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Tuesday, July 03, 2007

The Weather Gods still had something of a frown on their faces for this 36 hour tuna safari by the partyboat Capt. John out of Galveston's Pier 19. Having rain showers and a bit of a breeze to contend with at times, Capt. Johnny Williams, who also had Capt. Shane Steber aboard as the remaining second captain on this extended length trip, motored SE through the Gulf.

The first stop was Tuesday afternoon over rock structure about 70 miles offshore. Red snapper was the primary target for the 38 fishermen and the fishing was good. The bulk of the trip's red snapper catch to 12 lbs. was iced down in the fish boxes when they left this area. The next area fished was about 30 miles farther offshore in deeper water. Suspended vermilion snapper was the expected catch; they were home, and the fishing was good again, with many coming aboard. Upon leaving this area south of the Flower Garden, a run even farther offshore began, to a deep water rig for overnight tuna fishing. The production platform fished is in about 700 ft. of water around 120 miles SE of Galveston. Between showers, blackfin tuna were hitting an assortment of artificials, such as the ever effective chrome diamond jigs and various metal jigs such as those by Williamson, Shimano, Strike Pro, etc. When the move inshore for more fishing and the run home began after sunrise Wednesday, 33 blackfin tuna to 24 lbs had been decked, gutted and iced down.

The area fished on the way home was again about 70 miles to the SE of The Island. More red snapper, several dorado(mahi-mahi), plus more assorted bottom species and ling were decked. When the final leg of the run back to Pier 19 was started Wednesday afternoon, the fishermen's efforts in working various baits such as squid, sardines, assorted live baits and metal jigs had produced this catch:

* 1 sandbar shark - 90#
* 3 great barracuda to 23#
* 2 scamp grouper to 20#
* 6 greater amberjack to 25#
* 1 almaco jack
* 2 horseeye jack
* 1 jack Crevalle
* 6 kingfish to 20#
* 3 ocean triggerfish
* 69 gray triggerfish
* 1 rainbow runner
* 1 blue runner
* 2 Bermuda chub
* 3 ling to 30#
* 20 dorado(mahi-mahi) to 12#
* 3 bonito
* 33 blackfin tuna to 24#
* 6 lane snapper
* 498 vermilion snapper to 4#, almost 66% of the allowable limit for the 38 fishermen.
* 143 red snapper to 12#, over 94% of the allowable two day limit for the 38 fishermen.

An Vo, Miami, Florida - his catch was made up of vermilion snapper, red snapper and 10 blackfin tuna. His blackfin hit a Williamson "Bethnos" jig of 7 oz. in a blue/silver/white color pattern.

Colin "Tux" Tuxen, 16 year old son Cody & friend Jessie Purslo, all from Centerville, with red snapper, vermilion snapper, great barracuda and greater amberjack in their catch. Incidentally, the "great" and "greater" are actually part of the name of those species, not that one was better than the other.

Peter Letts, Dickinson, had 2 blackfin tuna, red snapper and vermilion snapper double limits.

Steve Saur, Beaumont - red snapper and vermilion snapper double limits and bonito & triggerfish.

Rita Baumann, Texas City, red snapper and vermilion snapper double limits.

Amos Wolf, Pflugerville - greater amberjack, dorado, blackfin tuna and vermilion snapper and red snapper double limits.

Mike Billiott and 12 year old son, Devin, Winnie - with dorado, vermilion snapper and red snapper limits.

Dan Jones and 16 year old son Jessie, Indianapolis, Indiana, had double vermilion snapper limit, horse eye jack, red snapper and triggerfish.

Ed Fegan, Middleburg Heights, Ohio - 3 blackfin tuna, red snapper, vermilion snapper, lane snapper and triggerfish.

Bryan "Mudskipper" Treadway, Houston, red snapper vermilion snapper double limits, 2 blackfin tuna to 20#.

Kyle "Billfish" Bradley, Houston - lane snapper, vermilion snapper double limit, a 20# scamp grouper, 1 greater amberjack and 3 blackfin tuna. The blackfin hit a 7 oz. Williamson "Bethnos" deep jig in a blue/silver/white color pattern.

This trip not only had another of those multi-species catches but a wide range of places the fishermen came from. While most were from somewhere in Texas, notice that fishermen from Florida, Indiana and Ohio were also in attendance.

Captains Williams and Steber did their part in placing the boat on the fish. The coaching, line untangling and gaffing by the deckhands Ben, John, Shane & Cory made the fishermen's efforts after their many hookups worthwhile, while David in the snack bar kept them all watered and fed.

To get in on one of these successful team efforts, give the office a call at 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853 and make your reservations. While no other 36 hour trips are on the schedule at this time, fishermen's interest could generate one. Otherwise, get on the Capt. John for one of the many 12 hour trips that are on the books. Call the Pier 19 office today!

Monday, July 02, 2007

It had to happen – yesterday's "Ice Cream Conditions" have, well, sort of "left the building"...the upper Texas coast offshore waters for sure. Today's breezy, bumpy and squally conditions were indeed a change but the catch results were close to normal. With Capt. Tony Langston at the wheel of the partyboat Capt. John, the run offshore in a southerly direction began, after passing through the jetties. Destination was a series of rocks about 50 miles offshore of Galveston Island in 100 ft. of water.

The baits of the 65 fishermen, pieces of cut squid or whole Spanish sardines, enticed this catch to join them on the deck:

* 1 kingfish
* 51 Atlantic spadefish
* 49 lane snapper to 3#
* 30 vermilion snapper to 3#
* 130 red snapper to 8#, a red snapper limit for all 65 fishermen.

The state of the art hull design of the Capt. John contribute greatly to the fishability of the boat when the Gulf gets on the bumpy side as it was today. Give the office a ring at 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853 to make your reservations, your spot at the rail and the fish are waiting.

A call to Blue Bell was also made and the "Ice Cream Conditions" are on the way, when they'll get here is sort of iffy. In the meantime, get on the boat, enjoy the ride and catch some fish.

Sunday, July 01, 2007

Inevitably, the calm Gulf will have a change in attitude, but not today. With sea conditions that ranged from one foot to dead calm, it fell into the category referred to as "Ice cream conditions".

Capt. Tony Langston didn't have Blue Bell on his mind as he pointed the twin hulls of the partyboat Capt. John to the east after passing through the Galveston jetties...it was kingfish. After a run of approximately 65 miles they were there, and the kingfish were home. Fishing mostly freelined Spanish sardines in the near surface area of the 90 ft. deep water, the 61 fishermen reeled in 42 of them, to 35 lbs.--mayhem in the water and on the deck! This area also produced lane snapper, red snapper and several dorado (mahi-mahi).

Baits used, besides the sardines, were pieces of cut squid. All were fished from the near surface area to the bottom. Today's total catch consisted of:

* 35 lane snapper
* 77 red snapper to 6 lbs.
* 3 dorado (mahi-mahi) of 8 to 15 lbs.
* 42 kingfish to 35 lbs.

Patrick Murphy, Gainsville, Fl - This University of Florida student had red snapper, kingfish and one of the dorado.

Sam Rosas, Sugarland, had red snapper and kingfish limits and one of the dorado.
Reuben Villareal, Houston, also had red snapper and kingfish limits.
John Jefferies, from Houston, went home with red snapper and kingfish limits.

While other species were targeted and caught, it was the kingfish what were the trip's highlight. Their line stretching, knot tightening and drag screeching runs in who-knows-what direction is what makes kingfish one of the most fun to catch fish offshore. Just ask Patrick Murphy about it if you ever run into him.

Obviously, not all trips will have this sort of kingfish catch -- they are an important part of our upper Texas coast offshore fishery, but just a part of it. Give the Pier 19 office a call at 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853 to book your trip on the partyboat Capt. John. Get out there and see what part of our total offshore fishery you can come back with.

Saturday, June 30, 2007

With the "weather gods" still holding wave heights to two feet or less in our part of the Gulf, the 80 fishermen on the Capt. John were in for another smooth ride.

Upon leaving Galveston's Pier 19 and later starting the run to the SE, the 50 mile run offshore began.

The fishing spots Capt. Tony Langston selected for the day were several rocks and a wreck in 110' of water. The fishermen's cut squid and whole or cut Spanish sardine baits produced this catch:

* 15 kingfish to 30#
* 1 Grasby grouper
* 15 blue runner
* 1 bonito
* 20 vermilion snapper
* 3 mangrove snapper
* 160 red snapper to 6#, a daily limit for the 80 fishermen.

To book your spot at the rail on the partyboat Capt. John, give the Pier 19 office a ring at 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853. Get in on some of this cost-efficient, multi-species fishing – you will not likely be disappointed.

Friday, June 29, 2007

Once again, the pleasant conditions offshore that have been there for the last few days were still holding. Capt. Tony Langston pointed those sleek twin hulls of the partyboat Capt. John in sort of a southeasterly direction, entering the open Gulf and its two foot swell with 61 of us fishermen aboard.

The day's first stop was made at an area of rocky bottom about 45 miles offshore, in about 115 feet of water. Red snapper were there, along with an assortment of other bottom dwellers. When we left the area, something in the order of 99% of our red snapper catch for the day was on the boat.

Our next fishing opportunities were about twenty miles further offshore. Capt. Langston had big fish in mind to go along with the red snapper and other fish from the first stop; hopefully, they would be there.The next three stops were made in the Claypile area at different rock formations. These rocks, that came within 110-115 ft. of the surface, were indeed holding what the captain and all of us were looking for. The immediate success at the first rock was the hookup and, about ten minutes later, the gaffing and decking of Sam Rosas' 66 lb. wahoo! What a start! It hit a bullet-type lure with a chrome head and blue/silver mylar skirt. Other wahoo were seen at this rock and at the next one, but they gave a turndown to an assortment of baits and lures that were offered to them -- you can't catch 'em all. Sam also caught the biggest smile of the day at that first rock stop. Some of the other species taken in the area included ling, vermilion snapper, mangrove snapper, lane snapper, rockhind grouper, etc. The Captain's decision to make the run further offshore worked. One "big one" did get reeled in after it made about a 100 yard, drag-screaming run, and several others were seen in the clear blue water, plus an added assortment of species were also picked up.

After "motor fishing" that last rock, which had a squall nearby that provided a bit of a breeze and made anchor positioning difficult, with its changing wind strength direction, we headed home. "Motor fishing" is holding the boat in position over a particular spot by the captain keeping the engines running and applying power to the props, along with rudder positioning in order to maintain location in spite of different motions the wind and current put on the boat. Some of that sort of "juggling act" Capt. Langston's pretty good at doing in order to ensure your chances of a great catch.

Decked and iced down in the fish boxes was this list of the fish who volunteered to join the 61 of us fishermen for the ride back to Galveston's Pier 19:

* 1 wahoo of 66#
* 6 rockhind grouper
* 2 ling
* 36 bluerunner
* 4 triggerfish
* 6 lane snapper to 3#
* 6 mangrove snapper to 8#
* 101 vermilion snapper to 3#
* 122 red snapper to 7#

Sam Rosas, Sugarland, had a red snapper limit to 5# and the catch of the day, that nice 66# wahoo that ran him from the stern to the bow before coming to the gaff.

Jim Marigliano, Dallas, had a red snapper limit to 6# to go along with several wahoo turndowns.
Patrick Lemire, Texas City – My catch was made up of a red snapper limit to 7#. Unfortunately, I had numerous wahoo turndowns while using an assortment of lures and baits – The captain puts the boat on the spot, but you have to catch 'em.

While all trips on the Capt. John aren't made this far offshore, when you are in a position to catch really large fish, which could be on any offshore trip, all you can do is make your best effort to hook 'em. Sam did a better job today than all of the other 60 fishermen. It was his day.

Get on the Capt. John – your personal best could be out there waiting for you. As we've said before, it's not knowing who's going to catch what at any particular spot, regardless of experience level that is one of the biggest attractions of partyboat fishing. Give the office a call at Pier 19, either 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853, get on the boat and see what ends up on the other end of your line. Whatever it is, it's likely loaded with excitement!