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Wednesday, July 30, 2008

While the red snapper fishery closing in Federal waters is less than a week away, Capt. Johnny Williams seems to be making a great effort for it to end with a bang. Today, he took the 76 fishermen aboard the partyboat Capt. John to the same general area as he did in the past few days. The first stop made today was about 50 miles to the SE of The Island. They fished the 150 ft. water column over several rocks and a wreck, using sardine or cut squid baits. Not only did they wind in a red snapper limit for all 76 fishermen, one of the red snapper was a really nice sow of 27#. Today's total catch was made up of:

152 red snapper to 27#, a boat limit.
7 lane snapper
1 vermilion snapper
4 gray triggerfish
1 rockhind grouper
1 gag grouper

How long will these red snapper full boat limits continue? Hopefully, for at least five more days, the length of time before the red snapper fishery in Federal waters closes for 2008. To get in on some of this last red snapper action, give the Capt. John's office at Galveston's Pier 19 a call, 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853 will get you in touch with the office staff to make your reservations. Time is running out.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

The partyboat Capt. John's destination for today's fishing was a series of rock formations about 60 miles SE of Galveston Island. Capt. Johnny Williams had the 80 fishermen working their Spanish sardine and squid baits throughout the 150 ft. deep water column. Their combined efforts had this catch coming up through the clear blue water, over the rails and into the iced fish boxes:

160 red snapper to 9#, with many of 5-8#, a boat limit for 80 fishermen.
8 lane snapper
6 vermilion snapper
42 dolphin(dorado)
4 gray triggerfish
11 kingfish
16 Atlantic sharpnose sharks
1 Warsaw grouper of 12#
1 ling of 50#

Once again, Capt. Johnny Williams put a nearly full boat on a multi-species catch which included a red snapper limit. How long could the red snapper part of the catch continue? Only 7 more days in Federal waters for 2007; that's when it closes. Give the office a call at 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853 - the Capt. John's reservations office staff at Pier 19 are waiting for your call, especially if red snapper is of interest to you - make your reservations today.

Monday, July 28, 2008

With Capt. Johnny Williams at the helm of the partyboat Capt. John for today's offshore fishing trip, the 75 fishermen aboard were headed for a series of rock formations in 125 ft. of water, about 60 miles south of The Island. While the water was still a clear blue, the current was running a bit harder than it was in this area the past few days -- this change in current strength makes fishing more difficult.

The fishermen's efforts, along with their squid and sardine baits, brought in this catch from throughout the water column:

64 red snapper to 8#
7 Lane snapper
98 vermilion snapper
1 ling
2 kingfish
3 Atlantic sharpnose sharks
7 gray triggerfish
21 dolphin (dorado)to 10#
1 scamp grouper
1 gag grouper - 12#

Payton Martin, Oklahoma City, had a red snapper limit to 8# and the 12# gag grouper. Down from Oklahoma for a visit, Payton, who worked on the deck of the Capt. John last year, couldn't resist the call of a day's offshore fishing.
Tim Martin, Payton's Dad, was along on today's trip; his red snapper limit went to 5#.

There's only seven days left for the red snapper fishery to be open in Federal waters...enough said on the subject...if you're interested in red snapper. it's been nice to see, over the past few days, that some dolphin (dorado), scamp, gag and Warsaw grouper groupers have been showing up in the reports, along with a few ling. Not knowing who's going to catch what, at any stop, is one of the real attractions of offshore fishing. If you don't think this is true, look at 10 year old Blake Jones's 21# sow he caught yesterday on his second offshore trip. Another of the great attractions to offshore partyboat fishing is meeting and making a lot of new friends and seeing old ones. Get out there and experience it for yourself. Call the Capt. John's reservations office at Galveston's Pier 19 to get in on the experience. The phones will ring at 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853 and get you headed in the right direction.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Today's offshore fishing catch on the partyboat Capt. John certainly rates a WOW! The fisherman with the biggest WOW! was 10 year old Blake Jones. Blake and his dad Jerry were on the Capt. John yesterday - you might remember the comment "Jerry and Blake are now hooked and can't wait to go again" from Saturday's report. They didn't wait long, they were just lip-hooked Saturday, but I imagine they're both deep-hooked forever now. By the way, Blake's sow red snapper weighed 21 lbs....that's a lot of WOW, especially for a 10 year old.

Capt. Johnny Williams had the 81 fishermen on today's trip working their baits over rock formations about 50 miles to the south of The Island in 110 ft. of clear blue water. Squid and sardine baits fished throughout the water column produced an outstanding multi-species catch which included:

162 red snapper to 21#, the 3 heaviest came in at 18-19 and 21#, a boat limit for all 81 fishermen.

16 vermilion snapper

9 lane snapper

3 mangrove snapper to 15# - The Texas Record is 18.67# and the I.G.F.A. All Tackle World Record is listed as 17#.

6 Atlantic sharpnose sharks
4 kingfish
4 dolphin (dorado)
1 scamp grouper
1 gag grouper
1 Warsaw grouper

That's a catch total that certainly qualifies as multi-species -- along with that, throw in those groupers and the three heaviest red snapper and that 15 lb. mangrove...nice.

Jerry Jones and 10 yr. old son Blake from Bedford had red snapper limits and everyone else's were topped by Blake's 21# sow.
Rita Baumann, Texas City; her red snapper limit went to 10#, she also had the trip's heaviest mangrove snapper, a really nice 15 pounder.
Jerry Deguzman, Houston, had a red snapper limit to 19#, the day's second heaviest.
Douglas Tigtig, Houston, with a red snapper limit to 8#.

Today's trip into the calm Gulf waters was a great one that had Capt. Williams putting the Capt. John exactly where it needed to be - location, location, location - is as key an element in offshore fishing success as it is in real estate. Make your reservations on the Capt. John and see what neighborhood you get to fish in. The numbers to call to get connected to the office staff at Galveston's Pier 19 area 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853. Don't forget that the "Red snapper clock" is ticking fast. Only eight more days remain for the red snapper fishery to be open in federal waters; make the reservation call today.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Having only a slow swell of 2 feet or so to contend with made for a smooth ride on the partyboat Capt. John today. Leaving Pier 19 with 81 fishermen aboard and later entering the open Gulf, Capt. Johnny Williams pointed the Capt. John's twin hulls in a southerly direction.

After a run of close to 60 miles, we arrived at the fishing area for the day. Clear blue water of about 125 ft. covered the rock formations fished. With a slow but steady bite, a boat limit of red snapper was taken at the two spots fished. Leaving the 125 ft. deep rocks, the run inshore began. Our next and last stop was at a production platform about 20 miles later. Anticipated targets were ling and Atlantic spadefish. The water was sort of a sandy bluegreen. No ling were seen; Atlantic spadefish were but they weren't in much of a mood for biting. Several red snapper were taken from the mid-depths and released, since the boat already had a limit. The combination of what was, and was not, biting quickly made this the last stop.

Using Baits of cut or whole squid, whole Spanish sardines and Snapper Slapper lures, the following catch was wound in and iced down:

162 red snapper to 12#, a boat limit.
23 vermilion snapper
11 lane snapper
1 kingfish
4 Atlantic sharpnose sharks
5 bluerunner
13 Atlantic spadefish

Rob Richardson's group, from Atmos Energy in Dallas - All eleven had red snapper limits which included several of 7 to 11#. One of Rob's hit a sardine-tipped Snapper Slapper at the production platform that was intended for a ling, while blind casting.
Jerry Jones from Bedford, and his 10 year old son Blake, each with red snapper limits on Blake's first offshore fishing trip. Their red snappers weren't the only ones hooked, Jerry and Blake are now hooked and can't wait to go again.
Patrick Lemire - my red snapper limit to 10# was taken on Carolina rigged Spanish sardines, fished at about 100 ft., also included was the trip's only kingfish. It was a small one of about 10# that missed the mono leader and ended up with a circle hook in the corner of its's jaw.

Noting the comment by Jerry & Blake Jones about "Can't wait to go again" - if they can work it in shortly, they can make it come true. Time is definitely a factor at this point. The red snapper fishery in Federal waters will remain open for only a little over a week. The closure will be for about ten months!

To make your reservations on the Capt. John and get in on some of this red snapper fishing before it's too late, give the Pier 19 reservations office a call at 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853. The clock is running on red snapper for 2008 offshore and it's seemingly running faster every day...make the call!