Galveston fishing report

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Today ends March, one of the coldest on record. Now, what about April?

We are entering April behind schedule for the arrival of fish that should be here by now.

The culprit is the lagging water temperature that we discussed last week.

Warmer weather is on the way, which is good news; however, the bad news is that April is the windiest month of the year along the Texas Gulf Coast.

This year it appears that April will be living up to its reputation, as moderate to strong winds off the Gulf are in the forecast.

Most years, there are windows of fishable conditions when the wind velocities fall for a short time.

During those periods, some excellent fishing takes place.

The jetties in particular attract a lot of the arriving fish and some of the largest speckled trout of the year are caught around the rocks.

Last weekend, night fishing offered some of the best catches, as reports indicated speckled trout, reds and flounder all were being attracted to the lights along with small bait fish.

Mike Howard and Roger Ironstone fished the lights of a canal near Crystal Beach and landed three slot reds and two specks weighing more than 4 pounds each. Live shrimp was the bait.

David Huber, Robert Foster and Brad Ford fished around their underwater green light on Highland Bayou and landed five flounder and two reds, both just less than 20 inches and released.

Ford said that the minnows were thick around the light and the flounder and reds were feeding on them.

Galveston Party Boats’ New Buccaneer is back in service after maintenance and upgrades. Saturday, the party boat made a 70-mile offshore trip with Capt. Matthew “Smitty” Smith at the helm.

The 12-hour trip resulted in 450 vermilions (B-liners), 10 lane snapper, four sharks, two amberjack and a mangrove snapper.

The group’s bay and Jetty boat, The Cavalier, has been returning with gafftop and reds.

Galveston fishing report

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A breezy, overcast morning greeted the fishing crowd on Saturday.

Many of the anglers opted to not launch their boats when feeling the brisk, 20-knot north wind.

Several readers have inquired about Saturday’s Point Drum Tournament for the physically disadvantaged wanting to know if the event had been canceled.

I am happy to say that the tournament is on as scheduled.

Friday is the official beginning of the Drum Tournament with the 4:40 p.m. check-in along with other festivities taking place at the group’s tent set up at the Galveston Yacht Basin.

Saturday beginning at 6:30 a.m. participants will be boarding boats at the floating dock south of the yacht basin’s boat ramp. Fishing is from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. with boats returning to dock by 2 p.m.
Afterward, a barbecue and awards presentation will take place. Participants should note that the fish and weigh-sheets need to be turned in at the floating dock and not the tent.

GYB Bait Camp is providing free boat launching during the tournament and, for those interested in avoiding the crowds and launching Friday evening, an overnight dock-age fee of $1/foot will be charged. If interested in the overnight docking contact Deanna Lopez, at 409-765-3001.

The bait camp is providing a pound of crabs and a 20-pound sack of ice to all boats participating in the event.

The Garner family is doing their best to ensure that a full supply of live crabs will be available.
For information about their bait and other supplies, call 409-765-3088.

At this time, about 70 boats and 100 anglers are registered; however, that could change as the week progresses.

For information about the tournament, call 409-935-4131 or 409-771-1246.

Our only fishing report on Saturday came from Robert Hudsbath who, along with his father and brother, fished the rock groins near 61st Street where they landed two bull reds, both tagged and retained.

Hudsbath reported lots of hardheads and a few gafftop being caught and released.

Galveston fishing report

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The lingering effects of winter are delaying the schedule for where we should be for fishing this year.

 Better stated, the time table for the arrival of certain species of fish likely will be later than usual.

Supporting this is a historical account of our water temperature. By now, we have surpassed the magic 70-degree mark in most years, and in recent years the thermometer has reached 75 degrees before the end of March.

On March 28, 2011, the Galveston Daily News weather summary published on the same page as the Reel Report showed the beach water temperature to be 73.5 degrees. In 2012, the reading was 75 degrees and on that day the Reel Report told of offshore activity heating up with action on king mackerel not far off Galveston.

This week, the beach water readings have been hovering in the mid-60-degree range, approximately 10 degrees below normal. April will arrive in a few days and with it warmer temperatures should start taking over. Once warm, sunny days begin being the norm the water will warm quickly.

Now, there is one thing that anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts need to be alert to and that is the sun. In a typical year, which this has not been so far, there would have been a number of sunny days that allowed a gradual acclimation to the sun’s rays resulting in a protective tanning process.

This year, most of us have not seen enough sunny days to get any type of protective tan so it is extremely important that a high SPF factor sun screen be used. No doubt that there will be some painful experiences by those desiring to make up for lost time and get a quick suntan.

Sunscreen ratings of 15 and higher are used regularly by those of us on the water often and all it takes to get your attention is to have that first skin cancer removed from your face or arms. For me, I was lucky and it was a basal-cell carcinoma and not the feared melanoma.

From that point on I never leave dock without a good coat of lifesaving sunscreen covering all exposed skin.

Galveston fishing report

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How does this year’s black drum run compare to other years?

It appears to me that action has been slower this year, especially for the larger, over sized fish.

Guide Service, has his observations on this year’s event as well.

They said the 2014 spring break time period for drum fishing will go down in the record books as more of a walk than a run.

He based his conclusion on his drum fishing experiences for the last 60 years.

The problem he feels is that this winter just would not let go, with more cold fronts than usual. He does expect action to improve during windows of warming conditions as we head into April.

The largest black drum of the year for Williams was taken last Sunday just before a wind shift to the north.

The big fish was estimated to weigh more than 55 pounds and was caught by Oren Meyer of Houston.

The largest black drum reported this year also was caught last weekend. It was a 70-pounder landed by John Willis.

In other fishing news, Jeremiah at The Fish Spot on Moses Lake reported fishing has been good in that body of water.

The flood gates were closed last weekend to prevent oil from entering into Moses Lake. Trout in particular are hitting well around the lake.

The Fish Spot now offers to prepare your catch as long as you filet the fish. The cost is $5, and hush puppies and fries come with the meal. Hamburgers are one of the specialties of the restaurant.

Jason Reuter, Aunt Margie’s Bait Camp, reported a nice catch of two 4-pound reds and three keeper black drum by Kevin McCullom.

The catch took place on the bay side of 12 Mile Road using dead shrimp for bait.

Galveston fishing report

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It appears that the oil spill situation is well under control, and with some luck, there will be just minimal after effects on fishing.

Numerous inquiries have been received from readers asking about consuming fish following this event. Tuesday, I called the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Department of State Health Services Seafood and Aquatic Division asking about any advisories or recommendations for sports fishermen.

Both agencies confirmed they are monitoring the situation and have personnel on site keeping abreast of developments. No fish advisories have been issued, as nothing so far has warranted any concern about the safety of eating fish from this area.

The only recommendation made was by the State Health Service: Use common sense when retaining fish for the table. If the fish shows signs of oil or has an oily smell, discard it.

No fish kills have been observed and, as the cleanup continues, there is little likelihood that any will take place.

On the fishing scene, reports from Offatts Bayou and West Bay indicate both bodies of water are clean and oil-free. This same scenario likely applies to most of the other areas in the Galveston Bay Complex.

The big news is the hot trout action around Rollover Pass, where Bulldog’s Bait Shop reported weighing in two large specks caught by Melvin Miller, who limited out while night fishing the Gulf side of the pass. Miller’s two largest fish were a 27-inch, 7.66-pound trout and one measuring 24 inches and weighing 4.94 pounds. Mirrolures were the baits.

Scott Clark landed his largest fish ever from the Galveston area Tuesday. The 9.2-pound, 30-inch bull red was caught, tagged and retained from near 8 Mile Road using crab for bait.

Jason Reuter passed on his observation that oil was not present in Offatts Bayou or around Confederate Reef. Reuter’s customer Lee Hardy fished the 61st Street Fishing Pier where he landed whiting, hardheads and two bull reds to 36 inches in length.

Galveston fishing report

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The oil spill continues to be the focus of the fishing news and unfortunately when events like this occur, the rumor mill runs wild.

Monday, I surveyed the Galveston Ship Channel and parts of the Galveston Yacht Basin and observed a sheen of oil around the channel, especially in front of Pier 19 where several of the party boats are docked.

The waterway in front of 3G Bait Camp showed no sign of oil; however, the whole area is closed to boating traffic.

That means that boats docked at the yacht basin are prevented from leaving their slips until the Galveston Ship Channel reopens.

Lower Galveston Bay between the causeway and Pelican Island does not appear to have been badly affected and the Intracoastal Waterway remains open.

Rumors have been flying that fishing has been closed anywhere from all of Galveston Bay to parts in the vicinity of the oil spill.

As of Monday afternoon, there were no posted closings to fishing. The only closure at that time was to boating traffic.

There remain a lot of unanswered questions regarding the immediate and long-term effects of the oil spill. As information and facts are received, I will promptly pass them on.

If the oil that was released from the accident were light crude, the clean-up would have been faster and easier.

In this case, it was a heavy grade of oil called bunker fuel, which is almost like a sludge and drops to the bottom when cooled.

For that reason we may be dealing with the after effects for a much longer period. Shrimpers likely will be the first group of fishermen to be adversely affected, as areas in the vicinity of the spill and along the route taken by the flow likely will not be suitable for dragging nets.

Once information about the effects on marine life is received, that, too, will be passed on.

If you have a fishing trip scheduled with a party boat or fishing guide operating out of Galveston this week, you should check with them on the status of your trip.

Galveston fishing report

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The oil spill continues to be the focus of the fishing news and unfortunately when events like this occur, the rumor mill runs wild.

Monday, I surveyed the Galveston Ship Channel and parts of the Galveston Yacht Basin and observed a sheen of oil around the channel, especially in front of Pier 19 where several of the party boats are docked.

The waterway in front of 3G Bait Camp showed no sign of oil; however, the whole area is closed to boating traffic.

That means that boats docked at the yacht basin are prevented from leaving their slips until the Galveston Ship Channel reopens.

Lower Galveston Bay between the causeway and Pelican Island does not appear to have been badly affected and the Intracoastal Waterway remains open.

Rumors have been flying that fishing has been closed anywhere from all of Galveston Bay to parts in the vicinity of the oil spill.

As of Monday afternoon, there were no posted closings to fishing. The only closure at that time was to boating traffic.

There remain a lot of unanswered questions regarding the immediate and long-term effects of the oil spill. As information and facts are received, I will promptly pass them on.

If the oil that was released from the accident were light crude, the clean-up would have been faster and easier.

In this case, it was a heavy grade of oil called bunker fuel, which is almost like a sludge and drops to the bottom when cooled.

For that reason we may be dealing with the after effects for a much longer period. Shrimpers likely will be the first group of fishermen to be adversely affected, as areas in the vicinity of the spill and along the route taken by the flow likely will not be suitable for dragging nets.

Once information about the effects on marine life is received, that, too, will be passed on.

If you have a fishing trip scheduled with a party boat or fishing guide operating out of Galveston this week, you should check with them on the status of your trip.

Galveston fishing report

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Sunday all eyes were on the oil spill clean up off the Texas City Dike.

Boaters and fishermen were asked to stay out of the area; however, Sunday several fishermen were ignoring the warning and had lines in the water.

This is a serious situation and the crews working 24/7 trying to contain the mess do not need any outside interference, especially from recreational boaters and anglers.

Now, you probably guessed it, readers are asking what effect the spill will have on fishing.

At this point, it is too early to determine other than I can say that oil has been reported along the Galveston Ship Channel, around the yacht basin, the jetties and the far end of East Beach as of Sunday afternoon.

The areas likely to be most adversely affected for fishing are around the Texas City Dike and surrounding areas.

Sunday’s north wind likely helped to prevent the oil from going farther into the bay system, especially mid Galveston Bay and East Bay.

The north shorelines of Pelican Island on the east side of the Pelican Island Cut and Sand Island to the west are vulnerable and hopefully the small cut between the islands into lower Galveston and West Bays was blocked sufficiently with containment booms to prevent seepage into those bay systems.

Before this event, action on large black drum was heating up as reports of a number of 50-pound plus big uglies were reported from the jetties, Galveston Ship Channel, Texas City Dike and the Bolivar Gas Wells.

The Houston Ship Channel Spoil Banks off San Leon were producing some huge drum on Saturday according to Richard Moore’s report from April Fool’s Point.

Moore and two friends used sand trout cut in half to land four big drum all estimated to be in the 50- to 60-pound range.

One other boat launching at the same ramp reported hooking into some big drum just outside of the mouth of Dickinson Bayou.

Galveston fishing report

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Spring is here and still we are having to dodge cold fronts. Warmer weather set in the last few days and with it came some excellent fishing. Along with the warmer conditions fog has been creating a nuisance for fishermen.

The warmer weather ignited some excellent action on black drum, especially the large, oversized “big uglies.” Trout catches have been picking up and pan fish remain stable for anglers looking for table fare.

Lately, there has been a surge in flounder activity both for rod-and-reel fishermen and those choosing to take their catch by gigging.

Lori, better known as the Saltwater Hooker, fished for two hours Saturday and landed 11 flounder using Flounder Pounder Curly Tail tubes. Earlier, she hosted Neil Mclaren and Bryan Houilan of Bayou Vista to a jetty trip where they landed three bull reds from 31 to 33 inches in length.

Barbara Garibaldi of Louis’ Bait Camp said that flounder are biting in Highland Bayou. William Cardell, a customer, fished the bayou from his kayak and landed a Texas Grand Slam consisting of four trout, two reds and two flounder using Chickenboy Barnyard Lures.

Jetty Joe of Galveston Bait and Tackle reported good catches of trout coming from the causeway area the last three days. Reds, black drum and sheepshead also were being landed.

Carey McNally and Joe Reid of LaMarque landed 12 trout to 3 pounds using live shrimp free-lined around the railroad bridge. McNally said that a rise in the water temperature of five degrees or more should really spark action around the old bridge.

Anglers able to make it to the jetties are taking limits of large sheepshead along with black drum of all sizes.

Speaking of black drum, several inquiries have been made recently about whether black drum are edible. Steven Costa was among that group and also asked what parts are best for consumption.

Black drum make fine table fare and I think where there comes a misconception is with the parasites or worms that many of the larger fish possess. Like most species of fish, the smaller variety is the best for consumption and, while large drum often contain worms, they are not harmful if the meat is properly cooked.

Now with that said, there is no way my better half will cook or consume fish that show signs of worms.

Galveston fishing report

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The second big week of spring break is ending on a great note for fishermen. The warmer weather has attracted many more anglers to the water, and the catches have been good.
The jetties and areas around the Galveston Ship Channel have been productive for good-sized black drum and several other popular species of fish.
Upper West Bay is turning on and the causeway area, especially the railroad bridge, has been pleasing anglers with fair to good stringers of trout, sheepshead, smaller black drum and a few reds.
Capt. Jaime Cantu described his recent trip as “fantastic”. Cantu hosted Alex Rodriguez and his son Alex Jr. to at productive trip fishing the Galveston Bay Complex where his guests landed slot reds, bull reds, puppy drum, and a “bookoo” of sheepshead.
Early in the day, the group tried for black drum with minimal success and, after moving to another spot later in the morning, caught and released several big ones.
Hanley Hamel and her dad, Todd, had a great trip fishing with Capts. Mark Gonzalez and Rick Kraft aboard their boat No Worries II. Their catch included large black drum, bull and slot reds and lots of sheepshead. All of the action took place at the jetties.
Frank Halstead and Greg Winesanker fished the bay side of the causeway area railroad bridge early Friday and landed nine specks to 4 pounds. Live shrimp fished under a popping cork was the bait.
Carlos Campos and his three sons fished from the bank under the causeway bridge and caught puppy drum, sheepshead, whiting and a large stingray. Dead shrimp was the bait.
Richard Belleau, 61st Street Fishing Pier, reported his customers catching whiting, gafftop, bonnet head sharks, black drum and bull reds.
Rodney Glenn Garza, one of the legends in Galveston area fishing, passed away recently at the age of 49. Garza was well-known in the fishing community and supplied fresh fish to many of the restaurants in Galveston.

Galveston fishing report

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I mentioned earlier that with the warm weather forecast for the latter part of this week, more fishermen should be on the water and we should get a good indication of where we are in the black drum run.

Well, Thursday, a good number of fishermen were out enjoying their sport, and the reports indicate some big drum being caught.
In most years, we are in the peak of the drum spawn by the first day of spring and it looks as if this year will not be an exception.
Bulldog’s Bait Shop reported some of the largest black drum of the year being caught and released Thursday and lots of other fish being taken as well.
Jon and Chris Walters along with Rob Sherwood fished both the north and south jetties landing several oversized drum along with good sized sheepshead. Live shrimp and cut mullet were the baits.
Eric Bishop and Rudy Campos used both cut mullet and crab to land four huge black drum and several bull reds. The action came from the beach front.
Jessie Arriaga and his son Jay fished the jetties Thursday and landed six large black drum using cracked crab and cut bait.
Capt. James Plaag, Silver King Adventures, reported excellent trout action around Galveston Island.

 Tuesday, Plaag’s group wade-fished and landed 14 specks to 5 pounds along with four reds and a large flounder. Slammin Chicken Bass Assassins did the trick.
Wednesday, the trout were feeding over shell, and Plaag’s charter mopped up on the fish catching between 50 and 60. Lots of small trout were in their catch, and 5-inch Bass Assassins were the baits.
Today and Saturday look like excellent days for fishing, so get your gear and give it a try. Lots of fish are around the jetties now.

Galveston fishing report

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Today is the official end of winter, and it could not come too soon for most anglers. The warmer weather ahead will be welcomed by all of us who have been confined to indoors so much of this winter.

John McMichael, manager of Seawolf Park, reported improving action on black drum. Stingrays are providing a lot of action, with most being caught from the fishing pier.

Now that spring has arrived, the park will offer all-night fishing Friday and Saturday. On April 6, the hours will increase to 24/7 and last through the summer. McMichael pointed out that generators and light sets are allowed at the park.

Wednesday morning there was a flurry of action around the causeway area on speckled trout. Sheepshead, black drum and reds also were part of the feeding frenzy.

Kyle Christianson of Tahlequah, Okla., fished the railroad bridge with his uncle Mike Kennedy of Houston and landed four specks to 19 inches, two sheepshead and a stingray. Live shrimp was the bait.

Kennedy used soft plastics and bomber baits and ended up losing most of the baits to hang ups and ended up with no fish, just a collection of debris off the bottom.

On the tournament trail, the Texas Shoot Out Chorizo Fishing Tournament Series is hosting its second trout tournament of the year Saturday. Weigh-in is at Serious Tackle in La Marque. For information, call Lee Garcia at 281-216-3215.

Most of you likely are aware that the State Fish of Texas is the Guadalupe bass. Most of those fish are found in the Colorado River near Austin, especially Austin’s Town Lake. Last week, a state record was set with a 3.71-pound fish taken from the river at a point below Austin.

We are ending on a sad note today as I pass on condolences to Capt. Johnny Williams on the loss of his wife, June. June, who also is the mother of Capt. Jill Williams, died suddenly last Saturday. The Williams family owns and operates Williams Party Boats.

Galveston fishing report

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The warmer weather setting in is attracting the attention of anglers.

The sudden appearance of sunshine has those on the job thinking about taking off and enjoying a day on the water.

Today, the beach water temperature still will be hovering around the 60 degree mark, which is colder than normal for this time of year.

While mid-March during most years represents the peak of the black drum run, this year’s colder-than-normal temperatures likely will result in the annual spawn running well into April.

The warming water during the next several days should ignite some good action from the big uglies.

The drum are here and scattered all around Lower Galveston Bay; however, the big, oversize fish are not being reported as much for this time of the month as in prior years.

This weekend, when large groups of fishermen hit the island, we should get a better indication of what size drum are out there.

We still are in prime time for catching large trout and there was an unconfirmed report of a 9-pound, 6-ounce speck landed by a wade fisherman who fished the west shoreline of Lower Galveston Bay between Dollar Point and Dickinson Bayou.

The fish was observed by a reader at the boat ramp below the state Highway 146 bridge spanning Dickinson Bayou.

The fish was caught early Tuesday, and there was no mention of bait.

Wind forecasts for the next several days look favorable for fishing the jetties, where lots of large sheepshead have been caught during windows of conditions that allow boats to safely make it to the granite rocks.

The North Jetty channel side is also an excellent spot for big drum and reds.

The beach front fishing piers and rock groins might be a good choice for fishing, depending on the shape of the surf.

Forecasts call for light to moderate winds, and that should make for excellent conditions.

Galveston fishing report

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Flounder are moving back in and with the reports of recent catches, it appears plenty of the flatfish have returned.

Jakie Horn Jr. and Bryan Schak fished beneath the state Highway 6 bridge spanning Highland Bayou last week and both anglers limited out on flounder to larger than 4 pounds.

Fingerling mullet and mudfish were the baits.

Mark Canyon found action on flounder in Jones Lake on Saturday.

Using live shrimp and targeting reds and specks, the anglers from Hitchcock landed three flounder to 18 inches in length.

Several undersized reds were caught and released as well.

Saturday, the party boat Capt. John made a 12-hour trip 55 miles offshore where Capt. Johnny Williams found limits of red snapper for the 79 fishermen on board.

Included in the trip was a stop at the Gulf Jetty to take on some inshore action.

Their catch included 158 red snapper to 20 pounds, four black drum, two whiting, two gulf trout and a whiting and red fish that were landed at the jetties.

Patrick Lemire used my favorite offshore lure for bottom fishing, the Snapper Slapper, to take 19- and 20-pound red snapper.

The 5-ounce pink and chartreuse bait was fished in 90 feet of water.

The Rusty Hook Fishing Club’s 27th annual Black Drum Fishing Tournament ended Sunday.

There were 25 entrants and 20 total fish weighed in.

Doug Sweeney Sr. won first place with two fish totaling 33.27 pounds.

Second place went to Darrell Knight with two fish totaling 32.27 pounds, and third place also went to Sweeney with two fish totaling 31.38 pounds.

Sweeney also won $50 for Fish of the Day on Friday and Sunday, while John Riley won Saturday’s Fish of the Day.

Galveston fishing report

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St. Patrick’s Day looks to be cold and windy.

Those are not good conditions for fishing.

For visitors wanting to include fishing on their spring break to-do list, it appears that conditions should start improving beginning Wednesday.

The best fishing Sunday took place beginning late in the afternoon and continued into the nighttime.

Anglers fishing near the floodgates of Moses Lake reported good catches of black drum, redfish and sheepshead after the rain moved out Sunday.

Todd Heerman of Friendswood landed a 33-inch black drum near the floodgates and quickly released it after taking photos. Cut mullet was the bait of choice.

Fog hampered fishing Sunday night; however, Frank Lang found trout under the lights at Harbor walk.

Lang fished from a friend’s lighted dock for two hours beginning around 10 p.m. and caught several undersized trout that were released. Live shrimp did the trick.

Al Rhodes sent a note saying that fishing might be a lot better than we conclude from the few reports received recently.
Rhodes feels there have not been enough people out fishing to get a good reading on what is out there.

The cold, damp and windy weather was cited as the culprit and he noted that when conditions improved and it was pleasant to be on the water, the fish were biting.

There likely is merit to his comments, as you might recall that during the window of nice weather from last Wednesday afternoon through Friday, there were a number of reports of a variety of fish being caught.

The primary species being caught are black drum, reds, sheepshead, whiting and scattered catches of speckled trout and flounder.

When the water warms several more degrees, look for other species to start appearing.

Galveston fishing report

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The second wave of spring breakers will be arriving this week and the same questions are asked as with the first group.

What can be expected in the way of fishing while in Galveston this week?

I could copy the answer given last week as it pretty much will be the same for this group. Expect the weather to run the gamut as it did last week.

The forecast calls for windy and cold weather for the first part of the week then becoming progressively milder later in the week.

While the 2014 spring break is not the coldest on record, it will go down as colder than normal. Now, how is this going to affect fishing?

Let’s use last week as an example of what to expect. Fishing was off on the windy and cooler days and, as a warming trend set in, action picked up Wednesday through Friday. When the wind dropped, the surf produced some good fish including reds, sheepshead, black drum and whiting. A few trout also were reported from fishermen along the rock groins.

A good number of bull reds were reported by anglers fishing the beach front fishing piers.

We are in the middle of the big trout season and while his charters did not land any wall hangers last week, Capt. James Plaag, reported some nice trout to 25 inches being caught by his guests.

Reds and flounder were also part of their catch. Plaag said that Corky Fat Boys in pearl with black backs and Bass Assassin Slammin Chicken were the best baits and that the afternoon bite was the best.

The annual black drum run is in full swing and, while the weather has kept many anglers off the water, some big fish were taken by those enduring the elements.

Seawolf Park and the Texas City Dike have been two of the best spots for large black drum by anglers without boats.

The north jetty, especially the channel side near the boat cut, has been one of the better spots for anglers fishing from a boat.

Offshore fishing for reef fish has been good from Galveston’s fleet of party boats making deep sea fishing trips.

Galveston fishing report

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Good conditions for fishing continued Friday and for today, rain and higher winds might interfere with fishing, especially boaters wanting to work mid-bay reefs.

Several reports of catches came from anglers fishing lower Galveston Bay and East Bay.

The jetties continue to produce nice-sized sheepshead, black drum and reds, both slots and over sized.

Henry Morgan was one of the anglers taking advantage of the conditions Friday morning at the North Jetty where sheepshead were biting. Morgan and his family fished the rocks on both sides of the boat cut and caught nine of the “jail birds” to five pounds.

Live shrimp fished next to the rocks was the ticket to success.

Forest Hemphill fished the famous drum hole at the end of the Texas City Dike on Thursday afternoon and landed two reds, a slot and a 33-inch bull, along with an 18-pound black drum. Cut sand trout was the bait, and only the slot reds were retained.

Peppers Reef in East Bay was the place for action early Friday for John Sabo and Bartis Mendoza.

 The two anglers landed six specks to four pounds using live shrimp fished under a popping cork and free-lined with a split shot weight. Two flounder, 14 and 15 inches in length, were caught and released.

Kyla Garza with Galveston Party Boats reported the results of recent bay and jetty trips by Capt.

 Armando Alcocer, skipper of the party boat Cavalier.

Last Tuesday, both morning and afternoon trips produced whiting, while the Wednesday trip returned with whiting and speckled trout. Thursday, redfish and whiting comprised their catch.

A reminder that the Rusty Hook Fishing Club’s Annual Black Drum Tournament is in progress.

The event is taking place at the Texas City Dike where the club’s trailer is parked next to Boyd’s One Stop Bait Camp.

The entry fee is $25 and registration, along with weigh-ins, is at their trailer. The event runs through Sunday.

Galveston fishing report

 Galveston Fishing Charter Company
832-917-FISH
www.galvestonfishingchartercompany.com


Just like we promised, the weather changes quickly during spring break each year.

What a contrast Thursday was to the earlier part of the week, and the good news is that it appears the nice conditions will last through a good part of the weekend.

While the water temperature is colder than normal for this time of year, some excellent catches were reported.

John McMichael III, manager of Seawolf Park, gave an update on what is taking place on Pelican Island.

“As the water temperature creeps up, the black drum action also increases,” McMichael said. “Black drum and bull reds are hitting fairly well at Seawolf Park and will only get better over the next several days. Speckled trout are also hitting when the tide is moving. Live shrimp has been the bait of choice for the specks, and crab being the best choice for the black drum. Bull reds are being landed with the bait of choice being cut bait.”

Bull red action in the surf was excellent Wednesday and Thursday according to reports from Bulldog’s Bait Shop

Mark Horbatich and his dad from Round Rock fished the surf where Mark landed, tagged and retained a 33-inch bull red. Dead shrimp was the bait.

Rudy Campos used cut mullet to take a 44-inch red from the surf. It, too, was tagged and retained.

A group known as the Texas Coastal Boys practically emptied Bulldog’s inventory of fresh dead mullet, and for good reason. They used the bait to catch and release 25 bull reds.

Thomas Bata fished the 61st Street Fishing Pier, where he caught and released two bull reds to 42 inches using cut mullet for bait.

Late on Wednesday afternoon, Chad Helmsley wade-fished near Yates Bayou on Bolivar Peninsula and hooked up with one of those once-in-a-lifetime trout. The big fish hit a Corky Fat Boy and gave a good fight; however, as luck would have it, the line broke as Helmsley was trying to land the fish.

Galveston fishing report

Galveston Fishing Charter Company

832-917-FISH(3474)

www.galvestonfishingchartercompany.com

Fishing is picking up during the windows of good conditions and, along with a variety of other fish, pompano are showing up along the beach front.

Tuesday morning, there were some good catches from the surf and back bays before the wind kicked up.

Paul Rose and his brothers Randy and John fished the rock groins near 24th street and landed sheepshead, whiting, hardheads and black drum. Fresh dead shrimp was the bait.

Larry Pennington was one of the anglers landing a pompano. His fish came from the surf near the Pleasure Pier. Two black drum and four whiting rounded out his catch for Tuesday.

Tuesday morning, Chad Craft and Don Beebe fished Chocolate Bay using live shrimp fished under popping corks. The anglers from Hitchcock drift-fished the bay for two hours before finding a nice concentration of reds near the cut into Halls Lake. Five reds were hooked, with three being landed. All were in the 20- to 24-inch range.

The party boat Capt. John made another of its offseason red snapper trips Tuesday, this time with 83 anglers aboard. Fishing in the area of the old Buccaneer Field, the group limited out on red snapper to 22 pounds and also landed 25 Gulf trout, nine whiting, three triggerfish and a black drum. Also caught but released were 20 bull reds.

Galveston fishing report

Galveston Fishing Charter Company

832-917-FISH(3474)

www.galvestonfishingchartercompany.com

Today, small craft advisories are in effect as another frontal system is blasting through our area; however, the forecast calls for a short effect. By Friday, southeast breezes and warmer temperatures should set in.

Typical of spring break weather, the seven-day period usually offers a variety of weather patterns, and this week has been no exception. The good news is that the last part of this week looks excellent for fishing and other water activities.

Fishermen and golfers view daylight saving time differently, as reflected by Gean Leonard’s weekly golf column Tuesday. Leonard was telling of the woes of golfers gathering for a 7:30 a.m. tee time Sunday, the day of the time change, and finding it still dark.

Well, for fishermen, an extra hour of sleep was available as most like to hit the water at daybreak, and before Sunday that was around 6:30 a.m. Now, we are looking at an hour later, and the extra sleep Sunday was great.

In June, we will be back to a 6:30 a.m. and earlier daybreak so, enjoy the extra sleep while we can.

While driving along the beach front Tuesday morning, there appeared to be a large number of fishermen on the rock groins and fishing from the 61st Street and Galveston fishing piers. With some luck, they made some nice catches. The surf was in good shape under light winds and I hope we will hear how everyone fared.

There were no fishing reports Tuesday; however, the Texas Coastal Fishers of Men announced its 11th annual Fish & Fellowship Tournament. The event will take place Saturday, May 17 with headquarters at the TopWater Grill on April Fool Point in San Leon.

This is a one-day event open to everyone, with proceeds benefiting Helping a Hero.

Galveston fishing report

Galveston Fishing Charter Company

832-917-FISH(3474)

www.galvestonfishingchartercompany.com

Spring break is upon us and one bit of advice I give to visitors who express disappointment in the weather is to be patient.

This time of year, the weather upon your arrival will be different when you depart.

Rarely during the years has that statement not held true during spring break.

Now, for fishing, mild, pleasant weather is not normally the best for catching fish.

I wish I could give an explanation as to why; however, more times than not, nice, sunny days in March were not as productive as overcast, chilly days.

Reports from along the beach front indicate a variety of fish are being caught.

During the foggy conditions Monday, anglers fishing the rock groins were reporting action on sheepshead, whiting and hardheads.

Bulldog’s Bait Shop reported customers returning from the beach-front rock groins with stringers of big trout, sheepshead and flounder.

Dizzy Green, Galveston Fishing Pier, said catches were picking up on the pier with lots of whiting and hardheads supplying action to his customers.

Monday’s fog kept many visitors from venturing into the open bays in their boats and several limited their trips to the confines of the Galveston Ship Channel where black drum, sand trout, whiting and flounder were taken.

Pebble Moore and his grandson, who is on spring break from Dallas, fished near the Pelican Island bridge where they caught sand trout, black drum and sheepshead. Live shrimp was the bait.

The party boat Capt. John battled 4-foot seas to make an offshore trip Saturday. With Capt. Johnny Williams at the helm, 83 anglers where chauffeured to fishing grounds south of the island where water depths reached 125 feet.Their catch included a boat limit of red snapper to 23 pounds along with sharpnose sharks and vermillion snapper.

Patrick Lemire landed the big fish of the day, a hammerhead shark in the 8- to 9-foot range, which was brought to the boat and released.

Galveston fishing report

Galveston Fishing Charter Company

832-917-FISH(3474)

www.galvestonfishingchartercompany.com

The big news on the fishing scene is the number of good-sized flounder that are being caught.

West Bay and its tributaries appear to be holding fair numbers of flatfish for this time of year.

March is usually the month when the return migration from the Gulf of Mexico to the bays begins to be noticeable, and most of the time the fish are caught closer to the passes into the Gulf.

Several reports were received from anglers who landed flounder fishing as far inland as Dickinson Bayou.

Dean Silvers, Patrick Arteaga and Bill Zimmer began their Saturday fishing trip in Offatts Bayou where Zimmer landed a 21-inch flatfish.

Don Robinson of Tiki Island landed a large flounder while fishing the Greens Cut area Saturday afternoon.

Carl Cox was targeting a trophy trout late Saturday afternoon and chose to concentrate on Carancahua Lake for the big fish, and instead of a big trout landed a 20-inch flounder. The fish hit a Corky Fat Boy that was intended for a trout. Cox said that the flatfish was one of the largest he had caught and the hit occurred around 6:30 p.m.

Shelton Matthews was after reds near the mouth of Dickinson Bayou when a large flounder swallowed the fingerling mullet on his line. Matthews ended up with a slot red, two black drum and the flounder, which he estimated was close to 20 inches in length.
Trish Cable from New York on Saturday along with her friends Linda and Dan to a productive trip to the North Jetty. Using live shrimp for bait they caught a slot red, puppy drum and several large sheepshead in the six- to seven-pound range.
Also fishing the North Jetty on Saturday were Nick Endres and his nephew Evan Ture and their friend Chris Jones. Shawn Warren hosted the group and the catch included seven slot reds and numerous sheepshead that were released. Live shrimp was the bait.

Galveston fishing report

Galveston Fishing Charter Company

832-917-FISH(3474)

www.galvestonfishingchartercompany.com

The first wave of spring breakers should be arriving today, and for the next two weeks students at all levels and their families will be enjoying a break from school. Fishing will be on the minds of a lot of our visitors, so let’s take a look at what the first week is shaping up to be.

A continuation of this winter’s pattern of one cold front after another is in the forecast for this week and, while not severely cold, temperatures in the 40s will prevent much of an increase in the beach water temperature.

Moderate to strong winds accompanying the cold fronts will play havoc on anglers desiring to fish the bays and jetties from boats. There will be windows of suitable conditions for fishing, and visitors this week should be prepared to take advantage of them if fishing is in your plans.

For anglers without boats, there are a number of fishing piers to enjoy, although the larger ones do require a fee to enter. For free fishing, the rock groins along the beach front can offer some good fishing this time of year, especially for black drum and sheepshead.

If the commercial piers are your choice, there are two along the beach front; the Galveston Fishing Pier off 91st Street, and the 61st Street Fishing Pier.

Seawolf Park has a large fishing pier and lately it has been an excellent spot for taking advantage of the black drum run that currently is in progress.

Across the channel is the Galveston Yacht Basin which opened its wall to fishermen. Recently flounder, black drum and sand trout were reported being caught along the wall.

The Texas City Dike always is a popular spot for fishing, and the catch there varies day by day. It, too, has been a good spot to find large black drum.

If you are new to coastal fishing and can afford a fishing guide, there are a good number of qualified guides operating around Galveston. One of the best sources for recommendations would be a bait camp near where you want to fish.

Pam Garner, operator of 3G Bait Camp at the Galveston Yacht Basin, called to say that their new restaurant, The Launch, is now open. The new facility features salads, burgers, sandwiches and other items and is located above the fish cleaning tables.

For information call 409-765-3088.

Speaking of restaurants that will prepare your catch, The Topwater Grill in San Leon, a longtime favorite of locals in that area, offers that service. The restaurant is located on April Fool Point.

Galveston fishing report

Galveston Fishing Charter Company

832-917-FISH(3474)

www.galvestonfishingchartercompany.com

Friday was a great day around Galveston, with ideal weather for fishing.

Several boats were on the water; however, by early afternoon no fishing reports were in.

We did have one note from Dave DeAtkine, who has been keeping track of water temperatures near Eagle Point for years.

“Never in all the years I’ve taken notes have I seen bay temperatures in the 40s in March,” he said.

Thursday, he observed a reading of 49.7 degrees at Eagle Point, and a couple of months ago it was 37 degrees.

DeAtkine said he was surprised we haven’t seen any major fish kills this winter.

Last week, I mentioned the fact that by this time of year we are approaching the magic 70 degree mark along the beach front, and currently the temperature is in the mid-50s.

One recent forecast indicated a continuation of the cooler weather through March and that likely will delay the water-warming until April.

DeAtkine’s log is interesting because my logs of past winter trips fail to show water temperatures.

One reason is that before 10 years ago, water temperatures were not as widely available.

Regarding his surprise about no fish kills, we never had any sustained freezing weather this year.

 Cold, yes, but not long periods of freezing conditions and a quick warm-up usually followed.

 Fortunately, fish became acclimated to the winter weather and found refuge when needed.

Now, let’s look ahead and see how our prolonged winter might affect fishing.

My opinion is the key to triggering more consistent and good fishing will be the arrival of water temperatures in the 70s and above.

The longer periods of sunlight also will contribute to getting the fish into their springtime patterns.
The bottom line is this year it will be farther into April before the surf turns on.

The first ling of the year caught in the surf usually takes place in April, and that is one of the best barometers for indicating the fish have returned.

Galveston fishing report

Galveston Fishing Charter Company

832-917-FISH(3474)

www.galvestonfishingchartercompany.com

Yet another cold front was making its way through Galveston on Thursday morning with moderate north winds and temperatures not quite as cold as its predecessors this year.

So, for the most part, the best fishing Thursday was taking place at the fishing show in Houston.

This presents an opportunity to share some notes from readers asking questions likely are on the minds of others.

Toby Prince of Huntsville asked about restaurants in Galveston that will cook your fish.

Prince fishes up and down the Texas Gulf Coast and finds that there are many restaurants along the middle and lower coast that advertise for fishermen to bring their catches and they will cook them.

This is a common question from visitors, and I have known of a few through the years, but most of those are no longer in business.

Any restaurants that provide this service locally must not advertise it.

Mark Hensley of Sealy sent a note asking about crabbing during March.

His family has rented a condo on the island’s West End for later this month and would like to catch some crabs.

Unfortunately, crabs like warm — very warm — water, and with the water temperature in the surf currently in the mid-50s, it is too cold for them to move in.

It is usually sometime in April before we see much in the way of crabbing begin to take place.

Raul Cervantes of Houston asked if Galveston’s party boats will be making offshore trips during spring break.

The answer is yes for practically all of them and, of course, the trips are subject to satisfactory weather.

March offers some of the most erratic weather of the year, and wind normally is a big issue this month.

If you are interested in an offshore trip, call ahead of time and check their schedules.
Most of the operations book up quickly during spring break.

Galveston fishing report

Galveston Fishing Charter Company

832-917-FISH

www.galvestonfishingchartercompany.com

During the next few months there will be a number of promotions and sales on fishing equipment.

For starters, there is the big fishing show taking place in Houston at the George R. Brown Convention Center. After that, most of the larger sporting goods stores will feature fishing equipment of every make and model and offering some nice discounts on a variety of items.

Included in the mix are seminars and workshops conducted by experts in their respective fields. With “high season” for fishing just around the corner, this would be a good opportunity to upgrade your inventory of equipment. Rods and reels, tackle, baits and anything else related to fishing will be available at discounts at one or more of the sales.

During some of these events there will be professionals to consult on the types of rods and reels best suited for your style of fishing and to give advice on line size and other issues that confront newcomers to coastal fishing.

Besides the fishing show this weekend, Bass Pro Shops is having its spring fishing sale which lasts most of March. Academy Sports + Outdoors will be having similar events this spring; however, one that catches my attention each year is Fishing Tackle Unlimited’s manufacturer reps closeout. This year, the big sale takes place April 4-5.

Serious Tackle in La Marque usually waits until late summer or fall to have its close-outs, and most of the events are usually associated with a fishing tournament headquartered there at the time.

On the fishing scene, there was not much to report Wednesday as the cold weather continued to keep anglers off the water. The beach water temperature was a chilling 56 degrees and, until a warming trend sets in, action in the surf is going to be erratic.

Galveston fishing report

Galveston Fishing Charter Company

832-917-FISH(3474)

www.galvestonfishingchartercompany.com

Today begins the annual Houston Fishing Show at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston.

This is arguably the largest and most complete show devoted to fishing and fishermen in Texas. The latest in all types of fishing equipment from manufacturers around the world is displayed and demonstrated.

A large number of fishing guides from around the Galveston Bay Complex will be presenting seminars on various techniques that work for them and giving instructions on how and where to fish the complex.

There will be lots of displays and booths pertaining to all aspects of fishing and activities associated with the sport to browse through and a section on fishing boats.

Show hours are noon to 9 p.m. today through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday with the show closing at 6 p.m. Sunday.

Admission is $9 for adults and $2 for children.

Winter keeps dragging. While last weekend’s window of warmer weather gave optimism that spring is close, Tuesday’s winter weather set us back a notch or two.

The beach water temperature is in the upper 50s, which is low for this time of year.

Normally, we see readings close to the magic 70 degree-mark before March’s end.

Unless a mild heat wave takes place, chances are it will be April before we see the water reach that point.

When we mention the magic 70 degree-mark, it’s the water temperature anglers have looked forward to for years as a sign that fishing should be good all around the area, especially the surf.

While I welcome the day when the water temperature moves into the 70s, my experience has shown that a 75 degree or warmer reading is when action tends to bust wide open.

While some anglers wait for the 70s before starting their fishing year, there are a lot of fish caught while the thermometer is moving through the 60s.

It all goes back to the adage that the best time to go fishing is whenever you can.

Galveston Fishing Report

Galveston Fishing Charter Company

832-917-FISH(3474)

www.galvestonfishingchartercompany.com

Near gale force winds along with bitter cold conditions shut things down on the fishing scene Monday, and with the added occurrence of rain today and Wednesday, it likely will be later in the week before conditions are suitable for fishing.

Before the arrival of the cold front, excellent fishing took place in several areas and a report of a trophy trout was received.

Saturday, Capt. Paul Marcaccio hosted Matthew Eck and his father, Joe, to a fishing trip in Galveston Bay where 17-year-old Matthew landed what likely will be a once-in-a-lifetime trout.

The 9-pound, 6-ounce fish was landed Saturday afternoon and no mention was made of what bait the big sow hit.

Malcolm Marcaccio sent a note to say the Mardi Gras Bite was on Saturday morning as he found action on the outgoing tide using Norton Sand Eels and Bass Assassins on a 1/16-ounce lead head jig.

He fished in three to five feet of water and landed four slot reds, releasing one, and five specks, releasing two. The bait colors were strawberry and limetruse.

Jetty Joe, Galveston Bait and Tackle, reported some excellent action on Saturday as well. Capt. Cecil Gray placed his guests Jose, Amondo Rulbe and Amando Jr. into fish in West Bay that included 10 reds, eight sheepshead and two black drum.

Tommy Sparlis of Friendswood fished the rocks near the United States Coast Guard Station at Galveston and landed two large black drum, both photographed and released. Sparlis used both cut whiting and shad for bait, with both fish hitting the whiting.

Saturday night while all of the partying and parading was taking place Hank Cain and Jerry Tucker fished the lights around Teichmann Point and landed four slot reds and a 24-inch trout. The anglers caught the fish using live shrimp fished under popping corks.