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Thursday, July 23, 2009
This 36 hour overnight tuna safari by the partyboat Capt John was headed up by Capt. Johnny Williams and Capt. Mike Malloy. After leaving Galveston's Pier 19 with 40 of us fishermen aboard and shortly afterward passing the end of Galveston's south jetty the trip offshore began, running in a SSE direction.
After passing to the West of the Clay Pile bank, we later made a couple of drifts by the anchored shrimpboat "Little David", about 75 miles offshore. The hope was for some yellowfin or blackfin tuna to be there...hope was all we had, no fishing action. After a run of about five miles, the trip's first bottom stops were made at an old coral outcropping in 215 ft of water. The current was running on the strong side but several sow red snapper and some smaller ones were taken along with vermilion snapper, sharpnose shark, a bonito and the trip's first blackfin tuna. Joe Lindswy had the blackfin of about 25#.
About 10 miles farther out, a couple of drifts were made by and downcurrent from two anchored shrimp boats, the "Grandma" and "Little Ernie". Not much taken there, just a couple of sharpnose shark.
After those shrimp boat drifts, a run was begun farther offshore, to the Gunnison Spar Platform . The Gunnison Spar Platform where we anticipated yellowfin and blackfin tuna fishing during the overnight period, is in 3,150 ft. of water, about 136 miles offshore. Several drifts from near the platform to a mile or so downcurrent were made overnight. The drifts were on the slow side due to a light breeze and weak current. Did these particular conditions slow the yellowfin action to a trickle? Don'd know, but only a few hookups and surface feeding sightings occurred, only one legal yellowfin was decked, a nice 58 pounder. It hit a freelined barracuda chunk. Ninety three blackfin did end up in the fish boxes, though. They ranged from what's called a "sandwich tuna"(enough for a couple of tuna sandwiches), to over thirty pounds. One of the area's barracuda was caught, others managed to bite some of the blackfins' tail sections off, not a bit problem for the catch totals, but they did get a few.
One of the ottidies of the fishing at Gunnison was the hard hit and fight that Jason Burton had. What was initially thought to be a nice yellowfin tuna was somehow magically turned into a 30# Jack Crevalle. That has to rate high on Jason's disappointment scale -- a big jackfish, 136 miles offshore!
Shortly after first light on Thursday morning the run inshore began, fishing our way home. By 6:30 AM we were on the way. At about 9:30, we were at the first "home run" stop, rocks in 220 ft. of water about 90 miles or so offshore. Red snapper and sharks hit in the hard running current. Five stops were made, the last one being at a sunken rig in 190 ft. of water that is about 80 miles offshore.
Leaving the sunken rig,where more red snapper, vermilion snapper, shark plus a couple of amberjack were taken, the final run to the house began. The only weather related problem was fortunately about 20 miles offshore on the way back; a squal line with its wind and heavy rain. Luckily, it had passed The Island by the time we reached Galveston's Pier 19, leaving only a very light rain. All in all, it was a good trip, the blackfin catch was close to normal, the yellowfin were just not there in numbers. We had a nice double red snapper limit to 18# and some nice "others". Catch numbers and species were:
120 red snapper to 18#, a double limit
38 vermilion snapper to 3#
10 lane snapper
7 rainbow runner to 10#
3 kingfish to 18#
27 sharpnose sharks
4 gray triggerfish
2 greater amberjack to 25#
2 scamp grouper to 9#
2 porgy
2 bonoto
1 yellowfin tuna of 58#
93 blackfin tuna to 33#
Individual catches:
Alvin Galloway from Katy: double red snapper limit to 12#, 2 blackfin tuna, lane snapper and vermilion snapper.
John Obenauf group of four from the Houston Fire Department John had the trip's heaviest blackfin tuna, a really nice 33 pounder. The group also had 2 other blackfin tuna, double red snapper limits to 7#, sharpnose shark and 6 rainbow runner to 10#.
Jason Carr, Nederland; besides his double red snapper limit to 10# he also had a 25# amberjack and 4 blackfin tuna.
Rita Baumann, Texas City; her double red snapper limit went to 10# and 8 blackfin tuna to 15# topped off her catch.
Jim Marigliano, Dallas; with kingfish, vermilion snapper, barracuda, amberjack, 3 blackfin tuna to 30# and a double red snapper limit to 12#.
Jason Burton, Houston; with the somewhat unusual 30#+ Jack Crevalle at the Gunnison Spar, a yellowfin tuna imposter first class. He also had 2 blackfin tuna and a double red snapper limit to 10#.
John McCracken, San Leon; 6 blackfin tuna and a red snapper double limit to 10#.
Joe LindseySanta Fe; double red snapper to 12#, 6 blackfin tuna to 28#.
Steve Saur, Beaumont; 6 blackfin tuna, double red snapper limit to 10#.
Robert Canon, Waller; 3 blackfin tuna, double red snapper limit to 10#.
Kevin Christ, Hitchcock; double red snapper limit to 9#, 10 blackfin tuna.
Chris Nielson & Aaron Burch, Ft. Worth; they had double red snapper limits to 10#, several blackfin tuna and the 58# yellowfin that hit Aaron's freelined barracuda chunk.
Patrick Lemire, Texas City; my catch included amberjack, sharpnose shark, kingfish and a double red snapper limit to 12#.
To book your space at the rail on the partyboat Capt John, contact the office at Galveston's Pier 19, 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853 gets you in contact with the office staff. The next and only other 36 hour trip on the schedule for now is on August 4 and 5. This is a Tuesday/Wednesday trip. There fare openings available at this time. The added plus for this August trip is that it's the last this year where you can have a double red snapper limit - something to think about. Make the call & get aboard, as usual, it should be a good one!
Patrick
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Monday, July 20, 2009
Rock formations that are about 60 miles to the SE of Galveston were today's fishing targets chosen by Capt. Johnny Williams. The 76 fishermen aboard the partyboat Capt. John worked their baits from near the surface to the bottom in the 125-130 ft. water. The catch that was generated from this activity included:
76 red snapper to 16#
18 vermilion snapper
10 lane snapper
2 bonito
3 kingfish
54 sharpnose shark
Jim Marigliano, Dallas, had a kingfish, bonito and a red snapper limit to 16#, the day's heaviest.
Today was one of those unusual ones in that it was a bit on the sharky side. They are indeed a handful to reel in; tighten your knots really tight and are great eating. Today, their abundance wasn't exactly welcomed. Fortunately, other species made up the majority of today's catch. Now that the "unusual" is hopefully out of the picture, the primary fishing focus can be the red snapper catch. To get your shot at a red snapper limit before the fishery closes August 15th, reserve your spot at the rail, call the office at 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853.
Patrick
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Sunday, July 19, 2009
Capt. Shawn Clark headed up today's offshore fishing effort by the partyboat Capt. John. He took the 83 fishermen fishing over various bottom structure about 60 miles SSE of Galveston. Using Spanish sardines, cut or whole squid, from near the surface to the bottom, they had another multi-species catch coming up through the clear blue water:
68 red snapper to 12#
12 Lane snapper
102 vermilion snapper
1 gaugauganche (cuda family)
5 gray triggerfish
2 bluerunner
1 barracuda
3 amberjack
5 kingfish to 44#
2 ling
9 sharpnose shark
1 bonnethead shark
2 rockhind grouper
2 scamp grouper
1 "mystery grouper" (I.D. in progress)
Collin Scherer, Galveston, had a red snapper limit to 7#.
Jim Marigliano, Dallas, with vermilion snapper, a red snapper limit to 10#, a kingfish limit including the 44# smoker(trip's heaviest).
The Capt. John's office at Galveston's Pier 19 is the place to go to make your reservations and experience some of this multi-species offshore fishing. Call 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853 to get started. The friendly and informed office staff has the answers to your Capt. John questions.
Don't let the red snapper fishery close for 2009 in Federal waters without going after some of those delicious filets. The closure is only 26 days away.
Patrick
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