Galveston fishing report

Galveston fishing charter company

832-917-FISH(3474)

www.galvestonfishingchartercompany.com

Bull red time is approaching, and it won’t be long before the first major run of reds in the surf takes place.

Beginning in early September, reds start making their way to the surf and jetties where they stack up in anticipation of their annual spawn.

Several key elements send signals to the big fish that it is time to spawn. Shorter periods of sunlight resulting in shorter days, a drop in water temperature and weather conditions like those that have settled on the Texas Coast this week combine to say it is time to spawn.

While the spawn is not continuous, it lasts well past October and is activated by rough weather that creates a choppy to rough surf. During late September and October, I have been on the beach front fishing piers and at times observed almost every angler battling a big red.

Before Hurricane Ike closed the Flagship Fishing Pier, there were times when there were so many tangled fishing lines in the water caused by the big fish weaving through them that fishing came close to a standstill.

The same situation likely occurs today at the two remaining piers, the 61st Street Fishing Pier and the Galveston Fishing Pier.

Before 1980 — before size limits were placed on reds — there were occasions when piles of bull reds could be observed on the fishing piers as anglers took as many as they could handle during some of the massive runs.

Today, red fish longer than 28 inches are catch-and-release, with the exception of one fish longer than 28 inches allowed with a special tag attached to it that is included with Texas fishing licenses.

The big fish are exciting to catch and need to be handled carefully and released as quickly as possible.

The disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico that has been dominating our weather lately just might trigger our first big run.