Galveston fishing report 2-6-15

Galveston Fishing Charter Company

832-917-FISH(3474)

 

www.galvestonfishingchartercompany.com

The upcoming weekend should allow anglers to give the jetties and the surf a good test to see where we are on this year’s black drum run. While we are a month or more away from the time when the peak of black drum fishing occurs, we are at a point where a large number of the fish usually have arrived.

During windows of suitable fishing weather, encouraging reports were received that indicated the presence of the “big uglies” around the jetties and surf.

Boats fishing along the Galveston Ship Channel this weekend should start seeing the migration in that area and anglers fishing Seawolf Park also should find action on the big brutes as well as slot drum in the 14 to 30-inch range.

Drum larger than 30 inches in length must be released with the exception of one fish over 52 inches. The purpose of the exception is to allow for a possible new state record black drum to be caught. The current record is 81 pounds, with a length of 51.18 inches and was set in 1988.

The bag limit on black drum is five per day per angler.

During the annual run, a larger number of oversized drum are caught, as the fish are spawning and the brood stock of huge females is making its way down the channel.

Care needs to be given in the catching and release of the fish to ensure a safe return to the water and a productive spawn. Limited handling is a must in order to keep the protective slime coat intact and circle hooks definitely do less damage to the fish than conventional “J” and treble hooks.

One question that always pops up from readers this time of year is “Is it safe to eat fish containing worms?” Larger black drum often carry the parasites and we will address this in an upcoming Reel Report.