The Board has been busy planning for our first Port O’Connor Boat and Fishing Expo. Make plans to attend this family event which will be held on October 6-8 at the Community Center and Pavilion. There will be no charge to attend, and the Boat and Fishing Expo will showcase boat manufactures/dealers, retail goods, apparel, fishing tackle & equipment, and guide services Hours will be 1:00 -7:00 p.m. on Friday, 10:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. on Saturday and 10:00 a.m. -2:00 p.m. on Sunday. There are currently over 80 vendors scheduled!

During those three days there will be a Culinary Corner where several of our local chefs will be giving food demonstrations which will include samples. There will also be guest speakers on fishing subjects throughout the day on Saturday. Please like our POC Boat & Fishing Expo Facebook page and the @pocboatfishingexpo Instagram page to keep up with all the latest vendors and news on the upcoming event. Please invite all your friends to like and share the page and invite them to spend the weekend in POC to experience this great new event!

Our project at the end of Main Street and Park is coming along. The steps/ramp have been installed, along with an extended parking area. Benches have been installed along the seawall, and we are currently looking at landscaping and tables for the area. We encourage you to use this area if you are launching a kayak or want to wade fish.

Trunk or Treat will be on Saturday, October 28th. Start making your plans to decorate your trunk, car, boat, golf cart, boat, or whatever! Bring it down to the north end of Park Ave and pass out candy to all the trick or treaters! There will also be a dog costume contest! Prizes will be given for the best decorated ‘trunk’ and best dog costume.

Remember the Port O’Connor Farmers Market is the second Saturday of each month. We have 20 to 30 vendors each month with fresh produce, artwork, jellies and jams, fresh eggs, salsas, and other unique items. Come out and support your local neighbors.

The Port O’Connor Chamber of Commerce’s annual membership meeting will be held Monday, December 11, 2023. Five new directors will be elected at this meeting. If you would like to nominate someone or submit your name for this position, please email us at info@portoconnorchamber.com. We are looking for someone eager to support the community, has bright fresh new ideas, and willing to volunteer!

Attention all members: Our member appreciation Casino Night has been scheduled for February 23, 2024. Our membership drive will be January through February. Mark your calendar and save the date! The Chamber welcomes all businesses as well as individual/couple memberships!

We welcome our new and renewing members, Blackbeard’s Booty, Rhyne Services, National Audubon Society, Chester Island Bird Sanctuary, Chef N’ with Julie Pampered Chef Individual Consultant, Palm King, Wetland Marine, Coastal Bend at Seadrift Motel & RV Park, Fountain of Youth Medical Spa, Port O’ Connor Premier Lodge, Compadres Design Inc., Texas Chrome Outdoors, and Texas Liquor.

To see more information on these new and all our chamber members, please visit our website at www.portoconnorchamber.com.

Seadrift: Tues., Sept. 26 & POC: Sat., Sept. 30

Volunteer boats, pickers & data deckhands are needed for the 4th Annual Shorelines Cleanup. All volunteers will be invited to join the after party and receive a free gift.

To sign up send the following information to
AllanRBerger@outlook.com
Name
Email
Phone
Date to pick up trash
Team participants (#)
Do you have a boat to transport team?
Need crew members?
Preferred Area to clean (if none, Allan will assign)

It is commonly said “to fool a fish, one must fool its senses,” but that is often easier said than done. Fish use a variety of their senses to detect and eat prey, and it takes more than looks to get hooked. Selecting the right bait can be a critical element of saltwater fishing. Also, specific regulations apply to the collection and use of bait in Texas state waters and in U.S. federal waters. General fishing regulations can be found online at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Outdoor Annual webpage.

There are several different types of saltwater bait, ranging from live baitfish to artificial lures. Baitfish are small fish that are easy to catch and in regular supply, like mullet, which are typically used to attract large predatory gamefish. Cut bait is another type of saltwater bait used by anglers in Texas, but it can be more difficult to acquire and maintain compared to live bait. If you plan to use cut bait, it is recommended to use the freshest you can find. Frozen cut bait should be vacuum sealed and free from freezer burn as well.

One of the most popular bait selections for saltwater fishing in Texas is shrimp. Not only is shrimp a favorite meal amongst most saltwater fish in Texas, it is also easily available and a good universal bait for fishing in most conditions. If you choose to use shrimp as your bait, make sure it is a species native to the Gulf of Mexico. It is unlawful to use imported shrimp, alive or dead, as bait in Texas waters since imported shrimp can carry diseases or viruses that may be transmitted to native Gulf shrimp species as well as other shellfish. Imported shrimp must be labeled with the country of origin. If you are unsure of the origin of the shrimp, ask the retailer about its origin, and if still unsure, do not use it as
bait.

Another option for bait that has developed in recent years is using an artificial saltwater fishing lure that is soaked in or contains powerful fish attractants. These scented baits come in a variety of shapes and sizes depending on the type of fishing you’re aiming to do and can last longer/are easier to maintain than live or cut bait . You should always keep your scented bait in the liquid it comes with, and never leave it out on your hook or you risk it hardening and becoming difficult to remove.

Overall, there are many options for finding the best bait to suit your saltwater fishing needs. Knowing the regulations and best practices for bait selection can help get you hooked! As always, make sure you have the correct fishing license, follow all bait regulations, and — most importantly — have fun!

Beacon 44 RV Park held their 4th Annual Cornhole Tournament on Sunday September 3, 2023. This, being the opening weekend of dove season, team challengers were a little fewer than usual. Those who took the challenge in the crazy heat were greatly appreciated. $168.00 was raised to donate to the youth program for the Friends of the Library, who do so much for our children!

A HUGE Thank you to all the folks that help make this happen!
To the family that donates the awesome trophies each year–you are awesome and do such a great job!

Next year, the game day will be Labor Day Weekend Saturday.
This years winners are:

Far left: 3rd Place–Colton Jenkins & Kacie Hall
Middle: 2nd Place– James Mills & Cody Miller
Far Right: 1st Place– Taylor Pagono & Chris Yost