Fishing report Galveston Texas

The Upper Texas Coast is being plagued with a southwest wind gusting in velocities that have the bays and surf messed up and offshore wave heights too much for smaller craft to endure.
Tuesday, the party boat New Buccaneer had to turn around and head back to dock because of the weather, but Monday the boat did make a productive trip offshore.

Fishing 65 miles out, Capt. Matt Smith found the fish for his 57 guests. Their catch included 207 vermilions, 13 land snapper, 29 tomtate, 14 blue runner, three kings and almaco jack, two whitebone porgy and a ling.

Often, when mentioning the species of fish being reported by offshore boats, readers spot names that they are not familiar with. One that has cropped up recently is the tomtate.

The fish is also called a brown grunt, jeniguano and cuji. They are small fish, usually around 6 inches long, and are common all across the Gulf of Mexico.

Another species that has puzzled several readers is the bigeye. Also called too and comico, it, too, is a small fish, usually less than a foot long, and is found around deeper reefs and other structure all across the Gulf.

Many of the unusual fish names appearing in the reports are small fish that most regular offshore fishermen have seen and caught at one time or another and resemble perch.

The one fish that caught my attention on an offshore trip several years ago was a puffer. I had not seen one before and carried it back to shore to identify. What a disappointment to find that it was a fairly common fish and one not to consume because of its toxic entrails.

One of the fish identification books I use and recommend is “Sport Fish of the Gulf of Mexico,” by Vic Dunaway. It is in paperback and shows a picture of all of the fish.

Inshore, has been finding mostly sand trout on his bay and jetty trips for Galveston Party Boats. The 61st Street Fishing Pier reported gaff top, whiting, bull reds and sharks caught Monday night.