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Thursday, August 13, 2009

With only one more day after today for the red snapper fishery to be open, red snapper fishing for 2009 is about to become a memory. Probably the most memorable catch today was by Dr. Sam Marynick of Dallas. Over about a thirty minute time span, at the first stop of the day, he landed a 31# ling, a 39# Warsaw grouper and a 14# red snapper - all personal bests, sounds memorable to me.

Capt. Johnny Williams had us fishing at a production platform and two bottom structures in around 140 to 160 ft. of water, in an area to the west of the Claypile. The result was another multi-species catch which included a red snapper limit for all of the 74 fishermen aboard the partyboat Capt. John. Bonito chunks, saved from yesterday, Spanish sardines and squid chunks, fished throughout the water column, helped in generating a catch that was made up of:

148 red snapper to 19#, a boat limit for 74 fishermen.
80 vermilion snapper to 3#
8 lane snapper
5 bluefish
1 kingfish
7 bluerunner
1 porgy
1 stingray
1 rockhind grouper
5 triggerfish
2 sharpnose shark
2 rainbow runner
1 ling, 31#
1 Warsaw grouper, 39#

Dr. Sam Marynick, Dallas, with a red snapper limit to 14#, the 31# ling and 39# Warsaw grouper-all personal bests-results we all look for on every trip but seldom attain.
Mark Marynick, Sam's son, Dallas, had several vermilion snapper and a red snapper limit to 13#.
Jim Marigliano, Dallas, (Sam is his doctor) with a red snapper limit to 10# and vermilion snapper.
Andy Carrol, Dallas, 3 vermilion snapper and a red snapper limit to 15#.
Don Adams, Quinlan, 3 bluerunner, a rockhind grouper and a red snapper limit to 10#.
Patrick Lemire, Texas City, my red snapper limit went to 9#.

This was a good day of fishing on the partyboat Capt. John, on this second-to-last day of red snapper fishing in Federal waters for 2009. For all of us who were on the Capt. John, and the rest of you fishermen, for that matter, the next opportunity to keep red snapper will be June 1, 2010 - 9 1/2 months. Starting this Saturday, the Capt. John will be running 8 hour offshore fishing trips when enough fishermen are signed up. The other option is a 15 hour trip on Saturday, Sept. 5 and a 36 hour tuna safari Saturday/Sunday, Sept. 12/13. Watch the website for additional trips as they are scheduled. Come by or call the Capt. John office at Galveston's Pier 19 to check on additional trips or call 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853, to get you in contact with the office staff.
Patrick

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

The Weather Gods were a bit kinder to the 78 fishermen aboard the partyboat Capt. John today. Cloudy conditions along with a slight breeze was the difference from the last four days. Wave heights in the clear, cobalt blue water were in the 1-2' range all day.

Capt. Johnny Williams had us fishing at a couple of bottom stops, a production platform and a shrimpboat drift. All these stops were in the 60 to 68 mile range, sort of SSE of Galveston.

The first bottom stop, in 120 ft. of water, had numerous red snapper up to 21# coming over the rails. The second stop, a short distance away, had more red snapper, many kingfish and sharpnose sharks joining us on deck. Our next stop was at a production platform in 165 ft. of water. Ling and the completion of the red snapper limit was taken. The day's final fishing stop was at an anchored shrimpboat, the "Morning Star II". Several undersize ling were hooked and released. Bonito were swarming, and during the short time we were there, 8 nice ones were caught. Leaving the shrimpboat drift, we headed for the trip's final stop, Galveston's Pier 19. This was a really good fishing day, and only 2 more are left for the red snapper fishery in Federal waters to be open in 2009.

The day's catch consisted of:

156 red snapper to 21#, about 25 of which went 14 to 21#, a boat limit.
1 mangrove snapper
20 vermilion snapper
1 lane snapper
1 greater amberjack
1 rockhind grouper
8 bonito to 11#
26 kingfish to 23#
2 ling to 30#
7 sharpnose shark
2 almaco jack

Gary Southerland, Katy, with a red snapper limit to 6#.
Reuben Doffey, Tomball, had a red snapper limit to 8#, the rockhind grouper and the lone lane snapper.
Lee Campbell, Galveston, the greater amberjack and a red snapper limit to 16#.
Kenny Swanson, Galveston, with a red snapper limit to 16#.
Jim Marigliano, Dallas, had a kingfish and a red snapper limit to 6#.
Patrick Lemire, Texas City, my catch included a 25# ling that chased a soft swimbait to the boat and finally ate it, after I got its excitement up with a fast figure 8 motion, shallow at boatside. My red snapper limit was 16 and 21 pounders that hit Carolina rigged Spanish sardines and squid combos, fished just off the bottom.

Today was good, and with the weather holding, the catch rates should continue. The red snapper fishery in Federal waters is only thru Friday, get on the Capt John and get some of yours, 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853 will get you in touch with the folks in the Pier 19 office.
Patrick

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Today's offshore fishing trip had Capt. Johnny Williams heading up the effort. Running through the calm and clear Gulf for about 50 miles to the SSE, this area's rocks, wrecks plus a production platform awaited the 74 of us fishermen.

Several stops were made in 90 to 100 ft. of flat calm, clear blue water. Our baits of cut squid or Spanish sardines, fished from near the surface to the bottom produced this multi-species catch:

132 red snapper to 16#
21 lane snapper
6 mangrove snapper, 17 bluerunner
27 kingfish to 25#

Jim Marigliano, Dallas, had a limit of red snapper of 15# and 16# each.
Shannon Williams, Alvin, with a red snapper limit to 10#, 2 kingfish and 2 mangrove snapper.
Patrick Lemire, Texas City - My red snapper limit went 15 and 16#.

The Gulf's clear blue waters made fishing exciting, since you could see your red snapper, kingfish, etc., while they were about 40 ft. down...saltwater aquarium fishing. The downside of today's condition was that it was hit, hot, hot! The thing that's not so hot is that after today, there's only 3 days left for the red snapper fishery to be open in Federal waters for 2009. Give the office a call at 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853 to make your reservations before time expires.

Sunday, August 09, 2009

Today had a charter trip being taken by theKilgore Industries group of 35 from Houston, headed up by James Baldridge. After fpassing the end of the Galveston South Jetty, Capt. Shawn Clarkpointed the Capt John's twin hulls in a southeasterly direction. The target area for today's fishing was rock and old coral formations about 66 miles offshore.

The Kilgore group worked their sardine or squid baits throughout the 150 ft. deep waters for this multi-species catch:

24 red snapper to 14#
144 vermilion snapper
10 lane snapper
2 gray triggerfish
1 rockhind grouper
7 sharpnose shark
1 amberjack
1 ling, 36#
1 creole fish (Possible new state record, which is presently 1.56#)

The Capt John and a company charter -- a combination that included good fishing and a relaxed, team building day offshore. For your charter trip, group or individual offshore fishing trip aboard the partyboat Capt John, give the office at Galveston's Pier 19 a call at 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853. However you go about it, your trip will be a good one, remember,"it's not just a boat, it's the Capt. John!"
Patrick

Saturday, August 08, 2009

With Capt. Shawn Clark at the wheel, the Capt. John headed southeasterly through the open Gulf. Fishing destination for the 82 fishermen was a group of rock formations about 65 miles offshore.

The squid or sardine baits helped coax this catch into biting from the near surface to the bottom of the 140-150 ft. deep water:

32 red snapper to 6#
177 vermilion snapper
5 mangrove snapper
1 porgy
1 rockhind grouper
6 blue runner
1 triggerfish
15 sharpnose sharks
1 ling, 30#
3 kingfish to 30#

Note: another 36 hour tuna safari has just been added to the schedule for September 12-13, a Saturday/Sunday. Call 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853 to book your spot now.