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Friday, September 26, 2008

First – the good news! The Capt. John and Texsun II are undamaged from hurricane Ike. The office, however, didn’t fare so well, with the wave action blowing through the back wall and out the front door, taking virtually everything with it as it flowed through. Both the boats left Galveston the day before Ike made landfall. They were first taken to Port O’Connor with Capt. Johnny Williams at the wheel of the Capt. John, accompanied by Carl Broom. Jillian Williams, Capt. Johnny’s 18 year old daughter, took over the Captain’s chair of the Texsun II, with her friend Steve Patton as First Mate for the trip.

After that 12 hour short run and a rest, both boats continued on to Port Aransas. This time with Capt. Billy Wright at the wheel of the Texsun II. Later, both boats returned to Galveston’s Pier 19 where they are now docked. Attached are photos taken yesterday of the Pier 19 docks and the office. To those of you who have fished with us before, you will notice that the fish cleaning table is out of place. It was much farther out of place than that after Ike. It was brought back after being found between 20th and 21st and Market Street, sitting on the sidewalk. It was spotted by one of the sharp eyed fish cleaners! Even Ike couldn’t destroy Jerry McCullin’s fish cleaning table.

The bad news is that first thoughts of a quick recovery to somewhat normal operations may not be the case, as we are dependent upon the repairs necessary at Pier 19 to accommodate fishermen and their vehicles while they fish with us, a repair that is in the hands of the Port of Galveston. We also have to replace the bait freezer and storage facility. All of this, along with office repairs or replacement are works in progress.

The 36 hour trip scheduled for October 4-5 has been cancelled, and the 18-19 and 25-26 trips in doubt. We will post updates here as repairs are completed and we are able to begin 8 hour trips and 36 hour tuna safaris. However, the office is still taking reservations. Just call 409-762-8808 and talk with the office manager, Dorothy, to schedule future trips, including the tuna safaris planned for October 18-19 and 25-26, or others to be scheduled later.

Galveston has suffered a blow, but as it has in previous storms, the beautiful island will recover, it will just take time.

Saturday, September 06, 2008

This 8 hour offshore fishing trip had Capt. Johnny Williams at the helm. Leaving Galveston's Pier 19 with 51 fishermen aboard, then exiting the Galveston Jetties, Capt. Williams pointed the Capt. John's twin hulls in an easterly direction. Fishing destination for the fishermen and their baits of cut squid or whole Spanish sardines was about 35 miles out. Fishing at production platforms in 55-60 ft. of water produced this catch:

312 Atlantic spadefish
1 Florida pompano
2 lane snapper
3 blue runner

Make your reservations on the Capt. John before calm conditions offshore change due to hurricane Ike being out there. Call 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853 today. Who knows what pluses might be aded to the catches with the possible approach of Ike...come see for yourself. NOTE--36 HOUR TUNA SAFARI SCHEDULE ADDITIONS : OCTOBER 4-5 OCTOBER 18-19 OCTOBER 25-26

Thursday, September 04, 2008

Thursday-Friday, September 4-5. This 36 hour tuna safari by the partyboat Capt. John was headed up by Capt. Johnny Williams & Capt. Mark Yamaguci. Leaving Galveston's Pier 19 Thursday morning with 27 fishermen aboard, a run was begun offshore in a southerly direction . First stop was at rock formations about 75 miles offshore in 175 ft. of water. Cut squid and Spanish sardine baits had vermilion snapper, lane snapper and triggerfish coming up. On this first leg and for the rest of the trip, seas were a foot or less...nice.

Leaving those rock formations, a run was started farther offshore for the overnight tuna fishing, the target area being the Boom Vang Spar production platform, about 127 miles to the south of The Island, in 3,450 ft. of cobalt blue water. Numerous drifts, from the production platform and down current a mile or so, were made overnight. Hoped-for yellowfin tuna didn't materialize but blackfin tuna were there. the majority of blackfin hit chrome diamond jigs of 6 to 8 oz.; the heaviest, a nice 23 pounder, hit a flying fish that was freelined into the current by Hou-Chun Fan.

Leaving the Boom Vang Spar shortly after sunrise Friday began the inshore run to the Salvador Ridge area. Located about 73 miles SSW of the end of the South Jetty in 180 ft. of water, its rocks produced more vermilion snapper, some triggerfish and a rock hind grouper.

The trip's final stop was made over another rock formation in 125 ft. of water, about twenty miles inshore from Salvador Ridge. More vermilion snapper, lane snapper and a few progy came aboard. Total catch for this trip:

127 blackfin tuna to 23#
128 vermilon snapper to 3#
1 rockhind grouper
15 gray triggerfish
5 lane snapper
4 progy

Michael Wagner and his dad, Mike, from Austin & Tumecula, CA, with a combined catch of 15 blackfin tuna, 18 vermilion snapper and 5 gray triggerfish.
Rita Baumann, Texas City - 16 blackfin tuna (8 oz. chrome diamond jig), 10 vermilion snapper, 2 lane snapper, 5 gray triggerfish.
Hou-Chun Fan, Katy - 4 blackfin tuna to 23#(trip's heaviest, hit freelined flying fish), 11 vermilion snapper, 5 gray triggerfish.
Greg Moliere, Houston - 10 blackfin tuna, 9 vermilion snapper, 2 lane snapper, 2 porgy.

At this time, no other 36 hour tuna safaris are scheduled, but more will be in the near future, so check with the Pier 19 reservations office for 36 hour trip scheduling and 8 hor trip availability. The numbers to call are 409--762-8808 or 713-223-4853 to let your interest be known in booking one or more of these great, 36 hour, multi-species tuna safaris!

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Now, for the last 8 hour offshore fishing trip by the partyboat Capt. John before this area is affected by hurricane Gustav: With relatively calm seas that were of little consequence today, Capt. Johnny Williams pointed the Capt. John's twin hulls in an easterly direction after passing through the Galveston jetties. Today's fishing area was to the same general area as yesterday, production platforms about 35 miles out, in 55 to 60 ft. of water. Today's catch by the 41 fishermen aboard was made up of:

363 Atlantic spadefish
1 stingray
3 bluefish
3 lane snapper

To make your post Gustav reservations on the Capt. John, give the office a call at 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853.

Saturday, August 30, 2008

The second to last pre-Gustav 8 hour offshore fishing trip was run today with Capt. Johnny Williams at the helm. The area chosen by Capt. Williams for the day's fishing was a series of production platforms about 35 miles to the east of The Island in 55-60 ft. of water.

The 80 fishermen and their baits managed to coax this catch into joining them on deck:

652 Atlantic spadefish
3 lane snapper
2 bluefish
2 file fish
6 blue runner

Tomorrow's 8 hour offshore fishing trip by the Capt. John will be the last one before effects of Hurricane Gustav arrive in the area. Making your reservations for the "After Gustav" period -- and there is going to be one -- are easy. Give the Capt. John's office at Galveston's Pier 19 a call, 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853. Who knows what Gustav might stir up out there...and what could be in the regular multi-species catch...call the office, get on board in a few days and find out for yourself.