galveston fishing report

Excellent conditions continue to dominate the fishing scene, with light winds and good water quality. If this pattern holds and with the return of double-tide changes today, look for some excellent fishing this weekend.

Friday, Mike Cambiano of La Marque fished the jetties with a friend and landed 18 trout.

Jordan Vidock fished Lower Galveston Bay with her uncle Rick of Tiki Island and ended up with her best trout, a 5.75-pound speck.

Nick Valenti and his son Nicholas fished with Capt. Ron Woods on Friday and, while the redfish action was slow, they managed two bull reds that were tagged and retained. Six sharks to 4 feet rounded out the action for the day.

Flounder were biting early Friday around Cold Pass. Jim Simpson and Carla Moore combined for eight flatfish using live fingerling mullet for bait. Later in the morning, the couple fished the San Luis Pass Bridge and landed two reds and 13 sharks that were released.

It was Moore’s first time to hook into a shark and the first one was quite an experience. A 4- to 5-foot bull shark hit a Spanish mackerel that had taken her mullet and was hooked. The battle lasted 10 minutes before the fish broke off.

Max Gentry called in to say trout action along the Houston Ship Channel spoil banks is picking up. Gentry fished just outside Marker 59 early Friday and landed nine specks to 20 inches, one short of a limit, using live shrimp fished under a popping cork.

Richard Belleau reported catches of gafftop, whiting, blacktip sharks, bull reds and black drum from the 61st Street Fishing Pier.

The Father’s Day weekend looks promising for offshore fishing. The original dates set for this year’s red snapper season were scheduled to close after this weekend; however, a reprieve from the U.S. District Court resulted in an extension until June 28.

Easy limits of quality red snapper are coming from areas 50 miles out and farther.

Fishing report Galveston,tx.

Saturday, the beach front again turned on with action. A flat surf, trout-green water and speckled trout all combined for some great fishing by waders hitting the water at daybreak. An early morning rain shower helped spark action, and the bite was on.

Fred Pearlman and his grandson Alex Cohen fished from Jamaica Beach from 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and landed nine trout to 18 inches, three Spanish mackerel and a bunch of ladyfish, sharks and hardheads. Live shrimp fished under popping corks did the trick.

Johnny Hall fished the Bolivar Pocket early Saturday and landed a limit of slot reds and two speckled trout. Live shrimp fished under a popping cork was the bait.

The Gulf side of the South Jetty was the spot for action Friday afternoon. Steve Fleming, Pat Richards and Matt Moore landed limits of slot reds, two bull reds, lots of sharks, Spanish mackerel and hardheads. Only the slot reds were retained.

East Bay is clearing up nicely and Saturday morning, Dickey Poole and his girlfriend, Agnes Allbritan, fished several of the reefs around Hannah’s and landed 12 specks to more than 4 pounds along with undersized reds, and a jack crevalle. Most of the fish were caught while drifting over shell in 6 to 8 feet of water.

Night fishing along Offatts Bayou was productive Friday as specks were being drawn to underwater lights and lighted piers. Arlo Carpenter fished several spots along the bayou and observed a number of night fishermen both fishing from the piers and from boats. The action really turned on just after midnight.

Carpenter ended his night of fishing with six specks, a slot red and a bull red that was tagged and retained. Free-lined live shrimp was the bait.

Crabbing is improving all around the area with piers located in shallower waters producing the most crabs. Jones Lake also has been producing some nice-sized blue crabs.

Reel Report

Capt. Joe Kent is a columnist for The Daily News. To get your catch in the Reel Report, call 409-683-5273 or email reel.report@galvnews.com.

GALVESTON FISHING

Tuesday was a great day all around. Fishing conditions were near perfect, and Washington Park got the jump start needed to start the ball to rolling.

The first part of the day, I had the pleasure of fishing with three fantastic lady anglers — Elizabeth Kinsey, Rebecca Soots and Sherry Quire joined me for a morning of fishing the jetties. Conditions were just about as good as they get, with trout, reds, flounder, pompano, ladyfish and, of course, hardheads taking our baits. Kinsey was the only one to end up with a Texas Grand Slam.

At 4 p.m., I attended the formal presentation of the Galveston Rotary Club’s $100,000 donation to the city of Galveston for use in rebuilding Washington Park. The ceremony was attended by city dignitaries and a group of supporters of the project. My hat’s off to the Rotarians for making this their centennial project.

In other fishing news, Capt. James Plaag, Silver King Adventures, placed his guests into limits of trout to 6 pounds while fishing deep shell under balls of shad. Red Bass Assassins and She Dogs were the baits.

 A group from Oklahoma and Utah to a productive trip to the jetties Tuesday. Their catch included bull reds and sharks to seven feet in length. Cut mullet was the bait.

While fishing the South Jetty with my guests, we passed Sarah Melcer and her captain anchored at the end of the jetty battling a bull shark. They ended up with six bull sharks and nine gafftop using squid for bait. The sharks were released.

Richard Belleau, 61st Street Fishing Pier, reported catches of whiting, gafftop, slot reds, bull reds, black drum and speckled trout.

The CCA-Texas STAR Fishing Tournament is underway and so far, two tagged reds have been confirmed caught. Both fish came from the Upper Texas Coast.

Hall of Fame Fishing Tourament Report

Fishing conditions rapidly improved following Sunday’s frontal system. The only drawback was a sustained northerly wind that followed the front. While that is not the best wind for fishing most areas of the Galveston Bay Complex, the beach front benefited from it and offered calm waters for wade fishermen. The results were excellent.

Bulldog’s Bait Shop reported limits of trout and reds along with sharks coming from the beach front Monday.  

Fishing the far west end of Galveston Island, Russell Lovell caught six trout to 25 inches and a limit of reds at San Luis Pass.

Stephanie Davies called in to say her husband Everett caught his first speckled trout, a 23-inch sow, along with a 23-inch red while fishing Offatts Bayou last weekend.

Lee Mencacci along with friends Giancarlo Boswell and Matt Millslagle fished the lights of his grandfather’s house on Offatts Bayou on Sunday night and ran into hot action on speckled trout and Gulf trout. Using artificial lures the recent graduates of Texas A&M University landed and released 21 specks and an abundance of silver (Gulf) trout.

Justin King and George Sheehan of Midland on Saturday and despite the strong winds Saturday landed blacktip and spinner sharks, bull reds, large black drum and gafftop. Live shrimp and frozen menhaden were the baits.

Richard Belleau, 61st Street Fishing Pier, reported catches of gafftop, whiting, bull reds, blacktip sharks and lots of crabs.

Red snapper season got off to a good start for the party boat New Buccaneer. Saturday, the opening day, Capt. Matt Smith took a private charter out 50 miles where the 52 anglers limited out on red snapper along with a catch of lane snapper, mangroves, king mackerel, 11 sharks and a 40-pound ling.

Galveston Party Boats other offshore boat, the Cavalier, fished 45 miles out and brought back a catch of 67 red snapper, five vermilions, four lane snapper, a mangrove, king, triggerfish and five sharks.

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Hall of Fame Fishing Tournament

Even with all the wind, we had some pretty good fish come in.

Inshore Division

• Trout  Jason Jordan            7.07
• Redfish    Brian Wimmer     9.20
• Bull Red  Johnny Galvan    33.15
• Flounder  Nathan Chain       5.37
• Stingray  Michael Plitt       133
• Jackfish   Jeffry Gilkes         31.68
• Gafftop     Pam   Wood          6.62

Offshore Division

• Kingfish     Jeffrey Gilkes            47.73
• Shark        Brian Cardwell         465  Tiger
• Ling           Hester Hale             62.56
• Snapper     John Benkenstein    21.04
• Open          John Benkenstein    25.67 

Barracuda    48%  state record

Youth Division

• Crab          Brandon Henscey   8 1/2”
• Croaker      Payton Bailey         1.16
• Hardhead   Demi Hildibrand      2.65
• Piggy          Rylee  Praker            .92
• Sand Trout  Hallie Garner         1.48

Report this weekend galveston

The frontal system that passed through Galveston on Sunday morning was a welcomed event by anglers.

Not only did badly needed rain accompany the system, it brought a halt to the strong southerly winds that have been plaguing anglers recently.

Early Sunday, conditions were calmer than they have been in a number of days.

Anglers who enjoyed the calm spell had mixed results before the rain and lightning drove them back to dock.

Jerry Henderson trailered his 26-foot boat to Galveston on Sunday morning hoping to make it offshore for some red snapper and pelagic fish.

When he checked his marine radio’s weather station, caution was being given to boaters as a fast approaching cold front was on its way.

Henderson changed his plans and fished the Galveston Channel from the Pelican Island Bridge to Seawolf Park.

While his catch was not what he hoped it would be, he and his family took home several filets from sand trout and a 23-inch red.

John Matthews and Alex Azevedo hit the water early Sunday near Fat Rat Pass and wade-fished  until the sky started turning dark.

During their two hours of wading, they landed three speckled trout and a large gafftop using shad imitation Bass Assassins and Gulps.

John Sabo was back on the water after the rain let up Sunday.

He fished the same spots that had been productive for him along the south shoreline of West Bay and ended up with a “goose egg” in numbers.

Sabo attributed the lack of action to the thunder and shifting winds.

“Thunder will easily spook fish in shallow water and run them off,” he said.

Saturday, the CCA-Texas Lady Angler Fishing Tournament took place.

Joy Taylor and Kris Harless won first place in the amateur division and were the only team to get a Texas Grand Slam while using shrimp and croakers under popping corks and Fish Bomb.

Galveston fishing report

Sunday, fishing conditions continued to be excellent, with the wind velocity being the only drawback.
While the direction was from the southeast, which is the best, the velocity hampered anglers’ ability to fish the open bays and certain parts of the jetties. 

Gary Kowalczyk and his sons Michael and John joined me again for a trip to the jetties.

On the way, we stopped by the cedars of Pelican Island and picked up a trout and a pompano.

Those were the only fish of the many we caught that hit live shrimp.

We spent most of our fishing time at one of my favorite spots along the channel side of the North Jetty where shad and live croaker accounted for slot reds, bull reds (tagged and retained), sharks and hardheads. The weather was ideal and the fishing great.

Malcolm Mencacci and his brother Frank fished around Pelican Island on Saturday and caught two limits of reds while releasing bull reds.

Two specks to 20 inches, a 5-pound sheepshead and a black drum rounded out their catch.

The action took place using mullet and shrimp in 4 to 6 feet of water.

Pam and Rocky Vail fished the South Jetty on Friday and found the action to be the best that it has been for a long while.

Reds were prolific and they retained their limits of slot reds. Additionally, they caught three jack crevalle, a speckled trout, Spanish mackerel and pompano.

Saturday, the couple returned to the jetties and found the water not as clear.

Lots of ladyfish, sheepshead and gafftop were caught along with three reds and two trout that were retained.

Bobby Lakey of Bonah fished with on Sunday and landed a bull red while fishing with shad at the concrete ship.

Kevin Stephenson and Ben Stephenson fished Clear Lake on Saturday where they caught six reds and two flounder.

Julie Mims and her deckhand husband, Joe, fished the jetties where she landed a big jack crevalle using a Zebco 808 spin-cast reel.

Perfect conditions for fishing this week..

Clear, green water, light winds and good tidal movement — that combination is almost always a given for red hot trout action, and Thursday was no exception.

That perfect combination resulted in reports of excellent catches of trout and other fish from all around the Galveston Bay complex.

Eugene Dodson, Galveston Fishing Pier, said the trout action Wednesday night was unbelievable. Everyone fishing from the pier caught trout using both live and artificial baits. Lots of customers were limiting out.

“The trout are in” he said.

Bulldog’s Bait Shop also reported trout thick in the surf. Live croaker were taking specks to more than 7 pounds, with pompano and reds also being caught.

Glenn Goff, Galveston Bait and Tackle, said 9-pound trout were being taken from the surf on live croakers. All of the trout coming to his cleaning table from the surf, and elsewhere were all big fish.

Sam Childs of Friendswood was one of the happy anglers who fished the railroad bridge. Using croaker for bait, he limited out on trout within 11⁄2 hours. None was less than 24 inches in length.

NOAA Fisheries announced the dates of this year’s Gulf of Mexico red snapper season. Texas will have a 17-day season beginning June 1 and ending at 12:01 a.m. June 18

The two other maverick states that have separate regulations for their state water, Louisiana and Florida, with have 24- and 26-day seasons, respectively.

Mississippi and Alabama, the states that parrot their red snapper regulations to the federal rules, will each have a 34-day season.

The big CCA-Texas Star Fishing Tournament begins Saturday, and this year we have more weigh stations around Galveston. Locations are Stingaree Marina at Crystal Beach, Marburgers Sporting Goods in Seabrook, Pelican Rest Marina at 7819 Broadway and West End Marina at Sea Isle on West Galveston Island.