Galveston fishing report

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Good news on the fishing scene as live shrimp slowly are reappearing at the bait shops.

Several bait camps, including 3-G at the yacht basin and Bulldog’s on 61st Street, had white flags flying Tuesday.

When I learned of the availability, it did not take long to have the bay boat loaded and head off to the bait camp.

The shrimp I purchased came from the Freeport area and were nice-sized brown shrimp that obviously were early arrivals.

Polly and I hit one of our favorite fishing spots near the North Jetty Boat Cut and encountered prolific action on reds, both slot and bulls, black drum in the 19- to 25-inch range and large gafftop.
It was our first saltwater trip since April 3 and much more productive.

All of the fish were released except for two fat slot reds.

There is an interesting side note to Tuesday’s column where a fisherman from Pirates Cove mentioned large numbers of small stingray in the nearby marsh.

Capt. Billy Howell, Howell’s Saltwater Adventures, and his long time fishing friend Dave Kirby were fishing West Bay earlier in the week and noticed an unusually large number of big bull sharks in the vicinity of Lake Como, near Pirates Cove.

Howell said the sharks were running from an estimated 3 to 8 feet in length, and he became concerned with the size and numbers.

Earlier, he and his guest were using long fish stringers to hold their catch while wade fishing the area; however, when the sharks began appearing, the stringers were placed in the ice chests aboard his boat.

Most seasoned wade fishermen have had a nice stringer of fish mutilated by aggressive schools of shark, most notably blacktip sharks of all sizes.

For that reason, long stringers are a must for waders.

Howell’s report came before the stingray alert in Tuesday’s edition, and we both agreed the likely culprit for the sharks appearing in that area was the presence of the rays.

Tournament shark fishermen will tell you one of their favorite baits for catching large sharks is stingray.

It should be noted bull sharks are one of the most aggressive sharks found along the Texas Gulf Coast.

While we have been fortunate there have been no fatal attacks in many years, the threat exists with the large sharks.

Galveston fishing report

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Anglers, don’t let the lack of live shrimp stop you from fishing.

Bait camp operators are reporting slower business than usual as a result of the shortage; however, live mullet has turned out to be an excellent substitute.

Artificial baits are also doing their job on big trout with She Dogs, Corkies, Mirrolures and a variety of soft plastics taking some nice sows.

Saturday night, Evan Ture was fishing off the dock of his the Sea Isle home of his aunt and uncle (Nick and Linda Endres) and landed a trout that measured longer than 24 inches. Live mullet was the bait.

Last week, Sean Hill fished for reds and flounder in East Bay using live fingerling mullet and had the surprise of his young life when a 27-inch trout took the bait.

Hill thought he had a slot red on the line and almost lost the fish at the boat. An 18-inch flounder was his only other catch.

Late Friday afternoon, Greg Valenti of Pirates Cove was wade fishing the cove next to Lake Como and landed a 22-inch trout while tossing Texas Trout Killers.

Valenti asked that we warn waders of the large number of small stingrays in the marshes.

Offshore conditions have been marginal at best lately; however, that did not stop Capt. Paul Stanton, Aqua Safari Charters, from making successful fishing trips into the Gulf of Mexico.

Saturday, both of Stanton’s boats fished offshore.

The Island Girl, the flagship of his fleet, carried the Michael Carroll party of eight to fishing grounds 12 to 30 miles out where the highlights of the trip were a 40-pound king and a nice keeper ling.

The Sea Trek hosted the Gregory Fischer party of six, who fished the same area, and their big fish was a 62-pound ling.

Other fish landed by both boats were red snapper to 12 pounds, redfish, sharks and triggerfish and all were released.

Spanish sardines was the bait of choice.

Galveston fishing report

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South winds gusting to more than 30 knots took their toll on fishing and fishermen Sunday.

Around 11 a.m. while driving west on Seawall Boulevard, I noticed two of our well-known fishing guides headed east with water draining out of their boats.

My guess is they gave it up after a few hours in West Bay or along the protected north shoreline of the west end.

Now, if you are more of an optimist, you might interpret the situation as they had limited out by then and were heading home.

Regardless, it was a rough morning on the water.

There was no relief to the shortage of live shrimp Sunday and a few bait camp operators felt the shortage had worsened.

Compounding the problem was Sunday’s high winds that kept many of the shrimp boats off the water.

Andy Morris sent a note asking about the flags flying from the various bait camps.

He was under the impression that if flags were flying, live shrimp was available and asked if we could shed some light on this.

Each bait camp he visited with flying flags had no live shrimp.

The color of the flag is the key to what bait is available.

While today there are a variety of flags that fly above bait camps, only solid white or white with an imprint saying “Live Shrimp” indicates a supply of live shrimp.

During my early years of fishing, there were only two flags, the white for live shrimp and solid blue indicating dead bait.

In recent years, flags have been designated for live croaker, live mullet, mudfish, crab and pinfish.

The origin of the flags was in the early 20th century when practically all bait camps were on the water, and anglers did not have speedy outboards. In fact, most used oars. Most of the small bait camps did not have telephones and definitely no one had a cellphone.

The flag would save them a lot of wasted effort and grew in popularity.

Even today, they save time and gasoline expense; however, the cellphone is now making the flag presentation more a tradition of the past.

Galveston fishing report

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The last weekend of April is shaping up to be a disappointment for anglers wanting to get into some early summertime action.

Often, in fact most years, fishing is beginning to reflect summertime catches by the end of April, with a bonus of overall larger fish being caught.

While the beach water temperature is cooperating, live bait, particularly shrimp, is in short supply, which reflects what is out there for fish to feed upon.

Greg Hagerud, who fished the surf Saturday morning, reported lots of small shad in the surf and that is good news.

Shad are one of the favorite baits for most fish. Live shad, especially the smaller ones, are a good substitute for shrimp when it comes to fishing for trout.

The problem is keeping the bait alive and on the hook.

During Hagerud’s fishing trip, which was off 14th Street, he landed lots of whiting between 6:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. using dead shrimp for bait.

Another huge trout was caught Thursday by Jake Wollem who used a bone-colored Super Spook Jr. to land the big sow. The fish, measuring a little longer than 30 inches, was caught in the vicinity of the South Jetty.

Wollem also landed limits of reds both Thursday and Friday using a Cocoho Minnow for bait.

Melissa Green fished off the dock with her father, Frank Hester, at Tiki Island and landed a 16-inch flounder and two sheepshead using peeled dead shrimp for bait. Green’s husband Danny came up with only hard heads for his effort fishing at the same spot.

Several readers have asked about this year’s black drum run with most saying that it was a big disappointment to them and they were curious as to what other anglers had experienced.

The best summary of this year’s drum run came from I think it would be safe to say this was one of the most erratic drum migrations I have seen in my lifetime.”

While it was overall a disappointing run, we did have some days that were quite productive for drum.

Galveston fishing report

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The recreational harvest of gray trigger fish in federal waters will close Thursday and not reopen until Jan. 1.
 
The closing resulted from a determination by NORA Fisheries that the 2014 recreational quota of gray trigger fish has been harvested.

There is little doubt that offshore anglers, who have been fishing the Gulf waters for as long as I have, think back on the days when trigger fish were a nuisance for fishermen trying to catch red snapper.
 
Often, they were so numerous around wells and platforms it would force the boat captain to move to a different location for a better chance at landing the prized red snapper.

The problem with trigger fish is they would fill the space between the surface and the depths at which red snapper were suspended, and by the time the baited lines arrived at their destination, the bait would be cleaned off of the hook.
 
In those days, most of us could hardly imagine any type of shortage of the pesky bait snatchers.

On the fishing scene, the shortage of live shrimp continues.

A few bait camps are receiving small supplies that are quickly grabbed up.

None of the bait camp operators that I spoke with could give an indication of when the shortage would be alleviated.

Live croakier and dead bait are in plentiful supply, along with spotty supplies of live fingerling mullet.
On a positive note, there are some nice-sized trout in the 26- to 30-inch range being caught and artificial bait has been the key.
 
Mirrolures and soft plastics such as Bass Assassins and Norton Sand Eels are the most frequently quoted bait for the big sows.
 
The larger trout are being taken in the afternoon, with dusk being one of the better times and waders catching most of the big fish.

Galveston fishing report

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Live shrimp continue to be in short supply all across the Upper Texas Coast. Calls to bait camps Tuesday indicated no live shrimp for most, and a few said that they were about to run out of the small supply received earlier in the day.

This could be one of the reasons fishing has been slow during the past several days. Hopefully, shrimp will begin to move out of the marshes and estuaries soon.

The only fishing report Tuesday came from Richard Belleau, 61st Street Fishing Pier, who reported two sheepshead, two black drum, five flounder and a 5.5-foot shark being landed. The water was green, and the wind was out of the south at 10 knots.

John McMichael, park manager at Seawolf Park, sent a note to say the park has reopened. The recovery from the oil spill is complete, with the exception of rebuilding the railing along the new bulkhead. The existing railing will be demolished and rebuilt.

Until the railing is rebuilt, the bulkhead area of the park will be closed for fishing.

Last weekend, there was a large variety of fish landed in the park including sand trout, rays, black drum and some bull reds. As a reminder, Seawolf Park is open for fishing 24 hours a day, seven days a week until October.

This weekend, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department along with the Nature Heritage Society will host another Go Fish Event at Galveston Island State Park. Volunteers are needed to assist with this event. If you are interested in helping out, contact Greg Akins, 713-201-8110 or greg.akins@tpwdtexas.gov.

On Friday, Fishing Tackle Unlimited will be working with the Southeast Texas Heroes on Water chapter to host a Spring Kayak Demo for Veterans. The event will take place at Tuscan Lakes in League City from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Galveston fishing report

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Live shrimp continue to be in short supply all across the Upper Texas Coast. Calls to bait camps Tuesday indicated no live shrimp for most, and a few said that they were about to run out of the small supply received earlier in the day.

This could be one of the reasons fishing has been slow during the past several days. Hopefully, shrimp will begin to move out of the marshes and estuaries soon.

The only fishing report Tuesday came from Richard Belleau, 61st Street Fishing Pier, who reported two sheepshead, two black drum, five flounder and a 5.5-foot shark being landed. The water was green, and the wind was out of the south at 10 knots.

John McMichael, park manager at Seawolf Park, sent a note to say the park has reopened. The recovery from the oil spill is complete, with the exception of rebuilding the railing along the new bulkhead. The existing railing will be demolished and rebuilt.

Until the railing is rebuilt, the bulkhead area of the park will be closed for fishing.

Last weekend, there was a large variety of fish landed in the park including sand trout, rays, black drum and some bull reds. As a reminder, Seawolf Park is open for fishing 24 hours a day, seven days a week until October.

This weekend, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department along with the Nature Heritage Society will host another Go Fish Event at Galveston Island State Park. Volunteers are needed to assist with this event. If you are interested in helping out, contact Greg Akins, 713-201-8110 or greg.akins@tpwdtexas.gov.

On Friday, Fishing Tackle Unlimited will be working with the Southeast Texas Heroes on Water chapter to host a Spring Kayak Demo for Veterans. The event will take place at Tuscan Lakes in League City from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Galveston fishing blog

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The surf is in excellent shape and the first wave of Spanish mackerel has arrived.

The live shrimp shortage during the Easter weekend held back some anglers; however, those who used dead baits and artificials scored well.

Friday, D.J. Stone party of six from Splendora and fished the Galveston Bay complex.

By the end of the day, the anglers had caught bull reds, undersized reds, large black drum (all released), along with good eating-sized puppy drum, gafftop and whiting.



Crab was the bait that worked for the Austin family Saturday as Josh and his two sons, Austin and Tyler, caught a number of sizable black drum while fishing the Bolivar gas wells.

Action has picked up in the surf with the 61st Street Fishing Pier reporting catches of Spanish mackerel, bull reds, whiting, flounder and gafftop.

The party boat New Buccaneer made an overnight trip to deep-sea fishing grounds up to 120 miles from Galveston.

Capt. Smitty Smith placed his 49 guests into a lot of action during the 30-hour venture and the boat returned with 438 vermilion snapper, 364 blackfin tuna, nine amberjack, four yellowfins, nine skipjacks, a Warsaw grouper and a variety of other reef fish.

The Texas Shoot-Out Chorizo Redfish Tournament is Saturday. The Captains’ meeting is Thursday at Taqueria El Nopalito, 15323 Interstate 45, and registration is available at Serious Tackle in La Marque. For information call Lee Garcia at 281-216- 3215.

Galveston fishing blog

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Today is San Jacinto Day, and if you grew up in the Houston area during the 1950s and 60s, you might recall that this day also was considered as the unofficial start of the saltwater fishing season by anglers.

The Easter weekend weather in Galveston was about as nice as it gets this time of year. The shortage of live shrimp handicapped anglers who use the popular bait to catch trout, reds and a large variety of other fish. Those choosing to use dead shrimp and other natural baits caught some nice pan fish and scattered reds.

Seawolf Park, along with other popular fishing areas, was packed with fishermen and some nice black drum, sheepshead and reds were caught.

Otis Hemphill found a way to use dead shrimp to attract two keeper flounder and several whiting.

 He peeled the shell from the shrimp and, according to the angler from Texas City, that is the key to maximizing the aroma and attracting the fish.

In addition to the flounder, six whiting and a small black drum were landed.

The surf was gorgeous Saturday and Sunday; however, reports indicated fishing was off for such ideal conditions. Bull reds, whiting, sand bar sharks and black drum made up most of the catches reported.

Fog was an issue early; however, by late morning visibility was good and several boats made it offshore.

The party boat Capt. John ventured south of the jetties all the way to the ship reef V.A. Fogg.

It was there that Capt. Johnny Williams placed his 82 guests into limits of red snapper. Six sharpnose sharks were also landed.

Jerry DeGuzman landed the big snapper of the trip, a sow weighing 19 pounds.

Fred Schultz and Mario Acevedo headed out to the Heald Bank on Saturday in hopes of landing that first ling and king of the year. While conditions were excellent, the fish just were not cooperating and the only catch for the two anglers was a bonnet head shark.

Galveston fishing report

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A shortage of live shrimp confronted anglers Friday and Saturday, and many were expressing their frustrations to the bait camp operators.

A combination of heavy fishing traffic and poor catches by the shrimpers was the culprit.

The Galveston Bay Complex is going through a seasonal transition where shrimp are not migrating to and from the estuaries.

Often during the heat of the summer, especially from the July 4 holiday through much of August, live shrimp supplies tend to be limited and it is always best to call ahead to your favorite bait shop to check on their inventories or ask that a quart or so be put aside for your group.

On the fishing scene, reports indicate spotty catches, with many anglers blaming the live shrimp shortage in part.

Barbara Garibaldi, Louis’ Bait Camp, said that although she was out of live shrimp, lots of nice fish were brought in by anglers who used either fresh bait or artificials.

Bobby Martin of Bayou Vista and his friend Ray Gartman were forced to use dead shrimp for bait and had a tough morning of fishing Saturday. Greens Lake, Carancahua Cut and Harborwalk all produced sparse results for the anglers.

Capt. Ron Woods, 2 Fish’Aholics Charters, hosted David Melcer, John Lebus and James Tittle to a jetty trip where the three anglers landed, tagged and retained a bull red each. Several sharks to four feet were also landed.

Offshore conditions were close to ideal Saturday and the only report received by press time was from Gerald Peterson who fished platforms from 10 to 20 miles south of the jetties. Peterson and his three guests landed bull reds (all released), sharks to an estimated 6 feet long, Gulf or sand trout (none of the anglers could distinguish between the two) and a variety of reef fish including spadefish, small red snapper and large piggy perch. Six trout and a 35-inch sharpnose shark were the only fish retained.

Galveston fishing report

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The Easter Weekend is shaping up to be a good one for fishing. If the revised forecast of light winds holds, this might be a good opportunity for the offshore group to test the waters for pelagic fish.

The extended winter weather has slowed the migration of our surface fish; however, with a few days of seasonably warm weather and light to moderate winds, an opportunity could present itself for catching your first king or ling of the season. If you make it offshore let us know what you found in the way of fish.

Richard Belleau’s report from the 61st Street Fishing Pier early Friday indicated mostly whiting, gafftop and bull reds being caught. Soon, more migratory fish will be added to that report and it possibly could come as early as this weekend.

Both the 61st Street Fishing Pier and Galveston Fishing Pier offer good barometers of fishing in the Galveston area.

Thursday was a washout for fishing around Galveston as strong easterly winds accompanied by periodic thunderstorms and rain kept anglers away from the water. Friday, conditions improved and should continue on that course all weekend.

The results of the Point Tournament for the physically disadvantaged are in.

The April 5 event took place with less than ideal conditions; however, there were some black drum caught.

Galveston fishing report

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Each holiday weekend we get numerous inquiries from visitors asking how the fishing has been and what to expect during their stay on the island. The upcoming Easter weekend is no exception.

The first thing I tell springtime visitors is the weather tends to be the most erratic this time of year.

 The extended forecasts tend to have the least accuracy than during any other time. So, with that said, let’s take a look at what anglers should expect.

The unusually long winter this year has set the timetables back, as the water temperature still is swinging back and forth around the 70-degree reading. Normally, by mid-April, 75 degrees or higher is the average.

While small craft advisories were in effect Thursday morning, it appears the wind velocities will drop by today and run light to moderate for most of the weekend. That is good news for fishermen as April is the windiest month of the year along the Texas Gulf Coast.

The black drum run continues with the larger fish coming from the North Jetty, especially near the end of the rocks. Crab, both live and broken, is reported to be the bait of choice.

The jetties, both north and south, have been producing some nice-sized sheepshead along with reds of all sizes and black drum. If the water warms a few degrees above 70, there might be some action on a variety of other fish, especially jack crevalle.

Most years by now, the first ling of the season has been landed; however, this year, there have been no reports of ling being sighted or caught along the beach front or jetties.

Fishing guides have been catching trout in various parts of both East and West bays. Recent reports indicate trout have been feeding around the causeway area along both bridges.

Trophy trout season is still upon us, and the big wall-hangers are out there, just very elusive.

 Experienced trophy trout guides are focusing on late afternoon fishing when pursuing the big sows.

The good news for Easter weekend visitors is that the oil spill cleanup appears to be completed and all areas should be open for recreational enjoyment.

Galveston fishing report

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The good news on the fishing scene is for the Seawolf Park fishermen. Wednesday, I visited with Kelly de Schaun, executive director of the Galveston Park Board of Trustees, and she told me that the park should reopen Friday.

While other areas closed by the oil spill such as the Texas City Dike have reopened, there remained a lot of cleanup that forced Seawolf Park to remain closed. Now, it appears operations will resume in time for the big Easter weekend.

With the black drum run still in progress, the park’s closing was frustrating to anglers who target large drum this time of year. It is one of the best spots for bank fishermen to have a good shot at hooking into one of the big uglies, and with the lingering cold winter, chances are good the drum run will extend further into April and possibly early May this year.

Dizzy Green at the Galveston Fishing Pier sent a note saying increasing numbers of bonnet head sharks are being caught from the pier. Sand bar pups, redfish and sand trout also are being landed.

The beach water temperature was set back by the recent cold front and on Wednesday was down to the mid-60s. A quick warm-up is expected with the strong southerly winds and warmer weather in the forecast.

John Satterwhite of San Leon sent a note saying he has fished the annual black drum run for many years and had always found crab, live or broken in half, to be the best bait for the big, oversized fish.

 He now is adding crawfish to that category as he has been using them for bait and has landed several big drum.

His method is to take live crawfish and crush the head before placing it on the hook. He normally uses two or three at a time.

Satterwhite said the Texas City Dike and at the Bolivar Gas Wells is where he landed the biggest fish.

Galveston fishing report

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Monday’s cold front and its accompanying low temperatures and high winds took its toll on fishing; however, the good news is that those conditions are not lingering and a quick warm-up should follow.

The extended forecast is the first I have observed this year that does not show a cold front headed our way during the next 10 days. It is about time we get back to normal.

The water temperature will have a setback with the cold air; however, the long, sunny days and return to southerly winds will result in a fast warm-up, and that is what we need to get fishing on par with what it should be this late in April.

Nice trout were caught Monday and it appears that they are in a spawning mode.

Bulldog’s Bait Shop reported a catch of 12 trout to 25 inches from West Bay by two anglers named Corey and Tausha. Bulldog, owner of the bait shop, said the girths on the trout were huge, yet the weight of the 25-inch fish was only 6 pounds. Live shrimp was the bait.

Along the beach front, large sandbar sharks continue to be caught. Tommy Pata fished the 61st Street Fishing Pier and landed one measuring 6 feet and lost one estimated at 8 feet. Cut bait was used for both fish.

Last week, there were a couple of windows of fishable conditions offshore and, in addition to our local party boats, two private boats ventured out to test the waters.

Capt. Raymond Martin along with guests Pat Miller and Sandra Howell headed to wells and platforms in the vicinity of the old Buccaneer Field where they caught a number of red snapper that were released. Martin said about half of the fish were undersized, with the largest estimated to weigh approximately 8 pounds.

Other fish caught included Gulf trout, spadefish, triggerfish and shark.

The Naughty Lady, skippered by Milton Klein, made an offshore trip east of the jetties where Klein and his family enjoyed action on a variety of reef fish including bull reds, spadefish, gulf trout and some unidentified species, all of which were released. The highlight of the maiden voyage for the boat was a ling circling while the group fished near a platform 28 miles out. The big cobia, as it is also called, was not interested in any of the baits tossed in its direction.

Galveston fishing report

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Last weekend, fishing was spotty, and results depended on where you fished; however, certain areas did produce some nice catches.

The jetties and areas along the Galveston Ship Channel produced a variety of fish including reds, black drum, sheepshead and other pan fish.

John Sabo used live shrimp to land limits of sheepshead to larger than 5 pounds with his son Paul.

The action took place late Sunday morning just inside the North Jetty Boat Cut on the Gulf side.

Sand trout, black drum and stingrays were the catch for Roland Barnes, who fished the Galveston channel near the Texas A&M University at Galveston campus.

Capt. James Plaag, Silver King Adventures, said this week was a typical spring with anglers fighting the weather.

On Sunday, he did place his guests into limits of trout to 5 pounds. The fish were caught on top waters, and Plaag said it was the best topwater bite of the year.

Bone Mirrolure She Dogs and 7M floating Mirrolures were the baits.

On Thursday, Plaag’s group landed 17 reds to larger than 8 pounds while wade fishing.

Saturday, both of Galveston’s major party boats hit the Gulf and returned with nice catches.

The party boat New Buccaneer with Capt. Smitty Smith at the helm made a 70-mile trip with 99 anglers aboard. Its catch included 385 vermilion or b-line snapper, eight mangroves, five lane snapper, five scamps, 45 triggerfish 12 tomtates and a variety of other reef fish.

Inshore trips on the Cavalier resulted in reds and gafftop.

The party boat Capt. John hosted 76 anglers to a 50-mile trip where Capt. Jill Williams found fish in 115 feet of water.

Its catch included red snapper limits to 20 pounds, four sharpnose sharks and three vermilion snapper.

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Anglers hitting the water early Sunday found wind levels a bit strong for fishing and many tossed in the towel and headed home.

Those that stayed around saw conditions settle late-morning and a drop in wind velocities that created excellent conditions for fishing.

The water temperature is hovering around 70 degrees at most points around Galveston; however, you can expect another temporary setback this week as a cold front is forecast for later today.

Fishing has been picking up with the warming waters and reports of good catches are coming from grassy shorelines and back lakes.

Hank Meadows wade fished the Offatts Bayou shoreline just west of the airport and caught a limit of slot reds using Strike Pro Hunchbacks and Baby Busters.

Horseshoe Lake on Bolivar Peninsula near the ferry landing has been producing scattered reds for anglers using live fingerling mullet and shrimp for bait.

John Hathaway and a friend caught two slot reds, three rat reds and an undersized flounder while fishing protected waters around the lake early Sunday.

Only the slot reds were retained.

The East End Lagoon is another spot that has been holding some nice fish. Reports from anglers fishing near Boedecker Drive have indicated good catches of reds, black drum, stingrays, gafftop and other pan fish.

On Friday the party boat Capt. John made a 55-mile trip offshore where Capt. Johnny Williams found fish for his guests in 115 feet of water.

The 40 anglers aboard caught their limits of red snapper to 19 pounds along with a lone jack crevalle that weighed 25 pounds.

Galveston fishing report

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Each week for the past month, we have been dealing with the same weather pattern; a cold front moving through that temporarily sets fishing back with its strong north winds and colder temperatures.

Monday, yet another of those setbacks is forecast to hit our area. In recent cases, the effects did not linger as long as they did a month or so ago.

We will have to stop fishing for a couple of days; however, by midweek, conditions should again start improving.

Today looks like the best bet for action until later this week.

Wind velocity could be an issue; however, we will be dealing with southerly winds that offer more protected areas than winds from other directions.

Black drum continue to make the fishing news with a crop of larger fish hitting the jetties Saturday.

Anglers willing to deal with moderate winds found the big uglies all around the North Jetty and along the rocks near the U.S. Coast Guard Station.

Lee Evans and two companions landed three large black drum while fishing on the channel side of the North Jetty about 75 to 100 yards directly out from the boat cut. Broken crab and large squid were the baits.

The Fleener’s Flats area between the North and South jetties produced good-sized black drum in the 35- to 48-inch range for Gale Floyd and Jeff Jefferson.

The two anglers have fished that area for reds during late summer and fall for more than 30 years and this is their first time finding huge black drum there. The baits were live fingerling mullet and pieces of large fresh mullet.

Oscar Stone sent a note saying flounder fishing has been good on Chocolate Bayou near Liverpool.

 The flat fish have been caught in grassy areas along the bayou by anglers using live shrimp for bait.

Thursday, Capt. Jill Williams took 54 anglers aboard the party boat Capt. John to fishing grounds 55 miles offshore where full limits of red snapper to 19 pounds were caught along with 15 sharp nose sharks.

Galveston fishing report

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Large sandbar sharks are appearing in the surf along with other warm water fish, and that is a sign that our summertime fishing patterns are not far behind.

Three of the sharks in the 6- to 8-foot range were caught earlier this week, along with a large jack crevalle.

Whiting, bull reds, sheepshead and black drum rounded out the other fish being taken from the surf.

Friday, James Perez of Houston landed a 38-inch black drum from the pier using crab for bait.

The jetties turned on with black drum action Friday as several boats reported catching and releasing “big uglies” in the 24- to 40-pound range.

Brannon Cox and Jackie Mays fished near the end of the North Jetty and landed two drum in the 30- to 40-pound range. Both fish were taken using large whiting cut in half. A lone 30-inch bull red was tagged and released.

Near the boat cut, black drum were biting with both oversized and undersized fish being caught.

Carlos Hemphill and his son Bobby used cut bait to land eight drum in the 16- to 32-inch range, releasing all but three in the slot range of 14 to 30 inches. Several large sheepshead were caught and released with dead shrimp taking all of the “jail birds.”

Trout action near the mouth of Campbell’s Bayou turned on briefly Friday for Mark Herrera and Sergio Sanchez.

The anglers from Texas City used live shrimp fished under popping corks to land eight trout within 30 minutes while drifting near the shore on both sides of the cut into Swan Lake.

Herrera said the fish were in a feeding frenzy for a while and when it ended, not another bite the rest of the morning.

Anglers fishing near the causeway were taking sheepshead, black drum and scattered specks according to a report from Galveston Bait and Tackle.

Galveston fishing report

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Anglers are becoming frustrated with the erratic weather we have been experiencing this year and questioning if a normal fishing season is ahead during the next several months.

Well, Gerald Hancock might have shed some light on this in his note about his fishing calendar log during the past 40 years.

Hancock compares this year to 1973, when the winter weather lasted longer than usual and was colder overall than this year.

At that time, several years of warmer-than-usual winters had prevailed along the Upper Texas Coast, and it appeared anglers were headed for an unusual year of fishing.

Sometime around Memorial Day that year, warm to hot weather settled in and fishing busted wide open.

While Hancock did not mention anything about the spring black drum run or other fish being caught, it appeared that trout, reds and other saltwater fish were hovering around the jetties before Memorial Day.

Hancock mentioned a tournament that took place the big holiday weekend of 1973 and said there were lots of trout, reds, flounder, sheepshead and other fish weighed in.

The bait camp at the Galveston Yacht club was swarming with participants, their families and representatives of the media.

At that time, I was a schoolteacher, and the Memorial Day weekend was in the middle of preparing for the end of school for the summer months.

Taking a break from studying for finals, I made a trip to Galveston to view the weigh-in that began at 3 p.m.

While there were not a lot of fish weighed in, the thing that impressed me was the party boats returning with their stingers of red snapper, king mackerel and ling hanging from the decks.

It wasn’t until late June that I could get back into fishing; however, when that happened, the year turned out to be excellent for fishing.

Let’s hope that this year is a repeat of the fabulous fishing of 1973.

Galveston fishing report

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There wasn’t much activity on the water Wednesday, although the weather was about as nice as it gets this time of year. Northerly winds associated with Tuesday’s cold front did not last long, and a quick switch to the south took place. Beautiful conditions prevailed in the surf and, with the clear water settling in, look for some good fishing to ensue.

April, much like September, is a transition month for fishing along the Upper Texas Coast. It is a time when fish start changing from the winter patterns and the warmer waters accelerate activity.

Bait is the key to bringing in the fish. Keep an eye on the beach front, and when large numbers of shrimp boats are dragging their nets within a few miles of the beach, the bait is moving.

Another sign of the annual change is in the swarms of glass minnows along the shores of the bays.

 We are seeing that now.

The black drum run remains in progress and likely will be around longer this year as our cold winter delayed the spawning.

One of the first signs of warmer water will be the arrival of jack crevalle. Those tackle busters will be living up to their reputation soon. It probably will take water temperatures a few degrees warmer to bring them into the bays.

Speaking of water temperature, this year we keep swinging back and forth, above and below, 70 degrees as each cold front tends to set us back a bit. Based on the extended forecast, it appears that this pattern will be with us for a little while longer.

In response to Wednesday’s article about popping corks, Ed Majors sent a note asking about Mansfield Maulers. Majors has used them for years and asked if they operated on the same principal of sound as popping corks.

Actually, Mansfield Maulers were not developed as a popping cork device. They were invented by a fishing guide whose customers were frequently hanging up in the grassy shores that attract reds. The Mauler was intended to be used to keep the baits, both artificial and live, suspended high enough to prevent snags.

When placed into operation the first time, a totally new tool was discovered that worked as both a suspension device and a sound maker. They remain one of my favorite baits in calm, shallow waters.

Galveston fishing report

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Winds, at times exceeding gale force velocities, shut down fishing on Tuesday. Once the wind settles, we likely will be dealing with extraordinary low tide levels until a wind shift to the south or east takes place.

Frank Ritche sent a note asking a question that often comes from readers. Ritche said he knows popping corks are one of the most popular and productive ways of fishing for trout and reds; however, he has used them many times and has only caught a hard head and gafftop. “Can you give some tips on how to use them?” he asked.

Ritche’s experience with popping corks is not uncommon, especially among newcomers to using the technique.

First, many anglers associate them with bobbers used in freshwater fishing where the main purpose is to let you know when a fish is nibbling on the bait. Popping corks, used properly, are considered a technique for attracting fish.

The popping sound that comes from a quick jerk of the cork resembles a trout popping the surface in pursuit of a baitfish or shrimp. The key to success with a popping cork is to imitate the sound of a fish popping the surface.

Besides the sound, popping corks keep a live shrimp or finfish suspended in the water and when the sound attracts a fish to the spot, bait is present.

The sizes of the corks are a factor. The large corks work best in deeper waters and in choppy conditions. Smaller corks are preferred in shallower waters where the sound does not need to be as loud.

The length of the leader is important. A longer leader is needed in deeper waters, while a shorter one is preferred when working the birds in the bay or drifting feeding slicks.

I have used leader lengths from 12 inches (when working the birds or fishing shallow grassy areas) to 5 feet (once when fishing the Bolivar Gas Wells when “Kraut Grass” was thick near the bottom). Normally, a length of 18 to 24 inches is the most common used around the Galveston Bay Complex.

For newcomers, I recommend the commercial popping corks rigged and ready for use. A monofilament leader is my preference over coated wire. Once the beginner starts, it is not long before they begin making their own rigs with all sorts of variations.

Hooks are also important. Use as small a hook as possible to allow the bait to move freely. Sizes 6 and 8 treble hooks are very popular.

Galveston fishing report

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A window of good fishing took place Sunday afternoon at several spots and lasted until the wind shifted to the north.

Christmas Bay, a popular area that we have not heard much about lately, produced some nice slot reds and flounder.

The reports came from Christmas Point and Mud Cut. The anglers named Bruce and Maurice, both from Sea Isle, used Norton Sand Eels and small gold spoons with pink buck tails for bait.

Moses Lake was a good spot for reds Sunday afternoon, according to a report from The Fish Spot.

Several anglers using a variety of natural baits took limits and near limits of slot reds along with a few black drum.

The beach water temperature still is having problems exceeding 70-degree readings as the frequent cold fronts this season keep pushing the temperature back.

Monday morning, the water was back below 70 degrees; however, later this week we should see a warming trend that will be good for fishermen.

Richard Belleau, 61st Street Fishing Pier, reported the water at that location hovering around 70 degrees and said once it warms a bit, specks will begin making their appearance in the surf.

Sunday, Belleau’s customers were catching bull reds, black drum, whiting, sand trout and gafftop.

Boaters docking their boats at Southshore Marina on Clear Lake have been reporting good catches of reds from their slips, especially around lights during the evening hours. Cut bait and various artificials were mentioned as the baits.

Chris Watkins sent a note asking when live croaker works best for fishing. Watkins has used them many times to catch trout and finds them superior to other baits. He said none of his friends use croaker during the winter and is curious as to why.

While I do not fish with live croakers often, it is always summer when trout are deep when the small finfish works best for me. One of the keys to determining when it is best to use a particular bait is to learn the feeding patterns of the fish.

Croaker are found in the bays in the largest numbers during the summer and fall months. That likely is the key to deciding on when to use them or any other live bait.

Galveston fishing report

Galveston Fishing Charter Company

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Conditions began improving late Sunday morning as the wind dropped to tolerable levels for fishing.

It came a little late to save the day for anglers wanting to hit the water early as strong winds dominated the scene Sunday morning.

The foggy and overcast conditions discouraged others from launching; however, the few that did found some excellent fishing.

Jerry Middleton was encouraged when he saw the wind drop and headed to the North Jetty just before noon. Middleton said the tide was high and water clarity marginal, yet he and his neighbor Fred Kennedy landed five black drum, all in the 16- to 22-inch range, along with several sheepshead. Live shrimp was the bait.

The Cedars of Pelican Island along the Galveston Ship Channel was productive for Jay Reeves and Marty Green who used dead shrimp to land black drum, sand trout, whiting and a stingray. The action took place Sunday afternoon.

Yet another frontal system is headed our direction. While it will not be bringing cold weather, strong northerly winds will accompany it. Remember, this is April and every year we have to deal with these weather patterns.

The good news is that it appears that the effects will not linger as the forecast calls for fishable conditions on Wednesday.

Redfish anglers should mark their calendars for April 26 for the Texas Shoot-Out Chorizo Redfish Fishing Tournament Series. The event is from 6 a.m. until 4 p.m. with weigh-in at Taqueria El Nopalito at 15323 Gulf Freeway. For information, call Lee Garcia at 281-741-0745.

Galveston fishing report

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Saturday was not the most pleasant day for anglers to be on the water.

Unfortunately, it was the day of the annual Point Fishing Tournament, headquartered at the Galveston Yacht Basin.

Lots of participants fished for prizewinning black drum; however, the catch this year was below par compared to past tournaments.

Moderate-to-strong northeast winds and overcast conditions were the culprits in keeping many other anglers off the water. Reports from bait camps around the area indicated poor fishing overall.

Galveston Bait and Tackle’s only report of fish came from anglers fishing the rocks below the causeway bridge where black drum, sheepshead and gafftop were caught.

Bulldog’s Bait Shop reported slow action in the surf, with mainly pan fish being taken by anglers fishing the rock groins and beach-front fishing piers.

If last week’s action is any indication of what we can expect when conditions settle, the jetties are the place to fish.

Reports from 3-G Charters at the bait camp by the same name indicated that their charters had landed good numbers of black drum, reds of all sizes and large sheepshead at both jetties.

April can be one of the most frustrating months to fish with the constantly changing weather and moderate winds. This is the windiest month of the year when the average wind speed is higher than all other months.

The best approach, if your schedule is flexible, is to watch for windows of good conditions and take advantage of them. Checking the five-day weather forecast is a good way to plan your trips.

Galveston fishing report

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Another cold front crossed the Galveston area Friday bringing sustained winds in the 20-knot range most of the day.

Fishing was almost non-existent and, with the high probability of rain today, it is hard to be optimistic about the weekend outlook.

Thursday there was some good action in the surf, Upper West Bay, East Bay and near Sylvan Beach.

Richard Belleau reported black drum, sand trout, whiting and gafftop being caught at the 61st Street Fishing Pier.

Farther east along the rock groins, across from Academy Sports+ Outdoors, specks were caught early in the day.

Peter Dehart of Texas City used live shrimp to land four solid specks and a sheepshead that Dehart estimated to weigh well more than 5 pounds.

Sonya Redding and her friend Carol Melcher fished from a lighted dock in Harborwalk on Thursday night and landed eight trout and two slot reds. Live shrimp was the bait.

Galveston Bait and Tackle reported several anglers with nice stringers of trout caught around the Causeway and Railroad Bridges. Live shrimp fished under popping corks was the bait and method used.

Cole Sparks of La Porte wade fished the flats near Sylvan Beach early Friday and landed three specks to 21 inches before the wind shifted to the north. She Dogs and Hot Spots were the baits.

Over in East Bay, action has been picking up around the mid-bay reefs when the wind is not strong.

Peppers Reef in particular was productive for Gerald Nance and Jim Wallace. The anglers from Bolivar used Bass Assassins Sea Shads to catch nine trout to 4 pounds and a 24-inch black drum that was released.

Rollover Pass produced a stringer of three large gafftop, two flounder and two sheepshead for Tommy Harper of Port Arthur, who fishes that pass almost weekly.

Galveston fishing report

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The magic 70-degree temperature has finally arrived.

Wednesday, the beach water temperature hit that mark, and now we can count on fishing continuing to improve.

Trout are beginning to get lively with the warming water and reports from several locations indicate that action is picking up.

Tuesday afternoon, trout were in a feeding frenzy in upper West Bay near Confederate Reef.

You might recall my short trip that produced five nice specks. Well. how many of you have had this to happen to you?

Wednesday, the conditions were almost identical to Tuesday and I headed out around the same time to the same spots with the same bait.

The only change was bait fish (glass minnows) were not noticeable near the shoreline this time. That had to be the difference because after more than an hour of casting a speck rig with yellow and white jigs, I only had one hit, and it was a small red. Trout do like to follow schools of bait.

Jetty Joe, Galveston Bait and Tackle, reported good trout catches from the causeway area. Perhaps that is where the schools have moved.

Ryan Schroeder and Zack Enger used live shrimp fished under popping corks to land 15 trout near the causeway bridge.

Jeremiah at The Fish Spot on Moses Lake said the flood gates are again open following the oil spill and trout and reds are hitting.

On April 12, the fifth annual West Bay Blackjack Tournament and Fundraiser takes place. The event will be held at the West End Restaurant & Sand Bar in Sea Isle. Registration fee is $80 per angler with weigh-in at 3 p.m. The fundraiser benefits the Gary J. Lynn Foundation for Research and Cure of Cerebral Palsy. For information call 713-594-4252.

Blackjack tournaments are contests where the winning fish comes closest to measuring 21 inches without going over.

Galveston fishing report

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Spring is finally arriving around the Galveston Bay Complex. The water temperature is creeping toward the magic 70-degree mark, and fishing this month is looking promising.

Almost every time I mention the “magic 70-degree mark” readers inquire about what is so magic about that temperature. The answer lies in the reaction of fishermen and fish to that reading.

Experienced coastal fishermen know we are coming out of winter when the water temperature, that has varied from the 40s to the 60s, nears 70 degrees. That’s when summertime fishing is on its way.

Actually, most anglers like to see readings of 75 degrees and higher in the surf before they get excited about packing the gear and heading to the beach front.

Soon, we will hear of ling making their spring migration close to the beach front. Anglers fishing the jetties and beach-front fishing piers are the most likely to hook up with one of the early arrivals.

Jack crevalle are another of the fish that arrive early and provide some real (I should say “reel”) test for your light tackle.

When the big jacks arrive, they will make their way into the bays as well as roam the jetties and surf.

Soon following will be Spanish mackerel, an occasional king mackerel and various species of shark.

Richard Belleau reported whiting, bull reds and black drum being landed at the 61st Street Fishing Pier on Tuesday. It will not be surprising to hear of ling or jack crevalle in his report later this month.

Capt. Paul Marcaccio, one of our longtime guides around the Galveston Bay Complex, sent a note saying recent days have been “lights-out” for trout longer than 25 inches. One of his customers landed a 30-inch sow, while several have taken fish 27 inches and longer. The big fish have been landed both wading and fishing from a boat.

Marcaccio said he has never caught a 30-inch trout in Galveston Bay.

Galveston fishing report

Galveston fishing charter company

832-917-FISH(3474)

www.galvestonfishingchartercompany.com

Spring is finally arriving around the Galveston Bay Complex. The water temperature is creeping toward the magic 70-degree mark, and fishing this month is looking promising.

Almost every time I mention the “magic 70-degree mark” readers inquire about what is so magic about that temperature. The answer lies in the reaction of fishermen and fish to that reading.

Experienced coastal fishermen know we are coming out of winter when the water temperature, that has varied from the 40s to the 60s, nears 70 degrees. That’s when summertime fishing is on its way.

Actually, most anglers like to see readings of 75 degrees and higher in the surf before they get excited about packing the gear and heading to the beach front.

Soon, we will hear of ling making their spring migration close to the beach front. Anglers fishing the jetties and beach-front fishing piers are the most likely to hook up with one of the early arrivals.

Jack crevalle are another of the fish that arrive early and provide some real (I should say “reel”) test for your light tackle.

When the big jacks arrive, they will make their way into the bays as well as roam the jetties and surf.

Soon following will be Spanish mackerel, an occasional king mackerel and various species of shark.

Richard Belleau reported whiting, bull reds and black drum being landed at the 61st Street Fishing Pier on Tuesday. It will not be surprising to hear of ling or jack crevalle in his report later this month.

Capt. Paul Marcaccio, one of our longtime guides around the Galveston Bay Complex, sent a note saying recent days have been “lights-out” for trout longer than 25 inches. One of his customers landed a 30-inch sow, while several have taken fish 27 inches and longer. The big fish have been landed both wading and fishing from a boat.

Marcaccio said he has never caught a 30-inch trout in Galveston Bay.