Winds dropped considerably Thursday, lending optimism that we are looking at better conditions setting in. However, forecasters are calling for higher velocities for the next several days.

While most of the bay system and surf still were holding off-color water, one spot anglers can find fishable water is around the Pelican Island Bridge. Dave Ludwig of Houston fished that location on the slack tide Thursday morning and caught a limit of trout using live shrimp for bait.

Along the beach front, the surf is sandy and brown. But anglers fishing the 61st Street fishing Pier on Wednesday night landed gafftop, whiting, bull reds and blacktip sharks.

Wednesday, the party boat New Buccaneer fished 65 miles out of Galveston with 70 anglers aboard. Their catch included 302 vermilions, land, gray and silk snapper, king mackerel, blue runner, African pompano, ling, squirrelfish, Spanish hog fish, rockhinds and porgies.

Galveston Party Boats’ Bay trips have produced reds, sand trout, gafftop and sharks.

August is approaching — prime time for offshore fishing. It also is a time when stable, calm conditions attract many small boats to the Gulf of Mexico. While it is most likely the best time of year for the smaller vessels to head beyond the jetties, those small boats need to be seaworthy, meaning capable of handling a sudden change in conditions and having dependable power.

The latter is the problem I observe most often. Many boats venture out with outboard engines that are not in shape to make the longer distances offshore.

During my last offshore trip, a smaller boat with a single engine was stranded about 15 miles from the jetties. I was able to tow the boat back to the yacht basin boat ramp.

When I pulled up to the boat, it was easy to see the engine was old and had not been well cared for, at least cosmetically. The problem was overheating.

While breakdowns can happen to a newer motor, the odds are much greater with older engines, especially if they have not been properly maintained.

If you have an older rig with a single engine and desire to make it offshore, try to go in tandem with another boat and limit the distance you travel.