tournament WINNER SPOTLIGHT: Alonso Guerrero – Red Tag
Alonso Guerrero was the FOURTH CERTIFIED WINNER of the 2023 Texas Ford Dealer’s Red Tag Redfish Division. He recently drove off with a 2023 Ford F150 XLT Super Cab connected to a Haynie 23’ Bigfoot with a Mercury 150 L Pro XS Optimax and Coastline Trailer.
Angler Report
Tag Color: Red
South Shore Bait & Tackle – Port Isabel, TX
Tag #1452
Date: Friday, July 14
Caught: South Bay, South Padre Island
Here’s his STAR Story:
On July 14, 2023, I woke up bright and early at 6:30 in San Benito, Tx, eagerly anticipating a fishing trip with my friend Sergio at 9 am. Before heading to LIV, I stopped at the Laguna Vista Circle K to grab a delicious taco and refreshing drinks for our adventure. Upon arriving at LIV, I quickly prepared the boat, loading two fishing rods, coolers, drinks, and ice. We set off onto the water just after 9 am.
Once out on the water, we used a cast net to catch some mullet in the channel. Despite the high tide and scorching hot weather with wind speeds of around 18mph, we persevered and were rewarded for our efforts. We headed to our first spot, Mexiquita Flats, where I caught a beautiful 19-inch red that I released back into the water. Sergio also had some luck and caught a toadfish and catfish.
We moved to my favorite spot in the middle of South Bay on the right of the tabletop after not getting any bites for about 45 minutes. Once at the spot, we anchored, and I had two lines out, one with live finger-size mullet and the other with cut mullet. The rod with live finger-size mullet got a strike pretty quickly, and I caught my first-ever snook, a keeper measuring 24.5 inches. It was exciting to catch the fish, and it put up a good fight. After that, I re-baited my line, cast it out, and caught a small redfish. The bite slowed down after that, and we caught several catfish, which we released. The wind was picking up, and the bite slowed down even more. At that point, Sergio suggested we try another spot, but I suggested we wait another 10 minutes. Soon after, I got a good bite on my line with cut mullet, but the fish needed to take the bait. However, it returned shortly after and got hooked. I reeled it in, and it fought me for a few minutes before Sergio netted it. Once on the boat, I noticed that it had a CCA red tag covered in seaweed on one side. I removed the seaweed and realized what it was, so I had Sergio record the catch, tag removal, and release of the fish on my phone. I called my wife to tell her the good news, and we headed to South Shore B&T to turn in the tag and fill out paperwork. After that, we cleaned the boat and called it a day. It was a one-in-a-million opportunity, and I’m grateful for God’s blessings.
Congratulations, Alonso!