Page 32 of 51

Friday, May 30, 2008

This 36 hour tuna safari by the Capt. John partyboat was run with Capt. Tony Langston at the helm, with Capt. Dan Bunday aboard as the second required captain on these extended length trips.

Leaving Galveston's Pier 19 with 30 fishermen Friday morning and making the run through the Galveston channel, the trip began. This was to be one of those trips with somewhat calm seas of 2-4 ft. forecast.

The trip's first stops Friday afternoon were at several production platforms about 75 miles to the south of The Island, in 300-400 ft. of water. These stops produced amberjack, Warsaw grouper, almaco jack and a 25 lb. wahoo.

After leaving these platforms, the journey farther offshore for the overnight tuna began. The tuna fishing was done during multiple drifts in the area of the Boom Vang Spar production platform. This platform is about 130 miles to the south of The Island, in 3,450 ft. of water. The yellowfin and blackfin tuna were home. They hit chrome diamond jigs, freelined blackfin chunk baits and various butterfly type jigs. When the totals were finalized, there were blackfin tuna that had hit the deck, going to 23 lbs. The yellowfin total was 8, they went from 30 to 131 lbs. Four nice ones of 40, 55, 70 and 90 lbs. were included in the eight. Most hit freelined blackfin tuna chunks, one a topwater popper and the heaviest of the yellowfin ate a 6 oz. chrome diamond jig at about 150 ft.

After sunrise Saturday, the fishing run back to Pier 19 began. Several stops were made, well inshore at rocks in 170-185 ft. of water. Several amberjack were taken, along with vermilion snapper, kingfish, almaco jack, rainbow runner, etc.

Arriving at Pier 19, the Capt. John had a nice looking hang of fish as they approached the dock. The multi-species catch included the following:

8 yellowfin tuna to 131#
200 blackfin to 23#
7 greater amberjack to 67#
20 kingfish to 28#
2 Warsaw grouper of 40 and 45#
10 triggerfish
1 wahoo of 25#
2 almaco jack of 12# ea.
21 rainbow runner to 12#
20 bluerunner
1 blue fish
20 Bermuda chub
67 vermilion snapper
Some of the individual catches:
Rita Baumann (Texas City) had 15 blackfin tuna, vermilion snapper, a kingfish and the trip's only wahoo - it hit a freelined blackfin tuna chunk.
Dan Jaeger (Houston), 4 blackfin tuna, 1 yellowfin tuna 35#.
David Jaeger (Houston) 8 blackfin tuna.
Jon Jaeger (Kansas City) 18 blackfin tuna, 2 yellowfin tuna of 40 & 70#.
Brian Christensen (Tomball) 2 Warsaw grouper, 40 & 45#, 14 blackfin tuna.
Bart Christensen (Tomball), 6 blackfin tuna, vermilion snapper.
Reuben Villareal ( Houston), 2 yellowfin tuna, 6 blackfin tuna.
John Jeffries, (Houston) 2 yellowfin, 30 & 35# on blackfin chunks, and one amberjack 36#
Greg Wood(Houston), 1 amberjack, 6 blackfin, 10 vermilion snapper.
John McCracken (Nederland), 2 amberjack, 2 kingfish, 10 blackfin tuna, vermilion snapper.
Greg Moliere (Houston), blackfin tuna and the trip's heaviest, a 131# yellowfin tuna.
Craig Sachs ( Crosby) and his son Harrison, 6 blackfin tuna and several vermilion snapper.
This 36 hour trip had something going for it that most don't, 2 to 4 foot seas; that, along with another multispecies catch made it a great one. The highlight of the trip was the 131 lb. yellowfin tuna that hit a diamond jig about 150' below the surface of the calm Gulf. Yellowfin of just about any size are tackle and stamina testers. You never know what could end up on your hook 130 miles or so offshore; be prepared to need your best performance out there. This one was a real beast of a fight to bring it to gaff, this 131 pounder definitely had the initial advantage in this fight. It was also the heaviest taken so far on one of these 36 hour tuna safaris.
At this time, the next and last 36 hour trip for early summer is scheduled for the 24th and 25th of this month; that's a Tuesday-Wednesday. There is also the possibility of a 36 hour tuna safari being scheduled for July 3-4, that's a Thursday-Friday.
To make your reservations on the Capt. John and one of its 36 hour tuna safaris, give the office a call at 713-223-4853 or 409-762-8808. Be sure to bring your "A" game - if a big yellowfin tuna is your target. Interest in that July trip could be a factor in getting it on the schedule. Make that call to the office today - time is running short.

Saturday, April 05, 2008

This 36 hour tuna safari by the partyboat Capt. John was run once again under changeable sea conditions...fortunately, as conditions changed for the better as the trip progressed.

With 40 fishermen aboard, the Capt. John left Pier 19 and headed in a southerly direction shortly afterward, with a 4 to 6 ft. following sea. Three surface production platforms ranging from about 80 to 85 miles SSE, in 250-350 ft. of water, were fished Saturday afternoon. Amberjack, grouper, vermilion snapper, etc. were included in the catch.

Late Saturday afternoon a run farther offshore was begun for the overnight fishing. Capt. Tony Langston's destination was the Boom Vang Spar production platform. During the overnight period, numerous drifts were made down current from the platform. Yellowfin tuna weren't home, but blackfin definitely were. Those drifts, 127 miles offshore in 3,450 ft. of water produced 219 blackfin tuna to 19 lbs. Only one undersized yellowfin tuna was caught and immediately released to grow and fight another night. Those blackfin hit chrome diamond jigs, butterfly type jigs and freelined chunk baits. These overnight drifts were made with Capt. Shane Steber in the driver's seat. The numerous fishing opportunities on these extended length trips is one of the factors that come into play, requiring that a second captain be on board. Overnight, seas had dropped into the 2-4 ft. range...much better.

The run home began after sunup Sunday. Four stops were made at around 85 to 70 miles offshore, which included a production platform in around 250 ft. of water and three different rock formations in 180 ft. of water. More grouper, amberjack, rainbow runner, etc., came into the fish boxes. For the morning and the rest of the run back to Galveston, seas were in the 1-2 ft. range, even better.

The trip's total catch was made up of:

* 219 blackfin tuna to 19 lbs.
* 26 rainbow runner to 14 lbs.
* 3 greater amberjack of 20/40 & 50 lbs.
* 3 Bermuda chub
* 23 blue runner
* 1 lane snapper
* 162 vermilion snapper to 4 lbs.
* 9 almaco jack
* 1 hammerhead shark of 7 ft., 135 lbs.
* 2 creolefish
* 3 scamp grouper to 12 lbs.
* 1 gag grouper
* 6 yellowmouth grouper
* 19 gray triggerfish

Some of the individual catches:

Peter Letts (Dickinson), 11 blackfin tuna, 11 vermilion snapper and a 12# gag grouper.

John & Sandy Czerwinski (Spring), 18 blackfin tuna and 12 vermilion snapper.

Craig Sachs (Crosby), 7 blackfin tuna, 2 vermilion snapper and 1 rainbow runner.

Oscar Garcia (Baytown), 16 blackfin tuna, 2 rainbow runner, 3 vermilion snapper.

Paul Booker (Baytown), 4 blackfin tuna, 2 rainbow runner, vermilion snapper.

Mark Land (Baytown), a 45# greater amberjack while rig fishing Saturday afternoon, 1 rainbow runner, 7 vermilion snapper, 2 gray triggerfish.

Wes Nance (Clear Lake City), 5 blackfin tuna, 1 almaco jack, several vermilion snapper and a scamp grouper.

Will Maeger (Dickinson), 5 blackfin tuna, 3 rainbow runner, 1 creolefish, 6 vermilion snapper, 1 greater amberjack, 1 almaco jack.

Scott Sweet (Crosby), 4 blackfin tuna (trip's first one), several vermilion snapper and a couple of yellowmouth grouper.

In spite of the lack of a yellowfin tuna bite, this trip had another of the great catches they have become known for. Mother Nature did her part with the improving sea conditions as the trip progressed.

At this time, there are four more of these 36 hour tuna safaris scheduled for the Capt. John. Give the office at Pier 19 a call at either 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853 (Houston number), and make your reservations, as they are all likely to sell out well in advance - don't miss your opportunity to be a part of the Capt. John experience.

Saturday, March 22, 2008

This weekend's 36 hour tuna safari by the partyboat Capt. John was headed up by Capt. Tony Langston. Also aboard was Capt. Mike Malloy as the second captain. The run offshore in a southerly direction started for the 30 fishermen shortly after leaving Galveston's Pier 19.

The trip's first stops on Saturday afternoon were made at a couple of production platforms in 250 and 400 ft. of water. After fishing these platforms, a run farther offshore began for the overnight tuna fishing. Arriving at the Little Sister production 90 miles SSE of The Island, in 1000 ft. of water, the tuna fishing started. Another thing that started was the wind, steadily increasing along with the wave heights -- not exactly as forecast. With winds now forecast to strengthen, Capt. Langston decided during the early hours of Sunday to untie from the Little Sister platform and run a bit farther inshore.

Two production platforms in 350, then 250 ft. were fished, followed by a bottom stop in about 180 ft. Wind and sea conditions had quickly deteriorated to the point that the trip was shortened to around 28 hours. All aboard felt this was the right thing to do...fishing. In spite of this deteriorating forecast, wind and sea conditions, another of those multi-species catches that these 36 hour trips are known for was in the fish boxes, and the total catch was made up of:

* 66 blackfin tuna
* 121 vermilion snapper
* 8 lane snapper
* 1 almaco jack of 18#
* 44 blue runner
* 8 rainbow runner
* 1 triggerfish
* 5 Atlantic sharpnose shark
* 3 greater amberjack to 72#
* 12 scamp grouper of 8-10#
* 2 Warsaw grouper of 60 and 98#
* 2 great barracuda to 30#

Some of the individual catches:

Roger Johnston (Clovis, NM), with blackfin tuna and 12 vermilion snapper.
Tony Morris (Pearland) had a 10# scamp grouper and 2 blackfin tuna on butterfly type jogs fished deep, a 20# barracuda, 2 lane snapper and 4 vermilion snapper. Tony also had the trip's heaviest fish, a 98# warsaw grouper that hit a big bonito steak that was fished on the bottom at 350 ft., next to a production platform.
Rita Baumann (Texas City) 10 vermilion snapper, 4 blackfin tuna (chrome diamond jig).
Reuben Villareal (Houston) had the 60# Warsaw grouper.
John Jeffries (Houston) with the 72# greater amberjack.

While this was indeed a weather controlled 36 hour trip that was shortened due to rougher conditions that foreseen at the outset, the fish were there. Safety is always the first consideration, especially when fishing far offshore. Capt. Langston would have much preferred to have made it for 36 hours, but unfortunately, things don't always work out that way.

To make your reservations on one of these great 36 hour tuna safaris aboard the Capt. John, give the Pier 19 office a call at either 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853.

Saturday, March 01, 2008

This weekend's 36 hour tuna safari by the partyboat Capt. John was run with Capt. Tony Langston and Capt. Mike Malloy as the required two captains.

Leaving Galveston's Pier 19 Saturday morning, Capt. Langston pointed the twin hulls in a southerly direction after passing the end of the south jetty. Running over seventy miles through choppy seas, the 31 fishermen aboard arrived at their first fishing stop of the trip, Salvador Ridge. Rocks in around 180 ft. of water produced vermilion snapper, Atlantic sharpnose sharks, lane and mangrove snappers.

From the Salvador Ridge area, a run farther offshore for the overnight tuna fishing began. Production platforms fished were the East and West Cerveza platforms about fifteen miles farther offshore, each in around 900 ft. of water. Using chrome, 4 or 6 oz. diamond jigs, along with various butterfly type jigs and whole Spanish sardines, over a hundred blackfin tuna to 21 lbs were decked and iced. As the night progressed, seas built to around seven feet but subsided somewhat by morning. After sunrise, with about a five foot swell helping to push them home, the inshore run began. Sunday morning's first stop was at another production platform about five miles to the north in around 360' of water. Amberjack, ling and grouper were taken.

Other stops Sunday included those at a couple of rocks and a sunken rig in 180 ft. of water. The following swell had now dropped to four feet or so. These stops produced vermilion snapper, ling, mangrove and lane snapper. The trip's catch totals were:

102 blackfin tuna to 21#

* 2 ling to 35#
* 6 greater amberjack to 30#
* 1 Atlantic sharpnose shark
* 1 gag grouper, 30#, released
* 3 lane snapper
* 9 mangrove snapper
* 201 vermilion snapper

The changeability of sea conditions in the winter Gulf was evident on this two day overnight trip. Going from medium to bouncy, back to medium, but following seas was certainly the case on this one. Also part of the trip was another of those multi-species catches they've been known for over the years. There are six more of these 36 hour tuna safaris scheduled at this time. Give the Capt. John's office at Galveston's Pier 19 a call at either 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853 to make your reservations. Call today, there's a big group out there just waiting to pull your line really tight!

Saturday, February 23, 2008

This 36 hour overnight tuna safari by the partyboat Capt. John out of Galveston's Pier 19 was headed up by Capt. Johnny Williams. Also aboard as the second captain was Capt. Mike Malloy.

The first stop Saturday afternoon was at the Salvador Ridge area about 73 miles south of The island. Rocks in around 180 ft. of water and their hoped-for vermilion snapper was the target. Along with vermilion snapper, groupers, ling, lane snapper and mangrove snapper joined the 30 fishermen on the deck.

Leaving the Salvador Ridge area, a run farther offshore began for the overnight fishing. Two production platforms were fished, the Boom Vang platform in 3,450 ft. of water, 127 miles south of The Island and the Tequila platform, 88 miles SSW of The Island in 650 ft. of water. Using diamond jigs, chunk baits and freelined Spanish sardines, an assortment of blackfin tuna, bonito, Atlantic bonito, barracuda and bluerunner was taken.

After sunrise, a move was made to another production platform about four miles north in 360 ft. of water. Here, more grouper, an amberjack, mangrove snapper, triggerfish, ling and a 35 lb. Warsaw grouper were taken.

The trip's final stops Sunday afternoon before the run back to Pier 19 were made at the Salvador Ridge area once again. Fishing mostly cut squid or whole Spanish sardines, the fishermen managed to reel up a few more grouper, ling, vermilion snapper, bluerunner and a triggerfish.

The trip's total great multi-species catch consisted of:

* 64 blackfin tuna to 23#
* 1 amberjack of 25#
* 1 Atlantic bonito
* 1 barracuda
* 85 triggerfish
* 4 rockhind grouper
* 16 lane snapper
* 4 mangrove snapper
* 172 vermilion snapper
* 33 blue runner
* 31 bonito
* 1 whitebone porgy
* 10 ling to 40#

There are seven more of these 36 hour tuna safaris scheduled by the Capt. John through the middle of May. Obviously, the catches are multi-species, and while many blackfin tuna are taken, the primary target is the yellowfin tuna. They don't always oblige, as was the case on this trip - they were seen at the Boom Vang Spar Platform but none were decked...fishing. Make that call to the Capt. John's office at Galveston's Pier 19 for your reservations - the numbers are: 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853.